book review

My local library is having a summer book club for the kids. I love these! Since we already read with them every night, this was an easy way for me to keep them motivated. It also ensures a weekly visit to check out new books.

Once I got them all signed up the librarian told me about the adult summer reading group. Cool! I can win a little prize too. Maybe a Target gift certificate? Doesn’t take much for me.

Well, one of the adult requirements was to write a book review. Easy for me to do since I found the fabulous book “Quilts” by Denise Schmidt. love her!

Denyse makes quilting look fun and untraditional. Her quilts look like they are made to break all the rules. I consider her to be a quilting rebel! And yet her quilts are beautiful and full of texture and a mix of modern simplicity and style.

When I was recently faced with another growing pile of fabric scraps. I turned to this book for a little scrapping fun.

I decided to make one of these fun and easy dis-cards. I sorted through my fabric and found about five pieces that went together and grabbed a blank card to sew these scraps onto.

It was easy-peasy! I love the randomness of it. And I always thought that this criss-cross sewing looked confusing. But after reading the directions and doing it myself, what a breeze!

So, check out this book out at your local library. And then buy it because there are so many cute projects in it you will get some late fines charged to you any way!

making plans

I haven’t been sewing much these past few weeks.  Since school has been out, I have been driving all over town.  Great for my kids.  Not so great for me.  I really like to stay home!  By Thursday, I am ready for Friday and the weekend!

But, I do have to say, that I have gotten to know my kids friends and their parents so much better.  We have more time to catch up with each other in the summer and this I do like, a lot!  I love getting a chance to talk and making new friends.  A definite plus to all of the running around.  Girlfriends rule!

I have also been having a great time lately planning a birthday party for my husband.  Another great girlfriend, Amy, has been a huge help with this.  She redesigned my website for me, and I knew that I could turn to her for a little more design help with the invitations.

My hub has been a bicyclist for a long time.  He is still riding and recently completed a century ride (100 miles).  He loves it and I am so proud of him and his accomplishments.  So you can tell the theme for this party.  And after seeing his invitations, he is definitely getting excited about the celebrations too.

I’m also contacting some other friends who run their own business.  So, I’ll be sharing some of those with you as they come up.

new favorite

Have you ever come across another blog that you just love?  I mean really looove!  Well it has happened to me more than once or twice.  And after seeing this great blog I am beginning a new monthly post of sharing with you my new favorite blog.

This one is called 100 Layer Cake, crafting your wedding layer by layer.  Right now I am on page 11 of 100 layers.

Their target audience is weddings.  I have been married for 19 years now (I was a teen bride) and have found a ton of inspiration on this site.  I especially love the Real Wedding articles to see how crafty girls are getting married now.  I am thrilled at seeing the real personality that comes out in these contemporary wedding celebrations.  It makes me want to get married all over again!

The 100 Layer Cake has also given me some inspiration in planning a birthday party for my husband.  I am taking a lot of notes on decorations and table settings.  The Color Inspiration Board has also helped me see some color combination’s in fun and unexpected ways.

I am also loving the calligraphy!  It is full of such beauty and personality.  I was a calligrapher in a previous life and I am still enthralled by it!

So, have fun with this gorgeous blog.  Check out 100 Layer Cake and let me know how many pages you have read.  And if you know of a blog that I have to read, just email me!  I’m off to read page 12!

what’s up

It has been just two weeks since my 3 had there last day of school.  And I have been doing a lot of driving around.  I am in total stay-at-home mom mode lately.  So I have had no time to blog at all!

But the ingenious Claire has been good about getting me out and keeping me busy.  She got us a space at the Sacramento Antique Faire on Sun. June14th.  The faire is more like a flea market and is such a good time with good prices.  I did just a little bit of shopping myself.  I found a really nice bit of bark cloth for $1.  It did have a big hole in it!

vintage handmade wall hanging

We sold some of our own creations plus some very choice thrifty finds.   So here are a bunch of photo’s for you to see of our day out and about under the Sacramento W/X freeway.

$1 fabric scraps

misc items on our table

owl cups and cute sewing kits

cute canisters and vintage patterns

sewing notions galore!

appliqued onesies and the pillowcase book

circus posters!

