guess what these are

I was strong-armed this morning into making these for my daughter. The best guess of what they are wins some personalized bookplates, a la "thank you nice piano teacher" post from earlier this month. May the best blog-reader win!

a new obsession

I learn so many great tidbits these days from reading blogs. The other day I was reading the fabulous soulemama blog (www.soulemama.typepad.com - sorry, the link thing) and learned about BLURB.com, where you can make REAL books!! With dustjackets, and everything!! So last night I was up far later than I should have been, working on a family book. This is a great option for those of us who do not scrapbook, as you can add text, scanned artwork (I've put in a lot that my little ones have made), letters, etc. The possibilities are endless (as well as, I'm sure, the hours that will be consumed doing this). The above picture of my little man will be the back cover image on our dustjacket (it's the dustjacket that really just puts me over the edge).

fairy invites

It's getting to be fairy-ish around here, to the delight of my little one. Except when she says "actually...I want a penguin party." I was totally inspired by my amazing friend Julia's wedding menu (shown on a previous post).

For those of you interesting in making your own labels, there is a great tutorial on www.shimandsons.typepad.com (sorry, still learning how to make a link! I am pathetic). Shim and Sons is one of my favorite blogs and I think the second one I ever came across. I was totally hooked into this ridiculously addictive blogworld. Anyhow, Melissa and I have some special ideas - coming may 2008 - so stay tuned!

it's official!

It was Lynne's brilliant idea to make some labels--le voila on a simple linen dress. Somehow all our design ideas seem more official with a pretty label.

water

aah, don't you feel relaxed? my friend jennie took a whole series of pictures of the water in her pool. we were looking at the slideshow of them on her computer while our children were totally tearing up her family room next door and both of us just zoned out staring at the shimmers. she's framing this one for her bathroom. Isn't that such a great idea?

a fairy in my garden

Little miss busy is turning four in a few weeks and we are having a garden fairy celebration. My normal party routine is to come up with a lot of time-consuming ideas, write them down on a big master list, look at/amend the list a great deal over a couple of weeks while not actually accomplishing anything, then stay up really late the night before trying to finish. Very stressful. But I have vowed, not this time!

So I started. One thing on the master list is to make flower wreaths for all the little girls. Won't they look sweet, running around all hopped up on sugar in their crowns?

lovely evening light

Yesterday evening the light was just beautiful; it was bright and warm, but not too stark. I got out the camera and started taking pictures--of the kids, the yard, my mom. Then my six-year-old wanted a turn at the camera. He took this photo of me and the three-year-old. He's a pretty good photographer I must say.

The simple linen bird dress in the first photo is one I recently sewed for my girl. I made the pattern up all by chance. I cut it out, quickly and furtively enlarging it from the pattern I made up for the baby, without following any rules or precise measurements like I always do; it drives my mom crazy! (She's so precise and such a perfectionist when she sews). I accidently cut the neck too large. I had intended to make a simple collarless neck sewn with a bit of bias tape. But what to do, it was way too big! How about elastic? The perfect answer, and I must say I liked the results.

little birdie undies

My mom's computer has been out of order for the past few days, and my brilliant niece finally fixed it, so I'm back. I've missed posting and reading Lynne's inspiring posts.

Here are some little bird undies I made for the baby. I first tried to sew a pair that had a seam up the middle of the front and back, but they looked too froufrou. They were all puffy and the bird images were all cut up. So I made my own pattern. My mom is constantly trying to get me to slow down and do things more precisely, but my method is fast and efficient. I've learned that if I'm going to make anything during the little free time that I have, I'd better be fast!

Ode to FLOR

I always love looking through the FLOR catalog (I have yet to ever actually order any...) because I think the rooms they put together are such interesting mixes of art and furniture and fabric. I love the random green chair in this picture - right in front of the fireplace - with those couch throw pillows and purple blanket. Just so pretty.

portrait of the three-year old

Here's a painting I just did of the sweet, crazy little 3-year old in my life. I have a wall downstairs that I'd love to cover with painted portraits of our family members (if you've ever seen Lauren Child's great book, The Princess and the Pea, there are amazing little portraits on the wall throughout her illustrations. I don't think I can post a picture of that because of copyright(?)). Anyway, I used egg tempera paints, which are a lot like watercolor, and new for me. I think I still need to varnish it...

simple linen dress

Here's a simple linen dress I made recently. The pattern was inspired by a 1940's dress that I found in an antique store. The dress is made from one piece of fabric (the sleeves are not separate pieces.) It was quite a simple dress to sew and quite enjoyable to embroider the bird while I watched my kids chasing around the garden.

back from beach

was that only a week? it felt more like about 2 and a half days (except for the long car trips to and from. those felt like 2 and a half days, each). we had a really fun time and the kids loooved playing in the sand and surf and are now mildly obsessed with Shamu. The only creative thing we did (even though i brought a whole, huge basket of supplies) was make tissue paper fish kites one night - very fun and very easy. You take a piece of tissue paper and fold it long-ways, then kind of shred the end with scissors. Glue a pipe cleaner along the short end of the tissue paper and fold over the edge so that the pipe cleaner is securely tucked in there. When it's dry, shape the pipe cleaner into a circle (the fish mouth). The rest is totally up to the individual fish-maker: we glued googly eyes and crepe paper streamers on ours to simulate fins. You could probably go crazy if you happen to have some glitter (which I personally decided against in the setting of rented condo).

