Baby Shower!

Awhile back my friends and I planned a baby shower for another friend, the first in our group to have a baby. I've been so busy sewing Christmas presents (see my Black Friday post) and then celebrating Christmas that I never had a chance to post pictures.

It was a "mocktail" party and featured lots of book themed food paired with actual books for baby. My less Martha-esque friends braved lots of crafting to help pull this off, they claimed that their fingers bled...

And last Thursday, the baby arrived! Ava Nicole was born around 4:30 in the afternoon, and I was lucky enough to hold her two hours later. That baby has lots of "aunties" who love her already!

Black Friday!

I was so stressed about Black Friday that I could barely sleep last night! Instead I got up and cleaned my sewing room so that I could welcome all the beautiful new fabrics into a clean room! An outline of my day is over at Martha Saves, so I won't repeat it here. It was awesome! So worth my time, and only took 2 hours total to get everything I needed. Next year I'll be back for sure and probably get there about 15 minutes earlier! Here is my haul from JoAnns and Target combined.

New Season: CHRISTMAS!

I am a firm believer that anytime after Halloween is fair game for Christmas decorating. Since I spent last Sunday night hearing about how scary my cob-webbed house was from trick-or-treaters, I'm pretty sure the Christmas trees are getting themselves ready for their yearly display.

Next week I'll put them both up, the matchy one in the living room, and the colorful one in the basement. I have to find a new place to hang the mistletoe, I want pine garland on the mantle, and I have to hang the stockings.

Outside, I want to put net lights over our shrubs in front (although we have to figure out how to plug them in...) and I have a wreath that I might put up, and also some pine garland that will go unlit around the front door.

I should also whip up a new tree skirt for the basement, since the only one I have will go on the upstairs tree. I'm thinking some felt is in order, and I can applique felt designs on it, and add some sequins and beads? I might be crazy!

Here is my inspiration:

A menagerie of Christmas fun!

Snowflakes!

Notice the squirrels? Cute!

Sewing Projects!

Two weeks ago, I personally experienced a place that I'd only heard rumors about. It's true, SR Harris Fabric Outlet in Brooklyn Park is as good as they say it is.

I found my first trip there a little overwhelming. It took me about an hour to figure out where everything is, and then another two hours to find exactly what I was looking for. I think that this place would be a great store to shop with a friend, or to come with one project in mind. I was alone, and had a few different ideas swimming in my head.

After a few hours of digging through fabric bolts, I had found everything that I needed. I ended up with some black doubleknit for a 50's dress pattern that I've been wanting to make. Since the fabric is black, I didn't take a picture of it.

Next, I found an upholstery remnant to make myself a reusable grocery shopping bag. The red quilter's cotton was already in my stash at home.

After that I was on to a jacket that I'd wanted to make for awhile, but never found quite the right fabric for. I found the blue outer fabric, then I found the striped Nanette Lepore fabric for the lining. I was satisfied, until I came across the floral cotton that was just so pretty! I decided to line the sleeves with stripes and the body with floral. This way I can have both!

Last was a Vogue suit pattern that I'd been afraid of for about 5 years. I've had the pattern as long as I've known my husband, but never had the guts to cut into some beautiful fabric and chance messing up what will surely be a challenging pattern. I found some great Tahari wool/cashmere to make the jacket only, and decided to use purple knit for the sleeve lining. The next day I decided that it was silly to not have gotten the skirt fabric too. I sent my husband (who works down the street) along with turn by turn directions through the maze of a store, to get another yard and a half. Somehow, amongst 5000 bolts of fabric, he found exactly the right one! Yay!

That day I also got a few other fabrics that I just liked, but not for anything specific. I have a few apron things that I'd like to finish (Probably for gifts since I have about 15 aprons in my kitchen already!), more grocery bags, and a few other creative things!