Travel Fun

Vacation Time!

My sister (Lou) and her crew have been on vacation this week! When they were in the planning stages, Lou mentioned that she thought a backpack would be easier to handle instead of a regular purse. My ears perked up and I, of course, said "No problem, I can make you a simple drawstring one." As I pondered the idea, I was afraid that  the drawstrings wouldn't be enough cushion for her, so I went to Pinterest and found convertible bags! These are super cool, however, not exactly what I wanted or had the supplies for. So I did a bit of pattern squishing and made a trial bag. the straps pull up so it can be either a backpack or a shoulder bag. Abby loved hers, but Lou requested a couple changes- such as a water bottle pocket and a tab for the inside pocket (which fit her phone perfectly - rather amazing since I didn't measure it at all.)

                             When I brought Abby's bag over to the house AC was teasing that he needed one too, so Aunt Bobbie decided  to oblige. I ended up making one for each of the boys. 

Lou texted me the first day and said
it works great

Then Lou mentioned that she could use a travel pillow as well. I found this  dog bone one on Pinterest - it was very simple to make. I stuffed it with fluff and poly pellets (that I picked up at a garage sale for 25 cents a bag.) 

Whilst looking for the dog bone pillow I came across these seatbelt pillows.  Their vacation is a Road Trip so each of the kidlets needed one! I used fabric on hand except for Miah's- but I had a coupon for 70 cent fat quarters at JoAnn's so I only spent $1.40 on it. I aslo made the two little boys snap coin purses from Sew Can She or as we call them "Grandpa coin purses"  but I seem to have forgotten to take pictures.

Well that was dumb!
I stitched the entire pillow
right side to wrong side
My seam Ripper got a work out

Elijah's pillow even has a "DogDog"pocket

I got a wee bit carried away with the travel sewing and made a toiletry bag for Lou- the one she had was given to her like 20 years ago and had seen better days. I used this tutorial which is not in English Thanks to Google translate I was able to figure it out. I used a Priority Mail Tyvek envelope for the

I also made a small zipper bag to match

top and bottom interfacing and the cover from a coloring book for the sides. I was able to scavenge the hardware and strap from the original bag. I should really record Lou's reactions- they are always the best, she makes gift giving fun!

For the Boys!!

I am sew glad you stopped by for my "For the Boy's" post today! I get to share my day with some of the best stops on the hop, including our cheerleader Amy and Madam Samm herself- you DON'T wanna miss her post! She does a great job keeping us hopping and keeping up with "that other Lady!" Thank You Madam Samm and our fantabulous Cheer leader Amy for letting me be a part of this hop!

As soon as I saw this hop I knew what I wanted to do- I have been saying since I saw the tutorial forever ago, I need to make one of those for Azariah's cars. Azariah (aka AC) LOVES cars. The other boys play with them but they are AC's favorite thing! so of course he has lots n lots of cars and I decided those cars need a home- Enter in "the Lego Bag"
I found the link here
http://tonicoward.blogspot.com/2010/09/lego-sack-tutorial.html but tweaked it using this tutorial as well http://www.freshlypieced.com/2011/10/12-gifts-of-christmas-lego-storage.html






  I couldn’t get a picture with AC’s cars because it is his Christmas gift,
so I used the cars in the church nursery.



The mat lays flat for play (I didn't get it very flat for the picture)

It not only is a reversible play mat but it also is storage-
all AC has to do is pull the handy dandy drawstring and poof the cars are all picked up!

and the drawstring makes it easy to hang up!

I used the Happy Town* Panel by Jacquelynne Steves of The Noble Wife and have been collecting car fabrics for the outside. My handy dandy Crop-A-dile (from my Fairy CaMom) worked great to set eyelets for the strings. The drawstrings are two 72inch boot laces. (I had originally used ribbon but it was a bear to untie.)

it's reversible

 

 

Stanley thinks it's great for kitty storage too!



  

 

 

 

Now Seth can look dapper for Sunday School
even whilst drooling!

