Let's get this party started

Well that was a nice hiatus. A lot has happened in the interim. My sewing has seriously declined and I've started running again. I say again not because I used to run regularly. Oh no, it's because I've tried to take up running as a hobby on MULTIPLE occassions. I'm not real sure why, I REALLY hate running and I'm terrible at it, but for some reason I feel compelled to do it. Maybe it's because I hate it so much it's a real challenge that I want to overcome, maybe it's because I know it's good for me and I should do it, maybe it's because my sister is an avid runner and I feel some sort of strange need to emulate her...or maybe it's just because I want to punish myself. I'm not sure why, at all. But I've started again. And this time I've made it (almost) through the entire training program. Ran my first 5k last weekend, scheduled to run another one next weekend, and signed up to run a 2 mile race the weekend after. I bought new shoes, a running skirt, and I've invested much more time money this time than ever before. Maybe this time it'll stick.

So here I will talk mostly about my running, But I'm hoping that I can start sewing again more too. And perhaps I can find a nice intersection somewhere between the two.

Halloween 2009

These are the costumes I made for my nieces this year.

No pattern. Just some felt, fusible interfacing, a hula hoop and an M.

What I've been doing instead of sewing

Raising kittens....

almost 1 week old


almost 4 weeks old


almost 6 weeks old






almost 1 week old


almost 4 weeks old


almost 6 weeks old





almost 1 week old


almost 4 weeks old


almost 6 weeks old

Necktie madness

"If men can run the world, why can't they stop wearing neckties? How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a little noose around your neck?" ~Linda Ellerbee

I've been working on my mom's outfit a little and have come to a standstill on it. I deconstructed the muslin and cut the pieces out of the fashion fabric, but I didn't label them in any way, the front of the fabric or the back, or which pieces are front panels or side panels. I thought I could just figure it out, but it's turning out to be quite a chore and is making me angry.

I'll get back to it but I definitely needed a break from it. In the meantime I worked on the next project I have in my queue...my dad's tie. If you recall, I bought two tie silks in the New York fashion district. I decided to use this one



to make a tie for my Dad's Christmas present this past Christmas. Well now that it's almost February, it's about time I started working on it, eh? :)

I used Kwik Sew 3183 for the pattern.



First I made a muslin to practice. It turned out so-so.





As you can see, the point wasn't exactly straight, and while you can't see it in this picture, the interfacing showed on the back, and there's a crease down the center of the tie that I couldn't get to iron out. The cool thing was that I figured out how to change the directions a little bit to fix these problems.

For the first time in my sewing experiences, I am *extremely* pleased with how it turned out! Don't get me wrong, I've liked other things I've made, but this is the first time I've felt very excited and happy about how the item looks in comparison to a store-bought item.



This tie was such a fun, quick, and relatively easy project! I do believe my Dad will be quite surprised and happy when he sees his (belated) Christmas present. :)

Kitty cat bed

"...one of the ways in which cats show happiness is by sleeping."
~Cleveland Amory

One of my cats' favorite places to sleep is here, in this corner on this 3 yards of fleece fabric I bought for B because The University of Louisville is his favorite team:
One of my cats' least favorite places to sleep is here, on this pillow I made especially for them out of the SAME fabric:
Though when I put the pillow up on the sewing table to take a picture of it, Grace decided it was, in fact, the only place for her to sleep at that moment:
It must be the location. Or the fact that they're *supposed* to sleep on it. Not sure which.

Back to the Future Wednesday

"Children will not remember you for the material things that you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them."
~Richard L. Evans

This year for Christmas, based on a tradition Gwen has for her nieces and nephews, I decided to take my niece who's 9 and my nephew who's 11 fabric shopping as part of their Christmas present. I told them that I wanted to make them pjs and they could pick out whatever fabric and basic design that they liked. My niece desperately wanted footie pajamas, but I was unsuccessful at finding a footie pj pattern during our shopping trip, so she settled for a nightgown and we chose this pattern:

As you may or may not remember, this is the pattern from which I made my twin nieces pjs, so I already have some familiarity with the pattern! Score! But this time I get to make the gown instead of the two pieces. For her fabric, she fell in love with this very fun, very fishy seersucker fabric.
My nephew wanted a short sleeve t-shirt pj, so we picked this pattern for him:

and he was instantly drawn to these two simpsons cotton prints. He wants the bottoms made out of the blue "I didn't do it" fabric. For the top he chose the fabric on the right called "Where's Bart" and much like "Where's Waldo" you search for Bart amongst all of the other Simpsons characters. My nephew just thought that was so totally awesome and was very excited about his pjs!


I have a few other things to finish before I get to these pjs, like my mom's outfit, and my Dad's and B's ties, but since the present was the afternoon out with me and the purchase of the fabric there's no real hurry to get them done. Though they are definitely marked high on the priority list.

