unconventional, maybe

I made Natalie's Christmas dress and I am SOOOO happy with it!!! I can't believe how cute this pattern is and how fast it came together. After I finished this one, I took the girls to Hobby Lobby to pick out fabric for Layla's dress. I'm really excited about hers too, the fabric we picked is super cute.

Natalie really likes it, she said she feels like a Christmas angel in it! She was floating around the house, until I made her take it off :) Mean Mommy.

Here's the pattern I used. Yes, these designer patterns are more expensive than the $1.99 sales at JoAnn, BUT they go from size 2T to 7 and there are usually several views, so I feel like I'll get a lot of use out of this. Plus, the instructions are great, color photos of the steps are included and certain tutorials are written into it, like making bias tape, for example, so they are sooo much more beginner-friendly than commercial patterns. I get realllllly annoyed with major pattern companies, so this pattern was absolutely delightful to make. I can't wait to make Layla's dress now :)

One more thing, I was so excited about a month ago to see this tutorial on making 5 yards of bias tape from one fat quarter of fabric. I used this technique here and it was awesome, I'll be doing it this way from now on!

we're ready

First things first, HAPPY VETERANS DAY!!!! to my husband and all the other brave ones out there that have served, thank you so much!!!

Kelby's stocking is done! I love it, the train idea won out over the ornament idea, although Casey didn't think a train was very Christmas-y? I proved him wrong, I think :)

And now we have a complete set! Good thing I had plenty of left-overs. I even had the forethought to cut an extra lining because I knew we may have another kiddo and I was right! I really like the birds (which is mine) but I think the train is my new favorite. I originally saw stockings like these in a Pier 1 catalog about 5 years ago. I copied the trees and birds from the catalog and was one my own for the other three. I made them out of wool felt so they'll last awhile, which is good, cause it'll be awhile before I get tired of these!

tiny yarn animals

I've been enjoying some crochet in my downtime this week. After the kiddos go to bed, if there's no laundry to fold and I'm too pooped to sew, it's nice to have something to keep my hands busy while watching those stars dance :) I finished this little owl yesterday. All the kids really seem to like him.


Here's the book where he came from. It is reallllly cute, all of it. I picked it up at Barnes & Noble on a whim because it reminded me of some button animals my sister and i had as kids. I was going to make several animals and turn them into little ornaments to attach to Christmas gifts for nieces and nephews. However, they are not quite as "tiny" as I expected. Maybe I'll still attach them, just not as ornaments. hmmmm.

Here are some more pages from the book. That octopus is to die for.


The yarn I've been falling in love with is Vanna's Choice. Acrylic yarn comes so much softer now than it used to, but I love the muted colors of this brand, I think they're all beautiful together. It just so happens to be one the least expensive too!

told ya

When I said I was making a stack of these snack bags, I meant it! Whew! Now on to Kelby's stocking...and Natalie's bathrobe, and the never-ending pile of boot ornaments...oh and Christmas dresses for the girls. Good thing I enjoy the process :)

one down...

I have a LOT of Christmas sewing to do. The good news is, the shopping is pretty much all done! I actually used a lot of the fabric I already have on hand, and I've been collecting other gifts and stocking stuffers when I see them, for several months. I finished crocheting Kelby's hat last night. It will go in his (yet to be made) stocking along with the Captain Hook sword I found on clearance after Halloween :) What else do you get for a one-year-old boy's stocking??

My friend Angela came over yesterday. I am helping her make a quilt (I'll have pictures to share in about a month, I'm soo excited and proud of her) and she taught me a little bit about the manual settings on the camera that I bought from her in July. I'm so excited! I played around with it a lot last night and all three of these pics were taken without flash, on manual settings! I know there's still room for improvement, but what a difference!!!

I think this is such a sweet photo of Kelby and Casey. And look at the top left, I even got some sun flare in there!!!

And here is one of our breakfast for dinner (a Friday night tradition.) Insignificant subject, I know, but you should see the one on Auto setting cause this one is much better :)

Makes me want to make a new blog header, hehe.

some random snippets

I meant to post this recipe on Tuesday for this swap (because I promised my lovely sister that I would) but I was too busy turning 28 :) Ha! This meal is cheap and vegetarian, if that's your thing and it can be made in the crock pot too, as most soups can! SO, here it is, just as tasty as if I had posted it Tuesday...

Fresh Lime and Black Bean Soup

2 cans black beans, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
1 chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
sour cream, fresh cilantro and lime wedges for garnish

Saute onions in a tablespoon of olive oil, add beans, tomatoes and spices and cook to boiling. Let simmer however long and presto! done. BUT, the toppings here (sour cream, fresh cilantro and lime juice) are VERY important, they make this recipe great, so don't skip them and then tell me what a horrible recipe this is ;)


Moving right along, I got my Christmas catalog in the mail from Anthropologie and had to share this awesome quilt here. Doesn't it look like huge yo-yo's?? I loathe yo-yo's...making them, that is, but this quilt is beautiful, it makes me want to go the the store so I can touch it and inspect how it's made ;) The super-cool leather chair isn't bad either.

AND, my mom discovered this herbal tea and I am swooning over it lately. It tastes like apple cider with just the right number of red-hot candies. Only no sugar, so much healthier :) We get it at Vitamin Cottage, it's on the bottom shelf of the tea isle. But I don't know why, it should totally be at eye level, it's that good!!!

And here are my oldest and youngest children being silly. Kelby and Natalie have always had a special bond, I don't know what it is. He loves to waller (how do you spell that word? or is it even a real word?) whoever happens to be lying on the floor.


I took this picture on Sunday. Unfortunately, it was a bad day to represent, since it's the first game the Broncos have gotten creamed this season. Hmmmm, it was also the first game we've watched...am I the common denominator?? No way, it must be Casey :)

feeling green

We recently became recyclers! and we're very proud of ourselves. But also a little shocked and ashamed at how much we've thrown in the trash that could be recycled. I was doing some cleaning and decluttering last weekend and threw a TON of things away (newspaper, phone book, etc...) until I remembered we are now recycling. Almost the whole kitchen trash can was full of recyclables! So I dug it all out and put it in the bins Casey bought for the garage :) I think our trash men will thank us.

On the "green" theme, I cut out a bunch of these washable snack bags and whipped one up the other day. You can find the tutorial here, although I added the little wrist strap to reduce the risk of little ones dropping them :) I plan on sticking these in with Christmas gifts.

And, I want to share my favorite notebooks. I get them from Barnes and Noble and they are made from 100% recycled materials. They are called ecojot and they're fat and awesome and have the cutest designs EVER. I bought the first one for a prayer journal and then another when I needed a new sewing/planning notebook. I hope this inspires you a little bit to think about your carbon footprint :) God is green, so they say (at Mars Hill Bible Church, anyway).

cupcakes and cow pokes

Last night we went to our church's harvest festival and it was sooo much fun. The kids were a big hit, the girls in their mama-made cupcake costumes and Kelby in his cowboy outfit. The party was a huge success as their were a LOT of neighborhood families there, which made it a great outreach opportunity.

(Thumb break)


I dressed up as a cowgirl to match my little cowpoke. he thought the hat was pretty fun :)



Cake walk. We stuck around until we finally won :)

Casey went as a sports enthusiast...or as someone else said, an athletic supporter, hehehe :)

AND.....I took this picture on the way to the church last night. We Coloradans call this kinda thing proof that God is a Bronco fan. GO BRONCOS!!!!! 7 & 0, HERE WE GO!!!!!