Ring/Coin Purse

Just been playing and having fun today!

Ever need something safe to put your rings in while at the gym?  Tada! The Ring Purse.  Of course, I don't work out or go to the gym so coins will go in mine.  :)  I know I know, I should workout.  My angel wings are getting larger and larger.  What's an angel wing, you ask?  Well, stand in front of the mirror while wearing a tank top.  Now wave vigorously at yourself.  If you have skin flapping in the breeze where your triceps should be (like I do) then you have angel wings!

Oh, and the last picture is of Mao Mao, our newest addition to the family.  Mao Mao was abandoned earlier this week and he found his way to our front door.  We took him to the vet and have been loving on him ever since.  It's amazing to me what some people consider trash.  This little guy is such a sweet and cherished treasure.  Scott, my husband, suggested the name Mao Mao.  He studied Chinese in California at a Linguist School.  Actually, that's were we met; I was studying Arabic.  But that's a story for another day.  Hope your Saturday is full of cherished treasures!! - Little Mama Hen.

Mao Mao (sounds like pow pow or cow cow - it's Chinese for Cat)

Sharing @

Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Amy Lou Who
Tea Rose Home

X and O Quilt

I love making quilts.  I love finding sweet fabric and dreaming about what I can create with it.  For me, making quilts is a lot like painting.  I LOVE to paint, of course, I don't have much time for painting these days.  Painting takes a lot of me just sitting in front of a blank canvas; it's sorta like waiting for water to boil. I have to wait for inspiration and that takes time and thought.  With two little ones my thoughts are very scattered and unfocused. Of course, I'm a little scattered and easily distracted all on my own! hahaha

Anyway, I adore this new fabric I found.  It's sweet and just so...Me.  ;)  I still need to add some sashing before I started pinning.  I found my inspiration for this quilt on a tutorial by Missouri Star Quilt Co.  Their tutorials are so fun and easy!  (no, I don't work for them or profit from them in any way.  I'm just new to quilting and they have a bunch of easy to follow ideas!)  It's an X and O variation pattern.

Little Man insisted that I take a picture of his little Lizard.  He says it has crazy eyes.  :)
 Loving Life, Little Mama Hen.

Sharing over at

Freshly Pieced

Quilting by the River

Missouri Star Quilt Co.

Bloggers' Quilt Festival

Bloggers' Quilt Festival

What better way to meet quilting bloggers than to join in on an Online Quilt Festival!  What a great idea!  When I first saw information about this festival over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict , I didn't know what quilt I should show off.  What better place to start than at the beginning!

A few months ago I was rambling through Etsy when I happened to come across quilts.  They were so beautiful! Each one was a work of art and they were so expensive!   I thought to myself, "I can do that!" I didn't know anything about quilting. NOTHING!  I didn't know about fabric weights or quality, nesting corners, binding, piecing, 1/4" seam allowances, but I was determined to make something beautiful.  My Mama bought me a rotary cutter and I bought a Dresden ruler that came with a pattern and I started cutting and cutting and cutting. I thought I would be cutting for the rest of my life! Then I started sewing and I thought I'd be sewing little petals together forever!  But it was fun!  When Little Ladybug was at school and Little Man took his nap, I'd turn on Murder She Wrote and work on my quilt.

One Saturday afternoon, my five year old Little Ladybug came meandering in my room just as I finished pressing my last Dresden petal.  Her little eyes lit up when she saw all those beautiful little petals.  "Mama! can I help!?" clasping her little hands together.  She was so excited and we had such fun together that afternoon.  She helped me design my flowers, laying them all carefully together.  Telling me which ones should go together.  All my petals were from scrap fabrics I had around the house and were different colors, weights, and textures.  Some matched, some didn't.  I even used fabric from a curtain I had never used. lol

Now when I look at this quilt and wrap it around me, I don't think about the imperfect stitches or the uneven corners. I think about my daughter's sweet little voice and I see the excitement in her eyes, just to spend a little time with Mama.  I'm beginning to realize and appreciate that each quilt has it's very own story.  Sometimes the story is about the quilt and it's beauty, complexity, and/or perfection, and sometimes it's about the events and people surrounding the quilt while it is being made.

