Good music and a short hiatus

Lately the only music I ever want to listen to is anything soothing, relaxing, or inspirational. You know the genre--George Winston, Enya, MoTab, classical (I love a good pianist playing Chopin) and I'll add Hilary Weeks because I love her. I seem to have been in this mood for days and weeks. Luckily, my inherited ipod came with a playlist called "relaxing" that was put together by Alisa for just these times of life. Thanks, Lis.

If you've noticed, I haven't been nurturing my blog very well these days. The posts have become fewer and far between. Well, I've decided to take a short sabbatical from blogging. I'll be back soon.

Oh, how I dislike cold

Dear Rabbit,
Please save me a little bit of winter for when I wake up.
Love, Hedgehog.
"I've written it down so you won't forget," said Hedgehog. "Please save me a little bit of winter."
"But why?"said Rabbit.
"Because I want to know what winter feels like," said Hedgehog.
"Winter is hard and white," said Rabbit. " Winter is cold."
"But what is cold?" said Hedgehog.

Oh how I wish I were Hedgehog and didn't know what cold felt like.

Now, in my town, I can't say that winter feels hard and white, but it is definitely cold. Today was the first day I turned on the heater and felt I couldn't get warm all day long. There is a chill in the air and unfortunately it is here to stay. Sniff. Sniff. I hate the cold. I even always hate getting out of the shower because the air outside of the shower is so. much. colder.

If I were an animal, I would definitely choose to be a hibernating animal. Think of it--sleep and warmth the whole winter long; then you wake up and spring has arrived.

In this cute story poor little non-hibernating Rabbit gets left in the cold to miss his friend Hedgehog while he sleeps away the winter. He's lonely and hungry and can't wait for spring to arrive. Rabbit wraps up a snowball in leaves and saves it for Hedgehog.

Hedgehog stared at the snowball.
It looked like winter.
Hedgehog sniffed the snowball
It smelled like winter.
Hedgehog grasped the snowball in his paws.
"Ouch,"he cried. "It bit me."
"That," said Rabbit, "is what winter feels like."

I couldn't agree more.

**I know, this post is a bit premature--I should be writing it in the middle of February when the winter blues are in full force and it seems spring will never arrive. Don't worry, I'll repost it then to remind myself and you all how much I hate the cold.

Monday Fun Find #14 & Reduce what you use: cloth napkins

This is a combo post, as I've been meaning to do another segment of "Reduce what you use" for some time now.

So, today, reduce what you use by switching from disposable to cloth napkins for everyday meals. About six months ago we ran out of our trusty package of Zee napkins and instead of buying another, I decided to pull out the various sets of cloth napkins we received as wedding gifts and actually use them.

What is the point of having sets of cloth napkins in your cupboards waiting for a "special occasion" all the while filling the landfill with disposable napkins after every meal? We decided that in our house, every meal can be that special occasion and we've been using the cloth substitutes ever since.

We've even realized that they don't need to be washed after every meal--they are good for several. I promise I wash them when they need it--but even that isn't a hassle at all. I mean, you're washing dish towels and dish rags, right? Just throw in your napkins!

My good friend Amy makes beautiful cloth napkins--many people stopped to admire her handiwork when we tried our luck at the Eugene Saturday Market earlier this year. I would prefer to showcase her napkins for the Monday Fun Find, but she hasn't quite set herself up on Etsy quite yet. (hint hint, Amy). (If you click on that link and the bad picture of us in that post, you can catch a glimpse of her napkins, or you can see them close-up here or here)

It's interesting--there actually aren't an overwhelming amount of cloth napkin makers on Etsy right now--just a few select sellers whose napkins are all very different from each other.

I will showcase one set I really liked here:

This is a set of 6 napkins made of tan medium-weight cotton and accented with a blue batik. They are made by Bren of goodkarma, a fellow member of teamecoetsy. She has a variety of unique, and well-crafted items in her shop, all made with great attention to detail.

Happy Monday!

Comment Solicitors

Call this a rant, or whatever you will--maybe I'm in a whining mood because I don't feel very good--but I've decided lately that I don't like when there is a question posed at the end of a blog post. I'll be reading along, enjoying what the author has to say about saving a penny, budgeting, party-planning, you name it, and then at the end they ask something like, "What about you? What do you do to save a penny?"

I think I may be guilty of this myself--perhaps in my early days of blogging I was a little desperate for comments or something (I mean, comments are one of the great things about blogging), but after spending some time in the blogging world and collecting a pretty significant list of blogs that I read daily, I've decided that asking a question at the end of a post just bugs me. If people want to comment, they will comment--asking the question just makes people feel like they have to and makes the author seem too desperate.

If you like to ask questions at the end of your post--please still do it. Don't let my annoying rant stop you (like it would anyway). I try not to be negative on the blog, but I'm breaking my rule today.

What about you? Do you like to read a question at the end of a blog post?
KIDDING. DON'T ANSWER THAT!

A great client

For the past few months I have been sewing bags and bags and bags for my best and favorite client, Ellen, of Classichound. Have you been to her website? She sells beautiful handmade collars and leashes for "fashion hounds and their people."

I'll admit (sorry Ellen!) that I have never been a huge dog lover. In fact, my husband will tell you that I'm still scared of all dogs even as an adult. That is not altogether true. Occasionally a dog makes me nervous, and somehow I passed my fear onto my boys, which makes me sad, but that is a topic for another day.

So, that said, learning more about what Ellen does through Classichound and Handmade4hounds (the Etsy street team she started to raise awareness and money for greyhound adoption) has made me appreciate dogs, dog lovers, and especially greyhounds for their beauty and unique body shape, more than ever before. (I still don't want to own a dog, but that is mostly because of an aversion to picking up their poop)

"Their unique body shape?," you ask? After cutting out and sewing on many greyhounds on these fabulous bags, designed by Ellen herself. . .(the grey ones are all sold out--sorry, but this one above, and several others can be found here)

. . .I have come to appreciate what a beautiful dog a greyhound really is.

I'm so glad that I met Ellen (thanks Tara!) and have been able to form such a comfortable, successful working relationship with her. Thanks to her and these bags, I have been able to expand my sewing skills--especially in applique!

She sends me boxes of beautiful Amy Butler, Michael Miller, and Alexander Henry fabrics, and I get to sew them. What more could a seamstress ask for?

Monday Fun Find #13

Monday Fun Find is one day late this week. . .

Since Halloween is just around the corner, I thought I'd suggest an idea for any little girl who wants wants to be a princess AND for her mother who wants a costume that will have a second life as a warm, cozy nightgown after Halloween.

The one pictured here is for a Snow White costume/nightgown, but Melanie also makes them in yellow (Belle), pink (any princess), blue (Cinderella or Wendy), or white (angel, Sleeping Beauty).

The nightgowns are made of flannel-backed satin, a unique, soft and silky fabric and are beautifully sewn. She has a variety of sizes available. Check out her Etsy shop for a sizing chart.

Happy Monday!

Sew, Mama, Sew

One blog I read daily is Sew, Mama, Sew! Kristin, the creator of the blog, owns an online shop selling beautiful fabric. The great blog authors are often posting neat tutorials, projects, and sewing tips, and they also have a fabulous forum where you can ask and answer all questions sewing-related.

Today, my storage basket liner tutorial is featured on the blog. Check it out here. I have wanted to do an online tutorial for a long time now. And now, here it is!