Randomness

My children play together really nicely. I'm lucky and I know it! I think back on all the times Belle nearly popped Bee's head right off her little body trying to hug her when she was still an infant, and I'm hoping that by letting them establish their own boundaries with each other I've in some way fostered their relationship. I'm realistic enough to know that's a bunch of baloney, but I sort of like my delusions:) They love to color together, kiss each other good night, and make family beds (big piles of pillows and blankets) to share in the family room.

And who is the first person Bee asks for when she gets up from her nap??? Belle (except that, for now, she calls her "Nee-Neet," a name we will never figure out!).

And as a mom, it really makes life easier when your children will entertain each other for extended periods of time. On rare occasions, you can almost...ALMOST, have a complete thought, all at once:)

And every so often you can get a little work done. Not often, and definitely not all at once. But over time, it can add up. A hem-band here, a waistband there, and every so often an applique or two.

Though I will admit, that sometimes I wish they wanted ME to play...but I guess that's the price I pay for having such an amazing pair of sisters in my house!

A Vintage??? Modern Bunny

After all the hullabaloo surrounding the Growing Your Baby feature, I thought it was high time to start making some things for and WITH my kiddos. Belle wanted a bunny oh-so-very-badly, so we pulled out the Modern Bunny pattern at naptime one day and got started. Of course, I let Belle pick out the fabric...and wouldn't you know, she picked a vintage pillowcase and a reproduction print. This one's a quirky one, that's for sure:) So we made a vintage modern bunny!

So, Flowery has taken up residence at the head of Belle's bed, along with the matryoshka we made a while back and the knit doll I gave to her when she was born (no - I didn't knit it!). This kiddo has never carried a particular doll or stuffed animal around with her, so being given a place in the bed is the highest honor.

Now to plan a bunny for Bee...hopefully in time for Easter!

Spring Stitchings

A few peeks at the second embroidered Easter quilt. I used the two blocks that I decided to leave out of the first quilt. Then I sketched two new designs to complete the quilt. This one is a more traditional spring color palette. And a little more girly.

Looks like Lilac likes it!

Swashbuckling Pirates!

Another of "My First Friends." If you haven't met Penelope, hop on over to the shop to read her bio. She's one-of-a-kind! And yet another, embroidered doll quilt. I just LOVE this color combo...it makes me so happy!

Belle adores Penelope! I think her favorite part is the removable eye patch. It drives her crazy that she can't play with her! I guess that means I need to get busy on another pirate doll:)

New Friends - A Doll Swap

Make new friends, But keep the old, Some are silver And the other gold

Thanks so much to my new friend, Melissa! We are so in love with our new baby...though we can't seem to settle on a name. I'm hoping to get your doll in the mail tomorrow:)

Modern Bunnies

Over the last several weeks you've seen a million and one of my dolls. I've developed a pattern which I'm calling "My First Friend," and with each doll I tweak the specifics a tiny bit. I think I'm finally happy with the dimensions, curves, etc. for the girl doll, but Timothy here is my first attempt at the boy adaptation. Thinner through the bum, pants, shirt sleeves... What do you think???

The doll is designed to be appropriate for kids of ALL ages. I think that having a "big" girl and all her "big" girl toys around a smaller child has made me think about the accessibility of toys. Small parts, removable pieces, long strings/ties...all hazards for a toddler, but all involved in just about every toy my 3 year old owns.

So I set out trying to design a doll that BOTH of my girls would love. It's large enough that an older child will be able to consider it a friend, but lacking in all the choking hazards normally found in dolls.

With My First Friend working really well (and selling really well locally), I decided that we needed some animal friends around here too. So....

I'd like to introduce you to my new friend...Modern Bunny!

The Modern Bunny pattern is actually designed to be the base for numerous animals just by exchanging arms, ears, noses, etc. And once again, I'm trying to make something suitable for all ages.

Fabric selection is or paramount importance for this pattern. A skull and crossbones fabric immediately toughens it up. A vintage floral makes it sweet and precious. A modern novelty makes for a fun playmate.

