Getting Happy

Hey, all,

It's Friday! Hoorah! Our house has been running 24/7 lately. We work all day, have family dinner and bed time, then my husband and I go back to work until midnight. Jimmy likes to climb into our bed in the middle of the night. Thankfully we went to Ikea a few weeks ago and bought ourselves a king sized bed. It's a luxury, but with an additional body (or two) in our bed, it buys us more room to sleep.

It's been one of those weeks where I can't decide if I want it to hurry along or slooooow down. I always look forward to Fridays because it means the weekend is here and we can all be together. But the arrival of *this* Friday means that it is one week until Perfect Pattern Parcel launches! Have you signed up for the newsletter? Do you want to be the first to know? GAK! (waves arms like Kermit the Frog) It's almost here. Rachael, Danny and I are really psyched. Like super psyched. Start the countdown clock, friends, it is almost here and you're going to be floored.

This morning was a bit of craziness. Despite my chipper, go get 'em, attitude, the kids were real grouches. I was perusing my newsfeed when I happened upon Lacy of Living on Love's newest post. She a momma of two with a third on the way any day now. She's been doing a project all year called Living on Love Project. This month she's working on the fact that she is *not* a morning person. But she knows her mood sets the stage for the rest of the family and their day. So she's working on Waking Up Happy. In her post she shared a music video. I wasn't about to let two grummy kiddos set the mood for the day so I took charge!



It took three playings of the song to get both kids dancing with me. When the kids were smaller we used to always have Dorsey Dance Parties. I'm officially bringing them back! We danced to Happy only 8 times. We were sweaty, being creative with our movements and laughing. Friday has been saved. Thank you, Lacy!


I need your help. I need to build up my Dorsey Dance Party playlist. What's your favorite (mostly kid friendly) dance song that makes you happy? Mine is Me and Julio by Paul Simon and Bamboleo by the Gypsy Kings. Help me out!

Now go dance! Get happy!

Too Perfect For This World

Ethereal ( adj.): Extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.


This is the first time I've ever sewn a Figgy's pattern. It feels sacrilegious to say so. I was flattered when Shelly asked asked me to be part of her Heavenly Collection Winter Tour. This collection of children's sewing patterns is just lovely. The designs are unique, but so wearable. I really hate patterns that just look like everyone else's. I mean, why bother, right?


I can't wait to show you the Ethereal Dress & Blouse pattern that I sewed up for my daughter, Jane. The pattern has a multitude of options; sleeves or sleeveless, blouse, tunic, or dress lengths, and a darling frill.


The fabric I chose is a Yuwa cotton lawn from the imagine gnats shop. It also feels wrong to admit that this is the first time I've ever sewn with cotton lawn. Holy moly, it is just so so lovely. It's just the finest, smoothest, softest cotton I've ever felt. It's the cotton you want to be wearing on murderously hot days, and on warm spring afternoons when the sun is setting on your shoulders. I could wax poetic about it for days.


The Ethereal Dress & Blouse pattern is generously sized and a quick sew. I cut a 4/5 for Jane intentionally slightly larger than she measured to ensure she would be able to still be wearing it at the end of this summer. That girlie grows like a weed. Right now she'll wear it with a tee and leggings until the weather warms. Really Jane refused to take her dress off following the photo shoot.


I'm jealous I don't have a cotton lawn Ethereal Dress in my size. Also, this girl is just slaying me. I love her character.



Don't forget to enter the giveaway below and you can also grab a copy of the complete Heavenly Collection for over 30% off the full retail cost.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For the love of Independent Pattern Designers

I consider myself to be a patron of the independent maker. I can't find the quote about it, but I know giving is a self serving pursuit. I get a little high from buying the coffee of the person behind me. There's an excitement in buying from independent artists because I know they are getting all my money and are floored to get it. You don't have to be rich give; the littlest bit helps and I'm left feeling like a bigger person. Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo let us pool our collective $10 to make an artist's dreams come true.

Regular visitors of Made with Moxie will not be surprised to hear me say that I love Rachael of imagine gnats. Chica's got balls and major talent. Becoming an independent pattern designer is new and uncharted territory. It requires a pinch your nose and just jump in the deep water attitude. You learn to swim as you go. Any of you who have sewn up an imagine gnats pattern, know that Rachael has learned to swim. She's ready to take her sewing patterns to the next level and she needs our help.


