perry jayne handmade

I've picked one...

2012-01-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

I think I've decided on taking this pic to my stylist...

Thinking about a new Hair Cut...

2012-01-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

The following pics are all from Aria Photography

Black Friday/ Cyber Monday Sale

2011-11-25T08:38:00.000-08:00

Check out my etsy shop Perry Jayne.
Big Black Friday/ Cyber Monday Sale on all ready to ship items.

Sneak Peek

2011-11-18T08:25:00.000-08:00

I am working on some Princess Fairies for 3 Sisters.

I'll show you the finished product when I get them done.

Eat to Live: Day 18

2011-11-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

Energy: Up!
Mood: Happy
Health: Feeling good.
Hunger: I'm doing well.
Craving: Biscuits and Gravy and Bacon ...oh that sounds so good. But my breakfast of fruit and nuts filled me up and is so much better for me.
Big Cheat Confessions: Celebrated Thanksgiving with the Senior Adults at church last night... I did okay on portions, but then I ate a big bowl of homemade mac & cheese. Um, delicious!! Totally worth the calories. :)
Current weight: 169.0 lbs.
Total Lost: 7.8 lbs - I am really trying to hit 10 lbs. by 3 weeks... that will be next Tuesday, so I am going to try to exercise this weekend in addition to eating healthy. Wish me luck!

I got a little sad the other day, I looked back at the posts I did on the Spring Fittness Challenge a few years back. I got down to 138... and was still trying to lose weight. I would be so happy to be at that weight again. Hopefully it won't be too long.

At 10 pounds lost, I'll post a before picture from this summer and a current pic.

Eat to Live: Day 16

2011-11-16T06:58:00.000-08:00

Energy: Feelin' Good

Mood: OK,
Health: Good- wish Penelope was better. She's got a cold, poor baby.

Hunger: OK, last night I was super wanting to snack after dinner, so I got out the baby carrots and some "not so bad for me" dressing and ate a bunch of those little carrots.

Craving: Pepsi !!!!

Big Cheat Confessions: I ate FIVE, ugh, yes- Five... mini chocolate donuts on Sunday. I blame my husband for brining them into our house. I also drank a Large Coke on Monday. Current weight: 169.8 lbs.- Total Lost - 7.0 lbs Whoot!! Whoot!!

Portobello & Red Pepper Pita

2011-11-12T10:24:00.000-08:00

This is my new Favorite Lunch.

Whole Wheat Pita Pocket
1 big Portobello Mushroom or several slices
1/4 cup Chopped Red Pepper
1/2 cup Match Stick Carrots
1 cup of "Rainbow Slaw" (shredded veggies)
1/4 cup Chopped Onion
Chopped Dried Dates (maybe 2)
Low Sodium Soy Sauce ( 1-2 Tablespoons)
Grapeseed Oil
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
maybe even throw in a couple Tablespoons of raw shelled sunflower seeds.

The textures in this a great. The crunchy veggies and sunflower seeds contrast with the soft mushrooms. The tastes are great too, the sweet dates, and slightly salty soy sauce. It's so good!! My husband even likes it, although I leave the mushrooms off of his.

I don't usually cook with measurements, so this is sort of guesswork on what I do here, so you can adjust as you want.
So I throw all the veggies in a pan with just a tad of Grapeseed oil. OR you can put them in a casserole dish in the oven for about 10-12 minutes at 350. Either way.
I put my pita bread in the toaster on the lowest setting, then fill it up. This should make enough for 2. Yum!!

I've adapted this recipe from the Eat to Live Book by Dr. Fuhrmann

Eat to Live: Day 11

2011-11-11T07:26:00.000-08:00

Energy: Good
Mood: Great
Health: Good
Hunger: OK
Craving: Almond Joy Candy Bar

Current weight: 170.8 lbs.- Total Lost - 6.0 lbs Whoot!! Whoot!!

My taste buds are changing and my desires for foods are changing. I am looking at foods that are not nutrient dense and thinking that is so not worth putting in my body. I am wanting to eat veggies.

McCalls Pattern M5835

2011-11-09T20:47:00.000-08:00

I love this little Flutter Dress. I got the fabric cut out and then that's where things got tricky. This pattern in AWFUL when it comes to directions.

Kathy over at Handmade Dress Haven has an awesome tutorial that makes it SO much easier.

I still need to get better pics with Ella modeling it and then I also need to make one for Little Sister.

Eat to Live: Day 8

2011-11-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

Energy: GoodMood: Optimistic

Health: Good
Hunger: OK
Craving: Still having trouble not eating after dinner.
Current weight: 171.8 lbs.- Total Lost - 5.0 lbs

So I have not been very strict with myself. I think it's important to have some balance. I will move forward no matter what "slip up" occurs. I will not be legalistic about this. I am making life changes. I am taking it one step at a time.
I ate one of the kids chicken nuggets the other day. I had a few choc chips last night after dinner...I have been drinking coffee with sugar EVERY morning. However, I have eaten more veggies and fruit than I have in a LONG time. And I haven't had any Soda (well, I did have a sip of Ella's with that chicken nugget on Sunday). I have been a Soda addict drinking at least one a day for months now.

The biggest change has been in my thinking. I am making it my goal to eat nutrient dense foods. To make the calories I eat to be full of nutrients. It makes the most sense for my body. I really do want to eat the right foods to help my body to do it's job. I am learning about myself. Learning that food doesn't have to be my reward or treat for "making through my day". Food is not my comfort. Turning to prayer to meet my emotional needs instead of food. Wow. Why are things we know in our minds are so hard to put into practice?

I am most afraid to fail. To go back to frivolous eating, to gain every pound back. Praying that God gives me strength to make the right choices for this body that he gave me and the right choices for my spirit.

November Thanks: Day 7

2011-11-07T06:03:00.001-08:00

November Thanks: Day 5

2011-11-07T06:02:00.000-08:00

Eat to Live: Day 5

2011-11-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

Eat Smart Veggies

Energy: Medium
Mood: Optimistic

Health: Feeling good
Hunger: Not bad
Craving: Candy
Current weight: 172.6 lbs. - total lost 4.2 pounds. Whoot Whoot

That 4 pounds is totally motivating me to keep going!!
I've added coffee back into my morning routine. I just missed it too much.
I have been eating TONS of veggies. I've been buying the "Eat Smart" bags of veggies. I just toss a bag of stir fry veggies in the microwave and then add a touch of Mrs. Dash, garlic, and low sodium soy sauce. So good. And totally fills me up. I've also found ways to sweeten oatmeal with bananas and dates.

Eat to Live: Day 2

2011-11-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

Rough Day, not gonna lie. I gave in to temptation and reasoned it out that somehow because Ella had strep, that I got to treat myself. What?! Does anyone else do that sort of flawed, "treat yourself" reasoning?

Energy: Lower

Mood: not as Optimistic

Health: Stuffy/Runny Nose

Hunger: Full
Craving: Oops GAVE IN to my craving for Chick-Fil-A today. And I didn't even eat the grilled sandwich like normal I ate the fried one... and it was tasty. But not worth it.

Day One: "Eat to Live"

2011-11-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

This morning I started my "Eat to Live" 6 week plan. I had a big bowl of strawberries, cantelope, and part of an orange. I sprinkled Flax seeds on the cantelope for added fiber.

