Hello May!

I blinked and it went from April to May in a flash.  April was a very busy month, and sadly the ole bloggy-blog-blog didn't get a whole lot of attention.  So Yes, its May, but I'm just going to do a quick re-cap on my April adventures.  In a nut shell here are some of the festivities that took place in my neck of the woods.

Top Left:  We ate breakfast a few times at one of our favorites in town, (Cafe Patachou).  It's a great way to kick off the weekend - A big breakfast, with a hot cup of joe, while reading the newspaper with my love.

Top Right:  We also had some cool evenings so we had a couple of fires in the fire-pit and just relaxed and let go.

Bottom Photo:  I split my beehive.  Still waiting to see how things transpire with the split.  I'm crossing my fingers and hoping this year yields a lot of honey.

Top Left:  We played the lottery for the first time.  It was "The Big One"...the mega-million (I think it was called) - No luck.  Oh well.

Bottom Left: My brother and his family came to visit me while they were on spring break.  We had a couple of fun-filled days together....ate out, went to the zoo, went to the park and had a great visit together.  I wish I could see my sweet little niece and nephew everyday.  They are so much fun to be with.  I love them to pieces.

Right Photo:  Saw the elephants at the zoo with my brother and his family.  There was an adorable baby elephant....so cute and playful! 

 

Left Photo:  Packing for Vegas.  Packing is complicated - I tend to over-pack like most women, but you just never know what you're going to need.  I suppose it's better to be over prepared right?  

Top Right:  Pic of my friend Melissa and I while dining out at Lavo in Vegas.  The weather was toasty warm during the day, but gorgeous at night.  We dined outside overlooking the Vegas strip.  It was fabulous!

Bottom Right:  View from our room at the Encore - looking out to Wynn & the Vegas Strip.  

Top Left:  Ate out at PF Changs with my lover boy.  My fortune said that "A lifetime of happiness lies ahead of you"  - Sounds good to me!  That's all I could ask for. ;)

Bottom Left:  Took a quick trip back to my hometown in Illinois to visit some friends.  I had an amazing time catching up.  I just wish I had more time with my girls.  Time flies when you're having fun.  Saturday morning, my friend Tara introduced us to a fabulous "Farm-to-table" restaurant for breakfast in a nearby town.  I had lamb sausage and gravy.  It was amazing.  After breakfast, my husband and I strolled around the small town and I fell upon this store-front window.  The visual merchandiser with-in me was in absolute awe at this image.  It was a store that had been untouched for decades.  I love treasures like this.  My husband and I spent the afternoon stopping at various Antique shops on our journey back home.   We each found a couple of things.  It's crazy how my taste in fashion and design has evolved over the years.  I love getting my hands on fun, old stuff.  I never appreciated antiques in the past, but I really dig them now. 

Right Photo:  YEARS ago my mom and I went to the Jackie-O exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago.  I bought this poster and have been holding on to it ever since then.  I finally got it framed and it's now hanging in my sewing room.  I'm not sure what took me so long to frame it.  I wish I would've done it a long time ago.  I just love it so much and it ties my sewing room together perfectly.  I believe "Stunning" was the word I used to describe it when I stepped back and admired it hanging on the wall for the first time. 

So That's about it.  We'll see what May holds.  It's already starting off crazy busy.  I'm just trying my best to carve out some time for sewing with Silvia my Singer.  I want to make sure that I'm fully stocked and readily prepared for my craft show in June. 

Love,

T!ffany

{The Paisley Tab} 

 

Sew & Tell: Houston We Have A Problem!

It's been a little while since I've posted a "Sew & Tell".  That's because I've been busing sewing.  ...And - I must say, my infatuation with this sport is growing deeper and deeper with every little stitch!  So much that I couldn't pull myself away from Silvia to share all my new goodies!  ...But Houston help!  I keep making stuff that I love - and I dread the idea of letting go of these fabulous little treasures.  I'll cross that bridge when I have to, but I know that with this growing "Collection" - the time will have to come at some point to set it free.  Atleast I'll always have the photos as my memory of their existence.  ...And the hope that someone else out there will grow as attached as I am becoming!  Speaking of photos....here are a few of the newbies!

Front view

Inside view

Wristlets

Coin purses

Coin purse - Inside view

Make-up pouch

(Free Standing - woop-woop!)

Inside view

Clutch

Inside view

So there you have it - my confessional.  We're in the heart of March Madness - so there is a really strong chance that I'll get some sew-time in this weekend while my husband is planted on the couch watching basketball.  Gorgeous!

Clutch Much?

Check out what Silvia and I whipped up!  A clutch!  This was my first project using a zipper.  I've been fearful of inserting zippers...so I avoided it for awhile.  ...BUT, I worked up the courage and it turned out to be a hit!  The only thing I would do different next time is add in some interfacing to give it a little more structure.  I even added in a few darts.  Click on the pictures to enlarge.  Overall, I am pleased and excited to make some more! 

I found this little "Tut" over at Skip To My Lou. Click HERE for the Tutorial.

Oh Silvia!

...I recently sat down with Silvia & together we created a few homemade (with lots of love) gifts.  Pretty much everything I've made is stuff that I've already made & posted about before, but I keep making these things because:  1. They're good gifts and 2. It's great practice for me!

Some bibs for my friends baby boy.

A bag for my neighbor friend's birthday.

My signature "TAB".

Now, I really want to keep this next bag because I happen to LOVE Elvis.  ...Which is why four years ago, I hired an Elvis impersonator to perform at my Wedding reception.  Sure, it's a little cheese-ball.  But, I'm ok with that.  I'll be giving this bag to someone who also has a strong appreciation for "The King".

A bag for a client who is the biggest Elvis fan ever.

My signature "TAB".

Moving on up...

I'm not moving to the East side...but I am moving my "sewing studio" to a room upstairs in my house.  My husband couldn't take all my stuff sprawled out across our living room floor anymore, and I can't blame him.  ...So this past weekend, my husband, mom and I headed to IKEA (I love that place.) and we found a sewing table for Silvia.  Thanks Mom, for the early Christmas present.

Such an improvement from the "tv-tray"...that was previously situated in my living room!

I'm so excited.  I hope to stay this organized.  I just can't wait to sit down with Silvia for a test drive.  I have a feeling it's going to be fabulous!

I also have a handy sewing seat with built-in storage that my mom gave me.  I just need to recover it and then the "sewing studio" will be complete!

Back in the Saddle Again.....

I have been away for the past week, so there hasn't been any activity on the O'le Bloggy, Blog, Blog....or with Silvia on the sewing machine. I'm in the midst of getting caught up on laundry at the moment and a few design projects, but I plan on carving some time out to sit down with Silvia and pick back up on a very slow going purse project that I started a little over a week ago.
So yes, I'm a little behind on stuff...but it was so worth being away this week. My brother and sister-in-law welcomed their second child this week. A baby girl! While they were at the hospital, I was hanging out at their house with my sweet nephew. It was great bonding time for the two of us and I'm so happy I got the chance to meet my new niece at the hospital. When you get an opportunity like that you can't pass it up. I can honestly say nothing else mattered. Everything else can wait. Memories were made this week that I will cherish in my heart forever. I am so blessed.
You may remember a few weeks back on Sew Saturday, I had a short post about some projects that I was working on. I couldn't post pictures right away because I was actually working on a few items for my new Niece. Now that she has been born & I have given my gift...I can post the pics.
I made a few bibs and a couple of pacifier clips.
Here are the photos:
Overall, everything turned out alright. (Perfect actually, if you don't look too close.) ...I did have one little mess up on a bib so I ended up keeping one for myself. I don't have any children, but I am now the proud owner of a baby bib. It was too messed up to give away, so I decided to keep it and now I'll be prepared if a mom ever comes to visit me and needs a bib. I also got a little crafty mid-way through the project and created a little tag. Sometimes, I amaze myself. (Sigh.)
...& here she is my beautiful niece and her sweet big brother. He loves her to pieces and so do I. I'm such a proud Aunt.

It's Sew Saturday...

...and I couldn't be happier.
I am so happy that I finally have some time to sew with no distractions. I wish everyday was Sew Saturday.
Silvia (my Singer) and I are stitching up some really fun stuff. ...Stay tuned. I will post photos later.

My weekend project

This is what Silvia and I made over the weekend. ...And if you've been following my blog you're probably thinking that looks strangely familiar. If you thought that then pat yourself on the back. You are correct. It is the same pattern as the bag that I made my Mom for her birthday. Only difference besides the print of course, is that this time I followed the directions a little more closely and actually cut the straps to the dimensions that the pattern called for. ...Therefore I have myself a nice little reversible shoulder bag. The one I made my mom ended up being a hand bag since I cut the straps too short. I had some leftover fabric so made a little matching cellphone case with a matching button.

Since I made this bag once before you would think that I breezed through this one, but that was not the case. :( I kept making a stupid mistake while sewing the strap. After re-reading the directions for the twentieth time it finally clicked. When you're stuck in a mistake it stinks, but sometimes the mistakes can be great lessons and I think that was the case with this one. I was mentally jammed long enough, that when I go to make this bag again...I don't see how I could fall back into the strap-trap that I was in.

I still have a lot of other patterns that I want to try and if I ever figure out zippers and buttons....then I'll have a hay day. For now, it's still the basics, but the basics are good projects to help me fine tune my skills.

Sewing class update

As promised I said I would report back after our class. As it turns out, I don't have any pictures to show you. I think this class has the potential to be informative, but today my skill level exceeded the materials that were covered in the course.


The instructor was good. She has a curriculum that she is following so she is starting with the assumption that students don't know anything. That is a good starting point if you truly haven't touched foot on a sewing petal. I am by no means an advanced sewer! I would still consider myself a beginner, but I have the basics down pat. I have specific things that I want to learn. Ideally, I would just like to pay for someone to teach me those things. This is a four week course and after that you can pay the instructor for the one on one time. I just want to jump to the one on one time.


I think I went into my class today with my hopes set high, so I left feeling a little disappointed. I try not to have expectations for this very reason, but sometimes I just can't help it. I have to do some thinking between today and next week. Do I stick with it, or do Silvia and I look elsewhere? One thing is for sure - We're NOT giving up. If only I could remember what I paid big bucks to learn in college...then I wouldn't be in this unfortunate predicament.

Ready, Set, Sew....

Silvia and I are all rested up and ready to sew. All of our supplies have been purchased and packed. Check back later and we'll have an update on our progress from the sewing class.
Oh...see that little bag on the floor. That was my weekend project. I'll fill you in on that in another post.

Hello my name is...

You've heard a lot about her, but up til now, you've never seen/met Silvia, so I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to her.

Silvia and I are ready to roll! This time tomorrow we'll be driving to our sewing class together and we can't wait. We were able to sit down this weekend and get a little bit of sewing in so we should be in pretty good shape tomorrow. We will report back afterwards!

Some more fun stuff...

Here is a glimpse at a couple more projects I have finished recently. This little wallet/clutch thing turned out surprisingly well. ...When I started it, I didn't have a clue what direction I was going to go with it. I just liked the print but didn't have a pattern. That's a dangerous position to be in. It's like going to the grocery store when you're hungry. At this point in my sewing journey with Silvia, I freak a little when I look at sewing patterns. They can be very overwhelming for someone who doesn't really know what they're doing. ....So, in this case, I said "to heck with it. I'm sewing without a pattern...& we'll see what happens." There are a few things I would do different, but overall - I like it enough to make more and give as gifts.









I found this fun little camera case/phone case/ipod case online at
Sew, Mama, Sew's website. Here is the direct link:
http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=740

It turned out to be a great, beginner sewing project with excellent, easy to understand directions. Which is exactly what I need and hope to find more of during this journey with Silvia.

...And I digress.

Over the past two weeks, I have been up to my eyeballs in male mannequins doing my visual job during the day. Then, in the evenings I have been catching up on my graphic design projects. While it's great that I have been busy because it produces income, all this work has kept me away from working with Silvia.

Right now, I want nothing more than to just sit down with Silvia with no distractions...no phone....no email...no errands to run...no laundry...or house to clean. If I'm ever going to get good at this sewing stuff, then I need to devote time to really learn it.

I finished my rotation yesterday with my visual job, so this frees me up for a few weeks. Hopefully I will find time now to improve my sewing skills. After successfully completing the reversible bag for my Mom's birthday last week, I gained some confidence, however tonight I sat down with Silvia to work on a little Felt iPod case and the end product looks more like a kindergarten craft project. How hard can it be right? Well, I'm hoping that practice makes perfect.

Only time will tell.

Success....Atlast!

I did it. Almost.

I completed the reversible bag project. (The second one that I referred to in my last blog entry). I'm sure that I made a lot of mistakes, but the only mistake that I am aware I made is that it was supposed to be a shoulder bag and I accidentally cut the straps too short, so it is now a hand bag instead. Since I was able to successfully finish this bag, I now know what I need to do differently on the first one that I attempted. This is a huge relief. I am going to gift the bag to my Mom for her Birthday. I can't wait to make one for myself!

I think that Silvia and I are going to get along great.
(Reverse Side)

My first project with Silvia

I sat down with Silvia (my sewing machine) the other day. And it didn't go very well. In fact I spent more time ripping seams then sewing because I couldn't understand the directions so I kept doing it wrong over and over again.

Since this was my first project I sought out to find a beginner sewing project. I thought I had found the perfect one on Martha Stewart's website - but clearly I was wrong.

It was for this cute little reversible purse.

I read and re-read the directions countless times before I began. This project also had a video tutorial so I thought for sure I would be able to figure it out. I still don't know where I went wrong, but as I write this blog entry, the bag sits next to me, incomplete in a wadded up ball. You can only rip seams for so long before you get fed up.

That's where I'm at now. Fed up - but not giving up.

I found another reversible bag online that I am going to try. It looks very similar to the one I have started - but the directions look a little more clear. ...Maybe I'll be able to finish the second project and in the process figure out where I went wrong with the first bag.

Click HERE for the instructions.

My Singer has a name.

Since I plan to write about me and my new found interest in sewing, I decided to name my singer sewing machine. After re-reading my last post, I noticed that I used the term sewing machine frequently so I'm going to simplify things a little. From now on when I talk about my sewing machine, I will be calling her Silvia. I hope that Silvia the sewing machine lives up to her charming name.