Chambord Castle

I saw Kelly's frame link and thought that I need to use the frames and textures I have more often. So here's a photo of me and Jon at Chambord Castle in France, (about two hours outside of Paris) fourth of July weekend 2004 . This is the toy camera action and the vintage frame is from here. If we were dressed in different clothing this picture would look authentic vintage.

Straps

I made the light box. I have no idea what I'm doing regarding the lighting though. I did it in a hurry so I'll play around with it next time. I even put Velcro on the flaps so I could fold it up and out of the way but when i folded it I put my fingers through the tissue paper and ripped it:( I think the Velcro was Kelly's idea-thanks Kelly!
New diaper/wipe holder thingies. I'm now making them with a strap so you can hook them to your stroller basket (when you fold up the stroller they won't fall out) or where ever. I've made them like this before but now I'll only make them like this. I came to this decision at Lego land when I hooked mine to my purse when I needed to take Ava to the bathroom for a change.
What are you looking at??

Who's Crafty?

I was crafty last night! Ok, I actually craft almost every night but don't always have something to show for it. I finally ironed these on to baby T's. How cute are these??

Lots of photos

Emily wouldn't do the slip-n-slide on her own...so I helped her.
My favorite action shots. There are none of Emily except the ones of me throwing her down the slip-n-slide.
Emily overdose.

Now I have to get back to sewing for the 4th of July craft fair. I'm in the process of sewing 12 more diaper/wipe thingies. Then I'll move on to more bibs and then more aprons and if I can I'll finally cut and sew all the flannel I bought to make burp cloths. Big dreams here.

Today

Here's some photos from today at Jenny B's. I photo shopped each of them differently--just messing around. I want to stay up all night doing this but I can't! I will not stay up past midnight again. I will not...

I'll post more when I have more time:) The babies are FINALLY asleep. I left to get my haircut this afternoon and when I came back Jon informed that the girls had wore him out. Actually he said they're "killing me". I so know what he's talking about! Two can really wear a person out. Makes me want to cry and say mean things and shake 'em (do I have to say I'm kidding? ok, I'm kidding..). Ava spit up the entire contents of her bottle 2 times while sitting on the couch. That darn Bumbo Seat makes her barf but she loves sitting in it! Emily followed me around asking me what I was doing and why. She asked me why over and over again. What are you doing? Dying my hair. Why? Because it needed it. Why? Because it's past due. Why? Then she'll say what are you doing (again)? And I say still dying my hair...why? Arghhh! Corinnea told me to make stuff up so at one point she said what are you doing and I said riding a camel in the desert (Corinnea, is that the one you used to say all the time?). It took her a second to realize I switched my answer and then she started laughing but then went right back to the why's. I found one lonely Zanax in the medicine cabinet a while back that is long long expired (yes, I kept it). I wonder if it's still potent...but one Zanax? That's just one day or about 6 hours of bliss then right back to the high blood pressure..Oh, and at dinner, I finally sit down to eat and Ava pukes. Clean it up and then stinky pants wonders over and tries to get in my lap smelling like a port-o-potty! The fan was blowing right on us and making me gag! But I had just sat down to eat-again. Should I get up and change her or just deal with the smell so I can finally eat? I changed her but I didn't want to and I certainly didn't do it for her.

It's my pitty party and I'll cry if I want to..

Legoland and stuff

This photo shop "action" is called Toy Camera.
We just got back from a VERY long day (although we didn't get there till about 1pm-ish) at Lego Land. It was SO unbearably hot but at least not too crowded. The heat made me super nauseated for most of the time there. Little known fact about me: I HATE the heat/sun!! HATE it! Shocked? This is from Thursday. Emily likes to "help mama sew". Usually she just takes all my pins and sticks them in a scrap piece of fabric but this time she wanted in my lap and wanted to feed the fabric through. I sooooo hope she sews when she gets older:)
Here's Ava from about a week ago. These shorts are size 12 months! They are only a little too big for her and I think Osh Kosh runs a little bit small but still, 12 months?? She's only 5 months! Oh, Friday night I went to quilt till you wilt and finished two projects and handed them off to Leah to quilt! I started a bag for Jenny B and cut out pajama pants for Emily. I can't believe how much I got done! I had a really nice time sitting next to Heidi. Wait till you see the quilt she started! That will be my next quilt project. I signed up for next month too because it happens to fall on a Friday where I don't work the next day (instead it's Emily's b-day party but that's not till 2pm and Jenny B insisted on making the cake so I don't have to worry about that!).

I stand corrected!

