pebbles sews a skirt

pebbles sews a skirt, originally uploaded by sushikat.

My kitty is so smart! She is now learning how to sew, since she wants to be like her mommy when she grows up!

I found her sitting here this morning after I left the room for a few minutes. She seemed to be studying what I was doing and I had to snap this photo!

I love wearing skirts when the weather turns warm, and I have several new pieces of fabric just waiting to be sewn up. I found the perfect motivation to get started, too. Sew Mama Sew has declared May 2007 as Skirt Month, so I've decided to join in! I'm using a new pattern, so I just used one of my vintage sheets from Goodwill to make my skirt. Can't wait to see how it turns out! I'll post a finished skirt photo later.

Gotta run...lots of sewing to do!

susie's country garden :: handmade soap

susie's country garden :: handmade soap, originally uploaded by sushikat.

I am excited to announce that I made the decision to close my website and list my products in my etsy shop. You can still buy the same great products as before, just in a different way. And, of course, you can always call me to order. Nothing else has changed. I am happy to get all my ventures together in one shop. Now you can see everything else I have to offer!

Happy shopping!

crocheted ripple blanket

crocheted ripple blanket, originally uploaded by sushikat.

I suppose you could say I jumped on the bandwagon that is being driven around blogland these days and started one of these awesome crocheted blankets with the pretty soft waves. I love it! This one is for my oldest daughter who is away at college. Lauren, if you read this just still act surprised when you get it!

I used the random stripe generator to make my stripe pattern. It's so cool! I can't wait to see the finished blanket. I am just using caron soft brites in mango and watermelon to make it and even though this is an all acrylic yarn, I love it! This yarn is so soft and feels so good next to your skin. If Lauren doesn't like it, I may have to keep it! Ha! This is really a very easy pattern to crochet. If you can double crochet, you can make it.

Come on, you know you want to!

cherry blossoms

cherry blossoms :: front, originally uploaded by sushikat.

I am so looking forward to spring! This little birdie and cherry blossom pendant is a tribute to the season to come. It is also for sale in my etsy shop.

I love creating new things and have fallen in love with my soldering iron! In addition to the pendants with fabric snippets, I am also offering custom photo pendants. These are perfect for gifts for Mother's Day! So, get your order in to get one of your very own! They would also be perfect with a pet photo.

Just email me for details, or place your order on etsy!

Happy Spring (hopeful thinking here)!

snow day!

Today was the first snow that stuck around for more than an hour in about five years. At least that's what my 9 year old son told me this morning. After waking up to the snow on the ground, we noticed it was raining, so we went out and got the sled out of the shed and played for as long as we could before the snow melted...for two hours...even before eating breakfast!


It's been nice to have a day without any demands for being someplace. Soccer practice has been cancelled, play rehearsal has been cancelled, and school has been cancelled! What more could you ask for? I'm gonna enjoy it while I can, because it will be back to usual tomorrow!

See you later dude!

it's cozy in here

it's cozy in here
Originally uploaded by sushikat.

I've been wanting to make a tea cozy for some time and since I painted my kitchen and made new window treatments from black & white toile, I whipped up this cutie this morning! It was so easy to do and really does keep my tea warm for a long time. I also used some cute white & black print for a little hot mat to place under the tea pot.

A couple of good friends recently returned from a trip to India, and she copied down the recipe for masala chai that she learned to make while she was there. It is so good! The glass jars on the counter are spice jars I got at World Market for 99 cents each and the little mortar and pestle came from there, too. The green cardamom pods and cloves are first ground together before added to the water for the tea. If you've never smelled green cardamom, you don't know what you're missing! I learned from a lady at a middle eastern grocery that you can also add them to your coffee grounds as you brew your coffee for a different kind of treat!

On a cold Winter afternoon, this is my kind of cozy!

finally...a new bag!

finally...a new bag!
Originally uploaded by sushikat.

You'd think this bag is for her, but it's actually for sale in my etsy shop! I finally finished this up and took photos today. I also have a matching credit card wallet and checkbook cover for sale.

As a matter of fact, I have updated the shop with a bunch of new card holders and a couple of new bags and checkbook covers. I plan on adding more as the week goes on.

I am loving this zebra print fabric! It also looks great paired up with hot pink or lime green!

Thanks to my beautiful daughter for modeling for me!

gifts :: soldered glass pendants

So, this is what I've been working on lately and I'm having too much fun with it! These are a few of the pendants I've created and am working on several more for Christmas presents.

It is a wonderful way to remember a special person or moment in your life. I create these by placing a photo (or other art) between two pieces of glass and using stained glass techniques to solder them with lead-free solder. I am making these for my mom, mother-in-law, sister and sisters-in-law this year for Christmas. I am also taking orders for Christmas gifts.

I love receiving thoughtful gifts, and love giving them even more. My hope is that these will bring treasured memories to those who receive them!

mama and papa bluebird

mama and papa bluebird
Originally uploaded by sushikat.

There is a whole family of bluebirds living in a bluebird house on our back porch. I caught them this morning during their flying lessons with their babies! They're so beautiful, and I feel really blessed to have them living here. The eastern bluebird has been in danger as of late and their numbers have been dwindling for reasons you can read about here.

