Taggie Baby Toys

ETA: I made a tutorial for the mini blanket HERE.  The tutorial I used for the ball can be found HERE.

I have two new nieces to sew for. Hooray! Since I have piles of cute fabric scraps, I put them to use making my first ribbon tag ball. One baby's nursery is decorated in pink and brown, so having coordinating fabric was a double bonus.

My local friends know a sweet Miss I. She was my little helper who arranged all the ribbons and did most of the pinning and stuffing. We followed this pattern from New Conceptions, adding a jingle bell inside. Easy peasy and too cute (if I do say so myself). :)


I also made my niece a tag mini blanket, or a snuggly. See my tutorial HERE.  I bought two fat quarters of minky fabric, cut them in half, and had enough to make two snugglies - one for each niece.


See these rose-bud swirls? I don't think I've ever felt fabric so soft and irresistible in my life. I can't look at it and not touch it.


Thrilled with the success of my first ribbon tag ball, I made more in a boy version. I shortened the ribbons a tad (now 4" total).


In addition to my new nieces, I have three babies to sew for at my son's preschool. Nothing like a good ol' fashion assembly line. :)

Letterpress Chairs

Dusting off the L Letterpress today. I've wanted to try embossing with it for a while. With traditional dry embossing, you can see the image on both the front and back sides of the paper. Using a letterpress plate with letterpress paper, however, means that the debossed image is only visible on the front. The back is still as smooth as ever and could easily be written on.

Aside: I'm sure I'm butchering the lingo on this. When I see what I would call embossing, I see people use the terms blind embossing, dry embossing, impressing, depressed image, etc. If any of you know the correct use of these terms, please share! I'd love to know.


Part of the charm of letterpress is its clean and simple style. When I hold letterpress paper in my hand, I immediately feel the difference. Even a blank sheet is elegant. There's no need to fuss it up with patterned papers and embellishments.


I made today's cards to play along with the latest Moxie Fab World challenge: Three Cheers for Chairs. As always, it's fun to stretch myself and try something new. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies (all from Lifestyle Crafts).
Printing Plate: chair from Damask -> Everyday collection.
Ink: yellow.
Paper: A2 flat white.
Tools: Letterpress starter kit, Big Shot.

You Are My Favorite Thing

These were my Mother's Day cards this year, but they'd be great all occasion cards, too. Hope all you mommies out there enjoy some extra hugs and pampering this weekend!

ETA: This is my entry in the Moxie Fab World Card Creations: Favorite Occasions Week All Occasion Card Challenge. Good gravy, that's a mouthful of a title. ;-)

Supplies
Paper: ("How Sweet It Is" Yummy Stripe Paper, "Cute" Engaging Gingham Paper, "Cute" Beautiful Blooms Paper, "Be Happy" Gleeful Paper, "Life Is Good" Serene Spots Paper) by My Mind's Eye -> from the Quite Contrary line -> Jack & Jill collection, (Buttercup Dot) Bo Bunny, (Kraft) Stampin' Up!.
Other: "Favorite Thing" Title by My Mind's Eye - > from the Quite Contrary line -> Jack & Jill collection, sewing machine, ivory thread.

For My Dad

It's my dad's birthday this weekend. Love you, Dad! Happy birthday!

Supplies.
Stamp: (Weathered) Stampin' Up!.
Ink: (Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa) Stampin' Up!.
Paper: (Naturals Ivory) Stampin' Up!, (On the Boulevard, The Sophisticate) from the A Proper Gentleman Collection by Graphic 45.
Other: (Hodpodge Hardware) Stampin' Up!, sewing machine, brown thread.

Lucky Me

When people give me free stuff, I like to say "thank you." It's just the right thing to do.


Dear BasicGrey, thank you for sending me this cute stamp set in addition to the Kioshi supplies I mentioned earlier.


Thanks for this stamp set, too!


Dear Paper Crafts magazine and Cosmo Cricket, thanks for the Earth Love goodies...


I've wanted these rub-ons since I first saw them at my local craft store.


I'll use the sentiments inside these chipboard frames...the ones there on the bottom.


Last but not least, thanks to Moxie Fab World and Close to My Heart for these BOY papers. The patterns on the front sides of the papers really stand out, but I love the toned-down monochromatic patterns on the back sides.