Japanese crafting goodness

So...I'm on a Japanese craft book sewing kick. It makes me happy, because it brings me back to my time living in Japan. I'm so excited to make the cute little things for O. I just got 2 more books from YesAsia today! I'm in heaven. They're so cute and the designs seem fairly simple to manage even if I don't read Kanji.
I made my first item from the book Girly Style Wardrobe. A very simple cross front dress. I made it out of Chez Ami licorice floral. It's a size 100cm. it's a tad big, but will probably shrink a bit more with washing. It's super cute and O. looks like a doll in it. I love that chez ami line too. It's one of my most favorites that she ever did.

It's over!

So,book 7...you know, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I managed to avoid all the spoilers and read it unspoiled. I loved it! I don't know if it had the ending I wanted and I did think the epilogue was a bit weak, but it was a good run and I'm glad I had the pleasure of knowing Harry Potter. Thank you JK Rowling for such a fantastic adventure. I'm a little sad to see it end.. Will there ever be another phenomenon like this?

Ode to the microwave

Oh how I love and depend on you. Why did you leave me right when I needed you most? I can't believe you're gone. How I long for you to return. I will find another one that reminds me of you in size and shape...in the warmth you give. Oh Microwave how I miss thee!

No seriously my microwave inexplicably bit the dust this morning right when I was getting ds some breakfast. I'm devastated! I will definitely be making the trek to the thrift store for a temp fix until I can get the hood replaced. Maybe I'll get something super cool and fancy. Ahhh...the possibilities! However I can't even imagine more than a few hours without a microwave in this house.

Oh and on another note S. comes home today! Very excited to see him and honestly do hope he had a good time.

Purging is fun

So I purged 3 bags of clothes from the kids room. There's more to be done, but I had to stop there and do some other stuff. I offered it up on the parenting board, but if the takers don't come by Monday then I'm off to the Bargain Box with my goodies. I mean there's no point in purging if it just sits by the front door for weeks on end. I can't wait to hit S.'s closet and mine and dh's stuff too. Purging is so fun and freeing. It also let me know that we have way way way way (can I say way some more) too many clothes! In the future I will be better about that. I took a careful inventory of what to get for E. to start school. I'm going to get him some socks and unders and make 2 pairs of shorts and 2 more t-shirts. Some people I know (think the muckety mucks) would be appalled, but I found about 4 pairs of jean he could still wear, shirts and several shorts. He's set for awhile and it's nice on the budget I must say. It's nice not to feel compelled to spend spend spend, to take an inventory of what you really need. I have the 3 bags of clothes to donate that prove it.

Off to camp!

Dare I dance a jig? E. is off to camp. So, that just leaves me, O. and M. to find something to do with our time. I'm going to run errands, sew, relax...giggle! I know it sounds bad, I honestly love my children, I really do, but the quiet that comes over the house when, ah...some of them aren't here is priceless. It makes me appreciate them ever so much when they are here. I'll have to remember to take a picture of him when he comes home. Entitled, first day of camp.

I'm so happy

That I can sew! It's so liberating! Who knew something so simple would bring me so much happiness. There's no getting around it. I'm plus size, big, zaftig, fullfigured, curvy, pleasingly plump...FAT! I'm ok with it, usually, but the lack of clothing options is depressing. I mean why does Fat=matronly and dowdy. I fancy myself youthful and hip...dare I say cool. I want to wear fun prints and things that don't resemble tents and mumus. I want to wear stuff that enhances my figure and not hides it. I want to strut and twirl, not slink along in polyester. So...taking needle and thread in hand, I've made some clothes that I feel good wearing. I've made some t-shirts and skirts and I'm working on some capri's too. There's alot of cool plus size patterns out there now, thanks to the now thin Kaliyah Ali. Plus I've tried my hand at pattern drafting and made a totally kicking a line skirt. It looks great if I must say so myself. Once I shave my legs I'll take a picture,LOL!

In another life.

I think I would have made a good farmers wife. Living out by ourselves. Depending on my own two hands to care for my family. All the domestic pursuits that I love. Cooking, sewing, caring for my family. In another life I would have gotten up with the chickens and mixed up the biscuits for breakfast, brewed the coffee and scrambled the eggs. In another life I would have gone to my garden instead of the farmers market. In another life my bread would be made by hand...left to rise under a blue and white tea towel. In this life though. I use my beloved Kitchenaid standmixer. Can I just say how I love this thing. My dh got it seven years ago for mother's day. I know, you're not suppose to get appliances for a gift like that, but I really wanted it. I use it all the time. I love the sound of it clunking along. I love the things that I make with it. I love my Kitchenaid!

Going from thinking to doing

Lots of my time is spent thinking about what I want to sew, prepping my fabric, looking at my fabric, looking at patterns and imagining what the finished product will look like. I want to kick it into high gear. I see so many other sewist that seem so productive. Although I try to avoid comparisons I hate to think how much money I have invested and not make better use of my time. So, my goal is to sew some every day. I'd like to start working on the christmas stuff and also on some things for myself. I don't actually have alot of decent looking hip clothes. So...that's my plan to make better use of the time I have to sew. To stop thinking about it and start doing it! Wish me luck!