SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG || KNIT TO FLATTER BOOK REVIEW

Knit to Flatter: The Only Instructions You'll Ever Need to Knit Sweaters that make You Look Good and Feel Great!

a lot of chit chat has been going on for the tops, tanks and tees knit along on fit. if you're like me and you have some curves and you love knitting sweaters you most likely are always trying to find ways to modify existing patterns to fit your shape.  i recently purchased a copy of the new book by amy herzog called knit to flatter and let me tell you - this is a must have book.  the information in here is priceless.  whether you lack curves, have a bit more in some places than others and so on amy has tips and patterns in here to suit every body shape.  she also shows you how to measure, figure out your shape and dress your body type as well.  it's a great resource.  in particular i really found the sections on adding bust darts to cardigans and sweaters very helpful.

 

knit to flatteris also gosh darn cute.  the pink polka dot binding, the layout and graphic design of the book, the models...(i could go on & on), the book is just gosh darn welcoming, friendly, and like a great friend who always tells you the truth.  it makes you feel awesome to see REAL women's bodies in here. not waifs, not just size 2's,  not airbrushed fakes and definitely not only 32" busts.  there are beautiful, gorgeous REAL women in this book and i loved it.  i felt great after reading it.  i felt a slight empowerment in knowing i could knit and dress my body properly and look just as great in my new handiwork as the size 2 model could.  in fact the book breaks it down really easily after amy walks you through finding out your body type.  i strongly feel like more books on both sewing and knitting should be showing images like these. ones of real women, no matter what their shape (skinny or curvy) or size looking gorgeous in handmade items.

so thank you amy herzog!  can i just say you and knit to flatterrock!  true to stc craft | melanie falick style this book is lovely and a must have asset to any knitters book collection.  i highly recommend it and you know what...mother's day is right around the corner.  you deserve it....lol.  heck i pre-ordered mine i wanted it so bad...lol.

since there has been chatting about mods and fit in the ravelry group i recommend knit to flatter a great resource to have on this subject.  i also recommend a great guest post by jane richmond on "understanding fit" that is also a good reference on ease and more. i hope to use some of this info on my current project tops, tanks & tees project - levenwick. wanna see how far i am?  i was motoring but have slowed down since i have been so sick the last week or so.  you know you don't feel well when you don't knit too much.  i'm just in the thick of the waist decreases so i'm hopeful that i can get it done in time for the deadline :) can i just say again how much i love the collar on this?  that paired with the reverse stockinette is just making me so happy.  it's so rustic looking.  i heart it.

what about you? how's your project coming along?  what project did you end up going with?  did you blog about your project this week?  share! chat!  join in! it's never too late to grab those needles and jump in! happy knitting!

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board & our pattern roundup post
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.

>> OUR LOVELY SPONSORS <<

*luvinthemommyhood.com is a participant in the Amazon.com.ca, Inc. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.ca

FREE TUTORIAL || REVERSIBLE SOCK KNITTING PROJECT BAG

i love project bags. i love them almost as much as i love the stuff  i'm knitting and sewing in them.  i have tried making a few different versions of project bags now for my many wip's but i keep coming back over and over to this one style of bag.  it's my fave!  so after lots of requests since i sold some of these last summer at a fiber festival i finally got around to doing the tutorial for this reversible sock knitting project bag! yep - that's right, it's reversible!! weee!!!! more chances to use fun fabric! love it! and there is no hand sewing! love that even more!!!  it's easy, fast, fun and a great gift project to make.  you could easily whip a few of these up in one evening.

isn't it cute! i kinda want to hug them they are so cute. i think i have about 4 of them now in different fabrics.  you can surprisingly fit quite a lot into this small size too.  i have my sweater project in one at the moment and it's still fitting.  but if you would like a larger size (equally as cute, i have made those too) or even a jumbo (heck you could go smaller too), i give you instructions on how to do that below as well.

these little bags stand up great too. the square bottom is awesome for that. just remember if you are using a lightweight fabric to use interfacing on it to keep the stability of the bag or you'll get one that is a bit more floppy. now go recycle those ugly plastic bags, save your cloth tote for something else and give your knitting project a sassy new bag in your newest fabric crush of the moment! i promise it will bring a smile to your face and your knitty pals will all want one too <3

are you ready to get sewing?  this is a great beginner project but it's also a good base for an advanced sewer to go wild with piecing and sizing to create a custom bag suited to their tastes. 

>>REVERSIBLE SOCK KNITTING BAG TUTORIAL<<

Copyright 2013 www.luvinthemommyhood.com  All rights reserved.  This tutorial is for personal use only unless prior permission has been given.  If you are interested in handmaking & selling this item on a small scale basis please email me at luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca for inquiries.

||  FINISHED MEASUREMENTS  ||

Bottom is approximately 5.5"W and height is approximately 7.5"H.

Want a different size?  You can easily adjust the sizes of this bag.  Simply choose a different overall square size for the bag (for ex. 16" x 16") and then to calculate the size of the small square corners you cut out you need to find 1/4 of the width of the fabric to be able to create a square bottom for your bag.

You can also customize the size of the upper & lower pieces as well if you are piecing your fabrics. Just remember that no matter what you piece together your overall height (after piecing/sewing your fabrics together) is 12" and your width is 12".  You could easily do a patchwork one, add more strips, or do vertical strips instead. It's totally up to you! Just have fun with it!
  

|| MATERIALS ||

To make a knitting bag all in one print you will need:
- 4 pieces of fabric 12"W x 12"H (2 for your outer and 2 for your lining).
If you would like to make your bag with 2 fabric selections for your outer and lining like the one shown in this tutorial you will need the following:
- 4 pieces @ 12"W x 7.25"H (this will be the lower section of your bag)
- 4 pieces @ 12"W x 5.25"H (this will be the upper section of your bag)

You will also need:
- 2 pieces @ 12"W x 12"H of light-medium weight fusible interfacing. I used PELLON  931TD fusible midweight white interfacing. If you are using a mid-heavy weight fabric you may make it without it.
- ruler
- scissors and/or rotary cutter and mat
- coordinating thread
- removable fabric marker
- 1 yard ribbon, fabric or cording cut to desired length

|| INSTRUCTIONS ||

 STEP ONE: PREPPING YOUR PIECES

Seam allowance is 1/4" unless otherwise noted.

 *Note: I am going to show you instructions on how to assemble a sock knitting bag that is pieced using 2 different fabric selections. If you would like to just use one fabric choice for your outer and lining please skip ahead to after the first paragraph.

Place 1 of your outer lower pieces right side facing 1 of your outer upper pieces and pin along your long edge.  Sew with a 1/4" seam allowance.  Press towards the darker of your colors.  Topstitch along the RS of your fabric along your seam. This makes a nice neat finish.  Repeat this step for the other 2 pieces of your outer bag and then repeat for all the pieces of your lining as well.  You should now have 4 - 12" x 12" squares ready to be sewn.

