Another Heather

Overheard This Week

2012-02-05T06:34:00.000-06:00

Sister, you are going to have to go kiss that bear somewhere else, I am busy. Please, just go kiss that bear somewhere else!

A Bit of Magic

2012-02-04T10:16:00.000-06:00

We received a really nice art desk/Easel from my brother's family and put it under my son's loft bed. We're working on rearranging the kids' room. It's quite dark under the bed and so I decided to hang up some lights I bought months ago. It really added some needed lighting and color. Plus the kids just loved helping hang the laterns. I did however discover we are 8 lanterns short of what the package says we ought to have, oh well.

Now we just need some art on the walls. These lights should help with that!

What A Difference Wool Makes

2012-02-01T12:12:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I'm stubborn, okay most of the time. I hadn't worked with felt much since childhood and figured, you know felt is felt. I do strive to use natural materials, but aren't there always exceptions? Since having my kids I have been looking at more kid centered crafts, and many of these involve felt. On the websites and books they usually state to use wool felt. I did the price comparison and wool felt is quite a bit more expensive. So, I just kept using the other stuff. I finally decided a month or so ago that if everyone keeps talking about it, then it must be worth using. So I ordered some (as I haven't found a local shop that carries it). Okay, everyone is right! I am never going back. It's amazing how much nicer to work with the wool is. Plus the wool just looks nicer to start with.
I made my son his birthday crown last year using, you guessed it, the poly felt. (The stars are wool as they were added this year).

I made my daughter's out of the wool felt this year.

Yes, L's has had a year of rough play behind it, so maybe next year I should pull them out to compare again. But I think these pictures speak for themselves. I didn't use a pattern, just what I remembered from reading The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections. Which if you haven't checked out this book, you should. I now know that birthday crowns are a Waldorf tradition, but reading this book was my first introduction to them.
I'd like to say that from now on I'll listen when people call for a better quality material. Yes, let's leave it there, I'd like to say that I'll listen.

Popsicles in January

2012-01-31T14:06:00.000-06:00

When my little man asked for popsicles the other day, I thought why not? It's not like Texas is very wintry during the winter.

We had all the ingredients, but I couldn't find my molds or toothpicks for the old standby ice cube tray trick. After work the next day I stopped at a kitchenware store (oh, what a delight! Good thing I stuck to my mission because there were so many wonders there). Buying popsicle molds in January is not the easiest, but what was lacking in choice was made up for by the clearance price! We now have new popsicle molds, and my little ones got to make their wanted treats.

I like this recipe Banana Bluebery Swirl, I really like having the yogurt, but juice works perfectly too!

These are the Prepara Volcano 4-Piece Pop Set. They are a little bit finicky about popping out of the cups but if you place them in a very warm bowl of water for a minute or two they release just fine. One thing that is a bit odd about them is they are hollow in the center. At first I didn't like this, but since using them, I've discovered it cuts the portion size down perfectly for smaller children. (This is just my personal view, I am not advertising for anyone.)

Overheard This Week

2012-01-29T07:22:00.000-06:00

Son: Why is Sam I Am bamming with those pointers?
Me: He's not bamming, he's pointing to here and there.
Son: Why?
Me: Because he's asking will you eat them here or there, and he points to help get his idea across.
Son: Why?
Me: I don't know you'll have to ask Sam I Am.
Son: Silly Mama, characters in books don't talk.

January Shirt

2012-01-23T08:27:00.000-06:00

One of my New Year's resolutions is to make a piece of clothing for each child each month. Well, at least I can say I'm on track! I made the Long Sleeve Raglan Tee from Sewing for Boys: 24 Projects to Create a Handmade Wardrobe:

I used to work for a certain natural foods retailer who loves to give their employees tshirts. Which means I now have a fairly sizeable collection of shirts that I no longer wear. Since I had two of these guys I thought my little man might like an all green long sleeve shirt. I also forgot to get a picture of the completed shirt until after my little man was wearing it and being quite uncooperative for photos!

I added a dinosaur applique ala Alabama Stitch Book: Projects and Stories Celebrating Hand-Sewing, Quilting and Embroidery for Contemporary Sustainable Style. I used another old vendor shirt in a nice bright yellow. We also went to see an animatronic dinosaur exhibit at a local museum where my son proudly wore his mama made shirt!

Overheard This Week

2012-01-22T07:11:00.000-06:00

Me: Goodnight sweet prince.
Son: Why did you say that word "prince"?
Me: Because a prince is the boy form of princess, so your sister is a sweet princess and you are a sweet prince.
Son: Stop saying that word.
Me: Why? Would you rather be a princess?
Son: No, I just want to be a boy who isn't a prince or a princess.

Watch This

2012-01-21T07:32:00.000-06:00

I had never heard of Bud Nip before watching this video last night. Now I have another reason to add to why I strive to eat organic.

Overheard This Week

2012-01-15T07:47:00.000-06:00

Son: Mama can you see your eyes?
Me: No, can you see your eyes?
Son: NO! Why can't I see my eyes?

Overheard This Week

2012-01-01T11:49:00.000-06:00

"Yee haw! Yee haw!" Yelled by my almost 2 year old as she ran across the livingroom to jump on her brother's back for a horsey ride.

Overheard This Week

2011-12-26T10:02:00.000-06:00

Son: Mama, why did the old tree lights stop working?
Me: Ummm, probably because they had been stored in a really hot garage.
Son: Do you think the goblins did it?

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T08:28:00.000-06:00

Here we are, I'm off work until after Christmas and everything is in full swing. The kids and I have a cookie date with Grandmommy. I'm going to attempt to make some Cinnamon buns for tommorrow morning. I'm going to try to get some more fabric bags made to cover the presents with. I'm hoping I don't have to go to the grocery store for a few days. I'm definately going to make some magical memories for all of us.

