Two Pretty Little Skirts

Like a Virgin

2010-09-11T22:21:00.004-04:00

"I made it through the wilderness
Somehow I made it through
I didnt know how lost I was
until I found you..."
Madonna

Doesnt that song take you back?? I love 80's music. Well it seems rather appropriate to me while typing this post. The wilderness is my life as I knew it for the past year... I cant believe its been a year since my last post! I feel like its my first time again ;)
I have been a bad bloggy friend, I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?? SO much has happened. So many changes. I feel like I'm at a point in my life where I am settled, (um if you can call it that lol), and can rejoin the blogging society. I missed you guys!!!
Yes, there will be updates on the family. I promise to slather my horrific happenings on the crisp white squares that are my blog posts. Pictures will adorn my pages for all to see and I think I just might have time to come by and say hello to all my friends ;)

Until next time my pretties... stay tuned!!

Today He Moves Out - A New Beginning

2009-08-29T13:04:00.002-04:00

Its been a rough past couple of months for me. I dont want to start off with the "pity me" vibe, thats not what I'm looking for. I want to fill everyone in on whats going on and why I havnt been blogging. I made a promise to myself...this will not be a continual rant of mine, forever complaining about him.
2 months ago my husband came home, from a lengthy visit to IL where his family lives, and said our marriage is not working and where do we stand. I could see where he was coming from because our marriage has been a rough and bumpy road since he came back. (2 years ago he'd had an on ship affair and moved in with her when they came back from deployment, I was pregnant with E) Went thru counseling, trying to communicate but it boils down to his anger stood in the way of helping either of us heal. He is a very angry man and takes it out on everyone. Also, we were just not in love anymore. Neither of us. We basically decided mutually to raise our kids together and get along the best possible. Little did I know it went deeper with him. He'd decided to move on way before talking to me.
I found out by complete accident that he was in communication with an old high school girlfriend. Now, normally there wouldnt be an issue with this. According to his cell phone bill he'd been talking 20-30 times a day for long periods of time. It felt like a Deja Vu moment. Thats how his first affair started out. I did confront him about it and I glad for both of us he didn't deny he had feelings for her but refused to say if it went deeper, for obvious reasons.
At that time (about 2 weeks ago now) he demanded a divorce. But instead of talking about moving forward and what to do next, his discussions kept going to it was my fault and I didnt show enough love and we'd never be here if I treated him with affection. I can only roll my eyes at this, he threw the same lines at me when he abandoned us the first time. He's trying to justify in his mind what he's doing. And instead of moving on he refuses to leave the house, coming home every day from work complaining how miserable he is and he hates it here and how I disgust him. If he's so miserable why doesnt he leave? The anger got bad. It was to the point where I just had to ignore him. Anything I said would make him go off the deep end.
At one point he'd gone after A screaming at her about laundry.. SCREAMING! Of course I stepped in to sheild her from that. He lunged at me with fists raised saying he wanted to beat my head in.
This behavior was so not good for the girls to be witnessing and now I was scared for them and A was terrified of him. I'd had enough of his anger. I called his CO and filled him in and asked him to "direct" his sailor to find somewhere else to stay. I also told hubby if he got out of line again, there would be no "amicable divorce" like he's been begging me for. There would only be police and handcuffs involved on his part.
So now, today, he is finally leaving us in peace. 3 nights after being threatened to have my head beat in, a month after finding he's been "talking" to another woman, 9 years of anger, and 10 years of marriage later. I finally feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
I feel for the girls when they go to visit him. He has no fathering skills, doesnt know how to take care of them and cant even remember his own daughter has allergies to dairy and soy! Add some anger in the mix when they start fighting and he cant handle it. I wish there was a way to sheild them from having to put up with his crap.
So thats my story and if you've reached the end with me, thanks for listening.
I am hoping by the end of summer, things will be back to as normal as possible and I can get back to business. Blogging and sewing. Both have suffered.
I wish everyone a happy weekend!

Six Word Saturday - Time To Rebound

2009-08-22T04:15:00.000-04:00

Pick up. Dust Off. Move On.

Click HERE to play!

I really wish I could say this Saturdays 6WS wasnt straight thru the heart personal, but it is.
Its amazing how people have so little disregard for others feelings....a husband for example.
Given the complete write off for the second time in our 10 year relationship/marriage. I wish I could be positive about the ending, I'd be fooling myself, and you, if I said there was one.
Hence the six... What I must do with my life. Again.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Thumbnail Thursday - Dont You Want Somebody To Love?

2009-08-20T14:40:00.001-04:00

Allright! Thumbnail Thursday is here again!
Check out this beautiful pic? What is it you ask? Thats all part of the game.
You get to guess!

The first person that leaves me a comment with the correct guess will get their very own picture with link back posted up for next weeks Thumbnail Thursday!
To participate on your blog, grab my Thumbnail Thursdays button to the right and add your name to Mr. Linky for all to see.
Dont forget to leave me a comment and tell me your participating!
Happy guessing!

Mondays Randomness -What a NUT!

2009-08-17T03:00:00.000-04:00

These pic come to me by way of Alaska. A very dear friend of mine has a daughter the exact same age as my B. I met them here in VA at a park playdate our mommies group was having. The girls were about 9 months old and we became fast friends.
Since, she has moved on to Alaska but we keep in touch often. We swap toddler stories, birthday pics and the wonderful occasion when our children learn something new...a first...like opening a jar!

"Taunia learned that Tessa could open up the jar of peanut butter...'all by myself'."

"As you can see, the jar and her hands are covered with peanut butter - you should have seen her desk. She had a perfectly smooth layer on it - and she was fingerpainting in it. AWESOME!"

Thank you, my dearest Taunia for allowing me to share this moment and Tessa for showing us your new achievement! I am so proud of you, keep up the good work!!

Love and miss you all!

Sew Much Fun Boutique -Personalized Drinkware Line

2009-08-13T12:15:00.000-04:00

I dont get to say this very often but, I love my job! I love what I do, I love creating new things and I love even more, seeing the smile it puts on peoples face when they open something I've made for them.
Today I am introducing a new line in my boutique that I hope everyone will enjoy. I know I have.

Mommy & Me Personalized Drinkware is a fun and creative way to show your style and uniqueness. We offer Mommy Travel Mugs, Childs Tumblers, Straw sippy cups, Spout sippy cups and Bowl and Plate sets.

All of these items can be personalized to suit you!
I hope you will take a moment to check out our new arrivals and try them out for yourself!

Six Word Saturday - Like a Chicken

2009-08-01T14:56:00.000-04:00

Where the heck did July go?

Click HERE to play!

Ever feel like you blink and time is just gone? Thats how our summer has been, running, moving, playing, working, facebooking and barfing. Not all in that particular order. Yeah, that last one was not so fun...gotta love stomach bugs.
Today is our once a month, sit at home in our jammies watching silly movies eating junk food on a crappy weather day. I need more of these days, they seem to slow time.
August is cram packed with entertainment too, birthday parties, trips to Water Country and Busch Gardens, visits from friends, sewing sewing sewing and a few play dates thrown in there. Its a wonder the girls still remember where we live. lol
I hope everyone had a fantastic July...please share a highlight of your summer so far!

Thumbnail Thursdays - The Outdoorsy Type

2009-07-23T15:03:00.000-04:00

Last weeks photo winner was Squirrel Queen over at The Road To Here!
Her guess was muffins and sure nuff, it was a close up of the muffin top. What better way to start the morning? My favorite muffin is the good ol fashioned blueberry.
Squirrel Queens contribution today is a beautiful picture.
She is such a great photographer, I wish I had her talent. Visit her blog to see more of her incredible art work.
She had a hard time picking from her massive gallery of animals, insects and flowers (*hint*) but came up with this...

So here's how the game works:
The first person that leaves me a comment with the correct guess will get their very own picture with link back posted up for next weeks Thumbnail Thursday!
To participate in Thumbnail Thursdays on your blog, grab my button to the right and add your name to Mr. Linky for all to see.
Dont forget to leave me a comment and tell me your participating!
Happy guessing!

Six Word Saturday -Remembering A Great Anchor

2009-07-18T15:31:00.001-04:00

"And That's The Way It Was."

(In rememberance of Walter Cronkite, Iconic News Anchor)

Click HERE to play!

Thumbnail Thursday - TOP o' the Mornin to Ya!

2009-07-16T04:30:00.000-04:00

Last weeks photo winner was Mama Mel! Take a bow girl, you guessed right...

Mama Mel said... "It looks like a spool of thread or string. "
Go check out her sweet blog, I promise you'll find something yummy :)
So she's next on the photo list and here is what she contributed...

Hint for todays pic:

The tops were featured on the show Seinfeld.

The first person that leaves me a comment with the correct guess will get their very own picture with link back posted up for next weeks Thumbnail Thursday!
To participate in Thumbnail Thursdays on your blog, grab my button to the right and add your name to Mr. Linky for all to see.
Dont forget to leave me a comment and tell me your participating!
Happy guessing!

