skinny laminx

it must have mentioned it before, but i think it's worth repeating -- i'm a huge fan of skinny laminx. i pretty much adore everything that designer + artist heather moore creates. such beautiful prints, i sigh every time i look.

this pretty little number {top} is coming home to my house, soon. i think it will be the perfect pop of fresh colour for spring. it is right around the corner, isn't it?

i also have some yardage of the cloud birds print {in granny smith, above} which i am going to make into a couple lumbar pillows for our master bedroom. we need a great accent colour in our white + birch + pale grey room, and this is definitely what i'm after.

have you ever seen the amazing upholstery work done with heather's fabrics? here are some gorgeous chairs with her iconic orla fabric. i die. someday i'd love to do a bold patterned reupholstery of a piece in our living room. dreaming...

images via skinny laminx

a grand giveaway.

do you remember these lovelies? back in the summer, my super talented friend jan of daisy janie asked me if i would make some sample peekaboo buckets with her organic fabric line, geo grand. of course, i was delighted, even a little giddy! this is the result of our collaboration, and off they went to pennsylvania to live with jan in her home studio.

fast forward a few months, and jan was prepping for her international quilt market debut, where she was set to reveal her newest organic fabric line, shades of grey. i was completely honoured when jan asked if she could take my buckets with her to market to display in her booth. if you haven't seen jan's blog post about her quilt market experience, you should definitely have a look. not only is the booth to-die-for gorgeous, but jan's story is inspiring and uplifting. she also won the award for best new exhibitor! awesome. i am so excited for her as she grows + nourishes her business. jan is definitely headed for huge things, and an amazing ride.

anyhow, this week, jan has been having a week full of giveaways on her blog. she is generously doling out some of the samples that made up her booth display at quilt market, and our nesting buckets are among the goodies up for grabs today!

it's super simple to enter, just leave a comment here on this post, and you're in. but wait! i do ask one favour. i'd love to hear what you would do with these buckets, if you won. can you think of a spot for them in your house, or what you'd store in them? be creative!

the giveaway is open until sunday november 21, 8pm eastern time. jan + i will pick one winner, to be revealed on monday.

:: edit - congrats to dani, who has won the nesting peekaboo buckets! ::

now that you're all pumped for giveaways, you should head on over to the daisy janie blog, where jan's giving away even more goodies.

and that's not all! another incredible talent, laura of pansy maiden, is giving away a stunning handbag that she made for jan.

so there you go, three giveaways today! good luck :)

geo grand

several weeks ago, i got an awesome email from jan dicintio of daisy janie. she had just received the first bolts of her new organic fabric collection,

geo grand, and she was wondering if i'd be interested in working with her to create some of my peek-a-boo fabric buckets to highlight these amazing fabrics. well, there wasn't any need for me to think about it for more than a few seconds, of course i was interested!! in fact, i had a hard time wiping the grin off my face. so exciting!

jan + i chatted back and forth a little, and shortly afterwards, this sweet set of nesting buckets was born. i am super excited about how they turned out, and last week they finally made it out to jan's home -- and she loves them!

i am so glad, i was seriously holding my breath until they were safe in her hands! i think the peek-a-boos really show the fabric off well. what do you think?

i can't say enough about these fabrics. the colours are amazing, and i love the funky retro vibe of the graphics. they are a dream to work with too. they sew beautifully, the seams lie so nicely, and the body + weight of the fabric will lend itself well to a wide range of products for home or personal accessories. i can't wait to sew with them some more!!

the best part of this project for me was the fact that jan wanted to work with little old me--i'm such a huge fan of hers!! i first came across jan's work through an interview last april on the old modish biz tips blog. i was immediately drawn to the fabrics in her etsy shop, they are so gorgeous! but most of all, i was drawn to jan's genuine willingness to share her advice, her experience, and her wisdom with small business owners everywhere. jan has so much to share, and ever since this interview [and the many others she has given around the web], i have considered her to be a sort of unofficial mentor. i've learned so much from her. thank you, jan!

ps - have a peek at the lovely blog post jan wrote about the buckets. such kind words, i am so very honoured.

fifi

when i came across designer fiona howard's company fifi, i was instantly drawn to the bright + bold colours and gorgeous patterns she splashes on everyday items. mugs and trays, coasters and tea towels, cushions and totes. things that will make you smile day after day.

there is even yardage available of the lovely fabrics, perfect for stitching up napkins or a table runner, to bring that extra pop of colour to your home. i'm having a hard time resisting buying up all the textiles, they are so beautiful!

visit fifi by fiona howard to gaze at the loveliness for yourself!

all images via fifi

a pack of pouches

more of what's been keeping me up late these past few weeks. come see them at got craft? on sunday!

a fleet of mini buckets

just a peek at a few of the many mini buckets i'll have with me at got craft this sunday. come on by and say hello!

