Gnome·n·cla·ture

Blogger app (finally!)

2011-09-08T23:04:00.001-04:00

Huzzah! Blogger finally has an app... and it's about time. Thought I'd give it a go and see how it works... so far, so good. Maybe this means more frequent posting...?

Happy Posting!
Amanda

Recently Stitched (again)

2011-04-28T21:48:00.002-04:00

for my Uncle Steve

Apparently I had some trouble posting this earlier... so I'll try again...

My Aunt Debbie got a letter from hospice to create a square to be part of a quilt in honor of those lost... and of course I said I'd help. I remember my uncle Steve when he worked for the phone company, hence, the blue bird (of happiness!) on the phone line. It was really nice to get to stitch something for a cause...

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

Recently Stitched

2011-04-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

for my Uncle Steve

Recently doodled, stitched, and decorated

2011-03-22T22:31:00.001-04:00

Ok, so we painted our kitchen (it's this lovely light, robin's egg, blueish shade) - but - we overlooked a wall anchor when patching. (grumble) Have no fear! Amanda and her crazy ideas are here! I found these nice little 5x5 frames on sale at JoAnn and came up with the vintage-style hot air balloons to fill them. I just finished the stitching today, framed 'em up and put them up on the wall.

Voila! The hole is no more... and those are way cuter!

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

Weddings are Neat

2011-02-23T17:54:00.001-05:00

This was stitched as a wedding gift for Ben's brother and his wife. Ethan and Rika live out in CA, and I'll be honest, neither Ben or I really knew Rika that well. We had met a few times and knew she was a really cool, down to earth kind of girl, but that was about it (oh, and she's a ballerina... yeah, a bonafide ballerina) and Ethan is the kind of guy who just buys what he wants when he wants it. So with that being said, I was a bit stumped on what to get them... plus I'm really not one of those kind of people who 'stick to the registry'... (how boring!)

Ethan had asked Ben to be a groomsman in the wedding and with us in the midst of planning a wedding of our own, we were a bit strapped for cash at that moment. With all those cards on the table, a handmade gift it was! We knew the colors for the wedding were going to be a rich red and autumn orange, so I went with that - and in variegated floss to boot! I framed it up in a square black frame and it looked great!

There's nothing so rewarding as seeing the look on someone's face when they open up an unexpected handmade gift...

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

Something Special for Sayuri

2011-02-23T17:50:00.002-05:00

As I work to get caught up on posting my recent works, I realize just how far behind I am...

I made this lovely little 'sampler' (I guess...) when my newest niece was born last August. Ben's brother, Ethan, and his wife Rika had an adorable (no seriously, she's a stunning baby...) little girl on August 26. I framed this in a black frame to match the one I had made for Ethan and Rika for their wedding in the previous September (see my next post.) I ended up filling in a lot more knots and loops after these photos were taken - and for those who know me, I really dislike those stinkin' knots. I unfortunately don't have a photo of the finished product as I was running on a little bit of a time crunch to get it sent off to CA with my mother-in-law to save on shipping... I'll have to see if I can get a photo 'in use' in Sayuri's room...

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

Finished Quilt (finally)

2011-02-23T00:06:00.001-05:00

With my recent comment posted on the Sublime Stitching Facebook page earlier today, I thought it would be nice to finally post some photos of the finished gnome quilt. I'll be honest, it's just so darn big that I've found it very difficult to photograph (and I realize that it's not actually finished here - it does have a border.) So with that being said, this is the best I have right now... hopefully I'll be able to get some better shots once we're in the new house. Oh, you haven't heard...? Ben and I bought a house - and we move Thursday (eep!)
I have grand plans to start posting more photos of all the cool stuff I stitch at work (to pass the time) now that I have my snazzy new iPhone 4 *squeal*. Be on the lookout for new posts over the next few weeks... there's a lot of fun stuff headed your way!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T20:03:00.001-05:00

Ok... so I realize it's been *way* too long since I last posted (it's been a little crazy lately) but I really wanted to post this today. I stitched this little hoopy for Ben for Valentine's last year... I'm really proud of it - I stitched the lines on first and then the words - it took a little while. What hits me a little below the sappy belt are the words... for those who don't know, it's the chorus from "All I do is Dream of You" which Ben and I know most from "Singin in the Rain". We both claim that as our favorite movie and decided it's really a foundation of our relationship. So with that being said, we danced our first dance at the wedding to a rendition by Michael Buble (find it in iTunes - it's great!) So here it is, last year's hand-stitched Valentine...

- Purple -

2010-10-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

The owl is another one from Andrea Zuill, Owl Pattern

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- Blue -

2010-10-04T10:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

Another Peek!

2010-10-03T22:45:00.000-04:00

I have exciting news - the top, the whole top, of the quilt is finished! *yay* In this photo it's is missing the 3" border I got on tonight, but you get the idea... All that's left is to sew the front to the back, put the batting in, then tuft it a bit to keep it together. One thing is for sure, it is one crazy quilt...

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- Mint -

2010-10-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- Lime Green -

2010-10-02T10:00:00.002-04:00

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- Yellow -

2010-10-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- Orange -

2010-09-30T10:00:00.003-04:00

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- Snails -

2010-09-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- Toadstools -

2010-09-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

The next run of squares probably won't have much in the way of "stories" or descriptions. Long story short, I made patterns from photos of woodland creatures and such to accent the gnomes, and what could a gnome need more than some toadstools?!

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- Gnome Backsides -

2010-09-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

I decided to take a different approach to a few of the gnomes... and stitched their backsides. Some were just too cute from the back to pass it up. (Brunhilde *may* not make it into the quilt... I think I'm out of room... oh no!)

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

Julius

6 x 12 square : Yellow Gingham

Gordon

6 x 12 square : Green Gingham

Brunhilde

6 x 12 square : Blue Gingham

- Gnome Home -

2010-09-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

This happy guy is another one that I can't take total credit for... I got the pattern on Etsy from Andrea Zuill's store Bad Bird (I also follow her blog over at Andrea Zuill's Blog.) She's an amazing artist and I love her updated spin on embroidery, great work.

Happy Stitching!

Amanda

12 x 12 square : Blue Gingham

- Grandpa Gnome -

2010-09-25T10:00:00.001-04:00

This guy is one of my favorites and I have to admit that he's actually not one of my own designs. I feel that a big shout out to the creator of the pattern is due with this one... I follow Amiee Ray on Flickr and also at her blog, Little Deer Tracks, and she makes awesome gnome-art, that I love. Want a sweet blog to follow (in addition to this one, of course) then please, check her out too.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

*psst* (want to hear a secret... he's the center square of the quilt...) *yay*

. . .

- Arnold -

2010-09-24T10:12:00.000-04:00

Arnold is my newest gnome. I picked him up at the Caesar Creek flea market a few weeks ago when Ben and I were on our way home from a friend's wedding in Cincinnati. There was a little shop that had bare ceramic, ready-to-paint, stuff and out of the few gnome options, I liked him the best. I painted him that night and I want more that I can paint myself - what fun! I really enjoyed it... although, I think I still may add a little more detail or something. Not sure yet.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

12 x 12 square : Yellow Gingham

. . .

Before paint job:

After paint job:

Sneak Peek

2010-09-23T15:34:00.000-04:00

The top half of the quilt is done... and I just had to share the progress! Sorry for the break in posting, there are more individual square posts coming, promise.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- Peabody -

2010-09-17T10:00:00.003-04:00

Peabody first hung on a pot with sugar peas planted in it... hence he was named Peabody. So naturally, the next summer when the sugar peas were planted in the garden instead of in a pot (what a huge difference overall, btw!) he ended up on the watering can with sweet peas. The perspective on the watering can turned out a little wonky and I think the orange turned out a little hard to see, but I'm really pleased with the strawberry blossom detail on the can.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 6 square : Purple Gingham

. . .

