the finer diners.

Further proof that we are one classy couple.

Yes, friends - we actually went out for a dinner date last night to celebrate our 3 year anniversary!

For the locals - Cosmic Charlies.... MMmmmmmm!  I'm a sucker for Thai food, and Ben (who still thinks cilantro tastes like soap) opted to allow me the dinner choice.  No matter where we go he seems to order 'fish & chips'... and he loved them here too.  So we both won.  Happy bellies, happy hearts, happy times.

Happy mama,

Mel :o)

D.I.Y upcycle your sweater into a hooded scarf

It's that time again friends.  Time to do.it.yourself and make a super fast.stupid easy project with me (if I had a 'Martha Stewart' show... that would have to be my motto for all my d.i.y.s!)

It's that time of year again.

The crisp smell of Autumn... the chill that creeps into your marrow... I love it!  

I also love dressing for it... I'm a layers girl for sure.

Recently I saw a huge hooded scarf on Etsy and got all dreamy about having one.  A sweet friend had offered to crochet one for me... but the price of yarn hit me sour.  

"There's got to be a super cheap.stupid easy solution to this" says I.... hence, the sweater upcycle!

All you need is one knit hooded sweater.

Mine was thrifted for $3 thank you (much better than the $60-$90 price tag I was looking at!) 

Ok, here we go. 

Step 1: Remove cat from lounging on sweater (every time I go to cut fabric).

Step 2: Cut up the front of the sweater to create the scarf flaps (5" width roughly).

I started to remove the buttons.. then realized they'd be handy to leave on... so leave them.

Step 3: Flip the front flap up and cut a scoop area around the back of the hood (this just leaves a nice portion to tuck down the back of your neck into a coat/sweater later).

Step 4: Hem the raw edge of sweater on your sewing machine to prevent unraveling.

Remember those buttons?  You can now wrap the sweater flaps around your neck and button them into the holes... how fun is that?! :o)

Voila, you have made a cozy hideaway for your face.

Enjoy!

Upcycling away,

Mel ;o)

3 years as the "Mrs".

06.09.08

3 years ago I married my Ben.  Time is such a funny thing, and "3" seems like such a small number to hold so much love.memories.craziness.changes... 

I thought I'd take you on a quick tour of our wonderful woodland wedding - it was seriously the best day of my life!

Aw, we were so young! heh... bare-faced Ben looking all cute.  I still adore that dress.. my fantastic friend went with the vision/design/pattern I drew up... and made it amazing!

We got married out in a big field (hope valley day camp) with beautiful rolling hills and tumultuous clouds around us.

A baseball backstop was transformed into a Moroccan lounge of hanging fabrics and a stained glass window... Japanese lanterns hung down from the tents everyone sat under.

This was one of my favourite 'gag' moments where I accidentally tied Ben's ring in a knot - instead of undoing it from the ring pillows I had sewn! 

We planted a tree.. Ben dug, I watered.. going along with the tree theme of our wedding.

Oh my goodness the food!  Amazing friends presented a gorgeous feast of Asian/Thai dishes... with mouth watering desserts.... and my design of a 'woodland wedding cake' with mini-creature cupcakes for all.

And yes, the chunk of Amber stone on my finger is my engagement/wedding band - Ben knows me well. :o) 

This one day was such a beautiful start to many more wonderful days with my guy Ben.  We managed to pull off a wedding on a shoestring budget due to the incredible help of so many crazy talented friends (who sew, cook, bake, decorate, film, pitch in!).  Thank you again to all you special people in our life!

My only moment of 'cold feet' that day was as we were driving to the wedding.... I was in the backseat and as we approached the turn off I told my parents to just 'keep driving'!  I wasn't worried about marrying Ben.. but about the huge crowd of over 250 guests we had crammed into the tent (and that was the extremely hacked list).  Call me an extroverted-introvert... but I was suddenly wishing for a small intimate setting.

