What I've Been Up To...

We went to California for a few days to use the last days on our Disneyland annual passes and so I could go to LA and get bunches and bunches of fabric.  Oh, and to see my hubby's side of the family, too.  ;)

Look at my cute family!  

Don't believe K's bored face.  Her two favorite Princesses are Ariel and Tiana, and we had BOTH of them at the Princess Fair.  She put her hands to her mouth and gasped, "Ariel!  Oh Ariel!"  And she gave her a huge hug.  The Princesses were so sweet and noticed K's favorite pink sparkle shoes.  K's older sisters were so excited for her that she got to meet both her favorites.

E and L were also excited that K was tall enough to go on Gadget's Go-Coaster.  K was excited too, and apparently a little concerned during the ride.  We got nailed by the squirting frogs at the end.  K was really ticked.  She got off the ride and yelled, "WET.  GOT WET.  AUGH."  She scowled and yelled at the ride on the way out.

And my favorite husband (my only one, currently) took the girls to the little Santa Ana Zoo while I went to LA for fabric.  

After I catch up on a few orders, I'm going to start making new things for my shop.  I began drafting my patterns for sizes 4 through 8 while we were there and I didn't have a sewing machine.  I wish there were more hours in the day!

Winner! And some motivation...

And, skipping for a repeat comment clarifying a typo (Hi Brittany!  ;) ), number 18 is TIFFANY who said:

"I am a big fan of your stuff! I am now a follower. Thanks for the chance to win some cute clippies! : )"

Shoot me an email Tiffany and pick your clips--steelebjm (at) yahoo(dot)com.


For everyone else, don't forget that if you mention you follow my blog in note to seller that I'll give you a free coordinating set of hair clippies with every dress you buy.  ALSO...

In an effort to help the Japanese people, through March 31st I will be donating 50% of my net proceeds to the Church of Jesus Christ of Lattery Day Saints Humanitarian Fund.  They have always done amazing work with victims of natural disasters (among other things).  You can read about some of their work during the aftermath of the Indonesian tsunami here.  Spread the word--I'd really like to send them a nice chunk o' change.

K Doesn't Want to Grow Up

I have come the conclusion over the past few days that my Miss K loves being a baby.  She revels in it.  Where E, my first, was chattering with an amazing vocabulary and crisp enunciation, K talks remarkably like Boo.  L, the second, wanted to be just like E.  At just barely two years old she started asking nearly every day when it was her turn to go to preschool.  K, well, she is in no hurry to be a kid.  It's like she just knows she's the baby right now, and she's gonna milk it for all it's worth. 

E and L loved getting big girl beds for their second birthdays.  We just barely put up K's big girl bed about 10 days ago (although she turned two last November), and although she has slept well--in part because she doesn't know how to open her door yet, bwahahahaha--she's been skeptical.  Last night she was about to climb in, and in a rare moment of vocal clarity, announced, "Don't wan dis bed."  I made non-committal shrugs and noises and she persisted, "Where K bed."  I extolled the amazing virtues of Princess Tiana sheets and demonstrated how soft they were and how they made me feel like a princess.  "DON'T WAN DIS BED."  Then I gave up and passed her off to Daddy and let him be the bad guy.

Oh well.  She will be our baby for a few more years, as we save up to adopt two baby boys from Ethiopia.  I guess we all might as well enjoy it.  She's pretty dang cute.

Anyone else have a child who was hugely reluctant to leave babyhood?


AND...don't forget my giveaway!

The Encourage-Me-To-Blog Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive their choice of hair clippies from my shop!

I will choose the winner via random.org on Sunday, March 13 and announce it here.

How to enter: 

1.  Become a follower of my blog and make a comment on this post.  That's it!

Giveaway will close on Saturday, March 12, at midnight, PST.

 

And if you don't win, I will include a free set of coordinating hair clippies with each dress purchase if you tell me in the note to seller that you follow my blog--through March 31st!

By no means do I aspire to be one of the awesome blog queens out there, but I would like to learn to use this format more adeptly, and if I know there are people out there reading, I'll be more encouraged.  So help me out, man!

Feeling Like I Got Something Done...

I bought these two long sleeved shirts on clearance at Carters and converted them into short sleeve, using the excess sleeve fabric to make tabs. 

I'm really pleased with the results, and how easy it was.  I think I will incorporate the tab sleeves in some new designs for my shop.  Also, I want yards and yards and yards of that lighter gray fabric.  YUM.

I have been envisioning these pictures since we put an offer on this new house back at the end of October, and now it's finally real!  And I love it!  It makes the kitchen feel taller--we have tall ceilings, but with the shorter cupboards (standard, I guess, the last house's cupboards were just extra tall) I didn't sense how tall it actually is in here.  I used some scrapbook paper from the Snack Stack and frames from good ol' Ikea.  Next up, I'm painting that cabinets, and I'm going to copy this gray and white look from Dana at Made.

Per the recommendation of Miss Dolce Vita Mia, I headed up to Sas Fabrics in Tempe last week, with a cruddy feeling K in a stroller.  She was on day one of those little fever viruses, no other symptoms, just general blah-ness.  It made for easy shopping since she just hung out in her stroller with a big cold sippy of fruit punch.  Sad, but helpful.  (Not contagious either--and I did end up on the couch snuggling her pretty much the rest of the week, so I'm not a completely awful mom!)

Anyhow, so these are some fabulous knits I found.  Skulls with white ruffles, anyone?  I know one of my girls is getting one!