friends who sew

This past Saturday, what was supposed to be a celebration of my Dad's birthday, ended up being (for us 3 girls anyway) an afternoon of wine, chatting about our lives and brainstorming about our three very different sewing businesses.

You already know me...so meet Jacquelyn and Carrie:

Jacquelyn is one of my oldest and dearest friends- we've known each other since the summer before 6th grade. She is the extraordinarily talented owner and designer of Jacquelyn Brooks Designs. One of Jacquelyn's major focuses is community and she donates a good portion of her time (as well as her designs) to benefits such as the annual Runways and Rescues fashion show.

Carrie married one of my cousins so I am lucky enough to call her family! She is owner and designer of both  Happy Little Monkey AND Monkey See Monkey Do. Carrie is one of the most forward thinking people I know and always has a few projects up her sleeve.

At some point, Carrie was able to snap a few photos of our gorgeous daughters enjoying some cousin time down on the the dock:

Every crafter/sewist/artist should have people like these in their life that GET what they are trying to accomplish and can help brainstorm ideas over an afternoon glass of wine.

GLAM Indie Craft Show 2011!

All the info you need to arm yourself for the GLAM event tomorrow:

You’ll be able to shop from nearly 50 local artists, crafters, and designers who are offering everything from T-shirts to tutus, and from hoola hoops to handmade soaps. 
GLAM hours are 12pm-5pm

 Vendors and links to their online shops

GLAM me up! -- an etsy treasury featuring several items available to purchase tomorrow 

Articles by Indie Gainesville on a few of tomorrow's vendors:
GLAM vendors
Dragonfly Graphics 
Miss Mermaid
Luellabird
Special thanks to The Sassy Crafter aka Kim Kruse for all her hard work in making GLAM a reality. Ride your bike and have plenty of room to park! Or take the bus. Villa East is on the 15 bus route. 

301 N Main Street, Gainesville, FL

View Larger MapDriving Directions

Hi, my name is...

Helen, and I have an addiction to beautiful fabric.

There are a handful of people who would ever be allowed to see the stacks of fabric I have in my sewing room. It's a little embarassing...

When I first started out sewing, I used to buy only what I needed for each particular project. Somehow (and very quickly) I gravitated to buying a minimum of 4 yards for each print I loved...and there is a LOT of gorgeous fabric out there, people.

Recently I had the experience of shopping with Sarah at Swell Cloth and it was hands down, the best fabric shopping experience I have ever had. Sarah was on it from the beginning- within an hour of my first email she had a custom order put together and posted for me to check out. The next day, my fabric shipped and again I received an email- this time with my tracking information.
All this, in my opinion should be standard for businesses. Sarah, went above and beyond to personalize this experience for me.

Today when my Swell Cloth package arrived, I finally realized I needed to sit down and write about this. Never before has a package of fabric come to me in such a beautiful and loving way. Each print was wrapped in tissue paper and sealed with a sticker...like opening a present! In that moment Sarah gained a customer for life.

The two Melody Miller prints I ordered from Swell Cloth:

What are your favorite places to buy fabric? Are there any small businesses you would recommend?

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places you can find Sarah
Swell Cloth on Etsy
Download the latest episode of her podcast, Stash Resolution for free on iTunes
Facebook
Twitter
Stash Resolution (blog)

perfect loveliness

St. Francis and the Sow

by Galway Kinnell

 The bud
stands for all things,
even those things that don't flower,
for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;

 though sometimes it is necessary
to reteach a thing its loveliness,
to put a hand on its brow
of the flower
and retell it in words and in touch
it is lovely
until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing;

 as St. Francis
put his hand on the creased forehead
of the sow, and told her in words and in touch
blessings of earth on the sow, 

 and the sow
began remembering all down her thick length,
from the earthen snout all the way
through the fodder and slops to the spiritual curl of
                the tail,

 from the hard spininess spiked out from the spine
down through the great broken heart
to the blue milken dreaminess spurting and shuddering
from the fourteen teats into the fourteen mouths sucking
                and blowing beneath them:
the long, perfect loveliness of sow.
                                                                    

------------------------------------------------------ 

The every so lovely Kathryn of Kathryn Kaye Photography has a new etsy shop!

If someone wanted to make me a very happy Helen they would purchase this 

beautiful piece of art for my birthday <3 (oh, or this!) 

Here are Kathryn's other links:

blog (a bazillion photos so striking you won't be able to stop looking until there are no more left to see) 

facebook be the first to know when she makes a new blog post or has a promotion going on!

my favorite and my best

It's hot as hell here in Florida. And yet...Fall will be here soon. My favorite time of year.


a cool breeze through my open windows
hot coffee
iced lemon zinger tea
baking
the Wednesday Farmers Market- actually staying to enjoy some music
planting a winter garden
more time outside in general
several drop offs to the thrift store as I try to keep our belongings to a minimum (forever, my losing battle)
and oh, the colors....oranges and browns, green, grey and yellow...
my heart warms just thinking about it.

joystclaire

shannspishak

Sylvia C Photography

sewjenaissance

 If You Were Coming in the Fall 

by Emily Dickinson

If you were coming in the Fall,
I'd brush the Summer by
With half a smile, and half a spurn,
As Housewives do, a Fly.

If I could see you in a year,
I'd wind the months in balls --
And put them each in separate Drawers,
For fear the numbers fuse --

If only Centuries, delayed,
I'd count them on my Hand,
Subtracting, till my fingers dropped
Into Van Dieman's Land.

If certain, when this life was out --
That yours and mine, should be
I'd toss it yonder, like a Rind,
And take Eternity --

But, now, uncertain of the length
Of this, that is between,
It goads me, like the Goblin Bee --
That will not state -- its sting.

that's my daughter in the water...

As an added *bonus* to my current giveaway contest, I'm activating a 10% off coupon code, good to the end of the contest (tomorrow/Friday at 5PM, Mountain Time). To use the code, simply enter 10OFF at checkout!

 

the time has come, the time is now

Kathryn Kaye & Miss Mermaid Giveaway 2011

 Call me emotional...it's certainly the truth. Reading the blog post Kathryn wrote last night- and seeing the photos of her beautiful children wearing the dresses I made...it brought tears to my eyes. We met as bloggers when we were both trying to get pregnant five years ago and have seen each other through some pretty significant milestones. And now she has actualized her talent for photography and I'm sewing- and thriving in finding a place for my creativity...it seems only natural that we put our heads together and find a way to support each other in this too.

To view the contest blog post click here. The rules explain how to enter 3 times for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop, Miss Mermaid.

Oh, and it looks like Colorado residents get an extra super secret deal just for entering the contest....so what are you waiting for?

Giveaway StartsTomorrow!!!

Keep an eye out tomorrow for information on a Miss Mermaid *GIVEAWAY* being hosted over at the gorgeous KathrynKaye's blog.
In the meantime...I will leave you with some of her beautiful photography...

6 things I love this morning

sipping my ice coffee, trying to wake up. the girls have been waking me up at 6am this week (big change from their usual 8:30). so here are some of my favorites. If you were to look at my etsy favorites you would SEE...that I have favorited nearly every listing from LilyMoon. Something about her work really speaks to me. So far I haven't been able to decide on just ONE thing...and I have a feeling if I got started I'd soon have a home full of LilyMoon art. So, here are 6 listings that I love- each one for very different reasons.

.

FifiduVie

AdelynStone

TheModernQuilter

MeadowTea

kittyrogers

LilyMoon

Miss Mermaid & Friends: KathrynKaye

So my friend Kathryn....she has a way with words and a camera. I have such an appreciation for the way she articulates her passions (of which there are many!). I highly recommend sitting down with a good cup or coffee (or glass of wine) and perusing her blog. Beautiful photos. Beautiful words. Oh, and today's blog happens to have a few Miss Mermaid photos for good measure! 

If you are in the Denver area (*ahem* to all the cousins I have living there!) I highly recommend contacting Kathryn for a photo shoot!

KathrynKaye Photography

Pin It
KathrynKaye the blog: http://kathrynkaye.com/blog/
KathrynKaye photography: http://kathrynkaye.com/
Miss Mermaid: www.missmermaidshop.etsy.com

 

Crafty Girls Swing AND Hop!

It's Handmade Wednesday again! Have you linked up yet? If not, head on over to Blue Eyed Blessings to promote your Crafty Blogs and Shops on their Blog Hop!


A look at one of the newest items from my shop:

 

 

Ella's Birthday Giveaway winner is....

