K Sera Sara ...

Don't Forget ...

2009-05-19T08:23:00.003-04:00

... I've moved my blog over here.

Please update your bookmarks, feed readers, etc..., and stop by for a visit! I've written a number of new posts about all the stuff I've been working on!

I've been busy!

Movin' On Up ...

2009-04-20T17:46:00.002-04:00

Do you remember this post? You know ... the one where I confessed my love for the color red by showing you the new checkbook cover that I made for my new business checkbook? And, remember when I promised to share more on that new business later? Well, today is the day, folks!

I started a business.

It's called Red Owl Designs. Primarily, it is a way for me to sell (on etsy.com) my handmade creations (like these and these, and maybe some of these), but I also do custom sewing for the home (ie, pillows and curtains and such). I mean, I figured that I spend enough time in my studio already ... I may as well try to make it profitable, right?

So I guess I'm going on a fun new adventure. At first I was scared about it (you know, the normal what-am-I-doing?!? kinds of feelings), but now I'm kind of excited to see what happens with it and where God wants to take it!

So ... that said, I have decided to move my blog and connect it more to my business ... from now on, I'll be blogging over at www.redowldesigns.blogspot.com ... so, please change your bookmarks and your google reader settings, and anything else you need to update, and come join me! Oh - and in case you are wondering ... nothing will change about my blog - I will still post about what I am working on (both personal sewing projects and business-related projects) ... it will just be in a different location, so that I don't go out of my mind trying to keep up with 15 different usernames, passwords, web addresses, etc... It's enough to make me crazy!

ps - anyone know how to automatically re-direct this site to my new blog??

A Gift and a Haircut

2009-04-10T15:25:00.008-04:00

The girl who cuts my hair just had a baby girl, and so when I recently went in to get my hair cut, I brought her a gift for little Avery (isn't that a great name?) ...

I'm into customizing things with names recently ...
Don't believe me? See Exhibits A, B, C & D.

Here is a full shot of it ... including the cutie shoes I had to take off to climb on the chair in order to take the photo. I know it's a bad photo, but I'm having trouble figuring out how best to take pictures of blankets. I'm thinking a clothesline might work well?
Suggestions are welcome ...

The back is full of cutie pink and yellow and blue birds.
It's all flannel, so it's soft and cozy!

What I didn't tell my hairdresser is that the gift was really a means of getting on her good side ... just before I asked her to cut 10 inches off and give me some sassy short hair.

What do you think?

By the way ... if you can, you should cut your hair (at least 8 inches) and donate
to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. They make wigs for women with cancer.
Do it!

Comfy Camera Strap Cover

2009-03-25T16:33:00.001-04:00

My friend Deb is a photographer. Well ... maybe not professionally, but she ALWAYS has her Canon Rebel xTi attached to her hip, and is constantly pulling it out to "capture the moment," as they say. She is actually the reason that I opted for the Rebel when I purchased my camera last year.

Anyway ... anyone who owns a Rebel knows that the strap it comes with is super-uncomfortable. Mine is constantly scratching the back of my neck ... so much so that I have stopped putting the strap over my head. One of these days I'm going to drop the thing because I refused to have the strap touching me!

For Deb's birthday recently, I decided to be kind to her neck and make her a camera strap cover. Here it is ...

The padded strap just wraps around the thick portion of the camera strap.
It's quilted and cushy.
I love this blue and green fabric ... I had to buy it and make something out of it!

It's completely reversible ... this side has Deb's name on it. (of course!)

A little close-up.
I love velcro ... makes things SO easy!

A New Spring Project

2009-03-23T14:41:00.009-04:00

Last weekend, I took a short trip to Atlanta with the women of the family to celebrate my niece's 4th birthday at the American Girl Store. To conserve gas, I piled into the mom-mobile with my sister-in-law and her mom, along with my niece and a friend of hers. Of course, we had to leave one of the van's seats at home so that we could fit our luggage, complete with all three American Girl dolls (which turned into 5 dolls and a llama on the way home ...). It's a good thing we left room, too, because we also made a stop at the nicest Jo-Ann fabric store I've ever seen while we were in Atlanta. Needless to say, we did some shopping!

Anyway ... you need to know that I get horribly carsick on road-trips ... so much so that I really would much rather take a plane and suffer through connecting flights and layovers and the ears popping and such. I do not enjoy being in the car. But, most of all, I hate that I end up wasting so many hours of precious time just sitting there doing nothing! Reading makes me sick. Sewing makes me sick. Playing games makes me sick. Sometimes having in-depth conversations makes me sick. BUT ... there is ONE thing that I've found does NOT make me sick on road-trips (besides sleeping!) ... crocheting! It's weird, but it's actually kinda soothing for me, as long as the car is on cruise control and we're not in heavy traffic.

SO ... because Atlanta is a 6-hour car ride away, I decided to take along a new crochet project so that I could make the most of my time. I figured if I started it on the trip, I would be able to stretch it out over the whole course of the trip and have a finished product by the time we arrived home on Sunday night. Sure enough ... here are the fruits of my labor ...

Super-fun yarn!

I love the colors ... it's fun to see the mixture of all the different colors,
and how different parts take on different looks.

Here is my project hanging on a hook at home ... I can't wait to wear it!

So, do you know what it is yet?

I'll give you a clue ... even though I started it on the first day of Spring, think WINTER! :o)

(This is me doing my best to model it without getting in the way of the picture ... apparently, I had trouble getting it just right, but you get the idea!)

It's a fun ruffle scarf!
My friend Andrea got one of these for Christmas from a co-worker, and I asked her to hunt down the pattern for me. I love how girly it is.
And it's so stinkin' easy to make! Hmmm ... these would make great gifts!

My next project ... a fun jacket.
This might be a little ambitious, but I'm going to try it anyway.
Why not, right?

Ladybugs for the Little Lady

2009-03-05T11:30:00.009-05:00

My oldest niece turns 4 today. I can hardly believe it. It seems like just yesterday we were waiting outside the hospital room for her arrival! Time sure does fly right by, doesn't it?

In celebration of Anneliese's birthday, I told her that I would take her to the fabric store so that she could pick out some fabric for a new dress for her and her American Girl doll. She eventually saw a purple fabric and said "Auntie Sara, that purple fabric is BEAUTIFUL!" I figured with that kind of enthusiasm, we had a winner!

So, yesterday, I set to work making her dresses, so that they would be ready for her birthday celebration tonight. (There's nothing like waiting until the last minute, right?)

Disclaimer : Please forgive my pictures ... I took them last night, and the lighting wasn't great in this corner of my studio. Also, I was having trouble coming up with a creative place to hang the dresses, and in the end the thread racks won out. Ugly, I know ... but I was tired and my head hurt. Sorry.

I got the pattern for the dress from Suzanne ... it's a completely reversible A-Line. Really simple to put together ... only took me a couple of hours (that is, if I don't count the 3 - yes THREE - times I had to sew the buttons on, because I kept doing them wrong! Don't ask.)

Don't you just love the matching doll dress? It's so cute!

I *had* to include a close-up of this adorable fabric ... LOVE the green ladybugs.

I added a little green ladybug to the hem of the purple side, just to give it more character.
Suzanne reminded me that I always draw ladybugs with Anneliese when we color together (probably because I stink at drawing, and they are one of the few things that are simple enough to be recognizable when I draw them!)

Happy Birthday, Anneliese! Yay for being 4!

Color Me Happy

2009-02-25T08:40:00.000-05:00

My very best friend from college and her family were visiting from Philly, and I decided it would be nice to make her children a gift for when they arrive. (In reality, I was just trying to buy their affection ... I was afraid they wouldn't like me!!)

Anyway ... I went to the fabric store and picked out some happy Amy Butler and Kaffe Fassett fabrics (and some others that I don't remember the name of), and set to work ...

Don't the colors in these fabrics just make you happy??

I decided to keep it simple and make the same thing for all three children.
Again ... I wanted them to like me. And, how could they like me if they were disapponted that their brother or sister got a cooler gift than they did?
(Of course, I didn't consider the possibility that they might all three dislike their gifts ...)

Have you guessed what they are yet??

Crayon Rolls!!!
Suzanne let me borrow a quilting magazine that had the directions,
and I tweaked them a little bit to fit what I was wanting to do.
Pay no attention to how sad my crayons look ... I didn't have time to run to the store and buy brand new pointy crayons for the photo shoot. Just consider them well-loved and much-used!
Mary's children love to draw in their nature books, so I thought they might each appreciate having their own portable crayon holder to carry with them.

This one reminds me of ice cream. Yum.

This is the one I made for their son ... I figured it was boyish enough.
(at least I hope it is!)

And, the best part of the whole project ...
I personalized them!
They each have their names appliqued on the back!
I always LOVED having things with my name on them when I was growing up, and I thought it would make for a more special gift.

I'll let you know how they liked them after their visit!

The Big Apple ... Part Deux

2009-02-23T12:06:00.001-05:00

OK, so where was I in my NYC story? Oh yes ... we had just finished having breakfast with my super-cool french parents. After that ... let's see ... oh, of course ... this will be no surprise to you, given my previous confessions of my addiction ... but you know, no trip to Manahattan would be complete without the obligatory frappucino in Times Square. Now, I must tell you that it was cold in Manhattan that day ... I think the high might have been 38. Being from the south, this is indeed very cold. But, as any of my good friends will tell you, it is never too cold for a frappucino. I gladly sipped my frappucino while walked through Manhattan decked out in my wool coat, warm scarf, and red mittens.

This was the perfect occasion to induct Joy into the coffee cozy club.

After our caffeine-infusion, we headed down (via subway) to Soho to take in the boutiques and - we hoped - some star sightings. We hopped into a few shops, including one for designer Catherine Malandrino, whose clothes - I must say - are exquisite. The detail is incredible. If I were wealthy, I would definitely shop there. We also made the obligatory stop at the MAC store (not to be confused with the Apple Store), where we saw their new line of Hello Kitty cosmetics. Yes ... that's right. I said Hello Kitty cosmetics. Who would have ever known??

It was necessary to take a picture of Ann with the gigantic Hello Kitty head in the window.

On the way out of Soho, while we were lamenting the fact that we had not seen any celebrities during our brief jaunt there, our luck changed when, to our surprise, our new BFF Mikhail Baryshnikov passed us on the sidewalk. He looked directly at both me and Joy, as if he were daring us to recognize him. I knew him immediately ... not because I am a ballet fanatic, or even because he once played the golf course I work at, but - sadly - because I had seen him while (in a moment of weakness) watching Sex in the City reruns on TBS. Yes ... I admit it. I have watched that show. And, I kinda liked it ... mostly for the fashion (particularly the shoes). And, I must say that my brush with fame in NYC was on a much bigger (albeit older) scale than my recent brush with fame in Charleston.

After Soho, we made it up to the Upper West Side, to roam around some other boutique-y places and eat a Gray's Papaya Hot Dog. Apparently they are famous. Who knew?? Ann & Joy informed me that the specific Gray's Papaya Hot Dog joint that we visited was the very one in You've Got Mail (you know ... where Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan go to grab a bite to eat before he reveals to her that he loves her). There's nothing more romantic than eating a hotdog and then confessing your love for someone. I mean, really. So ... the whole hot-dog-eating thing can be chalked up (once again) to my whole out-of-the-box in 2009 resolution. I never eat hotdogs, but I ate one for the whole experience, and it wasn't all that bad - not that I'm going to start eating them every week or anything, though!

