Improvements to my first sewing project since the 8th grade

Thankfully grace taught me how to sew (again) - how to thread the machine and the bobbin. When I was babysitting Abby, I tried to sew a drawstring purse, which just turned into two pieces of fabric sewn on 3 sides. Justin made fun of me and said I Just made a huge pocket (TRUE). But today I sewed the pocket in half to create two pockets and folded it over, added two buttons and made the "string" for it to loop around. Now it can hold my kindle!

Sewed a short length of string on the back. It took me 1 hour to make this string...

Close-up of the button working

See my kindle hiding inside?

Random card I made for Maddie to give to a piano student of Mrs. Kwan's who has given her so much princess toys! Maddie picked out the stamps and the color of the ribbon - via Skype! Gabriel just blinked at me.

Envelope Pillow Covers: Sewing Straight Lines!

Sewed two envelope pillow covers: 20x20 and 14x14 pillows from IKEA

Pillow Form from IKEA - 1.99

This envelope pillow cover took 2 hours to make...because I accidentally sewed wrong sides together. Learned how to rip stitches out with some type of tool that does that, with Grace coaching me over the phone :)

Finished Product! 14x14 pillow cover: SO EXCITED!

Making Pesto from Scratch!

I love picking fresh basil!

Tossed the pesto with spinach tortellini from Trader Joe's

Card Making: Making Improvements

Baby Dedication Card for Baby Abby - Copied the style from Katie's stampin up catalogue

Made two cards at once, by cutting two of everything

This was inspired from a Michael's project and the desire to use this ribbon

Michael's project inspired as well. Had to use a heart punch b/c I don't have a regular hole punch.

Baby Abby's dedication gift - Added ribbon and letters for personalization

Gift Card Holder!

I just made slits for the ribbons. Embossed the leaf and white text

Youtubed how to tie a pretty bow

I tried to make the top part "Make a Wish" with the cupcake look professional, separate from my own handwriting

Finished product

More Experimenting with Recipes...

Chicken Piccata (a la Clive's Cookbook) and Rosemary (but substituted with Tarragon) Roasted New Potatoes

Barefoot Contessa's Recipe for Buffalo Wings, Steffy's Recipe for Roasted Brocolli, Roasted New Potatoes

 | I almost became a vegetarian that day after having to chop the wings in two places, there were still toes on the wings!

This is what I ate for days while Justin is in Africa - Taco Soup - recipe from Jen Lee

Basil Plant!

Started trying to grow basil so we can make bruschetta and pesto

Stationery and Card Making Continued...

Made personalized stationery for Jeannie's birthday with this holder

Bird cage and leaf stamp: Paper Source

Failed attempt at trying to copy a card I saw at Paper Source.

Buttons plus ribbon

Layering - Thanks to Katie who taught me to do that

Embossed stamp, buttons, ribbon

This is what I made before learning about the layering :/

Baking!

Instead of making banana nut bread in a loaf pan, I tried making muffins

When I got sick, I made chicken soup and ate it for a few days

So I thought I was ready to venture into zucchini bread, but I added too much cloves and it tasted very clovey

Embossing!

Got started on flat stationery and a leaf stamp from Paper Source

I have always been intrigued with raised images/text!

First Meals in Pasadena

Herbed Goat Cheese Chicken with Sweet Potato Hash & Garlic Bread (the bread was store bought)

Pappardelle with Gremoulata and Asparagus: Can't fail with heavy cream!

Barefoot Contessa's Chicken Piccata, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Zucchini Gratin