Smarty Pants

We all know I can’t sew……..yes yes yes…….it’s true……..and we all know how much I hate when women show off that they CAN sew……..but then you have women who, not only can they sew…..they bump it up a notch……..and sew bedding…..QUILTS!  Whatev…. I am flabbergasted by these women.  There is nothing like an old quilt or a new one to be passed down through the generations.  The blood, sweat and tears that must go into making them…….and maybe a few curse words if you sew like my mother.  She was always so cranky when she sewed. She never made a quilt, but school clothes….oh how I just wanted to buy that new pretty skirt at JC Penny’s……but no…..my mom had to make it…..She would always forget a few straight pins when it was time to try things on…….hmmmm, perhaps that’s why I shy away from sewing?  :)

But I doubt there are many curse words in

Diary of a Quilter

with Amy Smart.  I met her at the Utah GNO, and she seemed well adjusted……and very very nice.

You’ll find lots and lots of quilts on her site. She even sells quilt kits in her Etsy.    She sells quilts too…….this one below is for sale.  Here’s her fav…….it’s gorgeous, but WOW!  I can’t imagine the curse words my mom would have been saying.I think this baby one is my faav…..love all the fabrics……Pretty darn cute. And you know she can sew other stuff if she’s talented enough to sew all those fancy quilts! 

Fancy burp rags……A baby needs to burp in style.  Those are way cuter than anything my son had.

Go surprise her and tell her I featured her.  I never tell people………I let you guys surprise them. 

Do you have a favorite quilt?  Come post a photo on my BlogFrog Community.  We’d love to see it!

But!……before you go, be sure to enter my Lisa Leonard Giveaway by leaving a comment on any and all August posts.

Chalk Board Fabric

All five Craft Tote Winners will be announced on my Today’s Creative Blog Facebook page.  Head on over….maybe you’re a winner!!!

 

This girl gets it.  As do most women in the crafting world…..the more the merrier.  We crafty creative types love to share, love to help, love to inspire others to create…..we love to oogle over another one’s project seeing their own artistic expression.  I love the Creative World… We don’t have time for competition….…..I love women like Kathy!  

Merriment Design-“is all about everyday creativity. Get inspired by my step-by-step DIY craft instructions and templates — all for free.”

Kathy comes from a childhood of craftiness which prepared her for all her crafty attention as an adult. She started a handbag business with a friend, her wedding invites were featured in Knot Magazine and she had a segment with “Amazing Wedding Cakes”.  The girl is talented…….wickedly talented.  Below is the cake she helped inspire…Gorgeous isn’t it?

Not only did she use this fabric below for inspiration, she also used it for her wedding invites!   SHUT UP!!!    I guess that trumps the vellum I used. Before you think you have to use fabric to make cool invites or cards…….wait!  Look how simple and cool this Thank you card is.  This is one card you won’t have to nag your children to make. I’ve always LOVED these Dymo label makers.  Her tutorials are some of the best!  So easy to understand with step by step instructions.    Like this family coloring book.  What a great way to help your little ones recognize family members. Then when you draw a mustache on your Mother In Laws face….you can blame it on the kid.  :)  Great idea though…….and she’ll show you how to make it.My new friend and neighbor Lisa pointed these jam labels out to me…….that actually reminded me that I had this gem of a blog in my FFF just waiting to be featured. Thank you Lisa! Perfect time to use these. She spoils her husband with fun birthday cakes and fun candles.  I love these candles! Of course she made them…… And of course she’ll show you how. I was giddy when I saw that she recycled cling wrap rolls into something beautiful and so useful. Step by step instructions for making your own Napkin Rings. Aren’t her photos great?  She is pretty crafty with her printer and personal photos.  Making unique gifts whenever she can.  She used photos from around her town to make a memory game for children. This beats the barney one I bought my son.  Using her printer and photos, she has created many many other gifts as well…..a recipe book and many others you can see on her site.  These are such thoughtful gifts.  Way better than anything you can buy.  She’ll even show you how to do it.Because she had so much fun creating her own wedding initiation….she now offers this service.  This one below is one of the cutest, most original invites I have ever seen.I titled this post Chalk Board Fabric because she uses it a lot!  And we LOVE chalk board anything. 

Patio pillows……. A gift tag……And these!  This is genius. I am not trying to rush your summer…….I hate it when stores rush your summer…….like putting Back to School supplies on the shelves in July!  Before we know it, we’ll be seeing candy canes on those same shelves.

Kathy is also very crafty in the kitchen. 

