two tops

 finally finished this circle top.

love the fit. so comfy.

still have to embellish it...

 ...with these fabric flowers.

i experimented sewing a kaftan top using a different type of fabric.

the neckline gave me a hard time but was able to pull it off.

lots of ripping... and patience!

so hard to take a pic without ruining the fit.

my favorite cousin lovett. 

i might give it to her.

new post. new year. new hopes.

flower power

fabric flowers... done while watching tv the other night

still making more fabric flowers

costumes were made...

UN Day 2011

my 2 little native american indians

Halloween 2011
Theme: Outer Space

my star princess and sun princess

pink saturday :: quilted love

my first swap.
i was giddy and excited.
but it never came.
i figured... it was christmas season,
must have been lost in limbo
and landed onto somebody else's lap!

but ain't my partner the sweetest?
she sent a replacement!
it's not her fault,
but she wouldn't take NO for an answer.
she wrote... "I hope the recipients get it soon (one of these is a replacement and it had better get there this time!)"

well, i think the courier heard her, got scared, and delivered this to me...
















i can't believe that i actually have something from Simplicity. i frequent this site for free tutes and sewing techniques. and now, i have in my hands, one of their products because of her generosity. AND... can you see that pink fabric?

it's actually this...

it's a quilted tote bag in pink+brown on one side and orange+yellow on the other side. so it's like you have 2 bags in 1. she made it in my favorite color combinations. my husband saw me taking a picture of the pink+brown side - "nice"! then he went out. when he came back, he saw me taking a picture of the orange+yellow side. - "huh?! 2 bags?". me? i'm just so happy that i have a pink quilted bag from my partner! because i still can't figure out how to make a quilt. yes, i cant. maybe i will, one day.

Please visit How Sweet the Sound for more pink goodies!

tweet, tweet

been meaning to sew a coaster. i can use thick scrap fabric or old thick clothes. then my sister sent a box full of old clothes. some of it were sent to the province, and some, well, i saved them, for future repurposing. two small sized corduroy pants were included in the saved items. i saved them with this in mind. when i saw it, i made a mental note to make one. it's just sooo cute!

okay, so i went ahead and cut 5x5 pieces. the upper portion was saved for chiko's shorts when she gets older :D.

then i made a pattern for the tweet. not quite like the chirpy pattern but still a bird. traced it on to the fabric and sew along.

i fell in love with the bird! it's chubby and cute, yes?

i proceeded making the project, used poly fiber batting to give it some body and to add thickness to the coaster.

my plan was to have a bird on one side only but i was stupid, and sewn a gap when it was already done. of course the other side was sewn too! grrrr! so i ended up sewing the bird again. i was quite pleased though that it gave an embossed look.
here's the other side.

i did not stop with the bird. i made a flower pattern. but because of excitement, (or stupidity, again?) i used ballpen instead of pencil to trace it onto the fabric. and i used a different thread color and a different stitch. it came thin, so naturally, the ballpen traces were evident.

hmmn... never mind those boo-boos. more coasters came along. another flower was requested by chiko and the car (that looked more like a pig! :D) was requested by kuya .notice the bird? the first patttern was lost by the little one. i made another one but could not quite duplicate the original so i ended up with a pregnant bird with tails!

i was able to make 6 pieces.

pink saturday :: cutlery holder

amazing how these pink fabric pieces

when injected with creativity and love

turns out into something like this...

a cutlery holder
for my swap partner in her favorite colors.

Happy Pink Saturday!
Please visit How Sweet the Sound for more pink goodies!

baby steps

... scissor
not quite 3, i'm a bit apprehensive to let her hold a scissor. but for quite a number of times, when she sees me holding a scissor, she'd run up to me, paper in hand and pretends to cut the paper with her fingers - "tsitsor, mommy". one time, i gave in. after a deep breath, i handed her a small tsitsor, more papers, sat down together and taught her how to use it. we both held the paper in one hand while her another hand maneuvers the tsitsor from the bottom going up, from right to left, until...success! a piece of paper! and i tell you, there's no stopping her!

she's cutting bits of papers in various random shapes. i'm trying to teach her how to cut papers by following a line or a shape but she's still impatient. so i let her be.

she's cutting scrap fabric

and she snipped her hair too! yikes!

i turned my back for a while and when i looked at her again, there were strands of hair on the table! goodness gracious! so far, after that hair incident, no accidents yet. hopefully none will come.

... sewing machine

when she's done "cutting", and sees me in front of the machine, she'd sit on my lap and touches everything she sees. she helped me do a project. she sewed with me, with both our hands guiding the fabric through the machine while sitting on my lap. I'd like to see the day when she steps her way to using that machine all by herself.

she even helped me stuff it.

our teamwork yielded this.

thank God, we made my swap partner happy.

pink saturday :: toadstool

i made a pink toadstool that quite resembles the designs in her notecards. i was inspired, my hand was itchin' to sew, so i made this...

i could not wait to buy a leather band, so i just crocheted something because i was so excited to see how it would come out.

here's the size...

[1 blue square=1 square inch]

yes, i also made that cute red toadstool. because of its cuteness, i'm thinking of making a magnet, applique, hair pin, cake topper, pin cushion, and who knows, maybe even a village for sweet gnomes! i wish :D.

it can be used as a cellphone charm

or a bag charm

oh! did you notice that tiny pink flower together with the two toadstools? i bought it few years ago. it is also a charm that can be used as a bracelet charm, purse or cellphone charm.

Happy Pink Saturday!
Please visit How Sweet the Sound for more cute pink items!

pink saturday :: handmade goodies

because i was filled with happiness,
using the grosgrain that i received from a friend

i made something...

for me and for the little girl (belt) ...

hopefully, one day, i'd be able to open a shop for my handmade items
*lovely notecard is from the swann*smerlin shop

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now, if only that little girl's dress
to which this grosgrain should have been used could wait.

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Happy Pink Saturday!
Please visit How Sweet the Sound for more pink goodies!

pot holder from shoulder pads

i'm itchin' to sew something. hmmmn... let's make something useful out of unused shoulder pads.

unused shoulder pads

scrap fabric
trace and cut
a little detailand... tadaaa!

i lovet!