April 23, 2010

army surplus

My sweet friend had a baby boy and I asked her what type of image she wanted me to embroider onto a blanket.

"Do you want a critter, a person, or a vehicle?", I asked her.

She wanted a jeep.

"A jeep?", I questioned. I think I may have stared at her blankly for a second or two.

But yes, she was sure, she wanted a jeep. And her husband has a jeep.

So she was getting a jeep.

At first I was not sure what kind of fabrics I was going to use with this jeep.

Then I remembered that we had an army surplus store in town, and I had been wanting to go for a while now. This was the perfect excuse! Perhaps I could find some fun army stuff to go with this jeep.

I was very excited about my little field trip. I drove to the other side of town and pulled into the parking lot.




It was a little intimidating at first, because there were some interesting characters milling about, but when I heard the country music playing in the background, I felt a lot better.

There was so much fun stuff to look at. Old bags and such.


And then I found what I was looking for.

Patches. Oodles and Oodles of authentic military patches. I was in heaven.


Mr. Serious Sargeant-Pants stood behind the counter and politely asked how he could help me.

"Can I have that U.S. ARMY patch?", I asked, pointing at the display. He searched the bins and came up empty handed.

"There are no more", he said. Still serious as can be. No smiling here.

At this point, I was on complete overload and did not even know where to start. So I asked him to explain some of the patches--A request I very quickly began to regret, as he launched into a full-blown monologue on the history of each and every patch know to mankind.

And his soliloquy might have been very interesting, had it not been approaching the dinner hour(aka piranha hour) and John was at home watching 4 little boys.

I nodded my head and said "oooh and ahhh" and "how neat" like a total moron as he droned on and on. He claimed to have studied patches for over 30 years.

I asked to look at a few more patches and before I knew it, he was pulling down the "U.S. ARMY" patch from the display and let me buy it. I guess it paid to listen to his shpeel!

And no, I did not tell him I was using these patches for a baby blanket.

Nor did I mention that I was looking for a patch that had some rust-colored accents that would match the rust ric-rac I was using.

Shhh, that will be our little secret...

Back at home with my plunder(After embroidering his name and birthdate).




I had a lot of fun combining the patches.




Here is the finished product. I later found out that my friend's family had served in the military and so that makes this blanket a little more special!


And it was no trouble to slap a few patches onto a onesie. My kind of project, I tell you!




The set all together.


My head is still spinning with ideas for future projects.

29 comments:

  1. As always, simply adorable! I really was so impressed by this amazing gift for little Owen. I would have never thought of the Army surplus store... :)

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  2. I was in heaven when she opened it and now I'm in heaven looking at the pictures.

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  3. Ok.
    seriously.
    I just died.

    You are sooo talented.

    OMG. If you could make a farm animal one..I may never speak again :)

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  4. You have totally outdone yourself! I love it! I just hope that your friend's family didn't serve in the USMC, or else they may have been offended by the Navy and Army patches. =) You are SO creative!!!

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  5. Oh wow those came out great. Can you make me a purse/bag? :)

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  6. Words cannot explain how much I love this gift!

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  7. Wow, the stuff you made is so adorable, I just love it!

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  8. Please sell these! They are simply fabulous and I know you could sell them for big bucks. I'll be your agent. = )

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  9. Everytime I read about you and lories craftyness o just melt :0) it makes me want to clean up my craft room and get to work... :0)... Love these simple and adorable

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  10. A-MAZING! I seriously LOVE this one Davi! And I was cracking up when you said "but when I heard the country music playing in the background, I felt a lot better" LOL

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  11. Seriously, why is this blanket so amazing!

    BTW would you be my next Guest Photographer on my new blog??

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  12. That is so stinkin' cute. I love it, you are very talented! I used to be in the air force and have lots of stuff like that lying around, I will have to get creative with it when there is a new baby boy bron in my life!

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  13. Davi, Do you have an embroidery machine or do you do it by hand?

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  14. This rocks more than you know, my dear.

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  15. "Mr. Serious Sargeant-Pants" - you are too much sometimes!!

    And you are so darn creative...honestly, how.do.you.do.it?! This is beyond cute!!!

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  16. I'm so impressed. I can't even sew buttons on.... :)

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  17. LOL!! I was cracking up at Mr. Serious Sergeant Pants hahah!! Everything you make is so incredibly impressive, I mean you must have some serious talent to woo everyone time and time again Davi! This blanket theme is too cute :)

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  18. thanks all~you are too sweet.

    Cap Creations-I never made a purse/bag before:)

    Suzanne-oh you make me smile. Maybe one day when the boys are older I can sell again. And then I will get the honor of having you as an agent:)

    And Bekah, thanks for popping by! I do all my embroidering by hand.

    and Photo Freak--Love your new blog. Maybe one day I will be ready to be your guest, but not just yet. But you are so sweet to ask!

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  19. this came out super cute! we love that place. so many cool bags and things.
    and i remember that blank look from when i told you i wanted to embroider a tent onto lijahs blanket, ha!

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  20. Wow girl! You are talented! You are so creative.

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  21. Oh my goodness! That is the cutest set ever. Ever. You are quite inspiring! I don't think I want to brave the army surplus store, though. Maybe I will just look at these pictures every once and awhile!

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  22. how did I not yet tell you how fantastic and amazing I think these are? and how much I loved your funny story behind them?

    Because they are. And I did. :)

    you are fantastic, Davi.

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  23. You are a fabulous story teller and then you throw in gorgeous pictures to boot! What a fun and special gift to your friend's baby.

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  24. Oh my GOSH! You are so stinking creative Davi! You continue to blow my mind with each post I read. I want to have another baby just so you can make me a blanket! I want a VW theme! :) But what a great idea and so special and unique. You created an heirloom for that family! :)

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  25. girlfriend. i am writing you a super long comment cause i couldn't find your email anywhere.

    a) you are super mom! seriously. i am amazed. i have a nephew who needs one of these. his daddy (my brother in law) is a marnie corps sniper and my sister in law would DIE if i sent one of these for his birthday. DIE. do you make these and sell them!? if so we need to chat!

    b) the jammies are from old navy from all places! she ordered them online, i don't think they had them in stores. i LOVE them. foster will be able to wear brody's next year but i'm really hoping they sell them again next year so i can get a bigger pair for brody. i checked to see if they still had them online now and it was a no go…so here's hoping!

    c) why is your family so beautiful?

    d) why is your family so beautiful? sorry i just can't get over it!


    :):)

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  26. oh and ps, i can't wait to see some pictures of twain in is red and white stripes!

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