Wednesday, March 30

Out Like a Lion


How is it the end of March already?! The weather here has been so terrible, it's really got me down in the dumps, what with all the rain and cold weather. We had a really nice tease a couple weeks ago when it was in the 80's for a week, but then bam!, freezing cold again. I had to borrow my housemate's heater for under my sewing desk - the only warm spot in the house!


Something that has me on the ups? Finishing a nursery full of sweet little baby things for a friend. This past weekend I finished the curtains and crib skirt, today I finished the quilt. Also checked off the list? Diaper stacker, changing pad covers, and pillows. All I have left is a little table runner.

Mmm, binding.

I also finished my Doll Quilt Swap 10 mini and mailed it off yesterday. No full photos yet though, because the end result is somewhat of a surprise.

Completed

I also mailed two baby quilts for my dad to gift to co-workers:

Baby quilt

Baby quilt


That's about all I have time for now. I've also been working on something secret, not sure what I can share at this point, but definitely in a couple months! Off to work, lots of cakes to decorate tonight! 

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Tuesday, March 22

Spring Has Sprung!

I know a lot of my family and friends are still dealing with the remnants of a snowy winter, but spring has sprung here in Nashville!

And if my allergies aren't proof enough, here's a video I shot with my iPhone using the 8mm app:


Music: "The Happiest Day" by David Mead


Wishing you sunny days where ever you may be! xoxo
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Monday, March 14

DQS10

I've been contemplating how to approach my Doll Quilt Swap 10 mini quilt for quite some time now. I knew I wanted to incorporate Red Riding Hood of some sort, so I finally decided to jump right in a see what happens. 

Parts

I pulled my favorite Red picture from Google, which happens to be from famed author Roald Dahl. 

Appliqué

I cut out all the pieces from scraps and the tiny bit of red I have in my stash.
(On a side note, I need to start buying red fabric so fill in my stash - any suggestions?)

Red

I ended up changing her hand because I'm over-analytical and decided the first hand was anatomically incorrect with the thumb and stuff. But now I like it better the first way and I'm decided whether it's worth it to tear it apart and fix. 

Border

Next on my list is attaching a patchwork border to finish it off. I'm thinking a nice assortment of red with teal/blues and black & whites.
(On another side note, I'm also seriously lacking black & white fabrics, which can be very helpful in creating a nice contrast with other fabrics. Suggestions?) 

I'm looking forward to sending this quilt off to my partner, I think she will love it! And I'm as excited to receive a quilt in exchange. I've been skimming the Flickr group, but I have no idea which one could be for me! 

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Thursday, March 10

Bitty Sewing

I have a few small sewing things to knock out before I get to work on a full nursery and I was happy to accomplish a good bit today before work.


First, a baby quilt for my dad's co-worker. The family is from India but their upcoming daughter will be an American citizen, making it easier for the rest of the family to become citizens as well. To signify that, my dad requested a bit of red, white & blue, but I couldn't help but go all out and do the whole quilt in that color scheme, with a lot of pink thrown in for good girly measure. And of course, that cute little flag block.

The quilt top is finished, I need to get more batting and maybe backing before I quilt it.


My friend Leann asked me to sew some things for a friend who is having a baby boy. Today I worked on shoes, tomorrow it will be bibs and burpers.


I love these fabrics for little boys, they are so fun like a circus. 


I got distracted by my music selection today and accidentally sewed in the wrong lining, so they are a little mismatched, but I think it works for these shoes. 

Tomorrow I hope to make a Joann's run and then spend the day sewing. I have a long list of to-do's, but I feel like I'll be able to crank them out! 

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Sunday, March 6

Trying the Simpler Life

The past few months I've been thinking about how to make our lives a little more natural, a little more environmentally friendly, and a little easier on our bank account. In other words, a little more like the good old days, when things were simpler. The trouble with the simple way is, it's a little more work, but in the end, I know it's worth the effort. 

At this point, I've taken two steps to "simplify" our life. First, homemade laundry detergent. There are a million recipes out there, but they are all pretty  much the same: Borax, Washing Soda, and a bar of soap. 


These are all readily available items, and they are all pretty darn cheap. I was able to find all three at my local Kroger, and paid less than $7 for all of them. I will be able to make numerous batches from this initial purchase. You can do the math, but trust me, others have, and it's cheaper than buying laundry detergent. Plus, there's no weird chemicals going into your closet or your water table.

First step: grate a bar of soap. I used my fine cheese grater. It wasn't hard to do and took just a couple minutes. Mind your fingers when you get to the last little bit.


I ended up with a pile of fluffy white soap. It was like fake snow but smelled better. 

Next step: add your Borax and washing soda. I did a cup of each. That's where the recipes vary a little, but trial and error means you can find your preferred blend.


Lastly: Mix it all together until you have a nice powder. You can also make a liquid version, but that takes more effort. I'm going to try this detergent for the first time today, but internet consensus confirms it works just as well, if not better, than your average laundry detergent. 

The second step I'm taking to visit my natural roots (quite literally!) is weaning off shampoo. Again, there's plenty of literature out there on the interwebs so I won't go into details, but the gist is this: Shampoo strips your hair of it's nice natural oils, so your hair has to work overtime to make up for it, which makes your hair greasy. If you never start shampooing, your hair would be able to naturally balance the oil situation, making the need for shampoo obsolete. Now, I'm not saying I'm not washing my hair - there are still yucky things in the air that mess up your hair. But, instead of buying shampoo, I'm opting for a Baking Soda wash with an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse, which cheaper and more natural than shampoo.

Basic recipe is: one tablespoon of baking soda in a cup of hot water, stir to dissolve. I pour a bit over the front part of my head, scrub the roots, flip my hair over, pour & scrub there, then do it in the middle and everywhere else in between; rinse well. Then combine one tablespoon of ACV with one cup hot water. I sick my pony tail in the cup, let it sit, then pour the whole thing over my head. Let it sit for a bit, then rinse well again. 

I do this about once a week, which has been a good balance for my hair. Before I shower, I get two plastic cups, fill one with baking soda and the other with ACV. I add the hot water in the shower. On the days I don't wash, I either just rinse with water or put my hair in a pony tail and keep it dry while I shower. My hair is thick and coarse, so once a week works for me. If my hair does get a little greasy (usually just my bangs) I brush in a little baby powder to absorb the extra oil. My hair is definitely more moisturized and shiny, less frizzy, and I don't need to use conditioner anymore. 

And because I know you'll ask: no, my hair doesn't smell like vinegar. That goes away after rinsing. On the other hand, it also doesn't smell like Tahiti Coconut; it just smells like hair. A little bit of essential oil in the mix or lotion on your ends can spiff up the smell, but I don't have a problem with it. Yes, somedays I miss the lather of shampoo, but the appeal of this method is more enticing to me.

That was a bit of a long-winded post, kudos to you if you made it all the way to the end. Let me know if you try either of these methods, or if you have any other tips for me! Hope you have a great week :) 

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