Going Sew Crazy

Seven

My middle child turned seven today.

She's spunky, beautiful, fun, tomboy-ish, outspoken, a bit wild, and oh what a joy to be around.

She loves animals, talked her PawPaw into buying her a pony, and Santa brought her a much loved dog for Christmas last year.

She's the go to girl for her sisters. The one who will baby Finley and the one who will tease and torment Paige. She was going at her today for liking a boy. She's the one on the right. Cleopatra, up there.

Happy birthday Kelsey! I can't believe you're seven!

Have a great day y'all!

 

 

Productivity

This weekend I:

-finished my 2nd beach glass cushion

-quilted my crackle baby quilt

-started hand quilting my sparkle punch pillow

Feeling quite productive. B is going out of town this week and our Classical Conversations group begins meeting again tomorrow. I also have to plan and work on K's birthday party on Saturday. She turns 7 tomorrow. 7! Throw a couple of dentist appointments in there and I am hoping I just make it through the week!!

Have a great day y'all!

2012

I am so excited about the new year. Last year was such a year of change and decisions. This year we will be learning how to better incorporate the decisions we have made. For example, Homeschooling was probably the best decision we made last year. It was a huge one. I fought it for a long time. I didn't want to lose my free time, and quite frankly, I didn't want the responsiblility. When I decided to go for it, I was still apprehensive. I didn't just automatically know what to do. It was a huge learning curve for me and the girls. It still is. I am thankful to have found Classical Conversations. We meet with our community every week for 12 weeks in the spring and fall. My kids love it. I love it. We are both learning so much. I can sing my presidents in order. They can too. It's fun to learn.

With all that being said, obviously I have less time to sew and craft. I miss it. One of my goals this year is to learn how to get that back. Now, more than ever, I realize my need for time alone. I need that because I am now wih my kids all the time. We both need a break from each other. So, I have decided when Finley naps in the afternoon, the kids can play, read, run around, go outside, whatever, that will be our break. I'm not going to clean, that can be done after nap time. That is going to be MY time. I hope to stick to this plan.

So, now crafty stuff.

I am currently working on a few things, but this one is currently my fave. The patternn is Crackle by Aneela Hooey. I love, love, love all the geometric shapes that pop out at you in this pattern. It's like a quilt equivalent of those pictures you used to stare at until the hidden picture popped out. I am using Ruby by Bonnie & Camille here. Love all their fabric so much.

And look at this fabric yumminess! This is my Christmas money haul. Can not wait to use it!

Have a great day y'all!

 

Urban Home Goods Swap

I still can't believe I have this already finished. It's not due until March! Mark it down as the first and probably only time I am not cramming my swap sewing into the last moment.

I made 2 quilt blocks from the Oh Frannson book and stretched them onto 10 inch canvases. I used Kona snow as the background and Bliss as the leaves. I then added a small pincushion made from linen, leftover leaves, and a green polka dotted button.

I am VERY pleased with how it turned out!

Last week was a bit rough. We had 2 snows and the kids were out all week! Being basically cooped up with 3 kids was not fun. When they are able to go play outside, it's so much better. I did get photobombed by the dog while taking this pic:

Great timing Sam!

Have a great day ya'll!

 

Last Week.

This picture epitomizes what my last week looked like. I couldn't find my way to the sewing room, I started coughing uncontrollably, Finley was into EVERYthing. Looking forward to a better week this week!

Have a great day ya'll!

Snow Day 2011

We woke up to beautiful scenes like this today. We get one to two good snows a year around here, so the day takes on a very holiday-ish feel. Lots of pictures are taken, breakfast is actually cooked and eaten late, and we spend a lot of time together.

The first snowball was thrown and at one point a whole muntain of them hit me.

Needless to say, the girls had fun. Lots of it.

And little hands found snow for the first time.

I have to leave you with the best picture of the day, my husband being pulled on a saucer by my 8 year old. I still don't know who had the most fun, her trying to throw him off, or him laughing so hard.

Have a great day ya'll!

Feeling great..

I can't tell you how awesome I have felt the past couple of days. Brice and I were talking about life the other day and one of our resolutions as a family is to live a simpler life. It suits me. Little things like playing and talking to the kids at night instead of vegging out in front of the TV, more meals at home, not doing everything we are asked to do. I am absolutely loving it. It's very freeing not to be running here and there. It's wonderful to have a homemade meal instead of something we picked up on the way. If at all possible, I highly reccomend it :)

Another of my resolutions was to buy as little fabric as possible. I have already had a hard time with this as looking through blogs just feeds the fever. But, this should be my last bit of fabric for a while, bought with Christmas money.