Find something that inspires you and then share it...share it with the world.  -Little Mama Hen

Little Dresses for Africa

Well, as I continue working through my List for May, I am reminded that I don't really do well with Lists.  I find myself doing every other craft imaginable, except what I wrote down to do!  However, I am still working on it. One of my favorite items to accomplish is for a charity called Little Dresses for Africa.  I found this charity last year when I was looking for a tutorial on Pillowcase dresses.   Nancy, from the website Nancy's Notions gives a wonderful video tutorial on how to make a pillowcase dress with yardage.  She includes a PDF pattern too.  I loved making the dresses and I can only hope that it inspires you to try one too.  Whether your dress is for your own little princess or for one thousands of miles away, it's a wonderful and quick project for summertime!!  Happy Sewing.  Little Mama Hen.

WIP

On another item, I'm still working on it!  This is a quilt that I'm making for Ladybug's Kindergarten teacher.  Her teacher has really inspired a spirit of learning, fairness,  and good citizenship with my little Ladybug.  She loves her teacher so much and I really want to do something special for her.  Hopefully, I will complete it before the end of the school year, just a few weeks away!!!!  I love the brown and aqua, such a pretty contrast.  Now, go find something fun to do!  I think I'll go check on my two sleeping cutie pies; that's always a highlight for me.  :)  Little Mama Hen.

Linking up over at

Freshly Pieced

Quilting by the River

Peaches

Left-Me   Right-Peaches

Happy Birthday Early!!

My sister came to see me today and I just couldn't wait any longer to give her the quilt I made her!  Her birthday is Saturday and I'm sure I'll see her, but I couldn't WAIT!!!

There are some people in life that you will find that are easy to be around.  You don't have to dress up, or mind your manners, and that person loves you and it's obvious!  Peaches (her nickname) is like that.  I don't have to worry about what she thinks of me; she loves me and I don't doubt it one little bit.  She has loved me my whole life and I'm a better person because she is apart of me and my life.

my first free motion quilting!!!!

I love you Peaches; I'm grateful every day for being able to share life with you.   You make me smile and you're the only person in the entire world that runs circles for me. ;)  Happy Birthday!!!

Little Man and Ladybug's sweet toes!!  His feet are black!! lol

Sharing at these other lovely blogs.  Check'em out

Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Amy Lou Who
Crazy Mom Quilts Flickr Group

Bumble Beans Charity

One of my May List items is to finish a quilt for Bumble Beans Charity .  Victoria at Bumble Bean is calling for help to donate 700 quilts to families in need in New York.  What a great idea!  I love to sew and quilt; finding ways to use my talent to help others just makes me feel good.

I love navy and white.  My Kitchen is covered here and there with blue and white.  Sometimes simple is just so elegant!  I love this quilt and the simplicity of it.  I hope that it will make someone smile and feel warm and happy.  Thanks Victoria for giving us a chance to help!!





I also worked on some more aprons!!!   My sister wanted some to give as gifts to some of her friends.    I'd do anything for her!  She wanted the aprons for Lotion bottles (Bath and Body size) not Dish Soap, so I adjusted the size.  They are so fun to make!  I've about got it down pat and then I'll share a tutorial!

Linking up

Crazy Mom Quilts Flickr Group

Amy Lou Who

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

List for May

As I've mentioned before, I'm a very spacial person.  I don't do well with lists, I lose them.  I don't do well with lines, I color outside of them.  I am horrible at details, I'm so easily distracted (I don't know how I ever made it through Air Force Training!).  My Mama use to lovingly say I was always in my own little world.  I still am!  

However, AmandaJean over at Crazy Mom Quilts had a great idea.  She made a sewing/crafting/quilting 'TO-DO' list for the Month of May and invited others to do the same.  Everyone will blog about their progress and post pictures on her FLICKR GROUP .  So here goes!

1. Make Little Dress for Africa - Charity
2. Pillowcase Challenge (make more) - Charity
3. Finish and mail my quilt for Bumble Beans Inc. Charity
4. Finish my sister's quilt!  I'd better!  Her birthday is this month!!!

Car trash tote and bag holder

5. Finish Mama's mother's day gift! oh she's gonna love it!
6. Complete quilt for my Little Ladybug's Kindergarten teacher
7. Make Pillow Shams for Family Room chairs - I've never made shams before
8. Make quilted kitchen towel holders - Any good ideas out there?
9. Make trash bag holders for bathrooms
10. Make trash tote and bag holders for sis and mama
11. Make a scrap quilt top (just the top!)
12. Make something for my honey!  It's his birthday this month!


Well, I will be so happy if I get all of that done!  However, it's very possible I wont get anything finished! With two sweet little ones...well, if you're a mama you know.  ;)

What do you want to accomplish in the month of May?  Make room for something fun!

Little Mama Hen