Welcome

This blog started off sharing my bridal business sewing projects and is now a hodgepodge of unique and fun things I have created over the years.

Hope your creative side is inspired!


Saturday, October 8, 2011

Pella Swim Club - Team Logo

Pella Swim Club received their USA Swimming Charter in March of 2011.  This fall a logo for the club was created.  Below is the final rendition.  It will be used on all official club documents including but not limited to caps and shirts as much as possible.  



2 color logo on red caps



2 color logo on white



Single color logo on white


Thursday, September 15, 2011

Step Stool

My husband and I made step stools for all the nieces and nephews one year for Christmas.  Each one was individually painted with something unique.  He cut out and assembled the stools and I painted them.


* The original blue prints my husband created have been misplaced.  Hoping to find them so we can upload the plans for others to use.  The inspiration for the painting was taken from a piece of wrapping paper.

Monday, June 20, 2011

A matching pillowcase

Over the last few years I have taught a number of 4-H youth and my art students how to make their own pillowcases using this pattern I found on the internet.



Most recently I made a pillowcase to match a graduation T-shirt quilt made for a client.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Graduation T-shirt Quilt

A Graduation T-shirt quilt made for a young man from 18 t-shirt pieces.
I make quilts for clients all over the US.  Contact me for details.
Approximate finished size 96"x104".

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Friday, May 20, 2011

Homemade rosettes for a strap

This bride wanted a single shoulder strap added to her strapless wedding gown.  Left over fabric from alterations was used to create the roses and embellishment. The end result.


Sunday, May 1, 2011

Bridal Gown = 1st Eucharist Dress

Our daughter Callista celebrated her 1st Eucharist this April.  Three years ago I approached our oldest daughter to see if she would like a First Communion dress created for her from my wedding gown.  She did not want any lace and so I waited.  This year when our youngest celebrated her sacrament, she embraced the idea of having a dress created out of the dress her mom married her dad in.

The project started with sketches.  Once the design was clear the original wedding gown  dress needed to be  disassembled.  The original wedding gown was one I designed and created 19 years ago.  A basic dress pattern was found, then a new the designed dress was sloped from the basic pattern.  The sleeves were made fuller, darts and ribbon accents were added to the bodice.  The skirt was box pleated instead of gathered and  lining was added to the skirt so no slip was needed.






The finished dress is more beautiful then I could have imagined.  If you attend the Iowa State Fair this year please visit the Fabric and Threads exhibits to see the dress on display.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Homemade Tatoo Paint



As a coordinator to help with crafts at our local Mom's group one year we decide the ladies would make children friendly recipe scrapbooks.  Each meeting the Mom's came together and created 2-3  4"x6" pages that would be placed in a small photo-album.  Once the year was over I continued to add more pages and create books for gifts.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Sparkly Scented Play-dough

As a coordinator to help with crafts at our local Mom's group one year we decide the ladies would make children friendly recipe scrapbooks.  Each meeting the Mom's came together and created 2-3  4"x6" pages that would be placed in a small photo-album.  Once the year was over I continued to add more pages and create books for gifts.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Prayer Bears

For Christmas one year I made Prayer Bear gift sets for our nieces and nephews.  Each kit included laminated homemade prayer cards, a large stuffed bear and a video title Prayer Bear.  I typed the cards up in fun fonts and used clip art from Microsoft's website.

Each child received a card with a Saint having their namesake as well as a 4x6 card with the following prayers:
The Lord's Prayer
The Hail Mary
Grace Before Dinner Prayer
Serenity Prayer
Grace After Dinner Prayer
The Glory Be
Before Bed Prayer
Daily Prayer to Guardian Angel

Below are few pictures of the cards and some snapshot of the kiddos receiving their bears.







Wednesday, January 12, 2011

A Bustle of Layers





A taffeta dress with layers and layers.  To bustle this dress I used the French Under Bustle method with color coded ribbons.  When the dress was bustled you didn't even notice all the extra layers.  The layers seamlessly blended so nicely.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

A Barbie Bookcase/Doll-house

My husband built a book shelf for our daughter when she was two.  When she was 4 she begged for a Barbie dollhouse.  We painted the inside of the walls to look like rooms and purchased Barbie furniture to fill the house as her Christmas gift this year.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Shrink Art

As a coordinator to help with crafts at our local Mom's group one year we decide the ladies would make children friendly recipe scrapbooks.  Each meeting the Mom's came together and created 2-3  4"x6" pages that would be placed in a small photo-album.  Once the year was over I continued to add more pages and create books for gifts.