Family & Friends
A Little Local Quilting Store Love
We headed out after our book-work was done this morning to do some shopping and a little on-the-road learning. This Friday afternoon, we have a group of moms and children from our local homeschool group dropping in to sew pillowcases with us for the Crafthope pillowcase project. I thought my kids and I would enjoy a trip to Historic Downtown Carrollton to pick out fabrics for their pillowcases at The Old Craft Store.
We did a little math on the way. “If you need 3/4 yard of a main fabric and 1/3 yard of a trim fabric for one pillowcase, how much do you need for two pillowcases? How many inches is that?”
The kids did a great job picking out their fabrics. I was so surprised that Allen was the quickest, and Samantha took the longest! (I’ll post pictures of their finished pillowcases on Friday so you can see the fabrics they chose.)
This sweet quilt shop is packed full of beautiful fabrics, and I’m in awe of the projects that they have on display. I think I could spend a whole day wandering around gathering ideas to add to my sewing list. The ladies who run the quilt shop are amazing, too–they were so encouraging and so patient with my littles. It’s so nice every so often to just drop in to a place where you can shop and chat about your love of sewing and enjoy some comraderie with fellow sewing enthusiasts.
{this moment}
{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Inspired by SouleMama
Just Slow Down and Enjoy the Moments
I need that reminder so very often. It’s really been too hot here to play outside lately, so I’ve been letting Jamie put a little water in the sink to dive his Lego guys in and out. As he has every day this week, he asked if he could play in the sink this morning, and I was busy trying to finish up a project, so I said, “Sure.” He knows that he’s only supposed to put in about 2″ of water and then turn off the faucet. I could hear him happily splashing away while I worked. Suddenly, though, he came running out yelling, “Mom! The pretty rugs are getting all wet!” And, here, my friends, is one of those moments where I had a decision to make . . . do I choose to get frustrated with the mess, fuss at the little guy who made it, throw down some towels and clean it all up . . . or do I stop for a minute, smile, grab the camera and capture this moment in the life of a preschooler who before I know it will be grown?
All too soon, my carpets will always be dry and those sweet little toes will be attached to size 11 feet with no desire to hang out in my bathroom playing in the sink with little Lego guys. For today, though, he’s three, and this is so much fun!
Trying to Impress Big Tex at the Texas State Fair
Fall is coming soon, and here in Dallas, fall brings the Texas State Fair! Last year, Allen submitted a Lego project in the Creative Arts Competition at the fair, and he was so excited to receive an honorable mention ribbon. He enjoyed participating so much that Samantha and I decided to join in this year, too.
Allen’s following up last year’s submission with another Lego construction. During our study of Texas state history last year, Allen especially enjoyed learning about the Alamo so he decided to recreate it for this year’s fair! Can you see Davey Crockett in his coon-skin cap standing in the entryway?
Samantha taught herself to knit this year, and now she’s always got some project on her knitting needles. She decided on this very cute beret for her state fair submission.
This was her first project knit in the round on circular needles. She did such a great job!
And, then there are my projects. I actually considered whether or not I wanted to share mine, but in the end, I decided that since the fair is actually a few months away, you’ll probably forget that I posted these by then. If I do well, I’ll remind you. If I don’t, then we’ll just forget I ever mentioned sewing something for the fair. Sound good?
I’ve been holding onto this cotton knit Texas-themed fabric for years now, just waiting for the right project. What could be a better use for it than the Texas State Fair? In the Children’s Clothing category, I’m submitting this color-blocked and appliqued Charlie Tee. It’s a size 4T, so Jamie can wear it when the fair is over.
In the Infant Clothing category, I’m turning in this embroidered Jamie Jumper in size 18 months. This one’s my favorite of the two. I’m really excited about Charlie getting to wear it this fall. It’s a little big now, so I hope it fits!
We’re delivering all our projects to the fairgrounds tomorrow. The kids will be on pins and needles waiting for the judging. The results should come around the middle of next month.
Learning to Roll Over Can Be Hazardous . . .
. . . especially when mom’s cooking and not paying close attention to you!
