Peasant Top

12/16 - Yes it is the dead of winter, and probably the coldest day of the season so far! And here I am at home thinking about this darling peasant top that I just found a Tutorial for and managed to make in under 2 hrs. (first one is always the slowest right?) The ideas are brimming and I could use up a few things in my stash... I might also be able to play with it some and change this simple summery top into something long and wintery! :)

Here is the Tutorial
Just Tutes Peasant Top

I may just have to try the Patchwork Circle Skirt too! :) And dd will have a cute summer outfit! :)

DD doesn't look thrilled with her top does she?? LOL!

Belated Merry Christmas

Ya know.... if I could have logged in... I would have wished y'all a Merry Christmas...
But blogger never lets me in these days! *sigh*


MERRY CHRISTMAS

and in case I can't log in after today!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Organizing - Tossing and Decluttering.

For months now since we upgraded the guest room, and moved the computers downstairs, the bonus room has been a wrecked room! Books all over the floor, toys scattered everywhere, discarded computer parts scattered from here to kingdom-come. Grrrr its been annoying me. Every time I walk in that room I have an overwhelming urge to light a stick of dynamite (because it would seriously make it look better.) Well tonight I got a bee in my bum - for lack of a better expression. On the weekend I had tossed 3 boxes which had taken up residence in the dining room and were accumulating stuff up into the bonus room and realized they could be put to good use - at least alleviating the visual clutter and paring it down to mere boxes... hey I can move anytime I want right! :) So I packed up all the junk in there and stuffed it all into boxes.

I have a plan to go through each box when the girls give me the night off and parse through their toys, along with other junk that has accumulated over the years (yes including dh's computer bits!) and make a go at emptying that room at least down to a couple rubbermaid/sterlite (for we can't be particular) boxes that will take up permanent residence in there. I think I will use it as my storage closet - since it is too cold in the winter and too warm in the summer to really do anything else with it. I couldn't imagine possibly sewing up there. *sigh* (of course for the amount we use the dining room maybe we should make the bonus room the dining *silly snicker!*)

When we moved the computers downstairs I had just taken all the stuff off my desk at the time and dropped it into one of plastic laundry baskets... and shoved it under a desk up there... well I filled it to the brim tonight while dh was putting the older one to bed... brought it all downstairs and (along with the garbage bag) and when the little bean went to bed started filling the garbage bag. The only thing left is a wad of scrapbooking magazines that I need to parse through and pull out the pages I want to keep! I think I'll get a binder and use some of the page protectors I have and start my ideas book.

10 minutes ago the basket was empty... it has now been filled with the first box that has been living in my laundry room for the last week or so.

I'm serious I have so got to get organized! And need to stop wasting my money on magazines which I will read through and then toss out! I daren't add up the amount of those magazines... as I decapitate them and realize how much I wasted!

Oh well happy decluttered home here we come! (come hell or high water!)

Happy 2nd Birthday Little One

Two Years ago today we were spending our first day with our newest little one. She, like her siblings, has changed our lives for the better.

So here she is Today

Happy birthday Little One.

Ramblings and Groanings

I always have trouble logging into Blogger! *sigh* So why should today be any different.

The New Knitty is up! :) YAY! I may try the Doddy or the Eco-Friendly fairy in the yarn I have kicking around... both sound interesting. Or I may spend some time finishing the projects I've got on the go! LOL!

The little one is now 4 days shy of her 2nd birthday. There are questions as to whether she will live that long. Is there something magical about the age of 2 that makes them incredibly clumsy? I'm serious. She'll be sitting on a chair drawing one minute, I turn around to look for another pencil and hear crash... and she is on the floor, on her belly wailing.

The Stokke (kinderzeat - which doesn't have the 5 pt harness) we used for our older dd is like a menacing wall of danger to the little one... don't ask me how! So that has been put away just because the number of accidents went from 1 periodically to 3 a day... and I didn't change anything except the time marched on! My sanity just couldn't take it anymore! So she uses a regular chair - she's tall enough!

