Artful finds

I'm finding motherhood and work are not allowing me any sewing time. So, since I haven't any finished projects to show off, I'll highlight someone elses.

KreatedByKelly makes fanciful items from buttons and other items. I've particularly admired her button bouquets. Black and white makes an elegant bouquet...

At her ArtFire outlet, she has jewelry that is more in my price range. I love the idea of jewelry from recycled materials. It beats buying mass produced metal bling with the social and environmental ravages left behind. I'm really not a pink kinda gal, but I love this pendant.

Cloth pads

After cloth diapering a baby some eventually run into the question... Why am I using disposable products, when reusable clearly works for baby?
I've already shared that I made the leap to cloth toilet paper a few months ago. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'll have to date the next roll of TP, 'cause I think it took me two months to go through one roll.
As for feminine hygiene products, I haven't had a chance to use them yet, but I'm creating a stash of 'mama pads'. I got six from Dagny's Promise and six from Keep Your Baby Close. I also have a LunaPad I bought from Whole Foods a long time ago (I liked the idea, but just couldn't put it into practise). How many pads does one gal need? I have no idea, but I have a feeling mama pads are a lot like cloth diapers, underwear or shoes for some ladies... they are just fun to accumulate.
Since my pocketbook is pretty thin right now, I'm finally getting around to making some pads. I found Adahy's circle pad pattern that appeals to me. It is easy to make, the pattern is free and if I hang it on the drying line it won't be hugely obvious just what it is. No, the picture to the left is not my work. Mine are still in progress.

Won a lottery!

I won some unpaper towels from Joli's Art on Hyena Cart. Yeah! I can't wait to try them out.
We recently decided to switch to cloth from paper towels (no more trees cut down for our kitchen counters, thank you), so three 'Burley knit terry towels' will be a welcome addition. We designated a drawer in the kitchen for various wash cloths, hand towels, newborn prefolds and bibs. So far, we've done pretty well, just using cloth to clean what would have previously involved paper towels.
One spill we haven't found a replacement for is broken glass. My recent rash of buttery fingers combined with tile floor has thwarted our non-paper pursuits. Perhaps some rugs in the right places... I'm off to find a lottery on woven rugs.

One Step Forward...

Yesterday, baby and I went shopping at my favorite Salvation Army thrift store. I found a pillowcase that just screamed "skirt" at me. And some lovely wool sweaters that will make great longies...
Today, I finally settled down at the sewing machine, but I'd sew about half an inch and have to stop. A big mess of threads kept developing beneath my fabric. No worries, I'll just pull out my backup sewing machine. Pull it out, setup the foot controller that arrived in the mail last week. Read the directions to be sure I'm threading it right. Run some test stitches on the sample fabric that comes with the machine. Take out the needle, 'cause it looks rather large, I think it says 14 (How on earth do quilting grannies read the tiny writing in the round side of the needle??) put it back in because all is well. Make two stitches and, umm, the needle breaks.
I have been sewing for a little over 25 years. My memory ain't the greatest, but I'm pretty sure I've never broken a needle before. Time for some chocolate.
Projects started: 3
Projects completed: 0