MY next project was a bib for Seth, one of my Sunday School students. I saw the idea on Pinterest and kinda just made up the pattern, I used upcycled denim for the front and part of a towel for the back.

 

 

 I started this project way back in May, however, I never finished it- it was supposed to be an e- reader cover for Nehemiah. I had him draw the picture and I appliqued it. It was fun project to use all Sherman's fancy stitches on.  Well, his brother stepped on the e-reader so the e-reader is no more- but he is still my artist. I added a pocket so he can put a notebook in it and added some pen holders and a snap to close it.

 

I asked Miah to draw a bird with the sun in the background

 


There is also a pocket behind the pens

 

 
 
 

I hope you enjoyed my projects and have a great time visiting these other stops on the For the Boys Hop- I have found a lot of great ideas for my boys!

November 15^th 

 

Everyone Deserves a Quilt

From This to That <---- you are here!!

Monkey Makes Three

Just Quilt It  

Life, Quilts and a Cat too

Thimblemouse and Spouse 

More Stars in Comanche

Sew Incredibly Crazy <-------our fab Cheerleader!

Sew We Quilt <------ the incredible!

 

 
 
 

 

Putting my stamp on it!

 My California Parents are both retired from the US Postal Service, so when I saw the announcement for this hop, I had to jump on board. Then I was thinking-"what in the world have I gotten myself into? I don't know what to make." I started brainstorming and writing all sorts of things down- how do *I* put my stamp on things?  All I ended up with was a couple of pages of words describing me, but nothing was clicking. 

Then I went to my sister's to babysit her kidlets. The kids all came running, excited to see Aunt Bobbie and Miah said "I was hoping it was going to be you. We knew someone was coming to watch us, just not who.  Aunt Bobbie always makes the fun things more fun."  ( isn't he the sweetest thing?) 
Didya hear that click? :)

 here is my "FUN" stamp!

 Aunt Bobbie has nicknames for all the kidlets so I added fabric for each one. Abby is my Ladybug, Azariah is my AzA Rizah Roo, Elijah is my Lijasaurus, Miah is my sunshine, and Emma is my Bean 
 







 I used Carnival Fabric because carnivals are fun and there are hats and umbrellas on it (a few of my favorite things.) Just for "fun" I used a different stitch for each kidlet's section.
My Currency is 5cents because there are 5 kidlets represented on my stamp. My Country is USA.

yes that is a mentos geyser tube on my desk

I should tell you, I am an Activity Director at a nursing home- it is my job to have fun. If I am not having fun,  I am not doing my job. :) 

Dr Seuss was right!

 For my second stamp, I googled postage stamps and a Love stamp caught my eye- the theme for this stamp is LOVE- unconditional love. the background is the colors of the Wordless Book.  

 My heart was black with sin

until the Savior came in,

His precious blood I know has washed me 

White as snow

And in God's Word I'm told, I'll walk the streets of gold

to grow in Christ each day, I read my Bible and pray.

 My country is Heaven - this world is not my home!  Hebrews 11:16 says But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

My currency is the blood of Jesus- I Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's

My stamp is a FOREVER stamp John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

 I FMQd the word LOVE but wrote in the rest of the words, I should have used a different pen- I may cut off the edging and redo that part. I appliqued the background to some very stiff interfacing that I bought to make Madame Samm's indoor awning. I traced the edge of a small spool of thread for my "perforations"

 I plan on using my stamp for an object lesson in Kings Kids this year. 

Thank you for stopping by! be sure to check out the others who are joining me today- if you went in order Our fearless leader is next! I am sure she has lots of

in store for you!

Thanks to  Madame Samm and Thearica for another great hop! 
By the way yesterday was Postal Workers Day- and today is my Sweet Mommie's Birthday!!!!!! Happy Birthday  Mommie! I LOVE YOU!   
July 3

More Stars in Comanche

Dachsies With Moxie

NotionNanny


 13 Woodhouse Road

Heikesquilt’

Traveling Quilter

Jackie’s Art Quilts

What About Rheema?

