Gifts Galore

Here's a few gifts I've been working on the last few days. I've got a lot more to do, just wanted to post a few pics before I get back to work.

I made a few pot holders to practice hand stitching the binding before I tackle my first quilt. I was so intimidated at first, but it's not nearly as bad as I had expected it to be, it's actually quite relaxing :)


Coasters for Nana

Coasters for Gpa & Gma
Karen's apron & oven mitt
MIL's set
Grandma H's set
Mom's set
Mom's quilt top (my first quilt. . . I'm hooked!)

My mom rocks!

I got 2 early Christmas presents today!

A walking foot & a plus hoop for my embroidery machine. I am so excited & cannot wait to test them out.

I'll post pics later, right now we're heading to my inlaws to watch the Bears game, because we don't have a dish & don't get the NFL channel :-(

Name Pillows

A few more to cross off the to do list :)

More done

Tho, they were not on the list, ooops!

My mom bought a kit to make a fabric book back in July & I finally got around to it today :)
It's keeping the kids out of my hair so I can work on projects that ARE on my list.

I also made a sweat band for my buddy Andy's hard hat. He brought some Bears fabric over a few months ago & I figure I've looked at it long enough, I may as well sew it up for him.

Sorry it took so long Andy. Hopefully it was worth the wait.

2 more finished

I finished Robbie & Ethan's fleece blankets.

I plan on sewing all weekend (hopefully the kids will cooperate).

I have a few custom orders thrown in the mix, but should still get all my gift items finished in time.

My Insul-bright is supposed to arrive on Monday & then I can get started on all the hot pads & oven mitts.

I want to get all the pj pants cut out so I can put them together in assembly line fashion. If I don't do it this way, I fear I may run out of enthusiasm since I have like 250 pair to make this year.

I'm saving the dolls & quilts for last as they require the most detail & time. I don't want to worry about having other projects to finish & not give them the attention they deserve.

Secret Sis gift

This is just the hand made part of the gift that will be on it's way Monday. Can anyone guess who it's going to?

Accountability

So much to do, so little time left. Eeek!!

Why do I always put things off till the last minute? I'm making my New Years resolution now to stop doing that. I aggravate myself in doing this & can only imagine what my family feels about my frantic last minute dashes. Sorry guys!

Since, my family doesn't read this blog, I'm going to make myself a list of gifts that need to be finished, er started & post picture updates as I finish them. I'm doing it this way, because every time I write myself a note, it disappears (seems we really do have paper swiping fairies in this house).

Secret Sis gift FINISHED
Nicole-name pillow FINISHED
Julia-name pillow FINISHED
Sam-name pillow FINISHED
Erik-pj's CUT OUT, monsters, scarf FINISHED
Scott-pj's CUT OUT, mosters, scarf FINISHED
Brett -pj's, scarf
Rob -pj's, t-shirt, fleece tie blanketFINISHED, scarf FINISHED mr. t doll (hey, he asked for one)
Ethan - pj's, t-shirt, fleece tie blanketFINISHED, monster doll, scarf FINISHED
Paul -pj's, t-shirt
MIL - wall quilt, oven mitts FINISHED/hot pads, tumbled tile coasters
Mom - Christmas Quilt, oven mitts FINISHED /hot pads, tumbled tile coasters
Cassidy - Quiet book, new baby doll, doll clothes, dress up clothes
Sophia - Quiet book, patchwork balls & blocks & a new baby doll (or two)
Nana - tumbled tile coasters FINISHED, movie night gift basketFINISHED
Great Grandma H -oven mitts FINISHED/hot pads, soup mix basket FINISHED
Pops - t-shirt
Karen - apron, oven mitts FINISHED (or maybe just coal)
Josh - name pillow & t-shirt
Gma & Gpa - tumbled tile coaster FINISHED, soup basket FINISHED


All the store bought gifts are wrapped & under the tree, so aside from cooking Thanksgiving dinner on Friday, I have no excuses & a month to get these finished.

Wish me luck! That sure didn't seem like much before I typed it out.

Happy Halloween!!

M.I.A.

Has it really been 5 weeks since my last post?! Please forgive me for taking so long to update, I have a valid excuse at least..................I'm 10 weeks pregnant!! Morning sickness, nak all day sickness has reared it's ugly head & I have not done much of anything here recently. Now that I am becoming a bit more accustomed to it, I am slowly getting back in the swing of things.