Ok, this is a fabric from the Heather Ross line, Mendocino. I thought it was just her background for her site. I guess I didn't realize because on her site you don't see the octopus.

and look at this cute thing! It's an I SPY ROBOT! It has 26 different items to search for in it. I had been wanting to get the kind that's in a tube for Emily and then I saw this on Etsy. I don't have the persons name selling it but if you want to see more of her stuff it's under I spy probably or robot is actually how I found it.

Top completed!

the top is completed to this quilt (ok, except for one border. It'll be finished by Friday to give to Leah to quilt!)!

Spoonflower

Design and have printed...your own fabric!! There is a website offering this or will be soon. As for now they are only doing it for select people by invitation. If I had an idea of some fabric I wanted I'd sign up to be picked but I can't think of anything and I'm not that kind of artist (can't draw at all!) We should have some kind of store fabric..oh! (light bulb) To make canvas bags out of for our "going green" thing! Kelly and Corinnea, you know what I'm talking about. This could be cool with our logo or one of Kelly's "tattoo" designs and the store name! It's expensive though..or how about Dean screen printing something on plain canvas bags? Anyway, the Company is called Spoonflower, check them out. And check out The Black Apple because she had some fabric printed.

two new blogs!

Margaret and Jennifer B Have their own blogs now! Check them out:)

I can't wait!

I changed my mind. I want this fabric (the top one-the bottom one is not actually a fabric but a back ground for the Heather Ross site) for a duvet cover. I'm thinking I like this a lot better than the Sun Drop fabric I was originally going to do a duvet out of. I think it should be shipping soon so we'll see what it looks like in person...

Today

Today was Ava's first time in the stroller without the car seat! She can't sit up so she probably isn't supposed to sit in it like this but I propped her up and strapped her in. That stroller (Phil and Ted's) is the best. If I could do it all over again I would have bought this one when Emily was born and then bought the 2ND seat when Ava was born. And I am SO glad I didn't listen to the many people who tried to tell me Emily is old enough so I don't need a double stroller. Wrong!! The stroller was out of commission for a week or two because of a flat tire. I took the girls to Kaufland with Ava in our other stroller and Emily walking. Not so good. She touched everything, didn't move out of peoples way (man those Germans walk fast and don't tolerate people in their way!) and threw a couple of fits. I wanted to tear her hair out and mine by the time I was done shopping. She is not old enough to walk around in a crowded store (she is....but she isn't). She cannot be expected to behave herself and I don't have the time or patience to chase after her. I have to take care of Ava too so if Emily runs off I have to chase after her pushing another stroller. Also I fear someone snatching her up when I turn my back. I know that double strollers were not always around and it can be done but why would I do that to myself? I'm not stunting her development by keeping her in a stroller either! I could go on and on about this......I'll stop.


Yesterday Mary, Lizy and I made a butterfly out of foam core board and covered it in fabric (ironed the fabric on with heat-n-bond). Colin sketched the butterfly, made a template and then cut it out for us! He did such a good job. There are two more of different sizes waiting to be covered. We hung it from the light fixture temporarily till we get all 3 done and then I thought they should go over the island of fabrics. I ran over there today to get a photo but didn't turn on the lights--I should have because the photos aren't that great. Oh and I scared Mary! Anyway, they don't look great up close as it was hard to cut the fabric out perfectly but hanging from the ceiling you don't notice it as much.The purpose is to show people they can do many different things with fabric. This would look really cute in a little girls room.

Random stuff..

random pics I found on etsy and don't have time link the owners

like the top (it's out of the sun drop fabric)

the turning twenty quilt laid out
an ipod/cell phone case. I'll have to come back and do the links..must get to work on time!

Invites and Turning Twenty

Emily's 3rd birthday invites are here! They are SO cute!
And last night I was able to cut my blocks for the Turning Twenty quilt. Maybe tomorrow I can sew them all together...

Finished!

I finally picked up the mushroom pj's and finished them. I had put them away and was sidetracked by other things. Now they are done and I am very happy with them. The pattern is an old Butterick boys pj pattern. With the help of Corinnea, I made the collar peter pan and the sleeves more feminine. The pants fit perfect but the shirt is a little boxy and could be fitted more at least in the shoulder area so the sleeve/shoulder seem is where it should be. But altering was never my strong point:) This little dragonfly was given to me along with 4 others from my BFF Jennifer Battle (aka Jenny Bean, Jenny B). They hang in Emily's window but the photos I took of them there were awful. Aren't they beautiful? She had her cousin or aunt (sorry I can't remember who) make them just for me:).