One day, we'll have Modern Kitty, Modern Puppy, Modern Elephant...and a host of others. But for today, I just really like these two. If you want to read the story of each of my new friends, you can find Lilac and Bennett in my shop (Timothy's there too!). Their bios are in the listings. They're pretty lively characters, but I'm afraid this post is already way too long:)

VERY Special Announcement and a GIVEAWAY!

I'm so excited to tell all of you that Belle + Bee was selected to be featured on the Growing Your Baby website today! And they're hosting a GIVEAWAY of one of my handmade bunnies! A while back I was contacted by the editor of the website and asked if I would like to be part of their month-long series on Etsy artists...um, yeah! So I've been working my little fingers to the bone to update the shop listings and get some new designs ready before the big day. I hope you'll hop on over to the feature, take a look around in the shop, and share your favorite item in my collection. Then I really hope one of you will win a handmade bunny from me:)

Chasing Away the Rain...

Rainy days are always a challenge, but when they're COLD, rainy days it just isn't pretty! So we decided to try to chase away the rain. Out came the colorful tissue paper and up popped some new spring blooms. Belle has a thing about always needing a centerpiece on the kitchen table. We've had everything from a pair of scissors to my husband's hat thrown in the middle of the table just to satisfy her. I think these are a big improvement! And to kill some time while we were waiting for the sunshine to arrive, Belle designed her first tee. Look how proud she is!

I had her draw a picture on white paper with a dark marker. Then we traced the outline of the shapes on Lite-Bond fusing paper. She picked the colors of fabric she wanted and we got busy with the applique. I had to do all of the ironing and most of the stitching, but she sat with me and picked the thread colors and helped when she could.

And this little gal must be a sunshine fairy, because by the time she was finished the sun was shining brightly! Thank goodness!

Pinwheel Quilt Along

So, a while back, I told you that one of my sewing goals for 2011 was to return to my quilting roots. I think I might have taken that one a little TOO seriously! Right now, I currently have 4 quilts in process that I hope to finish in the next few days. And I have finished two others in the last week. That's a whole lot of quilting! Now mind you...they are all doll or baby/crib size. Nothing large has been completed, though there are 3 of those in the works too! YIKES! Oh, and I just remembered a mini that's almost finished too, good grief! So when my new friends at Sew Lux Fabrics let me in on their little quilt along, of course, I jumped right in:) This one was a no brainer. I could whip it up in a jiffy and I could make use of some of my stash (the other sewing goal that I've revealed...there's one left that I refuse to admit because I'm just too scared to pursue it!). This little cutie is intended for my Belle. She's been a little jealous ever since Bee got a baby quilt for Christmas. Belle plays with her dolls every morning before the rest of the family gets up. She has the doll cradle that my grandfather made for me when I was little in her bedroom now. It already has a hand-knit blanket that her Aunt made her when she was born folded up in it as the mattress, but those poor dollies just look cold:) So it seemed right that she needed a new quilt for the cradle. We won't even mention how CRAZY she has been going since there have been so many dolls and doll quilts flying out the door for orders recently, while none were heading her way:)

This quilt has actually already been quilted and the binding is attached. It's just waiting for the binding to be completed. But, I don't have pictures of it since then, so just take my word for it...and I promise I'll show it to you when it is finished.

And just a note of thanks - My mom sent me the charm pack that I used for this quilt quite a while ago...so thanks, Mom! You've made Belle a very happy little girl yet again (and she thanks you doubly for her new movie!).

Easter Stitchings - Doll Quilt

I shared the sweet little spring stitchings that are the foundation of this quilt a little while ago. In all honesty, I embroidered the designs and then had no idea what I was going to do with them. Thankfully, Harriet caught my eye and I just knew she needed a new quilt.

I think she likes it:)

I trimmed the embroidered blocks to 8.5" and then added a simple border to each one. I really wanted the focus to remain on the stitchings and not the complementary fabrics and I think it worked out pretty well.

Then I started combining the blocks. I had originally planned to use all 6 stitched designs, but once I had these four together, it just felt complete, so I left the others for another project. And I really love this color combo...the pink and green on the other blocks somehow ruined the quirky palette.

The finished dimensions are perfect for Harriet or any of my other 19" dolls and bunnies. She likes to be swaddled up where it's warm and cozy:)

Once the top was finished, I just had to do some hand quilting with my DMC cotton perle! It is a great complement to the embroidered designs and really gives it a fun, vintage feel.

