new look for the blog, fabric shopping, and a little bit of Ava


Maybe you’ve noticed, maybe you haven’t….the blog has gotten a makeover! I’m so excited for this fresh new look-it’s got my favorite colors (minus coral, I didn’t want to totally match Ava’s nursery), some new features, and a sleek new design. Up on top you can navigate to the Home, About, Tutorials, Patterns (soon! So excited about this!), Recipes, Parties, and Advertising links-those are mostly the same….let me show you a few new things…

This is probably old news to most bloggers-but I have a working search bar! Search for the word “nerd”, “Wizard”, “piping” or “fabric” (All of those words have found something on the blog….what? I am a loud and proud nerd slash fabric slash piping lover. Oh and I made Wizard of Oz cupcakes once.) That’s located right above the welcome  message on the top right.
Also, a fun little “pin it!” heart pops up when you hover over a photo! Too cute, huh? Pretty handy, too.
Tags and archives are still on the right hand sidebar, and there’s a new button too, if you’re so inclined. 🙂

Thanks so much to Smitten Blog Designs for their fantastic work on the new design. Especially Jacquelline-she did a great job deciphering all my jibber jabber about what exactly it was that I wanted.

On to the fabric shopping! I got to meet up with the lovely Stef from Girl. Inspired a few weeks ago-we met up in Berkeley for some fabric shopping and lunch! We picked two stores to hit up, and man were they good ones. More on that in a bit…can I first gush about Stef for a minute? She is sooo sweet, fun to talk to, and we had a BLAST together.  It’s so amazing when you meet someone who just “gets” all the blogger and sewing stuff. Like, when we got lunch (Indian, AHmazing) we both whipped out our phones to snap photos and instagram it and it was awesome to not feel awkward about it. (Rory gives me a hard time about my Insta-habit, lol) My awesome mom and Grandma took Sadie and Charlotte for the day, and Ava tagged along. She did great! Basically a happy little camper hanging out in her bjorn. She was like “puhlease guys. I got this”. #fabricshoppingpro

So the first place we hit up is called Stonemountain and Daughter and it is the cutest shop that is deceivingly huge! They have a main area full of every quilting cotton you could imagine (and more!), rows of notions, another room full of apparel fabric, AND an room upstairs with more fabric and space where they have their sewing classes. Let’s just say if I lived closer to it we’d be broke. But we’d be warm because we could huddle up with the piles of fabric I’d have bought.

This was our combined cart about halfway through our time there. Whoa. It was amazing. We met one of the owners, Suzan, she was so nice and complimentary of our (mound) of fabric choices! She even snapped a picture of us to share on their facebook wall. 🙂 She gave us a little discount too, which was super sweet of her.



The second store was called Discount Fabrics, also in Berkeley. This place had giant rolls of fabric awesomeness. We definitely got a workout there, pulling out rolls upon rolls of fabric, but they had some amazing knits and apparel fabric, plus some special occasion stuff. (and leather!) Again, with the cart FULL of fabric. We had a hard time restraining ourselves, obviously. (we’re already planning another trip sometime!)


Here’s my total haul…yum. I need to join FPA. Fabric Petters Anonymous. Seriously I couldn’t stop stroking them-so soft and pretty and full of sewing potential. Anyone else want to join my sad little meeting FPA meeting? I’ll make cupcakes!

 Some of these fabrics will be showcased in outfits for Project Run and Play! woohoo! I can’t wait to show you guys what I’ve been working on for the past few weeks! I just can’t wait! (I juust said that…sheesh I really am excited.)

And…just cause I can, I’ll end with the sweetest picture I can find.  Aww.

BTW I’ve been MIA on Instagram since Saturday because I shattered my iphone screen last Thursday and have a loaner phone until our insurance gets a new phone in to replace it. I feel like I’ve lost an appendage! Might be a TAD addicted to that app. ;}

Comments

  1. My heart melted at that last picture-sweetness!
    Do you mind me asking how you get the “Pin it” heart to appear on your pictures?

  2. I did notice your cute new blog design… very nice. =)
    Methinks if fabric store are going to sell such lovely fabrics, they should have bigger carts to put it all in. =) Your trip looks like so much fun! And lucky you getting to meet up with Stef in person.
    I would totally come to your FPA meeting… I love petting fabric.
    Also, Ava is absolutely darling. =)

  3. I love that you posted about these 2 stores. I live in Berkeley and go to both of them way too often:)

  4. Loving the little revamp!

  5. Awwwww, that was such a fun post! Thank you for putting up those fun pictures – makes my heart race with the thrill of the fabric chase all over again! You know I’ll join you at the FPA meeting – especially if you make cupcakes. I was also thinking about how funny the girl cutting our fabric was at Discount Fabric when she was talking about the different sounds that different fabrics make when they tear – only fabric lovers would sit around with such huge smiles on our faces discussing the sound of fabric tearing. hahaha! Can’t wait for our next trip and I love love your new blog look – I’m especially envious of your little heart pin-it pop-up – I need one of those really bad. Ava is a doll – such a precious picture! Hope you get your new phone in soon!!!

