Niet Designs

The Pin Lady

2011-01-01T11:02:00.008-06:00

I've recently become a big fan of 3things....cottage cheese, scarves, and pins. I think I made a total of 8 scarves in 2 weeks... talk about Christmas rush. Thankfully, only 1 was kept for myself...You don't need too many scarves in Texas. :( Nonetheless, they are fun.

Pins- It's for the days I feel too lazy to put on jewelry.... or for when Ineed my cardigan to stay in place :). I've taken inspirations off of Etsy and tweaked them in my own way... I've really enjoyed making them - it's been a nice break from sewing...

this is probably one of my favorite ones to make... although, it took me a while to figure out where to place the pinbacks... b/c of the size, if you get one good gust of wind, half your pin is flapping in the air... eh, such is life.

This one i enjoy simply b/c it helps get rid of my scrap fabric & ribbon ... I've made many variations in colors for friends or to pin on to purses.

I've come across many other ideas that I'm in the process of trying to make... Pretty soon I'll have a pin for each day of the week haha... kidding, i wouldn't do that... would i?

On the days that it actually got 'cool' here this month, I couldn't decide between a scarf or a pin... so i put on both :) (hence the first picture haha)

2010-09-14T19:45:00.005-05:00

Last year I came across a Hospice in the Woodlands that wanted blankets for their patients. My mom & I will make a few 'lap-gans' now & then to send to them. A few weeks ago someone dropped off some yarn at church (it was her Grandmothers- who now has cancer). It only seemed fitting that we use the yarn to make blankets for the hospice.

Here are a few I've been working on...

A friend of mine from church has an 8 yr. old daughter who wanted to suggest that I make some headbands... so she could have a matching purse & headband :). So, I did some research- then got to it... This purse, while it may look 'big', is actually made for a young girl... with her matching headband- of course.

this is just something fun i made for a friend of mine (She's due in October)...

Drawstring bag

2010-07-15T19:14:00.004-05:00

I needed a drawstring bag for our trip to Colorado... so i fashioned this one out of some leftover fabric- cords from another bag- and a few tricks up my sleeve... :)

Custom Orders

2010-06-11T17:31:00.005-05:00

These were my first custom orders for Etsy. A lady wanted two different purses with specific fabric combinations.
The flower was something she had wanted- she had even found the 'pattern' for it...it was a lot of fun to learn how to make & i already have a list of things i want to make my own flowers for haha
It was fun making them- but also a bit stressful seeing as how it's for someone else... you want to make sure everything is ok... strings are cut... seams are hidden etc.
hopefully she will enjoy them :)
and yes... the flowers are supposed to fray.

sewing extravaganza

2010-05-27T18:27:00.013-05:00

Fran & I decided to take a trip to the fabric store- what started out with me making 2 purses... turned in to 5.

For two indecisive people- it took forever to figure out what fabric we wanted...

The wristlet (right) is for her daughter- along with the orange purse... the blue purse is one for Fran herself.

I'm about to start on the last project- a knitting bag.

I decided to make myself a 'beach bag' (as though I don't have enough bags haha)... i found a pattern online- consulted my mom- and got to work. It wasn't too bad... I added a few pockets along with a 'D-ring' closure... overall, I'm excited to use it :)

it's been a while...

2010-05-10T22:08:00.003-05:00

Some fun cards I recently made.

I've been meaning to catch up on my card making- May is a good time for that seeing as how not much is going on at work...

so I guess this is the beginning... :)

bored much...?

2010-04-13T21:49:00.003-05:00

I decided there were a few things I wanted to make before heading to hawaii in a few months :)

this weeks feature(s): some sunglass cases and a small wallet... I normally like to 'shrink' my wallet down when going on vacation...

all the fabrics are from the 'home decor' section at hobby lobby... that's why i like small projects- you can buy the 'more expensive' fabric haha

my next project will be a new ipod case...

Easter cards

2010-03-22T21:54:00.003-05:00

I finally had some time again to make cards... hooray.

thanks, mom!

2010-03-12T19:10:00.003-06:00

No matter how many times she tells me- I always have to ask my mom which order to sew things... 'when do i do the lining, the strap, how do i do the top band again?' haha

So, after picking her brain one afternoon - I came home and made this bag...

it's much like the first pleated one I made... just a bit larger, with one more inside pocket, and the top band is attached correctly :)

I really like this one- the colors are very practical...

thanks, mom! :)

Attempt at making my own patter

2010-02-16T21:13:00.003-06:00

Well, I ventured out... I felt like trying to make my own pattern... it's not completely original haha I took various ideas from other patterns I have.
The 'new' thing for me was doing the pleat- it's not perfect by any means- but it looks like a pleat right? I think I was semi successful :)

The band around the top was also something new for me-it was an easy and different way for me to sew the straps on.

