Give, Oh Give

I have been a lucky girl (again) lately. I must say that I love the giveaways in the blogging world - it's fun to have giveaways and receive from giveaways. Just last week I received my latest giveaway prize - a patchwork scarf from Katie. She made it just for me - I love the oranges and reds and it looks smashing with my gray peacoat. I've only been wearing it for a couple of days and already received many compliments on it. And she still has one left in her shop in brown and green - lovely! Thanks Katie!

And the winner of my little giveaway? Congratulations go to Darcy! I'm sure Elle will love all the little hair adornments!

Growing Up

Again, I didn't me to be gone for so long, but we had some trouble with internet access while out of town visiting family - it was out at my father-in-law's house. I had planned to keep things going at the shop while we were gone so it was a little bit of a necessary hassle to get internet access. I went to my grandparent's house a few more times than I would have normally and then we found that if we drove around the corner, there was an open wireless connection. So, I would camp out in the car doing only the essentials - answering convos, following up an order, etc. Luckily, it was in a cul de sac without any nosy passersby - I sure felt silly in the car with my computer parked in front of someone's house.

So, without further adieu, here is the long awaited first haircut of Baby N. After a week or two of having people call Baby N a girl, I decided it was time and I was ready for it. It took me a little while to find someone to do it, but when my friend Mandy found out I was looking for someone, she happily volunteered. So, here's the before (well, just the back, he was getting nervous about sitting in the chair, so we didn't take the time for anything other than a pic of the lovely back curls) and the after - looking like a big boy, but still not giving up the binky. Thank you Mandy for doing such a great job!

He's definitely growing up and I've decided to stop calling him Baby N on the blog. I gave the boys nicknames when I first started the blog because I didn't know how I felt about using their real names and I figured the most cautious route was the best one. So, I talked it over with Ryan and we decided it would be OK for me to use our boy's first names on the blog. So who are they? Baby N is Ned and Little P is Peter.

And since we're talking about growing up and it is the time of year that we take notice of all we are thankful for, I'm thankful that Peter is finally (after three months of solid potty training) using the toilet for all of his business! Hooray! Please do not ask me for advice on potty training - apparently I had no idea what I was doing!

One more thing and I promise I'm finished - this is my 100th post. And may I say that I love what I've started here - thank you so much for coming here to read, leave comments, and share in the fun! In honor of 100 posts, I do have a little giveaway up my sleeve. In honor of Ned's first haircut, I'll be giving away an assortment hair accessories - bobby pins and ponytail holders with fabric covered buttons. Just leave a comment before Wednesday.

All Different Sorts of Things

First off, I forgot to include this in my "Lucky Girl" post. And it certainly makes me a lucky girl - it is the bag of goodies I got from Rebecca for winning third prize in the Sweet Goodness Swaps Container Contest. Wow! There were so many great containers and I was honored to win. I am so excited by this little pack of fun that arrived while I was on my blogging break. Included was a dish towel, vintage pillow case (may just have to make me my own bag with the pillowcase), an orange potholder (crocheted by Rebecca), and a bag of trims and buttons. Thanks to Rebecca for the goodies and to the ladies of Sweet Goodness Swaps! Have you signed up for the Holiday Mini-Swaps? Sounds like so much fun to spread the goodness throughout the season!

Second, a work in progress for another swap - the Embroidered Button swap. I guess I'm going for a "Five a Day" theme here. I sat down on Sunday night with a little Netflix (Veronica Mars Season 1) and got going on these. They are so much fun! I got a little inspiration from this pic and did a pineapple and watermelon, but then I just went for it with the strawberry, carrot, and broccoli. Now I just have to find the big shank buttons I bought at the thrift store so I can finish these up.

And lastly, I finally did it - I finally signed up for the Pay it Forward crafting gift fun. After having several opportunities to join in the fun, I finally did it and signed up to have Missy send me a handcrafted gift sometime in the next year. So, part of this means that I have to Pay it Forward and send something out to three of you. So, I will send a handmade gift to the first three (3) people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift (although I have some ideas) will be yet, but you will receive it within 365 days. The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. So, if you've resisted joining in or haven't heard of this yet, join in the fun - I'd love to send you something!

Lucky Girl!

