Work in progress....

I recently pinned together some faux leather fabric and cute cherry blossom liner fabric I found at Joann's in the clearance section. I am taking on the rather ambitious task (considering I am new at sewing) of making a cross-body purse. I can't wait to sew it all together, but I have to wait for my mom's old sewing machine to get fixed up. I am not very good at patience, but I am trying!

I was able to make another scarf at Sarah's house earlier this week. It turned out even better than the first! Can't show a picture quite yet, but will try to get one up soon. Hopefully, I will have my very own sewing machine by then and can get working on my purse too!

Mom always told me I was born with a purse.  -Me 

Those who came before me

I have been researching and learning about my family's history and ancestry. It is quite fascinating and highly addictive! I have always wanted to learn more about my ancestors and now I have found a website to help with this venture. Geni.com is incredibly user friendly and allows you to do quite a bit without paying for the service. There are fees to link your tree to others, but I have not gone that route yet. Here is a link to my tree:  http://www.geni.com/share?t=6000000011540437450  I love the photo found of my great great grandparents! Looks like my father!

Here is a picture of the scarf Sarah made yesterday: 

She is really ready for Spring!

I am eager to keep sewing and feel as though I have found my new passion. While I wait for the custody of Mom's old sewing machine to be given to me... and fixed... I am working on some smaller, hand sewn projects. Here is a picture of the pin cushion jar I made this weekend:  

 "Shwooop. Hehe. You have to make those little noises or it just doesn't work."

                                                                                                      -Bob Ross

Crafturday Numero Uno

Sarah, Sandi, and I successfully experienced our first Craftuday (Saturday of crafts). We started off our day with a hearty breakfast at Two Twins cafe with Matt, Sam, Leo, and Rex. Here is video of sweet little Leo mesmerized by Sandi's pure silliness while waiting for our food:

By the way, the food was delicious!

We then headed to Hancock Fabrics where we found ourselves to be overwhelmed by the decisions to be made. I ended up picking out four different fabrics that I loved and Sandi and Sarah found a few fabrics they loved as well.

Breakfast and shopping took longer than expected (all my fault) that by the time we arrived at Sarah's house and got organized, we only had about an hour and a half to work on our projects. We decided to focus on at least completing a scarf for each of us. As we got to work, we found that we loved some of the fabrics that others chose so we ended up mixing and matching and sharing a lot of the fabric that we purchased. Here is how mine turned out:

I am really digging it and can't wait to make another. I see owning my very own sewing machine in my near future! In the meantime, I will have to wait till our next Crafturday or Sew'nday. We plan on meeting at Sarah's again in the next week or so to make another and possibly start a new project as well!

                                   "Trying and achieving are two different things."

                                                                                     -Tim Gunn

Craftivity!

Part of my vision is to learn how to make things and be more crafty. I have a great desire to be more artistic, yet I find that it is really not in me. I am hoping that the phrase 'practice makes perfect' will work with this goal. My friend, Sarah, and I have been talking about doing craft projects together for awhile now. A couple weeks ago, we started off by going to Paint Yourself Silly www.paintyourselfsilly.net and painting ring holders for ourselves. Here is how mine turned out:

Sandi, Sarah, and I decided to continue our Crafternoon's this weekend. We are hoping to make some throw pillows and/or scarves. Sarah and I are in desperate need of new pillows for our living room furniture, but Sandi and I are really hoping to sport new, handmade scarves when we arrive in San Francisco in early March. Decisions, decisions. Maybe both will be made!

We will be heading out to find fabric first, of course. I am not sure exactly what I am looking for, but I am thinking a dark purple fabric would work well. Our living room furniture consists of a beige (boring) love seat and a mossy green couch so I want to pick a fabric that will brighten up the room without being too obnoxious. I might even try a couple different colors or patterns. Suggestions welcome!

For the scarf, I am digging the idea of doing a reversible scarf with a solid on one side and a print on the other. Want it to be colorful, yet not obnoxious. I am totally open for suggestions on this as well!

What makes the difference between wishing and realizing our wishes? Lots of things, and it may take months or years for the wish to come true, but it's far more likely to happen when you care so much about a wish that you'll do all you can to make it happen.                                                                                               -Fred Rogers

First thing's first...

As the saying goes, bad habits are hard to break. I believe that good habits are also hard to form. Fortunately, I have supportive co-workers and friends who are also trying to do good things for themselves. So keeping myself motivated early on should be easy, right? I sure hope so. If I can keep up with this blog, that should help as well. 

This week, co-workers and I decided to keep each other in check when it comes to saving money and eating right. We started the "Survivor Challenge" in which we make a habit out of doing something good for ourselves throughout the week and adding on to it each week for seven weeks. This week's challenge is to drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water daily. Honestly, I pretty much do this on a regular basis already, but now I am making sure I get all eight... even though I have to head to the restroom constantly.

The second thing I am starting this week (again, with co-workers) is eating out for lunch no more than two times a week. That means I actually have to bring my lunch to work and I have never been good at that. I did it today and I am planning ahead to do the same tomorrow. Hopefully, a good habit will be formed!

Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones. 

Benjamin Franklin