bunny bag and general craftiness

It's been a good week as far as getting crafty goes, nothing too crazy but I will take any creative time I can get! So I made this cute little bunny bag, what follows isn't really a tutorial because it's a basic lined tote bag that you can find a million tutorials for out there on the web. I will offer you a tip on cutting burlap that is imperative. I am all about shortcuts and getting things done quickly but cutting burlap is where I follow the rules. After you measure where you would like to cut, find a strand that is at your cutting line

and gently ease it out of the fabric by bunching it and holding the strand while you smooth it back

If it breaks (and it probably will), just find the end and unweave it by pulling it out with a pin until you have a long enough thread to pull, bunch and smooth until it is free. Once it is out you will cut on that empty space and it will be a perfect straight cut.

I thought an aqua polka dot oilcloth bunny would be a cute idea. You can trace a shape onto the back or just wing it like I did.

I pinned this on (pins are a no-no for oilcloth but I am not about the rules today) and did a simple zigzag stitch around the edges.  I love the look of shiny oilcloth against the natural burlap! I happened to have a matching twill tape that I used for the straps and a cute floursack print for the lining.

That's it! Ready to give as an Easter gift. 

This week was Spirit week at my Julia's high school so we had to come up with different costumes every day, it's so much fun! Here are three:
Barnacle Boy

101 Dalmations

Tacky Florida Tourist

Not pictured are Green Alien and Star Wars day. 

My creative soul is happy. 

Pot Pourri for 50 Alex...



Golf green carrot cake

Life is just plowing along. My Bumble turned 50 last week and I was completely consumed with his surprise 50th birthday party. This was no easy feat considering I had almost no money and I was having the party in our house...BIG STRESS!

It was a success, a good time was had by all. Good friends, family, food and drinks...what more do you need?



secret recipe sangria



party food



kamakaze's, wine, beer, sangria, YUM.

And because I strive on stress and deadlines, I allowed myself to be nominated costume director for Seussical at Julia's school...a play that I know zilch about! Here are part of my bird girl costumes:

We have Horton, Cat in the Hat, circus animals, jungle animals, kangaroos,monkeys, oh my. I will manage somehow. Right? I have also taken a job caring for my eldery neighbors, Rose and Mary...I thought raising kids was tough, ha ha ha ha. Did I mention that I have jury duty next month? Enough whining already. Take a look at the coolest snowman ever:

He completely freaked me out every time I drove by and I drive by times a day.Bravo to the creators, it was fantastic!

my go-to dessert

I completely forgot about the supper meeting at Gabby's school tonight and I am supposed to bring a dessert. Normally I have at least 3 box mix baking options in my pantry for the late at night "mom, I forgot to tell you I need brownies for school tomorrow" emergencies, but my pantry is bare today. Luckily I always have some apples in the fridge and can whip up my mom's apple cake.

YUM! It is super easy and always delicious.

Speaking of Gabby, here is one of her senior portraits. What a beauty my girl is.

ps- my husband (aka my bumble) declared yesterday's stuffed peppers the best he ever had.

I love Halloween!

How cute is this? I'm not sure how exactly we came up with the idea but we always get a good one in mid-summer. So, how come if we get the idea in the summer, I am sewing the darn thing as we are walking out the door to a party?? I didn't actually sew much; a simple skirt, half apron, rickrack on a t-shirt and lace on socks. The bonnet was a purchase from a wonderful seamstress at GrandmasGirl on Etsy. I could have never made it even half as nice as Julianne did...this woman can sew!
I tied some fake grapes in a basket and we threw in some raisins just in case no one could figure out who she was supposed to be. As if!

We already have next year's costume planned but it's a secret.

overheard conversation

15 year old daughter sitting on porch waiting for her ride, her grandmother (my mom) sitting on the porch knitting.

Grandma- "Sam, how long before your ride gets here?"
Sam-"I don't know, they are running a little late"
Grandma-"Do you want to learn to knit?"
Sam- "why????"
Grandma-"Maybe someday when you have a boyfriend you can knit him a nice sweater"
Sam- silent and texting
Grandma-"what are you doing?"
Sam- "Asking Rachael to please hurry because my grandmother is threatening to teach me to knit"

nine today!

My baby is 9. Almost double digits. Nine years ago she was born during hurricane Floyd...which was actually downgraded to a tropical storm here in CT. I kept telling the nurse to get my doctor because I was ready to push and she told me it was too soon. The nurse told ME that I was not ready to push after I had done this twice before. Then she told me I could "push a little bit". hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Yeah, that was a good one- "push a little bit".
All of a sudden she saw my face was bright red in full "push" expression... Nurse Know-it-all went crazy screaming for my doctor. He barely made it in the room and never even got both gloves on before all 6lbs of squirmy Julia shot across the room. Seriously, she nearly fell on the floor, that's how fast she came out.

Happy birthday to my sweet girl!

