love, love, love hand embroidery

I've spent many-a-morning combing yard sales, many-an-afternoon scouring thrift stores & then many-an-evening creating hand embroidered treasues. I simply love the raised texture of embroidery & the feel of it whether on pillows, clothing or vintage cross-stitch tablecloths. I certainly know the value of a well-embroidered piece & what a gem it is when found in good condition.

I am certain that my love of embroidery came from my grandma Alice, who taught me to embroider when I was young & set me up with needles, hoops & floss to get me started. She always did the most beautiful work, meticulously working her needles in & out of the fabric to create a doilie or table-topper.


I still have the many (and when I say many, I mean many) pieces that my Grandma Alice gave to me over the years & am inspired by them to create something of my own. I have been picking up vintage iron-on transfers for a few years now & finally put them to good use as this sampler pillow for Tatum's room. It is full of transfers dating back to the 60's & 70's and adds just the right amount of vintage novelty to her colorful little room.


With all the wonderful embroidery transfers out there, I also find myself wanting to embroider just about every piece of clothing in Tatum's wardrobe. The options never cease...

(please pardon the poor-quality photos, I'm workin' on it!)

a few shawls...

Last week I finished up a few little shawls for 4 cute little girls (all cousins ages 5, 6, 7, & 9 I think) who were headed to a family reunion of sorts & were going to be in a large family photo. Their moms wanted something special & matching for the 4 girls & decided a few shawls would be the answer to looking different without "standing out". These were a fun project for me to work on, I especially loved it when the girls came over to try them on & added flowers that they liked.





These shawls are super versatile, I have made a few for Tatum & have worn them myself as a neck cowl. I just love winter accessories.

We're on a roll...

We have a plethora of crayons floating around our house, in my diaper bag & strewn around my car at any given time, and really, I was tired of it. I have seen plenty of crayon holders around, but I wanted one small enough to carry in my diaper bag at all times without being bulky. That, and I have a growing stash of fun fabrics just begging to be made into something. So as you can see, I got a wee bit carried away and made a few dozen of these for both boys & girls. They'll come in handy for last minute gifts for special little friends.

It's good to be a baby...

I just finished up a couple extra-luxurious minky & silky-edged blankets for two very special little kiddos. My mother-in-law asked me to make them good size (she's the one giving them, I'm just the one making them), so each of these little babies measures 1 yard by 1 yard. Minky & satin are two tricky fabrics to work with, and putting them together poses an even greater challenge. But like so many things in life, with challenges come great rewards, and these blankets are completely worthwhile in the end.

Around here, we're blanket-lovers. Take a snapshop of our house at anytime, and one of my kids will have one of those beautiful satin-edged blankies shoved in their mouth in perfect euphoria. Needless to say, I worked on these blankets while my kids were sleeping, lest they decide to "try-out" the blankies for themselves!

This red one is going to my niece Elizabeth as a pick-me-up during her stay in Valley Children's.
She recently received a Ladybug PillowPet for Christmas & it was decided that the pillow pet needed a companion to match!
(Sidenote- the book is not going to her, nor is the adorable BlaBla doll, they are simply little props to add a bit of interest to the photo!

But have you read this book to your kids yet? It's great. )

This one is headed to wrap around my sweet new nephew Lincoln.

Ultra soft, & totally cuddly, it reminded me once again: it's good to be a baby.

Doll for sweet Reese

This doll is one I made for Reese just after she was born.

Quirky & oddly proportioned, but it has such a nostalgic vibe.

Tatum's Valentine Tee from last year

This photo of Tatum is from last year's Valentine's day. I made her a shirt using a vintage valentine postcard & added some handstitching & rhinestones. I think I might have to do a few more versions of this for this year!

Tie onesies...size newborn through 24 months

crochet flowers, bows, scarves & shawls

Crochet Flowers

Been workin' on these little babies this morning...clip them onto a beanie, scarf, in your hair, wherever you want! They're the perfect blend between winter & handmade goodness.