Sewing, Beading, Inspiration and More.
I love a happy accident. Without even planning it, I managed to make a DIY beaded necklace using all of the warm shades of the Pantone Spring 2017 colors. Truth be told, I made this before I knew about the upcoming colors. Sewing my own clothes and making my own jewelry keeps me both on […]
This is a three part post containing a me-made shirt, skirt and necklace. To start, coral is one of my favorite colors because it can be worn in the southwest year round. Since i am heavily motivated to create by seeing color, when I saw this light weight fabric, I knew it would be […]
Returning A Favor It is a little early for Valentine’s Day, but I am feeling the love from Rhonda. Blog love, that is. I was grateful to find my blog featured on Rhonda’s Creative Life Wednesday Showcase! Rhonda wrote a thoughtful post summarizing my love for sewing, making jewelry and offering tutorials. It is […]
Yes, it looks like I am on a cowl neck dress tunic streak. A recent post featured a McCalls 7020 cowl neck top turned dress that would make you think I have no imagination. Really? Another cowl neck dress? But this one is slightly different. It is a great jumper for grownups. Pair […]
A BIG Thank You goes out to Rachel of Sew Red-y for nominating me for the Blogger Recognition Award! Little did I know that having Rachel in my Joann’s class years ago would result in this! I never thought that my love for sewing would bring me into the online world of great people who share […]
As I move into 2017 and take inventory of my lengthy list of sewing projects, I am reminded of the bloggers who took great time to review their versions of sewing ‘Hits and Misses’ of 2016. There seemed to be a plan from the start of the year to execute specific garments for their […]
Yes, this post is going out just under the wire before we move in to 2017. This will conclude another wonderful year of sewing experiences. I can’t imagine what I would do if I didn’t have this great hobby/skill to rely on for a creative and useful outlet. I am grateful to my […]
Here is a little Christmas humor for the crafters out there….enjoy and pass it along. Twas the night before Christmas, I’m decorating the tree. I’m wondering what Santa will bring just for me. Could it be fat quarters or a pattern or lace? Or a quilt kit, I said, with a smile on my face. […]
Men’s ties make the perfect circle skirt to dress up your tree. If the male family members in your house despise wearing ties (like my husband), and they are sitting in a drawer, gather them together for this quick project. I was lucky enough to receive my dad’s and uncle’s discarded ties after […]
Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
Cloisonne enamel and gold from China
Metal work from India
Wooden thimble from Bali, Indonesia
Engraved thimble from Thailand
Painted Porcelain thimble form China
Seattle skyline thimble
San Francisco, CA, 'Golden Gate, Victorians, Cable Cars'
Porcelain Oregon thimble
Sterling silver thimble from Japan
Yeoman Warder, Tower of London
Inherited & engraved grandmother's aunt 'Edith' thimble
San Diego Zoo, CA
Provence & Limoges, France
Thimbles from Santa Monica, CA
Abalone & Mother of Pearl from Hawaii
Cloisonne thimble from Granada, Spain
Inherited Pewter thimble, origin unknown
Antique sterling silver & marcasite cherub/stars/clouds
Pewter thimble, Tower of London
Coral, enamel & abalone from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico
Native American sterling silver from New Mexico
Pewter/Glass Air Space Museum San Diego, CA
Porcelain thimble from Colorado
Porcelain thimble from Windsor Castle, England
No garment posts today, but I do have a sewing related slideshow for you. (If you don’t see the slideshow on your phone, click HERE). This post is a quick look at my sewing thimble collection. You aren’t yawning right now are you? Give it a try. It may not be one of the most […]
Am I dating myself if I ask you about the color of Silly Putty? You know, the dirty, well-loved Silly Putty after it has been used on newsprint a few times. Looks a little gross, but it provided lots of fun for me when I was a kid….and there is interesting history of the gooey […]
If your sewing skills drift from garments to quilts to crafts, you will enjoy stepping into Sew Creative in Ashland, Oregon. Since I have a love for sewing garments, I have chosen to let others perfect the quilting skills while I continue to master fabric manipulation on the human form. That being said, I find […]