Vandalism Times Two

2009-07-15T19:15:00.000-04:00

Has my neighborhood become just another statistic?
One week ago today, my husbands car was broken into. You may remember it from my previous post.
Last night someone did it again. This time the doors had been locked and they broke the window. There was glass everywhere! Nothing was taken, not the cash he'd left in the console, not the CDO's briefcase on the floor. Nothing was touched!

The officer that came by said they'd had all car windows broken at the Farmers Market, directly behind our house.
Since the shooting at the Market a few months ago and now vandalism to cars there and to our car, which could be totally unrelated buy c'mon its a little to convenient dont you think, I feel very unsafe in my quiet little neighborhood anymore.
I am so upset.... How can someone find it fun to bash in car windows costing the owner hundreds of dollars? I don't understand how people think vandalism is funny, but yet they do it all the time.
I really hope karma kicks in here and whoever it was gets what they deserve times 100.

Mondays Randomness -WANTED! Butter and Garlic Salt

2009-07-13T23:42:00.000-04:00

To serve with my 20 lb lobster.

Ok its not really mine. Wouldnt it be tasty with some garlic and butter tho? MMMmmMM.
The girls and I took a trip to the Virginia Living Museum yesterday, he? was part of the aquatic exhibit. This picture does not do this guy justice. He is longer than my whole arm! Pretty crazy huh?

Fridays Fabric Finds- Anna Maria Horner

2009-07-10T04:30:00.000-04:00

Flowers are a a must in fabrics this year, the bigger the better.
Orchids, wildflowers, leaves, you name it. Throw in some geometric shapes, dots or tiles to match and you have yourself a beautiful palette fit for a king. Or in my case, 2 princesses.
3 hours and one nap time later I came across this beautiful collection of fabrics. Honestly, I couldnt tell you how I missed these. My fav out of her collection are these...

"Drawing Room" ~ Anna Maria's first home decor fabric collection

Anna Maria Horner is a full time mommy slash blogger slash designer of some simply scrumptious fabric palettes and clothing patterns. Here is what she has to say about her "Drawing Room" collection....
"My ideas about designing fabrics specifically for the home (though clothing and accessories are invited to the party as well) were affected by notions of an era that we don't know well, a time when parts of the home were off limits to allow for some untouched sophistication. But also what does it mean to settle a home in the midst of nature, forcing some architecture into an overgrown natural setting? What forms happen inside the home that marry these two notions beautifully? What parts of nature and what parts of architecture do we keep? Where do we begin to notice the inherent architecture that exists in natural forms and how does architecture become influenced by the natural world? These are all questions I asked myself and answered as I saw fit throughout the forms and images in this collection."

Sew Inspiring.

She also designed the "Garden Party" collection that can be found in quilting weight cottons. These are equally gorgeous and can be found in her online shop as well as the "Drawing Room" collection.

Her fabrics are also available for purchase in many brick and mortar shops throughout the U.S., Australia, France, Germany and the U.K.
I hope you enjoyed the fabric eye candy as much as I have ;) Happy Friday everyone!

Thumbnail Thursday - Something to Hang By

2009-07-09T11:30:00.000-04:00

AACK! It didnt post when scheduled this morning. Whats up with that?

Yay! its my first Thumbnail Thursday!
Ok, I'm going to make this one easy so y'all can get the idea of how it goes.
Here's the first picture.
HINT- Its all about the title.

I've Been Honored with an Award

2009-07-08T17:21:00.000-04:00

I'm sooooo late getting this award up. This summer is running away quickly!
Thank you Squirrel Queen for honoring me with yet another award! Y'all should go check out her beautiful photography if you havent already. She captures nature like no other ;)

The award reads "o teu blog merece ser filmado" which is Portuguese and translates to "your blog deserves to be filmed".

What to do:
1. Post it to the blog and link to who gave it to you.
2. Choose 5 life situations that could be repeated in slow motion and explain why.
3. List up to 8 blogs and let them know you've given them the award.

My five life situations in slow motion and why:
The first time I held my daughters after giving birth. I never want that feeling to end.
Everyday between 1pm and 4pm. Naptime never goes at snails pace.
Any and all sewing time...I never do seem to get enough.
Summer and Fall. These are my favorite seasons, so full of life and activity.
Opening up the new Ottobre Design magazine. *drool*

I would like to pass this award to a couple of new blogger pallies:

Life As I Know It
5 Little Monkeys
Chalk It Up!

Vandalism- All They Found Was Some Change

2009-07-07T20:43:00.000-04:00

We have a pretty slow neighborhood compared to most. Usually there is no crime in our little cul de sac. Ever.
We've left our garage door open overnight before and nothing has gone missing. Occasionally I'll run out of the house and forget to lock the front door and everything is in tact when I return. Not anymore.
My hubby's car was broken into last night.
Right. In. The. Driveway.
Good news, nothing is broken. The door was unlocked so they had easy entry.
More good news, they only took the change and a couple of dollars. He doesn't leave much in his car.
The bad news. By process of elimination, we think it was our next door neighbors teenagers based on what wasnt taken, wallet with credit cards.
We've caught them in our backyard at night before using the girls swing set. Obviously the talk with mom n dad did no good.

To Robber:

with Love,
Our Family

Talk about feeling... Violated.

What would you do?

New post on Thursdays

2009-07-07T10:46:00.000-04:00

THUMBNAIL THURSDAYS ARE HERE!
Since so many of you were wondering what the picture was for this last SWS, I think that would make a great weekly post.
This Thursday I'll post a close up picture of something random, with a hint of course, and y'all can have fun guessing what it is.
The first person that guesses correctly gets to use their pic next! Along with their photo for that week, will be a link back to their site.

Grab my button and add it to your blog. Lets see how many we can get to play!

4th Of July SALE!

2009-07-02T18:15:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July SALE!

20% off all Bibs N Burpies in stock or custom ordered.

Buy one item or ten, shipping to the U.S. is only $4.95 (48 states only)

PLUS

if your total is $45 or more, shipping is FREE!

Also, check out our Whats on Sale page for more great deals under $20!

Mondays Randomness - Mama Isn't Playin Around

2009-06-29T21:00:00.000-04:00

Yep, I'm back. I took this past week off from all things internet to hang out with my oldest before she left to her fathers for the summer. No mommys group, no blogging, no sewing. Nothing but playtime for the girls and I. She's been flying to WA for the past 9 years now, staying there every summer and winter break. Shouldnt I be used to it now? I bawl like an infant every time I put her on that plane.
Oh and for those of you that were left scratching your heads at what the SWS pic was...it was a pail of shells my daughter collected at the beach. We had a great time and the weather was perfect!
I'll share more later on our adventures ;) In the meantime here is my randomness for the day....

Lesson Learned??

Photographer unknown

YOU GO MOM!!

Six Word Saturday - Family Outing

2009-06-20T03:49:00.000-04:00

Guess where we are going today!

Join Call Me Cate and myself for 6WS!

Fantastic Friday -Backyard Fun In The Sun

2009-06-19T21:34:00.000-04:00

Today didn't happen like it was supposed to. I pictured us all waking up, devouring breakfast and making a mad dash to the car.
Our plans were to go to the zoo with friends. B decided otherwise. Not that I can blame her for waking up 15 times last night, thunderstorms did that to me as a child too.
7 am guess who came bouncing into the bedroom as chipper as can be? Not mommy. I had to peel my dead, drained body from underneath the sheets.
That's when I made the executive decision to stay home. No way was this mama carting 2 high strung little ones and a bunch of toddler paraphernalia all over Gods creation. Now I just had to come up with a diversion, a.k.a. Plan B, to avoid toddler meltdown. All I needed to do was set up the swimming pool out back! I'm a genius. Turns out, we had a great day despite lack of sleep all around.
So let me share with you our fun in the sun. Please excuse the ungroomed backyard as my live in landscaper went out of town ;)

A LITTLE BIT O SWIMMIN...

A LITTLE BIT O PLAYIN CATCH...

("no its YOUR turn!")

A LIL BIT O EATIN...

A LIL BIT O CHEESIN...

AND A LOT OF PLAYIN WITH WATER GUNS...

(tub o guns)

Wiiiiii, That Was Fun!

2009-06-16T20:07:00.000-04:00

Its official - I'm a Wii -aholoc.......... Hi, my name's Dawn and I'm an addict.

I, in the past, have been 100% against video games. My hubster has a Playstation 2 and can sit in front of it for hooouuuurrrrrs! He lacks the will to walk away. The kids could be in the back yard bloodied by falling out of a tree or drinking a bottle of Draino and he would never know. Hence the art work on our playroom walls, but thats another post entirely.
With that said, I continue my story.
I bought the dang Wii system yesterday and installed it last night about 2 hours before dinner. HUGE mistake. I thought ok, I have a couple of hours...how long can it take to check it out and play a couple of games. HA Boy was I ever wrong! Dinner was about a half an hour late, thank goodness for Monday leftover night. Who the heck stole the last 2 1/2 hours? Wii did! Oh and instead of getting my sewing done after the girls went to bed. Guess where I was?! Until 1 am!!!
For those of you that own a Wii, did you know about the Wii Shopping Channel? Yeaaahhhh dont go in there. Its the fastest way to download games to play on the system. Imagine this... its 11pm, your hangin out in your comfys and you want a new game to play, voila! Tons of CHEAP fun games right at your fingertips. Most of them are half the price of buying a hard copy in the store. I bought the Brain Challenge... ever play this? You think your smart? ...the sickeningly sweet cartoon chic will smack that thought right out of you.
All I have to say is I WILL NOT end up like my dearest hubby with his Playstation. I vow never to flip the ignore switch when he is talking to me. I promise whole heartedly that I wont let my 2 yo run around in a poo'd dipe for 2 hours and I SWEAR I will feed them...REALLY I do!