Energy: Low
Mood: Optimistic
Health: Stuffy/Runny Nose
Hunger: Very Full after my big fruit breakfast
Craving: COFFEE with TONS of sugar and something starchy (bread, crackers, etc.)
Current weight: 176.8 lbs.

My Goal is to feel better. I have aquired a several aches and pains over the last year due to weight gain. My energy level is at an all time low, so I would like to gain some energy, and just feel better. My weight goal is to lose 20 lbs in 6 weeks and eventually lose another 18 pounds to reach my goal weight of 138. All of these are very reasonable goals. But they seem HUGE to me right now.

Penelope {16 Months}

2011-10-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Penelope is a big fan of baby dolls right now. She has grown up so much in just the last 2 weeks. She has just begun to say so many new words and tries to repeat what you say occassionally. She is constantly saying, "PEEEES" (Please) with her arms reaching toward whatever she wants. We are gonna have to work on her tone. LOL. She wants to do everything her big sister and brother are doing. She is also very "helpful" with walking Pixie our Boston Terrier. She always wants to hold her leash.

She is FULL of personality. She's pretty stubborn and ornery. She is so much more independant than Ella and Hudson were at this age. They were so shy they wouldn't hardly leave my side in public. Penelope has become quite a runner. Ready to run away the minute her feet touch the ground.

She has adjusted well to our move. She even stayed in the Nursery on Sunday night. What a blessing for me to be able to attend an ENTIRE service. She wasn't super happy about it at first, but Ms. Kyle was able to distract her with swinging outside, when I dropped her off. Then later Penelope was feeling sad, so Ms. Kyle took her into Ella's class. Penelope crawled up on Ella's lap and watched a movie. How sweet is that? I am so thankful that Ella and Hudson are so sweet with her...most of the time. :)

She's really quite lucky...

her big brother is a super hero.

First Day of Kindergarten

2011-09-16T06:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Ella's first day of school here in Georgia. She was excited and a little nervous. I was a lot nervous. The Lord prepared our way, I know. When I enrolled her on Wednesday, a Kindergarten teacher was in the office on her planning period, Mrs. Chapman. She was so kind to Ella and even gave her a tour of the school, while I filled out paper work. The school couldn't tell me until we actually showed up for class who her teacher would be. But, guess who she got as her teacher? Yep, that very kind teacher who took time out of her planning period to make sure Ella felt comfortable, Mrs. Chapman. I am so thankful for a God who goes before me and prepares the way on the big and small things. I felt so much more relaxed leaving Ella in her care.

MEANWHILE... to keep my mind off how Ella was doing, I went up to the church to help Jason get his office in order. The previous Children's Pastor was a woman, so he was trying to rid the office of all things girly. :) And we did some rearranging of furniture so that the office space could accommodate the 3 computers he usually has running at the same time.

I helped him get his posters up too. He had to get that Boomer Sooner one up ASAP. :) Hudson made 2 new friends while we were there too. A couple boys (both 4 yrs old also) that were relatives of employees at the church that were playing ball in the hallway outside Jason's office. Hudson had a great time. I was so proud of him for overcoming his shyness and joining in the fun. Penelope didn't make friends yesterday, but she did thoroughly enjoy the water fountain and it's accompanying step stool. We filled her cup up with water and she was very pleased. She did, however, empty the entire cup on herself on the way to pick up Ella from school.

I LOVE this baby's chubby cheeks.

I waited in line to get her after school for what seemed like an eternity. When Ella's smiling face finally reached the van, I was so relieved. She had a good day. She made lots of friends. She played with two girls on the playground. She didn't know their names, but they both had yellow hair. :) Her backpack was FULL of papers for me to fill out and read. I like to fill out paperwork. I know, I'm weird. But I was so DONE by the time I finished it all last night. I think my hand is still cramping. She is off again this morning with her backpack full of school supplies and all that filled out paperwork. She was excited to go back today. I am so happy that she is enjoying her new school. We have a little work to do to catch up with her class. Apparently, they have learned 30 sight words already, so we'll have to get to work on that. Ella's a bright girl, so I am sure we'll have those learned before too long.
Well, off to clean up the kitchen from breakfast and unpack a box or two.

Moving...

2011-09-05T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ella asked me last night, "Why are we moving to Georgia?" I said, "Mommy & Daddy know that this is what God wants us to do." To which, she replied, "But what if He doesn't."

I didn't really know what to say. I tried to reassure her that this is really what we are supposed to do, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought the same thing at least once during this whole process. But the truth is that we have had numerous moments where God made it clear that this was the right move for us.

Yesterday was our last day at Newspring. That was so bittersweet. So many children that we have been apart of their lives since they were so small and many who are now teens. It was emotionally exhausting, so hard to say goodbye to so many people we love. Very surreal to see this season of ministry come to close.

Fish Funeral

2011-09-03T18:03:00.000-07:00

I attended my first Fish Funeral today in our front Garden. (For those of you that know he died last week, don't judge... I've been a little busy with packing and yes... there was a dead fish floating in his bowl for a full week. It's gross I admit, but SOMEONE (Ella) freaked when I was going to flush him. ) So in attendance at Fish Funeral were, My mom, myself, Ella, Hudson, and Penelope. My mother said "a few words" these words exactly ..."Lord knows, Mokie was a good fish." to which she and I busted out in giggles... we tried to stifle our laughter for the kids sake. I mumbled a prayer about how we were thankful that God gave us such a nice fish for a time. (Although, truth be told, I was not a fan of the fish from the beginning. I regularly referred to him as "our dumb fish". ) And my mom finished with "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away." Stifled giggles again from us. We added a make shift cross made out of mulch, Ella added a flower and it was over. The kids seemed to be pleased with the ceremony.

Below is a picture of Mokie on his first day home. He lived to the ripe old age of 10 months.

For Sale By Owner

2011-08-29T13:32:00.000-07:00

If you know anyone looking for a home in the Glenpool area, have them give us a call. We loved our home and neighborhood, but we are moving out of state. It's very close to the schools. :)

110 E 156th Pl, Glenpool, OK Powered by Postlets

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/reo/2572228795.html.

Moving to Georgia

2011-08-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

source

So, we made the very tough decision to move. We will be moving from Oklahoma and the church we have been in for 8 years. We are so sad to leave our family and our friends, but excited to embark on this adventure. We have had so many confirmations that this is the path God is leading us down. I know that He will give us the strength and comfort during this transition. Jason's family lives very close now and my family is just 3 hours away. We will be moving 13 hours from Jason's family and 16 from mine. That was definitely the most difficult part in making the decision to move.

We will be joining the staff at First Assembly of God in Warner Robins. Jason will continue to be a Children's Pastor. That is his passion. I'm sure he will be doing Children's Ministry until we are very old and gray. We visited the town and church a few weeks back. Both are beautiful. Well, I must get back to packing. There are a crazy ton of boxes already packed and a bazillion more to go. Along with a little touch up painting to do.

Here's a pic of my kiddos before church yesterday morning. They are baling the field across from our neighborhood. My kids LOVE this field. Ella says that she is going to miss it. They are building a hospital there soon, so chances are the next time we visit Oklahoma this field will be gone. That's sort of sad.

