Home & Family

  • Trick-or-Eat!

    ByHeather Bailey

    Announcing

    Halloween is coming right up. Charlotte will flit around as a 'Bat Fairy' and Elijah is ready to skip the costume this year — he's in junior high now. I'm sure he'll help eat the candy though.

    In celebration, on Monday, the 26th, I'm decking the halls with HoWls of fOlly
    for a Halloween Block Party with eight of the web's best food &
    lifestyle bloggers. Nine virtual haunted houses of culinary,
    craftiverous surprises await. Which of your favorite bloggers lurks at
    each haunted dwelling? What have the hosts and ghostesses prepared?

    Visit my blog on Monday — if you dare.

  • |

    Re-Entry

    ByHeather Bailey

    I'm back from Market and restoring sanity at home — and
    cleanliness. My kids kissed me awake yesterday like two little pecking
    chicks. It was a contest.

    Market photos are still on the road
    with Isaac, so I'll save the reporting till he rolls in later today.
    I'm excited to be home and thrilled that my long-awaited
    bicycle-weather has arrived in AZ at last. It's gorgeous out today.
    We're packing a picnic to the park, for sure.

    DooHicky

    Also, here are a couple of discount codes for you, to shake things up and keep it interesting at The Heather Bailey Store.

    • 20% off of all Trash Ties™ with code "TwitTies" (posted on twitter first)
    • 25% off of Freshcut™ fabric with code "FreshOut" (Freshcut is no longer in production, so get it while you can.)

    Discounts available through Monday, October 19th. Both codes can be used on the same order.

    It has been a wild few weeks — since Creative Escape,
    really. I'm ready to move forward, with lots of design work up next (my
    favorite!) — after filling these kids up with love and attention,
    picnics and parks, movies and popcorn, haircuts, and a few home-cooked
    meals.

    Now to resolve my hopelessly-clogged kitchen sink. Next
    time I'm tossing the old spaghetti in the trash and not down the
    garbage disposal.

  • Jackson’s Five

    ByHeather Bailey

    Speaking of matryoshka.  Check out these Michael Jackson nesting dolls from a 2006 Music Art Form exhibit.  Pop music meets folk art.
    MichaelJackson2

    Update:  It turns out that not everyone interprets this series the way I do.  Two commenters think it's mean-spirited of the artist.

    I think it's beautiful.  To
    me, this piece is poignant. It shows how as MJ's life (and
    accomplishments) progressed, the world zeroed in on his flaws. To many,
    this beaming talent became a tabloid plastic surgery story.  It's a sad truth that the world puts talent on a pedestal, only to tear it down over time.

    Art seeks
    an emotional response. True, the first read might make many of us smile.  However, I don't think the artist means to ridicule
    Jackson.  Instead, I think he means to highlight how ridiculous it is that we all are fixated
    on his nose.

    Furthermore, the style of the artwork is beautiful and quiet, not jeering or jokey. I don't
    believe it is meant to poke fun at the subject.  If anyone, I think it's mocking us as a people for not seeing past this man's appearance.  This piece has meaning for me. 

    I'm sad he's gone. 

  • A Worm Named Snowflake

    ByHeather Bailey

    FabricStack
    We
    just returned from the best campout with my two brothers and their
    families.  Isaac set up a kitchen to feed an army, complete with
    stovetop, grill, wash tubs, canopy & a tank of water for clean up. 
    Fortunately for the rest of us, he also set up a hammock with its own
    canopy, so we could leisurely ooo & ahh at him while he cooked all
    of our meals — almost.  Cooking is Isaac's favorite pastime on
    campouts.  I prefer laziness (fatigue-ziness really — I'm not the best
    tent-sleeper), so it works out well all around.

    Boots300 We cooked, we ate, we sat about and we fished.  Then we repeated.  I haven't done that much sitting about for years. 

    Best Fishing Tip: 
    If you're fishing to make memories for a pack of little kids, pick up a
    tub of live worms.  The worms will keep the younger kids engaged while
    the older kids have their turn at the poles.  By the time we left
    yesterday, all remaining worms were claimed & named.  Every child
    left happy as could be, fish or no fish.

    Nothing like a bit of
    grime & a hot tent to help you appreciate a warm shower & clean
    sheets.  Works every time.  Camping is great that way.

    Giveaway News:  Thank you to everyone who participated in my Store Giveaway Promotion from the June Newsletter. Congratulations to Jennifer Dessert
    for winning the stack of
    Freshcut fabrics & strawberry pincushion above. If you'd like to
    find out first about future giveaways, tutorials, products &
    company news, sign up for the Heather Bailey Newsletter here.

  • The Three Broomsticks

    ByHeather Bailey

    HPBannerFinalTall

    ThreeBrooms
    Use these miniature Firebolts to add a bit of magical flair to your favorite Harry Potter party drink.  Or use the broom handles to skewer together any tasty morsels that threaten to scurry away on the dessert table.

