Handcrafted and personalized gifts

Hello all! I love sewing personalized baby gifts.  I know what it’s like to receive these personalized creations.  To see the name that you mulled over actually on a gift, the sacrifice of time someone gave to a personalized gift.  The store bought gifts are needed and greatly appreciated, but it is these personalized treasures that you keep, long after the garage sale and the craigslist listings.  Here are 4 of my favorite personalized and handcrafted gifts.

I actually received this blanket as a gift from the hospital. Sean’s name and birthdate are embroidered on it.

Onesie with ironed on appliqué. I received four of these from my friend Brandi!

A handcrafted blanket by my friend Amy.  This blanket is so soft and much loved,

very heavily used still today!

Personalized burp cloths given to my by my cousin Jackie. I loved these things!  I loved seeing Sean’s name for the first time, not just as a doodle on a piece of paper.

And here is a gift I appliquéd and embroidered for JadaLee! 

Yes, there is definitely something special about personalized gift, and I just love that I too, now am able to give a new mom and pop, something they too will treasure.

Until later....Love, Peace & Sew!!!

Oh Fabric!

Oh fabric fabric what will you become?

A bag? A dress? Surely something awesome!

Don’t look to me my lips are sealed.

Let’s wait and see what is revealed!

A bold floral cotton fabric and a coordinating dotted fabric. 

Purchased a yard each at Hobby Lobby.

And Sew On......

Well, I've been quite under the weather lately. Sean is still not 100%, he's more of a Mama's boy right now…kinda of enjoying that. We just lay around taking turns coughing, while the teenager runs around all healthy and happy…yay..go team Cara. I did manage to squeak out a sewing project, so the pact remains intact! I made the ruffle pants again, they are so much fun to make! You'll be seeing this quite a bit. I used my new ruffle foot attachment to make the ruffles. I must say it made making ruffles quick and faultless! Two thumbs up for the ruffle foot, what a great investment.

The Pact

I've made a pact with myself, I must at least sew one project a week and post those projects here that very same week.  No more just reading, researching, etc...I have to put needle to fabric...that's the only way to get better.  Well, in the midst of this pledge, Sean gets Pneumonia...CRIKEY!!!! Not only pneumonia, but croup and pink eye in both eyes. I had a very sick boy!  Today I'm happy to report, though weak and noticeably thinner, he is much better.  I appreciate all the prayers that helped this nervous wreck of a Mom through it. 

I did manage to sew a couple of projects!

Appliqued and embroidered onesie, bib & burp cloth.  I hope they like it!

Appliqued shirt with ruffle pants.

And even better than just a picture of the outfit is the cutest little girl to whom it belongs!

So cute!!!

One thing I did observe while Sean was sick...the house stayed remarkeably neat and church mouse quiet!  Now the musical sounds of toys being played with, and the jabbering of a toddler fills this home! Life is good indeed!

Until later my friends....Love, Peace & Sew!

My embroidery machine is back!

Just wanted to share the first projects with my newly repaired embroidery machine.  A whole month and it was greatly missed!  I couldn't wait to get to stitching.  So, the four onesies that were suppose to be part of  the gift set, were my first project. Sewing is my drug!  I love escaping into the sewing world of creativity. If, I'm not actually sewing...I'm learning about sewing, reading, googling, being inspired...it's all about this new found hobby. I can't believe sewing has became such a big part of my life, I'm still in disbelief that the twists and turns of my life led me to sewing...and I'm so thankful for it.  Until later my friends!

Love, Peace & Sew!!!

IMPASSE

When I begin to compose my blog entry the word that immediately flashed through my mind was impasse.  IMPASSE 1 a : a predicament affording no obvious escape b : deadlock 2: an impassable road or way : cul-de-sac.  That is pretty much the situation of my life at this point in time.  With debt overshadowing every waking moment of my day, a career that just didn’t quite pan out the way I expected; there’s more than just working and getting a good check,  a crashed marriage….pretty much adds up to an impasse.  But, the word of God in Phillipians 4:8 reads Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.   I spend my time and energy doing just that…even force feeding it to myself most times.

With Tacara being the teen that walks the thin line of being hugged and choked, and Sean being the typical two year old, it’s surprising that I haven’t went completely gray, but as it has been over 2 years, since I have been in a hair salon, I’m just happy it hasn’t fell out!  But, my heart swells with the joy of loving those two absolutely. 

