Rainbows Be Done

Very close to two years ago I took all my scrap fabric and made crazy blocks in every color of the rainbow. It was a great exercise in creating crazy blocks, but not so much in thinking projects through. Once I had these blocks they weren't what I thought they would be. I envisioned a rainbow quilt, but it just didn't seem right.

Then I thought bags in every color would be great. Then purses.

Then I wanted to burn them all and just be rid of them. So slowly, every so slowly I've finally gone through all of the blocks and this is what came of it all.

1 bag

7 purses

7 color baby books

2 baby blankets

 

I learned a lot. Now who wants to buy something and help me empty my inventory so I can start all over again. =)

I Promise I've Been Sewing...

Well I wish I could share with you all the sewing projects I've completed this summer, but I can't. It seems that the best I can do is just complete them.

I turned 30 this summer. Wow. I don't like being in a new age bracket, checking a different box on surveys and forms, but I refuse to mourn. This is life, I'm living it. I'm 30 and that's young to someone else. Now I just need to befriend this someone else so they can make me feel young! =)

My husband threw a birthday party for me. It was wonderful and he did all the work. Good food, great friends and well behaved children (until they reacted to the ice cream cake like it was crack). Did I mention it was wonderful?

But I couldn't let this milestone birthday go by without receiving something handmade. I just had to make it myself. I treated myself to a birthday banner. I cut into one of my favorite fabrics, this navy blue with white polka dots. And then didn't even cry when I cut apart a stark white doily and sewed pieces parts randomly onto the exactly 30 pennants I had cut out. They were strung together with white binding. I hung it up on our porch for the party and I think I'm the only one who knew they were there. But that's all that counts. Of course I took lovely photos of them and then accidently deleted them. I'm too lazy busy to go back out there and get more photos to show you.

Then I put together a LOT of reusable cloth gift bags for the Christmas in July sale on Etsy. That was a bust. Not a single sale. But I got my items into a second shop around here! Hip hip hurray for cold calls.

I made a bag for my sister that traveled to Africa and back. Jealous.

I finished a quilt (queen size no less) for my other sister to celebrate her graduation from college (to be bestowed upon her this weekend). Not so jealous at the idea of going through college, but proud none the less.

I made two table runners and one baby quilt from the scraps left over from the queen sized quilt. Lets just say I have a problem with over estimating how much fabric I need. I still have a grocery bag full of scraps left over. I'm just so sick of the colors that I can't do anything more with them.

I am in the process of finishing 7 cute cloth color books for babies. I'm building up my inventory for a craft sale I'll be participating in for December.

On the not so glamorous side I also altered at least 13 cloth diapers. Boring, but yeah for having properly fitting diapers now and less leaks!

And of course on my to do list/pile is a lap quilt for a wedding present, a dozen or more flower hair clips and bobby pins, felt crowns for dress up, a purse/clutch designed just for me, and lots lots lots more reusable cloth gift bags.

New Items in the Shop

The entire collection of rainbow purses are up in the Seamingly Sarah shop.

Take a look!

Purse Rainbow

The rainbow blocks rear their crazy heads again!

I had created each of these blocks when my scrap pile started to dwindle and I needed to use up the very tiny pieces left. I ended up making one in each color and was going to make either a quilt or a set of placemats from these. Then I laid them all out and saw that the blue block's diagonal stripe went the wrong way. Ugh! I BRIEFLY contemplated tearing out the stitches and fixing it. Then I threw the whole pile back in my overflowing bin and closed the lid (or at least tried to close the lid).

A little while later I saw one of the blocks folded in half and it looked like the perfect purse. Yeah! Problem solved and now back tracking on my sewing. So I got some zippers and interfacing and finally faced my fears of purses and interfacing. I learned a few things and still NEED to learn more. But here they are and if I do say so myself, they look pretty darn cute!

I hope to have these in the Seamingly Sarah shop as soon as I find a minute to photograph them during daylight hours (rare in the winter). Stay tuned...

Christmas Time...

Good news

I finished 6 purses, one for each color of the rainbow

(stay tuned for photos after I charge my camera's battery)

Bad news

The belated wedding gift/quilt is not finished (who was I kidding?)

Good news

The christmas tree and sewing machine are peacefully coexisting while I prick myself with pins

(again stay tuned for photos)

Time to Hunker Down

I've got 5 rainbow blocks waiting to become purses, a few more flower hair clips to finish and a belated wedding gift to finish by this weekend. I'll be speeding along so that my sewing area can be packed up in time for the Christmas tree to move in. And then I will spend time reveling in Christmas and all that is winter. Wish me luck...

