Curling Iron Holders

After making the In Car Trash Bag for my friend's mom, I also made her a few curling iron holders for her to store her curling irons either in her bathroom or to pack them for traveling.

Upcycled Denim In Car Trash Bag

How was your mother's day?  

Mine was ok, just a bunch of housework, yardwork, organizing, and gardening, while the Mister took naps.  HAHA

I did, however, hang out with a friend's mom last weekend.  She has been a mom away from mom for me, since my own mother is more than 8000 miles away.

I have already made her a Duffle Bag, Shoe Bags, Travel First Aid Case, Receipts Pocket for Notebook/Binder, Valentine's Day gifts, Denim Tote, Kitchen Accessories, so WHAT ELSE TO MAKE for her?  She works two jobs and they are both far away from home, so she basically lives in her car.  So I knew I had to make her something for her car.  A Trash Bag!

This is so easy to make, you have to read how to make one.

Upcycled Military Uniform Purse {Part 2}

This is a part two of a WIP I started last year.  Read the first half here: WIP Upcycled Military Uniform Purse {Part 1}

I finally got it finished and shipped.

Let's get to the tutorial

Upcycled Military Uniform Reversible Tote

I don't know about you, but I am a little bit ADD when it comes to my creativity.  When an idea pops into my head, I will immediately go search for fabrics and have them out and start cutting, but then another idea would pop into my head and I start the process again, so I end up having a few WIPs (work in progress) lying around.  This was one of them. 

September of last year, I started cutting out some old military waterproof  pants, and then I stopped.  Then when Mother's Day approaching so quickly, I dug it out and started working on it again.  

Upcycled Denim Purse

My mom is not a big purse lady, she prefers small, light weight purses.  I have made a handbag for her before, but the fabric is too casual for her to carry to a more serious gathering.

So I decided to make her a fancier but not too fancy purse.

Let's see how I made it.

Upcycled Denim Apron

Mother's day is around the corner, and I have been a busy bee all week making gifts for my mom.  After a few late late nights, I finally got everything made and shipped them off to mom.  I will post each gift with tutorial throughout this week, so do keep checking in for easy projects to make.

Today, I am going to show you how I made this easy apron made from a denim shirt.   This apron is light and simple, for those moms that love to cook, this will be perfect!

Don't stop now, read on for the tutorial.

Upcycled Denim Tote

How is everyone doing with their Mother's Day gifts?  Did you buy or did you make?  

I was thinking to myself "what would mom love?"  Well, I KNOW for a fact that a tote bag is ALWAYS a good choice for moms, and since all my upcycled totes have been so well received, I knew I have to make one for my mom.

Like it? Want to make one? Read on for the tutorial :)

Upcycled Denim Pocket Pouch

Do you have some old jeans lying round?  Or do you have some old jeans torn up so badly but the pockets are still good?  If so, maybe you can consider cutting out the pockets and making them into something cool.

I have a pair of my favorite jeans (and I really meant favorite because I wore that pair so much that it is just torn to pieces, nothing else is salvageable except for the back pockets) that I wanted to turn into something useful. I thought I could make the back pockets into a little pouch.  Then I thought I could embroider it and make a little pouch for my mom.

Let's see how I made it.

Infinity Scarf

I love scarfs, and my mom loves them too, so I thought I should make some for her.  I first made her a Cotton Pleated Scarf (check out the tutorial), then I thought I should make another one, well, I know infinity scarfs are so in these days, so I made one for mom.

When mom came to visit me last time, we went to the fabric store and she picked out this fabric in cotton, but I didn't end up making anything out of it, so I am using it to make this scarf! 

Let's see how I made it

Cotton Pleated Scarf

Mother's Day is fast approaching, are any of you stuck on what to get for your mom like I am?  I always wait till the last minute to think of something to make my mom because of birthdays and Easter being around the same time.  I said "make", yes I make most of my gifts these days, I think it's more personal and the receiver knows I put alot of thought and sweat into the gifts.  But I do buy gifts that I cannot make (OK I am pretty smart with electronics  but I am not smart enough to MAKE an iPad lol)

A couple of years ago, I made my mom a series of gifts geared toward gardening using 2 yards of Garden Print fabric.  If you want to check them out:

1. Garden Gloves
2. Garden Apron
3. Hand Bag

Last year, her Mother's day gifts were also house warming gifts because my parents came to visit me from Hong Kong in May, and they had bought a vacation home close to me, so I made her a series of kitchen accessories using 2 yards of Fruits Print Fabric.  You can check it out HERE.

Now, this year.... since they won't be coming to visiting me, I am wrecking my brain trying to think of something useful for her, and she is a tough one to please (don't they say our mothers are our toughest critics?)  

I know that she has been trying to stay healthy and eat organic, wears only natural fibers and grow organic veggies.  So I know the first thing she needs is a scarf, a cotton one, because all her other ones are non-cotton, and she will throw them out.

I have some cotton knit fabric, and some Dotted Swiss Fabric left over from other projects and I know it will be prefect for this scarf that I am making for mom.

Ok, let's see what it looks like finished.

Let's see how I made it.

Easy 30-Minute Apron

If you are looking for a quick and easy gift for your mom for this coming Mother's Day, consider making an apron.  It's quick and easy, and useful!

Why I love my embroidery machine

I got my first sewing machine almost 3 years ago, got my embroidery machine almost two years ago, and let me tell you, it's been a blast!

This is my baby Orchid (yes i name my machines) and look at her awesome functions!

Tool Bags

I recently made another tool bag for a friend's birthday and it turned out WAY better than when i first made one for hubby.  lol i guess practice makes perfect. 

these were made about a year ago...they might look rigid but they aren't. 

this one was made last week.  

I have always had problems with zippers, but eventually i will get it just right. lol

Valentine's Day Gifts for the Hubby

For Valentine's Day, I decided to just make something instead of buying gifts for hubby.

I made a very simple cushion for hubby to use at work. i used a pillow case, stuffed pillow stuffing in it and made the cushion cover for it, adding the I "heart" U on the outside.

I also made a letter holder for his desk using left over crafts

the clothes pin can hold a picture or his business card

Denim Purse

I found this very pretty denim fabric on sale one day, decided to make a cute handbag.

Valentine's Day Fabric Fortune Cookie

For Valentine's day, i made this fabric fortune cookie for a friend who i love dearly.

i added batting in the middle of the cookie and sewed snaps and ribbon so when she opens it up, it's a round chair cushion! 

Easy Coasters

Made coasters for some friends. and the best part is that you can buy those iron on appliques and iron them on the coasters, easy as pie! 

Kitchen Accessories {for my mom}

My parents bought a vacation home close to where I live, so I have been VERY excited to decorate it, work on it, and make things for it.  My mom is a great cook, so kitchen is very important. I decided I would make her a whole set of kitchen accessories for her new kitchen. 

Message Board with mail holders

Embroidered Fleece Cushion Set

Made this cushion set for a friend's girlfriend, who likes guns. 

Hello Kitty Baby Gifts

A good friend of mine's baby had her first birthday, so i made a quilt, a high chair cover/cart cover, and a nap mat for her baby.

high chair cover

nap mat closed, with ties

nap mat open

quilt