**E-Ferraro**

Please leave your email in a comment below and I'll get your 40% off discount code to you!!!

(chosen by random.org)

It's Ella's Birthday *GIVEAWAY*

Tomorrow is my 1st daughter Ella's 4th birthday and to celebrate I've decided to have a *giveaway* contest! The prize is a coupon code good for 40% OFF in my shop
Here are the rules to participate:

1. sign up to follow my blog
2. become a Miss Mermaid fan on Facebook
3. tell me in a comment here on my blog what your absolute favorite item in my shop is

                      that's it!

The contest will end Sunday night and the winner will be chosen randomly and announced Monday morning.

new on the scene...

...The Knotty Apron Dress!

Miss Mermaid and Friends- 80+ GIVEAWAYS!

Head on over to Rumpsack Diapers for a huge giveaway party that celebrates her reaching 2,000 fans! As part of the festivities I am doing a giveaway there for a set of 4 Reusable Cloth Napkins from my Miss Mermaid shop! Make sure and look around Rumpsack Diapers....you'll find 80 (and counting) different shops with their own giveaways!

Miss Mermaid & Friends

Randomly chosen (by random.org)  from the Handmade Blog Hop I posted about last week today's blog post features two Etsy shops.

The first featured shop is Brick by Brick, run by Meredith Wahl. Brick by Brick is filled with really fun LEGO inspired picture frames, lamps and magnets. Meredith also offers custom orders for party favors!  

Today's second featured shop is Blue Eyed Blessings, run by Julia Munro and Cori of Cori's Big Mouth (original creators of the Handmade Blog Hop). Julia and Cori's shop carries the cutest head decorations for your favorite little girl! They've got everything including crochet hats, beautiful bows, barrettes and flower clips.


Please stop by to say hello and visit these ladies on their websites:

Brick by Brick:
Facebook

Blue Eyed Blessings:
Blog
FaceBook
Twitter

Handmade Blog Hop!

...a great way to promote your handmade store and blog.

How does this Blog Hop work? Easy!

1) Enter your blog and/or store into the appropriate spaces below!
*BLOGS* = 1st set of Linky's
*STORES* = 2nd set of Linky’s
*For the STORES link, please specify what type of store: ETSY:, ARTFIRE:, etc.

2) Grab the Linky Codes to share with all your Blogging, Etsy, Artifre, etc. Friends

3) On occasion I will randomly choose a blog and store from below to feature here

4) Now go check out and support some of the amazing ART that's happening below!

Add Your CRAFTY BLOG Here!

Add Your CRAFTY STORES Here!

*Don’t forget to include what type of store you have (Etsy, Artfire, Personal, etc.)

Special thanks to Little Speckled Frog  for including one of my Pumpkin Hats in her etsy treasury, Baby's 1st Halloween. Oh, and a couple of chicken and baby photos just because.

Commitment Made

So the book arrived this afternoon and after a bit of reading I figured out how much yarn would be needed.

SIXTY BALLS OF YARN.

Yes, you did in fact read that right. I just placed an order for 60 balls of yarn, or 6600 yards for a single project. Yes, I am freaking out a little. This afghan (will be bedspread by the time it's all over) is a huge commitment!

What it boils down to is 30 12" squares.
The book has 24 squares so I'm going to have to find patterns for 6 more squares that are equally as awesome. If anyone has a suggestion of afghan squares you just LOVE please feel free to post them!


What I've been working on this week:
Pumpkins!!

These hats have been so relaxing to make while hanging out in the evenings , watching a movie with my husband. Both of my girls just love them although I guess they look a little silly wearing Pumpkin hats 2 months before Halloween. It's got me thinking about what other fruit and veggie hats I can knit!

On the family front, both of my girls were allergy tested yesterday. The eldest was diagnosed with a mild cat allergy- totally doable. While our youngest, well here is the list:

cats
house dust
cashews
eggs (yolk and white)
dairy
casein
peanuts

There are still more tests to be done in the future.
Yesterday we came home with an epipen and four pages of foods V can't eat. Feeling very overwhelmed I got on Amazon and found a few cookbooks that looked promising. I'll probably order this one first and go from there. I'd love to hear other experiences of having children with allergies. Please forward my blog on to anyone you think might have advice or experiences to share!