Kitty has a little friend

While a miniature kitty wasn't on my to do list today, I decided use up the little scraps of velour instead of throwing them away when I cleaned off my cutting table (read dining room table, lol)! I sketched a smaller version of the big kitty pattern that came from a japanese craft book and poof, a little friend for him! Fortunately, I had a nap today and lots of coffee so I can stay up to the wee hours of the morning actually finishing my to do list! Ha!

Kitty Stuffie

Mark is leaving this evening for a conference and will be home on Thursday. A year ago, we made plans to go away this weekend and somehow we forgot about it but I ended up being off the next three days anyway. Our timing seems to be off! I told Mark that I would just stay up all night sewing like I did when he was in California and he teased me that I would have a 48 hour stuffie sewing marathon. Lets see what I accomplish! This cute little kitty was a good start. He's purple velour as I was using up some scraps left over from the octopus! Kitty sits about 8 inches high and I can already see him "miniaturized".

A Change of Pace....a cuppa tea anyone?

In Florida, when we went out to dinner with my mom, I noticed she pulled her own teabag out of her pocket book. My mom carrying her teabags in a Ziploc bag just won't do so I made her this tea wallet for her to carry her stash in. Worked up quickly and was a great opportunity to try one out. I think I will do some for our November craft fair! I have some teacher/apple fabric and since I always sell out on items labeled "teacher" I figure these might be quick and inexpensive gifts for people to buy.

It's beginning to look like a zoo!

I've had so much fun with the fleece I bought in FL and just love the animals produced! I still have quite a wish list of creatures to make but here is a taste of the menagerie!

Harry Hedgehog


Sandy Seal


What a trio!

Home Again, home again

We are finally home after a long but wonderful week. We left August 8th and headed to Asheville to help Sophie celebrate her 1st birthday. Sister Ayla was more than happy to help open presents, help make the cake, and help blow out the candle on the sandcastle cake!


It was wonderful spending time with them, Ayla amazed us, as usual with her conversations, what a smart little girl she is! We won't see them again before their move to Colorado but hopefully it won't be too long before we spend time together again. Sophie loved helping Nana cut out piggie parts too!




We headed to Florida and spent two days with my mom and helped celebrate her 70th birthday. Dinner at Red Lobster with her, her friend Lu, Jacqueline and her honey Jeff, Adrian, and her honey Brian. Lots of laughing for sure!


While at my mom's, I found a sweet lady named Yuki. Yuki helped translate some Japanese Craft books that I have and her help was incredibly helpful and greatly appreciated. Adrian, Mark and I did our yearly splurge at Joanns Super Store and I couldn't wait to get home to use some of my new fabric! Waldo Walrus is made from some of the half priced fleece we picked up!




Sophie and I cut out parts for some little piggies before I left Asheville and I sewed the entire trip to FL and the entire trip home. the result was four little piggies. Only three arrived back in Virginia since my mom adopted one little guy.


Aren't their little hineys cute!

Out of town enjoying the FL rain!

We are out of town this week, having spent the weekend in Asheville, NC celebrating Sophies 1st birthday and heading to FL on Monday morning. So far it has rained all day every day we've been in FL and we hope the sun pokes it head out when we spend Saturday at Busch Gardens. We will be home on Monday, August 18th and I will post details of our journey then!

When all else fails, ask nana

Ayla had a special request for a hippo and of course this Nana couldn't say no. The pattern is from a Japanese craft book and while I don't read Japanese, the illustrations are pretty explicit. Umm, I won't mention that it was very obvious I put the head on upside down on the first one and he'll go in the craft show "play with me basket". OK, i have to confess, the head is on upside down on this one too, its just not so obvious! I decided perhaps hippo's aren't *my thing*. I also made Sophie an elephant, no confusion about up and down there! LOL

Birthday Octopus

I had to have a birthday present for a little boy and had a vision of an octopus in my head. I sketched it, Mark drafted the pattern, and voila! A purple velour octopus!


He is "gently stuffed" so his body is cuddly soft and he is able to either stand or sit on his tentacles! or, as see, he can hop on someones head!


Perhaps he needs a birthday hat on his head before I send him on his way.