Aloha!

I went on a Memorial Day Pattern binge. though at 99 cents a piece you really cant go wrong! I picked up a total of 14 patterns. 9 Simplicity's and 5 McCall's I cant complain Suggested retail for them all would have been around $225 it was $14 well spent even if I am broke as can be!

I bought almost all dress patterns my goal this summer is to sew a dress a week (doubtful but a girl can dream) and showcase them this summer. Though first I need to stock up on fabric that I would love to wear, I have a feeling that will be the easiest part of this summer mission.

In other news Ken, Leila and I may be taking an impromptu trip to Hawaii within the next month on his mothers request and dime since there is no way we could afford it by ourselves right now. There may be big news in the works after this trip. Though I wont spill the beans right now just because I have learned with Ken and his family unless it has already happen it probably wont. Things and promises are always changing. So for the time being I am just looking forward to going to Hawaii. We will be on Oahu so if anyone has any sights that I must see let me know since most of the days Ken will be busy with business and it will just be me and Leila fending for ourselves.

She Bangs!

Besides having a great b-day weekend for Leila. I wanted to change my look. I told Ken I would grow my hair out for him but I needed to do SOMETHING to change my hair I was getting bored. So what does a girl do? She gives herself BANGS! and boy did I give myself bangs. I really like the "retro" look and really wanted to make a statement so I conjured up the Bettie Page in me and after seeing Heather's newest banner I took the leap!


Let me apologize for the messy eyebrows. They are what they are! More pictures to come once I sew up a cute little rockabilly number!

Happy Birthday Baby

Leila's birthday was great your typical 1st birthday. I have bad weather karma but that's besides the point.

So not a lot of words.
Just a lot of pictures.

Leila received her first rose from one of her second cousins.

The morning after sugar high ended, toys remained.

Sunny and light

The wind is blowing hard out today. A big storm from what I saw on the news is brewing and heading our way. Its ok we need the rain. I just hate the thunder, lighting, and possible tornadoes that come with a big storm. Hopefully none of that hits us tonight (namely the tornadoes)

Well, tomorrow is Leila's 1st birthday. I dont know if I will have a sappy entry or not. We are leaving pretty early to head up to my parents for the long weekend and have Leila's shin dig up there. I promise lots of pictures upon my return!

I also hope to get A LOT more done we are getting close to the show and I feel good but still really overwhelmed. I am hoping this weekend while there are extra hands to keep Leila busy will give me some free time to work on everything!


I have already cut out more fabric for Leila's summer dresses. I love these things so much I want to tell perfect strangers... Look what I made! Pretty cool huh? But I have resisted the urge (barely). I really love the top fabric it is an embroidered number that I paid WAY too much on but I used a coupon so I justified the cost. Plus I only needed 3/4 of a yard so that didnt hurt me too much! Also I LOVE the bottom fabric it is modern/japanese feeling to me and I cant wait to use it!
With the recent making of Leila's clothing I have gained a little confidence in myself and have a similar shirt for me in the works (pretty light green with polka dots). I am also hoping to make a skirt with this above fabric I found at a thrift store. It is a very light weight fabric but I figured I would get some yellow lining and it would all work out. I also got this great J.Jill sweater that is super soft and super light weight at the thrift store the same day. The universe wanted me to be light and sunny right now I suppose!

Pretty Summer Dress

So there have been posts floating around lately regarding shirring and creating shirred summer dresses. I have been DREAMING about these dresses ever since. I just had to take a break from the purses to give them a whirl!



Not too bad for the first swing this was my learning dress and boy did I learn a lot! First I made the straps too close together so they will go on last next time. Also I need to start the shirring closer to the top so it doesnt make such a BIG ruffle at the top. And finally I HATE making my own bias type tape but it really does finish off the dress nicely so I will just have to suck that up!

For under $2 for the fabric it is quiet a nice side project. Plus I stocked up on clearance cottons last time I was at the fabric store just for this project.


Leila has been a big time crab lately. Her nickname around the house has been Crabby Abbey. I am praying it is her teeth and that we are almost at the end but right now there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. I am trying to enjoy the clingy whinny stage but it makes for a very long day. Also due to the unhappy baby the thumb is in her mouth quiet a bit as a comfort mechanism I think.


