The Kate Effect

Acorns + Fall Palette

these are my current color crushes. I am not saying they are on trend this fall or the best colors ever....just that I can't seem to remove them from my brain. I am trying to 'set up house' and create so many things for this new home. My biggest fear is waking up some time next year and wigging out over the colors I used. It's so hard to be clear headed about my hue choices right now. 

So I have been painting acorns. We have a lovely little bowl of colored acorns now. I find myself wandering the long way around to get to the kitchen so I can get a glimpse or run my finger through them. I really, really like them. They are a small bit of warm in my stark little dining area.

* if your inspired to do your own painted acorns I highly suggest you take the acorn hats off before painting and then gluing the same hat back on. here's a bit of wisdom:  separate, paint and glue back together in an organize fashion. do not make a pile of hats and nuts... then you will never find the ones that fit together the right way. In the end you have left over lonely hats and nuts that don't go together...it's quite tragic.

Acorn Match Game

Kate and I have been gathering up our large acorns from our Red Oak tree. I loving these big acorns. I have always seen acorn around here in Texas but they were longish and small. Growing up I just figured 'real acorns' must come from northern states where they get snow and pine cones. 

I am just thrilled that our new how has these big acorns - it's like fall magic for me.

Kate decided to make a match game out of the acorn hats. She painted pairs in the same color and let them dry. We also have been using them to practice our counting by twos. 

yay for fall.

Here is a link to another version of Acorn Match game:

 

Source: homemadeserenity.blogspot.com via Carrie on Pinterest

notebooks paper shirt

I have been wanting to do this shirt FOREVER. I first saw a version of this a year ago on a blog and immediately thought - awesomeness. I bought two white tees for kate - both a little bigger than her size because I know myself. Sometimes it takes a little while for me to have the time to make my ideas realized and I didn't wan the shirt to be too small by the time I actually made it. This gave me at least a year of procrastination. I bought two shirt so i would have a chance to immediately redeem myself if I screwed-up the first one.

Then I thought about it. I considered how to do it... would I paint, draw or ink it. Should I measure everything out first....What kind of ink would not wash out and fade quickly? I want it worn but to last too.

This is not my normal tendency - usually I just jump in but I was trying to be "wise". In the meantime the photo form the original blog I saw swept through the blog-o-spere and Pinterest. Now everyone liked the idea and surely many people were doing their own shirts.

ugh. now I am just being trendy. 

So I shelved the project and let alot of life happen.

Yesterday I found the shirts while sewing and did what I should have done int he first place. JUST DID IT. It did help that I had fabric markers on hand this time. 

And I really like it - really really really like it. Now I have a bunch of other ideas. Thats what happens when you give life to and idea....it spawns. 

Lollies

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Source: thedecoratedcookieblog.com via Carrie on Pinterest

The moment I saw the Lollipop photo on Pinterest I KNEW I had to try it. immediately. 

Having tackled homemade suckers before and finding myself in the midst of a sticky mess - I felt like i was really rolling the dice. I dreaded the sticky cleanup I experienced last time... but if this was really as easy as it looked....well it was worth the risk. 

The general idea is to take three jolly ranchers *unwrapped of course * and lay them side by side on a sheet of parchment paper, which is one top of a piece of foil, which is on a baking sheet. warm up the oven and let the candies melt for about 6 minutes.... 

Pull out hte pan of semi-melted candies and slide sucker sticks into the gooey candies - let cool.

(The link to the full How-To is at the top of this post.)

Here are some things I learned:

- Don't get distracted (like kate and I did ... we were squirrel watching and forgot about suckers in oven) The sucker really only need 6minutes...any longer and they spread out and liquify. *see photos below of first batch.

- When putting stick in ...lay the lightly where you think you want them, press slightly down and then turn or roll so sucker is all around the stick and sticks stay put.

-it's faster if you have two cookie sheets/ baking pans ready....then you can just switch them out...your only going to fit about 6-8 suckers on each pan.

 

our entire first batch over melted and we had four sets of twin suckers...kind of fun actually. 

Our second batch looked exactly like the photo at the very top.

new... everything.

everything seems to be changing and new... and challenging!

so as if a new house, neighborhood, new things to be learning, kid heading to kindergarten...I have decided that I need some new fashion inspiration. Two weeks ago I set out on a new challenge - 365 days of skirts. 

Initially I called it 365 days of No Pants...but it sounded all kinds of wrong. 

