That Crafty Mrs. V

2012-01-05T12:34:00.005-10:00

Hello?

Does anyone run this blog?

{only when I want to!}

So what have I been doing?

Here's the link to my boards.

In other news, I am working on updating my

backpack tutorial and finding a free upload site to store it at.

Anyone have any preferences?

Here are a few things I made for Christmas:

I made purses from this pattern, it was simple and sweet.

I made them out of vintage tablecloths.

And an arts and crafts travel case for my niece, Maile.

My mother in law made some like these for her kids when they were little :)

Chloe's birthday is coming up and she would like an

American Girl party so that's what I'll be working on the next few weeks.

{Make It Do had a very sweet 1930's American Girl Party,

you can check it out here}

Happy New Year!

New Recipe Box

2011-07-18T09:22:00.003-10:00

I had to upgrade-

too many recipes

& they just wouldn't all fit.

Unfinished box + Heather Bailey Paper + Silhouette=

It makes me and my kitchen happy :)

Making me Smile

2011-07-15T20:06:00.009-10:00

I got it at Anthropologie at Irvine Spectrum.

I wish my kids were there

so I could have gone on the ferris wheel.

{But then I wouldn't have gone into Anthropologie}

I should have gotten this, too.

{I can't remember why I didn't!}

The little scale is staying there.

I'm not sure what to do with the sugar dispenser.

And I need to hang that sweet recipe holder

It's got a hole on top but I don't want some

boring picture-hanging nail sticking through.

Any ideas?

{Strawberries ~~are~~ were from the Kula Country Farms. Divine.}

A little box of goodies from my dear Mother in Law

Fridge happiness.

My Awesome card. (found via pinterest, of course!)

My timer (which only gets used for time outs).

And my Anne Taintor magnet

(just high enough the kids can't really read it

but it makes me smile)

Crochet yellow blanket from the St. Joseph Thrift Store

with Bailey's pink knitting yarn.

My antiquing goodies combined with some

family treasures on the office book shelves.

And of course these two make me smile:

Such goof-balls there's no doubt we're related :)

Well, Hello!

2011-07-14T14:05:00.009-10:00

Summer is just ticking away!

I went for a nice long vacation with my family

through three different states and five national parks.

I am a very proud parent of a five-time junior ranger!

After more than three weeks of bliss with our little family

my wonderful husband took the girls home &

I got to go see my Mother and Grandmother and Aunt

{in which copious amounts of antiquing was done!}

It was lovely.

I have so much to show you

but I will do my best to pace myself

as not to bore anyone to tears.

Before we left I made some accessories for Chloe's baby Isabella

I also decided Bailey needed a safe place to put her

American Girl Doll while on vacation.

So I took this backpack:
and turned it into a doll carrier:

I made the girls little sun visors for summer

I used a cute little tshirt I found thrifting.

You can get the tutorial here.

Bailey will be starting a new school this year

complete with full uniforms

She needs to wear all white socks so

to keep them separate from all her other socks I made a little

laundry bag to hang in her closet.

I needed a cover for my new date book.

{I think I'm starting school quite back-to-school-ish}

And last of all we must discuss Pinterest.

You either have no idea what I am talking about

or you have already left the me to go check on

what's recently been pinned

It is fantastical.

Look what I found:

Source: allsorts.typepad.com via Emily on Pinterest

If you would like to check out my boards

you'll need to request an invite

(email me)

or if you're already pinning you can

see my boards here.

I will warn you though, it's like computer crack.

once you've tried it there's no going back :)

2011-05-05T21:20:00.002-10:00

Love this.

You can get one here on Etsy.

Found via Pinterest.

Countdown Board

2011-05-03T10:50:00.003-10:00

I was inspired by this board over at eighteen25

and decided I needed to make my own

I used chalkboard paint on the bottom

so that we can countdown to whatever comes next.

What summer fun are you looking forward to?

Hello, Kitty!

2011-04-11T08:00:00.000-10:00

On our last road trip I made the girls minky car seat covers

to plant their tushies in for 3000 miles.

Chloe has graduated to a booster seat now so I decided to cover hers in minky, too.

{because I didn't want to hear about who didn't get the fuzzy seat today}

Minky is really nice to work with for this project because it stretches

so it's easier to make a nice fit and

it's fuzzy so crooked seams don't show as much :)

I recycled the minky I had used on her large car seat and cut it for the sides

then bought a small piece of Hello Kitty Fleece for the center.

I took off the existing cover and used it as a pattern.

I sewed the center together first

then fit the outside.

Underneath is lined with a super cheap quilted cotton.

Ready to go for another 3000 miles!

Bags for my bag

2011-04-07T17:00:00.000-10:00

Are you a purse dumper or organizer?

I am an organizer. Type A all the way.

So I made some little bags for my big bag

from the same Amy Butler book.

Oh boy, this was more confusing than the last pattern.

In this pattern she explains how to make these cute little origami bags in

six different sizes. The problem is that she gives you

all cutting instructions for the bags at the same time-

like you'll be making all six at once.

I needed copious amounts of caffeine to remember if I was doing the

small or x small or mini bags.

But I love the way she puts in the zipper-

especially with the lining.

Worth the confusion just for that lovely piece of info!

Sewing Again and a book review

2011-04-05T10:26:00.007-10:00

I took a bit of a break from crafting.

I was organizing and cleaning out and getting the cobwebs out.

But like most crafters,

I can't stay away long.

I bought this book by Amy Butler

from my favorite sewing store

along with some fabric to make the first project.

{yes, I am in love with our proteas that are in bloom}

This book has some very cute patterns in it and I plan on making every single one.

I got right to sewing and completed the first bag:

I am so excited with it.

I did add a couple pockets on the inside

{not the large ones, but a couple small ones on the inside at the ends}

Next time I will definately interface the pockets on the inside-

you can see how the pockets "fall" into the bag because they are so large.

It's a large bag and will be perfect for our vacation this summer.

The book has very cute patterns in it.

I will probably make them all over the next year.

Amy Butler always has a simplicity about the

way she does things that makes sewing logical.

My disappointment with this book is that there are not enough pictures

and these are not the easiest pattern instructions Amy Butler has done.

Instructions are fairly clear (but I often needed to read them a few times before I got it)

and some portions would have definitely been easier with a picture at hand.

If you have not made bags before I would recommend

one of her individual patterns first

(not in a book)

those come with nice pictures and clearer instructions.

Overall, a great book for the moderate sewer.

Added to

Necklaces

2011-01-26T19:13:00.004-10:00

Disneyland keeps my Mother young.

She goes often with my Aunt B

{often enough to have annual passes}

and they've explored every corner.

This year for Christmas I made necklaces for each of them

themed around their favorite rides.

My mother loves to sit on the Mark Twain and have coffee.

And Aunt B loves the Haunted Mansion.

I found some of the frame charms at Ben Franklin

{because we don't have Joann's OR Michael's here! *gasp*}

but you can find similar ones here.

I found the rest on Etsy.

I printed out my images on plain paper,

cut them to size,

covered them front and back with clear packing tape

(yes, clear packing tape-it protects it like lamination and is super cheap)

then put it in the frame and applied diamond glaze over it.

So easy I think I'll make one for myself :)

Chloe's Birthday Theme

2011-01-13T14:07:00.002-10:00

Chloe has decided on a theme for her birthday party this year

{drumroll, please}

Chloe loved this ride at Disneyland

{and I must say it's one of my favorites, too}

I am making much of her party things

but found a few songs to download for the festivities.

{click to go to Amazon & listen}

this whole album is good.

love ragtime!

I know it looks cheesy

but It's a Small World on the accordion

just sounds right.

This is a cute album-

all the favorites but a little

"cooler" for the older elementary set :)

By far my most favorite.

Is there such a thing as

disneyland songs for grown-ups?

I also got some of this fabric from

Fashionable Fabrics:

If only we could go there to celebrate :)

Happy New Year!

