all that glitters may not be gold, but at least it contains free electrons

My last post was in July?!?!?!

2012-01-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

New Year's cards found here

might send them for valentines.

anyway. sums up my resolution to blog a little more. sheesh.

father's day present

2011-07-26T10:41:00.002-06:00

my kids are obsessed with star wars. and I am only half of the reason why. (I married the other half). and doug likes to mock the family stickers on the back of cars (especially the ones that put the kids name on it).

so the kids gave him those for fathers day (purchased here). they make our new van look stylin'. Isaac calls our van the Death Star.

Welcome to the Jungle

2011-06-10T13:27:00.002-06:00

Mallory and her dolly Jedi

2011-06-04T23:26:00.002-06:00

Yep, the doll is holding a light saber.

the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

blink

2011-05-23T21:48:00.000-06:00

peeps bunting

2011-05-19T13:51:00.004-06:00

tutorial here, from MADE.

wanted to make it last year for Easter, but made it for this one. hurray! I didn't get any new Easter clothes made for my kids, but the peeps bunting did. sometimes you have to make difficult decisions. glad to see my priorities are in place.

might have to learn how to knit, so i can make these:

2011-05-14T14:11:00.000-06:00

http://www.purlbee.com/tube-sock-legwarmers/

"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"

2011-05-05T13:56:00.000-06:00

wow.

via designmom

young motherhood.

2011-04-22T14:13:00.000-06:00

http://www.earlymama.com/2009/11/25/confession-i-lie-about-my-age/

i love what she said about having 10 more years with the people she loves.

i had mallory at 23.

2011-04-11T13:16:00.000-06:00

this describes my situation perfectly. via stacey.

Artist Trading Card Swap

2011-04-01T13:25:00.003-06:00

just signed Mallory up. Isaac was too young.

and found this. hilarious. Happy April 1st!

Robert Bunsen's 200th birthday

2011-03-31T16:32:00.000-06:00

if you haven't seen the google doodle of the day, you should check it out. here's a link to an article about it, just in case you are like me and google.com pops up to your igoogle account with pictures of Mark Morris's dance troup

anyway, happy birthday Robert Bunsen, I once set my hair on fire with one of your burners.

I really am still alive...

2011-02-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day.

Richard G. Scott

pumpkin carving

2010-10-26T08:16:00.001-06:00

video to come

i like ike

2010-09-16T08:48:00.000-06:00

a certain boy is three now. and so shirts had to be made. i tried printing on fabric directly, like so, but didn't turn out so hot. i think you need a thinner fabric than i had. so i found some fabric printer sheets and used those.

and then of course, the birthday boy didn't want to put his shirt on. it was his birthday, so he got away with it.

others weren't so lucky.

cute blog

2010-09-12T12:21:00.000-06:00

here's the blog found via my sister.

and here's one of my favorites. i think i might replicate it with oliver. and maybe the others for a christmas card. something similar to design mom's.

hopefully kinks are worked out with video.

2010-08-23T08:02:00.001-06:00

if not, let me know and i will do some more curses at the computer. grand fun.

the sun is a mass of incandescent gas

2010-08-21T12:35:00.004-06:00

this is from a year ago.

here's the they might be giants version

here's the original science song.

flip flop flee

2010-08-12T06:06:00.002-06:00

flip flop cookies that doug made for his mom for her birthday. idea from family fun magazine.

they used oval shaped cookies, which i think might have helped them look more like flip flops, but for the life of me, i could not find them.

stuff that i have found interesting the past month or so...

2010-08-04T13:34:00.000-06:00

cool potty chart she also has a cool homework chart as well...

research paper on how age affects quilting materials like the nice basting spray that i love to use...

list of chapter books for kids

chart about what causes urine to change colors

178 matchboxes for a music video

Never too young to start...