Okay, you thought I gave up posting, right? Not exactly. I just took a sabbatical from blog posting. I have some things to share, so I hope you’ll stay tuned. I have been busy with a tiring job for the last few months and all my energy went to it. This blog post is about […]
In the spirit of early fall and pumpkin season, I whipped up this Butterick 5925, a Katherine Tilton tunic. Have I mentioned how I love it when the end of October rolls around and brings a little chill to the air? This is the consistent time of year in Tucson when sweaters and coats […]
Follow my blog with Bloglovin If you have been perusing my About blog page, you have seen a glimpse of my extensive fabric collection, an now I’m confessing to you that I have the same problem with beads. This is why I will not allow myself to start any more hobbies. I HAVE NO MORE […]
Is there a neutral color that gets your attention every time? It may be certain shades of gray, tan or camel or a interesting combination of shades you can’t even describe. Well this is mine. I love this boring and funky color of brown/gray/beige. I bet many of you would call it something entirely different. […]
Right after I explained in my last post how I would be making an effort to post more often and regularly, I promptly discovered Dressing Your Truth by Carol Tuttle and disappeared again. The information was fascinating to me because it was such a different approach to one’s style and how we present ourselves […]
Preparing for my trip to Seattle meant considering some potential rain fall during the time of my visit. My daughter recommended a hood of some sort and that would be adequate. I have lots of jackets but few have hoods. I came across this cute jacket at my local Hancock’s fabrics while checking out at […]
Necklace from Stein Mart, Black D Orsay flats from Target, Nine West Bag
Cuff Bracelets, Bangles, wide and narrow
Target sueded flats with gold studs, Jessica Simpson handbag with gold trim
Sandals from Kenneth Cole, Bag from Nine West, Necklace from Coldwater Creek
Pearls and Crystal Bead Necklace-Self Made, Shoes from Sole Society, Bag from Nine West, Long pearl strand-Self Made
Scarves and Jet Black 72" Faceted Bead Necklace
Beaded Shawl, Stretch Pearl Bracelet, Hand knotted Pearl and Silk Cord Necklace(Gift!), Strappy Sandals
*Slideshow will change or you can click on the arrows to the left/right to advance to next photo. Because I love to sew, fabric purchases are my first and foremost weakness. (My family can attest to that!) Running a close second is a compulsion to purchase RTW accessories, completing the artistic vision I have in […]
I know that black is not one of my best colors, or so I’ve been told, but I can’t help myself. It is just too easy to work with and sew into great go-to pieces for reliable, pulled-together looks. With my fascination with capsule wardrobes, I have a Pinterest board filled with many variations of […]
“There is no influence so powerful as that of the mother…” -Sarah Josepha Hale Happy Mother’s Day to all who have cared, loved and sacrificed. You are appreciated.
I have changed my email subscription service as of 05/4/15. If you interested in receiving the most recent post notifications and are reading this from tablet, PC or laptop, simply click on this post and you will find the Email Sign Up in the right hand column under my photo. If you are reading […]
Before I get started, I feel I have some explaining to do regarding my “break” from posting. It is due to many reasons, none of which may interest you, but I have been doing home remodeling to one room in the house, which leads to much upheaval in the rest of the house. I am […]
I wish my local Joann’s store was a little quicker on putting the latest pattern catalogs and pattern magazines out on display. I get all excited only to find the store hasn’t gotten around to putting any of the patterns in the drawers. What to do? Visit Hancock’s instead!! Pour over these pages […]
Although this will post in November, I worked on this jacket for a good part of October. This time of year brings about the prolific use of orange everywhere-mostly for Halloween, but also for fall decorations. The above picture is a bright geranium from my yard, blooming like it is the prime season for […]
