Grand Revival Designs

Pattern Making

Yeah!! I roughly finished one version of this little clutch that I'm making a pattern for. The little bugger took like 4 hours somehow, but I am a slowpoke. Also, working from an idea and trying to figure out the exact shape something should be from an image in my mind takes time, still, I'm slow as molasses at most things, washing dishes, cleaning, whatever. It take me about 2 hours to clean the kitchen and takes my husband 15 minutes. I like to think it's because I'm more thorough but I think it's just that I'm slow.

I'm so happy with how this turned out. Have a couple other versions to work out for the pattern but this is the fun part, seeing the idea come to life.

My husband has been the best husband eva this weekend. Taking full charge of kiddies so I can really concentrate on my patterns. Got another prototype done too. A great big hobo tote, totally practical and hip, and will hopefully finish one more prototype before the week ends and school starts. Back to work....

Dressing Zelda

I love my mannequin, I call her Zelda for some strange reason. She's not a real sewing form and is really useless for actually making a dress as her boobs are way bigger then mine but she is so fun to work out ideas on. I got her on ebay for about $50.00 and I just love her. Also, she's really nice and never judges me....

I would really like to actually make this dress and wear it with peekaboo 40's style red heels, of course I'll probably never actually get around to it.

This one is so 50's like like she should be holding a highball glass (if she had arms that is).

Anyhoo, I lost the post listing stores that have gotten their Barefoot Roses shipments so here they are

www.sewmamasew.com

www.hancocks-paducah.com

www.fatquartershop.com

www.suzieqquilts.com

www.virginiaquilter.com

www.quiltfabricdelights.com

Day Trippin....

Every Friday evening at our house is the same. I turn to my husband and ask "what should we do with them tomorrow?", he replies "I don't know, what do you think we should do with them tomorrow?" The implied meaning in this conversation is that we MUST get them out of the house on Saturday. As much as we would love to sleep late, drink coffee, read the paper, watch a Netflix movie and be generally sloth like, anyone who has kids knows this is all but impossible.

We've long since given up doing strictly kid activities. My tolerance for Chuck E Cheese, etc. ran out when my first one was about 3. I don't like the chaos and loudness and  was always afraid of losing a child in one of those giant plastic ball bins.

These days we like to just jump in the car and drive to random destinations. Often it's some old town that my husband has found on the internet where he knows I'll enjoy the old buildings and houses. Though the places we end up aren't always so exciting it is really wonderful to be able to just really talk to the kids with out the distraction of technology.

Got some pictures of this beautiful example of Art Deco theatre architecture in a little town that was being revitalized. And this fabulous car was in front.

These visual treats alone made the trip worthwhile for me but then we happened upon this historic site. I got almost giddy when we saw it. I had read about it one of my favorite books, "A Field Guide to American Houses" and couldn't believe we just happened to drive by it. I won't go into all the geeky reasons I love this house (I have my husband to bore with such things and I frequently do, he's a saint really) but it is a very special house. Built in 1665, Bacon's Castle, is one of only 3 examples of Jacobean architecture in the Western hemisphere. You can just see looking at it how different it is from American colonial architecture and how much more European it feels. The kids even loved the tour and I love that they have the visual memories from our Random Drive Saturday.

Hope everyone did something they enjoyed this Saturday, that's what it's for, right? The laundry can wait till Monday, or Tuesday, or Wendnesday....

Vintage Bag Rehab

This was my little Barefoot Roses project this week. I bought this bag for 10 bucks at Country Boy. I think it's maybe from the 1960's and it's pretty unimpressive but I liked the shape and it had a sturdy frame so I thought I'd try to sort of re-upholster it. It worked out really well. I thought it would involve some sewing but as it turned out spray adhesive and hot glue did the trick.

This was a really satisfying project because it worked first of all, it was easy and it was cheap meeting all my criteria for a fun craft project...I think I'll have to do it again. You can find so many 60's, 70's era handbags at Good Will or other thrift stores, probably on Ebay too, for around $5.00 to $10.00. I'm not sure but I think buying the frame new might cost more. Anyway, I love to re-use old things....

I've been indulging myself in Barefoot Roses projects the past couple of weeks...Really didn't have much time to play with my fabrics after Quilt Market.

Pretty as a Pincushion

So I've been goin a little crazy with pincushions this weekend. It all started innocently enough when I decided to rehab a 40s/50s era suitcase and make it into my sewing box (you know those little hard suitcases that you see in flea markets and antiques shops, I'm always attracted to em but didn't know what I'd actually do with one).

I thought a pretty sewing box deserved some pretty pincushions. Of course I'm not that happy with the way the suitcase is turning out and the project is turning into a bit of drag but the pincushions are one of those happy creative accidents. I've really been indulging in preciousness here but they are so fun to make and a great way to use up scraps, vintage jewelry and bits of ribbon and ric rac. I think I'm on a kick here and will probably make a whole bunch to give as Christmas presents. It's funny because I used to think pin cushions were kinda dumb, I mean why not just keep pins in that little box they come in. But after spilling those little boxes about a hundred times and stabbing myself countless times trying to get a pin, I began to see the logic. I'm a little slow on the up-take sometimes.

I also indulged myself with some sunflowers for our Sunday dinner. Fat, happy sunflowers, cheap red wine, husband made chicken Teriaki and Hawaiian sticky rice, Peter Tosh playing on the stereo, and 3 crazy children making me laugh.....oh yes, life can be so sweet.

And the Winner is.....

                                                                                               

WOW!! I have to say I am completely over whelmed by the response to the give- away. Now I know everyone likes free stuff, but I also know that everyone these days is ridiculously busy. So the fact that so many people took the time not only to comment but to say something extremely kind, is really, well, I don't know how to say this without being too sappy but, I just consider it a really amazing gift. So thank you all for taking the time to boost a girl's ego, really, thank you! The only problem is that I went to everyone's site who left a link and, sadly for my ever growing pile of laundry, I now have many more places I know I'll be visiting on a regular basis.

I also have to thank Jennifer Paganelli for pointing so many of you in my direction. Her design work is so beautiful, innovative, elegant and happy and she is an incredibly warm, generous and authentic person (I keep telling her I want to be president of her fan club, I really do.) Also have to thank the very sweet Sarah at Quilt Fabric Delights for asking to interview me and then actually posting it. And Gina "the dynamo" Halladay of Quilters Buzz and the fabulous Threaded Pear Studio for pointing yet more of you over here and for quilting my quilt for Quilt Market (she may well be the busiest person I know).

Alright, enough with the thanks already, and the winner according to the random number generator is

Kathy Woods

and because you all were so sweet I'm sending the pattern to the following 5 people, again, according to the magic random number generator

Pam
Nancy
Angie
Sue
Betsy

Just send me your shipping info. to [email protected]

Thanks again everyone! This was so fun that I'm gonna have to do it again soon!