In the end this is what I am really thinking.....
ahhhhh I need my fix!!! Its CRACK! Crack I tell you!

Mondays Randomness- Lights In the Rearview

2009-06-15T22:30:00.000-04:00

This one is dedicated to my hubster with the lead foot.
Hellooooo, what do you mean you didnt see him..
SLOW THE EFF DOWN!

and this is what he was probably thinking while being asked
for drivers license & proof of insurance.

photos courtesy of pyzam.com

Not very thought productive but truthful none the less ;)

Thought for the Day - Lets Act Like Grown Ups

2009-06-15T01:30:00.000-04:00

Why waste your time being horrible to people? Why concoct lies so people will like you and not them, or to boost your "ratings". Why talk about people behind their back?. If you have a problem with someone wouldn't the "grown up" thing to do be tell them? Are we in high school still? I just don't understand why people do this, I find it childish and immature. Grow up.

I have seen so many people in the past few months being treated this way. I also have opened up my life to friends just to get stepped on and stabbed in the back. I've had to find out the hard way that they really aren't my friends but vindictive women that are out for themselves. Using you in any way possible. I know just how it feels. Its hurtful and very pathetic on their part.
Tell me, how many times has this happened to you or someone you care about? Cant we all just get along?
That is my (not so positive) thought for the day and I wanted to share.

Thank You Yvonne at Color Your Life - Bunte Fabrics

2009-06-14T19:17:00.000-04:00

I WON HER GIVEAWAY! Oh man...I'm so excited to get the Abacadabra pattern...and since part of the giveaway was 10% off anything on her website, I think I'm going to splurg and buy me some yummy euro knits. *sigh* I am SO in fabric heaven!
Thank you sooo much Yvonne! And isnt it a small world? Her shop is about 10 minutes away from where I used to live in Everett, WA. Who would have known?

Tip Junkie's Going Dot Com Birthday Bash

2009-06-14T02:52:00.000-04:00

5 days and a total of 50 giveaways...
Go check out Tip Junkies birthday bash starting Monday June 15th!

Dont Leave Your Motorcycle at Grandmas

2009-06-11T11:14:00.000-04:00

You might end up with a new paint job

or this...

(click the pic for larger detail)

Wonder how much she charges ;)

Color Your Life -Abacadabra Pattern Giveaway

2009-06-10T16:42:00.000-04:00

I just found this today...I'm so glad I didnt miss it!
Yvonne at Color your Life is giving away the only copy still available of her very own personal Abacadabra #79 romantic dress pattern. YAY!

photo courtesy of Bunte Fabrics

Cross your fingers, toes, legs and shoelaces for me to win! Oh and go check out her blog and website...she has some sinfully gorgeous fabrics and patterns!
P.S. She has Heather Ross' Far Far Away back in stock!!
oman, and I'm so excited, I forgot to mention...giveaway ends 6/12 ;)

My Newest Creation -Lets Get WILD!

2009-06-10T11:20:00.000-04:00

I found this idea a few months ago while surfing (aka spending mass moola) on the internet. Guess where it ended up? Shoved in the archives of my brain.
UNTIL.
This past weekend.
I was invited to a bridal shower and wanted to bring something creative and different as a gift.

This particular pillow is made with soft chocolate minky fabric, ivory satin cording and tiger stripe minky, rrrraawwwwrrr. Measures 11"x 17" (ish). One side is embroidered with the word "TONIGHT" and on the reverse is embroidered "NOT TONIGHT" (both in ivory). Hmmmm what could that mean? ;) It could adorn your bed, the sofa or who knows, maybe even that stack of dishes sitting in your sink. HAHA

What do y'all think?

Tuesdays Tips N Tricks - Sewing with Knits

2009-06-10T01:25:00.000-04:00

I have had problems in the past with my sewing machine 'eating' knits. I use my serger mostly while sewing knits, but sometimes (like with topstitching) then you need to use the sewing machine.
These are some things I've found that have helped me...

Use a new stretch needle
Use the foot that is completley flat and smooth on the bottom
Use a little embroidery stabilizer under the fabric will help (tear away works best)

OK...here's another trick. Take a piece of woven cotton fabric, fold it in half and start sewing on it. Butt your knit right up to it and sew off onto the knit. You can even back tack now on the knit or stitch in place. I do this with light weight cotton too and my serger when using the chain stitch, if I have trouble with them dragging down.
It's rare that I do but some fabrics just want to be contentious!

This is me working on the Farbenmix Olivia pattern for B.

Butt knit up against cotton..

Sew through...

no snagging or bunching...clip off the scrap

Lovely Awards From Lovely Mamas

2009-06-09T02:46:00.000-04:00

Good god, I think my head is going to explode from all the wonderful awards I've been given this month! Y'all better stop or your gonna make me cry!
I love you all so much, you are the bestest (is too a word!) ever! *sniff* *sniff*
I'm so glad to have all you ladies as friends, I wouldnt want it any other way.
Rhonda at Days of Wine and Noses has given me the One Lovely Blog Award. Happy anniversary hun!

Rules:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.

2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you have newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

To my new friends I give this award... in no particular order (random, just like me)

Glenna at Your Fabric Place
Jeanne at Jeannie's Happy World
The Redhead Riter
Deb at Life With Birk
The Rantings Of a Drama Queens Mum
Heather at ..Mrs. Southern Bride..
Cheryl at The Coolest Mom on the Block
Robbie at A Spiritual Connection
Born 2 Impress
Shelly at More Fun Than Allowed...with Kids
Giggles 'N Sugar Kisses
Fairy Blog Mother Blog
JoEll at Life with a Toddler
The Professional Family Manager
Havoc and Mayhem

__________________________________________________

This award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

KRIS at Hands, House and Heart Full LOVES ME! Yes I really do feel the love hun, thank you ;)
I now pass the "Love Ya/Friends" award on to the following 5 lovely ladies:

___________________________________________________________

And lastly....
JoEll at Life with a Toddler awarded me this (THANK YOU!)...

award

Here are the RULES of this Award:
(1) Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
(2) Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
(3) Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
(4) Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
(5) Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
(6) Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
(7) Leave a comment on each of the blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

7 things about me people might find interesting:

My hubster is in the Navy
I love fishing, its so relaxing!
I drive a "sports car" vrrrooom vrrrooom!
I'm a Vera Bradley fan
I've never been outside the U.S. (unless you include Canada)
I collect shoes....unintentionally
I am double jointed in both thumbs

Here are my nominations:

Crafty Summer Series -Challenge #2

2009-06-08T20:18:00.000-04:00

Megan at Brassy Apple has posted Challenge #2 - CREATIVITY for the CAR!

Make something big or small, for you or the kiddos, something to occupy your time on a long drive or to keep your auto tidy. So get your booty behind the wheel and put your creativity into gear!

Be sure to take pictures during the "making it" process and keep notes so you can post your creative craft on your own blog as a tutorial. That way everyone that stops by your blog can see your creation and make it for themselves!
Once your project is completed and posted on your blog, head back to Brassy Apple and post your results. Deadline is June 24th!

Design your Own Fat Quarter Bundle- Giveaway

2009-06-08T16:31:00.000-04:00

The Fabric Shopper is having a new giveaway! Fabric comes from Whipstitch Fabrics and you get to choose your own fabrics from her etsy site, if you win of course ;)

This is the new Wonderland collection by Momo for Moda Fabrics...

So go check out The Fabric Shopper and Whipstitch Fabrics and choose your fav!

Six Word Saturday

2009-06-06T06:30:00.000-04:00

Six Word Saturday is hosted by Cate at Show My Face...go on over and join the fun!

Add Your Own Personality While Learning

Some Sorta Special MeMe

2009-06-05T18:30:00.000-04:00

So I was out and about in blogger land a couple of days ago checkin out my favs and I found this sewing machine meme over at Lauren's blog Bananas For Breakfast. I'm just now finding the time to post it.
It comes from Sew, Mama, Sew!, ( its Sewing Machine Month over there). I love memes and I just bought a new sewing machine so I'd love to tell you all about it! If you are in the market for a new or used machine and want to check out the reviews on it, Sew, Mama, Sew! would be the best place for that right now!

What brand and model do you have?

Babylock Esante (BLN) sewing/embroidery machine

This is what she looks like...gorgeous eh?

How long have you had it?

Bought it in March so about 3 months

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?

Brand new, $2500 retail

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?

Anything and everything I can get my hands on. Clothing for my children and online boutique, pillows, blankets, minky quilts, aprons, dress up clothes for the girls, bibs.....

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?

I sew every day. Here and there when I can get a minute away from the kids. Naptime, their bedtime at night till sometimes 2am. I think I hang out with it more than I do my hubby ;)

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?

