Anniversary=Crafty

Good morning! Ok, I know I said I'd post on Wednesdays but yesterday doesn't count. It was our fourth wedding anniversary! E told me yesterday that he forgot our anniversary and offered me a high five as condolance. I cried a little. It's not that he said he forgot our anniversary, it was the high five that made it hurt. I looked at him and said, "you're making it worse." There has been so much going on here lately that truthfully I didn't know what day of the week it was until our Parents As Teachers lady texted to see if we were still ok to have our meeting the next day. In truth, I lost track of the anniversary, didn't forget! Just misplaced the days. But my sweet husband, who isn't like some husbands really did remember and had it all planned out.

He had these sent to me these, gerbera daisies, my favorite flower and our wedding flower, with a card that said, "Happy anniversary. I love you. E." He and little A took me to dinner at Johnny Carino's at the Legends and we ate all of our favorites! We don't go there hardly at all so it's really special when we do go. E told me that all other speghettis taste weird compared to mine (which is his favorite dish). It made me really happy to hear him say that.
Then we went to Cabela's to exchange something E bought that didn't work out for him and came home and did our normal routine stuff. But wait! He had something else for me! Oh my gosh! A Big Foot Free Motion Foot for my machine! *heart melting excitement* This guy was late coming home Monday night because he had to drive all the way from Kansas City to Lawrence (both are on the opposite sides of where we live) to pick it up. He must love me or something! I've been after this foot since January, with minimal searching though. And he bought it for me!

It's pretty much amazing! He's amazing! He remembers way more than I give him credit for sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I got him something too, but I'm making his for him, that quilt I mentioned earlier and that granny stripe blanket, of course neither were finished on time, but who is surprised? Not me! My brother didn't get his Christmas present until May! But it was a great day and a happy anniversary!

These are the booties that go with the hat.

Apparently it was a great success along with the quilt. It made the mother-to-be cry or almost cry, but she loved them and that's what matters! I didn't add toe nails because the pattern I used for the bootie wouldn't look right with toe nails.

I've also revised my pattern for the cupcake hat, I think I'll actually write it up and share it with you! And I'm also working on quilted coffee sleeves.

They're really fun and easy to make. I'll have to punch out a tutorial/pattern for that too.

I'm mass producting these they're so fast to make! Besides that crafty has been a little slow this week because E's schedule is backward so mine is too. Next week it'll mostly be back to normal thankfully.

Besides all that, we've been hermitting inside from the horrible heat, plus Little A is taking an antibotic that makes her already fair, redheaded skin more sensitive to the sun. Here I was excited for summer so we could spend most of our days outside! Ha! Maybe we'll get a cool down soon. Anyway, I hope you all have a great rest of the week!

Until next time!

Things We Want

(Above: Little A eating her first dum-dum)

As many of you know, this passed Wednesday was Ash Wednesday. It's a fasting and abstaining day that is followed by a Mass in which the priest marks the people of the church with the ashes from the previous year's burned palms from Palm Sunday. The ash is placed on the forehead. This is a tangible way to remind us that we come from ash and shall return to ash one day. If you didn't already know that. That marks the beginning of Lent. Lent is a time for setting aside things that distract us from spiritual growth and prayer.

This year I gave up the biggest distraction for me, Facebook. That's right! I moved the app on my phone to the back page so I wouldn't be tempted, which happens to also be by a rosary app, and everytime I feel the urge to fb I say a prayer or read a passage, or sit down and say the rosary. It's been good so far! But it's only been 4 days. For personal growth I gave up pop and cursing. Only one of those has been accomplished.

Now that you have the back story I can tell you what I mean to tell you. Wednesday, we didn't go to mass because it was being held right at A's bedtime, we got fried shrimp from the local burger joint and all I could think about was a frosty Dr. Pepper to go with it. I'm a sucker for it! Just like a little child I yearn for the things out of my reach. I get cranky and the thought of what I want stomps all other thoughts. The same thing happens when I feel the urge to crochet or quilt and have no time or supplies with me to do so. But this is exactly what God is jealous for. I'm not a religious fanatic, but I am spiritually rooted. God wants our thoughts to be centered around him and The Word and not more on worldly things. Anyway, I know you didn't come reading to get preached to, but just thought I'd share my thoughts.


