I'm SEW Excited!!!

OK! After some trial and error and a few trips to Joanns, I have finally finished my second sewing project on my machine! (my first project was a cube for my daughter which turned out pretty well!) Right now I am working on something for my Aunts birthday. Her birthday is February 13, so I've been trying to figure out some simple and easy things to make her since I am a beginner.

I finally made a keychain wristlet (this one I am keeping and you will see why). First I would like to share what I have learned so far. I still can't believe what a huge learning process sewing is! Since first starting the keychain wristlet, I have learned:

-more about my machine!
-how to sew a straight line
-I can adjust the pressure of the presser foot to help easily maneuver fabrics
-don't sew with dull needles!
-to make sure I read tutorials 2-3 times before I start
-to cut fabric with precision (this is key when sewing! It will make your creations come out more professional looking if you really take your time)
-to finally wind the bobbin (when I first received my machine, there was a preloaded bobbin all ready to go for me so I just kept with it)
-I am getting more familiar with how to thread the machine without the manual :)
-that my bobbin tension may be too tight
-that I got WAY too excited when I finally completed this project. (I literally ran around my home and jumped with joy that I made something I can use! Its very exciting)

So finally, here is my keychain wristlet that I made with this tutorial. NOTE - She recommends using a heavy fabric such as cotton canvas which I didn't do because I don't have that but mine turned out just fine! I just used one of my more firmer fabrics. That is the next thing I need to learn, fabrics!!!

So obviously you can see my stitches and they're very crazy but I will work on that for the next one. What matters most is that I can use it!

COMING UP: I'm going to try my hand at a checkbook cover, Valentines Day photo shoot with my baby, a talk about the stars, & my birthday!

Enjoy your weekend! :-D

The Best Blog For Beginner Sewing!!

Since I am new to sewing, I have been searching and searching for tutorials, books, whatever I can to learn more and more. What I have found is lots of pictures or good instruction but it hasnt been enough for me. Of course, there's no better way to learn than actually seeing. I stumbled upon this awesome blog called Couturier Mommy and 95% of her blogs are video!!

I'm so happy I found her because even when I looked for videos on youtube, what I wanted wasn't coming up. Now I feel confident enough to go back to my sewing machine and try again. (I just suffered a major sewing fail for the most simple thing. MAYBE I will post pictures but its pretty terrible!)

Anyway, here is her blog . I hope you enjoy her as much as I do and she is as helpful to you as she is to me!

Great Photo Editing Website!

I found a great website for easy and fun photo editing. I ordered some enlargements from the $10 promotional Shutterfly card I received from photos with Santa! I can't wait to see how they turn print. Here's how mine turned out:

 

Go have fun at Picnik!

I Shined My Sink Thanks to The Flylady

I read a post on the internet of someone who shined their sink. I was confused at first but when I opened it I saw a picture of a glossy silver sink! I immediately knew I wanted to do the same. Here is how my sink turned out: (I wish I had a before picture!)

Lets see if we can keep it this way! I used comet to clean with a dish scrubbing brush. While my sink was soaking, I cleaned underneath my sink and I suggest that you do the same! My sink is a little old so depending on your sink, it might come out more shiny than mine! It sure didn't look this way when we moved in!

The FlyLady helps you get over the "Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome" (CHAOS). I've been following her for a few weeks now and magically my home is becoming cleaner and I am getting into better habits. I wont be using the excuse of having a baby for my cluttered home.

"Step through the door and follow The FlyLady as she weaves her way through housecleaning and organizing tips with homespun humor, daily musings about life and love, the Sidetracked Home Executives (SHE) system, and anything else that is on her mind."

Grandma's Handmade Birthday Present

I am new to sewing and have been doing it by hand until this week when I received my sewing machine. I wanted to sew my grandmother something for her birthday but I knew it had to be simple since I was doing it by hand. I decided to do pocket tissue holder and a fabric flower pin. Here's how it turned out.

