Simple Joys

I shall blog in this fine color tonight to match the items in my photos. I had not planned on matching the little deer, made from the Simplicity 2763 vintage pattern, to match my vintage Singer sewing machine (so lovingly handed down to me from my grandma). I didn't even really notice how well they matched until I wanted to shoot the work in progress.
A little note about this deer pattern. It is a rather fun little pattern to work with except for having to pin all the pieces together at once to sew. 2 lower bodies, 2 side bodies, and one upper body. Tedious to say the least. I think I had this little deer looking like a bad voodoo doll project. Pins everywhere! And I am NOT a pinner. Really. But it did pay off. Just look. Now don't you think this is the absolute most adorable deer you ever did see? My daughter tells me its a chihuahua, not a deer. Either way, its a keeper.
Now, take a look at these little wooden thread spools. I have a love for them. I cannot tell you why. I think they are so much better than the plastic spools. I am trying to decide if I am going to hoard them to myself, or mix them up with my other empty spools and make the monkeys a little spool necklace to play with. Didn't your grandma do that for you? I think I have this vague memory of playing with a spool necklace when I was really little. Maybe not. I have been known to make up memories before...
And now for the last photo. My homemade baby legs for my bambino. I refuse to pay $12.00 for a pair of glorified leg warmers for my baby. But I can justify spending $3.00 on a pair of women's knee socks and modifying them to fit my youngest monkey. And since they somewhat matched the color of the theme tonight, I thought I may as well show them off, too.
My youngest monkey was sick the majority of the last week, so I have not accomplished much. "Much" includes sewing, house work, reading. But I have not beaten myself up for it. It did get a smidge bit frustrating when I needed to do things (like fix dinner or go to the bathroom) and I'd put the monkey down and as soon as she was out of my reach she'd start bawling. However instead of allowing the steam to whistle through my ears, I remembered the sling I made a few months back. I got it out and wore the baby quite a bit. She loved it. And I did, until she started putting her little fingers up my nose. :) Is nothing sacred???
My first craft show is quickly approaching. My mom and I are doing a booth together. We are both seasoned in going to craft shows. She and my grandma used to lug my sisters and I to craft shows when we were itty bitty, and drag us to them when we were pre-teens, and force us to go as teenagers. And now I am the one who calls my mom the morning of a show and asks her if she would go with me. :) We both love to sew, and at the show we went to in the fall, one of the booth ladies loved the baby sling I was wearing and the matching booties my baby was wearing, and talked us into joining the local crafters club and reserving a booth for this upcoming show. It is about 2 weeks away and I have not built up a great inventory at all...YET. But I am working on it. My problem is I want to make EVERY cute thing I see. And I have 3 monkeys. And the my prince charming works hours any Donna Reid would faint and wither away at. And and and... So, tomorrow, lets keep our fingers crossed that the youngest monkey is all better, and I focus on one project--instead of them all--, and we all find pleasure in the simple joys around us. nighty night