My poor little fair baby girl looks a little albino in this pic. :)

Cowboy Party!!

2011-08-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

My Kids' Rooms

2011-08-07T17:53:00.000-07:00

Well, I got both my kiddos rooms clean at the same time. Can you say Miracle?! So I thought I'd post pics of each of them. Penelope sleeps in our bedroom, but hopefully will be moving in with Ella after school starts.

That's all for now. Pics of his B-day party coming soon.

Ready to Ship- Mermaid Shirt size 2T

2011-08-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

Find it in my etsy shop Perry Jayne

Free Shipping at Perry Jayne today!!

2011-07-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

USE Coupon Code:

FREESHIP541

Mommy's night disguised as a Baby Shower

2011-07-09T10:58:00.000-07:00

I would like for you to notice an absence of something... yes something is missing right there on my hip...Can you guess? Penelope... :) I love that girl, but it was nice to leave her at home for a few hours. My friend Kristina is expecting her third baby in August, so we had a little baby shower for her. I fixed my hair and put on make up. Crazy, I know!! Then I left the house with no children in my vehicle. It was fabulous to eat an entire meal without having to feed, clean up after, entertain, or hold a child. I mean IT WAS HEAVEN. I have to do that again sometime.

The bib I made off of one of Penelope's bibs, that my mom had made for her. Then just a couple rolled flowers, either hot glued to a bit of elastic or hair clip for her sweet new baby.

Penelope {13 months}

2011-07-07T22:12:00.000-07:00

So I wasn't gonna do a month by month update after her first birthday, but when I snapped this pic I just couldn't help it. LOVE this baby girl. She has been a tad cranky with some more teeth coming in. I've had to do a lot of cuddling, nursing, and comforting. She is also really showing us her stubborn naughty side. The Lord is gonna have to grant me a little more patience for this little stinker. She has learned to hit... the dog, and her siblings. She also occasionally bites us still. And is determined to use Daddy's laptop no matter what! She has found the toilet and loves to splash around in there. To top it off she likes to try to eat everything still... board books, tissue paper, rocks, dog toys, etc... Then she also has decided that she doesn't want to go to bed at night. I've been nursing her to sleep just like always, but now she realizes she's falling asleep and will throw herself off my lap and just run around being cranky. Tonight was Night 1 of our new bedtime routine. (I know, I should have been doing one all along). We got jammies on, read a book, rocked for a few minutes and then I stood and held her for a few more minutes and then put her in her crib... Hope this will help with our bedtime routine.

Princess and the Pea -First Birthday Party for my little Princess Penelope

2011-06-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

OK, so I finally got around to posting pics from Penelope's first birthday from June.

My Princess

Her Birthday outfit was a gift from a very dear friend. It's from Gymboree.

The Party Table

The party was at 3pm, so we just had fruit, veggies, spinach dip with bagel chips, and cookies. Then of course we also had wonderful cake and ice cream.

The cake and sugar cookies were made by two wonderful women from our church.

I didn't really get a close up on it, but the paper plates, napkins, a couple platters & buckets were from Target. I think most of it was out around Easter time. I just loved all the pretty bright colors & built my party around that color scheme.

I loved using balloons as a banner accross our dining area.

I was super excited that you could see them reflected in the mirror above the food table. Does that make me a huge dork that I was so happy about that?

We had some pink sparkling punch that was super good. I put out lemons, raspberries, and pretty pink stripe straws for the guests to make their drinks extra pretty. This is the first time I used jars for drinking glasses & I loved it.

recipe found at Southern Living

Cake by Cindy Boyd

Smash Cake by Cindy Boyd

by Pam Smith

This is how my little Princess greeted her guests. LOL.

They came in and she fell down on the floor smiling and kicking her feet. She is so silly.

Chewing on her presents. :) Wearing her flower crown I made for her. I found one at Lori Marie's that I liked, but couldn't swallow the cost, so I just DIYed it myself. It took me hours to make, so I totally understand why they are so expensive. It's not nearly as beautiful as the ones she makes, but it was free for me to make because I already had all the felt on hand. But seriously check out her shop because EVERYTHING is to die for beautiful.

This was one of my favorite things I made for her party. I had taken a profile pic of Penelope a while ago, but didn't know what I was going to do with it. I thought about making this for the party the day before. I loved being able to find more uses for the fabrics I had purchased. Which by the way, I had most of the fabrics on hand, but I did buy that purple gingham at Hobby Lobby and I used some Tea Towels I bought at Target to tie in the banner with the other party goods. I basically just used the fabrics for the flag banner, one yard of aqua gingham on the table and then these embroidery hoops that I hung above the table.

I ordered sugar snap peas in a big package & then printed some seed packets, and divded them up for the adult guests to take home as a party favor. The kids got Goldfish, a small pack of markers & a homemade coloring book of Princess & the Pea themed coloring pages I grabbed online.

Our entry table. The little poster had a quote from the Princess and the Pea on it.

Wish I would have made that much bigger.

The Birthday Girl Enjoying her Cake!!

Random Party Shots

Just swishing her skirt

Riding her new pink pony

She loved her new Baby Stella... AND Baby Stella's bottle.

Let me know if you have any questions. I a lot more ideas and things I wanted to do, but ran out of time and money. You can check out my Inspiration Board I made for her birthday on Pinterest.

Penelope {12 months}

2011-06-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

Can not belive a year has passed. She is so big now. She walks all over the place. She knows how to be silly to make us laugh. She thinks her big brother and big sister are the greatest, but she doesn't like them to try to pick her up. That will make her squeal like a little piggy. She loves our Boston Terrier, Pixie. She pets her, hugs her, and even calls her by making a little clicking noise with her tongue. :) Her new favorite food is strawberries. She can't get enough. And I just can't get enough of holding her. She is a snuggliest sweetest little girl.

Penelope {11 months}

2011-06-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late posting, but 11 months was a big one. She learned to walk and finally she began eating normal little baby snacks without gagging and puking,which was super exciting for me. She is a big sweetheart. Loves to give snuggly hugs. She is a stinker too. Very stingy with her kisses. You gotta really have the stars aligned to get kisses from her. Aw, but that just makes them even more sweet.

Penelope {10 months}

2011-04-17T03:33:00.000-07:00

The time is just flying by now. Only 2 months until her first birthday.

Love my baby girl, but WOW she is so busy... All day!

Her personality is really funny. Very different from my older two. She is much less shy than they were. She is not as clingy as they were. She is also very ornery and aggressive already.

She is very funny, cracks us up all the time. So happy she's in our lives. She brings us so much joy. It makes me think how many asked us when they heard I was prego with her, "Was that planned?" And I just wanted to say...

God planned it regardless of our plans and I'm so glad he did.

New Rock Star Shirt

2011-04-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

Penelope { 9 months }

2011-03-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

She is 9 months old today. Wow, it's just flying by. She's crawling EVERYWHERE and pulling up on EVERYTHING, and putting EVERYTHING she can get her hands on in her mouth. We have to watch her like a hawk. Big Sister and Big Brother are still her favorite form of entertainment. They keep her giggling. She has been the sweetest and most good natured baby, but her temper is starting to show a little now. If you take away something she's not supposed to have, she sure let's you know how she feels about it.

