a little inspiration

It strikes me as ironic that I finally made a perfectly serviceable nursing dress the week before I decided that I was done nursing.  I've been working on this dress in my head for the last 5 years.  (I know, it is awfully simple to have taken that long!!) I love nursing my babies but somewhere around 14-16 months I'm totally over it.  When the teeth come out and the baby becomes the distracted toddler I'm done.  And I miss dresses!  This time, all done.   Dress A is a blank slate tank dress.  My favorite shift style.  I lowered the neckline and notched it and added a button.  I added patch pockets.  On the next one I will omit the notch and put the pockets in the seam.  I am also thinking of adding a draw string waist.  Because of the pockets on this one you can't really belt it. But I don't mind.  No one is going to call me sexy in it (and some people might think I am hiding something.  No more babies here tho...

Today I got rid of 4 trash bags of stuff.  Last night I spent my time from dinner to bed time clearing up our office space.  I got rid of so much, but there is a lot left to go.  For now I am basking in the ability to walk around and open all the closet doors (I kid you not.)  When my fabric table and area is cleared up I'll take a picture.  I feel so close to that happening (now that I can get there.) We moved from a 2160 square foot house to 1180 square foot apartment in November.  I've already mentioned we got rid of a lot of stuff , but it wasn't enough.  Many will see that as a huge down size (and they are right!  Half the space.) I wanted it though.  I knew the place we were in before was just too big.  In jettisoning the junk I've learned that I had attached all these silly rules to ownership of things that I had no idea of before I read Everything That Remains . I had no less than 4 sets of place mats and probably 6 table...

In my constant search for inspiration I've stumbled onto Zen Habits  and can't believe it has taken me so long to find it.  I have no idea why I chose to read Everything that Remains  in the first place but what a revelation it has been.  Leading me to so many new places.  Zen Habits is definitely up my alley.  He sounds a bit like the voice in my head already. And, of course, I like that.  Who wouldn't want to hear advice and ideas that sound like you only wiser and more concise? We should all read his book The One Skill : The Letting Go eBook and then go on from there and read all the rest of his words.  It is such a powerful little book, an idea that will serve you in every facet of your life.  Every. Single. One. Go check it out.  Tell me what you think.  Tell him too.

Next up? Minimalism.   This is an exciting topic to me, one with many, many branches and sprouts growing off of it. I hope you'll explore it with me. At the time that we moved from the first house we rented in Asheville to the apartment we are in now we threw out so much stuff I can't even begin to describe it all.  I wish there was a picture.  A 12 foot box truck would have been full.  And this was after a move just one year before!  Some of it was forced because of a moldy basement and some of it was baby things outgrown, but much of it was just too much stuff.  Too much!! I am the type of person who remembers where almost everything in my house came from.  I know which of Anjali's clothes came from which person, I think of them every time she wears them.  I know who gave us the shower curtain for our wedding (10! years ago) and think of them when I see it.  I remember who sent each toy, where I bought each shirt and piece ...

In our house chapter books have just been started.  This is so exciting we all are jumping for joy.  Sure, Anjali is looking at the same books we've been seeing the last four years (which is oh so sweet), but E is on to something completely new.   We started with with Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh .  He is obsessed.  None of us go by our right name anymore.  I alternate between Mrs Frisby and Isabella, John is Justin or Nicodemus, Anjali is Cynthia, and E is any of the characters depending on his mood.  He tells people when they ask his name, "Nicodemus" or "Mrs Frisby" or "Mr Ages" without a blink.  All our little stuffed friends get in on it too.  We've read through it twice.  When we got to the end the first time he wanted to start over right away.  I love reading this way too, a really good book just sometimes needs a second, closer reading.  John hates this and I don't think he'd ever watch the same movie or read th...

