Tiny bit 'o embellishment on Khaki Capri Pants

The "New purse on the block" called for a tiny bit of flare added to the existing Khaki colored Capri Pants...just a hint of something, you know how it is, right?

I used three different strands of yarn by braiding them together then repeated that twice more. Now having three braided strands (of 3 yarns each) I braided THOSE three together. Then zigzag stitched them together on the machine before straight stitching the whole "cord" onto the hemline of the capri's leaving a little tassle at the end where I knotted the cords during the process.

Here is the result of THAT brain thought ( or WAS it one?)!

New Purse on the block!

I have a gigantic stash (like most of us do!) consisting of many things. Buttons, yarn, beads, lace, threads, FABRICS and more fabrics! I own a very large collection of sample fabrics (you know, squares and rectangles) which I acquired some time ago from a fabric rep and this purse was made from two of those pieces of "samples".

If you look really close you can see the free-motion embellishment around the "flower" looking (dark) design as I embellished those images with gold metallic thread (my FIRST attempt at this treatment).

I also added pockets to both sides of the lining (3 each side) so I have 6 pockets.... I LOVE inside pockets; one for sunglasses so they don't get scratched; one for cell phone (same reason) and one big one for monster keyring so IT doesn't scratch all the above! You get the picture...more pockets are "good", lol.

The beads and handles as well as the eyelash trim came from my stash as did the lining fabric.

Quilted Placemat Purse. Made this one in July for DD Tami's birthday (I'm not telling her age tho'; don't want to get hit....heehee!). Anyway, two toile looking quilted placemats from the linen sale at the department store, made the flowers from cotton quilting fabrics and starched them after construction; used buttons for centers and webbing for the shoulder straps. Well, SHE liked it and thats what counts! (of course I stuffed it with a few little goodies too LOL).
Mostly I had fun making it.

The Pink Satin Jazzy tote!

I decided the "tote" deserved a closer look so here are the close up pics with detail hopefully more clear!

This was a really really fun piece.

The Pink Satin Duo

I have been playing lately and managed to come up with a new blouse. Pink poly satin and some lovely sheer organza print for trim.

Of course, it screamed at me for a matching "fun" bag so scraps in hand (gotta' save them scraps ya know) I went for the felting machine (what else?).
The white canvas tote was one of three in a package purchased from the craft store with a 50% off coupon (hee-hee) and so the package of three cost about $3.50.
I took one of the bags, slipped it onto the Xpression machine, grabbed the scrap fabrics and cut into odd pieces and strips. When finished, I went to my humongoid yarn stash (yep, HUMONGOID it is) and found a ribbon yarn to accent the fabric pieces and felted that on randomly....very randomly, lol.

Here you have the bag; purely fun, fun, fun!

Only wish I had more time (not more fabric, I have plenty)

I'm trying to do better!! Really I AM!!!

I am trying to do better at sewing and posting to my blog. Of course working 55 or so hours every week hasn't left me with much time or energy either for that matter. Actually this is the first weekend I"ve had off in about 6 weeks so I was planning on laying back, being lazy and yep, gettin' a little sewing in. Then I awoke Thursday morning to prepare for the last of a 4 day work week (hee-hee; grinning big I was) and WALLA! UGH! I discovered a spider had bitten me and having experienced two previous encounters with Brown Recluse critter bites, well....off to the doctor I went. So this week-end has been more of rest and recuperation as I prepare for the NEXT work week!
Not to be outdone by a pesky Brown spider tho', I did manage to get in a tad of sewing. Seems like lately I've been into "re-purposing" as DD Tami calls it... you know, making things out of other things that were originally used for a different purpose. Make sense? Well it works! Really it does!!
Here are some pictures of my latest RE-PURPOSED pair of little girls pink jeans. I cut off the legs, opened the crotch seams and squared off the fabric. I observed that this would make a cute purse but NO WAY would it be big enough for ME so I dug into the humongoid fabric stash and came up with a bright plaid that was cute-sy and made lining, handles and the bottom half of the bag out of it. The little thing was kind of cute but it SCREAMED at me for some LOUD trim so I dove back into the stash (trim stash this time) and came up with the lime green fuzzy stuff. Anyway, it was fun to make.
I'm working on a sweatshirt jacket (yep, another RE-make) and it has been on
"GERTRUDE" the dress form for quite some time now but I decided to post a couple of pics of the "work in progress" anyhow. Not working on it right now as it is TOO HOT in HOUSTON to even think of sweatshirt/jacket stuff.... when it cools off here....about December (LOL) I'll get back to it. This jacket is made of drapery samples cut into odd shaped pieces and applied to the sweatshirt in no particular pattern but done with the Janome Xpression felting machine. Then I decided to free-motion quilt it so thats where I'm at with it... BUT, with hot weather, I've got another two or three purse ideas to tackle before then **VBG**
Here's the pics

Has it REALLY been that long??

Wow, has it REALLY been that long since I posted anything to my blog? UNBELIEVABLE!!

I started a new job in January and moved into a new residence at the same time (now talk about a glutton for punishment (!) yep, guess I must be! Anyway, it has taken me mucho time to adjust to the demands of working a full time job and at my age that ain't no easy task, LOL!! Then there was (ahemmmm, still is) the task of setting up house and home at the same time. Now anyone who knows me will tell you that I can't get my creative juices flowing until I am organized (OVERLY-organized according to DD Tami, she nicknamed me the QUEEN OF ORGANIZATION!!) Little snip, she is. Anyhow, thats my story and I'm stickin' to it (for NOW)!

So here I am, Memorial Day week-end (WOO HOO, three days off) and I'm actually posting pics of my latest two handbags (yep, I FINALLY found time to play a little) and just thought you all might get a kick out of the "Camo Skort Bag"..... this was a little girls ruffled skort I rescued from the thrift shop for under a dollar. Then I took out the crotch seam and trimmed the bottom off evenly, created a bag from the inner shorts portion, added webbing handles and WALLA!!; INSTANT PURSE!.... this one has been a real conversation piece when I carried it (YES, I actually DO CARRY IT!!) and at least three people have tried to purchase it right off my shoulder!! Who would've thought THAT would happen? LOL!

The other new bag is made of two squares of upholstery/drapery sample fabrics from a HUMONGOUS stash that was gifted to me about a year ago and the design is basic and simple with exterior pockets which I embellished with LARGE buttons corresponding to three of the colors in the multicolored fabric. This was quick and easy and fun to make too.

I will take pictures of my new sewing space (since I moved) and post soon.

I have a sweatshirt remake that is going to be a jacket and which is on the dressform right now but alas, who wants to work on a sweatshirt when its already 94 degrees here in Houston??? Nada, not me... so that one will have to wait. I'll get back to it later...when it cools down.... in Houston.... that may be December, LOL.

As for now, I watch the sewing, beading, crafting tv shows on PBS on Saturday mornings and wonder how I'll EVER find the time to do all those projects that are so wonderful....and still work.... and I found out yesterday at work that we will now be working 6 day weeks until after a major inspection around the middle of July....so many projects.....so little time... now even LESS time.... need more sleep... LOL.

Okay, 'nuff ramblin' for now... here are the pics of the two handbags...