A little more applique

My second attempt at a little applique here. I just listed this onto etsyhttp://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12607503
Hhmm. I really need to learn how to make a word a link. Anyways... back to the bird. The blue fabric has this amazing sparkle to it! It does not come off at all either, nor is it 'crunchy'. It is a nice soft quilting cotton. I don't know how they get those sparkles in there but I sure like it!
I really like this size for just daily errand type trips. This would be great too if you wanted to throw it into a diaperbag or bigger tote bag to keep everything sorted.
2 pockets inside, one for the cell phone and one for a bankcard or id. You can even see the sparkles inside the pouch! What more does a girl need to bring a smile to her face?:)

A Father's Sunnyday

We went to Victoria today to celebrate Father's day. My mom and dad invited us and took us out for lunch. After lunch my mom and I went shopping for fun stuff, my dad took Grace and got her a lulu lemon shirt and Tony went hunting for groceries. Along the way, my mom and I went to Fantan gallery. A really fun little store with an eclectic assortment of things. Tucked away in a cupboard was this adorable little cowboy lunch box. I think it would make such an adorable accent piece or even a storage piece for something or other, but at 27.00 it was a little too precious for me. Around the corner was this shelf. I had to chuckle at the "no beatnicks" sign.
Just across the street from the entrance to China town there is this floating globe. It is sooo neat! It is pretty big, just look how big it is next to that man beside it. The arms that come up and around it do not touch it at all. It glides effortlessly on this water it rests on. It is also right outsdie of the Satin Moon quilting shop. The only place within a reasonable driving distance that I have been able to find that carries Amy Butler fabrics! I will show you later the few little treasures I picked up in there later.
On Sundays there is a market. I am afraid this time it didn't sport much interest. I am not sure why. Usually I love open air markets! It maybe seemed a little too commercial.
Ah........ China town! I love it down here! Just look at these doorways. Each one is old, and has so many stories to tell.
These lanterns have been hanging here for as long as I can remember.... or maybe they have been replaced, but they are deffinately a fixture.
The sidewalk is lined with veggies and produce, a lot of it is stuff that you just can't pick up at the local grocery store.

I got a few goodies while we were down there which I will share tomarrow:).

For now, its good night.

A good ole trusted Lemon Loaf recipe

Every Saturday night around 8pm, we like to make a big pot of green or herbal tea and watch a britsh drama called "Heartbeat". I just adore this show! There is a serious story along side an "only in Britain" kinda story. I really like british made television and movies. Well any forgien for that matter. I find that story telling is much more raw and uninhibited. Glitz, glam and catchy taglines are given up for honest and revealing storylines. Part of our Saturday ritual is to have a little sweet with our tea. Usually I forget to make something earlier in the day and its a quick dash to the corner store for some stale cookies or other commercially produced sugar high. Today, well today, I was on top of my game. Even though I was feeling iffy, car sickish iffy, I pulled together a good ole trusted Lemon Loaf. It is quick, easy, minimal ingredients and is sssssoooooo yummy!

Lemon Loaf

1/2 cup Butter or Margarine (I use shortening if I am low on butter)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup Milk

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
Grated rind of one lemon

Cream butter, sugar and 1 egg. Beat in second egg, stir in milk.

In a second bowl stir together flour, baking powder and lemon rind. Pour over batter and stir to just moisten.

Spoon into a 9x5x3 greased loaf pan.

Bake 350 for about 1 hour. Let cool for a few minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack with waxed paper or even a paper grocery bag underneath.

Spoon a lemon glaze over the top of the hot loaf


Lemon Glaze

Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Combine juice and sugar over medium heat stirring constantly to dissolve sugar.


ENJOY!!

New growth in the shop

This is my first attempt at applique and I am afraid to say that I think I am hooked! Not sure why I felt the need to do fungi (or is it fungus?) as my first attempt but I am happy with how it came out. I think the bigger one came out slightly nicer than the little one, but they do say practice makes perfect!
So far I think the pocket sizes and placement is nice, but of course, I am open to new suggestions/ideas.
I am looking forward to trying out more applique :) just have to find more inspiration for new shapes!

A few little things worth trying out.

Ugh, I just lost my entire post!!

I had listed some tutorials that I wanted to try.

Quite a few.

*sigh*.....


http://supamb.com/supafine/2007/10/06/how-to-lunch-bag-based-on-plastic-grocery-sack/

http://cottonandcloud.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-sew-circular-bottom-neatly.html


http://creativelittledaisy.typepad.com/creative_little_daisy/2006/02/super_easy_keyc.html

http://creativelittledaisy.typepad.com/creative_little_daisy/tutorials/index.html

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=249

http://stardustshoes.blogspot.com/2006/10/cloth-shoe-pattern.html

http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2006/12/purse_frames_de.html


http://whipup.net/2007/12/18/tutorial-bunting-flags/

I of course had commentary for each project...... its enough now that I was able to relocate them

It's my new bag.

I love the way the pieced fabric looks. I love all the colours in this bag and I even love the bias colour with all the soft feminine colours. What I dont like, is putting that darn stuff on! It took way more time than was reasonable and I am still not happy with it.
I am not sure what this type of bottom is called, but you are going to be seeing a lot more of it from me. I love it.
The good news out of all of this is I get a new purse.

Etsy anyone?

A few of the more recent entries on to my etsy.
These small pouches are about 5 1/2 inches by 5 and hold enough to be a catchall for your purse. You could just put your essentials into one of these pouches and then when you transfer purses, just whip this little beauty over and its no worries to change purses to suite your mood
They have a little sleeve to protect your id or bankcard in them.
I just love picking and chooseing the outter fabric and then some lining to match.

Sometimes I think I cant possibely have what I need to match up for lining but if I dig far enough, I almost always find what I need in my own stash.
Even matching the colours of the zippers up. It can be so much fun to see what happens when you introduce a new colour. I think the green on this one really works!
These little pouches are bigger. More like a small clutch. The flower is removeable and can be a pin for your jacket or blouse. It is a covered button that adorns the center.
The strap is long enough to slip over your wrist for hands free shopping, and they both have 2 interior pockets. I think I might start carrying a purse this size and put away my daily luggage sized one;) lol.

I am hoping to have some new designs up this weekend. It sure is fun fondling all this fabric again!