2010-07-17T12:58:00.001-06:00

bow tie, tie onesie, tea party dress

2010-07-13T15:02:00.001-06:00

bow tie tutorial here. tie onesie, i saw one in a catalog when mallory was a baby, and thought about making one for isaac when he was a baby, and actually got around to it for oliver. i wish i had done it for isaac, because i think that they are absolutely hilarious. it makes oliver look like a little old man. mallory's dress is one i made from an oliver + s pattern, the tea party dress.

pop goes oliver!

2010-07-07T08:14:00.000-06:00

courtesy of oliver's cousins.

gnome towels

2010-06-25T15:15:00.001-06:00

made oliver his bath towel. much easier this time than the last. maybe because this time i didn't try to do a tutorial. anyway, it took me less than ten minutes.

and now he can match the other gnomes.

food glorious food

2010-06-22T19:21:00.000-06:00

what i sing to oliver before i feed him.

mei tai

2010-06-21T20:17:00.001-06:00

this mei tai was one of the projects i frantically finished before oliver was born. very very easy, and i have loved it. i made a sling for isaac and it didn't work out very well. (i actually liked it better when the baby was older and could sit up on my hip). anyway, i based it off of this tutorial. i used quilted fabric and just edged it with bias tape. well just the main square. the straps were just zig-zagged so they wouldn't fray. i didn't want to spend the time to add the bias tape. did i mention i was having contractions while i was sewing this?

spinach and cilantro dal

2010-06-21T19:21:00.001-06:00

i have spinach and cilantro coming out my ears, so this was a good recipe. i liked it, doug liked it, the kids just need to get used to cooked spinach and they would like it...maybe.

changes i made: i have no garlic in my house. (doug doesn't like it and i can't tolerate it while pregnant.) so i used garlic powder. i did have tumeric and mustard seed, but i didn't have fresh tomatoes so i used canned.

and i want to try this recipe for honey butter popovers. yummy.

oliver!

2010-06-11T11:16:00.002-06:00

whenever oliver asks for more, this is what i am going to sing to him (doug is already sick of this song.)

doug's garden tour, pt 1

2010-06-08T19:30:00.000-06:00

herb garden: cilantro, sage, rosemary, and thyme. basil, lime basil, chives. strawberrries.

peas.

tomatoes and peas.

potatoes of many colors. and my hand and camera.

legwarmers:

2010-06-07T14:26:00.002-06:00

what you put on the baby when the weather is not cooperating with what you thought it would be like when you pulled out baby clothes...

of course anything on a baby is cute.

tutorial here...

oliver pictures

2010-06-03T14:54:00.002-06:00

a friend took oliver's pictures and they are simply beautiful...

here's the link.

oliver!

2010-05-26T14:25:00.001-06:00

oliver is here, despite his protests.

and has been a joy. more pictures and info on the family blog.

Lena Horne

2010-05-14T16:45:00.001-06:00

I was amazed that they would cut out her parts in the movies when they showed the movies in the south.

anyway, here's the link.

make a rubberband from dandelions

2010-05-11T12:38:00.000-06:00

or a bouncing ball... how cool is that? this is what we are going to do once it stops raining.

found via the crafty crow

preschooler activities

2010-05-09T10:58:00.002-06:00

Just thought I'd share a few links...ok, so I can find them again.

from Confessions of a Homeschooler: alphabet fun

www.starfall.com

www.preschoolexpress.com

preschool printables

preschool corner

color those cheap bandaids

2010-05-05T08:04:00.000-06:00

i saw this idea on family fun or crafty crow, i don't remember which. Anyway, instead of buying the expensive character bandaids (care bears are fine, but princesses or barbies throw me into a conniption. sorry mallory, i try.), you have the child color the bandaid, which mallory agreed would be an acceptable solution. this particular bandaid is covering a scab on her face that she picked. and she colored it with a pen, which is what you have to do when you get banned from markers.

gummi bear surgery

2010-05-04T12:27:00.000-06:00

http://www.dailyacid.com/2010/04/gummi-bear-surgery.html

Total Shoe ReDo Week on Grosgrain

2010-05-03T14:08:00.001-06:00

Total Shoe ReDo Week on Grosgrain

gonna try spray painting some shoes. mallory needs (well, ok, her mother wants) a pair of red shoes.

cheese puffs with chives

2010-05-01T06:04:00.000-06:00

found this recipe on the back of a package of cheese. the kids liked it, doug liked it, i liked it-- rare when all three occur. plus the kids had fun cutting the chives from our garden.

state microbe for wisconsin.

