that i love this man.  it has been nearly 11 years and he really is my best friend.  it’s no fun having good news if i can’t share it with him.

and he is really good at keeping my feet warm.  i love waxing poetic about my husband, but nothing makes him cringe more than when I do.  so this is a brief tribute to my best friend, i love you and i love the life we’ve created together.

When I start formulating a plan for our Holiday Family Portraits. We’ve decided on a location already, the Mesa Arts Center in downtown Mesa, AZ. Today I am focusing on our wardrobe, we’ve done green (twice), white and navy.  This year I wanted a color that looked good on everyone, that we haven’t done before, and that would look good with various backgrounds.  I’ve decided Chocolate Brown will be this years color; and after some online retail searching, it looks like Old Navy is our one stop family shop (hooray that I can shop GAP and Banana Republic from the same O.N. window)!  I’m thinking we’ll all be sporting jeans, because we are a casual family and I think our pics should reflect that.

It goes without saying that Sarah will always shoots our family, she is simply the best.  Here is a shot she got of me and my sweetie at last years session.  If you are in the Phoenix Metro area you should schedule your appointment today, she books up quick!  We usually end up going out with her after Thanksgiving dinner because it is the only time she is free!  So, email (sarahephotographyATgmailDOTcom) her today to schedule your family portriat session!  Oh, and if you need a little eye candy, here is her flickr account, doesn’t she do extraordinary things with ordinary people and lots of natural light?

A few more days left to sign up!  Come make this Vintage Sheet Skirt with me on Thursday Oct. 2, $25 for the class and you can bring your own materials, or $15 and I’ll bring everything you’ll need.  You can sign-up online, or call the studio and do it over the phone.

Also, if your free Saturday morning (ie, not preparing food for 300 local people who’ll be watching this, like me) then you might want to swing by this charity garage sale, it promises to be good!

Oh, a little Post Script, to whomever it was that snagged my pajamas today at the Nie Recovery Etsy sale, THANK YOU!

Balloons filled with good wishes, hopes and prayers for The Nielsons.

At first I felt a bit silly about being there because I’ve never formally met Stephanie, but then I thought about how it wasn’t all about me.  I thought of their families, and I thought that a large turn out would probably give them comfort.  Knowing that so many people were praying and supporting them.  I may not know her in person, but I love the online Stephanie and hope for much good for her and her sweet husband.

I strongly believe in the power of prayer.

One of the things I have always loved about the blogging world is how small the community becomes when there is a tragedy.  We daily step into other people’s lives by reading their blogs, after awhile you begin to feel like you know them.  I think some of the best blogs are the ones you read and you think “If she lived in my city, I bet we could be friends”.  I am also keenly aware that while it feels like we know people, it really is only the part they want you to see.  None the less, they open a part of themselves up for the world to share.

For some time now I have been reading NieNieDialogues,  a delightful little blog written by Stephanie.  A woman who is really a woman in all senses of the word- femininity is the name of her game.  Her blog is incredibly upbeat and artistic.  She is a mother and a wife, she writes and photographs her life- showing us all the good and fun that is to be had.  She is local and lives not too far from here.  I had hoped to meet her through Blissful Living in the next month or so.

This weekend she and her husband were in a terrible accident, her family and friends are appealing to the masses for prayers and good thoughts.  Again, I believe in the power of prayer.

A few weeks ago I got an email from Jen Byard of My Three Sons Designs asking me if I would make a travel blanket for her son.  Have you seen the cute stuff she makes and sells?  I was flattered that she wanted ME to make something for her son.

I gave it a lot of thought and decided on something definitely boy- but not cheesey boy (does that make sense to anyone else?).  I had worked with the Star Rocket fabric before and really liked it.  Not only is the print cute it is the softest cotton ever, I swear it has got to be 300+ thread count.  Harrison has 2 older brothers which means he probably gets a lot of hand-me-downs.  I wanted this to be something special meant for him, so I embroidered a patch with his name on it.  I searched high and low for just the right minky to back it in, I wanted red, but theI couldn’t find the right share.  Sally’s had a soft dotted blue that matched perfectly.

