creative personality + pregnancy hormones=

I've had the sudden urge to make things the past few days...like, if I don't make something now, I will lose my mind. Haha-gotta love creative personality + pregnancy hormones!

I've been extra sleepy the past few weeks, and pregnant enough that I've took the time to actually rest rather than start 100 new projects. I have not made a single thing for a few weeks and it's caught up with me. I made a new set of pillows for the living room yesterday [I'll share this one's friend tomorrow].

I love the Heather Ross Underwater Sisters fabric. I have a few small pieces left in several of the colorways that I am hording. You can see the pink version in the quilt I posted yesterday and the blue in tomorrow's pic's. It's just so dreamy and fun. The fabric is extra soft and I love the texture. Big on texture here!

I've been working on some fun embroidered pieces also. Something relaxing to do, while I sit on the couch and "rest". I'll share those next week.

New Quilt

Some of you may remember this mermaid quilt I started last summer. Once I got to the binding stage, I never finished it. I knew then that I had to keep it for myself and pushed it aside for awhile. The other day I was overcome with the need to finish the blanket. I'm hoping this little baby is a girl and she can call the blanket her own.

It's hand bound in a pretty blue and white, checkered print. Every time I look at it, I smile! I love doing hand sewn bindings. The extra time and effort are worth it to me, for someone special! There are small splashes of blue throughout the quilt, so I think the blue coordinates, but also adds a sense of surprise and texture. Many people would have chosen a pink or green binding. Finding ways to use a feminine blue is my passion. I love blue, and I love blue for little girls even more!

How to: Mini-Dolls

Need something quick and easy to make for your children? Thes mini-dolls are super fun to play with and can be sewn up in an afternoon.

Pick out fabric that you'd like to use. I chose this cute Japanese import with little girls. Fabric with animals or other people work well also. Many of the Japanses imports have a small scale to the design.

Cut out the pieces you'd like to use. Don't worry about them being perfect. I made these into small circles, but depending on the scale of your "dolls" you can stitch them around the body shape.

Pin them to a felt backing. This will give them a little bit of structure [stiffness] and help them stand up better. [any thick-ish material will work]

Sew around your dolls. Make sure to leave an opening so you can turn them right side out and stuff them.

Turn your doll right side out and stuff. I like to use bamboo stuffing. It have a great shape and feel to it inside children's toys. Any polyester, cotton or bamboo stuffing will work though.

Stitch up the hole. I stitch these by hand, as they are pretty small.

Play!! I made a little tote purse for these girls to live in. Keeps them all in one place, and it's extra fun for your little one. A blanket and a kitty were added for accessories. Get creative!

One Year

One year-365 days-In just one year, the kids have changed so much! The older kids are learning how to read and write and question everything the world tells them. They seem to have grown so much in just one little year. Chubby cheeks are being replaced by more grown up features. Every other day, they seem to get inches taller also!

Little {L} is well, not so little anymore! He's a big, independent, strong boy! Climbing, jumping and running everywhere!

- 2010-

- 2009-

-2010-

- 2009-

Little {L} very "carefully" [ahhhh!] brought me my camera the other day. Instead of whisking it immediately away to safety, I told him to smile and started snapping pictures. He makes these silly faces now that he thinks your "supposed" to make for photo's. The two older kids are always up for pictures so they quickly joined in the fun!

WIP

I am desperately trying to get this scarf completed before the warm weather arrives. It seems at most these days I get 2-3 rows finished before someone needs something, or calls me away from knitting. Busy, busy these days. I love this wool yarn though! It's so soft and the colors are yummy. My two favorites, blue & green.

Worst case scenario, I'll have a lovely scarf to wear next fall!

My favorite Space

With a large-ish family with young children [and homeschooling], we spent a lot of time in our home-A LOT! There are areas of the house that I fantasize about remodelling and re-doing and well, just changing. The kitchen is one of those places. While I am in there, I am always thinking about how great it will be when we get around to adding more counter space and storage. It's actually kind of annoying because it's what I think of the WHOLE time!

One room that makes me smile from the inside out as soon as I look at it, is my daughters room. It used to be my studio and I painstakingly picked out the perfect shade of blue for the walls. It looks warm and bright in the sunlight and also cheerful at night with the lamps lit. She has a collection of things that Mama made her scattered throughout the room too. The corner that houses her bed is my favorite place to sit in the entire house! She has a nice comfy bed surrounded by happy, colorful things.

The baby will be joining her in the room [no matter if it's a boy or girl-it's the last space left]. With the large amounts of pink she has accumulated for the room, lets hope it's a girl...or a boy who loves pink. haha. I'm really happy with the room. It's a small space, but I don't think it feels to crammed or claustrophobic. I'll be adding some fun embroidered art pieces for the baby over the next few months as I finish it.

It's a......

Baby! Yeah, we decided to be suprised with the gender at birth, again this time. It was such a great moment when {L} was born and we finally got to find out. I'm so looking forward to that moment again-meeting my child and finding out it it's a boy or a girl, all at the same time.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for another little girl! We'll see in a few months!