Project Ideas

Have you checked out the "Ideas" page on the blog? I've been updating it with things that I would love to do/make - there are some really sweet projects listed!

it's only taken, oh, about 4 years

Yeah, you read that right. Four years.
It was at least that long ago that I started to collect recipes from magazines that I had tried and liked, or that looked tasty and I wanted to try.

I had whole file box full of clippings (it was pretty heavy). I kept adding to it whenever I cleaned out the stack of magazines, and we've moved that box with us three times. I planned to "sometime" go through it and put them all in a binder or something so that they would be more organized and accessible, but that "sometime" kept get farther and farther away.
Then I found these pretty downloads on Prudent Baby and decided that it was time to finish the project that I'd started.

the dessert binder

I really liked the aqua version of the binder cover, but our printer ran out of color ink in between the time that I printed the first one and the time that I realized that I'd need more (a span of about 2 months, since I started in the week before Ian was born). I had some pieces of vellum on hand, so I printed out a few sheets of the gray version and layered them over some full-page pictures that I pulled out of MSLiving (they have some really gorgeous images in there).

the baking binder

I tossed a ton of the clippings (I really only need one or two versions of buttercream frosting, right?), but there were still a lot of keepers - three whole binders worth (so far)! So now I have the recipes divided into Side Dishes and Main Dishes, Baking, and Desserts. Can you tell where my priorities are? ;)

It's so nice to be able to have them all at my fingertips!


Linking to these parties - check them out! There are some really amazing things being posted!

piles, piles everywhere

Today I pulled out a box of fabric and made piles. Some piles for future projects, some piles for now projects.
Shop updates coming up soon!

off the needles

The baby cardigan that I was working on for Ian is finished and ready to wear. It turned out sooooo darling.

I made it in the 3-6 month size, but it already fits him! Of course, Ian is a big boy (he was 9lbs 7 oz at birth and now is around 14 lbs). I also didn't take the time to knit up a swatch before I started, so it may have turned out a bit smaller than the one in Essential Baby. But I love it anyway. If it doesn't get cool enough for Ian to wear before he grows out of it I may give it away.

Or then again, I may just hold onto it. :)
The yarn is some soft cotton stuff that I saved when I unraveled one of my old ones (and has been used for so many baby things already).

linking to these parties.

bench cushions

The sewing machine has been put away for the past month and a half. It wasn't really broken, but there was a rather crucial part missing (Emma was trying to be "helpful" and it got thrown away). 

Unfortunately, you just can't go to the fabric store and ask which aisle the shuttles for Brother sewing machines are on! My Grammy-in-law very kindly gave me the name and number of a dealer that she uses, and now we are back in the swing of things. :) And a good thing, too, since my "ideas file" is starting to get pretty long!

The first thing at the top of the pile was covers for the bench cushions. 

John made this bench and proposed to me on it, and right now (since we are living in a ~900 sq foot apartment) it is serving duty as our couch. I had bought the cushion inserts from Ikea with some birthday money, had measured and cut out the material that had been used in practically every room for some purpose or another, and pulled out the machine only to find it inoperable. :) Ah well, we're finishing now!

I cut three pieces for each pillow:
1 26" x 26"
1 26" x 22"
1 26" x 8"

Next, I sewed a 1" seam down one of the 26" sides of both of the smaller pieces (this would create a finished pocket-style opening).

Then I stacked the large piece with the middle-size on top, right sides together and raw edges matching on three sides ...

... with the smallest piece on top, overlapping the finished edge of the mid-sized piece. I pinned them all together and sewed around the edge using a 1/2" seam.
Since I wanted a really rumply and relaxed look, I didn't bother to clip the corners or press the seams.

For the last step I put a button and button hole in the middle of the edge of the pocket opening (I was using a rather slippery type of upholstery fabric. If you use some a little stiffer or less slippery, you might be able to skip this) to keep the edges from gaping.

I got featured!!!

The Mini Bloom Pin Trio got featured on the front page of Etsy this afternoon!!!
It was soooo thrilling - I almost cried (that might have been influenced by post-partum hormones, but still, it was thrilling!).