- Harvey -

2010-09-16T10:00:00.003-04:00

Harvey came from a co-worker and fellow craftster, Mandy. I came into work one day and found him sitting on my desk, and he just hasn't left since! He hangs out on my pencil cup (yes, I keep a full rainbow of fine point Sharpie markers at my desk too - they are definitely *not* necessary in any way for my job, just for me) and keeps watch over the cubicle. (Sorry for the photo quality... snapped that one with my phone at work...)

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x6 square : Blue Gingham

. . .

- Rolf -

2010-09-15T10:00:00.002-04:00

I'm really happy with this square as well. I like how the colors turned out and I still think the stitched wood grain looks awesome. Some of these little hanging guys are turning out to be some of my favorite squares... it's making me think I should try to put a background into some of the larger squares.

Happy Stitching!

Amanda

6 x 6 square : Blue Gingham

. . .

- Oliver -

2010-09-14T10:00:00.001-04:00

I think it's safe for me to say that this is my favorite square. He's the only of the pot gnomes to actually be on a pot, but I am *super* pleased with the Johnny Jump-Ups. I just think all the colors are perfect and I love the drawing! Careful Oliver - don't fall!

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 6 square : Mint Gingham

. . .

- Oswald -

2010-09-13T10:00:00.002-04:00

Oswald is also a Wee Lil' Gnome (officially, actually.) I couldn't resist him when in Barnes and Noble one day... he came in a box sitting next to the register. I decided he would be a good addition to a wedding shower gift for my friend Bethany - she named her Wee Lil' Gnome Felix - and I couldn't resist one for myself (of course!)

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 6 square : Green Gingham

. . .

- Tiny -

2010-09-12T10:00:00.005-04:00

I found Tiny here at a garage sale for $0.25 (what a steal!) You may have guessed, but he's really small, maybe even the most wee of the gnomes now. I gave him a pretty little flower to tend with his little shovel.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 6 square : [vintage] Light Green Gingham

. . .

- Peter -

2010-09-11T10:00:00.001-04:00

I'm not really sure why a gnome would ride a carrot, but it seemed like a good thing to hold on to. Also, you may wonder what's up with the things hanging over the edges... I trimmed up all the squares post-stitching and figured it was best to just leave them hanging past the seams rather than cutting the threads.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 6 square : [vintage] Light Green Gingham

. . .

- Basil -

2010-09-10T10:00:00.001-04:00

First off, you have to pronounce this one like you're British... Bazzle (you know, like "dazzle".) I thought he just looked so proper with his book and all. Plus he ended up sitting on a pot a basil, so it was an easy choice. (Yes, I gave him glasses... I thought it made him look smarter.)

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 6 square : Yellow Gingham

. . .

- Simon -

2010-09-09T10:00:00.012-04:00

So Simon here is the first (at least first to post) of my little "pot-sitting" gnomes. I didn't really want seven squares of gnomes chillin' on pots, so I had to come up with different backgrounds that incorporated they way they were each positioned. Simon lounges along the edge of a pot, so why not rest his sleepy head on some rocks and toadstools.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 6 square : Red Gingham

. . .

- Felix -

2010-09-08T10:00:00.001-04:00

I try to browse eBay for gnomes every so often... you just never know what you'll find. I stumbled upon this acrylic painting by Florida artist, Ann Darling. It's really small - 2.5" x 3.75" - but I framed it with a larger matting and some vintage floral fabric from my mother-in-law, Judi. (I definitely owe her a huge thank you for finding so many great gnomes and hooking me up with a boat load of vintage fabrics over time!) I'm not as wild about the square itself, but it'll do...

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 12 square : Purple Gingham

. . .

- Julius -

2010-09-07T10:00:00.001-04:00

6 x 12 square : Blue Gingham

. . .

- Gordon -

2010-09-06T10:00:00.001-04:00

Named after the Gorton's Fisherman - he has a bright yellow top with a blue hat - this tough garden guardian now has some battle scars. Gordon has quite a story... a few months ago Ben and I had an attempted break-in (don't worry, they didn't do that much damage, just a broken basement window.) The worst part for me was probably the fact that they used good 'ole Gordon to break that basement window. Fortunately for all of us, he came out with a scratch on his nose and the butterfly only lost a wing. I guess it could have been much worse.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 12 square : Mint Gingham

. . .

- Thaddeus -

2010-09-05T10:00:00.001-04:00

6 x 12 square : Green Gingham

. . .

- Alfred -

2010-09-04T10:00:00.002-04:00

6 x 12 square : [vintage] Light Green

. . .

- Brunhilde -

2010-09-03T10:00:00.001-04:00

Brunhilde is my only lady gnome. You may or may not be surprised to hear that the female gnomes are hard to come by, so I was pretty happy when my mom gave this lovely lady to me at Christmas. Some additional details are in the works for her as well... more to come on this one later.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 12 square : Yellow Gingham

. . .

- Heinrich -

2010-09-02T10:00:00.002-04:00

Not too much to say about this one, other than pointing out the stitched wood grain. This isn't the first one where I stitched the wood grain, but it is the first one in my postings. I've come to really like the way the grain looks, plus it feels pretty neat too.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 12 square : [vintage] Orange and Yellow Gingham

. . .

Beer Me!

2010-09-01T10:35:00.000-04:00

I realize that this isn't a gnome, but in honor of college football starting tomorrow, I thought it was a good time to post this... After our trip to the Cisco Brewery on Nantucket Island, Ben requested a pillow with this quote stitched on it (he's decided it would work better framed now.) There was a print-out behind the bar where we sat for the beer flight (11 tiny beers!) and we both agreed that this would make a great stitching...

The inspiration:

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- Beldar -

2010-09-01T10:00:00.003-04:00

I named Beldar for my dad (no, my dad's name is not Beldar.) He suggested the name since this guy had such an exaggerated pointy hat, much like Dan Aykroyd in Coneheads.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

6 x 12 square : Red Gingham

. . .

- Sheldon -

2010-08-31T10:00:00.002-04:00

I made note of the name Sheldon after taking a call at work - yes, I actually had a customer named Sheldon. I thought it was quite fitting for this thoughtful reader.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

12 x 12 square : Purple Gingham

. . .

- Woodson -

2010-08-30T10:00:00.005-04:00

Named after another friend / co-worker - a combination of Judson and Woodward - Woodson is our resident hippie... and he has a bushel of sticks.

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

12 x 12 square : Blue Gingham

. . .

- Pan -

2010-08-29T10:00:00.003-04:00

So, I think that's supposed to be a lantern he's holding, but it also looks like it could be a liquor bottle (surely gnomes like to have a sip once and awhile too.) I opted for the lantern approach for this project and thought fireflies would accent him nicely - and I do have to say that I really like how the fireflies turned out. As for the name Pan, this little guy has a sticker on the bottom of his foot that says, you guessed it, Made in Japan... seemed like a good fit.

Happy Stitching!

Amanda

12 x 12 square : Mint Gingham

. . .

- George -

2010-08-28T10:00:00.003-04:00

George here is named after a friend of ours... it may be a bit of a stretch, but Ben and I both agree that he's very George-esqe.

Happy Stitching!

Amanda

12 x 12 square : Green Gingham

. . .

- Fredric -

2010-08-27T10:00:00.003-04:00

As it turns out, the colors - both fabric and floss together - may be some of my favorites... the magenta just really pops against the light and bright greens. What's more cheerful than a pink gnome...?

Happy Stitching!

Amanda

12 x 12 square : [vintage] Light Green Gingham

. . .

Feelin' Scrappy

2010-08-26T11:01:00.000-04:00

I trimmed up all the completed squares all at once, resulting in a really pretty pile of gingham scraps... Is anyone else out there ever surprised at how the "trash" can turn out pretty sometimes too?

