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I've been a busy bee bringing to life evie, camilla, beth, ella, jane, elanor, milla, izzy, anna, and elsa. These thoroughly modern gals are just the right size to slip into a little one's stocking and more importantly, right into their heart. They will be available to you this week in my little shop.
Each mod rag doll has her name sewn onto the back and fabrics range from vintage/vintage inspired to personally hand drawn, such as on elanor and milla, posing below.
And as for more shop news, I've recently added a new print, Love is Spoken Here, in a variety of colors into the shop. I created this little poster back in September of 2008. It's been such a joy to have in my home so I thought I'd share it all with you.
And for the final Cyber Monday fun, I'm having a little shop sale
Buy any print (or a custom portrait, etc.) and receive a print of your choice for free. And get, this...this sale is not just for Cyber Monday, but will be going on all week!! So get your holiday orders in now. Just enter promo code: CYBERSALE and I'll be sure to reimburse you for your free print. Happy holiday shopping!
Meet Abe (as Little A has dubbed him). Perhaps he's not that proud - he is a little awkward around the feathers after all. But we're happy about it as it saved him from the chopping block and has allowed him to come and live with us. I do believe Abe will be the only stuffed turkey at our Thanksgiving table who will not be eaten. Phew.
OK, so this is my first time creating a softie in three dimensional form (as in not just two pieces of fabric sewn back to back). I wasn't at all sure of what I was doing but I stole a few tricks from the hat I made for A's sailor costume and then just tried to "wing" it from there.
Speaking of wings, I had a hard time getting Abe's feathers to stand up straight so I ended up sewing them closer to his body. As I mentioned earlier, it's a bit awkward, but we're fine with it. I was also able to use some of that hand-drawn fabric I created a while back which is very fun to see in action.
One stuffed turkey down, one to go. Well on my way to making way for Christmas.
It's no secret that we all love security envelope patterns, right? And like many of you, I collect them, waiting for that perfect moment for when I just might come up with something to do with them. It actually makes receiving those bills not all that bad - almost exciting and somewhat suspenseful waiting to see what special pattern is hidden within.
It just so happens that most of our "important documents" come wrapped in black security splendor. Initially this made me a little disappointed, as I favor the classic blue look. However, it seems that black has come in quite handy for the occasions at hand, and as a result, I have now grown rather fond of it.
Because security envelope patterns are "hindered" a bit by their intended layout, I find that bite sized projects, such as cupcake or sandwich toppers, work best for me. So in honor of the fabulously spooky holiday at hand, I had to make little bats to top off some scrumptious pumpkin shaped sandwiches.
And let me tell you, nothing dresses up an ordinary ham and cheese sandwich better than a cookie cutter and a toothpick topper.
Little A went batty for these and couldn't wait for me to finish the photo shoot before gobbling up a bite or two.
Trust me, these babies with fly off the plate, before you can say BOO!
We took it easy this year for baby O's first birthday. Thanks to last year's Target post-Halloween sales we were good to go with decor/invite/the works. The only thing I made was the Pumpkin spice cake with my favorite Williams Sonoma pumpkin cake mold that I break out every year. Pretty low key. Pretty great.
After gobbling his first cake bites and opening a few gifts from grandma, Little A and friends, Baby O was ready for a nice long nap. As were the rest of us.
Happy Birthday my little baby! (now please feel free to stop growing...seriously...you can slow it down any time you like).
Ahh...fall. The dreamiest of seasons, set apart to usher in the delight of holidays magically stacked upon one another in just a way to get us through the drizzly and dreary months of winter. OK, so I live in California, but it has been unusually cold this past week and equally drippy (skipee!) and I have strived to enjoy every minute of the (sadly brief) sweater lovin', boot sportin' weather. Unfortunately, along with draftiness, fall brings with her a most bothersome flu bug. And yes, the little beast found me, and got me good.
So this past week was spent sipping hot herbal teas, lounging with lozenges and tissues while deliriously dreaming about a courageous orphaned daughter of a knight...and somehow trying to keep track of my little knights throughout it all (and relying heavily on our good fried DJ Lance for a little down time).
Of course this little spell couldn't have come at a "better" time. I mean, I only have two costumes to sew before the end of the week, baby O's first birthday to plan and prep for (please say my oven will work by then), and kajillion other Halloweeny creations boiling over in my brain. In fact, this time of year, so beloved by all all in our house, can often get a little congested (in more ways than one). I love the holidays (any excuse to celebrate and throw a party, right?) so much so that I often get a bit of inspiration overload. I have SO many ideas that I start to get stressed and saddened (of my own accord) when I realize that time is slipping by and there is no plausible way I'm going to be able to do it all. So one by one I have to eliminate and prioritize and of course get back to the spirit of it all (but left a little heartbroken for all that I was not able to do). Does this ever happen to you? What's your secret remedy? Please do share! I'd love to curl up with it and let it steam out all my early holiday congestion.
