Hello SeptemBER :)

I'm so excited to say that we are in the "Bers" Baby!

Man I love this time of year!

Even the fact that my sewing machine has been out for a very long over-due service and cleaning since last Friday *ugh* I'm still a happy camper today! I haven't been able to sew but I have been keeping busy. I've cut out all the pieces I need to get started on my next quilt.

I'm using Happy Camper by American Jane.

I've also been drooling over some new fabrics that the mail carrier brought me this week.

I have some fabulous fabrics from Sweetwater's Hometown collection. I didn't want any of the prints with all the names of citys on them so rather than buy a layer cake or charm packs I chose only the prints I really love. These fabrics will be a curtain for my bathroom made with a free pattern I found

over at Moda. I'll post more about it when I get it done.

I also received a charm pack of Sweetwater's Countdown to Christmas that I abso-stinkin-lutely love love love!!! A table runner maybe? Cute Christmas coasters? Not really sure yet.

Then I bought 3 yards of Punctuation by American Jane!

Why? I don't know. I just am so in love with it.

I'm sure I'll think of something fun....right?

I mean.....seriously.....how cute is this?

Luckily I bought all this BEFORE my self imposed "fabric fast" during the entire month of September. What was I thinking?

 The day after I announced to my hubby that I wouldn't buy any fabric in September, I got the Joann's flyer in the mail

and guess what?

September is National Sewing Month!!!!

Are you kidding me? Do you think there might just be a few sales during National Sewing Month?

*sigh*

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it". 1 Cor. 10:13

I copied that scripture and taped it to my computer monitor,

I'm gonna need all the help I can get :)

Adorable-ness Overload

Have you ever noticed that when something is really really cute (like a puppy or a baby)

your voice goes up an octive when you say

"oh my gosh....how cute!"???

Well that's exactly how I feel about this adorable little messenger bag!

Every time I talk about it my voice gets higher :)

It's a scaled down version of a large messenger bag and I made it using another awesome pattern by Keyka Lou :)

On the interior there is a large pocket, divided into 3 smaller ones, perfect for my cel phone and a pen  and maybe a few organic lolly pops for good little grandchildren :)

The backside has a large pocket with a velcro closure

to keep it secure.

There are elasticized pockets on both sides of the bag perfect for my keys on one side and Spry chewing gum on the other side that I MUST always have on hand for my 2 oldest grandsons.

(the first thing out of their mouths when they see me is

"NANA!!!!...(pause).... did you bring us any gum?")

On the frontside there is another full sized pocket that is completely covered by the flap so there is no need for velcro here.

At first glance, I though it might be a bit small, but once I put all my stuff in it I realized it's just perfection! Don't get me wrong....I luvs me a big 'ol bag, but in my day to day life I enjoy carrying a smaller purse. I still have my large tote bags for outings with the kids or shopping :) I've noticed that the bigger my purse is, the more junk I tend to stuff in it. So I've recently been carrying smaller handbags.

This pattern may look involved but Keyka Lou did a wonderful job of breaking it down step by step and using lots of photographs to make it a pleasant sewing experience. This project was definately FTS (fun to sew) and I'm already thinking about which fabrics to use next time around!

"While You Were Sleeping" GIVEAWAY!!!!

So guess what happened while I was sleeping????

I woke up to 302 followers!

How did that happen?

I am so overwhelmed at the lovely comments

and all the encouragement I receive here on my little blog :)

Thank you all soooo much!

So I decided to send this "Owlie"

to live with one of you.

This Giveaway is open to the U.S.A., Canada and Europe

The Rules of Adoption are:

1. Mandatory : you must be a follower of my blog (I will check :)

2. Leave me a comment telling me you are a follower,

also tell me a little about you, what State or Country you live in and how you found my blog.

You have until Midnight September 5th to enter and you only

need to enter once.

 I will choose a winner with the help of the random number generator on September 6th

and I will post the winner that morning.

Good luck

and Thanks again everyone!!!

The "bers" are coming.....the "bers" are coming!

I finished my table runner this morning and not a moment too soon!

This will most likely be the last project I do that is just for myself.

There are only 3 days left in August and then we head into

the "bers"....(September, October, November & December)

My absolute favorite time of year!!!

