jennyandteddy creation crochet amigurumi pattern giveaway!

****this giveaway is now closed. thank you for all of your entries.**** 

what do you get when you mix m&m's & crochet hooks?

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adorable crochet amigurumi patterns from jennyandteddy creation!

jennyandteddy creation creates adorable, fun and oh, so cute amigurumi crochet patterns. the patterns are easy to follow, include pictures and you can also find tips & help on owner jane's blog. you are also free to use the patterns to create more cutie pies to sell of your own.

"amigurumi is the japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures. amigurumi are usually crocheted out of yarn using the single crochet stitch. they can also be knit. typically, crochet hooks or knitting needles that are slightly smaller than normal are used, in order to achieve a tight gauge that retains stuffing." (sourced from wikipedia)

seriously folks, is the cuteness not just oozing from these patterns & dolls? mackenzie saw my screen and lost it, she has declared that she wants all of them. don't have time to make your special someone one? jennyandteddy creation also sell dolls themselves as well as the patterns! can't beat that if you ask me. i've never had a chance to make amigurumi before but it's one of those crafts i've been dying to have time to try.


jennyandteddy creation have patterns for crochet characters doll, stuffed animals,teddy bears, bunnies, rabbits and more! i wish we could all hang out with a delicious bowl of m&m's, some yummy yarn and our crochet hooks and make some cutie pie dolls! of course if we added in some coffee i would be over the moon. next best thing? you winning the giveaway and then showing me all the lovelies you are gonna make! ready to find out more?






- 3 lucky winners will each get 2 patterns of their choice!! thanks jane!






- visit jennyandteddy creation and pick your fave 2 patterns then come back and leave me a comment letting me know what they are.
- follow us on google friend connect (sidebar) or subscribe to luvinthemommyhood & leave me another comment letting me know you did.
- "like" us on facebook or tweet this giveaway & leave yet another comment for a bonus entry.






- - you must leave a valid email address with your entry or you will be disqualified.
- the giveaway is open until tuesday, february 22nd, 2011 at midnight (pacific standard time).


thanks for the giveaway jane, and good luck to all of you! happy crocheting!

pyrex is good for the soul

i learned a little pyrex lesson on the weekend. see the pretty dish above? well i got all excited when i spotted it smiling at me at one of my fave local haunts. i brought her home (priscilla primrose - her name), cleaned her up and placed her in her new home. i then, all giddy like, went online to find out which series she is from. i hunted and hunted and hunted...nothing. i couldn't find a darn thing.


an hour later and with no success i finally spotted a pic of one only to find out that priscilla isn't pyrex....she is fire king. oops. maybe next time i should actually look at the bottom of the dish when buying them? no worries though, fire king is just as pretty and i almost love her more..haha. she's very sturdy. i will definitely be on the lookout for more of this series in town. what's the moral of the story....when thrifting for pyrex always check the bottom :)

since i know i am not alone in my love for vintage kitchenware and pyrex i thought i would put together a little linkfest of all of my fave places to online to find my daily pyrex fix because you know one can never have enough pyrex. it's good for the soul. brightens the day and always brings a smile to one's face :) here's a few of my faves from my pinterest board for pyrex.

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doesn't that feel good? is it rainy, snowy, gloomy or cold where you are? i hope the pics above add a little sunshine to your day! oh and here's a pic of the vintage pillowcases i scooped on last weekend too.


my fave pyrex resources:

pyrex love
pyrex collective
in color order - the pyrex series
the pyrex files
pyrex in the UK

flickr groups:

from kitchens past - the vintage kitchen
pyrex love
you can find a list of other pyrex groups here.
fire king

- also etsy and ebay are other great resources for pyrex and fire king.
- you can also find me on flickr here and on pinterest here.

do you adore pyrex too? what is your fave series? which ones are you coveting? do you have a favorite resource online for your pyrex fix? let me know in the comments below or on our facebook page and i'll add them in to the post. happy tuesday!

moments in the mommyhood - boating with barbie

no, you are not imaginging things,that is barbie waving and driving a boat....




