Blogs and Bags and Deployments – Oh My!!! (Deployment Project #66)

If I knew how to make music play in the background of my blog - -just for this post - - I would have Disney World’s, “It’s a Small World” playing right now!  But, since I don’t know how to do that, just mentally let that song play in your head!!

The Blog world is really such a small world!  I’m hoping that you can follow along with this story, because it really is good!!

First off, let’s start with Mrs. K.  Mrs. K is a follower of my blog - - I think the point my blog started standing out to her was when we had all that snow and I made all those BDU/ACU bags.  Mrs. K  was in love with them - - she loved them because her hubby – Mr. K – is in the Army also.

One day, Mrs. K was sending her husband a message on Facebook and saw a picture of one of his friends on Facebook.  Mrs. K thought that the person in the picture looked vaguely familiar.  Mrs. K took a closer look and realized that the picture was my Handsome Hubby!

Handsome Hubby :)

Mrs. K asked Mr. K how he knew Handsome Hubby - - - turns out Mr. K and Handsome Hubby are roommates in Afghanistan!!    How crazy is that?!?!?!?!

Here they are in front of their “hut”

So…. after Mr. K heard from Mrs. K about a million times how much she LOVED the bags that I made, Mr. K asked Handsome Hubby if I would make one for his wife.  It was my joy and privilege to make Mrs. K a bag this past week and send it as a surprise to her from her hubby!!!

Mrs. K’s bag!!

Now Mrs. K and I are friends - - in fact, I’m trying to convince her that they should move to the DC area and be our neighbors!!  Mr. K is coming home soon - - if all this volcanic ash would clear up! - - I am so excited for them to be together as a family again (Mrs. K had a baby just a couple of months ago, so when Mr. K gets home, he will be seeing  and holding his son for the first time!)  Doesn’t that just bring tears to your eyes? 

Baby K

I am kind of sad that Mr. K is coming home soon - - because that means my Handsome Hubby will lose a good friend to hang out with :(  In fact, poor Handsome Hubby, all his good buddies are leaving within the next two weeks, so I’m praying that some good guys are heading his way!!

Spring Break

Wow!  What a great response to the “Half Way There” post and contest!  Thank you all so much for your encouragement during this deployment.  It feels good to be on the down-hill side, but it does feel like time is starting to go slower!

This past week was a productive week for me!  One of my best friends from college was here.  We did exactly what I thought we would do - - lots of pampering, shopping and late nights!  It was fabulous!  We also celebrated Charise’s 7th Birthday.

I did actually get some projects done while she was here, nothing big, but since we are counting, I thought I would share them with you.  But first, the big news of the day is that Re-upholstery 201 will be starting tomorrow and continuing through the rest of the week.  Many of you have been asking for a tutorial on a more complicated chair or even couches, so this next project is a great “stepping up in difficulty” project!

One of my first projects  (#55) to report is the most obvious.  I’ve been “spring cleaning” on my blog.  It was getting too messy and too busy - - so I went for a cleaner look…BUT now all my pictures have resized and things aren’t laying out correctly.  I wish I was more computer smart - - but that just wasn’t one of the gifts God gave me.  So – hang with me as I attempt to figure this all out!

None of my other projects were overly exciting  this week, but since we are keeping count, here is a quick list!

1 more bag (Project #56)

 

3 more pillows (Projects #57 – #59)

3 sets of curtains (Projects #60 - #62)

 

this is also a quick peek at a bigger project I am working on - - but more on that one later!

This set of curtains was a “re-make” of some curtains we found at World Market - - loved the fabric, but they needed to be tweaked a little.  I’m still waiting for “after” pictures, so for now you can just enjoy the beauty of the fabric!!

Join me tomorrow as we get started on a new chair for Re-upholstery 201

Home Sweet Home! (Deployment Projects #37-40)

There is nothing that feels better than being home after a long vacation!!  The kids and I finally made it home this afternoon.  We had a great trip, but it’s good to be home.  I have so many ideas and projects to do around here, I am going to have a ton of projects coming up!!

I did actually get some projects done while I was away.  I thought it might be fun to do a post on my vacation and the projects I did while on vacation.  Am I the only person who goes on vacation and the purpose is to go and visit family and friends and help them with projects?

Our vacation started out 3 weeks ago when we loaded ourselves, our luggage and my sewing machine into the truck and headed west.   We were delayed from leaving Virginia by snow, so on the extra day that we had before we left, I made an Amy Butler Weekend Bag.