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

- David & Liesl -

2010-08-26T10:00:00.003-04:00

These two may be my favorite gnomes and definitely one of my most favorite things... I found this cute little couple on eBay, it's a vintage (70's) Gift of Gorham piece -and- a music box (it plays Close to You)! The shipping cost more than the item itself, and it's in perfect condition... super find for sure.

Happy Stitching!

Amanda

12 x 12 square : [vintage] Light Green Gingham

. . .

- Herbert -

2010-08-25T10:00:00.005-04:00

This guy is named after a friend / co-worker of ours with the last name Hebert (pronounced a-bear)... which often gets mispronounced as Herbert and who also happens to want to grow mushrooms someday.

Happy Stitching!

Amanda

12 x 12 square : Yellow Gingham

. . .

- Otto -

2010-08-24T10:00:00.006-04:00

Not too many things to mention on Otto here, just planning on adding in some background detail later. I'm still mulling over what I want to put in the back, so you'll see him again down the road.

Happy Stitching!

Amanda

12 x 12 square : [vintage] Orange and Yellow Gingham

. . .

- Punch -

2010-08-23T10:00:00.009-04:00

Named after "Punch and Judy" since my mother-in-law, Judi, is the one who found him for me.

Happy Stitching!

Amanda

12 x 12 square : Red Gingham

. . .

- Nez -

2010-08-22T15:55:00.008-04:00

French for "nose" (pronounced neigh) - since he's a little beat-up and missing, well, his nose.

Happy Stitching!

Amanda

12 x 12 square : Red Gingham

. . .

Update

2010-08-22T13:22:00.000-04:00

Alright... so I've been thinking about how I've been posting photo updates of the Gnome-n-cla-ture quilt project, and I'm just not that happy with the posts. The photos are usually taken from my iPhone, and all wrinkly and messy. So I've ironed, trimmed, and re-shot the pieces and decided I'm going to re-post all of them (sorry.) I hope these new photos better show all the detail and stuff... enjoy!

Happy Stitching!
Amanda

Square Seventeen : Oswald

2010-08-06T19:05:00.000-04:00

This wee lil' guy is Oswald... he's the resident "wee little garden gnome" (yes, officially.)

Square Sixteen : Sheldon

2010-08-04T15:18:00.001-04:00

This little bookworm is Sheldon, he's one of the newest additions to the gnome clan...

Square Fifteen : Gordon

2010-07-13T16:12:00.002-04:00

This is Gordon... I decided on Gordon since he has a yellow jacket, kind of like the Gorton's Fisherman. Gordon also had a recent adventure... he took a nice little trip through our basement window as a blunt object used for an attempted break in. Don't worry, they didn't get in the house and Gordon made it out in one piece (for the most part anyway...) The butterfly lost a wing and his nose is cracked, no big deal.

Square Fourteen : Pan

2010-07-06T16:30:00.002-04:00

Pan here... I think his "lantern" looks like a whiskey bottle, but I went with the yellow like the lantern.

Square Thirteen : Woodson

2010-07-06T16:27:00.001-04:00

This is Woodson, our resident hippie. He's named (vaguely) after our friend Judson Woodward (also kind of a hippie) -- Woodson... and he has a bushel of sticks.

Square Twelve : George

2010-07-06T16:24:00.001-04:00

I'd like you to meet George, he's named after our friend George since he sorta looks like him. It's kind of a long shot, but it works.

Square Eleven : Otto

2010-07-06T16:21:00.002-04:00

This is Otto... he just lounges around... it's a good life.

Square Ten : Fredric

2010-06-22T16:36:00.001-04:00

This "waggoner" is Fredric... I'm really happy with the way these colors turned out, super bright!

[update] Square one

2010-06-22T16:31:00.000-04:00

I decided to add a little embellishment to my lovely little couple... Just some decorative and filling stitches...

Square Nine : Nez

2010-06-22T16:28:00.001-04:00

This guy is Nez (French for "nose") -- He had a nose here, but in real life his nose (and other parts) are missing. I rescued him from a girl over in Victorian Village that was moving to Europe. She gave him to me for free and I was more than happy to give him a home!

Snail

2010-06-22T16:17:00.001-04:00

I decided gnomes need to have some other woodland friends... what's better than a snail, right?

We did it!

2010-05-03T00:37:00.002-04:00

It's official... We're hitched! It's been a week now, but Ben and I
tied the knot last Saturday (4.24.10) Just wanted to share!
(Oh, and I figured out how to post multiple photos at once from
my iPhone... yay!)

Toadstools

2010-04-30T14:46:00.000-04:00

I've had to put the gnomes on hold for a bit... (I need to get some
more fabric in a larger width...) so I decided to stitch some
toadstool accent squares. You just can't have gnomes without toadstools!

Square Eight : Rolf

2010-04-20T16:15:00.001-04:00

This guy has no name... :( He's my newest gnome and I'm at a loss for
a name. I'm thinking maybe Melvin...? Not sure yet. I'm also not
completely wild about the colors of floss I used. I need to make a
trip to JoAnn or Michael's to get some new variety. I tried to do some
different colors here, but they didn't show up so great. Oh well...
next time.

Square Seven : Peter

2010-04-20T16:11:00.002-04:00

This is Peter... and his carrot. I can't wait to start piecing these
squares together... It's going to be awhile still, but I'm looking
forward to it anyway.

Square Six : Basil

2010-04-13T16:42:00.001-04:00

This is Basil, beloved book buff... (you know Amanda adores
alliteration...) Basil just loves those books!

Square Five : Beldar

2010-04-13T16:12:00.001-04:00

I know it's been a little while since I've posted the latest square...
I've been stitching like crazy, just not posting. This pointy-headed
guy is Beldar. (I named him after Dan Akroyd's character in
Coneheads... for my dad.) I decided to do the flowers in a different
color and I really like how it turned out! I'm going to have to do
this on some more...

Square Four : Julius

2010-04-06T16:07:00.001-04:00

This jolly guy is Julius... I finished the square maybe about a week
or so ago, just never got around to writting a post. (sorry!)
I really seem to be making quick progress on the squares. If call
volume is low (which it has been for the past few days... I think it
has to do wight the super nice weather lately...) I feel like I move
really quickly. I'm already a little over half way through the the
next one, Beldar.

Square Three : Thaddeus

2010-03-30T16:23:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the abundance of posts today... just trying to get caught
up. This handsome guy is Thaddeus. As I mentioned in the last post, I
took a different approach in the color department... The multiple
colors just didn't show up how I had hoped they would, so I decided to
do one contrasting color per gnome. I am super happy with how he
looks! He just has a really sweet face...

Square Two : David + Liesel

2010-03-30T16:18:00.002-04:00

Here's the first of the gnome squares! I realize the multiple colors
are a little difficult to see... I've made a few changes to the
squares following. This is David and Liesel, my smooching gnomes!

Square One

2010-03-30T16:11:00.002-04:00

I am aware that this square isn't exactly a gnome and I'm not sure if
it'll make it into the quilt ot not, but I'm really happy with it and
wanted to share. I actually drew the pattern myself... there's just
nothing quite like flowers in a mason jar!

Photo Update

2010-03-30T12:27:00.000-04:00

Ok, so here are the photos to go along with the last post... Sorry about that, but better later than never! Now you can see my fabric spread for the gnome-quilt!

2010-03-29T17:23:00.001-04:00

Alright, so I'm still trying to figure out this whole "blogging from
my phone" thing... and I realize that there were no photos attached to
the last post. I'll try to either figure this way out or just upload
once I get home... Oh technology...

Thanks!
Amanda
---
Sent from my iPhone :)

The latest Gnome-based project...

