do what you love

A little peek at the holiday boutique that was on wednesday...

Here is my table...

with old favorites,

new friends,

ornaments,

and a team of dolls all ready to brighten up a little girls christmas morning!

See this? All neatly set out on a table, displayed for the whole world to see?

That is my heart.

Sewing, cutting, snipping, stuffing. I'm in love with my work.

Some of my favorite comments from the night:

(and one of the top 5 reasons we live in San Francisco)*

"Oh what cute dolls!"

"I can make a custom one for you if you want."

"Wait. YOU made (wild hand gesture) ALL of this? Yourself?"

"Yes."

"And you are local? You live here?"

"Yes."

"So you actually live in the city?"

"Yes."

"WOW!"

That one happened a few times. Made me smile. And giggle.

(one lady to her friend)

"THIS (wild hand gesture) is ART."

Dear lady who said that,

You made my heart swell. 

Thank you.

I went back in time, to my old high school art class, when I was contemplating whether or not to go to art school. I had this vision- of the rest of my life, filled with sculpture, painting, drawing, photography, the love I feel when I am creating something. I wanted more than anything to have that as my future, forever.

I sucked at painting. I wasn't patient enough for sculpture. I was worse at drawing than I was at painting. Photography, I was good at. But art school was not in the cards. 

And back to reality. To today.

I am (almost) 32, and I have found my medium. Sewing, fabric. I do what I love, every single day.

So thank you- for supporting me, encouraging me, keeping me on my toes. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some work to do.

*because in Utah, everyone can sew, so people just look at my stuff and say "I can make that." And then I don't sell anything. But here, nobody sews. So I get my chance to shine.

matching spring aprons

I had a request for some matching mom & daughter aprons in springy colors.

I think I nailed it!

The kid apron looks so tiny! It's a size 6/8.

I thought of the half round pocket last minute. I think it's a perfect little pocket for a little girl to keep her little treasures in.

fantastic news...

So while I am battling writers block, and trying to plow through the 800+ photos we took on our trip, I wanted to tell you all some great news.

First, I made my very first Etsy sale this weekend.

Second, the wonderful gal that bought it is the actual designer of the fabric.

whoa.

I couldn't be more flattered, or more surprised!

I used the "Felicity" line by Emily Taylor for Riley Blake. You can find the apron here, on my Etsy site.

catching up!

So much has been going on lately, but I have not had any time to blog about it all!

I shot a wedding reception, (no I am not a photographer, it was last minute and super laid back) my baby sister turned 20, my house has turned into a factory, I had a fun party where I sold some of my Rag-a-muffin stuff, and my face has been breaking out like I am in Jr. High again.

Okay, try to keep up. My dad's cousin's daughter whom is a little younger than me married her boyfriend of 7 years the Friday before last. Does that make her my third cousin, my second cousin once removed, or my third cousin once removed? Confusing stuff, I can't and probably won't ever understand it all. Anyway. Here are a few of my favorite shots:

Chrystal & her dog Poker.

Uncle Ray & Aunt Cathy playing with the bubbles.

She caught the bouquet- it better be awhile before she gets hitched.

Chrystal & Britton dancing.

Maloree turned 20. Yikes, is all I have to say. (to my parents) Your baby is 20?? Awwww. Since the wedding just happened to be on her birthday, we had a little dinner party for her on Sunday, July 4th.

(she has to combine the 4th of July with her birthday, but I have to celebrate Christmas and my birthday- I think she gets the better deal)

My mom made an amazing dinner, we had Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes and cheesecake (Costco) for dessert. (I would have made her a cheesecake, since it's sorta my thing, but she decided that's what she wanted the night before.)

My beautiful blond sister.

The huge flamingo, Cory, and Mal opening her Apron.

So cute! And she loved it! Now all I need to do is teach her the ways of the kitchen...

Candle time!

Okay, this one is classic Mal.

Stevie brought over a watermelon for the party that we didn't end up eating. So Mal, being the silly goof that she is, stuck it up her shirt. I told them to look serious for the photo, but they just couldn't- it was too funny.

The week before last my sewing room was an apron factory, I made 8 new ones for the shop. Then, last week my sewing room was a kitty pillow/pincushion factory. So I have been working!

This week I am desperately trying to finish the baby quilt that I am making for Nan & Mike. I was having all kinds of math issues, but I got it all figured out, and sewn together. But it's not lining up! Argh! I need help from my mom- and I have a very limited time to finish it- I still need to get it machine quilted, and sew the binding on, before her shower that I am throwing for her soon...she is due in 5 weeks! Holy crap!

This week's to do list:

finish and get quilt to quilter(s)

re-pot the funeral plants I have not yet killed

fix the drawer that I broke 2 weeks ago

get Matilda a haircut

take loo-loo to see Despicable Me!

give myself a much needed pedicure

mop the floor (hate mopping!)

not spend any money on fabric

finish making a new ironing board cover

go and get my freaking bangs trimmed

As for how the Open House went...

It was so much fun! I met lots of new and fabulous people, and made some money too! We will be having another one next month at my parents house, if you missed out!

