Valentine Tussy Mussy

Creative girl sent me a facebook link to make Valentine Tussy Mussy's.
Tussy Mussy refers to a tiny bouquet of flowers or a nosegay given to a sweetheart. 

Also called Penny Pockets in the tutorial. In any case, these little tussy mussy's can hold a few treats  - just perfect for Valentine's Day.
The Sweet Treat Pocket Tutorial is here.

I made four, lost interest by the third one and finished the fourth one a day later - just to clear my cutting counter. They use scrap pieces of fabric and some buttons and beads from stash.
The tutorial is all about buying layer cakes (10" squares of a fabric line) and a fabric roll (?). But stash is good. You just need some 10" squares to cut diagonally in half, ribbon, buttons and some decorative beads.

I used ribbons for the handle instead of fabric because, why not? Why cut and stitch a handle when the ribbon drawer yields much faster results?

Laundry day went fairly well Sunday. After a late start, trying to surf over all the sick peoples around me, I made some fresh green juice, prepared breakfast and made a batch of chocolate chip cookies.
Then I sewed the above Tussy Mussy's, packed up DD & DS's valentine care packages. 

I finished an  entire Julie Garwood novel too.

And worked outside pruning overgrown - we've been here for thirty years - shrubs for an hour. I can already see about 20 hours in my future - just pruning for the spring which we have started here. We may get a late freeze - in fact  - we had one Sunday morning but the days will become warmer and the flowers have already started their spring blooming marathon here in the Willamette Valley.

First crocus  - ignore the slug snack on the left

Snowdrops

Sunday was a very productive day with me getting around to not only chores but some of the fun stuff.
Not me below - DS sent me photos of his recent hike this weekend.

Glowing Sun sighting.

Mt. Jefferson with Three Sisters in the far background. Sisters are named imaginatively: North Sister, Middle Sister, South Sister.







 


 







 









 

More Heart Pouches

 More Heart Pouches for small things.
Coins, Earbuds, Lucky rabbit foot, whatever.

 

Two go as gifts - I'll let Connie and Janine pick their favorite.
The other two will go into my etsy shop.

I didn't delve into my new Japanese fabrics, although one came from there in a gift - cute bunny rabbits! The other fabrics are form the small scrap basket, trying to keep going on my new year's resolution of "keep sewing until you use the fabric up". ahem.

I think the Japanese fabrics need to age a bit longer.



Earbud heart tute is here.

Dog Bone Valentines

 

 I saw something like this in my facebook feed and I thought immediately of my nephews who got a new dog last year.

For Valentine's Day, I filled it with better treats.

These are my packages going out today - including the Valentine Bone above. My rural carrier gets counted for picking up these packages, and the number of packages. Also for dismounting from her vehicle to come to my front door.

 My giveaway of the Hot Chicken is going on all month. All you need to do is send me a postcard or a letter. My address is  on the main giveaway post.

Cluck Cluck - WIN ME.

 The lining is a thin laminate I bought in Helsinki. I finally cut into it after three years. It sewed like a dream. Doggy treats are kinda greasy so this will be washable and containable.

Back side

I found one dog print in dark colors (stash)  - a hunting scene and it did not quite fit Rose. I used some great airplane fabric instead - after all, it's from the airplane auntie.

Chicken Hot Pads

I had a productive rainy day Sunday sewing time.
And I needed to change my blog post photo from the last one. Eewww.

Everyone I know was watching the super bowl but me. I've never been into football that much, can't drink the beer {Glutens, barley, hops :'( }. I almost watched it because Pencil Girl helped make the giant lion who made an appearance at the half time show.

   

I have a friend who is dire need of replacing her chicky hot pad so I dug out the box from where it had been stored for a few years and found that I already had some chickens cut out and ready to sew. I used to make these for holiday bazaars.

The wings are pockets for your hands. She keeps hers sitting/nesting over the teapot handle.

My zips came in so I was able to finish using up my laminate and I also used this free 'suede'  sample swatch from Spoonflower. Just the right size to make this Dumd Valentine Pouch.

This one might be my favorite. Soft airplanes.

I tried top-stitching on the vinyl laminate with a dull sewing machine needle and the backside is cruddy with skipped stitches. I am contemplating tossing this one or doing a giveaway. I spent about two seconds thinking about ripping out the top stitching and hand stitching around the heart instead with a thicker thread (the holes in the laminate are permanent). It might have to go into the time-out closet.

Heart Pouch

I saw one of these on facebook today about an hour before I had to go to work and get dressed.
I remembered Crafty Tokyo Mama had sent me some laminate scraps which have been sitting on my ironing board taking up space, cuz there wasn't a better spot.
I have three more small  pieces of laminate I plan to turn into heart pouches tomorrow.

Pouch measures about 3 1/2". Perfect for ear buds or coins or other tiny stuff.

Getting A Handle On Things

Tote bag finished.
I didn't want to sew a handle for this tote bag.

I could have.
--- in the time it took me to traipse up to Joann's (hopefully) and buy this set.

However, the end of the purchased handle was a round piece as was my re-purposed lobster claw piece.
How to join them???
Nothing in the purse section of Joann's, although they are carrying a line of purse feet and other hardware that is very interesting.

I wandered over to the jewelry findings section and eventually found a large key ring. Too big and they didn't have four of the mediums which, proportionately, was the correct size. No other options (except sewing a connector piece), so I zoomed home where I did find four matching key rings and, tada!, this bag is done.





And here are my practice grandkids with their valentine owl purses.
I had to tease my niece about the pinkness.
She was so adamantly opposed to pink when the oldest was born.

They showed her!




Hello Kitty. {giggle & snort}

Lol - Kristin!

Happy Valentines Day!

Borrowed from MissInformation Blog.





Here's a sweet mouse Valentine.