The (not so) Secret Confessions of a Stitch Chick

Buggles Bags on Ebay

Google alerts can informative, entertaining and sometimes totally off the wall! Today's Google alert came from Ebay where Sandra's Creations has an adorable and functional diaper bag made from our Bugglesfabric line. Today's other Google alert had me once again adventuring in King Solomon's mines with the hero Allan Quartermain and the other star of the movie Deborah Kerr. It always makes me smile, it may be irrelevant but my Dad's name was Allan, he enjoyed the book as it was among his small collection of books when he died.

1001 SAVVY Ways to SAVE with SEWING!
5. As the weather turns colder, digging out gloves and mittens often results in a stray one turning up without a partner. They can be turned into potential Christmas gifts as puppets, toys or ornaments. There is a cute array of toys to be made from Sock and Glove by Miyako Kanamori. Turn those stray gloves and socks into something adorable!  Debra...a Stitch Chick & Green Goddess!

REMEMBERING

Today is Remembrance Day, all around town everyone wears a red poppy on their lapel remembering, honoring all of those who have served their country.

Remembrance Day has also another special significance for me; my oldest daughter arrived the day after Remembrance Day. We had a call telling us the adoption had been decided on the morning of the 10th and we were to be the proud parents of a 13 day old baby girl; because of the holiday we would pick her up on the 12th. The phone rang off the hook, we dashed out for wallpaper and paint. A neighborhood baby shower was organized for the next evening, Remembrance Day. People started arriving with a crib and baby stuff. A friend from across the street stayed up half the night helping me wallpaper and paint. The shower on Remembrance Day brought a carload of baby essentials with every shade of pink possible! Now it is 26 years later and I met her birth dad just this past weekend, what a loving adventure it has been. Since the adoption story is such a big part of my life I have added a page to my blog to chronicle our story and to give a voice to the quietest part of the adoption triangle, the adoptive parent. It is a Love Lesson: we love more than one child and yet each one we love as deeply as the next. This is how we journey into reunion with an open heart embracing the love that will come to our child as a wonderful gift and knowing in return the love they share will only deepen our own bond...Debra---remembering with deep gratitude.

The Green Goddess Rules!

This past weekend I got busy around my home. I also realize I like giving myself titles so the new one is Green Goddess. In my Green Goddess role I used leftover wood and rebuilt my daughter's single bed frame into a double bed frame platform as I had an extra double mattress and she is now 5' 10". A bigger bed is due. It turned out great and she was very happy. I found out how the furnace works from a very nice man who installed it and I cleaned the very dusty furnace filter. My next project was to do something in my bedroom with the master bed wall. I don't want to fully paint yet, living with the space first and Baker's White is a warm white. I also do not do themed rooms anymore but I do love birds, trees and wire bird cages so...I had some acrylic green, pink, antique white paint, two brushes, water and damp cloth. I am not a painter but that didn't stop me, I did not plan it out. I just started painting. I did draw a rough template for the bird. I painted the branches first, diluted the paint to a wash and went over the branches extending them. Added the pink birds, it looked too flat and harsh overall so I took the damp cloth and started wiping it off. Trying to create a silk screened effect. I like it and feel I am sleeping in a fairy tale room. Now to try the design on a pillow, the Green Goddess is unleashed!  Debra, A Stitch Chick & Green Goddess!

Happy BOO Day!

Happy Boo Day one and all! It is definitely one of the most creative days of the year when scissors, glue guns, fusible tape, staple guns, duct tape and of course my personal favorite sewing machines, needles and invisible thread are called into action to dress everyone in outrageous, scary and fun costumes. I started making costumes when my oldest was just a year old, her birthday being three days before Halloween. She was little Red Riding Hood and her Dad took her dressed as the big bad wolf. The next year she was a cabbage patch doll and her Dad went as a giant cabbage, then Alice in Wonderland and the White Rabbit. Satin curtains became a princess costume, an old black coat became a cat costume although I believe she was mistaken for a skunk! My creativity gave way to hers and every year she puts together an inventive costume for a Halloween party. So here is to all the ghost and goblins of every size who fly through the streets and the behind the scenes crafty ones who whip up a little black magic from bits and pieces.  Debra---Inspiring the JOY of Creativity---1 little black magic stitch at a time!

