Kiddos and Crafts

Birthday Present

2011-10-28T21:54:00.002-05:00

This pillow was created for a birthday present and it was very well received!! It is huge! Somewhere around 24 by 24 inches. In the back there is a fun pocket to that we placed a book and stuffed bunny in. Loved making this gift, but next time it would be easier to keep it a bit smaller.

Still around!

2011-10-27T21:50:00.000-05:00

Oh, again it has been awhile. I have not stopped crafting, just posting! What is great about blogging and why I started it in the first place is that it keeps track of all my projects. And reminds me to take photos of all of them. And without blogging, I have neglected to take photos of many of them! So here we go again.....

Knitting baby hats. I have made so many and just love them. This one is for friends who are not finding out the sex of the baby. If it is a boy, they can take off the flower.

My son is the designer of the font Schoolbell.

2011-03-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Do you see the type above font? The one in the title. The font is named Schoolbell and was designed by my son, Jackson. Pretty cool uh? He was pretty excited to have Daddy help him create his very first font for Google. The best part is the web font, along with a few others, are free for you to use! Down load it here.

Mr. Font Diner went to school for career day and taught Jackson's 2nd grade class how fonts are made and where his fonts are found. Then they all got to see Jackson's font in Google. They think Jackson is famous. I think he is pretty famous too! Enjoy the font!

New to Me.

2011-03-19T12:46:00.000-05:00

Look what arrived from Australia! Yes, my new set of Capri canisters. Love the colors. Love the script.

Book Sling

2011-03-19T07:43:00.001-05:00

Yippee, another project finished! This time it was a matter of finding the correct hardware. It was difficult to find a double curtain rod that did to stick out from the wall several inches. Finally, found it here. Jenna will love her new book sling. Hailey will also have a book sling in her room, but we need to do some fabric shopping first! Jackson, no interest......boys.

Ticker Tape Quilt

2011-03-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I forget to post things I make. Actually, a lot of times.

This was a fun quick quilt to make. Since I used fusible batting and quilted as I went, there was a lot of instant gratification during this quilt. It now hangs out on Jenna's bed.

Time Flies....

2011-03-17T07:48:00.001-05:00

Last night Jenna wore her monkey pjs. These were originally made for Hailey in 2007, when she was three. Our current three-year-old is now the proud owner.

And the train pjs that Jackson is wearing.....yup, he still wears them! They are a tad bit small, but he does not mind!

Paper Fun!

2011-03-14T09:39:00.000-05:00

Jackson LOVES cut and assemble paper figures. He loves it so much that everyday he carries a new project to school to show his class. Last week it was a pin hole camera. The comedy of listening to Dad answer questions was delightful. Questions such as, "Where do I see the photo at?" "How do I get a picture?" "Develop film, what's that?" "You have to advance the film, what is that?" We will see how the project turns out once he finished taking his photos.

On Saturday we stumbled upon some free cut and assemble projects online and better yet, they were Mario. Jackson took this to school today:

You can download the printable Mario and lots of other fun fellas right here.

New Book!

2011-03-12T15:14:00.000-06:00

Oliver & S is one of my favorite pattern companies. I love the extra details they put into their patterns. And they released a book chuck fill of great items. That makes me extra super happy! :)

Here is the first item created. A bucket hat using Amy Butler Love fabric line. It is constructed as a reversible hat, but the addition of the flower and monkey was more important for Jenna! I will also add a neck strap for those windy days. Now....all we need is warm weather and sunshine!

Orange Coconut Cookies

2011-03-05T18:55:00.000-06:00

Today's cookies are Orange Coconut Cookies by Vivian.

I was very excited by the combo of orange and coconut. Yummy. The cookies are a very moist, soft cookie with subtle orange and coconut flavors. Next time I make these cookies orange zest will be added along with the orange juice.

The Details:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

7 tbsp orange juice

1 1/2 cup coconut

3 cups sifted flour

1/2 tsp baking soda.

Shape into roll and chill.

My added notes: Divide dough in half. Roll into log on wax paper. Place in freezer for one hour. Slice into cookies about 1/4 inch thick and bake at 350 for 12 min. Great cookie to freeze and cut off and bake portions when desired!

Long Lists

2011-03-04T11:47:00.000-06:00

My project list is over flowing. New ideas, old ideas, project in the works and on and on. It is the projects in the works that are really taking up space. Space in my brain and in my sewing room! So I am, once again, starting to tackle them. I did put a huge dent in the "needs mending" pile. This was something I was dreading. Why??? Once I got out the needle and thread, it was no big deal! Putting it off and working it up in to big job in my brain took more energy then doing the work. I will need to remember this next time I am putting a project off.

One of the items that was started last fall was a string quilt. Contrary, to the mending pile, this project was meant to take time and will for some time to come. For me, this project is very enjoyable. When I just want to sew mindlessly for a few minutes this is perfect. I love it because I get to see all the scrap fabrics and recall the project that was originally made with them, I don't have to try matching (actually trying not to match works better) and best of all, I use whatever thread is on my machine!

My Dream Machine

2011-03-01T16:26:00.001-06:00

Let me introduce to you my new favorite sewing machine. Out of my 4 machines, this one is my favorite - and it barely works! All it needs is a little TLC. While searching online one evening, I found a photo of a similar machine with an Eau Claire logo on it and LOVED it. A couple weeks ago, while shopping at an antique shop I found this one. Oh, was I thrilled!! It is a Precision De Luxe. After a little research, it seems this machine was made in Japan. Companies, or in this case, town names were printed on the fronts. Now I will be searching for a cabinet for it and then give it the TLC it needs to get working again. After that it will be on display in our living room.

Ummm....what to do today????

2011-03-01T15:47:00.003-06:00

Ann's Drop Cookies

2011-02-23T13:19:00.004-06:00

Next recipe card, Ann's Drop Cookies. How could I resist? If we have our names in common, and the corner of the card reads "extra good" so they must be good. Right?

Today is a snow day, so I had two helpers assisting with the crisscross patterns.

One helper had a pretty nice apron, I don't think I ever showed you.

And the baking experiment begins. These cookies have two sticks on butter in them. Oh, yes, TWO sticks.

Here is pan #1. 350 degrees, 10 min, no parchment paper. Result: very flat and lost shape.....and I put too many cookies on the pan.

Pan #2. Baked at 350 degrees with parchment paper for 12 min. Result: kept shape much better and not as flat.

Pan #3. Baked at convection bake at 350 degrees (which my oven automatically reduces down to 325) for 9 min. Result: cookies are nice like pan #2 but not as evenly baked.

So, I would say Pan #2 wins!

Overall, these cookies are okay. They are good (but a lot of calories!) and would make and excellent cookie to serve with coffee. They remind me of a spritz cookie recipe I have and love.

The details.

Ann's Drop Cookies

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 t tsp cream tartar

1 tsp soda

3 egg yolks

vanilla (I used 1 t)

2 cups flour

Make into balls, put in pans & flatten real thin, flatten with fork then bake at 350 to 375 for 10 to 12 min.

Upcycling

2011-02-22T08:48:00.002-06:00

A "new-to-me" trend in sewing is recycling, or upcycling. I had a couple shirts of Hailey's that were in my repair or recycle pile. They were beyond repair with holes and stains. So I faced two new challenges in one project, sewing knits and upcycling. My inspiration came from this very, very awesome blog. And WOW, they were easy peasy. Sewing knits is not has hard as I thought it would be. So hear are the results of a rough-and-ready dress in about 15 mins. Please ignore the little girls hair and cheesy attitude :)

Raspberry Dessert from Elnora

2011-02-21T08:03:00.007-06:00

I learned something about Elnora while making her Raspberry Dessert. Elnora is not really a fan of details. She is probably one of those cooks that makes a fantastic meal without ever touching a measuring spoon or cup. I am jealous of them.

Here is my completed dessert with graham crackers on top, just as the recipe called for.

Here it is in all its goodness.

And the true test....

Well, Elnora, your dessert passed. With a very good score from the kids. I think it was the marshmallow cream that won their hearts.

So here are the details if you wish to delight your family with this dish....

Raspberry Dessert

2 package or raspberry Jello. (I used one large 6 oz box)

2 cups hot water

1 package frozen raspberries

Graham crackers crushed in the bottom of the pan. (Elnora did not give measurements, so I used 2 cups)

Pour above filling over crackers. (I let sit for 5 min so the Jello would get a little firm before pouring.)

