Lucky Day May 10, 2010

I think I had the best Mama’s day EVER!

R. started nagging D. at 6:30am yesterday to “get up and make Mama breakfast in bed” (isn’t she thoughtful, he he).

I should have suspected something when D. asked how I make MY tea…it is a very involved process involving precise measurements of loose tea, honey, and milk and a TIMER, ha ha…needless to say he has never attempted to make it before!

“Close your eyes Mama” R.’s sweet little voice instructed me.

And wouldn’t you know it, along with my breakfast, my tea was served in this special Emma quote mug (have I mentioned how much of a Jane Austen fanatic I am???) that reads:
“There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.“

Wink, wink, thanks Molly for pointing D. in the PERFECT present direction on Etsy!

And AS IF that special morning wasn’t enough…I won a giveaway over at Fat Quarterly…no foolin’!

I am soon to be the proud owner of a copy of”Whip Up Mini Quilts” by Kathreen Ricketson!

Thank you Fat Quarterly =0)

If you haven’t checked out Fat Quarterly’s FANTASTIC premier issue make sure you do (here).

Wishing you all a lucky day too!

Happy sewing,

Colette

Fairy Tale Fridays! February 26, 2010

Princess complete!, originally uploaded by sew’nquilt.

Fridays around here are also known as homeschooling “Fairy Tale Fridays”. While perusing the classics section at our favorite local bookstore, I came across the Calla Editions of “Stories from Hans Christian Andersen” with illustrations by Edmund Dulac (here) and “East of the Sun and West of the Moon Old Tales from the North” illustrated by Kay Neilsen (here) and just had to own them!

I can’t describe in words how enchanting they are to pick up and read with R…we really do get lost in fairy tale land.

The illustrations are so beautiful that I would love to buy another set and frame some of them up in her reading nook.

I also came across these beautiful embroidery patterns (The Princess and the Pea pictured above) over at the Follow the White Bunny blog (here) and instantly fell in love!  Nicole Vos van Avezathe designs are available here in her Etsy shop Kloin (although it is closed until next week) or on Magpie Patterns here. As soon as I finish my Mother’s cross stitch I am going to start on this to go with R.’s Far Far Away Charm School quilt from Alewives Fabrics (here)…I am thinking it would make a beautiful pillow if I do some patchwork around it.

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

Happy sewing,
Colette

Join the 2010 Jane Austen Challenge (Quest) February 14, 2010

What more appropriate way to celebrate being a hopeless romantic on Valentine’s Day than by joining a Jane Austen reading challenge (I am sorry, but I can’t in good conscience call this a challenge…how about a quest?)!  You can join me on this year’s reading quest over at The Life (and lies) of an Inanimate Flying Object blog.  If you need help selecting some books (her reviews rock!) or for more of everything JA visit Laurel Ann over at Austenprose (and see what she’ll be reading this year).

Here is my reading list…and of course I’m going for the Fanatic level:

1. (J.A) Pride and Prejudice
2. (J.A) Mansfield Park
3. (J.A) Emma
4. (J.A) Northanger Abbey
5. (J.A) Persuasion
6. (J.A) Sense and Sensibility
7. Re-write: Lady Vernon and her Daughter
8. Contemporary:  My BFF
9. Contemporary:  Jane Austen Ruined My Life
10. Contemporary:  Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart
11. Sequel:  The Other Mr. Darcy

Also, for you Jane Austen fanatics, have you seen the Penguin Classics cloth-bound (with lovely satin bookmarks) editions of Pride and Prejudice, (pictured above) Sense and Sensibility, and available for pre-order to ship in March, Emma???  The P&P, S&S, and Emma covers have been illustrated by well known artist Coralie Bickford-Smith (check out this great interview with her at Design*Sponge).  P&P is out-of-stock on Amazon (I ordered it last week and it said it would ship when it was available) and to my good fortune my copy is scheduled to arrive next week (what more could I ask for on Valentine’s Day???)  Doing the happy dance!

I have been searching for years for just the right hardcover editions to add to my personal library (I read all of JA’s books by lending them out from the local library, with the exception of Lady Susan which I purchased at my local bookstore last summer to take on a trip) and I feel I have finally found them.  I know R. will also enjoy these when she is a bit older.

Definitely worth the mention…I also have my eye on Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre (both library loans too so I don’t own them) and who am I kidding??? I basically want all of the Coralie Bickford-Smith edition books, ha ha.  Penguin Classics rocks (I know I’ve already used that word, sorry but I love it) and is bringing out more novels with cover-designs by Coralie Bickford-Smith as well…crossing my fingers and toes that they will publish all of JA’s novels this way too!

You can never have too many good books or luscious fabrics!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Colette

Books Books Books February 8, 2010

Ok I admit it, I am totally obsessed with books…always have and always will!  There’s just something magical about picking up a good book and being transported to a far away land or time (I am a Jane Austen freak!) and I can’t see myself ever jumping on the digital book bandwagon (aka Kindle) it just feels so…sterile?  There is something special about the weight of a book in your hand, turning the crisp (or not so crisp in the case of a favorite book) pages, and that distinct smell of papery goodness.  Sometimes I love just turning the pages and looking at the illustrations or photography.  I definitely do not get the same sensation or pleasure from reading a digital book.

I really am trying to simplify my life and in particular my home, but it is a bit difficult because our biggest clutter culprits are books!  Books books books of every kind, big books, little books, story books, science books, art books, and my new growing collection…sewing books!  Rather than purge my home of our most beloved treasures, we really need to organize our collections.  This spring I plan on visiting quite a few tag-sales in hopes of purchasing a few good bookcases (I think we need one in every room!) and with a little TLC and a fresh coat of paint they will be better than new!

