Hi friends,

It's been a long time. I hope you're well. A lot has happened in the land of Happily Home Sewn - most of it wonderful.

One of the biggest, most exciting developments is that I have returned to my first love - pottery - and have re-launched my pottery business, Decker-Smith Pottery. Now that our kiddos are all old enough to heed the warning, "Hey, that kiln is hot. Don't touch it." I have been able to bring potter off the back burner and am so thrilled to be a full-time potter again. I hope you will check it out what that's all about on my website, deckersmithpottery.com and come visit the Decker-Smith Pottery etsy shop.

So that means it's time so say farewell to Happily Home Sewn, the little sewing business that helped to scratch the creative itch while pottery was on the back burner.

There are still a few home sewn with love items in stock at HHS, so I'm offering a going-out-of-business sale during the month of October.

Our shop will be closing October 31, 2015. We're offering a closing sale to send the last few pieces of handmade goodies to homes before we close our digital doors. Please use the coupon code BYEBYEHHS30 to receive 30% off your order at happilyhomesewn.etsy.com!

Thank you for 5 great years of happily home sewing!

Cheers!

Jessa

A New Way To Egg

Good ol' Pintrest has done it again.

Need a new way to color Easter Eggs? Pintrest has it (duh).

No vinegar. No cups.

Just shaving cream and food coloring. Genius.

 Start by spraying shaving cream in a large baking dish or flat bowl. Whatever.

Shaving cream is pretty and very fun to play with. File that one away for a rainy day.

 Amos jumped the gun.

 Add food coloring.

Swirl.

 Then just roll your eggs around in it. I rolled mine without mixing the color in very much. I got very dark marbled eggs. The boys mixed in there colors first and they got more pastel lightly marbled eggs. Choose your own adventure.

There's an egg hidden in there. 

  

The aftermath.

Next step: send the kids to the tub.

Then let the eggs sit for a bit. Ten minutes or so. Then wipe them with a paper towel (or 100). 

Viola! Love it!

Pro-tip. That which colors eggs, colors children. Mine required two baths and are still quite rainbow-esque. Hazel napped through the whole endeavor which turned out to be a good thing.

Kids in the Yard

Told ya.

Compliments of the Lazy Blogger

Sewing for Self!

So, yesterday I found myself with a Friday with nothing on the to-do list. Boys in school, just me and Haze chillin' at the house. 

And as enticing as, "laying around on my keister and doing nothing all day" sounds, it's always a bit of a let down and I usually get a headache and the guilt. So I wanted to do something, but nothing too productive. 

And it occurred to me...as unlikely as this sounds... I kinda need a purse. Despite the fact that I have tens of them, none of them is just right. So I cracked open the big book of purses, Style Stiches by Amy Butler and went to work with a yummy chevron that's been itching for a purpose. 

And viola:

I am super excited. 

This is the most structured bag I have ever made. It might be kinda nice to depart from the boho hobo look for a bit. 

Love!

It's got two dividing pockets inside (one zippered) making five separate compartments. I even had the forethought to add to pockets on the side for my celly and keys. I love pocketry!

Now, I'm off to transfer purses! Don't you love doing that when you have a new bag? I do! But I made it wait so I could blog about it first. You're welcome! :)

Of this I am sure.

Motherhood is a mystery.
Am I doing it right? Will this or that help or hurt? Will they like each other? Will they be happy?

And despite some evidence to the contrary, sometimes it's hard to shake the felling that I suck at this.

Only sometimes.

Today, well, this week, has been one of those times. And even as I write this I'm reminded of the countless times I held each of their sweet bodies while they yarfed this week (most times directly onto me. Why always onto me?). And I remember how many times they checked in on each other and offered condolences at our shared misery (stomach bug, if you hadn't already cracked that code. One bathroom). I know how many kisses were given, how much laughter there was and how truly loved they all feel but sometimes the thought returns...inexplicably...

I suck at this.

Not to worry. Hopefully I'll remember in a few days that that's not actually the case.

But tonight I found a helpful distraction. After the wee ones were all tucked in bed, I went up to the sewing room and, without plan or pattern, just started making something. Whatever fabric felt right in my hand, I used it. I only thought from one step to the next.

And after who knows how long, I ended up with this sweet little outfit for Hazel (minus the sweater. I didn't make that little gem). Sweet, soft, small wale corduroy apples with green ruffles. Apple applique shirt and felt apple hair bauble? I mean. What's not to like.

Because here's the thing. Who knows if any of us is doing it right? We won't know for like 30 years if it worked...if they're happy. But this:

 

This is a sure thing. 

It could not be less significant, but in this moment when I'm not sure I'm doing the big things right, it helps to be good at a small thing. And tomorrow when Hazey wears it around town it will make me smile because she will be so. stinking. cute and because I made it for her. 

Ego-maniacal? Perhaps. But sometimes a sense of mastery over even a small thing helps put everything else in perspective. Making this little outfit took creativity, patience, vision, desire, estimation, trial and error, skill, and a little bit of math. Those are skills I can use in this parenting thing and remembering that I do in fact posses them?

That helps.

Fitting the Venue

Hi friends.
Today I have a post for you.
And to beat that, it's about something that is actually Home Sewn. And yes...happily.
How's that for fitting the venue?

I'm calling this dress the Vanessa, because my friend, yup, Vanessa, taught me how to make these using a men's button down shirt. She is also a Mama who sews and she has a lovely blog and delightful etsy shop. Check her out!

I had a sewing night at my house a few weeks ago where everyone brought their own project and we all got crafty together. It was great. Except Vanessa didn't get to work on her project because I monopolized her, holding her hostage and forcing her to teach me how to make one of these sweet little dresses she has made for her daughter.

So, Eric provided me with a shirt that was his Dad's (which made it extra special) and we went to work. It's so easy and fun to make and easy to wear! Well done Vanessa!

Then, two weeks ago I spent 8 days of lounging and crafty at the home of my bestie (it was miraculous) I whipped up two others. This one with the bee, also made from Hazel's grandpa's shirt. It makes me smile every time she wears it and I think he would've loved it.
And this sweet little green beauty was made from some super soft silky cotton that my fella brought home for me from his trip to Oxford. He bought it in a stuffy London fabric shop and I have been saving it since before Hazel was even a glimmer. It was perfect for this project and it so cute and yummy.

So, so far in 2013 I'm averaging one post a month. So, it could be a 12 post year, but things could pick up. Who's to say. Check back. Be well!

Hazy Chevron

Woosh. That was the sound of a month going by. 

So, let's ease back into blogging with these, taken this morning. 

 

 

 

 Oh. And Hazel walks.

Compliments of, the Lazy Blogger.