Living life and loving it

If she could walk, Keetley would be toddling down the catwalk, winning me some more material!

I started this little gem at 10 pm Saturday night.

But when the jumper's zipper didn't go in perfectly (1/16th of an inch off...and with plaid, it was REALLY noticeable), I decided to go ahead and make the jacket to go with the dress....It was all cut out anyways, and baby girl really needed it to make THE LOOK.  I started with a pattern, but after realizing it wasn't what I really wanted, I drafted my own. (Thank you, "true major" required classes!)

I am in love with this fully lined, dropped waist, pleated, invisible zipper, scalloped edge, frog toggle and peter-pan collar ensemble!!!  Long enough to cover legs in tights, but short enough so when Keetley starts to crawl, she won't be too frustrated (which I anticipate will be happening before I can get her New Year's dress done!).

I won the plaid wool at my very first "Make It With Wool" contest when I was 13 or 14.  I think I might have cried when I opened my paper bag prize, and saw this horrid piece of material!  I have held onto it for over 17 years knowing I'd someday make a darling Christmas Dress with it.

The red wool came from a large 'donation' to the 4-H office when I worked there.  The majority of the fabric came home with me, including all the gingham, wool, vintage rick-rack and a handful of zippers.  I was floored that the club leaders didn't want to deal with it.  Didn't I get LUCKY?!

I finally turned off the sewing machine at 4:32 am.  Took this picture, and decided to shower, then head to bed for a cat-nap before getting ready for Church.

:::

I was asked to prepare a piano number for Sacrament Meeting.  Found a little ditty on Sally DeFord's website, and practiced every day for the 5 days notice I got.  Being as sleep deprived as I was, I am so proud of myself for getting lost on line two and ending up at the end of page two, without having to stop and start over.  Quite honestly, I don't even remember playing the song once I got to the piano, so to say I made it through, was pretty special.

:::

Every once in a while we have to just live a little.  Since I've re-dedicated my life to motherhood and am more focused on being at home and with my children, we decided to cut 'er lose and enjoy our Christmas decorations!

Yay for trains, exploring, pajama pictures, nativities, and ornaments that roll like balls!

Tonight we drew names.  Not to buy gifts, but to do acts of service.  Taylor excitedly wrote the name of each family member on a piece of paper and with Kortlen, they folded and placed in a bowl.  Our family could use a healthy dose of service and humility, especially since we seem to have a bad case of the gimme-gimme's.  I'm excited to see how this all unfolds in the morning!!!  We seemed to be off to a good start after dinner, and I hope it goes well.

The Clutch

I'm sort of to the point in being a mom that I don't feel like I need to bring the entire house with me when I actually leave the house.

Remember when you had your first baby and the diaper bag was so full it wouldn't zip closed?  and if the husband dug around for a toy or bottle or snack or burp cloth, it ruined the entire system?  Please tell me I'm not the only one who shot a dirty look or two during church when the delicate balance within the bag was messed up!!!

I found a fun project on pinterest (curse you, insane website!!!) that I thought would be a great way to ease into having a newborn again...

...hence, THE CLUTCH.

I'm actually pretty excited that it turned out so cute!  I followed a pattern almost exactly, and wish I would have taken the time to maybe take my own measurements because I feel like the whole project ended up a bit on the large side (8" x 11" when finished and folded), but because it turned out so darn cute, I'll likely use it anyways.

Baby girl gets her very own baby changing station...wherever we go!

I found the pattern HERE at Made by Marzipan.  She has some great tutorials, and this one was easy to follow.

The two differences between mine and her's:  I used an already laminated fabric (the polka dot that baby is changed on) and instead of sewing right sides together and flipping the entire project to get finished edges, I just used bias tape (like binding a quilt) and REALLY like the look!

I made four of these clutches total, the other 3 for an auction....and didn't have enough bias tape to do the others this way, but would highly recommend it!

so much right now

...there's so much going on right now, I don't know where to start!

Happy things.  Sad things.  Worrisome things.  Exciting things. 

Starting in on three fun ties for my little boys for my little brother's wedding on the 10th of November...Need to make a vintage cream and lace maternity skirt as well....should be stunning, if I can get it to fit right.  LOL!

I haven't even started Christmas yet.  Guess it should be easy if the bank account is screaming "NO!"...but still....we can put a big red bow on the roof of the house and the roof of the car, right?!

Sheer exhaustion. Recovered from a terrible flu last week and am STILL trying to catch up.  Just on the basic stuff. I did get everything disinfected, so that's a plus. Also hauled all three boys and myself to get flu shots.....4 days too late.  

