Front Door

Project: Re-finish the front door has been on our to-do list since we moved into our house. The seal and stain were starting to peel, mostly on the bottom half of the door and we finally got around to doing (half) of it this weekend.  I really wanted to get it going before it started getting too hot to have the door open/off all day.  We sanded, sanded, and sanded some more then a couple coats of stain and sealer and back on the hinges it went (I say this like it didn't take over 12 hrs)

 

Maybe I'll attempt another coat of sealer while hung as I really don't care to to that whole process again anytime soon, and we didn't even get to the inside of the door.

I know its a nice wood door but I kept thinking "wouldn't paint be easier?" That sucker is HEAVY!
I does look much better though, don't you think?

costumes

Our ward trunk or treat was a couple weekends ago.  Though we nearly filled our loan limit at the library with Halloween books, I didn't really talk to Rylee about dressing up.  I had an idea of what she would wear and was going to leave it at that.

 

Then she became obsessed with this book. And 3 days before the party asked to be a dinosaur.  I debated what I should do and told Michael that if I had everything I needed to make a dinosaur I'd do it, otherwise operation change the 2-year olds mind would be put to the test.

 

I remembered a post I'd pinned several months ago and decided if she had an old jacket that still fit I'd do it. Well, I had the everything I'd need (a jacket and matching/coordinating fabric) I decided to make my sweet girl's dream come true. I showed Rylee a picture of what I would make and that night as I tucked her into bed she was so sad that 1. she didn't have her dino tail. and 2. she wasn't helping me make her dino tail. (I didn't have time for her to 'help')

 I think it turned out pretty cute if I do say so myself!

 When I finally finished and she tried it on she kept hitting all sorts of things as she's turn around. Always saying "sorry" haha.

 You get a little look at our current garden here:

 Kelsey has been rotating between both of Rylee's previously worn costumes. This little gnome kills me.

 I'm not sure what I love most about this picture- loving up on Kelsey or Dino-Rylee getting into character photo bombing the picture.

 **on a side note, I got it trouble for not making a 'tent' correctly with blankets.  Some things only a Daddy can do right.

 I know I'm ridiculous but I couldn't help throwing together a witch costume for Dolly (yes, that is her name).  She's come along to every activity too.

 Here we are headed to the HOA Fall Festival (which was really fun btw - lots of games/treats for kids and plenty of booths and snacks for us). Its been good to have several times for her to wear her costume *trunk-or-treat *fall festival *story time @the library *Halloween night

We've got plans to meet up with friends tomorrow, and who could resist .50 corn dogs?

I feel like I'm on repeat, but the older Rylee gets and the more she enjoys and gets excited for Holidays, the more fun they are for us too. I'm so excited for the rest of the year!

Headboard

We've been talking about getting a headboard well, since we got a bed. We looked here and there a few times but nothing too seriously. at least from me. Michael had other plans.

Over the past year or so he decided he wanted to make his own. Then after a random Home Depot trip he came home with a big pile of wood. Its 100% his design! With a bit of help from a friend and his tools we have a completed project. (I seriously helped cut a couple pieces of vinyl and assisted wall placement and that's it) It only took him a few afternoons and we've loved having it up!

nicely done Michael!

domestic?

Its funny to me that we plant tomatoes, because neither of us particularly love them. I have however been cooking with more tomatoes lately- namely in the winter (ie taco soup. . . . .) so this past week Michael made note that if we don't do something with them they'll go bad. I'd heard bottling them is fairly easy so we decided to give it a try. We had enough for 4 pints which may seem like a good start, especially when you take into account its basically from one plant (Our others haven't done as well and now I think its getting too hot), but I'm used to watching my mom can . . . . . quarts by the hundreds people. It hardly seemed worth the trouble and the mess and about half way through the process I had some serious second thoughts (I mean a can only costs what, 60 cents?), but we DID IT! and I'm very proud all four bottles sealed :)

Its still up for debate whether I'll really do it again. . . . .

And what is a post without at least a couple pictures of our little monkey? She's well versed with the one cupboard that doesn't have a lock on it. She sits either inside or on the ledge like its her own little chair, and is happy as a clam.

Bow Holder

Since Michael was away on business this past week I decided to get a little business done myself. I saw a tutorial online and got to work.

First item on the agenda: go to Good Will and get the cheapest frame bigger than an 8x10:
mission accomplished.

Prime. Paint. Glaze. Staple. Hang. Attach Bows.
and . . . . Done.

already in use:
Turns out I didn't actually finish by the time Michael got home and he assited in a few of those steps :)

Since we've been sporting pony and pig-tails lately its nice to have the accessories on hand {and in her bathroom}. I'm lovin' it!

