olliekate

the jelly bean quilt

2011-05-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine is having her third baby in just a couple months and I am so excited for her. They will be welcoming their third girl into the world and I knew right away that I wanted to make her a quilt. I have never actually gifted any of my quilts though and was a little nervous about quality control for a gift. I chose a rainbow design, heavy on the pinks and bound in that great seed fabric from the Flea Market Fancy line by Denyse Schmidt. The back is all grey solid.

The quilt is only about 40"x50" so it came together in just a few short hours. The next day I got it all ready to quilt and totally forgot to tape the back down when I pinned it! Didn't even cross my mind for some reason. Probably because I quilt pillows a lot and I don't have to worry about that. So as could be expected there was some shifting, not a ton but some on the back where the fabric just didn't lay perfectly flat as I was quilting. I turned it over to check about 1/2 way through and was not happy!! It was too far along to rip all those stitches out, I don't have the patience for that. I finished the quilt anyway to see how it would turn out and threw it in the wash so it could get nice and soft and fluffy. That really hid a lot of the mistakes thankfully. I decided it was gift worthy. The funny part is that when I was wrapping the quilt, my 4 year old was with me and I said, "Well, it's not perfect but I think it looks nice and hope she will like it. Besides nothing in life is perfect anyway." She looks at me and replied, "that's true Mom, except for jelly beans because they are pretty much perfect!"

So this is the jelly bean quilt for a sweet little baby soon to greet us all :)

my first 1/2

2011-04-11T05:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend I ran my first 1/2 marathon. It was amazing. It was hard. It was hot. It was hilly. It was such an accomplishment. My friend Heather and I , who run together weekly, both signed up to do this race. She had signed up earlier than me and I hesitated and finally commited several weeks later. I thought I was signing up to support my friend on this big day and to do something together. But as life often does, I got so much more than I had planned for. Bare with me while I recap:

We met early in the morning and drove out to the race. It was a trail run in a state forest not too far from home. We were chatty and excited. Ready to run! We got to the starting line, a few butterflies in my belly but smiling Heather was next to me and I felt good. The race starts and off we go. First 2 miles you hustle along with people all around you. You are caught up in a stream like a fish just moving forward as you pass some and others pull ahead. We are smiling, chatting and feeling good. Then we hit the base of a pretty long hill (maybe 1 1/2 miles) and it started to kick my butt. My mind starts to worry about the rest of the race. Can I do this? Will I slow Heather down? All the what ifs send me in a panic. It was something I have never felt. I went from feeling great to falling apart in my head about my abilities. But we get to the top. I ditch my annoying fuel belt and decide to depend on the water stations to get me through. Feeling lighter and better we run flat for a few miles and I run past my Physical Therapist I used to see last year. She motivates me to keep going. The power of positive words charging my run. The middle of the race goes OK, but I am just not myself, something is off. In all of our training runs, I never had such a bad run as I did on race day. But all along there is Heather, a constant support who stayed with me because we had agreed before the race that we would finish together.

By mile 10, I was toast. The hills seemed steeper, the miles longer and the sun hotter. I was holding Heather back but she stayed with me and I was so thankful, even as I kept saying "go ahead." Heather's constant words of encouragement were pulling me along. Her smile and determination were what I wish I could have mustered for her as well. She gave me the last sips of her water without hesitation. She was having a rock star day and I am so proud of her.

As we neared the end I saw the crowds at the finish, I saw all of our kids ringing cow bells and jumping up and down. I ran to them, I ran to the finish and felt the literal last drop of energy I had in me to get there! Heather and I finished together and shared a big hug that only we both could understand what it meant. It wasn't my legs that got me to the end, it was the power of friendship. Thanks H.

oliver + s ice cream dress

2011-03-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

I did it. I finally finished this dress! It is the Oliver+S i ce cream dress. I had been looking at the pattern online since it came out, finally got to my local store to buy it and then it sat and sat and sat for a while until I could get to it. I haven't made any clothes, from a pattern at least, in quite a while. Cutting it out proved to be a challenge because the size range is 5-12 and I wanted to make sure I kept all the sizes for the future. Tracing paper nowhere in site of course , when I needed it!
I used the Modern Meadow line by Joel Dewberry for the floral and a Kona Cotton Solid in pink. About these patterns: this was my first try at an oliver+s pattern and I have to say I really like it. It came together very nicely, directions easy to follow and just a little bit of challenge without feeling like I was in the deep end of the pool. I did a double hem for the first time, and did understitching (keeps the hem from flipping up). I don't care for how heavy the bottom panel of the skirt is but that may be the crispness of my fabric and get better with washing. It seems a little too belled out right now for my taste.
The modifications I had to make for user error were that I omitted the notch in the front yoke, because I didn't like how it looked and the pockets! Oh, those pockets came out awful, so in frustration I left them off. As soon as my 4 year old put it on she says,"Does this dress have pockets? You know I really like to have pockets." Go figure.
Maybe I will add them another day!
So, I would definitely recommend the pattern and plan to sew up a couple more for this Spring. The front yoke comes together easily and the gathering is a cinch. I made the size 5 for my 4 1/2 year old and the length is good, the width is roomy. But the style is forgiving for that and works just fine. You will love the little button detail on the back. So easy and sweet! Have you made this dress already? What did you think? Or any other Oliver+Spatterns you would suggest?

try this...

2011-03-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

Cooking is something I like to do, but am not always good at it. But this recipe shared by a friend, is so worth passing along. The picture is from Martha Stewart Everyday Food. I think it is kind of weird when people photograph their dinner plates, but trust me it looks just as good at home! I have used butternut squash and pumpkin and they are equally delicious. Enjoy!

ingredients

Serves 4

Coarse salt and ground pepper
12 ounces rigatoni
2 tablespoons butter
5 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Roasted Pumpkin with Shallots and Sage

Directions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add butter, cheese, and pasta water; toss until butter has melted.
Gently fold in roasted pumpkin; season with salt and pepper. Divide among serving bowls, and serve immediately.

Ingredients for roasting pumpkins, shallots & sage:

Serves 4

1 medium sugar pumpkin (about 4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks
4 shallots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide pumpkin, shallots, oil, and sage between two large rimmed baking sheets; season with salt and pepper, and toss.
Roast until pumpkin is tender, 30 to 35 minutes, tossing once and rotating sheets halfway through.

pink quilt: all done!

2011-02-18T20:23:00.000-08:00

The pink plus quilt top is back from the long arm quilter and I have gotten the binding on! My little girl got to sleep under it for the first time the other night. No coming into my room in the middle of the night saying she is cold, so I would say that's a good start! I love the bubble pattern I chose for this quilt and once it was all washed and dried, it got so soft and just perfect!

Now everyone has a mama made quilt and I can move on to plans for a throw quilt for the couch. I have been spying this pattern from Amy Butler to try next. The backing of this quilt was made with Amy's new line Soul Blossoms.

Hope your weekend gets off to a great start. We are celebrating my oldest's birthday. Makes a mama feel old watching her boy turn 11. So proud of the young man he is becoming!

pillow month

2011-02-10T07:53:00.000-08:00

Felt Cushions by Ferm Living at Rose & Grey
my favorites so far~love how the colored buttons just make them pop!

February is pillow month over at Sew Mama Sew blog. Each day they are highlighting a pillow of the day. They are also giving loads of tutorials on how to do things like the dreaded zipper, adding binding and applique. Look at some of the cute ones they have posted!

love the applique on this one!

this is the pillow I received in the flickr pillow swap!
It has a great quilting design (with a tutorial here) and is sitting on my couch right now!

I am looking forward to seeing what else Sew Mama Sew comes up with for pillow designs the rest of the month. I have really been wanting to make some new pillows for our family room and these are giving me the inspiration to get it done! We are having yet another snow day today (with hardly any snow) May have to take the kiddos to the fabric store with me, oh they'll be thrilled!

Olliekate pillows I have made in the past

"that's a lot of pink" quilt top

2011-02-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

That is what my husband said when he came into the room and saw this quilt going up on the design wall- "wow, that's a lot of pink!" But it's for a 4 year old girl who only likes pink, of course it's a lot! I used 3 1/2" squares (300 of them) to make this plus quilt design. I threw in a few shades of purple and then some of my favorite prints from my stash. There is a lot of nice subtle variation that makes the crosses pop I think. And once it is quilted, it should really look better. This quilt was totally inspired by this quilt, made by Film in the Fridge that I saw online a few months back. Isn't that pretty? Love her quilts!

This is the first time I used a design wall to help me with a quilt. Simply hang a large piece of flannel on the wall ( I used a sheet) and all your blocks will stick like magic. I left it up there for several weeks while I worked on the quilt top. No more setting it all up on the floor and having to clean it up, just to put it all back down again later.

Quilt top measures 45"x60", good size for a little one. I had 20 rows of 15 squares. I have sent this off to Back Porch Quilters and should get it back soon. I knew it would take too long and it is so cold here these days, I wanted it done quick!! I will post pictures as soon as I get it back.