Iron on your interfacing to the 2 pieces of your lining bag.

Next you will mark and cut out a 3" square from the bottom 2 corners of all 4 pieces of your fabric.  Make sure these are nice and accurate.  Feel free to cut out a 3" paper square if you'd like a template.

STEP TWO: ASSEMBLING YOUR BAG

With your 2 outer pieces right sides facing sew along your bottom seam (this is the fabric between your 2 square cut outs).  Note: If you have pieced your fabrics together take care here to match up your seams for a nice finish.  I like to pin from there first and then up and down. I find I would rather trim a bit from the top or bottom than have a messy seam lineup. 

Next sew along the 2 side seams.  Repeat this step for the other 2 pieces that will be your lining bag.

Press all your seams open. Now we are going to make those fun corners that allow the bag to stand nicely.  You will still have the 3" squares you cut out unsewn.  With your outer bag in your hand hold the corner bottom in your hand and pull apart the square so that the inner top corner of that little square is now lined up with same corner of the other piece of fabric. See photo above. This should create 1 seam you can sew along with a 1/4" seam allowance. Sew along that seam.  Press.  Repeat this step for the other corner of your outer bag and for both corners of your lining bag.  Your bag should now look like the image below.

STEP THREE:  MAKING THE CASING

Turn your outer bag inside out.  Keep your lining bag right side facing out.  Now place your lining bag inside your outer bag so the right sides are facing each other.  See image below.

We are now going to create the channel for the drawstring and also close up the bag.  Mark 1" down from the top edge of your bag.   Sew a line 1" down from this edge around the whole upper circumference of the bags leaving a 2.5-3" opening to pull your bag through. This will also be the opening for your drawstring to pull through.

Pull your bags right side out and nicely tuck the lining bag inside the outer bag.  See image above.  Press all along the upper edge of your bag so it's nice and flat.  Pin your opening closed.  Sew along the top edge circumference all around the bag this time with a 3/4" seam allowance.  This will finish your drawstring channel and close up the bottom of your opening. You now have a nifty pretty opening to pull your cord through without any hand sewing! Yay!!!!  I love this kind of top finish. It's easy, fast and looks great.

STEP FOUR:  ADDING YOUR DRAWSTRING

Attach a safety pin to the end of your drawstring. I like to use a soft off white tie cording (not sure if this is the correct terminology for this) most commonly used on pajama pants. If you do use this kind of tie you need to finish your ends. I simply fold over a 1/2" of the end and then fold again. I then sew down along the folded edge.

Now that you have your tie ready feed the safety pin end through the channel to the other side.  Open the bag up fully and make sure you have at least a 5-6" minimum on each end to be able to tighten the bag and tie a nice big bow :)  And that's it! You're done! Now go get your sock knitting on m'dears! Enjoy!

Copyright 2013 www.luvinthemommyhood.com  All rights reserved.  This tutorial is for personal use only unless prior permission has been given.  If you are interested in handmaking & selling this item on a small scale basis please email me at luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca for inquiries. 

As always please share your finished project pics! We LOVE to see your handiwork! Add your pics to the comments below and/or add them to our flickr group!  Thanks for sewing with me!

>>  FABRICS USED  <<

- "scattered sand in warm grey" by lotta jansdotter
- a random turqouise solid i can't remember where i got from :P
- "gallop horse fabric" by katherine codega

Do you like knitting socks?  Are you always on the lookout for a new project bag? I can never have enough! So far this is my favorite one! It's almost as addicting as knitting the project in it!

MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD || GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE

good morning sunshines!  it's the weekend!  i've been having some technical issues so our lovely giveaway that was due to be posted yesterday will be coming next week instead.  stay tuned though, you won't want to miss it!  trust me on that one!

i've got both my girlies home with me today (it's another pro-d day....le sigh). the sun is shining and i've been up since 5am since my faucet nose decided to run a bath...lol. don't you hate that feeling of "i have to shove half a roll of toilet paper up my nostril to keep from getting soaked" kind of feeling? ok...tmi...anyways thank god for madmen, the yarn harlot's books (reading & laughing "free range knitter"), my knitting and gosh darn good cuppa tea.  it's all i've been living on this week. the icing on the cake this morning though was a) a huge propane tank explosion in the city scared the wits out of me it was so loud and our whole condo shook and b) my kiddos slept in till almost 8am! seriously??? wth is that about? the one day i'm up before the whole house just sitting here waiting for someone to stir and they all sleep in later than i normally do and a huge explosion happens and nobody wakes up?  it's always the way right?  weird.

the sun is shining though and we've had some gorgeous weather here so i'm hoping to be feeling well enough to get out and bask in it a bit.  in the meantime though i've been plugging along on my TTT KAL project.  that cardi has been carted about everywhere and i almost had a panic attack when i realized that i had 15mins to wait at school pickup and left the aforementioned knitting project at home by the front door. i must have spent the whole 15mins trying to analyze if i had time to drive home and get it or not without being late. you see when you are in the throes of a love affair with your knitting you absolutely, under no circumstances leave said project at home. ever. i almost cried...well, ok, not cried, but i really felt like it.  i didn't even have my ipad with me to document my sadness to you all on instagram. also - remember if you're on instagram to tag your pics #tttkal and you can find me on there under "luvinthemommyhood".  and if you don't have instagram you can still see my pics by looking at the bottom of my sidebar. there's a handy widget on there showing a slideshow of my instagram feed. fun right?  there's already pics from gals in our kal on instagram and it's so fun to go on and check on everyone's progress.

also in tech news today...lol...(i sounded legit there for a sec right? hahaha) j/k, sort of.  i finally bit the bullet and started up a fun, free newsletter for luvinthemommyhood/very shannon! yay!  so once a month you'll get a fun email from moi filled with lots of interesting stuff, updates on new patterns and free tutorials, sales, discounts and more!  you can click "here" to sign up or on the top of my sidebar to subscribe to the newsletter.  i promise no spam :) 

here's hoping you all have a wonderful, explosion & cold free weekend filled with coffee, friends, family, crafty goodness galore & good times.  see y'all on monday <3

sooooo, what are you up to this weekend? what projects did you work on this week? are you sewing or knitting?  am i the only one who "almost" cried because i forgot my knitting? share away, let's chat - it's friday :)

SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG - MY PROJECT & YARN

yarn:  cascade 220 heathers in colowary "aliki beach/sand"

it's time to cast on my dear friends for the spring tops, tanks & tees knit along!!!! weeee! you guys have been so patient but ever so excited! i can feel the eagerness just oozing off the ravelry thread pages! so many fun conversations already! and the patterns!!!! can i just say wow!  my faves and queue has grown so long already and it's only just begun!  the chat thread has been on fire!  i'm so excited for this knit along!  i love spring and you all know how much i LOVE to encourage you all to keep on knitting even in the warmer months. i mean honestly, who said we can't knit all year round? why stop?  keep those needles movin' gals! try out a new fiber, do some selfish knitting for yourself or make a pressie for that wee one in your life.  we're not picky, as long as it's a garment and doesn't have full length sleeves we're happy you're knitting & joining in for the fun!

