Keeping Track of Sewing Projects

I have been trying to keep track of the items I have sewed. Even though don't have a picture of everything, here is a list of some of the latest projects.

Felt and fabric garland for the girls' room.

A chevron cover for my bible.  (You can put one on any book.)

 

A throw pillow made out of an old grain sack from the Nashville Flea Market

A baby blanket made for my friend Britney's baby shower.

I know that I have more projects that is didn't see pictures for but here is a list of the latest.  It's fun to keep track of projects!  I can't wait to do more!

A Couple of My Favorite Nashville Flea Market Finds

One of my absolute favorite things to do is to go to the Nashville flea market.  It is held once a month at the fair grounds.  It is $5 to park and then admission is free. I have to admit I failed taking pictures on this trip.  For one, I was on a mission, and two, it was a FREEZING 30 degrees.  Here are 2 pictures I snapped.

My story is that I am terrible at commiting to a picture.  I can't decide so I pass it up.  I had seen a woman who did amazing country style oil paintings there and fell in love with them.  They were a bit pricey but they were originals.  Matt and I saved our Christmas money and went back to get one.  We wanted something that looked "farm chic".  Ok.  I made that up but you get the point.  Because they were pricey, I prayed that Matt and I would fall in love with one or both want to walk away.  Well.... although they were beautiful, we walked away.  Since it was so cold he took the girls to the car and told me to take my time looking around.  It was freezing but I was so excited to walk around for a bit by myself.

  I got to a man who had all of his treasures laying out and I saw this picture, dusty laying on the ground in the exact size that we were looking for.  It would actually be perfect!  I took a picture and sent it to Matt.  I asked the man how much it was and he said $25!  WHAAAAT?  I actually think it was a reasonable price but I was so excited because of what I had planned to spend on a picture.  This wasn't an original oil painting but I loved it.  I asked him to take $20 (shout out to Dave Ramsey, never take full price!) and it was mine for $20.  

It cleaned up really nice and looks great above our couch.  It grows on me more and more everyday.  Matt loved it too.

If you notice the pillow on the left , I also bought an old grain sack at the flea market for $5 and made a throw pillow out of it.

I'm sure I will blog about this flea market again and take more pictures as the weather gets better.  Ya'll come visit and I'll take you there!

DIY Burlap Fabric Banner

 I have been wanting to try my hand at a burlap banner for some time.  I thought that I would use the materials that I already had for my first one (sewing can be an expensive hobby!)  I cut out what I wanted my banner to look like using parchment paper plus I added one inch at the top so I could fold it over my ribbon to sew it together.

 I painted the letters MILK on them.  I wanted to have it say something that would go in the kitchen area but also have something to do with the family so MILK was perfect. (Matt, Ivy,Lucy, Kelli...MILK)

 I took ribbon I already had.  It was too wide so I cut it in half and then sewed the 2 pieces together.

 I sewed a zig zag stitch around the burlap to keep it from fraying. I then ironed it folded over the ribbon and sewed.  There you have it!  A DIY burlap banner!

                                          I put it over our big mirror in our dining room area.

My recent introduction to SEWING

One thing that I have always  wanted to do was sew.  It was in the same category as playing the guitar. It's things like that, I sometimes think that my time has passed to learn and I'm just going to be the girl that can't sew.  Well that's until my little one needed her "nigh-nie" fixed.  It's her little blankie that she chews on the corner to go to sleep.  How can you explain to Lucy that her mom's creativity only goes so far?  So, in the name of my love for Lulu, I got out the machine, LITERALLY wiped the dust off and looked up on the internet how to thread and wind a bobbin.  I broke countless needles, had a foot come undone, etc.  Those little problems actually made me figure out my machine a little better.  I told Ivy that I should name her so I could talk to it kindly and she suggested the name "Emie".  So I called her Emie and would rubbed her little back when I thought a problem was arising.

 

 Here I was at the beginning.  Not dramatic at all!  I was almost in tears but I pressed on!

                                                                    I had a plan!

 I did run into a problem when the "foot" came off and I just couldn't put it on!  Then my new, fab friend Whitney came to the rescue!  She had me over, put the foot back on (I was putting it on backwards!) and encouraged me to finish it.  It just so happens that Whitney has a sewing blog post up on her blog Elm Street Life today!  Check out her fabulous etsy shops called Brighter Day and Brighter Day Baby. (you can get to her shops through her blog)

Here is Nighnie all sewn.  That gave me the courage to try more.  Stay tuned for more adventures in sewing!