Overheard This Week

2011-12-18T07:05:00.000-06:00

Son: Is it Christmastime yet Mama?
Me: Yes, it's Christmastime.
Son: Yay! So is Santa coming tonight?
Me: No, Santa isn't coming until you're in bed on Christmas Eve.
Son: Why is it taking so long?

Ornament

2011-12-16T06:44:00.000-06:00

My knitting group had a small ornament exchange and I made this little guy:
He's made from this tutorial. I'm pretty taken with him myself. I could see myself making some more. The kids have already requested one for themselves. Sometimes a small project is the best. Although, I think I really need to start buying wool felt if I want to make more.

More Elving

2011-12-13T07:02:00.000-06:00

I'm really hoping there are others with the "There's no reason to buy it, I mean I can make that." syndrome. So far I've learned I can make a lot of stuff, but most of it is time consuming and I figure out why it cost so much in the first place. For example, I've seen all kinds of beautiful wooden toys on Etsy and in several catalogs. I kept looking at them and wanting to buy a few items for my kids, unfortunately my budget kept getting in the way. I decided to use the money to make some toys for them. I'm pretty proud of them. The pictures are just of the food items as I haven't completed everything yet. I used poplar wood from a hardware store, my cousin graciously let me use his band saw and belt sander, I used glob paint, and made my own sealant from jojoba oil and beeswax. I also bought a wood burner to make the lines on the toys a bit more rugged.

I still have half of the wood I purchased uncut, and plenty of all my other supplies. I think there may be a few more toys coming. And hopefully a lot of cooking in my little girl's play kitchen come Christmas.

Cookie Day!

2011-12-12T08:13:00.000-06:00

It isn't Christmastime without Grammy's Molasses Cookies! I really think of them more as being my mom's, because I don't remember ever having had any that Grammy baked. I think she just gave mom the recipe... Well anyway, these are my essential holiday cookie. They are big, soft and not overly sweet. They are great by themselves and really good with coffee. My favorite time to eat them is actually the day after they are made and have sat all night in a sealed container, they just, soften up to the right density. Best of all, no frosting required! I mean you could frost them, but I've never had any that were.

Grammy's Molasses Cookies
1C Sugar
1/2C Shortening (not butter)
1 Egg
1/2C Molasses
1/2C Cold Water
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Baking Soda
4C Flour

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and beat well. Stir in Molasses. Add cold water and beat. Add flour, ginger, salt and baking soda. Mix soft dough, kneading as little as possible. Roll about 1/2" thick for soft cookies, 1/4" for medium cookies, or 1/8" thickness for crisp cookies. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

Oh and just a caveat, um if you have a regular kitchen aid mixer, I uh wouldn't double this recipe.... just sayin. And I'm make sure you have the top locked down, this is a very thick dough.

Overheard This Week

2011-12-11T06:49:00.000-06:00

Me: Hold your horses!
Son: All my horses are in the desert.
Me: Why are the horses in the desert?
Son: Because that's where they live. They have a barn there too in case it rains.

Holidaze

2011-12-10T14:44:00.000-06:00

I absolutely adore the winter holidays. Honest. I like them so much that I start thinking about them way too early, and try to start making all the things for people that I want to give them. Today, I decided I was done with worrying. I bought things for people whose gifts did not get made and mailed out all the packages. Now I'm going to make this season magical for my family. Time to start the cookie making, and evening Christmas light walks (okay Texas I gotta hand this one to you, it's nice to have the warmer temps on this account). So Merry Christmas, and yeah I got the cards sent out today too!

For the Grandparents

2011-12-05T09:01:00.000-06:00

I was working on something for them, but as always I fell behind schedule, well that's not really true. I kept adding projects and had to put off the more time consuming ones. I really wanted something special for my parents. I found this tutorial, and thought it would be perfect. Here it is:

I'm pretty happy with how it came out, especially considering I've never quilted anything before. Also the only thing I had to buy was the frame as I already had everything I needed in my stash. But can I get it in the mail in time?

Overheard This Week

2011-12-04T07:16:00.000-06:00

I'm so glad we made it out of the froggy forest! Mama, it was silly of you to take us through the froggy forest, but it's okay because we've made it back to the land of sunshine.

My Advent Calendar

2011-12-03T05:26:00.000-06:00

Quite a few crafty mamas have blogged about their advent calendars. Elsie Marley and Boy, oh Boy, oh Boy! are both advocating activity cards for each day. As I child I only knew of two kinds of advent calendars, the flat paper kind where you opened a flap everyday to reveal a picture and this one:

This is not the one I had as a child (that one is still at my parents) but an Ebay find. They were made by Avon in the 1980s. We moved the mouse from pocket to pocket, there were no candy or toys involved. As an adult I was shocked to learn that most advent calendars had treats! I never felt like my parents cheated us, I loved moving that mouse. I am passing on this tradition, the moving of the mouse each day, and no other treat. It's simple, easy, adds no holiday stress. I remember that calendar so fondly that I can't imagine candy making it any sweeter. Here's to hoping you have a wonderful holiday season, and that your traditions will be remembered fondly by all!
Now let the elving begin!

Day 5

2011-12-02T06:28:00.000-06:00

A nod to Habit.

He named the elf Baloney, and I thought, well how appropriate.

Day 4

2011-12-01T06:42:00.000-06:00

A nod to Habit.

Knit a bit here, knit a bit there, and soon the sweater will be done!

Day 3

2011-11-30T06:27:00.000-06:00

A nod to Habit.

No matter how many tickles or chases, they are always ready for more.

Day 2

2011-11-29T06:39:00.000-06:00

A nod to Habit.

And much too quickly I was in bed.

Day 1

2011-11-28T06:51:00.000-06:00

A nod to Habit.

Tempers were hot, we cooled off outside.

Overheard This Week

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

Mama? You see those holes in my jeans? I got them when I was Zombie hunting.

