What happened to February? Oops forgot to blog!

I am really not sure what I have been doing . . . I think I will blame it on the LONG, COLD and very SNOWY winter we are having. Then I always have the two three year old excuse, they have both been a bit on the needy side lately. I have also gone a bit mad for Blythe dolls and have been making clothes for them, buying little miniature items, little photo shoots and the most fun part, playing on the floor with Ellie and Sam and using our imagination with the girls. Ellie's enthusiasm has only spurred me on, and lets face it, it really didn't take much.

This is Ellie with Trixie, she brought her to pre-school for her show and tell letter D day.

I finished and shipped my items for the Urban Home Goods Swap. This round has amazing and it is really a swap not to be missed. Make sure to check out the items so far on flickr. I loved my partner's mosaic, isn't it wonderful with all the natural linen and mustard tones.

I ordered a bunch of mustard solids and some worked together and some not so much. In the end I used one solid and then all the mustard prints in my stash, which is sadly a colorway I am lacking. Here is the pillow I made. It was based on this one, a tutorial Heather made for Sew Mama Sew.

Pillow front

pillow back and yes, it is sporting a zipper!

I am nothing if not predictable and made a Jane Market Bag. I really love this pattern and must make a few for us soon. My local quilt shop, KC Custom Fabrics is carrying a few rolls Echino Laminate and it is awesome. The market tote really has a great feel with the laminate.

I also spent a day at KC taking a workshop by Amy Bradley. I learned lots of fun tips on machine applique and the new workshop space at KC is amazing. The best place to take a class. A huge space, with tons of table space, light and a great lunch room. With all the fabric downstairs and also the sewing machine store under one roof is great if you need anything! I finished three blocks and turned one into a pillow for Ellie's room.

Pillow front from Hoots Pattern Pillow back with zipper!

Although I have been eyeing the Blythe posts for a couple years (and had one in the 70's as a young girl), having a daughter to play with pushed me to the edge. The Modern Blythe Lovers group and its first swap pushed me over. Here are some of the items I made for my partner. I ended up sending a lot of small items I purchased because little is just plain fun! I didn't take a photo of the package before sending it . . . oops.

I received a great swap package from Jessie, Yarntini, but will save it for a post in the next couple of days. It is so special it deserves its own post. Thanks again Jessie!

Finally I will leave you with a few shots of our girls, aren't they lovely? I have done a lot of knitting for them and it is fun to get the needles out again. I love sewing for the kids, since it is quick and easy . . . miniature sewing for Blythe will take some practice, but it is almost instant gratification!

The lovely Rory . . . I really adore this girl!

Miss Trixie has stole our heart and her pink hair makes her officially Ellie's doll. Everything pink in our house is automatically claimed.

Our cool chick, Crickette

Cristina, natural beauty

Sam, our first girl, and oh so sweet. She will go to the spa sometime soon. She is lovely.

Retail therapy rocks: some bold eye candy!

Is it possible for this to be even better in person? Love the new spring line from Echino. Bold graphics, color that pops and wonderful images, what is not to love? So thrilled to have ordered these and can't wait to start using them.

Just finished a market tote for the {Urban} Home Goods Swap and reminded myself how much I love to sew this stuff. I especially love all Echino paired with linen. The bag was fun to make and I see a lot more of these in my future, perhaps a few with cameras, glasses or bikes .. .

I love how this came out and hope my swap partner will like it! This might be the bag pattern and fabric that will actually help me not forget to bring the bags to the store. Other bags and info on the Jane Market bag pattern here.

Good to be a medium (and growing) fish in a little pond and other life lessons

Not much sewing around here this weekend, but a whole lot of sports. To be exact 13 days of sports each night and counting. Thanks to some rain today, I think we might have a break.

Last week was the first week of baseball. Steve is coaching and Max is playing. It is their second year in Bantam and what a difference a year makes. I actually learned a lot this weekend. Team Spirit and a positive attitude makes all the difference. The team is having a lot of fun and it is really contagious. The kids are having fun, the parents have fun and it is just what youth sports should be - fun! Max woke up on Saturday am, after a close game on Friday and exclaimed he thinks the reason we won is because we had more team spirit and fun. He gets it. It has taken a while for him to get here, but HE GETS IT!

The Bantam League is mainly for first and second graders (7 & 8 year olds) but there are some third graders and a few kindergartners. Max will be 8 in three months and is in second grade and this is his second year playing. He had a great weekend. It is good to be a medium fish in a safe, comfortable pond. Lots of hits in all three games, some wonderful plays in the field including a diving line drive catch and then making it into a double play, and finally two over-the-fence home runs in a game- including a Grand Slam.

All it takes is a little confidence and wow! He has really matured since last year and is secretly so proud of himself, what fun to watch as a mom. I think my favorite part when both Max and his friend Garrett hit home runs is to watch the reaction of the other kids on the team. They were all so happy for each other. All the mom's cried. It was one of those special moments.

The next day at Max's soccer game he had a little more spring in his step and for no reason his soccer enthusiasm improved a bit. He didn't mind the teasing the third graders give him quite as much. He had gained some self confidence.

It made me think of all the kids I come in contact with on a weekly basis and how much a little encouragment or accomplishment, even small means to them. I think as a society we need to help kids have a little success. Accomplishment leads to more accomplishment and self-confidence. I realize my parents goals were to help us grow-up with the sense that we could do it. I think that was the outcome of my Smith College experience, learning woman can do whatever they want as well. If that means being a mom- great, having a career-great, and having both-great. I hope to pass that on to my kids and other kids I encounter along the way.

Day 12 of nothing but flip flops since vacation. I force her into appropriate footwear when necessary.

The little kids have more of a handful lately than usual. I have decided that three is actual the terrible twos for them and that this is perhaps the new normal. Since I had nothing to lose, I decided to try and boost their confidence a bit and guess what, it worked. I know for me it is so easy to lose sight of what matters and how important a job raising good kids is. A little work on my part and the two of them have been a delight. So what if this is how Ellie wants to dress on a 40 degree and rainy day. We went out with this crazy outfit on (top over way too small sundress), but she did it herself and loved it. Sam is having fun getting his shoes on and other do it myself stuff. Yes it took 10x longer to hoover today, but they were proud of helping me.

Okay I have done a tiny bit of sewing and after counting some buttons for a big order, I think I will finish up project two for the {Urban} Home Goods Swap. I love all Echino, but the red scooters {swoon} and the new stuff is in stores today. I pre-ordered and am thrilled! Also I have just signed on for a Meg's Kids Clothes Week Challenge in conjunction with kids sewing week in May. It looks fun!

Note to self, week 1 of the diet was a success with 6 pounds lost - keep going and don't cheat! Also the Grade School Yearbook is almost done- thank goodness. Get started earlier next year please!