Krafty Katie

Posted in Uncategorized by Lindsay

This is my roommate, Katie (and me, and mice). We’ve lived together for five years, going on six (sans mice).

I’ve lived with lots of roommates over the years. I just made a list of the number of roommates I’ve had since my freshman year of college, other than Katie. EIGHTEEN. So needless to say, I’m kind of an expert when it comes to roommates. Some of them were pretty awesome. Most weren’t even close to awesome. But Katie gets bonus points for a few reasons. For one, she’s stuck with me for this long. And two, she loves crafts as much as I do. (And three, she brought the best dog ever into our house, but that’s a story for another day because today we’re talking about crafts).

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22Jul2012

“Re-imagined” dreams of a travel quilt

Posted in Uncategorized by Lindsay

When Disney Imagineers make significant updates to an attraction, they will sometimes refer to it as “re-imagined” instead of refurbished, remodeled or any other similarly drab and uninspiring reconstruction word. Well, I am about to tell you about a grand idea I had that didn’t quite work out the way I expected… but I hesitate to call it a failure. No, I would rather refer to the results as re-imagined. Because after all, creativity is one of my favorite things in the world – and creativity is not simply getting from Point A to Point B. Nope, it’s about the journey that gets you there!

My BFF Albert Einstein agrees.

Some months ago, when I realized how elaborate my international trip was becoming, I decided I needed to set some goals. Was there something I wanted to do in each country, or collect from each country, or do to prepare for my visits?

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The blogger on the milk carton

I know, I know – it’s mid-July and I’ve been MIA since Easter! Don’t panic! You can take my photo off the milk carton, now!

Ahhh! Get me outta this box!

I have some really exciting news, though. The reason I’ve been missing for so long is that I was preparing for, then experiencing, and then recovering from a glorious world tour! And as a result, I have some really great stories to share – even sewing stories. Wheee! Although I wasn’t able to blog while I was abroad, I did my best to update my Twitter account – @SewLindsaySew – as much as possible. I hope some of you were able to follow along!

My glorious adventure included six countries, with flight layovers in two more!

As a part of my MBA program, I traveled to Istanbul, Turkey and Budapest, Hungary to experience the international business world and some cultural fun with my classmates. And even after the academic portion was through, I extended the trip with some friends and traveled to Vienna, Austria; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; and St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia. WOW! As someone who had never left the United States prior to this adventure, I feel incredibly blessed that I was given this unbelievable opportunity and able to experience it with such great people.

Flying high during an excursion to Red Square in Moscow!

I refuse to refer to my international trip as “once-in-a-lifetime,” because I still have a pretty long lifetime ahead of me and my adventurous spirit won’t be fizzling out anytime soon. No, I will never experience this exact same trip again with the exact same countries and the exact same people – so in that context, I supposed it’s okay to refer to it as “once-in-a-lifetime.”

But as far as ADVENTURE goes, I know that this is just the first international escapade of many! I have a European electrical outlet adapter and a whole pile of international currency waiting to be put to good use one of these days.

I can’t wait to share my stories and photos with you now that I’ve come out of hiding and returned to my blog. Stay tuned! 🙂

31Mar2012

I love sheep!

Posted in Uncategorized by Lindsay

Did you know I love sheep? Well, I do. I can’t really explain why – it’s just one of those things – but I love sheep in all forms: pictures of sheep, plush sheep, edibles that use marshmallows to look like sheep, the real sheep that “baa” and even sheep measuring cups.

Maybe you thought I was kidding about the measuring cups.

I know, the sheep thing is a little weird, but so am I. My loved ones are kind enough to just embrace it! I have a steadily-growing plush sheep collection above my desk at work, and more than half of those sheep have come from my family and friends.

So imagine how excited I was to stumble across this Little Lamb Pillow tutorial at The Purl Bee – and just in time for Easter!

Photos & tutorial courtesy of http://www.purlbee.com

Magical, right? I love the way the wavy cutting lends itself to the lamb’s “wool.” Can’t wait to try these out!

Do you have a strange favorite animal, too? Or am I the only one?

