You Go Girl!

Off Task, Again...

I should've been planting these.

Or pulling these.

Or capturing these.

 

But was I?  No.  I was working on this.

Remember this doodle from many moons ago?

 

 

I finally turned it in to a Glory Bag.  

 

I would've stitched this together a long time ago but for the fact that I lost the linen I needed to create the bag.  How do you lose a yard of linen?  I looked in my green fabric stack.  Not there.  Looked in the linen stack.  Not there. Looked behind the craft table. Not there. I moved my whole studio to a different room in the house...The linen was not there.  So the little doodle sat, and sat, and sat just waiting for something exciting to happen to it.  I finally admitted to myself that I had lost the fabric and would need to purchase a bit more to finish this little beauty.  Luckily my favorite local shop still had the same bolt of linen and the glory bag finally came to fruition. 

And for those of you who are wondering why I am capturing squirrels...Well, they taste just like chicken.  Just kidding.  I'm not making squirrel coq au vin. I'm involved in a covert mission called Operation Squirrel Relocation.  These little squirrel-y guys eat the bark off the giant willow trees in my back yard. Their gluttonous feasting makes huge limbs on my trees die.  These little villains cuties are killing my trees. The tree man that came to my house to diagnose the problem recommended that we, ahem, "knock them off" since they are not a native species to the area even though they inhabit almost every neighborhood in town.  Well, as you can imagine in a house with six girls, squirrel extermination is not an option.  Instead, we catch them and release them in the willow-tree-free park that is about a mile away.  I don't know if there are any rules prohibiting such activity, or not.  Just to be sure, I only take the squirrels to the park under the cover of darkness. Just kidding, again.  I do feel a bit funny, though, when I am letting them go in the park--kinda like I'm flushing a pet alligator that's not so little or cute anymore down the toilet. This is different than that, though.  Really. It is. The squirrels already live in the park.  I'm just bringing more to the party.  

I won't take the time today to tell you about the squirrel that got loose in the car when we were relocating it.  Just know that there was a lot of girly screams, followed by million-mile-an-hour chatter and fits of giggles. We know there is a squirrel out there somewhere with a nervous tic and a tale of high-stakes adventure that he tells his squirrel buddies when he visits the local watering hole.

I best get back to what I'm supposed to be doing.

Toodles,

Cassie

Happy May Giveaway Day!

Today is the Sew Mama Sew May Giveaway Day.  Can I hear a big WooHoo?  I didn't hear you. C'mon...it's fun.  Say it.  Altogether now...WooHoo!  I told you it was fun.

I would like to give away some Ginger Blossom loveliness in the form of a fabulous set of appliqued Floursack towels, a quilted potholder, and FIVE coordinating Ginger Blossom fat quarters.  You might want to use a couple of these fat quarters  to make a Ginger Blossom apron using Jona's amazing Apron in an Hour tutorial.  No.  I haven't actually made an apron using this tutorial, but I want to.  And if Jona wrote the tutorial, I know it's fabulous because that's all she knows how to do.

For your chance to win this little slice of YUM, read every single blog post I've ever written and write a two sentence synopsis of each one.  Just kidding.  How 'bout this...for your chance to win this little slice of YUM, leave a comment telling me what kind of animal you would be if you had to be one and why you would be that animal.  Kidding again!  Seriously now, to be a part of this giveaway leave any comment you want.  I will use the Random Number thingy to pick a winner.  International commenters (is that a word?) welcome. Comments will be open through May 31st, the winner will be announced on June 1st, and the package will be shipped on or before June 3rd as per the rules of the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day.  

Check out all the blogs hosting giveaways on the master list at Sew Mama Sew. There's a whole lot of good stuff to be had.  I love me a good giveaway.

WooHoo,

Cassie

A Little More Kitchen Love

Editor's Note:  I just fixed the photos on this post.  I'm getting used to a new computer.  Yeehaw.  I didn't realize how BRIGHT my photos were until I opened it on my old PC.  Yikes.  I've toned it down a bit for you.  Sorry if I blinded any of you...

big sigh...I just realized I need to fix my Etsy photos too...

One recipe file (it would also make a great brag book)...

Two potholders...

and an apron...

equals a whole lot of love for the kitchen

I have whipped up a little more kitchen love.  Last time it was for a fund raiser.  This time I put it in my shop.  I dipped into my Summer in the City stash that I have been hoarding saving for something special. It feels good to cut into some of this stuff that I have been hanging on to for so long.  I love this fabric just as much as the day I bought it.  I think it looks so much better made into something than it did sitting on my shelves of love.  It's like it has finally reached its potential.  And isn't that what we are all trying to do?  

Happy Monday~

Cassie

Heads Up--I'm participating in the Sew Mama Sew May Giveaway Day.  I can't seem to get the button to load in my sidebar.  Grrr!  Giveaway Day is Wednesday, May 27th.  Do come back and see what's up.

 

I Told You So...

