Mommy's Little Pattern Drafter

Today I had a pattern taped to the sliding glass door so I could trace it and my daughter ran over wanting to "help".  I gave her her own piece of paper, taped it to the door, et voilà*!  An entertained kid.

Sometimes they're so easy.  (bonus: 2 handmade things in this picture!  3 if you count my daughter.  I made that dress 1 1/2 years ago and it still fits her, and I made that black apple doll when she was 1.  I love that she still enjoys them both.)

And where have I been lately, you wonder?  Or maybe you don't.  Did you notice I've been quiet lately?  Because I have.  But my family will assure you that I've been even more quiet on my personal blog that has recently slipped from 3 posts a week to 3 posts a month.  To everything there is a season....

Anyway, I haven't been slacking off.  I've just been working on a lot of "mandatory" sewing projects that I can't show you yet.  Here's proof.

So, blog posts are forthcoming.  You know, in the future.  (no guarantees on my personal blog, mom)

*there's a reason I'm speaking French today.  A really really awesome reason.

Shabby Apple Dress Winner!

If your comment looked like this:

and because random.org picked this:

You are a winner!!!   Yay Crystal!  We'll be contacting you so you can hurry up and get your brand new Azure Coast dress!  And then wait a few months to wear it as I see you're expecting a blessed event.  But, you know, something (else) to look forward to. :)

The rest of you hurry up and use the code "crafterhours10off" to get 10% off at checkout!

Thanks for letting us give away your stuff, Shabby Apple!

Crafty Bits: Las Vegas

I know, I know. It's been a while since we've done a "Crafty Bits" post, and I'm starting it up again with Las Vegas?

Las Vegas was not on any of my recent must-see travel lists. I've been there and done that before kids, and since having them I haven't had a burning desire to go back. But when my husband mentioned that he might have a work trip I was packed before the sentence was fully formed. It didn't matter to me where he was going, if I could go with him and take a momcation for the first time since I became a mom almost five years ago, I was READY. Time with baby daddy was a bonus.

God bless my mother-in-law. She made it so ridiculously easy to go and relax and not worry about the girls. And when I came back she even communicated about the week using the words "if we do this again" like I hadn't just used my one and only getaway credit EVER. God bless her. Really.

So since I was in Las Vegas for a whole week and have a really, really low threshold for both alcohol and gambling these days, I spent some time doing all sorts of other things I wanted to do.

Two things in particular that I thought crafterhours readers might like to see.

The first mission was to go fabric shopping. Some searching lead me to check out several quilt shops, and one of them was far and away the coolest. Quiltique. It's waaaaay off of the strip, but I say that mostly because it feels so different from the strip. It's in nearby Henderson, Nevada.

The store is owned by two sisters, a mom and a dad. Can we start with how adorable the logo is?

The natural light in this store is one of the things that sets it apart from many others. Why do so many fabric stores have so little natural light? I know it's a challenge to protect fabrics from fading and probably also to keep a building with windows cool in the Las Vegas heat. But it's so much easier to be inspired by and choose fabric when you can really see it. There were lots and lots of windows. 

Here's one of the seemingly millions of shelves of fabric. I loved that the shelves above each and every row of bolts held the corresponding fat quarters. So easy to grab bits of things you'd like to use in a small project or pick a bunch to mix in a quilting project without dragging bolts around.

While I was in Las Vegas I got an e-mail from Care about another I Spy swap. Perfect timing! I got everything I needed in one trip. So so so many choices.

One of the I-Spy fabrics I chose was this one. Except... what are these guys called? "I Spy a...... I don't know what that is" doesn't really fly. Please someone tell me what I'd call these:

Sewing has created some unexpected attachments for me. Like rounding a corner and seeing a stack of fabrics that I'm so familiar with I feel like I've suddenly tripped over a friend from high school. Fabrics like these:

More AMH in this corner along with a cozy spot for kids to hang out while mom blows the grocery budget on fabric.

While waiting for my turn at one of the fabric cutting counters (there are three!) I enjoyed the view of all the notions I could ever need.

And around the corner from the cutting table there was a long arm quilting studio. It's the biggest long arm quilting machine I've ever seen. I was too scaredy-cat to go in there and be nosy, but looking back I don't think anyone would have stopped me.

They had lots of not-necessarily-quilting supplies scattered around the store. Among them I found this vinyl that looks like tooled leather and had to take some home. Makes me sort of wish that I a) had a boy and b) was in favor of guns because this would make really cute holsters. Short of a&b being true, I think it will make fun belts.

I made two trips to Quiltique during my week in Vegas. One with husband and one without. Not so much an issue of worrying about what he'd see me buying as much as an issue of not subjecting him to waiting for me while I savored the experience. Especially since I also dragged him on another trip...

