Friday, July 12, 2013

A Tutorial for Little Lamb Pillows


In my last post if you didn't get to read it can be found here on my blog, I spoke about driving past lambs and the kids and I having BiG Pouty faces cause DH wouldn't let us get out and pet them. ( I know, I know... Men right) So I came home and made a couple for the house and a couple to sale. They are adorable and have so many options to customize it. I thought about putting Ms.G's name on hers and she insisted that her lamb could not possibly have the same name as hers. So we opted out for nothing, she wanted just a plain ole lamb. I made two for the house, I went with bright eclectic ribbons for mine. Our house is anything but plain and I don't get into the fads... I am my own person and love anything that just so happens to please me. So with the rest of the little lambs I'm selling them this weekend :) 

If you would like a lamb shoot me a email @ Appalachaincoinsurer@gmail.com
I accept PayPal 
The Lamb pillows are 7.50 or 2 for 15.00 

I love em, and the kids do too ! 
Another great project for your littles, and it's fleece ! The easiest stuff to work with. Even a beginner can do this free hand. No machine required. 



Lamb Ingredients

18in square piece of felt,wool or fleece. 
Coordinating fabric for legs,mouth and ears 
Sissors 
Coordinating thread 

Pattern

I drafted my own pattern I played around with some poster board till I got the look I wanted. You don't need to be a art major to create your own cool stuff ! Just play with it, if you don't like it...Change it. I wanted my lambs to be on the medium to large size so I kept this in mind while drafting. After I had the lambs body down, I finished with the rest..Mouth,Legs and Ears. You can do this at home no problem. 

Just remember that when using fleece, felt or wool you do not need a seam allowance. If you are using  actual fabric please add a 1/4in seam allowance. All seams are sewn with 1/4in. This is only when using FABRIC. 

Cutting

2 from Body
2 for ears from fleece,wool or felt. Fabric is 4 and remember sew pretty sides together and turn right side out.
4 for the legs 

This makes 1 lamb. 

Remember don't overlook it, or ruin the lamb with too many spices LOL kidding ! 

Have fun and as always thanks for reading ! If you have any questions please feel free to ask :) 

Play around with them, customize them for you or you littles ! 


Thursday, July 11, 2013

Little Lambs

How has everyone been ? It has been busy around here lately with summer activities and family. We have been having a great time playing endless hours of brain building games and mind challenging activities. My children are amazing ! And I'm not just saying that cause they are mine. Ms.G and Mr.B amaze me with there talents everyday. We took a trip to the planetarium this week and it was amazing ! Mr. B was extremely fascinated because he is a science guru and loved seeing the star systems on a big scale instead of his books and his own mapping system, which is on his walls in his room. Yes, you read that right.... He maps constellations on his walls.. All thanks to chalkboard paint. We are some major science nerds around here, we take every opportunity to break out the telescope and the calculator to see where certain stars are positioned this time of year ! Okay okay enough of the nerdy stuff ! 
Here's the Planetarium we went to, if you live in this region they offer free shows ! There website can give dates and such ! Check it out ! It's a wonderful learning experience ! Always challenge the mind of your kids ! Let them reach there maximum potential and offer as many creative and learning opportunities you can. Exposure is key ! 

http://planetarium.shawnee.edu/

As I have mentioned before I live in the West Virginia mountains and yes I wear shoes and brush my teeth 2x a day and yes we floss too ! What a horrid stereotype to have.... Anyway I seen some lambs while driving the other day and the kids and I feel in love with them. We wanted to stop and pet them, but DH being the "adult" in the group opted out and said we shouldn't be trying to pet lambs that didn't belong to us. So I agreed and pouted EVERYTIME we passed one. (Insert Big SAD Face here) So after I was thinking about those cute little things, I thought I would make some... Primitive style ! To sale here locally, primitives are popular in this area and I'm always looking for ways to improve my shop ! Sooo stay tuned I will be sharing my little lamb creations and posting them on local sites here and of course you can always shoot me a email and I'll send one out your way. 

As always thanks for reading ! xoxo Hope 

Friday, July 5, 2013

Little things..

I had such a wonderful holiday with my family. The fireworks were brilliant and dazzling with colors. The best part of it all was the watching the kids eyes light up. Mr. B would jump EVERYTIME he heard the big boom !  It was comical watching them both. Overall good time for all of us. These past days we have been gearing up for a big deal around here ! Busy busy busy ! I had purchased my wonderful Navajo material prints only to find out they were out of stock ! :( soooo I opted out and ordered some Michael Miller prints, I just absolutely adore them ! So while I'm waiting on my stockpile to arrive I whipped up some simple little gifts for the extended family. We don't get to see each other much so I try to have something handy to put in a pretty little bag.... Just to let them know "Hey I still love ya" with society's day to day and the nine to five jobs and kids...We all tend to forget about the little things... 

So I found this sampled material at my favorite quilt shop, buried in boxes underneath tons of yardage and scraps. 

Nothing Fancy, I got this pattern out of a quilting magazine. I do not have the magazines name or publication date. My wonderful Father in Law brought them to me and they all had there covers off and dates marked out. But they had loads of information and different little projects to do. Enjoy ! 

Xoxo Hope

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Who busted the pool ?

On today's agenda, I expected to spend the day laying out in the beautiful sun, with a crisp glass of moscato by my side. I made a big West Virginia breakfast which consisted of a bunch of unhealthy but yummy maple smoked bacon, and egg omlets with homemade buttermilk biscuits. I gave my children the pool talk.... No jumping, no diving, and no screaming. (We live in a old community, I don't want my neighbors to have heart attacks) I then gathered up our swimming essentials and headed outside. The pool with its bright blue aurora was calling our names... Until the closer I walked the wetter the grass was.... I didn't think for a second that it could possible be our pool leaking.... Low and behold I walked closer and seen that the water level was so low the pump was running dry.... Guess what I found in the side of the pool, a 2in gash and the weapon of evidence was left at the side of the pool. A very very very sharp stick. Don't ask me how, or why such a thing could happen. Then came the confession "We were playing Temple Warriors and B ran into the pool, gouging a hole in it...... I had to pick my jaw off the ground. So, I calmly walked back into the house, making my way to yellow pages... I was told it would be better for us to buy a brand new one. So there's my day, a pool gone to temple warriors... Children.. I don't know what I do without them. Kids have taught me some valuable lessons about life. Buy the cheapest toy cause they could tear apart a army tank if needed. I informed my DH (Darling Hubby) and he was not thrilled to say the least, the kids asked if he was buying another and he informed them he was not. I don't know who was more upset me or the kids... But that's the story of life I guess. You live and learn. Xoxo Hope
This was the face, when I told him the pool was gone.... LOL with some effects

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Puppy Love

I have been super busy lately. The last week and a half has been devoted to feeding puppy's and making sure the momma dog don't squish the puppy's. I love puppy's, I mean who doesn't ? Today is my first day back in my studio, I'm really excited to get back to my normal routine. I have had to walk past my studio room everyday and look at my chair sitting empty, but sometimes we have to push things to the back burner to get everything accomplished. I have a month and a half to sew my tail end off, before school starts back up. Who would have thought I would miss school !?! Trust me I have missed it greatly, it's one of those places where you just fit in. Well I do anyway... Yes I am a big nerd and proud to be one. I am very proud to be apart of the Marshall University Family and wish they would offer some sewing classes, though I haven't found any in the catalog... There has to be at least one right !! You would think anyway.... Enough rattling... Haha ! Xoxo Hope 
Look at that Corgi cuteness ! 

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Today's Agenda..

What can I say ? We were buckled down for our severe storm that last lasted just minutes. I'm really done with our weather channel, anyway today has been one of those productive/goof up days. I tore up a pair of shorts from the early 80s in hope of recreating them. I did what I set out to do but only 2 sizes small for my daughter ;( no biggie though I know they will sale at my booth on the weekend. I have been begging a number of my "friends" to come help me cut fabric one day and let's just say there always busy.. So today I had my almost 10 year old come help me and he did a great job ! I only had to pay him with a promise to go bike riding in the evening.... Who would turn that down !?! Today we had one of Ms.G's friends over and they were running through my 2,000 sq ft. House sounding like a heard of elephants I was just praying everything stayed on the walls... Yes it was one of them days... Rain and humidity plus these mountains... Just makes a mess of things. I know tomorrow will be a better productive day, I'm excited to get back in my routine. Till next time... Xoxo Hope

Here is Moo our corgi. A little girl tried to me she could take better care of her today... That's another post ! Haha Enjoy ! 

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

As promised ;)

I got just enough of this fabric as a tester for an dress line I'm in the works of completing. Remember all finished products are for sale in my Etsy Shop. All reasonable priced because who can afford those 60.00 customs anyway. I want to bring affordable hand made clothing at a reasonable price, now who couldn't be happy with that ! Any who here's this fabric I thought was darling, I love the cowboys and Navajo prints. Ms. G is in direct lineage of the Cherokee Indian Tribe, that's where she gets her all year round tan, she so tan that grown women are jealous of it. No tanning bed can give the results Ms.G has, and besides who wants to look 40 in their 20's nowadays. Now me on the other hand, I'm pale and proud ! HaHa ! Enjoy and let me know what you think ! Xoxo Hope