This sign cracked me up ... the Big Bad Recession even affects hot dog prices!!!
Oh ... and since when do we put the words "gourmet" and "hot dog" in the same sentence??

After our hot dog dinner, we made our way (again, via subway) back to Times Square to pick up our car and head out of the city for Dover, Delaware, to see Ann's brother and his wife. I snapped this photo in the subway ... there was this band playing incredible music for tips. It so much reminded me of the Metro in Paris, where you could always count on seeing talented artists trying to make a living. I could have stood there listening for hours ...

That pretty much sums up our whole adventure in The Big Apple ... I intentionally left out the part about the man who was yelling obscenities while being pinned to the floor by the police in the subway, and the part about the high-speed police chase we witnessed on the New Jersey Turnpike ... oh and also the part about how we realized how bad mapquest directions are after having crossed the same bridge three times within a span of 10 minutes while trying to get out of the city. No need to mention these unpleasant parts of the trip ... let's just remember it for what it was - a super-fun out-of-the-box adventure that I will never regret!

Red, My French Parents, and The Big Apple

2009-02-20T10:39:00.015-05:00

Two weeks ago, I was presented with an opportunity to take a quick trip to New York City on Valentine's weekend, to see the parents of the family I lived with when I was studying in Paris. Ordinarily, my everything-needs-to-be-planned-months-in-advance self would have shuddered at the thought of throwing caution to the wind and buying a plane ticket a week in advance without knowing where I would stay, how I would get around, or what I would do when I was there. But, I have deemed 2009 to be the year when I live OUTSIDE of my box ... and so far I have to say that I have not regretted it.

SO ... last Friday, I hopped a plane to Washington, DC and met up with my dear friend Ann and her friend Joy, who were my traveling buddies on our adventure to Manahattan. Because of the Big Bad Recession, we tried to do this trip on-the-cheap. So, we set off in the car for West Point, NY, about an hour outside the Big Apple, where Joy had a good friend who would let us stay overnight. Despite the rush hour traffic in Washington and the crazy toll booths on the New Jersey Turnpike, it was a really fun drive, and a great time to catch up with Ann & Joy. We were exhausted by the time we pulled into West Point, so it was good to have a warm bed to sleep in ... and even better that it was decked out in red and white polka dotted sheets.

Yes, I took pictures.

I - needless to say - felt right at home in my room.

I mean ... look at these pillows. Have you ever seen happier pillows???
Whew ... it's a good thing I didn't leave my new checkbook cover on the bed ... It might have gotten lost in the polka dots!!!

OK ... enough about my ~~love for~~ obsession with the color red.

We woke up early Saturday morning and drove into Manahattan to see my french parents. It was a fun drive ... there is nothing like driving right through Times Square to get you excited about being back in New York. Seriously ... nothing like it. I mean ... just look at it!!

These pictures were taken later in the day (probably more like evening-time).

I love that there is no want of things to grab your attention in Times Square.
It's overwhelming!
I mean ... let's face it. I grew up on an island. Times Square is unreal to me.

Anyway ... back to my story. So, Virginie & Daniel didn't have much free time in their schedule, so we met them at their hotel and had a lovely breakfast together. They are just as warm and friendly as they always were, and it seemed like we picked right back up where we left off the last time I saw them (four years ago, when I was in Paris for the Paris Marathon). They are the kind of people that you want to introduce all your friends to, because you just can't stand that someone you care about doesn't know them. You know what I mean? Do you know people like that? I do ... and it was SO good to see them again.

Here we are after breakfast.
Maybe I should work on getting out of my black-clothing box in 2009 ...

There's more to the NYC trip than just this, but this post is getting pretty long, so I think I'll end with one thought, and continue with the rest in another post ... As much as I would love to be married and have children right now, I will say that the freedom afforded by singleness is really quite nice. Many of my married friends have often reminded me that I should take full advantage of my single years, since they are only for a season, and with the blessing of marriage comes responsibility and commitment and a surrendering of one's own needs & desires for the benefit of others. So, as much as I plead with the Lord for a husband and a family of my own, I am thankful to Him in my singleness for providing this opportunity to take off for the weekend and see dear friends on an adventure in NYC! Yay! More to come ...

I Love Red!

2009-02-06T14:33:00.007-05:00

This Wednesday ... on my day off ... while I was battling a cold ... I decided to try something new in my studio ...

I am a sucker for red ... and linen ... and cute polka dot fabric.

Have you guessed what it is, yet?

Yep ... a checkbook cover
... for my new checkbook
... for my new business!
More on that later.

I put a little pocket for business cards, too,
because you know I'll be handing them out! ;o)

This project really came together just exactly as I had envisioned it ...
and it wasn't too hard, either!
I am already thinking of a few variations,
and I could imagine it in all sorts of fun colors and fabrics
... and personalized with initials.

What do you think ... would YOU use one of these?

It's Official ... I am a Procrastinator

2009-02-02T11:39:00.009-05:00

OK ... so remember way back in September, when I posted about this really fun fabric and the plans that I had for it? And remember also when I posted a sneak peek of the almost-finished final product like a month later?

Well ... I am here to tell you that today - 4 months later - I'm done. I would be lying if I told you that it took me every bit of those 4 months to put the finishing touches on ... in reality, it just took some searching for the right kind of clasps and about 5 minutes of sewing. I got the clasps well over a month ago, and I finally sat down for the 5-minute sewing session this weekend. I think it's safe to say that I have a procrastination problem ... that, or a time-management problem. Either one is disturbing.

Ann ... if you are reading this, I plan to put your laptop case in the mail this week! Finally! Hope you like it!!

Here it is!
It has two short handles and a detachable shoulder strap (thus my need to find clasps!).
Besides the big, roomy zipper-compartment for the laptop, it also has a pocket for papers on the outside and another zip pocket for cords, etc...
Oh, and the little ribbon bow is detachable. Just a fun little girly addition.

A close-up of the inside. Polka dots everywhere!
You can't really tell, but I definitely finished ALL the seams, so that there are no raw edges showing. It took a LOT of sewing to do this, but I think it was worth it.

Here's a close-up of the outside pocket and zip pouch.
Don't you just LOVE this fabric?

My New Favorite Purse

2009-01-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

I never win anything. I mean never. I am just not what one would call "lucky." (Of course, I don't believe in luck. I believe in the Lord's providence. But, that's a whole different conversation ... for another day) Today, let's talk about the fact that whenever there is a contest involved, I end up losing. Don't get me wrong ... I'm not bitter about it. Really, I'm not. I just - over time - have come to accept the fact that I don't win things.

But, I haven't let my long-standing track record of losing stop me from trying ... which is why, when one of my favorite blogs announced a fun giveaway, I entered. "You have to be in it to win it," right? I read about all the fun stuff Linda was giving away, and about how she was going to draw 5 lucky winners from her comments. "Wow!" I thought ... 5 winners ... that means 5 chances to lose ... um, i mean win. (Think positive, Sara!) So, I added a comment and went about my day. A couple of days later, I got an email from Linda saying that not only had she drawn my name as a winner, but i would have first pick of all the items! I honestly didn't know what to do with myself. It was like my whole world-view was crumbling. Could I really be a winner??!!?? What do winners do when they win things? Should I have prepared an acceptance speech? Do I need to thank anyone? Are you sure you didn't mean the OTHER Sara who entered? You couldn't possibly mean me ... could you??

After a lot of jumping up and down squealing in my office, I composed myself and wrote a brief reply asking for the "lotus bag" because it was made from some of my very favorite Amy Butler fabric. I thanked her profusely for her generosity and waited patiently while the United States Postal Service transported my bag all the way from Texas. It arrived about a week later, and it has been attached to my arm ever since. I might have had to surgically remove it to take the following pictures...

Isn't it awesome??!!??
It's this fun tangerine-ish color, on an ecru background.
It's nice and big, with a roomy inside to fit all my junk.
And the shape ... isn't it fun??

Look at the fun polka-dots on the inside. makes me smile.

Linda even included a matching fabric envelope thingy to hold random stuff in.
Isn't that nice??

The only problem is that I'm running out of outfits that match it, since my wardrobe is primarily made up of black or red items. Maybe this is a good excuse to go shopping! :o)

THANKS, Linda!

Little People

2009-01-27T09:07:00.004-05:00

We had Brett's birthday party over the weekend, and I think the little house went over well (as well as can be expected for a gift that has nothing to do with Yo Gabba Gabba, right?). I definitely was prepared for her to look at it in disgust and set it aside in favor of other store-bought gifts. But, she actually took time to play with it after she opened it, and that made me happy.

The house wouldn't have been complete without dolls to play in it, so I made a family of little people to go inside ... I figured there aren't many dolls small enough to fit in the house, and I wanted her to be able to play with it right away. SO ... I went to A.C. Moore and found these fun little wooden people shapes. They are only about an inch an a half tall. So cute ... and yet so tedious to paint! I painted them for each member of Brett's immediate family ... her mommy, daddy, sister, and brother, as well as one of herself. Mama (Brett's grandma) promptly asked where her doll was ... I guess I have to make a set of "extended family" dolls now ... with Gram, Pops, Mimi, and of course Auntie Sara. Maybe I can get that done before Christmas!

I love this picture ... it makes me laugh that the window is bigger than the dolls ... I wasn't really thinking about proportion when I made everything. ha!

Five little dolls, all in a row. I'm hoping that you won't be able to see how the eyelashes are smeared on the purple doll. I accidentally got too close with the clear spray stuff. Oops!

Brett's House

2009-01-09T12:15:00.010-05:00

For Brett's birthday, I decided to try something new ... I found a tutorial for this fun little portable doll house made out of fabric. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I found the tutorial ... no doubt on one of the blogs I read regularly ... I just printed out the instructions and forgot to list where I found it! aargh. If I figure it out, I'll update this post with the link to the tutorial.

*** updated ... here is a link to the tutorial online ... http://uklassinus.blogspot.com/2008/08/fabric-dollhouse-tutorial.html THANKS Jen! ***

Anyway ... here it is :

Do you think I'm trying to subtly nudge Brett to love black & red as much as I do???

The house measures about 6 inches wide by 4 inches deep and maybe 7 inches high ... it's I guess about the size of a small lunchbox? Perfect for a little kiddo.

Button closures to hold it together ... I'm sure mommy will have to help with that at first, but it shouldn't be too hard.

Here's the button at the top, just below the handles ... a vintage button from my mom's collection. Love it.

And - of course - when you open it up, you can see the fun red "wallpaper" on the walls and the blue "tile" floor. I also used a green striped fabric to simulate the lawn, in case Brett wanted to pretend her dolls were playing outside. I'm sure I could have gone crazy with embellishments and stuff, but I prefer to leave all that to Brett's imagination. :o)

It wouldn't be complete without a label on it!

This was a whole lot easier to make than I thought it would be, and I'm happy with the way it came out. Now I just have to figure out how to make dolls small enough to fit in there, so that Brett can play with it!

Quilt Books

2008-12-30T08:49:00.000-05:00

If you are not a quilter, I apologize in advance for this post ... because it's really quilt-y. ha!

My sister in law and her mom are quilters. I love that about them. I especially love that it makes them easy to make gifts for. ;o) I always know that they will appreciate anything that I sew for them, but especially if it has to do with quilting! So ... this year, for Christmas (and for mama's birthday), I made them each a quilt book. My mom had one of these for when she started her Southern Album Quilt, and I have used it often when assembling my own quilts. It's basically a big (like 18inch square) "book" with fabric pages, so that you can lay out the pieces of your quilt blocks and keep them from being strewn all over the place while you are working on them. It's also a great way to store your quilt blocks until you are ready to sew them together ... it keeps them flat and wrinkle-free, and doesn't take up much space at all.

