Owl Needlebook and Chickadee needlebook

So I participated in a needlebook swap and I had so many fun ideas I feel like there are still more I want to make!  Now I'm not a huge owl fan - in fact I am not a bird fan at all.  I can appreciate the cuteness of some of the fabrics out there - but in person I would prefer not to be too close to birds.  (My husband thinks I had some traumatic avian incident the memory of which I have blocked from my childhood)  At any rate this really caught my eye while I was seeking inspiration:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yellowjar/408474686/in/photostream/

So I made one based on it - very similar.  I figure you need a needlebook for quilting and sewing and then a different one for embroidery, right?  And possibly some more for...pins?  and...other stuff??  

And closed:

This chickadee needlebook was made for a swap:


My first attempt at embroidery.  I've been messing around lately trying some stitches but this would be my first project from pattern to product!


The pattern can be found here


And these are the little clay pins I made to keep the inside cheery!


Forgot to take a pic of the pieced back - it was a slightly wonky log cabin sort of thing.  I was hoping for very wonky but I cut too straight!  

Purse for a present

I made this for my husband's stepfather's daughter.  (Step-sister in law?) for Christmas.  She loved it and wore it the whole evening!   I used this great tutorial http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/2009/06/basic-messenger-bag.html.


Inside pocket:


Front of bag:


Back of bag and pocket:


It was my first purse and I pretty much made it out of desperation that she wouldn't like the cowl and wrist-warmers I had crocheted (but she did!) 

Inexpensive, personalized Christmas presents for the masses!

Our daughter is the first grandchild on both sides.  Both my husband and I have parents who are divorced and remarried.  Thus my daughter has four SETS of grandparents and two sets of great-grandparents, and three aunts.

So for Christmas every year I have made ornaments with her photo on them in one way or another.  This year I was hoping for something different but still easy enough to be mass produced!  We decided to make photo coasters since it seemed relatively simple and would make a great gift.  It also met the most important criteria - CHEAP!    

There are loads of tutorials out there for this but it's pretty self explanatory once you have the materials.  We bought a box of 100 white 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 bathroom tiles from home depot for $16 (we only used 60 and could return the rest if we were so motivated), some Satin finish polyurethane (the small container was more than enough) $6, 60 photos (10 sets of 6) from King Soopers @ $.10 a print $6.  We had Mod Podge, paint brushes, a paper cutter, and plastic for the table.  I bought baskets from the dollar store for each set ($10).  The cost of the tiles was $.47 each so for a set of six with a $1 basket it was under $4.00 each set.  The look on their faces when they opened it?  Priceless.  

Enough talk - on to the pics!

You've got to love a craft that a three year old can help with!






Husband asked, "This stuff dries clear, right?"


Yup.


And ready for wrapping: