My husband & I have a few co-workers who are expecting babies any day now.  So in preparation, I put my VERY novice sewing experience into practice to make the following:

I used the pattern from: http://www.homespun-threads.com/patterns_tutorials.htm. I am still at the point where everyone tells me to give people what I’ve made and all I can see are the flaws.  It makes me really “nervous” to give people stuff I’ve made.  I hope they enjoy them and think they are unique!

Sorry for not really posting regularly.  A lot has been going on on the home front and I’ve had to deal with that on my off days!

I have a friend of mine having a birthday, the day before mine.  I wanted to do something simple and special.  I took a picture of her puppy from offline and did a simple silhouette for her.  I hope she enjoys it! 

It was very easy and took only minutes!

Another piece of furniture down.  Now all I have to do is completely redo a family wardrobe.  Look at the before and after picture.  For some reason any time I’ve been taking pictures of the furniture I’ve done, it comes up with spots in it.  Interesting…

For a while, probably over two years, I thought about adding a zipper to this sweater!  Well I finally did it.  It was my first sweater reconstruction and for the fact, first clothing reconstruction.  Below are the results!

There are still things that probably need to be improved about it; however, for the first one I’ve ever done and my limited sewing ability. I think it will do for now!

It seems like lately, I have been super busy.  Well finally, I am able to show you what I’ve been SOOOOOOOO busy doing!

It has taken me almost a year to finish my maternal grandmother’s dresser, but well worth it.  My mom even asked for it back.

This is the before and after pictures of the dresser.  My mom did not like the stain of the dresser probably in the 1970s to 1980s and decided to do a faux finish using gold paint.

My husband & I bought some night stands on craiglists.  The previous owner said they were “Art Deco,” which they are.  Somewhere along the line, the two nightstands use to be an art deco dresser with probably a round mirror attached.  However, someone decided to be creative and split the dresser to make two nightstands and used wood putty to fill in the holes.  It probably wouldn’t be what I would have done, but the damage was already done.  So I decided to strip it half way and sand the rest, then repaint.

Let me know what you think! 

I made this apron, using the 1 hour tutorial by Jonag.  It was super easy, especially when I have a hard time following directions.  I also think it turned out wonderful for my first time sewing an apron!  YAY!

Tell me what you think!

Jonag’s Entry: http://jonag.typepad.com/stop_staring_and_start_se/2008/12/your-christmas-gift-from-mean-apron-in-an-hour.html

I have finished the bookcase & shelving. The nightstands need another coat. The hubby stained my grandmother’s dresser & the top of his old nightstand after I sanded and stripped them. They look very nice. They need another coat of stain. So only one or two more days and then the nightstands & dresser will be completed. After all of that is completed, I move onto the armoir  & a chest of drawers. Hmm… So much to do. That is what I’ve been spending most of my time doing, if I’m not work.

Below is the bookcase I painted.  I didn’t do anything special to it. Just painted it black.  It previously was white.  I will end up placing wall paper or wrapping paper on the back of each shelf; however, I will have to wait until I move in a few weeks.

I am really going to be sick of painting by the time we move into our new house.  I have painted completed a large bookshelf & three shelves.  I have done two coats of paint on one nightstand (it needs minor touch ups) & one coat on the other nightstand.  Now, I just have to stain a dresser and the top of a nightstand, sand & paint an armoir & a large chest of drawers.  Almost half way completed & about three weeks to do it in.  Will it get done?  Probably not, but that’s okay.  It will get completed in time!

I’m back & doing crafty stuff.  Not a lot because I am still trying to get stuff done around the house from vacation and I’m still having to paint all the furniture.  Here is the little something I did this morning.

My older sister’s birthday is in March and she has finally received her birthday gift.  Below is what I made for her.  I embroidered two tea towels, make her a set of leaf earrings, & some kitchen refrigerator magnets.  However, the magnets don’t hold anything, which I now know.  I probably should have tested them before I mailed them to her.  I did a green theme, since that is her favorite color.