    Broomstick Picks

    Materials Needed
    Raffia
    Wooden skewers
    Colored embroidery floss
    Brown thread

    Tools
    Sewing machine
    Hot glue gun & glue
    Scissors

    BroomA

    1. 
    Gather small bunch of raffia – about 20 strands. Stitch bundled raffia
    together. (Seam is about 3/4" long.) Trim raffia to 5" wide, with seam
    centered.

    BroomB

    2. 
    Place medium-size dot of hot glue to left of thread seam. Place the
    blunt end of skewer into glue, extending skewer about 1" past thread
    seam.

    BroomC

    3.  Fold right half of raffia over skewer. Secure with glue or simply keep a hold on raffia till Step 4 is completed. 

    BroomD

    4. 
    While holding raffia ends securely, wrap colored embroidery floss
    around broom bristles, about ½" from folded end of raffia. Wrap thread
    3-4 times and secure with knot. Trim raffia to even out end of broom.

    These brooms are surprisingly easy to make — bookmark for next Halloween : )

    • Cockroach Clusters recipe here.
    • Butterbeer recipe here.

  • Bead It, Kid

    ByHeather Bailey

    Necklace1new3
    Beadingnew So, guess who made these necklaces?

    Four-year-old Charlotte did this all by herself.  I thought I was
    embracing disaster by allowing her free access to several bins of beads
    while I worked on the computer today.  I was entirely wrong.

    Not
    only did Miss C patiently string together all of these designs without
    my oversight, but she made them all symmetrical.  Even her most
    eclectic necklace doesn't miss a beat
    bead.  Hours and hours of necklace-making.  All I did was add the
    clasps.  And I bent a loop at the top of her one pendant.  That's it.

    Necklace3new2

    Necklace4new2
    When I was four years old, my bottom dresser drawer was stocked with
    white paper, a stapler and staples.  I made all sorts of wild
    inventions with white paper that year.  And here I thought I had been
    tricky-stuff at four, with my paper robots and elephants.  Looks like
    Charlotte has 4-year-old me mightily whooped.

    The moral: 
    Moms, Grandmas, Aunts and Alligators, let your kids have access to some
    of your precious supplies.  They may surprise you with tidiness and
    ingenuity!  I can only imagine what I would have done with real art
    supplies at that age.

    Of course, they may surprise you with a royal disaster instead.  I've been there too — many times.

  • Be-Spangled

    ByHeather Bailey

    There's been a lot of corn on the cob and swimming this weekend —
    dental floss and sunscreen.  (Somehow, in there, I completed the
    illustrations for another sewing pattern too.)

    America

    Happy Fourth to the U.S. Let's hold tight to our freedoms.  Educate
    yourself (real, balanced, self-directed education — not spoon-fed.) 
    Speak up when needed and don't just wait for election time.  That's not
    loud enough.  Fit it in.

    And God bless the troops.  I don't know how they do it — super powers? 

    Fourth of July 2009

    I'm grateful for the principles upon which this country was founded.  A favorite book of Isaac's, John Adams, was mentioned at election-time last year.  I've decided it will be my next read.  I know right where it is.

    And, check out that sparkler of a hairdo Isaac did for Charlotte.  A daddy 'do.  I don't think I've ever wrapped three different colors in one motion.  Impressive.  Yep, I wasn't even in the room.

    Next
    up, pattern testing/editing.  Today I'm taking 20 nickels to the
    nearest wishing well to wish for a skilled seamstress/writer to move in
    next door.  I hear there's a magic fountain at the mall, right below
    the escalator. 

  • |

    Red, White, and Blue All Over

    ByHeather Bailey

    RedWhiteBlue-04 

    June
    has been beautiful this year.  Normally it’s breath-suckingly hot in
    June in Arizona.  We’ve been camping and canoeing, working in the yard,
    and eating outside at every chance. Being outdoors with my family more
    than usual this month has put me in a good place for the Fourth of
    July.  Something about the lush cornfields that surround us, the
    well-groomed campsites we’ve visited, and driving along the Mogollon Rim has me feeling patriotic. 
     
    RedWhiteBlueTrashTies310In
    the last month, I’ve seen a bald eagle nesting on top of a dead pine
    tree, 200 feet up, I’ve picniced in a field of wild strawberries and
    I’ve watched hundreds of Great Blue Herons dive for fish to feed to their hatchlings. 

    If you ever camp in Arizona, make a point to visit the movie-perfect Woods Canyon Lake.  It’s looks almost fake, it’s so beautiful.

    We
    have a few more campouts planned for the summer.  In prep, I’ve been
    working on some fun camping crafts, recipes and whatnot.  We whipped up
    a perfect blackberry grunt in our dutch oven that turned our teeth
    black — as though we didn’t feel mucky enough without black teeth. 
    But it sure was delicious.

    Meadowside470

    I’m
    almost to the crest of the mountain with my design work too.  That
    place where things begin to glide.  Several projects now have enough
    stored, potential energy to self-propel when released.  Like a stretched spring. 

    First, a little more stretching to do.  Burn baby burn.

    It’s looking like a great summer.

  • Scruff n Stuff

    ByHeather Bailey

    0906CharlotteBob

    Bobbin
    is in heat. In the heat.  Not so fun. But, she has a fresh haircut and
    a bow in her hair, so that's something.  We can all relate.

