Little House in the Big City

2011: A year in pictures

2012-01-02T23:50:00.001-07:00

Happy New Year, from my little house to yours!

Nine years old...

2011-12-02T17:37:00.003-07:00

Cursive nine birthday shirt

I remember being nine. My family moved when I was nine. Nine felt very big. Here I am on the flip side. Nine still seems big, just not in the same way. Now, it feels too big! How did that sweet curly haired baby grow up so fast? Nine is a milestone. I am halfway through the time where she is mine. In nine short years (and it is SO short) she will be 18, getting ready to graduate high school, and embarking on life. If my life ever needed a pause button, now is that time. Please S L O W D O W N!

I loved Aurora's birthday list. She wanted some books (Little House on the Prairie), to get her ears pierced, a set of golf clubs, and to hike to Delicate Arch. She didn't get golf clubs (Christmas maybe?), but three out of four isn't too bad. Aurora noticed earrings when she was 4, and she wanted in! I had to wait until I was 10, but since I am less strict, and far more reasonable than my parents (wink,wink) I told her if she still wanted them pierced when she was 9, we'd do it...

I should have said 12! (click to enlarge)

Can you believe that picture? She is so grown up...but I still see my sweet baby with her first cake, and feel like somehow that day was both yesterday and an eternity ago.

We let her plan the whole day. It was filled with a special breakfast (pumpkin waffles!), a trip to the piercing studio, dinner and a movie with the family, skyping not only grandma and grandpa, but some great friends as well, games, presents, and to top it off, birthday cake pie. It was a great day.

We went to Arches in August, and Aurora really wanted to hike to Delicate Arch. Anyone who knows me, knows that I detest hot weather. Moab in August is HOT, so a three mile hike, with no shade in 100+ temps was not going to happen. I told her we'd come back when it was cooler. November is much much cooler. So with coats, hats and mittens, we set off, first thing in the morning for Delicate Arch. It did not disappoint.

Nine Years and six days :)

We had fun in August, but this trip was spectacular. The kids spent hours climbing, digging in sand, scaling arches, and just appreciating nature. It is one of my all time favorite trips. I even got a family picture that might entice me to send out Christmas cards this year (maybe....we'll see how long this cold hangs on) Thanks for the great birthday wish Aurora!

I love you Aurora. I am so proud to be your mom. The moment I realized you were coming, my life changed for the better. It isn't always easy, but being your mom has been the best surprise of my life. (now slow down ok?)

Halloween and some random craftiness

2011-11-02T22:49:00.005-06:00

I cannot believe that we are less than two months away from 2012. I feel like I am living in a time warp. In the moment things seem slow, but the days are flying by. Here we are, Halloween is over. I keep Halloween fairly low key. I don't love carving pumpkins, but when I noticed my kids drawing faces on the rose hips, I decided we could go ahead and carve some pumpkins. The real jack-o-lantern pictures weren't great.....but I love the rose hip versions!

Eve has been asking to be a vampire for a year. The main request was to have white skin and a cape. Aurora asked if she could be Ramona Quimby. She loved the movie that came out last year and really wanted to be THAT Ramona. That Ramona had an orange shirt with a kitty appliqued on it. Ramona also wore red rain boots. I was able to piece most of the costumes from things we had, but I dyed and appliqued the shirt, and sewed the cape. Most of the stuff can just be added to their closets. Which I love. Their dress up bin is over flowing! I'd rather have things they can wear everyday (and if you are Eve, this includes a green velvet cape).

It was down to the wire, but I got the costumes made. This was partially because in a last ditch effort to get my kids to clean up the floor of their bedroom, I said I would make the time for costumes when they made the time for cleaning. I should have set a deadline. I was up very late. Which partially explains this:

I stayed up all night Saturday night (ie the costumes were done at 10 am Sunday morning), and didn't get to nap much Sunday. When I woke up on Monday, I intended to just put on a shirt with skulls on it and go to the Halloween parade at the school. I wanted a little more sleep, but I really needed to wash my hair. That is when inspiration hit. Zombies don't wash their hair. So I slept a bit longer, got up, ripped up one of Jeremy's old shirts, put on some make up and voila! ZOMBIE! So easy! I wish I could to this every day. :)

Aside from Halloween, I didn't get much crafting done. That is except for during UEA. During UEA I decided to produce the least productive thing I could come up with. A newborn size hat that looks like a Thanksgiving turkey!

I had a nephew due anytime, and he needed this hat. And since the hat is ridiculous, I also knit him a vest that, while it does coordinate with the hat, is cute and not ridiculous. (the lighting is different in the 2 pics, but the browns are the same yarn. In real life, it looks more like the turkey)

Yesterday that sweet baby boy was born. I now have 32 nieces and nephews! I should get to meet this newest addition on Thanksgiving. Hopefully, I will have pictures of him wearing the hat for next month!

Welcome to the world sweet William. I feel it necessary to point out, that you have a very beautiful mother. No one looks this good right after giving birth except her. Do not expect this from other women in your life. :)

Need to recharge

2011-10-02T23:56:00.000-06:00

The last month and a half have kind of taken me for a ride. There were some big changes at my daycare that I was really unprepared for. Those changes added a lot to the usual beginning of the school year schedule shuffle. I have been having a hard time adjusting. My BFF knew this, and since she couldn't get away from work, she arranged for my younger sister Natalie to come spend some time with me. I have the best BFF....my sister is pretty great too! It has been almost 2 weeks, and we spent almost everyday at the daycare, but this weekend, we were able to go to Boise to see two of our older siblings. We stayed with our sister Jenny, who is going to have a baby in a few weeks. Before we went up we made a little outfit for her new addition. I always have a hard time sewing for baby boys, but Natalie was full of ideas. And while we were there, we helped Jen make costumes for her family. Unfortunately, even though I remembered my camera, it was out of batteries, so we only got cell phone pictures.

I have a really hard time not being jealous of people who live close to their family. This weekend gave me a little glimpse of what it would be like. I really love my sisters (and brothers!) I am sad my kids don't know their cousins and aunts and uncles better. I wish I could be closer to help out when babies are born, and to do some regular crafting with my sisters. I have dreams of babysitting swaps, and girls nights out. They are really nice dreams. For now, I guess I will just savor the moments we have, and try to make them happen more often. (thanks Janelle for helping make this weekend possible! Now I want to spend a weekend with you and your family!!)

Arches and Back to School

2011-09-02T23:02:00.000-06:00

Summer has flown by. Since we took a big vacation in March we planned to spend most the summer at home, but we finally got away from the city for a weekend. We'd never been to Arches. The kids loved most of the hikes, and Aurora has even requested to go back for her birthday. Even though it was hot we had a great time. I took a lot of pictures.....

Then I stopped taking pictures. I did a little knitting. Here is Aurora wearing a slouchy beret I made for her. I am working on one for Eve too.

Last, but not least, school started. Aurora has been counting down to school pretty much since school got out. They love school, their teachers, and all the time with friends. I never thought I'd be one of "those" moms, but I was also very excited for school. Since I take my kids to work, summer can be a bit rough. School is in, we are getting in a routine, and loving it. :) Here they are on their first day of school. (and notice the pretty door!)

One year older and wiser too...

2011-08-02T22:37:00.007-06:00

Wiser? Maybe...can you be wise and also be losing your mind/memory? I will say yes. Last month I turned the big THREE-THREE! This age is weird. Some people think I am SO young, "a baby really". Some people think I am SO old "There is no way you are THAT old!!"....and really, I don't feel old or young. I am firmly planted in the "in between" I like it here...I think I'll stay for a bit.

I really enjoyed turning 33. I was lucky enough to have BFF Janelle and her sister Karen in town. I ate at a couple of my favorite restaurants. I had cheesecake and a delicious chocolate cake (that I loved! Thank you Karen!!) I was able to spend the whole day with people I really like. It was fantastic. Thanks everyone....and Janelle, you set the bar pretty high this year. Canadian food, hand knit sweaters for my kids, and a card that makes me teary EVERY time I read it...Thanks. You really are the sister I got to hand pick. (Your family is pretty great too. Tell them thanks for letting me be an honorary member)

Last week, I got a birthday package from my sister Natalie. She is only 13 months younger than I am and one of my very best friends. When I was about 5 years old, I loved Strawberry Shortcake. Some kind soul (my mom? the Avon lady?? I don't remember) gave me some Strawberry Shortcake lip gloss. I loved that lip gloss. A lot. I seldom let it out of my sight....until one day, I left it in the bathroom. When I found it, there were little smudges of lip gloss all around it and then I took off the lid. I was horrified. Little teeth marks! Someone had eaten my lip gloss. Or rather, Natalie had. She said it was delicious. It was a sad sad day. No lip gloss ever lived up to the glory of my very first...that is until last week.

Thanks Nat. I love them. I am considering sharing with my kids.....maybe.

P.S. One last thing, I finished off the month with a quick visit from a very good friend that ~~deserted me~~ moved away. Kim (aka Prairie Mama) and I got to have dinner and spend some time together on Saturday. (Why is it that my very best friends live in Ontario Canada, Texas and Alabama?? And more importantly, is someone working on that Star Trek "beaming" technology? I need it!) Kim introduced me to her newest addition. Elliott is such a sweet little babe! He also looks SO MUCH like his older siblings. Plus he smells like heaven. Thanks for making time for me Kim. I loved every minute. Logan was too far....Texas?? *sigh* I miss you lady.

Makeover

2011-07-02T22:55:00.026-06:00

My house is really really old. The kind of old where you really should be a decent "do it yourself-er". Either that, or you should have some sort of trust fund. Sadly, we have neither of those attributes. When we moved into this house, I thought it would look great red. That's pretty much as far as it got. I was pregnant and working and really had no time. Fast forward 9 years.

Doesn't it look great? Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I usually post stuff I have done, but Jeremy did most of this. I helped, but 95% of the work was Jeremy. He did a fantastic job, and I love it. I will also insist on paying someone if we ever decide to paint our house again.

Painting was a big part of June, but aside from that it was still a busy month. Birthday parties, friendship blankets, teacher gifts, out of town guests, and my favorite part was that Eve lost one of her front teeth. I really love a toothless smile. :)

Onto July! Tomorrow is a busy airport day that will end with Janelle and her sister Karen coming for 10 days. Best birthday present ever! (unless you can think of something better...you have 7 days. Let me know if you come up with something!)

Random Unrelated Children

2011-06-02T23:50:00.000-06:00

I think I have mentioned before how ridiculous it is to try to photograph my kids. Don't get me wrong. They are cute, and I even get a decent number of good snap shots. However, if I need a picture? If I want to pose them?? I usually end up taking a deep breath, rolling my eyes, and walking away. How do people get their kids to co-operate? HOW?!?!?!

A couple weeks ago I made some shirts for my girls. I used a $5 Old Navy shirt and some ruffle fabric. Two hours later, adorable!! I should post these for my friends on facebook!

Um, let's try that again...

Well, one of them looks normal...

I give up. (there were OH.SO.MANY more, but I was deleting them on the camera. I regret that now. It would have made a hilarious collage)

Only, I really want to show people my mad skills and my cute kids. I could just take a picture of the shirts. I did take a pic of the shirts, but they are SO cute on. So I convince the children to let me take one more. We'll even do it on the porch so the sun can't scorch your eyes...

Success! Cute shirts, cute kids, and they are even wearing identical outfits. Aw! Such a sweet sister picture... except they don't look like sisters! They hardly even look related. Jeremy and I each have our own signature kid...except the skin tone. Somehow that got flipped. Genetics are weird and fascinating! How do some people get 6 kids that look like a row of nesting dolls, while mine look like random strangers I snagged and sat next to each other? If I had a third child would it be a mix? another signature kid? secret option 3? Really, I want to know. And if I could find out hypothetically, and without the 9 month incubation period, that would be preferred.

In other news,

After waiting almost 18 months, I FINALLY got to go to the U2 concert last week. It was worth the wait. The only things that could have made it better would have been Natalie and Moons Over My Hammy. :)

Real life (or a lack there of)

2011-05-02T23:57:00.006-06:00

Returning to real life after a vacation is hard. It is harder when you return only to leave again, and come home to the best house guest of all time. That is a sum up of April. I could end the blog there...but really, that would be cheating...and I like the pictures.

A week after we got back from Africa my older sister Janelle was due to have a baby. She lives in California, and my younger sister, Natalie and I wanted to be there for her. So Natalie flew in from Alabama with her adorable baby, Eleanor, and the three of us made the trek to southern California. Eleanor is perhaps the best traveler in the whole world. (here is Eleanor and I playing in the car while her mom took a potty break)

The day after we arrived (less than 24 hours after we got in) Mosetta Rose was born. We were so glad we made the trip, and that we were able to be there for her birth.

Since "real life" doesn't stop, even when a baby is born, Natalie and I had to get back to our families and responsibilities too soon afterward. Luckily, I had something to soften the blow.

My friend Janelle came to visit for 2 weeks. Yes, it is a little weird, that I have a sister and a friend both named Janelle. And yes, we are capable of really awesome polygamist style hair dos. Why did we try this? Um, because we could. Also, we were sewing, and it seemed like the right thing to do. I am still happy about the choice. :) The rest of the 2 weeks was filled with crazy weather, a lot of "name blankets" (I think I am almost caught up on the baby boom!) and Janelle's birthday.

Janelle always comes for someone's birthday. I am glad this time it was hers....even if she is extremely hard to shop for! Thanks Janelle! Come back any time, for as long as you want. I really mean it. You are as close as I'll ever come to having a sister wife.... LOL

After Janelle left, I decided I was officially back to real life, and I better do something really productive with the rest of my month. So, with my business partner's help, we got what I was afraid was turning into an eternal work in progress, up and running. Announcing the opening of our etsy fabric shop Seamless Appeal!

www.seamlessappeal.etsy.com

I might even be able to swing a coupon code for any interested blog reader. :)

Africa

2011-04-02T23:59:00.004-06:00

Last month my family traveled to South Africa. I don't think I can do it justice with words, so here are some picture highlights (click on them to make them larger).

Best Weekend Ever- 5 3/4 Years Old Style

2011-03-02T23:33:00.005-07:00

I think that six is a golden age. It is old enough to be a bit independent, still young enough that you have very little actual responsibility, and simple enough that most problems can be solved with an ice cream cone (or maybe a balloon). It is a great age. Eve isn't quite 6, but she is definitely in that golden age of simple pleasures.

A few weeks ago, Eve's class got a new "student". Puff, a little dingy white teddy bear, joined the class. He arrived with a backpack, a journal, and a request for friends. Puff visits this kindergarten class every year. Each child in the class gets the opportunity to take him home for a night and journal how they spent their evening with Puff. When Eve's turn came up, we hit the jack pot. We got Puff for a WHOLE weekend. The second she got in the door from school she was off. You see, Puff didn't come with clothes (with the exception of some jammies the child before had gifted him) and in Eve's world, EVERYTHING wants to wear clothes. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. Approximately 90 seconds later she emerged with a newly outfitted Puff.

This is a look I like to call "Pimpin' Puff". I guess Hello Kitty graciously opened her closet, and since it was cold outside, My Friend Mandy pitched in her coat. Awesome. Puff played a little Wii, tagged along and cheered at basketball games, and even joined the weekly pilgrimage to Costco.

At some point, Eve made a plea on Puff's behalf. As cool as dressing in borrowed rhinestone pants and a fur trimmed corduroy coat is, Puff wanted some clothes of his own. I decided that we could accommodate.

Eve's response? BEST WEEKEND EVER!!!

I think Puff approved too. :)

P.S. I had intended to show you something I finished this month, but since its recipient has yet to receive it, I am holding off. I will, however, give you a sneak peek of another something I am working on right now (I am SO excited about this!)

Maybe, just maybe, I will break tradition and give you a peek of the two (plus a few) projects together at mid month. Oh, and put April 2nd on your calendar. I have something SPECTACULAR to show you! :)

Favorite things: January 2011

2011-02-02T22:15:00.137-07:00

This blog title makes me feel like I am Martha Stewart or Oprah and I should be giving something away. I am not giving anything away...wait maybe I am, but you will have to read through my favorite things first.

January was a busy month. I think I should have some sort of exciting story, but it was everyday life busy. Nothing exciting or fun, just a whole lot of obligation and over committing converging into one glorious month. Because of this I was at a loss for what I should blog. Crafting was pretty sparse, and I was too busy to take pictures. Even if I had a hundred pictures, there was nothing interesting to photograph. What to blog? Then it hit me! I have stumbled into a few things I really like this month. So lucky you, you get to read about the things I found and love.

1- My favorite parenting guru:

Barbara Coloroso

I am taking a parenting class at my daughters' school. It is sort of a kinder gentler version of Love and Logic, and a lot of what we are learning comes directly from Barbara Coloroso. We have been watching her video "Winning at parenting, without beating your kids" I swear everything this woman says is GOLD! Her basic idea is that every child needs six critical life messages: I believe in you. I trust in you. I know you can handle this. You are listened to. You are cared for. and You are very important to me. Love her. I need a Barbara Coloroso App for my phone (seriously, if I knew how to make one, I'd do it). Or better yet, she could just whisper in my ear 24/7. I would be such an amazing parent. As it is I am trying. I just got her book Kids Are Worth It! from the library. Google her, watch a few of her videos and thank me later. Really. Her approach is firm, yet kind, and is all about respect. I love it. Plus, in her video she looks like Dorothy from the Golden Girls. Two words: White suit. LOVE IT!

