Sparkle Power!

Daily Photo :: 29

2012-01-29T20:23:00.000-08:00

Celebrating 91 years for my cute Grandma. I love her.

Daily Photo :: 28

2012-01-29T20:20:00.000-08:00

Poker Night with the girls. Good times.

Daily Photo :: 27

2012-01-27T20:50:00.000-08:00

My sister had to take one of my nephews to the hospital for an appendectomy. I took her two youngest boys for the day. I love that we live close & I can fill in for her. And when her 2 year old calls me "mama" I like to think that it's not because he can't say "Candace" or "Aunt" but that I actually remind him of his Mama. That I look a little like her or sound like her & that my lap feels like hers & is just as comfortable to fall asleep on.

Daily Photo :: 26

2012-01-26T12:38:00.000-08:00

Naps are getting better these days. He sleeps without having to be held & wakes up with soft, warm cheeks.

Daily Photo :: 25

2012-01-25T12:08:00.001-08:00

Filling my belly with lettuce for lunch today. Trying daily to put good in. Forgot when I was shopping a few days ago that I've been craving bell peppers. Would have kicked this salad up a notch.

Daily Photo :: 24

2012-01-24T17:25:00.000-08:00

Today I worked....slowly inching forward through a single project as I could find a few moments between baby feedings & laundry. I'm happy to have finished one garland but seriously depressed at how messy my house is.

Daily Photo :: 23

2012-01-23T17:49:00.000-08:00

I gave in. Their constant asking finally broke me. We skipped the grocery shopping & they painted.

** I forgot to take photos over the weekend, so days 21 & 22 are missing. Oh well!

Daily Photo :: 20

2012-01-20T22:47:00.000-08:00

All I do is hold this teething baby. Yep...that's it...nothing else.

Daily Photo :: 19

2012-01-19T17:10:00.000-08:00

Sock buns!

Vintage Sheet Shop Update

2012-01-19T15:14:00.000-08:00

I've added lots of great vintage sheeting fabrics to my little blue cloud vintage fabric shop! You'll find one yard & half yard fabric cuts available, as well as a few pillowcases. I've got more to come, so I'll keep you posted whenever I update. :)

Daily Photo :: 18

2012-01-18T14:58:00.000-08:00

4 months. 16 lbs. 12 oz. Sick, congested little boy. Teething. He's wearing us all out.

Daily Photo :: 17

2012-01-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

Doctor visits exhaust me. Or maybe it's just sitting in a small room with all of my energetic kids for over an hour that sucks it out of me.

Daily Photo :: 16

2012-01-16T13:59:00.000-08:00

One is waiting for me to let her out. The others are waiting to be photographed for my vintage sheet shop.

Daily Photo :: 15

2012-01-15T21:20:00.000-08:00

So much love for this squishy little boy.

Daily Photo :: 14

2012-01-14T16:37:00.000-08:00

At the park.

Daily Photo :: 13

2012-01-13T14:23:00.000-08:00

I have about one million things that I need to get done, still I find myself sitting here painting her nails.

Ruby's Yard Sale

2012-01-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

It started out with a little text message to my 4 sisters: "Hey, do you want to combine all our stuff & have a yard sale? We can give all the money to Russell & Caitlin for medical expenses."

The responses came back, "Yes!", "I'm in!", "Love this idea!"

We gathered our own no longer used items & then asked our friends to donate anything they we ready to part with.

We posted it on our blogs & on Facebook.

Donations in bags & boxes started showing up outside my parents garage. Some of us drove around collecting the offerings.

We started to run out of room for all of it. We all wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. We were overwhelmed. People were so generous! They were bringing really good, quality items.

There really wasn't even enough time to sort through everything. We did a good amount of sorting the day before. All of us siblings + our spouses & our children were involved in the work & we definitely needed all those hands.

We were surprised by some helpers that showed up early Saturday morning to help us with the sale. They were much needed! We were continuing to put items out until mid morning. None of the items were priced. Shoppers would just need to ask us how much. We wore yellow caution tape tied around our arms to indicate that we were the workers.

The people stared showing up to shop. The street was filled with parked cars. Caitlin's dad drove by & said he counted 40 cars. There were strangers...one gave me $10 for an item when I priced it at $5 because she saw that we had a cause. There were friends...some we hadn't seen in a while. We found moments when we could chat & laugh. It was busy & happy & really so much fun.

The kids set up a bake sale table. They were completely adorable. You could see how happy they were to have full responsibility running that table. I'd hear the little one's say, "This is Ruby's yard sale." I can't wait for the day when they all get to run & play with her.

We worked our tails off. We way exceeded my goal as far as funds raised. We could not have done all this without the help of so many.

This was such an amazing experience for me & for my family. I am so very happy that we got to be a part of this. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who were involved. Whether you donated, worked or shopped.....Thank you! People are so good & we can accomplish so much when we come together.

My parents are up in Boise right now visiting Russell, Caitlin & little Ruby. Word is that Ruby has now doubled her birth weight. She now weighs 2 lbs. 8 oz. We are celebrating that!!

**All photos by Heather Abbott**

Daily Photo :: 12

2012-01-12T16:04:00.000-08:00

Dear Tooth Fairy...Sorry I don't have a tooth for you.

Daily Photo :: 11

2012-01-11T11:24:00.000-08:00

I once heard Heidi Klum give this weight loss advice, "Exercise & don't eat carbs." Time to lose my pregnancy weight & I'm trying to follow this advice. So I'm having a green smoothie for lunch today. Need to figure out when I can fit in the exercise part, though.

Daily Photo :: 10

2012-01-10T16:34:00.001-08:00

Searching for treasures. It's one of my favorite things to do.

Daily Photo :: 9

2012-01-09T12:15:00.001-08:00

Fingernails.

Daily Photo :: 8

2012-01-08T20:00:00.001-08:00

Sleeping boys.

Daily Photo :: 7

2012-01-07T18:34:00.000-08:00

Some, but not all of the hard workers at the end of our massive yard sale. Lots of work. We are all tired. Still we keep saying that it was so worth it.

Daily Photo :: 6

2012-01-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

So much work today sorting through stuff for the yard sale tomorrow for little Ruby. Feeling overwhelmed & touched by everybody's generosity. Wondering if I'll get emotional tomorrow during the sale.

Daily Photo :: 5

2012-01-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

Driving to school.

Yard Sale for Ruby

2012-01-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

The yard sale for baby Ruby is almost here! We have been working so hard to get ready. So many wonderful donations have come in for the sale & I am super excited to go shopping! It's going to be a fun day. The kids are also putting together a bake sale table with yummy treats!

All the information is included in the adorable flyer above, designed by my youngest sister & freshly graduated graphic designer, Kimberly Church!

We can still accept donations of goods through Friday. And if you come shop, please be sure to say, "Hi". Thank you, thank you!!!

Daily Photo :: 4

2012-01-04T12:51:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite & most beautiful things about marriage is that we're always there with each other at times like this. I sat nervously in the waiting room & wished that I was the one in the bed instead of him.

** Dylan had a small outpatient surgery today. He's already home...resting & recovering well.

Daily Photo :: 3

2012-01-03T13:52:00.000-08:00

Reminding myself that I am accomplishing something when I'm holding this baby. Things will shift & change in no time & before I know it I'll be wishing that I had another little monkey baby attached to my body. So relax & enjoy him.

Daily Photo :: 2

2012-01-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

It's pretty much nonstop. You moms know how it goes.

Daily Photo :: 1

2012-01-01T20:39:00.000-08:00

The fact that I have three doesn't seem so strange to me anymore. It's like he's always been here. Like they've all always been here.

** This month I am going to try to post one photo + a few words daily. Who knows what each new day will bring. That's what makes it fun. Hope you'll enjoy the daily surprises along with me.

Top Knot Hat

2011-12-30T16:06:00.000-08:00

How do you feel about chunky little babies with big bright eyes in little hats? I love them & I particularly love this one. Finn is 3-1/2 months old now. He's filled out quite nicely, wouldn't you say? He's a little over 14 lbs. now. He talks up a storm (or coos, rather) & is working on grabbing toys. Pretty soon he'll even be rolling over, we think.

Finn needed a hat to wear out on Christmas Eve, so I quickly made him up a top knot hat using one of Dylan's old t-shirts. I chose a nice thick one with good stretch & it turned out perfect. I need to make a few more so that we have them ready to pop on this baby head throughout the winter.

I used the Top Knot Baby Hat Tutorial from Prudent Baby. I sized mine up just little bit to fit Finnegan's slightly bigger than newborn size head. :)

Garage Sale for Baby Ruby

2011-12-28T10:37:00.000-08:00

A little bit back, I briefly mentioned that my brother & sister-in-law had to have their baby prematurely. (Many of you commented & e-mailed me since then. Thank you so much for your thoughts & concern.) My sister-in-law developed eclampsia & it became necessary for her to deliver her sweet baby girl at only 24 weeks. Well, cute little Ruby was born & weighed only 1 lb. 3.8 oz. She is now one month old. She's done very well, but has had to have 2 surgeries already. One for a perforated bowel & one to close a valve in her heart. We have no idea how long she'll need to stay in the hospital.

Our family has really come together to pray for Ruby & her parents. They live in Idaho, while we're all in Nevada & we really wish that we could do anything & everything to help them to feel loved & supported through this time while Ruby is in the NICU.

