Can't go wrong with Cleese.

We were gifted this cute second-hand purple shirt with a teensy tiny stain. It was easily transformed into awesomeness by making a quick "Minister of Silly Walks" transfer. I realize that most people probably won't get it, but I'll laugh, so it counts.

Fun with gift cards

I found a gift card to Michael's that still had a balance and of course immediately made a beeline to the nearest store. Among the loot was a bucket of sidewalk chalk and a tray caddy for Rory, which I insisted on decorating right away. I think it still needs something (besides more Mod Podge)...maybe a white ribbon around the edge of the tray part. I'll leave its status as "Soon to be finished, I promise."

What to do with the stack of random handkerchiefs you have lying around.

What? You don't have a stash of handkerchiefs lying around? Hmm.

My grandma gave me a pattern for this cowboy bib and I decided to give it a whirl (and find a use for some scraps). I whipped up one for my niece and Rory. I embroidered "Cowgirl" on Kinsley's and will eventually get around to sprucing up Rory's, too. Thinking about "Sweetheart" or "Messy Face".

Still fusing away.

I added new inventory to The Pretty Bean on Thursday: four new pairs of fused plastic bibs, a tote bag, and my first ever fused plastic purse. I made it up as I went along and using a center panel of patchworked pieces and handles from a gift bag.

Happy 1st Birthday, Kinsley!

My niece is turning one today, and I finished her gift just in time for the party tomorrow. It is absolutely impossible for me to finish projects unless I'm up against a deadline, but at least I work well under pressure. (My grandfather told me yesterday that I come by it honestly, so at least there's that.) So here we go. A personalized tote bag for Kinsley and hats for soon-to-be-determined other kids.

Messy = Delicious

Since we've been stingy with dessert lately I decided that Wednesday's dinner needed a surprise encore. Meet my stomach's happiness, in the form of a sloppy yet quite tasty sour cream apple pie. Andrew wasn't sure about the sour cream factor at first, but two pieces seemed to have quelled any lingering suspicion.

Still Busy

I was down to one pair of bibs in my Etsy shop and frantically finished a pile of new ones. It always seems to do better when people have several pairs to choose from. Two sets made the quick-take-a-picture-before-we-lose-daylight deadline, so hopefully tomorrow I'll post more. And a bag. How's that for optimistic?

I printed baby shower invitations and new address cards and will add the post office to my growing list of Friday destinations. That leaves two Moo's Angels orders in queue...looks like I've got a busy weekend ahead of me. Not that I mind.

New Ears

Last year her bunny ears hat was fuzzy and pink. This year I knitted stripes and found the matching ribbon in Rory's toy bin after I'd finished. Orange and yellow hat destiny.

(pattern plug: Itty Bitty Hats)

Delicious

A few weeks ago, Heather told me that applique wasn't as beastly as I'd once thought. This morning I decided that I was brave enough to give it a go, and threw in a matching skirt for good measure.

Happy Birthday, Moms!

Knitted Mom tattoos!

Random gift?
Check.

Pretty cool?
I'd like to think so.

(Awesome idea credit goes to Jujube @ Lolo.)

Go Frogs

If it works, I might have to break out the watercolors before the Cowboys play, too.

Fused Plastic Goodness

Five fused plastic tote bags and 20 bibs for The Vintage-Flea in Newnan, Georgia. That makes four boutiques for the bibs and the first for the bags. I grew attached so several of the bags- I hope the future owners love them as much as I do!

October's a good place to start.

Technically Rory did this, but I can't ever pass up an opportunity to show what she's made. This might occur ad nauseam for others, for which I offer no official apology.

Rory's first watercolor painting. She liked the brush and didn't consume near as much of this medium (in comparison with the fingerpaints from a few weeks ago).

Mandy, why a blog about crafty junk?

1. I have craft compulsion.

2. I think friends/family might be getting tired of receiving emails from me with subject lines such as "Look what I made!", "More crafty adventures", "More pics, part 2 of 4", etc.

3. I'm hoping this can help me organize pictures of stuff I make. "Organize" is used loosely and generally refers to "cramming all pictures of stuff I make in one general place."

4. I heart crafts.

5. I heart blogs.