Patience being tested by little boys, and I'm trying SO STINKING HARD to be so grateful for these blessings I've been given.  Some days it seems impossible with their antics, but I'm trying anyways.  Can I stress IMPOSSIBLE again?  Maybe I'm crazy for believing that another one is supposed to join us.  

Ultrasound on November 9th!  Excited to see if we'll have a 4x4 relay team, or a 'widdle sisser' to protect.  :)  We were going to wrap the gender up and put it under the Christmas tree, but I am sure I cannot wait that long.  I must know.  I think I know, but I must be sure.  

Oh, and I passed the preliminary glucose test.  Right after the doctor weighed Kortlen (9lbs 4 oz) she turned to me and said, "did you have Gestational Diabetes?  Because I'm sure you did!"  sooooooooo.....had to do a 1 hour test.  Numbers were high (27?  I think GD is 35?) but I passed, and am doing my best to really plan and eat healthy meals....it sure is hard when there's not even time to sit and eat!

I'm unofficially in business....doing alterations, making a wedding dress, and all that jazz....Soooooooo... if you know of anyone in the area who is looking to have work done, send them my way!  I've got some projects already on the docket, but my turnaround time is MUCH faster than it used to be.  LOL!  Partially because I've got my game on, partially because I'm keeping busy with it.  My prices are reasonable (case-by-case basis) and I'm really excited to be able to use my talents to help others. 

Sewing till midnight beats substitute teaching any day.  :)  

Taylor's Turn

Today is Taylor's First Day at Apple Preschool!

He is very excited to make lots of new friends.  And mommy is very excited to get a whole two hours to work out by herself.

We remembered yesterday that he didn't have a backpack, so while grocery shopping last night, I spotted this cheap-o plain black backpack.  I instantly knew what I wanted to do with it!!!

Because the whole freezer-paper stencil gig didn't go 100% as planned, I ended up free-handing it and adding some pa-zazz with my sewing machine.  Took less than an hour.  (I was afraid to turn my iron up too high...didn't want to melt my $4 bag!)

I love it.  He loves it.  We're all happy he can bring home the hundreds of pictures he colors!

Another one down

I finished my pillows!

Here's a shameless show-off.  :)


I REEEEAAAAAAAAAAAALLY want to paint that ugly wood paneling...have wanted to for the last five years.  and I am on the fence about painting the piano...dead serious.  

{1} simple square, used existing pillow 'forms' that had no life and added a little more batting.  (Most simple and Easy)  *The most awesome thing, is that Tanner was mad at me because he had some privileges taken away this morning (like swimming and preschool) so he took my kitchen scissors to the big patterned pillow.  It needs a re-vamp now...any suggestions???  It's barely 5 days old.  grrrr!  Just has 1/2 inch snipped out of each corner.  I've banned him to outer Magnolia for the rest of the day.  Seriously. 


{2} Pleated the material, then sewed in a simple square stuffed full to the gills...had the layers somewhat stitched down, but the kids ripped them out, on day two.  Go figure.  "Hey, mom!  What's this thread for? *pulllllllllllllllllll*" (Most time consuming...measure, press, sew, press, repeat for an hour, but still easy)

{3} Messy pleat/gather going down on the left, up on the right for a shabby look; stitched down, stuffed full as well. I obviously ran out of fabric on this one...but don't tell anyone. This one will be a good whacking pillow.  I call dibs on the ugly one!  (Most desperate...thrown together, simple, but ehhhh.)

{4} Another lifeless pillow form under a dressed up simple square with an awesome craft-store doily.  Stitched down, just in case this one gets used in a brawl, too. (Still simple, fast, baste doily with glue then stitch down, then same simple and easy square.)

This next one is Ryan's pillow.  It is a store-bought pillow form, that I had a stitchery on...and it was more for decorative purposes in it's pre-life stage...but when I stuffed the original couch pillows to add some life into them (making them more firm, and less flexible to fold in half) he adopted this pillow to lay his weary head on.  It just happened to be the pillow that was near me when I discovered I had a whole yard of the solid blue, and still didn't have any rosettes...so it got a makeover.  Much to my hubby's demise.   

{5} Simple square form, but I sewed nine rosettes with knots in the middle to the front piece BEFORE stitching the back on.  It's my new favorite.  There better not be any puking on this pillow...I am SO not washing it.  (By far the most complicated mess you ever would see.  No rhyme or reason, other than each 2" x 56" strip had to be twisted/gathered/twirled within its allotted space on the 'grid'.  That chalked on grid was brilliant, until it disappeared after sewing the first and center rosette on.  Still fun, and easy though.)

