New Skirt

Inspired by these.

I think next time I might button the flap from the inside and not the outside. I think it would lay better on that one hip. Other than that I like it. And for $7 of fabric + 2 hours of sewing, I really like it.

Why am I sewing? Because I'm supposed to be packing. Why are things so much more fun when you are not supposed to be doing them?

Monday's Theme: Productivity

step one: set up a shop {check}

step two: make stuff to put in shop {may be a few weeks. I'm currently packing for a trip to Nashville, then we head to Maine, then back to Memphis. August is busy}

Look for my Grand Opening around mid September.

p.s. I am interviewing to teach an Intro to Sewing Class at the Boston Center for Adult Education.
How fun right! Keep your fingers crossed.

New Decor

Due to the toastiness of our apartment this week, Zoe has found a new cool spot. And I have a new mantle decoration. I'll warn you, if she is any sign of how effective I am going to be at disciplining my children...it's not looking good.

On another note, I finally have an idea for an Etsy shop that I am SO excited about. After a weekend in New York with 15 girls, lots of shopping, and loads of encouragement...I think I have a good one. And I looked for it on Etsy, and it's not there. So stay tuned. I'm super excited!

Haven and Home

I just got home from a wonderful weekend in NYC to check my blog reader and find that my sweet friend Marianne blogged about my blog. Marianne has been blogging for less than a year and already has a ton of followers. I've never fully embraced the blogging world {ie. I'm bad at leaving comments, entering fun giveaways, and updating regularly with some sort of cohesive subject matter} But Marianne is on it. Reading her blog is like reading Domino magazine {may it rest in peace} OH and an added bonus, she does a little devotional post on Sundays, which I love. Here are images from some of her recent posts.

I'm feeling this eagle motif thing like I'm feeling the deer heads. It's going to be big.

But I just wanted to let anyone know who doesn't that she's out there. And the most fun thing is I have known Marianne since I was 18. We met during a break our freshman year in college through a mutual friend. And if wasn't for the blogging world, we would not be in touch ten years later and probably know each other ten times better.

Blogging is so fun for so many reasons! Have a good Monday!

The Best Mac and Cheese in the World

I tell no lie.

This has been Sabbe tested on several occasions {including Thanksgiving 08} and tonight {after another pleased dinner table}I thought I would share. I love the Pioneer Woman like Julie loves Julia.

Tutorials: Baby Edition

I have been quite busy this week, working on my portfolio and teaching vacation bible school. On top of that I finally received Eclipse in the mail, after leaving it on the train {errrr, three weeks ago} and re-ordering it on Amazon. So I'm probably going to be finishing that up in the next day or so. And Friday I'm headed back to the Big Apple! So much excitement I don't even care that it's raining....again.

But I couldn't leave you with no crafts for a whole week. Some of you had asked for tutorials for the onesie crafts. Know that hardly anything I've made is a completely original idea. I don't use a ton of tutorials {except the cloth baby shoe one, it rocks} But usually after I've made something {I think is original} I'll browse around the web and almost always find something just like it {or better} and often with a tutorial. So here are some of my favorite baby tutorials. I may add more as they come back to me. But this should keep you busy for a while.

Onesie Applique

Ruffle Butt Onesie

Cloth Baby Shoes

Bity Booties

Swaddling Blanket

Fabric Crib Toy Bag

Birdie Mobile

Soft Baby Cube

Ribbon Teething Ring

Baby Legs

Tag Blanket

Burp Cloth Tutorial I

Burp Cloth Tutorial II

Hooded Bath Towel

Girl's Pillowcase Dress

Messenger Style Diaper Bag

The Mother of All Diaper Bags

Cloth Diaper

Baby Bloomers

Baby Bibs

Diaper Changing Pad

Travel Wipe Case

Hooter Hider

Seat Belt Cover

Cloth Baby Rings

Lucy Goose

Ruby Doll

Purl Frogs

I don't see one with a ruffle skirt attached to the onesie, so you can stop by next week and I'll post a tutorial for that one. Maybe I have an original craft {but I doubt it}. Happy sewing!

So I Think I Can Dance

Monday, Mr. Sabbe and I were strolling down Newberry in the middle of the day {doing what unemployed designers and husbands who work night shifts do} and there were some tap dancing street performers. They were good. And they were making some money.

