Notes from the Patch

It's all in the detail

We recently received these gorgeous mother of pearl buttons.

I seriously doubt that I will ever be able to use mine - they are just too pretty the way they are.

We get a lot of requests for good sew in labels and these remind me of ones you might see in fine couture creations.

And these ribbons? They made the drive to Los Angeles worth the trip just to find these. (This is how I get my jollys folks).

The letters are stitched in - not printed.

They remind me of these antique french laundry tags that they would sew into garments to identify your laundry from someone else's.

I'm thinking any of these magnificent accoutrement's would make a wonderful gift for someone who appreciates fine detail.

Encourage one another,

 

 

Playing with dolls

This weekend I

gave some of my doll dishes a new look.

Encourage one another,

 

A fun way to serve milk and cookies

 We served milk and cookies at the store a few weeks ago and found these cute mini milk bottles here. They make something as simple as milk and cookies seem extra festive and special.

You can find the stripey paper straws in every imaginable color there too.

Fun for kids and those of us just wanting to feel like kids again.

Why not impress Santa with a mini bottle of milk to go with his cookies this year? 

Oh, and just in case you didn't know, paper straws are pretty much my life. I've been working on my Pinterest boards lately and started one just for straws. Check it out.

Cheers!

Encourage one another,

 

More chips

I've been on a pretty steady diet of potato chips lately. Not the deep fried kind, but those little no-brainer-sewing-project kind that starts with just one, then suddenly explodes into something ridiculously out of control. I've learned a lot about the creative process over the pass few weeks and how new ideas and fabric combinations evolve through repetition - lots of repetition - and some trial and error. I've learned a little about myself too. I've learned that I can be a bit (ahem) compulsive and often before I come to my senses I will find myself surrounded by piles of my new favorite project.

Most mornings before work I sneak up the stairs to my sewing room for an hour or so, then around five o'clock I duck out of work early to return home to sew. I blame this uncharacteristic obsession partly on my clean and organized sewing space. It simply makes me happy and creating there feels really, really, good.

So with a little luck there will be another Tutorial Tuesday post next week. For those who are counting - that's three weeks in a row (a new record for me I think). I know these projects (zippered pouches and tissue holders) aren't all that exciting for most of you but you must admit that they are fast and fun and if they somehow motivate just one of you to make some extra time for your happy place then my job here is done.

What do you have planned for the long holiday weekend? I know I'll be sewing.

Encourage one another,

 

Favorite Things - Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Whenever Bill and I are lucky enough to be in France, our favorite morning ritual is to order room service and linger over a pot of strong coffee with hot milk and chocolate croissants. We justify the extra fat grams by all the walking we do during a full day of shopping and site seeing.

I recently found these at Trader Joe's.

Four little frozen bundles of flaky, chocolaty, buttery goodness.

Goodness!

They are perfect for when you have overnight guests or want something special for breakfast. You just pull them from the freezer the night before to let them rise. Then, in the morning, pop them into the oven for about twenty minutes. As they bake they fill the house with the most wonderful yeasty aroma.

Bill and I agree that they are every bit as good as any chocolate croissant we had in Paris. (Sorry France. Now we like our California red wine and our TJ croissants better than yours).

At $3.99 for a box of four they're way cheaper than the French version too!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to take a very long walk.

Encourage one another,

 

Favorite Things - Clarisonic Brush

 

My mother had beautiful skin. She looked amazing and except for that one top secret trip in the sixties to a plastic surgeon in an undisclosed location for a little nip and tuck, she did nothing but cream her face every night before bed. That's right. She never washed her face but simply creamed the days dirt and grime away. Religiously. Somehow that dedication to skin care skipped a generation (along with the big boobs, but that's subject for another post).

Anyway, now that it's basically too late, I decided to take care of my skin. A few years ago I purchased a Clarisonic Brush after reading about it on someones blog. (I'm easily influenced by promises of miraculous cures for aging skin and I have a drawer full of bogus, partially used skin care products to prove it).

Back to  the Clarisonic Brush. I purchased one at Nordstrom (you can also get them on line here) and immediately loved it. It's like a mini trip to the spa every time I use it. Since it's cordless and waterproof I take it into the shower with me and enjoy my 60 second facial as I watch the years go down the drain. (Just kidding about that last part, but I do think I look pretty good for ninety seven). My skin is feeling softer and smoother and it's a great way to start the day. I love it so much I even give it a good charge and travel with it. It's additive, I tell you.

My only regret is that I didn't start using my Clarisonic Brush years ago before all this damage was done. It's a bit of an indulgence but totally worth the investment. It's one skin care purchase that I actually look forward to using!

Encourage one another,