Okio B Designs

It's that time of year again.

The time when I start dreaming of spring and want to give Old Man Winter a kick in the pants.

Granted, it hasn't been a horrible winter here. Still, I long for warm days, green grass and flip flops.

And did you notice Easter is early this year?

Easter in March.

MARCH!!!!! I know it comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, but there is something so un-natural about Easter in March in my mind.

So while I ponder if my boys will be hunting for Easter eggs in winter coats, I do my best to bring spring indoors...

And know that in just a few short weeks, it will officially arrive.

Jeanine

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Wishing you a lovely White Wednesday!

Jeanine

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Drawing inspiration from my last post and the sewing book, I whipped up some lavender sachets earlier this week.

I love when I have everything I need on hand because I'm not a big fan of driving in the winter. I used some leftover Osnaburg fabric pieces, TAP paper and some images I purchased from Etsy a few years ago.

I even had the lavender buds!

For each sachet, I used Polyfil and the lavender - finishing each off with some tea-stained seam binding.

They smell delish! And I love that they cost me exactly $0 to make.

Jeanine

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When it comes to sewing, most of my projects rely on what I learned from Home Economics and my mom. Truth be told, I wing it a lot of the time. So when I was offered the chance to review The Little Guide to Mastering Your Sewing Machine by Sylvie Blondeau (from Schiffer Publishing), I jumped at the chance.

You see, I've had a mini sewing machine for a few years now, but I barely know how to use it. Again, I've been winging it all this time. When the thread on the bottom runs out, I panic. If a project calls for a Zigzag stitch, I stare blankly. This book is truly for beginners or for those who want to become more familiar with their sewing machines.

I like the non-intimidating, easy-to-follow style of this book. If something reads like an IRS manual, I toss it aside. Blondeau speaks as if talking to a BFF, and I like how she covers everything from the basic anatomy of your sewing machine to how to comfortably sit while using it.

She covers everything from how to thread a needle to installing a zipper.

And check out some of these cool projects that for once I'm not intimidated to tackle.

I want this hat!

And these cushions.

The Little Guide to Mastering Your Sewing Machine is $24.99 and can be purchased here.

Jeanine

Note: I was provided a review copy of this book, however, all opinions, text, etc. are my own.

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Happy White Wednesday! I've been inundated with Etsy orders and boy activities, so I haven't had too much time to craft. Still, wanted to wish everyone a lovely White Wednesday.

Jeanine

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I'm not a winter girl. We've managed to dig out after the blizzard over the weekend, but I'm just not ready to brave the outdoors. So what do you do when you're stuck in the house? You do a little "shopping..."

I upcycled this bucket about three years ago. It's held everything from Xmas ornaments to decorative clothes pins. This time I added some of my French script candles for a new look.

I spied some Jeanne D'Arc Living soaps on Instagram over the weekend. Perfect for a quick copycat project. I had the bar soaps, the lace, the images - everything.