A New Sewing Desk ♥ Un Nuevo Escritorio Para Coser

I'd been searching, and searching, and searching...for a new sewing desk.  I wanted something sturdy made with real wood (I'm really trying to keep away from laminate and plastic.) I wanted something long enough to fit my serger and sewing machines.  I wanted something that would fit just right under a dormer window in our craft studio.  I wanted something nice to look at.  By jolly, I wanted something that I did not have to sand, paint and work on, because I have plenty of other projects waiting to be worked on.)  And most importantly I wanted something priced reasonable.  So the searched continued.

Tenia tiempo buscando y buscando un escritorio para mis maquinas de costura.  Buscaba un escritorio fuerte y echo de madera.  Uno lo suficientemente largo para que cupieran mi maquina de coser y mi maquina de over lock.  Uno que cupiera exactamente debajo de la ventana en nuestro estudio.  Y también una pieza bonita para ver.  Y mas que nada, quería una pieza que no tuviese que arreglar, pintar y nada por el estilo (pues ya tengo mas que suficientes proyectos por terminar.) .Pero mas que nada queria encontrar un escritorio a buen precio.  Y la búsqueda continuaba. 

Then a couple of days ago I found this:

Y hace un par de días encontré esto:

Oh I love it! It is perfect for my sewing space.  At first I wasn't sure about the color because I was trying to keep most furniture in the craft studio white and airy, but I think I'm liking it more and more each day.  I love how it makes the soft aloe-vera green wall pop more.   Don't you agree?  Now I just need to find the perfect chair to go with it. 

¡Me encanta! Esta perfecto para mi espacio de costura.  Al principio como que el color no me convecina mucho, pues planeaba mantener los muebles del estudio de arte blancos, pero creo que con los días me va gustando mas y mas.   Hace que la pared color verde savila resalte mas.  ¿Estas de acuerdo?

I also like all the drawers it has.  Perfect to organize a lot of my sewing stuff.  And those cubbies are great to put all the vintage (and new) trims and bias tape.  I love how all the colors just pop!

También me encantan todos los cajones que tiene para guardar todas mis cositas de costura.  Y esas cubículos pequeños son perfectos para  guardar todas mis cintas sesgadas y encajes.  Los colores lucen tan bonitos contra el negro. 

 

 There's also this great shelf I can put my thread stand on and other lovely pieces I love...

También atrás tiene un estante perfecto para poner todos mis hilos y otras cositas que amo...

Like my grandmother's photo (after all she's the main reason I started sewing.)  A lovely little art piece by Sabrina Vincent of Slov,  and the inspirational board I made a while back.  Remember? (To make one click here.)

Como el retrato de mi abuela (quien fue la primera que me inspiro a aprender a coser.) Y un dibujo por Sabrina Vincent de Slov, y el tablero de inspiración que hice hace tiempo.  ¿Te acuerdas? (Pare ver como lo hice has click aquí.)

Yes I love my new sewing desk.

Si me gusta mi escritorio para costura nuevo.

Happy Day! ♥ ¡Feliz Día!

 

Decorate Vintage Suitcases with Washi Tape

I love vintage suitcases.  Some may even say I have an obsession.  (Maybe my love grew from that memory of my Abuela.)  I also love, love, love,  washi tape.  

And what better way to decorate a loved vintage suitcase (without the fear of ruining it) then by using washi tape? Oh yes.  

So the other day my chiquita picked out the colors of washi tape she liked and we decorated the suitcases that store all her dress up goodies.  

 Like it?

Of course most of the time they look like this:

What can I say, they are loved and so are all her costumes.  How fun is it to be a child!

To decorate all you need are vintage suitcases (I get most of mine from yard sales and thrift stores.  I'm always in a hunt for them.  I keep them in the craft room to store handmade goodies and supplies, I also love using them to displayed said goodies at my craft shows, and of course we use them through out the house to store other things...like my chiquitas dress up clothe.) You also need washi tape.  That's it.  Make sure to use a sharp blade when you get near the hardware.  Other than that it is supper simple.

Have fun decorating!

Memories Of a Traveling Abuela

She carried it with her when she traveled.  That's the first thing I would see her carry into the house when she arrived.  Hanging from her hands, those warm loving hands.  It was always full of make-up, jewelry and other trinkets that any child would find amazing.  And sometimes she would have something wonderful hidden in there, just for me.

