May I present Mrs. Peterson!

The wedding was all they had hoped it would be!

Merry Christmas

The gang is shrinking.  Scarlett is such a little teaser already - she jumped up on napping mommy and daddy and pretended to sleep.  I know - I think EVERYTHING she does is utterly adorable.  

Scarlett Pippi Longstockings

I got a notion to make up this outfit from some scraps I had on hand, and there was no stopping.  I finished at midnight.  I think little two-year-old Scarlett will look adorable in this.  It kept me up til midnight last night.  The gathering foot for my Designer I is such a fantastic thing!  It makes those little ruffles a breeze.  

Here's the birthday girl yesterday with her new umbrella.

Stepping Stones

When I first saw this article http://www.savor-the-rhubarb.com/stepping-stones.html
I was consumed with wanting them, but I had never seen such large leaves in Southern California.  I took Mom for her hair appointment and decided because it was such a great day to go for a walk while I waited.  Right smack next door I see these HUGE leaves!  Then as I progressed up the street some, I found some other HUGE leaves!  The second batch were in front of a house.  So being a considerate person, I ran up to the door and rang the bell to ask if I might have a few, but there was no answer and no car in the drive.  The leaves were right by the sidewalk at the corner of their yard under a tree.  So I reluctantly started back and then it overtook me and I just leaned down and snapped one off.  Before I could straighten up, I heard a man say, "Did you ring the bell?"

I stood up, leaf in hand, and stammered, "Well, yeah.  I was going to ask if I might have a leaf."

Not even acknowledging the ackward moment, he says, "Sure!  They grow like weeds."

"So do you think I could have three in that case?"

Now I've got the leaves and before they wilt, I run to the hardware to pick up some cement and just do it!  When it's done, then I go in and read the directions.  Well, they don't have chicken wire in them, so I don't know how they'll last.  They seem sturdy enough.  But I sure know how to do it next time!



Waldorf madness

So I had fun making my first wannabe Waldorf dolly.  I just used the junk I have around, and I'm not too sure how the regular Joann's stuffing will hold up.  Now I want to make a lasting one for my sweet Scarlett.  But I'm cheap.  So before I found the place in PA that sells it cheaper (West Earl Woolen Mill - and I haven't confirmed this), I thought you had to pay about $20 for one pound of wool batting.  Then I ordered a DIRTY fleece from Ebay that I could wash.  I watched YouTube and it didn't look all that hard or that much work.

  She looks innocent, but she started this mess.

 You can't really see how full of junk this still is, but trust me.

The box arrived today. It looked like a pile of dirt, bugs, sheep pies, and hay - over six pounds of it, I might add, that I paid $19 total including delivery.  So I dug a hunk out and threw it in the sink and began the many cycles.  That water looked like thick mud for the first few.  Finally the water quit looking dirty after many back breaking rinses.  But it's still full of what I've learned is termed VM, vegetable matter. 

Is this normal?  No, not that I'm doing this, but that they're that full of junk?  Well, I would never have rested till I tried.

UPDATE:  So I'm not sure how much more I have in the box - I think I probably pulled out maybe a fourth - but it's 9:02 a.m.  I'm finished messing with what I washed.  When I looked at it, it looked like a mountain.  I put it in a trash bag that weighed .75 ounces.  I put it on the scale, and my net work is worth 14 ounces!  I had expected a little more in wages.

Celtic Oak Pillow

The front of this was handknit and the back was machine knit every other needle.  Then some Dorset buttons finished it off!  Celtic Oak Pillow:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/celtic-oak-pillow

My New Love - Pinterest

I scoffed at you for quite some time before I fell.  I loved every minute this morning making the lotion bars.  The felt board for Scarlett is an ongoing project.  I need to get the artist's canvas from Kelli.  There's the fire truck, school bus, daddy's white truck Mimi's car, more pumpkins and wreath yet to make.  I could go on and on.  Oh, a Christmas tree and people! Sure hope she likes it!

