I found a cute pattern tutorial, the Mini Card Wallet, on a great blog website called loganberryhandmade.com. This website by Susie Ledadom has lots of projects with beautiful photos to inspire an afternoon of sewing fun. The Mini Card Wallet is the perfect way to play with the trend of a neutral duck canvas fabric paired with colorful quilting fabrics. And topped with a cute shiny brass snap closure. For my version of this little snap pouch, I decided to make the pattern a little larger, partly because the snaps I found at the store were kind of big…
This is the third project in a series using the patterns in Virginia Lindsay’s book, “Sewing to Sell.” It has great crafty sewing projects and inspiration for taking your sewing creativity to the next level. Project #3 Great Big Tote I have always wanted to sew a giant tote for hauling all my “mom” gear during day trips with the kiddos. I’ve sewn many different types of bags, but they’ve never been big enough or sturdy enough to really be useful. Virginia uses a painter’s drop cloth for the base and handles of the tote. It…
In addition to machine sewing on my handmade cards, I love adding vintage items as a focal point. We have some excellent flea markets in Ohio, and one I especially like is the Springfield Antique Show & Flea Market. The market holds outdoor Extravaganzas in May and September, with hundreds of vendors selling a little of everything. And thanks to the Midwest location, prices are great too. I love spending the afternoon meandering around the rows of antiques. Between the furniture and dishware, there are bins and bins of little antique buttons, bottle caps, metal trinkets, and my favorite – paper…
This summer my family and I visited the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Columbus, Ohio. I went crazy with my iPhone trying to capture the amazing colors of flowers and butterflies surrounded by beautiful shapes of the shiny green leaves. Nothing can beat Mother Nature’s talent! The conservatory is an amazing place with four biomes: Himalayan Mountain, Rainforest, Desert and Pacific Island Water Garden, with over 400 plant species. In the summer they raise and release butterflies into the Pacific Island biome to feed on the nectar of all the tropical flowers. I’m thinking these images…