This week

Eating: This week, we are eating lots of tasty salsa, pretty much straight from our garden. This goes great with chips or homemade bread. yum! We've been able to do 90% of our weekly shopping at the Farmers Market & our backyard. I feel pretty great about that. Local tasty goodness!

Making: lots! Baby Quilts for friends, pillows, coffee sleeves, seat cushions, book slings, baby pants. Plus the 101 creative projects that the kids have going on each & everyday.

Enjoying: We are enjoying playing with that little kitten up there. He seems to be incapable of holding still for more than 30 seconds. He's also driving out two older cats nuts, so the children try to entertain him, for their sake.
We are also relaxing! Oh how I love just hanging out! School starts in a few daysand the next few weeks will be anything, but relaxing. I'm carry so much anxiety around with me before school starts. This will be the first year Dylan will be going off to school. We've always homeschooled with him, so it's a big change for me [& him]. He's my first baby. He's the child that made me a mom, not just Jessica. I'm happy & sad all at the same time about sending him off to school. Rest, yes... I do  need some rest.

Coffee Sleeves

I made this fun coffee sleeve for my Dad. He's a HUGE old school, monster, movie buff. The [hard to find] print has all the classics, the Werewolf, Dracula, Creature, Frankenstein. I searched for months to find this fabric for him. [last year I made him a pillow in this print too]. These are really fun to make and useful! Wrap one around your coffee cup or disposable cup and save some tree's without using a paper sleeve.

Other big news for us.. We will be at Craftin Outlaws 2011!  woo-hoo. This will be Kunklebaby's 5th year at the show. It's one of my favorite of the year, with an awesome fun crowd, and so many talented vendors. If your local, or wanna travel that weekend, come down & see us! Sneak peak for the blog readers: I'll have coffee sleeves with me this year at the show. These make great stocking stuffer, and gifts for friends and family.

Mark your calendars early for October 15th, and stop by and say hello.

Made: Monday

New slipper socks. I made these for my kid sister's birthday. [well, she's all of 26 years old this year, but she'll always be my kid sis], I used the pattern for the Broken Rib Socks from the book, 101 Designer one-skein wonders.

I really like how they turned out- color and texture. The pattern was pretty easy to follow, which was important to me because they are the FIRST pair if adult socks I've ever finished. yay! I totally want to make a pair for myself now. 

Happy Monday!

tip of the day

To keep fabric from unraveling and making a crazy, string web in your washer {and losing less of the fabric, esp. on short cuts} serge the cut ends before washing. Only takes a few extra minutes, but the result is oh so nice. I think I love my serger more than my husband today.

Loving

Right now I am loving:

• all the yummy goodness coming out of the garden
• warm sunshine
• Kunklebaby sewing {working on some new products for Craftin Outlaws this year, as well as old favorites}
• watching the kids snuggle & love the new kitten. worth his weight in gold
• that little boy up there. Yep, his shirt says it all! He is also the worlds best unripe tomato picker. He holds the title & everything. 
• having my computer all fixed finally
• pilates
• watching sleeping beauty & the little mermaid in the same week~ and the boys love it as much as me
• ironing piles of new fabric

the end

Summer is quickly speeding away. Only 15 days left until the start of school. I feel anxiety tighten in my throat and each breathe harder to take than the last as I type that! Last year was so difficult for us, and this summer was such a welcome retreat, break, blessing! I never wanted it to end.

As the days, weeks, then months passed on the calender, I tried to ignore the feeling of sudden doom. {I tend to be a little over dramatic... can you tell? } If I spent my time worrying about when it would end, I would never enjoy any of it.

So that just what I did. I turned a blind eye to the end of June. I cautiously noted the middle of July being awfully close to August {without freaking out}. Now, all the sudden, yes the anxiety & stress has all surfaced. The city schools site had a ticking countdown on their website. I was looking for some info and as I saw it the blood drained from my face. no.. so soon.... where did the summer go? Back to the hustle & bustle of school, packed lunches, germs, OMG the germs & sickness, lost jackets, shoes, books. Most of all, being separated from my children. That's the part that really gets me. I feel like part of my soul is cut away when they are gone. It's not a welcoming feeling!

We will be salvaging every last minute to enjoy each others company and the beautiful end of summer days we have left. I'll even "try" to stay calm.

Made: Monday

Have you seen Pottery Barn's new Eric Carle line? My kids want all of it, and well... it's just not in the budget right now. I've had this Hungry Caterpillar fabric for a few years. My favorite dress Mia ever owned was made with it. I had told the kids I would stretch some of the fabric I had leftover on stretcher strips and hang them for awhile {till they get bored, or their mama does}. I told them with a promise that I would do it as soon as I picked up some stretcher strips at the store.

