Go To Gift

We have been invited to 4 different weddings this Summer!  In the spirit of 'going green' and giving something just slightly more personalized - my go to gift has been monogramed napkins.  I generally head to the store where the couple is registered, find their dishes and then go find napkins that match.

last Friday I was busy putting an very tailored W on a plaid napkin.  This particular couple's dishes are cobalt blue with a medium brown stripe in the pattern.  The brown was hardly noticable until you put a brown napkin next to it. (the card was because the groom proposed on the beach when we were in Mexico).

I love how JB laid them out on the table in the B&B to take their glamour shot.  I did iron them before giving them to JB to wrap - not that you can tell now. 

So what do you think?  Is this a good gift or should i just buy off the registry? 

Wasted Afternoon?

 So finally - I got a chance to sew something again.  I have had this Sew Serendipity pattern on my cutting table, cut out for a couple weeks now.  I got the bodice put together and then got sidetracked by ring pillows, wedding presents, and various other sewing projects of the crafty variety.

I wanted to try this pattern before cutting into some of my prettier quilting cottons I bought for summer dressed.  The main fabric is a swiss dot that I picked up at hancock last month.  Not that you can see it, but the midriff band is a pink spotted quilting cotton.  I wasn't going to put the bottom band on the dress, but it was short without it!
I traced the pattern with no alternations other than grading between sizes.   I put the bodice together - it's completely lined with white batiste because the swiss dots are very sheer.  Once I had the bodice together, I freaked out a bit, this dress has not opening other than the cross over v neck.  I figured I wouldn't be able to get into it. 

The midriff band is a bit high and it's not level round my body, so I need to alter that before cutting it again. 

The bottom band is a quilting cotton that was in the cupboard, not sure what it was bought for, but I know it wasn't a summer dress.

The dress was cool and comfortable to wear and I think with some minor alterations I'll make a few more.  Although I really want to jump on the Vogue 1250 bandwagon, I even have the pattern and fabric ready to go. 

 

Thankfully

Today I'm reminding myself of the all the really simple things in life there are to be thankful for, here's some of mine. Wanna share yours?

::charity dog washes::

::being able to keep these houndies in kibble::

::beautiful weather and health to be able to walk the dogs to get their bath::

::side benefit is that the car doesn't still smell like wet dogs!::

:: affording the perfect finish to our yard::

::safe kids::

::knowing that buying fabric because I'm not sewing isn't going to bankrupt us::

::JB asking "what is Webs" while reviewing the credit card statement, and then saying - cool::

::webs is a yarn store - I bought another cardigan's worth of yarn::

::having knitting plans::

So - what are you thankful for today?