and barbie drives really fast! what a little speed demon she is - wow, she could drive! we were down by one of the beaches along dallas road yesterday trying to catch some of the sun while we had it. we did some serious rock skipping, sea glass searching and just soaked in the rays. on our walk back to the car we had to pass a pond. and in that pond to our surprise was a boating barbie. oh barbie, you were fabulous! the boat was remote controlled and when the man driving it wanted to he could make barbie wave at you! i almost peed myself. i knew i had to get a pic to show all of you - it seriously made my day! i have a video of it that i'm trying to upload on here but am having some technical issues. hopefully it will be up sometime today after we finish watching it for the 100th time..yes, i love it that much :)

how was your weekend? did you see any unexpected surprises on the weekend that brought a smile to your face?

p.s. my thrifting finds will be up tomorrow so stay tuned.....

sponsor love - birdsong bows

who doesn't love a bow - bows are bowtastic (my hubbies words)! if you need bows of any kind or are wanting to learn how to make your own bows look no further than birdsong bows. birdsong bows sells professional, high quality patterns & tutorials for boutique hair bows, headbands, tutus and barrettes to make for that special little girl in your life. these detailed, user friendly, e-books provide bright, clear step by step instructions as well as access to special video tutorials. fabulous for people like me that are visual learners! the owner of birdsong bows - deanna, is a writer/editor, wife & mom to 2 little girls, whose love of her craft really shines through. these beautiful patterns are easy to follow & allow you to create your own timeless handmade pieces with ease.


i know i myself have always been a tiny bit intimidated by making mackenzie hair accessories. something about all the little pieces and gluing, sewing etc just didn't call out to me but after reading through deanna's great e-books i have to say making some hair bows will be in my very near future! i can't wait to try to make some of these pretty accessories especially because little harper's hair is starting to come in - woop woop! i love it when the hair on baby girls starts getting long enough to doll up. it's the hairdresser in me folks. mackenzie doesn't let me do much to her hair anymore but harper, well, she'll still let me style her up :)


you can find more birdsong bows on their facebook page here (look for special coupons & discounts) and read more about deanna's adventures with bows on her blog here where you can also find mini-sewing tutorials too! deanna is also offering all you wonderful luvinthemommyhood readers.....

a 10% discount -
use the code "mommyhood" at checkout.
(discount code good until Feb. 28th, 2011)

feeling lucky? make sure to stop by the birdsong bows blog to get your entry in for a chance to win $500 worth of goodies from a collaboration of wonderful crafters in "round robin: the ultimate spring boutique giveaway"! thanks so much deanna!

do you make your own hair accessories for your little girls? which pattern is your favorite? have you always wanted to learn how to make bows too?

weekend wishes

to send some valentine's charm your way...

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to sit on a bench somewhere and soak in the sunshine...finally...

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to do this to mackenzie's artwork...

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to find some of these on my thrifting adventures with a pal this weekend...

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to find a way to extend the time between now and when the hubs overtime is going to start...

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to dream up some new projects using the pantone fall 2011 fashion color trends...

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to drink lots of yummy coffee...

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and to get us all crocheting pop tabs!!!

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so happy it's friday today! it's felt like a long week. phew! i'm in the mood this weekend for some fun! i feel the need to get out and run & play. must be from being cooped up all week last week with a sick kiddo. i'm planning on doing a bit of thrifting this weekend with a friend, a walk on the beach accompanied by my two girls and the hubs, a date with my sewing machine to have a serious chat about it's naughty behaviour and some rest & relaxation - ha, wait who am i kidding, rest and relaxation? what's that??? maybe i'll settle for a wee bit of rest. yeah..i'll take that.

i would like to get harper's hat that i've been knitting since xmas done and also cross off finding fabric for my quilt back and chair cushion as well. it's driving me nuts that i still haven't found "the" fabrics. i keep looking and liking but just not loving. does this ever happen to you? i want so badly to finish the quilt but don't want to just settle on the backing. hopefully something will find it's way to me soon. what fabrics are you coveting at the moment? have you seen the new sneak peek for "1001 peeps" from lizzy house? i'm excited for this line!

wishing you lots of rest, fun, coffee and crafty goodness this weekend! what are your plans? are you going thrifting? fabric shopping? let's chat :)

ps. don't forget to get your entry in for the sweet pea shoe patterns/shoeology giveaway!!! making shoes is fun!!!

Sewing With Knits - Tips & Tricks Roundup!

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i don't know about you guys but sewing with knits sort of freaks me out. i've done it and i'll suck it up and do it again but it definitely takes some getting used to. my biggest complaint is that my machine does not like knits. i know, it's probably me that's the problem but because i don't want to admit that to myself i will blame it on my machine...that and the fact that i don't have a manual for my old, cranky machine is also a hindrance.