She took a sippy of water from me and went over to the table, where the chair was slightly out - enough for her to get up to the table... did I mention she is fiendishly independent?..... anyway she sets the water on the table, and I move over to help - I'm a step away from reaching her (she moves quick) she is climbing on to the chair... crash... followed by the "OMG I'm REALLY hurt" squeal. Literally not even a millisecond later, a quick glance in her mouth as I peel her off the floor indicates blood. Lovely charming gushing mouth cuts! Teeth, Cheek, Gums, or God I hope not the Tongue? The cry of a baby with the wind sucked out of her... yes she is hurting... and pretty bad. She won't let me look... okay I'll keep calming her some more. "I wan bankie" Meanwhile the 6 yr old saw the commotion has run pale faced and hid under my computer desk down the hall. "Mae? Can you bring her Bankie?" she does.... good sister! Must remember to have her help when she can!

A couple seconds with Bankie and she is calming right down. "Will you let me look?"
Little: "No."
Me: "I need to find where the blood is coming from."
Little: "No."
Me: "Does it hurt?"
Little: "mm-mm" (the no sound too quick - translate Little-ese- "yes.")
Me: "Your teeth?"
Little: "No"
Me: "Your cheek?"
Little: "No"
Me: "Your tongue?"
Little: "mm hmm" (yes)
Me: "I need to see. Stick your tongue out at Mae" she does.... puncture wounds... gah... oh well at least the blood is stopped.

Add that to the list of injuries she has incurred in the last few days.... if record holds up right she should have a nice bruise on her head in time for her birthday - only because I'd really like a nice 2 yr old picture of her!

*sigh*
What's your vote? does she make it to 2?

Page two to go with Sweet Sarah Below

She was mad that I wouldn't pick her up because in the 30 minute walk I had carried her already 25 minutes... so I snapped her pic and daddy picked her up but she didn't want Daddy she wanted me! LOL! (yes I know horrible mummy!)

Another Obligatory Santa Pose! :)

Once again the little one rightly has stranger anxiety! LOL! So there won't be a pose without momma! :)

And yes those are goggles in her hand and a Frog in the big one's hand.

Latest Layout

Sorry I'm not sharing our Christmas cards yet! LOL! I'm not ready and besides it would ruin the surprise! LOL!

But here is my latest...Paper clip and staple from Erica's Gift by Dawn Webb, All papers by Me

This layout was done for the November AD challenge at RAKSCRAPS.com the image was based on an old movie poster The Old Dark House... so here is my take on the image!

Dissatsfied customer... Walgreens Staff

You know my kids for the most part are awesome... but like others they have their off days... we all do. Today I took my kids to the store. We got most of what we needed. I pushed it and went to one more store... as we approached the cash register... the little one ran ahead... so I ran after her... those freakin automatic doors she would have been in the parking lot in 2 seconds flat. The older one followed cackling like a hyena. I grabbed the little one. The cashier was glaring at us. As I put the stuff down on the counter the older kid started oinking like a pig and hee hawing like a donkey... Yes not polite... I told her to stop and she did but turned around and did it again. She got in trouble... the cashier was furious. She looked at the older one like she was animal that should be shot on sight.... she looked at the little one and told her how cute she was. She looked at me and her eyeballs shot daggers. She rang up the merchandise.... and literally threw it across the counter at me... it landed on the floor. Look lady I don't give a damn if you want to glare at me and you think my kids are animals (because I know they were behaving that way) but that is no way to treat a customer. Fluke... I think not... because 2 seconds later the receipt came flying across the counter too.

Yes the older one got in trouble at home.... the little one has no clue but she is in trouble too.

Either way, they are normally good kids and we normally get compliments on their behavior.

As an employee in a store what my kids do has no bearing on how you treat me... I am the adult in charge of minions... if you have a problem with my kids or others for that matter too freakin bad.... you need a new freakin job...

For the record my child said nothing to this woman. It had absolutely nothing to do with her.

I'm furious... and when I get a minute and cool down I will call the manager... because as a result of the cashiers inability to ignore my children One of my items fell out of the bag and now I have to go back because I refuse to give them a single dollar more than they're entitled too... and I won't be back.. there are other stores worth my business who treat me like a human being, with obnoxious kids.