2010-04-28T10:22:00.003-06:00

http://www.courant.com/business/hc-wisconsin-state-microbe-lactococcus-lactis,0,7997036.story

i like the suggestion for the state microbe for california

leg warmers

2010-03-20T18:24:00.001-06:00

tutorial for leg warmers here.

found via marnae and homemade by jill. tutorial for lazy days skirt here.

isaac modeling the man scarf.

2010-03-18T07:49:00.000-06:00

a man scarf, 2008

2010-03-17T07:46:00.000-06:00

man scarf i made for my dad. this was actually the second draft. the first draft was too small and so i gave it to my mom.

frosted seed pods from my weed patch

2010-03-16T07:43:00.000-06:00

dish rag

2010-03-15T07:32:00.000-06:00

dish rag from doug's aunt. and mallory said, "this is too pretty for a rag." and so she uses it as a doll blanket.

fisher price nativity

2010-03-14T07:36:00.001-06:00

got the kids a nativity set they could play with. which has been well loved and one of the favorite things they like to get out at christmas time.

and sometimes they all go for a ride in the tractor.

and sometimes they go hurtling down a race track.

tee pee

2010-03-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

my sister in law made us a tee pee.

and the kids loved it.

and so did the cat. one of my favorite memories so far (sometimes moms can be cruel), is mallory trapped inside the tee pee crying while the cat is jumping all over the outside of the tee pee trying to get her.

christmas joys

2010-03-12T07:21:00.000-07:00

doug's present from my brother. he spent the day after christmas when the lab wasn't busy trying to get that golf ball on the tee. then my sister in law did it in her first try...

Expendable t-shirt

2010-03-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

which is a star trek joke, in case you were wondering. used a freezer paper stencil, and stamped the enterprise. yes i have an enterprise stamp. i even have a "beam me up" stamp. my son and daughter play with a Picard action figure. life is good.

this was a christmas present for my brother in law last year for christmas.

the stenciling part was great, cutting out all the letters with an exact-o knife, not so hot. i tried to pawn it off on doug, but he wouldn't have any of it. shucks.

craft from the past, yet again

2010-03-10T16:17:00.000-07:00

tried to make this gift card box. not very successful was i. i would only attempt this if you care about the difference between 15/16 of an inch and an inch. yep, not i. and so it didn't turn out so hot.

got the gift tag download here

headbands for nieces, 2008

2010-03-09T07:12:00.000-07:00

tutorial here.

and haven't seen them wear them, so not to sure how well they liked them. maybe need a thicker ribbon.

handy dandy notebooks, 2008

2010-03-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

for nieces and nephew, to put in their duffel bags. scrapbook paper for outside, lined paper inside and sew down the middle. found clip art online to glue to the front.

mini duffel bags

2010-03-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

when i was in elementary school, my friend's mom made me a small duffel bag. and i still use it today. so when i was thinking of presents for my nieces and nephew (this is christmas '08, mind you) who are in their tweens, i thought it would make a great gift. not too kiddish, yet is still fun. and since i was giving them the dangerous book for boys/ daring book for girls, i thought i would put in the bag the essential items listed in the book.

for the niece who likes lime green and soccer

and for the niece who likes yellow and panda bears.

and for the nephew, who likes baseball, but i couldn't find baseball ribbon, but i could find this cool rocket ship ribbon (and it would match the space-themed photobook i made them, and he likes star wars...)

and someday i will post dimensions, and maybe even make a tutorial. they weren't too terribly difficult.

vote for your favorite science fabric at spoonflower!

