Ever feel like this?

I do this week.  Busy getting ready for some client meetings in Atlanta next week.  And looking forward to having dinner with some artsy gal-pals.  I did this illustration a while back for a scrapbook journal.  Ok, back to work!

Ok, so this may not be the most Girlie thing to say, but I hate nothing more than getting my hair done.  I’ll admit it ~ color’s not just for fun anymore and I find myself in the chair every four week whether I like it or not (I don’t).  I do, however, like to look like a Girlie Girl, so a certain amount of maintenance is necessary.  And I resent every minute I have to spend in my hairdresser’s chair (love her, but would rather have happy hour with her than spend 1-1/2 hours a month in the salon) ~ and can’t somebody invent a hair wash sink that doesn’t kill your neck?

Guess where I’ve been today.

No, not me, sillies!  This really cool trivet I picked up on the cheap last weekend!

It started out looking a bit sad….

…but I knew just the thing to perk it up…

…my favorite silver paint applied with a foam brush…

…and then a little black paint dry brushed over that to give it a more pewter feel.

Whaddya’ think?

And boy, did I have one on Saturday!  I didn’t snap pics of all my treasures, but here are a few….

Score!  Look at all this lovely vintage thread for 50¢…

Score!!  Handmade & hand painted ceramic cups (the leaf motif is on the back of all of them) for a whopping $3.00 …

Score!!!  Vintage sewing machine drawers for $3.00 each… They’re a little long for my shelves, but I can deal… I’ve already started filling them with bits and pieces of this and that!

Sew, Mama, Sew is compiling a reference guide for buying a new sewing machine and has asked its readers to do a little Q & A about their machines.  Sew….here’s my contribution:

What brand and model do you have?  Viking Emerald 116

How long have you had it?
Since Xmas 08, but I actually just learned how to use it in March of this year (09)!

How much does that machine cost (approximately)? $300±

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?  Mostly home dec

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
I just started sewing regularly, about a project a week.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
Oh my - I have to name it?! ha ha  I love the machine.  My husband actually shopped for and picked it out for me for Xmas.  I think he did a good job :-)

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
Since I am new to sewing & sewing machines I can’t actually compare to others, but I would say that the adjustable presser foot pressure has been helpful especially since I sew with some heavier fabrics. And I adore the threading feature - saves me hours of poking thread at the needle!

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
I am sure down the road they’ll be something, as I get more skilled (as in enough to notice that something should drive me nuts), but for now, nothing.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
I don’t know if this qualifies as a great story, but when I went to the free “learn how to use your machine” class, the gal running it was very impatient with me because I hadn’t ever actually sewed and I kept asking her “why?” every time she’d tell me how to adjust something.  I was just trying to understand why I would want that particular dial set on 3 and not 4 and she just wanted to tell me to set it on 3 and move on.  Kinda made me want to ask “why” a little more….

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Absolutely - because it is a great, solid, easy to use machine.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
I’ll let you know if I ever feel the need to look for another!  ha ha But seriously, for me it would be easy to use first and foremost,  Then I guess you should consider what you’d be doing with it the most.  If you’re doing home dec, you’ll want something more solid than if you’re just sewing clothing.

Do you have a dream machine?
Not yet since I am still mooning over this one :-) However, one day I might want one that does fancy stitches.

…Monica Lee!  If you haven’t had a chance to check out her blog, do!

Thanks so much to everyone for leaving their comments.  It was interesting the varied opinions about whether or not they could sleep in the middle of a working studio.  As I said before, I could not!  That’s one of the things I really love about my art studio ~ being able to close the door on the mess and walk away.

A friend of mine recently finished a lengthy renovation of her kitchen and is having a party to celebrate & reveal the new space.  I haven’t yet seen it finished and quizzed her on her colors so I could gather some fabric and whip up these snappy patchwork kitchen towels as a gift.  I hope I got the colors right!  I’ll know tomorrow night.

And I wish I could take credit for this nifty idea, but I have to give credit where it is due ~ I found the inspiration (not to mention easy directions) for this project here on Sew Mama Sew.  I bought the nice off-white towels at Target.

Don’t forget ~ the Très Belle fat quarter give away is still open… but not for much longer!

June is the month for weddings.  Do you have a standard wedding gift?  Do you just stuff a check or some cash into a card and call it done?  Or do you look for creative ideas?  If you have a wedding (or two) to go to this summer, perhaps these ideas might be of use.  While the gift itself might not be a new idea, combining a special note with it elevates the ordinary to thoughtful.

Give a striking small pitcher with the following note:

What a clever little pitcher this is…
…pretty enough to
pose in just the right spot…
…nifty for orange juice
for breakfast in bed…
…just right for water
on a table for two…
…inspiration to create
the perfect martini…
…an impromptu vase
for floral surprises…
…we hope you enjoy it for
all of the above and more!
All the happiness in
the world to you both.

Give a beautiful bamboo cutting board, a fabulous cookbook, or any kind of nice kitchen item, with the following note (credited to the Dali Lama):

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Give a unique photo frame.  The following note is one that I have used, because it was true to my situation.

Use it as a jumping off point to modify for your own use.

When we got married, we received
twelve frames – all of them different.
We started a frame menagerie on our foyer table
and it has since grown up the wall.
Here is our contribution to your menagerie.
We’re certain you’ll have no trouble filling it
and all the others you’re sure to
receive with special memories.
All the happiness in the world to you both
in creating those memories.

 Don’t forget ~ the Très Belle fat quarter give away is still open…

About high time for a giveaway ~ of some of my fabric!  This is my Très Belle design for Studio E Fabrics and I am giving away a complete set of fat quarters (one of each pattern).  But there’s a rule for your comments to be eligible….read on:

The amazing gal who gave me a few sewing lessons lives in a condo with a great view of the river.  It is very small, so in order for her to accommodate all her sewing paraphernalia, she had to turn her only bedroom into her studio and installed a Murphy bed (unless it was pulled down, you’d never know the room was used for sleeping).

I remember thinking when I first saw it, How dedicated to her craft!  Then I thought ~ I could never just turn the light off and sleep in the middle of a chaotic studio.  The unfinished project(s) and lingering creative energy would call to me and leave me lying awake feeling unsettled.  I also saw a bedroom studio in one of the magazines that was more studio than sleeping space.

So here’s what you have to leave a comment about to be eligible to win Très Belle:

Do you think you could sleep peacefully amidst all your unfinished projects?  If the answer is yes - why?

And here’s another twist….I don’t know how long I will leave this giveaway open ~ maybe for a couple days, maybe a week….so get busy typing!

I guess I could have (should have, would have) fixed my hair or something before letting this pic be snapped, but what I was fixin’ was dinner ~ in my favorite new apron, made by little ‘ol me.  And if I’d really been on my game, I’d have snapped a close up of the cool pocket on the front that isn’t apparent in this shot.

OK, so I had some help making this.  Thank you Lynne D., my one-on-one sewing instructor godess.  I hired Lynne a while back to show me some basics and this was the first project we did together.  I learned a lot, had a lot of fun and am really enjoying this sewing journey so far.  It is like instant gratification and I am lovin’ creating something with my hands that has nothing to do with the computer and feels like a different kind of art.  Yup, very satisfying indeed.

Oh, hey, I got some samples of my fabric recently ~ I feel a give-away coming on soon!  Stay tuned!