Amaia Papaya

As a part of a new series, I'm sharing my favorite things (both sewing & non-sewing items) each month. I get tons of questions on social media about the fabrics, tools, and supplies I use in my shop, so I thought it would be fun to do a monthly round-up of everything I currently love! My life isn't 100% sewing, so I'll be throwing in some extras too, like a new book I can't put down, what I'm sipping on while I work, or a new YouTube channel I can't get enough of. And of course, my favorite sewing supplies, tools, fabrics, shops, tutorials, patterns, and more. Fun, right?!  Let's jump right in! Here are my favorites from last month (in no particular order!). 1. Olfa frosted non-slip acrylic ruler : This thing is AMAZING. I've been using the same cutting ruler for 13 years. Yes, that's right 13 years. The markings were rubbing off, it was constantly slipping out of place, and eventually one day my daughter snapped it in half. And it's ...

Happy 2018! I just absolutely love the thought of a fresh start on new year's day. It's like the start of a new week but on a much bigger scale. Normally when I set goals each year I jot them down on a piece of paper that gets lost in the shuffle a few weeks later. This year I vowed to change that. Even though I hate to admit it, I am constantly on my phone. So I opened up a new note and wrote down my goals. I even ventured to brainstorm a bit about ideas I have been dreaming up. Now every time I hop on Instagram or do a quick email check, I can easily scroll through my goals, note my progress, and reset my path for tackling things that are already forgotten. On top of that, I'm setting smaller weekly goals. 3 small things that I can accomplish  in one week  to set me on target for crushing my overall yearly goals.  One of my biggest goals this year is to try and sew clothing. Yikes, right?! Give me a zipper pouch or a quilt any day. Straight forward and to the po...

I've been working on my little handmade shop for about 7 months now. It's been pretty slow going with working full time, having a one year old (how did she get this old already!), maintaining a home, and trying to stay sane while doing it all. Most of my work is done in the early morning, late at night, or during nap time. But it's always something I've dreamed of doing and I'm determined to make it happen. And at least I'm having fun making pretty things while trying! Here's my current work space. A wooden table nestled in the corner of our living room. Small space living at it's best! It wasn't until after my daughter was born that I discovered this amazing online community of successful woman that are making their handmade shops and dreams become a reality. They have truly been an inspiration in this process. Creating and making things has always been my passion in life. Growing up I never liked sports and I hated any sort of extr...

Amaia was recently (does April count as recent? mom time is much different than real time.) gifted a Dora the Explorer birthday balloon that has provided hours  of entertainment. The balloon has since deflated and now sits sadly on the floor still attached to the back of a chair. But we cannot get rid of this balloon because it has become a staple toy for the little miss Amaia/ might  cause an epic meltdown. Dora has become a very good friend around these parts. As I was strolling the aisles of Joann a few weeks ago, I stumbled across some cute Dora fleece and decided to whip up a quick blanket. Mostly in hopes that I could toss the balloon. It took me about an hour to complete. Thought I would share my DIY steps with you all.  Here we go! Materials : One yard of your favorite fleece (or more, it's up to you) Rotary cutter and mat, or scissors Cutting ruler Pins Sewing machine & basic sewing machine supplies Coordinating thread 1)  Lay you...

Last week we packed up our goods and headed over to the Ashland farmers market for their sustainability day and we had one of our best selling days ever! The weather was gorgeous, the people were friendly, and the feedback from customers was beyond supportive and positive. I even had a few people run back to my booth around closing time to pick up some more goods. Overall a wonderfully successful day that not only re-motivated me, but made me realize that following my dreams isn't so crazy after all! We set up shop with our usual tent, but this time added a nice new handmade sign. A definite plus for getting our name out there! Although some people were wondering where the papayas were...And please ignore Axel who looks so thrilled in the background of every picture. I swear, he really was excited to be there! There was a huge turnout for the market's sustainability day event. All the vendors had a focus on reusable and sustainable products, so our produce ba...

At the beginning of May I set up shop at the Lowell Farm Market for their "I Heart Mom" event. And it was a blast!    ( picture courtesy of The Farm Market's Facebook page ) This marked my first time ever selling handmade items at a market. Intimidating and terrifying, for sure. But also a very fun experience. My intention wasn't to sell a ton, but to learn as much as possible. Having one event under my belt, I feel more prepared and excited to sign up for more in the future. Back in the beginning of the year, I set three goals for my shop: 1) open an Etsy account and list at least ten items (done!) 2) sign up for at least one market/craft fair (done!) and 3) start blogging (done!). Only five months into the year and I've already checked everything off the list. Not too bad! So here's how it went. I registered for the event pretty late and only gave myself a few weeks to pull things together. Not the best idea, but I pulled through. It meant...

DIY coming soon!