Bolsa Chica

Deliberately Domestic

2010-02-23T09:53:00.003-06:00

It's here - my new site!!

It isn't 100% the way I want it, but the rest of the changes or minor cosmetic details. The main structure will remain the same. Anyway, feel free to move on over there. I've got a lot of fun stuff lined up and I can't wait to share it with you all. Thanks!!

Under the Weather and Under Construction

2010-02-17T10:30:00.002-06:00

Sorry for the lack of posting lately. I was just getting my groove back after the holidays and then our house was hit with a nasty bout of sickness. First the little guy, then me, and now hubby. I just haven't been able to shake off the fatigue yet, so I'm moving a little slow around here.

Anyway, I am very excited to announce that I will be moving my little bloggy to a new address very soon. I noticed awhile ago that my postings were less and less about the Bolsa Chica business and more about me. I decided to just follow my postings and move to a more appropriate location to suit.

I'm not quite ready to reveal the goodness to come -- but keep your eyes and ears open for an announcement coming soon!

Now, back to the tissues and chicken soup I go!

Boy Stuff

2010-02-03T21:55:00.002-06:00

So, let's be honest, mother's of boys: there just isn't too much cute stuff in the way of crafting for boys. Thanks to a blog I frequent, that is all about to change!

Made By Rae is spending the whole month of February posting crafty projects oriented toward boys! I am so excited. I've already found some great ideas, and we are just starting out. Make sure to head on over there and make the most of this short month!

Cake decorating

2010-02-02T09:24:00.001-06:00

I've wanted to take a cake decorating class for a long time. My mom always made beautiful cakes and I want to be able to pass that on to my kids. I loved watching my mom bake and create fun decorations just the way we wanted. I do tend to get a little over-ambitious about things, so I wanted to make sure I really like decorating before I invest in a class and all the tools.

Thankfully, a friend from my old workplace is experienced in cake decorating and agreed to give me a lesson in the basics. She was a great teacher and I had a lot of fun! So, without further ado, here is my first cake - a prototype for little boy birthday cakes to come!

I think the coolest tip she taught me involves cookie cutters. The Dino on top was a cookie cutter that I placed on the cake, leaving a slight imprint. Then you trace the outline with icing, and fill it in using a star tip. So easy, versatile, and cute!

- Monica

Christmas Aprons

2010-02-01T12:40:00.003-06:00

Really? I'm still posting about Christmas -- in February!? Sorry, folks! Things just take a little longer with a kiddo. In fact, it took me about five minutes to type this one-handed while using my other hand to make sure my little man doesn't drag the laptop off the desk. Wiggly worm! Yes, he's gotten to the point where he wants to hold everything, and of course everything goes straight into his mouth! You should see him stare at our food -- he can't wait to start eating some of his own. Patience, young one, just a few more weeks! I am so excited to get started on making my own baby food! Yippee! Now, how did I get on this tangent anyway?

Ah, yes, Christmas presents. Well, this year most of our Christmas presents were homemade, which I was very excited about. I love putting time and energy into the presents I give people. I love thinking about them while I'm crafting and putting love into every detail. My husband's parents always host a big Christmas brunch, so aprons were a no-brainer for them. I made a butcher style apron for Gary, and a little more feminine/vintage style apron for Cyndi. (I also made one for my fabulous sister-in-law who is a really great cook, but I didn't get a picture of her). So here they are, being modeled on Christmas Eve by the infamous brunch hosts themselves!

I made up the patterns using different free tutorials on the internet as my guide. As you can see, I also utilized my embroidery machine and added their names. I had a lot of fun making these and will definitely be making them again -- maybe I'll even made once for myself, or my little chef!

Hooded Towels

2010-01-29T14:36:00.001-06:00

At one of my baby showers, a lovely lady from church gave me a homemade hooded towel. While I thought it was cute and extremely thoughtful, I didn't realize how essential this item would become. Most store bought towels are smaller, meant for newborns. As you know, my chunky kid skipped the small stage and went straight to being a big boy! So, this particular hooded towel has become the only one that fits him!

Cute, right? Well, it's actually very simple to make using a store bought towel, wash cloth, and ribbon. I decided I had to try it out and make a Christmas gift for little Zoe. Her nickname has been Zoe Zebra, so I used a zebra print towel, black wash cloth, and pink ribbon. It came out super cute!

And she makes it look even better! If anyone is interested in a tutorial, I'd be happy to post one!

Kefir

2010-01-28T11:19:00.001-06:00

Well, I haven't been too busy in the craft room lately -- but I've been super busy in the kitchen. Hubs and I have been on a sort of detox / reset diet. That has meant a ton of cooking! Lots of fresh fruit and veggies, light meat, water, and an occassional whole grain serving. We've both noticed a difference in how we feel and how our pants fit! :-)

Anyway, I tend towards mostly natural cooking anyway so this hasn't been a huge leap for us. I am however missing dairy, bread, and the occassional sweet treat. To mix up our beverages a bit, we are trying kefir. Up until I started getting into "Real Food", I hadn't even heard of kefir. I still don't know about all the benefits, but what I know is encouraging enough to try it. My first batch of kefir came yesterday and is rehydrating as I type. Once that is done we'll be all set to start our first kefir soda drinks. I'm excited!

In other baking news, I'm starting to learn the ins and outs of bread making. It's a strange time to get into it with our current diet, but after finding the book "Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day" I couldn't help myself. I'll let you know how that goes!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2010

2010-01-19T18:44:00.001-06:00

Yep, it's here. And I'm probably the last person to post about it! So, instead of a New Years update, let's pretend it hasn't been a month since I posted and pick up where we left off, shall we?

Now that my little guy is going down earlier, I'm getting sone much appreciated sewing time back into my life. To celebrate- my lovely hubby bought me a new iron! Yippy! Actually, he is just a great guy and remembered I wanted one so he picked one out. It's fabulous!

So, onto sewing . . . I whipped up the first of many blocks to come for Parker. I think he really likes it:

Eh?

Long Time, No Post

2009-12-22T10:27:00.003-06:00

My goodness - is Christmas really this week? I apologize (again!) for the lack of posting around here. I actually have been crafting a bit, but they have been for Christmas gifts so I can't reveal what I've been up to. The last few weeks have been a little challenging with the kiddo, but things seem to be settling down into a new normal. Tomorrow we take of for California, to spend Christmas with our family. I'm so excited to be with everyone and to meet my newest little niece! She was born on the 18th, so I get to see her when she is just 8 days old. Woohoo! Here is a pic of her (Zoe Athena Panos) at 1 day old!

Anyway, I just wanted to check in and let you know that I do plan on continuing blogging into the New Year. I probably won't post during our vacation, so you can expect to see some fresh material sometime after January 6th. I've been thinking a lot about home management, cooking, nutrition, health, etc. so I may be posting on a wider variety of topics than just crafts. Sound OK to you?

One other quick thing. I'm not usually a fan of New Year's Resolutions, but this year I have a lot of goals for the New Year. First off, I plan to try and read through the Bible in a year again. It has been a long time since I've done it, and I really need to get into a consistent schedule of reading again. Amazing how having a baby throws off every semblance of a schedule! Also, I'd like to lose the rest of my baby weight and try to tone some of the not-so-toned areas. So, why do I tell you all this? I just found a website that I believe is going to help me accomplish some of my goals! I thought I'd share it with you in case you have some seemingly impossible tasks to accomplish: List PlanIt. There are more lists and calendars and organizational tools than you can imagine. Being the type of person who likes to check things off of lists, I can't wait to get started!

Hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas season and are gearing up for 2010!

Merry Christmas to me!

2009-12-14T10:27:00.001-06:00

My present from the hubster arrived in the mail this weekend:

YUM!

Customizable cosmetic pouches

2009-12-07T07:26:00.001-06:00

I've just added a new "design your own" product to my shop: cosmetic pouches! I've recently had some interest in this item, probably because it is a personalized gift at a reasonable price. You get the option of what fabric, what size, and your choice of adding a monogram.

Here are some I just finished for a customer:

All you need to do is add some lip gloss, lotion, or other cosmetic and your Christmas shopping for the women in your life is done! Message me or take a look at my shop for more details!

Christmas Crafting

2009-12-05T15:32:00.001-06:00

Two years ago I made these lovely stockings for my husband and I. Of course this year we have a new addition, so I whipped up the stocking on the right with the polar bears for the littlest one in our family. In retrospect, I'm thinking using fabric with glitter wasn't a fantastic idea, but I just love those bears!

Quilt!

2009-12-03T12:23:00.001-06:00

Woohoo! I finally finished Parker's quilt! Over the holiday weekend, his Grandma and Great-grandma helped me tie the quilt. This step isn't complicated but it is time consuming. With their help the work went fairly quickly. So, I made up the binding on Monday and have been working on getting it attached the rest of the week. I usually don't care for hand sewing, but with the sudden temperature drop it seemed particularly appropriate to be working with my hands, with a cozy quilt on my lap. During Parker's morning nap I finished it up! Yay! Here it is in all it's iPhone camera glory:

Love it! And here is the fabric I chose for the back:

I know it isn't the most boyish quilt ever, but I figure I'll be spending the next several years crafting with superhero, racecar, and sports fabrics - so I'm using my taste in fabrics while I can! The best part is almost everyone in Parker's immediate family helped in some way on making the quilt - what fun!

On a side note: If you are at all interested in using this quilt kit, I'd really recommend measuring everything our before you cut. I found several errors in the pattern, including how much fabric was included. I wouldn't recommend this pattern for beginners, not because it is hard but because of the errors and bad directions. Experienced quilters will be able to see the problems and improvise. It's a pity because the fabric is gorgeous and the design is wonderful. Just use with caution!

Oh my...

2009-12-01T17:06:00.002-06:00

The past few weeks seem to have slipped by me! It has been a bit of a juggling act between having visitors, being sick, hubby being sick, doing Thanksgiving, getting an editing project done, and (of course) taking care of my little man. Would you believe it if I told you he is now over 3 months? And seriously, the boy is a weed. He is growing faster than my muscles can handle! I never knew it was possible for a kid his age to be in 9-12 month clothing. Ridiculous. Anyway, my life hasn't been void of crafting -- but apparently this blog has! Sorry about that!

I'm also a little bummed because I just realized I missed the sign-up deadline for Sew Mama Sew's annual Give-Away Day. I just couldn't pull it together this year! But do visit their blog tomorrow and enter some great give-aways across the blogosphere!

In other news, my oilcloth arrived! Apparently I'm not the only one thinking about sewing in this medium these days. Over at Pink Chalk Studio there have been some posts on sewing with laminated cotton: here, here, and here. I haven't started sewing with it yet, but I'm sure I'll be referring to her tips!

OK, I've got some fun new stuff to share over the next few weeks -- so be on the lookout for some good stuff!

Oil Cloth...

2009-11-18T22:15:00.002-06:00

Sorry for the silence around here. After the show I just haven't had any motivation to sew -- until today! I just placed an order for some lovely oil cloth fabric. I have been dying to get my hands on Anna Maria Horner's new oil cloth from her Little Folks fabric line. The best part is, I have absolutely no idea what I am going to make with it! I have about 100 ideas floating around, but nothing final yet. So here is what is on its merry little way to my doorstep:

I am not quite sure why the oil cloth drives me so crazy, but I've been dying to get my hands on some. Could it possibly be because I have a little one who makes everything a drippy mess? Just think of how easy it would be to wipe up some of those drooly, snotty, spit-uppy, poopy messes off of a slick oil cloth. Hmmm...perhaps a placemat...or a bib...or a diaper bag...or...well, the options are truly limitless, no? I am excited! Have you ever worked with oil cloth? Any tips?

Craft Show Follow Up

2009-11-07T11:12:00.005-06:00

Thanks for all of you who stopped by to support my show!

