Kiki notebook

I wanted to make Katrina a really nice notebook for her birthday, so using what I learned making my notebook yesterday, I made another, a bit nicer.

This one has the cardboard all covered with construction paper, so you can't see the corrugated insides of the notebook.

More Richard Scarry, more plastic cover, with nice paper instead of old scratch paper on the inside, and two envelopes, one for small things and one for tall things.

And I scanned and printed the new Dillon's layout and put it in the back-because it is very annoying when you can't find the pickles. :)

A fun and pleasing project.

Christmas Notebook

I used up my last notebook just in time to make one for the Christmas season.

These cute kids were on the cover of a catalog I got in the mail. No sense in throwing them out!

These pages are from a Richard Scarry book that Anna destroyed one day years ago. It was on it's last legs anyway. I saved the pages to use for something, someday. A perfect backdrop for my carolers.

Matthew's Mom gave me a package of old overhead projector pages. A perfect plastic cover to keep everything nice!

This was a fun project, and helped me to perfect some things for a very special notebook. (coming tomorrow)

Punkins

Because I was sick, I mostly just sat and watched all of the carving and scooping out of guts, but Matthew did clean one pumpkin for me so I got to make one too.

This is one of my favorite new fall traditions-Abby and Linda and Matthew and Betsy and Anna carving pumpkins on the porch at 5th St.

Apple darling

There's just something about this picture that I love.

Here's our apple, complete with worm. This was a super easy costume to make. The body of the apple is stuffed with plastic sacks. I got the idea for the apple construction here.

I used this hat pattern, and then just made a leaf and stem from felt and put them in when I sewed it up.
Anna traced her hand to make the mittens, and drew the face parts onto felt, and then I hand stitched them on.

Happy Halloween!

List o' dreams 5

5. See Over the Rhine in concert. (It's good to have some easier dreams.)

List o' dreams 4

4. Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

List o' dreams 3

3. Sleep in the Treehouses in Oregon.

List o' dreams 2

2. Go to New York City at Christmas time.

(This song is pretty cheesy. Made me laugh)

List o' dreams 1

This week, I'll share some of the items on my list o' dreams. Maybe someday I'll finish this other enormous project that is stealing all of my time and I'll have some more crafty fun.

1. See someone really amazing play Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major.

We have a CD of Heifetz playing this-I think it's my favorite piece of music. Here's the 3rd movement-with Jascha himself, from the movie "Carnegie Hall".

It's so helpful...

to remember the Spiritual Works of Mercy.

• To instruct the ignorant
• To counsel the doubtful
• To admonish sinners
• To bear wrongs patiently
• To forgive offences willingly
• To comfort the afflicted
• To pray for the living and the dead

It's so ridiculous...

that I have spent SO many hours on this one project, to the exclusion of all others. Is it almost done yet?

It's so easy...

to make your own beans. Beans, water, crock pot all day, mush them up with a little oil in a skillet, lots of salt, blender, done.

It's so frustrating...

To have to rip out this binding and try AGAIN. Why won't the bottom fabric feed nicely?

It's so decadent...

to have cookies squirreled away in my bedside table.

Napkin Rings

Abby and I made some napkin rings a couple of weeks ago using this tutorial.

I told her it would be easy, and I was scoffed at (I always think things will be easy). But we had no trouble at all. It took about 30 minutes to make 8 of these.

I think they turned out to be really pretty.

Fix!

Sunday was the first really cool day, and I was excited to wear my pink maternity sweater. But when I put it on--horrors! Two little holes.

I cut hearts from some pretty felted sweater bits I had left over. Two looked funny, so I added a third for balance.

I think Tummy likes it.

Good day at Goodwill

I did all of my errands lickety-split on Wednesday and then treated myself with a trip to Goodwill.

I found a beautiful coat. It's kind of silly to buy a coat this fall, I know, because it's not going to fit around me, but it was so so pretty, and it such good condition, I couldn't resist. Not even at Goodwill's high price of $10.99! Plus Dry Cleaning!

