I'm in love

.....with the Anna Maria Horner Good Folks fabric that my indulgent children gave me for Mother's Day....If you remember from my Mother's Day post I thought I might use the fabric for a makeover for our bedroom...well, I didn't quite accomplish a makeover since I never got around to painting but I did manage to make a new duvet cover and pillowcases and some curtains for my bathroom...pictures are kind of dark...still raining here...but you get the picture ;)

The kids gave me 2 yards each of the AMH fabric and I used 8 yards(90 inches wide) of my favorite Kona Muslin. For the duvet I inserted a 24 inch stripe of the floral fabric off center on the front of the cover and then with the left over fabric I made 3 sets of pillowcases. One set is plain muslin, another has a stripe of the floral and the BEST set has a wide band of the floral on one side and the "geometric" fabric on the other side. The best thing about this new bedding is that it feels so soft and smooth...can't wait to crawl in to bed tonight!



These are the bathroom curtains...I love red with pale blue but I think I'll have to do a little more accessorizing to make this work...don't the designs look like cat faces?

Rainy Day People

Well, it seems as if it will never stop raining here in Salem so I've decided we will just go on with our regular life and just get wet while doing it. So we went to the park today...

Forest River Park is so beautiful...even in the rain and fog...you can just make out the boats in the harbor.

Swinging on swings and riding on seals and running through the wet grass...very cool...even Lee thought so!

Extreme Makeover - Kitchen!!!

Well, maybe not extreme...but I did pull off a makeover this weekend! My friend Stacia passed along a very sturdy wooden play kitchen for Lily. In Stacia's words "it just needs a little love".
I think, dear reader, that you will agree.

So that is what I did on Friday and Saturday night. A glass or two (maybe three) of wine, great music (Elliot Smith, Kings of Convenience) and some paint......

I gave this sad little kitchen some love and....

Voila!!!!

I am particularly pleased with the way the sink and cooktop came out...Yesterday afternoon I went on a quest for a bowl to fit into the sink opening...and I found a $1.00 plastic bowl from Walgreens...with black stripes around the edges...looks like porcelain and the black stripes really go with the black burners..looks kind of "retro" don't you think?....and I got really into mixing paint to come up with a "rubbed nickel" finish for the faucet....yes, I DO get lost in the details... But look how cute!!!

Here is Miss Liykins herself, cooking some breakfast for her Daddy...

Very fitting because it's Mike's big day!
Happy Father's Day to the best Daddy, Step Daddy and Husband!!!
We are the luckiest bunch because you are ours

Summer 's almost here!!!

Crazy busy end of the school year...the days just seem to pass by in a blur...I am so looking forward to next week...summer vacation, finally!!!

Tonight is the first night of my latest sewing class series, hosted by my very lovely friend Jamie :) I have been preparing for the classes and working so hard on setting up my Etsy store. Another wonderful and kind friend Briana has so generously been making all of the graphics for the store and for my business in general as well as walking me through the whole process on Etsy. I am so blessed to have such friends :) Thank you guys, from the bottom of my heart.

Ok, so a little post script from my last post...remember the Dogtown debacle? Well, since I try to be a good friend and wife and since (inexplicably) Mike was so disappointed that we didn't get to properly explore the Dogtown Commons due to Lily's meltdown and my post surgery wimpiness a couple of weeks ago, I offered to go with him (sans Lily) to attempt our trek again. Not to toot my own horn but , pretty nice of me huh? Oh, I'm building points here...Mike is too new at this marriage thing, he has no idea how I will bring this up in the future...well, maybe now he will, since he reads this blog...hi Hon;) Any way, I digress....here are some pictures of our latest, far more successful attempt to ferret out stones that used to be part of foundations of houses back in the 17oo's..oh, and did I mention that there were warnings about ticks everywhere?.....fun....


yeah, it was just a gravel path with lots of rocks... to either side...rocks all looked the same...but then, we went to a very beautiful place that didn't involve too much hiking, or ticks...
Halibut Point in Rockport, MA...just stunning...and I was much happier ...see below

Got Class

Sorry for the long radio silence...Mike was home this week to help me while I recuperated from some minor surgery and I swear, it's so much busier when I have help ;) Yesterday we attempted to find "Dogtown", a ghost town from the 1800's up in Gloucester...yes, that's exactly what I should be doing while trying to take it easy...hiking through the underbrush into the woods to find some old stones while Lily screams her head off...ahhhh, it was so relaxing...we never learn. Anyway, this week I did manage to put together class descriptions of two new series of classes that I will be teaching. The first block of Beginning Sewing classes is already filled but I do have spaces open for the second block. And I will be back at Crunchy Granola Baby (best store ever for natural baby clothes and diapers and toys...and so many awesome workshops and classes...thank you Jennie!) to teach some Home Eco workshops. Here is the info:

These classes will be held in two class blocks and will be very small so that I can give a lot of individual attention - 4 students max. Cost will be $30 for each of the two class sessions. Email me or call 978-744-1596 if you are interested!

Beginning Sewing I - Tote Bag CLASS FULL

Tuesday June 16 and 23rd 7:30-9:30 pm

During these classes we will learn how to design your own tote bag with a snap closure and interior pockets. This class is appropriate for all skill levels...i can customize it to your skill.
Materials you need to provide- 1/2 yard outer fabric and 1/2 yard lining fabric
Materials I will supply - Interfacing, snaps


Beginning Sewing II Project of your choice

Tuesday July 7 and 14 7:30-9:30pm

These classes will be customized to a project of your choosing. Let me know ahead of time and I will give you a list of materials needed for the first class. Some ideas for this class are :a shirred dress or top, hat for kids or yourself, corded pillows..any small sewing project!

P.S. I will also be offering private sewing classes at $15 per hour

Home Eco Workshops at Crunchy Granola Baby

June 22 - Soft Baby Blocks using your extra receiving blankets. We will learn how to make various sized soft baby block toys for your little one using all of those extra receiving blankets!

July 13th - Re-usable sandwich and snack bags.

July27th - Make your own cleaning products. Learn to make your own all natural all purpose cleaner, sink/tub scrub and laundry powder.

Each 2 hour workshop is $20

Contact CGB to sign up! (888) 741-4242