29Mar2012

Why I love hardware stores (and you should too)

Posted in Uncategorized by Lindsay

Let me start off by saying that, in my opinion, craft stores trump all other stores. The amount of potential in a craft store is overwhelming. I can look at the most minuscule little item and think of a zillion and one ways to turn it into something fun… which is why I go in for one item, and leave three hours later with a cartful.

But that’s to be expected, right? I write a sewing blog, I’m pretty open about my love for crayons and I had to pick my roommate up off the floor when she first saw my colossal sticker collection. Of course I love craft stores.

But I don’t exactly fall into the typical “hardware store” demographic.

I don’t wear a tool belt. Or plaid.

I’m not sure when my opinion about hardware stores changed. I remember being dragged to the hardware store throughout my childhood and thinking it was the worst shopping trip ever. My brother and I found solace in the doorbell section… lots of buttons to push, both literally and figuratively.

The other day, I went to the hardware store for a mop (they have the best section of cleaning supplies!) and I was reminded how much I’ve grown to love hardware stores. They’re just intensified versions of craft stores. The difference is that the floor is a lot dirtier, the merchandise is pretty heavy and the tools and chemicals in there might kill you if used improperly (whereas the hot glue gun at the craft store? Just a minor burn, people).

But really, the differences aren’t important. The bottom line is that both stores are exploding with potential. A bunch of people might buy the exact same item and use it in a different way, for a different reason or with different results.

See what I mean?

Toni at Sugar Tart Crafts uses washers and bolts wrapped in ribbon as pattern weights! Brilliant.

Crafters go cuckoo for paint chips… check out this amazing paint chip gift box and bow from Style with a Smile TV.

Of course, every great playhouse starts with PVC pipes… including this playhouse from PVCplans.com.

Whenever I walk into a hardware store, I wish I had the ability to build something amazing. Remember Amy Wynn Pastor on Trading Spaces, circa early-2000’s? She was an awesome example of girl-power, and always executed the most brilliant ideas.

Amy Wynn Pastor

So if I woke up with magical carpentry skills, what would be the first thing I’d want to build?

I think I’d like to start with this treehouse. What do you think? 🙂

Coming soon to my backyard: from the book New Treehouses of the World by Pete Nelson.

10Mar2012

The Pinterest Interest

Posted in Uncategorized by Lindsay

The hottest question of the year: Do you Pinterest?

A Pinterest board I started to collect ideas for my dream craft studio.

Pinterest is the latest trend in social networking – it’s a virtual pin board site where you can “pin” images representing ideas, craft projects, recipes… anything, really. The possibilities are endless. Images link up to the web site where more information can be found. So, a photo of a cute sewing project might link to the how-to tutorial on the site where the photo is hosted.

A fun sewing idea found on Pinterest!

I took a long break from Pinterest after I realized I was merely storing ideas and not actually implementing them. Was I wasting my life away pouring over the site, searching for and hoarding “great ideas” I’d never use? Looking at decorating ideas for a house I don’t own and sewing projects that require more time than I can devote? I went cold-turkey and ignored Pinterest for a few months.

But alas, I’ve returned to Pinterest with a vengeance after I realized that a part of the fun in any hobby is the careful planning and collecting that goes into it. Yes, I love to read, but collecting, organizing and deciding which books to read is half the fun… even if that means I will never actually get around to reading every single book on my shelf. And I think we can all agree that as much as we love sewing and crafting, collecting and planning the fabric is a major part of the hobby.

A picture-perfect fabric collection from Make It Perfect!

So, it’s okay if we pin and pin and pin and don’t get around to trying a majority of the ideas we discover. Don’t lay awake at night feeling guilty about all of your long-lost Pinterest ideas. The journey alone makes the discovery well worth it! It’s hard to criticize a trend that gets the creative juices flowing.

That being said, I’ve tried a few ideas from Pinterest with great success! This week’s Pinterest adventure: the Green Monster Smoothie from the Iowa Girl Eats blog.

Surprisingly delicious Green Monster Smoothie! Plus, everything tastes better in a Disney glass. 🙂

My mom hasn’t had quite as much luck though. She’s tried a few recipes from Pinterest with terrible results. With the exception of the Green Monster Smoothie, I tend to stick with internet recipes that are accompanied by plenty of reviews – so my pin boards are more concentrated in the craft department anyway.