GGGGGGRRRRRRR

New Hobby - Bento Porn

I'm ogling Bentos. If you don't know what Bentos are don't search them on Ebay.... seriously.... once you figure out how to pack these beauts of a lunch box... you'll be drawn in... and soon Broke. I've spent over $200 in my imaginary world... too chicken to give in to the temptation just yet.... so in reality is is nothing.

But dh promises if I stick to my plan of eating out occasionally instead of regularly I can buy Bentos for me and the girls.

Bento making here I come........

Schooling Crafting - and my new love....

Audio Books..... I never saw the use for them before... but now have discovered the art of errands and the art of multi-tasking. When someone asks well what do you listen to when you scrap or when you knit or when you do work on your computer, I can honestly say I'm educating my brain.... I'm focusing on what I'm doing while expanding my knowledge and listening to books that otherwise would be sitting on my shelf unread because I have a ton of other things to catch up on.... there just isn't enough time in life! LOL!

My friend turned me on to them. I started with American Gods, then she lent me Anansi Boys and I couldn't pull teeth through THUD - some accents just don't sit well with me. I've graduated to The Cell (and internet library book), then Lisey's Story (also internet library ... now working on Angel's and Demons (Brown), Twilight(Meyer), Golden Compass(I think its Pullman).

So I thought well my dd would love a good story - we borrowed Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary from the library and we all loved it. Even the littlest!

My knitting has been on hold, while I finish up dd's Halloween costume... so Sewing hit the machine this month. I think my next project needs to be some knits for the middle kid, and a sewing project for my sis that I have been putting off out of fear that it won't turn out.... oh well, I guess I'll never learn if I don't try it and then how could I learn from my mistakes... I need to investigate Polar fleece... Malden Mills for that project, along with velvet or velour. Now is the time to check that stuff out as it is cheaply priced for Halloween stuff!

For school, we've been working with the
Baltimore Curriculum project... where we've been going gangbusters on Science and slowly on Art and reasonably with Social Studies I guess. I'm slowly trying to add more stuff in as I gain resources and comfort.... so I guess we're going well.

So that's my update after a short interlude. I've been shy about posting on my blog lately as a little creepiness was revealed on Facebook, and I decided to play it cool for a while.

Homeschool Starts (Enter Grade 1)

Well technically we started on August 13th but we're still fine tuning everything and making adjustments here and there for what we really want to do!

LANGUAGE ARTS
- Spectrum Reading (Grade 2)
- Spectrum Spelling (Grade 3)
- Creative Writing assignments from various topics at hand
- Penmanship various letters and thank-yous to family

MATH
- Reader Rabbit Math (Grade 1) - completed Sept 26
- Spectrum Math (Grade 2) - started September 27
- Various online computer games

HISTORY
- Story of the World I - Ancient History (Egypt, Greece, Rome)

SCIENCE/HEALTH
- various topics (including Brownie Try-Its and other subjects of interest)

LANGUAGES
- Sign Language at home
- Spanish at home

ARTS/CRAFTS
- various projects

EXTRACURRICULAR
- Brownies
- will add more - maybe swimming

I will update as we progress through this first year! :)

Ya Baby!

My fingers went surfing on the net and I found out there were still some in another store on the other side of town..... Between car-failure (the alternator supposedly went bad) and bad planning she got her bag... and is happy. It was a gift from the Housefairy for straightening her room. Smart Lady that House Fairy - she knew M wanted it and she couldn't find it so she asked me to look and well you know the rest of the story. At the point we found it I would have been quite happy to get one without a frog.... but her has one so she is even more thrilled! I think we got the last one in the store.

Of course there is no show without punch right.... so while we're there searching little S is yelling Packback, packback... she was out with me last night while I was searching for the beastly thing... Well how could I refuse? But I wasn't prepared to pay $15 for a little fun bag for her... so when spotted this thing I couldn't resist. It is Thermos lunch kit. Too cool.... it has a zippered shoulder strap making it the perfect size backpack for a toddler who must be like her sister and it was $6.34 I'm glad I found it because she was just thrilled withit the whole way home and has been running around with M's backpacks for more than a week now. :) Though of course you have to realize that her sister's is infinitely far more interesting than hers right.... So I'm thinking I might jsut get some patches for hers and doll it up to look like a little girly tote even if I have to sew the patches on.... yes we're all about patches these days! LOL!