2-Sock Buns:

Sock buns before bed

Something you should know about me. I love sleep. LOVE IT. So while, in theory, I like to look nice everyday, I like sleeping a lot more. What does this mean? Pony tail. Why get up 30-45 min earlier just to make my hair nice? That is crazy. Who am I trying to impress? No one. The problem is that every time I see a picture I think WHAT?!?! I do NOT look like that. Only I do...and worse. So when BFF Janelle showed me these videos it was revolutionary. I can go to bed looking like Princess Leia, and wake up with curled hair! Sign me up!

Sock bun curled hair at 9 am

And, the curls lasts all day! (excuse the picture, my husband is seldom an enthusiastic photographer)

Sock bun curled hair at 9 pm

As an added bonus, it keeps my hair out of my face when I sleep AND my hair isn't getting damaged by a curling iron. Win, win, win! I will warn you that those videos are crazy long, on the first one, once you see how to make the sock bun, skip to 3:53. On the 2nd one just skip through her talking. She likes to yammer. As pictured above, I like doing 2 sock buns instead of one. I get better curl that way. And if you have really fine hair like I do, you might want to use a child's sock. Also, saying sock buns is fun.

3- My new favorite "fun things to do with the kids" website:

2 of my puppets

I like to color. So do my kids. This month, at her daughter's birthday party, my business partner introduced me to http://www.pheemcfaddell.com/. There are hundreds of coloring pages and articulated puppets to color, cut out and put together with tiny brads. I love them! They keep my kids busy for hours, and they are fun to play with. You should hear the adventures the fairies have at my house. They are pretty girly (what can I say, my house is oozing glitter), but there are boy fairies, a cool dragon, and even Harry Potter has unicorns, so boys don't need to feel left out. Do yourself a favor and run to Michael's for the brads first though. Otherwise pieces get lost, children cry, there is much sadness in the land...not that I have any experience there. I'm just sayin'.

4- Pay it Forward swaps:

I did a pay it forward swap ages ago (at least 2 years ago). The rules say you have a year to get the gifts out to the takers. I broke that rule, by at least a year. In fact, I think my cousin Karley is still waiting. Sorry Karley! So what does a girl with an over due, unfinished PIF obligation do? I agreed to do another one! Then totally forgot about it. I know. Fast forward a year and a few weeks ago. I got a package in the mail. I love packages! It had that adorable pink bag (Picture borrowed from Beth's blog) in it, a little bottle of Best Press, and some candy. Sweet! So, good news Karley! I am doing it another PIF, and you will be my extra special first receiver. Here are the rules:

1. I will make a little something for the first THREE people who comment on this post with PIF in their comments (Three plus Karley). It will be a surprise and it will arrive on your doorstep when you least expect it!

2. I will have 365 days to do it in. What's the catch? To get a handmade present from me, you have to play too. This means YOU pledge to send a little handmade something to people you know. (you don't have to sew, cookies are handmade too!)

3. ~~You must have a blog~~. Skip that, you can do what you want. Facebook, neighbors...whatever.

4. ~~Once you comment here, you must post about your Pay It Forward on your blog to keep the fun going, with the Pay It Forward badge.~~ Meh, just pay-it-forward. Blog, Facebook, a note on top of the cookies, your call.

If I don't get three takers here, I will put this on my facebook too. I am a little excited about my PIF plans. They'll be good. Or at least I think they will be, if you disagree...um, you have bad taste ;)

So there you are. My favorite things from January, AND I am even giving things away. Wow, now I know what it feel like to be Oprah.

December Blur

2011-01-02T23:41:00.003-07:00

December is one of those months that always seems like a blur. I think I will get started early, and instead I find myself up all night Christmas Eve. This year was no exception...but before we skip straight to Christmas, I will show you a tiny bit of the build up.

I am not sure if I actually made this in December, but the pictures were taken in December, so I will say it counts.

This summer my sister hosted our extended family IN HER HOME for a family reunion. Over thirty people. Jenny is amazing. Not only was it a great time, but the reunion also happened to coincide with her birthday. Because of this, and as a thank you, I promised her an apron. It took me four months to deliver, so long that Jenny had completely forgotten about my promise. The sad part is that I think I picked out the fabric for her apron over 2 years ago. It just went to the bottom of the project pile and out of sight out of mind. *sigh* It is done now, and it did make for a great surprise.

My second project was something I never thought I'd take on. At the beginning of the month a parent in Eve's class asked if I thought I could make a Cabbage Patch doll. She had found a head at a thrift store, but didn't want to take the project on. I knew I should decline, but I like to help out, and I wanted to see if I could do this. I am SO glad I did! It was a fun project, and I think there will be more of these in my future.

Isn't she cute? I had so much fun recreating the look of a real Cabbage Patch doll. Aurora and Eve would now like their own dolls with purple and blue hair respectively...I am not sure I want to start making custom heads, but I would like to make a few more. My favorite part about this doll (aside from her bum and belly button. They were really cute!) is that I couldn't find fabric the right color for the skin, so I dyed it. To my surprise, it was a perfect match for the face! WOO HOO!! (really I yelled that when I pulled the dyed fabric out of the dryer)

And now to Christmas. Oh Christmas. I had such good intentions. Matching outfits and jammies, some blankets and maybe even some doll things. I also had plans for a few special friends. Well, my poor friends got left behind (I do love you all I promise!!) and my kids got store bought jammies. The matching outfits did happen, but only under the pressure of a Glee concert.

I have mentioned my kids' total inability to pose in a normal fashion haven't I? Good. Then you aren't surprised by the picture. :)

The only "momma made" gifts the girls got on Christmas morning, were name blankets. They have both been getting jealous of all the new babies getting blankets with their names on them. When I made their cousin Juliana a big sister name blanket, official requests were made. So I stayed up late late late on Christmas Eve making blanket sets for the girls. One for them, and one for their dolls. They were very well received. (which made the late night very worth it)

After Christmas we made a long snowy trek to central Wyoming for New Years. It was VERY cold, but the kids had a great time sledding, ice skating, jumping on snow filled trampolines, and hanging around with cousins. It was a great way to round out 2010.

December also meant saying goodbye to some amazing friends. Somehow, this was yet another thing that I didn't manage photograph. We do have some excellent memories. Kim, Jeremy, Seth, Amelia and Libby, we miss you all terribly. It wasn't the same ringing in the New Year without you....and we'll Skype soon (don't get any ideas Kim!) :)

Hope you had a fantastic holiday season, and may you have a wonderful 2011.

P.S. I am not one for resolutions. I only break them, but I am not opposed to a goal or two. Last year, I set a goal to read 24 books in 2010. I made that goal by the skin of my teeth. (see list of books read in my sidebar) This year, I would like to up the ante and read 36 books. I have a few books in queue, but if you care to make a recommendation, I'm all ears!

Three Reasons I Love November

2010-12-02T21:55:00.001-07:00

1- My Canadian Quilting Weekend- I am a little spoiled. Once a year, I get to fly to Canada to spend a long weekend with my best friend, Janelle, and her family. We go to a chalet and we sleep in, sew and hot tub. It is fabulous, and I never take enough pictures...sometimes I take next to none. This was one of those times.

2- Aurora- Every time my kids have a birthday I am taken by surprise. I cannot imagine life without them, and yet, time has gone SO quickly. Eight years.

How did this adorable chubby toddler...

turn into this beautiful girl?

It is like I blinked, and instead of asking us to read Goodnight Moon to her at night, she is reading Harry Potter to us. It is unreal. How did that happen?

In celebration of her birthday (and with help from Janelle's mom) I finished the quilt I started for Aurora's 5th birthday. ***I will add a picture of the quilt. It has been in constant use since she got it, and is in the washer as I type this***

I am so proud to be the mom of this smart, sweet sensitive girl.

3- Thanksgiving- I love Thanksgiving. Family, food and saying thank you. What's not to love? This year was a bit different though. My mom is an amazing cook. She almost always hosts Thanksgiving and I chip in with pies, cranberry sauce and a salad or two. Since she is in Africa, I was on my own. Did you know you can order a whole Thanksgiving feast from Mimi's? You can! And it is delicious.

At some point, I am sure I will have to cook my own Thanksgiving dinner, I am just glad this was not that year. We had a great low key Thanksgiving at home, and I really enjoyed it. I wonder if they would make me Prime Rib for Christmas...

It just hit me that next time I post it will be 2011. Crazy.

Not quite wordless

2010-11-02T23:51:00.001-06:00

I feel wordless. I like the idea of the wordless posts. Maybe if I posted more than once a month, but I don't so, I feel there is an obligation for words. This post will be light on words. :)

Miss Eleanor is the new niece I went to meet last month. She is an absolute doll. I contemplated sneaking her home with me. I really miss this baby. She smells like Heaven...

Halloween. Aurora was Kit Kittredge (the American Girl from the 1930s) and Eve was a "funky-gypsy-tomboy fairy" I was very happy with the way their costumes turned out. Unfortunately, I got really sick last week, so there aren't many great pics of the costumes. The girls were happy though, and I managed to make a few things that can go into their closets rather than the dress up box. Yay for practical costumes! Plus, I love the hats. Knitting makes me happy.

That was pretty much my month. I didn't get to sew as much as I would have liked, but I did make a few things:

(Clock wise from the left: Miss Iris skirt for Juliana, reusable lunch bags, flannel name blanket, and car seat tent for Eleanor)

A random sampling of my busy month

2010-10-02T23:18:00.018-06:00

Here we are, October 2nd. This month has been very busy. Not only is school in full swing, but there is also the never ending cycle of an understaffed daycare. I don't know why, but autumn always knocks me on my butt. I LOVE the weather, but this time of year I am just over extended. If it weren't for pictures, I am not sure I could give you a coherent account of my month. Yay pictures! Let's be honest though, this post will probably not be all that coherent even with the pictures so...

This is my dog Charlie. You may remember that his partner in crime, Kunjou, passed away at the end of July. Charlie has been having a rough time, and on the night of Sept 8th he decided to run away. When we discovered he was gone the next morning, I was frantic. We couldn't go through losing another dog this soon! It was a horrible 7 hours, filled with frantic searching and hanging A LOT of posters. Luckily, a kind neighbor had found him outside her house at 3 am and let him stay the night. She also put up ads on KSL and Craigslist. I was very happy to not only have him back, but to also have him returned before the girls got home from school. BFF Janelle demanded I take him to the girls' school with a celebratory bow. I thought that was an excellent idea. (see picture above) We have since replaced the battery in the collar for our electric fence, and I bought him a tag with his name and address (and taken down A LOT of posters). We are very happy to have Charlie back...during the day. He is used to sleeping with another dog and has decided the only suitable substitute is sleeping with us. To make it worse he and Eve have started a conspiracy to keep me from sleeping. Charlie has noisy 3 am protests to his sleeping locale, and Eve has taken to sleep walking and that usually means walking into walls. There is WAY too much consoling of littles (dogs and kids) going on in this house in the wee hours of the morning. I am tired. It is like having a newborn. I just want 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep! Perhaps if he and Eve shared a room with a TV? Charlie likes to watch TV.

Other notable happenings?? Aurora lost another tooth. This is not really notable in and of itself I suppose, but the tooth loss was accompanied by this awesome note:

"Dear tooth fairy, please do not take my tooth tell tuesday nite. I want to take it for sharing, Thank you! Aurora"

This note is great for two reasons, 1- I love that rather than not putting the tooth out, she decided to write a note and 2- She doesn't believe in the tooth fairy. When she asked me about about all things imaginary, I decided to tell her the truth, but promised that we would still do the fun traditions. She is into this. Really into it. I love it! I think this was tooth number 7 to fall out. She REALLY wants to lose tooth number 8 on her 8th birthday...it just has to hang on for 7 more weeks.

It is also notable that my 31st niephling (bff Janelle coined this gender neutral term, and I love it!), Eleanor, was born on September 8th. I am going to visit little Eleanor and her family in 4 short days. I might have a top secret bag of crafty goodness to deliver to this sweet baby, but since I cannot confirm or deny that, I will show you the bag I made as a birthday gift for Eve's kindergarten teacher.

I love this bag. I had intended to make another Sandi Henderson Market bag. It is a great pattern, but to pull it off, you need a good pair of coordinating fabrics. I loved this fabric, but couldn't find anything I liked to coordinate. At the very last moment, when I had almost given up, I went to the little quilt shop a block from my house and saw this pattern. It is the Practical Bag by Grand Revival, and it is perfect. I used a nice home decorator weight fabric. What a great bag! I wish I had taken a picture of the interior. The interior fabric is fabulous. I think there will be a few more of these in my near future. Maybe one of these too.

First day of school

2010-09-02T22:59:00.003-06:00

Summer is gone, and as of yesterday I have 2 kids in school full time. FULL TIME! I have dreamt of this moment for years! Oh, the free time, the glorious free time! My house will be clean! I can bake! Lunch with friends! Think of the things I can sew! Somehow I never factored my job into this. In my mind I am a stay at home mom. In reality, it just means I have to juggle my work schedule and I see my kids a lot less. WAY less exciting than my dreams...

All ready!

Eve has been ridiculously excited for school to start. She told me "I am pretty much all grown up now!" All grown up? Apparently, all day kindergarten, is right next to moving into a dorm in her eyes.

Eve was up at 6am. She ate, picked out her outfit, and even let me do her hair! No arguments! And this was before 9 am (her preferred time to wake up)

Sitting in circle (with pretty hair!)

The anticipation to start school was only heightened since Aurora started last week. And since going into second grade is pretty darn exciting too, here is a peek at Aurora all ready for her first day.

curled hair!

Ah, my kids are cute! Even cuter when they allow me to brush their hair. They seem to gravitate naturally towards looking like homeless urchins. This year we have agreed to look our best for school everyday. Do they come home looking like urchins? Without fail, but at least there is a 45 min period at the beginning of the day where it appears that they are not totally neglected. That is enough for me.

And now a PSA. When naming your children, test out how it sounds with your last initial. Several months ago I found out there would be another Eve in my Eve's kindergarten class. I was a bit disappointed. Being a Nicole born in the late 70s meant that there was almost always another Nicole in my class. I went by Nicole N most of elementary school. I never liked it. I wanted to just be Nicole. I was sad that Eve wouldn't get to be just Eve, she would be Eve L. And then it hit me Eve L. Say it out loud...again...AHHH!! That was a sad and humorous moment, I mean let's be honest, it fits her! Luckily, Eve is actually her middle name. So while she still doesn't get to be "just Eve", at least she isn't "Evil" She is Sandra Eve at school.

Likes and dislikes

2010-08-02T23:13:00.007-06:00

This has been a rough week. Rough enough that even though the last month over all was a decent one, I didn't really want to blog. So I decided to make a post of a few likes and dislikes from the last week. I like to end on a happy note, so I will start with dislikes:

*DISLIKES*

1- Home improvement projects on my 100 year old home:

The windows on the back of my house need to be replaced....obviously, we also need to paint. On an up note, Jeremy said we could try out red. I have been wanting to paint the house red since we bought it!

2- Saying good bye to my parents:

My parents are headed to South Africa for about 18 months on a mission for their church. They are in the training center now, and will leave the country in a week. Honestly, I have been ignoring this. I will say final goodbyes on Saturday.....I'm not going to think about it.

3- Saying goodbye to pets:

Last Monday, our 10 year old pug, Kunjou, passed away. Dodee (doggy) was Aurora's first word. The hardest part has been watching Charlie, our other dog. Kunjou was his best friend.....a friend he spent almost every day of his life with. It has been a hard adjustment.

Ok, now to fight the sad:

*LIKES*

1- Ranier Cherries:

Why oh why are you almost twice as expensive as regular cherries?? I love you so much....nom nom nom nom.

2- Free Easy Bake Ovens:

We had a family reunion about 10 days ago. We have one every other year, and it coincided nicely with my parents' mission. While there, my sweet niece Alcy decided she wouldn't need her easy bake oven at college. Aurora and Eve were the lucky recipients. We tested it out today. LOVE!

3- Child Labor:

So finally, this parenthood thing is paying off! We had a work filled weekend and the kids helped. If you could see behind the camera here, you would see Jeremy and I taking a breather on the porch directing the kids. I wonder how soon I can get them to do a decent job on the bathroom...

Let's end with a crafty collage, ok? July was a bit more crafty than the pictures represent. I started knitting a wrap. Knitting takes a long time. WAY longer than sewing, and I could not get a decent "in progress" picture. So, I will leave you with the 6 quilt blocks I never ended up posting last month (yeah, I am never going to mention blogging twice in a month again. It never happens.....saying it out loud makes it even less likely) and the few sewing projects I finished this month.

What a month!

2010-07-02T20:52:00.008-06:00

Wow, July 2nd already? I think time is progressively moving faster and faster. What else would explain the fact that one week from today I will be THIRTY-TWO years old? I have sailed past the 20's and am comfortably in my 30s now. Not that I am saying I am old, quite the contrary, I still feel very young.....well except, that for the first time in my life I need a solid 8 hours of sleep to have any hope of functioning the next ~~day~~ week. That came out of left field. Oh, the fact that I am finding more and more trends to be ridiculous. VH1 is full of crazy pop music that sounds the same, and what is with bed head being the "in" hairstyle for all young male stars. Those crazy kids......LOL I don't really say that. Really. I am cool, young and hip.....I just can't pull an all nighter anymore, and I laughed out loud when I heard U2 on an oldies station. :)

Enough of that. I have been productive this month! Wanna see???