The quilt is already SOLD, but if you're interested in making one yourself, the embroidery patterns are available here. I'm so glad this little beauty found a home that will love her for many, many years!

Treasure Seeker - Once Upon a Thread

I'm not sure how this happened! I left this book out of my earlier post of selections for Once Upon a Thread! I must have been completely insane...or maybe just sleep-deprived:)



We first introduced this book to Belle on a trip to the beach when I was pregnant with Bee (7 months pregnant + bathing suit = really scary vacation pictures!). She fell in love with it instantly!

The basic idea of the story is that the boy is bored because no one in his family will play with him at the beach. So when a band of pirates offer to take him on a treasure hunt, he decides to go along. At first, he is in love with the life of a pirate, but when he discovers that pirates don't read bedtime stories, it starts to lose its appeal.

The language, illustrations, and plot are lively and fun! It's a must-read for summer...or for any land-lubber with a pirate's spirit.

So, in honor of pirate adventures...a treasure bag with built-in treasure map:)

I used my friend, Courtney's, drawstring bag tutorial...and she isn't kidding when she says it's the easiest one ever! I really wish I had seen this before I made a gazillion treat bags for Bee's birthday. But, you can bet that I'll be smarter for Belle's birthday coming up in a few weeks!

And then a little DMC perle (I told you I was obsessed!) in black for the route and red for the X. I think you can probably see the stitches in the pic...it took about 5 minutes. I didn't even bother to draw out the design. I just started in one spot and worked my way around until I felt like it looked right.

Now if I could just convince Belle to have a pirate themed birthday party:)

From Trash to Treasure

A few days ago I had one of those, "absolutely NOTHING is going right," days. Literally everything I touched turned to trash. Thankfully I was smart enough to stick to sewing for my own kids, so I didn't destroy any custom orders!

But, I was more than a little frustrated!

One of the projects I attempted to make was a dress for Bee for this summer. It really should have been easy. It should have taken about 20 minutes total. It should have been a lot of things that it wasn't!

The problem: I cut the arm holes too deep. In my brain I was making a pillowcase dress with a ribbon casing at the top. In real life that wasn't the case. And since arm holes cut to your belly button just aren't cute on anyone, I decided to try to fix the issue.

Another disaster! I cut off the top edge so that the arm holes were more appropriate, but then my dress was way too short. So I added a red hem band...that was way too stiff.

Can you see where this is going?

In the end, Bee has a new blouse. Roomy, breezy and lightweight. And I just love seersucker for the hot and humid NC summers!

It's cute right???

She had better love it! And wear it twice a week all summer long! Good grief!

Not on the walls...

That's the mantra around here these days!


I know you can't compare one child to the next. It isn't fair and it won't work. But in this case, I just can't help but do it. It's just so telling about life in this house. Belle has never colored on the walls...not once! And she has had pretty much unlimited access to crayons, markers, oil pastels, etc. since she could hold them. Bee...well it took about 30 seconds. She picked up that first crayon and before I could blink there were huge orange scribbles all over our kitchen wall.



So for now, we color only while strapped into the booster seat. But she does love this toy! It is made by Crayola and plays music at the same tempo as your coloring. Color faster and the music speeds up...pretty fun:) If you have little ones who like music and like to color, it's definitely great for rainy days.

Welcoming a New Baby

Welcoming a new baby is always fun! Those tiny toes, that sweet smell, the feathery hair....mmmmmm!

And every baby deserves a little something special, made just for them!

And a cute little cupcake on the bum can't hurt either:)

Meet Millie and Her Very Special Friends

Millie is a very special little lady with a smile that will make you flip. Not to mention her wispy wings and shining eyes. Be still my heart!

Whether playing outside, dancing to music, or reading a book, Millie can always be found with her best pals at her side. Elise is the shy, peaceful member of the bunch. She soothes her friends when they are hurt or sad, and holds their hands when they are scared. Piper, on the other hand, is the rowdy one. She's always looking for the next tree to climb, wall to scale, or refrigerator to paint:)


Like the angel and devil on Millie's shoulders, Piper and Elise push Millie to new heights. Whether it's challenging her to climb a new tree or encouraging her to slow down and smell the flowers, they bring out the best in Millie in every situation. What a lucky girl to have friends like these!

