“Re-imagined” dreams of a travel quilt

When Disney Imagineers make significant updates to an attraction, they will sometimes refer to it as “re-imagined” instead of refurbished, remodeled or any other similarly drab and uninspiring reconstruction word. Well, I am about to tell you about a grand idea I had that didn’t quite work out the way I expected… but I hesitate to call it a failure. No, I would rather refer to the results as re-imagined. Because after all, creativity is one of my favorite things in the world – and creativity is not simply getting from Point A to Point B. Nope, it’s about the journey that gets you there!

My BFF Albert Einstein agrees.

Some months ago, when I realized how elaborate my international trip was becoming, I decided I needed to set some goals. Was there something I wanted to do in each country, or collect from each country, or do to prepare for my visits?

I decided that my number one goal was to buy a journal specifically for the trip to be sure I captured as many memories as possible while traveling. After much research – because I can never make purchasing decisions without research! – I finally decided to buy a SmashBook for my trip.

SmashBooks come with a pen/gluestick combo to assist with the “smashing.” GENIUS.

I’m happy to report that my SmashBook was a SMASHING SUCCESS (Get it? Ha ha ha) – I wasn’t sure if I’d keep up with the journaling, but I even impressed myself when I spent the little free time I had jotting down thoughts and smashing mementos into the book.

Spent my “day at sea” on the cruise ship working on my SmashBook in the solarium!

My secondary goal? To collect fabric from each country and sew a quilt when I returned home. Could it be done? I did some Google research, and sadly… there’s not much out there about making a travel quilt. So I went into this goal blindly and hoped for the best. I thought I would collect any sort of fabric I could find… a clothing item, a tablecloth, a pillowcase, whatever!

Well, this is where the “re-imagined” part comes in, because I’ll admit this right up front: I was not able to collect fabric from every country. And each piece of fabric that I did collect is fabulous… by itself. Each fabric type is different, with varied weights, colors, styles, etc. The idea of putting it all together for a quilt now seems like an overzealous dream and would likely ruin the integrity of each piece.

Time to re-imagine! I’m taking a look at all of the pieces I did manage to collect and coming up with individual new dreams for each one of them… which I hope to share soon!

Have you ever had to re-imagine one of your goals?

The blogger on the milk carton

I know, I know – it’s mid-July and I’ve been MIA since Easter! Don’t panic! You can take my photo off the milk carton, now!

Ahhh! Get me outta this box!

I have some really exciting news, though. The reason I’ve been missing for so long is that I was preparing for, then experiencing, and then recovering from a glorious world tour! And as a result, I have some really great stories to share – even sewing stories. Wheee! Although I wasn’t able to blog while I was abroad, I did my best to update my Twitter account – @SewLindsaySew – as much as possible. I hope some of you were able to follow along!

My glorious adventure included six countries, with flight layovers in two more!

As a part of my MBA program, I traveled to Istanbul, Turkey and Budapest, Hungary to experience the international business world and some cultural fun with my classmates. And even after the academic portion was through, I extended the trip with some friends and traveled to Vienna, Austria; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; and St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia. WOW! As someone who had never left the United States prior to this adventure, I feel incredibly blessed that I was given this unbelievable opportunity and able to experience it with such great people.

Flying high during an excursion to Red Square in Moscow!

I refuse to refer to my international trip as “once-in-a-lifetime,” because I still have a pretty long lifetime ahead of me and my adventurous spirit won’t be fizzling out anytime soon. No, I will never experience this exact same trip again with the exact same countries and the exact same people – so in that context, I supposed it’s okay to refer to it as “once-in-a-lifetime.”

But as far as ADVENTURE goes, I know that this is just the first international escapade of many! I have a European electrical outlet adapter and a whole pile of international currency waiting to be put to good use one of these days.

I can’t wait to share my stories and photos with you now that I’ve come out of hiding and returned to my blog. Stay tuned!

Zippity Doo Dah!

You know it’s going to be a good day when the Google Doodle makes you smile. Today’s Google screen celebrates Gideon Sundbäck, the man who perfected the zipper. The letters look like they were embroidered and you can actually use your cursor to “unzip” the screen. Amazing. It’s the little things in life, people.

