This is what two looks like

Sam on the first morning of his second year of life and life is good!  We never want to forget what Sam at two looks like.  He often has a binky.

He almost always has a blanket near by.  Most often it is this one, which was a gift to brother Max from Great Grandma Ellwood when he was a baby.  It is very soft and has a crab on it.  He also loves his flannel blankets made for both him and Max by Grandma Sue.

Sam has such sweet feet.  They are wide and long.  We love him in bare feet, or as he calls them his "feets".

Every morning the only thing on Sam's mind is getting "oside".  He loves to look at the pool and thinks that every body of water, big or small, has fish in it.  We have tried to show him that  the pool, puddles, glasses of water, etc do not have fish - but we never win this argument.  He also loves bees, bugs, planes, balls and his brother and sister.  Or at least most of the time he loves his sister.  But can you blame him for the occasional burst of anger aimed at miss Ellie?  A guy can only be bossed around and micro-managed for so long before he bursts . . . 

this is the aftermath of a scene that plays out EVERY day - the tackle.  Luckily it turns into laughter, sometimes a hit of bite.  We are working on that part.

This image is what made me stop and grab the camera this morning, late for school and all, how could I miss this shot on this day.  This is Sam and this is what two looks like.

Puddle Jumping and the dynamic duo

My baby is turning two . . . he has grown up so fast and is such a sweet little boy.  We have truly been blessed with these two wonderful little people.  Right now Sam is all about the b-ball and being outside.  He cries every day to "pay" "oside".  Today even though it was raining and Ellie was wearing the dress I finished for her last night, I thought why not a little rain never hurt me.  So we did some serious puddle jumping, puddle splashing and there were some denied attempts at puddle drinking.  So fun to be a two year old and live for being outside in the rain.

Miss Ellie raced from puddle to puddle and went wild.  I had the camera out to get a shot of her in the peasant dress I just finished for her.  Even though the weather wasn't exactly summer dress weather, she had to wear it.  The cool thing is she "helped" me make it and understood that the dress was "sew".  She still likes to pretend sew with me on her wooden play machine, broken and all.  I love that she can say "mommy made" "pretty dress" and 

"sew".  What fun to have the photos to look back on of her helping me make her clothes.  I wish I was a better at it, so I could make something for the boys besides blankets/quilts.  Actually I have yet to even do that for Max, I must get back at his baseball quilt . . . stay tuned on that one!

After the jumping they were both splashing around in the puddles!

Much to my disapproval Sam moved the party to the mud and had to have a 9:45 am bath!  Oh well, he had fun!

I guess I will have to try harder to get a good shot of this dress from the front.  I love the Sandi Henderson prints from her Farmer's Market line.  Also how much do we love the pink Roxy boots, I wonder if the hot pink version comes in a size 9?

Great Welcome Back home - Double Cotton Gauze and Kokka

Steve is traveling all week and I am already exhausted and it is only Tuesday.  Max had a baseball game tonight and it took FOREVER.  He looked very cute and grown-up as the catcher.  We played against a team with lots of his pre-school and grade school friends on it, so it was fun to see everyone.  Driving home thinking about getting the two little ones to sleep, homework and cleaning up . . . I realized no sewing tonight.  I am dying to try my hand at some more dresses for Ellie and my nieces.  

To my delight, TWO packages were at the front door waiting for me to come home.  Even though I am too tired to sew, I can fondle, cuddle and fold and refold my new bundles of possibilities.  So much double cotton gauze, what should I do with it first?  I love some of the sun dresses I have seen done with it, especially this and this.  Then of course the quilts, especially this and this.  hmmmm, I will probably just have to hold it close for awhile.

After placing the order for the Far Far Away prints I was happily going about my weekend.  I started to follow a couple of on-line fabric stores on Tweeter and I couldn't resist taking a peek at the new Echino double cotton gauze at Fabricworm.  Once I saw it . . . you guessed it I had to place another order.  Isn't it stunning?  Not being able to choose which colorway, I of course had to order the lion print in both.  I think it will become a sundress . . .  the other prints perhaps floppy bags?  The print is so fun, it might just have to become a wall hanging or canvas.  Also the drape and feel of this fabric is so wonderful.  Enough time on the computer, I need to go enjoy the peace of a quiet house and roll around in my Japanese cotton-ney goodness!

