Happy 3rd Birthday Brooke!!

Happy 3rd Birthday my little sweet pea!!

I hope I made this day as special as you make every day for me. 

As requested (Chocolate Cake Mama)

Chocolate devils food cake (Martha Stewart Recipe)

Buttercream frosting (Cake Boss Recipe)

Buttercream Fondant (Ace of Cakes)

 What a special day!  Love you to pieces my sweet baby girl!

Runway Brooke 2013

Spring has finally arrived!  The birds are singing, tax season is over, I am running outside!!!. . .but yet my sewing project list has not taken off. . . .hmmm??? (scratch the head).  Oh bother.

Let me think about this. . .think . . .think, think . . .

Motivation!  Inspiration!  That is what I need!  What motivates me?

My motivation will be "Runway Brooke 2013".  I will work on at least one (but I am really hoping for two - shoot for the moon right?) projects per month for Brooke.  Nothing motivates me more than doing something for her.  She was my pushing force through the CPA exam so this will be easy.

Some projects will be for personal use only but I have a long list of projects I can make for resale so this will be a good way to test the pattern and get a sample.

First up for the month of May (there is no way I can get this done by month end) is the Up Town Girl jacket by Make It Perfect.  This pattern is for personal use only but Brooke really needs a spring jacket so resale items are just going to have to wait a bit.

In the spirit of spring I chose two bright and warm colors. . .popping pink and golden yellow.  The yellow is a Damask and the popping pink is Joel Dewberry's primrose from the notting hill collection.  This jacket is reversible so I think the colors will complement each other nicely.

Evening #1 - fabric washed and pattern pieces traced and cut out.

Speaking of which - tracing paper!

After reading this post Swedish Tracing Paper by Rae of made-by-rae I purchased some tracing paper on Amazon per her recommendation.  I thought I would give it a whirl since I cringe at the thought of tracing patterns.  It kind of puts me over the edge a little.  But this paper is great!  Its sewable, light enough to trace through, but sturdy at the same time, and pretty inexpensive.  I will always have some on my self for those patterns I can not live with out and are not pdf printable.  If you haven't tried it, try it!

The Emily Bag and The 201 Stitch Cowl

I purchased the Emily Bag pattern on ithinksew a while ago and finally got to break it out for a test run this past week.  This bag is for a birthday gift but is also a test run to see if I like the pattern enough to considering making it for resale.  

Results were good.  This pattern was not difficult to put together, nor was it too time consuming, . . . and the final product turned out really nice. 

Love the colors!  The only thing I would do differently in making another bag is to either use home decor weight fabric or interface the outside layer instead of or as well as the inside layer to give the bag a more sturdy feel.  This bag is for a 16 year old girl who loves Vera Bradley.  I think it will do the job.  

My favorite part was learning to put in magnetic snaps and the inside pocket.  I embarrassingly admit I have never used magnetic snaps before (sigh and roll eyes) . . . I don't know why.  They are so simple to put in and give a really nice professional look.  

I also put in one of my twill tags.  I like them but it does bug me that they were printed a little uncentered.  Oh well I will use them up and look for new ones.  

So I really think this will be one of the bags I sell at craft fairs this summer and fall.  I am already thinking of all the fun fabric combinations.  But first I have a few Brookie projects that must take priority.  She really needs a spring jacket so that is my next priority.

On the knitting front.  I have started another 201 stitch cowl (aka Chickadee Cowl ) for . . .ME!  I have made two of these for friends.  Both of which almost had to be ripped from my crafting fingers (little sigh and grumble).  

This one is knitted with madelinetosh yarn (YUM!) which I picked at Rhinebeck this fall.  I love the colors!  It will be a perfect piece for the fall.

However I can really wait to wear it though . .I am ready to get outside!  This winter weather has been hanging on for way too long! Time to play and run outside with my energetic 3 year old!

Oh and guess what. . .tomorrow is April 15th!  I can finally stick my head outside of the tunnel . . .woohoo!  Our office is closed on Friday so I have an entire sewing day to myself. . .a whole day. . .whole day!  Then a two day weekend to follow!  Brooke and I have BIG plans! BIG!

Bright baby cables

Bright baby cable socks.  Just in time for spring.  

Pattern: A mix of various different sock patterns

Yarn: Plymouth Diversity

This yarn has memory spring, so it forms nicely to your feet.  I casted on 56 stitches and divided evenly among three needles.  I then knitted a k2, p2 rib for 1/2 inch before beginning a baby cable and repeating the baby cable every 4th row.  I carried the cables down the sock and along the top of the foot leaving the bottom in a stockinette stitch.  Simple, bright, and fun!

Spring is here and more crafting time is right around the corner. . .extremely exciting!