Hoot...Hoot...Hoot

Bummed.......

We don't participate in "Halloween" but, we DO go to our church for "trunk or treat" or Fall Harvest. I started looking for Lillian's costume and found one that I absolutely adored at Pottery Barn Kids. In my opinion $50.00 is A LOT to spend on a costume especially when it might be worn for two hours MAX! An hour for pictures and an hour at the church. I thought about the costume for a day and decided that I couldn't get it out of my mind and she would be so adorable wearing it. I went back to PBK's website and quickly discovered that they were completely sold out in her size! They still had 2T-3 and I looked at the measurements and they were far to big. :/ BUMMER!!!! So... another day goes by.... I decide to see if I can find it on EBay. Sure enough... there it is... several of them in her size.... can you guess what the "buy now" price was?????????? $100.00!!!! There was one person that had 3 of them and offered the "make an offer" button. So, I did....... I am ashamed to say that I went as high as $70.00!!! I know.. I'm ashamed.. but, it was declined! Greedy!!! :/ Now.. I'm really bummed... I know its silly b/c it's for a costume for a holiday that O don't even believe in! LOL I looked at a really cute pig, (Ken said it reminded him of a bath rug..lol) and a cat that really looked like a rat to me. I sulked about it for another day and posted about it on my fb account. Then one of my friends suggests... "Why don't you make it?" Ugh..... scary! LOL.... I thought about it some more, saved the pictures to my hard drive and studied them.... then one of my friends said.... "we" can make it. That was the statement that set me out on my misson! Knowing that someone expeirenced had my back gave me enough courage to set forth on my latest project. Now, I did not have a pattern to go by. I did get a pattern for a hooded cape but I had to adjust it to make it look like wings. The body... I totally made up. Now, I know that it is not identical to PBK's version but I am so glad that I accepted this challenge and pushed forward and was able to complete it! :)

Now for the pics....

PBK's Owl

My version....

Ken didn't have to work yesterday... YEAH! He has been working in the yard getting everything ready for Spring. Yes, you read that correctly.... plant in the fall for spring. He hasn't been feeling 100% we are not sure if its a cold or allergies. Anyway, he decided to "relax" and hang out with us girls. :D Lily has been mostly "off" for the last 3 weeks. She started with a little cold, that moved into her 2nd ever ear infection and 5 days into amoxicillin  and a trip back to the doctor revealed the infected ear looked no better. They changed the antibiotic and yesterday was day 5 for that! She was still running a low-grade temp. :/ She was also chewing on her fingers... so, I suppose she could have been working on some more new teeth...??? Yesterday she wanted NOTHING to do with me! It was all about "dada." Sooooo sweet until she refused to allow me to change her diaper, touch her or almost look at her! Ugh..... I was scheduled to teach a Spin class at the Y at 4pm and typically when I teach on Sundays, Lily will get in the shower with me when I get home instead of her normal bath. It's sort of a ritual that we have gotten into. When I left I told Ken.. I bet I am good enough later for her to shower with. LOL Sure enough.... when I got home and she heard that I was getting in the shower (I wish that there was a way that I could punctuate "shower" like she says it... it's adorable!) she came RUNNING into the bathroom and pulls the door open..... as soon as we were finished with the shower and it was time for her to go to bed.... it was all about "dada" again. She screamed and cried when I tried to put her to bed. :( :( I hope this little phase passes quickly b/c it makes me a little sad. :(

She is growing and learning at a rapid pace! I am eternally grateful for that! God is good! Today was much better! :)

Ahhhhhhhhhh.... that's better!

I couldn't leave her pants as they were... I added a ruffle and that did the trick!

Getting to know each other........