2010-03-29T15:53:00.000-04:00

I'd like to first start with an apology for being so absent in my
posting... With all the wedding planning craziness and my wacky work
schedule, I just haven't had time for much of anything else. Yet,
somehow in the midst of my crazy life, I have recently decided to
start a rather large project. Why, you may ask... because I need
something to do while I'm on the phones at work walking people through
easy stuff like programming a phone or waiting for a system to re-
boot. You know, easy stuff ;)

Anyway, I have discovered that the absolute BEST way to keep myself
occupied is to stitch. So, that got me thinking (uh-oh, here she goes
again...) I like the stitching and it's a great time passer, but what
would I do with the things I stitch? I don't need more stuff to hang
on the walls and I certainly don't want to shove my work in some
drawer. My briliant idea...? A quilt! I have no clue how long all of
this will take me... a few months, a year, who knows, but I've decided
to post my progress here!

Now on to the good stuff... It wasn't all that long ago that I got my
first gnome (Thaddeus, for those who don't remember.) Well, now I have
20 in various shapes and sizes, as well as socks and pj pants. What
I've done is printed a photo of each gnome in one of three sizes,
drawn an outline to make the pattern, and transferred the images to a
variety of fabric pieces. I'm also going to stitch a few other
accenting designs - woodland creatures, toadstools, etc. to go along.
Then I'm planning to stitch each piece together with some matching
fabrics, making one, super-awesome gnome quilt!

Ok, so here are a few photos of my fabric spread. I'll be posting
updates as I go, so check back and see what gnome I'm stitching next!

Happy Gnome-ing!
Amanda
---
Sent from my iPhone :)

The Apple Store

2010-03-25T13:18:00.000-04:00

I'm standing in the Easton Apple Store right now waiting for Ben to get his battery warranted, and as I stand here noodling around with a 21.5" iMac, I just had to make a post and say how much I want one of these! Don't get me wrong, I do deeply love my 15" MacBook Pro, and I even miss my little 13" PowerMac that is Ben's now... but having a desktop with this level of awesomeness would be AMAZING.

Just saying.

Happy Spring!
Amanda

Still here... promise.

2010-01-03T00:38:00.000-05:00

So I'm sitting here with Ben watching Julie & Julia... finally. I've been wanting to see this movie since it came out and just a few days ago it came in that lovely red NetFlix envelope. I will be the first to admit that in the first few minutes of watching the movie, I immediately identified with Julie... even down to the computer she has (at the point in time the movie is set, I had the same one.) Anywho, I felt compelled -and guilted- into trying to get caught up on the whole "blogging thing". I've been bad... so sorry.

I've been terrible at keeping up on this, and given the recent inspiration, I vow to try better... tomorrow.

First real post in ages tomorrow! Until then...

Happy everything!
Amanda :)

happy!

2009-06-04T12:03:00.003-04:00

I have very happy news to share... Ben proposed yesterday and we're engaged!

We were supposed to go sailing at Hoover yesterday, but the weather was just too cold and wet, so we opted to pack up the boat and be all ready to head up to Mansfield for the regatta Friday night instead. I had just finished sponging all the water out of the boat when Ben started to take the spreaders off of the mast and "dropped a piece" in the gravel. Knowing that I'm usually the one that finds stuff in the gravel, I got an "Amanda... come help me find this thingy..." When I walked around to the other side of the boat I found him on one knee with a ring and he did it... "Will you marry me?" I didn't even say anything, I just kissed him - then I said yes. I was completely surprised and it was totally unexpected. I am *very* happy -- It was perfect! (I had a hunch he'd do it in/near/around the boat...)

Here's a picture of the ring:

It's my mom's original engagement ring. She upgraded at some point when I was really little and (except for in their wedding photos) I don't think I have ever actually seen this ring. I'm really happy that Ben decided to go this route rather than buying a new ring. I like the sentiment with this one... plus it's been living in a safe for 20 years, so why not? It's very different and unique which is right up my alley. I love having things that I know no one else will ever have.

Yesterday was a great day and I am one happy girl! I love Ben so much, I would shout it from the rooftops... I can't wait to be his wife. :)

Happy EVERYTHING!
Amanda

Gardening Progress

2009-05-30T15:30:00.000-04:00

So... there's really not that much to write about right now, but I have lots of pictures. Here's the latest shot of the garden:

The gigantic stakes look really ridiculous right now, but I figured it'd be easiest to put them in now instead of later when the plants are bigger.

Unfortunately my pumpkin seedlings that were growing so strong, didn't make it through the transplant. I opted to sow some seeds directly into the bed rather than start them in pots. I had just enough bike wheel rims to edge the bed and put the ones with spokes in the middle - Hopefully they'll act as supports for the future pumpkins.

A few of the Brussels Sprouts didn't fare so well, but the ones that did are going strong! It's too bad it takes so long for the sprouts to really get going... we want to eat them now.

There have been a few changes to the potted plants... There were too many basil plants in the big red pot, so I split it up and put a few in the big blue pot. The basil, cilantro, and thyme (all on the orange chair) were started from seed and are going strong. The sage (below the orange chair) is also from seed and doing well. I decided I wanted more cilantro so I plopped a few seeds in the mosaic pot. I figured if I want to make salsa this summer, it can't hurt to have more cilantro. The oregano in the little green pot is a little slow, but it's going, and I decided to plant two hot pepper seeds in each of the other two pots. We'll just wait and see what happens there.

(That's a tomatillo... I realize the stick is a little faded already.)

The radishes are growing like crazy - both plots!

Look how big the beans are!

The peas are going nuts too!

We've been eating fresh lettuce in salads almost every night. That's a spring/summer treat you really can't beat!

This little cuke is loving life... so much so, he's already got a little baby growing!

All-in-all, things are growing pretty well. I've been feeding everything a good dose of root-building food once a week, so hopefully they're bouncing back ok.

Until next time, Happy Gardening!
Amanda

Pretty Little Things

2009-05-30T10:30:00.001-04:00

I thought I'd detour from the veggies and share a few photos of some of the flowers in the garden... They're pretty and make me smile, hopefully they'll make you smile too!

My newest favorite: The Icelandic Poppy

(It's really cool... the plant produces different colored flowers in the same plant so you really don't know what you're going to get.)

Longtime favorite: The Bleeding Heart

This climbing rose was a pleasant surprise, and they smell wonderful!

Why do you build me up...

Buttercup, baby, just to let me down...

Thanks for the impatients Mom, they're doing nicely!

I have to thank our neighbor, Nora for having such pretty peonies on the fence that we share.

This spring, stop and smell the flowers. You might like what you find!

Happy Gardening!
Amanda

[title unknown]

2009-05-29T21:45:00.000-04:00

A big welcome and hello to spring from The Gnomes!
Sunshine, we've missed you!

More Gardening!

2009-05-29T13:05:00.001-04:00

I've been taking advantage of the nice weather and have been spending as much time as I can with my hands in the dirt. (I read that dirt-to-hand contact makes people happy... I totally believe that!)

I got all my seedlings planted on May 15th. Some of them aren't handling the transplant so great, so hopefully they bounce back.

I also dug two more beds: one in the corner of the yard and another against the west side of the garage. The corner fence bed will be home to the pumpkins, a left-over Italian Ice tomato, and some green onions.

The west garage bed will be devoted to Brussels Sprouts.

All the gnomes have been brought out of hibernation and I am loving it. They bring so much more to the garden... I've missed them.

Here's Heinrich guarding one of the Italian Ice tomato plants.

I realize it's not a gnome, but I wanted to share my toadstool. Ben and I stopped to visit his grandma and uncle on the way back home from Philly at Christmas and we took a little detour with his Uncle Greg to this garden store in PA with the hopes of finding a gnome. I picked up this shroom along with Alfred. I found the little snail at the candle outlet at the Indiana/Ohio border on our way back home from visiting family in Missouri a few months ago.

There's more coming...

Happy Gardening!
Amanda

wow.

