Just kidding.
I made a skirt today from this *very* easy tutorial via Aux petits oiseaux.
It’s floral. It’s red. Hmmm. Just in time for Valentine’s Day.
A little closer.
Photos of all of the “red” items in my crafting nook:
Left to right (clockwise): a mini Lazzaroni amaretti tin, Alexander Girard notecards, a sentimental clown finger puppet (found in SF more than a decade ago), a French Baguette bag with ribbon hanging from this dispenser, today’s handmade skirt, and Florence Broadhurst: Her Secret and Extraordinary Lives by Helen O’Neill.
I don’t want to answer that, but hopefully a couple of friends do not mind surprises. The surprises or unexpected packages that arrive in the mail are the most fun. I put together a couple of packages at the end of the week – Friday to be exact. I like to send cookies. I just pray they don’t harden or crumble into pieces upon arrival.
This time I made a shortbread green tea cookie from this recipe. Yum! They are really tiny so you do not have to feel too guilty when eating them.
Added a zippered travel pouch:
Everybody travels with cookies, right? Yeah….it all makes sense now. Please detect some sarcasm there.
Anyway, in the last post, I mentioned a footstool that my husband and I found at an antique store last month. In the very near future, I would like to reupholster it. The only thing that is making it impossible to do right now is not owning a silly staple gun. I am swearing that someday soon when I am out and about/running errands I will remember to pick one up. Okay, so this is what the footstool currently looks like:
This is the “before” photo.
A change of mind about the little “catch-up” from April. It won’t happen. I want to move forward with the here and now. Well, almost here and now….maybe some stuff from last month (hehe). That sounds good to me.
My most recent and completed sewing projects:
Striped lined zipper pouch, little man’s pants and a kimono robe – pattern taken from Amy Butler’s book, ‘In Stitches’. This was my first robe….ever! So yeah, it is a little funky (like most items I make/sew), but it has potential. I see it really working out after sewing two or three more.
What was suppose to be a tie top tank….turned out to be something a little different. The tie top tank tute is from Belle Epoque and linked from Slateblu. It is an excellent tutorial, but oh goodness – I really messed up on the measurements. The end result was salvageable, though. I instantly thought – a little girl’s summer dress with this little felt flower attached would be very cute:
But no. Not this time, anyway. I turned it into a very functional drawstring bag instead. The shape of the bag is going to be a little funky so maybe I can call this one a tie bag tank? Hee hee….bad joke.
It seems like I have been on a vacation….not from work, but from arts, crafts, and posting to my blog. Too busy for anything fun. *grin* But (yay!) I am on another break from work and I can focus again on creative projects.
Let’s see….last week, I mailed off the package to my swap sister, Becka, for the Knitters Coffee Swap. A couple of posts ago, I have a photo of everything she sent me. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of what I sent her, so here is the list: Goat Rock Roast coffee from Taylor Maid Farms (local from Sebastopol), Highlander Grogg (her favorite) coffee, Sparkle Fluff from Mary Jane’s Attic, Misti Alpaca yarn, Barefoot Contessa shortbread mix, and a package of petite dark chocolate covered biscuits. I really hope she liked everything!
Last weekend, we made a trip to Sacramento to see my folks and for a little reunion with a few of my husband’s friends from the college years. The reunion was a good time, but I mainly wanted to spend time with my folks….and have a little belated birthday celebration for my S’mom. Unfortunately, there was hardly any time for a “celebration”, but we were finally able to give her the gifts that we’ve had sitting on one of the chairs in our dining room for at least a month. Ugh! One of the gifts is pictured below, picnic placemats (perfect for summer?):
We also had some time during that weekend to meet up with them for lunch at the Tower Cafe. They serve the yummiest brunch – the Italian scramble and the custard-filled french toast are my two favorites! But… we did not make it in time for brunch, so we had lunch instead. Darn!
Now, I am just trying to wrap things up for the ISE. The scarf is finished and blocked, but I feel really bad that it did not get sent out on time. The deadline was last week! Isn’t that swell?!
I think I am turning procrastination into an art form.
Persistence is key when it comes to learning something new that you eventually want to succeed at. So, this brings me back to the potholder. This is my second try at it, using the same fabric/patchwork. I think I did pretty well compared to my first attempt, but unfortunately, I do not feel it is gift-worthy. My trouble is with sewing the 3-inch opening you leave to turn the fabric right side out. Does anybody out there have any tips/suggestions for me?
My second try is on the right….like the light switch?