So, Harrison- this one is for you buddy!

I wanted to show you some fun *new* embroidery patterns I used this week (new-meaning not vintage).  I was unsure at first about stitching the elephant all in one color, but I was very pleased with how he turned out!

The patterns are from Amy of PeaPie Designs.  She has some really fun pattern sets, I’m thinking of getting the Blossom Wink design as well.  Her patterns are extremely affordable and she allows her designs to be used for re-sale (with credit)!

Also of the telling nature:

I recently discovered Oliver+S sewing patterns!   I’m longing to make my daughter this dress (the shirt can be made as a dress).  I have a beautiful piece of thrifted white linen that I want to use (white, I know, but I can bleach it). Check out the blog to see what is coming in little boy patterns this fall, and to see some of thepatterns sewn. Oh, for those of you out there who make and sell children’s clothes, for $6 you can buy a license that will allow you to sew these patterns for sale.

I was gabbing with my mother the other day and she was telling me about YouTubes connection with online learning.  Apparently they have contracts with certian universities and YouTube will show videos of entire lecture series.  How cool is that?  As this grows and developes think of how it will open the door to higher education to basically anyone with a library card (free internet access).  I did a little clicking around on YouTube searching under “university lectures”.  Here is a fun one on Emotional Intellegence.  My mother also tells me that something similiar is being done over at skype (I thought it was only a phone service).  I don’t quite understand it, but she said that you can download whole lectures or interviews for free from skype.  Does anyone know more about this, I’m really fascinated?

I found my daughter like this after dinner.  She was eating cashews and watching Ratatouille, I rotated the bucket around to use the natural light from the window to snap the shot.

I am done using my fingers to tie a never ending supply of water balloons for eager cub scouts, and am ready to use them for stitching and pinning again.  I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed though.  I have a huge custom order that I am nearly done with- 4 1/2 onesies left to embroider!  But, then the list of friends who need/want blankets for their little babies is ever growing- I think my friends need to stagger their re population efforts (karin, diane, mirinda, amy and others!).  And my poor etsy shop…it is sitting their neglected.  Nothing new is going in because I am busy sewing for other reasons, but I so want to add some quilts like this to the shop.  My mind is just overflowing with great ideas!  I have recently (in the last 6months) purchased some great vintage dress patterns that I want to make for my little cashew eating daughter.

Let me know if anyone has figured out how to add more hours in the day, I think that and a little bit of organization is all I need!  This summer thing is really kicking my butt.

somehow it seems silly to post today about the simple pleasures of crafting when there is such great suffering today in the world. I don’t know if it is because there were so many children involved, or the sheer volume of people killed or injured; but my heart is heavy today for the people of China. These sorts of events in the world make me want to hold my children closer and protect them.

I’ll be back to crafting soon, but I just wanted to publicly acknowledge this tragic event.

Jessie asked if she could interview me for her first of a weekly series over at Feeling Stitchy. I was so excited and promptly said yes! I’ve always admired Jessie’s work and figured if she was doing the interviewing then no one would ever get to hear her story. So I took the opportunity to interview her today to learn what makes her tick!

Tell me about yourself, and where you live.
I’m a stay at home mama to Jack, age 5, and Olivia, 7 (and wife to another “Jack”). We live in the suburbs of Chicago with our two fluffy white dogs, Gracie and Lola

What’s one thing we probably don’t know about you?
I’ve always wanted to be in the FBI. Really.

When and how did you first start stitching?
I remember stitching when I was a little girl, like eight or nine years old. I would come home from school and sew or knit.

My interest in embroidery resurfaced when I was pregnant with my daughter. My husband worked extremely long hours, and I was home alone a lot. Stitching was a very satisfying (and super cheap!) hobby.