**All of these pillows are stitched completely closed.  Besides the fact that I'm a cheap-skate and didn't want to buy zippers, I didn't want to even put them in.  I'm tired.  The room needed a face-lift with as little time and effort as possible. Worst case scenario (puke, poop, or poppage from fights or fort building), I'll just rip out the whip-stitch, wash, and whip-stitch the thing back closed.  It was that easy.  

***I only spent $4 on 2 yards of solid at Home Fabrics, and $7 on one yard of the print at JoAnns.  I used three existing pillows, in addition to two full bags of fiberfill (I've been stashing them away for something fun like this!  Now the mountain of fiberfill and fabric is GONE from my bedroom!  finally.)

One more down, and a mile-long-list-full to go.  

Next:  Tablerunner for the piano and possibly a new one for under the tv, on my hopechest.  Don't worry though...they've been in the works for 4 or so years...folded and put away...for one of these days.  Goodness, I have a lot of unfinished crafts!    

What's next on your craft docket? 

the {bag}

Projects like THIS one (my sister's senior pictures) and THIS one (graduation announcements) have been on my bucket list, and are checked off.  I think we finally finished my sister's grad announcement, which isn't pictured in the group I linked to....it's a surprise, since I know our aunties and cousins read this.  *wink, wink*

Oh yeah...this is supposed to be about the {bag}. I LOVE how my bag turned out! I loved sewing it; simple, fast, and I did it while watching my friends' kids last week...well, they watched a movie during nap time while I sewed.  I didn't really follow any directions, but instead dreamed about it for three months, how I would put it together, and wouldn't you know it, it went together JUST LIKE A DREAM!

Finally got pictures of it today...

Yes.  That's my breakfast sitting on the table, still.  I had Turtle Cake, complements of a very dear friend.  Thank you Becky!  Ryan said to me as I was taking this picture, "That is an AWFUL background!"  Uh...  I have since washed the floor (and cupboards and walls) and done the dishes.  And I do agree with him...it's just hard to take a picture of yourself holding a bag, and I feel dumb asking him to take one...especially since I was still in my bathrobe when I took this.  *sigh*

I really need to work on my lighting skills...they kinda stink, but here you can see the fun make-up of the bag. I totally ditched the ruffles I had in mind.  I like it's geometric simplicity, which is what its designer, Renske, had in mind.   Afterall, she calls it the minimalist tote bag.  But nothing about me is minimalist...hence the lovely print!  (If you know anything about fabric, you'd appreciate that it was printed ON GRAIN!  You'd also be disgusted to find that after I washed it, I discovered it was cut OFF GRAIN by about 5 inches on each side=wasting 8 inches of good fabric. *sigh*)

Just because I'm in LOVE with the leather strap.  Thanks dad, for the scrap!  I think it might have been intended for the straps on my mom's new chaps, but it was 'cut wrong' so he let me use it.

Here the {bag} is, with the pocket for my trusty new-to-me cell phone, since I washed the old crappy one in the washer.  I SWEAR it was a mistake.  On my honor.  I forgot it was in the back pocket.  And I don't check pockets unless I'm looking for spare change. 

And here's the cool hardware my dad helped me to set.  Okay.  He put it on, I just told him how I wanted it.  Don't you LOVE the grommets, and the star-split rivet backs?  Yeah.  Me, too.

And this is next on the docket:

I can't wait!  Pillows.  For the couch.  I am getting really tired of the brown, brown, and brown furniture. I found the solid at Home Fabrics for CHEAP!!!  ($2 a yard) and plan to do some very FUN fabric folding with it...and the sweet Fleur-de-lis-ish pattern on the left will be plain-ole square pillows.

I told you.  I just can't help myself.  Plus, I'm looking forward to some color in my life.  We got another four inches of snow this morning.  It's kinda-sorta melting, but I was really looking forward to a fun day of bike riding ... I've already put away all the snow clothes.


Speaking of color; I had two sweet surprises last night.  Ryan came home with a beautiful bouquet of the most gorgeous salmon (not peach, not pink) roses, and then my sweet and thoughtful friend Becky brought us by that yummy Turtle cake and some gorgeous red roses to finish off our interesting anniversary day.  (Between the ER visit, skipping out on preschool and not having swim practice and having sick kids and feeling like a zombie, it was just a really odd day.)

I think they complement each other very nicely.  Just pretend with me that those curtains are adding in some gorgeous back-lighting to my even more gorgeous subjects.