Here's the link for the felt board:  http://www.thebusybudgetingmama.com/2012/06/our-felt-board-tutorial-inspiration.html

And the lotion bars:  http://myellowumbrella.blogspot.com/2012/02/homemade-lotion-bars-and-lip-balm.html   Not sure why hers look so much whiter than mine!

Clothesline Bag update

This is the clothesline bag/purse that I made in April 2011, almost a year and a half ago, and I have carried this bag a LOT!  It was put through the washing machine and dryer one time.  But this time, a bottle of water spilled in it and left an ugly mark on it.  So I washed in the sink with a scrub brush and used the suds from some dish soap with a rag to get the mark out.  And I just let it dry in the sun.

So bottom line - I didn't think this would have a very long shelf life because of the color or I thought it would fall apart or something.  Apparently, it's got another year and a half in it.

Brother KH930 Machine Knitting

My newest craft is machine knitting.  This purse was made from an attempt to knit a sweater that just didn't fit right.  And the second is a sweater for Scarlett that she's outgrown already...

 

 

So much to learn.  The collar on Scarlett's sweater was made in a long strip of seed stitch on the garter carriage. 

Kelli's MAC sailor day....

Chica Doll

Whoo, she's/he's done - plenty of time for Easter!  I was worried about how to make and attach that beak and wasn't too sure of the feet. But it all worked out.  I'd do a couple things different if I were to do it again - I had planned to put the squeaker in the feet and forgot to do it before I sewed them up, so it's in the beak.  And then I'd form the beak a little more Chica-like from the cartoon. Id make the lower beak smaller than the top too. It's probably larger than the doll that is going for ridiculous prices these days - $300-399 on Amazon and $102-$180 as of last night on Ebay.  And I think the materials probably total $6-10 to make it, if that.

I just wish you could see the little happy dance little Scarlett's going to make when she sees this.

Cinnabons? Gluten Free????

These are incredible.  I don't say that lightly.  Here is the link:  http://www.food.com/recipe/cinnabon-ish-cinnamon-rolls-gluten-free-376575   I promise I'm not going to make these very often.  

I'm beginning to think you can make anything gluten-free.  

Straight out of oven:

What's left:

I think I'm getting a son

or Kelli's getting a husband.

The four generations

I'm amazed how many shots it took before all four of us could look in the same direction.  It's the best of the lot.  Scarlett was a little hyped up on sugar.

Machine Embroidery

Not that I'm encouraging another hobby on anyone, but machine embroidery is neat to make personalized gifts fast.  These are some examples I happened to have taken photos of.  But quick Christmas stockings are fun to put names on for little gift cards.  And one other great thing embroidery can be used for is if you're a bit of a slob and get stains on a favorite item of clothing - just pick a design or several and embellish it to cover - can even be in the same color thread as the fabric so that it doesn't stand up and grab you too much.  Aprons, towels, and napkins can be embroidered quickly as hostess gifts. And if you sew, it's just almost a necessity.  Okay.  I'll stop.  I'm just justifying yet another way to spend my money.

I'm feeling all girly

I saw this apron in a foofoo-y store and they wanted way too much for it.  No, it's not for me, but for someone else who actually could carry off wearing it!  One fat quarter, 3/4 yd of lace, 1/2 yard of pompoms, and voila!

Three Bandanas

Three bandanas at $1.79 ea at Michaels.  I used a dress that fits Scarlett as a pattern.  This is about a six to nine month size.

I know my Amiga sweater doesn't hold a candle to that ADORABLE child modeling the clothes and hats that her Mimi made her, but I thought I'd throw it in there.  I love this sweater.  It's so light.  It's perfect.  Even my DAUGHTER said it was cute and she'd like a black one!  My dear friend Abi's pumpkin sweater lives on.  She ripped her first top-down and sent me the yarn.