Fri-Yay #9

January 13, 2023Posted inFriYays

Happy Friday the 13th! Wow. I cannot believe how quickly this week has gone and that it is already Friday again. It was a pretty low-key week around here, we’re all still getting used to being back on the school schedule after the winter break. Nothing too exciting, but there have been a few fun things to share.

Ok, so maybe this isn’t a favorite or highlight from the week, but it was certainly surprising. This is our master bath next to the shower door panel. It decided to explode first thing Monday morning. The craziest part is this is right after it happened, but it continued cracking for a good hour after this and all of those cracks just became smaller and smaller pieces. It was pretty wild.

This is my new AirPods case. A certain fluffy black dog who shall remain nameless ate the ears off my last panda AirPod case, so this is the one I replaced it with. I ordered it originally like December 7th, but managed to accidentally order the pro size one. By the time it came and I realized Amazon was super slow on shipping so this just got here this week. But I am delighted with it, especially since it stands up on its own. If you need a panda with a hat and fish bag case for your AirPods, you can find this one here*.

It has been fairly dry here and the static is making Juniper’s hair extra adorable!

That’s all I’ve got for this week. My plans to get sewing in seem to keep getting bumped this week so I am hoping I can get some things done over the three day weekend.

How about you? What were the highlights, or surprising bits like my shower door, from your week?

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*Links marked with * are affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from at no cost to you in order to help me keep my blog and free tutorials going.

WIP Wednesday #8

January 11, 2023Posted inWIP Wednesdays

Happy Wednesday friends! You’ve seen most of my WIP for the week with my gift bag tutorial from yesterday. But, since I am a perpetual craftaholic, you know I still have at least a couple more things to share.

I opened the jelly roll I shared last WIP Wednesday and ohmygosh it has me excited to start sewing! Look at all those gorgeous vintage-y colors and prints!! This is my next tutorial project and the plan is I will start working on it tomorrow morning.

I know I haven’t mentioned The Darlings much since my first post, but I am still working on them! This is a little triangle shawl I started on last night. I sure am enjoying accessorizing small critters, it definitely checks all of my “perfect project” boxes.

I have really been enjoying small handwork projects recently. Maybe because I plant my bum on the couch or in my favorite chair and snuggle with fluffy dogs while I work on them? That could have something to do with it. This is a little embroidery project I am starting on, but getting the fabric into the hoop is as far as I have gotten at this point.

And finally, I think this is my biggest project right now, “Wintering.” Mr Danger sent me this since I was complaining that all I want to do is sleep and not go outside and I am not even as excited by knitting and sewing and creating as I normally am. Anyone else relate to this one? January in the Pacific Northwest can be a rough month for me for sure.

What about you? What are you working on? Do you have lots of crafty energy since it is cold and dark outside? Or are you Wintering like I am? Leave me a comment and let me know!

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Drawstring Gift Bag Tutorial

January 10, 2023Posted inChristmas, Free Tutorials, Sewing1 Comment
Reusable fabric Christmas Gift Bag Tutorial sample

I have a fun tutorial for you guys today! For ages I have wanted to switch to reusable fabric gift bags for Christmas gifts and this last year was the year! We got snowed in the week before Christmas so I put that time to good use sewing up a storm. It was such a fun and quick activity with so many ways customize and really make it your own, I thought I would share a how-to for you guys. I know there are like a gazillion tutorials for gift bags out there, but I decided to do a no-stress (or significantly less stressful) version for you based on what you have at home. Then, if you too are like me and you get snowed in you can still make some gift bags!

Supplies

  • Fabric- as small as a fat quarter is great! I give more dimensions and samples at the end of the tutorial, but whatever you have on hand will work. Specifically Christmas themed is great, but anything will work really.
  • Drawstring: ribbon, cording, twill tape, etc. If you don’t have anything (I didn’t), you can sew up double fold bias tape and make a drawstring out of that.
  • Sewing machine and basic sewing supplies (cutting mat, rotary cutter, thread, iron, etc)
  • A safety pin

I bet you guys have all of these things at home!

Fri-Yay #8

January 6, 2023Posted inFriYays

Happy Friday! Wow! We’ve made it through the first week of school for 2023! I feel like this year is going quickly and it is only the 6th…. Here are my first favorites for the new year!

  • I ran out of a good simple black tea over Christmas break and we certainly couldn’t have that. Especially with the kids home and us all locked inside with a big snow storm. So I ordered some PG Tips from Amazon*. Imagine my delight when the tea showed up in a box covered in Corgis!!!
  • I have worked on two different tutorials for you guys this week, which has been so fun! As long as everything goes smoothly (fingers crossed!) I will have the first one posted tomorrow.
  • I found this classic rock playlist on Apple Music and it has been what I have been listening to as I have been back running kids around in the car.
  • I got a bread machine for Christmas*! I pulled it out last week and have been playing around with it. I have made several good loaves from the cookbook that came with it, plus yogurt (that I still need to work on) and strawberry jam. How wonderful is it to get up way too early before the sun is up for school to the smell of freshly baked bread that cooked overnight. Yummo!
  • And, a lot of the week has looked like this, covered in a small dog and a small very shaggy dog. My back is still grumpy with me so I have been spending a lot of time sitting on the couch and reading or doing some hand work like knitting or some stitching. I will share more on that soon!

