artsy-crafty babe

My first etsy sale!

Can you believe it?  I actually sold something.  Thank-you Carrie for being my first customer!  I offered to make it for free, but she wouldn't let me (what a good business mind I have).  What she wanted was something to hold her business cards, maybe something with white, black, and a little red.  I immediately thought of the perfect fabric.  Look familiar?  This is why I keep a scrap basket.  Now I want to rummage through it to make more of these little wallets.

   

Oh yeah, I one of those wristlets I posted yesterday was for her.  I guess I can blame her for my latest zipper infatuation.  If she had let me make the business card holder for free, then I wouldn't have felt the need to include something else.  Thanks Carrie!  Enjoy!!

zippers!

Zippers - my new passion!  Turns out, they're not so scary after all.  Yes, I've sewn zippers in the past in garments, but I've never really been comfortable with it.  I don't know why, they aren't that hard to do.  Of course my zipper applications didn't look too pretty, but they worked.  I think it was the feeling that I was doing it all wrong that gave me a zipper complex.  See, I like to be lazy.  When I make things for myself I often cut corners, when means that I don't bother with using my zipper foot.  My lordy, what a fool I've been!  BEHOLD THE ZIPPER FOOT!!  Man, that little gadget sure makes things easier.  I've been practicing my zipper sewing by making zippered pouches and wristlets.  This is fun!  They're still kind of wonky, but I'm making progress (and working on that list!).

Warning: zippered wristlet overload!!!

Despite all this practice, I still have a lot to work on.  I'm not completely satisfied with my zipper installation.  I guess there will be more pouches in my future.  I am very proud to report that all these were made with materials I had on hand.  This resulted in the use of one metal zipper, which I will never do again - live and learn.  The only challenge was finding fabrics to match the zippers I have. 

I posted the pictures in the order that I made them.  My favorite one of all is that last one on the bottom right.  Love that patchwork made from Fresh Cut fabrics along with a little Girlfriends. I think I got a little better as I went along.  Because I can't concentrate on just one thing at a time, I used this zipper practice to try out some different wristlet ideas.  All in all, this was fun.  I *love* projects that make me feel productive.  And yes, 4 wristlets in a weekend is productive to me (I made the first two last weekend).

Okay, now that I've made all these, I'm not sure what to do with them.  Etsy maybe?

Gratitude Friday & a WIP

It's already Friday. I'm really digging these three day work weeks - I can get used to this! Too bad next week is back to the usual grind. I really have enjoyed these last two weeks of leisure. Yeah, I did have to work and all, but Matt and the kids were off, so things were relaxed and not our usual routine.

Last Friday Matt and I got the change to go on a date. It was so nice to have some alone time. We went out to eat at the Chimes, one of our favorite places. The Chimes holds a special place in my heart - it was the first college bar I ever went to (back when the drinking age in La. was 18), Matt and I had our first date there (the first of many), and he almost proposed there (he actually went out to the truck to get the ring, but he chickened out). Being there brought back a lot of old memories.

While we were there we got to talking about how things are going and about our future. These are the types of conversations that we rarely get to have anymore with the hustle and bustle of three little ones. It felt so good to reconnect. This is something that we as a couple need to do more often. I am so very grateful to have Matt in my life. I am extremely blessed to have a partner who supports me, who is my best friend, and who loves me warts and all.

Now on to my laundry list of gratitudes on this first Friday of 2007:

• a three day work week
• The Chimes {good food, good company, good beer}
• Guiness Stout
• rainy days (enough already!)
• Ava's "sweet eyes"
• watching all three kiddos play in the bath tub
• bed time routines
• seeing Lily read a book to Alex
• cracking up over Alex's dress up looks (gotta post about that one day - great black mail material)
• quality family time

Because I can't post without photos, I'll share my current WIP. Crafting time - another thing to be grateful for. I've been working on a crochet hook case for a friend. I hoped to finish this before now, but I ran into some problems. I am on version two. I was a little too overzealous with interfacing on my first version, so I had to scratch that one. Too much poofiness, wonky seams, blah blah blah. I'm hoping that this one works because I don't have any more of that fabric! Keep your fingers crossed!! Hey Stace, if your reading this, is this what you wanted?

Better than Christmas

Honestly y'all, the stuff I get in the mail from crafty bloggers is the best ever.  I am ashamed to say that this post is long over due.  I've gotten some lovely things in the mail over the last month or so.

First up is this homemade soap and cute snowman from Lera.  That soap smells super yummy, though I must admit that I haven't used it yet.  It's sitting all pretty in the soap dish next to *my* sink.  That little snowman hung on my kitchen cabinet this entire holiday season.  I love stuff like that!