 

Our first stop was my Mom’s house in Ohio.  We were only there a couple of days before we took off for Wisconsin, where both of my brothers live.

In Wisconsin, we had a blast enjoying time as a family.  My brother Dan took us all for a bobsled ride pulled by four of his horses.  Charise loved the horses!

 

 

After we were done with the old fashioned horse-power, we pulled out the snowmobiles!  This was a new experience for the kids and only one would actually try it!

She loved every minute of it!!

 

Even Grandma and Papa O got in on the fun!

Our time in Wisconsin was short, but we enjoyed every minute of it - - I even met my new stepbrothers and their wives.  I think we all could have talked for hours!

Family First!

After Wisconsin, we headed back to Ohio where I met up with a friend that I went to high school with (in Wisconsin) - - she now lives in the same town as my Mom!

We met for an early dinner around 4:30 and ended up having to leave because the restaurant was closing!  We had a blast talking about the past and catching up with each other!

The next day I left for Indiana.  I dropped the kids off at Handsome Hubby’s parents and headed to Beckie’s house.  We worked our little fingers off, but successfully re-upholstered her two chairs.  You can read my post about it here, but it you want step by step instructions, you have to go and check out Beckie’s Blog - - Infarrantly Creative - - she has been doing a week long series on our project!

After

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also helped Beckie figure out her embroidery machine and make some of my Pottery Barn Knock-off Nest pillows.  Big news coming next week about those!!

After Beckie’s I headed back to Handsome Hubby’s parents and spent the night there.  I got big-time stuck in their driveway the next day!!

Next, it was back to Ohio to help my Mom with her couch.  This couch used to be my grandparents, but Mom is the proud owner now, she wanted it to have an updated look and she also wanted it to work with her Den - - which has an Americana look going on in there.

 

This is a pretty bad before shot, but when I got there, Mom had already started on the frame of the couch and fabric was already attached, so we had to call my Grandma and see if she had any pictures of the couch!  She did - - it was one they took of all the topiaries she had made for a woman’s dinner. - - So, focus on the couch in the background :)

Here is the after:

She used a tan and black hounds tooth for the cording which really made the lines of the couch pop!  It is definitely an obvious before and after!!

I also embroidered 2 pillow tops for her, but I forgot to take pictures of those! - - I come by it honestly!!

I made one more project while I was on vacation --

A bag for my Grandma - - on Sunday when I picked Grandma up for church, she was carrying her Bible and her Sunday School book in a paper gift bag.  That just would not do!  So I ran to the fabric store and picked out some fabric for Grandma and made her a bag.

 

Here I am with Grandma.  Charise took the picture for us and she insisted that Grandma wear her gold medal.  Grandma won a gold medal in the Olympics too!  In Hockey!

Her community hosted an Olympic competition for the residents where they competed in all kinds of Olympic sports with funny twists and modifications.  Grandmas hockey puck was a cane!  She had a blast and was quite proud of her gold medal and were quite proud of her for winning it.  Grandma isn’t just gold medal quality when it comes to sports, she’s gold medal sweet and I’m sure that it is from her that I get my creativity and artistic abilities!!

All in all, we had a great time, I accomplished a ton, and we are glad to be back home!  I have so many projects on the burner, I’m not sure where to start!!  First, I think I should start by unpacking my suitcase!

A Tutorial!! How to make your own BDU Bag!(Deployment Project #32)

Snowy Day Blizzard Bag Tutorial

Since it seems like I have been making a lot of bags lately, and we’ve been getting a lot (that’s an understatement!) of snow also. I thought I would do a fun little tutorial on making your own bag!   I actually found a uniform of handsome hubbys that he left behind - - Oh happy day!!!!  So this bag was just for me.  I decided to do another bag made from the pants because, like all of you who left comments, my favorite was also the pants bag.  My friend Shana was here and her job was to be my assistant and take very detailed instruction and pictures - - Let us know how we did!!

So, here it goes…

First, you need to collect all your supplies:

BDU Pants

Accent/lining fabric

A ruler

Scissors

Pins

A flashlight - - yes, a flashlight!!

And, in case you don’t have enough snow, an ice pack (more on that later!) - - -by the way, I just heard on the news that we are breaking snow records that were set 100 plus years ago!

Alright - - here are step by step instructions for making a bag - - Remember.... my friend Shana was over here and took detailed notes and pictures so that you wouldn’t miss a step!

Cut out your pattern.