14 oz marshmallows and 1 cup milk. Dissolve in double boiler (I used a pan) and allow to cool.

Add 1 cup cream whipped (which Stuart informed me was Cool-Whip) to Milk and Marshmallow mixture.

Pour over Jello mixture. Sprinkle graham crackers on top.

*****

Side notes from yours truly. Use a 9x13 pan. Let chill in fridge for about 2 hours before serving. And if I were to make this again, which I probably will, I would have melted butter and made the graham crackers into a crust rather then the loose crackers. If you are wondering about the marshmallow part, I would describe it most like meringue. In a sweet marshmallow creamy sort of way.

Mug Rug

2011-02-10T07:43:00.004-06:00

Fun project to create. This was for a swap, so it is off to its new home.

Fun Valentines

2011-02-03T13:39:00.004-06:00

Creating the kiddos Valentines for school this year was lots of fun. We went all out and it seems each Valentine shows their personality perfectly. Here are our results:

Jackson, who will be giving play mustaches instead of candy.

Hailey. Cause she really would love to hand you the candy personally!

Jenna, with kisses and little bit of silly.

And before you think I am a creative genius, I must give credit were credit is due...the ideas came from here, here and here.

New to Me...

2011-01-19T17:02:00.005-06:00

Lately Ebay and I are like this (imagine me holding my fingers up crossed). I like treasures and my treasures like their new home. Here is my latest and greatest find...

Pretty spiffy uh?

And there is a rooster who, as of yet, is still in need of a name. He is your own personal assistant that holds your recipe card.

Oh, it gets better. A whole stack of recipes!!! Each recipe has the name of the person that provided it to the previous owner of this cool box. Now these recipes are what I call vintage. What makes them vintage? Can you read the top recipe? The first ingredient -- 1 cup fat. Whoa!

Stuart and I have gone though and selected some recipes that might just be worth trying.

Here is recipe #1. Elnora's Raspberry Dessert. I will let you know how it goes.

There and Back.....

2011-01-19T16:32:00.003-06:00

To the Dominican Republic that is. A family vacation of beach, swimming and R&R.

Bad coffee and really bad food, but I won't there. I just won't.....

Here are some photos of fun in the sun....

Mario!

2010-12-14T10:36:00.003-06:00

Some time ago, guessing a year, I started this quilt. The idea came from here. I knew a quilted blanket would get finished much sooner than a crocheted one. The top of the quilt was finished relatively quickly. Then I asked Stuart to pick out the backing blanket. He picked green. GREEN!!! I struggled with his choice, so set it aside. Crafters weekend came along and I promised Jackson I would finish it. And I did. And the green does not look so bad after all! (Yes, Stuart you were right!) After washing, the quilt went up to Jackson's bed and has been there since. It is well loved. Now he asked for a Luigi one...ah, NO!

Let it Snow!

2010-12-14T10:25:00.006-06:00

We had A LOT of snow over this past week. I am not sure of the official measurement, but A LOT works for me!

On Saturday we enjoyed the snow, on Sunday the temps decreased and made the outdoors less tolerable.

We took Jenna out of a bit. She did not enjoy it. Here she is standing in the driveway asking if she

could go in now!

It fell like this all day. ALL DAY!

Jackson was lovin' making snow forts!

It was a perfect weekend for making homemade caramels! That is my stirrer that Jackson made me last year. It saves my arm from one hour of stirring! LOVE IT - and no, he is not getting the parts of his toy back!

And the final snow blowing of the weekend. Stuart is snow blowing across the end of our driveway after the plow came though.

The Apparent Project

2010-12-10T12:51:00.004-06:00

The mail arrived today, as always - in rain or shine, Keith delivers the mail. Today the mail was more then items to put in my recycling bin and bills to pay. Today a package from Haiti arrived. A package of pure joy.

A few weeks ago in my blog reading hours, I stumbled across a post about a project in Haiti. Not just any project. A project of crafts, business skills, and success. The Apparent Project. Teaching others to succeed and create a livelihood for themselves. The project stayed in my mind, and just how could I help? A quick decision was made to purchase 100 bracelets. Yes, 100!!!! That is what arrived today, 100 bracelets. They are beautiful. Oh, they are so neat. Each one is labeled with the artists name and a little about them. By now, I am guessing you are wondering what I am going to do with 100 bracelets. Maybe I could wear them all at once, but instead I am going to give them away!!!!! In the next 100 Guestbook Store orders that come in, each person will receive a bracelet. Starting now....

The next project...

2010-12-08T06:00:00.001-06:00

is in the planning. And so far, so good....

ABC's

2010-12-06T11:58:00.003-06:00

This project has been waiting for me. A creative mind block, you might say. The center panel was complete, but I needed an idea for the edges. Finally, the idea came! I love free motion quilting with a very whimsical pattern. For the border, I wrote the alphabet (with a pencil first). It look a bit to jog my grade school memory of the proper way to connect letters. The results are fun. For the backing, I picked a orange minki type fabric. LOVE IT. This is by far the softest quilt I have made so far. Of course with every quilt, I learn a lesson. This time, my backing was too dark for the white on the front, since I did not use batting. Lessoned learned. I think the little baby who will cuddling with this one will not mind a bit!

Thanksgiving...a little early.

2010-11-23T10:48:00.003-06:00

My sister, Amy, spent time (or maybe a lot of it!) making cupcakes. Not just any cupcakes, Thanksgiving dinner cupcakes! From the ever amazing book, Hello Cupcake! This is my kind of dinner :)

Old Faithful Again...

2010-11-22T08:00:00.001-06:00

Some patterns are just great! This Oliver & S pattern is one of my favorites. I sewed this dress for Jenna in size 3T. This is much to big on peanut now, but will fit her perfectly next summer.

Copy Cat

2010-11-21T07:25:00.000-06:00

I really like these:

But thought that home brewed version would be simple. And it was. I love Steam2Steam applique. 30 min project and a happy kid. Jackson insisted that there were purchased at a store so I will take that as a compliment! FYI, tees were purchased for $5.99 at Target.

No pattern at all...

2010-11-20T09:56:00.004-06:00

Sometimes it is fun to create as I go without a plan. Sometimes it works....

Hello!

2010-11-03T17:30:00.008-05:00

I have missed blogging. And crafting. And creating. Summer has come and gone and maybe, just maybe I can find some time again. Time in my sewing room has been very little and that simply needs to change! I have piles of projects begging to be completed. Begging. So should I work on them or start new????

Halloween has passed but not without a few projects. There is so much one can make for this season.

My Mom, sister and I also spent a day cooking and crafting. We made many fun and yummy snacks.

We also made these Witches Shoes for teachers and co-workers.

Jenna as Olivia. If you are not sure who Olivia is.....

And here is my Olivia. I actually did not get very good photos of the dress. I might just need to put her in the costume again for a photo shoot.

Fun Holiday now onto the next!!!!

Day 14, Home

2010-07-16T21:56:00.007-05:00

Iowa, Minnesota then Wisconsin. Home. The last 13 days flew by.

BUT there was still one more tourist stop to make. Spices and Ham combine to make SPAM. The SP stands for spiced and the AM stands for ham. Did you know that? Me either, until our final museum trip to the SPAM museum in Austin, MN. Very well done museum and now I know more about SPAM than I ever thought I would. Have I tried it? Nope. Will I? Don't think so. I think there is a good reason why they don't give free samples at the museum!

A short drive and we are home. Home sweet Home.

So RV life was pretty good. Without a doubt, we will do it again someday. We made it home with no major stories to tell, and that is a good thing! We learned a lot in the last two weeks, including that most gas pumps do not let you put more than $75 worth of gas in! Hope you enjoyed following along with us!

Day 13

2010-07-16T21:29:00.008-05:00

Day 13. This really is our drive home. A few stops, but the trip is coming to an end. I could stay on the road longer, but the kiddos are ready to be done. They miss their friends, A LOT!

We traveled from NE into IA today. We stopped at the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument. A museum that spans over the interstate. Inside is the history of travel from the first travels across the US until today. Very well, done. Excellent stop.

Our next town was Omaha, NE. We had just a couple hours to spend so we had to pick one activity. We narrowed it down to the zoo or the Amazing Pizza Machine (a huge arcade with rides). Since it was 90 plus degrees outside, we opted for the arcade. The kids had a BLAST! I think this might just have been their favorite part of the whole trip!