It’s a fun day out from 6:30 – 3 and only costs $3. with free parking.  Let me know if you make over there, the 2nd Sunday of each month.  More photo’s will be posted to my flickr.  Yes, there is more.

thursday’s

Did you know that every Thursday I am over at Glitter and Grunge writing about my Thrifty Adventures?  Well today I wrote about my survey and some of the amazing results.  Want to see what I found out about you?  Well, what I found out about all 53 people who answered my questions!

Check it out here.

two in one

Two posts in one day!  It just might be a first for me..

Thanks again for answering my survey questions.  I have decided on hosting an apron class.  I looked through my patterns today and found a vintage one that I really like.  It is a one size fits all model that just slips over your head.  No adjusting and no ties. It’s cute and it’s vintage!  Stay tuned for the class date and more class info.

I also noticed today how much of this vintage yardage that I do have.  So watch my etsy shop, because I am going to sell of a few bits of it, destash.  It’s all thrifted fabric.  I have washed it, and ironed it.  And it has passed the sniff test, so it doesn’t smell like a thrift shop anymore!

And here is the sweet and simple dress that I made for my girl.  This is the one that she still is unwilling to wear.   I think she just likes wearing her super soft t-shirt dresses.  So for now, I am just holding onto it and I’ll try to reintroduce it to her for her birthday dress.

and now

The winner is… Leslie!  Thanks everyone who participated in my giveaway.   Although the giveaway has ended, you can still answer the survey questions if you haven’t already.

I spent some time yesterday looking through my fabric stash and cutting up the fat quarters (18×22).  Each fabric is different, I love the textures of each one.  They have all been laundered and nicely ironed.

Some have also asked about my daughter’s graduation dress that she vetoed.  I am off to drive her over for a play date in a minute, so I’ll show you that and some more fabric pic’s when I get home.

Thanks all for joining in on my survey!  You’re just the best!!

sewing classes, a survey, and a giveaway

Summer is almost here. Kids will be out of school soon. And the weather will be getting hotter. And mom’s are busy making plans.

For my summer, I am making plans for you! I am planning on offering at least three sewing classes this summer in my home. But first, I wanted to find out about you. I want to know what kind of sewer you are and what you might be interested in sewing.

So I created this little survey. I have just 10 quick questions for you. And if you fill out the form, you will be added to my drawing.

Click Here to take survey

I will be giving away 4 fat quarters (18 x 22) of vintage fabric. You don’t have to be interested in taking a sewing class, but you can still win the fabric giveaway.

(this is just a fabric sampling)

So please take my survey and tell me, “What kind of sewer are you?”  The giveaway will end on June 8th.

vintage linens

This is another name for vintage sheets.  I have really enjoyed using these for my sewing projects.  The fabric is so very soft.  And the patterns are always  fun and often funky!

I just posted my last set of baby booties and the matching bag on my etsy site.  Making  little things with these great prints felt so good! I love making baby items that are filled with whimsy and a little bit askew.

It’s like wearing a simple outfit with a great pair of shoes.  I can’t get away with a funky print top, but I can carry off shoes covered in beads.  But that’s just me and my own rules.  Babies don’t really have dressing rules.  Have you ever seen a “What not to Wear” for toddlers.  They just can do no wrong.

Except when they wear too much makeup.  No makeup and wigs for baby!  But I’m sure that’s a rule that you already knew.

must write

Must write.  Everyday this is what my brain is telling me.  But my hands find other work to do.  So, I have missed you!  Here’s a little bit of what I have been up to this past week.

Handmade Parade went really great for me.  There were so many new vendors there that I haven’t seen before, a lot of original work.  I got some of my end of the school year, teacher shopping done.  The best part of the day is that Good Day Sacramento was there bright and early that morning.  The featured quite a bit of my things.  You can see a link to the video clip in the right column of my blog and here.  And to hear more of the day here’s what Evie had to say about all of the handmade wonder!

This past Friday, my girl graduated from school.  Preschool that is! I was busy making her little dress.  Which I had always wanted to do.  She picked out the fabric.  A cute little vintage print with a white background and little pink and brown/green flowers.  And we even chose the pattern together.  It was one that I have been wanting to make with little puff sleeves that remind me of a peasant blouse.

Well, she didn’t want to wear it!  Ok, I was one disappointed momma.  I tried not making a big deal about it,  pick your battles, right.  But I had told everyone that I was making her dress.  So I just pulled out two other katie jean creations and let her pick which one she wanted to wear for her very special day.

She still looked so cute and pretty.  And she was happy with her decision.  That is what really matters.

I can just guess what her wedding day will be like!