This and that

I have nothing sewing-related to show you, unfortunately. So how about everything else in my camera? Maybe see what else I've been up to recently?

Cute baby in a bath. You are welcome. 

My Dad and his grandkids. I love this picture.

Mom2Mom season is back! I will be going out tomorrow, and a couple of weeks back, I rounded up this loot at a sale. I think I spent $14 for all of this.

When my friends Martin and Michelle moved to Germany, they didn't want to take this cute Ikea shelving unit. So I bought it from them for a very reasonable price. I honestly don't know how I lived without it. Not only does it fit perfectly in my dining room, but it is holding all sorts of things that before were crowded up my drawers and cabinets. 

Napkins, bibs (in the basket), cookbooks, huge salad bowls -- everything has a place now!

I found this cute orange Pyrex at an antique store. 

The other side. I love having my KitchenAid on display. Let's be honest, that baby is a work of art. It deserves a spot in a display case.

Moving on, I bought this cute pre-ruffled black and white fabric and can't figure out what to do with it. Pillow? Cute baby dress? Ruffly scarf? Ideas, please!

Do you need anything around your place fixed? I'll send him right over. 

Have a nice weekend! I have the very best intentions of actually sewing. Hopefully will have something to show you soon.

Swimming in wonderful new things

I've been a lucky girl this week when it comes to getting awesomeness in my mailbox or on my doorstep.

First, this.

These four books came as a Christmas present from my friend Kim. Is she way too generous or what? I could not believe it! So many projects to contemplate, my head is about to explode. Do you have any of these books? Where should I begin?! (And I should say, I do have the One Yard Wonders book already. Contemplating exchanging it, maybe for the new One Yard Wonders book, or hosting a giveaway with it. Decisions, decisions.... :) )

Then this came yesterday.

New fabric! Some solid fat quarters, because I never have enough solids in my stash, and two yard-cuts of fabric from Amy Butler's Lark collection in home-dec weight. I have a plan for that! And the top is a fat quarter collection with various fabrics. I have something in mind for those too, and it just might involve a baby girl headed my family's way in the spring. Meaning, I'm going to be an aunt! So excited!

I'm struggling to find/make the time to actually sew right now. But hopefully, all these new goodies will be a nice kick in the pants.

Has the mailman brought you anything this lovely recently?

Happy Thursday all!

Thankful

If you need a Thanskgiving-y dessert for anytime soon.... try this one. Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle. Oh boooooooy. So good!

I am so thankful today, For online recipe Web sites. And Paula Deen.

Oh, and for online fabric stores. Those too! Look what came in the mail yesterday.

New fabric! Mostly for Christmas presents.Yay!

Thankful for all the pretty fabric, and all the awesome inspiration in the online sewing community.

Oh and for these two snotty-nosed friends of mine, too.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I have money to spend!

A month or so ago, I was delighted to sign into flickr one day and see a two-week old message from Pink Chalk Fabric Studio. They liked my Outside Oslo pillow, which I'd uploaded to their photo gallery, and wanted to include it in their newsletter. They wanted my permission. There was one decision I didn't need to think about long -- especially because when you're featured, you get a $20 shop gift certificate to use! Score!

So I have $20 of fabric money burning a hole in my virtual pocket. It's hard enough for me to pick fabric when I'm somewhere like Jo-Anns. Online is so much tougher! The shops are so well stocked with everything cute ever made, ever ever ever. Or so it seems.

I pinned a few of my favorites. Please tell me what you like. (All can be purchased, obviously, at PinkChalkFabrics.com) What would you spend $20 on?

My mother-in-law wants a Christmas apron. Here are a few fabrics I could snag for that project.

Dena Designs Kumari Garden Holiday Sanjay

Kate Spain Flurry Snowfall Red Ribbon

Michael Miller Holiday Calico Trees Multi

Or I could hit up the sale fabric. I do love sales. These are all on sale.

Alexander Henry Rivoli Floral Salmon

Not sure what I'd do with that one. Maybe another Go Anywhere bag?

Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Coloring Garden Sea -- Voile

Or this one. Voile is not something I'm familiar with. Maybe sleep shorts?

I am also a tad ga-ga for this new listing.

Dena Designs London Somerset Blue

So, what would you buys?

Of course, I could always be really practical and get something solid. Or a pattern to use again and again.

Help a girl out! What's your favorite?

Happy birthday daydreaming..... to me

I have a birthday quickly approaching. I've been busy preparing for that with some good old fashioned American consumerism. Just today, as soon as a few birthday checks from my wonderful aunts and uncles arrived, I ordered something pretty and shiny that I've had my eye on for months now. It should arrive Thursday, and I'll show ya then. Along with another pretty shiny thing that I ordered on Sunday on behalf of my parents. I swear they told me to buy it! It's hopefully also arriving tomorrow or Thursday, so I'll share that, too. 

