$1.50 Self Esteem Booster

So, this is a big one for me. I don't post pictures of myself on the internet much, or really at all. I tend to hate pretty much all pictures of myself. You see, I have really horrible self esteem when it comes to my body. I've been on the heavier / curvier side almost my whole life and I've always hated it. Kid's on the bus tormented me in junior high and there were so many tears then and in high school and even sometimes now because I wish I looked different. I find that I'm constantly comparing myself to other, thinner, taller women and making myself miserable. I think I feel ten times bigger than I actually am. But, the older I get the more and more I'm realizing that life is just too damned short to be constantly wishing you were someone that you're not and unhappy with the way you look. I LOVE clothes and retro, vintage fashion but I'm horrible at dressing myself because it's hard to find vintage things that fit the way they should. I tend to just give up and resort back to my comfy pj's, looking frumpy and honestly that just makes me grumpy. I'm learning to embrace my faults and move on. I've got cellulite (oh, oodles of it) a flabby tummy from my beautiful babes, stretch marks galore and more curves than the law allows. There's nothing better than feeling good about yourself and I've decided that I need to devote more time to helping the inner me feel good about the outer me.

This adorable little shirt I scored at the Salvation Army for $1.50 is a really great step in the right direction. Seriously, isn't it so cute!? I feel so "kicky" today. I love the aqua gingham so much, it's perfect for spring and it fits me perfectly. All of the sewing for my girls this week has me so excited to sew some things for myself that actually fit. I've got so much confidence now in my sewing skills. I've taken the time to do some really honest measuring and analyzing of my body to figure out why I've failed in the past and how to adjust patterns to fit my shape moving forward. I've made a commitment to only buying used or handmade clothes or making them myself. I've spent way too much money in the past on cheap, cheaply made clothes that fall apart after two washes. Enough I say. Just writing this has made me feel a gazillion times better, sharing my faults and insecurities makes them seem less important in the grand scheme of life and I think that's just what I need.

May Flowers

I'm a bit behind on sharing this with you. I had actually completely forgotten that we had entered a new month. Is it just me, or did April go by at super speed? Time, you need to slow down a bit so I can enjoy you a little more.

I thought this new flower medallion design was perfect for the May calendar and I had a request for red and teal which I was more than happy to go along with. Something bright, fresh and airy seemed like just the ticket. I hope you enjoy it!

(Click the size that best fits your monitor to download)

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Also, I'd love ideas / requests for upcoming months. I'm going to try to knock a bunch out ahead of time so I don't forget again! :)

Kid's Clothes Tutorials and Inspiration

Hi all! I'm deep in the thick of sewing for my kiddlets over here. Kid's Clothes Week doesn't officially kick off until next week but since I have two little girls to sew for I'm creating my own two week challenge. This week is being devoted to making clothes for my big girl, who's turning 6 next month. (Where does the time go!?) She's the challenging one because she's started forming her own opinions about what she likes to wear and what she "will get laughed at" for. It's sad that already at 6 there's peer pressure to have "cool clothes". I may be weird but I can't stand clothes with big giant brands on them or how on so many kid's items they slap licensed characters on them to appeal to the kids. It drives me nuts. I've noticed that really avoiding that stuff lately and just giving my girl basics, she's developing this awesome sense of style that's all her own. It's quirky and colorful and I love it! We've had numerous lengthy discussions about color choices and styles. I think the list of what I'm making should all be winners and I can't wait to share them with you at the end of the week!

I had originally planned to do a little roundup of some of the free tutorials that I've found lately but when I hopped over to the Elsie Marley blog yesterday she's done just that thing. And she's done it really beautifully! So, I thought I would just point you to her site for loads of gorgeous inspiration. Not just for girls but for boys too! So check it out and get inspired!

Craft Saturday and some Miscellaneous Thoughts

I'm so behind in posting about this but I figure better late than never! I was honored to be able to participate in a super great craft show a few weekends ago in Des Moines, IA. It was my first ever show and I had such a great time that I'm so excited for future markets. Danelle (MonsterFashion) did such an amazing job of curating the show and it was nothing but high quality unique booths. Everyone was so nice and so much fun to talk to. Check out all of the amazing vendors here and I hope you'll take a look at each of their sites. I loved meeting everyone and it's so true that there's nothing that can replace that "face time". Working from home can be so isolating and being able to get out and actually talk with like-minded people was so refreshing. Here's a little look at what my booth looked like. I was really happy with how it turned out. It was super simple to set up and it felt like my house, just like I wanted it too. I think I'll stick with this general theme for the farmer's markets this summer just on a little larger scale.

Speaking of the markets, those of you that follow me on Twitter may have heard me complaining last week about my insurance woes. In order to participate in my local farmer's markets they require insurance to cover any accidents that may occur in a vendor booth. I've been having a heck of a time trying to find a company that will insure me. No one it seems wants to insure crafters that make things for kid's. This has something to do with the new super strict federal laws and it doesn't matter if I tell them that all of my items follow CPSIA guidelines, they just don't want to take the risk. I could go on and on about how ridiculous these new laws are but I'm honestly tired of thinking about it and just don't want to be negative. I think I may have finally found a local company that will insure me for the markets but this whole things has me thinking about what I make in general. I'm so happy with what I'm making right now, it all feels so right. The new laws will not begin to be enforced until next year so I have some time to continue what I'm doing. But, thinking ahead there may be a shift in some of the items I offer. Maybe I'll have doll / bib kits instead of the actual dolls and bibs, (Thanks Michelle for that amazing idea!) Behind the scenes for awhile I've been working on fabric designs and working on screen printing my own fabric for use in the items I make. I'm thinking soon I'll be listing some of the fabric for sale so we'll see how that goes. There are already so many amazingly talented fabric designers / printers out there that I'm a little scared to jump into that pool. I'm not really sure what the future holds and I'm not rushing to make any decisions. I've always just made what felt right to me at the moment and not made any solid plans. The shop has always evolved organically and really reflects my current passions and I really want to keep it that way. Just a little update on where my head is at these days.

In other news, I've begun my two week Kid's Clothes Challenge and I'm having an absolute blast! I'll try to share some tutorials I've found with you this week and some pics of finished clothes.

Happy Monday!