So, that is: Three birthday shirts (one with a coordinating drawstring bag in place of wrapping paper), Twelve quilt blocks (actually 11, Janelle wanted to make one of the ticker tape blocks, and I obliged her), Two flannel name blankets, a reversible purse (teacher gift), One and a half pincushion caddies, and a knit hat and bootie set I forgot to photograph before gifting.

You may notice there are only six quilt blocks in there and I claimed to have done 12. Well, six of them are a surprise, so, I will hold off on uploading those pics.

So that is the crafty update. I fully intended to give a family update too. There was so much happening this month....There was the end of the school, my fabulous BFF Janelle came for a visit, movies were seen, and we attended the royal event of the season......but you will have to wait. I might even do something unprecedented......I might blog again!

For now, I have to assume the persona of responsible business owner, and paint the daycare. SO FUN! Have you ever seen the daycare?? Perhaps that is something to look forward to for July. :)

Pictures to share!

2010-06-02T23:06:00.012-06:00

This month was (as predicted) much more productive. Most, if not all, of that productivity was forced. I do like to sew, but really, my hobbies have taken a back seat. Parental obligation to the rescue!

Sharks

Eve modeling Aurora's spider costume

Aurora's class put on an opera. I made a few costumes and a lot of props (btw anyone in need of a GIANT pink glittered egg? Really, free for the taking). The kids were so cute and they LOVED their costumes. I was really surprised by how many of the kids thanked me for making their props and costumes. Such sweet kids. Both the shark and spider were really simple to do (just modifying a hoodie and a t-shirt) but they did the trick. I have to admit, I really liked making the costumes! That being said, Eve is being a spider next Halloween. ;) Speaking of Halloween...

It is also the end of the year, and my kids have had some fantastic teachers. I volunteered to help the kids do something in Eve's preschool class......I am a one trick pony, so we did a quilt. I had each child draw a picture on a piece of fabric with fabric markers. I took the drawings and incorporated them into a quilt. Anna (Eve's preschool teacher....at the awesome hippie school my kids attend all the teachers go by their first name) is one of a kind, and this fabric is just her. She loves spiders and bats, plus, she keeps her house decorated for Halloween all year round. This quilt will fit right in.

I had plenty of time to make this quilt, so naturally, I crammed the bulk of it into a weekend.....one where we were also obligated to attend a class camp out. :) It was worth the sleep deprivation though! Anna taught 1/2 day in Aurora's kindergarten last year and Eve's preschool this year. She means a lot to us, and I will miss being part of her class. She cried when she opened the quilt. I think she liked it. (one teacher gift down, one to go)

Now that Aurora has seen it is possible for me to complete a whole quilt in less than a week...and not just any week, a busy week...she is DEMANDING I finish the birthday quilt that was intended for her 6th birthday. Yes, she is 7 1/2. *sigh* I guess I need to get back on that parental obligation bandwagon. I mean really, how do I say no to this?

Crafty mommy blog

2010-05-02T22:20:00.004-06:00

I think that this has turned into a family blog. Nothing wrong with that. My kids are cute and frequently say amusing things, but I thought I'd change it up a little. Did you know I sew? I do! So when deciding what to blog this month I thought "I'll show off what I completed this month!" That was a good thought until I scoured my pictures and compiled April's accomplishments:

Blocks for the Collingwood Block exchange

Birthday shirt for weasel themed birthday party

That was a little defeating, but if I stretched really hard, this picture was taken on April 1st:

Quilt for my niece Gabi

Though the only work I did on Gabi's quilt in 2010 was adding the label. *sigh*

There hasn't been much sewing going on. Life has gotten in the way of my crafting. I need to figure out a way to craft for money without having to sell the stuff I make. In my dreams, I open a sewing studio. A place with nice machines, plenty of workspace, helpful people to bounce ideas off of, a good supply of the notions we all forget to buy when starting a project......oh and a great child care facility. While I work on rustling up the $50k in seed money to make that dream a reality, I will just have to find a way of scheduling crafty time. I always show up for work, why don't I show up for the time I set aside to sew? I am a much happier person if I use that time as intended. Something to work on.

Let's hope in May I have more pics to share......this did start out as a crafty blog.

Five Years

2010-04-02T23:08:00.000-06:00

I am not sure how it could have been five years since you were born. I cannot imagine life without you, but those five years have gone so fast.

Eve, you have grown up so much this year! You started preschool, are learning to read and just last week (right after your birthday) you started riding a bike on your own. You like to give hugs and make people laugh. It seems like you always have a group of kids around you. You really are a fun and imaginative kid.

You seemed to have really enjoyed being four. I hope five is even better. And remember, mommy loves you (always, all the time, no matter what, forever and ever!)

February

2010-03-02T22:28:00.000-07:00

I inadvertently started a pattern, and once it was pointed out, I felt the need to keep it going. What pattern? Posting on the 2nd of every month. So I suppose I am blogging with just little obligation. It is good, otherwise I might just let this space wither away. Now, I just need to start planning ahead of time. I didn't do that this month. :)

How about a few photos from our month:

Eve and I spent a fun day together. It was Eve centric, and her requests were lunch at Red Moose, and The Childrens' Museum. We had so much fun! I don't do this often enough. I have thought about having one evening each month set aside for mommy/daughter or daddy daughter dates. It is only March 2nd, so I guess I can make it happen!

I was able to teach a group of kids in Aurora's class loom knitting. It is the perfect intro to knitting. We made these adorable headband/ear warmer/cowls. I wish I had a picture of all the girls together. They were so proud! And rightfully so! Aurora has since made 2 more, and she convinced me to buy an assortment of looms. I think I just might have a knitter on my hands!!

I found an online download for these adorable valentines. I had just planned on doing white and letting the girls color them, but Aurora picked out this bright card stock. I LOVE THEM! And because I figured there would be plenty of candy, we put stickers on the back.

If pictures are any indication, we did nothing in the 2nd half of the month. Really, I was just running a terribly understaffed daycare (that had a perfect state inspection!), spending time at the kids school (our school requires parents to spend 3 hours a week in their child's classroom) and artfully ignoring my house work. This month I will work on taking pictures and planning my blog posts. Eve has a birthday coming up, so you might even catch some crafty adventures. :)

Happy Groundhog Day!

2010-02-02T20:37:00.002-07:00

I read today that motherhood is like Groundhog Day. I think that used to be true for me. Now, motherhood is like a daily surprise. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good, but the only real consistency is that just when I think I have things down.......they change. I get within one step of mastering the game only to get kicked back to level one. It is humbling, and I often feel like this parenthood thing was a giant bait and switch. I think that until I notice something like this sitting on the table and I laugh:

Sweet and sensitive, passionate and emotional. The girl who feels that an emotion isn't worth feeling if it isn't taken to the extreme. She is always in the middle of some deep thought. She "feeks" out a lot.....and she apologizes a lot. She has the best smile, and gives the greatest hugs.

Not to be outdone, is Eve. This kid is such a kick. Spunky and fun, mischievous and wild. She is mystery to me......and everyone else as well. Last weekend we went out to eat at a barbeque restaurant. Eve insisted on wearing her Snow White dress. Sure, why not?? At the restaurant Eve devoured her ribs claiming to be a T-Rex the whole time. By the end she was gnawing on a bone and growling. As we left the waiter noticed her dress and said "Look how pretty you are! What princess are you??" Did Eve say Snow White?? No, her response in a growling voice was "T-REX!!" Of course. Can't you tell that from the outfit?? (excuse the photo, I took this with my phone)

I miss the repetitive Groundhog Day like days. Surprises aren't my thing. Though repetition wasn't either. There will be a new phase soon. When it comes, I am sure I will miss these surprises. I guess what I need to work on is enjoying the moment. Repetitious and surprising.

Happy New Year

2010-01-02T23:30:00.007-07:00

A day late I suppose, but January 2, 2010 is kinda cool. The date 01-02-2010 is a palindrome. It is the same forwards and backwards. It may not seem that impressive, but there will only be 12 in the 21st century. The last palindrome date was 10-02-2001. Before that, more than six centuries passed since the numerals last aligned on 08-31-1380. That is my useless knowledge for the day.

I will leave you with photography by my palindromic child. :)

See you around in 2010!

Lucky Me!!

2009-12-02T01:41:00.009-07:00

Have I mentioned that I have the best BFF ever?? No?? Well, I do. For example: A few months ago I joined a block party. Basically 12 quilters form a group and each month the group collectively makes a quilt for one of the members. The online version means that on your month, you send everyone in the group fabric and they make you quilt blocks. For the other eleven months you simply wait for fun packages of fabric to arrive, make quilt blocks, and send them back. (there is a button in my sidebar that links you to our block party blog if you want to follow along. I have also been posting pics in flickr) Well, November was my month. It was also the month that I got to go visit Janelle and her family and quilt my little heart out. While I was there, Janelle asked if she could make the quilt blocks for my block party quilt. I am so glad I said yes! Look at these gorgeous blocks!

Aren't they great??? And then to top it off, she made me what is possibily the cutest pear pincushion on the planet.

I am a lucky girl! Thanks Janelle. My pins would still be homeless without you (and since I don't seem to keep quilts I make, I would be cold too) oh, and I guess the quilt blocks are pretty nice too. :)

Where did October go??

2009-11-02T19:21:00.001-07:00

I blinked and October was gone. Now we are heading full speed into November. Time really does fly, but before I move on to Quilting retreats, Birthdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, I wanted to show off a little October crafting.

Jelly roll skirts are becoming a bit of an obsession. I know I must look like a one trick pony, but really, how cute are these (the skirts........as previously mentioned, my children refuse to model clothing)

Did you notice the sock skeletons they are holding?? That was a major distraction this month. The tutorial, by Robert Mahar was on Martha Stewart (plus, Robert Marhar actually tweeted my skeleton family. Yup, I am THAT cool). They are so fun and easy, we made almost an entire family of them. A mommy is still on the request list, and there has been talk of Santa hats to keep them relevant for a few more months! :)

I also decided to tackle costumes this year. I always say I will, then run out of time, but this year I also promised to make one for my neice, so there was no opt out. I am glad. They really weren't hard to sew, and the girls looked so cute!

I like to think about dressing up for Halloween, but by the time I get things done for the girls I am over it. This year, the girls asked if I would dress up......I didn't go all out, up here is my "nod" to Halloween.

Jeremy on the other hand, prepares for months (oh yeah, that is a real mustache! LOL)

And, despite my mother's encouragement for it to stay, the "stache" is now gone.

How was that for picture overload??

Now on to Novemeber. I have a few swap assignments to get done, and I signed up for a PIF exchange too. (um, yeah, I know am a bit behind on the last one I did, but I swear, it is not forgotten, and you will get a package VERY soon! LOL) Add to that a trip to Ontario in 9 days (ONLY NINE DAYS!!!!!) Aurora's birthday and Thanksgiving, and I have a full month ahead of me. Let's see if we can go for a record and get 4 posts this month! ;)

Pillow of the Month- October

2009-10-08T09:35:00.004-06:00

I like giving gifts. More than that I love making gifts. There is something so satisfying about creating something with someone in mind. My only problem is time. There is never enough time. My mom had a birthday in July. She was out of town, and I was out of time. Then I had a stroke of brilliance. Pillow of the Month Club! My mom is a retired school teacher. Since she no longer has a classroom to decorate for holidays and seasons she decorates her house. My kids ADORE this. There is always something new, fun, and relevant to the season to look at. So I thought, why not help out. I bought two 14 in pillow forms and decided to make a set of pillows each month. Now, I was going to do this early and start with patriotic pillows in July. That didn't happen. I had grand plans for some sunflower theme for August, and had some fun ideas for a apple or back to school theme September. Those have all been filed away for the coming year. I could jump on it early, but who are we kidding?? The first installment of the Pillow of the Month Club is October.

These pillows were so much fun. I used a Spook Takular charm pack and 4 strips from a jelly roll, but you could also just use a jelly roll. The back is an adorable spiderweb taffeta I bought for Aurora's costume. I had considered making this a tutorial.....and I could still do that, but really, it isn't rocket science. If anyone wants some direction let me know.

The remainder of the jelly roll is becoming skirts today......after I shower. I might show off the results (I will need a willing model or two). I also have another long term project I want to share. The hexagon bug bit me, and I have been neglecting all knitting in favor of english paper piecing. I am thinking if I work hard I should have a quilt in about 20 years. Stay tuned. ;)

Happy Birthday Natalie

2009-08-22T16:30:00.005-06:00

That beautiful woman there is my "baby" sister Natalie, and her sweet little girl Juliana. Today is Natalie's 30th birthday. I thought of all the cool posts I could do (like the the one she did for my 30th bday) but I knew I would come up short....so I just copied her! (not the actual list, just the idea)

Here is my list of 30 things I love about Natalie:

1- She is my very best friend and has been since they brought her home 30 years ago
2- She is an amazing artist
3- Hands down the best person to play in the ocean with (hee hee hee I consider posting those pics, but um....no)
4- She talks to me pretty much EVERY day
5- Even though we talk every day, we never get tired of it
6- She works out 5 days a week. AWESOME!
7- She can make me laugh....even without trying
8- We love the same things...really, she has introduced me to some of my favorite things, and if I find something I love, I know that even if everyone else thinks I am crazy, Nat will like it too!
9- She is gorgeous
10- She was a really fun roomie
11- She has always been there to pick me up when I am down
12- We are so much alike. It is nice to have someone who understands all the crazy in this head of mine!
13- She is my biggest fan. If I am down, Natalie is right there to perk me up. Best personal cheerleader ever!
14- Dedicated mommy (Juliana is one lucky little girl)
15- If I haven't told Natalie about something it is like it hasn't happened. Sometimes I think we should have been twins :)
16- She is a very loyal friend.
17- My inspiration! Really, when I grow up, I'd like to be like Natalie
18- She will watch movie trailers, movies, etc, with me over the phone....Yes, we get our computers all synced up even if it takes a hilariously long time. I love it!
19- She loves my kids!
20- She is the best counselor I could ask for....and she is free!
21- She keeps my secrets. (and really, I have been confiding in her for 30 years so there are lots!)
22- She can finish my sentences.
23- She is easy to make laugh....really look at #22 and it applies to jokes too. If I am laughing she is too!
24- I joke that she stole my thunder since I was supposed to be the youngest....but really I would be lost without her!
25- She is a thoughtful friend and helps out whenever she can
26- She moved FAR away, but is still part of my everyday life
27- She is a very supportive wife
28- She is one of the few people I know I can always count on
29- She keeps me motivated (really this is a full time job seriously if last months cell phone bill is to be believed we talked for over 800 minutes last month!)
30- She is the best little sister a girl could ask for!

I love you so much Natalie!! I hope you have a really great day.

(and BTW I was just made aware of a very cool giveaway over at p.s. i quilt. It ends today though, so run on over now!)

Tomorrow.......or in a few days

2009-08-21T22:48:00.018-06:00

I should never say I will show something tomorrow. Ignore me if I do. IT.NEVER.HAPPENS. Excuses?? Um....I have been busy the last few days.....I am not sure what I was busy with, I have very little to show for it, but I am tired and really swollen. (What is with that?) My bed is calling, but first I got another set of blocks from my swap so I thought I'd pop in and show them off today. Today is a promise that is easier to keep. I should write that down somewhere. Anyway, thank you so much Leisel and Jan (Thanks for setting me straight Jeanette! I look forward to getting yours, they look adorable!)

The Swap also needed to put together another group, so I volunteered. I had already wanted to make some additional ones for my Christmas quilt, and getting things in the mail is fun, so I started these today:

I am excited to put a quilt together. One question though, should I just piece them together as is or add sashing? Decisions, decisions......but first, I am behind on a few gifts for my sweet sis. Priorities! Natalie has a (BIG!) birthday tomorrow, and her gift(s) are still in progress. Love you Nat....and a package is coming (eventually) I swear! I would say that I will say a bit more about Natalie tomorrow, but you all know how that goes.......

Oh, and one last thing *eyes drooping* Heather over at Trends and Traditions is having a giveaway. You should check it out! Capri's quilt is a smaller version of one of her patterns (the Sunday Picnic quilt). She is giving away TWO (one mini and one regular size) of HER quilts and some charm packs with a pattern. I know! So go check it out!

Back so soon??

2009-08-18T15:20:00.012-06:00

Two posts in less than a week?!? I know, right? Don't get used to it, but somehow order has had an effect on me. I am getting WAY more done. A clean house opens up the time to do things you never get around to. Who knew??

Over the last few months (and years really) all the crafty peeps on the internet have been showing off their gorgeous studios. I have poured over these pictures, turning a little more green with every click. I love to sew, A LOT. Having my own space to create would be a dream come true. For now, I am stuck in the reality of a 1100 square foot home (that I really do love most days) that doesn't even have room for my clothes, let alone my "studio". What is a girl to do?? I took over the dining room. This was not ideal for so many reasons, but mainly because the dining room is the room you walk into when you enter my home. You walk in, and see the table covered with 4 days worth of mail and stacks of fabric. You can't step without getting thread and fabric scraps stuck to your foot, and there are cords EVERYWHERE! My poor, sweet husband said very little and just lived with it. I know. Well, recently we did some rearranging (which prompted the cleaning I mentioned last time) and I finally got everything organized. I don't have a dedicated space, but I have one that works. Maybe someday I will have that gorgeous light filled studio, but for now, my dining room nook, works.

