New Projects

What I am going to be working on first - before I attempt my Prairie Dresses.

Patterns, Patterns, Patterns

It's like Christmas in my house! I ordered a bunch of patterns and they all came last week or this week. I ordered some patterns from Fabric Hound, Sew Mama Sew, and Pamela's Patterns.

I made one Favorite Things - Little Prairie Girl top for Lola - except for the sleeves. I'm still afraid of them. I'll finish them - today? A great pattern. Easy to follow instructions. Shirt came together so quickly. Except for my fear of sleeves...

I ordered fabric for the Prairie Girl Dresses I'm going to make me. I have fabric for the Smarty Pants for me. Just need to try the pattern out on not so nice fabric first. I have fabric for the Artisan Pants from Indygo Junction too.

I had never heard of Pamela's Patterns before I read Sew Much Fabric, Sew Little Time. She was my partner for an apron swap. I read her blog now and then and let me tell you - the woman is amazing! She made 28 shirts with The Perfect T-Shirt pattern from Pamela's Patterns. With that many shirts made the pattern has to be good! I'll be trying it soon.

AND - I actually received a free pattern from 10th Muse Studios. I subscribe to Craft Gossip. Every day in my e-mail there is an e-mail from them with crafting links. One day, there was a link to a fabulous Halter Apron Pattern and it just happened the pattern was being given away. (Not anymore - now y'all will have to buy it). I'm so excited! I have some fabric for that too that I'll try to whip up - perhaps tonight? My thought - I'm not a great cook. Really, I stick to basic recipes. So - if I make something that might not taste great one night for dinner I figure my husband won't mind as much - as long as I look good.

Whoops - I actually see the SUN outside my window. Must try to get my vitamin D for the day before the rains return! Happy sewing! Beth

Tofu the Whale

Today we ventured up to New Hampshire (okay - we live about 10 - 15 minutes from the MA/NH border) to visit Tofu the Whale. I'm a fan of the Seacoast Science Center on Facebook. We are members and donated money to help bring Tofu the Whale to the Science Center. The new exhibit just opened up and my four-year-old insisted we visit Tofu. She's been talking about it for days. So, today, we went.

Tofu's Fluke- she was named tofu for her almost all-white fluke

On-line there is a slide show that tells about Tofu and her short life and her eventual journey to the Seacoast Science Center.

Watching informational movies about Tofu and whales.
The back of this bench is a life-size model of Tofu's flipper

Inside the science center is her skeleton, a bunch of new interactive exhibits about Tofu as well as the touch tank, tanks with fish, lobsters, seahorses, and other exhibits about the area.

The touch tank.

Lucy holding a sea urchin in the touch tank.

The kids and I love visiting here. We can spend a day on the rocky beaches (not good for swimming) searching the tide pools for crabs, mussels, hermit crabs, periwinkles, and whelks. We have seen loons and ducks. We are told seals hang out here but haven't actually seen them yet.

Lola posing in a boat inside the Seacoast Science Center.

Today, the girls collected rocks. My husband also helped collect garbage that was in the ocean as well as the rocks. I usually keep a plastic grocery bag in the car to collect refuse when we visit beaches but didn't have one today. Seacoast Science Center is located within Odiorne Point State Park. Thankfully the park had garbage cans (as well as bathrooms) so our refuse collection found a home in the proper receptacle.

Lucy posing as the tide comes in.

We found a net amongst the rocks. It was the perfect thing to hold Lola's rock collection.

Birthday Twirl Skirt

I did finish the skirt before the party. I used a tutorial found HERE. My daughter found a pink gymnastics leotard (that she is wearing backwards) and decided she did not want to wear the shirt - just the skirt and the leotard. So - the sleeves will be a project for another rainy day. Let's see - we're supposed to have another one tomorrow. Sigh - then maybe off to the Museum of Science.

Apron Giveaway over at...

There is a lovely apron giveaway going on at Tomato Soup Cake. Hop on over and enter!