I have a couple custom orders that I need to finish up (hopefully today) and then my holiday sets are next in line. I have had them planned out for months & was hoping to really get a jump on them this year, but it just didn't happen that way.

I promise to update more often & not let 5 weeks pass between posts again.

C is for.......................

Christmas!!


Yes, I realize it is only September, but I have already started my Christmas sewing. I purchased a few different books for some new patterns & gift ideas, but this one is my favorite, by far. I want to make everything in this book for myself as well as gift giving.

B is for.........

Birthday gifts. A friends daughter is celebrating her second birthday today, so I made her a few gifts. I used fabric from Moda's Five Funky Monkey's line for the outfit & my favorite Ginger Blossom print for the dolls dress. I have no embroidery floss on hand, so her face was hand drawn with sharpies :-)



I made the doll from the Black Apple pattern & will be making several more. I promised my girls, they would each get one tonight if they are on their best behavior at the party this afternoon.

Six Flags

I know I said I was going to keep this a sewing/craft related blog, but I just had to share these pics from Sunday. We took the family to Six Flags Great America & had such a wonderful time. My brother in law & his family came with us & the kids all had a blast (and slept like rocks that night).

Monkeys & Elmo & Ruffles, Oh My!

I started working on the kids fall/winter stuff this weekend. So far I have completed 6 ruffly pj bottoms for the girls. Of course, they had to match so nobody would fight :-) I just need to find some coordinating knits for matching tops (which I'm sure I have somewhere in my stash).

I'm loving how these turned out. There are days the girls just don't want to get out of their pj's, so at least now they won't look like they just rolled outta bed.

A is for.........................

Addiction

Yep, I said it. Addiction.

With all the beautiful fabrics, notions & patterns available it's very easy for a hobby to become an addiction. If you're anything like me (and I know most of my fellow seamstresses are) you have quite the collection of goodies to work with.

At the moment, my main addiction is patterns. I already have hundreds of yards of fabric that I *could* be creating with, I just need to take that plunge & cut into it already.

Some of the fabric in my collection has become highly sought after & hard to find, making it that much harder to make that cut....seriously, it's painful to even think about it.

What if I don't like the way it turns out?

What if I find a pattern down the road that would suite the fabric better? When you begin thinking like this, that is when you truly know your hobby is not a hobby anymore, but an addiction.

I've come to the realization that If I don't start using these glorious fabrics for their intended purpose soon, I will be forced to part with them (not by my choice).

So, what's a girl to do? Find the coolest patterns she possibly can to let the true beauty of the fabric shine thru. How do you do that, you may ask? Why, you simply get yourself a subscription to Ottobre magazine. This, my friends will not only inspire you to cut into your beloved fabric, but to do so as often as possible.

I got my first issue the other day & have been pouring over its brilliance every chance I get. Starting Monday, I will begin my Ottobre sewing, moving next to Farbenmix , most of which do come translated into english. A great place to buy both Ottobre & Farbenmix is Sewzannes.

Happy sewing :-)

Some motivational blogging

I've been very bad about keeping up with this blog, so I'm going to copy off a few blogging buddies & start some A-Z posting.

I'm going to try to make each post sewing or craft related, but can't promise anything. I've been in an unmotivated slump lately, so hopefully this will challenge me & help get my creative juices flowing again & maybe inspire some of you along the way :-)

BPIE BooTique

Search BPIE BOO on ebay August 11-18th.

Playing with food

While blog browsing last weekend, I came across a post about Bento egg molds. I just knew my kids would LOVE them, so I bought a couple sets right away. Well, they came today & let me tell you I enjoyed making them just as much as the kids did. Here is a quick pic I was able to get before the eggs were devoured. As you can see, our car lost a tire, but overall they turned out great for our first attempt.
For more information on how to make them once you receive your molds, check here. Unless, of course you read Japanese, which I do not. A huge thank you for the wonderful directions, I would have been pretty much lost without them.

I purchase mine from bento crazy I purchased ours last Sunday & they made it all the way from a military base in Japan already!! Shipping is very reasonable as well :-)

And, we're off..........

to our favorite family vacation spot......Grandpa's cabin in Minnesota!

I, of course, will be taking along my machines & a suitcase full of fabric, notions & patterns. Two weeks of nothing but sewing (and fishing) is one of the most relaxing things on the planet & a trip I look forward to all year long.

When I return (hopefully with a suitcase full of finished garments & purses) I will be opening a shop on etsy. I wanted to build up a good stock of ready to ship items before opening, and should have plenty done by the time I return.

Here's a sneak peek at what I've already finished for the shop.........see you in 2 weeks!

School of Style

BPIE designs will be holding it's debut launch from July 14th-21st.

Be sure to search BPIE STYLE on ebay to see what our fabulous group of designers comes up with. We have some very talented members that are sure to become your favorites once you see their wonderful, unique styles.

Summer Sewing

I'm caught up on custom orders for the moment, so I finally get a chance to sew for my own kids.

I finished these 2 dresses yesterday. It's so fulfilling when the girls actually LIKE the clothes I make them.

Strawberry Sweetheart

I just listed this sweet set for the Haute Couture for Kids Summer Is...... launch. I just love how it turned out!
Click here to see the listing.

The gorgeous matching hair bows can be found by searching lilbellebowtique on ebay.



Kelly is also to thank for the fabulous photos.

Latest Addiction

I have a new addiction....it's the round neck top/dress pattern that I bought from that*darn*kat
Thank you Katie for another awesome ebook!!

I've made a few for each of my girls & plan to make a bunch more in an attempt to use up my stash & raise some $$$$ in the process. The girls actually LIKE these & can hardly wait for me to get the buttons on them so they can try them on! I really like the fact that they can be layered in the fall for maximum wardrobe potential.

Here's just a couple that I've come up with so far. I have a couple that I used some beloved vintage fabrics to make, but they are in the wash, so that will be another post.

Back in the Saddle again

I've been MIA a bit lately due to some personal issues, but I will be blogging again regularly soon :-)

I'm going to take a new direction here & try to make this blog creative & inspiring. I get so much inspiration from the many blogs I read & would like to try to give some as well.

I will be including links to my favorite fabric shops and sharing my creations as well as the places I draw my inspiration from.

To start off, I am going to share my favorite place for online patterns. I met the creator of this site on a forum a couple years back & it's the first place I go when I need a new pattern, thanks Kim for creating it, I taught myself to sew with the ebooks you offer YouCanMakeThis.com.

Be warned tho, it's very addictive! Make sure you set up an account so you can earn points that that you use to get FREE ebooks yay!

A day with Daddy

Yesterday, my wonderful husband took the three older kids fishing, so I could get a little break & spend some one on one time with our youngest.

Cassidy caught a fish for the first time on her own! She's done it with help before, but this is the first time she reeled it in on her own. Her brother did take it off the hook for her, she'll have to wait a few years before she can handle that task on her own :-)




The boys had some luck too. Ethan caught this beautiful rainbow trout & Cassidy just couldn't get over how big the fishy was! She's used to bluegills, so this was something new & exciting for her.


And, just to show how crazy Rob's hair is getting, here he is! He is about the same height as me now! I'm not sure if it's due to the massive amount of hair he has, or if it was another growth spurt.

Let's Get This Party Started!

Houston, We Have a Problem

So, Admitting you have a problem is the first step, right? Well, I'm admitting it, tho I'm not sure it will help me in the slightest.

I am a fabric junkie. That's right, fabric. I just can't say no. I love the colors, textures & the rush that comes with finding the "perfect" print. This is the reason you can no longer find my dinning room table without a map.

I realized I needed help when I found three separate stashes of the same black & white dot fabric. I have more than a bolt of it now & each time I ordered thought I was out....ooops.

I'm going to challenge myself. I cannot purchase any more fabric until I have transformed a substantial amount of my current stash into a summer wardrobe for the kiddos. I have enough fabric, elastic, buttons, trims, thread & zippers to make myself & the kids a complete new wardrobe...yes, it's that bad.

I am also going to start using the embroidery function on my sewing machine. I've spent a small fortune on accessories for it & have only ever done a test run with it. It's time to let my baby show her full potential & hopefully make me some $$ in the process.

I started last night & have so far made:

A Dozen cloth wipes (from flannel I bought on sale last summer & had no particular plans for)

A Manatee outfit for Cassidy (from fabric leftover from a custom Sea World set)

I will have to update later with pics, because as always, the camera battery is dead when I need it.

What's to Come

My kids don't cooperate when having their pictures taken & I want to come off as professional as possible when posting my designs for sale. I sent a few sets off to my friend Rachael who is also the woman behind the camera at Goody Two Shoes Photography.
I am so excited with these sneak peeks she posted & can't wait to see what else she does for my designs!

