Let's catch up!

There are so many things I want to share with you! I have been on an unintentional blog hiatus but I'd really like to get into a good blogging rhythm this fall.


We celebrated our 7 year anniversary by going to the Country Living Fair in Columbus, OH a couple of weeks ago. It was fantastic. We went last year too but it was SO super crowded - the venue was beautiful but just not big enough. It was held at the Ohio Village this year and let me tell you, it was the coolest place. It felt like we had stepped back in time. AND, I got a super cool show poster and got it autographed by the editor of Country Living, Nancy Soriano.



My far and away favorite booth at the fair was the Earth Angels tent. I lost count of the thousands of imaginary dollars I spent there. It was jaw-dropping, gorgeous, funky, incredible ART. I was so inspired and I walked through there a few times. I ended up bringing home an awesome penny rug (sort of) framed in barn wood. I'm in the process of putting up fall decorations so I'll post a pic as soon as it gets hung up. It's awesome.

I had spotted this pattern on Country Threads' website and hoped that they would have it at the Fair and sure enough, they did! I can just see it in solid Kona cottons with a coordinating print back. And the nice gals there even let me practice on the sample punchneedle! It was awesome (I know, everything was awesome). But it really was! It was so easy - I am definitely putting it on my Christmas list. (I also grabbed this Daisy Kingdom pattern to make Delaney a fall jacket.)



My good-ness order came last week too....I am in fabric heaven right now. And would you believe I found this gingham at Joanns?!?



I had stocked up on velvet ribbon at McMaster & Storm at the fair last year and I was hoping they would have some great ribbon again this year. Man, did they! I lost count at 20 yards. It is delicious velvet ric rac. Someday I dream of going to their actual store.

Relieved

So I have decided not to do the Pumpkin Festival. I can't tell you what a weight this has taken off my shoulders. I was feeling so pressured to make such a huge amount of STUFF that I wasn't enjoying just creating. I was thinking in terms of what other people would like, what was easy to sew, what would be popular. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but that just not ME, you know? I don't want to sew because I feel obligated to. I want to sew because I want to, because I feel energized by it, because I get pleasure from it. Not for something that I know I don't love and will have to underprice just to get it to sell.

I decided, instead, to do an open house at the beginning of November. I think I'll do a Friday evening and Saturday with snacks and drinks. I want it to be as much of a social thing as a shopping thing! I hope that it will be a good chance for people to pick up Christmas gifts, and I am really looking forward to making things for it.



I've been working on this little throw blanket for a few months. I cut scraps into 1 1/2 inch, 2 inch, 2 1/2 inch, and 3 inch strips. I pieced them randomly and I'm just putting a strip of white Kona Cotton between them. I also found some awesome vintage fabric at an antique mall the other day - about 1/2 yard for $2 and I also got some awesome pink wool. I have been wanting to try J Caroline's monogram pillow and I think I'm going to use it for that.



I have about 5 million friends that are pregnant (!!) which is exciting in and of itself, but even more exciting for me because I get to make baby gifts! Woo hoo! I LOVE making baby things. I got these Clover embroidery patterns at JoAnn's, shockingly, and I ordered this hedgehog fabric from Crybaby's Boutique. I'm going to try my hand at embroidering them onto this shirt and make a little blanket with the hedgehog fabric and some solid cottons.

***Oh, and I haven't forgotten about those of you who asked about the shirt pattern. I think it's been discontinued because I can't find it on the patternmaker website. I need to go dig through my sewing room and find the actual pattern.

It's about time

I made this shirt several months ago. (May, maybe?) I wear it ALL the time - it is so comfortable and does a great job of covering my post-baby poochiness. I can't remember what the pattern is. If anyone really wants to know, email me and I'll find it. The fabric is Sandi Henderson's Ginger Blossom - Avocado Tile and Vintage Dots Breeze.

I've been cutting things out for the Pumpkin Festival - pouches, birthday banners, notebooks - and now I need to start sewing them up. I am so overwhelmed. I have fifty million things to do and there just aren't enough hours in the day. Isn't that every mom's lament?

