A Brief Hiatus...

I know I said I wouldn't post too much on here about sewing, but a friend of mine asked me to help her embroider some onesies a week or two ago. Our first attempt didn't go too well (I hadn't embroidered a knit fabric before), but I read up on it today and tried again. Here are a few of the designs I came up with so far.

I saw a onesie with this slogan for over $20 in an online store.... this was much cheaper. ;) Though this one is off center, it was my first try (now that I've read how to stabilize knits better). I think I can go back and add a heart in front of the words or something to make it look more centered. :)

And Matt thought this one up... the biohazard symbol on the rear end of the onesie. ;) It'll be perfect for an engineering friend or something (there are people expecting all around us it seems). :)

More Sewing and a Treat

I know I said I wouldn't be loading this blog up with sewing, but I can't help it--it's how I've passed the time the last few days. :)

Today I made a nursing cover for a "baby shower by mail." I need to take my gift to some ladies at church tomorrow so they can put it in a big box to mail on Monday. I made two things, a burp cloth and a nursing cover. Here they are for your viewing enjoyment. :)

Close up of the ribbon I found to match for the straps :)

Close up of the fabrics I chose

Secondly, the treat mentioned in the header. :) That sweet, thoughtful hubby o' mine brought me a surprise on Monday... flowers! He said he intended to have some sent to school the first day, but due to some other things going on the week of pre-planning when he was going to place the order he got a little side-tracked and was not able to accomplish that original plan. Instead, he stopped on his way home the first real day with this sweet bouquet. It has livened up the family room for the past week and been a colorful reminder of his love and care. :)

Embroidering Fool!

On July 7, I ordered the software that allows me to use my embroidery machine to the fullest extent--including embroidering with almost any font installed on my computer (one of my favorite parts)!

Jump 1.5 months later, and the software finally came in! There was a hold up in customs, but I picked up my software and installed it yesterday. Today and tomorrow I am home because school was canceled for Tropical Storm Fay (yea for now, boo for making the days up later... maybe even having to go an extra day before Christmas break). All in all, I am hoping to make the most of the time (though I'd rather be continuing to establish those routines with the kiddos, etc.) by catching up on the pile of things I've been (not always so patiently) waiting to embroider and monogram!

I'll post more on my craft blog about my embroidery adventures than here, but I just had to show you my latest one. Not only do I think it's really cute, and not only does it reference one of my favorite collegiate campaigns, but it's actually CENTERED (that's been my big struggle of the day). Check it out! :)

Gifts and Samantha

We are expecting the arrival of our newest niece, Isabella Rose, in a little over a month! I have had a couple little projects in mind for her, but I was holding out until my order of the Husqvarna 4D embroidery software came in. Well, now it doesn't look as though that will happen before I go back to school. So, I decided to go ahead and sew some steps of the projects, and I'll have to go back and embroider later. Isabella's nursery is decorated with sweet ladybugs, so I made a coordinating set of burp clothes to go along with that theme.

You'll have to stay tuned to see what I embroider on them (eventually.... when my software arrives!)

Secondly, Samantha received a really fun gift from my parents. :) It's a huge black bear stuffed animal--only it doesn't have stuffing (except for the head) and it has a squeaker in each leg and its head!

We were sure she would have it torn open in a matter of minutes. But she's never had a toy this big before, and she's been treating it very differently! Sure, she shakes it and bites at it sometimes. She looked like she thought she'd REALLY caught something when we first gave it to her. But now it's like it's her buddy!

We just might need to come up with a name for it with the way she's keeping it around! :) Such a sweet puppy. :)

Hostessing

Tomorrow I am hosting a baby shower for a sweet friend who is due with a baby girl in August. This will be my first time really hosting a shower (I co-hosted a wedding shower for Matt & Ariana with Joy, but Joy did most of the prep as it was at her house). Whew! It's a lot of work, but I am pleased so far with how it's come together. Only 3 big boo-boos, and 2 of them were fixable. :)

What are the mistakes, you ask? Well, #1 A recipe I tried didn't work like it was supposed to, but instead of rolling it and then cutting swirly slices to bake, I just kinda plopped it all in the dish and baked it. It still smells delicious. :) #2 Publix forgot to put an "e" on the end of "welcome" as in "Welcome, Baby Katie," on the cake. I checked to make sure they spelled Katie right, but I didn't think to check the other words. Thankfully, my cashier looked to see what the cake said and noticed! Don't you just love Publix? :) They whipped up some pink icing and fixed it right up! #3 is the unfixable one. I was trying to make these as a favor for the guests (3 for each guest, and I was going to pipe a "K" on top of the "cupcake" for the baby's name). Well, I opened the fridge to put some bread away, and out came my cookie sheet of red velvet truffles. Only 18 out of over 50 survived (i.e. stayed on the cookie sheet, as opposed to the floor). I was pretty disappointed. :-( But you can't have it all, right? If I'd had time, I thought about finishing them off (they still needed the chocolate bark coating) and having one for each guest as birthday cakes, because one guest's birthday is tomorrow. But it's after midnight, and I'm EXHAUSTED! So, I'll finish them off for Matt later this week. :)

