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The Tiny Drawer - day two

[ day one & story here ]

Interview: My Sewing Story

1. How did you learn to sew?

In middle school, I took Home Ec with Mrs. Starkell for a few months and learned the basics (how to: thread a machine, not sew your finger, a few projects & how to make boxer shorts you'll wear out as shorts-- because it's the 90's) :] I'd always admired my mom's sewing skills and was thrilled to be in a sewing class. Once I took Home Ec, it was like I had my license and Momma let me use her machine. I practiced and practiced, played with different types of fabric, taught myself to slip cover couches, made pajamas and I designed some fun accessories :)
Once I had my own house, I was on a tight budget and needed to make curtains. I borrowed my friends Pfaff machine (which was in a sweet hot pink luggage case) and sewed curtains for all 9 windows in my new home :) I was hooked again! I love the unlimited potential of fabric + sewing machine!

2. Why do you love to sew?

I have a few reasons... 
1. I love working with fabrics! Mixing color and pattern is one of my biggest joys in life and textiles are one of the best mediums for doing that!
2. I love figuring stuff out :) When I made the 'Hanging Shoe Organizer' for Home Ec... I didn't know how to make the dimensional pockets yet but I knew it was possible. I tried a few ways and when I got it right, I squealed! I felt so excited to learn something new and use it in my home (plus teach you soon) :]
3. It's a hobby & skill that can translate into any purpose; it's relevant and really applicable... decor, wardrobe & fashion, repair, accessories, children & toys, art and of course, it's fun!
4. I find it so relaxing... you can see your idea/project produced so much faster (with the machine) than any other craft but it's still hands on and totally fulfilling :)
5. I love making a finished product that looks bought but totally custom to my style :)

3. Favorite thing you've ever made?

Many Monday's, my mom takes Olivia and Kennedy to the library-- it's their special thing and all three of them love it equally! In November, I made O & K "Library Bags" for their birthday (with a tiny pocket inside for their library cards) and the girls quickly filled them with books :) At Christmas, I made my Mom one... and it sent her to giggles & tears, she could now match her grand daughters on their dates!
I love how committed they are to the library bag trio, Mom makes sure of it ;)

4. What is your favorite technique?

I'm pretty addicted to joining fabrics to create stripes. I wanna do it to everything!

5. What part of Home Ec are you most excited about?

I'm most excited for the girls and women* in Home Ec to feel empowered & thrilled as they discover the seamstress hidden inside of them! Our online class environment is a great place to learn from the beginning and be surrounded & supported by others around the same stage and by teachers who care about you enjoying the process! Rachel, Courtney and I put a lot of thought into the skills and projects being useful, progressive and extensive... once you complete Home Ec, your sewing machine will never gather dust again! Your life will change :)
*no boys or men so far (but you're welcome to join!)

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How Home Ec Works:

We will post a new project tutorial on the private blog, Monday through Friday (sometimes Saturdays) but this is a take it at your own pace class, there is no pressure to do the projects in line with our posting schedule and the private Home Ec blog will stay up for one full year so that you can continue accessing the material, working at your own pace with your schedule in mind. We write our tutorials with demonstrative photos and step by step written instructions; they are pretty and very easy to understand and follow (plus we are available to answer questions). Once registered, you can visit the class blog and work on your projects any time you want, as much as you want :) 

If you've always wanted to learn how to use that sewing machine you found at a garage sale or could use a few tips on how to get your button holes to turn out like they should, you should join us for Home Ec, an online class designed to teach you how to enter the land of back stitching and squaring up with confidence. You'll get the skills you've always wanted and resources to become quite the innovative crafter/homemaker/business person/best Christmas present maker ever.

Visit HERE for full details and registration info.

A big preview of all the projects we'll be teaching...

Class officially starts August 10th.

xoxo,

Leigh-Ann

PS. Take a look at Rachel's Interview and Courtney's Sewing Story... these women are incred!! I'm looking forward to making Courtney's Ironing Board Cover & Wrap Skirt and Rachel's Piped Cushions & Canvas Bag!

