Black Friday Sales 2019

I just wanted to send out a post of all of the BLACK FRIDAY sales that I have at this point heard of. The first ones on the list are Canadian companies and the second half are around the rest of the globe. I may be adding to this list if I hear of other…

Wardrobe by Me Men’s OverShirt PDF Pattern Release

Wardrobe by Me just released the new Men's OverShirt PDF sewing pattern and the timing couldn't have been better. Hubby has an insulated over shirt aka lumberjack shirt  that had seen better days and was in need of replacing. The pattern gives the option of patch pockets or single welt pockets and since his old…

Itch to Stitch Cape Cod Capelet PDF Pattern Release

I recently tested the new Cape Cod Capelet pattern from Itch to Stitch and this is one of those patterns that is so quick to make and so fun to wear that it really is easy to make more than one.

Callie Pinafore Dress PDF Pattern Release from Designer Stitch

When Designer Stitch put out the testing call for the Callie Pinafore Dress PDF sewing pattern I didn't hesitate to ask to join in! I have started wearing more dresses and skirts lately and while I love dressing all girlie girl once in a while, for everyday wear, I need something that can take me through…

Harmony T-Shirt PDF Pattern Release from Wardrobe by Me

Wardrobe by Me just released the new Harmony T-Shirt PDF sewing pattern and it is just in time for summer in the northern hemisphere! It a fit and flare style with three different options. Two of the options are for a woven accent which is perfect for those small scraps of fabric that you love…

The Kauai Top from Itch to Stitch

The Kauai Top PDF Sewing Pattern from Itch to Stitch Designs

Pattern Union’s New Molly Tee pdf Pattern

I recently had the opportunity to test the Molly Tee for Sarah at Pattern Union Patterns. Sarah is located in Australia and is a new to me designer. She has a background in the made-to-measure clothing industry and is teacher of fashion and design, as well.   I have not had great success with ready…

Breaking Ground Blog Tour – Kommatia Patterns – Chenille Sweater and Carafa Skirt

If you haven't heard of Kommatia Patterns yet, then check out the two patterns I made from them for the Breaking Ground Blog Tour 2019!

The Men’s Fleece Jacket from Wardrobe by Me

Check out Wardrobe By Me's first ever Men's Jacket pdf Pattern!

The Envigado Vest from Itch to Stitch

Come and join me on my journey of the Envigado Vest,...Itch to Stitch's newest pattern!

The Sedona Shirt, Tunic & Dress PDF Pattern from Designer Stitch

I am pretty excited about Designer Stitch's first new pattern for 2019! The Sedona Shirt, Tunic & Dress was a pattern that Ann has been teasing the Designer Stitch testing group with for quite some time so I was really happy when it finally came out for testing and it is even more fun now that I finally get to share the pattern with my fellow sewing tribe members!

The Lauren Knit Top and Dress from Sinclair Patterns

Sinclair Patterns has released their first new pattern for 2019. The Lauren Knit Top & Dress is designed for knits and depending on the fabric used and the how the garment is styled, it can be worn from casual to formal.

The Dakota Tunic and Dress from Sinclair Patterns

When I saw the testing call come up for the new Dakota Tunic & Dress, I hesitated. I have been wanting to test for Sinclair Patterns after seeing all the other lovely designs they have, but I haven't really worn a peplum style, as I wasn't sure I could pull the style off. I really liked the curved hemline of the Dakota, though, so I decided to give it a try and I am so glad I did!

The Rebel Raglan Men’s Hoodie from Wardrobe by Me

Wardrobe by Me has released their newest pattern this week, the Rebel Raglan. Technically it is a re-release...a version 2.0, if you will. When Christina announced she was making some updates to the pattern, I jumped right in. The original Rebel Raglan was the first Wardrobe by Me pattern I ever tested as well as the first men's pattern I ever tested...actually it's the first men's pattern I had ever sewn! I never even blogged about that first one because my pictures were really bad. I was wanting to remake the Rebel and redo the pictures in the new year so this was perfect timing!

The Harper Pants from Designer Stitch

The Harper Pants are a cross between those comfy yoga pants that everyone loves and dress pants. So in other words, these are the perfect pair of pants that can be worn almost anywhere and anytime!

The New Aveiro Cardigan from Itch to Stitch

The Aveiro Cardigan is Itch to Stitch's 50th pattern release and, boy, does this one ever give you a lot of bang for your buck!