I don’t have a name per say but I do call it a "she". She's my baby. She whispers in my ear to sooth me when I get stabbed by a pin, compliments me when I complete an embroidery project, doesn’t hold a grudge when I curse at her and most of all is a great professor of sewing. What more could I ask?

What features does your machine have that work well for you?

I never thought I would love the automatic needle threading feature and the quick set drop in bobbin with sensor (it tells you when the thread is low). I cant tell you how much time these 2 features have saved me! I sometimes use several different colored threads and have to change both frequently.

I also love the embroidery feature. One reason I purchased this particular machine, it accommodates the large hoop (6x10) to embroider just about any size you want.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

I cant figure out how to tighten the bobbin casing to keep the elastic thread tight in the bobbin for shirring. (did that make sense to anyone or just me?) I've had to resort to using my old Kenmore for that. I'd love some tips on now how to do this!

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!

I started shopping for a new serger and embroidery machine in Jan and finally found what I wanted down at my local babylock dealer. My plan was to buy a machine that would last me awhile and I wouldnt have/want to upgrade a year from now. Come March, I was going get the Imagine (serger) and Ellure (a couple notches down from the Esante). They were both within my $2700 budget. Thank you Uncle Sam for holding onto my cash!

About a week into March my father calls me out of the blue which is totally normal for him. He tends to fall off the map for months at a time. Oddly enough we still have a great relationship. He asks how my business is going, I tell him about my soon to be investment, we talk about this and that, end of conversation. Or so I thought. 2 days later he calls me...

dad: go pick it up

me: pick what up

dad: your serger, its ready at the shop. Call Matt ....

.........dial tone........

yeah he's like that.

Long story short...he bought me the Imagine serger I wanted (wtf pops!) so I had more moola to put towards a better embroidery machine. Yes I choked at the counter when I bought it, it was hard to part with that amount of money just for a lil ol machine.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?

If you can afford it buy it! Its got all the bells and whistles you will ever need and then some. Great for general sewing, quilting and advanced embroidery. I am very happy with my decision.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?

Longevity...will it last longer than two years and what kind of warranty does it have.

Do you have a dream machine?

This is my dream machine. I started out with a $50 Kenmore with no bells or whistles. Unless they come up with something that does all the work of cutting patterns for me, I’m good.

The Technorati List

2009-06-05T14:03:00.000-04:00

Thanks Kris for sharing this!

It's time to repost our list.
If you want to join, follow these simple steps.

Copy and paste this blog post into a new blog post on your site.
Go here and leave a comment with a full link address to direct us to your post.
Your link will then be added to the list.

When the list ends in late June, visit Sited and Blogged and update your list with all of the members. We are atttempting to limit this list to 100 blog links.

Fridays Fabric Finds

2009-06-05T11:30:00.000-04:00

This isn't so much a fabric find as it is a fabric designer find. She is truly inspiring. She designs fabrics, patterns and even runs her own pottery studio. All those accomplishments are beyond belief but what is really amazing to me is she is also a mother of 7 children and can still manage time to stay sane.

This is my official shout out to Lila Tueller. Her colorful fabrics can be found in a few shops which she has listed on her blog Lila Tueller Designs. Among others is the Woodland Bloom collection she designed for Moda. The Rosewood colorway...

She's made a few patterns too...

Arent those Charisma boots just downright freakin adorable? I only posted my favs, she has more! Go check out her wonderful blog, I know she would love the visits and don't forget to leave her a comment!

Bounce House and MORE Giveaway

2009-06-03T15:04:00.000-04:00

Its a Fishfully Fun Summer Giveaway!

Tiffany and Heather over at SITS and Sarah at In the Trenches of Mommyhood are so generous in doing this awesome giveway!

First up is a Bounce House...
I'm not talking about one of those little store bought bouncy houses...this one is enormous.

"inflates to 16-ft. x 13-ft. x 9 1/2-ft. Includes powerful commercial 1 horsepower blower with 25-ft. power cord and a 6 1/2-ft. fill-tube so the blower can be placed away from the bouncer — it easily inflates in minutes! Includes large carrying bag, repair kit, instructions and ground stakes for placement. Made of heavy-duty puncture proof vinyl with double-stitched seams with large pillars for extra support. Maximum occupancy of up to five 100-lb. children; ages 3 and up at one time; 500 lb. weight limit. UL listed."

Also included in the giveaway is a slip n slide to add to the backyard fun!

and how can you say no to free money? ALSO included is a $50 American express gift card

But Wait..... there's more! (I'm really trying my damndest to sound like that guy from those infomercials?)

Kodak Sport waterproof disposable camera
The books, "The Resilience Factor" and "The Optimistic Child" co-authored by Dr. Karen Reivich
Fishful Thinking tote bag full of Pepperidge Farm goodies
CHOCOLATE! (this is why I entered lol)
"Half Full" t-shirt from Life Is Good (size Large)

Here are the steps to complete:

First head over to The Secret is in the Sauce and leave a comment.
Then, you go here and create your Storybook (at least 2 pages)
Once your Storybook is done, link the url back at SITS using Mr. Linky at the bottom.
Every Storybook you make gets you 5 entries (yes... you can do more than one!)
Go visit Sarah at In the Trenches of Mommyhood and comment why you want this package!
Every comment you leave on SITS or over at Sarahs blog in June gets you 1 entry.
All followers of SITS or In the Trenches of Mommyhood get an additional entry.
Post about this giveaway and link back to SITS and get 5 additional entries.

Contest open to continental US only.

Ends 6.29.09 at 7:00 PM PST

Eligible Storybooks must be of appropriate content.

While Fishful Thinking items were donated by Pepperidge Farm, all other items were donated personally by Tiffany, Sarah and Heather.

Tuesdays Tips N Tricks - Summer Sizzlin

2009-06-02T15:27:00.000-04:00

Todays Tip comes from me watching waaaayy to much Weather Channel. Its my background noise during the day when I am home. I just happened to be actually watching it this morning and was reminded of my summer days in Louisiana. WOW talk about HOT!

The first day of summer this year is June 21st. We all know it gets uuber hot outside long before that day. Heck, its 90 degrees here in VA as I type this!
The girls and I LOVE to swim in the backyard pool or beach it and play in the sand. Hanging out there a few hours then packing up to go indoors, I realize that I'm getting tired very quickly. I chalk it up to having 2 very active girls to chase and play with the entire day. Yes that may be a small part of it but I couldnt be more wrong!
This would be one of the signs for dehydration and heat related illness (heat exhaustion and heat stroke). These are very serious especially when it comes to small children.
This is where you say..."Oh I'm used to the heat, it doesnt effect me".

Is your body acclimatized to the heat? Did you know it takes your body 12-14 days to adjust to the overwhelmingly hot summer heat? Once it does, your body increases the need for fluids. If its not accommodated, will put you in a higher risk category for heat related illness.
Its best to drink fluids before you get the feeling of being thirsty...once you get that urge, its too late. Your body is already dehydrated.

Six signs or symptoms of dehydration:

Dry lips and tongue
Headache
Weakness, Dizziness or extreme fatigue
Concentrated urine that is darker than normal
Nausea
Muscle Cramps
Thirst (duh!)
Chills

What do you do to prevent heat related illness? I'm glad you asked!!
Wear light colored, loose fitting clothing. Take a break in the shade or bring your umbrella with you to the beach! I've had some weird looks thrown my way when I bring my "rain" umbrella to the beach. We do have a "beach" umbrella but it refuses to stay upright in the sand and could you see me strollin up and down the beach carrying it? What a sight!
Most important of all DRINK DRINK DRINK! Sweet...lets break open that frosty adult beverage!! Uh huh and that will dehydrate you faster than sitting in the sun for 4 hours!
Drink fluids 2-3 hours prior to going out and again 2 hours or so after being in the sun. Water, Gatorade (we drink G2, 1/2 the sugar) are the best but any liquid without caffeine or alcohol is good. Try putting some Gatorade in your toddler/childs water bottle instead of fruit juice. Dont like plain water or Gatorade? Most grocery stores have those little packets of flavoring like Crystal Light you can add to your pre-purchased water bottle.

Lastly, while we are on topic of sun damage, slather it up!

Just so you know... this will not reduce your chances of getting heat stroke.

Get yourself a good sunscreen with Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide in the ingredients. These are the only ingredients that will protect you from UVA and UVB sun rays. The others will prevent you from burning but thats only half the battle. Some good brands are Neutrogena or Baby Blanket. Just make sure to read the ingredients!
Before I had my gorgeous girls, I was an office assistant at a rather large dermatologist/plastic surgeons clinic in Chicagoland.
I saw many elderly people come and go that needed treatment on their skin, faces, noses, foreheads, hands. Chunks of cancerous skin removed and unsightly stitches and scarring left in its place. God bless them, they didnt have the means we do now to protect themselves but it left a lasting impression on me.
I would post pictures of what sun damage can do to you and look like 20 years from now but I would hate to have you vomiting all over your keyboard. ;)

Now that I have thoroughly grossed you out...grab your towels, flip-flops and bathing suits and have "safe" fun in the sun. I know I sound like my grandmother, "be careful deary, you'll hurt yourself".
Well you will thank me in 20 years.

