Etsy Shop!

Etsy shop is finally here!

Lavender Dryer Bag

In an effort to minimize the use of chemicals around the house, I've decided to ditch dryer sheets all together and turn to some natural alternatives. Not only are they bad for your dryer (over time), but they are filled with heavy chemicals that coat your clothes and can absorb into your skin. Yuk.

I came across this fabulous article on tipnut about natural alternatives to laundry boosting. One option to replace dryer sheets is to add vinegar to the rinse cycle of the wash. This will reduce static and boost your laundry naturally. Another one that caught my attention is to use lavender dryer bags. I've made tons of lavender sachets in the past but never thought to throw one in the dryer. It's as simple as sewing a small pouch 3 1/2 sides around, stuffing it will dried lavender and hand stitching up the rest. It provides your clothes with a perfectly subtle scent that is clean and fresh.

My first sale - Eiffel Tower wine holder

My friend Cheryl is putting together a gift for a bride-to-be. The theme of her gift is Paris and wine (which is their honeymoon location).

I hand stitched the Eiffel Tower and used my sewing machine to create the rest.

inspire. design. create. love.

One of the greatest benefits to blogging is subscribing to other blogs. I know I don't post things very often on my own blog, but daily I am looking at my "dashboard" of new posts from design blogs I subscribe to. It encourages me and inspires me in so many ways. My mind has been bursting at the seam with new ideas on a daily basis. I had to put it all on paper, somewhere, so I created a "vision journal" (similar to the "vision board" idea). In this journal I have magazine spreads of beautiful rooms, printed out blog posts from design blogs, sketches of sewing projects, quotes and the occasional photo of a beautiful plate of food to inspire me to cook more. I suggest everyone do something like this!

Reusable Bag

Today I made a reusable shopping bag. The pattern is from morsbags.com. I am really into the idea of hand stitched words onto fabric. To me, it makes it look handmade, organic, comfortable.

First, I stitched the word shop

Then I sewed it to one of the soon-to-be side's of the bag

Then I cut everything out. The Fabric is from Ikea. I'm not big on patterns, but I love this one

Finished product!

Sewing

I was given a sewing machine last summer by my good friend Ailea. It has been sitting here starring at me, beckoning me and intimidating me for months now. Finally, I decided a few weeks before Christmas that I was going to take the plunge.

I went crazy with it! I made so many christmas presents, but only took pictures of a few. For Caleb's little cousins, I made matching aprons. One for Emmy (E) and one for Natalie (N).

This was one of my favorite. I made a pillow with soft fabric from Ikea. I hand stitched the "O" for Olivia (who is almost 2 years old) and filled the raised pocket with fresh dried lavender.

Paraffin-free Candles

I haven't posted in a veeeeery looooong time. Part of my excuse is due to the fact that the things I've been working on have been Christmas presents for people.

One of the things I learned from a fellow blogger, is the art of homemade candles. It is rewarding and there is an environmental benefit to this. Through my research, I've learned that most candles on the market contain a chemical called Paraffin. According to greenamericatoday.org, "Paraffin—a petroleum by product—releases carcinogenic soot when burned. The soot can also cause respiratory problems and will aggravate the conditions of those who already have asthma, lung, or heart problems". An alternative to this is Soy.

I went to Michaels and purchased a box of Microwavable Soy Wax, tin cans, and wicks. I had some dried fresh lavender and lavender essential oils.

First, I hot glued the wicks to the base of the tin cans.

I then microwaved the wax in a clean cottage cheese container (from my recycling container) and added about 10 drops of lavender essential oils.

Finally, I poured the wax into the containers and added some fresh lavender pieces. I chose to keep the wax white for aesthetics and to keep the amount of chemicals down. I propped the wax up with some toothpicks and let it sit for about an hour.

Finished product (pictures from candles made in Ikea containers)