I love the Internet!

While browsing Farmhouse Fabrics' website, looking to buy enough stuff to earn a free Memorial Day gift, I looked for patterns to make a child's apron.  And I felt discouraged.  After all, a kid's apron isn't all that hard to make...why do I have to pay $10.00 for a pattern to make one??  So, knowing that there's all kinds of freebies and inspiration on the internet...I did a google search.  Bwahahahahaaaa...

What I got was an eye-opener.  And some MAJOR inspiration!  There are so many crafty, talented people out there, and I feel the need to spread the love (even though I know that there is nobody out there reading this).  Here are some cool things I found:

http://www.immackulate.com/2011/04/tutorial-tuesday.html  I love that the tutorial shows you how to make your own patterns...  I make my own doll patterns, but I've never made people patterns.  Guess I won't be on Project Runway any time soon.

http://www.ikatbag.com/p/free-patterns.html  another blogger with good tutorials.  Can't wait to try some of these!  I love that she makes these for her own children, so they are kid-friendly!

http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2009/11/re-purposing-sweater-to-sweater-dress.html  I am totally doing this in the fall.  I believe I have some nice sweaters she would LOVE to wear as a dress.... hmm....

http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/girls-shirt-dress?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/sewing-projects-clothes-and-accessories#slide_3  I am definitely making a run to the thrift store this weekend.  This is adorable, and Ella will love it!

http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2009/08/teecycle-dress-tutorial-and-giveaway.html  Ella has a long torso, and all of her shirts get too short before she outgrows them--I'm going to dig into the shirts I've set aside and have fun with this one!!  Although I think I'd make the skirt a bit more full...Ella's a twirler...

It's been a while!

It is amazing how fast time flies.  Even when you are experiencing the coldest Spring on record!  I think we have had maybe five days of real spring weather in two months.  Bleah.

The celebrations around our 4-year-old's birthday got us wiped out, but we have recovered, and my little Monkey is enjoying her new status and additional year.  If only she'd be less clingy!

Let's see...current projects:

• Fairies for Lissy and Wendy dolls (12" and 8", respectively) for the 2011 Madame Alexander Doll Convention in Atlanta.  I can't go this year--school gets out on the 23rd of June (sigh...I love snow days, but they do ruin the end of the year), and I can't take time off in the last two weeks of school.  So...I'll make a few things and send them off.  Here are photos of finished Lissy fairies:

• I'm still occasionally crocheting items, although I haven't done it in a while.  I've been tired a lot at night! 
• My sewing room is much more organized, but I need to do a little more picking up and putting away...I had some bracelet orders to complete, so I have some bead stuff out, and I have all my fairy supplies laying around.

Things I want to do right now:

• Sew some of the dresses I've cut out for my daughter
• Make some Bleuette dresses (I'm on a Bleuette kick again)
• Sew some crazy quilt squares so that I will have something different to work on in class
• sleep

The oven is not working right now...waiting for a part to come in.  In the meantime, we're using the microwave, the toaster oven, and the portable gas camp burner (runs on propane).  We could also use the barbecue, I suppose.  We've gone out to eat the last two nights.  While I like not having to cook and do dishes, dining out will wear on us, and drain the budget considerably. 

Finally, because I'm a book geek (aren't all English teachers book geeks??), I'll share with you my current reading:  I'm currently listening to Elizabeth Peters' The Falcon at the Portal while I do hand work, and re-reading Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters (because I watched the BBC production of it a month or so ago, and forgot what a good book it was).  Pretty soon, I'll be wanting some escapist reading (as I get closer and closer to vacation, I feel the need to get away from the chaos that is the end of the year at a public high school)...I've downloaded Sophie Kinsella's Can You Keep a Secret? in anticipation of this....

Until later, best wishes and happy crafting!