PPS. New post below.

The Tiny Drawer Series - day one

Last Sunday, I was at my parents house photoshooting in my mom's garden shed (for a blog design). I brought along some of my tiny collections to go with the theme and felt excited as I saw it come together :)

As I was packing up my things, I remembered how I came across this tiny drawer... it was about 7 years ago on a Sunday Morning as I walked by a garage sale near my home. A cute old man was moving and his garage was filled with treasure! I found some of my (now) favorite containers there, perring knives that reminded me of my grandma, old tools that were worn from years of the cute old mans chores, jars of buttons, and little collectibles that spoke to me :) And on his window sill, was this tiny wooden drawer, filled with bolts. The nuts and bolts sort, but just the bolts. I adored it then and there and he gave it to me :)

This drawer now stores my sewing needles, safety pins and vintage ricrac but last Sunday, it became a magical little window into my journeys garage saling. In front of Momma's chive garden, I photographed some of my found treasures framed in this Tiny Drawer and I look forward to sharing them with you over the next week or so :)

Vintage Dress Shopping Online - PART 1

I'd admired vintage dresses online for a long time but was always intimidated by the sizing and inability to try them on before I bought. In March, my friends Elsie and Jill taught me how to measure myself (and add allowance) and I began buying vintage dresses online! With the right measurements & information, (in my experience) buying dresses online offers a pretty sure fit and is even better than buying dresses at the mall where I can try it on ahead (with way more variety and pretty selection)! I have 21 beautiful dresses so far and I wear a vintage dress 3 times a week on average :)

The shopping & searching has been a blast and I feel really pretty and fancy when I dress up! Now I want to share with you what I've learned.. you might become addicted too ;)

Please Note: This 3 Part Series is based on information I've gathered, things I've learned from friends and personal experience. This is a hobby of mine and I am not a professional.

You will need a measuring tape and paper & pencil to record your inches.

1. Bust - With your bra on, measure around your body across the biggest part of your bust.

2. Waist - Standing straight up, measure around the smallest part of your waist (between your bellybutton and bra cups). Don't suck in or you'll have to live that way and you'll turn into a fish.

3. Hips - Standing straight up with your heels together, measure around the biggest part of hips, across your bottom.

4. Shoulder - (this measurement is not always given) Measure from the ball of your shoulder, fully across to the other ball of your shoulder.

Allowance: Once you have your body measurements, you should add allowance (a bit extra) so that the dresses you chose are not 'skin tight'. Depending on the stretch of the fabric, add 1" to 1.5" to each measurement (bust/waist/hips/shoulder).
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Coming soon... Part 2 = Using your Measurements to Find Dresses Online!

ps. I will be posting Day 1 of the new photos series tomorrow evening rather than tonight.

2 July Giveaway Winners

Congratulations!!

Tammy, you've won July's BIG Giveaway!! :) 

Juniper Grace, you've won the Feature Giveaway :) 

Thank you to everyone for supporting my sponsors & entering these giveaways! Tammy & Grace, please email me at FreckledNest@gmail.com with your mailing address.

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If you'd like to sponsor Freckled Nest in August, please email me to reserve a space (I have a few large and small ads). 

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Starting Monday...
I photographed a new photo series today :) It's about tiny treasures from one of my favorite summer hobbies-- garage saling!

Beauty School and Cupcakes

One of my besties has created a really special e-course called Beauty School. I've seen it-- and it's amazing, sweet, enlightening and inspiring! In Beauty School, Elsie shares her best beauty secrets through 10 topical sessions with how-to's, a few videos, lots of inspiration & visuals, and smart & pretty ideas that are affordable and even free! This e-course is only $26 and well worth it, more info here :)

Great job Elsie, I love Beauty School!

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[ red velvet cupcake from Cake-ology ] 
Look who wanted me to share my late night snack...