2011-01-12T18:03:00.004-10:00

Yes, I'm still here

still sewing and crafting

and making a big thready mess

I just haven't had much time to share :)

Over the next few weeks I hope to

catch you up on all the lovelies I made for Christmas.

In the mean time,

this is what the first couple weeks of 2011 held for me:

Living Room Pinwheels

I used Heather Bailey's free pattern

{sort of, I used a lot of hot glue which she doesn't

but mine don't need to spin}

And I made a bunch of happy pillows.

{the ruffle-y one is my favorite}

Hope you're all having a crafty New Year!

Crafty Sewer + Space Geek= Super Cool Nerd!

2010-09-01T17:37:00.001-10:00

I remember

as a child

my father waking me up in the middle of the night

and taking us outside

to look at fabulous things in the sky.

At times

we would just sleep out there

{perhaps it was easier than dragging us out of bed}

Dad would show us

craters in the moon

or stars millions of miles away

in his home made telescope

It took me a long time before I realized that

dragging your children out of bed in

the middle of the night wasn't

a normal suburbia occurrence.

Along with that realization was the

epiphany that our family is made up of nerds.

Serious nerds, every one.

So now you know my secret,

I am a genetic nerd.

And I love to sew.

Which is why I am now in love with

Average Jane Crafter

She just won first prize in the

Hubble Pop Culture Contest.

Yes, she mixed cross stitch with Hubble.

Nerd heaven.

Her cross stitch has a wonderful story behind it,

you can read it here.

And check this out:

She embroidered the shuttle's de-orbit map.

I think I'm in love.

People have even sent her space jewelry.

Check out her Space Shuttle bracelet.

My sister Laura works at Boeing.

Perhaps I could make her one

with a picture of a B-52

or a Hornet

oh a B-24 would be perfect!
(I know, not Boeing
but it's vintage and our Grandfather helped design it)

What do you think, Laura?

Of course,

Rachel over at Average Jane also made

these fantastic bags

Laura, I can so picture you using one of these.

Rachel is my new favorite nerd-inspiration.

Are you a nerd, too?

Chocolate Cloud

2010-08-28T21:16:00.001-10:00

Happy Birthday to my lovely Aunt Brenda!

I made her one of these in a yummy chocolate brown

The cloud cascade scarf

from the Lion Brand Yarn website.

It's nice and easy to crochet

and I love the way it falls.

I made a matching little scrappy flower pin

to decorate it with.

You can also wear it all ruffled around your neck.

{I love the way it frames the face and peaks out from a coat}

I made the same scarf in a cream color for my sister last year

but sadly I did not take a picture of it.

So here's a picture of me and my sister (and my big girl) instead.

Happy weekend!

No, I'm not sewing.

2010-07-28T13:21:00.000-10:00

No sewing.

{or knitting or painting or crafting}

I was recovering from

4 nights of camping

{partially from a lack of sleep

and partially from having to remove myself

from such an incredible place}

and now I am enjoying my last week

with two little girls who will

be starting school next week.

See ya soon!

Finds

2010-07-20T17:33:00.000-10:00

Some of my recent thrifting goodies:

A Dressmaking book from the 60s

dust jacket is falling apart

but the rest of the book is in great condition

This cookbook:

My mother has this book and

it holds some of my earliest childhood cooking memories (:

Another cookbook:

I almost didn't pick it up

because I couldn't really see any of the cover decoration

{Yes I choose books by their cover}

But luckily I opened it and found this:

Recipes hand written in every available space.

The book was written in 1906.

I love it.

And I paid a dollar for it.

The Complete Book of Sewing, 1943

I have a thing for sewing books and cook books. Can you tell?

And I got an assortment of children's books

for the kids' school/craft room.

And this is our new pet.

Chloe found him at a thrift store

and would not leave him.

She totes him around

and feeds him

and has dropped him on her toe.

And she loves to say "SQUIRREL!"

like Doug in the movie Up.

All for only a quarter.

Tomorrow we will be heading out

to my favorite camping spot

where we will spend the weekend

eating smores

and playing cards

and exploring the wonderful nature around us.

And in one of our most favorite places

with our closest of friends

we will celebrate 10 years of

a most wonderful marriage.

See you next week!

On My Mind

2010-07-16T17:46:00.000-10:00

So as with all my vacations

I've come back with a fresh perspective.

Does that happen to you?

A change of scenery does me so well.
Especially when the scenery looks like this.

So I've got a few {thousand} thoughts swirling around

and organizing these thoughts is paramount for

accomplishing anything creatively.

This is my brain clutter:

{You may stop reading if you like.

No offense.

My brain is quite crowded.}

I have signed up at our local Community College.

Chloe is going off to preschool this year

and I will be heading to school as well.

To play with fabric.

What could be better?!

I am mapping out an online store in my head.

Scribbling notes on what to stock it with.

And hope to be up and running in November.

(photo: Vilkseskogen)

I have washed a suitcase full of fabric

and am dreading ironing it.

Thinking about Toy Story 3 and

wishing my children didn't think it was "Too Boyish" for them.

(Am I too old to watch cartoons on my own?)

Thinking I should get a bigger garden going.

(it's not too late here)

(inspiration at Better Homes and Gardens)

Loving the Etsy finds from Inspired Results.

I am wishing winters here were colder so

I could make this in the summer.

Blackberry Cobbler.

Perhaps I will just live vicariously through Bonnie.

I love her blog, Going Home to Roost.

And while reading comments on Bonnie's blog,

I came across a comment that linked to the most fun ice cube tray ever.

{I am not particularly fond of shaped ice cube trays.

They take up too much space when you're not using them

and I can never remember to use them anyway.}

But this I would buy.

Ice cubes in the shape of coffee beans for iced coffee.

Because that would make me smile.

{And really I drink coffee to be happy}

So I was curious about who found such fun-ness

and followed Amanda Joy to her blog

Joy Ever After.

And now I'd follow her anywhere

{especially to her Etsy shop}

Look at these cute clocks she makes

Then I somehow ended up at

Eat drink Chic

and I am smitten again.

She has lovely taste.

Which reminds me of Jessica and her lovely taste.

Isn't Grace's room adorable?

Go vote for Grace's room over at

Sweet Charli

{it really is the cutest room there}

I have vintage family photos to be scanned

and a kid's craft area to finish

using some of these

Dick and Jane from Raggedy Land

And Alicia over at Posie Gets Cozy

has put together a children's reading list.

(click the picture to go to her blog and then the list)

And I have the sudden urge to complete this list with my girls.

Today.

{Okay, not today, but you get the point}

and the girls' bedroom with a mind full

of projects that I can't wait to get done

Christmas gifts to work on

We have a camping trip next week

to one of my most favorite camping spots,

Polipoli

and last

{and best of all}

a sweet little nephew on the way

who is demanding a pile of cute little boy gifts

when he arrives in November.

{of course, I will oblige!}

Vintage Toy Tractor

The Lovelys on Etsy

and I can't leave out the new big sister

because this will be her sister-anniversary for years to come

Big Sister shirt

Delaney's Den on Etsy

And later this week I shall tell you about my thrifting finds
and our new pet squirrel.

In One Piece

2010-07-10T21:00:00.000-10:00

We are back.

I am reading a box full of emails

and catching up on all of your lovely blogs

{I can't wait to see what you all have been up to}

while skillfully avoiding unpacking the 7 suitcases and boxes we brought home

{each weighing 49.999 lbs}

We had a lovely time.

And with impeccable timing

Chloe got a fever this morning

and not ten minutes from getting out of auntie Dana's car

she was in bed

and throwing up.

So I will update you all soon

with the fun ideas I had while traveling.

After I finish washing all the sheets.
And maybe unpacking.

PS

2010-06-16T20:31:00.000-10:00

Just to prove how my brain is already on vacation
I completely forgot about the goodbye post I had pre-posted
{my story of neglect-which wasn't riveting enough for the author to even remember!}
and made an entirely new one
{with pics!}
So you got goodbye twice.
Because I think of y'all twice as much as you think I do.

Neglect: A Story {with a happy ending}

2010-06-16T15:00:00.001-10:00

This is a story of neglect.

