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?

some recent work

i have mentioned before how much i love making all my custom orders, but i think that baby gifts must be my very favourite. there is something pretty special about making a one-of-a-kind item for a brand new little babe, and i feel very honoured whenever someone chooses my shop for these important first gifts. i always imagine the babies loving their cuddly blankets or squishy blocks for many years to come, becoming a well-loved part of their young lives.

i haven't made many blocks this past year, as i haven't had them in my shop for some time*. but every now and again, i get a request from a past customer or from a friend, and it is really fun to whip up a set of cloth blocks! these were made for a friend to take to a baby shower earlier this month.

custom smidgey blankets are always a customer favourite. i love the watery blues + greens in phoebe sue's blanket, with a hit of girlie pink for good measure.

tobie's blanket was commissioned for a very special visit with a miracle baby. the sun + clouds were the perfect choice! i hope she has many snuggly seasons wrapped in her special blanket.

* look for my custom cloth blocks to return to the shop in early 2012!

the rains are here

i love fall. even here in vancouver, when it is inevitable that it will rain, and rain, and rain. but when a crisp autumn day arrives, where the sun shines and the sky is brisk + blue, there is simply nothing like it. a perfect fall day.

you just need a great pair of cozy, lined rain boots.

a pop of bright colour helps when the rain seems like it will never end.

slip on my hands-down-favourite smoking lily shirt, comfy + stylish.

and at the end of the day, curl up with a cozy throw and read a book on the couch.

aren't you excited for fall?

{from top}

ilse jacobsen tall rain boots in grey

merrell urbaine rain jacket in lagoon

smoking lily mt. pleasant top

avoca sun salute throw :: via room6

they're here!

for one month only, these spooky hallowe'en treat buckets will be in the shop! each one is available in a limited edition of five, so get them before they disappear...

warm september

crisp crumpled linen, cool and fresh. beautiful shapes, simple lines.

lolling about in dresses and skirts, sun warming my shoulders, sunglasses on.

when it's this gorgeous + hot in september, i forget that we had a cold + dreary start to july.

woffle linen dress :: pamela tang

organic denim jean skirt - wrap cargo - hemp & organic cotton :: pyxus passion project

sage linen tunic dress :: larimeloom

lurking just around the corner

frank will be making an appearance in the shop in the first week of september, and he's bringing a few friends to join in the spooky fun. stay tuned!

nearly there

i know it's still pretty warm out, in fact this past weekend we had what i think was the hottest summer weather yet here in vancouver. nonetheless, it is nearly september, and i can't help but think of fall fashion. these pieces from pretty birdie would be perfect to transition into fall, don't you think? i love the rich colours, all hand-dyed with eco-friendly dyes. even better, all of pretty birdie's clothing is made with organic and sustainable materials. that dress is calling my name -- love the olive green, and it would be super cute over jeans, too.

images via pretty birdie

kitchen -- still!

why, yes. this will go down as the longest-short-kitchen-renovation ever. here we are nearing the end of august, and we are finally seeing the light at the end of the long, long tunnel. this past weekend, i finally stole a bit of time and painted the powder room and my workspace wall. i am in love with the colour, a cool + calming pale grey. the name makes me laugh, 'heavy goose' by none other than martha, because who else would call a paint colour 'heavy goose'? it looks fabulous next to my gorgeous bamboo work surface. here's a little peek!

the paint colour doesn't show up too well in the photo, but it was getting dark. anyhow, i'm so happy to be making a bit more progress. we finally got our floors put in last month, and i adore them. we chose a dark grey marmoleum plank, and it feels so soft and warm underfoot, it's perfect. the rest of this reno is all up to us, so there's no telling when it may get done, as we are both super busy. so wish us luck as we paint, tile, paint, and tile some more!

hopefully i'll be showing you some final photos in the next month or so, though if i were you, i wouldn't hold my breath ;)

fall fling

images via j.crew

loving the colours in these fall offerings from j.crew. that golden yellow is divine, and i love the resurgence of tweed and cable knits in the early autumn clothes i've seen popping up so far in shops. fall fashion is probably my very favourite, always rich and layered and oh so pretty.

red + orange + green + blue

not long ago, i got a request from a customer to make large fabric storage buckets for her baby boy's room. she had a fairly neutral colour palette in his room with some greys, and then a couple bright pops of primary colours. after chatting back and forth, she decided on a scheme that gave each bucket it's own colour, red + orange + green {with grey on the outside} + blue. it worked perfectly, and i love the fabrics she chose.

this is the largest size of bucket that i make, 10x10x10 inches square. i find this is as big as i like to go while keeping a good amount of structure, and when they're filled with toys, kids can still pick them up. they fit perfectly in the ubiquitous ikea expedit units, which we have in both our kids' rooms [i photographed the buckets in there before i sent them off]

my customer was really happy with them, and sent me a couple pictures of them in her son's room. i love doing projects like this, giving people a one-of-a-kind item that no one else will have. i think they turned out really well, what do you think?

summer smidgey blankets

i've been a bit busy lately, between sewing + summer + vacation + life, and haven't had the chance to catch up on posting my work. here are a few blankets that i've made this summer so far. i've mentioned it before, but i just love working on my custom smidgey blankets. each one is different from the last, fun colours, applique images, sweet names. all ready to be sent off to a special tiny person whom i hope will love and cherish it for many years to come.

addison's sunny lion and beckett's cute little owl were special requests made by my customers. both were asked to be in a specific style, and i think they turned out quite nicely. i have had the pleasure of working with some pretty amazing customers, who have fun nursery colour palettes and themes to work with. i feel lucky to have such great people coming my way!

::::::

on to a little shop news. please excuse me for chatting a bit about the holidays {yup, here we are in mid-august, and i'm thinking about the c-word} but i have to be thinking ahead!

I'm going to be taking a break from custom orders for all of september and october while i prepare for my holiday craft shows. I will have to focus solely on amassing stock {mainly for the One of a Kind Show mid-december} so unfortunately something's got to give! I'll keep my shop open with a good selection of ready-made items, so there will be lots to choose from in the meantime. In november, i will be taking a small number of custom requests for holiday gifts, but there will be limited availability. I know it's early to be thinking this way, but if you've got a smidgey blanket or a set of custom fabric buckets or stockings in mind for holiday gifts, it might be a good idea to let me know as soon as possible so that i can reserve a space!

sitting on a cloud

all images via cb2

i thought i'd share some new offerings from cb2 that caught my eye. i especially love the look of the cloud 16 lounge chair {bottom}. i'd love to have one in my living room to replace the leather slipper chairs that we've currently got, which i feel are just too weighty and chunky now for the look i'd like in that room.