Lastly, I decided to take a trick from my mother, and I went ahead and set everything out for tomorrow (she does that for Thanksgiving or other really big, lots of people types of situations). Since it was all set up, I decided to take some pictures to show you!

The "cake toppers" that I made to match Baby Katie's nursery decor. I think I'll actually end up setting them right next to the cake, but all the same. :)

The cake (with an e at the end of Welcome :) )

In the foyer

On the coffee table in the den... may switch to living room. :) In fact, I probably will. :)
p.s. Don't mind the crazy pooch in the background.

Pitchers for orange juice and apple juice, a punch bowl for a punch I made, the coffee maker ready to go, and cups for all. :)

I even tried to set out serving utensils I think I'll need.

The food set up in the dining room. I tied a fork, spoon, and knife together in a pink napkin with a pink polka-dot bow. They're all in a basket, followed by plates, next will be a crockpot egg and cheese casserole, followed by the apple dumpling thing I had to dump instead of swirl, then a coffee cake, mini blueberry muffins, and mixed fruit. In the center 3 tiered platter I have cut up blueberry bagels and cinnamon/raisin swirl bagels and I made craisin scones. I also have strawberry and regular cream cheese and honey butter for that area.

The other side of the table.

So there you have it! I'm sure there will be more pictures tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Baby Shower Prep

Today I got to work on a couple things in preparation for the baby shower I am hosting next Saturday. :)

First of all, here are the topiary trees for the dining room table.

Then I was trying to think of some other "fun" thing for decor. I considered a diaper cake, but I also know they're quite time intensive, and I already had the topiaries. Then I came across a diaper wreath. Perfect! This will be on the front door to great the guests (and guest of honor).

I used a styrofoam wreath from Michael's and wrapped overlapping diapers around it. You tie each diaper with ribbon (I used pink polka-dot to coordinate with the shower invitations). Then I added some fun curly ribbon and an "it's a girl" balloon before adding some baby essentials to finish it off: various Johnson's baby care items like baby powder, lotions, shampoo, etc., a paci clip, 4 washcloths, some spoons, and some forks (obviously for when Baby Girl O is older).


A close-up of the top half.

A close-up of the bottom half.

I love how it turned out, and I love that it's a little more "novel" than the ever-popular diaper cake (as cool as those are). And I LOVE how easy it was!!

Lastly, I sewed the mother-to-be's gift of a nursing cover.




the terry cloth corner




the pocket




Today we also bought plates, napkins, cups, etc. So now I just need to finish the cake toppers, finalize the menu, and then I think we're set!

Pink, pink, PINK!

Sweet friends of ours who live in ATL are having a baby girl in August! I used to teach with her at my school and we were in a Bible study with them. We are thrilled for them that this new one will be joining their family before we know it. Even though they live far(ish) away now, I really wanted to do something for them down here in FL with their "old" friends. So, I am hosting a baby shower in June! I am really excited and trying to just be organized and not too perfectionistic about it. :) It's the first shower I'm hosting by myself, and I think my biggest thing will be to pace myself and not feel like I have to use ALL my shower ideas in one shot.

I had to mail some bills, so I thought I'd sweep through JoAnn's and see what they might have to offer for decor. I ended up finding these for 50% off.

They look a lot better in person, I promise!

I am really excited about them! The peach blossoms and fake bigger green leaves attached to berries aren't my fav. Uhhh, then why did you buy it, Becca? I plan to remove the blossoms I don't like (I tried, it's very doable), and instead place sweet PINK blossoms in the styrofoam. A lady from our church has some topiary bases with real oasis at the tops, and she always uses them for parties and showers--covering each oasis with real greenery and roses that coordinate with the party colors. I *thought* about rigging that up, but I decided not to for 2 reasons. One, I didn't see any bases I liked at JoAnn's.... and there aren't *that* many other places to try down here. And secondly, I only have 5 weeks of school left before this shower. I need to be realistic on the DIY level I can handle right now. :) I think it'll turn out sweetly, and later on down the road, I could plug in blue or yellow blossoms for a baby boy shower. Or white for a bridal shower. And I'll probably change the raffia bows to a color-coordinated ribbon. ;)

