Cheery Gifts

My brother gave these to me for my birthday last week.  He found them in his house that he bought last year (built in early 1900s...1902 I think?).

My hubby bought these for me at the farmers market Saturday, and they're displayed in the kitchen sink window.  Sunflowers are my fave :)

This typewriter belonged to a family friend that died from lung cancer when I was a teenager.  He wasn't married and didn't have kids, and we were practically his family, so we have several of his belongings.  My mom just gave me his typewriter.  I've got to find just the right place for it in my house. It's a treasure.

What are some recent finds or old treasures that you enjoy?

Pen Pals

So far I've gotten four letters from pen pals.

Each of those has been written back.

And a few more have been written that haven't written me yet.

So if you haven't gotten a letter from me yet, just wait :)

Sewing Through the Decades Challenge

A Lemon Squeezy Home: Sewing Through the Decades

July 11th - July 17th: 1960-1969

July 18th - July 24th: 1970-1979

This is my contribution to the Decades Project!

My mom was giving me some fabric scraps, and while going through the piles, we found a shirt pattern that's not dated, but I think is from the 70s and possibly even 60s!  I've used online patterns before and instructions with photos to make things.  I've even created my own way of putting things together.  But I've never used a store bought pattern.  I've bought a few and have them in my "to do" folder.

This pattern has 4 different shirt varieties.  I picked the easiest (gimme a break!).

I bought some adorable fabric on sale and laid out my pattern pieces.  I measured.  Then remeasured.  Then measured again.  And again.  And some more.  I only had 1 yard of fabric, so I knew I had to get it right!

I cut the pieces and started sewing.  Man was I trucking along and doing good!  I had half the shirt together in the amount of time it took my husband to shower.  I was very proud of myself.  Then it got rough.  I started sewing in the inside arm and neck pieces.  They weren't matching up.  And they were jumbled up.  And they were frustrating!  I got it all sewn together, ironed it down, and tried it on.  And the armholes were too tight.  Umph!  And I couldn't get the inside lining pieces to lay flat.

Then I remembered-- I have a seam ripper!  I started ripping away!  I said buh-bye to those lining pieces.  Once they were gone, the armholes were roomy enough.  I decided just to make a hem all the way around the raw edges.

So I guess I didn't follow the law exactly, but I did learn a few things-- like how much I love seam rippers!

I made the bust a little smaller, and I lengthened the shirt by a couple inches.  I think I'll go back in and add vents to each side so the shirt doesn't bunch up when I sit down.

  

France & Julia

Currently reading:

Except my copy looks like this:

I'm not halfway through the book yet, but it's so charming!

It is making me love Julia Child.  It is making me want to go to France so bad!

You really must read this memoir.

I picked it up at the bookstore for about 8 bucks.

Also, the movie Julie & Julia is adorable and a bit inspirational for us gals, I think.

Go rent/buy it!

Kinies

I won this bag in a giveaway!  You can even wear it as a fanny pack!

Get your own kinies!