Sew Many Mamas

Fabric Drawer Liner

2011-04-27T09:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was bathroom cleaning day around my house. I hate this chore. Mostly, because I always find something that could need more organization, a more thorough scrub, or just a little something more than a good scrubbing with vinegar.

Yesterday was no exception-- and what I found was the drawers.

No matter how often I wipe them out, little bits of hair (from my husband's razor) gets in them. It makes them messy and look quite disgusting. I was thinking I needed to go to the store to buy some more drawer paper to change it out, and frustrated by; (1) going to the store, and (2) having to change out the drawer lining again, when a thought struck me...

Why not line the drawers with fabric so that I could remove the fabric occasionally, wash, and replace.

Much more earth friendly than sticky drawer paper.

Especially when the fabric I upcycled from a shirt in the "donate" pile.

I measured the drawer and cut a piece of fabric from one of my husband's old shirts to fit inside.

Then, I placed velcro on the bottom of the drawer and on the backside of the fabric.

Voila! The fabric stays down, the drawer stays clean(er), and mama stays sane(er)!

Quilt Sandwich Time

2011-04-26T13:43:00.001-05:00

All done with the top of my muddy colored string quilt!

Time for a quilt sandwich... except that, because I'm moving in two weeks, my safety pins are PACKED!

Time to go "old school" and use a needle and thread!

Curved needles and thimble are packed too. Really?

What was I thinking?

But now I have a whole new problem! Why does Kip love quilt sandwiches? He was thrilled with the fun catch the thread game as I pulled it through the fabric.

Can you hear him purring???

Okay, let me just say that I love my curved safety pins!

Sooo much faster!

At least I'm done and ready to start quilting

Did I get too crazy with the back?

happy fabric tuesday!

Bubble Skirt for my Bubble Girl!

2011-04-22T21:47:00.000-05:00

Last week, I decided Taylor needed a little spring skirt to add to her wardrobe. It was so easy to make!

I love this chiffon watercolor fabric! It's perfect for gathering and has just the right amount of bounce for the perfect bubble! The lining is just some cotton I had extra of - since I tend to always over-buy fabric! The important thing is, Taylor loves it! I see more skirts of this nature in our near future - maybe even one for mommy!

Lancaster County, PA

2011-04-13T08:10:00.000-05:00

My brother and sister-in-law came to DC for a visit this last week and on their
last day we made a trip to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - the heart of Amish Country.
There are a lot of fabric stores and places to buy handmade/hand-quilted quilts!
This is just ONE... The Old Country Store
(check out their online store!)
They have it all: beautiful fabric, quilts for sale, and even a quilt museum.

Here are just a few of the quilts in the museum!

Sampler by Ada Martin

Confetti by Elsie M. Campbell

Bargello Wave by C. Jean Horst

Pyramid Tumbling Block by C. Jean Horst

Love My Stash by Elsie M. Campbell

Crazy Quilt by Maribelle Steffy

Bargello Abstract by Janice Maves

Postage Stamp Colorsplash byC. Jean Horst

Cathedral Windows by Reba Degan

And here is the store!

Quilts for sale!

And of course we passed lots of horse and buggies!

Spring Pants

2011-04-12T07:28:00.002-05:00

I am in love.

With my girl and my hubby, of course.

But also with this fabric and these pants.

They pants are Anna Maria Horner's Quick Change Trousers from Handmade Beginnings.

The pattern is for reversible pants, but I wanted something a little lighter for summer, so only made one layer with a cuff. They were so quick to put together and very easy!

Although. I must admit. I didn't start them until about 10:30 at night. And, I had a TON of work I was supposed to be doing. BUT, what's a girl going to do when she finds adorable fabric--on sale no less-- and it's just staring at her? Taunting her.

Sew me! Sew me!

So I sewed. And drank quite a bit of coffee the next day!

I think it was worth it. (Karis does too.)

I wanted Karis to show off her new trousers at church, but thought they needed a little dressing up, so I made a quick bow.

I used, roughly, this pattern from The Purl Bee.

LOVE it!

I think more of these fabric flower bows may be in Karis' future.

And, definitely more of these pants!

We're linking up with Fabric Tuesday - check out all the cute projects on their site.
(Girls, we missed you!)

Meet a Mama Monday - Meet Robin!

2011-04-11T09:34:00.000-05:00

Happy Meet-a-Mama-Monday. Today, we have a very special mama for you to meet.

Her name is Robin. She isn't a mama yet. Although she will be any day now!

Right now, she is in that all important nesting phase. She is busy gathering all things necessary to keep her little ones (that's right, multiples!) safe and warm. She is tiding things up. She is scoping out her surroundings, making sure it will be safe when her dear babies arrive.

Remember that time? Right before you had your baby. When you looked around the house, and thought, oh dear! The walls are not washed. How can I ever bring a child into this world when the walls are not spotless?

And, you ironed all your fabric stash before color coding it (again). After all, how can a babe thrive if the fabrics aren't pretty and organized?

This mama is doing a little bit more important nesting than wiping down walls and organizing fabrics. Not that those aren't important. But, this mama is nesting.

Literally.

She is building a nest.

As in, a nest with sticks.

Meet Robin:

(pictures coming soon)

Karis and I first noticed her out Karis' window this weekend. I thought, how funny, that bird is sitting so still and for so long. Then, when we came back later and she was there again, I started to wonder what was up with this bird.

She must have decided Karis and I weren't too dangerous, because she started to build her nest a few hours later. We've watched it grow the past two days. And now, it looks ready for some eggs!

We've also enjoyed spotting Mama Robin in the yard, eating my neighbor's newly planted grass seed, much to her chagrin.

Karis now wakes up from her naps saying, "mama bird." I don't know if this is, "Mama, bird." As in,

"Mama, there is a bird outside my window!"

"Mama Bird!"

"Mama, come get me right now, this bird is looking at me again and it's kind of freaking me out."

"More, more food! The bird has food, I want a snack. How about some jelly beans? More, more!"

It's probably the last one. But, I'll pretend it's the first.

this moment - breakfast (a little blurry)

2011-04-08T08:21:00.000-05:00

Today we're joining soule mama for this moment albeit a little blurry!

A Little Spring

2011-04-04T09:58:00.001-05:00

Spring has sprung! Or, at least, it had before this storm moved in. And to celebrate, I thought my girl needed a little spring quilt.

I absolutely adore this fabric... although I forgot to save the name of it. The spring birds are so adorable. You can almost hear them, "cheep-cheep" for their mama!

It was my first attempt at free motion quilting. And, I'm in love. It's so much fun, and the results are beautiful. I need some practice- some wider loops, fewer corners... perhaps I need another trip to the fabric store to find some more fabric to practice with!

Cheep-cheep!

Happy Spring!

Check out Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday!!!

IMG_2361

2011-04-04T09:50:00.001-05:00

IMG_2361, a photo by karismama on Flickr.

String Quilt

2011-03-30T18:12:00.000-05:00

Do not adjust the color on your computer!

There is no color : )

Well, sort of a color.

Mud? Sepia maybe?

Not black, not brown but somewhere in between.

I like the name "putty".

Done with the squares, done with the horizontal strips.

Just need to put the strips all together, make a quilt sandwich, quilt it, bind it and

get it off to my son and new daughter-in-law...

I better get to work!

Oooo, pretty!

2011-03-24T14:41:00.006-05:00

Look what came in the mail today!!!

Modern Affair Mango Flower Blast and Modern Affair Olive Fizz by Patricia Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics and,

Amy Butler's Soul Blossoms Cilantro Laurel Dots and Soul Blossoms Lemon Daisy Paisley

Two of my daughters were just here in D.C. visiting, and carrying an over the shoulder purse while navigating the metro, visiting the Smithsonian, the Capitol, the "Mall"AND walking 500 miles for a Georgetown Cupcake cupcake (a.k.a. DC Cupcakes on TLC) is nonsense! It adds at least an extra 20 pounds to your shoulders and always needs to be adjusted and monitored. We decided that a small cross-body purse is the solution. Soooo, I'm going to try to make a couple out of these lovely fabrics. Any ideas out there?

Happy Birthday, Karis ... part 1: The Cake

2011-03-09T12:04:00.000-06:00

Turns out, there is one thing our girl who loves all things edible doesn't like.

Cupcakes.

We had a little birthday celebration for Karis while we were in DC with my parents and bought Karis a genuine DC cupcake complete with ganach and pink frosting. Karis was very excited to see it! And, she loved everyone singing happy birthday to her. But then, she got a taste of the frosting.

She gagged. Then signed, "all done, all done, all done!" (I'm pretty sure the raising of her hands like this means, "Get me away from this cupcake RIGHT NOW!")

So for Karis' real birthday, we decided to do something a little different.

(Can you believe this girl is ONE?!?!)

An adapted version of Southern Living's Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake.

Made gluten free and with less sugar.

3/4 stick of butter, softened

1 cup of sugar

4 oz cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix (I used Pamela's bread mix.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup berry glaze (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and sugar together. Add cream cheese. Add eggs, one at a time.

2. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, beating at a low speed.

3. Stir in vanilla extract.

4. Pour one-third of the batter into a greased loaf pan.

5. Make the berry glaze by heating berries over medium to high heat with a few tablespoons of water, add a few tablespoons of sugar if needed. Continue to heat until syrup forms.

6. Pour a few spoonfuls of the berry glaze into the batter of the loaf pan. Swirl with a knife to mix batter and berries together slightly.

