I'm growing!

Well not me, but my blog audience. It just makes me smile to see new followers. It sends a thrill through me to see my Blog listed in somebodies favorites on their side bar. I get so excited everytime somebody leaves a comment. I love checking my stats counter to see how many visitors I've had and where they are all coming from. I know I haven't done this all on my own, with help from the Sew!Mama!Sew! giveaway and One Pretty Thing and CraftGossip featuring my doodle purse tutorial, I have really seen my blog grow. And now I have been asked to be apart of another giveaway in August over at the Dress Up Drawer! It's so exciting! It almost makes me giddy just thinking about it. And now because I know there are actually people reading this, it adds to the fun...and a bit of pressure to be sure that I always have something new and exciting to post. I think that I am up to the challenge. You'll all let me know if I am doing OK, right?

I am so excited

My Doodle Purse Tutorial has been featured on oneprettything.com! This is a great blog for all kinds of fun things to make and do. Great food ideas, holiday ideas, craft ideas....it goes on and on. I'm thrilled to be able to share this tutorial with pretty much the entire world. I love the Feedjit gadget on my sidebar that shows where people have visited from. I am really starting to get visitors from literally all over the globe. A big thank you to Oneprettything.com for helping to share my tutorial all over bloggerland!


PS don't forget to share a photo of the doodle purse you make on the Doodle Purse Flickr Pool

PPS Thank you CraftGossip for also featuring my Tutorial!

I'm playing along with Whosies

This looked like fun, so I just had to play along. After all, it inspired me to do something about mine. OK so here's the deal. The game is to take a picture of your nightstand(or whatever you have beside your bed) and send it to Whosies, and if you so desire, create a blog about what you found on your night stand....so here is mine...OK, so my night table has overflowed on to the floor....unfortunately a regular occurance.

To show you all what I have hanging around, I moved a few things. The tissue paper flower and paper covered pop bottle vase my 7 year old daughter made for me. The white flowers in the yellow vase my 4 year old daughter gave to me for Christmas. I don't know why the Easter pad and pencil are there. And my Journal finishes this picture off.

Here is a bit of religious reading. There's always more that gets added to this pile.

These books have replaced my novels...for now. I love the ancient Hebrew language. I studied it in University(basically the reason I went to University). I feel bad that I have neglected it(and ancient Greek) since graduating...8 years ago. So I've decided that I am going to start refreshing myself. It may sound strange, but I can just as easily get lost in these books as I can in a good novel.

These are just some random light reading, and the only sewing related item. The Sudoku helps me shut off my brain on those nights where I can't stop thinking about one thing or another. I have no idea why the Sears catalog is beside my bed, I don't recall even looking at this particular one.

The top two pictures are ones that my girls drew in Primary for Mothers day, on the back was taped a chocolate bar. The picture on the bottom left is a train drawn by my 7 year old daughter and the one on the right is an apology written by that same 7 year old and left on my pillow after she made my bed for me.

I like frogs...the big one my husband bought for me on one of his business trips, the other I just picked up for $.25 at a second hand store because it looks exactly like a bigger one I have named Hiccup...so now I have a baby Hiccup.


Alright, so there you have it. The deconstruction of my night stand...and the floor in front of it.

Doodle Purse(or Satchel for boys) Tutorial

Here is a tutorial for my Doodle Purse(or a doodle Satchel if you are making it for a boy). This is my very own pattern, created by me. Feel free to use it, share it, enjoy it. But please do not sell the pattern. You may sell your own doodle purse creations if you wish, but please would you let your customers know where you got the pattern(I'm just asking for credit where credit is due) all you have to do is create a link back here, I would really appreciate it. Of course, if you don't want to make one, you can buy one from my Etsy shop. If you make one, I would love to see it. Please add your picture to the doodle purse flickr pool.


What you need

2 fabric pieces(one for the out side and one for the inside) and 1 fusible interfacing piece 10"x15"
1 fabric piece 12½"x6"(crayon pockets)
1 fabric piece and 1 fusible interfacing piece(optional) 10"x12"(doodle pad pocket)
2 fabric pieces and 2 fusible interfacing pieces(optional)15"x5"(handles)
1 fabric piece and 1 fusible interfacing piece 10"x4"(optional Velcro closure)
1 hair elastic(for button closure)
1 button or 1, 2" strip of Velcro
matching thread

The first thing you need to do is pick your fabric. You can choose from a variety of fabrics. Almost any woven fabric will work. If you are using a heavy weight fabric, you may chose not to use the optional interfacing. Fabrics that I have used include quilting cottons or broadcloth, denim, corduroy and flannel. Have fun with your fabrics, you can use a variety of colours and patterns for the pockets, handles and closures or you can keep it simple with just one or two different fabric choices. I usually use a craft weight interfacing for the main body of the doodle bag, but something lighter weight for the pockets and handles. But that is entirely up to you and how much body you want your doodle bag to have when it is finished.

Next you will need to cut your pieces as described above. I highly recommend that you use a cutting mat and rotary cutter. It just makes life so much easier.

Once you have all your pieces cut you will want to fuse your interfacing to the appropriate pieces. For the main body you will want to fuse the interfacing to the outside fabric.

Now you will want to take your crayon pocket piece, fold it in half so that it measures 12½”x3" and iron it.