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I took most of the day off today... I went thrifting, had a late lunch watching a local concert, wandered aimlessly (shop to shop), visited Hoopers (sooo beautiful!), saw a comedian street performer, visited an old school toy store (picked a few books for my house when my nieces come over), found a gorge dress that makes me feel like a size S, ran into my friends Courtney & Kirby, had my favorite lemonade (hello lemon haven!), and I did all this by myself :) Sometimes, it's nice to just have a quiet, smiley & refreshing day all by yourself :)

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Sunday I'll draw and announce the 2 winners of July's Big + Feature Giveaway! Enter soon (here and here), before time runs out.

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Goodnight (or Goodmorning), 

xox, Leigh-Ann

his name is Peanut.

He napped on my lap and my heart totally melted. I adore him, want to adopt him, and I kinda teared up when I had to leave (after a half hour of cuddles). See you next year little man!

Maoh ya, berry picking was fun too!

Sponsor Feature: Here We Go

Hi Freckles!
Today I'm happy to feature 'Here we Go' on Freckled Nest! Justine has a sweet blog with some of my favorite types of features... tutorials, font-love, yummy recipes and cute handmade!! Thanks for joining us Justine!!  

Love, Leigh-Ann

My name is Justine and I am the voice behind the blog Here We Go. A blog filled with photos, baking, crafts, font, cats and my boyfriend Justin. I am the narrator of our blog and he is the model. I am in love with typography and design. I love crochet, and can make a mean afghan as well as some cute simple headbands.
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We work with children and adults with special needs and we're currently working at Camp Paivika in California. We read way too much and are currently in the process of writing our owl fantasy trilogy. It’s a work in process and helps us escape into our favorite world. I collect Pandas and Owls and am constantly on the hunt for them :) I hope you come by and say hi, I love finding new blogs, so make sure to show me yours! Also, check out this HTML/Code course that I'm co-teaching next month :)

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I wanted to giveaway things that show what I like and a sense of my "style." To enter, please share your name/email and your favorite thing to collect :) 

xo, Justine (and Justin)

(The winner will receive a friendship bracelet make by Justine's sister Jordyn, a Martha Stewart elephant punch, a NYC purse and a stamp that says "Just a Note")

Today is my Favorite Day of the Year!

It's Berry Picking Day with my family! Last year it was amazing and this year promises to be the same-- plus, my brother Kody is joining us!! I'm really (most) excited to see my favorite Mini Horse... his pictures been on my fridge all year long and I'm bringing him some mini carrots and big hugs :)

1. Come back this afternoon for a Blogger Feature & Giveaway! 

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2. Don't forget to enter July's Big Giveaway here!!

3. I've got some major blog catchup to do... I'm still working through my blog topics list, thanks for being patient :)

4. Elsie mailed me a whole bunch of vintage dresses that fit PERFECT! I'm so excited! Thank-you Pilgrim!!

5. Thank you for reading my blog, I'm so happy you're here :)

xoxo,

Leigh-Ann "Future Horse Mama" Keffer

Home Ec - Previews Part 2

Last week Rachel, Courtney and I announced the details of HOME EC, our Online Sewing Class for Beginners. We shared full details plus previews of the 1st half of our projects... today we're excited to show you the 2nd half with insights into what each project will teach! Visit here for full class details and registration info.

Project Previews - Part 2
(Previews Part 1 here)

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Removable Pillow Case with Piping
Take your pillows to the next level with piping that makes them pop!  You'll learn how to create a removable pillow case and add piping to add depth and create a more finished shape. Introducing: removable cushion case, piping.

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Ruffled Duvet Cover
A duvet can be a quick and affordable way to update the look of your bedroom...and it can be a lot more affordable if you make it yourself! We'll give you a few different options for fabric, dimensions, and construction so you can decide what works best for you. Introducing: buttonholes, fabric care, ruffles.