Here is my #1 family with their blue ribbons. If you think Stuart can handle an RV, you should see him ~~knock the other little kids out of the way~~ at Go-carts!

Back into the RV for a drive into Iowa!!!

Day 12

2010-07-13T21:31:00.005-05:00

Today we woke up in Laramie, WY, just outside of Cheyenne. At this point in the trip, there are occasions when I ask Stuart what city we are in, or what day it is. We tend to argue about the day of the week until we just have to look it up! Guess that is the sign of a good vacation!

We spent some time in Cheyenne this morning. What a neat town. Our first stop was to a the Children's Village. A cute hands-on park and botanical gardens -- and also a puppet show stage. Stuart put on a show that Jackson enjoyed!

We also toured the train depot and rode the covered wagon for a tour of the town. We finished with a visit to the Boot Shop for a new pair of sparkling pink cowgirl boots for Hailey.

Cheyenne is a city worth a longer visit, but it was time to hit the road. We ended day 12 in Gothenburg, NE. And today marks the first sign of rain on our whole vacation! The weather has been really, really great.

Day 11

2010-07-09T22:27:00.003-05:00

Today we traveled for about 5 hours. A quick 5 hours. Amazing what a little sleep can do! We traveled from Vernal, UT to Laramie, WY. I would show you pictures from today, but I did not take any! Stuart took 14. We stopped at an old run down gas station with potholes the size of small lakes (okay, so maybe not that big....) Anyway, when Stuart has the camera it is either to reference a sign or font or an antique or a building. I know you are bummed that I am not uploading them here, but it's okay....really, it is.

So tonight we are staying in yet again, another KOA -- except we did not realize it was right next to the hwy until now...ummm....here is to a good nights sleep!

Day 10

2010-07-09T22:06:00.007-05:00

Day 10 has been the longest day of travel yet. We drove for 6 hours, but for some reason it seemed like 24. Really. When I fell asleep sitting up, I knew it was just too long of a day! Our drive from Jackson Hole, WY to Vernal, UT was full of hills. We knew we were in cowboy country when we stopped at a gas station and saw this sign.

Much of our drive looked like this.

and this.

Once we arrived in Vernal, UT (YAHHHH) we visited the dinosaur museum. The kids loved it. I think their favorite part was just playing with the plastic dinosaurs. I am still kicking myself for getting rid of Jackson's tub of them thinking that Jenna would never play with them, boy was I wrong.

Night 10 was spent in a KOA in Vernal, UT. We took some time to look at our remaining path. To CO or back up to WY? The WY path won. Enough mountains for one trip.

Day 9

2010-07-09T21:54:00.007-05:00

Day 9 was spent in Jackson Hole, WY. We did drive out to Teton Village in the morning and had lunch there. We spent the afternoon walking around Jackson Hole being tourists. Jackson has been taken by the cowboy way. Here is is outfitted in is new gear. You cannot see the gun and holster, but it is there. So much for no play guns...

In the evening we went on chuck wagon ride to dinner and a show. It was fun and Hailey enjoyed helping drive the team of horses, Daisy and Duke.

Day 8

2010-07-07T10:55:00.002-05:00

Today was our last day in Yellowstone Park. We headed out the southern loop to Jackson Hole, WY. The main sights we visited were Grand Prismatic Basin and Old Faithful. We took turns with Jackson and Hailey since Jenna slept again for 3 hours!

Otherwise, today was a little bit low key. We finished our travels around 5pm when we arrived in Jackson Hole, WY. What a neat town. Here is a photo of the Teton Mountains as you drive in to Jackson Hole.

We took a walk from our RV park into town for some Mexican dinner. Best of all, Jenna is back to her happy-go-lucky self.

Day 7

2010-07-06T08:39:00.005-05:00

We spent day 7 touring the upper loop of Yellowstone. We had a slow start to the morning, so arrived at the park around 11am. So far driving through the park has been good, but long. I did not realize it would take so long to get from one place to another. A lot of car time for the kids.

Mammoth Springs was one of the highlights of the day.

I enjoy the wildlife. We have checked most items off our list the Park Rangers gave to the kids. Here is a bear that crossed in front of our car. (Yes, we rented a car for the day)

And one of the many, many bison. This fella was about 2 feet from our car. Wow, they are huge.

After one of our walks, I found Jackson daydreaming. I would like to think that is pondering all the nature of Yellowstone, but know that he is thinking about his friends back home and his Legos!

We headed back to West Yellowstone for the night. The kiddos had sometime to run and play since it was a full day in the car. I did 4 loads of laundry -- vacation is not all roses! And neither was the smell of those clothes :)

Day 6, Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-06T08:22:00.007-05:00

Our day started with a short drive to Cody, WY. Right now, have put on 1150 miles.

Upon entering Cody, we found the town packed and the parade already started, so we skipped it. We picked up a few things at Wal-Mart and headed on our way to Yellowstone.

You cannot enter Yellowstone without getting the photo!

It is spectacular sight here. Everywhere you look there is more to see.

We took some time to do a little walking and visited Artists Point, a mud volcano and many cauldrons. I can do without the sulfur smell of the cauldrons! Here is the family at Artist Point. Jenna has a pretty nice ride! And notice Jackson and Hailey picking on each other -- somethings never change, even on vacation!

We then ventured out of the park to West Yellowstone, MT. We spent sometime walking around the town before heading to the city park to watch the fireworks. They kids had a blast!

Day 5

2010-07-05T09:07:00.005-05:00

Our travels lead us from Rapid City, SD to Greybull, WY. Today Jenna was on the mend, but CRABBY! We returned our rental car in the morning and prepared for a day of travel and relaxation time for the kids, which they much needed. Our first drive was to Deadwood. We toured a museum and left. I personally, was expecting a little more than casinos and gift shops. Jenna was not herself at all, to put it nicely so we headed back on the road. Our next stretch of driving was to Devils Tower. Jenna fell asleep – yahhh, a four hour nap! Since Jenna was sleeping, we took turns with Jackson and Hailey hiking through the woods. What a sight!!

After this, it was back in the RV to our long drive to Greybull WY – though the Bighorn National Park. OH MY!!!! The way up the mountain was beautiful, the way down – well, my head was in a pillow after deciding that my brake pedal was useless! If you did not know, I hate heights. We did see lots of deer and Jackson and I saw a moose. I will give Stuart lots of kudos for driving. He did a great job with the RV. Actually, I think he drives the RV better than the car!

Day 4

2010-07-03T08:36:00.004-05:00

Day 4 was spent in Rapid City, SD. Jenna was feeling okay, so we thought. She started off the day okay but soon you could see the energy drain and the crabbiness start. Our first stop was at Old MacDonald's farm. It was a fantastic farm with lots of animals, including many baby animals. The kiddos loved it.

Jenna was great as long as she could see me. Out of sight -- here is what would happen!

This is kinda what she was like...... Actually, she loves being a troll and does a great, "Who is on my bridge?" Ask her sometime, I am sure she will show you!

Next we were off to Bear Country USA. This is an "open" park. You drive though and keep your windows closed! We happened to be there at feeding time. All of a sudden all the bears started heading towards one spot. We soon saw a white truck with someone shoveling many, many scoops of food out. I am guessing it was chicken. Here is a shot of a bear that stopped to have a bite in front of our car.

Here is the group of bears feeding on the chicken.

After seeing the animals, we spent some time in Keystone and driving around the Black Hills. We stopped and toured a cave, going 225 feet below ground. That was fantastic. The kiddos loved it and I got a workout carrying Jenna the whole way! Our final activity of the day was a Chuckwagon Show. Jackson and Hailey loved the shootout at the beginning and helping to find the Biscuit Bandit. We missed the final show, since Jenna was scared of the bandit and would scream if she saw him! That was a sign, our day needed to end!

I am writing this the morning of day 5. Jenna seems to be feeling pretty good so far. We have a day of mostly travels ahead of us, so rest is in order!

Day 3

2010-07-01T21:55:00.003-05:00

Day #3 leads us into the scenic route though the Badlands. What a beautiful way to start a day!

