artsy-crafty babe

ava

Ava Rose with the pink painted toes.  Oh, this littlest girl of mine, I could eat her up!  At 4 and a half (almost 5?!?!), she's growing up like crazy and still pouring on the sweetness (even when she's a stinker, which is happening more and more lately!).  I can always count on this one to bring a smile to my face.

You should see how she leaves the house in the morning.  I’ve been meaning to get photos of her latest outfits, but she changes clothes too quickly in the afternoon (and the last thing on my mind in the morning is taking a photo).  If it is bright and happy, she wants to wear it.  Striped stockings, polka dot leggings, that’s all her. 

One day before Christmas she spotted a pair of pink converse while we were out shopping.  She was quite thrilled to find them under the tree Christmas morning.  She wants to wear them with everything, which is fine with me if only she knew how to tie her own shoes!  She certainly wants to tie her own shoes, but we’re not quite there yet.

Just this morning while I was getting her dressed for school she asked “where’s Daddy?”, “In the kitchen” I said.  “Daddy” she called, but he didn’t hear her.  I had no idea what she wanted, but to help her out I yelled “Matt, Ava wants you”.  As soon as he walked into the room she said to him “I love you, Daddy” in her sweet little girl voice with a big smile on her face.  That’s all she wanted, to tell her Daddy that she loved him.  She looooves telling you that she loves you (I hear it several times a day), and she knows how to work it.

She also likes to give little surprises.  The other day when I was checking out at the grocery store she walked behind me and squeezed my tush with both hands then started to giggle.  Oh my goodness, I was a little startled at first, and then I looked around to see if anyone was watching.  My thoughts then turned to wondering if she does this to her teachers at school - I would die!  We had to have a little talk about butt pinching being something we only do at home when we're joking around. 

I can’t do this post without mentioning the hair.  Ava and her crazy hair…and her love of cutting it.  Yes, she STILL cuts her  hair.  Sunday I found a bunch of paper that she cut up on the kitchen counter.  I asked her if she cut any of her hair (a common question around here) to which she replied “yes”.  Thankfully it was only a curl.  A curl from the same spot that she always cuts!  I’ve finally gotten used to the idea that she’ll be sporting mullet for a while.  At least her hair is long enough to put into styles and the short pieces that fall out are curly.

Oh, she loves barrettes and bows and to have her hair fixed and put into piggy tails and such, but she never leaves it that way.  If she goes to school with a bow in her hair it is always in her cubby in the afternoon.  If I fix her hair for church on Sunday, it all comes down on the way home.  That crazy hair is all her.

Sometimes I want to bottle this little pixie up and keep her just like this (minus the scissors).  I've even asked her if she'll live with me forever, but she said "no, Mama, I want to grow big and to go to college".  Alrighty then, carry on with your growing up, silly girl.

the Nanette tote

Did you catch it in my last post?  My latest pattern, the Nanette tote is ready for purchase.  I can't wait to see what y'all come up with on this one!  

Did you know that there's an artsy-crafty babe pattern flickr group?  If you make one of my patterns be sure to add it to the group.  I plan to start featuring your creations here every so often (once or twice a month??) along with a little giveaway if you get chosen. I'm a little embarrassed that I haven't done this already.  Thanks to all of you who have been adding to the group already!

Here you go, the Nanette tote!!

You can get it right here, here, or here.

As always, if you have any questions, just ask!! (or if you see any mistakes, please let me know :-))

trying something new

Leather!  I've been wanting to try my hand at sewing a bag from leather for quite some time now.  I didn't want to invest in a hide for my first try, so I've been keeping an eye out for leather jackets at the thrift stores.  No luck.  I finally broke down and bought some leather...on sale. 

Feeling pretty confident about my latest pattern, I decided to give it a try in leather.  It turned out okay for my first try.  I opted to leave the pleats out because I wasn't sure how my machine would handle the bulk, but in hindsight I wish I would have left them in.  Oh, I still like the end result okay, but I think the pleats would have made it better.

One thing I didn't count on was how slippery it would be.  Yikes, my pieces were sliding all over the place, and I wasn't using pins!!  Both those elements I never even considered going in to it.  I ended up using quilt binding clips to kinda sorta hold my pieces together.  Eh, maybe I'll just deal with the pin holes next time (or do some research on sewing with leather!!).  Any experts out there with some tips to share?

