Just a few random photos

Over Thanksgiving I scoured a couple thrift and consignment stores for some new books. Since our Xmas present to ourselves was a vacation (just got back!) I wanted a few new books to read. I read through Three Bags Full in a day and a half. Throughly mindless entertainment which what I was going for. I rarely read fiction, so it was a nice escape and had me laughing out loud at times. And I am over half way on the Handmade Life. I stopped flagging recipes in the book since I was flagging every other one! Lots of cooking inspiration in there. I didn't read as much as I thought I would. The hot tub and massages took up a lot of time!

Before we left for vacation, Jeff hung up a new coat rack in the mudroom. I found it Ikea and just tried to find a link to it, but had no luck. I wanted extra hooks to allow guests to always have a spot to hang up their coats but it had to have a slim profile to not interfere with the door opening and closing from the garage. It is a perfect fit! And to our amazement, the predetermined spots on the back of the coat rack where it is suppose to attach to screws mounted in your wall were actually spaced to accommodate mounting into wall studs. So it is very secure!

And I spent a little time in my cashmere stash and made this sweet broach using this tutorial located on Holidash. I made use of my glue gun with this project because I decided I just had to have it made in one evening. I used my most favorite vintage sparkling button for the center. I want to make a few more because they would make super sweet gifts. And I'd like to make a smaller one for my hair. After completing this project, I decided I need to grow dahlia's in the garden this year. The root stock is crazy expensive, but I ran into a local gardener over the summer that says each year she digs up her dahlia roots and they double in size each year allowing her to split them and have free plants each year. Too bad I didn't get her number! If any gardener is reading this and finds that they have too many dahlia plants, I'll trade you some canna lilies for them! :P

And because my husband is amazing he also surprised me with this and this for Xmas!

Guy gifts are so difficult

Sometimes browsing Etsy is very dangerous. I sort of feel like a thief stealing ideas like this, but they are so good I couldn't help myself.

I wanted to do a DIY Christmas for my co-workers this year. The two girls are easy. I didn't get a chance to photograph what I made them but picture a set of three lavender sachets made from linen and Amy Butler prints, a travel jewelry roll made from Denise Schmidt County Fair fabrics and a pair of earrings made of clear and smoky quartz.

Now the guy, on the other hand, was much more of a battle. I did take note at one conference that he wore a shirt that required cuff links and every fall he takes a couple of weekends to go hunting with his buddies.

So do the math: cuff links+ hunting+Etsy=

I have to say these are my favorite DIY Christmas present to date. And really my husband did all the dirty work. One day after work I informed my husband that he needed to shoot his shot gun. He gave me a weird look but I insisted he get off the couch and shoot his gun. Three times to be exact. I wanted a spare just in case one got messed up. He obliged eagerly. Husband cut the shotgun shell, so I was left with top part of the bullet and I attached some cuff link blanks I had thrifted previously. Definately not a heirloom quality item, but something unique and something I know he will love. I paired these cuff links with a tie pin found at an antique store that has his last initial monogrammed on the front which also happens to be made with two tonal metals. So they kind of go together.

I still have 4 more gifts to make yet. And it's Tuesday. And they need mailed. Not looking good at all!

Second attempt

So I decided to just commit. Commit to a complete reupholster job on the vintage sofa. After months of collecting cat hair (very well, I might add) unused and unloved, I gabbed the husband and we moved it to a better lit room so I could start carefully disassembling it. I have read through three books from the library on upholstering and I have been spending the last two hours browsing the internet and reading this blog. So cross your fingers. Here I go!


Also, I finally purchased drapes for the living room pictured above. This photo was taken sometime last year and have remained that way since. About a month ago I found some lined 95'' panels on JCPennyOutlet.com for $8/panel. Crazy awesome price, I know! The shipped to the store for free. They weren't exactly what I was hoping for, but they will do for now. Since they are lined they will help with insulating the house this winter. I'll grab a photo tomorrow morning to share.

It's sewing season!

I think subconsciously that daylight savings time not only signifies the change in mother nature's seasons, but also my sewing season. I found it extremely difficult to spend time at my sewing machine this summer, but now that it is getting dark around 5pm (boo!) it's more enjoyable to spend time with my iron and sewing machine.

I am busy sewing for December Holiday Handmade Open House. I wanted to include several different sizes of bags and to date I haven't really sewn any handbags. This style of bag is nothing new, but I love the process of making a pattern. I start out by grabbing my ruler and get an idea of the finished size. Then I jot down a few measurements before I start cutting. Being as this was my first attempt at this size and style, I looked in my stash for some fabrics I won't mind messing up. I found a linen calendar towel, some teal corduroy, and brown cotton canvas remnant.
I finished the bag with a cute wooden toggle button from the stash. The interior is comprised of the remaining parts of the linen calendar towel and some chocolate brown polka dot cotton. A zipper pocket and one slip pocket provide additional storage and organization.

Overall, it was a great mental exercise and the finished product was exactly what I was hoping for. That generally doesn't happen! I believe this handbag took less than 1/2 yard of fabric to complete too. When I make my next one I'll have to keep track of the amount used.

I don't think I'll get too much sewing down this weekend. It's date night tonight (very excited about this!) and tomorrow I am taking a road trip to Baltimore with a girlfriend of mine to visit Ikea! Sunday's are for napping. :)

Eye candy

This summer I had some great finds. One day I was chatting with a lady in a semi-local fabric store trying to find fabrics with a similar weave to some vintage cotton I had been collecting. I wanted to start turning them into a quilt. She directed me to a friend of hers that was parting with her 200+ collection of old feed sacks! As you can see from the top photo I came home with several in a purple/orange colors! I cannot wait to start on this quilt! I have been following Stitched in Color's {Colorbrick} Quilt Along and I think I'll be using her pattern to use these fabrics. I also picked up some plain white feed sacks for the sashing.

Also....

I found this pretty little table for a song at an estate sale this summer. I officially now have 2 end tables! Go me.

Etsy Update!

Click the photos for a direct link to the listing.

(Set of 6 Forest Coasters)

(In Bloom Tote)

(Set of 6 Apple Coasters)

(Bye-Bye Birdie Handbag)

PS. I miss blogging! Has Xmas snuck up on anyone else? If you have found a great sewing PDF lately, leave a comment with a link!

August equals tomatoes

August came and went. Where does time go? All I know is that a considerable time was spent in the heat of the garden and then the heat of the kitchen. The photo above reflects some of my efforts with canning a few varieties of heirloom tomatoes. Many we froze in large quantities to make sauce with later. This year we conducted "the great tomato experiment." We have preliminary results in, but the final verdicts will have to be postponed until later this winter when we see how each variety preserved. So far Mr. Stripey gets a thumbs down.

I have been sewing, however, I no longer have Photoshop which make blogging a bit difficult. I downloaded a free trial of Elements and I have been pretty pleased with it! And for whatever reason, I haven't been in a show-n-tell mood all summer. Blech. Hopefully that will change soon. Just in time for the winter light to impair my photography.

In the mean time, did you know I won a contest over on Making It Lovely? The prize was delivered last week. This morning I finally got around to setting it up. I am just smitten!

{Mmm. Espresso!}