In unrelated {bag} news, we were able to finish off the night with some chocolate covered strawberries, more freezer jam and an early bed time.  We were wiped out.  I fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow.

*breath*

And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get started on my bread, so I can then clean my bathroom, so I can take a shower, so I can go to the mall, so I can buy a new bra that will do what it's supposed to do.  

Toodles. 

I can't help myself.

I'm thinking THIS...

From this...

Only not so minimalist...I just like how it closes.  :)  There's gonna be ruffles, accents, and that amazing closure system.

Today.  Tomorrow. and Thursday.  It's gonna ROCK.

Wrist Wallets

I saw these floating around out there in the blogosphere, and thought my boys would LOVE them!  They're always picking up treasures for their pockets.  Tanner has four pint mason jars FILLED with treasures.  *eyeroll*  Plus I needed a birthday gift for Tanner's friend.

So after a somewhat expensive trip to the fabric store for some therapy,  I cranked these babies out.

Looks like my next project is patching knees ... or making shorts.

Depends on if I do it sooner or later!

What would your kids put in a 'wrist wallet'?

Project 365

...but not of the photography variety, although that would be fun.

I feel like I have at least three hundred sixty-five projects on my to-do list.  Well, now three hundred sixty-three.

I finished these babies this afternoon.

And over all I'm pretty excited at how they turned out!

I started to do a tutorial, then realized there are a GAZILLION out there...so google "camera strap cover" for a tutorial to suit your needs.  I just thought mine through before beginning, measured twice and cut once.

I purposely made them snug, because Ryan I didn't want to ruin the original strap.  The purple one is rouched on one side, and was a pain to get on the strap...I ended up taking it off to try the second one on:

My friend Stevie made one with a little pocket for the lens cap...brilliant idea!  Mind-engaging to attach (so the strap casing would still be functional) but it works like a charm!

I've been working on my photography execution skills.  Check out that wide aperture, creating an awesome depth of field.  I'm kind proud of this picture. 


What's on your project list???  You don't have to list all three hundred sixty-five. But feel free to!

Highchair Re-vamp

I love our high chair.  It was a baby shower gift from my mom, and although it's old-school (where the tray flips over the top to rest on the arm rests), it was brand-new 5 years ago!

It didn't come with any sort of cushion, which is totally fine.  It's all wood, painted white.  (I may or may not regret getting the white, instead of the honey/light oak like my mom suggested.)  But I'm not going to be sanding and painting these intricate spindles anytime soon.

I made some fun red plaid cushions when Tanner was born...They worked well, but had just had enough...so I decided now was a good time to re-vamp.

I don't have a 'before' picture...so just imagine sad, stained and falling apart, home-made looking cushions.  

Now check out what we have adorning our kitchen!!!

I ditched the old fabric, but kept the foam for these new beauties.  I scored on the fabric at "Home Fabrics".  It was only $2 a yard, and I did buy a yard, but only used half of it.  

I used the same straps that came with the highchair, but they're pretty stained (although washed weekly!) and so I have new webbing to replace it with...I just gotta do it.  

I love how it turned out!!!

Apparently this little guy does, too.  

...the stockings are hung...pillows are fluffed...

...on the paneling with care...

I finally finished my stockings!

Taylor has waited THREE years for his.  Kortlen's is simpler than the rest, but I think I made things easier for future years by making a handful of the trickiest part:  the envelopes for Loving Letters.  They're actually REALLY easy if you make like 7 at one time!  It was trying to figure out the measurements from Tanners that had me stumped...at midnight.

(I LOVE the "Dear Santa" fabric inside the envelopes...sooo sad that I bought the last fat quarter of it at Porter's five years ago!)

Back when I was student teaching (five years ago) I started these...with a plan in mind, that obviously was too much to keep up as more children came along!  I didn't have a pattern to go on, which I regret...because I made four others for my sister-in-law, with a snowman, the star, the tree, and I think an envelope, but I didn't take pictures three years ago, so I don't remember.  If I get around to it, I'm going to re-embroider my name in beige, and Tanner's in the golden/yellow Ryan's is in...

(For my future reference, I used Harrington font for the letters, size 140.  Half a strand of floss *3 threads* and a chain stitch for the names.)

The idea behind the envelope is for the children to write a letter to Santa including the following things:

• Gratitude for the gifts given the previous year
• Asking for one want
• Asking for one need
• Telling one thing they can do for others (family, neighbors, etc.) in the coming year to show Santa (who was so generous to share of his talents) and Christ (who gave His life and love) that they love to serve.

