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**edited to emphasize - we're okay! There's some extended family stuff going on, but my little fam is okay. Thanks so much for all your kind thoughts!**
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Hi.
I'm going to be quiet for a little bit - there's been a family emergency and it's a little crazy (and sad) around here.
But we're okay, and I'll be back next week.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Gifts made for a friend's bridal shower this weekend:
I had higher hopes for this gift, but what a crazy week. They turned out alright, though.
One side of the bag is busier than the other, so I added a brooch I'd made to it. Weird, I'd made this brooch for my shop, but forgot to list it. Worked out nicely, actually.
Just a little tote made from barkcloth - lined with crazy-bright turquoise.
The tote was almost an afterthought, as the scarf came first.
I had the scarf all cut and laid out when I decided to add the turquoise. It was just a little too... neutral without it. Better fits the bride now. Besides the barkcloth it has cotton and linen pieces - lined with flannel.
The best surprise was in my mailbox today. A little box covered with cute drawings - like this monkey:
It was from Katurah of Luckybeans! Way back when, I won her giveaway, which was this amazing sock monkey (tights monkey?) + monster.
She tried to mail it to me, but (African Post) it was returned to her.
I told her not to worry, that it was an honor just to be nominated, but she tried again, this time from the states on her trip this summer. That's above and beyond, if you ask me.
I love the details that didn't show up in the picture she posted - like the house button and the ric rac on the little monkey's apron.
She also sent the dotted silk scarf (already a fave of Princess') that is shown in the first photo, some super cute drawings from her children and, of course, some luckybeans.
Thanks, Katurah! Nakka & Ipa are already well-loved!
In sewing news, I've been quite busy with bunting lately. Besides the Monkey one, I made one for my sister's birthday - pink, vintage, and quite like the one made for my other sister's birthday.
And I had a small wholesale order to complete. (!)
Six bunting - 3 girly, 3 boyish.
I think the lavender/aqua/vintage/olive one below is my all-time fave. I have enough (hopefully) to make another one - which I was going to put in my shop -but I just might have to keep it for Princess' room someday( right now she has too much in there).
It was a small (and my first and probably only) wholesale order, so I enjoyed it. It's always fun to play with color combinations. Still, it was good to get them all packed and shipped off to Canada, where they will be awaiting sale in a new children's boutique.
Next on the project list - two wedding gifts, a bridal shower gift, and then maybe some shirts/bunting for a wee shop update.
What are you working on?
Camping was great.
Thomas did an amazing job of listening and staying close.
It was Monkey who was always trying to wander off.
My parents and (most of) my sibs came with - so lots of extra eyes and hands.
We went to the same place as last year - it's a nature reserve, so you have to haul your stuff in carts because the parking lot is at least 1/2 mile away from the campsites. There's good and bad about that situation. Nice and quiet (and no RV's or trucks next to your tent!) but when it rains the day you're leaving it's a long soggy walk back. Several, actually.
What's camping without s'mores, I ask you? (Thomas had warmed marshmallows on gluten-free snickerdoodles).
It really is a beautiful area - where a river meets a reservoir. My dad brought his canoe again so we could paddle around. We were the only non-motorized boat in the lake.
One of my pet peeves about where I live is the love of motorized recreation. Sounds dumb, but everyone here has a boat. Or really wants one. And then they have to get the big truck or SUV (don't get me started about those) to haul the boat. Or the jet-skis. Or the four-wheelers. Or in winter, the snowmobiles. When camping, it's all about the RV's. If you want to spend time outside then you're missing out on a lot if that's all you're doing. What happened to hiking, camping (in tents!), canoing, and doing things that are a little slower paced? Relaxing, so you can notice the animals, the sound of the water against the boat, the hawks circling the trees. I think we all need more quiet. Especially our children.
Okay, I'll shut up now.
We spent some time camping last week. And, of course, I needed a trip project. Stefani's bandana pants were just the thing.
Bandana or bandanna? My spell-check says the latter. I'll go with that.
Cute and practical, too! Last year when we went camping Thomas got so dirty I had to throw out a pair of his pants! The tutorial is really easy - and bandannas are cheap! I wish I would have found out about these at the beginning of the summer.
What says camping more than bandannas anyway? (Maybe tie-dye - that's a project for next time! How cute would that be together? :)
They held up well at the river, running, tree climbing, etc.
I loved seeing the boys in cropped pants - too cute! Princess' were more like long shorts. I had intended to use different colors for the kids - but of course I made them last minute and could only find navy at the store.
The best part (besides the fact that each pair cost precisely $2.62 to make - including elastic) is that Monkey can't say 'bandanna' properly, so he calls them his 'Banana Pants'. Gotta love that.
More about camping next time.
P.S. - Two milestones today - this is my 300th post!
More importantly: Happy Anniversary to us! It's our 11th this year, and I've gotta give a little shout out and virtual kiss to Aaron. Eleven amazing years. Love ya, man!
