Archive for the ‘crafting’ Category

I’ve had a few projects on the brain lately that I finally completed this weekend.  Oh how I love three day weekends.

This pillow that I had seen in this book.  It is not a crafty/pattern book.  It’s more of a lifestyle book.  How to really live at home.  I have gotten several ideas for decorating and simplifying in this book.  I used some of my favorite fabric and linen.  My first time working with linen and I have to say that I love it.  I struggled forever trying to do an invisible stitch and just finally gave up.  I couldn’t quite ever make the knot big enough to not pull right through the linen.  And if you haven’t picked up a copy of this book yet, you really should.  It’s one of my favorites.

I also made some cafe curtains for my kitchen window.

Adds a spash of color to the kitchen and ties in the red from the rest of the house. I’ve been wanting to add some orangey-red (official name) to this space and it just feels right.

For my birthday I was given this sweet mixed media art piece by a wonderful friend.  She’s a scrap booking genius and has started making and will soon be selling her work.  I’ll keep you all posted on this.  She has an etsy shop in the works.  The quote above the owl says “The art of being wise is knowing what to over look.” Wise words.  Very wise indeed.  Sarah and I were talking about our knee jerk reaction to situations.  A constant work in progress for me.  This sweet picture will remind me of that everyday.

Did you know that the Gipsy Kings are real gypsys?  Well I didn’t either.  And that they are singing in their gypsy dialect, not spanish, not english, not french.  How cool is that?!?  We saw them live in concert last night with a few thousand of our closest friends and not a soul in the venue had one clue what they were saying.  Graciously, they spoke broken spanish between songs to help us along.  I have never seen a crowd more invigorated and alive.  It was an incredible concert by an unbelievable band.  Two thumbs way up!

In crafting news, I got out the mod podge yesterday and began working on a small suitcase.  I’ve seen this idea around a couple of places and decided to give it a go myself.  I used a Bambi book from the 1970’s.  I was able to do the front side yesterday, let it dry, and will finish the back today.  It’s a cute little vintage Samsonite case with a fabric handle.  I’m guessing they were used as weekend bags.

Speaking of the weekend!  Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Thank you all so much for your wonderful birthday wishes yesterday.  Each and every one was appreciated and cherished.  You really know how to make a girl’s day when she’s home alone with two kids.  All.  Day.  Long.

Makena had a wonderful time on her first day of school.  The teacher reported that she actually barrelled over the other kids to help clean up the toys.  Now if we could only work on that at home.  When I told her that she was going to school today she replied “again?”  I think she thought it was a one time affair.  I think going twice a week is going to blow her mind.  She did request cheese in her lunch box today because all of the other kids have cheese.  Good to know.

I managed to scrounge up a picture of the burp cloths I made for my sister and a friend who is expecting.  The fabric was generously donated by my life-guru Sarah.  Because my stash is less than sufficient.  Thank you Sarah.  I owe you my first born.  They are all just so lovely and perfect.

Today, while Makena is in school I promise some crafting.  This is a pseudo craft blog after all right?!?

Something to think about.  I’m considering changing my name.  I’m just not feeling the chikaustin so much anymore.  Does anyone have any ideas?  I’ve been spinning this around in my head and am not getting anywhere.  I would love some suggestions from you crafty types!

There is something about making something by hand. Something I can’t quite put my finger on, that creates such satisfaction. Maybe it’s the time spent. Maybe it’s the love. Maybe it’s the test of non-immediate gratification. Maybe it’s the test of my patience. But there is something about it that keeps me coming back for more.

Like this little baby hat that I started a couple of weeks ago. Then decided it had too many holes and ripped it apart only to start over again. Definitely a test of my patience. You know I’m wanting to learn to be more still. To take the time just to be. It’s been a recurrent theme on my blog. The need to be still.

And with this week being the last week before preschool starts for Makena and a few days before Keegan’s birthday party, that feeling to flee arrives like a steam train. The need to run. The need to go. The need to get things done. But no. I’m going to stay put. Continue reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, a book I have fallen in love with for so many ‘patience’ reasons. Work on a little present for Keegan’s birthday. And simply spend time with my kids.

It actually rained last night. Let me rephrase that, it poured like God opened the floodgates. All night long. We woke up this morning to a fog in the hills that reminded me so much of our trips to the Pacific Northwest. And it’s supposed to rain all week. A great excuse to stay at home and just be. Just my babes and me. (Ha! That rhymed. That’s funny.)

My camera has been returned. I am feeling refreshed. And will be leaving to pick up my babes in a few minutes. All of my ‘plans’ went out the window this weekend as we just took time to be. Slowing down, no plans, no expectations. We went as the wind blew us. Something you certainly can’t do with kids.

A highlight of the weekend was spending it with family at my sister’s baby shower. She’s due in September and we can’t wait to welcome the newest baby girl to our family. My sister is not a pink girl, either am I, so I was able to work with blues, greens, reds and yellows putting together gifts for her little bundle of love.

A baby blanket made out of vintage fabric.

My sweetie nephew Phoenix admiring my work. Look at those tats! He’s a rockstar himself!