We continued on to the infamous Wall Drug and did enjoy that 5 cent cup of coffee while the kids enjoyed ice cream!
Maybe that ice cream was not such a good idea....or a bug has entered our vacation. Jenna is sick. Oh, she is pretty sick with vomiting and a high fever. Cross our fingers she is better tomorrow. Since she was not feeling good, she only seemed to be happy in the car (we rented one) or me holding her where she could sleep. So we did some scenic driving again. Off to see Mount Rushmore.And then Crazy Horse.

Our day is ending at a KOA here in Rapid City, SD. We have lots of fun plans for tomorrow, but we need to see how peanut is feeling. Fireworks are starting! What is today again? I have a feeling we will see our share this year!

Day 2

2010-06-30T22:11:00.005-05:00

Good Mornin' South Dakota, and fellow RV travelers in the Cabella's parking lot! Easy place to stop and free! We pulled in around 11pm, so it was simple to park and crash. Day 2 started with RV life. We did a little unpacking got organized, showered, breakfast and we were off. The convenience of living in your vehicle - very nice so far! (so far, we are on day 2 of 14!)

Our first stop this morning was the Mitchell Corn Palace. We stopped, we saw, we left. 5 min and we did not even go inside. It was on our way to our next stop, Prehistoric Indian Village. It was very neat and we saw an archaeological dig taking place by British college students. Very neat to experience.

Here are the kiddos playing at a park Our RV is in the background.

Back into the RV for a couple hour drive to the 1880's village. You wander though a village of buildings and of course the kiddos wanted to dress in costume from that era. Hailey and Jackson were both cowboys/girl and Jenna was a little girl. We called her Little Bo Peep - with red cowboy boots on! Obviously, we let her pick her own costume.

And on our way, we did stop and feed the prairie dogs. They did not really want the peanuts we purchased to feed them, but they entertained us anyway!

Our last and final destination for the day is the Badlands. What a way to end your day. They are a spectacular sight.

This evening we upgraded from the parking lot and are staying at a KOA near the Badlands. We took a little swim and are now settling in for the night.

Day 1

2010-06-30T21:34:00.002-05:00

And we are off! We picked up the RV, packed it, and started heading down the highway. On our first day of travels, we drove about 7 hours, ending in Mitchell, SD and parking in a Cabella's parking lot. We tried to make frequent stops at rest stops allowing the children to play at the playgrounds. I even gave driving this 30 footer a try -- through SD where there is nothing but straight rodes. Not too tough, but I prefer riding over driving. Plus, I need to continue my role as waitress and go-fer. Yes, today I made coffee for Stuart while on the road. Started the generator and everything - okay, it is just the switch of a button - but we are getting the hand of things.

So far in day one, we have soon realized that even though our rental only had 1,880 miles when we started, it still shakes and rattles. But if you shove a sock here and there the rattles stop! And speaking of rental, it states that several places on our RV so everyone knows to stay out of our way -- newbies here!

One one tourist stop today. We stopped in Blue Earth, MN to visit the Jolly Green Giant.

A dress for Jane.

2010-06-21T07:25:00.000-05:00

Our niece Jane, turned 4! And for her birthday a dress was in order. I love this Oliver & S pattern. And even more, I love the fabric. Sometimes is nice to stray from the typical girl colors.

The wooden buttons are fantastic.

But even more, I love the tag and the font!

Teacher Gifts

2010-06-20T08:26:00.001-05:00

Another school year has ended. BUT It seems like it just started! Jackson is now finished with 1st grade and Hailey is finished with kindergarten. WOW!

To thank Jackson and Hailey's teachers for all their hard work this year, we created notebook holders/organizers for each of the teachers and assistants. That is 5 total. Then the kiddos wrote a note to each of the teachers.

Baby Quilts

2010-06-19T07:19:00.009-05:00

I asked for some help photographing the quilts. At least they kept them off the ground.....

Fishing Opener!

2010-05-01T14:52:00.006-05:00

Some folks actually look forward to fishing opener here in Wisconsin. My family, we celebrate a little differently - by baking cupcakes! (We will, however, love to eat Papa's catch!)

You see we got this new book last week. The first book was excellent, the second is even better!

Hailey selected the goldfish. And I set out to find Circus peanuts. There is a reason they are hard to find - yuk! After a visit to our local grocery store and Target, they were finally found at Menards.

Bye, bye pink and brown!

2010-04-30T07:02:00.009-05:00

Working further on the conversion from pink/brown to aqua/red, here is the results:

The fabric -- isn't that just plain cute! It is from here. Now, I have to admit, not every project turns out perfect. I dare not show you the back of this lamp. Why? Ummm....the dresses, well they would be sideways.... I discovered this while cutting it out, but decided to forge ahead anyway. Who will see the back? Nope, not you. Just trust me, and imagine it! But really, focus on the cute front with that ric rac and bias tape ruffle. Cute.

Wall Quilt

2010-04-30T06:50:00.005-05:00

During my crafting weekend, I created this for Jenna's new aqua and red room. It was fun to create and complete a project in two days - and have the time to do so!

Butterfly Frame

2010-04-12T20:45:00.003-05:00

Very simple project. The punched the butterflies out of various scrapbooking papers. Then bent slightly and hot glued to a background paper. The frame was dark brown so I painted it aqua and then roughed it up a little. Simple. The whole project took about one hour!

Nintendo Anyone?

2010-04-12T19:59:00.006-05:00

No, we are not talking about the Wii here. You must go back to 1983 to see the version that is played in our house. It all started with the Atari I got from my parents when they were packing up to move. It was a hit, a huge hit! Then Stuart's parents were also packing up to move and came across some more goodies from the 80's. I am not sure how exactly we got the Nintendo, but I know the boys took several trips to the used video game stores. Don't worry we still have the Atari too! Well, the activity has moved beyond the television and now Jackson gets to watch Mario all night long.....

So Much Cake!

2010-04-12T19:23:00.004-05:00

Our darling, Miss. Hailey celebrated her 6th birthday last week. Here are some photos from her special days.

Hailey celebrated her birthday three times! Well, four if you count the cupcakes she took to school.

First, was a party at JoAnn Ect. with her friends. Have you ever seen so many sprinkles on one cupcake? Not a single girl at the party was able to finish their cupcakes.

Hailey's second party was with her the family on Easter Sunday. For this birthday celebration, we also included Aunt Kelly and Daddy as their birthdays were just a couple days after. And one giant cupcake was the cake of the day.

Hailey's third cake was on her actual birthday! She selected a small Barbie cake from our local grocery store. Perfect size for our caked-out family of five.

Hailey's Room!

2010-04-03T07:27:00.011-05:00

We asked Hailey, "If you could decorate your room any way you wanted, what would you do?"

Her quick reply was a gardening theme with flowers, flowers and more flowers. And blue walls with clouds. Okay. We let a couple weeks go by as we planned and gathered supplies.

So knowing that Jenna needed furniture and quick tours of the furniture stores revealed nothing I was interested in, so I tried it -- Craigs List. Next, I sent my husband, in a Uhaul, off into the country to pick up a large quantity of vintage girly furniture. After the furniture was home, we decided it was much more appropriate for Hailey's room then Jenna. Hailey would love canopy bed and new desk!

The canopy. Yes, I made it. White fabric, glitter tulle, (Yes, I used glitter. Now that is love. You should see my sewing room!) green wool felt, and some flower garland, several hours and lots of pinning yields one garden bed!

The frog, ladybug and butterfly - place mats from JoAnn. Genius.

The HUGE flowers. They are paper! The large pink one is 22 inches across.

And that 9 patch quilt in the corner (over some cushions that make a perfect sitting area for Hailey to play) is finished. We will just go ahead and cross that off the To Do list.

The best part, surprising Hailey with this room. She came home from a vacation at Auntie Amy's house and we went to tour Jenna's room. She soon noticed her doll house.....her bed.....her.... She was confused as to why her stuff was in Jenna's room. Soon we let her in her room, and she was thrilled to say the least! Happy 6th Birthday Hailey!

UFO List

Quilt for our bed

Holiday quilt

Simple Abundance Quilt

Scissors Quilt

Shadowbox frame

Crocheted block blanket

Feather and a tin can.

2010-04-02T20:55:00.004-05:00

Who needs fancy toys when you can play with feathers and a tin can? Say the color, tickle yourself, giggle, giggle and giggle some more.
Oh how I wish I could remember being two!

Now that you have admired that cute little girl, take a peek at her dress! I dug into my stash to create this summer number. Mama Hen and her chicks...perfect for this time of year. Same pattern I have used many, many times before.

Bye, bye!

2010-04-02T20:29:00.005-05:00

We said farewell to the crib! Yes, our little one is not so little anymore. One of those bittersweet moments. Jenna took her last nap in her crib on Tuesday. I knew when getting her up from her nap it would the last time lifting her out of her crib. I tried to cherish every second of it. Then she gives me her blanket, her Nuk and Mr. Moose (cause she hopes maybe, just maybe I will have a weak moment and let her bring them downstairs!) and then reaches her arms up for me. Oh, heartstrings...tug, tug......

On Tuesday all three kiddos left to spend some time at Auntie Amy's house. While they were gone, we took the time to redecorate Hailey's room, add a couple touches to Jackson's room, and move Jenna into her big girl bed. It was a busy few days! We managed a couple nice dinners out too. Photos of the changes will be up over the next couple days. There are a lot of changes...

Now back at home, Jenna saw her new room and big girl bed. It was a love/hate relationship! She loved it, but did not actually want to use the bed for a nap! Nap was pretty short, very short. But bedtime tonight, she fell right to sleep after reading a couple books. Here she is preparing for bed.....

Her new room is coming along. Red and aqua. But that railing...blue...come on. That must change. I have ideas....

And Jenna turns 2!

2010-01-13T20:22:00.006-06:00

This is Jenna at the character breakfast in Nick Hotel in Orlando. She had an absolute blast running from one character to the next saying hello. It was the best way to start a birthday!

Here are a couple other photos from the breakfast.

And here is Hailey getting all fancy! She was in her absolute glory. She picked this activity out rather than a toy while at Downtown Disney.

3 & 4 down, 8 to go

2009-12-08T19:59:00.012-06:00

Baby Xavier arrived last week Tuesday. Oh, he is already one week old today! Happy Birthday Xavier! Here is the quilt that he was given.

Here is the back and then the front...Blogger is not letting me arrange photos...ugg...

It is a snow day here (which means no school) in the frozen land of Wisconsin. In our yard, it there is about one foot of snow. The weather persons think another 5 inches is on the way. The kiddos are lovin' it! I did bundle Jenna up to experience the snow. There is so much clothing on her it is pretty hard for her to move! She absolutely hated the snow pants. Once I managed to get her outside, she was okay, but not a happy camper. So I tried to bring her back inside, and she screamed even more because she wanted to go back out....

Here is what our dining room table looks like today. I finished both art caddy/bags for Jackson and Hailey. They LOVE them. All filled with fun art supplies and of course educational books!

I also was able to finish one more art bag. This one will be filled with goodies and donated. It's my favorite. After making three of them, I think I got the hang of it. Of course, the pattern needed lots of modifications!!!

Only 8 more items left!!!

Hailey's 9 Patch
Quilt for our bed
Holiday quilt
Simple Abundance Quilt
Scissors Quilt (the fabric line escapes me...)
Shadowbox frame
Bulletin board
Crocheted block blanket

Loose Ends

2009-11-29T20:44:00.006-06:00

This is what the pile of granny squares looked like yesterday morning....

Look at all those ends to be woven in! Well, they are tucked and snipped off. Done. (I see why I stopped working on this, over a year ago.....)

Next step is to sew together the squares. Nope. Wrong. I decided each square needs one more row. Just one more.....and then I will sew it together! Or maybe crochet it together...I have little time to decide while I am adding that extra row to each one!

2 down, 10 to go.

2009-11-29T20:28:00.008-06:00

This quilt was started for Jackson over 6 months ago. Can that be right? Yikes!

Jackson picked the fabrics and style. It was a little bold for my taste, and maybe a little hard for me to work on. The pattern he selected was much, much more busy, so I did simplify it. The best news, the quilt is washed and it did not bleed! Nope. None. The back is a Target brand RED sheet. And the color stayed perfectly. I am not sure if credit goes to Target sheets or my new super awesome Norwex laundry soap.
Jackson response to his new quilt, "Mom, I wanted a green alien on it...but I like it. Can you still add a green alien?" I have not added a green alien, maybe someday. For now I declare it finished.

Updated project list with 10 items to go

Hailey's 9 Patch
Gift quilt
Art tote for Hailey
Quilt for our bed
Holiday quilt
Simple Abundance Quilt
Scissors Quilt (the fabric line escapes me...)
Shadowbox frame
Bulletin board
Crocheted block blanket

1 down, 11 to go.

2009-11-27T15:58:00.006-06:00

In our house, menu planning always seems to be a daunting task. With a little brainstorming and online blogging research, I came up with this system. Our meals for this week....

I purchased the frame at Pier 1 a few weeks ago. Not for this project, but just because I liked it! I used double sided scrapbooking paper and regular white paper to create the squares. The front has the menu item and back has the recipe or shopping list.

I also made a basket to store all the remaining meal cards and a few extras. From here of course.... (the first one I made was too large, but it works perfectly for storage in the pantry!)

Tonights menu selection was Pizza. Here is Chef Hailey preparing here meal!

Hopefully this new system will keep us on track with our meal planning!

Updated project list with 11 items to go

Jackson's Outer Space Quilt
Hailey's 9 Patch
Gift quilt
Art tote for Hailey
Quilt for our bed
Holiday quilt
Simple Abundance Quilt
Scissors Quilt (the fabric line escapes me...)
Shadowbox frame
Bulletin board
Crocheted block blanket

WIP

2009-11-22T20:33:00.002-06:00

My goal is to finish some projects that I have started. I have started a terrible habit of starting a new project before finishing the last one. If I write them down, will I finish them sooner? Lets see!

Jackson's Outer Space Quilt
Hailey's 9 Patch
Gift quilt
Menu board
Market Tote
Art tote for Hailey
Quilt for our bed
Holiday quilt
Simple Abundance Quilt
Scissors Quilt (the fabric line escapes me...)
Shadowbox frame
Bulletin board
Crocheted block blanket

12 items. After making this list, I realize that some of them are so close to being completed. The challenge has begun......

Progress

2009-11-22T19:27:00.004-06:00

Last weekend (Thurs to Sun) was Crafters. Always great to see the ladies, but not a whole lot of progress was made on my many WIP. Most of this was due to being sick for the whole day on Saturday. Of all weekends to be sick in bed! I did get three quilts ready with just the hand sewing of the binding left. They were all pretty much finished before the weekend. It seems I get so close to finishing projects, and then just let them sit! My goal is to get the bindings sewn soon. I want them to be finished!!! Then I will show you photos....

I also finished knitting a hat for Hailey (which I also started last winter!) My model was being a little fussy, but her sister wanted to wear the hat. Here is Jenna in her big sisters hat! (Sorry for the blurry photo!)

Hailey has been asking for a hat for her friend for over a year now, so I finally made it! Hailey insisted that the yarn was blue, and the flower pink, brown and blue. I asked her several times if she was sure, and she was adamant! I just could not visualize these colors together. But I dug deep into my stash and found some colors that I think turned out pretty well. Here it is....

October

2009-11-07T07:54:00.009-06:00

The last two weeks of October have been filled with family, a trip and Halloween fun. Let me share....

Stuart's folks came to visit. We had a splendid, whirlwind visit.

(We sewed with Grandma too, but I have not taken those photos yet!)

Then trip to San Antonio. Why San Antonio? That is the first question people seem to ask. Well, we traveled with Sarah and Dave. The four of us listed some cities we each wanted to travel to. Places like Napa, NY, Nashville, Palm Springs, ect. After we crossed off any city that any one of had been to, we were left with San Antonio. Off we went.

I traveled with this cowboy....

And these cow folks too.....

We walked to the Madhatter for breakfast one morning. Yummy.

We stayed at the Emily Morgan. 14th floor. Directly next to the Alamo. Awesome Priceline deal. Haunted. (or so THEY say....)

Speaking of haunted....

Then Halloween came along. These are delicious. You should make them in your spare time.

Jackson was a Police Officer. He wanted handcuffs. Watch out!!

(and of course he does not want his photo taken!)

Hailey was a Candy Corn Queen. Yes, we made that costume.

You can't buy Candy Corn Queen costumes any old place!

And Jenna, Jackson and Hailey picked her costume. Elmo. Her true love.

And she loved her costume. I was a little afraid she would want it off,

but she was comfy and warm on our cool Halloween night.

That is all folks!

Where are you???!!!

2009-10-07T20:31:00.011-05:00

I know that is what you have been asking when visiting here! No worries, I am around :)

The sewing machine has been working overtime in the recent weeks, and finally a few items are complete. These quilts have been done for a little while, but it seems the hand sewing of the binding takes me some time to complete. Practice has proven to increase the pace, but still finding the time to sit and hand sew for more than 10 min at a time is the real challenge!

Since the weather has been overcast the last few days, I decided to take the photos indoors. I placed my quilt on the floor and went to get the camera. Here is what I came back to:

An additional quilt has also been finished. Here is a tiny glimpse. This is a gift so only a peek. And of course Jenna's little hands. She is obsessed with cameras so it is hard to get a photo without her in it!

And the (drumroll....) 9 patch quilt!!! (From Crazy Mom's quilt-a-long) The top is almost finished. I just need to finish the rows around the edges. It will be going on Hailey's bed if she likes it when it is complete. She was not happy I put brown, blue, and green in it!!

See that yellow frame up at the top of the photo?

Here is a closer peek....

Does it look familiar? Not the artwork -- that is a masterpiece Hailey created. Which is a bird sewing, if you did not see that on your first glance! Anyway -- the frame. Stuart gave it to me as a gift when we first started dating (that would be 10 years ago!)

So where have you seen it before? Do you need some hints.....tv show....peep hole....

Here is the answer....

Organized or Obsessive?

2009-10-07T20:27:00.002-05:00

Found!

2009-09-17T16:44:00.005-05:00

I knew it would show up sooner or later! Well, later it was...

This past weekend we were cleaning out the kiddos playroom (whoa, it was a MESS!) and found the camera. Tucked away neatly in the electronics bin. ummmm....

Since we have now purchased a new camera (and the fact that I slammed the old camera in the van door and slightly dented it before it was missing) we have decided to give the camera to Jackson and Hailey. They both love taking photos, so we will see what they capture from a kiddos' point of view.

On that camera....are photos of Jackson's 7th birthday!!! He had a fantastic birthday (back in July) at an indoor water park.

September began with sending Jackson and Hailey off to school. As you can tell by the photo, we did not need to push the out of the door! In fact, Hailey had her coat on about 20 min before it was time to leave. Both are doing excellent and love school. As for Jenna, she is home with me. That nap mat I previously posted about, it remains in the bag. I (with a few persuasive discussions from Amy and Papa) will continue to take her to work with me. Jenna loves going to work, and we love having her there, so it is all working out.

As for projects, I am working on quite a few right now. Soon, soon something will be complete!

Fantastic Photos!

2009-09-08T07:27:00.004-05:00

Recently I reconnected with a friend from high school and learned that his wife was a photographer. After peeking at her website I was thrilled to see her work and signed up for a session with for the kiddos. Of course I hid from the camera -- maybe next time. Our sneak peek at our proofs came back and I could not be more thrilled. Take a peek here.

Finished projects!

2009-08-25T21:03:00.008-05:00

I have quite a few WIP so I am fighting the temptation to start anything new until I get a few things finished. This week -- two items finished!!!

For Hailey's preschool graduation her gift was some lemon fabric that she had picked out a few weeks prior. See I told you I was behind! I originally started the dress with a store purchased pattern. MISTAKE. Store patterns, well, that can be left for a whole different post. On a visit to the local quilt shop I spotted a pattern I had my eyes on for quite some time. It is a $$$$ one, but I managed to justify it because it is size 6 months to 8 years, so I "should" be able to use it many times over! Anyway, the combo of lemon fabric and new pattern lead to this:

My model was quite her charming self so there are lots of photos to show!

My second completed project is for Jenna. She will be starting daycare after Labor Day. They take naps on a nap mat, so I made a Oh Cherry Zig zag Quilt for her to nap on. Moda also sells the Oh Cherry print on a bag. Perfect. Now, lets just hope she uses it :)

What a Beautiful Day....

2009-08-23T07:54:00.006-05:00

Yesterday was a the perfect weather day. Sunny, 75 and beautiful. My kind of weather! Today will be another day just like that. Hopefully I can get some photographs taken of recent projects. And the weeding....oh, I think there are some weeds in my backyard taller then me. Really. I am hoping the kiddos will think they are super-kids and get using those muscles! We shall see.

We took full advantage of the weather yesterday and attended a Bluegrass Festival put on by our local community radio station. It was really fun. The festival was at a local park on the lake. The area of the festival was fenced in, so the kiddos could play on the playground, dig in the sand, hula hoop, dance, make art projects (more on that below) and the big boys played Kubb. Jackson knocked the king down, winning the game for the boys. He was VERY proud!

Back to those art projects. Jackson created a rain stick out of, get this, a fabric tube! They had cut the fabric tube into pieces and he hammered thin nails in to it. Taped the bottom closed and added rice. Taped the other end closed and decorated. Fantastic toy. Hailey made a drum out of another wide fabric tube. They cut the top off a balloon and stretched it around the form. Decorated it with colored duct tape there you have it, a drum.

Soon we headed back home and enjoyed some grilled dinner and homemade ice cream. Excellent day. Here are some photos.....

I would also like to take a moment to ask you a favor. The Guestbook Store has always donated to kids in need around the holidays. But this year we expanded that - and will be continue to do more things soon (I will tell you about that later). Please take a moment to read my sister-in-laws story on her blog.... School Supplies The start of school is right around the corner and the thought of kids not having supplies breaks my heart. So if you are out school shopping, pick up a few extra things and drop them off to the local school. The front desk will gladly take them and see they go to children in need of them. Or pick up a supply list by the school supplies and fill a backpack. After school starts, these items go on clearance....feel free to do it then as well!

Cheers!

2009-08-22T08:37:00.004-05:00

To a new camera! Of course I cheers with a cup of coffee....it is 8:30 in the morning. :)

The good news is the new camera and that I am back to blogging.

The bad news, the old camera is missing. Simply missing. I have looked high and low, and again, and again. Right now, I think Jenna did it. Why? Cause she takes everything! Really. I am sure someday it will show up in the bottom of the pantry, or in some random cupboard....but until then. I enjoy my new little point and shoot (someday I will upgrade to a big girl camera) and try not to think about my boy boy turning 7 and all the photos from his special day -- poof.

Going back in time....

2009-08-02T13:02:00.010-05:00

Have you been wondering if I left the blog world? Nope. Just trying to keep up with summer and life!

Lets go back to the beginning to of July and show you what we have been up to....

A litte water fun on the 4th. We went to a friends cabin (thanks Bob and Colleen!) and had a great day.

Summer is not complete without a fair. Jackson and Hailey had a blast riding the rides this year. Jenna enjoyed chillin' with her cashews!

Jenna makes sure her new best friend Elmo is fed.

Stuart left for Typecon mid July. He was presenting his new Filmtype book. So, while he was away, we kept ourselves busy.

Family Camping. We headed up to my brother's cabin for a weekend of R&R. And that is was :) It was so nice to have cousins that love to keep busy and let the parents relax. Here I am relaxing with my folks and cuddling with the girls.

Summer is not complete without good old Wisconsin corn on the cob.

We took a drive to visit Vino in the Valley. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and took a stroll around the yards.

To be continued....

Happy 4th of July!!!!

2009-07-03T15:24:00.004-05:00

Hope you all are enjoying a nice relaxing holiday!

Here are some photos from our last weekend of camping with some friends.

(Thanks Sarah and Dave!)

Here is the fam... Notice that huge strawberry in Jenna's mouth?

Here is a bit closer view. She was very happy and messy!

Where did we get those wonderful berries? Hailey and I picked them! We had a blast picking the most beautiful strawberries ever!

And look a those strawberry thieves!

Handprints

2009-06-13T05:46:00.003-05:00

The kiddos are adjusting to life at home since the school year ended. We are getting into our routine and the sitter is working out wonderfully! It is so nice when things go as planned! :)

My most recent quilt is for the director of the kids daycare. Where Jackson and Hailey both went, and where Jenna will start in the fall. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor and has started radiation in Mayo every week. The kids and teachers placed their hand prints on a two yard piece of ivory fabric. I brought home and turned it into this:

Once again, blogger rotated my photo and I don't know how to change that!

I am off to spend the day with my sister and shop, shop and shop! Whoo-oooo!!!!

Have a great weekend!!!

Amy's Birthday!!!

2009-06-02T20:46:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday to Amy! Yes, my much older sister celebrated her 29th birthday! :) We took the day to visit her at the lake. Here is where I would normally insert a photo of Amy fishing, but since I am such a nice sister, I won't! And because I know she would be really, really mad at me!

Jackson and Hailey had a blast fishing. Well, Jenna did too...the pontoon rocked her right to sleep! Here are some photos of the kiddos....

Jackson fishing with Grandma and Papa.

He practiced casting in the yard before we went out. He cast perfectly the first time!

Hailey and her first and only fish. She decided that one was plenty.

And Jenna. She spent the better part of her day chasing the dog around. All we heard was "My-OOO, My-OOOO." Translation in adult English: Milo.

The Graduate!

2009-06-02T20:19:00.003-05:00

Here she is, the newest preschool Graduate! Hailey was so proud. She woke up bright and early at 6am for her big day. (Usually I am tugging her out of bed at 7:30am.) She woke me up with a hairbrush and barrette in hand so she would look nice for her big day. While I was brushing her hair, and trying to open my eyes, she let out a little whimper. On a normal day, this would have lead to a big scream and some tears. But not this time, she just said, "Oh, no more crying for me, I am a graduate now." She then proceeded to tell me how she will only cry when she gets really, really hurt. And then asked if I had finished sewing the buttons and pockets on her dress so she could wear it. So off to sew at 7am! Only a handmade dress will work for this girl on her big day!

During graduation the teachers asked, "What would you like to be when you grow up?" And Hailey's reply, "A Fabric Designer!"

That"s my girl!

The Mail....

2009-05-26T14:13:00.012-05:00

Most days I dislike the mail, today is an exception.

The Kiddos....

2009-05-20T07:03:00.004-05:00

Hailey in her favorite place...a field of dandelions!

Jenna enjoyed the freedom of the open field as well.

I love it that sometimes my kiddos even share their ice cream!

That is just a little of what we have been up to the last week. Just busy, busy I guess. The sewing machine has been off for a week now. Withdrawal is setting in :) Next week.

Have a great weekend...oh, is it only Wednesday?? Our weekend starts tomorrow, Ohio - here we come!

On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese....

2009-05-09T17:40:00.008-05:00

Stuart purchased the book Hello, Cupcake! for Hailey on her 5th birthday. Our first project from the book was a huge hit with the kiddos! Oh, what shall we try next!!!! And yes, those are cupcakes in the photos above. Vanilla cupcakes, with vanilla frosting and ummm...what do you think the meatballs and sauce is???

Another project complete!

2009-04-27T20:18:00.004-05:00

This skirt was started at craftin' weekend. Since then, I took it apart and added a new ruffle hem and appliqued the tee. The hand stitching too a little longer than I projected, but turned quite nice, if I do say so myself! And the best part - Hailey likes it!

Here is my sweet darling daughter....

and a more accurate photo of my silly daughter!

Speaking of daughters, here is Jenna. She has started to become an escape artist. If you cannot find her, she has more than likely crawled upstairs and is tucked away in the book room. I will wish for the same activity when she is 13!

Early Spring

2009-04-23T10:23:00.003-05:00

This quilt, Early Spring, was inspired by Amanda Jean. I really like the style of this quilt and colors of this one, so a combo was created.

The top

The bottom....pieced of course! And flipped....why does Blogger rotate my photos???

A close up of the binding. I love the polka dots!

It turned out!

2009-04-20T20:22:00.015-05:00

Today I placed "Popsicle" in the washing machine, crossed my fingers, and walked away. It washed up perfectly! And got that wonderful quilt like softness.

Here are some photos of it in use!

The recipient of this fine piece of quality craftsmanship.

Hailey, Lily, Rosey, and Tulip enjoying the quilt as well.

At my Craftin' weekend I was able to create a few other items as well. Here is Jenna sporting her new butterfly bloomers and matching tee. With an appliqued a butterfly in the tee.

More project photos to come!

Popsicle

2009-04-14T22:14:00.004-05:00

All the "real" quilters name their quilts! So here it is, my first quilt with a name -- Popsicle. It was the first thing that popped into my head.

This is a toddler quilt (36" x 44") and was crafted just for Jenna. I had it laying on the office floor and she toddled in and layed down on it. I think she likes it!

Here is a photo of the quilt top. A binding fabric is selected, but I need to find the backing. Guess I need to make a trip to the fabric store, shucks! Now don't peek too close, I don't need you checking my points. Just take my word for it, most of them match up! I am looking forward to quilting this, but that will have to wait till this weekend at the Crafter's retreat! YAHHHH!!!!

The Big FIVE!

2009-04-09T19:44:00.005-05:00

And a happy, happy birthday for Hailey!

Hailey had a blast on her big day.

This morning she had preschool and was thrilled to bring home 3 friends with her. Then two neighbors came over. She had an Under the Sea birthday with Turtles and Dolphins galore! We played games, did some art projects, a scavenger hunt to find the cake, and played outside so we could enjoy our beautiful sunny day. And some yummy sea lunch of course!

After the friends party, we had a family party. Hailey picked Panera, her favorite restaurant, for dinner and Cold Stone for dessert. Then we returned home to open presents. Here is Hailey wearing her Fancy Nancy crown and butterfly fan from a book she adores (Thanks Eric, Irene, Emma and Jane!) She is also sporting her new gardening apron, and lets just add some M&M toe stocks to complete the outfit!

It's coming along...

2009-03-30T19:14:00.003-05:00

Slow but steady wins the race - right?

Actually I feel as though I have made excellent process on my office -- seeing as though Stuart took a last minute trip to Cleveland to visit his Pop (who is feeling much better) and Jenna is teething and a cold. But what would life be if it was all smooth sailing?

Sometimes I send my children to clean their playroom, and three hours later, it still looks the same. They get distracted by neat toys and cool stuff. Well, the same things happens when I clean my office!

Jackson picked a quilt out of a absolutely fantastic book that had a rocket ship in the center. So of course I started searching for applique techniques and then found some really cool rocket designs and then could not resist starting.......I am still practicing with the feed dogs down, but all in all, I think it turned out quite well. Yes, the green and yellow stars are not finished -- that would require me changing thread two more times!

Also while cleaning, I came upon boxes of items from my Grandma. Magazines and more magazines. This magazine cover, it rocks. Come on Susie, look at this!

Here take a closer look at the best part!

This magazine cover plus a few other ads will be framed on hung on the office wall.

That's all for today folks!

One huge mess...

2009-03-26T20:11:00.004-05:00

will be gone by the end of the weekend. There it is written down. It will get done. My office/craft room is what I am talking about. This room has been a mess since we moved in. Really, it has. I have a terrible habit of staring a project, then setting it down to start another. The paperwork piles up. I did take photos, but I am way to embarrassed to show them. Maybe once the "after" photos are taken I might. Maybe.

Today I assembled a few cabinet fronts and a drawer for my Ikea bookshelf thing. That explains exactly what I am talkin' about, doesn't it! Anyway, my ribbon is organized. And I am sorting though my yarn. There two garbage bags full that will be taken to the Senior center so someone can make good use of them. I will keep some yarn, but left over yarn is not like left over fabric. Misc. yarn is just hard to use, and I rarely knit these days. And no, I will not donate of any of my Grandma's handed down yarn - that is mine! It will feel so nice to be all organized!!

Otherwise, I am just busy tending to Ms. Crabby Pants. Jenna that is. She has one crazy stuffy nose and is teething, I think.

Off to find dust bunnies -- wish me luck!

Cancun - Round 2

2009-03-25T06:36:00.003-05:00

We are back from vacation!!

We had a very relaxing trip to Cancun. The weather was absolutely wonderful. The battery ran out of juice on day 2, so not too many photos! But here are a couple of the kiddos.

Jackson and Hailey enjoying the hot tub on our balcony.

Swimming in the beautiful blue ocean. The kids loved the beach.

And Jenna loved the sand! Here she is hanging out under a palm tree making beautiful sand art!

"Hi Baby"

2009-03-12T09:29:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I went in to get Jenna out of her crib and she said to me, "Hi Baby!"
And she has not stopped since.

