mr. monkeysuit

buying locally and in season

 

Ahh summer days. Strolling though the neighborhood, outings to surrounding countryside, lunch al fresco and wiling away afternoons in the garden. All that is great isn't it? But let's cut to the chase here. Summer has one thing that means no other season can compare.
Yard sales.

It has become something of a ritual for my closest friend and I to meet up in the morning at our local coffee shop with a list in hand, sans bebes (dumped on semi-willing husbands) and head out for a couple of hours to scour all the neighborhood has to offer.

We never come home empty handed, much to the chagrin of the aforementioned husbands, but it is not just the buying of things that we go for. It is the thrill of the hunt, the gossiping, the bargaining. It is absolute bliss and we always have a great time regardless of the haul.

But this year, after several years of buying things only to get rid of them a few months later, I have a very specific M.O. There are rules now::
1. I have to love it
2. or need it.
3. I can't buy it just because it is a bargain.
4. I can't buy something if I already have something very similar unless number 1. applies.
5. It has to fit either me, my kids or my house unless number 1. applies.

So I admit the rules are pretty loose and open to interpretation but I ask you what good system isn't?
Everybody needs a little wiggle room.

multiple mentalism

Yes, there are many multiples and yes at first glance it may seem like I am indeed a bit of a nut. But give me a chance to explain. I made Floyd five, yup five, pairs of linen pants but handily enough I have five reasons to justify them.

Reason # 1. I bought all the linen on sale at Jo-ann's last fall. Each pair only cost about $6 to make. So I am kind of being practical here.


Reason # 2. I am using up my overbearing stash and that has to be a good thing.


Reason # 3. They'll get double usage. They're short trousers this year but next year they'll be long shorts. *Genius*, right?


Reason # 4. Floyd loves them and thinks they are super comfy.(see below)


Reason # 5. Alright I admit that I've run out of reasons. I mean 5 pairs, that is kind of crazy but at least I am a-don't-need-any-more-shorts crazy person.



Oh wait! Here we go, reason # 5. They have cute pockets!!!

OK, I'll get help.

liberty and crochet

Hope you all had a lovely long weekend. We got our fair share of good weather and thanks to good friends I didn't cook a single meal all weekend. Memorial Day itself was pretty overcast which I didn't mind one bit because it gave me a reason to be inside and finish this blanket.

As usual there is a bit of a story behind this blanket. It wasn't always a blanket. It started out life as a whole bag full of lovely cotton yarn balls. Eventually it made it's way into being as a sweater for Andy. A beautiful, lovingly hand-knit sweater, made by me, for him.  My husband took away, praised it and thanked me.

Days passed I noticed he hadn't worn it. Weeks passed. Still no dice. So I ask him, "Love, I notice you haven't been wearing the sweater I made you." He replies, "I will it's just that....well...it might be a bit um short." I persuade him to try it on for me.


Ladies, well let's just say...men and midriffs...NOT SO HOT.

So here it is now, re-purposed into a baby blanket. Crocheted and painstakingly bound (and I mean painstakingly, it took *forever*) in Liberty of London scraps. So much more beautiful and useful than in its previous incarnation. All I need to do now is find a baby to give it to and hope it fits.

felt strawberry tutorial

April was so hot and beautiful here but May has been cold and wet. This weekend we are expecting some nice weather and I hope we are going to manage our first barbecue this year. To celebrate the beginning of summer, here is a free pattern/tutorial for making plump felt strawberries.

The powerpoint version::
Download microsoft_powerpoint_felt_strawberry_tutorial.pdf

The word version (for those who like to have a hard copy i.e.me)::
Download microsoft_word_strawberry_tutorial_word.pdf

This is my first attempt at a pdf file and I have a few more in the works so I'd love some feedback on how this one works/looks.
 
Supplies for the felt strawberries::
felt :: eco wool stuffing :: organic wool stuffing for the very rich

These beautiful bowls were part of my mother's day gift and I love them! They are very small about 4.5" wide by 2.5" tall and are by Nicholas Mosse. I think they are perfect little summer ice cream or snack bowls and we have used them a ton already and I am pleased to say they compliment my Bridgewater very nicely. Lucky ol' me!


Hope you have a very summer-y Memorial Day weekend and thank you for all your blogging support this week.

not just any old quilt

This quilt was commissioned through Etsy.

It wasn't the easiest quilt to make and it isn't necessarily my favorite quilt I've made but perhaps it is the most special quilt I've made.
 
I finally figured a way to photograph my quilts front on in full. It involves bulldog clips, an old door and some (hopefully) disconnected cable wires. Bulldog clips and electricity. That's safe, right?

I did a bit of Denyse Schmidt style random piecing for the back. I think the back might actually be my favorite side.

I did stitch in the ditch quilting on this one. Squares, naturally!

