August Lately

Hooray for Blog Mentions!

Brandy from Indie Obsession emailed me yesterday to tell me that she featured my summery floral wristlet on her blog. Thanks Brandy!

Here's the wristlet she featured:

My Baby the Preschooler

Liam is officially a preschooler.

The morning (and the much-dreaded departure) went better than I ever could have imagined. Kody and Liam were both super and Liam wasn't in the least upset when we left.

I think it's going to be a great year...

Scarflettes!

I've been planning to make scarflettes (also spelled scarflets) for the fall, and I completed my prototype today. It's made of the softest yarn ever (an acrylic/wool blend) and has a vintage button closure. I'm loving it!

I'll be adding these in blue, light pink and mossy green in the next site update.

School Again School Again

Yesterday we went to parent teacher conferences (our awesome little school has the first one *before* school) and met with Kody's new teacher, Mrs. Goodrich. I love her already. She has the kindest eyes and is so chilled out. She said that she's noticed Kody since kindergarten (he's starting 4th grade) because he's such a happy, bright kid. Awww, how it warmed this mommy's heart!

We also took Liam to his preschool open house, which is actually just down the hall from his brother's classroom! We met his teacher (well, I already knew her, but Liam met her) and some of the kids that he will be going with.  Liam has always been  home with me, and has never been left with anyone but his grandparents, so we weren't sure how he would do. He played really nicely and even talked with the adults a lot.

We still haven't had to leave him yet, but we talked about it this morning (tomorrow you're going to go to school and play with your friends and Mommy will go home to work for a while. But I'll be back to get you later!) and he really seemed fine with the idea. Maybe it's because he's been coming with me to drop off/pick up Kody at the same school for his entire life. Either way, this is one very relieved and somewhat excited mommy typing this. I'm really looking forward to this year for both of my boys. Have I mentioned I love our little school (Which, consequently, my husband and I both attended as well)?

Liam will be going three days a week, which will become my official work hours. I have always grown my business very slowly and kept it at a small scale so that I could be a mom first and foremost, and now I'm starting to get very excited at the possibilities that the new year holds for the business. To be able to really devote daytime work hours to my business, to make and receive business calls in peace. I'm giddy just thinking about it!

Sunday Morning

Ahhh Sunday. Right now, my lazy bum is in bed with the laptop and a hot cup of coffee that Liam helped Daddy make for me. Kody's still sleeping. He's preparing for his teens I guess.

I've been meaning to tell you all about a site that Kristopher Dukes, a blogging acquaintance of mine, sent me an invitation to. At that point it was invitation only but it looks like it's open to all now. I could be wrong, but it's still worth checking out.

ThisNext is a very cool shopping/tagging/recommendation site akin to Wists, Stylehive, Stylefeeder and the like, but I have to admit, I'm really liking this one better than the others. My favorite feature is the little shopcast that you can now view in my sidebar waaaaayyyyyy down below my blogging friends list (I never realized how many friends I had in the blogosphere- that list is long!)

It's just a neat way for me to share the wonderful handmade things I've found on the web, and to let others know about *my* new products too! Check it out. You'll soon be addicted. Sorry 'bout that!

Oh Happy Day

Today was my morning to work at the Post Office, and when I came home, the boys were out with their dad, so of course I took advantage of the uninterrupted time to sew. I decided to make something that I had had in my mind for a while, but just hadn't gotten around to doing.

Do you ever have such a wonderful idea for a project that you're afraid to make it, have it flop, and ruin your vision? That was me with this idea, and I know I had been somewhat unconsciously putting it off for that exact reason.

Well, I'm glad I finally did it, because it was one of those rare times when the finished product came out so much cuter than what I had envisioned.

It's a clutch version of the vintage totes I've been making. The front pocket has a hidden snap closure and the main bag closes with a flap and vintage button. At 7x5, it's a roomy little bag with plenty of space for all of the essentials.

I just put this one up in my Etsy shop, but I'm sure there will be more in different prints. I'm thoroughly addicted.

Thank you Carrie for reminding me that it was Janet who had found the little flower bowl! After reviewing her post, I realize how very similar the two are. How awesome is that?

So now that I've completed a sewing project and a blog post, I'm feeling pretty accomplished. I think I'll make a fresh cup of coffee and snuggle up in the hammock with the latest Blueprint Magazine.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Thrift Thursday a Day Late

I had the photos downloaded and ready to post yesterday, I promise! But I had a little boy who wanted me to go upstairs to read to him and I never did make it back down to the office.

Not much in the way of fabric, but I did make some great finds!

This is a cute little vintage apron in a design I've never seen before- someone actually cut a half-circle out of a rectangle of fabric and ran the ties along the curved line, then used bias tape on the rest of the edges. The result is a very wavy, pleated-looking apron with considerably less work. Clever!

A tea towel apron that I just had to have. I love the orange flowers.

I can't remember where, but I read on someone's blog just the other day that they found a flower shaped bowl while thrifting. I thought to myself- "geez, I'd love to find one of those!"

Well, lo and behold, what did I find at the thrift store?