Basically I am determined to wear skirts and dresses until next May. My hope is that it will challenge me to think beyond my go to pair of jeans, establish a new feel & look for my wardrobe and maybe just maybe get used to a more feminine style.

we will see. more of a fashion experiment than a challenge.

I have already learned a few very important things. For instance, wearing shorts under your skirt in this breezy Texas city is a must. Yes, the windy day has always been a challenge with skirt wearing - but it didn't seem to be a big deal when i was only sporting the skirt on Sunday morning for a few hours. 

Now I wear a dress shopping and to the park and even to broom-ball & biking riding. YIKES! Trying to hold kate's hand, talk of the phone and carry a bag proved difficult the other day as my skirt whipped around in the ridiculously gusty wind...I am sad to the patrons of Schlotzky's saw more of me than I would have liked. 

Lesson number #1 - wise women shorts under skirts.

Lesson Number #2 - my chucks go great with skirts.

Lesson Number #3 - i feel more like a super-mom when i carry the groceries in - play tag in a skirt. If I was wearing jeans it would be no big deal - almost expected...but in a skirt, well I am just going beyond the call off duty by being cute AND still sweating.

I am sure there are more lessons to be learned - can't wait to learn them.

*Dress: Made by me last year, Cardigan: Sweater from Target I cut  down the front to make a cardigan, Belt: I think it's target...snagged at Goodwill and the altered to fit me, Boots: Maurices

speed sewing.

*yay* for finishing projects. I am furiously sewing so i can pack up all my stuff! I just know that if I don't finish these I wont get back to them EVER.
I am pretty sure once i step foot in this house ALL previous dreams and inspiration will be replace with a new passion: making my house a home.

and there are so many wonderful things I have dreamed up and would hate to loose! SO here I am speed sewing - watch out.

I can NOT wait to show you all the little makings!

jersey knit bracelets + necklaces

hi. oh my I should probably clean my camera, yikes. 

so i made this bracelet I have been eyeing for a while - it turned out quite nice.

heres a link back to it so you can be inspired to cut up your shirts.  who needs clothes when you could have fun accessories ?!?

* I did both the braid and the finger knit version. i preferred the braid but i liked both. I made necklaces earlier this year and they were pretty cool too.

 

Source: u-createcrafts.com via Carrie on Pinterest

Source: melissaesplin.com via Carrie on Pinterest

headboard love

Source: housetweaking.com via Carrie on Pinterest

 

 

 

I stumbled upon this headboard on one of my favorite blog - since that first day it was posted, it has quickly become quite talked/pinned/blogged about. 

 

I was terribly smitten but hesitant about doing something similar or actually doing the same thing.

as a social type I like to share everything - where, how, what I am doing ....

as a creative type I do NOT like being copied - i prefer to be original or inspired but different. 

In this case I was TERRIBLY conflicted. Do I just do something similar or do i try to twist the concept for

the sake of not being the same.

After pulling together a few different interpretations I headed to my dads house to  beg him for some

 old fence panels and jumped in. 

First of all, this is not as easy as it might seem. I tried to have my own spin but I always felt like I had

something that was just "alright". It would be one of those items in your house that you always feel

the need to explain how "this item is just ok, but you should have seen the awesome original" 

and I DO NOT want to feel the need to explain...

So I went back tot he original post and just stared at it. then I realized something very important.

The post was a tutorial. TUTORIAL. They imply the expectation of people making their own.

I put on my big girl panties, swallowed my creative pride and made myself a headboard.

It's not exactly the same but it's obvious that it was made to look like the original. and I LOVE it.

Absolutely love it.

Here are a few iphone snapshots from the actual project day - Hopefully after a few more bedroom projects I will grab some serious photos of this baby.

 

In my dads garage where I had to paint due to the rain.

The headboard right after my mom and I showed off our muscles and heaved it up the stairs and into the apartment. I figured I should do it all before Brad got home from class....this way he would be more inclined to love it or at least live with it!

five little pants all in a row.

i finally paused and made kate some pajama pants. she desperately needed them before the weather turned cold - if it ever gets cold here in Texas.

of course she picked out the fabric. 

it feels good to bang some clothes out for kate that fit and are really usable. 

chair revival

i have a new project. it's an inherited project from a friend. 

two high and mighty chairs that need some new cushions and covers... and maybe a quirky new paint color. i can't wait to see what becomes of these... 

brownstone advent

last year i had the urge to make an advent calendar. i thought it would make the holiday season so special for our little family.  i envisioned kate waking up excited to look into that days gift for small trinket or a clue to that days events...