Here we are when everything is nicely tucked away:

And here is my "studio" in use:

Having a workable space has been great. I have been so productive. Yesterday, I finished up the second set of blocks for my Christmas swap:

They needed to add one more group, so I will do 6 more blocks. I love how they look together so much, that I think I will end up making a quilt for myself. The blocks I get in the swap will be used for a few pillows and a table runner......or maybe I will love the randomness of the whole thing and just go for a really scrappy Christmas quilt. We'll see. I did receive one set in the mail last week, and they are amazing. Perhaps I will share them tomorrow.....

Hello Internet

2009-08-15T13:23:00.010-06:00

Long time no see eh? I had totally intended to post pics of my adventures (crafty and otherwise) while Janelle was here to visit, but in the middle of it all (on my birthday!) my camera was lost/stolen.......and stolen with it was my blogging mojo. But, I have a new camera and stuff to share. We will start small. Ok?? First up, recent cute pics of my adorable children taken with my fabulous new camera:

While blog hopping recently, I came across a quilt block exchange. I have ALWAYS wanted to join a block exchange. Sounds great right?? Well, this was for scrappy Christmas blocks. I have strong feelings about Christmas quilts.....They seem so silly, why go to all the work for a quilt that is only out for 6 weeks a year max?? Right??? Wrong! I have been loving the Christmas stuff I have seen, and I like that many are more winter than Christmas. So I signed myself up. I am making 12 blocks for the exchange, and and additional four, two for me, two for a charity quilt. I tackled 1/2 the blocks last night. When I finished (at 4:30 am) I was unsure how I felt about them. Today I adore them. So you will too! :)

One last thing, I think I should mention that during my absence, I have cleaned my house. Really cleaned it. It looks amazing. Yeah, yeah yeah, your house always looks nice, but mine??? A mess. Always. All the time. EXCEPT NOW!!! So if you want to come visit me now is the time. Really, come on over. I won't even pretend not to be home. :) But hurry, we are going on week 2 of cleanliness and order, and I am not sure I can keep it up much longer. ;)

Capri's Quilt

2009-06-27T15:53:00.003-06:00

Capri Andalucia Quilt- Front
Originally uploaded by LHBC Nicole.

Sorry this is a bit later than I promised.....I also think I said I would show 2 quilts, but only one is finished. More to come, I have a HUGE stack of WIPs. Anyway, here is the big reveal!

My sister didn't find out ahead of time if her baby was a boy or a girl. With 3 boys I took a chance (and trusted her husband who promised a girl), and planned for a girl. I started this at my Toronto quilting weekend in April and finished about a month ago. Capri was born during the quilting weekend. I had started this quilt, but did have plan B boy quilt materials waiting just in case. I would have completed it faster, but my machine was being ridiculous. I swear I quilted this quilt 3 times, and ripped it out twice. I was frustrated enough, that I went and got a new machine less than a week later. (and I am in love. Seriously!) Anyway, back to the quilt, if I hadn't specifically picked out the fabric with Jenny (my sister) in mind, it would have been harder to give away. As it was, I was so excited to give it to her, that I held onto it for a month so I could see her reaction in person. :) (if you want to see the back etc, clicking on the picture will take you to my flickr photostream. There are more pics there)

I should have lots to share soon. Not only do I have 3 quilt tops just waiting to be quilted, but Janelle is coming from Toronto. I also want to show off my new baby.....er....machine.

No cute pics here

2009-06-18T23:35:00.007-06:00

I made the girls some really cute dresses last week. Aurora was "graduating" from kindergarten, so I thought I'd make her a special dress.....and of course then Eve would need one too. They turned out SO cute, but then I tried to get a picture. It was sunny out, Aurora had allergies and Eve......well, Eve just likes to look goofy in pictures. So this is the best of what I got:

Cute dresses.....goofy kids! (click on the pic to really appreciate facial expressions) This is why I will never be a great crafty blog. That, and the fact that I only blog about once a month. :) This dress pattern is from The Handmade Dress The Miss Madeline. It was really easy. I taught my SIL to sew yesterday using this pattern. I have also had requests for at least 3 more of these for Aurora and "one for all the holidays". Love that girl!

I did make one more thing in honor of school ending. Aurora's teacher, Katie, was such an amazing teacher. I knew there was no way to really thank her properly, but here is my stab at it:

This is the Market Bag by Sandi Henderson. I am in the process of making myself the gathered bag from this same pattern. I see a few more coming out of the stash as well.

I have been out of town for the last week, so no recent projects. I might start taking my machine with me. I miss it when I am away! So after a short and joyful 12 hour car ride with the kids tomorrow, I get get back to the sewing. Sadly, it also means that I have to leave my sweet niece Gabi, and her parents. They used to live 30 min away...I miss that! I did manage to teach my SIL to sew this week though. She is a natural, and I am sure my BIL will be thanking me for years. :) You're welcome Jeff!!

Look for pics of some new quilts in a few days. I will be gifting two on Sunday and will post pics soon after.

Class Trip to KUTV

2009-06-03T22:04:00.003-06:00

I know I need to do an update, but life is far too busy to allow for that right now....besides I am SO far behind! Sorry! I have a quilt I am dying to show off, but I want it to be a surprise for my sister, so you will have to wait another month. BUT, here is something fun. Aurora's class did a field trip to Jeremy's station and they were on TV. A lot of parents in the class missed the segment, so I am showing it off here. Enjoy!

(there are 3 more quilts in the works, so I will be back soon I promise.....oh and did I tell you about the new sewing machine??)

I sewed!!

2009-03-11T23:26:00.004-06:00

I have no idea why, but lately, I have just lost my sewing mojo. I need to find it POST HASTE because there are 12 quilts in various stages of completion that need attention. Soon......preferably before Easter. AHHH!!! Anyway, as a way to try to get my mojo back I signed up for a class at the beautiful quilt shop by my house. Want to see the results??

I think this might be my new go to baby girl gift!! They are quick and so fun to make. I think if I finish the 4 whole cloth quilts for Aurora's class I will reward myself with a baby dress break. FUN!! (there is also another class next week....I think I will do it too!)

My new kitchen!!

2009-03-03T18:37:00.006-07:00

Today I spent half the money we set aside to remodel the kitchen!!! Want to see a picture??

What?? That isn't isn't your dream kitchen either?? Home ownership bites sometimes...more often when your house is 100+ years old. So instead of the beautiful kitchen of my dreams, I got a brand new 55 foot water line....complete with new shut off valve, pressure regulator, and 50 year warranty. Somehow that isn't helping. Maybe the 1/2 eaten package of Oreos will do the trick. (the other half didn't help)

Awesome Giveaway

2009-02-24T23:39:00.000-07:00

Seriously. You should check it out. This is the cutest little girls play/never want to take off ever (why don't they have these in my size LOL) skirt. PLUS, she links you to instructions for how to sew one yourself, where to get the materials, and gives tips. AWESOME!!! So check it out.....or don't.....just gives me a better chance of winning! :)

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Off the air

2009-02-19T22:50:00.008-07:00

Well, that was an abrupt absence! One minute I am telling you about birthday craftiness, and then I disappear for 3 months. *sigh* I have this personality "flaw". If I feel like I HAVE to do something, I just don't. Not the important stuff. My kids are fed, we have clean things to wear, but when I make myself feel obligated I kind of shut down. So there you are. On the bright side you all got to gaze at my ridiculously handsome husband for 3 months. That's like a giveaway in and of itself!

Anyway, many of you (read:KAREN) have been wanting an update, so here goes.

Birthday

I have a six year old!! I saw this idea on House on Hill Road, and knew it was perfect! I even appliqued a pair of her jeans to match. All the fabric used came from the scrap pile left after I finished piecing her birthday quilt (still not quilted, but coming soon)

Thanksgiving

I had these outfits planned in my mind for months, but never had the time to do them. The night before Thanksgiving it was do or die. I was up until 7 am, but man! My kids were ADORABLE!!! And they still wear those shirts at least once a week. (it is good to be thankful year round)

That is when my sewing mojo wore out, and when work got really demanding. The upside is that I am knitting again. I forgot how much I love to knit. Here are a few of my most recent quick knits.

Gnome hat

This is an adaptation of Hello Yarn's Gnomey Hat. I made one of these for a friend's baby and Eve fell in love. How could I say no. The pattern is sized for a newborn, but it was pretty easy to size up. Aurora has ordered one in red. Awesome!

Something for me

I bought this great hand painted alpaca yarn in Florida, and really wanted it to be a hat. Earlier this week I used it to knit up this hat. I love it! (oh and if you look closely you can even get a tiny glimpse of my pink eye. Good times)

So there you are. I don't want to give up this space just yet, but I can't make any promises. (to the entire audience of one that I serve) I do HAVE to get some quilting done, so I will update when I make some progress.

Sweetest Husband on Earth

2008-11-18T23:04:00.003-07:00

I don't think I have mentioned lately just how great my husband is. Really, he is the best. I need to say that more often! Nine years ago today we had our first "date". We had met briefly once, chatted a bit online and over the phone and decided to meet. After talking for a few hours over breakfast at Village Inn I knew he was it. I didn't want him to be. It was horrible timing. I was fresh off a bad marriage, and I swore I would take some time for me. I was wounded and I needed to just be me before I jumped into anything again. One meal that sweet handsome man and I stopped thinking about timing, threw caution to the wind and dove in head first.

This morning at the daycare, when someone asked me what day it was, it hit me. Nine years! I gushed to the poor unsuspecting mom in front of me (who just wanted some time to work out and was probably thinking "shut up lady and let me get to my treadmill!") and wracked my brain trying to think of something fun to do for Jeremy. I said to my employee "I am sure he won't remember, but I would love to surprise him." At that moment, like so many times before, an urgent situation came up at the daycare and my "anniversary" went to the back of my mind. I went to put out the fire (metaphorically speaking of course). *sigh* Jeremy did remember though. He remembered AND he gave me a gift. I stood there empty handed smiling at the man who, nine years ago today, stole my heart over breakfast and fell in love all over again. I love that man.

Thanks for taking that leap with me Jeremy. I know it hasn't always been smooth sailing, but I love you more and more every day. Thank you for helping me be the person I want to be.

Stay tuned for some long over due crafty goodness. Miss Aurora will be SIX this week, and I have some fun stuff in the works. Speaking of which, I better get sewing if I am going to finish in time!

Still no crafting

2008-11-11T18:45:00.001-07:00

But I liked this....so this is what you get. :)

And actually now that i think about it, I don't think I ever showed you the tooth fairy pillows I made. Good stuff. I shall post on that tomorrowish.

A fun contest

2008-11-08T21:32:00.005-07:00

I am still a bit scant on the crafting, but I wanted to tell you about a fun contest. The above is a link to Fabric Bliss. The contest is for one of 5 grab bags of fabric and notions that you will have until the end of the month to make into something "apparel -ish" When you finish you send a pic to Jen and people vote on the best one. The winner gets a $100 gift card to the Fabric Bliss store! So fun!! I have signed up, and you should too!!

Big Things

2008-11-03T23:21:00.004-07:00

There hasn't been much crafting going on here, but I did want to post about a couple of things. I know there are only a few readers here, but really, it only takes one person to make a difference so, why not!

First things first. VOTE!! Really. I have always been pretty fascinated by the democratic process, and have never missed a presidential election, but a few years ago when I saw the HBO movie Iron Jawed Angels I swore I would never miss a vote again. If you don't know the history of the suffrage movement this movie is a good intro. Anyway, even if you feel like your vote doesn't count, do it. People died to give you that right. *stepping off soap box*

Second, and really in the long run more importantly, check out Mama To Mama. I have been a long time follower of Amanda Soule. The woman is inspiring. She has a new site that encourages helping others through crafting. Awesome! This first project is making newborn baby hats for babies in Haiti. Reading the post broke my heart. How on earth in a country so close to ours can 12% of the children die before the age of 5?? That is unacceptable and lead me to a few hours of research on Haiti. It is heartbreaking. Amanda has a good point. It is easy to feel like there is no way you, just one person, could make a difference in such a grave situation, but perhaps if we all work together we can. The baby hats they are making are easy, and made from old t-shirts. If you have a sewing machine and a few extra hours (or even minutes really) do you think you could make a few? Every single hat matters. And for a few other ideas on how you can help and learn more about Haiti check here. I have been feeling so wrapped up in my life and this business and all the stuff that goes with it, I think this Mama To Mama program will be great. I think I will get my girls involved too. It is always good to have a reality check on just how little I have to complain about.

Pictures and some homespun goodness should be coming soon. I am still waiting for the charger for my camera to return from Florida.

Growing Up

2008-10-21T20:32:00.005-06:00

Can you believe that not only did my baby start kindergarten this year, but tonight she lost her first tooth!?!? Crazy! Where did the time go??
She is so proud of this new development. She was very excited about both showing off her tooth at show and tell tomorrow, and the impending visit from the tooth fairy tonight. When I explained that the tooth fairy visit will leave her with nothing to show at school, she thought for a minute and said "Can we call her and ask her to wait until tomorrow night?" :) Love that kid. She also pointed out that it would give me time to make her a tooth pillow. Good point! Want to see my favorite part of this whole thing??
Got to love that toothless smile!

A little Break

2008-10-20T22:19:00.002-06:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I post so infrequently I am always on break, but this time I actually have an excuse. Not only has life with a new business been insanely busy (really I want my life back) but last week I spent 7 glorious days on the Florida pan handle. It was heaven.....a heaven I was forced to leave against my will. *sigh* Oh to be independently wealthy. I have some cute pics from the beach, plus I have been knitting and sewing a bit. OH! And there was the haul from the fabulous quilt shop where fabric averaged $6.95/yd! Did I mention that gas was only $2.72/gallon. Heaven. Oh yes, back to the pictures, I can't find the cords/base to my camera right now. Pictures will have to wait. So to tide you over I will give you this to make you happy. (My friend Lori had it on her blog....LOVE IT!)

1.2.3.4. Lairds just back from the shore. I'll be back with pictures and maybe a quilt top or two in a few days.

A Sad Day

2008-09-11T17:44:00.005-06:00

I don't think I will ever forget getting the call from my husband (then boyfriend) Jeremy telling me of the World Trade Center attacks. He is a journalist and told me to turn on the news. I swear I stood in that spot completely stunned for 30 minutes, unable to truly fathom what had happened. My brother is a pilot for American Airlines, and as I felt the relief in knowing he was safe, my heart ached for all the families and friends that lost someone. Seven years. Wow. There have been so many changes in our world in that seven years. It is a different world in many ways. I miss the world we had before. I miss September 11th being just another day on the calendar.

To add to this sad day early this morning my Grandma passed away. She was my last surviving grandparent. She was a very private person and even though she was a hard person to know I loved her, and I will miss her. I have fond memories of our summer visits to Grandma and Grandpa's beautiful home near Portland Oregon. We went to the beach, visited the state park near their home and enjoyed the amazing meals she would prepare for us. Grandma showed her love by cooking. She was an amazing cook. She also had a great sense of humor. Her life was spent as a devoted wife and mother. We lost my grandpa 4 years ago, and I know she missed him. They were a matched set, and life was hard without her best friend. She was ready to go, and I know she is at peace. As I sit here looking at the half finished quilt top that I had intended to finish for her birthday last month, I wonder why I always think there will be more time. I got busy, and it was set aside. I'm sorry Grandma. I should have made the time. I love you.
My Grandma and Grandpa on their 60th Wedding anniversary 10 years ago

Totally unrelated note

**This month Nascar is doing a promotion with the National Marrow Donor Program. Many people with life threatening diseases are waiting for a bone marrow donor. If they do not have a suitable match within their family, they rely on the Bone Marrow Registry. Getting on the Registry is simple, but you usually have to pay $52 for the tissue-typing kit. Thanks to Nascar's generosity, if you sign up before September 22nd they will cover that cost! Check out the site and send for your kit.**

Labor Filled Labor Day

2008-09-02T19:13:00.006-06:00

It seems there is no rest for the weary. LOL We took advantage of the three day weekend and gave the daycare a little face lift. What do you think?? **WARNING- Picture Overload**

New Signs! Still a work in progress.
The Reception Desk/area
Hand print trees. We repainted the trunks brown (they were teal) and added the green leaves.
Shot of the daycare from the desk.
View from the back.

Pretty much every surface has been repainted. It was A LOT of work. There were some 18 hour days in there. It was a little like the birthing kind of labor, hard while it was happening, thinking there was no way it would ever be over and we were sure we had made a HUGE mistake, but now that it is over we LOVE our baby. :)

Now on to tomorrow......my little Aurora is starting Kindergarten! I'll try to post pics.

Absentee Blogger

2008-08-20T23:38:00.004-06:00

Three weeks. Wow. I have to say that my life has been turned pretty much upside down in that three weeks. I haven't sewn in ages. I have gifts that need to be mailed, and I am behind in pretty much everything that has anything to do with keeping house. When I do find a spare moment I end up day dreaming about knitting a pair of socks or sewing the binding on a quilt. Relaxing things. Things that calm me. Things I love. Then I am jolted back into my hectic reality that leaves little time for such luxuries. *sigh* Good things are happening though. Exciting things. The down side is that often good and exciting things require a lot of effort.

