by Andrea | Mar 16, 2017 | Baby, DIY, handmade, Home Decor, quilting, Sewing, tutorials
Here it is friends. This is the LAST post in my Magical series. The people who need this post, won’t want too hear it… Honestly everyone is able to do this, at least for a season. You will have lots of excuses why you can’t, but if you love something, you will make the space and time for it.
To make more time for sewing you MUST LEAVE YOUR SEWING MACHINE OUT AND SET UP. You must find a space. You must make your kids share a room or have them eat outside on the deck or sew in your bedroom or even train your baby to go to sleep with the sound of the sewing machine whirring near her crib….all of these things I have done at one point or another. We have lived in a slew of tiny houses and apartments off and on over the years and the key to getting stuff sewn was and always is leaving my machine out.
I want to encourage you to “Just Do It” Nike doesn’t consider sewing a sport, but if they did I would totally be sponsored. HAHA.
Right now I am very fortunate to have a nice finished room to sew in. I share it with the girls so that if there are moments during school that I can sew, then I can! Here are a few creative ways to leave your machine out if you don’t have a sewing room.
THE PLASTIC STORAGE BIN
Just get a bin with a lid and shove it in there and slide it under the kitchen table. If it’s already there then you will be more likely to use it. Here is good one.
THE NOOK
There is always a place for a sewing nook. Get a nice wooden or sewing specific folding table, that way if you have company or need the space temporarily{ for something less fun than sewing }you can move it and put it back up easily. When my husband was in seminary we lived in the campus apartments. SO FREAKING TINY. Someone had left a wooden folding table in our apartment so we used it for that.
THE PLACE YOU DONT LIKE
Is the basement your sewing lair? Do you hate it so much? Is it watery and smelly and dark? Just set up your supplies and organize in such a way that you can have your project out and ready to grab easily so you can bring it up to the kitchen table for the afternoon or evening.
Give up on the ideal places you see on blogs and pinterest and give yourself the freedom to enjoy your sewing time. Sewing has been such a great way for me to lose myself and relax. I listen to a book on Audible, pop my headphones in my ears, and start making! Just do it!
Here is a picture of my non pinterest worthy sewing space. I sure am thankful for it and I get so much more sewing in. My plans for it include painting the cabinet a bright happy color, but then I wouldn’t have as much time to sew….the struggle. 🙂
Happy Sewing Friends! JUST DO IT!
-Andrea
by Andrea | Feb 6, 2017 | DIY, Graphic Design, handmade, quilting, Sewing, tutorials
Welcome to the blog today! Several months ago I designed a fresh take on the old cheater quilt. After testing it out, I’m finally ready to share the whole process with you. Ever heard of Spoonflower? The company offers an amazing service that I’ve been wanting to take advantage of for years. So this is my year! I’m doing lots of things I’ve never done before. I’m seizing the day – Carpe Diem! Or perhaps I’m seizing the year? Carpe Anno! Spoonflower Fabric allows customers to upload a design to their website and have it printed on fabric. {They also offer wallpaper and wrapping paper.} If you aren’t a designer but want a custom piece of fabric you can shop the Spoonflower fabric site with thousands of designers from all over the world to find your perfect piece! They operate a bit like Etsy in that, you can look at each designers shop, not just the designs themselves. So I invite you to look at my Spoonflower shop and buy a modern cheater quilt to start with!
I love the idea of cheater quilts, they are fast and fun! Sadly, though, most cheater quilts are very ugly and outdated. In fact, I haven’t really seen a good cheater quilt until Spoonflower hosted a contest last year on them. It got me thinking about it. I wanted to incorporate some of the tried and true quilt blocks from the past and yet I wanted a modern airy feel to the cheater quilt. I chose a squash blossom pattern, enlarged it on a grid big enough for one yard of fabric, used half square triangles to construct the pattern and quilting lines. The panel is available in two color ways of cheerful, calm solids.
My Peachy version contains a few shades of grey, pale peachy pink, and a light smoky blue on navajo white. This design is great for a modern baby quilt, but also finds it’s home amongst cozy couches, and master bedrooms. You can make a large quilt out of several yards/panels. I included a border on two sides to help you implement this concept.
I hope you catch the cheater quilt bug…. You can buy it in my Spoonflower shop and whip it up in an afternoon….