7. Add next one third of batter and repeat. Add remaining batter and repeat.

8. Bake at 350 for one hour.

We topped the cake off with the remaining berry glaze mixed with powdered sugar. YUMM!!!

(Karis was more fascinated by the candle than the cake.)

And she was REALLY sad when we wouldn't let her touch the candle.

But, she LOVED the cake!

And, since no one year old should only have one or two birthday parties, we celebrated with some family and a few friends on Saturday. For this birthday party, we decided to do strawberry shortcake.

Success! (Although, to be honest, the strawberries were a success. Karis wasn't overly fond of the shortcake or the whipped cream.)

Snow Day

2011-01-19T10:49:00.000-06:00

In anticipation of the 4-7 inches of snow we are supposedly getting this afternoon, I thought I'd share some pictures from our last snow day.

Karis wasn't really sure what to think of the snow. Like she does with most new experiences, she studied it closely. I'm sure she would have loved to touch it, but silly mama, I didn't take her gloves off. Plus, she was so bundled up, she could hardly move. I think I'll have to take her out again today and let her play in the snow without gloves!

Seeing these pictures, I can't help but think how lucky we are.

We have warm clothes, a warm house, plenty of food to keep our bellies warm,

and love of family and friends.

The Stella Pixie Hat

2011-01-13T06:59:00.000-06:00

We first saw this adorable hat on Meg's site at Sew Liberated.

Isn't it sweet?

It has a little bit of a vintage feel. But most of all, it just looks adorable!

Of course, when we first saw it, we thought... someone has to learn to knit!

We picked up some needles, bought some yarn, and printed the directions!

Nana called Hot Mama a/k/a her sister, Linda, who is a wonderful knitter, and through the wonders of the phone, she figured out what it meant when it said, "knit two, purl two."

And now, Nana is a Stella Pixie hat making machine!

She has made one for all the grand-babies! I can't wait until we can get them all together for a sweet picture in their Stella Pixie hats!

Me, on the other hand... well, I've cast on about five times. I've knit about two rows and had to take it out. I finally convinced Nana to cast on for me and knit the first two rows. Perhaps by next winter I'll have made a hat!

Meet a Mutt Monday

2011-01-11T06:13:00.000-06:00

Happy Meet-a-~~Mama~~ Mutt ~~Monday~~ Tuesday! (I meant to post this all day yesterday, and somehow did not get around to doing it!)

A few weeks ago, my sweet husband happened to mention that maybe, just maybe, we might be amenable to adopting another dog or a kitty. Once Mom leaves, we will only have one dog in the house- which will feel VERY empty after our current situation of two dogs, one cat, and one kitten (for a month while Aunt Jenny is here).

Within a hour of him mentioning the maybe I had downloaded the Pet Finder app for our i-Pad, looked at all the local shelters, and researched various breeds.

A few days later, Mom and I were running errands and decided to just stop by a local shelter- Animal Haven. Just to see if they had any kittens. A cat, after all, would be so much easier than a dog.

They did have some cats.

But, they also had this sweet 6 month old puppy.

She was found as a stray with her brother.

Her brother had just gotten adopted, and this sweet girl was lonely.

With a face likes this...

well, you can guess how this story ended.

Maggie is the sweetest dog! She pleasantly surprised us by being pretty much housebroken!

She is still a little shy around strangers, but getting better every day.

She plays. She cuddles. Her whole body wiggles when she sees us. She is the epitome of a dog who will do anything to please you. And, oh! do we love this sweet puppy!!!

She is also famous. Before she was adopted, she was in a photo shoot for People magazine with Cindy Williams (from Laverne and Shirley). Cindy Williams was doing a show in Kansas City where, at the end of each show, they would introduce a shelter dog from Animal Haven. People magazine covered the story... and, voila! This week's issue has her picture!

There's more to our experience adopting a pound puppy, but that will have to wait for another day. For now, I'd just like to say, I love the people at Animal Haven, and we adore our sweet puppy!

(Karis is trying to kiss Maggie)

2010-12-31T08:31:00.000-06:00

I'm back! (again)

Christmas hit this house like a whirlwind. It brought a new puppy...

who I will tell you all about in another post. But, our sweet little Maggie stole our hearts from the second we saw her at the rescue. She is loving, sweet, and PLAYFUL!

Christmas also brought our favorite-- cousins!

Karis is so lucky to have cousins close in age. I am so lucky to have siblings who will make the 9 hour drive from Denver to our house so that we can all spend Christmas together.

Almost everyone was together for Christmas. Craig and Holly couldn't make it out, but they were with us in spirit. For Christmas, they gave each of the girls a Sing-a-Ma-Jig. If you haven't seen these funny toys, check them out! You squeeze their belly, and they sing a note. Each different Sing-a-Ma-Jig sings a different note. So, when you put all four of them together, they sing in harmony. (They also each sing a little song, which is really funny too.) Four babies. Four Sing-a-Ma-Jigs. Let the hilarity ensue! (You can see how funny Karis thinks they are!)

Christmas at our house also brings traditions. I have such fond memories of Christmas traditions growing up. Decorating sugar cookies at Grandma's house. Lighting the Advent candles in anticipation of Christmas Day. Eating homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. Waking up to see that Santa decorated the tree in tinsel. I am excited to continue these family traditions in our family and make some of our own memories with Karis.

Karis liked the tinsel.

One of my favorite traditions is opening pajamas on Christmas Eve. And, just in case you wondered, the tradition continues for all (including Nana and Pappy).

Christmas also brought Aunt Jenny!

Aunt Jenny is my youngest sister and Karis' God-mother. Almost as soon as she arrives, the house is full of laughter and fun. Karis is not necessarily a giggly baby, but she thinks Aunt Jenny is hilarious (and we all agree).

As an older sister, I couldn't be prouder of my sweet baby sis. She is smart, kind, and such a strong Christian. Rustain and I are so grateful that she is involved in Karis' life. I love watching the two of them interact- they make funny noises at each other, read stories together, and- of course- Aunt Jenny helps Karis ride poor Tucker around the house. What fun!

Christmas also brought family...

Just in case one Christmas isn't enough, our family gets to celebrate three! We celebrate with my family, Rustain's dad, and Rustain's mom. What fun! . And, of course, family means cousins! While Reece is a little bit older and mostly concerned with the baby girls not taking over all his stuff with all things pink, Karis's cousin is only a few weeks younger than her (even though she is at least a few inches taller). It's neat to see them interact and talk to each other. And, of course, it's special for Grandma and Grandpa Troutman to get to play with all three of their sweet grand-babies.

We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and is getting ready for a Happy New Year!

Finally

2010-12-08T06:52:00.000-06:00

Sorry we haven't posted. No excuses.

Okay, maybe a few.

We've had a cousin (and her accompanying aunt) and Pappy visiting.

We've been decorating for Christmas.

I've been working.

And, I've been playing with my new machine...

a surprise for my birthday

a Janome!

(Can I just say, I love it!)

There will be lots more projects in the future. But, for now...

this easy Christmas table runner will have to suffice.

And, of course, this sweet face... (poor baby, has her first cold).

Nine Months

2010-11-24T16:49:00.000-06:00

In nine months, a lot can change.

You can find out you are pregnant at approximately 5:00 am, right before leaving for Colorado to meet your new niece

...

tell your parents and all four of your siblings before you board the plane

...

proceed to eat almost nothing but Fruity Pebbles and oranges

...

and wait an extra week after your due date to meet the sweetest, most wonderous being ever created.

And then, in the next nine months, even more can change.

Your family can grow.

Your heart can grow.

You can welcome home your sweet baby girl.

She can bask in the sun.

She can sleep a lot. And you can never get tired of watching her sleep.

She can learn to smile (and melt your heart).

She can learn to hold her head up.

She can go from this...

to this... in just a few short months.

She can eat her first rice cereal and make this kind of face:

and then make this kind of face when eating peas.

Then, she can learn to feed herself.

And, now she eats everything in sight.

(including pickles, cranberries, grapefruit, and anything else that is edible)

She can learn to sit up and explore her world.

She can get on all fours and try to crawl.

And, she can even stand on her own. (Although, Mommy is right behind her, ready to catch!)

A lot can change in nine months!

Happy Nine-Month birthday Karis Ann!

Homemade Coffee Creamer

2010-11-17T07:11:00.000-06:00

Have I mentioned how much I love coffee?

I really, really, really love coffee. I love the smell in my kitchen in the morning. I love the warmth of the drink on cool fall mornings. And, I have to admit, I love the caffeine.

I take my coffee with just a touch of cream.

And since we're trying to make more of our food,

avoid artificial sweeteners,

and generally, be a little healthier

I decided to make a little creamer.

The results?

Delicious!

1 pint half and half

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat the half and half over medium heat just until warm. Add the maple syrup and vanilla. Stir well.

Remove from heat and add cinnamon and nutmeg.

Add to coffee and enjoy!

You can also experiment with different flavors. I wonder what it would taste like with a little honey instead of the maple syrup... or just some vanilla... or some chocolate syrup...

Meet-A-Mama Monday: Sampling

2010-11-15T07:42:00.000-06:00

It's all I can do to keep my eyes open.

Having an 8 month old, a doctor daddy in his first year of residency, two dogs, a cat, two cousins, an aunty, a Nana, and another aunt and cousin getting ready to visit--

plus a new (kind of) stay-at-home job

(more about that later)

makes me a tired mama.

So, since we're a little behind on meet-a-mama,

I thought I'd ~~take the easy way out~~ share some of my favorite internet mamas with you.