I am not sure if I ever mentioned it here, but last November I started working at a small daycare close to my house. I was considering going back to work, but before I took the plunge I thought it might be good to find a nice transitional job to test the waters. The daycare serves a gym, but also provides hourly drop in child care to the general public. It doesn't pay much and I wasn't working many hours, but it was nice to have extra money to spend on my expensive fabric and yarn habit. Since I could bring the girls with me it didn't take much away from my home time either. Well, three weeks ago when a coworker confided that she was considering taking over operation of the daycare and was a bit overwhelmed, I asked if she had considered taking on a business partner. The was the beginning of a whirlwind of events. We have now formed our own little company and we are days away from taking over operations. This has been A LOT more work than I had anticipated, but I think our hard work will pay off. We have taken on a brand new staff, made a few small cosmetic changes (with bigger and better ones on the horizon) and put blood, sweat and tears (not to mention our hearts and souls) into this. So many emotions have come into play. First, this is just plain scary, but it is also fun and exciting. I have seldom been so stressed and exhausted, but it is a bit exhilarating taking your future into your own hands. I also feel really good about what we want to provide to the community. And hey, if you know anyone looking for reliable drop-in or part-time child care, send them my way! :)

All of this basically boils down to the fact that I miss you internet. I will be back though, I promise. It just may be a little slow going for a while. I have some WIPs that I have to get done ASAP, plus I have been feeling the knitting bug biting, so perhaps I will finally finish a few things that have been on my needles for far too long and even though I swore I would never do it, I suddenly have the urge to knit a pair of socks! Why?? Who knows, I am not a sock person at all, but this technique intrigues me. Turning the heel looked entirely too complicated since I seldom wear socks it didn't seem worth the effort, but who knows. Stranger things have happened. I will try to check in soonish, and if any crafty fun sneaks into my life it will be properly photographed and posted....unless I forget. I promise to try not to forget. :)

See you soon!

With my freeze ray I will.....

2008-08-01T00:00:00.007-06:00

I should be sleeping. Really, I am exhausted. Want to know what I have been doing for the last few hours instead??? Trying to find the components for a Dr Horrible costume. Why?? Because I am obsessed! What is Dr Horrible?? Joss Whedon of Buffy and Firefly fame made a 3 part "sing-along blog" for the internet. It is awesome! Act 1 debuted on the internet July 19th, and I have been hooked! I even bought it on itunes when it was no longer available on the website, which is really why I hadn't mentioned it. By the time I thought to talk about it the free option had been taken down....but it's back!!

The above picture is a link. Once you are there, click on "watch it right now". I am not sure how long it will be there for free. Go, quick, you won't regret it I promise. It is 42 minutes well spent. You can come back and thank me later. Then you too can spend countless hours trying to find that lab coat (and singing the addicting songs). To save you all precious time and sleep I did find the goggles, boots, and gloves. I think I will have to sew the coat myself. Perhaps modifying a chef coat pattern. Will Jeremy actually wear this costume?? Probably not, so plan b will be for me to be Dr Horrible. Anyone know where I can get a Neil Patrick Harris wig??

Back to my roots

2008-07-27T21:47:00.011-06:00

Okay, so I think I have had enough of the travel pics. They are just making me wistful for the carefree vacation days and I haven't got the time to be wistful! So how about I show you some of my recent projects?

This is a quilt I did to celebrate the birth of my new niece Caroline. I didn't get it done before we left, but somehow I had images of me sewing this in the KOA's we were staying at on the way to PA. What was I thinking?? I had planned on taking a lovely picture of it among the mountain laurel or other beautiful sites, but it was rainy and I was swollen, and really the best I could do was the industrial carpet of the cabin. *sigh* I didn't get a chance to do a label, so I will have another chance to properly document this quilt. I did the disappearing nine patch and was really pleased with the result. I am sure I will use that block again.

While I was in Ontario, there was another addition to my family. Little Jonas was born on June 23rd (grandchild #20 on my side of the family). One of the first things I did after coming home was to go and meet this sweet little man and then I had to get working on a quilt for him. It is still in progress, but the top is completed. I just need to go and get some batting to finish it up. Truthfully, I am still on the fence with this one. I am not sure I like the border. I do think that the dark brown binding will tie it in, but I don't know. What do you think??

Last but not least, a few weeks ago on a blog I read I saw a sneak peek of a little girl nursery done in a cup cake theme. It was SO cute that I knew I needed to do a quilt with the same theme. Janelle was still here then, so when we were visiting a local quilt shop and I saw cup cake fabric I was off and running. Again, this is just a top right now.
(please ignore the wrinkles and threads in the second pic, I wanted you to see the cuteness of the cupcake fabric) I was going to keep it as is, but I might add a border.....maybe. I like the simple pink and white, but I think adding some brown might be cute. A border?? Yes...no?? I think this will be going to my little niece Josie (grandchild #14 on Jeremy's side) who will be making her grand appearance in September. Lucky me I get to go to the white sand beaches of Florida to deliver it to her! :)

I am now back to working on my grandma's quilt. I have had a bit of quilter's block trying to get this one done. I was trying to add in some vintage embroidery of hers, but it just wasn't coming together, so I have gone back to basics. I REALLY wanted this to be done before her birthday next week, but that is a lofty goal....especially without my handy quilting assistant Janelle. (she cut out both Jonas and Josie's quilts) I will keep you updated on the progress.

Did I say a picture a day?

2008-07-22T22:04:00.004-06:00

I so totally meant one every so often as time permits. Yeah, sorry about that. So here is today's installment.

Aren't these dresses cute?? Janelle's sister Colleen made the pattern and cut them out, Janelle pieced them, and Sandra, Janelle's mom, finished them. The girls looked so cute together in them. The above picture was taken on the Anne of Green Gables bridge. You know, the bridge at the end with Gilbert?? Yes, that bridge.

Janelle out did herself and made a little wardrobe of matching clothes for all the girls. Though I think we mey have looked like a polygamist family when we went to the zoo with all the kids. Think 3 women, 5 kids all in coordinating dresses, and one lone man. Good times!

I would say tune in tomorrow, but really, let's face it, I can't promise that. So tune in soon for more pics. A quilt or two perhaps??

Trek East

2008-07-17T22:16:00.011-06:00

To drive to Pennsylvania I had to drive across seven states in 5 days. Since Jeremy could only take a week off work, I followed my parents out. It was less expensive than 3 plane tickets especially since we avoided hotel costs staying in my parents RV. It was a lot of driving, and I was alone with my kids in the car. Luckily the scenery made up for it a little. I made sure to take pictures in every state. Well, every state but one. Since Eve was vomiting much of the first day taking pictures was a low priority. So you are missing Wyoming. Wyoming is a state with some breath taking scenery, but if you have ever driven from Evanston to Cheyenne you know that you aren't missing anything. If you haven't made that drive trust me. So we will start with Nebraska:

Iowa

Illinois

Indiana

Ohio

Pennsylvania

It was such a beautiful drive. I was sad to see it end. ;) My favorite souvenir of the drive?? The additional 2 inches that was added to my ankles. Apparently my ankles don't travel well. LOL

Back to normal

2008-07-17T00:44:00.007-06:00

*sigh* My vacation is now officially over. Janelle is gone. :( As I drove away from the airport fighting tears Aurora announced "It is hard having nice friends, you miss them too much when they leave" Perceptive. Goodbyes are never fun, but I have the best BFF in the whole world, and I'll take the sad goodbyes and keep her as a friend. (I might also encourage her to move to Utah.....great hair, great fabric, fabulous late night sewing buddy....what more could you ask for??)

If there was a way to capture the whole Ontario/Utah adventure I think it would be this:

When we got to Utah we established a pretty consistent late night dessert routine. We would sew, watch Big Love and some hilarious local mormon movie and eat treats. Usually ones covered in Cool Whip. The treats (like this trip) looked excessive and indulgent when on the plate, but ended way too soon. If I could make my eyebrows do that I would be sporting the look in that second picture right now.

I will have to drown my sorrows in new fabric...... new fabrics and pomtinis. Fabric makes me happy. The other day we just happened to hit The Whimsy Cottage moments after several new lines of fabric were put out. It was amazing! To keep ourselves disciplined we only bought fat quarters.....lots of them! This will be a yearly ritual. Remember that fabulous birthday quilt Janelle made me?? It was a result of last year's Whimsy Cottage raid. I could live at that store....and since it is for sale I am considering it!

I was looking for a pic of Janelle and I together, but I don't think we got one! How did that happen?? I do have 6 weeks worth of vacation photo's though....I also have the crafty spoils of spending time with Janelle. Would a picture a day for the next week or so be fun?? It would for me, and since it is my blog we'll do it. So tune in tomorrow-ish.

Back as promised

2008-07-09T22:32:00.009-06:00

I am stuffed. Dinner was SO good! We went to the Senora Grill. It is a new restaurant that is part of The Junction development in Ogden. The menu is authentic Mexican food with a lot of yummy, and surprisingly healthy choices. The guacamole was excellent, and they prepare it for you right at the table. The literal icing on the cake was when they gave me a free dessert for my birthday. I have no idea what this delicious concoction was called, but it involved fresh mangoes, vanilla whip cream, and tiny fried tortillas dipped in cinnamon sugar. YUM! I guess there are perks to turning 30 (well, I think I would have gotten the dessert anyway, but I need to work THIRTY in there some how...) So go to Senora Grill. Good stuff. I hadn't planned on the free dessert, so there was pie waiting for us after dinner, and who turns down pie?? If there was ever an occasion for 2 desserts, I think it is your 30th birthday. :) We ate up the fresh strawberry, but there is still some razzleberry left. Breakfast perhaps??

Now to the pictures. I didn't really open any gifts today. I did open a few cards, including a few really great home made pop up ones from the girls. Janelle gave me my gift while I was in Canada. Her family had a little birthday celebration for me, and they wanted to see me open the gift. Janelle told me she would not make me a quilt this year for my birthday (she did last year), but she lied....and what is even better is that in honor of our 2 year BFFiversary she made herself a matching one. So my quilt has a twin in Canada. Isn't it amazing?? I love it. It is on my lap right now. Yes, I know it is 100 degrees outside (about 38 for you celsius folks), but air conditioning can feel a bit chilly.....plus it is very cute and I like to look at it. :) It is made out of fabric that she bought on her trip out last year, and some I sent to her a few months ago. I love it. Plus it has a neato label. Thank you Janelle. You are the best BFF a girl could ask for. As an added bonus your family is pretty cool too. I should have taken a picture of the Coffee Crisps your mom bought me. They are yummy and I love them too!

Jeremy's birthday was while we were back east. We actually had a really great day at the Statue of Liberty, but since we were across the country we didn't do gifts. He decided it would be fun for us to have his and hers bikes, so when I got back from Canada I saw this. Yes, it is a pink cruiser and I love it. I even got a pink helmet to go with it. YAY!! Do I look a bit ridiculous on it?? Probably. Do I love riding it?? Absolutely. Thanks baby! You do know me. I should also mention the 2 dozen roses he brought home today. Yeah, he's a pretty nice guy.

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-07-09T01:58:00.002-06:00

I will blog with pictures later today, I promise. I want to show off my birthday presents! (Janelle made me a quilt you will all be jealous of, and my pink bike might just be the cutest bike ever) Until then, I have the sweetest little sister in the whole wide world. Really, she is great! She did a whole blog post to me, and I love it! You should read it. It says I am pretty so it is OBVIOUSLY true, and without bias! :)

Checking In

2008-06-25T13:27:00.004-06:00

This blog has been on my mind daily for the past three weeks. Initially, I couldn't bump Aaron down. I will admit that is still on my mind. Life goes on, but I can't help but feel bad about that. It seems so cruel, I need it stop.....even if it is just for a few minutes. *sigh*

Life has been non stop. On June 7th, I packed up my kids and, following my parents RV, set off on a cross country adventure. Forty minutes in I hear the words no parent wants to hear while embarking on a 5 day drive. "Mommy I throwed up!" Poor Eve was such a little trooper though, and we made it through. Things seem to have come full circle now. I am on the last leg of my trip in Toronto, Ontario visiting a friend, and I am sick. The yucky, I want my mommy and my own bed kind of sick. The good part is that I have more help with my kids than I ever would at home. The bad part?? Lots and lots of vomit. I think I am on an upswing now (fingers crossed).

I have so much to tell and show you. When I left I had decided to switch my crafty focus to a travel focus and take you along for the ride. I haven't been able to orchestrate that, but I have pictures and stories to tell. They will have to wait though. The thought of leaving this comfy couch to find my camera is far to overwhelming. They will come soon. I promise.

Loss for words

2008-05-28T18:10:00.006-06:00

I have been trying to write this post for about 3 days. I am just at a loss for words. That beautiful woman that you see is my friend Aaron. We have been internet pals for over 2 years. We met when she was in the midst of a personal tragedy. I thought I could help her through it, and while I think I did do that, in the end she helped me more than she will ever know. Even though she lived 2 states away I was lucky enough to spend a little bit of time with her in person. What an amazing spirit! Through email, phone calls and in person visits, I came to love this vivacious, fun, and intelligent woman. She was amazing and she did things that I was/am too scared to do (like finish college while raising babies). She was incredibly talented and full of life. This woman could do anything.....play the piano and organ, scrap book, sew, paint, cook, teach etc etc etc. She was also the mom to three sweet little boys. You can only imagine how excited I was when she let me know her husband got a job less than 30 min from me! She was just waiting to finish out her first year of teaching before she moved out. Last weekend she finally embarked on her move. Sadly, her journey was cut short when their car was involved in a roll over accident and she was killed. I honestly still cannot believe it. Twenty-five year old mothers of three young children should not die.....ever. It seems so unfair that this incredible person's life was cut short. It is unfathomable that three little boys will have to grow up without their mother. I am just unspeakably sad, and I miss my friend. I hope she knew that even though I wasn't always great about keeping in touch, her friendship meant a lot to me, and I was so excited to spend time with her. She could light up a room, even with an email. I hope her boys will always know just how much their mom loved and adored them. I loved that in the midst of extraordinary mischief Aaron always thought to get out the camera. I can't help but smile when I think about pictures of Ben and Sam covered in flour, or all three of them caked in mud. Even when at the end of her rope, she saw the humor, and took a picture. Aaron- I will miss those emails and blog posts. I will miss your bright smile and encouraging words. I will miss the play dates, girls nights out, and crafty days we had planned. I have told you before that you inspire me. That hasn't changed. Your life may have been short, but it was filled with purpose. You left quite a legacy and touched so many lives. I hope at the end of my life I will have accomplished as much. Goodbye friend. I miss you.

Brain Dead

2008-05-09T10:52:00.003-06:00

Those of you who know me really well, know that I seldom go very far without my laptop. I frequently refer to it as my brain. Well, my poor little brain has decided it no longer wants to charge and it has left me essentially brain dead. I am hoping to have things up and running soon.....I need my laptop! I really like to have a picture with my posts, but now I really have nothing accessible. There will probably be very little blogging done until I get my brain back. This will teach me to live a virtually paperless life with EVERYTHING (and I do mean everything) stored in one place!

In a quick slightly Twilight related mention. Stephenie Meyer's first non Twilight book, The Host, was released a couple of days ago. It isn't YA like the Twilight Saga, and I think her writing has really come a long way (yes, even me the rabid Twilight fan can understand some of the criticism. The captivation story over came the writing flaws for me). Recommending books is always a gamble, but I loved this book.......I couldn't put it down. It is a love story with a sci fi spin (I am not usually a sci fi fan) Oddly enough, it was a deeply human story even though the main character was an alien. I might even like this one better than Twilight. I am not sure yet. I inhaled the book and am hoping she continues on this story. Anyway, if you were on the fence about checking out The Host, just take the plunge. I don't think you will regret it.

Six Years

2008-05-05T18:37:00.010-06:00

*sigh* What a nice weekend. We had a great time. Nice hotel, beautiful locale, time alone with my love, great food, and eating creme brulee with 2 meals in a row. Yes, I ordered the creme brulee at dinner, then the next morning at brunch I was elated to see a virtual mountain of creme brulee. I was proud of myself for stopping at one...it was all you can eat. Now, that is self control! LOL

The past 6 years have sure been a whirlwind. In so many ways it seems like yesterday and in others I cannot remember my life before Jeremy and my girls. We have been so blessed. It hasn't all been easy, but I cannot imagine a happier life. Thanks for a great 6 years babe! Here's to many, many more!

(oh, you may have noticed my new Twilight Countdowns. Yeah, yeah, yeah it is YA romantic fiction about vampires, but I am smitten!! In fact I am a bit of a fanatic! I will warn you that there are several Twilight related events coming up, so there might be a bit of Twilight gushing in the next few months....fair warning for all you Twilight haters. LOL)

Itty Bitty Baby Dresses

2008-05-03T10:34:00.006-06:00

I got a brand new little niece yesterday and while i am working on a quilt for her, I really wanted to have something for her now. (plus I have lots of scraps from the Juliana quilt, and I just LOVE that color combination) I got this tutorial from Sew Mama Sew's Create and Celebrate, it is really fun and easy, and the pattern is free at Made By Rae. I made 2 because I have a pregnant SIL that had an ultrasound that said it was 60% chance it was a girl (my friend said that sounds like a weather forecast! LOL) My BIL had sent and email saying it was 80%, but apparently he misspoke. I will wait for another couple of days for the definitive 20 wk ultrasound just to be sure. The exciting part is that I get to go meet both of these little girls! We are going to spend a month back east for a family reunion in Pennsylvania and for me to visit my BFF in Canada next month! YAY!! Then in October we get to got to the awesome white sand beaches of the Florida panhandle! So nice. There is a beach house with my name on it, just waiting for me. *sigh* Lots to look forward to.....speaking of which, I have to go. I need to get that dress in the mail before my husband spoils me at a 5 star hotel! Tomorrow is our 6th anniversary.