The New Chelsea Cardigan from Designer Stitch Patterns

The newest pattern from the desktop of Ann over at Designer Stitch is the new Chelsea Cardigan and it is here just in time for fall!

New Release ~ Men’s Chino Pants from Wardrobe by Me

Thanks to this new pattern from Wardrobe by Me, hubby gets a new pair of pants! I was part of the testing team for the Men's Chino Pants* (affiliate link) and I am really impressed that I was able to make a pair of men's pants and the first pair turned out amazing and required no…

Testing-Testing! The Designer Stitch Shakti Jersey Pants Sewing PDF Pattern

Style, Comfort and LOTS of options!

The Synthia Blouse PDF Pattern by Designer Stitch

With spring just around the corner, now would be the perfect time to gift yourself with the Synthia Top pdf pattern which you can sew up quite easily over the course of a few hours.

Itch to Stitch Sequoia Cargos and Shorts

I have been sewing for as long as I can remember and for the last couple of years I have been focussing on creating my own me-made wardrobe. I am actually at the point that I can pretty much take everything RTW(ready-to-wear) out of my closet and I would be able to emerge from my…

Designer Stitch Ilse Vest PDF Pattern

Designer Stitch released their first pattern of 2018 and it was also the first thing I sewed in 2018. Winter is the perfect time to be able to be able to wear a vest, although I wear vest all year round! The Ilse Vest is designed for woven, non-stretch fabric. I chose to make mine…

Celebrate 2017

Learn about some of the garments that I made this year that are worth celebrating!

Aurora Top& Dress from Wardrobe by Me

Check out my version of the new Aurora Top and Dress from Wardrobe by Me!

My Favourite Things Blog Tour

Check out the FOUR garments I featured in my stop on the My Favorite (Sewing) Things Blog Tour!

Summer Breeze and Tulip Top Blog Tour ~ Wardrobe by Me

Join me on my stop in the Summer Tops Blog Tour from Wardrobe by Me!

Designer Stitch Release ~ Kiera Skirt PDF Pattern

Say hello to The Kiera Skirt from Ann Grose at Designer Stitch Patterns! And I couldn't be more pleased to add this to my me-made wardrobe. Backtrack a number of years ago and you would have been hard pressed to see me NOT wearing a skirt or dress and for some reason, I don't even really recall…

Designer Stitch- Eleni Top, Tunic and Dress

If you have been on the fence about the off-the-shoulder look, read on about my own hesitation and my surprising conclusion after trying the look myself!

Show Your Stoff Blog Tour

My stop on the Show Your Stoff Blog Tour features the beautiful Greta Tunic.

The Blixon Blazer from Wardrobe by Me

The Blixen Blazer PDF pattern from Wardrobe by Me. A gorgeous fully lined knit jacket with slanted welt pockets and optional peplum back.

Designer Stitch Julie and Alyse – Breaking Ground Blog Tour

Breaking Ground Blog Tour...Don't miss the exclusive coupon code for Designer Stitch Patterns in today's blog post!

Designer Stitch-Megan Skirt

I love it when a pattern just screams at you to get creative and the new Megan Skirt pdf pattern from Designer Stitch is one of those patterns that makes it loud and clear that it wants you to get creating and makes it very easy to do so. For my skirt, I chose to make…

Date Night with Designer Stitch

Date Night February Blog Tour with Designer Stitch! Taking the Pippa Wrap dress out for a night of dancing! This is a gorgeous dress and perfect for a date night! Here is my blog post featuring the dress version of the Pippa that I made for a special event in our family!

Everyday Essential from Everything Your Mama Made

Valentine Essentials Blog Tour meets Date Night February I want to go someplace outside of the norm for this Valentine's Day. We all know how important self-care is. I want this February 14th, heck this whole month to become about giving back to yourself. As women, most of us have something inside of us that…

Watcha Wearin’ January Week 5

During the final week of the tour, I ended up finishing off two patterns I have been testing. I will be writing a dedicated review for them in the future, but I did want to share them with you. They have been great to wear this last week of January.

