Crafty Tuesday – Handbag Edition.

Your Two Birdies have gone mad for handbags over here!

In our Simply Sublime Bags book there is a pattern using a placemat for a cute little summery purse. It is very easy and fun, and maybe one of these days I’ll actually have a little spare time so I can take photos and do a little tutorial on how we adapted the pattern to suit our own needs.

The first one I attempted I used a Target clearance placemat that I loved, and I knew my dear friend Cyndi – who is also a Target devotee – would appreciate.

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Why yes – that is Miss Petaluma modeling the hottest summer accessory. How cute is she? (And the handbag isn’t so bad, either!)

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And, then I moved on from placemats and used this great fabric that I had lying around and made another bag for another dear friend who had a June birthday.

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AND…yes, another June birthday friend. This one was made out of fabric remnants as well, not a placemat, but I think it is my favorite.

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Added ribbon and a partitioned pocket on the inside…and also squared off the bottom so it will sit nicely.

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I have two more June birthdays that need to be finished this week before I leave. I’m determined to get them done before July slips by as well.

Any summer crafting happening out there?

Perfect Weekend?

If I sat down to really think about it…

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I would say that the perfect weekend would be filled with friends…

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…lots of laughs…

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…and even more fun.

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Throw in a lot of family time, some serious spring summer cleaning, and a new (clearanced!!) patio set and I would say it for sure was a (much needed) relaxing weekend. Just about perfect, I think.

Another Garden…

…of the Secret kind.

Em started her Summer Book Club with a few of her best friends today. They are reading The Secret Garden.

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So far she loves the book and I am enjoying re-reading it with her.

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It is incredible to watch all of the girls taking it so seriously.

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If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times – we are so very lucky to have such an amazing group of friends to fill our life with great times, fun and plenty of smiles.

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Next week Addie has offered up her garden as the Book Club’s meeting place, so we’ll get some more good shots of the sunflower, hopefully in bloom.

Growing like a…well, sunflower, I guess.

A little Addie’s garden update for you. Remember her little sunflower that she planted way back when she was a mere kindergartener? Well…take a look at it now!

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We are anxiously awaiting the bloom, sooner or later it has to open up – I mean it is already 1 Daddy + 1 Addie high!

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Her garden is ridiculous and pretty much just growing every which way. We had green beans for dinner tonight. We’ve had blueberries for our yogurt nearly every single day. And we almost have enough tomatoes to make a nice little caprese salad. And herbs. Holy cow, we have herbs like you wouldn’t believe. Please friends if you need something, come over and clip them from our yard…do not buy them at the market!

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Every morning she takes her little basket out and wanders down the path to see what she can find.

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I told her the other day that she has a very green thumb and she insisted, “No I don’t! I just washed my hands, Mama!”

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My little garden girl.

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Crafty Tuesday

Have been on a bit of a forced hiatus around here, from the computer at least, due to my unanticipated hard drive problem last week.

The good news is that Apple replaced my hard drive (with one that is nearly twice as big – thank you Steve Jobs!) for free and fixed my laptop casing.

The bad news is I’m still encountering stuff that I didn’t get a chance to save copies of…the big stuff, like photos and projects are all backed up and fine, but the little stuff like Photoshop actions and programs I used to upload files and photos…all need to be reinstated. It is time consuming, but I’m trying to be zen about it all.

We did manage to be a little crafty in between all of the crazy computer stuff last week. Em and Audrey completed their sewing camp and had a great time.

They finished cute little skirts (all by themselves!)…

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And then the second half of the week they finished little tops…

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I was very impressed with the sewing abilities of my little seamstress and we are working on a project for Audrey’s birthday this week, so stay tuned for more sewing goodies compliments of Em.

I also finished two little baby blankets for our friend who is having twins!

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Her theme is owls, and look at the cuteness of these – the skunk kills me!

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This is pre-washing and pressing…but I had to take photos so I wouldn’t forget.

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I also finished a little romper for Addie – we decided to sew something for her while Em was off doing her sewing thing. She has promised to wear it tomorrow, so I’ll get some pics then.

Any other summer craftiness going on?

A Happy Birthday and a little bit of Crafty, too.

My little sis is one year older today! And soon she’ll be all caught up to me because I’m sticking and staying where I’m at – so I’ll see you in a few years, Meesh!

