Simple beaded earrings

About a year ago, a coworker gave me a handmade beaded bracelet that I love.  It is beautiful and unique.  So after all that time of admiring her work I decided to try some simple jewelry making for myself.  I decided to start with earrings and hope to expand my skills from there.  These are very simple designs using beads and a headpin.  This is a very rewarding and affordable project for anyone to try.  Check back for jewelry tutorials to come!

Wedding quilt and plaque

My sister-in-law was married this August.  As part of the couple's wedding gift I wanted them to have something special they could keep throughout their marriage.  I decided to make this quilt incorporating a color that the bride loves...green!  From there I decided to find earth tone colors that consisted of natural looking prints.  One of the fabrics I found for this quilt was created to look like tree bark which was perfect for the natural feel of this quilt.  The tutorial for this quilt can be found at modabakeshop.com and it is titled the happy weekender quilt.  I appliqued their initials at the bottom of the quilt to personalize it further.  My cricut came in handy once again!  The wooden plaque pictured with the quilt was made by my dad.  I don't know much about woodworking but thought the plaque complimented the quilt perfectly.  To see more of my dad's work you can visit his blog at cwhatisaw.blogspot.com. 

Bridesmaid gifts

My sister-in-law so thoughtfully asked me to make bridesmaid gifts for her wedding and I happily agreed! The pattern for this phoebe bag yields one very functional purse.  There is an interior pocket and and a magnetic flap closure.  It is the perfect size for everyday use and I have found myself making more and more of these for countless reasons.  The free pattern can be found at artsycraftybabe.typepad.com...just look for the "phoebe bag tutorial".  As with most projects you always seem to have scraps of fabric left over so I decided to accessorize the purses with a tissue cozy and these change wallets.  The tutorial for the wallets can be found at thimbleanna.com.  Though hard to see all the details there is a vinyl pocket for your id to be carried and an elastic pocket on the back.  The zipper opens to a large main pocket to carry any goodies you want.  Lastly, there is a metal clasp so the entire wallet can be attached to your keys.  Two great tutorials which yield a cute purse and wallet set.

Nursing cover

I made this nursing cover for a friend and mom-to-be!  Having always bottle-fed my boys I was surprised to discover how much these nursing covers cost.  I found one from a maternity store for $35. I am proud to say I made this nursing cover for a little over $5...with some smart shopping added in of course.  These would be easy to make for friends or family in a variety of colors.  The tutorial I used makes the nursing cover a bit longer for taller women and includes two d-rings to make an adjustable neck strap.  Between the straps you add a 16" piece of boning to enable mom to see baby while nursing.  The tutorial for this nursing cover can be found at www.sew-much-ado.com.

Cupcake kitchen trio

I always love making projects in matching sets.  I used this cute polka dot material to make a half apron, and some potholders.  The half apron pattern is from the book "one yard wonders".  I kept the ruffle across the waistband and added a cupcake applique. This set was made to go along with my sister-in-law's wedding shower gift...she is great at baking and decorating cakes so I had to add the cupcake. The potholder tutorials can be found at tipnut.com.  I made the complete set using 1 1/8 yards of fabric.

Mug rug and coffee cozy

I made this duo for my sister.  The tutorial for the mug rug can be found at tipnut.com.  This was a great project for using up some material out of my scrap bucket.  Go ahead and use a cardboard coffee cozy as a template for making a matching coffee cozy.

Baby toiletry bag

One of my close friends is having a baby boy!  Going with the baby bath theme for her gift I sewed some accessories to go with the baby bathtub.  This travel toiletry bag is made of oilcloth on the inside for easy cleanup and home decor fabric on the outside for durability.  The tutorial can be found at littlebeanworkshop.blogspot.com.  I also made a set of burpcloths, washcloths, and a hooded baby towel in matching colors.  All wrapped up in the tub, they are perfect for baby bath time!

Pleated tote

The tutorial for this pleated tote can be found at www.artsycraftybabe.typepad.com.  She offers two free purse/tote patterns on her site.  I made this tote for my sister-in-law because what girl doesn't need another cute tote bag.  I added a key fob (can't make a tote without this now!) and an interior pocket.  It is the perfect size for everyday use.  I used a duck cloth type material so the tote was sturdy without any interfacing.  Paired with a matching wallet this would make a perfect gift for any occasion.   

Diaper bag accessories

I whipped up a few accessories to go along with the diaper bag I made.  I like having a name/address tag for my diaper bag and found this great tutorial at susiesgarden.blogspot.com.  It is a tutorial for a luggage tag but works great for this purpose as well.  She provides the pattern and a printout of the label for you to write your name/address on.  It was simple and quick to make.  I used home decor fabric and heavy interfacing to make it durable and sturdy.  The other accessory that I have been wanting to make since I found the tutorial months ago is this diaper pouch.  The tutorial can be found at noodle-head.com.  Both great accessories to compliment any diaper bag.

Diaper to all-purpose messenger bag

I created this messenger bag with the intent of using it as a diaper bag now and an all purpose bag later after the kiddos are all grown up.  I almost feel guilty keeping this bag for myself...almost.  I am always disappointed at the selection of diaper bags appropriate for baby boys and more disappointed at the price of the few that are actually cute.  So after months of looking and no cute diaper bag to carry I decided to sew one for myself.  I used the tote bag tutorial at kerrimade.blogspot.com to make the bottom portion of the bag.  Then I simply added some metal rings and a long strap to create the messenger style bag.  I also decided to add a key fob and custom cell phone pocket to the interior...hopefully no more digging at the bottom of the bag searching for these items.  And the two outside pockets worked beautifully for carrying baby bottles and should work in the future for water bottles.  I hope you're inspired to make your own one-of-a-kind diaper to all-purpose bag for yourself or a friend.