I'll try to update next week. I have to show you the quilt I am working on for my grandma. I love the thought of the multi-generational sewing project, I am not sure of how it is coming together, and I need some honest opinions. Enjoy your weekend!

****Oh, and notice the button on my sidebar. Tangled and true will have 5 Mother's Day giveaways next week. They always have great stuff, so you want to check this out!****

Finished!!

2008-04-21T01:57:00.002-06:00

This quilt really should have been done ages ago, but some fabric delays, mono, and a bit of sewing avoidance held off the finished project. It is now all done and not a moment too soon since it is for a birthday that is rapidly approaching!! Now, to just get it in the mail. I hate the post office!

I am in love with the fabrics, but I am still deciding if I like the back. I think I do, maybe..... well it is done and washed and sitting with the sweet doll quilt all ready to go. I should have probably waited to post until after the package had arrived, but this is going to my younger sister's daughter. Natalie and I are almost incapable of keeping secrets from one another. Really, we even told each other what we were getting for Christmas. It is a disease! LOL So she would have seen it anyway.

I was at my parents today and my mom showed me a stack of old cross stitches that my grandma did. I will see if I can photograph them tomorrow. The great thing about them, is that they were originally stenciled by my great grandmother but she never got to them. My grandmother completed the embroidery, but never did anything with them. My mom saved them from being donated, and now, I want to finish them. Multi generational crafting! I love it!! I had already started working on (read: began to cut out squares) a quilt for my grandma (for Mother's day??) and am thinking I will incorporate one of the designs into the quilt. Even though there are 5 designs, they don't really go together all that well, so I think they will all need to be separate projects. Any brilliant ideas on how to incorporate a 15"x22" cross stitch into a quilt? I'd love to hear some ideas!!

Sweet Eve

2008-04-12T20:41:00.007-06:00

Since the birthday, bike and mono all belonged to my sweet little girl I thought I would give her a post of her very own.

First of all she celebrated her 3rd birthday!! She has been a bit jealous of her older sister's two wheeler, but we just didn't feel like she was quite ready for that, so we got her this sweet little Boot Scoot bike. It is basically just a two wheel bike without pedals. The kids learn to balance on the two wheels without having worry about the pedals too. This style of bike has been in Europe for years, but is just starting to make it's way into the US.
She just adores it and asks to ride bikes almost every day. That has been hindered a bit by illness. Eve has been running fevers for about a month (remember the febrile seizures a while back?) I wasn't too worried, but they seemed to be getting higher, and lasting longer. When she decided she wasn't going to walk anymore I got her right into the pediatrician. Infectious Mononucleosis. *sigh* We actually think Aurora had it too, but she stayed with the typical response for young children, and just seemed to have a bad cold (and some REALLY funky looking tonsils). The pediatrician said that this was the most severe case of mono he has seen in a little kid. This is basically what we saw of Eve for 2 weeks. (unless it was after 1 am then it was just a lot of screaming and refusing to sleep in any position that wasn't on mommy's chest in the recliner or on the couch)

She is still a bit more tired that usual, but is just now starting to sleep through the night again. Even better, she seems to have her manners back. I was sure she had been taken by aliens and replaced with a child that was just as cute as my baby, only this child spoke only in a mime/screaming/ASL hybrid that was very hard to decipher causing wide spread frustration. She did maintain her honesty though and one night when I asked her if I could take her to her room without all the screaming she replied "No mom, I still scream." How can you not appreciate such candor? :)

Evie, I have no idea what our family did without you! You are such an incredible little person. Smiles seem to follow where ever you go and really, their isn't a sound in the world sweeter than your little voice. There is no one so quick to hug, kiss, snuggle and apologize. Aurora couldn't have asked for a better side kick, oh the adventures you two create! You have been a sweet surprise from the moment you gently came into my world. I can't wait to see what you have waiting for us tomorrow!

I love you!!!

This was taken just a moment ago. Jeremy went to a work party and since I am feeling under the weather (please not mono, please not mono, please not mono) I stayed home with the girls. Being a Saturday night I agreed to let them stay up late so they could enjoy the brownies they made with daddy. Eve disappeared and Aurora came running in to me as I was writing this post. "Mommy, Eve looks so cute! Get the camera!" How could I refuse? Here she is sleeping in their doll cradle.

Finished Project!!!

2008-04-02T14:27:00.008-06:00

Okay, I have A LOT of updating to do with you all, but that will require a bit of time that I just don't have right now. I do, however, want to share with you a pic of the doll quilt I finished today. This, and a coordinating bigger quilt, are in celebration of my niece Juliana's 3rd birthday. She adopted an old quilt of her mama's and it is just falling apart. I decided she needed one of her very own!! Her quilt is nearing completion, so you will see that soon. I hope this tides you over until then.

The selvedge back was inspired by Jodie at Ric-Rac. you have to check her out! She has THE cutest little dolls she sells on etsy. I love her blog! I am so happy with how this little quilt turned out. I am thinking about making a few little doll quilts to sell on etsy. They are fun and quick and SO cute! I am not sure they would have selvedge backs... but they would be cute! What do you guys think??

Oh, and as a sneak peek to the upcoming update, here is the working title: NOT Moving, Birthday, Bike, and Mono. :)

Quilt Giveaway!

2008-03-13T23:28:00.004-06:00

Dana, over at Old Red Barn is giving away a quilt to celebrate her 200th blog post! The quilt is amazing and made from one of my FAVORITE fabric lines, Katie Jump Rope by Denyse Schmidt. She is also going to give away two $35 gift certificates to her natural body care product company Old Red Barn Co. All you have to do is comment on her blog! Click on the little button on the left and it will take you right to the post!! The contest ends Wednesday, March 19th at 7:00pm EDT. So hurry on over!

Good luck (but I really want this..... perhaps I should rethink telling all my friends!)

sigh of relief

2008-03-12T00:40:00.004-06:00

I heard back from the pediatric neurologist. He called me a few minutes after my last post. Eve's EEG came back looking normal! Can you feel the weight lifting!?!? I am SO relieved. He did say that we aren't in the clear yet. Her headaches are reason for concern, and we need to watch that. She will be on seizure watch for at least the next 3 months, and we have a long list of seizure precautions (most of which do not apply to a 3 year old! No skiing for Evie!) We also cannot go anywhere more that 15 min away from an ER with out medication that can stop a seizure. He feels comfortable taking a wait and see approach, and I am happy with that.

All in all, it is the best news I could receive. I think for the first time in a week I might be able to sleep without 15 trips to check on my sweet girl.

The Waiting Game

2008-03-11T17:32:00.012-06:00

I know I have all but abandoned my blog. I had such great hopes for March. The grand opening of my Etsy store, 2 quilts, some long over due gifts, and some fun stuff for me. That has all been put on hold. Technically, I could still be sewing, but somehow I became totally paralyzed dealing with a couple of events.

First, there is the looming possibility of a move to Washington State. With that comes needing to sell a home in an unfavorable market, and loads of stress. Just thinking about it makes me want to sit on the couch and eat some ice cream (I did do that for a few days) We should be making a decision in the next week or so.

Second, last week was a rough one for us. My kids have been battling colds and fevers for a bit, but on Monday night when I went to check on my youngest, Eve, she was having a seizure. Now, intellectually I know that febrile seizures are relatively common in small children, and not particularly worrisome, but when a mother sees her child having a seizure it is hard to not be very worried. I called our nurse line and they wanted me to take Eve to the ER. So I get her dressed and in the car and head to the hospital. Jeremy stayed home with a sleeping Aurora. When I was about half way there she started to seize again. SO SCARY!! Now, after a visit to the ER, a pediatric neurologist, our pediatrician, and a battery of tests, we are hoping it is nothing, but still waiting on the results from her EEG. I guess the fact that she had two back to back is cause for concern. Also concerning is that she has started to complain of headaches. We were supposed to have the test results Monday, but they are running behind, so we won't know for a few more days. This wait is excruciating. I don't even care about the job, or the move, or making quilts. I just need them to tell me that my baby is fine. The sooner the better!

So there is my excuse. I will update about both the move and Evie soon (I hope). I hate the waiting game. The worst case scenarios in my brain need to be stopped! In the mean time, I will try to convince myself that being busy would be best, and will have a few completed projects to share soon.

Pay It Forward

2008-02-19T18:25:00.006-07:00

My friend Lisa had this on her blog. I promised to post this last week.....oops! Sorry Lisa! Better late than never right??? --it's called "Pay It Forward". Here's how it works:

“I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this Pay It Forward (PIF) exchange. You may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, which is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.”

I wanted to see how long this has been making the rounds and I was able to go back almost a year!! So let's keep it going!! One problem, I can't decide what I am going to make. A purse?? (scroll down for pictures) A pillow?? A surprise?? I'm not sure. (do you have a preference?) It will be good I promise! Anyway,I will make something for the first 3 people who comment if you just pledge to pay it forward on your blog too. I think I can beat the 365 day deadline.....I will shoot for a month. :)

***ETA I think maybe the "handmade" might put people off, but be creative!! One of the PIF's I came across was offering cookies and brownies. YUM!! So this doesn't HAVE to be something sewn....just something from you! :)***

Nine patch pillow

2008-02-07T15:31:00.002-07:00

9 patch pillow
Originally uploaded by nic7978.

What do you think of my new pillow?? Well, it isn't really mine. My mom wanted a pillow to match her new quilt. Why turn down a fun new project?? This block is called a disappearing nine patch. I got the idea over at Sew Mama Sew's Quilt Month. This a variation of a nine patch, and even though it looks complex, it is really simple. It was fun to make and I now plan on making a whole quilt in this pattern. If you click on the picture it will send you over to flickr where you can see the back. (it's cute too!!)

WINNER!!!!

2008-02-03T00:09:00.000-07:00

We have a winner. And the results have me about to pee my pants laughing. Why, you ask?? Well, I notice it is midnight, so I close the comments on the giveaway and am totally dumbfounded by the 137 comments. I mean really.....137!?!?! I have never had more than 8 comments! Anyway, I head on over to random.org and press "get numbers".

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

107

Timestamp: 2008-02-03 07:02:27 UTC

I count down the list of comments to #107 and land on none other that may fabulous BFF Janelle, who I had to talk into entering! Honestly, what are the odds of that?? (yes, i know 1 in 137....leave me alone. It is a figure of speech) She also made some ridiculous requests, that because I love her I will do my best to accommodate! How much to you think it will cost to ship a pony to Canada??? :) The good news for all of you is that Janelle is allergic to dairy and cannot drink my lovely hot cocoa so I decided to pick another name as well. (besides, it does look a little suspect)

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

82

Timestamp: 2008-02-03 07:18:18 UTC

So my other winner is Natalie! You guys have to go check out her etsy shop Ear Candy. There is some seriously cute stuff in there......I love the Twilight earrings. I wonder if it is named after the book.....that would make me love them even more!! Anyway, Natalie will get the hot cocoa and also some coasters.

Bloggy Giveaway Goodness!!

2008-01-29T13:58:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have been sucked into the giving. I had decided not to, but then I was entering all these contests and I realized I was being really selfish! I am not selfish (normally!) so I will have a giveaway too. What will you get??? Well, there was no prior planning, so you get what I am currently doing....coasters! Good thing they are cute! LOL So if you win, you will get a set of 4 coasters and a container of Stephen's Hot Cocoa (locally made, and I adore it!) I am feeling generous, so it is open to everyone (yes, that means you international giveaway people!)

How do you enter?? Just comment on this post by midnight on Saturday February 2nd. Easy peasy! Make sure that there is a way to contact you...ie blog or email. I will hold my drawing (via random number generator) on Sunday, February 3rd sometime. Probably during the endless amount of football going on. I will post (and contact) the winner by Monday.

There are loads of things being given away, just click the link above and join in the fun!

Fresh Cut Windows

2008-01-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my parents Christmas gift.....and only a month late too! Last year's gift (a family portrait) was not received until November. So I am improving. Next year's gift might even get to spend a little time under the tree. Well, let's just aim for December okay?? :)
This was a quilt kit that I bought from a local quilt shop. I adore everything Heather Bailey, and I loved the quilt. The only change I made was the binding. I really like to bias cut my binding, especially with a stripe, and there wasn't enough fabric in the kit for that. I couldn't find any of the Fresh Cut stripe locally, and I was too impatient to buy it online, so I found another stripe I liked and used that. The quilt had a few major catastrophes.....never leave your kids access to a WIP while you sneak in a quick shower......but after all is said and done I am really pleased. There was a HUGE pucker that made me really sad, but you know, once I washed and dried the quilt it was barely noticeable. My mom loves it which is the most important thing so YAY! Mission accomplished.
In other fun news, a week or so ago, sewmamasew.com asked people what their favorite quilting books were. I listed mine and was chosen randomly to win a fat quarter stack! YAY!! I just got them yesterday and love the fun variety. I am on a bit of a fabric diet, so free fabric was a great surprise!
And this picture??? This is my newly retired father at my nephew Eli's 2nd birthday party. I think retirement suits him, don't you??

Craptastic pictures!

2008-01-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

I sew almost every day.....and if there wasn't any sewing, I am sure there was knitting. I need to create. It is me. It keeps me sane. I used to write. I have journals full of poems and stories. Somehow, when I stopped being the tortured depressed soul that I was as a teenager my need (and truthfully, my talent) for writing vanished. Sometimes it makes me sad. I miss putting my thoughts down on paper and having them become beautiful creatures of their very own. I tried to recapture my affair with the written word, but it was never the same. So I left dejected, and somehow feeling like a part of me had died. It was my own creative "dark ages", no, that's not right. It was more of a rediscovery. That time was spent finding me. Amid that search, I found my soul mate, got married and had children. So I guess creativity wasn't gone, I was just creating lives. First my own, followed by my sweet children. It was so easy to become wrapped up in motherhood. What a rewarding thing to be wrapped up in! Still, part if me was trying break though. Then a little over a year ago I learned to knit. It was like something awoke in me. Something long forgotten. I got the same sort of emotional catharsis I had lost when I stopped writing. It was intoxicating, and I was addicted. Knitting gave me the courage to want to create again. So I started sewing. Knitting keeps me balanced, sewing is different. When I knit it is all about the process. The stitches, the yarn, the rhythm. Sewing, for me, is like knitting on speed. Instant gratification. Plus, I just love fabric. I tried to love scrapbooking, I really did. I did love buying the paper......that is where fabric comes in. All the patterns and colors and textures. I could happily get lost in a fabric store.....no a quilt shop. I could live surrounded by yummy yarn and stacks of fat quarters. They just make me happy. Why am I telling you all of this?? LOL Well, I was trying to figure out why I don't update my blog more. I am creating almost daily. I figured it out today. I take craptastic pictures. I will finish something I adore, and want to share it. I pull out my camera and get the most subpar results. It is so disheartening! I need to carve out the time to take a class or something. A New Year's resolution perhaps??

So, without further ado, I give to you my most recent quilt. It was a Christmas gift for the inlaws. I am really pleased with the quilt......the pictures I detest. The only one I have of the completed quilt is blurry, so I will also include some of the top prior to quilting. Maybe next time we visit I will get a picture that does it justice. I should finish another quilt (my parent's belated Christmas quilt) in the next day or so. I am hoping to get some decent pictures. There is always hope, right??

You've got mail!

2007-12-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

I had the best surprise yesterday! About a week ago Amanda Jean from Crazy Mom Quilts let me know that I had won her recent giveaway for a purse. Well, it arrived yesterday and it is fabulous!! It is the perfect size; big, but not too big and SO cute! I promptly transferred all my things into it! Thanks Amanda Jean!! I love it!! (I also love the quilt my bff made me......not only do I curl up with it pretty much every evening, it is also a frequent back drop for my pictures!! Thanks again Janelle!!)

I did find my sewing machine cord. It had been packed up with my old sewing machine. I now have 2 cords so this never happens again! I am REALLY glad to have the use of my machine back and have been sewing as fast as I can........I am still not going to be done on time. Oh well, people are willing to wait for a quilt right?? Besides the on going quilt projects, I have also been working on some little gifts. Sew, Mama, Sew! had fun gift ideas complete with tutorials everyday in November. I have been using these ideas, and they are fun! I made myself and some friends these patchwork scarves (they are fleece on the back and oh so warm!)
Don't you love the headless photo?? LOL Then I have been making these fabulous crayon rolls for all the little people in our lives......I'm thinking about making one for me! :)

Have you seen me???

2007-11-20T22:36:00.000-07:00

My sewing machine cord is gone. Yes, I am freaking out. This is my holiday crafting season! I am in the middle of making 8 sets of gnomes and 2 quilts. Plus, I still need to start 1 more quilt, 4 sets of pajama pants, a couple of skirts, and possibly some aprons and purses. I need that cord! I suppose this means that I will have to give up the ambition of making little Mr. and Mrs. Santa gnomes for everyone at Thanksgiving. :( *sigh* I will consider this fate and reevaluate my holiday sewing. I do still want to give mainly homemade gifts.......I wonder how long it would take Sears to send me a replacement cord??

