Category Archives: Artsy Stuff

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IG Updates While I’m Stuck In Bed As Cleaning Lady Cleans and People Wrap Gifts

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Maisie and I have been banished to my rooms until the gifts are wrapped and the cleaning lady finishes her thing (ie, saving my life).

My Xmas Menu consists of 2 Prime Ribs, a honey ham (I don’t eat ham, but the rest do), and other yummy things I need to start cooking.

(Yes, I am Jewish. No, not everyone else is. We celebrate ALL holidays. If we’ve missed one that may be particularly fun, leave a comment below and we’ll celebrate that as well- a party is a party, y’all)

So, here are the highlights:

My Menorah (it’s a Hanukkiah, people, but Americans always call the Hanukkah one that) and our kickass Xmas tree- obviously right at the end of Hanukkah:

More pics of Desmond, the MINI Cooper Convertible, or what my father likes to call my ‘mid-life crisis’-  We made this killer car seat pad from “British Fashionista” fabric to protect leather and I scotchguard-ed it.

He got a unicorn “cutie mark” (as Maisie calls it)

and other ridiculousness… I am restoring this baby MYSELF (yes, I am eclectic like that) and I also have a love of silly things.

Plus- VOILA! Changed out the faded boot emblem

Finally, my nail lady, whom we adore, bought Maisie a giant unicorn (to go with her smaller one). Maisie named it “Sweetheart”

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Updates (IG): Hanukkah, Desmond the MINI Cooper S Convertible, & New Skirts and Bows!

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Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate! (We do both Xmas and Hanukkah in our house, as we are multi-ethnic and have different religions. I want my daughter to grow up in a world of inclusivity, where all peoples and beliefs are respected)

We made new skirts and bows for Maisie (and also for friends):

We dressed in tea gowns and had a tea party:

Mommy bought herself a MINI Cooper S Convertible as a DIY project. I named him “Desmond” and he’s officially my new boyfriend. LOL. We play the Beatles “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” while we work on him. So far, he’s so much fun and I got a great deal on it. I’ve always wanted to restore a car/customize a car.

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Scotty Dogs Christmas Carnival Skirt, Hairbow, and Bow Brooch (Instagram_

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We whipped this adorable scotty dog Xmas skirt (with red and white polka dot lining) at the last minute before a holiday carnival we went to. I made a matching hair bow and a bow pin brooch to go with.

It took less than 1.5 hrs to do the entire ensemble.

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Science Skirt & Bow Photos! (Instagram)

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I think this is my favorite fabric to date! It is adorable and has the requisite twirl factor that Maisie demands.

Honestly, I doubt I will ever buy her another skirt again, when I can churn these out daily.

The quality of my homesewn and designed skirts are far superior to the ones I can buy at the store. I don’t skimp on materials, everything is lined, it’s just amazingly easy for me to do this… and it teaches her how to sew, to boot!

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New Skirt Designs and Hairbows! (Plus YouTube videos & Instagram)

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We have been sooo busy churning out the skirts this week for Maisie (and I learned to make hairbows from the scrap material- so adorable).

Going to have to put the sweatshop on hold soon, to get the house ready for Thanksgiving.

We made a Hamsa Peace Dove Skirt:

Then (paired with her Aleph Bet skirt), she is seen wearing her faux fur, since our weather turned cold and nasty:

A new Solar System skirt was made:

I started on matching hair bows in various sizes, using fabric scraps today- and went kind of crazy- but she was thrilled lol:

We ended today with this amazing Science Kids skirt and hair bow(s) creation:

And now, her YouTube videos:

 

Whew! I think I am up to date now!

 

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Aleph Bet Hebrew Skirt Project

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We felt well enough to finish sewing her Aleph Bet Hebrew Alphabet skirt (with literal NAPS in between steps), just in case we’re well enough to attend family services tomorrow. She learned the Shema and Oseh Shalom with the other little ones and they’re kicking off a special Friday thing tomorrow.

She also loves (and I mean LOVES) this video of the kids Hebrew Alphabet song- at the rate she is going, we could possibly add Hebrew to her English and Persian and Filipino and smattering of French she knows already:

She also received a “Little Trixie”- a dressmaker’s dummy dressform, whatchamacallit. I call my big one Trixie, so now I guess it’s Trixie Sr.