The neglect of a

{very small, but sort of sweet}

blog
and a dog

You see,

the blog's blogger Em was going on vacation

a very long, overdue vacation in which much fun would be had by all

and wives would see their husbands for wonderfully long periods of time.

But the blog would be neglected.

No posts pre-posted.

No excitement.

For three weeks.

And the dog
well he would be left in very capable and sweet hands
But his people were leaving him
and to him, that constitutes neglect.

The happy ending?
In August there will be an empty house
with all children being in school
and one very antsy blogger
excited to craft and create and share again
with a very loyal dog at her feet.

Wish us well!
I'll be thinking of you!

PS
in case you were considering raiding our house while we were gone
a warning:
our lovely dog sitter
{who is my husband's cousins' wife's mother-follow that!}
will be taking herself a vacation
and staying at our house
{and spoiling our first furry baby}
and if the dog doesn't eat you first
{because though he loves us, he's not very nice}
she knows how to get into our gun safe.
Don't say I didn't warn you.

See ya laters aligators

2010-06-16T09:43:00.000-10:00

We'll be going here:

And then Visiting these guys:

and doing lots of fun things with

some of our wonderful family.

Don't tell my kids but

after all that fun

we'll be going here:

See you in 3 weeks!

And the winner is....

2010-06-14T03:00:00.002-10:00

I used Random.org
who told me the magic number was 23

Traci said...

I'm a new follower! :)

Horray!

Let us know what fun stuff you get!

Lighting and a Giveaway

2010-06-11T01:00:00.005-10:00

So...

when we moved into our house

I was not the super star sewer I pretend to be now.

I carved out a little niche for myself

to put my sewing things and crafts and fabrics.

Well, I am maxed out.

Floor to ceiling, wall to wall.

{Did I really just post my sewing chaos for the world to see?!}

One of my problems is that I've begun covering up the lighting.

I'm thinking of putting some task lighting nearer to the workspace

because hey, who doesn't like to see what they're doing?

I found a very cool

(and possibly addictive website)

CSNlighting.com

Check out what I found:

Bright Under Cabinet Light

Murray Feiss Swing Arm Lamp

I think this one's my favorite.

Robert Abbey Pharmacy Lamp

What do you think?

CSN stores has tons of other stuff, too.

look at the goodies I found!

A great starter

This is my baby:)

I would LOVE one of these...

And wouldn't these be great activities for summer

First Knitter

Sew a Petal Purse

A first sewing machine

And this weekend they're giving away $60

{to be used however your heart desires}

to one of you!

Kids' Travel Neck Pillows

2010-06-10T18:19:00.000-10:00

I finally won the battle against the stuffed animals.

There is now a sweet little basket in the girls' room with their prized stuffies.

I kept two little Minnie Mouse dolls with this project in mind.

And TaDa! Here it is:

Aren't they sweet?

I enlarged the pattern about an inch bigger than

the template showed and I like the fullness.

I had the minky left over from covering the girls' car seats

{oh boy I forgot how much of a horrible MESS that stuff makes!}

I hope they get lots and lots of hours of use on the airplane!!!

Hair Bows

2010-06-09T12:18:00.002-10:00

I love hair bows.

They are one of those girly things I swore off in my younger years

which I succumbed to after having two little girls.

So I've been busy making bows to go with the girls' outfits on vacation.

These are to match these dresses

I used the fabric from the luggage tags

and put them on those cover-your-own buttons.

{so great, you only need a scrap of fabric!}

There are some great hair bow instructions at the ribbon retreat.

For the korcker bows I found pre-cut dowels in my wood section of our craft store

and I usually bake them in our toaster over.

I still have to make pink ones and I was thinking rainbow colors would be fun, too.

I was inspired by Grace at Little Pumpkin Grace

Jessica always puts the cutest bows in her hair!

So my goal is to have a set for each outfit.

We'll see if they actually stay in their hair...

Play Checkbook

2010-06-08T16:55:00.000-10:00

One of the things I love to do when we go on vacation is

to bring fun, new things for my kids to play with.

When we went on our 3000 mile road trip a couple years ago

Chloe was 8 months old

{were we insane?!?!}

And I brought a entire suitcase of surprises for the girls.

This trip won't have nearly as many miles in the car

but 5 hours in an airplane keeps getting longer and longer

every time we go.

Today I put together some checkbooks for the girls.

I found a download for the checks over at Just Something I Made

{I didn't sew the perforations,

I have a perforating blade for my paper cutter}

Then I made a super simple cover using some matching material

from the girls' backpacks.

I hope this keeps them busy for a little while!

Mei Tai Tutorial

2010-06-07T08:27:00.001-10:00

I love Mei Tais.

I made one for Chloe when she was a baby

and we used it all the time.

She loved to climb in and take a nap on my back.

Mei Tais are great to take on vacations.

They fold up small and take up very little packing room

and can be easily toted around while you're exploring.

So a few months ago when I put Chloe

in her Mei Tai and found she had grown too long for it

I thought I'd make her a longer version to take with us on our trip.

This tutorial is for either the smaller baby length

or the larger preschooler length.

If you use a heavy weight canvas and

heavy duty thread it will easily hold up to 35 lbs.

Click here to download

Luggage Tags

2010-06-03T22:16:00.001-10:00

{We've got a trip coming up

and for the next couple weeks

I'll be doing projects related to traveling}

Lovely Little Luggage Tags

This is a really easy sew

and it's so cute to have matching ID tags

for the little ones' bags.

{or bright, noticeable ones for the grown ups}

Start with printing out the template here.

{There's three sizes to choose from}

You'll need:

Printer Fabric (I found mine at my craft store)

Fabric for backing

Eyelets or grommets, depending on how big your tags will be

The kit to put the eyelets/grommets on to the fabric

(sometimes they come together, sometimes they don't.)

Eyelets and the tools to put them together

So first of all print out your information onto your fabric.

{I put my daughter's names and two cell numbers}

Be sure that you leave plenty of room to sew-

at least 1/2 inch around the wording.

I like to test one out on a plain paper first to check the size is right.

Cut out your pieces,

one with the info

and one for the back

With the right sides together, sew 1/4" from edge.

Then go back and sew again closer to the edge.

{I sewed mine 3 time because the fabric was unraveling easily}

Clip the corners.

Carefully turn it inside out.

Push the corners out with a boning knife or an eraser.

Tuck the edges in as little as possible

{I use the tip of a straight pin to manipulate the fabric where I want it}

Iron it flat

Top stitch close to the edge

{but not over your words}

Lay your eyelet or grommet on the fabric where you want it.

Mark the spot.

Make a LITTLE hole where you marked.

You can always make the hole bigger.

I make a small snip with my scissors

then push them through to widen the hole.

Push the eyelet through the tag

and place it on the holder

Put the flattening piece on top and hammer down.

{You should do this on a work surface

or you could do it on your sewing desk and hold your breath like I did}

TaDa!

I used a ribbon and sewed it on to the girls' backpacks

For the girls' suitcases I made

a double-layer tag.

I wanted the information covered for security

and so I made two tags

and connected them with one grommet.

Let's hope our luggage doesn't get lost (:

Get Out of Town (the longest post ever)

2010-06-01T00:21:00.002-10:00

Topic: Camping

Memory Verse:
"Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10

"Be strong and courageous for the Lord your God goes with you" Deuteronomy 31:6

Activities:

Glow in the dark T shirts

The kiddos drew their own shirts using "stamps"

we had cut out of sponges

of stars, rocketships, and planets.

We used regular tshirt paints

and then painted over it with glow in the dark tshirt paint

(found at our local craft store)

These can take a couple days to dry so plan ahead!

Pinecone Bird feeders

We found pinecones around our campsite and covered them with

peanut butter and birdseed

then hung them outside on a tree near the cabin.

Treasure Containers

We took the plastic containers

that you get out of a toy vending machine

and drilled holes in the caps.

Then I threaded two ends of the ribbon into the container

and tied a big knot.

