Eyelets

Take me home.
{The cute girl who made me is trying to save up to make a family .}

MY Museum Tunic a la A.M.H.

Anna Maria Horner. Love.

Skipping across her blog recently I found this post with a tutorial on how to make my own Museum Tunic.
I whipped up this ditty with some spare threads from my stash, and I even wore it out on the town. A smashingly delicious gallery opening by my friend Wade Koniakowsky (more about that later) and then a great show by local band, Lesands.

Now, I wasn't aware that A.M.H. used 54" fabric, so when my 45 inch stuff wouldn't quite fit around my hips, I panicked! Never mind, I'll just add a triangular side panel.

It was so stinking easy that I made a shorter tunic and didn't add the elastic waist, but sinched up a wide belt instead. (Sorry 'bout the photo...camera phones work well for late night creativity).
Now go make one!

Hurricane Season

It's always summer in Oceanside, but sometimes it's more summertime than other times.One of those times is almost here. Two more days left of school and then it's really summer.I walked into my house this afternoon and realized, it's hot in here. Last night we slept with the windows open, I don't really know if there is anything more sweet.Well, I'm holding on to the last few days and then, I fear, the real work will set in. Our sights have been sealed upon more than a few tasks to accomplish in our too short vacation, among them are remodeling the kitchen, redesigning our bedroom in as complete and thrifty way as possible, and gutting the art room at school to paint the long neglected floor. Oh, and maybe doing a mural, an illustration for another text book, private art lessons, finish (I mean start and finish) a quilt, make lots of use of our gym memberships, and visit with family from the other side of the globe.

Strawberry Cut-Out for a photo op at the Vista Strawberry Festival

Sounds like the opposite of a vacation. My hope is that I can find some time to blog, paint, and get my Etsy on amidst the hurricane. Maybe I'll be too busy to eat, too. That'd be a super easy diet plan. Anyway, until that day arrives, here's the few little things I've had time to do lately, check them all out in the Etsy shop!

Cotton Candy and Lollipops

When spring colors first start coming on the scene, I feel like I have to eat more candy, breathe more air, and go on picnics more. Fairs are around the corner, blossoms line the street on trees and sidewalks, and kites start to dot the skies.

Check out my springtime line-up now in the Etsy shop. There are a couple of super cute totes, one slouchy, one boxy. A snazzy felt "handkercheif" ring in it's own crocheted Tiffany box, and a hand felted peacock purse are lining the shelves in all their springy glory. Check them out today!

What lets you know it's springtime in your neck of the woods?

Martha Stewart Also Went To Jail

Do you ever feel like, "Why does bad stuff always happen to ME?"

My husband can charm his way out of anything, get free stuff from anyone, and has somehow always avoided getting a traffic ticket.Then there's me, who didn't try to get out of jury duty, although there are surely ways I could have tried. I called diligently every day, finagled my way through the inconveniently and sorely ill-functioning phone system, and was told all week that my services were not needed.

But today I got a pretty pink letter in the mail that said I will now be looking at a GIANT fine &/or jail time because I didn't show up last month.

WHAT?????
This means I must now show up on Thursday, or they will take my first-born. Ugh. Excellent way to ensure my pride in being a responsible citizen.

Anyway, something else that's pink, but with far more smiles, is this new Giant Market Tote in Bubblegum which is now making it's appearance in my shop. Check out the great price, just in time for Spring to come roaring in....I hope I can enjoy it from this side of the bars!

Making Time

Aside from being in escrow and trying to buy a house, thinking about having a baby and/or adoption, grandparents being sick, giving finals at school, catching up on routine doctor visits, and the final release of our movie, To Save A Life...
THIS is what I've been up to. Check them all out at the Etsy shop.

What have you been doing with yourself?

Life in Black and White

Check out these three letterhead illustrations I did yesterday.In an art room of self sufficient kids entrenched in a final project, sometimes I get to sit down and do my own thing.

I had a few thank you's I needed to write and some white Crane stationery, so I grabbed one of the tech pens at my immediate disposal (everything is at my immediate disposal in an art room) and drew up some of my photos from my recent blogging (these are all from my own pics...I love it when something I've snapped becomes a drawing or painting later).

Make Something Cool Everyday

Well, now it's been May for a couple of days, so I'm a bit behind in this here summary. Honestly, my mind is wrapped up in plans for visiting family, graduation (woo hoo! more on that later) and a beach party, the husband trying desperately to buy a used jeep, and as most teachers do (just like every student with "senioritis") I've been looking forward to summer. (Seriously, folks, the tank tops and flip flops are ready to go...not so much the swimsuit, though).

Anyway, last month I signed up for Dabbled's Make Something Cool Everyday, and I wanted to give you some *hopefully* inspiring highlights of my creative endeavors this past month.1.Teacup watercolor card 2.April Fool's day sushi 3.Springtime Frenchy Bag 4.Birdie watercolor 5.Felted "Pumpkin Pie" bowl for my Etsy shop 6."E. Lindsey, Handmade" watercolor 7."Lamb's Ear" felted bowl for my Etsy shop 8.Frenchies for Tiffany and Bethany 9."Blueberry Pie" felted bowl for the shop 10.Silk dyed Easter Eggs 11.Boots + Shells watercolor cards for my shop 12.Succulents watercolor cards also for the shop

What plans do you have for creativity this month? What is one creative thing you want to accomplish in the next few weeks? Tell me about it, then give yourself a deadline to finish it by; you'll feel so good when you get it done! And believe me, the creativity bug is addictive.

But Does It Count When It's a Steal?

I'm supposed to be on a spending hiatus, but this morning I was dragged (kicking and screaming) to a huge community garage sale (can you say over 100 sales?). Spending hiatus went temporarily out the window. Miss Aimee is going to kill me, and I'm fearful I let her down, but maybe I'll be forgiven once she sees the amazing deals I got.

