Much to my chagrin, The Girl chose to be a princess.  Specifically, “a princess with a fluffy blue dress.” While I don’t especially subscribe to the whole princess thing, I can surely understand my girl’s desire to wear a big beautiful dress. Despite the trickiness of all those layers of tulle, the dress went together pretty easily after just a week’s sewing.  I used Simplicity 2569, even though I had to combine several of the designs to get what she wanted. The crown is the same as these.

The Boy chose to be The Dragon King.  His favorite fantasy character at this time, The Dragon King does not hurt the dragons, but rather he communicates with them.  He is their friend.  We re-used the cape and shirt from this costume, so all I had to make was the vest.  You can’t really tell, but the vest fabric is printed with reptile scales.

This was the first year we took the kids trick-or-treating in our own neighborhood, and we had a great time!  There was much grumbling at first, but once the kids saw how much candy they had, they began to really enjoy themselves!  It was a very sweet and easy Halloween, quietly celebrated by our little family of four.

I made this apron from a beautiful white pillowcase.  The pillowcase is an odd size, it must have been a huge throw pillow or something.

I really like the apron, and I look forward to wearing it when I cook Thanksgiving dinner for my family.  It will be the first time I’ve had the whole family over since before having the kids.  I’m looking forward to it.

For Thanksgiving, I’m planning to make and freeze some pies and rolls.  I used to freeze dough in pre-shaped roll-sized balls.  Why don’t I do that anymore? Also thinking of freeezable side dishes.  Ideas?

I’m working on perfecting my pie crust, now that I finally have a real pie plate.  I’ve been making pies in a cake pan.  I’ve never been very good at pie making, so lots of pies are in my future.  I know, poor me.

Here are the rugs I hinted about.  I really love them.  The instructions can be found in the book Patchwork Style by Suzuko Koseki.  (The same book I used to make these two little purses.) Made entirely of patchwork from my stash.  I am really mindful of trying to use what I have lately.  Again thinking of the words,

Use it up, wear it out, make do, or go without.

Now I will admit to not “going without” sometimes.  But with some things, I’ve been trying hard to not spend too much, or to make it myself if I can.  I’ve been making a good effort to use my fabric and yarn stash and it feels good to not head to the craft store every time I start a project.

And I have to say that I really, really love these rugs.

Here’s to “using it up.”

Today I am feeling a bit under the weather.  We’ve had the ickies for the last week and I’m feeling like it can move along any day now.  You hear that?  Any day now.

I’m slowing down as much as a stay at home homeschooling mama can.  Trying to get enough sleep and rest.  I cast on a new spring sweater for The Girl.  (You know a sweater is small when you find it easier to knit it on double pointed needles rather than a circular needle.)

Mostly I’ve spent a lot of time thinking.

I’ve been thinking about Spring clothes to sew.

Wishing I could pore over seed catalogs like my friends who are blessed with enough space and sunlight to garden.  When the weather begins to warm, I always get the urge to get my fingers in the dirt. I’ve been fantasizing about a front yard vegetable garden.

Thinking it would be nice to finish my new kitchen curtains.  The ones I started before I got sick.

Contemplating the carving of a wooden spoon.  I love watching this.  I’ve always wanted to work more with wood and this seems as good a place to start as any.  We all need spoons, right?  And lately I’ve been thinking more about how useful things can be both useful and beautiful.  This man is serious about his spoons.  When I find something like this it just makes me love the world even more.  And I do like the Spoon Carving Manifesto.

That’s where I’ve been today, how about you?

Both of these purses are from the book Patchwork Style by Suzoko Koseki.  I knew this purse would be small when I started but it was so tiny that it would barely hold my wallet and phone, the strap was unbelievably short, and it hangs wide open in the top when I carry it (making an easy target for pickpockets).

Cute?  Yes, incredibly.  Practical?  Not hardly.  I’m not kidding.  This thing is small. So I gave it to The Girl.  She loves it.

Purse #2 was thankfully usable.  I really like this tiny little thing.  It zips closed, it has a nice long strap, and all it will hold is my wallet, phone and keys.  I don’t use it much now that we are home, but I’m sure it’ll get used again.  I cannot believe I used to carry a tiny purse like this all the time.

Yes, and then I had kids.

Around the same time, I had to make myself a new wallet.  I don’t like a big wallet, and couldn’t find one in the stores that I liked.  I carried the same ratty one for years until I was out to dinner with some girlfriends and the wallet (already full of holes and worn thin in spots) would not open.  The zipper had finally given out.  So I had to cut it open with my Swiss Army knife.  (Always prepared!)

Did I make a new wallet then?  No.  It was a few more months of carrying that horrible thing around until even I was shocked by its condition.

One evening, I decided it was time.  I was so happy to finally find a use for the fabric selvedges I had been saving for a long time.  I pieced them together, slapped in a vintage metal zipper, and lined the whole thing.  I used Amy Karol’s (The Angry Chicken) instructions from her book Bend the Rules Sewing.  I have made zillions of these little lined pouches, but never had I thought to sew the lining in my hand before.  It took no time flat, and it looks really nice inside.