Happy Monday!

olliekate is back on etsy and we are having a sale!

2011-02-04T11:45:00.000-08:00

After a rather long hiatus, we have gotten our tees back on etsy and are super happy to be sharing some new designs with you. To celebrate, we are also having a sale! Use code FEB11Sale and receive 15% off your order. More tees will be listed throughout the month as well. Lots more to share but head on over to the shop and let me know what you think! I really hope to resume daily blogging too!

back to school dress

2010-08-27T13:40:00.000-07:00

A poolside sewing tutorial from my dear friend Heather taught me how to make this oh so sweet and simple pillow case style dress. I used the unicorn print from Heather Ross's Far Far Away line and the coordinating orange floral for the bow. I sewed this for Kate before her first day of preschool this week. Got to go back to school in style, right? I just wish I had tried this pattern at the beginning of summer. Hope your end of summer or back to school season is going well.

Happy Weekend!

little goodies

2010-08-17T06:27:00.000-07:00

My youngest turns 4 in a few days. So amazing, so fast it is going. We had a little party to celebrate and it was a good opportunity to get me out of my sewing/blogging slump! Little goodie bags made from all of my favorite polka dot fabric stash. I filled them with crayons, lollipops and little homemade coloring books. Lots of fun and worth the time. Loving Handmade, especially for our most special memories. Hope your summer was great, sent the kids off to school this morning and getting back into the swing of things!

::feed your soul::

2010-06-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

Hey there! How are you? We are super crazy end of the school year, 3 year old is out of school, a million things going on busy but .....I had to share this: I recently came across this site online that has free art prints that you can download and print for FREE! There are lots of super cool ones, that I plan to print on card stock and hang on our wire clothespin thing we have in our house for pictures. Might have to knock off a few preschool pictures, shhh!

Check it out here: Feed Your Soul: The Free Art Project

works in progress

2010-05-18T05:20:00.000-07:00

I have been sewing a bit the past few days after I bought some really nice linen from Sew Mama Sew. It is a nice heavy weight that would be good for home dec. projects. I have been wanting a new bag for a while and decided to use the linen to make a patchwork tote with some of my favorite fabrics. It is still in progress b/c the handles are too long and the whole bag is kind of huge so I am not totally done...yet. But on to the linen, which I love the look of in sewing projects. I practiced some sketching with thread (for lack of a better name) on linen with fabric scraps. It is fun to do and the possibilities are endless. Simply, iron on your fabric that is backed with fusible interfacing to the linen in the shape you want. Using your darning foot, you stitch the outline of the shape as you would with a marker or pen. I like the whimsical look of going around a few times and using a dark brown or black thread looks best. Now these are just rough examples but I have a fabric canvas idea brewing in my head that could look pretty cool. Here are some more ideas from flickr of what you could dream up: here and here.My 3 year old is sick today so sewing will slow a bit! She is listening to a book on tape right now which has been one of my best parenting finds since my oldest was little. Great in the car or in the house, they love it! Have a great day!

::weekend in pictures::

2010-05-16T15:43:00.001-07:00

decisions

inspiration

stumbled upon

entrepreneurs

Hope your weekend was wonderful too!

::happy monday::

2010-05-10T16:42:00.000-07:00

(from decor8 blog)

pillow swap 3 : modern simplicity :

2010-04-29T14:01:00.001-07:00

The pillow swap that I have mentioned in the past is hosting sign-ups right now over on flickr. If you are interested in joining this fun group of sewists and getting a pillow in return, head on over and sign yourself up quick! And don't worry you will have lots of time to make your creation. I think they don't have to go out until the beginning of June. I have participated twice over the past year and have really enjoyed the group, the discussions and the pillwos I have received from other members. Will have to share those pictures here soon! This picture is the mosaic I made for my partner to see my style so they can get to "know" me a bit before they start. The top picture is the pillow I sent out for the last swap to my partner.
Are you in?

2010-04-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

I have been very absent lately and I guess that is just the sign of a full life right now! We are busy with soccer, being outdoors and enjoying spring and did I mention soccer!! But it is all good and I hope you are too. My creative side is missing as well. I haven't used the sewing machine in many weeks. What is wrong with me? I have a list of things I want to make but no desire. I even have new fabric to use. I hate when the creative bug eludes me but hopefully it will come back. Not everyone around my home has lost their creativity. This is the latest house my hubby has built and we recently sold. It is a great mix of cottage and modern I would say and a really nice couple has moved here and now calls it home. He loves what he does and although I am very biased, I think he is really good at it too!

Hope to have some of my own creations to share soon, I really do!

wonderful wednesday

2010-03-10T08:58:00.001-08:00

Those were the words written on the board when I went in to do my weekly volunteering in the 2nd grade. I love it! When I dropped off my daughter at her preschool just before that, her teacher was lying under the table with a group of kids. I asked what in the world were they doing? "They are painting the bottom of the table and studying Michelangelo", she said!

Loving teachers and all they can bring to a child's life!

Also loving these new favorites on flickr. Inspired by the springy-ness of all the colors as I see blooms outside and birds at the feeder. Hope your day is wonderful too!

olympic education

2010-02-26T17:56:00.000-08:00

As we are about to say farewell to the 2010 Winter Olympics, I have to admit that I watched the games almost, if not every night. I haven't missed much because I really love the Winter Olympics and I think my enthusiasm has caught on around here. My boys are now using sleds as snowboards and begging us to take them to the local ski mountain. Shawn White has become somewhat of an idol to them over the past few weeks. I tried to think who I worshipped like that when I was their age. I never came up with anyone actually, but I was never into sports like they are at this age. But mostly I love the feel of nations coming together, the thrill of all the sports and hearing the stories behind the athletes and their amazing journeys of success and even defeat. I wanted to share this site because we came upon it and have all learned quite a bit. It is on NBC and gives short videos behind the science of the Olympic sports. It was cool to see how the kids were putting it all together in their heads as they learned that snowboarding is all about math and physics. I think the school points were boosted a bit! Watch it with your kids, I learned a ton too! NBC Learn

the pillow swap 2

2010-02-24T11:17:00.001-08:00

Last year sometime I participated in a pillow swap group over on flickr. There was a small group of sewers with very similar tastes and we did a blind swap for pillows. This year the little group has really grown and I was happy to sign up because it's lots of fun and I love a surprise! This is my pillow that I completed and will be sending out to my secret pal this week. This pillow got me back into sewing after my back surgery and it was a great project to warm my machine up again. I just hope she loves it!
I used lots of varying prints in blues and turquoise then stippled it and added a binding. It measures 20"x20"- big! If you are over on flickr and want to join a swap, I encourage you to try it. There are lots of different ones to try and everyone is sew nice! You can go see the other pillow creations in the group here.

:over the weekend:

2010-02-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

photo from Heather Ross blog

Happy Monday! We had an enormously busy weekend! My oldest turned 10 on Saturday, I can hardly believe it. He celebrated with going to the movies and we had 5 boys sleep over. It was fun and wild and "sleep" was not a big part of the night! And Sunday was a mother blessing for my good friend who is about to welcome her second little boy into the world. So wonderful to be a part of all these boy celebrations and have some mama time too!

And I spent just a few moments loving these new fabrics from Heather Ross. You can purchase them over at Spoonflower. They are so darn cute!

Hope your week is off to a great start!

design & target

2010-02-19T12:39:00.000-08:00

Lately I am sure everyone has seen the plethora of designers that are making their way into your local Target. First when I saw Orla Kiely, I was really quite excited because one of her bags has been on my want list for a few years. (still on that list) But then yesterday I saw a new commercial for Liberty of London. They are one of the oldest fabric designers from London and make beautiful and very soft and very pricey fabrics for sewers and home goods. But wait, what is this? They are coming to Target too? I couldn't believe it! I am not above shopping for them there either, because quite honestly that is more in my price bracket than $25 yard for fabric. They come out March 14th but in the meantime, head over to this site and you can download some of these gorgeous prints for your desktop as well as have a sneak peek at what will be in stores. What do you think about all these designers moving to the big boxes? Is this a sign of these economic times or do you think it is nice that normal pocket books can get in on some great style?

i heart valentines (and chocolate too!)

2010-02-12T06:31:00.000-08:00

A little craft I saw online for this valentine's day. My 3 year old and I had fun making these for her class. And eating some m&m's along the way.

To make: buy matches at your local grocery store and empty them for a later time. Fill each with candy of your choice. We used m&m's but convo hearts would work good I bet.
Cut a piece of paper about 4"x2" to fit around your box and secure on the back with tape. I used 2 different paper strips ones so I could put a name on it. Another cute idea would be to tie ribbon around them but Kate did not want this, I lost that creative battle! Close the box and voila: instant cuteness.

Happy Valentine's Day! Remember those you love in your life!

