Sew and Sew

Since the completion of my bag making fiasco extravaganza, I feel like a new woman. I am keenly aware that my personality is just not suited to projects that required an extended amount of focus. I like shorter projects that I can finish in a day or two, otherwise I lose my interest and motivation. Here are some of the things that I have been working on. I *love, love, love* that most of these were finished in less than a day, in one case, only 20 minutes!!

Notepad Holder

I made this as a birthday gift for Erin. It is loosely based on this pattern for the Notetaker, but is made for a 5x8" pad of paper & has just a simple paper & pen holder on the inside. {Be sure to check out this other super cute pattern from Pink Chalk Studio!} I have two more assembled that are waiting for interfacing {and new owners around Christmastime}! It's a great way to use up little pieces of fabric & so practical too ;>)

Baby Burp Cloths

It's about time that I made something for myself, or in this case, the wee one. Both of my other babies were pukers excessive spitters, so I made these burpies extra absorbent just in case. I *love* blue and orange together! All the patterns have both of those colors in them, so I made one of each pattern with a blue backing and the other with an orange backing. Each burpie is topstitched with a zig-zag stitch for sturdiness and style ;>) This would be a great project for a beginning sewer & also would make a nice baby shower gift, dontcha think? It's also relatively inexpensive when you get the flannel on sale like I did. I have plenty of fabric left over for coordinating bibs or other baby accessories.

Criss-cross Coasters

I think these are pretty neat, but maybe you are not a coaster person. I really don't use coasters, but I would just because these look so pretty. I am planning on using them in my Christmas gift baskets, along with some homemade pumpkin butter and strawberry preserves and other handmade goodies. I followed the super-easy tutorial here. This is another great beginner project and also so inexpensive {great hostess gifts, girls}! All it requires is cutting & sewing in a square. No need for top-stitching or hand-finishing! Instead of using just another piece of fabric in the middle, I used sew-in fleece, which I believe has some sort of thermal properties for extra protection of your surface. Since I am using a rotary cutter, all the cutting went really quickly. Whenever I do a project like this {and the burp cloths as well}, I always work production style. I do all my cutting first, then all my sewing, then all the trimming & turning, then all the topstitching {if necessary}, then all the pressing. It makes everything go so much smoother.

Fall Napkins

I fell in love with this fabric when I saw it on a tablecloth at Alicia's & knew right away that I wanted to make napkins out of it. I am trying to build up my napkin stash, not only for special occasions, but for everyday use. I plan on making some kiddie napkins to use for breakfasts & lunches, instead of paper towels all the time. I think it'll be more frugal in the long run, not to mention prettier! Hubster must've really liked them because he said, "Whoa! You should make those as gifts!" Usually he just says something like, "Nice."

Easy Toddler Belt

I have been loving the Sew, Mama, Sew blog this month as they are doing 30 days of handmade projects, complete with tutorials. {Sorry, no picture of this one!} I found this idea there & made it the very next day! I already had the metal rings & just used up some stash fabric for the belt. I added a layer of sew-in interfacing for extra sturdiness. Another simple project for the beginning sewer and is perfect for a boy or a girl.

That concludes this edition of Sew and Sew. Hope maybe you were inspired, by these {mostly} simple projects, to create something of your own!

Tagged!

I was tagged by Erin to expose share eight random things about myself. So here they are:

1. I was born with one crossed eye. It couldn't move anywhere & was permanently looking inward until I had corrective surgery at 15 months. I had to wear an adhesive patch {kinda like a round band-aid} on the opposite eye {AARGH Mateys!} for several hours a day for years. The patches even came with little stickers so I could decorate them. Now the eye has overcorrected itself & I have a hard time looking people in the eye with both eyes at the same time. People don't realize that I'm talking to them or turn around to see who I am speaking to. It is actually very frustrating & kinda embarrassing. So, yeah, I'm talkin' to YOU!

2. I have been sleeping with a body pillow for the last 6 years, since I was preggo with my first child. I can't sleep well without it. I take it with me whenever I spend the night somewhere.

3. I have NEVER tried a brussel sprout or an oyster...or a cigarette for that matter. NEVER.

4. I have been out of the country 6 times: four times to Mexico, once to Jamaica, and once to Guatemala.

5. I didn't receive my first speeding ticket until last year. I was more upset about the fact that my record was no longer "perfect" than I was about the expense and hassle.

6. At the moment, I am addicted to ice. No. Seriously. I think it has to do with the pregnancy hormones. I'm sure this can't be good for my teeth. I fill up my glass 3/4 full with ice & just add a little of my beverage. The ice is best when it has been sitting out for a bit & softens up some. I like smallish slightly crushed ice best. I have even asked for it as a separate cupful in the drive-through. Yep. I'm weird.

