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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

I'm Tickled Pink!!

The*Fairy*Godmothers are celebrating our 1st Anniversary with a special Guest launch! We are lucky to be joined by some very talented designers! Come join the ebay celebration July 7th-14th!




Saturday, June 13, 2009

Emily E. 2nd Grader!!

*Sigh* she's officially a 2nd grader now!! She was so nervous about first grade. Mrs. Scott was new to her school and she just didn't know what to expect. Her first weeks were rough. First grade was a whole different world, and alot was expected of these first graders. Homework, EVERY night, reading EVERY night, and math packets EVERY night!! EEK!! She was missing her Kindergarten days full of Discovery Areas (houskeeping, blocks, library, etc.) morning and afternoon snack and recess. She soon discovered it wasn't too different, and that there was alot about 1st grade that she loved - Writer's work shop, Accelerated reading, Flat Stanley, and hatching baby chicks!! Of course, she LOVES Mrs. Scott now, and is sad she won't be her teacher next year. We took a few pictures after her last day of school. That is her BF Alyssa, and it's now a tradition to get a picture taken with her - she has one from her last day of Kindergarten too.





Second Grade, Here We Come!!!




Tuesday, June 9, 2009

My Baby Girl is a Brownie!!

My Little Girl is growing up. She bridged over to Brownies last week *snif* She's excited about being a Brownie next year and is looking forward to going to camp this summer with the troops' Cookie sales money!! It's only 1 night - but it's still camp!!


Tuesday, June 2, 2009

A Quick Applique Tutorial

I've had a few questions on how I applique. I don't have an embroidery machine, I use my trusty Kenmore sewing machine when I applique. It's a multi-step process.

Choose your picture/design. Print it out or trace it. Trace each piece of the picture onto a fusible web (I use HeatnBond Lite) Pay attention to how you want to layer your pieces. Trace pieces that will be the base pieces a little bigger so the layers overlap. (Can you tell who it's going to be yet?)

Choose your fabrics for your applique, roughly cut out each piece and iron it onto the wrong side of your fabric.

Cut out your applique pieces. Use a washable pen or pencil and trace the face, or any detail work you'll need markings for. You can either use a light box or a window to do this. Start layering your pieces, like a puzzle.



Poor Princess is looking a little cross-eyed!!


Don't forget to put a stabilizer onto the back of your fabric. I backed almost the entire piece of background fabric for this applique. If the stabilizer starts to come off while you are stitching (it will) just iron it on again.

Start appliqueing!! I use a zig zag stitch. For the outside lines, I usually have my machine width set at 3 and it's Length set at .4. For inside detail lines and Facial features stitch length and width will vary - Her mouth I had my Width at 2 and Length at .4

For straight lines, you can let the machine feed the fabric through, but for curves, gently guide your fabric. If you have to stop and make a tight turn, put your needle down and pivot the fabric a little at a time. I try to get the outside edge of my stitching as close to the edge of the applique fabric as possible. (I took the foot off for the picture)

Almost Done! Back - you can see the stabilizer, I already tore off the excess that was outside the applique.

I finished Cindy by stitching her eyelashess by hand (literally ;) )


BTW - I think Cinderella is one of the harder Princess to applique!! I can never get her eyes just right!!

Monday, June 1, 2009

My First award! Thanks so Much!!


Thank you SO Much Kris!!
You were sooo sweet to pick me!! I now have to name seven things that I love and then pass it on to seven other bloggers....so here we go!
Seven things I love:

1) My Children
2) My Husband
3) My Family
4) Good Friends
5) Sewing
6) The Sound of my kids laughing
7) My life

And now to pass it on to seven other bloggers:


Once again, thanks goes out to Kris of Hands, House and Heart Full for this award....congratulations ladies...now pass it on!!