fixing my soft shell

I got this super cute soft shell jacket for Christmas- it's a medium, which is just fine in every way but the sleeve length. For a month now, I've been stewing over what I should do to remedy the situation. It's from a closeout/discount place - so returning for another size isn't an option.

This little sleeve length problem might be overlooked in a shirt or even a sweater but it won't do for a coat.

Luckily, I took the jacket with me to the fabric store to brainstorm up some ideas and found the perfect fabric for lengthening the sleeves. I was initially thinking about just adding a piece of fleece that just looked like a long cuff- but this quilted, sparkly fabric jumped out at me- it's even the exact same color of white, and the available fleece colors were either too white or too off-white.
I cut out the cuffs to be sewn, right-sides together (on the angle cut sides), then turned right side out and folded over for a double-sided cuff that tapers down to the wrist.

I hand-stitched the new cuff into the wrong side of the existing cuff so there would be no extra evidence of the new cuff not belonging there in the first place. You can kind of see the sparkle in this picture- if you look close.

The quilted fabric isn't stretchy at all, I was a little worried I might have to get fancy with the velcro and make a proper cuff that would be tight enough to keep out the cold, but that my hand would still fit through. As it turned out- I think it's plenty tight without any extra cinching with velcro or elastic.
So, what do you think, did I pull it off?
Perhaps a close inspection might leave one scratching their head, but the fact that the cuff fabric matches perfectly, and has cute flowery sparkle that fits with the overall darlin' design is good enough for me. I can't wait to wear it skiing.

Barbie, re-Membered

I just read the NY Times Magazine article on this gal Margaux Lange and her funky Barbie jewelry. Like Margaux, I too admit to playing with Barbies through my junior high school years, until my sister (who is just a year younger) yelled down the hall at our school, "...oh yeah, well Noelle still plays with Barbies!" Slightly embarrassed, but not completely deterred - I think I still played with them in secret- like, in the bottom of the closet for a few more years.
I had the hugest Barbie doll house made by my Dad on Christmas- decorating it was my favorite pastime... ahhh, the days before the Nintendo DS..... I've got a picture of that Christmas morning somewhere...
So, when I saw Margaux Lange's jewelry I fell in love. You know- I love the goods that are crafty, clever and a little bit silly.

tiny Obama

a hot tip

Just found out about Spoon Flower- this great website were you can design your own fabric. I've always entertained the idea but never done any real research on the subject. Now that I know it's really possible- I gotta get busy drawing. Actually, what I'd really like made into fabric are some of my lovely spouse's doodles and drawings.


I love the three fabric designs above, check out the artists here:
Nite Bunny-Katherine Dunn
Pear Print-Erin Diehl
Cheerios- Sew Bettie





Here's a sampling of Steve O's church doodles. Don't you think these doodles should be celebrated a on a piece of fabric?

Slumdog Millionaire

I was so happy to see Slumdog Millionaire nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture. After hearing quite a but of buzz about this film, I finally made the trek to the big city of Salt Lake a few nights ago and saw it at the Broadway with my ladies. It's an amazing film- not always easy to watch, it leaves you squirming in your seat from time to time (Stephanie took a break- went for a walk, covered her eyes a lot) but well worth the journey it takes you on... and a happy ending, who doesn't like that?
I must admit the only other Best Picture nominee I've seen is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- but it doesn't even touch Slumdog Millionaire. I guess I better get a few more nights out planned- I really want to see Milk, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, and Revolutionary Road. I might have to head to SLC again to catch these films, not a very good selection in Utah County most of the time.
On that note- don't forget about the BYU International Cinema, the very best independent, classic selection of films- playing on a big screen- in the state perhaps. There are 3 films showing per week through the end of the semester in April. I haven't been in a long time- in college we used to go every week... but I've got the schedule posted this winter and I'm planning it in. Best of all, it's free.

some new goods...

It's a miracle- I finally got a few aprons, and one skirt (that's all I've got) listed on Etsy. I've literally been at it all day.
I'm not feeling very productive, no matter how hard I seem to try with my every-day morning resolutions, I only ever get a few tasks fully accomplished. Perhaps I need to scale the list back.
I keep getting side-tracked, interrupted. I suppose I should be happy I check at least one thing off that wretched list today.

