Last week I made a shirt

Lately I've been wanting to make myself clothes. I tried a couple of times when I first started sewing, but nothing ever turned out quite right. I have at least three half finished pieces of clothing tucked away in my craft room that I just gave up on. But here lately, with a couple of successes while I was pregnant, I thought I would try again.

I started simple with a pattern I've actually made before, Simplicity 3835. I really like this pattern because it is so flexible. You can make a ton of different tops or dresses with it. This time for example, I made my sleeves longer and ditched the elastic in them:

When I first made this shirt, I made it too small and it was way too uncomfortable to wear. This time I made it three sizes bigger, and it fits perfect. It amazes me how different pattern and store sizes are. It is really so important to measure yourself before sewing yourself clothes. Last time I made myself an 8, since that's what I buy at the store...but according to Simplicity patterns, I am a size 14!! Humbling as it is, just cut the bigger size, it makes the end result much more flattering. It took me a while to learn this!

The fabric I used is Heather Ross, Far Far Away in double gauze, purchased from Sew to Speak. This fabric is very soft and perfect for a light weight summer top like this. I have another couple yards in the purple unicorn print from the same line and I am debating making another top with it too, but we'll see...I also have enough left over from this print to make Eliza a matching top or dress...how dorky would I be if I made us matching clothes? Probably pretty dorky right? Oh well, I'll probably do it anyway.

One of my favorite helpers also joined me for the making of this shirt:

Lola gave me some extra challenges by pouncing on the pattern pieces while I was trying to cut the fabric. She must have sensed this pattern was too easy for me now. Or maybe it was her way of telling me she needs a matching shirt herself? Or a kerchief, perhaps? She does love her designer fabric!

No sewing happened this week with having to go back to work (sigh) but today was my first day off with my girl since going back to work and I think it was the best day I've had in a while. I look forward to more of these Fridays, just her and I and I'm sure the weekends will be even better too.

Kitty Photo Shoot

It's past my bedtime, but I was uploading some of our cat pictures to flickr tonight...and had to post this right now! Our cats sure are photogenic aren't they? Especially all grouped together like this! I love taking their photos, it is so much fun...and great practice for me too, especially when the sun shines in the window just right.

I uploaded many of my cat pictures to a flickr group connected with one of my favorite and daily reads...Itty Bitty Kitty Committee, a cat loving blog written by Laurie Cinotto. I've been reading this blog for a while now and it inspires me to take many cat photographs. The blog follows the daily lives of the kittens she fosters and there are also appearances by her resident cat who often mothers the fragile kittens. She takes such amazing cat photos and narrates the adventures of these foster kitties as they discover their world, truly capturing the kitties personalities. If you love cats, you will love this blog! And it is comforting to know that this creativity goes toward the good cause of finding the kitties good homes.

This years Christmas Tree

Saturday, David and I braved the snow and went out to get our Christmas tree. We pretty much just grabbed the first one we saw since most of the trees were covered in snow and we were shivering. Usually we take a lot more time picking out a tree than that. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when Sunday after the tree had dried out and we put it up, we realized it was quite petite -not too much taller than David! But the tree is still looking good, despite being shorter than usual and so far it has survived the attempts by my 3 kitties to take it down, ornament by ornament.

Here are a few bits and pieces of our Christmas tree so far. I may be back with more...




This is what the cats like to do with our tree:


And when the ornaments are on the floor, all cats plead innocence:

Crafty Kitties

I've blogged about them before...and I cannot help but do it again after this weekend. What can I say, I crossed into crazy cat ladydom many months ago. Indulge me!

The cats LOVE the craft room, they always have. Often they follow me around while I sort, iron, cut and sew. I actually have to kick them out most of the time, but that wasn't the case yesterday. Here they are helping me out...

Lola helped with the ironing:


And Chicken sorted my scraps:


Could you ask for better helpers? And if you miss Pudge, he can be found here reading my pattern to me, but that was a few weeks ago, yesterday he just slept! And what did I do in the craft room? Well, I made a 5 minute skirt. It was pretty darn quick to make! Pictures to come, post-hemming!

We kept him

Thought I'd take a quick moment to announce we kept Chicken. The pet adoption agency was taking a while and meanwhile Chicken got sick so we had to make an emergency trip to the vet last Sunday. I think that sealed the deal right there. I'd already captured him, got him fixed, watched him grow from a feral, hissing, scaredy, doesn't trust a soul kitten to a now frequent lap sitter. I already thought he was flippin adorable...then we had to nurse him back to health. What was I supposed to do? Plus he fits in with the family. My other cat Pudge loves being a big brother. Lola likes that Pudge has a playmate that isn't her. And I told David just make me give him away and I will...yeah, he couldn't do it either.

Above is one of my favorite pics taken with our new camera.

Chicken Lickin, Chicky-Chickster, Chicken Pot Pie, welcome home, for good!