2010-03-06T13:04:00.005-07:00

sweet. i must say that i would want a lot of them.

here's the link: http://www.spoonflower.com/contest_voters/new?contest_id=18

this would look good in isaac's room, i think,

bag for sister, 2008

2010-03-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

zipper pouch

the margarat bag.

and i believe i made her a diaper/wipes container and a credit card holder. but the pictures were either never taken or have disappeared into the ether...

4:00 in the morning ramblings

2010-03-05T06:39:00.004-07:00

as my son woke me up early this morning (this time, at least he wasn't singing angels we have heard on high), i thought of all the things i wanted to complete before #3 comes.

one of the things i wanted to do, was get caught up on this silly blog. so then i could show current crafts, like the cool circle quilt i just made at 4:00 in the morning for the new baby. i could just show you, but i like to keep things nice and orderly. i am a little bit anal about that. i was also thinking about that this morning. how i am anal about keeping things in order, but the difference between 2 15/16 inches and 3 inches really isn't that important to me. Making a nice orderly grid to put my circles on wasn't that important, but the pattern in which i sewed the circles was. i think that was why i didn't really like analytical chemistry, but loved organic. plus i met doug in organic chemistry.

anywho, just be prepared for a bunch of old, out of date, and possibly fuzzy craft pictures that i am just going to throw out without much explanation, because i want to be done. if you want more explanation, leave a comment. (not on this post, because i don't think anybody wants more explanation on how my mind works at 4:30 in the morning.)

and a picture of my kids around christmas 2008, just to add a little sparkle to this post.

how to greet your husband 1955

2010-03-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

if it is too small to read, try clicking on it.

i don't know about the out all night.

my sister sent it by email. thanks stace! made me laugh.

youtube version

2010-03-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

try watching it under the 480p. it's a little better

it was a sunny day today

2010-03-02T17:23:00.004-07:00

i used the bracket function on my camera. this movie took ~400 pictures. this is why doug doesn't like it when i use the bracket function on the camera. but i like the choppy movies you can make with it.

this is one i made a couple of years ago. i hadn't figured out how to chop the length of the song, so i had to search long and hard for a bunch of pictures to fill it up.

and i think i will post it later with the youtube upload. the quality of blogger is a little lacking.

traffic light experiment

2010-02-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

so want to try this at home.

hmmm bacon

2010-02-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

cat just didn't want bacon. the bacon lover at our house soon shooed her away.

our valentine's day card

2010-02-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

Getting out a family letter by Christmas is overrated. We believe in the Valentine’s Day letter at our house.

Anyway, 2009 for the Otto Family:

We still live in Twin Falls, despite my efforts to move to Maine. We did manage to escape to San Diego for a week in the spring. We were even able to fit all our camping stuff in our Honda Accord.

Doug still works for Interpath Lab, doing all sorts of fun things to body fluids (can you mention body fluids in a family letter? I am not really sure).

I still watch two little kids at home who manage, despite my efforts, to grow bigger.

Mallory turned 4, and despite my efforts, still loves pink.

Isaac is 2 and promises to never to fall out of a window again.

Baby #3 should be coming around the end of May.
If, despite my efforts, this letter leaves you wanting to know more, you can always check out the family blog at http://thestarslikedustencircleme.blogspot.com, where there are usually cute pictures of the kids.

love Doug, Rebecca, Mallory, Isaac and insert name here

valentine's boxes 2009

2010-02-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

mallory's was a mesh up of free downloads that i liked... the large owl card in front, i used a template from here (i changed the owl a little)...

the girl valentines are from here. the tweet valentines are from here.

isaac's was just an envelope covered with a printed page of vintage valentines. i believe i found the link here.

others that i printed out but i didn't end up using: you're mooooovelous and happy valenswine's day

wood you be mine?

cake balls

2010-02-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

for last year's valentine's day, i made these cake balls. mine didn't turn out as pretty as hers. but man, did it ever taste good. i used this recipe for the cream cheese frosting. mmmm...i think i might just make some for this year.