Needless to say, I'm glad we took the turn-off.  The moment I saw Ben waiting at the front of the crowd full of loving faces... I was carried in a stupor of pure joy for the rest of the day ( I know... MUSH!)... but true.

I love you Ben, and thanks for loving me the way you do.

I want the rest of our lifetime to keep learning you more.

Our wedding verse:

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.” 

Jeremiah 17:7,8

3 years blessed,

Mel ;o)

new work: lace & leather

Hello friends!  I'm excited to show you another one of my recent projects for the upcoming craft show (more to come too!). I was inspired to branch out with my 'neck.lace line' and create a new look here.

Consider it the marriage of lace from your granny's attic, and studded leather (ok, brown vinyl) from your boyfriend's rocker jacket!  I like the mix-up. mash-up style.  You can wear it as a hair band...

...or show off your neck.lace...

...or add a bit of 'edge' to how you wear it.

The neck.lace and leather combinations weave strands of antique ivory, smokey blues or faded rose tones, and natural browns.

Come check these out - and all the other goodies at the upcoming craft show!

I've also added them to my "lace.doily" page on the side bar here.

Thanks for stopping in,

Mel :o)

slide.show.sunday.take 12.

Good morning glories... right outside our living room window.

Right inside our living room window.. a 'play group' of epic proportions! :o)

Saturday morning 'tea time' with my gal.... "more please", Azi says.

Fabric. Fungi. Fun for this sewing mama!

Eagerly sewing for the upcoming craft show... my lil' hoots seen here.

Family dinner night up at Ben's folks... who were eager for Azriel to try out the yard sale bike they got.  Azi liked the bike bell most.

That was one sticky humid weekend... just when I thought Fall was here... it just makes me that much more eager for cooler weather and warmer layers.

Hope you're having a great long weekend friends,

Mel :o)

D.I.Y upcycle your curtains... into forts!

Hello friends - happy long weekend to y'all! 

Here's a recent 'upcycling' project I did for my daughter Azriel.  I wanted to make her a special place. a fort. a hideaway. a tent... thing.  I had some old 'princess bed netting' and an olive green sheer curtain that I stitched to the top hoop.

I was also recently inspired by this pinterest photo that used a hula hoop to make a tent!

I hung this tent/fort up in the corner of our living room, tucked in a blanket, a pillow, some colouring supplies.. her bunny with the tutu around it's neck... and waited.  Azriel seemed curious enough to hang out with her bunny... but since that day I think the cats have claimed if for their own sanctuary.  Eventually I want to sew some felt leaves and vines around it and make it more hidden for her...  but for now I thought it may inspire you!

Like she said... "bye!"

Have a fabulous weekend!

Mel :o)

pinafores & perfectly playful poses...

Oh.my.gosh these pictures are killing me with cuteness!  

You're witnessing a momentous occasion in this paparazzi-mama's life... the first time my daughter was clearly eager to pose for pictures.  I die. :o)

Azriel was also eager to use her 'prop' - a polka dot fabric scrap - as a hat for giggles.

Move over 'next top models'... she clearly knows how to work a pose.

You can also see how I still have to wrap this pinafore around her twice - room to grow!

You may remember my original post about sewing this pinafore... I still adore that vintage heart button.  In other trivia.. its also what Azriel is wearing up top there in my blog header/title.

I recently whipped up one of these 'T-shirt' necklaces for Azi.. from a blue ribbed tank-top. Sometimes you need those quick projects to feel like you've actually accomplished something in a day!  I even found you a tutorial if you haven't heard of these necklaces before... you can go here.

All posed out.. she finally threw in the towel (or polka dot hankie).

Azriel's outift:

pinafore: mama made.

onesie: Zellers (?)

neck-lace: mama made.

If your eyes can contain any more cuteness after that... you would love seeing the wardrobes of other wee wonders at Mama Loves Papa today.

smitten mama,

Mel ;o)