Summer Lovin'

Since most of my craftiness this past couple weeks has been in the kitchen or the yard (I should say containers within the yard) and my camera, well it just sucks, and it's refusing to photograph, I've decided to just share a list of some of my favorite things lately which make me all giddy inside!

1. Spoonflower: A new "shop" which allows you to upload and edit designs to be printed into fabric. The black apple, one of my favorite crafty artists has already uploaded hers! I'm still waiting to be approved for membership (it's still in beta I think) and I may not have the cash for my own fabric, but it is fun to admire the designs. They also have a flickr group.

2. Farmer's Markets: I'm going to TRY and hit one on each of my Saturday's off. It just feels better to eat fresh, local food. Plus I discovered a new (to me) site called local harvest which tells me there is one only a few miles away, which is so much better than travelling to Clintonville or the North Market since they are sadly so far away from me now!

3. A.D.O.P.T and Rascal Unit: These are two fabulous pet advocate organizations. I would be so lost without them this month! Last week we finally caught mama cat, got her spayed and have released her back out into our yard. This was quite a task and she did not like it one bit, but she is finally fixed! She doesn't seem to like us like she used to --as much as a feral cat can like humans anyway-- but the food we put out is gone every morning. Her kitten (aka "Chicken" around here) will hopefully be listed on ADOPT's page very soon, pending my approval as a foster parent. So if you want to take his cute little butt home there is still time! Chicken Lickin' will be a hard little guy to part with...he gets his first round of shots this AM.

And one not so giddy piece of news...I've pretty much decided 2008 will NOT be the year of the craft fair for me. As much as I really do want to try my hand at a craft fair, I think I would be doing it for the wrong reasons. And things I can 'mass produce' are limited and not my favorite things to make. What I am truly wanting to make lately are clothes, things for the house, perhaps another quilt...the list goes on...for now it will still be just me and the etsy shop.

You MUST make this omelet!

We had my family over for a Father's Day brunch today and MAN we ate well! I made an Oven Omelet from The Splendid Table's: How to Eat Supper.

So. Freaking. Good.

It has 2 types of cheese, green apples, onions and chard. I had never even heard of chard before this recipe and I used red chard actually, because it was what they had at the grocery store. It tasted great, kinda spinachy, but better. And the apples added an amazing twist to the whole thing.

How to Eat Supper is an amazing read. I've been reading about it over at angry chicken and finally my much anticipated copy arrived on reserve from the library last week. I think I'm going to have to buy this one though. I have made two recipes from it this week and both exceeded my expectations (I also highly recommend the Santa Fe Summer Pot with Avocado and Shrimp -made that Monday night). This is actually a cookbook you can sit down and read as well, lots of little stories, which I am digging. It is so much more than a cookbook...

As this very busy Sunday winds down I am going to head out into the setting sun and plant me some herbs! I'm going to give this whole gardening thing another try I guess...and then maybe finish off the wine from brunch. Oh and do you know anyone who wants a kitten? I know a really cute one who needs a home. I cannot keep this one, but I am teaching him superb kitty manners. Don't you want to take this cutie home with you?

Itty Bitties!

We found these 4 cuties at our new home this weekend...They were living under the gas grill the previous owners left behind. My realtor and I discovered them when we lifted up the grill cover. I do not think they had seen many humans up close before because they were terrified and shaking and hissing at us. They never really did warm up to us before we took them to the Humane Society. Only one (the smoky grey one) warmed up enough to be held. We had to rescue another one from an adventure down the dryer vent. But they are all safe now. And my first mission when we are all moved in is to track down Mama cat...whom we couldn't catch, but who according to the neighbors has had 3 litters!!! We need to get her fixed!

Crafty Pudge?

I caught Pudge studying my pattern notebook tonight. Looks like he wants to learn to crochet. I sadly broke the news that kitties can't crochet, but he wants to try anyway. If there ever was a kitty who could do it...I believe it would be Pudge.

Quilting with Lola

She likes to watch me work :)

Lola

So yesterday at work, I was setting up for a program when some kids told me a cat was in the library....In the library? I asked them...and they pointed to the bathrooms and there she was! A black/brown and yellow (calico I guess?) kitten in the upstairs lobby, not something you really expect to happen, but libraries do tend to bring on the unexpected...So I led her outside. I picked her up and she was instantly my friend, but I didn't know what else to do so I went back to work. But the more I thought about the little kitten out in the cold, and how friendly and trusting she was...I went back for her. I brought her back in. We kept her in the back room the rest of the afternoon and she slept and snuggled with the rest of the staff. I decided I had to take her home with me. And I did...despite the fact that I can't have cats (per my rental agreement) and despite the fact that David does not "break the rules." I just had a feeling about her...I mean she wandered in to my work!!! And she is just too sweet! If anything I will keep her until we find her a safe and loving home. And David, well, despite being pretty pissed about my little surprise, well I think he loves her too now.


We call her Lola...isn't she lovely? She makes me wanna break the rules!