Lazy Weekend

2009-03-08T20:09:00.003-05:00

It was so nice to enjoy the peace and quiet of a weekend. Gotta love quiet weekends. Of course I no less then 10 loads of laundry and packed for next week....

And a little sewing....

And Hails got a hair cut.

The days fly by....

2009-03-04T06:20:00.006-06:00

And a lot of them! Since Valentines day, our family took a trip to Milwaukee to visit some friends. We stayed at a water park hotel downtown - Hilton. If you are heading to Milwaukee with younger kids, this place is worth it. The water park was small, but perfect for kids 10 and under. Good breakfast and comfy beds. And the Milwaukee Children's Museum -- very nice. So here are a few snapshots from the trip.

So this the point where I run and get the camera. Umm...only photos of Stuart's trip so San Fran on there...so I search my computer no photos of Milwaukee to be found. Uggg...disappeared. Poof.

So maybe some sewing photos then! (even though photos of the kiddos are much more exiting!)

So (just cause I wanted to say that AGAIN!) Hailey picked out some fabric awhile ago...awhile like last summer. In Hailey style - bright pink purple colors WOW! I found a pattern for a 9 patch Quilt and thought it would be simple enough for a beginner. And it was. Quilting is very intimidating though. Sewing the top is no problem, actually quilting -- now that takes practice. One of my favorite quilting blogs had a tutorial on stippling the quilt and then adding a fleece backing. Which had an added bonus of covering up any tension issued that my have resulted in not so pretty stitching on the back side of the quilt...not that mine had any of that! And this quilt is COMFY! Now I just need to add the binding and it will be ready to snuggle with. This will not win a blue ribbon at the county fair, but an excellent first try - if I do say so myself.

(Hey look close -- photo of the kids...only, it is last years school photo!)

I have also completed two dresses, but my model is sleeping -- and it is better that way! So you will have to wait.....

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T11:41:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day from our Family to yours......

This time of year also marks the anniversary of living in our current home. This is year #3. And that is the longest Stuart and I have ever lived in the same house! Even thought it has been three years, I still feel like we are getting things decorated. One part of our house will never be decorated or painted over though. This is the cleaning room. Did you know we have one of those? :) When we moved in we started charting the kids growth on the wall in permanent marker....just to remind us how big the kiddos are getting!

Ah, sewing. My machine has been put back to work. I have a new sewing buddy though. Jackson. They hand stitched some valentines at school, and now he loves to sew! Yesterday when he used my machine for the first time he said, "This is a totally cool machine!" Stuart just shook his head and walked away.

I do have some projects in the works, maybe just maybe I will get some time to put on the finishing touches and post photos this weekend. Maybe.

Have a happy love day!

Ann

Middle of the night laundry....

2009-01-31T12:40:00.004-06:00

Things have been a little crazy since we got back home from Cancun. The fire was a good kick start to our arrival, and next it was the flu bug.

Jenna had her one year appointment on Tuesday. (stats: 19lbs (30%), 55% for height, and 75% for head cir) She was crabby going in so I knew something was not quite right with her. Doc discovered her upper two molars breaking though. Three shots and one blood draw later we were off to home -- with a now very, very sad baby. In the wee hours of the morning on Wednesday, I woke up the sound no parent wants to hear -- that of "tossing cookies." Jenna continued that well into Thursday night. Then I thought she was better yesterday (Friday) but nope. The flu was gone but the teething remained. She cried and cried last night. And this morning, more tears. THREE straight hours of tears. Tylenol, Motrin, Oragel, teething toys, cold wash rags...no stopping the tears. Oh, did I mention one more molar is coming in on the bottom and the other lower front tooth? I sent Stuart off to the herbal heath store for teething tablets. She took three and viola - Happy Baby! Just like that. Really, that fast. So lesson learned this week:

Make all Doc appointments first thing in the morning. This way the doc office is not yet infected with the germs of the sick kids who call in for same day appointments -- assuming it was cleaned well by the night crew! And your appointment has a better chance of being on time. And Teething Tablets are the best thing is the whole wide world!

As for the rest of the family. Jackson was bitten by the flu bug as well, but was better in a matter of 12 hours. The rest of us are just fine, tired, but fine.

This blog is kiddos and crafts for a reason, but the craft end has been really lacking! I have the sewing bug again....maybe soon.....maybe.

Holy Smokes!

2009-01-21T06:46:00.004-06:00

So last week before we left for Mexico, Jackson was having a blast playing with cardboard boxes. He built a TV and Hot Dog Stand.

We were picking up the house before we left, and Stuart put the cardboard toys into the garage cause they were starting to stink a little.

When we returned home, we could smell this smoked hickory smell. I looked around, cleaned out the entry way, cleaned my diaper bag. It smelled like smoked fish or rotten food. I took out the garbage that night, but left Jackson's TV and Hot Dog stand, knowing he would be angry with me if the garbage man took it away.

Stay with me here.....

Tuesday I went out to lunch with my Aunt. During this time Stuart took Jenna to pick up Hailey from preschool and grab lunch for them. Upon his arrival back home, he opened the garage door to find black smoke pouring out. Took the kiddos to the neighbors, and the fire department came out to put out the fire. We are very lucky to have caught it time. We will have a nice bill to repair the situation, but the inside house walls are fine.

So what really caused the fire? We don't actually know. The only thing sitting by the wall was the two cardboard boxes. The trim that was totally charred is not in the photo, but you can tell it is where the fire started -- down on the ground. So that would eliminate the electrical outlet that is higher up, maybe. The fire dept cut away the wall and removed instulation to make sure the fire was out. That question of how the fire started may never be answered, I just have to be very grateful that I am standing in my kitchen typing this post.

Happy 1st Birthday Jenna!

2009-01-13T10:11:00.002-06:00

Birthdays!

2009-01-12T15:08:00.007-06:00

On our second day here in Cancun we celebrated some Birthdays. One girl in our group, Paige, celebrated her 10th birthday, while I was celebrating a birthday of a little higher number. We had dinner at The Chocolate Factory. Pretty fitting uh? That slice of chocolate cake was fantastic. And the chocolate fountain was a delicious kid friendly mess of goodness.

(Thank you for the necklace Irene! I love it! And Happy Early Birthday to you!)

Today my baby turned 1!!!! Our little peanut is 1! It is hard for me to believe a year has gone by since she became a member of our family. Later she will get to eat a yummy cupcake, so I will post those photos later.

Off for a good ole' Mexican nap......

Cancun!

2009-01-11T07:01:00.004-06:00

We have arrived and are all settled in!

The kids fell right into routine here......not that it is hard to do! It took Jenna a few moments to get used to the pool, but soon was a splish-splashin' babe. And of course she learned quickly to sit back and enjoy the relaxtion of the pool....

As for today, I am not sure what the plan it. But then again, we are on vacation!

Enjoy the northern weather everyone!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-26T15:46:00.002-06:00

Hope you are enjoying a wonderful Holiday Season!

The Big Time...

2008-12-22T07:00:00.003-06:00

Next time you are in the checkout line, take a glance at the new Feb/Mar issue of Modern Bride. Page 161.

Let the fun begin!!!!

Updates on the Kiddos!

2008-12-05T09:55:00.004-06:00

Hailey -- Yes, she enjoyed the Nutcracker. They had a wonderful date night. She is enjoying Dance class and will have her recital on Dec 15th. Post more about that after the event! Next she would like to give ice skating a try! And a photo of my cheeky girl. This is the best I could get this morning! (She is laying on the couch trying to hide from the camera)

Jenna -- She is getting so active, so very active! She is on the go most of the time just to see what she can find to eat or spill or crawl on! Recently she discovered Hailey's old doll. She loves it. She gives it big hugs and smiles. Super cute!

Jackson -- He is doing fantastic in school and really loves it. He is also in a flag football league. At the beginning of the season, well, lets just say there was room for improvement! He was hesitant and not quite sure how to play! The next 2-3 games he got so much better. He was learning the rules, practicing throwing and catching and giving it his all. It did not matter if he even touched the ball he was trying so hard. Last night, he had a fantastic game. He quarterbacked for 3 touchdowns and got 2 flags. He was so very proud of himself.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-05T09:48:00.003-06:00

We hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving here in our home this year. You can read Christine's version of the days events. I did not get a photo of the boys in their hats....

just a sec.....there you are. The hat. I had to pull Stu away from his font work. It was tough!