Some kind of irony

Something like 10 years ago I was setting the table in our little apartment on Hackberry and it occurred to me that our dishes were heavy, and that small children would not be able to help set the table if the dishes were too heavy. I started looking for a pretty set of plastic dishes at Goodwill.

I finally found them! A full set of eight - plates and little plates and bowls and cups and even a sugar and creamer.

I love them. I would wear them as clothes. I like to take them out just to look at them.

I have them in the pantry where Anna can reach, so she can help herself (and help me!)

Now, we've been so very fortunate, and in 12.5 years of marriage, we've only broken one bowl of our wedding dishes. (Knock on wood)

I've had my pretty pink plastic "safety" dishes for two weeks...

I'm down to 7 plates and 7 cups.

Shopping Bags!

For Susan's wedding shower, I wanted to make her some shopping bags. I've had the fabric for these for... 3 years? (So actually, I've been meaning to make her some bags forever, but the shower was a good motivator).

I ended up finishing them early in the morning with a baby alternately wrapped around my legs and sitting on my lap. (I timed myself as I was making them, got the last one sewn in 12 minutes!)

That's how easy they are to make. Here's a good tutorial. (It's a little fancier than mine-I don't have a pocket, and I just use webbing for the handles, or, as it was with these, whatever bits of anything that I had laying around. Some webbing, some ribbon, etc.)

They are truly lovely to shop with. So much nicer than plastic.

Baby Backpack

We used my old college backpack for Anna's diaper bag, and it was my plan to use it for Katie too, but after the third repair, I decided it was time to trade it in.

Luckily, we had another old backpack in the basement, so I just moved my Girl Scout Child Care badge and our Kansas Association of Wheat Growers patch to the new one and we're off!

On days when I have time for a tiny project, it feels like all is right with the world.

Fall List 2011

I'm a bit behind on this post-For some reason 2 kiddos + working + Practicum + Susu's wedding = not very much time to play computer. Right now I'm enjoying a few minutes of playing in between printing research articles and cutting out tablecloths for the wedding while the two girls sleep and before responsible teacher self says that I have to go to bed too.

Summer 2011 List: (I did much better than I had anticipated!)

1. Finish organizing craft room!

2. Make Spencer's blanket.

3. Make Finney and Trisha's blanket.

4. Make something pretty with Abby for Lainey.

5. Make Anna Back to School Dress.

6. Anna Hall Photos

7. Anna 8X10's for year.

8. Finish Summer Class.

9. Plymell Spanish Facebook Page

10. Try to choose fun over "work"

Fall 2011 List:

1. Make things for Susu's wedding; Petticoat, veil, flowers, tablecloths; and have fun with sisters.

2. Finish MJL 12th anniversary present.

3. Spencer Quilt

4. Secret Sibling gift

5. File the giant pile of papers.

6. Finish Practicum.

7. Get out Baby Toys.

8. Lainey something with Abby.

9. Chelsea Wedding Book.

10. Pull some of the giant weeds.

I will be very happy if I get most of these things done. I will also try to remember what Fr. Rene said on Sunday-the Good is the enemy of the Best. I will not sacrifice what is best for what is merely good. (Best = snuggle cute girls, have fun with MJL, relax, enjoy this life, pray)

Happy Fall!

Quick Quilt

6 of one, 1/2 dozen of another

A long time ago I finished a quilt for a wedding that happened even longer ago.

A snuggly/picnic blanket.

Every quilt's cuter with a Katie on it.

Congratulations, Finney and Trisha!

Back to School Dress

We didn't quite get it done for the first day of school, but "Back to School" surely lasts for a couple of weeks, right?

This year, Anna helped make her dress! We made the Sophia Tunic Dress from SewSweet Patterns on Etsy. We took the sleeves off and made it a bit longer. She chose the fabric.

Anna sewed the shoulders and side seams all herself! (On my lap) She wanted to run the machine ALL by herself, but I'm not quite ready for that step.

I think she was pleased. I was thrilled. Someone to sew with! :)

A favorite cup.

Two years ago I bought some nice mugs from Goodwill to keep my Popsicle sticks in at school. (I have sticks for all of the students so I can call on people randomly.) One mug for each class, which was wonderful because then I had a reason to buy nice mugs at Goodwill.

