Big news....

We yet again are expanding our family.  There is a new addition of the four legged kind and her name is Libby Lou. 

We have been talking about getting a dog for a long time, but held off until we found "the one".   She's a wonderful companion to the family and an excellent watch dog.  If you look closely you will see her entire back end is shaved.  She recently had surgery to repair a broken hip given to her by her previous owner.  In a few weeks she'll be good as new!

I have been crafting like a mad woman stocking my etsy shop and preparing for the holidays.  I am a licensed Big Butt Baby Pants seller so those are making up a large portion of my shop.  I love the pattern and the fit is great even over my boys' super fluffy rumps.  I'm also stocking more fleece and wool soakers as those always sell really well.  Here are my newest pants:

I really love the prints and am planning on stocking more boyish and gender neutral items as those are so hard to come by. I hope to also have coordinating booties so that they can become more of a holiday gift for a new or soon to be little babe.  
 



I don't have much to post about at the moment.  I am dealing with a rather painful kidney infection accompanied by a fever of 102.  Doesn't nature know that mom's can't get sick?  I hope to finish a few more pairs of B3Ps shortly and get some pictures up.  I suppose it all depends on how quickly I can kick this infection.  Now I'm off to get some much needed rest!

Why hello blog, how are you? 
It feels like ages since I've been here.  And well, I guess it has.  I have had a good reason and this is it....

This is my Puddleduck.  He was born in late September weighing in at 9lbs and 14oz.  Just about a pound smaller than Stinker.  He's perfect.  What can I say, I'm in love :)

I have been crafting a ton, but haven't been able to post much due to having two little boys under 18months roaming around.  I did get a chance to make their Halloween costumes, my favorite being Stinker's.

He also had a little belt with it, but you know how 1 year olds are, it lasted about 30seconds before it was ripped off and tossed on the floor.  I actually made all the costumes, but the girls made me promise not to post pictures of theirs.  I suppose they are becoming preteens and are much more embarrassed by things than they used to be. 

I have also been making the big butt baby pants using Rae's wonderful pattern.  I'm a licensed seller of them and they will be appearing in my etsy shop shortly.  I love these pants.  They fit so well over a big fluffy cloth diaper bum and are completely gender netural depending on the fabric that you choose.  Here is Puddleduck's thanksgiving outfit made with the pattern and an old onesie that I dyed and appliqued.

They have sizes that range from newborn to 2T.  I'm working on drafting a larger size, say 3T for all those older babes out there that are still in diapers.  Or for those kids like mine, who are still young, but built bigger and therefore wear much larger sizes.  I can't wait to get him into it and I promise to post a much better picture when I do.  For my shop I will be mostly focusing on gender netural or boy patterns since those are terribly underestimated when it comes to crafting and clothing.  I will also be making up some in cozy flannel for PJ's and lounging.  My guys love their flannel ones!  I also have matching booties in most prints to keep them coordinated and cute.

I will be running Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials and will have a special code for even greater discounts for those that stop by here and read my blog.  Keep your eyes peeled!

{this moment}

Inspired by the lovely Friday posts of Amanda Blake Soule @ Soulemama:

" A friday ritual. A single photo-no words-capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extrodinary moment. A moment I wasnt to pause, savor and remember...."

A boy and his serger, it's a beautiful thing

Stinkers new obsession is my vintage Sergemate Companion 5040. He has always had an interest in my sewing stuff, namely thread and fabric, but now he has found a whole new "toy". While I enjoy the fact that he shows an interest in the same things I do, I do not however enjoy his grubby little hands turning all my tension dials. Oh well, it's nothing that can't be fixed or replaced if broken...

For the past 3 days The Yimmy has been out of town visiting his family in beautiful Kenai, Alaska. That has left me and Stinker to our own devices. We took a nice leisurely nap yesterday then woke up and had a picnic dinner in the park. Lots of sunshine and smiles. Stinker found a little puddle to stomp in. We listened to a live jazz band and ended with some sweet homemade ice cream.

I haven't gotten much sewing done lately. Stinker has kept me very busy. It doesn't help that it's been so hot. I have tons of ideas swimming around in my head, now just to find the time!

Enjoy a beautiful Sunday everybody!

{this moment}

Inspired by the lovely Friday posts of Amanda Blake Soule @ Soulemama....

"A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extrodinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember..."

