Raise Your Hand...

Raise your hand if you are a perpetual misplace-r of measuring tapes!

No? Just me?

Well, I am the owner of three...count them, THREE measuring tapes. Ya know, the ones for measuring whilst sewing and such? Yeah. Three.

However, when I need one, I cannot find one! Pitiful isn't it? It is, just say so.

Out of three, I have no more. I have lost every single one. It's odd, because I use them so often and then I have this thing of putting them around my neck and completely forgetting they are there.

Then you know what I do? Figure out it's still there (thankfully before going to the school pick up) and put it down where I am certain I will remember to grab it and put it away.

Haha.

Yeah, I somehow never put it back where it belongs and, hence, have lost every.single.one.

SO, I finally broke down and bought a new one. I did. And then guess what? Less than two weeks later...it has vanished!

I know, the brand new one! I went to grab it to measure my niece for her super awesome (all designed on her very own) pumpkin princess costume and I could not find it!

However, while looking for something else (completely unrelated to sewing) I found one of my other ones! My only blue one. My favorite one.

Guess what I did? NO, I didn't lose it....I promptly put it where it belongs in my craft studio. Then, I moved it and forgot where I put it.

Seriously, there must be a group for this type of thing...

And the winner is....

Fabulous commenter number 9, who is none other than the amazing....

Kalee!!! Who said...

I was looking for etsy shops selling items to raise money for adoption when I came across you! (I actually know I've seen things from you before, but I'm a bit scatterbrained.)

My word would be "hope." Hope that we will figure out how to make an adoption work. Hope that those trying to adopt are successful. Hope that others will hear the call. And I would love a lovely rectangle if I win!

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Congrats Kalee! Email me your deets and I will make your lovely rectangle "Hope" necklace for you and send it your way!  

The Name Game

What's in a name?!

Oh, the name game of naming one's child. Songbird (obviously not her real name, but for adoption related purposes will remain Songbird until we can officially reveal her actual name).

For our boy, naming was totally not an issue. We both agreed and that was that.

With our first referral? We loved her Russian name and decided we'd keep it.

With Songbird? We also really like her name, but no one in the States can pronounce it correctly....and it's not even that difficult really! However, my hubs LOVES her name. So does our boy. I like it...it just drives me nuts trying to explain how to correctly say it to those that ask (in person) what her name is.

So, we have compromised a little and given her a middle name that she can also go by. I love her middle name, but we also very much wanted to keep her Russian heritage with her first name. Although, oddly enough, it's not a traditional Russian name....our translator had not yet heard her name until we met her.

Anyhoo......names. I decided to post a list of girl names I like. None of which are Songbirds name, but thought I'd share some of my faves for any possible future children we might have/bring home. :)

Here they are, in no particular order:

-Heidi

-Maeve

-Lily

-Ruby

-Eva

-Larkin (I know, not technically a girl name...)

-Grace

These are just a sampling. I tend to lean towards gender specific names for boys/girls. Not because I think there is anything wrong with gender neutral names, but I have one and it has been a hassle to deal with during my lifetime! However, if people want to name their kiddos gender neutral names...go for it!

I haven't listed boy names simply because I don't really have too many of those.

So, tell me....what are some of your fave names? Boy or girl...feel free to share!

Burlap Can Be Itchy...

Over the weekend I made some no-sew cafe curtains for my kitchen window. Typically, I like to sew things, but I decided to try my hand at the no-sew kinda way.

I chose burlap mainly because we have bamboo shades in our family room, but could not find any (in our budget that is) that would fit nicely in the kitchen. And since the kitchen and family room are connected in a way that would be pretty noticeable, if say I were to choose like hot pink or something for the curtains (not that I would choose that color...) so the burlap was chosen for it's ability to go nicely with the texture and colors of the bamboo.


Anyhoo...so I grabbed me some burlap (which you can find at most Joann's or Hobby Lobby's) and got enough to make two panels, which for me was just over 2yards. Then I measured and cut it to the length I wanted (making sure to add allowance for when I hemmed it up)

Then I took the amazing stitchwitchery (also found at your local craft/fabric store) and followed the manufacturers instructions for bonding it to the fabric.

(sorry for the not so focused pic...)

