Our little sunshine!

If you have been following me for any amount of time, you know that we have a grand daughter that just turned 1yr!  It's been a tough year, but she is so happy and healthy now.  I wanted to do something really special for her, so I asked her mommy what I should do.  She said that every party girl needs a party dress,  So that is what I set out to do...make a special party dress!

All she said was that, the party would be done in pink/yellow with a "You are my sunshine" theme!

It's been forever since I've sewn a little girls dress, and it is way different then I remember.

I know that there are a lot of ric-rac fans out there!

Then while laying in bed I was thinking, isn't the theme sunshine?  What is the first thing you think of when you hear 'sunshine'?  Sunflowers!!

So I got up and cut some peddles out of the yellow dots.  Then cut out a yo-yo and found a button in my button jar that matched perfectly!

Then I happened to think, what is the one thing that every child is allowed to do on their first birthday?  Have cake...or should I say....have at some cake!  So I made her a 'bapron', The pattern is available at  Craftiness Is Not Optional!

So there you have it!  She's a happy and healthy 1 year old!!

 

If you want to read a little more about Charlotte's first year...you can start at the very beginning right HERE!  

Linking to: Anything Goes Monday at Stitch by Stitch! Threading Your Way! at Threading My Way.

You have got to try these!!

While being laid up for the past few weeks, I have done something I have never done in the past.....surf the web!  Yes, I mean hour after hour.  Well the other night on Pintrest, I ran across a wonderful recipe for cookies.  I don't know who pinned it or who wrote this recipe, but I do not take credit for any of it!  All I know is that I don't feel near as guilty eating these, as I do others.

ZUCCHINI-OATMEAL-CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

 First thing I did this morning is shred one small zucchini onto a paper towel.  This allowed some of the moisture to wick away while prepping the other part of the cookies.

MIX:
1 1/2c flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt (unless you use margarine, then omit the additional salt)
---set aside---the flour mixture is in the green bowl to the left.

 WHIP:
1/2c unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1/2c sugar (optional)
1/3c brown sugar

MIX IN:
1 1/2tsp vanilla
1 egg
*slowly add in the flour mixture until well blended
** on low, carefully add in the shredded zucchini (1 1/2c)

MIX IN BY HAND: 

1c oatmeal (Quick Oats)

3/4c pecans, or whatever your family prefers.

1 2/3c chocolate chips, or just dump in a whole bag!

 

 I dry roasted my pecans for a little bit more flavor!

 Mix all of the final 3 ingredients until evenly incorporated.

Drop by rounded spoonsful onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
Bake at 350f for 11-14 min.
Cool for 2 min, then transfer to a cooling rack.  This recipe makes 3 doz small cookies.  They stay moist in an air tight container.  I have not tried freezing them, but I'm sure they would hold up well.

This really is a versatile recipe.  I know that the kids will like it, and there are veggies inside!

Grandmother's Fan

I am in love with antique blocks.  When you work with donations, one never knows what you'll get.  Well, we got in a stack of antique, all hand pieced, Grandmother's Fan squares!  We were thrilled.

I had already gotten the rows laid out before I sat down to sew, so I marked them with my new alphabet pins.  I made these myself, and will be happy to write a tutorial with info if anyone is interested.  Just let me know in the comments!

Row by row, I got the entire top put together.  I know it went faster because of the marking alphabet pins!

I added a 2 1/2" white border first, then it came time to make the strips for a strippy border.  I needed to bring those fun colors out onto the borders.

Here she is in all of her glory.  This  flimsy will be small stitch quilted with a scalloped border.

It is always so nice when the points match up.  81x97.

Linking to: Anything Goes Monday! at Stitch by Stitch.  Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts.  Fabric Tuesday!  at Quilt Story.

Modern Daisies!

I love bright colors, and am making my living room full of bright colors.  When I ran across this print, I knew that I had to make a wall hanging with these bright 'modern daisies'! 

These daisies were on a 4 piece panel.  They had been cut out so wonky, that I had to use only the flower portion and not the border portion.  I used 'wonder under' by Pellon.  I then cut each flower out very carefully.

I purchased Kona black for the background and a tone on tone for each flowers sashing.

I attached each daisy to the black by quilting outlines of each.  These are each raw edged appliqued on.  In the black I did FMQ.  In the colored sashing, I did a loose loops, each with matching thread.

I then took the leftover strips and pieced the back.  These pictures make the colors washed out, they really are bright!

I love these corner hanging triangles.  Thanks Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts!  I appreciate the lesson.

Here you get a really good sense of how it was quilted.  This will hang on the wall in my living room.

32x32.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                          

Here is a look at my "modern daisies" new home. This is in my living room.  I like that there isn't a lot on this wall.  She has to speak for herself!

 

Linking to: TGIFF!   with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts !!  Can I get a whoop? Whoop!  at Confession of A Fabric Addict .  Tuesday Archives at Val's Quilting Studio!

A summer surprise!

My most wonderful daughter-in-law asked me to make some bloomers for Charlotte.  I was thrilled to have been asked to make these, so I got right on it.

So I proceeded to make the two colors requested....white and baby pink.  Aren't they cute?  Then I started to think about it...  why mail a package with only 2 bloomers in it, when I could send a little surprise?

I went to my favorite thrift store, and ran across this old Simplicity pattern and the light bulb went off...a new summer dress!

It called for such a small amount of fabric, I knew I'd have plenty in my stash.

 

The package has been received, and she loved it all!  I can't wait to see her in all her new stuff.
Linking to: Sew Cute Tuesday! at Blossom Heart Quilts!  Let's Bee Social! at Sew Fresh Quilts!

A glance into my world....my sewing world!

I have been working on a new sewing room since February.  Yes, it has taken that long to finally get it into some order.  I still have a lot of work to do, but I wanted to share what I have done so far.

 First of all, my space is not very big.  It is approx. 10x11.  It is jammed with furniture, but I find that I could even use more!  I am obsessed with storage.  I use a white board to keep track of what I have to work on.  I'm just a list kind of gal.

 My next big project is to make a slip cover for my chair.  It is a thrift store find and not very attractive, yet comfortable.  Does your machine have a knee lift?  What did I ever do without one?

 Yes, that left side wall is my favorite side of the room.  I'm so glad that I get to look at all of my things every single day.  See that chevron bin under my table?  It is big, and I use if for batting scraps.

 I know that there are a lot of you who have this lovely Ikea roller cart.  Mine was the gray one, but my husband spay painted it yellow!  I left the side bars gray.  That little plastic tray that fits so nicely inside....it is also from Ikea.  I have one on all three shelves.

 I can not say enough good things about these lights.  They are from "inspiredLED".  They make it so bright under there and they are NOT expensive.  www.info@inspiredled.com

 I'm fancy, I use crystal and milk glass for some of my goodies.

 This is my newest exciting space.  A closet that is almost completely shelves...20" deep shelves!  I haven't had a chance to get in there and fill them yet, but it will happen.

 

And last but not least, my antique sewing baskets.  Aren't they fun?  I hope that you enjoyed this tour of my sewing space.  I'd love to see where you work and create your masterpieces. 

Linking to:Can I Get A Whoop? Whoop! at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Finish It Up Friday with AmandaJean at Crazy Mom Quilts!