With such a lovely purple leather on the outside I decided to use some good stuff on the inside - some Amy Butler Ginger Bliss, which was the first designer quilting fabric I ever bought.  I thought that was kind of fitting - first leather experience with my first designer fabric :-)  With my first try behind me, you better believe I'm far from done with this whole leather thing...

 

bags, bags, bags

No more sneak peeks, here they are - my newest bags!  

All I can say is that I hit 2011 running!  These bags actually started with these.  As soon as I made them, I had the next version worked out in my mind, but then sickness and the holidays hit.  Thankfully, the idea never left my head (a miracle), so as soon as things settled down, I got busy with my sewing machine.

This orange & pink one was the first I made.  It was love at first sight - exactly what I had in mind!  (love that!!)  

I then immediately went up to my sewing room and picked out the "good fabrics".  I had been saving this fabric combo for just the right project.  

As much as I liked that bag, I had to make another.  I dug around for the perfect fabric.  Oh my, how I love this one!  The print fabric is by Alexander Henry from the Matisse collection.  Have I ever mentioned that Matisse is one of my favorite artists?  The moment I saw this fabric I had to have it.  This bag is MINE!  I haven't carried a bag that I made since the fall, so a new artsy-crafty babe bag was long over due.

Oh, and there will be a pattern.  Soon.  Very soon.  I've been a woman possessed!!

looking back at 2010

Even though I had some gaping holes in my 2010/365, I still captured quite a bit.  I wasn't planning on doing this, but I couldn't help it.  As I was organizing my flickr photos from last year, what spoke to me the most was the experiences and the people I got to spend time with.  When I think of my 2010 in those terms, it was awesome. 

January - Ava Rose, always keeping me on my toes.

February - we were in a Who Dat frenzy.

March - enjoying quiet time at home.

April - a quick trip to Houston for a ball game to celebrate a big birthday.

May - always a whirlwind of activities, this year added a dance recital for the littlest one.

June - I finally used my serger (and my camera remote).

July -a fun family weekend with these two.

 

August - we felt the sand between our toes.

September - another fantastic weekend with friends, this time in Seattle with Miss Dottie Angel as our guide.  I got to spend time with Sarah, too, but no photographic evidence.

October - Miss Ruby, I don't know what we'd do without her.

November - we took the kids to LSU on game day, which is something we have never done before.  Needless to say, they had a grand time and wandering through campus sure brought back lots of memories for Matt and I.

December - Matt and I got spent the evening with Chris & Jay in New Orleans.  I don't know why we didn't get a photo of us together, but I did get one of Dr John at Tipitinas, so it will have to do.

I've said it many times here on this blog that I'm a homebody, which is true, but this past year I got out of my comfort zone.  People think I'm a little nuts when I talk about my friends that I've met through blogging, but it's true.  This year brought not only my blog friends into my real life, but connections and reconnections with new friends and old.  This year wasn't so much about the making (i did enough of that last year), but the doing and the being, both of which I plan to keep on keeping on in 2011 :-)  Thanks for coming along for the ride, friends!

hello 2011

Wow, 2011 already.  How did that happen?  

In my time away from this space over the holidays not much has happened other than my trying to make the most of my time home with my family.  I let the little stresses fall aside and got comfortable with the chaos that is my life.  My house sort of looks like a bomb went off in it right now, but that's okay. We've done a whole lot of living lately, so that's expected.

I don't have a whole lot of reflection on 2010 other than the fact that it is over, and I'm moving on.  2010 wasn't bad by any means, and I had a whole lot of good happen, but I'm ready to move on.

Today, I had that flicker of inspiration.  I made two bags, something I started well before the holidays, but didn't feel like touching until now.  It felt good.  I'll give them a proper post when I can get some decent photos, but for now, just a peek.  I hope this is a sign of what's to come this upcoming year.

Happy New Year to you all, may it be filled with lots of love, good living and inspiration!!

(photos from my 2010 & 2011 365 photo project.  i failed miserably with 2010, but this year i'm back at it again!)