Here’s a shot of the Teal Colorway panel. I’ll be sewing it up soon. It has dark and light teal, mustard, and navajo white.
by Andrea | Jan 29, 2017 | DIY, handmade
Maker’s Cottage is not a new idea for me but it is a major exciting one! I’d love to have new and future Lynchburg friends join me for an evening of creating once a month. If you really like DIY projects but your afraid to tackle one on your own or you don’t know where to start….or maybe you don’t know what you need…..You can now just enjoy the creative process, make friends, have fun and take home a really great on trend DIY project to use or give. Maker’s Cottage is also available in party form if you’d like to have a party tailored just for you in your home for birthdays and girls nights.
Here are the details:
Modern Makers Night!
Make It, Take It, and leave the planning, prepping, and mess to me!
Each Makers night I’ll prepare a short and easy on trend project suitable for keeping or gift giving. Learn new skills, have fun with your friends, make really cool stuff!
-all projects are low cost, pre pay, on trend, and EASY
-for ladies 18 and up!
-childcare available for a small fee
——February 9, 2017 7-9:30 pm ——————-
Boho Fringe Wall Hangings
8 Spots Available
Make Up to 3!
Andrea Loy’s Home
Braxton Park Townhomes
134 Mallard Lane
Lynchburg, VA 24502
by Andrea | Oct 31, 2016 | DIY, handmade, Sewing, tutorials, Uncategorized
Welp, I have fallen onto the bandwagon of trendiness this fall. I really hated ponchos back in the 90’s but I like the new blanket style ones that are on the very front display at Target this year taunting me with their plaids and tribally goodness like sea sirens to a sailor. I was at Joanne’s this week a couple times for ONE THING. I kept walking past this woven tribal fabric and I couldn’t stand it. I brought it home and promptly turned it into a blanket poncho. Even my 12 year old likes it. That’s saying something. It was my reward for finishing the fancy fox quilt for my daughter that took like 1200 hours.
If you’d like to join in on the poncho trend, I’ve made up a quick and easy poncho tutorial for you to follow. It takes 1 yard of fabric and about 20 minutes tops!
Did I to mention it’s CHEAPER?! You could make 3-4 of these for the price of a Target or Gap one right now! Can we say CHRISTMAS GIFTS?!!! If you purchase 1 yard of 60″ wide woven fabric for 12.99 and they have most of it 40% off right now, then you use your 20% off total purchase coupon….. well, you have yourself an amazing poncho for only $6.30! So hurry and get started! Here is the nitty and the gritty in an easy to follow downloadable image! I’d love to see your ponchos! Tag em #aldeasyponcho
EASY BLANKET PONCHO TUTORIAL DOWNLOAD
Here are some pictures of me and my 12 year old daughter trying it on….so it’s pretty versatile size wise but I have included instructions for a custom fit do you can make for ANY SIZE!!!! Happy Poncho-ing. Make all the ponchos!!!
-Andrea
Grace was my photographer and her Miranda impressions made it impossible for me to do anything but cheesy laughing faces. She’s pretty cute.
by Andrea | Oct 28, 2016 | DIY, Sewing, tutorials
If your new to the blog, I am continuing my series on How To Magically Make More Time For Sewing…….you can read Part 1 HERE.
CLEANING
Let’s talk about cleaning. Many people wonder….Is my house a pig sty? Sometimes yes. It’s because I have 5 children who are well, children. They run around in the wonderment of carefree childhood and drop their drawers anywhere but in their dresser drawers. I really struggle with being patient and kind with my children in this area. If I had actual magical powers I would most often use them to clean my house. Yes, I am Monica from friends. What would be my spirit animal? Maybe that little parasite that cleans the side of fish tanks?
I have prepared some helpful how to infographic printables to help you and I teach our children how to do specific tasks like the laundry and dishes…..(note: I have updated the How To Dishes Chart with “Rinse Clean” after hand washing.)
These are free for anyone who signs up for my email list. I am unashamedly building an email list and trying to figure out mail chimp. (The struggle is not as real as I thought it would be.) If you have an extreme aversion to being put on an email list of some sorts, you may purchase these in my Etsy shop, Handful Of Arrows at a discount for reading my blog. Here is the coupon code for 50% off: MAGIC16
Here are the key elements of cleaning magic you need this week to create more sewing time!
1.) Lower your standards – this is my hardest one. It’s not everyones biggest struggle, but it’s mine. Delegating the cleaning of the bathroom means streaks and drips and bleach marks and mostly whiny rebellion in the lower ranks of your household. But stand firm soldier. It’s worth it for all involved. Your children will thank you when they are 35. Trust me. (I used to hire someone to clean my floors and bathrooms on a weekly basis. However that is not in the medschool wife budget. I would recommend that if you can afford it! I have always had the kids help too. Now that I have a 13, 10, and 7 year old they are capable of helping a lot more.)