This mama and papa are calling and watching for their fledglings as they wait. So. Sweet.

holiday crafting :: stockings

holiday stockings
Originally uploaded by sushikat.

See, I really have been working! This is one of my latest projects and is still a work in progress. I am making all new stockings for my children and have completed two of the eight! I am also working on this cute advent calendar! I am really excited about this project because it reminds me of when I was a kid and getting a treat each day in December before Christmas. I had a little motivation to get started early on these, as I taped a holiday show last week, and these were my projects for the show. If you're interested in learning more about the show, you can go here to read about it.

Now, on to more crafting. I have another other exciting project I've been working on and need to go pick up some more supplies. I hope to have photos soon, so I can show you what it is!

waveland, mississippi :: hurricane katrina's ground zero

Our family took a trip over the kids' fall break from school to go to Waveland, MS to volunteer in whatever way we could to help Katrina victims. It was unbelievable the amount of destruction the water and wind did to this beautiful seaside town. It is so heartbreaking to see so many people's lives devastated, so many people depressed over losing everything, and so much to still be done. It was also so rewarding and fulfilling to hear those we helped say time after time, "Thank you so much! You will never know how much this means to me!" It was a very humbling experience and I'm very grateful to have been a part of it along with our family!

These photos were taken one morning when I was able to sneak away to the beach and watch the sun rise over the gulf.

so. proud.

Anna's first cross country meet
Originally uploaded by sushikat.

Anna is one of the most determined (at times downright stubborn) people I know and I am so proud of her for that determination. This is her first year running cross country and she's doing great! They had their first practice meet last Thursday and will have their first official meet this Thursday. Out of over 100 girls, she came in 34th. But, she's not satisfied with that. She wants her team to win, so she'll be pushing to do better. Last year, our school was brand new, and the cross country team won first place in the North Georgia Region. We are looking to have another strong team this year. Watch out everyone -- The Generals are coming!

Thrift Thursday - Ansco Rediflex

ansco rediflex camera
Originally uploaded by sushikat.

I am so proud of my entry for this week. I found this adorable vintage camera at our local thrift shop for 25 cents! It still has film in it and it looks like it has 8 pictures left on the roll. I am going to take it to a camera shop and see if they can develop what is on the roll.

I looked on ebay for these and they only go for about $10-20, but I don't care. I don't want to sell it anyway. I plan on using it in a display in my living room along with one of my grandfather's old cameras.

georgia's new friend

georgia & sylvester
Originally uploaded by sushikat.

Our kitty, Georgia, loves our fish, Sylvester. He pretty much sits in the bottom of his bowl all the time except to come up for food. His bowl used to be on the kitchen counter by the sink until Georgia discovered it and began splashing the water everywhere. The highest place to put the bowl was on top of a bookshelf in our kitchen, which is about 5 1/2 feet tall. This deterred her for a very short time, because she quickly learned to jump on the corner of the table and then up to the top of the shelf.

She will sit and watch him for hours, sometimes batting at him through the glass, sometimes sneaking a drink of fish-flavored water, and sometimes falling asleep beside the bowl. I snapped this photo the other night when they were both sitting and staring at one another.

Makes you wonder what they're thinking!

more handbag sewing

close-up of flower
Originally uploaded by sushikat.

I finished this bag today, and am really proud of it! It took a little more time than some of the other bags I make, but I love the way it turned out with it's rows of white stitching and the black & white theme. I also made a new type of flower pin by fusing the fabrics together for the petals and leaves to give them more body.

It's for sale in my shop if anyone is interested!

Gotta run and pick up my girls at school. Anna is trying out for cross country and we're going to go cheer her on!

Go Anna!

Thrift Thursday - Pretty China

pretty thrifted china
Originally uploaded by sushikat.

Carrie, over at Sommer Designs has started a new flickr group called Thrift Thursday where you show your thrifted finds for the week. Well, if you know me, you know I love to thrift shop and this is right up my alley. So, I joined!

This is one my finds for this week. I found a set of four cups, saucers & dessert plates. Perfect for my banana muffins and coffee on the back porch!

If I get a chance to take more photos, I'll try to post more later today. But, it is the last chance I have to take the kids to the pool before they start to school on Monday, and I think I'm going to take advantage of it!

pleated peach paisley

Wow, three posts in one day! I am really behind (gotta catch up)!

I have been sewing a lot lately, and have put some of my purses and bags in my shop if you want to take a peek!

I am trying to use up a lot of the remnants that I have and have been coming up with some different designs, in doing so.

Here's one of my new bags -- I think it's really pretty! It's for sale, too!

campsite 105

Last weekend we drove two hours to Cumberland Mountain State Park in Crossville, TN and spent a few days camping. We had a great time swimming, fishing, hiking, cooking outdoors, roasting marshmallows and making smores, knitting, reading and whatever else we could think of to do!

there are places I remember...

This is a fun way to see all the states you have visited. I was surprised to see I've been to almost half! Only another 26 states to go!



create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

Try it yourself!

happy independence day!

I'm so thankful for our freedom! I'm thankful for my freedom as an American and most importantly, for my freedom in Christ my Savior!