This little boy was trying to help me get this little girl to smile. :) So thankful for such a sweet big brother.

Mermaids

2011-03-04T17:23:00.000-08:00

My most popular shirt continues to be my Enchanted Mermaid shirt. This however was the first one with purple hair. Would you believe that I had cut out the purple hair over 2 years ago and just never made it into a shirt? I was so excited when a customer asked for purple hair. How fun!!

Princess Birthday Shirt and Headband

2011-02-19T21:43:00.000-08:00

Latest shirt I mailed out for a college friend's little girl.

And every princess needs a matching headband.

Letting go of Perfectionism

2011-02-09T21:34:00.000-08:00

So I haven't posted anything in FOREVER because I was wanting to get all the 12 days of Christmas crafts posted first. Well, my computer crashed and really it's WAY too late to be thinking about Christmas. So I'm letting go of that and just moving forward.

First I have to share a few pics of my sweet baby at 7 months....

AND now at 8 months...

She is so sweet. I just love her so much. She is crawling EVERYWHERE and getting into EVERYTHING. I forgot how exhausting this stage is.

Ok, there is much more that I need to post, but for now this will have to do.

The 12 Days of Christmas- Day 9 {Stockings}

2010-12-15T14:24:00.000-08:00

12 Days of Christmas - Day 5 {Candy Canes}

2010-12-14T09:10:00.000-08:00

The 12 Days of Christmas- Day 2 {Gingerbread Man}

2010-12-03T22:29:00.000-08:00

For Day Two of my daughter's "12 days of Christmas" for school, I cut out a Gingerbread Man out of felt and hot glued some more felt and ric rac to embellish him. I embroidered a little smile and made knots for his eyes. Next I sewed a piece of elastic to a ribbon and sewed it into a little bracelet and hot glued the Gingerbread Man to it. It was quick and easy...Not the cutest thing I ever made, but it worked.

The 12 days of Christmas- Day 1 {Christmas Bells}

2010-12-02T20:47:00.000-08:00

So my daughter came home from Pre-K yesterday with a list of Christmas symbols with one assigned to each of the last 12 school days of the year, with instructions to have your child wear a symbol each day. Now to be fair, it said that we could use stickers, Ornaments, Paper, etc.
But me being an over achiever (when it comes to school assignments for my daughter... not necessarily anything else i.e. house work) and being mildly crafty - I feel compelled to made each of her little Christmas symbols to the best of my crafty abilities.

So here we are kicking off day one with...

a Christmas Bells Hair Clip.

I just cut the shapes out of felt and stitched them together with
embroidery floss and then hot glued it to an existing hair clip I had.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-23T08:08:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from us.

(couldn't get the boy to stand still long enough for a picture)

Penelope {5 months}

2010-11-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

Penelope Jolie

Every time I stop to think about this little cutie, I just feel incredibly blessed. She's such a sweet natured baby. She's been sleeping around 7-8 hours at night, nursing and then going right back to sleep for another 4 hours. It's like a dream come true. (My other two were the nurse every 2 hours on the dot sort of babies).

She's general happy, but it's her big sister and big brother that really make her giggle. They know just what to do to get her laughing so hard. She loves for us to play peek-a-boo with her, sing to her, and she loves if you let her lay upside down on your lap. She especially loves her bath time. She just kicks her little legs the whole time. It's so funny.

She's on the move now too. My little Nellie girl is a ROLLING machine. Time to baby proof ....again. Now that my older two are both past the put stuff in your mouth phase, we have TONS of tiny choking objects. I'm going to have to be so vigilant.

So thankful for my little ball of sunshine.

Embrace the Camera -the Daddy Edition : Oct 21st

2010-10-21T05:26:00.000-07:00

Knowing how much I treasure the pics of me and my parents....

Making sure our kids have pictures of us with them.

My husband Jason with our little cowboys. :)

Check out other bloggers sharing in the same challenge. Click on the link above.

Birthday Shirt

2010-10-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

Birthday Shirt Applique and Rose Headband made from Anna Maria Horner's new line "Innocent Crush". I am in love with all her new fabrics (and the older ones too, for that matter). This was made for one of my daughters best friends. Can't wait to see her wearing it! :)

Penelope: Four Months Old

2010-10-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my little sweet pea turned 4 months old. We've started to get a little bit of a routine down, but picking up big sis from Pre-K puts a kink in her nap schedule. She's a pleasant baby and is still nursing and sleeping like a champ. Usually just waking once or twice a night.

She did get her first ear infection last week. That was super sad. So we're doing the icky pink stuff right now. She's not real thrilled with taking it, but she's not fighting me. She's smiling and giggling so much now... that's my favorite part!!

And I'll leave you with this...

Monogrammed Onesie

2010-10-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

A little onesie I made for a friend. She bought it to give as a present to a sweet brand new baby boy.

Embrace the Camera

2010-09-23T05:02:00.000-07:00

embrace the camera: sept 23

Me and Penelope still in our jammies

2010-09-16T04:40:00.000-07:00

embrace the camera: sept 16th

"in this day and age of the "momarazzi", many of us are always behind the lens...rather in front of it.

some of you feel much more comfy behind the lens, and i get that.

look, you think i want pictures of myself in the same velour jogging suit for the 3rd day in a row {i slept in that jogging suit each night too---i know, gross, right?}

well, i don't really want those pictures...but my kids do---or, at least they will one day.

how many of you LOVE looking at pictures of your parents, when they were young{er}?

i'm raising my hand!

sadly, i don't have a lot of pictures with me and my mom from when i was younger.

i am off to change this for my kids.

i want them to have an abundance of pictures...to remind them of these days that we spent at home together...

embrace the camera."

wording copied from the anderson crew blog

This is me and sweet Penelope- she was snoozing in my arms in my parent's backyard

This is Ella and I meeting a Meerkat at the zoo.

So go grab your camera and snap a pic of you and your kiddos...

Grab a button and link up to the anderson crew's blog.

Embrace the Camera

Sweet Girl modeling her Perry Jayne

2010-09-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

photo credit goes to this little sweetie's Momma

Shirt & Headband by Perry Jayne

In the Shop

2010-09-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

Enchanted Mermaid Shirt

Ready to Ship for sale in my Etsy Shop - Size 3T

She is Three Months Old today...

2010-09-04T17:45:00.000-07:00

The Wonderful and Good News about my sweet Penelope:

I love this little girl so much! She is an easy baby. (My first was a difficult baby, so I do know the difference and am so thankful for her mellow personality). Very content and happy most of the time. She smiles a lot. She's given us a few tiny giggles. She has been trying to roll over this last week. She gets stuck and can't quite make it over, this she will cry about. Apparently, she is going to have a temper. :) She is sleeping well, only nursing once or twice a night. Usually sleeping for a 6 hour stretch, usually followed by a 4 hour stretch, then another 2 hours. My older two kiddos ADORE her. They constantly are singing to her, showing her toys, and playing with her. We are so happy she is in our lives.

The Bad News about me:

I haven't lost one pound since I came home from the hospital, not one! It's horrible. (With my other two pregnancies, I was back into my jeans within a month). I have been wearing my "bigger" maternity clothes (as opposed to my "smaller" maternity clothes, which still don't fit). I finally broke down and bought a regular pair of jeans, but they are 2 sizes bigger than what I would normally wear. It made me sad. I've been jogging a mile a few times a week for the last 3 weeks...it hasn't helped any yet. Oh well.

