Happy Halloween

I got Halloween pictures a week before Halloween at Caroline's dance class...

I got Halloween pictures over a week before Halloween at a party held by one of the twin's classmates...

I got Halloween pictures last week at the Halloween costume parade at preschool....

but I didn't get one Halloween picture tonight on the actual holiday!

It was rainy, cold, and very sparse with children...but we went and got our candy. Now, let me log off and go raid the goodie bags. 

Halloween Dance Party

Caroline has a Halloween Dance Party in Dance class last week. The family got to stay in class and watch their progress, which for Caroline goes so much farther than a dance routine. 

The wore their costumes and dance shoes.

She has several friends in this class, which is why we started Caroline in this studio.

Last year when we attempted dance class, Caroline had a lot of separation anxiety and we ended up postponing dance lessons.

This year, she not only goes in, but she PARTICIPATES!

LOOK AT HER!!!

Even when the teacher called her to go into the center of the room, by herself, to free dance...SHE DID IT!!!

I am so proud!

 

 It was so much fun to see the girls dressed up and in action but it was especially wonderful to see my girl growing up and enjoying her dance lessons!

Patricia

I sewed in college (I know, party animal right?) but didn't pick it back up again until recently and so much has changed! Gone are the standard patterns with hard to read instructions and flimsy tissue paper (well, they aren't gone exactly, but there are MANY alternatives now!). When I first tip toed into the sewing world again this summer, I started small with little zippered pouches and never dreamt that I would be sewing clothing for myself, but never the less, I saw this pattern and fell in love! Then I got to know Jennifer and her lovely fabrics and fell even more in love. Then I got to know Carla, the patten creator, and got determined. I was going to sew a shirt! 

Swimsuit cover up? yep.

Tunic with skinny jeans and boots? uh huh!

Breezy spring shirt with white pants? oh, yes!

plain jane top with mom jeans? no way jose!

This pattern is a pdf pattern that you print off your computer and follow along with your computer for step by step instructions and pictures. Because I had just begun sewing again, I was unfamiliar with the terms and techniques used in this shirt, but Carla explains every step as if the person sewing has never made a thing before (perfect, right?!). You can alter the length, arm shape, and even shape of the tunic to cater to your body style. The biggest tip I would offer would be to take some measurements of your body before you assume you are a certain size. I've always thought of myself as a certain size, but in this pattern, I actually went down one (woo hoo!) size.

This fabric is from the poodle line, which is an older line so you may want to hunt some down before it gets hard to come by. The geometric print is Marnie and the main print is Tanya and as you probably guessed, both are by Sis Boom Jennifer Paganelli. 

You can still find some poodle online. 

I got the Marnie in green from Contemporary Cloth. Sondra has TONS of fun fabrics and lots of fabrics that you'll never find elsewhere. Her shop is really a well organized one and right now she is having a MEGA sale with 20% off holiday prints and a huge clearance section.  You can also purchase fabric form her by the 1/4 yard, which is rare.

The Tanya Print I got from Fashionable Fabrics. Fashionable Fabrics is sort of fabric wonderland for me.   I could spend hours perusing the pages of fabric they offer. You can also get fun things like ric rac, appliques, elastic,  and sewing patterns. They have a flat 4.95 shipping rate which is a huge deal if you are ordering a good bit as fabric is heavy! 

Happy Shopping!

We've Got Spirit, Yes we do!

Last week was Spirit Week at Coco's school...

Monday was CRAZY CLOTHES day.

Tuesday was Hawaiian Day. They gave the kids each a lei and popsicles at snack time.

Wednesday was School Spirit Day with the school spirit shirts.

Thursday was Team Sports Day. Think she'd have been even cuter wearing the ECU shirt I laid out for her.

{Thanks Chris for the shirt. Usually Sam wears it, but she wanted to wear it!}

 Friday was Black and Orange Day.

We've got spirit, yes we do! 

We've got Spirit, how 'bout you?

I LOVE NYC

I really, really do. The sights, smells, shopping, shows....well, I could go on and on. 

 

Like many tourists, one of my favorite places in NYC is Central Park. It seems like every time I go to Central Park I find a new area that I've never seen before. There is such history in the park and I am amazed that in such hustle and bustle there is a calm pond to sail miniature sail boats, a zoo, and preserves scattered all around.

When I started getting back into sewing and discovered etsy, I fell in love with this quilt pattern. When I read Jude's description of how she came to name this quilt, Iphigenes Walk, I knew I had to try it. 

"Let me explain the inspiration for the name of this quilt. I grew up in New York City and spent a great deal of my youth in Central Park. This fabric line made me feel very nostalgic and got me thinking about all the beautiful paths in the Park. Iphigene's Walk is one such path dedicated to Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger in 1987. She was a preservationist for the Park from 1934 to 1950. I thought she deserved to have the quilt named for her! The Sulzberger family owns the NY Times and her grandson, Arthur is the current publisher."

"This quilt is super easy to make using only one Jelly Roll and one Background Fabric. The quilt measures 72" x 72". You could easily make it bigger by adding an additional border. Any style of fabric to suit your decor would work with this pattern. The blocks are quite large (15.75") which makes this quilt go together in a flash! It is set on point which leaves plenty of room to show off your beautiful quilting in the setting triangles!"

While I intended on showing you the finished product, the quilting part is taking me longer than expected (I am doing it by hand), so I figured I would show you my progress so far (and repost when the quilt is complete). This quilt front goes together so easily, even for a newbie quilter (if I can put it together, anyone can!). It is the prettiest quilt front and I love the story behind it. Jude has two etsy shops, Little Louise Designs and Patchwork Passion, one with beautiful quilt patterns and another with lots of supplies (tons and tons of jellyrolls perfect for putting this quilt together!). If you tell her what you are making and what prints you want, she can help you get your own quilt kit together!

Another Day, Another Tunic

cute picture? yes.

totally posed affection? you bet.

cute tunic? yes.

easy to make, stylish, fun evening football project? uh huh!

You already know that I love anything SisBoom and Jennifer Paganelli related and this pattern is one of my favorites. Emma Kate picked this fabric online and asked for a shirt...her only request was to add a bow. 

A bow? GREAT IDEA! Why did I not think of this? I love it with the bow (the pattern has directions for adding bows and other closures I just never thought about it. Once I made my first one, I just kept making them assembly line style, all the exact same).

The fabric is from one of my favorite etsy shops, Raspberry Creek. Diana carries my favorite designers, but also carries a TON of fun kid prints. My girls poured over her shop pages forever choosing their favorites!

These were some of their top picks...

all under 8.50 a yard!

There is also lots of flannel and I've seen some cute pajama patterns out there...think it might be time for my next order! Visit Raspberry Creek and pick out some fresh and fun fabric!

looking for the pattern? Go visit Carla (the genius behind all the SisBoom patterns).

This one is the Sophie Pattern...

but there are many, many more wonderful patterns by Carla...do go visit her!

Matthew

I married up. Not in status. Not in wealth. I married the kind of guy I hope my girls marry. A man of character. He is steady, even, cool headed, smart, and adores me in all of my quirks (and bad habits, character flaws, imperfections, and those parts of me that are far from charming). He on the other hand married a real lemon and I am striving to be the kind of wife I would be happy with my own son having. I run the car into things (or other drivers). A lot. I can be impatient. I spend too much at Target. I am impatient (did I mention that?). I am forgetful. But in all of my faults, being married to him has not only made me a better person, but it makes me want to keep working on it. 

 

tons, still Matthew. TONS.

in case your husband's name isn't Matthew and you need a reminder...