Apples, Apples, Apples

Nothing says fall like apples, and even moreso, cute little girls in apple-y outfits!!
The apple is appliqued to the shirt, and the pants needed to be a little longer for miss Long Legs, so I added a cute green ribbon at the seam...adorableness!

Junie, RE and Lumpkin.

Busy weekend

And no camera to show off my handiwork!

I made a cute little dolly for RE, by hand, because I was waiting in the car during a nap and at the Dr. office and had nothing better to do, and she likes to watch me stitch by hand.

I made outfits for RE, J and Linny, but want to get a camera before I send them out, unless y'all promise to send pics of the girls in them! Plus, I kind of want to whip up matching hairbows before I send out.

I made comfy pants for RE, just 2 pair, but that's really all she needs right now. She's still got some that fit around, they're just short now.

I finished the pettiskirt. Not as hard as I thought it would be, and will totally make another in a solid color, for fluff effect. They're cute, why not? But I think I'll try to get my hands on a ruffler foot before I do another. That would save my sanity.

What didn't I do? Cook, clean or fold laundry. Something's gotta give, right?

I'll post pics as soon as I get a new camera!

RIP Canon SD 550

My camera died the other day. Or rather, it was killed, by none other than RE, the whole reason for the camera's existence. She was in a back carry on me, and dropped it in the IKEA parking lot. This is the last shot that will ever be taken with this camera.


And a few other pictures taken that morning, in her new "comfy" pants. I think she thinks I'm papparazi and she needs to shield herself from me.




I still haven't replaced the camera, but plan to this week. It's really quite tragic, as I was hoping to have 6 more months or so out of it, and be able to save some moolah for a DSLR, but that's not happening, so another Digital Elph will be coming home with us from Costco soon. Already, only a few days after the "accident", I feel like my right arm is missing. I hate being without a camera. RE always does cute things when I have nothing to capture them with. Grr.

Speaking of cute things, she sings the ENTIRE Curious George soundtrack by heart. The whole thing. She loves it. It's hilarious. And she "calls" our friends to get them to meet us places.

"Hello? Lindsay? You want to meet at taco store? Yah? OK. See you in 5 minutes."

Hilarious.

Pumpkin Patch

We do love our fall activities around here. Hit up the pumpkin patch with Meg, Kory and baby E. When we were done with that, we hopped over to Red Hook for some much needed "parent time" (AKA, beer). Such a great time, with great friends, as always. Congratulations again guys!

The Pettiskirt

So, those of you who know us crafty mamas personally might vaguely recall the can-can costumes of 2002. Alyssa and I painstakingly recreated some pretty freakin' fabulous costumes straight out of Moulin Rouge.

Well, about 200 yards of tulle later, we both SWORE up, down and backwards that we'd NEVER work with tulle again. And of course, I lied. I've made Ryan more tutus than I can count, and even sewed one of them in the same method used by real ballet costumers. Again, swearing the whole time that I'd NEVER do something like that again.

So, what, I'm a glutton for punishment? Um, yep. And a hopeless girly-girl, living vicariously through my quite agreeable toddler, at least until the day she wakes up and tells me she needs to wear tight black pants, dye her hair purple and paint her fingernails black.

This year, RE is going to be a Super Hero for Halloween. Not just any super hero though; a princess super hero. And when you ask her, she whispers it, like it's a big secret: I going to be a Super Hero. And mommy has decided that this princess super hero should wear a pettiskirt. Made not of tulle, no, I swore I'd never play with that again, but nylon chiffon. Did you know there's something even more annoying to work with than tulle? There is, and it's nylon chiffon!

But, it's going to rock, and roll (or loll), and be super awesome. And it's going to be royal blue, aqua and orange. Doesn't get cooler than that.

Girl's Best Friend.

Ryan's best friend, the dog. She likes to dress her up and make her "fancy" just like everyone else in the house. No one is safe from scarves. It's pretty cute, though we keep warning her that Zoe might not really LOVE wearing purple floofy scarves. Hell, maybe she does!

Nothing is safe in my house...

If it's plain, and in my path, watch out. I'm gonna paint on it.
RE's owl goes "whoo, whoo" and is named "Owl-Boy". Oh, and he's "blinking" at her.
This is the best I could do for an action shot...she wouldn't hold still

The best part about this one is that it's RE's drawing...I loved it so much, I used it twice. When I showed them to her this morning, she proclaimed that the one on black was "mommy, daddy and Iyan" and the one on yellow was "Owey B, Owey B's daddy and Yindsay."

The stencils...I love the way those look just as much as the final project.


She flipped out on this one, loving her "spider friends" and talking about how one was bigger and one is smaller. This one I did freehand instead of stenciling. I thought just going to town on it would be more fun than cutting out all those tiny bits on freezer paper.

I think I'm ready to do one of my own shirts...but for some reason I just can't decide what do put on mine!

Ahhh, and for the record, I'm using Jacquard fabric paints, though always looking for something better!

Painting...

We've been painting again...and I'm wiped out. Our bedroom looks freakin' awesome though...all cream with coffee and orange, plus, we rearranged it so you don't really see any junk when you first walk in, which I love. It looks very zen in there...and modern, and kind of fab.

Oh, and a cute picture of me, taken by the toddler. She's not too bad.

Obama Mama

http://hockeymomforobama.wordpress.com/

Ok, so I might not be a hockey mom, and I don't really expect to be at any point (RE just isn't coordinated enough to be on skates and hold a stick and try to hit a puck). But, I get these women, and I like their quick witted, funny, on point reasons to vote for Obama. And to vote against McCain/Palin.

To be honest, I don't know that I totally hate McCain, it's Sarah Palin I hate. Women or not, I don't care what anatomy she has, she's an idiot. I know I'm not the most brilliant woman on the planet, and I'm woefully ignorant in matters of foreign policy, and civics in general (I could use a go with SchoolHouse Rock Election DVD), but I'm not trying to run for VP. Which is, after all, an almost vote for P. And really, she's the LAST person I'd want running our country. I'm not against a woman running, I'm against this woman. She's a throwback, and relys on her looks and cute-ness to get her by the tough questions. She's pulling the "I'm new here" card to get away with running circles around things she doesn't understand. If you're new, then you shouldn't be on the damn ticket. And I don't dislike her because she's pretty (which she is). I don't think a woman president should be unattractive. I happen to think Hilary Clinton IS pretty. I also thought she should have had the Democratic ticket. But alas, she hasn't, and it's Obama I stand behind now.

I know this might spark some debate, or make you hate me for my political views, but as this is my personal blog, read at your own risk, and love me anyway.

And those dinners we made?

Yep, we picked that stuff! We'll not all of it, but most of it. Super fun way to spend an afternoon. Makes me want an apple orchard and garden, of course.

Dinner (yep, I've been cooking)

And why I've been compelled to take pictures of the food I've made is beyond me, but I have.
And in order: Apple Banana Bread, Steak with Balsamic Mushrooms on Arugula, Fried Green Tomatoes, Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli, and Chicken with Apples and Leeks.

RE's response to the mac and cheese?
"This not real mac and cheese mommy. THIS real mac and cheese," she proudly exclaims while hoisting a box of Annie's Organic mac and cheese up to me.
Sad.