Having a three year old for Halloween this year is an entirely new adventure for me. Little A is actually starting to get it and is very excited about tricks and treats, The Great Pumpkin and any and all Halloween themed story books we can find (he's like his mama in this way). However, I was counting on this being a year I could still, ahem, "greatly influence" my son as far as what sort of costume he will be wearing alongside his brother (yeah, I'm one of those moms). Well, he's really been into Kung Fu tigers (ala Tai Lung from Kung Fu Panda) so I toyed around with the idea of having him being a tiger/snow leopard and baby O being a panda but it just wasn't inspiring for me. So I waited. Waited for that "Ah Ha!" moment when I knew I had the perfect costume idea for the littles. Well it came...and I'm SO into it now (which I'll keep under wraps for now, and no, it's not Santa Claus). Little A still needed some convincing. So I started off with the beard to see how that would go.
Well, for 1, 2, 3 seconds we had a bearded man. I was prepare for this and therefore wasn't too discouraged. So we are doing all we can do to talk up this costume idea and on some days he's really jazzed, and on other days he wants to be what is little brother is going to be (and I'll admit, baby O's costume is kind of cooler). So we'll see how it goes. I might just have to have a back up plan...and hey, the more costumes on Halloween the better right?
Thank you all for you kind wishes for our little move across town. We are slowly unpacking everything and trying to settle in a bit. It's been a crazy week of preschool starting for little A, sniffles that are keeping baby O up (for far too many hours of the night) and a whole lot of sorting and arranging (and then rearranging) going on around here.
I'm happy to have the dining area slowly come together. This room was what sold me on the apartment (along with the cute little kitchen). It's been my respite for when all the boxes, sorting and finding a place for that one random thing that doesn't seem to belong anymore, starts to get to me. And I've enjoyed using the left over lemony tea party candy as bribery for little A's help (or an incentive to stop pestering his brother, to be more to the point.)
Hopefully I'll be getting my act together here soon so that I can start fun holiday projects and keep the posts rolling. Right now I better catch some Z's before baby O wakes for the first round of midnight tossing and turning.
So, yeah...we are moving....tomorrow. And you would think packing would have been my main priority this past weekend. Well, my good sport of a husband no doubt wishes it were. But when you are moving into an apartment, and only have a backyard for one more weekend, sometimes an end-of-the-summer tea party just has to take precedence over packing. And in my opinion...it was entirely worth it.
We enjoyed a wonderful time of sipping delicious herbal teas in dainty cups and consuming delectable edibles such as Swedish meatballs, cucumber sandwiches on rye bread, deviled eggs, rosemary lemon sandwich cookies (these are to die for, truly), devils food trifle, magnolia cupcakes and lots of lemony candies.
It was my first time hosting a tea party of my own and I do believe I'm quite addicted. In fact I think I'm rather hooked on parties in general. They seem to encompass all things I love: design, decor, fashion, art, craft, food, and great company. And speaking of great company, I had a wonderful time with all the fabulously talented ladies that joined me for tea. Thanks so much for humoring me! It was great fancy fun.
If your interested in anything in the above pics, I'll try to break it down for you here:
Table cloths: Ikea fabric
Fabric banners: I made these from vintage fabrics (an easy and quick sew)
Tea pots and cups: from various antique/vintage vendors on ebay and etsy
Yellow and black silhouette china: from a local antique store
Yellow and white striped dress: I made this from umbrella awning fabric (it was the only kind I could find!) using this Butterick See & Sew B5339 pattern
If you haven't noticed, I like making things. Simple things. Easy things. I admire those that can spend hours on a just the right stitch, or those that do things over and over again just to get it right. I'm trying to work up to that...but let's be honest, I'm so not there. That is why I love little bit projects like these super easy pennant tea party invites. I made these by simply cutting decorative tape into triangles and a then sewing a stitch across the top.
Add a little hand written note, and voila! you are done.
Now that is my kind of afternoon project.
Done, and done.
Catch me over at decor8 today and see a few of my favorite nook/spots/things in my home.
Thanks Holly for inviting me to be a part of such a wonderful and inspiring series!
So here I am, having a lovely Saturday afternoon painting some dainty little tea party plates.
Jon gets home. Little A: "Dad! Mom made you a plate!". No sooner do I turn around when I see this mischievousness going on.