Thoughtful Friday

What is home?


A roof to keep out the rain? Four walls to keep out the wind? Floors to keep out the cold? Yes, but home is more than that. It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother, the strength of a father, warmth of loving hearts, lights from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty, comradeship. Home is first school and first church for young ones, where they learn what is right, what is good, and what is kind, where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick; where joy is shared and sorrow eased; where fathers and mothers are respected and loved, where children are wanted; where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is earned; where money is not as important as loving-kindness; where even the tea kettle sings from happiness. That is home. God bless it!

-Anonymous

Where to start?

We have been so busy the last couple of weeks. Good busy, but still! I have been crafting and cleaning, getting ready for a 4 week Home Prayer Fellowship - every Wednesday night for the month of July we will have about 20 people in our home. I am so excited, but MAN does my house need cleaned! Good motivation, I guess.

I baked a Dorie Greenspan Devil's Food White Out cake on Friday for a dinner party we went to. I didn't really like it - nothing personal, I just don't like chocolate cake or marshmallow/meringue, but it seemed to go over well and was a blast to make. I've never made an frosting like that before and it was great - like magic! Took me over 2 hours, though.

Oh, and there's my new print from Mt.JoySchool - I love, love, love it! The colors are gorgeous and the print is just perfect - every detail is there and it almost looks like the original!

And our new front door sign thingy from ScribbleIt on Etsy - my mom and mother-in-law both love it and just might get one soon! It's honestly one of my favorite things I've bought lately and was such a bargain!

Last but certainly not least, I have discovered a new blog! Let me tell you, Kathleen makes some of the most gorgeous clothes I have EVER seen. And she's doing a giveaway! If I don't win this gorgeous dress you'd better believe I'll be making an "inspired by" version! ;) Click on over to check out her site:
Roosters-N-Rickrack Pinafore GIVEAWAY!!!!

Have a good Monday.

Jackpot!

So we finally had some successful yard sale-ing this past Saturday. There was a craft and quilt sale advertised so I wanted to have a look. It was a few older ladies selling crafts and smaller quilts, but they were also selling things that they couldn't use, like trims and buttons. My eyes just about popped out of my head when I saw the basketfuls of zippers, trims, buttons, and laces. And guess how much they were charging?! 5 or 10 CENTS!! I felt so guilty, almost like I was stealing. That obviously didn't keep me from buying tons, though!

Almost every single package of trim was still sealed, and I also got 10 zippers. What a score! It just made my day. I also found some awesome vintage chenille in red and green - I can't wait to use it for Christmas decorating.

We also stopped by a rummage sale at the big Catholic church downtown. I picked up a vintage chenille bedspread ($3!) and an old apron/smock thing (25 cents!).

Look at this trim card - I love the font! And the name....how cool is that? I'm pretty sure that I've used up all my yard sale luck for the summer. I would really love to find some old quilts though. Fingers crossed!

New: Vegetables & Shoes

We planted quite a few veggies this weekend. Tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, hot banana peppers, finger eggplants, & squash. Pretty ambitious for our first vegetable garden, huh? We've grown tomatoes in pots before so I'm fairly confident about them but the eggplants are already looking a little sad. And something (deer? chipmunk?) has eaten a squash. Hrm.



Something I'm very confident about, however, are my new pink Birkenstocks. I loooove me some birks. I have the traditional leather ones that are about 10 years old - at least - and some baby blue ones that are about 5 or 6 years old. They hold up so well. That's how I justified these. Well, that and the fact that they were about 60% off at Sierra Trading Post. That place is dangerous. (And I'm wearing my Nick & Nora flamingo cropped pj pants in the pic - LOVE THEM!!)



I had to get these for Dawson - his little pigs are too cute in them. Must get picture of him wearing them. And I don't feel guilty at all - I got them on Ebay and he is SUCH a shoe fanatic! It's hilarious - he'll take shoes over toys any day. That's my boy.