Wheeeeee!

While I’m incredibly thankful for the flexibility that the zipper has brought into our lives, I’m making a mental note to curse this man every time the needle on my sewing machine hits a zipper and makes that scary shuddering noise.

Oh the things we learn from the Google Doodle. Happy birthday, zipper man!

I love sheep!

Did you know I love sheep? Well, I do. I can’t really explain why – it’s just one of those things – but I love sheep in all forms: pictures of sheep, plush sheep, edibles that use marshmallows to look like sheep, the real sheep that “baa” and even sheep measuring cups.

Maybe you thought I was kidding about the measuring cups.

I know, the sheep thing is a little weird, but so am I. My loved ones are kind enough to just embrace it! I have a steadily-growing plush sheep collection above my desk at work, and more than half of those sheep have come from my family and friends.

So imagine how excited I was to stumble across this Little Lamb Pillow tutorial at The Purl Bee - and just in time for Easter!

Photos & tutorial courtesy of http://www.purlbee.com

Magical, right? I love the way the wavy cutting lends itself to the lamb’s “wool.” Can’t wait to try these out!

Do you have a strange favorite animal, too? Or am I the only one?

Why I love hardware stores (and you should too)

Let me start off by saying that, in my opinion, craft stores trump all other stores. The amount of potential in a craft store is overwhelming. I can look at the most minuscule little item and think of a zillion and one ways to turn it into something fun… which is why I go in for one item, and leave three hours later with a cartful.

But that’s to be expected, right? I write a sewing blog, I’m pretty open about my love for crayons and I had to pick my roommate up off the floor when she first saw my colossal sticker collection. Of course I love craft stores.

But I don’t exactly fall into the typical “hardware store” demographic.

I don't wear a tool belt. Or plaid.

I’m not sure when my opinion about hardware stores changed. I remember being dragged to the hardware store throughout my childhood and thinking it was the worst shopping trip ever. My brother and I found solace in the doorbell section… lots of buttons to push, both literally and figuratively.

The other day, I went to the hardware store for a mop (they have the best section of cleaning supplies!) and I was reminded how much I’ve grown to love hardware stores. They’re just intensified versions of craft stores. The difference is that the floor is a lot dirtier, the supplies is pretty heavy and the tools and chemicals in there might kill you if used improperly (whereas the hot glue gun at the craft store? Just a minor burn, people).

But really, the differences aren’t important. The bottom line is that both stores are exploding with potential. A bunch of people might buy the exact same item and use it in a different way, for a different reason or with different results.

See what I mean?

Toni at Sugar Tart Crafts uses washers and bolts wrapped in ribbon as pattern weights! Brilliant.

Crafters go cuckoo for paint chips... check out this amazing paint chip gift box and bow from Style with a Smile TV.

Of course, every great playhouse starts with PVC pipes... including this playhouse from PVCplans.com.

Whenever I walk into  a hardware store, I wish I had the ability to build something amazing.  Remember Amy Wynn Pastor on Trading Spaces, circa early-2000′s? She was an awesome example of girl-power, and always executed the most brilliant ideas.

Amy Wynn Pastor

So if I woke up with magical carpentry skills, what would be the first thing I’d want to build?

I think I’d like to start with this treehouse. What do you think?

Coming soon to my backyard: from the book New Treehouses of the World by Pete Nelson.

The Pinterest Interest

The hottest question of the year: Do you Pinterest?

A Pinterest board I started to collect ideas for my dream craft studio.

Pinterest is the latest trend in social networking – it’s a virtual pin board site where you can “pin” images representing ideas, craft projects, recipes… anything, really. The possibilities are endless. Images link up to the web site where more information can be found. So, a photo of a cute sewing project might link to the how-to tutorial on the site where the photo is hosted.

A fun sewing idea found on Pinterest!

I took a long break from Pinterest after I realized I was merely storing ideas and not actually implementing them. Was I wasting my life away pouring over the site, searching for and hoarding “great ideas” I’d never use? Looking at decorating ideas for a house I don’t own and sewing projects that require more time than I can devote? I went cold-turkey and ignored Pinterest for a few months.

