jump up and down

sunday night crochet II

Last night while watching the first installment of Sense and Sensibility, the last show in the Jane Austen Masterpiece Theatre series, I finished up a these two crocheted dishcloths. All of my dishcloth patterns come from this book.  The orange is #65 and the yellow is #83.  I've made most of the single color designs - there are lots of fun (99 to be exact) patterns in there.  My Mom let me borrow the book right before we moved here about a year and a half ago and it just hasn't made it back to her yet.  Thanks Mom!  I always seem to be making these for other people and never for myself.  Well, these are for me. 

I was hoping for some outdoor photos of the dishcloths, but this is what I woke up to this morning and it just started up again.  Is it ever going to stop snowing?  I think I need a trip to Hawaii.

And just one more thing - I had a special request to see this bag in it's finished form (it's in the shop now).  So here it is - the main fabric is from Robert Kaufman's Sofia collection.  It's called a cotton lawn and it is really lightweight.  It works well with this bag because it has the heavyweight interfacing.  It would also make an incredible summer shirt.  Now, if it would just warm up.  

Well, I'm really just procrastinating going out to run errands (I am really being a wimp about this cold) and Ned just woke up from his nap, so I'd better get determined and get going.  I hope it's warmer where you are! 

moving right along

I'm making good progress on my sixteen bags.  These three are already in the shop and I finished two others last night.  I'm hoping to get a good start on two more tonight.  This is going as well as could be expected - just the right amount of work to keep me busy without overwhelming me.  That's just how I like it.

And while I stitch away at my purses, here are a few links you might enjoy:

Wondertime Printables:  A picnic, a farm, a garden, and a kitty all ready to download, print, cut, and play!

The Crafty Crow:  You may have seen this one already -  a new Kid's Craft blog by Cassie of Bella Dia.  Lots of ideas for crafts with kids.  I think we may have to stage a scavenger hunt soon and make our own chia pet!  I'm excited to use these ideas this summer. 

Sparkle Power Sew Along:  A new sew along group started by Candace of Sparkle Power.  March is potholders and table runners (I have a good idea for my potholders - I hope I find some time to do them) and April-May will be clothing and accessories.

CraftPad:  My favorite new blog - this is where I found the Wondertime Printables.  Take a look at this mail set and play house - my kids would love a play house like that!

Happy creating everyone!   

into the jungle

Yesterday I braved the unpredictable weather and went on a run/walk (there was running and walking - this is the first time I've taken my 70 pounds of children on the run with me), with Peter and Ned.  We headed to a trail south of town and when we arrived, Peter said, "Hooray, it's the jungle!"  Here's what the jungle looks like:

And if you're wondering, yes, there were lions and tigers.  Here's what they look like:

Ferocious, aren't they?  Exercise this spring and summer is going to be a lot of fun!

**Yes, there is a steamer in Peter's hand - that is his space ship or his platter of crackers.  You'll have to ask him which one it is right now. 

easter recap

We had a fun and relaxing Easter weekend.  I tried to keep things simple and everything ran fairly smoothly.

We started on Saturday afternoon with egg coloring.  Both boys were fascinated by the colors.  Ned made it easier by being happy just watching and Peter really got into everything, but was good at following directions, so it worked out fine.  We only dyed a dozen eggs, so this made the activity just the right amount of time and fun for my young boys. 

On Sunday, I tried to do a little teaching about the true reason for Easter with this little book that I made.  Peter really liked the book and we we got done with the story he said, "Good Job, Jesus!"  Out of the mouths of babes, eh? 

After church, we had dessert first - Darcy's fabulous Chocolate Sheet Cake.  This is one seriously yummy cake and today I am wishing we had invited some friends over to share it as there is half of it left and I am likely to eat it all today.

On Sunday evening we staged a small egg hunt in our living room.  The boys really got into it and had a lot of fun.  I think next year I will put a little more effort into doing a larger hunt and maybe try to do it on Saturday.  The eggs were full of candy - does anyone have any good ideas for alternatives to candy to put in eggs?  I'm not against candy, I just think so much of it probably isn't such a great idea.  But, I didn't really start preparing for Easter until Friday afternoon, so I didn't leave myself time for creative thought in that area. 

In fact, I borrowed Mary Beth's idea and stitched up a couple of Purl Frogs for the boys.  I let Peter pick out the fabric and we went with two different ones for each frog.  We also used buttons instead of beads for the eyes and placed them so either side of the frog can be the top.  These stitched up super fast and were incredibly easy.  I think the hardest part was getting the beans in the body of the frog.  I used a funnel, but the neck was a little too small and often two beans would get stuck.  Next time I am thinking of making a funnel out of the top of a plastic soda bottle - something with a little wider opening at the bottom.

We had such a great Easter - everything simple and low key.  This has been a learning process for me since we have had children - I'm usually a "go all out" kind of person for holidays and at least with my children, this usually makes for unhappy children because Mom is too busy making and doing to pay attention to and enjoy with the boys.  I think we all did it just right this year.  We hope you had a fun Easter too!

the piles

Thanks everyone for all of your sympathy and well wishes yesterday!  The day got better, we survived, there were no more accidents, and we even all got a nap.  That happens about once a month now that we have a no-napper.  It was nice.  And today the outlook is brighter and I'm facing my piles.

I just finished dealing with a pile of these that I've been putting off for a week or so. (I really need to do something about that checkbook cover, don't I?)