2 quilts done for 2 happy boys

2010-02-02T07:37:00.000-08:00

Last summer I went on my amazing sewing getaway with my dear friend Lillian. Where I made the tops of 2 quilts for my boys. I am happy to say that today they are finally done and on their beds keeping them warm at night. The funny thing about these quilts is that it was supposed to be just one for my oldest Aidan, but when I walked in the door from my trip that summer my younger son quickly asked me: " what did you make for me?" I instantly pulled out the 2 quilt pieces and said "this one is yours!". I didn't have the heart to tell him that I had only made his brother one this trip. So I made the back of Aidan's quilt into the front of Gray's and now had lots more work to finish them both!

And then came a move, my back troubles and back surgery and recovery and those quilts sat and sat and sat in a box for the past 6 months or so. I decided to send them off to The Back Porch Quilters after I have heard Dana over at Old Red Barn Co. speak so highly of Rhonda's work.

I sent them off at the end of December and happily received them last week all done and so beautiful!! Her work is flawless and at .01 per square inch it is affordable too. It was so worth it to have these quilts done for me this time with all we have had going on. I needed to feel like something was getting done. Since I still can't sit at my machine for too long, the thought of quilting these big quilts was impossible! Grayson's is a double and Aidan's is a generous twin.

It feels good to see your hard work complete. I had a nice time by the fire over the snowy weekend sewing the bindings on too. It was relaxing and so warm under those quilts all weekend. Perfect!

::over the weekend::

2010-02-01T09:42:00.001-08:00

There was lots of this...

And even a bunch of this too...(more on that tomorrow!) Hope your weekend was warm and cozy with the ones you love.

lovely fabrics and a giveaway too!

2010-01-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

(Playground Palette)

Recently I bought a little bit of Anna Maria Horner's new line called Little Folks. It is made out of voile which is just so lovely and light weight. Kind of like the lawn cotton from Liberty of London. When you are lying around healing from back surgery, it can be very dangerous not to buy a ton of fabric while surfing the web! There is not much else to do! But I was good and just got 3 fat quarters thinking I would make a scarf. Has not happened yet, but it will!

I ordered from Harts Fabric and was very pleased with their prices, customer service and fast shipping. Today they are having a giveaway on their blog for a free yard from the Little Folks line! So go check it out here and sign up to win!

As for me, I am s.l.o.w.l.y healing from surgery and getting better each day. I am dying to be able to sew again and have stashed a million new project ideas in my head! The body knows what it is doing but sometimes the mind gets impatient waiting! See you soon. Hope you have a great day!

:corners of my home:

2010-01-02T10:18:00.000-08:00

I created 2 pillows last month to sell at our holiday craft shows. I was pretty happy that they did not sell because they work just perfectly on my new couch! To make these pillows, I sewed a large panel of different widths of some of my favorite greens that were cut in strips. I also included some solids from the Amy Butler collection. Her solids are really nice and come in a beautiful variety of colors. I then took my large piece of sewn strips and made a sandwich with some natural cotton batting and solid cotton for the backing. I stipple quilted the whole thing. Then, I cut this into two squares: one measures 20"x20" and the other is 16"x16". I thought I would like to add a bit of applique to one and chose this bird template, found here. Easy enough to cut out and stitch on. Finished them both by sewing the backs for the pillow and voila!

I enjoy using quilting in small projects like this that still keep a simple, modern design. I am lately becoming green obsessed and these pillow add that touch of color that our sofa needed!

:welcome 2010:

2010-01-01T07:27:00.001-08:00

Hello and happy new year to you! I am dusting off my blog after quite a few busy and tossed up weeks around here. The holidays behind us and a new year is here. I hope that you all had a great one.
As I am facing a surgery next week for back problems I have been having over the past few months, I have resolved to get my health issues solved, my life back on track and enjoy what this coming year has to offer me and my family.
My creative life has been on a pause button and will be until I am feeling better. Here is a glimpse of some of my favorite projects from 2009. Lots of new ideas to come this year too. I look forward to highlighting other creative people out there that inspire me to try more and experiment with possibilities! The web has so many amazing artists, bloggers, etsy sellers and more to offer!
So here's to a new year of discovery, good health and lots of creativity! Thanks for visiting. I wish you the best!

handmade holidays show

2009-11-01T13:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a sneak peek of some of the fun things Olliekate will be selling at our 2nd annual craft show. Along with many other talented women and crafters we will be hosting a handmade holidays show for our friends and community. I am really excited and looking forward to the start of the holiday season. Lots to do, lots to do! (can you see all the packing boxes in the background? We are moving right before the show!)
The monster hat is made by my olliekate partner Rebecca. This one is Kate's but you can get one for your little monster at the show and the key fobs were whipped up by me so you may never lose your keys again!

oh halloween, you're here again

2009-10-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

It is not a real secret that Halloween is not my favorite holiday. Just was never into it, but I fake it for my kids because of course they love it. But I had to share these pumpkins with you because they typify my children to a tee. First up (going left to right) we have the 3 year old's. She drew this big happy face and I carved it. Perfect for a happy little girl. Then we move on to the middle child, 7 years old. Could I help him? No. Could I give advice on that mouth? No. Had to do it all himself and that pumpkin has a little mischievous side, just like him! And now the prize on the right: this is my oldests' pumpkin. Who decided that carving was "boring" and that he didn't want to carve his at all. In his language this only means, it is messy and if he doesn't do one he doesn't have to help clean it up. This concept applies to many things in his life. I am serious about this, he really thinks this way. Ugh. So we are saving it for dad to make something awesome.
Hope your Halloween is filled with personality , a little mischief and lots of happiness!

time is flying by

2009-10-26T07:17:00.000-07:00

I'm still here, I swear and time is moving as quickly as the leaves are falling around here! The blog has taken a back seat as we are preparing to move in a couple weeks and busy with all that entails. A reminder though if you are in Asheville and interested in coming to our fall craft show~ send me an email and I will get the info out to you. It will be Nov. 15th.

Here are some shots for my sewing friends of a pillow I just finished out of the Anna Maria Horner good folks line for another flickr swap. Because I like a lot on my plate I guess! And our recent trip to the corn maze too. Hope your fall is off to a beautiful start...

embroidery

2009-10-11T11:46:00.001-07:00

Recently I got an email from a sweet woman named Tasha who invited me to join a flickr group for embroidery. I wrote her back to say, that I didn't know how to embroider and had never really tried, so I didn't think I would be a good person for a hand stitched theme. Ever since I have been sewing, I have always said: I don't sew by hand. Truth is, I never really tried. When I put the binding on my first quilt, it felt so wonderful! Well anyway, Tasha was sweet enough to take my response as a chance to open me up to embroidery. She has the cutest little shop over at etsy that sells embroidery patterns. She sent me a pattern for a cute little dress along with some pointers and directions to get started. I like a good challenge and agreed to give it a go!And you know what? I really liked sewing by hand! It was relaxing and rewarding and a nice change from being on my machine. Now, I included my example below and I know it is full of mistakes: like stitch length for one! But remember I am a beginner but now I want to give her other patterns a try to make this cute dress series for my little girl's room!

So thank you Tasha for introducing me to a new hobby and your wonderful shop and blog. If you would like to check it out you can follow the links below. Here's to trying something new!

A Little Sweetness: find lots of sweet patterns and more
Tasha's Blog : for more embroidery inspiration

loving

2009-09-29T08:09:00.001-07:00

Look how adorable this little burlap bucket is! I am loving it. Wondering what those initials stand for? Work In Progress, to hold all your unfinished projects and bring them along to work on. It is from this etsy seller: Maya*Made. And she sells her patterns here. May just have to be a little birthday present for myself coming up soon! So clever, love to see what others create, don't you? And that certainly reminds me of all the works in progress I have accumulating around here! Hope your week is off to a creative start!

And these adorable examples of what you can do with the pattern found over on flickr!

sewing in good company

2009-09-21T11:16:00.001-07:00

Can you stand yet another picture of a quilted pillow! But, yes here they are. I had the fun opportunity to spend the weekend with my closest girlfriends...sewing! I made another round of pillows for our Olliekate November Handmade Holidays show. We had so much fun sharing all of our sewing ideas, I am always inspired by these women. I took my first real try at a string quilt method using this tutorial. It was pretty labor intensive but the effect is cool and once quilted I think it will make a neat pillow. I can't imagine making a whole quilt like it at this point though! Too bad the weekend couldn't last longer. Thanks for the fun time girls!

heather ross quilt

2009-09-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

My Heather Ross mini quilt is all done, even bound! I love how it turned out and had this idea floating in my head for some time and happy to see it completed. Too many unfinished sewing ideas are swimming around up there! I decided to just quilt it randomly all over and like how it contrasts with all the straight lines. This quilt is for a swap that I am involved with and will be sent off to my partner. I wasn't sure how I would like to do a swap, but it was pretty fun! Just hope she likes it. You can check out some of the other quilts over here, or if you are feeling adventurous you can sign up for the next quilt swap. We also added a little something extra and I made this pin cushion in my favorite flower print from Heather Ross and one of my key fobs to go along too! Hope you are having a good day!

weekend sewing

2009-09-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

I somehow managed to get a bit of sewing done this weekend. That is in between putting our house on the market, cleaning, and feeling kind of nuts..oh and 2 soccer games as well. I guess the motivation got to me or the stress and I escaped to my machine for a little while!
We are gearing up for our 2nd annual Handmade Holidays craft fair in November. I am planning on making several of these quilted pillows and here is number 1! I am really happy how it turned out and would love to keep it, but I guess I better try to sell it first! It measures 18"x18" and features lots of my favorite and several out of print fabrics in pinks and greens. I used the softest bamboo batting for the quilting. So I am started now on a boy version and will see what comes next. Hope your weekend was productive or ultimately lazy...whatever you needed!

