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Goodies

Cupcake + Fabrics

making | in short

Puppies are being made. | New fabric combinations are being used. | Different sewing techniques are being attempted. | A new material has arrived to be used for stuffing. | A new look is being designed for the shop. | A Mod Dots Shop update is scheduled for this Friday, October 12th at Noon CST.

is it monday already?

Thank you so much to everyone who commented on the last post about inspiration! I noticed that the scent of water and my artful life even went as far as to post about it. Thank you! I was wondering if anyone else has posted about what inspires them? If you did, please let me know so that I can add a link to your post here too.

In other news, I've been working like crazy on stuff and swaps and trying to finish my latest project and trying not to forget the projects in my head. Phew! Today it's sunny so this afternoon I hope to do some photographing. And this morning, all I have for you is a picture of some vintage fabric I found at the thrift store last week. Love those vintage prints.

jumping in with both feet

I'm home, I'm home!

After a whirlwind of a Summer, we're finally home and settling back into a normal-ish routine. To celebrate this mini-momentous event I piled up a whole bunch of the fabric that I've collected over the past four months for a photoshoot. I've tried to list where they come from in the photo notes on the flickr page -- just in case you're curious about a particular piece.

All of the orange and aqua pieces (sort of in the center) were purchased to make a quilt. I want to make a nice spring/summery one with lots and lots of cool white fabric. But that project will have to wait until next year. Why? So glad you asked! I've got an order on the way from superbuzzy that will hopefully be the inspiration I need to get started on some holiday projects. Yes, I am going to start making Christmas gifts early this year. No, really. I am. Hey, stop laughing. You should get started on yours too!

p.s. It sure is good to be back! xxoo

what good things come in

I put together this small package for a recent swap. I hope the recipient enjoys it and can use it. (And can forgive me for getting it out a couple of days late. *sigh*)

I'm also experimenting with options for an upcoming celebration so I made a few extra tags to play around with.

I'm dreadfully short on time now that we have a closing date for the house and I have to be out very soon. Thank you so much to those of you who commented on the last post to tell me you'll still be around when things calm down for me. I really appreciate it!

the colors are coming

The blogosphere is all a twitter as another week of color approaches and I for one can't wait. If you're new to this phenomenon go check out Stephanie or port2port's blog for all of the juicy details, then start planning your photos. I've already spent a couple of days trying to decide what to do this week. Should I use the tiny ninjas again or go with something different? Should I pre-plan all of my images or should I wait and find my shot opportunity each day?

Decisions, decisions... I guess I'll have to decide pretty soon.

In the meantime, I've got some photos to show you of the things I bought and saw while Mark and I were in Waco and Dallas last week. The new fabrics and buttons are going to be part of a top secret project that I'm working on. Oh man... now that I've mentioned it I just know I won't be able to keep it a secret for long. For now I'll only say that I'm planning a big surprise for you (my readers) and that it will take place at the end of July. Okay, that's it -- no more information!

Oh, and before you get to the photos let me thank everyone who has commented my last post. Wow! I had no idea I was missing out on so many wonderful blogs and I'm only a third of the way through the list. If there's anyone else out there with suggestions don't forget that I'm doing the drawing on Friday so there's still plenty of time to get in on some free stuff.

buttons from golden d'ore in dallas

fabric from golden d'ore in dallas (top 4) and the salvation army in waco (bottom 2)

olivia as interviewer

painter: found art in waco, tx

box: found art in waco, tx

it all ends in failure

Recently I’ve experienced both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Two sides of the same coin here in my little world of thrift and craft. Before I tell you about my defeat, I want to tell you about the small victory I had.

My friend Maryellen and I went to lunch the other day and she took me to the most amazing shop. (I have of course forgotten the name so Maryellen, do you remember it?) It’s a vintage clothing shop/costume rental place but that isn’t the amazing part. When we arrived we headed straight for the back of the shop that was curtained off. The shop owner took us back there where she has been collecting every fabric imaginable for the past 30+ years. I practically had to keep my hand under my chin so my mouth wasn’t gaping the entire time. Stacks upon stacks of fabric in every color imaginable. We headed straight to the 70s section. (Yes, she has them organized by decade!) There she pulled out so many different pieces for us to look my head started to spin. What do I choose? How could I choose? I finally decided to limit myself to two pieces that I absolutely loved and vowed to return for more soon.

I wasn't going to get this first piece (photo below) but Maryellen pointed out that I had been carrying it around the store the whole time we'd been there and it was obvious that I really liked it. Sold! It was originally the bottom half of a dress. I love, love, love the bold pattern and colors. The second piece is a vintage hairdresser’s smock. It has long sleeves, two ties in the back and is made of an perfectly 70s turtle patterned fabric. What’s not to love?

Now my friends, it is time I told you about the failure. I woke up with a start about two weeks ago on a Saturday and realized that I had under an hour to get ready for a friend’s baby shower. I could have dealt with it is the waking up late part was as bad as it was going to get, but it got worse: I had forgotten to make a gift! I rushed to my craft room and started thumbing through my copies of Martha Stewart Baby issues looking for a quick and cute idea. There it was... quick and easy felt baby booties. Hadn’t I seen this done on half a dozen different sites recently? It should have been a piece of cake. Granted, I only had 40 minutes to create my template, cut, pin and sew it all together so if something went wrong there was no time for a do-over. Can you guess what comes next? As soon as I’d sewn the first bootie I knew I was in trouble. (See image below for visual confirmation.) I had made the opening for baby’s foot way too large and his little toes would never have been able to stay inside that shoe. I thought about making a patch but my heart wasn’t in it anymore. Five minutes and a quick little fabric card stuffed with cash later I was out the door. I thought the worst was over but no, I got a little lost so I called my sister-in-law who was helping out at the shower for directions. She helpfully guided me to the correct house and told me that she’d accidentally remembered the time wrong when she told me about the shower – I was an hour early! I couldn’t believe it, I had a whole hour extra in which I could have remade those booties. Oh well, that’s the way it goes. You win some and you lose some and I’m grateful for both. Mind you, it took me a little longer to be grateful for the last part of this post than it did the first.

Vintage Fabrics

I added these images to the "Vintage Fabric" group on flickr. If you'd like to see larger (and better) versions and/or more vintage fabrics you are welcome to go visit the group. (If you just want to see my photos, click here.) Clockwise from top right are: vintage pillow cover, children's vintage hospital gown, my grandmother's apron and the little hospital gown again.