Hen Crafted: Ciao Bella, Magnolia! (Giveaway)

I have a wonderful Mother. She is also my best friend. She has taught me many things, both as a child and an adult...

But - You knew there had to be a BUT didn't you? But somehow I missed an important lesson on a useful skill my mother possessed. I never learned to sew.

I could mess around on my mom's machine. My sister, Dee and I spent an entire summer making second-hand jeans into denim skirts. I have even sewn on scrapbook pages on occasion. Oh, and I can cross-stitch... But I'm not sure THAT even counts as 'sewing' (and besides, my Dad taught me that). The point is I wouldn't have the foggiest notion how to follow one of those pattern-y thingies.

For my birthday last year, Mr. Loggerhead gave me a sewing machine. He knew it was on my wish-list and besides he had the secret motive of wanting me to cut off all his long sleeves and hem them nicely. Long sleeve shirts were not invented for shoulders and arms like his... Oh sorry! lost my train of thought there! He has a way of distracting me!

Anyway, the sewing machine was quite a surprise. Our birthdays are only four days apart and they fall right around Thanksgiving so we had discussed delaying any celebration 'til after the holiday. But on my birthday here he came with this big box! He plopped it on the kitchen table and proceeded to tell me all the things the man at the local 'Sew and Vac' had showed him this machine could do. He is so sweet.

Her name is Magnolia and she cried to be used.

"Hmmm... What project should I attempt first?"

"How about opening my box?"

"No, not yet. I have nowhere to set you up."

"Read my manual?"

"Nope, too busy."

So she sat for a while. Okay, it was months. Mr. Loggerhead was getting irritated. I was very busy, alright? To be honest, I was scared. You'll soon see I'm pretty good at messing things up! Just ask my mom about the time I tried to get my brother's birthday cake out of the pan and onto a platter! The cake had to be salvaged by making it look like a torn battle field complete with G.I. Joes!

I digress...

The day finally came when I did it! I opened her prison and released her. I got her all set up and sewed on some party invitations. We were off! Magnolia and I were fast friends. She is a silent partner, a smooth character, responds perfectly to my every whim and easily compensates for my shortcomings! What more could I ask for?

When Bee needed winter clothes Magnolia whispered,

"Let me help!"

I gathered some inspiration by drooling at darling custom sewn outfits on-line (avoid 'Holly's Mama' if you don't need any more addictions, my dears). I simply could not afford to spend $150.00 on per ensemble, even for my Bee. Nor could I sew like that... Not completely anyway. But I had to do SOMETHING! I owed it to Magnolia.

I bought some second hand pieces I liked, both price wise and for style. A visit to the fabric store gave me all the other supplies I needed and the fever rose!

Here is my first project:

 

My sketch

Cute Periwinkle tunic with a darling 'Ciao Bella' motif

Ordinary Jeans

Add some ruffles.

Tulle - every thing is better with tulle, you know!
Polka-dot fabric, ribbon, iron on flowers, an antique hankie...

and we're set.

She loved posing, this girly-girl of mine.

And the back!

It's the perfect outfit for doing important stuff. Like watching Kit-Kat and Jax play on the computer!

Or crawlng on the floor... Or eating spaghetti

Why do I bother?

Somewhere Magnolia's big mother sewing machine is laughing at me. I guess this is what I get for leaving her cooped up in that box so long!

Because I need your sympathy and I still owe Magnolia lots of use... And because my little sister, Kit-Kat, must not follow in my shoes when it comes to learning to sew...

She is sewing a dolly quilt/baby snuggly for one lucky winner.

Enter a random drawing by telling me how YOU use your creative energy.

I'll select the winner on Friday, October 16th at 8pm Central