2009-09-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

In my heart I am a mountain girl, but the beach sure was relaxing. I love it there in September; still warm but not hot and not a lot of people. Just as things are gearing up with school, sports, life... we took a mini break to put it all on the back burner for a few days. Ahh, nice!

My boys are on there learning to sail.

clothesline quilt

2009-09-01T05:10:00.001-07:00

Having to trudge to our basement to do the laundry inspired this little mini quilt for me! I hung it on the door and it makes me just a wee bit less grumpy towards the piles of laundry waiting below. This was so fun to make and at just 10" x 15", it was pretty fast too!

Hope your laundry isn't piling up as well! Have a good day!

swap group Etsy treasury

2009-08-29T07:25:00.001-07:00

swap group Etsy treasury
Originally uploaded by janssendesigns

Look who made it into an etsy Treasury! It's Oscar with some fun creations from other etsy sellers and fabric swappers! Yay for Oscar!

work in progress

2009-08-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

I am working on this little mini quilt for my very first swap. I am part of this really fun online group of crafty, fabric loving souls that love to swap fabric. It has been pretty fun to get some of the lines that are long out of print and be able to trade for fabric I have to spare. Everyone is so nice , but warning...it certainly feeds my fabric addiction! If you are interested in joining just folow the link

So one of the ladies came up with the idea to do a mini (20"x20") quilt swap with the theme being Heather Ross fabrics. Since she is one of my favorite designers, I signed up. I knew what I wanted to do pretty right off the bat. I am still finishing up and not sure if my partner will see this, but sneak peaks are fun too! Should be done soon and on it's way to her home. Then she will also make one for me, yay! I love surprises, how often do we get them really??

take the long way home

2009-08-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

We were driving home today from my in-laws house after a weekend visit. Along the way my husband turns to me and says, "want to take a detour?" "Let's go visit Blowing Rock (about 45 minutes North of where we were at that exact moment) and take the kids to the park and get ice cream." Well uhmm..ok, I guess! So we trekked up the mountain and landed in the quaint little town of Blowing Rock. Mind you it is almost 5:00 on a Sunday and it started raining the second we got there. No worries, we are on an adventure we all kept saying. And secretly I think we are always trying to prove that we can still function and be spontaneous with 3 young kids! And an adventure we had! It was such a blast to spend some unplanned, and kinda wet time together. We walked around, played on that wet playground, had some pizza and ice cream too. It was a fun way to squeeze one last bit of summer and anything goes time in right before school is set to start in 2 short days. It makes me kind of sad. The schedules and the have to's are just around the corner waiting to start. But at least for today they could all wait!

happy birthday little girl

2009-08-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

My littlest turned 3 yesterday. Of course we always say that we can't believe it! It has been so fun to have her here, to watch her grow and add such joy to our lives!! And I just love, love having a little girl! The sewing alone is a blast!

Here's to many more happy memories!!

reading group

2009-08-15T04:48:00.001-07:00

Well, first off my camera has died or at least the lens has. So I have mailed it back to Nikon in hopes they can fix it quickly. So I have no crafty projects to show you right now. But another thing that makes me sane, apart from creating is reading. Lately I have rolled through several new books. I am part of a book club with a fun group of women. We meet once a month to chat about the book or wherever our discussion can lead us. I found with summer I was having a hard time keeping up. But in the past few weeks (and a trip to the beach) I have read these books:

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

Stepping out of what I ordinarily may read is always fun. I did enjoy each of these books for different reasons. I am always looking for new books to read. Do you read too? If you have one you loved, please send it my way. I will give it a try for sure!

Happy Reading!

and the winner is...

2009-08-10T05:37:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for entering my 1 year blogging giveaway! I loved reading all your comments and hope you will stay in touch and visit again.

The winner of the 3 fat quarter set is:

Nicole from Frontier Dreams

and be sure to check out her lovely blog here, it is beautiful!

So Nicole send me your info and I will get your prize right out to you.

And this must have been a bit of karma because in my inbox yesterday I received this sale notice from Quilting As You Wish. And they have the pink and aqua birds on sale right now for $6/yd so if you are still wanting some hop over there quick!

Hope your week gets off to a great start!

quilt show

2009-08-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made it over to the Quilt Show with my good friend Heather. It was so amazing to see the quilts that were there. You could hardly believe that some of them were made by human hands. I loved to think about each woman that created them and the process from the first dreams of what her quilt would be to the final finished product. All the mental hours alone are astounding. The talent in that building was just awesome. We enjoyed seeing the art quilts full of bold designs and ingenious use of color. The traditional quilts I can picture being handed down for generations to come. Each one holding its' own story. I was really inspired. Heather and I talked about how one day when we are old ladies, still walking around the show. Could we ever dream of having one of our own works there? I think she could, she is really talented already!

Also we visited a great vendor from Thimble Pleasures and picked up some yummy half yard cuts from the Katie Jump Rope line and one from Anna Maria Horner. Certainly an added bonus to the day's activities!

Hope your weekend is full of creativity and inspiration too! And remember to join my giveaway which ends tomorrow night!

let's do a giveaway

2009-08-05T11:13:00.000-07:00

Let's do a giveaway, what do you say? Want to? It has been a year since I started this blog. At first it was an idea for the etsy business Olliekate that I run with my friend Rebecca. But I strayed from just etsy stuff and it became a family blog, a sewing blog, a creative outlet and connection to the online world of other women just like myself who are trying to mother and lead their lives the best they know how. I have truly enjoyed posting here and exploring my life through these pages as well. I love the comments I receive and always check back with people who have taken the time to reach out through the blog world. So thank you for making me comfortable, for stopping by and saying hello. I am always inspired!

As a big thanks I want to do a year anniversary giveaway. Since I love fabric so very much, I thought it would be a great thing to share with you. And if you don't sew, well you may just be inspired to start with this great design. It is the birdseed fabric by Alexander Henry. Comes in these great colors, very vibrant and fun. I will be giving away a fat quarter (18"x22") of each color to the lucky winner.

Leave me a comment be sure your contact info is there too and I will randomly pick a winner. You can leave any kind of comment but I would love to hear about what you like to sew or what you would use these birdies for. We can inspire each other that way.

I will leave the giveaway open until Sunday night at 9:00 pm. August 9th, and announce the winner on Monday morning. Thanks for stopping by!

The giveaway is closed and I will announce the winner on Monday morning, thanks!!

at night with my girl

2009-08-04T17:15:00.001-07:00

Every night it goes the same way. She comes and finds me, usually only a few feet away, and says "I'm ready for bed" in her little voice. She gives her round of good nights to the boys and hops in bed. She lays on "my pillow" and laughs when I tell her to make room for me. We lay in bed always in the same spots, always the same way. She turns to me and says " let's talk about our day" and we name the activities of every. single. thing we did that day. Today's events: Daddy's birthday, the pool, the first ride down the big slide, the pizza place, ice cream and home.

She says how fun it all was and gives me hugs. Then she rolls away from me toward the wall and says " Night Mommy, see you in the a.m." (same thing I always say to my kids each night). She is out like a light switch. No in between, no tossing and turning. There is wake , then instant sleep. I always lay there and listen to her little snores and soft breathing. Slowly and quietly I creep out , and I smile for the sweet routine of it all.

home again

2009-08-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hello! We are home from our week at the beach with the best of friends. Six kids, four adults, lots of laughter and sun, sun sun! It was fabulous and left me with feeling thankful for friendships that fill us up and time to enjoy the kids and each other. We arrived home last night and awoke to 2 phone calls on our house which is for sale. We had 2 showings today which is a great remedy to get those bags unpacked and the house picked up! House still for sale but it is clean!
On the sewing front, I had a lovely email from The Fabric Shopper who asked to include my Far Far Away dress on her blog. She covers all things fabric, so of course I love her blog! Check it out!
My friend Heather over at Brown Robin reminded me that we have both been blogging now for 1 year. I have really enjoyed the community of people I have met through blogging and online. I am always inspired by such talent and kind spirits to share our love of life, parenting, sewing, creating or whatever may bring us together! So it is high time for a giveaway! I will be posting about it this week so check back and enter to win :)
Hope you had a fabulous weekend!

scrappy pillows

2009-07-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

I recently made these 2 pillows for my boys to go with those quilts that I am going to finish one day, I swear. My son asked me where is that big blanket thing with all the pictures on it!?
But I had such a pile of cute scraps from their quilts, I made one in a wonky log cabin block that is 18" square and got some more practice with my walking foot making a grid pattern on it. The second pillow is 12x16" and is simply irregular strips pieced together. Then I free motion quilted that one.