It actually was a pretty fun night. I can tend to be pretty intimidated by craft shows, since I'm not much of a salesperson. There was a good turnout and I had a lot of really great feedback from people. It was also exciting to see all the networking that went on - both for me and my husband. It is the first craft show I've done in my neighborhood so it was great to run into people that I knew, both as vendors and as shoppers. Sales weren't the best, but I had a lot of fun and am glad that I was able to take part.

And Parker was a good boy, too! He hung in there until the very end when he had a little meltdown - he was sooo tired. He seems to have recovered and I even got a fairly good nights sleep!

Anyway, I didn't get around to loading a picture of some of the last products I finished up right before the show, so here they are:

After I took that picture I even got one last purse in during Parker's afternoon nap:

So, all that to say, my store is now stocked with lots of new stuff! Let the holiday shopping commence! And don't forget, I'm happy to take custom orders - including adding monograms or names to any product. Just let me know what I can make for you!

Live blogging

2009-11-06T18:38:00.000-06:00

Here is my booth at the craft show - going on now! Come stop by!

-- Posted from my iPhone

Out of Time

2009-11-04T18:24:00.002-06:00

From the title of this post you probably would guess that I'm referring to my prep time for the upcoming Holiday Bazaar. While that is sort of true, "out of time" refers to my trusty sewing machine. Even reliable work-horses like my classic Bernina need maintenance every now and again. Just my luck that mine would need it the week of my craft show!

On Monday night (after teaching my hubster the basics of sewing, long story), my machine jammed up and started skipping stitches. Of course since it happened on his watch, he felt terrible and immediately found a local sewing machine repairman for me. Tuesday the repairman made a house call and took my sickly machine off for some work. Basically, it had gotten "out of time" (I only vaguely understand the concept, so I won't try to explain), needed to be cleaned, oiled, and the tension on the bobbin fixed. With the amount of sewing I do, he said that I probably should have this sort of maintenance done once a year to keep things moving smoothly. Since it has been almost a year since my machine's last visit to the repairman, I can see why things got a little screwy.

All that to say -- go get your machine tuned up! If you are sewing regularly, your machine needs regular maintenance just like an oil change for your car. Thankfully, my repairman was able to fix everything quickly and now my machine is purring away beautifully. But, don't wait like me for an important deadline to find out your machine was in need of a little love, go get a tune up today. So, that is my little public service announcement and I think your machines will thank me! (Oh, and if you are in the Chicagoland area, ask me about my repairman because I highly recommend him!) Now, back to the grind, I'll be posting more finished products soon!

Busy Saturday

2009-10-31T18:17:00.003-05:00

In between giving out candy to cute little trick-o-treaters, I've been able to get a bit of sewing done today. That's right, still working hard on getting stuff ready for the show next Friday night. So, here is what got done today:

5 - lined cosmetic bags

3 - key fobs

I know it doesn't sound like a whole lot, but it feels like quite an accomplishment! The little guy has been a little needy lately, so finding time with both arms free is rare. My gracious hubby took care of him for a bit and allowed me to get this stuff done.

These will be added to my store soon!

Taste of Fall

2009-10-29T15:39:00.003-05:00

Sewing isn't the only thing going on around here. In between feeding the kiddo (which he does a LOT of, 15 lbs at 8 weeks!), diaper changes, sewing, cleaning, etc -- I've managed to do a little experimenting in the kitchen. My hubby's favorite fall food is Apple Cider Donuts, so I knew I had to try it out when I saw a recipe on Smitten Kitchen.

These things were amazing! I don't usually like donuts, but I couldn't keep from sneaking a few of these. I thought that making donuts might be a challenge, but it actually is really simple. As long as you have all the tools (it took forever to find a donut cutter!), it is fairly quick and painless. Oh, and super yummy!

New Shop Items

2009-10-27T14:09:00.004-05:00

In my sewing frenzy for the upcoming craft show, I thought I'd take a break to give you a sneak peak at some of my new items. Much more to come in the next few days!

Basic Reusable Tote

(can be custom ordered to any size!)

This simple tote is perfect to use in place of plastic bags. It is serged on the inside to keep cost down and still prevent fraying of the fabric. The sturdy handles will allow you to pack this tote to the max with all your shopping goods!

Brown/Red Floral Purse

I love this fabric. I've already made several purses out of it and I just can't get enough of it! The wood handles complement the warm tones in the fabric. Plus, there is a convenient magnetic snap flap closure to keep all your items secure.

Upcoming Show

2009-10-27T14:05:00.003-05:00

Well folks, I'm finally getting back to sewing some Bolsa Chica items. It's about time, eh? I've got a show coming up next Friday -- eek! If you are in the area, come by and say "hi"! It will be a great time to take care of some of your holiday shopping and get into the Christmas spirit. Plus, as a bonus, you'll get to see my little guy!

Here is the info:

Newcomers of Wheaton, Warrenville, Winfield and Carol Stream

6th Annual Holiday Bazaar

Friday November 6th 6PM to 9PM

WHERE: St. Daniel the Prophet Church located near the Danada area, about 1/2 mile west of Naperville Rd. at 101 West Loop Rd. Wheaton. Southwest entrance

WHAT: Get great Handmade gifts for Christmas! We've got handmade Jewelry, Handbags, Accessories, Clothes, Home Goods, plus much more! LOCAL VENDORS!

$5 entry fee · Beverages Included · Local Vendors

All proceeds benefit the Newcomers Club, providing networking and support to those new to the area or new to staying home. Please visit www.wheatonnewcomers.org for more information about the club or additional opportunities.

The Little Things

2009-10-21T14:43:00.002-05:00

It really is all about the little things, isn't it? Obviously they aren't as momentous as the big changes in life - graduating college, getting married, having a baby, etc. But, somehow, there is something almost more powerful and moving about the little things. Today has been full of those little things (or maybe I'm just taking time to notice today!).

Today is gorgeous. A truly wonderful fall day. Growing up in CA, I never knew of the amazing hues that leaves take on this time of year. While the leaves have been slowly turning as the weather has cooled (and cooled some more!), today everything seems to have popped. Some trees are a bright green and yellow, others are a deep and vibrant pink, others have a shimmery orange glow. The wind is just blustery enough to keep a steady stream of leaves drifting towards the ground. The lawns are covered in the brilliant display of leaves and the sidewalks and have a distinct crunch to them.

It isn't just the weather today. It's all the little things about my little boy, too. His little kicks and flails as he gets used to his limbs. It's his little coos and grunts. It's the way his whole face lights up with excitement when he knows he is about to eat. It's his little chubby rolls on his legs, neck, and arms that are impossible to clean. It's the way he sweetly snuggles into my arms as he drifts off to sleep. It's his smiles that wipe away every ounce of frustration. It's all these little things and a million more that make me unspeakably happy. The first moment I held him was terrific, but nothing compared to the little, normal, routine characteristics of our days together.

I hope you take notice of the little things throughout your day, and I hope they make you smile.

A Sling Review

2009-10-19T17:02:00.000-05:00

While I was pregnant, I wrote briefly about my desire to use a sling with my baby. I knew of a few varieties, but really didn't know which version would be best for me. Eight weeks into mommyhood and I've now had the opportunity to try four different varieties of slings. I thought it might help you future moms, current moms, and friends of moms to know a little bit more about the different types. I think slings are an essential for any new mom. After about 4 days of carting around a car seat, we knew that was not going to work for us! The sling provides a much more convenient way to carry your baby, and we've also found it works wonders for calming a fussy baby down. I also use it while I am doing housework so I can have both hands free, but still be close to my little one. Here are the four types that I've tried:

Pouch Sling

Probably the cheapest and most simple of slings. As you can see, the pouch sling is a very basic design, easy to make (I made this one with the help of the wonderful sewing online community!), and easy to wear. You just slip the baby into place and voila! You are good to go.

On the other hand, sizing is everything on this sling. You really have to have the perfect fit for this to work. Since I'm a rather tall gal, I found that the standard size just doesn't work well for us. When I first brought Parker home, I felt like he was too small and delicate to put in this sling. I just felt like it kind of smashed him in a roll of fabric. I think this was mainly because of the fit, and a better sized one might have worked better. Also, the baby can get heavy in this sling since your shoulder is carrying all the weight. So, the pouch sling is cheap, easy to use, but may not be as functional for moms of different shapes and sizes.

Ring Sling

This sling is slightly more complicated that the pouch sling, but still very easy to use. The fabric goes through a pair of rings making the space for the baby more adjustable. You can loosen or tighten the fabric to get the baby in, comfortable, and out with ease. On many ring slings, the shoulder is padded which helps relieve some of the discomfort of the weight of the baby. You can also use the extra fabric on the end to cover over the baby if you are nursing in the sling. My ring sling also has a pocket in the end which is a nice feature.

I really like this sling. I've seen a lot of women wearing them around with babies of all ages. I like to use this sling when I'm alone because I feel like it is the easiest to adjust and the quickest to put on and take off. The only down side to this style of sling is that one shoulder bears the weight of the baby. My 8 week old is already a hefty guy so I'm not sure that this sling will have as much longevity for us.

Stretchy Wraps (i.e. Moby Wrap)

A stretchy wrap is a long piece of jersey fabric (probably 5-6 yards) that you can wrap around your body in different ways to carry your little one. This one definitely takes some practice. I was lucky enough to see a sling demonstration and learned one-on-one how to put this on. You can also learn by using pictures and tutorials on the internet. The jersey fabric is really stretchy and comfortable for the baby. You can position them in a more upright position, even as a newborn, to help them strengthen their neck while still giving them support. There are a variety of ways to wear your baby (front, back, and side). The weight of the baby is also shared between both shoulders providing the ultimate comfort.

I love the stretchy wrap - and I think Parker does too! Every time I put him in it he is fast asleep within minutes. It is so warm and cozy for him, and yet it is very supportive. With practice, I'm getting better at putting him in and it is becoming much easier. I feel like the extra effort to learn how to use this wrap is well worth it. The only downside to this wrap is that the jersey fabric isn't as functional when the baby gets to be older; it is just too stretchy. You can still use it with a young toddler, but would have to re-wrap frequently to make sure he was secure.

Woven Wraps

Basically the same concept as the stretchy wrap, except it is made with woven fabric rather than jersey. It has all the same benefits of the stretchy wrap (variety of holds, weight shared on both shoulders, etc.), but it is a little more sturdy. The woven material still is breathable, but doesn't stretch quite the way that the jersey does. With this wrap, you can even wear two babies at the same time! There is still a learning curve with this one, but with practice it does become easier.

Although right now the stretchy wrap is my favorite, I can see that once Parker is a little heavier that this one is going to take its place. The woven wrap is a little bulkier (which is the main reason I like the stretchy better), but is still very flexible and practical. This is also the most expensive wrap that I've found, but it is well worth the investment if you are going to be using it over many years.

So, that's a wrap! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself). I'd love to hear about your experiences with slings and if there are any other options or opinions out there. My thanks go out to my kiddo for putting up with the photo session, my hubby for the wonderful pics, and to Slings I Love for introducing me to wraps in the first place!

Blanket Stitch

2009-10-12T14:12:00.004-05:00

I'm not a huge fan of handwork, but occasionally I'll come across something that is just too cute to pass up. In this case, Parker's great-grandma gave him the cutest blanket involving a lot of handwork. I think it is such a great idea, that I thought I'd share it with you in case you are looking to give someone a unique, handcrafted gift like this.

The concept is simple enough: use 3 pieces of coordinating fleece fabric and make a hooded blanket. The hood is basically a triangle shaped piece that butts up to one of the corners on the blanket. After assembling the hood onto the blanket, the real hard work and dedication sets in: use a some embroidery thread and blanket stitch around the whole perimeter. I found a good blanket stitch tutorial at Primrose Design's blog.

Here is Parker enjoying his special blanket.

And here is a close up of some of the handwork.

Enjoy!