Here are a few of my favorite sewing books with my favorite recipe/memoir book thrown in just because (I find it so inspiring).  From top to bottom: Alabama Studio Style, Sew Liberated, Linen Wool Cotton, A Homemade Life (recipes), Weekend Sewing, and Alabama Stitch Book.  R. and I love to snuggle up together and peruse through sewing books and oodle over all of the things we would love to make and all of the lovely fabrics that we would like to use.

I typically try to preview the sewing books by lending it out from my local library (there have been several I have been very disappointed with and am glad that I didn’t buy them) but I just couldn’t wait to get my hands on Natalie Chanin’s new book “Alabama Studio Style”.  I absolutely loved her first book “Alabama Stitch Book” and love this second book just as much (she even included some yummy recipes!)  I can’t wait to make her tank dress and tank top this summer.

I previewed (from my Library) this Amy Butler “In Stitches” and decided that it looks fabulous with my other books and MUST be added to my collection very soon.  I also really want to add both Amanda Soule books “The Creative Family” and “Handmade Home”, Denyse Schmidt Quilts, and I Love Patchwork.

What are your favorite sewing books or on your wish list…I’d love to hear!

Happy reading,

Colette

First Gift Finished! January 21, 2010

As promised, here is the photo of my finished sweets mat from “Linen Wool Cotton” by Akiko Mano along with the beautiful authentic Japanese tea cup.

I can’t believe my Hubby’s client was going to just throw these away???  They are so beautiful.  Like they say one man’s trash is another woman’s treasure.  How lucky am I?

I finished all four of these yesterday and can’t wait to give them to my dear friend Amy as a belated birthday gift.  I have to say the directions in Akiko Mano’s book were quite easy to follow and I love the detailed drawings, it would be a totally perfect book if she just included some actual patterns with it.  There is a lovely dress and purse I would love to make but am nervous to try  just using the instructions that give angles to cut curves instead of a pattern.  I guess I will have to enlist DH for making the pattern myself.  These mats weren’t difficult to make but were time consuming.  I can’t imagine making these without a walking foot for your sewing machine.  Without the accessory I would be inclined to sew the crocheted lace to the mats by hand.  Now that hers are finished I will have to start on mine.

I am proud to say they are only 2 months late this year…last year she didn’t get her birthday gift until September.  Don’t the sweets mats go great with the Lizzie Kate “Tea Crazy” cross stitch I gave her last year (and I even framed it myself!) that hangs in her kitchen above her dining table (I also made one for my friend Molly and me of course)?  As soon as I saw the sweets mats I knew I had to make them for her.  Our little girls loving going out for tea and having tea parties (as do we!) and I thought these would be perfect for hosting tea parties in her own kitchen.

Aimee's Birthday Gift Last Year

With one gift down I am excited to move onto a gift for my cousins’ son!  I wonder how many gifts I will make this year???

Sweets Mat Progress January 17, 2010

I’m well on my way to finishing up these “sweet” little mats!  I’ve worked on them a few minutes here and a few minutes there.  One day I washed and ironed.  Another I cut out all eight.

This morning I sewed up the four for my friend on my sewing machine and have ladder stitched close two of the mats.  The other four have been ironed and pinned and await my sewing machine.  One lesson learned the hard way…take the time to put the walking foot on the sewing machine because they turn out a whole lot better using it!  I hope to finish the first four over the next couple of days.  (Admittedly, I am completely afraid of edge stitiching that delicate and tiny crocheted lace to the edge of my mats!)

Off to enjoy the rest of my weekend ~ hope you enjoy yours!

White Flannel and Lace January 11, 2010

Yesterday I mentioned the gift I am going to make using the most scrumptious white cotton flannel (visit Amy’s Etsy shop My Vintage Blankie to get your hands on some) and some Japanese crocheted lace in white (of course). Do you want to know what it is? I bet you can’t guess…alright, I’ll tell you…”sweets mats”. Hmmm what is that you ask? Only the cutest, sweetest, most adorable little place mats ever! And better yet they are really simple and inexpensive to make.

I got the idea from Akiko Mano’s beautiful book “Linen Wool Cotton” a “Make Good: Crafts + Life” book. I can’t begin to describe the yummy sewing projects in her book! I think it will take me an entire year’s budget to make everything I want to make in it ~ as opposed to most craft books where you only like one or two projects. Mark my words, I will make everything I want in it in time. Her lines are clean, the fabric is pure, and the finished project is simple, but do not mistake simple for uninspired.

Back to the sweets mats, they are described in her book as such: “Children always look forward to their afternoon snack, especially when it’s served on a place mat to make it feel like a special occasion.” Can’t you just picture R and I sitting down to steeped loose tea in tiny porcelain cups and dainty tea cookies every afternoon? I most certainly am making a set for me too. As luck would have it, I received just the perfect set of tea cups to use with these. My Husband’s client was cleaning out his office and gave him a set of four delicately painted floral (soft pink rose petals) Japanese tea cups ~ brand new in a subtle gray and blue Japanese box.

My flannel is washed, dried and ready to be cut into 8 place mats (4 to give to a friend for her belated birthday and 4 to keep for myself). I am still waiting for the lace trim to arrive via snail mail, but I can get started as all of the place mats need to be sewn first anyways. I will be merrily working away on these over the next couple of days and will share some photos (along with the tea cups!) soon.

Happy Crafting!