artsy-crafty babe

flashback

Do you ever have those moments when you're doing something you've done before, but it totally takes you back to a different time?  I experienced this one afternoon last week.

It was a usual afternoon with all the kids playing in the backyard, swinging on the swing-set.  I looked out to check on them and much to my surprise, Lily was corralling a little blond haired toddler back there.  I immediately went out there to figure out where the baby came from!  Once out the door, I saw the baby's sister, who is a little younger than Ava.  The two blondies belong to my neighbor, who wasn't too far behind (you know how fast those little ones can be).

I spent the afternoon visiting with my neighbor (hi Donna!) while our kids played.  Let me say again how fast those little ones of hers are - many times we had to go on a search because somebody was missing!  The weather was beautiful, absolutely perfect.

The kids eventually dwindled down to just Ava and Donna's two girls - Lily went to soccer practice and Alex & his little friend went off to her house.

This whole afternoon brought me back about 5 years when Lily was about Ava's age and Alex was the baby.  We spent many afternoons in the backyard swinging on that swing.  All the pushing - 'faster Mama, higher Mama', all the silliness.  I remember setting up a lawn chair between the two swings so that I could push them both.   Sometimes I'd bring my magazines out there to look at while they played on the slide. 

Now that my kids are older, they don't need me out there to push them anymore.  Their friends are usually over (our backyard is a kid magnet), so the last thing they want is their mom there keeping watch, though I always pop out there numerous times to check up on them.  Now that I think about it, when I do decide to stay out there, they usually go somewhere else.  I guess I had better get used to that!

My afternoons of pushing aren't completely over just yet - Ava still can't swing herself.  I think I need to get out there more often, before she learns how to do it on her own!

red + aqua

How about a little bit of happy to start off the weekend?  I don't know about you, but I can't help but smile when looking at these blocks. 

Last night after the supper dishes were cleared away, with the NY Housewives on in the background (my goodness, the drama!), I poured myself a glass of wine, then had a little fun cutting and piecing.

Sew, then trim...sew, then trim...that's how I make my log cabin blocks.  No rules, no plan, just making something pretty...which always makes me happy.  I never did jump on the red & aqua train, but these colors sure are pretty together.  I can see how one would be smitten with the combination.

What are these for?  Oh, I don't know... *wink*wink*

I'll leave you with this - look who learned a new trick!  We already can't leave the dining room chairs pulled out or else she jumps on the table and now this.  Ruby and Ava make a great pair, those two are always keeping me on my toes!  Happy weekend, friends :-)

rambling on...

Well, nothing new has been started.  The truth?  I'm POOPED!!  As much as I love this extra daylight, I'm we're still not in the groove.  We've been spending more time outside every afternoon, which makes for a later supper, which then leads to later bath times, and then even later bed times all around.

For some reason, it doesn't click in my mind that 5 hours of sleep isn't enough.  I'm trying to do better.  Last night I actually got about 6 hours of sleep.  I'm not an 8 hour a night person, 6-7 suits me fine, but multiple nights of only 5-6 hours starts to wear on me.

Once the little people finally fall asleep, all I can do is plop down with my knitting.  Yes, my buttercup is coming along.  This also means that I've been leaving dirty dishes in the sink and the laundry is piling up...don't even get me started on the dust bunnies (where DO those things come from??).

Maybe I'll be able to catch up this weekend, but I'm not counting on it.  Now that I think about it, I'm not even going to bother - next week matt & the kids are on spring break...cleaning the house before my whole family is home for a week is like mopping the floors before a party!  I think I'll focus on getting my vegetable garden in order instead.  That sounds like a much better plan.

Household messes, not enough sleep, I don't mean to sound whiny because honestly, if that's all I have to complain about, then I'm one lucky lady!  Life is good and I can't ask for anything more than what I already have...messes and all. 

what next?

Whew, with my spring update out of the way I now have some brain space to think about other things.  I'm almost paralyzed with the possibilities. 

Let's see, should I jump back in with the home spruce up plan?  I've been working on the dining room, which is now ready for new curtains.  New curtains with yet to be purchased fabric.  It might be a good idea to make some things with already purchased fabric, like my bedroom curtains - I'm sure by now that fabric is nice and dusty (hmmm, where did I put that fabric???).  I never did quite complete my living room pillows - that fabric has been patiently waiting, too. Speaking of pillows, I'm thinking about putting these pillow covers in my shop - I'm ready for something new. (I really *don't* like making curtains, so I think this will go to the bottom of the list).