Mondays Randomness - 80's Flashback

2009-06-02T00:57:00.001-04:00

My random thing for the day is this beautiful photograph.

You laugh! I hear you laughing! Well I found it while cleaning out my hard drive today, similar to spring cleaning out your closet I guess. Its a random photo of a random sign in a random place in Seattle (honestly no clue it was forever ago) my hometown. Isn't it great?!
Brings back those memories from the 80's doesn't it? High school, (yes I'm dating myself here lol) feathered hair with huge bangs, loud makeup, off the shoulder shirts and leg warmers, 80's hair bands, M.C. Hammer and the hammer pants, Michael Jackson and Madonna. Yes I am a child of the 80's. Thank goodness times have changed but OH was it ever a blast!

I'm a Weiner! I'm a Weiner!

2009-06-01T23:43:00.000-04:00

HAHA! Well wouldnt you know it! Sew Glamorous was doing a giveaway for a Vogue pattern V8060 last week and I won! I'm so surprised since I really didnt notice I was entering my name into anything. I'd stopped by her blog to say hello and comment on the dress she had made. I guess I should read the titles and not just look at the cute dress in the picture!

Thanks Angela!!

Nomination for Mom Of The Year

2009-05-28T14:24:00.000-04:00

CARMA, I am honored with this nomination! This lady is a riot and an absolute sweetheart! If you havnt already, you need to go check out her blog and participate in her "Cheeseball Tuesdays" and enter in her giveaway! THANK YOU DAAAHHH LINK!

I believe every mom out there deserves one of these awards. It can be very frustrating, yet entertaining and rewarding at the same time, being a mom.

Rules of the Award:

Admit one thing you feel awful about involving being a mom. Get it off your shoulders. Once you've written it down, you are no longer allowed to feel bad. It's over with, it's in the past. Remember, you're a good mom!

I feel awful about not being able to spend enough time with A (my 12 yo). With a 3 yo (B) and (not quite) 2 year old (E) clinging to "my apron strings" every waking moment, its been tough to get on the same schedule as her. The last year has been hard on our relationship. We keep pluggin along and hang out when time permits. I am anxiously awaiting school to be over with!

Remind yourself you are a good mom, list seven things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you. These are the things to remind yourself everyday that you Rock!

I love dinner time in our house. Its a chance for all of use to gather and chat. Afterwards, we get out the crayons, a game or our laptops (yes B has a "laptop" too) and just hang out.
My girls are so spontaneous and come up with the most off the wall sayings. Yesterday B told me I had "stars in my eyes" How cute is that!
The most precious thing is when my little E wraps her arms around my neck and says "I love you mommy" It makes my heart melt every time!
They love it when I take them to Busch Gardens (theme park with roller coasters) all 3 of them have no fear and will ride everything if there wasnt a height/age limit.
"I like it when you give me hugs and kisses mommy. It makes me happy!" From the mouths of my babes. (ok E was just copying her sis like always lol)
I get to feel like a kid again when I take my girls to the park. Yeah I know, I'mma dork lol.
I love it when my 2 yo fingerpaints with peanut butter. She is so artistic! 1 pbj, 10 little fingers, 1 beautiful white wall. Need I say more? :)

Send this to five other Mom's Of The Year that deserve credit for being great moms and remind them that they are the best moms they can be!! Remember to send them a note to let them know you've selected them, and add a link to the person who nominated you.

I nominate the following mahh velous moms...

God Is Not Finished With Us Yet

I've Changed My Name To Mommy

We're Just Working On Today

5 Little Monkeys

Its A Beauty Filled Life

Our Memorial Weekend Happenings

2009-05-27T12:49:00.000-04:00

We had a pretty busy holiday weekend. Friday the girls and I made a super spontaneous trip to Busch Gardens at 1:00 in the afternoon. The 5 hour, cranky kids with no nap trip was actually enjoyable and the girls experienced a lot of firsts.
Here are a couple of photos. The quality isnt that great, they were taken with my camera phone.

Sunday we decided to Grill N Chill at home. Here's what we grilled and mmmmm was it yummy!

The preparation....

In line for the grill....

Burnin the meat....

The End....

Well not really but I didnt take pics of the rest. We were to busy enjoying our meal. ;)

Tuesday Tips N Tricks: Blogging Basics

2009-05-26T17:07:00.000-04:00

Wow is today Tuesday already? With yesterday being Memorial day and the hubster having the day off I feel like I missed a day somewhere!

Well here is the tip for the day. Actually its more like a lifesaver for the newbies (ME!) in the blogging world. I really just jumped into blogging not knowing anything and having to teach myself. I have to admit, even tho its takes me longer to get from A to Z, I normally like figuring things out for myself. With blogging there are so many "how the heck to I do that's" I needed to look for one place I could get all the answers. Its perfect for beginners or even intermediate bloggers.
Some of you may already know about this website but like I said, I'm mostly a newbie and just found it like 2 days ago.

The name of it is (drum roll please!)

Blogging Basics 101

They have topics such as:

Where to Start
Blog Maintenance
Buttons and Graphics
Etiquette
How to do HTML
and tons more!!

Its been a life saver for me so if you need some help blogging go check it out, I'm pretty sure the site has most, if not all, the questions to your answers!
Come back and leave me a comment, if you go, and tell me what you think!

Yep, Seriously Done...

2009-05-26T00:43:00.000-04:00

What a horrible way to end a great weekend.
We did a pretty thourough cleaning on the house, had a great BBQ with some frosty adult beverages (will post more on this later) and then after all that, just plain lazy with a capital L!
Now my poor E is sick with the stomach bug and fever. I wish there was a magic cure for the tummy ache. I hate seeing my little ones in misery and this might sound a little selfish but I cant stand being thrown up on! I shudder just thinking about it. Oh and would someone please explain to me just how do I give Tylenol to someone with the stomach bug to keep her 103 fever down?
She is finally sleeping and in the most odd place I might add. She refused to sleep in her crib upstairs, just had to be touching me or within eyesight. After 3 hours, the ol arm decided it had had enough of the 30lb kiddo sitting on it so I laid E on her sisters little fold out sofa in the playroom. She is fast asleep and snoring. THANK YOU GOD!
I am mentally and physically exhausted and just done. I was totally planning on posting about our Memorial weekend tonight but it will have to wait. This mamas checkin out! Yeah and this is how I feel (already) about tomorrow lol

A Momma Among Us Needs Support!!

2009-05-24T14:08:00.000-04:00

This is Ezra

To all the bloggin mommas out there, I implore you show your support!
2 days ago, a fellow blogger, Manic Mother found out her little Ezra has acute lymphoblastic leukemia (cancer).
Please visit her site and offer words of kindness, monetary donations or just say a prayer for her family. I'm sure she will be grateful for anything you have to offer!

Please pass this on to all!

I'm so grateful!

2009-05-23T16:16:00.000-04:00

I just have to say, I have "met" some super sweet ladies in blogger land. I'm glad to know there are honest and outstanding mamas out there that go above and beyond for their readers. Their blogs are nothing short of fantastic as are they!
One of these ladies passed on a couple of awards to me and it made my day.
Thank you to Veronica for keeping us all entertained with your blog even when you are under the weather...YOU ROCK! I hope your feeling better today and thank you so much for the awards.

It's a Tee Party!

2009-05-22T08:55:00.001-04:00

Head over to The Brassy Apple for our first ever Craft Summer Series Challenge!!

Our first challenge is tshirts. Its all up to you, make it simple and quick or advanced. Something for you or the kiddos we want to see it all!
I am looking forward to seeing what everyone has made! Oh and no pressure but the "complete by" date is June 3rd so go get crafting!

The 4th and Final Fabric Shopper Giveaway!

2009-05-20T12:06:00.000-04:00

Here we go.. week 4 Modkid Giveaway from the Fabric Shopper (go check out her site and enter!).
What you get if you win...

The Modkid - Frida Tunic Style Dress and Shirt pattern.

Also...
3- 1/2 yards of fabrics in 3 patterns of your choice from Allegro Fabrics.

Shown are 3 new fabrics from the Wizard of Oz, Over the Rainbow collection. My personal fav.
I've always loved the movie "Wizard of Oz" My girls and I sit down every year when it comes on tv and have movie night. Its been a tradition in my family since I was a kid.

Most Wonderful FAVORITE! Award

2009-05-20T09:52:00.000-04:00

One of the sweetest people in blogger land has graciously bestowed upon me the Most Wonderful FAVORITE Award!
SQ from The Road To Here, you really are a doll and THANK YOU!

These are the rules in accepting this award:

Deliver this award to eight bloggers who then must choose and deliver the award to eight more and include the following text into the award.

"These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers."

I want to award the following bloggers. As noted in the text above, my aim is to find them as friends, some new and a couple "old". These are some really great blogs that everyone should check out and follow!

Lauren at Bananas for Breakfast
Irina at Hainute Colorate... (click a flag to read in your language)
Erin Colleen Photography
Shannon at Lilly Haven Collection
Malka at A Stitch In Dye
Megan at Brassy Apple
Deb at Life With Birk
Veronica at OF MICE and raMEN
Gillian at I heart Crafts

And yes I know I picked 9 but there were so many yummy blogs to choose from...It was hard not to pick them all!