7. While babysitting the girl next door, when I was about 12 or 13 years old, she was hit by a car. We went for a little bike ride down our street. Literally only about 2 houses down from where we lived. There was a car coming, so we all pulled over to the side of the street. I, with her little sister on one side, and she had pulled over to the opposite side. I said, "Stay there." Of course, at the last minute, she decides to cross to my side of the street. Thankfully the car wasn't going that fast, but still. The ambulance was called & she checked out fine. Let me know if you need someone to watch your kids next time you and husband go out ;>)

8. I enjoy memorizing and reciting lines to movies. Mostly my favorites like "While You Were Sleeping", "Sweet Home Alabama", "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "You've Got Mail". I'm sure this really annoys some people, but that's me. I especially love all the witty banter in You've Got Mail. Although lately, when something goes wrong at home, hubster and I say to each other, "Why, oh why, didn't I take the blue pill?" {from one of his faves}

Most everyone I know has already been tagged. So I guess all that's left to say is... don't you love Illinois in the fall? "I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if only I knew your name and address."

Just for fun

I took a quiz here to find out what color I would be if I was one. Here are the results:

you are plum #DDA0DD

Your dominant hues are red and blue. You're confident and like showing people new ideas. You play well with others and can be very influential if you want to be. Your saturation level is low - You stay out of stressful situations and advise others to do the same. You may not be the go-to person when something really needs done, but you know never to blow things out of proportion. Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

If you take the quiz & post the results on your blog, leave a comment so I can check out your "color". Happy Thursday!

P.S. 35 days left to go.......

To market, to market.....

I mentioned a few posts ago that my mother-in-law has been trying to persuade me to make some bags for her to sell at her work {a public school of all places, ha}! So I finally did it. I planned. I cut. I sewed. I re~planned. I tried to use as much fabric from my stash as possible, throwing in some newly purchased stuff to keep things exciting. Here are my fruits:

mini-wristlets
{just big enough to fit a cell phone, ar key, debit card, some cash & chapstick. kinda like the modern girl's answer to a fanny-pack.}

sling tote bags
{I have one of these myself & it is the perfect size for my Bible, notebook & a couple extras to carry to church.}

lil Ballerina bag
{It's quilted on the outside & has a zippered pocket on the inside.}

simple large totes
{a nice sized fully lined bag}

quilted messenger bag {front & back}
{this is my favorite! I *love* the fabric & the style & had so much fun with different quilting patterns. I should've gotten a picture of the inside. The underside of the front flap is a chocolate brown & pink polka dot corduroy. It has a patch pocket and a zippered pocket inside as well as a magnetic snap closure. }

Even if I don't sell very many items, it was still a great learning experience & definitely helped to hone my skills. I got a little carried away with all the fabric yo-yos, but they make such a cute little embellishment & are great for using up scraps! And last but not least, I wanted to come up with a business name & logo {ya know, to make me seem all professional}, so this is what I picked:
Pink is very me & the canary is a nod to my maiden name, Canary. I drew the bird free hand on a piece of paper, then scanned & tweaked it in Photoshop. I printed the name of each item & selling price on the back of each tag. Maybe all this professionalism will help sell more bags. Hope you've enjoyed hearing about my "market" experience!

Soft Pretzels

The girls and I made our own kind of fun last week by trying a recipe for homemade soft pretzels. We've enjoyed getting them as a snack at Sam's Club, where we occasionally shop. Sienna was particularly interested & focused on mixing & rolling & waiting for the dough to rise. We used this recipe from a back issue of Family Fun magazine and made three traditional and three cinnamon sugar pretzels. Mine turned out a little bit chunkier as I had a hard time rolling the dough to be 1/2" thick. Take a whiff ~ er, gander:

"A dough divided can not stand...."

Shaped and waiting

Fresh from the oven & topped with cinnamon sugar
















Kid tested: Approved!!

Patient Update

Thanks to everyone for your prayers. My patient is doing well. He is in moderate discomfort and has basically just been sitting in the same place since we returned home this afternoon. And for the record: NO, this was not a vasectomy! He should be feeling much better by tomorrow & I will continue to help him regain his health over the next few days. Praise God that everything went smoothly & that there were not any complications. Please pray for my own strength and patience as we all know how difficult it can be {sometimes} to care for un-well husbands!

A Prayer Request

Pray to me and I will answer you.
Jeremiah 33:3

If it comes to mind, please pray for my husband Rick today as he is having surgery this morning at 11 am. It is nothing serious, but he will be under general anesthesia. Please pray specifically for no complications and a relatively painless recovery. It also just so happens that today is hubbster's 32nd birthday. You can join me in praying that he would still feel content and blessed despite his circumstances. Thanks in advance!

Odd Mom Out

Yep. I'm the odd mom out. We don't celebrate Halloween. {Maybe there are other "odd" moms out there, I just don't come across them that often.} I don't decorate with ghosts or witches or skeletons. We do celebrate Harvest Time and I enjoy decorating with pumpkins, picking pumpkins, and eating pumpkin-y foods. We love the smells of burning leaves and apple picking and other fun fall stuff. I'm not opposed to dressing up or taking the kids to a costume party, it is the "celebrating of the day" part that I am against. What are you really celebrating anyway? A recent conversation with another dance class mom went something like this:

Mom: {to her kids} "Ask the girls what they're going to be for Halloween. Go on! Ask 'em!!"

Me: {silently cringing to self}

Mom: "Hey girls, so what are you going to be for Halloween?"

