Here are the Christmas onesies I finished for the local shop (Jack and Jill if you live around here). I’m working on some Christmas bibs too, but not sure if I’ll get any done in time.  Life seems to be moving a bit too quickly around here!

Christmas Tree

Santa Penguin

Ornaments

Reindeer Dog

Mittens

Candy Cane

I think the dog and the penguin are my favorite…what’s yours?

Most men dream of going to car shows, I’ve recently been introduced to the Quilt Market. True Up has been doing a recap of all the big fabric designers and their new fabrics for the season and I’m totally drooling! Can you imagine walking through a giant warehouse place filled with nothing but fabric…I would die.

Here are a few of the ones I would give to have just a yard of:

From Robert Kaufman

From Blue Hill (my absolute fav)

From Alexander Henry

And if you haven’t seen Anna Maria Horner’s new Little Folks line, you’ve got to see it too and don’t even get me started on all the Japanese fabric makers that were at that market. I could sit here all night showing you pictures of the yards I’m dying to have!

Today was my husband’s 39th birthday and we were kind of surprised to think that this is one of the few birthdays that we have spent just as a small family. We have usually had friends or parents etc with us and as much as we love those times, there was something special about it just being the 4 of us.

We set up a fancy table with candles and everyone had fancy cups and plates and it was really fun to just sit and enjoy each other.

From Fall 2009

All that to say, this was the most awesome (and easiest) cake I’ve ever made. It is a chocolate and pumpkin layer cake.

Divine.

So divine I had to share. Here’s the link.

A few weeks ago I had a little fabric money to spend so I went on my way to Jo Anns. It was one of those frustrating trips where it seemed like nothing was screaming “buy me!” and I was a little bummed. I kept walking past this Alexander Henry print and loving it, but honestly couldn’t figure out what I would do with it. Make my daughter a dress or shirt with this crazy fabric (with a dragon on it no less)! But alas, I kept coming back to it and for those of you with fabric obsessions, when you find that one that pulls you back you know you can’t go home without it!

I have been wanting to make one of these peasant style tops and I found a cheap $1.99 pattern and started cutting it out and realized I bought the wrong size I ended up finding exactly what I wanted in my old Ottobre magazine. This is the first time I’ve ever really altered a pattern a bunch and it was so thrilling! The pattern had buttons down the back and I have sworn off buttons until I get a new sewing machine. I also ended up doing elastic for the neck and adding the bias trim around the cuffs.

The pants are a super-easy Burda pattern (that I’m too lazy to get up and look up for you) which I altered the pockets (aka simplified) and then added the ruffle around the hem.

Overall, I love it! The shirt is a little snug around the waist (darn those European sizes!) so I’m not sure how long she’ll be able to wear it, but until then it’s all hers (dragon and all!)

It’s Fall Break around here.
We’ve made it through the first quarter.
We’ve established a new rhythm.
And things are good…actually really good.

That is not to say that getting up isn’t a struggle.
Juggling home, work and other things isn’t a struggle,
or that we sometimes just plain don’t have enough time.

But this new rhythm has brought me to a place where I cherish…
time on the carpet playing bingo with my little people
time in front of my sewing machine
cuddling on the couch with my hubbie
just being at home so much more than I ever did.

I’ve realized that I’ve been afraid to let go of my fears:
of becoming attached to these sweet children I’m teaching
of just plain working in a school again and all that brings
and of not being the one in control.

I’ve realized that going down the path that the Lord leads doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy,
or smooth
or simple
but more than likely a crazy up and down roller coaster where the ups are hard
but the ride down is a blast.

I feel like we are on a downswing. I’m enjoying what I’m doing.
I’m enjoying my own kids like never before…appreciating them with newfound love (as if I could love them more) and
I’m realizing that it’s all good.
It’s all ok.
And it’s all going to be allright.
And I don’t need to make excuses.

I long gave up sewing Halloween costumes for the Rooster, seriously who wants to sew Snake Eyes from GI Joe? Not me! But it was Little Chick’s turn for her own mama made costume. I’ve long been wanting to make one of these fairy skirts and knowing how much my little chick loves Tinkerbell I decided that is what we would do for Halloween.

I have to say I was a little intimidated by using tulle at first. But after researching some options on the web I ended up going with the easy route. And it was easy and cheap! The whole costume was $20 including the leotard and some tights.

I did splurge on this super cute Tinkerbell trim from JoAnns, but my original idea of having it go around the waist just didn’t turn out, so alas the $5 trim is now a plaything for the Little Chick. Oh well!

Next up, some fairy wings!

Some new Halloween onesies at Jack and Jill and waiting for you!
Introducing…

Pumpkins

Frank (pattern courtesy of Homeberries)

Jack (pattern courtesy of Homeberries)

Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.

The wisdom in life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.

— Lin Yutang

Daily learning to give up my lists and settle into the joy of…

little feet stomping in puddles,

little hands splashing in the tub,

and little bodies snuggling on the couch

A friend of mine requested a couple of superhero capes for birthday gifts and I was happy to comply.

It’s been a while since I made some of these and I kind of missed them.

These make super gifts for little boys, if I do say so myself. These particular capes are blue on the front and red on the inside with that special little boy’s initial on the front.

Hungry Monkey by Matthew Amster-Burton

This book was seriously funny. It’s been a while since I read a book that made me laugh out loud and this one did it over and again. I can’t say that I’m totally along with his baby feeding philosophy (anything goes) but at the end of this book I seriously wanted to become a much more daring eater (I am seriously picky) It is filled with wonderful stories, silly jokes and many recipes (with some ingredients that might send me to the asian food store) and I’m so excited to try some of them out.

I highly recommend this if you are longing for a fun, easy read that will make you long to be in the kitchen (or at least married to a man that does all the cooking!)

Blue Like Play Dough by Tricia Gover

I grabbed this book at the library a few weeks ago with some scepticism. Good Gospel-centered women/mothering books can either be really good or really bad. It was the subtitle that got me though: “The Shape of Motherhood in the grip of God”. That is totally where I want and long to be so I grabbed it and honestly can’t put it down. I’ve not read a mothering book like this one. Her story has so many elements that are so like mine and it has truly been such a blessing to read it. I’m only about half way through, but can tell you now that it’s a life changing book (at least for me).