Menu Mondays

Monday - Steak w/noodles and salad
Tuesday - Southwestern Chicken Wraps
Wednesday - Hot Dogs w/fruit
Thursday - Spaghetti w/salad
Friday - Chicken over Toast
Saturday - Shrimp Tacos
Sunday - Chicken Curry

Think we can go a whole week without eating out?  We're sure gonna try...I'll let you know how it goes.

Weekend Updates

Stayed up til 2:30am on Friday night/Saturday morning.  I got the following completed.
 - Binding on a fall table runner
-  New fall table runner completed
-  Borders on a square fall table topper
-  Loved the square table topper so much - make another one with an extra border on it
-  Sewed the first portion of the turning twenty blocks for Whit

I even woke up at 8am Saturday and wasn't tired or complaining!  We had a fun Saturday of shopping, eating out, kids took 3 hour naps!  It was a joyous day.  We swam late intot he night, roasted marshmellows, and had adventures with the tree ghosts (something Jake has made up). 

Sunday has been a lazy day at home - a little grocery shopping - a little sun - and I started sewing together my next 2 Swoon blocks.  How I'm loving this quilt.  I can't believe how many pieces are going into one block.  Good thing they are so big! 

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend.

First Day of School

Jake -

Today is your first day of school, yet another milestone of how big you're getting.  A few weeks ago we went to meet your teacher and walk around the school.  As we drove up you said "this is a big school mom" and I had to hold back the tears.  Its so hard to watch my little baby grow up.  You made me a mom - made me, me - and now our Tuesday's at home together are being cut short by the adventures of school. 

I'm also excited for you - as you love to play with kids.  Meet new friends, learn everyone's name.  You are a very friendly, happy kid and I know you are going to make so many friends at school.  I always worry that my kids are going to be treated unkind or be the ones to treat others unkind.  Always remember to be nice to everyone.  Be the kid that everyone wants to be friends with because you are so kind.  You have such a sweet kind heart I know this will be easy for you.  Remember to share the toys and use nice words and you won't have any problems.

My little Jake, you are so smart.  I marvel everyday at the new words you're using.  You have always talked well and talked a lot.  You want to know what words mean, you ask questions, you want to learn and you soak everything up.  School will be your time to shine.  I know that little brain of yours will gather everything being said and taught. 

I'm so proud of your for taking this big step in life.  I know you're going to love school and have fun each time you go.  You make it easy for a mom to let you grow up as you are always excited to try new things.  My heart aches a little to see you go - and its hard for me to know you are so big you can spend a few hours away from me all on your own.  But I am so proud that you are independant and brave. 

Have a fun day at school, a fun year - this is the beginning of your life in school!  I hope you always have the desire to learn, grow, and make new friends.

I love you so much -

Mom

Source: thewillcuttgirls.blogspot.com via Abby on Pinterest

Swoon

My friend Ann and I decided to start the quilt pattern Swoon by ThimbleBlossoms.  It is a fun star pattern and the blocks are big!  It tooks us about 2 hours to get the first block done last night.  May second one went a little faster.  I'm kind of addicted and went to get this quilt done!

We are doing this out of the Hometown line by Sweetwater, and I'm loving these fabrics.  The wheels are turning of what else I could make using some of these colors!

These blocks are so big - how cute would one star be in the middle with a few borders for a baby quilt or table topper!  I'm loving this quilt!

It's Fall Y'All

When August starts to wind down and the kids are getting ready to go back to school (sniff - Jake is going to preschool this year!)  I get excited for fall.

This weekend I started cleaning out my sewing room and pulled out all my fall fabrics.  Needless to say it is now a bigger mess than when I started because it looks like fall exploded in my room!

I have started a new quilting process of cutting out multiple quilts so I have projects available and ready when I have time to sew.  So far I have a few projects cut, and only a little sewing done.  BUT - its progress.

Two runners I finished up last night.  Just need to quilt and bind.  I've decided if I'm going to make a few of the same pattern - might as well cut and sew at the same time - so I'll be whipping a few similar items out.  Trying to get some of my stash cleared up!  Both of the fabrics used in these runners are a few years old.  Makes me feel good when I can get something cute done without having to spend a dime!

Happy Fall!

Pumpkins Gone Wild

I have a great customer who ordered some custom table runners for each season. This is the fall one.

I love the bright greens and oranges

The back fabric may be my favorite in the line. I love that fall is just around the corner. What a great way to get ready for it! Hope she likes it.

Simple Little Table Runners

In an effort to be better about updating my completed projects - I have a few posts in store with projects that I had forgotten about.

Using this great tutorial  I have made several of these cute little table runners over the last year. These 3 were actually made for our boutique last year -

I love the fall one best - it sold out quickly though.  I still have the Halloween one available in my Etsy store.