  6. I LOVE stonemountain and daughter! But I didn’t know about the other shop… Will check it out for the leather 🙂 and send you my bill *g*
    Next time arond, head over to “a verb for keeping warm” too, they have a small, but fine fabric selection, A LOT of japanese fabrics, and 40% off each first friday of the month.
    (and, when Ava is a little bigger: there is a bunny running free through the store, a toy bin hidden under a table and a bird)

    greetings,
    Tina

  7. Count me in for that FPA ;)))

  8. Hi there,

    I definetely have to join your FPA meeting…….I’m a real fabric addict, especially now that I have discovered these great fabric webshops in America ( I’m from Belgium btw…..and fabric is really expensive out here…..!)
    I’m dreaming of coming to America to do a fabric-shop-trip…..so, yes…..an FPA meeting is urgently needed!
    🙂

    Sorry for my bad translation, over here we speak Flamish!

    Greetings from Belgium,
    Debora

  9. Anonymous says

    Words cannot describe how much I love Stone Mountain and Daughter. Every time I’m in there I feel a combination of inspiration to create and gratefullness that it’s so close to where I live. So fun to see it here through your eyes.

  10. Aw, cute post – man am I jealous of your meetup, though I’m definitely a candidate for FPA! And the blog looks FANTASTIC! You’re a pro.

  11. I love the new design! So fresh… And Ava is a beauty!

  12. looks awesome!!

  13. I’m jealous of anyone that lives within driving distance of fun fabric stores! All I’ve got is Joann or Hancock. Thanks for sharing the picture of your sweet little gal! And I do love your new look on the site!

    Kelly

  14. Those fabrics are wonderful! I wish I had that shops here
    And your baby so sweet!
    Do you feel comfortable with the bjorn? there are other kind of wraps and baby carriers that use to be more comfortable for both baby and mum. I still carry my 2,5 years old when he’s tired!

  15. I noticed your new blog look the other day and meant to comment on it – LOVE IT!!! What a fun post, I am so excited to see what you ladies come up with for PR&P All-Stars, it is going to be so much fun!!!

  16. Oh great! I live in the south bay and am always looking for fabric store recommendations. I need to go now! I’ve been dying to dive into knits and this spring is the one. Thanks!

    bekatelyn.com

  17. wowee, you are one classy lady! The blog re-do is amazing, they did a stellar job. And JEALOUS!!! about that fabric haul, that is awesome!

  18. Love the new blog—and your trip—amazing! Next time we want to come!!

  19. Love the new blog—and your trip—amazing! Next time we want to come!!

  20. I love the blog redo lady! So sleek and with beautiful colors too. Miss you on Instagram 🙂

  21. The new blog design looks fantastic and I can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeve with patterns! And is it no wonder that Ava is a champion fabric shopper? I mean, look who her mama is!!

  22. LOVE the new look! 🙂

  23. love the new look! snazzy! it’s seriously so awesome! I love blog makeovers, I’m thinking mine might need a springy update!?

  24. Me parece genial !!!!!!!

  25. Ava is so precious!! Great fabric finds… I want to go shopping with you and sign me up for FPA and cupcakes. Your blog looks great…I love the colors!M

  26. I totally have to stay away from fabric stores or the fabric section of stores unless I have a project or else we too would be broke! Even when I do try to keep to just what I need for my projects I end up buying more then I planned! We only have two real fabric stores so it is not too hard to stay away.

    My daughter (5 years old) has caught the sewing but and really wants to sew and have me sew things for her all of the time! She loves most everything I make her so that helps.

    I love your tutorials and can’t wait share the projects I have finished and am finishing up on! Thanks for all your hard work!

  27. shelley b says

    As a fellow fabric hoarder, I was drooling looking at the pictures from you shopping extravaganza!! Love the new look of your blog and I just went to town pinning a good chunk of your tutorials!!!

  28. I love the new blog look! Also, thanks for posting the picture of Ava, I was wondering when we would get to see more of her sweet face!

  29. LOVE the new look! It looks so great! That pic of Ava is way too cute – she is so so sweet! Cannot wait for PRAP All Stars to begin!!

  30. So not fair, that you get to buy all that amazing fabric , at those great stores!
    Can’t wait to see what you do with it!

  31. Cute new look! We are almost twinsies. 🙂

Trackbacks

  1. […] and asked to become something Belgian-inspired…..I got it at Stonemountain and Daughter, when Stef and I visited in February. It’s from the Alexander Henry Urban Garden line. The colors are amazing, right up my alley. […]

  2. […] felt compelled to use some of the amazing fabrics I purchased on my last big fabric shopping trip (Jess wrote about that trip here).  I paid an arm and a leg for a 1/2 yard of the Kokka retro typewriter fabric and I wanted to use […]

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