I'm a scrapper AND a sewer

Many people who know me are aware that I dabble in scrapbooking here and there. I'm not the scrapper of the year, but when I get going on a project the office doors must remain closed because that becomes my project area. The girls even know that if people are coming over and I'm scrapping, they can't open the office doors because it would be too embarrassing for people to witness such a disaster.

We're getting ready for a fun family vacation and I had the great idea to put together some pre-made journals/scrapbooks for all of us. I'm not so sure this was the best use of my time in the week prior to going on vacation, but after staying up after midnight several nights in a row so I could mod-podge the covers for the books, the project is finally complete.

What many of you probably don't know about me is that I am now a sewer also. I don't even know if "sewer" is the correct term. I hesitate to use the word "seamstress" for myself because in my mind that would indicate some sort of mastery of the skill.

Anyway, this is how it all happened. I was looking for some fanny packs for the girls--the term they used in the store was "waistpack", but I prefer fanny pack. They had some, but they only had one choice--black and ugly. I hesitated for a bit before finally giving in and throwing two of them in my cart. I couldn't leave the aisle however until I looked behind every single purse, backpack and "waistpack" just to make sure there wasn't a pink or purple one I had somehow not noticed. I was so annoyed as I picked up all the cute little purses wishing that just one of them had a waist strap as opposed to a shoulder strap. Then I had a creative brainstorm, which is not an ordinary occurrence for me. I called my friend in the ward, Katie, to ask her if I could turn a purse into a fanny pack! She's an amazing seamstress and after asking a few questions to determine what kind of purse I was wanting to transform, she made it sound so easy. She suggested that I run over to Hancock Fabrics and she described the lady I should talk to.

So I did like Katie said. I found that lady and she's got to be praying that I never grace her store with my presence again. Even though I told her I had no experience beyond a straight stitch, she continued to pass over basics like they were common knowledge. She laughed nervously at me with a horror-stricken look on her face when after gathering up all my supplies, I asked her if there wasn't a way I could make these without sewing at all--perhaps some fabric tape would do the job. She's probably still shaking her head today.

A couple nights ago Jared couldn't have been more surprised when I walked into the kitchen with my sewing machine in hand. As if it wasn't already obvious he had to ask, "You're going to sew?" Hello mister macho man, I'm a sewer. I'm not sure how he didn't know this already. Throughout the process I did get frustrated a few times and each time Jared suggested that I change the bobbin. I would have been happy to dig his eye out with the bobbin and beat the tar out of whoever taught him that term. But after a couple hours and sneakily wrapping the fanny packs around the girls waists while they were sleeping to make sure they'd fit, they were complete. Job done. Heidi-ho. Just like magic. Well, not really like magic because magic would have been a bit more professional looking.

I used different purses than the ones I had originally purchased--that's why the fabric stuff & buckles don't exactly match. But I found these silver and gold purses at Claire's for like three bucks each and the girls will like these so much better. They are so totally into silver and gold. And trust me, they WILL like them or they'll have to find another mom.

Counting down to our trip and now I just have to remember to pack the little treasures!