I told Mr. Sabbe if I would have worked a little harder in my Hip Hop classes this past spring that could have been me {and he laughed}

This morning while clicking around the internet I found the Dance Complex in Cambridge. And I'm reading, planning when I can get back into training....and I come across their Work Study Program. eurkeka!

What do I have a lot of?....time!

What do I have a little of?...money!

For every hour you work for them you get a voucher for an hour of class! Ahhh the benefits of being unemployed in a major US city. So I'll probably be on the next season of So You Think You Can Dance....OR {more likely} on the corner of Newberry and Fairfield. I'll keep you posted.

Western Ruffle Necklace

aka The Bank Robber Necklace

There are a couple of these floating around the blogesphere these days. I was actually playing with my serger foot today {finally figured out how to use it} and from my practice piece I decided to do another ruffle {mildly obsessed with ruffles these days} I did this one by pulling the two end strings. Anyhow, I had this random little ruffle made out of this westernish material I found in the "not my favorite fabric" pile, sewed on embroidery thread...and ta-da....The Bank Robber Necklace was born. I don't think it would hide your face as well as traditional bank robbing gear.

I like it. I think I might wear it out. Probably won't rob a bank.

Here is a cute blog with a tutorial. I like hers better.

Lovies

For the twins! Twins are fun. Everything is cuter in pairs.

And, because I am becoming very high tech these days {I Skype and G chat} I have added one of those "Follower" things over there---> and I have figured out what it means to "follow" other people's blogs. It seems easier than keeping up with my friends links list. I am bad at keeping that current...too many people blogging these days {which I love}

Watch out now...I'll probably be writing my own HTML next week.

UPDATE: ----> I changed it to the subscribe button. I saw this one someone else's blog and I like it better.

I big {HEART} Regina Spektor

This has been my jam {as my friend Cyndie would say} for three straight weeks. Beatbox + group singing always = good times

via {Cup of Joe}

Ruffle Skirt Onesie

As you can see, I am on a bit of a onesie kick this week.

I have wanted to make a ruffle skirt attached to a onesie for a while...so ta-da....

I think the photo would be much cuter with a little fat baby inside that onesie.

{a heart on the hiney for this one}

I'm catching up this week on unsent baby gifts.

And only because she cried and cried when Bryan was taking the pictures of the onesies...here is my fat baby...

Lately we've been watching reruns of America's Next Top model together. I think she's been taking notes. It may be the stage mama in me, but I think if there were a cat version she'd take the prize, hands down. See the second one...holding that pose without straining her mouth...that's not amateur.
{I promise I'm laughing while typing}

And I, of course, would be the Niles Barker of animal photography.
{nothing to laugh about there}

Game Day Onesies

That time of the year is quickly approaching! I doubt Mr. Sabbe and I are going to be making it to the greatest place on earth this year, but I will maintain my support for those who will with crafts! Along with a new football coach, we will be welcoming two new fans into the world. My dear friend Liz is having twins, Ella and Will.

{and I hope she doesn't read this post before I get these in the mail}

tiny hinies

I figure they'll get plenty of UT paraphernalia, but the most stylish fans always sport the colors without the logo. I can't wait to see babies in these!

Liz is a true fan, but her husband is the truest fan. If you follow UT football you know there was a season (2001) where Casey Clausen was cool and then there was a season (2003) where we all turned on him and blamed him for all of our shortcomings. Ryan was the one non-fair weather fan I knew who refused to bash the Ice Man. On a side note....does anyone remember the Miami Vice Homecoming poster?...pleaaaase say someone remembers that!....the boy had it coming.

Depending how the week goes I may start and Etsy shop. What do you think? SEC onesies? I won't like it one bit {ha, ha}...but I could do other schools too. Maybe with matching booties?

If We Can't Have a Cute Fabric Store in Boston

We can order it online HERE!!

Great, great SALE! $5 for Joel Dewberry (54" wide fabric) = a very good deal

A Day With No Rain

I would work really, really hard to procrastinate finding a job if there were more days like today.

Home Page

Well, with my trip canceled and the clouds persisting, I have zero excuses to postpone my inevitable job hunt. If you haven't heard {ha,ha} we're in a recession. The architecture and design industry is usually hit first and recovers last and unfortunately the Sabbe's can't afford for me to wait it out. And hanging out in the apartment with Zoe and Ellen is getting kind of boring.