One day we were driving down the strip. Since I wasn't driving I was looking up and all around at the signs and lights and general Las Vegas ridiculousness. And a store window caught my eye. A store window that I had to squint at to be sure of what I was seeing. Sewing machines. HUNDREDS of them. We didn't have time to stop at that moment, but I knew which building to return to.

And return we did. Here's a view from inside the store looking down at the strip.

The store is in the new Cosmopolitan shops. I didn't know what the store was called until we took the escalator up and found this.

The entire front and back of the expansive store are covered with stacked sewing machines.

The few that I was obnoxious brave enough to touch still move and have working parts.

No one seemed to notice or care that I was more interested in checking out the sewing machines than anything else. Like this gigantic one.

Pretty easy to get lost among them.

I did eventually notice that the clothes and accessories were interesting too. And totally my color palette-- black, white, grey and pops of color. 

I didn't realize until I looked All Saints up online that it's a UK-based clothing company. And once I found their website I spent forever there. Could be the inspiration I need to do some "me" sewing.

Finding Quiltique and All Saints were both high points of the week full of high points-- the time away from everyday things that I needed to inspire me to go back to the everyday things feeling energized. And grateful. I don't hear many people talk about leaving Las Vegas feeling grateful? Or writing blog posts about a trip to Las Vegas filled with photos of a quilt store and sewing machines. 

To each her own.

P.S. Have you picked your own Shabby Apple favorite yet?

Shabby Apple Giveaway!!! (Now Closed)

Happy Monday everyone!!  If you're not sharing that sentiment, we've got something that might cheer you up.  How about a FREE dress from Shabby Apple??

We've been long-time fans of Shabby Apple because of all their unique and versatile women's dresses and of course their adorable line for little girls too.  But our favorite feature just might be their option to "shop by body type."  And it's pretty appropriate that we're fans, because we could not have more different body types.  But even though some of us are more "gifted" in certain areas than others, Shabby Apple has something for everyone.  Check it out.

Adrianna:
So it's no secret if you've been reading this blog for any amount of time that I've pretty much always had the svelte physique of a 12 year old boy.  Well, to be fair, now that I've had 2 children and bear the results of those pregnancies, I think I can now claim the more curvy physique of a 12 year old girl.  Either way, hourglass I am not.  So it came as no surprise that Shabby Apple labeled me a "pencil" shape (thanks for not saying "stick")  But even without the prerequisites that would generally be required for me to wear the attire of a grown women, I was able to find some great dresses for me.

I've actually had my eye on this dress for quite some time now.  The ruffly blousy top gives the appearance of a bosom (just pretend for my sake, please) and the cinched belt would make me appear to have a waist.

Same goes for this one (can you tell my favorite color is gray?)

And this little number doesn't do a lot to make it look like I've got more than I really do, but it's perfect for a pencil shape.  (Though some overly honest friends of mine told me that I should not so much as hold this color up to my skin, much less actually wear it in public.  Thanks guys.)

Susan:

In a number of conversations about flattering fit, Adrianna and I almost had to shake each other to realize just hoooow different our bodies are. I didn't notice her pencil-ness as much as I noticed her lack of pudge. With jealousy. Curves can be cool-- they just have to be dressed with such a different approach. And it doesn't matter how fantastic Adrianna looks in a pair of skinny jeans, and how much I want to wear them too-- they will not ever ever ever (EVER!) look good on me.

Dresses are a good bit easier to work with. My hourglass figure must avoid pencil skirts and overly fluffy tops that add volume to the bosom where I clearly do not need it. Digging through the many, many hourglass options, I picked three that I'd most likely be flattered by.

Shhhh! Don't tell Adrianna I picked a purple dress. It's more eggplant-y than plain ole purple. And it comes in a whole bunch of other colors.

This one is more of a Fall number as far as color, but the cut here would also work. There's a ruffle on the bosom, but it's not over-the-top fluffy.

My third choice is the one that I'd put in my shopping cart right this minute if it were available for sale yet. It's coming soon. But cap sleeves and an a-line skirt are my recipe for success.

So you've seen some of the styles that work for our specific body types, but our job for the giveaway was to find something that would work for almost everyone.  Luckily, Shabby Apple had some great options.

We ended up choosing the "Azure Coast" dress.  The wrap style means it's adjustable to your curves (or lack thereof), and the a-line skirt is universally flattering (plus the skirt isn't part of the wrap, so it won't give you a huge wardrobe malfunction when you sit down).  Also, we don't know anybody that doesn't look great in dark blue.

Plus, it looks like it would be really easy to wear to a backyard bbq or dress up for date night.  As a busy woman and mom, you gotta love that!

ps: pockets!!

So, to enter to win the Azure Coast from Shabby Apple, just head over to their site and tell us what dress you'd choose for your body.