pattern: levenwick by gudrun johnston for brooklyn tweed wool people vol. 1

speaking of garments, i had a heckuva time picking out my project.  too many good patterns out there.  i couldn't decide if i wanted a tank, a tee or a cardi/sweater.  in the end my cascade 220 heathers in "aliki beach/sand" won out.  i needed to go with a worsted weight because let's face it - i have a crush on heavier weights and just don't plain have the time to knit a cardi in fingering at the moment (i'm still trying to finish my audrey from 2 years ago!!! hangs head in shame). i've been humming and hawing over levenwick since the day it was released and finally decided it was time to just make the darn thing.  so i'm going warmer weight with a worsted yarn that i plan on wearing this summer with all the new pretty floral dresses & tunics i've been sewing up. i wanted a great staple i could wear all year, that was feminine yet rustic and that could be worn fitted with a cute summer dress.  it gets chilly down by the ocean here and i always need that go to cardigan for summer evenings.

i've got the collar for my levenwick on the go and my gauge swatch was perfect for the pattern! yippee! that never happens to me!!!  can i just say i love the technical parts of levenwick?  so many fun things to do for this cardi!  the collar is just plain fun, the reverse stockinette is a real hoot in my books (i'm digging the look and feel of it), i already learned the invisible purl increase, and after get to do many a more fun things to keep this gal interested.  thank you gudrun johnston - you. are. awesome. 

as for my yarn choice - it's not your average summer yarn. it's not linen (though i do recommend making summer clothes in linen, it really softens up with wear and washing) and it's not cotton but cascade 220 heathers is a favorite of mine and with my house on a budget being able to make a cardi for about $45 is a huge coup in my books!  can't beat the price!  i also love how this yarn feels after blocking.  it's definitely a great workhorse for this type of cardigan.  it mimics the rustic quality of brooklyn tweed yarns with it's strength yet ability to still drape nicely.

soooooo....c'mon...spill the beans! what's your project? what yarn did you choose and why?  and are you as excited as i am or what? check out our sponsors below and on the sidebar! can we say yahoo!!! prizes galore ladies!  awesome ones!!!! so go show them some kal love!  also for those of you who are dears and sport our kal buttons grab one for the TTT KAL below :) now...let's chat!

>> GRAB A BUTTON! <<

<a href="http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2006/04/spring-tops-tanks-tees-knit-along-2013.html" target="_blank"><img alt="luvinthemommyhood" src="http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/shannonandjeremy/ttt-kal-button_zpsc1a9e8d2.jpg"/></a>

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board & our pattern roundup post
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.

>> OUR LOVELY SPONSORS <<

SEWING || TOVA TUNIC

pattern: tova tunic by wiksten

i know it's kids clothes week and this is definitely not kids clothes, lol, but i finished up my first tova tunic the other week to wear to vogue knitting live and i couldn't help but finally post some shots the hubs took of me in my new fave tunic. you may notice i chopped my hair off but please ignore my bad hair day in these shots. can we say mom frizz? not good. oh well, we all have our days right? as some of you may know one of my new year's resolutions this year was to do more selfish sewing for myself and i have been loving it so far!  i've been wanting to add a few more tunic dresses to my wardrobe so the tova was a natural choice for me.

i have to admit i was very nervous to make this.  my bust size isn't even listed on the pattern (i'm a 41" bust in case anyone cares...lol).  but after looking for ages on flickr and seeing other busy gals make it with no issues and having made the wiksten tank & fitting in the xl i decided to just go for it.  last summer i purchased some crazy sale price lawn fabric to use just for this tunic. it ended up costing me about $5/yd!!! needless to say i was not going to cry my eyes out if it didn't work out.  i sewed this bad boy up on a thursday and wore it to vogue knitting live the very next day.  so comfy! i traveled and hit up the show in this tunic!  i paired it that time with my fave dark grey leggings and knee high boots and got a lot of compliments on my outfit. . 

i really love how the fit of the tova covers all my roly poly bits. you know the ones that 2 babies and a c-section leave behind? yep, those nasty ones.  it flows without looking maternity and i found it flattering for my body type which i was worried it wouldn't be for me and my curves.  during sewing i stitched up the neck opening a bit so i didn't have to worry about cleavage flashing some poor unsuspecting passerby.  i think i stitched about 1 1/2 - 2" up from the bottom of the yoke.  i liked that i don't have to worry about that but also still have a flattering neckline. there are a ton of fun variations on the neckline all over flickr so i felt ok topstitching my flap down a tad.

all in all i am very happy with the tova tunic pattern and will definitely make it again.  i really enjoy how professional and clean the finishes are for wiksten patterns and both the tova and the wiksten tank (click here to see how mine turned out) are staples in my wardrobe. i'm going to splurge and get some softer fabric this time round and make one that isn't slightly see through (like the lawn i used) so i don't have to wear clothing under it in the warmer months.  i recommend this tunic and have been wearing it more times than i will dare to admit here on the blog :P

>> PATTERN <<
 - tova tunic from wiksten

 >> FABRIC <<
- cotton lawn floral multi (code FP-668) from fabrics.com (i can't find it on their site anymore)

 >> NOTES <<
- i made the size xl with no adjustments. i'm a size 41" bust.
- i would use a softer fabric next time. this lawn was great to practice on (use as a wearable muslin) but now that i know how much i like the tova i'm going to splurge on something that isn't as see through and that has a softer hand.
- i stitched closed my neckline opening by about 1 1/2-2" to keep the girls from showing too much.
- in case anyone is wondering the cowl i'm wearing with the tunic is my new pattern "the lansbury cowl". you can find it here if you're so inclined.

 have you made the tova tunic before?  how did you like it?  what tunic have you been wanting to make?  are you joining in and doing some selfish sewing this year too?  i love hearing what you guys are whipping up so join in the conversation :)

WINNERS & KIDS CLOTHES WEEK

we've got some winners for some of our recent giveaways!  yay!!!!

the winners of our petite kids boutique pattern giveaway are......

commenter # 90 - jessica
commetner #70 - elisabetta
commenter #36 - rebecca

the winner of a copy of the newest book by aimee ray "doodle stitching: embroidery & beyond" and a handmade bookmark is:

commenter #58 - bella 

congratulations everyone!!!! someone will be in touch in regards to your prizes today.  

i've gotten hit with a miserable evil cold today so i'm sitting here whining to myself and hoping i'll get well enough to take part in kid's clothes week. i swear every year this happens to me. i kid you not each time it starts up i get ill or my kids do. so darn frustrating. anyhoo it starts up today and it's an awesome challenge so go join in over at kids clothes week so i can live vicariously through you! 

my oldest turned 6 (wahhhhh...where did my baby go) on saturday and it was a busy and fun weekend!  oh and see that pic above?  those are my very first purchase from target!!! when i was in the states the other weekend i finally, finally got to go to target!!! woot woot! i was so very excited.  i got those cute polka dot pants and some fun sunglasses.  we're now counting down the days for the first one to open in our city.  should be any week now!!!! yay!!!   hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

what did you get up to this weekend? are you joining in for kids clothes week? what projects do you plan on making? teas on - come chat!

