Latest sewing adventure

      As much as I love our trips down to the gold claim I'm always thrilled when I come home to my clean, bright, spacious office. It's the perfect room to let those creative thoughts flow. The big pieces of furniture like my desk we purchased at West Elm (which I LOVE) but most everything else I have been piecing together over time from garage sales/estate sales. There is nothing better than finding the perfect, unique piece for your home. One of my favorite pieces is an old clothes drying rack I bought for 3 bucks. It makes an excellent fabric rack and since they are always on display I'm inspired every time I walk in my office. Even the dogs come down to keep my company while I putter away. It's not like they have it rough though since they have claimed the daybed...  It's my favorite room in our house by far.

Meet My Whooty Owl Collection...

For those of you who don't know, my birthday present this year was a Brother CS-6000i sewing machine. My mother and grandmother surprised me with it for my 25th birthday. Now I didn't get a sewing machine because I enjoyed sewing or had fond memories; I was strictly thinking it would save me from buying another pillow case or spending $60.00 on one set of curtain panels. I didn't think I was going to like it anymore than a vacuum cleaner. 

In fact, when I was young my dear mother thought it would be a fulfilling experience for me to sew my own dress. Probably not the best first sewing experience because as a kid all I wanted was the "cool" clothes everyone else was wearing. There was no way I was going to show up at school in some homemade, awful creation. So needless to say I refused to learn how to sew and showed zero interest in the activity. Fast forward 15 years and now I understand the value of making your own curtains. A tight budget is a great motivator.

But when I sat down to try my first little owl project and learn how to use the thing something clicked and I fell in love with my sewing machine. I find it to be so relaxing and stimulating. I'm always thinking about what stitch might work best or different fabrics, or creating new patterns. The possibilities are just endless!

Meet my Whootie the Owl Family....

Many of you may be wondering why Owls?

Whooty Lu

Well, I am from the east coast and before 2009 had never seen the west. Our last travel contract brought us out to Las Vegas and from there my world was opened to a rough and wild beauty. I thought the desert was a place void of life or beauty; a place that nothing grew or thrived but only went to wither and die. 

I couldn't have been more wrong! We moved here and never left:) 

Burrowing Ground Owl Nest

Now everyday I take the pups out for their walk and we venture out into the desert behind our house. Within  two minutes I have the entire desert to myself. Not a person in sight, most of the time, and the puppies have thousands of acres to explore. Everyday we meet a new critter or I discover a cool fossil or mining antique. You really never know what the desert might offer up each day. 

Whooty Sue

On our daily walk there are a number of burrowing ground owls nests that we have discovered. They are remarkable little creatures and absolutely adorable. As you approach their nests a little ball of fluff about 6in tall pops out and they bob their heads up and down fussing at you till you back off. I check on them daily to see what they've been up to. Pretty soon spring will be here and their nests will be filled with little babies. 

So I've taken something I love from nature and tried to recreate it in such a way others will enjoy it too.

 

New Valentines Day Patterns...Check them out on my etsy:)

Now that all the cleaning is out of the way and Matt's sleeping I have had some time to cut new patterns and start working on them... Im excited to see how these turn out! 

I really like the way the fabrics all mix together. Believe it or not I managed to drag Matt into the fabric store with me and he helped pick out the perfect V-day fabrics. Boys are full of surprises. Enough of this blogging I have owls to sew:)