but after rushing to gather the supplies and being overwhelmed with ideas and underwhelmed by resources and time... I abandoned the project.

so when I stumbled upon this advent 'house' at the craft store I snatched it. it was ridiculously marked down in price and it was the only one like it.. and you all know how much i like it when there is not another one like. hurray for originality.

ok, i am super bummed i did not take before photos. in it's  original state it was all cream colored with silver numbers on each door. plain jane.

from the moment i saw it i thought it would be awesome as a little brown stone type house...

i still need to paint the numbers on each window-door but overall i love how it turned out. perfectly imperfect. I can not wait to put the little prizes in each door. we have some special activities planned thru the holidays and i am thinking up clues. 

like maybe a tiny lightbulb on a string necklace for the night we go christmas light driving or a tiny donkey for when we go out to Burnet to walk thru there Bethlehem village.

i am so thrilled I was able to pull this together right in time.the only problem is I have other advent calendar ideas...do you think this is something I could collect ?

paper leaves

i loved paint leaves with Kate... but I prefer the leaf plain with all the text showing...oh how I like typeface.

falling for you.

kate helped me do a bit of fall decor this month. of course we had to do something with paint - her medium of choice. I thought it might be cool to use and old paper back book to make leaves and then paint them hap-hazardly.  I like it when the word show thru a little. *honestly* i think they are amazing all plain without paint - but kate disagrees. thne I ran them thru my sewing machine because this seemed quicker to me that glue or other methods.

it just seamed like the thing to do. 

ha! look at me trying to be puny.

 

here's the down side.

if your impatient like me you will start sewing before they are fully dry. and if your have a five year old help you like i did, you will notice they apply more paint which takes longer to dry.

things could get messy.

for those who have patience it's not a problem.

the results are some pretty awesome garland - not too kid-ish but not too grown-up. 

building a library.

 

a long time ago one of my mentors told me "Sell your bed, buy a book"

i loved that saying and i kept all the books I was ever given. After moving around a billion times over the past few years i learned that not every book was worth packing and unpacking. I started dropping off books at Goodwill and sellingbooks to Half-Price books and just getting rid on the ones I was done with...

It was like one extreme to another. I read a book and then gave it away. Rather than buy a book I borrowed from the library or read online. no material trace on ever having held the book in my hand.

Now I think I have come back to middle ground. I am sad about my small collection of literature and realize that I want a library but a library of books I love not just books I have for no reason.

It is only the bginning but I am of to a nice start.  I have filled in the missing pieces of my Harry Potter Novels and I have managed to replace my favorite paperback books with their hardback versions. Dust covers? forget it.

I want to see the spine and the gold lettering.

I am enjoying the rebuilding process - especially now that I have been alive long enough to have a list of favorites to acquire.

right now anthropologie (and a few other places) have classics in beautiful hardbacks. visiting anthropologie and caressing the covers gets creepy if it's more than a weekly activity so i have to just pine for them via the website.

I also have library cards! yes, old school cards that live in the book until it is borrowed. it's my favorite thing about having good books. Sharing.

What are your favorite books? 

The ones you want in hardback - all stained and worn pages?

 

on viking down ...two to go.

so I am finished with kate's viking costume.

super. 

but now i feel like i hit this huge wall called "I told her that mom & dad would be vikings too"

it was a great idea and I still creatively excited about it...but geez what did i commit too. 

once again i bit off more than I possibly can chew. 

least night I had a dream that I was sewing yards of fur and Tim Gunn was standing beside me saying, "Make it work."

oh my, I have lost my mind haven't i ?!?

sew it begins.

it's been a while since I have had a clear vision for a project. the general desire to create has never left but the direction has been lacking and I have been quite aimless, wandering from one unfinished half-hearted project to the next.

then this arrived: 

my mom gave me Serger for my birthday. Hurray for turning 30! 

For those of you who might think this looks like a mid-evil torturing device - I assure you it is not meant to be. Having said that we have named it CHOMPER. Its a type of sewing machine that compliments your regular sewing machine. If you turn a garment inside out and see that cool looking seam that shows that it is professionally made and usually store bought - well, this machine creates that seam. 

it's quite magical.

with it's powers in my hand I have new designs and thoughts and a fresh pile of fabric to sew through. in 2008 I did a Handmade Christmas. It was more about the challenge of sewing everything for everyone rather than giving gifts they were really wanted. It was a huge time commitment and a little stressful. 2009 was the year I did not make anything for Christmas - hail consumerism!