Anyway ... here are some pictures.

This is Suzanne's quilt book. I saw this fabric at Hancocks and *had* to have it. It's so much fun.
My dad cut 1/4 inch plywood squares to slip in the front & back covers, so the books wouldn't be floppy. What a nice guy!

See the pages ... I made them out of quilter's flannel, so that the cotton quilt block pieces would "stick" on them. I think there are about 12 pages in each book.

I love personalizing things with initials.

Here's Mama's book ... that's an "M" for Mary Anne, not Mama. ;o)

A close-up of the button closure. I used one of my mom's vintage buttons.

I put a little 1/8 inch strip of red fabric in all the seams on the front, just to set off the patchwork. Is there a name for this? I don't know ... but it made it look more fun to me.

So, now I'm debating if I should make another quilt book for myself ...

Curtains for Sarah Jane

2008-12-29T08:32:00.000-05:00

My friend Sarah Jane asked me to make curtains for her. It was super-fun going and picking out fabric with her. I love the brown & blue combo in her bedroom, and I think these curtains tie the room together. Most especially, I love that she picked out a pattern that isn't super feminine, so that her husband can really enjoy the room just as much as she does. yay!

Now ... on to the pillows!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ...

2008-12-23T11:04:00.002-05:00

I'm not really a Scrooge. Honest, I'm not. But, ever since I graduated from college and have been out on my own, I have decided against decorating my house for the holidays. Everybody I know thinks I'm weird. I typically enjoy making my house a home and spending time on "crafty" projects. I should love Christmas decorating, right? Wrong. The problem I have with it is that I hate going through all the effort of decorating when I'm just going to turn around and take everything down a few weeks later. I'm sure if I had a family of my own it would be very different, but with just me, it's a lot of effort. And, besides ... I'm rarely home during the holidays ... opting instead to be at my brother's house, or my dad's house.

But, (hear the angels singing hallelujah in the background) this year is different. My friend Cynthia insisted that I have a tree this year. Not only that, she came over and helped me decorate it. We made an evening of it ... I made soup. She brought wine and made yummy authentic Italian garlic bread. It was great. And the result ... my house looks (and smells) like Christmas, and - for the first time since my mom died 6 years ago - it makes me happy.

Here's the whole tree ... Halfway through decorating it, Cynthia & I noticed that I only had red ornaments on it. Hysterical. I guess it's pretty obvious that I'm a freak about red stuff, huh?

Here are some of my very favorite ornaments ... some new, some old. All dear to my heart.

I am addicted to Starbucks. Enough said.

This is one of the ornaments my Great Aunt Germaine made me growing up. She is the reason I now make a Christmas ornament every year for my friends & family.
Gotta keep the tradition alive!

This is my 2006 (I think) ornament ... in memory of my mom. I actually made the same ornament in like 5 different fabric combos ... This one is my favorite.
Because of the red, of course.

My sister-in-law's mom (AKA "Mama") made me this last year ... LOVE the red & white!

This is one of my grandmother's vintage hand-painted ornaments. Dad generously gave it to me a couple of Christmases ago so that I would have something of hers. I love it.

No tree of mine is complete without a touch of Paris.

This was my all-time favorite ornament growing up. She's made of corn-husks, and I always thought she was the most beautiful ornament ever. Seriously. She always went in the same place on the tree every year ... right up near the angel on top. Scottie has a matching one ... I guess it's her husband.

And, to top it all off ... the angel. This is the tree topper that I grew up with. It was always a thrill to put it on top of the tree. Dad would lift Scottie or me up to finish off the decorations. She isn't in the best shape anymore, but she's still special to me.

I'm taking some time off to spend with friends & family, so I'll see you after the holiday!
Merry Christmas, everyone!

A Doll for Faith

2008-12-22T10:37:00.006-05:00

My friend Emily's niece, Faith, needed a new doll for her birthday, and I was happy to make one for her. Emily picked out the fabric ... a happy blue with little white daisies. Lovely. I love how bright and cheery she turned out. Here are some pictures ...

I used a vintage button from my mom's stash to embellish her collar.

She has soft flannel skin and hair, and a cotton dress. Her face is hand-stitched.

I admit I'm a little jealous of her yellow shoes ... too much fun.

An Open Letter ...

2008-12-15T11:09:00.004-05:00

... to the computer virus that forced me to have to re-install everything on my PC.

Dear computer virus :

It was so nice of you to drop by unannounced on Thursday afternoon. It's been so long since we've seen each other, and we obviously had a lot of catching up to do. I do hate to be rude, but really I must ask you to leave. While I have somewhat enjoyed the forced break from my otherwise pressing work duties, I can no longer afford to be gracious & hospitable. You simply must go.

I have taken the liberty of packing your bags for you. If I've missed anything, I'll be sure to send it along after you.

Again, thank you for your visit.

Yours truly,
Sara

P.S. If you need me for anything, I'll be at the Apple Store ... buying a Mac.

Black & White

2008-12-02T15:58:00.006-05:00

My friend Jodi asked me to make some reusable bags recently. She wasn't sure what fabric she wanted, so I told her we could go to the fabric store and pick some out especially for her. Of course, neither of us knew how dangerous that would be. You see, Jodi & I live in a black & white world. Color very seldom enters into our existence, except - of course - for the red that appears regularly in my life. Seriously, though .... The other day, Jodi was getting ready for a date and asked which top she should wear ... the black long sleeve sweater, the black button down, or the fun frilly black top. Black is our go-to color. Black is the new black, right?

Anyway ... the point is that we came out of Hancock's with - yes, you guessed it - black and white fabric!!! But, how could we resist??? Just look at the fun reusable bags I made out of it!!!

This is the outside ... fun white swirlies (is that a word?) on a black background. I mean, really ... this fabric was just calling our names from the shelf!! How could we walk out of the store without it??

Here's the inside ... little white dots in stripe formation. Love it. Almost like pinstripes. I love that it's more formal than the whimsical outside. Opposites attract.

Here it is, modeling with some books inside.

I added snaps to the handles so that it will be completely reversible. That way, if Jodi (or her sister in law, who received one as a birthday gift) wants to change it up every now and then, she can do it with ease.

Of course, there still won't be color, but that's ok ... baby steps, people. Baby steps.

Foofa

2008-11-25T16:43:00.005-05:00

I have a niece who ~~loves~~ is INFATUATED with Yo Gabba Gabba. I have no idea why. I have tried - many times - to sit down and watch this show with her, looking for some kind of redeeming qualities in it that would explain why she jumps up and down and squeals with delight at the sight of it, but I can't come up with anything. It's just plain weird. The characters are weird. The songs are weird. The dancing children are weird. And, what does "Yo Gabba Gabba" mean, anyway??? Weird.

But ... I will admit that one of the characters on the show ... Foofa ... is actually kind of cute. She's pink ... with a daisy on her head. Very girly. And Brett likes her. A lot. I was coloring with her the other day, and I made a very rough drawing of Foofa with pink markers on a plain sheet of paper. When I gave it to her, you'd have thought I gave the kid a whole tub of candy or something ... she was so excited and played with it - yes, the paper drawing - for the rest of the time I was there. Amazing.

SO ... I was racking my brain trying to come up with a fun gift for Brett for Christmas, when it dawned on me ... she would love a Foofa doll! They carry them at Target, I hear, but I have yet to see one on the shelves. And, with Christmas around the corner, I decided it was time to break down and MAKE one for her ... yes, I said MAKE one for her. I know I must have had a lapse of judgment when I made that decision, because let me tell you ... it wasn't easy. I had to HAND-DRAW the pattern, and I'm no artist - believe me

Here she is ... I think the final result came out pretty well. I definitely think the body is a little wonky, but Brett is 2 ... she won't care. She'll be happy that she has her very own Foofa, and that's all that matters, right?

Proverbs 31:24

2008-11-14T12:01:00.000-05:00

"She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes."

This is a little glimpse at a fun project I've been ~~working on~~ slaving over since I bought my fun 1930's fabrics at Mary Jo's. Please someone stop me the next time I want to spell out long quotes with small appliqued letters!

Even though this has taken a LOT of time and energy to put together, I'm happy with the way it is shaping up! I love the happy colors. I plan to finish it (hopefully soon) and hang it on the wall in my studio for inspiration.

She's in Business!

2008-11-06T15:10:00.008-05:00

My friend Jodi recently had a birthday, and I wanted to make her something that she didn't already have, and that she would get a lot of use out of. Before you start jumping to conclusions ... no, I did NOT make her a coffee cozy. (although, I did make her one last year, since she does enjoy coffee just as much as - if not more than I do). No ... instead, this is the gift I made for her :

Can you guess what it is? I'll give you a hint ... Jodi just started her own private counseling practice (woo hoo!) and has been handing out business cards to let everyone know she's up and running. Well, I thought she would appreciate being stylish while she handed them out.

Have you guessed yet??

It's a business card holder! I saw some metal ones at the store, but didn't like the designs on them, so I went home and designed this simple little pouch that would serve the same purpose! It turned out just the way I had envisioned it, and was SUPER easy to make. If I ever manage to get a business together myself, I will be keeping my business cards in a similar pouch ... except mine will be red, of course.

Here's a close-up.

So, what do you think? Would you use one of these?

Vive La Toile!

2008-11-03T13:25:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally got around to making something out of the pink toile flannel I picked up a few months ago. A new friend of mine from church just had a baby girl, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to make something cute out of it.

Instead of making a quilt, I opted to just take the two layers of fabric and crochet the edges together. It makes for a light-weight comfy blanket, perfect for the not-so-cold winters we have here in the South.

I love how the toile matches the fun tea cup that I bought in a hole-in-the-wall shop the last time I was in Paris. Hopefully little Katherine Grace will love it!

Be Stylish While You Save the Planet!

2008-10-30T08:57:00.001-04:00

So, I've been trying to be more "green" lately. I mean, it IS the responsible thing to do, and we must take care of this beautiful earth that God has given us. I have to admit that changing things up after this many years of routine has been hard (Yes - Ani - I admit that I still have a long way to go), but I have found that a motivating factor has been making things that are FUN and STYLISH while still being environmentally friendly! Baby steps, people.

My first step was the coaster I made for my desk in place of the 723 cocktail napkins that I would use under my drink every day. Ani told me once that paper napkins are the worst offender when it comes to being wasteful and environmentally unfriendly. I was pretty proud of myself when I made this step.

The next step I took was creating a whole assortment of coffee cozies, which I use faithfully in place of the cardboard sleeves they give you at Starbucks these days. And, you know, with my addiction to Starbucks, I figure I probably save at least 150 sleeves a year (plus the ones that my friends are saving since they received a coffee cozy from me ... like this one and this one). That's got to count for something!

SO ... naturally, when I was looking for another earth-friendly project, I decided to make these super-fun REVERSIBLE grocery bags!!!

I love them. I actually look forward to going to the grocery store just so I can carry one of these bags with me. They are designed just exactly like a regular plastic grocery bag. In fact, I just took an Earthfare bag and cut it apart and used it as a pattern. Easy as pie. AND ... the cashiers at Publix and Walmart don't scowl at me, because my bags fit right into their little plastic bag holder while they are filling them with food ... unlike the normal canvas bags you can buy at tons of stores these days.