Fear of the Cut

Remember that rainbow baby book I was telling you about yesterday? Well it obviously came from my pile of crazy rainbow blocks. But there's a problem...you see the original blocks are odd shapes for all the projects I want to do with them. So I've been forced to consider cutting them. Oh the horror of cutting up my sewing. It hurts my heart. But I had to finish this book and get it in the mail. I am a to do list kind of girl. I don't like to leave things undone.

So I faced my fear and sliced and diced. It was wonderfully freeing. Now I can make whatever my little heart desires. And I have all these fun new shapes to play with!

Lesson Learned: I'm not going to make so many blocks in advance again unless they're for a specific purpose. Making 35 blocks for inspiration's sake (and to use up scraps) almost sucked my soul dry and left me with some unusable blocks (for now).

Happy (Belated) Birth Day

I was a very productive sewer last weekend. Not only did I get my unfinished table runners off to a good start (is it a bad sign that my unfinished projects are still unfinished?) but I also finished a project for some dear friends of mine.

A young red headed man introduced me to my future husband in college. For that I am eternally in debt to him. Making a rainbow baby book for his newborn son was the least I could do.

Happy Birth Day Sebastian!

ps - if I do say so myself...my embroidery skills continue to improve!

Creating for Your Toddler

Let's tally up the scores:

Color/rainbow book with hand embroidered message on the back

 FAIL - she looked at it once

Double sided magic cape with the two colors she chose

FAIL - she's worn it twice, on the front, and calls it a bib

 

Princess costume, labored over and loved by mommy

FAIL - I still can't get her to try it on

 

Carboard box house that took 2 minutes to make

SUCCESS - she spent hours putting toys in through the roof in order to see them fall out of the bottom

Conclusion: why do I continue to put in hours of sewing for her?

Off on Vacation

Guess what I did yesterday? SEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you tell I'm excited? I spent a whole day of my vacation jsut sewing. Well, alright, I did spend one hour exercising. Priorities people. But now all the rainbow blocks are done! Such a relief. Until I think about what to do with them next! Oy.

But now I'm off on a more "real" vacation while my husband and I celebrate five years of marriage. He's the best decision I ever made. I love you handsome.

I'll be back with pictures of upcoming projects. You know all those finished blocks have to be turned into something. And I've already got a couple ideas. Until then, enjoy these pictures.

Cornstarch paint

I may not be chained to the sewing machine lately, but I have been trying some new things. I found this insanely insightful and incredibly helpful post at Pink and Green Mama. I love to read blogs and articles about crafty things I can do with my daughter (or by myself!) but I never actually get around to doing them. Pink and Green Mama's post about making art with toddlers was so achievable that I had to try at least one of the suggested activites. Driveway cornstarch paint it was. It was easy and fun.

I probably had more fun than my daughter. After 30 seconds of painting she went off to terrorize my flower garden. But I had fun and that's half the battle.

Updates in Rainbow

I seem to be on such a rainbow kick that I decided to try out a rainbow theme on the blog. Let me know if you like it. I'm limited in time and expertise, but open to suggestions.

Rainbows on the Brain

Did anyone pick up on the rainbow theme? I can't seem to escape the myriad of bright colors in my life. Everywhere I go I see them. I'm drawn to them. So I decided to make my own rainbow. This pile of scraps will become a vibrant palate of colors for me. Lets see what I can make.

Clue 5

Clue 4

Clue 3

Clue 2

Clue 1

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!

Birthday Bash!

Well I rested up just in time for my daughter's 2nd birthday! I can't believe my baby is two. I can't believe I've had the privilege of loving her for two whole years. Time flies here on earth and deep in my heart. Here are a few snapshots from the festivities!

Convincing the Grandparents that less is more...

A banner I made her for her first birthday. It hangs in her bedroom when it's not party time.

She is in love with rainbows so I created a few drawings for her during naptime last week. It's amazingly fun to paint with finger paint and brushes!

And of course we had cupcakes to celebrate. A cake mix with lime juice (yummy and festive) with some homemade whipped cream. It was my first time making whipped cream and it came out quite well. I was so afraid I'd whip it into butter. This shot is of my daughter's cupcake after she manhandled the whipped cream on top. She never did eat the whole thing!
I hope you and yours had an enjoyable weekend as well!