My new sewing machine arrived yesterday... HUGE thanks to my hubby for my early birthday gift! I love it and we are still getting to know each other... no, not my hubby... my sewing machine and I. :D Here is a super quick nap time project that I whipped up for Lillian... Vintage pillowcase pants! I think that she has grown b/c the adjusted pattern that I made to solve the ankle length pants ended up being an issue again! ACK.... Good thing she will mostly wear them around the house. But, I love them.... now I want a pair... hmmmmm maybe I can thrift for some vintage sheets???? :)

Bumps

Lily awoke with a couple areas on her face and arm that looked like hives. Ugh... she has been on the amoxicillin for about 5 days. She has still be running a very low grade fever and has been a bit tempermental. (In a "cute" toddler way.... most of the time. lol) I called the Doctor. Allergies run in our family... so I don't want to take chances. Of course they wanted to see her. I am very glad that we went in b/c her ear that was infected dosen't look much different!! After close to 5 days of antibiotic??? Today, she remembered the Otoscope and it took EVERYTHING in me to hold her down so that the doctor could look. She began to cry as soon as she saw it! Awwwwwwww.... poor...poor pea! I am looking forward to her feeling better. She was borderline today... fighting her nap and acting fussy again. I feel like I have been giving her motrin around the clock for days... and I don't like to do that... but, she got some tonight.

I ordered my new sewing machine. I went with the Brother that I was looking at. (Thank you Jennifer for giving me your  advice!) The reviews were really good on it and it was in the price range that we can spend for now. If price were not an issue then I probably would have opted for something else BUT.. I am really excited for its arrival! I have the best husband ever. He is always supportive of the things that I am interested in! Well, it is past my bedtime... way past! Night....

Our Cutie!

Help! I need an intervention! ;)

Meet Lillians Thanksgiving dress...........

Calling fellow sewers.......

What type of sewing machine do you have? Do you "love" it? I have a Singer... its about 5/6 years old and obviously has not been used much. I was greatly disappointed to learn that the additional 50 stitches that it is supposed to stitch... don't work. :( Bummer! You see, my machine uses the "old" Cam/Disk to change the stitch pattern. I called our local Singer repair shop that ironically is just around the corner and the nice gentleman that I spoke to informed me that I could probably get it repaired BUT, my machine just wasn't one that was built to last. :/ I think that he called it a "Big Box" machine. Meaning... they sell them at places like Sears and Walmart. I thought that I would be "okay" with what I have but my mom warned me that I would quickly outgrow this machine and its abilities.... she knows me well after all! LOL We don't have a lot of money to spend so... Babylock is completely out of the question. ;) I am looking for a machine that has multiple stitch patterns (one that mimics a serger stitch) auto thread, and is able to handle thicker material in case I want to learn to quilt or hem jeans or reupholster our furniture... LOL just kidding on that last one. ;) I have been eyeing a " Brother 60-Stitch Computerized Sewing Machine, CS-6000i " I have read a ton of reviews and it sounds good... it is not overly expensive.... after-all this really wasn't in our budget BUT, I do have a birthday coming up in a couple of weeks sooooooooooooo....... Ken is totally on board. :D

Lily is starting to feel better... Thank goodness and the probiotics seem to be helping.. YEAH!!! She is returning to her rather active self! :D

Ear infection...... Confirmed

Lily has another ear infection. :/ She has has a cold for the last week but when she was borderline inconsolable Thursday and was slamming her head on the floor.... I KNEW I needed to call the doctor. :( So, she has begun antibiotics and probiotics b/c she gets TERRIBLE, did I say TERRIBLE diarrhea. Sorry that was probably TMI! :/

Glad thats over with!

This cover was NOT a joy to construct... bobbin issues, rayon issues.... (I got a bunch of fabric from a dear friend and the brown rayon was one of them...I'm not a fan) For awhile I was just hoping that this would turn out "OK." I had pretty much decided that I would probably end up remaking it anyway. I think that THIS is my all time favorite one to look at. LOL I even put some Tulle in between the ruffles. I will make more like this but it will be in simple ole' cotton! :D

Ugh...

Lily has had a cold, or allergies, or teething.... what I do know is she is "snotting" and coughing.... Poor pea. She has also been throwing tantrums all over the house... today it was because "dada" left. She is starting to object when either one of us come or go and she is not able to "tag along." This morning it lasted a longer than normal... maybe its b/c she is not her normal 100%? We have been trying to get to the library bi-weekly... today Lily and I's books were due. We returned her book... (not sure why we borrow books for her when she insists on her tried and trues) but, we do it anyway on the chance that she may want to switch it up a little. I have noticed that she really focuses on emotion in her books. Yesterday, we were looking at one of her little cardboard books, of Precious Moments and the page was about compassion and friendship and one little girl was hugging another little girl that was crying... she looked at the little girl and pointed to the tear and said "raining...raining" (pretty smart... both are wet!) I corrected her and said she's crying.... then all of a sudden she starts to pretend cry and says "crying...crying."