Everyone on the planet seems to be making these freezer paper stenciled onesies. I’m a little late to the game but here is my interpretation of my sister in a onesie. I vividly recall Miles breaking her heart when she was a little girl telling her that unicorns are not real.

And I also made some burp cloths but the Texas sunlight killed my picture. I do apologize.

I’ve still got to get some things done around here before I head out to pick up my little monkeys. No time for blog reading. Sigh. Email replies. Sigh. I’ll catch up with everyone as soon as I can.

Oh friends, do I have some crafty/sewing goodness to share with you. But since I don’t have my camera yet, and they are gifts for my sister’s baby shower tomorrow (she reads my blog… Hi Alison), you’ll have to wait. I know, I’m such a tease. But I can show you my first little client for the baby Mexican dress. The babe that created the obsession that I now have with these dresses.

Isn’t she the sweetest thing you ever laid your eyes on! I’m talking about the baby, not the dress. But the dress is cute too right?!? Her mama contacted me about making her daughter a dress for her first birthday. She told me that it was a fiesta theme and that’s all I had to work with. One trip to a vintage store later I came home with this purple puebla women’s dress. A few cuts and snips later. Some bias tape added. And this lovely little baby dress was born.

It’s Friday and there is excitement in the air. The kids are going to stay with their grandma and grandpa this weekend and they couldn’t be more excited. Honestly, I couldn’t be more excited for myself (ahem) them either. What’s on the plate you might ask? Reading. Sewing. Time with Hubby. Floating in the lake. Watching the Olympics. Knitting. Time with Friends. Thrifting. Baby Shower. Flea Market. Oh, I hope I can fit it all in!

It’s like Santa’s workshop around here. I’ve spent the week making baby gifts and birthday gifts, although I can’t show you anything until after this weekend. Well, I couldn’t even show you if I wanted to since I don’t get my camera until tomorrow. But I can tell you that the sewing machine has been out, some fabric paint has been applied and some vintage goodies are getting ready to find a new home. I’ve even started working again on the knitted baby hat and I’m so relieved that I decided to start over. I didn’t realize how bad it actually was until I started over and it looks so nice this time. I promise to show you the before picture when the camera comes home.

Note to self: Don’t drink wine with girlfriends and knit at the same time. Well, at least don’t drink more than two glasses of wine and knit. It’s just not safe.

Want to see what I’m in love with for this fall? Compliments of the Chasing-Fireflies catalog.

I know it’s 100 degres here, but I can feel the crisp cool air just looking at these pictures. I think attempting to make these creations is going to take my crafting to a whole nutha level.

Thanks for all of your encouragement on the knitting. I stayed up to around 2 am that night working it out and then spent the weekend working on it. I got about half way done and decided to start over. There were just too many holes in the beginning. And it is a gift, so we’ll start again.

But, I did take a picture to share with you. But, I left my camera at a friend’s house about two hours away so… No picture. I’ll get my camera back this weekend and share with you my lovely holey hat.

In other news, we spent the weekend with four other couple friends and their toddlers/babies. All in one house! It was amazingly beautiful. But again, no pictures until this weekend.

So let me go through iPhoto and see what we’ve got in here to share. Oh yes, there it is.

We’re in business! I ordered my business cards and clothing tags from Etsy sellers. I just fell in love with the little bird on the cards. I’ve received three four more custom orders for the Mexican dresses and have a few more items in the que I need to list in the shop.

I always seem to make lists to travel, now I think I need to carry it with me to make sure I bring everything back home. At least I didn’t leave a kid behind. Although with five kids, I could see that happening.

If you think this post is a lesson in knitting, you’ve come to the wrong place. Turn around now, save yourself. This will be however, a lesson in patience, fine motor skills and my quick fire temper. You see when I write about things like I’d like to learn to knit, I don’t really expect people to take me seriously. Like, of course I’d like to learn to knit, but now? Like right now? Oh shoot. My mouth sure does get me in trouble some times.

So sweet, sweet Courtney… my new bloggy friend and local Austinite sent me a lovely email telling me she’d like to teach me to knit. Well isn’t that dandy. She decided to call my bluff. I’m a terrible gambler. And an even worse knitter. It all seemed fine… the idea of knitting that is. Sitting around with my new friend, looking cool with my new fancy yarn and sticks. And I would say to people “of course I can knit, I’m one crafty mama.” Ha. Blah.

It all started out okay. I was instructed to get good yarn, not the cheap stuff at Michaels or the Lobby, so we ventured down to South Congress for a little afternoon soiree at Hill Country Weavers. And look at that, a cupcake stand across the street well we have to get one!

Fancy yarn in hand, vintage knitting books by my side, I’m ready to knit. Shoot, look at her face. If she can knit, surely I can figure this out. She looks confident right?!?

And then with this book, this kid screaming at me like that. Bring it on baby, bring it on!

I have all of my supplies and then the pattern arrives via email. We’re going to make a baby hat (not for me by the way). Well, I was feeling confident until the pattern was in Japanese. Not really, but I can’t read a pattern so it might as well had been in Japanese. So now I’m feeling deflated. I can’t do it. I’m feeling short of breath. Getting lightheaded.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…

My favorite little dress.

I made it this weekend for a custom Etsy order. If only the adult dresses were easier to come by I’d have a shop full of them.