Next, I got two surprise packages from Mary Ann.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again, this girl spoils us rotten!  Mary Ann is the most generous person I know.  I aspire to be like her.  Her first package was a box of velvety dress up clothes for Lily, in which she also included a dress for Ava, a book for Alex, and some cute push pins for me.  Here is Lily dressed up like a medieval princess:

Lily and Alex are thoroughly enjoying these lovelies.  Then a few weeks later I got another package from her.  Inside was these cards.  They're so pretty I hate to use them.  I have a thing for buttons, so I especially love these cards. 

From another Mary Ann, I got this nice thank-you package for participating in her Cookie Swap 2006.  That was so nice of her to do that!  I especially like that Santa hat wearin' "B".

Last but not least, is this awesome surprise package from Denice.  This surprise was so cleverly wrapped that I had to take a photo.  Let me tell you, it killed me to have to wait to find my camera because I wanted to dive right in!  Ironically, I had just been looking at 1930's prints online earlier that day.

As if that fabric wasn't enough, look what was inside.  Three beautifully illustrated cards that I plan on framing as part of my holiday decor, and two vintage prints that I plan to also frame and hang in the girls' room.  Am I lucky or what? 

The generousity that I have received from everyone is amazing.  I can't thank you enough, really. 

Go Tigers!

2007 Goals

Wow, thanks for all your comments on my 2006 Goals in Review post.  I honestly didn't think I did that great.  I like making lists mostly because I like crossing things off.  I'm much more productive that way.  I am a firm believer in listing one's goals.  There's something about seeing your goals written out in front of you that makes them more real.  Something I need to work on is being more specific in my goals, and reading them more often.  It does little good to write out your goals if you never go back to review them!  I learned that while looking at my 2006 goals.  There were a lot of things that I didn't do, or only half attempted, but may have if I had looked at that list before the end of the year!  So here is goes:

2007 Goals

• get to pre-pregnant weight
• eat healthier foods
• include more physical activity
• make time for me
• sell something from my etsy shop
• be more open to requests for making things
• take a class to learn something new or improve on something I already know
• get comfortable with using my industrial sewing machine
• master zippers
• use more of my “good” fabric stash
• purchase less fabric (set a budget and stick to it)
• make more of my own clothing
• make more gifts
• give more things away, be more generous overall
• get my kids on a bedtime schedule
• devise a house cleaning plan
• grow a garden
• get organized with bill paying
• make a meal chart
• have friends over to dinner
• establish a date night
• spend more one on one time with each child

The 'Year of the House' goals:

• kitchen (paint cabinets, remove tile floor)
• kids bathroom (repair sheetrock, paint walls, make roman shade)
• master bedroom(new bedding, paint walls)

Okay, that seems like enough.  I'm going to print this out and look at it often.

Sorry to bore you with all that.  Enought with the lists already!  This is supposed to be a craft blog, right?  I promise my next few posts will be filled with craftiness - I have a backlog of things to share.  Here's to a great 2007!!!

8 months

Today my baby girl, Ava Rose, is 8 months old!  The New Year's resolutions post, which has been written for days now, can wait for another day.  Gosh, does time fly or what?  Last year on this day I was posting that I was 22 weeks pregnant, so I only see it fitting to talk about that little creation that was the highlight of this past year.

This little girl is the most mellow, laid back baby.  I could just eat her up!  We fondly call her the "runt" of the family because she is the smallest of my children.  By the time my other two were 6 months, they were pushing 20 lbs, but little Ava, at 8 months, is just over 16 lbs.  All of Lily's hand-me-downs swallow her.  I think part of the reason for her size is that she just doesn't like to eat.  Shocking, I know, especially as a child of mine.  I'd think she was switched at birth if she didn't look so much like her sister and brother!  This girl will have nothing to do with solid food.  Nothing.  No baby cereal, baby food, crackers, rice, pasta, *nothing*.  She's strictly on the boob juice.  If I can get some type of food past her lips, she spits it out.  Oh well, I guess she'll eat eventually.

Right now her smiles crack me up.  She's been on this kick where she makes the biggest grin, so big that her eyes close.  Love it!  She adores her big brother.  If anyone can put a smile on her face, Alex is the one.  I can see that they'll have a special bond for years to come.

She's still not mobile (thank goodness), but she sits well unsupported, reaches for everything including her mama, and puts everything in her mouth.  She loves bouncing up and down in her exersaucer.  This is an accomplishment considering that a few months ago she wouldn't put any weight on her feet, I guess from wearing orthopedic shoes her whole life.  But all that is past us now, her feet look great, and I'm sure she'll be walking before I know it.

I almost forgot, we have a first tooth!  That little sucker popped out a few weeks ago after *much* turmoil.  Am I ever glad that's over...for now.

Oh Ava, what a surprise you were and what a blessing  you've been in our lives.  I can't imagine our lives without you!!!  Happy 8 months, baby girl!