NEW PATTERN || LANSBURY COWL

at the beginning of the year i was so lucky to get my hands on some yummy yarn from melissa of sweet fiber yarns.  i knew right away that i wanted to make something luxurious for my neck out of this cashmere silk aran yarn.  this cowl feels like heaven and is a dream to wear! spoil yourself & indulge in a fun knit with a delicious new yarn. a quick & fulfilling pattern using only 200yds, with a reversible ribbed inside,

Lansbury Cowl

---

---

the lansbury cowl is sure to be a fave accessory year round. named for the lovely angela lansbury & her long time show murder, she wrote, this cowl represents all the twists & turns involved in solving a good mystery.  i have fond memories of curling up watching angela lansbury daily with my omi while knitting & crocheting alongside her. i still tune in regularly with reruns on netflix with my favorite tea and some twist filled knitting. 

---

---

the Lansbury cowl pattern features:

:: clear and easy to understand step by step instructions

:: bright & colorful photography

:: 1 page color PDF pattern

::  a great knitting experience

Lansbury is available at the following:

RAVELRY ||    ETSY  ||  CRAFTSY 

(coming soon)

---

lansbury is easy to memorize and is a great jump into small cables and slipped stitches.  it's also a great way to practice knitting in the round, ribbing and learning a new stitch pattern.  don't be afraid of the those purdy twists they are a lot easier than they look. promise :)  you can do it!  this cowl is worth it.  it has great drape but also a reliable stability to keep it from caving in.  the bonus is if you would like to wear it more soft and drapey the inside is purdy too!  lansbury features a reversible ribbed inside!  you can see a shot of it in the pics below.

i couldn't resist also posting all my fave pics from my photoshoot with my gorgeous friend rebecca of the blog nook.  she's one of my fave models to use and you will recognize her from my mallory cowl pattern.  she's a speedy knitter who eats, sleeps & breathes knitting.  she's also a fabulous test & sample knitter (if you need one you can find her under gundyknitter on ravelry). watch out for great things from her this year :) thanks for being such a wonderful model becca <3

View fullsize

---

LANSBURY COWL  ||  BUY NOW

i hope you all enjoy the lansbury cowl pattern as much as i do. i've been wearing mine non stop i tell ya.  this is definitely one of my new fave go to accessories. before i go though i can't resist shouting a mention to the fabulousness of angela lansbury. i mean how hip does she look on the cover of gentlewoman magazine recently?  so awesome!  and meow!!!  what a looker she was & still is! you go girl!

img scr;lastfm, thegentlewoman

are you a big fan of murder,she wrote and angela lansbury? do you have a love for sweet fiber yarns?  i'd love to hear from some other murder, she wrote fans! i can't be the only gal in her 30's who watches this show? right?  :P

p.s. stay tuned next week when we will be giving away a very delicious prize from sweet fiber yarns!!!! woowweee!

CRUSHES || FRECKLED FAWN

oh my gosh you guys, i have been excitedly awaiting a package that arrived on the weekend!  i recently spotted freckled fawn's washi tape on instagram the other week (i know, i've been under a rock, how have i never seen their shop before??) and instantly went over to the website and went a bit nutso. i ordered a whole bunch of lovelies and have plans for more!  i'm so freakin' excited about these little things!  it's sad really, but they just make me gosh darn smile!!!!

 

you all know about my addiction to arrows and triangles recently. i can't get enough of them.  so when i spotted the wood chip arrows and cute sayings (and they have TONS of others too) i could not resist buying them.  i seriously wanted to cover my house in them..lol. it's sad really.  don't you just dig em'? aren't they the cutest things?  i know i'm going to be using these for all sorts of fun projects in the future. i can't wait to show you where.

and the washi tapes....swoon! check out my washi tapes! weeeee!

adorbs right!!!! squeal!!!!!!!!! i love them!!!!!  see that one in the middle above with the hearts on it?  that is my fave. so awesome i bought 2 of them.  i think i need more already :)  i also could not resist the lure of the arrow paper clips (see pic below). how fun are these right?  they will fit right in with my new little office redo that i can't wait to show you all!  soon - i promise!  did you notice the arrow paper and the triangle paper in the shots above? i got those too! see, i told you i went a bit nutso! i am a big time cheapskate so to splurge on little treats like this is a special thing for me.  it's almost june (my bday) right? i can buy myself an early bday pressie...it's all good :)  just don't tell the hubs...lol (honey if you are reading this turn around and walk away from the computer).

oh and just to be clear this post is by no way sponsored by freckled fawn. it is purely me showing you what little lovelies have found their way to my home this week :)  how can you not share these right?  seriously...check out their website....i don't want to be the only gal treating themselves. go on....you know you wanna! just make sure if you buy something you come back and tell me asap. i want to drool over your picks!  i can't wait to get more (i already have a wishlist started...and it's not small) but for now i'm shopping vicariously through you gals.  have fun!!!! hehe!

what are you crushin' on this week?  are you a fan of freckeld fawn as well?  what's your fave washi tape of the moment?  come chat with me! i've missed you over the weekend and i swear i have a starbucks with your name on it!

|| WHAT I BOUGHT ||

>> colorful arrow paperclips
>> wood chips - arrows
>> wood chips - speech bubbles
>> black & white triangle washi
>> triangle line washi
>> navy triangle washi
>> freckled fawn triangle washi
>> ils paper - why not

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY || DOODLE STITCHING EMBROIDERY & BEYOND

doodle stitching: embroidery & beyond by aimee ray

who's in the mood to get stitchin'?  i sure am! i was excited to get a chance to review the newest book by aimee ray - doodle stitching: embroidery & beyond: crewel, cross stitch, sashiko & more!  this cute book is filled with bright colors, adorable projects and helpful how to's! covering everything from cross stitch, redwork, crewel , sashiko, stumpwork & more - aimee's got you covered!

i really enjoy how aimee brings an element of hand drawn art to embroidery & it's techniques in her newest book. being someone who loves to draw i get very excited at the idea of recreating a sketch of mine using fabric and thread.  it's so exciting!  this book gave me a great starting point to learn how to execute those ideas and transfer them into the right stitch and technique to use it in.  the book also features pretty projects ranging from a baby quilt, project bag, to storybook panels & my fave - the cuckoo clock! there's something for everyone in this lovely book from lark crafts.  the layout is clean, bright and easy to follow and the book feels fresh and cheerful! a happy addition to my book collection.

would you like to win a copy? yay!  read how to enter below!

||  THE PRIZE  ||
- one lucky winner will win a copy of doodle stitching: embroidery & beyond as well as one of aimee's lovely cutwork felt bookmarks (see above)! gorgeous!!! thanks for the awesome prize lark crafts!