Secondly, I browsed for fabric to make J (the mom-to-be) a nursing cover. I ALMOST got the same Kleo fabric as I used for my last one. They did not have the coordinating Necco, but they DID have a coordinating "dots" pattern. But somehow, it just didn't seem to fit right for J. It was a little too froo-froo for her.... all the pink and such. I LOVE the combo of the two fabrics, and I'm not saying they are in-and-of-themselves froo-froo, but I felt like they were too much for J. So, instead I found this rich, red, gold, and green fabric, and a fun yellow polka-dot for the back. I haven't decided if I'll use red ribbon for the neck or fabric straps yet.... we'll see.



Next, I bought a yard of the Sage Kleo and Dots just because. My stash really NEEEEEDED them. :)



Lastly, I bought some pink paper (on sale 5 sheets--even 12x12 size--for $1, so I spent $2 total) and some pink ribbon for invitation materials. I hope to get started on them tonight.



I also need to decide on the menu. I'm gathering ideas. I'm thinking "brunch," so maybe fruit salsa with the cinnamon flour tortilla chips, the fix-it-and-forget-it souffle Ariana had at Samuel's dedication brunch, some kind of yummy sweet bread or something (?), coffee, juice, water.... any other suggestions? Oh, and I've been really wanting to try to make a fruit bouquet or veggie tree.

Aren't they amazing?

And as much as I'd love to pull out my cake stuff I got for Christmas, I think I'll have one made. We'll see how the time goes though with the end of school. I might do a small diaper cake as well, I haven't decided. Ohhh, so many decisions, and I just want it to be fun, beautiful, and most of all a blessing to our sweet friends. :)

Stay tuned!

Catch Up

Wow, it's been a week already since my last post! I guess that means you can tell it's been a busy one! Report cards went home Monday, and overall there is a feeling in the air that "the end [of the school year, that is] is near." The kiddos' last day will be June 5... it will be here before we know it!

I thought I'd give you a couple pictures of how we spent our time at the beach and a couple fun finds from this week.

First of all, how we spent our time at the beach:

BEACH
I LOVE the beach!






BIKES
Dad and Mom rented four bikes. Sam got to go on several bike rides around HHI and on the beach. Matt, Matt, and Dad also had a couple "spin out" contests on the bike. Lastly, my CRAZY husband decided on a whim to build up as much speed as possible and drive STRAIGHT into the ocean. Brad documented that adventure, so I'll have to post pictures of it later. Just know that Brad, Joy, Matt, and I were all dying laughing, and Matt was SOAKING wet. :)






CATAN
Brad, Joy, and Matt each won a round. I did not. I was close a couple times, and had the lead at times, but I just could not pull out the big W. It was so fun to have people to play with, though. :)


SOUVENIR
Here is our "wooden guy" shelf, now with our HHI souvenir added. Mom and Dad got TJ (a fun(ky) wooden bird when they first got married, and Matt and I got some wooden creatures (sand dollar, sting ray, and pelican) on our honeymoon. We have tried to add to the collection. We got a Dcuk at Edisto Island 2 summers ago, E ("Alice") gave us the elephant from Disney's Animal Kingdom when she and I met at WDW for about a week (and we gave her one as a housewarming gift for her condo and her fiance/now husband) ,and now we found this fun bird (the tall, white, speckled one) at HHI on our last day. :) I was SOOO excited to continue our tradition. :)


FABRIC
Ariana found a quilt shop on the island, so she, Joy, and I headed over to peruse the selection. I had a lot of fun, and I loved that the shop already had quarter flats of basically everything cut and ready to roll. Apparently there's a store back in Knoxville that carries quite a few of the same patterns, but since all we have here is JoAnn's (though I WILL be thankful we have JoAnn's), I really enjoyed seeing some new things.

Here's a shot Joy took of the shop.


Here are the patterns I chose.

I can't resist a cute duck.

So sweet! And I love the lion and the green, polka-dot dog!

I love, love, love these fishies!

Partridge in a Pear Tree fabric! I plan to make some Christmas oven mitts. :)

FLOWERS
I picked these two flowers from our back yard and set them up next to a picture of us that sits in the window sill above the sink. :) They've brighten dish washing time for sure. :)


THIS WEEK
Here's a 1/2 yd. of flannel I fell in love with from.... Walmart!


We hope you have a good week and that you have enjoyed rest this weekend! We are excited to see many of you when we make our summer travels. :)

Love,
Becca