polkadotbug

Happy Summer!

Ahhh…. Smell the sage.

Hug some squirrels.

 

And hang all your pretty dresses on a clothes line.

Since summer here in Western New York has been pretty rainy so far, I stayed in and made some sweet dresses. 

It’s high time to start putting these stacks of fabric into action.  

I am definitely back in one of those sewing swings.

They seem to come and go.  I was in a lull for a while.. but I’m back. 

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far.  We’ll be watching Molly graduate from kindergarten on Thursday.  Amazing. 

Oh, sorry about the kinda blurry pics.  Blame my husband.  :)  Just kidding Andrew, blurry pics are better than no pics!

Quick Update

What’s been going on here?

A wire girl modeling some sweet little girl aprons.

 

And she even models bags.  What a fun purchase!

Painting high places.

And faces.  Oopsie.

Hanging out with an old friend.

Enjoying a parade and let’s not forget - Molly’s newest sport.  Go Cubs!

That’s all I’ve got for now.  I just didn’t want to be forgotten! 

A Long Week

Since my last post my hair has already started losing the color, revealing the wonderful world of white hiding underneath.  The orange scare turned out to be nothing.  By the time I went to rinse the color had changed from orange to crazy dark.  After washing and such, my hair was just fine, it actually turned out a littler darker than usual. Who knows.  I never buy the same box and don’t want to pay the price at the salon, so I never know what I’ll get.  I guess I just love the suspense.

Why can’t I have her hair?!

A few days after my last post Andrew left on a trip across the world to China.  He went to stay with cousin Mandy (also husband Renny and baby Anya) and met up with cousin Kate as well.  Hi guys!  It was a good time for him to go because family is living right there in Beijing and will be moving back to the States soon, we think.  He had a wonderful time exploring a land he’s always wanted to see and food he’s been longing to eat.  I myself prefer to stay pretty much planted close to home.  I guess that’s one of my flaws.  It’s probably more exciting to be married to someone that wants to travel, but I really love being home and really hate being on airplanes.  Guess you can’t have it all right?

While Andrew was away I had a week alone with the girls.  We did very well.  Molly was missing Daddy a lot but we made it through the week with emails and the occasional video chat over Skype.  It was so weird to know that he was scaling the Great Wall while we were sleeping tight on the other side of the earth. 

Molly spent the week making books about China and how it was her worst enemy.  She hates places that are so far away that Daddy wants to go to.  I tried to tell her that it wasn’t China’s fault, but wasn’t extremely successful.     

 

Here is proof in writing that China is indeed her worst enemy. Along side is a picture of Molly crying for Daddy at the airport and me trying to comfort her and tell her that it’s ok.  It was actually quite heartbreaking. 

So we’re happy he had fun and even more happy to have him back home.  I realized that I’d probably make an awful single mom.  For one thing, I can’t remember things so well anymore.  I had notes for myself all over the place.   I mean, who can remember that their child needs to bring a green pepper into school on Friday!? 

Nothing Clever Today

I’m sitting here with the fumes of my hair dye overtaking me and my scalp is burning.  I’m slightly frightened of this new color I chose.  It’s frothing up to be a very orange color and I have a feeling I might be turning into a red head or more of an orange head actually.  I love red hair, but not so much on me.  Just doesn’t look right on someone with very dark Italian features.

Anyways, I figured that since I shouldn’t be dealing with precious fabric while my hair is oozing with red smelliness, I could be posting.  I do realize this is something I haven’t done in a while.  I have been a very busy girl.  I think. 

I’ve been working on a bunch of custom orders and a few projects, which we talk about at a later date.  I’m overly anxious about spring arriving, 70 tomorrow!!! 

I’ve posted a few of my new bags on flickr, but not on my blog so I’ll throw them on here in case you haven’t seen them.

I love scooters.

And Good Folks.

This bag I just made yesterday for a friend to give her mom on her birthday.  Good old Amy Butler classics.  I’ll never stop loving them.

