Photoshoot with ‘Elna’

Photo taken by my good friend Val @ Girl with a Notebook

 

A little while ago a good friend of mine – who happens to also be a great photographer- came over and we did a little photo shoot in my back yard with ‘Elna’. 

Elna turned out to be a great subject and I’m so glad my friend and I did this.  I’m not necessarily a great photographer, but I enjoy trying to be! 

Elna is a vintage (early 1950’s) Swiss-made sewing machine.   She belonged to my husband’s grandmother.  I’ve actually used this machine, and she works!  And, if I were going to use Elna regularly, she is in desperate need of a tune-up.   But one thing is for sure, I had some fun taking photos with my vintage Elna!

I think this photo might be one of my favorites from the day.  Not really sure why, but I think I just like the rainbow of colors on the silver bobbins.  You probably won't find too many modern machines using metal bobbins.  All my machines have plastic bobbins now.

Mommy Sunshine

photo courtesy of DimplePrints

I have a new favorite song!

You’ve heard the song.  You probably know the words to the song. 

In fact, you’ve probably heard numerous versions of the song. 

But, you have not heard MY favorite version of the song! 

Let me share.

One of my favorite times of the day is my son’s bedtime.  Not because he is going to bed (although I do often look forward to the quiet after he is in bed!), but because I get to sit and rock with him.  The day is done and we talk about what we’ve done that day or what we might be doing the next.  It is our time.  We laugh.  We cuddle.

Sometimes, as we rock, I sing softly to him.  Lately I’ve been singing ‘You Are My Sunshine.’  I changed the words a bit, and at the end I would say “Please don’t take my Henry-sunshine away”

I had no idea he was paying attention to the words of the song until one afternoon, out of the blue, he started singing.  He signs often and makes up his own songs about random things (usually something to do with GI Joes).  But this song was different.  And my heart melted!

His version goes like this:

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. 

You make me happy-EE, when skies are gray.

You’ll never know dear,

How much I love you

So please don’t take my Mommy sunshine away!”

Yep, it is my new favorite!    

And the words I sing are true.  My little man sure is a sunshine in my life! 

New Look for HankOrange!

I’m super excited about something HankOrange has going on ‘behind the scenes’ right now.  I’m working with a graphic designer to get a new look for HankOrange!  

After a recommendation from my brother, I hired Chris at Napping Goat Designs (totally love the name, don’t you?!) to help me come up with a fun new logo.  I’m really impressed with Chris and what he has come up with thus far.  He is a super talented graphic designer who took the vision of what I had in my head and created it- and better than I had imagined!  

If you are in need of a new look, new logo, a brochure, really anything related to design- you won’t be disappointed with Napping Goat!  

Stay tuned for a 'new' HankOrange- coming soon!!

Seat Belt Covers

When sweet little Ella moved into a ‘big girl’ seat in the car, she hated it.  The seat belt 

strap hit right on her neck making it very uncomfortable to sit buckled in.  Her Mom asked me if I could make some covers for the seat belt so her neck could be much more comfortable.   Ella’s mom sent me a link to the ‘Make It Love It’ blog- (which I already knew about and enjoy reading!)

I basically followed this fabulous tutorial by Ashley from ‘Make It Love It’ but I did a few things differently.  You should check out her great blog too! 

* I used quilted fabric that I had left over from this project so I cut out all the steps for layering the fabric. 

* My covers needed to fit around a seat belt strap so I made my ‘covers’ roughly 8” x 6”.

* I also used one continuous piece of bias tape instead of cutting one piece for each side.  I personally think it is easier to do that way.

* I put my Velcro strips horizontally rather than vertically to they could be used on straps of various sizes.  

* And, to give them some extra character, I personalized them for Miss Ella by adding an ‘E’ to one and ‘e’ to the other (per her mom’s request).  

I think these turned out great!  I’m loving the black and white with the contrast of the bright pink!   Now Ella can ride in comfort and style! 

Leap Year!

As we know, this year is the kind that only comes around every four years- it is a leap year!   I have always wondered what it would be like to have a birthday on February 29^th and only have a ‘real’ birthday every four years.  Crazy! 

Well, my friend happens to be one of those leap year babies. 

She told me she remembers her ‘first’ birthday and what a big deal it was.  How fun!  She invited me out to dinner to celebrate her birthday and she jokingly told me I should make her a birthday sash.  ‘Oh yes,’ I thought, ‘You ask and you shall receive!  I WILL be making you a fancy birthday sash!’  Afterall, you only turn ‘eight’ once!

So, I threw this sash together in the afternoon before the birthday dinner.   

I added some big pink satin flowers to give it a bit more personality- why not!?   My friend has a big personality, so the sash might as well match!

I was really excited to give this fun sash to my friend for her birthday – cause I know she would wear it the whole night and love every minute of it.  But, being the doofus that I am, I managed to walk out the door without the nicely wrapped sash!  AHHH!  

I was so frustrated with myself!  

So, it is the day after her ‘real’ birthday and I am still in possession of the gift. 

I will give it to her soon and she can wear the sash and have another birthday! 

Happy 8^th Birthday to you Andrea!  Maybe you can wear the sash when you turn 9?!