Getting things done EARLY this year

Oh yes. No "last-minute-OMG-what-am-I-going-to-do!!!!!!!!!!!" moments are going to be happening to me this year when the holidays roll back around. I am getting started early and I will be working on it all year long. My first 2009 christmas present is for my dear wonderful step mother, who is a christmas-oholic and loves decorating to the hilt. Since her and my dad moved to Florida last year, I decided she would need some tropical flavor to add to her decked halls. (and I really hope she doesn't decide to discover my blog in the near future!)

Felty ornaments

I've been busy getting stuff done and just as busy avoiding doing anything productive (such is the life of procrastinating perfectionist). I was looking at this Matryoshka fabric and just decided I needed to make some ornaments. Like right now. I really have no idea what I will do with them (try to sell them? give them away?) but I just like the way they look. That's reason enough to take the time to make them, right?

felt & fabric bunny pins

My newest creations, intended to add some color to any outfit. I do want to make other animals, but of course the first ones were bunnies since - well - let's face the music on my bunny fixation. Some of the fabric came from my newest obsession: Art Scraps in St. Paul. I &hearts that place. I have some more too but they are awaiting pinbacks to be sewn to them sometime this weekend.

swaptree + sunday afternoon = new skirt

I could do without the world financial crisis. Couldn't we all? But if it were to have a silver lining, it does make me more apt to be economical myself. When you are paying so much more for food, gas, and well, everything - it obviously cuts down on your budget in other areas.

So on this note of trying to be more squirrel-like with saving money - I must confess my crush on swaptree.com. It is a site where you can swap any un-loved media you have lying around (books, DVDs, CDs, and even video games!) for stuff you do want. So not only are you recycling your old junk but helping another do the same! I basically raid my shelves every month just to make sure I didn't skip some forgotten college lit book that I will never crack open again.

My most recent trade was for the book Sew What! Skirts which I was able to utilize today during the Ame Bean's nap to make this:

The fabric is from a Joann remnant bin that was 75% off. And I got the book to help me for about $1.75 (cost of shipping). Plus the notions are all from a local scrap art store that sells things for nickles and pennies. So I figure I spent $4 on this skirt. You can barely thrift clothes this cheap! &hearts

new barrette = love

Found this little guy in a larger pattern of a japanese fabric. He just screamed to be made in to a barrette.

Leafy jacket pin

So I really need a new winter coat. I think I have had mine now for 8 years. It might be the most unflattering thing ever not to mention not the best jacket for Minnesota winters. But I really do not know how to get without it since most jackets seem to run in the $100-200 range. Maybe I could try to attempt making one but the idea of that just exhausts me right now. So anyway I decided to make myself feel better about said coat by giving it a little pizazz with this leafy pin, which is my first (and a bit sad) attempt at embroidery! I know that true embroidery needs like patterns and what not but I just wanted to play around with a couple of the stitches to start out with. I think my jacket will be better off with it.