Need to Buy some Time

If you know where I can get some, I'd be thrilled to hear! Actually, you could make a grundle too! I am sure people from miles around would like some too :) I am having fun listing things in the shop, but man, does it take forever! I haven't even had a chance to sew becuse it's eating my time for lunch and dinner.
I gotta get through this, then keeping it updated won't be too bad :)
Off to list more- wish me speedy fingers :)

Up and Rolling!

Well, I am getting my FQs and pillowcases listed in Etsy, bit by bit :) The most time consuming part was editing the ba-zillion pictures. I know everybody loves doing that :). I am just not patient enough, I want it done yesterday! hehe!

The other thing that wore me out was lugging 5 stacks (well, make that 6 after my thrifting today :)) all this big or bigger up and down my stairs to the deck for the photo shoot! Gave my muscles a good work out! So that's a plus :) Almost as good as weight training, well, um, I'll count it as such :).

So the shop now has some of the many items listed. I am doing as few each day as I steal a few minutes away from the priorities of life :) There will be over 100 once I have them all up! Whew! Head on over and check out the pretties- I would love adding EACH of them to a quilt- what fun that would be!! Dreaming....

HERE'S THE SHOP LINK (www.LightningBugz.etsy.com) All things magical, ya know! And vintage is definitely magical!

By The Seat of My Pants...

The only thing I had made for the Sewing Summit was my teensy quilt name badge :). The day before the Summit, I got a wild hair that convinced me that I *needed* a ca-ute cover for my note book. I wish time were no issue, but I got crazy and stayed up late getting my fun project done!! I used a tutorial from the lovely Vanessa over at http://www.vanessachristenson.com/ as a guide while cutting the main pieces and sewing them together.

I knew I wanted some of my favorite fabrics and linen, of course! So I pulled some favorites and sewed strips, teeny little strips! Then I cut them all on an angle. That was the fun part :). I had no pattern, just a picutre in my head of what I wanted to make the cover look like. I cut linen and tried to get the meaurements to work out. They did, thankfully! It was a great lesson in improv and just working to make something how I wanted it, without knowing exactly how to do that. Such fun and ca-ute--ness!! By the seat of my pants, that's how I refer to improv! :)

After hours of working on the front, I went for a simple slant linen and fabric stripe on the back :). I still love it too though. And let me tell ya, it was much faster :) hehe! I added a yellow flower button for the embellishment that held it closed, and was completely happy with what I took notes in for the conference! It was very me, and as Amanda says, it qualifies as a mini quilt. Cool!

So I wound up with 2 things that I had made for the Sewing Summit- woohoo! HA! Love it. Just being there was enough for me :) But I do love still being able to use my cute notebook that reminds me of all I learned.

I'm entering this in Celebrate Color, 'cause that's what it is for me- a celebration of color! Go see the amazing things over there- just beautiful stuff!

Calendars

I am REALLY big on them- I like to write, not type, and I like to have it all in front of me :) You should see the calendar on my desk- it looks like a huge scribble there is so much written on it- trying to keep up with our Zoo and all :) And it stays at home- too big to carry. That can be hard to schedule things when my brain is on my desk at home! HA! But following Joy's (www.joyshope.com) recommendation, I just got an Erin Condren planner at a steal! They are normally $50- that's outta my budget, but today you can get a $50 gift certificate for $25! You also get a $5 rebate for signing up at the plum district. And then, if you use the code FABULOUS, you get another 10% off!! Seriously!! Add it all up, well, actually, subtract it, and the planner is only $17.50!! Woot! And if you don't like planners, they have awesome call me cards, address labels, ideas for dads, and all sorts of fun things! My kinda place :) So if you want to hurry over and grab your cerfiticate, I've heard these go fast... Enjoy :)

http://www.plumdistrict.com/three_for_free/da6a585264/click

Vintage Daydreams...