It didn't take me as long as I thought it would- so needless to say, I'm a fan of these kinds of projects :)

using fun fabric

2010-02-03T09:34:00.003-06:00

So, you know how you walk into a fabric store and say, 'oh, that's cute! really cute! but what the hec would i use that for?' Ya, i do that a lot...

which is why i like these projects...

I wanted to make a personalized makeup bag for myself... this is my first attempt... I love that it's small enough to use the obnoxious fabrics that i like :)

I used a slightly thicker fabric to make it a little more durable...
I might try to design another style...

for the use of more obnoxious fabric :) we shall see...

'sew what! bags' part II

2010-01-18T18:51:00.013-06:00

I don't think i was planning to make this bag right away... but i got started, and obviously couldn't stop myself until i was finished.

this bag also came out of the 'sew what! bags' book... LOVE IT! I love all the pockets it has... not sure what i will put in them... i'm sure i'll find something.

I used the cricut to cut out the butterfly for the front panel... thought it needed a little bit of flare :)

I might take a small break from sewing...

although, I'm really interested in making a 'wristlet' with some of my scrap pieces...so we shall see.

'sew what! bags'

2010-01-12T19:31:00.005-06:00

I recently got a book called, 'sew what! bags.' It has various ideas for 'starters' to 'daredevil' bags... all of which are cute. I chose this 'cross-body' one to try first- I have to admit that the 'pro' label of it scared me a bit... I am by no means a pro- but I gave it a shot anyway.

The book is very detailed which is what I need... I read- and re-read over the directions probably 5 times :).

I think it turned out well for my first shot- the only things I would change: I need to find a way to reinforce the strap more and i forgot to put a pocket on the inside... but that's ok, maybe i'll make a matching coin purse to throw with it :) I do however like the pockets on the outside... I tried to create them the size I needed for certain objects that I always carry with me.

I might cut out something with my circut to iron on the front flap...not sure yet.

ok, so WHAT is this machine?

2009-12-30T11:24:00.002-06:00

So, for Christmas I used the cricut quite a bit for gifts... might as well, right? In return, i got a few cricut cartridges... by the end of the day i think my brothers were thoroughly confused... matt went so far as to ask, ' ok, i don't get it... what is this machine?' it's pretty much amazing... that's what it is :) haha
I have to admit that this idea came from someone else... but i tweaked it and made it my own knowing that my mom would appreciate it! I might even have to make myself one :)

yo-yo crazy

2009-12-19T16:26:00.004-06:00

so i saw this 'yo-yo' canvas thing while i was randomly looking online... i loved the look of it but thought that the only place in my house that i could get away with having yo-yo's was in my craft room... so- seeing as how i've never made a yo-yo, i brought in the crafty hands of my mom. She helped me pick out some fabric then spent the next few days making yo-yo's haha...she's the greatest ever.
I spent one evening laying them out, then the next attaching them... I think it turned out to be really cute and definitely not something you see every day :)

Christmas time

2009-11-30T12:41:00.004-06:00

I felt like sewing something- i found a fairly easy pattern online and began on it yesterday... the title of the bag 'one hour bag' wasn't a joke... I didn't make it all at once but in all it probably didn't take me much longer than an hour.

I love those kinds of projects.

Well, I haven't become the expert on heat embossing yet... but i still enjoy doing it. Basically, you just stamp a design on tissue paper then use the heat gun to 'melt' it onto the candle. I thought the plate needed a little extra decoration so i cut out some vinyl for that...

all in all i think it turned out well... (unless you look closely at the candles) haha

Black & white DO work

2009-11-08T13:59:00.003-06:00

I decided that I would make a blanket for each of our friends '1st child'... a decision I might take back seeing as how I've made 6 in the past year & 1/2 :) But I really do enjoy making them...

This is my way of proving the fact that black & white can be pretty for 'baby colors'... I get tired of the same old pastels- so I went for something different... I knew prior to making the blanket that our friends were having a little boy- but I think it could work for a girl too...

I'm in the process of figuring out how to use my circut to cut fabric so that I can add names & designs to my quilts in the future... can't wait!

my 'de-stressor'

2009-09-17T22:00:00.005-05:00

September always brings about many events & much busyness... typically leading to a bit of stress. I'm trying to avoid watching tv in the evening (mainly because most of it is trash) so I have to occupy myself somehow... recently making cards is my de-stressor... a way for me to take my mind off work or other things and just be creative.