I've been feeling kind of quilt-y lately.  Maybe I could start a new quilt.  I bought all the fabrics for a new quilt for Alex, oh, last summer some time.  There's also a quilt for the girls' bed that needs to be made.  I'm pretty sure I have all those fabrics as well.  And then there are all those dottie vintage scraps left over from the latest bags.  On second thought, I think I'll save all the quilt stuff for summer, when it's too hot to do anything else but stay inside. 

Spring dresses?  I always seem to go on a dress kick right about now.  Boden, Garnet Hill, and Lilly Pulitzer are oozing with inspiration.  Man, so much inspiration.  I still have yards of fabric I bought on sale last year to make spring dresses.  I think few shift dresses, a la Lilly are in order.  Yes, that's it.  It's only spring for a short time around here, so I had better get busy!

But first, I need to do some serious clean up.  My sewing studio is a complete disaster.  Threads, fabric snippets, and straight pins are everywhere.  I'd much rather just close the door and sew at the kitchen table, which isn't a bad idea...

shop update

It nearly killed me, but my first collection is done!  You can check it all out here.  Though this was the largest update I've ever done, there is still more to come.  I have another bag design that I want to make at some point in the near future, and there are a few bags that I didn't get finished in time.  It was so much fun working within the parameters of vintage linens & dots that I'm pretty sure that I'll stick with that combo for a while.

Many of you have asked about the patterns for these bags.  I'd like to make the patterns available, but that may be a little while.  I'm a one woman shop, so making a pattern takes a while.  The most time consuming part of the process is making all the line drawings and writing the directions.  Spring is a super busy time of year for my family, so I won't have the time to devote to pattern writing any time soon.  I hope that once summer rolls around I can spend some time getting the patterns ready.  Who knows, I may get to it sooner, but I don't want to promise anything right now.  Until then, you can expect more bags from me as I work out the kinks.

Now that this update is done, I've got curtains to make - more on that later...

some thrifting luck

Working with all my vintage linens has given me the itch to thrift.  Perhaps it's spring, or maybe I'm panicking a little bit as I use up my stash, I don't know, but I hit the thrift stores three times in the past week.  My main focus was on sheets, but there were a few surprises....

like these napkins and tablecloth.  Oh my, isn't that tablecloth fabulous?  The gray + the roses is perfect.  I always get excited when I come across a vintage tablecloth.

I found some pillowcases - my favorite is the yellow one at the end.  I have that print in both blue and pink, so it's nice to add the yellow to my collection.

And some floral sheets.

And more sheets + a cheapo poly blend tablecloth (at the top).

Lily has been requested some nightgowns lately, so I thought some of these sheets would be perfect.  I was a little bummed that I didn't find any bold, colorful sheets, but these more delicate ones are growing on me, especially that blue floral one (first sheet photo, far right).  I may have to make myself a pair of lounge pants from that one.  The pants I bought from Chris get so much use that I need another pair to wear when those are in the wash.

I don't usually check the housewares because I never find anything, but today I was lucky.  How about that lamp and vase?  I've been looking for a blue lamp for a while without much luck.  This little prize was a whopping $3.88.  I plan to scrape the flowers off even though I kind of like them -they come off super easy and a few big chunks are already gone.  The white drum shade with silver trim was purchased a few weeks ago at Ross for $2.99.  I think they go together perfectly.  Not too bad for about $7.  That vase had to come home with me too, even though it is missing a top, because I've started collecting blue & white plates for my kitchen/dining.  I don't have a plan for it yet, but I'm sure I'll figure out something.

All I have to say is 'yippie' for spring cleaning.  I always seem to find good stuff at this time of year.  If you haven't been thrifting in a while, get out there, what are you waiting for?

i'm drawing a blank - i can't think of a title for this one

Let's start out with a pop quiz.  Don't worry, you won't be graded on it.

My absence from this space is due to:

a) spring fever

b) problems adjusting to the time change

c) lots of sewing

d) all of the above

I'm sure you know the answer to this - if you guessed d, give yourself a pat on the back (or a trip to the fabric store!).  My goodness, how can it be the middle of March already?  Seriously!!  Spring has sprung in these parts, and all I want to do is soak it up.  These longer days are wonderful, but I haven't figured out how to go to bed on time yet, which makes for some very groggy mornings.  Thank goodness for coffee.

Seeing all the flowering trees around my yard sure is making me happy.  My redbud tree, peach tree (that never makes peaches), bradford pear, and loropetalum are all in full bloom along with the many flowering weeds that my kids love to pick and bring to me daily.  I can't wait until we have green grass again.  I guess for now the clover will have to do.