I see pennants. Apparently my boys see something entirely different. Something along the lines of scary, sharp teeth...
Guess I'll have to do a customized set just for my little monsters.
*addendum: Jon drew the face and put it together initially. When I went to photograph the before and after Little A refused to let me take the eyes and nose off and kept putting them back on...so I caught him in the act. And yes, that is a chocolate smear on his arm.
**If you are wanting to make your own custom plates, I used black Ceramcoat paint (instructions on bottle). The plates I found at a local thrift store (they only had two).
So I thought it might be nice to get you all that travel desk tutorial I promised you before the summer was over. Maybe you can squeeze in some sewing time right before your last road trip of the summer. This might seem pretty extensive but I promise that it's easier than it looks! My sewing skills/vocabulary/etc. are still novice so I apologize if some of the steps don't make sense. Hopefully the pictures will help.
1. Start with a board (any size you like). I used masonite but if you are intending to use this in the car it might be a better idea to go with a thick cardboard of sorts, or something softer than masonite, for safety reasons.
2. Measure the fabric so that when folded there is just enough room on the top and bottom of the board for seam allowance. Leave as much room on the sides as you like for folding over pockets.
3. Make loops for pocket closures (you can use bias tape or ribbon if you like) and sew them on the inside of the folded fabric.
4. You'll laugh but I can't remember what 4 is for. I say just ignore it.
5. Sew around fabric leaving opening for turning.
6. Turn fabric inside out.
7. Baste or mark area where board will be. Sew handle on to whichever side you want the top to be (you can also do this earlier like the loops in step three). I just realized that my drawing has the handles in different spots but I'm too lazy to fix it. Just play around and put it where you want it.
8&9. Sew on pockets (turning and sewing edges under ahead of time). I used large coat size zippers and sewed them straight onto the pocket fabric. You can also add a pencil pocket to the side.
10. Sew on pocket for board leaving opening for board to slide in and out.
11. Hand embroider initial to lower right corner (or wherever you like).
12. Fold up pockets and sew shut.
13. Sew buttons on for loops to close.
14. Sew pillow pocket. You can make this as deep or as shallow as you like. Sew sides at an angle.
15. Turn inside out.
16. Sew pillow pocket onto desk leaving opening for stuffing. Stuff pillow. Sew closed.
17. Insert board. You are done now ready to use your new desk!
*I also keep coloring and activity books under the board for storage. You can also add a metal sheet on top of the board for magnetic activities. Another variation would be to sew plastic on top to make it easy to wipe clean if used for eating. This is something I might do later.
I hope this was helpful. If you have any specific questions along the way I'll do my best to help you out. Happy sewing and last minute traveling!
**Oh and a big thanks to Ohdeedoh and Cafe Mom (and any other kind bloggers) for posting about Little A's desk!
Move over permanent marker, I now have a new, legit fabric doodle buddy. In the past I've been know to draw on sheets with permanent marker (for little A's first birthday I drew characters on sheets for the children to color in with chalk. It worked really well. When I washed the sheets the chalk came off but the marker stayed, ready for another afternoon of playful coloring). As great as this was, it was time to step it up. That's when I found these babies. Score. My head is spinning with options, ideas, and patterns.
I'm not sure what I'll do with this little pattern I'm creating (a table cloth? if I have the stamina...) but what I do know is that I'll have plenty of directed doodle time while on hold. Kenny G, bring it on, because I'm pulling up a chair and staying for a while.
(Oh and if you are wondering about the random yellow N, well little A's wooden alphabet was encroaching on my photo shoot so, being the visually obsessed mother that I am, I insisted that he choose letters that color coordinated. Makes perfect sense, right?)
I'm not sure my sewing skills are up for the challenge of this Burda Style vintage swim pattern but I might give it a go anyhow. Is this not the cutest suit ever?
On Monday we celebrated Jon's birthday. We started the day off with blueberry spice muffins, bacon and eggs and then proceeded on to gifts. Little A was very excited about this. I asked him what he wanted to give daddy and he said, "A big box! and then we can say Happy Birthday!"
So a big red box it was - complete with finger print cards from the littles (littla A turned his into a monster).
I made Jon a custom Shakespeare poster cataloging the Shakespeare roles Jon has played as well as a few famous Shakespeare quotes. After a wonderful morning we drove up the coast and found ourselves in Santa Barbara. What a marvelous day it was. Thanks Jon for having a birthday and for sharing it with us!
*Oh and thanks for all the hair advice. You guys are awesome!
