lunch with the girls

I’ve been looking forward to this afternoon all week. I’m going to lunch with the girls. Time away from my husband and daughter that doesn’t include any errands or work. Not even any knitting. Just eating, chatting and maybe a glass of wine.

There used to be a time in my life where lunch with friends on the weekend happened all the time. Quite often it was brunch with a bloody mary to recover from the crazy night before. My, how times have changed.

There is something to be said about the infrequency of these events, though. I look forward to them all week. I appreciate them more. I cherish alone time with my girlfriends. Lunch becomes a special event, not just a meal.

The strange thing is that after getting a few hours of alone time, I can’t wait to come home and be with my two favorite people. How is that? All I want all week is to be away for a few hours and then I can’t wait to get back. Motherhood sure can be weird sometimes.

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new on julie-k: wardrobe refashion preparations

easter weekend

crafty eggs

I’ve finally got some Easter pics up in the gallery. We had a really low key weekend. Saturday morning we hung out with friends and dyed eggs. Sunday morning we gave Bella her basket and hunted for eggs downstairs. She at a whole peeps and we’ve decided that she’s not having anymore candy until Halloween.

bella and peeps

We spent a lot of time on iChat with family in Maryland, took some naps and had ham for dinner. Bella never got out of her jammies. It was a nice, relaxing holiday with my two favorite people.

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new on julie-k: siouxsie t-shirt tote bag

is it really thursday already?

I’ve been incredibly productive the past few days, especially considering that I’ve been sick. In addition to my new website, I’ve been working on a website design for my friends’ new business. The only thing left on my to-do list is to get some Easter pics posted before the end of the week.

But first, I’ve posted a review of Crafty Chica’s Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Projects for the Everyday Crafter over at julie-k.

Now I’m off to a coffee date. I’ll try to get those Easter pics posted later today!

i have a new blog!

It’s been almost a year since the lincoln blog turned into julie-bird and a lot has changed for me. I’ve become very interested in reusing and recycling textiles, almost to the point where I want to talk about it all the time.

I’ve reached a little blog dilemma: the more I blog about crafts the more I worry about boring everyone who comes here for family pics. Plus, more and more people are coming here for the craft stuff, and I don’t want to bore them with family pics. (Ok, I’m sure no one ever minds seeing pics of Bella, but you know what I mean!)

julie k

So, I’ve decided to start a new blog, julie-k, just for chatting away about making things out of recycled textiles. Mostly, I’m going to be logging my projects — success and failures — and highlighting my favorite tutorials, techniques and inspirations.

I’ve got some other ideas, too, but not enough time to get to them all right now. Like most things in my life, it’s a work in progress. I figured if I wait until it’s all I want it to be it will never get off the ground! So, all of the crafty peeps who follow julie-bird, I hope you’ll join me over at julie-k for more crafty fun! Here’s a direct link to julie-k’s rss.

Don’t worry, friends and family. I’m not making any changes to julie-bird. I hope to write more about our daily lives and the fun we’re having out here in the Heartland. Oh, and plugging my new blog, of course.

fabulous finds

Last Saturday I tore through my stash. I weeded out fabric, notions, yarn, felt scraps, and project ideas that no longer inspired me. I also dug through my closet and got rid of any clothes that no longer fit or were too worn to save.

I feel like I am starting with a clean slate. I’m excited about what I have and know what I don’t need to buy on my thrift store excursions. I also know what I don’t have and can take advantage of super deals without wondering, “Do I really need this?”

I found some really great things on my last trip to Goodwill and have to share. First up, buttons! There were tons of these little grab bags and I had to dig around to find one that I really liked. All of these for $4. I love them! A lot of them are the perfect size for brightening up some of my existing shirts.

buttons

I’ve also been meaning to make some scrubbies, but couldn’t bring myself to spend $5 for a ball of nylon yarn just for scrubbies. I had been waiting for a 40% off coupon, but then I found these for $1 a ball. They had a ton and I exercised serious constraint buying only three.

crochet nylon

And finally, I’ve been wanting to make Bella a little tutu. I was thinking of something like Zoe’s, but she really likes Abby Cadabby and I was thinking about using some purples and blues, too. How awesome was this find?

tulle

I don’t know what I’ll do with the extra. There are four yards of each! For $2, though, I couldn’t pass them up. The colors are perfect!

Goodwill is having its 99 cent sale on Easter Sunday. It’s awfully tempting. I might sneak out for a little stroll by myself, even if it is a holiday.

i forgot the combination

These wrist warmers are knit in the round until you get to the thumb. You go back and forth until the thumb is finished and then go back to knitting in the round. As you can see on the left, I was having issues with the thumb section and I couldn’t figure out why.

wrist warmers

A little back story: When I do ribbing in the round, I knit continental and purl combination. I don’t know why. It just seems easier to me. When I’m going around and around, it doesn’t matter. What I failed to remember is that when I go back and forth, my stitches are twisted. Doh!

So, both wrist warmers were finished, but in the back of my mind they were bugging me. I don’t remember exactly when I realized my mistake. It was probably in the shower. Isn’t that where all of our a-ha moments occur? Last night I ripped back to the beginning of the thumb and paid closer attention to the orientation of my stitches. The fixed one is on the right.

Now that I’ve figured it out, I feel kind of dumb.

more fun at the lincoln children’s museum

Today was an especially fun day at the children’s museum. It was quiet and empty. Bella and Leith were pretty content doing the same things at the same time, so Kelly and I got to spend some quality time chatting about important issues like fabric stashes and sewing patterns.

We did the usual stuff like playing with water…

bella children's museum

…and going on safari. (Kelly, thank you for taking this pic. I love it!)

bella children's museum

Bella and Leith went on patrol…

bella children's museum

…and Bella discovered face (and arm!) painting.

bella children's museum

It was a nice Friday afternoon. Of course, there was no napping during quiet time today, but Bella was great this evening while we stayed out past her bedtime to hang out with friends and eat Indian food. I think she was asleep before her head hit her pillow!

whipup.net, crafty nation + christy nelson

Whip Up’s March theme was pattern design. I submitted an article about designing using recycled textiles and it was featured yesterday! You can find my article here. Below are the before and after shots. More pics are here.

upcycled shirt

upcycled shirt

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Thanks to everyone who voted for Christina’s bag in Crafty Nation’s Craft Off. It won second place!

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My friend Christy is having a super fab giveaway—Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts! While you are there, check out the rest of her site. Have I mentioned that I designed her logo and website? I can’t remember. Anyway, go check it out and enter to win!

conversations in the car :: sorry, charlie

M: Mama, is this music Coldplay?

Me: No, sweetie. This is Charlie Sexton.

M: This music is Charlie Brown Sexton?

Me: It’s just Charlie Sexton, not Charlie Brown Sexton. He’s a singer.

M: Oh.

(long pause)

M: Mama, can you put in Coldplay?

little pod from bella

When my parents were playing with M in the backyard, she found a bunch of pods by the fence. She gathered them up to give to mommy and daddy. How cute! My dad took this picture of a little pod in one of my silk flowers. Isn’t he talented? I love this photo!

little pod