We finally have a library with a story time worth visiting.  Right around the corner with a librarian who is kind and understanding of children.  Emerson is rapt with attention while she talks and reads.  He talks about her during the week when we aren't there.  She allows him to help and participate and he just adores her. He is also learning about checking out books and returning them as we simplify his library at home down to just the essentials.  When you can't put books away on your own it gets a little silly to have so many.  We plan to cycle them in and out as needed, but for now, one small shelf is more than enough. In order to keep track of the library books I thought it was time for a dedicated bag where the books could live while visiting our home and so he can carry his own back and forth.  His book bags aren't quite right for the job (oddly enough) as children's books vary so much in size and the zippers aren't as friendly to little ha...

We have been going a mile a minute since the weather has turned.  Outside as much as possible and running, jumping and riding.  The Bug wore holes in shoes riding his rocket back and forth to the playground.  I've been feeling melancholy with the news from Japan and trying to keep focused on the here and now.  School is going so fast and offering so much information.  I am starting to wonder how much space is in my brain anyway.  I am feeling quite ambivalent about everything except crocheting and sewing.   At least with those things I know I really want to do things.  I even finished crocheting a tank top last night. One of the things I always go to when I am feeling lost or confused is Jane Austen.  Weirdly, I only started reading her books about three years ago.  I started with Pride and Prejudice .  I think that is how you determine which of her books is your favorite.  The one you start with is the most special to you....

Everything.  I know I have mentioned that the Bug is a climber but I need you to know I am not kidding.  He now, with no assistance, climbs up the back of the highchair and into the seat.  "Eat!" he says.  Really?  You're hungry?  Couldna' guessed! His favorite thing the eat is a clementine.   He will push the chair over the the sideboard and reach over, grab a clementine and sit down and peel and eat it.  He would eat them until there were none left.  We have had to limit to only one a day because the digestive system of a nearly two year old can only take so much citrus.  Also, he tells me, "Paint!"  And expects that instantly, instantly! a paper will be taped to the table with the paints all set up and the paint smock on and brushes will materialize in his hands.  "Bue!" he calls every color for a few times until it sinks in that if that is what he says every time that is what he will get.  "Ohgg!" he deman...

(You can still sign up for the Block Swap until Friday the 12th. Sign up on that post or shoot me an email.) We are having V-day presents a little early this year... Since we have nothing better to do and I am trying to use this time to catch up on the blogging and sewing I always think about but never quite squeeze into the day. I have wanted to make a soft toy for the Bug since before he ever got here but I couldn't decide what. I wanted something out of natural fabrics that wasn't complicated and left a lot to the imagination. And recently, something he can chew on became one of the things I was looking for. Enter Last Minute Sewing Gifts . I have made a couple things from this book in the last couple years (which apparently I never mentioned here because I can't find them.) This little guy is made from sweater felt I have had for a while. Being 100% wool felt makes it the perfect toy to snuggle and chew on. It is super soft and squeezable. The orange is my fav...

I made a from a pattern (I always think "recipe") in Stitch Magazine . My sweet neighbor Jill asked me if I could use some old pants that needed to be retired and of course I said yes. When she was dropping them off she also asked if I could make a small bag for her out of them. I immediately thought of this pattern (recipe). I had in mind to make myself one as well and almost cut out my fabric at the same time but didn't for whatever reason. And now I am glad. I like this bag, but it isn't the kind I would carry (I need far more room for diapers and rice puffs) and though my bag would be made of different fabric I would have cut it to line up the same (since I was going to use some retired corduroys as well) and I feel like the effect isn't the same as the picture in the magazine where the sides are different from each other. Though it may just be the denim that is throwing me. I tend to keep denim in jeans and the occasion skirt and away from everything e...

Hello craftiness my old friend! How much I have missed you! I continue to make progress on my latest little project which I am excited to say I am doing it all by hand. This has several benefits: it has the wonderful ability to be done anywhere, all I have to do is gather the bit I am working on and drag it along. (I think I need a little basket to keep everything together though.) I can stop and start very easily and even when I am not working on it I can see it tempting me and so I want to work on it more. It also isn't dragging me away from where I am, wishing I could just get down into the basement to do whatever. I can see that it is waiting patiently for me and will be ready whenever I am. I have just finished the embroidery part of it using a type of stitch called couching. This is when you use one thread to hold another in place. I love it because you get a great look and very quick results. It is also very textural so it feels good to run your fingers over it and...