Me: "Um, we don't celebrate Halloween."

Mom: "Are you Jehovah's Witnesses?" {I guess in her mind you would have to be....}

Me: "Nope."

Mom: "Do you celebrate anything else?"

Me: {chuckling to self} "Yep. I just don't think Halloween is worth celebrating." {I really didn't want to get into any answer deeper than this.}

Mom: "You don't even let them celebrate at school??!" {As if schools were in charge of everything.}

Me: {Oh. Brother.} "We homeschool."

Mom: oooooooohhhhh

The mom in question is particularly straightforward. She has already told me that she doesn't think we should name our baby Sebastian & suggested several other names that she thinks are appropriate. Despite her opinionated nature, I think this conversation threw her for a loop!

If you are a Halloween-er, I'm not judging you, so please don't flame me for my opinion. If you are an odd mom too, then I'd love to hear it! I guess tonight I will leave the house lights off, draw the blinds closed & enjoy some private family time huddled indoors. From a frugal standpoint, I'm saving money on costumes, Halloween candy, and dentist bills from all the sweets!

Happy Wednesday!!

Need Booster Seat Advice

To all my readers who are moms, I need your advice! At what age did you move your child from a harnessed carseat to a booster seat? For some reason you don't often hear hard & fast rules regarding this issue, the way you do about keeping them rear-facing until they are 1 year old and 20 pounds. The AAP says the child is ready for a booster when:

• She reaches the top weight or height allowed for her seat with a harness. (These limits are listed on the seat and are also included in the instruction booklet.)
• Her shoulders are above the harness slots.
• Her ears have reached the top of the seat.

I think we moved my oldest to a booster around 3 1/2-ish, but I really don't remember. Any input is appreciated!

Bags and Bags and Pumpkins, OH MY!

The Bags....
I have been busily plugging away at making some bags to sell at my mother-in-law's school. She has mentioned that a lot of the ladies would be really interested & has encouraged me to do something about it! I ran out of a crucial supply which stalled my progress, but now I am back on track. I want to get these completed so I can move on to other things. I just recently sold two custom bags to moms from Tatiana's dance class, so I would like to be able to start on those without other major bag projects hanging over my head. I really only have one more bag on my "list" to complete for my mil & just yesterday received the fabric from one of the dance class moms. I will post some photos of the lot when they are completed. Hopefully this will net me a little bit of money for the holiday season, but at this point I'd be happy just to make back what I've spent.

The Pumpkins....
About two weeks ago, while *innocently* surfing the net, I ran across this tutorial. I just couldn't help myself. I made this right away:

Isn't it just the cutest little knitted pumpkin?? I *love* it! So much so that I just......

...couldn't....

.....STOP!!!

I need some serious help.

I am using materials from my stash, so it doesn't cost me anything other than 1 hour of my time. It's so quick and a great little project for while I'm unwinding in front of the TV at night or waiting {for the bazillionth time} at the doctor's office or in some other waiting room. I'm not feelin' the love for the larger one with the star as much as the little rounder ones. I have already given one away as a hostess gift. Here he is getting ready for his new home:

...and now he's all boxed up {homemade box of course!} and ready to roll!

Dear Mother-in-law {yet again} suggested that I make some to sell to her lady friends at work. {Um, either she really thinks I need the money or that my handiwork is very cute & desirable. I'm beginning to wonder.....} She also mentioned making a bunch to use as placeholders for the Thanksgiving table. Wouldn't that be uber cute? I thought I could just twist the copper wire in such a way that you could stick the namecard in it! If I have the time and ambition, I may just do that!

Weekend Getaway

This weekend Hubs & I enjoyed a mini-getaway in honor of our anniversary. We have been staying at the same little inn in Indiana for quite a few years, although every once and awhile we do shake things up a bit. This year we went back to our spot there, the Spring House Inn. I paid for a standard room, but due to a mix-up was given a jacuzzi suite! We loved the jacuzzi, but the downside was that this room was smoking. YUK. I almost couldn't take it, but eventually adjusted nicely.

So there you have it! And now you have seen my 32 week belly. I am so glad there are only a few more weeks left to go. Hubs & I enjoyed dinner at Red Lobster on Saturday night {can you believe I saved a gift card since last Christmas??} and a movie, Rendition, following. On Sunday we did some shopping at the huge outlet mall in Michigan City, getting some much needed clothes for myself & a few things for the children. {I also managed to hit the local Jo-Ann's for some fabric & supplies!}

We each bought a magazine to enjoy since we both love to read & I also brought along my very first copy of Ottobre that I received in the mail earlier in the week. I ordered the Autumn 2006 issue as it had the most designs I would be interested in. I disciplined myself not to open the envelope until we arrived at our getaway destination. I can't wait to make something from this. The patterns are so modern & European chic!

The fall colors weren't as fall-ish as they usually are. Everything was still pretty green, which was kind of a bummer. I was wishing everything would've looked like this. Maybe it has something to do with the weather? I know God is a busy guy so maybe He's forgotten to turn the thermostat down {said tongue-in-cheek}! Eighty degrees in late October??? By last night I was missing the girls and ready to come home. Although we both *so* enjoyed getting away & reconnecting, I love being back together as a family & in the comforts of my little home.

