a ladybug hallowe'en

several weeks ago, i got a lovely email from the talented angie allen, asking if i would be able to make a custom hallowe'en tote for her adorable daughter's ladybug girl costume. of course i agreed, i was totally honoured to create something special for this sweet 6-year-old.

i love how it turned out, in fact, it has given me an idea for a fresh line of fabric buckets in the new year. stay tuned!

angie wrote a great post about the costume on her blog, her photos {as always} are absolutely gorgeous. you should definitely head over and take a look. thanks, angie!

pouches for preschool

this past summer, i embarked on my second preschool 'end-of-year' gift making. these little zipper pouches will be handed out to my daughter's preschool peers on their last day of school next june, as a little gift from their teachers. when my son was in the same preschool, i was asked to make the gifts, so the boys went home with d-ring belts, the girls with headbands. i wanted to have them finished early, winter + spring are so busy for me, so i did them in little bits over the summer.

forty pouches for the girls,

and forty pouches for the boys.

it was a fun project, though it did take some time. it's a labour of love, for sure. my kids get {and got, in my son's case} so much out of that school, so i agreed to do what i could within their budget. i got to use a bunch of fabrics from my large scrap bin, that were too small to use for much else. i love the way they look all splayed out like a colour wheel. i hope the kids like them!

sneak peek :: baby organics

well hello! it's certainly been awhile, hasn't it? things are so super busy at my sewing machine, and i'm afraid i've just not had the time to post here. i do miss it. i know i sound like a broken record! my plan is to capture november in pictures. whether it is a photo i've taken myself, or something that catches my eye around the web, i will be sharing here more often, lots of images and fewer words. i do hope you'll visit!

i'd like to share some sneak peeks of my upcoming baby organics line. I've had this in mind for a really long time, and finally have enough fabrics that i'm ready to get started! i will be having an exclusive launch of the first phase of smidgebox organics at the one of a kind show in december. phase two will follow in the spring. i am so excited about this, and i hope you will love it.

these next couple of pics are an assembly line of iphone cozies, ready to be sewn up for the one of a kind show as well. there is loads of production happening in these parts, and still lots to do in the next six weeks. {wow! did i say six weeks? yikes.}

i do hope that my lovely friends in vancouver will stop by the one of a kind show and say hello. it is my first foray into a multi-day big deal show like this. i must admit i'm a little nervous, but mostly i'm so excited about what's in store for my little business. a few friendly faces would be very welcome, so do come and have a peek!

lastly, i have a quick interview up at my friend allisa's blog. allisa is an amazing sewer, and i totally adore her work, so i was honoured when she asked if i'd participate in her 'shops that shine' series. thanks allisa!

IDS West :: favourite booths from local shops

saturday was pretty packed for me this weekend! after morning family activities {soccer and such}, I managed to get to IDS West for a few hours, followed by a short-but-sweet visit to anthropologie for the design*sponge book tour {fun!}. i capped off the night with a really great event at the loden hotel, an ikea canada sponsored party for the canadian design & lifestyle bloggers west. an inspiring but jam-packed saturday!

there were a lot of great things to see at IDS, but i will start off with a few pics from three local retailers' booths that made a real impression on me.

the colour scheme at parliament was bold + fresh. vibrant navy blue mixed with pops of lemon yellow, all set against a pure white backdrop with the odd hit of chrome. it was absolutely fantastic, i loved it.

i'm afraid i didn't get the name of the artist for the piece in the top photo. it's a giclee with glass-coat finish, and the colour and luminescence was amazing. {if you know the artist's name please let me know!}

i loved the layered look at the booth by provide. the colours were subtle but rich -- think navy, eggplant, fuchsia with an awesome array of textures and finishes. the missoni throw + cushion {directly above} were possibly the softest knits i've ever felt. bliss! love that chevron, on the pillow especially. i'm also a huge fan of the felt vessels and bags, simple + industrial + perfect.

if you live in vancouver and haven't been to provide, you must. it's a beautiful shop filled with a well-appointed collection of pottery, textiles, furniture, and housewares. bonus, you can ogle heath ceramics' amazing dishes there, too!

last but not least, orling & wu had a simple but striking booth showcasing some of their amazing wallpaper offerings, as well as textiles and hand-painted dishware. incredible! that metropolis wallpaper {top pic} is just stunning. i can imagine a feature wall in a future house, somewhere. i also love the look of the industrial farmhouse lighting paired with the wallpaper. the subtle colours here were perfect for an autumnal display.

i'll be back later in the week with a peek at some of my favourite artists + designers + displays from the show, some i knew and some that were new to me. please excuse the poorly-lit iphone pics, i didn't have my camera with me, so the phone had to do!

a foggy day

i took these photos on a particularly foggy june day in north van. it was fathers' day, and the kids wanted to go on a hike with their dad. luckily the rain held off, but the fog was moody, damp and cool. seemed like an october day, somewhat like today!

i'm wondering how much work i would get done if i had a stretch of solitude, like working in that little hut {above} in the reservoir. perhaps i wouldn't be very productive -- i tend to be quite curious, and would likely spend more time wondering what everyone else was doing rather than getting my work done.

i suppose this post is just to say hello, poke my head in, and say that i haven't forgotten about this space. i miss it. i only managed a small handful of posts last month, and i do believe that's how this fall will go for me. i wish it were different, but truth be told, there is simply too much on my plate, and something's got to give. i'll still pop in and update when i'm inspired and able, and i hope you'll still come and visit, too.

happy autumn! i love foggy days, don't you?