But alas, I’ve returned to Pinterest with a vengeance after I realized that a part of the fun in any hobby is the careful planning and collecting that goes into it. Yes, I love to read, but collecting, organizing and deciding which books to read is half the fun… even if that means I will never actually get around to reading every single book on my shelf. And I think we can all agree that as much as we love sewing and crafting, collecting and planning the fabric is a major part of the hobby.

A picture-perfect fabric collection from Make It Perfect!

So, it’s okay if we pin and pin and pin and don’t get around to trying a majority of the ideas we discover. Don’t lay awake at night feeling guilty about all of your long-lost Pinterest ideas. The journey alone makes the discovery well worth it! It’s hard to criticize a trend that gets the creative juices flowing.

That being said, I’ve tried a few ideas from Pinterest with great success! This week’s Pinterest adventure: the Green Monster Smoothie from the Iowa Girl Eats blog.

Surprisingly delicious Green Monster Smoothie! Plus, everything tastes better in a Disney glass.

My mom hasn’t had quite as much luck though. She’s tried a few recipes from Pinterest with terrible results. With the exception of the Green Monster Smoothie, I tend to stick with internet recipes that are accompanied by plenty of reviews – so my pin boards are more concentrated in the craft department anyway.

I created this graphic for my mom after hearing about all of her Pinterest recipe disasters!

For anyone out there who wants to follow my pins, my username is SewLindsaySew!

Do you Pinterest?

Countdown to (sewing) fun!

A big thank you to all of my family, friends and blogosphere buddies who reached out to make my birthday magical this week. From Tinker Bell cupcakes  by day to an artsy-crafty painting party by night, it was a truly wonderful birthday and I wouldn’t change a thing! I’m being completely truthful when I say it’s the best birthday I’ve had in years.

I finally got a chance to open some gifts last night, and I have two exciting sewing books to add to my collection! I talked about one book, Fabric-by-Fabric One Yard Wonders, in a blog post a few weeks back. The second book is called Countdown Calendars and just came out last July.

Countdown Calendars: 24 stitched projects to celebrate any date!

I first discovered the project shown on the cover  - a birthday countdown calendar – about two years ago when I was thinking about buying a sewing machine. It was a finished project listed for sale on Etsy, not a pattern, so I saved a photo for inspiration.

It’s such a fun concept – just add a fabric candle to the birthday cake on the wall hanging each day leading up to your birthday! Advent calendars were always a big deal in my house around Christmastime, and I know I would have loved this birthday calendar if we’d had one in our family.

I can already imagine an infinite number of color combinations in my head and can’t wait to give this a try. It would make a great gift for all of my friends who are exploding my social media newsfeeds with photos of their new babies! Plus – the book has lots of other fun countdown calendar ideas too, including a Christmas advent calendar.

Happy counting! Not gonna lie – all of this talk about countdowns and I can’t get the Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade music from Disney’s Hollywood Studios out of my head… Five, four, three, two, FUN!

The (not so) big two-eight.

Tomorrow I turn 28. I want to write something profound, but I’m at a loss. What’s there to say about 28? I keep typing and backspacing, so I’ll just start with this celebratory birthday photo from 1988 instead:

My fourth birthday at pre-school, 1988

So much has changed in the last year that I can’t help but wonder what 28 has in store for me.

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY…

I lived in a tiny apartment… now I’m in a grand ‘ole townhouse with the most spectacular sewing nook in the world!

My life was Winnie-less… so hard to believe this precious puppy hadn’t even been born at this time last year. She’s been a part of our little roommate-family since July, so it’s hard to imagine life without her. I’m so thankful that my roommate Katie brought Winnie into our home and our hearts!

Winnie love.

I was working two jobs… office by day, retail by night. Since then, I quit the retail job and I’m spending a zillion hours pursuing my MBA instead… which might as well count as two jobs!

