Stuff

It's been a bit crazy around these parts lately. I'm not actually sure where my summer is going. We went this weekend to help the husband's grandparents celebrate 70 years of marriage. No it's not a typo, SEVENTY years! Obviously they're in they're nineties but you wouldn't know it to look at them. It was a joy to see them and the kids love them and wouldn't leave them alone.
My little girl is turning four this week! So there's party planning and general housecleaning to be done. It's also decided to warm up and so get my list is being accomplished with the added benefit of sweat.
And on top of it all we're going camping for the fourth this weekend and although I'm excited I have a list a mile long to get ready for that.But I did get a commissioned purse done and off the list and I'm hoping once we return from camping things will settle down a little! I hope your Tuesday is filled with some fun and accomplishments!

Whoo Whoo

A friend of mine had a baby recently and I'm bringing over a meal tomorrow evening. She chose owls as her theme for her little boy so I made a little owl pillow for the room. I drew up the pattern and luckily it came together just as I had pictured in my head. There's a few things I would change but really I think a first time, ready worthy product is about one in a hundred for me. I'm lucky it worked out so smoothly because I have a laundry list of things to do this week. I've got some commissioned work lined up and most importantly my little girl will be turning four next week! A unicorn cake has been requested, which I better get working on because I have no idea how that's going to happen. I'm kind of hoping she'd go for a sheet cake with unicorn toys on top. That works right?

My Creative Space

My creative space has been more on the thrift side of things this week. A lot of thrifting, cleaning and picture taking for the shop. I found some great things, some to keep and some to sell. I found this great embroidered pillowcase I'm going to turn into a dress for one of the girls from the pattern in Sewing Green. (Excuse the wrinkles, ironing only occurs when absolutely necessary.)
And some shop finds.I love wind up clocks!A very retro filing box.

Now that the husband is home all the time there's much more play and outdoor fun with a lot less computer and sewing time. It's a good compromise for the summer. And it's finally gotten hot enough that the swimsuits have come out of hiding.
For other great spaces and inspiration visit Kirsty!

Sewing Green

I just bought Sewing Green and I am so excited to try out some of the patterns. I've been wanting this book for awhile and I finally broke down and bought it. I am so glad I did and I'm hoping this week sees some sewing in this house. I promised my oldest we'd sew tomorrow and she's a great one for enforcing promises. I love this idea of a log shaped draft blocker. So cute! I've been a little tired lately so I'm hoping I'll get enough energy to do what I'd like to this week. I think we all go through times when the normal routine just doesn't seem that appealing. This book is the perfect thing for kicking me out of my funk!

Happy Father's Day

There's nothing that makes me happier than seeing my husband as a father.....I'm a lucky girl.....so are my kids.

My Creative Space

Crochet organizers cut out and in various stages of being assembled. I may be ready for market yet.......

Please go see Kirsty for other fabulous spaces!

Market

I've finally gotten myself off of the procrastination boat and onto the productivity ship. I have my first Market coming up in the beginning of August which is exciting and terrifying all at the same time. So while the husband was gone I finally sat down and made an actual list of all the products and amounts I needed. Seeing it all written out made me feel a little more at peace and also caused an "oh, crap" moment that quickly turned into some actual products. I've been trying to work a little everyday and I still have a slightly sick feeling at the pit of my stomach when I think about Market but I'm a little more hopeful as well.

Two

My little boy is officially two! It always amazes me just how fast a year can go by. It's bittersweet watching him accomplish new things and growing out of the baby phase.
We had a wonderful day in the woods at my in-laws cabin. A great place for a little boy to run around in the woods and explore. There was some archery, flower soup, and exploring to be had. And of course lots of food.... Which experienced a little melting on the drive up the mountain.....

Two Years Old

My boy will be two years old on Monday!

A rough beginning that turned into a healthy two year old. How blessed we are!

And now a weekend in the woods with a precious little boy.

Dress

Some further procrastination by way of dresses. Can I just say for the millionth time how much I love the Weekend Sewing book. I LOVE IT! It's nice and easy and simple steps, just up my alley. I made these dresses for the girls and they turned out great. In the book it only goes up to a size four and so for my oldest, who is a size six, I just added some to the bodice and left the skirt part the same and so it has a little less gathering. Now if it would only stop raining we could get into summer full swing!

