Simple Sewing with Lola Nova Book Giveaway!

Today is a day for celebrating! There is so much to celebrate; the UK release of my book Simple Sewing with Lola Nova, the bluebird sky outside my window, and a very special celebration today that marks the 9 year wedding anniversary with my sweetheart Andrew - aka The Engineer! I love you darlin'!

Since I am in a celebratory mood I thought, what better than to hold a Giveaway here on my shiny happy place?! Today I am giving away one copy of my book to one of my readers! Hip Hip Hooray!

How's about a little sneaky peek inside?

In the Vintage chapter, I show you how to create this "Little Joy Dress".

These multi-use "Pockets Full of Posies" are found in the Natural chapter.

And one of my personal favorites, The "Summer Tent" is in the Boho chapter!

The book is broken into the following sections:
Boho
Natural
Vintage
Eclectic
Whimsy

So you see, there is surely a little something for everyone!

All you have to do to enter the giveaway is to leave a comment here on this post! Easy Peasy no?

But wait! Don't answer yet, there's more!

If you "Tweet", Blog, or Facebook Share about this giveaway; you will also be entered to win a Mystery Gift! Ooh, doesn't that sound exciting and yes, muy mysterioso! If I told you what it was then it wouldn't be a Mystery Gift now would it, but it could be something from the book, just maybe.

Let's break it down one last time:
1. Leave a comment for a chance to win my book. Please make sure to leave a way for me to contact you should you be the lucky winner.

2. Let me know if you have "tweeted", blogged, or shared the giveaway on facebook for a chance to win a Mystery Gift! When reading the words Mystery gift one should imagine an echo for full effect.

3. The Giveaway will be open until Friday, September 14th and the winner will be announced Monday, September 17th!

Celebrate Good Times C'mon!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Think good thoughts

Hello Monday, I am so pleased to begin a new week. A week of thinking good thoughts, healing thoughts, grateful thoughts.
Speaking of...I deeply appreciated all the kind comments you left me. They truly made my family and I feel cared for. Thank you.

Now that it is a new week, I can share with you a moment of sweetness from a certain 6 year old's party. She had such a grand time! We crammed our itty bitty cottage full of kids and grown ups. I think everyone had a nice time. There was mask making with feathers and glue (a very big hit). The sun came out long enough for the wigglies to run and chase chooks as well as each other. And of course there was cake.

I used the recipe from this blog post with yellow tinted whipped cream as frosting and topped with fresh strawberries. It was lovely and light and gone in record time.

And there was that yellow dress...well, it's mostly yellow.

Made from a sweet vintage seersucker with wee raspberries on it. The fabric was from my mother; it had apparently been biding it's time patiently in my cabinet for a few years for just this moment; the moment that Pony Girl declared her yen for yellow!

When asked how it felt to be 6, Pony Girl replied in a surprisingly world weary tone, "Old."

I will be back with more good thoughts, good stuff, healing stuff, grateful stuff...
That's right, it's all about chocolate!

Living Local

Saturday was opening day of the Portland Farmers Market. The Vernal Equinox presented a perfect bluebird day with just a slight morning chill. The family set off, pretty handmade market bags in hand, giddy with anticipatory delight and readying ourselves to make hard choices over fresh produce.

There was definitely something magical in the air, the smiling faces of the locals made it apparent.
What a feast for the senses! So vibrant are the colors, the textures so intricate, the smells so scrumptious! The order of business is to make a meandering loop past all of the vendors; to ooh and ahh over displays of freshly baked bread, rows of daringly colorful flowers, sample locally made preserves or blackberry honey.

For us, the temptations are great and the selection vast, so we bring with us a budgeted amount of monies; once that supply is deleted and our bags full, we head home. This helps to keep us in check and to purchase wisely so that there is no waste.

After our first go 'round, we discuss what we saw, what we thought looked especially appetizing, and how we could incorporate those items into our meals for the week. Then if the balloon man is spotted, Pony Girl gets a balloon animal/flower/hat and we wander over to the music stage and listen whilst the kiddies dance about adorably.

Then it is on to our points of purchase. We stuff our bags with the fruits of local labor, exciting in the possibilities and looking forward to the taste.

Now, for me, buying produce and artisan food stuffs from the market is not only a joy but, it is also part of my belief in supporting small local organic farms. I also firmly believe that these foods are healthier, taste better and nurture a sense of community. I can meet the farmers, makers, bakers, growers and have a conversation with them. I can ask questions about how they grow the food I will later put on my table. I know the name of the man who grows the greens for my salad, the woman who makes the delicious Sunchoke Relish we put on everything is a dear friend; all of these people are part of my community.

