artsy-crafty babe

a lovely day

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes!  It was a joy to hear from so many of you both here and on facebook - y'all totally made my day!  I must confess, I was spoiled rotten.

First up, my friends at work showered me with gifts.

Then we went out for Mexican at lunch.  It was so delicious, but the company was even better.

Matt sent me flowers at work.

I came home to an empty house, which gave me a moment to relax.  I actually laid on the sofa and did nothing, which is a rarity for me. 

The troops arrived with handmade cards and drawings *love*.

We ordered supper and I didn't feel a bit of guilt about eating those greasy onion rings and sloppy roast beef poboy. Then they sang.

And we ate cake.

I couldn't have asked for a better day!  Turning 35 wasn't so bad after all ;-) 

35

Today I am 35.  For the past 3 birthdays I've posted a photo of myself and written a list about myself, well, one year I just did a photo because I think I was only posting photos in May.  I guess I'll keep with the tradition and tell you more about myself than you ever wanted to know, which is getting kind of tough considering the amount of time I've had this blog.  Trying not to repeat what I've already said is a challenge!

1. I'm not too excited about my birthday this year.  The last time I felt this way was at 29.
2. I'm perfectly happy with celebrating at home with Matt & the kids with some cake & ice cream (and maybe a margarita).
3. This is the first year that I've felt old (i think a recent trip to the mall has everything to do with it...and this nagging pain in my hip that won't go away).
4. I much prefer my 35 year old self over my 25 year old self - there's no way I'd go back in time.
5. Cute shoes still make me happy (they're on the list every year).
6. Ruby sleeps next to me every night, much to Matt's dismay.
7. I love french food and anything with beurre blanc.
8. I've been obsessed with white jeans this season. I finally found the perfect pair for me here (I'm wearing them today!).
9. I always have knitting in my bag.
10. And a notebook to jot down ideas.
11. I love adding nuts to a salad, especially candied pecans.
12. I'm more comfortable in my own skin now than I ever have been.
13. I only recently accepted the fact that I'm a creative person.
14. I love that my girls & I all have birthdays in May, but I hate when mine falls on Mother's Day.
15. I take my rings off the moment I get home.
16. And my shoes, too.
17. I *heart* 80's music.
18. I prefer quality over quantity in most situations.
19. I wish Matt and I had more time to spend together.  These are definitely the busy years of our lives!
20. I can't stomach cilantro or blue cheese.  If both were in the same dish I might die.
21. I believe in the power of a good, supportive bra.
22. I have stacks and stacks of magazines under my bed.
23. I'm having my wisdom teeth pulled in a few weeks and I'm NOT looking forward to it!  My dentist advises having this done before 30.  oops.
24. Auntie Mame is one of my favorite movies.  I haven't seen it in years, but I think it's time I introduced her to my kids.
25. I don't drink nearly enough water.
26. I really enjoy cooking, but get tired of coming up with supper ideas.
27. I am NOT a planner, but not having a plan makes me nervous.
28. Those gummy fruit snacks that I buy for the kids are my guilty pleasure.  I love those things and sometimes eat more than the kids, though Ava would polish off a whole box if I let her.
29. I love fruity candy.  Green skittles are my favorite.
30. This year while I am 35 my mom is 53 (yep, she was young when she had me).
31. I can't stand wearing ill fitting clothes, either too big or too small.  It makes me feel sloppy.
32. I'm terrible at returning emails & phone calls.
33. I don't think there's anything wrong with making an entire meal out of chips & salsa.  It can be nicely rounded out with guacamole & queso (and a margarita).
34. I love furniture with chipped, peeling paint.
35. I rearrange the stuff in my house often.  Of course, I always think the latest arrangement is the best, until I get tired of it and change things up again.

Good grief, that was hard!  I may have to rethink this tradition for next year - these lists won't get any easier, that's for sure.  If you're curious about my previous lists or what I looked like in past years, I dug them out for you: 34, 33, 32, at 31 I had just given birth to Ava and my birthday fell on Mother's Day, so there was no post on the topic, just a mention a few days after (don't click that link unless you want to read about breastfeeding woes) - I'm sure I could hardly think straight at that point! 

I may not be feeling it, but I'm going to have a good day.  Why not?  It's my birthday AND it's Friday!  

(maybe I'll get a remote for my camera so that I can stop taking self portraits in the mirror, though I do like the glowy light effect of the lamps that hide the fine lines on my face that are multiplying like rabbits these days)

kids clothes week

Did you know that this week is kids clothes week?   Well friends, it is!  Here's what I've done so far:

I made the Ava girl a night gown.  Making gowns have been on my to-do list forever.  Both my girls love gowns.  Why are the nightgowns in stores so icky?  I'm sorry, but I think that non-flammable stuff is gross.  Who wants to wear that?

This gown was made from a thrifted sheet.  I made sure to use hem of the sheet to save myself some sewing.  It is oh, so soft and just perfect for sleeping.  I made it while wearing my lounge pants, does that give me extra points?

