Bari J.

On Holiday: Part I, London

On Holiday: Part I, London 
We just got to go on a really terrific trip thanks to my hub winning a sales reward. First, we had all of 48 hours in London.

I ... ahem... made the best of it. 

This was the extent of our sightseeing. From the inside of a taxi on the way to Paddington Station.

We'd done the tourist thing before so I had another agenda...

Like visiting quaint French cafe's

Taking artsy photographs...

Gazing at wonders that await in the Victoria and Albert Museum..

Including the temporary Power of Making exhibit...

And, naturally, going to fabric stores... (or "store" as the case may be)

 

We also made a stop at Cath Kidston. Unfortunately, I was so anamored, I forgot to take photos. Blurg.

Part II of this little adventure includes hard labor, as witnessed below...

More to come.

 

 

 

A valentine for you.

My mom was always big on Valentines day with her kids. There are four of us. And for each of us she always put something special in our rooms on Valentines Day morning. It made me feel really important to her, and it's something I always remember. I've made a point of doing the same for my kids. I little piece of jewelry, candy and other goodies has been our tradition. This year I'm also going to hang treats on their door knobs for an extra surprise. These are so simple to make and can be used throughout the year for all sorts of gifting purposes. This free pattern includes instructions for a rolled felt rose and for the the blanket stitch. Enjoy!

Download Vintagevalentine

 

 

The BIG reveal of my fourth Fall Sewing Pattern! Get Ready for a Soiree!

 

I. Am. So. Excited. About this quilt.

It has everything I love: embroidery, applique and collage... with instructions for all of it. You'll learn French knots, backstitch, stem stitch, free-motion quilting and freezer paper applique. And it features all the good things in life: petit fours, cake, flowers, cute shoes and presents... Really, what more could you ask for? 

 
 

 

 

 

The trim is the pre-made crochet that I love which will be available from Above All Fabric. 
      

 Pre-orders for retailers and distributors are available by emailing me at (Bari at BariJonline dot com.) TBD: Oct 20.

 

Mother's Day

 
  

When I was a little girl I watched my mom make a poodle skirt for me for Halloween. In 1976 she made me a Statue of Liberty costume, Uncle Sam for my brother and The Little Drummer Girl for my sister. We won best costumes that year at school. 

Mom also made an array of dresses for us (3 of a kind at one point). She knitted and crocheted and she spent a period of 10 years (I think) making a breathtaking needlepoint of an urn of flowers in gorgeous jewel tones. Every time I see it it still puts me in awe. She is also a really talented painter.  

  

(Above: Me and my sister Ilisa in pinafores by mom 1974)

 Not surprisingly, I grew up thinking my mom could make anything. Her creativity was endless. And a gift that she gave to all of us. 

Mom is most definitely why in my early thirties I turned to art. And then to sewing. And design. (Despite the fact that I started out in theatre, later graduated with a degree in Social Sciences only to end up working in advertising.)

 

(Right: my sister, Ilisa (Don't kill me for that picture, Ilisa... you are cute.) in the center, brother, Neal on the right, and me on the left half out of the frame... who knows who the deer in the headlights behind us is. Ilisa and I are again in pinafores by mom. Probably also 1974)

She's also the reason why when Emily wanted the sold out "Bella Bedding" (the bedding at Target inspired by the Twilight movie), I said, "Well, we can make it, you know.". Only problem was I couldn't find any fabric that was remotely similar. But thanks to the magic of photoshop and Spoonflower, we designed our own. Which is exactly what my mom would have done had she had such things at her disposal. 

I was talking to my mom this afternoon and she said the reason she started sewing was because she saw a dress for me at Marshall Fields. She loved it, but it was $50, a heck of a lot at that time. So she decided to learn to sew.

It's that kind of thing that makes me think about who I am, the path I traveled and what I'm doing today. I sure wouldn't be doing it had it not been for my mom. Without even knowing it she set an example of optimism, resourcefulness and a willingness to be creative and think outside of the box. 

For that and so much more (including not killing me when I was 16), thank you Mom. I love you!!!

Happy Mother's Day to you all... and an extra special hug and smooch to my sister, Lara, who is celebrating her first mother's day! Give that baby a kiss for me too, Lulu!

(Below: Bella Bedding inspired swatch... I think I'll add a leaf to the top of that stem.)

   

 

More old photos just because...

 

Me... pixie cut above.

 

My brother torturing me in any way he can.

 

Me. Center of attention. I wonder if this was even my own birthday.
 
  
 

 

Happy Father's Day!

 

Thank goodness for Super Dad!

Cheery

Hope all of you here in the US had a great fourth. This is what mine looked like. Yum.