Oh how I loved to see that little suitcase.  It meant she was here to stay for a while.  To hug me, to sing with me, to play with me, to listen to me.  My first best friend.  My abuelita.  But never would I call her that.  Oh, no.  She felt she was far too young to be called abuela, so instead I simply called her Mama Lisa.  My mama Lisa. 

Always so elegant.  She walked into a room and all would turn and look at her.  An amazing woman.  A confident woman.  A strong woman.  She raised two girls all on her own after her very young husband died of cancer.  She moved to the United States and taught herself English. She spoke it impeccable.  She worked hard.  She sent both my mother and aunt to private schools both here in the US and in Mexico.  She sent them to college as well.  She never gave up.  I admired her then.  I admire her more now that I am a mother.  She was incredible.

I miss her.  I was only nine years old when she died.  

To this day I look up to her, and always wonder how she would have handled things.  I know she is guiding me from up above.  

So when this past spring while visiting my parents, my mother walks into the house (after searching for something for a while in the garage) holding this same little suitcase, I knew exactly who it belonged to.  "De mama Lisa!" I exclaimed.  She didn't need to say it.  My eyes began to get wet.  Memories flashed by.  

"Para ti,"  said my mom.  For me?  "Si," she responded.

And when I carefully opened it, inside we found this:

The one and only things inside.  

A birthday card she had sent me as a child.

It was my Mama Lisa's way of telling us it was meant for me.

Gracias Mama Lisa!  

And look, I filled it with lace and trims!  (I know she would appreciate that very much because she loved sewing as much as both my mami and I do.)

...and tucked inside with all that lace and trim I keep my birthday card to remind me of how special I was to her.  

Weekend Sewing and more:: Un fin desemana cosiendo y mas

It was a lovely weekend indeed, including the weather. I started off Saturday morning by making an art apron for one of little R's friend. And later in the day we headed off to the birthday party that was heald by a lake. It was perfect. The kids played in the huge sand box, walked on the mini boardwalk and ate some yummy birthday cupcakes.
:: Nos pasamos un fin de semana agradable. Hasta el clima estaba agradable. Empece el sábado por la mañana cosiendo un mandil de arte para un amigito de mi pequeño R. Y después mas tarde nos fuimos a la fiesta de cumpleaños, cual fue a la orilla de un lago precioso. Estaba perfecto. Los niños jugaron en una área de arena super grande, caminaron a la orilla del lago y comieron unos ricos pastelitos de cumpleaños.

Sunday was dedicated again solely to yard work. R put up a fence to separate the back part of the yard and keep Kaya (our lab/shepperd mix dog) away from the veggie garden. Though she does not eat the plants, she sure loves to run around and over them. Not good.
:: El domingo lo dedicamos otra vez al jardín. R puso una cerca para dividir la parte trasera del jardín y no dejar pasar a Kaya (nuestra perra) al jardín de verduras, pues aunque no se come las plantas si le gusta mucho correr y brincar sobre el jardín.

Today is a rainy, rainy day. Though I have tones of errand to make, I think we are staying in. Instead I plan to catch up on some chores around the house and maybe even start sewing a new birthday gift (lot's of birthday's this month!).
:: Hoy es un día lluvioso. Tenia que salir, pero creo que mejor nos quedamos en casa y hago algunos quiaceres que necesitaba hacer, como empezar a coser otro regalito (hay muchos cumples este mes).

On the mean time I leave you with some pictures I took this weekend.
:: Por lo tanto los dejo con algunas fotos que tome este fine de semana.


I used some vintage fabric I found at a Goodwill a while back. Aren't the hippos adorable?
:: Use una tela "vintage" que compre hace tiempo en una tienda de segunda. Apoco no están super curiosos los hipopótamos?




Little R helped me make the birthday card. We took some scrap paper. Little R colored it with colored pencils and then I finished it with wrapping paper scraps.
:: Mi pequeño R me ayudo con la tarjeta de Cumpleaños. Usamos un pedazo de papel que teníamos por ahi, después mi peque la colorió y luego yo la termine añadiendo unos detallitos con pedazos de papel para envolver que nos quedo.











Aren't they lovely? My hydrangea bush did just wonderfyl this year. I've cut a few and placed them around the house. I love them!
:: No están preciosas? Mi arbusto de hortensias floreció precioso esta primavera. Corte unas cuantas y las he puesto por diferentes partes de mi casa para disfrutarlas mas. Me fascinan!

How was your weeke nd?
:: Como te pasaste tu fin de semana?