Spring is coming. 🥹 Love seeing the sunrise outside our window. I've been registering for a few in-person events. Details to come!
Today, while digging through old emails to try to find something for a very unfortunate thing I'm having to deal with (nothing life threatening...), I ran across this email from my dad, who died in April of 2018. So great to be able to so clearly hear him. It was a boost that lightened my mood and gave me a fun memory to share with my kids. ♥️
Sneak peek at a new item I'll be adding. I've gotten into bargello (thanks to a kit from my daughter for Christmas!) and am enjoying making a ton of different things. I got my 'making' from my dad - besides being a graphic artist, he was always making things when I was growing up. It's fun to look back at those times I shared with him and it's so gratifying to share it with my daughter, as well. ❤ ️ All three of my kids are creative in different ways - doing creative things can really help your mental health! If you do something creative, I'd love to hear about it.
This is the time of year when sewannsew turns into sewannsow! Spring is almost here and my husband has started so. Many. Seeds! Now my free time will be split between sewing and gardening. Adding a lot of new space this year, specifically for cut flowers, and I couldn't be more excited. Planning to add some new spring-y sewn items as well. More on that to come! For now, these baby seedlings are getting me through the last bit of a long winter. As always, I'd love to give away something, so contact me if you have a recipient in mind! ♥️
SEWING IS SO COOL! Sewing is a hobby that is so versatile... it can be functional, making boring things you need, like underwear, or fixing things. It can also be just for fun; I recently made this jacket for myself using blankets from a discount store! Truly so cozy. It gives my brain both a break from the rough parts of life, and a challenge to figure out the best way to do things. I want to share my love of sewing -- very soon, I may be teaching a beginning class! More on that to come. Would you want to learn? ♥️
I've really been enjoying making the eyeglass cases... each one is like a separate piece of art to me. And sometimes, like with this patchwork one, pieces which don't necessarily seem like they'd work together, actually end up working really well! I'd like to think of this as a metaphor for life; especially now when things are so divisive. Having a range of colors and prints can really make the world a more beautiful place. ♥️ Sewing helps keep me sane. I hope you have something to help you do the same. I'd love to hear about it, if you do!
While there are a lot of hard things going on in the world right now, don't forget to look for the good ones. This no-filter sunrise photo was taken from the parking lot of the restaurant where my youngest son (and the two others, when they're here!) have breakfast almost every week. Such valuable time and it was great to share this sunrise together. I've said my favorite thing is to give my makes away. If you know someone who can't afford it, but would love something nice, please reach out. I'd love to spread some joy. - AF
Inspired by Valentine's Day, but functional and cute enough to use all year-round, I've added this tiny little purse to the store. Each one is slightly different - some have a functional pocket outside, some have one inside, and some have a surprise message... so fun to make these tiny treasures. We have been in the polar vortex, so I'm trying to maintain my sanity by sewing and shopping for flower seeds - the spring will be here in no time! Wherever you are, I hope you're staying warm.
The holidays were extra special this year, because all three of my (adult) children were here and spent some time hanging with me while I was sewing. I was in heaven. 😊 They even helped me pick some zipper pulls... aren't these cool? They made some choices I wouldn't have thought of and I loved it. Such a great combination of my favorite things. Time with my husband and kids, sewing, and making things to give to people as gifts. I hope you had some of your favorite things this season!
Recently I saw some fabric that I was taken with, right away. Who knew what I would do with it, but I really loved it, so I got some (as one does)! I decided to make a set of bags with it, found the perfect (seriously perfect) fabric as a coordinate, and started to make the set. I hadn't made these particular bags for a while, and screwed up the first one. 🥴 After walking away for a bit (as one does), I came back to it and realized that I liked it even MORE than the "right" way! The set is so cute that I regularly consider keeping it for myself!
I have a memory from when I was 8 or 9, of being in the downtown (Catholic) cathedral with my family, and my dad and I looking at the huge paintings. He was an artist himself, and he told me that the artists who created those old paintings would intentionally leave a mistake here or there, to add a human touch. My dad died in 2018, and I've never forgotten that memory from so long ago. As I'm creating things now, if I make a small mistake, I'll smile to myself and thank him for the permission to be human and not perfect.
These are the last of my dahlias, which I cut down this week. I was reminded of how much I love gardening... specifically for the colors! 😍 What does this have to do with sewing? Color is a large part of why I love sewing, too. Getting to match, mix, and play with color and texture. No wonder so many makers are also gardeners!
Making making making! New color coming in the velvet pouches and wristlets, and a couple new styles coming, as well.