Making Christmas presents.

Here it is the 23rd of December and I am in total awe that it is 2 days till Christmas. This year has been much different, Garrett is much more into the whole idea. Asks everyday if it is Christmas yet.

I made an advent calendar to help him out to know how many more days there are left.

I have been busy making a few presents this year.

For my best friend, twins girls. They are getting AG dolls this year and made a few outfits for them.

Leather purses

PJ's

I made something for the rest of the family. Craig gets lure covers, Jared gets a fleece hat and Roxy gets a shrug. Of course I forgot to take a picture of all of those things.

I made 10 polar fleece hats for the kids in Garrett's preschool class. From what the parents were telling me, the kids loved them.

I then made my son and husband matching hats. My husband wanted one of those bomber hats and so I started and the first one was too small. So, they both get one.

So, as of last night, all the presents are wrapped, I have cookies to make today, a green bean casserole to make tomorrow and I am ready for Christmas.

I want to say to all of you,

Merry Christmas and have a Happy and Safe New Year!!!

Ebay, Esty, and Consignment...

Where did time go? I think sometimes life and the things that I obsess about get in the way.
I am a fork in the road and have been trying to decide what to do.

I have been a member of Ebay since 2000, and am burned out. I am thinking of selling as much as I can and shutting down my store. Then I sit and think about what to do with what is left. Quite a bit of it can go to the thrift store. But I really think that I want to produce something.

So, I then try to Etsy. There are so many people selling items on the site that I wonder if you just get lost. I am doing a few things for the Take2 Kids consignment in April.

I think I need to look around to see if there is any other site to sell hand made items.
Time to do some researching.
Thanks for listening.

Large spider on the porch.

Happy belated Halloween.


I just wanted to get a photo of the spider that my son and I did for the front of the house.

I am very happy with the way that it turned out. Now to figure out where this spider will live for the year.

Where has time gone?

Oh my! I can't believe it has been so long between posts. I would love to say that life has been just crazy, but that would be lying. I have been busy with Take2, my Dad's 80th birthday party, alterations, Halloween costumes and being sick.
The Take2 event went very well. I sold 3 of my swaddling blankets and a large part of the other items that I took. Love getting money for items that would of gone to the thrift store.
My Dads party went wonderful. I know that he loved seeing all that came to the open house. My little cakes were a big hit also. Just a note, I will not volunteer to do them again.
Alterations are done. Last bridesmaid dress left the house last night.
Got some decoration done and will post pictures later.
Working on sons Fighting Robot costume. Hoping to get it finished today when he is in preschool.
Thinking I am finally over whatever I had. I did spend almost an entire day in bed. I think that I was up for only 7 hours of the 27 hour period.
Now on to finishing a stocking, lure covers and a cover for a dog kennel. Need to get some items posted on Ebay, and some patterns on Etsy.

Heading to Grand Island

We are heading to Grand Island for my Dads 80th birhtday party. Not that I have been great at blogging lately, but there will be a slight absents here.
Later
Tami

getting swaddling blankets ready...

I am finally at a point that I have my swaddling blankets ready for the Take2 Kids Consignment sale next weekend.

I also created some little fluff to add to the packaging. Hope it catches the eye of the buyers. The next couple days is going to be dedicated to getting all the items priced.

Next on the list of things to do is alter a bridesmaid dress, make a Christmas pillow, and Halloween costumes for my son and a playgroup friend.

I have thrown my name in the hat for a giveaway over at http://www.my-fabric-obsession.blogspot.com/ Crossing my fingers. The flannel is great there. I haven't been lucky with giveaways so far.

Hope you all have had a great weekend.

Tami

Still around, just busy...with Take2 Kids consignment

I am here. I have just been busy with the swaddling blankets for the Take2 consignment event at the end of the month. The blankets are all done but I am still in the process of figuring out packaging. I also need to get the price cards copied.

I have also had an surge of alterations and custom items. As of today I have 2 bridesmaids dresses to alter for a wedding this Saturday. Yeah!

I really don't know why girls procrastinate for so long.

I hope to have some productive pictures SO.

Later.

Tami

Dress for wedding this saturday.

I have a wedding to go to this Saturday and knew that I wanted a new dress to wear to it. Also, since I pledged to refashion I had to come up with an idea. Oh, and it had to be quick, I only had 2 days to get it done. So, I found a Kimono dress with Obi sash in Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. It was perfect.


Off to the thrift store I go. OK, it was a couple, but I found what I needed. This is what I started with.

and this.

I love the combination of the two together. Both pieces are a poly fabric and the blue wide leg jumpsuit is a crepe and the scrub top is satin. I started by tracing the pattern pieces that I needed and it is always just little confusing because it looks like this laying on the table.

After getting the pattern traced, I started trying to figure out where all the pieces would work on the jumpsuit. After a few changes, I got it done and I really am happy with the results.

Hoping that I get a picture taken with my wearing the dress. Maybe at the wedding. So, now that is done, I have some alterations to do next. Then I will show pictures of the swaddling blanket. Also, found a site that touched my heart and will be up on the list of to do's. http://greysonsgift.blogspot.com/ Just alittle something that I can do to heal my heart and give back to those in need.

Decorating a seam from a tear.

I have a friend that asked me to repair a pair of carpi's that had a very large rip in the seat. I told her that I could but it would be ugly.

So, after the repair, it was ugly. Knowing that she wasn't wearing them with the tear, I used creative privileges and came up with an idea to cover some of the repair. So with some ribbon and flowers I come up with this idea.

I liked the way that it covered most of the repair but looked like it was suppose to be there. I also put some of the ribbon and flowers on the opposite leg pocket to balance it out.