I used Simplicity  9603 as a starting point, using the top front piece elongated to an a-line dress.  I then made the sleeve symmetrical so that it would work with the front piece as the front and back.  At 4 years old, I figured it didn't really matter of there was a definitely front and back, so I might as well make them both the same.

The sleeve was a bit short to add elastic, so I left that out.  Next time I'll elongate it a bit, but I think non-elastic sleeves might be more comfortable as a night gown.

Next up is a gown for Lily.  She doesn't want sleeves of any sort, so it will probably be very pillow case dress-esque.  Easy peasy, no complaints from me!

**sorry for the dark not so great photos, it was late!

outdoor living

My backyard is my favorite place to hang out when the weather cooperates.  I love to spend afternoons tending to my vegetable garden and potted plants.  As of now, we've only carved out a little spot contained by the picket fence, which was a great solution when the kids were smaller, but I dream of putting a big privacy fence around the peremeter of the yard so that I can enjoy the big live oak tree at the corner of our property and I no longer have to stare at the back of my neighbor's house. 

Man, my little garden is doing so well right now, I almost hate to blog about it in fear that I'll jinx it.  Some of my patio plants have yet to come back (boo) and others are off to a slow start, but over all everything is doing well.

My first attempt at growing vegetables from seeds is going well.  Look at those beans!  I finally got around to building a simple trellis with bamboo this weekend.  The beans were starting to reach the fence.  As usual, my little garden is overcrowded.  I suppose I'll have to expand it yet again next year.  For reference, this was my garden less than 6 weeks ago.

Look, little green tomatoes!  I can't wait for those.

The jasmine is intoxicating.

The hydrangeas make me so happy.

My re-vamped patio furniture.  Do you remember when I got this set?  It was a free from my babysitter's neighbor.

All my cushions are from Costplus World Market and Pier 1.  These matched the tablecloth I purchased from World Market last year.  I shopped around for outdoor fabric to make my own, but in the end, it was easier to just buy them all ready made.  I've finally figured out my problem - because I can make things, I feel like I should, but in the end this holds me up and keeps me from finishing anything because I don't have the time to make EVERYTHING.  I felt a little guilty, but I bought the cushions and called it done.

As you can see, my Corks-n-Canvas paintings found a new home.  This is where I originally wanted to hang these.

The kids helped out with artwork for the other side.  These wooden pieces were in the packaging of my new bar stools.  Alex painted the more subdued one, with the help of Lily, and Ava and her friend did the more colorful one.

This table was the first table Matt & I bought when we got married.  It is made from reclaimed fencing.  We used it as our dining table for a long time, then as a desk, then as a catch-all table, then a dining table again, but that proved to not work well with 3 messy kids.  Do  you know how hard it is to get sticky rice from the cracks in that table?  And what a pain it is when spilled milk flows through the cracks all over the floor?  I needed an easy clean up solution, so this much loved table became the patio table while we got a new table to dine off of (which turned out to be a piece of crap, but that's another story).  The plastic chairs will eventually be replaced with benches.  Hopefully one day this table will make its' way back inside, I do love it so!

Have I ever shown you this Singer treadle table?  My dad gave it to me a few years ago.  I think some one was giving it away????  Thankfully he rescued it and gave it to me.  I love it and think it works perfectly out here. (yes, I have twinkle lights strung through the lattice, but I need more)

There are still a few things I need to do, like attach and fill some flower boxes with ferns to add some privacy from the back door, but other than that, this space is complete.  Anybody care to swing by for Birthday Happy Hour on Friday?  We'll have cake & ice cream (and margaritas) on the patio...

binge

I'm not gonna lie, I'm WEAK, especially when it comes to fabric on sale.  It had been a while since I ordered fabrics, so when those sale emails rolled in, I couldn't resist.  Damn you fabric stores with your irresistible sales!  I'm calling this an early 'happy birthday to me' gift.  And um, there might just be another shipment on the way...don't judge!!

*fabrics from fabric.com and fatquartershop

stuck on bags + a lunch adventure

I'm still searching for my summer bag.  The other night at Alex's t-ball game my friend had a bag on her arm that caught my eye.  It was big and had a pleat or two at the top.  I didn't get a good look at it because I didn't want to - I liked the idea and wanted to fill in the blanks in my mind.

I quickly became obsessed with creating my own version.  On Saturday afternoon Matt took the kids out shopping, so I had a few hours all to myself.  It was bliss, I tell ya.  I spent the entire time working on this bag, taking my own sweet time.  I had forgotten what luxury it is to work on something during daylight hours without and interruptions.

I absolutely love the fabric combination on this one, mostly because it is fun.  If there's any time of year to carry a fun bag, summer is it!