All kidding aside, we wish you a very, very happy birthday, Aunt Meesh. You are a beautiful person inside and out and I feel so blessed to be able to call you my sister, and most of all my best friend.

And since you are at Camp this week, I’m going to use your birthday gifts on our Crafty Tuesday today. If by chance you are reading this before you get to open your birthday gifts….STOP READING. Right NOW.

Okay, now that she is gone…I can let you in on quite possibly my worst, most frustrating project…ever. Grrrrr….I’m still a little steamy about the whole thing but it is wrapped up and on its’ way.

Awhile ago my sis told me she wanted a little case/cozy for her new iPad. And I happened to have this gorgeous, soft, gray sweater that I had felted. I had visions of a soft case with a pretty light blue fabric lining  and a little birdy on the outside.

Yes. And that is what it started as…and after taking it completely apart three different times, the knit became so misshapen and out-of-whack, and I eventually just worked it down too much and the whole thing became too small. It just wasn’t working. I sadly tossed it in the scrap heap, where Addie immediately rescued it as a sleeping bag for one of her stuffed cats. Meh. At least it is getting some sort of use.

It was the right idea…

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So I took a new tactic. One of the books I got for Christmas has this great idea to make handbags out of placemats. I happened upon some clearance placemats at Target a few weeks ago and have been experimenting with some purses and I had an extra one…so I opened it up, added some padding to protect her new little iPad, and added some clasps.

This little piece only saw the seam ripper twice. Gah. But, I was a little happier with this one.

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I also made a little bag for a friend of Michelle’s. Again, using 3 of my clearance placemats I put this together. And then put it together again. My proportions are a little off…the bag is too tall – but it is a good-sized bag.

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I just don’t know what it was about this weekend, but my sewing mojo was OFF. I’m hoping that I can get it back this week since I have a whole lotta stuff to get done!

It’s Friday…I’m In Love.

…In love with long weekends filled with nothing to do!

Well, there is always something to do. And if I consult our new little Summer To Do list, it appears we might not have enough weeks of summer left to get it all done.

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The only things on the list that we have to do this weekend are (1) feed the cats and (2) take care of the cats. Em and Ad are cat-sitting for Uncle Jeff and Aunt JB, and apparently Addie felt very strongly that they deserved TWO checks on our list.

I also love the last one she added today…playing with sisters and mom and dad. Definite great summer goal.

However, I can’t say I’m entirely in love with the fact that it is July 1st today. HOW did this happen? It feels like just yesterday that the girls were walking home with end-of-year goodies and report cards. Since then, we have completed an entire cycle of tennis camp. I’m not sure how much they learned tennis-wise, but Coach Ron said the girls were “delightful” and showed great promise for their age if they wanted to continue pursuing tennis. Heh. I’m sure he says that about all the girls.

They have both been swimming, swimming, swimming. We have had lots of free swims, they are both on swim teams, we’ve had the first of our weekly swim parties with friends, and we’ve been to the beach – well, there wasn’t much swimming at the beach since the water was 63 degrees, but there is nothing like being (even an hour) on an ocean beach.

And we got to share some love with Aunt Meesh and Uncle DJ this past weekend. They came for a visit sans kids for their anniversary. We did a little courtyard hula-ing and dancing…

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The girls got to go to their first real concert, Alison Krauss at the Greek theater. And of course, our entertaining standby – we got a little crazy in Disneyland…

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(I honestly don’t know. She might be trying to “lick” her sister? Who knows…)

And even though I’ve been vigilant with the sunscreen and hats – thanks to the awe-some weather – we are starting to see some Coppertone bottoms and a smattering of nose freckles around here…

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Next week after our little weekend stay-cation, my little Birdie is taking on a new adventure. Sewing camp.

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Oh you can bet your buttons that I am just about as excited as she is. We went fabric shopping downtown today, in the camp they will be making a tunic top and a skirt. She zeroed in on the pirate fabric the very first step into the cottons section and could not be dissuaded from it. So she has the pirates for the top and the polka-dots for the bottom. Stay tuned for a Crafty Tuesday creation, I’m thinking.

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And the best news to love today – we have finally booked our “family vacation” for the end of July/start of August. We are tagging along with J. to Orlando and then stopping in Michigan on our way back. We are all looking forward to the trip – but we have a lot of summer living to do before then, so I best be getting back to our list. Right now!

