baby quilt, softie, and a scarf

This week I've almost tackled one (cheater!) baby "quilt" ...

 

I cut out the triangles and adhered Heat'n'Bond Lite to the wrong side using the tutorial from Made by Marzipan for the "Bye Baby Bunting Quilt".   I know, I promised to make my grandma's first, but wasn't sure I liked the backing I'd gotten.  So, I decided to give it time to grow on me or return it - whichever came first.

 

 
 
 I carefully arranged the triangles and pressed to adhere them to the fabric.
 

 
 
Pinned the top fabric, batting, and bottom together and using a zig zig stitch, sewed all three layers at once.
 

 
 
All that's left to do is sew on the binding (once I get some more fabric to make the bias tape - ugghhmmm!)
 

 

 

 

I conquered a softie doll, tutorial courtesy of 70 piggies.  It'd been a while and I was quickly reminded why I don't like these so well.  They're cute, I agree but, they're tedious.  Don't get me wrong, Nicole from 70 Piggies has a great tutorial!  It's just me.  I have issues like that.

 



 
 
And last but not least, "Ruby" is modeling a cowl neck scarf created from an old sweater - I am in love with both Ruby and the scarf!

 

 



glorious, glorious fabric!

I've been planning a quilt project for a couple weeks now.  Well, today was the glorious day that I picked out fabric.  I spent an insane amount of time staring at bolts and bolts of fabric.  I declare, I think this is an obsession, my love of fabric.  I will buy it without a project in mind and hold on to it for months before I actually find something I want to use it for.  Is that a problem?  I also like the remnant bin, I'm a sucker for small rolls of discounted fabric.  It's clear, I have issues.  Don't judge.

I was still hooked on the yellow and gray theme and so I selected these for a quilt for my grandma.  There's less gray than I was looking for, but in the end, I was pleased with this selection.  And since I'm trying to do this "by the book" - I have a hard time with that you know - they are now happily getting acquainted with the washer and dryer.  I confess, I never prewash my fabric.  I know, it's a sin.

 

 

These will be baby quilts.  That's my hope at least.  I cheated and bought stacks for these.  They are enjoying time mingling in the craft room until I complete the quilt for my grandma.  Pending its success, they'll also meet with the washer and dryer and move on to life as a beloved quilt.  Pending its success, I say.

 

 

 

 

the Joe Dirt, Larry the Cable Guy shirt

Some of you've already heard this story but, the photo's worth sharing just so you can laugh it up again...

A couple weeks ago, a certain little man was complaining one morning that he gets hot in P.E.  Let's be real here.  P.E.'s a mere 30 to 45 minutes, so it's a small percentage of his day.  He didn't want to get dressed and he was griping about all of the choices.  My rebuttal went something like this, "Listen, it's cold here.  Really cold.  You can't just go wearing short sleeves and holey pants when it's 20 degrees out.  So, I'm sorry, it's long sleeves and a good pair of jeans.  Pick something out."  I walked off and left him to select a suitable outfit.  A bit later he came waltzing into the kitchen.  His mood was better, he was dressed appropriately and the morning continued as it normally does.

What I did notice was that he was wearing a fleece jacket and I did question it and thought oh, heavens to Betsy, he's getting the virus that Miss K had just gotten over.  He said he was fine and when I felt his forehead, he seemed normal.  Sometimes he's cold in the morning, so it wasn't anything to worry about.  He later left, putting a thicker winter coat over top and I thought it was a bit strange again but, if he really was sick, the school would call.

The day went by and when he arrived home, I followed him to his room, all the while asking questions about his day and offering him a choice of snacks. He took off his jacket and immediately, I noticed something was wrong with this nice new shirt he was sporting.  (I had bought this - tag still on - at a thrift shop for little of nothing and it was one of those really soft long-sleeved tees, so it was a prized buy in my eyes.)  Upon second glance, the sleeves were missing.  Anger and frustration shot through my veins and I started to get upset with him, asking why he'd done this and telling him we can't just go hacking up all of our clothes!

He explained again that he gets hot in P.E. and I told him that was not a good excuse.  I had to walk away, I was gonna lose it for sure!  I went to the kitchen and did some dishes.  I had to vent.  So, I texted friends and family to share this little story that was eating me up.  I explained how mortified I was, how the shirt looked like a little redneck beer belly shirt.  I explained I wasn't racist or a hater but the sleeves weren't even short sleeves, they were shorter, almost like a tank top but not so much.  It was complete with a race car on the front.  My brother called him Joe Dirt, another friend asked if it was Larry the Cable Guy style.  Yep, it was.  Someone said tell him to grow a pony tail and get a tattoo that says "MOM", chicks dig it!  Someone who'd been home with a child suffering with a stomach virus said she'd sadly been dealing with puke and that story just made her day.

After reading their comments, I quickly got over my fit of rage.  It was slightly comical.  I took a couple of pictures to which he was not happy about but, that's a small price to pay. It's a memory and a story that won't soon be forgotten.

 

 

once upon a quilt

I've been home since last Thursday with a sick girl.  One minute she's cold and bundled up and the next she's stripping clothes off and throwing a tank top and shorts on.  The madness hasn't ended yet, we're home again today.  If I ever get out of this house, I plan on getting some sheets to make one or two (or ten) of these...



