I am definitely on a summer sewing binge, even though the skies are gray and we've had showers on and off for the last two days. It's been such an odd spring for our neck of the woods. Spring here usually means kinda hot, until we hit the hot weather in June and the please don't let my air conditioner fail me sweltering days of July and August. I am hardly complaining, though. I am certainly no fan of 100 degree weather, but in preparation for it, I've been making sun dresses. This one is my favorite, so far.



The hanger just doesn't do it justice - it is so cute on! It's a combination of patterns - Made's Summer Vacation Dress and the free Leisurely dress pattern form the Sew Mama Sew blog. Last summer I got hooked on shirring (using elastic thread to create a smocking effect) and this year it's becoming an obsession. I just bought four spools of elastic thread, so no fabric here is safe! The shirring on the pockets was from Dana's pattern, and I love it!

Sadly, I'll have to put away the elastic thread for now, because Max wants some shorts, and I don't think the boy is interested in a smocked pair. What are you sewing for the summer?

Today I have two quick cards for those last minute attachments to gifts before heading to the party. The first one is super simple:

Punch one large and two small circles from scrap paper; edge them with ink.

Stamp a rocket on another scrap and cut out.

Attach circles and rocket to card front. Add some stamped or Dymo text and you're done!

The second card uses one of my favorite techniques - faux stitching.

Attach a piece of patterned paper to a cardstock blank. Using a paper piercer (or a thick needle), poke holes around the perimeter. I just eyeball it, but you can mark even spaces with a ruler first, if you like to be precise.

Using a fine tipped black pen, draw lines from hole to hole, allowing the tip to dip into each hole.

Cut out an image from your patterned paper (or use a stamp, collage piece, scrapbooking embellishment, etc.).

Punch a contrasting circle from scrap paper and attach your image. Glue both to the face of the card.

Attach stamped or computer generated text and you're done! Now you're ready to party!

Ten school days until the end of the year - nine for the district my kids attend. Is your life as crazy as mine right now? While ten days sounds great, the amount of things I need to accomplish in those ten days seems insurmountable at times. It will all get done in the end.  The blog posts may be short and spotty for the next two weeks, but I did manage to run a new t-shirt design:

You'll have to excuse the chipmunk cheeks - I had some dental work done that day. I so love that she still wants to match with me. I know that all too soon the idea of having matching clothes with mom will be on par with math homework and flossing her teeth with sandpaper. So I'm enjoying the moment while it lasts.

Summer always seems to be filled with birthdays, especially July for our family. And, if you are like me, you are usually pulling out papers 20 minutes before a party, hastily throwing a card together. Well, I decided to do a little planning this year and make some cards ahead of time, to avoid the last minute rush. Each Monday I'll show you a few simple card tutorials so you won't be scrambling at the last minute, either!

Since the adult birthdays fall in spring and early summer for our family, I decided to share two sophisticated cards this week, suitable for adult birthdays.

For this card, I attached a gray panel to a striped background piece. Cards are perfect for using the scraps cluttering up your desk!

I printed a quote from the computer, cut it apart, and edged it with Distress Ink.

A simple stamp was added to the corner.

I punched a few lacing holes, inserted eyelets and laced it with waxy twine.

Glue on the text and attach card face to folded cardstock. Done!

For the second card, stamp a background print on an old book page. Tear it out around the edges and run an ink pad along the sides.

Stamp a floral print on a scrap of cardstock.

Stamp a butterfly on a scrap and cut out. Alternately, you could use a butterfly punch.

Assemble the card: attach the text page to a patterned paper background, add floral piece, butterfly and a little birthday text. Secure face to a folded piece of cardstock and you are done!

It's my peaceful place, my escape down the road. It's just at the end of the street, but sometimes it feels like miles away. When I can't make it there on my days off, I can feel it. I'm a little more stressed, a little unsettled. Like this week. So maybe the pictures will help. These are some of the first shots I took with the Hipstamatic app for my iPhone.
Breathe.

This was my Mother's Day present. It was entirely my daughter's idea. How cool are my kids? Yes, they both know that I love sock monkeys, yet own none - until now. My daughter has instructed me that I must sleep with him every night (it's always bothered her that I had no stuffed animals to sleep with, for she has a virtual zoo on her bed each night), and I declared that I would sew a felt Mom tattoo on him, like in the Kia car commercial. We all love that one. So, I thought it befitting to list some of my favorite sock monkey Etsy items:
Monkeys, rabbits, and other fabulous toys from Super Sock Monkeys

 The sock monkey hat from Strawberry Ric Rac

The invitation from Oh My Gluestick

  The edible cupcake topper from Two Sugar Babies

 The whole ensemble from  Nancy's Needles and Pens

 The oh so cool modern quilt from Sew Creativ

How I love the Spock Monkey from The Sock Drawer

This sweet painting from Exo Kitten

And this last one, which is destined to be mine, from Zparkley's shop.

I could go on and on with the monkey goodness! Of course, you could always grab an old sock or two and make your own! I'll leave you with the great song from the Kia commercial, which is getting heavy play on the iPods in the house

I had internet problems earlier this week, and tummy problems the latter, but I wanted to share this quick post, in honor of National Poetry Month. I found this video through the inspiring blog, Journeyseeds. It's.... well, you should just watch it and let the poet speak for himself.