Play Date Layout

Here is my entry for the Play Date Cafe challenge #163.  These are the kids' school pics this year. 

Quilts in Progress...Cruise Quilt

I have been sew busy in front of the sewing machine lately.  As you may know I do not even have my regular Viking at home right now.  I have been working on the featherweight that grandma gave me.  WOW!  That thing is tougher than you'd think! I have been working on 2 quilts and the plans for a third.

NUMBER ONE

 Panama Canal Cruise Quilt

In October 2001, right after the world was shocked into a fear of terrorists and flying, my Grandma Betty took me on a cruise through the Panama Canal.  Her sight had been starting to bother her and she needed someone to go with her.  She asked me to go.  It was GREAT.  We rode on the Sun Princess cruise ship.  Wow.  Long story short, I picked up 3 beautiful panels with the intention of making them into a quilt.  Grandma had made one about her cruise to Alaska a few years before.  (She's a cruise junkie!)






I had purchased coordinating fabrics not long after the trip that reminded me of the sea.  And then they waited for me.  They have been waiting for almost 11 years to be recreated into a quilt.  And now it's almost done...


Timothy helped me figure out how to make the waves look real.  Thanks buddy!  He also did quite a bit of sewing for me.  He's a pro now.  He will probably be designing his own quilts soon.  He even tries ironing and cutting but sewing is his favorite job.

30th Birthday Book

Another flashback project: My 30th Birthday Book. (My 30th birthday was November 2009) Oh well, here it goes. I made each layout for something that was significant in my life.


my husband and our marriage


my kids


my faith


what I wanted to be when I grew up


my depression


women who changed my life
my mom, my grandma Betty, my sister, Heather, Rebekah, Anne Shirley, Sheila Walsh, Jo March, Laura Ingals Wilder, Juliette Gordon Low, Laura my college roommate
"We look for visions of heaven, and we never dream that all the time God is in the commonplace people...around us." Oswald Chambers


my travels
includes envelope full of postcards from places I have been


my collections
dolls, dollhouses, postage stamps, pennies, crosses, elephants, nativities, photos of post offices, buttons, scouting memorabilia


my friends for tea
many of my friends completed small cards with their name and a memory about us

Embrace Mini Album

I created this mini album for a challenge in January 2009. I don't even remember where the challenge was from. I found the pictures on one of my husband's thumb drives and so here it is. It represents all the things that I wanted to embrace in 2009. It was sort of my New Year's resolutions in a book.

You can tell that I had gotten my Cricut for my birthday in November because I have diecuts from it throughout the book. Around the edge of the star I wrote each of the things I would embrace. "I will embrace my kids. I will embrace..."


Faith: I wanted to continue do grow in my faith. I was discovering where I belonged in God's plan and where I was going. I was looking for a church home that felt right. I was trying to discover ways that I could show that faith in my daily life to my friends and my family.
"I will pray without ceasing."


My kids: Speaking of family, I wanted to embrace my role as a mother to my 2 kids.
"I will embrace my relationship with my kids, and give them all I have to offer."


My Soul Mate: Kelly, the love of my life, my everything. I wanted to embrace my role as a Proverbs 31 wife for him. I always desire to complete him.


Outdoors: I wanted my family to enjoy the outdoors together. I wanted to work together with the earth, to make our little bit of it beautiful and useful for our family.
"plant seeds, grow flowers, eat our own vegetables, cultivate."


Travel: I love taking my kids to discover new places. I wanted to travel with my family to places that would inspire and fulfill us.
"travel, adventures, new discoveries. I will take my children to new destinations."


Tomorrow: I will embrace the future and all it has to offer myself, my kids, my marriage, and others around me.
"Embrace the pieces of today, and tomorrow they will fit together."

I wish I could remember where I found this quotation. I don't think that I was clever enough to come up with it on my own.

101 things: January recap

My first month of 101 in 1001 days is going great. I have had lots of energy and excitement about getting my household in order. I cleaned most of our bedroom today. Would someone encourage my husband to do his side now? I will post pics of it when its clean. I will also post pics tomorrow of my many projects I have finished lately.