 

  

I told you I was going to cut into those red polkies and I meant it.  I love how they look with Heather Bailey's Pop Daisy in turquoise.  It's hard to photo this combo, though. The colors don't read true to me.  Oh, well.

  

With my Amy Butler/Heather Bailey bundle of goodness, I have stitched up a

recipe file (or brag book) with one of those great Pop Daisies appliqued on it.

  

    

    

I also whipped up a matching set of potholders that have a self-binding.  I've never tried this binding technique where you leave enough backing fabric around the edge to bring it up and over the front of the project. I'm uncertain if I'm a fan, or not.  I wasn't sure where to start and stop my quilting since it isn't hidden by any binding. Any thoughts?

   

     

  

I attached a grommet in the corner of the potholders for hanging.  This is a good alternative to a hanging loop. Installation of the grommet involves a tool.  I do love using tools.  They empower me.  Tah-wanda!

    

Cutting into these polkies encouraged me to cut into some other fabric I've been hoarding.  I've been whacking away at my bits and pieces of Summer in the City. Lovin' it.  I can't wait to show you the fruits of this project.  I'm also thinking about trying out this idea I have in my head for binding a baby blanket.  Oh, and there's a sock elephant brewing in my brain.  Emily had a birthday.  She cashed in her You Go Girl certificate for that sock elephant that has eluded her for so long.  And, perhaps I should make a coat for the cat.  She got her summer make-over last Friday.  She looks just like she did in this Pretty Kitty post.  I love this hair-do, especially the "boots". They remind me of furry Mukluks.  I think Kitty is cold, though.  She has spent the entire morning snuggled under this blanket on my bed.  I didn't have the heart to move her so that I could make the bed.

   

   

Do you think she'd wear a little down vest?  Just kidding.  

    

I hope all is well in your corner of the world.  We are busy, busy, busy doing all the things that come at the end of the school year.  I'm having trouble carving out time to do all the things I have to do, not to mention the things I want to do.  Better get back at it...

    

~Cassie

Enough to Say a Fond Farewell

I didn't buy every Full Moon polkie on the planet like I said I was going to a few posts back.  I only bought enough to say a fond farewell.  It is tempting to hoard these little beauties and bring them out on occasion to admire and pine after.   But you will not find me rocking back and forth on my couch, stroking this fabric, and humming a haunting tune.  No way!  To prove it, I'm going to go cut into some of this as soon as I get done typing.  I have plans for those lovely little red polkies.  They have a date with Heather Bailey's Pop Daisy.  I'm going to do it.  Right now.  Immediately.  Pronto. Stat. In short order.  Promise.   I have my scissors out.  Here I go.   I'll show you in my next post. Really.  I'm doing it.  Snip, snip, snip...

Talk to you soon,

Cassie

Butterfly Mobile

 

She admired this:

But it was $79.00.  Ouch! 

So we cut some of these:

 

Strung them together like this:

 

And ended up with this:

 

She thinks it's the BOMB!

Contemplative...

Here's a look at what's blooming in the You Go Girl garden.  All this beauty makes me contemplative.  I am rarely still long enough to be contemplative.  But today I was.  I did nothing for a few minutes but think.  In the quiet, I was reminded that: 

God's creation reveals His glory.

  

His glory is my pleasure.

 

And as much as it pleases me to gaze upon such beauty,

 

it is even more gratifying to know that I am firmly planted in the garden of the King.

 

The God of the whole universe gazes upon me and you and sees beauty. (Can you believe it?  Beauty!  That's easy for me to say, but sometimes it's hard to believe.)  He diligently pulls weeds that threaten to suffocate us, prunes branches that keep us from growing strong and healthy, and nourishes us with His own special brand of Miracle Gro.

 

It is a good thing to be blooming in the garden of the King.

Look at the lilies and how they grow.  They don't work or make clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you?  Luke 12: 27

In the Shop...

 

I have listed two new Zippy Wallets in my You Go Girl shop.  They would make great Mother's Day gifts.   Inside the wallet you could tuck a little gift certificate to your mom's favorite restaurant or shop.  One of the wallets is stitched out of a piece of  Sandi Henderson's Ginger Blossom.  This particular fabric (Breeze Lei) from the line looks great on anything.  Love it.  The other is made from Amy Butler's Lotus fabric.  Look how that pattern lines up.  It was purely by accident. Trust me.  I'm not that clever.  LOL!  I've heard rumor that Amy's Lotus and Belle fabrics have been discontinued.  As you know from my previous posts, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Full Moon polkies.   I'm addicted to them. Just look through my Flickr.  I use them on everything.  What will I do without these Full Moon polka dots?  I'm feeling the need for some desperation fabric shopping.  Is it wrong to buy every piece of Full Moon Polka Dot on the planet?  Do I need help?  No wait.  Don't answer that. 

Toodles,

Cassie

Just so you know--If you buy a Zippy Wallet, I promise I will mail it the same day so that you will get it in time for Mother's Day.