And just when I am about to pull out all of my hair from the non-stop crying she crawls over onto my stomach and lets me capture photos like this.

Now some how I need to convince myself that I MUST sew purses and step away from the summer dresses, well, maybe I can sew one more....

What a difference a weekend makes

I got a decent dent in on operation "stock up" this weekend among everything else we did. Here is the new to do list:

20 Tote bags 11 are done (yea!) only 9 to go.
10-12 Springy bags (bad description I know but I know what I mean) 9 are done, only two to do.
15 Patchwork bags, yep this still needs to get done (I will do them this weekend)
15-20 pillow shams, haven’t even started this.
200 hair ponies (which I still dont have all the supplies for) still need to do this but I have at least ordered the supplies!

I am really happy with the progress and I see some light at the tunnel. Though I am starting to feel nervous about my purses. I am scared beyond belief that they wont sell. So I need opinions. I dont want to price them lower then $20 but I am wondering if I should price them higher? They are simple purses no pockets no closures. Simple but cute. I think $20 isnt too low but isnt too high either. Any thoughts?

A million times

No pretty pictures today (though more to come this week).

I just wanted to give a very huge heart filled thank you to everyone these last few weeks. I have been slacking on getting back to everyone who has left comments and well wishes.

I read them and they honestly make my day.

I hope to be back to my prompt self soon enough. Just know I am not ignoring you and I really do appreciate you all!

Head over heels

I found the mother of all estate sales today. First off the house was gorgeous I took as many mental pictures as I could so I can remember some of the wall colors for my future home. Is it tacky to take pictures of an estate sale? Not sure but no one else seems to take photos so I suppose I shouldnt.

I found a dress that I practically dove for even though no one else seemed to see its beauty. I was hoping it was my size and when I got it home sure enough it stretched just enough to fit (though it looks better on Betty the mannequin)


This picture no where does this dress justice. I think another photo shoot will be in order. Plus more photos of the estate sale later on I am still getting through all of the great stuff!

Does anyone know how to get yellowing stains out of what I guessing is polyester? There is a few dotted stains that I am hoping I can get out. If not I wont hold it against the dress.

My first trip to the ER

I seem to share the most intimate parts of my life on this blog and today will be no different. On Monday night my husband had to take me to the ER due to severe bleeding in relation to my miscarriage. When I had announced I had a miscarriage I hadnt yet had any physical evidence (ie bleeding) basically the ultrasound confirmed that the pregnancy was regressing because the embryonic sac (sp?) was shirking. Per my doctor I was to go home wait a little bit and if I didnt start to actually bleed we may have to do a D&C.

Well, Monday night I had already started to bleed slightly nothing that I was worried about. At about 9:30 pm I felt a gush of blood and said out loud, that's not good. After that I couldnt stop bleeding. I called my husband to come home. I at this time started to freak out but really didnt want to go to the doctors. When my husband came home I convinced him to let me call the nurse line. The nurse said nicely but forcefully, honey you need to hang up the phone and call 911. So I had Ken take me to the ER. After bleeding all over the triage's office they headed me off to a room in the ER. They at first had a hard time stopping the bleeding. After pulling out numerous clots and tissue the Obgyn was able to stop the bleeding. I was then to stay and be observed for an hour. The bleeding had slowed down and they sent me home at 3am with the instructions to take it easy for the next 4 days.

It was a scary night for all of us, Ken was as calm as he could and Leila stayed awake until about 2am when they let us turn off the lights in my room when I was under observation. It was then she fell asleep and laid with me in my hospital bed.

I am not the type that likes to make a fuss I hated having to call my parents and worry the crap out of them. I hate missing work because I dont get sick time since I work part time. I hate having to go through this.

Yesterday was a blur trying to get back on our normal sleep schedules. Leila has been hit the hardest probably but she is back on her normal schedule today for the most part which is nice. I am feeling ok, not as weak as yesterday. I am just ready to move on for this to be over. I am grateful for all that I have and will always miss all that I have lost.