The other thing is I feel like my hormones are still out of whack. I'm pretty irritable at times, overwhelmed easily, and still cry for no reason quite often. I have super low energy no matter how much I've slept. I've finally made an appointment with my doctor for later this month. I'm going to hopefully have her check my thyroid and get some advice on where I should be at and what I can do to start feeling more like myself again.

Finished Quilted Pillow for Hudson's Room

2010-09-02T05:02:00.000-07:00

Tutorial for doing the Raw Edge Circle Patchwork found at Cluck Cluck Sew.

Hudson LOVES his Dinosaur Pillow. Insists on sleeping on it every night.

So sweet when your kids like what you make for them.

I know you're just dying to see cute pictures of my kids...

2010-09-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

My Little Sweet P

Sisters

Tortilla Pie

2010-08-31T20:29:00.000-07:00

My friend, Shelly from I didn't sign up for this, sent me this recipe from Real Simple for Tortilla Pie. A spectacular "Meatless Meal". It was delicious. I will be making it again very soon. You should try it. It was pretty healthy too.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 white corn tortillas
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and excess moisture squeezed out
6 ounces good-quality Feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes (1/2-inch chunks) or one 14.5-ounce can petite-cut diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil (such as Del Monte), drained
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Spray an 8-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Pour 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into a small bowl and lightly brush each tortilla on both sides. Place the tortillas around the pan to form an overlapping circular crust. Bake 5 minutes, until lightly golden.
Spoon the spinach evenly over the tortillas, then put half the Feta on top. Sprinkle with the chopped tomatoes and top with the remaining Feta. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with the salt and pepper.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is golden. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with the basil.

I didn't end up using the basil because I didn't have that on hand, and I only used 4 ounces of feta because that's how much was in my package I bought. And as you can see in the photo I put way more tomatoes on one half because my husband is a bigger fan of tomatoes than I am. :)

Monogrammed Felt Hair Clip

2010-08-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

I used the tutorial I found on Prudent Baby and just changed it up a bit. Instead of embroidering the letter on, I appliqued a letter on instead. I think This little "P" looks sweet on my little Penelope. Don't you agree?

Slowly...

2010-08-25T05:02:00.000-07:00

but surely...

I am filling a few orders.

No Fail French Bread

2010-08-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

This bread is DELICIOUS!
My family gobbled it up. It makes too die for toast.
I toasted the bread for turkey & swiss sandwiches and it was so awesome!

Recipe found on Barefoot & Baking

* A few additions to her instructions: I added a little extra flour (dusting) when I kneaded it each time because the dough was pretty sticky. And I kneaded for only about 30 seconds each time. After the last time I kneaded it and it rested 10 min, I then formed it into loaves, in other words- I didn't knead it right before I formed them into loaves. I also cut diagonal slits on the tops, and put a little egg wash on top before baking on the middle rack into the preheated oven- and I didn't pre-heat my stone.

School - A picture diary of our first days

2010-08-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

On her way in for "Meet the Teacher"

Helping Daddy sort her school supplies

Playing with her friend, Carli

First Day of School

The only moment of sadness-just walking from the car to the door of the school

All Smiles Again

Getting settled into class

Pick Up time!

First two drawings from school

TOP-cow

BOTTOM- Ella in a pirate boat

A very "NOT TIRED" girl ended up asleep on the couch

She insisted I take her picture on the second day too.

Happy Birthday to my Big 3 year old!

2010-08-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

Can't believe how fast 3 years has gone.

Hope you had a great party with your family.

They sure love you!

You just may have gotten a tad spoiled.

I was on a pretty tight budget this year. So I made the cake myself and just printed a dino on some card stock taped some toothpicks to the back and stuck it in the cake. I cut out triangles and taped them to a basket and bowl to look like cute little bunting. My biggest splurge was the fabric I bought. I made it into the Birthday Bunting, his Birthday shirt, and added it to an aqua place mat I had already. I think it looked pretty festive and I didn't spend a lot of money. The best part is that he loved it all. And I used the left over fabric to make him a pillow for his bed and the bunting will be put in his room also.

Proof my family spoils him...He got his own motorcycle and sand & water table... among several more wonderful presents!

Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

I love you so much!

Love,

Your Momma

Penelope { 2 months}

2010-08-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

Penelope is 2 months old now. The time just keeps going by so quickly. She slept 10 hours last night. Normally, she's been nursing twice during the night, so that was a nice surprise. (My oldest daughter started finally sleeping all night in her bed at age 4. My son, turning 3 this weekend still wakes up every night.) She's such a sweet, mellow baby. She is getting more smiley now and beginning to coo at us a little. My older two LOVE her and are completely fascinated with her tiny fingers and toes. They love to help get her a burp cloth or lay beside her and talk to her. I feel so blessed that she is such an "easy" baby. She really only cries when she's tired, hungry, or has a poopy diaper. After the first two weeks, I can't remember having her cry where I wasn't able to soothe her quickly.

Work in Progress

2010-08-05T04:01:00.000-07:00

Making a Quilted Pillow for Hudson's bed.

I LOVE it so far. Now to finish it....

I used this tutorial on Cluck Cluck Sew.

For a Big 2 year old

2010-08-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

Just finished up this custom order for one of my etsy customers. Her little two year old is obsessed with Mary Poppins. I think it turned out pretty cute.

Yummy Blueberry Crumb Cake !

2010-08-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

I found this delicious recipe for Blueberry Crumb Cake

on the Pioneer Woman's Blog. You should make it...

'cause it's so good! Really good served for breakfast, warm with a nice

cup of coffee, but equally good served as dessert.

Tutorial: How to add a Ruffled flutter sleeve to a tank top

2010-07-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

I made a new skirt for Ella and decided to make a matching tank. I added the applique and felt it needed a little something more. The little ruffled flutter sleeves are a perfect way to add some color and fun to a plain tank.

First, cut a rectangle that is around 7 inches long and 3 1/2 inches.

Fold in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, iron.

Cut the open side (not folded side) into a slight curve.

I cut one side then folded in half to cut the other side so it would match.

Sew with a long stitch on the open curved side.

Gently pull the bobbin thread to gather the ruffle.

Turn tank inside out. I folded my ruffle in half and started pinning in the middle. So the sides would be even. Pin onto tank. Sew. Don't forget to back stitch at the beginning and end.

Turn right side out. Now you have a Super Cute tank!

Penelope is One Month Old!

2010-07-07T16:06:00.000-07:00

This month has gone by so fast. She's a sweet little baby. She sleeps well, eats well, and is mostly a happy little girl. She has started to have a little cranky time in the evenings where she just wants me stand with her and sway. So I'm just trying to really appreciate that time to snuggle her and not get frustrated. Usually that time between 8:30 and 11:30 has been my time to unwind, watch TV, read, and sew. But this time will pass and I'll have that back again one day. I've actually been reading a lot while I nurse her during the day. I've read the three part Frankenstein series by Dean Koontz- SO GOOD!

Happy 4th of July

2010-07-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to the United States of America!

