Thrifty Finds

Whew! It's been forever since I've blogged!

I'll blame it on my latest thrifty finds...I'm always inspired by different blogs I read where people have found amazing vintage sewing notions for a fraction of the price (and sometimes superior quality...like metal zippers!), fun storage ideas and things generally transformed with a coat of paint, or a little elbow grease. My thrifty luck has been running pretty high lately.

A few weeks ago, I found a bunch of zippers and bias tape at my local Goodwill. These are definitely from a fellow sewer's stash.

The polka dot and plaid bias tape are my absolute favorites. I can't wait to find the perfect project to use these on.

On this same trip, I also found a great faux needlepoint tin. There were two of these, and I rationalized only purchasing one of them. WHY?!?!?!? I'm tempted to go back and see if this special wonder's friend is still there. Maybe her sticker will be on sale, and she'll have to come home with me.

Today's find is amazing. I don't know if this lovely will work in my sewing room with it's red, red walls, but for 5.99 this piece of handiwork had to be mine.

Isn't she lovely? The only thing missing is a matching boy, perhaps a shepherd. Oh if only there had been another.

The Big Time

Today was the first day of my first big-girl show. Two days, 100 vendors. My display is small potatoes compared to most folks, but I held my own today. All things considered, I had decent sales, and hope for the same for tomorrow.

I'd show you a picture of my booth, and my cute new free standing clothes line (found on last weekend's driving excursion) but blogger isn't cooperating. So you'll have to imagine how wonderful my bibs and aprons looked on a vintage rectangular free standing clothesline. UPDATE: Cute new clothes line above! Cute!

Ok for my first really big time booth, don't cha think?

Knitting Update

Since Blogger isn't cooperating and letting me upload photos of any kind, I thought, "What the heck! Let's do a post without photos." So here goes.

I've been struggling with starting the knitting part of my challenge. Seems I have a huge fear of trying to knit socks, and failing. I don't want to frog them back. Or find they are too small, too big, not the same size, or god forbid...don't stay up. How can I possibly be proud of handknit socks that pool at the ankle? Anyone can have socks that pool at the top of their shoe, requiring pulling up at the most in opportune times.

When I have fear, I am an expert at procrastination. (Case in point? I applied to my 1st 2 day craft show 6 days before the date of the show. No lie.)

I did try to incorporate TCB (taking care of business) and it's sister mantra--Just Do It!-- this weekend, and found the sock yarn, needles, and my trusty "anyone can knit socks" book.

And I did something I never do. I started knitting a gague swatch. All successful knitting starts with a gague swatch, right? I realized after re-reading the instructions halfway into the swatch, that I probably should be knitting in the round instead of flat...but who said this process was going to be perfect.

So I'm on my way to starting my 1st ever handknit sock.

Don't get too excited...I didn't actually figure out the gague from the swatch.


Yet.

Zoom Zoom

Introducing
Black Cherry
(Blogger not cooperating in loading photos. Photo to come.)

She's my awesome new Mazda 6.

Yea, we enjoying zooming around in the sunshine on Saturday. Just doing my part to stimulating the economy.

Now I have to figure out how to back her out of my garage...she's a bit bigger than my Saturn.

A Challenge Filled Weekend

This weekend has been all about challenges for me.

The good kind of challenges. The get of your butt and do something kind of challenges.

First, I had lunch on Friday with my crafty friend Katie. Her challenge to me was to blog twice a week for the next six weeks, and to create two things in the same time frame. The catch was that the two things had to be a pair of socks and fingerless mitts. Katie and I went to Webs over a year ago (or close) with Rachel and I bought sock yarn to make my first pair of socks. I still have a ball of sock yarn. Katie also posted a tutorial on making fingerless mitts which I foolishly comments on, saying I had been wanting to make a pair. So that's how I ended up with my knitting assignments.

What Katie didn't know is that this weekend already had a built in challenge. Rita, my sewing buddy who currently lives in Boston, and I decided that instead of giving gifts to each other for Christmas that we would commit to two weekends (one at my house, one at hers) dedicated to sewing for ourselves. This weekend was the first such weekend. No work projects, no fixing things for the house, no hemming those pants for that friend. Only sewing on garmets that would go into our own closets, and build our wardrobe, since we both have "nothing" to wear. Since we both have gigantic fabric stashes (or hoards, depends on who you ask) we also challenged ourselves to use things we already had. No new fabric allowed. Notions (if absolutely necessary) are ok.

A few months back I discovered this fabulous cowboy shirt made by Bitter Betty. (Go to the October 1, 2008 post.) Now I don't love the huge 70's collar, but the idea has stuck with me for months. Then I remembered this fabric:

I also had a coordinating fabric with more brown. Rita has a fabulous pattern, and after a few hours, I have this:

Could that be cuter? The tiny ric-rack is from the stash of notions I liberated from my Grandma Helen's sewing stuff before my step mother gave it all to the Salvation Army. All supplies I had on hand. Woo hoo!

There was also an incident with some inferior interfacing which required the recutting and re-interfacing all interfaced pieces...GRR. That wasn't a pretty few minutes this morning. I'll spare you the details. Said interfacing is in the trash so it won't be able to ruin another project. A sign of a good sewing day is a full garbage can. Whatcha think? Were we successful?

I've been featured!

In an effort to move some of my stock this month, I've been actively searching out trades. Not everyone is looking for baby items, but given the looming February 10th date for CSPIA to take effect, I'd love for my items to head to loving homes, for babies to use now, or later. It might not be possible for me to continue to create and sell, depending on what ammendments are made to this legislation.

But I digress...

In looking for trades, I was contacted by a lovely lady on Twitter who was looking to trade baby gifts for her sister. My Tutti Frutti Bib and Burp set was the "inspiration" for her blog post. Check it out!

Adore By Nat: Feeling Fruity - Apples and Pears

I'm looking forward to getting some of Nat's great cards in return.

Let me know if you want to "stock up" on handmade baby items for your future baby shower gifting needs...I'm sure we can work something out. *wink*

Holiday Spectacular Tomorrow!

Come check out the CT Etsy Team

at the

North Haven Holiday Inn!

Tomorrow, Saturday, December 6th

10am - 4pm

Finish your holiday shopping!

Buy Handmade!