I created this graphic for my mom after hearing about all of her Pinterest recipe disasters!

For anyone out there who wants to follow my pins, my username is SewLindsaySew!

Do you Pinterest?

6Feb2012

The (not so) big two-eight.

Posted in Uncategorized by Lindsay

Tomorrow I turn 28. I want to write something profound, but I’m at a loss. What’s there to say about 28? I keep typing and backspacing, so I’ll just start with this celebratory birthday photo from 1988 instead:

My fourth birthday at pre-school, 1988

So much has changed in the last year that I can’t help but wonder what 28 has in store for me.

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY…

I lived in a tiny apartment… now I’m in a grand ‘ole townhouse with the most spectacular sewing nook in the world!

My life was Winnie-less… so hard to believe this precious puppy hadn’t even been born at this time last year. She’s been a part of our little roommate-family since July, so it’s hard to imagine life without her. I’m so thankful that my roommate Katie brought Winnie into our home and our hearts!

Winnie love.

I was working two jobs… office by day, retail by night. Since then, I quit the retail job and I’m spending a zillion hours pursuing my MBA instead… which might as well count as two jobs!

I had never run a half-marathon. My longest race had been a 10K – only 6 miles. But in October, I completed Disney’s Wine & Dine Half-Marathon with my two wonderful friends and running-mates, Joe and Chris. We were so proud!

Race photos are never attractive, so thanks in advance for not judging!

I had never gone home for the holidays since moving to Florida in 2006. But this past year, I went home for Thanksgiving and spent the day on a dairy farm with my family and some dear friends.

And speaking of family, my brother Jason was finally able to visit me in the Florida for the first time!

Mickey and Minnie in Town Square Theater

Spending some time with my favorite mice, my brother Jason and his girlfriend Sarah.

I still had all four wisdom teeth… now I don’t have any. So much for being old and wise!

Some dentist humor...

I had never traveled abroad. And while I still don’t technically have any international trips stamped on my passport, I will in just four months as I head to Turkey, Hungary, Austria, Sweden, Finland and Russia!

I never could have predicted any of the ups and downs that came my way at 27, for better or for worse. I’m insanely curious about what 28 has in store, but there’s only one way for me to find out! Stay tuned. 🙂

18Sep2011

The day I broke up with my TV tray

Posted in Uncategorized by Lindsay

Ever since I bought my sewing machine a little over a year ago, I’ve been using a sad little TV tray for my sewing setup. Yes… a TV tray. Wah wah.

TV Trays: Ideal for lunch, not for sewing machines.

I recently moved from a tiny apartment to a luxurious townhouse, and in the process, moved into a new bedroom with the most spectacular sewing nook in the universe. The angled walls create a picture-perfect alcove that screams “CREATIVE THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN HERE!”

I refuse to let this cozy nook be anything less than amazing.

It was immediately clear that a TV tray sewing setup would NOT do my sewing getaway any justice.

I’d like to introduce you to my new best friend: the HEMNES secretary desk from IKEA.

IKEA Hemnes secretary desk study and sewing oasis

I promise I will actually read that Econ book once I'm done using it as a photo prop.

My love for this desk is threefold.

One: The need for a new sewing oasis (Sorry, TV tray… this just isn’t going to work out)
Two: A place to do my schoolwork for grad school (Studying: a necessary evil)
Three: The desire for a neat and orderly bedroom… (i.e. – shove all my junk inside the desk and close it up. Secret messes.)

And as a bonus, this desk matches my already existing HEMNES bedroom set.

Yep. I might love this desk more than I love fabric softener.

Anyone need a sad and lonely TV tray?

15Sep2011

How to build an army bunker

Posted in Uncategorized by Lindsay

As the owner of this blog, I have access to some pretty magical tools that give me all sorts of site stats to scrutinize and take personally (Only three visitors today!? What!? Is my blog not good enough for you!? My sewing projects aren’t pretty enough!?). I can also look at a list of the Google search phrases that lead people to my blog. The number one topic that leads visitors to my blog?

