HO HO HO Blog Hop...MY TURN!!!!!!

 HEY, look at me!  I just figured out how to put the blog hop picture in the post!!!!  Well, now that the hard stuff is over with, onto the pics.
  So, before I tell you what I made, I would like to give a shout out to the two wonderful (non-competitive) women who made this blog hop happen.  Thanks to Madame Samm for coming up with this hop and Carol for being our head cheerleader.  Joining these hops always guarantees a finish for me, so , thanks a million ladies!!  I also think it is appropriate to thank all the hoppers who cheer on all the creators of the wonderful projects!  Let's all just have a big quilty love fest!  YAY us!!!!
  So, when I signed up for this hop I knew there were some projects I would like to finish and also some new ones I wanted to start (and finish).  The first thing I wanted to do was make a purse for the holiday season.  Since I recently made the Evelyn bag by ChrisWDesigns (link on right sidebar) I figured I could whip one out rather quickly.  I wanted to make a bag that was a little more formal for when I am FORCED to act like an adult!!  So I went with a couple of fabrics from a country Christmas F4 set and added in the music fabric to make it more festive.

For the inside I used my own hand dyed fabric.  It turned out quite nice I think!

Once that was out of the way, I took a break and surfed the blogging world.  I came across a nice little tutorial by Maria over at Mia's Creations for fabric baskets.  They are the simplest things to make and yet look so adorable.  Since they are just made from a square they can be made any size.  So I made three different sizes!!

Aren't they the perfect little things to store stuff.  I used the big one to store the accessories for making fabric postcards, the little one for a mini sewing basket and of course.....one to hold the chocolate!!!!  Oh, and here's a pic of a finished postcard ( on the left) and an in-process one.

  I thought I'd better get started on those now and maybe I won't have to run out at the last minute to buy a box of cards!
  Now for my last new project I found more inspiration on BlueMountain Daisy.  I have always thought the Swoon quilt pattern was really cool but when I saw how Rachel made hers into houses I was hooked!  What a great way to use up some holiday fabric scraps and end up with a little Christmas village!  Here's what I came up with...

I was going to make it a pillow but the tops of the houses got lost when I stuffed it so now it is a wall hanging!  I used scrap booking brads for the stepping stones and strung seed beads and glass tube beads to decorate the trees.  I tied buttons on for the door handles and even added some stick on gems for twinkling snowflakes in the sky.

Oh and of course I had to add a little furry friend in one of the doorways!

I used some fun fabric for the middle and added a felt snowman and a little gingerbread couple.

 Well, that's my new project and now on to the ufo's!  I had a centerpiece all cut out last year but wasn't sure if I really liked all the fabric in it.  Between my indecisiveness and Christmas coming early last year(!!!!!!!) it never did get made.  Well, since it was cut out I figured I better just make it.  What else would I do with the pieces?!   Once I sewed it all together and quilted it I thought what the heck am I going to use to bind this thing!  It was cut from F4s so I didn't have enough to bind it.  So I went a digging.  Lo and behold, in a bag of remnants from Fabric.com (I love buying those leftover surprise bags) I came across the perfect fabric.  So now she is bound and ready to show off!!

And the back is just as cute!

Now my last (but certainly not least) project is my favorite thing I've ever made (so far!).  At the beginning of this year I came across a sew along to learn new techniques called the Something New Sampler.  It was hosted by Amy over at 13 Spools.  I thought I would sew along since there was a couple of the techniques I had never done and a F4 set I that I didn't know what to do with. It really was a great way to learn some new things.  It is still linked on her blog if anyone would like to check it out.  When I finished several of the blocks and posted them on the Flicker group, Amy mentioned how it reminded her of gingerbread cookies.  Well she sure was right and inspiration struck my like lightening!

 The cool thing about the blocks was that they were rectangle instead of square so when I put the blocks together I could make it look a little less like a sampler quilt.  I used a white background so I could make my gingerbread men "active"!  I also thought it would be fun to add some ric rac when I sewed down the binding instead of having a border.  I love love love this quilt.  Here are some close up pics so you can see the details.

That about wraps up my projects.  And now I think I will have my very first give away!!!!!  Since I had such a ball making these fabric baskets, I think I will share one with some lucky winner!

I have this one full of all my postcard making stuff.  While yours will not be that full, I may just add some of my holiday fabric scraps to get you started on your own fabric postcards!!  Just leave me a special little comment and you'll be in!  Now I just have to learn how to use Mr. Random before August 9th!!!!
  Thanks for visiting me and be sure to visit all the crafty creators that are on for today!!
  Happy Hopping!!

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