1. visited Grandma and PopPop with mom and the kids.
2. got quotes to finish drywall in attic
6. put up clothes lines in basement
9. made 4th panel of curtains, just need to hem them all
17. planned meals for January and start of February
18. planning grocery shopping according to meal plans
20. eating more fruits and veggies but not 5 yet
21. made basket of healthy snacks that kids can reach
26 . got the green shelf out of Rebekah's room
29. finished blue sweater
35. Posted on Something-2-Eat (3/429)
36. Posted on tidbits & scraps (12/268)
44. Read "News for Dogs" to Timothy
45. made 2 loaves of white bread
46. made a blue and brown floral dress for Rebekah
47. made wrist warmers for me
50. moved trains and accessories to basement play room
55. ordered Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Steps

Bake on Monday

Today Timothy is home from school for a Cold Day (not a lot of snow, just terribly cold out). Right now they are playing together nicely so I have to post now.

We have bread rising on the stove. We used a recipe from Homegrown and Beeyoutiful:

~BREAD~

2 cups of warm water

1/3 cups of honey

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup olive oil

6 cups bread flour ( I use ONLY Prairie Gold Wheat)

Directions:

Dissolve honey in warm water in a large bowl and stir in yeast. Proof until yeast is foamy.

Mix salt and oil into yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead (just a little) Put dough into a well oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until doubled, approximately one hour.

Turn dough onto a floured surface, punch down and either divide in half for two loaves or stretch it out for a BIG loaf. Place into well oiled loaf pans either way.

Bake at 350 degrees for half an hour.

It freezes well. Right after it comes out of the oven, don't wait for it to cool, just wrap it and stick it in the freezer and it will taste like it just came out of the oven. well almost:)

So the secret ingredient is HONEY. You can try making this with sugar (i have) I tell you, the plain and simple truth is it just doesn't taste the same. It has that homegrown taste when you add that honey!

We also have granola in the oven from Regan Family Farm!

FARMHOUSE GRANOLA
1 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. honey
Melt in a large pan in the oven at 350. Add:
2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
Stir together, then add:
12 c. oats
1 1/2 c. coconut
1 1/2 c. almonds (or any nut of your choice)
1-2 c. graham cracker crumbs
(a new secret ingredient that isn't necessary, but is good)

Studio J Layouts

Here are the 5 layouts I just ordered from Studio J. If you are "not crafty" or you "don't have enough time" to do traditional scrapbooking, try this awesome alternative. Try it out at Close to My Heart. There is no fee to join so try it and see if you like it.


This is Rebekah at Power's Farm Market with her pre-school.


Timothy at Lake Ontario.


Rebekah at Lake Ontario.


Life long friend Christine (she blogs at Stitch Niche), her husband Matt and their new baby!


Timothy's Star Wars Bedroom.

101 things in 1001 days

101 things to do in 1001 days
found this challenge on Homekeeping Heather's Blog She found it on someone else's of course. Isn't sharing wonderful?

I will be back to update soon. I will also be letting you know how I'm doing along the way.

It's about 32 months or 143 weeks, which would take me to August 2013.

