Keeping up with the Darcy's

On my quest to read ALL of the books this year, I am one step closer.  Just kidding, but it does seem that I have been blasting right through my stack of books from the library.  I am not doing much sleeping these days with all of the sewing projects and books I want to complete.  My last finish--North By Northanger (or, The Shades of Pemberley) by Carrie Bebris.  If you are a fan of Jane Austen, you have probably already recognized the link.  This is a book that contains all of the characters of Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey.  This is the 3rd in a series of books, but I never read the first two---they just happened to be out of the library.  That didn't seem to make any difference though--I don't think they are really linked in a certain order.  This story picks up when Darcy and Elizabeth are expecting their first child.  They get framed and accused of robbery and Darcy even spends time in jail or gaol--according to this book:)  They also find a letter from Darcy's mom--written on her death bed (she dies in child birth) and addressed to Darcy's future wife---meaning Elizabeth.  So they have to try to find out who is framing Darcy and also search for the missing item belonging to Mrs. Darcy.  This book was a good read, but started kind of slow---just like a Jane Austen book.  There is no rush in the storyline, which makes it difficult because it IS ALSO a mystery.  The author stayed true to Austen's style and just wandered through daily life and added little bits of humor and dry wit.  The annoying Lydia and horrible Mr. Wickham (who is even more horrible in this book) are a part of the plot as well as a small appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.  And most importantly--Lady Catherine---she comes to stay with the poor pregnant Elizabeth and makes her life miserable.  If you do not have a clue what I am talking about---GO READ PRIDE AND PREJUDICE RIGHT NOW!!!  You have to already love the Darcy's in order to enjoy this book.  I always find it interesting to hear what people write for Darcy and Elizabeth AFTER they get married and thought this book was at least entertaining---not AMAZING though.  I prefer to imagine Lizzy and Darcy riding off into the sunset and living happily ever after at Pemberly with cute little English kids and a dog---call me crazy:)

Link to cute hairbows

Hey Marcie.  I see that you were searching for a way to make hair bows this weekend.  When I made Emersyn's my friend saw my post and sent me a link to some directions that they used.  They made super cute bows and sold them on etsy and were nice enough to share their secret recipe:)  These are hair bows by the Pitcher Girls of Wasilla Alaska---so it is just like a gift from your friend Sarah--ha ha!!!  Thanks Connie for sending this along to me----I have not gotten back to the bows, but once I get my hands on some more cute ribbon---I will be a bow making machine!!!!  Here is the Hair bow tutorial from the beautiful Rosie Torres who I Love, Adore, and MISS!!!

Horsing around

Todd took Em to Gymnastics open gym yesterday.  From what I hear she fell in love with a stick horse.  It sounds like she road him around and "he he" and "ye-hawed" herself all over the place:)  I love the last picture becuase you can tell her piggies are really flying!! 

She must have taken a break to give the pony a rest.  I love this picture because it is totally EMERSYN.  She never stops talking--ALL DAY!!  She talks to herself, the dollies, the t.v., the kitty, whoever will listen to her.  When I put her to bed I can hear her talking to herself for a good fifteen minutes before she finally nods off.  And then in the morning she wakes up talking--somtimes she even talks in her sleep.  I have not clue where she gets it from--must be her Auntie Jen!!!

Emersyn has fallen in love with the upstairs and more specifically the guest room.  The piano is up there---she is a big fan--and a bed, rocking chair, and some stuffed animals.  Not a lot, but it is her new favorite hide out.  Today I lost Em for about 2 minutes.  I looked everywhere and then realized that she must be upstairs.  YEP!!!  This is what I found.  She was hiding under the covers.  When I came in she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep--she even makes fake snoring sounds--SO CUTE.  Then she popped up and said "Here I Is!!!"  She was pretty proud of herself and replayed this scene about---oh 100 times:)  She loves to pretend to sleep, but not to ACTUALLY sleep--go figure.