Business Happenings

2009-10-08T21:56:00.000-05:00

While my life has been dominated by all things baby since about January, I'm finally able to get back to running my little sewing side business. Yep, that's right, the bolsa chica (bag lady) is finally getting back to making bags! I found some time tp sew this evening while little mister was napping (scary, I know, naps in the evening make for long nights!). I whipped up this simple little zippered make-up pouch.

I've made zippered pouches before, but this time I decided to take advantage of my serger and make a modified version. I've always had to line these before, which just adds to the cost and time. This version is unlined, but still finished with serged edges to prevent fraying of the fabric and to give it a finished look. This allows me to sell it at a lower price! Woohoo! I think the size is also better than previous pouches -- I mean look at all that make-up I fit in there and with room to spare!

I also added a couple of new quilts to my shop. These are ones I made quite a while ago, but never got around to posting.

In other "business" news, I just found out that one of my clutches made the homepage of etsy. I can't believe it! What an honor to have my gator clutch displayed in this way.

One more thing: I signed up for another craft show. It is coming up in November and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm hoping to spend the next month coming up with some new designs to help make it extra succesful! Any ideas or tips would be greatly appreciated. So, that's what is going on in the world of the bolsa chica!

a perfect afternoon

2009-10-08T15:57:00.001-05:00

-- A rainy fall day
-- A nap
-- A mug of hot chocolate with marshmellows
-- A happy camper to keep me company

Productive Saturday

2009-10-03T18:16:00.001-05:00

After several weeks of visitors, it feels extremely odd to have a Saturday all to ourselves. I've spent the afternoon taking care of a few projects that have been on my mind, but haven't had time to get to. Here's what I've been up to:

All right, not the most exciting project ever. I had some mending to do on this jacket. Now that the weather has turned colder, I'm especially happy to have taken care of this.

A new blanket for my boy. I realize he has a gazillion of them but who could resist these cute animals and some soft minky fabric?

Curtains for our basement window. Using fabric from curtains used in our previous place - yay for upcycling!

Letters for Parker's room. I actually finished these last weekend but am now getting around to sharing them with you.

So, what have you been up to?

Fall is in the air (and on my table)

2009-09-23T20:28:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago I made a trip to the local Crate and Barrel Outlet. This place is awesome! They actually sell fabric that has been used in the previous season's products. If you know anything about Crate and Barrel (and like their style as much as I do), this would be super exciting news! Not only is the fabric gorgeous, they sell it for a fraction of the normal price. So, I found a lovely piece and just new it needed to be made into a table runner for Fall!

I think it turned out lovely and can't believe it would have cost over $70 if I had paid full price for the fabric. Instead, I've got Crate and Barrel style for Walmart price! It is also helping me get in a fall-ish mood with the gold and deep red colors. I think this will pair nicely with a turkey for Thanksgiving!

Practical Sewing

2009-09-20T17:53:00.001-05:00

Not all crafting is for aesthetics -sometimes you craft with function over form.

Exhibit A:

"What is this?", you might ask. Well, this is a dark room in process. The hubster is creating his own little haven for film processing in an unfinished part of our basement (hence the huge pipe running through the middle of the room). My role? Well, apparently it is essential for a dark room to be really dark. Go figure?! So, I'm making blackout curtains to prevent stray light from entering the space.

Not exactly my favorite project ever, but it is serving a very useful purpose for the hubster. And that makes me happy! Any practical crafting going on in your corner of the universe?

A Baby Story

2009-09-17T16:46:00.008-05:00

I realize that this is a blog primarily about crafting, but since having a baby has kind of consumed my days lately, I thought some of you might be interested in hearing about Parker's birth. I'll try not to add too many gory details (birth is a messy thing, folks!), but I'll share enough for those of you who may be interested in learning a little bit more about natural childbirth.

August 24, 2009
Around 2:30 am I start to notice a change in my Braxton-Hicks contractions. It isn't necessarily painful, but the tightening sensation in my abdomen definitely becomes more powerful and feels like it is 'doing' something. I try to continue sleeping, but notice that there is a regular pattern to the contractions. When my husband gets up at 7, I tell him about the change. We decide to time a few just to see if we should take this seriously. The contractions are about a minute long and ten minutes apart. We decide to take a walk around the neighborhood to keep things moving along.

As the morning progresses, my contractions keep getting closer and stronger but still not painful. I am really in doubt as to whether this is labor at all. Shouldn't I be in more pain? We keep taking walks and going about our normal routine (i.e., I am quilting!). My contractions are now three minutes a part and lasting about 90 seconds, clearly something is happening. I decide to take a nap before my regularly scheduled OB appointment at 4:45 pm. After the nap I still feel really unsure of myself, but the contractions aren't stopping. We go to the appointment and tell the nurse what is going on. She immediately tells me I'm in labor and that they'd like to monitor a few of the contractions. As we are watching the needle move up and down, monitoring my contractions, I feel a sudden gush of liquid. Yep, my water just broke. In the doctor's office! My doctor quickly comes in to check me and I'm already 4 cm dilated. He strongly urges us to go to the hospital now. The hospital is connected to my doctor's office, so it made a lot of sense to check-in at this point.

Now, this was not in my plan at all, we wanted to labor at home for as long as possible before going to the hospital, but you can't really schedule a play-by-play for labor! We didn't have any of our stuff with us, but the minute my water broke my contractions really started picking up. We knew it wouldn't be a good idea to head home with how I was feeling. I had been freely talking through contractions before this point, but everything changed once my water broke. We decide to check-in to the hospital and call our doula. After a million and one questions, we finally get settled into the room and are able to get down to business. And I mean that in all seriousness - labor is really hard work! It takes every ounce of my will to focus through each contraction. My husband never leaves my side and is whispering encouragements into my ear. He holds me, massages me, helps me walk around, supports me in the shower, and prays with me. Our doula comes and is able to give Brian suggestions and to provide extra support for me.

I really have no concept of time as our room is dimly lit and everyone is very quiet. We have piano music playing and the atmosphere is very soothing. My doctor allows me to be monitored for a small portion of time during each hour so I am free to move around. Laying down feels incredibly painful, so I spend much of my time sitting on the birthing ball, leaning on the birthing ball, or sitting on the toilet (seriously, it was comfortable!). The contractions are extremely powerful and I have a lot of pain/pressure on my lower tailbone. (It didn't occur to us at the time, but later found out I was having back labor and my little man was sunny-side up.) A couple of hours into the labor I vomit and the doctor puts me on a saline drip to keep up my energy. At various points he checks me and I am stuck at 6 cm for what seems like an eternity. I know this is probably the natural alignment plateau, but feel like I just want to give up. I keep telling my husband "he isn't coming". He reassures me that he will come and soon!

August 25, 2009
About 20 minutes after being told I was 7 cm dilated, I announce that I HAVE to push. Everyone is really surprised, but the nurse (amazing by the way) checks me and I'm at 9.5 cm. There is a lip in my cervix, so the nurse holds it open while I start to push. Finally the lip stays open, and I am free to push in whatever position I'd like. Pushing is much harder than I anticipated. Everyone says pushing is a huge relief, but for me it just brings more pain to my lower back. I am much more vocal in labor than I anticipated! After an hour or so of pushing, the nurse calls in my doctor and starts getting everything ready for receiving the baby. My doctor tells me that Parker is facing up, and in order to prevent significant tearing he wants to turn the baby. We agree and does so (very, very painful I might add). After several more pushes, Parker finally emerges into the world at 4:27 am! I think our expressions speak louder than words.

They hand Parker to me and he snuggles right into my chest. He cries right away, but has a lot of fluid in his mouth/nose. I keep exclaiming "he is here!" and "he is perfect!" After several minutes Brian cuts the cord and I deliver the placenta. They weigh and measure Parker and we learn he is 21 inches long, 7 lbs and 11 oz. When they place Parker back on my chest, he quickly grabs onto my finger.
We immediately notice that our little man has his dad's feet and they are just the cutest!

I am able to nurse Parker for 15 minutes while they continue to clean everything up and the doctor repairs a small tear in my perineum. All the pain of the preceding hours vanishes and I am lost in the face of my handsome newborn.

Daddy finally gets to hold his son for the first time as we get ready to move to our new room for the next day.

I know it's a long story, but I wanted to be detailed so I can remember this later! We were really so pleased with how everything worked out. Our doula was a fabulous support to Brian (and me too!), and our nurses were truly outstanding. We were hesitant to deliver in a hospital since we wanted to do everything naturally, but we found nothing but support and help at every turn. No one once pushed any procedure on us and we were able to have the birth that we had hoped for. We give all praise and glory to God for blessing us in this way!

A wall-hanging for Parker

2009-09-15T20:57:00.001-05:00

While I was in early labor I got a crazy urge to work on a wall-hanging for over Parker's crib. I guess I don't get cleaning urges like normal people. Instead I quilt! Anyway, I used a mixture of leftover pieces from his big quilt and random fabric I had on hand (you might recognize some from earlier posts about fabric).

I decided to tie the quilt rather than sew the layers together. My mom came out for two weeks after Parker came, so she helped me finish up the quilt and we tied it together as a family.

My mom is a part of a quilt ministry at church where they tie quilts as a group and pray for the recipient. It is pretty cool. We decided to do this for Parker so everytime we look at the ties we are reminded of the prayers on his behalf. Something I need to be reminded of daily!

Happy Heiny

2009-09-12T22:21:00.001-05:00

Now that Parker is a little bigger and is past the meconium stage, we are officially starting cloth diapering. We decided on using Happy Heinys and are really pleased with them. I've actually been pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to use cloth. I can honestly say it is no more gross than using disposable diapers.

Plus, Parker is unspeakably cute in the new dipes! Wouldn't you agree?

So here is our stash piled next to the changing pad. We went with 22 of the one size pocket diapers. They are a little on the bulky side since Parker is so small, but seem like they'll fit him for longer than the Bum Genius 3.0.

So here we go! Diaper spray is installed; diaper pail is lined; and cloth wipes are ready to be sprayed. World of fluff - here we come!

As Time Flies By

2009-09-03T15:31:00.001-05:00

I really can't believe it has been over a week since Parker's birth. I feel like he had changed so much already! I have so much that I want to share with you all (including a short account of his birth) but have been a bit preoccupied with looking at my cute son. Seriously - I could stare at him all day. Brian put some pics up of him on our family blog (www.lightfromtheshadows.blogspot.com) that will give you an idea of how fun it is to look at him!

Hopefully I will get back to regular posting soon as I adjust to this new life!

-- Post From My iPhone

Welcome Parker Thomas Gee

2009-08-29T22:35:00.001-05:00

Born August 25, 2009
7 lbs 11 oz
21 inches

-- Post From My iPhone

Banana-rific

2009-08-20T10:51:00.003-05:00

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a problem with some textures in food. Generally mushy type foods (i.e., apple sauce, cheesecake, etc.) just aren't appealing to me. I really don't mind the taste of bananas, but unfortunately because of their texture they fall into the unlikable "mushy" category. But, my husband does like the forlorn fruit, so we occasionally have them on hand. Since there is only one banana-eater in our house a bunch (bushel? cluster?) of bananas tend to go bad before we get through the whole batch. Enter: Banana Bread.

Yesterday as I was catching up on my usual blog reading, I came across a post on Elizabeth Carroll's blog about Banana Bread. Not just any kind of Banana Bread though, that was about Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread. Did you just say the word "chocolate" to a pregnant woman? Oh my. So, of course, as soon as I got home from work I could be found whipping together all the ingredients for this masterpiece. And let me tell you, it was a masterpiece. Yum.

In conclusion, if you have any over-ripe bananas in the house, run (don't walk!) to the pantry and get started on this recipe. Seriously, it was that good.

Quilting Inspiration

2009-08-19T11:39:00.003-05:00

I think I might be becoming one of those people who doesn't finish quilts. I never thought it would happen to me, but every time I finish the top of a quilt I get distracted and want to move on to the next project. What a bad habit to have! Anyway, in my distractable state, I came across some really great quilting inspiration for future projects.