Getaway and a Makeover!

2007-11-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

I am spoiled! Not always, but in the past week, I have been spoiled rotten!! I could get used to this. I need to start working on becoming independently wealthy so I can keep this up. :)

I had a wonderful weekend away. It was so fun to have such a large block of time to myself. It was spent laughing, crafting, and most importantly in the company of great friends. I was able to get some good sewing in, and made (with help) 2 beautiful Christmas dresses for the girls. The girls love them, and Aurora declared them to be "even more beautiful than the Santa dress at Costco" LOL Good thing! I worked hard on those dresses, there is no way I would buy another one. The dresses fit perfectly, and I just need to hem them.
I also got up the courage to start on the quilt kit I bought for myself on my birthday. It is such a fun quilt. I am excited to finish it up......I just need to buy some more thread.
Now, last, but not least. I have the sweetest husband in the entire world. He has been telling me all week that he had a surprise for me. If you know me very well, you know I hate surprises. Okay, that is not exactly true. I love to be surprised if I don't know it is coming, but waiting for a surprise is torture for me. So this has been driving me CRAZY! So today Jeremy gets home from work and tells the girls we can go for a bike ride and then they will take me to my surprise. So out the door we go, me with no make up and my hair in a pony tail (ie my uniform). We get to the end of the block and Jeremy stops in front of this amazing salon. Then he says "Surprise! You have an appointment for a make over!" It was SO fun! They cut, colored, and styled my hair and did my make up. I felt like a movie star. Eve didn't recognize me....heck, I barely recognized me!! So here I am, new and improved! :)

Oh Canada!

2007-11-07T23:07:00.001-07:00

I am off to visit our northern neighbors. YAY!!! I even have a passport now. Yup, I am officially grown up, and it only took my 29 years to get here! ;) I am beyond excited. This is a just me trip......no kids!!! Did you hear that??? NO KIDS!!! The last time I spent a night without kids was in May 2004. That is a long time. That being said, I have never left my little Evie over night before. She is my little sidekick, and as excited as I am, I am a bit nervous to leave her for 5 days. She'll be okay and not permanently scarred, right??? She is very excited about her sleep overs at both Grandma's and Uncle Jeff's, and the weekend with daddy will be full of fun stuff. Honestly, I am not sure what I am more worried about, her missing me too much and being upset, or her not missing me at all.......nah, she already told me she would miss me! (and Aurora assured me she would miss me the mostest)

You'll miss me too right??? LOL As if I update often enough for you to even notice a 5 day absence! This weekend will be full of crafting and all sorts of other fun, so I plan on coming back with plenty of things to blog about. See you soon!!

I forgot my Blogiversary!

2007-10-23T01:01:00.000-06:00

I was having this blog epiphany a few minutes ago. In the midst of that epiphany, I realized that I missed my blogiversary! Sorry blog! I am apparently the neglectful husband in this relationship. (at present you can blame Stephenie Meyer! She has me simply obsessed!) Above is my obligatory "I'm sorry" flower offering. Um, about the poor photography......It's the thought that counts......right??? As of October 19th I have been blogging for a year now. I know that my readership is pathetically low (good thing, pressure just makes me ramble on aimlessly......oops, I guess I do that anyway!) but thanks for sticking with me. It is fun, and my most successful attempt at regular journaling. Now about that epiphany.......

I was just reading another blog and came across Blogging Without Obligation. I love this. I feel guilty about neglecting my blog WAY too often. It usually just keeps me away longer. So no more! I will not feel guilty about reading vampire books (over and over again) instead of knitting, sewing, and blogging (I will, however, continue to feel guilty about neglecting the laundry! LOL) I will go on my merry way and update when I want to......oh how freeing! I love it!

Tagged!!

2007-10-20T17:05:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I was just reading one of these on another friends blog, when I remembered I had promised Natalie I would do this too.....better late than never.....right???

My Husband

(Seriously! The man is ridiculously handsome!)

What is his name? Jeremy
How long have you been together? We met almost 8 years ago, and have seldom been apart since
How long did you date? 2 1/2 years
How old is he? 35!! Wow.....that looks old! (It's okay baby, we both know you still look younger than I do!)
Who eats more? Jeremy does
Who said I love you first? I did.....by a long shot, but what can I say persistence pays off!
Who is taller? Jeremy (tall dark and handsome!)
Who sings better? I do, though Jeremy's singing is WAY more entertaining!
Who is smarter? Yeah, I'm not ready to concede this one, but Jeremy is a very intelligent man, so I am going to have to say it is a tie!
Whose temper is worse? Mine is......unless he is watching the news or a football game! LOL
Who does the laundry? We both do, but I have more clothes and therefore he does more out of sheer desperation! (I hate laundry!)
Who does the dishes? Both again.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Jeremy.....always
Who pays the bills? Jeremy does. We used to split it up when I was working, but now it is all him! LOL
Who mows the lawn? Jeremy does.....but I would. I really like mowing the grass
Who cooks dinner? Me. (or on the weekend the fabulous chefs at our favorite restaurants!)
Who drives when you are together? Usually Jeremy
Who is more stubborn? I am. Jeremy is a very patient man.
Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? We agree to disagree.....enough said! ;)
Whose parents do you see the most? Mine. They live closer.
Who kissed who first? Jeremy kissed me first. It was amazing.......*sigh* He can still take my breath away.
Who asked who out? Jeremy asked me out......I would have never dared. Have you seen the picture above??? He is seriously HOT!
Who proposed? Long story....really there never was a proposal. I am still a bit miffed! (if he ever asks for advice for a anniversary present suggest a proper proposal!)
Who is more sensitive? I am.
Who has more friends? I do, but his insane schedule doesn't really encourage a social life.
Who wears the pants in the family? I think we both do. We communicate really well, and are often on the same page anyway.

So I am supposed to tag more people....but I will go on the honor system instead.

Knitting Season

2007-10-02T14:38:00.000-06:00

Wow, September flew by! All of the sudden it is crisp and cool.....perfect knitting weather! YAY! When I learned to knit last year about this time, I was addicted. I couldn't imagine a day going by that didn't include knitting, but once spring and summer came, I wanted to put down my needles and do other things. That has passed! There is just something so comforting about knitting in cool weather. I have a few WIPs that I need to finish up, and I am making hats for the girls. Then I think I might just try to tackle a sweater for me! Maybe........seaming still makes me nervous........ :)

Now on to a couple of completed projects.

Do you remember the doll I made Eve for her birthday?? Mia was Eve's favorite thing. She took her everywhere......that was until a visit to Kohls one day in June. I searched the store for and hour. I am not sure who cried more, me or Eve. Well, I made some dolls for a friend and I decided it was time to make another Mia . The Olive pattern gets easier every time I do it, which is good, because the first time was a PITA! So here is Mia with her new friends, Livy and Kitty. I finished Mia in the middle of the night, and decided to put her in bed with Eve. When she woke up there was a squeal from her bedroom and she ran into me saying "Mommy! Mia came home!!"

This fun package was for a secret mom swap I do every month. The girl I had sews quite a bit, so I kept is simple. I did a draw string bag with some note cards and a little pin cushion that matched. I also included a box of chocolates, because, well, who doesn't need chocolate?? I hope she likes it!

Disneyland!

2007-09-18T23:37:00.000-06:00

We had a great time in Disneyland. It was completely exhausting, but it really was a magical place for the girls, and watching that was priceless. Here are a few highlights. I hope you enjoy!!

This sums it up!

2007-09-06T23:32:00.000-06:00

Do you have those weeks were nothing seems to go right?? That was this week! Tuesday a storm blew down our back fence. That is really inconvenient when you have dogs. Want to know what is even less convenient??? Going to Home Depot to check out fencing only to leave the store and find out that your car won't start! ARGH!!!! Good thing we are headed for Disneyland in 3 days (and good thing the trip is paid for.....it may have been canceled after this week!) I have so much to do to get ready for our trip, that I don't think i will get back here before we go. I will update with pics when we get home. I *might* even sneak in some knitting on the plane...so have a great weekend and enjoy the next week. If I find a quiet moment (HA! In a hotel room with 2 kids hyped up on sugar!) I may even update from sunny California!

Checking In

2007-08-13T23:02:00.000-06:00

Crafty pursuits have been few and far between this month. I am part of a month long Breastfeeding awareness campaign, and it is taking up all of my extra time. I am having a blast, and am continually amazed at the incredible women I am meeting everyday. So here's a big shout out to all you breastfeeding moms! What a great sisterhood to share! Oh, and YES!!! I am STILL breastfeeding.....and proud of it! :)

I like posts with pictures so I will show you a couple of projects I did at the beginning of the summer. One of my oldest friends just had a baby (I think! I should call her!!) and I made her a cowboy quilt for her baby shower.

I had so much fun with the fabric, that when I found out a close friend from high school was getting married I made her an apron out of some of the same materials. I love the cute western feel of these. I might have to explore this genre more!

I'm back with a New Look

2007-08-06T00:35:00.000-06:00

Surprised to see me??? No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I was in a blogging rut, and decided to take an unannounced break. Sorry!!! I thought maybe sprucing things up a bit might help me feel inspired. (Now to get me a new look! It has been far to long since I have visited the salon!)

I am in complete disbelief that the summer is almost over! It has been a fun few months filled with family, friends, birthdays, and of course many crafty pursuits. I will try to post a few of the projects I have been working on. It will be good material for the days when I have finished nothing, and still want to post! For now I will give you my most recent. You may remember the fun quilted purse I did for Mother's Day (if not, I think that the pics were in the last post) well, I love that bag. It is a great "night on the town" purse, but it isn't ideal for everyday mom use. Moms need a big more storage space! I still have a little one in diapers, so I need some room, but I don't need the major diaper bag anymore. This purse is my answer. (and it is one cute answer if I do say so myself!) It has a similar shape to the quilted bag, but I added sections to the sides and bottom for added depth. I also made it reversible just for fun. What do you think???

Blogging Slacker!

2007-05-21T01:01:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I have been a major blogging slacker. I have been trying to pay a bit more attention to the family and that means less computer time. I do need to schedule in regular blogging though. I will try to be better I promise.

Hum, it has been a month. There has to be stuff to tell you!! Let me think. We are pretty boring, so I think our only eventful things were the brown tooth and Race for the Cure. I'll start with the brown tooth.

Do your kids listen to you? Mine don't! About a month ago Aurora was jumping on the living room couches. I asked her to stop, but I was making dinner and had raw chicken all over my hands. Just as I finished washing my hands Aurora's pants caught on the arm of the couch sending her face first into the hard wood floors. Long story short 2 weeks later I noticed her tooth turning dark. I have been very traumatized, but my sweet beautiful daughter has not been affected at all. I noticed the tooth turning dark on a Friday afternoon and on Monday when she went back to school she ran up to her teacher and said:

"Miss Amy, Do you like my butterfly capri pants??"
"Yes, they are very pretty!"
"What about my brown tooth??"

I am learning to be less vain and yes, I know it is just a baby tooth! Anyway, without further ado, here is my sweet little girl in all her brown tooth glory!

Our other big event was that we did the Race for the Cure as a family. Jeremy's mom and grandma both died of breast cancer so this is something that is close to our hearts. I pray daily that there will be a cure before my daughters hit their 30's. I was so proud of my babies and their "In Memory Of" tags. We did the 5k walk and Aurora walked a good portion. She and Eve also took turns on daddy's shoulders. Next year I hope to run the 5k!

So, dentist appointments and 5ks aside I have been very productive this month. I have been sewing up a storm and I even got a new sewing machine for Mother's Day. I have been slacking a bit on my knitting, but I will catch up soon. I did make one purse (I forgot to take pics), I have a few projects nearly completed and a few more that have to be done asap. So look for more knitting soon. For now, you will see the sewing! I went on a bit of a frenzy! The first things I did were some really sweet three tiered skirts inspired by this tutorial. Then I made pillow case dresses from this site. I also made matching head bands from a freebie pattern on Heather Bailey's site.

After I finished those I realized that Mother's Day was coming up and I needed gifts. I found a great quilted purse pattern and made two of these purses.

They turned out so cute that I had to make one for me. I love them! They are a bit small so when I have some time I think I am going to modify them a bit. In my ideal world even smallish purses will hold my pouch sling, a diaper and a small wipes case in addition to my wallet, keys, and cell phone. Is that really too much to ask for???

Doing the quilted bag gave me the courage to try out a quilt. I have a friend that is due any day and a group of us wanted to send her some homemade gifts. Since I was already behind in my knitting and didn't really have time for a knitted gift I decided to do a quilt. I learned a lot, but I think it turned out very cute!
Well, that is my month. Whew! Sorry about the LONG picture heavy post. I would have split it up, but let's be realistic, that just wouldn't happen! I will do better!! I have quite a few WIP's that have due dates in the next few weeks, so I will try to post some pics as those are finished up. See you all later!!

Quick Annoucement for Mom's!

2007-05-07T10:44:00.000-06:00

Okay, I have do have some actual events to blog about, but I'll try to get to that later today. First I want to alert you to a Mother's Day contest. I have a link the 5 Minutes for Mom giveaway in my side bar. Check them out. They have great prizes for all the lovely deserving moms I know!!

Good luck!! Oh, and remember if you don't enter, you can't win. Even if you never win anything enter......you just never know. Trust me on this one!!

NEVER answer the phone.......

2007-04-25T13:20:00.000-06:00

in the middle of a diaper change.

Look for our next exciting blog post: A step by step tutorial on getting zinc diaper cream out of brand new chocolate brown sheets.

Disneyland maybe??

2007-03-28T21:11:00.001-06:00

Okay, so I haven't told any Aurora stories lately. That kid cracks me up daily. She is so funny and creative. I think one of the down falls of a creative mind is scary dreams. She has only had a few, and truthfully I think the thought of them is worse than the actual dreams, but she prays ever night (yes, I know it is shocking, but my kids do pray) that she won't have scary dreams. The other night she added a new twist. The is what she said "Heavenly Father, thank you for my good day. Thank you I could go to school and thank you for my mom and dad and sister. Please help that I don't have scary dreams......but fun dreams are okay, like Disneyland maybe?" I had to leave the room so I didn't upset her with my laughing! We haven't been to Disneyland, but we do watch Charlie and Lola everyday on the Disney Channel. I knew we were in trouble when she came to me one day and said "Mom, did you know there is a place we can go and visit all our Playhouse Disney friends??" Oh that kid!!

So I promised pictures of Eve's birthday. I also want to show you pictures of the sweater I did for Eve. The collar didn't turn out as nice as I wanted, but after my 3rd attempt I decided it was good enough. I sure looks cute on though!! I am also going to show you a pic of the new kitty doll, Shanna. I love that the girls promptly name all the new creations.

A new obsession!

2007-03-25T04:13:00.000-06:00

Okay, so now all I want to do is make little stuffed toys and knit them up things to wear!! LOL I forgot to show you all the little sweater I made for Mia. It also fits the kitty I made tonight, but I still need to finish up the face, so you will have to wait to see her. I did however finish the cutest bunny in the whole world. Want to see???? I got the pattern here. You have to check Hillary out. She is amazing! I have all of her patterns now and will be making them regularly. I can't wait to get started on the space girls for Aurora and Eve! For now, here is the bunny:

Seriously cute right?? (only answer if you agree! I am just looking for praise here!) I gave this little bunny and her reversible dress to my mom. I am still thinking about making her a little male companion......we will see. I also promised more dresses so she has seasonal options. Now I just need to figure out how to make Pilgrim and Santa dresses for her. :) Don't worry, I haven't given up knitting. I just needed a breather after finishing the sweater I did for Eve's birthday. Yes, it is finished, I just haven't snapped any pictures yet. I will do that soon. I should also post the picture I took at Eve's party. Yes, just one.....well okay, there were three, but they are all of her and the cake. How do people run a party and take pictures??? I am not that talented! I will post those pics in a day or so. For now, I am tired, it is the wee hours of the morning and I am going to sneak a few hours of sleep in before I need to get on with my Sunday.

Say hello to Mia!

2007-03-19T08:04:00.000-06:00

Thursday is Eve's 2nd birthday. I cannot believe my baby is already 2 years old. My, how the time has flown. I wanted to get her something special so I found a really sweet 9 inch Waldorf doll that looks like the little sister to Aurora's doll Rena. For some reason I put off buying it, and when I went to purchase it a couple of weeks ago no longer available. I was heart broken. We decided on some other gifts, but just haven't been satisfied. So last night I decided to go ahead and make a doll for Eve. I have been eyeing these dolls for months. I finally bought the pattern a few weeks ago, but last night I decided to brave my temperamental sewing machine and give it a shot. She's got lots of "character", but for my first attempt I am rather pleased! What do you think?

Now to finish Eve's sweater.....and maybe even a felted crown???? How fast do you think I can knit? :)

If you can't say anything nice.......

2007-03-07T02:11:00.002-07:00

Sorry for the long absence. I was in a grumpy mood the past few weeks and just really didn't have anything positive to say. I'm over it and ready to blog again (in my regular pattern of once or twice a month! LOL) Get ready for a ton of pics. I stopped blogging, not taking pictures!!

So what have we been up to?? Well, I have been knitting. I am attempting to finish a sweater for Eve's birthday. I am more than half way finished. The problem???

TINY NEEDLES!!!! So I am bored of doing row after row of boring stockinette on size 3 needles. I need to get motivated. I only have 2 more weeks!

