You Go Girl!

Because-There-Is-Really-No-Excuse-For-Ugly Giveaway

Measuring tapes are in my You Go Girl shop!!  And to celebrate (it took me FOREVER to get them listed), I'm going to have a Because-There-Is-Really-No-Excuse-For-Ugly Giveaway on my instagram.  Up for grabs is a felt-covered-because-there-is-no-excuse-for-ugly retractable tape measure. Pick one I've already made or request a color that is all yours.  My instagram is @yougogirlmt.  When you get there follow me, leave a comment, and tag three friends in the comment.  That's all you have to do for a chance to win.  Yes. Indeed this is a shameless ploy to increase my instagram followers with crafty peeps.  I'm thinking I would like to use my instagram a lot more to keep up with all of you.  Winner will be randomly picked on Friday, June 19.

Meanwhile, if you don't like giveaways or you just can't wait until next Friday, there are seven new tape measures listed in the shop (see them in the sidebar?). Go take a peek.  Add some style to your craft room, knitting bag, or sewing kit because there really is no excuse for ugly.  

Cheers,

Cassie

BECAUSE...

Because felt makes me happy...

Because there has been a sunny spot to sit in while I stitch...

Because stitching and pondering make me feel peaceful...

And because there is no excuse for ugly...

...I've been busy beautifying some measuring tapes.  

A little felt + some sharp scissors + some embroidery floss = MAGIC.

These little gems will be in the shop soon.

I hope your spring has brought you a gentle spot of sunshine to sit in.  

Cheers!

Sometime You've Got To...

go with what you know.

So....about that vintage zipper from the last post...My project was an EPIC FAIL. As in BOMB-O-RAMA.  And it seemed like such a good idea.  Look where I was headed. How did it go so wrong?

The amazing zipper will have to be repurposed into a different project.  Later. When I can look at it and not want to kick things.  

For now I am going with what I know.  Oh little raccoon, you never disappoint. I look at you and I am happy. No cursing kicking today.

Cheers my friends.

Geekin' Over a Zipper

 

 

A vintage zipper has revved up my engine, shifted my gears and changed my direction!  Yes.  A zipper.  What kind of geekiness is that?  I found  a vintage zipper in my stash of cool things. That's all it took. The wool felt has been taken down from the top the shelf.  Scissors have been a snippin'. Embroidery thread has been rifled through. Beads have been dumped out on the floor. It feels good to touch all this goodness again.  

I've taken a little break from creating from my heart.  Instead I have been on a quest to learn. For the past few months, it's been all about garment construction and fitting.  Not a lot of blog posts because, well, if I'm truthful, it hasn't always been pretty.  Construction has gone splendidly. Ending up with a garment that fits, not so much. A few good things have found there way out of the insanity, but there has also been more than a few projects destined for the do-over bin but currently wadded up and thrown in the corner. Who wants to post do-over wadders thrown in a corner?  Not me. So I didn't. 

Back to the zipper.  It has opened a door that I had closed for a while.  The blast of fresh air feels good. More to come soon. Very excited.

Tah-tah-for-now!

Working hard...

...or would that be hardly working? Stitching up felt ornaments never feels like work. I LOVE all this flossy, felty magic. I hope you are enjoying some kind of goodness of your own today.

Cheers,

Cassie

In the Mail...

Have I ever told you how much I love making these little felt ornaments? I'm pretty sure I have. Making ornaments sure beats the pants off my most recent project...altering a costume for the Nutcracker.Yuck!

Slippery synthetic fabric and alterations=MISERY

I think I would rather gouge my eye out with my scissors. In fact, I almost did. Fear not. I am done with the alterations and I still have both my eyes. Yay and yippee!

Now back to my little felties...I loved every minute of making them. They went in the mail to Canada earlier this week. I think they will be happy living together in a sparkly Christmas tree up north. I had a little trouble parting with Foxie Loxie, but I said my goodbyes and put her in the mail with the others. I think I heard her sniffle a little when I was wrapping her in tissue paper. Oh, wait. That might've been me. I have another little fox part way stitched. I wonder if she will make it on my tree this year. My make-it-before-Christmas list is pretty long, but maybe...

An Owl To Call My Own...

I've been busy making some felt ornaments for an Etsy order. One of the ornaments requested was an owl. Let me just say that I LOVE Jessica Levitt's owl pattern. Those little owls started my whole love affair with felt. Her pattern was my go-to for owls.  If you look down in the corner of the pattern, however, you will see a little copyright and a request for the consumer to use the pattern for personal use only. I am assuming this means you shouldn't use her pattern to make owls to sell. Well, I am a rule follower. ALWAYS. I think it is a part of my genetic code. Sometimes it bites me in the butt. No matter. I follow rules. Since I couldn't use Jessica's pattern,  I got busy crafting a little owl to call my own. After more than a few drawings and a garbage can full of paper rejects, I finally got her just right.Please welcome Miss Betty Lu Hoot, the newest addition to my little felt ornament collection...

What do you think?

Just a little FYI...I get lots of requests for patterns of my felt ornaments. The only pattern I have ready to share is the squirrel. The rest of my little forest friends are rough sketches. I mostly fashion the pieces as I go. Maybe someday I will create a few patterns for sharing, but for now they are not available. So sorry.

Tweet Tweet

Hello friends. Look at these birds. Are they not the cutest things ever??? I haven't been this in love with a project since my apple fix a few years back. I found the pattern at The Paper Shed. 

Birdie Bleu was stitched for my mama. I LOVE my mama. As soon as Birdie Bleu was complete, I knew that my friend, Beth, needed a little sparrow. Beth's journey to motherhood has been punctuated by sorrow. As I stitched Birdie Bleu together, I remembered this blog post she wrote. 

I hope Lady Lavendre reminds Beth of her sweet Eve and the lovely seven months they got to spend together. Hoping for blessing upon blessing in the days to come, Beth.

I *HEART* Felt...

I love me some wool felt. Such a versatile medium. Good for ipod covers, ornaments, pincushions, coin wallets, and so much more. 

My stash has grown over time. Yesterday it was a frightful pile lacking order. It was chaotic and irksome. So I organized it...

Then I used it...

to make new clothes for my measuring tape.

Ahhh...order from chaos...it's inspiring. Maybe I should ride this wave of inspiration and tackle the triplets' bedroom. It looks chaotic and irksome. Hang tight while I think about it. Okay. Done. Ummmm, no. Not going to happen. I'd rather just focus on this bit o' organized felty goodness. Lovely. 

Foxy Felt Ornament

There's a new girls in town and she's feeling foxy! 

I am not feeling foxy. I am feeling buried by all this Christmas goodness. I will be digging out soon. Today was the final Nutcracker production for one of my girls. I love the Nutcracker, but I am ready to say goodbye to it until next year. Hope your holiday happenings are merry.

XOXO~

Cassie