This week I finished my most recent work in progress...another sequin & beaded bird soft case for either glasses or phones.

Find it in my Etsy shop!

I'm joining in The Quilting Gallery's {QAL} Aiming for Accuracy.

If you are interested in joining in the fun, click here for all the details.

Roughly a year ago, while reading a favorite quilting magazine, I found this tulip quilt pattern. However, the quilt in the magazine fit a twin size bed. I am always on the look out for ways to minimize my ever growing scrap box. I decided on scrappy tulips, adjusting the magazine's suggested block measurements to my liking.

A pleasant afternoon and a warm cuppa was enjoyed choosing fabric - bright, cheery, "Spring" colors for the tulip petals; vibrant greens for the stems; put-a-smile-on-your-face polka dots, checks, and florals for the filler blocks.

It's not perfect. It's handmade.

And, I am delighted with the finished product.

First of all, let me say, "HAPPY EASTER!"

Secondly, I apologize for the lack of posts. I've been visiting friends in Florida.

Florida was beautiful! The weather was perfect. The fellowship sweet. And the fun never-ending.

I hadn't seen my sweet friend, Valarie, in six years! We were missionaries together teaching at the same school. Today, I am living in Australia, and she is baking for Disney. We had a great time catching up and spending the day at Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

Happy Snaps

Top Row (left to right):
1) Waiting in line for the shuttle from the parking lot to the monorail or ferry. We chose the monorail.
2) Classic pic taken in front of Cinderella's castle. Tip: Disney cast members will take a photo for you with your phone, camera, or iPad.
3)Be Our Guest Restaurant inside the Beast's castle for lunch: french onion soup, and a chocolate creme puff, with bottled water. We ate in the dining room decorated as the Beast's bedroom with the enchanted rose.

Middle Row (left to right):
1) Waiting for the train to take us from Fantastyland to Adventureland.
2) Ready for a spin on the tea cups.
3) Enjoying a Dole Whip from Aloha Isle - pineapple and vanilla ice cream...refreshing!

Bottom Row (left to right):
1) The Dumbo ride lit up at night.
2) Mrs Speech flying high with Dumbo.
3) What a Magical Day!

Mr. Speech and I want to wish all of our readers a very happy and blessed Easter.

My previous post with tutorial led to this sequins and beads soft purple case. I enjoyed making the pink sparkly case so much I just had to make another one.

Each bead and sequin was sewn on by hand. Needless to say, it took me a few days to finish. I took it with me over the weekend while I visited my nephews. Whenever I could find a few moments of quiet, I would work on it. You know those small snack size zip lock bags? They worked great for traveling with sequins and beads. Just the right size and no spilling. I even had room inside the baggies for my thread and thimble. My nephews, an 8-year-old and a 4-year-old, were curious about what I was doing. I showed the 8-year-old how to sew a bead onto the center of a sequin. He gave it a try. The 4-year-old like touching the beads on the colorful bird and watching the purple sequin and bead outline grow. "Hey, you gave it a beak!" He impressively exclaimed.

This little beaded beauty is now in my Etsy shop. Just click the Pink Scissors Design logo on the top left - you can't miss it.

Two days.

It took me two days to sew on each sequin and bead - by hand!

Surprisingly, I didn't mind.

Hand sewing is relaxing.

I enjoyed watching the simple felt become a thing of beauty with every sequin and bead I added.

Materials Used:

raspberry Felt (hot pink)
tangerine Felt (bright orange)
batting
white cotton thread
pink cotton thread
pink sequins
pink beads
silver seed beads
light pink sequin trim (it's like a sequin ribbon!)

Tools Used:
pink scissors
pins
thimble
needle
Mom's sewing machine
my own nimble fingers
reading glasses*

The Creative Process:
Measure Twice, Cut Once
I "measured" my cell phone case. By "measure", I mean I eyeballed it...placed my cell phone on the pink felt added an extra inch for seam allowance and mistake making, and cut out the size felt I needed. Then, I placed that piece of felt on top of the orange felt and cut out the same size. Finishing up the measuring by placing the felt on top of the batting and cutting out the size I needed.

Pin in Place & Sew Straight Lines
I "sandwiched" the batting between the pink and orange felt, pinned it all the way around, flipped on the sewing machine, and stitched all the way around my rectangle shape. Once I finished securing the batting in place, I decided on a diagonal design, and started sewing from corner to corner. I lined up the foot along the completed stitching line, insuring straight stitches. Now, I had a design to follow to sew the sequins and beads on by hand.

Busy Hands Are Happy Hands
Grandmother always used to say this to me. She was right. I happily followed the diagonal lines as I secured each sequin and bead in place by hand. And, the time flew by! First, I stitched a sequin in place. Next, I threaded a bead on the needle, carefully drove the nose of the needle into the pink felt, through the batting, and out the orange. Good...bead tightly fixed in place. I moved on to the next and so on, and so on, and sew on! One more thing to do before I stitch it together so that it will hold the cell phone...hem the top edge. I trimmed off excess felt/batting, leaving a clean straight edge, folded down the top edge, and stitched it down by hand.

Seams to Me
Ah, the tricky part! The quilting the felt and batting sandwich helped flatten down the bulkiness of the three layers, but it was still too thick to fit under the sewing foot. I had to sew the seams together by hand. This was not easy and quite time consuming. Especially since I did it once by hand with a blanket stitch all the way around. Right sides together, I turned it right side out, and discovered that it needed something more. A flash of inspiration. I unpicked the beautiful blanket stitch and hauled out my silver seed beads and light pink sequin ribbon. I covered up the remaining white thread with the silver seed beads. I pinned the light pink sequin ribbon right side facing the right side to the pink felt now with sequins and beads. By hand I stitched it in place all along the seam line. Finishing off, I turned the case right side out...BEAUTY! I now have a pretty pink sparkly case for my cell phone.

Comments, Please
I'm so pleased with this project that I've already begun working on a second one and will be adding this item to my Etsy shop, Pink Scissors Design.

What color would you like to see offered?

*reading glasses - these came with turning 40 this year!

Linking Up
I'm linking up with these fantastic craft link parties!

Why I Love My Husband (the never-ending list):
16.) He keeps up with the housework while I'm away. While I'm in America visiting family, he is back home doing dishes and laundry. Thank you, Honey!
17.) He keeps a watchful eye on the budget and makes sure the bills are paid.
18.) He kills bugs and spiders for me...cockroaches, too. And, those Australian bugs, spiders, and cockroaches are HUGE!
19.) He treats me like a lady - holds the door open for me and pulls out my chair.
20.) He has a great smile!

I'm joining in the fun with the Happy Wives Club and linking up every Thursday! I encourage you to share your "Why I Love My Husband" list with your husband. Shower him with some praise and affirmation. In doing so, may the Lord richly bless your marriage.