Item #1: Super great lap quilt
Hello! I'm so obsessed! (Actually for the rest of the day, even though it was 80 degrees, each time I got in the car I wrapped myself up in it). I'm thinking there's some Amy Butler and other designer fabric in there (please let me know if you recognize any), and while it's a lap quilt, it's a good size. This is well-made too, not what you think you'd get at a garage sale.

Item #2: Super great sewing machine
Now sure, I already have a Featherweight that I lOvE, but at this price, I knew this would be a good present, an heirloom, or a good addition to (or the beginning of) a collection. This one's not a Featherweight; I think it's an M66-16. Anyone know? Anyway, it too is in fabulous condition and I've already sewn on it. Prime. Better than cake. Better than ice cream, well, maybe not ice cream.



Now here's where jaws will drop. Anybody care to guess how much? Well, the quilt was a great price at $30. But the sewing machine? How about also $30? Yeah. Thirty bucks. Now THaT's better than ice cream. It was made at Singer on November 20, 1953 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. She has a story. And I'm going to name her. Any ideas?

You just couldn't measure the grin I had from ear to ear today. Good day. Awesome day. Go ahead, tell me how serendipitous this was!

But with my tail between my legs, I go back to my spending hiatus.

Silk, Satchels, and Pam

My sweet friend, Pam, is a strong Marine wife and while she awaits the return of her husband in September from Iraq, she's been my crafting partner.

Over Easter weekend I had her come stay with my loud family while we dyed eggs with silk. I guess it's a big thing, as ushered in by the craft-fiend herself, Martha, but here is where I first saw it. If you don't follow Dabbled, you might want to add it to your list.We also made ourselves great Amy Butler bags and wore them to Easter Service.
Mowgli had a heyday in and amongst all our crafting. He laid on, played with, walked over, or ate everything that our hands were busy at. And Lilly, the wonderpup, also adopted this Marine wife for the weekend and loved her as her own.

Both of these projects were so easy, I'd do them again, maybe making a few more bags for some other girlfriends.

Today I'm painting some new cards for the Etsy shop, so stay tuned for those. Here's a hint: these BOOTS were made for walkin'.

Recipe Card Holder and Sewing Lessons

On Tuesdays I have a few hours of waiting around for Bible Study, so Brianna and I started doing a few sewing lessons after school. She's in my Art 2 class and is an amazing artist, she's also becoming a great seamstress! So far we've crafted an adorable headband, a pencil pouch and now we're making an apron.
It was also Elisabeth's pre-birthday, so we grabbed some junk food and celebrated alongside the buttons!
After Sewing Lessons with Brianna I had an hour before I had to be somewhere...so I grabbed a couple of fabric scraps and I made this Recipe Card Holder from Anna Maria Horner, but with a few of my own touches.

A Puppy, a Park, and a Purse

This is the cutest and best puppy you'll ever have the occasion to meet. This is Lilly. I posted Mowgli already, and by request of my dad, here's Lilly. She is my best girl and while she does have a sweater on, I must defend her: I promise it is only for warmth in our freezing house.
Lilly and I go on walks to the drought-resistant garden every day. She loves it and so do I. We walk through the garden down to the dock where we either bird/duck watch, or I do my Bible study, or we sometimes just bask in the sun. Today I found another old bag I made and brought it along for a photo shoot. It came from this magazine, but I don't know which issue...it's all packed up right now. Maybe later I'll make an edit and let you know.
It was gray and stormy today, but had some sunny spots. Lilly took this one of me, and I think she did pretty good for having no thumbs! See her over there on the left?

My Trusty 1940's Featherweight

Over the weekend I accompanied my mom-in-law to her friend Mary's house for a two day sewing and quilting hibernation. There were five of us, three of whom were working on our oh-sew-cute Singer Featherweights. I thought I'd share this enviable machine that I got for my birthday 5 years ago.
I also thought I'd throw up a photo of the felted strawberry cover I made for my measuring tape. I needle felted, then wet felted the red wool, 2 pieces, then stitched them together leaving an opening for the tape. Easy as pie!Oh, and this is Mowgli. I picked him out of the litter because the first thing he did was play with my paints and lay right on my palette. He eats the thread from my machine and then runs downstairs leaving a perfect trail to direct me to the culprit. Either that or he lays behind the machine when I'm sewing and tries to catch the needle that goes up and down, up and down. This cat has dangerous hobbies.

From Amongst the Moth Balls

My Friend Pam has recently found herself princess of sewing and a fellow Amy Butler fan. So I loaned her one of Amy's books, In Stitches, from which she made a super cute bag. I made this bag last year but haven't used it in some time. So I brought it out, dusted it off and sent it for a photoshoot outside. This was a little more difficult to make, but I think I'm proud.
It has lost a little of it's boxy shape, and unfortunately that's one of it's most charming features. Regardless, the thing is cute.

Amy Butler's Nappy Bag

Immediately after my last post I got to work in the craft room. I started out with something nondescript, not worth posting here. (Think of it as a sketch, a brainstorm to just get the creative juices flowing). Thus, it was valuable in a way that got me going on another oh so cute and oh so rewarding project:
This Nappy Bag by Amy Butler is supposed to be a diaper bag, but with a little improvisation on the interior, using no canvas lining and instead using interfacing in every layer, this sturdy bag is good for school books, farmers market finds, or the gym. It even has a cell phone pocket on the exterior!

After being inspired by my "peppery" cousin, Cecily's, b-day present for me (yet another awesome bag) I found a tutorial for a coin purse on her friend's blog and made a matching one for my bag.

Next on my list? I've got some aprons I want to make. I also have in the works several paintings to do.