It seems like a natural extension of The Utmost Challenge, as the challenge seems to me, it is just as much a lifestyle choice and the challenge is to take that next step, to include more of these kinds of choices into our life. To live with intent and mindfulness everyday. It can be difficult in a mass produced world, we can take it one step at a time, change as we go and do our best.

I have to admit it's easier when you live in a place that has such a banquet of local splendor. We are truly blessed to have a community that celebrates this kind of life. I feel very fortunate indeed.

In case you're curious, we dined on the most beautiful gratin of potato, leek, parsnip and local artisan cheese. Accompanied by a lovely salad of fresh baby greens and multi-colored carrots. Everything on our plates had been grown or made within 50 miles or less of where I live, by people who actually care about what I eat for dinner. Divine!

It's easy being green...

...and pink!
For Pony Girl's birthday dress this year, I gave myself a wee challenge. I wanted to make something unique, fun, lovely, and I wanted to make it using almost entirely recycled materials.

Due to a series of unfortunate events, I did not sew the original pattern I started with, the one mentioned in an earlier post. I did use another pattern from the book Sewing Clothes Kids Love,, the Feliz Dress. And what a happy dress it is!

I channeled my inner Scarlett O'Hara and made the dress from the curtains. Not my curtains but, rather a formerly loved curtain from a thrift store that I found for $2. Originally a massed produced piece of decent quality, of cream background with pretty embroidered swirling flowers. I did on more than one occasion refer to the dress as "Frankly Scarlett!" The under-dress was cut from a piece of fabric that was given to me and I think used as a tablecloth or some such usefulness. The trims and ribbon were recycled from grosgrain present wrapping from the past or vintage pieces from my collection. Even the bits of elastic were cast offs from other projects. Only the thread and clothing labels were new but, also part of what I already had in my stash. Oh, and a little vintage doily from my grandmother.

I did not make any modifications to the pattern (shocking I know), I followed it precisely. It made up just a treat, and the design of it accommodates for a little growing. In fact, she will be able to wear this for a couple of years I imagine.

As I was putting it all together, the dress suddenly implored me to add butterflies! Oh yes, butterflies in the garden indeed. So, I took my fabric paint and mixed a color that was tricky as can be, I grabbed a butterfly stamp, a crafty sponge brush, and I proceeded to apply paint to the stamp then stamp to fabric. A wee butterfly landed upon a flower and looked so sweet I added some company, repeating my steps for each one. It was time consuming but, such a joy to do! Then each butterfly needed to be heat set for longevity.

In the end, Pony Girl was absolutely pleased and looked like a dream in her new frock. I found that the challenge I had undertaken of creating a special dress from recycled materials wasn't in fact, all that challenging. Actually, it was a blast! When I thought about the total cost of the dress, including the pattern, all told I had spent under $5.00. Also, I proved to myself once again, that it is indeed easy being green...and pink. Now that is awesome!



I shall return day after next to share more thoughts on green and other colors, talk of the utmost challenge and 'living local'. Until then my friends, go dance in the garden and look for butterflies!

"I'm almost big enough to drive the car!"

Whoa there Pony Girl, not quite.

First, Pony Girl and I would like to thank you all for your sweet comments and birthday wishes. Thank you!

Well, as you may know, plans are just plans and things can change in the blink of an eye. Still, if you can just roll with it, it all turns out ok in the end. Better than ok some times. The party was a success and of course being mama, I was too busy doing to get the photos I would have liked to but, that's ok too.

Yes, there was a pinata! I modified a pony pinata with some rainbow glitter Pegasus wings and it wasn't long before the wholesale slaughter and whacking commenced. Very medieval, barbaric even... but still, loads of fun!



The birthday girl had a blast. I can't believe how grown up she's getting. Many thanks to our dear friends for opening up their beautiful home to host the party. All in all, things worked out just lovely!


On Monday I will share the birthday dress (which became a different dress completely), also for next week, I will share some thoughts on reaching the half way point of "A Challenge of the Utmost Kind".