Isn’t he adorable? My friend, Michelle, made the sweet blanket. The cowboy print is one of our favorites, and it’s the perfect size for a floor blanket, except for maybe when the little guy playing on it, grabs it and then rolls over and over and over . . .
The deadline for entries into this week’s random drawing is 10 central tonight. Keep commenting and posting! Just a reminder, you don’t have to enter a photo to enter the random drawing, just comment on Monday’s post or blog about my contest or giveaway and send me the link.
And, keep the Photo Contest Entries coming! I’ll be posting a few fun photos that preview my next pattern release tomorrow.
Just Chatting
We’re really enjoying the tranquility of the mountains in West Virginia. I’ve been taking the time to just sit with my kids while we’re here and chat. I love to hear what they’re thinking. Sometimes it’s something profound that really makes us think. Other times, though, it just makes us giggle.
Samantha and I were swinging in the porch swing last night. She was sipping on a soda while I rocked the baby to sleep. She sighed and said, “You know why it’s fun to drink a coke when you have the hiccups?” “Why?” “Because everytime you hiccup, you burp, too!”
This morning, Allen and I sat down on the deck to enjoy the morning breeze while Maw-Maw cooked breakfast for us. Allen asked me, “What do you like about being outside here?” “I love how you can hear nature. It’s not like at home in Texas, where you hear traffic and construction. Here you hear birds and wind and leaves rustling.” Pause for a few seconds to listen, followed by a sudden eruption of barking from the neighbor’s house. “Mom, are dogs part of nature?”
Vacation Fun and a Photo Contest Update!
The Fishsticks Designs Photo Contest plans are coming along well. I sewed up this stack of Patrick Curved Raglans for my youngest four before leaving home last weekend. I’m working on getting some fun pictures while we’re traveling.
We’re having a grand time on vacation. We spent yesterday afternoon roaming around downtown Mayberry (officially Mount Airy, NC).
Waiting for a famous pork chop sandwich at Snappy Lunch:
A few kids in Opie’s Candy Store:
A game of checkers . . .
. . . after a visit with Andy.
When we finished downtown, we hunted down a couple of letterboxes before heading back to some well-deserved air conditioning.
This morning, we drove up to the mountains of West Virginia where we’re visiting Ray’s hometown for a few days before we head back home to Texas this weekend.
Baby Simeon in the Little One Layette
Is he not adorable? Simeon is the little guy that I sewed and knitted a shower gift for a few months ago. He’s such a big boy already. Here he’s modeling one of the soakers that I knit for him with a lap-tee that his mom, Michelle, sewed for him using my Little One Layette pattern.
And, here are a few pictures of him as a newborn wearing a gown that his mom made for him also from the LOL pattern. I love the cute little feet sticking out!
We Have Baby Mockingbirds!
Aren’t they sweet? This is the first time I’ve seen baby birds in real life. I was so excited! This is the last picture that I’ll be taking of these little ones, though. Mama bird came after me while I was snapping pictures, and really, I can’t blame her. I’m sure I’d do the same thing if I thought my babies were in danger!
Short Sleeves for Summer
It’s Mending Week over at Making More with Less which reminded me of these three shirts that have been sitting in my mending pile.
The top shirt was Allen’s favorite this past winter. The other two were discovered in the bottom of one of his drawers when I cleaned out the winter clothes . . . they’d never even been worn! I thought since they all had long sleeves sewn under short sleeves, I could convert them to summer apparel really easily.
I started by simply cutting the long sleeve portion off, just below the hem on the short sleeve, but that left this funky piece at the bottom seam.
So I grabbed my trusty seam ripper and ripped out the portion of that seam where the long sleeve had been sewn in. (A quick tip: When you’re ripping out serging, the easiest way is to find the side with the two rows of stitching that run parallel, slide your seam ripper under both stitches and rip them out. Every three of four stitches will do the trick. Then just pull the two pieces of fabric apart.)
Once that was done, I was able to cut off that little bit of extra fabric,
and then serge the seam back together. (If you don’t have a serger, it would be perfectly fine to sew those back together, too!)
Twenty minutes of work, and three tops are ready to add to Allen’s summer wardrobe.
Here’s Chewy, back in action . . .
