Friday, October 30, 2009

Playing with pictures

I have always admired how others can "fix" their photos (or enhance them). The contributors over at "I heart Faces" are amazing! On their Friday "fix-its" you can actually get tutorials on how to make your own photos look better. This is their Friday download this week.


I took a whirl at it and had fun playing! This is what I came up with:




I'm obviously still a novice, but it's so fun to play! Head over to their website to see how to enhance your own photos!
Don't forget there's still time to enter my first giveaway!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

My First Giveaway!

UPDATED: POST IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED TO MORE ENTRIES.  A WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN.  WATCH FOR DETAILS. THANKS!

As if I didn't have enough on my plate, I've decided to do a giveaway! I figured since my fabric is spread out across the dining room table, it's as good a time as ever!

I've been making baby blankets for a few years now (and even sold a few). I've learned a lot along the way, and I'm still learning the ins and outs of my machine. My blankets are perfectly imperfect, like me. Each one is unique and one of a kind. Here's one I just finished this week:





If I can find a way to be creative with the name embroidery, I try to. Otherwise, it's just a block or a rounded applique like this one:



I make them a generous size so they work for tummy time, and can be used even when baby gets bigger. And yes, I do make boy ones too (the two I just finished this week happened to be for little girls).

If you would like to win one for yourself (or give one as a gift), then simply leave a comment. I will choose a winner at random on November 5th. Then, all you need to do is let me know if the blanket is for a boy or a girl, and the name you would like embroidered. (I'll also send pics of the fabrics I have on hand so you can choose one that you like).

Good luck!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Sew Sweet Giveaway!

In case you didn't know, I have an etsy shop (Sew Sweet for Baby). Don't go looking for it though because there isn't anything in it right now :D

I've been busy sewing like crazy lately! Not on projects for myself though. There seems to have been a baby boom around here lately! So, I've been doing what I do when friends have babies...making blankets!
Here's a sneak peek at one:



Since I'm in the sewing mode, I thought I would let you know that I'm going to be doing my VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY!! My next post will have all the details, so be ready! You could win your very own personalized blanket like this one!

See you soon!!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Fresh Air!

Two weeks ago, my husband and I found ourselves with only two out of our three kiddos (Reagan was at YaYa and Poppy's house). We wanted to take full advantage of the man-to-man defense (and of course the gorgeous weather) so we packed up our youngest two and hit the trail. Literally.

We googled "easy trails" in Idyllwild (since he would be wearing the baby in a backpack for the hike). When we found it, we set off for our family hike. Along the way we learned a few things:

1. Hikers walking UP the trail have the right of way.
2. Bring snacks (there's a reason it's called "trail mix").
3. Easy is not easy (turns out we ended up on a moderate trail so that explains a lot)
4. Going down is a LOT easier than going up.
5. Buy a map.
6. A 20 pound baby feels a lot heavier at 6,000 feet up and carried on your back (I have to take my wonderful husbands words for it on this one)
7. Three year olds will walk a lot if you keep them busy "looking" for things.
8. There's a reason they are called 'hiking boots.' Sneakers just don't cut it sometimes.
9. The first weekend in October is also the Wine Festival in Idyllwild. Who knew?
10. God made our world so beautiful and often we forget to just take it all in and breathe.
(The world is also a small place. The ONE family we asked to take our picture on the trial was actually from Philly, just a few towns away from where B grew up!)

It was invigorating and peaceful all at the same time. The pictures don't do it justice, but we have agreed that it's something we need to do more frequently. So, we'll have more pics in the future. For now, enjoy! I know we did!






Monday, October 19, 2009

This is NOT my first NOT ME MONDAY (but really it is)

Ok, so I'm caving. I've been reading others for months and now it's my turn to join the ranks. It was created by MckMama as a way to admit what we most certainly did NOT do during our week. You can go to her blog if you want to read about hundreds of others that didn't do anything this week.



Most weeks I simply forget what it was that I did NOT do, but this week I have actually been writing them down. I am a list-maker, afterall. I almost wrote my first "Not Me" a few months ago after I totally did NOT misread a pregnancy test and think that we were expecting a fourth child (after my sweet husband's 'procedure'). And now I totally do NOT giggle every time I hear the ClearBlue Easy Pregnancy Test commercial that says "Three out of ten women can misread a pregnancy test." Who does that?!

But on to THIS week!

I definitely did NOT hit the "panic" button on my key fob by accident while trying to hit the automatic door button. I always know which button to push, even with my hands full.

My youngest daughter did NOT continually remove her clothing and her diaper no matter how many times I tried to convince her otherwise. Then I most certainly did NOT try to scotch tape the tabs on her diaper to keep her little fingers from lifting them. Not me. I also wouldn't ignore every sign that she is sending at 19 months that she wants to use the potty. I always let my children dictate when we start potty training.

I did NOT spend over an hour last night, freaked out because I thought I heard a mouse in our bedroom, chewing on something. I finally did NOT get up out of bed and "face my fear" only to find out that it was the string on our blinds, blowing in the breeze and 'clanking' against the metal window frame.

Since my stomach was NOT bothering me last week (and thus making me feel all around icky) I definitely did not convince my children that they wanted quesadillas or microwavable mac n cheese for dinner. I always cook organic, healthy meals, from scratch.

I also did not scrap two bags of Amish bread "starter" because I keep making the "cake" and eating most of it myself and then wondering why the scale is not moving down. Not me. I don't eat sugar. Ever.

So there it is. My first (but not my last).

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Sneak a Peek

A couple weeks ago I was "inspired" for my kitchen and family room curtains.

Since then I have been on a mission to find the right "hankies" to applique onto my curtains. This is what I have thus far.



I have discovered that this process is going to take longer than I originally thought, but the search has been fun, so I don't mind!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Right or Left

I've talked before about how different our first two girls are; not only in looks, but personality as well. We have often wondered where Bailey will fit into that spectrum. Will she be more like Reagan? Will she be more like Skylar? All I can say is that thus far, she is keeping us guessing.

Her hair is blonde, like Reagan. But it's straight, like Skylar. She is talking early like Reagan, but is shy like Skylar. She likes to climb things and jump off like....well all of them have done that, so that's not a fair comparison :D If her stats are any indication, she is shaping up to be the shortest of the three. Poor thing.

Lately, I've been trying to figure out if she is going to be right or left handed. Reagan is right handed. Skylar is left handed. Bailey eats with her right hand, but draws with her left (most of the time).

Sometimes she will even start writing with her right,


and then switch,


to her left.

Our God-given traits just amaze me! Each is truly unique and created for a purpose that we can only pray about and wait for the Lord to bring to fruition. Right or left, each a blessing.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Melting Moments

You know those moments. The ones you want to freeze in time. The ones where you wish you had your camcorder, or camera, or mental tivo so you could rewind and replay it over and over. Not the ones where your kids are "melting" in a store and you need to hightail it out of there in a hurry. But the ones where your kids or husband does something super sweet and it makes YOU melt. This morning was one for me.

Bailey has started to speak in broken sentences more frequently. After taking Reagan (Deedee) to school, we pulled back into the garage. I opened Baileys van door and her bottom lip was out. It's really pathetic if you've ever seen it. I asked her, "what's wrong bug?" She said (as sad as could be), "mommy, miss deedee." So sweet.

*sigh*

And I melted.

It warms my heart to see my girls love one another.

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