whimsy white

I was at the fabric store the other day and fell in love with some whimsical white fabric with beautiful detailing. It reminded me of a sundress you would sit on the grass in on a hot summer day.


I had never sewn with light airy fabrics like this, but I had to try it out and I think they came out beautifully!
No ruffle required. This fabric has enough detailing on its own.
I'm excited to play around with different fabrics and get some really unique stuff made. I usually like to work with fun vibrant colors and prints, so it's nice to have a sort of elegant side to whimsy lane!

I think I'll use this fabric for wristlets too, since it would look so pretty at a wedding or with the aforementioned sundress in the park :)

On another note, happy New Year!!!!
Hope everyone has a safe and fun night. Here's to a great 2011!

new additions!

Dear winter break... I love you!
I am getting so much sewing done during the day (when Sam's not wreaking havoc on everything) and during the night when the house is quiet.

Today I made something new...cloth coasters!
PS how cute is that bowl I found at TJMaxx for $14.99?!

Each set of four coasters has an absorbent padded center and will add color and whimsy to any table :)

And it was a rainy Phoenix day today!!!
This was taken at about 2pm- can you believe how dark it was!?
Perfect day for sewing :)

Etsy Preview

I've been preparing to open my Etsy shop.
The little shop address has been sitting lonely and empty for a long time and I think it's time to put stuff in it.
I'm aiming to get this done by this week so stay tuned for an announcement on here and my Facebook when it opens.
Until then, here's a little preview of what will be going in the shop.
These make great gifts!
I've given away a bunch to my friends because everyone can use a cute little pouch to organize their stuff.
I keep one for my receipts, one for small items in my purse (chapstick, gum, bobby pins, etc) and one for my makeup.

These prettify your purse by disguising your ugly checkbook.
Fits all checkbooks with or without a register.

These are removable composition book covers perfect for any writer, doodler, or student.
The bottom one is mini sized. Perfect for a back pocket or a purse.

Keep restless fingers busy at restaurants, church, anywhere!
Each crayon wrap comes with 16 crayons.

Thanks so much to everyone who has written me expressing interest!
I'm hoping to also add wristlets and camera strap slipcovers to my arsenal.
Keep checking back for updates!

have a holly jolly Christmas...

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!
In the morning Sam opened his presents and after that we spent the day just lounging in our PJ's!
This drum from Target was filled with all kinds of fun instruments!


Sam & Mema imitate the little critter, which has a moving mouth and makes funny noises when you squeeze his belly!


What could it be...


A laptop!
Even though he's a little young for the games on it, we got him this kiddie laptop because it has real keys, so we're hoping now he'll leave mommy's alone!

Christmas night we took Sam for a walk through our neighborhood to see a house that goes all out with the decorations...to say the least! They even had Christmas music playing, and a trail through their front yard.
You can see it in the daylight here.







Now if only we'd get some cold weather here so it might actually feel like the holiday season!
It's been a short sleeved winter here in Arizona!
Oh well, can't complain about that!

sew excited about these!

Whenever my girlfriends and I go out drinking dancing, we always end up annoyed at our big bulky purses bumping people and being in the way. So we end up leaving them in the car and just bringing the essentials: credit card, ID, phone, keys, and lip gloss... in our pockets. Not a good look. So for Christmas I made them each one of these...

Wristlet clutches!
They're the perfect size for on-the-go errands or a night out with the girlfriends.
They were such a hit with the BFF's I am adding some to my arsenal!
They may not be in the shop when I first open it, but they will be an added item.
I also learned that Etsy finally added coupon codes (yesssss!) So major discounts are in the works for my grand opening!
I better get to work!
I need your help though ladies: What should I call these little things? I thought about calling them "bar hoppers" but I don't want to send the wrong message! Should I just stick with "wristlet clutches" or go with something more creative? Any ideas?

fake it til you make it

I don't have back lighting above my cabinets.
But I have some pretty vases up there that I wanted light to wash through, so I improvised.
Christmas lights!


White icicle Christmas lights for about $7 lay atop my cabinets for a romantic glow


You can't see the lights from floor level and it leaves a nice glow in the kitchen when you don't want the glare of overhead lights.


So there's my cheap solution to bad kitchen lighting!
I'm really inspired by white Christmas lights. I think there is so much you can do with them and they really add romance to a room. As a teenager I had rose vines above my closet door and was so set on having white lights strung throughout that I had my dad put an electrical outlet up high on the inside of my closet so there wouldn't be a wire running down the wall. I'd love to know what the new owners think of that crazy outlet now! :p

Inspiration: Closets

What chick doesn't love getting lost in a great closet?
If I ever get to design my own home, I will design an amazing closet like Megan from Honey We're Home did (seriously, how amazing is her closet? You have to go check out the other photos) or at the very least our next home will have a walk-in for me. But until then I'm left dreaming about the closets I see online, and getting ideas from them.


I would love to have a vanity like this in my dream closet


I love how there's space for t-shirts on the sides


Ahh look at those mirrors!

I like that these shoe racks are totally do-able. You can find these type of shelves anywhere.
I think Ikea even has them!


If you have a great closet, let me know so I can click on over and see it!

cheap picture display

I had these cheap black shelves laying around and an empty wall in my kitchen, but I didn't want to rack up a huge bill buying frames so I headed to the dollar store.
Not only did I get most these frames there, but they also had the matting (2 per pack!)
The other frames I got at Walmart for THREE dollars each!

I really like the look of black frames with white matting. It looks really clean and organized.

Now I'll always be checking the dollar store first when I'm buying frames.
Second, Walmart! Who knew?!

meet the stuff

Since I'm on winter break, I was able to take advantage of midday sunlight today and got some photos taken of my stuff to be put on Etsy. My new camera is so sharp you can see the threads in the fabric! Holy 18 megapixels!
I'm hoping to officially open up shop this week, which is a scary and exciting thing to finally do!
More on that later, here's some stuff...


Pouches/makeup bags

All fully-lined with coordinating fabric

Boxed bottoms so it can stand up by itself

Pocket notebook slipcovers

They're removable and cover tiny composition notebooks you can see here
Replacement notebooks are .77 at Walmart!

Full-sized notebook Slipcover

Also removable. Just slip off when notebook is full.

Crayon wraps

rolls out...

...to hold 16 crayons.

Checkbook covers

Coordinating fabric on inside pockets

Holds checkbook with or without a register

Now meet my creative director!
Mr. Ashby has been with the "company" for 20 months, loves the color purple, and gives his stamp of approval simply by saying "preety".
He's a man of few words :)
Sam at work in the studio.
(We have a relaxed dress code around here)

Inspiration: Christmas

Sometimes after Sam's in bed and I'm plopped on the couch in front of one of my shows I like to browse the internet for amazing images that make my heart skip a beat. Inspiring homes are something I will never tire of seeing.
Here are a just couple beautiful homes and decorations Christmas edition!


Happy Holidays everyone!
I'm now officially on winter break! Woo hoo!

Funny Faces

Silly Sammers!
All clean after bath!
I was hoping to get my Christmas cards done tonight, but I chose movie night with the hubs instead. This Christmas season has been such a lazy one for me! Maybe it's because it's been 75 degrees here in Arizona, but it just doesn't feel like the holidays and it's making it hard to get in the Christmas spirit! I haven't even gotten my shopping done.
'Tis the season for procrastination?
Anyone else in the same boat?