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||
- simply leave me a comment below letting me know what your favorite thing about embroidery is.

||  THE RULES  ||
- you must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified. 
- giveaway is open until wednesday, april 17th, 2013, midnight PST.

happy stitching & good luck everyone!  and a big thank you to lark crafts for the giveaway! 

SEWING || 241 TOTE FOR ME!

PATTERN:  241 TOTE BY NOODLEHEAD

i recently went away to seatlle and bellevue for the weekend for vogue knitting live (was sooo fun but more on that later) and needed a rockin' tote to carry around some of my loot.  i decided to go with the awesome 241 tote pattern from my pal anna from noodlehead.com.  i just adore this bag and love the shape.  i knew it would be perfect to highlight one of my fave prints of the moment - motif madness in vermillion from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics.  i love the bold colors and shapes. it's right up my alley and i knew when the mail carrier brought it home to me that it had to be a bag.

i really enjoyed making the 241 tote.  it's just the right size for a daily tote yet can hold way more than you think.  trust me when i say it really took a beating on my trip. it even needs a day trip to the spa (aka - the washing machine).  i filled this sucker to the maximum and it held on for dear life (my strap may or may not have started to fall apart..shhhh...don't tell).  if you've made a 241 tote before though you may notice my oopsie. yes, i am not a robot and yes, i do make mistakes too.  in my excitement of making the bag and sewing with my tsuru i forgot to make the darling pleats on the bottom side curves.  that tsuru motif madness print is so awesome it blinded me with excitement! ooops!  oh well, i like it anyways and i think it may have given me a tad bit more room to fill the bag which i definitely needed :)

i really enjoy sewing from anna's patterns and not just because she is a friend of mine.  her instructions are always clear and concise and her photos are clear and easy to understand.  i don't often make myself bags but when i do i head to her pattern selection.  remember my envelope clutch from her envelope clutch pattern? i still love that one and use it often. i realized the other day that whenever i go somewhere really exciting on a trip or event i always whip up a new bag. so fun! they all hold special memories for me.

>> PATTERN <<
 - 241 Tote Pattern by Anna Graham of noodlehead.com

>> FABRIC <<
-  OUTER BAG: motif madness in vermillion from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics
- OUTER BAG: robert kaufman yarn-dyed essex linen cotton  
- LINING:  motif madness in ivory fromtsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics
- OUTER BAG & LINING: 1000 cranes in cerulean from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics
- PELLON  931TD fusible midweight white interfacing

>> NOTES <<
- i forgot to make the bottom pleat detail.
- i would use a midweight-heavy weight interfacing on the handle next time.  i wear my bags hard and put them to the limit (bad me) so i would interface the strap next time and maybe add some batting to soften it up when carrying a heavier amount.
- i used a brass toned magnetic snap. can i just say how much i love magnetic snaps? they. are. awesome.

what's your favorite tote of the moment?  do you have a go to bag that you sew up up regularly? have you been sewing with tsuru? do you love it too? i missed you all while i was away so come chat! i'd love to hear your thoughts!

GIVEAWAY WINNER || ART GALLERY FABRICS COLOR ME RETRO FQ BUNDLE

congratulations to......commenter #70 - jennifer!  you won a fat quarter bundle of color me retro! we'll be in touch soon about your prize! happy sewing!

and thanks to art gallery fabrics for the awesome prize! you can find more art gallery fabrics here:

website  ||  blog  ||  facebook  ||  twitter  ||  pinterest

SEWING || BOX BAG LOVE

this weekend i'm hitting the road. heading on a road trip (and ferry trip) with some awesome pals to hit up vogue knitting live in seattle! i cannot wait! i'm sooooo excited! needless to say since i'm going away i needed some handmade lovelies to accompany me.  i have my laurel dress from last week and next up to show you is my new box bag.  box bags rock.  i heart them...but remember what happened last time i made one (read about it here)? yep. not so good. silly me.  oh well. lesson learned. i knew i would try again and if i did i wanted it fully lined with no exposed seams.

my fave parts of this bag are the fabrics.  aren't they awesome? they are from katherine codega.  her illustrations and prints are some of my faves!  i splurged on 3 prints a while back and just adore them.  it's taken me eons to get the guts to even cut into them i love them so much.  i'm happy i did now though. i absolutely adore my new bag :)  you can find katherine codega's shop here.  if you pop over tell her i sent you :)  she does custom listings as well so if you see something you want and it's sold out odds are she can print it for you.  that's how i got one of my prints.

i used the tutorial from my friend libby of the blog truly myrtle to make the box bag. i knew what i wanted and still remembered what i had done the first time so it was a piece of cake this time round.  box bags can be a bit tricky to wrap your head around at first if you're a new sewer so take your time and i strongly recommend really visualizing what you are doing.  hold the pieces up in front of you as you read the instructions and envision the end result.  there are a tons of tutorials online showing  how to make these but i really liked how libby's is fully lined with absolutely no exposed seams. i hand stitched my small opening closed and i'm super happy with my results.  looks fabulous! these bags are also a really good way to practice your zippers too!

all in all they are fun little bags to use for just about anything small you want to tote around.  mine is for my sock knitting at the moment.  i'm super hooked and wanted a small bag to fit 2 small projects in for my trip.  you can make them bigger though.  the box bags are really easy to customize to whatever dimensions you would like yours to have.  you can even make them quite large to fit sweater knitting in - just be sure to use a strong interfacing :)

||  NOTES  ||

FABRICS USED:
>> pastel triangles and  bows & arrows pastel by katherine codega

PATTERN NOTES:
>> fully lined, hand stitched opening, pellon medium weight interfacing, zipper pull on one end, followed same sizing as truly myrtle tutorial.

such a fun and quick sew!  i think i need a few more :) i've got another lovely to show you this week for my upcoming trip & an announcement as well so stay tuned!

are you going to vogue knitting live? if so let me know so i can look for ya!  do you use box bags for your knitting?  how do you make yours? share pics! i'd love to see them!  happy sewing!