I saw these somewhere in cyberspace-if you did it let me know (:

These are great because the kids can only bring home what fits in the container.

Play Cards

Our girls love the

Peanut Butter & Jelly Game

but just a plain old deck works just as well.

Take a Hike

Explore what's around

and look for signs of living nature.

While in the woods we had a quiet moment

and talked about our scripture verses.

'Smore, Please!

I am pretty strict about what my girls eat

but I am sure that the memories made and the nostalgia it will

create later in their lives

is worth the sugar in their diet.

(But that's just me)

Let them Be

Most of all, be flexible.

Think of it all as an adventure.

Last year we went up to Polipoli cabins.

It was unusually cold that time of year (about 35 degrees inside)

and we were all freezing in our little single-wall construction cabin.

None of the kids were sleeping and it was late.

So we all dragged our beds out to the main room where the

fireplace (and our collective body heat)

kept us warm.

If you don't want to camp in a tent, then don't.

The term "camping" has taken on a much looser meaning

since we started to bring little ones with us.

(Check out the extension cord running from the generator

to the cabin)

We may not be really "roughing it" but we are having fun.

Don't let the little ones stop you,

they'll have fun, too.

Don't know where to go?

This is when I tell you it is your duty as a citizen of the United States

(if you are a citizen of the United States)

and your great privilege to participate in the National Park System.

I could do a whole series of posts on our National Parks.

But they're not very crafty, are they?

Still not sold?

Just spend the night in your backyard.

Happy Camping!

Memorial Day

2010-05-29T17:47:00.001-10:00

Summer Theme

2010-05-28T21:44:00.002-10:00

Topic: Our Country (usually done the week of 4th of July)
Memory Verse: "Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord" Psalm 33:12

Activities this week are very easy to plan.

With the 4th of July we have many things going on!

Fourth of July Parade

Fourth of July Rodeo

Bailey's Uncle Daniel

who came out from Arizona to ride in the rodeo

(We miss you guys!)

At the library we checked out books about early America such as

Ox Cart Man

and song books like
This Land is Your Land

We made button jewelry using red, white and blue buttons
with silver star buttons to top them off.
There's a tutorial over at Family Fun.

More Summer Clothes

2010-05-27T22:14:00.001-10:00

I love when I become friends with a pattern.

A couple of dates and I know things about it

I didn't when we first met.

Frida and I are becoming fast friends.

Another Frida Dress

Chloe picked this fabric out and says

with utter confidence that it smells like candy.

(I smell fabric, she smells happiness)

With the extra I made a circle skirt from this pattern

(we have been friends for a while)

You could just as easily use the tutorial over at The Polka Dot Chair.

It's a nice and easy tutorial but uses a lot of fabric.

I made a jumper for Bailey using Nicey Jane fabric.

It looks adorable on her and I'm very happy with the results.

Nice and cool and summery

The pattern I used was vintage and horrible.

(My first awful vintage pattern-not bad considering how many I've done!)

I put it together and the waist was so high she looked like Steve Urkle

So I took it apart and did it my way.
Maybe I'll make my own pattern for ya and do a tutorial.

I still have a couple skirts to finish for the girls

but I need to get a few odds and ends for them

and I won't be going to town til this weekend.

Perhaps I'll get my summer planning done!

Summer Theme

2010-05-26T22:06:00.002-10:00

Topic: Fruits of the Spirit
Memory Verse: "Good fruit comes from a good tree" Matthew 12:33, we also discussed Galatians 5:22-the fruits of the spirit

We made fruit salad

using melons, grapes and other "soft fruit"

the kids could cut with a butter knife.

Watched the movie Beauty and the Beast.

The girls LOVE this movie and Belle exemplifies all of the fruits of the spirit.

Made a Fruit Tree

This was a great tool for positive rewards and we'll be doing it again this summer.

Each time we "caught" the girls displaying a fruit of the spirit they

could write their names on the fruit they displayed and put it up on the tree.

{We did make a rule: no asking for fruit, they had to be caught-

although sometimes they did hint at the good deed they did}

Dana picked up some canvas and sewed lengths of fabric

weighted at the ends

on to the top of the canvas.

(she filled the ends of ours with rice)

That way it could hang over a door like this:

I painted the trunk and the background

then the girls used sponge stamps to paint on the leaves.

We made the fruit from card stock,

different fruits representing different qualities.

we used velcro to stick the fruit to the tree

(so we could take them off and do it again)

The kids were really excited to have something to work for

and it allowed us to discuss fruits of the spirit throughout the summer.

Do you Match?

2010-05-26T17:24:00.001-10:00

Before I had girls I hated pink.

Didn't think twice about Hannah Montana

And I didn't think matching your children's clothes was normal.

Ah, how parenthood changes us!

Matching dresses for our upcoming vacation.

Maile, Chloe, and Bailey's

Last Day of School!

2010-05-26T00:00:00.001-10:00

I sent Bailey to school today with these in hand to give out

You can download them for free here at Texas Chicks Blogs and Pics

Busy Bees also has a cute play card here.

We made Bailey a t-shirt for her friends to sign

(this is the one we made last year)

And sent her with a little gift for her teacher

Tonight we'll have our summer kick-off dinner with the cousins

and hopefully sleep in nice and late tomorrow to welcome in the season!

Summer Schedules

2010-05-25T22:13:00.003-10:00

As I work on this year's Summer schedule I thought I'd share with you some of the ways we organized summer last couple years and made it easier (and more fun!) for all of us.

1. Team up! I teamed up with my friend Dana. You can just have something planned once a week with someone or do babysitting swaps so you can have some quiet time (to blog...).

Dana and Em

on a trip to Alaska

2.We chose a theme each week. Our children go to public school and so we decided to emphasize a religious education during the summer (along with reading and math).

Dana, her daughter Mackenzie, Em and Bailey

We took the girls to tea as part of our "Virtuous Girls" theme

3. We had set items we did each week. Monday we'd go to the library and the park. Wednesdays we'd go to the beach or the pool and then have a movie. Fridays we'd plan our field trips. Tuesdays and Thursdays were free days for running errands or letting the kids run around in the yard. We would add in different activities but the frame of the schedule stayed the same and we could dress it up (or down) as much as we wanted to.

Chloe at the beach

4. We had a set learning time every day, most of the time in the morning before we got going. Some days we would do science experiments, other days a workbook, sometimes they would just read. We also did do our journals every day.

5. Journal. Our girls used an unruled composition notebook. I would give them lined paper which they would write their story of what happened that day (or the day before). It would be pasted into the book and they would then draw a picture to illustrate the story. At the beginning of each week I would insert a page including the dates of the week, the theme, our scripture verse for that week, and a place to jot down note like what books they had read.

Making pine cone bird feeders on our annual camping trip

to Polipoli

6. Go through your craft books with your kids and mark the things they're interested in. Pick a few and see if you can stretch it into one of your themes. For instance one week our theme was Reaping what you Sow-we planted a miniature garden.

7. Blogs I always refer to when planning summer:

Crafty Crow

Make and Takes

Pre-Kinders

Family Fun

DLTK bible activities
No Time For Flashcards

8. Plan a trip. We always go camping. Sometimes we take a big trip to the mainland. Sometimes we camp out in our front yard.

I'm planning on doing a few more detailed posts on our summer activities we've done in years past, including the themes, their activities, and scriptures. Sound good?

{coming up}

2010-05-25T14:06:00.000-10:00

Summer!

Coming here soon!

I have been planning our schedule this week

summer activities for my two little ones

My friend Dana and her two little ones are joining in the fun, too.

Summer planning is easier with a friend!

When it comes to planning I am super left brained.

Lists and lists

and more lists

along with references and appendices.

It's how I need to be to stay sane.

And yet sometimes I wish I could do this:

Isn't it lovely?

Meg from Whatever put this together.

Happy and summery and easy going.

And I think I'm in a rainbow-y mood.

Look what popped up on U Create today:

A necklace made with candy sprinkles

(set in a resin)

And now, back to my lists.