Last week I told y'all that the knitting bug bit me, but I was going to finish my many (many) warm weather knits that I already have in progress.  Well, that lasted for all of about 4 days.  I worked and worked on my shetland shorty, but my eye wandered and whoops, I cast on something new.  I'm now working on a buttercup by Heidi Kirrmaier. I'm using stash yarn, so that's something, right?  I did have to get some new needles because all my others are currently on projects. 

The color isn't too springy, but it does remind me of my loropetalum (and the other pinkish/purplish blooms).  Knowing my knitting habits, I'll work on it for a while, put it aside, then maybe finish it months later so with that in mind, it will be perfect for fall.  I plan to modify this to have elbow length sleeves and a fitted body.

As of now, everything is still on track for my spring update this weekend, though I'm thinking it will be Sunday, or maybe first thing Monday morning.  I'll be sure to let you know!

some itty bitty tweaks

With the gorgeous spring weather we've been experiencing lately, blogging has been the last thing on my mind.  Sorry, but when weather this fabulous comes to town, we have to take advantage of it - before we know it, we'll be smothering in heat and humidity.  I spent a good amount of time outside this weekend attending 4 soccer games (yes, 4!!), but that wasn't all I was up to...my sewing machine and I got to spend some quality time together.

I did a little tweaking to the itty bitty bag.  It's nothing major, just a little more shaping, in a little here, out a little there, you know, the usual tweaking stuff.  The result is exactly what I was going for.  I'm so happy with this!  I managed to make a few over the weekend, but would like to make more before the update, which I think will be around March 20-21 sometime.  My biggest obstacle is getting everything photographed, but now that we have more daylight hours (*yawn*) I may get this accomplished over the course of the week.

I feel like a broken record talking about my bag making lately, but that isn't all that's been going on.  Yes, there is soccer (having 2 kids with games at the same time at 2 different fields sucks), but I'm quite proud of myself for going out on a limb and doing something for me.  At the end of last week I had a real treat - I met up with a local blogger for lunch.  I discovered Sara of 5 o'clock crows one day while searching the shop local feature of etsy.  I was immediately drawn to her gorgeous fabrics.  After looking at her etsy shop, I hopped to her blog, made a comment and that was that.  I'm so happy that we finally got the chance to meet up.  My only regret was that lunch went by way too fast - I think we could have kept talking and talking.  We decided that we definitely need to do it again! 

another completed batch

The totes are done (pretty much).  Boy, these took more work than I thought, but they were worth it.  Next, I'm moving on to a batch of small bags.  I sure seemed to strike a chord with those!  I tweaked the design a tiny bit, but not too much.  I also have another batch of clutches cut out and smaller version of the tote that I'd like to make, but I think I'll go ahead and update my shop with what I have before I get to those.  I don't want you waiting forever!  I'm really enjoying combining my vintage linens with dots, so I'll keep on with that theme for a while, probably updating my shop with a new batch of something every few weeks. 

Thanks for going along with me on this journey and listening to me babble about all of this bag stuff -  I can't wait to show it to you all together!!  I hope you like it :)

hmmm, now where was I?

For some reason, the knitting bug has bitten me again.  But this time, I'm in the mood to knit warm weather knits.  I suppose the beautiful spring weather we had this weekend has everything to do with it - finishing up my tea leaves re-do or the other cardigan I started just doesn't feel right anymore.  I like to work on things that I can foresee myself wearing in the near future.  Yes, we have been having abnormally cooler weather than normal, but I don't think I'll have a need for wool any time soon.  Shoot, this winter was the first that I can ever remember needing wool!

I started browsing Ravelry for something new, but really, I can't do that.  Off the top of my head, I can think of at least 4 knits in progress that I started last summer/fall.  I think I need to finish up at least one of those before I move on, and most are so very close to being done.

I think I'll start with shetland shorty.  I started this one while I was on vacation last summer, in July.  I don't know why I never finished it.  The only problem is that I have no idea where I was when I stopped.  I think I can figure it out, but my stitch counts are off.  I'm usually a boring knits kind of gal, mainly because I don't like to think too much while knitting.  This lace pattern isn't too complicated or anything, but you do have to think about it every once in a while.  Maybe that's why I dropped it!  I'm going to give it a shot, and if all else fails, I'll rip it out and start over.  It's been so long since I touched the thing, starting fresh won't hurt a bit!