I had never run a half-marathon. My longest race had been a 10K – only 6 miles. But in October, I completed Disney’s Wine & Dine Half-Marathon with my two wonderful friends and running-mates, Joe and Chris. We were so proud!

Race photos are never attractive, so thanks in advance for not judging!

I had never gone home for the holidays since moving to Florida in 2006. But this past year, I went home for Thanksgiving and spent the day on a dairy farm with my family and some dear friends.

And speaking of family, my brother Jason was finally able to visit me in the Florida for the first time!

Spending some time with my favorite mice, my brother Jason and his girlfriend Sarah.

I still had all four wisdom teeth… now I don’t have any. So much for being old and wise!

Some dentist humor...

I had never traveled abroad. And while I still don’t technically have any international trips stamped on my passport, I will in just four months as I head to Turkey, Hungary, Austria, Sweden, Finland and Russia!

I never could have predicted any of the ups and downs that came my way at 27, for better or for worse. I’m insanely curious about what 28 has in store, but there’s only one way for me to find out! Stay tuned.

One-Yard Wonders… take two!

You all know how much I adore the One-Yard Wonders book I picked up last year. It’s where I discovered one of my favorite patterns in the world – the adorable and convenient jewelry roll.

So of course, I was elated to discover that there was a SECOND One-Yard Wonders book released in November!

I already have my eye on the insulated wine tote in the bottom left-hand corner...

My mom picked it up from the library while I am home in Chicago this week. After leafing through it just once, I already know that I want it for my birthday in February. I won’t let myself pour over the book in detail until it’s officially mine!

This version is arranged in sections by fabric type versus project type. I think that’s pretty neat – now when I have a yard of fabric laying around with no specific sewing intentions, I can turn to that fabric type section in the book and look at all of my options. There were a few patterns in the first book that deterred me when I had a piece of lightweight cotton to use and then was disappointed to discovered that home decor weight was required.

Is anyone else out there as excited about this book as I am?

 

 

November and December in 15 photos or less…

I haven’t updated my blog since Halloween, and tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Talk about MIA!

I could write a novel about what I’ve been up to since then, but instead, I’ll show you… iPhone-photo-library-style…

I went home to Chicago for Thanksgiving... I spent some time cuddling my brother's dog, Gizmo, in the backseat of the car while we drove to Wisconsin.

We spent our Thanksgiving on a dairy farm!

On Thanksgiving, my family was a part of a very special tradition in which we each received a special ornament. The little spool of thread fit me perfectly!

Back to Florida, and put up the Christmas tree. We don't have a tree topper, so the Mickey ears Santa hat is our traditional solution.

Winnie proudly admires the Minnie Mouse wreath I made two years ago. We have the most magical house on the block!

Put the finishing touches on my Christmas card clothespin wreath. Since then, we've filled it up by clipping our Christmas cards on all of the clothespins! I promise we're more popular than this photo portrays.

Found this lil guy sitting on my desk one morning and felt really happy!

I tried to keep it healthy one week and made some delicious corn chowder. As you all know, Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday, so I use my heart-shaped measuring cups all year long. The hearts were a welcome break from all of the Christmas madness! A lovely reminder that my favorite holiday is just around the corner.

Sewed a few Christmas cards by quilting some fabric panels and sewing them onto blank cards. It was my first attempt at free-motion quilting. Man oh man! Free-motion quilting is crazy, you guys! As you can see, I didn't do a great job - LOL! More on that later...

My mom came to visit and we spent a lovely weekend at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. We loved watching the zebras and giraffes outside our balcony when we weren't hitting up the Disney parks!

Delicious zebra domes were the snack of choice when we returned to our room each night.

It wouldn't be Christmas without seeing the sparkling Christmas lights on Cinderella Castle... caught this pic post-fireworks at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party with mom.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party!

Squeezed in some craft time and sewed this lovely Wizard of Oz inspired zipper pouch! Ruby slippers and a yellow brick road...

And of course, through it all, I've been doing schoolwork. This morning I worked on my accounting exam while Winnie snacked on my accounting textbook. Nom nom!

Well, 15 iPhone snapshots later, and I’ve covered November and December!

So… what have you all been up to?