How about you guys? How has your first week of 2023 been? What projects are you working on? Leave me a comment and let me know!

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*Links marked with * are affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from at no cost to you in order to help me keep my blog going.

WIP Wednesday #7

January 4, 2023Posted inUncategorized, WIP Wednesdays

Happy New Year friends! I have to say 2022 wasn’t a bad year by any means, but I am really looking forward to moving into a new year this year. I managed to tweak my back and I think pinch a nerve on Christmas, so we kept it incredibly low key the week after because I kept “ouch”-ing and “eeeeee”-ing every time I moved. So, I did a lot of reading. I picked up a Marianne Williamson* book for the first time, and it was really lovely and I think has gotten me into a “wipe the slate clean” and start the new year with a new attitude and mindset. I hope you had a lovely holiday as well.

Anywho, let’s get back to making, shall we?! I came up with SOOO many ideas will sitting on my bum and I have so much goodness I am excited to share here on the blog this year.

Yes this is Christmas fabric. Yes, we are past Christmas. No, I have not completely finished all of my Christmas gifty projects. And because I have not finished everything, I have a fun tutorial for you I am starting on today with these cute prints. It will be great, and it isn’t technically just for Christmas anyway.

These are also on my work table and also for a tutorial for you I am going to start on as soon as I finish the Christmas fabric one. Do you like the bigger dots on the right more, or the teeny tiny dot fabric on the left with the jelly roll? It will be the background. I would love if you comment below and let me know. I haven’t decided which I prefer yet, but when I was shopping for the fabric it was online so I ordered both so I had options once it arrived. I don’t know about you guys, but yardage of a low volume dot fabric around here never goes to waste!

That’s all I have photos of to share now, but I promise there are many, many more WIP in my mind that I can’t wait to share with you!

What about you guys? Do you have any projects you are super excited to start after the holidays? Are you ready to be done with 2022 like I am? Let me know in the comments below!

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*Links marked with * are affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from at no cost to you in order to help me keep my blog going.

Fri-Yay #7

December 3, 2022Posted inFriYays1 Comment

Happy Friday friends! How has your week been? Are you feeling the hustle and bustle of the season yet?

It has been a good week. I am so enjoying working on the Darlings, and there have been some fun other things to share with you as well.

  • I have been playing around with this 5 minute a day artisan bread recipe that was recommended by friend. One loaf I made this week accidentally rose and then baked into a heart shape. How fun is that?!
  • I love Louise Hay and I have been reading just couple pages a day in this book* which has put me in a good mood every day. It is amazing how much your thoughts shape how your day goes!
  • We had the smallest dog (under 8lbs) at Thanksgiving and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law had the largest (130lbs). Mr Danger snapped this adorable shot of the two of them side by side and I love it.
  • I have been knitting a lot again with the Darlings and though I have collected many needles over the years, these Chiaogoo Lace ones* remain my favorites. I have ordered a couple missing sizes over the last couple weeks to fill in some holes in my collection!
  • It snowed here a little bit this week, which always makes me happy. Juniper sat at our back door and watched it snow for a good 30 minutes. It was so sweet, I had to capture the moment!

Alright friends, that’s all I’ve got this week! What were your favorites this week? I would love for you to leave me a comment and let me know!

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*Links marked with * are affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from at no cost to you in order to help me keep my blog going.

WIP Wednesday #6

December 1, 2022Posted inB's Darlings, Finished Projects, Knitting, Sewing, WIP Wednesdays

Hi friends! How was your Thanksgiving? We had a lovely time with family that we had not been together with on Thanksgiving for several years.

I have been working on a new project I am so excited to start sharing with you guys! Studio time has been limited the last month or so with kids sick, me sick with the lingering crud, holidays and life, but I have a new pattern line I have managed to snag a few minutes to work on. Meet my new friends!

I am calling these guys B’s Darlings and I am working on a whole line with interchangeable clothes and accessories. The animal dolls themselves will be sewn and then I am creating both knitted and sewn clothes and accessories, which I am loving! Since I have been writing both knitting and sewing patterns for a month shy of 14 (fourteen!!!) years, it is bringing me so much joy to combine the two in one line. I have started with just bears for now, with one that accidentally came out looking like a cat, so some kitties will be soon to follow (plus many more creatures I hope!). My next step will be to write up and lay out the patterns for you guys to make your own, but I am also planning on offering a few of the Darlings as finished toys as well.

This is the gorgeous stack of linens and yarn dyed organic cottons I have to play around with to make more Darlings. I’m excited to see how they come out, and I can’t wait to keep making more tiny clothes and knitted items.