I looked at it for a long time. I wasn't sure if I could really wear a coat with a fur collar. Yep, that's real fur. What sealed the purchase was that I looked carefully at the fur and realized it was just stitched on with embroidery thread. Easy peasy to take off.

Now it looks like something I can wear. And I have a piece of fur to play with. Anyone have any ideas? I looked it up on ebay and it looks like they sell for $10-$20, so I could pay for the coat that way... Anyone an ebay seller?

The lining is perfect except for this one spot under the left arm. I was thinking I'd try to fix it before it got worse, but I don't really know how to do that.

This is my second Betty Rose coat from Goodwill, so I finally looked it up. Betty Rose made coats and suits in Kansas City from the 20's through the 70's. This coat is probably from the 60's-70's, according to the label.

There were other goodies that day, but they need some more fixing up. Time to clean off the craft table!

New Music

In my class this week we're talking about code-switching. That's when bilingual people use both languages in one conversation, sometimes in the middle of sentences. So when I was paying bills and this song popped up on my Pandora, I was excited.

It's so fun.

Parenting Styles

I found this last night on Facebook--I came out as an "Individual Integrity" (INTJ) mother. Seemed right on the money. I think it's interesting that my "parenting" personality is so different from my "regular" personality. Which person does Anna know?

Anyway, thought you might have fun playing with it.

Mothering Personality Styles

(Why not just "parenting"? Seems silly to exclude the Daddies, though maybe it's because girls seem to like this sort of thing more)

Joy

Joy is not simply a matter of temperament. In the Service of God and souls, it is always hard to be joyful -- all the more reason why we should try to acquire it and make it grow in our hearts.

Joy is prayer, joy is strength; joy is love; joy is a net to love by which we catch souls. God loves a cheerful giver. She gives most who gives with joy. If in the work {she is referring to the Missionaries of Charity's work, but this can be applied to all our lives} you have difficulties and you accept them with joy, with a big smile -- in this, like in any other thing -- they will see your good works and glorify the Father. The best way to show your gratitude is to accept everything with joy. A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love.

--Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

From: Prayerfully Expecting by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

Coffee Bag Sew Along

One of the reasons it took me a long time to finish the Sew Along was that I made two of everything.
I had already chosen my fabric when I thought to use some coffee bags that were given to me.

I couldn't pass up that idea.

I like these even better than the others.

Trash to treasure.

Fall List 2010

First let's look at my Summer List!

I feel awesome about this one. Summer 2010 List

1. Keep up with garden and trees.

2. Preserve something from garden.

3. Make something from Jelly Rolls.

4. Scrapbook Project. Thanks to a free photo book offer from Shutterfly, I made Kiki & Joe's Wedding book!! Only 3 years later. :)

5. Complete the Sew Along.

6. Make a facebook page or group or something for my students. Susan is making a page for me! Kind of cheating, but it is happening...

7. Make Christmas gifts. Also cheating a bit, I made some...

8. Go to Oregon.

9. Go to the Cabin.

10. Make Anna a First Day of School Dress.

11. Make Anna a nap mat.

12. Cabin Book

13. Anna Fans Book I got started. This is going to be an enormous project.

And now for Fall! There's so much to do, but I'm trying to also remember the importance of rest. Sometimes I hate rest. But it's important.

1. Anna Fans Book; three years. I did all 5 years, so that was good.

2. Go through baby clothes 0-6 months.

3. Find baby equipment and clean.

4. Design Anna Room. 99% done.

5. Design Craft Studio.

6. Crochet Tummy Blanket.

7. Finish Cabin Quilts. I finished Susan's, but not mine.

8. Keep up with Bible in a year and Prayer book.

9. SS Gift. Didn't make one though... :(

10. Make Mom's Bread.

11. One Senior Gift.

12. Tummy CD.

13. Re-pot plants.

Thirteen was a lucky number for the Summer List, so here's hoping for equal success this Fall. :)

And Happy Birthday to my Mama, who also liked lists. And Fall.