Have a lovely weekend!

five

My Sweet Girl,
Today you are tall and impossibly five. You are a wonder. You are funny, smart, quirky, imaginative, determined, empathetic, beautiful and have the most amazing enthusiasm for life of anyone I have ever known. There never was a doubt, even before you made your way out of my belly, that you were magic and a star of the utmost kind. You have already changed the world at this tender age, just imagine what you may yet do!
Knowing you has changed me, made me a better person, made me want to continue to be a better person. I am so glad you found me, I can't imagine it any other way. I can not begin to express the amount of joy you have brought me, the joy you bring to all who know you. Keep singing and dancing and dreaming, keep going your own way.
I love you
Happy Birthday

The Final Countdown

Good Gravy! It is one week to the day, to Pony Girl's 5th birthday! FIVE! Incredible, no don't worry, I wont go on and on about how they grow up so fast, even though it is indeed true. I will say however, that I am in a bit of a panic. There is ever so much to prepare and make and do and yes, I've left it all until the last minute. To be fair though, I have been a bit diverted by other things and infirmities have taken their toll.

Lets see...what all needs doing?

Pony Girl has requested a "Rainbow Pegasus Party!" Uh, sure? With a Pinata...ok? So, whilst I am uncertain how all that plays out, there are invitations to make, decorations to make (because surely the party store is out of rainbow Pegasus(what is the plural of Pegasus?)), securing a place to have the party (our tiny house can't hold the gaggle of children and parents who might attend without it turning into a full scale riot), and then the food which will be needed to keep those children and parents from starting said riot. A week to go, no problem right?

image from here

At least we have the cake chosen. Now when it comes to cake, I've found that there are cake people and then there are frosting people. I am a cake person, I like the cake for itself and too much overly sweet frosting must be removed from my cake so as not to spoil it. I'm not against frosting, I just like it a little less sweet and in small amounts in proportion to my cake. Pony Girl is definitely a frosting person. In fact, in the past, frosting gets licked off of the cake/cupcake and the actual cake gets left behind. Recently we have discovered that she adores carrot cake, both cake and frosting are consumed with great enthusiasm. As a side note: those of you who believe that carrot cake is a healthy alternative, I am in admiration of your denial.

Pony Girl and I did a test run of a carrot cake recipe yesterday (she is becoming quite the little cook), making cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They turned out quite good and with a few adjustments, the recipe will be making it's debut as birthday cake with "pink frosting with a rainbow on it."

Lets not forget The Dress. Last year I made two birthday dresses because...well, obviously I had lost my mind.
There was this one...
...and this one.

This year, I will be making The Manhattan Dress from the book, Sewing Clothes Kids Love. Thank heavens it only has a gajillion pattern pieces and a whole lot of fiddly sewing bits!

Here is the question, do you think I can do it? Can I pull it all off? Please someone, be kind enough to hand me a small paper bag to hyperventilate into.

In light of all this and grandparents coming into town tomorrow, I shall be taking a short bloggy break.
To all of you that have left me such lovely comments of late, I thank you and apologize if I have not been able to return the favor. I do try to come over and read your wonderful blogs even if I don't leave a note.
Take good care my friends and wish me luck.

Happy Friday

The rain has returned with great bravado and little lakes are appearing at our street corners. No sailboat racing for us but, it will not dampen our spirits. Oh no.

The Engineer returned a day early from away, we picked him up at the train station and headed home for a little birthday celebration. Now, it can be a bit of a pickle attempting a handcrafted and thrifty birthday for a Mr. Fortunately my Mr. can appreciate a little second hand goodness as well as hand made thoughtfulness. I don't know if the year I found him the perfect vintage bowling ball bag or the year of the handcrafted banjo can ever be matched but, I think it came out pretty well all the same. And, I sure am glad he's home!

Whilst out on the prowl for thrifted/vintage loot for him, I did manage to pick up a few lovelies for myself.

Meet MAC...
She's a bit rough on the outside but, as you can see her 'inners' are just a treat!


Then I stumbled onto the linens...

The hand embroidery covers a large tablecloth, I can just imagine the time and care some sweet stitching person put into it. It has now found a happy home here in the little green cottage.

I don't know what your weather is like where you are, and even though the rain is coming down gangbusters here, I am still in a Spring state of mind. So, I think I will leave you with a celebratory springy photo of Pony Girl and I having a little bench dance!



Have a joyous weekend!

Still Crazy

Thank you for the Birthday wishes and the lovely comments you have left me. I am off to tidy up the cottage so that I will be free from obligation tomorrow. I plan to enjoy some quality time with my little family and perhaps treat myself to some second hand shopping. I will leave you with a little birthday song. See you soon.