dog puppet

Here's the dog puppet from Warm Fuzzies (see details in post below)

Bit pink isn't it!

Love that little fuzzy, bent ear.

Here it is hangin' with the cat. They won't be together for long. They're jammin' it up as much as they can.


I went and got myself into a musical production of Hello Dolly. I used to do musical theatre when I first moved here, but haven't done it since I met my husband 12 years ago. It seems kind of strange to go back into this. the last time, I was single, young, childless. Basically, just me, to do whatever I wanted, where ever. Now, 12 years later, I'm married, got kids and am just that much more grown up. Oh, and I'm over 40. Anyone else over 40 have that "I don't give a crap" thing goin' on? You know, your filter is not always on and you just don't care (within reason) what other people think. I heard it happened at 40. now I'm living it. Kind of liberating somehow. My husband got it too last year. He didn't understand what I was talking about. Now he does.
Anyhow, I digress. Point is, it should be interesting to be involved in something that will take up my time and take me away from my family on a regular basis. Show's in late March. i'll tell you more as we get closer.

Ciao,
Amanda

cat puppet

Last fall, I made this

for a birthday present for a 1 year old. (Pattern from Betz White's Warm Fuzzies)
I've decided that it will be THE gift for 1 year olds. I seem to have a few of them in my life these days.
This one's for Caleb...A cool cat who started walking at 9 months! 9 Months! The third child. This little bitty thing, walking/teetering/falling/getting back up and going on again, 9 months. Too little to see if you weren't looking down! Bless his mama. My nerves would be shot! :}

Ahhh, look at that stitching and the fibres of the wool. Isn't it bea.u.ti.ful? It makes me feel calm. You too? Or am I just weird? ( please don't answer if you're one of my non-crafting friends who's eyes glaze over when asked about my new sewing machine! lol)

I made the tongue from 2 pieces of 100% wool felt. I sewed them together in a tongue shape, then cut it out from the rectangle.

He's a happenin' dude doncha think?


Next time, I'll show you the cool pink doggie from the same book.
Ciao,
Amanda

Heart swap

I signed up for the heart swap this summer. I changed my mind a million times and finally came up with this.

Embroidery on linen. Just what I had envisioned. I had trouble finding a design though. When I finally returned home to my books, I found this one in the pile from a previous Goodwill Trip. Love vintage books.

It is very thorough, showing the patterns for each project made.

And then a treasury of designs in the back as well as the stitch guide.

I took the pattern for these slippers and adjusted it for the heart shape. It actually is heart shaped! I just need to outline it and decide whether to make it a sachet or put it on a 4 inch make your own button. Oh yes, that baby is big!

I think I'll ask my swap mate. Yes, it is late, but we have a mutual agreement. I was a busy summer you know! :}
Thanks for stopping by,
Amanda

baby blocks set

While in Nova Scotia, I made my annual visit to Atlantic Fabrics. It has such cool cotton prints and I always find something interesting in the wood section. More on that later.
This time, I couldn't resist the Urban Zoology line of prints. I bought some fat quarters, even though I had no plans for them.
Enter: the baby block and taggie blanket.

Those animals are so cute.

For the cotton blocks, I used an iron on interfacing to help make it stiffer. For the fleece blocks, I used a non sew, stiff interfacing and sewed it to the squares by making the shapes.

One for a girl.....

One for a boy...

Don't forget to put a bit of crinkle ( chip bag) in the taggie blanket and some sort of sound maker in the block. I bought a cat toy with an enclosed bell.
have a great one...
Amanda

another Maisie

Another Maisie to add to the pile of Maisie's I've made. ( doll comes from "More Softies Only a Mother Could Love")

It has been the gift to give to Neve's friends for their birthdays. This little girl requested something red and was quite excited when she saw what it was. She was in the know with the earlier birthday girls and their presents.
I usually give some hair clips and a little coin purse, if time allows. Guess there wasn't time for the purse this time.

Neve drew a picture on canvas with fabric markers. It is a cluster of toadstools and some gnomes. It's the first time she went outside of her people and rainbow themes. I have no idea what the recipient would do with it, but it was accepted enthusiastically. ( I can't believe I spelled that correctly the first time)

And here's the birthday loot all together.


nice first day of summer vacay. Busy weekend this one.
To all my Canadian readers...
Happy Canada Day tomorrow!
Amanda

games bag

This was fun to figure out.