I also got a sweet note today on flickr from Dee over on her blog: Creative Perch. She featured my Heather Ross smocked sundress on her blog for her flickr Fridays post. I love that idea as I have become enamoured with flickr over the last few months. Amazing talent. I may have to copy the Flickr Friday idea!
We are wrapping a week of nature camp today. My oldest went to his first camp out without us. I hardly slept last night, worrying and missing him too much. I am off to pick them up soon and then pack, pack, pack for a fun week at the beach!
See you when I get back! Hope you have a great week!

ahh, beautiful quilts

2009-07-19T19:17:00.000-07:00

1. finished quilt, 2. patchwork for Ian's room, 3. Muddy Waters, 4. Carrie's B-day Quilt, 5. dqs6 from cathy gaubert, mushroom girls, 6. pillows, 7. Block Party - Quilted, 8. Half Square Triangle Quilt, 9. Stripes in frames lap quilt, 10. Boy Baby Quilt, 11. Stacked scrap quilt for a baby boy, 12. Front of quilt after stippling, 13. Far Far Away Squared, 14. Far Far Away quilt, 15. pillow in progress, 16. IMG_FFAdone0001

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

We have been super busy around here and not much time for blogging or sewing for that matter. But here is some eye candy of beautiful quilts posted over on flickr. I love all the color and design. Inspiring... Now that I got the 2 quilt tops for the boys done, I have to motivate to finish them. I love that I have found a new sewing hobby and reason to admire fabric even more.
We spent this past weekend on the lake with friends. Lots of boating, swimming, fishing, some water fall action and my 2 boys jumped off a 20 foot rock into the lake (NOT my idea and I was petrified but boy did they love it) Sorry Mom, this is true!
Got them all to bed at 7:00 tonight, the water can really wear you out!
Hope your weekend was fun and the week kicks off to a good start. My dad is getting a new knee in the morning so I will be keeping him in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow. Off to bed to rest up from all the excitement.

my weekend in pictures

2009-07-13T08:34:00.001-07:00

2 quilt tops for my boys and 1 little dress for my girl in 2 solid days of sewing with no interruptions! I thought I was dreaming!

here's to the weekend

2009-07-08T16:03:00.001-07:00

This weekend I will be heading out of town for my favorite event of the year. A good friend and I pack the minivan with all our sewing gear and head to the middle of nowhere and hole up in a really old farmhouse to sew our hearts out! Sound fun to you? Then you are my type of person, because it is Heaven for me! All that time to sew, talk, drink wine, eat and relax! I am starting on my next quilt project. This one will be for my 9 year old son. I have cut all the fabric this week so as to not waste time doing the thing I like the least in sewing: cutting!

I will hopefully have lots of pictures to share next week of a finished top at the least!

Hope your weekend is full of fun and creativity as well!

3 dresses

2009-07-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

I made these sweet dresses for a good friend to give as gifts. I had so much fun putting the fabrics together and making them all. My little girl of course thought they would all be for her, not this time! Again I used my new made up pattern from this post a bit earlier in the summer. And the Heather Ross Russian dolls fabric is even cuter in person, such a pretty shade of lavender. The second dress features Paula Prass fabric Flights of Fancy with Farmer's Market for the sleeves and the last dress is the vibrant, fun and funky Pop Garden from Heather Bailey.

week 7: quilt along progress

2009-07-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Well folks week 7 is here and I have reached my finish line. My first quilt is done. I got to the binding this past weekend and surprisingly it was one of my favorite parts. Sitting on the porch, relaxing and hand sewing was so enjoyable. I will surely try another quilt in the near future. It was a learning process and I got to try some new things on my machine that I had never used, the Bernina rocks! As well as learning how to do a blind stitch, the right way and how to do corners, the right way! My quilt now lies happily at the end of our bed!Thanks for checking out my progress over these past weeks. Did you do an old red barn co. quilt too? I would love to see it. Send your link!

quilting..done!

2009-06-27T07:07:00.000-07:00

My quilting is done, hurray! Mistakes are there for sure but I am really happy that I did it. All trimmed and ready for binding.

Hope you have a fun weekend!

quilt along progress:: weeks 5 & 6

2009-06-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I have started the free motion quilting on my old red barn co. quilt along and have made it to week 6. She has combined these 2 weeks to give us all time to get the quilting done, and I am going to need it (and then some!)
When I first started to quilt I panicked a bit and thought "oh no! stop now and send it off to a long arm quilter!" But I am carrying on and it is going better than I thought. My biggest issue is dealing with all that bulk in my machine and on my lap and falling over my sewing table! I am surprised how strenuous quilting is, I feel like my biceps are getting a workout as I hold it all together. I keep reminding myself to breathe and continually talk to myself as I go. Do I sound crazy yet? Probably.. but I am really loving this quilting thing and I am so glad I decided to give it a try. I know when it is all done I will be thrilled! If you are thinking about trying it yourself I totally recommend this quilt along. Dana has it all spelled out so nice and the flickr group is really great for support.
Soon I will have more to share as I finish the quilting and start the binding. Woo Hoo!

a day in a garden on the farm

2009-06-22T18:37:00.001-07:00

For Father's Day we headed down the road a bit to one of our favorite places to run and play. The colors in the gardens were amazing, so alive and vibrant! Enjoy and Happy Monday to you!

tgif

2009-06-19T06:00:00.001-07:00

First school got out...yeah!

Then we went to the beach for a week...ahh!

Then we came home

Then my boys started fighting, and fighting and not listening and generally driving me nuts (and each other)

Now I have a plan of attack.

We are off to the pool for the entire day. I don't even care how hot it gets.

Hope your weekend is good, in fact I hope mine is too. It can't get worse than the last 3 days ;)

Next week..camp!

quilt along week 4 1/2

2009-06-16T17:36:00.001-07:00

Week 4 in the quilt along is a big one, the one where we actually quilt! So I am calling this 4 1/2 because I have to take a pause and breath before I move along. I have never really done any real quilting so again I find myself learning something new. I am practicing, practicing, and practicing some more. I don't usually showcase my crummy sewing on my blog, but I know there are a lot of people who are just like me and this free motion quilting step is new. It is not easy, it is still fun but it is a learning process! I am not entirely convinced that I will conquer my quilt with this and may still opt to do some straight line quilting instead. We shall see.
So far I have gotten some super tips online. In case you find that you could use these tips, here they are!
oh, fransson!
flickr discussion
dog named banjo tutorial
Old Red Barn Co. video

I have read a bunch on these posts and am getting a better idea of what I am supposed to be doing. I have found that the practice and getting the feel is really what it is all about. I used some old fabric to make a pretty good sized quilt sandwich and began there. I think I will do a few more. I have loads of mishaps and the back has some bad spots but it is not horrible for my first attempt.
Those of you that quilt and have bothered to read this whole post : is it horrible? Any other hints for the rest of us?

So the rest of week 4 is actually going to be full of completing my back, which I am piecing with strips from the front and pinning my quilt together to be ready for the real quilting!

hello to summer

2009-06-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

Our last day of school turned right into our first summer trip to the beach. It was just lovely down there. Hot, but not too hot and the water was perfect. The kids all had a great time, swimming, fishing, playing....

Now we are officially on break and home again to enjoy our summer days.

I have a bunch of to dos on my sewing list as well. Now to just find the time to get them done with 3 kids hanging around! Week 5 of the quilt along is here and I need to get going. More on that soon..

Hope your summer is off to a good start too!

