16
Jul

The Cottage Mama Sewing Pattern Blog Tour: Day 1

Today kicks off Day 1 of The Cottage Mama Sewing Patterns Blog Tour!Throughout the next two weeks, there will be 24 blogs sewing up the new The Cottage Mama Sewing Patterns (www.thecottagemama.com). These are all bloggers that I absolutely adore and have become friends with over the last several years. A few of them are newer bloggers or ladies in the online sewing community who don't blog too often, all of which I have a tremendous amount of respect for their sewing technique and design abilities.I encourage you to check out their blogs for the full post on each … continue reading

15
Jul

So Today I’m 32 Years Old

So today I'm apparently 32 years old. I kind of already thought I was 32, so it doesn't really come as much of a surprise. I think somewhere halfway into 31, I decided I was 32. It's hard to keep it straight once you start getting above 21.The three new photographs of me in this post were taken by my friend and book photographer, Amy Tripple.I love birthdays. I know some people dread them and don't like to celebrate; however, I definitely feel they are a day to be celebrated no matter your age. I have always felt like I was many, many years older than I really am. … continue reading

12
Jul

The Cottage Mama Paper Patterns Now In-Stock

I just wanted to let you know that all the new paper patterns are now in-stock and available for sale in the shop. I decided to print in full-color booklet format this time and I think you all are going to really like it! All the instructions and step-by-step photos are nice and compact and easy to have right by your side as you are sewing any of the patterns. And of course, each printed pattern comes with the full-size pattern sheets as well.Here is a little peek inside the Georgia Vintage Dress pattern, so you can get a better idea of the color printing.You can … continue reading

11
Jul

Mermaid Under the Sea 4th Birthday Party with Free Printable

Miss Matilda knew exactly what kind of birthday party she wanted this year........Mermaid Under the Sea. She said the birthday was for all mermaids, not just Ariel (the Little Mermaid), but that she could come too. She said all mermaids and sea creatures were welcome. She's an inclusive type of little girl. Matilda's birthdays are always so fun because she is a July birthday (just like me), so we can have her parties outside! As I shared with you yesterday, we used her mermaid birthday outfit as a jumping off point for the party decor, but tried to stick with … continue reading

10
Jul

Matilda’s Mermaid Birthday Outfit

So as I mentioned before, Miss Matilda wanted a 'Mermaid Under the Sea' birthday party this year for her 4th birthday. Sounded good to me! I love all things nautical and beachy, so I thought this party would be pretty easy to pull off and it turns out that it was just that. I'll share the party details with you tomorrow, but for now, I wanted to share the little birthday party outfit I made for Matilda. For me, every good party starts with fabric inspiration. Matilda wanted to focus on blue and pink since those are her two favorite colors. I have been so busy … continue reading

8
Jul

Happy 4th Birthday, Matilda Jane!

 Dear Matilda,Today you are four years old.......how is that possible? It seems like only yesterday, your came into our lives to grace us with your beautiful presence. Today on your birthday there are some things I would like to remember about you and some things I think you might want to know about what you were like when you turned four years old.1. You love mermaids. You had a mermaid birthday party.2. Your favorite color is still blue, with pink following a close second.3. You still take a long afternoon nap (thank you for that!).4. When you wake up from your … continue reading

1
Jul

Filming Sewing DVDs in Cincinnati and a Little Book Preview

I feel like the last three months, or rather the last year, have been a whirlwind of busy. It might not have seemed like it here on the blog, since I've definitely had to pull back online for work / life balance, but behind the scenes there has been so much going on. As most of you know I signed with a publisher (F & W Media) last June and wrote my first sewing book. The book is now complete (though it's been out of my hands for quite awhile) and will be sent print any day now. My book, Sew Classic Clothes for Girls: 20 Dresses, Outfits and Accessories from … continue reading

26
Jun

Scalloped Envelope Clutch ~ Free Pattern and Tutorial

This was a project I shared a while back over at Riley Blake Designs and in case you missed it, I'm bringing it home. When I came across this printed cross-stitch fabric, I just new it would be perfect for some type of bag. It's from the 'Hipster' cotton line and I'm absolutely in love with these prints. Envelope clutches seem to be all the rage right now and I have a thing for scalloped edges, so put them together and what do you get? A Scalloped Envelope Clutch Tutorial. Let's get started....... Scalloped Envelope Clutch Tutorial by Lindsay Wilkes from … continue reading

24
Jun

Slow Cooker Strawberry Rhubarb Jam ~ Recipe

So last week the kids and I went strawberry picking. We picked a ton of beautiful strawberries and I have really been wanting to try my hand at making some freezer jam. I was searching around for some recipes and couldn't quite find what I was looking for. Many recipes called for fruit pectin, which I didn't have on hand and some of the others required you to cook the jam on the stove-top all day. Nope.......I don't have all day around here with three little ones. And then it dawned on me.......how about using my trusty slow cooker! So that's what I … continue reading

20
Jun

A Trip to the Strawberry Patch: 2013

It's strawberry season here in Chicago. On Monday I was trying to decide what the kids and were going to do for the day and I thought......'I bet it's strawberry picking time.' I called our local berry farm to see if they had berries this year (since the weather has been so strange) and it turns out Monday was the first day they were open for picking! Well that sealed the deal. The kids and I were going to go strawberry picking and get the first pick of the season!Miss Savannah was really into making sure she picked the very best strawberries she could find. This … continue reading