Neither of these toys falls into the "sewing" category. I might be out of birthday money to go spend at this point, so I there's a chance I won't get to fulfill any of my "sewing gift" daydreams. If I do get to, I'm so indecisive. What to buy, what to buy. More fabric? Always fun, and can you have too much fabric? I don't know. What's your stash like? Lately I've been feeling like there is so much fabric here waiting to be used that it is a little bit intimidating. Where to start? What to make?! It's too much! Time to curl up in the fetal position and rock myself to sleep!

Anyway, here are a few things on my daydream list. I've been thinking about bundles, and how nice it would be to have all these coordinating fabrics. I generally just buy a yard here, a fat quarter there. Maybe this would be a tad smarter, eh?

 I've been eyeballing the Blogger's Choice Bundles at the Fat Quarter Shop. They're $45 for 15 fat quarters. I can't decide which one I love the most. I like this one by Sherri McConnell. 

And I also really like this one, by Julie Herman.

I also think this bundle from Heather Ross' collection called Far, Far Away is super duper cute. Found on Fabricworm!

Loving these colors something fierce. It's Jessica Jones Outside Oslo collection, a bundle on Pink Chalk Fabrics.

Let's not forgot the books. I love books, too. Especially books that teach me more about sewing or whatever my latest passion is. Like embroidery.

Wouldn't mind this one. Doodle Stitching.

 Ooooh, or this one. Sublime Stitching, Embroidered Effects.

I Heart Patchwork. Yes I do, and yes I want this.

What else?

A sewing basket. Mine is a piece of trash that is currently in like four pieces. 

I'd love more bobbins. I seriously have two bobbins. It's a pain in the neck every time I want to switch colors, and I wind up wasting a lot of thread.

Another staple I don't have -- pinking shears! Can you believe I've made it a year and a half into my sewing career without them.

And one last sewing wish list. A bunch of different feet that do all kinds of wild things that will certainly intimidate me for eons before I use them.

What would you buy if you suddenly had some spare change to spend on your crafting habit? What's on your list?

Yay indeed! I won one of those Sew, Mama Sew contests. Aren't I a lucky girl? I only entered a few. Didn't expect to win. But so glad I did and the best kind of contest, too -- one with a fabric prize!

So thanks to Sarah from EmmyLoeBeeDoo for holding a contest and picking me!

The fabric is Heather Bailey. Doesn't it scream summery picnic? What would you make out of one yard of this gem?

Fabric haul!

Did I spend a few hours of my time in Dallas shopping for fabric? Why yes, yes I did.

Last week, I asked whether anyone knew a thing about CityCraft. No one responded, which I expected. What were the chances? Also, it was kind of an obvious answer, right? It's a freaking awesome fabric store. Sure, it was worth the drive!

I spent $44. Not bad, right? I could have gone broke in there.


I wish I'd had a list of projects with me. The owner, Callie, who was very nice and helpful, asked whether I had a project I was working on. Um, no. That would have made things easier, eh? Of course, I had the sewing bucket list in my head, as well as a few other items (a sun hat for Luke, since he asked for one after I made Jack's). But no particular "thing" I was shopping for. I simply wanted to ogle and buy whatever inspired me.

It started with this purple fabric on the left. I'd spied this Joel Dewberry fabric online last week while commenting on another blog, and it was stuck in my mind. So I bought it, as well as the coordinating fabric, with no real purpose for it. A skirt? A shirt? Mother's Day gifts? Help! As someone who does not typically buy "fancy" fabric, it is mighty difficult to decide what to do with it when you've actually got it.

I thought these Robert Kautman prints were adorable, especially for reusable snack bags, or more "Everything" place mats, or perhaps mug rugs. Coasters? That, too. The blender is a fat quarter, the other two are quarter yards.

And these prints -- the plaid is another Joel Dewberry. Pretty sure it is going to be Luke's sun hat and another pair of baby shoes for Jack. With the elephant print as the accent. Isn't that adorable? It was a fat quarter, too, and I have no idea what "brand" it is. It matches so perfectly, maybe another by Dewberry?

Last one! Just thought it was pretty. The green was a fat quarter. I never have coordinating solids.

Shopping for fabric in an adorable boutique? Made. Me. Giddy. If I didn't know it before, I know it now -- I am so happily addicted to this new hobby of mine. I'm wishing now that I'm home that I would have spent more money. I have non-buyer's remorse. Is that a thing?

So which is your favorite? What should I cut up first?