7
Nov

Homekeeping

Ok, I'm back!  So sorry I haven't posted in several days - last week I came down with a pretty nasty cold that seemed to put life on hold for a little while.  Luckily I seem to be on the mend, so now it is back to business as usual.Well, because I was down and out this past week, I really let my house go.  It was driving me nuts to have everything so out of order and chaotic (yes, that's my type A personality), but as much as I wanted to, I just couldn't get up enough energy to get anything done.  Now that I am feeling better it is time to get my house in to … continue reading

2
Nov

No-Sew Ruffle Flutter Cape with Armholes

Right now I am addicted to my sewing machine - I just can't get all the projects in my head done fast enough these days.  But I do know that for those of you who do not sew, the idea of sewing something can be somewhat intimidating.  So I recently came across this "No Sew Ruffle Flutter Cape with Armholes" tutorial on a blog I follow (Ruffles and Stuff) and had to make a couple for my daughter, Savannah. In case you weren't paying attention - yes, I said NO SEW!  All you need is some fleece, a pair of scissors and a pretty ribbon and you are in business.  The … continue reading

31
Oct

Happy Halloween!

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Halloween!!  I hope you all have tons of fun trick-or-treating.  This will be our first year taking our little Savannah out - we can't wait.  We will just hit a few houses, but I think she will really enjoy it.  The weather here is supposed to be clear, chilly, but clear which is always nice (it usually rains or snows here on Halloween).Here's my little Savannah in her Halloween dress that I made for her.  I didn't use a pattern for this dress and will post a tutorial on how to make this simple look in the coming weeks. … continue reading

30
Oct

Repurposed Children’s Fashions

Lately I have been really into making clothes for my two girls.  It is so fun creating things for them that are one-of-a-kind and I feel so proud when they are wearing what I made for them. With all the consumer waste that is going on in our world, I think it is so wonderful when you can repurpose an item that has already been created and turn it into something even more fabulous than it's original intention.  Don't get me wrong, with my sewing and fabric obsession, I am definitely out there buying new things, but I feel especially proud of my repurposed … continue reading

25
Oct

Superhero Powers

So today my family and I attend my friend Marlene's son, Ben's 2nd birthday party.  Wow, I can't believe he is 2 already!  Lately Ben is all Savannah can talk about - I think she might have a little crush on him, which is understandable because he is insanely cute!When I was thinking about what we were going to give Ben for his birthday, I knew it had to be something special.  Marlene is one of my closest friends and I have a soft spot in my heart for her little guy.So in thinking about his gift, I remembered back to this conversation my Mom and I had a few weeks … continue reading

19
Oct

Sew Many Books, Sew Little Time

There are SO many wonderful books on the market right now for sewing enthusiasts.  Even if you have yet to discover the magic of the sewing machine, check out some of these books the next time you are browsing at the book store and I bet you'll be inspired!  Here are some of my favorites: Amy Butler's Little Stitches - Designer Amy Butler presents 20 charming contemporary projects for the nursery and beyond. There's a snuggly wrap blanket, imaginative plush toys, bright diaper bags, handy travel bibs and much more. Amy also shares tips on choosing baby-friendly … continue reading

18
Oct

I Love, Love, Love Fall

Today was one of the most beautiful Fall days we have had all season.  The skies were clear, the leaves were all shades of red, orange and yellow and there was just an overall feeling of Fall in the air.  Ahhhh, my favorite time of year! Now with two kiddies it is very important to me to start coming up with some family traditions of our own.  I can remember back to my childhood and I cherish the traditions that my family had.  Last year we started the tradition of apple picking with my in-laws and I think today a new tradition has begun. Today we went on the … continue reading

16
Oct

Fun With Leftovers!

Ok, so it was Monday night and my family had just left after coming into town for my daughter, Matilda's baptism, and I was thinking.........what are we going to have for dinner?  We had many leftovers in our fridge after having company stay with us and having just had a big baptism party. Like I said in one of my previous posts, I am really trying to be better about not wasting food so I had to figure out how to use up all of these little bits of leftovers.  We had 1.5 bowls of Taos Taco Soup left, about 1/6 of a roast chicken (Crock-Pot Chicken ) and a big … continue reading

14
Oct

The Five Love Languages

The Five Love LanguagesHow to Express Heartfeld Commitment to Your Mateby Gary Chapman"At the heart of mankind's existence is the desire to be intimate and to be loved by another.  Marriage is designed to meet that need for intimacy and love."The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman is a book I think everyone should read - whether you are currently in a relationship or not.  People express and receive love in different ways.  The emotional love language that you speak might be entirely different from the one your spouse speaks.  If you cannot learn to speak each … continue reading

14
Oct

Entertaining a Crowd

I love entertaining.  It is so wonderful to be able to welcome people into your home and serve them delicious food and drink.  Our house right now is not ideal for entertaining large crowds, but we can manage to host a pretty good medium-sized party.  My husband (who is an avid winemaker and homebrewer) always has the drink part covered and I am left to make sure we have an awesome meal!This past weekend was my baby girl, Matilda Jane's baptism into the Catholic faith.  We had about sixteen close family and friends attend the ceremony and luncheon at our home … continue reading