...and thank you to our new neighbors for the fabulous fireworks at 10:30pm. My children think you're super cool! My dog however was not as happy and barked... a lot.

on a more serious note...

Thank you to all the men and women who have given their lives to keep our nation the home of the brave and the land of the FREE. I am so thankful for the freedom given to me to live and have the freedom to worship Jesus, my Lord. So many people around the world do not have this freedom and I am truly grateful.

Hope you have a very happy and safe 4th of July!

Feeling Blessed!

2010-06-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

Thoughts on Motherhood- the third time

2010-06-10T12:22:00.000-07:00

The third time is WAY easier than the first. I have so much less anxiety. Dealing with a newborn always is a little intimidating. They are so tiny. However, having done it twice- makes this time easier.

There are some things that are NOT easier, no matter how many times you've done them... Engorgement, sleep depravation, seeing your post-prego body (ick).

I've had a few ask if not knowing the gender helped with labor. Um, yes and no. It was motivating, but I don't think it made labor easier per say.

It was an amazing moment when she was born.

Words can't really describe it. Joy, relief, excitement...

There was an odd sense of adjustment after that- trying to wrap my mind around the fact that she really was a girl. I'd kind of prepared for a boy in my mind (mostly because I thought I'd heard my OB slip and call her a boy once during an ultrasound). I didn't make any girly things before her arrival- just gender neutral stuff. So I'm wanting to make it all more girly now- but don't really have time.

We all have adjusted relatively well. Things are running pretty good. It's motivating to have people bringing us supper each night. Forces me to get my make-up on and pick up the house each day. She's sleeping well. We're having trouble with latching - ESPECIALLY if she's sleepy at all or if I'm especially full. This morning it took a FULL HOUR working with different holds and with and without a nipple shield to get a good latch and then finally nurse well. But then during most of the day she only takes a few minutes to find a good latch. Wishing the lactation consultant hadn't quit at the pediatricians office. I'd really rather not drag everyone to the hospital to see a lactation nurse. So hopefully we'll work it out soon. I should be a pro at this...

The only time I broke down at all so far was I had this stifling thought of how different my life was going to be- really. My 4 1/2 yr old and almost 3 yr old are so self-sufficient most of the day. They play well together. They can wake up and watch cartoons by themselves for a little bit in the mornings- if I put their juice in cups in the fridge. They can dress themselves, go potty by themselves. I really just supervise for crazy stunts and get them food and engage in some imaginative play here and there. That is ALL changing. I'm not going to have time to myself like that anymore. That scared me a little. Remember what the crawling age was like and when you have to keep them from hurting themselves ALL day. sigh. It's a little overwhelming. But I just reminded myself that I only have to make it today. And today is pretty good. God will give me strength of mind and body for what lies ahead. Truth is I was feeling a little selfish. When I think of my children and new baby.... what joy is there that lies in them. What fun and excitement of things to come. I choose to embrace it!

Introducing... Penelope Jolie

2010-06-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

The Big Day is Here

2010-06-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Just waiting...

A Failed Attempt

2010-06-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

So, I saw this post today over at Craftiness is Not Optional and just had to share my attempt. It's a pretty stark contrast. LOL. This is a failed mermaid softie attempt. LOL. A couple months ago, my daughter saw a stuffed mermaid at Wal-mart and wanted it..for the new baby. Sure. Anyway, I said, "Oh, Mommy can make you one." So I drew this sketch and went to work. Oh wow. It did NOT work out well. I didn't even bother trying to stuff the poor things arms. I'm pretty good at sketching out something for an applique... not so much when it comes to 3-D figures. I'll try again. And I think I'll try to make it more like the mermaids that I use on my shirts...

but anyway- just in case you needed a good laugh. Oh, and the funny thing-she likes it. It's on her bed with her other much cuter stuffed things. :)

A Little Project- Cover Jar Lids

2010-06-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

See my cute little button jars? Here's how I covered them. Super simple

You'll need little jars, felt, fabric, ribbon, scissors, washable sewing pen & a glue gun

Here's my jars. I got them from a Ladies Luncheon at church.

They used to be filled with M & M's- now they are full of buttons.

Trace your lid on felt and cut it out. (This keeps your glue gun marks from showing.)

Wrap fabric around lid. Trace around your lid and cut out.

Glue on the felt circle with hot glue.

Then glue on fabric. You may want to cut a few slits in the sides

so it will glue around the edges smoothly.

Glue the ribbon around the edge.

Put your little jars up on a cute shelf....

(Please ignore the fact that my drawer front... fell off. It's an old sewing table.)

Speaking of my old sewing table. I was thinking of painting it.

What color should I go with...

white, black, green, red, maybe even aqua?????

Lest you think my sewing area is always this clean here's the before & after pics to prove it was a big mess.

Interview with a 4 year old

2010-05-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Saw this on The Mama Dramalogues and had to give it a try with my kids.

Ella, how old is Momma? 15?
How about Daddy? He's 53?
Hudson? He's 2 1/2
What does Momma do to make you laugh? Do funny things
What does Daddy do to make you laugh? Daddy makes funny faces
What does Hudson do to make you laugh? Climbs on my back

What is your favorite food that Momma cooks?

pasta

What kind of games do you like to play with Hudson?

hide and go seek

Which toy is your favorite?

My Little Pony

What's your favorite song?

David & Goliath

What does Momma smell like? Shampoo
What does Daddy smell like? a bath

How about Hudson? a Walrus that is stinky

What do you want to be when you grow up?

a Mommy

What does your Momma like to do? rest
What does your Daddy like to do? play with me
What does your brother like to do? play guns

What makes your Momma angry?

When I do something bad, like hit.

Interview with a 2 1/2 year old

2010-05-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

Um, so this picture might need a caption... I told Hudson we were going to buy Ice Cream in a tub not a cone....

And he thought that meant he got to eat Ice Cream in the BATH tub. LOL. So I let him.

Saw this on The Mama Dramalogues and had to give it a try with my kids.

Hudson, how old is Momma? I dunno
How about Daddy? I dunno
Ella? Fink, Two or Four (Fink = Think)

What does Momma do to make you laugh? Toot
What does Daddy do to make you laugh? Toot
What does Ella do to make you laugh? Jump up in the air.

What is your favorite food that Momma cooks?

Cookies

What kind of games do you like to play with Ella?

girl stuff

Which toy is your favorite?

Guns

What's your favorite song?

The Deer Song (As the Deer- it's an older praise and worship song)

What does Momma smell like? don't member
What does Daddy smell like? Toots

How about Ella? gum (she is quite the gum chewer)

And Pixie our dog? Her smells like Poop

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A Gun Shooter Guy

What does your Momma like to do? play puter
What does your Daddy like to do? play games on his puter
What does your Ella like to do? Fink Ella wants to be a Barbie

What makes your Momma angry?

When me hit Ella.

Changing Pad Cover for Baby

2010-05-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

Our Little One is going to rooming in with us in our bedroom - probably until he or she is weaned. Then the new baby will move in with either big sister or big brother. But for now, I wanted all of the Baby Bedding, etc. to match our bedroom. So, I made this new changing pad cover and lined the drawers of the changing table with the gray dot, also.

This is our quilt on our bed (and our Boston Terrier too). The color is off in this picture- It's more of a light citrus green-not yellow. Anyway, this is what I'm matching my baby things with.

