Wednesday World View

In a June garden...

You can barely make out my coffee mug behind the flowers in the last picture.  That picture will really help me remember the greatest joys of June.  Walking around in the morning, mug in hand, pausing to pick a basil leaf here or a rosemary leaf there.  Really lovely.  I also experienced something new in the yard this morning and I only wish I had a picture to show.  I spotted a bug flying towards me at a startling speed.  No, this in itself is not newsworthy, but the bug was unbelievable.  It was some sort of beetle, similar in shape to a ladybug, but with a slightly longer body and larger head.  it was gold in color.  The hysterically inspiring thing bout this mystery bur was the way that it flew.  This little guy (or gal :) ) was flying almost straight up and down, its head barely slicing threw the air before its belly.  Not only was the angle strange, the best thing about this bug was that all six of its legs were straight out as it flew!!  So it was in the X position with a couple extra legs out to the side.  I wish I could only hear its little voice, I imagine it was yelling "AHHHHHHHHHHH"  either in pure terror or joy!  I think this sums up June for me, and truly the way I want to live right now- full steam ahead!  Pushing headfirst into life and growth with all of my heart!

Monday's Studio Review and The Power of Barbie

I have been working diligently on so many exciting projects this week I'm actually thrilled to get to them in the morning and thinking of them at night.  I want to start making more textiles, like fabric bags and purses.  I am also secretly- okay no longer secretly- yearning to make shoes.  That's right shoes!  I'm sure as you read this you are giving me (or at least your computer) the same 'okay, back away from the nice crazy lady' look.  I'm not sure why creating shoes seems so out of reach that it's just nutty to even try.  I have been wanting to for months and months now, but kept talking myself out of it.  I'm going to start and just see.  I also picked up some gorgeous vintage pieces this past week that I can't wait to start transforming.  Again- I'm just going for it.  I blame it on Barbie.  You read that correctly!  I have many more comments to come about kid's movies in general, but for now I'll focus on the most relevant one.  I've had the song "Get Your Sparkle On" from the movie Barbie and a Fashion Fairytale stuck in my head for days now.  The whole focus of the song is to do what is in your heart and "show the world where you belong".  I've realized that if I can preach to my daughter that she can do anything, then I can live it too.  So I'm going to try it all.  All the patterns, projects and completely new ventures I can dream up will at least be attempted.  We'll see how it goes!  I apologize for the certainly cheesy aspects of this revelation!  My choice of entertainment is a little limited at the moment!  That being said, there are many good things to be learned from the right movies!

Friday Tips: Tie Dye Painting

I needed some extra fabric for the previously mentioned "Easiest Quilt Ever and I thought tie dying would be really fun.  I had bought a few dry dye packets months ago for 25 cents a box!! Now I ask you who could pass up a deal like that?!  There were so many parts of this quilt that my daughter couldn't do that I thought this would be a great team effort.  I didn't think dipping would work because she really likes things to be precise, and a bunch of muddy, overlaying colors would probably just tick her off.  We didn't have any squirt bottles (despite my husband's three store attempts) to do it that way.  Finally I decided to mix up bits of the dye in bowls and just paint the fabric with regular paint brushes.  The two bottom pictures are our fabric strips after being "tied" up with rubber bands and then painted.  The green, blue and white fabric was simply painted in a late 80's homage :).  I let the dyed fabrics sit out and soak in on the line over night.  I washed them out in cold water in a bucket the next day, then washed them in the laundry.  I have to say that the first ones we painted (thankfully the quilt strips) retained the most color.  They turned out beautifully.  One of the ones I tried was a synthetic fabric, and , not only did it not soak up the dye as well, but I think it muddied the washer a bit.  As a result, the larger pieces turned out with a grey cast to the white areas.  The quilt strips are great though- and that was what I was going for.  All in all this was a great project- it was tons of fun!!  I would definitely reccomend wearing rubber gloves while painting.  If only they would invent those in kid sizes! 

Wednesday's World View

This week outside my daughter said, "Ooh Mommy I need the camera!"  She shot the top picture and then proudly showed me the picture.  "I just loved the shadows on your back and I wanted a picture!"  How cool is that I ask you?  She took the next photo as well.  I love that I'm wearing light sweater in June!  Ah breezy mornings!  I was hoping to see the future in the new birdbath/ scrying bowl.  It looks bright!

Monday: Studio Update

I am so excited to be listing this shawl/wrap combo.  I'm trying to come up with  a catchy name.  The Shrap?  Wrawl?  Yeah- nothings working yet.  Any ideas would be appreciated!  I came up with the design for a family member and wonderful person who I knew needed some extra pampering.  I think the colors just look like luxury plain and simple!  Hope you like it too!

Friday's Project Update: World's Easiest Quilt

The "World's Easiest Quilt" has turned out to be a little more complicated and time consuming than I had thought.  At the same time it is my first quilt and one I just threw together!  It all started weeks ago when my little girl and I decided to work on a quilt together.  I was soooo excited at her willingness to do anything crafty that I jumped right in with both feet and little sense!  We went to the fabric store and had a glorious time picking out what I really thought were the absolutely brightest fabrics I had ever seen.  I was planning to make some sort of strip quilt.  After seeing the fabrics she chose I thought a lot of white would be a good thing.  After I sewed the long strips together she decided that I should come no where near them with any sort of cutting device. So I was left with this long, large striped fabric rectangle-ish. (Later I decided it is actually some sort of trapezoid.)  I went ahead and added a strip border while her back was turned. Originally I planned to use a flat twin sheet I already had as the backing.  It proved to be too short so we needed to add more fabric.  To keep it exciting we actually tie dyed some muslin (more on this soon), which was so much fun!  I'm currently wrapping the backing around to created a rolled binding.  I really subscribe to the just do it style of crafting so, even though I have no clue really what I'm doing I just pull it out and re-do it until it looks right!  She's thrilled and I don't think she'll outgrow the color scheme any time soon so that's great!  I will share some things that did make this one of the easiest quilts ever next Friday.  P.S. I truly did iron this thing many times.  After ironing the seams and noticing how the white muslin almost instantly reverted I just smiled and gave up!  It's all good!

Gazing Ball

Just a few looks around the yard this lovely June day.  I have nothing but good things to say about the last few days.  The weather has been unbelievable.  I even wore a light sweater for a while yesterday- ahh, that's bliss to me!  My girl and I have spent hours wandering the shores of the river and playing in the yard.  Today was extra special as I got to sew a little.  Yes, granted I had to take a table, my machine and everything else outside with a large extension chord, but I got some work done!!  We played "Cinderella and Dustabella (yes that would be me ;) )  and had to sew for our step-sisters.  Actually, sewing outside is really fun!  My little one seems allergic to me having any sort of work or project time so any way of doing anything in front of her or with her is awesome by me!  I worked on her quilt which I'll show in Friday's post.  I swear the thing has to be some sort of trapezoid or parallelogram or something!!  It's kickin my tooshie!!  Here's hoping you have some lovely weather and happy days ahead too!