I think I have sewing ADD

Remember that maternity top I was talking about? The one from that yummy vintage sheet? Well I cut it out and then, oh wait, no and then. It's cut out and that's where it stopped. Stinker woke me up at 4am yesteday morning and screamed his little head off. I was hoping to get to it yesterday, but with his molars coming in, I'm lucky to still have any shred of sanity. I have every intention of working on it today though :)

Update: Now that the day has progressed, one would think that I would have at least sewn up something on my shirt, right? No. That would be the logical thing to do. What did I do instead? Decided that I NEEDED to refashion a Liz Claiborne skirt that was passed down to me from The Yimmy's Aunt's mother. FYI she's about 90, so it wasn't exactly in style. I've only chopped up the top half to make room for my protruding belly, so I don't have much to show for it...yet. But here is a pic showing how colorful and fantastic the fabric is:

It's so silky and light, I wish I already finished it since it is 80+F here!

Enjoy your Wednesday :)
Peace

Michelle

Sweet little baby gowns

I realized a few days back that this new "replacement" baby has not had any mama-made goodness yet. Stinker had a closet full of clothes by this point in utero, and this little one didn't even have a burp cloth. Well that had to change!

I found a cute women's knit nightgown for 99cents at my favorite place....wait for it....wait for it....Value Village. It had this adorable little farm design and was nice and thick. I used a 1992 OOP McCalls's 6136 and made a sweet little baby gown.

Please ignore the wrinkles, I'm a lazy ass today

Close up of the fabric. The signs say "Welcome to Wisconsin, America's Dairyland". Forget the fact that we live in Alaska and have never even been to Wisconsin.

I went with an elastic casing at the bottom to avoid any strangled baby ribbon issues. I think it is just adorable. So adorable in fact that I made another version this morning.

Now please ignore the wrinkles and the crappy lighting, we've had rain non-stop. Rainy weather=crappy pictures

Close up of the fabric. I says "I LOVE then there are pictures of carrots. Too cute.

I used a piece of thrifted knit and the ribbing off of one of my stepdaughter's old shirts. I have done another elastic casing, though it doesn't show it in the picture. I think I may do a little bunny applique in the ribbing just to help break up the whiteness.

It's no couture gown, but I'm pretty happy with how quick and easy they were. Now all we need is the baby to fill them out :)

Back in the saddle again!

Why hello readers...

So long time no post huh? I've been uber busy, mostly with growing a new little baby in my ever expanding giant uterus! I'm due 10/4/2010, but will be going in for another c-section (here is where I am making a sad weepy face) about a week sooner. We do not know what we are having, so I've been busy making little gender neutral outfits:)

Stinker turned 1 in May, a day after The Yimmy was hospitalized for severe high blood pressure and some heart issues. They put in an arterial catheter and drained some blood, put him on some super strong meds, and now he is better than before! It was a pretty scary situation for us though, and I am happy we are through it for now.

My not so convincing version of the Betty Crocker "Barn" cake

We recently bought a secondhand 5th wheel camper and took all the kids camping for a weekend. It was great. Stinker loves the outdoors and was such a little man helping daddy with the campsite. We got to visit some great friends who came camping with us. They brought along the youngest little camper, 5 day old Madelynn! She was just way too cute!










I've been working on tons of refashions, I just need a minute to take some quality pictures so I can show them off. I have gotten to go thrifting twice a week since I ride my sweet retro style Huffy there and no longer feel guilty about wasting gas to inturn waste money :) I plan on posting some of my recent thrift store scores along with some awesome garage sale finds as soon as I have a free minute.

I really look foward to starting a regular posting schedule of sorts and talking about sewing, needlework and everything else that's super :) See you next time

Peace

~Michelle

New Years Resolutions...

Since it's the start of a new year, I am putting in writing my goals for 2010. I figure if they are in writing, they are less likely to be forgotten and ergo, more likely to actually get done!

So here it goes folks.....

1. Be more patient with my kids. I love them more than life itself, but staying home 24/7 and doing it all, at least that's how it feels, is taxing and definately makes you want to rip your hair out at times. So this year I'm going to just relax. Beathe in, then out, in, then, out......

2. Keep up on the blog more frequently and frankly, just better. There is no excuse for my utter laziness at times.

3. Make more projects for me. I know it sounds selfish, but pretty much everything I make is for the house and kids, so I want a little for just me this year. Selfish or not, it's gonna happen.

4. Cook more. I love to cook, but sometimes I get into a rut. I want to make more with less. Less additives, less salt (The Yimmy has high blood pressure), less crap. More love, more vegetables, more local!

So here's a happy new year wish to all of you. Let 2010 begin!