Meg at Sew Liberated: Her work is beautiful, her son is adorable, and her Montessori parenting is so sweet. As a side note, she has had some tough news lately and is definitely in need of some prayers and encouragement.

Rachel at p.s. i quilt: Rachel's writing style is sweet, simple, and Southern! She makes beautiful quilts and features some wonderful fabric. Plus, her website plays the theme music from Legends of the Fall... who doesn't like to be reminded of Brad Pitt in that movie?

Ashley at Film in the Fridge: Her quilts are to die for, and she is about to become a new mama herself!

Angie Smith at Bring the Rain: If you haven't read her story, grab a box of Kleenex and read I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy, which is the book that came from her blog. Seriously, this sweet lady is open and honest about her life and her walk with the Lord.

Heather and Megan at Quiltstory and Fresh Poppy Designs: Sisters who quilt and blog?! Need we say more? We love their designs, love the stories they share, and love Fabric Tuesday!

Rachel at Clean: I'm always encouraged to live more simply, be more careful of our earth, and slow down and enjoy my baby after reading Rachel's musings.

What blogs do you read? Which mamas inspire you?

Leave a comment... we always love finding more mamas!

Cousins!

2010-11-11T09:22:00.000-06:00

We have some fun guests this week!

Erin came with her two little munchkins for a week.
After a very early morning flight for the girls (and a mama),
a nice walk to the park was in order.

Nothing better than a nice swing : )
No baby swing for little K.
She had fun watching her cousins though!

Look at that static hair!!!

Six more days of fun!!!

Prima Papa

2010-11-09T07:40:00.002-06:00

Katie and I were "garage-saling" and came across a wonderful

Peg Perego Prima Papa high chair for a mere $30.00!

It looks brand new except that it had a custom fabric cover - washable, not wipeable.

So, we decided to try Heat n Bond Vinyl on a piece of beautiful fabric and make our own cover.

LOVED using the vinyl. Easy, easy, easy!

(I've always loved laminating things so this was the best - laminating fabric!!!)

Making a pattern from the old cover was a breeze too.

So in a few hours, here's what we have...

I wasn't aware that the vinyl came in a "matte" finish as well as "gloss".

I think I will try the matte finish next.

Anyone else have experience with iron-on vinyl?

I'm curious to see how it wears...

We'll be linking up with Quilt Story !

Tami

Meet a Mama Monday

2010-11-08T08:07:00.002-06:00

Meet Heather and Megan!

You may know Heather and Megan from their quilt pattern business

Fresh Poppy Design

and their blogs Quilt Story and Fresh Poppy Design.

Quilt Story is a site where they share other's amazing quilts and have a fun linky party every Tuesday where you can share a project that involves fabric. Fresh Poppy Design is a place where they share decorating and crafting ideas with lots of tutorials.

Heather is a stay at home mama of 4 daughters and 1 baby boy. Her life is her kidos, carpools and house-work. However, she's a craft addict and sneaks in a craft or two as much as she can. What a busy mama!

Megan is a stay at home mama of 2 little boys; Sawyer - 3 and Ollie - 22 months. Her husband is in his third year of medical school so it's a little crazy at their house. Megan's house keeping tip: "I like to be out and about with my boys which keeps the house a little cleaner and makes me feel like I'm doing something right!" She tries to craft as much as possible, but her crafting generally doesn't start until 8 pm!

Their Aunt Wendy and their mom taught them to quilt about three years ago and they've been busy ever since!

Just for fun the sisters have a yearly retreat to Park City, Utah - without children!

A couple of months ago...

"We had dinner and headed up to the hotel. We stopped at a supermarket to get our late night treats to enjoy while we watched movies and stayed up way too late. We grabbed our basket and filled it with the essentials: 2 pints of ice cream, 2 small bags of chips (because you always need a salty note after ice cream) two spoons and two waters. The important and embarrassing word here? TWO. Heather grabbed my arm and through giggles made me realize how shameful our basket was. Quickly we grabbed more spoons, bananas (which I brought home the next day for my boy's) and a couple of large bags of chips. Now surely this didn't look like a party for two anymore. As we were checking out I decided to make sure the cashier knew we weren't pathetically eating this ourselves.

Me: "Heather, did you call the guys yet to let them know we're on our way?"

Heather: "Who?"

Me: "Did you call them and let them know we're coming??" through large eyes.

Heather: blank stare.

This little exchange ultimately resulted in ridiculous giggles

and being shamed for our gluttony."

These super sweet sisters are BFF's.

They're funny,

super talented quilters/designers

(each would say the other is more talented),

AND, of course, they are mamas!

Heather- "I am completely in love with my children. Nothing has brought me greater joy and happiness, or frustration and tears all at the same time!

Megan- My hubby and I look at each of our boys every day and just talk about how adorable/cute/funny they are. Will that ever stop? I can still stare at their faces in complete awe. There is absolutely nothing like being a mother.

~ Here is a sampling of their talents ~

You know how this works... leave a comment and tell Heather and Megan something you admire about them, something you learned, or just leave a little encouragement.

Happy Monday everyone!

{this moment}

2010-11-05T06:53:00.000-05:00

{this moment}

inspired by soule mama

Homemade Hair Bows

2010-11-04T07:36:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a girl just needs a hair bow.

Making hair bows is one of my favorite projects.

It's super-easy. Super-quick. And the results can be worn almost immediately by my sweet little girl.

This is one of my favorite outfits Karis has. Skinny jeans (really, who doesn't love these jeans?!?), a little onesie, and a sweet hand-me-down sweater from Auntie Erin.

the grass was more interesting than smiling for the camera

All it needs is a matching hair bow.

I bought some silk baby roses, broke out my hot glue gun, and voila... The roses are glued onto a clip that I can use on either the headband or, when she has enough hair, directly in her hair.

Anyone else? What's your favorite hair bow project?

A trip "home"

2010-11-02T09:59:00.001-05:00

I just returned from a week in Colorado.

Home.

Even though we have lived around the world -

Colorado, Alaska, Ohio, Germany, Texas, Virginia and Kansas.

Colorado will always be home.

I step into that crisp, clean mountain air, take a deep breath, and instantly know I'm home.

Give me a hammock, a pine tree, some sunshine, a little breeze - ahhhh!

We spent the week looking at houses and will make an offer on one this week.

This will be my backyard!

Home.

I also spent the week loving these sweet faces:

Back to my sewing...

I'm excited to finish my Tokyo Subway Map top this week!

The blocks are all trimmed and ready to be sewn together.

What a fun quilt-along. Thanks to Elizabeth at Oh, Fransson!

Don't forget to check out Fabric Tuesday!

Tami

Meet Heather

2010-11-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

We are all about featuring artists of all kinds,

so...

Meet Heather! Make-up artist extraordinaire!

Heather has been married to her sweetheart for 23 years,

and is a great mama to two amazing almost grown guys!!

She is fun-loving, happy, optimistic, and soooo talented.

She is freelance makeup artist who went to school to be a graphic artist. Painting and creativity is in her blood. She went from painting on canvas, to doing murals and faux finishes on walls, and now paints faces for a living. She now does airbrush makeup for print, television, editorial and brides all across the country.

If she doesn’t have a brush in her hand on a photo shoot…
she is probably scuba diving on some exotic island with her husband and sons.

Make sure to check out Heather's web-site!

www.makeupbyheatherwilson.com

Remember, she loves to travel...

so give her a call next time you need a fantastic make-up artist for a special event!

You know the routine : )

Leave Heather some comments to help her have a great Monday!

Honey-do List

2010-10-30T08:48:00.000-05:00

This week my hubby has been off. It's been wonderful! Although, I do feel slightly guilty that his coveted week off has been more about home projects than vacation. But, I guess, even honey-do lists are vacation-like when you can do them at your own pace, be outside, and don't have to do them before 5 am.

His approach to tackling the honey-do list has been making me chuckle all week. Last Saturday, he sat down with pen and paper and said, "What do you want to get done this week?"

Hmmmm... the possibilities. I'd really like to end world hunger, make quilts for an orphanage in Africa, and redo all the floors in our house. But, something tells me that is not what he was asking.

What do I realistically want to get done this week?

So we made a list. (A realistic list.)

And, every day, he looks at that list and checks things off of the list.

I made a list too. Or, rather, I made a few lists. I made a work list. A to-do-around-the-house list. A grocery list. A people-we-should-have-over list. A baby-gifts-to-make list. And a few other lists to remind me of the things I would like to do scattered around the house.

Hubby is almost done with his list. He can chart his progress by the items he has crossed off.

I don't even know how far along my list I am, because there are so many lists, I don't even know where they all are!

So, in the hopes that I may be as productive as he has been this week, I thought I'd make a crafty-goodness to-do list right here. I'll let you know how it goes...

1. Learn to knit.

2. After completing item number 1, make the Stella Pixie Hat.

3. Scrapbook Karis' first eight months. (I'm that far behind.)

4. Finish scrapbooking our wedding album. (I am really that far behind.)

5. Make one baby girl gift and two surprise gender baby gifts.

6. Make a recycled bath mat.

7. Make some plush fruit for our garden toy.

(Can I just say this is going to be adorable. When we finish it.)

8. Learn to crochet. I have the needles and yarn, I just need to sit down and do it.

9. Finish one of the many projects from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings, including the booties and quick change trousers. (I have the fabric, just short on time it seems.)

10. Figure out how to make this adorable baby blouse.

11. Make a few pairs of baby tights with Made by Rae's cute pattern.

12. Make a quilt for my sweet girl.

I could go on and on. But I won't. Just know that I could.

