Portabellopixie

What? This old thing?

You guys have eagle eyes!  You noticed my tablecloth in the last few posts.  It is beautiful isn't it?  Nope, I didn't do it.  I must be honest and say that while I love embroidery, I don't think I could ever sit still long enough to finish a project like this.

Here is the really sad part.  Well sad when you think about the family that donated this.  I found it at Goodwill (along with a companion tablecloth in different colors) for THREE flipping dollars and 99 cents.  $3.99

It makes my mind go whirly woo when I think about how long this took.  And what amazing condition it is in.  I had vague plans of making a dress for Eliza out of the other one, but cast that aside.  She would outgrow that dress, but on our table it will never have to be shelved.

What's this little acorn bobble you ask?

It's for tea.  You screw off the top, place your tea inside and then steep.  When you aren't using it, it fits just perfectly inside the little cup.  We have a lovely herbalist shop downtown called Butterfly Herbs.  I've wanted to try loose teas for a while but was intimidated.  Now I have the perfect excuse huh?

What are your favorite teas out there?  I only do the caffeine free varieties however, which limits the celection a bit.  I would love to try a fall chai spice type..

Sandi

Almost sold out..

Our little sale is almost sold out.. which means I almost have my table back!  (thank you thank you!!)

Apparantly there was an additional drop down box that had no options within in, it was a mistake, shouldn't have been there.  I fixed it (within the html with no help, go me!) so it should be less confusing now if you want to snag one of the last boxes.  We packed up all yesterday and this mornings orders today and the are full to the brim with good stuff.  Not just my products, lots of fun vintage goodies and scrap bags with other designers fabrics too.  Each box holds at least 2 patterns, textile gift boxes, 2 scrap bags, 1 sewing kit, gift labels for the holidays, etc..  We have enough left to fill about 10 more boxes, so last call my friends!

 

Portabellopixie Studio Sale

Misc. Studio Items $55.00 USD Studio Items + 1 Sewn Sample $80.00 USD

Any Special Requests

When I was roaming the house this morning looking for more fun things to include I found a huge basket of my strike offs ranging from Ginger Blossom to Secret Garden.  Strike offs are the fabrics that I recieve from the mill to check for the accuracy of colors and pattern engraving.  This is where I get to play with different color ideas that eventually get weeded down to the collection that hits stores.  But then I have the strike offs sitting here looking pretty and I hoard them like.. well, a hoarder.  But I think its time to clear them out, so I am including several of them in each box.

This forgotten space

First off, thank you for the orders so far today! I have a corner of my table back. :). More to go if you are still interested. See this mornings post..

Dustin is back after a week long business trip.. He left the day after we moved, and I came down with my annual fall cold. (Womp womp). It's been a long week, trying to unpack, clean, adjust kids to new routine, cook, clean clean clean, Unpack. You know? Being a mom.

So the moment we all walked in the front door, he sent me to bed. It was heavenly.. Ahhh. I actually dreamed about a garden, so when I woke up, I wandered over to the land the we've picked for next years gardens. It is right next to the chicken coop and at perfect reach to the creek.

It is in shambles right now and just looking at the space was tiring me out! :) But I am excited. Absence really does make the green thumb grow fonder me thinks.

That walk about has me tuckered out again so I'm curling back up in bed for the night. Maybe a movie.. Definitely a sprite for my throat, a bowl of the cream of tomato & carrot soup Dustin has going in the kitchen. Bliss, cept for the sick part. :)

Who likes Surprise Mail?

I love surprise mail, especially if I have a little bit of an idea what the surprise holds.  I know it will be fabric, but not exactly what..

When we moved, we ended up with a ginormous pile of samples, fabrics, kits, patterns etc.. that were pulled from different spots.  We had some things at the studio, some things with our belongings in storage, some things at our home with family.. it was making me batty.  But now, everything is in one happy spot in our little country home.  (swoon)  So I need to have a sale.  But I don't have the time to list all the multiple garment samples, or each various thing I found so I am resorting to a flat rate sale.

It's pretty simple.. you purchase a box, (medium sized priority) I stuff it until it can take no more, you get happy surprise mail!

The miscellaneous box will not contain a sewn sample, you may add one on for $25, which is kinda sorta an unbelievable price.  Sorry, I can't sell any samples at this price alone, it's a package deal if you will.  You are welcome to make requests (sizes, pants, dress, apron..) etc..  but it may just come down to what is available, which is the reason for the $25 price tag.  :)  Holidays are coming!  If you would like more than one, you are welcome to add more.  There are about 30 samples on the kitchen table, and I want my table back!

Shipping in the states is included, international shipping will be billed after payment is received.  To make everything as quick and easy as possible, for this sale, you can just check out right here through paypal.

 

Portabellopixie Studio Sale

Misc. Studio Items $55.00 USD Studio Items + 1 Sewn Sample $80.00 USD

Portabellopixie Sample Sale

Option 1 Option 2 Option 3

Any Special Requests

Have fun everyone!

