Up for a fun sewing challenge?

My friend, Samantha at The Handmade Dress has a challenge out to embellish something that you have lying around your craft supply piles! She did a canvas bag and sewed in a liner and some pockets. Then she used her favorite scraps to decorate the outside of the bag along with some hand-embroidery and it is absolutely adorable! Just click on The Handmade Dress over there to the left and take the challenge! You have until Nov 6 and the prize is a $25 gift certificate to her store for patterns or fabric! What a fun project for while you're watching a movie or lounging by the fire! If you do acept the challenge, send me pics and I'll post em here too!

He's turning 5 *sob*sob*

This was how his entire party went......

he was nothing but a blur....

for two whole hours! (Sorry for the sideways headtwist!)

My boy. My precious boy, half of my heart- is turning 5 on Sunday. (She says as she glances around the diningroom for signs of a tissue box) I dreamed of having this little boy since fourth grade, and I won't even begin to mention how many years ago THAT was! (Green computer screens- that will give you some idea!) He is everything I hoped and dreamed of and can only be rivaled in adorableness by his sister. Soon five will turn into fifteen and then twenty-five......and I need more tissues.... and then time will sweep him out of my arms and into his wife's.

5.

*giddy*

Oh my goodness! Is it not the most adorable thing? So we got home from a FU-REEZING soccer game Friday night, turned on "psych", and I got to poking! For those of you who know I am a complete and total needle-phobe, this was a daunting task! But the joy of creating overcame my fears! (And I only bled once!) Oooooo, I wonder if I'm ready for the birds???

IT'S HEEEEERRREEE!!!!

Isn't it lovely? Do you know what it is? It's an adventure- that's what it is!!!!! A whole new adventure for me to get lost in! And OHHH BOY, I can't wait!

Sadly, it came just in time for a soccer game...and a birthday party tomorrow. Looks like it's gonna be a late night! Diet DP and Rice Krispy Treat kinda night! (They cancel each other out, ya know!)

What to get into next......????

It's official! I've found a new craft to dabble in! Needle felting!! I checked out some books from the library and it looks so easy...especially to have such an adorable finished product! My first shot at it will be pumpkins and I can't wait until my kit gets here which I ordered from Bear Creek Designs on Etsy.
Then maybe on to the birds..cause you folks know how much I love birds!

Meanwhile, I've been embroidering and trying my hands at a few other things. I'm taking the "handmade challenge" (www.buyhandmade.org) for Christmas this year and am trying to make all of our Christmas gifts or support other handmade-artists by purchasing their wares as gifts.

Well, I'm off to scrub the bathroom and then, if time allows, cut out a dress pattern for Abby that I have been dying to make! (Check out that link over there to the left for The Handmade Dress- we're doing the Miss Madeline!)

God goes before you!

Marla

Just about me....

So this has nothing whatsoever to do with the kids, or family, or gardening, or homeschooling......it's just about me.

I have been inspired by some new and precious friends to be more me. With that in mind, I'm announcing to the world, via Blogspot, that I have decided to come out from under the "merely exist until my kids hit a more independent stage" cloud that I have been under the last eight years. My children are big enough now to do more on their own and I find that I have a little more time for me now. Time for sewing. Time for reading. Time for embroidering and cross-stitching. Time for doing the things I enjoy, things that make me me!

So I'm back, World! Get ready for some creativity!

P.S. Are you under that cloud? May I inspire you to find the you that has been lying asleep for sew long? (Intended mis-spelling, by the way) Come have a cup of tea- I have an open door and a lovely cup just waiting for you. And I can probably find a needle and a piece of fabric underneath this Operation Christmas Child stuff somewhere........