My great-grandmother’s name was Linnie.  She was born in 1890 and died when I was seven.  I remember going to visit her when I was little at the family’s old homeplace about five miles from my house.  She wore house dresses and put snuff in her bottom lip and I loved playing with all the cats that lived outside.

When I was a teenager my mom would tell me about her.  Her mother had died when she was a child.  She and her two sisters were lately sexually abused by their father so her grandfather took them and raised them.  When she married she became a wealthy woman, but her husband was killed in a buggy accident.  Her next husband was a kind, but poor, farmer–my great-grandfather.  She had six children later in life and five survived infancy.  She worked hard in the fields like a man since her husband had lost one of his arms while helping to build the railroad in Georgia.  She made everything her family needed, including sewing their clothing from feed sacks.   As her children grew up and moved away (but all within 30 miles) she retired to her chair.  She sewed, embroidered, crocheted, and tatted.

She made this pincushion for my mother when she was in high school, around 1965.  She tore up one of her old dresses for the fabric and because she didn’t have a sewing machine (and hadn’t in years), she sewed it all by hand.  In some places you can see those beautiful little stitches.

Every time I sew I use this pin cushion. It makes me wonder if Granny knew when she made this that her great-granddaughter would use it almost fifty years later.  And maybe that’s why I love to sew so much.  I know that not everything I make will last for four generations like this little pincushion, but I do have hope that some of the things I make for MM she will keep.  And that maybe, just maybe, in fifty years my great-granddaughter will wear a dress, or a pair of pants, or a pinafore I made for her grandmother when she was a baby a long, long time ago in 2010.

Lately I’ve been seeing precious fabric flowers everywhere and while, yes, I admit I bought a few of those shirts for MM, I realized they were basically just plain tees with fabric attached.  And a bigger price tag attached too.

So Sunday afternoon as MM napped I watched a Tivo’d episode of Project Runway and made her one with a $3.50 tee from Wal-mart and fabric scraps and supplies I had around the house.  If you have needle, thread, fabric scraps, and scissors you can make this shirt–and no complicated sewing involved!

First, you have to the right size round objects for your template.  I found a top to a sugar dish, a top to a candle, and part of the top to one of MM’s sippy cups to be the fabric flowers pattern.

Next, I traced them (using a green highlighter on the wrong side of the fabric–hey, I had to improvise since all my sewing stuff is at my parents’!).   Cut out at least two of each size.  A couple of my flowers actually had four circles inside them to make them look fuller.  It’s not important (at all!) if your circles are cut perfectly since you won’t be able to tell.

Take your stack of circles (the largest one, then the middle, then the smallest on the outside) and fold in half like a taco.

Stitch four or five stitches across the bottom.  (I wish I had used thread that would show up better) Unfold your “taco”.  Of course, Vivi was there to supervise.

Fold it a different way to make a different taco.  Make four to five stitches.

Unfold it and make it a different fold (another “taco”) and stitch using four - five stitchs.  Do this as many times as you want –the more you do, the fuller your flower will look, like this:

Once you do that with all your flowers (I did three flowers for this 24-month shirt) you’re ready to sew them on the shirt.

You know, actually you could just put a safety pin through the back of each flower and then you could use them on different shirts, hairbows, pants, bags, etc.  I just thought of that, hmmm…

Anyway, now is the time to sew it on your shirt.  I did mine in between the neck and shoulder.

And that’s how you make a pretty posh little t-shirt for $3.50.

And this is when you KNOW your model has had enough of the pictures:

Last night I had dinner with three of my sorority sisters who I haven’t seen in over six months.  Eight of us were supposed to go to the mountains this weekend, but got snowed out.  It looks like we’re going to the beach in a couple of months instead.  I am so excited thrilled about that girls-only trip I can’t even explain it.  I miss my close friends–those girls that truly know me best–so much.  I cannot wait to spend a whole weekend at the beach gossiping and laughing with them like old times.

This past week I made a coupon holder.  It took me all of thirty minutes from start to finish and it fits perfectly in my purse.  It’s great for organizing all those baby-product coupons that I have.  I’ll post a tutorial about it one day this week because even the most beginner sewer can make one, I promise.

MM is a full-time walker now.  It became official yesterday.

Mother and I were talking about it yesterday and she said this just shows how much she’s growing up.  Then she said something that made me cry.  She said, ‘Just hold her every time you can, okay?  Because if I knew the last time I held you was the last time I would ever hold you I would have done it for a long, long time.’

And that is so true.  Her crawling chapter is over and now walking begins.  Hopefully I’ve taken enough videos of her crawling so that one day when I forget just how cute she was crawling around everywhere I can look back at those and remember.

