Up to? Lots and lots...

Warmer weather always brings busy busy times.... this is a snippet of what I've been up to, in no particular order.

- Had a movie night on the couch with Lili. We watched Enchanted. It's like her second movie ever and she loved every second of staying up late. We paused every now and then to watch some of the recap of the Royal Wedding. Apparently Will & Kate have nothing on Disney. According to a preschooler.

- I have been sewing a little more than I wanted to, but I'm getting projects done. And tomorrow I get to pick up a demo machine, so that's pretty exciting.

- These little onesies might be the thing that gets my shop off the ground:

people seem to like to adorn their children.
i should know; Mira's like a walking billboard for my shop

- Lili and Mira spend alot of time screaming at each other lately. But sometimes I look over and see something like this:



- Last but not least, my shop, featured by a very lovely blogger...

The Market Love Tote

A new bag! This was a total spur of the moment designed by me but based on the super handy ChicoBag reusable shopping bag. It looked like it would be easy to replicate the idea: a lightweight tote bag, but in Fun and Fashionable Fabric.



I love love love how it turned out! The use? Shopping at your local farmer's market! Hence the "Vermont Love" applique on the front. Fill it up with some serious VT love - we're talking Maple syrup, fresh eggs, apples, beets, strawberries... Oh I can't wait until summer.

Anyone who knows might see the irony in this design. I used "Central Park" fabric to make this tote, so really it should be a picture of NY on the front, but since I live here in VT... Vermont Love it is.

I even got a real live Vermonter to model the bag.
She's a trouper (and a good friend) to be sleeveless in a freezing wind chill. In April.

entering this tote in the Moda Bake Shop April Contest

Linking up to:
Sew Modern Mondays
Fabric Tuesdays, Take a look Tuesday, Handmade Tuesdays, Sew Cute Tuesday

April Sunshine Pillow

Welcome spring! When I first thought of the pillow I'd design this spring, it was way back in January, and the very first thing that I thought was "April showers bring May flowers". So I knew I had to have some kind of rain theme. But with all the cold and snow we've had this April I also had to put in some warmth.


So, this month's pillow! The theme is growth from the snow. I used Moda's Sunkissed fabric for the whole thing, and I think it turned out really well. You all can see the main part of the pillow is based off of my Swooping Solids pillow, which is heavily influenced by this quilt I saw awhile back on Moda Bake Shop. The cutting and sewing of the curves is so flowing and easy (ie no measuring or pinning!), it lends itself very well to rainbows and sunshine.

While I was putting it all together it also reminded me that the pink sorbet "life defined" fabric was very fitting for Breast Cancer Awareness - hope, and life, and the color pink... And I think the overall theme of growth and sun goes with that - Beating breast cancer must be a bit like sunshine after the rain.


And so I'm dedicating this pillow to our friend Ray, who is a breast cancer survivor, amazing gardener, and one of my role models!

This pillow will be entered into the April edition of the bloggers pillow party
and the May edition of the Moda Bake Shop contest.

also linking to...
http://www.cloverandviolet.com/search/label/Stash%20Project

Pips in Progess #2

We have been busybusybusy lately, and most of my sewing time has been taken up with sewing my Sherbet Pips blocks. I'm so glad I picked a very (very) simple quilt design, because it seems even a small twin (60" x 80") quilt is a fair undertaking.

But I've finished sewing all the blocks, now I have to press the seams. This would sound simple, but I decided I'm going press all the seams open! I guess it gives it a more flat, uniform look. And spending all that time ironing is theraputic. Maybe.

some of my favorite blocks

pretty, pretty people

ironing the seams open. sounds easy, but takes time!

Another 241

While I am somewhat slowly working away at my Pips Quilt, I have managed to make another 241 Tote. This one has a little more subdued fabrics than the first one, and has THREE zip pockets. I just love love love it. And I also included the magnetic snap this time because a friend of mine insisted it was a neccessity. I got some grea very thin ones from this shop.

Playing House

Lilian has a pretty big closet, and we use one corner of it for hide-and-seek games. Lately, Mira likes to stow herself away in there and play house. Literally, when we go check on her, all she is doing is sitting in there happily, and she'll look up and say "house" at you. And then she politely asks you to go away. No idea what's so appealing behind all the dresses. Maybe it's just reveling in being hidden away.