Stop and look out the window at the snow that just keeps coming and the strong wind that is blowing it everywhere.

this picture was taken at noon....CRAZY!!!!!

Start assembly.

Take a power outage break

Quickly run upstairs and grab your shower while there is still hot water

Realize after you get out of the shower that you have a gas water heater, so you would have been ok!

Rejoice when the power comes back on!!!

Work on assembly again

Take a spaghetti supper break

you see this, this is how we roll around here...spaghetti, bread and butter to make our own ghetto garlic bread....and the scraps from the uniform that we are making a bag from -- FABULOUS!!

Try to work on assembly again

Take a “child just fell down the stairs and got a huge rug burn down their back” break - - enter Ice Pack!

*Just stop right here and take a Martini break!

Try to continue assembly AGAIN

Look out the window and realize that snow is coming down harder and there is a good chance that you are going to lose power again.

Gather together a, “We live in Virginia and there is just no way they can handle record breaking amounts of snow Emergency Kit” - - - make sure you assemble this kit in the cute bag you made during the snowstorm the day before!

Take another martini break

Finish assembly - - -Finally - - only 7 hours and 4,000 distractions later!

I hope these instructions help you make a fabulous bag for yourself!!  Didn't we do good keeping track of our step by step instuctions and pictures?!!!  It was just one crazy day and I though you might like to be a part of it.  Make sure you follow them step by step. If not followed step by step, you may end up making a bag in just an hour!!

By the way, this is lined with an Amy Butler fabric.  I absolutely love the bright tangerine background with the pale grey/blue flowers.  I know it's hard to see all the details of this bag, but what can I say, it is camoflauge!!!

Enough Already!! (and Deployment Project # 31)

Dear Snow,

Please stop.  Please go away.  Please don't come back.  I don't like you.  You were fun the first day.  Now I am sick of you and ready for you to leave!

Sincerely,

Me

Will it ever stop snowing - - I have not seen this much snow since I was a little girl living in WI.  In Wisconsin, they know how to deal with snow.  They have enough equipment and people to deal with snow.

They do not have either in Virginia.

We've had our fun - - we've played in it as much as we could ever want to.  Now it is just interfering with plans.  I'm supposed to have a good friend coming this weekend - - not sure that is going to happen.  AND - - I'm supposed to be leaving on Monday to go visit family.  The craziest part is that I am supposed to be going to Ohio (snowing there also), Indiana (snowing there too) and Wisconsin (yup - - they are getting snow too!)  I am not going to escape this! 

We are going to Wisconsin to have a snow weekend - - snowmobiles, sledding, snowman building - - all that good stuff.  I'm not so excited about it any more.  I'm excited to see my family, but I'm thinking we should all change our plans and meet up at the beach instead!

Look at the roads, I had to take my camera with me yesterday as I did a quick replenishing run in between storms.  I do have to admit, my first stop was Joanns to get more fabric and sewing supplies.  Next stop was Target....then the grocery store!  There are no snow shovels in any of Northern Virginia - - - no kids gloves either - -  - and at this point I'm beginning to wonder about the essentials:  milk, eggs and bread.  Yesterday the shelves were getting a bit bare!  When I stopped to fill the truck up with gas, the first two stations I stopped at  didn't even have any gas.

This moring we woke up to strong winds - - they say up to 40mph and it is still snowing.  I dont' really know how much snow total we have gotten, but it's way past my knees and just keeps on coming.

I've been working on quite a few projects, but none of them are finished yet, so I can't post them.  That's why I had to run to Joanns yesterday to get final touches and supplies! 

 I did make another BDU bag though.  This one is a completely different pattern.  It uses the pants.  I think I might like this one even better than the last one!

All the pattern pieces are fussy cut from the pants so you use all the pockets. 

This bag has more storage and organization than any purse I have ever owned!  You might not be able to tell from the pictures, but there are four pockets around the outside of the bag.  Two large ones, and two smaller ones - - they even have the little pen holder slots!  All the organization happens on the outside of this bag.  The inside is just one big carrying space.  It would be perfect for filling with snacks and goodies to take the kids to soccer practice.  I was thinking it would make a perfect PWOC bag (Prodestant Women of the Chapel - -that's the military Bible study group I go to).  Large enough to hold all my books, yet still have plenty of pockets for keys, cellphones, pens and gum!!

So, which one do you like better?

Camo Birdy Sling

BDU Pants Bag

Leave a comment telling me your favorite!!