As 2013 dwindles to a close, I've been doing a lot of reflecting as is my habit. For the better part of this last year, there's a particular conversation I had with a friend that has flitted in and out of my mind at regular intervals. It was almost two years ago, this conversation, and it was with a lovely writer friend of mine at a cozy cafe with a distinctly French flair. She, like me, wanted to combat her procrastination tendencies, but unlike me, she took proactive action and hired a life ... Read more
DIY Faux Leather Luggage Tags
As a going away present, I made some luggage tags for a friend some weeks ago. They struck me as good holiday gifts that you can whip up in no time, so I'm putting it out there. My friend was very sweet and complimentary about them, and I think they're quite pretty myself. And did I mention easy to make? The ones I made are about 3.5in x 5.5 inches. I tried out a couple of different methods, and there's a wealth of customization opportunities with these. I liked using ribbon from my stash ... Read more
Switching Things Up: A Quilt
So. When I start posting things from the past, we all know what that means. Take this quilt, for example. I made it three years ago or thereabouts. Possibly the easiest quilt to make as it's two large rectangles sandwiching batting, then stitched with random diagonal lines. I read about this method online somewhere (here, I'm pretty certain). It was a birthday gift for a friend's son, and I was smitten with that Kokka car fabric. The backing is my usual grey linen-blend that is my default fabric ... Read more
Happy Friday + Randomness
Happy Friday! Thank you for all the kind comments about both the advent calendar and holiday tags! I am happiest making things, and wish more hours could be added to each day. Which reminds me, I just read this book and I have to tell you, I zipped through it. It's a coming-of age story about a girl growing up in a future in which each day starts to grow longer and longer as the earth's rotation slows. So good. In other news, my cough is still relentless. I'm prone to bronchial infections and ... Read more
Sewing for Me: District 12 Dress
I'm a little bit obsessed with the Hunger Games these days. I mentioned in passing that I went to see Catching Fire last weekend, and lamented not having the time to create a Katniss-inspired outfit for K. It so happens, as I worked on my own dress, I realized that it sports a rather District 12 vibe. The more I think about it, the more I'm certain I belong in that fictional dystopian world -- at least sartorially. Give me some drab, downtrodden colors and I'm in my element. I made a knit ... Read more