I only have little bits and pieces of my Miss Modd strike offs to work with right now, so my projects are small. Here is something I made last night:

This little purse is part of my accessory pattern for girls that will be available in October. It will also include a headband, belt, and necklace. Both of my girls have the purses and they take them everywhere. To the movies, the store, church, and pretty much every time we get in the car they have it stuffed with a toy and a treat for the ride. It's the perfect size for their little needs!

Believe it or not, I am not the best artist in my family. I didn't discover that I had any artistic ability until my Junior year in High School. My kids are off to a much better start.

Their abilities actually comes from Hartman's side of the family. His mom is an incredible artist. He also has a brother who is out of this world and Hartman isn't so bad himself. He can doodle animals in church much better than I can. My dogs look like cows and my cats look like hot dogs. His look like the real thing. The kids always ask him to draw things over me. Plus he can make them funny. That's what daddy's are for, right?

I somehow was able to get some art stuff in my genes, but the real raw talent is in my kids.

Check out this dragon that my oldest did when he was 12:

This was his trial piece. He has a more complete one somewhere. I need to find it.

I love this watercolor planet Earth from my 10 year old:

And water color flowers from my 6 year old. She wants to be a fabric and pattern designer when she grows up:

My 3 year old needed some help with the hearts, but the flowers are hers:

They inspire me!!!

You have probably seen these kinds of frames, that you can open up that backs and put new artwork in. I bought them at my kids art fair at their school, but I know have seen them in a catalogue somewhere. Probably Pottery barn.

By the way...did you go to Target and buy that hand soap from yesterday's post yet? I have recently learned that it promotes good hygiene in my kids. They like the smell so much that they wash their hands without having to be reminded. Amazing.

Hand Soap...Paradise

I have a few weird obsessions. One of them is hand soap. While I usually can't afford fancy soaps and I just go with my favorite brand Method, if I ever come across a really good smelling hand soap, I can't help it! I have to buy it. This one is just down right heavenly. As I was meandering the aisles at Target last night looking for silly bandz, (so my daughter won't get left out at recess anymore, which by the way is so stupid), I came across a display of various hand soaps, dish washing soap, candles etc. The packaging is what caught my eye, so I unscrewed the lid to Caldrea Citron Ginger and I was immediately transported into a fruity paradise.

There was no escape, I had to buy it. I threw it in my basket, finished up my shopping (no luck finding the silly bandz), and after checking my receipt trying to figure out how in the world my bill came to $70, I found that my new favorite soap was $8 not $5. OUCH!

The reward came a few hours later. After making a not so good random dinner of whatever we could find in the fridge, finishing up endless homework with the kids, and trying not to loose my patience because they refused to go to bed, my youngest came up to me and said, "thanks mom for buying that good smelly soap, see smell my hands!" And I was immediately transported back to paradise.

Miss Modd...meets Stripwork

Now this, I really love.

Seeing several of the different prints pieced together this way sparked something inside me. I didn't have enough to do the waist and the hem band, so I used some of my precious Joel Dewberry stash. I don't know why, but I all of a sudden got so excited seeing Miss Modd for real! And to have it paired up with some of Joel's stuff was so fun! You draw and you draw and you look it at for so long that it kind of get's old, but once you sew something up with it, it's like it's new again! Once I finished this skirt some creative juices started flowing and I came up with a whole new pattern to use with Miss Modd.

I'm pretty excited about it and I'm designing it today! Let's hope the idea in my mind translates into something wearable.

I already told my husband and he said it was okay to take on yet another project. Well he didn't really give the okay, but he didn't say no. So to me, that means Yes!

Pink Fig...meet Miss Modd.

They seem to like each other!

This is just a sample dress that I made from the strike off's, but I think it turned out pretty darn cute!

There is also an ankle length version of this dress that I love!

I'll have more in a week or so!