Summer wardrobe

2010-05-24T11:26:00.000-10:00

My girls are in need of some summer clothes.

Bailey wears a uniform shirt to school and probably won't want to wear that over the summer (:

And Chloe grew over an inch in the last month!

Here's some of the dresses I made from the Lil Blue Boo pattern.

The more I make, the more I love that pattern!

Are you making any summer clothes for your kids?

Guess what I've got for you...

2010-05-21T19:02:00.000-10:00

I'm done!

I need some of you few brave souls

to try out my tutorial

and give me feedback.

Hope you like it!

Click Here
for the tutorial.
and here for the pattern pieces.

Ode to the Bloggers who came before

2010-05-17T10:17:00.001-10:00

thank you to all

my dear blogging friends who have

written tutorials before me.

Oh, it must be

a work of love

to share these ideas with others.

I did not foresee

the confusion and befuddled state

I would be in

just

trying to explain

what I did.

P.S. Perhaps my tutorial shall be done this week.

If I manage not to distract myself from the confusion.

xxxs

A girl with a new Bag

2010-05-12T16:56:00.000-10:00

I finished my first backpack.

I am thrilled with the results

(mostly because some very choosy small people have asked me for one)

and Chloe wants to wear it all day long.

I am working on the tutorial

and hopefully will finish that up this week, too.

I hope you're excited about making one!

P.S. to Stephanie:

I was hoping I could make one of these for Maile.

For our little trip coming up.

And by hoping I mean that I am halfway through with it

and she'll be getting one anyway.

xxxs

Backpacks

2010-05-06T20:17:00.000-10:00

I wanted to make a backpack for my girls to use on vacation.

Something that could hold things that would keep their attention

yet cute and girly enough that they'd want to wear it.

Because let's face it, I have girly girls.

This tutorial was over at U Handbag.

They have some pretty cute bags there and the backpack tutorial

looks pretty well written.

I'm not sure about the drawstring closure for my girls, though.

And checkout this adorable backpack pattern

I saw at my favorite sewing store.

Alas, the book was over $30 and although full of adorable patterns

there weren't many I would have used.

You can check it out here at Melly & Me.

This is one adorable backpack.

Apparently a cultural icon in Japan

as all school children wear them.

Found it over at Babesta

but considering the $400(!!!!!for a kids' backpack!!!) price tags, I'll have to pass.

I found a cute pattern at

Made By Rae

and only $6

And isn't this cute?

A little scrapbook album in the shape of a backpack.

If only I was a scrapper.

Instructions over at Scrapbook-Crazy

All very cute.

But not quite right.

So I'm making one.

Winging it.

Jumping in the deep in of the fabric pool.

And I'm working on a tutorial to go with it.

For you.

Because maybe you'd like to make a backpack too.

Wish me luck!

PS this isn't on my spring to finish list

but it's way more fun (:

Sushi

2010-05-03T14:24:00.000-10:00

Bailey's favorite food is sushi so when I found this fabric

I knew she had to have a sushi dress.

I used another ModKid pattern, Kyoko

(another fantastic pattern)

and Bailey is in love.

(She HAD to pose with her little play sushi)

Orange You Glad

2010-05-01T17:56:00.000-10:00

Bailey's been very into knock knock jokes lately.

I guess it goes with the first grade territory.

Check out the skills the girl's got:

Knock knock

Who's There?

Bob

Bob Who

Bob oh Bobby Bob Bob

HAHAHAHAHA

I laugh every time.

So Orange you glad I chose this fabric?

Makes me so very happy (:

It's Sandy Henderson.

And the pattern is Frida from ModKid.

I love ModKid patterns.

Really cute and her instructions are phenomenal.

If regular patterns make your head spin,

try one of these.

No more ugly zero

2010-04-26T11:35:00.000-10:00

The baby clothes quilt is done!

Hooray!

I love all the little things on it that remind me of my little babies.

And it's a perfect size for a lap quilt

or a girly tea party.

6 more things on my Spring to Finish list.

If they feel as good to get them done

as it did to get this honkin' quilt out of my craft room

perhaps I should stay up all night and do them all!

But probably not.

Do You Blog?

2010-04-25T19:54:00.000-10:00

Never gave it much thought.

My blog leaves a carbon footprint?

Shoot.

Which reminds me...

when I was little

there were Menehune footprints

at our airport here on Maui.

When you got off the airplane and climbed down the stairs

(no jetways, people)

you followed the footprints to baggage claim.

Much cuter than carbon footprints.

Stay focused, Em...

Okay so the point is

there is a program which started in Germany called

My Blog is Carbon Neutral

For every registered blog

they will plant a tree

thereby neutralizing your blog's carbon footprint for 50 years.

50 years!

That's almost as good as the load of money we just shelled out for photovoltaics.

Better, really, because it's FREE (:

Just go here to join.

P.S. Is that ugly little 0

for my Spring to Finish

screaming at you like it is me?

No, I didn't think so.

Should & Am

2010-04-21T09:41:00.000-10:00

What I should be doing:

quilting the girls baby quilt

fixing dinner for out church group tonight at our house

(mmmm... sweet & sour pork and lemon chicken)

anything on my Spring to Finish list!

ironing (oh boy)

cleaning the mess 4 little ones made in the bedroom last night

preparing something fabulous for my daughter's incredible teacher

I was thinking this from eighteen25:

Yum.

Or maybe this, also from eighteen25:

I made a box like this last year full of things Bailey's teacher uses in her

class: paints, construction paper, pens, and a gift card.

But this one is decorated so very cutely!

But I really wanted something all the kids in her class could add to or participate with.

What I Am doing:

Blogging(:

thinking about our upcoming vacation

wondering what I'm going to plan for the kids this summer

and making plans to learn how to solder jewelry

I found a great tutorial here.

Okay, back to work!

Spring to Finish

2010-04-19T10:35:00.000-10:00

I have eluded that I may have some unfinished projects that need, well, finishing.

To be honest, I have more than a few.

So when I found out that Jacquie from Tallgrass Prairie Studio

is doing a Spring to Finish Challenge

in which we challenge ourselves to finish those undone projects looming over our craft rooms.

I immediately thought of how wonderful it would be to have an empty sewing "inbox"

What's even better is that

the challenge is six weeks long.

And guess how much time I have until school is out...

So here is my list:

Girls' Baby Blanket quilt

Family Name Sign

Organize & Put away photos (ouch)

Finish Kids' Arts & Crafts room

Mending

Scan Family Photos

Copy Grandma's Recipes

This is in addition to all the new things I had planned to do this month.

Wish me luck!

Inspired Date Book Cover

2010-04-16T15:26:00.001-10:00

Have you ever been to Just Something I Made?

Cathe does some really cute crafts

{lots of goodies with paper}

and she provides adorable downloads.

Yesterday she posted about covering her

day-planner with a vintage book

It was adorable.

And her drab day-planner that she covered?

It's the same one I've been toting around

uncovered

for four months now.

It was an IHTDIN project.

(That's technical terms for I Have To Do It Now

also known as I will not clean the toilets until this is complete!)

I went straight to my book shelf to find a suitable book.

This is when I learned I really love all my books.

What was a girl in need of instant gratification to do?

I sewed one!

You need:

an outer fabric

liner fabric

heavy duty stabilizer

decorations

pocket fabric, if you want pockets.

Start by cutting your main outside fabric.

I cut the top and bottom each about 3/4 " larger than the book.

I cut the each of the sides about 1 1/2" larger.

Cut a liner piece the same size.

Cut your heavy duty interfacing to the size of your planner.

Cut two out (one for the front, one for the back)

Then sew on your decorations to the outside fabric.

Be creative!

You could monogram your name

or print your kids' picture onto some fabric and add that

I had a vintage napkin I sewed on

and then cut it to size.

I also added some ribbon.

Fold the outside in half and slipped your planner in.

Then fold the flaps inward and make a mark where it would be creased.

This way you know where to put your pockets.

Remember to close your book all the way before marking-

it uses more fabric closed than when it's open.

Cut out your pockets and hem the top.

