Floral Geometric Velvet Bag

i made myself another bag from a vintage skirt

i used an unused belt for the straps

i lined it with material from a skirt i used to wear

i like the shape of bags made from skirts.

and i like the "bigness"

here is the skirt layed out, unaltered.

the skirt came with a matching fitted jacket that i kept

i love the floral and geometric goodness/combo going on here

another, in different light.

love it!

i sew, i sew, it's off to work i go,

xoxoxo

jennette

Birch Bark Phone Case

my iphone case is clear.

cheap.

and clear.

i had an "a-ha" moment and decided to give it a go.

you see the kind of "clear" i'm talkin bout?

hello gorgeous-pressed-flat-birch-bark "paper"

remember this?

yes.

i'm a dork.

and i wasted bark by tracing the wrong way the first time.

oh well.

here is my authentic and one of a kind birch bark iphone case.

yahooie!

i love it!

eating more shortcake,

xoxox

jennette

Baby Maple

found this baby maple when i was weeding the garden.

just like this.

so i carefully potted it up and set it on my kitchen window sill,

and each day more leaf peeked out.

and then it dropped its "helicopter" casing,

and is beginning to look like a small maple tree!

horse back riding two days in a row!,

xoxox

jennette

Elvis Hawthorn Fluffernutter Update

have you meet elvis?

elvis hawthorn fluffernutter, that is?

well here he is.

just about 2 months old now.

jasper's little buddy...

although we all "fight" over him!

he is a holland lop and wont get much bigger.

he has a ton of personality and we think he is hilarious.

he likes to tell jasper secrets.

this is the day after we brought him home a few weeks ago.

he's just grown a bit

and this is his baby picture.

awwww...soooo cute!

we love you elvis!

xoxox

jennette

New & Noteworthy

some new items around the shop:

fill in the blank cards

blue bird dish

intricate red cut paper picture.  amazing!

floral decoupage

a wonderful vintage clutch

a shabby chic hanging shelf

a lady bell

some bird embroidery

weed book with lovely lino prints

children's book with fantastic cover

Smashing Rubbish

hours of operation:

thursday-saturday noon-6

sunday noon-5

come see what's new,

xoxox

jennette

I Am Magical Dress

i am still not entirely sure about the mock-up of this "i am magical" dress. 

is it magical as in: i am in a circus...yay?!  or magical as in: i ate magic mushrooms and this is what i choose to wear today to prove it?!  or magical as in: life's too short to care what others think and i need to be colorful/magical sometimes....(ok, lots of the time!)?!

it is a VERY different look from the one shown in the book...

this is the book the pattern came from and yep,

that is the "i am magical" dress on the front.

and i love the version they show.

and another view.

my version is REALLY different, right.

I know.

the pattern had obvious measurement flaws right off the bat.

so i corrected those and decided to use an old indian bedspread fabric for the body and some odd crocheted/knit(?) pieces for the bodice front and the arms.

use what you have, i figured.

especially for the first go round.

and especially if you are feelin the magic...

i had some orange butcher paper so i used it to make the pattern.

my friend uses old wallpaper to trace out her patterns and if i come across some that is wide enough and isn't too brittle, i will too.

this is the back of the dress pattern piece

here is the dress/tunic without chest and arm pieces.

i rather like it just so.

in the construction of this, i found a few more flaws, or at least instructions that didn't account for the very "finished" way i like my garments to be.  a once turned hem just won't do...nor will a once turned neckline...

i guess i was just anxious to find a use for these odd crocheted/knit(?) pieces...and so here they are.

i guess i need to come to terms with this just being a mock-up and nothing more. 

it is what it is.

yes, i've tried it on.

and it is kinda cute.

maybe its all the colors that throw me off.

i feel kinda clownish...

or magical....

is it bad or is it ok?

be honest.

see.

i can't decide.

usually that means: not so much.  not so good.

i will forge ahead and try again. i made several notes on the pattern pieces so that i can make it better next time. 

i do like the cut and "style" of it so i am going to try making it totally opposite of the first attempt in some very opposite colorway and material. and make it as a dress, not a tunic.  gotta remember to cut it much longer next time...

here's to being magical, in all its shapes and forms,

xoxoxo

jennette