Inspiration: Where does it come from and where does it go?

My head hasn't really re-engaged here in California yet. I'm still having dreams about Italy and cathedrals, adventures, and travel every night.  J is still off work for one more day, so the vacation hasn't HAD to end really...

Tonight, I dusted off the sewing machine.  I didn't expect much, just to get reaquainted, perhaps...

Especially when I didn't really even miss the machine, when I thought I would... so I began tonight with a stack of J's shirts that he'd given to me to get rid of before the trip. I literally had them neatly stacked in the hallway for the entire time we were gone, and for the 6 days since we've been back... but I got all these ideas... and I turned 3 of daddy's shirts into 3 skirts and 3 pairs of shorts tonight that are so fun for the kids. I didn't plan them this way, they just happened. (The blue set will stay with our kids and the rest will go to Sewing Seeds)

Here is tonight's question... how do these - and their lighthearted inspiration -  from a stack of shirts that have stumped me all week... come from THIS?

Sewing Seeds

Tonight's project is a little sewing for a great project... called Sewing Seeds. June 29th is the deadline - and a collection of handmade shorts (for boys) and skirts (for girls) is being taken to Costa Rica for children in extreme poverty. read about it here. and also here.

Last time 118 handmade articles were collected and I can't say how much I love the idea of children in poverty stricken situations running around in clothes made with as much love and heart as my own children wear.

There are bunches of tutorials listed on the second site - check them out. The Lazy Days skirt is a standby around here and I'll be making a few of those tonight. (they take about 1/2 hour each!)

I'm really thinking seriously about hosting a Sewing Seeds party - to see what we can do as a group to get as many items made in one night as possible. Anyone local interested? (It would have to be within the next week.)

The makings of a mermaid

Design Director lesson of the day:
If you bug momma to death about it, you CAN get her to make you into a mermaid within an hour of getting home with new fabric.

The Design director does downtown

Mimi got her first trip to the fabric district with momma today. She's trying to convince me to make her a "mermaid costume with no space for feet to come out" from this fabulous turquoise sequined ($1/ yard) piece.
Um...