Not So Sure This Is A Good Idea

AJ came running inside,
"Come look mom, I'm surfing!"

"Does your father know about this? Let me put my coat on."

"Oh, I see...it was your father's idea."

"nice..."

Organizing and Numero Tres!

Not bambino numero tres folks...
just organizing my craft room &...

wait for it...

machine numero tres!

Exciting...huh?!

So although the big craft room reveal was way back in July...
some projects were still in limbo...
until now!

Andy cut some sheet medal from Home Depot to fit a frame
that I primed and spray painted...

Gotta love a fancy frame in aqua!

And now to introduce you to numero tres!

She doesn't have a name yet...still working on that.

I received her for Christmas...
and let me tell you...
so far she intimidates the hell out of me.

But the good news is she comes with classes.

She is a Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 835.
Just sounds fancy doesn't she?!

She has...
an extended sewing surface for quilting...
a large graphic display and dual lights ...
exclusive sensor system technology that senses my fabric thickness
for a perfect, even feed...(she thinks for herself...kinda creepy.)
"105 stunning stitches to inspire endless creativity."

You would be intimidated too.

Here are all three machines.
What a collection!
(Just ignore the little boy in the pic, he jumped in at the last second.)

A Ripple Effect

I have an amazing friend that truly radiates positivity to everyone around her.
Her enthusiasm and
Her enthusiasm and energy just naturally causes others to be more friendly, enthusiastic, and energetic.

It does not surprise me that her children are going to save the world one day.

Her daughter turned 18 last week.
She said that she has been given everything she ever needed her whole life, so
for her 18th birthday she wanted to give something back.

(This is not what kind of stuff I was thinking when I was 18 years old.)

Like her family, she sews and quilts.
I know! 18!

Last year she made princess dresses for children battling with cancer.
Before the ball, one of the little girls she made a dress for passed away.
She was buried in her princess dress.

When I asked my friend's daughter what she was going to study in college...
I was not surprised to hear pediatric oncology.

One day she heard about an organization on the radio that sews dresses for girls around the world. Being the amazing person that she is, she organized a sewing party for her 18th birthday to give something back.

Are you kidding me?!
How do I raise my children to be so humble and giving?

I want to be a better person just because this young girl has a heart of gold and power to already touch the world in so many positive ways.

To honor her compassion and character I made two pillowcase dresses this week for her to send in with the others made at her party.

The truly amazing thing is that though she will be sending in many dresses to give something back to girls around the world for her 18th birthday, she has also given me something incredible.

A gift of inspiration and a spark of motivation.

So although there is much sadness and tragedy in this world, there is also much good.

Happy Birthday Brianna!
You are going to rock this world.

“Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” -Scott Adams

If you would like to dress a girl around the world click the link below.

Dress A Girl Around The World

Time Capsule Ornament!

I am number 7 out of 8 children,
so as you can imagine there is hardly any journalist or photographic evidence of my existence...
until high school.

As I watch my children explore the world around them,
I hope to preserve for them what helped shape who they are and develop their passions.

I always wonder what I was like when I was AJ or Abby's age.
Do they come by this stuff naturally?!

This project helped me take a snapshot of each kiddo's personality and
hold onto what they love in an ornament.

I picked up some huge clear glass ornaments at an after Christmas sale...
gathered up some stickers and small items that captured a few of AJ and Abby's faves...
cut thin strips of scarpbook paper...
wrote out a few little things I want to remember...
AND
ta-da!

Double Turn Corner Trick

For Christmas this year I made Andy's family a tea towel

to go with some yummy freezer jam.

My corners used to be kinda bulky and hard to sew flat
until a great friend clued me in on a little corner hem trick.

I love a good crisp clean corner.
Don't you?!

I found an awesome on-line tutorial for how to perfect the double turn corner,
so you can bask in crisp, clean corner happiness too!
Check it out HERE!

Christmas Morning

Andy and I went to bed at 2:15 in the morning...
only to be woken up 5 hours later by a very eager little boy.

Yes Abby's PJ's are on backwards.
Chick only had to play in her poop twice before a master plan was devised and immediately put in place to keep her diapered all night.

Love at first sight....a mother and her baby.

AND
Here it is my friends.

$230 later plus overnight shipping from Canada...
Santa brought AJ Thomas at Action Canyon.

This toy retailed for $64.99 when it came out...

two freakin' years ago.

But you see,
when AJ fell in love with it on You Tube two months ago,
it was no where to be found...

except ebay or Craig's List...
for anywhere between $200 to $400 folks.
This is not a joke.
This is my reality.

Seriously, I. hate. you. for. this. You Tube.

All old toy commercials should be banned,
never to be seen again by young,
impressionable,
prone to tantruming,
irrational
children
that believe in Santa.

We tried the Santa sent an email trick
saying that he didn't make that anymore, how about one kinda close to it...

only to be faced with a melodramatic four year old
holding his head and moaning in a painful tone about how much this news
"stressed him out and broke his heart".

Are you freakin' kidding me?!

So here we are Christmas morning with a boy that
truly believes Santa is magic...
and will be eating a lot of Kraft mac 'n cheese...for a long time.

Girlfriend didn't really get the stocking concept...
until AJ so gracefully showed her there was stuff inside.

Chick got three pairs of shoes, two purses, and lots of bling this year.

She is a happy girly girl.

Christmas Eve

Here is Girlfriend is her Christmas dress...

and pink cowgirl boots.

Such a girly girl this one.

Check out AJ's new hair cut.

He told his stylist he wanted to look just like Leo from Little Einsteins.

I can see a resemblance.