You Go Girl!

Keepin' My Head Above Water

I had a comment on my last post that just cracked me up. Go ahead. Read it...

Sue said:

Okay so you posted this on October 18th and now it is October 26 does that mean you went into your room and haven't made anything yet so you can't come out?

No. As delightful as a week two weeks stuck in my sewing studio sounds, it didn't happen. I did go in and make something like I said I would. See...

I made this little felt pin cushion, but it didn't take two weeks, only an afternoon. I've also hemmed four pair of pants and painted the shelves for Hailey's room. Now I'm itching to make the patchwork pillow that danced through my dreams last night. I think I will cut the fabric this afternoon. 

We have been very busy with life in the land of You Go Girl. Dance and volleyball. Piano lessons and homework. Choir concerts and jazz band rehearsals. Birthdays and holidays. Work and play. Life...it's kind of like a river. If you don't jump in, it will pass you by. I think I am in up to my chin. Sometimes the current feels swift, but I'm keepin' my head above water and enjoying the ride. I hope you can say the same.

Happy day,

Cassie

Make Something. Anything! Sheesh...

I am like a hamster on a wheel. I keep running and running but I'm getting nowhere. Does this ever happen to you? I have so many plans for loveliness zipping through my brain. There are bits and pieces of started projects scattered everywhere I look. Little voices in my head keep saying:

"You should make a skirt. Oh, craft a flower fairy. They're sooo cute. Hey, maybe you should stitch something out of knit fabric now that Jezzie is your friend. Winter is coming. Crochet some mittens, would you? Don't forget to start a doodle stitch. You're spending tons of time in the car. Wouldn't it be fun to hand-craft some felt ornaments? And, don't forget to learn to knit. You know you want to make that gorgeous felted bag you saw. Mr. Handsome's shirt needs a fix. You better hem your pants. A gal can only wear capris for so long in Montana. Are ever going to paint the shelves for Hailey's room? She is a senior, after all."

Stop it! Stop it! Creative schizophrenia. I have it. I go to my little studio to do something and I end up crying uncle. I leave my creative sanctuary and opt to do something totally mindless like changing the litter box or vacuuming under the couch cushions. The other day, I even made a batch of cookies. Yes. Me. In the kitchen. I'm telling you, it's bad, people. I've decided that today is the day to end this insanity. I'm going in and I'm not coming out until I've made something. Anything. Sheesh...

A Place for Jezebel

Did you know I have a serger? I don't think I've ever mentioned it before. It is not new. In fact, I've had it for 15+ years. It has spent most of its life in a bin on a shelf in my basement. Yep. On the shelf. Sad, but true. You see, when the Bernina Bernette Fun Lock 006d and I met all those years ago, we did not have instant chemistry. In fact, we were a lot like oil and water. I thought she was impossible. She knew I was an idiot. I named her Jezebel. She held her tongue. Well, I recently dusted off Jezebel. I gently oiled her, threaded her, and adjusted her tension knobs. She was right. I am an idiot. She works like a dream. I knew immediately that she deserved a spot of her own in my teeny-tiny studio. After several considerations, some simple, some not, I decided the easiest way to put Jezzie in my studio would be to give her the spot on my supply table. That meant my supplies and all the books I stored under the table needed a new home. 

Tah-Dah...my new supply shelves.

 

I bought an inexpensive shelf at Target that I didn't really like. A little LOT of paint and some fabric did the trick. All is well. Jezzie is happy. So am I. (***sighing contentedly***)

 

Food. How I Love You...

Edit: I am rewriting and moving this post that I wrote a few days ago to see if it will show up in reader. How I wish I was a computer genius, or married to one! :-)

I haven't had the words to blog lately because all the words that flow from my grey matter to my mouth are about food. A diet will do that to you! Since this isn't a blog about food that whispers your name, tempts your palate, wafts through your olfactory system in your imagination during your waking hours, and dances through your dreams while you sleep, I've had nothing to write about. This preoccupation with food hasn't kept me from crafty endeavors, though.  I've been in the studio stitching up felt cupcakes and wistfully making purses out of candy wrappers from days gone by. Just kidding. Actually, I've been busy drafting the perfect clutch pattern, assembling and painting a shelf to contain my ever-growing collection of odds and ends in my sewing space, stitching up a few Posh Pillowcases, and making this little honey pie out of some Little Red fabric designed by Tasha at A Little Sweetness.