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Fabric Cubby/Tray
Those square shelving units and fabric cubbies are really popular, but sometimes it's really hard to find cute ones, especially in the right size. We'll show you how to make your own! And, if you don't have a shelving unit, you'll also be able to use the techniques to make neat little fabric trays, perfect for office desk organization or craft show displays. Introducing: constructing a cube, working with heavy interfacing.
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Padded Laptop Case
There's no reason your laptop should be in a boring black sleeve... let's create a case that makes you smile each time you use it (while still being protective)! Sized to your computer, this padded case is built to last, beautify and protect. Introducing: Working with Foam.

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Full Apron
Make an Anthropologie inspired apron sure to flatter any shape.  This simple pattern allows your fabric selection to stand out with a chic bow detail at one shoulder. Give them as gifts this Christmas! Introducing pleated pockets.

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Leather and Canvas Purse
The purse that actually looks like you bought it at a boutique.  Learn how to add rich details to your creations by using leather and hardware like the pros. Introducing sewing with leather, box purse base, sewing with hardware details.

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Mod Table Runner (Double Sided)
Dress up your tea party with a table runner than calls all eyes onto your pretty table display! Similar to quilting, this tablerunner is made by joining materials to create visual interest and seamed in a way that flattens your piece and shows a level of craftsmanship that impresses all your guests! (Note: The above tablerunner fabric is more traditional than mod. You'll see a mod table runner in the class, promise!)
Introducing: Secure Seaming, Straight Lines that Show.

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Drafting a Simple Pattern
One of the fastest ways to learn how clothing is constructed is to tear it apart. If not literally, then visually (we'll cover both options). Using a basic piece of clothing from your closet, we'll recreate it "quick and dirty" style. These make great projects for late at night when the fabric stores and mall are closed and you really want to wear something new the next day! Introducing: what types of clothing are easily drafted, working backwards, simple construction.

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Hanging Shoe Organizer
Shoe organizers are not a new invention but cute ones just might be! These hanging shoe organizers are a stylish way to display and store 12 pairs of shoes (or more) and use vertical space to your advantage. Introducing: Tabs, Rows of Dimensional Pockets and a Secret Tip. 

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Messenger Bag
This grey & yellow corduroy messenger bag feels like the 'safe purse' for girls who don't love handbags (also great for students). Built to last with looks that impress, you'll love carrying your books and belongings in your handmade messenger bag that's sure to make you proud of your new sewing & construction skills! Introducing: Working with directional texture, hardware connectors, adding decorative personality.

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Reading a Commercial Pattern
They're tempting, they're intimidating. You're pretty sure they're written in a different language. Commercial patterns open up a whole new world of clothing (and accessories/craft) construction that would otherwise be impossible for "civilians" (read: not trained fashion & pattern designers) such as us. From selecting a pattern, to learning how to read the "step by step", we hope to give you the confidence and knowledge you need to conquer these wonderful little mysteries. Introducing: determining your size, skill level, understanding fabric & notions, using your pattern "correctly", dealing with the mishaps.

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Flying Geese Quilt
The cherry on top of this crafty class!  Use your new confidence to create a beautiful, large quilt for yourself or a loved one.  Introducing patchwork quilting.

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How to Invent & Adapt Projects
Different from any of our past online classes, in Home Ec, we are allowing you to take the projects we teach in this class and reproduce them for Commercial Use if you choose (but not to reteach). This means that if you own a business, taking Home Ec can expand your range of products and potential! We hope that you will find ways to personalize the projects to make them your own, and in this Tips post, Leigh-Ann will give recommendations for adapting a few of the projects into your own style and brand (also beneficial for gift making!). Even better, learn how to think like an inventor... how to use the skills you've learned in Home Ec to invent and design completely new projects exclusive to YOU!
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If you would like to register for Home Ec Online Sewing Class, please review the full class info & course outline here, along with project previews part 1, value, registration info and testimonials. Class officially begins August 10th.

 

Questions? Please e-mail Leigh-Ann (FreckledNest@gmail.com) with "Home Ec" in the subject line.

I'm so excited to be a part of this class; I'm hyper about it! Love Leigh-Ann