Spoonflower Take 2

I finally got the carnival and coffee shop design swatches from Spoonflower this week. I think I've found a new obsession.

Even though I'd like to start off with full yards of my designs, I am really glad I got swatches as both designs have some issues I want to correct.

I forgot to offset the colors in the coffee shop print and I think offsetting looks so much better. It gives it a screen printed look that I like. I think there might be too much negative space and the objects could be closer together. The background ended up a little more peach than I wanted as well.

The carnival print seems to have a little too much negative space as well. I'm pretty happy with the colors but will tweak those a bit. I'm not sure but I think the size of the design needs to be smaller.

And the Forest Bear fabric made it's way into a pin cushion:

Spoonflower

I finally got around to designing some Spoonflower fabric. I'm not sure what took me so long, but I decided to take advantage of the free swatch day they offered last month. I'm so glad I did!
I will definitely be ordering more of this little forest bear print. I am really impressed with the quality and color.

It's so great sewing with my own fabric design.
I've got these two designs on order:
Carnival!

and Coffee Shop:

I can't wait!

And how the heck is today the last day of summer vacation? I can hardly believe it's September.
Fall is definitely in the air!

It's the Little Things

I'm going to start a weekly series called The Little Things.
This will consist of a short post about something little that I like.
I have a lot of little things that I like so this should be an unending series.
I like that in this life we can surround ourselves with things that make us happy.
We go out in the world and often come back with something to feather our nest, something we didn't necessarily need but knew we couldn't live without. These things may have a story and may be as simple as seeing it at the grocery store and buying it on impulse.

I'm starting with this wood doll. I'm having trouble remembering just where I found her. I think perhaps my favorite thrift shop on the other side of the river. I like that she's wooden, that she's plump, and that she is likely handmade. She can often be found in my photographs, she's funny that way.

Springtime Organizing

I think it would be nice to pick up my house and shake everything out onto the lawn and then carefully put back only the things we need and love. Then the rest could be donated, sold or recycled. Wouldn't that be lovely? Ah well, instead I sort, little by little.

I bought this bookshelf at a yard sale a couple of years ago for $10. I'm not sure why it took me so long to get around to painting it. We debated about colors for weeks before settling on this bright robin's egg blue. The color was inspired by this Method bathroom cleaner bottle, of all things.

Have we talked about Method? No? Well, quickly, I'll tell you that I love all of their products. Well almost all, the daily shower cleaner smells a lot like the scented feminine napkins, not good. Other than that, the products rule. The toilet bowl cleanser is not only totally effective but comes in the most adorable bottle. Who knew I could like something so mundane so very much? I love love love the ginger yuzu dish soap. And I am completely obsessed with the Method Baby rice milk and mallow dryer sheets. Have you smelled these? They smell like magic. They are expensive, like ridiculously, I can't believe I'm paying $6 for such a small package of dryer sheets, expensive. I'm telling you, they are amazing. Men seem to hate them, but don't let that stop you. Treat yourself. I've started putting the used sheets in my dresser drawers and in with my little softies instead of sachets. They smell like MAGIC and the packaging is lovely. I suppose it shouldn't really come as a surprise that a Method bottle inspired my bookshelf color.

Here are before and afters. Hooray!






I love that print, it's from here. We got it at Crafty Wonderland. It's not going to stay there, I'll hang it on the wall once, I get to IKEA for the right size frame.

Oh, and the weather here is bull#*!@. I'm feel like I need to have a bathing suit on under a parka so I can be appropriately dressed at all times. It goes from hail and blowing rain to sunny and 75 and then back to rain. It's obnoxious. We're still turning the heat on and it's the end of May! Boo.

Wedding Season

My roses are blooming. I only have 2 rose bushes. I love this rose, I'm not sure what variety it is. I love that the buds are very dark pink almost red but when it opens, it's a smokey sort of pink and lavender.

The flowers have got me thinking about Spring weddings.
I made this ring bearer pillow this morning. I think the wool, linen and satin pair nicely together.

C is for

Cupcakes!
I was in serious need of some cupcake therapy on this Monday afternoon.
These did the trick. I used this recipe and I like it quite a lot.

Found

I spotted this sad little secretary on the side of the road for free the other day. I immediately saw it's potential and since I love few things more than before and afters, I knew I had to bring it home.

Someone had drilled a hole in the front of the fold down panel, I'm assuming for a lock. That needed to be patched for sure. I didn't have a drill bit the right size to drill a plug out of wood, but I did have a good supply of wine corks, one of which fit perfectly in the hole, then I puttied over it and sanded it down, you can hardly notice it now. The wood veneer on two of the drawers was warped and peeling away so we tried removing it on one drawer which turned into several hours of chiseling at it to get it off and then eventually sanding it down. We opted to leave the veneer on the second drawer and hope the paint and primer would hide the problem. Happily, it worked, hurrah!

The primer we had was tinted grey to make the yellow coat better and it happened to be the perfect shade of grey, so we used it as paint on the inside and knobs. Love that. I'm loving the bright yellow, too. The office is almost all white and a bright shot of color is just what it needed.






I have been looking for just such a piece of furniture for storing merchandise. And to think that it could have ended up at the dump. I love my little secretary!