 

I was going to make a little polka-dottie diaper cover to go with the dress. Since autumn is knocking on the door, I opted for some snazzy jeans instead. I hope sweet little Amy Lynn likes her new clothes. Congratulations to her mom and dad, Erin and Corbin.

Well, I better go run a lap around the neighborhood, or something. Only five pounds to go. Would it be wrong to celebrate by gorging myself at the The Pearl once I reach my goal? Probably.

Technical Difficulties

Edit: This post seems to have made it to Reader. Thanks so much for letting me know, friends. The one I posted three or four days ago, but rewrote and posted yesterday, still hasn't made it. Argggg! Have a lovely weekend. ~Cassie

Is this post showing up in your reader? My last post never made an appearance on google reader. Not that I read my own posts. I just want to make sure this gig is running smoothly. Oh, technical difficulties. They give me a headache. Give me a shout out if you are getting my posts in your reader. Thanks much.

A Word (or two) of Advice...

Hello? Anybody out there? Wow. I've been pretty scarce in this space lately.  I've been desperately slurping every last ounce of fun out of summer. It kicked my hiney, but was worth every exhausting minute. I'm back now. All my girls are at school today. Bittersweet, really.

Here are some polaroids of the girls on the first day. The photos are black and white because one of the girls has a tear-stained face. Her long, curly, thick, beautiful, red, to-die-for hair would not do what she wanted it to. We all feel bad for her, don't we? Oh, please!! Most people would sell a kidney for her head of hair. Sheesh! Embrace the big hair, girlfriend.

 

 

 

As the school year kicks off, I have two words of advice for the mommies who are brand new to school this year. HOT LUNCH! Yes, I know that cold lunch is a healthier alternative, but I recommend that you make hot lunch seem like a rare and thrilling gastrointestinal delight. After years and years of making sandwiches, peeling carrots, slicing apples, bagging cookies, and filling water bottles for five kids in the wee hours of the morning, I'm beginning to ask myself where I went wrong. Some days I would like to send them out the door with $1.25 a piece and tell them to enjoy. But, no. I bad-mouthed hot lunch. My girls think it is akin to eating a cat poop sandwich with a toilet water chaser. I've created a monster. I'm living with the consequence. Read and learn rookies. I know it seems unpalatable to those of you that believe that a lunch from mom equals true love, but you'll thank me for this advice later on. Really.

Little Posh Seeks Loving Home...

The pile o' posh is finished. Pictures have been taken. Shop listings are updated Adoption opportunities are available for three posh pillowcases deserving of loving homes.

Introducing Ms. Blush and Ms. Jade Flower Power. The two Flower Power gals are anxious for homes to call their own. Ms. Blush and Ms. Jade are friendly, attractive, and exceptionally good with children. They want a home where they will be loved and admired for both their beauty and functionality. They are happy to stay together, but willing to part ways and keep in touch on holidays and birthdays. (Not really. Just kidding.)

 

Felicity Redbloom is a vibrant personality with blossoms that will light up any room she is in. She is looking for a happy home with a nice soft bed or an overstuffed chair for her to relax upon. She has enjoyed her stay with the Flower Power sisters in the land of You Go Girl, but is anxious for a space of her own.

 

Charm and Poppie Butler have already been adopted into a stable and loving environment.

 

They are joining Miss Daisy Meadowsweet at an undisclosed location. 

We miss them already, but wish them well.

If you would like to welcome a little posh into your home, click here for details.

