Christmas Table Runner

Hello!

It's hot here in Southern California!
Some days it's so hot, that you feel like doing nothing. I made a couple of little crafts with Brenda, and lots of cleaning and organizing.
We did some summer activities, like movies and things like that. Still about a month until school starts.
This week I managed to do a little sewing, and finished this table runner .

I used only scraps and fabrics from my stash. I am really trying to use the fabrics and craft supplies I have at home.

I got the inspiration from here.
My blocks are smaller, the runner was made to fit my sideboard.

I think I need to do some more quilting, and them machine wash and dry.

I used about twelve different prints in green and red. None of the six blocks have the same combination of prints.  I always have a hard time piecing.  Somehow, I always do a little bit of mess up. These blocks were fun to make, but they are not perfect. I enjoyed very much making this table runner. I love the colors and the pattern.

I specially love the candy cane binding. It adds a nice finishing touch.
It took a long time for me to decide to make a Christmas table runner.  I could not make up my mind on the pattern to use.  Now, I just need to make a Valentine one to complete my small collection.
Have a great weekend and stay cool!

Ana Paula.

Ribbon and Lace Boho Style American Flag.

Hello!
Just stopping by to share a little craft I made this week.

I wanted to make this flag since when I first saw one last year. There are lots on Pinterest and I just had  to make one this year. I found some red and white fabric scraps,left over ribbon, lace, ric-rac, bias tape, a scrap of denim, and other trims that were perfect for the project. Also, some white buttons and a dowel.

The flag is now hanging above the crates filled with cookbooks in my eating area.
I love my new flag, I am happy that I made it. A great way to use scraps of fabric and all those left over ribbons and trims we all collect.

I think it complements nicely my other patriotic items.  Hopefully I will be able to make a couple more patriotic crafts this year.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!

Ana Paula.

Spring Clothespin Dolls and Other Little Things.

Hello!

Things are busy around here. I meant to post more often, but life gets on the way, and the housework also needs to be done.
With the end of school year approaching, we have lots going on. Tons of activities, volunteering, you name it!
Anyways, I made some clothespin dolls a couple of weeks ago.

I still need to get some flowers for her basket.

This little lady is holding a beehive.

This one is a Gardner.

And here is an Irish girl. They are all living in the cubby shelf, but they like to pose for pictures at the fairy garden.

Not much crafting going on, really. 
I am sewing some gifts for Brenda's birthday and other small items.

I made these Personal Progress folders for the Girls Camp silent auction at my Church.

Also, an Origami dress garland.

A while ago I made some tissue holders for me, Brenda and friends.
I started a new cross stitch project, but it will be a slow one. I just got new eye glasses, that will help. Also, I had to take my sewing machine to the be serviced. It does not like denim :)
That's all for now!
Have a good rest of the week and thanks for stopping by!

Ana Paula.

Christmas House

Hello!

Today I took a break from the sewing and finished a cross stitch project that took me a while to make: A Christmas house!

The patterns are by Perrette Samouiloff.
It was fun to stitch, and not very hard, really. The hard part was to choose the designs, and to count the stitches to make sure they would fit. I had to find some small designs to fill the empty spots. I think that was the most difficult part.  But I love how it looks!

The attic is full of secrets. They are hiding the presents. I added more presents and the teddy in a box to balance things a bit.

Now, the middle part of the house.
This little boy holding the hearts is adorable!  I stitched some ornaments to fill the spaces.

The little girls. They are so cute! The one holding the teddy bear is my favorite.  Here I added the cat, the presents, and the ornaments.

The living room. I just had to add some more presents to fill the spaces and join the two designs together. That's the fun thing with Perrette's patterns. There are several small designs in one pattern. You stitch all or as many as you want.

I had this frame for a long time. It's from a kit by Bucilla. I decided not to stitch the kit, and stitch these little kids instead.  I painted the frame red, and made several changes to make things more colorful. The original colors were a bit too dark for my taste.

I glued a piece of red felt on the back to make a nice finish.  A mini wreath on the top of the house  finishes the look.
Brenda helped me picking the colors and designs for this project, and she loves the finished piece!  Now, let's put it way until Christmas!

Thanks for stopping by my blog! Have a great week!

Ana Paula.

A Library Bag and a Door Stopper.

Hello!

I am working hard on finishing several sewing projects. Lots more to go!
Here are the two I just finished this week.
First, a denim library bag.

I have a storage container full of denim, mostly Brenda's. We donate a lot of her clothes when she outgrows them, but I still save many. I normally make bermudas of the jeans that get too short on her. So, I had lots of half legs of jeans.
Anyways, I wanted to make a new library bag, the old one was so ugly!  I made a pretty one for Brenda last Christmas, so ours was looking even worse.
We are big library people. We go every week for books and movies. Now that Brenda got the Harry Potter bug, she gets anything Harry related.
I saw a nice recycled denim bag on Pinterest. This is my version of it. There was no pattern, I just made up my own.