And this is how the back end looks. Now the only problem that I had was the glue that I was using to glue down the flower petals make the rust colored flowers darker in color.

I think my friend liked them. I believe that she was just glad to have them back to wear.

I received my gift from the gift exchange...

This is what I found when I opened my gift from Amy of Canada. I was just excited and amazed at all that she had put in the envelope.

Amy even went to my blog and found out that I have a son and included some fabric perfect for a boy.
Loving these colors and patterns. Now I just have to figure out what to do with them.

Love, love, love the trims and buttons. It was a great experience to do the gift exchange and if another comes along, I do believe that I would do it again. Thanks to My Momma Made it for sponsoring the exchange.

working a fleece blanket

I have been busy with helping finishing a fleece quilt for a customer. I have to add 2 borders and then adjust the backing. The ladies that were working the quilt were not noticing that the backing was getting bunched up and not laying flat.


Then to make a full size quilt I added a 6 inch border of the coordination fleece fabric around the whole thing to make it big enough. The next step for me is to do some tying and hand stitching. I don't plan on doing any more post about this quilt.

One to the next thing on the list. I have swaddling blankets to get cut out for the Take2 event in October. I will get some pictures of what I am doing so.
Later

Wardrobe Refashion Pledge

The Pledge
I __Tami__ pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 4 months. I pledge that i shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovoted, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftiness brings! Signed_Tami Pleiss_______________.

I have been invited and here is my pledge. Yeah!!!

Altering Cheerleaders Uniform

I have been working on the cheerleading outfits. I had to shorten a couple of the tops. Just cut next to the band and moved it up and sew.

Then on to the skirts. These were the old fashion kind with all the box pleats around the skirt. Few of the skirts needed to be taken in at the waist, and then the girls decided that they wanted them more fitted to their hips. So, we decided to take out the two side pleats.

I removed the stitching that kept the box pleat laying down and then opened up the waist band. Removed the needed inches and went from waistband to hem. I then cut the white pleated area out and ironed. I think it turned out pretty good and I know that Becca was very happy with the results.

Then on to a refashion, This is the BEFORE. Just a long sleeve t-shirt. Nothing very special. But....

With the help of Happy Together Tute this is the AFTER. It is a gift for a friend but I may have to make one for myself.


I really think the front is very pretty. I also made the headband, but didn't take a picture of it because it is just a bunch of rows of fabric in a circle.


I have signed up to do the Wardrobe Refashion for 4 months. We don't hear till the 31st if we are invited to join. I really have my fingers crossed that I get to try again. I did this back at the beginning of the year and did not do well with posting, but maybe with having the blog it will be better this time around.

So, what is next? I have swaddling blankets to make for the Take2 event in Lincoln in October. Also have some booties to do. Have some great ideas. So more later.

Have a great weekend. Think we are going to the Fair on Sunday.

Things done....tomatoes, sewing room and mail

OK, I have been alittle busy working on the list that I had to do from a couple of days ago
I got the Ebay items in the mail. All 9 pounds of it. Thank goodness for Flat Rate shipping.


Then on to pick those tomatoes.


I ended up picking 2, 5 gallon buckets full of tomatoes. We are growing, cherry, roma, beefy, yellow and another kind that I don't remember. I think that there is 7 plants in total. Kind of crazy. So, I am planning on making another batch of salsa and spaghetti sauce. A large majority of these tomatoes are going to a friend that is having a slow crop. But I am taking some of her green and banana peppers. Great trade.


Now on to the sewing room,


Warning! the following pictures are for only the strong of heart and stomach, or you have a room exactly like it.


Before:

This is as you are standing in my door way.
I know what you are thinking, How does she get anything done? As I sit and look at this mess, I wonder the
same thing.
















Then there comes the rest of the room:
This is looking at my cutting table, or you could also call it the storage/pile

table.

This is under said cutting table. I think I need to add a curtain so you don't have to look at all the stuff stored under it.










The on to the other wall and closet. In the corner is my pattern cabinet. I have alot of patterns but didn't not realize what the top of the cabinet looked like till now. The closet is behind all the wedding dresses. Wondering why do I have wedding dress, I will have keep you in suspense for alittle while and will let you know later.















This another picture of the door way looking in. You can see my son in all the stuff. Hoping that there is no pins on the floor for him to step on. LOL. Who am I kidding.

Not Quite the after, but much better.

At least you can see the floor and I do believe that at this point, I have picked all the pins that I could see.

I am still working on cleaning the areas that have piles. But I know that it will be alittle while because of all the alterations that I will be doing in the coming weeks.

Next on the list to do is, start working on blankets for Take2 Kids Consignment sale in October and the alterations. Also have a blanket quilt that I have to work on for a lady so that she can give it to her granddaughter for Christmas.
Till Later

A day at Home...

We are spending the day at home today. Thought that we were yesterday, but got an appointment at JC Penny's for pictures of DS before he goes to preschool. I realized that it has been quite a while since I had professional pictures taken of him. I think that they came out great. Can't wait to give you all a glimpes.

Well, today I have a house to clean, Ebay merchandise to get in the mail, tomatoes to pick, and a sewing room to clean. What an embarrassment that room is. I think that I have a project going at all times and just can't get things clean between the old project and the new.

I have a couple of fitting coming up this week. I have one tomorrow with a retired lady that I have been doing alterations for about 5 years now. Always hemming of pants and shirts. Then Thursday I have a fitting with 5-6 cheerleaders from Elmwood/Murdock school. They are needing waist taken in and hems taken up on their skirts. Very glad to get something local and with the school. This may open up much more buisness. So, as said before, need to get the sewing room clean. Maybe I will take a before and after picture. I am not sure if I am that brave.