I used the other side of the napkin and used

the existing hem.

Then pin it in place

and sew it on.

Lay out the top you just finished decorating.

put the lining on top of it face down.

Right sides of the fabric should be together.

Pin and sew around the edges

but leave one entire edge open.

Turn it inside out and press.

Topstitch the left edge (the short side).

Lay your book in it again and pin the finished side

where it should go on your book.

Then take your unfinished side and measure up where it should go.

Fold the extra in on itself so that it is the correct size.

Press all your creases but don't sew yet.

Open it all back up and slide you interfacing in.

Use the creases as a guide. You want the interfacing to

be as close to the crease as possible.

(That was when we sew around the edge we'll be sure to sew the

interfacing down, too)

Pin the left side in place. Then insert the interfacing for the right side.

Again make sure it is close to the other crease.

Pin and topstitch the right edge.

Pin and topstitch all the way around the cover.

TaDa!

You're Done!

Clear as mud.

Confused? Email Me (:

If you make one

I'd love to see pics!

Dishing It

2010-04-14T16:29:00.000-10:00

Amanda at Serenity Now is hosting a "Dishing It" party.

I don't have to plan it, cook, or get a sitter

and I get to hook up with some fancy new bloggers.

Sounds good to me!

So today I'm going to tell you a little about my blog.

1. How long have you been blogging?

I've been blogging for a couple years on my

family's personal blog then started this one less than a year ago.

2. Why did you start blogging?

I needed to vent my creativity to someone

other than my poor husband.

And I didn't want my family who reads my other blog

to have to read one more post about fabric or my sewing machine

when all they want is cute pics of my kids (:

3. Tell me about your blog's title. Why did you choose it?

It's the crafty side of me, Mrs. V!

4. What do you blog about?

I blog about the goodies I make and

things that inspire me to be creative.

5. What's your favorite thing about blogging?

Meeting other people

and getting inspired.

6. If you had to choose one famous person to become your

blog's next devoted reader, who would you pick?

I think if someone famous started reading my blog I would

be very self-conscious and have a hard time doing it.

So all you famous people reading this please comment anonymously (:

I love it when people become readers and

I already read their blogs.

It's a small bloggy-world after all.

7. What's the funniest comment you've ever received on a blog post?

I don't know that I get very many funny comments.

Except my friend who keeps telling me I'm crazy

But I think that's more accurate than funny (:

I hope all you guys link up to Amanda's party

I would love to find out more about you!

Pattern Review: Bit of Whimsy Dolls

2010-04-14T16:20:00.000-10:00

I found Bit of Whimsy through Pumpkin Grace.

Jessica was giving away a pattern

and I was immediately smitten

with the adorable faces and endless possibilities.

Then I found out Amber over at Strawberry Lane

had made a little lamb for her cutie pie for Easter.

It was adorable.

And then she told me it was easy.

And I was sold.

I made Violet.

My girls are in love

And it was so very very easy.

Great pattern for a beginner.

The instructions are simple and she

even has YouTube posts that take you through the steps.

And the best part-

it needs such a small amount of material

I made them from scraps.

On the other hand, it's a horrible pattern if you have difficulty making up your mind.

It took me two days to figure out which of the adorable patterns I would get.

And it took me longer to choose my fabrics than to actually sew it.

Now if I could just finish that baby clothes quilt...

Letters

2010-04-09T15:36:00.000-10:00

A few days ago Flat Andrew came to visit us.

My cousin's son had read the book Flat Stanley at school

and the class made their own "flat self".

(click on the picture to see more Flat Stanley)

Andrew mailed his "flat self" to us

and we have been taking him on all sorts of excursions.

Bailey's teacher loved the project and ran with it.

(I love Bailey's teacher. Mrs. J, will you teach her in second grade, too?)

Flat Andrew has been all over with us.

(But I won't say where because I want the real Andrew to be surprised)

We're taking pictures and sending Flat Andrew

back to the real thing soon

with lots of stories to tell.

Needless to say, we've been thinking a lot about

mail and letters.

One of our favorite books is

The Jolly Postman

It's a cute little story of a postman who delivers letters

to fairy tale characters like Goldilocks and Cinderella.

Every other page is an actual envelope with a letter tucked inside

and they are cleverly written

(for instance Goldilocks writes an apology to

Baby Bear for breaking his chair)

On library day at school last week Bailey chose

Dear Polar Bear

also a sweet little story with it's own letters inside.

And thinking about letters,

a while ago I found this little letter

over at Thimbly Things.

I love how casual the note is.

No need to wait for a birthday or Valentine's day.

Perhaps mailed?

Or make one for the kid's lunchbox as a napkin.

Have you heard of the

World's Smallest Postal Service?

Look how tiny Lea writes them!

And Just Something I Made has great letter things, too.

You can print this little stamp house out and

make one for yourself

And I love the way she decorates her mail with

a homemade stamp

Then today Ashley over at Lil Blue Boo

showed us how incredibly creative she is and posted

this Letter Package she sent

complete with letters that tell little bits of their own story

and souvenirs!

Have a fabulous weekend-

I hope you get lots of good mail!

Pattern Review: Recycled T-Shirt Dress

2010-04-08T16:01:00.000-10:00

So I've been crushing on this pattern

ever since I bought it a couple weeks ago.

I found it at Lil Blue Boo's etsy st ore.

Recycle T-Shirts into sewing projects and clothing for my kids?

I'm IN!

So it took me a while to get around to making this

(I was too busy procrastinating Easter projects...)

but I finally made a few.

This is the first time I've worked with jersey/t shirt material.

I won't show you the first dress I made.

Let's just say that getting the hang of it was

a bit of a challenge.

But the second time around?

I am in LOVE.

Once you get used to the little nuances

of sewing with this fabric

it is CAKE.

(sweet and over fast!)

I must admit I didn't use our t-shirts.

Mr.V wears shirts until they are no longer considered material.

So I had him bring a couple home from work

and I got a couple red ones from Goodwill for less than a dollar.

I love that the pattern is for 6 mo-6 years

I'll definitely get more use out of it!

Not to mention the instant gratification of a PDF pattern

(no waiting for the mail).

I would recommend this pattern to someone

who has some sewing experience

(don't use this as your first pattern!)

and be prepared to do a "trial run"

to get the feeling of how the fabric comes together.

(The first dress I made is wearable

just not that cute...)

Take all of her suggestions

and use LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of spray starch

the fabric is so much more managable (she's not lying!)

Have to say it's one of my new favorites!

Pillowcase Dress

2010-04-07T17:31:00.000-10:00

Good Friday found me without an Easter dress for my oldest daughter.

(What? Procrastinate? Not me!)

For Chloe, I had an adorable hand-me-down dress I wore as a girl

that was hand-smocked by my lovely (and much craftier than I) Aunt Cindy

But Bailey had nothing. Not even a pattern.

So I scavenged through my sewing area and found the makings for this.

I thought about dying one of my white sheets pink

(I always have a stash of white sheets for sewing-they really come in handy)

but found a pink cotton that saved me the time.

I found pink ruffle edging at Goodwill last week for less than $1

and used those for the straps (I still have a couple yards left, too!)

Then I pulled out one of my vintage embroidered pillowcases and made a little apron.

I love how everything came together!

I have a few more pillowcases that my

wonderful mother has found for me over the years

and after seeing how sweet Bailey's dress turned out,

I can't wait to put the others to good use.

Perhaps matching dresses

like the tutorial found here.

Or maybe I could put together something like

Jessica found over at Little Pumpkin Grace.

Isn't that lamb the sweetest?!

Or maybe I'll make a skirt

for Bailey with a sweet little vintage sheet

layered underneath

like this one on Etsy

So many fun ideas!

I'd better get to work...

Good Friday, to you!

2010-04-02T15:08:00.000-10:00

Aprons

2010-03-31T12:00:00.000-10:00

I am constantly cleaning my house.

(Okay, this blog is proof of my exaggeration.

It FEELS like I am constantly cleaning)

The other day I put together a work apron

from one of my most favorite vintage kitchen towels.

