I’VE BEEN HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE ON INSTAGRAM THE PAST FEW WEEKS. NOTHING I CAN’T HANDLE LOL. THERE WERE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT MY SITE AND ABOUT THE STUFF I DO FOR THE SOLDIERS NOT MEANING ANYTHING TO THEM. I USUALLY DON’T TAKE THINGS PERSONAL ESPECIALLY COMING FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW MY NAME BUT DON’T KNOW MY STORY. I ALSO DON’T DO THINGS FOR PUBLIC RECOGNITION OR EVEN APPRECIATION FROM THE SOLDIERS. IF THAT’S THE REASON I DID THINGS THEN I’D SIT HERE AND LIST EVERY SINGLE THING I DO.

I STARTED MILITARY MONDAY ON MY SITE 2 YEARS AGO. TO HONOR AND SHOW APPRECIATION FOR SOLDIERS THAT HAVE SACRIFICED THEIR LIFE FOR THIS COUNTRY. MY COUSIN AND GOOD FRIEND BOTH DIED IN IRAQ PROUDLY SERVING THIS COUNTRY. IT’S SO EASY TO FORGET PEOPLE AS THE YEARS GO ON. MILITARY MONDAY IS MY WAY OF KEEPING THE MEMORY OF THOSE SOLDIERS ALIVE. TO SHOW THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES THAT THERE IS SOMEBODY WHO CARES. I CAN RELATE TO THEM, I CAN UNDERSTAND AND FEEL THEIR PAIN BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN THERE, I AM STILL THERE. I STILL CRY ALL THE TIME LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY THAT I GOT THE NEWS. UNTIL YOU’VE BEEN THERE YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND. SO BEFORE YOU JUDGE ME AND MY REASONS FOR HELPING OTHERS, FOR DOING WHAT OTHERS SHOULD BE DOING TOO. TAKE SOME TIME AND PUT TOGETHER A PACKAGE FOR A SOLDIER, MAKE THEM A BIRTHDAY CARD, WRITE THEM A LETTER OR SEND THEM SOME COFFEE AND IN TURN SEE HOW GRATEFUL THEY ARE TO YOU THAT YOU THOUHT OF THEM.

SO NO BRIDGE GIRL I AM NOT SPECIAL BECAUSE I LOST SOMEBODY IN IRAQ. I’M SPECIAL BECAUSE I CAN APPRECIATE OTHERS AND THEIR SACRIFICES. I CAN APPRECIATE ALL MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO.

THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO ANTONIO BUTCHER. PLEASE COME HOME SAFE.

THANKS FOR VISITING
HAVE A GREAT WEEK.

BEFORE I GET STARTED ON THE TUTORIAL I WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE PORR PICTURE QUALITY. I USED MY PHONE LOL BAD YOYO I KNOW :/ SECOND THIS POST WILL BE PICTURE HEAVY, BUT PLEASE KEEP READING AND YOU WILL EVENTUALLY GET TO THE GIVEAWAY INFO LOL.

I WANT TO THANK WENDY FROM TINY SEA. IF YOU READ MY BLOG OFTEN THEN YOU KNOW WENDY AND LAUREN WERE FEATURED ON MY WEB CRAWER WEDNESDAY. THANK FOR TELLING YOUR TWITTER BUDDIES ABOUT TOPSTITCH WENDY. I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

OKAY SO ON TO THE COASTER TUTORIAL
THESE COASTERS ARE SO EASY AND FAST TO MAKE.

SUPPLIES YOU NEED
FABRIC
BATTING
CUTTING MAT
RULER
ROTARY CUTTER
SCISSORS
THREAD
PINS

CUT 4 5X5 SQUARES FROM BOTH THE BATTING AND THE FABRIC

SANDWICH YOUR FABRIC AND BATTING TOGETHER BY FACING YOUR 2 FABRICS TOGETHER THEN PUT THE BATTING ON TOP

PIN TOGETHER

THIS IS WHERE THE FUN BEGINS!!!
SEW ALL THE WAY AROUND LEAVIG A 2 INCH OPENING OR YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO TURN IT RIGHT SIDE OUT

CLIP THE CORNERS BEFORE TURNING COASTER RIGHT SIDE OUT.

ONCE YOU’VE CLIPPED THE CORNERS AND TURNED IT RIGHT SIDE OUT
TOPSTITCH!!! AND YOU ARE DONE.