Teacher's End of Year Gift

We started out to make some fun fabric covered button magnets for Max's first grade teacher, but before the night was over we added his music teacher, art teacher, librarian, and the nurse.  I asked him why the additions to our list and he told me he was in the craft zone.  That was all he needed to say, we could have been making magnets all night!  I guess it makes it easy that we sell all the supplies on our ETSY supply site to make these and had plenty on hand.  Sorry the pictures don't do them justice, but Max wanted to show Grandma via this blog - so look Grandma what Max made!

This really is a wonderful little project that uses all of your small scraps.  We used size 30 cover buttons, with flat backs.  After covering the buttons with Tonga Batik in fun and vibrant colors, we used E-6000 craft glue to adhere STRONG rare earth magnets.  Max loved this part, before he had a system down, the magnets were flying off the backs of magnets and jumping back together.  We solved the problem by placing them far apart on a divided tray to dry.

It is hard to see in this picture, but the little window tins make this the fun gift it is. It keeps the magnets from bunching up since they are magnatized to the container.  It also just makes for a sweet little presentation.  He will tie a piece of fabric around it and hang a little card off of it.  He also likes to tell the receipient that he has tested the magnets and they will hold up to 10 sheets of paper.  I will be making a lot more of these in all kinds of fabrics to have at our booth at the ZONTA/LARAC show in June in Glens Falls, NY.  They have been really good sellers for us in the past.

We have our Scrabble Tiles made and almost ready for the show and now we are starting to work on our hand stamped sterling items and pearl jewelry.  We will make some various accessories with fabric if time permits.  Hair ponytails, bobby pins and key fobs tend to sell well for us.  I started a batch of key fobs and got them sewn and ready for hardware.  I don't think my love of all things pink, brown and hot pink will fade anytime soon.

We will try at this show some funkier prints on the fobs.  We lots of fun Japanese fabrics and thought it would be fun to see if they are a hit.  In addition lots of preppy stuff that seems to be making a comeback.  It will be a wide range of items at this show, so we can get feedback for the Saratoga Springs summer shows.

First Swim of 2009

We have had the pool open for about a week, added the salt, got the chlorine generator going and just passed the water test - so all systems go.  The weather has been AWESOME and the water has heated up to the mid-60's.  Our plan was to turn on the heater, get the temp into the 70's and we would be swimming when the sun came out later this afternoon (forecast in the 70's).  Max however took the plan to mean, get your bathing suit on before breakfast and jump right in.  We tried and tried to reason with him as we turned on the heater this am, but he just couldn't wait.  

About 45 minutes into the swim, he started to look cold.  He of course wouldn't give up until he turned blue and his lips were shaking.  He is snuggled under a down comforter now trying to warm up, so he can swim later with the rest of the family.

Sam hates being left out of the fun.  He and I put our feet in and soon he was swimming in the PJ's with Max for a few moments.  Ellie stuck her feet in, splashed a bit and declared "cold" and then went back to chasing the frogs we rescued from the skimmers.

Heather Ross Far Far Away Couldn't Help Myself Purchase

What is a girl to do when you just have to have it . . . this fabric line has been so hard to get and I loved the one piece I was able to get my hands on that I couldn't help myself . . . 

If you love it too, Fabricworm just got some in and are having a sale this weekend, use coupon sc15off at check-out for 15% off.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this Princess and the Pea fabric.  Maybe a sweet little peasant dress for my little sweet pea?  Great for some quilt blocks . . . or just great to look at from time to time.  The cotton gauze fabric is so lovely and it really has a nice drape!

This print will be perfect for a lovely halter dress for little miss Ellie.  I had this print in mind when I bought this pattern book.

I am so excited to give it a try!

Now I can start dreaming what I am going to do with the five other prints and colorways . . .

Goodies from Japan - fun for all

I have fallen in love with all things Japanese, a long time ago actually. . .

now it extends to the new obsession, sewing.  I have a stash full of Japanese prints and just had to have a few more.  Oh, how I love ETSY.

All three kids got a kick out of the package.  Max wants to take the envelope to school for show and tell.  He has researched the yen and wants to compare cost of shipping.  Ellie and Sam love the Care Bear tape on the back.  They have been pointing to the flowers, stars, moon, clouds, bears, etc.  for over an hour.

The main reason I ordered this time was for these two books,  the photos look great, but I think I am crazy to try and sew from them.  I think my inexperience might shine through.  We will see how it goes.

A few fabrics I just had to throw in since the envelope was coming all the way from Japan!

Good Folks and Weekend Sewing

Whooo hooo, I made a dress from start to finish for Ellie on my own!  My sewing skills are starting to get better.  I love this dress and have been wanting to make it since I saw the tutorial here and then further motivated by Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross.  

