Just got two copies of the newest Sewing: 2011 Day-to-Day Calendar in the mail, so I thought I’d pass one along to you! The calendar features several of my projects including the Bunny Bowling (shown in the image above) that was featured in Etsy’s How-Tuesday last year. This is a nifty calendar with fold out pages of more than 100 projects compiled from some of your favorite bloggers.

This giveaway is open internationally. Please enter by leaving a comment on this post before midnight (eastern) Saturday night, July 31. I will select the winning comment from the random number generator and announce the winner on Sunday.

Vintage Fabric, fat quarter $2.50 from So So Vintage.

Yellow Gingham Mouse Pad, $10 from Tiny Shoppe.

My First Embroidery Lesson, Japanese craft book, $24 from MeMe Craftwork.

Dainty Daisies Outfit, skirt and blouse, $75 from Little Girl Pearl.

Strawberries Kokka Fabric, 1 yd for $16 from Jamsabon.

Upcycled Seersucker Girl’s Dress, $42 from Sewn Natural.

Ballerina Flats in Lime Green, $55 from The Generation.

Orange Gingham Napkins, set of 6 for $15 from Peppermint Pinwheels.

Vintage Glass and Silver Coasters, set of 4 for $80 from The Stuff of Memories.

Working on summer reading with the kids? Print out this summer reading log I made for my post over at Alpha Mom.

I just got a 100mm macro lens for my Canon and played around with it this afternoon. This is going to be a pretty fun lens and will definitely build up my wrist muscles! It’s quite large and heavy to me, but I have no frame of reference. I’m determined to learn more about photography this summer and maybe finally figure out what an f-stop means.

We’ve been stuck in the house all week since my seven-year-old had her tonsils removed last Friday. Between this, vacations and wrapping up loose ends for the book (or rather sewing loose ends), I haven’t been posting much and probably won’t get back in the swing of things until school starts. I always think summer is going to be a relaxing time when I can get things done, but then it slips by so quickly. My — only a month left!

Alabama Chanin Inspired Pillow from Artsy-Crafty Babe.

Boy’s Kite Themed Birthday Party from Tracy Lau (via One Pretty Thing, via Kara’s Party Ideas).

Dip-Dye Lamp Shade and Pillow from Design Sponge.

Organizational Fabruckets from Etsy’s How-Tuesday.

Bias Tape Pillowcase Dress from Prudent Baby.

Refashion Roundup Series from Whip Up (photo from Craftopia).

Flower Sashes from Sydney Albertini for The Purl Bee.

Paper Cut Owl from mmmcrafts (guest post for Skip to My Lou).

My five-year-old and I made painted sun prints for my guest post and tutorial over at Skip to My Lou.

Made this little dress yesterday for my five-year-old, just in time for the first day of summer. I based the design on a Liberty of London for Target dress that we bought in the spring — a very simple pattern with elastic at the top and simple straps (without elastic). I used just a 1/2 yard of fabric so added the gingham bit at the bottom for length. This style could be shortened to make a quick and easy shirt as well.

Looking for some simple artwork for a sewing room? The kids and I made these quick and easy sun prints with photo-sensitive sun print paper.

Simply choose your favorite objects from the sewing room and arrange them on the paper indoors. Two-dimensional objects can be covered with a clear piece of plexiglass to hold them in place. Then move the paper and objects outdoors in direct sunlight for about two minutes, being careful not to bump around the objects. Rinse the paper and let it dry. That’s all there is to it.

Here we used scissors, eyelet trim, buttons, thread, safety pins and burlap and mounted them to a linen-covered board.

Giraffe Hand Towel, PataPri, $15.

Pale Gray Bunny Bowl, $27 from A. Speer Ceramic Studio.

Girl’s Blouse with Crocheted Trim size 6T/7T, $26 from Canselda Creative Things.

Antique Garden Marker Spoons, set of 9 for $59 from Hammermann.

Sandchain Jute Handheld Satchel, $71 from Drika B.

Linen Crochet Pincushion, $14 from Namolio.

Organic Baby Bib, $17 from Down Home Amy.

ABC Translucent Porcelain Cup, $28 from Stepanka Ceramics.

State Bird of Oregon Print, 5″ x 7″, $15 from Dutch Door Press.

Let’s be realistic. He’s not the best dad in the entire world. Remember when he lost the kids at the zoo? Or when he put them to bed in a swim diaper? I’d say 17th is pretty decent in a world of almost 7 billion people with lots of them fathers, some of whom don’t even know it. So give him a card that doesn’t bolster his already out-of-control narcissism*. Click here and print on card stock, cut and fold to create a 5″ x 5″ card. Happy Father’s Day!

*Note: This description in no way represents my own husband. And he has never lost the children at the zoo, but he did put our daughter to bed in a swim diaper years ago which resulted in a mess. On the plus side, he does most of the laundry around here.

My five-year-old and I made these star prints using starfruit. We’re dipping everything in paint around here these days. I also think these starfruit prints would make nice starfish in shades of blue and light green and would be lovely on tea towels or other linens.

Check out the tutorial over at Alpha Mom.

Check out my guest post over at Indie Fixx to read the tutorial for this simple seashell printing project.