The first Friday in March last year I went back to work after being gone exactly 19 weeks.  Yes, almost five months.  Those eleven weeks of bedrest crept by, but once my maternity leave began time began to fly.  Every day I thought about returning to work.  Every day I pushed it to the back of my mind.

I could not bare to think about it.  And when I thought about it huge tears would instantly fall down my cheeks–it didn’t matter where I was.  I would cry about leaving my baby anywhere–on the couch watching TV at night, in the car, in the pediatrician’s office.

{I never was one of those women who was dead set on being a stay-at-home-mother.  Quite the contrary, actually.  I always assumed I would “just” go back to work after my maternity leave.  Simple as that.}

C. had an overnight work trip the day before I was to return to work so my mother spent the night.  I’ll never, ever forget that morning as long as I live.  I got dressed in total darkness so as to not wake my mom or the baby who were in the room and the whole time was willing myself not to cry.

I made it as far as the hallway before I doubled over and cried what I can only describe as animal-like sobs.  I really felt like my heart was broken.

People say it gets easier–Lord knows, I’ve heard that a million times this past year–but it doesn’t.  It may get routine, but it does not get any easier to leave your child.

But you know, it’s going to make this coming summer so much more of a blessing to me.  I am going to appreciate, treasure, and not take for granted the days I get to spend with her.  Yes, I’ll still be working forty-hour weeks every other week, but for half of my life I will be a stay-at-home mom.

We can spend the days in our pajamas if we want.  We can take our time eating breakfast.  We can slide down her play slide over and over and over.  We can take naps together.  We can go to Chick-Fil-A for lunch just because we want to.  We can go to the indoor pool in the middle of the day.  We can build forts and bake cookies and cuddle.  I’m crying just thinking about how wonderful it’s going to be.

I think that’s why God had me wait seventeen months for it to happen–so I could realize just how precious a gift it is to be with your child.

Last year my mother bought MM a pinafore made from vintage linens and capris to match (at Green Pomegranate, of course).  Some people also call them smocks.  Basically it’s a sleevless shirt-type garment that crosses the back and buttons at the shoulder.

My mom said she used to wear them when she was little and they called them “day aprons”.  Mothers would put them over their clothes to keep their daughter’s dress from getting messy.

Isn’t that a fabulous idea?  I thought so!

So two days ago on my wonderful snow day off from work, Mother and I ventured into the basement to work during MM’s naps.  {My sewing “studio”–hehe–is in my parents’ basement since my own basement is a dirt basement with scary old pipes and a 100 year old boiler–yikes}  We took MM’s pinafore that fit her and made a pattern.  I don’t know how to do all those fancy-schmancy .pdf patterns I see everywhere, but here’s one that’s looks pretty similar.

With our first pinafore–the one MM was wearing in my last post–we used two Alexander Henry fabrics that I’ve been saving for a fun project.  With our second pinafore (the one seen here) we used some fabric I liked at Hobby Lobby that was 30% off.

After we she cut it out she put right sides together and pinned.  {She’s the official fabric cutter and I’m usually off working on another project at the time}

After I pin right sides together I sew.  I usually do a pretty small seam allowance–1/2″ and no more.

Then I turned it inside out and ironed.  If you ever sew anything you must know one thing: the iron is your best friend (with pins a close second). 

Finish the garment with a 1/8″ stitch around the edge to close the opening.

After that it’s time for buttons!  I use vintage buttons from my collections, but any buttons will do.  Thankfully I have two sewing machines that can do automatic (”sensor”) button holes for you because I could *never* do that stitching on my own.

Finally, you sew on your buttons and taa-daa! your day apron is complete.

I also find that since MM drools a lot–and has been since she was 8 weeks old, will it ever stop?!–this is like a big bib for her too.  So it keeps her clothes clean and the drool away…perfect in my book.

I don’t have anything to share really tonight other than this:

I took it this morning because I didn’t have to be at work until 10 (snow delay).  I love being able to wake up, eat breakfast with, and get dressed with MM.  I can’t wait ’til May when I get to do it more.  She’s such a sweet, funny, little cuddly bear in the mornings and I love that.

Yesterday I had a full day off due to the snow and during MM’s naps I sewed to my heart’s content.  I made her two shirts (a bird and a bunny), a bib (an owl), three gifts, a coupon organizer, and a pinafore.  In fact, I think I’m going to post my first tutorial on how to sew a pinafore tomorrow.  How exciting!

Here she is in her pinafore that I made.  My baby’s hair may be turning into a mullet, but at least it’s starting to curl!

Here is the finished mudroom in all its glory.  There’s still things I would like to do–possibly a roman shade in this funky print to match the ceiling, but for now I’m infinitely happy.

