we've moved

Hola! I have some exciting news! I've finally decided to take my fabric obsession to the next level. I am opening an online store! For now I'll be selling fabric and clothing on Etsy and my new website is being worked on as we speak.

So I've started a new blog to go along with my new shop. The Handmade Republic. I will be moving operations there. Be sure to subscribe!

baby laugh a lot

I've been laughing at this all morning...



What the hell?

shopping spree!

I recently received a $50 shopping spree at my local quilt shop. This is some of what happened with it. I really do intend to make some of these Oliver + S dresses to sell, but it's hard to part with them! Pattern review for the birthday party dress coming soon!
PS Sorry if it's hard to see the playsuit or dress completely. My model wouldn't keep still!

perfectly happy

What American society says I should do daily:

1. Feed the kids a nutritious breakfast
2. Do flashcards with my 4 yr old; review colors with my 2 yr old; language development with my 1yr old, all while cleaning the breakfast dishes
3. Go to story time at the local library
4. Go to playgroup at the local park. Remember to cheer each and every time my kids go down the slide because it's obviously all their doing and not gravity. Oh and talk with the other moms about nothing but our children.
5. Have a well balanced lunch
6. Nap for the little one; arts and crafts for the older two; laundry, housework, etc
7. Dinner
8. Bath, books, bedtime
9. Clean kitchen once again
10. Time for mommy (to research which kindergarten is the best and how I can push my kids to the limit academically. It's never too early!)

What I actually do with my day:
1. Give the kids a nutritious breakfast.
2. Let the kids watch cartoons (yes even the 1 year old) while I thoroughly enjoy a cup of coffee
3. Morning nap for baby, I take a nice, hot shower and tickle a few bellies or toss them over and over again on my bed while they giggle
4. Run errands for myself; stop by the park on the way home to let the kids get totally dirty and slide a billion times. Since the park is near railroad tracks, we have to go explore the tracks too in the hopes that a train will pass. (No luck today though.)
5. Realize that I stayed too long at the park, so lunch will have to be veggie burgers from Burger King. I only allow fast food once every two or three months but only b/c my tummy can't take too much of it.
6. Nap time for 1 year old, 2 and 4 year old run around and play on their own while I surf the web and/or read a good book. Quickly clean the kitchen and perhaps vacuum. (If not, the cleaning can wait until Saturday.)
7. Go to the gym by myself after the husband comes home from work.
8. Nutritious dinner cooked either by me or the husband, clean up the kitchen with help from the kids
9. Bath, books, bed
10. Spend time with a good book, sew, knit or do whatever I want.

A few reasons for this list comparison---Ladies, take plenty of time for yourself because if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Let your kids play freely because they'll have all the time in the world to learn when they're in school. We worry too much about being perfect when we should worry about being perfectly happy.

don't laugh! at least i tried!

So I decided to make a doll for Matilda for her birthday. This was at Liam's suggestion after seeing Coraline. So I set out to make a "Matilda" doll. Keep in mind this was my first doll ever! I have also never embroidered anything before. I wanted to do a simple embroidered face, no buttons or anything.
She seemed to like it and even gave it a hug and kiss.
I used the pattern from Emily Martin. (I think Martin is her last name.) I think you can find the pattern on Martha Stewart's website. I also used Anna Maria Horner fabric from her garden party line.

So the doll's a little scary but not scary enough to not play with. (-:

a birthday cake's journey

Rainbow batter...yes, those are all the colors. ROYGBIV FTW!
Spooned into my cake pans.
Baked. They look kinda like eyes or very colorful boobs.
The finished product. I learned a couple of kids ago to not try to write a message on the cake. A cake decorator I am not!
A lovely rainbow-y slice.
The birthday girl is all smiles!
Shhh don't tell anyone how old I am!

I got the idea from here. I didn't use the sprite, but instead followed the instructions on the box. That's probably why my colors weren't so bold. That or my 4 year old "helper" didn't put in enough food coloring. I also put the cake in the freezer a bit before putting the icing on to make the application easier. The cake was enjoyed by all!

happy me

Target + Orla Kiely = a happy me

I see Orla Kiely plates decorating my kitchen walls in the future!

ready for planting

So we all have our boots ready to hit the garden! Liam's already have a bit of dirt on them, Jack's were purchased last night. He's already put some mileage on his cows. Matilda isn't quite up to walking in hers yet, but I'm sure by the end of the summer, she'll be wearing them around. Now all we need are our seeds (the boys made the shopping list already) and for the cold weather to go away!
And I whipped up a cape for Super Milo! Happy second birthday Milo! I hope you have many new and exciting adventures this year.

books, books, and more books

It's almost time to change my fall/winter reading list over there to my spring/summer reading list. I did make quite a dent in that list. I also strayed a bit. There are some books that I just wasn't in the mood to read, and other books that I couldn't wait to get my hands on. Let's get started with some little reviews, shall we...

The Great Divorce by CS Lewis

Who doesn't love Lewis? This book was in one word, wonderful. It was a short book by page number, but powerfully packed with things to ponder. You start out on a bus ride with the main character from a grayish town to a wonderful (or not so wonderful) place. With him you learn about the great divorce between Heaven and Hell. I highly recommend this book.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

I didn't get around to reading this. I watched Capote with Philip Seymour Hoffman though. Does that count?

Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

This is the second part in the Inkheart trilogy. Yes, it's for younger people, but it's fun. In this installment, Meggie and her father, Mo, along with her mother, Resa, find themselves in the Inkworld. I liked this one better than Inkheart because it seem like Funke better understands the characters in this one. I recommend it if you want a fast, fun read. I highly recommend it for kids 9-12ish.

Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

Obviously the third installment of the Inkheart trilogy. While I still enjoyed Inkspell more, this one wasn't all that bad. It's definitely the darkest of the three, but it tends to drag out in some areas. Still, a good read for those younger folk.

OK, that's it for the reviews now. I'll review the rest in another post. I know they're short and sweet, but I have a baby hanging on my pants leg.

On another note, I just started work on a quilt for my etsy shop. The shop is going through a revamp...slowly. But the quilt I designed, if it comes out the way I want it to...awesome.

uuggghh

Sure vacation is fun and all, but it's not so fun when you come home with a horrible sickness. I don't even know what it is we all got. It's like a hybrid flu/cold thing. That's why I've been out of commission for so long.

On another note, I'm halfway done with a quilt top for a birthday present. I seem to have run out of thread though. Darn looks like I'll have to go to Joann today! I'll be out and about picking out an anniversary present anyway.

Happy 5 years Jason! I love you!

yes, i'm still here

I've just been taking it easy. Busy making the solar system now. I'll explain soon with more pictures.