Accio Gillyweed, It's CraftingCon!

I’m the very first ever competitor in the brand new CraftingCon! I volunteered and was thrilled to receive my owl informing me I would compete with the theme of my choice, Harry Potter. I'm as excited and nervous as a Seeker facing her first Quidditch match.

You must see more! Head here to see the (winning!) post originally published at CraftingCon on Mae & K to view my full entry. See all the pictures taken by Great Lake on the grounds of Hogwarts, and read as I let my geek flag fly—or should I say, levitate—for all things Potter. Keep reading here as I go all Hermione into the details of creating a Triwizardly look.

Elephant Legs? Put Me in the Zoo!

I was so excited to start blogging in part so I could officially sew a long with Project Run & Play. Season 9 is upon us and I was raring to go. And then they announced the challenges. I'm so very happy that I'm not a formal contestant because the Week 1 challenge stumped me right out of the gate. (I hate to jinx myself now by saying I had clear ideas for the remaining challenges early on, so I won't. But I did.)

Piggie, Gerald, elephant legs, an ice-cream cone, and a tribute to Robert Lopshire, too!

Ottobre Tunic: Third Time's the Charm!

Usually, around the third time in a row that I sew-up a pattern I start to feel burnt out. Not so with this tunic. This charcoal-gray Ponte-knit with subtle sparkle was the fabric I had in mind for this tunic from the get-go. I wasn't burnt out sewing this one, I was excited! My favorite part by far is the pop of pink in the trim and top-stitching. We generally shy away from pink around these parts, but I'm a sucker for a bright-colored trim on a neutral solid.

 Finally warm enough to get some pics outside, now I'm looking forward to a green background instead of brown.

Sewing from Ottobre Design: First Time Ever!

Our little, three-person family hangs three stockings every year at Christmas. And every year Santa Claus generously fills all three. Among the goodies, we each get a magazine. Santa knows me well, and this year he hooked me up with my very first issue of Ottobre Design! I may have actually squealed when it arrived. Issue 2013/4, Kids Autumn, is filled with so many amazing patterns I want to sew them all. But I started with #14, The Princess Castle Tunic.