I’m told if you leave a mouse sized morsel next to a pile of socks that need darning, pants that need patches or a shirt with missing buttons, in the morning you’ll find the cheese gone and your clothes carefully mended.

I’ve also heard he’s partial to Gouda!

Please keep voting for Sorry Doesn’t Clean it Up in the ABC’s Children’s Picture Book Competition. Vote daily until Oct. 4, 2009

http://www.abcbookcompetition.org/5th_comp/SorryDoesntCleanItUp.html

Amidst all the beribboned packages  purchased at Toys R Us there will be a few things made from home.  I usually let them have these presents first thing in the morning to ease the wait for the big birthday bash!

The trick was try to find a time to work on them when little eyes weren’t  spying.  There were a few late nights!

Happy Birthday Pud…. the big 4!

I finally received my “u” shaped interchangeable purse closure… and of course I couldn’t wait to try it.

Just unscrew the nut and slip the bar out of the sleeve  and attach another bag body. With a very small amount of fabric and I came up with this brown bag.  This was a first try. Next time think I’ll put a gusset in the bottom and make the sides bigger and  more angled.

A trip to the fabric store was in order…. Just look at the possibilities!

Then I really scored with this fun book found at the bookstore. It has all kinds of nifty designs and workable patterns.  I’m excited to try some!

Still not enough? For some fun eye candy in the purse department, check out the blog U Handbag. Lisa Lam makes some of the most scrumptious purses and she’s very generous with her tutorials. You can even order many of your supplies there.                                         And really can you have too many purses?

How to have fun with some duct tape, a friend and a couple of hours you ask? Make a dress form for your sewing projects! Now what did you think I was going to say!
I’ve been looking at dress forms both online and in stores for quite some time now and could never justify the expense, when I came upon this idea to make a replica of your own body. All you need is a couple of rolls of duct tape, a few bags of batting for stuffing it and some one willing to spend an hour or so taping three layers of duct tape on your body! The hubby was more than happy to help! Then if you’ve not complained too much during the process, they carefully cut up the back an release you from the form.

After taping the back closed you stuff the old gal and mount her on a pole. While stuffing you should take your own measurements so you can mold and adjust her closer to your body likeness. For more detailed directions, go to the Taunton’s Thread site and follow the links to make several different kinds of forms.

The second is a stuffed softy I came up with. I just love sewing these little creatures.
My youngest daughter made off with this one right away.

The third is a two inch polymer clay version.

A wise old owl sat on an oak.

The more he saw the less he spoke.

The less he spoke, the more he heard.

Why aren’t we like that wise old bird?