Double Trouble II

Two words: LOVE IT

We needed a few snack items for school lunches and ballgames so we decided to hit Costco this morning. It was a perfect time to test out the new cover. (Ok, so really I just wanted to test out the new cover so I bought snacks while I was there.) It works like a charm! I am a happy momma. There are a few things that I want to add like a toy loop (so we can hook on a toy and it won't get thrown to the ground) a safety belt scrunchie (I would imagine that those are almost as gross as the cart itself so I would really like to cover it up) and maybe a pocket on the inside so the boys could put a book or some snacks. I am also thinking that this would be precious with a sweet little ruffle for a set of girls.

Next time, I will actually go and pick out fabric. Since this was a test-drive and I really didn't want to spend any money on it I used some anti-pill fleece in lime green and some fun golf-ball fabric that has been lying around collecting dust. The only thing I had to buy was some binding tape to go around the four leg holes. (I love when I can use things that I already have!) All in all, this little project was a big success.

Next time, it's going to have monograms on it too! :)

Double Trouble

As a momma of multiples, I sometimes (often) have to improvise with singleton baby equipment and just make it work for two babies. Partly because I already have the stuff for a singleton that I saved from my first children but mostly because what I need just isn't out there. I have been on a mission to make a double shopping cart seat cover for a while now and this weekend I think I have managed to whip one up! Pictures to follow this afternoon! Stay tuned!

Have a great week!

Fall is in the air...

I love these bits of fall air that we are getting these days. They are few and far between but every now and then we get a little reminder that it is right around the corner! This is a little raggy pumpkin that I stitched out to match a pair of pants I made for my boys in a fun plaid fabric. Fall will be here before you know it! I would love to help you get your little ones ready for fall by appliqueing some cute designs on their T shirts, jumpers, onesies or longalls! I have tons of designs and fabrics to choose from, so send me an email at kbmdvm@bellsouth.net if you'd like to place an order! Have a great weekend!

Stephen Josephs

I have monogrammed so many of these little backpacks, and each time with a different font, style and thread color! They continue to turn out so adorable. My boys have been carrying theirs this week and it amazes me how they have held up so well. They have been tossed in the washer and hung to dry probably a dozen or so times and continue to hold their shape and color. Many are gone, so send me an email and let me know which ones you are interested in and I can let you know if they are available!

Recycling

My grandmother had a saying: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." One thing about our grandparents, they were green way before it became a buzzword! In fact, that's where the name of my business came from. My grandmother was an incredibly talented lady. She could entertain us for hours by finding everyday items around her home and turning them into something new and amazing! She was also incredible behind the wheel of a sewing machine. I had the best dressed Barbie of any of my friends and quite often my doll's outfit would match mine. That's because Granny couldn't stand wastefulness. She would use the scraps of the fabric for doll clothes, quilt pieces, etc... until there could be nothing else made from them, and then she would use the rest to stuff a toy or pillow. She used the clothes that we had outgrown, torn or somehow ruined to make the most beautiful quilts...all cut into hundreds of tiny pieces, then carefully arranged into an amazing piece of art... made out of scraps. I was explaining this to my daughter while we were running our hands over one of those quilts...naming each choir dress, flower girl dress, piano recital dress, and how they were all reminders of my childhood. My daughter said "all of those happy little scraps!" (Happy Scraps...get it?) :)

So if you love to monogram your children's clothes (like most of us do) and want to pass them down to the younger kids (like we all should) how do you do it?

With a patch! Not a patch like our moms used to sew on the holes in our jeans, but a cute, colorful patch in a coordinating fabric, fun shape and colorful threads! (or a solid fabric if you are using it on a busy print item.)

So you go from this:


To this:

So a sweet little hand-me-down has a new life.

Necessity is the mother of all inventions...

My boys will start Preschool this fall. Serious stuff. So serious, in fact, that they have a special backpack that they have to take to school. And it's NOT their cute little Stephen Josephs...they have to take these:


YUCK. I totally see the reasoning behind these, it makes it much easier for the teacher to locate the needed item in the shortest amount of time. I am all about helping a teacher out, they have one of the toughest jobs in the world as it is! They certainly don't need having to rummage around inside a dark satchel to find a sippy cup adding to their chore list. But they are dull. And boring. And, well, just plain un-fun.

But you know what happens around here if you sit still long enough...
There. Much better. However, it was not as easy to figure out as it seems. Because of the stitch count (the number of times the needle has to go in and out of the item being embroidered) are around an applique, if you try and applique directly onto the plastic backpack it perforates it so many times that it essentially just cuts a hole in it and the patch falls through. But, if you do the applique on a piece of stabilizer and then sew it directly onto the backpack it works like a charm! So, I used a seam ripper to remove the little rubber patch that was already on the pack and started sewing! Now the teacher will be able to know which pack is theirs (everyone in the class will have one of these)be able to see inside their packs and their momma will be happy because they are just so darn cute. (Just like the little boys carrying them!)