2.) Delegate – yes, really. Don’t go in there and redo it. Refer to key element number 1 and sing “Let It Go” and pray for Jesus to help your heart. I am being sarcastic but I am also being serious. Your 12- yr old can do the dishes once a day. She can do a few loads of laundry a day. She may act like she doesn’t know that you are supposed to add soap everytime to the washer or wipe off the counters but just push on and work towards solidarity. Just think of all the life skills you are imparting to your precious ones. I have a bellyacher, a super eager helpful(somewhat self righteous) soldier, a my way or the highway type and a passive aggressive hide and do nothing type. All of these little girls will be fine. Someday. Just be nice and leave the emotions at the door. This will be very hard but you can totally do it. {Phil. 4:13}
3.) Expect failure and reteaching – this is the stuff of motherhood. I know there is no need to explain. Let’s not pretend. If you don’t have little ones at home, you probably don’t need this magical blog post in your life right now because you are experiencing the magic of empty nesting….
If you have young children, you will create more time for sewing (or whatever your happy place) by teaching and delegating household chores to them. It will only help them in the long run to be productive members of society who know what it takes to run a household, serve others, put family first, and value a good work ethic. While I can’t change their hearts, I do try to give them a bible verse with their training and pray it will take root. God’s Word will truly cause heart change with the grace and power that only come from Him. Here is a printable for that…
Now sit down, relax, eat some bon bons and SEW until someone fills the dishwasher with regular soap and overflows the kitchen with bubbles or spills your coffee on the new rug. #thestruggleisreal#sewingismyhappyplace
If you are subscribed to my email list, these pretty and practical infographics will be delivered to your inbox for free. The sign up is on my home page. Thanks for reading! -Andrea
by Andrea | Sep 26, 2016 | DIY, Sewing, tutorials
The question I get most often is, “How do you find the time to sew and do your design work?” The obvious unspoken questions are: Do your children eat? Is your house a pig sty? Are you really homeschooling? Do your kids just watch TV all day or what? Are you on speed? Are you superwoman?
I have a few answers for you, my friends. No my children do not starve. Which brings me to part one of How To Magically Make More Time…..
FREEZER MEALS
I have found that most freezer meals on pinterest or in books range from slightly to grossly disappointing. Usually freezer meals are reserved for desperate measures. They involve cream of yuck soups and are high in carbs and low in nutrition. We usually don’t care because those meals are given in love and are truly a blessing. When making freezer meals to eat often, I don’t want to sacrifice our health or the importance of having meal time together as a family. I also don’t want to sacrifice good taste. Most importantly, I WANT TO SEW DURING NAPTIME instead of make dinner. Sound fun? It is. #worthit
THREE IMPORTANT RULES FOR FREEZER MEALS:
- Healthy – everyone has a different version of healthy. My version is meat, healthy fats, vegetables, whole grains. Our family is fortunate not to have many allergies or food intolerances, but you can definitely adapt most of my recipes to your needs.
- Easy – the finished meals cannot involve anything more than reheating. No multiple packets and steps. That is not a meal. That is food prep.
- Tasty – nobody really likes freezer meals that have no taste or are just full of chicken breasts with jam and cream of yuck. Let’s just make really great food and freeze it.
You don’t have to hold a big freezer meal making marathon. Especially if that makes freezer meals daunting for you. I usually buy enough ingredients to make four meals of one recipe. I make them all, we eat one for dinner that night and I freeze the other 3. However, it is super fun to have a girls night and make them together with friends or to host a freezer meal swap!
I’m sharing our family favorite, Tater Tot Casserole Recipe with you! If you’d like the rest of my recipes for free just sign up for my newsletter(at the bottom of my home page) and they will magically arrive in your inbox! FOR FREE. Delia helped me make these lovely TTC’s last week because I wanted to finish sewing a quilt this weekend. As Martha Stewart would say, “It’s a good thing.”
One more thing, I openly apologize to my mother (who faithfully reads all my blog posts) for complaining about tater tot casserole when she used to make it while I was growing up. To be fair, hers had mushy zucchini in it. Love you though. #bestmomever 🙂
Stay tuned for two more editions of How To Magically Make Extra Time (for sewing) (or whatever your happy place is).
-Andrea