In almost 3 years I finally got them all to look and smile at the camera!

quilt along progress:: week 4

2009-06-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

Week 4 of the quilt along is here and I am still chugging along. We have a really busy week with the last few days of school and the beginning of vacation, so I got the top sewn up pretty quickly one night to get it done and move on with all our family plans! I think it is coming along nicely. Still deciding on the back design as I have a bunch of strips I could use. It turned out to be 5 blocks across and 7 blocks down. A nice big size to snuggle under. And I love how much interest my kids are taking in the whole process. They keep asking lots of questions and have been excited watching it come together!

hi, it's me in my new top

2009-06-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

I always want to sew things for myself but I can count on one finger, just one, the item in my closet that I made and that I wear. I am really particular about what I like and what fits me right.
So this weekend I ventured to make myself something for this summer, and my goodness, I like it. I even wore it today out in public! Yeah! After seeing this shirt on A Stitch in Dye blog, I found out the pattern: Simplicity 4589. I skipped on over to Hancock's and used some Amy Butler fabric to make it. It took just a couple hours and the pattern was pretty straight forward. I will certainly make it again. Maybe trying out some of the other versions. And 2 warnings: the pictures on the cover of the pattern are pretty dated and ugly, it is cooler than that and second: make sure you check the size and measurements on the pattern before you buy it. I normally wear a size 6/8 and I was a 14 in this pattern.
Also got some more work on my quilt done and will share that this week. Last 3 days of school coming up so we are all busy and excited in this house right now! Yeah for summer!

week 3 quilt along progress

2009-06-03T05:01:00.000-07:00

strips sewn,pressed and ready to be cut into blocks

all of my blocks (36) cut, hopefully square!

and ready for week 4

I am still plugging along on the Old Red Barn Co. quilt along.It has been a learning process. I first started sewing when I was 17 in my high school home ec. class. Well, that has been a long time ago and have been sewing more on than off since then. There are lots of things I already know, but I am always looking to learn more about sewing. New techniques, new challenges because there is so much out there to learn.This quilt along is like that.
Here is what I have learned so far from the quilt along:
*Apparently measuring is very important, very important!
*Somehow a straight piece of fabric can have a curve in it when you sew the strips all together.
*This can be fixed.
*The ladies over on the quilt along flickr page rock. They will help you out a lot.
*Inviting a friend over for a "play date" can also mean: Please come look at this and tell me what you think!
*I love the fabric I chose.
*I can't wait to see the finished product
* I am nervous about the whole quilting part!
*I need to relax a bit about it!

*I am having fun doing something new and different
*Deadlines are a good thing for me, I am right on track
*Oh yeah, I am having fun too!

laying out the blocks to see what it will look like (sorry for the bad lighting, it was late!)

So if you were thinking of trying this out, I would recommend it. Even if you are late starting, it doesn't matter because all of the directions are on the site so you can go at your own pace if you choose or just catch up. It is very beginner quilter friendly.

party dress

2009-06-02T12:24:00.000-07:00

I actually finished this dress a while back but just put it on her for the first time this week. I never use these colors and actually did these fabrics to just try this pattern and see how it went. This time I added the sash that is in the Claire pattern. It is so darn sweet and the big bow is adorable. Warning: apparently said bow hurts when you are in a car seat and must be retied each and every time you get out of the car. Noted.The fabrics are from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern line and I actually found them at Hancocks on sale a few months ago. Random.

It reminds me of a fun party dress with all the gathers and the bow of course too!

giveaway winners

2009-05-31T18:06:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone for stopping by and visiting my blog. I was blown away by all the comments. I read every single one, really I did and they were so sweet. Made my day! And thanks for checking out our Olliekate shop too. We have added many new designs and can do custom sizes so come check us out again sometime! We have more key fobs in the shop, pillows , tees and more...
On to the winners....

The winner of the pillow is:

Ariel said...
I LOVE that pillow! Would love to win!

And the key fob will be going home to:

Shae said...
your shop is so cute! I really like your stuff

I will email you both today for your address and get your prizes in the mail. Thanks for joining in our first Olliekate giveaway. Have a super week!

weekend in pictures

2009-05-31T16:01:00.000-07:00

first swim of the summer
bubbles!
sunny skies...finally!
week 2 of the quilt along
first bike

Hope your weekend was fun and relaxing too. The giveaway closes tonight at 9:00 pm and the winner will be announced in the morning!

the olliekate giveaway is here!

2009-05-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

Hello and Welcome! The Sew Mama Sew giveaway event is here and I am so excited to be participating.

How it works: Leave a comment on this blog. Any comment will do, but I would love to hear what you think of the Olliekate shop or just be creative, say hello... whatever!

I will leave the giveaway open until Sunday May 31st at 9:00pm est. I will choose the winners by a random drawing. The winners will be announced on Monday morning! Yeah!

What is up for grabs, you ask?

Well...first is a fab Olliekate pillow! Measuring 14 x 14 inches, the pillow is crafted of 100% linen and appliqued with our 2 trees design. For all you fabric lovers out there, the trees are made of both Heather Ross and Denyse Schmidt fabrics in beautiful oranges and pinks. The back of the pillow is also linen with a patchwork strip of the same fabrics and has an envelope closure. A 100% cotton pillow insert will be included with the pillow.

And since second place is fun too: the 2nd runner up will receive an Olliekate original key fob. I will pick your design, but promise it will be cute. A key fob is perfect for keeping your hands free while juggling groceries, little hands or anything else. It slips around your wrist, you will never lose your keys again! Honest.

Thanks for playing along, visiting the blog and our Olliekate site. You can also click here to see the list of other bloggers who are joining in on the giveaway madness. Have a great week!

Because of the bulkiness of the pillow, I can only ship within the USA. Unless you would like to enter and I can just send the cover (without the insert) internationally.

You can email me at ollie.kate@yahoo.com if you have any specific questions as well. Thanks!

The giveaway is done and all comments are closed. I will announce the winners tomorrow morning.

quilt along with me

2009-05-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my quilting hero, Heather over at Brown Robin, I have signed up for a quilt along sponsored by Old Red Barn Co. The way it works is that over the next 6 weeks, she will walk you through a quilt and the process. This will be my first "real" quilt, and I have been wanting to tackle this for quite some time. Heather will be my go to for advice and oh yeah, a walking foot. I figure if I put it out here on the blog, I have to stick with it, right? So I have picked my fabrics, what do you think? This was harder than it should have been for me to decide. Blues, an obvious choice for this lover of all things blue and some greens, turquoise and greys. Lots of Amy Butler, which always seems to happen to me when I have to pick lots of fabric, love her! So I will be posting as my quilt progresses. And if anyone wants to join along, hop over to the site and join in. All the directions are there. It should be fun!

And I forgot to mention, that Dana at the Old Red Barn Co. site is having awesome giveaways each week of the quilt along, leading up to a brand new machine! This week it is a Rowenta iron. Is it so lame that I would love to win a new iron? Mine stinks. And there is also a flickr group where you can see pictures of the works in action from everyone as the quilts progress, and get lots of inspiration too.

Remember tomorrow is the start of our Olliekate Giveaway. Come back and check out what I will have up for grabs. hint: something for your sofa, maybe???

Have a great day!

olliekate

2009-05-22T05:31:00.000-07:00

Lisa from Sweetbeets featured us on her cool blog, ModEco Kids! She uses her blog to talk about her stationery business as well as other handmade and eco friendly gifts for babies and children. Have a look around for lots of fun ideas and companies you can feel good about supporting!

How fun to see our red poppy shirt showcased. Thanks Lisa!

next week:giveaway time

2009-05-20T05:51:00.000-07:00

Next week we will be participating in a giveaway sponsored by Sew Mama Sew (one of my favorite places to get fabric, and a great sewing blog too!)

They are hosting a Giveaway on May 27th. There will be lots and lots of blogs with fun items to win all over the web, including us! Not sure what I will put up for grabs. Something fun from Olliekate for sure, so stop back by and enter to win. You will be able to click here on that day to see the other participants or get some more info. as well!

Happy Wednesday....

sweetbeets

2009-05-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for letterpress. I love how it looks, how it feels and what it represents. Handmade. I recently came across this sweet shop and corresponded with the creator Lisa. She was so sweet and her letterpress cards are so lovely. I had to share. You can find her on etsy here and her website here. I am in love with this print and may just have to get one for a little dancing girl I know!

In Lisa's words:

"Watching my children play and remembering my own childhood inspired me to create illustrations that would be a sweet reminder of life's simple pleasures. I felt images that speak to the child in all of us would be perfect for greeting cards used to connect us with friends and family."

Isn't that just perfect?

happy mother's day

2009-05-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

I received this sweet note from my daughter's teacher. I couldn't say it better. May you all enjoy your mother's this weekend and take some time for yourself too. I am going to visit my mom and I can't wait to spend the day together!

On Mother's Day, some of us celebrate, and some of us mourn. Some of us remember the mothers in our lives with thanksgiving, and others of us with a heavy heart. Some of us have lost children and babies. Some of us wanted more than one, but only one was given. Some of us are challenged by our little ones, those with developmental challenges, and those without. Many of us are overwhelmed with the demands of motherhood. All of us cherish our children.

Life always seems a little bit sweeter on Mother's Day, the day you get to give thanks for this little person(s) who changed your life.

May your Mother's Day be sweet.

fabrics and food

2009-05-07T06:34:00.000-07:00

Two of my favorite things in one post!

I ordered some fun Heather Ross fabric from her West Hill line from this lovely shop on etsy. I was all happy when the package arrived yesterday. When my little boy got it from the postman saying it must be for him, I think I may just have grabbed that thing right out of his hands! Can you blame me? A fabric delivery on a wet, rainy blah Wednesday. Yeah! And look at this gorgeous wrapping. It was all done so well with a handwritten note and a free fat quarter included of some cool fabric. That's good customer service I would say. And the fabric I ordered is gorgeous too, on sale here ($6 yard) at Fabricpalooza

And on to the yummy delicious cinnamon rolls we made this morning. Just because. I got this recipe from my friend Mary and have been wanting to try it. Kate asked me why we were having a party when no one was here with us. But we did save some for the boys when they get home. They were yummy. My first try at cinnamon buns, but when you put sugar, butter, and cinnamon , oh and more butter...can you go wrong?