The kiddie one is by Dritz and it is ADORABLE.  Maisie keeps hugging it like it’s her best friend. The measurements are adjustable to about size 12-14 kids, so this thing should hold up for a long, long time.

Maisie is slim and tall, so the measurements are a bit bigger than her actual girth- but with elastic waistbands and twirly skirts, that doesn’t matter.

All Maisie requests in a skirt are that they twirl and they have cool fabric. I can do this.

Actually, R’s been doing the actual sewing, while I tell him what to do. I prefer draping and design and hand sewing to machine stuff and cutting. To him, using a sewing machine is no different than making things out of wood with tools. He just has to be told how to do it and he does it.

All skirts are lined. I think the next one will only have elastic in the back of the waistband, unless I feel lazy.

I honestly decided to make these because:

1. Well made girl’s skirts are PRICEY

2. We all know how to sew and I would love her to have unique prints and fabrics

3. It helps to teach her to sew and know where her clothes come from and HOW THEY ARE CONSTRUCTED.

I think this is important. I was taught these skills and I want to pass them to her.

4. We love projects! LOL!

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Maisie’s 1st DIY Youtube vids

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My 4 yr old made a “Kawaii Kitty” toy for herself that we designed and she helped sew and stuff the thing.

She has her own tiny sewing machine, but she used the big one today.

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Maisie (after using the big sewing machine): “OOOOH, IT’S SOOO FAST!”

Here are her vids- I think she’s adorable.

As she says “Please press LIKE and subscribe” (Actually, she’s just cool with the thumbs up thingies)

and her last video of the night

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Miss Maisie Learns To Sew (at 4 yrs old!)

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My friend dropped off a wonderful gift for Maisie- a mini Janome sewing machine that used to belong to her daughter (who is now a teen)!

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My 4 yr old (who has excellent eye/hand coordination) was immediately enthralled and wanted to learn to sew right away.

Everyday we’ve completed a project- she’s doing microwavable bean bags filled with rice for ‘owwies’. She made a heart the first day, a triangle for her teacher the second day, and today we did a bigger triangle with rag box applique hearts and other decorations.

Maisie said she wanted to be like an elf and make a lot of them for Christmas 🎁 presents-

This teeny Janome is a workhorse! It sewed through thick woolen material with no issues and has 10 stitch settings!

Each day she gets more confident with this thing- I should probably start her on hand sewing as well.

I hauled out a brand new sewing machine that had still been in the box for 5 yrs and never touched for me to use next to hers. It’s a Brother computerized 130 stitch quilting/sewing machine and I love it so far, too!

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she decided on how she would decorate ‘her side’ of the triangle

 

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This Week’s (Month’s) Highlights via Instagram

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I’ve been really out of sorts because of the pulmonary embolisms, but here are some nice things that have happened this month- lots of birthdays!

First up, Maisie’s 4th birthday was on 10 September! We usually have huge parties, but my health hasn’t been the best, so we just did a family party, with grandparents from both sides and her first cousins from her dad’s side. She received My Little Pony, Spirit Horses, an Ant Farm (her fave, ours too), and the outhouse dollhouse built by my dad (with base and landscaping by us):

 

Her Norwegian dollhouse hosted the new Spirit horses:

Later in the week, she received macarons from our dear friend and we had a blast doing mundane things- also, my friend brought us wild paw paw fruit, which tastes like mangoes squished with bananas and pineapple! I was able to ripen them by sticking the branch in water for a week.

It’s still been brutally hot out here, so she had a lot of beach time and park time as well:

Then we ended this week with silver and gold henna tattoos- plus I received 2 new Tiffany heart bead bracelets to commemorate surviving the last 2 months since my embolisms ❤

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Purple Hamsa DIY Birdhouse Art Project

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I received a birdhouse from a friend this week and re-did it to live on the hammock post.

It was originally a plain wooden birdhouse, nothing particularly special about it.
Maisie and I spray painted it purple, painted the brackets a hot pink, then attached it to the top of the post.

I wasn’t happy with it, so I drew a Hamsa which is good luck against evil eye in many faiths and cultures, using sharpies. I did it freehand and it would have looked better, but Maisie insisted on swinging on the hammock, shaking the post as I drew.

I was perched precariously on a step stool at the time- and I have really bad vertigo lately from weird ear crystal issues- so I just wanted to get this done with.

I love the way it turned out! It’s looks pretty hippy dippy 🙂

 

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