Valentine paper piñata

We were thankful to take a little trip to Mexico for our 10th anniversary – so I decided to make a little paper heart piñata for my hubby for Valentine’s.  He is actually taking a class this weekend so I decided to get him a few of his favorite treats to keep him focused…

After cutting two paper hearts out of 12×12 thick paper, I used my daughters craft sewing machine to sew it up.  Remember the little hedgehogs?  I made some little love-y raccoons to join them.

OK, so I think the results would have been a little better had I pulled out my larger machine, since the petal on this one no longer works.  You can flip a switch that powers it automatically,  I kind of flip the switch and crazy turn the paper as it sings away (although I see it dropped a few stitches…) I don’t think he’ll mind.  Did you make something cute for valentines?

Hark the glad sound!

One of my friends stopped by this weekend to show me her completely unique Christmas cards she is making this year.  She saw my Bethlehem print and when she heard this song it inspired her own design.  Each card was quilted using patches of different colored fabrics and she hand embroidered the letters! Wow, way to go June-Marie! I want to be on that Christmas card list :).

somebody smock me before I am tempted

I spied some beautiful smocking (folds/ pleats) on etsy this morning at yorktown road.  There are often many lovely things made by great artisans on etsy but I am truly smitten with the linen and gentle design.  She puts her process pics on flicker, I am a sucker for process.

My want was not long-held as my aunt surprised me with some lovely monogrammed linen hankies from my late grandmother Kathleen in the mail.   So precious to receive reminders and mementos of those who have passed that we loved dearly.  It makes me more excited for my cousin’s wedding in a few weeks, it will be the first time being all together since Granny’s funeral 3 years ago.  I have 16 cousins on that side of the family!

the lost art of making

I made something today.  We are quite avid cloth napkin users because they are so easy and super handy.   We always tend to grab sets of napkins, or two of one pattern for the adults and two of another for the kids.  Inevitably they all get mixed up and we can’t remember whose is whose.  I saw a set that I really liked at a big box store but the price tag I did not…  so I decided to make some.  Scoring a sale on fat-quarter fabric, I wound up with six perfect different batik colors for honestly less than one priced in the pre-made set.

After cutting and ironing, I was somewhere between “these are pretty easy” and “man there are a lot of steps”.  I was determined to not sell out for convenience. The shame in buying would be the instant gratification, added price, and the cost of one more thing…  skills.  Sure there are lots of crafty people who make things for fun, but what if it was your job, what if you had no other option but to make the thing you needed?  Could you?  We are such a consumerist society buying all our needs and wants, but beyond shedding our wealth to huge companies and factory workers in other nations we are loosing this other precious resource. We’ve lost touch with what it takes to make.

This first seemed apparent to me in college when one of my roommates (sweet and innocent as can be) and I were trying to sew something.   After threading the needle and making a few stitches she turned to me unable to understand why they were not staying in…  she had forgotten to tie a knot at the end of her thread.  While this seems like a simple mistake, I ask the question is common knowledge becoming uncommon?

They may not be perfect but they will do more than fine for what they are.  Will you spend the time this week to make something – a home cooked meal, ride your bike to the store, or try something new like sewing?  It may take a bit longer and you might mess up a bit, but I can guarantee you will feel that sense of accomplishment, enjoyment in your toil and maybe just learn a new skill.

* did I say cloth napkins, I meant to say pirates hats!

waiting for snow and dreaming of a new camera strap

Well no snow yet… every school is around us is closed except us!  I am seeing many joyous announcements of folks on facebook who already know they have a snow day tomorrow.  I imagine I will find out at 4AM when I hear the snow plows charging indignantly down my street.  I wonder how many garbage cans they will hit since it’s garbage day too…

Any how,  I have been looking up new kilns tonight and more realistically thinking about a new camera strap.  I found this great little tutorial at Ikat bag on making them here .  I have been looking for fabric but then it dawned on me that a cotton dish towel would be the perfect size.  I don’t know how you feel repurposing but this would be a perfect upcycle.  They make some of the most gorgeous fabric into towels especially at crate and barrel.  I just want to frame some of them.  So not sure if these are the ones I am going to settle on but they suit my fancy tonight and now that I am posting, they look very similar to me.  humm…

snow and sewing

Snow storm today… It is absolutely beautiful out, we spent about 2 hours outside playing with friends, building snow forts, shoveling, riding on sleds, snowball fights… you get the picture.   The moment we stepped inside S began asking to use her new little sewing machine again.  It was by far her favorite present that she opened last night, within 30 minutes of opening it she sewed up these two little felt sleeping bags and pillows for her littlest pet shop animals and a little bag with a heart pocket for them today.

I have really been wanting to find a way to spend some special time with just her, so this may be the ticket.  To be honest when I was about her age I had a little rabbit family of calico critters, I spent hours hand-sewing clothes and little beds with embroidered carrots on them.  Glad to see her developing this passion on her own (and with maybe a little encouragement.)

The coolest part of this is I got this little pixie sewing machine for free!  Yep sometimes others cast-offs become our new treasures.  I was wanting to get her one anyways to learn on but wasn’t sure that she was old enough.  I should have known with all the exposure this kid has, she would know just what to do.

More about this little machine, the reviews I read online for this and other kids/crafting machines are really not that great.   So I must have scored that 1 in 1000 machine, because I love it!  This is such a great machine for a new little learner or crafter.  It comes with a petal, multiple stitch patterns, a back-stitch, even a light, not to mention that its purple!  When she gets enough practice I will just move her up to my larger machine.  I love how small and light it is, very easy to pull out for a quick little project or sewing on paper.  If you are really getting into sewing or have an older child you may want to research a student version or simple sewing machine, but this works great for this purpose.  Six year old approved!