artsy-crafty babe

blog on

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. It all started when I finally succumbed to Twitter and began dabbling in Instagram. Facebook has been there for a while, but I lost interest in that long ago. With all these social media options it seems that blogging has fallen off as the preferred method of communicating. But not for me. I still love blogging.

I love the content of blogging and the visual stimulation.  I love seeing your kids, your home, and your projects.  I’m a visual person – I need to see the photos. In that regard, Facebook and Twitter just don’t do it for me (but I still check in regularly). I’m doing things differently with twitter than I did with fb, I’m keeping my circle small. I like the conversations that can happen that way.

My blog posting has drastically dropped in recent months, my pregnancy is to blame. I’m just too darned tired to pull out the camera and string some words together. Last week I was reminded how important blogging is to me when Alex came home with an assignment to make a time-line of his life. Where did I go to find monumental events and photos for that time-line? My blog. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone through my archives to remember details of my life, my kids’ lives. My blog is the closest thing to scrap booking that I’ll ever do.

I don’t blog about every single little project like I used to, or every little event, but the big ones still make it. My goal is to make more observations about the every day because that is what matters most. Shop stuff does and will continue to creep in, but this is not a shop blog. I didn’t start this blog to peddle my wares, but rather, that came from having the blog. I feel lucky to have found a little niche that supports my habit! It’s all a part of me and who I am. Sometimes I wish that my shop or my “brand” was more sleek and put together, but that’s not me. I think I need to go back to my original tag line, {a mom who likes to make things} (and yes, I desperately need to change my header!!), because when it’s all said and done, that’s who I am.

One great big benefit that I never expected to gain from all this blogging business is the friends I've made. Yes, the connections were always important, but I've made friends. Real friends. Friends all across the land that I speak to, text, visit with, and feel blessed to have in my life. I only wish I had the funds and time to make more visits. Oh, I guess I'll have to get over my homebodiness, too ;-) As much as I like the idea, traveling makes me extremely nervous! Thankfully, I made one friend in my own backyard - yes, we met through blogging. If you want to read something special, hop on over here.  Go ahead, do it, I'll wait....pretty awesone, right?  It was interesting to read Sarah's thoughts on blogging, as this post has been percolating in my brain for a few weeks now. Her sentiments on friendship are right on.  Blogging or not, I figure we'll all continue to follow each other in whatever format we choose, because that's what friends do.

I love my family, making things, and feathering my nest. For the past 6 years my blog has been chronicling all those things, and I have no plans to change it. It may be old fashioned, but I'm down with that!

Nanette revisited and a dance bag

The final stop on my 'summer bag tour' is the Nanette tote.  I don't think I ever mentioned that along with re-making all my samples, I also reformatted all my patterns to make them uniform.  When I got to the Nanette tote I decided to add something new, an alternate rounded bottom with darts, which I came up when I was making my blooming bags this spring.

I think I like the rounded bottom better than the original boxed bottom, but that's just a personal preference.  If you've purchased this pattern in the last few months, you received the new pattern piece, but if not, just email me and I'll send it to you if you want.

Now this bag here, I'm quite smitten with.  That black print is a piece of a napkin I bought at Crate & Barrel a few years ago.  I only had a small piece, so I pieced the front of the bag to showcase it.  I LOVE how it turned out.

I used canvas for the interfacing (my favorite), but got a little over zealous on the top pieces.  I didn't take into consideration that the gray fabric is a canvas and the black is a twill, so any interfacing at all was probably unnecessary.  I had to use Richelle to sew through all those thick layers and left out any top stitching.  This bag is heavy!!  I'm thinking of keeping this one for myself because I'm afraid shipping would cost a fortune....and I really like it :)

Moving on to the dance bag for Lily...it only took me a month, but I finally got her dance bag made.  Remember the first version?  I made some tweaks (don't quite remember now what they were), but I think they worked.  Now I need to find that file.  I made the tweaks & printed it right after the first version, and well, that's been a month.  I'm not the most organized person in the world!!

The hard part was finding the right fabric.  She wanted purple, teal, and lime green.  Um, I'm glad we decided on what we did.  I planned to add more pockets and pocket divisions for her shoes, but I knew she wouldn't use them, so I made it as is - one curved outside pocket, one inside pocket.  She loves it.

I've been using the first version as my own to carry my knitting & stuff.  I'm thinking this design would make a nice diaper bag.  I might make another, or just use this one.  We'll see...

virtual coffee

For those of you who may not be familiar with Virtual Coffee, it’s something started by Amy at Lucky #13.  Every Tuesday is Virtual Coffee, a time to share what’s on our mind over a cup of coffee, as if we were meeting for coffee for real.  I’ve read her weekly contribution for many, many weeks now, but have never participated.  I thought it was time to change that!

Good Morning, Happy Coffee day to you!  If we really were meeting for coffee, I’d probably be enjoying a grande non-fat no whip mocha from Starbucks.  I’m a bit of an addict.  I’d tell you all about my really great weekend. It wasn't anything special or out of the ordinary, but that's probably why it was so great.  Just a regular weekend filled with soccer games and sleep-overs.  Oh, those soccer games.  After two weeks of games I have a flip flop tan.  It’s still a bit hot to enjoy them without sweating buckets, which isn't so fun.  Speaking of feet, I let Lily give me a pedicure this weekend.  She didn’t do too bad.  I’ve been meaning to get to the salon to treat myself to a real pedicure, but that hasn’t happened.  I need a haircut, too.  The last trim I did myself after watching a youtube video.  It wasn’t bad, but it needs some evening out.  I hope my hair guy forgives me for taking things into my own hands.