I am also having fun with little projects. Baby hats are so fun and only take a couple of hours. I think they are the CUTEST things EVER!!

Or on the opposite end of the spectrum, bulky yarn, huge needles, and 3 hours were all it took to teach a friend of mine to knit last week. CUTE HAT!

My other completed project is another purse. This time I did a flat handle. I am really pleased with the result. What do you think??

Other than knitting we have recently torn the house apart and completely rearranged the house. We got a new bed, and the girls now have a play room. The house is just now recovering, but I am really liking the new set up. Hopefully it will help to keep things neat and tidy (hehehe yeah right.......I didn't hire a maid, I just shoved all the toys in the VERY back of the house!!) We have also been enjoying the snow. Jeremy and the girls made a sweet little snowman. They had so much fun! With spring coming it might be the only one we get to do this year.

Alright, I am off to bed. I will try to update again sooner. I am sure you will see Eve's birthday, maybe something sooner!

On the mend???

2007-02-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

We had an uneventful weekend....well, sort of. We were all still getting better, and really just stayed home to relax. I was hoping to be back to normal today, but I am still feeling queasy and Eve woke up with a fever again today. We even had to cancel a play date! :( NO FUN!! The highlights of our weekend were the Valentines Package from Grandma (my mom) and Kim's birthday surprise. We also had a sewer back up, but that's no fun...who wants to hear about that?? Not me!!

On Saturday we got a package from my mom. The girls LOVE getting mail and my mom always addresses thing to them. Aurora vetoed my photographic efforts, but she got a little lunchbox with 4 Hello Kitty Pez dispensers. She has been collecting Pez dispensers and these are now the jewels of her collection! Eve was allowed to pick one of the Pez dispensers (I love it when they share with no prompting form me) and she also got a sweet little puppy stuffed animal. It has quickly become her little side kick! With the exception of Aurora's doll Rena, Eve has never really taken to a toy like this. I'm glad this time the toy belongs to her!

Since I was cooped up all weekend I needed a project to work on. I have plenty already on my needles, but I wanted to do something quick. Besides it was my best friends birthday on Sunday so I thought I could do something for her. I recently got a steal on some Rowan yarn so I have a bunch sitting around. I decided to make her the Lottie bag that is in a Rowan pattern book I have. It turned out really cute! I even lined it so that her knitting needles wouldn't fall through. I think the gift was a hit. By the time I left her house Sunday afternoon the bag was already in use holding a sweater in progress! My knitting bag has seen better days, so maybe I'll make one for me too!!

Oh, HATS!! (and a little spaghetti art)

2007-02-09T19:12:00.000-07:00

Not really much to update. We have been sick. I love sleeping with my kids, but waking up to throw up is one of the small print details no one discloses when you hop in the co sleeping train!! We are on the mend now, and hopefully will be fully functioning by Monday. Since I have nothing fun to talk about I will bombard you with pictures!! LOL

As always, I have been knitting up a storm. I was goign to teach a friend to knit and wanted to something fun ans cute, but quick. What I came up with was super bulky yarn and size 15 needles. I am still trying to get things scheduled with my friend, but here are a few pics of the creations. They are made with Rowan Big Wool and Rowan Ribbon Twist. The hats took less than 2 hours each. Here are the pics.

I have also recently started doing hat and bootie sets for babies. I think it will be my new baby shower gift. They are a really quick knit and WOW are they ever cute!! Here are the 2 I have done so far:

Okay, I know this is not a hat, but I FINALLY finshed the purse I promised my sister for Christmas. She is the sassy artistic type, so I wanted to do something special for her. I was inspired by my friend Kim's recent success with felted flowers so I did some of these. The pink one is felted the blue is not. When I am in the mood for something quick I think i will make her more flowers so she has one to match anything she is wearing. TOO FUN!! Now to make one for me.......just kidding.....I have a few more to make for friends and family first!

Last, but not least, Aurora is such a kick. She is a stinker about eating.....I thought she was being awfully quiet at dinner, when I noticed she was creating little people with her spaghetti. One is me and the other is Jeremy. I'll give her props for creativity...now how to make the child eat!!!

Knitting, reading and chocolate

2007-01-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

I am convinced I have figured out what Heaven is like. Let me preface by saying that I love to read. I have always loved books. Somehow my children instinctively know this and do everything they can from preventing it! They can be sleeping soundly and if I open a book within 10 minutes someone is crying, wailing, peeing the bed......something that will stop the reading. I have been reading the same 2 books for about 9 months. Well, the other day I had a revolutionary idea. I knit all the time and the kids radar somehow isn't tune to that, so what if I listened to books while knitting?? I downloaded "The Time Traveler Wife", put it on my ipod and tryed out my theory. IT WORKED!! The second night I realized that something was missing, but as soon as i added a small chocolate snack i knew I was on to someting great.....not just great it was fabulos. The book was fabulous! Plus, I nearly completed this cute pair of fingerless gloves while doing it! I am confident this is what Heaven will feel like!! Try it! And yes, I know that listening to an audiobook isn't quite reading, but close enough!!

Also here are pictures of the alpaca scarf I mentioned a few posts ago:

Christmas with Grandpa Jesus

2007-01-03T00:37:00.000-07:00

Did you miss me??? I Pretend that people actually read this thing so bear with me!! LOL Sorry for the long absence, the holiday season mixed with an array of technical difficulties kept me away for a few months. However, since it is a bright fun New Year I will hop back on the blog bandwagon and try to keep up-to-date.

I suppose we'll just go straight to Christmas. You know for a few years Christmas stopped being much fun. It is so gaudy and overdone, I had just burned out.....then I had kids. Wow, it is amazing how those sweet little girls can bring the joy of the holidays in with a giggle! We had a lot of fun this year picking out our tree (I am a real tree purist) decorating, shopping, baking etc. Aurora was really into Christmas this year. She played with her Little People nativity almost every day. It plays "Away in a Manger" but, Aurora made up her own words creating a new holiday favorite "Happy Birthday, Jesus" Eve even picked up and will now say "Happy Jesus" When she hears the tune! Aurora also created a whole new Christmas figure this year, Grandpa Jesus. One day she brought me a picture we had of her with Santa when she was two. She hands me the picture and says "Aw, it's my first picture with Jesus!" I stifled a laugh and said "No sweetie, that is Santa Claus. Christmas is Jesus' birthday, but Santa is just a kind man with lots of helpers who brings presents to good girls and boys. It is how he celebrates Jesus' birthday." She looked at the picture again, thought for minute and took it back to her room. About 45 minutes later she comes back to me with the picture and says "Mommy look, it's my first picture with Jesus!" I look at the picture and say "Aurora, I just told you about that. This is Santa, not Jesus." She gets the most exasperated look on her face, lets out a huge sigh and says "Mommy, at Christmas there is the baby Jesus and the grandpa Jesus!" I almost fell off my chair laughing! I love the things that little mind comes up with! I suppose that is a good way to keep Christ the center of the holiday!! We enjoyed a nice laid back holiday. I wish I had more pictures, but I always seem to forget my big huge camera. Hopefully that will get better since Jeremy got me a fun new tiny point a shoot. I love it and since I constantly complain about cords and such being everywhere, he even found one that will wirelessly download the pics from my camera to my lap top...how cool is that?? Anyway, we had a great Christmas spent with family, and were blessed to spend New Years with friends. it was a nice holiday season.

You would think that after all of the projects that I did for Christmas, I would be sick of knitting, but it continues to be my favorite pastime. I swear we could heal the world with knitting. I told some friends that if only we could teach all the world leaders to knit, then maybe we'd figure out world peace! LOL Seriously though, I have never had a hobby that was so fulfilling. There is just something so healing about taking pent up nervous and angry energy and turning it into beautiful hand knit items. I am loving it so much that i have even made yarn the incentive for my new "Healthy Nicole" plan (ie. a diet type lifestyle change) We'll see how that goes! Knitting is going great! Since my last post, I have finished the alpaca scarf, made 6 purses, 2 crowns, and a panta! Here are some pics, I still haven't photographed they Alpaca scarf, so look for that in a few days. Oh, and I'm including pics of the adorable pj's I made for Aurora, Eve, and Aurora's doll Rena. I had so much fun making them!! I think I might actually be a little domestic.....though I stand by my mantra that being a stay at home mom does not mean I am a maid or a cook. I am a mom. That is my job. I do some cleaing and we have to eat, but that is all secondary to the kids. Where does knitting fit into that picture?? Well, it keeps me sane!

Okay, that is all for now. I should have been asleep an hour ago! Keeping my blog up-to-date was a resolution, but so was going to bed by 12;30!! Oh well I have the whole year to work on it!!

Halloween

2006-11-04T23:52:00.000-07:00

I always wondered why my mom disliked Halloween so much. I had a hard time controlling my two little ones......She was a teacher and mother to seven. I'm so sorry Mom! Saturday we took the kids to Boo at the Zoo. We went with my friend Kim and Her two kids. Last year rain kept the crowds to a minimum. I was not prepared for the amazing number of people there! I just have to remember my mantra of forgetting the last 15 minutes of anything you take your kids to!! (Try it! It really does make your memories sweeter!) Tuesday morning we went trick or treating at the mall and again with friends later that night. I took the kids back to the neighborhood I grew up in. It was fun to take my kids to the same houses I went to. It really hasn't changed much. We were even able to stop by Gunter Newman's bakery for some yummy doughnuts! I wish I had been able to take more pictures. Not only did we have battery issues, but as soon as the cap came off the lens, Aurora went from being a cute little bug to a page out of The Very Grouchy Lady Bug! Eve was more than happy to pose for the camera!! Thanks to her amazing (and very generous) Aunt Amy she was the cutest little bunny I have ever seen!! They had so much fun! Now to just keep them out of the candy. I honestly caught Eve climbing up the fridge to get to it!! *sigh* As I look back the kids had a blast, and we were able to spend time with friends. What more can you really ask for??

Now, to the more relaxing.......knitting!! Thanks to a somewhat hilarious gauge mishap by a friend, I found a great pattern to knit shoes for Aurora's beloved doll, Rena. I made the sweetest little booties to match her Halloween costume. Apparently, Rena like the attention because she has requested more pairs in a variety of colors!! LOL I am still working that fabulous baby alpaca scarf. It is so nice I am beginning to think I might have to keep it for myself....we will see. I cast on a simple blue sweater for Eve. I think I might make Aurora one to match. I should have made them earlier....it would have made a nice Christmas card. Speaking of which, I need to get a jump on my Christmas knitting. Plus there are the other various Christmas projects I have going. If we could just work on getting 2 maybe 3 more hours into the day (and convincing my sweet Eve that naps are good) I might actually finish it all for Christmas!! Now to cast on the crown I am making for Aurora's birthday.

Other than that there is nothing new here. We did find out that our moving plans have been tabled (YEAH!!!). Jeremy is still looking at his options, but for now we are staying put.

Found!!!

2006-10-23T23:21:00.000-06:00

I woke up this morning to an email from Misti. I spoke with her briefly this afternoon and she called me back after the kids were down. I just got off the phone with her!! Wow!

Now I need to go and hunt down more people.....Liz, Nicki, Shannon, Julia and Rene watch out....I'll find you too! :)

Lost Friends

2006-10-23T00:47:00.000-06:00

I have been thinking a lot about my best friend from Junior High and High school, Misti. We were joined at the hip from 8th grade until my junior year. Then something happened and we had a bit of a falling out. We did stay in touch a little after high school. I saw her about 6 years ago, but 0nce again we lost touch.

I am in a bit of a flux right now. I have lived in this house for a little over 4 years. For much of that time I was working and that is where I had my social life. When I was home it was family time. I didn't have time for friends. I quit working after my second daughter was born and it was then that I realized how socially isolated I was. In the last 19 months I have established a support system. I have a few wonderful close friends and La Leche League. It all started falling a part when one of my across the street neighbors moved to the suburbs. It isn't far, but she isn't across the street anymore. The first month I still saw her quite often, but as time passes I see her less and less. Life is just so busy and it is so hard to coordinate schedules. Last week another across the street neighbor moved too! Again, out to the burbs. This last move was about 10 days ago. This was a very close friend and someone I really miss. We both have 2 kids and are busy so we didn't see each other everyday, but our kids play together often and we even had a babysitting swap worked out for date nights. Our kids played one last time as neighbors as she and her husband (as well as my husband and some kind neighbors) packed the moving van and I cried when she left. Again, she isn't far, but she isn't there to watch the girls at a moments notice or to take out my trash cans when I am on vacation. I miss her a lot. Now I am facing an even bigger crisis. My close friend and knitting mentor, Kim, will be moving soon too. I have known she would be moving for at least 6 months, but I have been in denial. Now it is becoming real and I am very sad. I swear I won't make friends who rent anymore. Renters moveaway! Only homeowners from here on out! Now to be fair there is a very real probability that my husband will be accepting a new job out in booney land. I try not to think about that. I am feeling isolated with my friends moving....I am not sure my soul can handle the thought of our family moving too. I know that with cell phones, emails, this blog etc I can stay in touch with the friends I have now, but I have lost touch before......That brings me back to Misti.

I googled her and her husband and did get a couple of hits. Google is amazing. I found her husbands email address and sent him a letter. I hope the address is current. It would really mean a lot to touch base with her again. I will keep you updated. You know it isn't that I haven't kept in touch with anyone. I have. My younger sister and I had the same group of friends my senior year (she was a sophomore). I still talk to all of those girls when I can. We set up reunions when ever possible. However, there are so many friendships that have simply drifted away. I am terrified of that happening again. I don't want to lose 6 years of friendship with anyone else!

The weird part is that I am pretty good at keeping in touch. I am great at returning emails. I email a few women at least once a week. Some of them I haven't even met in person. I also belong to couple of bulletin boards that I post to very regularly. I know things about these many of these women that their husbands don't even know!! In some ways.....well in most ways actually, I have a more active social life online. The problem is that even though I really cherish those friendships they aren't all that real. I can't see or touch them. I can't go to luch or cry ontheir shoulder. The friends I can see and touch are moving and even if they weren't I probably am. I know I can make more friends, create a new support syste, but I love the ones I have now. My best friends are becoming scattered. One lives in Idaho, my baby sister is in California, one lives in the burbs, and now one will be moving to the midwest. Some one needs to work on that transportation beam they have on Star Trek. I feel like having a bit of a tantrum.

I don't want to make new friends!! I want the ones I have now to stay close!!

You know the kicking, stomping and crying really does help. Maybe my little ones are on to something!! LOL

Finally!

2006-10-19T01:28:00.000-06:00

Okay, I have had this blog for almost 3 months now and yet.....nothing. Nada. So here goes!

First thing, I learned to knit. A few moths ago I was admiring this really cute little bag one of my friends had. She said "Oh, they are so easy to make. You just felt it." She said it like I should know what felting is. Like this is something one does quite often. I inquired further to find out that the bag was knitted and then felted. Felting is basically washing and shrinking your wool knitting project. (If you have ever accidentally thrown a wool sweater in the washing machine, you know what I am talking about.) Anyway, I have always been quite sure I couldn't knit. I crochet, I do not knit. I am not sure why. I am usually pretty good at that sort of thing, but the 2 needles threw me off. I finally convinced myself to give it a go and with the help of a great mentor and a book written for 12 year olds I am now a knitter. In the past month I have made 4 purses and 1 1/2 scarves. The green purse is my latest creation. It isn't at all what I had intended to make, but I am pleased with the finished project. My new project is the cable scarf. So far I am really liking cable knitting.

I better attempt sleep, but first, I found this today and have been having fun with it ever since. Try it!! You won't be able to leave it alone either!! (maniac mode is the only way to go!!)

Little House in the Big City

2011: A year in pictures

Nine years old...

Halloween and some random craftiness

Need to recharge

Arches and Back to School

One year older and wiser too...

Makeover

Random Unrelated Children

Real life (or a lack there of)

Africa

Best Weekend Ever- 5 3/4 Years Old Style

Favorite things: January 2011

December Blur

Three Reasons I Love November

Not quite wordless

A random sampling of my busy month

First day of school

Likes and dislikes

What a month!

Pictures to share!

Crafty mommy blog

Five Years

February

Happy Groundhog Day!

Happy New Year

Lucky Me!!

Where did October go??

Pillow of the Month- October

Happy Birthday Natalie

Tomorrow.......or in a few days

Back so soon??

Hello Internet

Capri's Quilt

No cute pics here

Class Trip to KUTV

I sewed!!

My new kitchen!!

Awesome Giveaway

Off the air

Sweetest Husband on Earth

Still no crafting

A fun contest

Big Things

Growing Up

A little Break

A Sad Day

Labor Filled Labor Day

Absentee Blogger

With my freeze ray I will.....

Back to my roots

Did I say a picture a day?

Trek East

Back to normal

Back as promised

Happy Birthday to me!

Checking In

Loss for words

Brain Dead

Six Years

Itty Bitty Baby Dresses

Finished!!

Sweet Eve

Finished Project!!!

Quilt Giveaway!

*sigh of relief*

The Waiting Game

Pay It Forward

Nine patch pillow

WINNER!!!!

Random Integer Generator

Random Integer Generator

Bloggy Giveaway Goodness!!

Fresh Cut Windows

Craptastic pictures!

You've got mail!

Have you seen me???

Getaway and a Makeover!

Oh Canada!

I forgot my Blogiversary!

sigh of relief