Pregnancy: a Review

I don't really talk much about my pregnancy, so I thought I'd share a few of the highlights with ya'll. Here goes:

33 Days since LMP: I start to suspect I am pregnant. I've charted my cycles in the past & they have never been longer than 31 days.

5-6 Weeks since LMP: I'm sure I'm pregnant now. Too much time has gone by since the last cycle. I am hoping I can make it until Mother's Day without telling anyone! I think all the laying on the couch every evening because of early nausea symptoms might give it away.....

7 Weeks Preggo: Hubster gets suspicious. I just answer all his questions with "Don't worry about it." He can NOT wait to find out & buys me a pregnancy test. I take the test while he is mowing the grass. Positive! When he comes in the house, I have the girls sitting in my lap & a big posterboard sign with "#3" on it and and arrow pointing towards my belly. Hubster is excited!! He has off of work the next day so we make the rounds announcing the news. I bring the sign along & that is how we make our official announcement. Other people that we could not visit I call & tell them that Sienna is going to be a big sister. Everyone is so happy for us.

7 Weeks - 20ish Weeks Preggo: Sickness. Nausea. Every. Night. At least it doesn't start until 4ish, which means Hubster can take over the fort when he arrives home. Can't really go anywhere at night. No small group. No dinner plans. Nothing helps. Keep telling self that it will all be over soon & that the end result will be so worth it!

13 Weeks Preggo: Doctor can not find the baby's heartbeat. She schedules an ultrasound for the next day. It is a really, really long night...............Ultrasound shows that the baby is just fine! Although it is quite early to tell, ultrasound tech is 95% sure that it is a BOY!!

20 Weeks Preggo: It's confirmed. WE'RE HAVING A BOY!! Families are sooo happy. He will join my two nephews on Hubby's side of the family & is the first grandson on my side. We are also informed that I have partial placenta previa which will need to be monitored. If the placenta doesn't move then I will have to have a c-section.

20ish Weeks Preggo: Hubster wakes up in the morning telling me that a name just "came to him" in the middle of the night last night. He wasn't even thinking about names, he just was awoken to have the name come to his mind. OK. Must be a God thing. He tells me the name: Sebastian. It wasn't on my list of names, but I am sure that is what God wants us to name our son. We start telling everyone his name & the most popular response is, "But what are you going to call him for short?"

28 Weeks Preggo: Praise God, another ultrasound reveals that the placenta has moved out of the way! No need to worry about c-section {for now}. I take the 1-hour glucose test. I shouldn't be concerned as I have never failed a glucose test before.....

30 Weeks Preggo: GLUCOSE TEST FAILED. Normal value is 140 or under. Mine was 159. This means I will have to take the 3 hour test. I am also told that according to the last ultrasound, this is a BIG baby. He is weighing in at 3 pounds 8 ounces {as of 28 weeks}. Doctor tells me that this will need to be monitored & could mean a possible early induction to make sure he doesn't get really huge. I am measuring 32 weeks.

31 Weeks Preggo: I take the 3-hour test. Either the phlebotomist is a rookie or the fasting/not drinking enough is causing my veins to be difficult to draw. She does the insides of both of my arms. On the third draw she's going for the top of my hand & when the blood starts drawing, my body freaks out. In about 5 seconds time I tell her that I am really "not feeling good", then it gets bad. I feel like I am going to throw up & pass out. I start sweating & seeing stars. Literally. She calls the doctor over & they lay me upside down in the chair. I end up laying in a hospital bed with oxygen up my nose until the final blood draw. I shed a couple tears because I feel so ridiculous & embarassed. This was just routine, I figured. I have to call my mom to come pick me up from the doctor's office. I'm glad it's over.

32 Weeks Preggo: I do NOT have gestational diabetes. Two abnormal values are needed for this diagnosis; I do, however, have one abnormal value. Doctor informs me that most women with one abnormal value have larger than average babies. I will probably have to have yet another {my 4th} ultrasound to monitor baby's growth. This {different} doctor tells me that she does not do inductions before 39 weeks. {What would be the point of inducing then anyways?} I am now measuring 35 weeks.

And that's my pregnancy story, thusfar. Seems like ever time I have a doctor's visit they should be asking me, "Do you want the good news or the bad news?" Surely this will all be over soon. Just have to hang in there a few more weeks.

Enjoy your weekend!

Our First Date

October 14, 1996

A mutual friend had introduced us about one month before this date. Rick was presented as captain of the college soccer team that our friend was on. I remember my first impression was that he was very genuine, but kind of...um....dorky. He seemed to make really great conversation and really was interested in what I had to say. I remembered that on our first meeting he grabbed my hand to take me to the foosball table so we could play with some other friends of ours. After talking several times, Rick casually mentioned a movie he wanted to see.

Me: "Oh, yeah. I know that one." {I had no clue what movie he was talking about.}

So we made plans to see it, shortly after I returned from a trip to Florida. I thought about him during the trip, which I found somewhat strange since we had never even had an official date. I even remember writing his name in the sand....