Overheard This Week

2011-11-13T06:46:00.000-06:00

Me: Who is this a picture of?
Son: Ummm, Erik?
Me: No, it's a picture of Mama, it's me when I was little.
Son: Why were you a little boy?

Investing in Myself

2011-11-08T19:18:00.000-06:00

I've been feeling a little bit burnt out lately. I have a long list of crafts to make, and books to read, and dinners to plan, and... I haven't been thinking much about what I really need. So in the midst of this, these other wise ladies posted their thoughts:
Liz Lamoreux
Vivienne McMaster
Soulemama

Sometimes the hardest thing is to do nothing, to take a break and breathe. I push myself to stay up late to finish projects, or bring them with me to work on during my lunch. I need to invest in myself. There is only one me, and I need to take care of myself so I can be a better caretaker for my family. No one likes being grouchy, or losing their temper. I will be gentle with myself, I will leave time to exhale, and I know a little investment in myself is the best thing for everyone.

I am going to start a practice of slowing down, and being. To allow myself to be the imperfect creature that I am. To accept myself as the imperfect creature that I am.

Overheard This Week

2011-11-06T11:09:00.000-06:00

Mama I love you more than ice cream and bears, and the same as glass cups.

Young Adult Fiction

2011-11-03T19:07:00.000-05:00

I am a YA addict! I read from many different genres, but YA is my favorite. I have a new author obsession right now too: Ilsa J. Bick . I just finished Ashes and have another novel of hers reserved at the library. I read her blog today and think she has an amazing thought process. As the year grows cooler, what books do you find yourself drawn too?

Overheard This Week

2011-10-30T10:06:00.000-05:00

Son: Mama can I have a sip of your Dr Pepper?
Me: No, I'm not drinking Dr Pepper.
Son: Can I have a sip of your Diet Coke?
Me: No, It's not Diet Coke either.
Son: Can I have a sip of your drink please?

My Friend Becky

2011-10-25T21:00:00.000-05:00

I spent a bit of my lovely week in New York going through the boxes my parents have kept for me. Some items I brought home, some items I threw out, and some I asked my parents to please keep for the time being. I think I only have 4 file boxes left! Most of what I brought home consisted of Dolls and Sewing patterns. I found my mom's stash of stretch and sew patterns, and I think I may be buying and/or reusing a lot of jersey in the coming months!

One of the most exciting finds involves this pretty lady:
I remembered playing with the My Friend Dolls after reading several posts about them on various blogs. I also became momentarily obsessed with having one again, luckily my parents still had this cutie. I know we also had several outfits (I remember the ballerina outfit, the rain coat, and the jogging outfit) but alas they did not make it. One of the cool things is that there were a lot of patterns made for these dolls. I didn't only find stretch and sew patterns, I found a My Friend dress pattern too! Now, to find time to sew...

Halloween is Coming

2011-10-24T19:48:00.000-05:00

I'm not a big Halloween person, but I do still remember the childhood anticipation of it. This is the first year my son remembers and knows what is going on. We've bought our costumes and the dress up play is in full swing. Plus, we just put up the Halloween tree, which I must admit is a personal favorite. (Yes, he did do double duty as the Christmas tree before we had the kids.)

Overheard This Week

2011-10-23T06:51:00.000-05:00

Mama, I'm glad we're back in North Texas, but if we could get back on an airplane and fly back to New York I'd be even happier!

Overheard This Week

2011-10-16T19:48:00.000-05:00

Son: Grandpy what is that on the ground?
Grandpy: It's a pool cover.
Son: Where's your pool?
Grandpy: We don't have one, the people who lived here before us took it with them.
Son: Oh, you mean like the light fixtures?

Fall

2011-10-15T19:54:00.000-05:00

There is nothing like an east coast fall, especially if that is where you want to be. The seasons in Texas just aren't as dramatic. I've been enjoying the crisp temperatures, the excellent cider, and the leaves. Oh and of course the sheep and wool festival! More on that later.

Overheard This Week

2011-10-09T22:58:00.000-05:00

(While staring at a stack of cheese sandwiches waiting to be grilled) Mama that is the biggest sandwich I've ever seen!

Just Add Elastic

2011-10-03T22:15:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty excited about this project. I made a cute pair of pants for each of my kids!

The pattern is Basic Pocket Pants from Growing Up Sew Liberated: Making Handmade Clothes and Projects for Your Creative Child. It was a very easy project to make, now I just need the elastic I ordered to show up!
These pants started out innocently enough, I was browsing the clearance section of Super Buzzy when I saw these fabrics! I originally intended for my daughter's pants to be green with pink edging and my son's to be red with green edging, but well once the kids saw the fabrics the whole color scheme was changed! Luckily for me there was a 1 yard minimum or everyone would have been sad.

Overheard This Week

2011-10-02T09:02:00.000-05:00

Daddy: Is your scratchy throat gone?
Son: Yes, Mama gave me some honey and it went away.
Me: Do you know where honey comes from?
Son:Yes, it comes from the barbershop!

Something New

2011-10-01T20:16:00.000-05:00

Today I made applesauce and canned it! It was the first time I ever made applesauce or canned anything. It was so easy I could hit myself for not doing it before. I've had homemade applesauce, I remember a batch of my Grammy's that was pink. My mom did a little bit of canning when I was young, but we were more of a freezer family.

This is what I did:
I cut the apples into quarters (how many, ummm 5lbs or more?)
Removed the seeds I could see and the stems and threw them into a stockpot
The pot had an inch of water in the bottom
I boiled them on medium until they were soft
I then ladled them into a food mill
From there I heated up the applesauce again and canned according to the directions in my kit instructions.

I also had some left over which I put into containers and transferred to the fridge. Let me tell you Just Do it! It will be worth your time. (I bought the food mill because I like very smooth applesauce, many people do not, so you could just peel and core the apples and mash them with a potato masher.)