Tick, Tick, Tick

Time is flying by and my first and only craft show for the summer is fast approaching and I have NOTHING! Well, not nothing I have 20 something unfinished bags! And I ran out of interfacing (which is normal for me) so I am off to buy hopefully a bolt of the stuff and that will be the end of that story. So here is what I have to do:

20 Tote bags
10-12 Springy bags (bad description I know but I know what I mean)
15 Patchwork bags
15-20 pillow shams
200 hair ponies (which I still dont have all the supplies for)


I am just hoping that is enough stock.

So enough chit chat I am off to prep my fabric before my teething baby beckons!

First Momma's Day

First happy Mother's Day to all you Mommas out there, you all deserve a standing ovation for making it through another year! I knew motherhood would be tough, but I never really knew how tough. It has been the toughest (and its only been a year) thing I have ever done with my life. No matter how tough though I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. The unbreakable love I have for my daughter is like nothing I have ever experienced. And I can say and know that I have nothing but love to give her because at this moment she is going through a temper tantrum phase (more on that later).

I didnt know what to expect for my first Mother's Day. I wasnt expecting a lot just a nice day and it has worked out that way. I woke up really early and while my husband and the baby slept I finally did something I have wanted to do for ages. Fold up and pack up my fabric. I have let it sit out in the open in a very sunny room for far too long. I have a lot of vintage fabric and really didnt want it to fade so I knew (sadly) it needed to be stored away until I got a curio cabinet or china hutch or something along those lines. Besides I think it is time Leila had her actual room so I am purging my craft supplies from there and putting them in our fairly decent size walk in closet.

Before
(the baby gate and car seat look like
casualties of the fabric explosion)

After
(the fabric took up two couches=5 boxes full of fabric)

After the organization of the fabric I realized:
A) I have too much fabric
B) I am not giving it up
C) I want more fabric

Is there such a thing as fabric AA, never mind I digress.

Ken then took me out for a Mother's Day lunch to our favorite Chinese restaurant. His thinking, no one takes there mom to a Chinese buffet on Mother's Day so it wont be busy. We pulled into a packed parking lot to which he turned and said, "whoa, I guess people DO take their moms to a Chinese restaurant."

In comes the temper tantrum phase, we didnt have a quiet lunch. Half way through the meal Leila decides she no longer wants her watermelon and would rather scream at the top of her lungs until we pick her up and go over to the aquarium to watch the fish. Yep our lunch was spent one at the table one at the fish tank, rotate. It was fine at least I got to eat some good Chinese food!

Ken also let me sneak away for an hour to my favorite antique store in which I didnt come home with a precious doll bed that I really want but might wait to see if it is still around in a few weeks to use as a display for my craft show(hows that for a run on?). Instead I bought two bundles of Country Living, a magazine I just recently started reading but have fallen deeply in love with.

I doubt I will get to read an issue tonight (I will try but it is doubtful) I hear a particular little girl screaming and a daddy exhausted. I think I better go relieve him.

Happy Mother's Day all!

Line em up!

What is the silver lining to a baby with a high fever for two days? Her taking a nap with daddy while I work on some much needed sewing.

I was only able to get 6 of the 14 purses shells (yep still have linings and straps to do) done since I ran out of interfacing. ( I need well over 10 yards of the stuff to finish just THESE purses) but progress is progress (yea)


I love how these are turning out but I am worried about selling them. For the time they take me to do I am going to have to charge at least $50 a purse and I am not sure they will sell at the craft show. Though it doesnt hurt to try I suppose. I have no self confidence about selling my stuff sometimes. The biggest thing about being an independent crafter is having the confidence that your goods are worth something. Me, I usually am in shock when someone buys something and pray that they dont find the many flaws I see (the sewn lines arent perfectly straight is my big one lately).

Here is where I need an opinion though, would you rather for the closure have:

a) no closure
b) a button a ribbon closure (see back a few posts)
c) a magnetic closure

Gotta love being a mom

I recently discovered this great site 5 minutes for mom. And to celebrate mothers day they are having a huge giveaway.

Doesnt hurt to enter they have some great gifts!

More gifts

I am avoiding getting my stock ready for my craft show in exactly a month (eek) I dont know why I am avoiding it but I am. Oh well nothing like a deadline to kick this girls butt in gear. I have friends all around me having babies soon so diaper bags have been in order. I made this one for a good friend of mine. She is having a boy but she still wanted a cute (but blue) diaper bag. Enter the Artsy Momma to the rescue.