Dateless date night

Dustin has been out of town this week (he left the day after we moved, hello busy!) and our date night last night found me flying solo. I'm not complaining, four hours of me time is welcome.

I ended up at goodwill, with nothing in particular in mind. I found this glass hurricane without a base for .99 cents. I have had the candle base since before Dustin and I got married and thought the hurricane might fit it. Voila!! It did.

I also found the apothecary jar for .99 cents too. It needs candy corn, pronto.

I am really looking forward to decorating for all the holidays this year, since I did t get the chance to last year. So I'm staring to think about Halloween projects to do with the kids.

Any killer deals you are on live with lately? Thank you again for all the messages of live and support over the last little bit, they have been most helpful. :)

Sandi

The first 48

We've been in our new home a little over 48 hours now, and it feels like we been here for a year. We're not even fully unpacked, but everyone is a little slap happy and grateful to be in our own home again :)

There's no Internet yet (this post brought to you by my phone) and Ethan doesn't have a mattress. The neighbor behind us has a rooster that wakes us at the perfect time every morning and at night the wind blows through the trees. It's pretty beautiful.

The neighbor across the field had a howling f-bomb match with his wife last night over the ice cream that was brought home instead of dinner. It was better than tv.

I'm trying to decide between two spots for our garden next year thinking it would be a good idea to rototile the spot now. Hmm. Any experience out there? Now? Wait till spring? Typical me, we are heading into fall and I am dreaming of the seeds I'll buy in the spring. ;)

Xo
Pixiegirl

thank you

There were a dozen times after pressing the publish button on my post yesterday that I raced to my computer to hit delete, delete, DELETE!!!  And then I would see the beautiful things so many of you that I have never had the chance to meet, hug or laugh with in person were sending in messages of love and support.

Thank you.

How many times have you been chatting with a friend over lunch and talked about "I know this person that just ..." only to realize - you really don't know that person, you read their blog.  But oh how this cyber world can feel so much like friendship and support, as long as we are being ourselves and real.  Lives aren't perfect, and I rejoice in reading other people share what is really going on in their lives.  So.. friends, thank you.

And here, some uber messy (love that) watercolor sketches I did the other night.  Ballet is on the brain for some reason!  This is a rather large painting, so I just took a few quick shots with my phone.  Nothing to fancy, but a little eye candy is better than none me thinks.

Mwahh!

Sandi

a bit deep today

You have caught me in a moment.  "A moment you say?"  Yes, a moment.  A moment of tenderness and openness that I don't give into very often on my blog.  I love writing here, but keep the super personal stuff, well personal.  But today it feels right.  How can you inspire and uplift one another if you don't share?

This last year has been.. hard.  I have not felt the strength to go into before, but I have spent the better part of this last year receiving treatment for, and recovering from a life threatening disease that found its sneaky way into my life.  I am not ready to go into specific details, and might not ever, as it has been an enormous personal trial that has rocked me to my core.  Before everyone jumps to conclusions and worries without need, know that you are reading this at the end of the story.  I am in very good health now.  I do feel the need to acknoweldge it here however.  My family and friends have rallied around me and been beyond helpfull and supportive.  We moved in with Dustins family as my world was falling apart and have been here for 10 months.  This Friday, we will move out, into a little home of our own in the country on the outskirts of town.  There is a creek that flows through the backyard, a little barn, a huge area for a garden.  Just the right amount of space for my little family, nothing more.. nothing less.

It is much more than a move to me, it is a tangible sign of life continuing, that I am still here.. that I am ok.  I have had to let my idea of the way "life should be" fall this year.  Let things that seemed all encompassing and important go unfinished.  Had to let a lot go unfinished, which drove me to the edge of insanity at the time, which I now see as the making of me.

I believe that everyone has a few specific choices and events that make a huge impact on your life.  This year has been both.  First, the realization that I married the right man.  If I never make a good decision from this day forward, I know I got the most important one right.  He has given me my little family, which has been my rock and anchor throughout this last year..

I am ready for this change in our lives.. we are ALL ready for this change!  We haven't slept in our own beds, eaten off our own dishes or walked around naked in the house (TMI?) in almost a year.  We didn't have our own Christmas tree, thanksgiving turkey or a family garden.  We did also realize that those things are just the icing on the cake of life, and not the cake itself, but we are excited to get back to having that frosting available ya know what I mean.  :)

In November I am going on a girls trip with my mom to Hawaii.  (!!!)  Earlier this year, I thought there was a very good chance I would never end up seeing it.. I can't wait!  I am going to feel the sun on my face, stand under a waterfall and sit on a beach and paint for a week.  And eat fish and creme brulee every night.  Yeah.

So right now, I am packing up our belongings that we needed for the last year of life.  It's awfully surprising what you really can live without for a year, when you give yourself the opportunity to try it.

So please know that life is good, can be short, and throws you the hardest thing that you can possibly bear.  It is worth it however, and hold close to the people that love you, as they are truly the best medicine when nothing else works.  :)

Love to you all.. thank you for reading.  I can't wait to share our new home with you next week!

 

xo

Sandi