sewing recap

believe it or not, i've gotten a lot of sewing done since we've moved. i had a big custom order to finish up and then i did some stuff for sweet b and myself.

personalized towels

LOVE the big pom pom trim

made my first shower curtain!

it was HUGE!

i really thought the button holes would be difficult but they were the easiest part.

the whole lot.

love a good envelope pillowcase.

laura picked out some awesome fabrics.

three curtain panels and a shower curtain

cute little a-line dress for miss bennett

this maxi dress was so easy to make. just 2 yards of knit sewn up three sides and cut a slit for arms and the neck and then trim to the right length. now i want to make one in every color!

next up in the sewing department?

i'm going to be monogramming and embroidering some things for the wedding, more dresses for B and fabric garlands. pics to come!

wishes: december must dos

every year i have a list of things i must do during the month of december. sometimes i don't always get through it all but i try really hard. this year, T must also do these things with me. i'm sure he's hating it but he's so sweet he'll never say! 

1. christmas movies. my list includes all the harry potters, just friends, the grinch, a christmas carol, polar express, little women, charlie brown, love actually, you've got mail, a christmas story, it's a wonderful life, elf and the family stone.

Source: google.com via Anna on Pinterest

2. visit family on christmas eve and day. 

3. christmas lights. we must go see light somewhere. anywhere as long as their twinkling!

Source: socyberty.com via Sorcha on Pinterest

4. play christmas music every day. 

5. baking. i don't care if it's cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, cakes, muffins, peppermint bark, etc. as long as it's decorated and smells heavenly. and has sugar, duh.

Source: flickr.com via Tarevale on Pinterest

6. craft. sew. craft. sew. 

7. decorate the house. although we started the weekend before thanksgiving this year, oops. i wish my house looked like this...

Source: bhg.com via Dana on Pinterest

8. wrap the presents in the most beautiful way possible. 

9. drink as much hot chocolate as possible.

Source: shine.yahoo.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

10. read christmas books with liv and lilly. 

11. make dallas wear his puffer vest.

12. play in the snow. 

13. celebrate myra's birthday.

14. turn the heat on. 

15. go see the nutcracker. ballet. on ice. play form. i've seen it all and i love it!

Source: google.co.za via Collette on Pinterest

16. make awesome NYE plans. 

 wow, that's a lot of stuff. and i just know i'm missing some. how's your december looking? any special traditions you want to share?

crafts: my first quilt

i can finally post the picture of the baby quilt i made for my cousin carrie's baby boy. can't wait for baby zane to be here in about 6 weeks!!!

for the longest time i've been wanting to quilt but i thought it would be so hard and i didn't want to mess it up.

well i agreed to make one for this baby shower and it would be a gift from my grandma cheryl and i so i knew i couldn't disappoint.

here's the outcome...

front

back

(oh hey T!)

close up of the dinos and details!

i loved doing this and can't wait to make more quilts. and i'm pretty sure carrie loved it since she said she'd be using it in his newborn pictures :)

friday's fabulousness

this week's fab is a little random. here we go.

1. hoping to finish up a baby quilt this weekend. my first quilt! i'm so excited for the outcome and i just know the person i'm giving it to will love it!

2. T and i will have to finalize our halloween costumes this weekend. my vote?

Source: grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com via Christina on Pinterest

i love mary poppins!

3. i'm hoping (more like praying!) that i can drag T to boyds orchard sunday. it might be our only chance to go apple and punkin' pickin'!

Source: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com via Natasha on Pinterest

4. i'm officially giving up soft drinks. i mean, they really are terrible for you but they just make me feel so lousy. my stomach and head have been aching all week and i'm pretty sure it's because i've drank more soft drinks this week than the entire month of september. sad face because i love me some dr. pepper.

Source: None via Tom on Pinterest

(i whole heartedly agree with this statement.)

5. and just an fyi (and because i loved this template but won't be able to use it for the wedding!)

p.s. planning a wedding is super fun when you get to all the creative/diy stuff but finding a caterer and photographer and all that junk is seriously blowing my mind. at least it ends with T and me married!

do you love angry birds?

