More sewing! I’m on a roll!
A few years ago I refashioned this conference tote bag* with an old t-shirt. I used it until poor Siouxsie started to get holes. Amazingly, the canvas tote underneath showed practically no wear. I think it might be indestructible.
So I re-refashioned it. I have another black tote and I’m thinking of making a set. I really love this fabric.
*Wow. Did you click on that link? My blog photos have really improved over the past few years!
Yes! I did a little bit of sewing!
The heat wave has passed, but it’s still hot. (It is Summer, after all.) My daughter has a few days left of camp outside, so I got her a small water bottle to take along. I couldn’t imagine her carrying it around without leaving it somewhere, so I whipped up a little carrier for her.
“It’s not a water bottle carrier, Mom. At camp they just call it a bottle carrier.”
Whatever. I made one of these awhile back and it came out kind of snug. I added generous seam allowances to this one and it’s a little big. Maybe if I make third one it will fit just right.
And yes, it matches her neck cooler. She’ll be super coordinated next year at the Kearney Cruise.
resources: I really did wing this, but not before checking out tutorials by Pink Chalk Studio and The Long Thread.
{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Join in the fun here.
I’m not sure how our Summer got so busy. Kindergarten starts soon and I should be soaking up these last few weeks of kid activities. But I have to admit, I’m ready for some alone time.
The only creativity I’ve been able to fit into our schedule is behind the lens. Last week I managed to sneak away for a walk in the Sheldon Sculpture Garden while my daughter was at camp. I took lots of sculpture photos, but I’m really loving my nature shots.
I’ll be back to sewing, knitting, thrifting and crocheting soon enough. (It’s too hot for wool yarn anyway!) In the meantime, if you see a crazy lady with a camera kneeling in a bed of roses, stop and say hello!
More creative spaces here.
Last week my daughter attended art camp at the children’s museum. Friday afternoon they created a gallery for the kids to exhibit their work. My daughter was beyond excited. You see, she wants to be an Artist when she grows up. This was her first Show.
She did an amazing amount of work in one week’s worth of mornings. She really enjoyed learning about pointillism and her favorite paintings (the top one titled: Birds and the one of the big flower) are hanging in her room. My favorite, however, is the painting on foil titled: Cat Hanging on a Tree.
This is my daughter’s second camp at the Lincoln Children’s Museum. They do such an incredible job with the kids. If you are local, I encourage you to check them out.
Every July, car enthusiasts migrate to Kearney, NE for Cruise Night. It’s actually an entire weekend of events. We just go for Saturday afternoon and evening, leaving right before the actual “cruising” begins.
The highlight of the afternoon is the car show. It’s hot. Steel, pavement, brick and asphalt radiate an overwhelming amount of heat. That doesn’t seem to keep anyone away. In fact, if people aren’t talking about cars, they are usually comparing heat indexes.
“This is better than last year.”
“No way! Last year was much hotter.”
“Remember that first year we came? It was miserable!”
We are crazy like that.
This year I came prepared to beat the heat with neck coolers. These things were so easy to make and they ROCK! They are supposed to work best in low humidity, but stick them in an ice cooler for a few minutes and they feel heavenly!
Since it was a car event, I used checkered flag fabric for the guys. My daughter picked out lady bugs for herself and (thankfully!) wore it all day long. If you are spending any amount of time outside this summer, I highly recommend them.
pattern: I used Skip to My Lou’s tutorial exactly for the adults. For the kids, I decreased the length to 26 inches and sewed on some velcro to keep them in place. I found cracked ice crystals at Michael’s in the floral section.
How do you keep cool outside during the summer months?
{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Join in the fun here.
Remember the millet muffins? I made so many recipes from the library’s copy of Super Natural Every Day that I decided to buy my own.
I really love it. But I have a confession: I have been hesitant to try a few recipes because the fat/calorie numbers are a little high.
It is hard shaking the marketing tactics of the processed food industry. I know that lite, fat-free and all natural doesn’t mean good for you. I notice when they add extra servings to reduce the per-serving calorie count.
I know better, yet I still feel a little brainwashed. Does that even make sense?
I need snacks for when my family is on the go. Real food. Things that won’t make them hungry again in an hour. Snacks that are portable for road trips, the park and before karate class. Snacks that taste good so my family will want to eat them.
Swanson’s oatcakes meet all my requirements! As a quick breakfast, they keep us going until lunch with no mid-morning snack. They are definitely better for you than the average coffee house baked good. (Yes, I sneaked in my own snack.) They also give my daughter energy for karate class after a morning spent playing in the park.
Will I fiddle with the numbers in the future? Possibly. I wonder if applesauce could replace the butter. Maybe I’ll cut back on the nuts or maple syrup. Could egg whites replace the whole eggs?
Although, after watching this ABC News report on obesity, I’m hesitant to demonize organic butter, real maple syrup, real eggs and fresh walnuts. Our food supply has enough bad guys already, don’t you agree?
blog flashback: Two years ago I refashioned a woman’s shirred shirt into a dress for my daughter.
A few months ago, I got a message from a friend about some free fabric. I tried to resist. I really don’t need any more fabric. I did need a little quiet time with friends, though. Besides, what if I found something really cool?
I have always wanted to make a dress out of pre-shirred (or mock-smock) fabric. This happened to be the perfect amount: just shy of 1 1/2 yards. (It’s hard to tell how much you’ll need with all that elastic. My daughter’s chest is 21 inches, if that gives you some perspective.)
I made the dress long, hoping and praying she might be able to wear it next year. I even hid some extra strap length inside the back. I guess I could always turn it into a shirt next year, too.
What do you think about mock smock fabric? Have you ever shirred fabric with elastic thread?