My siblings & I have decided to organize a garage sale to raise funds for them to put towards Ruby's medical bills. At this time of year, we are all cleaning out our closets & organizing & figured it would be a good time to hold a garage sale.

The garage sale will be on Saturday, January 7th.

If you are local & would like to help, we would love it! Here's what you can do:

1. Donate items (no junk) for the garage sale. We would love it if you could deliver the items to us. Please note that the drop off location is in the East side of town. Please e-mail me at SparklePowerCandace@gmail.com for more details.

Anything left over will be donated to Deseret Industries thrift store.

2. Come shop the garage sale! I will keep you posted on the location & will remind you a few days prior to the sale.

3. Say a prayer, or 2, or 3, or more for Ruby.

We love this baby girl so much, even though we've never even been able to meet her in person. Her strength inspires us to live our lives with more determination. My brother doesn't know that we are cooking up this little fundraiser. Although he may find out through word of mouth, or if he checks the internet. My sisters & I (there are 5 of us girls) can't resist the urge to want to help our little brother & hopefully we'll have some fun in the process. Thank you in advance for your help.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T19:58:00.000-08:00

Small, humble, simple, happy, sweet...perfect.

My kids always surprise me with how sweet they are...how they get excited about even the littlest things. How they are happy with what's in front of them & there really is no comparing to what others have.

Hope your Christmas was just as heartwarming as ours. Wishing you all the love & happiness in the world on this day & always. :)

Little Girl Aprons

2011-12-21T09:45:00.000-08:00

I made these cute little half aprons from my vintage sheeting fabrics for Sadie & Claire. Can you believe that my girls don't have their own little aprons to wear in the kitchen? Well, I had to fix that problem & now they each have one more gift to open on Christmas morning. One made just for them by mama. :)

Last Minute Handmade Gifts for Kids

2011-12-19T11:57:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd share some cute tutorials that I've pinned over the past year for that are just perfect for little handmade gifts for kiddos. My shopping is done, but I'm hoping to make a few handmade gifts still for my kids. How about you? Are you still trying to squeeze out a few handmades?

felt flowers, cereal box houses, sock octopusus

mooshy belly bunny, painted geo blocks, chalkboard blocks

slippers, magnetic dress up dolls, headband

The Happenings

2011-12-18T23:55:00.000-08:00

How have you been? Super busy? Me too. So busy that I haven't been able to post on the blog apparently. It feels strange to me. Like I have a bunch of friends out there that I haven't talked to in ages & for some reason I feel the need to update you on our recent happenings...

We visited Santa at Bass Pro Shops. Then shot some guns & tried on coonskin hats & stuff like that. That place is crazy.

My sisters & I took our kids over to my Grandma's house to set up her Christmas tree & decorate her house. Grandma really looks forward to this every year & the kids think it's so much fun.

Sadie has been doing really well in school. She received 3 awards this trimester: A/B Honor Roll, Citizenship & Soaring Eagle. She's come home with really cool treasures like stackable rainbow pencils & bean sprouts.

This week we were really happy to finally be hooked up with a great pediatric urologist. Sadie has had chronic urinary tract infections for a number of years. I was so happy to leave this new doctor's office with an actual explanation for her infections & a plan to correct it. Learning that the issue is bladder dysfunction & not bad hygiene or reflux which doctors were previously looking at was such a relief to me. It felt good to hear an explanation that actually made sense. Now we know what the issue is! Finally! And we are working to get her better.

Claire has been spending lots of time with her cousin, Crew. These two are best buddies. They are in the same preschool class & play together just about every day. One of the fist things Claire asks in the morning is if Crew can come over. They are sweet.

Finn is my little love bug. He's full of smiles for me lately. He's gaining weight & sleeping well. He's started to grab onto toys & stuff. Sadie can't hold him without him grabbing a fist full of her hair. I just adore him & I'm so, so happy that we have him around. I love my boy.

We finally joined in on the elf on the shelf craze. The girls are so thrilled with it. I think it's the most exciting thing in their life right now & I must admit that it makes me super happy to see them so happy. Our elf is named Molly. This elf has sat on my Grandma's tree for years & she was sweet enough to give it to me last year when I told her how much I loved it. :)

I have not been full of Christmas cheer this year. Usually I am. The tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving & I'm all about the Christmas activities. This year I've been dragging my feet & it all has to do with money, or the lack of it. We've had a lot of medical bills over the last few months & then an unexpected car repair early this month left us very low on funds. It's bummed me out quite a bit. I wasn't even sure how we'd make it through. But Dylan & I finished the shopping yesterday & I'm feeling a bit better. The girls aren't getting a ton of gifts, but I know that they will be happy with what they receive. It actually feels good to have a reason to be conservative in our spending & giving. Really, kids don't need a lot of crap to be happy.

This time of year is so crazy. It really is. I'm looking forward to spending some time together as a family & really keeping it simple.

So I hope we're all caught up now. Glad we could get back in touch after all this time. :) All my love until next time...

Fabric Bundle Winner

2011-12-18T22:48:00.000-08:00

Congrats to M! The random number generator chose you as the winner of the vintage fabric bundle. Yippee!

That was fun. We'll have to do that again soon! :)

Christmas For Your Ears

2011-12-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

You know how my husband loves to make monthly mixes? Well, he's been making Christmas mixes for the past few years as well. He now has a collection of 9 volumes, all of which you can download for free right here.

There's good stuff on there. I'm actually listening to volume 2 right at this very moment.

And what do you think about the Christmas mannequin covers on all these? Awesome, right?

Giveaway - Vintage Fabric Bundle

2011-12-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

I have some yummy vintage sheeting fabrics for a giveaway today. These come from my own personal stash, which has become way too large for me to handle. So I'm cutting some of them up & offering them as fabric yardage in my new etsy shop called little blue cloud!

Yay! To celebrate this new endeavor, I'm giving away the fabric bundle pictured above. Each cut of fabric measures half a yard. So the winner will receive 2.5 yards of vintage sheeting fabric in 5 different prints. How fun!

To enter, just leave a comment on this post. Be sure to leave an e-mail address so that I can contact the winner. You have until Dec. 16th to get your entry in. Good luck!

Watch the little blue cloud etsy shop for more updates. I am adding fabric as I can get to it. :)

Also, check out Sew Mama Sew for giveaway day! There are tons of awesome giveaways to enter this week!

Winner - Springs Preserve Holiday Spectacular

2011-12-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

The winner of the Springs Preserve Holiday Spectacular tickets is Kimberly Church! Congratulations!

Thanks to the Springs Preserve & to all those that entered! :)

Giveaway - Springs Preserve Holiday Spectacular

2011-12-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

I have another fun giveaway from the Springs Preserve for you today! This time I have a family 4 pack of tickets for their Holiday Spectacular up for grabs.

This event takes place at the Springs Preserve in Las Vegas so this giveaway is for locals or anybody that may have plans to visit Vegas during the event dates.

Looks like there will be lights, treats, crafts, entertainment, Santa & ice skating. Sounds good to me!

To be entered into this giveaway, please leave a comment on this post. Be sure to include your e-mail address. I will select a winner randomly on Sunday, December 11th. Good luck!!

Finn's Blessing

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Our sweet Finn was given a blessing in church last Sunday. I love this tradition where the worthy men in the family surround the baby, present him to the Lord, give him a name & then bless him with various blessings for his life (like health & strength, seeking after education etc.).

I had been looking forward to this day for some time & I purchased a little cream colored sweater before Finn was even born. Then, although I had the brown linen fabric for weeks, I waited until the night before the blessing at about midnight to begin sewing his pants. Luckily everything turned out well & he looked super cute for his special day.

After our church meeting, all of our family members gathered at my parents house to visit & enjoy a nice brunch. We had ham & swiss sliders, potato & bacon casserole, cinnamon baked french toast, pumpkin muffins & cinnamon rolls. Oh it was good!

Finn was passed around & loved on until all our guests left. Then I took him to my bed, undressed him down to his onesie & layed down to nurse him. After staying up late to prepare for the day, it felt so good to finally lay down with his warm body next to mine & I felt so, so blessed to have him by my side. It's amazing how much our love grows when we have another child & even though I expected it, that strong bond between mother & child still surprises me. I am so grateful that the Lord blessed us with another baby. I love him so much!

New Holiday Prints in the Shop

2011-12-05T10:09:00.001-08:00

We've got some new holiday prints in the shop! Santa, Rudolf & Frosty come in the 8.5x11 size & can be purchased for $12 a piece or you can pick up all three for $30. I love them all, but Rudolf makes me really happy. Which one is your favorite?

west elm + Etsy Holiday Event Recap

2011-12-05T09:50:00.001-08:00

We were totally excited to be invited to be a part of the west elm + Etsy holiday event last week. Of course it made me nervous, because I'd much rather just hide behind my computer screen. But it was a ton of fun & made me feel so good about our business & all the work we've put into it.

One of the highlights of the evening was meeting the other local etsy sellers.

Su Limbert of Prettyville cuts really pretty pendants & wall art from vintage plates. I couldn't resist purchasing a Christmas gift from her! Sierra of Sierra Mary Design makes the coolest ceramic jewelry in the happiest colors. We traded some goods & I was lucky enough to end up with one of her bracelets & one of her rings!

