Hidden treasures

Wow- I haven't written an entry in a month. Needless to say, life has been hectic. I've gotten a new job, had a friend come to visit, and I just got back from vacation with the fam. Other than that, I have started multiple projects and, sadly, I haven't completed one. This little treasure pictured above, though, is worth mentioning. My mother-in-law had this quietly tucked away in her garage, and she's asked me to sell it. Isn't it beautiful? I selfishly want to keep it for myself, but I honestly don't have the room for it. I've done some research into the machine and it looks to be about a hundred years old. And....it works. Amazing. Do any of you have experience with old machines?

While on vacation at Tybee Island, Georgia, last week, I picked up this vintage linen that I absolutely adore. I'm a fan of fruit and veggies on fabric. Kinda kitsch...kinda awesome. My plan is to sew the full overskirt seen in this pattern. The romper is cute, too, but I haven't had the courage to sew it up yet. I haven't found the right fabric is probably the real reason, but even so, I've been in a bit of a sewing/creative rut lately. I'm hoping that this can pull me out of it. Hope that you are all well!

The "Slice of Summer" Dress

Have I mentioned that I love the color yellow? It's a little bit ridiculous. And it isn't a particular shade- I enjoy all shades. This dress was named by another fellow Sew Weekly-er, and I thought that "a slice of summer" was quite appropriate- don'tcha think? For the Sew Weekly challenge last week, I had to pick a children's book to draw inspiration from. I had a lot of favorite books as a kid, so it wasn't exactly easy for me. I actually picked out this fabric from my stash and thought about who might wear it...Madeline, of course!

This book brings back so many nostalgic memories for me...even as a kid, I can remember how I wanted a yellow dress and jacket...and that wonderful hat and silly scarf that she always wore. Oh, and the nun and "twelve little girls in two straight lines"...the illustrations were so great!

The pattern that I ended up using was also in my stash- vintage Simplicity 5022. Not exactly characteristic of a style Madeline wore, but my version, nonetheless.

I opted to leave the sleeves off, but mostly because I was lazy and have the most frustrations with setting sleeves. The bodice was too long for my liking, too, so I ended up hacking it quite a bit. I say hacking because, in my hastiness,  I cut too much. It ended up looking like a maternity dress, but nothing that a good belt couldn't help!

The day that we shot these pictures was so beautiful. Boulder is having it's spring a little later than usual, but I'm enjoying every second of it.  

Sweet Site- Papernstitch.com

 I am a little late with this announcement, but I have had a rather exciting past couple of weeks. I was asked to showcase my cards on Papernstich for the month of May and I began working on several new designs. If you haven't heard of Papernstitch, it's such a great site. Basically, it's a space where select artists can exhibit and sell their work. And I must say, all of the exhibits are so good! I am so completely flattered that I was even asked, and it is an honor to share space with such talented people. Please check it out when you get the chance!

I have been working on grouping cards together to make sets and, with the help of my husband, I also created some cool kraft paper envelopes. Nonetheless, I still have a handful of designs that I have yet to photograph and a fun yellow dress to share with you all...so stay tuned :)

The best vanilla cupcake ever.

I like the classics. It's true. Chocolate chip cookies and vanilla cupcakes make me oh-so-happy. Have you made anything with whole vanilla beans? I had not...before now.

Easter day I wanted to bake, and I admit- I am completely disenchanted by easter bunnies and the general holiday festivities that take place during this time of year. Sure, it's all really fun. When I was a kid, my mom would make me a homemade Easter dress and I loved running around in it, gathering up candies and eggs. It might just be the actual bunny, but I believe that we've all forgotten what Easter is really celebrating. Plus giant talking bunnies are really creepy. Anyway, these cupcakes have been on my to-bake list for a while and it seemed like no better time. They have lots of vanilla extract, vanilla seeds scraped from a bean, and they're fluffy and moist and everything that you'd want in a cake.  The chocolate buttercream is a perfect pairing. True to it's name, this buttercream is creeeeeamy. This recipe is seriously delicious. Also, they make for a pretty awesome breakfast.

By the way, yes that cup is a Prince Charles and Princess Diana cup from after they were married. I couldn't help myself- I got it at a thrift store a couple of years back for all it's silly kitschy-ness.  Seemed appropriate that day considering the upcoming royal wedding. :)

Betty's Sheath

I finally had the chance to get some sewing done last week, and it was completely refreshing. I used a modern pattern, McCall's 5845, which I'd forgotten that I had and was nearly identical to the original dress.

 I did have some fitting issues due to the fact that, like most women, my hips are nearly three sizes larger than my bust. In other words, I'm a classic pear shape. Even though I was able to cut the top and bottom pieces in each size, it was still quite tricky.  I also added two inches to the hem and a tie to the back. I could have added a couple more inches for a nicer bow, but I was pleased overall.

The fabric that I used was from Sosovintage, and yet again, a vintage sheet. The pattern did call for lining the entire dress, but in anticipation to finish (and a lack of fabric), I only lined the top. The fabric is pretty light, so I'll need to wear a slip when I wear it out. Another added detail that I love- a vintage metal zipper was used for that extra retro touch.

Get yourself a mama tattoo- card, of course.

NEW!!

This card took me a bit to get the cursive lettering how I liked it, but I loved how it came out. I also made some new envelopes, modeled after retro airmail envelopes. Happy Saturday!

Embroidered Book Covers. Whaaa?

I just discovered these amazing embroidered book covers. Created for a new series, the Penguin Threads Deluxe Classics, the books are due to be released sometime in October, this year. The artist, Jillian Tamaki, is an illustrator and cartoonist, and her portfolio is quite extensive. From what I read, embroidery is a rather new venture for her. You can read more about the process and opportunity on her blog. So cool!