merger...

so after much thought i've decided to merge my business blog with my personal blog. you can now find my creations and day to day life here. come visit, leave a comment, let me know what you really think...

boutique!!!

come check out my booth if you are in the area... the booth fee and the % the owner takes off the top are going to pay for another attempt at an IVF baby (not for me, for the owner!!!).

major slacker!

i've been a major slacker when it comes to blogging as of late. it's been shop hop in our area and i've been working overtime trying to get all my samples ready. i'm also preparing for a boutique. it's been over a year since my last one, so it's been a bigger project than i anticipated. here are a few peeks at my life in the last few weeks...

these are the november apron of the month class that i am teaching at the shop.

and this is a FEW of the many quilts that have been slaved over in the last month

promise i'll be back on the bloggin' wagon soon!

free hand bag

check it out...
www.handbagplanet.com

twirl skirt...

this pattern was awful! no where does it state the seam allowance and you have to search to find out how many different fabrics it calls for. it was confusing as can be, so i just folded the pattern back up and guessed how it was put together. i'm pretty happy with the results, but next time i won't have as much fluff. i think it hides too much of the pretty fabric. i think i'll try another one later this week.

i realize it has been forever since i posted last. it is a very busy season for us. between stocking up on food storage (bottling) and staring school (for both my kids) it seems i don't get enough time with my little kenmore. she has been feeling quite neglected. so this last weekend her and i took a trip to loa (yes, that is a real place) and stayed in a little barn and sewed all weekend. i don't have a finished project to show for it (maybe by this time next year...), but it got me into THE mode. so i am back on the working train and here is one of the fruits of my labor...

(yup, it's yet ANOTHER apron)

cowboy chapps

i swear, everytime i think, "um... i should make something for hunter", my mind goes blank. what in the world can you make for boys that doesn't scream, "i'm a sissy boy!!!!". ties- cool, capes- got that covered. but i tried to make a button down for hunter and it may have well said in big bold letters on the front, "SISSY". so when i finally find something to make for my little man i get a little excited!!!! and little is a very major understatement! i know this doesn't quite compare to the skirts i've made for kamryn that she can wear every day. but if i know my little man, i'm sure he'll get alot of use out of them.

(front)

(i can't remember what these metal things are called, but i thought they finished off the chapps rather well)

winner, winner, chicken dinner!

ok- so grandma stole my little girl till past bedtime last night. so the winner couldn't be picked until this morning. sorry!

so the tutu or cape goes to... (drum roll please)...

BONNY!

and i'm feeling supper nice today (quilt shop day) so i picked 2 runners up as well... the prize you ask? a headband for each. it's not much, but everyone seems to love them! so congrats to....

RACHEL H

and

THE OYLERS

if the winners could shoot me an email at HayLeaves@yahoo.com with their addresses that would be great!

2 tutu/cape give aways!!!

tomorrow blog.craftroad.com will be hosting a give-away for me. the winner can choose between a tutu or a super hero cape.

just leave a comment on craftroad to be entered to win. i believe they will post the winner on the following friday. the only requirement is that you must live in the USA to win.

i think i'll kick things off a little early. along with entering the drawing with craftroad you can also enter here for a second chance at either the cape or the tutu along with a few surprise give-aways! to enter, simply leave a comment letting me know how you found my blog. if you post the give-away on your blog (and let me know) i'll put your name in again. simple, simple, simple... the winners will be randomly picked by my 5 year old out of hat (we are really scientific around here!) on friday night(september 5th) before bedtime (8pm mst). good luck to you all!

appliqued all the way!

long ago, when i discovered the wonderful world of ebay, i found an amazing woman... she hand appliques everything from purses, to pants, to jackets. i love so much about what she does! i wanted a pair of pants for kamryn, but was unable to afford the steep prices she charged. it has been in the back of my mind ever since. well, today i was feeling a little creative and decided to take a stab at it. this is the fruit of my labor (and now i've decided it would have been worth every penny... this takes forever and i used my machine to applique them on!)