2009-05-28T18:47:00.001-04:00

No really, I swear... No Photoshop here. I was watering the garden just now and noticed the sky getting darker (rain is on it way for sure.) I looked up and saw this... Reminds you that sometimes Nature just has a way of really showing off.

Ugh, always behind...

2009-05-28T17:03:00.002-04:00

Things have been a little busy around here lately, and unfortunately that means I'm a little behind in blogging. You'll have to forgive me for posting so much all at once. The weather has been pretty nice lately, so Ben and I have been sailing when we can and I've been keeping busy with getting the garden going (and sewing a lot too.)

I guess I'll start with some exciting news... I GOT A JOB! WA-HOO! I'll be starting at the end July as a customer service rep in a call center. It may not be my dream job, but I am very excited to start with such a great company. I mean, I love helping others and I'm a great talker, so who knows, maybe it'll end up being my dream job. In the meantime, I'll be spending the next two months squeezing in everything I can - unfinished sewing projects, gardening, sailing, traveling - before I start.

Anywho, onto the garden... Here's the finalized garden plot pre-planting:

I planted sugarsnap peas, Kentucky Wonder pole beans, and tendergreen bush beans on April 29th (I know, I know... I'm way overdue.) I used a garden fence as a trellis, it looked to be the best option for the best price.

I noticed the first serious sprouts on May 7th.

Here they are on May 10th. It's amazing how fast they grow!

[peas] [beans]

I brought up all the potted plants from the basement around the time I planted the peas and beans too. I needed some sort of stand to hold a few of the pots, so I painted this old chair:

It has lived in the garage for who knows how many years, so I thought I'd give it a face lift. Apparently a giant mushroom grew out of the knot in the chair back and made it into the local paper... I just couldn't throw that kind of story away! Here's a close up of my painting, I'm really pleased with how it turned out:

I also got a new gnome - and a great one at that! He was $0.99 at the Goodwill, my first real gnome find (you know, not from a garden store or JoAnn.) I named him Herbert. He is clearly the long-lost brother to Pan, our drunk gnome... Love it!

Ok, that's all for now... more soon, promise!

Happy Gardening!
Amanda

Baby Shower Gift

2009-05-28T16:13:00.000-04:00

I know I just posted a novel of a post trying to catch up, but I left out one thing. I'm really proud of this one, so I thought I'd let it take the stage on it's own.

Ben and I have some friends who are expecting their first baby - a boy - at the beginning of July. The baby shower was this past Sunday and I made our gift. Nate and Bridget are both sailors... They each own their own Jet 14 and sailing is a HUGE thing for them. I couldn't resist rolling with the whole sailing thing for their gift. The best part was that except for the onesie and a pack of 2 binkies, I didn't spend a dime on this gift! (Yes, I just happened to have a whole bunch of kid's sailor print...)

The bundle included a custom onsie, a roll-up diaper changing pad, a roll-up peanut-shaped burp blankie, 3 bibs, and a matching "Daddy Bag" for quick trips.

Here's the detail of the diaper roll-up:

(The back is terry cloth and I made sure not to put the lower snap through both layers...
Don't want to irritate the baby's behind!)

Here's the detail of the burp roll-up:

(The back of this one is flannel.)

All of the bibs are different... I used a pattern from Nested

(The back of these are also flannel.)

I don't have a close-up of the bag, but the idea was that it would be a bag for quick trips (it's fairly small) and/or be a bag that Nate wouldn't hate to carry. The strap is extra long so it slings across the chest like a messenger bag - I added a ribbon with a small clip inside for a binkie, a snap closure to the top, and a small pocket on the front. Based on Nate's reaction, I don't think he'll hate carrying it.

I even designed the onesie. We have a local business here in Columbus called Skreened that does one-off apparel printing. It's really awesome because you don't have to get a whole bunch of an item like you usually do with regular screen printing. The "Future Jet 14 Sailor" totally made the bundle and was well worth it! (You can check out my shop at Skreened HERE - Have a request, don't hesitate to ask!)

Happy Sewing!
Amanda

Thrift Finds!

2009-05-28T14:45:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago Ben and I decided to take a little adventure to the Greater Columbus Antique Mall in German Village (Thurman and High). Let me tell you, that place is AMAZING! First off, it's three stories and all three levels just ramble on in every direction. They have all kinds of stuff that fit varying budgets and it was pretty organized for an antique mall. All-in-all, we were both really impressed and ended up spending the whole afternoon there.

It was a pretty good day of antiquing too. I found 5 vintage patterns (all for $1 each!) and a Trimmings magazine, circa 1946 for $5. Most of the patterns are uncut and the magazine is really neat... it's full of how-to's for finishing and adding details to garments. I just love the vintage illustrations and trends from the 1940's -- Big Win for Amanda!

Here are a few shots from Trimmings:

I also picked up an old Maxwell House coffee can.

Sure, you may be wondering "Why in the world would she buy 30 year old trash?" Well, I have a good explanation:

I had literally just watched Little Shop of Horrors days before going to the antique mall. Now, you have to understand that I really love that movie, it has ties to my childhood and I guess you could say I have an attachment to it. My dad is a big sci-fi buff (you can read more here) and I remember watching it with him and also going to see a live production when one of the high schools did it. Ok, so I like Audrey II, well, minus the 'evil alien trying to take over the world' thing... and I'm going to use the coffee can for a planter. I just have to find the right kind of plant, preferably one that doesn't survive on blood or want world domination.

Wardrobe Refashion : Post 8 [5/28/09]

2009-05-28T14:42:00.002-04:00

*tsk* ANOTHER missing re-fashionista...

Hello everyone... Ok, so I deserve a slap on the wrist, I am extremely behind in my blogging. Although I haven't been posting like I should, I have been sewing like mad! Let's rewind back to Mother's Day...

My mom had been asking me to make her an apron for awhile, so I thought a hand-made apron would make a great gift for Mother's Day. So great in fact, that I made one for Ben's mom as well...

Here's the one for my mom:

And the one for Judi:

(I used McCalls Easy Stitch n'Save pattern #M5505)

Next up is my first *official* re-fashion. Most things I've created since I took the pledge have been made from scratch and not re-fashioned from other garments. A handful of months ago Ben cleaned out his closet at his dad's house and found this polyester Ohio State jersey that he (thinks) he got at a garage sale as a kid. Not wanting it for himself, I saw huge potential in it for me. Let the deconstruction begin! First I took off the sleeves (they were very stiff from the "plasticky" screen printing) and ripped out the side seams, leaving the shirt like a sandwich board. When I put it back together, I took in the sides to have a bit of a shape so it would actually fit me. Then I made some 3/4 length sleeves out of gray jersey (my original plan was to use an old long sleeve tee that doesn't fit anymore, but it just wasn't enough fabric) and added a band at the bottom to gather it together. The photo really doesn't do the shirt any justice, I'll try to get a photo of me in it...

I had one of those moments at JoAnn the other day where I fell in love with a fabric, but had no idea what to do with it. After a little thought I decided on New Look pattern #6758 and ended up with this:

I've already worn it too -- Success!

I felt inspired by all of the postings of the Spring Ruffle Top from over at the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog and decided to take a stab at it myself. It's not quite finished yet -- I need to take in the sides quite a bit. The shirt really makes me look preggers, and well, I don't want to be giving anyone the wrong idea now do I...

I do like it though, and it was quite a bargain! The pink fabric was from 2 fat quarters ($1 each) and the white is just simple $1.50/yard muslin. It's light weight and breezy, wonderful for summer.

Along a similar note, I used New Look pattern #6900 and some more light weight cottons to make another summer top. I wanted to try the pattern out for sizing and fit before diving into making the dress from the pattern. I didn't follow the pattern exactly and it still needs hemmed, but I really like it.