These are some birthday cards i recently made... i realize the one looks a little 'Christmasy'... ah well.

Can everyone tell those are weights? Chris apparently couldn't :) haha

I workout twice a week with a friend from church... it's a great time to, again, de-stress... & grow in our friendship. I thought this was a fun way to say 'thank you' for sharing that time with me.

Joyfold cards

2009-08-16T19:28:00.005-05:00

this was my first attempt at a 'Joyfold' card... it took me a while, but that's ok... i think it turned out well... i enjoyed it so much apparently that i made a second one :)

Going Hawaiian

2009-07-28T19:05:00.009-05:00

This is a gift i made my cousin, lillie, for her & her husband's 'open house'. It's probably my third time to use etching on glass... i haven't perfected it by any means but i enjoy doing it... minus the fact that the etching cream smells like bad eggs... meh.

The plate is for a friend's wedding... i'm still learning the 'in's and out's' of etching- but i'm a fan ...

scrapbooking for mom

2009-06-26T22:05:00.003-05:00

i had fun with this layout... it's for my mom's

scrapbook! the pictures are from my dad's birthday outing- it was a fun evening with family!

this card was for my mom's birthday. I LOVE the little swirly thing on the side... it's my new discovery from the 'home accents' cartridge... :)

Baby Caleb is here

2009-06-19T21:46:00.003-05:00

My friend Aliceson just gave birth to her first baby, Caleb! Thankfully i got the doodlecharm cartridge in time to make this cute, and oddly shaped, baby face :) I think it's adorable in a goofy way. I hope she enjoys it.

these cards took me way too long to make

2009-05-28T13:51:00.003-05:00

I don't know what it was... but something made me move incredibly slow on these cards... that's ok, it was a good stress reliever.
I got 2 new cartridges this week... i've used them some, but haven't quite 'explored' them yet as much as i've wanted to... in time.

i think i'm addicted

2009-05-17T16:18:00.005-05:00

I was in another card making mood apparently.

the 'thank you' card was made for another Kenya donation...the 'birthday card' idea came from another blog i happened upon... i was a fan of the use of the vellum so i had to make my own :) ... i used a combination of stamps, punches, the 'cuttin up' & 'home accents' cartridge.

I'm wanting to get another cartridge- not sure which one though... so many choices haha

on a muggy Monday afternoon

2009-05-12T18:41:00.004-05:00

My good friend, Kim, inspired this card. She gave birth to a beautiful baby boy three days before Mother's Day. I thought it was fitting to remind her of the blessing that God has given her & her husband... (as if she needs reminding haha)....

My 'skydiving page' was the first page to be re-done after getting my cricut. I figured, since it was such an amazing event, it needed to look good :). I'm not jumping up & down, but still relatively pleased with it.

'Oh, the Places you'll go' by Dr. Seuss is one of my favorite books... It seemed fitting.

New cartridge

2009-05-07T19:01:00.003-05:00

I ordered 2 new cartridges last week- only one showed up... needless to say I was not a happy Lauren. After contacting the company, they realized their mistake & sent me the 2nd one... i LOVE it.

So my first project with it was making some "kenya thank you" cards... I'm headed to Kenya on a mission trip in November- as people send me donations I'm trying to take some time to personally make them a thank you card... seems like a small price to pay for their prayers &

donations.

With Mother's day coming up, & the fact that my mom was the one who got me the 'cricut', I thought I'd make her a gift.

The box is a 'storage box' for the monogrammed
stationary I made for her... simple, but I thought it was fun.

The best kind of souvenir

2009-05-04T16:20:00.004-05:00

Chris & I were blessed to join my family in February for a trip to Aspen, CO. I've never known what kind of souvenir to get when I go on trips- I used to collect postcards...but have seemed to grow out of that.

What kind of souvenir represents the beauty of the place you visit, the fun you have, the memories you create.... the only thing I've come up with is pictures.

So, This is Chris and I's attempt at a panoramic in Aspen... we took turns taking pictures of one another... I think for amateurs we did a decent job haha

1st attempt with 'Cricut'

2009-04-30T17:09:00.004-05:00

My parents got me a 'cricut expressions' for my birthday this year. I'm still trying to figure out all the craziness that is the cricut... but these are my first attempts at using it.

The flowers are a thank you gift for some volunteers we have helping with a girls ministry event coming up. The thank you cards are ones that Chris wanted for work.