Painted Herb Pots

Aren't these herb pots the cutest! I've seen them for sale in places, but it's MUCH cheaper to make. I bought these terracotta pots at a craft store and the black chalkboard paint at Lowes. I painted the rims of the pots as well as a rectangle in the center of the pot. I used tape to outline the rectangle so it would be clean and sharp.

When I got home yesterday, I found these herbs in my carport that my mother-in-law left for me. I got dirty today and transplanted them into my little pots. These are perfect to sit inside my kitchen window sill since it's too cold outside for them to live. It will save me lots of money because fresh herbs are pretty expensive in the grocery store, and I love cooking with fresh herbs.

Burpies

This is my first burp cloth to sew, and it's so cute. My sister's roommate wanted a burp cloth to go along with the bib (made with this same fabric) I made for her to give as a baby gift. I used the Alexander Henry 2-D Zoo fabric, and I think it's so cute for a boy. They look like little animal crackers on fabric. I bought the fabric from ebay because I can't find it in fabric stores where I live.


I used chenille on the back of the cotton fabric because it's very soft AND absorbent.... practical for it's use. It's about 8.5 x 15-inches.

While sewing this, I ran out of thread on my bobbin (bottom spool). Well, I spun the thread on the bobbin, and when I went back to sew, my needle went crazy. I took the whole bottom of the sewing machine apart only to find that I didn't thread it right. Mercy! Well, at least it was a quick fix. Whew.... thank you Lord!

Pillowcase Dress

I've always loved these little dresses. I think originally they were made out of pillowcases, but now most of them are made out of cut fabrics. This one was not a good first one to make because it was a little hard getting the circles straight. I think I did okay, though.

This little dress is great because it acts as a dress for baby girls and a long shirt for older girls... so it's not one of those pieces of clothing that only lasts a season. During the winter, the child can wear a turtle neck and tights underneath. It's perfect for all seasons!

Bibs

My newest project is sewing bibs. I've only made 2 so far, and they are pretty easy. I haven't mastered putting on a snap (I think there may be a tool for that), so I did a velcro attachment. These are pretty large bibs. I did a medium size one... maybe for a big baby (like I was) or a small toddler. For the back, I did terry cloth because Hobby Lobby doesn't have chenille fabric. Terry cloth is less expensive but not as soft. The soft minky fabric would be a good backing, too!

I used a fabric from the Sandi Henderson collection for the pink bib, and the polka dotted fabric is from Hobby Lobby.

These will make great gifts for the mom-to-be along with some matching burp cloths (later project) and appliqued onesies.

Baby Shoes

Look at these cute little shoes. I bought a pattern for shoes, and this is how they turned out. The pattern says that it will take about 30 minutes to make, but it took me a good 3 hours. Um, can we say s.l.o.w.... My 2nd pair took 2 hours.

I'm not sure how comfortable these would be for a baby because of the seams inside the shoe, but they sure will look cute. Maybe socks would help with the comfort??? I also think that the ribbons will come untied really easily, but a double knot may work better.

I got the pink and brown fabric and the zebra fabric from Hobby Lobby. Small prints work better since the shoes are so small.

These sizes are for newborns, but next I'll probably make them bigger. What if the babies have big feet?

Tag Security Blanket

These security blankets are one of the main reasons I wanted to start sewing. I know that sounds crazy. Most people want to make clothes or pillows, but for some reason I fell in love with these precious little things. I know exactly why... When I was little, in order to go to sleep I would have to have my thumb in my mouth and the fingers on my other hand would be rubbing a ribbon together. It had to be a certain kind of ribbon, too. Either a grosgrain ribbon or a satin ribbon with a rough back side. It had to make a certain noise and have a certain feel. I was very picky with my ribbons.

I put all different kinds of ribbons on these blankets... just in case the child has a special preference like I did. They measure about 12-13 inches square. The front of the blanket is a soft cotton, and the back is the soft minky material.

I love these fabrics shown. They're from Sandi Henderson's Farmer's Market collection. They can be pretty expensive, so I try to get a better deal from ebay sellers. Hobby Lobby has some really cute fabrics (and 40% off coupons on their website and in Sunday papers), as well as Amy Butler, Michael Miller, Robert Kaufman, Heather Bailey, and Joel Dewberry.

Applique Onseies

These are the most creative gals I know. Elisabeth and Meredith (my sweet friends) made the cutest onesies for our friend, Alison... actually for her baby. They bought plain onesies and did applique by hand and some hand embroidery, too! Elisabeth has a book that has directions for several types of stitches, and they were sweet to teach me how to do this. Meredith and I went shopping at Hobby Lobby and bought a ton of embroidery thread, fabric, and lots of other tools for me to have on hand for my appliques.

These are some onesies that I made for another friend of mine whose baby shower is this weekend.

Labels

Okay, check out my labels. Aren't they so cute!?! I ordered them from Jennifer's Jewels on etsy. These are fray proof, and she has a ton of different labels. If you need custom printed labels, check her out. If you've never heard of etsy, you've got to check it out. It's like going to a craft show without even leaving your house. It's a website where crafters can sell their homemade things, and there are some adorable things on there like jewelry, clothes, accessories, and a thousand other things, too!


If you haven't read my story of how I came up with this label name, it was my nickname that my great-grandmother Durrett gave me when I was a little girl. My first name is Margaret (however, I go by my middle name, Maryanna), which was her name and is my grandmother's and mother's name. Since Maggie is a nickname for Margaret, and my cheeks were always rosy, that's where this "Maggie Pink Cheeks" came from. She called my sister (Catherine), "Suzy Sunshine." Don't ask me where "Suzy" came from, though because I have no clue.

Tribute to my great-grandmother

Grandmother Durrett died over 2 years ago at age 100. She was the sweetest and cutest little lady. We called her "Mrs. Proper" because she'd always know the answers to any etiquette question, and she also practiced proper etiquette ALL THE TIME!!! Sweet Grandmother Durrett... we miss you, and we'll see you again when we are with Jesus.

This is Grandmother playing "Jesus Loves Me" on the piano with Jeremy.

Sewing Machine

Meet my new friend:
Aubrey gave me a sewing machine for my birthday in August. It came with 5 free sewing classes that were far over my head. I was so nervous in the first class because I hardly knew how to plug in the thing.
I'm taking more risks now and have even made a few things. I'm really into making things for babies... I know what your thinking. No, they aren't for me. I think baby things are so cute because they're little.... Little things are easier to sew, too, which is good for me as a beginner.

I love my sewing machine. Eventually I want to take quilting classes. I'm not too big on the "country" looking quilts, but I love the ones from Amy Butler, Heather Bailey, and Sandi Henderson's collections.