A local sewing store is closing and has had a really great close-out sale for the past week or so and for a grand total of about $22, I got all the things I need to make the dress from #6900. The pattern calls for 2 1/4 yards of the main fabric, so I figured $17 for that much Amy Butler print was nice. I think it's going to be super cute -- I love the retro, pin-up look of the dress

I made another pair of padded sailing shorts too. This time from a pair of Helly Hansen women's board shorts (so they actually fit me like I would like.) The first pair was a huge success and I'm looking forward to giving these a try at the regatta in a few weeks.

I had a couple of good thrift finds over the past a couple weeks...

We went to the Greater Columbus Antique Mall and I found 5 vintage patterns (all for $1 each!) and a Trimmings magazine, circa 1946 for $5. The magazine is really neat... it's full of how-to's for finishing and adding details to garments. You can see more over at my blog. I just love the vintage illustrations and trends from the 1940's -- Big Win!

I landed two floral/striped pillow cases and a yellow jersey twin set from the Goodwill (I found the blue pillow case in my basement.) I've seen so many cute tutorials for pillow case tops lately, so I'm leaning toward something like that for the floral ones. As for the yellow twin set, I can't lie, it's really pretty aweful, but I saw a lot of potential. I might just re-shape the pull-over (I like the button placket and pockets) and fix up the collar a little, since it came as a twin set, I figure I can find something to use the fabric from the top for.

Ok, so that's probably the longest post I could have possibly written, so I'll try to keep up on the posting a little more frequently. :)

Happy Sewing!
Amanda

[title unknown]

2009-05-04T10:00:00.001-04:00

Wardrobe Refashion : Post 7 [5/2/09]

2009-05-02T13:54:00.002-04:00

I'm back for another 2 months!

Welcome back everyone and hello to all of the new re-fashioners! I've re-signed for another 2 months... after pulling off a successful first 2 months, I just had to do it again.

I am *so* far behind in my posting... but not so far behind in my re-fashioning. My apologies. :) The weather has been so touchy here in Ohio, so I've been taking every opportunity I've had to get the garden rolling. Here's to catching up...

I started a really cute dress a few weeks ago that turned out to be a fitting disaster. I was just really frustrated with it and didn't want to start anything else until it was finished, so the sewing kind of got put on hold for a little while. I used Butterick pattern #5317 and followed everything exactly as the pattern said - I used the all my measurements to get the right sizing, I carefully cut out the pieces, and I followed the assembly instructions as best I could. Then it turned out to fit me like a HUGE potato sack... Not happy. The real kicker is that I picked up 1 yard of the red and white floral fabric when I was in Philly for Christmas and had no way to get any more of it. I should have known this project would give me trouble when I had to really pull some magic to get all the pieces I needed cut out of the floral. One yard was barely enough. I had tried to get this dress done for Easter - didn't happen. Then I wanted to get it done to wear to a wedding last Saturday - still couldn't get it to fit. ARGH! It was so frustrating! I have to send out a huge thanks to my mom though, she came over yesterday and spent at least 5 hours helping me fix this disaster. There was just no way I could have done it since it really needed to be altered while on me. So I can now *very* happily post this pic (sorry for the photo quality.) I still need to get the dress markings off and it needs to be pressed with some serious starch to stiffen the pleats, but IT FITS!! :)

I also completed this shirt from Burda pattern #7646:

I used a really light weight jersey that I found at WalMart for - get this - $1 a yard! I stocked up and got this chocolate brown, a forest green, a teal and green tiny floral print, and 4 yards of a great navy blue. I think I ended up with about 13 yards of fabric for only $13. This pattern was super easy (I had to re-size it a little, it was kind of baggy on me) and it is really comfy, I think I'm going to make another one. I was going to embroider it with this flower design, but I couldn't figure out the best way to transfer the pattern and the stretchy fabric was really hard to work with, so I nixed that idea. Oh well, I'm happy with it the way it is too.

I also successfully created a pair of padded sailing shorts from a pair of thrift store swim trunks and a minimal amount of poly duck fabric. My boyfriend Ben just bought a Jet 14 sailboat in December and I will be sailing competitively with him this summer. He's been sailing Jets for sometime now (and has a collection of trophies to show for it) but this will be my first time. Most of our friends sail these boats too and everyone swears by their padded shorts (you sit on the edge of the boat and sometimes have hike yourself over the edge to balance out the boat and it can really bruise up your behind!) I just can't afford to pay the $85 for the shorts and pads right now, so I thought I'd try to make some myself.

Here are Ben's shorts that I used for a pattern:
On the left without pads, on the right with the pads sitting on top -- the pads go inside the pockets to pad your butt and the backs of your legs.

Here's what I came up with for me:

Considering I got the shorts for $3.50, the poly duck and Velcro for about $13, and Ben brought home the foam for free, I'd say this was a far better price than the $85. I haven't used them yet, but I think they'll work just fine. If they do turn out to be a success, I've got a pair of Helly Hansen board shorts that would be an all-around better fit that I will make into a pair of these. I just had to try this out on something a little less important than a nice pair of board shorts. :)

Happy Sewing Everyone!
Amanda

Pattern Jack Pot!

2009-05-02T13:25:00.004-04:00

Hi All! Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I've neglected the blogging...

A month or so ago I bid on and won a lot of 33 sewing patterns on eBay for $12.50 (it was about $20 after shipping.) The description said there were patterns from the 50's to new... Vintage, woohoo! I mean, 33 patterns for $20... that's a heck of a deal even if there were some in there that I wouldn't use. There are a bunch that I really like and can't wait to make. I'm a huge fan of some of the ones from the 70's, super cute. Here are some pictures of the bounty (sorry for the bad angle, there was a bad glare that day):

I'm super excited about making some of these, especially Simplicity #8192 (last photo - middle, late 60's key-hole dress.) I have a great blue and white floral linen tablecloth that I picked up at the thrift store a few months ago that would be great for that dress, but that pattern is the one that's missing a piece. (Piece D - the back - to be exact.) Does anyone out there know how I can go about getting a missing pattern piece? I may be able to recreate it by using the small drawing on the envelope and other pieces as a guide, but it would be great if I could just find somewhere to get it. *Sigh* Oh well, I'm still pretty pleased with this purchase!

Newest Gnomes

2009-04-08T13:00:00.003-04:00

I delayed this post until I decided on names for the newest additions to the Gnome family. I don't like to just choose names out of the blue for these guys... I like to think about them for a little while and make sure they're the most fitting. I've made peace with the fact that I'm a little crazy, don't worry. :)

First up: Pan, keeper of the kitchen.

I have to send a HUGE thank you out to Ben's brother, Ethan, for this little guy. He brought us this lovely little vintage gnome (and matching toadstool!) as a house warming/thank you gift when he came to stay with us for a few days back in November, and I absolutely love him! There's a sticker on the bottom of his foot that says "Made in Japan", so what would be more fitting than to name him Pan. Now, I understand that my Pan doesn't have horns or the hind quarters of a goat, but he's still a mythical creature, so it stays. Also, I think he's holding a lantern, but since he's small and somewhat delicate and will be living in the kitchen, I'm going to say that it's a bottle of booze and he's a little punchy. (See the pigeon toes? I mean, it seems pretty obvious to me...)

Lastly: Alfred, bringer of water.

I picked up Alfred somewhere in PA on the way back from Philly after Christmas. Ben and I stopped off to visit with his grandma, Uncle Greg, and his dad and decided to take a little side trip with Greg to this huge garden store (forgive me, I don't remember the name.) I was disappointed that they didn't have any of the poured concrete gnomes in stock - there were three different girl gnomes in the book! - but I at least I didn't leave empty handed. I picked up Alfred and a big, two-piece ceramic toadstool. I just loved his beard and happy-go-lucky stance.

