Mama, can I help you?

Some days when I am in a hurry, stressed out or simply don't have time the words "mama can I help you" can send chills down my spine. This afternoon I was trying to get a little bit of work done for an upcoming show and Sweet Pea decided that she needed to help me. So she came upstairs with me and I thought, ugh, as long as she plays in her room I can still work. A few minutes passed and she wanted to sit on my lap and sew with me. The mama in me melted and wanted nothing but to scoop this precious little bean up and hug her until tomorrow... however I know that I have a deadline and no product equals no sales.

We made a compromise I grabbed a scrap bin and set it up at the foot of my chair (ahem.... remember I do not have a large sewing space so I'm giving up a lot to loose my foot space!) and she decided to use a manual air pump for an exercise ball as her sewing machine. As I was sewing along I realized that we were working together as she happily chirped along about her work, her "fa-bic" and her "hot sewing machine".

This is the reason that I am working so hard to make beebee buttercup and Bumps to Babies successful. This is the point of being a WAHM. She is one of the reasons that I happily sacrifice sleep, free time and reading for pleasure, for working, website maintenance, and administrative duties! These are the kinds of days that I hope she remembers when she grows up.

Bloomin Earth

This past weekend I had the pleasure of being a vendor at Bloomin Earth, a seriously fabulous annual event in Kitchener Ontario. Bloomin Earth is a handmade marketplace and eco-fair, there was everything from fibre artists to organic clothing and skin care.

Here is my table:

Here are my snuggle quilts (with Lynn from Patchwork Butterfly in the background)

And my good friend Lynn from Patchwork Butterfly (check out her blog for new dress listings that are available to go home now).

I didn't get a chance to take photos but I also wanted to share the shops of some other great artists. The event's creator, Megan of U ROCK, Jasmin of Ribbonheadz, and .... Stephanie of lealou..

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported KW's growing indie handmade scene!

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Apron Love

It has come to my attention that I have never shared any apron love on this here little blog... which is strange considering I am completely smitten with the apron. I love everything about them, their look, thier function... and I just LOVE to wear them. Until recently I have never made one... again... strange.


Last night I was up sewing for Bloomin Earth (it is this Saturday by the way and if you live in the Kitchener area you should definitely check it out) and around 10pm I realized that I really needed (ahem... wanted) some sort of a "vendor's apron" to hold my business cards, change, pens etc. So off I went and the best thing was that I had the perfect amounts of fabric in my stash. My apron is based on this tutorial here by Kitschy Coo. I have seen vendor aprons before that have a bunch of cute looking pockets at the front, but was drawn to the clean look of this one. As Amanda says herself there is nothing worse than pens and cards falling out of those all too cute tiny pockets. This was a super easy sew but I did make a few modifications.



First, I made the actual apron part a little wider, I like to keep an order/reciept book with me and wanted to have room. So instead of making it 18" wide, I cut is 22" wide (I kept the length the same). I also decided against putting in a zipper pocket for change. I like to keep my money on me but don't like to to be zippered into the actual apron, so I will be using a separate zipper pouch for change and bills that will fit nicely in the apron but not be a part of it. Its nearly impossible to see in the picture but the apron part is basically 2 large pockets - which is perfect (nothing worse than a bunch of small pockets that nothing - including your hand - can fit into!).


I used a heavyweight brown linnen/cotton canvas for the backing fabric, my favourite carnival bloom for the front and a super fun coordinating aqua/brown dot fabric for the lining and straps. Speaking of straps, did I mention how much I love these thicker straps? Amanda was right, they really are the most flattering strap for this type of apron. I also love the look, they feel like they should be in a 1950's diner - which is fabulous!


Anyways, I am just in love with my new vendors apron, and am sure it will get a lot of use as a crafting apron as well (how many times can one loose her tape measure, pins and scizzors when sewing?).


I do hope to continue this little bit of apron loving around here... and hope that in the near future I will have a few new aprons to show you!

And don't forget about my give away for a free snack and sandwich saver from beebee buttercup! The contest is on until Sunday night. All you have to do is leave a comment on yesterday's post to be entered.

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I'm still alive... but currently chained to my sewing machine

I think it just needs to be said... I have turned into a very bad blogger lately. Its one part lack of time, one part lack of sleep, one part lack of new projects, and one part lack of having anything remotely interesting or worth while to blog about. But that being said I just thought I'd let you know what I've been up to these past few weeks.

I have been up to my eyeballs in fabric just trying to get read for Bloomin Earth this weekend. I am so stoked for this show I cannot even tell you. I mean, come on 70+ local vendors selling their handmade and/or eco-friendly wares? Um... YES PLEASE! (and it doesn't hurt at all that beebee buttercup is going to be there as well). I promise to have pictures first thing Monday morning.

