a birthday

Happy Birthday Ava Larue!

A year ago today I was:

1.in soooo much pain

2. anxiously awaiting your arrival

3. touching your hand through a little tiny round door

A year ago today you were:

1. causing me so much painY

2. whisked away to the NICU before I could even get a good look at you

3. touching my hand through a tiny round door

Today I am:

1. more in love with you than the 1st day I meet you-which I didn't think was possible

2. reminiscing about your birth

3. going to cry while reminiscing about your birth!

Today you are:

1. so stinkin' cute!

2. walking

3. making the weirdest noises

Happy!!

Another *finally finished* project!! Well, one down two to go. I still have the other chair and couch to do. I bought 80 yards of this khaki colored twill about 4 years ago. Put it in the basement and told myself it didn't exist. Not really but I did put off starting this huge project because I was scared I couldn't do it. About a year ago I made about 30 yds of piping, covered the 4 cushions and the ottoman and took apart the chair cover to use as a pattern then put it away. Last Sunday I cut out all the pieces and this week sewed them together! I just washed another 10 yards to start on the next chair but I'm so burnt out already! This is a huge undertaking but so worth it. Now I can take the slipcovers off and wash them! This is what I was supposed to be able to in the first place but the furniture store that sold them to me lied about the original slipcovers being washable. Bastards!

This is the chair without the cushion or pillows. All the flaps (the "skirt") are lined and there is a zipper in the back. I know it's wrinkled but it's a slipcover! And it's twill and loose fitting

Back view.

I didn't want to search for a picture of this chair before I recovered it but I did find one of the couch which is exactly the same but longer. In this picture of the couch the cushions have been recovered but nothing else.

Detailed shot of the piping. Yeah! It's done!

Ava's invites and a video

Here are the invites for Ava's 1st birthday. The silhouette artwork is by this artist, the fonts are Century Gothic and CK Ali's Writing. I did everything in Publisher: inserted the artwork and then clicked "washout" so it's behind the writing and gray instead of black. Inserted the writing blah blah. I used Stampendous! Lg. Scallop Invite Cards with Scallop Envelopes. The pink polka dot paper is just so the invite shows up in the picture which didn't show that good after all. It's still muted colors but prettier in person.

And looks who's walking!

She's not walking all the time but she is doing it more and more each day. Watch out for the baby zombie at the end. She always looks like she needs a wig adjustment doesn't she?

*special*

I used to have glasses like these from when I worked in a costume/novelty shop years ago. Sadly I lost them but the other day I found another pair (at Kaufland-for Fasching)! They make me laugh so hard every time I put them on me or someone else! I shouldn't post pictures where I look like 5 miles of bad road after I fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch going down but this was just to funny. Emily and Ava look especially *SPECIAL* in these don't you think?

I spent 4 hours at the store today cutting and sewing slipcovers for my couches. Thanks other employees for showing up...NOT! You all suck! That's OK because I go to watch uninterrupted(for the hundredth time) Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events . I love the artwork at the beginning and end of the movie and I think I want the sound track..

I also made Ava's invites for her 1st birthday! They are sooo cool if I do say so myself. I say that because I was shocked at how well they came out after hours of playing around with them. I'll post them next.

Duvet

I FINALLY made a duvet cover out of the Mermaid fabric by Heather Ross (Mendocino). I did 3 panels on the top and used a very beautiful white top sheet (1000 thread count!) for the back. It is super soft and I love it! I wish I hadn't put it off for so long but I had so many other projects going. Now I want to make another one for the feather comforter Jon uses on his side:)

Emily got her hair cut by our friend and her babysitter, Mary H. Thanks Mary, you did a fabulous job!! She looks so cute! She really needed the cut as she's never had one (only her bangs) and her hair was ratty on the ends.

When Emily was born I had this "E" made by this etsy seller and told her I'd be back after the next baby. So here is the "A" she did for Ava! The plaques are done in acrylic paint on a wood laminate tag. They are hanging on the door to there room.