The anticipation of spring...

I have a severe case of winter blues.  Well, I'm not depressed, I just really wish spring were here.  Found these tulips at our grocery store on Wednesday and they have turned out to be my most favorite thing to look at these past few days.  Just beautiful!  Now I wish I had planted bulbs this past fall.  Aren't they stunning?  The rich fushia and purple against my greeny-blue wall is so striking.  I think I might print one of these off and frame it somewhere.

Have a lovely weekend!

Rachel ox

Giving Hope to Haiti....

Last night, just before I went to bed, I sat down to read all the updates on my favorite blogs.  On JCasa's blog I saw that she had donated an item to CraftHope for Haiti.  I started looking into it and I was overwhelmed at what they are doing.  CraftHope has set up an Etsy shop full of donated handmade items.  100% of the proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders in Haiti to help with all the medical needs.  As of right now, they have sold 367 items and raised $7000 for Doctors Without Borders in Haiti in two days!  It brings tears to my eyes.  Check out their shop and consider buying something to help a great cause or donate an item.

I have decided to donate this clutch:

From the Craft Hope site:

Craft Hope community, it is time to Craft Hope for Haiti. The devastation in Haiti is catastrophic and we can help. At the encouragement of many people we will be opening a Craft Hope Etsy shop to benefit Doctors Without Borders. We are growing by leaps and bounds and as needs arise we will rise up to meet them.

The Craft Hope Etsy shop will allow crafters to donate products and allow folks to purchase them. With 100% of the proceeds going to charity.

This is a call for all things handmade. If you can make it, we will sell it to benefit Doctors Without Borders.

Many people have asked how they can support Craft Hope and it’s charities if they can’t sew, knit, craft. Well, this is the way. You can shop in the Craft Hope Etsy shop, get a beautifully handmade item, and rest assured that the proceeds from your purchase will go to charity. It’s that simple.

For Crafters: All the info on the project can be found right here.

For Shoppers: Visit the Craft Hope for Haiti Etsy Shop right here.

Spread the love everybody and God bless...

Rachel

Such a beautiful, exhausting life...

Besides being super busy taking care of my kids while my hubby is out of town, I've also been super busy sewing and creating too.  Yesterday was very exciting and unexpected.  It's so funny now that I think about it.  Yesterday afternoon I sold my embroidered, red tea cozy in my shop!  I put a lot of work into that tea cozy and I was thrilled that someone loved it enough to buy it from me.  Then I got an email from someone who wanted one too, and then another email, and ANOTHER email.  I was so confused.  How could something that has been for sale for about a month now suddenly be something everyone wants?  I just shrugged my shoulders and started having thoughts about how great of a designer I was and how people are discovering me and I am going to be famous one day.  (Come on, after a boost like that anyone would start having those thoughts, right?)  Well, I looked at my Etsy shop this morning and I've had 31 people fave my shop since yesterday morning.  Ok, something HAD to have happened.  I was thinking, how in the world did that many people stumble into my shop?  So I did a little Google search on my red tea cozy and found that it was in "The Spotlight" section of The Storque on Etsy!  Here it is if you would like to have a look.  I could not believe it!  I was so excited!  It was good that I found that otherwise my head might have gotten too big over nothing!  Ha ha!  Anyway, for what it's worth, I am thrilled that 3 other people love my red tea cozy and they want me to make it for them.  I get more of a rush from people loving my creations than the money I get from selling them.  The money just helps me create more things that I dream up.  It's fueling my hobby!  And that's a good feeling.   :)

For the sake of putting up a picture with every post I write, here is one of my one-year-old who just figured out how to reach the fresh-baked cookies on the counter!  She was thrilled to say the least when she realized what she had accomplished!  Love it!  :)

 

Have a beautiful week, everyone!

Rachel

A new bag!

I've seen these bags around in different shapes and sizes.  I love this style!  It's so me and so Ohsewfresh!  I been working on this adorable bag for a few days now.  I finally got the courage to draw up a pattern and give it a shot on Tuesday.  I hate trying something with my best fabric and supplies with the chance of it not working out and then I would have to throw it away.  Kills me.  But luck was on my side when I finally sewed it up.  You cannot believe how excited I was when I saw how it was turning out.  I'll admit that the shape of the body of the bag was not how I intended for it to be.  It was kind of a mistake, but after about 3 seconds of looking at it thinking that I had just ruined it, I realized I loved the shape!  I would prefer it this way over the shape I drew up from the beginning.  It is moments like these that make me want to design more!  I love sewing!

You know what the best part is?  Each of the flowers are made from the fabric of my two most favorite designers: Heather Bailey, and Anna Maria Horner.  Check out their blogs, they are amazing!

This little bag is in my Etsy shop.  I think I might make one for me too!  Did I mention that it's snowing like crazy outside?  I think we have about 4 inches so far!  Perfect day....  :)

Rachel

An Oh Sew Fresh Start to 2010...

I was more than happy to pack away all our beautiful Christmas things a couple days ago.  A new year... a fresh start... mmmmm.  Sounds good.  I love new beginnings.  The anticipation of new experiences that will come this year.  The ability to do new things with my children as they grown older. Doing all the things I couldn't do on my list last year.  Isn't that what everybody hopes for?

Well a new year also brings new challenges too... like, what am I going to do with this undecorated living room?  I took all the Christmas things away and there is really nothing left.  What did I have up there on the mantle before Christmas?  Nothing.  Ughh.  Here are some pictures of my skimpy mantle.  Do any of you have some awesome decor advice for me?  Keep in mind I have a four-year-old and a one-year-old.

One area I am particularly proud of is my rather large wall behind our leather sectional sofa.  I think I've gone through about 3 different arrangements before I saw this one on Flickr a few months ago and I knew it was the one.  Like true love.  I couldn't have anything else.  So after much persuasion in my husband's direction and a great coupon to Michael's Craft store I bought all the frames.  I was the happiest little homemaker that night as I propped them up on the back side of the sofa to try to get an idea of what they would look like all put up.  Love never fails either.  And I learned that the next day when I spent two hours trying to hang them up and practically destroying the wall with a million little nail holes.  (Don't look behind the pictures!)  Now my challenge is printing out the pictures to put in the frames.  Right now all they have is the bright orange flower posters that they came with.  My mom loves them just the way they are!  :)  I will post another picture as soon as I have filled them.

This is a little decal bird I got from Elephannie on Etsy .  I love this little bird sitting on the back door frame!  He's made our house his home.  :-)

Wishing everyone a fresh start to your new year!

Rachel