Speaking of things we want... Thursday little A would not nap in her crib. I had to go in there and lay her on my chest in the recliner we have in there and try to get her to sleep. The eyes told me she wanted to go to sleep but just couldn't. I pulled the red blanket over my head to make a little tent to block out the sun. She fell asleep within five minutes. The whole time we lay there (an hour and a half) my stomach grumbled and protested against the lack of food to bully. All I wanted was a sandwich and an ice tea maybe a little crafting too. But then I looked at her sweet sleeping face with her half open mouth and her slack cheeks and pink eyelids, her button nose, and sweet breath. How a mother's heart yearns for moments like these. I was exactly where I wanted to be. Even if my arm was tingling from the weight of her head in the crook of my arm. I took a picture and sent it to E and he said, "Aw! She just needed her mommy!" And we all know need is great than want.


But this little adventure required a solution. Though I thoroughly enjoyed that tender time together, I know she sleeps better in her crib, so we took a trip to our favorite store... HOBBY LOBBY! I used my best Oprah voice for that, I hope you noticed.

Little A helped me pick out the perfect fabric for her curtains.


Isn't it pretty? I splurged a little on this though, it was a seasonal fabric and not on sale, but it was the one she liked best. I got a dark purple to go behind it too and made them from my own measurements and preferences. The two fabrics were hemmed sides first then bottom. It's a double fold hem on the bottom measuring appr. 2". Then I made the tabs for the top and pinned them between the two fabrics and sewed the tabs and two fabrics together to form like an upside down V. So if you look at the curtain it looks like two curtains but it's just one. It's not pitch black in her room with the curtains drawn but it is very dark. E asked me to make some for the rabbit/spare room too. He must like them. :-)



I am still waiting for my official followers to tell me where to send their little cosmetic bags! They're free to you, no cost of shipping or anything! Just let me know where to send them.


And look! It's your tutorial! Coming later today! I have time because E is at the dentist and I have nothing to do, well not really, nothing that can't wait until tomorrow! So..

Until then!

What a week...

If this looks like a tired baby, that's because it is! Last Monday night into Tuesday morning little A woke up with a fever of 101.3, this little girl never gets sick and the only time she's run a fever was the first two days she was on the outside. Her little fever drug on for three days, it never got over 100 again though. Her eating suffered, along with her usually pleasant attitude and sleep. We ended up taking her to the doctor but nothing was wrong in the ways of illness. My friend Megan told me her daughter (who's a year older than A) does the exact same thing when her teeth are bothering her. Low and behold, the next day I stuck my finger in her mouth and looked around and found that one molar had poked through and I could see more quivering with anxiety just below the suffer of her gums waiting for their turn to pop out! She seems to be feeling better though. I hadn't seen her sweet smile for a few days then it came back with everything else (appetite and good sleeping) the day before her party.


Happy first birthday (party) little A! It was a lot of fun! She had a blast with her cousin and friend. They all played with the toys in her toy box and ate chips and cupcakes.


Unfortunately I didn't get a lot of pictures of the party or the decorations. See, as this was my first party I didn't realize time speeds up within a few hours of the party and when you think you have two hours left before it begins in reality it's like 30 minutes. You have to get it done while you have the time! I don't have all the mom super powers yet (which I'm sure will come I'm time?) and I thought I had plenty of time. Wrong! There was still much to be done and by the time I realize it, it was 2 and the party was at 2:30. But everything did get done and everyone had a great time, I just didn't get many pictures. I DID get video of the cake smash though. I'm not that bad of a mom! ;-)

I know I promised a project reveal but with little A being sick I didn't have a lot of time to work on things. But I have some things in the works, along with a tutorial for crocheting letters into your project. Seeing as I don't have any followers yet, I am willing to bribe you all! I know you're out there reading my blogs and I am willing to reward you for following too. Let's say the first, say 5 for now, people to sign up to follow my blog will "win"...


THIS! Well, not this exact object, this is a picture of the finished project from a tutorial by Three Bears. Found at:
http://threebears.Y.com/2007/10/15/little-boxy-pouch-tutorial/
Sorry, I don't know how to link yet from my app for blogging.
I saw this tutorial and have yet to try it. But I'm going to get fabric for it this week and make it. I'll also be making 5 extras to give away to my first 5 followers. Then, once every couple to three months I'll have a drawing for some new (probably small) project I'm working on, to give away randomly to one of my blog followers. Who doesn't love free homemade goodies?! I know I do! But anyway, that's my bribe/reward to you!



To end my rambling is a picture of my traveling yarn. I have idle hand syndrome, as I call it, and always have a project close at hand, including in the car, to help ease my need to create. Poor E, everywhere he looks there's a pile of yarn. He's so tolerant. Until next time!