Twit Pouch

God is so great that blessings kept on pouring... again. Thank you Lord!!! We are all so happy. Still waiting for another good news... My heart wants to explode! 

Because I feel so hyper this week, I turned to my mags again for a new project. After two days, I was able to make this.

After reading my new favorite mag, Mollie Makes, I made a list of "must do" projects. So I started with the easiest one which is the freebie. It was really easy because I love hand sewing. 

The freebies are some materials that I used. It includes 4 pieces of cut-out felts and a button. The first thing I did was to make the templates. I used a parchment paper to trace the template. Cut them out and pasted them on a card paper. Using the templates, I was able to cut the design pieces for the pouch. I changed the colors and didn't follow all the instructions.

I used running stitch to sew the designs together and to secure them on the front of the pouch. It was like cross stitching because my fingers were doing their magic and easing their freedom. I used a cotton thread.
 

As you can see, I sewed a black button to give the pink bird an eye. It was not in the instruction. I wanted to make it more colorful and cute. Just followed my instinct!  I used a blanket stitch to sew the corners of the felt to create a pouch. On this, I didn't use an ordinary cotton thread; I used a heavy duty thread so that it can hold the stitches well. 

My first handmade craft. So fulfilling! I called this "Twit pouch". This will be a sampler for my next pouch projects.  My husband is so supportive that he made some designs of his own.

I guess this what happens when your adrenaline is at it's peak.

Stitch a Card

We still don't have any idea where to go for our summer vacation. Think, think, think. Sigh! Honestly, I'd rather stay home because it is burning outside. We have to go shopping at night because sunblock isn't working. Tending and weeding in our yard garden need to be done at night too. Whew! Still, I'm in love with Texas! Because of all the craft projects I have minus the cross stitch ones, I think I choose to stay home (for now). 

I was longing to have a quick stitching project so I opted on starting my card collection. 

I got busy last Sunday. I finished "An Owl" design. Quick and nice... but not easy. There were a lot of fractional stitches plus back stitching. I call this kind of project a diversion from the big stuffs I am working on. Stitching little things puts me back on track on my goal which is... enjoying my work. There will be other small projects coming for my cards. I am really happy with the result. 

Happiness is ten-fold because of this magazine, Enjoy Cross Stitch. Not only are the designs beautiful but I also got a lot of freebies. I have used some of them for the owl card project including the needle. Of course I am planning to use all of them for the cards. 

I would like to show to you the progress of my First Snow cross stitch. 

In my previous blog (One Down ), I mentioned to you about this project. Lookie! This project is tedious but I know it will be worth it. So now I will be picking this up and enjoying my itch. Wish me luck!

Happy Stitching everyone! 

Er Crafty?

My new and unread magazines are piling up fast. And now I added a new collection, Mollie Makes. It caught my attention while reading Cross Stitcher mag. I am not disappointed. The mag was worth the wait. No wonder it went out-of-stock on it's debut. I am not yet done reading it because I got so engrossed reading my latest issue of The World of Cross Stitching that I totally forgot bedtime. 


I admire those crafters and stitchers I read about. They are so cool! I really want to make stuff by hand and collect stuff of interest. I am into collecting cross stitch books nowadays. It gives me motivation and inspiration to read them and ogle at the designs. I am not a serial starter. To feed my hungry eyes, I fill up my 5 year old mini notebook with wishful projects. Just by jotting them down and assuring myself that I'll make them, it makes me sleep well. Funny thing is after a few weeks, I will keep on adding new projects on the list... then old ones are completely forgotten. The trick worked for me. 

From my last blog One Down!, I stated that I was able to make a seasonal list. I did.... in one sitting. All I did was list down names and projects (not designs). That way I have ample time to choose a specific design for the project. For example, if the project is a journal for a friend, I need a design that will make my friend happy and make the gift sincere. Easy! No hassle for me and ample time to choose. This way I can track my progress too. 

What's bogging me right now though that makes me insomniac is the question... am I crafty enough to be able to make handmade things that can be useful, thrifty, environment-friendly, and nice? Dang!!! 

One Down!

Two days ago, I was able to formulate a prep list for my seasonal cross stitch projects. It was an amazing turnout. It means I need to start getting busy again. The list provides me inspiration and motivation. Yesterday, I started this project.

It's called "First Snow". I have chosen this design for my best friend who is a Veterinarian. Yes, she loves cats so much. I will never forget those times in college when we exchange snail mails. She would describe to me the hardship on bringing down a cow just to have good grades; while I will complain to her the smell of sinus secretions during an operation. After all these years we remain friends... even though we are still oceans apart. I am sure she will love this design.

Thanks to Pollyanna Pickering's paintings! I love her wildlife designs. It has full of spirit and warmth. I got the chart from her book, "Mother & Baby Animal Cross Stitch". I am using light blue Aida, 18ct and floss from DMC. The design needs attention in color details so I think this will be a slow progress. I hope not! 

I wanted to show to you the finished bib and booties I stitched for an old classmate's first born.

Nope! The teddy was just a model. It belongs to Travis. Anyway, I shipped the goodies last Friday and I hope the mother will feel the happiness I felt while stitching them. I saw the pictures of her son and he looks so adorable. Like me, she prayed for an angel and then he came. It showed that God listens to those who waits. 