Also, I am questing for a female Gnome, preferably with a green hat. If anyone out there knows where I can find a female Gnome, I would love to know. I've found a few on eBay, but they're either too small or not quite right (no dwarfs please.) They are so hard to find and I am so badly wanting one to add to the family. I mean, I know that according to Gnome lore the women rarely leave the home, but c'mon... I want one!

Until next time... Happy Gardening!
Amanda

Garden Update : Part 4

2009-04-07T13:00:00.001-04:00

Yay! After this update, we'll be all caught up!! (and hopefully Spring will have made up it's mind to hang around... boo to snow...)

The most exciting news is that Ben and I got all of the sod dug up to form the garden. I pulled on my boots on Saturday and decided to go for it. We had a nice rain on Friday so I knew the ground would be nice and soft, so I figured there was no time like the present. First I used some old grey primer spray paint and marked where I wanted to dig up (I started without marking first and it went really crooked really fast!) Then I took the big spade shovel and edged out the whole bed. I think I was a little too ambitious in the beginning - or maybe I just had no idea what I was getting myself into - but I was killing myself trying to get the pieces of sod up. I kept making them smaller and smaller, but it just kept getting harder and harder. So, once I got about a third of the bed torn up, I called it a day and decided to wait until Ben got home so we could knock out the rest together.

Good plan. We made really fast work of the remainder together. Ben was breaking up the pieces, tossing them into the bed (that knocked a lot of the dirt off) and I was shaking them off and piling them up along the back of the garage. We got done in an hour what would have taken me about six hours. Here are some before and after photos:

Look how dark that dirt is!! It makes me feel really great to know that I get to make sure all those years (about 32 or so actually...) of working that dirt don't go to waste. Thank you Grandma!

A quick tangent: There are 11 kids living in the house across the street from us. I'd say they're ranging in age from 1 to 17 (Jeremiah said that his oldest sister - #12 - is 19 and lives in Cinci.) That is A LOT of children... something totally foreign to me being an only child and all. Anyway, a bunch of these kids along with friends like to ride their bikes up our driveway, turn around on our "patio" and head back down. (I have no problem with this as long as none of my potted plants get broken.) So while I was out working in the dirt on Saturday, a whole gaggle of kids somehow ended up in my yard asking about the garden. It was actually kind of nice, they seem like pretty nice kids. I met Jeremiah and one of his littlest sisters (I'd say he's 6 or 7 maybe) and a friend of theirs, Christopher. They all wanted to try the lettuce and Christopher really wanted to help me dig up the sod. Regardless of how hard I said it was, he was persistent that he could do it and that he LIKED doing yard work. So I convinced him to try to pick up one of the rolls of sod that I couldn't even lift and that sealed the deal. I'll give him credit though, he really gave it his all. I would have been more inclined to let them help, but I really didn't want anyone losing any toes...

Ok, back to the gardening... Here's the latest of the sprouts (I wasn't kidding when I said they've really grown A LOT.)

L-R: Cucumber, Lemon Cucumber, Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Pumpkin, Brussel's Sprouts, Tomatillo, Carnival Mix Peppers, Hot Mix Peppers, Banana Peppers

Pumpkins Gone Wild!

Peppers... Growing slowly... :-/

Roma Tomatoes

Big Beef Tomatoes

Italian Ice Cherry Tomatoes

I also decided to take a few cans of spray paint and give some of the "yard art" a face lift...

Before:
After:
Overall, I'm really pleased with how those turned out. My theory stands true... There's nothing that a little spray paint can't fix!

Happy Gardening!
Amanda

Spring is Here! (or so I thought)

2009-04-07T00:11:00.005-04:00

For the past few weeks it truly seemed as though spring was here to stay... until today. It snowed. No accumulation, but it snowed. I do not approve of this -- I am *so* over winter, I can't stand it. So, to help raise everyone's spirits who might have been downed by today's weather, here are some photos of the first spring blooms from my garden. The bright colors will hopefully cheer you up... if only you could smell their sweet fragrance too.

Come back Spring!

Happy Gardening!
Amanda

Garden Update : Part 3

2009-04-06T22:20:00.006-04:00

Ok, so just like the last post, I really don't have a whole lot to say in this one... but I do have a fair share of photos that speak for themselves. Since replanting the seed trays, my little sprouts have just shot up and are growing like crazy! About two weeks ago I went out to Missouri with my parents to visit family -- I talked to Ben during the four days I was gone and he told me that things were really growing fast... I had no idea I'd come home to this:

Holey Moley! The yellow squash, zuccini, and pumpkins [above in the center rows] grew A LOT! My itty-bitty tomatoes were also really looking good! Their stalks were just starting to turn reddish and were definitely fuzzy.

The cucumbers are all looking really great too... This photo is one of my favorites -- I love how fuzzy the leaves are!
Now, last but not least, this is BY FAR my favorite photo yet... It's just has so much personality. This is one hungry little yellow squash...

mmm... munch munch munch...

Tomorrow's post will be the last update! Hoorah! After that, we'll be all caught up and it'll be current news from there!

Happy Gardening!
Amanda

Garden Update : Part 2

2009-04-05T17:40:00.001-04:00

Oh how things are growing! I really don't have all that much to say in this second update, but there are a lot of photos that can do the talking for me...

Here's the plant stand (post re-planting) as of March 22:

All of the herbs in the pots first sprouted mid to late January and are still growing strong. (The rosemary and oregano are a little slower than the rest, but I'm just going to be patient and hope they catch up.)

The first to sprout in the tray were the Brussels Sprouts, they shot up in a matter of days after planting and have just kept going.

Up tomorrow, Part 3: more sprouts!

Happy Gardening!
Amanda

Garden Update : Part 1

2009-04-04T22:31:00.008-04:00

So, I don't know about everyone else out there, but this winter seemed to last forever. I have been itching for spring for the past 3 months, and I don't really feel like I'm alone here. It seems like everyone has had a hard time weathering the winter this year,but the question remains, what made this winter so much worse than the past? We didn't really have all that much snow here in Columbus, but we did have our share of ice and below freezing temperatures. Our theory is that it has been consistently below 25 degrees since late November, which isn't really characteristic of Ohio winter. Those nice little temperature spikes along the road to spring sure seem to make the cold easier to swallow.

Anyway, enough about the weather. It's been gorgeous here the past few days (I'm just going to ignore that we're supposed to get a "wintry-mix" tomorrow night) and I'm really glad spring has sprung. As I mentioned earlier this week, I will be trying to get caught up on the garden posts over the next few days. So with the spring in the air, here's part 1 of my garden updates...

I didn't have great success with my seeds last year - I ended up buying most of my plants - so I wanted to try something different this year and really make it work. That meant starting things a little earlier to make sure everything got a good start. I did have one slight problem, I had nowhere to keep them once they were planted. Solution: a PVC plant shelf. Back in January I found these instructions: extension.usu.edu/saltlake/htm/horticulture/indoor and took some pictures as I made it. I didn't follow this plan exactly, but it provided a nice base plan for what turned out to be a great growing stand.

STEP 1: Cut all the pieces

STEP 2: Hang the lights

STEP 3: Add plants

And voila! A functional, indoor growing station! Ben stepped in and helped here and tied an X of sailing line across the back to keep the unit from swaying side to side and used some of the same line to tie the lights up. He tied them up first with a bowline knot and then trucker's hitches so that I can adjust the height of the lamps and raise them as the plants grow. [Very easy!] Plus, the grand total didn't really break the bank (I had a light fixture and 2 bulbs from last year.)

5 10-foot PVC pipes and fittings = $30 ish
2 shop lights = $20 ish
4 grow bulbs = $40
2 wire linen shelves = $14
TOTAL = $104

Added bonus: This can be disassembled and stored in a box when not in use :) All-in-all, very successful and highly recommended.

