Project::Tissue Paper Flowers

Kate received this paper flower kit for her birthday back in November.  Because the girls' birthdays are close to Christmas, I often put a few gifts aside for a rainy day.  We pulled the flower kit out a couple weeks ago and they have been making tissue paper flowers almost non-stop.

They are so easy and fun for kids of all ages (yeah, I like making them, too).  They would make great party decorations.  Actually, we made some red and blue ones for the Fourth of July, but they got ruined in the rain before I had a chance to take a photo.

Color week::Orange

The girls made my parents each a flower when they came to visit last week.  My mom wound hers around the handle of her new orange bag.  Jane and Kate really liked that.

Happy Fourth of July!
Completely unpatriotic post to follow as we haven't done any celebrating yet.  Hopefully I will have some photos to share tomorrow.

Projects::Knitting and Color week::Yellow

Remember this?  Well, it is a knitted purse for a friend lined in vintage fabric that I received from Hannah.

I used the leftover yarn to make this little clutch for Cristina and our moo card swap.

The clutch was supposed to be a zippered pouch.

I sat down one afternoon while hanging out with my friend Jodi and knit up a cabled rectangle.  I made it up as I went along so I am not sure if I can recreate it or not.  Anyhow, fast forward to the part where I want to line the pouch and put in the zipper.  Um, big problem.  I didn't think that to line it and put in a zipper, the knitted piece would need to be two pieces instead of one.  I tried it anyhow - I made a double lining and put the zipper in.  Crap, I tell you!  I ripped the zipper out and tore the lining apart and threw it to the side.  Then it hit me - a flap!  I grabbed the needles, picked up some stitches and knit the flap complete with button hole.  I finished it up by reworking the half of the original lining and hand sewing it in.  And you know what?  I like much more than I would have liked the zippered version.   Cristina likes it, too - phew!

Hope you have a nice holiday!

Mail::Lovely prints gifted to me by Jen.  How sweet is she?

Warning:  my photos do not do them justice.

I am in love with this itty bitty print.  I have a thing for houses and Jen's drawings are so gorgeous.  I love her other house prints, too.

This print is going in the sewing room/studio.  I love the shapes, the colors, the negative space - it is perfect.  I am really into green and yellow these days, too.  Something about this color combo makes me smile.  These prints were a wonderful surprise - thanks so much, Jen!  Check out the Swallowfield etsy shop for more wonderful artwork.  She has prints and original collages over there - all gorgeous!

Color week::green
One inside and one just outside the house.

I've made a bunch of small projects in the past week or so that I want to share.  I also want to participate in Kayte's color week and show off more of my good mail.  I am not sure how to do it all, so for now, projects and mail on the blog with a link to color week photos on flickr.  Sound ok?

Projects::a trio of t-shirts for three little girls with summer birthdays.

butterfly

frog (I used the Purl frog as my pattern)

fish

Color week::Today's color is Red/Pink.  I prowled around the house looking for something to catch my eye.  Normally, I can find something pink right away - the benefits of having two girls.  This was the first thing I saw.  Perfect.