Speaking of sleep...I have not been getting any.  I LOVE WATCHING THE OLYMPICS!!!  I love the stories of the athelets, and the excitement, and most of all the winning.  I was totally entranced in the Men's Ice Skating competition.  I was totally Cold War and wanted the Russian guy to fall and lose.  He didn't fall, but I was still glad he lost.  I think Even Lysacek might be my new hero.  He knocked my socks off and kept me up till 1 oclock in the morning.  So while Evan Lysacek (Also known as Feather Wrists to Miss Marcie Koch) was winning his gold---I was making this...

This is the 2nd part of my donation to the auction for breast cancer.  I tested it out in Em's crib (I might need to make another one for us) and it looked cuter than cute. 

I was a simple little pattern, but then the applique kinda kicked my butt.  I tried out lots of different stitches on my machine and thought the finished look was ok--not as good as hand sewn, but I don't have that kind of time:)  The bunnies have button noses and the flowers have button centers--kinda fun and different.  Then I stitched in the ditch and around the bunnies and flowers and VOILA!!!

I loved this fabric and will be buying more of it for sure.  It just shouts SPRING TIME!!! 

I whipped up a cute bunny pillow to go along with it and am ready to hand them over to the auction.  Now I just hope someone bids on them--yikes!!!

AND....last but not least I finally got to make Pin Wheels:)  I decided to join a quilt along a few months back, but the poor lady in charge found out she was pregnant and just not up for it.  Finally she got the first block posted and so of course I could not stop until I had mine done.  Kinda cute.  Now I will be counting the days until block two is posted.

Besides sewing, the olympics, Elmo, and Fancy Nancy, we don't have anything else going on at our house--maybe we will break out and do somethng crazy this week...

Give said the little stream!!!

So in the past few weeks I have entered a ton of give aways and have won NOTHING!!!  This is not unusual for me because I have always had ZERO luck.  I don't win raffles, or drawings, or pretty much anything else.  Not sure what the deal is.  ANYWAY... I decided that I really like the idea of give-a-ways, and want to enjoy them.  Since I am obviously not made to win---I have decided to GIVE!!!  I have been a burp cloth making machine lately, so that is the prize.  I will give a way a group of matching burp cloths(what do you think???? 5 maybe??? More??? We'll see what you think.) to ONE LUCKY PERSON!!! This is all you have to do to enter...

1.  Leave me a comment.

2. In your comment tell me which pattern you would want if you won.

3. Let me know what you are planning to do with them ( just cause I am a snoop). For example---for my baby due in 5 months, for my baby that I might have in the future some day, for my cousin's baby, to keep for a baby shower gift, just cause I want to win something---It doesn't matter what the reason is. 

ONE MORE BY THE WAY...I also do not care if you are a blog stalker and don't even know me or if you hate me from when I looked at you funny in high school.  Just leave a comment---Don't be shy!!!!

SOOOO here are your choices...

DANCING MONKEYS

Little boy blue (and brown--he he)

Pinkalicious (one of Em's favorite books)

Fancy Pants

Bouncing Bubbles

I guess if you don't want all of the same, you could ask for a combo back too--whatever works.  FYI--they are usually differenct fabrics on the front and back--so I tried to show you both sides (I realize I am NOT a photgrapher) and they have rag edges.  You cannot beat free stuff to puke on right???  Let's say this party ends on February 28th:)  Remember...you cannot win if you don't comment!!!!

Spring is hopping right around the corner!!!

I might be watching the Winter Olympics, but it is starting to look like Spring at OUR house.  Our family went for a walk tonight, the sun was shining, and I am working on a quilt and pillow made with these fantastically cute bunnies.  I CANNOT wait for the warmer weather and playing outside.  Look out Winter---you are getting kicked to the curb!!!!

Bye Bye Birdies!!!

While Shaun White was doing THIS....

I was busy finishing THIS...

The Birdies are done!!!  I got the fabric for this quilt almost a year ago and FINALLY finished it.  I have started and stopped and started and stopped, but finally I got the incentive to complete this project about a month ago.  My Aunt Tami asked me to make and donate a quilt to A Pink Night To Remember--a dinner and auction to help raise money for Breast Cancer.  I thought that if I was going to donate something it better be good, for one.  AND it better be special.  This quilt represented the best quilting I can do at this time.  It was my FIRST attempt at machine applique.  My FIRST attempt at small grid quilting on a large quilt.  AND my first attempt at sewing my binding on using my machine (not by hand).  SOOOO long story short I was thinking about how in the BIBLE, when people were to make a TRUE sacrifice, they gave up their best.  WELL I don't have sheep, but this is the best I have to give:)  I am sad to see it go, but hope it raises some money for Breast Cancer!!!

The backing is my most favorite part.  It is FLANNEL--can it get any better than that????? FLANNEL BIRDIES:)  YUM!!!

By the way Marcie--once you machine bind---YOU WILL NEVER GO BACK!!!  Seriously changed my life tonight.  I did a little zig zag just to spice things up a bit:)

Bye Bye Birdies♥ *sniff sniff*♥

Mistress of the Sun

I got hooked on watching Men's figure skating last night and stayed up WAY too late.  By then I was all wound up and past that point of sleepy, so I decided to read for a while.  Next thing I knew it was past one in the morning and I had finished my book.  SOOOO today I feel like I was hit by a bus, BUT I finally found a book that I enjoyed.  I have been on a bit of a bad streak.  Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland is about Louis de la Valliere--the mistress of King Louis of France.  The book starts off pretty slow--not gonna lie I almost gave up, but then it picks up.  It starts when Louise is just a child.  She is a tom-boy who loves horses and hunting and being outside.  Then she goes to court and ends up falling for King Louis.  He loves her also because of her love of horses and her ability to ride and hunt.  He is married of course, and they begin to have a relationship.   Things were different in France than they were in England, and they had to keep their relationship secret--nobody could know.  For a while I thought, wow this really is a love story--how sad that he had to be married to a ugly Spanish queen who he hates. Then she has a bunch of kids by him and over time he begins to become more corrupted--as kings seemed to do back then.  It is a sad story and I would love to know the true story about Louise because she seems like a very interesting and wonderful person.  That could just be the History teacher coming out in me though.  As always I was very interested in the lives of the people at court and all of the lies and intrigues that occurred there (poisonings, murder, affairs, secret births, abortions, etc.). This book also gave a super interesting look at the lives of the royalty at the time---I find much of what the royalty did crazy and yet am very interested in them:) This author has also written a 3 part series about Josephine Bonaparte---I will let you know how I like them:)

Can't sleep--need to stop sewing!!!!

Make another fleece blanket for Project Linus--CHECK!!!  Todd and I finished another blankie tonight--despite Emersyn's best efforts to destroy our work.  I love the monkeys.  Don't forget that Project Linus is collecting blankets until March 1st to send to Haiti.  This would be a great way to help the poor people who are struggling down there.  It took Todd and I less than an hour to finish this one--even with our "helper." By the way...it is on the back of our couch because Emersyn kinda thinks the monkeys are staying.  I may have to sneak them out in the night:)

Here is a sneak peak of what else I worked on tonight.  Don't those look surprisingly like bunny ears down in the right hand corner????  HMMMM....maybe they are:)

I am in a craft induced coma!!

This weekend was long and full of lots of crafts and good memories. 

Starting on Friday, I cleaned out Em's baby bed to take to Baby Peanut Wieseler.  Em was not sure she was ready to give it up and spent the morning sitting in it telling me it is "My Baby Bed!!!"  Then, Todd and I took Emersyn to Mid Columbia Gymnastics to play in the open gym.  It was just her and Delaney and abot a hundred other crazy kids!!! 