I wanted to make a vintage pillowcase and decided to go out of my "comfort zone" and not have ANY rules! Let me just tell you how hard that was, but it was oh so fun too :) I decided to use a rainbow of colors from the sheets I have and cut strips from each of them. Pink, orange, yellow, purple, blue, and green.
After the strips were cut, I sewed them together. Iron. Then I cut them all against the seams at varying widths, flipped some and sewed again. Iron again. Next I cut them again, but with the seams this time, again at varying widths. I sewed it together again. Iron.

Add a darling vintage sheet for the envelope back and ta-da! Here is my lovely pillow case. It was challenging to step outside of my norm, but it was very rewarding too. I am very much a "plan" person, so having no definite thought of what the finished product might be was a leap for me. I've been leaping lots lately in life, and it teaches you some good things. My vintage daydreams pillow reflects those leaps and how they always end up beautiful in the end :)

I am entering this in the Celebrate Color contest. Go check it out- there are some amazing creations over there. Mine's simple, but it's me. And vintage daydreams are always a good thing :)

Delighted, Seriously!!!

Yes, sir ree, bob!! I was able to be Delighted!, completely and wholey, this Wednesday! It was Amanda's (http://www.thequiltedfish.blogspot.com) Launch Party, and I got to help! It was a dream come true! These ladies felt like coming home to kindred spirits- they all wrapped their arms around me and took me in. I asked questions and they got to know me too. I told Miss Amanda my dream and she told me to "Do it!" Not an ounce of hesitation or doubt in her voice! I wish her voice was in my head- well, now it is! I have that memory, and it will stay strong! She is a marvelous example of following your dreams and making beautiful things that brighten the lives of so many!!
Every table and window seat was decorated to the hilt! If I could decorate my house this way, I'd be in heaven everyday! All these boys around here would pass out though- teehee! It was so very ME and so very gorgeous! I love her style, the way she makes things feel, and the vintage-y goodness that was there!

This was the old timey candy tables- real live pulled taffy, in colors matching Delighted!, of course!! :) Other treats, and even a wroght iron ferris wheel with little seat cushions made from different Delighted prints! Ouuuuuu!!!

This is the window seat I got to decorate! She told me to make a "picnic", so I did! The old soda bottles she found were the perfect addition to the basket, blanket, flowers, and Delighted!! We had just gotten everything set up when the sun started setting. The light came in the room like in this photo, and it was truly magical! The whole room was full of sunbeams and just glowed! Definitely pure inspiration!! :)

Another window of fun! Miss Amanda appliqued this pick up truck with her fabrics and I fell in love with it! Such stinkin' cute-ness :)

The room from one doorway- you can barely see the row of large pom poms we hung from the ceiling and had huge bows at each swag! It was perfect! I couldn't have imagined more fabulous decorations- It made the evening a dream! So many people came and visited and enjoyed! There were incredible foods, a photo booth :), make and takes that were beyond cute!, necklace designers, fabric giveaways, and so much more!! My Mama came with me- I told her she had to come and see what my fabric craze is about!! It was so fun to have her "see" what my quilting side is like :). Thank you Miss Amanda for letting me help- it was an honor and priviledge! I am grateful to call these ladies friends- and hope to hang with them much more in the future!! So, the moral of the story is, Delighted! Everything about this fabric is wonderful, starting with the lady who designed it!! Grab some up quick- and make something beautiful- it will make someone smile :)

Vintage Breakdown

Yup, I am a complusive vintage sheet buyer! No other way to say it :) hehe!

I just had to grab a *few* more when I ran into a thrift store last night- to the tune of 3 pillowcases and a dozen, or so, sheets. I have finally decided to take a jump into the unknown and sell vintage FQs in my Etsy shoppe!

Oh how I love vintage, and as much as I would love to have a Riley Blake fabric shop, it's just not in the budget at the moment. I have a sewing "appliance" that I would go nuts to be able to purchase- so my shop will be my working goal in that direction!

I will be working today to get photos taken and hopefully start listing items in the next day or two!! Thanks for your support of my vintage "habit" and I hope to supply everyone with wonderful vintage yumminess!! Cheers!