Friday's favorites

 

 ~ Clinique - Aromatics Elixir ~

Mr. Fisherman has bought Clinique Aromatics Elixir for me every Christmas for 28 years.
It's become a Christmas tradition.

Even after 28 years, it's still my favorite.

Friday's favorites

 

 

After Christmas sale - Bath & Body Works.

 

75% off!

 

I picked up a few of my favorite anti-bacterial foaming soaps.

 

For the kitchen...

 

 

...and the bath.

 

 

Besides the 75% off sale, I had a $10 off coupon.

I made out like a bandit!

 



Friday's Favorites - Christmas Gag Gift

~ Embroidered toilet paper ~

 

 

Yes...

It's really toilet paper.

 





                                                                  

Linking today to:

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

 



Friday's Favorites

 

What girl doesn't LOVE a little sparkle?

 

Do you ever sew something and think it needs "something else", but you can't quite come up with that little extra "something" you need?

 

Why not add a little sparkle?

My favorite way to add that extra "something" is...

 

 

The BeJeweler - CRYSTAL FIRE

 

 

The crystals have heat activated adhesive on the back making them easy to apply.

I have used this applicator MANY times and have never had a crystal fall off.

My only suggestion would be to wash and dry (yes, in the dryer) wrong side out.

 

I will be posting a few gifts using my BeJeweler - CRYSTAL FIRE soon.

Hope you'll be back....



Friday's favorites

 

My mother was always big on traditions.



My favorite Christmas tradition as a child was

hot chocolate served with tiny marshmallows in these sweet little mugs.

 

One side was Santa.

 



The other side was Mrs. Claus.

 





Every year on Christmas Eve my siblings and I would dress in our jammies as my mother made us mugs of hot chocolate and tiny marshmallows. While sipping from our mugs we each were allowed to pick one gift from under the tree to open Christmas Eve.

 Then it was off to bed...

waiting to hear...

"Happy Christmas to all, and all a good-night!"

 

Linking today to:

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/

~ Friday's Favorites ~

 

 

Pillows, ruffles and covered buttons.

 

 

 



 



~ Just a few of my favorite things ~



Friday's Favorites

 

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

I know posts have been few and far between lately.

It's not because I am not sewing...just sewing a few things for Christmas I can't share quite yet.

I was also asked to be a pattern tester for (oops - it's a secret for now) but as soon as she's ready I can reveal my version of her new pattern.

 

In the meantime, I did a little embroidery for some of my favorite little girls.

 

Here are a few RTW tee shirts I embroidered for my daughter and granddaughters.

 

P for Polly

 

 

O for Oakleigh

 



B for Brantley

 



 

 I purchased the turkey applique alpha design here.

 

Isn't he cute?

Friday's favorites

 

My favorite housewarming gift to give.

 

~ Personalized cookie jars ~
 

(Sorry for the extremely bad photos)

 

I embroider the design on pre-quilted fabric, line it, and slip it onto the jar - easy as that!

The key is to measure your jar correctly so that it will have a nice tight fit when you slip it onto the jar.

I have also made these using a strip of Velcro in the back for closure - whatever you prefer - either way works.

 

The one below I made for Matthew and Shana's first apartment so I did not include an address.

 

 

The only thing left to do is bake their favorite cookies, wrap it up, and include a tag congratulating them on their new home!

 

Who doesn't love cookies?

 

Linking today to:

http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/





Friday's favorites - Tuesday...

Oops...
I missed posting my Friday's Favorites last week.

~ I do have a perfectly good excuse ~

I was actually doing one of my favorite things on Friday.

 I was teaching a friend to sew.



 This is Mary Kay, one of my dearest friends, working on her very first sewing project.

Just look at that concentration...

I think she will be a great sewer; she's not even discouraged by the seam ripper.

 

I can't wait till our next sewing day together.

We had such fun sewing, laughing and telling stories.

Thanks for such a fun day Mary Kay.

 

See you again soon!

 

 

 

Friday's favorites

 

~ The Turn-it-all ~

 



Need a handy little tool for turning tubes?

This Turn-it-all is my favorite.

It comes in three different sizes.

 



It even works great on tiny spaghetti straps.

 AND...

the best part...

 

...it's MADE in the USA!



Friday's Favorites

 

~ Warm brownie - vanilla ice cream - chocolate syrup ~

 



Mmmmmmm....

 



Hope everyone has a "sweet" weekend!

Friday's Favorites - pattern storage

 

Over the years I have tried many different ways of organizing and storing my patterns.

I started a new way of organizing my patterns yesterday and it already rates for one of my

 Friday's Favorites.

Really...

 All the storage I've tried in the past just really didn't work for me.

I found this idea on U-tube and LOVE it. 

 

I started out with this mess:

 



It keeps them all in one spot, but as you can see below its not easy finding what you're looking for.

Three drawers. Each drawer holds approximately 100 patterns.

Yep.

Do the math..... 300!!!!

I had no idea!

 

Another issue we all have is trying to get those pattern pieces stuffed back into that little envelope once we're done.

 

 

Am I right?

 

Mine usually end up like this...

 

 

Not any more......

My pattern envelopes are now neatly in a binder and easy to see.

 

 

Each pattern envelope goes into a sheet protector where you can see the front and back.

 

 

I labeled each section - dresses, skirts, tops, pants etc.

 

 

Did you notice I said my pattern envelopes were filed in this binder?

That's because I have all the patterns and instructions filed here - in 9 x 12 manila envelopes.

 

 

 I have plenty of room for the pattern, instructions and any photos or information I might want to include with a particular pattern.

 

 

I filed them first by pattern maker and then by the pattern number.

Simple and easy to find.

 

 I still have two more drawers (200 patterns) to go through.

 

 

In the end, I will end up with more than one binder.

  I plan on making separate binders labeled as women's apparel, children's, babies, home decor,accessories etc.

 

 I can now sit comfortably on the couch with my new binder and dream....

 

I LOVE my new pattern organization.

 

 

Linking today to:

http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/



Friday's Favorites

 

~ Sew Pretty Homestyle ~

Some of my favorite sewing and craft books.

 

 

 

Take a look inside....

 

 

Adorable...

 





~ Sew Sunny homestyle ~

 



Pretty things for summer...

 



~ Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle ~

 

 

             Aren't these little Gingerbread men the cutest?

 

 

How about a cozy little bath...

 





 I just love the Tilda style.

How 'bout you?

 

Friday's Favorites

 

My favorite sewing storage.

 



Yep. Bait or tackle boxes.

(I married a fisherman - what did you expect?)

 

They work great for storing my embroidery threads.

 

 

These bait boxes are inexpensive, sturdy and can hold quite a few threads in each box.

 

 

They come in different sizes too.

I use the smaller ones for all sorts of stuff.

 

 

 

When you purchase these bait boxes, they come like this:

 

 

You can keep them together or snap them apart.

 

 

Look how nicely they stack.

 

 

Perfect for fishing tackle sewing supplies, don't you think?