Can you possibly guess what library books I checked out? More on sewing. LOL I discovered that my different stitches are not working... BUMMER! I will have to make due with what I have for now. My mom came over the other day and brought me yards and yard of fabric that is almost vintage! The date stamp on some of it was from the early 90's. I am excited to get started on some new things soon. She told me that I will need a new machine soon.... I asked if she thought I'd wear this one out and she said.. no, you will want to do more and more and that little machine will not be capable of doing what you want or need. (She knows me well...lol) She complimented my skills... which was very sweet of her... I guess I can be to critical of myself... :/ So, speaking of critical... UGH... I am making yet another ruffle diaper cover. This time in brown... for my photographer friend anyway, I had some brown rayon that another friend gave me as scrap material. I decided I'll use that... rayon is now a nice fabric for a beginner to work with. It has turned into an ordeal. I have almost thrown it out and started over with some of the brown cotton fabric that I have saved for a different project. but, I am no quitter! I did have a very small amount of a thicker brown material and decided that I would make the ruffles in that... droopy ruffles are not cute. So, things headed in a different direction than I thought they would and well...... I have done yet another style for the ruffle... LOL.... I pretty much accepted that this cover was just going to be "OK" at best. Well, I'm not finished with it and it could still head South, but I think maybe just possibly.... this may be my favorite so far. God keeps me Humble while letting me learn grow along the way.

Sometimes I really hate the perfectionist in me... :/

I washed a pair of Lily's "flufferbutts" and the ends frayed... grrrrr.... so I have tried several... YES, several other ways of doing the ruffles. LOL I am just too picky! :) So, I think that I may have decided on one.... now the real test will be to see how they are going to wash. But, I wont be washing these b/c I am giving them to my friend who is the photographer and takes Lily's pictures.... I am going to do a brown pair and have done a couple of boys covers (with out ruffles...lol) all for photo shoots.... It has given me the opportunity to practice. :D

1 Timothy 5:16

"Neglect not the gift that is within you." 1 Timothy 5:16............

hmmmmmmmmmmmm........ interesting..... God, what gift are you referring to? I can think of a few, and I am blessed to possess them and to KNOW that I possess them.... What direction am I to take????? I must keep praying and keep listening!

As Lillian would say........ "All Done!" :)

Learn as I go...

So, last night I learned a different, much easier and NICER way to create ruffles.... hmmm, I guess being a "self taught" sewer you learn things along the way. hehe....... For instance.... these cute little ruffle ankle/Capri's WERE supposed to be pants.... Oops..... I ended up taking a little to much on the inseams sooooooo they ended up being a little shorter... sigh.... So, instead of the "long sleeve" shirt that I was going to make... now I am going to make a 3/4 length sleeve peasant shirt.... so at least they match. :D :D

Also.... Hurricane Earl..... was pretty much a non-event for us! (Praise God!) We have experienced thunderstorms far worse!

I have completed my "next" sewing project!

But, it's a surprise....... SO, everyone will have to wait for it to be revealed! ;)

Fluffer-Butt and Hurricane Earl

Here are a few quick photos that I was able to "grab" of Lillian wearing her new diaper cover. I have found that if I open the side door she will linger around it making it easier for me to take photos. LOL I am really please with the results of this little diaper cover. Perfect for fabric scraps! :) Next summer she will be 2 and a half..... is that to old for "ruffle hineys?" What do yall think?

 

Soooooo how about this Hurricane!? I have family that lives on Ocracoke Island..... I know that at least half of them are leaving... there is still one in question though. I will be making a phone call in a short while. We are very close to Va. Beach... and I'm sure that we will feel some effects of this storm. :/ It has been a few years since we have had to be on "Hurricane alert" and I have not missed it! I suppose this is all part of living close to the coast in a "beach community." We are watching the news.... and are preparing for power outages and etc. The last time we were greatly impacted by a hurricane was in 2003, Hurricane Isabel. We lost power for upwards of a week, phone and cable were out for two! We don't have city water so when we don't have power that is nooooooooooo water too! UGH! I am grateful that we own a generator and it has been a great investment over the years!