of course, it was incredibly messy. and i should have taken off the wedding ring.

the kids had a lot fun licking the beaters and the bowl. sure made a mess on their faces too.

another craft from the past- christmas 2008

2010-02-10T05:58:00.002-07:00

these are salt dough cookies (and i am not sure where i got the recipe, but this looks similiar) mallory decorated them and we gave them out as teacher gifts. this one had light blue, white, and red glitter and was my favorite combination. will have to remember that.

isaac's valentine's cards from last year

2010-02-09T12:52:00.001-07:00

got the pdf from here. i liked the look of the heart suckers to match the snail's antennae.

a question for you

2010-02-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

does this look like a mustang? or like a spaceship?

chicken glaze

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

used this for chicken wings. but i don't really like chicken wings, so i think i will save this recipe for a marinade for chicken breasts:

1/2 cup mango nectar (i used apricot-pineapple preserves)
1/4 cup honey
1-2 T. red hot sauce (i used 1/2 cup. the good kind with lime juice)
salt and pepper

rub for the 40 chicken wings:
1 T. salt
1 T. pepper
2 t. garlic powder
2 t. onion powder
2 t. ground tumeric

2 T. canola oil.

not sure how i'll put this together for chicken breasts, but i'll figure it out

random links

2010-02-06T14:37:00.003-07:00

they might be giants on wait wait don't tell me. thanks jennifer

i have been dancing to this song.

this was fun. i usually eat the food. unless it landed in something gross. this study says 30 secs is ok. but i remember reading somewhere that 5 secs wasn't quick enough or that brushing it off/washing it off didn't work. i might have to do my own study....hehehe...

cute.

i shoot all my employees.

love the choreography. who doesn't love 76 trombones?

my hair after my brush of insanity

2010-02-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

trivets

2010-02-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

mallory and isaac went with grandma s. to home depot and made trivets. and then we came home and painted them. and mallory just had to have glitter. isaac smushed his glitter.

toby

2010-02-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

when i was in sixth grade, the cool thing were stuffed lizards. so my mom and i traced this from a friends stuffed lizard, and i made toby. (see this is why my sarcastical bear project is forever doomed.) i left out the seam allowances, and i chose thin fabric and stuffed him with rice. poor toby got his first hole the next day. so he is covered in iron on patches. still, he was well loved.

he now resides by my sewing machine. and i can remember that even mistakes can be cute. and have character. and to remember to add in seam allowances.

be prepared.

2010-02-02T14:51:00.000-07:00

if you look closely at the tupperware, you can see the lid is about to burst open. hence why i had him take it out. hence why he wore a mask, lab coat, and gloves.

more from my productive early morning endeavors

2010-02-01T14:54:00.001-07:00

a notebook that i covered for my grandma (tutorial here). she's turning 90 in february. and she goes and swims every morning. and goes to a poetry club. and a socrates club.

mallory made her a bag. she got a sewing machine for christmas. (a very cheap one, that doesn't work very well. halfway through this "tiny bag" as she called it, she lost interest and wanted to put beads on it.)

wrapped up in a grocery bag. tacky? perhaps. but convenient.

Potato Battery

2010-01-30T19:57:00.003-07:00

i made a potato battery for pack meeting (for cub scouts). anyway, here's the best way i found on the internet on how to light up an LED.

i ended up using eight potatoes in series and parallel. and what i heard from some of the kids was that they could barely see it. but the LED was very tiny.

we also tested apples, pears, bananas, grapefruit, and lemons and compared them. the potato in parallel had the most potential, and i think the potato, lemon, and grapefruit were slightly more powerful than the apple, pear and banana, but not enough to make a significant difference.

