Sewing Machine Cover

I had a home alone day yesterday, something that doesn't happen too often. And instead of cleaning or working on something that needed to be done, I made a sewing machine cover

just for me!

Pretty cute, hun?

Could this be "The One"?

We are wrapping up the season with one doll remaining to be embroidered and two stockings left to assemble and embroider. Between that, middle-of-the-night vomiting, fevers, and croupy coughing, I've managed to do this: I bought a new sewing machine!!!!!
 

http://www.janome.ca/
625E Sewist Series

After a very fulfilling visit to New Minus' Knit and Stitch, I have ordered this gorgeous 625E Sewist Series Janome!!! She has all of the modern features that I was hoping for ... speed control, needle up/down, foot pressure adjustments, extra high presser foot lift and she is GORGEOUS!!
I would like to thank Diane and Wayne of Knit and Stitch for all their support and patience this morning in helping me pick a machine that I think will be right for me - they were friendly, knowledgeable and attentive and I am so glad that I chose their shop for my purchase. Plus, Diane used to make dolls! This not only fostered some great conversation, but also made my sewing machine needs easier to explain. Bonus!

So as I spend my days and nights sleeplessly wiping noses, checking temperatures, changing beds and cleaning up vomit (sorry for the visual!) I have this little sweet to look forward to. Just think of all that restless time I can now spend daydreaming about future creative exploits upon which my new girl and I shall soon embark!!!



Shadows and Silhouettes

Yes, it's been a while. Yes, I'm here, in semi-hiding.

Rest assured - I'm slowly resurfacing.

There have been many changes around here - new house, new town, new job, new babysitter. Less time for blogging and sewing...

Wolfville Harbour

But it seems my creative self is slowly reemerging with flailing fists in an attempt to reclaim its rightful station on my list of priorities. As it turns out, we've been making some renewed progress with the endless unpacking and setting up, and as it becomes less and less smothered by cardboard my desire to make and create is resurfacing.

My fellow Nova Scotian blogger and etsy friend Amy Rubin Flett knows where I'm coming from. The Amy Rubin Flett etsy shop offers a collection of cards and prints featuring original words and images in the tune of "transition, passion, epiphany and beauty". Amy's artistry is an excellent source of inspiration - her miniature stories and messages are poignantly insightful and presented in a natural light devoid of commercial influence. Refreshing.

I especially love this little moment in time courtesy of Amy, as it speaks to my wonderfully irrepressible creativity.

Now if I can just free myself of the extra washer and dryer that are impeding upon my laudry /soon-to-be sewing space... Takers?
 

A little behind

Piles, bags of stuff, some else's TV, various sizes of hand-me-down baby clothes, remanence of forgotten projects and likely a healthy layer of dust.  This is the contents of my sewing room, a forgotten space, some where in there is my lovely sewing machine, fancy notions, and our doll pattern.  I did take a picture, however on second thought was too embarrassed to share it.  It's a nasty mess in there.

Instead I thought I'd share some photo's of our first Chinese New Year Celebration.  In early February the Nova Scotia Chapter of the Families with Children from China hosted the Celebration in Halifax at St Mary's University.  In anticipation of this party, while we were in China we picked up special matching dresses for Dream Girl and her cousin (Andrea's sweetheart) to wear. We had a fantastic day and the girls looked beautiful.

Tea Time

Like many, I'm excited about Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and am hoping to see it soon.  Without delving with any degree of depth into the marketing and corporatization of classic literature (turned motion picture) I'd just like to say that I love the new tea cans that Tetley has put out in celebration of the film. 

Have you seen them? 

When my sweetest was out grabbing a few things at the store the other day, he spotted these little gems and brought one home for me.  Yay!  I'm always on the lookout for interesting cans and containers to hold my various ...things... and I just love this new can! 

Think how sweet it will look in my dream studio! 

Overly excited, you say? 

Remember people, it's the little things that count. 

If you can't find joy in the little things, I feel sorry for you. 

You have to be a little simple to keep it all simple. 

And in this - I excell.

It's important to be good at something.

That's all.  

Hope everyone is sleeping soundly. 

Thrift Trip

I took a short run to Value Village today and found a few little gems for my "studio space."  Stop laughing, Sonia.  I can call the messy space in my sun room anything I want.  Eventually, when I have a space all my own (again, enough with the laughing!) for doing all the crafty things that I love, I will have lots of cool and inspiring things to use for decorating the space.

This is what I found on my thrift trip today ...

 

A 1969 reprint of the Metropolitan Opera House poster for its October 22, 1883 Opening Night presentation of Faust.

Plus, three mint glass medicine bottles (poorly captured in this picture, sorry).  Perfect for storing potions and other concoctions one may have need of storing.

Another unexpected thrifty find at a non-thrift retailer:  

A Nike swimsuit that rang in almost $50.00 lower than it's tagged price.  Cha-ching!  I mean, if you're going to buy a swimsuit and subject yourself the the sort of self pitying/ridicule that goes along with the whole change-room encounter, than the least the store can do is knock $50.00 off the price, right? 

I'm so glad the cash register agreed.  Surprisingly, I did not photograph the swimsuit.  Sorry to disappoint.

There was a girl in front of me in line at Value Village who was buying a smashing bikini that would have photographed well, though.  The funny part was that while the sales person was ringing in her order, she got a call on her cell.  She proceeded to apologize to the person calling for failing to meet them earlier in the morning as she had been called out of town.  Wow.  That's some bikini.

Not that I was eavesdropping.