Isn't the hair on this Keller NY model just heavenly? But believe you me...to get that messy, soft and tousled look, with a good bang sweep, is a whole lot harder than just waking up. After having the two littles my hair has become much more curly...or I should say "wavy" (used to be pretty much straight pre-kiddos). I like the idea of tousled hair but it is so hard to get it to look right. It either goes frizzy & poofy (too little product) or ramen noodle crunchy (too much product). The perfect balance is somewhere in between with the appropriate, magical product and styling combo. Gals with curls...give me some love. What products/styling tips do you suggest? And something a working mama could actually perform on a daily basis would be choice.
I thought I'd better share with you a few snapshots of our splendid Fourth of July celebration before the month was actually over. I'm still waiting on a few photos that my little sis took of us that I will of course post later.
I was so happy with how all the boys ensembles turned out. I managed to throw something on the sewing machine for myself the day before festivities began. It never got a zipper so I had to layer a bit but it all worked out...more or less.
and of course we can't forget the much talked about m&m display. It was all worth it, right?
We had a delicious time munching on ears of barbecued corn, dipping bread in various olive oil concoctions, sampling delectable slices of razzleberry, lemon meringue, strawberry and apple pie, and of course scooping up chocolatey crunchy goodness that most definitely melted in our hands as well as our mouths. The littles played rounds of miniature golf (the course of which was handmade by the sweat of Grandfather and father's brows), swam in pools, competed in chalkboard tic-tac-toe tournaments and most of all enjoyed eachother's company. Later there were of fire works, rocket launches, serenades and pj parties.
It was a grand ole time and the perfect way to kick off the summer.
Sorry the posting has been so infrequent as of late. I've been traveling and in the middle of Fourth of July party prep...And if I take one thing away from all of this it will be to never buy in bulk from M&M World in Vegas. Yes you may be assigned to bring red, white and blue candy for all the littles during the outdoor movie party and yes may think you are saving by avoiding paying shipping by not purchasing color coordinated candy online...but trust me...after the euphoria of seeing so many wonderful colors of m&m's dies off and you dreamily load up three bags of candy coated goodness...your jaw will drop and your hand will shake when you hesitantly hand over a sum that could easily pay for five bulk boxes of diapers...or half of a new iphone...no...just don't think about it. And don't think about how the supply will be gone is less than ten minutes...no don't think about that either. And don't think about charging the littles for each weighed and portioned serving...no that just isn't in the spirit of things...
No don't think of any of these things. Just think of how pretty it will look and how delighted it will make the kiddos. Just think of the happy red white and blue fingers and the stories you can tell.
Well, I'm traveling again tomorrow and then will officially be on vacay for a few days thereafter. Have a very Happy Fourth everyone!!
...hmm...I wonder how much each serving would have to cost to...
Things are coming along with my Summer Magic party sewing. I still have some finishing touches to do on this little overall number for baby O but I'm happy with it so far. I tried it on him and it's to die for. Truly.
And here are little A's knickers that I mentioned earlier. They are a tad too wide for him at the waist so I'm thinking I'll turn them into overalls or make some suspenders to attach to them. A white shirt and little bow tie are just what I need to complete the look.
I also want to see what ma and pa sewing I can squeeze into my schedule before the 4th. I hope I can do what I'm scheming up because I have half a mind to get some family photos with us all gussied up and vintage like.
Happy Tuesday to you all! I was delighted when the gals from Kelly + Olive asked me to share little tutorial with all of you on their blog. Hop on over and check it out. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to make this ruffle pillow.
And while you're over there, stay awhile and explore all of the wonderful things that Lauren and Courtney, founders of the virtual decorating company Kelly + Olive, have to offer. These gals are so great and full of inspiring ideas.
I'm not in school. My husband isn't in school (hooray! :)) and I don't have any children in school yet...but there is something in the air for all of us when school gets out. It seems to truly mark the beginning of summer, and this past Friday, June 19, was just that day for us here in South Pas. For me, nothing says summer more then leisure sewing and craft projects (surprise, surprise) and the beach. Two things I have been enjoying a bit more of these days.
I have been in the process of making my little guys vintage inspired looks, from the above fabrics, for our extended family's Forth of July "Summer Magic" picnic/tea party celebration (now a much anticipated tradition). I've have little A's knickers finished (a little large again...but I've got suspenders in mind to remedy this) and am currently working on baby O's ensemble. I seriously need time to stand still as I also want to make something for Jon and myself ...we'll see how things go. We may feel like "school's out for the summer"...but life, work, parenting...moves on as usual. I'll be sure to post everything when it's finished.
