Lots and Lots!

Hello!  I know I said I'd post in just a couple day, but it took me a couple more days beyond that, I guess!  Regardless though, here we go!  This is a big post with lots of photos!!  ( I just went back and saw how huge these photos came out-doesn't make the blog look very neat and orderly, but this way you can really see them, right?  And I'm too lazy to go and edit them all back down to a smaller size anyway! :)  )

This piece is a painting I did a few weeks ago.  My kids have been pretty into our wooden castle and knights lately, so no further meaning besides that, I guess!  I love this style of painting-I need to do some more of these...

I am so sick of messing with Blogger to get this photos in the right order, so the chronology of these journal pages is a little out-of-whack.  But anyway,...  The one above is in Avery's journal, and is about Mother's Day.  Every time I have a new baby, I do a "first Mother's Day" page in their book.

Next is one of my favorites.  It's about Avery learning how to wave.  I just love that black and tan damask paper!

And here's one about her obsession with Cheerios (and every other bite size food we allow her to eat).  She LOVES eating food!

One about her beautiful blue eyes and long lashes!

This is Riley's book.  It had been so long since I did a page for him, because he wasn't doing anything "significant", you know?   So I did a page about exactly that- that he is just busy being Riley and being four, and he doesn't need to be doing anything more!

And here's one about him wanting to "be a worker like Daddy".  He loves helping Daddy out in the garage and with the various projects that are done around the house.

On to little Noah.  Noah is such a fun kid lately.  I've got a whole list of topics to journal about for him, but this is what I've gotten to recently.  First a page about his love for PBJ sandwiches-he could eat them for every meal, and I'm not kidding!

And next about potty-training.  We now have two potty-trained kids in this house, thank goodness!  The middle photo cracks me up!  He's still mastering the art of pulling up his pants properly- it's always so cute to see how kids will walk around with their pants practically sideways because they insist on doing it themselves!

I've been working on lots of "crafts" lately, too.  This is a bag to hold my digital camera.  I needed something that I could throw in my purse that would protect it, so it's pretty small-just the size of the camera, with a pocket inside for an extra battery.   I made the strap detachable, so that I can wear it or, as I said, throw it in my purse.

 

For the bag I used a vintage quilt (already padded-nice!), to which I added the bird embroidery and the doily.  I love it!

My new sewing machine came with a big, bulky plastic case, so I need something a little easier to deal with.  So my next project was a sewing machine cover.  Easy-peasy to make!  I had an Anthro dishtowel that I've had for a couple years, but never used, and some vintage quilt squares (thanks, Linda!).  So I basically just draped the dishtowel over the machine and sewed the quilt squares to the sides, with pom-poms in between.

Here's a side view.  And next to the sewing machine you can see my next project...

This doll is a true labor of love.  She's from a vintage pattern which was unfortunately not very good.  I did more than my fair share of seam-ripping and cursing and crying, and then finally just making it up the way I thought it should be done!

  

But with all that said, now that she's done, I love her!!

I plan to officially give her to Avery on her first birthday (in August), even though she's been sitting in plain view in my studio for like a month now! I'm also thinking about making a little Moses basket for her and perhaps an extra outfit as well. Of course, not like a one year old will think much of her, but hopefully she'll grow into the whole doll thing. She'd better, dang it!

 

Thought I'd share my vintage and thrifting finds recently as well. I found this owl "clock" for a dollar!  His eyes move up and down when you wind the hands. He matches Riley's room perfectly!

The above is a paint-by-number Jesus.  Kitschy, yet meaningful, too!

The little deer in the middle is a recent find...

As is the little doll's bed jacket on the left side above.

I ordered this little girl paper doll from Etsy because I think she looks like Avery.  I put her next to my "Riley and Noah" paper doll boys.

And another copy of her up on Avery's wall!

Also found the cute pink doll dress to go on her wall...

Love these little sheep wall hangings!

And here's Avery showing her new/old doll cradle.  The teddy bear behind is another doll cradle, as is the small one on the other side.  See what I mean?  She'd better like dolls!!!

I can't let a post go by without more pictures of this one, so take a look at what her Mama puts her through.  First photo is wonderful!  Smiley, happy baby!

"Please, do we really need to do more?"

"Mommy, please?  I don't wanna do it anymore..."

"Mooommmmyyy!"

And can't let these guys miss out! 

  What handsome guys!

As you can see, we are in full-blown shorts, flip-flops, tank tops, popsicles, swimming pool weather here. I always love this time of year with the kids because it's just so easy to toss them outside to play, then rinse them off in the kiddie pool before they come in.

Preschool's over next week, and I'm halfway dreading it, halfway ready for a break. It's nice not to have to get up and get everyone ready, but boy, all that time with everyone home is just too much time!  In preparation, I've made these "fun cards" for the kids.  Every time we need a change of activity (or rather, Mommy's about to smack someone -just kidding!), I'm going to pull out these cards. 

I made a list of every possible activity I could think of (mostly just like different categories of toys or art projects) and printed them out.  I then made copies of the cards from a vintage animal rummy set, and laminated everything together.  We'll see how it works...it's better than nothing though! 

Okay, I think that's it!  Thank you all so much for sticking with me, even though I don't post much.  And thanks for your comments and emails, even though I don't always respond.  They still mean a ton to me!