More Fall Decor

Beautiful fall days linger and a few trees hang onto their festive foliage. I really like my little front porch and the bench on it is all decked out for fall. I am not a big Halloween fan as far as the scary part I prefer the fall harvest approach. Probably due to my early memories of watching a scary movie and having nightmares. I liked dress up costumes for my daughters and sewed many but they were always cute like Little Bo Peep and her plush sheep. My youngest did not see the point of pink bloomers, no amount of persuasion budged her. I dressed up myself as I taught kindergarten for five years and had a fairy godmother costume I made with enough crinoline for me to take flight!  Happy Fall to all! Debra---A Stitch Chick!

Fall Decor

I love the fall. My new home has a red maple in the front and is surrounded by a mixed bunch of maple, birch, apple and pine all around the property. Luckily there are no laws against leaf litter as my lawn is buried beneath a crazy quilt of fallen festive leaves. There are still more to fall so no raking yet just lots of crunching underfoot. Tempted to rake up a pile to jump in...is there an age limit or if I can get up unaided does that count? I have done some outdoor decorating. I made some pumpkin purses for the door to give out at Thanksgiving and made a pink one for myself. (What can I say I am a gal who loves pink and green of course!) I like the photo, the trees across the street reflected in the glass of the door in the late afternoon sun.

1001 SAVVY Ways to SAVE with SEWING! TM
4. Take advantage of packaging and save the ribbons, trims that sheets, throws and pillows often come tied with. The pumpkin door purse above has a luxurious grosgrain ribbon handle which came on a throw I purchased when outfitting my Mom's new place. I ironed it and put it aside until the ideal project came up to use it on. Remnants of silk flowers and leaves from my floral stage many years ago fill in the top of the pumpkin.  Debra---inspiring the JOY of Creativity---1 Stitch at a Time!

We all Make a Difference

This past week I received a very special award from the Rotary Foundation part of Rotary International, the Paul Harris Fellowship Award "in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world." Paul Harris founded the Rotary Club and at his death in 1948 this fellowship was set up and given in recognition to individuals, who by their example and contribution to the community, exemplify the ideals of Rotary: "Service above Self." Each Rotary Club in our area gives two awards and I was the proud recipient of the award from the Fredericton North Rotary. The other five awards given were to wonderful dedicated volunteers who have given much of themselves to make a difference locally and globally.

For the last fifteen years I have volunteered with the Rotary and Hospital Foundation to create a week long magical holiday event in support of hospital and Rotary programs. The event took half a year to plan and many volunteers. I have had the best job in bringing the theme to life with my talents and turn the Forestry Complex into a Winter Wonderland! When I first was asked after showing up to help out to take over the Decorating Chair I was unsure. I had volunteered in many other ways over the years but as a newly single mother with a baby and nine year old didn't know if I was up for the job. I said yes anyway. Now the baby is almost seventeen and "Chief Elf" at the event, the nine year old, now twenty five became stage manager several years ago. It has been a family affair and one filled with many memorable moments. I have been honored to work with countless volunteers from the Rotary and Hospital Foundation and the great staff at the Forestry Complex.

We all make a difference, we all volunteer our time and touch others in many ways. My parents, my Dad always volunteered, lent a helping hand whenever it was needed. My Mom, a teacher always was gathering extra mittens, clothing for some of her students even when we did not have much, we always shared. The most valuable gift of all is setting an example for those who come after us. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that has." Margaret Mead. To making a difference---Debra

Confession Day!

