vacationing with kids

vacations with kids are a little less vacation'esqe' and a little more like a rite of passage. the man power involved in preparing, accommodating, and soothing small humans on vacation is daunting. to say the least. 

so when that tiny rascal was being crazier than normal, we kinda knew something 'had' to be wrong. we actually hoped something was wrong. or this wasn't going to be a joyous trip. and unluckily for him, he did have an ear infection. relief. there's medicine for that. and nightly cocktails for us. 

the trip was mostly successful. lots of trips to VGs. lots of days at the park. lots of sandy showers and baths. sunscreen, fits and tantrums, laughs, walks, sand-fly fears to overcome, juice boxes, seashells, books, and movie filled nap times.

niz kid doesn't like sleeping in the trailer. at all. he wakes in the wee hours. and there is absolutely no ignoring him. so at 4:30 this morning, while hunkered over his pack n' play, i felt a tad bit sorry for myself. like... what the heck happened to life vacations as i once knew them? and then... i felt sorry for the tent full of teenagers directly behind us. and then i thought no... this is a good life lesson in birth control. you're welcome.

we get many, many smiles from fellow campers while we walk. lots of... we use to bring our kids when they were little like that. and naturally i would ask... it does get better right? and they all assured me it would. 

here's hoping. 

{clearly it is not that bad. since we keep doing it!}

top :: spring break 2012

bottom :: spring break 2013

   

welcome home new girl

something my friend said summed it up perfectly... you just waltzed into the 21st century. 

yes... yes i did!

i found my new girl. on craigslist. 

i made this deal with myself when i first started quilting. if i completed at least 3 quilts and i still 'liked' the craft, then i could buy a newer machine.

after weeks of research i felt like this one suited me well. it does all the stuff i needed it to with a few extras thrown in.  

i sat down with the booklet and read it cover to cover. i can now claim to be a bona fide bernina owner.

i've also learned that there are more opinions on sewing machines than one could have ever imagined. i say find a repair shop you love, ask if they work on the brand you're buying, and take a leap of faith.

happy quilting!

craft room tour

i love snooping through craft rooms and sewing spaces. both in real life and online.

so... here's mine :)

{welcome}

my little stack of happiness

i love storing things in glass jars. that way i can see where everything is.

my homemade chicken wire frame holds inspiration ideas. 

i believe in lots of pens and markers and scissors. and magnetic pin holders. 

i keep my scrap stash handy at all times. seeing it inspires me. and who doesn't love these girly colors? huge theme in this room.

i try to keep things that go together near each other. i love when grocery stores do that. 

baskets and containers 

and bunting ;)

i keep a journal for crafting notes. when i walk away from a project long enough, i forget everything i was doing. it's full of chicken scratch. and diagrams. and numbers. 

i sew on a singer featherweight. and yes... that's blue painters tape used as my measuring guide. 

all my dangerous little gadgets are stowed away. nizzy has gecko fingers and wants all things shiny. 

i use my hanging file folders to store fabric saved for specific projects.

i utilize my closet the best i can. my mom bought me these containers at costco and i love them. 

and i admire this as i work my magic.

my newest thing to hoard. thanks to joann's coupon commotion. 

i am proud of this little drawer. diligent pinterest browsing makes for organized spaces. all things 'wire' go here.

and all things salvage and trader joe snacks go here.

more jars and measuring tapes. 

i save all my material 'trash' because it makes for great, free pillow stuffing.

i saved this card that my grandma wrote me after i had nizzle. a few of my chicken wire frames are currently off the wall and being repurposed. 

my ironing station is adorned with preschool art. 

and ribbons... a girl can never have enough ribbon in her life. 

happy crafting! 

decisions, decisions

i'm on the hunt for another sewing machine. not a new one. i cherish the featherweight my mother-in-law gave me. i tested the waters of sewing on that little beauty. it's hardy and darling. i love it. so i am not replacing the old girl, just finding her a friend.

here is the problem. what to invest in? there are so many choices, options, styles, brands. when i think i've figure it out, i am swayed by another review. i find myself ten windows deep in quilting forums and machine reviews. like literally... where am i in cyber space? and how did i get here? and NO bree... you do not embroider as a career, so stop looking at that one!

i'm currently perusing craigslist. and then i google every make and model i find. and finally i beg ryan to call and insult these poor people who dare to write 'OBO'. obo in my book stands for: or best offensive offer.

so... the hunt is on. i'll let you know where this adventure takes me.
crossing my fingers and toes it ends up as good as that craigslist desk.

Baby Clothes Quilt

let's just start by saying my mom is amazing.

somewhere, sometime ago i saw a quilt made out of baby clothes. i needed one. my mom agreed to help me... or really... make one for me. 

i dug through her pile of baby clothes. a little voice kept saying... you're going to cut up these perfectly good outfits? really? 

it was hard. harder than i expected. 

i found my favorites. then we organized them by color and eliminated pieces that didn't really 'go'. i wanted to keep buttons and ruffles and ribbons. my mom diligently fussy cut special pieces.

'thrilled' is an understatement. it is a trip down memory lane. i'm not sure who loves it most. we all seem to be in love... even the boys. 

the dress she wore all summer before baby D arrived, the fishies from her first san clemente trip, the paul frank she wore to the welcome home uncle paul party, the mommy and me blue dress, the thanksgiving onesie.

the back is equally fun. and perfectly appropriate for her current princess love affair.

 ruffle love.

her little lamb onesie that she came home from the hospital in. 

he even loves it.

dr. seuss soup

march 2nd is dr. seuss' birthday and dr. seuss day in every school i've ever known. this year i searched the internet for a few new ideas and found dr. seuss soup. but the blog had nothing more than a picture. and a lot of teachers asking questions.

i studied the picture and my stack of dr. seuss books and came up with my own version of dr. seuss soup.

here's my spin:
i told my students the day before that we would be making soup. dr. seuss soup. i told them that dr. seuss books are silly and magical and weird and strange... and so will our soup. nothing like any soup they've ever had before.

naturally... they all squealed in delight.

i told them we would read many books on dr. seuss day. after each book we would add an ingredient or two, let the soup 'simmer' and eat it during our last hour together.

recipe:
1. read In A People House

and add popcorn and goldfish to the soup.
{the book also mentions peanuts... but we have a peanut free room this year}
2. read One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish and add swedish fish or colored gummy fish.
3. read And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street and add circus cookies.
4. read Are You My Mother {i know... not truly a dr. seuss book} and add gummy worms and pretzel sticks {like the sticks in the bird's nest}.

by the end of the day the 'soup' was finished and they enjoyed a scoop.

they were so eager to hear each new story throughout the day. and even more excited to guess what we were going to add to our soup next.

yes... it is more of a trail mix... but that's not imaginative at all.