Well when you put it that way…

…YES! This is a pretty accurate description of what I can be found doing most days. No wonder I’m so exhausted by the time I get around to my computer at night.

(Thanks Dad for sending this over our way.)

This should be the next SURVIVOR SERIES!

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks. Each kid will play two sports and take either music or dance classes. There is no fast food. Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and pay a list of ‘pretend’ bills with not enough money.

In addition, each man will have to budget enough money for groceries each week. Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives and send cards out on time–no emailing.

Each man must also take each child to a doctor’s appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment. He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Emergency Room. He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a school function.

Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside, and keeping it
presentable at all times. The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleepand all chores are done.

The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, adorn themselves with jewelry, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails polished, and eyebrows groomed. During one of the six weeks the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, backaches, headaches, have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.

They must attend weekly school meetings and church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.

They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 7:30 am.

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child’s birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size, doctor’s name, the child’s weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor, each child’s favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear, and what they want to be when they grow up.

The kids vote them off the island based on performance.

The last man wins only if…he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment’s notice.

The sad thing is…I still think J. would be the favorite parent around our house. He’d find a way to do it and not be frustrated and crabby like me!

Bella, Bella Dancerellas

We had a weekend full of ballet, ballet and more ballet. I was lucky (?!) enough to be in charge of one set of ballerinas during the dress rehearsal on Saturday so I was able to get some photos. Which actually was a Godsend since there is no photography or videoing during the recital.

The recital was called “It’s a Small World” and so we began in Germany with our little flowers dancing to one of my all-time favorite songs “Edelweiss.”

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Yeah, I cried through the whole performance. I used to sing this song to the girls while I was rocking them, so there was that.

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But also, (if you recall Addie’s last recital, a long, long time ago that was a bit of a disaster with her just sitting up on stage and crying for me!) it was pure joy to see her up on the stage excited to be performing and dancing her little heart out. She knew all of the steps and wait until you see the video – she was beaming and smiling from ear to ear the entire song during the actual recital.

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She was sweet, yet self assured and confident wrapped into one braid-wearing package. It was breathtaking to watch.

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And then we traveled to Ireland and found our Irish fairies.

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Our Em and Audrey are just such old pros…they didn’t seem phased at all by the fact that they were going out to dance in front of a packed house.

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It continues to astound me how sweet her circle of friends is and how she can have such a good time anywhere with anyone.

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And it makes me so proud to see her spread her wings and try a bunch of new things.

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I can’t wait to see where both our ballerinas land.

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Friday Love.

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What is not to love about these beautiful peonies?

More things I am loving this gorgeous Friday…

* My garden buddy. Specifically hearing “let’s grow these kind of flowers in our yard, Mommy,” (the peonies from above) from the appropriately named Addie Rose.  Or better yet, hearing her plan to sell Daddy on “getting rid of all the grass in the backyard and just making ONE.BIG.GARDEN!” I can’t wait to hear how that little plan plays out. And in a close third place, hearing the girls discuss the properties of an eggplant. “Do you think eggplant is a root plant, Mama?” Em asked me at lunch today. I told her it wasn’t and Addie chimed in with “but it is PURPLE, Emma! Mama! We should grow an eggplant, too, don’t you think?”

* Swim team for everyone. Although it has meant two hours on the bleachers at the pool each afternoon this week, we have had some happy, healthy little girls who have slept like logs.

* Girly girls. I love that my sweet girls not only notice, but stop to admire, my freshly-painted toes.

* Two ballerinas. We have not one, but TWO, ballerinas in the end-of-year recital this weekend, so you can imagine that the excitement level is pretty high around here.

* A Blossoming friendship. They are not perfect and we have had our share of bickering this week, but those two girly, ballerina girls of ours are becoming very sweet friends. I walked them into tennis camp on Monday and after I signed them in and gave last minute goodbyes, I watched them turn around and you could almost see the panic when the both realized they were faced with a whole group of kids they did not know. Almost at the same exact moment. they both reached out and grabbed the others’ hand and walked on the court together. That, my friends, was one of my proudest moments as a mom. If I can continue to cultivate that friendship and help them to see that as long as they have their sister, they always have a best friend, then I think I will have succeeded as a parent of two girls.

* The weekend. It is Friday – the start of a (hopefully) long and fun-filled few days where we get to honor and show our favorite guys how much they mean to us. Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads in our life! We love you all.