The hardest part was figuring out how to make them reversible. In the end, I got to use my little metal snap tool. I had been intimidated by it before, but not anymore ... it's so easy to use! By the way ... I made the switch to organic milk about 6 months ago, and I don't ever want to go back. It's so tasty, and SO MUCH better for you than regular milk!!!

I made two more, too ... one with pink flowers on it and the other with blue paisley (the same as my new purse).

What do you think? Would you use these, or are they too flashy? I was also thinking they'd be fun out of linen.

A Gift for Audrey

2008-10-27T12:16:00.004-04:00

My boss and his wife are getting ready to have a baby girl ... their first together. She is scheduled to arrive on November 11th, unless the Lord sees fit to bring her into the world earlier. I can't tell you how thrilled I am for them. And, although I would have rejoiced just as much had they found out they were having a boy, I must admit that I am relieved it is a girl instead ... you see, I had secretly been planning their baby gift for a long time and was anxious to make it for them. Now, it's all done except for a couple of finishing touches. But, I couldn't resist sharing.

The color in this picture isn't great (don't you just love using your flash and how it washes out the color??!!??), but the second picture is truer to the real colors. Isn't this doll pattern amazing? It's from Hilary Lang at Wee Wonderfuls. I love it. I have made a few of these as gifts, and I think they are just too dang cute.

I made a matching smocked dress for her also. Well, to be honest, I made the dress and then made the doll to match, but you get the point. I just love the color combo of green and pink ... so very Charleston, which is very appropriate for my boss and his wife. I hope they like it!

Can't wait to meet little Audrey!

I'm in Heaven

2008-10-16T15:18:00.000-04:00

I just received this stack of fantastic vintage embroidery books from my aunt, who is one of the two women who compiled them. Seriously ... she's amazing. She and my mom would sit and talk about sewing and quilting and all sorts of craftiness for hours. She's the kind of person whose sewing studio I would love to peak into ... just think of the fabric stash she must have! I have some of her redwork patterns, but I had no idea she had compiled so many embroidery books! And vintage at that! Amazing.

These books are packed with adorable vintage embroidery patterns. I can't get enough of them. I've been looking through them, drooling, since I got them last week. I don't know if you can see from the picture above ... but those are little mini quilts with embroidered designs. One has all sorts of little girl dresses on it, and another has different styles of hats. So cute. And in all those fun 1930's feedsack colors.

I think I'm going to have to try this pattern on something ... isn't it adorable??? I LOVE the polka dot dress.

A "Sneak Peak"

2008-10-13T08:14:00.000-04:00

My friend Ann recently asked me to make a laptop case for her brand-new super-chic espresso colored laptop. Although I had never sewed a laptop case before, she sent me a picture of what she wanted, and it didn't look too incredibly difficult. So, I decided to take on the challenge. I made the pattern up, based loosely on her picture and some dimensions off a laptop case we saw at WalMart. This was, by the way, my first adventure in making something that was padded ... that can get a little bit tricky!

Anyway ... when she chose her fabric, I knew it was going to be a fun project. Pink & brown eiffel tower toile from Michael Miller along with a coordinating polka dot. Ann shares my love for all things french.

Here are a couple of "sneak peak" pictures ...

I made an outer pocket on one side for papers and stuff, and then put a zippered slip pocket in it, so that she can put her power cord in there. It was my first time doing a zippered slip pocket ... it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. I can see where it would be a fun addition to the inside of a purse.

I sewed rings on each side, so that she can latch a shoulder strap to it, and I still have to put the short handles on the top of both sides. I'll get better pictures after I put the finishing touches on everything.

My New Purse

2008-10-10T07:56:00.002-04:00

So ... I had some leftover fabric from making my super-cute re-useable grocery bags (which I will have to post about later, because I don't have any pictures yet!), and I got the crazy idea to use it to make a fun purse. Not that I don't have a TON of other projects that I need to be working on, or anything! Maybe this was my way of ~~procrastinating~~ taking a little creative breather.

So, I made up this simple pattern for a one-handle "sling" looking bag. I really like it a lot. So much so that I've been wearing it instead of my trusty red purse for the past 2 days. I even changed my outfit both days so it would match. I know ... I'm a freak. It's ok.

Once I got the pattern down, this purse took no time at all to put together. I even put a little magnetic snap at the top to keep it closed. My first one ever. I can't believe I was so afraid of them before! They are SOOO simple to use! I'm thinking that I would like one of these purses in every color!

My New Pencil Case

2008-10-02T09:43:00.005-04:00

I finally broke down a little while ago and bought myself a sketch book. Well, it isn't a REAL sketchbook that REAL artists would use ... it's just a journal that I found at Barnes & Noble, but it works just fine for my purposes. I had so many things floating through my head that I want to make, and getting them down on paper is really important to me. It helps me move forward and keeps me from forgetting ideas.

SO ... the first thing I sketched out was, of course, a pencil case for my colored pencils, since I don't like to carry them around in the Crayola box they came in. I wanted it to match my journal, since they would inevitably go hand-in-hand during my sketching sessions. So here is what I came up with :

Don't you just LOVE the owls on the journal cover?? I couldn't resist. They were just too much fun ... the colors are fantastic, and they really reminded me of my mom. She loved owls.

I designed it so that it would stand up on its own (I hate it when zipper pouches fall over when you aren't holding them up!), and so that it would be roomy enough to be able to easily see all the pencils inside of it when I want to reach for a certain color. My first attempt produced a pencil case that was just about as wide as it was long, but I quickly corrected that, and the proportions are much better now. (shows you my lack of pattern drawing experience!)

Here's another shot of it. I'm a little bit addicted to appliqued lettering these days. Not sure what it is, but those cute fabric letters get me every time!

And the best thing about my new pencil case ... it is motivating me to sketch more often! yahoo!

Why I love my nephew ...

2008-10-02T09:37:00.006-04:00

Well, to be honest, this is just ONE of the MANY reasons I love my nephew ... he has such a tender heart! I just had to share this conversation I overheard him having with my dad's wife, Julie, while playing with his transformers toys :

Christopher : Miss Julie, did you know that there are Transformers in the Bible?
Julie : Um ... no, I didn't. Really?
Christopher : Yeah ... it's full of information on how you can be transformed from bad to good.

I LOVE that kid.

A New Kind of Sewing ...

2008-09-25T10:06:00.003-04:00

So ... I got stitches yesterday. 9 of them. yep. I would have posted pictures of them, except I think that would be a little crazy ... and gross.

I've decided that I don't enjoy getting stitches. This is only the second time I've ever had to have them ... the first being about 15 years ago, and even then I think I only had like 4. I don't know how I've made it through 32 years without having more experience in the matter ... my brother Scottie has had all sorts of stitches. There was that pogo-stick incident when we lived in WV that required stitches in his bottom lip, and then there was the time he put a glass tube through his hand in chemistry class, and the time he had to have his appendix taken out, and the time he majorly cut his thumb while trying to fix a sprinkler head, and on and on ... it must be a guy thing.

Since I'm really afraid of any and all medical procedures, my sweet sister in law came with me for moral support. She even offered to hold my hand during the process, but I figured that if I took her up on it, it would make me a full-fledged baby. So instead I just cringed and whimpered through the entire thing ... not sure how that makes me less of a baby, but whatever. Oh ... and just so you know ... Suzanne watched the doctor stitch me up and thought it was cool! Amazing.

So, today I have 9 stitches ... 4 in my arm and 5 in my back ... and I'm missing two moles that I've had all my life. I know it's silly, but I kind of miss them! But, the doctor said they had to go, and I listened. Let's just hope the only sewing fun I have from now on is in my studio, and not in a doctor's office.

Calvin's Quilt

2008-09-22T12:18:00.004-04:00

As promised, here are some pictures of the quilt I just finished for my friend Amy's new baby boy. I made completely out of flannel, since they live in Rhode Island. I figured they could get more use out of a warm blanket than just a thin cotton one that I would typically make for friends who live in the Lowcountry.

One side is patchwork, with just simple straight-line quilting about a quarter of an inch from the seams.

The other side is just simple blue flannel, with Calvin's name appliqued on. I am really big on personalized gifts ... can you tell? Some of my favorite gifts growing up were the ones that had my name on them.

I made a similar blanket for Todd & Lisa's new baby, Matthew, but instead of flannels, I used lightweight cotton. I think this could be a good gift for any new parent!

The Sewing Addict's Version of a Hurricane Party

2008-09-15T10:49:00.004-04:00

I meant to post this last week, but never got around to it.

And, before I go any further, let me just say that my thoughts and prayers are with all of those people affected by tropical storms & hurricanes this year ... particularly those people in the Houston area (including my grandfather & uncle) who were recently hit by Ike.

Last weekend, we were facing a hit by Tropical Storm Hanna. Even though it wasn't a very strong storm, we still had to be cautious since we're right on the coast. On Friday, it looked like it was turning toward us, so we left work early and headed home. My dad called me to see if I wanted to "ride out the storm" at his house, citing these arguments :

1. Even though his house is significantly closer to the coast and sits directly on a lake, it is still MUCH sturdier and more well-built than my house which sits farther inland.

2. He reminded me that the whole rest of the family would be there ... Suzanne & mama & the kiddos were going over there since Scottie was in Mississippi. And, from experience, it is much more bearable to be with other people at a "hurricane party," if you will, than to be stuck at home by yourself ... probably without electricity.

3. There was room in a neighbor's garage for my car, so that I didn't have to worry about it being hit by falling debris from all the live oak trees around his house.

All of these arguments were great, and very convincing, but the thing that really made the decision was dad's insistence that I bring my sewing machine with me, and his promise to start up the generator if the power went out, so that all the girls could continue to sew during the storm. What more could I ask for?

Of course, in the end, we got a lot of rain and hardly any wind at all. Pretty uneventful hurricane party. But, it was a good time of sewing nonetheless.

You know you need to eat healthier when ...

2008-09-12T13:22:00.004-04:00

... you find this birthday gift on your desk after lunch.

It's a bad sign when people think of me when they see a pile of Doritoes. Hysterical.

My Day Has Been Made.

2008-09-12T09:35:00.005-04:00

So ... it's my birthday today. Which, honestly, isn't a blog-worthy event in my life. After 32 birthdays, they seem to be more and more "just another day." I mean ... don't get me wrong. I love birthdays, and I enjoy celebrating life with friends, and who doesn't want an excuse to drink a frappucino and eat a slice of cheesecake ... but it just isn't as exciting as it used to be. Maybe it's "old age" setting in. ;o)

But, something happened this birthday morning that is definitely blog-worthy. My dad's wife, Julie, brought my oldest niece by my office to sing Happy Birthday to me and give me a fun gift to start the day off (a set of glass mixing bowls, which I had actually been wanting some, so that's pretty cool!) I thought that the visit was so thoughtful, and I definitely felt loved.

I just adore my niece, so it was good to see her and talk with her for a while. It's fun to see her and interact with her away from her two siblings. I need to do more one-on-one time with each of them. She was excited to spend time with her Mimi playing with her dolls and putting new dresses and crowns on them ... yes, that's right. She said crowns. I love that. A total girly-girl.

Here we are ... me and Anneliese in the doorway of my office. Isn't she just adorable?

And, just for fun ... I took a picture of her barbie bag. It cracks me up that the barbies all have their own pockets on the outside. All their accessories and things are on the inside of the bag. Classic. Anneliese is holding the birthday card she drew for me. That one is going straight up on the fridge when I get home tonight.