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stitch simple - a great fabric shop that sells all their fabrics pre-washed & ready to sew (can you hear my squeals of happiness, can you imagine not having to wash/prep/cut your fabrics?!) contacted me a few months ago about their "great knit experiment". so fun! harmony art provided some fab bloggers with organic knits to sew with and they then share all the goodness with you folks! click here to read more about jen's "great knit experiment"!

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go check out the bloggers who joined in on the "great knit experiment". all the pics in this post are compiled from their lovely tutorials!

pattern's by figgy * piccolo piselli * the scientific seamstress
tie dye diva * knitty bitties * badlands quilts

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other tips, tricks & tutorials:

- sewing with knits - a tutorial with patterns by figgy's.
- tips for working knits & a mock-coverstitch tutorial with meg of sew liberated on sew mama sew.
- knit cuff tutorial & box pleat cuff tutorial by piccolo piselli
- tips for embellishing knits & a knit applique tutorial on sew mama sew
- sewing with knits on craft stylish and another one on gorgeousfabrics.com
- knit fabrics 101 on from an igloo
- sewing stretch knits without a serger video
- tips for sewing with knits & a ruched legging tutorial from dana of made.
- oliver and s shares some tips for sewing with knits.
- gertie's new blog for better sewing has posts on sewing knits without a serger and cutting knits.
- whole series on sewing with knits, sourcing material etc at plum project studio.

helpful books:

sew u home stretch: the built by wendy guide to sewing knit fabrics by wendy mullin
sewing with knits: classic stylish garments from swimsuits to evening wear by connie long

reader faves:

modkid boutiques video series for working with knits.

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in my dreams i envision myself wearing all sorts of knits - dresses, tops, t-shirts, pants, clothes..i just want to drape myself in them. i also want to make them for my kids so i figured it's about time i continue to conquer that new year's resolution list and get started making more knits. what better way to start that off then by doing a little roundup with some great tips, tricks and tutorials for working with knits that i found helpful.

i hope that you all will share your tips and tricks as well. leave a comment with yours or share a link with one that has helped you and hopefully we can all sew those knits up together this year! what's your favorite thing to make from knits? do you sew the with a serger or without?

Sweet Pea Shoe Patterns & Shoeology Giveaway!!!!

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR ENTRIES.***

valentine's day is just around the corner and i keep seeing hearts everywhere. red hearts, pink hearts, white hearts...lots of hearts. candy hearts, chocolate hearts, cookie hearts and cupcakes too. we aren't big valentine's day people in our house though, in fact the hubby doesn't even believe in it but this year i just keep seeing them hearts. so in honor of the holiday of love i knew i had to get making something with some pink and some red in it...get it out of my system..haha. so i figured when you have something as cute as these........


yummy, scrumptious, chubby toes you have to make them some shoes that are as equally adorable. keep those teeny toes warm. a little shoe love so to speak. and since i'm making some shoes i thought maybe you all would like to join me. sweet pea patterns, one of my favorite long time sponsors, and i are offering you a chance to win some adorable, stylish and easy to sew shoe patterns to make for your babies, kids and yep, even for you!!!!!!! can we say yee haw?! no, i'm not a cowgirl, but man i love yummy prizes and i love candy hearts....mmmmmmm...all that cinnamony goodness just makes me feel all - well, valentinesee. i"ll be making the "little london loafer" baby shoes (at first i was going to make the retro baby sneaker but i switched over to the little london loafers in the end. it was a very hard decision to make, i kept changing my mind) out of the fabric shown below with some jean material and red felt thrown in too!


cheri from sweet pea patterns started with selling shoes for sizes newborn to 12mths and has now expanded to operating not 1 but 3 shops! busy momma! she now sells shoes for age 18mths to 5 years at sweet pea kids patterns and also shoes for us grown ups at shoeology. you can even buy soling material so you can wear them out and about. show of your inner shoe style! needless to say i love shoes and since this post is taking on a love vibe i figured we might as well spread the love around with a fun giveaway.






what's the prize? one lucky winner will get their choice of any 3 patterns from any of cheri's shops:

sweet pea patterns * sweet pea kids * shoeology

along with a 9" x 36" sheet of waterproof soling to go with so you can sport your fab new shoes outside! thanks for the great prize cheri!