Two Elizabeths was also there selling cute vintage-style kids aprons & quilts & such.

This was such a great experience. I love that Etsy has partnered with west elm to promote handmade. Hopefully we'll have an opportunity to be a part of this again in the future. Big thanks to all those that came out to support us & this event. It means so much to us.

Tonight - west elm + Etsy Holiday Event

2011-12-01T11:06:00.001-08:00

I'm packing up & getting ready for the west elm + Etsy holiday event tonight. Dylan & I will be at the west elm store at the district in Henderson from 6-9pm. If you're local & come by & say hello! We'd love to meet you.

These holiday events are taking place in all west elm store across the country. Check this post on the west elm blog to see what etsy sellers are participating at your local store & for more details about the evening. Looks like there will be a 10% discount on west elm in store purchases during the event as well. So that's cool.

Pies With Grandma

2011-11-27T14:48:00.001-08:00

This is such a cute tradition. Every year before Thanksgiving, my Mom has all her grandkids over to make pies. She makes homemade chicken noodle soup & homemade rolls for dinner. So good! Then the pie making begins. The kids make mini pies...either apple or pumpkin & they are theirs to keep. Their own little personal pies. It's so fun to get together & I'm so glad that my mom does this. I'm sure this will be a memory of Grandma that these kids hold dear forever.

I must also note that my mom makes delicious pie crust. Actually, everything she makes is delicious. I am not a big fan of pie, but my mom's pie...now that's a different story!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! Hope you had a wonderful day. We have so very much to be thankful for. Right now I am most thankful for an awesome family & that I get to be a wife & mother. It is the hardest job, taking care of all these people, but it's the best job & I am becoming a better person because of it.

DIY Painted Chevron Tote Bag

2011-11-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends! Today I am guest posting over at GingiberSnap & I'm showing you how to make this super, super cute painted chevron tote bag. So be sure to pop over & check that out!

Sadie totally stole my bag to use as her school bag today. Looks like I'm going to need to make some more of these! She looked so cute. As I watched her walk into school, I said to myself, "Dang! That's a great bag!" :)

And can someone please tell my kids to quit growing up so fast? When did Claire get so tall?

West Elm + Etsy Mini Market

2011-11-22T09:38:00.001-08:00

We are really excited to have been invited to participate in the west elm + Etsy mini market & holiday workshop taking place on December 1st. We will be setting up shop there along with some other local etsy sellers. I have no idea who the other sellers are so I look forward to meeting them.

If you are local, we would love it if you came to see us. These events are going on in west elm stores across the country on the same day, so check your local west elm store to see if they're participating. We will be at the west elm store in Henderson inside The District at Green Valley Ranch. Can't wait!!

The Cutest Napkins & Baby Boy

2011-11-21T11:59:00.001-08:00

I am just completely in love with this set of Vintage Mix Cloth Napkins! I had a sweet customer request a set of 20 of them for her Thanksgiving table & she let me add in lots more vintage sheeting fabrics of my choice. So cute! Love, love, love them!

Oh, my smiley boy! Finn is doing well. Thank you for keeping him in your thoughts. We're hoping that he continues to do well & that he doesn't have to go back into the operating room again!

For Health & Strength

2011-11-16T10:18:00.001-08:00

We are in the middle of a 12 day stretch of work for Dylan & in addition he's had to work late most days. I keep telling myself that this is no big deal & then I have moments where I want to pull all my hair out or cry uncontrollably. Hello, dinner time until bed time.

Shortly after Finn's surgery...like 4 days after...we noticed what looked like another fistula forming. We tried treating it with a round of antibiotics, but it's gotten worse & needs another surgery. We go in tomorrow morning for that. The pediatric surgeon told us that it's not common for babies this young to get fistulas & although fistulas can be recurring, he's never had a patient have another fistula so shortly after the first one. So that's awesome, right? :)

This sweet baby boy is hurting, so I'll be happy to get through this procedure once again. Today I am holding this baby & bouncing & swaying to keep him somewhat happy. I'm tired. I am praying that this is the last time we go through this.

My amazing sister in law delivered her baby at 24 weeks last Saturday night. I can't even imagine what she & my brother are going through. Their sweet little baby girl, Ruby, weighs 1 pound 3.8 ounces. Can you imagine?! The wonderful news is that that tiny baby continues to do well.

Our issues with Finn seem so minor compared to baby Ruby & the struggles that she & her family will have in the next few months.

You know it would be so much easier sometimes if we could just see the future. Then we'd know what was in store for us just down the road & we wouldn't have to fret so much in the mean time. But then we wouldn't have the opportunity to really rely on the Lord & build our faith in Him. And I believe that if we pay very close attention, God will let us know that everything will be fine even when we are right in the middle of our hard times.

For now our family continues to pray for the babies...and also for the adults. Everything is going to be alright. It always is.

Photographic Proof

2011-11-12T15:14:00.001-08:00

I really do exist even though I don't show up in photos often. Somehow I managed to get myself + all 3 kids + the dog + my messy house in this one photobooth photo. I rule that way.

This afternoon I laid down to feed Finn. We both fell asleep. I dreamed that I was talking on the phone. When I woke up I was holding the bottle to my ear.

That bottle was also leaking on my neck & shirt. Yep. I totally rule.

:)

Hot Air Balloons

2011-11-10T11:24:00.001-08:00

This week I cut out lots & lots of little hot air balloons from cardstock & made lots & lots of little hot air balloon ornaments. Dylan put together the images for me & once printed, they were cut out, folded in half & glued together with elmer's glue. I added a coordinating loop of embroidery floss for the hanging string.

These were used for the Young Women Excellence night where our theme was "The Sky's the Limit". They hung from branches in a vase as centerpieces & then the girls each got to take one home as a reminder of the evening.

They turned out pretty sturdy & could really be made into just about any shape or using any image. I'm thinking Christmas ornaments. In fact I think a few of these balloons just may end up on my tree this year. :)

Would you like to make your own? Download the hot air balloon pdf right here. One reader thought that these would make a great mobile & I agree!!

Vintage Sheets!!

2011-11-08T10:38:00.000-08:00

I've got a favorite thrift store in town for finding vintage sheets. I've only recently discovered this store & it never disappoints. I always find a few awesome vintage sheets whenever I stop in. This last shopping trip was amazing! I found 11 sheets + 2 pillowcases. What are the odds? Seriously! In Las Vegas?!

My collection of vintage linens is getting a bit out of control, though. I plan to start listing some cuts of these in the shop as soon as I can find time. I figure that I really only need half of each sheet & the other half I can sell. I'll keep you posted on when that shop update might be.

Hospital Report

2011-11-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

I debated sharing the news that Finn would be having surgery...mainly because of the location. Will that be embarrassing for him later? He can't help it. It just happened. And my blog will totally be deleted by the time he's a teenager, right?

The night of fasting went better than expected. I fed Finn right up until 1am & then he was cut off. He slept for a bit & then when he woke he wasn't as mad as I thought he'd be to not be offered food. We got to the hospital at 5:30. Never would I have guessed that I'd be back at the same hospital where I delivered Finn exactly 7 weeks later. We hung out in pre op until the surgeon took him back at 7:30.

My stomach was in knots thinking about my little 9 lbs. baby in the operating room. All I could do was hope that all would go well & that he wouldn't have any reactions to the anesthesia, but turning complete control over to the doctor was physically painful for me.

About 40 minutes later we got word that all had gone well with the surgery. I went back to the recovery room to see my little baby sleeping with an adult size oxygen mask on his face & tubes all over the place. It was so heartbreaking to see him like that, but I felt so relived that he looked so healthy otherwise.

The nurse & the anesthesiologist told us that he had his tongue sticking out the whole time & they thought that was pretty funny. We were able to hold him feed him Pedialyte. I wanted to rip that tape & IV out of his arm. It looked so uncomfortable.

After a not at all restful night in the hospital, Finn & I were back home in time to kiss Sadie before she left for school. Claire had him coloring in no time.

I know that many people have children that go through much more invasive surgeries at even younger ages, but this was still very scary for us. I can't even imagine being in & out of the hospital on a regular basis. My heart goes out to those that do.

Thank you so much for your thoughts & prayers. We feel so blessed that Finn is doing well. I am convinced that the Lord was looking over us & our little boy.

Better Now

2011-11-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

We're home from the hospital. Finn did really well. He was such a good boy. Thank you for all your thoughts & prayers. I'm exhausted, so I'll post more later.

Poor Baby

2011-11-03T01:23:00.000-07:00

In a few hours we have to take our little Finn to the hospital for surgery. :( Last week we discovered a hard mass just under his bum hole. It's called an anal fistula. So he has to go under anesthesia for them to excise it.

We know that it is causing him pain so we are glad that it's getting taken care of. We just feel anxious & nervous for him to be put under anesthesia because he's so small. He's just a little baby! I'm sure that my heart will break a few times in the coming days. It's so hard to see our babies in pain. Our family would appreciate your prayers & I'll post about his recovery soon. For now I am snuggling him & hoping that we all survive his night of fasting.

Free Shipping Code

2011-11-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

It's November & I'm feeling good, so I'm offering free shipping on all domestic orders in the Sparkle Power shop for the next few days! Just enter the coupon code NOVFREESHIP at checkout. But hurry, because this won't last long!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

We survived Halloween & I hope you did too! Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I didn't make costumes this year & I feel totally fine about it. Sadie chose to be Dorothy & Claire chose to be a bumble bee.