Mini quilt, bagel spread and burns

Lizy and I were talking about picture quilts Saturday.
(so here's the one I was talking about Lizy!). It's faded some from washing (once) and I think there is a way to avoid this but only made it for Emily's doll bed so I didn't follow directions to a T.I made the Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Cream Cheese bagel spread! It is sooo yummy!
My poor poor baby...Saturday night I decided to get in a little sewing. I turned on the iron, got my stuff ready and put Ava in the Bumbo seat on my desk. I left the room to get the tray that goes on the seat and heard her crying. I didn't think something had happened I just thought she wanted me to come back. So I go in there, trip over the ironing board, hop around cursing and then finally looked up at Ava. She had the most horrible look on her face. It was contorted and pouty and sad and just awful (really, I can't describe it). She was not screaming as loud as one would think after being burned by the iron because I think the pain was so awful she could barely get the cries out. Oh my poor baby! I set her next to the iron! I did this! Her little flailing arms landed on the hot iron! I literally ran around the house holding her, both of us crying, and me pulling out books left and right trying to figure out what to do while telling Jon to look online. I was an EMT!! But do you think I'd remember something as simple as taking care of a 2ND degree burn? You can't think when your baby and you are crying (at least I can't). So long story short, she is fine. She passed out after some Tylenol and me rocking her for a bout an hour. She has been fine since and has not even acted like she got burned. No wincing when she grabs something with that hand or crying when she curls her fingers, etc.

One last thing: Mary, we all had a lot of fun at Nicolas' party. Thank you for having us and for being so understanding about Emily trying to open his presents:) The food was really good and I really enjoyed being with your family and friends. oh, and I LOVE the goody bags! You did really good:)

Decoupage and Peanut butter

I made a chocolate cake last night with peanut butter frosting (it's what I'll make for Emily's birthday party). As usual the frosting was wonderful but the cake was not so good. I used a cake mix that was a little past it's exp. date. I wouldn't have done that with meat or cheese, etc. but cake mix I thought wouldn't taste much different. It did. Not super noticeable but just not as good as a fresh baked (not expired) cake. I won't do that for Emily's party! I just wanted to get rid of the mix. This frosting is THE BEST if you like peanut butter and super super easy to make. I doubled the recipe for this 13x9 cake.
I decoupaged for the 1st time last night! I did a horrible job though. You can't see it that much in the photos but it's all bubbled and rippled. I don't really get how to do it so I just painted the bucket with Mod Podge and then put the paper on. Smoothed it out as much as possible with a brayer and my hands then this morning I added another coat of Mod Podge. This morning is when I discovered how bad it was bubbled. It's coming away from the bucket-like it didn't stick or something. What to do? I'm going to bring it by the store for help. Corinnea explained the basics of decoupage but I guess I didn't hear everything she said.

Mama don't like

I finished the bag for store display and I did it wrong:) Well, it was really the books fault (Ok, and my fault). I used a fabric with a one-way design and forgot to take that into account when cutting. So the bag should actually be taller and not as wide. You would think that since the book used a one-way design (I used the same fabrics they used) that they would remind a person to get extra. Despite all that, this would be an excellent project for a beginning sewing class (no Kelly, I'm not volunteering:).

I meant to write in my earlier post that I got Photo Shop CS2! And my brother is sending his copy of CS3 then I'll have the latest version! Now you'll never see another crafty thing on my blog! Not true. I promise to get back to sewing and I actually am feeling the scrapbook bug which I haven't felt in months and months!

Museum

this was done at dumpr.net

Today..

Today was gorgeous! A little too warm but then it got cooler. Emily played on the slip-n-slide with Kayla (barely. We had to throw them both down it and that didn't go over well). Doesn't Emily's bathing suit remind you of Pat Benatar?? Or just the 80's in general. I LOVE it!!

projects

Fabric Corinnea brought back from the quilt market. It's GORGEOUS! She gave us all a little something from the show:)
She also gave me these two fat quarters from Sis Boom-Jennifer Paganelli. I can't wait to get the line in the store. Even Jon likes it! That's saying something....wait, he doesn't have the best taste! hmmm.....

This book and fabric are a project for the store. We moved around fabric last week and discovered that we still had a lot of fabric left from this line. Katelyn said we have a book with a bag made from these fabrics so Corinnea suggested I make a sample from it. I think she suggested... or said I had better if I wanted to keep my job.. or I suggested..anyway, I have had it for a week sitting on my desk. Sorry Corinnea, I'm usually better about this kind of thing..
This quilt below has been in our shop for over a year (it was in the other location) and just needs to be finished. Francis made it for the shop to help sell the fabric and book (which we don't have anymore). I thought it would be easy for me to finish the binding while watching a movie but I'm finding that I'm sitting down less and less these days to watch a movie.