Mi Amor, My Love Banner

Although I've never made much of a fuss over Valentine's Day in the past, I haven't turned my nose up at some lovely flowers and gifts on the occasion either.  I CAN tell you though honestly, truly, never have I ever felt the need to DECORATE for it.

I don't know if it's having my own house or trying to keep things fun month to month with my 3 year old, but it didn't take much to push me over the edge into putting up something a little bit festive to ring in the love month (and yes, I realize we still have a week of January left).

I give you, the Mi Amor, My Love Papel Picado Banner.

Cute, yes?  It was designed by the owner of Feathered Nest Studio on Etsy and I found it on Spoonflower.

I had never actually ordered anything from Spoonflower before, but since Free Swatch Day awhile back, I've been getting emails from them and been an active participant in voting in each week's challenge.  I figure the fact that I'm a fabric designer wannabe (with no actual designing or artistic ability which is what will KEEP me a wannabe for life) gives me the keen sensibilities to help out some aspiring designers with actual talent by voting for the fabrics I like and when I feel so moved actually purchasing something.  This one was submitted a few weeks ago as part of the design a banner on a fat quarter challenge and though it did NOT win, I still thought it was the kind of love-y decoration I could get on board with.

Keep in mind this fabric, like all the fabrics on Spoonflower, is printed to order so it doesn't ship immediately.  I put my order in on January 11th and it arrived today.  Still in PLENTY of time to whip it together (couldn't be simpler really) and pop it up in my entryway to bring something a bit festive back into my house (since the walls have been pretty much barren since Christmas came down). 

I live in West Michigan and it's all cold weather and gloomy skies here (has been for some time now).  A little red and pink really helped lift the Blahs this afternoon.  Does anyone else toss a little red and pink around their house this time of year?  Or is that so grade school classroom?

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2010 - The Creative Year In Review

I hate to say the only reason I'm doing this is so I can move on with regular posting, but there is something to be said for a bit of closure on a year so we can move forward in 2011.

So here it is . . . the Skooks' Playground Year in Review in list format.  Because it was way easier this way.  :)

Bought:

1. My very first SERGER!
2. Totally kick-butt replacement for my sorry excuse for an iron (post coming soon).
3. My first toy sewing machine.  :)
4. Little Miss' first sewing machine.

Swapped:

1. Charm Squares - twice (haven't had a chance to blog the 2nd swap yet as it happened right around Christmas).
2. Vintage Sheet Quilt Squares.  (Had LOADS of fun with this one and would love to participate in something like this again.  Still waiting on  a few squares and then I get to start working on actually putting the quilt together . . . )

Giveaways:

• HOSTED: Two.  Wow . . . that's really feeble.  Maybe I can work up some more in the new year because I . . .

• WON: Loads.  Why did I not document all the ones I won?  Seriously.  The truth is, I got a lot of cool stuff from many very talented bloggers over the course of the last year.  In this last Sew Mama Sew giveaway day alone I won 5!  Man, I love the handmade community.  Quite a generous bunch of people they are.  (Sorry . . . apparently I was channeling Yoda in that last sentence.)

Sewing Notions Reviewed (no one has asked, but I definitely want to do more of these in 2011 because when I was a complete novice I LOVED posts like these).  You can check out all the "Tools of the Trade" posts I've done since this blog's inception right here.:

1. Needle Grabbit
2. Gingher 4" Featherweight Thread Snips
3. Lint Roller

Organized (more stuff than I actually blogged about.  I need to refine the way I'm organizing my fabric and some of my supplies in my sewing room as I'm still living out of a few very NON-organized boxes.  A project for 2011?  Methinks so.):

1. My Buttons
2. My Sewing Space in my old house
3. My New Sewing Room!  (well . . . mostly anyway!)
4. All of my favorite links.  Thank you Delicious, Google Reader, and Pinterest.  WAY easier to deal with the internet with these tools at my disposal.

Tutorials Written (Hmm . . . I know I started working up at least 2 more.  Why the world I never got around to posting them is anyone's guess.):

1. Recycled Paper Flower Gift Bows
2. Watercolor Paint Cards (this one I actually did NOT write, but I hosted this great post on my blog and it's worth mentioning again.  Thanks again, Cynthia!)

Your Questions Answered (In 2010, I started sleuthing around for answers to your sewing questions and had quite a lot of fun with it.  If you've got any more burning questions you can always shoot me an email or comment on any post):

1. Fabric Inspiration and How to Make a Duvet Cover
2. How to Sew a Blind Hem Stitch
3. How to Make a Tutu
4. How to Make a Simple Child's Apron
5. How to Make a Mermaid Tail

Toddler Crafts and Kitchen Fun (Little Miss and I definitely did a lot more crafty stuff than this in 2010, but here are the ones I actually got around to blogging about):

1. Watercolor Cutouts
2. Hand Drawn Coloring Pages
3. Cupcake Flowers
4. Rainbow Cake
5. Paint Your Food and Eat it Too
6. Hand-print Plaques
7. Magnetic Paper Dolls
8. Magic Scratch Ornaments
9. Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecakes
10. Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

Classes Taken: 

• Just one.  Indie Biz, of which I plan to start using the lessons I learned therein sooner rather than later.  Did I mention I plan on opening up shop in 2011?  :)

Awards Received (I think I got 1 or 2 more but neglected to write posts for them . . . oops!):

1. Sunshine Award
2. Beautiful Blogger

I was Featured:

• A bunch of times.  Check out my little scroll-y thing-y next to this post for the kind bloggers who found a few of my posts worth mentioning on their own blogs in 2010.

And FINALLY . . . The Down and Dirty Projects Completed Stat Sheet:

1. Dresses: 
1. Recycled T-Shirt Halter Dress #1 & #2
2. Recycled T-Shirt Halter Dress #3
3. Recycled T-Shirt Sienna Dress
4. Flower Girl Dress (Emma pattern)
2. Quilts/Blankets:
1. Pixie Dust (for Quilts for Kids)
2. Bear Buddies (Brown Bear by Eric Carle)
3. Love Birds Taggie Quilt
4. Applique Tree Taggie Blanket
5. Sawtooth Pinwheel Quilt
3.  Softies:
1. Owl Teether #1
2. Owl Teether #2
3. Mikey and Molly Monkey
4. Joseph (to add to the ongoing felt nativity project)
4. Accessories:
1. Felt Flower Hippie Headbands
2. Dapper Cap for my baby boy
3. Business Card Holder
4. Toddler Apron
5. Toddler Superhero Cape
5. Home Decor:
1. Kitchen Curtains
2. My Mother-in-Law's couch makeover
3. Kawaii Christmas Tree Ornament
4. Kawaii Santa Bunny Ornament
6. Bags:
1. Dual Purpose Ballet/Lunch Bag
2. Clutches . . . 4 of em.  The only one I've posted here thus far though is the one I gave away recently.  You can check out the other ones on my Flickr page.

WHEW!.  I'm kind of glad I compiled this list because I wasn't sure I really got too much accomplished in 2010.  Woot.  :)

Here's to more creativity in 2011.  Onward and Upward and all that jazz.

Oh . . . and Happy New Year everyone! 


P.S.  If you made it all the way to the end of this VERY LONG post and want to be my best friend (LOL!), please leave me a comment telling me about a few of your accomplishments for the year (sewing or otherwise!) and/or let me know which posts you most enjoy reading.  I can guarantee I'll still write about whatever comes to mind, but it'd be nice to know what's grabbing your fancy while you're here.  I'm not above catering to a few of your whims once in awhile too.  Within reason, of course.  ;)

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