jane's apron

jigsaw heart

I hope your Christmas was a good one...seems like it is farther away than a few days ago doesn't it?  Ross got a new jigsaw and came up from the basement with this cute, rough, wooden heart.  I have no idea where he got the wood...hoping it didn't come from somewhere important.

I'm not always good about following through on blog lists but am making one anyway.  I've got a new calendar to share, a giveaway for you, thoughts on the handmade marketplace, a few recipes to post, and a very big house project that could be interesting to chronicle here.  Back soon.

solstice

I'm doing pretty much the same thing as you.  Baking, making shopping lists, stressing over packages getting delivered, eating too many sweets, loving the snowflakes the kids made...

...enjoying the first day of winter...

...and wishing each and every reader that visits me here a Happy Christmas.

 

 

prepared

I read an article recently that has been sticking with me.  It talked about the competitive nature of being "done" with Christmas tasks.  I know I'm a participant in the race but I'm choosing to look at everything in a different way this year...so instead of seeing everything as getting done, I'm looking at it more as being prepared.  Prepared to enjoy the change of pace of the next few weeks, prepared to host a few house guests and looking forward to cooking and eating, prepared to end the year in our clean (ish) and cozy house.  

The picture is me and my Mom in 1963.  I'm loving the blue velvet capri pants.

happy apron

The aprons I like to sew are vintage-mix.  I like to use rough muslin and ticking with vintage linens, vintage seam binding ties (that go all the way around and then tie in front), vintage buttons, etc. 

This apron makes me happy.  Happy because I got to use the cute panel print I bought this summer and finally got to cut the "happy" from a vintage dresser scarf.  And the green...the green seam binding and vintage plastic button...total happiness.

Some close-ups of more...

 

 

train case x two

I finally added the finishing touches to my "material girl" train case.

and decided to part with my mint condition navy case.  I am preaching to the choir but I will go ahead and tell you that these cases are soooo cool as sewing/crafting cases.  Every girl needs one...and I've got mine so I hope these find a good crafty home.  

I have one more shop update with a few vintage mix aprons.  And then I swear no more shop posts.   And because you have all been so patient with me, I'll put together a giveaway next week.

handmade journals

I made a pretty group of handmade journals (8.5 x 11 papers folded in half and sewn with baker's twine).  I especially love to use the edges of the scrapbook papers. This one says "Stella and Rose"  

and this one says "Emma Jane's Dress and Curio Shop"

 

 

pinterest made {one}

I can cross one of the items off my pinterest make board. The button card on top is my rendition but the idea to glue fabric onto tags is from here.

I also made a few using the pdf that came with the original pin...I just added a tiny binder clip to mine.

From "make" to "made".  Oh!...that gives me an idea for a new board.

heart clipboards

I love patchwork.  I love hearts.  They belong together.

It's seriously killing me that these photos are so bad.  I'm posting them anyway (and may replace them with better ones if I have better light tomorrow)...and they're in my etsy shop (to be joined by a couple of others tomorrow).  Who wouldn't want one of these in their stocking?

notecards familiar and new

If craft show success is measured by time spent with my daughter in a bright and cheerful place, talking to many women about sewing patterns and how lovely they are, listening to a high school jazz band and choir sing cool holiday music, then I did very well yesterday.  If it is measured in sales, then I did not.  I'm going to focus on the first definition.  

The frazzled girl in me would like to just store all of my extra stuff and wait for another day.  The other girl is telling me to put it all on etsy while it's still out in my dining room.  And I'm listening to the second girl.  

So...first up are six new notecard designs.  Some are familiar and some are new (and one has a fleur de lis tattoo).  I LOVE the colors on the one I'm showing here...grays, browns, and pretty yellows..sigh.  They are all in my etsy shop.

I'll be back each day this week with handmade journals, clipboards, vintage-mix aprons, and two train cases.  Yes, I just wrote that down...and now I have to do it.  

boutique fatigue

I'm up past my bedtime (it's 10:06) waiting for some glue to dry on a few projects...stuff I'm taking to a holiday sale boutique tomorrow.

I stress a little about craft shows.  For one, I feel the need to have a "collection" that all goes together.  And I hate sitting all by myself so I'm happy my daughter is coming with me tomorrow. On top of the normal stress, the show is at my kids high school and I took a bit of an artistic risk and created a sewing pattern collage with a fleur-di-lis tattoo on the model's arm (and printed note cards and tote bags).  I think it's a cute nod to the school and hope somebody else thinks it's cute.  

So, I've got  lots of stuff to share here and probably lots to put in my etsy shop after tomorrow.  It's all good.  Nervous but good.