More on Sewing & Dreaming of Sewing

I've started naming my bags. This one is Grace & she's my current favorite. I think that vintage floral pillowcase looks lovely against the gray. Anyway, I've added this bag to the shop. I've got a couple more really fun ideas for bags in my head. Hopefully I'll be able to knock them out soon.

I've also been thinking about how I'm going to make my mobile for the swap. Actually....it keeps coming to my mind in the middle of the night when Claire wakes up for her feeding. I think I've got it all worked out in my head, hopefully it comes out as lovely as I'm imagining it.

30 Days - 24

Helping Sadie make her valentine cards.

30 Days - 23

Trying to fit a little bit of this in today. I need a much quieter machine. Like my spoiled little sister's bernina. Then I could sew while my guy & I watched tv or movies.

Like that pile of fabric there. I think Dylan loves it....heh. Yeah, there's really not any room for that on my shelves with the rest of my stash. I seriously need to take some action. Cleaning & reorganizing....or maybe a little destash sale.

Some Links For You Today

* These Light Turkey Meatballs from Everyday Food are delicious. We had them with spaghetti a few nights ago & will be making the Mini Barbecue Meatball Sliders tonight using our favorite barbecue sauce. I love that you freeze these & they are ready the next time you want use them.

* I love this seriously cute handmade toy idea. I'm putting this on my growing list of stuff I want to make if & when I have time.

* Still in the organizing mood? Check out the kiddlet wall pocket tutorial from JC Handmade. I believe that I need a few of these throughout the house. Perhaps even a grown up version for me.

* Here's a link with info on how to stop all that junk mail. Go green!

* I'm sad about the death of a great man, but happy that he will be together with his wife again.

“May the sunlight of faith ever warm your hearts. May you grow in strength and capacity as the years pass. May your outreach to others be as that of the good Samaritan. May the service which you render be fruitful for good in the lives of others. May prayer be a part of your daily activity. May reading enhance your knowledge and increase your understanding. May you be true and faithful one to another, and may the years bring to you that peace which passeth all understanding, the peace which comes of following the precepts of the Master”

- Gordon B. Hinkley. 15th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

30 Days - 22

Quick stop for milk & a few other items. Baby up top is sleeping on the go again.

30 Days - 21

Hubba hubba! It's nice to have him home on the weekends...looking so good for church with his scruffy beard & cool tie that I thrifted for him.

Last night I fell asleep at 9pm. He did the dishes for me so that there would be clean bottles for the baby. That's love.

30 Days - 20

Napping in the car while Daddy & Sadie run into the library.

More From Today

The frost on my windshield this morning was so pretty.




Claire is 9 months old now. She weighed 19 lbs. 2 oz. at her well baby visit this morning. She's in the 55th percentile for both height & weight. She's doing great.

She's cruising around and will even move between different pieces of furniture. Those first steps may be just around the corner. She has her two bottom teeth. The first tooth came in on Christmas Eve. It's been hard to get her to sleep in her crib. She prefers me holding her. So her nap schedule has been quite off. Seems like she is functioning okay with just an afternoon nap. She loves eating & feels quite left out if she's not included so she gets bites of everybody's snacks. She loves to gnaw on my car keys & has started to develop quite a liking for Elmo. She is very, very, very excited to see Dylan when he gets home from work & she loves playing with her sister. She can be quite serious at times & then a little crazy monkey at other times. We love her.

30 Days - 19

Tearing it up in the doctor's office. This was actually taken once the appointment was finished. I absolutely LOVE our pediatrician. We never have to wait in the waiting room or in the exam room. They take good care of us.

30 Days - 18

Blurry child running up the back stairs. One of those that I didn't like at first glance because of the blur, but ended up really liking after I gave it another look.

30 Days - 17

I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss my dishwasher. Trying to protect my super dry hands with these silly gloves from Target's dollar spot.

30 Days - 16

I love to stick my face in that warm spot on her neck & give her kisses when she's fresh from her nap.

30 Days - 15

Thrift day. I took the girls out in 18 degree weather & found all this fabric yardage.

30 Days - 14

Sunday dinner.

Things I love about this photo:

1. Dylan's bed head from our Sunday nap.
2. Sadie eating with her hands (well, don't really love this one, but it's typical).
3. The dog under the table, right near the girls. Just waiting for food to drop.
4. Little Claire is so involved these days with dinner. She's right there with us eating what we're eating.

30 Days - 13

Lately she likes to snuggle up close & read books with me.

30 Days - 12

Love this face!

30 Days - 11

Surprise happy mail from Aunt Caitlin. Sadie told Caitlin over Christmas that she didn't have a wallet. So Caitlin sent one of her extras.

Me: "Wasn't that so nice of Aunt Caitlin?"
Sadie: "It's a lovely gift."
"I love my wallet."
"See it's zipper here?"
"I love Caitlin."
"I have three, four monies."
"I want to take my wallet to Giant Eagle"

Seriously, she wouldn't stop talking about it. Thanks Caitlin! That was so sweet of you.

30 Days - 10

Lunch tastes better with a brand new pair of dress up shoes. ($2.50 Target clearance!)

30 Days - 9

Snowy & windy.

30 Days - 8

At the library....moving on to something else.

30 Days - 7

Rainy day moss. On the stone pathway that leads to the garbage cans in our back yard. I think it's beautiful. And yes, it's raining here. The snow is on it's way.