I USUALLY MAKE SETS OF 4 AND TIE THEM TOGETHER WITH SOME BAKERS TWINE

I HOPE THIS TUTORIAL WAS EASY ENOUGH FOR YOU TO MAKE SOME COASTERS OF YOUR OWN OR AS GIFTS.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REPLY WITH ANY QUESTIONS.

THESE COASTERS ARE THE GIVEAWAY. SO IF YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR DETAILS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LEAVE A COMMENT. I WILL PICK A WINNER USING RANDOM.ORG AND WILL NOTIFY THE WINNER BY EMAIL
LAST DAY TO ENTER IS TUESDAY MARCH 6TH.

GIVEAWAY IS OPEN TO U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY

HAVE A GREAT WEEK.

I CRAFT ALL YEAR, BUT KNOWING THERE IS A MONTH DEDICATED TO CRAFTING IS AWESOME!!!
ALONG WITH MY THEMED DAYS I PLAN ON POSTING EVERY DAY THIS MONTH.
GOING TO POST 4 EASY TUTORIALS AND MAYBE A COUPLE NON-SEWING TUTORIALS.
AND DON’T FORGET TO ENTER MY FAT QUARTER FRIDAY GIVEAWAY.

HAVE A GREAT MONTH CRAFTERS!!!

I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF. I HAVEN’T BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THIS SITE HOW I HAVE WANTED TO.
I SET GOALS FOR THE SITE AND THOSE WENT OUT THE WINDOW IN MARCH.
I DON’T HAVE A REAL EXCUSE EXCEPT FOR MY LACK OF SEWING EXCEPT FOR MY WRIST PAIN.
I DON’T WANT TO GET INTO THE DETAILS HERE BECAUSE THAT’S NOT WHAT THIS POST NEEDS TO BE ABOUT.
I REALLY NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER BECAUSE I WANT TO REOPEN MY SHOP.

ASIDE FROM ALL OF THAT I HAVE BEEN AT ANGELS GAMES AND THE NIECES SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTS.
THE TEAM IS GOING TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT AND I AM SO EXCITED FOR ALL OF THEM.

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CRAFT A LITTLE HERE AND THERE.
I MADE DANI THIS TUTU! SHE LOVED IT AND WAS SO EXCITED!

THATS ALL I HAVE FOR NOW.
I WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE WRIST AND IF I SEW ANYTHING!

THANKS FOR VISITING.

HAVEN’T SEWN IN CLOSE TO 2 MONTHS MY WRIST HAS BEEN IN A SPLINT FOR 2 WEEKS. THE DOC SAID IT’S THE TENDON. GOING TO SPARE YOU THE DETAILS, BUT THAT’S WHY I HAVEN’T BEEN SEWING.
I MISS IT SO MUCH AND IT’S KEPT ME FROM MAKING STUFF I NEEDED TO MAKE AND MOST IMPORTANT OPENING MY SHOP AGAIN. I WANTED TO HAVE IT OPEN BY THE END OF THIS MONTH OR MIDDLE OF MAY, BUT THAT ISN’T GOING TO WORK OUT.

THERE IS SO MUCH I WANTED TO SAY, BUT I COMPLETELY LOT MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. SO INSTEAD I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH A FEW PICTURES.

MY FLICKR IS FULL OF BASEBALL PICTURES DURING THE SEASON.
HERE ARE SOME OF MY BOYS!!!
JEFF MATHIS PUTTING HIS GEAR ON

DAN HAREN

BOBBY WILSON

EASTER CUPCAKES

SOME ORIGAMI

INSTAGRAM FUN WITH SOME PICTURES I TOOK IN SAN DIEGO, CA

HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT WEEKEND!

THESE CHOCOLATE COINS CAME IN HANDY FOR THESE MINI CARDS I AM MAKING THE GIRLS AT WORK.

MADE THIS STOCKING FOR CECE

IF I MAKE ANYTHING ELSE I WILL POST ON FLICKR FRIDAY.

WEB CRAWLER WEDNESDAY COMES BACK NEXT WEEK!

THANKS FOR VISITING & GET CRAFTY THIS MONTH!!!

FIND ME HERE!

ARTFIRE

@TWITTER

FLICKR

I WANTED TO SHOW THIS OFF AGAIN LOL HAYLEY OF PARAMORE!