Adorable Giraffe Applique
Kaleidoscope
String Spiderweb
Oh Cherry Oh

And the list could go on! There is quilting inspiration to be found all over the web...now to get the extra push I need to finish the quilts I've already started! Actually, at the moment, there are two things hindering my process with my current quilt: mitered corner borders and the binding method. Although I've made several quilts, I've never mitered the corners on my borders. I'm going to give it a try with the help of this mitered corner tutorial. I usually machine quilt all my projects, but this time I'm going to give tying a try. Hopefully I can put everything together with tips from Angry Chicken. Now where did I put that quilt, anyway?

TILT

2009-08-18T13:09:00.003-05:00

In a way, this is my last "Things I Like Tuesday". I started this semi-weekly post in order to liven up my least favorite day of the week. Now that I'm moving from a 40-hour a week job to being a stay at home mom, I wonder if I will still have this same distaste for Tuesdays. I guess we'll have to see! I've never really had an unstructured work week, so we'll see how I do.

Anyway, this week it is really easy to come up with a "Thing I Like": It's my last week at work! My husband reminded me that next Tuesday instead of dragging myself out of bed and to the office, I could enjoy the morning in my pj's and curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and a book if I so choose. I don't think most of my mornings will look like that (after all, being a stay at home mom is a TON of work!), but it is nice to know it is an option every once and awhile! Of course, all my plans could be foiled if little mister decides to show up before next Tuesday. But, I think that would be the best Tuesday of all!

More About Slings

2009-08-17T11:55:00.004-05:00

I guess I'm not the only one talking about the usefulness of baby slings! Check out Keeper of the Home and her post on babywearing. Thanks to the generosity of one of my reader's (thanks Jen!!), I'm prepped and ready to go with making my own sling. Looks like I've also got a special sling coming in the mail from a very special great-grandma to be! I'm sure our little guy will be super comfy in his new wraps -- now he just needs to get here!

Oh, and thanks for your well-wishes, too. I haven't talked a whole lot about our hopes for a natural childbirth, but I think we can use all the encouragement and prayer we can get in that area. We've prepped using the Bradley Method and are hoping to have our little guy born without medical intervention. Most of all, we just want a healthy baby (who doesn't?) and are so looking forward to meeting him! Thanks for your thoughts!

38 weeks ... and counting

2009-08-16T20:13:00.006-05:00

Just in case you were wondering, I'm now officially 38 weeks pregnant. Here are some photos (taken by my fabulous photography hubby. Yes, that includes the ones that he is in, too!) to prove it!

Craftig

2009-08-13T13:36:00.004-05:00

Oooh - aren't you lucky? I've found time for a second post today! My goodness! Anyway, I just discovered an amazing craft resource and couldn't hold myself back from sharing it with you. It is called Craftig. I'm not sure how to describe it other than a compilation of all things crafts. It gives you links to people all over the web sharing craft ideas and free tutorials. I've only spent a few minutes on the site and have already filled up a list of things that I'd like to try to make. This could get dangerous!

JCaroline Creative Giveaways

2009-08-13T08:44:00.004-05:00

This whole week JCaroline is celebrating 8 years of being in business. There are all sorts of fun daily giveaways over on her blog to help put you in the birthday spirit. Go check it out and add a comment if you'd like to win some fun stuff!

Much Ado About Slings

2009-08-12T09:01:00.003-05:00

A few months ago I wrote about my discovery of using slings to carry babies. I can't get the idea quite out of my head, so I've decided to give it a go and make one. I just happen to have the perfect fabric left over from another project. That makes this sling my favorite type of project -- practical, stylish, and free!

Now, the only difficulty is nailing down which tutorial I'd like to follow. I've found a few good candidates, but would love to hear if any of you have had experience making a pouch-style sling of your own. This one on the blog Sew Much Ado is the one I'm thinking of making. So, any thoughts or insights into the world of baby slings?

TILT - Baby's Room Edition

2009-08-11T13:02:00.004-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted a Things I Like Tuesday. Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things as certain responsibilities in my life will soon be changing. I've got 10 more days (8 business days) until I'm finished working at the publishing company I've been with for 2 years. I am so excited to think of a life that doesn't involve being at a desk from 8-4:30 five days a week. Many of you experienced mom's are laughing at my hopefulness about more free time as a stay at home mom. I guess I'll just have to find out the hard way!

Anyway, the baby's room is mostly set up, but I'm still waiting to get the wall decor up before sharing official pictures with you. However, there are some of little finished details that I really like about the room, so I'll share those with you today.

The curtains. Oh, I just love how these turned out. It took me awhile to settle on the fabric, and I actually ended up changing my mind 1/2 way through the process. I ended up with this subtle geometric print in brown. The lighting isn't great (I've been using my iPhone for pictures, hopefully the normal camera will be back in action soon!), but I just love how perfectly this fabric matches our wall color. The wall above the chair rail is actually blue, which for some reason looks tan in this photo. I guess you'll just have to trust me on this one!

Ah, the crib. You've seen it in a couple of different lights, but here it is again. I just love this piece of furniture. Some friends from work put together this adorable (and coordinating) sign to welcome our little guy home. The bumper is finished, you can see the brown/white polka dots peeking out on the right side. I have the quilt laying in the crib for this photo, but obviously he won't be sleeping with that for awhile!

And the diaper cake from one of my showers. I know in good time this thing will be ripped apart for more *ahem* practical uses, but for now I just like to have it sitting on the changing table (pictured here on our couch), reminding me of the little boy who is arriving in no time at all. The stripes also match our changing pad cover which is pretty awesome!

Well, that's it for the sneak peeks. I hope to get the rest of the room finished soon, but we've still been doing some electrical work in there for the past few weeks. Once it is done, I look forward to sharing it with you -- and of course our little man!

Diaper Wipes Extraordinaire!

2009-08-10T15:15:00.003-05:00

I've briefly mentioned my interest in cloth diapering at different points on this blog. Since this blog is mainly about crafts (although, lately it hasn't been about much of anything since I've been so bad about posting!!!), I haven't gone into that whole area of my life. And, to be honest, I'm a little intimidated by the whole thing and don't want to make a loud, public commitment to cloth diapering only to find that I just can't do it. I'm going to try, don't get me wrong, but we'll just have to see how it goes.

Anyway, with that disclaimer, let me share with you my cloth diaper wipes! I think I'll use these regardless if the cloth diapering thing sticks (hopefully, no pun intended), because they seem to make so much sense and will help save some extra money. Plus, I think they actually clean much better than their disposable cousin. Fabric (in my case, terry cloth) just seems to be able to grab the grime a little better to keep that little bum clean. I haven't experimented with a solution yet, but am planning on using this recipe from Elizabeth Carroll's blog. So, without further ado - here are my first diaper wipes made using my lovely serger.

After my last experience, I am a little shy about changing the thread again, but I think the brown thread actually is kind of fun! I'll either spray on the solution or soak these in a container for easy access and use. Now I just can't wait for that baby bum to arrive so I can try them out!

Guest Post

2009-08-06T21:47:00.006-05:00

Hello Crafty Friends! I am Monica's friend Katie (also from Belles Lettres Designs) doing a guest post for her today.

Monica and her husband have almost completely remodeled their house in the last several weeks, and have been extremely busy- as you can imagine.

The fun part? She has made so many cute things for their home, from pillows in the living room, curtains in the bedroom, bedding for their crib, and a new sewing area in the guest room!

So, I am here to show you a small glimpse of the fun sewing area she has set up. These photos are only from my iPhone... so she'll have to treat you to much nicer photos in the future :)

Lots of thread

More super-fun thread colors

The baby's quilt...it's coming along!

A cute fabric I found and decided to share with you ;)

Her business card...don't forget to visit her cute Etsy shop folks.

She has some very fun purses, clutches, wallets and more on there for great prices!

And, seriously, an awesome wall of cutting tools, rulers, etc.

Ok, let's be honest. I am not a sewer... and all of the sewing projects I have done Monica has helped me with :) So, I may have gotten a lot (maybe all?) of the terminology wrong... but I knew you'd enjoy the photos and the update on your favorite Bolsa Chica.

Baby Nursery 1.0

2009-07-23T19:09:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the short absence -- my hubby and I went on a much needed getaway for an extended weekend. It was just 2 1/2 hours away from home, but it felt like so much more! We went up to Madison, WI and stayed in the most lovely inn for a few nights. This place was truly luxurious. The heated floors in the bathroom were quite the contrast to our floors covered in drywall dust at home! Anyway, we returned last night and (after unpacking) went straight to sewing. I think I'm starting to feel the urgency that comes with expecting a baby in less than 6 weeks. Some people call it nesting, my husband hates that term so I won't use it here! :-)

There is a lot of work to do in the baby's room, so I decided starting with the crib bedding would be the best place to start. I used the pattern from Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones. I used one of the fabrics that is featured in the quilt, so I think it will all work together nicely. I also incorporated a little bit of "greenness" into the skirt by reusing fabric from an old (read ugly) shower curtain to use as the "deck" portion of the skirt. Needless to say, I think the shower curtain fabric looks much better under a mattress!

I know, not the best picture in the world , especially since the very thing I'm trying to show off is almost completely in the dark! Hopefully it still gets the point across. This is our gorgeous crib (ahem, thank you mom-in-law!!), with the quilt top (still in process) draped over the back, one finished pillow made out of quilt scraps, and a finished bed skirt below the mattress. I'm planning on using plain, store bought (gasp!) crib sheets, adding a coordinating bumper, and it should be pretty much done! (By the way, those lovely walls in the background took THREE attempts to achieve. I'm clearly not the best person when it comes to picking out paint color!)

Curtains!

2009-07-17T08:39:00.006-05:00

My dear serger is back from its little operation and working better than ever. Needless to say, after getting the serger back the curtains for my bedroom were top priority! Happily, everything went smoothly and I'm happy to share some before and after photos of the windows in question.

Before:
After:
Yes, those contractor trash bags may block out the light, but I think they look much better crumpled in a ball underneath the window, eh?

Easy Couch Make-Over: Pillows!

2009-07-16T14:13:00.005-05:00

Let's be honest - it doesn't always pay to make your own stuff. Sometimes you really can find a better deal on the finished product than on what it would cost to purchase the fabric. I try to buy most of my fabric on sale or with coupons, but sometimes even that doesn't pay off. It's a little embarrassing to admit that I (craft-addict that I am) purchased finished curtains for my living room rather than making my own. It's not because I'm incapable, I just happened to find an incredible deal on curtains that I really like.

Never fear! I didn't let all my sewing skills lay dormant in the living room. I ended up with an extra curtain panel and decided to re-purpose the fabric to make matching pillows for the couch. It is amazing what two new pillows will do to spruce up a couch! I even managed to reuse some pillows that I already had, so the project was free except for the zipper! In this case, making it myself definitely paid off. The pillows are a little hard to make out in this picture, but you can see the two accent pillows are made from the same fabric as the curtains. Spiffy, no?

Wednesday WIP

2009-07-15T15:17:00.005-05:00

I'm not guaranteeing in anyway that this will be a regular Wednesday post, but I like alliteration so it works for me! This week brings a lot of work-in-progress to my house. So I thought I'd show a little snapshot of whats going on.

Here is what's "cooking" in my kitchen. These two amazing men are transforming a 1927 kitchen into this glorious masterpiece. That's the hubster drilling (or something, I'm not the expert!) everything into place, and his grandpa is showing him the ropes (he is the expert!). I know I've said a lot of little things about the home renovation and how much work it is -- but I don't think I've given enough credit to these two guys for everything they've done. Pop has been here since the beginning of June (away from family in CA), working day in and day out on our house. Brian's been by his side as much as possible. Seriously guys, we've done a WHOLE house remodel (demolition, drywall, electrical, plumbing, painting, molding, etc) in just over 6 weeks. There is still some work to be done but wow. That is just amazing! I love these guys and couldn't be more thankful for all the work they've done!

