What I’m Lovin’ this summer

Oops. I missed June’s what I’m lovin’ post so I’m combining it with July for a post packed full of summer lovin’!

Did you just start singing “Summer Nights” from Grease? Me too…

Ok now that we’ve got our singing out of the way, read on to see what I’ve been lovin’ this summer!

1. Kimberly of Straight Stitch Designs just released this free swing dress pattern that made it onto my summer sewing list!

I whipped up a version before vacation. I had to take it in a few inches after I finished but once I did I fell in love! I hemmed it [which I should not have & I don’t think Kimberly does] which made it too short for work but I’ve been wearing it steadily on the weekends 😉

I really like the gathers on the back – they add such a sweet touch. And the neckline is the same from her Montlake Tee pattern which I love!

2. This post with 3 Reasons Kids Should Never Open Gifts During Their Birthday Party. The author raises some really interesting points. I think this concept goes beyond children’s birthdays and could extend to baby/wedding/engagement showers too. I always feel so incredibly awkward opening gifts in front of people and I’ve been on the other end of that – feeling insecure about the gift I brought as the recipient opens all of the other far more fabulous gifts.

3. This beautiful post from Little Lamb Studio appropriately titled How Sewing Helped Me Find a Home in my Body.

The more I sewed for myself, the more time I spent unfazed by trends or the fast fashion market, the more myself I felt when I looked in the mirror. I would look at myself and see a girl whose clothes fit, a girl who could express herself, and a girl who had a million possibilities.” – Mary Ethel

Abby Glassenberg shared the article in her newsletter and my heart just exploded as I read it. Mary Ethel is a lovely writer and so perfectly captures why sewing your own garments can be so life changing.

4. becoming minimalist’s post To Declutter Any Room, Ask These Two Questions.

We just relocated my sewing room and in the process I gained work space but lost some storage. I knew I had a lot of sewing stuff but there’s nothing like moving it around to realize how very much I’ve collected (even since our recent move..). It was embarrassing! I started to pare down the fabric & sewing stuff during the transition. It was so tough!

Luckily I have a friend who appreciates fabric hand-me-downs so I was able to send some of my excess to a loving home.

I feel like I do a pretty decent job avoiding hoarder status in most aspects of our home, but when it comes to sewing and crafting I can’t say the same. After the first round of “paring down” [and filling 10 bags with fabric & other sewing/crafting supplies for donation], I put these 2 questions into practice. Very helpful!

5. This article about Toddler Grandma Style is so perfect. I found the post linked in Seamstress Erin‘s newsletter and loved it!

I feel like Toddler Grandma might accurately represent my style and certainly after reading the article I do feel like it “set me free”!

6. This Vegan Chilaquiles Recipe is super tasty and easy to prepare. A nice summer recipe!

We got tomatillos in our CSA basket early in July and I whipped up this recipe. I’ve never had chilaquiles and didn’t know what to expect. Upon tasting, the Hubs proclaimed they’re basically soggy chips but actually really delicious! This recipe will likely be on repeat this summer especially if the tomatillos keep coming through our CSA!

PS: CSA is “Community Supported Agriculture” – basically you buy a “share” from a local farmer to receive weekly boxes or baskets throughout the season. If you have the option in your area, give it a try! It’s a great opportunity to support a local farmer while receiving high quality, in-season produce. It’s also a great way to add variety to your diet – last year our farmer grew Jerusalem Artichokes which I had never even heard of. With a quick google I found an easy recipe & discovered I really liked them!

Find more information about CSAs here!

7. Homemade salsa

Summer + homemade salsa go together, right? We got a giant bunch of teeny tomatoes (differing varieties, but cherry-sized) with our CSA recently and I used them to make this salsa recipe. Delicious!

–

I hope you’re all having a lovely summer! xoxo

–

{Catch up on all of my monthly What I’m Lovin’ posts here.}