I am very pleased how it turned out! I hope that she likes it. For the pocket tissue holder, you can find the tutorial I used here. I didn't quite follow it to perfection because at the time I was using a measuring tape for a ruler! I have a nice ruler now so we won't have to worry about that anymore LOL! Here is the link for the fabric flower. I am obsessed with these flower, they are so easy to make and very customizable! I plan to make lots more!

COMING UP: Shining my sink!

Hope you are having a great weekend! :-D

Super Deluxe Zig Zag Sewing Machine; my first

My Grandfather sent me my Grandmothers sewing machine! The package weighed a whopping 47lbs. It was purchased in 1958 and it was his first Christmas present to her. She used it a bit and now I am happy to have it and put it in good use again. Now when I sew, she can watch down on me and bless my future projects because Lord knows I will need it!

After reading through the manual and cleaning it and oiling it thoroughly I gave it a go and she runs well! I grabbed some scrap fabric I had to put her to the test. Here is how we turned out. (I say we because I am learning the foot pedal, you will see)

Its a hat! Just kidding. As you can see, I have to get used to it. I have to admit, its intimidating. I almost want to go back to hand sewing! Sewing is a lot of work and there's a lot of components to it that I didn't know about. I'm sure newer machines are easier but I like this machine. Its made out of metal so it wont break as easy as plastic. So long as I clean all of the lint out and keep it oiled, she should keep on running! I'm going to take it slow and be patient. I need to do a little more reading and I will be ready to go!

COMING UP: My Grandmothers (dad's side) birthday present (hand sewn items!) :) 

Mommy Learned a Lesson

Today we went to the zoo! I am always good to make sure that I have everything before I leave especially if its going to be a long day out. Today I felt so good because I knew I had everything! On the way to the zoo I was saying out loud to my husband everything that I needed and I had it. I was feeling really good and excited to share the experience with our little one!

Here is where I learned my lesson. It was so cold at the park! I didn't plan for this! I had checked the weather this morning and it said 73 and Partly Cloudy. All day it was very cloudy and didn't budge over 60! Mommy was very cold and so glad little one had 2 layers on. She should have had a jacket but at least she had two blankets.

My Lesson Learned: Never leave the house without a jacket! Always be prepared for the unknown. As a mommy, we only have so many strikes for mistakes but this will be the last for me. If its 100 degrees, I will have a jacket! :-D

Things that will never leave the diaper bag
1 - Diapers
2 - Wipes
3 - Blankets
4 - Extra Outfit
5 - Socks
6 - Toys
7 - Hand Sanitizer
8 - JACKET!
9 - Warm hat
10 - Water bottle (you never know)
11 - Tissues/napkins
12 - Mommy things (cell phone, cash, wallet, ID, pen, chapstick etc.)
13 - Food (if necessary, I breastfeed so the food is attached to me! Can't ever leave without it!)
14 - Baby health insurance card
15 - Camera!

If you can think of anything else feel free to add! Of course this list can be adjusted to your outing but like I said, you never know. Some think they don't want to over pack but I would rather have more than less like today. Even if you don't want to lug all these things around, at least keep it in the car. When you thought you would only be out for an hour or two, you're gone longer so its always good to be prepared! Hope you all had a nice day. :)

I treasure my life

I am starting this blog in hopes to getting people to treasure their life more. I feel that I am unique and everyone should feel this way because you are. We all have a story but many people are turned down by the cover of the book. This is also a way to help me with my inner confidence and help me to express myself. I have always felt I am better expressed with words in writing.

I wanted to share with you my simple pleasures of my life and let you in to my view of the world. I hope to learn from this and hope to share something new to all those who read, even if its only one person. I'll try stuff out and you can help me along the way. I am not perfect but I try my best :)

COMING UP: Lots of sewing projects and crafts, decorating, life as a mommy and wife, valentines day, various happenings, etc.