Overheard This Week

2011-09-25T07:53:00.000-05:00

Me: You have to put on a t-shirt before you put your sweater on.
Son: Why?
Me: Because sweaters can get hot, and this way if you want to take it off you already have another shirt on.
Son: Mama why didn't you buy a fan to cool off the yarn before you knit my sweater? That way the sweater wouldn't be hot!

Pinky Dinky Doo!

2011-09-20T21:07:00.001-05:00

It was entirely by accident, but after putting the hair on this doll I cannot ignore the similarity between the two! This little one is still in progress. She is a prototype for a small (around 9 inch) Waldorf style doll. I have yet to decide on her clothing, I'm thinking a dress...

In other news I have started a new job! It is full time and a bit of a commute, but wonderful all the same. This is me apologizing for what will be a lack of crafting in the near future as the family figures out and settles into a new Rhythm. I hope all of you are enjoying the weather cooling off as much as I am.

Overheard This Week

2011-09-18T06:46:00.003-05:00

Son: MamaDaddy?
Daddy: I'm just Daddy.
Son: Okay MamaDaddy.
Daddy: Do you want me to start calling you DaughterSon?
Son: MamaDaddy my name isn't DaughterSon, it's just Son!
Daddy:Okay DaughterSon.
Son: (spoken very rapidly with no breaks) Mama Hi! Daddy I want some more milk please.

Rag Dolls

2011-09-12T06:34:00.000-05:00

I have been experimenting with different types of dolls. After finding this tutorial, I decided I needed to give these little dolls a try! I made them the size the pattern prints out, I did not enlarge them as the directions call for. Here are the two I made for my kids:

My son insisted his be blue with a bow in her hair. I really like these little ones. The felt hair is fun too, so many possibilities! Plus it's a great way to use up the bits and pieces of beautiful fabric I have been unable to part with.

Overheard This Week

2011-09-11T17:46:00.000-05:00

Son: Mama I want some...some...I want that...Ummmm. Mama I want some of that stuff that makes this yummy.
Me: You mean salad dressing?
Son: Yes, I want some salad dressing.

Baby Blankets

2011-09-10T13:16:00.000-05:00

I learned how to crochet when I was in high school. Shortly before moving across the country I found out one of my friends was pregnant. I wanted to give her something special. So, I learned how to crochet to make her a blanket. My mom found this yarn shop a town away where a little German woman said she'd teach me if we bought all of the supplies from her. It was a good deal, not only did I learn how to crochet, I learned how to read patterns and how to ignore them or add to them, all from my first project. I also learned that Saturday knitting circles with old ladies can be more crass than sitting in the back of 5th grade next to Jake and Sterling.

But I digress, where were we? Oh yes, so now my family calls upon me when friends are having babies to make blankets. It's not my favorite thing, but who am I to say no to a cute little blanket that doesn't really take very long? And after I'm done I always love them. So here is a blanket I made for a friend of my sister:

Swap: Completed!

2011-09-06T21:28:00.000-05:00

Of course I completely forgot to take pictures of the stuff I made for my swap mate, but today I received my package and have photos to share! I think my partner did an amazing job figuring out things I would like. The theme of the swap was dishclothes and scrubbies, and the colors she picked for me are perfect. My kids enjoyed everything as well, my son had to take the little basket to bed with him tonight. I must say my favorite are the Flower Fairy magnets, I have loved Cicely Mary Baker's creations for, well decades...

Overheard This Week

2011-09-05T06:52:00.000-05:00

Mama I'm growing really fast because I have gears inside me!

Patterns!

2011-08-29T18:27:00.000-05:00

I am proud to say that this past week I created not one but two patterns! The first is a doll pattern that I am still tweaking, but it is a pattern. Drafted by myself onto paper to be replicated by me at any time I see fit. The second is a simple bag.
I moved to Texas in October of 2010. I was living with my inlaws and feeling very, well lost. I decided I wanted to make my children Halloween candy bags, you know nothing fancy just a little bag. Shall we say my sense of scaling was off? I made 2 huge tote bags that we could have carried the children in, and neither of the children could actually carry. So this year, back to the drawing board. Here is one of last year's bags:

Just imagine a two year old inside it with a bit of room, you get the idea...

My work is having a craft fair at the end of September and since I'm crafty they asked me if I want to sell anything at the employee table. I'm a little panicked as I've never sold any of my crafts before. I'm also lacking capital to buy raw materials. Which prompted me to remake the bags, and with the extra material I would be able to have a few to sell. Just like that:

Overheard This Week

2011-08-28T22:19:00.000-05:00

Daddy why do you have to go to work? Is it so we can buy cheese?

Dolls!

2011-08-24T16:41:00.000-05:00

I have been bitten by the doll bug. I am busy making little dollies and trying to come up with a pattern that is versatile enough that I can make it many times without getting bored. There is so much to dollmaking that I never thought about before. Right now I have these books checked out from the library:

I am going through them line by line, then dreaming, and doing. I do find though, that I have a very strong opinion about what I like and what I don't like.

Overheard This Week

2011-08-21T08:43:00.002-05:00

I can't see myself growing!

Goodies

2011-08-18T17:49:00.000-05:00

So, almost a month ago (!) the family and I made a short trip to Denver. Too short of a trip honestly. I got to see some friends and have a bit of time. The highlight for me of course was getting to go to the lovely shop of wonderment that is Fancy Tiger! I had been holding myself back from buying all sorts of lovelies so I could buy a whole bunch of beauty there! So without much ado my scores:
Fabric

Yarn

Can you guess what I'll be making this fall? Have any ideas of what those fabrics need to be made into? If you look to the far bottom left and far right in the fabric photo you will see my fat quarters of the limited 5th anniversary Fancy Tiger print. I was one weekend too late to join in on the festivities, but thanks to an amazing friend they saved me some. In case you hadn't guessed all of Molly's hair was purchased during this trip(with the exception of the brown which I did buy at Fancy Tiger just like 2 years ago!). I know what you are thinking, the yarn purchases looks a bit on the small side right? Well that's because in October I am going to Rhinebeck! I fully intend to increase my yarn stash while there.