Let me know if you would like to place an order! Thanks for stopping by!

More backpacks!

Everytime I monogram one of these Stephen Joseph backpacks I love them even more! I have so many fun monogram styles and fonts to choose from, and the thread colors are really popping against these cute little flaps! There are so many new designs this year. One of the newest features are these sweet scalloped border flaps. They just add a little something extra. Here are a few that I have done today...

For the girls:


And for the boys:


I love these fonts and colors. There are a few left, so email me if you are interested! Have a great week!

Still stitching...

I have had both machines running today (and still managed to squeeze in some pool time with the kids!) and there are no new pictures to be posted today. Thanks to all of you for stopping by! Several Stephen Joseph backbacks remain, so email me at kbmdvm@bellsouth.net if you are interested! Have a great weekend!

Lunchboxes and Backpacks

Looking around my sewing room, you can tell it is back to school time! Lots of lunchboxes and backpacks being monogrammed! I still have several Stephen Joseph quilted backpacks left though, so email me if you are interested in ordering.
These lunchboxes were on sale at CVS and we needed a couple of new ones to carry snacks to the ballfield. They have Microban too, so hopefully they should be fairly easy to keep clean. Not much to look at though...
If you sit still around here long enough, you're bound to get embroidered...

Much better. I also took a seam-ripper and removed the little patch on the front because it was bugging me.

So while you're out shopping, be sure and look for some sturdy little lunchboxes, pencil cases and backpacks! They can be dressed up for the new school year in your favorite fonts and colors!

Because he will let me...for now...

Confession time...I am one of those moms. You know, the ones that wear "My Kid Wears #_" or "#_ In the Roster, #1 in My Heart" T shirts...usually carrying a shaker or wearing a team logo. However, it's only Little League Baseball and PeeWee Football and Cheerleading, so I know my days doing this are numbered till they tell me to knock it off. My favorite part?
Love it.

Crayon Roll

Guess what is behind this sweet little roll?



OK, so this has nothing to do with monogramming, but every now and then (daily) I will see a project that I want to try. And sometimes it is actually something that turns out just as I had planned! Look what is inside!



Happy little crayons! As one of my 2 year olds says, "MY COYORS!" as he clutches it to his chest. This was such a great little project to tackle and really took no more than an hour from start to finish. (including pressing!) I didn't even need to use a pattern. It just goes to show what any of us can do with our own 2 hands and a few "happy scraps"! No kidding, everything you see here came out of my scrap pile! (recycling at its most colorful.) Everyone in my family was commenting on how practical yet useful and FUN it was! Perfect for stashing in a diaper bag or purse for church, car rides, waiting in the doctor's office...Head on over to www.skiptomylou.org/2007/04/25/on-a-roll/ for the complete tutorial and you can make one for a sweet little someone!

Be True To Your School

Football season is here! I have to say, I absolutely LOVE Fall in the South...SEC football and tailgating! Even though I have my favorites, my machine remains unbiased and I have LOTS of fun designs and fabrics to choose from. T-shirts, burp cloths,sweatshirts, koozies, jumpers and john-johns...so many possibilities!

This megaphone
is a great design and can be customized with any fabric and wording.

Send me an email if you have any requests!

A few new things...

When I saw the "twinadoes" pattern I absolutely had to have it! Any momma of multiples will tell you that there is never a dull moment in their house, and we are SO thankful for all of those crazy moments!! These can be stitched out in any color and these are a great example of how a few thread changes can really personalize a design! These two shirts were done on simple white Pro Spirit toddler T shirts and although I used the same pewter gray on the funnel I switched up the colors on the wording and used blue for the boy twin and a bright magenta for the girl.

The heart shaped peace sign has been really popular! I have stitched it out using lots of different fabrics (gingham, animal prints, damask) and it always turns out cute!

The beach bags are just another example of how you can take a simple tote bag, add a name or a monogram, and it becomes a really thoughtful and personalized gift for someone! These were for graduation gifts and I think they will be really useful for these college-bound girls!

Pictures!!

The new computer arrived this weekend...boy these things have come a LONG way since we bought our old one almost 8 years ago! This thing is so much faster than our previous one but there are still a few things I have to figure out how to do! First things first...I managed to get all of my embroidery software switched over...not a small task! Now I just have to get my photo software on here and I think I'll be all set! I have had LOTS of requests for pictures of the Stephen Joseph backpacks so here they are. Email me with your requests...there are lots of possibilities for monogram designs and thread colors!!