Ava and Preslee

Hi Everyone!

My dear friend, Monica, sent me some pictures of her girls in the hats I made them. I love how they wear them around the house and at the dinner table! Super cute and a nice compliment...

Some more hats...

Here's a hat off to Australia. I made the flower and attached it with clear nylon thread. I hope you like it, LeAnn!

This hat is also on it's way to Australia. My favorite part is the button. It's from my Mom's stash. Who knows how old it is.

Here's another with a fabric flower. I like the plaid...it reminds me of those plaid shorts girls are wearing lately.
This hat is for a very cute boy with the bluest eyes. Can't wait to see pics of him in it!

Quilts

Here's some of my quilting I've been working on.Here's my first attempt at quilting a blanket. I did the meandering method since that seems to be the easiest. I didn't realize I would need so much thread (Dah, Sus) so I made 2 trips to the quilt shop. Using a daring needle is so much fun...I think I'm hooked.
I started this quilt over a year ago. I had someone actually quilt it for me and then did my best to bind it. It being my first time, it just didn't look good enough for the amount of work I had put into it (and $!). Julie Ann, at Fat Quarter Quilting, saved me and now it sits on our guest bed.

A dream for a nonscrapbooker...

My girlfriend, Kerrie, started selling Creative Memories. It didn't mean much to me at first since I don't scrap book. But when I saw what she was doing with the digital software, I got hooked! I usually use Shutterfly, but a couple times the books came apart. I also wanted a pre-made template for a book but didn't like their choices. So, now I have another craft to keep up with! I will probably use it for cards, invites, pics that will go in frames...stuff like that. My best friend got married recently. I didn't know what I was going to wear so, I was trying on a few dresses in my closet for Anthony and his Mom. They picked out the one they liked best, but it was so old it felt like it didn't deserve to go to Mich's reception (I just thought of the story "the Velveteen Rabbit" as I wrote that). As if Patti read my mind, she said she wanted to go shopping and buy me a dress for my birthday. It was fun trying on things I never would have. I ended up picking out one she had me try on. Isn't that great?! Anthony is the youngest of 4 boys. My sister-in-law and I always say we are lucky she didn't have any girls. She spoils us. :)

I made this card in about 10 minutes. It was fun playing around with it until I liked it. I hope she does...

My Favorite Part

Hi Everyone! I'm here...it's been a while! It seems in the summer I resist the computer...it's too nice out.

Here's some pics of hats I posted previously. They look so much better on these little ones, don't they? Thanks for sharing, Jen!

From Scratch

I haven't attempted my own fabric flowers...until now. I had to sew one since I couldn't find a flower this color. I really love it. It's "flappy" and has a very boutique feel to it. I like how some of my biggest creative moments are out of necessity. I can tell I've come a long way because now I just think, "There's got to be a way to make this!" I hope you like the hat Kari...it's on it's way.

Gavin's Pillow

Hi Everybody! I finished a pillow this morning with Gav's help. It's scraps from Gav's quilt. I wanted to practice the quilting part on the pillow before I start the quilt since I have no idea what I'm doing. I ended up quilting 2 layers of batting to both the front and back. I like how sturdy it turned out. Gav helped me stuff it and thought it was "super sweet".

I hope you all have a great holiday!

Some new hats

It's Sunday morning and it's my turn to get up with the kids. My husband and I take turns sleeping in on the weekends. Our kids get up at the crack of dawn (today it was 5:33 a.m.). I just pulled out some toys that I've had stashed for a while so Fin is busy discovering them again. I'm sure that will buy me at least 1.5 minutes. We went to a bonfire last night, so as I write this my hair has that unbearable bonfire smell. I'll have to wait for a shower until A wakes up. If you ever build a house, put the shower furthest away from your bedroom wall so it doesn't sound like a fire hose is on in the next room. You'd think we would have thought of that.

Here are a few hats I delivered yesterday. The coordinating hats are for 2 sisters. I really love the orange. They have discontinued the color so it's a one-of-a-kind.

Have a great day, everybody!

The Truth

My desk right at this very moment. Yikes!


People often ask me how I find time to craft as much as I do. The truth is I can ignore a lot of what most people can't. My desk is a mess, my kitchen floor should probably be scrubbed right now, my dishwasher needs to be unloaded. My house isn't gross; it's just a little bit neglected. I end up rushing around at the end of the day cleaning quick only because I should. I feel great once the cleaning is done, but not as good as I feel when I've finished a crafty project! :)

Quilts

Hi Everybody, here's a couple of blankets I've been working on. I can't wait to see someone using them! I love sewing, but am a novice. I usually need someone close by that can help when I get stuck.

Here's the result of the class I took with some friends. The dark brown will go with the couches we have on our main level. I'm going to do the binding in dark brown.

This quilt will be for Gavin. His legs are peaking out of his baby blanket, so it's time. I'm hoping to learn how to actually quilt it before he grows out of this one!

Summer at Home

I love the feel of summer. Everything is a little bit easier. It seems we don't rush as much, not so many activities to run to, laying around a bit more...it's a nice break. Here's a few shots from our last week. Gav lost his first front tooth! They look so different when those big front teeth come in. He was so excited. I mourned that tooth being lost probably a little more than I should have.
Fin and Graham wrestling. They were laughing so hard I had to get a shot of it.
Anthony came down the stairs at 6:50 this morning to the boys coloring in their undies.
Fin tryin' out the goggles.

Sisters

Happy Monday everybody! Wanted to share what Jen will have on display in her house...I'm so honored to be part of it! Aren't they just gorgeous? I love the middle one where they are both laughing. They will be so happy to have these when they're older. There's nothing like sisters....

Tatum

Hi Everyone! House guests and life have kept me away...if only I could knit 24 hours a day. That even rhymes...good thing I didn't say that outloud....I'm such a nerd. Anyway, here's Tatum in her hat! Can you believe that she was almost 10 lbs.?!?!?! Her poor Mother. She better have a Momma ring comin', right??

Michelle and Dan's Celebration

These pictures are all out of order but you'll still get the idea! My dearest friend, Michelle, eloped in Tahoe last December. Friday night was their big party to celebrate. It was the most fun I have haf in a loooong time! They did it right...they even had mini burgers out on the patio. Every detail was perfect. Here's a shot of all of us girls having a great time. Not quite sure what I was doing with my arm...at the time I'm sure I thought it would make me look skinnier??!?! The champagne was flowin' :)
Here's a shot of the bride and I. We met when we were 11. My Dad had recently died and I know God sent her to me so I would snap out of my quiet sadness. She was, is and will always be one of thee biggest and best blessings in my life.
Here's Anthony and I enjoying our rare night out.
The girls ready for the party.
This is my favorite picture of the night. I think Mandy would be proud. Their photographer was in between shots and I caught this great moment. Look at how sweet they are! I love how she's nuzzling him and the way his arm is wrapped around her. It's perfect how she's holding her gown too.

This is Gav's favorite.
Here are the "Posse" girls. We all started running together years ago. I've since had to retire because of my back, but these ladies are still going strong. They are amazing how they fit it all in. Jobs, husbands, kids...they still find time to run.

Fun at the Lake

Hi Everyone, I hope you're all having a good week. Here's some pics from our time at the lake. I feel so fortunate to have a place like this to go. I can't even imagine how my parents had the energy to cart all 6 of us girls up 4 hours in our big blue van every Friday night after work. When my sister and I were packing up with 4 boys six years old and under in the car we thought we were nuts. It takes so much work coordinating food, clothes, naps, poops, etc. The second they got out of the car, though, they were screaming in delight at the sight of a bird feeder torn to shreds by a bear. It made all the work getting up there worth it... Gavin and his cousin, Louie, excited about the fish they helped catch.
Here's Gavin playing for us in the yard. He was trying for his coolest "guitar" face.
Here's one of my most favorite pieces of furniture that sits in our cabin.
My Mom as I see her and have seen her all my life. I will always have memories of her working hard in one of her many gardens just like her Aunt Aggie did.
Here's Fin on the swing set with his cousin Louie. It sits exactly where it did when I was a kid.
This is my sister's spot. She bought it, took out the kitchen and bathroom and turned it into a bunkhouse. We all named it "The Peapod". The kids play in there for hours at a time. She says it's the best $500 she's ever spent. Almost forgot...Gav took this pic. Didn't even know it. I was pretty impressed...he must be copying Mandy.
Here I am with my morning coffee. Gavin got a hold of the camera a bit early that morning. Can you see those tired eyes? Fin would wake up yelling for Chloe (our dog) who was not present since she wasn't invited (that would tip me over the edge). Subsequently she spent the week with Anthony at work.
Here are Gav and Louie sitting on the table they made for their fort in the woods. Isn't that sweet? We were spying on them from the kitchen window and every so often we'd see their heads swing back in laughter.
The little boys helped hammer nails for the table too. Graham sat there the longest and really got good at it. He's such a determined kid.

A new hat

Here's a new hat I did while we were at the lake. The chair is an old banker's chair (circa 1920). Our cabin is full of old things with stories. It was built in 1922 and still has some of the original kitchen utensils. We found some old pictures while we were there of the people using dog sleds to get around.

New baby boy hat

Here's my new favorite boy hat. The pic doesn't do it justice. I hope you and your friend like it Kurstin! We are off to the lake. Have a great week everyone!

Pantry

At our house whenever I open the pantry this is the scene. I have tried to avoid it with the house rule, "NO BOYS IN THE PANTRY" but whenever I'm getting lax this happens. Drives me NUTS!!! Look it...even the dog can't stay away.