The evening of our date we went to his parents house for dinner. I remember it was leftover KFC. {Romantic, eh?} Then we went to see the aforementioned movie, The Ghost in the Darkness. I remember him holding my hand & me thinking, "What are you doing?? Do you even want to be more than friends with this guy?" Then I would let go of his hand. Then I would hold it again. {Insert typical can't-make-up-her-mind female here.} I remember "pretending" to be scared throughout the movie.

That's about all I remember about our first date. Nothing earth-moving happened. Just two people beginning to chart a course together for some unknown final destination. God's plan was revealed when we were engaged 9 months later. I guess you could say it all started on this same date, 11 years ago. Seems like forever has passed and yet it seems like it wasn't that long ago, all at the same time.

Here's to happy memories ;>)

Our Family: Defined

Tatiana, my six year old, loves to count and recount the people in our family, especially since we are expecting a baby boy. She will tell me how many girls we have, how many boys we have & how many people total. {I think all these addition math lessons may have something to do with it too!} Last night in the car, she went a step further & "defined" each family member giving him/her a special name:

"We are going to call you {meaning me} rester." At least she didn't name me ol' yeller.

"I will be homeschooler." I was fascinated that this is what she used to define herself. I wonder if she feels like she is "different" because of being a homeschooler.

"Sienna will be sucker {since she loves to suck on her blankie corners for comfort}."

"Sebastian, {our unborn son} we'll call kicker." I thought this definition was particularly cute!

"And Dad will be worker." She has "defined" us all before, but Dad is always worker.

So that is my family, as defined by my daughter!

Apples & More Apples

We have been frequent visitors of our local apple orchard lately, so what to do with all that appley goodness? Bake of course! I tried this recipe over the weekend & loved it. It is simple. No greasing of the pan required or making of a fussy pie dough. Plus, the bottom crust & the top crumble are the same mixture, now how easy is that?!

Apple Oat Squares

Makes 9 servings

1 ½ c. quick-cooking rolled oats
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
¼ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1 c. packed brown sugar
¾ c. butter {1 ½ sticks}, melted
3 c. peeled, cored, thinly sliced Granny Smith apples
½ t. ground cinnamon
¼ c. sugar
2 T. butter

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, and melted butter in large bowl until thoroughly combined. Press half the mixture evenly into bottom of 9” square baking pan. Toss apples, cinnamon, and sugar in bowl, then spread evenly in pan; dot with butter. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture and bake for 45 minutes or until golden. Cool and cut into squares.

Special Notes:

This tasted sweet. I might add a squirt of lemon juice to the apples to brighten the apple flavor, and/or reduce the sugar a bit. I also only used about 1 T. of butter to dot over the apples. EASY!!

I think one of the keys to great apple desserts is to pick the right apple for the job. This recipe for instance, calls for Granny Smith, but you could easily substitute another firm, tart apple. I also like to adjust the sweetness in each recipe depending upon the sweetness of the apples.

P.S. If you're looking for some childrens' books about apples, a few we have enjoyed in the past are:
The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons

Apples to Oregon by Deborah Hopkinson and Nancy Carpenter

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman

Ten Apples Up on Top by Dr. Seuss

Curriculum Brag

I really just wanted to take a chance and {shamelessly} brag on our homeschool curriculum, Little Hearts for His Glory. It is so wonderful! The description on the cover explains exactly all the reasons why I love it: Christ-centered, Flexible, Quick Activities, Easy to Use, Fun Ideas, and Complete Plans. I really, really enjoy all the neat, easy activities that are included.

For our History segment {which is really Biblical & God's hand throughout history}, I read from actual Scriptures that they have pieced together to make-up a complete story. Let's face it, even for an adult sometimes reading Biblical accounts can be lengthy, so it is so wise how they put together which Scriptures to read to give your child an understanding of what happened. This week, after reading about David, one of the activities included taping a drawing of Goliath's face on the wall {about 9 feet up, since that's how tall he was} and having your child pretend to be David. Tatiana took 5 rolled up socks {a.k.a. "smooth stones"} and attempted to hit Goliath in the forehead. It was so fun. We also discussed man looking at the outside and God looking at the heart. She had to look in a mirror and answer questions about her appearance, then draw a self-portrait. On a separate piece of paper, she described some of the qualities on herself on the inside. Then we taped the two together. There have been so many more neat activities that serve to reinforce the daily lesson.

Tatiana & Sienna both enjoy the weekly Rhyme/Song as well. All the songs fit with whatever is being learned & include gross motor skills to help improve body coordination. All the choices of activities and additional books are so...integrated. There's no better word to describe it. Instead of all the subjects being disjointed, they try and have everything pointing toward a central theme. Even our reading time is designed for character building. We aren't just reading some random chapter book. Everything has such distinct purpose, which I suppose is why we can learn so much in only 1-1 1/2 hours!