I'm not sure that this is the one for me, but it sure was fun to make.  With a few tweaks here and there to the design, it might just be it.  Lucky me, I get to play around and make another one!  Yes, I definitely enjoy the process more than the finished product, at least in making bags (that doesn't apply to making clothes or curtains).

bloggers included in the photo are me, Laura,  Mitchell,  Valorie,  Julie

I must share with y'all what a fun time I had last Thursday.  I've mentioned before that I've started reading decorating/design blogs over the past year or so, which is how I found Valorie of *Visual * Vamp*.  When Valorie posted about a New Orleans area blogger lunch, I jumped at the chance to attend (even though I'm not in N.O.).  I'm not going to lie, I was NERVOUS (I'm a big chicken)!  In fact, I almost backed out more than once, but went through with it.  I'm so glad I did!  It was truly a delightful lunch, definitely worth the drive down to New Orleans.  The food was excellent and the conversation was interesting and never stopped.  My only regret was that I was on one end of the table and didn't get to talk too much to those who were on the opposite end.  Next time we'll have to change up the seating or play musical chairs half way through :-)  I do hope that these lunches become a regular thing!

Well folks, I'm off to enjoy the rest of my Mother's Day.  To all you mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day!!

how about this one?

Now, THIS is more like it!  When I came up with the idea for my last bag, this is more of what I had in mind.  Trying to stay away from light colors (I get light colored bags filthy) and the matchy-matchiness of the previous fabrics is what threw me off course. 

Learning from that experience, I knew that I wanted wider strips of fabric for the patchwork and less of it. I also wanted them all to be of a similar color value.  I think the effect is much more pleasant.

It wasn't until I was ironing this bag that I realized how similar it was to the Phoebe Bag.  Duh!  I could have saved myself a whole lot of time and energy, but no, I started this one from scratch.  It isn't exactly the same as the Phoebe, as it's a bit larger, but it's pretty darned close.  I've since gone back and tweaked the pattern some more to make it even more different.  What's the point of having two patterns just alike?

Details:

The exterior is linen, the lining is an Amy Butler Ginger Bliss print (it's been in my stash for a while).

I decided to get fancy and use some hardware for the straps.  I like.  My next one might even get a zippered pocket.

I'll probably end up putting this one in the shop because it's a little too small for me (gotta have room for my camera), but the next version has my name written all over it.  It'll be a Happy Mother's Day/Happy early Birthday gift to myself :-)  There's nothing wrong with that!

alabama stitching, baby style

It's no secret that I'm smitten with the reverse applique technique detailed in the two Alabama Stitch books.  I was hesitant to try it out at first because it seemed to fussy to me.  All that hand sewing, ick.  Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!  Turns out that I love hand sewing, especially when it makes beautiful designs.  I also surprised myself by enjoying the process of working with jersey knits.  I've made myself two skirts and love them to pieces - they're so comfortable to wear! (i just realized that i never blogged about that second one - oops)

When trying to come up with an idea for a gift to make for my friend's new baby, making something 'alabama stitch' style, immediately came to mind (I had just received the latest book).  I was a little worried that it might be a bit much for a baby, but why not?  The jersey knit is super soft and I made sure to tie all the threads well.

The pattern for the kimono (LOVE baby kimonos!) was modified from Martha Stewart's baby kimono pattern.  I dug this out of my files from when Ava was born.  I made her a version as a going home outfit.

The flower design was taken from an article of clothing Lily had at one time.  I loved how those three flowers looked together, so I cut the shirt? dress? up when she outgrew it and saved that little snippet of the design.  I knew I'd have a use for it one day!

Oh, and did you know that ruffles are in?  Now I want to add a ruffle to every top I own.  Seriously, I've started a pile of old knit tops, most of which are too big, to modify.  I'll be taking a class in a few weeks on how to reconstruct generic clothing using hand sewing techniques.  I'm sure I have enough blah ill fitting clothes in my own closet to work with.  I'm super excited about this class.  If you're local, there may be a few spots left, if you're interested.  Hopefully after the 4 week course my hand sewing skills will improve and I'll move beyond reverse applique!

One last thing - I've added a button to the right for Healing Maggie Grace.  Teresa is a blogger who has been through some really tough times lately.  Honestly, "tough times" doesn't even scratch the surface.  She was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer and had to have her kidney removed.  Mary Ann and Jen have put together a week long raffle to help raise funds to help Teresa out.  It never ceases to amaze me how this blogging community comes together when someone is in need.  I think Mary Ann said it best here.  So please, go check it out and take a chance if you can.  Thank you!

4!!!

Somebody is 4 today.  My goodness, time flies.  You know, her entire life, including in utero, has been recorded on this here blog? (good gravy, i was enormous!  and at 9 lbs she was my tiniest baby) 

At 4, my May Day baby is hardly a baby anymore.  Now she's a little girl with a mind of her own who likes to sing and dance and be a total ham in front of the camera.

She couldn't be more excited about her birthday today.  Not so much about the presents, but because it is her birthday and she's having a party.  Pink cupcakes are a must.  She's still very much into pink these days, and purple and butterflies and Ruby. 

She's having her first dance recital at the end of the month, which I can not wait for.  Her teacher made sure to mention that she knows all the steps.

Like the two previous years before, I made her a birthday dress.  Pink with butterflies.  Of the fabric choices I offered, she picked this combination.  Of course the butterflies and dots were the favorite, I don't know why I bothered showing her anything else.

Oh Ava Rose with the pink toes, what in the world would I do without you?  Happy Birthday sweet girl, I love you!