Rain rain go away

Ugh rain bums me out. I am lucky that in Wisconsin we dont have a "rainy season." The rain is suppose to last till the rest of the week its days like this I just want to curl up and sleep the day away.

The only brightness to the rain is getting the chance to wear my pretty pink rain boots. Funny story about the rain boots I bought them in Chicago the weekend my husband and I got engaged in the middle of a snow storm. Yep I bought rain boots when it was snowing out, I never really buy anything when it is in the right season, oh well. (Dont worry though I also have pink snow boots, a gift from my best friend)


I dont get a chance to wear these much so I wore them while taking out the dog and the trash (yep in that order) and gave them the photo shoot they deserved. I am sure any of my neighbors were thinking one of two things:
a) what is that girl doing with rain boots
b) what is that girl doing taking PICTURES of her rain boots

Totally liberated

If she could talk I swear she would say "Mom!?!?!? You are folding the laundry?!??! Do you feel ok?"


I must say after liberating myself (and embarrassing myself) I am happy to report that the two totes and two laundry baskets of clothes are folded! Now here's to hoping I actually put it all away!

I have really been itching to sew, it seems like the weekends are the only time I get to sew my daughter (bless her) has recently become a tornado and honestly there isnt much that gets done during her waking hours. Moms out there please tell me I am not alone!

However, no matter how chaotic my life becomes I wouldnt trade it for the world.

Get Real Monday... My hatered of folding laundry

Thanks to Autum's post I am getting real. And boy oh boy is this really letting it all hang out! Those with small children may want to divert there attention elsewhere as this may scar them for years to come.

I will be the first to admit I hate doing laundry but I like it more then doing the dishes so the decision was made by me and my husband, he does the dishes I do the laundry. I think my husband is getting yipped, I do the laundry, as in I clean it and dry it, I just dont well fold it.

No my system is rather backwards clean clothes go BACK into laundry baskets after drying. once a basket gets half empty I combine baskets and do another load of laundry. Yep not a great method I know.

I am finding tons of clothes for Leila I didnt even know she had and can no longer wear. I know I need to stop and by posting this hideous picture I hope it will be a rude wake up call to myself

Ok now brace yourselves...

Its bad I know. Right after I took the photo I took one laundry basket immediately and folded. I have one more laundry basket and two totes (this is so hard to admit) to fold. I am also going through and sorting out those things I can wear anymore, things I just dont wear, and things to worn out to be even donated.


Well that was a weight lifted from my shoulders!

Today I was planning on taking Leila to the park but it is just too hot 80's in Wisconsin in March is just not right and I am not a hot weather person I am a mildly warm (60's-70's) type of person. So instead of the park we will make some fun playland out of laundry baskets I suppose.

Is it true?

Yep, I finally FINALLY have a project that is done and I can show you!

Woo hoo.

I have started to make patchwork purse thanks to this tutorial based from a Japanese craft book. This was the trial one, so basically one for myself. It worked out rather well I did trim it in the end and I dont care for the straps at the moment but I know I will change my mind after using it for a little awhile.



So one down 15 more to go as well as my 30 something totes in progress. Time is flying by and I have SO much more to do. Wish me luck!

Love blogger contests!

A new contest Yea!

And a way to find/meet new bloggers woo hoo!

Easy French Meringues

Sick baby+sick husband = sick mommy

It has been a long couple of days in the midst of chicken soup and cough syrup, two more teeth have come in for my bebe. Two more look like they are about to make their debut, poor baby.

I have been in a pile of fabric and have been mad busy unfortunately I dont have much to show just piles of WIP.


I do have a one thing to show though these extremely yummy, extremely easy, and extremely low maintenance cookies!

Ingredients:
4 egg whites (I set the eggs to bring them to room temperature)
3 cups of confectioners' sugar
1 tsp of vanilla (optional)
1 tsp of cinnamon (optional)

1) Preheat the oven to 185 degrees F. Butter and flour baking sheets (I have to use multiple baking sheets)

2) in a glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer. Sprinkle in sugar a little at a time, while continuing to whip at medium speed. When the mixture becomes stiff and shiny like satin, stop mixing and transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag. (I personally dont have a pastry bag so I used a quart size zipploc bag). Pipe the meringue out onto the prepared baking sheet(s) using a large round tip or star tip.(if available)

3) Place the meringues in the oven and bake for 3 hours, or until the meringues are dry and can easily be removed from the baking sheet(s). Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.

(recipe thanks to allrecipes.com)

See I told you, this is the ultimate forget about cookie, or for me make the whole house smell so yummy and torture me since I lack patience!

Great self control

Well I dont know if it was all self control it was more due to a lack of money but ladies and gentlemen I made it in and out of Target and spent less then $20.

No big post today just proud of myself!


