Mileage tracker

Wow! Check this out! An easy way to estimate your running/biking mileage and elevation. I have only just discovered this (found the link on Lauren's blog) and I haven't yet explored it's full potential, but I already love it. Now instead of driving my route to check distance, I can save gas and check online! Brilliant!

www.runningmap.com

Here's one of my route's mapped out.

Not-so-tacky thumbtacks

A little lunchbreak posting here...
A while back I missed a button making party with some of the girls from work, but Erin was kind enough to give me one of the "tools" to make some on my own time. So here they are.

These are fabric covered buttons, with the metal button loop removed and a thumbtack glued on instead. My glue gun was at my other house, so I improvised with super glue, and it wasn't even the gel kind--it was the thin runny liquid kind. So hopefully they stay put. A fun way to customize.

Now that's more like it.

Ok, here is my new and improved tampon tote. This one is thinner and has a lovely green satin border and velcro closure. How much do you think is a reasonable price for these? (Hopefully I'm not the only one who thinks this product is a good idea). I'm thinking $8... does that sound reasonable?

Another Purse

This one's for a friend at the office. Heather Bailey fabrics. My laptop at home doesn't have the best color, so I may have to color correct these later.

Inside has a pocket:

Martha's tins

I guess Martha Stewart had the same idea for pencil tins. Not like it's really original or anything... She has such great photography too.

Tampon Tote

Yup, that's what it is. A discreet way to carry those personal sanitary items in your purse without being discovered by nosey purse peekers. (I got one of these when I was like 15 and I've used it ever since). Cotton fabric with batting in the middle, a slickery inside material for easy gliding, and a velcro closure.

My first attempt isn't perfect, and here's what I need to fix for next time:
1. It's about 1/2" too wide. Make it a little narrower. It really only needs to hold 3 tampons. (It also fits pantiliners).
2. Don't bother "quilting" the fabric. And if I do quilt it again, use a more subtle thread color.
3. Less contrast. It's a small enough item that I don't think the contrast is working with this size. If I were to re-do this one, I'd use a green or brown trim.
4. Pick trim ribbon first, then fabric. I used blue grossgrain 7/8" ribbon, and it's a little brighter in real life. I toned it down in these pictures so it would look better. Ribbon colors in the correct size are quite limited, so it might be easier to match a fabric to a ribbon, rather than vice versa.

My sewing is a bit lopsided as well, but that will come with practice (I hope!). All in all, I think it's a worthwhile item, and I think I'll make some more to sell on my Esty site (opens August 1st).

Brought to you by the letter H

Here's another fabric covered letter. Front side is puffy, back side is flat. I've decided these might be more trouble than they are worth. It would help though, if I had a rotary cutter instead of scizzors, so I could cut straighter edges.

I thought this would be cute in a baby boys room. A boy with an "H" name, like um... Hugo? Harold? Maybe "H" wasn't the best letter to start with.

The sides are chocolate brown, in case you can't tell. On some screens it may look darker.

Back side (hooks can be added for hanging on a wall):

A Little Birdie Told Me...

So I found this pattern online, but I can't remember where, so I apologize for that. He's a simple little birdie that needs some friends. Guess I'll have to make some more!
I remembered where I found this birdie pattern. I found it at Spool Sewing.

Pencil Tin Round Three

Modified again. It was bugging me. I think a simple ribbon did the trick.

Look how cuuuute!

Bottle cap pin cushions! I have to makes some! I found these here.

Pencil Tin

I call this a mini craft because it was so simple. Turn a tin can into a pencil tin just by wrapping it in pretty paper. You could make a coordinated set of these for pens, pencils, markers, paint brushes, etc. Also you could use a small paint can instead of a food can. Ooo, and if you were real crafty, you could put a ribbon around it and a tag on the front that says "pencils", or "markers." In fact I might just have to do that, and re-post this.

Rediscovering Utah

For the Independence Day weekend, Ryan and I went camping with some friends up American Fork Canyon, in a different area than we'd been before. It was absolutely beautiful. We rode the 4-wheeler up to the back side of Snowbird ski resort (Mineral Basin) and unfortunately I didn't have my camera. So we came back the next day for a ride on the mountain bikes. And oh my, am I out of shape! Very sad, yes, but I did get some photos of the beautiful area, that I just have to share.

We had to share the road/trail. :)

Paper Carrier Pouch

I had a request for a custom pouch that would be the right size for throwing folded papers into, for carting around. So I made this pouch, but I didn't allow quite enough seam allowance so the folded 8.5 x 11" papers end up buckling a little. And for some reason I was having fits getting the zipper right, but I finally got it.

Anyway... I'm making a new one, that will look just the same, but will fit the papers properly. This time I left plenty of room for seams, so the papers won't be scrunched at all. I just have to get the zipper into the new one now. Wish me luck!

Fabric is by Joel Dewberry.

More family pics

Here are just a few more family photos from the wedding weekend.
First, my uncle Chan and my dad (brothers) catching up.


Next, my sister Tanya's girl, Alyssa, found my pretty bronze colored (shiny) shoes, and had to give them a go. She even managed to take a few steps in them, something many grown women couldn't do.


And finally, some more of that adorable baby Sam (my sister Patti's newborn). He was born 5 lbs 9 oz, and still is tiny. Check out those spindly legs!

Katsai on Etsy

I want, I need, I wonder...
if I could make this?
Not sure I'm up to that level yet, but maybe I'll try. Found this lovely little item on Katsai's Etsy site.

A Few Favorites

Here are a few Etsy favorites I've recently found.

1. Nightmare Snatcher book. I love it! But I think it might cause nightmares...
2. Tommy Tentacles.


3. Enoch the elephant-thingy.