Halloween

For Halloween this year, we couldn't decide on something just right for all three.  So - the two boys went together as Calvin and Hobbes.

Here is Calvin.  We put tons of gel and hairspray in his hair to spike it.  The shirt was from Old Navy.  Black pants were Target I think, and the red Converse we bought at Target.


I made Hobbes using a tutorial from Instructables. Totally time intensive, but SO worth it.  This plush will be cherished for a long time.


Here are the boys checking out their story.


Hobbes, meet Hobbes.  Braden's costume was actually from Target, and I added the white fuzzy front.  After I took the picture, it bugged me that his ears weren't black so I added that.  I didn't change his feet, just left them the way they were.  Not totally authentic or handmade, but it worked.


My dear daughter had a couple medical run-ins early in the summer, and became fascinated with nurses - thanks in part to a couple fabulous nurses.  One of them had a sparkly headband, so that's why the headband is a part of the costume.  I made the scrub top & pants.  Fake Crocs from Target, stethoscope from Dad, RN pin from Grama J (an actual RN), and black bag from the church nursery dress-up box.


Happy Halloween from my three!

grama's apple smocking

I have to brag about my mom here.  Look at this beautiful dress she made!


Yes - my mother did all this smocking on the bodice.  Do you see the piping at the top and bottom? Cute little detail on an already beautiful dress.


Another cute little detail - the waistband with buttons at the back.  Check out the piping again on the Peter Pan collar and sleeves.


I know - it's amazing!


Thanks Grama J for my beautiful dress!

alphabet apron

Check out Abby's alphabet apron!

The ruffles on the skirt part of the apron were an alphabet fabric I've had in my stash for a while.  I just serged the bottoms and stitched them on the pre-made apron.

The pocket is made from chalkboard fabric - perfect for practicing her letters and writing messages.  The pocket holds the chalk and eraser until next time she needs them.

It was the perfect item for A day at preschool, and a wonderful way to kick off the letters of the week.

firefly

My mom and aunt made this beautiful baby quilt.  I love Eric Carle, and this book was the perfect inspiration for a quilt for my summer baby.

Here's a close up of the firefly fabric they used as a border.

They quilted a firefly in various places all over the quilt.

The backing was Eric Carle blue fabric as well.

Here's 2-1/2 month old Braden enjoying a late summer afternoon outside on his quilt.

Thanks Mom!  Thanks Aunt Nancy!

back to school

Time for a back to school dress!


I grabbed some Heidi Grace fabric and got to work.


Using one of my favorite Olabelhe patterns, it sewed up quickly


and off to school she went!

THREE!

Our family became a little bigger this summer!

Meet Braden.  He is about one month old in this picture.
Stars kind of became our family theme for the year.  There are now five of us, each a part of the star.  I used a star flannel fabric for his coming home blanket.  Not that he needed one - it was seriously the hottest part of the summer when he was born.  I think the high hit 100 on the day he was born.  The star on the shirt is yellow fabric with stars on it.


The "Big Brother" (for the second time).  Same yellow star fabric.  Loving his role, just making a weird face because he is squinting in the sunlight.


The "One and Only Sister".  I really wanted a special title for her since she is a big and little sister.  This seemed fitting.  Same yellow fabric for her letters.


Here's all three of them.  I am so lucky!

Dr. Seuss quilt

Not only did our family welcome Braden this summer, we welcomed a new cousin. Baby E was born 10 days after Braden. She's the third girl in her family, and mom loves Dr. Seuss - so we went bright and bold! This is her quilt.  It's pretty straight and simple piecing.

In the corner I have a little red heart - a detail I try and include somewhere on all my niece's quilts.  The yellow border fabric just has some simple yellow lines.  Three of them - she is the third child after all.

The middle blocks also have hearts and swirls quilted inside of them.



The red binding is the same fabric as the middle sashing.  The backing has characters from many of the popular Dr. Seuss books.

The red sashing has phrases from Dr. Seuss books.  Along one edge, "A person's a person no matter how small".

Welcome to the world, Baby E!