JCasa BLOG

there's a new sheriff in town

well, they've met.  swiss miss seems to tower over my sweet simple swede ::

swiss miss is actually still in the box, strapping and all.  i haven't had an opportunity to properly seclude myself and play around since she came home with us tuesday afternoon.  bringing bernina upstairs to my sewing room is a start :: it's like introducing a new kitten to the family lap dog...  you kind of have to let them sniff at each other.

wishing you a wonderful weekend ~ we'll be enjoying some long awaited family time over the next few days and will see you back here tuesday.  xoxo

happiness is...

discovering + manipulating your reflection in unusual places ::

in everything from stemware to the toilet-paper-holder-thingy (which doesn't hold toilet paper because toilet paper is apparently the greatest toy ever).  if it's shiny, it's good for a few minutes of face-making and crooning.

thanks to all who visited the shop yesterday!  info on the next update can be found here - stay tuned while i figure a few things out.  you see, i have some exciting news :: there's a BERNINA in the house!

shop update :: vintage feedsack quilt part 1

remember when this came into my life just a few short weeks ago?  well, there was the initial swoon... followed by a gentle yet thorough laundering.  then came the assessment :: the many trouble-spots (worn entirely through) rendered it unusable in its existing form.  and so i have been working with it these past few weeks to breathe its beautiful life into some new designs ::

1. vintage feedsack :: quilt cards, 2. vintage feedsack :: quilt cards, 3. vintage feedsack :: coasters, 4. vintage feedsack :: list-takers

as well as functional favorites ::

1. vintage feedsack :: kid-zippys, 2. vintage feedsack + linen :: pencil pouches

i love being able to extend the life of beautiful yet time-worn (often very very worn) pieces like this :: to repurpose their unique "fabric" into many new pieces, to let their beauty once again be appreciated and adored.

not to be forgotten are a few more notebooks, 100% linen with vintage feedsack or an original green green patchwork ::

1. vintage feedsack + linen :: back-to-school notebooks, 2. green green patchwork + linen :: back-to-school notebooks

last but not least, for the DIYers, a few vintage feedsack patchwork quilt squares ::

this quilt top was such a find and too good not to share.  i was initially thinking of making totes, or possibly pillows.  but then i thought of you crafters with all your bright ideas, who might like to make something truly unique on your own with these wonderful snapshots of way-back-when.  so instead of little stash stacks, there are these vintage lovelies for you to play with.

everything can be found in the shop :: starting with the first wave at 2pm and a second wave at 10pm (Etsy time).  half of everything at each listing, to accommodate smiling faces in far-off places.  happy shopping!

and thanks SO much for the happy b-day wishes!!!  my metabolism is officially on strike now.  i may need to address that.  can someone tell me how all that junk got on the treadmill?  xoxo

39 :: a happy day

a special meal, fresh + local ::

a serenade by candlelight ::

and a few hours to explore my favorite antique spots in amish country ::

yes, i washed it already :-)  see you tomorrow!

solo mission

i got to do a little of this today ::

granted, getting fingerprinted is something one does sans kiddos.  after finally receiving transcripts from three different universities where i completed coursework over the past 8 years, then the paperwork and writing the check - only then did i read the small print.  seems the ink-rolled impressions they took years (ahem) ago aren't CSI enough for these modern times.  funny thing was, i actually had to go down to the same DMV where i got my learner's permit 23 years ago (double ahem) for the process.  in and out and time to spare whilst the wee ones were baking apple pie, building entire villages and playing "pinano" with the grandfolks and their cousin.  so i set off on my quest for a new sewing machine, iced coffee in hand of course.  i now know the viking and have a double-date with pfaff and bernina on monday.  (solo again - what's up with that?)  ... mal sehen.

excitement :: this amazing trio is coming to live with us!  (yep - mama and her duo.)  tiel's work is so amazing.  love love!

btw:  i've adjusted the shop update this tuesday ever so slightly.  half of everything will be listed at 2pm and then the other half at 10pm (Etsy time).  this is to accommodate those people in other time zones who've been expressing interest (thank you!).  depending on how these work out, i will consider timing accordingly in the future.  there will be some teasers on my flickr monday and then i'll be back here tuesday with the skinny.  recent favorites + new goodies + vintage feedsack treats for the DIY-people.  xoxo

i-liketowritelists

ingredients: vintage feedsack quilt + love + paper + pen ::