1) pop on over to sweet pea patterns drool over all the pretty shoes then come back and comment telling my what your fave pattern is.
2) go "like" us on facebook - it's fun, i promise.
3) follow us with google friend connect or subscribe in a reader (both on sidebar) and then come back telling me you did so.
4) mention this giveaway on twitter/facebook and leave me a comment telling me you did that too.







- you must leave a valid email address with your entry or you will be disqualified.
- the giveaway is open until tuesday, february 15th, 2011 at midnight (pacific standard time).



thanks for the fab giveaway cheri!!!! are you all feeling the love yet? how about another shot of those toes? oh...and aren't the bum on these pants adorable? (thanks for the valentine's day pressies for the girls mom - they love them and so do i!)


what fabric would you make your shoes in? good luck everyone! happy shoe making :) pics to come of my shoes next week and hopefully some of yours too! if you make a pair of shoes from sweet pea patterns or shoeology please email me a pic at luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca with a link - we'd love to see them! they could even show up in next week's post :P

moments in the mommyhood - still truckin...

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hi everyone! how are you all? what a week. hope yours was better than ours. not to be a whiner in any way but man oh man, did my week suck. yuck. sick toddler with the croup, sick me with god knows what and some serious lack of sleep. it all equalled a crappy week. luckily we are all on the mend though. i spent the weekend sick truckin along on getting a new tutorial finished for all of you! i'm super, super excited about it and cannot wait to show you! it's going to be on a fave blog of mine sometime soon so you will have to stay tuned!!!! let's just say that it will come in handy :P

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anyhoo i just wanted to pop in here quickly and say hi and apologize for the shortage of posting, facebooking and tweeting goodies. hopefully all will be back to normal soon, but in the meantime i'm going to bed while the kids are actually asleep :) oh....and giveaway tomorrow!!!! woot woot!

whatcha been up to? anyone else struggling through those times when you & the kiddos are sick at the same time? wanna commiserate? let's make each other feel better. hugs!

weekend wishes

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weekend wishes is a short one today folks. our weekend wish is to have our mackenize get well soon. i've been busy taking care of my little girl - she's come down with a nasty case of the croup. we'll be resting up, crossing our fingers for lots of sleep, good health and snuggles galore.

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wishing you all wonderful weekends too! what are you up to? how was your week? share, share :) oh and don't you just love these pics? i want to just steal that footstool and wrap myself up in that quilt!

Macho Man Coaster Tutorial with Marigold from Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky!

last year during celebrate the boy one of the tutorials i loved & included in my roundup was the "make a boy's tie from a man's tie" from marigold of "hideous! dreadful! stinky!" - so cute! so when the talented marigold wrote to me about her new etsy shop "stinky boy!" i was excited! it just opened yesterday so go show her some luv. the shop will be filled with handmade goodies for fellas like the monster tote and toy holster shown below.


when she asked to come on and share a fab tutorial with you all i was even more excited...and i of course, said YES! i mean honestly, check out these friggin adorable macho men portrait coasters! fabulous!!!! i cannot wait to make some!

now let's hear from marigold...

Hello! I'm Marigold from Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! and I'm excited to share a tutorial on my Macho Men Coasters. The idea for these coasters was born last spring when I made a set of Family Portrait Coasters as a housewarming present for some friends. The Daddy coaster in that set had a full beard, and I thought it would be so fun to make a set of bearded and mustachioed men. I have developed a template where you can mix-and-match hair pieces and facial hair to create the Macho Men of your dreams!


For EACH coaster, you will need:

Supplies:
2 pieces coordinating fabric, at least 5” square
1 piece flannel for interfacing, at least 5” square
scraps of fabric in skin and hair tones, at least 2.5” square each
double stick fusible web (e.g. Lite-Steam-a-Seam 2)
free templates:
PDF of Macho Men Coasters page 1
PDF of Macho Men Coasters page 2

Tools:
sewing machine
coordinating/contrasting thread
marking chalk/marker
iron
permanent fabric marker (in preferred eye color)
turner or knitting needle


Print template pieces onto cardstock and cut them out.
Trace and cut out 5” Circles from your 2 pieces of coordinating fabric and 1 piece of flannel interfacing. For each coaster, you should have (3) 5“ circles.


Lay out the 2.5” paper template and use the paper hair and mustache templates to create the Macho Man of your dreams.


Follow manufacturer directions for your double stick fusible web to apply it to the backs of your skin and hair tone fabrics. For Lite-Steam-a-Seam 2: cut out a piece of the fusible web and peel off one side of the backing. Place it sticky-side down to the back of your fabric and lightly steam iron it on. You can trace onto the remaining paper backing (make sure you reverse any asymmetrical pieces), then cut out your pieces.

You will need (1) 2.5” circle for the face and enough fabric for your chosen hair and mustache pieces.


Recreate your Macho Man using the fusible-web backed fabric pieces onto the front of your coaster. (If using Lite Steam-a-Seam 2, be sure to remove the remaining paper backing. For other fusible webbing, follow manufacturer's instructions.) Iron into place following manufacturer’s instructions for the double stick fusible web.

Use a permanent fabric marker to make two small dots for the eyes (alternately, you can make french knots for eyes using embroidery thread.)

Do any detail stitching by hand or machine. The fusible web should have created a permanent bond, so any stitching you do now is purely decorative.


Place the front and back pieces together, right sides facing, and place the flannel piece on top.

Stitch 1/4” seam around the edge, leaving a 2” opening for turning.


Snip all the way around the circle or use pinking shears and trim as closely as possible to your stitching line. Be careful not to cut the thread.


Turn right-sides out (make sure you turn out the proper two fabrics, not the interfacing) and use a turner or blunt knitting needle to press against the inside seam. Finger press the opening until it looks neat. Press with iron.

Top stitch all the way around the circle, in a contrasting thread if desired.


And that's it! There are so many variations you can do on these coasters. If you make a set, I would love to see it in my Flickr group.

Thank you, Shannon, for having me on your awesome blog!

thank you marigold, for sharing this fun tutorial and for giving us more awesome boy goodies to make & buy for the little fellas in our lives! you rock! look to see more from marigold during "celebrate the boy" month on made and made by rae starting feb. 15th!

what fabric would you use for these? are you planning on making some? i can't wait to make a set with mackenize. #4 reminds me of my hubby when his beard grows in..hahha!

inspiration in unexpected places

we've had some sleepless nights here...here's knocking on wood they end soon, but in the meantime here's some pics of our visit to the local victoria butterfly gardens. so fun! i could have sat in there in the warmth taking pics and having butterflies land on my head all day. only thing i regret is not taking my good camera with me. it's too big to handle sometimes when i have harper in the carrier - she's always grabbing and pulling at it. so next time i go....it's gonna be all about the pics. i felt so inspired by all the color and patterns in all the butterfly wings, plants, fish and tropical life in there. i honestly didn't expect to feel that way. i just wanted to sit down with a sketchbook and draw out some designs and ideas that popped into my head for all sorts of lovelies. it was so inspiring. i love the unexpected pops of pink and yellow. who knew butterflies could do that to a girl?

have you found inspiration in an unexpected place recently? here's to sleep filled nights :)

the boys are back in town!

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celebrate the boy month is just around the corner over on "made" and "made by rae" and i'll be doing a roundup again this year! i'm super excited to be part of this wonderful collaboration of goodies for boys, boys and more boys! no ruffles, no pink (unless we want it there), no lace, no dresses and no skirts. it's all about boys folks! toys, clothes, accessories and more! all the fun is starting on february 15th and will run for one month on both dana and rae's blogs. i love these blogging buddies of mine so go show em some luv this month!

last year's roundup

but before you go i need your help! last year i did a big roundup of boy's goodies on made by rae (find it here) and since i'm doing another roundup this year (on made this time) i figured it would be fun this year to ask all of you what things you would love to see in this year's roundup! i made a quick poll below that you can use to vote for all the items you would like to see. is what you want not on the list? don't worry, just click on "other" and type in your answer or leave it in the comments for me.

(direct link to poll in case the embedded one isn't working)

moments in the mommyhood - vintage finds...oh me, oh my!

i'm so thrilled with my new thrifting finds this weekend! those of you who follow me on facebook know how excited i was that after posting my weekend wishes i found some vintage sheets and pyrex! so fun! i had taken the kidlets out to go splash around at the beach in our rainboots but as soon as i loaded us all in the car it started pouring buckets. too many buckets for my taste. so we got a starbucks (surprise, surprise) and drove to the beach crossing our fingers it would stop. by the time i got there though i heard the familiar "mommy, i've got to go pee". aiyaya, ok, so no bathrooms where we were but luckily we were nearby one of my fave thrifting haunts that happens to have a bathroom close by. fate. so we ran in, peed and then it was like the stars aligned.