This year I would like to do a mixture. I work best when I don't HAVE to do some thing but I WANT to. It's true in every part of my life. (yes, please do feel bad for my husband - it has a difficult wife.)  

So I have started on projects I have dreamed up and am excited about. It's been a week and I have an empty shelf in my closet that has been christened the giving shelf. It will hold all the things I have to give - made & bought. Somethings are for Christmas which is still months away, other items are for birthday and celebrations around the corner... and some gifts are made because I just wanted to.  Baby or wedding gifts with someone specific in mind but no baby or husband in sight. A graduation gift for a kiddo still in elementary school - but his name is on it and there is will stay. The shelf is filling up fast.

it's fun to sew up hopes and dreams and store them away. It's way better than things that NEED to be made. Oh, and to make things so much more enjoyable are these tags by Amy Karol. They are a little cheeky and I like that.

all wrapped up, again.

I love my child. mostly because she is my child and I should but also because she is willing to let me do these things to her!

This will be the second time I have made a "bust" of kate...see the first time here.

http://thekateeffect.typepad.com/the_kate_effect/2008/06/how-to-duplicate-your-child.html

Creating a kid form is a great way to know what will fit your kid right now. Everyone who sews knows how very difficult it can be to try and concentrate with kids awake and talking to you while you sew...but it is equally frustrating to sew after they got o bed and you can no longer try things on and make sure your going in the right direction.

This is a great solution. Now I have a better idea whether some thing is going to fit without waking her up and trying it on. i know what your thinking and yes, i did.

The only down side is I have to make a new one often because she is aways growing...darn kids.

chasing my creative sanity

sometimes I just have to stop whatever I am doing and create. my brain will be so full of ideas, thoughts, and plans that I can no longer function without making something and clearing my head of the idea.
Although my job is pretty creative in nature it is still a job.
A small business. A business I own. All by myself.
Which means that there is a lot more time being NOT creative than actually being crazy wild artistic. I find I spend the majority of my weeks pushing the hold button on great ideas and thoughts while I get through the HAVE TO DO list. At some point I just can not think clearly. I have to wade through a sea of things in my head that I do not want to forget and desperately want to do - just to remember to make the bed.

These are the moments I have to stop and chase my creative sanity.
I did this last night - chased my creative sanity.
My medium this time was fabric. I have all these unfinished thoughts and projects and I tackled them head on.
I can not begin to tell you how pleased I am!!
I made two skirts and two simple dresses I have been thinking about forever. Then I whipped out four pillows and 5 tissue paper flowers for my upcoming party. It was definitely worth staying up all night. Bonus: I also got caught up on Project Runway which was fun to watch while actually sewing.

I am so anxious to photograph the skirts and dresses to show them off!!!
But first I must shower - and the pillows need stuffing... and some HAVE TO DO list items are screaming for attention. It's back to the grind today. I am completely exhausted but my head is clear and ready for new ideas and thoughts to pop in.

photos soon - i promise.

I am jumping in bed happy from a productive day. my office is now filled with tissue paper flowers!!

party planning is by-far THE best past time.

crafty as fox. it been quite the crafty day. getting ready for the big birthday party this weekend!

MONSTER & victims

made. my .day.

I stumbled upon this absolutely wonderful pattern/fabric/creation at Spoonflower.

tempts me to drop everything and sew.

i miss sewing. i miss hands on creating. 

this might just be the the thing I do first.

orange satin skirt

 

who needs a pink satin dress when you could have a orange satin skirt!

I spent alot of time sewing in December. I had so many ideas and thoughts rumbling around in my head but could not get to them in the Fall... just too much other stuff that HAD to be done.

So the minute I started my holiday vacation I started sewing. Ok, maybe I didn't sew all the time but alot. this skirt came about when i was on a roll one night. I have no idea what kate will wear on top but the skirt rocks!

 

family portrait 09

this was our family portrait this year. we wanted something a little different and I love how it turned out. the best part is that Brad let me print LARGE and get the photos in frames.

Although I loved having painted art I made on the wall - I love having framed photos even better. It seems to fit the new adlut furniture - where as the painting went well with the futons!

I have been so excited about this project and yet I have not really had a chance to have people over - SO to the faithful internet i go. just wanted to share a little of my photographic joy with ya'll.

 

paisley was quite confused about me taking photos of the wall...