Making me happy today:
Old School Playmobil - we picked up Aaron's old stuff when we visited his family recently. Which rocks, because Playmobil doesn't make any space stuff anymore, and you know my kids are into space...
and the 'Blacksmith Shop' is a perfect medieval house for Princess' princesses.
(We covered her desk with green fabric 'grass' and she keeps her Playmobil stuff on there - who needs a desk when there's a kitchen table anyway, right?)
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Princess loves the song 'Manic Monday'. It was on one of the mix cd's she got for her birthday. She knows all the words and will frequently sing it in the shower. Aaron doesn't find it as funny when the boys join in. I love that she likes the Bangles.
So she and my sisters started a band (The Red Hot Firecrackers) and their first 'hit single' was a cover of... Manic Monday.
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My poster is finally hung! I've had it for a couple of months, and have been trying to find a suitable frame. That's not easy, it's an odd size. But I did find one (Thanks, Angela, for pointing me in the right direction) and it's now hanging above the stairs to the playroom - where it is highly visible and makes me smile.
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Like many of you bloggers out there, I check my stats occasionally. When I started last year, I thought it was fun to keep track of the different countries and states that visited my blog (through Sitemeter). I don't check as often now, but it is still interesting to see Tennessee next to Saudi Arabia, or Florida next to the Philippines. Or is it just me? For a while, I've had every U.S. state crossed off except North Dakota. And then, one day, there it was. So here's a shout out to anyone reading from Fargo - thanks for stopping by - you made my day!
Monkey's room is coming along slowly. I have a few projects planned that won't be done for a while, but here's a couple little ones that I finished:
These are pictures from the book 10 Little Sock Monkeys. I found it for sale at the library once. I tore out a couple of pages that won't be missed (much) and stuck them in IKEA frames with scrapbook paper behind them.
Here are the outlet/light switch covers we took off to paint. They are scraps of Princess' quilt. I just mod-podged fabric to them for her purple princess room. I thought I'd have to buy new ones, but the fabric tore off pretty easily.
Obviously, I recovered them with monkey fabric...
And a little pillow cover I made with sock monkey flannel sent from Alisa for Miniswap2 way back when.
Monkey LOVES this pillow.
In non-decorating news, I saw two good movies yesterday.
My friend and I went to see Becoming Jane - which was pretty good, but a downer. It's worth seeing, but I think I was a little disappointed in it.
Possibly better was the dvd I checked out from the library: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. I don't know how I missed that 80's classic, but it was the first time I'd seen it. Loved it. I don't know what's better, the dinosaur hair clips (or the outfits in general), the end dance routine, or the nun on the pommel horse.
Painting went pretty well. All things considered.
Thomas only got into the paint once. He repainted part of a freshly-green wall (white), decided the closet door should be green - oh, and the back of the freshly-painted white door to the room. The closet was probably going to be green anyway, so I just finished the job. (That's what I get for leaving paint out so I can touch up).
Monkey found my touch up paint brush drying in the bathroom and decided to rub it into Princess' My Little Pony purple lip gloss.
Monkey got into the paint later. Luckily he repainted a wall (green) that was already done - he got some on his clothes, but it's clothes I don't care about it. I almost dressed him in his elephant shirt, though! Close one. Yeah, we put a baby-lock on the door after that.
I love the color. We painted about 2/3 of the wall and repainted the top white (before pictures here). I think I would love to redo my green kitchen in this green. And I think I have enough paint...
Here's my problem: remember how I wanted to cover the roller blinds?
Didn't work that well. I used the spray adhesive, which seemed to work, but bubbles came up later and the blinds wouldn't roll up at first. I think maybe because the blind is a light-blocking one, the fabric makes it too heavy. My idea was to have the blue monkey fabric on the blind, with the bunting as a kind of valance. Simple (yet loud), not asking too much, was it?
(For awhile I had to fold the blind up during the day. But then it started working... ?)
So now I think I'll make a valance or curtain instead - rip the fabric off the blind and just try to hide the roller, you know? So maybe a green gingham + white valance? Green + blue monkey? White + blue? What do you think? I'd love to use the blue monkey fabric. It's only for so long you get to decorate your kids' rooms all bright and fun, you know?
A happy morning.
Swinging on the swingset in the backyard at 7:00 in the morning, boys in their favorite pj's (big tshirts) singing 'New River Train' repeatedly and loudly. Luckily, we don't have any neighbors behind us.
Stopping for hugs and kisses. Thomas would stop and say 'I need more kisses, Mommy!'
Melt my heart.
It was overcast and breezy, a welcome change from the record-high temps we've had all summer. The breeze was making the cottonwood leaves blow and rustle.
Thomas took a picture of the leaves:
Thomas: "The leaves are happy!"
Running under the trees "Are you happy leaves?"
"Yes, we're happy!"
"I said 'Yes' for the leaves."
Outstretched hands to catch the first raindrops.
And then we went inside.
A happy morning that I want to remember.