And if you don't win, or just can't wait til Friday, you can still get 10% off of everything in the store by using the code "crafterhours10off" at check out. 

This giveaway is only available to those with a US address.  Please only leave 1 comment per person, and make sure you leave your email address or have it linked to your account so we can contact you.

Enter away!
{This giveaway is now closed}

Carefree Clothes for Girls Sew-a-long Conclusion

What?  You didn't remember that I was participating in that?  I don't blame you.  A year ago I joined the Carefree Clothes for Girls Sew-A-Long, coordinated by Melissa of Elemental Stitches .  If I had to grade myself, I think I'd give me an F+.

But I have a great excuse (per usual).  3 months into the sew-a-long, I found out that we will soon be moving to a country that has no fall, winter, or spring.  So, I just couldn't justify spending the time and fabric to make the adorable jackets and trousers and long-sleeved dresses that made up 8 months of the sew-a-long.  My daughter would only get to wear them for a few months (and it really doesn't get that cold here either) and my second daughter wouldn't get to wear them at all.  So it just wasn't worth it to me.  But I'm keeping the book.  And when we get back to the great state of Virginia in 2014, I'll be pulling it back out for sure.

So, why the "F+" instead of just a big fat F?  Well, I did end up with 3.5 things that I love and that my daughter wears all the time.  Here's a review of my (abbreviated) year with Carefree Clothes (click on the pictures to get to the original post)

1.  This little top is the reason I bought the book and participated in the first place.  I just love it!  I even broke out my long-hoarded precious Japanese little red riding hood linen for it.  It was that special.  My daughter wore it like crazy all summer.

2.  It's cute, it's summery, it's my favorite color.  What's not to love?  This is a pattern I'll be coming back to for years to come.  It's so versatile in it's simplicity.

3.  This is the ".5" in my 3.5 projects.  I liked it, but it didn't fit great.  It was one that you had to draft yourself and obviously I didn't spend enough time on that.  The first time she wore it, she stained it and that was all she wrote.  But I really do love the pictures of her in it, and I would like to make another one with a better fit and a nicer fabric.  I really love the pink buttons and the little pleat though.

4.  And this one is my most favorite of all.  Worth the purchase of the book alone.  I can't get over how cute it is styled for winter, but it'll work for summer too.  With the generous fit of the bodice and the long length, this dress will give at least 2 years of wear.  Can't ask for more when it comes to kids' clothes!

And bonus: that red dress won me Built by Wendy: Dresses, which I am using as we speak to make something for me! (yeah, I can sew and type at the same time, can't you?)

So, all in all, I'm glad I (semi) participated.  I love the clothes that I made as a result, and I really loved meeting new bloggers and seeing everyone's variations on the pattern each month.  Check out the flickr group to see all the projects from the sew-a-longers.  If I haven't convinced you to buy this book yet, they will.

And Melissa, thanks for hosting and coordinating and donating prizes!  Sorry I kinda sucked.

Instant Art Gallery

Since K started preschool in the fall, we've had artwork taped onto walls and windows pretty randomly. Renovating the kitchen meant that proper display of art was low on my priority list and K was perfectly happy with things willy-nilly. Now that the major work is done and we're finishing the paint and detail stuff, I was ready for a display solution that would make things a little more orderly. (Please note the neatened laundry area in the background. I did that just for you folks. You read blogs to live in pretend no-clutter world, right? I do.)

I wanted a flexible display that didn't require clips, tape, magnets, or tacks. 

I chose these Ghent rails because they have a clear front to the rail and don't conceal any edges. When does a 4yo remember to leave borders?

There are two ways to hang them. There's an adhesive strip on the back. There's also a slot that allows you to place screws into the wall and then slide the rail on. That's the route I chose since I'm guessing we'll want to be able to take these with us in a future move. I drew a line with a level and used two screws to start. After sliding the rail on I pushed it from side to side to add more along the same line. With only 5 screws per rail it feels secure enough to use as a monkey bar. And no doubt someone will try that at some point.

Installation was way quicker than I imagined. I think I was done in ten minutes. Not as whimsical as some of the wire and clip options, but I love how easy it is to slide papers in and out without damage, and K can help with minimal frustration. 

I feel like we are now better able to discuss what to display. She has a defined space to work with and she can decide which pieces she likes most and what to take down when she has a new love. 

5 on Friday with C.R.A.F.T.!

Hey, thought you knew everything there was to know about us?  Wish you didn't?  Then don't go to C.R.A.F.T. today,  because Jamie is featuring us today in her "5 on Friday".  It is what it sounds like: us rambling on about ourselves in response to 5 questions.  On Friday.

If you're new there, take a peek around.  The title isn't lying.  Jamie really is Creating Really Awesome Free Things.

Thanks for having us Jamie!