Thanks, Julie & Anneliese, for making my day!

Wine Label Coasters

2008-09-11T08:31:00.000-04:00

I made these fun wine label coasters for Ani's husband Raymond for his birthday. I had some leftover wine label transfers from my mom that I did not use when I assembled dad's wine label quilt, and since Raymond is a total wine connoisseur, I figured he would appreciate them.

I wonder what else I could transfer to make some fun stuff?

My brush with fame

2008-09-08T11:22:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I was meeting with my mentor, Sue, at our local Schlotzsky's deli (which - by the way - is so yummy. Why don't I remember to go there more often??) ... Sue and I are going through the book War of Words by Paul David Tripp. Great book. Highly recommend it. Seriously. Go to your nearest Barnes & Noble and buy it. It will change your life. Another book that will change your life is Forgiveness by John Arnott.

Anyway... before this post becomes one long list of books to add to your reading list ... let me continue ... so, as I'm eating my smoked turkey sandwich on sourdough with a side of salt & vinegar chips, I see him. I had to do a double-take, because, as we all know, people rarely look the same in person as they do on TV. In fact, he looked thinner in real life, and taller than I had imagined, and younger, too. In general, he looked even better than he does on TV, which I happen to think is darn near impossible, since he is so handsome already.

Before you get to assuming who this man is, let me just curb your expectations a little ... it wasn't Michael Vartan or Keith Urban or even Michael Phelps. Although, I can see where you might have thought I was talking about any one of these men, since they would definitely fit the description I gave above. And, certainly if I ran into them in my local Schlotzsky's, it would definitely be a blog-worthy event.

No, I'm talking about a local celebrity. More of a small-town guy. You know, more down-to-earth, right? Yeah, he was meeting some friends for lunch. I literally froze in place as he walked toward us, and sat at the table right next to us. I couldn't concentrate. I had to apologize to Sue a number of times, and then finally went ahead and confessed my long-time crush to her (which, for some reason, made her practically spit out her drink in amusement). I wanted to say hi to him, but could I seriously expect my mouth to form coherent words in this condition?? So, sadly, I just sat there minding my own business while I ate my lunch, and he ate his just 2 feet away, and then he got up and left. I wish I had a better ending to the story ... really, I do.

Well, have you guessed who it is yet? I'll give you a hint ... I watch him on the news every morning as I am working out. I mean, I feel like we are practically best friends with the amount of time we spend "together." That's right, folks ... I'm talking about cutie Brad Franko.

I might be in love.

(Yes, I know I'm a dork.)

We'll Always Have Paris!

2008-09-05T09:38:00.005-04:00

I absolutely LOVE this Michael Miller fabric. I mean ... how can you not love pink fabric with eiffel towers on it?? It might even be cuter than the pink toile flannel I found at the store recently. I know it's been out for a while now, and let's just be honest ... I've been stalking it since the first time I saw it. But, this is the first time that I'll be actually MAKING something with it! My friend Ann has asked me to make her a laptop bag with it and the super-fun coordinating polka dot fabric.

This will be my first time making a laptop bag, and I'm not sure I really know what I'm doing, but I'll figure it out ... eventually! ha!

The Sewing Retreat

2008-08-28T16:09:00.003-04:00

As promised, here are some pictures from our sewing retreat over the weekend ...

This is the view from the back porch of the cabin ... isn't it glorious? The waterfall is actually just a little water trickle right now, because of the drought, but it is still just beautiful to look at! And the weather was incredible! So much cooler than on the coast, and no humidity! What a nice change ...

We all brought our sewing machines and various projects with us and took over the entire cabin. It was fantastic. I mean ... we literally had 5 sewing machines around the dining room table. It was a blast!

The really funny thing was that everyone had the same sewing machine, except me. I felt like the odd-man-out.

Here is Suzanne working on Christopher's quilt. She ended up finishing two quilt tops and one doll quilt top!

I don't think Stephanie was happy with me for taking this picture, do you? This might be my favorite picture from the entire weekend ... cracks me up every time I look at it!

My dad's wife was the star of the weekend ... she's a beginner at sewing, and she tackled her first big project ... making a seat cushion for a window nook. I was so impressed with how it turned out ... this is her showing off her hard work!

This is a shot of the whole kitchen / dining room area as we were working. The kitchen island served as a fantastic cutting station. Even though Suzanne's mom wouldn't let me take a picture of her, I managed to catch her here ... hard at work ironing one of the two quilt tops she finished while we were there.

And here I am ... with my first attempt at a pencil case for my drawing pencils. Well, actually, if I'm honest, this is my second attempt. My first attempt revealed my severe lack of pattern-making skills. Let's just say that I had to make some major adjustments to the finished size of the case ... but it didn't take me long before I was pleased with this final result. More on this project in a future post ...

Overall, we each got a lot accomplished, and had a lot of fun chatting and laughing and bonding. I think we'll make a habit of it!

oh yeah ... and GO OBAMA!!!!! *

* does not in any way indicate support of Barack Obama for president. I seriously don't know who I'm going to vote for (I might like to try my friend Cheryl's approach), but this was our motto for the weekend, after hearing of a friend's HILARIOUS encounter with a staunch Obama supporter.

I FARTed over the weekend.

2008-08-26T15:37:00.003-04:00

That's right. I admit it. I FARTed.

This past weekend, my sister in law, her mom, her best friend from college, my dad's wife, and I went on a Fabric Acquisition Road Trip (or FART, as we like to call it).

Wait ... you didn't actually think that I was talking about the kind of farting that schoolboys talk about, did you?? Heavens no ... I would never think of proclaiming that from my blogging rooftop. ;o)

Anyway ... so, as I was saying ... the "girls" went up to my dad's mountain cabin for a fun-filled sewing retreat. We drove up on Thursday afternoon and returned on Sunday afternoon. It was definitely a much-needed break from our daily lives. Especially for my sister-in-law, who left her three young children with my brother and never looked back!

I'll post soon about our whole weekend in the cabin, but for now, let's just talk about the fun fabric that we "acquired" during our road trip. The famous Mary Jo's Cloth Store is about a 90 minute drive from the cabin, so we - of course - drove down there for a little shopping on Friday.

Yes ... this is my sister-in-law and I standing by the Mary Jo's sign. We know we're freaks.

I tried to capture the enormity of the store with these pictures, but I seriously didn't do it justice. Let me tell you ... if you haven't been to Mary Jo's, it's well worth the trip. It's like a huge fabric warehouse ... they have high quality fabrics of all types, and their prices are very very reasonable. And there is SO MUCH to choose from! We try to make the trip there once or twice a year. I wish it were more often ... mostly because of the fantastic selection of reproduction fabrics from the civil war and the 1930's. Suzanne and I were like giddy little school girls picking out all the different fabrics that we wanted to have cut. At home, we would have to pay over $9 a yard for these prints, but up there, they averaged under $5 a yard. WELL worth the effort.

Again, I know I'm a freak. And yes ... I was kissing my fabric. That's how much I love love love these 1930's prints. I mean just look at the colors! How can you NOT want to kiss them??!!?? I took some better pictures of all our fabric purchases below ... YUMMY colors!!!! I have some BIG plans for these fabrics!

And, do you want to know what the best part of the whole trip was??!!?? Suzanne and I made a new friend ... We met good 'ole Mary Jo herself. She was VERY gracious to let us take a picture with her ... such a nice woman. I'm sure I saw a thought bubble above her head while we were taking this picture that said "silly girls ..."

That's right ... it's our new BFF Mary Jo. Love it.

A New Creation ...

2008-08-19T09:32:00.009-04:00

Last year, for Christmas, my boss gave me a super-fun belt that his mom-in-law made. It's made from two coordinating ribbons, and it's reversible. It's super-cute. I should have taken pictures to go along with this post, but I forgot. So ... just imagine a cute teal & green polka-dotted belt (teal, green & brown swirlies on the reverse side) with a brown tortoise shell buckle. I love it.

Anyway ... I kept looking at it and thinking that I could make one similar, with a few modifications. I struggled to come up with the perfect fabrics ... I didn't want to do the predictable red or brown or black. I tend to gravitate to those colors, and I just *hate* being a foregone conclusion. SO ... I looked through my stash and found some fun fabrics that I picked up at Mary Jo's last year. I cut some strips, applied some interfacing, sewed some seams, attached a buckle, and voila ... a fun reversible belt! What do you think?

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the colors in these fabrics! They are so bright and vivid! And, they go perfectly with my new green shirt. (We wore green uniforms in high school and when I graduated, I swore off green forever, but I'm starting to get back into it, and am LOVING that it's in style this Fall!) Yes, I used to model as a child. Can you tell? ha!

And do you know the BEST part about this belt? I can change the buckle on it any time I want to (well, that is ... I could change it if I had another buckle!). I plan to look for buckles on my next shopping excursion. I love versatility.

Here's a closer view of the belt ... I took a whole bunch 'o photos, but many came out blurry. Apparently, I still have not mastered the new camera. I'm thinking I needed to use the automatic depth of field option to get the whole belt in focus??? Anyone know?

Anyway, I think I'll tweak a couple of things with this belt pattern, but I can definitely see lots of new belts in my future!

Hard at Work ...

2008-08-12T15:09:00.007-04:00

I've been hard at work in my studio recently getting a whole bunch of projects completed. Here's the evidence :

This is my stack of quilts that are ready to be quilted. Can you tell that my favorite color is RED?? ha! My "Spice is Nice" quilt is on the bottom, along with the back for it which is pieced in stripes of red and beige (you can't see it from this picture ... I'm hoping it will turn out well once it is quilted). My "Bless Us All" wall hanging is on top. (I finished my mom's wall hanging in this same design last year and it ended up winning a blue ribbon at the Quilt Show!) Finally, there are the backs to a couple of wall hangings that I have completed. I can't show the tops to them, because it would give away a major Christmas gift, and I don't want to spoil the surprise!

I have all of these quilts set aside in a pile because we're going for a sewing trip the cabin next weekend ... I'm going to drop two of these to be quilted professionally on our way through Columbia, and I'll finish the other two (hopefully) while I'm in the mountains. yay! I love crossing things off my list. More pictures once they're all quilted and done!

And, this is the stack of baby gifts ready to send out to friends of mine who have had babies recently. There must be something in the water, because my baby gift list never seems to get any smaller, no matter how much progress I feel like I'm making!

I do feel like I'm getting some things accomplished ... trying to reduce my "to do" list so that I can focus on some new stuff ...

The Spider Chronicles

2008-08-11T10:31:00.006-04:00

This past Saturday morning, having not yet truly recovered from the whole brown widow appearance at my office, I awoke to find this ginormous banana spider on my bedroom window. Now, I know you can't tell how huge this spider is from the picture, but it is seriously the size of the palm of my hand. YIPES!

Anyway, from reading about banana spiders, I know that they are really not harmful to humans ... unlike good 'ole Charlotte at my office. However, in taking some photos of my new "friend," I did notice that he has some pretty big fangs on him??!!?? Do you see them from this attempt at a profile shot? good heavens.

And ... what's up with the huge caccoon-y thing stuck to the window screen directly above Mr. Spider's web?? Please tell me this is not the leftovers from today's lunch.

What is it with me and spiders these days??!!?? I think I've had enough.