I particularly love Cross Stitch Favourites  mag because every season they come up with a variety of beautiful designs and project ideas. I got the chart of the bib from this mag. I wanted to stitch more but I run out of time. The chart of the booties came from it's Charles Craft package. Convenient.  

I strongly suggest that you make an inventory on your floss or threads and clothes or fabrics because you can really save time and money. I used my stash of floss for these goodies. For my new project I only bought 5 new skeins and new fabric. I saved a lot! 

Wish me luck!!! Happy Stitching everyone!

 

Nature's Success!!!

Ask me what I had for brunch? I'm pigging on anything that's for sure even vegetables.

 

This is what I had. A serving of baby spinach and fresh strawberries topped with Ranch dressing. My favorite home made salad! Just don't ask me what I paired it with. As you can see the strawberries are kinda tiny. 

They were just picked from my potted plant. Amazing that everyday, I get to pick some for my salad. It has been weeks since we started harvesting our vegetable garden. And we have been boiling them in pots or frying them battered. 

Aside from the strawberries we got squash, green and yellow bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, huge tomatoes, and cucumber (not included in photos). And we have been making healthy dishes from them. Last week, when I was in the produce section of Wal-Mart, I noticed that the price of a paired squash and cucumber is $2.50. Wow! And here we are taking advantage mother nature's bliss. 

Travis is still eagerly waiting for his watermelons to produce. He and Tim have been working hard on the small garden. We take turns on watering them. My turn is at night. 

I harvested my herbs already and realized that I don't know how to prepare them for drying or packing. I used them on dishes and I still have some in the fridge. I noticed that it does not do well when planted on small pots because it becomes overcrowded. I learned my lesson. I need a huge herb seed box next time. Travis promised me one for next season. 

It's not complete without the flowers in the front and back porches, right?

From top to bottom: purple and yellow lantanas, pink hibiscus, red and purple verbenas, tickled pink, yellow and white moss rose, variety of purslane, pink petunias, and another red verbenas. I love them all and so are the humming birds and bees. We still have other flowers, like Travis' purple summer sky and my hardy orchid. Aren't they all beautiful? The lantanas are placed in our front yard. I hope they will scatter their blooms. The pink hibiscus is potted because I want to keep it for good. That way I can hide her from autumn and winter. The lovely verbenas are hanged in the front porch. But I still have some that are potted and placed at the back porch so that I can see them from the kitchen window. Tickled pink is my favorite! She is not that big of a plant but she blooms proudly and I saw a humming bird yesterday feeding from it's nectar. The moss roses are grandma's favorites. I call them cute roses. We have a variety of colors potted together in long pots. They are gracing the front porch too. Another family of moss rose is the purslane, even a staff from Wal-Mart doesn't recognize the difference. Their leaves are the same but the petals are different. Purslane is single-petaled while moss rose is petaled like a rose. I prefer the purslane because when the sun's rays kissed them, they bloom in a variety of colors.... like they are dancing! The pink petunias has the biggest pot but it blooms shyly. 

This is a heirloom flower plant. It was passed on by grandma's great grandmothers. Whew! She was so anxious when the seeds were sedentary for weeks after Travis planted them. I took over the watering because she got worried. Then after another week, I saw the first peek of a leaf. And now they are growing fast. Soon we will see their beautiful purple flowers. It's called "weeping tears" by grandma's ancestors. But in the dictionary it's called "magic flowers". Quite ironic! It was cried by it's owner because it was not growing; then magically they just come out from the soil.

I am no expert on growing, I just love the mystery of the soil. Earth gives back when you take care of it. 

Happy gardening everyone!!! 

Early Prep!

I have been busy preparing for my intensive review for another career milestone. Whew!!! Pressure!!! I still need more time especially now that I added three more books for my nightmare. Being prepared not only in the mind but also in my body and soul. It is really stressful. When I started feeling toxic, I turn to my crafts and hobbies. I still need to formulate my final study plan this weekend. I decided to pick hours for study and craft for balance.

To be able to accomplish my new projects on time, I planned to make them earlier. I learned my lesson last year. I only finished 60% of my projects for the season. A blast for me! Talking about being late, I am due on mailing baby gifts for the first born of an old high school classmate. I can't wait to share to her the happiness I felt for them. Such gift from God!

 

This is the one that I am working now. I got lucky on finding the booties at JoAnn's shop. Unfortunately, it was not comfortable. The opening of the booty is so tiny that my fingers get stuck. It took me longer as expected. I still don't know what design to stitch on the bib. I do have the magazine for that already. I need to mail these Monday or else the feet of baby Mac won't fit the cute booties soon. 

Awhile ago I was talking about my early seasonal projects. Proud to tell you that I finished one project already. 

I got the chart of Thanksgiving Turkey Silhouette from Emma of DMC blog. This was a part of the 40% that I didn't make last year. Originally, I wanted to frame it for the Thanksgiving table but I changed my mind. This will do good on the cover of our Thanksgiving photo album. I'm sure I can still find other designs for a turkey or I can just change colors. Why not? 

Amazingly, I only used one color thread on this project. The Pearl Cotton Variation thread is fabulous! Travis even thought that I used lots of colors on it but nope! Just one thread! Hmmm.... Changing colors may not be a bad idea at all for this turkey.

Sigh! I need to go back on my list for seasonal projects for this year. Happy weekend everyone!!!