I tried to get this once completed for Valentines Day, and didn't quite make it.  Its been done for while now, but had never shared it yet.

I love the pops of turquoise in this one.  Makes it happy and springy!

This table runner is a fun change to squares with a little ric rac to spice it up!  This is a great pattern for that charm pack you don't know what to do with.

This Week

- I spring cleaned my house (a few months/years late)
- had dance parties with the kids
- played with my nephews
- spent the day with my sister
- threw a shower
- finished a quilt
- had 2 family parties
- swam in the pool

If only work wasn't a factor, it would be a perfect week!

Conversations with Jake

Putting Jake to sleep - laying in his bunk bed, me trying to pinterest on my phone while he falls asleep.

Jake: Mom - I can't sleep with that light on.  (the light being my phone)
Me: laughing - hiding the phone under the covers
Jake: Its not funny mom - turn it off
Me: laughing again
Jake: Mom, turn it off and go to sleep - NOW!

I forget - who is the parent in this relationship?

Baby Boy Quilt

Last night we had a baby shower for my cousin Brooke who is due any day now with a little boy.  Brooke is extra special to me - I spent a lot of time babysitting at Brooke's house when I was younger (and she was in high school).  While I was sneaking off to parties (while tending) she was having parties (and cops came).  Brooke also helped me out a few summers back when my mom had surgery.  She tended Jake for a 6 week period and Jake loves her, and her dog Millie.  

So when I found out Brooke was pregnant, after trying for awhile, add to that its a boy - I was so thrilled and excited for her I had to plan the shower.  It was so much fun getting the house and the yard ready for the big day.  I think it all looked great, although I took not one picture.  Brooke looks so cute with her belly about ready to pop.  

I loved watching her get so excited about the little clothes and the fun gifts she got.  We passed around "Mother Knows Best" advise cards and read them to everyone.  I loved that not one person said "Do this, or Never do that".  All the advise was "listen to your heart", "enjoy each stage", etc.  

I love watching mom's become a mom.  Brooke has always been so good with kids, and this is her calling to be a mom.  I can't wait to see her hold the little one and feel that "I'm a mom feeling" that you only get with your first baby.  Last night I remembered that feeling - through my whole pregnancy with Jake, and then how it was so magnified once he was actually here.  The love, the need to protect, the worry, and more love.  I can't wait for Brooke to have this little bundle of joy.  She now just needs to work on a name!

This quilt was so much fun to make, because I had Brooke in mind the whole time I was sewing.  I bought these fabrics when I was pregnant with Jake, wanting to make this quilt, but sadly never got around to it.  Once I got the binding on this quilt - I was in love.  Its navy bind, hard to see in the picture, but I love the white with all the blue colors.  Very clean and classy looking.  I may just have to make this one again as I still have some fabrics.  

This is my little helper.  Anytime there is a quilt on the ground (completed or just the blocks laying there) he has to jump on it.  This pattern is New Arrivals by Two Peas in a Pod.  Very easy to put together with great results.  

The back was polka dots - need I say more.  Such a fun quilt to make.  I hope Brooke enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Words to Remember

Source: etsy.com via Abby on Pinterest

Trouble with a capital T

I already knew I was in trouble - but the fun just keeps coming....When do they grow out of the "need to get into everything" stage?  Sam is now scaling walls and opening up the pool cover (and breaking it).

Mrs B Quilt

Last week I attended a funeral for a dear sweet lady Mrs B.  She was a mastermind who helped shape and mold the company I have worked for over the past 16 years.  She was also the mother to a friend of the family.  Instead of sending flowers - my family opted to send a quilt.  I looked through the quilts I had completed and none of them seemed to fit the family - so I decided to start a new project.  Problem was we wanted to have it finished by the viewing - 3 short days away.

I got busy - using the quilt pattern 5 and Dime from All Washed Up I pulled some fabrics from my stash and got sewing.  On the back of this pattern it says "5 minutes to shop, 10 minutes to cut and you're sewing your quilt" -- they ain't lying!  This quilt goes together so fast.  It is an easy pattern, but I think if you pick the right fabrics, you still get a beautiful quilt.  In those 3 days - I actually made two.  The first one I started didn't end up being big enough - but it is beautiful.  I'll show pictures soon.  

I don't think this picture does the fabrics justice.  The line used was one of the Collection for a Cause by Moda and it is very pretty.  Kind of old civil warish looking.  

This is a great pattern to make if you're in a hurry - especially if you have a pretty focal print to use for the sashing.  

I hope our friends wrap themselves up in this quilt and think of Mrs B as if she has her arms around them.  She was truly a great woman and will be missed.