Some Like To Talk...

2009-05-17T23:09:00.000-04:00

And talk, and talk ....
I've been snickered at many times by my dear hubby when I am on a phone call with girlfriends. He looks over at me, rolls the eyes and makes the ever popular comment about clucking hens.
Is this video proof that woman are born talkative?

I'm A Hot Mom!

2009-05-17T22:53:00.000-04:00

And pretty soon I'll have the magnet to advertise!

Its totally free, an "Official offer from Hottest Moms in America"

Go get your Hot Mom Car Magnet!

Fridays Fabric Finds

2009-05-16T00:22:00.000-04:00

These fabrics come from StudioeFabrics. I never would have known about them if it weren't for Melanie's post over at The Fabric Shopper about the Flourish colorway (thank you!).
So I went to Studio e Fabrics website and discovered some of the cutest modern prints and really felt compelled to share!
Photos courtesy of StudioeFabrics and Sew Fun Fabrics.

The Flourish colorway in turquoise, orange and cream:
Available for purchase at Sew Fun Fabrics and Fabric Supplies

The Za Za Zing in beautiful modern floral of lilacs, creams, pinks, teals and greens:
Yes they also have boy colors!

And then we have the Holiday Magic line that will be available in June 2009.
I'm looking forward to this line and working with it this Christmas, I already know what I want to make for my girls.

Tuesdays Tips N Tricks: Kick The Junk Mail Out!

2009-05-13T01:56:00.000-04:00

This afternoon, I dug out the many papers in my mailbox and start walking up the driveway back to the house. Wouldn't you know it, I dropped them all on the pavement. Talk about a klutz with a capital K. I started to pick them up and noticed about 10 fliers/advertisements/coupons I have no idea where they came from/more mailers from who knows where and no REAL mail to speak of (not that I get much other than bills). I turned right back around and dropped them in the recycle bin.
Every day is like this! The junk mail gods look kindly upon me, heaven knows why. I'm thinking, on my way back into the house (and the kiddos pouncing on me asking for said junk mail), that there has to be a way to remove myself from whatever mailing list I'm on. You know, like the phone number you call to have all your phone numbers put on the "do not call" list. If any of you watch Dirty Jobs w/Mike Row, have you seen that episode with him at the recycle factory? One of the workers tells him the junk mail Americans receive in just one day could produce enough energy to heat a quarter of a million homes. WOW! Time for action.
Here I am, Ms. "Famous for finding everything online", punching in "reduce junk mail" into my google search engine and this is what I came up with...

PrivacyRights.org

In a nutshell it explains how we get on the mailing lists and how to remove our names/addresses from them.
The website has all this info...

An address to mail a form (or do it online) to get off national mailing lists
Information how to get off mailing lists to flyers and ad suppliments such as VAL-PAK coupons (I get this at LEAST once a week) and its pretty easy
An address/website to remove yourself from catalogs, mail order lists and magazines
PreApproved offers of credit (this is another big catagory we get, like I want 800 credit cards!)
Stop getting phone books and reverse directories
Charities, non profit, sweepstakes.....
and the list goes on!

In all I found the website really helpful so I decided share it with y'all and help you get rid of some junk! I think it took me about 30 minutes to hit most of the websites to have my name and address removed. We all know that unfortunately it wont happen right away and honestly, I'm a little skeptical it will help at all but I have no issues about giving it a shot!
GO check it out! C'mon back here and share your thoughts.

Hmmmmm, if I post the privacy rights act on the door when using the restroom, will my kiddos stay out? What website do I go to for bathroom privacy?

GIVEAWAY Week 3 - Lil Chef Pattern

2009-05-12T20:12:00.000-04:00

Ok, yeah I missed ModKid week 2 giveaway and I'm SAD!

This weeks giveaway from The Fabric Shopper is Patty Youngs Lil Chef pattern. Its a cute 3 piece chef pattern, Hat, Apron and Oven Mitt.
Also included in this giveaway...and my personal fav, is FABRIC! 1/2 yard each of 4 prints of Lizzy House's Red Letter Day in the Feather colorway from Above All Fabric.
You really should check out both sites...you wont be dissapointed! Don't forget to head over to The Fabric Shopper and enter!

Wishing You A ....

2009-05-10T02:12:00.001-04:00

To all the mommies out there in blogger land....I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Mothers Day.
I hope you enjoy your day with family and don't forget to give your babies (old or young) extra snuggles today because I know how much it means to be a mother!

"Happy Mother's Day" means more
Than have a happy day.
Within those words lie lots of things
We never get to say.

It means I love you first of all,
Then thanks for all you do.
It means you mean a lot to me,
And that I honor you.

But most of all, I guess it means
That I am thinking of
Your happiness on this, your day,
With pleasure and with love."

Author Nicholas Gordon

NEW in my Boutique : Lydia Dress & Criss Cross Dress

2009-05-10T01:26:00.001-04:00

My Pretty Lydia Dress

Done in Michael Miller Farmers Market collection, this gorgeous Lydia dress has a shirred bodice and cap sleeves. The apron is embroidered with a dainty fluttering butterfly in pinks and greens. Each tier of skirt is gathered to make a beautiful flowing dress your girl will just fall in love with.

Fresh As A Daisy Criss Cross Dress

This beautiful summer dress is made with Robert Kaufman fabrics and has halter style tie at the neck straps with fully lined bodice. Two tone yellows and browns will look great on your child while out on a gorgeous summer day.

Tuesdays Tips and Tricks - 4 Simple Steps To Picture Hanging

2009-05-05T13:42:00.000-04:00

PICTURE THIS!

How about a great way to hang pictures on your walls? A way to avoid nailing and renailing your wall so you end up with several different holes and none of them are in the right spot?
My grams and I were talking the other day and I mentioned to her I was putting up new pictures in the house. My Aunt (who is a painter) shared this tip with her. Here are the steps, its really quite easy!

Trace each picture frame onto paper (construction or plain printer paper works too) and cut them out.
Tape the paper onto the wall where you want to put the picture. Use blue painting tape, as it won't cause your paint to peel when you remove it.
Once all of the papers are up onto the wall where you want, step back and take a look. Need to rearrange? No problem, the blue tape makes it easy to peel the paper down and hang it back up again.
When you are satisfied with the placement, simply hammer your nail into the wall straight through your paper then remove the paper.

Yes, its that simple and your pictures will end up perfect every time!

I've Been Listed At MomDot

2009-05-04T23:24:00.000-04:00

MomDot is a mom blog listing site that is run by mommy bloggers, Trisha, Alicia, and Bridgette.
They run contests weekly, reviews on awesome (and not so awesome) products for families and kids, and talk about their lives. But more importantly, they feature bloggers and mom boutiques to give them an avenue to get their names out there, also assisting in google links!
You can list your blog for free and talk to them about doing an interview about you. Head on over and see what MomDot is about!

Meme-ingful Memories at Aspen?

2009-05-04T13:09:00.000-04:00

Deb over at Life with Birk tagged me with my very first meme. Thanks girly, this was so much fun doing!
Rules of the meme. Respond and rework. Answer questions on your own blog. Replace one question. Add one question. Tag 6 people.

ok Lets get started...

What are your current obsessions? FABRIC and sewing
Which item from your wardrobe do you wear most often? My crocs, I have the most comfy pair of Athens you can imagine.
Last dream you had? I never remember my dreams
Last thing you bought? My daughter has a "cute as can bee" lovey thats getting a bit ragged. Unfortunately, the design has been discontinued so I hit up ebay and thank God I was able to find one. Now we have a spare!
What are you listening to? The Red Sox and NYY baseball game on ESPN. My hubbies fav TV channel.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Do I really have to grow up? lol
Favorite holiday spots? I love the mountains, I love snowboarding...I've never been but would love to visit Aspen.
Reading right now? No time for books, last book I read was Harry Potter 3 years ago LOL
Four words to describe yourself. Busy, Friendly, Committed, Mom
Guilty pleasure? Shopping, buying fabrics or clothes. or should I just say...spending money?
Who or what makes you laugh until you’re weak? I love watching videos on U tube. There are some crazy funny ones on there.
Favourite spring thing to do? Take my girls to the park and play.
Planning to travel to next? Glouchester to help Joyce put her phones on ebay.
Best thing you ate or drank lately? That would be the hot fudge sundae I ate after dinner.
Dream vacation? refer to #7 ;)
Favourite ever film? Anything with Hugh Jackman as the lead actor. YUM city!
Care to share some wisdom? Do as much as possible with your children now. They grow up way to fast.
Song you can't get out of your head? "Bumpin up and down in my little red wagon" My girls listen to their mp3 player with the little people music on it. For some reason only this song gets stuck.
Thing you are looking forward to? Starting on another dress for a friends daughter tomorrow!

Here are 6 favs I'm tagging... I hope ya'll find some time to post!

The Road to Here
Carma Sez
Veronica Lee over at OF MICE AND raMEN
Silverhartgirl at Helping Mommys Win (she has some seriously sweet giveaways posted!)
Artsy-Crafty Babe
Stitches and Sissors

TAG! YOUR IT!