Thanks to the magic of life I just got invited to sell my first Darlings at a Pop Up sale at an artist friend’s pottery studio and I couldn’t be more excited! I will be busy making bear friends (and hopefully some cats and other creatures) for the next couple weeks and the sale will be from 11am-4pm on both 12/17 and 12/18, just in time to snag those last minute gifts for the holidays! I will share the address and more info later, but make sure to mark your calendars now!

I hope you like the Darlings as much as I do! I will share my progress as I get ready for the sale. And, I am planning to get the pattern released in January so you can make your own Darlings as well.

What about you? Are you getting time in this busy part of the year to get a little sewing, knitting, and creating in? I’d love for you to share with me in the comments what you are working on!

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Fri-Yay #6

November 18, 2022Posted inFriYays

Happy Friday friends! Wow. Whattaweek. It was already bonkers when I posted Wednesday, and yesterday I went to volunteer in my youngest son’s classroom and within 3 minutes of being there I watched him happily running on break with his friends and then trip and slide his face across the concrete. There was lots of blood and so many tears and he is home from school today since his face swelled up so much his right eye is swollen shut. Holy moly!

That being said, I still have a couple favorites from this bananas week.

  • I have been doing more handwork type projects recently (did you see the little stuffie face on my Wednesday post?) and needed a containment system for outside of my office that is easy to keep away from kids and dogs and also take with me. So when I saw some beautiful Ghana artist made baskets I knew one would work perfectly and even found a pink one! It is working exactly how I wanted and I love it so much.
  • This Peasant Bread recipe is my favorite from all of the bread recipes I’ve been trying recently! I 1.5 times the recipe as noted and bake it in loaf pans and have been making all of our bread. I also have baked them in the pyrex as described, and I just made a batch to do in muffins tins to take as rolls for Thanksgiving (I’m practicing before next week!) Today I saw the focaccia bread version and I think I am going to try it this weekend.
  • I’ve been watching the old Little House On The Prairie series on Prime and enjoying it so much! I had never watched it before and I am loving the 1960’s take on the 1870’s and watching it in 2022, so fun!
    • And finally, a rather grumpy, extra fluffy dog picture for you!

    That’s all I’ve got this week! I am sure hoping next week is a little less crazy and I am looking forward to the 4 day weekend for Thanksgiving. What are your favorites this week? I would love if you share with me in the comments below.

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    WIP Wednesday #5

    November 16, 2022Posted inSewing, WIP Wednesdays

    Hi friends! I don’t know how things are going with you guys, but it has been rather whackadoodle dandy around here! We have had some illness go through the house which has stuck around and is still lingering, and it has meant not much WIP happening around here. But I have gotten a few things finished that I can share!

    I did get the giant quilt plus the smaller football quilt finished for my Stepmom. Buuuuuuuuut I didn’t get pictures taken before I handed them over. Oops!

    My second Christmas quilt is “on” my long arm frame, as you can see in the above photo…..

    I got a few little ghosties finished to give to my youngest and his trick or treating friends on Halloween, but that was the day we came down with whatever illness has held on and he ended up not going. I guess I am ahead for next year!

    And finally, this is a fun little sneak peak of what I am working on right now and hope to share very soon!

    What projects are you up to? Are you working on Christmas present sewing? I have a few of those projects to start next!

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    Fri-Yay #5

    October 22, 2022Posted inFriYays, Uncategorized

    Holy moly you guys, it has been a week! I’ve got a kid who has been eloping (the fancy name for running away) from school, we’ve been covered in smoke here in the Pacific Northwest, our 10lb dog barfs when there is smoke in the air and has been up 2-3 times a night every night since Sunday, I have not been sleeping because of it, I had a giant mom meltdown that involved a lot of yelling (not at the kids thankfully) on Wednesday, which between that and the smoke has meant I have lost my voice and croak to speak right now. I checked and I don’t think mercury is in retrograde and it is not a full moon, so I am not sure what is going on!

    There have been lots of fun things for my Fri-Yay post this week though and I even kept track with a list on my phone so I remember even with all of the crazies!

    • I have managed to get a few minutes to snuggle with the Poodle and read The Hobbit*. I have never read it before but am a huge fan of all of the Lord Of The Rings movies. I bought a copy for the kids to encourage them to read it, and then picked it up myself.
    • We made Poutine this week and it reminded me of this breakfast Poutine recipe that we made earlier this year. It is DELICIOUS and I highly recommend it.
    • I used to get David’s Tea all the time and then fell out of the habit. Recently I was reminded of them after being on the hunt for a good tea steeper and finding a recommendation for the David’s Teas one. I placed another order recently and it came this week. Nothing like a tea delivery to put me in a good mood!
    • I have been inspired to make more of my own clothes recently and finally bought this book* that I have had my eye on since it came out.
    • I found this show on Amazon Prime Video and binge watched it while sewing over the weekend and loved it! I am a not super successful gardener, but do try most years, and now I feel like I know a lot more and am excited to start growing again in the Spring!
    • And finally, a cute fluffy dog photo!

    How has your week been? I would love if you share with me your favorite thing from the week in the comments!

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    *Links marked with * are affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from at no cost to you in order to help me keep my blog going.