Now back to cutting millions of fabric strips!

busy busy busy

It is a wonderful feeling to wake up and hear birds chirping spring is finally starting to peak its head out here in cold oh so cold Wisconsin.

Leila and I have been able to get out of the house for the last two days and take an afternoon stroll *yea* my cabin fever is gone till next year. Lots of fun vintage finds to be posted soon.

I also got the good news that I have been excepted into my first ever craft show and on top of that it was juried so YEA me. Now I am in serious stock mode. I am also starting to create purses like this (based off of a japanesse craft book)as well trucking along on my totes (more denim is in the washing machine as we speak)

Have you seen the new Martha Stewart magazine Blueprint? I think I have found my new magazine. A lot of the items are out of my price range but so was everything in Real Simple. It is just pretty to look at *smile*

Another website that I am super in love with is a site dedicated to color combinations. I am HORRIBLE at combining colors a lot of the time and this site has helped me out so much to find some great combinations to help create me quilt projects.

I'm a winner! (who knew?)

I entered once again an online drawing thinking I wouldn't win as usual though this time there were 93 prizes so I thought I may have a chance and guess what I won something! Woo Hoo I won "Confessions of a Super Mom" by Melanie Lynne Hauser I am really excited I must confess.

Thank you to Melanie, 5minutesformom.com, and the stars for aligning in my favor for once.

Line em up!

I have started my own version of an assembly line, something I have never really done before. I have usually only been a one project at a time girl. Though I am never a person to stand in the middle I am one extreme or the other so I have swap from being a one project at a time to 26 projects at once (nope NOT kidding *smile*)

So here is the make shift assembly line so far, cut out all of the fabric. Iron all the fabric sew the outside of the bag at that is where I am at currently. Next I will sew the pockets to my lining and sew the lining in. Thank goodness I am not using interfacing for these totes (the denim holds it shape on its own) I have a feeling once these are complete I will never want to look at totes again. Though just to keep it all me and as if I was doing one project at a time no two totes are the same in any way besides the overall look (i.e. denim with some sort of fabric down the middle) besides I am not the type to have a uniformed look, I cant trust me I have tried.
Leila has been standing and leaning on things for a little while now. When I sew (lately I bring my sewing machine into my dinning room even though I have a craft room) she is leaning on my leg or playing with my foot as I press down the pedal. She will be a great little crafter one day I know it!

Another thrift craft book

I have said over and over how much I love my local St. Vincent de Paul, it really doesn't disappoint. I recently found a new (well new to me) vintage Better Home & Gardens craft book and it was so appropriate for me since I am wanting to start quilting and this book is FULL of inspiration.

How could I NOT take this book for a dollar, heck yea it belongs at home with my ever growing collection of vintage craft books.

I love the fabrics on the patchwork quilt. I doubt it gives you a peaceful sleep but it is oh so pretty in a funky way for me.

I love THIS quilt, I am hoping to create this for Leila when my applique and quilting skills get better. A girl can dream right.

On a complete side note, I caught my husband using one of my long aluminum knitting needle as a back scratcher. Well, at least my knitting needles are getting some use *sigh* I haven't picked them up since I finished a scarf for a Christmas gift.

Burying in fabric

Oye. I have a beautiful coffee table that I paid enough for, I paid way too much for it in the sense that it has become a work table! Every weekend I clean it off and every week I fill it up with sewing projects. Usually it isn't too full until Friday or Saturday this week it only took Monday! (To defend myself: I am in full blown stock mode for my craft shows this summer.)

My husband has given up pointing it out since he knows every week it always ends up like this *smile*

Aren't the stacks pretty though? I have never folded my fabric right after I start to cut it up, usually it is a huge mess that gets resorted over the weekend. Thanks to this WONDERFUL tutorial I have a new obsession of folding fabric!

Fabric Banner Complete!

Yea! Its finished a decent overhaul but not as bad as I thought. I also got to try new techniques that I have never done before. I also learned that I am not to shabby with free hand machine embroidery (is that a term, or did I just make it up?) I also learned that I love how bias tape finishes off a project but I absolutely hate how much of a pain it is to sew with *smile*

I am really happy how this turned out, I am planning to either hang this from the back of my tent display or I may hang it from the main table havent decided yet.

Now off to re-shoot my product to get some photos for my juried show applications.

WIP- Friday

WOO HOO it is Friday, for some weird reason this week seemed super long I am glad it is over really now I just wish the snow and blowing snow would end. Seriously spring where are you?

To keep me in the spring mood I have started to create a flag banner for my craft shows this summer. No photos, sorry I figured no one wanted to see a table full of triangles *smile*

This is the first time I have done something like this but to be honest I am big on just trying something for the sake of trying. I am planning to try appliqué for the first time as well this I am really nervous about and think I may have to try it on some scrap fabric before using it on my pretty floral fabric that I only had just enough of for this project.

Keep thinking warm thought for me gals and guys!