OH - this is our new rug too. it happen at the same time at the photos. I have been pining for this rug at Ikea for MONTHS - wait YEARS. But itwas something i needed to save for and it is hard to pull the trigger when yo have a frequently muddy dog and a child who likes to paint. Like a sweet unexpected present we found this rug in the discount area for LESS than 1/2 price!!! supposedly it had some stains.. but we couldn't find them. Besides we have dog and child, stains are bound to come.

it was a very happy week on the home project front.

 
 
  

mom's quilt

thankfully my mom is a patient person -

I finished everything but the binding by her birthday. Which was Sept 21st.

I gave it to her all pinned together and that is how it has been for a month. She never somplained but i figured it would get more use if I actually sewed in together and tookt he pins out. Might make in more comfortable. I was lucky enough to sew and gift it back to her on Oct 21st. only one month after her birthday.

all things considered, thats pretty good for me.

am I sewing kitty pjs or creating a cat lady....

this is what happens when I take kate to the fabric store and ask her opinion.

she now has kitty cat pajama pants and shorts. i picked out a modern design with greens and oranges but kate said was ugly and then FLIPPED out over this very pink kitty cat fabric.

i am coming to the realization that this "kitty obsession" may not be a phase.

despite the feline print, they are super cute pjs and fit her adorably. I struggle with jeans and pants because she just had a growth spurt and has quite long legs at the moment. (which is cute and surprising considering she is from a short squatty family) She also has some hips and and a bum (thank the lord) but a smallish waist. I made a pattern out of some old short for her and i LOVE it. i hope she doesn't grow too fast.  it fits her bum quite well and I put a two inch strip of wide elastic on each side and it flatters her little shape.

 
 

 
 

the summer dress. i made it.

i have done it. I finally made something that fits! I stopped trying to make the patterns work.Taking hours to cut, measure and read directions only to utterly ruin it. The patterns are always too small and I try to adjust and then it's to big and out of balance.

this time I grabbed some large packing paper, which we happen to have lying around, and traced a dress i already had ...using it as a frame work i redrew some lines and cut it out about .5 inch bigger.

Then I sat down and sewed. sew, try-on, sew, try-on,sew, try-on, sew, try-on,sew, try-on, sew, try-on, for like two hours. viola'. the summer dress.

To be totally honest the fabric is too light for my skin and the design shows off my extra pound rather than hides them, but if I had dark exotic skin and were skin - i would look HOT!

I love the fabric but knew if wasn't best for my skin so it was the best choice for trial and error.

All in all I love it. Mostly be cause I made it . Now if I could just find some time to sew and handful of variations... ones that are more colorful and suit my body shape.

  

Tomatoes and Herbs

brad's co-worker recently sent home some little tomato seedlings. My first thought was, "great. something else for us to kill." As I watched brad plant his seedlings in a metal bucket I made a mental note to email Steph and let her know we were more suited to weed a garden than grow it.

Despite my obvious pessimism towards growing the plant, I manage to save it from hail and horrible storms, dogs, and the child. The plants grew tall and now have two tomatoes. the tomatoes have been green for awhile and I am terrified that they will most certainly rot and fall off before reaching maturity because that's what happens every-time i get attached to a plant.  I ended up being a little encouraged and bought (or shall I say saved) some herbs and pepper seedlings on sale.

 

thus began our garden. although i may have jinxed myself because my cute little tomato plants were all yellow and wilty the next morning. I believe it was due to a miscommunication between the me and the Brad-miester about watering. Hopefully kelli & nelli (the plants) won't drown and will come back around soon.

 

Also - I have found a wonderful thing! Spray paint for plastic objects! I spray painted our primary colored little tikes hand-me-down picnic table. Now it is a smart and outdoorsy looking table in tan and green - matches her play house really well now. The spray paint was so easy and looked so good Brad thought I had bought a new table.

buttercup purse

  

I stumbled across this pattern a while back and just could not wait to try it. I downloaded, printed and cut the pattern out immediately. then the winds of life swept me away. a month later I managed to choose fabric and cut out the pattern in fabric. once again sewing time became elusive.

*Buttercup Purse Pattern, Made by Rae

Finally I grabbed some coffee and sewed my heart out. above is my first try. LOVE IT. the linen fabric is wonderful. I skipped snap that was suggested and later realized how imortant htat little snap could be. I also thought it might work better with stiffer fabric. upholstery fabric works great!

Now I just can't stop. they pattern is so easy and quick - yet the final product is wonderful stylish. it makes any novice sewer look like a pro.

here are two others. a brown and pale blue with abutton loop for a friends graduations gift. another with fun fabric from Ikea. my second try has red flowers and brown and white polka dots - but I can't find it anywhere. I don't think anyone will admit if they have found it.  it is just too cute not to keep.

 

    

frame your work

 

The studio wall needed a little something and I needed to feel organized - so I framed my work.

i found this awesome plastic super ornate frame at goodwill for $3 and brought it home with me. After gathering up some other frames of various colors and sizes, I broke out the spray paint and gave them all a paint job. While they dried i ran to Office Depot and picked up a roll of cork. The stuff is really thin when you buy it on the roll but the frame was too big for just a pre-cut corkboard. I had to go back and get some foam board to mount the cork on for it to really work well and be thick enough to handle thumbtacks.

the hardest part of the project was cutting the foam board. All I had was scissors. I HIGHLY recommend exacto knife or box cutter!

frame some of kates art and some of my art and viola'.

I am loving it and can't wait to add some more interesting frames to the mix.

Now I actually want to look at my TO DO list.

the easter jacket.

this easter was a little disappointing. we all had been sick for over a week and what little energy i could muster each day was spent on photos for other people. work. i had to fulfill my commitments. that's the thing with having your own business, nobody pick up the slack when your sick.

(although, processing adorable photos does good things for the spirit.)

i wish i could say i handled this withhumility and push through in good spirits. there were no good words, thoughts or actions in the days leading up to easter. only bitterness.

i was bitter that i had no energy. that all i could do was lay on the couch and be tormented by all my ideas and designs swimming in my head, multiplying the longer i lay motionless. I tried to do things which only produced a grumpier me when i had to stop whatever i was doing before I thew up.

i was down right angry. angry that i wasn't getting to make kate's easter dress or gift. that the forecast was for bad weather - rain & hail. angry that our church service had to be move in doors. angry that I forgot to get the fruit for the church brunch the day before and everythingwas closed on easter...angry it wasn't going the way i wanted.

I finally started feeling better Saturday afternoon and managed to make Kate's Easter gift, a doll blanket for her kitty so she will stop using any old rag she finds laying around, and an Easter Jacket.

Since the weather was going to be bad I figured the dress was a  waste of time and a kimono style shrug would be more unique, besides we go to a church that meets in a movie theater - a frilly dress seemed like overkill.

I love her jacket. she loves her jacket.

And it didn't hail or even rain that day.

thank you Lord for reminding me that your plan is always better than mine.

 

* I modified this kimono pattern. drew out the pattern on a large paper and then widen the arm holes, shortened the length and brought it in at the waist. Then modified the front flap to be square so it created a flap. I though the felt was cozy and I like the texture.

another pair of ill-fitting pants are transformed into a summer skirt.

 

This photo was taken quickly before kate wore the skirt

and the colors do not do justice to the subtle cutness.

Only one pair of pants left to alter.

Spring cleaning? nope. spring sewing!

I felt like the sir was being squeezed out of me. I needed a release. to do something that didn't require contact with the computer. solution: sewing machine.

 

poor k8 has a mum's bum. how do i know. because her father lack one and mine is huge. k8 struggles with jeans. they don't have a variety of fits at her age and all the pants are made for stick straight kids. these jeans pinched k8's tummy when she sat down and gave her a plumber crack no matter what. so i chopped them off in celebration of spring.

sewed a few ruffles and viola' - she looks like the Chiquita banana lady. later today we will be practicing our cha-cha.

i dig you!

 

i got the note on Monday that Kate needed to bring valentine's for her classmates on Friday. i was so excited that we went straight to Target to pick some out.

i stood in the isle while Kate grabbed every overly annoying cartoon character she has had the pleasure of seeing. I decided that this was not so much fun anymore. I started thinking about the fact that there was very little participation for Kate beyond choosing the cartoon charater cards.

For instance she cannot read the card to choose who to give them to and she cannot focus long enough to listen to the cards read outloud. She is not at the stage where she can write anyboys name, other than her own, so she is not going to be interested in addressing the little cards. All she does is attach the sticker. She doesn't even get to watch Dora or Hello Kitty!

We left the store empty handed and sad.

I realize she is only three. there is plenty of time for her to pick out cool valentines and write on them and deliver them - when she is older and can get giddy about the batman card she will receive from an admirer. for now we need some thing more hands on.

