Look What You Made...

Counting Bean Bags made by Liz at Living My Sweet Life
(the numbers are freezer-paper stenciled--brilliant!)

Girl Pin Cushion from the Child's Sewing Kit made by ThisYoungMama
(so nicely done I almost wish it was a whole doll!)

Mooshy Belly Bunny made by Kristena at Thimbly Things
(described by Kristena as a jail-break-bunny)

Child's Sewing Kit by Linaloo
(love the denim cover with the applique heart)

Spelling Bean Bags by Tappity
(made with such a lovely array of repro feedsacks I feel a little nauseous with envy)

Nature Explorer Bag made by Kendra
(actually, she made 3 and she made them to be beachcomber bags for her kids)

Counting Bean Bags by The Crafty Kitty's Eco Crafts
(made from some luscious Cloud 9 Organic Fabrics and then
stashed in a fabric box designed by Stephanie to fit the bean bags--
and I love the blanket stitched numbers)

Rainbow Sunshine Plushie made by Larissa at MmmCrafts
(the chenille lion's face adaptation of my design just makes me smile)

Cloth Napkins by Kay at I Got a Notion
(like the letters done up in an array of calicos--very homey)
Some of you have been busy again--busy making stuff from my tutorials, busy making lots of counting bean bags especially, and busy making them all your own in that way you have.  I love to see what you put up in the Beeper Bebe Projects Made by You Flickr group--and love to flaunt what you are doing around here.  Because it should be flaunted and shared.  In my perfect world, everyone would stop what they are doing to admire all the things so many people are out there hand-making, everyone would give handmade gifts, everyone would understand the value of handmade, and everyone would have a scotch and soda with a twist of lemon at 6:00pm sharp each day.  Mmmm, scotch and crafts...

And just in case you got disoriented there for a moment after viewing so many awesomely realized projects, you can find the instructions for any one of the projects right over here.

Look What You Made...

Made by Helen Rawlinson--check out the colorful and freeform number applique

Many of you have been busy this past year, making a little something from one of my designs--but not merely making it--making it your own.  I love when you do that--because I do that too, all the time.  

Recently Modern Parents, Messy Kids did a little write up about giving books for gifts and offered a link to my library book bag tutorial in their post--but suggested that people might just want to use a ready made canvas tote to start with and simply applique on the word "BOOKS" and sew on a library card pocket in the same manner I did mine--which is smart.  Seriously.  I see things I want to make all the time (um, if you have not yet noticed this about me), but then sometimes I just do not have the wherewithal to make it as prescribed from start to finish so I work in a short cut, or sometimes I just feel compelled to tweak the design in some way because I would prefer the doll have knee socks and not just bare legs or whatever...and as far as I am concerned, this is what it is all about.  Making something--yes, good--but making it your own--even better.  And I so dig that when you do that with my designs too.  

So, I thought I would share a few photos with you from my Beeper Bebe Projects Made by You Flickr group--of all the ways you have made my stuff your own, in that clever, just-ignore-the-very-detailed-instructions-way you have...

Made by Bee Cah--love the array of hair colors

 Made by CathinCa--love the addition of domino-like dots for counting on the backside

Made by DorisPepsi--strips of felt replace ribbons (take that, Taggies)

Made by skirt_as_top--crazy about the the pouch and the linen-like stone-colored fabric

Have you been surreptitiously making something from one of my tutorials?  If so, please share it in my Beeper Bebe Projects Made by You Flickr group.  I'd love to see what you have made, how you have made it your own, or how you may have even made it better.

What Would You Make with This?

I purchased this sumptuous plant-dyed wool felt from A Child's Dream Come True a couple of months ago on a whim when I was reordering some their other more traditionally dyed wool felts.   The plant-dyed colors just caught my eye and when I slipped them out of their mailing envelope, I think my pulse quickened.  I really am at a loss to describe it, but there is something about the colors of these felts that is so much more extraordinarily gorgeous than other wool felts.  

So, they have been sitting right on top of my work table all this time, awaiting the right inspiration, the right project, the thing to evolve into...and I've got nothing.  Every time I look at them, I am still as in love with them as the day they arrived, but I just cannot work out what the right project is for this lovely felt, in all these rich, natural colors.    I know--this should not be hard.  And I really am eager to cut into the pieces and make something...but what?  

So I ask, what would you make with these pieces of felt if they were yours?

What All the Cool Kids Are Doing...

(made by Alli at One Pearl Button--see her post about it here)

(made by Minnado)

(made by Kamilee)

(made by Cuddlet)

Just wanted to share some of the photos of what has been turning up in the Beeper Bebe Project Flickr group. What I love most about seeing what you make, are the ways in which you improvise or make the design yours--or perhaps, just make it work with what you have in the house already. Because that is what creating is about, really--not staying between the lines, not coloring the sky blue and the grass green, not being so damn obedient to my instructions. For instance, see the way Cuddlet did not have any thrifted cashmere on hand, so she just used some fleece sort of jersey to make her Beddy-Bye Beasts? Or the way Minnado improvised in the binding of the vintage paper doll book, using the lovely blue ribbon? Bravo.

Have you made something from one of my tutorials or project downloads? If so, you should do what all the cool kids are already doing and join my Flickr group and share.