Rose Pouch

I found this wonderful striped fabric in the clearance rack a couple of months ago. I fell in love immediately and it was only $2/yd. I bought everything they had not knowing what I’d do with it.

Its one of those things I hate to cut into, because I can’t replace it if I make a mistake!

So far, I’ve made this pouch with it that will soon be showing up in my etsy shop.

I had a girl make me a custom pattern to fit my body of a skirt similar to this one from Boden. I’m sure I’ll be making one out of this striped fabric as well.

I know that flower embellished things are a bit overdone.  As you can see by my next few posts, I’m not sick of it yet!

Valentine Skirt

I came across this Valentine fabric I had left over from making these last year, so I whipped up a “very imperfect, but who else will notice” skirt for Piper Ann.

Not bad for an hours worth of work, including cutting.

Easy Felt Valentine’s Pillow Tutorial

What you’ll need…

3- 5×5″ squares of pink felt

3 -4×4″ squares of red felt

2- 12×17″ rectangles of off white felt

3- 5×1/2″ rectangles of dark green felt

3-2 1/4×1 1/2″ rectangles of Dark green felt

3- 2×3/4″ rectangles of light green felt

Paper for making templates

1. Make heart shaped templates from  5×5″ and 4×4″ squares of paper. Make leaf shaped templates from 2 1/4×1 1/2″ and 2 x 3/4″ rectangles of paper.

2. Trace around the larger hearts onto the pink felt. Trace around the smaller hearts onto the red felt.

3. Trace around larger leaf onto dark green felt and the smaller leaf onto the light green felt.

4. Cut  out pieces making sure to cut off all trace marks.

5. Layout pieces on cream colored felt, so that the hearts and stems are evenly space. Keep 1/4″ seam allowance in mind around the edges. Pin stems in place.

6. First stitch down the center of the stem with green thread. (This can be done using a sewing machine or hand stitching.)

7. Next stitch on the leaves towards the base of the stem. Match up the points of the leaves closest to the stem. Stitch down the center of the light green leaf. Repeat for each leaf.

8.  Center the red heart on top of the pink heart. Pin in place, so it is centered on the stem.

9. Stitch down the center of the red heart using pink thread.

10. Repeat for the next two hearts.

11. With right sides of cream felt  facing together, sew around all four sides leaving a small opening in the bottom for stuffing.

12. Clip corners and turn right side out.

13. Stuff pillow and hand stitch the opening closed.

When the pillow is stuffed, it gives the hearts and leaves a 3 dimensional look!

Pinewood Derby

This past Saturday Nathan competed in his school’s Pinewood Derby for cub scouts.
He got first place within his den and 3rd place overall. He’ll be going to districts in March.
His car was about 1/4 of an ounce under weight, so Ricardo’s hoping that by adding that back in his car will be even faster. He missed first place by 13 thousandths of a second.

Here’s Ricardo sawing away at the block of wood.
(He’s thrilled to be having his picture taken during this very frustrating moment!)

Nathan’s helping to polish the axles.

Ricardo is installing the wheels.

Anxiously awaiting his turn.

The first race. They raced 4 times each and the best time was taken.

Standing with the other placeholders.

He took home a lot of hardware that he’s very proud of!

Haiti

Today was the first day I’ve been able to see the news and really absorb what’s going on in Haiti.

As I sit in my nice safe house I feel helpless.

To contribute, I will be donating 50% of all sales in my etsy shop to relief.
Donating isn’t stopping there in the 3 in under 3 house. Nathan, with no suggestions from me, decided to donate his toothfairy money to his friends Haiti fund. Ricardo and I will be matching it.

Snow Day

We had our first snow day of the year last week.

The kids were so excited. They actually got up earlier that day than they did on Christmas!

The day started off with chocolate chip pancakes then a viewing of Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. That has become the new “go to” movie in our house. The kids also like to watch old reruns of Pee Wee’s playhouse on You Tube…Thanks to Ricardo’s new Blu Ray player we can do all of those things from the comfort of our couch.

We hit the slopes in the backyard by 9 am. They aren’t super steep, but good enough for the 2 younger timid kids. Luckily or unluckily, because it was 10 degrees outside, the kids lasted over an hour. It takes a long time to get 3 kids, plus myself ready to go play in the snow. It seems like old times when they were 2 1/2, 1, and a newborn!

We came in and enjoyed some delicious hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies that I had made earlier.

Piper Ann spent the rest of the morning at the neighbor’s house while the boys ran around the house playing with another neighbor.

After lunch the boys hit the slopes again with a neighbor while I worked out, showered and put laundry away.

I heard Oliver crying outside. I assumed he had had enough of the cold, but met him at the back door. I was greeted with bloody faced 3 year old. Apparently he didn’t get the “bow out when you get close to a tree while sledding” memo, and smacked a tree head first.

He definitely did a number on himself. Luckily it didn’t scare him too much. He went back out after Ricardo got home.

Nathan had the next day off too because of the bitter cold, but Piper Ann had preschool. Thankfully Ricardo drove her, so I didn’t have to face negative temps!

2009 Recap

Looking back at my year its been pretty eventful!

January

*I celebrated my 30th birthday
*We celebrated Oliver’s 3rd birthday.
* I had surgery

February
*Celebrated my Grandma’s Birthday
*Celebrated Valentines Day

March
*Celebrated Ricardo’s 36th Birthday
*Took the kids to Chicago for Spring Break

April
*Went camping for the first time.
*Celebrated my cousin’s daughters birthday.
*Celebrated Nathan’s 6th birthday.
*My mom and Mother in Law celebrated their birthdays too!
*Went to Mexico to celebrate 2 of my good friends and my 30th birthdays. It was the first time we ever left the kids. We had a great time but missed them of course.

May
*Wrapped up the school year.

June
*Started summer activities
*Finished my sister’s quilt
*Redid my bathroom

July
*Nathan busted open his chin!
*Spent the 4th in the country with our friends.

August
*Went to Mexico again with Ricardos mom, sister, brother-in-law, and niece.
*Nathan started first grade.
*Little kids went to preschool.

September
*Went camping again

October
*The salon I worked at closed.
*Oliver gave up binkys
*The inlaws came up for Halloween

November
*Had a great Thanksgiving with some friends
*Visited Chicago and the in laws

December
*Had a busy month
*Had a great Christmas with the extended family
*Got to spend some quality time with my youngest sis
*Rang in the new year with some old and new friends.

I hope everyone has a great 2010!