For my budding artist

A portfolio. I bought a piece of story board and cut it in half, so now it measures 10x15. Perfect! It incorperates my new craze, colored duct tape, and a long time, inexplicable obsession, paint swatches. When he gets a little bigger he'll make his own. But for now I am so happy to have a special place for Nash's paintings and stampings and drawings. Though this project wasn't in the book, I have to say a lot of elements come from (again) Kid Made Modern. It's so inspiring. I feel like it would make a special gift, too.

Boons

Thanks to Kid Made Modern, link to the right, I have all sorts of new projects I want to work on. I've taken a little break from obsessively sewing, and this book came at the perfect time for me. In trying to keep a "handmade home" it's been fun to make some new toys. Nash's interest in these spoons has not waned. I picked up the spoons for about 50 cents each at Michaels. I painted them, then did some detail work with black ink pen, then covered them in a triple thick sealant. They look glossy and pretty, but I'm not sure I don't like them better a little dull and rustic. I haven't coated two of them yet and I'm going to leave them and see how they wear. I made a Humpty Dumpty, a flower, a funny critter, and old man, and some funny faces. I'm thinking of doing groups of characters, like Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma, Woolf, etc. Kid Made Modern is the book I've been waiting for. Buy, buy, buy.

Baby Girl's First Birthday

Elasti-girl

We've been watching a lot of The Incredibles, so I've dubbed her Elastigirl in her new shirt. She really might be too, she always seems to reach things beyond her capabilities. (This Moda print reminds me of Pez, which, obviously, I love.) I originally bought this pattern off of Etsy in June, but it wasn't a good purchase. I just couldn't make sense of it! It wasn't until I bought Making Children's Clothes by Emma Hardy that I saw how simple this style is to make. Hardy's pattern is for a nightgown, so I adjusted it, and I've got a few variations in mind for follow-ups.

Little Booties

You may think the matching pants and shoes are a bit overwhelming, but I'm liking it. Anyway, the shoes never stay on too long. Maybe they taste better than they look. The fabric is decorator weight Amy Butler, from Quilting Adventuresin Richmond, VA, which is an amazing store because they actually appreciate that there are things you can do with fabric other than make a quilt. There is a serious shortage of cool fabric stores in St. Louis, and I might be just a little bitter. The pants are straight from Lotta Jansdotter's pattern in Simple Sewing for Baby. The booties are from Making Children's Clothes, and took 4 times as long to make the shoes as it did the pants- funny how that happens. And the shoes only stay on for about 4 seconds! (Sorry guys, for some reason I can't get my links to appear, but the books are both listed in the right column with links.)

Recycled T Scarf

I've mentioned how I love re-using old t-shirts. They're so soft, and free, and plentiful. Well, they used to be plentiful (sorry, Babe.) A month or two ago I was goofing around and cut a stencil, which I painted onto an old maternity t-shirt of mine. I picked it up a few weeks ago, and one thing led to another and before I knew it I was on a Natalie-Chanin-style roll. I layered three t-shirts, cut the shapes, pieced them together and hand stitched around the cuts. I also love the back of the scarf where it just looks like all hand stitching. This scarf is so soft and warm- ahhh... the touch... the feel of cotton....

Wrapped Up

I've spent the last year envying women wrapped up in gorgeous quilts. Here, finally, I am wrapped in a quilt of my own creation.