Adoption Auction

Want to be a part of helping a family grow? Check out this Adoption Auction to help raise money for Team Chase!

Project Run and Play

Have you seen this cuteness?Check out Project Run and Play and be totally inspired. It is the blog-world version of Project Runway, but for kids! And it features some of our favorite genius bloggers/designers. My favorite so far was the Sweet Dresses competition (week 2). I am a total sucker for a little girl in a yellow dress, so I totally adored Kristin and Jordan's Ribbon Candy Bubble Dress. I also loved Ashley's Li'l Boho. So carefree and sweet... Have you voted this week? What's your favorite Adult-Inspired Design?

bag tutorials

Are you looking for a Bag Tutorial?

Check out this site for plenty of options.

Man Day is coming!

Here at our house we have instituted a holiday called "Man Day" and it's rapidly approaching. When the Mr. and I were first married, I noticed there were plenty of opportunities to celebrate the girly, romantic side of life (ie. anniversaries, valentine's day, etc.) but not so much that celebrates the wild man side of our marriage. So, I declared a new holiday and "Man Day" was born. Every year it falls on the same day- Super Bowl Sunday, and on that day, we celebrate all things male. I usually try to make something like steak and potatoes for dinner, make sure my man gets to watch lots of football, and does absolutely nothing domestic, and I try to come up with a gift. The gift must be manly and (in the case of my man) not at all sentimental or crafty or too mushy. That's how he likes it best. So mark your calendars! Man Day is Feb 6th!

Also, check out Un-Romantic Valentine's Day at Prudent Baby for more ideas and celebrate your man!

2 more to go!

I am making progress on my new year's resolution! 1 more Christmas present finished and 2 more to go! WoooHoooo! This one was also from Anna Maria Horner's book Handmade Beginnings and I sent them along with a matching lavender eye mask.

The last two gifts I knew I had a little extra time to finish, but really, it's almost February! My only consolation is knowing that I really am doing the best I can... Sewing really does take time- especially for a beginner like me- and well, that's a commodity that is pretty tough to come by these days. Who knew the Christmas sewing would start affecting my plans for Valentine's day? It certainly furthers my resolve to stop making things for deadlines.

Pimp Your Polo

In keeping with the sewing for men/boys theme, check out Pimp My Polo with Cheri from I Am Momma Hear Me Roar and the Project Toddler Runway. Seriously, you mommas with little men running around, isn't this a great tutorial? Maybe it could even work for the big men in your lives as well. Thanks Cheri!!

Man-Fabric

So, seriously. What is with the lack of man-appropriate prints out there? I'm not talking boyish or silly, I'm talking seriously cool rock 'n roll star fabrics.

I know, there are always solids and the standard suiting stripes, but what if you'd like a splash of color or interest? I suppose one option would be to create your own interesting print (another post on that coming soon...)

If you weren't up for that idea, here is a super-quick round-up of the best "man-prints" (in my humble opinion...) *images from Melody Miller's blog and from fabricworm.com

1. of course I have to say, Melody Miller's Ruby Star Rising Transistors in orange or blue

(at fabricworm.com or whipstitch.com) because this stuff just oozes coolness... love it!

2. something from Echino by Etsuko Furuya could be manly for the right type of mod personality

3. a little Robert Kaufman Metro Living Lantern Lattice could be cool...

4. or Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Voile (Not Dobby) Pastry Line

What do you think??

current most beautiful book

my current favorite of my daughter's library choices...

Moon Rabbit by Natalie Russell- a completely gorgeous book. It made me want to buy a copy and frame each page. mmmmm.....

If I had hundreds extra of dollars...

okay, make that thousands! bidding is already up to $900 for this beauty donated to the Queenslands Auctions.

Anna Maria- you are amazing.

and the color of the year is...

I love it!

Do you?

Thank you, Melody Miller

Lost:

Inspiration for man-gift sewing.

Found:

Melody Miller Ruby Star Rising Transistors Orange (a cotton/linen blend)

and thank you Fabricworm.com- though it is currently sold out in orange :(

Check out Melody's completely inspiring blog and the rest of the amazing Ruby Star Rising line!

Inspiration from Around the World!

Seriously inspiring inspiration from Sew Mama Sew- as usual.

Take a peek at snapshots of the sewing scene in Japan and Europe!

Book Sling

Such a cute idea from Jen at I Believe In Love!

Check out her blog for the how-to and more inspiration.

Flood Relief

Check out the Queensland Flood Appeal Auctions, get some great stuff, and help out! Link via Noodlehead from Toni at Make it Perfect
p.s. Sorry about the lack of posts... the stomach flu hit our house last weekend. We are slowly recovering.

Oliver + S updated list

If you liked the idea of sewing through the Oliver and S patterns, but wanted a few different patterns, try version 2 of the list that includes more loveliness to choose from. I think it would be fun to pick and choose your favorites down the line.

Sewing for Boys!!

(image from http://www.made-by-rae.com)

I don't have boys myself- unless you count the tall dark and handsome one I'm married to, but I love seeing sewing tutorials and ideas for them! I am SO looking forward to celebrate the boy (from MADE and Made By Rae) again this year- last year's was great!!! Bring it on gals!

What made me think of it?

This completely adorable reversible vest tutorial from Make It and Love It! If I had the time, I would make one for every little boy I know. How cute is it with that fantastic tie??

(Great tie and bow-tie tutorial here at Sewing in No Man's Land)

Christmas bells still ringing...

SO. Big surprise to those of you who know me... I am STILL sewing Christmas presents! I think I bit off a little more than I could chew when I decided to make ALL of my gifts this year. So my first new year's resolution: finish the Christmas gifts! HA! After that I've decided to follow the advice of a genius.

Amy at the angry chicken mentioned in a post last Friday that she almost never sews for a deadline such as a holiday. GOOD IDEA!!! That would seriously remove much stress from the project wouldn't it?

p.s. don't you love her book? Bend the Rules Sewing... check it out!

I Love...

I have been loving Heather Ross's Far Far Away collection. (You can find it here.) Mmmm.... I have had to restrain myself from impulse purchases more than once over this beautiful stuff. Here is where it captured me for good: check out this use of the first Far Far Away in this super lovely Oliver and S Bubble Dress at Jessica Domestica.

It makes me want to sew one just like it for my littlest. So so lovely.

Gabe's Gifts

Have you heard about this? Check out Amanda's Story and get involved with a beautiful piece of patchwork.

Amazing Bedding

How beautiful is this bedding? Check out the how-to for this Anthropologie-inspired loveliness from kojodesigns!

3 Cheers for Oliver + S

How can you not love these completely adorable patterns at Oliver + S?

The paper doll packaging- genius, the clothes- classy, stylish and practical, the patterns- well written and thorough.

And, did you know that you can work through this list of their patterns and learn to sew?

So many reasons to love it...

Cute, Cute!

How cute is this?

Jen at I Believe in Love is amazing. Check out her great blog!

Industry

Interested in the sewing industry?

Sew Mama Sew (that lovely blog) is hosting a series of reflections and predictions.

We have lots of interviews with some of our favorite quilters, sewists, designers and shop owners...

Absolutely worth checking out.

Share your own thoughts for a chance to win a gift certificate to their shop!

if the slipper fits...

so, here is how they turned out.

I think I could use a little practice, but they weren't awful. Anything made with a little Anna Maria Horner fabric couldn't be that bad after all!

Packaged together with a little lavender-filled eye mask... much better.