Upon reflection on the list, perhaps I should also add:

13. Make a quilt in hopes that we have another baby so that it might be done (or at least started) before he or she arrives. (Notice I said "in hopes." This baby is not even in the works yet. I'm just planning ahead.)

Happy (yummy) Halloween

2010-10-29T08:51:00.001-05:00

{this moment}

inspired by soule mama

A Halloween party deserves some yummy, healthy, spooky treats!

b~~readsticks with halved almonds~~

severed fingers

~~apple slices with slivered almonds and peanut butter~~
monster smiles

Please remember to meet our mama this week, Audra. Have a great weekend everyone!

opps!

2010-10-28T08:10:00.000-05:00

How did it get to be Thursday?

We have some cute Halloween-inspired goodies to share with you, but they didn't seem to make it to the blog last night. Opps! And now they will just have to wait until tomorrow.

Sorry folks! We've been making big decisions around our house this week. And time has crept up on me.

Tomorrow though... I promise a new post with new pics!

Baby Boy Blanket

2010-10-26T08:56:00.000-05:00

It's a boy!

These are words we don't hear often in our family of pink. So I got a little bit excited when one of my best friends told us she was having a boy. It's not often I get to play with baby boy blues after all.

I fell in love with this fabric. Even the name is cute: "Child's Play With Kate & Nate." I am going to have to check out more of Sheri Berry's fabrics!

I just love the little dogs and trains! Perfect for a little boy.

I also adore the corduroy on the back. I can't wait for little fingers to explore the different textures- my girl has already had fun playing with it as I worked on it!

I could go on and on about this adorable fabric... but I won't. Instead, I have to finish stitching the last edge of the binding down. Our little friend joined the world last night, and I need to finish sewing so we can go meet him later today!

Don't forget to meet Audra, our Meet a Mama this week as well as everyone's creations on Fabric Tuesday!

Meet Audra!

2010-10-25T08:50:00.001-05:00

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Our Meet a Mama today, Audra, has always been struck by this verse. As you will see, Audra truly delights herself in the Lord!

She is a stay at home mama of two beautiful girls. Amelia is four and Aliza is 20 months. Audra and her best friend and hubby, Shawn, have been married for six years.

In addition to "mama" and former child life specialist at a children's hospital, Audra has recently added "seamstress extraordinare" to her list of titles. When you browse her children's clothing, it is hard to believe she only recently learned how to sew. You can find her adorable children's clothing
at her etsy store and on her blog.

Audra is calm and collected, levelheaded and wise. These qualities are reflected in the thoughtful way she crafts her clothes and her words.

Audra began sewing when her best friend, Angie, taught her how to sew a skirt for her girls about eight months ago. (I know! Eight months is not a long time ago. This girl has a serious gift for sewing!) Audra learned that day all the basics- following a pattern, selvages, grainlines, and how to thread a machine. Then, she went home and bought more patterns. Audra had caught the sewing bug!
(As so many of us can understand.)

The first skirt Audra made!

Audra says, "The surface answer to why I started sewing was that I like to dress my girls in cute clothes. But, really, I was longing to find something to channel my creativity into. I really needed a creative outlet as a stay at home mom and had not found one in the past several years that really kept my attention or that I had a passion for. The day I started sewing, I knew that I had found that passion. My husband calls sewing my gift from God, because I enjoy it that much!"

Audra's husband is right!

In addition to being a gifted seamstress, Audra is a sweet mama. Her biggest challenge is the isolation that can so easily happen as a stay-at-home mama. When Audra was working outside the home, she grew accustomed to a support system of co-workers and enjoys living her life in fellowship and community. These things can be difficult to find and fit in between nap schedules...chores... and just general crankiness! Knowing how important it is though, Audra puts effort into planning play dates and meeting other like minding moms that she and her children also have fellowship
that is so desperately needed!

Her greatest joy is seeing her children learn truth and live it out. They are learning that God loves them and that they are "wonderfully made."
Hence Audra's shop name, "Wonderfully Made" from Psalm 139:14.

Amelia, Audra's four year old, loves having conversations and sharing laughs with her mama. Audra loves that Amelia is insightful and thought provoking. She says, "I am learning as much from her about faith and life as she probably is learning from me." Aliza, her 20 month old, IS joy. Audra says she is the the happiest child she knows!

What sweet girls! And what a sweet, talented mama! You know how this works... leave some comments to help Audra have a great Monday! And, don't forget to check-out her etsy shop and blog!

Oh What a Busy Day!

2010-10-23T07:45:00.000-05:00

Ever have one of those mornings where you wake up,

it is just the perfect chilly outside?

(The kind of chilly where you can wear a sweater, but don't need socks.)

You have dishes that need to be done, a floor that needs to be vacuumed,

a dog that needs to be bathed...

but you also have a really good book

and a baby blanket that needs tying...

and a dog and a kitty who are curled up at your feet...

and a sweet baby who will only sleep for about another hour.

What do you do?

I'll give you a hint at what I do...

{this moment}

2010-10-22T05:41:00.000-05:00

{this moment}

inspired by soule mama

I couldn't resist another pumpkin picture. Looking forward to seeing everyone's moments!

Fall Table Runner

2010-10-21T15:17:00.005-05:00

I love the fall!

*the reds and golds*

*the smell of crisp leaves*

*the cool air*

It's a great time of year for quilting!

I couldn't resist this fabric with its fall colors and patterns.

It was perfect for this crazy quilted table runner.

Now all we need is a big bowl of chili, some pumpkin pie, and some warm apple cider!

We're linked to some linky parties!

The Trendy Treehouse
Show us What You're Working On

Easy Halloween Costume

2010-10-20T08:03:00.001-05:00

Our baby started out with the nick-name, "green-bean" because the first sonogram looked like--

well-- a green-bean!

Then, once she arrived, our term of endearment quickly turned into, "pumpkin." There was really no question what she would be for Halloween.

The only question was how was I going to make it?

I decided the tutu would add some girly fun to our little pumpkin. And, I love the orange tulle with just a hint of sparkle in it. About every third strip of tulle is the sparkle tulle,

just enough.

You would think that orange onesies would abound at Halloween. But they don't. So a plain white onesie dyed orange had to do. And some simple black fabric and wonder-under finished out the jack-o-lantern face.

The stem hair bow needs a little re-working for the big day. I'd like to move the leaves so that the clip doesn't show at all.

The best part of the whole costume-photo-shoot was playing with our little pumpkin in the leaves. She thought falling leaves were hilarious!!!! So, of course, Nana and I scooped up big hand-fulls and threw them in the air and giggled right along with her.

And, of course, because she is almost eight months old and is teething (ummm...have I mentioned that it looks like her cuspids might be coming in? Have I also mentioned that she doesn't have any other teeth? Are we going to have to change her costume to Bunicula???

Mmmm!

Now for the fun!!!

What are your little ones being for Halloween?

Any creative home-made costume ideas out there?

Link up your Homemade Halloween Costume!

Can't wait to see what you've come up with!

Nine Patch Plaid

2010-10-19T14:39:00.006-05:00

Just finished this little crib quilt for a special little friend that should be here any second!

We can't wait to meet him!

I used some reproduction prints blues, greens and brown to give the illusion of a plaid.

I love the patchy sunshine today. Cool, a little crisp in the shade and this beautiful dappled light shining through the tree!

Remember to check out Fabric Tuesday and Tuesday Tag Along and share some comments!

Meet Linda!

2010-10-17T21:04:00.007-05:00

Meet Linda!

Linda was nominated by her dear sister, Diane, who we had the pleasure of introducing here. As we all know, October is breast cancer awareness month, so it is the perfect time to meet this inspiring mama.

Linda is a mama to two very different, but equally fantastic boys. They aren't really boys anymore- Josh is 29 and married to his terrific wife, Liz. Ben is 26. But, they will probably always be boys to mama Linda!

Five years ago, Linda retired after 34 years of sales with General Foods and Kraft. She has since taken up bicycle riding, which is her husband, Tom's, passion. We're not talking bike around the neighborhood biking. We're talking bike 20+ miles at a time biking! Whew!

Linda spends 7 months of the year in Phoenix and 5 months at a house about an hour west of Colorado Springs on the back side of Pike's Peak. It is truly quiet and beautiful at 9,300 feet! Linda aptly describes it as "breath-taking!" Lucky for Linda and her family she enjoys cooking and baking since they are 30 minutes from restaurants and a grocery store. In addition to biking, Linda also enjoys watching the wildlife and hiking in the woods.

Linda shares her story best:

"In the spring of 2009 I was doing my routine ob/gyn annual physical and mammogram, when a spot that "they" had been watching indicated some changes. Of course, I was never told about this spot until then. At some level, I knew that we were on a path that would not be short and I prayed that God would carry me through this experience. As each test was completed, we went farther down this path until it was confirmed with a biopsy that I indeed had breast cancer. For the longest time I couldn't say 'I have breast cancer.' It was 'They found breast cancer.' Funny how it takes so long to take ownership of cancer as your own. Although my area of cancer was relatively small, I chose to have a double mastectomy to take the surest route to insure my long term health. This decision is an extremely difficult one to make and it has a variety of factors that are different for each woman. (By the way, men can develop this too.) There is no history of cancer in my family, but I had taken birth control pills for a few years and had been on hormone replacement therapy for many years. I was truly blessed when I was able to move on without having to do chemo or radiation. I will begin reconstruction this fall.

