Home Ec Project #3

I was lucky enough to be gifted with two of J's old dress shirts. Perfect material to make project #3: Reusable Grocery Bag. I've made a few bags in my time, so I decided to make this one a mini version for a certain 5-year-old. It's already hauled all sorts of important things like stuffies, pj's and small plastic toys that hurt like hell when you step on them with bare feet. Ballet bag trial is tomorrow!

Since I had a bunch of fabric to spare, and I love to try to use as much of an upcycled shirt as I can... I made these cute pouches out of the shirt cuffs! I thought they'd be great for a few lip glosses if you didn't want to loose them in your purse. Or, I could see 5-year-olds finding many tiny things to slip inside.

These were also a great excuse to try out some of the fancy stitches on my new machine. Still need to perfect their use...

I've got a few other recent crafty projects to post about soon too. Hint: felted wool sweaters and fancy scrapbook paper. (Ok, not in the same project!)

New Sewing Machine & Home Ec Project #2

For Christmas, J got me the best toy a girl could ask for... a new sewing machine! She's an absolute beauty and I can't get over how awesome she is! I just finished 5 hrs of classes to learn how to use the machine and learned a ton. Look for all sorts of exciting things in the coming months, like gathering, stretch stitches, blind hems and double needle stitching!! Wait. You don't geek out just thinking about that stuff?! Oh. Maybe it's just me.

Well, because of my fabulous Elna (that's the brand but I think it's a pretty name for her as well!), I have been able to attack my Home Ec projects with a vengence!

At long lost, here it is: Napkins Two Ways! I finished these weeks ago but just haven't gotten around to posting. Honest! First up, single layer napkins. One layer of fabric. Pretty straightforward. These particular lovelies went to a dear friend as a belated birthday gift.

I then tackled double layered napkins. Actually, to be more accurate, double sided napkin. Because one of these babies nearly had me gouging my eyeballs out. So one was plenty! Waaay harder than it looks. Keeping the ric rac (love that word!!) straight and pinned so it would stick out, but not TOO much. Love how it turned out though. Thought it would also make a great pillow cover. Maybe another time when I'm looking to test my sanity.

I'll post again soon about project # 3 and a few other crafty sewing and non-sewing projects I was inspired to tackle lately!

totally inspired

I can't believe I've cried twice before 8:45 a.m. But this TED talk by spoken word poet, Sarah Kay, is incredible. Find the 18 minutes to watch this. It's one of those moments that will stay with you. I know I'll be going back to this again and again because it's that good and that profound. Enjoy.

home ec

Hello again, interwebs! Or rather, hello to the four people I reminded that I had a blog! I'm back after a rather long hiatus. This is a quick post so as not to overwhelm myself. (Actually, going back to read this over, it's longer than anticipated. Look at me go!)

More than anything, I'd like to document my monumental jump back into sewing. (This may be where I lose 50% of you!) Specifically, I'm actually taking a sewing course! I found Home Ec on one of my most favourite time wasters, Pinterest. (If you're not on Pinterest... well, actually, most of you are I think. But if you aren't, get on it my friends! My boards are here.)

This is an awesome gem of an online course that you take at your own pace. Perfect for me and my newly chaotic life! It's a great excuse to make some "me time" for myself (as I was reminded to do by J tonight) and improve my beginner level sewing skills. Ironically, the last time I really took a sewing class was my junior high home ec classes. This is much better because none of the projects are flannel nightgowns with much too big collars or knee-length boxer shorts. Or odd-shaped pillows. Big, jungle-printed pillows. Whatever happened to that pillow, come to think of it? I know I made boxer shorts out of that same jungle material. I was a real style maven in grade 8. In the last few years, I've sewn a lot of gift bags, grocery/market totes and napkins. So, imagine my surprise to find out what the first three projects in Home Ec were! Drawstring gift pouch, napkins two ways and reusable grocery bag. (I could have written this course people.)

So, there are actually 27 projects in this course. And, apparently, I'll have enough skill to make a quilt on project #27. I'm laughing on the outside but crying on the inside on that one. Can't believe that would be possible but that's probably not the right attitude or approach to take! But bets on when I reach project #27? My money's on 2014.

So, all that to say that this is my first official Home Ec project. Project #1: "drawstring gift pouch." Handily enough, almost all of the materials I used were already on hand. Because I am a wannabe hoarder so fabric stacks abound in my craft room. Vintage sheets (this floral fabric will last me a lifetime it seems, but I love it!) and some pink fabric with little gold ladybugs on it. Pretty cute. And of course ribbon from my days running a multi-million dollar home business for Stampin' Up. For this project, I only had to buy embroidery thread and embroidery needles. Being in the embroidery thread aisle took me back to my days of making friendship bracelets, another junior high obsession. But yet again, I digress.

As far as first projects go, I'm pretty happy with this one. Now on to project #2: "cloth napkins two ways." I know you're already on the edge of your seats for that one. At the rate I'm sewing, I may have those done by Christmas. But don't hold your breath. Wish me luck!

Now get off my blog and go waste some time on Pinterest!

letterpress

{via apartment therapy}

I think I need to own some letterpress artwork. Every time I come across it, online or in real life where I can touch and feel the designs, I swoon. Here are some of my faves I've seen lately. First up (above) are gorgeous letterpress prints made with hundreds of dice! I love how easy the pattern can change simply by switching around the dice. Check out the artist's Etsy store for lots more.

{via woodward design}

The stationery package for local cake maker, Bluebird Cakes, is a gorgeous use of letterpress. In fact, the visual identity created by Edmonton design shop Woodward Design just won an ACE Award last night!

Love this letterpress print by Hijirik Studio!

beautiful beets

I've never cooked beets before but I found a great recipe in my New Mayo Clinic Cookbook-- baby beets with carrots and dill. Fingers crossed it tastes as yummy as it sounds!

two dishes

Got this great cookbook for Christmas (thanks mom!) and have only tried one recipe so far. I have about twenty recipes flagged though! The honey-roasted halibut on soba noodles with bok choy and mushrooms was amazing. It's the kind of thing I could see myself eating all the time. It looks fancy yet it is one of the easiest recipes I've made in a long time. Tomorrow night: lemon and parmesan orzo mac and cheese with chicken meatballs. Yum!