Good morning! How is your Monday treating you so far? I had a grand time this weekend, partying it up with K's little friends at a horse-riding birthday party. It sounds rather highfalutin but was actually very un-fancy and super fun. Held at a city park with a tiny animal farm, 10 girls got to ride a gentle pony for a couple of minutes each, and I have to say the show was stolen by Sunny, the 500-pound pig, snoring loudly in her pen. This week's outfit is a simple dress with vintage ... Read more
Happy Friday + Art Show Wrap-Up
Happy Friday, everyone! What a good week it's been. I taught ceramics to kindergartners yesterday, and they are the best. I love how there's no inhibition to ask for help, how they are all naturally brilliant artists. I say, "make an animal" or "create a story with just symbols and images" and there is no shortage of inspiration and they dive in with gusto. Not an iota of hesitation. So great. I have much to learn from these five-year-olds. My art show is wrapping up next week! I made ... Read more
Japanese Pattern Books – Part 1
So, I have a lot of Japanese pattern books. A lot. Today, I thought it might be fun to show you my library of beloved kids' pattern books (I also have a lot of pattern books for grown-ups...an intervention may be in order). I've gotten quite a few requests for recommendations, and though I can't claim to be any sort of expert, I have sewn a fair amount from most of these and have my faves (which I've shared with you at the very bottom). I plan on doing a more elaborate review that ... Read more
Sewing Inspiration
I get inspiration for the clothes I sew for K all over the place: my Pinterest boards are out of control, I look through my Japanese pattern books all the time, and I seem to get about a dozen catalogs in the mail every week (Anthropologie, Mini Boden and JCrew get the most attention). And don't get me started on all the blogs! But I am most inspired by people I see in passing. I can barely remember what I cooked for dinner the night before, but I rarely forget outfits. I've ... Read more
Quinoa Salad
This past weekend I had a rare girl's night out and had an opportunity to sample the amazing food at Poppy, where they serve all their meals in "thali" form. The word means "plate" in Hindi, and is a style in which a variety of dishes are served at once, kind of like tapas. I got the vegetarian version, and the tiny ceramic plates and bowls made me coo with happiness because I'm all about mini things. Four hours and thirty delicious miniature dishes later (we each had 10), my friends and I ... Read more