Final Countdown

Only hours from now I'll get my husband back and I can't wait! Thankfully my kids don't yet know how to tell time so off to bed they went, just a tad bit early, and I'm enjoying some time to myself just relaxing on the computer with a good cup of tea.
It's been a fun and crazy week that makes me thankful I have a partner to do this whole parenting thing. I'm a lucky girl and it's been fun to get to know the kids just a little better this week.The oldest showed up downstairs in full panda regale this morning and I couldn't help but smile. It was even more precious when she actually spent most of the morning in the get up and mask. It is these small moments that I try to imprint into my memory.

My Creative Space

I actually was able to finish some projects this week and I'm hoping my productivity heads into the weekend. It seems like when I have a lot to do, i.e. sew for market in a month, I tend to do every other sewing project available first. It's my own little way of procrastinating.Finished up a shirt for my boy from Weekend Sewing. I love how it turned out. It's a little big which means longer wearing time. I also love the fabric. So soft and perfect for clothing.


Finished the baby cocoon I wrote about in my last post. The yarn is really bright and cheery, perfect for a February baby.

Vintage buttons and yo-yo's waiting to be assembled. Buttons....one of my favorite things!

For more great creative spaces head on over to Kootoyoo.

Baby Hat

A friend of mine is in the hospital due to complications with her pregnancy. She's scheduled to be induced this next week and since the baby will be early I knitted up this little hat for when it's in the hospital. I used organic cotton yarn and the pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts and just shrunk the size which worked perfectly.
I love having an excuse to knit and since another friend just found out she's pregnant I have big baby knitting plans. I just bought this pattern from lillebarn on Etsy and I can't wait to get started on it. It looks so cute and cuddly, I wish I knew how to knit when my kids where small.
Happy Tuesday!

Thrifting and Single Momness

The husband left for a conference in Vegas last night. Since he's gone till Thursday I'm planning on some indoor/outdoor picnics depending on the weather, hopefully a lot of walks and a few movies when things get desperate. :)

I was able to get a little thrifting done over the weekend and scored two wonderful things I've been searching for. I found this great vintage picnic basket and I'm planning on using it to store all our outside dishes on our back patio so I don't have to haul dishes back and forth while eating outside. Since we eat outside a lot in the summer this will be perfect. Now I just need to find the perfect melamine dishes to go in it. I'm also planning on lining it with some oilcloth I just purchased. I can't wait to get started and see how it turns out. On a side note you may notice the pencil tree in the background waiting to be painted. A project my artistic husband started last summer that is in desperate need of finishing. Hopefully, I'll be able to post photos of the finished project by the end of the summer (cross my fingers).
And this amazing cup holder for the outside patio. So cool and retro and now in desperate need of some retro glasses. I love searching for things. That's half the fun!

I also found a great blue portable typewriter for my shop. If I didn't already have a typewriter it'd be mine. I hope you all have/had a great Monday.

Shopping List Saturday

I'm trying a little different format this time for the shopping list. Just thought I'd change up the layout of the photos. I like a little change now and again. This week is baby themed in honor of a dear person in my life who is expecting her first baby. I love babies and I'm super excited for her. These are some great things for any sweet baby.


1. I love this red romper. Red and turquoise just go so well together. Any baby would look cute in this outfit! By Arinna

2. I wish I would've seen something like this when I had babies. This pinwheel has such neat designs for a little baby to look at! By mamax2

3. This appliqued necktie on a onsie is such a wonderful idea! She has a ton of different colors and variations in her shop and even matching ones for father and son. By SuperSweetCreations

4. This print of a little girl in the woods is just precious. Perfect over a small reading nook. I think her little red coat is so striking and reminds me of a fairytale. By remarkablebird

I hope you have a great weekend! I unfortunately am saying goodbye to my husband for a week as he leaves for a conference. Just when I got used to him being around all the time!

Please go check out other great list at fancypicnic.

Sewing Machine Meme

Sew, Mama Sew is hosting sewing machine month and I'm posting my meme in hopes it's of use to someone. I know when I was looking for a machine I researched and talked to everyone I knew and I still had to go out on a limb and just buy a machine. One can only look for so long then action has to be taken. :)
So here we go....

What brand and model do you have?

I have a Bernina 165E Artista

How long have you had it?

I've had it for two years.

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?

I paid about $1300 on Ebay. I got a great deal but it sure was hard spending that kind of money of a sewing machine and I wasn't even sewing that much then. I convinced myself with the machine I would sew much more. Thankfully that's actually turned out to be the case.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?

I sew a variety of different things, such as knitting organizers and totes. I sew clothes and misc. projects for the family. I have also free-motioned quilted with it as well. My machine also has the embroidery attachment as well so I do some embroidery, although not as much as I thought I would when I bought it.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?

