in action

i enjoy ncaa softball, very much. and today the women's college world series gets underway with the eight teams advancing from the super regionals meeting in oklahoma city. fun! espn will carry the games beginning at 1 pm eastern time. holy toledo, charlie brown. women's sports. on television. what a breath of fresh air!

ok, so now you know a little something more about me other than just my bag and apron fetish. :)

but, as this is a blog primarily devoted to sewing, there IS some sewing going on in between my other creative obsessions and distractions.

i made my mom an everyday bag by favorite things some time late last year. recently, mom had a friend visit and she shared with her my sewing projects (several bags and aprons I made for mom and my oldest sister). the next thing i know, mom is calling me, asking if i would make an everyday bag for her friend as a gesture of thanks for the visit and because she absolutely loved my work. i took this as a very big compliment because mrs. g sews, professionally. super smiles!

of course i said yes!

so, here it is, hanging in my closet to "set" the fusible fleece i like to use as the interlining.


in the back and behind are my other bags, including my adorable buttercup, handy, accessible, so i can grab the perfect bag for the perfect date.

i've the handles, button, button loop and lining to work on...taking my time so i don't get in a hurry, enjoy the process and do nice stitching. yeah.

i'll post pictures of the finished bag and details soon after i'm done.

rock the day, everyone, whether sun or rain, summer or winter. creative moments are eternal sunshine.

sweet buttercup. and a sunshine day

well, the day started out glorious...a blue sky, not a cloud in sight. i just had to take a walk to the krispy kreme for my favorite glazed raspberry filled donut (it's about a mile round trip, but only my second time going in a year...willpower!). i came home, threw open the windows to let the sunshine in, did some tidying up and cleaning, getting myself ready to sew a bag for my mom's friend.

i was listening the whole time for the mailperson who comes right around noon.

and there was my package from iris. our bag swap!

i calmly finished up my lunch then grabbed my camera and headed for the outdoors. only sitting on the grass, under the shade of the river birch, would do, for simple, peaceful pleasures.

pretty yellow tissue with "dragon-fly purple-blue" ribbon...


an amy butler notecard, handwritten...


the cutest, dearest Buttercup, wonderfully small, THE purse for warm spring and summer days in the perfect colors and design with matching buttons ...


lining to die for...matrushka dolls! how did she know i've two sitting on my bookshelves, fond reminders of visits to st. petersburg and moscow...


in blue tissue, hankies, bright, beautiful, hankies! two!...


mail love...


thank you, iris. for your wonder and light.

thank you all who visit my space, sharing your sweet shelves, your creative imaginings, your gift of friendship. to a total stranger.

to give is to receive. to walk hand in hand, on the road, here to there, is to grow peace.

the iris swing. a bag swap

i don't even really know where to start.

first, i may have misled some of you when i posted here into believing i had used all these fabrics in one project. my apologies! this was actually a patchwork card which i made to accompany a bag...in swap...and an apron for my wonderfully artistic virtual friend (virtual friends have quickly become my happiest and nicest friends!) and fellow blogger, Iris, of Creative Endeavors in a Busy Life.


remember my mail love? iris left me a comment, asking if i'd consider doing a bag swap with her. she's making these delicious buttercups (see here and here). of course i said yes! i remember it was a sunday morning when i responded in an e-mail. and then i began on my adventure.

i had to find the right fabric. she's always left me the nicest comments about my bold & bright choices in color and design.

lucky me jane sassaman had just the thing. i used prairie gothic (of which i had enough fabric leftover to make a "hip hugger goth cafe apron" to include) for my swing, a pattern iris told me she liked...my thinking, exactly. but ms. sassaman also has two lines called magic forest and hothouse garden that are perfect together and my latest favorite obsessions. that's what was in this pretty purple package.