I feel so lucky lately - while I was on my blogging break, I won a yard of this great fabric at Sew, Mama, Sew. I'm hoping to make it into a shirt for Little P - it is Kid's Clothing Month after all!
And today, I checked Melly & Me and found I had won the pattern for this cute little guy. I am a lucky girl!

We have a Winner!

Congratulations to Kath, comment #26 and the winner of my recent 50th post giveaway! In her comment she said she liked orange, so she will be getting some orange fat quarters and trims and even some orange yarn (she's a knitter) from my stash! Thanks to everyone who stopped by - old and new readers alike and especially all of those who stopped by from Sew, Mama, Sew! Everyone left such kind words - nothing like 57 comments to bring a super big smile to your face!

Yesterday, the boys and I made an impromptu day trip to meet a fellow blogger and Etsyian (is that how you spell that?), Missy, of the Paper Flowers Boutique. What a fun gal with some great ideas! Our kids played as we got to know each other. Next time I think we'll try to plan a kid-free get-together and do ourselves a bit of crafting! Thanks for having us and for feeding us lunch Missy! I can't wait to get together again!

When, I got home I made the raspberry peach jam I'd been meaning to make all week and we had raspberry waffles for dinner. It reminded me of my childhood when I would make jam with my grandma in the summers. I could hear her instructions in my head as I went through the process. Good memories! I wonder what CSA will bring us this week. We'll find out tonight - yum!

A Sneak Peek and a Giveaway

Last night I went out and finished up the shopping for my Sweet Goodness Swaps Package for Jane and tomorrow I'll send it off. Hopefully, it will arrive quickly and I'll be able to share the package in it's full glory, but until then, here's a few pics to give you a sneak peek.


And this is my 50th post! Wow - that went pretty quickly (do I spend too much time blogging? maybe, but it keeps me sane!). So, in honor of this milestone, I'd like to host a little giveaway, although I haven't decided what I'll give away yet. It might depend on who wins. It will either be something pretty or some pretty things - your choice. So, comment away until Tuesday - I'll draw names next Wednesday. If you're lurking, you can de-lurk (no shame in this - I do it all the time!), and if you're a regular reader and commenter, all the better!

Obsessed

I admit it - I have been completely and totally obsessed with Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in all forms lately. I've been watching the movies, all three versions, for the past couple of weeks and then on Friday night, I had to read the book again. I even risked waking up my children (we have books stored under their beds as we do not have enough bookshelves to store all of our books) to find this book. I brought out all of the boxes of books (I did wake up Baby N) and finally in the last box (of course) I found all of my Austen novels except Pride and Prejudice! Aaack! Dissappointed, I contemplated going to Wal-Mart at midnight in my pajamas to get a copy. Patience prevailed, and instead I headed for the mall on Saturday and picked up this lovely little hardback copy (don't you think that print on the cover would make a great fabric?) and immediately started devouring it. I cannot get enough! I'm not sure what sparked this obsession - maybe a visit to one of my dear friends who started a group that dresses up in Regency Clothing (she makes her own - I'll have to feature it here sometime) and gets together monthly for social dancing from the period, or maybe it's just that all of the good TV shows are on hiatus for the summer and I have moved on to something different. Whatever it is, I'm enjoying it and now I'm trying to figure out a way to get it into my sewing. I'll let you know what I come up with on that end. Anyone else a bit obsessed with Ms. Austen?

UPDATE: I just found this via sk*rt. I can't wait!

p.s. I've had several new visitors come to visit in the past few days. Welcome! I'm so glad you came! I'd love to respond to all of your comments by e-mail, but blogger does not require that you provide, or show your e-mail address. You can however, change your settings so that it will show. Find out how here. And if you're a fellow blogger, I will usually visit and leave you a comment within a few days of your comment.

Rumor has it...

Rumor has it (ok,ok, I know for sure) that my apron giveaway will post on Life is like a Lunchbox's Apronpalooza this evening. In the meantime, here are a few snippets of the aprons I have been working on the past few days that you can now find in the shop. (Did I mention that when I committed to be in Apronpalooza, there were no aprons in the shop and I only had 3 that were made? It's been a busy week.) You have until Friday to enter each giveaway, so get on over there and win yourself a new apron!

Apronpalooza

Wow - this is a busy weekend for me and blogger. Anyway - just to let you know, Nan is hosting Apronpalooza next week which involves several fabulous apron giveaways, including one from yours truly (see below). Check it out!