We went to our church for a trunk-or-treat, where the kids trick-or-treat from car to car. This year we collected empty milk jugs & made ghosts out of them to decorate our trunk. This was a great project for the kids. They loved it & it was super easy. We put dollar store glow sticks (which came 2 to a package) inside the jugs. So not only was it a really fun craft for the kids it was also super cheap!

I've been encouraging myself to eat less sugar, so now I just have to try to stay away from the candy bags. :)

Last Year's Costumes

2011-10-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

I was thinking back to our costumes last year. They were the best! This was the first year that we had a family theme & it may very well be the last.

I had fun making these costumes. This year I told the girls that that I wouldn't be making any costumes & that they could choose anything they wanted from the costume aisle at the store. They didn't seem to be disappointed. I do love handmade costumes, but I don't feel the least bit guilty about going store bought this year. I'll show photos of this year's costumes after Halloween. :)

Checking In

2011-10-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all the encouraging comments about breastfeeding. You'll all be happy to know that I haven't given up nursing! We've settled into a nice feeding routine. The little man prefers breastfeeding, so we are continuing with that & just adding a bottle of formula after each feeding. Finn seems to be happy with it & he gained 9 oz. in the last week!

Claire is so cute. She is constantly asking, "Can I hold Finn?" It doesn't matter if he's screaming his head off or if I'm in the middle of feeding him. She wants to hold him all the time.

Yesterday Claire chose to wear a shirt that she's previously had no interest in. A mama made shirt! When I told her the story about how I had made this shirt for her older sister when she was her same size, Claire got really excited.

It was fun to watch her wearing it yesterday & remember what Sadie looked like in it a few years ago. Made my mama heart happy. :)

Our New Normal

2011-10-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

We're slowly starting to settle into a routine around here. I admit that I thought I'd be able to pick back up multitasking all my previous duties of mothering + housework + shop work with ease, but I guess I've completely forgotten how time consuming a little baby can be. I am happy these days when I can get a load of laundry done & a meal on the table. I keep reminding myself that things will quickly change. Before I know it, this baby will turn into a little boy & then a big boy. These moments are to be enjoyed. Everything will slowly fall back into place. I don't need to stress myself out about what I'm not getting done. I just need to do the best that I can.

It's also been overwhelming to make sure that I am giving my 3 littles + my husband all that they need. Life is a bit more messy & less organized than usual, but I am rolling with it & enjoying this time. I'm trying to keep any negativity out & pat myself on the back for every little accomplishment, like getting showered & dressed for the day.

Finn had a well check & we discovered that once again his weight gain was not where we'd like it to be. I just don't produce enough milk for my babies to get fat! So we are increasing the amount of formula that we supplement. Breastfeeding is such a huge sacrifice. I've been working so hard at nursing this baby. So naturally I felt very defeated & sad. I was ready to just give up & switch to the bottle completely. (I can be a bit dramatic at times!) But I'm not throwing in the towel just yet. I am drinking lots of water & taking some supplements & trying to get this boy as much of my milk as possible & then adding just enough formula to help plump him up. Once again, I just have to do the best that I can.

I am so happy with my life right now. There is nothing like:

- a soft, sweet smelling baby making cute little noises in his sleep.
- a 4 year old with big brown eyes that reads me books with her best story time librarian impression while I sit feeding the baby.
- a sweet 7 year old that offers up her $3 tooth fairy money for a new jug of milk when we tell her that the milk she poured but didn't drink was a waste of money.
- a good looking husband that helps with chores & takes a turn getting up at night with the baby without me having to ask.

Evening Light

2011-10-18T23:31:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I am just so glad that I grabbed my camera & took a few shots.

I checked on the girls playing in the back yard this evening & I couldn't help but notice how lovely the light was. So glad that I now have these photos of them. I love them with all my heart. It's so sweet when they play well together. Oh, seriously, two minutes after taking these photos they were yelling at each other, but for the most part they are buds & that makes me happy.

The lens flare in these photos, their dirty faces, Claire in a nightgown...I need to remember to grab my camera more. I want more real life photos like these.

Saturday Song

2011-10-15T12:50:00.000-07:00

I love Ryan Adams in the fall. Actually, I love him all year, but there is something so comfy, cozy about his music that just feels all warm & comforting in the cooler months. He has a brand new album out called Ashes & Fire. Here's a track from it:

Winner - Springs Preserve Haunted Harvest

2011-10-14T17:20:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Meleah! You are the winner of the family 4 pack of tickets to the Haunted Harvest at the Springs Preserve! Woohoo! Hope you guys have a good time. Maybe we'll even bump into you there. :)

Funny Faces

2011-10-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

I found this Making Faces Sticker Book in the Target dollar spot & grabbed it for the church bag. I'm always on the lookout for things that can keep my kids busy & happy & quiet during church. Well, when I saw these stickers, I thought my kids would have a really fun time making drawings of people using these eyes, nose & mouth stickers. Sure enough, it was a hit at church & they've been making fun creations with them at home as well. Take a look at some of the drawings I've found around the house:

Famly Picher

Sadie told us that the guy with the mohawk is in his swimming suit. That's the reason for his exposed chest.

The pink creature on the right is labeled Mrs. Tickle Monster.

One Year Older

2011-10-13T14:25:00.000-07:00

I celebrated a birthday earlier this week. Feels strange to become a year older while I'm still in the postpartum stage. Because I do actually feel old. It's probably due to sleep deprivation though. But it was actually great timing. Felt like I really deserved the celebration this year. :)

My birthday was really excellent. I had a yummy lunch & a relaxing pedicure with my mom. Dylan brought home some delicious food for dinner & I ate it with a baby on my lap. (Somebody does not like to be put down these days.) Then I was treated to a delicious cake. How do you feel about chocolate ganache? Well, I have strong feelings about it & they are all very, very good feelings.

Thank you to all that made my birthday so special!

So Cute

2011-10-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

He's so cute.
He makes it really hard for me to get anything done around the house.
But he's so cute!

Giveaway - Springs Preserve Haunted Harvest Tickets

2011-10-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

I've got a great giveaway for my Las Vegas readers today!

The Springs Preserve is a really awesome local attraction. It's a 180-acre cultural institution designed to commemorate Las Vegas' dynamic history and to provide a vision for a sustainable future. The Preserve features museums, galleries, outdoor concerts and events, colorful botanical gardens and an interpretive trail system that meanders through a scenic wetland habitat.

My family is so excited because the Springs Preserve has provided us with tickets to attend the Haunted Harvest, which takes place over the next three weekends. The Haunted Harvest is a family-friendly event that features a haunted house, trick or treat stations, carnival games, live entertainment and much more spooktacular fun, including the winning entries from a community-wide Scavenger Scarecrow Contest. There is also a haunted hayride that is available for an additional fee.

I absolutely love events like the Haunted Harvest that give my family an opportunity to spend some time together doing something a little more exciting than the normal trip to the movies. I know that quality time together really helps our family relationships grow stronger & that is so important to me. We are all super excited to go have some Halloween fun & make some good memories!

The Springs Preserve is offering a

family 4 pack of tickets to the Haunted Harvest

event for one lucky Sparkle Power reader. To enter this giveaway, please visit the Springs Preserve website & leave a comment below. That's it!
I'll draw a winner on Friday.

Saturday Song on Sunday

2011-10-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

I've been catching the girls singing this song a lot lately. It's their new favorite. If you ask them what they want to listen to they say "you know the one that's all girls..."

Thrift Finds

2011-10-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I had a post op appointment with my doctor across town. I've been having good luck finding vintage sheets at a thrift store near his office, so I was looking forward to stopping in after my appointment. Sure enough I left with a stack of sheets.

I was super excited about the green sheet. I've never had this one before & the color is just great. The printing seems to be off on the yellow check, but I'll use it anyway. The pink & gold floral is not a new pattern for me, but this one is in such great condition that I had to buy it. The navy stripe is not a vintage sheet, but I am always happy to find great stripes + plaid + ginghams to go along with all my florals.

And then I spotted this lovely pyrex bowl that I just couldn't pass up. Pretty cool, right?!

I have to return to my doctor's office again in another month. So, I think I'll be popping in this favorite store yet again. Sounds good to me!

Pumpkin Cookies

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Tried out a new pumpkin cookie recipe this weekend. I used this recipe which I found on Pinterest. Ah, how I love Pinterest. I didn't know when I started out using Pinterest that it would change my life in such a wonderful way. Are you on Pinterest? Do you feel the same about it?

Speaking of.....the cute Amanda at The Modern Marigold in starting up a Pinterest Challenge where you actually do something that you've pinned & share it every Tuesday. Sounds fun, right?

Oh the cookies were delicious, by the way. I love frosted pumpkin goodies. I've got an extra sweet sweet tooth. Often, pumpkin goodies are not my favorite, because they just aren't sweet enough. Not the case with these :) Yummy, yummy!

Lazy Weekend

2011-10-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

We spent a lot of time around the house this weekend, in our pajamas, just hanging out & watching this little bitty baby boy. Which is particularly fun when he's got his eyes open.

