Blankets Cost Money






I'm looking forward to a girls night out tonight to celebrate my friend Karen's birthday! We are meeting up at our ritual hangout to eat good food and celebrate our friendships. The lap quilt is a birthday present for Karen. I love making these and combining a palette of colors. These colors speak her name and are from at least a couple of Amy Butler's lines. The quilt is machine sewn and the bias tape is half-machine and half-hand sewn. I learned a new bias tape trick recently that has really made the task much easier. Have I mentioned how much I love to hand sew? I could really sit for hours and sew on bindings... very methodical... very meditative...

On the subject of quilts... I recently had a conversation with my son Kolya about some quilts that I am making for some upcoming shows. This comes following many conversations where I am trying to teach Kolya that we can't always buy new things when we get tired of the old ones. Things cost money and we should spend our money wisely.

Kolya: What's that?

Mama: This is a lap quilt that I am making.

Kolya: Oh!... a blanket!

Mama: Yep, that's right.

Kolya: Who is it for?

Mama: I'm going to sell it... hopefully someone will love it and buy it.

Kolya: Are they cold?

Mama: (chuckle) Maybe.

Kolya: Don't they already have a blanket?

Mama: Probably, but they might want another one.

Kolya: Oh, but that's not a good idea if they already have a blanket... blankets cost money!


Yeah, I guess I got my point across...

We have been making a few changes around the Simply June household lately. In an effort to get more organized and to tighten our financial belts, we have been coming up with a weekly menu and creating a grocery list based on it. We have seriously cut about $50 off of our weekly grocery bill as a result! Of course from half of you, I'm sure there is a resounding chorus of "Duh!", but we are a little slow to pick up on things around here sometimes. Maybe it is the creative spirit that we have tried to cultivate in our household, but we usually would just "wing it" while grocery shopping (or food shopping to those native to MA - still makes me giggle for some reason). Anyway, we would just sort of wander into the store and follow our cravings. Yeah, bad idea. So, now I add a cookbook to my weekly list at the local library and sit down at the end of the week to flip through the pages and see what strikes my fancy. I have found that choosing recipes from the same author helps in my quest to save money as they are partial to specific ingredients that show up in many of their recipes. How many times have you purchased a package of fresh thyme or a carton of buttermilk only to find them lingering in the back of your fridge a month later because you only needed a Tbsp. or 1/4 cup of their contents? I have also found that we are eating healthier. I know exactly what we are going to be making each night, so I'm not poking around in the kitchen...nibbling on things until I give in and come up with a plan.

So, what is this weeks cookbook you are wondering? "The Food You Crave...Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life" by Ellie Krieger. So far we have had the Stuffed Turkey Burgers (p. 218) with Garlic "Fries" (p. 265) and Macaroni and Four Cheeses (p. 168). The picture above is of the mac and cheese which is made with two packages of pureed winter squash in addition to the four cheeses. Now the author says "This creamy, crumb-topped macaroni-and-cheese gets its bright orange color and a big nutritional boost from pureed winter squash. Don't tell an no one will ever know. They'll just thank you for making their favorite cheesy comfort meal." So, I whipped up this recipe while the boys were playing astronaut in the living room and served it up without a word. Kolya later looked down at his plate and claimed to have a tummy ache. While Jason was clearly mentally going through this weeks grocery list to discover the mystery ingredient. Yeah, not fooling anyone here. The dish did however get a vote of approval. Yum.

Custom Inspiration

I love having to the opportunity to do custom work when it fits into my schedule. I was given the pitcher from Anthropologie as inspiration for the color palette for one of my embroidered yo-yo dish towels. I love poring over my fabric collection to find the right colors or fabrics for a certain project. It is also nice to have the challenge to work within the constrains of the fabrics I already have. So, here they are... the finished "inspired" dish towels.

I have so many projects on my plate right now. Keep an eye out for an Etsy update soon... I promise and I'm getting ready for three upcoming shows and a few other surprises for the Bostons folks...