OK, after that, my little work-in-progress is miniscule -- but since I'm 8 months pregnant (really?? when did that happen!) you'll have to give me a little slack. Yes, I realize there are still garbage bags covering some windows and that my entire kitchen has exploded in the dining room and baby's room, and that there are dozens of boxes in the basement -- but when has that ever stopped a girl from quilting? Those little fabric chains to the left of my machine will soon be a part of baby's quilt. It is coming together so quickly and I just love the fabric. I'll do a little post when it is done, because there are quite a few flaws in the pattern that I'd like to correct for y'all.

Anyway, that's what is in progress around my place! What are you working on today?

TILT - 7/14/09

2009-07-14T08:58:00.006-05:00

It's definitely one of those weeks where I woke up thinking it was Wednesday, only to come to the sad realization that it is indeed, just Tuesday. Yesterday was so full of activity -- it should have counted for two days! Anyway, I had a bit of a rough sleeping night due to a doorbell mishap at around 2 in the morning. We're not quite sure what happened, but for some reason the doorbell started dinging away all by itself. My hubby even went out to check if we were the victims of a prank, but no one was standing there and it was still ringing away. A little disconcerting, but better than it could've been I suppose! On to some bright thoughts for the morning to keep this day rolling along.

1. This week I am loving that our kitchen remodel is now underway! We ordered the cabinets about 5 weeks ago and now they are here and in process of being installed. Even better, they are just as beautiful and perfect as I imagined they would be! We ordered through HOBO (Homeowner Buyers Outlet, I believe) and our Kountry Kraft cabinets couldn't be better. I can't find our exact cabinets on the website, but they are pretty similar to this style:

2. Packages. I love getting packages! With a baby on the way and a recent birthday, I've had a few surprise packages come in the mail lately and they always make my day. Actually, mail in general is just splendid. I'm grateful for all that technology can do, but I do wish we'd get back to old fashioned letter-writing every once in awhile. Seriously, a letter will brighten up my day like an e-mail never could!

3. Soap Nuts. OK, I can't say for sure whether or not I really like these, because I actually haven't tried them yet. But I can say that I am liking the idea of them! I read about these on Passionate Homemaking, and they really make a lot of sense. As soon as I'm able, I'm going to try these out and see how they work. I'll definitely let you know.

4. These lovely bowls from Anthropologie. A dear friend gave them to me last night and I can't wait to start using them (actually, we did try them out last night with some ice cream!). They are just so simple and functional, but still adorable! Perfecto!
5. Lastly, I am super thankful for my friends right now. Everyone has been so practically helpful and thoughtful during this crazy transition time. I've had people bring me meals, clean my house/apartment, help us move, paint, etc. We couldn't have done it all without them! Thanks everyone!

It's a Love/Hate Thing

2009-07-13T14:31:00.004-05:00

I started working on my new curtains this weekend. My little sewing corner hasn't been unpacked and organized, so for now I'll be using the dining room table for my endeavors. I am definitely reveling in the joys of having a full dining room table to cut out fabric (in our previous apartment such large tasks were relegated to the floor)!

(*Side Note* - don't you think the dining room is turning out to be just lovely? I know this is just a small sampling, but that beautiful white bay window, the chair rail, color choice, and most of all dining room table are just divine!)

Anyway, I was happy with the amount of fabric that I purchased and how each cut panel looked next to the window. So that's a relief! After getting the fabric all pinned and situated, I made my first attempt at overlocking on my new machine. I even took a picture to commemorate the moment!

Unfortunately, the moment was short lived and after beautifully overlocking one side, my machine all of sudden came to a stand still. I ended up having to take it to the Bernina dealer in my area, only to find that it looks like some screws came loose on the inside. Well, that's what traveling and moving will do! My poor little machine is now waiting for a technician to make a repair, and then hopefully we'll be back on track with the curtains! Here is to hoping your projects are going more smoothly than mine!

Adventures in Curtain-Making

2009-07-09T19:38:00.005-05:00

Now that we are moved in (yay!), its time to get started on some fun sewing projects to warm up our space and make it feel more like home. Top of the list: get some curtains for the bedroom. Really folks, it is necessary to have some sort of window covering in the bedroom. I'm not talking about having fabulously stylish valances and such, I just mean something basic that will shut out the light, as well as the peeping-toms! We've been making due with some strategically taped garbage bags, but my hopes are to remedy that situation soon.

Today, Hubby made a trip to the home decor fabric section of Hobby Lobby with me. Much to our surprise, the fabric we chose is one that I've worked with on another project. My dear friend needed some curtains (well, it should actually still be present tense "needs" as we haven't quite finished the final curtain yet!), and we chose the exact same fabric as she did! The sewing part of curtains is easy, but I still haven't quite figured out the best way to estimate how much fabric I'll need and what I want the finished thing to look like.

So, I figured y'all might have some tips for me. From what I can tell, I add at least 8" to what I want the finished length to be. This allows for turning up the end, as well as making a pocket for the rod. It's the width that I struggle with. I know it all depends on how "bunchy" you want the fabric to look (both closed and opened), but it seems like there should be some magic formula. Anyone know it? I'll keep you updated on the progress and maybe even *gasp* a photo of the finished thing!

New Fabric

2009-07-08T10:29:00.006-05:00

It is pretty rare that I buy fabric on a whim. I usually have a specific project in mind when I make my purchases. I'm not sure what got into me (maybe I was just too into the birthday spirit), but last week I placed an order for some fabric that I have absolutely no idea how I'll use. Well, that is mostly true. Most of them are fabrics that I want to use in the baby's room or for baby related things -- I just don't have a specific plan mapped out for them. Anyway, they are supposed to come tomorrow and I can't wait! Here are some of my purchases:

How could you not love these little guys? I can't decide what I like best about this pattern, but I think it might be the trees. So fun!

Have you seen this fabric line (Lily Pond) yet? I just love the whole thing. If I were having a girl I'd order all of them and make a really fun quilt. But, for now, this more neutral one will have to do!

This one I actually do have a plan for. I'm thinking a totally awesome hawaiian shirt and possibly a full cabana outfit (i.e. hawaiian shirt plus matching short). Totally corny, but if anyone can pull it off it is a little dude who's mama comes from CA!

Polka dots. Does it get any better?

Can you tell how I love these colors and polka dots?

Anyway, have you made any spur-of-the-moment fabric purchases lately? Where have you been shopping and finding great deals? I purchased these from JCaroline Creative and they were all on sale - woohoo!

Things I Like Tuesday

2009-07-07T13:09:00.003-05:00

I've noticed that things around bloggy-land in general have been pretty sparse lately. It must be summer! Most of the blogs I read regularly have been posting less in this get-outside-and-have-some-human-interaction weather. Anyway, today is short and sweet: I like moving! OK, clarification needed here! I don't like the actual process of packing, cleaning, organizing, hauling, unpacking, etc. But, I do like the fact that we are moving and this limbo-land we've been in for the past month will be over. There is still some work to do on the house, but for the most part, it is move-in ready. So, we are moving today! I'm itching to get back on my sewing machine, so I'm hoping to get my new sewing area set up fairly quickly. What a lovely Tuesday indeed!

Things I Like - July 4th edition

2009-06-30T10:54:00.003-05:00

I've never been a huge fan of the Fourth of July as a holiday. Not to say I don't appreciate what it stands for, its just never been a huge thing for me. My birthday is the first (yipes, that's tomorrow!), so that has always eclipsed the holiday for me. But, I do want to give the holiday a little attention, and list some of the things that I really do like about July 4th.

1. Peppermint Ice Cream. Yes, that definitely if the first thing I think of when it comes to July 4th! Growing up, we would make our own peppermint ice cream, turning that grinder on the ice cream maker for what seemed like hours! Now I do it the easy way with my fancy ice cream maker - 20 or 30 minutes and its done with no manual churning necessary!

2. A Day Off. Let's be honest, some holidays are more exciting because they provide one day off of work. Incidentally, that makes this a short week! Probably why I'm not in a funk over it being Tuesday!

3. BBQ's. I think I appreciate these a lot more now than when I lived in CA. Going to a BBQ is something like a laugh in the face to Winter. Every opportunity to get outside, enjoy the sunshine, and fire up the grill is a little celebration for the season of Summer. Side note: I do think it is funny that in the Midwest there really is only one type of barbecue - burgers and brats. In CA, people might have salmon, grilled veggies or fruit, kebabs, etc.

4. Fireworks. I'm not obsessed with fireworks, but I do think they are pretty cool. I especially enjoy it when the show is coordinated with music.

5. Freedom. OK, maybe this should have been at the top of the list! I don't feel more patriotic or particularly free on July 4th, but I am thankful for the freedoms we experience in the States. I've traveled enough to know we are an extremely privileged people. I don't think America is the Promised Land, nor do I put my hope in being an American, but I am thankful for the freedoms we experience daily. That is truly a reason to celebrate!

Fabric Swap

2009-06-30T08:26:00.004-05:00

I just found out about this crazy event going on tonight in Chicago - a Fabric Swap! If I had known about this earlier (and wasn't swamped with a crazy schedule) I would totally be there. Doesn't it sound like fun to get rid of some unwanted fabric, get fake money, and "buy" some new stuff? Makes me so jealous! Anyway, if any of you are in the Chicago area and are lucky enough to have a free evening, definitely check it out!

Serger Update

2009-06-29T13:32:00.004-05:00

Remember my beautiful refurbished serger from a month or so ago (actually, I think it is longer than that, oh my!)? The poor thing has been dreadfully neglected since I brought it home from CA. With all the house stuff, it just hasn't received its proper attention. I must admit though, part of the reason for the neglect is due to a bit of trepidation on my part. This thing is intimidating! Well, never fear, the folks at Sew, Mama, Sew have all sorts of helpful hints on their hands. Today's post was specifically about getting starting on a serger, and I highly recommend it! Now I gotta give my old gal a try and experiment with all I've learned.

(On another note, I'm sorry the links on my posts have been so inconspicuous lately! I'm still getting used to this new template, and I've been told that unless you have the mouse directly over the link, it is hard to tell where it is! I had my tech-savvy hubby change the color on the links, so hopefully all is well again. Let me know if there are any other changes I should be making to make your experience here more enjoyable. Thanks!)

Maternity Pants

2009-06-25T15:07:00.004-05:00

OK, I know you want a REAL post, but this is the best I can muster for now. Here is a tutorial I found for converting regular pants into maternity pants. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it looks pretty simple and I like the way it looks. I'd love to hear if any of you have had success in converting non-maternity clothes into maternity clothes. It helps to save a buck or too! Not to mention, being 5' 11" makes shopping for long pants difficult even before pregnancy, now it is just impossible! Let me know if you have any tips!

Placemat-to-Bib Tutorial

2009-06-24T14:52:00.004-05:00

Just can't get baby off the brain these days (10 more weeks to go!), so I thought I'd share this lovely tutorial with you that takes a placemat and turns it into a bib. Looks easy, cheap, and practical! Looks like I've got some of these to make in my future!

Pillowcase Projects

2009-06-22T11:28:00.003-05:00

OK, this is a cheater post (since I'm just linking to someone else who did all the work!), but I couldn't help myself when I saw all these wonderful projects. If you've ever wondered what to do with mismatched, odd, or extra pillowcases -- this lady has got all the answers. Check out her website for a full list of pillowcase projects. I don't keep a lot of extra pillowcases around, but these seem like projects that would be great for garage sale or flea market finds. Hope you enjoy!