*I* so appreciate the weekly Scripture memorization as it helps me to "hide it in my heart" as well. I admit that in the past I have been guilty of just letting church do the Scriptural instruction and now with the help of this curriculum, I finally feel like I am fulfilling my God-given responsibility of training my child in His ways & His Word. Periodically we read from Devotions for the Children's Hour, which I highly recommend for anyone wanting to start doing devotions with their child/family. The chapters are short, only about 2 pages long and cover topics like Who is God?, Who is Satan?, The Most Important Thing a Child Can Do, Why It Helps Us to Be Punished, and many more. At the end of each chapter, there are a few questions for review as well as a simple prayer to use with your child/family. If you know me IRL and would like to look this {or any other book I mention} over, please just ask!

During this season of my life, I am really thankful too that everything is all planned out for me. I really don't have to do any pre-planning. I just open the curriculum guide & off we go! It really would be a great choice for someone who is a new homeschooler or wants to give it try, but thinks there is too much work involved. The same company also produces a Pre-K curriculum, designed for 2-5 year olds, which can be found here, that might be considered even if you don't plan on homeschooling in the future. It would give you & your child extra quality time together, learning & building a Christian foundation. I can't wait to start using this with Sienna!

I really am having so much fun & I know Tatiana is too. I am grateful to the Lord for guiding me in this decision and don't think I could've made a better one! If you have any questions about this curriculum or are considering using it, please let me know or feel free to send me a private email. Thanks for listening to my excitement & appreciation of our curriculum ;>)

Turkey anyone?

With the {somewhat} onset of Fall, I have been thinking a lot about Thanksgiving. {Well, actually I've been planning for more than a month now, but I don't want you to think I'm TOO crazy.} It is one of my favorite holidays, since I love cooking & entertaining. Over the years I have developed some tried and true recipes for certain dishes, that I now refuse to do without. I won't even bother trying a new pumpkin pie recipe since I love the one I have so much. This year I won't be able to hostess because I will be waaaaaayyy too pregnant. I learned my lesson with baby #2 by hosting Thanksgiving while pregnant & that was for only 5 people total. So my {covert} plan will be to freeze a bunch of ingredients & side dishes ahead of time so that I can {casually} offer to bring those items for the big day. We are celebrating at my grandma's house, so when I tell her that I already have all the ingredients prepared, how can she refuse? Here are the dishes I really need to have to make my Thanksgiving "complete":

Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Zinfandel ~ I have been making this for about 5-6 years now. I tastes awesome on a {leftover} turkey sandwich too. I'm thinking this will actually freeze quite nicely already prepared. I will split this into two batches so that I can save some for Christmastime.

Slow Cooker Stuffing ~ My recipe is loosely based off of this one. I like to add Bob Evan's sage sausage and raisins too. I think I can freeze all the ingredients, including the bread cubes, then just toss it all in the crockpot on the big day. Maybe I will make extra to have for Christmastime as well.

Thanksgiving Day Pumpkin Pie ~ I'm not sure how I can make this ahead, except maybe to make & freeze the crust. It comes together so quickly that I really don't have to. Here is the recipe for it from Nick Maglieri's book How to Bake:

Thanksgiving Day Pumpkin Pie

Makes 1 pie

1 9” pie crust
1 ½ c. canned pumpkin
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
2/3 c. sugar
½ t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
¼ t. ground ginger
¼ t. freshly grated nutmeg
1 ¼ c. light cream or half and half

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place crust and arrange in pan. In a large bowl, place pumpkin and whisk in the eggs and yolks. Whisk in the remaining ingredients in the order listed, whisking smooth after each addition. Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Bake the pie for about 1 hour, until the crust is baked through and the filling is set. Cool the pie on a rack.

Special Notes:

Sweet dough for pies: In processor pulse 1 c. flour, 3 T. sugar, 1/4 t. baking powder, 1/8 t. salt. Pulse in 4 T. cold butter until it looks like cornmeal. Add 1 egg & pulse 10 times or so until dough comes together. Knead 3 to 4 times on lightly floured board. Chill 1 hour. Roll.

How about a few websites for Thanksgiving inspiration? I have been reading the "Thinkin' Thanksgiving" forum over at Organized Christmas. I've also found a few nice ideas here. And here is some Turkey day food inspiration at Allrecipes.

Are you making Thanksgiving plans yet? What are the foods that say "Thanksgiving" to you?

P. S. White meat rules!!

Sew and Sew

Welcome to the latest edition of "Sew and Sew"! Since completing all these projects last week, my sewing has slowed down a bit. I have way too many projects that are only half completed, so this week's goal will be to knock some of those off my "to-do" list.

The Beast

I decided to make a diaper bag for a friend's baby shower. Yeah. Note to self: You better really {and I mean REALLY} love this person to take on a project of this magnitude. I recycled some fabric that started out as something else for the exterior & used some clearance fabric which I love for the lining. I *so* love the color combination. Very fall-ish. The problem arose when I tried to stitch through multiple layers of heavy fabric, batting, and interfacing while trying to turn corners, etc. I had to call my Personal Sewing Machine Repairman, a.k.a. Hubster, to my rescue. I actually messed up the innards of the machine by trying to do more than it could handle. {My sincere apologies, Ella (that's the name of my machine)!} After necessary repairs were completed, I was able to continue. I have not been able to procure more magnetic clasps from my {2} local JoAnn's stores, so I had to rip one out of a project that was in the lingering "to-do" pile. There are two bottle/sippy cup pockets on the outside & a patch pocket & zippered pocket on the inside. I altered the pattern by making two quilted side straps. After all was said & done, I got this: I am also proud of myself for making a matching wipes case holder. It will also hold two size 5 diapers. I added a grommet {my first one!} and a wrist strap for stylish carrying ability when you go to change your little one. The interior is lined & there is a contrasting exterior pocket on the back for some diaper rash ointment or lotion or whatever else mom might need. I *love* it! I will definitely be making one for myself {when I get around to actually making myself a diaper bag}.