swag

i'm in the home stretch. my first big craft show is coming up on sunday, and i've been sewing like mad! [hence my lack of presence here, and all the cataloguing posts]

the first thirty people to come through the doors at Got Craft? receive a swag bag full of goodies from the vendors at the show. for my swag donation,

i used some of my favourite scraps + turned them into fabric bookmarks.

i added a loop of twill tape at the top, meant to hang out of your book so you can easily find your spot. i hope people like 'em.

i've got loads more sewing to do this week, wish me luck! i'll share some pics along the way to give you a sneak peek. in the meantime, enjoy your week, and the beginning of december. [wow, seriously?]

cataloguing 11 :: felt eggflat

it's no secret that i love felt. it is easily my favourite textile, and i just love when it's shaped + formed + curved, like this amazing vessel.

check out the eggflat by josh jakus, available at branch.

image via branch

local focus :: laura bucci handmade

this week's local focus is about the lovely laura bucci handmade. i first saw laura's work some time ago, and was instantly smitten by the collections of gorgeous fabrics she uses in conjunction with crisp natural linen. i love the simplicity of laura's goods, they combine smart design with impeccably sewn details. seriously, i've never seen such straight seams + perfectly pressed corners!

i have recently connected with laura via the wonderful worlds of twitter + blogs. we somehow seem to have missed chatting in person at a couple of recent vancouver events [both the handmade nation screening and the vancouver etsy meetup] but i am sure that we will meet one another in due time. she is a very sweet + genuine person, who clearly enjoys making a living doing what she loves.

images via laura bucci handmade on etsy

laura has just recently started saving $1 from each of her online transactions to donate to kiva, an organization for micro-lending to entrepreneurs in poor countries. your money is given as a loan to an entrepreneur in need, and you get to choose where it's going + see the worker you are supporting. i think this is so fantastic, we should all take a page from laura's book.

you can read about laura on her website and blog, and be sure to visit the laura bucci handmade shops at etsy and big cartel [where canadians can pay at par, yippee!]. happy shopping :)

wee chef sets

smidgebox wee chef sets are the perfect accessory for your little helper. great for cooking + baking in their own little kitchen, or for helping mom and dad with dinner! these sets come in three sizes, and are comprised of a reversible apron + potholder. [pretend of course, not for use with heat!] 

wee oven mitts are available on their own, or added onto any set. the aprons can double as cute art smocks, with bright colours to inspire any budding van gogh.

these wee chef sets can be personalized with a child's initial, or can be customized to suit your child's favourite colours. i'm happy to work with you to create a special set if you'd like! wee chef sets will be available in the shop starting today, with more new fabric combos to come in the next few weeks.

tuuli trees

i really really like this chair. we need a chair in our bedroom, and as we 

s l o w l y get closer to actually finding the time to paint [gasp! paint?] 

said room, i am starting to look around for ideas. 

we will likely choose a lovely shade of grey for the walls, and our bedding is grey and white. we'll need a hit of colour [to be determined, but probably somewhere in the realm of marigold-yellow-orange] and some art. i think this lovely chair, covered in classic marimekko tuuli fabric, almost qualifies as art. 

image via day-lab diy

mod quad

i can't get enough of all the incredible printed textiles available right now. today i'm especially loving the bold graphic quality + saturated colours of the mod quad collection from cicada studio. if i got my hands on some, i would definitely make myself a nifty tote bag like this one. that is, if i find some time to sew something for myself.

image via cicada studio etsy

green :: blue :: yellow

sometimes it seems as though i'm taking two steps forwards and two steps back [and no, i'm not trying to channel paula abdul. blech.] i've been working really well, getting lots done, and then i'll overdo it one night and i find myself struggling for a couple days with fatigue, finding myself too tired to accomplish anything. i need to find some middle ground.

luckily, this stack of fresh fabrics is making me happy. i am sewing a set of soft blocks as a gift for some friends, their baby shower is this saturday. i figured i may as well make a few extra sets for the shop while i'm at it. 

i feel like i am making some progress. i do have several items to stock my shop [which i plan to open may 1st]. they are just ever-so-slightly unfinished, as i haven't printed my sew-in product tags just yet [on my list!]. the tags are nearly done, so i can finally wrap up these projects and get them out of my head. this will help to reduce my mental clutter. phew.

i did finish a couple commissions last week. first, a patchwork cuddle blanket requested as a gift for a new baby. i delivered it today, and it was instantly well-loved. second, a wee chef set that a friend wanted for her son. he turned four last week and loves to help out in the kitchen. it, too, was very happily received.  i am so lucky to have such supportive friends + family who are with me all the way as i venture out with my new business. thankyou!