Hope your day is scrumptious!

thankful for today

2009-05-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

::tuesday::

*waking next to my little one

*a custom sewing order well on it's way to completion

*a little sick girl getting much better

*a secret note from my son telling me he loves me and asking for ice cream in that order

*realizing that I don't really know the metric system and letting my 3rd grader teach me

*walking the yard to see what has bloomed, hello rhododendrons
*talking to my sister on the phone

*sitting on the deck with my husband enjoying the evening, catching up on the day

*a new Thai recipe that didn't stink, maybe my bad cooking streak is coming to a close

*Getting 4 dozen cookies made and wrapped for tomorrow's school event

*time alone while everyone else is sleeping.

2009-05-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

Sometimes while cleaning I can find the biggest treasures. This was written by my 7 year old and if you know him, it comes at no surprise!

Dear Tooth Fairy,
I lost my tooth in the sand. I couldn't find it. Instead of money I want a laptop or a cell phone because my parents won't let me have either of those things.
From,
Grayson
PS: My brother lost one in the sand too. Please give him a cell phone or a lap top.

He didn't really lose this tooth you see. He just thought he could trick the tooth fairy with his letter and even put a lego under his pillow because he thought it might look real! Oh, how kids can make us smile.
Here's to getting what you wish for!

feeling it

2009-04-30T04:45:00.000-07:00

Waking up this morning and walking into the den, I see this little gal first thing. Made me laugh, even grab the camera because it kind of sums me up right now. I hurt my back somehow and I am really feeling it, the house needs some major attention and I am really feeling that too. A call from my best friend who I haven't seen in way too long prompted a weekend visit and a reason to get that cleaning done. Time to straighten up this little old doll and get going.. somehow. Hope your day is up and at it too!

dress part deux

2009-04-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

I had to try this little dress on Kate as soon as she got home from preschool. Here is the fit. You can see how nicely the fabric drapes, and when I slipped it over her head she said "oh, soft!" A keeper. Even though I kept wishing this fabric was quilter's cotton, I am sold on the gauze for clothing, it is really nice.

far far away princess dress

2009-04-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

I am on a roll with this little pattern. This time I used some of my prized Heather Ross fabric from her new line. This pattern is the Princess and the Pea naturally! with the coordinating flowers for the arms. This line of fabric is made of cotton gauze. I have never sewn with this before and while I had a few challenges, the softness of it made up for any grumbling that may have ensued. I chose to line it in a cotton gauze as well because it is pretty see through and I knew that would drive me nuts when I saw it on her.
The little princess atop her mattresses is just so darn sweet! I love the childhood simplicity of it all and the colors are scrumptious!

go check out etsy today

2009-04-24T04:51:00.000-07:00

Hope you make it over to etsy.com today to see all the wonderful and talented artists that there are. And of course don't forget our humble shop, Olliekate ! If you don't see what you want in the size you need, just email us. We love to do custom orders. In fact a large majority of our work is custom since kids are all different, right? Here is the most recent design for a little girl turning 6 who was described as "loving elephants and very girly" I came up with this, hope she loves it!

And in honor of Etsy Day, here is a quick list of some of my favorite shops to look around and to buy from too! Not enough time today to get them all on there, but you will find so much more on your own.
Brown Robin : handmade bags for kids and their mamas

Fabric Supplies: name says it all!
Sarah Jane Studios: childhood prints. These decorate my little girl's room

Studio Mela: art prints

Whole Grain Baby: adorable kid's clothes

Sarah Jane Studios

etsy day friday, april 24th

2009-04-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody! Tomorrow is Etsy Day. What does this mean you say?
Etsy is an online site for everything handmade, if you didn't know already! Shame on you! And this isn't grandma handmade, this is cool handmade. Like those bags you see women carrying and want one but it is not in any store, or those adorable kid's clothes that no one else has! Pottery, art, knits, clothes, jewelry,bags the list goes on and on and on.. And there is so much out there. Etsy is my go to when I need a gift. You will know the recipient will be awed that you found something so unique that didn't come from Target or the mall!
So, tomorrow have fun and go shopping. Etsy is always open!
In honor of etsy day, I will highlight some of my favorite sellers tomorrow to help you out!

to be creative, to be a mom

2009-04-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

This morning I read a great post on Design Mom's blog that I wanted to share because it really hit home with how I often feel about being a mom to little kids and the need to be creative. Click here to read her guest blogger Amy's post:

"The one thing I hope you remember".

photo from Diary of a Quilter blog

And also check out Amy's blog for a fun fabric giveaway. Ends on Wednesday so throw your name in the hat if you need, I mean want more fabric!
Diary of a Quilter

the "claire" dress

2009-04-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

This dress started out as the Claire pattern from Portabello Pixie which my dear friend so graciously lent to me. I have also made another version of this dress but it is not done. Hope to finish that one this weekend some time. Then I tried this one and changed the skirt around a bit. Using my pattern from this jumper, and combining it with the sleeves on the Claire. It is so cute and comfy on her too. I think it would work well for a top as well. I am sure I will be making a few more of these for summer. And this is Amy Butler fabric that I have been wanting to use for such a long time. Thankfully Kate will wear it even though it isn't pink!

this -n- that and 100 posts oh my!

2009-04-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

We are home from our trip to the beach for Easter. Sand, sun, a little rain, Easter celebrating and bunny visits pretty much sums it up. Nice to get away for a short spell. Some quick photos of our attempt to get a family photo and the kids after their egg hunt on the lawn. Love how Kate is eyeing her brothers' baskets!

And I came to realize that this is actually my 100th post here on this little old blog. Which got me starting to think about why I chose to blog and where it has gone from there. I initially thought it would be a great outlet for Olliekate, to showcase what was new in our shop and what we were up to. But it has extended well beyond that for me over time. I have gotten to share our family stories with my family and friends that stop by and even made new friends with people who have found their way here. And another one of my favorite parts of blogging is sharing the world of sewing with so many other bloggers out there. I have found a lot of inspiration from reading and looking at pictures. Ideas from tutorials, fabric designers, etsy artists and pattern reviews. I don't post pictures of what I make in order for people to tell me if they like it, but rather to share in that inspiration of creating something with your own hands and imagination. I have really stepped up my sewing game over the past year and I love how much the web has taught and helped me with that. Sharing our creations and seeing how people use fabrics is totally motivating for me to turn that machine on and see what else I can make. So on this 100th post I look forward to sharing more inspiration in the future and thank you for stopping by to check it out. I would love to see what you do too , so leave a hello if you wish and come back again!

what i like about you

2009-04-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

During the season of Lent we have started a little tradition of our own over the past couple of years. We created a "compliment jar". It is placed in the middle of the dining room table along with an empty glass jar, some scraps of paper and a pencil. It is a reminder to slow down and give someone in the family a little compliment and let them know why you love them. At first, it was my 7 year old who was all about it and it became like a game of mailbox for him. Each day we would all discover piles of compliments waiting for us. Things like "dinner was great, thanks Mom" or " I love you Kate" and even his older brother got some " I like when you play with me, it makes me happy". Our 9 year old little boy soon came on board and was writing compliments, without even being asked. Pretty good considering we have to ask him to do almost everything else. His started like "you stink, but I like you anyway" and then he got real and sent some to his brother that were sincere and made his day. From the funny ones (I like that you coach my team Dad even though you get impatient!) to the sweetest ever

(I feel special when we play together) it is a lesson for all of us to remember the importance of a compliment. Not taking each other for granted and jotting it down for future memories. I take these little scraps and tape them in a notebook to keep.

As Easter approaches and the notes get collected, we sit around and read them together. And my own wish is that giving those sweet words becomes a little easier and second nature among brothers and sisters and parents too.

We are off to chase the sun for Easter. Be back soon!

weekend hiking

2009-04-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

Because I have lived away from these mountains, I have felt what it is to feel out of place. To yearn for somewhere else, something else and another way of life. We moved away for 4 years to try out the city, a bigger city at least and it was truly like putting a square in a circle. I feel lucky to live in the Blue Ridge Mountains and I feel whole. It takes us just a short 10 minute drive to get immersed in the forest. My husband reminds me how alive the kids come when we go on hikes; how free and happy. We all are.

As Spring reveals its beauty, I look forward to more days like this, getting out as a family and remembering what nature brings to us.