So i found this Idea over at FamilyFun.com and put our own spin on it! It was a little more than a $2.58 box of cards but Kate got to do every part.  the shovels were about $.99 each and i bought to bag of candy. I already had the baggies, ribbon, rubber bands, and paint (which you could totally use sharpie marker instead.)

Kate filled each shovel with candy. i cut off the ziploc part of the baggies and then held the shovel still while she slipped the baggie on the shovel. then she grabbed a rubber-band and stretched it around the baggie and shovel to hold it on. A few stickers for decoration and a ribbon she pulled through and curled with her tiny scissors. Then I wrote "i dig you" on the handles with puff paint.

She is so excited about them! I dread the other mom's comments of "there's the Martha Stewart mommy" but i am able to get past it with the knowledge that Kate is learning the value of handmade gifts. Kate loves creating and i want to encourage her to use that passion and skill to give to others.

(the big truck shovel is for cousin Hunter)

thoughtful knitting

 that's peas and carrots. that is what this knitting project reminds me of. then i think about how I hate the veggies but love the colors. then I think about how Kate hates the veggies and rather eat broccoli and celery. then i think about how gross celery is and how strange it is that Kate likes it. then I realize it is probably because of the cartoon brainwashing of WONDER PETS. then i think that it is logical for pet ducks, guinea pigs, and turtles to eat celery for snack and I am glad that the show has some logic to it. then I think about how the turtle gets out of his cage - i am confused about how he swims into the water in his tank and reappears in the sink. then i realize it is a cartoon and it doesn't have to make sense. then i think about how cute my knitting project would be as a little turtle sleeping bag. then I realize that I considered making a sleeping bag for a turtle that is computer animated and not even real. then i thanked God no one heard my thoughts.

first summer dress of 2009

 

the first summer dress is made. whipped up this cute polka dot dress yesterday. the urge to sew is satisfied for the moment. hopefully it will hold me over until Monday. i am at a retreat this weekend and they said i couldn't bring my sewing machine. 

it is a women's retreat with my church. always seemed like an old lady thing - this is my teenage voice speaking to me. as a teen i babysat for many women's retreat/meetings. i always considered them for mothers who were desperate to be away for their children and old ladies who needed something to do. 

well here i am. i am a mother who needs time a way from her child and i knit like a granny. i fulfill all the requirements so I thought I would go head and attend. 

i will let you know how well i "fit in"  and i promise to write down any and all inappropriate remarks I will more than likely make. wish me luck.

 

Handmade Christmas 2008: Half Apron

 

I found this great fabric for my mom's apron the week before christmas - I had to work fast to get the apron done. I love it so much I wanted to keep it. I am anxious to create some oven mitts, trivets, and dish towels to coordinate!

 

Handmade Christmas 2008: Oven Mitt & Scrubbies

Was my first venture into scrubbies and they turned out great. A few people who received them mentioned that their grandmothers used to make them and they would love to know how....

Looks like i should have them over for a group tutorial :)

This is where I found the idea and instructions...Scubbie Tutorial. I am an auditory/visual learner (actually it's more like i  a look at it and then try to figure it out and don't read anything) so I have a hard time with written instructions. Which may explain my cooking skills.

 

Handmade Christmas 2008: Leather Placemats

So I was stumped on what to make for my BIL that wouldn't look like I was just 'making something for the sake of making something.'  Let's just say that it takes very little for the men in Brad's fmaily to start making fun of you and they don't let up quickly. So it had to be something that is well done and that would actually be liked/used. Most gifts for these guys are electronics - anything for the car, TV, or fishing.

One day i realize that i couldmake something for the kitchen....after all bachelor pads need to look good so that girls are impressed.  Ah-ha!  So i texted my BIL and asked:

what are your kitchen colors?

he answered : my walls are creme and the countertops a neutral color.

after laughing out loud. I realized that being a single guy he didn't know I meant. So I asked him if he still had the green stoneware dishes we gave him.

he replied: Yeah, they are getting alot of use lately. your popsicle house is coming along great.

That sealed the deal. I asked Brad to read the text and confirmed that BIL was making fun of me for making gifts. He was definately getting kitchen stuff, whether he liked it or not!

Now he has kitchen colors. Funny thing is that the craft book he gave me as a gift has quite a few popsicle stick projects. Guess what your getting for your birthday BIL! Make room for the popsicle stick lampshade.

 

Handmade Christmas 2008: Shoe Submarines

 

Not sure where i saw this but it looked like the perfect thing for my brother who is an avid disc golfer.

They are little pouches filled with rice, baking soda, and herbs.

