HELLOmynameisHeather

A Fetching Pail

With Charlotte in Kindergarten this year, and half of my own week days spent at our new business location, my family's need for a fantastic lunch bag pattern has increased in urgency.  So I have hunkered right down and put together a new mini pattern -- meeting my need, and hopefully yours as well.

Introducing Jack & Jill, a fresh take on the classic lunch bag.  I've got the girls covered, and the boys too.  I worked the design into my mini pattern format to keep the price low, jamming some serious value into one little package.  Whether you have one lunch bag to supply or several, Jack & Jill bags go together quickly, so you're in good shape.

This is also my first pattern highlighting my yummy Nicey Jane laminated cottons.  The laminates are light and supple and easy to work with.  For specifics on the care and make-up of these fabrics, click here;  I understand the laminate is about as food-safe as plastic can be.  Of course, you can make lunch bags from non-laminated cottons as well, or decorator fabric, light corduroy, denim, and so forth, like the green floral bag shown at right.

Fun-fun!  Great for holiday presents too -- a nice bag for a nice girl or boy -- filled with a naughty amount of candy.

While you're at it, whip up a coordinating napkin or two to boot (tutorial).

Dab, Dab

Whether you are prepping for the holidays, or getting ready for a birthday or baby shower, cloth napkins are a great way to personalize your table decor.  Expand your decorating options by sewing the napkins yourself -- from your favorite fabrics.

They are super easy to make, so why not?

Deck the halls!  Deck the tables!  Get started with this simple, illustrated tutorial.  Fancy-up and save some dollars at the same time.  Happy Holidays, everyone!

Autumn Napkin Ring Tutorial

Thanksgiving is coming right up. 

To get into the autumn groove, try stitching up some fall decorations with our designer felt, glitzy thread from DMC, and few glass beads.  With a full table to set, these playful napkin rings pack a big bang for little buck.

Trimming up the acorns is my favorite part.  Aren't they fun?  And Charlotte is always game to help embroider -- she likes to the pull the needle through, then hand it back to me.  This is a much slower process, as you can imagine, but I love her.

To share the fun, I've put together a tutorial and a free pattern download...

Fire-Breathing Fancy

What do you do when your five-year-old's imagination is on fire?  On Fi-yah!

You fan the flame.

This year for Halloween, Charlotte ordered up a frightening feat; that is, a costume I had no hope of purchasing -- and it was the week before Quilt Market.  Last year she dreamed up a Bat Fairy.  This year, she was intent on a fierce, fire-breathing Dragon. 

The day after Charlotte was born, my sister, Julia came to visit us in the hospital.  While holding Charlotte for the first time, Julia leaned over to me and whispered, "The baby just told me something.  She said, 'I am my own self.'" 

I was puzzled and dismissive at first, "Yeah, whatever."  Then a tetch concerned (knowing Julia and her knack for such things).  "If that's the vibe my sweet little baby is putting off already, then I'm in for it," I thought, "especially once she's a teenager."

So, how much stock can you put in the proclamations of a one-day-old baby?

Perhaps, some.  Julia, with her freaky, awesome sixth sense, was right again. Charlotte could have been named Scarlet for all her fiesty, charming individuality.  She is her own self: uniquely creative, thoughtful, sweet, sassy, and notably interesting.  I was looking forward to what she would come up with this year.  A dragon, though a tall order, was no surprise.

One bat of her eyelashes and a quick, sincere squeeze was all it took.  And I was off on her quest.

At TJ Maxx, I found an oddly dragon-like mermaid dress to build upon -- a huge blessing.  With this running start, I gathered up a smorgasbord of fabrics with the same flavor and set about designing the beast's head -- no headdress, no dragon.

The foam alligator hats I grabbed from Dollar Tree were a great help.  (Before photos here.)  I would have otherwise structured the headdress with Timtex, but that might have zapped me for time.  (I only had two days to complete the costume, wrap up some work, and pack for a 9-day trip.)  I stacked two or three hats & quickly stitched them together for strength, then extended the gumline by covering the foam teeth with bias tape.  I built the dragon you see here on top of this frankensteinian monkey business. 

And it worked.  Thank heaven.  Furthermore, the hood turned out light-weight and comfortable, so Charlotte actually kept it on.  Bonus, right?

As it turns out, Charlotte's I-am-my-own-self singularity is a complete delight.  Worthy of celebration, not dread.  Her obvious enchantment is worth every stitch, and then some.

I was a Bad-Ass, Droid-Mechanic, Slave-Chick Scientist.

Or was it a bizarre dream?  Elijah and my younger brother, Ryan, convinced me to play Star Wars RPG with them last night.  All it took was a thick schmear of flattery and a plea for the female perspective.  I packed my sketchbook security blanket and a couple of See's Scotchmallows, then left my smirk at home.  If this didn't win me points with my giant teenager, then I'm in for a World of Warcraft.  The manling is now 1/4" taller than me -- as of just last week.  Whatever it takes at this point, right?

Conveyed, Potrayed, Hoorayed

I'm home! I've spent nine days travelling to, or through, five states: Texas, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.  It was a surreal to walk through a world painted autumn with my wool coat and ruffled scarf clutched shut. At home it's still flip-flop weather and it can be difficult to remember that the holidays are around the corner. 

My trip was mostly business.  Dinners, meetings, research, hellos.  After I finished up in Houston, I headed to the east coast.  Isaac flew in to attend a couple of meetings with me and then stayed for an extra few days to photograph the cover for my sister-in-law, Wendy Lane Bailey's, upcoming album. I haven't seen the photos yet, but I hear she went for elegant-country-gothic: bustier and gown, gothic architecture, overgrown garden.  I can't wait to see the results -- and to hear the album, my goodness.

Wendy collects fabulous photographs of Old-Hollywood starlets and has a serious thing for fashion, especially shoes.  Beyond the regular good investment, she treats herself to an annual birthday-shoe-splurge - Prada, Blahnik, Vuitton.  I suggest she photograph each new pair to one-day tell her personal history in a book of shoes, chapter by chapter.  2006, The Year of the Coral D'Orsays.  2007, The Year of the Red Peep Toes.  2008, The Year of the Insanely-Awesome Black Strappy Boots.  And so on.  Pcshaa!

If I'm ever a fiction writer, I might just borrow that idea right back.

Wendy also collects Art Nouveau era advertising. She has an incredible collection of paper fan advertisements, as well as soap labels, posters, postcards, etc.  I'm on the lookout for the perfect hoo-hah present to send her way.  Any suggestions?

Speaking of gifts.  My mom deserves serious thanking.  She trotted the kids to and fro and helped them get fed and to bed while we were away.  And my sister too.  Again, taking suggestions -- any notable thank you gifts you've received?  Or given?  I've got some work to do.

Glad to be back home.  I won't forget to post the dragon costume photos.  Miraculously, I finished that bugger up just before leaving town.  And it's a hoot.  Or a roar.