On Waking Up...



One of my favorite parts of parenting is the amazing conversations you get to have with your child...

On a recent morning while Jason and I were still sound asleep in bed...

Kolya: (whisper) Papa...good morning... Papa...wake up... Papa... Papa

Jason: (groggy) Good morning Kolya... (groan)... (mumble)... (stretch)

Kolya: Papa...get up... lets play

Papa: Give me a minute Kolya... its hard to wake up.

Kolya: Papa, its easy! Let me show you... (lies down in the bed)... (makes LOUD snoring noises)...ZZZZZ...Choooo....ZZZZZ....Choooo... (sits straight up with a big smile)... See! Its easy!

Mama: Chuckling... half asleep...

stART on the Street

stART on the Street was a huge success yesterday! We had a beautiful weather and a very friendly and fun crowd. I took a quick stroll around all of the tents, but they seemed to go on for miles so I didn't have much time to visit with the other amazing artists. It was fun to see the variety of work though and so many customers were amazed at both the size and quality of the show. The stART on the Street team really has their act together. I wish I had photos to share, but I forgot my camera and Zandra's battery was dead. If nothing else, I had wanted photo evidence that we put up our tent correctly this time! We spent our last show casually hanging in the back literally holding the posts down! Jason made us these incredible weights for our tent and Pete replaced the crucial missing screw and we are back in business.

So, now I am home recovering from the excitement, the unloading, loading, driving etc. It always takes me a few days to recover from a show and thankfully I have some time off before my next one in November. In the meantime I will be sewing, sewing, sewing, visiting "Oprah",`son. I'm so sad to see them close.

I'll hopefully be sending out an e-mail later this week with a big UPDATE to the Simply June Etsy shop. It has been all but picked clean during these last two shows and I have lots of great new designs to share with you!

Renegade: Chicago

Oh, to be in Chicago this weekend... If you are lucky enough to be in that part of the world this weekend, check out Renegade Craft Fair. The list of vendors is awesome and I've already spied some of my favorites from Etsy... Coo-Koo-Ri-Koo, The Small Object & Art School Dropout.

TWIST Recap

TWIST was in one word...Amazing. Lexie Barnes and her amazing team + endless volunteers put on the most amazing show/party. I felt truly honored to be among the amazing talent at that show. Word of TWIST 2.0 is already in the air...due out this Spring!

So, to tell it best...let me show you some pictures. The event was held at the beautiful Center for the Arts in Northampton and showcased in the stunning ballroom and galleries. I was in one of the two art galleries. The paintings were an amazing backdrop for all of our creations. Check out the artist... Suzanna Schlemm... her work really captivated me... in particular check out the untitled piece from 2008 featuring a woman in a green blouse...who in my opinion is carrying a decadent chocolate cake for one...

So, here are a few photos from the event...

Our gallery

The incredible ballroom ceiling...check out the disco ball that added a bit of funk to the show

Vendors set up in the main ballroom

Whistling Sparrow Designs... you have to check out Libby's work... recycled funky t-shirts made into skirts and brooches... + the most amazing dresses from vintage curtains, doilies and other vintage fabrics. Her aesthetic is impeccable and you are sure to find the most unique pieces in her shop.

Simply June table...

Zeal

Donnabelle Designs... incredible one-of-a-kind jewelry with a funky spirit to match its designer... & Robbie Heidinger...check out her beautiful organic pottery...

Stop by and visit Simply June at TWIST!

September 5th & 6th, 2008
Northampton Center for the Arts
17 New South Street . Northampton . MA

Friday, September 5th (5 - 9pm)
Saturday, September 6th (10am - 8pm)

Twist is a fresh kind of fair, showcasing original handmade goods and art from over 50 of the regions most talented crafters and artists. Two days of browsing and buying starts Friday evening, with DJ beats and adult beverages. Admission $3.

www.simplyjune.etsy.com

Three Little Toadstools All in a Row...

I couldn't resist making a couple of mushroom button sets right away... they make me silly happy for some reason. I need to go scour my closet for something to add some to... so if you see me walking around town with random buttons affixed to my garments...just smile and wave...there really is no therapy for this type of thing... pssst.... check them out in the shop...

The mini apron is a gift for a little "Miss C" who is celebrating her 4th birthday today! Kolya is invited to her birthday on Saturday, so I whipped up this little apron for the birthday girl... I love being the Mama to a little boy, but once in a while it is fun to make something girly... I want to go to the book shop and pick up a little children's cookbook to pair with it. When I was little, I had a Jello cookbook and my favorite "recipe" was one where you cooled your Jello in a clear glass and then stuck a straw into it a few times... then add some cream to the top of the glass and beautiful white pillars would appear in your Jello! So cool! I know you are off to try it now...

Little Red Riding Hood & The Itty Bitty Embroidered Mushroom...

I did some updating in the shop today... including a couple of cute Little Red Riding Hood Zippered Pouches. They each measure 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" and are lined witha cute coordinating red polka dot cotton. The main fabric is a linen blend imported from Japan. I embroidered itty bitty red and white mushroom buttons as pulls and now I'm sure these are going to show up on button cards in the near future...

Also pop into the shop for a new Matryoshka doll zippered pouch and two new applique tanks in some new sizes in case you have had your eye on those...

С днем рождения ...

Happy 4th Birthday Kolya! My little guy turned 4 today... here he is in one of the first pictures we ever saw of our son... So tiny...those same bright eyes and happy face. Because of delays in the adoption process we didn't even see these pictures until about 4 months after they were taken and we were able to travel to meet him a month after that. I always wonder what we were doing on that special day ... July 31st, 2004... the day our wonderful son was born. We are SO thankful for you! С днем рождения! (Happy Birthday!)

Applique Cami...

I was inspired by my commission to alter Z's skirt and couldn't stop cutting out circles... I love working with fabrics and combining my love of embroidery. This is a very simple, clean basic design that adds a really artistic element to your wardrobe. I love wearing camis and love layering my clothing... a cami is pretty much a staple in my wardrobe as they are perfect worn alone in warmer weather...peeking through a v neck top... or layered under a short cardi...

This one is a women's size medium and is up in the shop... more sizes to come...

Embroidered Buttons...

I can never seem to make enough of these to keep in the shop... acutally they don't even usually get to the shop. They are a lot of fun to make and I embroider each one by hand. I have done custom orders for these too including a really cool retro set on black wool for a customer's pea coat. The sets in the shop are on a natural linen... perfect for summer and would be great to add to a knitting project... update a plain jacket... attach to hair ties... or sew on as an adornment to just about anything... I'm partial to the red ones, but you already knew that...

Japanese Matryoshka...

I bought this cute Matryoshka fabric from Japan a while back. There are always a few fabrics that I just like to look at for a while before I can bring myself to cut into them. This was one. I absolutely love it... linen fabric with the rows of little Russian dolls... So, one of these zippered pouches will stay in my personal collection, but the rest will be in the Etsy shop or at upcoming shows. I only have a tiny piece of this, so snap one up if you love it... I also added a cute hand embroidered button as a zipper pull. Cute.

I've been working on all types of projects for two shows coming up in September. Make sure to mark your calendars for Twist... September 5th & 6th in Northampton and StART on the Street September 21st in Worcester...

Applique in Circles...

Zandra and I made a trade a while back... she decorated my embroidery basket with some really beautiful papers and I agreed to applique a skirt she owned that had a sad little stain on the front. Here it is... I used a variety of Amy Butler fabrics and coordinating embroidery thread. It makes me happy...hope she likes it! I'm really inspired to go into my closet now and rescue some old favorites to style a bit...