For the Kitchen

Next up is an farmhouse style apron, which is reversible, made from Lotta Jansdotter's book, Simple Sewing: Patterns and How-To for 24 Fresh and Easy Projects . I am very happy with the fabric choices. I used the same fabrics to make a matching potholder, also from the same book.



Next time I will use two layers of batting with a layer of canvas sandwiched in between for extra heat-resistance. This potholder is only good for "quick" tasks.

I tackled my first tablerunner {more of a centerpiece actually}, sans pattern of course, and am mostly pleased with the results. I had a hard time figuring out the mitred corners of the edging, so will have to research that for next time. I was so bummed when I put the finished runner on my table, only to realize that the color of the edging blends in with the color of my table. DOH!! I used different strips of fall fabrics from the stash. {Sorry, for some reason I can't find the photos I took of this!}

For the Kidlets

Yet another tiered skirt, this time for the 2 1/2 year old. I have yet to tire of this style. It just seems so cute to me. I love that I don't need a pattern, can make it sized perfectly every time with just a little math & can just use my {new} rotary cutting set to cut out the necessary straight strips of fabric. I used some pumpkin patch flannel from the stash. {Come on, Fall!} The flannel seemed a little finicky to work with, but I made it obey.

Lastly is a bib for Jellybean:

I used a bib I already have & traced around it for a pattern. {I recycle all of my big brown grocery bags for pattern-making, by the way. Nice & sturdy!} This is more of a medium-large sized bib, so I cut out a few more smaller ones for when he is sloppily nursing or just starting solids. I love the fabric! There is a layer of terry cloth in the middle for absorption and the bib is backed with flannel. Now I'm off to finished some of those unfinished items ;>)

Not radically different....

....but just a little....pinker! I like all the slips of paper in the new header & my little pink notes that are stapled or tacked up along the sidebar. I'm lovin' the little pink bullets next to the sidebar links. I tried forever to add a background image behind the posts, but to no avail. If I don't stop fuddling now, I may never make any changes at all. Hope you like it ;>)

A New Look...

I am in the process of making a couple changes to the look of my blog, which is why I haven't posted in several days. I am so thankful for all my new {and old} readers alike and because of that I want to make this blog a happy, enjoyable place to visit. I consider my blog an extension of my home. If you were coming over for tea or lunch, I would make sure that everything is in order & not only that, but would try and add some beautiful touches, be it with food or otherwise, to make your visit more pleasurable. I want to do the same here. I will be deleting some old links or blogs I no longer visit & adding some of my new favorites. {The baby is bouncing around so much at the moment, it is actually making it difficult to focus on typing!} I hope in a day or two I can put the finishing touches on my new look. It kinda feels like getting a haircut, ya know? Thank you for continuing {or beginning} to share in life's adventures with me. Now back to the sprucing up.....

106 days

....until Christmas ya'll!! If you've been reading for awhile, you may remember that after last Christmas I planned to do a little Christmas in July celebration for myself, making some crafts, trying new Christmas recipes, etc. My how ambitious I can be when I'm not pregnant! As it turns out, I did start planning for Christmas last month though. Here are the things I accomplished:

• Downloaded free holiday planner to add to my homekeeping notebook from Organized Christmas. The planner can be found here. I printed out the Christmas Countdown complete with weekly checklists. The thing I like about it is that I will start on October 21 and hopefully have all my baking, decorating, shopping, cleaning, etc. finished in their 6 week timeline, ending on December 1st {just in time for my December 15th due date}.

• Updated my MS Word Holiday Planning File. I've had this file for years. It has my Christmas Card list, complete with names & addresses, Gift Ideas, and Gift Lists. I usually try to add recipes I come across or homemade gift tutorials as well so everything is all in one place.

• Began a set of five holiday stockings for my family. They're made from my new favorite material: FELT! You can see the preview of the set in my last post.

• Begun to think about more holiday crafts! I love these softie trees & can't wait to make a set for myself from the free pattern I got here.
  

• Started holiday sewing, namely an orange fleece pullover as a Christmas gift for the hubster. After I realized I cut out the pattern wrong, I kinda lost some of my motivation. I need to buy a bit of black fleece to use as contrast along the sleeve edges & bottom. I am so excited. I hope it fits! I am hoping to make some flannel pajama pants as gifts for my niece & nephews as well & maybe some for my kiddos as stocking stuffers.

• Started to think about possible homemade holiday gifts. Some of my ideas include: Sun Visor Organizers {for the men}, Lavender Vanilla Sheet Spray, Chocolate Lip Balm, Tote Bags, Fabric Notebook Portfolios, and Muslin Reusable Teabags {for loose-leaf tea drinkers}.
  

• In anticipation of their Winter issue, I signed up for a free subscription & downloaded my first copy of Seasonal Delights. One year subscriptions are free through the month of September. This issue is Autumn, so it includes seasonal recipes, crafts, books to read and poetry.

Any Christmas thinking on your horizon? Started shopping/crafting/creating yet?

Sew and Sew

Here are some of the latest sewing projects that have come across my machine, or my hands for that matter. The first item is:



















It is storage for all those plastic grocery bags {or bread bags} that I accumulate and usually just stuff under the sink. You just push 'em in through the top & pull 'em out through the bottom.

NEXT! These are embroidered felt hair clips I made following this tutorial.















I loved this project because they are so fast, fun, and easy to make. Plus they are portable, so I can stick the ones I'm working on in my purse if I am going to be sitting waiting somewhere {like the doctor's office or dance class}. They are cheap too! I think they'll make great little girl stocking stuffers. I also like making them to coordinate with certain outfits. It's all about the accessories!

NEXT! Here is a corduroy skirt I made for my 6 year-old.

It also has a matching beret & matching embroidered hair clips, like the ones above, that are currently unavailable for photographing . Of course as part of my learning process, I cut out the skirt improperly so that the corduroy welts run horizontal instead of vertical, but I don't think anyone else would really notice {other than me & the keen-eyed seamstress}.

Finally, here is a little preview of an entire set of projects I have been working on.
The elfette pattern can be gotten for free here.

Hope you have had an enjoyable weekend! I got lots of sleep last night {thanks Unisom!} so I am feeling ready for a productive day. Blessings!

Stay-at-Home-Mom vs. Homemaker

QUICK! Do you consider yourself a stay-at-home-mom or a homemaker?

Quite honestly, I would have always described myself as a stay-at-home-mom. After reading this post however, I will have to change my answer to homemaker, or as I prefer, domestic engineer. I encourage you all to read the post & let me know what you think. It just reminds me that there is so much more to my job description than childcare, and really, that is only just a fraction of what my duties entail. I agreed with so many points that were made about women being reduced to just child-care workers & being expected to work once the children enter school or leave the nest. I think a lot of elements of making of a home have been lost over the years {although I'm trying to revive the sewing aspect, y'all!} and I think many of these areas can be reclaimed by those of us who consider our homes as a sanctuary and a soft place to land for our husbands, ourselves, our children and others {how's that art of hospitality?}. What are we, as the new generation of homemakers, doing to rebuild the image of "home", especially as a Christian one where that applies? We can start by referring to ourselves as homemakers or domestic engineers, as opposed to stay-at-home-moms. After all, isn't the working mom {if her priorities are in order} just as much as a homemaker as a "stay-at-home-mom"? We are all called to be homemakers and I was reminded today that it is a title I should wear proudly and should actively look for ways to reclaim areas of this art that have been lost & to encourage the next generation {or even my friends } to do the same. I will leave you with this quote from the post I read:

Homemaking should become a respectable occupation for a married woman once again, whether she lives in the city or in the country, whether she has 1 child or 20 or no children at all.

Amen!

P.S. I only got 5 hours of broken-up sleep last night so please bear with me if I am not thinking clearly!

Party.....I mean, Potty Time

I feel like my life is in a little bit of a lull. I haven't been sleeping well, so I don't have a lot of energy for the things I used to. I am just starting a new survey for my part-part-time job, so that will be taking up more of my time. I don't have any big "first day of school" posts to share, like it seems everybody else does. Our first day of school was weeks ago & I guess, due to the nature of homeschooling, not very dramatic. No sadness. No milestone memory. No lunch to pack. No concern over whether she got a "good" teacher {LOL}. Just another day.

The only thing remotely exciting going on around here is Potty Training! I tried {although I wasn't very committed} on two other occasions to put 2 1/2 year old in underpants, but after 5 "accidents" before noon, I was done for. Last week, we had run out of diapers over the weekend {I did buy more, but didn't put them away where they usually belong}, so when Monday morning came and the little one went to get a fresh one, all that was there was a pile of ready-to-wear underpants. She brought me a pair & I just decided that it was "time". I decided that I would not leave the house until Thursday {last week} and if she didn't have "success" before then, I would just try another time. She did great! After about 2 tries on the "little potty", she refused to use it anymore & only wanted to use the "big potty" with it's Dora training seat. {What's up with this? I couldn't tell if she went or not unless I was sitting right there the whole time waiting for the tinkle. Grrr.} It took until the second day for things to click, but by the third day we were doing ALL our business on the potty. Of course we are still having accidents, but maybe only one or two a day. She also has been waking up dry after her naps & sometimes in the mornings as well. As a reward, she got a new package of Elmo underwear. I am so proud. I guess it doesn't come a bit too soon as tomorrow is the start of my third trimester. I am still in a bit of denial about being pregnant again, but that's another story!