    0807_puppies2
    I get regular requests for dog updates.  Pupdates.  Bobbin and Pixel
    are now 1 year old, and even more fun — and surprisingly more cute
    than they were as puppies. 
    Like swans.  To the left is their photo from last July.  And here they
    are now, below.  Ya, what's that about?  Puppies are supposed to be
    cuter than grown dogs. 

    I'm not complaining though.  Not only
    are these guys prettier now, but they've burrowed a soft spot for
    themselves in our family. 

    That Bobbin has already earned her
    halo.  She will put up with anything.  I'll keep my camera ready for
    her next fashion show, boxy castle home, choo choo train ride, or
    ribbon parade. 

    Pixel still wears his heart on his scruff. 
    He's just as floppy and eager as ever.  He manages to stay clear of
    Charlotte's narratives by virtue of his gender alone.

    0906_Pups2

    Some Other Stuff
    • Woven.  You must see Laura's new fabric line, Lantern Bloom. 
    It was a huge hit at Market, with its own unique style and edgy
    approach.  I've been meaning to do a post, but am in the thick of
    pattern-writing and post-travel recovery.  Call this a pre-post blurb. 
    Watch for Laura Gunn prints at Crate & Barrel too.
    • Curious.  It appears I've been written a public request to stop writing patterns, blogging & such.  All I have to say is, "An apple a day…"
    • Experimental.  We just got a dutch oven.  We're taking it camping with us this summer.  I'll share recipes.  Or shall I call them experiments?
    • Fattening.  We're working on a new Father's day ice cream recipe today.  I'll share that too.  Don't forget to try my Strawberry Pretzel Dessert ice cream.  It'll be a challenge to top that one.
    • Fun.  We're sending out our second newsletter next week featuring a craft project how-to, new Trash Ties colors, an introduction to Emily & Lindsay, a newsletter-only store promotion — and a giveaway.  Sign up for the newsletter here if you want to be included.

  • Plumpness

    ByHeather Bailey

    Have I mentioned it's
    great to be back home?  With an expanding roster of help around the
    studio, we're starting to get caught up, even ahead, on some projects. 
    Rachel and Lindsay spent a day or two just putting together a plump
    stock of Strawberry Pincushion Kits, after finishing up the Flutterby Flip-Book Kits.  Emily has kept everything else plugging along.  Being ahead is great.  I highly recommend it. 

    StrawKit

    So, back to The Giveaway.  What a variety of first sewing projects!  I've been reading comments all day. 

    1.  Congratulations Lindsay Brown!  Random picked you for the big giveaway.  Lindsay won a Freshcut scrap bag, a HB sewing pattern of her choice, and a Flutterby Flip-Book Kit.  Here's what Lindsay wrote.

       
    "Hi Heather!!! Let me start out by saying I am an ENORMOUS fan!!  I
    just completed 2 projects for my girls.  I made a pillowcase dress with
    the Lime Paisley and I made my youngest daughter the matching capris. 
    I LOVE LOVE LOVE all of your fabrics!!  Thanks for posting this!!"

    Kits2.  Random also picked the lucky Shannon / lilyhaven who wrote,

       
    "Holy cow! 975 comments already! … My first sewing project was a
    tiered skirt for my then 3-year-old daughter.  I was so proud of
    myself!  I wanted to sew for years and years and finally broke down and
    tried.  I've been addicted ever since.  I can't wait to see your new
    fabrics!!!" 

    I'll be sending Shannon a Freshcut scrap bag, along with a pack of HB ribbons.

     3.  Then, for AndieBee, who apparently barely survived her first sewing experience, I'm sending a Strawberry Pincushion Kit, along with a copy of my Fresh Picked Pincushions sewing pattern.  AndieBee wins just for surviving — and for calling me "cupcake."  Here's what AndieBee wrote.

       
    "Hi cupcake! My very first sewing project EVER in life: I was three and
    hangin' out with my Momma while she was making something-probably a
    dress or short set for me. She got up from her incredibly snazzy Singer
    machine in the wood cabinet to do "something", so I climbed up on her
    chair for a better view. Momma always held the pretty colorful straight
    pins in her mouth as she took them out to sew. I decided to help take
    them out while she was away…of COURSE I put them in my mouth just
    like her. And OF COURSE I swallowed one of those bad boys!! LOL

       
    "All I remember of the rest of that day was having to drink something
    icky and Momma monitoring my potties! Apparently it all came out okay,
    since I don't remember having to go to the hospital. ;O)  I picked
    sewing back up again when I was about 8 or 9, when Momma got tired of
    making Barbie clothes, and I've been sewing since."

    Ladies, send me your addresses. 

    Thanks everyone for participating — and for the blogiversary hoopla.  I'm loving being back home and back to blogging, tweeting, etc.  Thanks for sticking around while I was away through May.

    …which reminds me, there's something special posted for @TrashTies followers over on Twitter : )

    And, speaking of plumpness, check out this blog, with it's cheeky background image.  Bacon-infused waffles?  I'll be taking my camera with me next we go out to the fair.