While Blogger's link function isn't currently working for me,
you can find it here at http://www.madebymarzipan.com/,
just search for "Bye Baby Bunting Quilt".



We know an astounding number of people having and who've just had babies.  And we want to do something special for them.  So this is one on my list.  Once upon a time, I tried making a quilt, but cutting out the fabric's as far as I got.  Sad, but true!  Those kinds of quilts just seems so tedious and the instructions, well that's a whole 'nother story in itself.  Every step of quilting just bogs down my mind and leaves me frazzled.  So, this is gonna be my attempt at "quilting".  I like to think of it as a cheater version but, nonetheless, it will be a quilt of some sort.  Wish me luck!

 

right where we need to be

I've had a lot of revelations in the last year or so.  I look back and see how God has prepared us in so many ways for the life we are now living and for little things along the way.  Just this week, again, I was reminded of God's perfect placement and timing.

Over the weekend, one of Miss K's friends wanted to come over and hang out but, we had an extremely busy weekend planned.  Instead, I told her Monday would be perfect because it was a holiday and we had nothing on the books.  So, we picked her up Monday and stayed busy all day having fun - shopping, Wii, crafting.  At lunchtime, she told us her grandma was having surgery that day and the hospital wasn't allowing any visitors under 18 due to the flu being so rampant.  She explained further that it was surgery for breast cancer and Miss K perks up and says, "My grandma had breast cancer too."  Friend's mother texted me later to thank me for keeping her girl busy and her mind off things.  And it occurred to me that God put us all where he wanted us to be on that day.  We helped her, she helped us.

I haven't talked to my brother since we were home for the holidays.  He started a new job with crazy hours and no one's really heard from him.  So, I texted to ask him something and inquired about his new job.  He explained it wasn't his ideal job - long commute, in the city - but he was making good money.  We talked about how money isn't everything and I told him God has a way of putting us where He needs us, even when it's not always where we'd like to be and it isn't always comfortable but, God stretches us and it all works out in the end.  I know he's aware of these things but it's always good to hear them again, to know that other people have been there, that they're rooting for you.

Miss K and I had a talk not long ago about one of her friends and how this friend's life would be changing in the future, much like ours did.  I told Miss K that this was her chance to be supportive, encouraging and mindful of the changes that'll take place.  In my eyes, she has a bag full of experience in life changing events for someone of her age and it's her chance to be a mentor of sorts.  Again, God's been preparing her to help others and placing her right where she needs to be.

God's timing is always perfect and He's constantly stretching us and forming us for His glory and to serve others. 

like treachery

 
Out among friends, we spent the evening away from home.  Blessed by the love held between us, we were pleased to join our dearest chums for a little Christmas celebration.  Over firecracker punch and white chocolate mochas, I was a little overwhelmed by how much I felt like an outsider.  While I was treated nothing of the sort, it still felt a little different, if only to me.  They were all so excited to see us (as our arrival was kept a secret) and I was thrilled to catch up and see how much the babies had grown and how life was treating them.  Conversation and laughter filled the air while the sweet and savory smells of every one's hard work wafted about as well. 
 
As I mingled, it was nice to hear Mrs. C talk of her fondness of the Midwest.  How home is always in your heart and how you still miss it from time to time, even after all those years.  It's good to know that no one ever took her memories, ever dowsed her affection for home as she once knew it.  People do that, they try to tell you that you'll never be happy, that the place they call home is better than what you've always known.  They think their way of life is superior and I get it, they like "their place" and that's fine and dandy but, I like mine too.  That doesn't mean one could never be happy being uprooted and tossed from, say, the mountains to the cornfields.  It's just not true.
 
That's why it was so strange tonight.  A feeling of betrayal encompassed me.  I'm now accustomed to the cornfields, the sprawling land, the eery silence, the large farmhouse, the crazy wind, the bazillions of thrift stores I frequent, all the new friends, the fantastic church.  It's all grown on me a bit and I almost want to hide it from them.  I don't want them to know that we've become comfortable there, even though they'd be overjoyed for us.  It feels like treachery.  I don't want to say that I miss it.  But the Mister and I agree, we do.  We miss the silly cornfields and we can't wait to get back and settle in some more.  It's such an odd and confusing situation.  It's funny how God throws curve balls.
 
I am glad we missed the first snow storm.  No regrets there!

Reindeer Cupcakes

When you're the "Star Student of the Week" it calls for super awesome snacks!  So, of course we had to do it right and make some festive Christmas treats.  Today, I made Reindeer Cupcakes.  These were so fun and too cute!

 

 

I didn't follow a recipe, just used regular yellow cake mix baked in a muffin/cupcake pan.  While they were cooling, I secured the brown M&M noses to the vanilla wafers with a dab of chocolate icing (place the icing in a Ziploc bag and snip off the corner - this makes it super easy!)  You could also use red M&M's for Rudolph.  After the cupcakes cooled, I iced them with chocolate icing, added the vanilla wafer noses and pretzels.  Then, I used white chocolate chips flipped upside down and squirted on a tiny drop of black gel icing.  Easy peasy!