The not-so-itsy-bitsy spider

2008-08-08T15:09:00.005-04:00

So, a couple of weeks ago, I noticed a spider spinning its web outside my office window. I really don't like spiders at all, but I figured that as long as it was on the other side of the glass, it wouldn't bother me. I didn't worry about it, because I'm not in the habit of opening my windows at work. Plus, it was kind of fun to be able to watch it do whatever spiders do from the comfort of my office chair. I made a habit of looking for it every morning and checking on its activities during each day. I watched it as it grew into quite a sizable spider. I even named it ... Charlotte, of course. We bonded.

But then, our on-staff horticulturist (i know, right?) observed a suspicious red marking on this spider's belly, and notified me that my sweet little innocent Charlotte was actually a poisonous brown widow. YIPES!!!

So, I had to say goodbye to my ~~little~~ big spider friend ... she didn't last long after the area was sprayed with spider spray, but I did manage to snap a couple of pictures to remember her by.

Surprise, Surprise ...

2008-07-25T10:55:00.005-04:00

I know it won't be a surprise to any of you, but I made my friend Amy a coffee cozy for her birthday! I just think they are so practical and eco-friendly ... not to mention cute! And, just so you don't think I'm a total freak, I promise that I don't give them to non-coffee drinkers!

Anyway ... I tried something new with this one, and I really like the result. I used reproduction fabric (Aunt Grace) ... I am finding that I really LOVE reproduction fabric. There is something comforting about the colors. Anyway ... I combined it with a linen-ish fabric. I couldn't find the raw linen like I was wanting, so I went with a substitute that had the raw look to it. I'm likin' it. The reverse side is the Aunt Grace fabric, so Amy can change it up if she gets tired of everyone knowing what her first initial is.

(Special thanks to my friend, the professional hand-model, Deb, for her help during the photo shoot.)

Also ... just so you don't think I'm a "one hit wonder" ... I do have a ton of other non-coffee-related projects "in the works" that I hope to work on / finish this weekend. I'll post pictures next week if I can get them done. Until then ... have a great weekend!

Confessions of a Coffee Cozy Addict ...

2008-07-23T13:15:00.000-04:00

Ever since my awesome sister-in-law made me this coffee cozy to support my frappucino addiction while still being environmentally-conscious, I have had a problem with ~~collecting~~ hoarding coffee cozies. Suzanne made it very easy for me to support my coffee cozy habit by creating a fabulous tutorial on how to make these fun things ... you can find it here, if you'd like to start creating your own.

My purse is literally overflowing with them ... I carry six (yes SIX!) of them with me wherever I go. Some are in my purse, and others stay in my car, but somehow they have all made their way into my purse this week. It's ok ... you can make fun of me. I know I'm a freak.

It's just that a girl needs options, you know? How can I carry a frappucino wrapped in a pink coffee cozy when I'm wearing a red outfit? Seriously, people. Or ... when I'm dressed for a night on the town, I need a cozy (like this one) that will not feel under-dressed when I carry it with me. You get the idea.

And don't even ask me to pick a favorite ... I use them all (a little too regularly, I might add) ... Suzanne made the pink one as a favor for a golf tournament in memory of my mom. She also made the blue one, which I promptly claimed as my own. I made the colorful one (my first and only attempt at crocheting them), and the brown one with fun ric-rac in the seam. And, of course you should already know about the red and white one.

And just to prove that I'm not opposed to sharing my coffee cozies with others, here is a photo from my coffee catch-up session with Deb last week ... since she forgot to bring her cozy, I figured that I could spare one of my extras to help a friend in need. Wait a second ... maybe this isn't an addiction after all. Maybe my compulsion to have multiple coffee cozies is really just a subconscious attempt to serve my fellow man and provide for those in need. Yeah ... I think I'll go with that!

Kiddo ... Round 2

2008-07-18T14:57:00.009-04:00

Here's my second attempt at some kiddo pictures with my new camera ... this time, Anneliese got all the attention, since she was the only one who came with us on our most recent fabric-buying excursion.

pretty face

surprised face

happy face

angry face

having a tea party while we shop for fabric

LOVE this picture ... might be my favorite.

As I came to find out after taking this photo, Anneliese wanted
her chewing gum to be in the picture, too!

Sunday in the Park

2008-07-15T14:51:00.013-04:00

I am definitely not an outdoor girl ... I mean, I can appreciate a beautiful day as much as the next person, but I usually prefer to be indoors and out of the sun. This past Sunday I decided to change things up a bit. I knew I had to be downtown in the morning for church, and then again in the afternoon to meet up for coffee with my friend Sue. So ... since I'm trying to be wise about my gasoline consumption, instead of driving back and forth twice, I decided just to stay downtown between church and coffee. I rarely ever go downtown in the summer because it's too hot and too touristy, but I figured if I stayed away from the busy areas, it might really be enjoyable. So, I packed a bag in the morning with some snacks, my camera, my sketchbook, and a sewing project ... enough to keep me occupied for a few hours.

After church I headed over to a fun park downtown and sat myself down on a shaded bench.

It was a gorgeous day ... sunny and warm, with a cool breeze coming off the water. It was really very comfortable, which isn't always the case in the summertime here! There weren't very many people in the park ... I think most everyone decided instead to go to the beach since it was so nice outside. Fine with me! I really enjoyed the quiet. I used some of my time to sketch out some ideas that have been running through my head ... different projects that I want to start (after I finish the ones I'm currently working on, of course!) and some creative brainstorming.

I also took some pictures ... although I still don't really know how to use all the settings on my camera, so they definitely came out a little dark.

I am sure that my favorite tree is the live oak. I just think they are so beautiful. I can't get enough of them.

This picture was taken from my little park bench ... I love the color contrast and the clean lines of the gazebo right next to the natural curves of the live oaks. So beautiful.

I got a visit from a friendly little bird. She kept coming right up to my feet ... must have been fed by people before. She wouldn't sit still for long enough to take a decent photo, but I had to try anyway ... I also got a number of visits from people who shared my little bench at different points in the afternoon. It was fun to chat with them and see where they were from and what they were doing in the park. One local woman told me of how she lives in the area and often has tourists knocking on her door to use her powder room! A tourist from Africa (of all places!) stopped by with her three daughters to say hello, and a couple from New York sat down for a few minutes and told me that the shape of downtown reminded them of the shape of Manhattan. Funny ... I never noticed that!

In between sketching and taking pictures and talking to passers-by, I worked on this dress for my friends Andy & Michelle who recently had their first daughter. I am really looking forward to getting it finished so that I can give it to them! I almost finished the smocking while I was sitting there, so it should be ready to go very soon!

All in all, it was a lovely day ... with the exception of the random ants, flies, and unidentifiable bugs that kept landing on me (and, incidentally, that I kept finding crawling on me well into my coffee date with Sue). But (and I can't believe I'm saying this!), it was still worth it to have some solitude outdoors and enjoy this beautiful city. I think I'll do it again soon!

Starbucks Bling

2008-07-14T12:46:00.011-04:00

Remember when I went on that fabric shopping spree not long ago? I know, I know ... you're thinking "She goes on so many of them ... just which one is she referring to?" You're right ... I should be more specific. So ... remember when I went on this shopping spree not long ago?

Well, I think I mentioned in my post that I had some plans for the super-fun red & white fabrics, so I figured I'd share the final product of one of my projects ...

Oh Yeah ... it's reversible!! I'm diggin' the red background better than the white, but it's nice to know I can change it up if I'm feeling like something different. Note the added bling with the little red beads along the top. I guess you could call this my "dressy" coffee cozy. Ha!

And, please ... no comments about the fact that the Starbucks cup is empty. I cannot be expected to refrain from drinking my frappucino for the entire photo shoot, people ... I mean, let's be reasonable!

Yay for pink toile flannel!

2008-07-11T09:53:00.007-04:00

If I were a newborn baby girl, I would make myself a comfy blanket out of these fun new fabrics I purchased last weekend :

Since it seems like everyone BUT me is having babies these days, I'm sure these fabrics won't last long in my studio before they are made into a gift to welcome another sweet baby girl into the world.

Work in Progress

2008-07-10T12:39:00.006-04:00

This is a sneak peak of the gift I made for Amy's soon-to-be-born baby boy. I still haven't sewn the label on, because I have to write his birthdate on there, but other than that, it's done! yahoo! I tried something new with this gift, and I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

I would give more details and post a picture of the whole gift, but Amy reads my blog, and I don't want to give it all away!!!

More details and pictures after the baby is born.

The kiddos ...

2008-07-09T15:19:00.006-04:00

So, this was my first attempt at taking some pictures of the kiddos with my new camera. It took me about 15 frames of super-dark pictures to figure out that I didn't have the flash up. duh! I'm kind of flying blind at this point, because I really don't know what all the buttons do, and I really need to take a class. But, I thought I got a few decent shots ...

Mama & Suzanne were making the bed and all the kids (including Emily who stays at their house during the day) played 'parachute' under the sheet. I love Anneliese's hair in this one. Hysterical. And Christopher seems to have Emily in a choke hold. Hmmm...

I love this one! All three of the kiddos in a row! I love how little Mary Rose is watching Christopher & Anneliese. So adorable.

This one might be my very favorite. Christopher is such a ham. If you look closely, you can see Anneliese being crazy in the background ... classic.

Isn't she adorable?

Christopher was so proud of his lego creation! He's such a little man already!!!

Thank you, United States Government

2008-07-09T14:56:00.003-04:00

Not long ago, I received my economic stimulus check from the Federal Government, and like any ~~shopaholic~~ good citizen, I decided that I would do exactly what the government wanted me to do with it ... put it back into the economy. So, I walked my check to my local Ritz Camera and traded it for my very first digital camera ... ever. I know - most of you are wondering how I could be as old as I am without ever having owned a digital camera. My theory is that I really wanted a nice camera ... one that I could be creative with and grow my currently non-existant photography skills with ... and, of course, I couldn't afford one like that without an extra bit 'o money from good 'ole Uncle Sam.

So ... now I have a camera ... a Canon Rebel xTi, to be exact. I love it. It has so many options and capabilities. I think it will be perfect for taking pictures of the kiddos or my different sewing projects or whatever my little heart desires.

Now I just need to learn how to use it!

Somebody Stop Me!!!

2008-06-18T11:14:00.005-04:00

So ... This whole fabric-buying thing has become an official addiction. One of our local sewing stores was having a sale last weekend ... fat quarters for $1 each!!! ... which meant that my sister in law, Ani, Stephanie, and I simply *had* to pay them a visit.

I ended up walking out with this stack of yummy fat quarters, some yardage, and a fun pattern for baby clothes. Ani started a nice stash of fat quarters, and Suzanne hit the jackpot with the full Posh collection in fat quarters, along with additional individual fat quarters and some super-fun oil cloth to cover the kids' play tables.

Then, to make matters worse ... we drove up the road to our very favorite quilting store and purchased even more fabric!!!

I definitely have plans to make a reversible coffee cozy out of the red & whites, and a fun bag out of the orange & yellow whimsical fabric.

I would say that I need help, but I'm not sure I'm ready to face my addiction quite yet.

Awwwww ....

2008-05-30T14:53:00.002-04:00

When I sat down at my desk Wednesday morning, this is what I saw ...

Apparently, my dad snuck into my office while I was working out and left this sweet message. Gotta love it! Thanks dad! I love you!

Fabric Makes Me Happy.

