passing down pins

The other day I opened one of my mom's old patterns only to find a couple of pins still stuck through the delicate tissue paper. The thought that these were the very pins she had used when she was my age, undisturbed for almost 30 years filled me with a sense of awe and history. Like somehow these forgotten pins connected me to the 25 year old version of my mother who had placed them there.

I imagined her sewing matching outfits for her small children, and slipping the pattern pieces back in the sleeve not knowing she had left the two pins for me to discover once I was in her very same stage of life.

I'm grateful she passed down her love and knowledge of sewing along with the pins.

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vintage swimsuits

I don't think I could love these swimsuits more. I wish I could go back in time to 1954 and snatch all of them up!

yellow apple coat

I love this yellow apple fabric! It makes me happy. I ordered it online and when it got here it was a little heavier than I thought, so I decided to make a light-weight coat. This vintage pattern is from 1972. I shortened the sleeves to 3/4 length and love the way it turned out!

earth day giveaway

Want to potentially be surprised with something creative, earth-friendly, and all around cool? Visit ISLY and enter her Earth Day Giveaway!

Here are the details:

• Five lucky readers will win!
• Each gift will be made from upcycled/repurposed material to save mother earth.
• It’ll be a surprise, and made just for you!!

And I highly recommend anything made by Melissa.

a plug for the earth

In honor of Earth Day I thought I would share two of my favorite green products with you.

I love bum genius washable diapers. We have been using them on the Little Miss for about four or five months now and they work great! They fit babies 7-35 lbs so you don't need to buy additional sizes - adjustable snaps shorten or lengthen the diaper. The fit is just like a disposable, although bulkier, but its worth it because your wallet will be bulkier too!

The initial investment is a bit substantial (about $100) but each diaper pays itself off in about 1 1/2 months of use (that includes the utilities to wash it) and you can use them on all of your children! We have six diapers and that is plenty for a days use.

And that's six less disposable diapers sitting in a landfill everyday.

There are a lot of reusable bags out there, but Chico Bags have my loyalty. I am amazed how much stuff I can fit in them, and I've found so many uses for mine other than as grocery bags. My favorite part is they come in a pouch that is attached to the bag so they are easily stored... You won't forget to use your reusable bags when they are right in your purse or glovebox!

And they come in lots of bright, cheery colors.

Way to go San Francisco for banning the use of plastic bags!

{Click on pictures for links}

retro shirt tutorial

This retro shirt tutorial by Ambrosia Girl guest blogging on Tangled and True looks so easy and fun! I'm just finding out about the joys of using freezer paper in crafting and itching to try it out myself. There is a bonus free stencil download too, so check it out.

I'm thinking the Little Miss needs a #1 shirt for her birthday...

vintage botanica

Vintage Botanica by Amy Butler