A thank-you to a cool steampunk blog

Just wanted to share this as a kind of thank you to The Grand Design, who featured me on her blog today - I love steampunk stuff, and she has some awesome steampunk goodies, so if you're as much of a fan of steampunk as I am you should check her out :)

I love this Lock and Key necklace that's in her artfire shop especially.

Any other sewers out there?

So my husband, much to my delight, got me a sewing machine for xmas. I am a very beginning sewer, but I'm not thrilled at the prospect of working my way through traditional intro sewing projects, like pillows or aprons. So I have a few questions for anyone out ther who might know a smidge about sewing:

1) Any interesting baby sewing projects you can recommend? Say for funky-but-simple plushies, or comfy-and-casual-fun dresses, or anything else suited to a not-too-traditionally-domestic woman who's just learning to sew?

2) Any good resources where you've found patterns or project inspiration that you just love and want to share?

3) Any general "you must try" or "don't ever do this" kinda general sewing tips to share?

Also, of course, feel free to share anythign else that come sot mind

Feature Friday: New Year dreams

Since it's the new year, a time commonly spent dreaming big dreams for what we want for the year to come, I decided this Feature Friday should focus on some things I've recently favorited on etsy that are out of my price range but that I absolutely adore. Why not dream big, right?

The first is this lovely terrarium - JeffreyJamesModern has a bunch of cool terrariums, actually, but this is one of my favorites.

I'm also very much in love with this gorgeous jewelry box from Jim Jenkins.

Doesn't look like it would hold much - but who cares! Maybe I could sell most of my jewelry and get this instead? ;)

I also, on a less stlyishly modern note, really love this grizzly bear bean bag from ChicSinDesign. It would not "match" my home decor whatsoever, but I don't care--I'd still love it.

So how about you all? Have anything you've been dreaming over for a while?