sewing swaps....

i recieved my apron swap partner information on saturday, and i am so excited to start this project. my partner seems like a very sweet gal, although her dream vacations are polar opposites to mine! however, i was totally inspired, and i think i am up for the challenge. i can't say much more than that, though, as this is supposed to be anonymous.....

in july i participated in the Bend the Rules Sewing Placemat and Napkin Swap, and while it was difficult at times, i had so much fun creating my gift.

my partner did not have a blog at the time, and so there were no visual clues to her style or color preferences. all i had to go on was her description of herself, and i don't know about you, but i have found that so often people don't really know how to describe themselves. they may think they are one way, but are in reality quite different.

and so i felt stuck at the beginning, and i spent such a long time debating over what to do. that is however, until i finally found some inspiration on the Mary Engelbreit website (my partner had said she loved Mary's stuff, and wanted to figure out how to incorporate that style into her own decor) specifically this little paper doll. I instantly fell in love with her sassy little style, and the green and yellow outfits she wears.

i already had some lovely green linen in my stash, and i loved the idea of incorporating something that i already owned into the project, in order to imbibe it with a little bit of me. so armed with images of Georgia and my linen, off to the fabric store i went...

and this is what i came home with....


(turns out i also had the perfect polka dot fabric in my stash and so this gift got a little extra Robinson flavor)



once i had finished the napkins, however, they seemed a little naked. and so i decided to add some matching napkin rings. the buttons were new, but the ribbon was also from my stash (apparently i like green).

the napkins are double sided, which i find make them super absorbent, and it lets you change up the look when you set your table. they have four different fabrics, but are all backed and edged in the same blue floral for some continuity. the place mats are similarly mis-matched.

i really hope she liked them!

a mouse of one's own...

i was voted home from work today, four against one. apparently i am not very good at taking care of myself, however, the lovely ladies i work with did their best mother impressions and sent me on my way. i am supposed to be recuperating, resting, getting better, mending, healing - whatever you want to call it, i am having a hard time doing it.

it is not in my nature to sit still. it usually takes T and i about 3 hours to watch a 90 minute film, what with all the pausing i end up doing. i think that is why i love netflix so much - i don't feel guilty when it takes three nights to watch a movie!

so when i got home today i tried real hard to be good. i sat out back and read a book (stopping only to tie up some straggling tomato branches, and then to trim back the mint, which of course led to some weeding). and then i tried to watch a movie, but i got hungry - so i made lunch (and organized the pantry, and emptied the dishwasher). then i tried to nap, (changed the sheets and brushed the cat), read some more (checked my email, caught up on some blogs), watch a movie (painted my toenails).....

so i finally gave up on trying to take it easy. i ventured into my (very messy) craft/guest room with the hopes of doing some good organizing, and ended up making a mouse pad.



i used some decorative paper, clear plastic, and some sticky backed felt.

now if only i had a mouse....

thats better...

six weeks ago i was offered a less than one year old laptop computer, and i of course jumped at the chance to own something so shiny and new. my old laptop (which i dearly, dearly love - it was my traveling companion the year i spent in England, and was definitely integral in maintaining my sanity) is so close to the end of its life, that if it were a pet i would have had it put down ages ago. unfortunately the previous owner had to first purchase her new laptop. and then she had to transfer all the information over. and then she had to get to the post office and prepare the little machine for its journey up the coast to Portland.

six weeks is a long time to wait - not that i wasted the time mind you. i have spent hours devising all sorts of fun projects (including customized recipe cards and more frequent blogging, among other things), and shopping for the perfect bag in which to carry it.

and guess what? it arrived yesterday!

and while i have added many many things to my list of "to be created," the computer did not arrive with a magical device that would give me more time in which to do these things.

it did arrive, however, with some lovely old photos stored in its belly - photos of my family that i have never seen before. and i can't help but wonder about the stories behind them.