Nagging At Myself

All these thoughts swirling around in my head, could quiet possibly disappear, if I don't stop and take the time out to  journal about them. 

I've nagged, and nagged, myself about this for weeks. 

I've, once again, declined to a New Year's Resolution. 

About the only thing I accomplish is, when I do so, is to simply set myself up for failure. 

Instead, I always keep trying to better myself from one day to the next. 

There has been sewing....

This is a dress I made for Mia. 

The fabric is Riley Blake

Enchantment/ Cinderberry Stitches by Natalie Lymer 

-front-

I am working on dresses for Laci and Harper too. 

Same style, different fabric choices. 

-back-

The inspiration for this dress comes from a unique line of children's clothing, Matilda Jane. 

I adore the Matilda Jane dresses, but they are very, very, pricey. 

Matilda Jane offers a dress,  the 'Knot Dress' , and this is my version of it. 

I'm working on a quilt just for ME! 

The blocks are almost done, I will be adding another border around each block 

before placing them all together. 

 I'm also working on two new quilts, one for Laci, and one for Mia. 

They have outgrown their 'baby' blankets, at least in size, they can hardly cover themselves up with them. 

The new quilts are 'big girl' size. 

The back is super soft Minky.

The front rose print flannel is Westminster Fabric, 

Sugar Hill/Scattered Roses by Tanya Whalen.

As far as sewing goes, I have several irons in the fire, so to speak. 

Ya know- I love it. Switching from this project to that project. 

There's been a Bon-Fire with the Gran-babies. 

 Laci told me she was a 'gatherer'.

Sitting by the fire time.

Snacking on crackers.

 Apparently eating a cracker is serious business...

and so is fire watching. 

That night Laci and Mia spent the night here with Grammy and Papa. 

These are the moments I want to freeze in my heart and mind, the ones when the magic is so intense, it's almost unbelievable. 

This time, this now, when everything feels just so very, very, right with all the world. 

This year our little family will be growing and changing once again. 

In June we will be gaining another Son-in-law.

In August we will be gaining yet another, #5, Gran-BABY!!!  

Little Harper will be a BIG sister...

All in all, life is good.

I'm fully aware at just how blessed I truly am. 

The Girasole Lady

Jelly Roll Jam Quilt/New Aprons

The Fat Quarter Shop posted a great

Jelly Roll Jam Quilt,

complete pattern and tutorial. 

I love the Fat Quarter Shop.

This is a super simple quilt, and it just so happened I had a couple of Jelly Rolls just waiting to be used. 

I've actually had them for over a year, (maybe longer) stashed in my craft room.

Don't know what a Jelly Roll is....

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE MODA WEB SITE

This pattern literally just takes just a couple of hours to make this quilt, start to finish. 

I made two of them. 

The quilts are lap size, measuring about 36x36. 

This was made from a Moda Jelly Roll, Coming Home by Deb Strain. 

I used the new Moda, Wool and Needle Flannel, by Primitive Gatherings, in black, for the backing.

The second one

is also made from a Moda Jelly Roll, Together by Brannock and Patek. 

I used the same Flannel backing as the other quilt, only in red. 

I cannot say enough good things about Moda brand fabric, 

and several other of my favorite makers. 

Yes, I have to admit it...

I'm a fabric SNOB!'

OK- I said it! 

I can't, and won't, settle for the cheaper fabric store brands. 

It's the feel, the texture, and the quality, and  that's what I choose to pay for. 

I always stick to the higher end manufactures and designers. 

Which brings me to the point of selling them.

I can't. Why?

Because I'm not so sure I could even cover my material costs in each quilt. 

Each quilt has about $50.00 of material involved. 

Which, does not include my time or thread. 

Each Jelly Roll runs about $40.00, I used half of a Roll in each quilt. 

The Flannel for the backing was $11.99 per yard, I used one yard in each quilt. 

The batting was $17.99 per bag, I used 1 bag, minus 2 feet,  for each quilt. 

So really, unless you have a fair knowledge about the fabric costs of the materials used, 

would you really be willing to pay $50.00 per quilt, or more?

I'm working on some new Aprons....

Here's a sneak peek at the fabrics I'll be using...

Another great manufacture, Robert Kaufman, designed by 

Mary Lake Thompson. 

I'm making more of the smock style aprons, and will be selling them for $34.95 each. 

They will be this style

I'm currently out of the chicken print, but if you're interested in these fabrics for an Apron, 

I'm pretty sure I can get more.

If you, or anyone you know, may be interested in purchasing an Apron, please contact me directly, before I list them in my Etsy Store. 

Which has been sorely neglected these past several months. 

Boo...:(

Have a lovely day. 

The Girasole Lady

Finished Quilt

Back in January of this year I decided to sew a quilt for each of my girls for their birthdays, beginning with a quilt for Kristina. 