Is anyone else watching Project Runway? I have seen bits and pieces of the show before, but shamefully have never watched a season before. Now thanks to my DVR I have been watching this new season. I LOVE it! It really inspires me. Some of the personalities are a bit big for me, but I love watching each designers process... Oh, and how much do you want to just hang out at Mood with all of those bolts of fabric...yum... Now let me channel Suede for a moment... Karen June is inspired... Karen June loves to sew... Karen June can't wait until nap time to go up to the studio and create!

Domestic Goddess...

I had a number of inquiries about custom orders at ArtBeat this weekend. I'm always happy to take on a challenge and combine my design ideas with those of my customers. I finished this custom order retro style apron late yesterday. She wanted an apron featuring mostly black and white fabrics and was open to a little bit of color. I combined three of my favorite Michael Miller fabrics including this little bit of his "Domestic Goddess" print that I have been hanging onto. I keep all of my fabric in a large cabinet in my studio. It is folded and stacked and this way I can pull certain fabrics and create by color. This retro green print just jumped out at me and I love the combined effect. I also added a bit of the green for the bias trim on the pockets. How could you not feel like a domestic goddess in this...

ArtBeat 2008

Zandra (Zeal) & I shared at tent at ArtBeat 2008 in Somerville. It was the first outdoor show for each of us and our first time setting up our new tent on our own. (We did a little trial run earlier in the week with a little coaching from the husbands and a couple glasses of wine to reduce stress...

Anyway, we decided to caravan to the event with the little British woman in my GPS system guiding us. She did a FABULOUS job getting us there, but then the confusion set in...driving around on blocked roads...shouting out our windows to try to find out where we were supposed to be...ignoring other cars honking at us for trying to drive by road barriers...you know a regular day in Boston traffic.

Anyway, we finally found our way in and were able to drive straight up to our assigned spot. We unloaded everything and found two great spots in a nearby parking lot and headed back to set up. We decided to tackle the tent first... yeah, maybe we should have brought our husbands... or some wine... I was crouched down on the ground setting up part of it, when I looked up at Z and was like "Does our spot smell like urine?" Oh, yeah... add a little 92 degree heat and that will wake you up in the morning. So, we decided that we need to start a book of favorite craft show quotes... to which we later added something along the lines of "I'm too sticky to sit on a toilet." But, maybe we should just keep those to ourselves.

So, we got our tent up and set up and as we would later find out there was a major screw missing in the structure of our tent and something was a bit wonky about the way we set it up. Fast forward to the end of the day when Z and I are trying to catch our flying merchandise... a 20 literally flew out of our cash box and across the street and we took turns holding one of the poles of the tent to stabilize it. But... despite all of that, we had an AWESOME day. There was tons of foot traffic and we met some really awesome people... caught up with old friends... and made new ones...

Swell...

I finally was able to cut into my "Swell" fabric by Urban Chicks... I love how the whole line works together and I added this cute red and white polka dot fabric as an additional accent. I'm seriously crushing over this apron and tempted to keep it for myself, but alas it will be for sale on Saturday and I will have to wait to make one for myself...

People have asked me if it is hard to not keep most of what I make... especially on pieces I invest a lot of time in. For some reason it isn't. I guess some of it comes down to the quantity of things that I make. What on earth would I do with 50 purses? Okay...bad example, but you get the point... Once in a while though I make a piece that I just can't resist... I will have to say that if this apron doesn't sell on Saturday I may just be making pancakes in it on Sunday morning...

Dish...

Does this ever happen to you? I'm sitting here designing some hang tags for the show this weekend and I start typing the word dish... I'm futzing with fonts and moving around the layout and suddenly it crosses my mind that I might have spelled "dish" wrong. Now I'm not exactly how I think it should be spelled and in addition to this I have this sneaking suspicion that "dish" isn't even a word... as if some wires crossed in my brain and I have suddenly invented a new word and everyone is going to pass by the booth on Saturday trying to figure out what "Retro - Dibnerbobben - Towels" are... Anyway, sadly I could not control myself from Googling "dish" and I have been reassured that I have the right spelling and that the word does exist. Nice...