Watcha’ Wearin’ January-Week 4

Week 4 of the Watcha Wearin' January Bog Tour was a slower paced one for me. If you already know a bit about me, you know that I am challenged with a chronic illness that pops into my life now and then and I have to weather the storm and pick up the pieces afterwards. Sewing this week came to a screeching halt for a couple of days, and then I slowly took small bits of time to work on a couple of pattern tests I was finishing up with. So today, I will share some goodies I picked up at the fabric store last weekend and what my plans are for them!

Bridget Top from Designer Stitch

Designer Stitch has released 2 new  beautiful patterns with a bit of a twist. They are the same basic bodice but each pattern comes with these magnificent sleeves! One has 3 gorgeous long sleeves and the other has 4 incredible shorter sleeves!   Let me introduce you to the Bridget Long Sleeve combo....     ...and…

Watcha Wearin’ January-Week 3 – WBM Daisy Top

We are on week three of the Watcha Wearin' January Blog Tour. I hope you have been enjoying the great posts that all of the bloggers have been sharing and looking at all of the wonderful me-made clothing! I know I am getting lots of ideas 😉 If you haven't enter the for a chance…

Watcha Wearin January- Week Two

Welcome back to my second instalment in the Watcha Wearin' January blog tour! Make sure to read all the way to the end to enter to win one of two great prize packages! This is a snapshot of what the next few days in my world will look like. And when it gets to -30C,…

Watcha Wearin’ January Blog Tour – New Year’s Day with Kermit the Frog!

Today marks the first day of the new year and another first for me...my first blog tour! I am excited to be taking part in the Watcha Wearin' January blog tour which is being hosted by Tibeca fromhttp://sewingbyti.blogspot.com. The idea of this blog tour is that we showcase what we are wearing this month that is…

Year in Review-2016

One year ago this week, I applied for my first pattern test for Blaverry Children's patterns. I was so excited but there is no way I could have imagined what that one email would do. I have taken a very keen liking to pattern testing and have done 30 this year! This is a collage of…

Trudy Turtleneck PDF Pattern from Wardrobe by Me-pattern test & review

  It has been BRUTALLY cold here...-40 degrees Celsius for days on end! So when Christina from Wardrobe by Me hinted at testing a turtleneck pattern, I was all over it! The Trudy Turtleneck has taken over my sewing room! As you can see, I may have become a bit obsessed and ended up churning out 5 of…

The Willow Kimono from Designer Stitch Patterns

Introducing the Willow Kimono, the newest design to hit the sewing pattern market from Designer Stitch! Designer Stitch is a fabulous PDF pattern company from Austrailia and this is the third pattern I have tested for them since discovering them earlier this year. Ann Grose is the talent behind these patterns. She has over 30…

The Frida Flat Front Shorts from Wardrobe by Me Patterns

  I recently had the opportunity to test my first ladies pattern from Wardrobe by Me. (Earlier this year I tested the men's Rebel Raglan and you can check out that post here.) It was also an item that I hadn't made for myself yet, and since we are in the midst of our summer…

Sewing for the Dads and Other Men in Your Life :)

  June 19, 2016 is Father's Day and a perfect opportunity to do some sewing for the Dads (or other important men) in your life. I have been testing up a storm on quite a few pieces for myself, but I also got the chance to get in a quick sew for the man in…

Testing the Lisbon Cardigan from Itch to Stitch

I haven't been posting much. A big part of that is because I have been testing quite a few patterns. There have been so many lovely designs coming out lately that were too hard to pass up for testing, and the Lisbon Cardigan was one of those. Kennis Wong from Itch to Stitch is really…

5 Out of 4 Patterns Ultimate Bikini Turned Ultimate Underwear Tutorial

I recently had the pleasure of working with Jessica from 5 Out of 4 Patterns, testing her newest pattern releases. She designed two great new pieces that work well together as a swimsuit, and they also coordinate well with the other patterns on her site. I was really excited to test drive a swimsuit pattern.…

Dusting Off the Sewing Machine

I have been sewing and around sewing for as long as I can remember. My mom wanted to be able to stay home after having me, her second baby, but she still needed to work. So she took the experience she had gained working in an upholstery shop and started her own custom drapery and…

Wandering Off

I have a habit of wondering off from people when I go shopping with them. Then I want to point out something neat I found or get some feedback, and I realize that no one is next to me. Today I realized that I have the same tendency to do that with God. It isn't…

Quick and Easy Way to Cut Up a Watermelon!