It is time to confess, I have been feeling very guilty about my blog of late. I have had grand visions of showing a fab sewing project I whipped up each day, having thousands of readers and being discovered by Martha before I am a grandmother. Instead I am sewing everyday, writing even more and have hardly any pictures I can show! At the moment I am finishing up projects for a book proposal, finishing revisions on the book Sweatshirt Remix release date May 09 and finishing up my next column for Creative Homearts plus all the life stuff. Not any busier than anyone else and I am sewing lots just can't show it. I will have some fun things coming up for the holidays I will be able to show. I can keep giving tips for sewing up savings though!

1001 SAVVY Ways to SAVE with SEWING!
3. Got a new sewing project in mind and thinking of new fabric before heading out to buy any check the linen closet for sheets, tablecloths, pillow cases you no longer use. They have interesting patterns and textures AND can be sewn up into some great projects. Sheets are also ideal for making an inexpensive duvet cover by sewing two together or backing a quilt. Two napkins make a pillow, just applique over any spots.

SO, sew, sew I am back to work with a clear well almost clear conscience!  Debra---I really am a Stitch Chick, a writing chick, a Mom chick and----!

 

 

Share, Sew & Save with Girlfriends!

A very smart girlfriendDebba Haupert has written a letter to Oprah outlining all the benefits of friendship beyond the obvious. Friends help us live longer and more importantly make us want to live longer. We laugh and cry together understanding from a place within our hearts and souls. We need to not lose touch with our girlfriends but find ways in the busyness of life to come together more often.

So my next tips from 1001 Savvy Ways to Save with Sewing TM
2. Get together with some girlfriends for a fun filled evening full of friendship, food and fashion. Have everyone bring some finger foods and a bag of clothes they no longer wear. Arrange all the clothes in the center and let the fun begin. Everyone pick out things they like and try them on. Not everyone has to sew, set up a machine(s) and tools. Alter clothes on the spot so they go home with their swapped treasures ready to wear. Assign a couple friends to take out seams, cut off hems, remove buttons etc.

• Dresses can become blouses. Coats into jackets. Sweaters into vests. (Often cutting a garment at an upper seam as in empire waist style preserves the hem line and gives more room by moving up the bottom of the garment.)
• Switch buttons from one garment to another for a more polished look.
• Mix up fabric pieces with applique techniques and/or embellish with fabric paints, markers and glitters.

3. For girlfriends who do sew have everyone bring food of course! scrap fabrics and sewing tools. Sew up an evening of fun and friendship and create some quick and easy scrappy patch quilts to donate to a woman's shelter. Fleecy scarves and mittens are always needed for children.

To girlfriends and sewing! ---Debra---A Stitch Chick!

 

Sew up Some Penny Pinching Style!

We are living in serious times and saving money is uppermost on everyone's mind. Obviously since the only stock that went up was Campbells' soup. Since this is not a cooking blog I won't go into 1001 Creative ways to Cook with Campbells but what I do know about is 1001 Savvy Ways to Save with Sewing.

1001 Savvy Ways to Save with Sewing TM

1. Raid your closet. This means take an evening or a day and take everything out of your closet. Put back everything that fits well and you love. Now for the rest. Yes you can donate and use it as a tax write off. You also can easily restyle some of those items that are out of date,too loose or have been mysteriously shrunk by the closet fairy.

• The piece is totally not you anymore. You can still remove the buttons, any trim and cut up for another project.
• A skirt that is too tight or wrong length. Open up side seam and insert a complimentary strip of fabric or trim down the side. Add some buttons for detail. If it is too short add a border to make longer.
• Use same border fabric to create cuffs on a shirt that has too short sleeves or worn cuffs.

Now for, (as my creative guru Margot Potter calls it) Shameless Self Promotion! In my book SWEATSHIRTS: Figure, Fit, Fashion, (look for the exciting sequel Spring 2009), there are nineteen designs which can be created from a sweatshirt. So if your closet coughs up some old sweats they would be perfect for restyling into a vest or tunic. Here is my daughter wearing a jacket created with a black sweatshirt with some fabric, ribbons and trim.  Debra...Inspiring the JOY of creativity---1 Stitch at a Time!