Things have changed on my sewing scene; an embroidery machine was added to my arsenal!  Oh my what a learning curve just to get started, and so much more to learn to become proficient.  After the successful sale of Sean’s baby equipment on Craig’s List (some sad moments here!) and some supplementation from the Mom’s, I purchased a used Singer Quantum XL 5000 from Sew Much More.   But, you don’t just stop there, you need software if you want to do other things besides the designs on your embroidery machine, and trust me you do.  Yikes!  Digitizing software is hundreds of dollars!  I just spent $500 for the machine! Crikey!  What does one do!  My friend, that darn Amy, said why not look for free software….free…that’s dumb!  Well………..(sheepishly here), she was right!  There is free software out there. I’m using this amazing software Stitch Era Universal.  It’s not some janky program either!  It was and is a learning curve. I read the manual in completion and I joined the Sierra Universal forum and I’m absolutely loving it. Oh there have been disasters in my embroidery foray, but there has been successes, and there has definitely been learning!  

Things could definitely be worse, but you know things will definitely get better!!! I am not the half empty type here! The life of this 36 year old seems to be at an impasse right now, but I have my health and I’m surrounded by love. So, I’ll do all I know to do and that is not quit…this too shall pass…..for I serve a God that is able to bring me through.

Without further ado....pics! 

Here you see the costume I sewed using Simplicity pattern 2324

 Check out the background.....no, I didn't sew his, but isn't he cute!

simple diaper bag...

....a side view

And here's my embroidery machine a Singer Quantum XL 5000

The following 3 onesies are my very first embroidery projects....I totally spelled the name wrong! OOPs! Insert blushing....

This Christmas onesie was for baby Audrey. I cut the applique fabric

 on the bias, and added a bow..cute!

And I took the knowledge I gained from Audrey's onesie to create

2 more for a set of siblings. A onesie for Jake and a shirt for Kate. My machine totally

went out when I begin working on Jake's onesie...stress! It was fixed within a day and I was

able to complete the project.

And my favorite thing to see, my creations being worn!  This makes me happy!

5 year old Caden wanted a Spongebob shirt.  His family says he loves this shirt!  AWESOME!

I made this giftset for a co-worker that was having her first child.

Personalized gifts are the best!

I made these stockings for my 2 nephews, Bryant & Kameron. The embroidered names are hard to see in this pic. The stripes kept playing tricks with my camera. 

I embroidered these stockings for my friends, the Sim's.

I've been sewing for awhile now, but this is the very first item I made  for Sean Michael.

A shopping cart cover.

The following burp cloths and bibs were made for a shower gift....and then my machine broke again. Waaaa!  This giftset was suppose to include 4 matching onesies.

Friends until later.........LOVE, PEACE & SEWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!

Sew What's Up!

Well, I bet you thought I'd forgotten about my blog!  But, with the debut of August, came a boatload of activity and this natural homebody was thrown mercilessly in the brew of much activity!  But, I did find time to sew...a little!

Remember this? 

 

It became this!

This cart cover was made using Simplicity Pattern 4225....I love this color combo, I even used it in my little fella's bedroom.....as noted before one of my favs!

  What I learned from this..... you need to reinforce the stitching when you trim the area from which the legs come through. I love this cart cover way better than my Eddie Bauer one....this one covers way more.


She (Amy) sent this pic...and said what if "we"  (her being the designer and me the
sewer) made this....holding up a skirt to a t-shirt

...so she purchased  a medium Hogs bedazzled t-shirt $12 from Walmart... and this copper key, knit tank and skirt, dress. for $8.70 at Dillard's. 

 I cut the t-shirt approximately in half and detached the knit tank from the skirt and sewed my cut t-shirt and the skirt together and now you have the Hog's Spirit Empire Waist Dress!  By jolly gee it worked!  Cute huh!

This became....

Three rompers made using Simplicity Pattern #3882  and McCall's Pattern #M6083.  The
girl's actually requested I make them a romper...in the day and age of name brand only...they want something handcrafted by me!  I was shocked and flattered!  I wanted them to all have a different look and I was able to accomplish it. I played and the results were good and I had three very satisfied girls! Oh and the fabric was actually $5.99 a yard at Hobby Lobby, not $6.99.


Austin is modeling the first one....I added fabric flowers, per Austin's request, to the top of the bodice(not pictured)....I modified the waist length for Austin's longer torso....she loved it!

Micaela is modeling this one....I combined Simplicity Pattern #3882 and the
Mcall's PatternM6083 to come up with this number....and crossed my finger and hoped
and hoped...and it worked!  And she even rocked it to school!

Tacara is the model in this pic...and I just want to send a shout out to my baby girl.....since I don't have a dressform yet, she is it...thank you baby for your non-patient attitude when I call you, but alas you have to come, because you have no authority in my house...love ya chick!  This was made using the McCall's pattern #M6083 . A ruffle was added to the top of the bodice.

Three different looks, for three different girls. Sew that's what been
up in my sewing world! Hmmmm.....what's next!