This spring we learned that a friend of mine, Kathy, who is quite a bit younger than I am, was going through the same exact experience with her routine exams. Unfortunately, her cancer had spread into her lymph nodes and she has been doing chemo therapy here in Phoenix all summer and has started her radiation treatments. She is starting to feel much better and 'seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.' Her optimism inspires us all!"

Linda inspires us all!

Linda started down the "quilt path" by making her boys blankets from old Bicycle Race t-shirts. Her sister, Diane, was making quilts and the beauty of them compelled Linda to get more into quilting. Diane helped Linda start on a small, simple log cabin pattern in red, white, and blue. As Diane couldn't be with her during Linda's hospital stay, the blanket served as a warm reminder of her loving sister.

Linda made the following quilt in a class. During the middle of the class, she learned she had cancer and didn't think she'd be there for the last two class sessions, but was afraid to tell the teachers (just like you're a kid again!). But, God had other plans for Linda. She finished the class and the quilt before her surgery!

When she found out Kathy was going to have surgery, Linda made her sweet friend a quilt and pillow out of the brightest, cheeriest colors she could find that also highlighted her favorite color, purple.

Linda wanted to practice her quilting before venturing into too many large quilts, so she started making small quilts for her Aunt Melba who is 91. The first "quilt" she made for Aunt Melba was a place mat for her 90th birthday. But, Aunt Melba refuses to use it as Linda intended and has turned all of Linda's place mats into wall hangings!

(I think Aunt Melba knows a beautiful thing when she sees it!)

Linda tries to make wall hangings for Aunt Melba that match the seasons so she can rotate them out. But, Aunt Melba loves them all so much that she doesn't take them down and is now running out of wall space!

These are some place mats and potholders Linda made.

This quilt was a kit that Linda's husband bought her for Christmas (don't we love a husband that buys quilting supplies!). It's a perfect match for their Colorado home!

Linda is achieving one of her goals by reading the Bible cover to cover. She his almost there! Her favorite verses (especially since retirement) are James 4:14-15:

Yet you do not know what you life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.

Linda's kind enough to share her latest favorite recipe with us. Perfect for fall days with a little artichoke dip! As she says, "If I can make cookies, I should be able to make crackers!"

Mix: 3 cups oatmeal, 1 cup wheat germ, 2 cups flour (1/2 white/ 1/2 whole wheat), 3 T sugar, 1 tsp salt

Add: 1 cup olive oil, 1 cup warm water, about 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and 1 T caraway seeds

Mix well.

Roll out 1/4 to 1/3 of the mixture at a time into a thin rectangle using plenty of flour to keep it from sticking.

Sprinkle sea salt over the dough and, using your rolling pin, roll the salt into the dough.

Cut into desired shapes (leaves anyone?). Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet (Linda recommends using parchment paper) at 300 degrees for 40 minutes. Enjoy!

Remember how this works? Please leave a comment for sweet Linda! What an incredible woman! We feel very fortunate to be able to introduce her to you all. We hope she has the best week ever!

Fall Yummies

2010-10-16T08:04:00.000-05:00

It's the perfect fall day. Cool and crisp, but still warm enough to be comfortable.

Perfect for a little pumpkin bread.

Or a little pre-Halloween sweetness.

Maybe a lot of pre-Halloween sweetness.

Speaking of pre-Halloween sweetness... I'm off to go cuddle with my girl.

That's what Saturdays are for, after all.

If you'd like some of your own fall medley, melt some almond bark and pour into a lined baking dish. Sprinkle candy corn, peanuts, and pretzels over the melted almond bark. Let cool. Break apart and enjoy.

Or, you can also stir the melted almond bark and assorted goodies together, making sure to coat the candy corn and peanuts well.

Both are delicious. I encourage you to try both to see which you like better.

{this moment}

2010-10-15T12:26:00.005-05:00

{this moment}

inspired by soule mama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Savings Galore

2010-10-14T08:27:00.006-05:00

Introducing...

Carol - aka Tech-know Mama

I don't know how she does it, but she can always find a good deal -

freebies, coupons, special deals, sweepstakes.

Well, she's has started a blog!

Savings Galore

We can all use a good coupon, and I love getting a freebie in the mail. I just would rather sew than hunt out the good deals, so I just let Carol find 'em for me! Now she'll find them for you too!

She has a fun one today that I've already signed up for.

Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry Shortcake, and Key Lime Pie... yumm!

Head over to Savings Galore for more details and welcome Carol to the Blogging World!

A little bit about Carol:

She is a wonderful Mama to one sweet, smart, beautiful daughter. Good job, Carol!

She is over the top generous with her time and talents.

She is techno talented (helped us with our little blog)!

She is also talented in the home improvement department.

She LOVES coffee... dries her own beans, grinds them, and brews them.

And she's my niece (even though she is 2 days older than me)!

Love you Carol!!!

Tami

Hidden Message

2010-10-12T08:01:00.007-05:00

Absolutely fell in LOVE Wee Woodland fabric by Moda

and I knew I had to make a little something for the grand-babies.

So, this is what I came up with...

Just a little play quilt, but with a little special message hidden under the flaps.

I used a charm pack for the flaps - no cutting required : )

and fussy cut the letters out of the ABC yardage.

Sew fun : )

Don't forget to check out Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story!

Meet Heidi

2010-10-10T15:20:00.008-05:00

Meet Heidi...

better known as "Mom" to her daily associates.

We're so excited to introduce you to a fun blogging mama! You can read more about our goal to make Meet A Mama Monday an encouraging place for mamas of all kinds here or under our "Know A Mama?" tab.

Back to Heidi--

Heidi has her hands full as a mama to

Zachary, who is almost 9 and is in third grade;

Tyler, who is 6 and in first grade;

Gavin, who will be 3 in November;

and Lexi, who is almost 17 months.

Whew! Busy mama!

Heidi stays at home with her sweet family. Although "staying at home" is hardly what this busy family does... Zach has football and Cub Scouts, Tyler enjoys his music classes, and Gavin and Lexi keep the whole family on their toes with their daily mayhem. This God-fearing, church-going family is on the go!

Heidi loves people. She loves to communicate. She loves electronic communication,

especially with Littles underfoot!

This mama is a blogger at The Bartle Bulletin

"You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll roll your eyes... experience a day in the life of the Bartle family!",

an emailer, a texter, and a Facebooker.

Cataloging her fun family has translated into creating digitally-based memory albums on Blurb for her family and kids. They are fun, fast and affordable!

Heidi is also a reader (a girl after my own heart). She loves to read religious literature and books that help improve her relationships, parenting, and offer spiritual insight. Recently, she has joined a scripture study group with a few friends of the same faith.

Most of all, Heidi is a mama. She is livin' the dream! She says it so sweetly: "Even though I have a Bachelor's degree, there isn't a paycheck in the world that would satisfy my heart more than raising my kids at home."

She's kind and happy.

She is service-oriented.

She is a loyal friend.

Her life is truly a reflection of her values.

Heidi says her biggest challenge as a mama is "arming her children with all they need to face this crazy world while allowing them to exercise their freedom. But, she knows it is better for them to fly independently when they are ready."

She finds joy in little family moments: "a surprise hug, an unexpected success, kicking a soccer ball, splashing in the tub, an uneventful grocery run, and kissing blond heads at bedtime."

Heidi loves the following statement by Marjorie Pay Hinckley. We think it sums up Heidi very well:

I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.

I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn.

I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.

I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.

I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.

Thank you for sharing, Heidi! Something tells me you have mud on the tires, grass stains on your shoes, and peanut butter on your shirt (from making your awesome peanut butter sandwiches) and you look fabulous!

Don't forget to to show some love to Heidi by leaving comment! Let's make Heidi have the BEST Monday ever!!!

And the Winner Is...

2010-10-09T13:12:00.003-05:00

The winner of our Mommy Essentials bag is...

Kristen of The Grizzimes!

Congratulations!

Busy, busy on this beautiful fall day. Working on my Tokyo Subway Map quilt.

I'm getting close. I'm working on block 20 of 25!!!

Katie is working on a sweet little pumpkin costume for her little punkin.

And I'm starting a new little boy baby quilt for a friend with these fabrics.

I'm so excited to do something for a little boy!

{this moment}

2010-10-08T15:37:00.001-05:00

{this moment}

inspired by soule mama

One Small Change- October

2010-10-07T11:07:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's October already!

I love October and all it brings with it. Namely, the fall weather. The leaves changing. Fires in the fireplace. Hot mugs of tea sipped while enjoying the cooler weather outside. Long walks. Sweaters.

I love fall!

October also brings a new habit for Hip Mountain Mama's One Small Change.

In September, we made the switch to all cloth napkins. We LOVE our cloth napkins!

For October, we're doing something a little bigger. (Or at least bigger for french-fry addicts like Nana and I... admitting our addiction is the first step, right?)

We are boycotting McDonald's and all other fast food chains.

We are doing this for several reasons. First, we are trying to support, through our purchases, more local businesses and farmers. As Eric Schlosser points out in Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, the meat packing industry- partly driven by the fast food industry- exploits immigrant labor in horrific ways. Additionally, as the number of recalls and disease outbreaks recently have highlighted, our meat is not always safe. Rather than supporting the corporate giants and mega-farms that raise beef for fast food companies, we would like to support local businesses by purchasing and eating meat from places like A Cut Above Natural Meats. Plus, their meat is ethically raised, not given any antibiotics, steroids, or growth hormones!