I made my first youtube video the other day. It was a spur of the moment thing, but hey, you gotta start somewhere, right? I can't remember who first showed me how to do this a few years ago, but it is now pretty much the only way I cut watermelon. I love how I…

Are you too broken to be healed?

I wanted to share this following message of healing and restoration that was posted on http://www.GlynnisWhitwer.com today. There is also a giveaway of Suzie Eller's book. I hope this message will bless all who read it. APRIL 11, 2014 Years ago, when I first met Suzie Eller, I knew there was something special about her. …

Suburbanites

GOD AND LAWN CARE. A conversation with St. FrancisGOD SAID: “Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any…

Daily juice

Today's green juice consists of: Green leaf lettuce Long English cucumber Sweet peppers Fennel Celery Apples By March 21, my goal is to be back to 100% raw. It was on that date 6 years ago that I went 100% raw and stayed there for almost 2 years. The protocol that I am following does…

Chocolate Chip Scones – Paleo/Grain-Free

Since I was a little girl, I have loved to create things in the kitchen. It is one of the ways that I can show my love to those around me. So even though I cannot eat some things, I still like to create and prepare things for others. This recipe was one of those…

Healing, Blogging and Growth

“Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people…

Gray Skies

The part of Canada that I live in is known for its sunny skies. It's the one thing that makes it bearable when the temperature drops to minus 40 degrees Celsius. And we won't even talk about the fact that we have seven months of winter here. So seeing the sun is my one solace…

Apple Applause Raw Cereal

This is a new breakfast that we have been playing with in our kitchen. I had soaked/sprouted/dehydrated some buckwheat a couple of weeks ago and somehow had forgotten that I did. I pulled it out and we have been incorporating this into our morning meal. I asked my youngest daughter what we should call it…

Summer is back and time to start not-digging in the garden!!

We have had a pretty nice winter, all things considered, and spring was quite pleasant, as well. We had enough rain and puddles to keep my youngest daughter enjoying the new rubber boots she got. The nights have still been a little chilly, so I am holding out until next weekend to plant the tomato…

Chipotle Kale Chips

Potato chips were something I really enjoyed in the past and I really liked the spicy ones, so it I have been having some fun playing around with a bunch of kale I recently purchased. These are so easy to make, but not as easy to keep from eating them all up before they are…

Creamsicle Smoothie

This smoothie blend idea was sparked by Chris Kendall from The Raw Advantage. I would never have thought to combine citrus and melon, but it is really tasty. And I agree that it does remind me of creamsicles! Creamsicle Smoothie 1/2 honeydew melon, cut into cubes 1 Cara Cara orange, peeled and segmented 2 navel…

Four Citrus Salad

  Citrus is starting to come into season, and I am going to enjoy it while it is here. One of the things on my bucket list is to travel somewhere warm during citrus season and indulge on tree-ripened fruit. But until then, I am giving thanks for all of our modern transportation and logistics…

Greenya Colada

We have been having the most wonderful weather here. The high today was PLUS 11C! I struck it big at the grocery store on Tuesday with a plethora of oranges, bananas and pineapple, as well as some nice celery. Nice weather + tropical fruit = experiment with a new smoothie! Greenya Colada (sometimes you just…

New Year Tropical Dandelion Smoothie

A new year has arrived and with that comes a reflection of the previous year and where to head in the new year. This year our family has decided to kick it up a notch and try to focus on healing. Not that we haven't been doing this anyhow, but it has taken the back…

Raw Vegan “Potato” Salad

Sundays are my favourite day of the week. We make a habit of getting together for lunch every Sunday, so no matter how busy any of us have been, it gives us a chance to catch up on the happening's in everyone's week. It also gives me a chance to try out new culinary creations…

Banana Breakfast Bowl

I am not a huge fan of breakfast. I prefer not to eat too soon after I wake up. So I usually go about my morning routine and then try to wrangled something up to break the previous evenings fast. For the last four days, I haven't had any trouble deciding what to eat, after…

Good-bye to Summer and Tomato & Cucumber Salad on Petite Heirloom Lettuce

I had a hard time this year saying good-bye to summer. It did come rather late this year, but it ran on into September and made me appreciate that we homeschool even more. We were even able to sneak in a spur of the moment excursion to BC on the September long weekend and the…

Hello!

  This was a bumper sticker I saw on the first day of our summer holiday this July. It kind of sums up what I believe we should all strive for.