1. visit Grandma and PopPop at least 3 times a year (8)
2. finish attic
3. get rid of old dryer, maybe get a new one?
4. Lose 20 pounds (starting weight = 205)
5. Become debt free except for the house (starting debt approximately $800)
6. hang clothes outside in the good weather
7. finish Japanese quilt
8. finish recovering couch
9. finish living room curtains
10. fix basement walls
11. can 5 different things in 2011, add 5 different in 2012, 15 total in 2013
12. transplant strawberries somewhere they can't take over
13. finish and maintain herb garden
14. get a shed for the back yard
15. start composting
16. give away clothing I don't wear, everything should fit in closet and dresser. no overflow
17. plan meals 2 weeks at a time
18. make shopping lists according to meal plans
19. Complete kids scrapbooks birth to current
20. eat 3-5 fruits and veggies daily
21. keep fruits and veggies easily accessible for kids to snack
22. finish 3 bird paintings
23. read a book a month (32)
24. go to Maine in August (3 times)
25. warm vacation with just Kelly and I
26. clean Rebekah's room of random stuff
27. Drink at least 32-64oz of water daily
28. submit to Stampington & Co 6 times a year (16 times)
29. finish 2 sweaters I have started
30. write a letter a week to someone (143)
31. participate in Purple Painted Lady Barn Sale in August
32. continue having weekly play dates with Jo and Gabby for Rebekah and I (140)
33. continue Bible studies with Rachel weekly (140)
34. Read Bible daily
35. post on Something-2-Eat blog 3 times a week (429 entries)
36. post on tidbits & scraps 2 times a week (268 entries)
37. put all finished quilts and sweaters on etsy
38. finish wedding scrapbook
39. finish Mika's wedding scrapbook
40. make 1 item a month to donate (32)
41. host scrapbooking crop at least once a month at Fiber Cafe (32)
42. take Rebekah to Strong Museum twice a month (64)
43. Try making my own salad dressings and sauces
44. read big books to Timothy at night
45. Try making bread
46. make more dresses for Rebekah
47. Complete one handmade item per week. (143)
48. encourage Kelly toward active past times
49. submit regularly to online challenges
50. help Timothy keep his room clean and organized
51. help Timothy change change clothes, brush teeth, shower regularly
52. send anniversary cards regularly
53. Use re-useable shopping bags
54. continue to increase productivity of my Close to My Heart business
55. try Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
56. finish peacock cross stitch
57. make skirts for me
58. knit socks
59.photograph and create page for my bird postage collection
60.photograph and create page for my nativities
61.photograph and create page for my elephants
62. wear skirts 3 times a week (429)
63. complete 100 scrapbook layouts (100)
64.join a co-op farm
65. make videos
66. do yoga with Rebekah twice a week (280)
67. play 26 things
68. Learn needlefelting
69. make 10 editions of Something to Eat zine (10)
70. Do Virgin Island Scrapbook
71. pare down linens to 3 sets per bed size & 1 shelf of towels
72. make art space in attic
73.clean cupboard in downstairs bathroom for preserves
74. send something to Kamohelo once a month (sponsored child)
75. have some dinner parties
76. donate at least 30 boxes to Operation Christmas Child
77. finally get our wedding bands
78. can't write this one in case my mom is reading it
79. pick strawberries
80. pick grapes
81. Donate 10,000 grain of rice via freerice.com with Timothy
82. finish all CTMH tutorials
83. figure out what the features on my camera do
84. go to the library weekly with kids, maybe start in the summer
85. keep up to date on ordering pictures
86. family camping trip
87. go to another CTMH Convention
88. learn 100 signs (American Sign Language) with kids when possible
89. Start writing poetry again
90. add 50 pictures to my Photojournalism Blogs Page
91. organize file drawer in desk
92. Make Noah's Ark with Timothy for George Eastman house display
93. upgrade my netbook's memory
94.
95.
96.
97.
98.
99. Go to the dentist
100.
101. save 5 dollars every time I complete a goal

31 shoeboxes

So here they are...some of the 31 shoeboxes full of goodies for "kids who don't have anything," as Rebekah would say. Thanks to mom, Abby, Jo Horton, Erin Sharp, Judy Strong, Shannon Morean, Anna Maria Olson, Kelly Launt, Heidi Craven, Sonia Boufford, Kelly and my kids for all their help and donations of gifts and time.

This was so rewarding for me and my family and all my friends. I just hope I can get them all in the car and to the drop off location by myself. This is the shoebox raffle I offered to everyone who donated.

4 marble tile coasters, a handmade clay nativity, a votive holder, denim tote bag from World Vision, fabric bird ornament, 2010 spool ornament, 2 small hand bound journals, Christmas tree gift tags, nativity ornament, and more!