HOPEFULLY Santa will remember to leave a love letter in return to be opened Christmas morning.  

Each are pieced, machine quilted and hand embroidered with fun fabric lining, backing, and binding the stocking which traditionally holds an orange, toothbrush, toothpaste, pair of stockings, and a trinket.  

I am BEYOND excited to put away my Christmas tote of fabric, which has been on my bedroom floor for the last three years.  You don't even KNOW how excited I am to be able to see the floor in that spot!  :)

__________

But before I end this post (somebody stop me!!!) I need to show you another project that was quick and easy (and includes a pattern!  of sorts) from this evening.

This is the first one I made...but my mom liked it, so I sent it home with her...

And this is the one that sits on my couch now...

Here's the 'pattern' for the ornaments.  Double click (to open in it's own window), right click, save as, and print!

I used the iron-on stuff (can you tell it's late?) to attach it to my fabric.  On 'mine', I actually ironed it onto felt, then iron-on'ed the felt to the muslin and then quilted. 

The best part about these projects, is I'm using all my scraps!!!  I didn't have to buy anything for the stockings or pillows, except for the DMC floss for Kortlen's stocking, and a $3.00 bag of fiber-fill for the pillows...actually, mine is stuffed with the remains of a dead-n-gone stuffed cat and left-over batting from the pumpkin Halloween costume circa 2006.  My, aren't I resourceful!  

I just have a crown to make for a wise man from felt...then it's ALL getting put away for a bit of a break! 

Now onto one last birthday preparation!!!

Giving...

...the same gift two years in a row isn't tacky if the second time it's finished, right?

Last year I started this:

I finished piecing the tops before December 2009, but don't remember if I wrapped them up for Christmas despite the fact that they weren't quilted...

This year, well, today, I finished them.  I'm talking about machine quilting two twin-sized quilts and binding them in 8 hours.  Shoot me now!

I only ate half a bag of Hershey Hugs and half a bag of Cadbury mini eggs while doing it.

Now I only have two stockings and pillows to do for they boys.  I love sewing, but man, my back is so tired of it right now!  

knee high ... and getting deeper

Is it just me, or is Thanksgiving this week?  Anybody else feeling the holiday rush besides me?

Three weeks ago I agreed to sub in Nursery, when last night, the Primary President called to see if I could teach Tanner's class today.  "Sure!  Just let me get a sub for 'the sub' and I'd be happy to."  LUCKILY I found a sub! (thanks Dawnyel!)  So because one part of the lesson called for a beanbag (and I didn't have any, but wanted to be adequately prepared for LOTS of time), I decided to make one.

I've had this for almost a decade...and slowly but surely, I'm digging into it...

One turned into six, and a couple of tv shows and three sleeping boys later, I ended up with a few stocking-stuffers.  (Anyone have a fun beanbag game???)

Then this morning the Primary chorister called, and had sick kids, and "Could I help out?"  "Sure!  But only for Jr. Primary, because I'd be teaching during Sr. Primary."  It's a good thing I know how to wing-it really well!

Ryan also had to work today, so it's been a non-stop day of rest.

Because the boys slept in till 8 am this morning, I nixed naps today, although at this very moment, my almost 3 year old has burrowed in his bed due to a melt down, and is sound asleep.  It's almost 5 o'clock.  Shoot!

I didn't dare take a nap with the boys wide awake earlier this afternoon, so I barricaded myself in the kitchen with a stack of this...

...and worked on a gift for a little boy's birthday or Christmas...I can't decide.

After an hour of cutting, I just need to embroider these.

Last night I began all this craziness by starting to finish what I started over a year ago:

The tops, batting, and a bolt of 10 yards of fabric I'm trying to fall back in love with have been sitting nervously in my bedroom for much too long.  Come Hell or high water, these quilts WILL be finished before Christmas morning!

While I'm {home} for Thanksgiving and my sisters are bored to tears at night, they're going to help me with another project dealing with a LARGE piece of duck cloth, a magic marker and some crayons.  I don't know if I should be excited for their help, or nervous, as we'll probably be laughing hysterically by the wee hours of the morning!

I have yet to start Taylor's Christmas Stocking (and this is his THIRD Christmas) and need to also do one for Kortlen.  If our next child is a girl, she will be in luck, as hers is already done.  Point in case:  I thought Taylor was going to be a girl, so I made him a 'reddish-pinkish' stocking, and it just wont do for a boy.

Anybody else knee high in holiday projects and feel like they're drowning???  Please tell me I'm not the only one!