Gehring Road

loft evolution

I kept holding off on sharing some of the changes I made to the loft over break (one whole day, several episodes of streaming Great Expectations later... even my fabric was re-folded and organized) because there are several works in progress and it's a little messy. My thinking was I could continue to wait or just snap away... a sewing room is supposed to be a little chaotic, that means it's well loved. There's been a bit of an evolution to this loft of mine. And if you've been here for a while, you know it is the sunniest part of the house... I'm terribly lucky. That sun doesn't always love my books however, and so I moved my books to the opposite wall with my sewing and crafting book. I get to look at it while I'm sewing... a bonus indeed. I created one large working area with my sewing and cutting tables now facing each other. I love this. My inspiration board is a little bare, and I'm contemplating a return of my thread organizer to the wall, but that will probably come after some paint... or wallpaper? I know I'm stalking that wallpaper, it's a problem. So that lovely little spot is where I'm hanging out these days when I have some time... a huge stack of flannel arrived (I fell in love with flannel after Rob's blanket) and I'm currently making a cozy blanket for these coolish winter days (Saturday was 61!). I'm loving changes in weather and changes in the organization of our home equally these days. Change is very, very good. Happy Monday! 

holiday handmades 2 :: felted wool blanket for my guy

I was sewing this secret project for Rob in the weeks leading up to Christmas and actually pieced it and prepared the back while he was busy making his famous triple-chocolate cookies (they're so, so good and really deserve a post all their own but are never around long enough to photograph... seriously, I've happily scalded my tongue on multiple occasions for those little loves) so... the pictures of this blanket are making me hungry! Anywho, I've had my eye on the lovely felted wool bundles from Mary Flanagan I first spotted at Purl Soho, and finally snatched them up when thinking about something warm, cozy and a little manly (if I do say so myself), for my guy. This blanket is so incredibly warm. I trimmed the pieces to 12.5'' x 15'', sewed them together using my walking foot, added a layer of batting and backed it with flannel. I decided to turn it on point and tie the corners and I just love the way it looks. I won't love how it will launder (this one will go to the cleaners each and every time), but this slightly lavish and loved blanket will keep my love warm and cozy through the winter months...and I'm sure I'll find him napping with our four legged one under it soon... and I love that more than I can tell you. Happy weekend friends, have a lovely start to this week! 

snap snap

image at google.com

Did you google today? I love this one... Hope you are finding reasons to smile this weekend! 

holiday handmades 1 :: the snow globes

The very second that I mentioned that I was not interested in making things this holiday, my mind began to turn and inspiration hit... kind of hard... that's just how it goes sometimes. I found myself drooling over Anthropologie's Mason Jar Snow globes after a trip in to see what was new (I should never go in there... ever... I really can't be trusted) but had a little sticker shock when I saw they were $30 (now on sale for $7.00 go figure!). I then began prowling the internet for tutorials and found many... my favorite though is here. So I had to make them for this year's favor... here's what I did...

I used mason jars we had around from our jelly making and canning adventures, found some sweet figurines (one special to each guest) in themed tubes at Joann's, ordered small sisal trees online (big mistake... more on that in a second), used snow-village glitter/snow, and found distilled water and glycerin at CVS (did you know that CVS employs a personal shopper to help you find things during the holiday season? They do. She was a savior!). A few notes, I probably wouldn't use mason jars again... the band made it impossible to see the figurines once they were glued to the bottom of the lid. Martha used baby food jars which made much more sense... that's why she's Martha and I am a High School English teacher. Next time. 

Rob cut out these pieces of wood from left over trim we had to make everything higher and more visible in the snow globe. I used epoxy glue (keep the windows open when using that stuff!) to glue everything down. I would next time use sand paper to get a bit more traction with the lid.

... Rob got a husky (they're big around here you see)

              

...Chip got a big red barn because he and Rob's mom have the most beautiful red barn... 

... Rob's mom got a sweet doe...

... and I got Big Ben (score!)...

The process and some notes:

* use baby food or pasta sauce jars for a better result (you won't need the wood inserts!)

* sand paper will scruff up the bottom allowing a better seal between the lid and anything glued

* notice I've masked the final products in dark light... well, my (very, very inexpensive) trees lost their color making everything a little green... everyone was sweet and said they loved them anyway... I would test the sisal trees first, maybe pretreating them in some water prior to gluing them on... Chip's had one tree and therefore much less green everywhere

* After gluing down things to the lid, I allowed the glue to set for 24 hours. This didn't keep Rob's from coming unglued which was a bummer but I learned a great deal from his green mouthed husky globe. Next, I filled the jars with distilled water and two or three drops of glycerin (this is to keep the snow from falling too quickly). 