It makes it even better that Ellie wanted to help me sew and then as soon as I put it on her, she ran to show Daddy her pretty sew.  (which I think means pretty dress mommy made for me!)

Love this fabric and I think it is my new favorite - Anna Marie Horner, Good Folks line.  KC Custom Fabric in Saratoga Springs has a lot from the line.  I really have been trying to use other fabric, but I just can't seem to get enough of this print.  It was in the quilt I just finished, a tote bag I am working on and this.  Fabulous, don't you think?

  

The shirring is done with elastic thread in the bobbin.  So easy and so fun!  

Ellie also gave it the play test.  She was up and down the playset, climbing the rock wall, sliding and swinging.  I think I will make the next dress a little longer, but for playing this is a great length!

This last shot is of her running away from me when I wanted to change her back into her play clothes, since it was a little chilly today for a sundress!

Three hours before the shower . . .

I finished this!  I must say I love, love, love it!  

I might even love the back more than the front.  I am pretty sure some more quilts with lots of white will be in my future.  I just love the look.  Clean.  Simple.  Courtney at KC Custom Fabrics did the quilting for me and the intersecting circle pattern matches the peony print perfectly.  In the past I have used colored thread, but on this chose white and again Loving It!

My friend Lauren is a very fun and hip mom.  I knew she wouldn't like anything too babyish.  I think she really loved it.  

Another thing I did on this, that I will be doing again is using solid color for the binding with a strip of a print mixed in.  It came out so fun.  The bulk of the fabric for this was the Anna Marie Horner Good Folks.  The green print is Meadow, the pink intersecting circles are Peony and the wonderful floral print is Azalea.  The solids are Kona and the other two prints are Alexander Henry prints.  

I think that does it for showers for awhile, but I do need to come up with something fabulous for my own children.  They got my first quilts and Max hasn't even got one yet, which he continues to remind me.  So finishing his baseball quilt is next on my list and then something lovely like this for my own little princess!

Finally have finished a napkin project

18" square napkins with the new Jennifer Paganelli Pretty Please fabric line for Free Spirit turned out so fun and practical. Picked up the fabric at my favorite quilt store, KC Custom Fabrics, they have great colorways in this line.  I love how they turned out and wish I didn't make them to give away!  Paired with a lovely tray from Target and a fun acrylic bowl for summer salads, this turned into a fun gift for my husband's mother.  I used three prints and a yard and a half of each fabric yielded 9 mix and match napkins.  They will be fun to use poolside this summer!

Shots of the napkins straight out of the machine.  After sewing them together I topstitched close to the edge and then also an inch off the edge.   Used the edge foot for the first time and LOVE it!  I think I will really like the size much better than the 13" square that I made before, which were really just an odd size for a napkin.  Thrilled with these.

Took a picture of each of the kids and put it onto a scrabble tile as well.  Sealed, glazed, etc and then attached a magnet.   In the large slider tin, they make a super cute gift.

Also made a her a scrabble pendant with photos and a sterling silver chain.  It is hard to wear all of them at once, but perhaps she can wear them on the kids birthdays, etc.

Here are the 9 finished napkins - aren't they fun?

Feeling lucky to be the mother of these three little people!

It is SO hard to get his picture these days.  He is just way too cool, but I knew I had a chance on Mother's Day.  They have to be nice on Mother's Day, right?  So here it is, the best of the shots I took this am - on my next big photo day with Max I will make sure his face is clean!

Ellie and Sam both trying to sit on this tiny little trinket corner shelf in our kitchen.  Ellie actually won the battle this time and her little bum is in the shelf!

Wonderful gift from Max.  It even came with a special message to me.

Love his penmanship.  Also in case I get a lot of Mother's Day greetings from boys named Max, he signed his last name as well . . . 

Lovely artwork for the card.  What a great package and the presentation with the kiss and excitement was priceless!

Hi Grandma

Grandma Sue - We love you and wish we weren't a country apart.  Wouldn't it be great if we could just show up at Bob's house tonight to be with you guys!  Going to get more batteries, so Max and all three can send you a video Mother's Day Card!

Anyway here is a little preview!

Last Night

We are starting to get ready for summer craft shows and also having our scrabble tile necklaces in a few local stores.  We will have details soon.  Loving some of the new papers.

How fun is the pink stripe, the pink floral with a touch of silver and the fish?  We thought they are great for spring and summer.

Not such a great picture, but napkins for my mother-in-law for Mother's Day!  Sometime today or tonight I will finish them and take a good picture.  I hope to sneak off at some point today and find some fun outdoor stuff to go with them.