FilzFelt

in recent years, i have become rather enamored with fabrics, and have gathered a healthy stash of cottons to fuel my passion for sewing. 

my first fabric love, however, was felt. thick, lovely, smooth wool felt. it's pretty difficult to find nice quality felt here, so i was rather excited about finding FilzFelt on etsy last fall, and while i have yet to order any, i thoroughly enjoy lusting after the yummy felt goodness in their shop.

images via FilzFelt

i love it. can you imagine more delicious looking felt? i'd love to buy yards of all my favourite colours, just so that i can have it here to admire in person. *sigh*

fabric eggs

this beautiful spring weather has me thinking of easter! [i'm kidding. it actually snowed here this morning. totally unheard of in vancouver. gross.]

anyways, i was reminded this morning of these awesome fabric easter eggs by retro mama. aren't they adorable? i love that they're re-usable year after year, unlike the typical blown and dyed eggs. and unbreakable, which is key.

image via retro mama

i'm definitely going to make some of these before next weekend. i'm sure i can squeeze them in. 

a little inspiration

while mooning over some pretty workspaces over at martha, i came across a house tour of joelle hoverson's brooklyn apartment. 

this office nook is the perfect mix of clean neutrals with rainbow hits of colour to keep you inspired while working. check out the spools of thread on the middle shelf. love that.

and of course, there's her fabric stash. i'm a sucker for stacked, folded + colour-coded fabrics.

joelle owns Purl and Purl Patchwork in new york. such a fresh aesthetic [both online and brick + mortar]. just look at those shelves of fabric. *sigh*

all images via marthastewart.com

Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts [joelle's book] is one of my favourites for sewing inspiration. it also has fantastic photo styling. someday i hope to tackle this quilt. for now i'll continue with my quest for the perfect workspace.

stacks

stacks of fabric squares, ready to be sewn. soft blocks, anyone?

i am on a quest to get my little shop open by the end of the month. may be somewhat difficult as the boy has two weeks of spring break coming up, and my sewing time will be seriously compromised.

let's see if i can do it!

bunting

i finally had the chance to make a flag banner this past weekend. i've been seeing them all over the web, and was just waiting for an appropriate reason to whip one up. i'm co-hosting a baby shower in a couple weeks, so i decided i would make one for decoration, and the lovely mama-to-be can take it home with her as a little treat. 

the new baby's nursery will be aquarium-themed, so i figured that heather ross' mendocino collection was the way to go. [have i mentioned how much i love heather ross' fabric designs?] i also included some of three sisters' simplicity dots + pinstripes, and lecien's micro-polka dots. i think that the aqua with little hits of orange is so fresh and sweet looking. this was a fun and quick project, and i think it'll look great at the shower. 

there are more images on my flickr.

block love

one of my oldest friends welcomed her second baby, a girl, on christmas eve. i finally had the chance to finish her baby gift yesterday, a set of soft blocks. i enjoy making these, they are a fun project and [i think] a nice gift. babies seem to love them, and they're pretty to look at!

here is my pile of fabric waiting to be cut. i just love the way fabrics look all stacked up and ready to be used. so fresh and pressed and pretty. that erin mcmorris bird print in the ivory colourway is probably one of my favourite fabrics ever. swoon worthy.

i had fun mixing up lots of different fabrics for these blocks. i do like pairing prints from within one collection, but for me, the fun part is finding pieces from different collections + designers, and coming up with my own combinations. with all the amazing fabrics out there, it's always a pleasure.

opposite sides of the blocks. lots of little ribbons to touch + inspect. i think it's so cute how wee babies are drawn to ribbons and tags.

you can see more pics on my flickr. 

i've talked about it before, but i want to start working on some of these to go in my shop, which i hope to have up and running this spring. i'll keep you posted.

bag lady

last fall i participated in a craft show. i sewed 'wee chef' apron + potholder + oven mitt sets, and loads of tote bags. these were my three favourite totes, but really i loved making them all. some were more geared towards kids, others for adults. they're super handy to use as a purse, library bag, small shopping bag, or a matchbox car-carrying bag, which is how my son likes to use his.

'bird + tree' small tote. denim exterior with a silkscreened willow tree on the front pocket. lined with joel dewberry's sparrow fabric in almond colourway.

'a hit of pink' medium tote. denim front with a peek-a-boo reverse applique. alexander henry's viceroy fabric in black + white for the straps and back. lined with kaffe fassett's aboriginal dot in pink.

'coriander seahorse' small tote. grey wool felt front with peek-a-boo reverse applique. backed with amy butler's coriander fabric in dark grey + aqua. lined with heather ross' seahorses in aqua + orange. [heather ross is one of my favourite fabric designers. i horde all of her fabrics]

this tote bag was my definite fave from last fall's craft show. i'm glad it found a good home, and i'm sure it is well-loved.

more pics of my tote bags, along with other smidgebox products, can be seen on my flickr.