Swaps and Things!

2011-08-17T08:28:00.000-05:00

I have signed up for two craft swaps. What is a craft swap you may ask? Well it can be many things. The ones I am a part of are through Ravelry, you sign up and are assigned a partner, there are specific classes of things you make ie. a dishcloth and then you mail it to your partner and they mail you one too! I'm kinda excited about the whole thing. I also discovered this website, and I may participate. I love the idea of making something to send to a complete stranger to help cheer them up.

Overheard This Week

2011-08-14T11:53:00.000-05:00

Son: Mama the mouses took my cars and broke them.
Me: The mice took your cars?
Son: No, not the mice the mouses.
Me: Oh, the plural of mouse is mice, not mouses, it's an odd word. And we don't have mice in the house.
Son: Well, if we don't have mice then who will steal my cars and break them?

And Molly Too

2011-08-11T21:33:00.000-05:00

I just finished a doll for my daughter. These little dolls are addictive! I'm already planning the next one, outfit and all. Molly was made from a pattern in the Growing Up Sew Liberated book. I did however do a crochet cap wig and did not sew the hair as the instructions in the book gave. I think she came out nicely, and my little girl hardly has let go of her since I handed her over.

Overheard This Week

2011-08-07T09:30:00.000-05:00

Son: Mama this is a good dinner. This is the goodest dinner you've ever made!
Daddy: Is it better than the pot roast?
Son: Pot roast? Pot roast! Pots are not good to eat! Pot roast is bad for you.

The Tent is Done!

2011-08-04T16:17:00.000-05:00

I have been working on this project since mid June when I received Growing Up Sew Liberated in the mail. I let my kids look at it and pick out one project each I would make them. My son of course chose the tent. My daughter, not quite understanding chose one of the babies photographed in the book. I informed her that although I am capable of making a baby, I am not planning on making anymore, so she needs to choose a project made of cloth. She is still debating... but in the mean time I started the tent! Canvas can get very thick quickly. I don't think I'll be making anymore tents for some time to come, but I am very happy with it! So are the kids!

Dance Party

2011-08-02T18:32:00.000-05:00

Today was 110 degrees here in Texas. Thus there was no outside time for the little ones. We have found though, that a little dance party to Duran Duran does wonders!

Another Pizza Post

2011-08-01T11:37:00.000-05:00

I really am in love with Pizza right now. Maybe it was this post that made me start thinking about it, and maybe it was my success earlier this year with this recipe that made me think about pizza from scratch. Whatever it is, my children love pizza and with the heirloom tomatoes on sale and my laziness (really making 3 crusts at once leaves you with free time on the other days) it's a winner! Tonight we had pizza with a tiny bit of sauce covered in heirloom tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt on each tomatoe, a generous sprinkling of thyme, pepperonis, some spinach coated in olive oil on one half, this baked for 20 minutes before adding the full fat mozzarella and baking for another 5.

Overheard This Week (a small departure from my cute children)

2011-07-31T16:39:00.000-05:00

Older man in grocery store: Honey is it okay if I pick up some hotties?
Wife (very indignant): What did you say?
Older man (somewhat confused at reaction): Is it okay if I pick up some hotties?
Little Boy (pointing to endcap shelf filled with pickles): See hotties! The pickles are hotties!

Introducing Cookie

2011-07-30T12:16:00.000-05:00

Cookie is the first doll I ever made. I had checked out some books on the Waldorf philosophy of schooling and childhood, so of course the dolls were mentioned. I drooled looking at the dolls on etsy, and knew I would not be able to afford one. So, being the crafty lady that I am, I scoured the internet for tutorials and made my own using only things I already had in the house. Now who knows why I had a small amount of stokinette tubing, but I did and indeed I used it! My son loved him, and loved seeing me build him.
Today Cookie got a new pair of pants. He's been wearing a dress that's a little too short lately and I decided maybe he'd like some pants. I took an old knit shirt and cut the arms off and just sewed them together. The cuffs make beautiful already finished hems. I just made a small casing and put in some elastic. Plus, I still have plenty of material to make more doll clothes with. I think Cookie might like having some options, and well I guess I might just want him to have some other outfits.

Fairy Gardens

2011-07-29T11:43:00.000-05:00

These are truly delightful! I have been thinking about making a Fairy Garden for quite some time now. Maybe this is the inspiration I need to just do it.

Oh Fish in the Sea!

2011-07-28T13:24:00.000-05:00

My son has completely fallen in love with the story The Magic Fish: The Fisherman and His Wife. It is a fable about wanting too much. I remember reading it as a child myself. The magical part about this story is, my son doesn't just love having it read to him, he now pretends to read it himself! His inflection and intonations mirror mine, it just warms a mama's heart you know. Today before nap, he wanted to read it to himself. I heard his little voice floating in from the other room "Oh fish in the sea come listen to me!". I really hope his love and interest in reading continues.

Transitions

2011-07-26T15:18:00.001-05:00

This past year has been nothing if not full of transitions! At this time last year my job was winding down in Denver, as my sour disposition was winding up. The decision had been made to uproot our family and relocate to Texas. It was hard to make plans, it was hard to imagine what the future would bring. Even now in our own place somewhat settled down here, I am still at a loss.

In the last few months I have become aware of online creative courses. Which I think are a good way to start doing what I wrote about here. I am enrolled in Emerge, a class that starts August 1st. One of the comments that really resonated with me in the live it to the full blog is: "I would encourage people seeking community to realize that spending time getting to know yourself is an important step. Then, you can invite others to see the real you when you connect with them.". This is a quote from Liz Lamoreux one of the instructors for the course. It makes me excited because it seems so right for where I am now.

Overheard This Week

2011-07-24T22:04:00.000-05:00

Are you sick? Do you have a tempurchirp?