As of tomorrow, Dylan's paternity leave is over & he starts back at work. I'm going to miss him tons! Oddly enough I'm not feeling nervous about being on my own. We'll just roll with it. I'm expecting the house to be a disaster for a while. We'll just get done what we can. If I manage to keep this baby + the girls clean & fed & happy, I'll be proud of myself.

October Mix

2011-10-01T10:57:00.001-07:00

It's October! One of my favorite months of the year. It's finally starting to cool off a little around here. We've still been in the 100's! So over it! I'm super excited for a change of seasons & I think that baking some kind of pumpkin dessert may just be in order for this weekend. Yep! It's a plan.

Dylan's mix for October is ready for you to download. We've been listening to it for the past few days around here & it's a good one. Definitely some good background music for baking pumpkin desserts or whatever else you've got going on this weekend. :)

Finn's Quilt

2011-09-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

Here it is! Finn's baby quilt. I am in love with this quilt & am so happy that I finished it before he was born! I started out with the idea that I would make a patchwork quilt out of solid squares of fabric. Then I saw this tutorial for half square triangles by Christina of The Sometimes Crafter and I knew that I wanted to try it out!

Now this quilt is not at all perfect. I can see where many of the squares don't link up or the stitching is the complete opposite of straight, but I love it anyway. The color combination makes me happy & it totally shows my love for triangles right now. It's modern & crisp & colorful & awesome.

I hope Finn likes it too. His own quilt, made by hand by his mama before we even knew him. :)

Guest Post - Smile and Wave

2011-09-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Rachel Denbow from Smile and Wave! My husband, Brett, teases me about taking pictures of pictures. I've been documenting my favorite Instax photos by photographing them on top of vintage fabrics for the last few months. It only made sense to recreate that concept in a photo frame and what better place to share it than on another vintage sheet lover's blog!

To make your own patchwork photo frame you'll need the following: A frame with glass and a cardboard backing, fabric scraps, low loft batting (or two layers of flannel), fabric for the backing, straight pins, a sewing machine, scissors, fabric glue.

Measure the size of your frame. I suggest something larger rather than smaller but it depends on how much fabric you want showing. Then decide if you want small or large squares. I cut mine to 3.5" x 3.5". I used a variety of my favorites for a colorful effect.

Once you've decided on the arrangement you like best, pin them together in rows and then stitch them together. Iron the seams flat.

Next, pin the rows together and stitch them. Iron flat as you go.

Don't worry too much if your corners don't match up all the way. It's charming, right?

To get a flatter look, iron all of your seams in the same direction. This is what your back will look like.

Place your fabric backing down (I used a regular white sheet but if you decide to use a print, place it with the wrong side up), then lay the low loft batting on top, and finally your patchwork top.

Pin them together with straight pins.

Stitch on either side of each seam starting from the center and working to either side. Remove your pins as you go. Trim your ends.

Center your cardboard backing over your patchwork, trim excess.

Center your photo (or photos) on your patchwork top and place just a little bit of fabric glue on the back of your photo and press it down. Place it in your frame and double-check that it's centered.

I painted my frame a minty blue once I decided on my fabric choices rather than the green and then hung it on the wall on Ruby's side of the room. If you want a more worn look, get your patchwork piece wet (before you trim the edges) and stick it in the dryer. Another non-sewing alternative is to find a cutter quilt and trim it down to size.

It's a sweet addition to a nursery and would make a thoughtful shower gift! Enjoy.

Thanks for having me, Candace, and congratulations on such a handsome little man!

xo,

Rachel

Guest Post - Hart + Sew

2011-09-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hello! My name is Stacy Hart and I am happy to be stepping in for Candace while she spends some well earned time resting and cuddling her sweet baby boy! Congratulations!

The first thing you should know about me is I love all things children's vintage. I am also a wife to a handsome husband, and a mother to LM (3) and Lark (6 months), who are both blonde, blue-eyed dolls - one sports ringlets, the other peach fuzz and pixie ears. I stay at home with my girls and whenever I can find the time I work on my vintage children's etsy shop, and blog over at hart + sew where I give peeks into our lives, share craft projects and lucky thrift finds, and dress up my girls (and sometimes myself) in pretty vintage frocks.

source

My niece who is the same age as LM has a birthday coming up and I wanted to make something special to give her. I love to sew vintage patterns, and recently came across this darling 1920's felt cloche pdf pattern. With fall just around the corner I thought it would be the perfect unique gift!

Of course, I couldn't resist making one for my little girl too and it was so easy I just might make another! I had LM model them for me during a trip to the park on a warm day, but I can't wait to pair the hat with a cute pea coat and scarf when the weather turns cooler.

When I sew vintage patterns I like to imagine the sweet little girls many years ago who wore these same styles...and I'm sure they probably made silly faces while wearing them too!

Guest Post - Kiki Creates

2011-09-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I am so happy to be here at Sparklepower today to share a fun little project with you while Candace is busy loving on her new little boy.

My name is Kiki from Kiki Creates, my little piece of blogland where I share projects, DIY, free printables and the inspiration where it all comes from.

I, myself, have 3 little munchkins and am due with baby #4 in December, so you can probably imagine that I have baby on the brain! One of my favorite things to take to a friend who has just had a baby is a jar full of treats..and not just treats for anytime but a jar of treats for those 4 a.m. wakeups that happen so often from the start with a newborn. It takes just a few minutes to put together, but can give mommy OR daddy a little sweet treat for being up so early!

All it takes is a jar...you can buy one at the store or recycle an old jelly or pickle jar. Pick out some special treats...and you can make it ANYTHING...if they don't like sweets try something else! Fill the jar:

And use the free downloadable tags I am giving you today to embellish it. You can make it as simple as can be:

This one was simply printed on sticker paper:

Or as embellished as you would like:

On this one, I ruffled some streamers, ruffled some felt and sewed around the tag that I printed on paper. I made a strap for the jar from paper that has been punched on the sides.

Either way, you have a really fun and easy project to throw together to take to a friend who has just had a baby!

To download these free tags, go HERE.

Thanks, Candace, for having me! Congrats on your new baby!

One Week

2011-09-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago I looked like this sitting at my desk. The view is a little different these days. :)

Finn is such a good baby. He sleeps so well & doesn't need to be held in order to sleep. So he hasn't been in our bed much at all. Which means that I've been able to sleep pretty hard. Not having to worry about where he is in the bed. I'm actually somewhat enjoying late night feedings with him. Well, when I can keep my eyes open it's pretty enjoyable. It's like my own little love fest with him. I get to snuggle him & breathe him in while the rest of the house is quiet & still & it's pretty special. I start feeling pretty mushy sometimes during those late night feedings. I feel so full of love for my little baby & for my bigger babies & for my hot husband. :) I'm pretty sure that I'm the luckiest girl in the world. :)

I am amazed at the human body. I can't believe how quickly it heals. I am feeling pretty good. So good that I am taking less & less of my pain meds. I still have to remind myself that I just had major surgery just over a week ago. Sometimes I push myself too hard & I feel it later.

Breastfeeding is a full time job. Seems like that's all I do these days. Breastfeeding has always been pretty difficult for me. We gave Sadie a bottle pretty early on & it was impossible to get her to breastfeed after that. She was no dummy. She wanted her food the quick & easy way. With Claire, I breastfed her for a couple months but she failed to gain weight. They call it "failure to thrive". So she switched to formula. With Finn, I have been so determined to make breastfeeding work! Luckily he's a good little eater. I took him to the doctor last week for a weight check & he had lost one pound which is more than they like to see, so were are doing a little supplementing with formula. I've been so worried that introducing the bottle will make him turn against me. So far that's not the case & we are hoping that we can bump his weight back up quickly.

Some things I don't want to forget:

Both of the girls loved their big sister bags that I gave them in the hospital. They took them to school the next day in their backpacks & wore their "big sister" buttons.

Sadie wants so badly for me to bring the baby into her class to show everybody.

Claire calls nipples "nibbles".

Whenever Claire is around Finn or holds him she says, "Hi Finney! It' me, big sissy!!" and she kisses his feet & his hands & his nose. I think she enjoys finally being a big sister.

Claire has been given the job of being my "bender". She bends down to pick things up off the ground for me. She takes this job pretty seriously & feels a real sense of being needed. It's so good for me because I really do need a "bender".

We say that Dylan has the magic touch with Finn. He can calm him down like nobody else...besides me. I love that Finn knows both his mama & his daddy. It is adorable to see Dylan with his baby. He is so in love with Finn.

Dylan gets 2 weeks of paternity leave & it has been amazing to have him around. I am so much less stressed. Really wishing he could be around like this all the time.

I looooove having a newborn. This stage has always been pretty difficult for me. But this time around with Dylan here to help, I am less exhausted & enjoying this baby so much!

Guest Post - Life Made Lovely

2011-09-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hello there Sparkle Power readers! My name is Heather from Life Made Lovely,where I share about taking the life I've been handed and how I choose to make it lovely through design, vintage, family, and faith.

For the last year or so I've been working at updating our little home to better reflect the people that live in it. Things are finally beginning to come together, and the result is a space that feels more like my family and I than ever before. In our home you'll find a lot of vintage, handmade and re-purposed items, all with a modern touch to keep things feeling fresh.