I AM AWE-SUMMM!

2009-04-30T13:16:00.000-04:00

I am so honored to be given this award!
Many thanks to Veronica Lee over at Of Mice and RaMen (cute name eh?) just bestowed upon me the honor of the Queen of All Things Awe-Summm Award.
Ummmm I dont have a speech prepared so I'm just going to say THANK YOU again, you are the sweetest person and your blog ROCKS!

List 7 things that make you Awe-Summ and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers you love.
Make sure to tag your recipients and let them know they have won!
Also link back to the Queen that tagged you.

7 reasons I am AWE-SUMMM...

I have been told I have a lot of patience. I have to thank my 3 children, whom I love dearly, for this. Its taken a lot of work to get it.
I'm pretty good when it comes to working on a computer. Software and hardware, it runs in my blood.
I am very meticulous about my sewing. When I start making something the end result has to be nothing short of perfect.
I'm always trying to get people to laugh. I have a great sense of humor, hopefully it wont go anywhere.
I feel blessed in life. I love my family and am thankful for everything that has been sent my way.
I am very passionate about helping others.
I thrive in chaos! I know this may not seem awesome, but I am usually more organized in chaos.

And now, up for presentation is another Awe-Summ award. And the award goes to....

10 Easy Ways I Help The Environment

2009-04-28T23:56:00.000-04:00

HELP SAVE THE EARTH!

Although do not consider myself a tree hugger, I try to do things that help the environment. These things usually help my pocketbook, as well.
1. Pay bills online or over the phone. I opt out of paper billing and read my bills online or have them delivered via email. Yep you are right! Paper is recyclable but someone still has to drive the truck to your house to pick it up.

2. Bring reusable bags for groceries.

People look at me weird when I walk into a shop, or any of my favorite grocery stores, and offer up my own bag to carry my merchandise in. I just cant stand plastic bags and they aren't recyclable! Besides, "green" bags are more durable and hold a ton.
3. We use cloth diapers for our youngest daughter.

Cloth diapers today aren't like what your mama used...they really have come a long way. No more diaper service...just throw them in the wash yourself. My favorites are Bum Genius One Size. You can find them at Cotton Babies or Bumgenius.com. Go check out all the cute colors they have now!

4. We've cut out paper towels and napkins in our house. I used to think it was ok because most can be recycled but why not just cut them out and use a clean rag or cloth napkin instead?
5. Buy used! I'm not shy about purchasing/getting something used. I've found a freecycle system in my city where I can post my used items for free and others will pick up. (and vice versa) Also Craigslist is a great place to get used household items, childrens items, electronics (this is a big one for me) sometimes clothing. I'd rather have it in my home, if I can use it, than in a landfill somewhere.
6. Use reusable containers for food storage instead of ziplock baggies or plastic wrap.
7. Buy rechargeable batteries. I've replaced most of our batteries in the house (excluding the kids toys) with rechargeable. Many people buy regular batteries and they dont get disposed of properly becoming a major source of contamination in dump sites.
8. Reuse old paper. My husband and I use a lot of paper writing notes or printing articles off the internet for our oldest. Instead of throwing it away when not needed, we let our little ones use it as coloring paper then display the art work in their playroom.
9. Recycle the used printer cartridges!

I have a Hewlett Packard and every cartridge I purchase comes with a prepaid envelope to send back my old ones to the company for them to recycle. How great is that?! There are also some office stores that give you $3-$5 discounts on purchasing a new cartridge when you bring your old one in.
10. Last of all RECYCLE!! Be it the paper tag of those new gauchos I bought, a cardboard box used to ship something to my house, or an empty can from the corn we at a dinner.....I always keep in the back of my mind I need to recycle whatever I can. Teach the kids early and our Earth will benefit from it in the future!

Tuesday Tips and Tricks...

2009-04-28T22:43:00.000-04:00

THE BATTLE OF THE ANTS!!

This time of year is always the worst for those pesky little creatures. We've lived in our house for the last 4 years and every year at the same time here come the ants. The 6 legged little guys have a nose for every crumb my kiddos drop while eating lunch. It takes only a matter of minutes for them to disintegrate a tasty morsel. Go ahead, ask me how many times I vacuum in one given day.
Well I've opted out of the harsh chemical spray and decided to go green this year. I've heard about using the plug in bug repellent, the kind that you PLUG into the OUTLETS. Can you imagine E getting her hands on that!? It may work wonders, its not for our house at this particular time so on with the search.
A girlfriend of mine mentioned using pepper, yes the common household cooking spice. I thought, what the heck wont hurt to try it. I sprinkled a bit around the baseboards in my dinette and haven't seen one since!
Does this mean I can get away with only vacuuming once a day?? The true test will be when it rains and they all decide they want to share my roof.
So if you have an ant parade in your home and decide you want to go green this year, go get some pepper!
Come back and let me know if it works for you or what green trick you use!

Modkid Kyoko Pattern & Fabric Giveaway!

2009-04-27T10:26:00.000-04:00

I know I've told y'all I was a fabric addict. Somehow, I've managed to restrain myself from purchasing every cute pattern I find but I cant break away from drooling over them online. I think my new addiction is adorable patterns... this one not excluded.

The Fabric Shopper is giving away a Modkid -Kyoko pattern and 8, one-half yard bundles from Alice Kennedy's Strawberry Fields for Timeless Treasures.
Go check out their site...not only do they have a great giveaways going on for the next 4 weeks but some wicked cute fabrics!

Wondermommy Giveaway

2009-04-25T21:02:00.000-04:00

Wondermommy is having a big birthday bash and giving away some great items including:

1 Fledge/Studio Tantrum Feliz Pattern
1 Lil Chef Pattern from ModKids
5 Good Folks fat quarters

Go check out Wondermommy, she makes some of the cutest clothes!

Get Ready For GAME DAY

2009-04-25T16:04:00.000-04:00

All work and no play....thats what I have been doing for the past 3 weeks. I'm steadily getting ready for my first bazaar of the year next weekend. Sewing clothing, more infant blankets and embroidering everything I can get my hands on.
I decided to stop, smell the roses and spend a couple of days with JUST my kiddos last week.
Guess what I resurrected from my childhood? Ever played the game Hungry Hippos? I'd like to think that anyone that has children, has had children or has been a child at one time knows what this game is.

I brought it out and you should have seen B and E's eyes light up! We set up the hippos and the girls put on the stickers for eyes. Since E is only 2 and B is just over 3 we really didnt go by the rules, just explained how to make the hippos "eat" the marbles. They LOVED it!
That got me to thinking...what other games did I play as a child in the late 70's early 80's?
So I researched it online and came up with the top 10 games of the 80's. We still have all these, Electronic Battleship (I still have the original from when I was a kid), Mouse Trap, Connect Four and Operation.
Check out RETROJUNK.COM that site will definately make you think about your childhood/adolescence again.

Have a happy weekend all!

Eleven Collection for Summer Shoes Review & Giveaway

2009-04-12T20:21:00.000-04:00

Arent these the cutest little boots? They are called Nora and are sold at ElevenCollection.com
Go over to Mommy Goggles and check out the Eleven Collection summer shoes giveaway! Sign up for a chance to win your favorite pair!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T18:03:00.000-04:00

I love spring! It brings lush green grass, gorgeous flowers and beautiful music from the birds in our trees.
I have to say I wish there were a way to skip the phase where mother nature has to bestow upon us blankets of pollen. I have, in the last 4 years, acquired nasty seasonal allergies and this time of the year they are the worst.

My girls are so excited for Easter tomorrow! They are having some friends over to have an egg hunt in our backyard and color Easter eggs. It was a tradition my family had while I was growing up and I want to pass it down to them so they can to their children. I am very traditional when it comes to holidays.

Well HAPPY EASTER everyone, I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday!

Bunte Fabrics giveaway!

2009-04-09T23:49:00.001-04:00

I found this giveaway on The Fabric Shopper today while surfing about looking at fabrics. Yes, imagine that, ME shopping for fabric.
"Bunte Fabrics is giving away this stack of European fabrics on her blog, Color Your Life. For details about the fabrics and how to enter, go to this blog post: Color Your Life: Giveaway"
I am soooo drooling, I LOVE Stenzo fabric! Oh so yummy.

Ponytail holder review and giveaway!

2009-04-09T23:36:00.000-04:00

Arent these cute?!
Helping Mommies Win is giving away 2 sets of ponytail holders from Visualized By Christy. She makes really cute ponytail holders for kiddos and adults, go check it out!

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!

2009-04-06T00:38:00.000-04:00

Echostore USA Review and Giveaway
Its another giveaway by Firefly shop! Check out the Ecostore USA products up for grabs. Lets make the Earth a little greener!
Make sure you check out the rest of the website too...some really great topics!

Zojirushi Bento Review and Giveaway

2009-04-06T00:18:00.000-04:00

Zojirushi Bento Review and Giveaway
Firefly shop.org is giving away two awesome products!
Ms. Bento stainless lunch jar w/ bag and the Mini Bento!
Check out her site, she has some fantastic articles and dont forget to enter to win!
You can also check out the Zojirushi website by clicking HERE

Are you a Vera Bradley fan?