I’d also tell you that I am completely uninspired to cook (but totally loving my new rug in the kitchen).  I have neither the energy nor the taste for anything.  Sometimes something good will pop into my head, but when I think about all that is involved in making it, I lose interest.  My poor family.  They’re not starving, but they’re not eating too well, either.  And the grocery shopping?  Totally out of the question.  I’ve been sending Matt to do the shopping, but I have to be very specific and list every single thing I need.  If it isn’t on the list, it doesn't get purchased.  And it takes him for-ever. I’m not complaining, I’m grateful he does all that he does.

Okay, I'd really, really try not to be a whiner, but I am officially at miserable.  I’m a bit tired of the bug-eyed look I get when I tell people that I still have about 6 weeks left.  I feel like a freak of nature.  I waddle, my bones ache, and I make grunting noises when I get up from a sitting position.  Walking is completely uncomfortable.  But we do have a date scheduled, so the countdown has begun.  We’ll be meeting this little girl on Friday October 28.  I guess I need to get Halloween costumes figured out early this year. Yikes, I had better get cracking!

Well, my coffee time is up...let's do this again sometime!  If you'd like to participate, hop on over to Amy's and link up.  Until next time...

 

hello fall

The temperature outside may still be too warm for my liking, but I'm in a fall state of mind. My fall spice candle has been burning while I've been feathering my nest with fall decorations, forcing the season.  My felt leaf garland has made its annual appearance.  I love how it looks against my black mantle.

I pulled out the wooden acorns that were painted by my kids a few years ago.  Ava must have been too little when we did this because she had no recollection of them and wanted to paint some right now.  I may have to hunt some down for her.  You can't have too many wooden acorns, can you?  This year they found a new home in a hurricane surrounding a white candle.  I don't suppose I'll be burning that candle any time soon.

And then there are the mums.  Oh, how I love mums!  I focused a little attention to my pitiful patio this weekend, cleaning up all the dead plants, replanting my pots full of mums.  What you see above is only a few, there are many more.  I'm thinking I need some for the front, too.  Now where are the pumpkins?  I'm sure they'll be making an appearance soon.  All I need now is a crispness in the air.  Come on weather, work with me!!  

 

on and off

Occupying my down time lately is knitting.  It's the perfect activity for my low-energy state (still waiting on that burst of nesting energy). The little cool front we had last week only made me want to knit even more.  Seriously, it was freakishly cool for south Louisiana in early September.  We're back to steamy, but I enjoyed it while it was here.

I finished up my project for Lily, the Lady Kina, well, almost finished.  I still need to seam the sleeves, weave in all the ends, then do a little blocking.  Oh, and add a button.  All those finishing details get me!  She likes it and it fits nicely, now I only hope that she'll actually wear it! 

As soon as I finished I couldn't help but cast on something for me.  Yes, I'm still a selfish knitter!  I'm working on a Redhook.  As much as I hate to knit sleeves, I think vests and cap sleeve garments are the way to go.  The layered look is in, no?

I'm using Rowan Cashsoft DK, which feels quite nice.  I bought it a couple of years ago on sale at my LYS.  I'm so proud of myself for using stash yarn for both these projects.  Oh, it was tempting to order something new, but my desire to knit right this second prevailed.  Of course the wheels are already turning on my next project...new yarn will be purchased (you know, to reward myself for using the stash)!  

 

indulging

I've been indulging a bit lately...not just in cheeseburgers and ice cream, in fabric!  I know my stash is large enough, but sometimes you have to give in.  A little indulgence here and there can be a good thing, no?

As usual, I have no real plans for these.  Well, I did let Lily help me select a few fabrics to make her dance bag (not even in progress yet), but instead of ordering only 2 choices, I ordered more like 4 or 6.  What can I say?  My stash was in need of some purples.

In the back of my mind I am thinking about quilts.  Now that I got Alex's quilt top done, I need to move on to one for each of my girls.  Lily's will have purples (see?  that was a need), and Ava's I haven't decided on.  There's still some thinking to do on that one.  It only took me 2 years to start on Alex's quilt, I've got time.

I wonder if all this fabric and quilty thought is part of my denial over what is about to happen around here.  When I say I've done nothing, I mean I've done NOTHING.  I've asked to have the crib taken down from the attic a few times, but that hasn't happened yet.  We got an infant carrier from a friend, I suppose I should wash it.  I should probably also think about some clothes.  Yeah, nothing.  This is baby #4, we're winging it. 

 

soggy, restful, and productive

Yep, that pretty much sums up my long weekend.  Thanks to Tropical Storm Lee, our 3 day weekend was a total wash-out.  Rain, rain, and more rain.  Truthfully, I didn't mind.  All that rain is perfect for hibernating!

By Sunday I was ready to do something productive, so I pulled out Alex's quilt fabrics, which were gathered, oh, 2 or so years ago (I think).  I don't remember what my original plan was, but I do know that I wanted lots of horizontal stripes.  After cutting many many strips and assembling them into piles, I started sewing.  

I ended up with 4 long sections of of stripes.  After playing with the placement, I decided that I only needed 3 of those sections.  This is by far the largest quilt I've ever made. As you can see, there are lots and lots of dots!

I used a solid gray stripe every so often in my sections, so I decided to border the quilt with that as well.  By Monday morning I had a completed quilt top!  I was feeling quite ambitious, so I took a trip to the fabric store for some backing fabric.  Unfortunately, I left empty handed.  That place was a madhouse with the Labor Day sales going on.  All those people made me nervous.  Hate that.  Oh well, that nap I took instead of sewing a quilt back was probably a better use of my time :)