Cardboard Leaf Wreath

I'm loving this wreath made from 100% recycled cardboard.
$32 from Branch Home.

David's Dymo

I remember having a Dymo as a kid. It was royal blue. I didn't have the strength to squeeze the handle hard enough so the letters never came out properly. I always ended up frustrated and having to ask my dad.

I found David's Dymo at the Salvation Army. I've ordered some tape from ebay - let's see if the muscles in my hand are any stronger these days.







David had wood grain tape - no fair!

Of course there is a Dymo Love group on Flickr

Did I miss something?

Just stumbled across Clothkits via an email from Pallant House about their upcoming Henry Moore textile show. And I'm in love! (So good I am thinking I must be late to the party.)

I think they have quite a history (founded in 1968) in the UK - am I right Sam? They are great.

I'm thinking about sewing up one of these.


Cloth Kitty Ragdoll Kit

Do you think my girls would freak if I got them one of these instead of the American Girl dolls they are begging for? The clothes! ack!

I am also thinking of these corduroy smocks for the girls.


Babycord Funky Chicken Shift Dress Kit

The kit comes with "printed fabric, lining fabric (plain or ::sigh:: Liberty), beautiful shell buttons, top quality sewing thread and simple, illustrated instructions. All beautifully bound with a satin polka dot ribbon."

Oh my order trigger finger is itchy!

(Coincidentally I had stumbled upon Jane Foster and her fabulous house about a week ago. And here she is a designer for Clothkits! Do you know her blog Sam? It is right up your alley.)

Sunset

Have I told you this before?

I *LOVE* Sunset Books from the 1960s & 1970s, especially ones with a photo of the Sunset test kitchen at Menlo Park on the back.

Some recent acquisitions....







For more see the Flickr Pool Sunset Books from the 1960s & 1970s

Felt Coasters

Hey Tracy, here are the felt coasters I was telling you about from Anthropologie. I love the packaging as much as the coasters.

Making Adjustments

Oh! Time to make her the Poppy Doll. Could we find it if we look together? I'd like to make things for the girls this year. But oh that search for time. I need to make adjusments.

Speaking of adjustments and, your Better Homes & Gardens peek, I was reminded of this on my shelf.



The timing was right as I have returned to a Built By Wendy top I cut out at least a year ago. Maybe two. It is out of a corduroy I bought with you at the Cotton Shop. I sewed it up. And it doesn't fit. It is the first thing I have made for myself since high school. Needless to say I was disappointed. I've been pouring through books on adjusting fit.



Do you have a go-to for this subject. The Wendy books are actually pretty good on this. But I am thinking of ordering this too.

In the meantime, BH&G is entertaining me.




p.s. Love BFG. and let's talk about sewing for the holidays when we (gasp!) see each other Sunday!

Christmas Ideas

So Tracy, having been through it a couple of times, what do you get a two-year-old girl for Christmas?

I impulsively bought this because *I* loved it so much but I think I might have to put it away for a couple of years.





I recently spotted this Eco House which is fabulous and tempting but again may be a little old for her.



I fantasize I will have time to make her the Poppy Doll from Hop Skip and Jump and I even bought the pattern but I definitely need a back-up plan.

So much inspiration....

...so little time

Better Homes and Garden Sewing for Your Home, 1974



Tracy - you should try this with your butterfly chairs!



More photos here.

New Book Blog

Hey Tracy, thanks for all the book ideas. I found another resource you might like. There was a story on NPR about Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The boy LOVES these books and while they are not my favorite, I figure anything that gets him reading is okay.

It talks about parent's ambivalence towards the books a little bit in the story and interviews Tanya Turek, a mother of three who works in the children's department of a Barnes and Noble. She has a blog called books4yourkids.com. It's a great read.

By the way we finished Matilda and have decided to move on to The BFG.

Fox-y

So I abandoned the papier mache idea for a Halloween mask and went with something I knew better:



I sewed this up using a wool felt base and layers of scrap. (For D I fashioned a hounddog mask in the same way!)

Hope you guys had a wonderful and safe Halloween! xo