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope you all had a great day. Mine was really nice. The kids gave me a set of art markers I've been wanting. Plus loads of great cards, flowers, bagels for breakfast, Thai for dinner... I'm STUFFED.

And I'm on Weight Watchers.

Ah-hem, I did use all 35 flex points this evening.

And now I feel like I gotta' get in my PJ's... 'cause the jeans aren't cutting it after that meal.

And I have to be weighed at 10 am tomorrow. Any one have any idea how am I going to loose five lbs between now and then???

This is what I'm giving Mom...something I can not wear myself in this current ... uh ... shape. It's the first of the ribbon belts we're creating. Yes there will be more tomorrow on the site... say about 5PMish, ok?

In the meantime, on this fine Mother's Day I did manage to wrangle the aprons up onto the site. Hope you'll check 'em out!

Have a happy evening. I'm off to decide which pair of pajamas have the biggest, stretchiest waist band.
XO,
Bari

Happy Earth Day

I must have been thinking green today. I was working on pears all morning. Here's a good laugh though...After I spent a fair bit of time on the first one (making the template, turning the edges, ironing, sewing), I sat for a moment admiring my work only to realize the sucker is upside down. Typical.

Happy Leap Year

It was a solitary, sewing kind of leap year...

Happy ValentiMes Day

At our house, it's "ValentiMes" because for so many years that's how both of our kids said it. "Happy ValentiMes, Mommy!" I'll forever mourn the days they each started speaking properly. The same way I still miss their gummy baby smiles and chubby, tasty baby feet.

I love you girls!  XOXOXOXO, Super Husband!

Happy ValentiMes Day to you all. I hope your day has been filled with joy and love!

Hugs,
~b

I ate too much, I ate too fast...

Well, thank goodness that's over. I'm gaining poundage at an unprecedented rate. The holidays had to end before I exploded.

As sweet and wonderful as the season is, I'm glad it's gone. Is that so terrible?

I was dieing to get back to work the whole time, and as you can see from the postings below, I didn't exactly stop.

But when I did, I was E.A.T.I.N.G! Or

S.L.E.E.P.I.N.G. (I'll admit that though I can't sit still, that's only when I'm awake. We slept an incredible amount over the past two weeks. It's obscene really.)

I was not ...

E.X.E.R.C.I.S.I.N.G. (good grief it's not easy to type periods after each letter. It's like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time)

So today, I resolve as I do every year to get in shape. This time I want you to hold me to it.

I'm going to walk every day (almost) and no more red meat. And chocolate only when it's completely necessary (there are those times... we all know it).

That's about it with the resolving. I'm ready for some to do lists! Bring it on!

Happy New Year!

(Image from Go Cake Go.)

Happy Holidays!

Happy Unofficial Start to Summer

Our anniversary weekend. 13 years on the 29th. And now that I'm older and good grief, I hope wiser, I love him even more!

Dear Mom

 

I know I said my Mom doesn't read blogs, or at least I thought she didn't, but it seems she does because last weekend she apparently had a sneak preview of her gift which I posted here. At any rate, since she's reading, this is for her! Love you, mom!

Some of the many things  I didn't know until I was a mom...

That the clothing of two small children adds up to several loads of laundry a day.

That homework is really exhausting even when it's not your own.

That seeing your nine year old chewing her hair can be so annoying.

That my room really was a huge mess, not just my creative personality (If you ever show that picture to my kids you are in big trouble!)

That getting two children off to school in the morning can be the most daunting task of the day... let alone four children, like you did w/o the help of a husband to boot.

That seeing two little girls (whatever their mood) after school can be the most joyous part of the day.

That day camp was so expensive.

That some of the outfits I put together really didn't look as fabulous as I thought they did when I was 10. OK, and even when I was sixteen.

That you were probably exhausted most of the time.

How lucky I was to have grandparents nearby.

That getting children to eat vegetables and fruit daily would be such a struggle.

That I would know beyond a shadow of a doubt what my kids were thinking and that you knew every time I fibbed.

That fevers can be so darned scary, and that you were up all night if I was coughing... even if I was sleeping through it myself.

That when the phone rings after the kids have gone to school, my first thought would be "Oh no, someone broke a bone!".

That you knew when I came downstairs for the eighth time after being put to bed that I was not really thirsty.

That I would say "because I said so", "for crying out loud", and "don't touch that" about 10 times daily.

That my sisters and brother really are my best friends, and therefore I know that sibling rivalry doesn't last forever (Thank goodness! Because honestly, I can't take another minute of it around here.)

AND... last but only because I could probably go on all night...

That you weren't the "meanest mother in all the world"... I am. It has been confirmed that I am "EVEN MEANER THAN THE MARTIAN MOMMIES!" So there! Love you!

~b