Childhood Treasures

Pins were an important accessory to my coats and sometimes my sweaters when I was little.  I found a couple dates on the back of two pins, 1980.  I was just starting out in school.  My mom would make sure when it was Spring my chick pin was on my spring coat.  It said "Happy Spring".  When Christmas rolled around, my dresses and sweaters would have a Santa Claus.  Then there was Mickey and Strawberry Shortcake.  I don't know about you, but I have a hard enough time just to get everyone ready in the morning and out the door without remembering to put a pin on one of my girls' outfits!  Maybe, it was because I was the only girl!  Did you wear cute little pins?

Market bags

I made some market bags for my open studio last fall.   I ended up selling all of them.  I received a custom order for two more.  I love the fun prints.  Now, I just need time to make some for me.  I'm placing two in the shop.  Hope your day is a happy one.

Winter picnic

We are on winter break.  It's a sunny but cold day.   Hunter asked me what we were going to do today.  She suggested having a picnic.  I asked her if she meant inside.  Crazy Mommy, outside of course!  I let her plan it.  We went out with clementines, peanuts, hot cocoa, and a blanket.  They gulped that cocoa down fast.  It didn't stay hot for long. Yes, our fingers were cold peeling those clementines but it was a moment that we will not soon forget.  Oh, if you look close at the footprint picture, Hunter made a snowman using her boots.  I love it.  Thank you my dear children for showing me to enjoy the little moments. 

I'm just a girl with a sewing machine

This last year I have sat at that sewing machine for many hours.  Last week fever and strep throat made its way into my home.  I was absent from my little sewing nook.  Then we went away for two days this past week and I was missing that lovely blue machine.  I know sick, right?  On our car ride home I was planning what I would sew first.  I hurried up and unpacked our suitcases.  Started the washer and unloaded the dishwasher.  I really just wanted to leave it all sitting there but I managed to get it done.  I sat in that sunny room cutting, gluing, and stamping.  A pillow came together and it made me feel so much better.     

Childhood Treasures

Books were a big part of my life growing up.  I use to visit our local library just about once a week.  The Nancy Drew books were found as you made your way down the stairs to the basement of the library.  In one year I read as many as I could.  Over the years at garage sales, I have picked up many of them.  I like the older editions.  They have that vintage look.   What series were you into growing up? 

China Cabinet Reveal

I'm so happy how this project turned out!  No longer am I ashamed to look in THAT direction.  I cleared out all the clutter that was on top of the cabinet and packed most of it away.  After a quick trip to the store, I came home with 2 yards of lace looking vinyl tablecloth.  The back of it is shiny but the top side looks just like lace.  I hot glued it on the back wall here and there.  It is very delicate and I had to be careful not to tear it.  Then the fun part.  I looked around for a mixture of items.  Most have come from my grandparents antique shop over the years.  I like the look of glass and silver together.  I added a mirror and some of my silver flatware that I want to start using.  The green thing on the shelf is an old fashioned egg grader.  The tea set came from my aunt.  It was hers when she was little.  What corner of your home have you redecorated lately that makes you smile?   

Childhood Treasures

O.K. so I just realized that my post on childhood treasures is today!  The whole Valentine's day thing has been taking up a lot of my time along with a little one with a fever that is lasting forever!  This week I decided to pick card games.  When I was growing up I'd visit my grandparents on the weekend.  Most of the evenings were spent going out to dinner with my grandma, watching Wheel of Fortune and The Golden Girls.  We'd usually spend time playing card games such as rummy 500 and a card game called Nerts.  It was basically just solitaire against one another.  Here are some other card games I kept from when I was younger.  The girls love to play the Old Maid card game.  Did you have any favorite card games growing up?

Valentines

                                                            http://www.designmom.com/                                                                                                                                                                     I love that my girls hand out handmade valentines each year.  I've got to admit this years ideas took longer than any year so far.  I know it has to do with having three children and they each had different themes.  I did not come up with these ideas, they were all courtesy of fellow amazing bloggers.  Be sure to follow the links plus they take better pictures than I do.   Karlee is in sixth grade.  This will be her last year (sniffle, sniffle) of handing out Valentine's day cards.  She went with the mad libs.   These are fun and silly.

                                                              http://www.designmom.com/                                                            Hunter is in first grade.  This project was perfect for her.  Each package contains bubbles and the card reads "being your friend makes me burst with joy".  She signed and addressed them on the back.   Wish I could say she was feeling well in this picture.  Poor kid had a fever for three days!

http://www.tatertotsandjello.com/ 

Elara is in fourth grade.  I loved how this idea came together.  I purchased water bottles, individual pink lemonade sticks, and the rest we had on hand.  Again, my pictures could have been better but I took these at night.                                                                                 

China cabinet makeover

My china cabinet is in need of a makeover.  It has looked this way since my open shop in November.  That reminds me, I need to write about that soon.  I displayed a lot of my shop items in here.  I have been putting this off for too long.  Now, every time I look over in that direction it irks me!  At first I wanted to paint it.   Now, I think that idea would take too long.  I love fast projects with big results.  Maybe, I'll place a piece of fabric on the inside back wall.  What do you think?  My little one is still under the weather here.  We're busy putting together Valentines.  I can't wait to show them to you.  Hopefully, I'll post it tomorrow. Oh, BTW  we're getting more snow today!

What's on your bed?