And here is just a little sneak peak at what I'm working on tonight: Snack and Sandwich savers. A fabulously fun and colourful alternative to wasteful Ziploc bags and bulky Tupperware. More information here.

I doubt I'll get a chance to check in before the big show on Saturday so I'll see you on Monday (and thanks for stopping by even though I've not been over in this space as much as I'd like to).

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Tea for Tutu

I have been busy finishing up on some gifts for my nieces and at the same time getting ready for the launch of the Sweet Pea Tutu over at beebee buttercup.

Luckily for me my nieces loved thier new tutus and had no problem posing for a few pictures. My own little Sweet Pea had to get in on the action as well! Ah... little girls are so sweet aren't they?

I had about as much fun as the girls did taking pictures as they danced around to the "Nutcracker Suite" as hummed by my sister in law. It is such a rare treat that we are all together (they live 6 hours away, and my poor Sweet Pea can't make it 30 minutes in the car - with gravol or any other homeopathic remedy out there - without being sick in the car)... so when we are we make the most of it, heace the dance performance on the deck, the late nights talking, the chaotic swimming at the local pool and shopping trips, and the walks that go on for just a little longer.

Need a snack?

Did you guess right?

We do a lot of snacking over here... I mean a lot. If the girls don't have a piece of fruit, goldfish cracker or something else "yummy" in their hands they are asking for something. Like a lot of moms when I go out I go armed with snacks. Tupperware just doesn't fit in my diaper bag along side cloth diapers and I hate to use and then throw out plastic zipper bags.

I have been wanting to make the girls some fabric snack bags for quite some time but my project wish list just seems so long some days. But yesterday I sat down and did it (my house is a completely disaster as a result but I'm ok with that). This is the first snack saver that I made - it measures aprox 5 x 6.5" and is the perfect size for Sweet Pea to hold and fill with her crackers. Although I can see this as also being her new treasure bag, crayon carrying case, or place to hid mamas stuff. Ahem... like my memory card for my camera. I really love that the RipStop Nylon is waterproof making this perfect for carrots or fruit pieces (or Amish frienship bread... yum!), and the even she can open and close the Velcro.

Tomorrow I will be making a larger size for bread - it really is hard to find any sort of container for homemade bread sandwiches which tend to be larger than those made on wonder bread - and a smaller size for Lady Bug's snacks. Despite the fact that she thinks she is 2, she really is just 11 months old and would probably benefit from having something a little smaller to hold on to.

They are available for sale in my shop

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Another Snuggle

Lately all it seems that I can pull off my sewing table is snuggle quilts. I don't mind - I love making them and they are a fairly quick sewing project being 28 x 28 (which is great for the "project" sewist in me). I really must make one for Sweet Pea one of these days, she gets so confused when she sees them but I won't let her have them!



This was a custom order for a sweet baby girl on the day of her baptism. I embroidered her name in the center square and this is entirely made of soft flannels and minkee. It is so soft. I hope she loves it!

I remembered to photograph these ones!

I have been sewing and sending thing out of here faster than I can take pictures. I don't know why I always forget to photograph my work. Ah well... I can add "remember to photograph work" to the list of new years resolutions!

In the spirit of sticking to my resolutions I remembered to photograph this sweet pair of snuggle quilts before they were passed on to their new, very excited, owners. About the only thing sweeter than a snuggly quilt, is a pair of snuggle quilts for sisters! I added in the name embroidery for them in the center square and I think they turned out great!

Blog catch up

I didn't get a chance to blog about this sweet snuggle quilt yet. It found its way to its new home about 2 weeks ago and I loved it so much that I will be making another. It really is a soft and cuddly quilt! I used pink minkee, cream flannel, and black fleece. OH to be the babe under this quilt! That being said, I'm pretty sure that in addition to her new blankie that I made her for Christmas (that I have yet to photograph!) I think that ladybug need one of these too!

I have been having so much fun making rag quilts lately, and even more fun since I started using my favourite designer prints, and minkee.

Baby Boy Blues

I can't believe I am posting about baby gifts before I post about Christmas gifts... oh well it all comes down to what has been photographed! I finished this gift set for a little boy about oh, 5 minutes ago. My favourite part is this snuggle quilt. I love the way the aqua from the back brightens up the royal blue and dark olive prints in the front. I actually have a few more of these snuggle quilts to make in the next week or so - here is hoping that I get around to taking pictures before I send them out to their new homes!

Sweet Pea

I am preparing for the launch of the Sweet Pea Collection over at beebee buttercup and here is a little sneak peak at some of the tutu's that will be featured. Unfortunately by the time I can get them out to take pictures, my models are in bed! I expect the Sweet Pea Collection to be available January 2010, and by that time there will be pictures with models!