'twas fun.

speaking of bad pictures

2010-01-29T20:05:00.001-07:00

my son woke me up at 4:00 in the morning and i couldn't go back to sleep. so i made some baby shoes, and a matching onesie for a new baby born in the ward. i got the material from a curtain panel that was on clearance at target. and i got the matching toy on clearance as well. what was nice about the curtain panel was that i was able to use some of the seams. so i was able to finish the presents, (and make another one) and wrap it before the kids got up at 7:00. which is why you get early morning light pictures. sorry.

do you read color me katie?

2010-01-28T12:56:00.001-07:00

i rather enjoy it. someday the kids and i are going to do this on our sidewalk. once it stops snowing/raining.

rocket ship

2010-01-27T09:50:00.001-07:00

i made a rocket ship for isaac and his cousin william for christmas (08 again, i will get caught up, i'm telling you). here's the tutorial i used. she used an egg for the rocket man, i used a smaller wood cup and bead to make mine. smaller is fun, but makes it hard to stitch in the seat.

i recall the tutorial warning you about sewing through the cardboard wings. but i would go ahead and sew over the cardboard. my wings were floppy, and needles are cheap.

isaac loves his. he will count "10! 9! 8! 7! 8! 9! 10! blast off!" (doesn't quite get counting backwards, but sure can count to twenty. this was before he was two. just have to add a little brag)

and mallory helped me paint during isaac's nap time. see the silver on her cheek and nose? i had to distract her by having her paint a tuna can for her kitty.

now the plan is to make another one, but in aqua and orange, so it can go in isaac and baby horace's room.

another craft from the past

2010-01-26T14:54:00.002-07:00

i made this apple pincusion for my mom for christmas of 08. (i have discovered that all my pictures from that christmas are not that stellar...oh well, i barely made it in time for some presents...and just to warn people, i plan on coming to take better pictures of those presents, so dust them off)

anyway, i got the pattern here. and it made a much larger apple than i imagined. it is as big as a small cantaloupe, so if i make it again, i think i will reduce it in size

my talented aunt

2010-01-25T16:36:00.002-07:00

made jammies for my kids. and they are awesome. and amazing. someday, i hope to be half as good at sewing as she is!

isaac's jammies have missionaries on them (and he didn't want his top snapped. he is about as picky about his clothes as his sister.)

and mallory's has november written all over, since she was born in nov. and every time she wears them we have to discuss how far away november is.

so thank you, Aunt LaRee! the kids and i love them!

maple syrup

2010-01-22T14:42:00.001-07:00

from heather ross

'tis a good tale. makes me want to splurge and buy real maple syrup. don't recall if i actually have had real maple syrup.

another beautiful baby boy...

2010-01-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

now to convince doug that oliver is not a dog's name...

friends gifts

2010-01-19T15:50:00.001-07:00

we made these ornaments for christmas 2008. took poker chips from the thrift shop. bought a 1 1/2 in circle punch and some christmas paper. glued the paper with mod podge, and then put a thick layer of diamond glaze over the top. then doug drilled a tiny hole through the top and i put a jump ring through it. then i tied red baker's twine through the ring. which i guess i never took a picture of.

sit right down and i'll tell the tale...

2010-01-18T17:27:00.001-07:00

the tale of the wool eater blanket...

this blanket was for my nephew benjamin who was born in dec. of 2008. so i am slightly behind.

i was using up leftover yarn...and thought this combination looked like a snowflake. great for a december birthday. i started this right after he was born and took my own sweet time with it. (it really isn't that hard of a pattern...)

got left in the car when i was sick. while at grandma s.'s house. which is out in the country surrounded by fields.

which is inhabited by field mice...who decided to shred my blanket.

good news is that i got the mouse. bad news--i have no idea how to fix it. anyone out there have any ideas???

serves me right for procrastinating...

and leaving it out in the car...

i really hate mice.

why this pregnant woman should not be allowed scissors

2010-01-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

and also why i am headed to the salon today.

pumpkin smashing, chemistry style

2009-11-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

doug took a sword to our pumpkins. maybe next year we'll try one of these.

child number 3

2009-10-09T09:31:00.000-06:00

whoever dubbed the term "morning sickness" was sadly misinformed. it's more like all day, all night, purple people eater sickness.

so anyway, see you in about four months.

a thank you

2009-09-28T20:30:00.001-06:00

for all the well wishes and prayers when isaac didn't miss the ground.

i think i have gotten back to normal (for me.) isaac is walking fine, his scabs cleared up a few days later, and he says he won't fall out of aunt meggy's window again, because it was scary.

they might be giants on homestar runner today.