Second, fast food chain food is just not good for us. When giving in to temptation and hunger, I usually just opt for some french fries - they don't have all the ickiness associated with the above mentioned beef , right? Wrong. Again, go back to Eric Schlosser's book. He tells us why the french fries are so delicious and so bad for us. You can read about it here. Essentially, it boils down to "natural flavor." What exactly is natural flavor? Not natural, that's for sure! And, as the largest buyer of potatoes in the US, do you think McDonald's contributes to corporate farms and GMOs? You betcha. McDonalds buys potatoes from corporate food giant Monsanto. At one point in time, McDonalds fries were made out of GMO potatoes. While those have since been pulled, it seems like it is only a matter of time before another GMO potato crops (a little pun to lighten the mood) up and sneaks into our fries. And then there is the very practical side of things. The calories. Zero nutritional content. A LOT of calories.

And, don't even get me started on their marketing practices. Why can children recognize Ronald McDonald but not a sweet potato?

{sigh}

Despite the convenience and the manufactured yumminess of those french fries, we're giving them up!

Instead, we will pack some extra granola bars for when our tummies rumble on the go.

And, when the craving hits, we'll slice up some real potatoes-- organic potatoes, potatoes bought locally when possible- sprinkle a little salt on them, maybe melt a little cheddar cheese (rBGH free, of course), and enjoy some REAL french fries.

My daughter, our pocketbooks, and our waistline thank us.

*image from freefoto.com

A Little Fall Runner

2010-10-06T12:19:00.005-05:00

I was inspired by a pattern

that was posted on Oh, Frannson

a couple of weeks ago.

I had a little Saltbox Harvest charm pack just

waiting to be made into something.

And as usual, I had a helper.

Gotta get busy quilting!

A Sampler

2010-10-05T07:58:00.007-05:00

I started reading Jennifer Chiaverrini's Elm Creek Quilts series by chance.

Just found one in the library one day and decided to give it a try.

It had a quilt on the cover after all!

I have since read them all.

I was in my local quilt shop one day and happen to see this book

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

I have never done a sampler so I bought the book and decided to give it a try.

I decided that I just wanted a throw for my bedroom so I used a fat quarter bundle of

Fig and Plum by Fig Tree Quilts for Moda.

My dilemma now is how to quilt a sampler.

Do I just use an all over pattern and machine quilt it?

Or do I hand quilt it and quilt each block individually?

Help!

What would you do?

Don't forget about our giveaway! You can get to that post from here!

Also check out Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story!

Meet Jenny!

2010-10-04T13:21:00.001-05:00

Not-a-Mama

aka Jenny

aka Aunt Jenny

aka J.B.

(junior boss or jelly bean, depending on who you ask)

Jenny is funny! She is silly, sweet, and smart.
And she is a big time poser!

She loves her family. Loves her new kitty, Libby.

Loves her school (Boomer Sooner!). And loves to cook. She's a messy left handed one,
but a good make-up-her-own-recipe kind of cook.

Jenny is the silliest and youngest of Nana's five kids.
She can brighten any room and is loyal and honest.
She loves to watch The Office and makes us all laugh with her
well-timed Dwight or Michael quotations.

"That's what she said."

She LOVES Jack Johnson.
Mrs. Jack Johnson.
Jenny and Jack.
Jenny Johnson.
Might work if he weren't already married.
A girl can aways dream!
Here she is at his concert last month.
I think he sang several songs just for her!

As silly as she is, she is a serious scholar. She is a junior, getting her degree in
Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences from the University of Oklahoma.

SONOgraphy. Not stenography.
(As in sonographs and ultrasounds.)

And she is a serious chef. From gluten free baked goodies to hearty fall meals, she makes it all.

And she is ours, and we love her.

We love you, Aunt Jenny!

A Giveaway! updated

2010-09-30T14:51:00.002-05:00

** And the winner is: Kristen of The Grizzimes!**

Check out her blog- super cute! Thank you all for playing. Let us know what you'd like to see next time!

Don't we all love a giveaway?

Free stuff?!

Free stuff is good.

Free good stuff?!

Good stuff that's free is even better!

Which is why we're giving away a super cute nursing cover,

3 coordinating burp cloths, and a coordinating tote bag!

These genuine mama-made burp cloths are made out of 100% cotton fabric and a 70/30 poly-cotton microfiber that is naturally antibacterial, super-absorbant, and very soft!

This super-stylish mama-made nursing cover slips over a nursing mama's head easily with an adjustable strap. Boning in the neckline makes eye contact with baby a breeze.

No longer nursing? No problem! This would make a very sweet baby gift (and you don't even have to wrap it- just put everything in the tote).

You have 4 chances to win:

1. Follow Sew Many Mamas.

2. "Like" us on Facebook.

3. Repost our give-away on your blog and leave us a link in your comment.

4. Submit yourself or another deserving mama to be featured on Meet-A-Mama Monday (for details go to our "Know A Mama?" tab).

Leave a comment for each entry, making sure to leave your name and email address so we can contact you! Comments will stay open for one week (to give you a chance to get your Meet-A-Mama Monday submissions together). That means comments will close on Friday, October 8th at 5 pm. We'll pick a winner using random.org and announce the lucky person by Saturday!

Meatloaf Sandwiches

2010-09-29T07:58:00.000-05:00

I know, I know.

Meatloaf?

Kind of uninspired, right?

But, oh! Meatloaf sandwiches!

They are the ultimate remind you of your mama-forget your worries (or that extra pound)- life is good kind of food.

And Pioneer Woman's Meatloaf makes really, really good meatloaf sandwiches.

You can find the recipe here or in
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl.

Of course, having a gluten-free girl in the house, as well as a really bad grocery shopper... (I always forget to double check to make sure that everything on my list ends up in my cart. I figure, if I write it down on the list, it should end up in my cart. But it doesn't seem to work that way.)

Anyways.

I had to modify it a bit.

The result? MmmMmm good meatloaf!

But even better sandwiches!

Here's what I substituted:

1 cup skim milk for whole milk,

3-4 slices gluten free bread (we used Udi's) for 6 slices regular bread

1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground turkey for 2 lbs. of ground beef,

1/2 cup chopped onions
and 1/2 cup chopped celery

The rest of the ingredients for the meatloaf were the same.

For the sauce, I used 1 1/4 cup ketchup and 1/3 cup brown sugar. I didn't have any tabasco on hand, so I used some crushed red pepper. How much? A few shakes. A taste. And then a few more shakes.
(Can you tell? I am a very precise chef.)

The end result was a meatloaf that I know I will make again.
And again, and again!!!

Invitation to Join Meet-A-Mama Monday

2010-09-27T21:51:00.002-05:00

Being a mama can sometimes be a difficult job!

Whether you are a stay-at-home mama, a mama who works outside the home, a single mama, a mama-to-be, a mama with grown children, a fur-child mama (a dog or cat... duh!), or a "mama" to the neighbor kids... we can all use a little encouragement sometimes. A reminder that what we are doing makes a difference... that we each have unique gifts... that we are more than just a milk-making-machine... that other women admire and love us and can be inspired by us.

We would like to make Meet-A-Mama Monday a place where we can introduce a mama to an encouraging community and celebrate the incredible talents of women of all kinds.

Plus, we think it is a neat-o way to get to "know" some other mamas and celebrate their talents.

Want to participate? Go to our tab: "Know a Mama?" to get the details.

Can't wait to meet you!

Meet a Mama Monday

2010-09-27T08:13:00.003-05:00

Meet Diane

Mama to three grown daughters, Grandma to seven grandchildren,
wife to my big brother for the past 45 years!!!,
She's thoughtful, reliable, kind and a QUILTER!

Whenever Diane and I get together we love to talk fabric. It's fun to share and shop and plan.
We've talked about opening our own quilt shop.

In an inspired moment, instead of a quilt shop, I suggested that if big brother Frank were truly a good husband he would buy his sweet wife a long arm quilter
(Diane had suggested it a time or two or three too).

Well...

Guess what...

And look who else likes to use it...

Yep, it's Quilter Frank!
Good job, brother!

Diane lives in Arizona and I always see color and pattern inspiration in her quilts from the
AZ desert and the Native American art that abounds there.

Lakota Star

Hopi Sun

Beautiful quilting

One of her favorite quilting books is a

Quilt in a Day publication called

Bears in the Woods Quilt.

She used several ideas from it to make this wall hanging...

the black bears wandering around their Colorado cabin
also must have added some inspiration!

Diane's quilts can also be soft and old fashioned.

Gotta admire a quilter that can actually finish an appliqued quilt!

(my attempts always turn into a pillow - one pillow!)

She also loves to make special quilts for her grandkids, nieces and nephews!

My brother and his quilting wife (and her sewing machine) travel around

our beautiful country sightseeing and visiting family and friends.

She has led such a busy exciting life... farmer's daughter, hot air balloon pilot,

Road Rally Racer, tour guide for middle schoolers.

Diane is also a newly retired middle school science teacher.

Talk about patience! Middle school kids and my brother!!!

Thank you Diane : )

Can't wait to see your next project.

We may get our quilt shop yet!

Snuggie for Dogs

2010-09-25T08:22:00.002-05:00

You've heard of the Snuggie. But, have you heard of the Snuggie for Dogs?

Who would buy such a thing?

And force their dog to wear it?

I bet you were wondering this very thing when you saw the tv advertisement:

;

Surely people don't actually buy this. Especially not people who are tightening up their budget, foregoing Starbucks, and trying to live more frugal.

I know you all are dying to know who in the world would actually buy this?!? And then, who would actually put this on their very own dog?!?

Well, wonder no longer, my friends.

I have answered the age-old question: Who actually buys the Snuggie for Dogs?

