fringe

Fun fringy crepe paper streemers (via Oh happy day) to celebrate my big girl turning 4!

 and it had to happen eventually... Beer soap!  I used Brian's holiday beer from last year that didn't quite fizz up like it should have and some dried hops from our yard.  Just replaced the water with beer in Mom's recipe, mixed in a good handful of dry hops and some extra sprinkled on top.  SO... because I didn't boil the beer first ('cause it was flat already), had alcohol in it, or maybe it was something else, but it traced really quickly, some may say seized, but I dumped it quickly into the molds (it was quite glumpy).  As it was setting-up it yielded a bit of brown liquid (looked like the beer), but it evaporated quickly, and the soap seems to have set up just fine.  There is a bit of additional white ash on the outside, but it doesn't seem caustic.

 I'll give it some more time.  It smells a bit weird, probaby because of the holiday spice beer.

 Things can't stay the same forever, but my friends here in PDX revolve in no small part around this group of pretty amazing gals.  Folks are moving, getting new jobs, things are just shifting a bit, though I hope we will stay close.  Robyn, Val, Monica, Vanessa, Christina, Laura and Cat... all fantastic.  We shared a rare ladies night out (thank you Ray for watching the kids!) with a lovely dinner at Accanto celebrating Christina's PhD!

 Stuffed campfire + marshmellows (on magnets) for G's birthday party.  Not too hard, I need to work on teh campfire circle/stones, but the rest went well!

 Yum chocolate cake with "cloudburst" frosting.  we totally covered teh top with sprinkles.  I loved it, but it was perhaps a bit much for the kids... most only ate the yummy frosting.

 With some of the crepe paper I ordered for the streamers, I made these awesome and surprisingly easy flowers.  I wish I had made more time to make more, but I tackled them very late the night before the party.  I think they turned out pretty in spite of my funky assmebly.

Just a shot with my sweetie on by baby's birthday.  

Another bag for another friend of G's .  I really love this fabric but it is pretty busy, turns out its just right for a little bag!

end of summer projects

 Stumptown coffee soap (and peppermint... I added the peppermint on a whim, not sure it was the best move, but it does smell yummy)

 aaand one more messenger bag for Alex.

 I kind of love this eric carle print.

I am totally against my better judgement making some more dresses for Grace and for her birthday.  We had a date at fabric depot and had a hard time agreeing on fabric.  I figured we both had to be pretty happy to make this a successful project.  She was leaning very hard towards the very hot pink and orange florals, which may have been okay, but I just wasn't feelin' it.  Anyhow, we'll see how it goes.