+ a very pretty vintage button ::

just need to stitch those on and these will be added to the growing "done" pile ~ it's going to be a really yummy update. (can you tell i'm getting excited?)  xoxo

crossroad :: all the difference

i finished up a small custom piece today - it was a very cool collaboration with someone who found me on flickr of all things.  she had this idea for a bookmark that had pockets for post-its and a pen/pencil.  it took me a while to figure it out how to engineer it so it wouldn't fly around ::

actually, this was my last custom piece.  for a while at least.  i have loved collaborating with other people and worked really hard to create the pieces they envision.  it was so great to go through the process with other people and bounce ideas off one another.  those who have ordered custom pieces from me have been delightful and the experiences truly rewarding.  i have improved my skills and been inspired to no end.  and i truly hope to someday get back to doing special orders, but for now i have to take a custom break.

i realized i had to make this decision when i found myself falling into a creative quandary, with tons of my own ideas and never enough time to fully develop them.  everything changed with my two recent shop updates.  it has been so incredibly delightful these past few weeks, creating pieces from my own imagination - and responding to your requests for seconds, thanks!

i promise to continue doing my very best to source the very most special materials and create truly unique + functional goods for you and yours ::

this journey, the process of allowing myself to spend time creating from my mind's eye, the way life evolves with each step we take :: all of it has me thinking of one of my favorite poems of all time.  i have loved it for as long as i can remember and i always gain new insight about "now".  whenever and whereever now may be.  xoxo

the road not taken :: robert frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

xoxo

what a new day brings

crashing thunder woke us all early this morning.  it was chilly and all i wanted to do was pull the covers up over my head and go back to sleep, but that has not happened in about 3 years and it wasn't about to happen today either.  i searched my weary mind to come up with summertime indoor alternatives and was pondering heading south to a particular antique center in hopes of finding a few more hidden gems.  but then the phone rang and my mom offered to come by to visit the girlies and set me free for an hour.  who am i to turn down unsolicited grandma babysitting services?

so here's the funny bit... when i left, the sunroom was neat and tidy, ready for play and stocked full of creative inspiration.  upon my return, this was the situation ::

she was actually laughing when she left.  ah, a grandma's payback.  right.

so... after the wee ones went down for their much needed rest (catching up from 3 days lacking naps), and doing the dishes from lunch, and straightening up a little bit, yada yada yada... i finally got down to the business of making some new patchwork.  i tried something new - that is to say i tried not to do what i normally do.  i deliberately didn't think about it except to keep an eye on the direction of the motifs.  i just kept stitching + pressing + cutting + realigning + repeating ::

i finally got to a happy point with the "fabric" later in the evening, worked some linen into the picture and am about halfway done the project.  i've gotten such great feedback about this one - well, all of them for that matter - so i am working on both vintage and new patchwork ones for the shop.  and some other goodies.

a few other things making me smile :: amy's return to blogging (you may know her as the master maker of koa and purl) :: julia's veggies :: amiee's green gable which has me in total awe of her, i don't know where she finds the time, but i'm so glad she does :: kate's amazing creations (and supercute kiddos) :: anny's new knits :: all of laura's impressive new crafty endeavors :: and sara's spirit and superamazingness.

xoxo

dear blog,

how are you?  i am fine.

sorry i disappeared for a few days.

life has been great (as has the weather), so we put our zoo pass to use (again) ::

good times.

i am, however, undergoing some withdrawl.  the only crafting i have had in the past several days was a teeny bit friday afternoon during the 15 minutes that classified as naptime ::

i wanted to make a special gift for my sister-in-law's birthday and determined it was the perfect opportunity to try out one of the many supercute projects from that super new book which i find great both for new-to-sewing crafters, as well as worthy of recommending to the more seasoned crafter.  the writing style is delightful and the patterns so do-able, and adaptable :: ready to personalize.  and that says a lot from this too-stubborn-to-follow-a-pattern mama.

we planned on grilling out this evening after having been out pretty much all weekend, but it's raining like all get out, so we opted for an indoor-cookout and a review lesson of Corn 101.  (who knew paper hats are the coolest thing ever) ::

some minor mopping was required.  as was a good belly laugh every 3 seconds, of course.

see you tomorrow with progress on what's next ::

your friend,

~j 

happiness is...

finding a new source ::

this lovely came into my arms monday morning when we stopped at an antique mall "just for a minute" on the way to the amish farmers' market.  the dealer happened to be there and we enjoyed a few minutes of patchwork appreciation while the duo were each treated to a new old book (go dog go - our 3rd copy & the B book - letters and phonics are big fun these days).  there are will be nothing but good vibrations when i begin to rework this beautiful feedsack quilt into new pieces - the several well-worn spots make this quilt the perfect candidate for rescuing.  stay tuned!

::

THANK YOU :: holy moley, i could not believe what i was seeing yesterday afternoon with the shop update.  as fast as i could list something it was gone.  i had to pinch myself to make sure it was really happening.  and so many of you emailed me with such sweet sweet notes about the patchworkapalooza.  thanks so much - really.  my knees are still shaking.  xoxo