I also made a baby boy gift set.  I love these colors.  My number one fan and customer (my friend Jen) custom ordered this for her sister-n-law.  I don’t know what I’d do without Jen to keep me busy!   

Some bibs, some burp rags, a travel diaper and wipes case and a snuggle size rag quilt.

Ok, I better go rinse this out and see how much damage I’ve done!

And the Winner IS

Michelle!!

Michelle wrote: “Hoping to win either. When it comes to things this cute, I'm not picky!”

Awe!  Thanks so much Michelle.  I just need you to send me an email with your address and your choice of Hazel or Hilda of course.

Thanks to everyone who left me a comment!  I wish I had enough spare time to send you all an owl of your own.  Unfortunately I am deprived of time, sewing time that is.  I can’t get my head out of the Twilight books.  I’m on the last one now and can’t even stand it.  I am so embarrassed but have to admit that I am completely addicted.  I have to keep telling myself that I am not a teenager in love with a vampire (and a werewolf), but it’s hard to believe I’m not.

As soon as I finish this book I’ll be all ready for more updates on creative things.

Ok, I really have to go read.  Edward is calling for me.  :)

My Turn!

It’s been one whole year since I started blogging and sewing for that matter.  I think this means that I need to have my own giveaway to celebrate. 

I guess I’ve come a long way in one year.  Sewing has pretty much consumed my life at this point, and I love it (most of the time).  I think when people say that you need a hobby, they’re right.  It’s really good to have something to look forward to doing, and feeling good about – except when you mess up terribly, of course.  Even so, it’s better that I’m doing something productive. 

Ok.  Here we go.  I had a hard time deciding what to give away.  I asked my peeps and everyone agreed that it should something unique. Something that I make that is a little different.  There aren’t many because I get most of my ideas from other people! 

We decided on an owl.  These are the first I made, so they aren’t perfect but they’re still cute and definitely have personality.

The lucky winner will get to choose between Hazel and Hilda.

Here’s Hazel:

and here’s Hilda:

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post to enter.  And of course, if you post about this give away on your blog then you get a second entry.  Just let me know that you did so.  My computer expert husband will do the random number generator thingy to pick the winner.

I’ll leave it open until Thursday April 9th at 5pm.  Be sure to leave an email address too!

And, if you want to see another great giveaway – check out Lily Haven.  I love everything!  It’s seeing these extremely talented people that make me want to try harder to be a good sewer!

Good luck!  Thanks to everyone who reads my blog!

Not Seeing the Lamb Yet.

Phew.  We just got back from our month long trip exploring the Caribbean Islands.  You should see my tan.  NOT.  We’re actually still freezing our butts off in the same old spot.  Got teased by a little warmth and then back to frozen.  I’m still winter white with dry skin like no other. I’m honestly not sure what the heck I’ve been doing all this time! 

I made a couple new things though. Like this little lady.

 

And a few little somethings for the pooches.

Meet Sox everyone.  That’s my friend Ellie’s dog. What a cutie.  Even better with a little designer “cowl.”  I also love the blurry owl hanging out in the background.  Our house is hysterical right now.

I’ve made a couple different bag styles.  This one is equiped with grommets and ties.

This one has a little drawstring action.  I love this bag, but you should’ve been here when I was making it.  What a joke.  I’m not sure if someone slipped some sort of drug into my drink or what but I kept making the weirdest mistakes.  I thought I was doing so well.  The best one by far is after sewing on the little casing that the ties go through, I opened the bag to find that I sewed all the pockets shut.  Good thing the kids were already in bed.

Sorry I don’t have much more to share.  I did make a bunch of things but I don’t have pics yet.  I have a show this weekend that I am completely not prepared for.  I have to admit that I have been a bit overwhelmed the past couple weeks.  Not sure why, but I’m gonna put myself together soon.

Hope everyone has a fabulous week!

Sorry

We’ve been too busy lying around to update my blog.

No really.  We have been busy.  Being princesses.