A smattering of the imagine gnats patterns I've sewn.
Rachael is running a campaign on indiegogo right now through the end of the month. Her goal is to gather enough funding for her initial run of imagine gnats paper patterns. I know you're thinking, shit, Jill, I don't have money to just give away. But I want you to remember that feeling when you pay something forward. Hell, you're not even just giving money away. Rachael is giving away her very first paper patterns in exchange for your patronage. Not only will you be supporting a community that fosters independent makers but you get to behold the fruits of one woman's labor in your very own hands. $10 gets you your very own paper printed imagine gnats pattern. That's right. No more taping all those stupid printer papers together! $50 can get you her whole damn set. Higher amounts get you sponsored posts, your very own text embroidery, or best yet, a custom made garment, just for you, from an imagine gnats pattern.

Ready to make an artist's day? Get yourself on over to Rachael's campaign!

Need more convincing? Here what Rachael has to say:
imagine gnats started as a little etsy shop, selling small sewn items to help support my family and also to give me a creative outlet in a corporate world. it's come a long way in just five years... from a hobby to a full-time job. my love of sewing and design has grown as well, and now my own sewing patterns help and inspire others to create.

i am proud to have created patterns for garments that are easy to sew and easy to wear. imagine gnats patterns feature classic silhouettes with a modern twist that incorporate clever details and practical techniques.

currently, my patterns are all offered as printable pdfs. the money raised on indiegogo will help cover the costs of an initial run of paper patterns, which means sharing my designs with even more sewists and inspiring more people.

for the cost of one pattern, you can help me reach my goal AND be one of the first to get the printed pattern of your choice. for a little bit more, you can get a full set of imagine gnats printed patterns. plus, early bird specials offer even better deals for the first contributors!

my initial print run will include 500 each of my existing five garment patterns. all of the money raised will go directly to that effort. once patterns are printed, i begin the selling and distribution phase.

i would love for you to tweet, share on facebook, email your friends and family... anything that will get the word out. every share helps and is so appreciated.



If we don't support independent pattern makers, we're only going to be left with big box patterns. Hey, maybe you like 80's fashion and frumpy designs?

I am...

I am a curvy, sexy brunette.

I am a painted lady.

I am a maker; seamstress, quilter, artist, designer.

I am a woman; wife, mother, sister, daughter.

I am a lover. I wear my heart on my sleeve.

I am passionate. It's all or nothing.

I am silly. I am laughter.

I am emotional. I overflow.

I am a tactile person. I touch the back of your coat when you aren't looking.

I am detail oriented to a fault. I am a perfectionist.

I am rational and pragmatic.

I want to be in control.

I am an adventurer; a hacker.

I am a fidget.

I am a story teller. A big picture painter.

I am moxie. I am a character.

I want to be a runner again.

I want to buy more time.

I want to be successful.

I want to be iconic. I want to be notorious. I want to be infamous.

I want to have it all.


Take a moment this week. Tell me: who are you?

Link your blog post up here or share it with us inside the Bold. Brilliant. Beautiful. You. group on Facebook.

About the Bold Brilliant Beautiful You project:
Throughout the year, I’m joining forces with some of my blogging friends to motivate and encourage ourselves and others to be bold and step out from behind the lens, projects, and mama status to show ourselves. That’s right, we’re doing something just for us. And we’re inviting you to join us! Each of us has something bold, brilliant and beautiful inside—whether it’s a dream to ask for a promotion, wear those sparkly shoes in the back of our closet, or start a non-profit. The #boldbeautifulbrilliant project is a support group for all of us seeking to be real and vulnerable. No judging, no questions, just support and words of encouragement.

Orange: Shades of Me

What is Orange?
"Orange is a tiger lily, a carrot,
a feather from a parrot, a flame,
the wildest color you can name.


Orange is a happy day saying good-by
in a sunset that shocks the sky.
Orange is brave, Orange is bold,
it's bittersweet and marigold.


Orange is zip, Orange is dash,
the brightest stripe in a Roman sash.
Orange is an orange, also a mango
Orange is music of the tango.


Orange is the fur of the fiery fox,
the brightest crayon in the box.
And in the fall when the leaves are turning
Orange is the smell of a bonfire burning..."


Hayley of Welcome to the Mouse House and Celina of Petit a Petit are hosting an event called Shades of Me, a monochromatic selfish sewing event. Be sure to look at the lovely outfits these women has created, as well as my fellow Orange Ladies: Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts and Sew Chibi!

**Poetry taken from Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O'Neill 1961**

Skirt pattern by Simplicity. Fabric from Ikea.

Make sure you enter the mega giveaway for over $1,000 worth of prizes here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway