It's too hot to play...

Seriously.

 

It's hot.

 

I sort of wish my boys were here so I didn't look so foolish running through the sprinklers by myself.

 

Okay.

 

I didn't really do that, but I did find something else to do!

 

It's been the weekend of SEWING projects.

 

See, my sewing machine has a short power cord.

 

So I pull the kitchen table over closer to the outlet.

 

Which is also RIGHT NEXT TO THE AIR VENT!

 

Score me!!!

 

So, what did I sew?

 

A quilt top... but it's too hot to quilt it right now.  Nothing says "Heat Exhaustion" like holding a quilt on your lap when it's over 100 degrees outside. So instead it's hanging on my banister just waiting for a cool day or a long drive.

 

 

Some new... uhhh... I don't know what they're called.  They hold my curtains back.

 

 

 

 

A "couch" runner... which if you have children and your couch back is open to the dining room table and right next to the back door will save you tons in cleaning... because every time they got up from the table or came in from outside they would run their hands along the back of my new pretty grown up couch.  I was NOT impressed.   So, I made this removable, washable, kid friendly piece of insurance.

 



 

 

And my favorite... runners for my new living room tables...

 

 

Seriously, my favorite.

 

It's weird that a small piece of fabric can put a smile on my face.  It's not just the fabric... it's all of it. 

 

Now that our basement is finished, and we have a great family room for the boys to be boys in, I can finally have a PRETTY adult space. 

 

And it's exactly what I want.  I spent ages shopping for the perfect couch, months for tables... and now, it's the little things that are falling into place.  I still need lamps and one more small table for next to the couch, but it's almost done... and it's perfect.

 

 

Backyard Swing Gets Updated!

My parents gave me a porch swing for my birthday soon after Evan was born.

That first summer, I spent many many hours rocking him on that swing.

Each summer, it looked a little rougher, until three years ago, when it was so threadbare, my husband told me he was taking it to the dump.

I begged him not to, I thought I would be able to find a new cushion for it. 

Uhhh, No.

It was not a standard size or shape. 

But I couldn't bare to just toss it.  So I took a razor to it, and took the threadbare seat cushion off.  I left the back, it was in pretty good shape. 

That left me with a great mesh base on the seat, but it was uglier than all get out (and a little uncomfortable on the backside!).

So I planned and measured, and debated and figured.

And I came up with the simplest idea on the planet. 

That was two summers ago... My original slip cover was looking a little faded and worn... and a few moths or other creatures had decided it was a great winter snack, so this morning when Ryan and I were wandering the aisle of Joanns, and we spotted a great orange canvas remnant... I was ALL over it!


It was just about a foot to short, but I still had some cream canvas from another project at home...

And I must say, I love it. 

It's pretty simple, really... just a flat slip cover.   It just takes a few straight hem stitches around the edges, then some twill tape attached to each corners, plus where the back meets the seat, and two pieces along the top and the bottom (a few years ago, I attached some D rings to the frame that the middle pieces tie to).  

Two years ago, I went all out and made a "pillow" for the seat using some clearance batting, this year however, I just used some old pillows that were pretty close to being thrown out. 

This way, they can be brought in and washed, I can take them off in the winter and store them, etc.

After I put the bright orange on it, I decided one day this summer, I'm going to spray paint the frame... maybe a deep brown??  Dunno... but something... maybe... if the wind ever stops blowing!

Candy Bag or Candy Trough... You decide!

Last year, I saw THESE adorable candy corn trick or treat bags on one of my favorite websites, The Purl Bee .  I didn't have the time to make them last year, but knew, without a doubt, that I needed to make them before my last little boy out grew them!

Well, Saturday, Ryan and I took a trip to JoAnne's to pick up the fleece to make his Halloween costume, and while I was there, I picked up some felt and some adorable variegated thread that I just couldn't pass up, even though the instructions made NO MENTION of the need for cute top stitching!  (Once again, there I go not following directions!  And believe me, that wasn't the only place I made alterations!)

Well, I think it turned out pretty darn cute!  He calls it his Ice Cream Bag.  He obviously has not learned the wonders of Candy Corn yet!

A Quilt for Emma B

A now FORMER employee is expecting her first child... due in June. 

Her adorable name (the baby, not the mom) is Emma Barbara... Emma B.  How cute is that?? 

I have a feeling that this little girl is going to redefine the word cute.

I hope she likes her quilt...

My favorite part is the little hot pink flap the pokes out of the binding and covers some of the stop border. 

Weekend Creation

I have a couple of crafts going on...

However, this weekend, I actually FINISHED ONE!!! 

Alright, I finished a couple of things (and maybe started a few)... but, right now, I'm talking about:

No, No.... Not the dishes... however I DID wash them.

I'm talking about the mat underneath. 

A few days ago, I was catching up on a favorite blog (Soule Mama), and came across THIS post. 

I bought the strainer itself a few years ago, and I usually only pull it out for overflow dishes that I can't seem to cram in the dishwasher.  I could not find a tray to put under it that I liked... so when I used it, I would just throw a kitchen towel under it. 

Well, NOT ANYMORE!!  Duh, I can't believe I didn't think to sew one before. 

It was pretty simple, I pulled out an slightly ragged towel (which I have a lot of, I REALLY need new towels), a scrap of cotton left over from my living room curtains and the last few feet of some biased tape I made for a quilt. 

I cut two layers of the terry cloth towel and one of the cotton approx 2 inches wider and longer than the strainer.  I layered all three, with the cotton on top, then machine quited every 1.5 inches across.  Next, pinned the biased tape in place, and top stitched it in a decorative criss cross stitch.

And TA-DA!  Pretty dish mat to go under my dish strainer.  (And honestly, when I pull it out after a marathon cooking session, I usually am too lazy to put it away for a few days.)