We spent a lovely weekend away visiting some wonderful friends.  The little kids got to play and the bigger kids (I still don’t like the word adult when referring to myself) got to hang out. 

Molly decided to play a Nintendo DS racing game on the hilly ride back home and threw up all over the place.  We had the pleasure of traveling 4 hours back home with an extremely unpleasant odor in car. 

We all got over our colds/coughs/sinus infections.  Then I was blessed with the stomach virus.  It came out of nowhere and I didn’t know what hit me.  I was completely out of commission.  I’m talking body aches, twisting stomach, headache, chills/sweats – not to mention the obvious that we all know goes along with the stomach virus.  

SO, now we’re good to go.  I hope.  I’ve made a few things but haven’t taken pictures yet.  I just thought I had to say something so everyone knew that I was still around.  I was doing so good with my “resolution” of trying to post more.

Now we just sit around praying for it to get warm enough to go outside.  We hang out by the windows trying to remember what it’s like to play out there.  It’s this time every year that the cold is just too much to deal with.  Depressing. 

This is what we feel like.  Actually this is our Grinch face.  Molly is doing Dr. Seuss week in school so I thought I’d show off my talent.  She quickly caught on and makes this face approximately 80% of the day. 

Hugs

Before I talk about anything else, I have to say that I’ve had my mind occupied with thoughts of the tragic plane crash that happened Thursday night.  My heart goes out to the all of the victims, families, friends, communities and everyone else involved with flight 3407.  It’s so devastating to begin with and for some reason it hits even harder when it’s so close to home. 

Life is way too fragile.  Everyone should really be more thankful for every minute they have.  Try not to sweat the small stuff, be more happy with what you’ve got, and hug everyone more.  That’s definitely what I’m going to try and do.

Here’s a note my Molly left me.  She makes it real easy to love her so much.

She’s not always the perfect angel, but she does a great job pretending to be one in pictures.

And, just a few more hoots because I got such a great response from the first. 

Lots of hugs for everyone!

Hoot Hoot

I love Pottery Barn Kids.  I often flip through the catalog of fantasy bedrooms and love everything I see.  There are two things I know for sure though - 1. I could never keep a room in my house that clean and tidy and 2.  I can’t afford to buy anything there.  So, that is where the craftiness comes in.  I fell in love with the owl pillows in one of the more recent catalogs.  Even if I could afford them it’s so much more rewarding making them, especially when there are so many incredible fabrics to choose from!

For some reason I also had this insane desire to make a small flock of birds.

They are so quick and fun.  There’s a free pattern for them here and one of my bloggy friends made some too.  You can see her cuties here.  Thanks for posting that Sarah! I wanted to keep going but I had to refrain. Andrew came home and seemed surprised by my excitement over them.  He asks “what are they for?”  Who the heck knows?!  They’re just so cute!  Geez, I can’t even begin to explain why I get excited about these kinds of things.

Ok, I was gonna save this for another post but I am too excited.  I made my first “quilt.”  I feel like I can’t say it for real, cause it’s not a real quilt, but it’s the closest I’ve come to one.  I made a baby size rag quilt in Patty Young’s Andalucia and a little blankie sized quilt in boy prints by Michael Miller.  I can’t stop getting harassed about the boy stuff so I am trying harder.

They’re such a good project for me because they’re quick and I’m all about quick.  I’m also kinda embarrassed for you real quilters out there to see this.  You are all so nice though and I know you won’t make fun!  :)  I completely messed up the placing of the squares but didn’t feel like undoing the stitching once I realized it.  I definitely love that you don’t have to be perfect about the stitching – because perfect I am not.

The worst part is the snipping - by far.  I didn’t think it would be too bad but my snippers were so dull and weren’t working at all.  By the time I was half way through the first quilt my wrist was popping with every squeeze and I had calluses!  Although, once it washed and dried I decided that it was definitely worth it!   I just went out a got me a brand new pair of snips today because I intend on making more of these little guys.  They are so snuggly with fuzzy flannel on the backs. I’d wrap myself right up in there - if I were 2 ft tall.