Oh, and some of the proceeds from the party will go towards this. For my 14 year old face. Seriously, if you saw me today you would totally call me pizza face. I am humiliated, (huh- just like in Jr. High!) and don't want to go out in public. Blech!

bridal shower for annie

My sister Maloree's friend Annie is getting married in 2 weeks- so my mom threw her a friend and family bridal shower. My mom made her a beautiful quilt using her wedding colors- and we used also used the colors for the decorations for the party. The hanging tissue paper flowers we made using Martha's online instructions- so easy! And almost free- my mom found the pink tissue paper for $1 a package!

We had salad, fruit and veggies, Vanilla Bean Cupcakes (of course!) and Cinnamon Crumb doughnuts from Banbury Cross.

Annie loved the pink cupcake apron that we gave her- so much in fact that she wore it for the remainder of the shower and and on her walk home!

Annie, Brooke and Maloree

(Brooke was my BFF for the day. She is Annie's niece- and we played hide and seek with the cats, as well as jumped on the bed! She was pretty worn out and ready for night night after that.)

Annie

Bride and Maid of Honor

Them being them- they have known each other their whole lives. Annie said that she has wanted Mal to be her maid of honor since kindergarten!

national apron day

Don't forget that May 10th is National Apron Day!

If you happen to need a cute and very haute apron for this event, I have many to choose from!

(I will be wearing this cupcake apron all day long, in spite of Danny's disappointment* disapproval**.)

Check out my new Apron section on my rag-a-muffin blog!



*totally random side note! I didn't want to use the word disappointment, so I looked up a synonym, and I found that the term "flash in a pan" is a synonym for disappointment. Really? It doesn't make sense to me! Anyway, then I found a word that made more sense, but I just had to include this little nugget of knowledge about that crazy term.

...oh, Kelly. Flash in a pan. That was a fun night! I miss you!

** Danny disapproves of the holiday, not the apron.

it's so hard to say goodbye...to winter.

As all of you know, I absolutely love winter!

(hate, hate, hate)

I was filled with joy this morning when I woke up and saw all the snow, coating my front lawn, the trees starting to bud, and my car.

(the one day I actually feel better, and it has to be hellish outside? Really?!?)

While singing, I hopped in the shower and pondered all the fun things I could do in the snow when I was done.

(I took a really long, really hot shower. It was amazing. I actually felt human again.)

Still singing, I got dressed and happily plopped on my rain boots. I love splashing in puddles!

(I put my rain boots on and begged, please! Make it the last time! )

My mom came by to get an apron for a bridal shower she was going to later. So we went on a errand run together.

(she was my chauffeur for the afternoon.)

We had so much fun, dancing in the snow, while walking from the car to the store.

(we walked as fast as possible, shivering and complaining, on our way into Home Goods.)

I found some super cute plates, bowls, silverware, etc... all in the shape of cats! Of course I had to get the whole set. Danny's gonna love em!

(we were there to find a few cute kitchen accessories to go along with the apron. We found an awesome lime green colander, and a citrus zester.)

That was about all the adventure I could handle for the day, so my mom took me home.

(I got back into my fav chair, and watched some Seinfeld until Danny got home.)

I lit a cheery fire in the fireplace, and then I made rack of lamb for dinner.

(I got the leftover pizza from last night, and heated 3 slices up for me in the microwave, then I went to Jamba Juice, and got a coldbuster)

It was such a lovely day, such a wonderful and magical snowy day, I can't wait for next winter!

(Please please make it stop. Please please, I am losing my mind!)

***I really, really wanted those rain boots. They were last years, and they got such horrible reviews, that I figured the $75 price tag was just too much. :( ***

mother's day 2009

Today we went to my parents house and had a fabulous dinner. We had steak, I made red potatoes and green beans, (and chocolate cake,of course). Nick made the famous strawberry salad, and we all ate way too much. I think it was the 4 layer cake that did us all in.

My mom shared some nice memories of her mother with us- it's always nice to hear them because I never knew her. It's pretty rare that she talks about her mom, usually when she does she gets really sad and cries. But not today! My grandma Betty was there too- She was in good spirits and happy. I don't think she knows who I am anymore, but that's okay.

Maloree of course was being silly, and pouring her Dr. Pepper in with her water, and when it got pretty gross looking, Lindsay piped up and said "Gimme. I want to taste." All of us said "No! Ew!" but she said "Yes! Yes!" so Mal handed her the glass. She was grinning ear to ear, and took a sip, and her smile vanished. It was replaced with a sour look, and she goes "Eeluch. You right, it IS gross!" And then she laughed and stuck her tongue out. My brother Nick was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes.

Nick, Danny and my Dad put the new oven(s) in the wall, so now the kitchen is almost complete. I am so excited for my Mom! She has been waiting so long for this! I gave her the apron I have been working on, and she loved it. Of course I HAD to make her a decorative dish towel that matches. So not practical. But very cute.

We had a very good day today!

my first post

So I decided to start my blog- so that I can archive all the dessert and sewing creations that I am constantly making! Lately I have been on an apron kick- Here are some pics. ( For the green & black one, and the one with the strawberry, I used a pattern called "Flirty Skirty" )