LAST NIGHT

3 hours of sleep.

Not because I couldn't sleep.

Because I got involved.

Involved cutting out eight (yup, 8) patterns:

• Pinafore
• Rumba pants
• Romper [for boys]
• Blue linen dress [this one will be hard to part with]
• A few bibs
• Sundress thing

I also got involved making a dress [90% complete & sweet as heck].

The cool part: my mom and I were sewing [and ironing] together [obv. working on different projects]. I probably would not have stayed up so late had she not been. It is so great to have someone next to you that loves what you're doing as much as you do.

Getting me through right now: The fact that it is Friday and the gigantic iced coffee on my desk right now.

*it is all for the shop

THE FIRST [of many]

First I'd like to say thank you for the kind words [and de-lurking] yesterday. It is those little things that make me really really want to write.

I've got a little surprise for today.

It is a shop update.

A small update, but an update.

Over the next few days I will be adding more items so...keep your eyes peeled.

And please please let me know if there is something you'd like to see in there but isn't. Ok?

I added a new section called 'Samples.' Basically, it will be a great place to get lux risa items at a little bit of a discount since they will be 'first additions.' It is always a little tough working with or on a new pattern and there are always little imperfections. The imperfections are not anything that compromise the integrity of the garment, they are just little oops here and there that no one [but me] will notice. Instead of having a growing pile of first additions hanging around, I'll put them in the shop!

So la la la. That is my great news of the day!

xo

Studio Inspiration

In getting back from vacation [which I do promise to post about] and getting ready for a long weekend, I've begun to think about the best way to utilze a small workspace.

Before flickr became my best friend I would just save images to my hard drive so unfortunately I don't have the original image links. I know that 2 & 3 are Martha Stewarts personal studio. The others...well make me wish I had a space like theirs!

Until then I am going to try and incorporate some great shelving for storage, a table to cut on possibly and am going to join the hoop-la.

A LITTLE MORE

A new little space to hold all [or some] of my mostly used tools. That little green lid is a jar filled with buttons and darning needles and stitch markers. lux risa Moo cards that always make me smile [I am glad I ordered more]. A pattern piece that has fallen to the wayside. Disappearing ink used mostly for embroidery but sometimes in my sewing. That do-dad that looks like a ruler is one of the best tools I have ever purchased - it is used to make sure your hem/edge is straight [goodness knows I need that].

I am still putting together all of my notions [apparently I like to spread them out in different places]. The beginning of the spot that will house my thread. I love thread. I buy it even when I don't need it. Ribbon...don't get me started on the ribbon. A few of my favorite snippets are living there at the moment.

Scissors x2 + hammer + ruler. Blue scissors are for paper only and the fancy purple ones are for fabric. My mama always said you need 2 pairs. What I am really coveting are these.

Oh how lovely. I am also a paper craft addict and that little hammer is the best thing ever when it comes to adding eyelets and other embelishments. [Note: it is also fantastic for putting together Ikea dressers]

[Wrapping] Paper lined drawers [I can't remember where I saw this - my google reader? kirtsy? one of the two I am sure]. I like it - the paper is a reversible kind that you can order from school fun raisers, nice and heavy - I am thinking that I really want to do this in coordinating fabric though - in pretty yellows and greens to match:

This just makes me smile every gosh darn time I look at it. I am so lucky to have known my Great Grandmother, Alice, for such a long time. She was the epitome of a lady and she still knew how to have fun. To this day I can still remember the way her house smelled, how she had the same cookies in the cookie jar every time [Keebler fudge stripes], the way her skin felt all wrinkly and soft.

I grew up one street over from her and there was never a time that we were not visiting or she visiting us. A constant well of love, understanding and wisdom, I loved to sit and listen to her tell stories about her childhood, our family and of how much things had changed over the years - all while watching her hands as they click clacked with the knitting needles.

I think I could write about 'Great Gram' for hours.

This desk that she decoupaged is such a wonderful piece of her - it reminds me of where I get my creative streak and of how proud she'd be that I've continued on in something that was so very dear to her. One of the many reasons that what I do is so near to my heart.

A NEW WORKSPACE

A new little spot where she can live every day. My very own 'studio'. While it is only a little corner of a room, I love that I can do a little here and there without having to pack up.

To make this little spot even more special, the desk was decoupaged by my great-grandmother many many years ago.

{more to come on this gem of a desk. the inside...that is another whole post in itself}

SENDING

new designs + a little bundle of love that was send to one of my favorite people.

FABRIC FANATIC

{updated}

I have phases when I like to knit and then I have phases when I like to sew and then I have phases when I like to embroider. Basically I like it when my hands are busy. Usually I have three of the above projects going. This leads to a lot of stashing. A lot. I love finding new materials even if I don't have a use for them yet. While browsing Etsy last night I made some major finds...now all I have to do is decide!

I like the bottom two fabrics for a little girls dress

What about this for a pair of boys 'ankle biter' pants for the spring/summer? Fishie legs with polka dot cuffs?

This needs a coordinating larger print so that I can make a dress but I love its vintagey feel

What do you guys think?

Also...does anyone have any good sources for boy-ish fabric. There is SO much to choose from for the little ladies but the boy stuff...I think it is hard to find non-cheesy, not car or truck related fabric for boys. I like the classics like stripes and seersucker for the little men in our lives but I'd like to think outside the box and still achieve classic style.

A sneak peek into the shop update:
(the light gray and dark gray denote coordinating fabrics)

Shop Etsy: Starlit nest, Lucky Kaeru Fabric, down shadow lane

I am adding this from ReproDepot because I am in luuuuuurve with it. It is not something that I would/can carry in my shop because it just doesn't fit but man I need to make a little girlie a dress out of it:

Maybe even a summer top for me? Ooooh I love this so much. Add to cart.

BIRTHDAY INVITES: MINI SLEEPING BAGS

{updated}

My friend Wendy asked me to help her with an idea for invites for her daughter's birthday party. She knew that since it was going to be a sleepover that she wanted the invites to somehow be in the form of sleeping bags. My immediate thought was little mini sleeping bags made out of fabric!

Originally I was going to put a zipper in the side so that they really would be a working mini sleeping bag. When I actually got to sewing them, I realized that I could sew it halfway shut and tack down the corner (to get the sleeping bag look) that way the invite would have a pocket to slide into.

Each sleeping bag is two coordinating fabrics with some polar fleece in the middle for that puffy look. After sewing the three layers together on three sides (right sides together with the fleece on the bottom), I ran a straight stitch across each third of the fabric. I folded the bottom open edge in and ironed it, then folded the whole shebang in half. Sew down the bottom half of the open side then across the bottom 'hem' to seal the deal. The last step was to fold down the open corner and then tack it from underneath to hold it open.

Viola!

There was no real pattern that I used - I kind of made it up as I went along and the whole project went pretty quickly. Wendy had some AMAZING vintage fabric to work with that were all cut out in the same size squares so I just cut the polar fleece to fit.

The pocket will hold a check sized invite (the top picture shown has a check in the pocket). These were a bit hit with everyone - I wish that I was having a sleep-over so that I could send these invites out!

If there is enough interest in these buggers I am happy to put together a real tutorial with pattern so that you don't have to wing it like I did!

Update: Wendy and her daughter decided to print the invites on paper dolls!