I think it is the first time I made a quilting block like this. Any kind of quilting block. There's a reason for that. Precision. Precise I'm not. Anyhow, it works for a checker board.
And a note book to keep score of card games. (cards inside the bag)

On the other side, a tic tac toe board with a felt star from Ikea. It was in the Christmas aisle. I bought a few. Or more.

The gift's recipient likes it. that's what counts.


Have a good one,
Amanda

another Maisie

What can I say, she's the GO TO gift for little girls this year. And she's so easy/satisfying to make. I think this is # 4.

here is the first one that I made and where the pattern comes from here and another Zippy Pouch

While I was sewing up, I gave Neve my jar of felted wool beads that I bought at Deserres. I think she was inspired by my colour palate for her bracelet.


Must make another prezzie today. For a boy. My own pattern. stay tuned.
Amanda

astronaut pouch

I'm on a roll people! another felt and machine stitched pouch. I drew up a few designs last night.
Here's my moon landing interpretation....


A look at the back. Oh, a shooting star. Make a wish.

The astronaut and flag are from QuicKutz. I buy QuicKutz atScrapbooks By Design. They are a Canadian, Online store.

The rocket is mine. the same as the rocket play set here

And here are the 2 pouches together. Sorry it's not in the mail yet Anna, it's a snow day here!


Stay tuned for more pouches!

Amanda

who wants one? - a giveaway!

I've been wanting to host a giveaway for some time now, but just didn't have anything new. Until yesterday!

A toadstool pouch made from a thick wool suiting with wool blend felt accents. The toadstools are from my QuicKutz dies and the scallop is just my scallop edge rotary cutter with holes punched by my crop-o-dile.

Oh looky here, what's this?

Oh, a little tea cozy...

With some of my favorite teas. Shall we have a cup together?

Just leave a message by Monday night. Nothing fancy. A simple hello will suffice. One entry per day. Become a follower, come back and put another comment saying so. That gets you 2.

Have a good one!
Amanda

fabric baby blocks

A dreary, warmish, rainy day. thus poor photos!
But I'm not in the mood to retake them, so here ya go!
All those pregnant friends I talked about in the fall are having their babies now. Some prezzies are in order.
The large one was cut at 4.5 square out of cotton fabric. I put a letter C on it for the baby's name, reinforcing it with some heavy iron on interfacing and a small zigzag stitch. I put 3 jingle bells in some mesh, much like an onion bag, sewed it shut and put it inside the stuffing.

The middle size is cut at 4 inches SQ out of fleece. I stitched some shapes on it to give a sort of relief. I like it. To keep the shape of the block when stuffing, I ironed heavy interfacing on the squares before I sewed the shapes and the places together. It works much better than leaving it plain. In this one, I put some beads in a small watchmaker's tin from Lee Valley and taped it shut. it makes a great sound.

The last cube is cut 3 inches SQ, I think. I made it last year when I ordered my first batch of felt from Feltorama. It's a bit of a joke, as when I was making it in the park, the mother of the baby asked what i was doing it for. Why was I making a block? She'll get a chuckle that I had her in mind. At least, i hope so. This one has a cat toy with a bell inside and is stuffed with wool roving.


A few little things to put with a welcome baby gift.

Ciao,
Amanda

gnome garden set x 3!

Nothing like an order to set the assembly line productivity!
Here are the gnomes for the garden gnomes playset.


a great place to hang.

And when you're tired, just take a nap. that pillow looks a little hard though!


Here they are all spread out. (Geesh, did I take any in focus pictures today? I dislike the inability to take pictures outside)


And now they are closed up and ready to travel.


Fun times ahead for these 3 girls!

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Little Red Riding Hood

This little beauty is from the book, More Softies Only a Mother Could Love

I enlarged her only half of what it directed. She is about half the size of Max and Santa gnome here and Maisie here. Go figure.

I used to like little things. But since doing the above mentioned softies, I think I prefer my softies to be a bit bigger. more to love.
It was much more embellished in the book. I would have done that too, but my embellishment pile is limited to only stuff I had for paper crafting. I don't think a fancy jewel brad would work here! :}


Thanks for looking,
Amanda