SEWING || THE LAUREL DRESS

pattern: the laurel dress by colette patterns

after posting last week about my love for the new colette pattern - laurel, i set aside as much time as possible on saturday to make one. i sewed like a madwoman and wore that dress out that night to knit with my girls.  now i know i could write a few paragraphs gushing but my love for this dress but i'll keep things easy - I. LOVE. THIS. DRESS.  plain and simple.

i ended up having a chat with one of my fave bloggy pals anna from noodlehead last week after i initially posted about the laurel dress (read it here) and we decided it would be super fun to post our finished laurel dresses on the same day!  i ADORE how hers turned out - i mean really, anna oozes awesomeness out of her fingernails..lol.  she looks gorgeous!  so when you are done here go pop by noodlehead and show her some luv too :)

now back to laurel....

the pattern is true to colette style with lovely finishes, fabulous fit and hand stitched details that make a big difference in the finishing of your garment.  going from what i like to call "holly hobby" to "where did you buy that fabulous dress"?  i purchased the pdf version of laurel and even the cutting/piecing didn't seem to take too long. it was pretty easy to find the pieces and not too many to cut out.  with a pattern complete with 4 options (and more in the e-book variation) i was happy to see it not going to take me a few hours.

i went ahead and went a bit nuts and didn't make a muslin - i know....dumb and daring at the same time!  i feel like i'm starting to get a good idea of my bust sizing for a fitted shape and felt comfortable going ahead with this one without worries of a full bust adjustment or making changes to the pattern piece.  thankfully luck was on my side.  i made the size 14 for the 42" bust (i'm about a 41"-42" depending on my bra..lol) and it fits fabulous.  what worries me more lately is not my bust but my shoulders and smaller back compared to my bust size. i either get neck drape or armpit gaping so have had to make changes to previous patterns for these size adjustments.  for laurel i was a-ok.  i'm really happy with the fit on my back, arms, and bust.

what i am most in love with for this dress is my tummy.  i love that laurel skims and hides lumps and ahem...bulges (two kids sure did me in for life) but still shows off the assets i do like - my legs and bust without being too revealing or clingy.  i feel really comfy in it and can see myself wearing it often. in fact i've already worn it 3 times!!!! that's a success in my book!  i've got fabric to cut out another and the blouse version is in the queue as well.

all in all, the dress does take some time to make but it is worth every minute!  you hand sew your sleeve bias and neckline and hem.  i chose to finish my hem on the machine for time purposes because i refused to go out to my knit night without it on...lol...but if i hadn't i would have hand stitched it.  it was fun!  and honestly - the finished product looks gorgeous! only thing i haven't done yet is sew on my hook and eye. still  have to do that :)  i made version 2 with pockets and no sleeve cuff.  next one i hope to do the sleeve cuff - so adorbs! i also want to make the blouse which still features the laurel dresses bust and back darts (hello....how awesome are back darts!!! let's hear it for the back darts ladies! i mean c'mon...these things make me look just a wee bit fabulous!) but no zipper! sold! right there. done.  can't wait to whip that one up too!

and yes, i said zipper. don't be scared. trust me. laurel has an invisible zipper and it was my first time putting one in and honestly it was so easy. such an easy zipper to sew in.  colette patterns has a wonderful tutorial for you to follow as well if you need help as well as many other tutorials and tips throughout the pattern.  only thing i did change (and this was the daredevil in me coming out again) was sew in my invisible zipper with my regular foot. i know, i know...bad girl, but i don't have an invisible zipper foot and didn't want to leave my house to go get one.  i read how to sew the zipper in and realized quite quickly that i could do it without the special foot. my passion for edge stitching came in handy here. i simply unrolled the curled part of the zipper near the teeth as i sewed slowly and stitched as close as possible to my zipper.  done like dinner. worked like a charm and i had a heckavu good time while i did it...lol.  let's hear it for the selfish sewing!  i could get used to this!

||  PATTERN  ||
- laurel by colette patterns

||  FABRIC  ||
- some sort of brushed cotton from fabricland (wish i had more details but i don't :(  it's very soft though and i like it.

||  NOTES  ||
- sewed size 14 and made no full bust adjustment or alterations to the sizing of the pattern.
- hand stitched sleeve hem, neckline but machine stitched the hem.
- sewed my invisible zipper in with a regular zipper foot
- i made option 2 with pockets and no sleeve cuffs
- bias trim was store bought - not handmade
- hemmed my dress as per pattern.  did not find dress too short at all and i'm 5'4". so those of you wondering about the dress length it's great!
- overall i give this pattern two thumbs up! will be making many more!

what do you think?  are you planning on making laurel? what fabric and version will you be sewing? what's your favorite colette pattern? i'm thinking of trying the pants next! fill me in!  i've got coffee for all of you & i'd love a visit!

p.s. wishing you all a wonderful long weekend with your loved ones!  here's some lovely tulips that sit beside me as i type to all you lovelies! see you next week! xoxox

KNITTING || STRIPE STUDY SHAWL

stripe study shawl by veera valimaki

i got spoiled by my mom and dad this past xmas when they surprised me with some gorgeous madelinetosh tosh merino lite to make the stripe study shawl by veera valimaki (one of my fave knitwear designers).  i cast that baby on so fast and i swear i loved every minute of it.  even the ones that i moaned and groaned through.  those were the last few days of straight garter.  now don't get me wrong - i love garter, but after the excitement and fun of this shawl design just knitting straight garter stitch for a few inches felt a bit too humdrum.  but then i found my rhythm and my happy place and boom - my stripe study was done.

what's taken me almost as long as knitting it has been getting pics of it.  you see sometimes i have to beg (and i mean beg) the hubs to photograph things for me.  hard part is i always have some sort of creative visual in my head of the whole photoshoot. I know what I want.  he can't see in my brain. i can't seem to tell him in man lingo and we both end up frustrated.  either way we try to make it work.  so after a somewhat relaxing visit to the beach the other day (or as relaxing as it can be with 2 kids frolicking in the wet sand (one who keeps going just a bit too far out into the ocean), a hubs who keeps attempting to play with mad strange dogs, noisy people standing on the beach having a very loud 10min conversation in part german about real estate, and a child who all of a sudden realizes they have to pee and can't hold it) we attempted to get a few quick shots before driving like a madwoman to the nearest washroom so my crying child could pee.

needless to say they aren't perfect which is why there are a few more of my daughter modeling them above.  she tried to help me out.  i added them in and edited this to add that even though i wrote that i was making peace with my hubs pics i still tried again and prolly will a few more times until i get the shot that i'm happy with..lol. overall though i just wanted you to see it.  so i'm letting it go for now.  making peace with the photos of my stripe study.  it's beautiful.  i love it.  i hope you'll take my word for it and go make one of your own one day.  it's the perfect indulgence and actually a quite easy and relaxing knit that's perfect for purse knitting.  if you love short rows you'll love the race and anticipation of stripe study.  be warned though that blocking this lovely takes patience & a good tv show or movie (it took me an hour or two). i highly recommend using blocking wires (i got mine from knitpicks) and being very picky about it.  mine blocked nicely and i'm  happy with the turnout.

||  PATTERN  ||
- Stripe Study Shawl by Veera Valimaki

||  YARN USED  ||
- Torchere in Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Lite
- Steamer Trunk in Madlinetosh Tosh Merino Lite

||  NOTES  ||
- I did not do the full amount of stripe repeats. I simply did what others had done and knit till I ran out of my red color. You can't really tell and I love it anyways :) I also carried my yarn on the color changes up the sides for the 2 rows. No weaving in ends for me :)

i love the lines and the design of this shawl and have been wearing it tons! it's such a fun pattern to make and it was a joy to knit.  two thumbs up in my book.  my mom also made one and i love that we can both sport our stripe study's together! thanks mom & dad!

what about you? have you made one? do you like short rows as well?  what's your fave shawl to knit?  let's chat knitty goodness m'dears!  coffees on!

p.s  Laura C from Littleandlots was the winner of the Botanical Knits Book Giveaway!!! I'll be in touch today! Thanks for all of your entries!

