progress and pincushions

I have had this crazy, possibly tacky, and dearly loved pincushion ever since I started quilting with my granny as a kid. Now that I am working on multiple projects at a time though, I find myself holding extra pins between my lips, poking them in the arms of chairs, finding them built up like sediment at the bottom of the antique ashtray turned holder of odds 'n ends at my bedside, mixed in with my bobby pins in the bathroom, or perhaps hidden away in some dusty corner where the cat hoards her varied and massive stash of shiny thing-a-ma-bobs (And yes, from this information and the photo of artfully arranged pins above, you are correct to assume that I have a slightly serious case of ocd and am only a little bit scatter-brained...what, can't you see that combination being part of a winning personality?!).

well, back to the point though (pun kind of intended i regret)...since realizing this pin problem, i've been doing a bit of pawing around on etsy and i've found some fine pincushions that might just be able to hold their own next to my current one. You can click on the image to go straight to the listing or check out the links to each shop's home page for all kinds of good stuff!

color and more color, that's what i like :)
found this little lovely at Zemphira's etsy shop

this comes to us from The Daily Pincushion which has a huge selection
—plus i just can't get enough of this color lately, so pretty in an unexpected way i think!

and last but certainly not least, here is a stylish number from picciolo

quite a modern design appeal but down-to-earth and charming as well, don't you think?!

p.s. I've recently been working with some really fun Alexander Henry "pantry" fabric which is what is shown up top there with my own pincushion. i'm close now to being able to post a few of the pieces I've made with it so start getting excited.

seeing red (in a good way!)

I just finished this apron today and am so happy with the way the red hand-stitching came out! It also matches the pair of potholders i posted in the shop just a bit ago. If you hadn't noticed yet, I'm a bit in love with polka dots :) I love that they have some vintage charm about them but also a very graphic and modern appeal as well.

I've been trying to update the shop more often so make sure to check it out if you haven't recently. I've got some new draft snakes and vintage items up with other new things in the works—i hope to post more soon on some rice hot/cold therapy bags with essential oils mixed in and about some coasters that i'm working on now!

insert sewing binge here

i admit, i've been a terrible blogger in the last few days, but i must say that it's quite amazing how much work i can get done when i am not feeding my computer addiction! here are about half of the potholders i've gotten started...material is cut, stuffing stuffed, and the linoblock prints have turned out really nice for the opposite sides. i've used the colander and utensil stamps that i made previously and also tried them out on some linen dishtowels which i think turned out pretty nicely if i do say so myself!

now i just need to do the hand stitching inside and out, add the fun details of the twill loop and tag and then they're set (goodness, that sounds so much quicker than it will actually be)! i'll be taking a batch of them to my first trunk show(!!) which is coming up next week and hopefully they'll all come out as nice as these which are currently for sale in my shop.












i've also gotten the chance to make those draft snakes i mentioned before, my favorite is this one which is almost set to take with me to the show as well. don't fret though, there are doubles of almost everything and those i will be posting to the shop!


and yes, i have just a very small affection for LOTS of COLOR! :)

a bit of gluttony and grace

i've been so busy preparing for and hosting our family thanksgiving this year that i haven't really had a moment to think of anything that did not revolve around it. so much cooking, toasting, meeting new beautiful babies, exposing my fingers to mild and also probably some serious oven burns, and of course an overload of feasting and family!

i do love cooking and tampering with recipes but this is only the second time i have even roasted a turkey, the first being just last year...the 18 lb. brined and roasted bird seemed to come off without a hitch though, despite my best efforts :) and all in our miniature apartment kitchen!


i hope your holiday was pretty much amazingly fabulous as well (without the burns that is...speaking of which i really should have made myself some potholders) and if i could, i would certainly have you over to join us for the dessert of pumpkin and apple pie from scratch with homemade whipped vanilla cream and chocolate shavings, and then of course a ridiculously large mug of some uber drool-worthy coffee and bailey's concoction to finish it off!


it is off to bed with me for now then to catch up on my sleep (the flannel sheets are finally back now that we have said goodbye to another soul-melting DC summer!). meet you back here tomorrow when i make my official return to the land of the living!