Bacon bowls?  YES!  BACON BOWLS!  Holy Mother of all that’s good!  Oh my…….I love it!  I  mean who doesn’t like bacon?How in the heck do you make a bacon bowl?  Oh…….look…….a tutorial!And why I never thought of these before……except for the fact that I don’t like to mix syrup with my bacon…….but my son does…….He would LOVE this.           I had so much fun thumbing through her blog.  So many great ideas…….ideas that I’ve never seen. 

You guys were SO great in leaving Will comments for one of the totes.  I SO appreciate it.  You made me look good……Thank you!

I hope you’ll head over and leave Kathy a few comments too.

 

All comments left on my blog automatically enters you for my Lisa Leonard monthly drawing.  I’ll announce July’s winner tomorrow.

Make it Do!

While in Utah, Jyl from Mom it Forward and Marie from Make and Takes threw together a quick GNO (girls night out).  They sent emails to all their Utah blogging friends, we tweeted etc…to spread the word.  It was so nice of them, as I was so excited to meet a few bloggers! 

Calli was there…..although I didn’t get a chance to talk her ear off like I do most people.  I do remember her telling me her blog had a quilt image for the header, which being a visual person, I knew right away she had been in my FFF for a bit…….and now here she was standing right there in front of me…….cute as a button.

I remember when I found her blog awhile ago…….

Make it Do.  If you’ve been reading my blog for some time, then you know I have a small love affair with recycling and that it drives me crazy when I go to Utah and see garbage overflowing on my sisters street.  So I was tickled pink to see this cute gal who not only is crazy talented but recycles, lives in Utah and makes do with what she has.  Such a great message and reminder for all of us.

Being from Utah……of course she sews….of course.  But even I could probably master my way with this craft. 

Tablecloth Weights!

She has GREAT tutorials if I do get lost.  My sister and I were thinking that she really needs these.  Living near the canyon in Orem, she gets a wicked wind whipping through at night and we are forever smoothing the table cloth out. We should have done this craft….All you need is some cute paper, a few hardware washers and some ribbon.    You’ll need some outdoor Mod Podge too if you’re using the decorative paper. Isn’t that adorable?  And see that rolled up napkin thing on the plate?  It’s actually a utencil holder roll up.  CUTE!  And yes, she has a tutorial.

She dresses up her napkins with other things too.  As you can imagine…..these cute things could be used for a few other things Because she’s all about sharing………she shows you how to make just about everything on her blog. Now this is a cute idea……but if you’re like me, you may wonder why you would EVER need a cute way to carry needles in your purse.  But apparently really crafty women need needles at any given time and why not carry them in a fashionable way.  :) 

Needle Matchbooks.

Calli, is quite the holiday maven.  She’s got some GREAT ideas for just about every holiday you’d ever want to decorate for.

I particuallry liked this

Blueberry Heart Muffins

tutorial.  She used a marble to squish the paper in…….making a muffin shaped like a heart when baked.  SWEET! When I first looked at the photo, before reading, I thought it was a gumball and wondered why you would want a gumball with your blueberry muffins.  She makes hair bobs for each holiday too….this button was SO easy.  I had no idea. And seriously….

Snowman in a box gift

Your neighbors are gonna think you’re middle name is Martha if you give these out……..unless you live where it doesn’t snow.  (tutorial on how to make the hat and scarf) Easy way to

make a witches cauldron

…….very easy. So easy, I’m already planning on doing this for both planters on my porch. This is more time appropriate.  You may want to get busy on these since….I hate to say it…….but school is right around the corner for some of you. 

Make your own book bag!

  So so cute.  (so is the little girl)

Outdoor Candle Lights-

I have a fascination with them.  I imagine them hanging from all my trees…..I love the look of them.  She’ll show you how to make the wire part.

And because she doesn’t like to waste money or resources….she decided to make her own swiffer cloths…….and you know it……she’s going to show you how too.

Homemade Hummingbird nectar-

This is why I blog.  Because I need people to knock me over the head every once in a while.  Of course I can make my own!  WHY have I been buying all this time?  DUH!   When you visit her blog, you’ll wonder how she got to be to talented…….until you see this quilt her mother made.  I know…..there is a special place for these ultra talented women…..a good place…..even if they make the rest of us feel inferior.  Actually no time for that…….just head over and marvel in the creative amazement of Calli’s blog.

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Leave a comment and be entered for my Lisa Leonard monthly drawing.

 

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Both are located on the right side bar.

thanks everyone…….feels good to be home.  I’m going to go recycle some boxes.