We made these fun cupcake pops to bring into school- courtesy of Bakerella.com
They are a bit of work but well worth it. YUM!

Oh my!

What happened to my baby? She's growing up, that's what...I guess. I'm dealing.

Last night was a birthday party for one of her friends. This friend (not pictured) is a cancer survivor and her parents have the means to celebrate BIG every year for her birthday so you can only imagine how big her sweet 16 was!

It was at a fancy country club and all the girls were asked to dress in pink to party. I have never seen so many little pink dresses in one place ever, it was like pepto club.

While the girls were partying it up, the bumble and I actually went out. Without kids. Just 2 of us. Like adults.

We went to the theater and saw "Late Nite Catechism". I laughed so hard that my face hurt and my throat was sore. If it comes to your local theater, GO! Even if you aren't Catholic, you will laugh your ass off, I promise.
Other than that I have been trying to get some Halloween stuff made for the old Etsy shop.

I really have some catching up to do on your blogs, I feel like I've been gone for a while...
have a great week!

and they're off...

School's back for all 3 girls now. Talk about getting slammed back into life, sheesh! I feel like a hamster on a wheel, just running for my life and never going anywhere. It's hotter than hell here in CT, but the effects of Hurricane Hanna should blow all that away tomorrow. Luckily we aren't getting the full storm.
I'll be sitting in my leaky sewing room, sewing away again this weekend. I whipped up this cute little pincushion last week when I couldn't find mine.


Naturally, I found mine 30 seconds after finishing this one but a girl can never have too many!

What's everyone else doing this weekend?

fun!

Look what I found at Michael's last night:

Project Runway paper dolls! Julia and I Looooooooooove to watch Project Runway together. I only wish that there were Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and Michael Korrs dolls too. We are, erm... I mean Julia is going to have a lot of fun with these!

Stay tuned this weekend, I hope to have a new and exciting oilcloth item to announce!

not much new going on

Busy week of work, sewing, haircuts, rained out softball games, church carnival. We had a nice visit with the family last Sunday and went to see the gorgeous home where my sister was staying...WOW!



I managed to sneak in a trip to JoAnn's yesterday. Is it wrong that they run to me and hug me when I walk in?

these will make some cute baby blankets!

I made this little set yesterday, fun!

and look at my baby's big girl haircut, wah!

interruption-free

Julia spent the weekend on my brother's boat this weekend playing with her little cousin, the 2 big girls were out and about with friends, The Bumble was working, and just look at what I accomplished:


I actually sewed more lunchbags but they are more of the same.
It's amazing how much you can get done when no one is interrrupting you, I had forgotten what it is like...it's been over 15 years! I sat at my sewing machine for 12 hours on Saturday only leaving for coffee and a snack and to list Etsy items. It seemed like no time at all. I did miss my Julia, she is my constant companion and quite a chatterbox.

What did you do this weekend?

who knew?

I didn't!
Maybe this is old news for some of you but did you know that Walmart carries Martha Stewart crafts now??? it's true, look:

Julia wanted this cute little set and I couldn't say no. They also carry a lot of paper craft supplies; stamps, punches. glitter, ribbons, etc.
Awesome! Now I get to hide some crafty purchases in the walmart shopping trip where I buy my paper goods, snack foods and shampoo. Yes!

Just got worse...

So, I am hobbling aroung work yesterday (totally miserable with the boot)when the camp director calls me. Julia fell at camp and hurt her arm, they iced, splinted and slung it, gave her a slushy, but she should see a doctor.
After 3 hours of doctors and x-ray and a trip to a new orthopaedic (boot on, boot off, boot on, boot off, boot on, boot off, boot almost out the window...)


She's broke!
Poor Julia has a fractured wrist. What a sight we are together; like we survived a bus accident or something, sheesh!
Anyhow, she's a real trooper and isn't in a terrible amount of pain. The worst parts of the experience for her were that the boy she collided with didn't care that she got hurt (ouch!) and today is rollerskating day at camp and she has to stay home (double ouch!).
PS- yeah, that's sharpie marker all over her shirt, somebody missed. A lot.

Pressure!

Some people love to work under pressure. That kind of people is not me. I like to have some kind of a plan and an ample amount of time. I like to be finished with an assignment well before it is due. It helps me to sleep at night and also keeps me sane. This quilt needs to be finished by 2:00 next Sunday and is causing me a bit of anxiety! *breathes into a paper bag* This would be totally fine and it could be done if my world would stop for a few days.



On the other hand, I am glad that I won't have too much time with it because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it already and I will have a hard time parting with it. After sewing oilcloth every day for a year, it gives me so much pleasure to sink my sewing machine needle into cotton...don't get me wrong, I still loves me some oilcloth but it's not cotton, Amy Butler cotton at that. ahhhhhhhhhhhhh


It was another busy week here at Rick Rack Central; lunch bags are selling, dance recital, softball, summer work party and xrays and doctors appt that I will fill you in on after Monday's visit.