Why is this particular quilt so special?  A soon-to-be mama contacted me via Etsy and said she was expecting in August but both her parents had passed away. She had some kept some of her dad's flannel shirts and wondered if I could use them to make her new baby a quilt.
I felt really honored that she picked me to make this quilt. It wasn't the most straight forward project (I hit a few bumps with combining the various textures and styles of fabrics) but it is definitely one of the most rewarding. This kind of work sums up for me this whole craft movement. It is something that is re-purposed, has sentimental value and could never be mass produced.

I hope this quilt lasts more than a lifetime, that it passes from this baby to the next baby and hopefully on down to the next generation with words like, "Do you know that these were your grandfather's, your great-grandfather's shirts and we made them into a special quilt for you when you were just a baby?"
I guess this story really resonates with me because my father died when I was eighteen. I wish I had something tangible that I could show to my kids that was his. Something that could somehow communicate who he was and what he was like. But of course what I really wish for, with all my heart, is that I could show my kids, him.

coming up with a plan

  Look at those fat little fingers and that fat little wrist. Ahh babies. Though really she is not so much of a baby anymore, 20 months now.



I knit up this little sweater, for her, from bits and pieces but clearly I was having a moment when I forgot that I don't actually like purple that much. Really. Though it was strangely present in my wedding. So I don't think I would put this color combination together in any sane moment but actually the sweater looks so cute on her. That's the thing about babies, isn't it? They make almost anything look cute. Except tattoos.

 

Cissie is doing a fine job of modeling a new book I bought for Floyd the other day. I really love this book. T is for tugboats is such a great ABC book for any child interested in boats (Floyd's interest centers around pirate ships in particular, and this book does not disappoint).

Thank you for all your great advice about blogging. Not only is it interesting to hear what you've got to say about your own blogging practices but I also got some good ideas and tips on how to keep it flowing a bit more easily. So here it is;

MY NEW BLOG PLAN.

1. I am going to try and post at least 3 times a week, but more if I can.

2. When things aren't going so great, you can expect a few photo only posts.

3. I am keeping a little journal to jot down all the crazy thoughts that fly through my head. Of course now it will be you lucky readers who get to read all that craziness so you may regret helping me out.

4. I going to forgive myself in advance if I break any and all of these new rules.

Hurrah! What do you think? Do you think it sounds reasonable? I am hopeful I can make this plan stick but who knows I am so flim-flam-y these days.
I hope you'll help me out with this and feel free to send me a virtual slap on the hand if I slack off.

Oh, I nearly forgot. The sweater pattern is a top down raglan and is one of my own. I have it in sizes 3- 24 months and I am happy to share it if anyone wants it. I might actually try and put a copy up here and that would conveniently count as another post. Sweet.

What I've Got

Definitely not a quilt and this definitely isn't Friday.

Instead a very cute (even if I do say so myself) pair of baby booties for the Michael Miller Bootie Contest. I'm not really a joiner of these kinds of things but I just felt like I had to make these booties. I knew in my head exactly how they would turn out. And four mohair pompoms later I am glad to say they are just like I envisioned.

Though you can't see it very well the lining fabric is the same as the fabric underneath the booties.

So it isn't the quilt I said I would show but this is what I have for today.

I have in fact finished the quilt but as usual am finding it devilishly hard to photograph and it is a special quilt so I want to get it right.

Details:: I used this pom pom maker from Superbuzzy - it is genius. So much better than the other Martha Stewart ones from way back. It doesn't fall apart just at the crucial moment which is more than can be said of me sometimes.
I think I got the fabric from Repro Depot but now I can't find it so who knows.

Todays Dilemma :: Alrighty then. I have a quick question for you.

Why do I find it so hard to blog everyday or even pick some regular days and stick to them?
I feel like this is a real shortcoming of mine. There are those that can and do blog every single day and they have something interesting to say each time. I just can not seem to up my blogging output and I feel so undisciplined in my approach to this space.
Do you blog every day? Or even several times a week? If so how do you do it? Do you pick a set time each day? Do you make notes about what you want to say? How do you make your blog feel consistent? I feel like mine is such a patchwork of this and that and I wonder if you can get a sense of me at all or is it just gibberish.

To give you more of an idea of what I am like here is the link. Sorry Tina I had to do it. And just so you know there is no way I am that fat (I am) and there is no way I have such a stupid accent (I do).

So please let me know how you make your blog work and help me be a better blogger!!

and the winner is......

(drum roll)

Kirsten, of the beautiful blog Kleas was the first name drawn followed by Ana Lilia of the very cute blog with the same name.

Congratulations!

And while I have you all here.....thank you, you lovelies for all your well wishes about my t.v. appearance. Definitely a little muppet-y but kind of fun. Andy keeps nagging me to put up a link but I am not sure I need the world to see it. It is under consideration though.

Thanks to everyone who entered. I'll be back tomorrow with a new quilt (I hope) and a link (possibly).

celebration give-away

Well it's a funny thing this blog world. A couple of months ago I stumbled across Hollyhocks (via a fabric shop) and because we live in the same area we started emailing back and forth. Last week, out of the blue, I get a phone call asking if I want to be on local t.v. because they are doing a segment on bloggers in the community. Of course you can guess who suggested my name. (Thank you, Vicki!) There will be other craft bloggers interviewed, like Polka Dot Bug (who makes the cutest baby bonnets ever) and if you are interested there is a handy list of more local bloggers. 