Feels like Christmas!

not because of the weather, not because of the decor, and not even because I'm planning who will receive what, but because of what I received in the mail today.
(is it strange that I am posting again about what I receive in the mail? has my life really come to this?? If so, I don't care cuz this is amazing!)

So, remember how way back in August I joined a fabric swap? Where you buy two yards of fabric (from Spoonflower) cut it up into 5" squares and mail them along with a prepaid envelope to the gal in charge who would then serperate all the fabric and mail them back to where you end up with 112 different pieces. Remember I Spy books? Its like that, but with FABRIC!!

Well, after 3 months I received my fabric today!!! I'm giddy! (I told you it's like Christmas!) Here's the haul:

For the most part I am pleased. 1. It is a great way to get alot of different pieces for less money ie, if I was to do this on my own, most fabric stores have a 1/8 yard minimum, which is only 4.5 inches wide, and I would be left with the rest of the 38" strip not knowing what to do with it so, even though the fabrics were a little pricy, I still came out paying way less overall. 2. I get fabrics that I would never choose for myself, and love. (at least for this project) 3. I look at fabric with a completely different perspective

The downsides:

Others chose most of the fabrics (I only chose two) While there were rules, some weren't followed that great. I have a couple of the same print w different colors and several with the same "thing" ie owls, birds, sewing machines, clouds. while cute in their own way, not sure I really want them all in the same project together. And I have ALOT with white background. which is sorta blah.

Anyway, if you can't tell, I'm really excited about this project. And my brain is a whirlwind of ideas right now. . . . . what specifically should these fabrics become? I'm currently deciding between separating by color as seen here (which I probably don't have enough variety to pull off):

Or, this dissapearing 9 patch pattern like here:There's lots of other fabulous ideas here. I just don't quite know what to do. Any suggestions? Anybody done this before? I'm not sure how quickly I'll get to constructing (other actual Christmas related projects will take priority) but I can hardly wait!

Maybe this little cutie will learn to sew sooner than we thought

She couldn't wait to get her hands on the fabric either! Momma's sewing rule #1 don't eat the fabric.

finished!

Let me start by saying how EXCITED I am for this project- about three years ago I found a fabric I fell in love with (namely the green and red paisly dead center in the 1st pic: Moda's Roman Holiday Collection) purchased it with the idea I'd make Christmas stockings for, at the time, Michael and myself. The fabric store I purchased it from didn't have all the fabrics I liked but I made it work. Saving the excess and scraps for later use. A year later I work in a fabric store across the country and find said fabric line. I buy more fabric so I'll have enough to supply stockings for however many children we end up with (which on a side note was higher before I'd experienced pregnancy) and a tree skirt.

When I found out I was pregnant, oddly enough, THIS is the project I was *most* excited to make. Remember how I didn't want to find out the gender of said baby? This was exactly what I wanted to be made whether it was a boy or girl (aside from the name on the front). Hence more time to let ideas churn.

Rantings over, on with the photos:

fully lined and everything

ours. which really are twice the size of hers. M used to stand for Michael, now it'll be Mom and I'll be swapping out the T for a D :)

I was going to wait until I quilted the back of the tree skirt before posting it, but since its been in this state for about 18months, and I'm on the subject, I thought I'd post it now anyway.

Isn't it pretty?? I love it. Can you tell I love the piecing and not so much the quilting? Maybe I'll finish it this year. . . . . but to be honest it wouldn't work for our current tree situation right now anyway. The Mr and I have very different opinions on the matter - he he he.

Since we're on the subject, let me be the first (hopefully) to wish you a Merry Christmas!! :)

Craftiness

So, I've checked a FEW things off my bookmarked list of "to-do" crafts. Thanks to the Dollar Tree selling onesies to practice on I didn't feel bad if the projects were botched.

Project 1: tutu onesie
I plan on making the actual tutu shorter, but this is what it looks like for now - and I'm contemplating adding "fake" jewelry in the form of paint. (have you seen those? problem is, I'd have to free hand, and I'm not sure I'm ready for that)
Project 2 and 3: Feelin' Spooky. My first attempt at freezer paper stenciling. It really is as easy as everybody says. AND babylegs, lots of babylegs. Do you LOVE the skull and crossbones!? I do.

Project 4: Toddler Backpacks

Yep, it'll fit!Project 5: hair flower. The one pictured was purchased in Utah because I fell in love, and wanted an example in my hands to dissect while I figured out how to make hundreds. I'm still perfecting the process but I'm super excited about it!

Project 6: Still in the making but let me tell you it might be my favorite :) Can't stand the suspense? I'll give you a hint . . . . . . I have 87 days to finish. But I'm so excited I'll be done before its needed, I'm sure.

Credits: here here and here although, I did make a few of my own adjustments.