Anywho- I love this apron pattern. It's so darn flattering and girly. The reversible apron is so handy, and something about having two sides makes it feel sturdy... with an insurance policy. I made these for the Beehive Bazaar last month- I only have this one and one other like it left. I love the bubble gum pink trim, with the black and white Alexander Henry fabric.

Inauguration Day

Today is a beautiful day, wait- so was yesterday. To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the Civil Rights Movement on Monday and then the inauguration of Barack Obama the first African-American President of the United States today is truly amazing. We've come a long way baby. I feel very proud to be an American.
What I appreciated most about Obama's speech today was the way he called all Americans to action. That we all have a responsibility to our country to all work toward change. I heard this This I Believe essay on NPR on Sunday and it has stuck with me.

Thirty Things I Believe
by Tarak McLain age 7
 
As heard on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday, January 18, 2009.

I believe life is good.
I believe God is in everything.
I believe we’re all equal.
I believe we can help people.
I believe everyone is weird in their own way.
I believe hate is a cause for love.
I believe that when I meditate I feel peaceful.
I believe we should be generous.
I believe brothers and sisters should be kind to each other.
I believe kids should respect their parents.
I believe I should not whine.
I believe people should wake up early.
I believe people should go outside more.
I believe in nature.
I believe people should use less trees.
I believe we should help the Arctic and rainforest animals.
I believe people shouldn’t throw litter on the ground.
I believe people should not smoke.
I believe God is in good and bad.
I believe in magic.
I believe people should not give up.
I believe love is everywhere.
I believe that God helps us to have a good time.
I believe we live best in a community.
I believe we can protect people in danger.
I believe we should help the poor.
I believe its OK to die but not to kill.
I believe war should not have started.
I believe war should stop.
I believe we can make peace.

Messenger bags... revealed

Ahhh, personalized messenger bags for the children. Just below 'Nintendo DS' on the Christmas wish lists were messenger bags- not from the store, but made by me. Kids- requesting handmade gifts, from me? aww shucks.
I've been playing with the Amy Butler High Street Messenger Bag pattern. For these bags I added extra width, a couple of inches across the bottom to accommodate books and lunch boxes.
I took out the floating pocket panel suggested in the pattern and added two internal pockets, one sewn to the front of the lining, one on the back. I divided up these internal pockets for pencils, pens and other little things that need a home.

Everyone got a little personalized detail on the front flap.
This horsey is made with felt and hand stitched on with embroidery floss.

I mixed a little felt with cotton fabrics to make the owl and branch he's sitting on. To save a little time I machine stitched on the branch, most of the owl and just embroidered on the details.

I mixed up a few different fabrics for the lining. I love this Alexander Henry skateboarding fabric that is used for the inside of the bag. On the inside of the flap I used a sturdier striped canvas- trying to keep it manly looking. On the two front outside pockets, I lined them with the striped fabric and skipped the pleats on the pockets- keeping it simple for the masculine feel that's so important in 5th grade.
They have given me some good feedback so I can keep perfecting the finished product. Mostly suggestions on strap length, width, adjustability. That is the one part that still needs perfecting.

They have used their messenger bags nonstop since unwrapping them on Christmas morning (a pretty good sign I think) lots of compliments and special order requests too. I need to get to get back to work in the sewing room. For more pictures of the messenger bags look here.

peasants and royalty

Yesterday the kids were playing over at their friends after school. After about an hour F (age 10) and M (age 8) were sent home because their friends Thomas and Hannah had homework to do. But Q (age 12) was allowed to stay and hang out with her friend Carina- who had finished all her schoolwork.
F & M didn't know (or really care) about details as insignificant as homework. By the time they had walked back home they were spitting mad. Huffing and puffing, M exclaimed emphatically, "Q gets to stay and we don't?!- they treat us like peasants!!"