It airs today on the 5pm news and I am more that a little worried I will look like a total muppet. But anyway, in honor of my 30 seconds of fame and to welcome any newcomers to my blog, today we are going to have a little give-away.

There are two prizes. First off:

A little tote bag made by me, stuffed full of fabric scraps, ribbons, lace and buttons.

The second prize is a summery place-mat set for two complete with matching coasters.

Anyone can enter, old friend or new, people with or without a blog ....all you have to do is leave a comment and I will will pull names out of a hat on Thursday.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

small books

I whipped up a bunch of these small books yesterday for the kids. Floyd is really into having his own little books now and you know whatever he is into, Cissie is too. They should really be called The Small Object books because all the embellishments I used on them were either free downloads or lovely little things my sweet and thoughtful husband put in my Christmas stocking. Love the small object, just love it...everything there is so cool.

The kids are pretty excited to have their own little books but I foresee them going through this stash way too quickly so I am not leaving them all out at once....besides I might need one or two for myself.

felt necklace

Wool felt necklace for Cissie, who is really into to dressing up now. Made using small squares of felt from my scrap box and strung onto some Elasticity bead cord. I made this and the bracelet all in the time it took to watch Elizabeth: The Golden Age, which was great. I am convinced there will be a third movie but Andy poo-poo's this idea saying that the rest of her life was "a boring run of peace and prosperity and who's interested in that?"

As soon as I put this on Cissie, Floyd announced he wanted one too.....only it has to be *all* blue.

The force with which she started pinging this one around suggests I'll be making more than just one of these in the near future.

I ordered a whole load of ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs and I can't hardly stand the wait!! I have printed a bunch of recipes from recipe zaar and found Craft Bits which has a veritable library full of recipes. I just want to get making, I love the idea of the whole house being filled with the smell of cocoa butter - yum! or lavender, rose and chamomile - sweetness itself.
Still no progress on convincing Andy about homemade toothpaste though.

Amanda's book

I bought a copy of The Creative Family pretty much as soon as it came out. Like most bloggers I had long been anticipating the release of this book. It doesn't disappoint. It is filled with wonderful ideas for crafts and activities but much more than that it is filled with ways to make your life nicer, better and when I look through the book I can't help thinking, it is filled with ways to make your life calmer. It reminds you to slow down, go with the flow of what your children are doing and appreciate the moment. There are so many ideas in here that I knew about as a teacher but just simply forgot. Here's one crafty activity we pulled out of the book this week.

Making pictures with dried beans.

Floyd shows off this treasure map. (Yes, we are still stuck on pirates.)

After most of the boo (glue) was spread liberally over hands and table, Cissie got down to the serious business of pouring the beans from one pot to another....for about, oh, I don't know, half an hour.

The finished product.

I think it is testament to Amanda's gift for writing that we all feel in some way, we know her or share something in common with her. She has a way of drawing you in, making you feel at home and letting you be part of what she is doing. It's like we are all on a first name basis with her.
Perhaps that is why, when I look around blog-land, seeing her inspiration everywhere, stop by her blog and read all of our comments, I can feel a palpable wave of support as we watch her achieve so much. I feel like we are all cheering from the sidelines Go SouleMama Go!

summer threads

:: shorts for Floyd - Burda pattern 9793 - same as last year!

:: dress for Cissie - Simplicity pattern 3853 - really crap pattern but the fabric and bias tape (both from  Superbuzzy) made this dress super cute.

::top and shorts for Cissie

::Simplicity pattern 4203 - a better Simplicity pattern but you know something, I just don't think they are written very well, in general. I always feel there are steps missing in them or they just don't make sense or they have worded them very strangely.

Ok off that soap box and on to another one.
So, I tried the no shampoo thing as recommended by Angry Chicken. I was more than a little skeptical about not using shampoo and conditioner. I am someone that loves a good beauty product, especially if it's all dressed up in a cute bottle, but damn it all if that baking soda doesn't completely work. Who would have dreamed it? But my hair feels clean (not at all greasy, which was my worry) and is super soft. I tried the apple cider vinegar rinse and that totally works too, with no vinegar-y after smell!
I am so excited about this and even though most of our beauty products are SLS and SLES free I am so into making a bunch of the stuff we regularly use, like face cream, moisturizer for the kids in winter, lip balm, shower gel, the list keeps growing.
I picked up this book which seems pretty informative with lots of recipes. This, this and this one also look good though I haven't actually looked through them and I found Mountain Rose Herbs for all my other supplies. This shop seems to have just about everything you can think of which is so cool.
So that is me set for the month of May. Turning our house into a mini herbal laboratory. My husband is very patient with of my little fads but he is drawing the line at homemade toothpaste.