What to Do?

2011-07-19T23:35:00.000-05:00

I found myself with a few days left until a week long vacation and around a pound of cherries in the fridge that were on the edge. Well I turned to the The Tassajara Bread Book for inspiration. What I found was recipe #100 Torte with Sourcream Fruit Topping. I did not infact have the required ingredients, but what I did was make my Grammie's shortcake recipe:
2C Flour                  1/2t Salt
2T Sugar                  1/2C Butter
3t Baking Powder     1 Egg
2/3C Milk
Mix the above together until just moistened, put in an 8x8 ungreased pan (pyrex works great!) cook for 15-18 minutes at 450 degrees.

I used the topping recipe with a substitution, there was no sourcream so I mixed ricotta with a square of cream cheese and some milk to thin it out. Then I mixed in the cherries I had pitted and halved.

It was yummy, the cheese topping was lighter than I thought, and I would recommend crushing the fruit. Also it was approved by both kids!

PJ Sparkles

2011-07-18T18:46:00.000-05:00

She was a doll I wanted really badly as a kid. My mom told me I was too old to have her. So I watched the commercials and dreamed about her. I guess my mom was really worried about me because later when it was just the two of us the following conversation happened:
Mom: You know I was talking to your aunt the other day and your cousin Meghan played with dolls until she was much older than you. So it's normal, there's nothing wrong with you.
Me: Um, thanks Mom, I never thought anything was wrong with me.
Mom: (Sigh, followed by disappointed look)

I looked up PJ Sparkles on the internet just now, and you know how old I was when she came out? Nine, just saying, nine.

Overheard This Week

2011-07-17T14:39:00.000-05:00

Son: Daddy can we go play in the garage?
Daddy: No, it's too hot right now.
Son: It's not hot in the garage.
Daddy: Yes it is, the garage doesn't have AC.
Son: No, the garage is fine. The heat can't fit through the corners so it's not hot.

Heat Warning

2011-07-15T19:57:00.000-05:00

When it's so hot outside that it's still 101 degrees at 7pm, the only way to beat it is to eat your watermelon inside.

Crafting Websites

2011-07-14T09:56:00.000-05:00

There are 2 websites I really enjoy, and not so much because they create community, or allow me to see friends' work, which they do! It is because they allow me to catalog my own work so I can look at it and say "See, how much I've done? I'm making stuff one stitch at a time." These two sites are the greatly heralded Ravelry and the lesser known My Sewing Circle. My Sewing Circle is still growing and a bit clunkier than Ravelry, but I really like it. If you are on either of these sites check me out:
Ravelry = Zurrr
My Sewing Circle = Zerby
I may not be the world's most prolific crafter, but hey I'm making the stuff I love.

Overheard This Week

2011-07-11T20:40:00.000-05:00

Son: This book is from America.
Me: No, it's from Grandma and Grandpy.
Son: No, it's from America, America gave it to me.
Me: Honey who is America?
Son: America, you know it has this big round... umm Earth, this book is from the Earth.

Now, really who could argue with that?

A Little Bit Each Day

2011-07-09T21:22:00.000-05:00

I am really trying to stick to my budget now. As we are no longer moving in, and all the unexpected household needs are taken care of. Where does a garbage can disappear to I ask you? Or a spice rack? So now it's time to stay on track and somehow pay off what has been spent. I find the big picture to sometimes be overwhelming, so I divide it up into little chunks. I sat down and made a menu. Then at the store only bought food that was on my shopping list. I am also trying to make use of what I already have on hand. I decided frozen pizza is just silly expensive and am trying an experiment to see how homemade works. I found this recipe for an easy dough and made it one night right before serving dinner so it would be done rising after the kidlits were down for the night. The recipe makes 3 crusts, which makes it great because you would spend the same amount of time to make one! I used one tonight, and the kids loved it! My son is usually very suspicious if something looks a bit different, but I guess pizza is pizza. For toppings I used some left over tomato paste (mixed with water, salt and italian seasoning), large pepperonis, and cheese. It was pretty cheap, and really tasty.

Two Down!

2011-07-07T21:51:00.000-05:00

Here is the curtain I made for my room. Were I to do it again I would change the fabric. I absolutely love the print but the fabric is a very heavy decor weight, and not so drapey. Had I been thinking about it I would have made the panels shorter. Oh well, it's done, and I'm checking it off my list. I'll live with it for a few days, let gravity do its job, see what happens. I can always adjust later.

A Confession

2011-07-05T09:03:00.000-05:00

Okay, here it is. I love Christmas. I always have, when I was little I would start watching our VHS tapes of Christmas specials as early as I could. I have the songs memorized, I have the commercials memorized, remember the 7-up elves? With the advent calendar that you glued cotton balls onto Santa's beard? Does "Peter you're home!" make you feel all gushy? Well for me these are part of my childhood, and plus it's a day you get presents! Who does't love presents? My family was never one for spending a lot, but there was plenty of thought put into gifts. So I have already started thinking about what to make/give to my family for that special time of year. To commemorate the beginning of the season for me I made a snowflake.

Overheard This Week

2011-07-03T07:14:00.002-05:00

Son: (holding a pokemon card) I got us a ticket! Can we fly to Grandpy's now?

Frying Pan

2011-06-30T16:16:00.002-05:00

I want to make a play kitchen for the kids. So of course I need to make all the play food and accessories to go with it. I was looking through Etsy last night and found this! She also has lots of other neat patterns for food, and a mailbox playset. I'm trying not to spend any money right now, so I didn't buy the pattern but tried to do it myself. I'm quite happy with the look of the frying pan, I used cardboard sandwiched between 2 shallow crochet "bowls". It was really the handle that gave me issues, I didn't think about how it would just hang like a doll's leg off the pan and not support it at all. I don't have a solution to this problem as a bamboo skewer is not a safe part of a child's toy. I may in fact just pay my 5 bucks and get the patterns for all the pots and pans. Let someone else give me the solution. Can't say I didn't try.