i decided on the orchid tessellation for the exterior and the lime green starry night symbols for the interior (sorry you can't see it in this picture...i tried several shots...this was the best). i just loved it. i loved working on it. i loved it when i was finished. it's bright and bold, but not loud. it's magic for the eyes. and i'm so pleased to have made my friend a bag, a little something of me to share with her.

as she has done for me. my package shall arrive soon. and i just can't wait to see what i know is the beauty of her person, her hands.

i just really, really enjoyed my first swap. it's not something i do a lot of because i still get freaky nervous about sewing for others (although that's what i prefer!). but, one on one, i can totally function that way, for now. hopefully more some day! i admire all of you out there that share your craft in virtual quilting bees, in charitable sewing, on etsy. you've my admiration and awe!

today...be delighted. in moments. let it grow big if it's important and happy. big like the after effects that is this little project today for me.

and much thanks to iris. now, go visit her wonderful blog!

jeepers peepers

i've been sewing, every day this week, even today. and i've pictures. it's been soooo much fun working on this little project, start to finish, from the invitation to the fabric and to something of a greeting. all that's left is a pretty package. snail mail love.

but i can't show you anything, right now, except little bits & pieces of the fabric i used. for now. until my friend receives what i have made for her. in swap. i've left a few hints, around cyberworld. i hope she doesn't mind. :)

i feel like a little kid, wringing my hands. because it's the simple, beautiful things, like sharing "creative endeavors" that makes me crazy happy.

be happy today, too!

hot & delicious

this. this is what i've been waiting for. and it came today! in this purple tissue. it can't get any better then that, fabric packaged in purple tissue! so beautiful. exactly what i was looking for. maybe the line will look familiar to some of you. it's a little something i've got going on, with a someone that shares this little space with me, and i hope it'll be a pleasant surprise. i'm sew excited! yes, i must get started, right away. put the photo edits aside. wonderfully magnificent it will be working this gorgeous stuff into some mail love. and give my groovy groupies something to come back to by way of an actual finished piece. yeah, sweet.

commercial break

salvia guaranitica 'black & blue'

i've been in something of a foto frenzy since last here i came to my little space. but, i promise there are some sewing projects in the works, including something i'm super excited about. and there is new fabric because i wanted what was just right. and it wasn't there in my stash (that's my story & i'm sticking with it). it's been so long since i ordered fabric, i confess i was a bit discombobulated, with butterflies in my stomach! but, can't wait for ups. yeah. rock out. and i'm going local, too, to see, to touch.

was it ridiculously hot where you were this past weekend? it was all i could do to keep my little herb, annual & perennial gems from hitting permanent wilting point! so long, spring. hello, summer!

mail love

much to my delight, this little earth retro eight pack of fat quarters was delivered to me yesterday, a "thinking about you" gift from my sister, who recently took a sewing class, too, and picked this out for me at the shop where she received instruction. it's so sweet. and so good to slow down, send and receive a little mail love, in this online, instant communication techno fad world.

give a little love. receive a little love. this weekend. it's all good. peace out!

spring swing

pattern: the swing bag by amy butler
fabric: jane sassaman. prairie gothic. midnight. exterior: sunflowers & interior: sweet potato vine
other materials/notions: canvas to line exterior main panels, straps & interior pocket
modifications: interior pocket
date completed: 15April2009

much as i've been enjoying my four seasons. winter. bag (i reversed it to the black mod patchwork fabric as soon as the weather warmed up just a couple of weeks ago), i wanted something smaller, lighter. this swing is the perfect, simple bag. it sits easily on one shoulder and because of the length, doesn't need a closure. i did add an interior pocket the width of the main panel and divided into three sections to hold a cell and wallet snuggly, maybe a notebook or paperback, too. other then that, no modifications really needed!


this fabric is so beautiful. oh my. and fortunately i've about a yard of each left for something else just as spring happy.

so, now i'd better get busy doing that runner and coasters. i've quite a few squares and rectangles cut up, with plenty of scraps yet to use. yummy.

hope spring has sprung your way or soon will. let the sun shine in!