Return to sewing

"A hobby is only fun if you don't have time to do it."
~Leo Beenhakker


Well I had a very nice holiday season and I hope all of you did too! Now that all the Christmas-crafting is over, it's time to resume sewing. Boy do I have a bunch to do. Right before the holiday season hit I felt no motivation to sew. Luckily for my birthday, in December, I received several gifts that will help me sew- tools and inspiration:

My mom gave me a nice cutting table and a craft lamp. Now I don't have kneel on the floor to cut and I'll be able to see much better to sew after dark.

and I got a great Japanese sewing book from my friend Gwen.


There are so many cute clothes in this! Sadly I don't think I'm actually small enough to fit into their largest size, since Japanese women tend to be on the petite side, but some of the items would make great gifts, and perhaps the patterns can be modified to fit me. All of the pictures feature polka dots, which I adore!!! So thanks Gwen, I can definitely see lots of inspiration coming from this book.

Now, after my hiatus from sewing and my new tools in hand I'm feeling the motivation. Sewing machine here I come!

Year in review

"Another fresh new year is here...
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest...
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!"
~William Arthur Ward

I've seen a few people post their sewing accomplishments for the year, so I thought I would do the same. Here are my sewing highlights for 2008:

August

• began my sewing adventure and started a sewing blog
• made butterick 3772 for my nieces
  
• finished the Christmas stocking that I started years and years and years ago
  

September

• made Simplicity pj pattern 9292 for my nieces that sadly didn't fit
  

• made a tiger bag for my mom's birthday
  
• went to the New York garment district for the first time

October

• made penguin costumes for the twins
  

November

• finished the muslin of simplicity 4193 skirt and jacket for my mom
  
• made fabric bird Christmas ornaments for a blogger's ornament exchange

December

• no sewing to report. Spent the month taking part in other Christmas crafts.

Hopfully the new year will bring more sewing. Goodness knows I have several projects I need to get to / finish.

Cookie exchange loot

"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap."
~ Barbara Jordan

Now I thought I'd share with you the yummy cookies I got to take away from the cookie exchange! Prepare to feast your eyes.



Starting with the upper right corner in my tin with the brown dollop - peanut butter tarts with chocolate filling, moving clockwise, chocolate cake bites, oatmeal raisin (the big cookie), cranberry white chocolate chip (the small cookie), cherry cookies, chocolate chip cookies (in the top left corner), magic cookie bars, and cranberry, chocolate chip, macadamia nut cookies.

It was so much fun, and all of the cookies were very very tasty!

I hope you all have a festive and safe holiday!

Give-away week 4 winner!

The winner of the salt scrub from give-away week 4 is Sarah! Congrats!!!

Thank you everyone for leaving your comments I loved reading all about your favorite holiday treats! So much so that I was inspired to spend the weekend baking! Yum! (holiday goodies post tomorrow!)

I also want to say thanks so much to everyone who commented on my give-away series! I love reading your comments, and I hope you'll all continue to read and comment copiously! It's so fun to hear what you have to say and it's nice to know that people are reading!

Holly cookie recipe and tutorial

"Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon."
~Dalai Lama

This weekend I went to a cookie exchange party. Everyone brought 3 dozen cookies, and we each got to take some of each cookie home! It's a great way to exchange recipes and try new delicious cookies! I decided to make my absolute favorite holiday cookie that's extremely easy, quite beautiful, and very tasty - holly cookies.

This is all you need to make them!
30-40 big marshmallows (it's basically 1 bag of marshmallows, so you could get small ones if you wanted)
1/2 c of butter or margarine
vanilla extract
green food coloring
5 cups of cornflakes
red hots

All you do is blend the butter and marshmallows together over low heat.

After all the marshmallows have melted add in 1/2 tsp of vanilla.
I love using my pure vanilla extract from Tijuana, Mexico, but because it's unlikely that I'll be back there anytime soon to replenish my supply I use it in only the most special of recipes, like this one!

Then add in your food coloring. I start with a few drops and then stir it, adding more until you like the color.


Don't add too much though, it WILL turn your tongue green! :)

Next fold in the cornflakes until each one is coated with the marshmallow mixture.


Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

For some reason, red hots are always the most difficult ingredient for me to find. I always forget this and every year it amazes me just how tricky they are to find. This time I had to check Target and Walmart before I finally found them at Winn Dixie.

Anyways, you place 3 red hots on top of each cookie,


and there you have it, beautiful holly cookies topped with berries!

I will mention that I always pick the red hots off and eat them separately from the cookie. The cinnamon flavor and sugary marshmallow mixture are not particularly complementary in my opinion, but the red and green sure are beautiful together!

Tomorrow I will share with you the yummy cookies I got to take away from the exchange!