I need a puffy

Why have I not owned a puffy down jacket until today? I am the poster child for down clothing.
I always have cold hands and feet (my womb is toasty warm though), I wear coats in my house all winter and spend lots of time skiing and teaching skiing all winter- it's time to stop suffering. I guess I always thought a puffy coat would make me look fat, when the truth is- my fat makes me look fat and that's a different issue entirely.
So, after doing a bit of research and talking to my lady skier friends I decided the North Face Nuptse was the puffy for me. I went for the 'brownie brown'- I own too many black coats already. (I can still look semi-cool in Park City at the Sundance Film Festival in brown right, it's kind of close to black?)
My new puffy should be here in a few days and I can't wait. I'm going to wear it all day, and then probably sleep in it.
Now, if I could I just find some down slippers...

farewell

A Message from George W Bush by Will Ferrell

Well done Mr. Ferrell.

puttin' my skills to good use

I've been trying to brush up on my Photoshop skills this past week, making pages for the family calendar. I know it's a little late, January is basically a wash- but I'm doing my best here. I just emailed over these pages to my sister-in-law Donna who is kind enough to organize the making of the calendar every year. Thanks for putting up with me and my tardy pages every year. It sure was fun (and certainly time consuming) going back over the year and picking out my favorite pics. I should be grateful to have some sort of a jump on that thing some people do- I think it's called scrapbooking.
Pictures in Torrey, at Grandma and Grandpa's house, playing at the waterfall and hiking Sulfur Creek in Capital Reef National Park- one of the best desert-kid hikes ever, because you're splashing or swimming along 90% of the time.

We spent some good times at the beach house- went to an Angels game, visited the bunny/guinea pig extravaganza at San Juan Capistrano's quaint petting zoo, playing for hours in the sand and played Make-A-Million (our favorite card game) every night for hours.

We had to get Pierre the cat (in drag, top left corner there), and the hamster Buddy (who is no longer with us) posing as an bra insert, represented as well as the rest of the family. The miracle of this page is the Q actually agreed to let me use the shot with her and Buddy the hamster in her dress.
Can you believe I got the picture OK'ed first this time- before publishing it? I think my 'Mom' skills are improving slightly.
Click on any of the pages to make them bigger.

taking back Sunday

For 2009 we are on the early worship schedule, all done with church by noon. We decided to celebrate with an adventure of epic proportions. The whole family piled in the car and made the 1 1/2 hour drive down the I-15 to Meadow Utah- home of our favorite hot springs. The hot springs sit in the middle of a farmer's field about 5 miles (super rough guess) out of town. The owner's are kind enough to allow anyone to use the springs as long as they abide by a few simple rules like: no nudity, no dogs, clean up after yourselves etc. From where you can park your car the walk to the closest spring is about 100 yards on this little pathway. There are about 4 different springs, of various temperatures. Steve O and the kids have explored all of them and agree that the one closest to the parking area is the best- about 100 degrees, roughly the size of a backyard pool, and apparently about 40 feet deep.
The water is crystal clear and doesn't have any weird odor. It is literally- the perfect 'hot pot'.
The kids had to get out every now and again to make a few snowballs, then dive, flip or cannonball back into the water.

Taking pictures from underwater was the most fun. We all had goggles and scuba masks- the only reason to surface was for a bit of air whenever you absolutely had too. Here is C (4 yrs. old) jumping in off the rocks, the picture is taken from a few feet below the surface.

The deepest part is supposedly 37 feet deep. That fact from a local, but for awhile we were under the impression it was bottomless. Steve O likes to dive deep, and do a little exploring.
Locals practice their scuba diving skills here, wouldn't it be fun to tell everyone that you learned to scuba dive in a hole in the middle of a cow field in Central Utah?

Picture taken from way down deep, looking up at the surface. Someone had strung a rope a few feet underwater over the deepest part of the springs. Perfect for chillaxing.

Here is C spending as much time underwater as possible. The Olympus SW790 was taking the most fabulously clear underwater pictures.

This is kind of a dumb picture (aesthetically) but shows the shallower sections of the pool. The rocks underwater are a bit mossy and slick, but like I said before, the water is crystal clear- no bugs, no critters swimming around.


This picture was taken after the sun had gone down, as we were thinking about getting ready to go. Leaving was painful... literally. We jumped out, changed into dry clothes and ran to the car with lightning speed. Any uncovered skin burned with the cold, hair froze instantly. We didn't know just how cold it was until we got into the car and the outdoor temperature registered -12 degrees. Yikes!
I know, the thought crossed my mind too, "What kind of mother am I bringing smallish children out here??"
Thankfully, the car started up just fine and we headed out, feeling (ever so slightly) that we had perhaps just cheated death. The fun way out-ranked the frighteningly cold aspects, I'd do it again tomorrow, or maybe when it warms up just a bit.
To see more pictures of Meadow, Utah hot springs look here.