The following is more the story of how I made my changing pad- if you need really good precise directions- you're better off following the link I included to a different tutorial at the very bottom. So you've been warned. :)

A few pictures of the process

First measure your changing pad cover. Length, Width, and Height.

And then go crazy with pen & paper trying to do the math to make it work. For me this involved even more math than really necessary because I decided to make mine in strips.

My Changing Pad measured like this:

32 inches long

24.5 inches wide

3 inches tall (at the corners)

Now I also measured the changing pad cover that I had been using- which was tough because it had elastic in it. I just pulled it tight and measured.

My old cover measured:

41 inches long

29.5 inches wide

5.5 inches tall

So if your pad measures differently- you can add about 8-9 inches to the length, 5-6 in width, and about 2 inches in height. (The height measurement is what you use to cut the squares out of the corners- later).

These measurements would have worked really well- had I used one piece of fabric. I will start by saying that I should have allowed more width in mine. I didn't allow enough for the seam allowances of sewing all those strips together. I also could have shortened the length a tad, but once the elastic was in - that was fine.

So I'll give you my measurements...but know that if your changing pad is like mine...you'll need to add some to make up for the seam allowance.

I'll start from the edge and work in.

All of these were 41 inches long- these are the widths...

(2 strips) Stone Ta Dot- 1.5 inches (should have been more like 2 inches at least)

(2 strips) White Humming Bird- 3.5 inches (should have been more like 4 inches)

(2 strips) Ta Dot- 4.5 inches

(1 strips) White Chenille- 10.5 inches

The one step that is vital, that I did not photograph is where you cut a square out of each corner and then sew those sides together to make a corner. I just laid my fabric on my changing pad and marked off where I wanted to make my cuts with a washable sewing marker. - But you should be able to use your measurement from the height of your changing table. My measurements seemed a little off... so I just tried it out on the pad and marked it. And that worked well.

This is all my crazy math.

Wish someone would have told me to pay attention in Math class

because it would be useful in sewing. LOL.

Then just make a little casing for your elastic and run it through.

This is a pretty forgiving project- since there's no top stitching- you don't see wonky sewing lines and the elastic takes up any slack from mis-measurement. So as long as you get close- it's pretty good.

Prudent Baby has a great tutorial for how to make a changing pad cover that shows more steps and pictures than I do - so if you're lost click over there and check out her tutorial.

Sneak Peek at another Project of Procrastination

2010-05-26T07:40:00.000-07:00

This is my newest project...that happens NOT to be on the To Do list

Humming Bird in White by Patty Young for Michael Miller

Ta Dot in Stone by Patty Young for Michael Miller

from the Flora & Fauna Collection- which is beautiful

Sibling shirts are Done!

2010-05-21T21:03:00.001-07:00

Okay, so excuse the dark photo- I took it at night when I finished these. Thanks for all your input.

Here's Hudson- modeling his shirt. How cute is he?

I put them in their shirts for my last OB appointment, but I didn't get pics of them together- until after nap and they look a little rough.

I made this little flower to pin on Ella's belt of her jeans. I love it.

Hopefully, after Baby is born...

I'll get some cute pics of them all in their shirts.

The Infamous To Do List

2010-05-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

TO DO List
BEFORE the Baby gets here

1. Buy a Van
2. Sell our Car
3. Sell our Graco Travel System
4. Buy a new Car Seat and Double Stroller
5. Buy a new Camera
6. Go through Ella and Hudson's Baby Clothes
7. Organize Master Bedroom and Closet
8. Pack Hospital Bag
9. Finish Quilt
10. Put 3 meals in the Freezer
11. Clean out the fridge
12. Re-Organize the Pantry
13. Organize my Sewing Area
14. Change everyone's sheets
15. Get insurance switched over to the Van
16. Get Tags on the Van
17. Vacuum out the Van
18. Install the Baby's Car Seat
19. Paint Nails and Toes
20. Get my hair cut and colored
21. Ella's room picked up
22. Hudson's room picked up

Show and Tell OR More Procrastination

2010-05-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

Um, so again... I have a To Do List that I'm working on. But instead, I decided to make a few little crafts.

Felt Flower Clip

Tutorial found here:
A Hoot and a Holler

Wipes Case

Tutorial found here:

Make it and Love it.

Going Rouge OR Queen of Procrastination

2010-05-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

So I have this To Do List of things I need/want to get finished before the baby gets here. I have about 2 1/2 weeks to go. So after looking at my list today... I went rouge and decided to recover an old chair. The chair was my husband's grandma's sewing chair. I've debated a few times about just getting rid of it, but I have a soft spot for old furniture.
The chair has been hiding in our Master Bedroom Closet for WAY too long taking up precious space. So I found it a new home in the hallway and decided it was too ugly to live there as is. So.... I recovered the cushion this morning. It took me a few minutes of wavering about the fabric. I love this Anna Maria Horner fabric and have not been able to cut into it. Finally decided to just go for it. Now all it needs is a fresh coat of paint. I think black.

There are a ton of tutorials online on how to recover a chair like this, but I decided to just wing it with a little common sense and it was fine. Pretty straight forward and simple. My only advice is to make sure you center your fabric design and also to staple all the middles and then work towards the corners.
I'll have to post another picture once I get some paint on that chair... I'm debating whether to get back on track with my list or to run out and buy some paint.

UPDATE: 05/27/10 Here's the finished Chair...

9 Months

2010-05-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

The past 9 months have flown by. Can't wait to hold this little one in my arms.

Quilt Pictures - as promised

2010-05-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

Here it is. So happy to finish it. This is my very first attempt at making a quilt. I learned a lot. Just so excited to have it ready for our little one to use.

My most favorite part is the center block with the deer applique, hand embroidery, and hand quilting. Very pleased that I decided to add this in.

35 weeks

2010-05-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

My OB says the baby is low and looking good.

He's going to give me an induction date on Monday.

Yea!! Can't wait for this baby to get here.

I can totally feel how low he or she is. My nerves in my hips are getting pinched and my bladder is getting very squished. I was glad to have the motivation from the doctor and finished the baby's quilt tonight. Pictures to come tomorrow.

New Headbands in the Shop

2010-05-08T05:02:00.000-07:00

Headbands in the Shop

A Little Pampering... from the best Mom

2010-05-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

My Mom and little sister came to visit last Saturday.

First she took my Ella out for some much needed grandma time.

And after that gave me a choice of colors...

for a much needed pedicure.

My little sister kept Hudson busy with water balloons and a game of Candy Land.

My mom also brought cake for Jason's birthday

and orange pop which we all enjoyed very much.

Thank you Mom (and Erika)!!!

You're the best!

8 Months

2010-05-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

Won't be long now...

Looking forward to holding my sweet baby soon.

Can not wait to find out if this little one is a boy or girl.

A little help...

2010-04-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm making these sibling shirts for my kiddos. I've got Big Sister's done (with matching headband), and I finished the Little One's (simple gender neutral for our surprise baby). But I cannot figure out what to add to my little boy's middle shirt. It needs a little something... in red, blue, or yellow- to match the other ones, but I wanted something more than just a few X's like I did on the little shirt. What do you guys think? Stars is all I can think of to do in the full moon print from Ella's headband. Is there something else I'm missing that would be cute?