Now fold the doodle pad pocket in half so that it measures 10"x6" and iron it.





Take the handle strips and iron the in half long ways. Open it out and fold the edges into the middle and iron. And then fold it in half again ironing it flat.




(Picture to come) If you are doing the Velcro closure you will want to fold it an iron it the same as the handles(but folding it shortways).

For the handles. Sew a 1/4" seam down the open edge, repeat down the folded edge also. Set aside for use later.







(Picture to come) For the Velcro closure fold inside out and sew a 1/4" seam along the top edge only. Turn right side out and sew a 1/4" seam along the open edge, top and folded edge. Place one side of the Velcro on the top edge about a ½" down and stitch.

Now take the inside piece for your doodle bag, fold it in have and iron it. Open it out and place the doodle pad pocked about ½” above the halfway mark (the fold).



Pin and sew a 1/4" seam.









For the crayon pockets you will want to make a mark starting in the middle and working out to the edges at 7/8" intervals.



Between each mark you will then make about a 1/4" pleat and pin it. Once you have made all 10 pleats, baste them to secure them.




Then apply the crayon pocket the same as the doodle pad pocket but 1 1/2 " from the fold.




Press the pockets away from the fold line. You may want to baste the edges to secure them.




Once the crayon pocket is in place you will stitch a line from bottom to the top on each marking to make the individual crayon pockets. Be sure to backsitch two or three stitches at both the start and finish of each line.


Now put the inside and outside pieces right sides together and pin to secure. Starting on one short end sew a 1/4" seam all the way around the doodle bag leaving about a 4" opening for turning.


Turn your doodle bag rightside out and press. Press raw edges of opening under 1/4". If you are using an elastic for a button closure, place it in the opening and pin it to secure it.


(Picture to come) If you are doing the Velcro closure, place it, Velcro side up about ½" below the top edge of the doodle bag and sew it with a 1/4" seam. Press up.

Place handles 1"from outside edge and ½” from top edge, and secure on either side with a 1/4" seam. Press up.




Top stitch around entire doodle purse catching handles, Velcro closure or elastic. If using an elastic double stitch to make sure it is well secured.


Fold doodle bag in half and mark placement for other half of Velcro or button and attach at placement. And you are done! Simply add a colouring book or a doodle pad and some crayons and you are all set.

more fun stuff

Finally, I have put some new stuff in my Etsy shop. For all of you that liked the idea of my snack bags, I have some available now and will have more coming. I have two styles available for purchase. I have some that are made with PUL fabric(laminated) for your everyday snack needs. And I have some that are lined with ripstop nylon, they are not water proof so they are great for use with dry snacks(ie crackers).

I have a new addiction....well, it's really not a new addiction, it's just a new way to feed my addiction. You see I live 10 minutes away from the US border, so I can have things shipped to a US PO Box and save tonnes of $$ on shipping. Buying fabric(mainly quilting cottons) in the US is cheaper than buying it in Canada...if you don't have to pay the shipping. Now that I have that option, I have started buying fabric online at my new favorite discount fabric store, Fabric.com. I only have to spend $35 to get free shipping....it is so easy to spend $35. I seem to do it every other week.

I just received a package in the mail with a whole bunch of new fabric, this particular selecion of fabric(laminated and cotton prints) cost me a total of $70! So I have new projects that I'll start working on and should have more funstuff in my shop soon...like sandwich wraps, lunch sets, carseat canopies, reusable makeup removers...and whatever else I can come up with. I love fabric.

Another green idea

I saw this idea out there somewhere in blogger land a month or so ago and I liked it for a number of reasons.

1. it's another "green" idea, to lessen the waste we are tossing out.
2. it was super simple.
3. it would make a great gift.
4. it was cute
5. and it used up more scraps from a variety of my fabric boxes.

So I sat down and put some together. What do you think of my reusable makeup remover pads with a mesh bag for washing them in?
They are made with soft flannel(remover side) and a fun cotton print to make them look cute. They have a layer of cotton quilt batting in the middle for softness and absorbency. I use mine a lot and think they are great.

It's time to pick a winner

This was not as easy as I thought it would be. I originally had thought that I would choose the reader who wrote the best answer to why they wanted to win. But I loved reading all of your comments that I couldn't decided on just one. So I had to resort to the trusty random number generator, less personal, but then I don't have to try to choose just one.

So here is the big moment....The winner is Kelly O!!! (***APPLAUSE, the crowd goes wild*****). Kelly I am so glad that you have a little man to love and cuddle my silly gray cuddly monster! I'll be sure to choose some cute girly and manly snack bags for your daughter and husband. And good luck in the baby department! I am so excited for you! You have until June 3rd to contact me and arrange shipping.

Thank you all for entering! As a special thank you, I am offering a 10% discount on all of the items I have in my Etsy shop(or Facebook group). I know a lot of you love the snack bags, and I know that I currently don't have any listed in my Etsy shop, but if you give me a week, I'll have a whole new batch made up and listed, as well as more car seat canopies. When you make a purchase in my Etsy shop(or Facebook group), just mention this giveaway and you will take 10% off your order. This offer will be valid until June 30th.

Oohh...and I am working on a tutorial. I'm almost done and will have it posted soon. So come back and check it out and tell me what you think!