Ummm... guilty.

I bought it. And he was not so happy about it.

this moment

2010-09-24T07:31:00.001-05:00

{this moment}

inspired by soule mama

Sometimes You Just Gotta Let Go...

2010-09-23T10:57:00.000-05:00

So the last few days I've been feeling like a slave. A slave to my house, a slave to my children, a slave to our animals, just a plain old slave. Todd's been working like a dog this week so we haven't been able to see much of him, which doesn't help. I fold a load of laundry and before I get it all put away another load needs to be put in. I spend an hour making a healthy, delicious meal and my kiddos decide tonight they don't like chicken, zucchini, and roasted potatoes. What happenes?? My babies are whining for something else and I try not to cry as I sit at my table and eat by myself as the cat picks at the dinner Kamrynn so sweetly threw on the floor. I think to myself, "I guess that means I get to mop the floor for the eleventh time today." Sigh....

Taylor was just into everything yesterday! Paint, floss, markers, nail polish, water...everything! I was super frustrated yesterday but woke up today with a new outlook! Today I decided if I can't beat em, join em!! So, we redecorated the house with Taylor's newest creations. Her beautiful drawings are hanging all over the doors, the walls, the furniture, the fridge. I realize sometimes you just gotta let go, take a break from being just a caretaker, and have some fun with your kiddos!!

Erin

Mockingjay!

2010-09-21T08:52:00.001-05:00

There will be a break in our regularly scheduled program

due to this...

Third book in the Hunger Games Trilogy, can't put it down!

OK, one little picture of a new project:

Meet a Mama Monday

2010-09-20T08:14:00.001-05:00

Meet Trendy Mama

aka - Erin

Erin is the life of the party! She's happy, energetic and loves babies and animals.
She always has a smile on her face and a baby in
arms. (hers and/or her nieces)

She's naughty.
(Auntie Erin gave little E her first taste of ice cream)

And fun.

And she loves being a mom.

They love to camp, fish, and hike.

(just had to include this grubby little camping cutie!)

She's a wonderful photographer

This is one busy mama!

Erin also plans the best parties-- wedding showers, baby showers, birthday parties. She's a theme kind of girl: sweet invitations, delicious food, and adorable cupcakes - all coordinated!

Wedding Shower

"BeeBee" shower

T's 3rd birthday

In her spare time, she likes to sew.

Nifty aprons

Baby Taggy blanket

But, what is most important to Erin is her faith, family, and friends. She has a heart of gold and will drop everything to help someone out. She loves with her whole heart and makes people feel better just by being around her.

Tokyo Subway Quilt - Row 1

2010-09-19T21:04:00.000-05:00

I'm done with Row 1 and am having so much fun putting it together!

I love the batiks - such beautiful colors.

And here is the real Tokyo Subway map! I feel lost just looking at it.

Can't imagine trying to navigate through that maze!

Family Quilts

2010-09-18T08:26:00.002-05:00

We decorate sugar cookies at Grandma's house at Christmas time.

We have a bubble-gum blowing contest at the Mulnix family reunion.

And, when we have our first baby, Nana makes us a family quilt.

To begin, Nana picks a book that has meaning for our family. She picks books that have a message we want to pass down to our children. For Trendy Mama's family, she picked Bear of My Heart by Joanne Ryder. Trendy Mama and her family love to camp and fish, so this story about a sweet little baby bear and her mom (or dad) who explore outside is perfect for them. And the message the parent bear tells its cub -- "You are the bear of my heart, dear, and I am the one who loves you..." what a sweet refrain for Trendy Mama's family. Trendy Mama's cubs truly are the bears of her heart and she and her hubby are the ones who love those cubs with all of the fibers of their beings. And, those cubs know it!

So Nana picked the perfect book.

After she has selected the book, she designs a quilt that represents the book. My words cannot do this quilt (or our family quilt which I'll write about later) justice. It is perfect - each fabric is selected with care, each stitch has meaning, and for the rest of our lives...and our children's lives...and their children's lives... this quilt will remind them that they are loved by many.

This family quilt is not just for that precious first baby. Instead, it represents the beginning of the family.

The best part about this quilt is how it evolves. When the babies are little, they can lay on it and play. Taylor could find the fish swimming in the stream. Now, Taylor and her sister, Kami, can point to the mama bear and the baby bear and trace the quilted heart in between them. Mama can read the story as her girls are on sitting on the blanket.

The quilt hangs in the girls' playroom as a constant reminder of their family story: That they are the bears of their parents' heart... they are the bears of their Nana and Pappy's hearts... that they are the bears of their family's hearts... and we are all the ones that love them!

To Work or Not to Work...

2010-09-16T16:52:00.000-05:00

I remember discussing career options with my mom when I was in high school. She encouraged me to think of careers that might be more likely to offer flexible scheduling so I could spend time with my future family.

That's how she saw it at least.

At the time, I saw it as her limiting my options, trying to force me into a career that was generally deemed “woman’s work.”

Like being a teacher or a nurse instead of a lawyer or a doctor.

Don’t get me wrong. She always supported me and encouraged me to do whatever I wanted to do. She just always reminded me to consider what would happen when I had a family.

Did I listen to Mom?

Does anyone listen to their parents when they are offering genuine, helpful advice that doesn’t directly support her own particular notion of how the world works at that time?

No.

I had it all figured out. I talked to many working moms over the years and asked them how they managed to balance career and a family. (No matter that I was asking people who were working, so obviously they were at least somewhat happy with their job situation. I ignored that part.) They offered me helpful advice, like hire good daycare, divide household chores, and buy prepared cupcakes for school birthday parties instead of making them.

I asked myself if I could take their advice.

Could I give up the idea that I had to be room-mom? Yes.

Could I relinquish some control and allow my husband to pick up our kids from daycare. Sure.

Would I be willing to buy store treats sometimes instead of homemade. Yup, no problem. (For those who know me, go ahead and start laughing...when have I ever brought store-bought anything to any sort of gathering?)

Turns out, I was failing to ask myself the most important, fundamental question of all:

Would I be willing to leave my child in the care of someone else for 40+ hours each week?

The answer to that is (and always has been) no.

But, I was so hell-bent on proving that I was a liberated, liberal, independent woman who could do anything she wanted that I forgot to listen to my own heart.

So I went to college and got a four year degree... went to graduate school and got a masters... went to law school and got a J.D. And then I landed a job at a prestigious law firm. I pushed my Birkenstocks to the back of the closet and bought a pair of black pumps. I bought multiple suits. And I loved it. Since work was slow, hubby and I decided it was a good time to try to get pregnant. And, lucky for us, I got pregnant.

I worked my tail off before and after I was pregnant. I argued cases in court- and won. I drafted briefs. I talked to clients. I also put off making childcare decisions. (Clue #1.)

Maybe we’ll get a nanny, I told myself. But I didn’t interview any nannies. I didn’t even advertise for one. (Clue #2.)

The week before my little one was born, I finally looked at, and put a deposit down on a wonderful Montissori daycare down the street from us. I told my mom and sisters how perfect it was. They served organic food. They allowed the children to learn at their own pace. They loved each child and allowed them to experience nature. And when my well-meaning mom and sisters asked if I was going to be okay putting Karis in daycare, I said sure. I had to be. We needed the income (to afford our giant student loan debt incurred while getting my law degree and hubby going through medical school).

And then I had my little baby.

My sweet, precious, darling little girl.

It’s tempting to say I changed. Or my perspective changed. But it didn’t. Nothing changed at all. I was just forced to ask myself the question I had been avoiding since I was old enough to avoid it: Can I leave my child in someone else’s care?

The answer remained, no.

So I blamed it on my job. I couldn’t work 80 hours a week, but I could work 40. I found an awesome job - a dream job. One that people spend a lifetime looking for. I have an awesome boss. I work for an awesome institution. They created a position just for me. They pay me well. They let me go part-time.

But, I still couldn’t leave my little girl with someone else.

So, my mom came to stay with us. Just for a month. Until I was ready to put her in an in-home daycare with a wonderful woman near my new job.

And then the month was up, and I couldn’t do it.

My mom moved in.

And now, almost four months into working part-time: I still cry every morning on my way to work. I still cry every night as I drive home. The person that used to be a diligent worker who could only think about work, took on extra projects, and sometimes forgot to eat because she was so engrossed in a project (once again, for those who know me, forgetting to eat is BIG)... she was gone. I now barely can focus on work. All I can think about is what is Karis doing. Is she sleeping? Is she hungry? Does she wonder where her mommy is? Does she think Nana is her mom? Can I work from home? Should we sell the house?

And those are just the day-to-day questions, there are many more:

What do I tell my daughter when she wants to be a doctor? How to I tell her what Mom tried so hard to tell me? Can I ever describe what it is like to have your heart living outside your body in this beautiful little human being?

And there are, of course, big picture questions:

How does this change my definition of feminism? Is there truly a movement towards a more self-sufficient lifestyle, centered around the home? And what is my role in that movement?

I have so many questions and so few answers.

What I do know is this: Mom, as she usually is, was right.

Like she has always said, there are some wonderful mommies and daddies out there who work outside the home. I aspire to be like some of those mommies. But, it is not in my DNA. I may love practicing law, but turns out I love being at home...

with my baby...

all day...

every day...

with all the laundry, bodily fluids, chores, stresses, and other not-so-fun aspects of staying at home that comes with it...

Sewing Buddy

2010-09-15T09:18:00.003-05:00

This little Sweet Pea likes to play in the sewing room!