Dang nabbit :(

DD saw a backpack at Target she liked a couple days ago. What with the back to school sales and all - of course... I should know better than to "window" shop during these 3 weeks! LOL!
It was pink and turquoise... with a froggy hanging off of it.
$14.99 Went to get it tonight... its gone. :(

*sigh*

More layouts from the last 2 days.

Credits: Papers by me - fonts are ?? and Bradley's hand.
In honour of turning 6 and the school year starting soon, I figured the colour challenge at Gottapixel would be a good time remember the things that dd is currently fond of put ink to paper in a Who am I now layout.

Back in January we visited our middle dd. It was the first time the youngest got to meet her sister. She loved the toys! :)
Credits: Beauty add on by Cinzia Loosemore at Digital Freebies. Font is James Fajardo.
Here are the girls playing with Oscar the grouch and a wooded stacking rings toy.... they looked like they were having a good time! :)

2nd Birthdays (in 2003).... but that's not all!

So GottaPixel's challenge today (1st of the month) is a blue print challenge, they give you a template to work with and you do what you do best and play with it. Well as is common in the scrapbooking world most of the layouts done are square.... or large, so I have to adapt them to make them work for me... Its just more economical for me to print 5x7 instead of 8x10 or 12x12. SO the first is my alteration of Monica's blueprint challenge, and the 2nd is just how I added a 2nd page! LOL! Because I like uniformity for 2 pagers! :)
Ribbon - recoloured and paper recoloured but all original to Monica's August BluePrint Challenge.
Fonts are Script MT Bold and Bradley's hand and I think Ma Sexy.

So I'm getting my feet wet again with scrapbooking! :)

But that is not all.
On the hook I have a pair of soakers either for S or for charity, not sure which... depends on if I feel like adding a skirt to them! :)
On the needles, I have a charity pumpkin hat, and a Curly Purly soaker in peace fleece, which I need to frog.
I've got some patterns ready to sew for the girls.... just need to cut and sew.
Need to sew a skirt for me before our trip!
I'm working on my quilt again. I hadn't thought of it in months until I brought home Circle of Quilts... by Jennifer Chiavarini (book on tape!) from the library and got inspired! :)

and sadly my garden sucks.... no tomatoes... no peppers.... *sigh*

Sewing - Ottobre Magazine (04/2007)

The new magazine from Ottobre is up.
I ordered it. I love the patterns in there and want to actually make some of the girls fall clothes this year.

It is insanely crazy to think that I could make their entire wardrobe for fall - nor I think do I really want to but some of the outfits in the Ottobre magazine are cool and hip... and would give me practice and some fun sewing.

I think it might be time to send in my sewing machine and get it cleaned up.

I have a few things on my make list this year including:

• Cape for Sass (need to find some nice velvet or velour and some matching fleece)
• Brownie Pants / Skirt / Skort / Dress for M
• pretend Brownie vest for S.
• Halloween costumes.
  
• Thanksgiving / Christmas dresses
  

So I think that is a start for the season!

I've also found some awesome art lessons for M, that could turn into practical things like Christmas cards or Thanksgiving cards for the family! I can't wait to get started....

All Clear

The first dental visit went well. She can't wait to go back in 6 months. Darling dh booked the appointment already - good thing because I never get around to doing.

I'll have to scrap a page about it and explain the excitment she voiced when she got home about the adventure. Mr Thirsty, and orange flavored something or other! LOL!

Teeth are clean , no cavities... 3 loose ones... :)

First Dentist Visit

I have a fear of dentists.

M (age 6) is at the dentist for the first time as I type. I had to have my dh take her because I don't want my fear to rub off on her, I just don't think I could handle watching her at the dentist and I think maybe she would play on that concept - not deliberately... but because she could.

The scrap-booker in me wants to run over and take pictures.
The me in me wants to throw up.
The mum in me says OMG my baby is growing up! Another step in her belt loop of freedom.

So maybe I'll scrap a page about her visit when they come back and fill in the details for me.

.....meanwhile back at the ranch my fingernails will be ragged with the bite marks and my stomach will churn until they come back with a clean bill of teeth.

A Picture Speaks Volumes