2009-09-28T20:10:00.000-06:00

isaac liked it except in the middle where it got a little loud. and strong bad was deciding who got french fries. anyway, here's the link

if you give a mom a muffin

2009-09-28T19:50:00.002-06:00

by Kathy Fictorie

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan for supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook ("101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger").
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The check book is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old's diaper.
While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
And chances are…
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

my sister sent this by email. and it is the story of my life.

miracles

2009-09-18T23:48:00.000-06:00

my son tried to fly out of a second story window. the miracle of it, is that he is okay.

my husband wrote about it here.

and i am still twitching. and not letting him near any windows.

stress reliever

2009-09-12T15:05:00.000-06:00

try this out. how beautiful.

lazy days skirt

2009-09-11T01:12:00.003-06:00

IMG_2664, originally uploaded by ebakkis.

this is a free pattern over at the oliver + s blog (just look in the sidebar). and i absolutely love it. it is very, very, very easy. it took under an hour easily. and miss mal loves skirts. perfect. (there are more coming, just to warn you.)

fabric is corduroy and came from jcaroline creative. and i don't remember the line. but it is mint green and brown, and i was going to use it for a bag for myself, but mallory talked me into a skirt for her. which surprised me because it wasn't pink.

chillin'

2009-09-11T01:10:00.000-06:00

IMG_2635, originally uploaded by ebakkis.

now the question is, has anyone been able to post more than one picture using flickr?

all three together

2009-09-11T01:07:00.001-06:00

IMG_2677, originally uploaded by ebakkis.

in whatever corner we may chance to grow

2009-09-11T01:04:00.000-06:00

i have started a giveaway blog, where i will list giveaways from other people's blogs. you are more than welcome to check it out. however if you win something that i wanted, i will NEVER forgive you. just remember that.

anyway, in honor or maybe because i want to add some excitement to my life, the first person who can correctly tell me where the title of this post comes from, i will send them something lovely in the mail. don't know what it is at this point, but you will like it. because it came from me.

my torrid love affair with oliver + s continues

2009-09-10T10:22:00.003-06:00

IMG_2297, originally uploaded by ebakkis.

i originally intended to make this for mallory's birthday last year, but it wasn't finished in time. so i finished it for christmas.

puppet show dress view with the pockets

2009-09-10T10:21:00.002-06:00

IMG_2662, originally uploaded by ebakkis.

i added the pockets to the puppet show dress dress (the pockets were from the shorts if you did the tunic and shorts version)

and if you look closely at the bottom of the dress and at the collar, you will notice that the animals are upside down. which is why you should pay attention while you are cutting out your pattern. or you should make sure you have more than enough of your fabric. (i went back for more, after i discovered the mistake, and yep they were out in all of southern idaho. luckily i had enough to cut enough out for the top, but i had to add the bottom edge...and i was too lazy to switch the collar.

oh and another thing i learned from this dress? make sure you prewash your lining, along with your regular fabric. yep. the lining shrunk and makes funny puckers.

the animal fabric was joann's and was a nice soft corduroy. the green polka dot was from a fat quarter from a quilt shop, i think the line was chelsea boutique?

apple dolly

2009-09-10T10:20:00.001-06:00

IMG_2361, originally uploaded by ebakkis.

and I made her a black apple doll to match.

(i tried to imitate how she drew her faces, b/c my drawing skills are lacking. i used crayon and pencil, which needs to be redrawn.)

a better view of the black apple doll and the toothbrush

2009-09-10T10:19:00.003-06:00

IMG_2358, originally uploaded by ebakkis.