Today, I thought I'd share one of my favorite corners with you. It's my workspace that now resides in our completely un-formal living room. Our house isn't a large one, so we want to make a point to use every inch that we can,which is why we opted to ditch a formal living room space and created a reading/workingspace instead. Every day, while my 2 year old daughter naps, I can be found in this spaceeither working on a new design for a client, writing a blog post, or just staring at Pinterest. Regardless of what I'm doing, this new to me space keeps me feeling refreshed and inspired.

My vintage three panel Korean Air Lines wall map is one of my all time favorite finds. I paid a mere $36 for it! To keep little fingers (we have 2 little ones in our house) from ripping the seams of the map, we opted to finish it off with molding. This wall lacks a window,which made it a perfect home for my map, but also makes it a bit dark. Adding a strand oftwinkle lights to the space fixed that problem and brought in a dose of happiness and light.

My desk is made from a leftover piece of butcher block from our kitchen remodel and a pair of trestle legs from IKEA. I found the chair at a thrift store for $5, painted it a modern shade of grey, and distressed it a bit. With my pretty pillow from IKEA it becomes a perfect home office chair.

I created the gallery wall over my desk by using prints from Etsy, my kids artwork, a print created by me, and some vintage bits and pieces.

I love mixing vintage, industrial, handmade, and modern together to create a really personal moment...just like this. My son created the clone trooper drawing when he was around five years old, and beside the fact that I LOVE how he drew it off center, I love how I can take something he made and turn it into more of a feature just by framing it in a simple modern frame and then adding a huge and chippy vintage frame around it to add it it's importance. To make my 2 year old daughter's water color feel more important I framed it with a vintage frame I paid just 50 cents for.

Creating this useful space in our house cost very little money, but has made ahuge difference in the way we use our home. The room that used to be dark and hardto use, has now become a lovely space that the whole family gravitates towards.As a way to help spread a little lovely around, I've created a freedownloadable print just for Sparkle Power readers! Click the link below theimage to download your own 8x10 print. Enjoy!!

8x10 Free Printable From Life Made Lovely

Thank you for letting me share my little space with you and yourreaders today, Candace! I hope you and your family are enjoying theseprecious first few weeks with your sweet baby boy. -xo Heather

Guest Post - 397miles

2011-09-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

W R A P: VINYL TYPE & TWINE BOX

Hi! My name is Christine and I am the color loving lady (and graphic designer) behind the blog 397miles.com. I share the blog with my talented lady friend, Jessica, who lives 397 miles away. I enjoy sharing all things I make, eat and am inspired by.

That said, I am a h u g e fan of gift wrapping and love to find fun and easy ways to spice up my packages. Just the other week I made this petite paper skillet for my husband’s birthday. In excitement for the arrival of baby boy Todd, this is a cute and colorful way you can liven up a simple kraft box for a lovely baby boy!

SUPPLIES

• 3 - 2.5” x 3.75” cover stock cards (I hand painted these cards but you can easily substitute with solid or patterned paper.)

• Hole Punch

• Twine (I used Divine Twine, an eco-luxe twine that can be found at Olive Manna’s shop.)

• Scissors

• 2” Vinyl Letters

• Kraft or white box (like this one from Etsy)

MAKE IT

1. If desired, hand paint 2.5” x 3.75” cards. If using colored or patterned paper, skip this step.

2. Punch cards on top and bottom.

3. Measure all 4 sides of the box. Add additional 3” to total length. That will be the length to cut 3 pieces of twine.

4. Feed twine through punch and center card on twine.

5. Peel and apply vinyl letters to cards. (Vinyl is repositionable.)

6. Assemble by wrapping twine around box and secure with double knot on the back side.

7. Hand deliver or ship to loved one.

This little gem will be shipped to Mrs. Candace asap. Congratulations dear!

Hospital Photos

2011-09-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

You know how hospital rooms can be really difficult for taking photos? Well, I didn't anticipate having such a wonderful big window in our room that opened up to allow so much natural light in. So I had previously asked my sister, Heather, who is ah-mazing with a camera to come & take some photos in the hospital. I really wanted to have some great photos of those very first few days with Finn. I wanted to be able to remember in detail just how he looked in the very beginning & I knew that Heather would capture that perfectly. She got all these amazing shots in a matter of minutes.

I will cherish these beautiful photos forever. These images are so, so special to me. Love them!!!

If you are local & are starting to think about family photos for holiday cards & such, you can book a session with my amazing sister now. Check out her blog for details.

P.S. Thank you for all of your sweet comments! I am doing well & enjoying this baby boy so much. I hope you are enjoying the guest posts as much as I am. It is so hard for me to find time to blog with this baby + my girls needing so much of my attention. So I am thankful that these super sweet guest bloggers are helping me keep things rolling around here! Thanks, girls!!!

Guest Post - Jude & Lebe

2011-09-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to have Jessica from Jude & Lebe here today. She is truly one of the most beautiful women, both inside & out, that I have ever met!

It is an absolute pleasure to be a guest blogger today. My husband, Joel & I want to congratulate Candace, Dylan & their beautiful girls as they welcome this little prince. I had the privilege of sharing life with Candace while she and her husband lived in Cleveland, OH. Our husbands worked together and we always had each other to sit with at company functions. Their entire family is missed tremendously.

Continually, I am amazed at how rich life becomes when new little ones are added to the mix. Our little family of 4 consists of tall handsome husband, 2 blonde boys who look just like him and then...me: The sassy little Puerto Rican makeup artist, amateur chef & professional boy Mom.

We welcomed our first son, Jude London, by surprise while Joel was still finishing up his degree. We were super young & naive & freaked out. We knew about 2 years later we wanted another one. As an only child, I just knew that having a minimum of 2 would be in the cards for us. The only problem was that it didn't seem to work for us again. Months went by and disappointment set in. I started googling everything and freaking myself out. The phrase "Secondary Infertility" started to rank higher and higher in my searches. After enduring long tests & crying all too many tears, I was finally diagnosed with endometriosis.

I had 2 options of treating this disease, of which there is no cure:

1-Get pregnant as it subsides once your cycle is paused
2-Get on horrible dragon pills that make you gain weight and enter menopause at way too early of an age.

Choice #1 was the obvious one but it just wasn't working.

I started doing some research, learning about the disease and came away with the cold hard facts:

Endometriosis can be kept at bay by eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans & legumes and by avoiding as many animal by-products as possible.

Well, I am pleased to say that with very little medical intervention & and a HUGE change to my diet, we welcomed our son, Leland Ryan on November 2, 2009. I have since kept up with the vegan diet and have seen 90% of my symptoms of endometriosis literally disappear.

We can fight disease with what we eat, my friends. It just takes discipline & will power....and a touch of sparklepower. ;-)

SO - I thought since I'm so passionate about food being healthy & vegan myself, why don't I share a beautiful Fall recipe for a delicious Apple Tart that has all the flavor you would expect without any dairy whatsoever! It couldn't be simpler & your guests will not even notice the difference.

Vegan Apple Tart

Ingredients
Crust:
1 1/4c flour
1 stick of vegetable shortening, I freeze mine for 30 minutes prior to adding
1tsp salt
6 tablespoons ice cold water
Filling:
4-6 tart apples you love or have lying around
Peel/Core/Sliced thin (save the peels)
1tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Juice of 1 lemon
3/4c of sugar
1/4 brown sugar
1/4c shortening, melted

Throw flour/salt in the food processor and pulse. Add COLD shortening and pulse until it has become pea-size. Add a tablespoon of ice water and continue to pulse stopping just before it turns into a ball of dough. With floured hands, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour. Once set, roll out onto tart pan.

Filling:
Toss your apples in lemon juice, sugars, & spices. Arrange the slices & fold/crimp up the sides of the dough. Brush with melted shortening along the edges of the crust.

Before sending into the 450 degree oven, boil sugar water & remaining apple peels until it reduces by half. Strain and then add the sugary apple deliciousness to the center of the tart for added flavor and moisture.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until apples are tender and crust is golden brown.

Thank you for having me, Candace. I wish you happy bonding with your new little man.

Finn's Birth Story

2011-09-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 am. I was a ball of nerves. I got clammy & flushed & faint & nauseated when getting my IV, which I always do. But we got through that quickly & before I knew it we were headed back to the operating room. I was very concerned about going into the same type of post needle shock when getting my spinal block, but I didn't. All of the nurses + the anesthesiologist were all so nice & friendly. I really liked them all.

I looooooove my doctor. He took such good care of me. Dylan sat by me on the other side of the curtain while the doctors all chit chatted & had some nice social time while working on me. :) I guess we were just unaware of what was happening on the other side because when we heard our baby boy cry, we both gasped & looked at each other with shocked eyes. It was a pretty sweet, unexpected moment that I will never forget. And boy did he cry. He was ticked off & I was so, so happy to hear such a hearty cry. The doctor gave me a quick look at him (the photo above) & he was taken off to be cleaned & checked. I couldn't help but cry a little as I listened to my baby cry. It was a sound that at one point I never thought I would ever hear again.

They told me he weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. A little off from the 9 lbs. that Dylan had predicted the night before. My belly did look like there was a humongous baby in it though. :)

We noticed right away that he had his tongue out a lot. And that is what people comment on the most. It's a long pointy tongue & he is always sticking it out. That he got from me. My parents say that I was exactly the same way & my tongue is even sticking out in my newborn hospital photo. We also were surprised at his cute hair. He has more hair than our girls did.

