Aspiring Artistry

RIP: My Favorite Magazines

Seriously, I feel loss.

 I have been addicted to magazines as long as I can remember. From the moment I first spotted the Reader’s Digest on the coffee table, I have been hooked. My first job out of college was at my local city magazine, and I loved it (aside from the poverty-level pay, that is).

I can see the stages of my life through the magazines I chose.  Seventeen and Teen were choices in my younger years. My college mailbox was stuffed with Time, Cosmopolitan, and various regional publications. Post-college I found Vanity Fair, Self and the like, then started an interest in things creative and home-related. Ceramics Monthly, Martha Stewart, House Beautiful and Elle Décor.

As I’ve grown, both creatively and now as a parent, these following mags were my favorites. And every single one of them has closed or is in the process of folding. I am devastated, for the moments or solace they provided, for the inspiration, for the information.

House & Garden

Blueprint

Domino

O at Home

Cottage Living

Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion

Wondertime

Obviously, there is a crisis in the magazine publishing industry. Is one of my other favorites, Cookie, next?

* * RIP * *

Elephant Parade Skirt

I'm sure we can all agree... isn't this the cutest fabric ever? 

I love the fresh take on the elephant profile, the great grassy green (how's that for alliteration?) to brighten up the dreary winter days. Adding the pink striped grosgrain ribbon gives it just enough of a "preppy" edge to suit, but not too much.

My husband loves this skirt, simply because he believes his daughter will be flying the GOP flag whenever she wears it. I assured him that this would hardly be the case, especially since her new favorite words to try out are "Barack OOOOBama!" Who can argue? It is a fun name to say. 

Fabric: No idea. Was in the fat quarters pile at the quilting store.

Pattern: Oliver & S Lazy Days (free!)

Organizing Spurt, Part 2

Fueled by this:

I was able to turn this:

Into this:

 

 

Hurray!

I am an avid multi-tasker and have a hard time doing just one thing at a time. I get much of my around the house work done with my iPod on. While I am a huge music lover, I'm much more productive if I'm listening to an audiobook. I'll get really into the story, and want to find out what's going to happen next, and that keeps me moving ahead on whatever project I'm working on (or moving ahead on the treadmill). My most recent audiobook is The Story of Edward Sawtelle. It's a fabulous story, and the vivid descriptions of the characters' life experiences are so real I found myself in tears a number of times.

While sewing, I'm taken to listening to podcasts, like the beloved NPR programs that either don't air on my local station or whose airtimes aren't convenient for me. I'm also becoming a fan of CraftyPod and Craftcast ... such creative interviews and ideas.

Off Topic: Play Kitchen

Oh, the time has come. No longer content to sit on the kitchen rug and "mix" up a cake with pots, pans and spatula, my children want to spend more time "cooking" in the kitchen than I can sanely provide (and clean up after). So, play kitchen, here we come

This kitchen will live in the breakfast room (really part of the real kitchen), and will be facing me as I stand at the sink. Thus, I have some criteria:

• It can't be too visually offensive. If I have to look at it for hours a day, it better darn well we somewhat attractive.
• No plastic. Nuff said.
• I'm not too worried about the "pink is for girls" issue, but gender neutral would be best. 
• It needs to be big enough for two almost-three-year-olds to enjoy at the same time  
• While the Pottery Barn Kids kitchens are so gorgeous even I'd like that look for my real kitchen, that gets the kibosh due to the crazy $$! 

My top picks. Thoughts? Suggestions? Warnings?

Compulsions

Ahhh... the crisp pages of a new magazine, bundled along with the junk mail and bills that I can't wait to discard. The bright photographs, the inspiring articles. Sometimes I feel like I just can't tackle some of the projects I love to read about, but in this month's Domino, I was inspired to attack something that I knew

I could finish. And in one nap-time (because this is a how the mother of a toddler measures project duration) no less.

I'm a compulsive labeler. I've toned it down in the recent years, as my husband interprets it as my need to control him (which it is, because how in the world are we to run a household if we're not on the same page??!!) When I was in the height of my pregnancy nesting stage, I spent a day emptying, organizing and labeling every inch of my fold-out pantry. I loved the feeling of accomplishment, as well as the knowledge that I'd no longer have to wonder if I had any brown sugar left, and if I did, where would I find it??

I was inspired this month to tackle the linen closet. It is trawl the bane of my existence. I despise laundry, so I just shove the towels and sheets in wherever they may fit. Not well.

So, I present my finished product. It's not gorgeous, but it's functional, and dammit, if he can't figure out where the twin sheets are, it's not because I didn't try!

Trees & Polka Dots

Based on a Christmas outfit my daughter wore this year, I whipped up this cute little outfit. I made the top long enough that she can (hopefully) wear it as a dress once the weather warms up a bit.

The pants are based off of this super-easy tutorial. Once again, I underestimated the rise, so they are a bit low-rider for her, but luckily the long top covers it up!

Pattern: homemade

Fabrics:  Anna Maria Horner's Garden Party collection (polka dots)

 and Robert Kauffman tree fabric (I can't find the name right now, but I'm looking!)

Cute Little Scarf

A basic little scarf for my boy, to tuck into his navy blue pea coat. He loves wearing my scarves, so this is a decidedly more boy-styled piece. Backed in a soft blue fabric, I hope he'll keep it close so it can keep him warm.

Birdie Sling / Garden Party

I finished, and I am so tickled with myself, I almost can't get over it! 

I love love love this bag, and I'm so glad I stuck with it to finish. It really wasn't that hard, just a lot of steps, but I was focused and free of distractions when I worked on it, and now I totally want to make another.

I've used it for about a week, and what a useful bag! I'm out of the diaper bag phase, but not beyond the change of clothes, sippy cup, race car and baby doll toting phase, so this is perfect for the job. It's durable, roomy, and just damn gorgeous, if I do say so myself!

If I was to do it again, I would configure the interior pockets differently. For what I'm using them for (phone, keys, wallet, pen, small notebook), they are too deep. And I could use more... because you can always use more pockets. I'd also add a key clip, because finding my car keys in the bottom of this ginormous bag is a challenge.

I had a little puckering at the side seams, where the contrast band meets the bag body, so mine has one lopsided "hip," but I just keep that side close to my body so no one is the wiser. I learned a lot of great techniques on this project, and could see making one as a gift. For someone I really like ... 

********************************

Pattern: Amy Butler Birdie Sling

Fabrics:  Anna Maria Horner's Garden Party collection

A Wonderful 2008 Was Had By All!

We had a simple celebration at home with friends last night. It was exciting to pull out the fine china and silver, drape the table with a cloth my mother bought 35 years ago in Hong Kong, enjoy lovingly made food, and ring in the new year with joy and laughter.