there was a lot of pyrex on friday, but just not in my colors. the dish i did buy isn't in my colors either but i could not leave it there. i tried more than a few times. i knew she was coming home with me. i was excited to find out when i got home that this line that i had never seen before was a promotional line from pyrex - i love finding those! if you are a lover of pyrex you need to check out the blog "in color order". this blog is filled with pyrex heaven, she even has a whole pyrex series. there's listings for all the series, how to clean them, colors, etc... it's my go to guide for pyrex. be sure to check it out! the dish i just got is from the barbed wire series.


i also found this sheet set that i am so in love with. the best part, besides that it's old, is that it's KING SIZE! squeal!!! and it came with 2 pillowcase that were bigger than mack is high!!!! when i opened it up to show jer how big it was i couldn't get it fully open in the living room...it's giant! the shop i go to is consignment so they check all the sheets etc before putting them out for sale so i knew there wouldn't be coodies on this puppy. i keep pulling it out and looking at it all freshly laundered and folded and wondering how i'm ever going to cut into all that prettiness. i mean really...the trim...the blue...the flowers...ahhhhh.


we had a good weekend here even though the hubs and i were silly enough to stay up on sat night till 1:00 playing wii (a friends that we borrowed) and having mack & harper wake up while we were playing and neither of them going back to bed until 4:00 am!! yep, i was up pretty much all night. but you know what....it was fun....well...it was fun until 1..hahaha. i also got some sewing done on a new tutorial that you will all be seeing in feb sometime and i finished up an adorable baby pressie for my pal amy for her new handsome little cherub - pics to come soon.

i hope you all had a great weekend too and that you had a heckuva lot more sleep than i did. did you have any thrifting luck this weekend? are you a follower on facebook? come like luvinthemommyhood...we have fun on there! happy monday :)

sponsor love - made for 3

looking for something to brighten up your day? add a little vavavoom to you or your little one's outfit? pop on over to claire's shop "made for 3" for some unique handmade accessories...we did :)


and mackenzie loves hers! thanks claire....we fight over who get's to wear it!


the skies have been grey lately...filled with clouds and raindrops. made for 3's headbands, barrettes and new nursery decor would more than fill the room with some sunshine!


claire is momma to 4 gorgeous girls 8, 6, 3 and new baby girl nylah! congratulations on the new baby claire (big hugs to you and hope you and baby nylah are doing well)!


you can find more made for 3 at their shop here, go like their page on facebook, follow on twitter and read claire's blog here. lots of fun! go say hi and add a little sunshine to your day!

what's your fave hair accessory to wear? do your little girl's love headbands too? hope you're having a great weekend everyone! don't forget to go vote for your fave outfit this week on project run & play! you should see this week's entries....i'm so torn on who is my fave!

weekend wishes

to drape my home in the most perfect turqoiuse color..yum...

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to have coffee with a friend to chat about exciting projects for you peeps...

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to develop fab woodworking skills overnight so i can make one of these tables...

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to get some special tutorials done...

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to go out hunting for vintage sheets...

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hahaha...to get you to agree with me about how cute this is...

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and to figure out how to make my hubby not hate valentine's day so my daughters can enjoy it.

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what week....phew. i'm pooped ladies. the coffee just isn't cutting it this week. harper is cutting her 5th tooth and my daughter had to switch preschools = mom/dad not getting any sleep. lots of big decisions, lots of anxiety on mack's part and ours, and a baby with a runny faucet nose (happens every time she cuts a tooth). i gave up the last few weeks staying up till the late, late hours so i can at least get 4-5 hours sleep so that's why my post's haven't been coming up till the morning right now. so far it's working for me but i hope it's not a bad thing for you early morning readers. i apologize and hopefully soon my original blogging schedule will return but for now this is what works for me and my family.

we seem to have gotten the night terrors under control - for now anyways. i started plugging our ipod dock in mackenzie's room with a playlist of soothing classical music, lullabies, this awesome children's nighttime visualizations cd for sleep and some other relaxing stories and it puts her out like a light. now when she wakes up she just turns it on and goes back to sleep...most of the time..haha. i find it calms her very vivid imagination at bedtime enough to soothe her and stop some nightmares. i have a hard time falling asleep at night too as that's when all my best ideas come to me and my brain is always creating late at night so i'm thinking she may be the same way.