2009-04-05T22:35:00.000-04:00

More like an addict! My fav pattern is Mod Floral Pink. I have just about every item made in it haha.
ok but thats not really what I came here to tell you....
New Vera Bradley fabrics are in!
I found some cute spring fabric patterns and thought it would be interesting to see what I could make out of them!
Come on over to my store and check my new Vera items!

I am not, in any way, affiliated with Vera Bradley.

Spring is in the air!

2009-04-05T22:18:00.000-04:00

Havnt written much in the past few days due to spring cleaning. Have you ever gotten a hair up your rear and just started organizing everything?
The sewing room is immaculate, I organized my daughters toy room and got rid of old toys (want some?) , sterilized the kitchen, washed probably 20 loads of laundry (summer clothes), I still managed to get my kiddos out of the house to see their friends. My poor husband thinks I'm nuts doing all of this at once.
On top off all that I've been trying to cram all the information I can into my head about my new embroidery machine and looking for time to get some sewing done and not have it be 2am.
Last I posted, I was planning on purchasing the Babylock Ellageo. I decided against it and bought the Babylock Esante instead. Just as good as the Ellageo but without the color touch screen. I figured, since I would have it connected to my laptop(hellooo color screen LOL) the majority of the time using editing software, I'd save myself $800 or so and get the b/w. I LOOOOOOVE IT! It does everything I need/want AND cooks me breakfast too. HAHA!
So once I get the garage cleaned out (my final project), I plan on taking some more time to update my biz website with the gorgeous outfits I have been making.
Keep your eyes peeled for new summer clothing!

What a WEEKEND!

2009-03-23T23:55:00.000-04:00

Friday I decided to finally go machine shopping. I currently have a Kenmore and Juki, both really great machines for beginners but I've outgrown them.
I've been putting off going shopping for 2 weeks now since I am still saving for a new embroidery machine and serger. Honestly, I was afraid if I went in and test drove them I wouldnt have the self control to wait any longer HAHA!
I plan to go BIG! I have done my research for the last 2 weeks and came up with the Babylock Ellure Plus embroidery machine and Image Wave serger. Figure I'd drop some big bucks and not have to upgrade again in awhile. Those are the two I was 100% set on. UNTIL....
My father called me Sunday. He and I dont talk but once every 3 or 4 months since he lives in Alaska (4 hour time diff) and its usually for HOURS at a time. Well our phone conversation consisted of him asking about the biz, the fam etc and wanted to know about my machines. In all my excitement I told him about my plan to purchase new ones and what I wanted. I sensed the whole yawn factor coming into play, you know, men and sewing dont really go well together LOL, so I changed the subject.
BUT today, he called me again and said "Go pick it up". Um excuse me? Couldnt for the life of me understand what he was talking about until he mentioned the sew and vac store and it was ready. My jaw hit the floor... he bought me the Imagine serger! I'd had my eye on the Wave but I'm soooo not complaining.
This evening I went to pick up my serger and looked at the embroider machines again. I REALLY wanted the Ellageo last time I was there. Since I had a set budget, reality was, I couldnt afford it. Now I can! I didnt get to walk home with both, just the serger today. Next week the Ellageo will have a new place of residence at my house!
Here is a look at my new baby...isnt she a beaut?

The birthday girl in Portabellopixie Claire!

2009-03-23T22:41:00.000-04:00

Portabellopixie Claire

A girlfriend of mine requested a special Dora dress for her daughters 2nd birthday, since they were having a Dora themed party. She helped me pick out the Dora fabric and pretty much gave me free reign on putting the rest of it together. I used the Portabellopixie - Claire pattern by Sandi Henderson, Robert Kaufman (and other) fabrics. I love this round apron dress. The back ties with cute petal straps and the apron has 4 stars and Dora appliqued in coordinating fabrics.
I really thought this dress was going to be a challenge since there are so many steps to it. I was pleasantly surprised, once I picked it up and started I couldnt put it down! I was so excited to see what the finished product would be. It fit her daughters personality to a T.....whimsical, girly and all Dora!

FOR SALE on Sew much Fun Boutique!

2009-03-12T16:05:00.000-04:00

I had "Sew Much Fun" making this outfit as I do all my clothing. Since I had some leftover fabric from the custom made outfit previously posted, I decided to make another in the same fabric.
I just love the lavender flowers...it reminds me of spring and especially Easter.
I made a similar one for E to wear last summer. It lasted her the whole season size wise and she was so comfortable in it.

This gorgeous a-line top in lavender flowers has straps that tie at the shoulder. Pair it with a shirt underneath or wear by itself in the warmer months.

Boutique pants are done in lavendar cotton, accented with rouching in lavender flowers.

Criss Cross Dress

2009-03-09T20:37:00.000-04:00

I have done it! I have crossed over into the land of sewing boutique clothing. Here is my first project.
I've wanted to make this pattern for awhile now and my girlfriend gave me a good excuse to try it out. She originally wanted a pillow case dress and quickly fell in love with this pattern.
Its a criss cross dress that normally ties at the neck but I wanted to make it adjustable for her little one. I crossed the straps in the back, added buttons and the multiple button holes allow for her to grow. I made a simple pant pattern and added rouching at the hemline as accent.
I am SO excited how it turned out and cant wait to make more outifts!

What a blog!

2009-03-09T17:47:00.000-04:00

I have been blessed with the gift of sewing. I never in my life thought its what I would be consumed with. My grandmother was a seamstress and taught me a lot of what I know when I was in high school. After I graduated I never had the chance to do it again.
I didnt start actually sewing for my children until last year.
I made blankets and bibs for them and everyone else loved what I was making. I decided to open up an online business with all my products last spring. So far its been going great, I've added clothing, boutique wipes cases, and a few other choice items that have been requested.
We'll see what the future brings!

Two Pretty Little Skirts

Like a Virgin

Today He Moves Out - A New Beginning

Six Word Saturday - Time To Rebound

Thumbnail Thursday - Dont You Want Somebody To Love?

Mondays Randomness -What a NUT!

Sew Much Fun Boutique -Personalized Drinkware Line

Six Word Saturday - Like a Chicken

Thumbnail Thursdays - The Outdoorsy Type

Six Word Saturday -Remembering A Great Anchor

Thumbnail Thursday - TOP o' the Mornin to Ya!

Vandalism Times Two

Mondays Randomness -WANTED! Butter and Garlic Salt

Fridays Fabric Finds- Anna Maria Horner

Thumbnail Thursday - Something to Hang By

I've Been Honored with an Award

Vandalism- All They Found Was Some Change

New post on Thursdays

4th Of July SALE!

Mondays Randomness - Mama Isn't Playin Around

Six Word Saturday - Family Outing

Fantastic Friday -Backyard Fun In The Sun

Wiiiiii, That Was Fun!

Mondays Randomness- Lights In the Rearview

Thought for the Day - Lets Act Like Grown Ups

Thank You Yvonne at Color Your Life - Bunte Fabrics

Tip Junkie's Going Dot Com Birthday Bash

Dont Leave Your Motorcycle at Grandmas

Color Your Life -Abacadabra Pattern Giveaway

My Newest Creation -Lets Get WILD!

Tuesdays Tips N Tricks - Sewing with Knits

Lovely Awards From Lovely Mamas

Crafty Summer Series -Challenge #2

Design your Own Fat Quarter Bundle- Giveaway

Six Word Saturday

Some Sorta Special MeMe

The Technorati List

Fridays Fabric Finds

Bounce House and MORE Giveaway

Tuesdays Tips N Tricks - Summer Sizzlin

Mondays Randomness - 80's Flashback

I'm a Weiner! I'm a Weiner!

Nomination for Mom Of The Year

Our Memorial Weekend Happenings

Tuesday Tips N Tricks: Blogging Basics

Yep, Seriously Done...

A Momma Among Us Needs Support!!

I'm so grateful!

It's a Tee Party!

The 4th and Final Fabric Shopper Giveaway!

Most Wonderful FAVORITE! Award

Some Like To Talk...

I'm A Hot Mom!

Fridays Fabric Finds

Tuesdays Tips N Tricks: Kick The Junk Mail Out!

GIVEAWAY Week 3 - Lil Chef Pattern

Wishing You A ....

NEW in my Boutique : Lydia Dress & Criss Cross Dress

Tuesdays Tips and Tricks - 4 Simple Steps To Picture Hanging

I've Been Listed At MomDot

Meme-ingful Memories at Aspen?

I AM AWE-SUMMM!

10 Easy Ways I Help The Environment

Tuesday Tips and Tricks...

Modkid Kyoko Pattern & Fabric Giveaway!

Wondermommy Giveaway

Get Ready For GAME DAY

Eleven Collection for Summer Shoes *Review & Giveaway*

Happy Easter!

Bunte Fabrics giveaway!

Ponytail holder review and giveaway!

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!

Zojirushi Bento Review and Giveaway

Are you a Vera Bradley fan?

Spring is in the air!

What a WEEKEND!

The birthday girl in Portabellopixie Claire!

FOR SALE on Sew much Fun Boutique!

Criss Cross Dress

What a blog!

Eleven Collection for Summer Shoes Review & Giveaway