My brother (who is available and a real cutie if anyone is interested :)) is also in town right now helping us break free a bit from our daily routine, getting us out enjoying the lovely things that California has to offer. This was an especially great day at the beach. A dad, his son and a kite. Does it get better than that?
I'm so happy summer is in the air. What are some things that you are enjoying or look forward to doing this sunny season?
I can think of no better time to do a mini-makeover for the dads in your life than this weekend for Father's Day. (Do you dream up makeovers in your sleep like me? Or am I the only crazy one around here? Dare I even ask ;)?).
I must say that you can most likely replicate these above looks by diligently scouring your local thrift stores. Hmmm...what do I have planned for tomorrow again? Might have to squeeze some Father's Day bargain hunting in for good measure.
And how cool is this? Jot down his favorite poem on a scarf - a treasure he's sure to love.
Now pull it all together with a business artsy bag. I've had my eye on this one for some time now.
Whether it's dim sum or go carts you have planned for the weekend, The dad's in you life are sure to make an impression dressed to the nines in these thoughtful duds.
Happy Father's Day weekend!
I love that you can find printable versions of all the vintage Betsy McCall paper dolls on the Blue Door website. If I had a little girl I would print one out each day and play with her.
I went ahead printed out these goldie and three bear puppets for little A the other week and sadly he wasn't too into them. Perhaps he's too young. I had fun though. Go print some out and have some fun for me!
I would love to give these classic vellum cards, from Kate's Paperie, to Jon for Father's day. Aren't they just devine? Well...the key word in this "my pick" heading is "my". Jon's pick would be something entirely different...and because it is in fact his day...I think I'll get him that ipod/swimmer headphone/thing-a-ma-jiggy. After all he does bring me baby O when he wakes up crying in the morning and makes little A breakfast almost every morning. I think he deserves it, don't you?
I thought it might be helpful to all of you if I started archiving all the looks that I spotlight here on mermag. Here are few from the past week or so.
Enjoy and I hope you have an event filled weekend. Wear something fabulous!
links: ulla johnson; philip lim; cloak and dagger; philip lim
Some of my dearest friends in the world, the Eltons, just had a family photo shoot that I'm nuts about. A few of you might know Julie Elton, my companion writer for the long neglected blog, domestically dressed (we're mom's...with other blogs...you know how it goes.). Julie and I have been friends since being house mates in college (where we hit if off splendidly) but I actually knew her husband, Eric, first, through an art class. I love this couple and their little family. Both Eric and Julie have an incredible eye for beautiful and artistic things and an uncanny ability to create magic wherever they go (something I think comes through in these photos).
I also love that Eric's sister, Heather Mann, of Heather Mann Photography (another a dear friend), took these photos. What a marvelous collaboration. This sincerely convinces me that I need to make a trip up to the glorious state of Washington where these inspiring loved ones reside. I miss them far, far too much.
I shalln't be going anywhere fabulous this year. No trips to Florence or Athens or Nice...sigh...but I'm not going to let that stop me from planning the trip of my dreams. In fact, I think I'll go this weekend. First and most importantly it's got to be full of delicious, imaginary details that I simply must jot down in this exquisite Travel Journal. And being early summer the weather will be sunny with a slight breeze, making this layered ensemble perfect for the hot and cold spots I'm sure to hit throughout my day. I'll travel light making sure everything will fit into this weekender bag that I will make the night before taking flight.
After a wonderfully exhausting day of exploring and devouring I'll curl up for the night in some little hamlet off the beaten path or perhaps, since the weather will be just right, I'll spend the night under the stars right on the beach.
Of course I will write elegant letters home and fill the envelope full of tiny paper treasures for my little boys to play with. I will tell them the tales of the land and speak of how I can't wait to come home and tuck them in at night.
It will be just what I need to start the week fresh and inspired. I can't wait.
Wishing you all a delightfully make-believe weekend.
Tin cans and bull dog clips never looked so good. I love how a little creativity can make these inexpensive, every day items organizational eye candy. Thanks Country Home for the inpiration.
We all need little spots in our homes that make us smile when we pass by them. This simple necklace display is just such a spot for me. I know it's only a little thing, but it makes me happy to look at. I think we all need mini spaces like this, don't you?
What are some spaces/displays in your home that make you smile to look at? I'd love for you to take a snap shot and then comment here with a link to your photo. Then we can all share in the joy of the little things!
I'm very much enjoying the hair, makeup and styling of these Noa Noa photographs (clothing line originally found on Ill Seen, Ill Said - a great little blog full of fabulous fashion finds and other pretty things). Fun stuff I tell you.
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