diversification

i'm lovin' stephanie of jonquils and ladybugs' garden tour tuesday's and wanted to share with her, with you, what's in bloom for me, too. gardening and sewing are totally creative arts, in perfect harmony, one to the other, don't you think?

so let's see what's workin' it in my garden and urban space this cloudy yet wonderful tuesday.

tea olive - it's put on so much growth in just the past week or so with the warm temps we had, consecutively. one of my favorite evergreens for the small, quiet flowers with a gentle, yet enormous orange fragrance...


a purple lily-of-the-valley type flower of which this is the very first bloom. i planted several of these bulbs last fall, but again, didn't make note of the variety...


azaleas - still in glorious color given they've been open now for quite some time...


bridal wreath spirea - ok, this is actually in my neighbor's yard, but i can count it as i'm usually the one who keeps it pruned back during the summer (shhhh...don't tell!). i admit i really only like it when it's in bloom. any other time and it's kind of just green, woody (a deciduous shrub) and can get super scraggly without constant care...


pink double petal petunias - one of several hanging baskets (the other two are a deep purple) i picked up at our most wonderful local state farmers market...


pineapple sage - i'm so excited to have started a new herb garden planted last week. there's tuscan blue rosemary, hot & spicy oregano, bergartten sage, lemon thyme, sweet basil, too...


thanks for joining me, allowing me this bit of diversification. and pop over to Stephanie's blog, not only for the garden tour, but for her most awesome sewing, crafting and family life!

scrap happy

an absolutely glorious day has broken here this morning. i'm squeezing in a little scrap therapy before i head out to plant some herbs.

this little stash of scraps...


...will become cute little 2" x 2" and 2" x 4" and 4" x 4" squares and rectangles...


...that i will then piece for a 16" x 40" coffee table runner and a set of six coasters for my niece.

see that yummy sun coming through my window!

i'm also going to sneak in a "spring" bag for myself, probably the swing with a few modifications as i gave the original to this same niece (yep, i like to sew for her!) as they were her colors. mine will most likely be from this wicked cool fabric (specifically, the js11 & js12 midnight). yeah, tee has no idea how black shouts spring. just wait and see!

halter apron

pattern: daily spice halter apron by heather bailey
fabric: alexander henry. jewel mobile
other materials/notions: lining. white lightweight cotton; interfacing. pellon fusible stacy shape flex
modifications: n/a
date completed: 7April2009

totally cute & easy to read pattern. it was my first time doing any kind of gathers & i'm pleased with my results. that this apron actually fits me (as you can see here on Clotilde who is set to my measurements) pretty well just tickles me! i love how you finish the skirt and then attach to the waistband after the bodice is on. i think that's why it works if you're a little hippy...and, no, i don't mean 60s cool this time...like me. :)

of course i love the retro groovy fabric. glad i bought it when i did because i believe it is now discontinued.

go ahead. make yourself a halter apron today!

bits & pieces

yep, it's the daily spice apron by heather bailey in jewel mentioned in my previous post. lovin' it so far and the pattern appears to be very well written. if i can steal a few more quiet moments from the business of life, i'll start to sew!

and i hope you guys don't mind something not sewing related.


it's the first tulip to open that i planted late fall and i'm sooooooo excited! sadly i didn't make note of the variety. oh well. i'm happy to have something pretty to look at regardless of name. there are at least a half dozen more in bud. can't wait!

fyi - all about fabric

i'm undecided about what i want to sew after completing the shopper and i've also been a bit preoccupied trying to rewrite my resume to head back into the workforce after a four (*GASP*) year absence sometime in the coming months, i hope.

but, while browsing fan and group pages on fb, i came across this delicious blog devoted to all things fabric and thought i'd pass along the link to all of you fab fabric fanatics for your viewing pleasure.

www.trueup.net

hope to be back soon with some little yummy good, thinking maybe this apron by heather bailey in this jewel fabric. uhm.

happy days, everyone, near and far!