The winner was picked by Rebekah and it is....

Anna Maria Olson!!

30 day journal

These are the pages from a 30 day journal I did for swap-bot.

Day 1 - All about me
follower of Christ, wife to soul-mate, Kelly, mother to 2: Timothy & Rebekah, love to read, love books just for being books, sewing, paper crafting, photography, birds, outdoors, fall, elephants, cooking, soups, breads



Day 2 - The best part of my day is...

Day 3 - write a letter to someone I love. I wrote to my son Timothy but I feel that it is private and I would rather not share it with everyone









Day 4 - What does my heart look like? My heart has many dark places but also many light, bright, colorful ones too. I need to find ways to brighten up the dark places and open them.

Day 5 - My favorite blogs. I will type out the highlighted ones.

jeanettelynton.com
stitchniches.blogspot.com
thepurplepaintedlady.com
farmererin.blogspot.com
memoriesbylynn.blogspot.com
heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com
tmasonstudio.blogspot.com



Day 6 - Draw something that represents the word time and then make a list of things that I need to do at this time in my life.

Day 7 - How am I feeling today? alive, I am sitting drinking coffee and having apple muffins with my friend Rebekah, we are using the internet and knitting and crafting and doing puzzles.

Day 8 - illustrate an "inside joke." I have no idea

Day 9 - Describe a special person with as many words as you can fit using various typography.


Day 10 - My collections

I collect elephants, buttons, nativities, bird postage stamps, pumpkins, birds, blue willow with just JAPAN on the back,










Day 11 - my favorites in each of these four categories:
* TV shows - Survivor, Amazing Race
* Music - Casting Crowns, Newsboys
* Food - homemade soup, artisan breads
* Splurges - massages, paper products

Day 12 - Trends I like: reusable grocery bags, water bottles, and lunch bags and boxes. sweaters and fasll layers of clothes

Day 12 - Trends I DON'T like

any clothes showing your belly or too much cleavage, disney characters with big eyes, big birthday parties for kids, listening to MP3 players all the time, commercialized Christmas and Halloween




Day 13 - Silly insecurities, im fat, im not worthy, i am not a good mom...

Day 14 - What are the qualities that I possess that make me so wonderful? I am Gods daughter. He made me so I am a wonderful beautiful person in every way.

Day 15 - short list of goals that will be attainable to accomplish in one month

get up in the mornings with Kelly
exercise 2 times a week
write a letter a day
art journal every day
post to tidbitsnscraps 3-4/wk
start something-2-eat and post daily



Day 16 - What am I wearing? NYco trowser jeans, brown light sweater, H&M fitted khaki coat, champion sneakers,

Day 17 - Illustrate a day














Day 18 - music














Day 19 - guide to Rochester













Day 20 - What's in my bag? This took 2 pages!


























Day 21 - favorite quote

Day 22 - favorite holiday

Day 23 - Lines

Day 24 - What is your most favorite place in the world?

Day 25 - today. If you had to describe to me in one word, or one short phrase what would it be?? Us this phrase or word repeatedly on your page, trying out new fonts

Day 26 - Today you are going to write out your favorite recipe















Day 27 - If you could change one thing, what would it be.

Day 28 - What are you most looking forward to?

Day 29 - Today I want you to write a letter to either your past self, or your future self.












Day 30 - What did you do this week that moved you closer to reaching your goals?

Timothy's Birthday Party

Here's a bit of Tito's birthday party tidbits. I made him a Jedi robe. Here are the directions from http://www.degraeve.com/jedirobe/.

How to Make a Jedi Robe

Last Halloween we made 4 Jedi robes to go with some Star Wars masks we bought. These are the instructions to make the robes. We wanted to make the robes with as few pieces of fabric and as little sewing as possible. I had never made anything resembling clothing before so patterns from the store were out of the question (too complicated). When you make your robe, think of it as a Mexican poncho that goes over your head, rests on your shoulders and happens to be sewn up the sides to make sleeves.