Pascal / Tangled: Yep, this little guy is the number one reason that people visit my blog – all because I posted this sewing-related photo from Tangled. Thanks for making me famous, Pascal! Despite the fact that you really have nothing to do with sewing…

Pascal: Cuter than your average dressform!

Summer Sewing Projects: I have to admit, I really enjoyed putting together this compilation of summer sewing projects a few months ago, and plan to write more collective tutorial posts in the future. My blog visitors must have enjoyed this entry too since it led lots of Google’ers to Sew Lindsay Sew! Did anybody out there make any of the projects that were listed?

Photo and tutorial courtesy of purlbee.com

Project Linus: I still haven’t gotten a chance to sew a blanket for this outstanding organization. Has anyone else volunteered with Project Linus?

Sewing blankies for those who need them most!

Sewing nook covers: Everyone out there with an e-reader must want to make their Barnes & Noble nook just a little bit cozier, ’cause “Hooked on my nook” is attracting lots of visitors to my blog!

Hooked on my nook!

Rotary cutters: I talked about rotary cutters in an entry about the top five sewing tools I can’t live without. Not much else to say about rotary cutters other than this: They are magical and I can’t live without them, and apparently, neither can you because they’re one of the top Google search phrases in my site stats.

Blissfully straight lines!

While the top phrases are pretty darn fun, I know you’re dying to know some of the awkward phrases that have led people to my blog!

Wallpaper sewing: Huh? This one baffled me for awhile until I realized they were probably looking for desktop wallpaper for their computer. In my head, I initially had a vision of sewing wallpaper onto walls in lieu of wallpaper paste. Strange.

How to build an army bunker: Yep, this is just your typical army-bunker-building blog… LOL!

Troll pigtails: What!?

So what led you to stumble across my blog? Or are you simply a Facebook friend who took pity on me and my sad little site stats? LOL!

Regardless of how you got here – thanks for visiting! And I’m sorry if I misled you – I do not actually know how to build an army bunker. 🙂

13Sep2011

The Secret Summer Sewing Project

Posted in Uncategorized by Lindsay

Recently, I referenced a big sewing project without being able to mention specifically what the project entailed. Now it’s finally time for the reveal!

My dear friend Cait got married last week, and asked me months ago if I would make six jewelry rolls (initially presented in this Mother’s Day blog entry) for her bridesmaids. Although the idea of making six – plus one more for Cait – seemed a little overwhelming, I didn’t hesitate to say yes! But the project had to remain a secret so I wouldn’t ruin the surprise for Cait’s bridesmaids.

Being responsible for even a tiny portion of someone else’s wedding plan might be a little intimidating to anyone who has seen an episode of the TV show “Bridezillas.” But I know Cait, and I knew she would be the complete opposite of a Bridezilla.

I now present to you three pieces of evidence that prove my point:

1) When we took a trip to the fabric store, Cait was torn between a so-so fabric that matched her wedding colors – yellow and gray – and a stunning green fabric that she knew her bridesmaids would love. She ultimately put her bridesmaids first and chose the fabric that she knew they would like, despite the fact that it didn’t match the wedding colors. Awesome!

The winning fabric combo!

2) While trying to balance the start of my MBA program and moving across town all in the same month, my life was in utter chaos and I didn’t finish the jewelry rolls until just a few weeks before the wedding. Cait didn’t hound me for the finished jewelry rolls once. Awesome!

3) Cait wore yellow Converse chucks down the aisle… and then broke out in a surprise hip-hop routine with her dad during the father/daughter dance. Now THAT… is an awesome bride.

Photos compliments of Brie at rgbrie.tumblr.com

Her wedding was beautiful and I feel lucky to have been a part of it. Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs!

Sew Lindsay, Sew!

A girl, a sewing machine, a journey!

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Krafty Katie

“Re-imagined” dreams of a travel quilt

The blogger on the milk carton

I love sheep!

Why I love hardware stores (and you should too)

The Pinterest Interest

The (not so) big two-eight.

The day I broke up with my TV tray

How to build an army bunker

The Secret Summer Sewing Project