We are in keeping warm mode around here.  At least I am.  Why is it that as I get older I'm colder?  I'm talking temperature wise, ha!  Much to my husbands dismay, I have layer upon layer of  blankets on our bed. 
First layer-flannel sheets -a Christmas present, thank you
Second- A wool Hudson Bay blanket
Third- A down duvet
And Lastly- An electric blanket throw -a gift from the hubby, because I always complain I'm cold
What do you have on your bed to stay cozy?

Grab a cup of coffee,tea....

I finally put a "few" of my favorite blogs on the side.  They make me smile and cry (happy almost pee in the pants cry and at times sad cry).  I feel like I have gotten to know these amazing women over this last year or two.  The talent and love that they exude is huge!  Really, now go grab a drink and get comfortable.  You are going to be reading for awhile.  Enjoy!  What are your favorites?  Like I need another blog in my google reader!!!   P.S. I don't know why some things are highlighted in blue.  I didn't mean for that to happen.

Just had to share

Everyone is blogging about this snowy weather.  I just had to share a few photos of our mountains of snow!  It's very windy today.  We have so much snow that our dog now thinks our snow covered porch is a place to um....pee.  Thanks!  The  girls are out making a fort around a balsam fir tree.  I'm off to make some hot cocoa!  Hope you're cozy! 

Sleep please and new business cards

Today I woke up at 4:30.  I've been having issues with sleep.  Have any of you had this problem before?  I just wish I could sleep longer than 6-7 hours.  I should be on the treadmill but instead I've been blog hopping.  That reminds me, I need to let you all in on my must read blogs.  I want to put them on the side if possible.  They are addicting and I'm sure you have heard of  a lot of them already.  In other news...Monday I got my order from moo.com.  New business cards!  They are soo lovely!  I feel like I have a serious business now.  I can't say enough about them!  Here's a peek...

Childhood Treasures

Growing up we had a record player.  My dad had quite a few albums.  I started collecting them when I was fairly young.  Here are a few my mom just recently found and gave back to me.  We now can listen to them on our recently new to us record player.  It certainly shows you what I was interested in back then.  The Mary Lou Retton one cracks me up.  I always wanted to take gymnastics.  It wasn't available in my town so instead I took ballet. When I listened to this I would try and teach myself the moves!  It's so funny to think of it now!  Did you have a record collection (if you're old enough)?!

Spread the love sale!

I'm having a little sale in the shop!  Use the coupon code love10 upon checkout to receive 10% off your order (before shipping).  Hope your weekend was lovely! 

Needle felting and Valentine's Day necklaces

A couple of years ago, I started needle felting.  I saw it on Martha and I knew I had to try it out.  I got all the supplies that I needed and started felting away.  I love it for so many reasons.  First, I love to go thrifting for sweaters.  Second, usually I can find wool sweaters there fairly cheap.  Third, it's not all that hard.  I gathered the supplies I needed, a sweater, a barbed needle (for felting), wool roving, and a piece of foam to place between the sweater and to protect my work surface.  Now here is the important part, the needle is very sharp, you need to always keep an eye on where your fingers are.  I have pricked myself so many times, and let me tell you it hurts.  If you don't know already, you first need to felt your sweater.  This is easy.  Place it in the washer in hot water then simply put it in the dryer.  This process will felt it, basically shrinking it.  Then, place the wool roving on top of the sweater and push it through with the needle.  You will need to go over it many times to get it to adhere to the sweater.  This is all you need to do.  It's fast, easy earth friendly, and inexpensive.  Here are a few things I have made for the girls: 

I think I might put a few needle felted items in the shop.  I'm in love with wool!

Happy Birthday

My baby is turning seven today.  Yes, time has flown by, but it's been filled with so much goodness.  Lately, she says, "i love you mom",  instead of mama.  It's sad, but it was bound to happen.  If I remind her she will often revert back to saying mama.  Her vocabulary is getting bigger.  I stop and have to ask myself if she actually just said that!

When she was still in my belly, I started a journal.  It was one of the best things I did.  I wrote in it when I got back from the doctors, when we decorated her bedroom,  and when we found out she was a girl.  I still have the list of possible names in the journal.  After she was born, I wrote about her birth.  Over the next few years, I wrote to her on her birthdays, and on her first day of school.  The other night I pulled the journal off the shelf and snuggled up  in bed with her.  We read each page.  She loved it.  She laughed at the drawings her sisters made of her in my belly, and the funny things they said "Oh, my fat little one".  They were referring to her not ME!  I'm so glad that I took some time to write to my girl.  I only wish I had written in a journal for our other two daughters.

Birthday outfit

Here is what my littlest one will be wearing for her 7 th birthday.  It was really quick to make.  I made a skirt, appliqued t-shirt and a matching headband.  She has some sparkly shoes that I picked up at Target before Christmas.  I can't wait until she wears this to school.  She'll need to wear some tights and probably a long sleeve shirt underneath as well.  I hope this isn't the last year she will let me make her birthday outfit!

Snow day!

We live in an area that receives lots of snow, but  we rarely get a snow day.  Today it finally happened!  I think one of the best moments as a mom is to whisper in your sleeping child's ear, "It's a snow day".  Today we'll stay in our jammies.  Make pumpkin muffins.  I'll sew a birthday outfit for my little one.  We'll venture outside in the blinding snow and then come in for hot chocolate.  It'll be a good day.  We'll be together.