You throw them in your shoes after a round of disc golf and the rice pulls out the moisture, baking soda absorbs the odor, and the herbs just give off a nicer smell.

I think he was more interested in the cedar cigar box I used for the gif wrapping than the shoes subs but I am sure my sister-in-law will put them to use for him.

Handmade Christmas 2008: Emmaline Apron

  I had been aching for a reason to make an apron and christmas was just around the corner...

I ordered this fantastic little apron pattern from Sew Liberated and found some femine fabric. I was excited about making it for my friend but when I was finished it just screamed Grandma Wachter (Brad's grandma.)

I love it and have the pattern cut out of three or four more fabric sets - just didn't have enough time to get to them before christmas.

     

Handmade Christmas 2008: Tag Monster & Bat Finger Puppet

 

welcome home gift

    I made Judah a Christmas present but decided that since he came early I would give it to him early....

I found this wonderfully soft fabric with a baby soft suede on one side and a lambs wool texture on the other side.

It just screamed lodge baby booties. Rach likes her boys in plaid and little flannel shirts - so thought this might go right along with the whole lumberjack feel.

For a first go around they turned out super cute. Incredibly soft. Not sure how it will hold up to washing but we will find out soon. The blanket is my favorite part...perfect timing for our strange snow/ice weather. I thought I was crazy making a Texas baby cold weather items but it proved to be a  good move. 

 

the set includes a hat, booties/slippers, mittens, and a blanket.

kate kept stealing the booties and putting them on her stuffed animals. She is now begging for a pair of her own. She will just have towait until Christmas. 

Guessing Game

this is kind of liking shaking your Christmas gift before you open it...except you don't shake it and it might not be for you!

Ok I really want to show off gifts i have finished but I can't just let everyone see it because most likely the receiver of the gift is reading. So here are little tiny snapshots of projects. You can guess what they might be and for who. They might be for you!

     

       

PS My knitting skills are getting so much better! Although Brad is staring to get irritated that I knot everywhere. The car. Church. In Restaurants. In the line at the Bank.

bedtime reading...

the books I have been reading! I have successful knitted a full "item"

It is beautiful, for a first time knit. it took alot of practice and I love it. Unfortunatley I can't share it with you because everyone I know reads this blog and christmas is coming....

If you have wanted to knit or crochet but don't have time to take a class or think it is too confusing...pick up knitting pretty or cozy crochet. They don't use the abbreviations and they spell everything out..with drawings! I have crocheted blankets, scarfs, dishclothes - anything square. For the first time I am able to actually make hats, sweaters, and gloves thanks to this little read.

if i can do this you can! 

for the love of yarn

as you may have noticed i have been swept away in a whirl wind romance with yarn. oh the thrill of textured fibers sliding through my fingers. the repetative motion of the needles soothing and calming. I can knit my worries away at the end of the day.

And small projects bring the extra pleasure of accomplishing something in one evening. It's reassuring when you sit down to knit, while watching a presidential debate, to know at the end you would have made something worth while. That you can complete something and tie it up in a nice little knot, especially when the real world seems to be unraveling.

I think it is neat that Job says God knit him together.(Job10:11) I can just imagine God saying, "hmm, today I think I am going skip the whole dust thing and knit a man. I wish I could find my crochet hook but I think I let Noah borrow it. Besides I need to practice my purl stitch."

It does give the perfect imagary of take nothing but a string and creating something of depth.

Kate has been watching Charolette's web lately and I sit and crochet beside her. Sometime I imagine I am a spider who creates amazing delicate webs - and then I realize I have missed a handful of stitches and now have a huge gaping hole in my project. Thats when I unravel the section and tell Kate, Mommy needs to go wash the dishes. 

Here are few site I am enjoying during my yarn fling:

Knitting Nest

Fetching Knits

Knotions

Smooth Pink Scarf

   

 

 

Rubble Scarf and Hat

 

 

the skinny scarf.

  

getting our spook on.

 

     

pre-school teacher wanna-be

 

last week hunter hung out with k8 and I one morning and I morphed into a pre-school teacher. I am not sure what came over me but it was fun while it lasted.  We made "flower arrangements" using our hand prints to take to gigi at the hospital. There is a small part of me that wanted to just keep the little project for myself... Would it me horrible if I had Kate do the project again and give me the "flowers"?

* I taped the hands to pipe cleaners and stuck them in the can. To help them stay in place put a few sheets of crumpled tissue paper in the can first.

**wow, I am truely turning into suzy homemaker.