She pretty much took off bouncing and NEVER looked back.  She jumped and climbed and hopped and played for an hour and a half!!!

 

Pretty good tecnique for a two year old:)

Her and Laney enjoying a break.

"Come on Moo Moo!!"  It was pretty funny--the girls kept going off on their own.  Then they would ask "Where is Moo Moo?  Where is Laney?"  Then they would find each other.  Then they would run away from each other and start all over again.  I guess they have not quite got the whole--play with your friends--thing figured out!!

Beep Beep!!!

She was so exhausted when it was time to go that she didn't even have the energy to complain!!  We will for sure be going back again because it was worth the five bucks just to watch her bounce around.

Then on Friday afternoon I left Emersyn with her dad and headed to the Beta Crafting Retreat in Richland.  I had so darn much fun.  It is amazing how much you can accomplish when CRAFTS is the main thing on the agenda!!! 

Marcie and I crafted, chatted, snacked, and people watched.  It was a truly fun and relaxing time away from home.  My sewing machine got a work out and I am still recovering from the lack of sleep.  The first night I stayed from 4 until almost 2 in the morning.  I finally had to throw in the towel and go home because I KNEW Emersyn would not sleep in the next day. This is what I accomplished...

I worked on this WONDERLAND quilt top for my livingroom. AND made enough burp cloths for the whole state of Washington.  It is hard to tell in the pictre, but some of these are made and some are just cut out, but they are stacked and stacked.  I think I cut out about 30 and finished about 10. 

On Saturday, I was not at my best.  After goingt to bed about 2:30, Em woke up about 3:30 and had wet the bed.  Then she came to bed with me and through the tossing and turning and kicking, we sorta slept until 6:00.  I really tried to convince her to go back to sleep, but she was ready to watch Elmo and go to Grandam's!!!  SOOOO I started my day off early and headed back for some more crafting madness.  I made some more burp cloths.  I also made this cute diaper/wipes case.  And Marcie and I made receiving blankets.  I also took some fun classes and made a bracelet, learned how to make accordian picture books, AND

attempted to machine quilt.  Melissa Kelly came and patiently worked with me.  I started off horrible and ended up NOT GOOD.  But at least I know how to do it and I can practice Practice PRACTICE!!!  My free motion started off looking like coral and ended up looking like antlers--yikes!!

I kept hitting walls of fatigue, but about 10:00 I got a second wind and started working on this table runner.  I didn't finish and about 12:00 I called it a night.  I knew I had to get up and go to church AND teach four year olds the next day, so I gave in and went to bed.  I cannot wait for next year though--I had a blast!!

I had big plans to craft myself to death again during the superbowl, but I slept through the first half and sat in a daze during the second half.  My poor 30 year old body is just not what it used to be.  I REALLY need to sleep and am still not quite myself.  I did manage to bind my QUILTS FOR KIDS quilt.  I am not in LOVE with this one, but I am finished:)  I went to look for inexpensive fabrics to use for this quilt to send back with the quilt kit that they had sent to me.  I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg, but I wanted it to be cute.  When I cut out the fabric I was not sure.  When I layed out the fabric I thought it looked like vomit and wanted to throw it away.  Then I sewed it together and thought it was ok.  After I quilted it and washed it I actually kind of liked it, so I am happy I didn't give up.  But next time I will probably not shop in the clearance fat quarter box:)

I am SOOOO glad that I decided to participate in this cause.  I am ready to mail off my quilt to Quilts forKids  and I sort of feel like I am sending off two big-fat-warm-snuggly-hugs to 2 sick kids.  I still think EVERYONE who reads this should head over and check out their website--and then make a blanket for a sick kid this weekend--What else do you have to do???:)

I still kind of feel like I was hit by a bus and need a big long day of rest.  I could also use a maid and laudry-folder to pop by tomorrow afternoon--while I am napping--and work some magic.  Having Fun is hard work!!!!