Sure, buy your 4-year old a sewing machine!

For Christmas this year, my daughter wanted a sewing machine.  I'd gotten her this one last year, but slightly different colors:

And though it meant well, it broke fairly quickly and was more trouble than it was worth because it frustratingly did not sew like a sewing machine. It's a toy. Plain and simple. So please, if any moms out there are looking to actually purchase a "starter" machine for thier children, do not waste your money on this!

I feel bad bashing this because my aunt actually bought Eleanor one of these this year and gave it to her on Christmas Eve.  And she totally loved it because she remembered how she had one and it broke.  She was 3, so she didn't really know that she couldn't actually make anything with it.  So on Christmas eve, she was excited to play with it!  My nephew, (who also loves to sew), joined in and and quickly realized it's limits.  I actually let him use mine when he comes over and he's pretty good at it.

So anyway, if you buy it as a "toy", then fine.  But just don't expect to get anywhere or be able to teach someone sewing with it.

So this year, when she told me Santa was bringing her a new sewing machine, I decided to look for a real one.  I got an email from Jo-Ann Fabrics about a sale on Janome sewing machines.  I've never used a Janome, but I've heard good things.  They magically had these Hello Kitty themed machines... I thought... how perfect because my daughter is def. engulfed in the whole Hello Kitty universe.



I didn't know what to expect, but I ordered it . And I have to say...  I am so impressed with this machine.  Granted, it's not meant for 4-year olds. This is a machine I would use for myself.  But I thought, why am I going to buy another piece of junk that's just going to get tossed in a year?  It's doesn't have a lot of little extra nonsense, but that's better.  The singer I got to replace my old shark machine has pretty swirlies on it... but honestly, I think this Janome is better.  As soon as I took it out of the box I could "feel" the difference.  It was heavy, sturdy, and just overall put together well.   And the biggest excitement was discovering the vertical bobbin, which to me makes so much more sense! I used a Bernina once at Fabricland when I was visiting my Aunt... and it was "love" at first stitch!  (wow... I just wrote that) But anyway, those had vertical bobbin casings and I thought that was so much better because there's less a chance for tangles and hiccups. Berninas are WAY OUT OF MY PRICE RANGE... but a girl can dream....

So mega points for Janome on this one.  I feel like overall, sewing machines just aren't made like they used to be.  Especially brothers. My mom has a back up machine that's a brother... and it's so light that you have to spend time holding it down while you sew. She hates it too, but it's good as a back-up when you're desperate.  Maybe that saves money somewhere in shipping?  lol...

In conclusion... you're never too young to start sewing!  You know your children well enough to judge when they're ready...  I just wish I started at 4...

 

 

xo FITTSmcFITTer

It IS super easy!

Is is sooo easy to throw a layout together in less than 30 minutes and still say "Yes. Instead of throwing that away, I will hang onto it!"

There is very little involved here...

1. Three different papers

2. Some letter stickers

3. A couple velum arrows

4. A few brads

5. A a touch of sewing and doodling.

ALL optional.

I threw together this super short vid... it's just a series of photos showing the very short evolution of this layout. Just to throw it out there that YES, you can do some scapbooking on a weeknight! I did this page on a thursday night in about 33 minutes. I used the December Studio Calico kit exclusively! Joining kit clubs I think is a great way to be inspired every month. It keeps things fresh and exciting!
I will be starting one in January for those of you who need a little push! And I will post some ideas along with each kit to get the juices flowing!

The video is not so great, I apologize... but it was the best I could do with my current set up here... :)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irzbvzwz8lk]

If your bear needs to help with the cooking...

Then you might want to let them help in the cutest way possible!

I decided to put my holiday material to good use and whip up some aprons for my new shop.
It's less than a day old, so I only have a few things... but I picked out some super duper cute paper crafting items from my favorite suppliers (studio calico, pebbles, american crafts... etc.) and they are on the way and will be shortly available to get started on some Holiday paper crafts!                                                                                                                     These aprons make adorable gifts or grab em' for your own little sweetie to help you in the kitchen, or for playing in her own kitchen! I also take custom orders, Just send me a note through my contact page!