30 Days - 6

Playing house with Sadie with the peg people we made on our trip to Las Vegas. I brought along wooden doll pegs & markers & we colored them to make little people. This filled our time while we were delayed at both the Cleveland & Chicago airports. It really kept Sadie's attention for quite a while. Dylan, of course, made the man in the red shirt.


It was hard to choose just one photo for yesterday. These two are the ones I ruled out. Sadie dressed herself & we were under the attack of a giant baby while playing house.



So it goes with photo a day....I have too many choices for yesterday & still not one photo taken today. I'm losing light quickly. What am I going to do?

30 Days - 5

I was shocked at our last gas bill. It costs a lot of money to heat this old, poorly insulated apartment. We've been keeping it a lot cooler inside. Wearing sweatshirts & slippers at all times. I ordered two small, cheap space heaters from Amazon & they arrived today. Hoping the bill next month won't be as high.

30 Days - 4

Today's is a self portrait. I really do hate photos of myself. Can you tell? The color was just way off. I had to convert it to black & white. My sister-in-law Lilia gave me a really great haircut when I was down in Vegas. If you are looking for a stylist in Vegas, let me know. I can get you her info.

Handmade Christmas - Sock Monkeys

The completed sock monkeys. I planned on adding accessories to these like a scarf or a bow on the head. Sadie liked the bow idea. That is yet to be done.




Claire really likes her monkey. She laughs whenever she sees it. She likes the long arms & legs for holding on to & flinging it around. It warmed my heart last week when Sadie had to sleep with her monkey curled up under her arm one night. I'm glad that I made them.

30 Days - 3

Claire was here.

Etsy talk

I had some exciting things happen on etsy last weekend. My orange pillow was picked for a treasury that ended up on the front page & the pillow sold. As far as I know that is the first time that anything of mine has been on the front page.

I also got the chance to make up my own treasury. It was robot themed & wouldn't you know it....etsy decided to put it up on the front page. Also a first for me. It was pretty fun.


I spotted this pyrex bowl this weekend & added it to the shop already. Dylan made the comment that someday we will have the coolest stuff. Someday when I don't have to sell everything I find. Yes...someday.

30 Days - 2

A sleeping baby in my arms. The only way she would sleep yesterday. Teething?

30 Days - 1

As of yesterday I've decided to do a photo a day for 30 days to finally fill this lovely creation that my sweet husband made for me two birthdays ago. Geez! What is my deal!?!?! Hopefully it will get me back into the habit of taking photos every day.


This vintage polaroid camera was my gift for Dylan this Christmas. I love her hands in this photo & that little finger going for the red button.

She's Growing Up

Sadie started her dance class last week that. This is her Christmas gift from Dylan's mom. It always surprises me how well she does in completely new situations. There was a lot of excitement working up to this day. She did really well to follow the teacher's instructions, but every once in a while she'd get a burst of energy & run around the room & then come back to what she was supposed to be doing. She even cried a little when the class was over. These photos are not the greatest.




She also started sunbeams this week at church. She's moved out of the nursery where they get to play & now she's in a real Sunday school class. Again, she did great. Everybody kept telling me how good she was. I wish I would have taken my camera because she just looked so cute sitting on the front row in sharing time. The music leader told me that she was asking the kids how we get back to Heavenly Father & Sadie said "in a spaceship!". I have a feeling there will be lots of funny stories like this through the year.

A few other funny things Sadie says:

hipper hipper foray! = hip hip hooray

She told me recently that mermaids don't go potty...only people do.

She's growing up so fast. I don't know if I can handle it.

Footprints

It's warm here today. Like crazy warm. In the 60's. We've got the door open & we've been going outside barefoot. We're grilling some hamburgers tonight & pretending like it's summer. The cold will be back later this week.

I have so much to share, just having a hard time connecting with the blog right now. I promise I'll be back soon.

Todd Family Tradition

Out to look at lights on Christmas Eve. Dylan has done this his whole life. Santa comes to their house while they're out & they get to open presents when they get home. The past 4 or 5 years we've gone to this trailer park where one trailer is all decked out. The yard is set up with all these mannequins doing fun wintery, holiday stuff. It's creepy....& that's why we keep going back.

Cousins

Editing trip photos (slowly). The girls here with their only cousin on the Todd side, Ella. Oh, how cute are those little feet!

Happy New Year!

We are finally back home. Vegas was fun & I'm really glad we were able to get back "home" to see family. Sadie ended up getting sick & a trip to the emergency room revealed that she had a sinus infection. Poor girl wasn't her normal self & that makes me sad. She fell asleep in the car on the way home from the airport yesterday & slept for 18 hours. No joke. She is doing really well today.

I have been thinking about laundry & unpacking & getting things whipped into shape wound here. In my Christmas preparations of handmade gifts & holiday travels, I left this place pretty messy & dirty.

I've also been thinking about organizing. I love this time of year just for that organizing feeling that takes over. So, I'm starting a list of projects....organizing recipes, the kids clothes, my fabric & craft stuff.....etc.

I'm also beginning a list of resolutions. Which will include a focus on more healthy eating for the whole family, avoiding unnecessary spending & focusing on getting out of debt, and goals for a more successful etsy shop. I also have plans to sew some items for myself & my family. A "diaper" bag for me, a few quilts & some clothes for the girls.

And with all these swirling thoughts of the events of last year & hopes for the new year, I can't help but feel blessed. I love my family. I'm grateful to be the mom. I'm learning just how challenging the job is & trying to be better at it.

Photo by my sister Heather.

Happy New Year to all of you. Thanks for being a part if my life here on this little blog, which actually began as a new years resolution a few years back. I hope we all have a good 2008...filled with love & peace.