She was beyond happy with how it turned out as was I; it was what she was looking for she told me. This bag was the first time I used a magnetic clasp. I really dont know what I was so afraid of they are so easy to put in!

Here is the whole gift two onesies , I love them both equally. Some baby toys and a blanket with cute little hippos on it (the baby's room is a jungle theme but I didnt want to do an obvious type blanket).

I love sewing gifts especially when everything turns out great and the recipient likes (or loves) the gift.

How wise I have become

Today Leila and I soaked up the warm weather we are having out here. With everything going on lately I had forgotten about the simple things about living my life in enjoyment. Life is short. That quote is so true but in the everyday grind we seem to forget it. Worries overcome us; ours is normally about money like many. How stupid. We have enough just to get by but we are the statistic we are a paycheck away from bankruptcy. God forbid something was to happen to us, but if something did we would survive. Through the love of others and our own inner strength.

And what made me come with these profound thoughts? The smell of lilacs. I seem to always forget after going through winter the intoxicating smell of lilacs. The smell instantly brings me back to my parents home, to my childhood. My mom absolutely loves lilacs. I remember through grade school the first blooms of lilacs went to my then teacher. And while they turned to a pile of brown mush by the end of the day (or after a few hours) those first few minutes of holding the bunch on the bus and breathing in their smell was priceless.

Have you ever tasted the nectar of a lilac? It takes a few flowers to get a good taste but it is so sweet like drinking in the smell. Maybe I am weird my sister and I would spend hours outside next to our lilac bush sucking out the nectar. I have to remember to show that to Leila when she gets older.

I need to concentrate on the simply things, I have realized with all of the estate sales I have been going to, we have so much stuff and while we are connected to this stuff we cant take it with us and it isnt as much of a value to others.

I know this wonderful weather wont last and clouds will roll in and the sky will light up with electricity and the only sound we will hear is the booming above us. The great thing about mother nature though is she is life, just as bad times come in like a thunderstorm, the clouds always roll out and the sun comes to shine again.

Gift swap reveiled!

I finally have remembered to post photos of the swap gift I sent off to Sharla for the "Spring Fling" Swap. I have to say this was one of my favorite swaps I have done so far. They are going to have another one for the summer so check out their site to sign up!



Even Leila could stay away from all of the pretty pink and green stuff. Here is a run down of everything:

S-upplies for card making
P-ink dish with yummy chocolate
R-eal vintage cookbooks
I-love these little shakers
N-ice dangly earrings
G-osh golly its a green tote!
I had to share these little shakers that I found at my local antique shop. It took all my will to NOT keep these and find something else for the swap. But I knew that Sharla would love them as much as me and I knew they were going to a good home. But seriously how cute are these?!?!

I love...

: Crazy baby bed head :
The discovery that we can now climb OUT of our crib :
sweet baby kisses : not too hot not too cold gorgeous spring weather :
happy thoughts from everyone (thank you) :
Grey's Anatomy : Sub sandwiches:
Cuddling at nap time:

Time to face the truth

After a weekend at home with family and old friends I feel better, a little more at ease if you will.

I wanted to wait to confirm my suspicion before I said anything on here just in case I was wrong.

I had a miscarriage.

We were shocked to find out that I was pregnant to begin with since I was still breastfeeding when we conceived but we were ready to make everything work even though the babies would only be 18 months apart and that alone scared me to death!

I know that this is for the better that God knew that this wasnt the time for us to have another baby. I know in my heart as well this wasnt the right time.

So we are just going through the days I am still a little numb about it but calling my mom, sister, and best friend to talk the details made it all a little more real.

I also was reminded as to why I married my husband last week when things were uncertain as to whether we had lost the baby or not (I have yet to show any signs physically of having a miscarriage) he bought me pink cupcakes (my favorite color) and a beautiful card that made me weep. He isnt one to show his emotions but he knows when I need him to and he does. He reminded me that we will make it through this just like we have gotten through everything else.... together.

So I may have a sugary sweet front for awhile on the blog, its my way of coping. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. It truly means so much to me.