Tuesday, February 24, 2009

and a matching bag...

You didn't think I was going to let all those pretty Anna Maria Horner fabric scraps go to waste did you? I am playing around with a new design.... maybe this is a little deep? or good for those days when you have lots of stuff to haul around. Anyways, I love the way it went together. There will be more variations to this one for sure! Happy Tuesday!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

good news peeps lovers!

Allyson & I were reading the ingredients on a package of peeps today (you know, those gooey sweet marshmallowy chicks, bunnies, etc?) & it says right on the package Gluten Free! LOL if only I liked them a little more....

Funny how I never noticed the words "Gluten Free" before but now they jump right off the package... Life is funny that way

Friday, February 20, 2009

the model

As promised.....




I did make her take off the striped tshirt before the photos! Haha! Amazing she found a tshirt that matches!

the skirt...


On Monday, Allyson requested a trip to Quilt Assylum since she was off school. She wanted to see first hand Anna Maria Horner's fabrics (yes, my 12 year old follows Anna Maria's Blog!) She fell in love with this one, from the Good Folks line.... so I bought 2 yards for PJ pants, as she requested (& several fat quarters for a matching bag. who needs a matching bag for PJ pants? Allyson does apparently!).

Well, off we went to lunch, with our purchases in hand. & somewhere between the eggdrop soup & the mini chocolate dessert at PF Changs, the PJ pants became a bohemian style, full skirt! That Allyson has a mind that doesn't stop. And so, you guessed it, off we went to the fabric store for a pattern.

Now, I had noticed that this particular fabric has wide bands of striping that go around... AND the flowers fall in vertical stripes as well! Every seamstresses nightmare, lots of matching! Thanks a bunch Anna Maria! The first few skirt patterns Allyson found were multitiered & would have been impossible with this fabric (ok, proabably not impossible, but very difficult). We settled on the full skirt above. Of course, this skirt required twice as much fabric as the PJ pants we had originally planned! Another trip to Quilt Assylum for two more yards and a half yard of coordinate for the sash.... not that I'm complaining mind you!

So now her skirt is finished & I imagine we will have to go find the perfect top & maybe leggings to match? I can't wait for her to come home & model it for me... but I wanted to share it with you NOW! Ahhhhh I wonder where my children get their impatience?

Monday, February 16, 2009

bag needs a name!


Here's my latest creation... but it needs a name! I am making my first attempt at writing up a pattern to publish for this bag (also working on some variations! stay tuned). What should I call it? I had so much fun with these fabrics... they are Lizzy House's new fabrics, Lizzy Dish. I thought maybe I would keep this sweet little bag for myself but alas, Allyson has declared it her favorite ever! Hmmm a preteen likes it? Must be ok..... so I think I'll pick up some more & make myself one & give this one to Allyson. It only took 3 fat quarters to make it (& a couple of coordinating scraps from my stash!). Hubby is researching copyrights & any advice from anyone is most welcome!

I was having so much fun working on this on Saturday night I totally lost track of the time.... maybe that's why Allyson likes it so much? It afforded her an extra hour or two before bedtime!

Happy President's Day!

Friday, February 13, 2009

a clean start

Although I am constantly telling people (ok, mostly people who are forced to live with messy me!) that I need my "stuff" all around me in order to create.... every now & then I have to dig out from under the pile of nonsense & start fresh in a clean craft room! So today I had a whole day to myself & I decided it was time! I filed the magazines in a pile on the floor.... ironed the shirts piled on my couch (yes, some of them were SUMMER shirts! Yikes!) cleaned up all the piles of fabric, yarn, patterns, beads, etc. & wow! It's really pretty comfortable in here!

So I opened up my laptop at one end of my workspace, hooked my ipod up to my fancy jobshop radio & caught up on all the podcasts that were piling up (a little high tech tidying up too!). Two episodes of Quilting Stash, a Craftcast, a Craftypod.... worked a little on my latest secret project (you never know who reads these things!), played a few games of online scrabble... & my room is still clean!

I do need to tackle the closet still (anyone want to come help?). The system is in place; a year or so ago Allyson & I sorted every craft supply known to man into matching see through boxes, labelled them neatly & put them on new shelves built by my sweet husband! If only I would take the time to put things back where they belong... but alas that is not in my messy nature.

I'm always envious when I see artists beautiful, tidy, studios in magazines & online... mine will never look like that! At least not for more than a day or so... oh well!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

what's in a name?


Ahhhh I am feeling a tad bit guilty about something & I have to get it off my chest. You see, this weekend at the retreat there was some sharing of what names mean & how they are important. We also spent some time discussing Ruth, remember her from the old testament? She's Naomi's loyal daughter-in-law, the one who followed her all the way back to Bethlehem even though Naomi was whining & moaning about having "nothing" & how bitter she was (so what was Ruth anyways, chopped liver???? but I digress) Ruth is the one we often quote at our weddings... you know, "whereever you go, I will go..... your people will be my people, your God will be my God"? & what does Ruth mean? Confidant! Loyal friend. So, what does this have to do with me???

Well here's the thing. My name, the one my parents gave me at birth, is Ellyn Ruth. Ellyn (light) Ruth (loyal friend). The Ruth is in honor of my Aunt Ruth, a wonderful woman who has an adventurous spirit (That's her in the picture above, ziplining in Thailand!) & a big heart. So what did I do when I got married? I ditched the "Ruth"!! That's right. I just up & dumped my middle name. & now I'm feeling very guilty. Like perhaps I should take it back! Can you do that? I imagine it would be quite a hassle with the social security office, the credit reporters, all of that. sigh....

So, I don't think I'll go through the formal process of taking back my Ruth... but I will no longer leave it out when someone asks for my full name. Because I like it. & I hope I can live up to it & always be a Loyal Friend.

Thanks for letting me pour my heart out! Oh & while we're at it, Thanks Tracey for nudging me to get back to writing more. You're right, it needs to happen! Are you sorry now?

Saturday, February 7, 2009

retreat


This weekend 16 women from my church enjoyed a wonderful retreat at Springhill Retreat Center in Richardson Texas. Our theme was "Remaining Faithful through Change". We had such a great time. Part of our weekend was spent learning journalling techniques. Here's my pal Laura, working on her journal. She just looked so peaceful & reflective there in the window!



Something else we did was make quilt squares representing each woman, which I am going to sew into a quilt when they are all done. I ironed 9 inch squares of cotton muslin onto freezer paper & the ladies decorated them with fabric markers. Many of them added their favorite Bible verses....




I just love these wonderful ladies. Each of them brings something so special to the mix. Our pastor's wife, Janie, led our study sessions & she is so insightful & wise. Ahhhh.... I feel so refreshed! Maybe we should do this every weekend?








Thursday, February 5, 2009

birthdays...

So, it shows up every year & every year it makes me a little reflective, a little thoughtful.... & today for my birthday my sweet friend Lisa sent these gorgeous flowers! I have them on my mantle with an assortment of thoughtful gifts from girlfriends.... fuzzy socks, a sewing book, earrings & a lovely journal.... I have the most wonderful friends! Tonight my sweetie will return from North Carolina & he & the kids & I will celebrate together & perhaps make a trip to Baskin Robbins......

I continue to be amazed at how quickly the years fly by & how little I manage to accomplish! This is the year I plan to organize my thoughts & decide what it is I want to be when I grow up! Suggestions?