From under the rubble

2009-06-16T14:57:00.004-05:00

Just a quick post to say - I'm still here, really I am! I've just been under a pile of home renovation rubble for the past two weeks and that has been a little all-consuming. I think of you all often and am embarrassed by the lack of posting. Right now, just keeping my head on straight is a bit of an effort! Anyway, I have sooo much to post about with the new house and all the projects we've been working on, but since that would involve the camera (at the house) and the computer (at the old apartment) it just might not happen soon. Anyway, thanks for all being patient and hanging in there with me. I promise I'll get back to more crafty posting soon!

Is it really Tuesday?

2009-06-02T15:21:00.003-05:00

Wow-- is time flying by! I have been busily getting adjusted to being home again and it suddenly occurred to me that Tuesday is almost over and I hadn't even realized it was here! As you could see from the brief pictures from the shower, my trip to California was fabulous. I had such a good time with family and friends. Unfortunately, life doesn't just slow down for vacations and the 8 days were over before I knew it! There was some crafting involved, so I'll be sharing pictures of that soon.

Speaking of life not slowing down . . . I'm now in my 27th week of pregnancy which puts me on the border of my third trimester. Crazy! Just 13 more weeks to go! In the past week my tummy has doubled in size (according to my approximations!), reminding me that I should get going on all the projects I have planned for this little one.

Anyway, this week's things I like Tuesday is a breeze - I like being a homeowner! We officially closed on our house yesterday and got right to work ripping off horrid wallpaper and fake wood paneling. I couldn't be happier about it! We've got a lot of work to do, but hubby and I enjoy this type of thing together so it really seems more like fun! I'll post some pictures soon of the work in progress!

Well, I could say much more, but time continues to skip away and I have a ton to do. So, for now, I hope you are enjoying your Tuesday and I'll be back soon!

No May Day Give Away

2009-05-29T16:13:00.004-05:00

Sorry folks, just didn't get my act together. With the vacation, having a very forgetful pregnancy brain, and getting everything settled for our house, gathering something together for the Give Away Day just didn't happen. But, I hope that doesn't stop you from exploring all of the other crafty giveaways in bloggy land. Just visit Sew Mama Sew for an extensive list of all the blogs participating and comment to your hearts content. Let me know if you win anything great!

Baby Shower Pics

2009-05-26T11:03:00.005-05:00

Well, I'm still off on vacation, but couldn't resist sharing some of the pictures from the lovely baby shower I received last Saturday. What an outpouring of love for this little baby inside me! It was truly a blessing to get to see friends and family (that I don't get to see often enough!) and to have them share in celebrating this young life. Enjoy!

Here are the adorable cupcakes that baby's great-grandmother made (so yummy!) and my mom decorated.

The table before it was filled with food. Really good food, I might add!

Opening some presents. This one was particularly appropriate since the dad-to-be is a photographer.

The great-grandmother-to-be showering baby with lots of love and handmade warm blankets!

The other great-grandmother-to-be (my grandma and who I am named after) sharing some more handmade goodness. (Are you beginning to see why I like crafting so much?)

Grandma's and great grandma's on both sides of the family.Have I mentioned my sister is pregnant too? She isn't showing yet but here is the proud grandma loving on the two little buns-in-the-oven!

It was such a beautiful shower and I am really blown away by all the generosity. Our baby will never have to question whether or not he is loved!

One Other Thing I Like

2009-05-19T15:35:00.004-05:00

Ok, so I'm cheating a little, but there is another thing I like that want to share with you all - Slings I Love. I was introduced to this company this past weekend, and I am so excited about the products they have to offer! Just look at how comfy this little kiddo looks!

What could be better than finding an artistic (and fabric oriented!) way to be close to your baby and hands-free? I think that this one is my favorite:

OK, that is it for today -- I promise!

TILT

2009-05-19T10:16:00.002-05:00

So it is another not-so-bad Tuesday for me. I'm leaving for a trip to California tomorrow evening, so I'm not complaining one bit about the 3-day work week! I'll be gone until the 29th, so there will probably be some sparse posting while I'm gone. Anyway, it is a gorgeous day here in Chicagoland which is all the more reason to post about the Things I Like Today!

I like . . .

. . . my new template. Don't you? I finally decided to do the legwork to find a template that I really like. It required me to re-do some of the information on the sidebar, but it was worth the extra effort. I think this template is an extension of my design style and I'm so happy with how it turned out. If you see any random bugs, do let me know.

. . . headbands/scarfs. Whatever you want to call them, if you can tie them around your (wait, that would be "my"!) unruly hair and turn into a somewhat manageable curly-do, then I like 'em! With the humidity coming back into the air, my hair just won't stay straight like it does in the winter. As long as there is some way to tame the mess, I'm OK with the curls!

. . . canasta. Wait, how old am I? Seriously though, you don't have to be retired to enjoy a good game of canasta. Its the perfect combination of luck, skill, and partnership. Even though my hubby and I don't make the best team, its a lot of fun!

. . . flow-y skirts. No, I didn't mean to type "flowery." I like skirts that have the twirl factor and make you feel just a little bit more feminine as you attempt not to waddle under the weight of a pregnant belly. Plus, they usually have elastic waistbands which is also a must these days!

. . . eating lunch outside. I definitely under appreciated eating outside in school. For 12+ years of my life I ate lunch outside almost every day, and completely took it for granted. Now, whenever the weather is remotely welcoming, I'm outside on the patio with my lunch, soaking in any warmth that can be found.

I hope you are all having a lovely Tuesday!

Baby on the Brain

2009-05-15T10:34:00.005-05:00

It seems like I'm not the only one with "baby on the brain" (not to mention, baby on my bladder!!) these days. Many of my favorite online crafters are pregnant or have young ones of their own. It is hard not to feel a little overwhelmed in light of all the baby-crafting goodness. There is so much I want to do!

And now I found a lovely little book (that I'm drooling over) on Craftzine.com: Simple Sewing for Baby by Lotta Jansdotter (incidentally, this lady is the one who inspired me to start making bags in the first place!).I think I have finally settled on the "theme fabric" for our baby boy's room. I mentioned several months ago that I like Michelle D'Amores fabric line Natural Effects. Well, finding out we are having a boy has only increased my interest in using these fabrics. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of brick-and-mortar stores that carry this fabric, so I'm relying heavily on what I find on the internet. Hancock's of Paducah (Hey honey, its in Kentucky, I'm up for a road trip if you are!!!) carries this line and even has a nice quilt kit featuring the fabric. Now we just need to move into our new house so I can take some measurements, order the fabric, and get sewing!

Here is the one that I like for the curtains:

Do you know of any cute fabrics to coordinate with this one? I'd love to hear all about them!

May Giveaway Day

2009-05-14T15:55:00.003-05:00

Sew, Mama, Sew is hosting another giveaway day, like the one they facilitated last December. I'm trying to decide whether or not to participate. I'd be interested in some feedback from y'all (my regular readers) about your thoughts on this. What type of item would you like to see offered? Would you like to see me participate in the May Giveaway Day?

Treasury Feature

2009-05-13T13:14:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to let you all know that my landscape wall hanging has been featured in a lovely treasury on Etsy. Thought you might like to take a peak! And, while you are there, check out the MadHatterDesignz shop who put together the treasury.

TILT (with an announcement!)

2009-05-12T11:54:00.002-05:00

Ah, this is another one of those glorious weeks where Tuesday hardly feels like Tuesday at all. I took yesterday off since we had family in town. It is so nice to know that the week is well on its way and I don't have to get bogged down in the fact that it is a Tuesday! Lots of stuff going on lately, so there is much to be thankful for!

1. I love the fact that my husband is officially done with his Master's degree! Woohoo!! He "commenced" on Saturday and I couldn't be prouder! Not to mention, it is really nice to have the hubster free from homework and our bank account free from tuition payments!

2. I love family. It was so nice to have Brian's parents and grandparents out for a few days. Nothing else quite compares to spending time with family.

3. I like that everything with our house seems to moving along nicely. Just a few more weeks until closing. Hopefully everything continues to fall into place like it has!

4. I like that I am just one week away from a vacation! I'll be spending over a week in CA visiting my family and hopefully doing something about this pasty white skin! Oh, and maybe eating some In-N-Out!

5. Finally (drumroll please), I am loving the fact that our little Baby has finally decided to cooperate during an ultrasound! I love that we are having a Baby BOY!!

No TILT this week

2009-05-05T13:20:00.002-05:00

Sorry guys, I just don't have it in me today! There are lots of things I like, but I'm coming down with something and just don't have the energy to write out a long post. Maybe I'll be able to post later this week to make up for it! Hope you are all doing well!

Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups

2009-05-01T13:31:00.004-05:00

I just encountered a tutorial on making homemade fruit roll-ups and knew I needed to share it with you! This is the type of thing I am so looking forward to doing with my kids! Maybe some of you guys will try it out too!

(P.S. Of any of you are looking into or are remotely interested in cloth diapering, the blog I linked to is a fabulous resource!)

(P.S.S. There is also a giveaway going on at this blog right now that involves winning a free cloth diaper. Woohoo!)

TILT

2009-04-28T10:02:00.002-05:00

I'd really like to understand how emotions work. Do you know what I mean? Somedays you wake up, glad to be alive and generally at peace with things in the world. And other days, you just want to throw in the towel and crawl back in bed. I'd like to know what happens in our brains over night that seems to reset them into a different mode. All that to say, despite it being Tuesday, I'm actually in a pretty decent mood today. I guess that makes up for being a little grumpy-pants over the last few days. I could blame it on pregnancy-hormones, but really I just think I've been focused on the negative things and just being overall critical. No good. So, I'm thankful for the change in pace and hope that I can hang onto the positive attitude! On to the Things I Like this Thursday!

1. My new Bible. Really? This makes my top five? I mean, how many Bibles do I own? Oh yes. I am an addict. It is a good thing that I work at a publisher, otherwise I'd break the bank with my habit. So, I'm super excited that the beautiful feminine cover of my favorite Study Bible just came in. And it is mine. Yay!

2. My family. Again, it may seem redundant since I am always thankful for and "in-like" with my family. But, it seems to be particularly strong the past few days. I've been thinking a lot about my childhood (seeing as I'm about to raise a child of my own), and for what a loving family I grew up in. I love that my sister is pregnant at the same time as me (WOOHOO!!!!) and that we get to experience this whole thing together. We're close in age, so it just wouldn't seem right to be doing something without her. Love ya, sis! Feel better soon!

3. Spring. I wish I could show you how beautiful the trees and flowers are this time of year. Honestly, taking a picture would just not do it justice. I never knew trees bloomed until moving to the Midwest, and I just can't get enough of it.

4. My Little Nugget. There has been a whole lot of moving and shaking going on in my belly. It is really quite amusing most of the time. We still don't know much about him/her (did I mention that he/she managed to keep his/her gender a secret? Sneaky little nugget. Kept legs closed the whole ultrasound!), but we are definitely in love. I'm even allowing myself to buy a few pieces of clothing here and there. And dream a little about the baby's room. Sigh.

5. The House. Yep, that's right - we go it! They accepted our offer on Friday and we are just too thrilled! Obviously there are a lot of other hurdles to go through (or over, preferably!), but this first step is just amazing. We had the home inspection on Monday and so far, so good. No serious problems. Just one 2-bed, 1-bath charming Bungalow waiting for a little love. I'll show pictures at some point, but I really don't like the decor currently and would rather wait until it is my own! Anyway, we are super excited!

Belated Update

2009-04-24T15:37:00.004-05:00

Oh my! How the week just flew past me! I'm sorry for the silence around here, but things have been all consuming in my "real life". We've been in the process of looking for a house the past two weeks; which means as first-time home-buyers we've been learning a lot! A week ago we placed on offer on a house which didn't end up working out for us. Apparently the bank had another offer at the same time as ours and went with that one. It was disappointing, but thankfully it hasn't taken long to find another one that we love. In general we are pretty decisive when it comes to knowing what we like, so it is no surprise that after seeing "the" house last night, we immediately placed an offer. So, good news everyone -- our offer was accepted and it looks like we may be homeowners soon! Of course there is all the normal rig-a-ma-roll with inspections and such, but we are pretty close to having the place of our starter-home dreams. Exciting stuff, no? I hope you'll forgive me for not hanging around here as much when all this has been going on! Thanks for your patience with me!

