little indians

It was so fun to watch the little miss and all her cousins dress up as Indians at our Pow Wow camping trip this past weekend. For husband and I the best part was the little miss forgot we had put her head dress on and wore it for almost an hour before discovering it and taking it off! It was so cute to see her playing and crawling around in the dirt as an Indian princess.

My mother made the vests, aren't they adorable? She used vest patterns she already had and just added fringe and ribbon. There was also a V of fringe on the back.


I was in charge of the head dresses. They were so easy, all you need are colorful feathers, glue, and ribbon or fabric strips. Since my mom had leftover suede fabric and I didn't bring enough ribbon (oops) we used long fabric strips and only glued the ribbon on the front part of the head dress. Just glue the feathers between the fabric and the ribbon. This was an easy craft for all the kids.

My brother was the face painting artist and the kids told him what colors and designs they wanted.


My second oldest sister brought everything to make bows and arrows! This was definitely the craft they were most excited about. The instructions on how to make these are in the Boy Scouts of America handbook, and they work really well!


We also put together leather pouch kits, moccasin kits (found at Roberts) and made rain sticks from paper towel rolls filled with rice, beans, bells, and screws. Whew, I can't believe we got it all done in two days!

And here are all of the little Indians together! The little miss was roused from her nap to get in this picture so we'll just say she has a papoose on!

weekend snapshot

Hope you had a wonderful weekend! We spent time with family, camping, fishing, hiking, and crafting like crazy! All of the grandchildren wanted to do a Pow Wow themed camp trip so my mother and gracious host of the trip went all out - and I mean all out. More pictures to come of all the fun, but for now here is a snapshot of the little miss and her daddy sitting by Silver Lake. It was beautiful.

boys 'n berries

Don't you think a little boy wearing this suit would look so dapper?

And isn't the clothing brand name adorable?

dress up

Most days I opt to be the practical mom in a t-shirt and jeans (okay, sweats if we don't leave the house). But, I wouldn't mind having one of these Lulu's dresses in the closet for a more put together day.

And I wish I knew about this site when I was searching high and low for affordable bridesmaids dresses because they have some really pretty options.

table space

I need some more table space but don't have a lot of room, so I've been meaning to get a folding table. Since my sewing room doubles as the guest bedroom it would be ideal to be able to break the table down in case we have company - but let's face it, folding tables are not eye candy. Therefore, I loved this photo I spotted on madebygirl. The space is so beautiful you hardly even notice these are folding tables!

one way to use your fabric scraps

july giveaway winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway! It really makes me happy to see who wins (via random.org).

Congratulations to Suzanna who won the vintage birdie hot suit! Suzanna, please send me your address!

Your little Maja will look so cute in it!

i'll take one

No matter how nice it is to sell something (because it allows me to keep doing what I love) there is always a little piece of me that wishes I could keep it for the little miss, or the future little mister (no, he's not on his way).

But in this case, I wish I could wear it myself!

500 days of summer

Who doesn't love Zooey?

backyard

I took this picture the other day of the many wildflowers growing on the slope behind our house (or I should say my father's house since we are squatting with him right now, hence my house envy). We don't have much grass or garden space in our backyard but we do have these beauties...



...and when they are in full bloom they brighten up my day. Hope they brighten up your day too!

july giveaway!

I was going to make something for this month's giveaway, but haven't found the time! So, before the month passes me by altogether I decided to chose one of my favorite vintage outfits to giveaway! This size 24 months terrycloth hot suit is so adorable and has NEVER BEEN WORN to boot! It has a zipper up the front, and elastic around the waist.

You have THREE chances to enter to win!

One - Just leave a comment!

Two - Link to this giveaway on your blog, then come back and leave a comment telling me!

Three - Become a Follower of hart + sew over on my side bar! If you are already a follower you are automatically entered to win.

Good luck!

vintage baby knits

I was browsing through the book, Vintage Baby Knits, the other day at the bookstore and came so close to buying it - until I remembered that I don't really know how to knit. Today I came across the author, Kristen Rengren, discussing her book on whip up here, and was once again wishing I could just sit down and get to work on one of these adorable patterns!

Wouldn't a pair of knit soakers be the perfect baby shower gift?

new in the shop

Lot's of new (old) great summer items in the shop!

june giveaway romper for bri

Bri was the winner of the June Giveaway and here is the romper I made for her (or more appropriately for the future mini her)! I altered the pattern so there wouldn't be a seam all the way up the front and I like it a lot better this way. Bri told me her favorite colors are kelly green and yellow. I hope you like it Bri!

July's giveaway is in the works, so check back soon!

upcycling: thrift store quilts

These quilts were made out of fabric from thrift store clothing and old curtains. Aren't they beautiful? I am seriously regretting not purchasing the vintage sheets that caught my eye a few weeks back.

They remind me of the quilt my mother made out of my grandpa's polyester pants. It's nice to make something functional and meaningful from items you won't get use out of otherwise.

(via craft gossip)

belle and boo

The illustrations of London based Belle and Boo remind me of a favorite of mine, Sarah Jane Studios, so it's no wonder I fell in love at first sight. The adorable Belle and her best friend and confidant Boo the bunny inhabit the most charming world full of many friends and fun adventures. Wouldn't it be lovely to spend the day with them?

I am especially loving the birthday cards pictured below (party planning mode is in full swing).



And lucky for all of us, Mandy, the imagination behind Belle and Boo, has offered a free download on the Feed Your Soul Project!

party planning time!

The little miss turns 11 months tomorrow, so the time to start planning her party is now. No more day-dreaming about it, no matter how fun that is... if I want it to look anything like the elaborate party in my head I need to take action (although I know it won't quite look like the elaborate party in my head because we do have a budget). Here are some of my favorite garland ideas - all with DIY instructions! I haven't decided which one I am going to do yet, but I am leaning towards the foam ball garland. Its just looks so delightful and cheery both characteristics that describe the little miss.

Do you have a favorite?


[Lighted paper pennant garland from Once Wed]


[Foam ball garland from Martha Weddings]


[Molly's party garland from Purl Bee]

Cottage Remake on a Budget

This 1920's cottage in Sparrow Bush, NY has my heart fluttering...and the story of the low budget renovation has me completely inspired. They found most of the their decor through Craigslist, thrift stores, yard sales, and items found on the street. Read all about it here.





(via darling dexter)

happy fourth!

We are going to a family bbq tomorrow and need to bring a dessert. In my opinion there isn't anything better than fresh berries to end a meal, so these red, white, and blue desserts from Martha look divine!

Enjoy your weekend!

happy july!

Is it really already July? Oh, how I love this time of year! Fireworks, water balloons, bbq's, lightening storms, watermelon, and sunshine!

I wanted to celebrate, so I am offering FREE SHIPPING within the United States on all handmade items in my shop July 1st-July 6th! Go here to check it out!

How are you going to celebrate the holiday?