Monday, October 28, 2013

Sorry, I Did it Again

So, I find myself suddenly two weeks with out any blog activity when I had promised some Halloween crafting posts among other good intentions. I have been busy, and not just with the list that I had posted.
When you learn to sew it is like owning a pick-up, everyone wants you to move, er, sew for them. So I haven't finished any costumes yet, I have set a deadline for myself of tomorrow for Meara and today for Joseph.
It is that time of year, moose hunting season. I don't hunt, nor does Dan, but Dan is a meat cutter so he works like mad from now till Christmas with a rare day off to recover. Dan's days off are for Dan, so even if I plan a post for that day, if he is off I will make sure he gets priority. So that is one small part of the excuse. I wont bother with it all. It has been a long few weeks.
So what is new? Well, I don't have to go back to work until the start of February (gotta love the Canadian Maternity/Parental leave program) and it is a few months away but still fast approaching. I have begun looking for work, I think it is time for a change and would rather not go back to my old job. I even had my first preliminary interview about 20 minutes ago by phone, yay!
Then comes that big headache, I need childcare. I hate that part. I really do.
Finding good childcare is never easy, it is emotional, it is stressful, and sometimes I would rather just let the personal finances go to hell in a hand basket and stay home with my kiddlets. But being a stay at home is not a realistic option, so childcare will have to be sought.
That said, I have an even longer list today so I am going to get at it and try to get some child care connections worked out.
Have a happy Tuesday and I will get a Photo Friday post this week for sure, since there are Halloween pictures to be shown.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

These be Busy Days


It has been a busy week for me. Last week my Nana came to town so there was plenty of visiting, and then we celebrated Thanksgiving with a big family feast at my sisters, and then had another smaller dinner the next day for Dan's parents. I spent yesterday between housework and grocery shopping.
Sometimes life can feel like a great big to do list. This week my list is looking a little something like this:

  1. Write a blog post since I have been silent a week
  2. Chores chores chores, got dishes laundry and floors (at least I got the garbage to the curb already!)
  3. Put together stationary swap package so I can get in the mail by Monday
  4. Finish putting snaps in diaper inserts that have been sitting in the sewing pile at least a month and list to Etsy
  5. Finish sewing Jill's Birthday gift
  6. Sew Meara up some booties
  7. Sew Joseph up a ghost Halloween costume
  8. Make Meara ballet slippers with matching tutu, leggings, headband and top for her Halloween costume
  9. Clean up the sewing room so I can start stocking my Etsy shop for the holidays
  10. Stock Etsy shop for the holidays
  11. Sew up a few Christmas gifts so I can say I have it started BEFORE the end of October
  12. Put together some kind of Tutorial or craft post for Tuesday
  13. Find some time in my daily routine for a small work out of some kind
  14. Childproof the living room as that girl really wants to crawl
  15. Actually finish at least half of this list
  16. Turn a year older on Saturday and enjoy myself a little
So, I will try to sneak in another post somewhere between now and Tuesday but if I do it means I am procrastinating on something. Well, I better get at it, I have never known my list to complete itself.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Mama Wants to Play Dress Up

Please wake up now sweetie, mama wants to play dress up.

This is the Brindle and Twig yoga pants pattern again, only this time I just had to add ruffles.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Craft-tastic Tuesday - My Stash is Ahhhhh!!!! In Need of Help

This is most but not all of the quilting cotton portion of my stash
In some ways my fabric stash is small, I have been sewing for less than a year, it is young. And it is not. There is no balance to it, no rhyme and no rhythm. My tiny space is often taken over by the mass of fabrics everywhere.
I have bins of apparel knits and wovens, yet I barely sew any clothing. Just a few baby items so far. But I am drowning in fabric that would be perfect for my wardrobe. I really need to get brave and selfish sew.
Most of my stash comes from my Gram, who was great with a sewing machine, and made a lot of her own clothing. Every time I pull one of these fabrics from the bins I think of her and I wonder what her plan was for that fabric. Sometimes I have a good idea what she may have intended and sometimes it is less clear. I feel it is really important to use these fabrics and use them well.
I have the same Autumn skin tone, as my Gran called it, so though not all these fabrics have prints that I would have chosen for myself, they are in colors that suit me well and I will feel comfortable in. My Gram also bought multiple yards at a time so I know I have enough fabric to work with.
It is time now that I try to make use of these. I can drool over fabrics at girlcharlee.com all I want, but I need to make room in my stash and master new skills before I overload myself. So what I am going to do is post one fabric at a time and ask you, my readers, for suggestions of patterns and advice. Please help me find the right project for these wonderful fabrics that do have a lot of meaning for me. These projects can be anything from clothing for myself, siblings, and children to items to dress the home.
I will post a few photos once a month, and a description of the fabric. I will tell you if it is a knit, about its drape, if it is synthetic or not and answer any questions asked and I hope that in the comments you can suggest great projects and help me.

Octobers Fabric Selection
Here is what I know:
Type - Knit
Colour - Bright Red
Stretch - 2 way 30%
Weight - Medium  to Heavy weight
Pattern - Solid red with a diamond pattern woven in
Content - Appears to be mostly cotton
Comment below to help me find the best use for this fabric, I think this would make a great fall sweater, but I don't have a pattern in my size.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Sassy Stationary Swap 2013

I am addicted to parcels. No seriously, those wonderful little bundles that the mail lady brings by, it doesn't matter how mundane their contents, I just love them. This weekend, I packaged up an Etsy order to send off on Monday morning and it mocked me all weekend long. I just wanted to rip that package open. I have a problem. So when I heard about the Sassy Stationary Swap 2013 being hosted by Marisa of Burlap and Bananas I just couldn't resist.
Do you know what I love more than parcels? Cutesy note pads, notecards, pretty papers and pens that make writing feel like bliss. So what could be better than sending off a few of my favorite things to receive a parcel of more of my favorite things? Okay, maybe I am a dork.
Anyhow, I thought I better spread the love, so if you want to join the fun, visit Sassy Stationary Swap 2013 and send Marisa an email with your full name and address.



Tuesday, October 1, 2013

October

Just a quick one today. Because If I write it, I have to do it. Right?
Well, we shall see how that turns out.
My head is full of Christmas. Sewing gifts, crafting gifts, baking gifts. I am just overflowing with festive thoughts. By the time the stores start playing those tunes I am gonna be so sick of it.
Oh well.
I am trying to make the DIY Christmas Project a blog-able thing with out spoiling the surprises on anyone's Christmas gift. I have no idea how just yet, but I am going to do it.
The plan I have so far is that some of the gifts I make that could be for anyone on my list may get posted, hopefully as tutorials. As for gifts that the recipient would know have got to be for them, well, maybe I will pre-write the tutorial to be posted for Christmas 2014 (but then post them early mid year, in a fit of too lazy to write a tutorial post). Can't I just post, SPOILER ALERT at the top of every post?
Well, my family are already used to receiving baked goods every year, and I feel okay with them knowing what in advance, so I wont hesitate to share what I am baking as it happens.
OH NO, just realized that I am over due for a Craft-tastic Tuesday, better go work on that for next week. Oops.
Well, happy crafting anyways :p
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