zakka life

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Monday, March 10, 2014

Sewing with My Daughter

Over the weekend my daughter and I made this retro doll. This was the first time my daughter sewed something that didn't have pre-punched holes to guide her stitches. It was a little challenging for her but I think she did a great job. From the project she learned how to sew a whip stitch. She sewed half of the face and the front of the dress. I sewed the rest.

At first she thought it was too hard but began to get the hang of it. We split the project up into three days so it wasn't too daunting. Towards the end of the project she wanted to sew on the shoes so I let her. Moments later she broke down crying that it was too hard and it was so easy for me. This was one of those moments where I had to choose my words wisely. I explained that I've been sewing most of my life and she's just starting to learn. I also pointed out how nice her stitches looked. I would like to think that she felt encouraged.

Our projects don't always go as planned but they're time well spent.

This pattern came with issue 34 of Mollie Makes magazine. The pattern was designed by Danielle Thompson who owns and runs the online store Kitschy Digitals. If you have a chance, check it out. There's a lot of cute patterns over there.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Happy Girl's Day!

Happy Girl's Day! Okay, you caught me. I'm a day late but I still wanted to get a mini post in. This year we went to the Japanese market just before Girl's Day which meant there were a lot of special treats just for the occasion. After drooling over all the food and pretty packaging, I settled on this bag of chocolates.

Inside the bag were these cute little Japanese emperors and empresses candies. They're almost too cute to eat.

If you're wondering what Girl's Day is all about, I've written a post here.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

It's Never Too Late

It's Never Too Late by Dallas Clayton

I had planned on sharing this book with all of you in the beginning of the new year but time escaped me. And as the book states, it's never too late so here goes...

A few months ago I was asked if I would share It's Never Too Late on Zakka Life. Even though this is not a craft book, I said yes because Dallas Clayton books are all about inspiring people. What I enjoy about author Clayton is that his positive, seize the day spirit always shines through in his writing.

As stated on the cover, It's Never Too Late is a children's book for adults. The book is filled with whimsical illustrations and pros about focusing on what matters. The book touches on themes of following your dreams and making each day count.

If I were to buy this book, I would give it as a gift for someone going through a new phase in their life that needed a little encouragement.

To learn more about Dallas Clayton, you can visit his official site at dallasclayton.com .

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

DIY Valentine Roundup

Origami Heart Necklace 2012

In the past six years of blogging, I've been sharing all my Valentine projects with you. And since I've built up quite the collection, I thought I would share some of my favorites. Enjoy.