AfricanKelli

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Dear Finny,
Yeeow! I think your idea of creating the document duvet or CD holder/desktop organizer for our January project is genius. It is January after all — a time for organization. I’m thinking tax season might be a bit more tolerable if my papers are tucked in one of these.

And your theme? Using what we have? Perfect! I am vowing not to buy any more art supplies of any sort for 4 months. I have to start using what’s now overflowing out of the studio closet.

And so the fun begins! I’ll make the margaritas, you bring the chips. Call me Sunday if you have any problems with the patterns. If I’m slightly slurring and still cutting pattern pieces, all is well.

A couple points of interest: there are corrections to Amy Butler patterns, including the document duvet here. (Thanks June!) And Finny and I have created a Flickr group here for all interested in playing along! By the way Finny, I love the button you created above. So crafty!

Cheers,
Donk

Dear Finny,
I was thinking of you the other day when I saw that Amy Butler In Stitches book on my sewing table. Why? Well, you know, it is all your fault I love to sew. My mother still scratches her head over your influence; I grew up in a home where she sewed, knit, canned and jarred, gardened and budgeted like a suburban queen. Yet, it wasn’t until my college buddy Finny started sewing that I discovered my own love for all things domestic.

I wish you could come over and play this weekend. We could cruise the fabric store, hit up the knitting shop and drink margaritas poolside like the proud little Lumberjills we are. But, since you live in Cali and I’m happily planted in the land of saguaros, I was thinking maybe we’d just work on the same project and share thoughts along the way. What do you say? And if we happened to invite the crafty community to come along on this drunken sewing party? Well then, we’ve just sewn up a little sew along. Fancy!

Let me know what project you want to start with. I’ve got an idea or two and I’m guessing you do to.

{Are you interested in joining us in the In Stitches Sew-Along? Leave a comment and let us know! You won’t regret buying this book, even if you’ve never sewn. The projects are signature Butler — creative, simple, pretty and fun. We’ll soon post project #1, along with January’s theme. Photos of the completed projects are due to finnydonksewalong at gmail dot com by the end of the month and we’ll throw them into a Flickr gallery for all the world to see. Of course there will be a sew-along button, and I’m thinking prizes too!}

Cheers,
Kelli (aka Donk)

What is it about January that makes us all crazy about changing our lives? I jumped on the resolution train with a first class ticket, so I’m just as guilty as everyone else. I even got on the scale at the gym this morning. And took a couple huge bags of clothing to Goodwill. I’m sorting, resolving and cleaning like a maniac with the best of you. But you know that one resolution I made? The one where I said I was going to use what I had more and buy less? Well, I’m making one caveat.
eBay doesn’t count.
I am officially ruling eBay (pretty much my second favorite store next to Tarjay) a form of social environmentalism. It’s somebody’s trash is another man’s treasure come to life. For example, this bag?

Yep. I really shouldn’t spend $100 on it. I don’t need it, but wow. The birds? The brown? I’m kind of in love. Even though I’ve got an REI gift card burning a hole in my pocket, I’m not buying this cutesty bird bag. I’m not. (The only thing girlier in the entire store? The pink Nalgene that’s currently sitting on my desk.)

But if I were to find one on eBay for a fraction of the price? Well, that’s just smart investing.

~K

Back to work, back to the gym, back to eating my five-a-day veggies in lieu of chocolate. That down week? I am so glad it’s done. I am a sucker for routine and if I plopped on the couch one more day to complain about football, infomercials or Montel Williams, I was going to go absolutely crazy. I am happy to be back at my desk, at a job I love, in pants that are not elastic. Adios laziness, buenos dias productivity!
The last week in a nutshell:

I celebrated the holidays with the Ya Yas. The seven of us haven’t been in the same spot in years. Perhaps Bec’s wedding three years ago?

I met Ale, Shelley’s fantastic fiance. I’d heard a lot about this wonderful man from Jessica. He is just as funny and sweet as I’d been told. And a perfect match for my dear friend. I can’t wait to get to Rome this year to spend more time with this pair.

I finished this obnoxious Denver Bronco’s knitted cap for my brother. Obnoxious because the double-knit pattern took forever and I made the mistake of using cheap yarn. Never. Again.

And met with some friends to watch a fantastic display of fireworks, Fiesta Bowl tourists and ASU girls strutting their stuff on Mill Avenue at the New Year’s block party. Good times.

Now, back to that routine…
K