Sometimes "hike" means carry
Crazy boys climbing trees. I tell them they have to stop when they reach arm breaking heights.

amy butler jumpers

2009-03-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

I finished these 2 dresses a while back but it feels like it has been raining ever since and getting a good picture wasn't even a possibility! Today is a nice Spring day, perfect for these little dresses. I made these from Amy Butler's Daisy Chain line. Just a simple little jumper pattern with 2 buttons, easy on and off. Pattern is from New Look and so easy, I made these at the same time. Kate is warming up to the blue one, but since it is "not pink" she has yet to wear it!!

heather ross's weekend sewing smocked sundress

2009-03-27T05:57:00.000-07:00

I first saw this book on another blog and was really excited to hear about it. I love Heather Ross's style and her fabrics are so fun and different! I got this book at our local book store and have been looking at it daily since. So my first project to try had to be a little dress for Kate of course. I loved her picture of the smocked sundress and liked that it had some sewing I have never tried before. It involves elastic thread, which I have never used. It was really rewarding and fun when it all worked out! And it took me under 2 hours to completley finish.

this is the 8 rows of smocking completed

I am such a visual learner, and I could not find any finished pictures of this dress online yet but Heather's drawings and instructions were easy to follow. It says that it would fit size 12 month-4 and Kate is a size 3 and it fit just fine. Although there was no more width so I am not sure a size 4 would work. I used a Japanese pink polka dot that I had gotten from Purl Soho. Anyway, I could not get her to model it yet but here are some pics to share. Hopefully I can get more if she can slow down enough to let me. It looks so sweet on her.

Other projects in this book I am looking forward to trying are the blouse for me, another girl's dress (too cute!) and a great tote bag. Heather has a new line of fabric arriving soon with some great whimsical prints. Can't wait to get some. You can see more pictures from the book by going here.

birthday wishes

2009-03-13T05:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Oliver who is turning 3!

Our business names stems from the youngest of our 6 children: Oliver and Kate. Here they are together wearing their Olliekate shirts to a party! It is fun to have little models to try out all our designs on. Like a walking billboard really :)

Hope your birthday is full of lots of fun little guy. We love you!

s.i.m.p.l.e

2009-03-05T17:49:00.000-08:00

Sarah Jane posted about this fun print the other day and I wanted to share it over here too. Why? Because I think it is cool, retro and such a great reminder for us every day. Keep it real, keep it simple.
And because you can download it here for free from their site. Maybe a little daily reminder is helpful for all of us on these busy days of mothering and doing all we try to do.

on the table

2009-03-05T05:25:00.001-08:00

The little one and I got to baking yesterday and had so much fun together. When I slow down and let her help, it is usually very rewarding to make her part of the process. I would love to share this recipe, it is worth trying out. My favorite for a quick, sweet bread!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread from the Biltmore

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/3 c. mashed banana ( about 3)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c. veg. oil

1/2 c. walnuts

1/2 c. choc. chips

Mix the 1st 4 ingredients. Make a well in the center and add the banana, egg and oil mixture.Stir until moistened. Then add the chips and nuts.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour in a well greased loaf pan.

Enjoy!

heading out of town

2009-03-02T10:25:00.001-08:00

A quick trip across the border into Tennessee is just the thing for the middle of winter blahs.. We headed to Chattanooga to go to the aquarium and some other fun spots. The night in a hotel was probably the highlight for everyone. A hot tub and pool for all of us to enjoy. I started to think we could have just gone down the street for the fun that gave to all the kids!

We got to see a great aquarium with amazing displays, a kid's museum that I wish we had closer to home and even hit a tour of the Mayfield ice cream plant. Yumm... It was fun to relax, engage with the kids and be together as a family. We had the added joy of coming home in a snow storm crossing over the mountains. Oh, and a snow day today to top it off! Yeah!

::etsy love::

2009-02-23T18:37:00.000-08:00

looking around on etsy is a past time of mine, of course! There really are so many wonderful artists on there. But it is often hard to find them. I came upon this new seller today and wanted to share because I think it is worth checking out! Her knit creations are so adorable. They are calling my name for a little easter basket surprise or two! You can see more right here.

been away

2009-02-22T13:14:00.000-08:00

So I haven't been posting for a bit. I have actually started a few posts and then walked away from them. Reminds me of how life feels right now. I personally and not so secretly hate cold weather. And we have had 2 out of 3 kids sick for almost 8 days back to back. That is enough for me to never get anything done and feel like quick sand has taken over my energy level. I honestly could not see my bed the other day because there was so much laundry waiting to be folded and put away!

What a playroom can look like after a week of kids home from school ( or a day!)

So the cure for a disheveled house is definitely a visit from the in-laws! I gladly welcomed the visit with them yesterday as an excuse to put food in the pantry, cook a real meal and clean up. It is amazing how that can motivate me! We even made it out to the Arboretum even though it was freezing cold for some outdoor time.We celebrated our oldest's 9th birthday on Friday too. So we had some festivities amongst it all as well.
I am eagerly looking forward to Monday. Everyone has somewhere to be and life can get moving a little again! Hopefully more interesting thoughts will come my way as well. I have several sewing projects on my to do list and I had better get moving on those too! Hope your weekend was fun, warm and full of good health!

where are my keys?

2009-02-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

Oh! Here they are, on my Olliekate keychain wristlet of course. Now in our shop with more to come soon!

the little wren

2009-02-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

Recently I finished some new pillows for our couch. (I got them done Heather!) But one pillow, I am especially happy with and I wanted to share how easy it was to make. I found this great tutorial off of the Anna Maria Horner blog a while back. She was on Martha and teaches how to make these fabric canvas pictures below:
And here is the one that I made using her Wren template. It now sits happily on our mantle.

Fast forward to the pillow frenzy...I decided to use this template just like we do our Olliekate appliques. I was so happy to have it all complete and I think it adds a nice touch! Simple to make, just involves some tracing, interfacing and some sewing. She has a few other animal designs you can use too or make your very own. Hopefully all these new pillows can buy us some time on our worn out couch that has lost the war with 3 kids using it!

what we read

2009-02-06T12:40:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I really enjoy doing with my kids is reading. It has always been something that we can share and I love watching how they grow through the choices they make in books and their ability to read them. Our youngest absolutely loves books, she always is bringing us several to read to her. But my favorite thing to watch is when her brothers will read one to her. It is precious to me.

My oldest (almost 9) is into the chapter books and currently the Indian in the Cupboard series has taken first place. If a story captures him he will sit down for quite some time to read. I never want to make it like work for him, so finding those right books is key. Often all the kids go in stages of reading the same things, and those can be the best reccomendations for us. Usually what I would pick up is not the same as he would like!

Our 6 year old is really into reading independently now too. He is loving Tomie dePaola books because his class did a big project on the author recently. He is so proud of what he can read and loves to share with us. His enthusiasm has been pretty recent and fun to watch.

And Kate's favorite books right now? They have to be these:
All of the series from Usborne That's Not My... are a hit and this little alphabet book has such great illustrations inside. It comes with a bag of foam blocks so you can make the letters yourself. And Peek a Moo is always a fun one too.I believe a love of reading begins early and I do hope that this is one thing I can instill in my children. And I am always looking for new reccomendations for them. Would love to hear of any that are favorites at your house!

snow fun!

2009-02-04T09:50:00.000-08:00

We were treated to a snow day today. Really puts a halt on the schedule and the kids were thrilled. Kate got her first shot at sledding and thought it was pretty cool, until of course she was too freezing to continue! On to the hot chocolate, the board games , some pumpkin bread in the overn and a chance to relax for all. Thanks winter for a little bit of white!

anniversary sale

2009-02-01T17:00:00.001-08:00

In honor of our 1st anniversary on etsy we are having a sale for the month of February! We began our shop with our wonderful t-shirt creations and for the next month all of our tees will be 25% off.

That is just $19.50 for long sleeve, $18 for short sleeve and $13.50 for baby onesies! What a deal, so snatch them up now while they are on sale!

And many thanks to all of our customers over the last year, we are hopeful for continued growth in 2009! Happy shopping!

happy birthday to us!

2009-01-31T12:09:00.000-08:00

Olliekate is 1 this month! We were both surprised how quickly the time has flown. We opened our etsy shop last January and have had only fun and friendship along the way. As we are constantly thinking up new ideas and designs to help us grow, look for more exciting things coming in February. And a sale too!

We look forward to what our 2nd year of crafting will bring!

growing up

2009-01-18T18:35:00.000-08:00

Since I don't have any great Olliekate creations to share right now...
I am just loving the simplicity of this growth chart. It is hand embroidered. I found it on the site Tiny Sprouts. Plus that little girl is just precious!

how to...

2009-01-06T15:45:00.000-08:00

Today I came across this great post on The Long Thread with The Top 100 Tutorials of 2008. I was pretty excited to see such a great list of projects from other online crafters. I love using tutorials because a) you can see lots of photos of finished projects and b)someone has usually worked out all the kinks. I am always googling for tutorials when I have new things I want to try and sew or crafts to make. I have made a few things and posted here that have been from tutorials. Like this skirt, this darling little tutu and my favorite twirly skirt. Having so many all in one place is a bonus!

Link to the Long Thread blog to see more. Happy creating!

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