A Productive Weekend

What a busy weekend we had! Saturday morning we were all up at 6 am to get ready for Ethan's baseball game. It ended up being in the low 30's so I had to stay home with the wee ones & miss yet another game. His team won 8-7 and Ethan got a hit every time he was up to bat....this is a huge progression! Not only are his skills improving, but so is his attitude. I couldn't be prouder of the little man.

Saturday afternoon was spent preparing for a small gathering in honor of Ethan's birthday. It was not technically his birthday party because several family members were tied up due to the prom, but we still had a good time. The older kids stayed outside until they could no longer spot each other in the dark & they were forced to retreat indoors for cake. They all crashed shortly after cake consumtion.

Sunday was a slightly relaxed day. I decided I was going to get some cute wipes made because I am not going to open another pack of disposable wipes. They're almost too cute for their intended use ;-) They do work great to clean up a messy yogurt covered baby tho & I was able to use up some of my small remnant pieces that were just waiting to become something useful.


With the help of our oldest Robert, I whipped up this ipod cozy out of some flannel I had left over from pj pants. Rob stood next to me & watched the entire process. He was amazed that I could make a pattern myself & have the cozy turn out the way he had described it to me. To tell you the truth, I was a bit surprised myself. Rob's been saving his money for awhile now. Originally the money was intended for a laptop, but he decided this 80GB ipod was more practical for a boy of 12 & I must say I agree.
He also was kind enough to hand down his Nano to his ipodless brother Ethan, who is beyond thrilled that Rob gave him anything.


Our little Miss Cassidy is now officially potty trained. She has not worn a diaper or pull up (even over night) for a full week now. She even gets up in the middle of the night/early am if she has to go. Hopefully Sophia will pick up quickly..... but not too quickly because I just bought a bunch of cute cloth diapers for her.

Team Renee

">Team Renee listings on Ebay now!

A Sweet Reminder

....to stop & smell the flowers. Not that Cassidy actually stopped to have her pic taken, but at least she slowed down enough that I could focus.

A huge thank you to Becky
for turning my mediocre attempt at photography into something beautiful.

Taking the plunge

For months now I have been toying with the idea of cloth diapering. With the help of a fabulous sale on blueberry diapers, I've decided to wait no longer.


I have spent way too much time this afternoon painstakingly choosing a variety of diapers & the needed accessories to get started. As I type this, I am counting down the minutes until the start of the sale so I can place my order.....I feel a new addiction starting.

Pretty much everything there is to know about me

April is my name, but my good friends & brothers call me Api.

Blue is my all time favorite color.

Cassidy is my free spirited, highly independent 3 year old.

Driving is something I don't do.

Ethan is my big hearted, frog loving, baseball playing, almost 11 year old & my favorite wii bowling buddy.

Fabric is my biggest addiction & I can't get enough of it.

Grandpa's Cabin in Minnesota is our favorite family vacation spot.

Homeschooling is something we just started with our girls.

Ice Cream may quite possibly be the greatest invention ever.

Jumping in Puddles is something you are never too old to do.

Kids can make you crazy & humble at the same time.

Love is the one thing you can never give/receive too much of.

Monkey's are what my children are most days.

Nap time....why is it never my turn?

Oopsy is never a good word to hear from your 3 year old in another other room.

Paul is my husband, best friend & soul mate.

Quiet is what this place never is, but that's OK.

Robert is my artistic, football playing, Green Day loving, 12 year old tough guy with a heart of gold.

Sophia is my almost 2 year old diva, sweetheart, cuddlebug, who's favorite past time is singing "itsy bitsy spider".

Time is something there is never enough of.

Uncles.......how can the kids have so many & yet never see them?

Value is not measured by what you have, but what you do with it.

Wii boxing is one of the best workouts ever!

Xrays are never ending with four children.

Years seem to fly by.

Zoo's are a family favorite. Our favorite is the one in Omaha.

Spring has Sprung!

It's finally that time of year again when the kids can run wild & burn off their pent up winter energy. I swear they store it up during the indoor months, because their feet did not stop moving until their little heads hit the pillow last night.

Aside from the major "I don't want to leave the park" meltdowns it was a really fun day. I will have to take my camera on todays outing because the pics taken with my camera phone sucked.