Not a flattering photo of me, but I was in the middle of being operated on. :) We were both so teary & happy. These moments are so special for our relationship. I'm glad that I get to have these experiences with such a supportive & awesome husband.

I got to hold Finn about an hour later. He is beautiful & perfect & I love him so much. I'm so happy that I get to be his mom.

Guest Post - JCasa *handmade

2011-09-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to have the sweet & insightful Jennifer from JCasa *handmade here today. You all are already keeping up with her every move, right?

THRIFT REPORT

for as long as i can remember, i have enjoyed popping into thrift stores and off-the-beaten-track antique malls to see what treasures i might happen upon. nowadays, i usually don’t have much time, and almost always my kids are with me, but it’s fun. we enjoy ourselves - there’s so much to see, you just have to know where to look.

as anyone who thrifts regularly knows, there are good days to stop into your favorite spots - some shops add new stock only on specific days, while others may feature terrific sale days. but honestly, you never know what you’ll find on any given day. and that’s part of the fun of it, am i right?

i especially love vintage and antique textiles, pillowcases, housewares, and children’s books. and now that i’ve changed my shopping paradigm a bit, i keep a small list of items i’m on the hunt for just in case i see them. you know, those things you do not automatically look for, but they are indeed out there now and then.

ok, so brace yourself.

like many of you, i have never been one of those people to happen upon something that is beyond amazing, until recently when it seems i was in the right place at the right time. that there mid-century desk is proof in the pudding that you never know what you’ll find unless you look.

seriously, go looking! and if you have little kids, take them along. make a regular date to pop into your local thrift shops and say hello. and while you’re at it, bring along a bag of clothes/toys/housewares to donate. it’s good karma. xoxo

Guest Post - Skirt As Top

2011-09-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

I couldn't believe it when Candace asked me to guest blog for her while she's on maternity leave. I've been blogging over at skirtastop for less than 6 months, but have been a follower of Sparkle Power! for about three times that long. I am so excited to share my pattern for a simple infant bib and some fun boyish appliqué templates with you today!

I'm a mostly self-taught, part-time working mama of two little ones, a 3 year old girl and a 9 month old boy, and I absolutely love to sew. After learning on toddler skirts and dresses for my daughter, I wasn't sure what I would sew when I found out I was having a boy last summer. I also come from a family of four girls, so the whole boy thing was very new to me! I quickly discovered that it's just as fulfilling to sew for boys, since commercial clothes for little guys sometimes tend to be a bit...plain. Knowing how to sew makes it very easy to do something about that!

My bib template works for young infants (spitup happens), but it's also big enough to work for older babies messily trying out solid food. It's a quick bib to make, and a great use of scraps or fat quarters. I've drawn an old timey handlebar moustache, paper plane, whale, and fox templates for you to trace and use. Appliqué is great for livening up plain onesies, baby blankets, and burp cloths. Baby boys deserve fun threads too!

DOWNLOAD THE FREE BIB PATTERN & BOY APPLIQUÉ TEMPLATES:

bib pattern

appliqué templates

MATERIALS:

Main fabric for front (quilting cotton or flannel works great)
Thicker absorbent fabric for back (I like using terry cloth/an old towel, or minky)
Coordinating fabric scrap for appliqué
Velcro or snaps
Double stick fusible web
Point turner, chopstick, or knitting needle
Bib pattern and appliqué templates (see links above)

STEP 1: Cut out bib template, trace shape onto main fabric on the fold (I traced mine onto cardboard since I use it so often). Cut out the bib front.

STEP 2: Place bib front right sides together with backing fabric, pin, cut out the backing in the general shape of the front bib. This allows for a little margin of error while sewing, since terry cloth tends to shift a little bit. It's also quicker because you don't need to be as accurate while cutting out the backing. Pin around the edges, marking a 2" opening to turn.

STEP 3: Sew together with a 3/8" seam allowance using the bib front as your guide, backstitching at the opening.

STEP 4: Trim seam allowance to 1/4", except at opening. Clip into curves around neck line and bottom edges.

STEP 5: Turn rightside out, using your point turner to poke out the neck tabs completely. Finger press, then press with an iron on the front side of the bib (terry-cloth and minky don't iron well).

STEP 6: Topstitch around the outer edge of the bib 1/8" from edge.

STEP 7: Sew on velcro. Sew 1.5" of the fuzzy side on to the backing side of the left neck tab, and 1" of the scratchy side onto the front side of the right neck tab (or add snaps, if your little one is prone to compulsively ripping off their bib).

STEP 8: Trace your appliqué onto the fusible web paper. Cut out the general shape. Remove the backing paper, stick to the wrong side of your scrap, and cut out your shape (I have a pair of sewing scissors dedicated to this purpose). Don't cut the inner lines of the paper plane. They're provided to guide your stitching later.

STEP 9: Remove the other side of the paper backing, and place appliqué where you'd like it. Iron it to fuse to the bib, then machine stitch close to the edge to secure, using whatever stitch you'd like (straight, zigzag, blanket, etc.). The web prevents it from fraying, but if you use a straight stitch it will get a little fuzzy around the edge after a few trips through the wash. I like that look.

STEP 10: Add details to the appliqué. For the whale's eye, I use fabric marker, but it could also be embroidered. Appliqué small scraps of the terry for the fox's face and tip of the tail. Mark the paper plane's "folds" with disappearing fabric pen and use contrasting thread in your machine to stitch the detail.

STEP 11: Put a bib (or three) on your little fella, and enjoy the cuteness!

Thanks for having me, Candace! I'm so happy for you to have a little guy of your very own - they are such fun. Enjoy those wonderful newborn snuggles!

Hello, world…

2011-09-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hi, it's me, Dylan. You know, the tall white guy Candace is married to. I usually just post nerdy stuff on my Tumblr, but I'm happy to be posting here today. Yesterday morning we welcomed the newest member of our family into the world, Robert Finnegan Todd; "Finn" for short. He weighs 7 pounds, 11 ounces and is 20 inches long. He has a lot of hair for a Todd baby, but then again, both of our girls were super-bald for the first two years of their lives, so there's not all that much competition. But seriously though, this little dude has sideburns. Oh, and he is so super cute you guys.

Both mom and baby are doing very well. Amazing, in fact. We're hoping to be home from the hospital tomorrow, but we'll see. We're all very happy to have him here, safe and sound, all skinny and red and sleepy. Thanks to all of you for your kind words, nice thoughts and prayers on our family's behalf.

More soon. Thanks! – D

Guest Post - The Modern Marigold

2011-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Today we welcome Amanda from The Modern Marigold as our guest blogger. Be sure to stop by her adorable blog & check out her darling etsy shop. Thanks, Amanda!!

Two things save my bacon when there's a new baby around here:

via/via

freezer meals (ok, a little Ben & Jerry's never hurts)

and

paper plates.

Yep, I said it. I am shamelessly fair-weather conservationist, at least when it comes to the noxious combination of dirty dishes + new baby + no dishwasher. Ahem.

And what better to put on those beautiful paper plates than a hot, tasty, home-cooked freezer meal? Hmmm?

I am a huge fan of make-ahead cooking, though I don't do it as often as I'd like. There really is nothing better than remembering on a crazy/busy/lazy day that dinner is already in the freezer. I think our collective autumnal chipmunk genes must be kicking in, 'cause it seems like Pinterest has been swimming in make-ahead links lately. Here is a little roundup of some of my faves. Happy freezer cooking!

Freezable Breakfasts via iVillage

Freezer Meals for Us via Freezer Meals for Us

Freezer-Friendly Meals via What's Cookin, Chicago?

Stocking the Freezer via Annie's Eats

Freezer Meals on the Cheap via A Turtle's Life for Me

Freezer Cooking via Mama and Baby Love

Freezer Meals via Fabulessly Frugal

Best Make-Ahead Meals via Parents Connect

Freezer Meals via It's All Happening

Easy Freezer Meals via Southern Living

(This is how I know I'm getting old: thoughts of owning a chest freezer make my heart beat faster.)

Anybody have some fab make-ahead links or recipes we need to know about?

Thanks for having me over, Candace! I think I speak for everyone when I say we seriously can't wait to meet your sweet little guy!!

Guest Post - Gingiber

2011-09-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hello! My name is Stacie, the artist behind Gingiber Nursery Decor and occasional blogger over at my blog, GingiberSnap. I’m pregnant with my second daughter, Lucy, so preparations have been underway to turn my oldest’s (Violet) room into a super fun shared space.

Violet has been upgraded to a big girl twin bed, and I have been searching for an affordable, vintagey feeling headboard with little luck :( That’s when I decided to DIY a super fun chalkboard headboard!

Supplies
5 Wooden Yardsticks ($.69 each!)
Chalkboard Paint (I had some on hand)
Dozen 1/4 inch Nails (had on hand)
Piece of 48x39 Inch Plywood ($10)
Wood Stain ($5)

Here's how I made it:

1. I went to my local hardware store and had them cut a piece of plywood to my dimensions, 48x39 inches (39 inches is the width of a twin bed)

2. Then I cut and stained the yard sticks with Kona colored wood stain to make the yardsticks appear aged

3. I painted the plywood with 3 thin coats of green chalkboard paint and let it dry

4. After the yard sticks had dried, I cut down the yard sticks to size, put them in place, then nailed them onto the painted plywood

Finally, I placed the handmade chalkboard at the head of Violet's bed. Add some chalk and Viola! Interactive Headboard! What almost 3 year old wouldn’t love this?