New Baby Things

2010-04-29T20:57:00.000-07:00

I have some FABULOUS new Baby Things. Remember the Surprise Shower my friends gave me? They gave me some Babies R Us gift cards that allowed me to get these...

Graco Snug Ride Infant Car Seat and Graco Duo Glider Stroller

I love the new car seat and stroller. It has little elephants on it. Adorable!

JJ Cole Theory Bag

And this new diaper bag. I really LOVE it! It's so pretty and so practical.

Here's the super cute blankets, sleeping gowns, onesies, & pants that I got back at the Surprise Shower.

The cutest gender neutral stuff I've ever seen.

And here's my little sweetie. Ultrasound picture from last week.

It's not the best pic we've gotten, but still love getting to see my baby.

Etsy Shop Update- Perry Jayne Handmade

2010-04-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

I caved. I said I wasn't going to take any more orders... but I looked at the price of a new camera (mine is broken) and decided that I could take just a few more orders before the baby comes. So....if you're wanting a Perry Jayne hand appliqued shirt...hop on over to the shop and take a look.

New Look

2010-04-20T19:02:00.000-07:00

While my etsy shop is actually pretty bare, I did just make a new banner. I like it so much better than my old one and it matches my blog header now. What do you think? I think it may need a little more tweaking. Next mermaid I make, I think I'll work on getting some good up close pics and see what I can do.

Braided Headband with a Flirty Flower

2010-04-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

I've made one of these headbands in white and black.

Now, I'm anxious to give it a try in some colorful prints.

Details:

It's best to go on the long side for the strips you use for your headband, because I just tied it in a knot when I was done and snipped off the excess. The braiding gives the headband enough stretch to just pull on & off. I wish I would have measured...but I think I just used the width of my fabric.
On the white flower, I folded the fabric over for the flower, so it was double layered, I used just a single layer on the black one. I think I prefer the single layer, but that's just my preference. The width and length of the fabric you use for the flower will determine its size & fluffiness, so just play with it until you like it. And I really prefer the edges to be raw, but you could hem it if you like.
My daughter wears these headbands too, I just tie it a little tighter in back. They look even cuter on her (even if she's grumpy).

And here's a few more of her wearing it...being silly with her brother.

Feelin' Grouchy?

2010-04-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

So today, I woke up "on the wrong side of the bed". For no reason at all.
I slept okay. My house is picked up. I'm healthy. My kids were being good. I just generally feel irritated and grouchy with everyone & everything around me. Maybe it's some pregnancy hormones... I hate being in such a funk, so I've decided to try to beat it.

On the way home from the post office I was sitting at a stop light and remembered hearing once that if you force a smile it can release endorphins and make you feel better... I tried it. I felt sorta goofy with this huge fake grin on my face... helped a little. It's a few hours later and I'm still feeling blah. I can either wallow in the gloominess or decide to try a few more funk busters. Here goes...

1. Force a smile. Stand up straight.
2. Hug my kids.
3. Tickle them too.
4. Call a friend.
5. List 5 things I love about my life.

I love my husband and kids.
I love that I get to stay home with my children.
I love where I live- my home and community.
I love my church.
I love my extended family.

6. Do a couple chores that I don't want to do...but I know I will enjoy the results.

finish dishes & shine my sink
fold clothes
clean our Master Bathroom

So far, I've accomplished the first five...I guess I'll go tackle a few chores and see if that will be a mood booster for me. I might just reward myself with some ice cream during the kids nap time when I get those chores done.

I'm curious, what do you do to cheer yourself up?

Sweet Carli

2010-04-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

Here's our sweet little friend Carli wearing a Perry Jayne headband that she got last year. After I finish up some orders, I'm going to try to get a few more headbands into the shop again.

A Big Surprise!

2010-04-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

So I was completely shocked. I had no clue. My Bunco group completely surprised me with a shower for the baby. It was so sweet and I got so spoiled. There were lots of diapers, wipes, diaper cream, baby wash, and lotions. Some very cute gender neutral onesies, sleeping gowns, blankets. So cute! And on top of all those goodies they also gave me cash to pick out a diaper bag and They were so kind and even gave up winning prizes- all the prizes came in the form of Babies R Us gift cards so I can buy a new double stroller.

I am BLESSED. Thank you to all of you Bunco Babes.

I am so blessed by your friendship and love.

Fingerprint Friday

2010-04-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

My Sweet Baby at 31 weeks today.

Can't wait to meet you. Can't wait to find out if you are a girl or boy. Can't wait to get to know your little personality. Can't wait to see what God has gifted you with.

You are LOVED!

Your big sister and big brother fought over who got to hold the picture of you today.

They are excited to meet you too.

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God

When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints.

Check out other Fingerprint Friday Posts at The Rusted Chain

Party Time!!!

2010-04-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

Collaboration is a Good Thing!

Kristen, from Mary Had a Little Party, and I have shared our art with one another to create the ULTIMATE in matching party items. Get all your paper items from Kristen and then order a matching shirt for your cutie to wear from my shop, Perry Jayne. If you ask me... it's pretty awesome and WAY more fun and unique than the mass produced stuff you get from the store. Especially because you can customize colors for your party. So far you can choose from the Owl, Enchanted Mermaid, or Cupcake. But I'm sure they'll be much more to come in the future. We are both very busy ladies, so be sure to order EARLY, 4-6 weeks at least. (I'm getting ready to go on maternity leave...I might be able to squeeze in a couple more orders before, but I'll be back in action in a couple months. So send me a convo on etsy ASAP, if you're wanting to order.)

LINKS

Mary Had a Little Party Etsy Shop

Mary Had a Little Party Blog

Perry Jayne Etsy Shop

Happy Easter from Us!

2010-04-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

Our Family

One of my new favorite pics of Ella

My sweet kiddos on Easter Sunday Morning

Getting Ready to Hunt Eggs Me and my kiddos at the Egg Hunt

This girl LOVES Dandelions

Baby Name Polls

2010-04-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

I'm 30 weeks along today. Wow, it's getting close.

Which is causing me to go into name panic. So, I just added two baby name polls to the right side of my blog. I think we've pretty much settled on Sawyer for a boy and Penelope if it's a girl, but we need middle names. For a girl, I'd like to have a one syllable middle name or something that can be shortened to one syllable. So we can say Penny Jo, etc. if we wanted to. For reference: our oldest is Abriella Jayne McCoy (we call her Ella for short) and then our soon to be middle child is Hudson Perry McCoy.

Go ahead and vote. Let us know what you think. And if you have another suggestion- leave me a comment here.

Woodland Friends

2010-03-30T15:01:00.000-07:00

Felt Puppets

made these little cuties for a friend. She's putting them in her granddaughter's Easter Basket.

I hope she loves them!

Little Boys

2010-03-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

My Little Boy MUST sleep with random toys, tools, utensils and of course always his "Baby Diego" doll (that was originally his sister's). I often go into his room, after he's asleep and move all the stuff out of the way and off to one side so he has room to move in his sleep. And lately I've been finding him in the classic-hand down his pants position for sleeping.
I love the differences in boys and girls. It just makes me smile. I have a girly girl and a very boyish boy.
I love them both so much. I love that God created them so differently.