I have a pile of arms, legs, bodies, and fabric for dresses on my sewing machine cabinet.  I'm working on these whenever I get the fancy to and hopefully there will be some dolls in the shop sometime in the future.

And I turned my pile of fabric into this last night - sixteen purses and totes cut out.   Yes, that's right, sixteen!  I even did all the pockets, linings, and interfacings.  I was up way too late/early doing it, but I'm a feast or famine type of girl and last night was definitely a cutting feast.  Last time I did this (and only cut out 11), with interruptions (it was Christmas time) it took me three months to get them all finished.  I'm hoping without the distraction of Christmas, I'll be a little quicker this time.

I also bought a whole pile of this fabric for a custom order at Cia's Palette last night.  I've never used Cia's before, but I love that they had the whole collection and every piece that I wanted.  Plus, I spent over $50 so shipping was free.   If it all comes quickly and safely, I'll be completely pleased.

And my never-ending pile - and I actually don't mind it as much as I probably should.  To me, it just means that there's been some fun and games going on.

a breather

It's 10:30 am.  So far this morning we have had a blowout, an urgent bathroom call, a potty accident, an oil change (blowout and urgent bathroom call happened during the oil change), gone through three diapers, two pairs of underwear, and four pairs of pants.  And there are piles everywhere in the house - piles of laundry, piles of dishes, piles of clutter, piles of fabric (this is what I really want to be dealing with right now).  Originally I was going to do a little post about my piles, but I don't think that will happen today.  Hopefully, I will just be able to deal with the piles.  Did I mention that it's only 10:30 am?  These are the days that are supposed to keep me feeling alive, right? 

a little luck

During Ned's nap, Peter and I had a great time making these cookies again.  This time I went for green sugar sparkles cooked straight into the cookie.  Just sprinkle them on right before you bake and when they come out you'll have something yummy to eat and share.  A few of these  and some dinner will be going to our friends who are welcoming their second little baby into their home.  I still have a few things to get done for the dinner - must get back to the kitchen.  Here's wishing a bit o' luck to all of you!  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

my super socks

Yesterday we woke up to this  (hopefully we are almost finished with it)...
And it reminded me that I had never shared my fabulous new socks.  After taking Peter to pre-school without socks on (I think I was in denial that the snow was back), my feet really needed my new socks.  I actually got them for Christmas from my best friend Cayenne, knitter and spinner extraordinaire.  I have kept meaning to share them because I think they are so amazing.  They are so warm - the perfect thing to warm up my feet when nothing else would work.  And look at all the detail in the cuff!  Isn't she amazing?  I had no idea things like this could be made by human hands.  I have decided that I really need to learn how to knit, if only for the purpose of knitting socks.  Thanks Cayenne! 

Have a great weekend everyone!  Here's hoping for some sunshine and spring weather for everyone!

into mischief

Ned has definitely got spunk.  Maybe it's all that red hair.  Here he is thinking he's the funniest thing ever sharing a carrot with Ryan.  If you've ever heard me describe him, words I often use are sassy, mind of his own, mischievous, independent,  spirited...I think you get the idea.

So, this led to our first tattle tell moment this morning.  One of the advantages of having a speech delayed kid (this one is right up there with the fact that Peter didn't say no* until he was over 2 1/2) is that these negative aspects of speech are delayed as well.  Peter's never been frustrated by his speech delay, so I'd have to say that overall it hasn't been too bad.  Anyway, back to the tattling - this morning Peter came up to me and said, "pretzels in bathroom!"  I said, "What?" and went to look and found pretzels all over the kitchen floor, along with a bowl of cereal and crumbs of what had been a muffin.   To Peter's credit there was one pretzel in the bathroom - they had made it that far.  And when I asked Peter who had done it, he obliged with a "Ned did it."  So, there you have it.  Peter can now tattle about the mischief Ned has done.  I'm not sure if I want to know...

And on the crafting front, I just finished this fun "Happy Birthday" banner for one of our friends from California (it's so hard to take a good picture of these things - they are so long!).  She's got kid birthdays coming up in April, so it'll be there in plenty of time for the celebrations.  This was a fun thing to put together with all of its colorful fabrics and I actually ended up make a couple more - one is in the shop and the other will be there sometime in the next few days.  I've got to start thinking about our own birthdays here - Peter's will be here in just a couple of weeks - must get planning!

*just noticed this was a major typo - it's not know, it's no.

pink and ruffles for baby

It's been a busy couple of days - a friend and I threw a baby shower for another friend.  I haven't thrown a baby shower in a long time - I think it's been over two years.  There was a time when I was throwing a baby shower every month or two.  And wouldn't you know it, I'll be throwing another one here in a couple of weeks - these things all seem to come at the same time, don't they?

I made these super easy invitations - printed the white part on cardstock and then attached them to a patterned paper with these fun brads that I found at JoAnn in the $1 scrapbook items.  I think they turned out well, especially for a person who doesn't do much papercrafting.

Decorations included a couple of pennant banners and bouquet of colorful carnations.

And I made this for the new little girl who will be making her way into the world sometime next month.  Frilly pants and a decorated onesie from Ginger Blossom and a little bit of Amy Butler.  I have to admit that these were very fun to make.  I'm trying to come up with  some sort of boy-ish version of the pants.  The only thing I've decided for sure is that the ruffle has to go;)!

I love giving new babies a warm welcome into the world - I hope Melanie and Dan's baby makes it here safe and sound and I can't wait to see her in her frilly pants in a few months!