this weekend i hope to get some sleep. i know, i know, it's a long shot, but hey...it's weekend wishes right? i also am crossing my fingers for some serious sewing time. i've got a special tutorial i'm working on that i need to get done. i can't wait to show you all! i'm also hoping to pounce around by the ocean in my new hellmart (walmart) rain boots. i'm telling ya, i finally got over my serious longing for hunter's and decided in the meantime to be happy with the ones i can afford and just live it up. they will come though, i have faith the hunter's will come home to momma and i can stop wanting to ask passerby's with them on if i can just touch them for a minute :P

what are you up to? how was your week? are you digging life in rain boots too? any projects you're working on? wishing you a weekend filled with puddle jumping in the sunshine, friends, laughter, and crafty goodness!

quilting 911 - my tired eyes

the quilt top piecing is done! woot woot! i did it! i know...it's not a hard pattern, but hey, i'm a newbie and anything that isn't royally screwed up is a success in my books! i had a very hard time deciding where to put each print and at one point had to put it away for a few days so i could look at it with a fresh opinion. after taking lots of pics of lots of patterns this was the way i decided to go. whatcha think? you like? i hope so...cause i ain't taking it a apart..haha.


what i am stumped on now is the backing and the bias. i loved everyones suggestions for the turquoise/red combo. i think that would be so adorable. what i'm having a hard time with is actually finding a print i like for the backing..ok...and for the trim. yikes! maybe it's my sleep deprived self but i'm just not finding the right fit. nothing is jumping out at me. i'm also coming up empty handed for a home dec weight that's modern with turquoise in it for reupholstering my new chair. you guys gotta help a girl out :) they are all blending together in my mind.

should i use something from the same "it's a hoot" line for the rest of the quilt? what about one of these?


so here's my questions for today's 911:

- would you do red bias and turquoise backing or vice versa?
- seen any great prints you think would go fabulously?
- have you seen a modern home dec weight with turquoise in it you think i would love for my sewing chair?

you guys would be saving me. i seriously was online for a long time last night trying to find something and just kept coming up empty handed. i think i've decided to try quilting in the boxes individually and i'm excited to get it going but i need my backing fabric first.

where is your fave go to place to look for new fabric? do you have a fave fabric shop online? share your thoughts.

rue - my new fave indulgence

pop on over and set some time aside to drool over one of my new fave indulgences - rue. saying i love it would be an understatement.

knee highs & leg warmers patterns - top 10 roundup

as soon as i get harper's hat finished my next knitting project on the list is some leg warmers or knee highs to wear under my boots. it's chilly here right now with all the rain and i wear my boots almost everyday right now. since i was on a hunt for the perfect knit pattern to make i thought it would be a fun roundup to put together especially since one of my fave fashion blogs "kendie everyday" wears hers so fabulously! she is honestly one of my fave fashionistas & i find her outfits each day very inspiring.

along with kendie's fab outifts here are some other images of knit leg warmers & knee highs from my pinterest board that i used for inspiration for gathering my roundup.

images via pinterest

are you feeling ready to grab your needles and get knitting? let's get those legs all cozied up! here's my top 10 picks for knit leg warmer and knee high patterns.

1. legwarmers from amy butler's book "midwest modern knits".

1. super easy leg warmers from the book "last minute knitted gifts" by joelle hoverson

1. spiral leg warmers 2. thigh high footless socks

1. alpaca sox legwarmers

1. rain bootie stirrup socks

1. woodsy leg warmers 2. lulu leggings 3. waterlily leg warmers 4. travelling stitch leg warmers

1. lakeside

1. ikebana 2. strausserl 3. cabled stockings

1. whitby stockings from the book "vintage modern knits"

1. gentleman's socks for evening wear 2. evening stockings for a young lady

1. rapunzel stockings

1. day of the dead socks 2. delicious knee socks

or sew some up using these links:

- sewn leg warmers or knee high socks from leggings from megan nielsen
- leg warmers with buttons
- how to sew diy knee high sock hold ups

readers faves:

- fresco leg warmers
- cottage slipper socks
- twisted ankles

do you have a favorite knee high or leg warmer pattern or tutorial? let's link up! leave a comment with your fave and a link and i'll add them in to the roundup :)

p.s. you can find most of these patterns on www.ravelry.com and you can friend me on there under "imstitched".

books to love - quilting

(from Dare to Be Square Quilting)

i thought i would give you all a sneak peek at some of the books i'm coveting at the moment. these lovelies are full of quilting and patchwork goodness! i could only afford to buy them all in my dreams so i'm crossing my fingers that my local library will eventually get a few of them in.

if i could imagine a wonderful, gorgeous, filled to the brim, craft library these would be the latest books i would want for my quilting section :) so come in from the rain, pull up a cushy seat, grab your hot chocolate & knitted throw and let's drool over some wonderful crafty goodies!