I love the way the yardsticks make the headboard feel a bit oldschool :) And all for under $25! Megascore!! And Violet has definitely taken to her new bed, which makes this momma happy!

We Meet Him Tomorrow

2011-09-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

The gestation period of this quilt has been just as long as the gestation period of this baby. But I'm happy that in these last few moments before baby comes, I was able to sit & hand stitch the binding on as part of my relaxing time. I started this quilt before I even knew if we were having a boy or a girl. I started this quilt when I was still very worried & scared about the baby's early development & growth. Would this baby survive? I was scared, but also so excited & happy.

It feels like this has been the longest pregnancy of my life & once again I sit feeling scared & worried. This time about the hospital & needles & surgery & pain & how my girls will be while I'm away & if this baby will be healthy & well. And once again I'm working on the same quilt. Perhaps I needed this quilt to sit on the shelf until this very time when I would need to keep my hands busy in order to keep my mind clear.

Early tomorrow morning we head to the hospital. We will keep you posted on the baby's arrival. I've already put Dylan on assignment to update the blog, but it may be a day later. We do not have fancy phones or laptops or iPads. Might be best to check my twitter feed, since that is the only place I send status updates from my phone.

I have asked some awesome bloggers to come by & guest post for me while I am in the hospital & during the first few weeks home with the baby. They are all amazing & lovely women who have put together some seriously cool posts for you during my leave. You will not want to miss out! The guest posts will start appearing on the blog as of tomorrow. Please be the dears that you are & welcome them well. Comment on their posts & visit their websites to say hello. Won't you please?

I will be popping in every now & then with photos of the babe & updates as our family works through this awesome change. I probably don't say it enough, but thank you for reading my blog! I have the sweetest readers & I'm so glad that I can share my life & connect with such great friends through this blog.

Handmade Baby Gifts Received

2011-09-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

I want to share all of the adorable handmade baby gifts that I've received from friends & family at my baby shower.

The cutest little velcro backed bow ties & darling wooden frame made by my friend Sara.

Darling little booties made by my friend Ritzie.

The softest crocheted blanket with cute blue stripes made by my friend Carma.

Super cool & adorable bandana bibs made by my sister-in-law Lilia.

And some sweet little onesies adorned with dapper bow ties by my sister Kimberly.

Hooray for handmade! I know that when it comes to handmade gifts a lot of time is spent thinking about what to make before the actual making begins. So I thank my sweet & thoughtful friends & family for taking the time to create such darling goodies for us & our new baby! :)

First Day of Preschool

2011-09-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

Poor kid had to wait 2 weeks after her sister started back at school before she started preschool. But today was the day! She was very excited. She's such a girly girl. She wanted to wear a dress & have her hair curled. Although she acted very shy at her open house a few days earlier, she walked right into the classroom this morning. Way to go, Claire!

Contoured Burp Cloths

2011-09-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

Okay. I'm feeling a little better about my burp cloth situation now. Yesterday I made 4 more. I used the Cloud9 Contoured Burp Cloth pattern & tutorial for these. I just loved the shape of their pattern. Mine are made in a double flannel. Burp cloths in two layers of flannel are really my favorite, because they are the softest & most absorbent.

I've decided to slow down & take it easy these last few days before baby comes. And you know what? My body feels better. So much less achy all over & my contractions have eased up. I am going to try to rest up & enjoy these last moments before everything changes & we have to deal with the exhaustion that comes from taking care of a newborn. I will keep you posted! :)

September Mix

2011-09-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

Dylan's September mix tape is available for free download right here. I just adore the cover on this one. :) Isn't my husband the nicest for making a new mix every month for all the internet to enjoy?

Back to School Dinner with the Young Women

2011-09-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

At church, I am lucky enough to hold the job of Young Women Secretary. Which means that I get to work with the 12-18 year old girls. We have activities once a week. A lot of times the girls plan the activities & we all work together to see them through. This gives them opportunities to learn new skills & such. Well, this last week the leaders decided that we would take on the whole activity & we held a Back to School Dinner for the girls.

I took on much of the decorating. My sister-in-law, Lilia, gave me the great idea to tear pages from an old dictionary & sew them together to make these overhead garlands.

I made some hanging flowers out of brown paper lunch bags using this Martha Stewart tutorial.

We ran paper streamers down the middle of the tables & then topped with this & that for decoration. My contributions are the little chalkboards & the stacks of books.

We served them chicken salad sandwiches in lunch sacks with chocolate milk in little cartons. For dessert we had apples dipped in caramel sauce. I talked to them about ways to have a great school year...being a good friend to everyone, dressing modestly, praying often, standing up for what they believe & choosing to be happy each day. They wrote down some goals for themselves & we gave them each a little note with their mothers hope for them this school year.

It was really fun. I don't think these girls even understand how much I adore them. I love that this church service opportunity has given me the chance to get to know them so well.

Sadie Turns 7 Years Old

2011-09-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

Sadie turned 7 years old this week! Seriously, how is she that old already? She is such a beautiful, fun girl. It's been so weird for me to think back on that day she was born in early September in Idaho while my belly is taken over by another squirmy baby.

I decided not to do an at home party this year. So she requested a Chuck E. Cheese party & this 9 months pregnant mama happily obliged. She enjoyed every second of it & I'm pretty sure all her guests did as well.

I love this photo below. She's even cute with crossed eyes! Both of my girls have been talking about this ticket blaster with much excitement for the last week.

I was so happy to be able to just come home when it was all over & not have to worry about cleaning up any messes. Other than being a little tired from being overstimulated, the kids were happy, happy happy. It was a good thing. :)

A little pregnancy update: My contractions have started to feel a little different. Nothing consistent as far as time apart, but they are more painful in my lower belly. Apparently they are doing their job because my cervix has thinned a lot. I packed the hospital bag last night just in case & perhaps I've waited long enough to do that anyway. :) We are all a little anxious in awaiting this life change. I can't wait to see what this boy looks like!

9 Days and Counting

2011-09-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

I figured that I'd better pop in here & let you know that I'm still around. People have started to wonder if my absence means that I've gone to the hospital & delivered this baby. Not so. Just thought I'd let you know.

A man in the shampoo aisle at Target yesterday asked me, "Are you ready to pop?!" When I replied that I had a week or so left, he then asked, "Are you feeling alright?". I thought that was nice that he was concerned about me. :)

There's a stain on my shirt in that photo above...and I really don't care. I don't have much energy left to care about too much these days.

My body aches. Specifically my sides & my hips & my pelvic bones. I have never felt this weighed down by pregnancy before. But then, I've never dilated prior to 40 weeks & I've never had a baby drop in the way this one has. By the end of the day it's just too uncomfortable to walk or even sit. I have to lay down. I feel like an old lady. And I've continued to feel older & older as this pregnancy gets further along. I'm feeling about 85 years old these days. Not really, but then again, yeah really.....in some ways. My bones are rickety, I have no energy & I can get pretty dang cranky at times.

Dylan & I admit to each other last night that we are both feeling nervous about the baby's arrival. I have been feeling nervous for quite some time because being cut open again is reason enough to feel anxious, right? But it's also because it's been quite a few years since we've last done this. I am confident though that everything will go smoothly & all worries will melt away as soon as we have that soft, warm baby in our arms.

For now I don't want to forget how great Dylan has been. He's stepped up to help me where I'm falling short with the housework. Also, he tells me everyday how beautiful I am & ~~I think~~ I know he means it.

9 more days until my scheduled c-section...unless I start into labor before then.

So I really don't have that much longer to tough it out... & then there's a whole new set of aches & pains to get through as I recover from surgery while caring for a newborn. And it's all so wonderful! :)

Friday Etsy Faves

2011-09-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

1. Double Happiness Braided Bracelet by Ampris Loves
2. Plush Owl Pillow in Blue by Gingiber
3. Classroom Pull Down Map by Cathode Blue
4. Pretty Darling Pillow Cover by LeiLilaLoo

Burp Cloths With Bound Edges

2011-08-30T09:35:00.000-07:00

I just love burp cloths. They are so wonderful to have around the house & in your diaper bag. I love that they are there just ready to clean up all the spit up messes & baby drool. A stack of fresh new burp cloths just makes me happy.

I also love the look of quilt binding. I think it gives a quilt such a nice finished look. So with fabrics that I had on hand, I made up these burp cloths with a white flannel backing & a patterned fabric front. Then I did a quick binding around the edge in a contrasting fabric.

I love them. And I just love making something super useful & good looking from materials that I already have around.

This is the same sort of binding method that I used, but instead of hand stitching the back side (which I usually do on quilts...looks so amazing!) I just pinned it back & machine stitched. I told you it was a "quick binding"!

Now my only problem is that I need way more than 3 burp cloths. :)

Ten Dollar Advertising Sale

2011-08-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

I've decided to continue offering 150 pixel by 150 pixel ad spots on my sidebar for only $10 for the month of September. Ten bucks!

Next month is baby month, so it will be an exciting month for our family. I have some really great guest bloggers lined up to post during the time that I'll be busy, you know, having a baby. And of course I'll be popping in to update you on the new little guy & how our lives will be changing. It will be an awesome month!

E-mail me at SparklePowerCandace@gmail.com to snag a spot for your website or shop!