I wish I could say I have more of this yellow material with the

"kitchen ladies" on it... but I'm afraid this is it. It just makes me wanna bake and bake and bake and let my husband think I tattooed the smile on my face!

Well, I hope everyone is well on their way to a Merry and Happy season!  If you are shopping, shop indie! It's more personal and makes it highly unlikely that the person will already have that thing!  So check out my new Fitty's Arty Shop page! Like I said, it's like a naked christmas tree right now, but I figured, why wait..  you can even register so when the Christmas scrapbooking kits come in, you won't have to re-type all your info!

Hope the rest of your week is awesome!  And tomorrow, tell someone how nice their sweater is... unless it's not nice. Then offer them yours.

Happy Baking while looking super cute!

Oh, and here's some extra entertaining from Roo..

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-hkLiNluas?list=UUbDRrw83_KmF8dQqN-UO8Wg&hl=en_US]

Halloween in November

If you don't plan to scrapbook any other Halloween, plan to do this years. When has Halloween ever been in November?

I couldn't help but start with this photo because it's my favorite. It just... looks like I swiped it out of one of my mom's old photo albums.

We tricked and treated around Grandma's neighborhood just for a couple hours in the cccccooolld.  But from the looks of their collections of goodies, we could've said we were out all day.

This is mostly made up of Jennie Bowlin stuff.  A think I stole the yellow and grey polka dot paper from a Studio Calico kit...  and the instagram button. I just LOVE that. Even though this photo wasn't an instagram... it looks like it should've been.

Up in the top right corner where the scalloped circle is... well the main purpose of that is to cover up a BOOBOO! lol... I frequently get a little quick with the ink pad and end up dropping it on the paper.  So that's what happened here, i got a big smudge of brown ink up there and I just didn't like what it did for the page.  So I just punched out a circle and covered it.

IT's THURSDAY! my fave day! Except for my head hurtsness.... errgh.
And looking forward to some time with friends tomorrow night!... and the next night...
and... hopefully in there do some Holiday decorating around here!

xo
fitts Mcfinister!

YAY FALL!

It's almost my favorite holiday so I am determined to get a head start on costumes this year. 

And I probably would've been done with Roo's last month had my sewing machine not crapped out on me.  So I'm kinda depressed because after the dishwasher, fridge, and computer died...  having my sewing machine follow suit was just the cherry on top of my sundae of despair...

But I have to say despite all that material needless woe, I've been pretty chipper lately.  I've packed even more activites into my schedule and somehow feel like I've gotten more done because of it. It's like the Jar of stones theory...  Between all those stones you can fit a whole lot of sand!

So this year my daughter is helping me a little with her costume.  She's being Rapunzel.  No questions... she's been telling herself and everyone else since April that this is what her Halloween costume will be and the decision has not even been tempted to waver.  Though a part of me is disappointed that my control over her Halloween attire is over already, I'm still going to make sure she'll be her own little Rapunzel and not wear the same dress all the other little Rapunzel's will be donning. May not turn out to be the best, but it'll be something we'll do together and have fun doing! 

SO my darling friend Suzanne agreed to let me borrow her sewing machine for the time being, until I can find another, or find some money to buy one. It can probably be fixed, but it may cost more than it would be to buy.  Still have to look into that... but this way, I'm not spending any extra dough at the moment... 

I'm also bummed because my mom and I signed up for a sewing class monday nights and it got canceled due to not enough enrollment.   I was finally gonna have someone show me all the things I'm doing wrong because I never bothered to actually take lessons...  I wanted to.  But time, money, and availability relatively close to home were always an issue.  And again, I was so excited to fine one I didn't have to travel an hour to... and it's cancelled!  Maybe that was God saying it would've been a waste of time.

 

Anyway...  so I think I'm just happy because it's my favorite time of year, and it makes me feel extra giddy and inspired. I have a lot of projects lined up...  but again, hard to share as much with little media progs to work with...  my iphone turned itouch has been my main source of sharing as long as I'm in range of a good source of wi's and fi's... 

Any ideas on what to make with that awesome red balloon material?  I'm thinking something for ROo of course... maybe a jumper...  maybe a bag?  I guess it'll have to wait till after Halloween anyway...