2008-05-29T13:01:00.000-04:00

A while ago, I posted some pictures of my studio, but I didn't include photos of my fabric stash. I never thought I'd be someone who has a "fabric stash" but I have definitely caught the sewing bug, and I definitely am working on a nice little stash now. To be fair, I inherited a large portion of it from my dear mother, but I have to take responsibility for continuing to buy fabric for no reason other than that it's fun and it makes me smile!

To be honest, I try to avoid showing my stash to people, because I'm afraid they'll get the wrong idea about me ... like that I'm super-picky, controlling, or OCD. Really, I'm not (well, ok ... maybe just a little bit OCD - ha!) ... but honestly, it's just that I need things to be organized so that I am free to be creative in my studio. I cannot work in chaos. Plus, I have a very small studio space, so I am forced to use my storage areas efficiently.

Anyway ... I've gotten a few requests for pictures, and I finally am giving in.

Basically, I have my fabric separated into 4 groups :

Yardage (cuts of at least 1 yard)
These pieces are wrapped around a 6x24 inch rotary ruler to get them to the same width, and then folded in half lengthwise to fit on the shelf. Then, they are stacked according to color. Most of my yardage is cotton for quilting and other sewing projects (below), but I do have a separate shelf of flannel & fleece yardage.

Fat Quarters (I also lump 1/2 yard cuts in here, because they are small)
These pieces are wrapped around a 4 inch rotary ruler, and then folded in half lengthwise to fit on the shelf. Then, they are stacked according to color or theme (ex : dots, stripes, florals, novelties, hand-dyed, etc...)

Large Scraps (anything less than 1/8 of a yard, and in large enough pieces to use for a small project)
These pieces are folded roughly by hand and placed in rubbermaid bins according to color. This helps me find things easily when I am looking for something specific.

Small Scraps (basically anything that is truly a scrap, and could only be used for the smallest of projects ... usually applique)
These get dumped all together in a big (19 gallons!) bin ... never sorted. I thought about sorting them into darks and lights at some point, but it's such a huge task that I can't even imagine how I could get it all done! For now, I just rummage through the bin whenever I need something.

I also have a number of bins stored up high with fabrics that I don't use very often at all ... shiny fabrics, sheers, denim pieces, upholstery fabric, etc... My mom had them organized that way, and I'm not sure I've touched them since she died.

Anyway ... that's it. Any ideas for some projects that I could work on to get rid of some of this fabric??

A Wedding Gift for Kerri

2008-05-27T12:29:00.006-04:00

I made this apron & matching hand towels for my friend Kerri who is getting married next month. (yay! She will make a beautiful bride and a fantastic wife!) Her bridal shower was themed "monograms & mimosas" ... fun idea! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend, so I didn't get to partake of the yummy mimosas, but I did send along this gift with a friend anyway. This was my attempt at giving her a gift I thought she would use without picking something off her registry.

I didn't use a pattern for the apron ... just made it up as I went along. The fabric is from a group that I found at Hobby Lobby (We don't have one where I live, but my sister in law and I took a road trip recently and found some fun stuff there!) Anyway ... I like that the apron fabric is fun & young (like Kerri!) without being obnoxious. And did you notice the fun pleated pocket that I added? My sister in law taught me how to do that. Also, I've discovered that I'm a fan of mixing prints within the same project. Normally, I wouldn't have tried it, but I guess I felt like living on the edge. ha!

Also ... I decided that I'm diggin' the big-initial-on-the-handtowel idea. MUCH easier than teeny tiny letters that spell out the days of the week.

My new favorite sweater

2008-05-20T12:22:00.005-04:00

I was out shopping last weekend with my sister in law, and found this cutie red sweater at our local Ann Taylor outlet store. I couldn't resist buying it. It is exactly like a blue sweater that I purchased at Banana Republic last year (on a side note ... who knew both stores are owned by the same company? not me!). Anyway ... I swore to myself that I would buy another one if I ever found the same style. And besides ... this one was RED! How could I resist?

But do you want to know the BEST thing about this new favorite sweater of mine??

That's right ... it's 100% cotton. Which means that it won't shrink in the wash like the first one I bought!!!

New coasters!

2008-05-19T12:50:00.005-04:00

Well ... I figured that since every house should have some fun coasters, it was about time that I had some new ones at my own house! I actually made these a little while ago, but they sat in my last-minute gift stash (does everyone have one of those, or is it just me?) until I decided that I liked them too much to give them away!

And here is a view of the backs ... just some neutral fabrics I had in my scrap bucket. These went together so easily, and didn't take much time at all! IMaybe they would be a fun project for road trips ... just enough to keep my hands busy, but not too much so that I don't get carsick!

So, I'm thinking I want to try another set of these with some fun yarn & fabric colors ... more to come if they turn out cute!

My "Spice is Nice" Quilt

2008-05-16T12:17:00.006-04:00

This is the "Spice is Nice" quilt that I just finished. (sorry for the poor lighting in the picture ... I had to hang it on the wall to take the photo because I don't have enough floor space to lay it out!) Anyway ... there's a funny story behind it...

So ... I've been wanting to make a new quilt for my living room wall for a while now. I mean ... don't get me wrong. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Southern Album quilt of my mom's that I recently finished. I have hung it proudly in my living room, and look at it with great joy every day. However, because it is an heirloom, I want to make sure I take care of it well ... and that means that I need to take it off the wall and let it rest occasionally. SO ... I decided to make another quilt to take its place for part of the year. A few months ago, I found a beautiful fabric line from Moda (Shangri-La) that I thought would work nicely with my living room decor. I figured that having the fabric picked out was half the battle ... but who knew that it would be so difficult to find a quilt pattern that I would like enough to make??!!?? I mean I spent tons 'o time looking through books and magazines searching for a pattern that would be easy enough to make quickly but also fit my style. FINALLY ... my sister in law bought a copy of the last issue of Quilts & More magazine, which had this beautiful quilt pattern in it called "Spice is Nice." As soon as I saw it, I knew that it was just what I was looking for. So, I set to work and finished the quilt top in no time flat. Really ... it was very easy. Great instructions and fun tricks for sewing those hour-glass units that I used to dread so much!

Here's the really funny part of the story ... A couple of weeks ago, I was reading on some of my favorite craft blogs, and I stumbled across one called Happy Zombie. As I was reading through it, I found myself really liking the author's style. Then, I came to this post about a quilt that she had designed for a magazine ... and wouldn't you know it - it was the very same quilt that I had searched the world over for and was in the middle of making!!! How fun is that?? I emailed her immediately and had so much fun making this connection across the country! So, now I have a new blogging friend and a beautiful new quilt for my house ... that is, at least, once I can get it quilted! Who knows how long that will take!!

Sunday, Monday, Happy Days ...

2008-05-14T13:01:00.005-04:00

Yesterday was my wonderful sister in law Suzanne's birthday. To show her how much I love her, I made her these super-fun days of the week dish towels. I used some fabric from Moda's Wee Play line to spruce up some flour sack towels I found at good 'ole Wal Mart. The colorful binding and letters just make me happy!
I seriously think this is more effort than I have ever put into a birthday gift in my life! I managed to come just short of swearing off sewing completely by the time they were completed ... I had no idea sewing the letters on would prove to be such a difficult task!!! I made fabric cut-outs and fused them onto the flour sack material. Then, I satin stitched around them to keep them in place. They didn't look so small when I cut them out, but once I got to sewing, it was hard to maneuver around all the little curves and holes! I think next time (if there is a next time!) I'll up the font a bit and make it a little easier to sew.

Anyway, I think the end result was worth all that blood, sweat, and tears ... they came out just as cute as I had envisioned them in my head! Yay!

Every house should have some fun coasters ...

2008-05-08T11:47:00.005-04:00

My friend Deb recently celebrated her 30th birthday. Woohoo! 30 is definitely the new 20, right? Deb also recently moved into a super-fun studio apartment that has been called "home" by a good number of my very closest friends over the last 9 years. (Only the coolest, most talented, amazing-est gals are allowed to live there!).

Anyway ... since it was her birthday and she was moving to a new home, I decided that the perfect gift for her would be a set of coasters ... inspired by these fun ones I saw on one of the craft blogs I read regularly. I searched high & low for the perfect fabric ... you have no idea how hard it was to find this Daydreams fabric by Moda. I ended up having to order it online, because nowhere in my city carried it!

I think they turned out pretty cute ... In fact, I think my house is feeling a little bit rejected that I haven't made any for it ... YET!

Meet My New Crush ...

2008-04-30T14:58:00.006-04:00

I'm not one to have a whole lot of crushes ... especially when it comes to celebrities. But OH. MY. WORD. ... I went to a Keith Urban Concert a couple of weeks ago, and I haven't stopped thinking about him since! This is ridiculous ... I mean he is married ... to Nicole Kidman ... and he has a child on the way! I know he's taken ... I understand the sanctity of marriage. But, man is he nice to look at. Hey - a girl can dream, right?

Here are some pictures of the yumminess that my friend Jen took at the concert :

BTW ... Carrie Underwood was touring with him, and she was fantastic. Not as good as Keith, but then again - who is? She has an awesome voice. Sounded just like she does on the radio. Amazing.

It's a new day.

2008-04-22T10:09:00.005-04:00

For the last 10 years or so, I have had an ugly monster living in my house. I mean ... we're not talking about the cute fuzzy animated characters from Monsters, Inc. I'm thinking more like something on the lines of a cyclops or a big foot ... you know - really ugly and scary. I'm not even exaggerating!

You see ... when I was a senior at Furman, my best friend Mary and I were moving into our own apartment and needed a sofa. Of course, we were poor college kids at the time and all we could afford was a free hand-me-down from a generous soul. So my mom - an interior designer - hooked us up with a client of hers that had just ordered a new sofa and was getting rid of their old one. I was happy to take the old one off their hands ... until I saw it! I literally can't imagine a more hideous fabric. It was a grotesque combination of mauve, burgundy, and teal in a random flowery mess. But, since we couldn't afford anything else, we decided to suck it up and be thankful that we now had a couch to sit on. Hilariously enough, when we moved into our apartment, we realized that the couch matched the decor of the place PERFECTLY. Who would have known? It was as if the couch was made for that living room!! Mary could attest to it, I am sure.

Anyway ... when I graduated from college, instead of leaving the sofa in the apartment it was made for ... I decided to take it with me to start my new life as a real adult. My mom got me a pretty slip cover from Pottery Barn to cover the madness. I mean ... I was out in the real world now. I couldn't have a couch that made me look like I was still a starving college student, right? Well ... it worked to fool everyone into believing that I had a decent sofa, but *I* still knew the ugliness that lurked beneath ... haunting me every time I straightened the slip cover when I cleaned my house. SO ... last month, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I *had* to get a new couch. A real couch. One without any trace of mauve. Or burgundy. Or teal. Or flowers. Or slipcovers.

So ... here it is ... drumroll, please.

Isn't it beautimous?

Now, if I could just afford to replace my chair that looks so very sad and old next to this shiny new couch!!

My little piece of Heaven

2008-04-15T10:31:00.006-04:00

I believe God gives us little glimpses of Heaven here on earth. Sometimes it's in a sunset or other manifestation of his glory in creation. Other times, it is in the warmth of a friendship or the smile of a baby or the beauty of a worshipful wedding ceremony. In all these, there is joy in seeing God exalted through some part of His creation. Each glimpse demonstrates a part of who He is and points us to the ultimate joy of seeing Him face-to-face in Heaven and knowing Him completely. For me, I see heaven when people are doing things that the Lord has given them a passion and a talent for. When Cheryl sings, I see heaven. When Jodi uses her wisdom to counsel others, I see heaven. When Deb extends a warm hand of welcome to strangers, I see heaven. There is glory in being what we were created to be.