Politics

Elections are on Friday. :)

Sew along!

I finished the {Make} A Bag Sew Along!

I didn't make it anywhere near the 8 week timeline she established, but I finished!

The Mini Makeup Roll.
The Sunglasses Case. Anna wanted to use her sunglasses for the photo-they fit my sunglasses too.
Here's the zipper pouch-my first zipper ever, with the teeny tiny tote as a zipper pull.

The Bits and Pieces pouch.

I linked to each of the tutorials, if you'd like to give it a whirl. I had a good time, though I'm really happy to be done and ready to start something new. :)

Box redo

I inherited my Dad's love of a good box.

This green one was so nice, we couldn't get rid of it. But it was a little deceiving with that Vera Bradley written across the top.

So I covered it up with ribbon!

Quick and easy and fun and very satisfying. Yay for re-usable wrapping!

Babybel

Ever since I first spotted the cute mesh bags full of baby cheeses at Sam's, I've been wanting to try them.

On Sunday Matthew was also feeling adventurous, so we got some.

First you get to unwrap the shiny plastic.

Then there's a lovely red wax with a pull tab that opens right across the middle.

Like Pac-Man!

The cheese is pretty yummy too.

It was a little salty, but I think with the right cracker choice, it would be delish. Or fruit! It would be good with fruit.

Definitely a fun snack.

Scrap Box

Sometimes I can't sleep because I'm thinking about this.

Is it wonderful? Is it worth it? Could I make something similar myself? Will someone take me to the scrapbooking show when we are in Kansas City for Ben's wedding so I can look at one in person?

Anna's list

We have a notebook for Anna's chores. Most days I write down a few things for her to do-put away clothes, gather trash, etc.

Yesterday when we got home I was tired tired tired so I told her we weren't going to do any chores.

She wrote down her own idea in her notebook.

Translation: Make cookies today.

Sorry punkin, maybe tomorrow?

Blurb

I've been working lately on an enormous and ridiculous project-and using a program from Blurb. As I've been working with it and getting used to it, I'm wondering about using it to make scrapbooks from here on out. It seems silly to choose pictures, print them, and then paste them into another book.

Has anyone used a digital scrapbooking website or program? Any input?

By Special Request

Heeeere's Tummy!

Looks healthy, a little bit small, with a nice heart rate and a good wave, and lots of flipping around.

Once the technician said that she thought for a moment it was twins, but it was just Tummy somersaulting. Whew!

8 wonders of Kansas People

Vote now for your favorite Kansans!

8 wonders of KS people

Today we get to see one of our favorite Kansans for the first time. Sono at 3:30!

I went to a bunch of garage sales...

And all I found was this rad band-aid box.

Is it weird that I've been wanting one of these for years?


I'm really excited about keeping my band-aids in it.

Spanish in the U.S.

This semester I'm taking Spanish in the U.S., a Spanish class focusing on the way Spanish is spoken here in the United States, and the influences and special considerations of the language here. I think it's really interesting and pretty fun so far.

One of the components is "service-learning", so I'm going to be doing some interpreting and working with Russell Child Development on some home visits and other things. It'll be good for me to talk to adults for a change.

The amazing thing I realized tonight is that this is my 6th class, I'll have 5 more after this. So I'm almost at the halfway point! I feel simultaneously excited and sad.

Maybe if I get too bored when I'm done, I can just find an online doctoral program. ;)

Here's a question though--I really really don't want to take a semester off, but I am having this baby next semester. So-how crazy would it be to keep going to school? Keep in mind, I will have all that time off of work...

Awaiting your opinions!

Baptized! Married!

Here's a picture from last weekend. It was a wonderful day.

I've been awfully tired, and trying to dig out from two weekends of fun and the beginning of school. After spending my day off yesterday resting and working, resting and working, with lots of help from my sweet little family, I may be catching up. Here's hoping.