One Down...

2011-06-28T22:16:00.000-05:00

So I finished the curtain for the kid's playroom. It's about as basic and easy a curtain as one can make. One yard of fabric, no cutting, just a bunch of seams and an open casing. I like it though, the print adds a bit of color to the dreadfully white room...ah the joys of renting! My son picked out the fabric at Ikea about a month ago, maybe a bit more. I'm hoping he and his sister will be excited about it when they wake up. Now I need to make the curtain for my room, and yes the fabric was bought at the same time. I think it will taunt me all the more since I've already finished the easy curtain.

Our Afternoons

2011-06-27T15:35:00.000-05:00

Have lately been filled with indoor activities. The heat is too much for me, let alone the kids. I feel I need a book of ideas to help plan ours days now, as outside play is for the mornings.

Corners of My Home:: Now

2011-06-25T21:57:00.001-05:00

The playroom is starting to take shape. I feel the walls need more color, but I can have the kids draw pictures for that. I'm really happy to have separate day and night spaces for them. Just need a good solution for art supply storage.

Summer Solstice

2011-06-21T06:54:00.000-05:00

Happy longest Day of the year everyone! I almost forgot about it since I've been on autopilot for a few days. I need to just slow down and take the moments as they come. Someday I will have another house/property that I own, and there will be Solstice parties! Maybe equinox ones too. Right now I am sipping my coffee and sneaking into my kid's bedroom to smell their sleeping sweetness.

Maple Butter

2011-06-20T17:47:00.000-05:00

Is delicious! Maple Butter for half price is divine.

First Project

2011-06-18T13:09:00.000-05:00

Well it's my first project made entirely at this house! I was itching to use my sewing machine, and one of the first things I came across when unpacking was the plain old white bath mat for the kids' bathroom. I decided something had to be done about it. So I remembered a tutorial from Sew Liberated. I wasn't in the mood to do a lot of piecing, so I just did strips. It's a lovely easy way to use up scraps that are too big to get rid of, and from fabric that one loves so much! I am also going to give the mat in my bathroom the same treatment, only I'll do a few things differently. For this one I sewed the fabic piece onto the towel piece with right sides together and then turned it. I found that to be a bit bulky for my machine on the edges where I wanted to do some edge sewing. For the next one I will just make the fabric piece larger and iron a bit back and sew with the right sides already facing out, so no turning and no extra bulky edges. Plus this is the first time I've "stitched in the ditch" Yes, my strips are not straight, ummm I have issues with straight lines and I have been unable to locate my beloved shears and had to use embroidery scissors. But I think it looks lovely.

No Fail Lemonade Recipe

2011-06-16T13:45:00.000-05:00

Start off with a morning bike ride to the park. Play until temperature reaches at least 100. Have at least 1 child have a melt down at park. Come home with 2 sweaty adults and 2 sweatier children.

Put 2/3 cup sugar into a pitcher (easiest if scoop in sugar jar just happens to be a 2/3 cup anyway).
Pour warm/hot water into pitcher (I use around 3 pints).
Stir until all sugar is disolved.
Pour lemon juice from handy container in fridge until lemonade looks the right color.
Taste, add more lemon juice/sugar/water until it tastes right to you.
Add beautiful actual cube ice cubes from the Tovolo 80-12007 Perfect Cube Silicone Ice-Cube Trays, Set of 2, Dark Blue that were never used for the homemade organic baby food you meant to actually make.

Commence drinking wonderful lemonade that is so cheap and easy to make you will wonder why you ever bought the stuff in the bottle. Just remember you will buy more premixed in the bottle and that's okay too.

The New Alabama Skirt

2011-06-14T18:40:00.001-05:00

I went to a wedding in Austin this past weekend and saw a bunch of friends. It was a lovely time. I stayed up extra late the night before I left to sew the elastic onto my skirt so I could wear it on my trip. As you can see the one tree isn't done yet. I had grand plans of each tree being different, I think I will finish the one with yellow apples, but I doubt I'll get around to putting more trees on the back. It looks a little funky in the pictures, but believe me it looks great on. I made it from a free tshirt from work, that's why there's a cow on the top.

Time to Get Organized

2011-06-13T20:52:00.000-05:00

I received some lovely packages in the mail today.

I love receiving mail! There is something so nice about having tangible items. Below you can see my new arrivals, and my reason to get organized.

I also have some wonderful Ikea fabric waiting for me to make curtains. I am inching forward in my progress to have a studio. The desk is up (complete with stacks of boxes), the bookshelf is set up, and the new dresser has been assembled. I just didn't realize that my scrapbooking supplies would take up a whole drawer...when was the last time I even scrapbooked? I think my wedding album... maybe a birthday card for a friend.
Tune in next time when our hero will muse about where to put the ironing board.

Searching... but to Little Avail

2011-06-09T17:01:00.000-05:00

After this post I have been obsessed with making these pants for my son in this exact fabric. Now I own 2 yards of the orchid colorway of the fabric that I bought to recover a rocking chair in the kids' room. I have searched all over the internet, and called a few stores, and have found a half yard! Now I am hot on the trail of the yellow colorway, perhaps my son can have the reverse of these pants. And if not I can always make him some from Heather Ross' new line. Perhaps a green snow white main fabric with guitars on the cuff? Something cute enough so that no one will even blink an eye when my daughter wears them the next year.

Play Day

2011-06-07T21:19:00.000-05:00

My children love to wear my shoes. Actually my son likes to wear my husband's shoes and mine, and my daughter well she just likes shoes in general. It's one of the few words she actually says. Having time to sit down and play is lovely, I think I need to make more time for that.