I had to cut one of my old jeans. No way it was going to fit me anymore.
I used cotton batting and a blue and white floral fabric for lining. I came out very sturdy, and we were able to use it on the same day I made it. Cool!
There will be more bags soon...I need to use all that denim.
My other project is this door stopper.

It was also made to substitute an old one. I used corduroy and a piece of this patchwork looking fabric. It made it faster, the pattern has a 9 patch block instead. This door stopper has a zipper on the bottom, so you can wash it. I really like this style, I think I will always make this one. If you want make it too, here is the tutorial from Lark Crafts.

Here  is the back. I need a little more dried peas to make it fuller.
That's it for today!  Back to the sewing machine.
Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by!


Ana Paula.

Patchwork Christmas Stockings

Hello!

I know... funny posting Christmas stockings in April.
I wanted to make them last year, but I got busy, and never made them.
Now, here they are!

I love the Scandinavian look. The matching stockings had to be red and white.
There are several online tutorials on how to make stockings like these. Here is one I like.
The quilt as you go style is the best. Very fast and easy. It's a no brainier.
The pattern for the stocking shape I got from one of my Holiday crafts magazines. I find it very hard to draw the pattern myself. I love this shape, not the old booty one!

The hard part for me was to attach the cuff. It was very bulky, It took me a while pinning and ripping seams. But I love the way they look! My family finally has matching stockings!
I made a stocking for Brenda when she was little, but never made for me and my husband. We had some old plaid ones for a while, borrowed from my MIL. I returned them so I could have a real reason to make our own. I did it now.

I like how they are similar but different. I collected red and white fabrics for a while to be able to make some projects, including these stockings. Not easy, Joann's has a small selection. A couple of years ago they had some new ones, and I got some. Besides Joann's, I only have one more fabric store near by. Sometimes I get lucky there. Sometimes on e-bay.

This is the fabric I picked for the back of the stockings, a cute peppermint candy print.

Now I just need to get some wooden letters to personalize them. I like this idea.
I am very pleased with our new stockings! It's so nice when a project comes out the way you imagined it!

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by my blog!

Ana Paula.

Lavender Girl

Hello! Just a little post to share something I made this week.

This is Lavender Girl from Snowflower Diaries.
I made some changes, specially using DMC in lighter colors.

I also used light lavender beads. It's now displayed  in my cubby shelf.

I am still working on filling the shelf for spring.

So, I need to stitch some more ornaments... so hard to choose the patterns.

Thanks for stopping by!

Ana Paula.

Easter

Hello!

Hope everybody had a great Easter with family and friends.
I am a little late, but better late than never...

I finished this little Lizzie Kate ornament just before Easter. I always wanted to stitch this design and finally got it done!

It looks cute with my Easter decor.

Decorating for Easter is so much fun! I love to look at all the pretty spring things at the stores. So many temptations, but I am controlling myself very well. When you live in a small place, you have to, or the clutter takes over.

And here is the chocolate/coconut cake roll I made for Easter. Delicious and very rich!
Got to go now...so many things to do.
Have a blessed week!

Ana Paula.

Saint Patrick's Ornament, French Cross Stitch, and a Shadowbox.

Hello!


Just stopping by to share a little ornament I finished last week.

This is a design from Lizzie Kate. It was fast and fun to stitch.

I hardly have any Saint Patrick's decor. Every year I try to get a little something, but nothing at the stores tickles my fancy.  I need to make a couple more ornaments, or maybe a little Irish clothespin doll.

For now, that will have to do. Got a succulent inside, and some split peas.

I have a couple more things to share.
First, this lovely French pattern. I got it around Christmas.

So pretty! You can get at The French Needle online store.

I can't wait to make something using these patterns! I am just crazy about French designs.

And this is a shadowbox I got at Home Goods a while ago.
I picked some cute thing I had to display in it.
The bobbin lace butterfly is from Brazil, as the little doily. My Mom made the doily many years ago.
The origami dress was made by me, I love it!
The Flower Fairies postcard I got for Brenda's 5th birthday party. Just so sweet!

Thanks for visiting!

Ana Paula.

Cross Stitch and Embroidery.

Hello!

So many things to do... and fells like I can't acomplish anything...
But I have a couple of cute things to share today.
A while ago I finished this little cross stitch ornament.

The pattern is from Happy Childhood Collection - Christmas Time by Perrette Samouiloff. You can get it here.
It's a pattern with several little designs, all very cute. I am working on something else using some more of Perrette's sweet little kids.
This was a very easy and fast ornament to stitch, and I love it! I chose to finish it as a simple little pillow, using a blue fabric.

My next finish is an embroidery  picture I made for Brenda.

You can get the pattern on Etsy. I added the words.
I love this design. So sweet and feminine. The frame was an old plastic one from the Thrifty Store.
Some spray paint, and it was like new.
Brenda is turning twelve this year, and we are getting some new things for her room. She still very much a little girl, but almost as tall as me.

Thank you for stopping by, and have a great weekend!

Ana Paula.