FREE TUTORIAL || JENI REVERSIBLE APRON & AN ART GALLERY FABRICS GIVEAWAY

It's Fat Quarter Gang time for Art Gallery Fabrics! I've got my newest project out today - The Jeni Reversible Apron Tutorial! As soon as I saw Jeni's fabulous line of fabrics - "Color Me Retro", I knew I had to figure out a way to make a fun new apron using fat quarters! I always have a hard time getting an apron to fit me right when they are store bought so I was very excited to make an apron just for me - the Jeni Reversible Apron Tutorial! Yay! It's always a good thing to spoil yourself a wee bit. I hope you will all join in and make one and spoil yourselves a bit too :) It's fun - I promise!

I love that this apron is completely comprised of fat quarters.  You can easily add more prints or take some away but you can do it all with fat quarters :) There's a bit of measuring & cutting involved but nothing too tricky. Overall it's a quick sew with some topstitching (my fave) and an interesting construction technique with the vintage inspired pocket strips on the apron skirt. Plus it's got long ties to make the perfect big bow! Who doesn't feel feminine with a pretty bow on their apron?  So next time you see the latest Art Gallery Fabric fat quarter bundles pop up online whip up a fun new apron!

Head on over to the Art Gallery Fabrics blog to get the full pdf tutorial!  Yeppers - that's right! You get a nice printable pdf for this one!

And in the meantime don't forget to enter here to win a fat quarter bundle of Color Me Retro!!!

||  THE PRIZE  ||
 - One lucky winner will win a fat quarter bundle of Color Me Retro from Art Gallery Fabrics!

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||
- Leave a comment to let us know when you have done ANY (or all) of the following:

-Follow Art Gallery Fabrics on your fav social media platform (Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter)

and Subscribe to the Art Gallery blog to stay up to date on all thing AGF & the Fat Quarter Gang..ohhh..and lets not forget Flickr!

||  THE RULES  ||
- You must leave a valid email address in your comment to win.
- Giveaway open until March 29th, 2013, midnight, PST.

Have fun and happy sewing!  A big thank you to AGF for their awesome fabrics! I love this apron and cannot wait to see all the fabric combos & fun details you all come up with!

SEWING || CLOTHES FOR ME

i've been feeling the urge to spoil myself a tad these last few weeks.  i've been dreaming of finding the time to sew for myself.  not for the kids, not for a gift, but just for me.  with some fun events coming up and me not feeling 100% lately i figured a new dress was in order.  but what to make?  i have 2 washi's now and i was feeling in the mood to spice things up a tad.  then literally (i'm not kidding here) as i was perusing the wide world of the intranet the colette newsletter popped up in my inbox and low and behold the new Laurel Dress!!! love at first sight!  this shift dress had me dreaming.  off i went and boom - in my cart it went without a second though. i never. ever. ever. do that. i'm cheap..lol. i could not resist the lure of the laurel...lol.

the laurel dress by colette patterns

pretty right? i just love the ease and simplicity of it. i also love the ability to really make it your own. so many possibilities and options!  and i'm hoping it will hide that tummy of mine..lol.  darn tummy...i digress.  since i'm in canada and the fabric i really wanted i would have to order online and wait 2-3 weeks to get i decided to shop local and find some random print that i will pay way too much for just so i can whip one of these up for myself.  this soft denim blue cotton print with black roses had me swooning. not sure what it was about it but i fell for it. i could just picture it with a hand knits and boots so i grabbed it with my screaming kids in tow (yes, i even braved the dreaded fabric store with both kids! i'm nuts) and bought my first invisible zipper, bias tape (i'm too lazy to make my own this week) and thread.  now i just need to find the time to sew it.

you can get the laurel dress here and if you buy it today you can still scoop up on their 15% off deal! plus as a bonus you get a free e-book with extras for the pattern, tips, techniques and more!  it's awesome!  and if you're feeling really creative you can head to the colette patterns blog and enter their awesome sewing contest for the laurel dress! the prizes are ahhhhhmazing! just sayin' :) you know....cause i can't help but make you all sew one right side along me.

and in case the laurel dress isn't your vibe check out another fave i've got on my list - the staple dress!  how cute is this one!  this looks like it will be next on my list after i'm done a laurel dress & blouse.  april rhodes designed a fab and figure flattering dress that's great for all skill levels! check it out here!

then of course i still need to make my tova tunic, and more wiksten tanks....and.......

what are you all sewing for yourselves lately?  have you found a new pattern that you just had to drop everything for to sew?  what's your go to ladies pattern of the moment?  i'd love to hear about it.  yes, i want to add more to my to do list...lol.  the more lovelies to make the better!

have a wonderful sewing, coffee and sunshine filled weekend! luvs <3

p.s. i'll be announcing the winner of the botanical knits giveaway next week.

CRUSHES || FABRIC & YARN

motif madness in vermillion & ivory from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics

the mailman brought me some new lovelies yesterday! so excited to cut into these pretty new fabrics!!!  i've been drooling after tsuru by rashida coleman-hale (for cloud 9 fabrics) since she first sneak peeked it ages ago.  i saved up my pennies and finally was able to indulge and get a few prints from the line. i'm so in love with all the prints i got!  i'm now kicking myself wishing i had ordered more...lol.

but that always happens when i order fabric online right now.  the shipping hurts right now so i'm trying to be smart about my online ordering and only doing it when i need to or have a project in mind.  this whole being canadian thing is tricky sometimes.  makes me sad it costs so much now to ship fabric from the us to canada and vice versa.  hard on the wallet :(  i've been trying to take advantage of special shipping discounts when i see them pop up.  i also have a new sponsor spool & spindle  that's located in canada and she offers $5 flat rate shipping in canada and free shipping for orders over $150!  our other sponsors fabricworm, contemporary cloth & fat quarter shop all also have regular deals on shipping as well.  i try to share their deals when i spot them on my fb page whenever i can :) us fabric addicts gotta help each other out right? lol!

1. 1000 cranes cerulean 2. of a feather ivory 3. of a feather indigo - from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics

along with my tsuru i also picked up more prints from timber & leaf by sarah watts for blend fabrics (you can see the other prints i got here) to add to the others i got from the line a few weeks ago.  these have a special project in mind for them and i can't spill the beans about it yet :)  the whole line is lovely though and i'm really happy with all the prints i have.  the girls love them as well.

brush bear ivory & gerbara turquoise from timber & leaf by sarah watts for blend fabrics

as well as fabrics i recently picked up some more of one of my go to worsted weight yarns - cascade 220 heathers in colorway aliki beach/sand.  i love this subtle neutral and hope the project i have in mind for it works out and i can show you all what i have planned in the next week or so :) think spring/summer & knitting ladies! wink wink....

cascade 220 heathers in colorway aliki beach/sand

i also could not resist ordering some of knit picks newest yarns billow.  as soon as i spotted these colorways i was sold.  this bulky yarn is 100% pima cotton! i know right! so soft! not sure what it's going to be yet but i'm working on something fun!!! 

billow from knitpicks in colorway tumeric and sagebrush

what fabrics have you splurged on lately? anything new you're lusting after? yarn goodies you recently picked up?  let's chat what you're crushing on! coffee's on!

MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD || SURVIVAL

it's spring break here where i live and let me tell you..never in my life would i have thought that i would dislike spring break. aiyayaya.  these are going to be 2 very long weeks.  my oldest has even drawn a calendar on her easel chalkboard counting down the days until school starts back up.  with the hubs busy with overtime it's not a season we can take a vacay in. so it's more of a torture having no school then a fun 2 weeks of holidays in our house. i guess that's just a reminder that i'm a grown up now...lol.  gone are the days when i counted down on my own calendar until spring break started to go have fun with my friends and have no school.  it struck me as funny how similar the situations are but in reverse.  when you are little you love school and then you get older and don't want to go and can't wait for that brief but awesome break of fun. and now here i am again wishing there was school.  i think if my hubs could have holidays right now i may feel differently but this is my fate so i'm putting it bravely out there - i. don't. like. spring. break.  there, i said it. phew. i feel better now.

i'm still not 100% (waiting to see a specialist next month) so that's making it even harder to entertain these wee ones. top it off with fog, non stop rain pours and you've got a pretty crappy spring break. bleh.  i also  haven't been able to sew for weeks!  with being ill and also having had a procedure done on my upper back near my shoulder it's made it really hard to type, knit and even sew and has me pretty down in the dumps i must say.  i'm trying to do it in little stints now. i sewed the other day for about 15 mins and will do a tiny bit more today again.  so i apologize for the lack of sewing goodness on the blog lately.  there's been a lot of knitting going on around here but that's mostly due to me being unable to sew.  at least i can lay down and feel crappy and knit. it's a bit harder to do that while sewing..lol.  i can't wait to be fully reunited with poppy though.  her and i have some new patterns in the works and this has sure slowed us down.

oh and did i mention we've been living in utter chaos?  yep. big time chaos.  you know when you redecorate and reorganize and your house turns into a bad episode of hoarders and you have no idea how it got that way? well that's my house. i can't even hardly get into my bedroom. plus my bed?  what's a bed?  mine's covered in 5 (i'm guessing), count em' 5 + loads of laundry...eeek!  i def need a fairy cleaning lady..lol.  we had a quick trip to the mainland last weekend and picked up a lot of new lovelies for our condo from ikea.  i can't wait to show you all my new office space.  i've now taken over our dining area and a good chunk of our living room.  oops...lol.  oh well....you gotta do what you gotta do right? the joys of condo living. you peeps without houses know what i mean right?

so the hubs and i have slowly been assembling ikea furniture after ikea furniture and watching non stop homeland (LOVE this show) and starting to get our lives back in order.  we're selling our old stuff to offset the cost of the new and also to make room for the new stuff...lol.  so as the old pieces sell we assemble the new ones.  the kids and i definitely do not do well with this kind of living situation though.  it's sort of a weird feeling being in limbo. hopefully by the end of this weekend things will be in more of a normal state again.

airplanes built by my oldest and photographed by her as well

the girls and i have been playing a ton of lego (lego rocks!!!!) and also restaurant.  these are both good things to play while mom needs to be laying down (you so know that i can rock restaurant for at least an hour, people can lay down in restaurants right?).  i even designed a fancy menu for their restaurant and printed it out and binded it for them...haha.  yep, i'm hardcore that way. can't have a restaurant without a menu!  we also got to have some good cuddle times with my super adorbs nephew.  i loooooove this little guy.  i love that i get baby snuggles but then he goes home..lol.  he makes me want more babies but then my oldest acts out and i snap out of it quickly.  i love the babies....older kids...now that's hard work.  2 is more than enough for me. in fact i think my soon to be 6 year old is the equivalent of 2-3 6yr olds in one body...lol. she's a challenging one that one.  thankfully my youngest is very docile and calm so it balances out a tad.  oh who am i kidding - it's nuts in my house...lol. there. i said it.  it's nuts. i'm surprised most days when i crawl into bed that i am still indeed alive. honestly.  i look around and think how the hell did i make it through today without a nervous breakdown?  or them killing me?  seriously.  being a mom is damn hard work.  damn hard work.  i think from now on spring break should be mom break.  all the moms could gather somewhere fabulous with lots of spa services, shopping, hot waiters, booze, beaches (whatever your thing) for a 2 week break from life.  ahhhhh....yessss....that sounds good.  waiter...another daiquiri please?  won't you join me?

who else is trying to survive spring break? is yours coming up soon?  what's going on in your home?  are you in a chaos zone too?  let's chat. it's friday and i am so excited the weekend is almost here!

MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD || IT'S A GOOD DAY

it's a good day by shannon cook

i love coffee.  i also love the start of a new journey.  since i'm revamping my home a bit i knew i wanted a lovely little pic to get printed and hang near my new desk.  i knew it had to have coffee in it..lol (of course right?).  instead of searching for something awesome on etsy or pinterest i really wanted to make something truly my own.  so i took the shot above and put a reminder to myself on it.  i can't wait to hang it up (and for all you coffee lovers out there if you'd like a copy shoot me an email and i would more than happily send one your way)! what do you have hanging in your creative space?

i've been working hard over the last few months to make some changes in my life. you know that never-ending journey of trying to find the ultimate work/life balance?  yep, that one.  so far it's been all positive, slow going albeit, but progress nonetheless.  i'm excited for what this year holds for me and when i read this post over on design for mankind last night erin just summed up all my thoughts so beautifully i had to share it.  i found her post so touching and inspiring and really a very special reminder that what i've been working towards is so worth it.  click here to go read her wonderful post. i swear i'm going to print it out and read it when i need a pick me up.  i hope you all enjoy it as much as i did.

what did you think about erin's post?  have you been striving to reach that balance?  are you trying to simplify and slow down to focus on your passions?  please share your thoughts.  i find this topic so interesting and such a great discussion starting point.  i hope you all have a wonderful weekend and i'll see ya next week with some new lovelies to share!  thank you all so much for the well wishes this week -  you guys are the best!  luvs <3

p.s.  the winner of the contemporary cloth fabric giveaway was...............

bless by tone - commenter #186

congrats hun!!!! so excited for you!!! i'll be in touch soon!  enjoy! thank you to all who entered and to sondra from contemporary cloth for the wonderful giveaway!

you can find all things contemporary cloth here:

shop  ||  blog  ||  facebook  ||   pinterest  ||  twitter