There are lots of fun toys with interesting texture, shape and color.

I remember playing at my mother's feet while she was sewing.

I loved going through each scrap of fabric, stacking her spools of thread,

playing with her button box.

Incredible memories!

My children did the same. Playing with their sewing toys, the hum of the machine,

a smiling mommy : )

And now my grandchildren are enjoying their time in the sewing room!

1 small box of fabric + 1 tape measurer + 1 pencil box + 1 - 4" piece of elastic =

1 happily exploring baby!

Meet a Mama Monday

2010-09-13T07:46:00.002-05:00

Meet Green Mama

aka: Katie

Katie is a intellect, a lawyer, an avid reader -

she LOVES books.

She is either holding a book

her sweet little one.

What a good mama she is too.

And she has turned out to be quite a lactivist.

Translation - lactation activist!

She's kind, gentle, and quiet...

until she's in the courtroom, or defending her point of view!

The girl knows how to argue : )

She is sentimental, understanding, a stresser (self-admittedly),

committed, creative,

an enthusiastic project starter (working on the finishing part!), and loyal.

She is earthy - using cloth diapers, eating organically, recycling.

She is a quilter, crafter, scrap-booker, writer, and a yogi.

She's our sweet daughter, sister, and aunt.

Stuck

2010-09-11T12:22:00.000-05:00

My little pumpkin is trying so hard to crawl. She is pushing up on her hands and trying so hard to push off with those feet. But, she can't get anywhere yet. She's still stuck in the same place I put her down.

Her mama is stuck too.

On one hand, I am overjoyed that she is growing and developing. She is healthy and happy.

But on the other hand, I feel like my little baby is slipping away before my very eyes. I'm not ready for this stage with her to end, but I'm looking forward to the next stage too. With more poignancy than I have ever felt before, I know that I will never get this moment back.

I know what I should do. I should savor each moment. Live in each moment. And not dwell on yesterday or tomorrow. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.

Knowing what I should do and actually doing it are two different things sometimes.

But, I don't want to miss this moment because I am so worried about the next. So, I'll keep trying. And, in the meantime, thank goodness for cameras, and blogs, and family with whom you can reminisce (even if your musings are only about two days ago).

Thanks, Graham, for capturing this amazing moment.

Green Mama

{this moment}

2010-09-10T08:05:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Soule Mama

Tokyo Subway Quilt-along

2010-09-08T22:15:00.009-05:00

I knew I wanted to attempt this beautiful quilt the first time I saw it, here.

Then, Elizabeth Hartman at Oh, Fransson started a

Tokyo Subway Quilt-Along!

I've finished block 1

I'm loving it so far : )

starting on block 2 tomorrow!

Tami

Cutest Baby Skirt

2010-09-08T09:01:00.002-05:00

I'm always looking for sweet little prints for my grand-daughters

and when I found this lovely little number ~

(Leanika by Dena Designs) "Lovebirds"

I knew I had to make a little something for my four little girls!

What a fun and simple little skirt!

One down, three to go : )

Jenny's Quilt

2010-09-07T10:29:00.001-05:00

Ok, so my youngest is a junior at OU

(boomer sooner!!!)

and she needed a little comfort from home:

a quilt

But not just any quilt. A quilt that is fun and modern. A quilt that will help make a room beautiful. A quilt that reminds a little girl, who may not be so little anymore, that mama is always thinking of her, is always there for her, and always loves her. Always.

Pop Garden Filmstrip is just the quilt. Don't you think?

The design was inspired by Crazy Mom Quilts' Filmstrip quilt.

I used Heather Bailey's Pop Garden fabric.

Love this fabric, love this quilt, LOVE my girl!

Five Years

2010-09-04T07:56:00.001-05:00

This cutie-patootie is almost five:

What a difference five years can make!

Five years ago today, I married that little cutie.

We were just graduating from graduate school, with masters in education. Pretty broke. Living in a little apartment. And oh, so happy.

In just five years we...

adopted a puppy, who is now a grumpy-old dog.

bought a house.

I finished law school.

He can now put, M.D. after his name.

This was his white coat ceremony- the beginning of being a Dr.

And, we have the most precious daughter in the world.

It's hard to think in five years, she will be celebrating a big birthday with cupcakes, streamers, and paper hats! What a difference five years makes!

Happy anniversary, honey!

Yummy Mama

2010-09-03T08:19:00.000-05:00

Our Trendy Mama, Erin, has been busy!

First, she made some darling aprons for Mama and her girl.

Then, the two of them made some yummy

banana bread together!

(check out their recipe below)

Erin's Banana Bread

1 stick melted butter

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

3 bananas (mashed)

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups flour

1/2 cup nuts (optional) - Trendy Mama uses pecans.

Mix in order of ingredients.

Pour into greased bread pan.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

Pretty dang easy!! : )

Cloth Napkins updated with pictures

2010-09-02T09:24:00.001-05:00

I was very fortunate to grow up with two parents who cared for each other, us, and the earth. They didn't use cloth diapers because they were trendy. They used them because they were better for our planet (and less expensive). They didn't recycle because the neighbors all did, they recycled because it was the right thing to do. I don't know if they realized then how much they were teaching us about ecology and social responsibility. They are invaluable lessons that I hope to pass along to my daughter.

I only recently learned about Hip Mountain Mama's One Small Change challenge. What a fun way to encourage moving towards a more sustainable, earth-friendly life. And, how perfect. Because, with a new baby, about all I can handle right now is one small change a month!

So, our small change for September is really small... but important. Cloth napkins! I'm putting away the paper towels and making some repurposed cloth napkins today. Cloth napkins have a double bonus of being much prettier than paper towels anyways. ~~I'll post pictures when I'm done!~~

Here's our first round of cloth napkins! (Apparently, I like green.)

Don't you love the mitered corners?

Calendar Quilt

2010-09-01T07:49:00.000-05:00

Is anyone still working on their calendar quilt for the

Calendar Quilt Challenge???

The one that was supposed to take ONE year to complete?

Like the one I started in May of 2009?

As you can see from the photo below, I am either

7 months behind

1 month ahead : )

I think I'm going with 1 month ahead!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (can be made gluten free)

2010-08-31T06:57:00.000-05:00

Do I hear trumpets in the background? A parade going by? Angels singing a Hallelujah chorus?

Because, seriously, these are good cookies.

Opps! No cookies left to take a picture!

The best part? They can be made gluten free and are just as good as the gluten-filled cookies. I served the gluten-free version to some friends who stopped by yesterday -- who are gluten eaters -- and they thought they were good. And helped themselves to seconds.

It's been awhile since I have personally tasted these cookies with gluten. But, I dream about them they are so yummy.

Annie's Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grab a bag of chocolate chips, an apron from our Trendy Mama, and preheat your ovens to 375.

2/3 cup Crisco

2/3 cup butter (1 stick, plus 3 Tablespoons), softened

(I know, Crisco and butter. These cookies are worth it!)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour (or if you're making GF cookies, use 3 1/2 cups gluten free flour- I used Pamela's baking mix. Add 2 teaspoons xanthan gum to the flour.)

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

12 oz chocolate chips (plus a few for eating and a few more thrown in for good measure)

Cream Crisco, butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla together. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ones. Add chocolate chips gently. Roll dough into small balls and place on an UNGREASED cookie sheet 2'' apart. (I promise, ungreased and far apart.) Bake 3 minutes on the top rack. Place cookie sheet on the bottom rack for another 4 to 5 minutes. (For a total baking time of 7 to 8 minutes.) When you take them out of the oven, they will not look done. But they are. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. If you eat them while they are still hot, they will be gooey in the middle.

Try not to eat them ALL while they are hot.

Sew Many Mamas

Fabric Drawer Liner

Quilt Sandwich Time

Bubble Skirt for my Bubble Girl!

Lancaster County, PA

Spring Pants

Meet a Mama Monday - Meet Robin!

this moment - breakfast (a little blurry)

A Little Spring

IMG_2361

String Quilt

Oooo, pretty!

Happy Birthday, Karis ... part 1: The Cake

Snow Day

The Stella Pixie Hat

Meet a Mutt Monday

Finally

Nine Months

Homemade Coffee Creamer

Meet-A-Mama Monday: Sampling

Cousins!

Prima Papa

Meet a Mama Monday

{this moment}

Homemade Hair Bows

A trip "home"

Meet Heather

Honey-do List

Happy (yummy) Halloween

opps!

Baby Boy Blanket

Meet Audra!

Oh What a Busy Day!

{this moment}

Fall Table Runner

Easy Halloween Costume

Nine Patch Plaid

Meet Linda!

Fall Yummies

{this moment}

Savings Galore

Hidden Message

Meet Heidi

And the Winner Is...

{this moment}

One Small Change- October

A Little Fall Runner

A Sampler

Meet Jenny!

A Giveaway! *updated*

Meatloaf Sandwiches

Invitation to Join Meet-A-Mama Monday

Meet a Mama Monday

Snuggie for Dogs

this moment

Sometimes You Just Gotta Let Go...

Mockingjay!

Meet a Mama Monday

Tokyo Subway Quilt - Row 1

Family Quilts

To Work or Not to Work...

Sewing Buddy

Meet a Mama Monday

Stuck

{this moment}

Tokyo Subway Quilt-along

Cutest Baby Skirt

Jenny's Quilt

Five Years

Yummy Mama

Cloth Napkins *updated with pictures*

Calendar Quilt

Chocolate Chip Cookies (can be made gluten free)

A Giveaway! updated

Cloth Napkins updated with pictures