And on the rare occasions when her buddies aren't around, Millie pals around with her best human friend who even sports a coordinating dress. I hope the human Millie will love her new doll for many years to come!

ROAR!

I am lucky to have a group of very lovely and very loyal, local customers. I've done everything from birthday party t-shirts, to holiday skirts for these super sweet ladies. And even though I don't know their children, I feel like I am watching them grow up through their clothes, toys, and bedroom accessories.

I "met" Davis through his birthday party t-shirt quite a while ago. You may remember that one with the giant 2 on the front. I even had to privilege of helping him announce his new "Big Brother" status when his mom found out she was expecting. And now that his little brother is about to arrive, Davis is getting a big boy bedroom. His super-creative mom has designed quite a room complete with dinosaur wall decals and a hand-painted growth chart. And I got to add these adorable pillows to the mix.

The dinosaur pillow has a corduroy applique design on the front. The Charlie Brown pillow was made with this tutorial. It is really simple, but really tedious! All the measuring, clipping, and pressing of those tiny points just about drove me bonkers. But it is so cute now that it's finished, that I think it was totally worth it!

I hope Davis likes them...and his new brother:)

Once Upon a Thread

Have you heard about Once Upon a Thread??? If not, look over there to the right and click on that button. You aren't going to want to miss this! Katy over at No Big Dill is hosting a MONTH of projects based on children's books. Clothes, toys, and who knows what else! I'm just a tiny bit excited!

A little background for those of you who don't know me personally...I used to be a teacher, an elementary teacher, an elementary LITERACY teacher. To say that we have a lot of children's books in our house would be like saying there are a few stars in the night sky. Maybe one day I'll share some pics of all the books you can find in all the various places in our house, but for now, let's just say that I didn't need to head to our local library to prep for this challenge.

The problem was narrowing the selection! I spent nap time today thumbing through the books in our playroom. After pulling a stack of possibilities as tall as Bee, I curled up in the rocking chair to read and brainstorm. And a couple of hours later, I think I've made my final choices.

It's a mix of award winners, old favorites, new classics, and some just for fun stories (and not a princess story in the whole mix!). I have projects planned for each of the books, but I make no promises that I will actually get around to all of them this month. But, I'll do my best and hopefully we'll have some fun along the way.

Now being a former literacy teacher and all, I can't pass up the opportunity to share some of that knowledge stored in the dark recesses of my brain. So along with the projects, I'll include a little about each of the books, as well as ideas for engaging your child in the stories, words, pictures, and letters found in each title. You may even find some "do with your child" projects for a few of the books.

I hope you have as much fun as I do!

What's your favorite children's book?

Sweet Little Harriet

Harriet is a sweet, shy, little bunny. She lives at the edge of the woods with her many brothers and sisters. Of the entire family, she is the quietest. Her best friend is a field mouse named Henrietta. The spend their days nibbling rose petals and watching butterflies.

Most of her siblings don't know this, but Harriet loves to sing. Her favorite song is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. She sings it every evening to help Mama Bird put her babies to sleep.

In the spring, Harriet wanders among the trees looking for fallen bird eggs. When she finds one, she gently places it in her pocket and sets off in search of the mother bird. Once she was unable to find the mother bird, so she brought the egg home with her. A small blue bird named Esther hatched from the egg and decided to stay with the loving Harriet. Esther built a nest in the tree directly above Harriet's burrow so she could always be close to her friend.

Harriet is made with linen-look cotton and a blend of vintage and modern fabrics. She measures 19" tall, not counting her floppy ears. If you're interested, you can find her here.

I've Been a Busy Little Bee

REALLY! I have, I promise!

There have been LOTS of orders.

And lots of tees!

And lots of late nights!

And some really poor photos taken in the middle of the night!

I just didn't want you think that I had abandoned you. Remember me being buried alive??? Well, these are just a few of things I've been churning out recently. Don't you just love that train? It kinda makes me wish there was a little boy in the mix around here. KINDA.

Now...BACK TO WORK! There's a mostly-finished football jersey calling to me from the table:)