happy anniversary... and good bye to a treasured friend

one day, not so long ago, i made a great friend. she was green, she had a million pockets and beautiful stitching... unfortunately her days were numbered! she was wearing old way to quickly and i had to trade her in (lucky for kamryn- she got 2 pair of boots out of it!). i was purseless... PURSELESS!!!! i was so in love with my green bag that i had thrown out ALL my old purses (granted- they needed to be retired), and that left me carrying around my wallet and filling my pockets with all the nick knacks that my green machine usually carried. when my husband agreed to take me to the movies for our 7th anniversary i went into a quick panic. where will i hide my can of diet pepsi? where will i stow his box of mike and ikes? it's too hot for a coat... no, i need a purse! and that is how this little baby was born...

she was thrown together in about an hour while the kids napped and jeff caught a few zzzz's before our date. i used both the wrong side and right side of some upholstery fabric i bought a few months back. she's the perfect size for the movies, for church, and everyday errands. oh, and i don't have to dig for my wallet or my phone... they both fit nicely in the outside pocket, or the inside pocket (it's reversible).

my beautiful, wonderful, awesome, talented, gorgeous aunt marci is having a give away on her blog! just jump over to her blog by clicking the picture and comment on your favorite think about fall for a chance to win this pillow (and more)!!!!

dance bag

(side a)

i searched high and low for light pink and black material to make my kamryn a bag for dance. no such luck! so i settled for light pink OR black. it turned out so well that i was almost tempted to keep it for myself... but she already knew it was for her- RATS! it has a 8 pockets (for her tap shoes, ballet slippers, tights, leos, water bottle, and a few extras). it fits her tutu perfectly in the middle with out mashing it to bits. she loves it almost as much as i do!

(side b)

(inside)

memory quilt

i asked my grandpa if i could take a few of grandma's favorite things and make a quilt. there is every type of material in this quilt... seersucker, rayon, wool, corduroy, levi, and cotton. it is my first pinwheel, and will forever be my favorite. when i was pressing the blocks i would catch a whiff of my grandma here and there. i'm so excited to give it to grandpa. it's wild- but i can't help but to think of grandma every time i glance at it! we miss you "wild ruthie"!!!

sheered shirts/skirts

after finishing this order i need to make a trip to the shop to pick up more material. i have to make kamryn a few of these for school. they look darling layered over a long or short sleeved shirt. the straps can also be tucked in and it can be worn as a skirt.

is it over yet???

i taught my first class at the quilt shop tonight. what to say? what to say? i laughed my arsss off! the girls who took the class were so funny. they were good to practice on! i had no idea the class would take so long, but the time flew by and i think everyone had a good time. will there be a next time??? absolutely! next class will be 'beginning sewing' (aka- reading a pattern, knowing your machine, and a little sewing lingo). i'm not sure if i'll do it at the shop or at my house (i have a more room than the 100yr old house the shop is in). for those of you who asked for this class... is anyone day better than another?
-me

i promise, i'm really not obsessed!!!!

so i finished my rush order for the trek clothing. i'm a little sad over the whole thing (it will probably never be worn again after this little trek and the work i put into them will never be fully appreciated :( ...) but, the pay check will be a nice chunk. new sewing machine here i come!!! any suggestions on what machine ladies? i've been using my trusty kenmore for the last 10 years. it is very basic (9 whole stitches if you count the auto button hole), but she has been a very trusty friend. i know there are so many machines out there that are much more equipped with what i need from a machine in my line of work, but i'm clueless where to start. i need something somewhat cost effective (this is a small business- i can't justify spending too much). does anyone out there absolutely love, love, love their machine???

no, i'm not obsessed!

ok- so i know, this is my 3rd apron in 2 days, but this is yet another order. i'm quite pleased the way it turned out. although i'm kind of sad it will probably only be worn a handful of times on the hot and dusty trail of the pioneers (and by a teenager who will most likely not appreciate it at all- if she's like most teenagers!) so, i am saying farewell to yet another apron and hello to another pay check! i love women who love to spend money!

fits everything including the kitchen sink!