Serger Update

2009-04-16T09:59:00.004-05:00

Big news everyone: I got a serger! Woohoo! Just a little over a week ago I started the serger search and it went much more quickly than anticipated. That's because I had a little help! My mom knows this really great sewing machine dealer back in CA where she bought my beloved Bernina about a year and a half ago. I haven't really found a dealer I know I can trust out here, so I thought it would be best to have my mom look into the matter for me. Lo and Behold! After her first trip there she was pretty sure she had found "the one". A quick call left me bouncing off the walls with excitement (just ask anyone who was around me that day!). So, here she is, from 2,000 miles away making her online debut!

She may look a little on the experienced side, but that is only confirmation that she is going to hang in there for the long haul. I love refurbished machines because they have such great history and are often made to last longer than modern machines. As you can see, all the parts are metal which is a pet peeve of mine. I really don't like plastic on my machine. It is also a Bernina (Bernette to be exact), but I don't know much more about the model than what you can make out in the first picture. Cute, eh?!

For those of you who are still scratching your head about what a serger is, the first picture shows the type of stitch that it accomplishes. It also has a blade (you can see it if you know what you are looking for it) that trims the fabric as it encases it in thread. This prevents fraying and adds a really finished look to your projects. Now I just need to get this machine in the same state as me so I can get down to business!

TILT - keeping it simple

2009-04-14T14:27:00.001-05:00

Today's Things I Like Tuesday is going to be short and sweet:

I like being 20 weeks pregnant-
it means I'm half way done!!

TILT - sort of?

2009-04-07T10:34:00.002-05:00

Well, even though today is a Tuesday I'm not feeling nearly as down as I usually do on these days. And do you know why? Because I get Good Friday off, so really today is more like a Wednesday! I think we should skip Tuesdays every week! Needless to say, I'm liking all sorts of things today. I'm not sure I could narrow it down to a 5 point list! So, here is a random smattering of the things I like today:

I love Lincoln Park. The buildings, the atmosphere, the park, the zoo, the conservatory, etc. We were in Chicago for the weekend and explored a little of the area on Saturday.We saw flowers and other green things! We saw cute meerkats and giraffes - all for free! Yes, I certainly like Lincoln Park!
I love the John Hancock 96th floor. Having a fabulous s'more dessert, chatting with my honey, overlooking all of the Chicago skyline at night - does it get better than that?
I like Priceline. Yay for cheap hotel stays in the nicest of hotels.
I like seeing the snow melt (hopefully for the last time this season!!!!). It is annoying to have snow in April, but it just makes you so much more grateful when it is gone.
I like short work-weeks and long weekends!
I like Portillo's hamburgers. They are really good.
I love getting to celebrate Easter - not just with eating Cadbury eggs (although those are fabulous) but with thinking about what it really means and celebrating it all!
I like feeling the baby get really active and imagining that it is a response to what I'm talking about at the moment. Kind of weird, I know, but it is fun to say things like "wow, I think baby really wants us to do that" in response to whatever topic is at hand.
I like counting the days until we will know (hopefully) the gender of our baby. 8 more days!!

Oh, the list could go on, but it might get boring for some of you! Anyway, its a lovely day and I'm happy it doesn't feel a bit like a Tuesday. Happy Easter week to all of you!

Isn't He Sweet?

2009-04-06T13:33:00.003-05:00

OK, so clearly I have a very sweet husband! What a blessing it is to live, love, and learn with someone who is so understanding and kind. And talented, no?

Over the past several years that we've been together, Brian has learned a lot about me. For one thing, I am fairly frugal and will rarely spend money on myself. Even money I get for my birthday or Christmas, I'm likely to end up spending on groceries or something we need. So, recently he has taken to keeping my "discretionary" money for me. He knows how badly I want a serger, and he is now helping me reach that goal by protecting me from myself. What a sweetie.

Anyway, the time has finally come! I have enough saved up for a serger (or at least what I think is a reasonable amount to spend on a serger) and am now in the market for one. So, my question to you is: do you have any advice for me on how to choose a serger? I'm most likely going to be refurbished because I think those tend to be better quality machines, but I'd be very interested in any feedback y'all might have. So, let me know if you have any input! Thanks!

A Husbandly Interruption

2009-04-05T19:47:00.006-05:00

Hi Everyone! I'm Brian, the not-nearly-so-lovely other half to the fetching Bolsa Chica. Forgive me for intruding, but I needed to take one moment of your time to show you just how absolutely beautiful my wife is.

As you all know, she has been resolutely marching through 19 weeks of pregnancy. And she's been amazing. I'm honored to be her husband. I'm also honored to be a photographer (Click Here to visit my site), so I have the privilege of capturing her beauty throughout this process.

So, in honor of her, I'm posting this picture below so that you all can get an idea of just how lovely she is. And if you have a chance, let her know how lovely she is! Thanks for letting me intrude!

Holy Toledo, Batman!

2009-04-02T11:01:00.002-05:00

I'm not really sure what that title has to do with this post, but it came into my head and I couldn't get it out. Don't you just love the innocence of the classic Batman show? Anyway, I do have some exciting news to share that somehow I overlooked earlier this week - drumroll. . . . There is a fantastic giveaway on Sew, Mama, Sew for various Fiskars/Gingher related products!

See, I told you it was amazing! All you have to do is comment on their various posts throughout the next month and you'll have a chance to win one of their prizes. Scissors and rotary blades make me giddy with excitement!

Just thought you might like to know!

TILT - Amy Butler ed.

2009-03-31T13:56:00.003-05:00

So, you all know by now that I love anything by Amy Butler. I love her patterns, her fabrics, her styles, etc. So, I thought I'd devote a Things I Like Tuesdays just to her stuff! After all, I noticed a pretty spiffy discount on Amy Butler stuff over at Pink Chalk Studio.

1. Domestic Goddess Aprons. Aren't they cute? Even tedious tasks seem more enjoyable when you've got a cute apron to wear!
2. Fresh Poppies Ivory. This fabric isn't my normal choice, but there is something so peaceful and wonderful about this print. It is clean and bright, modern and floral--just lovely!

3. In-Town Bags. Of course I love all of Amy Butler's bag patterns (and have tried two of them), but these seem particularly special. They are so different and unique from anything that you'd find in a store.
4. Daisy Chain Pressed Flowers Rose. Lovely. Need I say more?

5. Midwest Mod Pillows. It takes a special person to make a pillow seem exciting. Clearly, Amy Butler has accomplished this task!

Bread in a Bag

2009-03-30T10:35:00.002-05:00

I recently came across this post on how to make bread in a bag. I love the idea of home-cooked bread. So far I haven't had much experience in bread baking (I stick with the easy beer bread or pumpkin bread), but would really like to once I have a more functional kitchen again. We've been in a basement apartment for the last 2 years and I've been making due with a convection oven. Works wonders on baked potatoes but it is not bread or baking friendly. All that to say, this bread in a bag idea will be one of the first things try once we make the move in July to a bigger and better kitchen (well, one can always hope anyway!).

Treasury Feature

2009-03-26T14:03:00.003-05:00

One of my quilts has just been featured on an Etsy Treasury! My landscape wall-hanging is on display along with other quilts and items that have mountains and beautiful vistas. I made this quilt quite awhile ago (my first and so far only landscape quilt) and have always enjoyed it. It doesn't photograph terribly well, but you can get a small glimpse of how lovely this would be hanging in someone's home!

Fun Paper Project

2009-03-25T09:15:00.002-05:00

I just came across a really easy and cheap way to make paper bags. The tutorial was so cute and easy that I quickly ran to my desk, found an envelope, and whipped up one of these bad boys. The bags shown below are from How About Orange and I just think they are adorable.

There are an infinite number of possibilities with these, so use your imagination!

TILT (just easier than writing it all out!)

2009-03-24T14:17:00.002-05:00

Was it really just one week ago that I was so thrilled with a Tuesday? Today has not been another one of those days. No, today I am reminded with every passing minute why I hate Tuesdays so much. It's inane really. To hate a day, that is. But, I do. So, on to some cheering thoughts that will hopefully drive away the clouds that haunt my Tuesdays.

1. Spring. Oh yes, that is at the top of the list for sure. It is slowly coming and it does brighten me up (ever-so-slightly) when I walk out my front door to see a small patch of green leaves unfurling with a bright yellow bud closed tightly at their top. Every minute that I have a chance I'm bathing my glow-in-the-dark white skin in that glorious 60 degree sunshine. Just lovely.

2. Skirts. I guess that goes right along with #1, but I am so happy to have skirt weather again. I feel so much more graceful and comfortable when I don't have to squeeze my awkwardly shaped lower half into increasingly-shrinking pants. With a skirt, you can just keep wearing it higher and higher to accommodate the growing lower abdomen. (I realize there are limits to this, eventually I won't do this or we'd have problems, but for now, its workin', OK?)

3. String Cheese. We're talking power snack here people. 6 grams of protein in each little custom-wrapped package. It's been my snack of choice lately, but can you blame me? Oh, and the Sargento's variety is unspeakably better than the cheaper varieties. Trust me.

4. Small little flutters in my belly that may or may not be a baby's early movements. I'm not saying 100% that I've felt "the first kick", but I am definitely feeling something that isn't normal and can't really be explained any other way. I've tried to talk myself out of it so I don't get my hopes up, but just the contemplation of what is to come puts a smile on my face.

5. Vacation planning. Yep, it is getting to be that time of the year when thoughts drift towards "what to do this summer". I am having fun day-dreaming about visiting my mom in CA and getting to see family again in just a few short months. And in those moments when I think, "will I ever see my last-semester grad student husband again?" I think of the trip we'll plan to get away and just enjoy one another, without interruptions of homework.

Things I Like Tuesday - St. Patty's Ed.

2009-03-17T10:20:00.003-05:00

As today is the grand holiday that is St. Patrick's Day, it only seems appropriate to have that be the theme of my Things I Like Tuesday post. And in fact, I really like St. Patrick's day, so the day itself would make the top of my list for this week!

1. St. Patrick's Day. Yep, that's right. I am one of the few people who really like this holiday. Oddly enough, I grew up celebrating it even though I have very little Irish in me (at least that I know of). Surprisingly, my husband also grew up celebrating this holiday with his family so we fit together very well. (Below: Just in case you don't believe me, here is my in-law's dog decked out for the day.)

2. The food. Mmmmm. So good. Give me a plate of Corned Beef, boiled potatoes, cabbage, and carrots and I'm a happy girl. Oh, and don't forget the Beer Bread! Yum! (Below: Brian and I enjoying an authentic meal a few years ago at a local Irish Pub.)

3. Unnaturally Green Things. Usually finding something green in your refrigerator is a bad thing -- but not on this day! You'll find all sorts of things dyed green for the occassion. Even though those items don't look particularly appetizing (my mom used to dye milk green for the holiday, thats just a little too scary), I think the concept is hilarious. It makes me happy. (Below: ah, Green Eggs and Ham)

4. Chicago. One of the most fun places to be on St. Patrick's Day (outside of Ireland, I imagine) is Chicago. People go crazy for it. The crowds can be hectic and the parade is not all that fantastic, but the enthusiasm is contagious. Come on people, the city dyes its main river green -- how cool is that?

5. An excuse to pinch people. Well, that is a bit of an exaggeration. I like to have an excuse to pinch my hunny, but I leave other people alone for the most part. I like to catch him at moments when I know he won't have any green on him (i.e., right out of the shower). Fun times.

So, what do you like or dislike about St. Patty's day?