I got all of my veggie seeds planted in 2 trays of peat cups and planted all of my herbs and lettuce in pots. Unfortunately, something just wasn't right with the first round of seeds in the trays and I ended up replanting all of them. :( The pots of herbs, however, grew like crazy!

I wanted to keep track of germination rates and sprouting, so made this handy little chart to keep in my log book: --->

The new round of seeds have been extremely successful, and it's almost time to replant some of the seedlings into bigger cups.

Hooray for spring!

Happy Gardening!
Amanda

Keep an eye out, Part 2 coming tomorrow...

Save the Words

2009-04-01T21:51:00.007-04:00

I stumbled upon Save The Words over at the MommyKnows blog and decided to "adopt" a few words. I am now the proud "parent" of ... [drum roll please] ...

Amandation
n.
act of sending away or dispelling/dismissing

His rude amandation of his guests earned him a reputation for curtness.

(I think the definition should be: adding "Amanda's touch" to any person, place, or thing.)
:)

Gelicide
n.
a frost

Those poor garden gnomes - they'll die from gelicide if we don't bring them inside.

Improcerous
n.
having little height

From now on, all meetings will take place on the second floor so that our improcerous boss can reach the lift button.

On another note, the gardening is now in full swing. I've been so occupied with posting my sewing news, that I've neglected the gardening posts. I have lots to update, so keep an eye out, I'll be posting about that in the next few days!

Happy Everything!
Amanda

Vintage Necchi Sewing Maching

2009-03-29T22:45:00.004-04:00

Here's a little story for all of you about me and my vintage sewing machine...

In October 2007, my boyfriend Ben and I moved into our first place together in Clintonville, a neat little neighborhood here in Columbus, Ohio. Knowing we were in need of some living room furniture, we went to my grandma’s house to pick up a set of these great chartreuse velvet, tufted-back, arm chairs that were living in her basement. While visiting and moving the chairs, I asked her if I could also take the table sewing machine that was collecting dust. She was more than happy to send it with me knowing how much I love to sew and that it really meant a lot to me.

We got moved in and settled in our new place, and a few days later had my parents over to visit. My mom laughed a little at me for wanting the chairs (growing up with them herself, she thinks they’re ugly) but was surprised to see that I’d taken the sewing machine. Her surprise wasn’t a bad thing, she just then asked me if I knew the story behind the machine. My reply was simply that I thought it was Grandma’s, and being the one in the family who really sews, loves vintage, and has a great appreciation for well-made machinery, I thought no one else in the family would mind that I had it. Well, there is quite a story that goes along with the sewing machine that I had never known…

The machine actually belonged to my grandpa, not my grandma as I had always thought. (As it turns out, my grandma isn’t much of a seamstress unfortunately…) I’m unsure of the exact dates, but in the early 1950’s (1950-52 maybe?) my grandpa was in the Air Force and stationed in Lybia. He had been trading his cigarette and alcohol ration stamps with the other soldiers in exchange for money. Over time he saved up enough to purchase a shiny black Necchi “Bu” sewing machine. Where exactly he got the machine, I don’t know, but I do know that he could really make that baby purr. My grandpa was a machinist by trade, and did everything with exact precision and care. While in Lybia he used his Necchi to sew on patches and badges for his fellow soldiers, and with his great attention to detail and precision, you could guarantee that all of your insignia would be up to regulation. After he had built a following by sewing on badges, people started asking him to tailor their uniforms too. He was “peg-legging” pant legs, cropping jackets, and adding a little “hip” style to the drab uniforms.

He returned home to my grandma and uncle (my mom and aunt weren’t far behind…) and brought the Necchi with him. I don’t know how much use it saw from then on, but he took exceptional care of it. He kept it clean and oiled, and out of harms way. (There’s an ongoing joke throughout the family that everything Grandpa touched will out run all of us for the next few generations…)

Grandpa had a stroke when I was around four and passed away in 2002 when I was a senior in high school. Unfortunately when he had his stroke, he lost a lot of his speech and mobility, so I never really got to hear all of the stories that grandpas tell. My mom has commented that she thinks I get my knack for spatial-relations and creating/building things from my grandpa, quite the compliment in my book.

Ben and I now live in the house that he and my grandma shared for 30+ years, so the Necchi is now back “home”. (Don’t worry, Grandma is still kickin’, she’s just moved to a little apartment in a nice community.) I feel really special to be able to live in this house and take care of everything that my grandpa worked for. As a kid, I was lucky enough to have grandparents that lived so close and got to spend a lot of time here. I’ve always been really close with my grandma, and have recently been thinking of Grandpa more and more. I don’t have many things belonged to him, so I feel really lucky to have inherited such a wonderful piece of sewing machinery. She’s in need of a little oil and probably a new belt, but she runs like ‘buttah’. (I would expect nothing less.)

I remember completing my first sewing project, a poodle skirt for Halloween, with my mom when I was in first grade. From then on I helped her with miscellaneous projects here and there, we did some sewing projects in Girl Scouts, but I really started seriously sewing about 5 years ago now when I was in college. I lost my job about 6 weeks ago now, and sewing has been my saving grace. I’ve been using my mom’s Husqvarna (sorry Mom!) and I am really excited to get the Necchi going. I took a bunch of photos today, so if you would like to see it, pop on over to my flickr page. I found an interesting add-on piece that I have no idea what it is exactly or what it does (there are pictures.) If anyone out there has any information that may be helpful, please let me know!

Happy Sewing!
Amanda

Wardrobe Refashion : Post 6 [3/22/09]

2009-03-22T22:54:00.000-04:00

More Finished Projects

I hate to admit this, but I've kind of enjoyed being out of a job these past few weeks. I'm getting a little stir crazy and in need of more people, but I've been really productive with my refashions and sewing projects, which feels really great. The "to be done" pile is shrinking and I'm really challenging my sewing comfort zone. The best part is that I've gone out on a limb when choosing patterns and fabrics and also style, and each attempt has been successful. :) Now let's look at some photos...

Here's the shirt I made last week from Butterick pattern #B5035 (I promised I'd post a photo when I got one...) This was a super easy project, and although the picture isn't that great, it was super cute with dark jeans, heels, and funky earrings. (It's also a little more fushia than purple as it looks here.)

I'm really pleased with this finished project... and I'm actually wearing it (again) at this moment. I used a fine, plum jersey knit from JoAnn (on sale!) and New Look pattern #6780. I have made a change since these photos were taken. I wore this shirt to a family get-together yesterday as it is in the picture and the sleeves really bothered me. The elastic was just a little too snug and they were really riding up into my armpits. (No fun.) I undid the hem and removed the elastic, I gathered the edge then added a band similar to the bottom. This made the sleeves just tight enough and lengthened them too. Overall, I LOVE the fabric (it feels great at the color is gorgeous!) and the pattern was pretty simple too - a definite must for summer! It's also long enough that it would look cute with leggings.

This little jacket was a big leap for me. I started a button down shirt dress a little over a year ago and got frustrated while trying to attach the collar. Needless to say, it's in the "to be finished" pile... This is the most difficult pattern I've tried in quite some time, and I'm pleased to say I'm really happy with the finished product. I used a nice light weight seersucker (also on sale) with another one of the $1.99 Butterick patterns (#B5332) and a covered button maker. Not only was the construction of this piece difficult, but I've not really worked with interfacing in clothing, and I'm pretty bad with button holes... and this had both of those. I don't think I would have ever bought something like this for myself, but I really like it and so does Ben. Win-Win in my book!

I posted this refashion last week: Well, I attached the cut-off to the brown shirt today and ended up with this:

I'm not sure if I'm really happy with it, but it's not a bad use for the scrap, and the brown shirt is better this way than being too short.

Oh, and the brown bag lunch was a huge hit at the cousin's birthday! Josh (Alex's older brother - he's 5) really loved it, so it looks like I'll be making another one.

Happy Sewing!
Amanda