* I added just a few teaspoons of snow to the water/glycerin mixture but I really love the way glitter looks in them and will get some next time instead of the snow.

* screwing on the lids was a little messy... I added a little water and experimented with the snow globes after the first one... less water is better and makes for a better seal.

 

I really loved how this little favor was easy to make and personalized for each of our guests. They loved them and were fun to play with during dinner! I would never discourage anyone from making these, they were super easy and hopefully my little surprises (tree discoloring, glue un-gluing) are helpful in someone else's process. I've added the snow globes to the How To section at the banner for easy viewing and referencing... and no, your eyes don't deceive you, they're a little green (or blue...the husky is looking a little blue these days), and I love them, flaws and all. 

365... that is 366

I've been thinking about this space, ways to connect with it on a more consistent basis and be more present in it (really in all areas of life) while also anticipating the coming days and weeks as I begin life again as a student. This anticipation is tinged with a bit of anxiety as student-teacher-girlfriend-daughter-friend-sewist-beginning knitter-dog owner-commuter and all the rest come together to make time a bit fleeting. I know so many of you have the very same or very similar juggling act, and like all things, balance is really important... something I'm going to try to maintain in these coming months. Tuesdays will be especially hard with an hour and a half commute home from class after a long day with my students. So...I've taken on a bit of a photographic project, one photo a day for the 366 days of this year... no rhyme or reason to the shot, just an image from my day. My hope is that it will connect me to this space even when I'm not here, so to speak. When I'm not here, know I'm wishing I was but you can follow my 366 project here. If you're also taking part in the photo-a-day challenge (there is a contingent of very talented crafters on Twitter doing this... so inspirational!) send me a link, I'd love to glimpse what you are seeing each day. 

simple scenes

This post comes just in time for the holidays to be a little past their prime, right? And me too, I'm loving these days but am also ready for the return to normal! I've had such good intentions to blog... it just didn't happen. My (belated!) wishes for a happy holiday and new year! 

I did just want to share some small glimpses into our days these past few weeks. We had a really perfect and simple holiday this year. It was even filled with a few hand-mades (I couldn't resist the urge, despite my intentions) that were enjoyable and well loved which made them even sweeter. Our holidays were spent snuggled up in front of fires at various homes, drinking loads of hot chocolate, waffle making, snow-globe making (more on that tomorrow) and just relishing in time to rest and visit. I loved these days. 

As we are still celebrating the new year and all that is to come in these hopeful days, I did just want to thank each of you for visiting this little blog o' mine. To those that make their presence known and those that are quietly here... I'm very grateful for your dropping by and spending time here in this space. All the very best to you and yours! 

bloggers block

I'm experiencing a bit of blogger's block lately... mostly because the secret little bits of elfing going on around our home can't be shared in this forum frequented by our families. There's lots going on though, even if we're not sharing! Maybe just a peek?

Our handmakings this year have been really quick, fun and weekend morning projects which has made this season much more enjoyable for us. I've made some sugar/salt scrubs, Rob made the most amazing peppermint bark ever and there are little bits of sewing happening here and there also. I love this season. Though it makes one of us a bit sleepy...

Happy making and happy (...almost...) weekend! 

art student for the grad student

Today was an interesting day... registration happened, though the payment system for all of us who registered today "catastrophically malfunctioned" (said the email) causing some poor grad students to be charged twice for their classes (not me... thank goodness) or not at all (me...). Some sort of cosmic sign? I'd love to think so... more Anthropologie and fabric, less grad classes... sounds perfect. The Bursar tells me not to go crazy though as he will be walking all of us through registration (mostly payment) tomorrow personally. I was on the phone with him when that package of Loulouthi Needleworks arrived from QuiltHome. Cosmic sign number two... possibly. I looove that fabric. It's so darn beautiful. Scratch what I said... I have some little gifts planned with some of that loveliness. And a bag. Those reds, gorgeous. I don't know what I was expecting, they're from Anna Maria Horner, and of course they are. So I have a decision to make. That grey is voile and a splurge for the inside of my bag. I have to decide between option A in the middle (tomato red, we'll call it) or option B on the end (cranberry red with pretty navy) for the outside of the bag. What do you think? A or B? I think I'll stare at these a bit more and maybe it will come to me. A lovely bag for the start of classes is just the thing to get me into the spirit. I've taken way too long to finish my Master's degree... like years too long. Actual teaching and love got in the way, and really, I wouldn't have it any other way. But, I'm back in the saddle. I'll be done in the Fall of 2012. Until then, I'm breathing deeply, getting back into the student mode and hopefully as a student passing on some fellow-student empathy and knowledge to my current students. So here's hoping for balance... and time... and a little Anthropologie on the side. Happy Thursday! 

etsy finds... gifty

Reclaimed Wood Love Sign from PBJstories Etsy Shop

I'm days away from dropping loads of money on classes for next semester and we're now days away from Christmas... stresser? A little. We try really hard to pair down the holidays and do small things for each other here in our home, though Rob's "something little" last year was my iPad... I'm spoiled. I've also given up on trying to hand make a little something for everyone, I did that a few years ago and found myself not necessarily enjoying the moments of the holiday but trying to spend every waking moment finishing too many projects. Actually I was scary... and then Rob got shingles... so this year, I'm just going with things I really love for the people I really love in my life... small things, useful things and hopefully, thoughtful things. There is no end to the window shopping though! I find myself falling in love with "sure that's useful" things on a daily basis... luckily in a few short weeks, I'll be preoccupied with school... who am I kidding, I'll still be pinning, favoriting and sharing them with you. Here are some lovelies found lately... add them to your list for Santa... 

Astrological Maps Bracelet from Anthropologie

Dandelion Flower Letterpress from Sweetharvey Etsy Shop

Vintage Sunshine Yellow Wooden Lemonade Crate from Epochco Etsy Shop

Many Mittens Garland from Anthropologie 

Set of 10 Origami Christmas Trees from Paper in the Pocket Etsy Shop

Typography Pride and Prejudice Dishtowel from Brookish Etsy Shop

 Two Vintage Metal Coffee Cans from Randy as Seller and Buyer Etsy Shop

Blue Aquamarine Earrings from Orit Naar Etsy Shop

Vintage Orange Crush Sign from Camp Hobachee Etsy Shop 

I Heart Hope Poster Print by William Dohman Etsy Shop

I Heart the United Kingdom Necklace from Truche Etsy Shop 

Rob is off to Denver for work this week and weekend, so I'll be adding to my list for Santa... via Pinterest, Amazon and Etsy respectively. The plan is also to get the Christmas tree this weekend (Saturday is looking like a balmy 44 degrees... which is about 40 degrees warmer than it was last year when we got the tree) and deck the halls... I've got some great little details up my sleeve this year. Can't wait to share. Happy Tuesday, what are you spying online? 

in the loft

That last shot is looking a lot like pie to me... possibly a sign someone has been Thanksgiving feasting a bit too much. My sewing machine and I spent some time on this quilt (which clearly by the title I gave to it when uploading the photo to Flickr its fate was sealed as a slooow WIP). I was delighted to discover after two months I was still able to sew! That quilt however has been a bit of a debacle from the get go. I waffled between two different methods of creating half-square triangles, my accuracy on these is pretty horrific and then in the midst of that cut my blocks 7.5'' square... for 5'' blocks. My new phrase will be measure twice cut once from now on... and make your sample block before you cut yards of fabric Lady! So after ironing all 244 of those half square triangles, I'll have to cut them down to size... to finally sew them together. I'm losing my mojo on this one. Plus someone (who shall remain nameless but has a name that starts with R and ends with B) mentioned in passing the stripes and coloring looked a bit like Charlie Brown and I've been unable to work on this quilt without thinking of that. Thanks R*b. I think the frustration with this quilt really boils down to HSTs themselves. I'd love to be able to quickly and accurately make half-square triangles, but I find that a bit elusive. The sewing on the bias, the line drawing... maybe I'm just a little protective of my sewing time and needing something a bit more fulfilling. I have a few projects I'd like to tackle in between working on my Moby Dick (that's not better than Charlie Brown is it?) quilt... 

* I love Jenni's drawstring bag tutorial and even have some fabric pulled for a few of these. 

* My knitting mojo which always rears its head a few times a year is back... I'm thinking I should make this sweet bag from The Sometime's Crafter. 

* Purl Bee is a dangerous place to visit, I always find myself wanting to buy skeins and skeins of yarn there, but I love those cashmere scarves with all of my limited knitting skills self. 

* And finally, Anna Maria Horner's Art Student Tote looks like it might become my Grad Student Tote come January. I might have just purchased this today to support small business Saturday, just maybe. 

I have some ironing ahead of me today or tomorrow or next week as the spirit moves (or doesn't) me. I'm loving the time I have to spend in the loft however, and I think that's really the point... enjoy that time fully and walk away from things that fluster and drain when needed. Life lessons in sewing I do believe. Happy weekend to you!