Everything is just perfect.  I’ve done seven loads of laundry with the countertop and I don’t know what I did without it.  It makes the whole laundry process so much easier–from sorting, to letting things air dry, to folding.  And we did it all for $47 for the legs and $69 for the countertop.  That was the best $100 plus change I’ve ever spent.  And speaking of getting the most for your money, I love Ikea’s organizational systems.  Our whole laundry set came from there and it is so well made and easy to put together.

And I love this little rolling cart too.  We got it to disguise the dryer vent, but I also love all the extra storage–including twelve rolls of toilet paper for the downstairs bath…and Vivi’s leash, to boot!

I have a love for homemade laundry detergent and I store it in these two jars that are Martha Stewart via her mail order catalog, circa 1991.

And because I always keep it real, there’s a load in the dryer, a load in the washer, and one waiting to go in.  For such a small family we sure go through the clothes!

 And Miss MM is feeling better too which is such a relief.  It turns out she had Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease which she also gave to C., my parents, and myself.  {C. got the high fever + sore throat.  The only thing I got were the *painful* red bumps on my hands and feet.}  Fun times.  Yesterday she smiled for the first time in five days.  It was a beautiful.

I’ve always thought of myself as pretty technology-savvy or at the very least, current with technology.  But last week I discovered Google Reader and it floored me.  Do you realize (and I’m sure you all do!) that you can bookmark your favorite blogs/websites and then just go to one place everyday and read them all?  Wow…instead of clicking on links or going through my Bookmark menu, I can just go to the Reader homepage and they’re there…pictures and all.And now that it’s so easy to read blogs, do you have any suggestions for some that I should add to my Google Reader?

As you can see MM is walking more these days.  She’s been taking 3+ steps at a time since she was 10 months and everyone told us we were going to have an early walker.  And that was almost four months ago…haha.  The doctor says it’s because she is so tall her center of balance is off.  She does seem to be walking more (10+ steps, across rooms) this weekend though, so we’ll see… 

I think collecting goes hand-in-hand with an old house owner/lover or someone who loves history.  Nothing is more fun that being “on the hunt” for something at an antiques market…well, nothing is more fun UNTIL you actually find what you’re looking for AND it’s cheap–now, *that* is a pure adrenaline rush.  My best find?  I was looking through old cardboard boxes of junk, real junk.  At the bottom I spy glass.  I pull out a 2′ tall antique etched mirror with gesso frame…for $5.  That same mirror easily goes for $300 on ebay.  I was euphoric for a month over that find!

So without further adieu and in no particular order because I can’t even begin to rank them, here are the things I collect (which means, “Here Are The Things I Look For When We Go Junking/Antiquing”).  These collections are in varying size–some I just have one of two (like my pair of alabaster lamps) while others I have more…a lot more.  I think you can’t define collections by the mere number you have but the fact that you are always looking for more.  In my case it’s that I’m looking for more while on a tight budget.  Sure, I could fill my house with milk glass compotes right now on ebay if I wanted to, but since I won’t pay more than $5 even for Fenton…well, it’s more about the hunt.  You know what I mean?

• Shiny Brite ornaments from the 40s and 50s
• Johnson Brothers’ Barnyard King serving pieces.  Even though this is clearly a Thanksgiving-themed piece I keep it on display all year in our foyer.

• Milk glass compotes
• Bakelite Clocks

• Old wooden fruit and ammunition shipping containers (this one is storage for Vivi’s toys)

• Antique (primitive) hooked rugs
• Large silver serving pieces (preferrably with engraved dates from the 10s)

• Vaseline glass
• Transferware and most especially the Grindley Malta china pattern from 1887 (the one on the right was a gift from my Mama Grace and had been in her family since the pattern was put on the market)

• Tramp art
• Old family photographs

• Vintage children’s clothes
• Heywood-Wakefield wicker that still have the original paint and tags on the bottom (this is probably the hardest of all my collections to find…this is probably the most popular thing I collect and has become *very* hard to find it at a bargain…sigh)

• Gesso (wood-framed) etched mirrors

• Alabaster lamps

And since there’s so many collections in this china cabinet I thought I’d just take a picture and label them.

And I’m really, really thinking I might start to collect old trophies (from the 20s and before) soon.  I’ve been wanting to for years.I also collect original paintings of my little town that artists do during the Plein Air festival every spring.  That is my most expensive collecting hobby right there though and the reason I only have three (including this one of our house).

What I really love about collections are the memories they bring.  Each one of these things brings back so many memories–not only where I was when I got them, but where they’ve sat in our house(s), and what I was doing at that point in my life.  Some of them people have given me and that brings so many special memories too.  For instance, that huge turkey platter in one of the top photographs?  C. gave me that for my birthday in 2006.  That family photograph of the people around the table outside (my grandfather is in the front with his arms around his cousin and brother)?  My cousin, Denise gave it to me.  Some of those champagne glasses were C.’s great-grandparents’.  And they all mean the world to me.

So, what do you collect?