From This to That <--------- that's me!

Sew We Quilt

NewFOs for April

I am actually going to remember to link up this month- I ALWAYS have a New FO going on, I just never remember to link up! 
In April I was rather busy with the Volunteer Party- I made rice hot/cold packs for the volunteers (I used Lori's tutorial over at Bee in My Bonnet) but I can't seem to find a picture :( I just realized the extras are lying on the table so I can take a picture!

 

I called them Hot Lead/ cold Feet packs to go with the movie theme

 
I also started some bags

and made a blueberry (AC wanted everything blueberry for his birthday and since my fabric for his gift wasn't here yet I made a blue berry) 

Him and Bernard the blueberry are rather silly

 I also made a scrap bag and pin cushion- just for me!

I got the Debbie Mumm fabric for my birthday

and started a memory tie quilt for a friend

I have since found a much better fabric for the background

I even have a plan in mind for the tie quilt- and may be able to work on it this weekend.All these projects are finished except the Tie Quilt-I got more done than I thought, I should do this more often. 
Have a great day!Oh by the way, I am linking this up with Cat Patches NewFO Party!

hodge podge

I was hoping to be able to show you a finish from the squares I cut out on Wednesday. However, I left them in the car and decided it was too much work to go back out and get them. So I decided to go a different direction with Aunt Sukey- I am really loving the name Sukey- such fun to say.  I looked up Sukey and it is a diminuative of Susan, means lily and was popular in the 18th century.  The Kalona Quilt Block Walking Tour pamphlet  states that Aunt Sukey's Choice was featured in the Ladies Art Company mail order catalog in the 30's and 40's. I decided to make my block red, black and white. Of course, after working both jobs, my brain was rather deadish so I couldn't remember how many extra inches to add to the block to do the easy four patch or the 4 in one half square triangle. I looked up the four patch in my book - no problem! got those all cut out. Went to look up the easy 4 HST's and totally forgot where I had found it, couldn't even remember which quilt block I had been looking up when I stumbled across it (I switched phones and had bookmarked it on the old phone- that was dead and waaay in the other room) so I searched for "HST 4 at a time" and discovered how to make 8 at a time! Way too cool! After straining my over tired brain to do the calculations (that were actually already done for me- I just could not get my poor noggin wrapped around it)  I managed to get those squares cut. After all that brain overuse, I didn't have enough oomph left to actually make the HST's. BUT if my calculations are correct- I should have those babies whipped up by the time supper is ready tonight! (MySweetMommie cooks yummy food for me on Quilt Class Nights- that's her class fee!) I will let you know how they turn out!

I found this V.I.P.  Snow White Doll panel at the thrift store the other day, while looking for the batting- it was only 99cents. She is much larger than I originally thought. She's about 18 inches tall and has movable arms and legs. I believe AbbyDoo will enjoy making her. 





SunshineBoy was unusually adventurous! He even held a frog!



As promised here are some pictures from the Memorial Day Picnic. The park that we like to go to is amazing! Great trails, a fabulous spring fed creek, fishing lake, and playgrounds. There are also poles for a volleyball net- We played quite a Crazy game of volleyball.  I love Volleyball- we used to play EVERY Tuesday night when I was a teenager, in the church parking lot, on the asphalt. NOT a good place to dive for the ball. Playing in the grass is much better for the knees! Of course, my favorite place to play would be the beach, but the beaches in Illinois are few and far between. :)




Determination

  One of the highlights of the park is the pump. The kids would play around it all day, or at least until someone is ready to take them down the trail to the creek. EmmaBean was so determined that she could make it work! "The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul!" I love the look of pure joy when she finally gets the water to pump!

and success!





I told the boys to make their scariest faces





and then their happiest faces



MySweetMommie will be putting all of her blocks together to finish the quilt top tonight- we may even get to the borders.... maybe!

More on that next week! Have a Great Weekend!