estate sale finds

My sister came upon an amazing estate sale today. She rushed home as quick as she could to pick my mom and me up to join her. I bought the lovely milk glass server with vinaigrette bottle, salt and pepper shakers and little salad dressing dishes. (At quite a bargain price, $5!)The table cloth is an original from the 1950's and has retained a lovely cedar smell. My mom said, "I think I have a tablecloth just like that." After searching through her linen closet, she produced one exactly like it, still in the original package with the original price tag, $3.49. I got it 50 years later for only $3.00. What a sale! Now I have two fabulous old tableclothes...maybe curtains, or some dresses, or a lovely tea party, spread with charming old dishes and cozy tea sandwiches and some chamomile.

off to the beach

Off we go for a week to sand and lovely weather which hopefully will be just like weather.com predicts and stay in the mid-70s. One of the things I'm looking forward to is celebrating the birthdays of my two adorable neices, who were born just weeks apart. Here are their little matching presents - black bird shirts and little play pants. Don't peek, Sophie and Mirabel!

thank you nice piano teacher

i have mild anxiety this time of year trying to think of nice thank-you things for the various teachers in our lives. today is the final piano day before summer break, so the pressure was on to come up with something for mrs. sanders, a very patient piano teacher for my little guy. did i stress the word patient?
I ended up making some cards and bookplates (on avery label paper). mainly because i forgot to buy (and grow - ha ha) a zucchini for a nice chocolate zucchini cake.

may the force be with you

Because I have been running around getting ready for the big beach trip - and entertaining small ones who like to rise and shine at 6am - I'm taking a stroll down memory lane today and posting a picture of my son's birthday cake from earlier this year. i'm pretty proud of this: a texas chocolate sheet cake (great, simple chocolate cake & frosting recipie, see end of post) with a hole cut in the corner for a ramekin filled with dry ice & water. From which Darth Vadar emerged. It was a biiiiig hit amongst the kindergarten crowd. (I found the idea on some Star Wars message board -- let me tell you, there's a lot of interesting stuff that comes up when you google "star wars" and "birthday". particularly on you tube).

Texas Chocolate Cake
melt together:
1 stick margarine, 1/2 c. cooking oil, 4 T. cocoa, 1 c. water
mix:
2 c. flour, 2 c. sugar, 1 t. baking soda
Pour the hot butter mixture over the flour mixture.
Beat and add:
2 eggs, 1 t. vanilla, 1/2 c. buttermilk (which I never have on hand, so I substitute 1/2 c. milk + 1 T. vinegar)
Bake in a jellyroll pan at 350 for about 18 minutes - then keep checking for doneness. you don't want to overcook this cake, and it's pretty shallow!

Texas Icing
Heat until almost boiling:
1 stick margarine
4 T. cocoa
1/3 c. buttermilk

In mixer, put:
1 lb. powdered sugar, 1/2 t. salt. 1 t. vanilla. Mix with the cocoa mixture.

*tip: pour the frosting on the cake BEFORE the cake cools! Then it kind of seeps into the surface of the cake and makes it really moist and yummy. Enjoy!

bon voyage my friends!

In the midst of the chaos and stress of getting ready for a month-long trip with three kids, I came up with an addicting project. So addicting that I had to force myself to stop sewing so that I could pack and tackle the mountain of laundry waiting to be folded. Colorful luggage tags...these would make a fabulous gift, and they are so quick to make.

Here's how you do it. Cut two pieces of fabric, four inches by ten inches. Place right sides together, sew, leaving a small opening, then turn right-side out. Top stitch around the edges. Sew a piece of colorful ribbon on each side. Then print your name and address on cardstock, cut out, and adhere into a Scotch Laminating Sheet (As seen in photo #4). Sew the edge of the laminating sheet into the inside of the luggage tag, backstitching to secure. Then simply tie the luggage tag onto your bag and enjoy!

These will make your utilitarian black suitcase easy to identify at baggage claim. Plus, your name is discretely hidden away from view inside of the tag, so any voyeristic travellers will not be able to know all your personal information.

I can't wait to get to Idaho so that I can sew more of these!

true love! and birthday cupcakes for tammy

we went to the most amazing wedding celebration last night. julia, whose practice centerpiece we posted a picture of about a month ago - looked beautiful, the groom looked dapper, and the whole thing was just gorgeous (and delicious). These two are about the nicest people I think I will ever meet, and they just glowed for each other. At the dinner it was so fun to watch the pack of little flower girls roaming around in their white dresses with long colorful satin sashes and gold ballerina shoes... julia had hired a young woman to dress up in a fairy costume, and she entertained the kids with magic tricks and face painting in a special corner that had cushions and blankets all laid out. Such a great touch for a late night! The kids ate it up. Do you see the pictures of the menu? I love how the little flowers are attached so artistically with that layered gold floral tape. julia has such an amazing touch - so simple, so chic! we are just so, so happy for them.
and, happy birthday, tammy! you're the best! i even managed to make you cupcakes that don't resemble bosoms. enjoy.