They are all out to get us…

No, I’m really not that paranoid. I’m just a recent victim of credit card theft.

Somehow my card number was used to buy about $200 worth of flowers (huh, would have liked to have seen those!), furniture in Dubai, and something in Great Britain.

I will state that Citibank was great and called us, but even so, I called back on the number on the back of my card rather than using the automated man who called us - I’m no idiot. The last time we had used the card was in Philadelphia, at the Independence Visitors Center across from the liberty bell - huh? Nothing spells freedom like getting your credit card skimmed…. Right?!?!? For the record, I have no proof of that, but the irony didn’t escape me.

Well, Citibank didn’t flinch at my charge to Finland for my ottobre design subscription in the previous month, but the Dubai and Britain charges set them off. This is my satisfied customer plug for Citibank - thank you!

Thankfully this whole thing is behind us now, but this started me off on a new tangent - identity theft prevention.

I’m now looking into RFID blocking fabric, such as the stuff sold here…. There will probably be more to come on this, as I’m still researching it. With chips being installed in passports, credit cards, clothing care labels (rfid reading washing machines? what?!?), and the information easy to intercept, I’m thinking about how I can make nice looking items without looking like the idiot with a tin foil hat on in the corner…

If you have any recommendations for patterns to make wallets or passport covers, I’d love to see them…. Then, I’ll secretly sneak some of the RFID blocking fabric into it - hehehe.

No garment bag? Make one!

After looking at our motley assortment of luggage, I realized that we had nothing to carry our pirate garb aboard the plane. I wasn’t about to allow the airline to lose our luggage when we needed the garb the very same night! So, I do what every refined seamstress in her right mind does - make a garment bag!

I had some nice dark purple cotton duck in my stash (what the heck was I thinking THIS would work for when I bought it?!?! Oh well, it finally found a place in this world - as always, a personal fabric store is a good thing ) and a really long black zipper. I found some crazy optical illusion-y type embroidery designs. Here is the result:

I started out using this as the pattern, but then opted to modify it by adding the zipper and handles. Also faced the upper edge for a bit more strength against hangers, but heck the stuff is hefty - it shouldn’t have issues there!

Grandma and Grandpa F are coming to tend to the Glitter Glue Princess while we galavant around Pennsylvania. Been cleaning up a storm with a certain someone complaining all the way, unless it involves something precarious or loud, like hauling stuff to the attic (who knew an 8-year old could take such an interest in the junk in our attic?) or shredding lots of paper.

The Laptop Lunch needed a bag..

A bunch of us mamas of Sewing Mamas went together and did a group buy on Laptop Lunches via our web forum. We got a couple of them which was great but then the question arose on how to keep the food cold in the thing… So, I came up with this - Presenting the bento box carrier…

The pattern is self drafted.  I used it today for my fit&fresh bento, so the size worked out to be pretty versatile. The fabric is quilted on a light bat, then a core of insul-bright holds the cold in. The only thing I didn’t get done was handles, but I’ve yet to decide the best treatment at this point.

DD decided that the box held too much food for her to finish in the 15 minute allotment for lunch at school, so I guess I get it by default! Yay!

A Meijer Garden Art Class

S took the Glitter Glue Princess and Miss K to an art class at Meijer Gardens. Bless his heart, he worked all the nights of the class and basically slept in the parking lot so they could go. The class was about making art for your garden.  They really, really wanted to take the cooking with chocolate class, but it was full before they registered.  They were still happy with the class.  They had the same teacher as they had last year when Glitter Glue Princess took her drawing class.

Here are the works that GGP brought home:

The shells in this stepping stone were collected by Lena Meijer and donated to the garden: