Things I'd Like to Learn

Here's a random list for today:

How to eat just one cookie.

How to design my own website.

• What the "phenomenological method" is. It came up in my reading for school this week and I'm not quite getting it.

How to sew in a zipper. I've done it once but I'm pretty sure it was an accident.

Where my retirement money is invested. This is embarassing, but I give my money to my retirement fund every month and I'm not sure what happens to it after that.

What eating pasta in Italy tastes like.

If the Pope ever wears jeans under those robes. Or wears jeans at all.

How child development progresses through the toddler years. Because there's got to be a rational explanation for my nephew's behavior.

Thinking in Bullet Points

• Class was awesome. Students were a real joy. Second half at the end of this month.
• Bought a new sewing machine. Aaaiiiiyyy! Very excited. More to come...
• Headed to Steamboat this weekend to see Little Sister, BIL, and Nephew. Weather should be gorgeous, hoping to hike Service Creek.

Sewing And Other Nonsense

Finished a skirt from this book two weekends ago. It turned out pretty cute, which made me sad. I didn't expect to do so well so I bought cheap cotton fabric to make it! Now that I (sort-of) know that I'm doing I'll spend a little more money next time on the fabric.

This has been a busy week. I spent two days in Vail for a conference for work--tough life, I know! For whatever reason it was really hard to get back into my routine when I got home on Wednesday night.

The weekend holds a lot of promise: my peach mule is delivering 18 more pounds tomorrow. Huzzah! We're also going to Colorado Springs to visit the Mister's cousin and see a movie.

Happy Friday, all!

Crafting and Cooking

I finished this tote bag a couple of weeks ago:

And I hosted a birthday party on Saturday night:

I used Ina's recipe for chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and they were a HUGE hit. Yummy!

New Machine

I bought my sewing machine last fall for $20 off Craig's List. Spent another $25 in replacement parts and a reproduction of the original owner's manual. It works well, but as my skills improve I've realized it's got some major flaws. My next machine must include:

• zipper foot
• buttonhole attachment
• a good light
• free arm
  

Sewing Projects

My model was reluctant, but the light was good and I was not going to be dissuaded. This was one of my first projects that I made back in November. Our winter has been unusually gray and it's taken me this long to remember and to get good weather.







One of my resolutions this year was to use fewer paper towels, so now I'm making pretty cloth napkins. It's nice to knock a couple of these out at a time. I love this blue fabric.

Since I Wasn't Reading...

I did some sewing. Tutorial via The Small Object.

Time for One More

I think I might have just enough time to make this for myself.

How cute is that? Via Martha.

Sewing Sweet

My mom is an amazing seamstress. When it was time to plan my wedding, I asked her to make my dress. I didn't want store-bought, which was quite a departure from my childhood when she wanted to make my clothes and I didn't think they were cool enough. Now that I am older and finally coming to terms with my pear shape, I'm looking more at making my own clothes. Until stores will finally acknowledge that a woman can be smaller on the top than she is on the bottom, I am going to try my hand at my own needle-and-thread revolution. Take up your seam rippers, ladies! Arm yourselves with a good pair of shears--we're taking back our wardrobes!

Now that homemade is cool again and the revolution is starting, I am gaining a new appreciation for Mom's skills and efforts. Last night was my first time at a sewing machine since I was 12 and mom helped me make a sundress. Our two new throw pillows look charming and lovely (as well as perfectly constructed) on our sofa. They are the direct result of 2 1/2 hours of "slow and careful" and the byproduct of 33 years of Mom's "loving and patient". Thanks, Mom.