It had some stains on one side of it

so I hid those on the inside.

I made three pockets

one for a notepad

(because thoughts fly out of my head faster than

flights out of LAX)

one for little things to be put away

(you know, earrings, hairbands, polly pocket shoes)

and one for trash.

I love it. It makes straightening up so much easier.

And it's cute.

I also made an apron for my sweet

all-boy nephew

Ivan

on his 3rd birthday.

I used the super-easy pattern here at One Hip Mom.

It's a construction apron for his vast stash of tools.

His Daddy's a contractor.

When Ivan pulled it out of the bag he said

"COOL!"

I love that boy!

I also made him a cape.

Ivan the super-contractor.

Loosely based on the pattern I found through

One Crafty Place.

One of my most favorite aprons I made

out of a table cloth my Granny handed down to me.

She a received it as a wedding gift from the Whaleys.

One of her four children

(who shall remain unnamed)

had cut a couple inches into it decades ago.

It sat in my linen closet for 8 years

until I did this:

Now it sees more use than most of my linens combined.

A few years ago I made a little apron

for Bailey on her birthday.

I think it's time to make one for Chloe, too!

Giving Meaning to Easter (aka a post with very few pictures)

2010-03-27T06:20:00.000-10:00

If you are a Christian, Easter is the most important holiday on our calendar. This is the week which your savior bore a heavy painful weight for you. This is the week He knew His life was coming to an end, and yet said nothing so that He could die for us. It is humbling. And overwhelming. And painful and beautiful.

So much of our society revolves around being secular; a travesty in a country that boasts freedom of religion. The message of Easter is lost in pastel eggs and Easter bunnies delivering chocolate. I hope that our Easters never feel secular; that at this time of the year we can truly feel Jesus' example of love for us all through His sacrifice. Do you truly love your neighbor as yourself? Would you lay your life down for a friend? Or someone you didn't even know?

So for the last few years we have been trying to do activities with the girls that will convey the story of Easter. We do an activity every day that reinforces the story of Jesus' last week on earth. And we talk a lot about what it means to truly love others.

This is our schedule for this week.

Easter week is usually pretty busy for us so I keep to activities that are simple

and require little preparation.

Palm Sunday

Tell the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem while kids do coloring sheets.

Make a Fan Palm here.

Monday

Talk about the miracles of Jesus including feeding the 5000, healing the sick, and calming the storm. With each of these miracles we will ask them if it is possible ("If there's a storm outside, can you stop it?") and then discuss what Jesus did. Each of the links above have crafts that go along with the stories.

Tuesday

Teaching the Meaning of Easter egg hunt.

Wednesday

Christian Seder and The Passover (normally done on Maundy Thursday)

Dana (thank you thank you thank you) puts together our Seder. She does an (almost) full Seder and we eat a meal with scripture readings. As an adult, this is my favorite part of Easter-I feel tied to everyone who has ever celebrated Passover. This is my children's least favorite part of Easter but I feel that through this experience they are beginning to understand the importance of this day and feel the weight of history behind it.

There is a great website on Christian Seders here where you can put together a full Seder or just a small, symbolic one.

Thursday

Repeat Teaching the Meaning of Easter egg hunt. This time see if the kids can remember what each item in the egg means. Jelly beans for correct answers!

Friday

Good Friday. When the children are (much) older, we will discuss what happened to Jesus on this day in depth. For now we tell them that this is a very sad day because it is the day Jesus died.

We will do a beading craft with the kids, if they'll go along with it we'll use the colors and poem found here (meant for jelly beans).

Saturday

Neighborhood Easter egg hunt.

Before our egg hunt will talk about loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Easter Sunday

We'll be teaching Children's Church. There are many wonderful Easter crafts on this site, easy to do with large groups of kids.

At home we'll talk about Jesus' resurrection. We'll discuss what that means for them and how Jesus can preform miracles in our lives today through prayer because He lives.

Have a wonderful Easter celebration!

Anything but Easter

2010-03-20T13:27:00.000-10:00

Well I managed to stop thinking about the Lil Blue Boo pattern.

(For today at least)

But still no Easter urgency.

So this morning

(in a desperate attempt to avoid necessary Easter projects)

I started looking through my patterns and

found one my Mother-I-L had passed on to me.

Simplicity 7557 from 1976

I decided that Chloe had to have

a little jumper.

Today.

(Much more pressing than Easter!)

It was FAST and EASY

and I will definitely be making her a couple more of these.

What else can I do to

keep me from the things I should be doing....

Sneaky Easter

2010-03-19T12:57:00.000-10:00

Easter is two weeks away.

2 weeks!

I am trying to feel urgency but can't seem to muster any up.

(part of my problem is I just got myself this pattern from Lil Blue Boo

and I am so excited about the endless possibilities I can't focus on anything else)

I have nothing for the girls to wear on easter.

(I can hear my husband

"what are you talking about?

They have closets full of clothes!"

But you know what I mean...)

I have nothing to fill eggs.

Nothing for Bailey's class.

Nothing for our little friends at church.

(Which reminds me we teach that Sunday and I have no teaching plan, either...)

No handmade goodness for my girls.

No activities for the week.

Still no urgency.

Oh my.

So here is some inspiration I will be meditating on

in hopes of getting my mind off recycling Tshirts into

the most adorable little dresses ever.

I am in love with these eggs.

Thinking of making some to decorate our house.

The tutorial is over at Retro Mama

We played this last year and I would like to do it again this year.

It's an Easter egg hunt that teaches the meaning of Easter.

I saw it over at Make and Takes.

This year Secrets of a Super Mommy used a similar idea

as a countdown to Easter.

I love her Easter tree, too!

Maybe I'll make the girls some hair clips.

There's a cute little bunny template over at Allsorts.

Or I could just buy some.

The Pickled Pumpkin always has cute clips.

(No it's not a bunny. But it's cute!)

This is pretty cute, too.

I want to make these.

And eat them.

But I should give them away.

Easter Bunny S'mores found over at Creative Gift and Party Ideas

(thanks Tip Junkie for the link!)

These would be great for the girls Easter baskets.

They would love to have their own little hankerchiefs!

See how over at Domestic Goddess.

For my birthday my Mother gave me a

beautiful vintage egg holder.

I would love to make these to set inside it.

I even picked up some mini fake flowers to use.

From Martha Stewart (of course).

Maybe I could whip up some skirts for the girls.

The pattern over at the Polkadot Chair has become my favorite.

Quick, easy and cute.

She also has a tutorial for a matching doll skirt.

Oh, and I am SO in LOVE with these doll patterns.

I would have bought one by now but I can't decide which one.

She even has a Bailey Bunny!

Dana is putting together a Passover meal for us

to celebrate the last supper.

I love this part of Easter and I am so grateful she

goes through the hard work of putting the traditional meal together

(along with all the scriptures and meanings!)

Happy Easter planning!

Feed Your Soul

2010-03-15T20:14:00.000-10:00

Have you heard of the Feed Your Soul art project?

(am I the last to know?)

Oh it's lovely.

Free artwork every month from different artists.

Aren't they adorable?

Now to just decide which ones go where...

Reunited

2010-03-03T21:15:00.000-10:00

Well, all is right with my world again.

Helen

(my sewing machine)

is home.

You may remember the ugly incident with the

"sewable" sticky back velcro.

If you don't remember just trust me.

It's Not Sewable!

I rescued Helen from the mean mean man

who was holding her ransom

{and speaking very rudely}

and gave her over to Patricia's Dad

over at Sew Special.

(they had been moving earlier in the month

and weren't doing repairs then)

Anywho,

he fixed her in a day.

And I offered him a place to live should he ever become homeless.

The trade off?

My Camera broke.

Sent it off to Cannon and they should be

sending it back to my be the end of the decade.

So what have I learned?

1. Do not buy sticky back velcro

2. I like my camera a lot a lot a lot

3. But I LOVE my sewing machine.

So this is FINALLY done.

I love it.

Chloe loves it.