There will be all kinds of fun going on with all the holidays

and birthdays coming up and I have lots to do for Christmas

(as usual :)

There are only 16 Saturdays left until Christmas Eve

and my sewing list is long:

Super Hero Costumes for dressing up in

Friendly Dragons for sleeping with

Quilts for snuggling

Mug Rugs for enjoying a hot cup of coffee or tea

The list is long and I can't even tell you what the rest

of the items are until after Christmas

 and everyone has received them.

I used a charm pack of fabric from Lori Holt's Sew Cherry line and I fell in love with it as soon as I laid eyes on it!

She has the most adorable blog by the way....

It co-ordinated so well with the tiny polka dots :)

I hand quilted this runner with #5 Perle cotton floss in red

and used buttery yellow cotton sateen for the backing.

I like the way the stitching shows up on the backside :)

Well, I'm off to make my list of projects that need to be done

and in what order they need to be finished.

I'm actually going to try and finish everything

early this year.....don't laugh!

For once, I'd love to be done the week before Christmas.

I can dream can't I ?

What will you be working on for the next 16 weeks?

A little baby love & a little perspective :)

Today is Thursday, and for any of you that read my blog on a regular basis you know how I love Thursdays! On most Thursdays I can hang out in my pajamas all day sewing if I choose to! So today I cut out a few projects and made 3 more sets of pacifier leashes and bags for my shop. It's kinda nice being a lazy pajama-wearing domestic goddess sometimes :)

And last night I finished a small cross stitch project I've been working on for a blogger friend who is going through a hard time right now. It never ceases to amaze me how something so simple as "Count your many blessings" can bring my attitude right back around to where it should always be.

Even on a bad day, I am blessed beyond measure.

I may need an intervention.......

I went to M & L this morning just to get some seam binding.........



and then I heard this fabric calling out to me. Faintly at first, and then it just got louder and louder until I had no choice but to put it in my cart! At least I came home and made an apron right away....

It's not like I bought it for no reason....right?


Do I need a fabric intervention?


I think I might......


I'm going to make a promise to myself not to buy any fabric at all during the entire month of September.
I will only use fabric I already own and try to make a dent in my stash......

Hi....my name is Karen....I'm a fabric-aholic.


*sigh*

A Flock of Owlies and My New BFF Mrs. Meyers :)

These little Owlies are on their way to my shop,

 actually 2 of them are already spoken for,

so I'm working on 2 more.

For me, the fun part is sewing on the eyes :)

It's like they take on a personality....I know....I'm weird.

And now on to something completely different:

Let me just say, that I do not receive any compensation from Mrs. Meyers.

This is not a commercial.

I'm just sharing something wonderful that I've recently discovered with you.

I am doing my best to replace all my personal hygiene items and household supplies with products that are free of harmful chemicals. I wanted to give Mrs. Meyers a try based on the great reviews I read on Vitacost.com. (which is where I order this from) She has 4 "aromatherapy" scents: Lavender, Lemon Verbena, Geranium and Basil. I first purchased the Lemon Verbena scrub to clean my kitchen sink.

Let me just say first of all that I do not enjoy scrubbing my sink.....that is until now! The smell just makes me soooo happy that I find myself cleaning the sink WAY more often! So with my recent order from Vitacost, I bought the Geranium laundry detergent. (I've been a Tide girl for years) It's safe for use in my HE machine and the smell is fantastic! When I opened the washer door to take out my clean clothes it was like breathing in pure joy! The clothes, even the hub's old white undershirts were so soft. I mean I could feel the difference after just one wash! I also gave the dish soap a run....and it's amazing too! Just a small amount washed all my pots & pans and it cuts grease like nobodies business! So now I can't wait for my dryer sheets to run out so I can buy the Geranium scented ones!  I've decided to use the Lemon Verbena scented products in the kitchen and the Geranium in the laundry and bathroom. My hubby laughed at the "aromatherapy", but let me tell you these things smell so great that they actually put me in a better mood! They do cost a bit more than what I've been using, for example I usually get 64 load Tide for about 10 or 11 bucks, and Mrs. Meyers is $13.00. The same goes for the rest of the products, and I know I can make my own laundry detergent (my lovely daughter-in-law does it) but I am totally hooked on the wonderful smells and the results!

I'm off to wash my bedsheets :) *sigh*