1) Dare to Be Square Quilting by Boo Davis
2) The Practical Guide to Patchwork: New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker by Elizabeth Hartman

1. Fresh Fabric Treats: 16 Yummy Projects to Sew from Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes & More with your Favorite Moda Bake Shop Designers
2. Natural Patchwork: 26 Stylish Projects Inspired by Flowers, Fabric & Home by Suzuko Koseki
3. Block Party - The Modern Quilting Bee: The Journey of 12 Women, 1 Blog, & 12 Improvisational Projects by Alissa Haight Carlton, Denyse Schmidt, Kristen Lejnieks

1. City Quilts: 12 Dramatic Projects Inspired by Urban Views by Cherri House
2. Quilting Line & Color: Techniques and Designs for Abstract Quilts by Yoshiko Jinzenji

1. Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design, & Inspiration by Malka Dubrawsky
2. Whip Up Mini Quilts: Patterns & How-To for 20 Contemporary Small Quilts by Kathreen Ricketson
3. Simplify with Camille Roskelley: Quilts for the Modern Home by Camille Roskelley
4. Material Obsession 2: Modern Quilts with Traditional Roots by Kathy Doughty & Sarah Fielke

feeling inspired? don't they all look fabulous? i love books. some of you already know i worked in book stores for a huge chunk of my twenties and there are days i really miss it. one of my dreams since i was a little girl is to have my own book one day. i talk about it incessantly to the hubs and to anyone else who will listen. so for 2011 my new year's resolution is to make this happen. i've got a fabulous idea for a kick-butt craft book & i'm super excited about it! now i just need to find the time to get my book proposal in gear and an awesome publisher to take a chance on me! so oh gods of the blogosphere...if you hear me..send this message to the right ears :P

some of you expressed some interest in knowing my fave sewing books as well. don't fret - i plan on doing a post on those as well. you don't have to ask me twice to talk about books. in fact we've got a great author coming on next month as part of her blogging book tour and we'll be hosting a giveaway for you all! so stay tuned!

what would be in your dream craft library? what books on quilting would you buy if money was no object? which ones are you looking forward to reading the most? who is your fave quilting author? let's share :)

moments in the mommyhood - kisses & cable

i ventured out of the house on friday, sickness and all to hang at the park, share some kisses, play in the mud and ponder our cable situation.


a while back i did a post on the option of cutting cable in our house. we talked and talked about it and almost did it but then didn't. there were a few boring reasons why we didn't. one of them was so i could watch young & the restless late at night when everyone else is sleeping..i confess. it's shamefull i know - i blame my mother. she hooked me on it. but i found a way to watch it directly online everyday in HD now so i can't use that for an excuse anymore!

another reason was that netflix had not made it to canada. well....now it's here! so we're back to the good ol' cable debate. to cut or not to cut...that is the question. we're all set up and nothing is stopping us. so why am i scared and feeling weirdly attached to my cable all of a sudden? the idea of not being able to flip and watch a huge variety of shows is making me sad. weird. we can pretty much watch all the shows we love via streaming online, netflix and downloading - so why the need for cable?

i'm loving netflix by the way. any of you who haven't tried your free trial yet go for it! it's fabulous! the canadian one is adding new movies & shows all the time. i'm especially digging all the bbc shows. i love me some good british humour. also the amount of children's shows is fantastic. all mackenzie's faves are on there and the bonus - no commercials! i hate commercials on kid's channels. there's also new movies, tv shows and also classics. i love old movies too so i was thrilled to see those...almost as thrilled as i was to see tv series like "thirtysomething". does anyone else out there remember that show? yes...i'm that old..hahaha.

so have any of you out there cut cable and regretted it? missed it? does the withdrawal go away? do you love not having it? i wanna hear your thoughts. happy monday, let's chat :)

p.s. i know there is a netflix ad on the sidebar but this post was in no way endorsed or solicited by netflix..just so ya know :P