Friday, June 14, 2013

It’s the Little Things

Well, it is, isn’t it?  I don’t always remember to keep my Five Good Things journal everyday, but most days I like to write down what makes me happy.  Sometimes it’s the big things (like a five year clear on my own true love’s cancer screening), but we live a pretty quiet life.  We just don’t get a lot of big things going on.  So, usually, it’s the little things.  It’s the gorgeous shade of green on the leaves of the honey locust in Spring.  It’s warm weather.  It’s summer vacation (okay, that’s a pretty big thing: no class plans, no classes, no papers to grade . . .  huge).  It’s the big grin on Mr. Cooper’s face when it’s time for his walk.

And it’s settling down in the sewing room again after another long hiatus.  I usually get back in pretty slow – those small projects I love. 

Is it just me?  I have a sewing room full of fat quarters.  And I have more unfinished projects, both large and small, than I have the moral fortitude to count.  I have to gear myself up to face them.  Really, I do.  So I begin with little things.  It makes me happy to use up some of those fat quarters: to turn them from just another piece of fabric stuffed in a drawer into a something, a useable something.

Which is why I have more pen wraps in my Etsy shop.  Because I love using bits and pieces and having something to show for it.

And then, because it isn’t all pens all the time (though it’s close), I also made up a little dog treat bag using my tutorial (linked on the side of the page if you’re interested).

Cooper says, “Hey, I saw what you just put in that little bag.  All right, then!  Let’s go!!”

Little things that make me happy: flowers in bloom on the deck, green grass, green leaves on the trees, that happy face.  Because Cooper?  He makes me smile every day.  He’s actually one of the big things.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

More of the Pen Wraps

I love how these use up bits and pieces of my fat quarters.  Plus, easy and and fun to sew.  Here’s a look at the ones I sewed up yesterday.

I love this one with the beautiful Japanese fabric I bought years ago and haven’t known what to do with.  It’s just perfect for the pen wrap.

And then, some pretty in pink!

Fun times.  I have these listed in my Etsy Shop.

Fountain Pen Wrap Giveaway

I’ve been having fun in the sewing room!  Pen wraps are propagating . . . this one I’m giving away.
Here’s the interior.

And here it is with some of my pens inside and all wrapped up.

All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment.  I’ll leave comments open until Friday evening around nine or so mountain standard time.  Then we’ll let Mr. Random Number Generator decide where the pen wrap is going.  I’m willing to ship international, so go ahead and enter if you are overseas.
(Side note on that though: I can’t guarantee when it will arrive.  I sent a mini quilt to Brazil the beginning of April and it still hasn’t arrived.)
I should probably clarify: the giveaway is for the wrap.  The pens stay home with me!
If you are interested, I have also listed some fountain pen wraps in my Etsy shop.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Fountain Pen Wrap

There’s always room for a new fascination and a new love, isn’t there?  And if you love to read and love to write, all things pen and paper make the list.  Lately, I’ve once again gotten back into fountain pens (more on that another day).

But, here’s the thing, if you have cool pens, then you need something cool to carry them in!  In this, as in all things fountain pen related, the Fountain Pen Network provided inspiration. 

So, here it is, my new pen case.

All wrapped up:

And with the wrap open and the protective flap down:

And with the flap up.  Check out the happy pens!

Given my addiction to little sewing projects, this is clearly going to be just the first of many.

How about you?  What’s humming in your sewing room these days?