These photos were taken last summer.  I am really missing that green grass right now.

I recently “found” my sewing desk again.  It was buried under the chaos of holiday crafting.  So I am sewing again lately.  For myself! I am determined to make four tops and four skirts in time for spring.  One top is done and the other, the Liberty of London I bought at Purl Soho, has been cut and started.

Spring, I’m getting ready for you.

Years later, the memory of Horsey still alive and well, Babci gave me the pattern for Horsey, along with the materials to make a brand new one, identical to the original.  The Daddy Monkey and I were very young, and freshly married with little money.  I don’t remember for what occasion I made Horsey, but I did, and he was well received by a fully grown man.  He still roams our house; sometimes in our home office with The Daddy, sometimes finding his way into the kids’ room.  He’s starting to get a bit worn and loved himself.

Remembering that last year’s kitty has become The Boy’s most beloved stuffed animal (“because he’s filled with your love, Mom”), I knew it was time to make him a friend. Using the Original Horsey as my inspiration, I set out to make a new one.  This one is made from an old wool sweater of mine that I felted in the wash.  The mane and tail are from the infamous yarn stash, and the button eyes and wool stuffing were from my stash.

Of all the stuffed animals I have made over the years, and there have been many, this new Horsey has to be by far my favorite.  All of the components–the colors, the softness of the fabric, the perfect squishyness of the stuffing, the warmth of the wool, and his sweet, sweet face–combine to make the perfect Horsey.  I simply cannot stop touching and admiring The New Horsey.

Hopefully the New Horsey and the Old Horsey can be friends.  I would hate for the Old Horsey to think he’s being replaced.

The Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated predominantly in Mexico and has evolved from an ancient Aztec festival.  Rather than being a somber occasion, it is a celebration of the lives of those who have come before us.  Traditionally, a feast is prepared, and an ofrenda, or altar, is built to honor the dead. It is believed that on this day, the spirits of the dead return to the earth for a visit! I believe it is important to remember the generations that have come before me, making my life possible.  And I hope someday someone will celebrate my life and memory on Dia de los Muertos!

As far as the party is concerned, I still have plenty to do.  Gather buffet supplies, get decorations ready, and finish the piñata and sugar skulls.  I’m in good shape now, and I just have a few last minute things to do. The paint on the piñata is drying as I type this, and the housecleaning will have to wait until tomorrow.  (And do I really need to clean the house before a party when it’s just going to get messed up anyway?)

I’ll be back next week to share images from the party, but for now I wanted to share the outfits I made for the kids to wear.  I had some scraps of muertos fabric from a skirt I made years ago, so I made a shirt for The Boy, and a skirt for The Girl.  I’m pleased to report that I had only tiny slivers of fabric remaining.  Love that fabric stash!

My only regret is that I did not have enough fabric for a similar skirt for me.  Also, I might be about thirty years too old for a skirt like that.

The Girl went as a fairy.  As much as I tried to persuade her otherwise, she insisted upon pink.  (I was rooting for aqua blue.) The dress and wings are from my own pattern.  There was much grumbling during the making of the wings, but it was all so worth it when she was the epitome of cuteness.  Indulge me in some cute photos, Okay?

The wings:

I ran into some difficulty with The Boy’s costume, which was supposed to be a robot.  But the silver lamé fabric would not cooperate and caused even more swearing than the fairy wings.  (It is not by mistake that the fabric is named lame.)

You must think all I do is swear while I sew.  I assure you I do not.  I’m usually a very happy seamstress.

So I gave The Boy two choices: I could go ahead with the robot (being very snagged and scratchy) or he could choose something from the dress-up trunk. Thank goodness he chose the latter. My sanity couldn’t take much more of that fabric.

He chose to be Hercules, wearing the Roman armor I made for him for Christmas 2008.  He refused to wear one of the many helmets we own, insisting Hercules did not need a helmet.

Action shot!

My favorite shot of the day?  The two of them playing together.  It is still such a novelty that it warms my heart whenever I see it.

Is it really September already? One can never start too early on Halloween costumes.  This is the scene on my ironing board right now.

The Girl has chosen to be a fairy, and did we ever have fun choosing the fabric for this one.  She wanted pink, of course.

No matter how many times I tell myself that we have plenty of costumes in our dress up trunk, I am a sucker for making new ones.  I just can’t help myself.

And came out with this:

Meet the new Fall quilt.  Mostly from the fabric store, some from my stash.  Solids in purple, brown, tan and gray.  Corduroy, velvet, sateen and broadcloth, all in cotton, linen and silk.

I know, I know.  I’m insane.  But at least I just discovered that this is not a new phenomenon.

Let’s not speak of the other unfinished quilts. This made me do it.  I’ve had quilting on the brain ever since.

And this one’s going to be done lickety-split, I swear.  Just in time for fall.