Up-Cycling

2009-03-16T13:16:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I tried an experiment in up-cycling. Apparently, it is slightly different than recycling but it is the same basic concept: re purposing an unwanted item into something useful. I am happy to say that it was a successful endeavor! I am always looking for cheap ways to complete my sewing projects, and this one ended up costing me a little less than $1!

I had a pajama top that I don't really wear. I love the coordinating pj pants that go with them, but I'm just not a pajama top kind of girl. I guess it makes me too hot or something. I prefer something more lightweight for sleeping. Anyway, I didn't want to throw it out because it was practically new and then I had an epiphany! Why not make some cute little baby pj pants out of the fabric? The fabric was gender neutral and warm fuzzy fleece - perfect for the winter months when my baby will be about 3 months old. So, here is what I did.

I cut apart my sleep top with as little waste as possible. You'd be shocked at how big of a piece you can get out of cutting open an arm!

And then I made these cute pajama pants for ages 3-6 months from Amy Butler's Little Stitches book. I'm not super experienced with making clothes, so the elastic was a little lose, but for $1 I think they are pretty darn cute. And, I'll get to match my baby with my (much bigger) pj pants. Not bad, eh?

A Crafty Shift

2009-03-12T08:46:00.002-05:00

I mentioned a week or so ago how I've noticed my desires in crafting shifting towards things baby-related instead of bag-related. I noticed how far my crafting desires have changed when I started bookmarking this how-to on converting a regular bra into a nursing bra. I just have to laugh at myself a little. Crafting has always been a very practical thing for me. I don't like to make things that don't have a purpose or will just sit around and collect dust - but a nursing bra? Wow, that's a shift! Just to let you know, I still have a love for making bags. In fact, I was happily working on a custom order just last night. I may not be blogging as much about bags, but that is still what "The Bolsa Chica" is all about. Afterall, it isn't "The Bambino Chica"! That being said. Isn't that an awesome tutorial?

The March "Blahs"

2009-03-10T14:30:00.002-05:00

It is inevitable. It happens to me every March. For some reason I just feel "blah". I've been racking my brain trying to think of things that I like, and all I can come up with is "not March". That doesn't make a very good list, does it? We've had some glimpses of spring recently and I think it makes it all the harder when a cold front moves in again. You feel like you've been robbed. Anyway, I don't want to be a downer, but I just don't think I can come up with a list this week. I hope you'll forgive me. I promise to be in a better mood soon!

Things I Like Tuesday - CA edition

2009-03-03T13:27:00.005-06:00

I've been having a lot of dreams about CA lately, so it seems appropriate to have this week's Tuesday list be things that I like about California. Anyone who knows me knows that I don't have a lot of love for my home state, but there are things that I miss. Honestly, I think it would be fun to live just about anywhere (maybe not Barrow, Alaska), and I appreciate things about wherever I'm at. Here we go.

1. The Beach. I don't care what anyone says, going to Lake Michigan just doesn't cut it for the beach experience. It is nice and even enjoyable, but it is not the same. I grew up leaping through waves, guzzling down salt water, making sand castles that get knocked down when the tide comes in, etc. I miss that.

2. In-N-Out. This is probably at the top of any relocated Californian. It is the very definition of YUMMY. I have a lot of wonderful memories that include In-N-Out including the day I got engaged and the day I got married. Those hamburgers, those fries, and oh, those shakes. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.

3. The 5. Yep, call me crazy, but I miss the 5. I realize that most the time when you are driving on the 5 you are in a parking lot, but it always gets you where you want to go. Out here the tollway system is just lame and you always have to take a thousand side streets to get somewhere.

4. Golden Spoon. I've been dreaming about Golden Spoon a LOT lately. Fat-Free Frozen Yogurt with whatever topping you choose. Heavenly. I just haven't found anything comparable to it out here. I'll be happy to take suggestions if anyone knows of something like this in the midwest!

5. Family. Of course this is really at the top of my list of things I miss. Practically every member of my family (extended included) lives in California. Being 2,000 miles away can be hard at times, especially when something big happens in someone's life. Although, it is really nice to have places to stay anytime we want to take a trip to the 'promised land'.

Anyway, those are a few of the things I like about CA. Notice the weather didn't make my top 5. As much as midwesterners like to complain about the snow, I really wouldn't trade it for the same weather year-round. It's boring. (You can fight me all you want on this, I think I'm qualified after living in CA for 23 years!)

Back to Reality

2009-03-02T15:56:00.005-06:00

Monday is always a bit of a slap in the face. While I still have an intense dislike for Tuesdays, Mondays are a close second. I think the worst part about Mondays are Sunday evenings. I always spend the evening in a bit of a funk because I know the weekend is almost over. It's silly really. Instead of enjoying the last hours of the weekend, I mope about the coming week. Last night my wonderful husband encouraged me to get busy instead of getting bummed. It actually worked quite well! I've had a long sewing to-do list hanging over my head, and it felt really good to get some of those items checked off (even if it was on a Sunday evening!).

So, on the "done" list I've added:

1 custom pleated purse

3 custom checkbooks

8 bridesmaid clutches (in process, but the tedious embroidery part is finished)

Now that I'm beginning to get my head cleared from those orders, my mind drifts more and more often to all the fun things I want to make. As you know from last Friday's post, baby related items are at the top of my fun list. (Can you tell I really like lists?) So, when I came across this beautiful new fabric, I immediately thought of about 10 things I could make with it. Don't you think it rides the line between masculine and feminine?

Clearly the flowers put it on the feminine side, but the colors are so neutral that I think it could work for a boy too. Maybe this would be a good fabric for my diaper bag. Anyway, it is from a new line "Natural Effects" by Michele D'Amore and every piece in the collection is just fabulous. What do you think?

I'm in Love

2009-02-27T09:21:00.004-06:00

So, I'm not sure when it happened. I think it has been slowly progressing since I first knew I had a bun in the oven. Not only am I completely in love with the little one who is growing inside me, I'm in love with all things baby.

I love reading about the various weekly stages of growth and change.
I love reading about how to naturally care for my baby once he/she arrives.
I love this fabric mobile.
I love this idea to create unique teaching tools.
I love handmade baby items.
I love this toy bucket.
I love this idea for making a block puzzle.

Yes, I love, love, love all things baby. I never thought it would happen to me since I normally detest cutesy, pastel, frilly, little things. But it happened. And I am loving every minute of it!

Things I Like Tuesday

2009-02-24T13:42:00.005-06:00

1. Random pictures of animals. Yes, I'm one of those people that thinks those pictures of cats and dogs with captions are hilarious. I don't go so far as to forward them to all my friends, but every once and awhile you come across one that is a little too perfect. Like this one quoting a favorite movie.

2. Portillo's. The Midwest just wouldn't be the same without it. I enjoyed a perfect hot dog last night with their yummy crinkle cut fries. So good.

3. Grace Violet. I love coming across new (at least new to me) craft blogs that inspire. This one is definitely at the top of my list. I love so many of her ideas and can't wait to give some of them a go!

4. The Bella Band. Some how I learned about these and am so thankful that I did! I know it will only become more useful as my pregnancy progresses, but for now they enable me to wear pants that I otherwise couldn't. I appreciate that!

5. The Simple Dollar. I just recently stumbled across this site and am thoroughly enjoying it. So much so I've spent quite a bit of time going through past posts and educating myself. I highly recommend it!

A Few Interesting Finds

2009-02-19T09:16:00.005-06:00

Have I mentioned how inspired I am by all you crafty-blogging folks out there? Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed by all the amazing things you guys are making and sharing on your blogs. So, today I'd like to highlight some of the things that I'm currently being inspired by on the web.

I am totally digging this pattern from A Friend to Knit With. I know, I've talked and talked about knitting since Christmas and have produced very little in that department. But these hats look so easy and so fast and sooo cute. I think I might just have to try them! Plus, I've got a long car ride ahead of me this weekend (going to a wedding in Louisville, KY), so it might be the perfect time. Oh, and the -0 temps this morning reminded me that winter is still very much in full swing. A cute new hat might be the thing that helps me push through!

OK, this one is inspirational in more ways than one. I've always loved the idea of crafting for a cause. Having a dozen gorgeous quilts in your closet is great and all, but giving quilts away to people in need seems so much more valuable. I've helped make quilts for my mom's church which has a quilting ministry (how cool is that?), but haven't really been able to find another cause I'd like to craft for. Well, I just heard about the Bushfire Quilt Project which is trying to get quilts to people who have been affected by the recent devastating fires in Australia. The cause might seem a little obscure, but they make participating so easy! All you have to do is put together some blocks using a pattern they've provided and some fabric scraps from you stash, send them off, and you're done!

Lastly, there is a Good Folks give-away (you know, that Anna Marie Horner fabric I've been raving on and on about) over at The Long Thread. That fabric is just so lovely and of course any type of give-away is inspiring. It allows me to daydream a little about what I would make with the fabric if I won. Of course I could just buy the fabric. :-)

So, that's my inspirational list for this chilly morning. What inspires you?

Pleated Purses Everywhere!

2009-02-18T10:21:00.003-06:00

This past summer I posted a tutorial for how to make a Pleated Purse using my original pattern. It has been such a treat over the past months to hear feedback and see dozens of purses made from my pattern. I recently ran across a purse-maker who has made several Pleated Purses. Check them out. Here is just a teaser to get you over there:

Blog Problems

2009-02-18T10:21:00.002-06:00

Apparently blogger and cutestblogontheblock.com are having problems working with each other! This background isn't quite as cute, but atleast it doesn't hide all my blog posts! My apologies to any of you who were having difficulty viewing my blog today. Anyone know of a good source to get blog templates? Afterall, my expertise is crafting, not web design!

Things I Like Tuesday

2009-02-17T13:15:00.004-06:00

I had hopes for posting about our Valentine's Day celebrations, but yesterday baby got all of the energy I had to offer. Anyway, I'll include some of the highlights in my post today! Hope you all had a restful and romantic weekend!

1. I love this new restaurant Brian found for V-Day: Perennial. The atmosphere was perfect. The room we ate in was only lit by candles and the light coming through the windows. The food was delicious! The dessert was probably my favorite, but it is in a close running with the appetizer we shared. The prices were pretty much what you expect, but better than a lot of fine dining in Chicago. If you live close enough, you should definitely give it a try!

2. I recently had a custom purse order where a customer requested Robert Kaufman's Hot Couturier fabric. I really really like it!

3. After our perfect meal, we went to a fun comedy show called Comedy Sportz. Apparently Brian went as a kid and remembered it being a lot of fun. Well, he was right! It is good clean improv fun and we were laughing the entire time. He also knew I'd only last until about 9:30, so it fit into our schedule very nicely!

4. I may have mentioned this before (please forgive me if I have), but I really like this new line of fabric called Lizzy Dish. It comes in a variety of colors and I just think the patterns are adorable. What do you think?

5. Lastly, I like lazy Saturdays that force me to slow down and relax. I'm generally the kind of gal who has a to-do list a mile long, but this last weekend we just enjoyed one another, watched some movies, and hung out around the house. It was really nice.

Because he is just so talented

2009-02-12T09:58:00.003-06:00

I thought I'd share the wedding photos that my hubby took. I think they came out fabulously and wanted to share his immense talent with you all. (You might recognize one of the bridesmaids!) Let me know if you have any feedback, I'm sure he'd love to hear it!

In Search

2009-02-11T11:55:00.003-06:00

All right folks, the search is on to find the perfect pattern/tutorial/inspiration piece for my diaper bag. As a soon to be first time mom, I'm not sure what exactly I should include in the diaper bag of my dreams. I found this tutorial and am thinking it might be a good launching place. (By the way, I also need to make a bag for hubby because he refuses to carry a bag that is remotely feminine or baby-looking. Could be interesting.)

I'd love to hear if any of you have used a pattern or tutorial that you'd recommend. Or even if you have had kids or know about diaper bags, give me some feedback about the essentials. Thanks!