In a family of six, with pets, well... things break. often. I have a pile of frames that somehow or other, the glass broke. For about two years now, my husband " was going to buy new glass at the hardware store this weekend". I was looking at them today and decided that's never going to happen! I could make them some new  "artwork" without investing a dime.

To create these you need:

• old frame
• fabric slightly larger than frame size
• (optional) spray paint to change frame color

The first thing to do is decide on the fabric. This is the most fun step. This project would be great for expensive Japanese imports because it uses so little, fat quarters, and anything you might have lying around.
Remove the cardboard backer from the frame and cut the fabric about an inch larger than this piece.

Now carefully tape, or staple the fabric around the backer board. You want to do alternating sides, not one's next to each other. So top first, then bottom, etc with sides. I used tape because it was next to me and I didn't want to go searching for the staple gun {and find out we were outta staples. lol} You want to hold fabric firmly, but don't pull too hard or it will pucker on front.

 Make sure the corners are nice & tidy or it will not fit back in the frame. Add the frame.... and YOUR DONE! See wasn't that easy! Hang up and vacuum every so often if you feel inclined.

I am so in love with the latest Heather Ross line!!Anyone else?  My heart smiles a little every time I see it!

Someday

Have you ever read this book? I cry... EVERY TIME. Yes, every single one. I tear up just thinking about the end. It's a must read for every mama out there.

Here's a short list of someday's:

• Someday, I want to finish school ... so I can be a "real" artist. lol
• Someday, I want to have one more baby
• Someday, I want to take my family on a nice, long vacation-outta Ohio
• Someday, I want to have a [slightly] larger house
• Someday, I want to hold my grandchildren for the first time, and remember what it was like to hold their parents 
• Someday, I want to have the time to devote to my art, full time. 
• Someday, I will miss the noise & chaos of daily life in a family of six
• Someday, I hope my kids say- While their Mom wasn't perfect, I did a good job raising them 

Hug your babies and enjoy the day!

FLASHBACK: superhero party

Scenes from the little boys Superhero Birthday party a few months back. I've had this sitting in my draft file for two months now and wanted to share. I had so much fun getting ready for the party. The handmade capes really made the "theme" fun for the kids. Hope this may inspire some of you mama's out there.

Summer

A few special moments captured this summer. Enjoy your day!

Some knitting

New baby hat & socks. No, they are not for us. My best friend is having her third baby this Fall. I think this may be the most excited I've ever been about a baby that wasn't growing in my very own belly! Let's just say this baby will be well outfitted with handmade goodies.

I've been nervous to knit socks since I first learned how to knit. So many directions it seemed and I was just overwhelmed. I finally decided today was the day and started. These are from a pattern in More Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I love that book. As a beginning knitter, I've found the directions so easy to understand and the projects just lovely!

These have already been gifted, because well, I am the worst secret keeper in the whole world. There was no way I could wait till the baby arrived to share them. I'll post some more baby gifts here as I give them away early, because lets face it, I already know I can't wait.

And this- is why I love her so much. Because she loves my children so much, with such an open heart and arms!

Baby J

While I've been away, one sweet little baby turned one. That same little baby seems to have turned into a boy. He's walking, talking and even trying to jump! He has the sweetest soul of anyone I've ever met. He's easy going, hilarious and helpful. I couldn't ask for a better baby, ...ehh boy. Sorry that is taking some getting used to for this mama. My fourth child, my third son, my love. I'm so glad you are a part of this family. I couldn't imagine a day without you now!

We're back!!

After a few months break, I'm sure some of you wondered what in the world happened to us! As the end of school loomed and my to-do list exploded at the seams I started to feel a huge pressure bearing down on me. I was just getting kinda overwhelmed with... well, life it seems. I needed a break from the crazy stressful days. I have never, ever in all my life looked forward to a summer as much as this one! Summer was going to be a welcome time for me to relax, stop shuffling the kids here & there & here again, read a little, just... be!

I stopped blogging here because I was just too busy for a few weeks. I started to feel anxious about not blogging, like I was neglecting my job or something. It was then I realized I needed a break. No deadline, so craft shows, no to do list! Just fresh summer air and a free schedule. So after that's exactly what we dis the past few months. Instead of blogging & searching the internet, I exercised each night {and lost 15 lbs so far]. Instead of planning my summer show line up, I knit and read books-for fun, like I used to when I had "time". Instead of school & the morning shuffle we relax in the backyard with some sun & fresh veggies.

I am feeling more relaxed and more like myself than I have in a long time. The winter of 2011 was rough on us [me] and I just needed some time I think. I'm happy to be back and feeling energized and creative. So, while I was gone, we....

Danced. Oh, how we've danced!

Made new friends. That's Little L's new buddy, Blue. Yes, I know he's an orange cat, but blue is his favorite color and word. I'm just happy he's not called Batman. lol

Played in the dirt.

Laughed and loved. I've never laughed so much in my life. I'M BACK!