I sew on average about one to two hours a day so quite a bit of wear and tear. Which it holds up to remarkably well.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?

I love my machine. It being my first real fancy machine I don't have anything to complain about. Really it does everything I need it to do. I can't think of one thing I hate except sometimes I wish I had the walking foot regulator that the new machines have but that's just because I'm still not a great machine quilter. :)

What features does your machine have that work well for you?

I love the variety of stitches that it offers and feet. I also feel like it makes really nice stitches and makes sewing just easier in general.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

Other than when I have a hard time getting the tension right at times I can't say I do have anything that drives me nuts. Most is operator error.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!

My husband was kind enough to let me use some of the money he received when his grandfather passed away. Because his grandmother was an avid quilter a small part of me hopes I'm using it in a way that is honoring to them and the money they worked so hard for during their lives.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?

Absolutely! It sews fantastic, with great stitches and is easy to use. Really I have nothing bad to say. I love the solidness of a Bernina because it has an all metal core. Metal just stands up longer to the wear and tear of everyday use. Yeah for my machine, I love it!

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?

I think you have to consider price range, what things you'll be using it mostly for and consumer reviews. I think the hard thing about shopping for a machine is that it's easy to get caught up in the gadgets and the newest gadgets. It's important to really sit down and decide what you need from a machine and how much that's worth to you. I know I got caught up in thinking I should also have the embroidery attachment when in reality it's something I use so rarely it probably wasn't worth the extra cost. I also read a lot of other people's reviews of my machine so I felt comfortable that it fit my needs.

Do you have a dream machine?

Absolutely! I plan on having this machine with me till it dies.

*I hope this litttle meme has been of help to someone out there searching for a machine. Have a great Friday! It's thrifting day for me, my favorite time of the week.

Crochet Organizer

I made this crochet organizer as a custom order today. Can I just say how much I love this fabric! I think I'll be ordering some more very soon.The husband is home for the summer and it's just so nice to be working in the yard, playing with the kids, and just generally hanging out together.
Happy Thursday!

My Creative Space

Kirsty over at Kootoyoo has a new item this week to hide a heart in the creative space. There is a heart in my space but unfortunately it turns out I'm not very creative when it comes to hiding. As a child I was always found fairly quickly when playing hide and seek. So search for the heart but I don't think you'll have to search very hard. :)

After the big giveaway last week I finally was able to get back to some fun sewing for me and the kids. I planned on trying to make a dress out of the book in my last post but I decided I did not have the patience to figure out a Japanese pattern so I opted for the Weekend Sewing book instead. I traced, pinned and cut and now have several projects waiting to be sewn up. I finished the Huck Finn pants last night and I love the fabric. Unfortunately, my husband wasn't as thrilled with the capri like style for his son so they soon became shorts, still just as cute.


Please go over to Kirsty's for more great creative spaces!

My Awesome Find

I discovered this amazing casserole server a couple of weeks ago. I listed it in my shop but I'm enjoying looking at it while it's mine. It's pink, pyrex and still has the tags. Gorgeous! I think the best thing about selling on Etsy vintage is searching for all the small finds out there. It's like a treasure hunt every weekend!I got this book quite awhile ago and I'm desperate to finally sewing something out of it. And since
I've been so busy with business related stuff lately I'm jumping on our rainy day today to spend some time with the kiddos. They've been begging for a dress so we'll be cutting out patterns, sewing and I think some homemade bread is in order.
I hope you all have a great Tuesday!

Winner!!!!!!!!!!

Honestly, I am so thankful for everyone who stopped by, looked around, left a comment and participated in the Sew, Mama Sew giveaway. With over three hundred comments I am very slowly going through the comments and visiting everyone's own blog if they happen to have one. I will get there, promise! So thank you, thank you for being a part of my little life! And now onto what you're really waiting for, the winner!!!!!

The winner is number 83! It took me a bit to count to it but it is Gina of ginabean handmade. Yeah! I'll be emailing you shortly! Also, please go check out her blog. It's really lovely.

Thank you all for participating. And if you didn't happen to win I did put some totes in my shop yesterday so you still have the chance to get one for yourself! There is one with the mushroom lining but different yo-yo's, an owl lining, and bird lining. I hope you like them!Thank you again from the bottom of my heart. My week is now filled with cleaning the disaster some people may call a sewing room and getting into full summer mode. Lemonade on the patio here I come!