I've never had to job hunt in a bad economy! I've always had a really easy time finding a job and I have a feeling this process is to give me a really big dose of humility. Not to mention I am waaaay above the Mason Dixon line, where every other person has a Masters from Harvard and could not point to the University of Tennessee {go vols!} on a map.

I went to an IIDA cocktail party the other night and met some local designers. It was fun, but sad...there were 20 year veterans who had been laid off 6 months ago and had still not found jobs. I made friends with a furniture rep, who probably for no other reason than to make conversation, gave me the "Now, How are you going to make yourself different?....You must think outside the box" speech. At that moment I was nodding, glass of wine in hand, and thinking this is the most depressing party ever. But it was good advise.

So after another week and a half of procrastination...I'm ready to rise to the occassion. To start things off I've revamped a portfolio website that I've had for a couple of years. Here is my new home page....
It's just a start and I have much more to do before it's ready to be sent out. What I'm really focusing on to try and "set myself apart" is a branding package. All good retailers do it. I just happen to be selling myself. Seriously, would you buy Method if the bottle wasn't so cool? Do you really love the environment and care about the lifecycle of that product that much....or do you really love design and a pretty package? We know Marianne's vote.

I'm still sewing part time! And I have lots of fun bedroom projects to unveil later this week. Stay tuned.

Today is a Sad Day!

I woke up this morning very excited.

I was ready to tackle this.

I had this and this.

And this...ready to go.

And then I read this.

I, along with 9 other Downline Students, have been preparing to take a mission trip to Honduras for the past couple of months. I was so excited. I have never been on a mission trip. I was going to teach a class, to a group of women, based on Dr. Robert Coleman's Master Plan of Evangelism. It would have been my first time to teach the Word of God in a classroom type setting.

I was very excited. I was flying out in the morning.
Then I woke up, and the airport is closed.

Please pray for the people of Honduras. Some were traveling very long distances to attend this conference. They were taking time off of their jobs, finding care for their children...all to come and learn more about discipleship.

Do you believe in spiritual warfare? I do.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world against the spiritual realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:10-13

Into the Woods

a short train ride from the city

will get you here

Mr. Sabbe passes the Arboretum everyday on his way to work. So this week he had a quick response to my Saturday morning question-What do you want to do today?

The rain was finally gone! {at least for the time being}And I finally got to wear the sunhat I made three weeks ago.

Boston is not quite the booming metropolis of NYC, but it was still nice to escape, to be submerged in green
{to get outside the walls of my teeny apartment}

Zoe did her thing... holding down the fort.
{grrrr.....guard cat}

Later that night we went down to the Esplanade and watched the fireworks. It was a good first holiday in a new city.

Just Be

Have you heard of photographer Tara Whitney? I ran across her blog today and have found myself entranced and almost misty eyed at some of the videos she has put together as a part of her shoot package. It's such a neat idea. Check out her blog. She may be the best at capturing life I've seen yet.

Falconbridge Family Film from Michel Sandy on Vimeo.

During my sophomore and junior year of high school I worked at an organic grocery store. While working there I made a sweet friend named Gracie. She made her own clothes, drove a cool 1980's Mercedes,used organic deodorant, and had ambitions to dread her hair. This is how I would imagine Gracie and her family today.

p.s. If you're not in love will Priscilla Ann yet...fall... in... love
{another addition to the soundtrack of my life}

She's an American Girl

...an American Girl {press play}

A couple weeks ago I came across Elly's Flickr page via Cup of Jo and fell absolutely in love with her "Getting Dressed Each Day" project. Isn't her style absolutely adorable. With all the red, white, and blue I thought it would be a good 4th of July post. The best part is, she makes a lot of her own clothes. I'm inspired...the sew more....and reconsider mother-daughter matching outfits.

Happy 4th of July!

Baby Greer

Before we left Memphis I had a little photo shoot for our friends Geoff and Ashley and their sweet baby Greer. Here are some of my favorites.

I'll admit, I played around with a lot of post production stuff in Photoshop (you can probably tell) But I'm WAY better at Photoshop than I am photography, so I thought what they hey. Isn't he such a cutie? And Ashley is such a model.

We miss you Watsons! Very, very much!