Source: google.com via Landon on Pinterest

well you probably do but not as much as this guy...

on monday we celebrated my grandpa doug's birthday and i handmade him some angry bird characters. i got the patterns here and with the help of my sewing teacher completed the large green pig and the original red angry bird! i plan on making the rest of the characters for christmas (he already knows this!). i'm so happy he loved his gift.

happy birthday (today's actually his birthday) grandpa!

i love you,

ash

living room help

ok, i need your help!

i'm redoing some of the decor in the living room. don't worry, i'm not buying all new stuff (well, we are getting new lamps. but that's it.). i am however making new pillows for the couch.

here's the fabric i'm using...

Source: fabric.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: fabric.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

i love the bright colors and they really blend well together. fyi, i could use that yellow woodgrain fabric in every room of my house. seriously, it's awesome. too bad i wanted 20 yards at $10.50...just couldn't do it. so i went with 2 yards instead!

so along with the new pillows, i need to redo above the couch.

while i like the look of this, it's too dark for the new color scheme i'm going for. my plan is to spray paint the home sign, the white frames, the letters and possibly the stars. what colors should i go with? any suggestions that fit with my new fabrics? it doesn't have to be all matchy-matchy but i def want it to flow well.

i'd also love to do something like this...

Source: caitlinwilsondesign.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

but i'd like to use white frames.

the only thing i want to keep are the dark wood shelves (those are from pottery barn and a gift from my momma, ain't no way i'd ever paint anything from pb!) but, i'm open to changing anything else so bring on the suggestions!

thanks friends!

to do: sewing

i've been taking sewing lessons for about 4 months now and am finally getting to the point where i want to make new things. things that might require more than 30 minutes and that are super cute!

i've been sticking with tote bags and zipper pouches (which i love!) but i want to broaden my horizons and do some other sewing projects.

here's my to do list. (if only i could find lots of extra time!)

1. i will learn to quilt. i can't wait to make some for all the babies i'm sure will be popping up all over the place in the next few years (i'm soooo not talking about me, family).

Source: modabakeshop.com via Ashley on Pinterest

2. skirts!!! i'm so obsessed with them right now. i love them all but especially this one.

Source: sayyestohoboken.com via Ashley on Pinterest

3. while i do make a lot of zipper pouches, i've yet to make a cosmetic bag like this one.

Source: etsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

4. pillows, pillows and more pillows!

Source: e-tells-tales.blogspot.com via Mélanie on Pinterest

and in case you're wanting to sew too, here's a great resource for tutorials. i'm going to be working on a few of these over the next few months for gifts and such. i can't wait to show a sewing project i'm working on for a birthday present...soon!

Source: everythingetsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

homemade gift exchange

remember my guest poster, jennie, from willow bean studio?

well the homemade gift exchange is officially over and i received my gift in the mail yesterday!!

isn't that navy and green clutch to die for?

i just LOVE it. i of course love the colors because navy is a staple of mine and green is my fav color. and my fav combo of colors ties with navy and green and navy and yellow. and the print on that green fabric is so now!

thanks again jennie!

also here's a little peak at what i sent jennie...

(hopefully she's received hers and is not seeing it for the first time on here!)

i had so much fun doing this exchange. i hope to do it again in november, just in time for the holidays!

sewing

i totally forgot to post these sewing projects...

table runners i made for easter

so easy and took about an hour for two!

quilting

so i've been sewing for about 2 months now. and i'm starting to think i'm ready for quilting!

i can't wait to get started.

and here are a few i'm loving at the moment...

all from ucreate

sewing

i should really let you in on a little secret.

it took me a while to defeat the zipper, i tried so hard for about two weeks and gave up.

my brain just couldn't wrap around how to place things the right way.

but, i'm so happy to report that i have in fact defeated the zipper and will no longer be afraid of it. therefore, there will be a lot more projects involving the zipper. for example, these zipper pouches...

don't you love the herringbone?

i do!

next up on the zipper sewing list...pillows.