She wants me to make 7 more-

one for each of her babies.

I told my little Octo-Mom

it may take a while.

Heart Attack

2010-02-14T18:19:00.000-10:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

We gave our neighbors a heart-attack today.

The girls had so much fun I am sure we'll be doing it every year!

(Heart-shaped brownie treats)

Done (well, almost)

2010-02-12T22:42:00.000-10:00

Well I have to admit I'm a little behind but at least I'm ahead of the due date.

(what did she just say?)

I was planning to have my Valentine's projects wrapped up a few days ago so that I could move on to the things I wanted to do for Chloe's birthday party next weekend. I'm still confident I'll get everything done, just not when I thought I would.

(my continued sanity is not guaranteed as evidenced by my decreasing clarity)

These projects were really easy so you could probably pick one and still get it done in time.

Well first off, I changed my mind.

(shocking, I know)

I decided to do a little handmade gift for Bailey's teacher and came up with this:

I attached it to a magnet/clip thing so her teacher could put it on her file cabinet at school.

It took one afternoon of embroidering while watching the girls play house and completely neglecting the laundry.

I completed Brad's gift.

By far the most involved of the projects I did this week.

But he's worth it.

And I love all the cute little notes we can "write" to each other now.

no, I won't tell you what they say(;

And crayon rolls. Done.

I love how they came out.

I decided I would much rather do a garland project with the girls

than the fabric one I originally found.

So we've been gluing and glittering and crafting like crazy

and hopefully tomorrow I can show you a finished product.

Happy weekend!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-06T12:43:00.000-10:00

I just completed Bailey's Valentine's Day gift and I can't wait to give it to her.

She is obsessed with tic-tac-toe right now so when I saw this tutorial over at Roots and Wings I knew I had to make it. I had originally planned to put magnets in it so the pieces would stick to the board but I couldn't find any strong enough on the island. Because it's made of felt the pieces stay in place pretty well anyways.

I think I'll be playing tic-tac-toe for a while...

So now I'm on to Chloe's Valentine's Day project.

I was thinking I'd make her one of these:

Cute. And she would love putting her crayons in their own little sleeves.

I found the tutorial over at Skip to My Lou.

I'm hoping to have enough time to make one of these for Brad.

I love how you can continue to leave each other messages

throughout the year.

And if I'm so efficient and

I get all that done

I may make myself one of these:

Need more Valentine's ideas?

Check out:

One Pretty Thing

The Crafty Crow

and

Family Fun

Sweet Cousin Gift

2010-01-28T21:36:00.000-10:00

On our last long road trip Bailey was just 4 and not yet reading. I picked out some of her favorite books to bring with us. Before we left I used a very simple recording program to record myself reading the books. I put the tracks on CD and Bailey was able to "read" her books in the car. (I get car sick easily. She doesn't.)

For Christmas I thought it would be fun to give my niece Maile a couple books with a CD of Bailey reading the books to her. I made a little felt case to put the books and the CD in.

It would have been much, much easier if I had used a flat little Golden Book

but Bailey REALLY wanted Maile to have this one of these. (We're suckers for Sandra Boynton. She makes us laugh.)

It came out better than expected and it sounds like Maile likes it.

2010-01-28T20:55:00.000-10:00

Chloe is now three.

(Yes, I realize there are four candles on the cake.

We add an extra one to grow on.)

I made her cute little cupcake shirt from and old purple t shirt she grew out of

and followed this tutorial from Grace Violet.

It was super easy.

I made a matching skirt

using the tutorial over at

The Polka Dot Chair

Melissa really has the cutest ideas

and a very lovely etsy store.

Her sweet little birthday crown

tutorial was found here.

This one is super cute, too.

And now for the sad news.

My fantastic sewing machine broke.

Don't ever sew sticky back velcro even if the box says you can sew it.

THE BOX IS LYING!

I started this little doll quilt for Chloe a few weeks ago.

It is now put together and patiently waiting to be quilted.

But I live on an island.

In the middle of the ocean.

With a very rude sewing repairman who has no

sense of urgency in the matter.

I am contemplating two courses of action:

1. I could bribe him.

Probably the most effective route but will cost me something.

On top of the arm and leg he's going to charge me to fix the machine.

2. I could call him every half hour until it's finished.

Definitely the cheaper route.

And more fulfilling (in a vindictive sort of way)

But then if he refuses to fix it...oh, let's not go there.

Until then Dana has lent me her machine.

(She is on a knitting kick)

Thank God for good friends!

Decorating the Doll House

2009-12-15T21:10:00.000-10:00

Yesterday for our advent activity we decorated the doll house.

We made a Christmas blanket for the bed.

I was going to whip up a blanket on the sewing machine

but Bailey wanted to stitch it by hand.

She worked diligently

and said (more than once)

"I can tell my friends I made it myself!"

Oh, she is so my daughter.

Now Cinderella Barbie is Warm.

We also made a pipe cleaner tree.

Martha told me how.

It was a simple project but

it did take quite a while just to do the tree

Which of course then needed to be decorated.

We made candy canes and garland and

little teeny tiny ornaments from beads.

Bailey made the star all by herself

(I tried. She rocked.)

We added a few other things-

a little wreath, garland, and a few other odd decorations.

Bailey is using the presents

from her birthday

and having fun with the new theme.

Dana's Christmas Gift

2009-12-12T18:49:00.000-10:00

Dana-don't look!

I've finished a bag for my girlfriend Dana.

Her son Ivan has undone at least two of her knitting projects in the last year.

Completely pulled them apart.

(Can't you see the look of amazement on his face as he unravels it row by row?)

So when I found this tutorial

and spied the tied top

I knew it would be a perfect place to stash her knitting.

I hope she likes it!

Welcoming

2009-12-10T10:03:00.000-10:00

One of the things we try to instill in our children is the true meaning of Christmas.

The story of Jesus' birth and why He came to earth and what it means to them.

We also don't want them to drive us bonkers.

I had seen the Elf on the Shelf and I never really got excited by it.

So we found a project that ties nicely in to Christmas while rewarding our children for good behavior.

We made cradles for baby Jesus. We set the cradles in a very visible location in our homes. We let the children know that each time we catch them doing something caring, loving, unselfish, etc they will get to add straw to Jesus' cradle. The goal is to have a cradle full of straw to welcome Jesus on Christmas.

The kids have really loved this. One of our rules is that you don't get straw if you ask for it. We made our cradles from little picket fences Dana had found in our local craft store but I've seen them made from paper towel rolls, too.

We started this craft discussing what a King's bed would look like. It was a great opportunity to talk about the significance of Jesus being born in a manger. We also went over the fruits of the spirit (something we had discussed in length over summer) and the positive attributes that we should display. This was a great lesson for the 6 year old crowd but could definitely be shortened or skipped for the younger crowd.

I don't know if we'll keep the cradle or make another next year (I hate to waste but putting the craft together gave a great basis for discussion). Either way I think this is a great addition to our holiday traditions!

2009-12-04T21:44:00.000-10:00

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?

1. Clean dishes when I go to bed on the 25th.

2. An audible squeal of excitement from each of my daughters over one of her Christmas gifts (not necessarily the ones we bought her).

3. No H1N1. Or Influenza. Or anything that makes you sneeze.

4. Free shipping for all the gifts I send out.

5. A rich dude to give me money and to tell me I can only spend it on crafting and sewing supplies.
2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?

A picture my daughter drew. And in close second, the Christmas stocking Dana made me.
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

Handmade Christmas cards. I can't figure out how to do them cute and inexpensive.
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

A huge teddy bear (well, I thought it was huge at the time)
5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?

A nativity set and a guitar (among 100 other things!)
6. What is your favorite holiday food?

Dessert (don't make me choose)
7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

I can't tell that! It will ruin the surprise!
8. What is your favorite holiday movie?

That's like choosing a favorite child. (Okay, maybe not. But I do like them all-even the cheesy ones)
9. Favorite holiday song?

Silent Night
10. Favorite holiday pastime?

Baking with my kids.