I know. I know. This isn't much of a post. It is a shameless self-promotion of my little Etsy shop. But, you see, I have fallen deeply in love with a technological gadget. I've never fallen for technology before. Wii? No thanks. Blackberry? Yikes! Kindle? Nope.  When it's right, though, you just know it. The Apple ipad whispers my name and teases me mercilessly. Oh, sweet ipad, I have a crush on you. I am stockpiling a pile of shekels in hopes that you might be wooed into my home someday. Oh, please. Oh, please. Say you will come live with me. I adore you!

Pile of Posh

First things first...Before I tell you about this Pile of Posh, I want to thank you for the Pretty in Pink love notes.  I'm not proud to report this, but I didn't respond to a single comment. We were on a little road trip to Newport, Oregon. Internet access and my time were a lot more limited than I'd anticipated. Plus it is really hard to type when your fingers feel like frozen fish sticks. The weather did not cooperate with us. It was unseasonably cold and foggy. Cold as in 56* for the high. Foggy as in I can't see you unless you are holding my hand. Oh, I forgot to mention the whipping wind ocean breezes that stirred that cold moist air into a whirlwind of nastiness invigoration that made the temperature feel at least ten degrees cooler than it really was. I've been to the Oregon coast at least a dozen times. Never, never, never has it been this cold, even when we used to go in October! Fear not, though, we bundled up in all the clothes we brought and had fun anyway. My girls will never again question me when I tell them to pack some long pants "just in case". Their "just in case" pants got a 4-day workout. Gross, huh?

I took this pile of posh pillowcases with me to work on in the car. It's a long drive so they are all done now. I've also worked up a crochet edging pattern that I will share with you soon. I know I said I would share this pattern with you, but I spoke typed out of turn. After I opened my big mouth, I remembered that this pattern is not mine to share. It can be found in the book Crochet Adorned by Linda Permann. It's called Looped X's on page 120. I hope that helps those of you that were interested.

I'm off to fold another load of vacation laundry. There isn't quite as much of it as usual since the girls wore the same clothes four days in a row.  There's always a silver lining, isn't there?

Pretty In Pink

I love pink. Even after five baby girls, I still love pink. I've always loved pink. You know how they make up silly predictions about the future of senior classmates in high school yearbooks and school newspapers? Well, when I was a senior, the speculation concerning my destination was that I would become an interior designer for the White House and paint the Oval Office pink. This love affair with pink is long standing for me. Recently, I had a request for a pink Zippy Wallet.  Oh, goody! Pink! I started pulling pink off the shelves of love. Here are the results.

First up...A little bit of pink from Olivia's Holiday.

  
Inside is a yellow stripey.  Not sure where this fabric came from but I use little bits of it a lot.

Next, I put together a wallet using some of Sandi's red and pink Poppy Parade.

   

Inside? You got it. My favorite fabric EVER. The Full Moon polkie by Ms. Butler.

 
The third one I put together was this little lovely using some pink Farmer's Market...

and some more Full Moon polkies.  This time in green. Christina chose this wallet. I don't blame her. The pinks in this fabric are positively beauteous. 

Pink, pink, pink. It gives me warm fuzzies. I really love it. How 'bout you?

Ruffle-icious

Remember that magic foot I found and the ruffles I made?  I really did put those ruffles to good use.  In fact, I put them to good use clear back in April. Sometimes it takes me soooo long to take a photo of something.  If it wasn't for photos, I'd probably blog everyday.  I always think of things I want to show you or tell you, but I do not love photography.  I want to. I don't. It is hard for me. There. I said it. I don't like to take pictures. Whew, it feels pretty good to unload that secret. Now back to those ruffles...

This little zippered bag/clutch was on my mind after that first enchanted moment when I fed the blue fabric strip under the magic foot. Even the pom-pom was part of the plan from the very beginning. Most of my projects evolve. This one was created complete from the very start. SHAZAM!

 

I'm so glad the weekend is here again. My triplet friends have been at camp this week. I miss them. We are leaving in a few minutes to get them.  The order of my universe will be restored. Or maybe I should say the disorder of my universe will be restored. I can't wait. Life is good.

Happy day~

Cassie