For me ... I believe I was created (among other things!) to sew. It sounds dorky, I know ... but I am happiest when I am being creative in my studio. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it! My hope is that the Lord can use my sewing for His glory, in whatever way He chooses. I pray that He is pleased when I use this passion He has given me, and that He is exalted by my work. And I pray that - in some small way - my sewing will advance His Kingdom.

This month, the local Quilters Guild is featuring photos of different people's sewing studios, and I am one of them! So, here are the pictures I submitted of my little piece of Heaven :

This is the cabinet that stores all my reference books and my buttons, beads, etc... It also holds all my craft supplies and patterns as well as my various sewing machines. (you can never have too many, right?)

This is my work area. The shelves behind my machine hold my fabric stash (which is starting to get ridiculous) and materials for projects I am currently working on. Note the fun clock that my awesome sister in law made me for christmas ... love it! And my LONG to-do list on the wall below!

This is my creative wall ... with my work boards that I use to lay out different projects. The spiral quilt is one of my moms ... I love the colors in it!

Today is "Earth Day" in my world.

2008-04-10T13:56:00.005-04:00

I'm not really an environmentalist. I mean ... I try to make wise choices and not abuse the earth God created, but I'm definitely not one to go out of my way to recycle boxes and soda cans, and I certainly don't drive a hybrid (although I'd love to get that kind of mileage with gas prices these days!!) But, after counting the number of paper napkins that I burn through each week at work by using them to catch the condensation from my drinks, I decided it was getting a bit ridiculous. SO ... I made myself a coaster for the cup of water / dr. pepper / frappucino that is always on my desk. Baby steps, right? Ani would be so proud of me.

The Men in My Life ...

2008-04-04T15:42:00.005-04:00

I just had to post these photos of my two favorite men ... well, besides Michael Vartan. I mean - let's just be honest, right? ;o) Of course, if I were being thorough, I would include a picture of my other favorite little man ... my nephew Christopher. I'll have to take a new picture of me and him, and post it. I just love him.

my awesome brother, Scottie

My dad ... we were all dressed up for the formal Clubhouse Opening at Briar's. Fun!

Ephesians 3:20-21

2008-03-03T10:21:00.008-05:00

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (emphasis added)

My mom was a quilter. When she died 5 years ago, she left a number of unfinished quilts behind that were at various stages of completion. Because I am her only daughter, and no one else in the family sews, naturally all her unfinished projects made their way into my studio with the hopes of being completed one day. At first I was angry that I had to finish them. It seemed a burden to me when I looked at the stacks of fabric and the sketches and notes she had made to show her intentions for each design. I was resentful that she was taken from us before she had time to finish what she started, and I wanted to be able to enjoy the quilts immediately ... not after I had put time and effort into finishing them. It took me four years to get up the nerve to work on them. Even then, I felt overwhelmed, inadequate, and hardly worthy to work on these quilts that my mom had started with her immaculate precision and graceful style. How could I ever even come close to doing her work justice? The answer : only through God's grace. Over the course of the last year, God enabled me to finish three of mom's quilts. It was definitely an emotional journey, and sometimes it felt like it was more than I would be able to bear. But, the burden and weight of the task quietly faded and was replaced with an overwhelming gratefulness for the opportunity to share in the work mom started. I have finally realized that these unfinished quilts were a gift from God, and it was my privilege to be able to work on them.

In honor of my mom, and to keep a promise I had made with her many years ago, I entered two of her quilts in our local Quilt Show this weekend. It just seemed like the perfect end to this long journey, and a great way to honor my mom for the amazing artist she was. I told my dad that I didn't care if I won any prizes for either of the quilts, and that all I really wanted was a simple ribbon on one or the other as justification for all the work we put into them. I didn't even care if the ribbon said "219th out of 220 quilts entered" ... as long as it was a ribbon.

Well, much to my shock, both of the quilts (!) were awarded 1st Place Blue Ribbons in their respective categories. Praise God! He is INDEED able to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine. Wow. What a blessing! Here's some photos ...

Many thanks to ALL my friends who came to the show - I am truly grateful for your love and support.

Christmas in February

2008-02-27T08:50:00.004-05:00

OK ... so it's official. I'm a freak. I started my annual Christmas ornaments this weekend. I know ... it's only February, and I still have like 10 months before they need to be ready. But, I don't have much else going on in my studio, so I figured I'd get a jump-start on them. I mean, after all, I have like 100 of them to make ... might as well get started!

So as I was putting together the first 10 ornaments, I wound up with a bag of heads. It cracks me up every time I look at it. I don't know why. It just does. I'm a nerd. So, without giving too much away, here's a sneak peak at this year's ornament. Sorry ... you'll have to wait 10 more months before you can see the rest of it. :o)

Um ... what??

2008-02-27T08:45:00.006-05:00

Paula Abdul made this comment last night after one of the American Idol contestants sang an amazing rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine" :

I want to squish you and squeeze your head off and dangle you from my rear-view mirror.

So, is that a compliment??

Mission Impossible

2008-02-05T14:10:00.000-05:00

So ... on the way to lunch today, I was having a conversation with Ani about giving up something for Lent. She told me that I should consider giving up frappucinos. I immediately looked at her like she had 6 eyes and a mustache. SERIOUSLY???!!?? um ... No Way. I mean, really. 40 days without frappucinos?? Impossible. Of course, Raymond chimed in and said that given my "sin patterns" I should give up frappucinos AND doritoes ... I think that's going a bit far, don't you??

Then, I got to thinking ... even though I'm not Catholic anymore, I still recognize that giving up something for Lent can be a good thing. If we sacrifice something that is dear to us, it is a good reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross on our behalf. Think about it ... He gave up His seat in heaven to come to earth as a man and died in order to make us right with God. Sacrifice gets our focus off ourselves and helps us to turn our eyes to Him in worship as we realize how HUGE His sacrifice was ... not to mention how much it helps to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Easter. When I think of it that way, giving up frappucinos is the least I could do.

So, wish me luck, y'all ... I'm gonna do it! No frappucinos for 40 days!!! (better sell your Starbucks stock now, before it plummets tomorrow!)

And, in the spirit of Mardi Gras, I'm off to go get one last frappucino ...

Her children will rise up and call her BLESSED

2008-01-30T11:01:00.000-05:00

My mom was awesome. Not everyone who knew her had the privilege of really knowing her ... I am her only daughter, and even I didn't get to know her as much as I would have liked. But, what I did know of her was amazing ... she was a very private person, unassuming, and humble. She was an incredibly talented and well-respected interior designer, artist, and quilter, but she would be the first to down-play her talents in favor of others. She managed to keep herself out of the spotlight most days, preferring to work quietly and tirelessly behind the scenes in support of the people she loved and the things she felt were worth fighting for. She was a loving and devoted wife to my dad and played a huge part in the success that he has enjoyed in his own career. She owned a successful interior design business and worked countless hours a week, but had a delicious home-cooked dinner on the table every night and insisted that we guard our family dinners as sacred. She was funny and shy and incredibly intelligent. She was gracious beyond words. And she had exquisite taste in everything from food to music to fashion and art. She was genuinely kind to everyone she met. She was not only a mother to me, but also a friend and confidante, an encouragement and inspiration, and an example of walking through extreme trials and uncertainty with grace and unblinking trust in God. She left an indelible mark on my heart and my life, and I miss her dearly.

Yesterday, as I was remembering her on the fifth (!) anniversary of the day she died, it occurred to me that she was truly a Proverbs 31 woman. Praise God for such an example.

(This is my favorite picture of me and my mom from when I was little ... gotta love it.)

The incredible shrinking sweater ...

2008-01-28T14:25:00.001-05:00

Check out this cutie picture of my A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. niece / goddaughter, Mary Rose (otherwise known by her middle name as "Brett" - yes, my family is big on the GreenBay Packers, and Mr. Favre in particular). Isn't she just a doll?? She had her very first birthday exactly one month ago. I love that she has such a calm and happy demeanor. She is a true joy, and I adore her. Seriously. Did I mention how cute she is?

Anyway ... you might also notice another cutie thing in this picture ... the oh-so-fashionable sweater that she is wearing. Yeah ... that sweater used to be mine (and my FAVORITE one, at that!!!) until an unfortunate laundry mishap about a month ago which left it the perfect size for Mary Rose. Who knew that when the tag reads "Hand Wash Only" it really means "Don't put this in the washing machine with a bunch of other clothes on a regular cycle, or it will shrink to one-tenth of its original size"?? I'm such a dummy.

Quote of the Day

2008-01-22T16:22:00.001-05:00

My brother Scottie very graciously brought me lunch at my office today. Isn't he awesome? Every girl should have an older brother like him. Seriously. Anyway ... because I rarely see him without his children running around screaming, pulling at his coat-tails and begging him to play Wii, it was a real treat to sit down over some yummy food and have an actual conversation with him. We talked about work and family and things going on in our lives. We talked about how sad we were that the Packers aren't going to the Superbowl and debated whether Favre would retire or come back for another season. Everything was really very pleasant. Then ... for no apparent reason, my brother (otherwise referred to as "Mr. Doom & Gloom" for the rest of the post) started telling me about all this information he had read about some island off the west coast of Africa that is slipping into the sea, and how one earthquake in the region could send a "mega-tsunami" across the Atlantic Ocean which would wipe out the entire Eastern seaboard. Seriously??!!?? Mr. Doom & Gloom proceeded to tell me all about the science behind a mega-tsunami and why it is a troubling possibility in the future. He used details ... I mean, there were graphs and diagrams involved. Encyclopedia Brittanica should seriously consider hiring him. As I sat there wondering why I needed to know this information, and how it could possibly help my already freakish tendency to worry about the littlest thing, Mr. D&G offers a word of encouragement ... He says that we really don't need to worry about the mega-tsunami, because what will more probably wipe out the entire human race would be what is called a "super-volcano," like the one under YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK!!! What??!!?? When I asked him for more information on the super-volcano, his reply was

"Well, I don't really understand super-volcanoes as well as I understand mega-tsunamis ..."

A Dress for Ele Claire

2008-01-21T15:03:00.001-05:00

I'm finally finished with this dress & matching Olive doll for my friend Lauren's new baby girl.

Happy Birthday, Earl!

2008-01-21T09:23:00.000-05:00

Earl turned 8,000 miles this weekend ... Charlene and I celebrated by singing "Happy Birthday" to him and eating gummy bears on our trip up to Columbia. I can't believe Earl is already so old! 8,000 miles in 5 months. It must be all those trips through the Starbucks drivethrough.

It's a bad sign ...

2008-01-16T10:29:00.001-05:00

... when your finance software asks you if you want to set up a recurring payment to Starbucks.

Whatever will be ... will be.

2008-01-15T16:05:00.000-05:00

OK ... so I'm light-years behind most people my age, and have *just* now created a blog. Welcome to the 21st century, right? I think it's because I've always been afraid of blogs ... I've never been good with words. (Yes, I admit, I was a bit of a nerd in school ... always looking forward to math class and dreading english and history. I needed to know that there was always a concrete answer ... not just some subjective view of what was right or wrong) But, as I've gotten older, my creative genes have shown themselves more often, and I think I'm ready to face the "scary" blog world. My blog can be what I make it, right? So, here we go ...