The Dichotomy of Me

2011-06-05T15:59:00.000-05:00

There are two parts of myself that I have at different times embraced:

There is the part of me that wants to live simply with the fewest amount of things. This part shows up every few years when I decide I need to purge my life of something (say plastic when I was pregnant). I get rid of many, many things. I've never regretted any of it (except maybe that awesome vanity I gave away in highschool when I decided I wanted to be a minimalist).

Then there is the part of me that believes in thrift. This part causes me to want to hold onto every item because maybe sometime in the future I will use it. If I get rid of the item than I will have to buy another later. I go through my years of hoarding.

These two parts of me are at war right now. Since this house is smaller than the last, I have been having to gleen my belongings. Deciding what should be out and what should stay packed has not been easy. Once I have made the decision the live simply part has been informing me I should just give those items away to charity. I've already packed them into a box in the attic for the forseeable future. Then the thrifty part is screaming at me to keep them because maybe in six months we will have broken the 10 juice glasses I left out and will need the other set. You know why I own so many sets of juice glasses to begin with? Well I'm guessing they were really cheap at a lawn sale...

Preparations

2011-06-03T21:46:00.000-05:00

I have the diaper bag packed and in the car, the car seats both in my car, my travel coffee mug washed and prefilled with milk and sugar in the fridge, the coffee maker all filled and programed to make coffee all by itself, and now all I have to do is go to bed... Yeah why is that the part I don't feel like doing? Isn't the point of having all this stuff done so you can go to sleep and not worry? Yet here I am sure I forgot something.

Magic

2011-06-01T12:03:00.000-05:00

I saw a series of photos today that I had a very emotional reaction to, and I'm still trying to process it. I felt like some part of me was missing, something that I am entitled to. After thinking about this a lot (I have a job where it's very easy to sit and think without being disturbed), I think I have it partially figured it out. I need more magical spaces around me. Little nooks of green, perhaps some fairy lights in the backyard. My inspiration is missing, I need something that reminds me more of Vermont, my home and a place where magic is indeed a part of everyday life.

Settling In

2011-05-30T19:17:00.000-05:00

There is still so much to be done. I guess it's been so long since I've really moved that I forgot how hard it is to unpack and find a new place for everything. My last kitchen felt small being a galley style, but it had plenty of cabinets to store everything (not to mention the second kitchen in the finished basement that fit the overflow). I am having to decide what will be repacked and what will remain out.
So here are my objectives:
1. Finish organizing the kitchen and actually buy groceries!
2. Get the boxes out of the living room so the majority of the house can be kid friendly again.
3. Do something about the awful spindle wall thing that seperates the bathroom from the master bedroom.

Even though so much stuff is still packed, and some furniture still needs assembling, it feels like home. There was something about this house from the first time I saw it, it just felt right. Of course it's not perfect, nothing is nor should it be. If everything was perfect there would be no projects, and us creative types, well for us there is nothing better than a project!

Mission Accomplished

2011-05-28T12:11:00.000-05:00

We packed up most of our stuff in September, so in other words I can't remember where anything is. We needed coffee mugs, and the husband refused soup bowls as a viable option, even though I insisted they were cappuccino mugs. So I found these tea cups. I think they were meant to be purely decorative... Oh well.

Calm in the Storm

2011-05-26T09:28:00.001-05:00

Sometimes the simple act of quietly eating raisans is just what a Mama needs. My sweet boy has been testing limits heavily lately. And just when I thought I was going to break, well he gives me a break. Ah, behold the power of snack time.

Moving

2011-05-22T07:41:00.000-05:00

I am in the midst of moving, so posts will be sporadic for a while. I moved a lot of my craft room, but don't worry I kept out a few projects! I am also rediscovering how much stuff we really do have. It's crazy. I think I need to focus on what is really needed and what just collects dust. My hope (even though sometimes I am seduced by large spaces) is to keep moving down. Have you seen the adorable houses that Tumbleweed Tiny House Company makes? Ah! I want one of these, think of space uses for RVs or house boats. And then make the out of doors your main room. I know silly thoughts for a woman with small children, but everyone needs a dream, or four or five.

The Stencil in Use

2011-05-17T21:49:00.000-05:00

I am working on another Alabama Chanin inspired skirt. Once again I traced my trusty a line skirt for a pattern. This time I have an olive green shirt for the top layer and a brown shirt for the bottom layer (just so happens the brown tshirt was organic, and wouldn't you rather have the organic cotton next to your skin?). Having two full layers makes it easier to do the reverse applique. I am going to do red or maroon applique for the apples and also finish all the leaves with sequins. I am hoping to have 4 trees, two on each side of the skirt, but we will see how long my patience holds out. I know I will wear the skirt before I finish it. I think this may be a skirt year. I am angry right now with all my pants for not looking the way I feel they should. Skirts feel more forgiving, and seeing as how I now live in Texas and own 2 pairs of shorts, the skirts may get a lot of use in the coming months! I think my next skirt will need to be a sewing machine/hand cooperative project. Take all my too small shirts and make a patchwork skirt! Ideas are brewing...

Clothes Hangers

2011-05-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

With our moving imminent I realized my children would have their own closest for the first time ever. In our last house the closet in the kids room was used for my husband's clothes as the closets were tiny! In my inlaws house the closet in their room is used as storage for Christmas things. So with a closet comes the need for clothes hangers. I was thinking about getting wood, since I have wood and I hate plastic and wire... Don't know why just discovered a hatred for them in high school. But then I started looking for kids hangers, and discovered these. So when I am done with them I can just recycle them! So easy, so nice and "No Wire Hangers!"

Stencils

2011-05-13T11:03:00.000-05:00

I have been lost in a flurry of True Blood and rental house hunting. But now I'm back with a new stencil all my own. I'm horrible at drawing, but luckily for me stencils don't need much detail. I'll be using this in every way I can. I didn't spend all that time with an xacto blade to just use this thing once!

Done!

2011-05-06T23:24:00.001-05:00

My first pair of socks finished! Well, they still need to be blocked.