Then I took them, hung them up with some curtain clip dealy-bobs and folded them and placed clothes pins on them to help the fabric bend where it needed to. Otherwise you have this big, flat panel that just won't hang right.

I let them hang out like that for a couple hours...

And...voila! My burlap no-sew cafe curtains! Easy peasy right?!

And a totally random side note....burlap is itchy! But you probably already knew that. :)

What's Your Word?

I've had this vintage dictionary for as long as I can remember. Since I was a little girl, I can remember looking through it and it just always being around. I remember I used it to press pretty flowers I had picked as a child. Fun times, fun memories.

It once belonged to my Gramms. Then, she gave it to me. It has since been sitting on a bookshelf, unused, for quite some time. It's old. The binding is coming undone.

As I was sitting in my family room one day, I looked over at it. I thought about how I could repurpose it. How, even though it's beginning to fall apart, I could bring new life to it's pages filled with words.

Then, I thought back to THIS post and was instantly inspired.

And then I made these:




Vintage dictionary wordy pendants. At least, that is what I am currently calling them. They will soon be available in my shop.

BUT! Before I do that, I am thinking I should give one away to one of you!

So, tell me....what's your word? What is your word for 2010 or even what you are thinking of your word being for 2011?

Just leave a comment telling me your word and if you'd like a simple square (7/8") or lovely rectangle (7/8" by 1 1/4").

For Extra Entries:

-Tweet it
-Blog it
-Become a follower (over on the right)

Then, just come back here and leave an additional comment for each! I will draw a winner next Saturday!

Loving Orphans

I've been working on these little by little over the Summer and it's been hard. Every time I just start thinking about the kiddos there at Songbirds orphanage. I think about how wonderful it is that three others there (two in Songbirds group) were being adopted as well. My heart was so happy to know they too would be going to their forever home with their forever family.

But there are so many more. So many.

They need clothing, shoes, socks...underwear. Such basic things really, and yet they have to share all of it. On our first trip we took bunches of socks and underwear for the children. This trip? I am taking handmade appliqued tees.

I cannot wait to be able to take them to the kids there. The kids left behind who will, forever, be in my thoughts.

We have been told we "might be invited soon to travel". Those words both excite and terrify me. It's like preparing to have a baby...you kinda have a due date, but there is plenty to prepare for...and you are never really sure when that "date" is to happen until it does...

Meanwhile, I have plenty of sewing of appliques to do. It's my way of being able to show a little love to some very deserving orphans.

What about you? Any loving projects you have been working on?

Happy Face!

I didn't get a chance to post this last week with all that was going on. Mainly with me and illness...UGH!

However, before I got food poisoning and migraines from a bad, bad place....I baked cupcakes!

Yes, it was Songbird's birthday. She turned 3. While my boy was at school, I baked the yummy vanilla cupcakes and then we decorated them when he got home from school. The theme he chose for his little sister? Happy Faces! We decided on pink and yellow frosting, with white eyes and mouths.

And here they are!

I wish I could tell you more about our Songbird and show you a picture or two, but I cannot. Not until we are official and given the go ahead to post her name/pics etc. However, I will tell you this....her smile lights up her face. Which in turn lights up ours. It took her a little bit to smile at us when we first met her, but once she warmed up to us that little smile kept popping about.

Oh how I wish I could have been able to give her one of these. I know she does not understand what a birthday is yet. And I know that in the future birthdays can/will bring up emotions and feelings in her of sadness and questions. It will break my heart to see her hurting, but I also understand it is something that she needs to process. I too would wonder about the person that gave birth to me if I were to never have known them. I think it only natural. And? We will be there for her, loving her through it all...no matter what.

So, have a cupcake will you?! I made plenty to share...so here you are! A virtual cupcake all for you. :)

Did Ya Know?!

Did ya know it's National Sewing Month?! Well, it is!



Be sure to go check out the Official Home of National Sewing Month for some fun projects, contests and giveaways!

Do you have a sewing project you are working on, wanting to start or wishing you could complete?! Have you been wanting to learn to sew, but haven't begun the process of learning?! Well, take the time this month to try something new! Start small, dream big and see what happens...

OH! And please share any fun things you are working on or have plans to work on! Feel free to share a link to it as well.

Happy Sewing to you!!!