The Jedi Robe

1. Buy some extra wide brown polyester fabric. 72" wide (or however wide your arms are stretched out). You will need a lot. Buy a whole bolt of it. Go to Wal-Mart. I got my fabric there from a bargain bin for $2/yard. If you can't find fabric wide enough, you will have to add extensions to the sleeves.
2. Figure out how tall you are at the shoulder. Double that number and cut that much fabric off of the bolt. If you are 5 feet tall (60") at the shoulder, cut 10 feet (120") off of the bolt.
3. Spread the fabric out on the floor folding it over on itself width-wise.
4. Lay down on the fabric with your arms stretched out and your shoulders at the fold in the fabric. Have someone trace around you. Don't trace too close to the body or else the robe will not flow right.
5. Pin the two layers of fabric together along the trace line.
6. Cut the traced shape out of the fabric about an inch outside of the trace line.
7. Sew along the trace lines.
8. Turn the robe inside out.
9. Make the front opening of the robe by cutting a line straight up the middle of the front of the robe to the shoulder fold. Make sure you only cut up the front of the robe.
10. Try the robe on to make sure the measurements are OK.
11. Hem the edges along the bottom of the robe, the ends of the sleeves, and the edges of the front opening. If you don't hem these edges, your robe will look really cheap and you will end up with a lot of little threads all over the house.

The Jedi Robe Hood

This part was a little tricky to figure out. It took a few paper mock-ups to figure out how to make a hood shape. In the end, it was simple: one rectangular piece of fabric, folded in half, with one side stitched up.

1. Cut a 1 foot by 2 foot rectangle of fabric. (Some readers have mentioned that this size hood seems too small. For a larger hood use a 16" by 32" or larger piece of fabric.)
2. Fold it in half to make a 1 foot square piece of fabric. (16" square if you used a bigger piece of fabric.)
3. Sew one edge from the fold to the end.
4. Turn the hood inside out.

Attach the Hood to the Robe

1. Prepare the robe by cutting a 6 inch circular neck hole out of the robe centered around the top of the front slit. Discard the circular piece of fabric. The hood will be sewn to the circular hole you just cut.
2. Align the seam you stitched up the back of the hood to the center of the back on the neck hole.
3. Sew the two ends of the hood rectangle to the left and right sides of the neck hole. Depending on how big you made the neck hole, the edge of the hood may be too big for the neck hole. If this happens, just put a couple of pleats in when you attach the hood.
4. Hem the front edge of the hood.
5. The hood will look WAY too big, but that is how the Jedi robe hoods are.

Spend the day with me...

Monday, September 6, 2010
Labor Day


Woke up, got dressed, we planned a family day trip today to Genesee Country Museum.  I haven't bee there in about 5 years.  I pray that the kids like it and we have no behavioral problems.  I checked my email and swaps on swap-bot.

 After breakfast I fixed Kelly's jeans and mine.

Next I helped Timothy build some of the Millenium Falcon with legos.  We tried to build it with the directions on the internet but it requires some unusual pieces that we don't have.  Here is what we have done so far.

Next I made PBJ sandwiches for our lunch.  Everyone likes theirs different of course: Timothy likes grape jelly, Rebekah likes no jelly, Kelly and I like strawberry.  Everyone like peanut butter.  Add an apple. a peach, and goldfish to share and we are set.

We rode the trolley around to the 1780s farm.

Then fed the sheep on the farm.  Their tongues ticked our hands when they ate.  Both kids took 2 turns they liked it so much.  There were also turkeys and geese.

Inside the farm house we ground and sifted corn for corn meal to make johnny cakes.

Timothy tried on the yoke for carrying water from the well.  Even empty it was heavy.

Timothy and I churned butter.  Look at all the wheels of cheese in the background!

Rebekah liked the barrels at the cobbler shop.

The kids made tin ornaments at the tinsmith shop.  Timothy's has a sun and Rebekah's has a starburst.

The we played all sorts of old fashioned games out in the big field. Rebekah got her face painted to.