Look, in the bottom right corner of the closet... a happy little girl.

Swamp Soup

I tend to want to eat like a kid. That is to say... eating with my eyes rather than my brain, and (wishing I could) eating stuff that only tastes really good.

And I went to a friend's house where they eat a LOT of veggies. And they offered me "Swamp Soup". Now, if I was a 4 year old boy I think I would love the idea of swamp soup. And in fact, Lili loved the idea too. But then you look at it, and it's just a bunch of soggy spinach. But being "grownup" I tried to do as I say and I tried a spoonful. And it was delicious. Truly. To the point where I made it at home and subjected my family to it.

Keith said too much lemon. Lili said too much spinach. Mira said YUM, and so did I. And everyone ate it so overall I say good. And I kind of want to eat some more for breakfast.


aka Spinach Soup with CousCous and Lemon (from some Vegetarian cookbook whose name I cannot remember)

2 T olive oil
4 garlic clove minced
2 shallots, finely dice
10 c veggie stock (or made from boullion, or homemade chicken stock which is what i used)
1/2 c cous cous (I used 1 cup)
2 c fresh cooked or canned chickpeas (i used canned)
1 lb fresh spinach, chopped or shredded
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
6 finely sliced scallions
1 T chopped fresh dill or t dried
1 t salt
black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
1 T butter

Cook garlic and shallots in oil. Pour in stock and boil
Add cous and chick and cook for 10 minutes stirring oft
Add spin, half scallion, dill, parsley, salt pepper. 10 more minutes stirring cooking
Add lemon juice, butter, and rest of scallion

Free Cone Day FAIL.

When a warm (relatively speaking) day and Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day coincide it is like kismet. There is nothing like the first outdoor ice cream of the year. We have successfully participated in Free Cone Day every year we have lived here. Until today.

I arranged a special car trip with THREE girls... An extra girl that we hang out with after school every week came with us on this special practically VT holiday. And we set out to the "main" B&J spot in Burlington. And the line was miles deep and at least 45 minutes long. No can do with 3 boisterous kids (though I've done more than that with just Lili). So we head to the mall, where we had free cones last year, and the wait was only about 5 minutes. Head to the mall. Give a lucky cross your fingers for a short line, and arrive at the food court. To no Ben and Jerry's. The B&J area has been tarped over with construction cones surrounding it. WHAT?!?! FAIL x 2.

No matter. We can have free cone day at home. Yes. Ice cream cones at 5pm, just before dinner time. Because waiting for cones for 1 hour and driving all around town without complaining deserves it!

And this photo? Priceless.

Pips in Progess

So... I had a windfall of winning fabric online, and I wasn't going to post about it because I didn't want the streak to end but I do want to thank the people who shared with me, and let you all know what I've started working on.

First, a thank you to Trish for my cute owl tote, from Roundabout.

But the big news was that I won some much sought after Sherbet Pips! Jacey at Jaceycraft very generously purchased two charm packs with the intent to share one of them! And kismet... the color combinations went really well with a fabric destash bundle from Love Lizze. So instead of sewing little things here and there with the fabric, I decided I'd use the WHOLE charm pack all at once. On a quilt.

I've only made one other quilt in my life, and it was a design of my own, put together from some sale fabrics at JoAnns. I love that quilt, and even more cool? My dad loves it too. So it lives on our guest bed so he can enjoy it whenever they visit.

But this time I wanted to make a "real" quilt - with binding, real quilted stitches and all. I'm going to loosely use this pattern because it is quick and easy. And I have to finish this because I don't like having things hanging over my head. And if you know me at all - I follow through. I am to be counted on. So I will finish this, and you all can hold me accountable.

the bundle that will be the quilt top

a pip inside cut strips - these will form my blocks

don't the pips go well with the bundle from Lizzie?

more and more pretty pips. one thing i love about winning things is that i don't have to choose - it's all just chosen for me!

Etsy Egg Hunt!

The South Carolina Etsy Team came up with this great idea, and I'm having fun participating and finding out about some new shops.

Basically, to "win" you look for the team Logo somewhere in the shop! It's like easter egg hunting. Great idea, and some good shops in the mix too.

Check it out: http://scstreetteam.blogspot.com/2011/03/spring-forward-with-scteam.html