Do you do other crafty things as well?
I do all sorts of random crafty stuff; My basement looks like an art supply warehouse exploded in it. Right now, though, I’m really into sewing, working on graphic design projects, and photography.

It takes so much time to complete an embroidery project. How much time do you usually spend on a project, and where do you find the time?

I spend hours on each embroidery project, but if I’m really feeling the love for it, I’ll have it finished in a day or so. I bring my embroidery bag with me everywhere, and steal a few minutes here and there - while I’m waiting in the car to pick up my kids from school, while they’re at their sporting events, whatever… I especially like to bring my embroidery with me when I travel (but if you do that, remember to bring a very small, rounded tip scissors or they’ll take it away from you at security!)

Stitching is very creative, yet also very detail oriented and precise. Does it reflect your personality?
Absolutely. I’m a tightly strung individual.

Do you ever rip out stitches to re-do them in a different color or type of stitch?
All the time. If one thread color is bothering me, I really can’t move on without fixing it. I have drawers full of abandoned projects around the house.

Which stitch do you use most often?
I think I use a backstitch most often, but I really like the look of a nice outline stitch. French Knots give me endless amounts of trouble.

Where do you find the patterns you use?
From the Hoop Love Flickr pool, and from my collection of vintage embroidery transfers. There are also a couple of re-issued (new but vintage looking) Aunt Martha patterns that I really like.

Do you have an all-time favorite pattern you’ve used again and again?
Yes, there’s a sweet deer that I’ve used a bunch of times. It’s one of those Aunt Martha’s that I just mentioned. It’s from #3738 - Baby Animals.

What kinds of things do you like to embroider on?
I really like to work on flannel for baby blankies. It’s really smooth and easy to stitch on, and doesn’t require any kind of stabilizing.

Do you ever make anything for yourself?
No. But I wish I did!

Where do you find inspiration?
Flea markets, vintage children’s books, wallpaper samples, and Flickr!

Are there any websites or blogs you visit regularly for creative inspiration?

There are so, so many blogs I visit regularly. There’s a lengthy list of them on the sidebar of my blog.

Do you sell the items you make? And if so, do you have any tips for people who want to start selling their work, either online or at craft shows?
I do sell some of the items I make. I have a shop on Etsy, and have sold at craft fairs as well. The stuff I make fits in better at the Renegade-type craft fairs. I wouldn’t do well at a local craft fair next to someone selling clothing for those outdoor patio geese (Is that just a Chicago thing, or do you know what I’m talking about?)

Etsy is a very user friendly venue for starting out online. Until you have a really solid customer base, I don’t see a point in selling from a private website, because there are already so many people ready to shop for handmade goods on Etsy.

It’s almost impossible to pay yourself for the amount of time you’ll put into making and selling handmade goods. I do it because I love it, but I probably won’t be taking over as the breadwinner in our family anytime soon.

If you could listen to anything while you worked on a project, what would it be?
This American Life on Chicago Public Radio.
Grab your ipod and hit “shuffle” - what song comes up first (no cheating - no editing!)? Okay, do it again - what song? Alright, once more:
1. Vegas, Sara Bareilles
2. Bright Smile, Josh Ritter
3. If This City Never Sleeps, Rosie Thomas

Can you show me a few projects and tell me about them?

I’m really into nature themes right now, hence all of the birds, and the deer, and the mushrooms….

Where can we find more of you ?
Well, I’m guest blogging over at Feeling Stitchy every Thursday, and of course, you can always find me on my own blog at www.sweetjessie.com , and my etsy shop.
Also, a few of my projects in the upcoming book Sweet Booties! Which will be published by Lark Books in January, 2009.
Thank you so much, Heather!!!

Thank you Jessie- it was a treat to get to know you better! Now you’ll have to photograph the lawn ornament clothing, I’ve never seen it but I’m stifling a giggle at the thought!