A pretty little white bowl that looks like a flower! Also a cup and saucer from a particular 1930's collection called Georgette (AKA petalware) by W.S. George. It's not a terribly pricey thing to collect, which makes me happy, and the pretty designs and colors of this collection make me smile. I found several pieces for my mom for her birthday, and then found these. I decided to keep these for myself and build my own collection.

I also found a vintage sears nightgown in a sweet print, and vintage yardage cotton in a nice floral print. They were both in their oxyclean soak when I took photos so we'll have to wait for those. I also snagged a couple of jars of old buttons. Nothing terribly exciting in there  but I did find a few that looked like bakelite and another that appears to have swarovski crystal in it. The rest will make great crafty fun for my boys, so all-in-all a good investment.

Along that subject, I've been quietly amassing a collection of vintage plastic buttons. I love the flower shaped ones and I've been haunting ebay for them. I almost won an auction for 300 of them, but was outbid in the last few hours. I really, really prefer the buy it now format, but buttons are so collectible that smart sellers know they have a good chance to make more money if they go auction style. Ah well, there's always the next mother lode!

I've been meaning to photograph my little beauties to share, so hopefully some time soon (after I get my new digital SLR. Shhh! I didn't say that, really. I'm not obsessing about getting a new camera! Not me! Ok, fine. Yes, I'm obsessed with getting this thing. I'm a photography lover, and actually have a fair amount of college education in it. The little point-n-shoot Canon is wonderful, but I sorely miss the artistic freedom of SLR. I'm afraid there will be a momma needs a new camera sale at Adorneya in the very near future. Can't. Hold. Out. Much. Longer!).

I'm excited to share the second vintage pocket tote that I've made. I'm really enjoying making these.

This one makes use of a cute birdie print that I only got a teeny amount of. I probably have enough to make one more tote like this, but that's it. They way the print is laid out, there are only birds every 12 inches, and who wants a birdie print bag with no birdie? This one's going up in my etsy shop later today.

Vintage Fun

I've been working on a couple more vintage pocket totes. In a way, it feels so nice to use vintage fabric, like I'm giving it new life. In another, it feels like a crime to cut up something that has survived unused for so many years. In the end, I always come to the conclusion that it is better for them to be used, and brought out into the open air where they can be seen and appreciated.

Here are two piles that will soon become totes:

I absolutely adore these two vintage prints and I can't wait to see them in finished bags. I also have an idea for a clutch with a front pocket like the totes. We'll see if I can find time to whip one up this week...

More Sewing Fun

Last night inspiration struck (love when that happens!) and in less than an hour I had drafted a pattern, cut and sewed this pretty little tote bag. It's odd since I haven't been feeling well at all lately and that's normally when I feel the least creative. Perhaps my muse wanted to cleanse my creative palette after all that skull fabric!

The front pocket is made from some gorgeous vintage fabric I found a few weeks ago. There is a snap to hold the pocket closed which I disguised by sewing a vintage button over. All in all, I'm very happy and will definitely be making more!

I presented my sister's bag today and I know she loved it because she instantly put it on and paraded it around the house. Mom says I'll be getting orders- I don't think I particularly want to make a career out of sewing skull-adorned messenger bags, but we'll see!

The first day of school for my little ones is next Wednesday, August 30th. In a way, I'm really looking forward to it, but part of me is really dreading Liam's first day of preschool. We've decided that two boys is enough for us, so it's the closing of a chapter that I'll likely never open again. Of course, another way to look at it is that we're starting a whole new one, and that's what I have to keep telling myself. My precious boys are growing so much every day and all I can do is be here to support them and make sure they know how much they are loved. Mom's work is hard sometimes!

Busy!

I've been sewing up a storm despite not feeling so well these past few days.

First up- two new wristlets. The one on the left went to my mom for her birthday, but the other is now up in my etsy shop. Once I have a few more in stock, I'll be adding them to the main site. I am loving my little prototype, it's the perfect size and so cute! I've gotten lots of oohs and ahhs, so I'll take that as a good sign.

Next, I finished my (much younger!) sister's custom messenger bag for school. I'm normally a bit of a procrastinator, so I'm particularly pleased with the fact that I had it finished a full week before school starts. I get a gold star!

It's heavy black duck canvas and the cotton print is heavily interfaced. Triple stitched and then some! The girl is usually carrying her own weight around in books so I wanted to make sure this thing holds up.

The lining is the same skull print, again, heavily interfaced. I sewed a d-ring inside and made a matching pencil pouch with a clip. I didn't want to do internal pockets because I thought it would put too much stress on the structure of the bag, so that was my solution.

The bag is held closed with two magnetic snaps at the bottom corners of the flap (not attached in the photo). The flap only looks so long because the bag is empty. When it's filled, it fits perfectly and I must say I'm really proud of it. The skull fabric isn't normally my thing but hey, it's for my sis. Even I will work with skull fabric when it's for someone else :)

In other news, I recently discovered an indie boutique -Made Boutique- in Burlington, Vermont! My friend and Craft Revolution partner Tamara pointed them out to me. I have emailed a few times with Sara, the owner, and I'll be taking some things up to show her next week. I'm so excited to finally see the indie world moving into my home state. Yay!