Knock your socks off!!

My nephew Matt is amazing! No gift for Nattie? Gotta an old sock? Got Aunt Laura's studio stuff? Got 60 minutes? Ya gotta gift!!

Project PEEPWAY

I have a NASTY habit - I LOVE peeps!!! And just when I didn't think I could love them anymore --- this came along!! Click on the peeps to see the perfect marriage of both my NASTY habits!

Happy Birthday Martha!

The big FIVE OH!.......
The new 30........
You're not getting older, you're getting better and better........

But just in case she has one of those "less than better days" - I made my friend Martha a comfort kit (inspired by a tutorial on Sew Mama Sew)!!!


The comfort pad is filled with lime scented rice - just heat it up in the microwave for 1-3 minutes and apply it to where it hurts! The lime scent is terrific! When the birthday girl passed the kit around the table one reveler took a deep sniff and asked: "Where's the margarita?" - too funny!


The eye pillow is filled with eucalyptus-scented flax. Keep it in the freezer and pull it out for headaches and congestion. The eucalyptus scent is so soothing!


Enjoy!

WOW!!! What an apron!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you Wendy! I love, love, love my sassy new Emmeline apron sent to me for the Sassy Apron Swap! I will let the pictures tell the story! Oh well, maybe not just yet - just a few words!! The design is magnificent (the pattern is by Montessori By Hand), the workmanship is impeccable, and the fabric choices inspired! Okay, now for the pictures (I hope Wendy doesn't mind that I used the images she has of the apron on her blog!) ----

A wonderful vintage cherry print on the "front".
I love the gathers on the top of the apron!

And a great vintage kitchen print with wonderful black contrast on the "back"!

I am one lucky swap girl!!

Thanks again, Wendy!

P.S. The quilts on Wendy's website are definitely worth a look!

DIY Mag to Launch - Great News!

Starting in February the gals from DIY Thing will launch "DIY City Mag" - a quarterly online magazine that celebrates the independent artist and the DIY spirit. The first several issues will feature DIY resources in a variety of US cities. Let's hope DC makes the list!! Thanks Wendy and Deb!


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New Favorite Podcast....

"CoffeBreak Spanish" and "Threadbangers" move aside – the ladies of Grits to Glitz have stolen my heart and headset! This dynamic duo dish about PR with a refreshingly witty and thoughtful repartee (okay, they do discuss reality TV but they clearly have gray matter). Woo hoo!!!!


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Tim for Prez

"I have made more bad decisions at 3 o'clock in the morning than I can list..." (Tim Gunn - Season 4)

As a total PR fan and a political junkie I have come to the conclusion that that we have no other choice but to vote for Tim in '08. No arguments, no debates necessary - just pick up you pencil, write him in and make it work!!


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Buff cowboys in your kitchen!

Couldn't pass up this fabulously kitchy fabric - it literally just jumped into my hands at G-Street fabrics! The moment I laid my eyes on it there was NO question that it was destined to be an apron. The only question was - who would be the lucky recipient???!!!! Another no-brainer! She's a great cook and she did own an old red Ford truck in her 30's!!! She will, however, remain unnamed!

I've wanted to stitch up some aprons for the last couple of months (inspired by Amy at Tie One On). I used Cindy Taylor Oates' Retro Aprons pattern. Loved how they came off the machine!

Buff wranglers in your kitchen! Yee haw!!

I stitched this more sedate version for my dear 85 year old mom! Wasn't sure her heart (or my dad) could take the former! She loved it!

I see more inappropriate aprons in my future (and maybe yours)!



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Holiday Crafting Salon at Ipso Crafto!

We hosted our first ever sewing salon last weekend at Ipso Crafto - making holiday stockings! Karen and her staff were incredibly gracious with their space, inventory, and homemade cookies! We had about 6 folks stop by to design and craft a holiday keepsake – for themselves, for cats, and for pooches! Here are some pics of the day---

Zoe's masterpiece

These stockings need homes!

The space!

Nat looks like an old hand at this!

Student and teacher!

Another beautiful creation!

We are definitely looking forward to working with Karen and Ipso Crafto in the future! Hope to see you all at our next lounge - until then, stop by the shop and check out their great inventory!

Holiday Stockings for the Sewing Salon

Here is my first batch of holiday stockings made to use as "prototypes" for the upcoming sewing salon at Ipso Crafto (December 8th). A great way to ease into the holiday season!

Green felt base fabric; white felt stars that I hand-felted to the base fabric. Hand-felting will soon become my new obsession! The tiny bells give it a holiday jingle!

Blue fleece with hand-felted mittens and holly. The "mitten string" is crafted from ribbon I got at Trim Tex last summer. I finished the stocking with a blanket-stitched edging.

And finally a hot pink fur-topped elf stocking - with a bell at the curly toe! Although the color in the photo seems to red red - the color of the felt is definitely hot pink.