Now I have to say that it was suppose to be done for her birthday- - in FEBRUARY! 

It is now September and I can safely say that, as of this morning, the quilt is complete.

I found the most perfect flannel, plaid yellow and gray, for the quilt backing.

I did my version of machine quilting around the edges

and down along the solid strips of gray.

The quilt is lap size, and I know Kristina will have many chilly nights to snuggle underneath the coziness of it. 

I'm excited about starting the next quilt/project.
(Tonya's birthday was in August, so I'm still behind)

I'm equally excited, well maybe a bit more, about the new sewing machine I purchased last week. 

After a good deal of research I decided on the 

Janome DC2013

I absolutely LOVE it! 

You can read about it here at Janome. 

I bought my machine at Cathy's Sew and Vac.

Nice people and excellent customer service.
It just so happens that one of my favorite quilt stores, Honey Run Quilters, is inside the store as well. 

The last sewing machine I bought was a JC Penny model in 1977 (it was my 1 year wedding anniversary present), we paid $99.00 for it back then. 

By golly- that machine sewed lots and lots of little girls clothes, and quilts. 

Boy, did I ever get my moneys worth out of that old machine. 

 I retired the JCP machine after my mom had picked up an older Singer machine for me at a garage sale for $20.00, a very long, long, time ago. 

Most recently, I had been borrowing a Singer Simple from Beth. 

I feel like I have my first 'grown-up' sewing machine.

My gardens are frazzled by the end of Summer Blues, just yucky and weathered.
It is going to be hot again this weekend, so I'll be putting off serious gardening until a bit cooler weather.

Tomorrow there is wedding dress shopping planned!
Beth, my littlest girl, is getting married next June.

I'm happy.

The Girasole Lady

New Aprons

I never got around to making those pumpkins this weekend, life just got a little too busy.
I'll have to wait until later this week for that project.
Yes, sometimes I actually have responsibilities to take care of.
i know hard to believe, isn't it?

I did get the pictures of the full size aprons I made...

It's a smock style

with ties on each side

and big double pockets. 

For me, having the ties on each side is more comfortable than a tie at the back of my neck. My hair, often times, gets caught in the ties and pulls. (I have long hair, but I always wear it clipped up)

Too, with the ties on the side, it allows for more variation in size fit. 

French Post design on Michael Miller fabric. 

The ladder used to display the aprons is from the ranch Caveman grew up on (just down the road from our home),

it was used for picking olives. 

Mary Lake Thompson design, Down On The Farm, on Robert Kaufman fabric. 

The back is Chicken Fence print, matching the front pocket.

 This cute apron fabric, Chinese Take Out,  is a design by Sheri McCulley Studio (Sheri Berry Designs)

I'll be putting my new aprons in my Etsy store a little later today.

In the meantime - I'd best be getting to those darned responsibilities. 

The Girasole Lady

Vintage Table Cloth Turned Vintage Apron

This apron is created from a vintage table cloth I purchased at a second hand shop, and is 100% cotton. The ric-rac and trim are original to the vintage cloth. The complimentary fabric features nostalgic kitchen wares from Summer's past, and is also 100% cotton. 

Due to the age of the fabric there may be very slight irregularities, but only enough to add real charm and character to the perfect vintage apron. A truly unique apron that will transport you back in time to a slower, more simple way of life. 

Available at my Etsy Shop

The Girasole Lady

 Today is the first official day of Summer

and Summer Solstice. 

June is my first favorite month of the year, the second is November. 

The Girasole Lady

A Sign- Part Two

I know, I was suppose to post these pictures yesterday.

Yesterday was spent at Tonya's house lovin-up on the Grandbabies, so Tonya could sew curtains for her kitchen and girls bathroom. No excuse- I know.
Oh, yes-we went fabric shopping, you guessed it, I accidentally brought some fabric home too.  I would say I would show you the fabric tomorrow, but let's wait a day or two, that way there is no pressure on me...ok?

Here's the finished signs.
I hung them on the wall right above the window in the dining room, which I actually like to refer to as the Kitchen Table Room. Weird- oh well.

The wood for the "groceries" sign also came from the broken up dresser. It was the part that stood up along the back of the dresser top.

I lightly sanded the front again, then applied some of the Annie Sloan Dark Wax with a soft clean cloth, just a thin wipe here and there. 

I am happy with the way the signs turned out. 

And just to remind you again of how terrible I am at tutorials, here is the only picture I took during the whole process of finishing the sign...

Does that even count? 

I've seen signs similar to this for sale at Pottery Barn

This is a PB one for $89.00

Actually, now that I am looking at this, it gives me inspiration to make my own "home-made" version of this sign for my kitchen. Because really...$89.00!!!   I don't know about you- but that is totally out of my budget! 

Today I'll either be sewing or painting...right after a trip to Costco. 

The End

The Girasole Lady