i made two bags last night so kendyl and kamryn could have new beach bags for swim lessons. i forgot to take a picture of kendyl's but this is kamryn's. i also serged the left over lining piece so they could each have a matching lava lava. this is the biggest bag ever!!!! i know it looks large, but this thing can hold more than what you'd think. a package of swim diapers, 3 lg beach towels, treats and drinks an i bet is wasn't even half way full. it was perfect for the pool!!!!

what is it with aprons...

the first 2 pics are of a simple butcher's apron. i just finished it and i love the way it turned out. i'm teaching a class on this apron on wednesday(just changed to NEXT wednesday 7/16) (nothing like procrastinating, eh?) so if any of you are interested you can email me and i can give you the details.

and here is the flower on the chest

this picture is courtesy of my 5 yr old. i hate having to be my own model!!! this was made for my sweet cousin and i had to get a picture before i sent it off to her this week. i love the black and white!!!

slacking days are over... i hope!

well, i've been in a bit of a funk, so forgive me for not posting in forever. i hope not too many of you have given up on me.

i made this dress from a tutorial my friend showed me. it turned out so cute and i thought i was pretty handy to get this done in time for kamryn to wear on father's day (the dress is made out of her dad's old church shirt).

and the best part... i didn't have to do any button holes! the buttons on the back are from the front of dad's shirt. you can't get easier than this project!

and the flower is only because my little girly girl didn't think it was prissy enough... and i had enough gathering left over from the bottom of the dress.

samples for the store...

last week i was asked to make a few samples for the quilting cottage. it took a few days, but i've had a few orders (and they take priority over samples). i finished it last night after my kids were in bed and my hubby was gone playing cards with the boys. i was waiting by kamryn's bed when she woke up... i couldn't wait for her to try it on, take pics, and post them. she is such a good sport for her mama!

the skirt and top can both be special ordered by emailing haley@hayleaves.com.

this is for you marci

i borrowed a pattern from marci a few weeks ago and then decided to make up my own instead of using it. i love my new shower curtain bag, but i had an order come in for a diaper bag so i put the pattern to use... well, kind of. i used the instructions (to a point) but the measurements were all mine. it is completely reversible and the front and back pockets are different colors. i'm tempted to make me one now. how many bags can one girl have?????

do you know me?

crazy thing happened this weekend. my family went up to a nearby reservoir to play for the day with some friends, the smarts. they also had a few other friends up there and some family we had never met. i was introduced to kenzie's cousins and she asked if our family had blog and if kenzie had a link to it on her blog. yup, yup, and yup. and then kenzie told her i had another blog called hayleaves. no way! your hayleaves???? yes, that's me. she has been wondering who i am cause everyone she knows has a link to my blog on their blog. how funny that all those people are my family or jeff's family or our friends. so thanks to everyone out there that has my link on their blog! i felt famous for a minute... well until i put the connection together that her little brother is married to jeff's cousin. but still- people are starting to recognize the name and every little bit helps in this business!

oh, and here is a picture of the little skirt i made up for kamryn from the valance i bought at the di. it turned out so cute! and the first person that saw it bought the other skirt on the spot.

something to snuggle to

a few weeks ago a girl i use to play bunco with called and wanted a quilt made for her mom. her dad passed away a year ago (today) and she wanted to give her mom something to remember him by. she asked if i could put their wedding photo on the quilt with some stitching. i can stitch, but not well enough (or quick enough) to sell that service so i called my aunt marci (her sister in law) and she took care of that part for me. when i got it all done i was very sad that i had put the picture in the quilt... cause i wanted to keep it. it turned out so nice and it matched my front room beautifully! oh well, i hope her mom loves snuggling to it as she thinks of her sweet hubby.

thank you denise for letting me do this!!!!

this weeks di finds...

ok- so i posted on my family blog about my experience at the di this week. i wanted to show everyone my finds. the sheets are going to be made into lounge pants and maybe a few skirts.

but check out the cute white curtains. those are being made into little skirts. there is enough for 2 skirts- one for my little kamryn and one for???? anyone need a cute skirt for little girl? i'll post pics when they are done, but the quilter just called and i have to pick up my next project that needs to be done by saturday!

more refinishing

and the chair to go with the desk... (yes, that is the di price tag)

(before)

(after)