Work-in-Progress & a gift

Another project I'm working on is to cover up the stains on a couple shirts with fabric flowers (that I'm making & sewing on.) I'm pretty sure this technique has a name already, but I have no idea what it is... there are probably easier ways to do it, too, but I'm just winging it!
Also, I'll post pics of the earrings & bracelet I made for my best friend's birthday (which was the 5th) since she received the package today. :)

The first flower & the ink stains I couldn't get out.

Back view of the first flower. I'm using a kinda silky embroidery floss. Dunno how comfy this'll be against my skin, but I usually layer this shirt anyway.

I thought for the second one that it'd be a good idea to sew the loose end down so that it would be neatly tucked under the flower when it was done. This turned out to be a mistake.

So, I snipped it & worked with two strips of fabric instead.

Then, I managed to do this!

A little snipping saved the day again! Hope those holes don't come back to bite me when I wash the shirt!

So far they look alright, I think! :)

Since then, I've gotten more done & am now working on my fourth flower! :) I plan to keep going up the neck, maybe to the shoulder seam. I've been debating about embroidering leaves, vines/curlicues or such around the flowers & on the hem (is it a hem on the neckline or something else?) with the same thread I'm using, so, if any bits of thread show around the edges of the flowers, they won't look so out of place. What do you think?

AND, here's the jewelry I made for bestie! :)

Update-y Update-y

I'm in a pretty good mood today. I might go back & update on all that I did & didn't accomplish in regards to my daily & weekly goals, but I have other things to talk about right now... Like, shopping! :D

My daughter stayed the night Monday night & most of Tuesday at my mom & step-dad's because I had a couple appointments on Tuesday I couldn't really take her along to. After my second appointment, I went to Goodwill & scored some good deals!

I got all this for $53.80!

I got myself a pair of jeans, two plastic bins w/handles (for sorting art supplies in my daughter's closet.), 5 skeins of yarn for a friend, a Ziploc bin w/lid, a Dymo label maker & extra labeling tape (both for $5, the refills alone are normally $7.75!), four glass candlestick holders, 6 plastic containers w/lids(still in original packaging!), a nerf-type football still in shrink-wrap, two pairs of khakis (one w/a stain I didn't notice.. but that's ok, if I can't wash it out I can embroider over it.) & 7 pairs of jeans for my daughter; ranging in size from 24mo-5T. :D

Saturday, I went with a friend to the mall. She had to observe teenagers in their natural habitat ;P for a class & we each had something to return/exchange. We accomplished those goals & went to Old Navy where I got all this:

...for $36.56! The socks were $1/pair (which I think they usually are, if you buy at least 5.) & the shirts were all on clearance. There are 7 shirts there. I got the blue & white striped one in 2T & 3T. The black shirt is 4T & the rest are 3T. The socks are all 2/3T. She's wearing 16mo-2T stuff now, so all these new clothes should last a while. All the shirts are long-sleeved, so I hope she won't buzz through wearing 3T in one summer, but I doubt it. ;)

So, I thought I'd share some pics of my rug project I was talking about:

Just getting started...

One of my "helpers."

The mess made from cutting up towels!

Progress!

More progress!

So, the post I found on Pinterest says the mat should take about 2hrs to complete... Idk how much is due to my not being able to find a base like she had or what super mechanical robot-like cutting & tying skills this lady has, but I have over 2hrs in this already & this is as far as I've gotten! o.O

I have another project I want to post about & I want to show you what I made my best friend for her birthday (only a little belatedly)... but those will wait. I feel like being productive! :D