Our good friends got married yesterday and gave us the excuse to make cool things for them. We both really got into the making. I am going to assume that by now they have gotten to the important part of being married known as opening a bunch of presents from your super cool friends. And if they haven't and you are them then get to it! I have had the idea since I heard they were getting married that Cindy should get a really cool apron. She loves to cook and is great at it and sometimes it is kind of funny because cooking is thought of as domestic and homey but she is a totally rockin' chick. Sort of like me and sewing and how that doesn't quite seem to go together sometimes... Anyway thinking about this dichotomy I came up with the idea that on one side the apron should be sweet and french and kind of romantic and the other side might be more- let's say aggressive... I saw this Japanese fabric and knew it was perfect but by the time I was ready to get it I could o...

Today it was my civic duty to sit at the court house all day and wait to be called by a judge. Luckily they realized that we were all just hanging out for the movies and no one got called for a jury all day. Yay! I rode the bus home which was fine, once I got on, because it was damn cold out today and downtown where the courthouse is the streets make little wind tunnels. Brrr! Tomorrow we leave and that pillow goes to it's new home. I think it is going to fit right in. I got the idea after looking at a book my dad gave me for the holidays. It turned out perfect. I really like and plan to make more... Maybe a few more and I could open up the etsy shop with them.... hmmmm... In baby news we laid in bed for a couple hours on Sunday feeling the baby move around. I got it to move enough that Senor was able to feel it once or twice. The belly keeps getting bigger! Senor started reading it the Series of Unfortunate Events books last night. I love getting read to sleep! We a...

My word of the day: egress \EE-gress\, noun: 1. The act of going out or leaving, or the right or freedom to leave; departure. 2. A means of going out or leaving; an exit; an outlet. 3. To go out; to depart; to leave. See in a couple weeks!

I made this blog to keep track of things that inspired me and what became of it. In the last month or so I have little time to do anything at all and less time to mention it here. So here are a couple of the links that started me on the path I went down this weekend. One. Two. And there are more but they are down the rabbit hole... So this week in the midst of crazy I bought this book. I have wanted it for a while. If you know me at all you know that when it is warm it is nearly impossible to get me out of skirts. I wear them to work, in the garden, while cleaning, carrying heavy objects, chasing the dog, hiking in the forest- whatever. So you can never have too many skirts. On Friday I made one and a half. I finished the second one on Saturday. I think I spent five hours total making them. That includes making two different patterns, cutting three fabrics and all the finishing details. First: I guess I could have ironed it. A wrap skirt. I wore it yesterday to the Body...

I have been slacking on putting up photos. So much has been going on and I always have to wait for the camera to come home with Senor at the end of the day so sometimes I forget to take pictures... So here we go with things I have been making: 1) this bag I have had this fabric for years. Maybe since B.H. (before husband!) I gave it to my mom with the idea that we would come up with the perfect bag to make out of it but we never got around to it. I found the cranberry colorway in a remnants bin (my favorite way to shop) and suddenly I could see it... 2) this tank from this tutorial . I think it is going to turn into a skirt pattern... I don't think it looks good but it is super comfortable and would be a great summer tank if you were pregnant... I didn't even follow her numbers exactly, I went slimmer right from the start. I do love the fabric which reminds me of the Sea of Izabell in the books I am re-reading... 3)Henna! You can just see it still on my feet (with my ...

The last few evenings I haven't been quilting, cleaning, or even starting a new sewing project that has been going round and round my head. I have been having a completely decadent time reading. Right after my classes ended I sat down with the new Phillip Pullman mini and read the whole thing straight through. Because I could. And it was the first time I had read anything longer than a magazine article since classes started. I read it so fast I will have to go back to it again and read it over. Now I have started a book that I am taking a little more time with called " sweetness in the belly " which I am loving. I am not sure it is a good book because I am not a critical reader. I am sure I am enjoying getting in bed at 7:30 to read. Just because I can.