I am dying over the plaid. I didn't like it much when it came out, but I have so changed my mind.

Also picked up a couple of books. Little Girls, Big Style is absolutely awesome. I knew it would be. Mary Abreu did an awesome job. Her blog is here. Scandinavian Stitches is eye candy. I want to make everything! Kasja Wikman's blog is just as beautiful!

I am also currently working on a Nintendo DSi XL case for Paige. I had a great idea for one that has game storage, and may be sharing a tutorial for it.

Until then, have a great day ya'll!

I'll leave you with my baby who just figured out how to pose for pics!

 

2011

I have been looking forward to 1-1-11 for awhile. There is something about the new year that just energizes me. It's a clean slate where all things are possible. I won't bore you with all my resolutions, which are many, but one in particular is to blog more of course. I want to be a genuine blogger, not someone who slaps something on the page with no thought whatsoever. I feel I have been that way this past year and I didn't feel like I got a lot out of blogging that way. So, here's to 2011!

My kids have been on my mind a ton lately. Especially Paige. Changing schools this past year has been really hard on her. She doesn't think she fits in as well, and there is also a boy that is picking on her in what I think is a cruel way. If it wasn't so mean, I would think differently about it. She has been a totally different child, more moody and sullen. I know a bit of it is age, but not this much. It breaks my heart to send her to school each day. She is a very sensitive child and I worry about her. (What mom doesn't?) She starts acting more normal the more she is at home, like the "old" Paige. My husband and I have been talking and we have come to the decision to homeschool. It really feels like the best choice for my children and how I want them raised and educated. Paige is all for it and that makes me happy as well. She is finishing out the year, but I think it makes her feel like it may be a bit more bearable with something to look forward to.

And this is Sam. Santa brought Sam to Kelsey for Christmas. Kelsey is also having trouble with boys at school. IN KINDERGARTEN! Anyway, Kelsey's new hobby is cleaning up after Sam, like this:

I have to give it to her, she doesn't complain. I love how he is watching her clean up.

Finley is testing me. She is a mixture of Paige and Kelsey. Paige's curiosity and Kelsey's temper. Not the best combination. I love her dearly though. She doesn't like Sam. He tries to herd her where he wants her to go.

See? She is clearly delighted that Sam is outside. This is her equivalent of neener neener to him.

On the crafty front, I have decided to get my scraps under control. I have been playing around with these blocks:

Kind of a string quilt, but not. I think they are turning out good. I just have so many scraps. This will definitely be a WIP.

Have a great day and year ya'll!

 

Lots and Lots and Lots

Lots of stuff to blog about. A list may be in order.

 

- Look at my baby! Finley is 2 months old and weighs 10 lbs.

 

-My other babies with Brice's aunt on Halloween. Better late then never, right?

 

-The new house. We are planning on moving the week after Christmas. I get more excited every day! You can see more pics of it here.

 

-A sneak peek of my STUD swap. This is the first swap I have participated in since the first of the year.

I want to thank all those who signed up for the block swaps. I was worried about getting enough people signed up for one, and ended up with enough for two! Yay! I can't wait to get started!

Have a great day ya'll!

Lots O' Miscellany

I  have lots to post about so here goes....

Atlanta was fantastic! I took my camera but forgot my flash card, so no pics. It was fun though. We went to the Braves game on Friday and shopped on Saturday. I was lucky enough to talk Brice into going to ICE on Saturday and I had a ball. I got some new Sublime Stitching patterns, some yummy homemade soap and this fab necklace from here.

We got home and of course I went thrifting and yard sale-ing. I found all this fab stuff this week:

This groovy tin was just to great to pass up.

Jadite refrigerator dish. I paid $5.00 but I think it was worth it :)

Cute cross stitch welcome pic. It's destined for matting and a better frame, and glass that fits.

I got some great craft books in ATL that I can't wait to dig into:

I have started working on a quilt for my Doll Quilt Swap 4 partner!

Paige has learned to swim underwater. She's getting so big!

She's also getting very strong willed. She vetoed my idea for a cupcake themed birthday party and chose this Hannah Montana Cake instead. (that's our secretary's photostream) She turns six next week and I think there are something like 3 dozen kids invited so I ordered a bunch of cupcakes anyway. (we have a SUPER large family and this is her first "other" friends party) I am planning on taking her and some of her friends to the movies on her actual birthday. The week after we are going to go camping at the river for a long July 4th weekend too. I can't wait!

Have a great day ya'll!
(Blogiversary prizes went out today! Sorry for the delay!)