I had a favorite.
One day I thought "I really really like this mug. I'm so glad I got it. It makes me happy every day." 2 seconds later I dropped it and it broke.

Last week I found one just like it at Goodwill. Thanks, world!

8 month Katie

 8 month Katie does not like to have her picture taken.

 She likes to MOVE.

Taking 8 month old portraits was a little difficult.

So we built a big tent.

Happy Birthday Katie!  (10/06/11)

GC Apology

Today I accidentally cut in front of someone at Dillons.

I say accidentally because surely I didn't mean to cut, right? I haven't been teaching elementary school for so long that I find cutting acceptable?

I was at the self check, and I had Katie on my hip and a container of Crisco in my hand and I was thinking to myself "Hurry!" because Katie was D.O.N.E. shopping and ready to let the world know.

So when the line opened, I zipped over and started to check out, realizing as I scanned my Crisco that I had been standing BEHIND someone else in line.

What do you do at this point? I figured it was quicker to just get out as soon as I could so I did, not EVEN turning around to apologize but just hustling out, head down. I've been feeling guilty ever since.

I'm sorry, man in Dillons buying a greeting card. I'm sorry, sweet hometown.

As penance I'm posting a link to a webpage where you can vote for a new logo and tagline for Garden City. And I'm not getting on my soapbox about hiring people from "bigger" places and how the entire culture has to change in order to change for the better and there's nothing wrong with living in a small place and if we don't figure out how to value that we will never lose the stigma that we perpetuate by hiring people from bigger places. I'm hardly going to talk about it at all.

I'm just going vote for a logo(#2) and tagline(below) and be happy about where I get to live.

"Welcoming the World"

Studio 3: Fabric

I spent a lot of time thinking about how to organize fabric.

Here's what I came up with: Small boxes for tiny scraps, medium boxes for larger cuts, and big boxes for things like old sheets and big or thick pieces. It's working right now, and I'm hoping that being able to see things will help me to use what I have. I'd like to get Mom's fabric stash from Dad's house and add it to mine, but I'm afraid I might have to use some things up before it'll fit...

The small bins are organized by color and fabric. That was Anna's idea. She arranged the boxes and then I put them up on the shelf.

I have ribbons and notions here too, and little room to grow, but not much!

Above the cutting/quilting table I have these great racks from The Container Store. The left side is fabric tools, the right side paper tools.

I especially like having my buttons in jars. That seems like an important part of a sewing room.

Studio 2: Storage

Months ago I got some white storage drawers at an auction. It was wonderful to finally put stuff in them.

This one has paper goodies: wires for the bind-it all, paper, cardboard, trash (packaging that I want to make something out of), Anna art (that I want to make things out of), and bits of paper left over from other things that I've made (that I want to make something else out of).

This other big set of drawers has all sorts of crafty things. Three of the drawers are just labeled "crafty bits". That means little things that I want to make things out of; old crayons, puzzle pieces, nice wooden boxes, etc. I discovered in organizing the room that I like the word "bits".

I also have a drawer for Anna, and (eventually) Katie. It has coloring and project books and paper and crayons for kid projects.

My Studio!

Really, we refer to it as my office or the craft room. But I like the word "studio". Makes me feel like an artist.
Here's the view from the door. Of course there are already projects everywhere.

This is the "office" area. For paying bills, filing, correspondence, life organization, and photo management. This is probably the most important and least "fun" part of the room.

This is the cutting table/quilting table/paper crafting area. The big table is up high so it's comfortable to cut fabric. It has good light, thanks to my desk lamp from Junior High. I can spread out a big blanket and baste it or tie it, and I have a stool for doing sit-down work. (Like maybe catching up on years of scrapbooks?)

This is the sewing area. I need a better chair, hopefully someday one that swivels, so I can put the serger on one side and the sewing machine on the other. When I'm not in the middle of sewing something, Anna works on things at this table.

More details tomorrow. :)

Cookie Plate

This blue glass plate is from my Grandma Madge.

Filling it with cookies makes me happy.

Thanks, Mary!

My sweet sister-in-law gave me this beautiful yellow bowl for Christmas.

I wanted to show you all how gorgeously it catches and holds the sunlight.

Thanks, Mary!

6 year old firecracker

07/04/2011

5 months old!

1st 4th of July

Two little firecrackers

4th of July Photo Shoot!

Homework

One of my favorite Kindergarten papers.