Time to get creative

It's cold outside.

Really, really, really cold.

Too cold for this...

...or this...

...and even this...

...and I just have to throw in this pic because it's too cute not to...

hee hee

So, on this teeth-chattering, blistery day, I have all my darlings home with me for the MLK Jr holiday, and it was definitely time for something crafty.  Oh, and it has to be made with stuff I've already got...I already told you, I'm not going out there!  Brrrrr.    :)

older kid craft

inexpensive leftover scraps of felt & embroidery floss (& fabric glue)


younger kid craft

I wished there was another one of me when everyone had gathered around the table...  "Mumma, I can't...."  or "Mom, How do you...." and "Moooooooommmmmmmm...."  I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about, ha!

I was impressed with the younger boys, though Jonah takes things so seriously and often gets overly frustrated and even angry.  I honestly have NO idea where he gets that from, none at all.  (Yes, insert sarcastic voice.)

Can you guess what Isabelle is making?

She did a great job with the mod podge and foam brush, though the girl is so fast, I have to watch her like a hawk to make sure she wasn't gluing things to the table, ha!

Meanwhile, Mama Crafty hopped over to the other side of the table to assist the boys as they stitched Indian pouches and embellished them with felt scraps.  (Jonah said they looked like slippers, ha!  They kinda did!)

 They practiced whip-stitching to form the pocket, and then the single fold-over part for decoration.  (I had used a sharpie to put dots along the edge as a guide.)

And voila!  Pretty neat, huh?

We still need to glue on a small piece of Velcro so the pouch can open and close, but I want to be sure the embellishments are secure first.  (I use Liquid Stitch.)  The boys want to use these to hold some of their special rocks or coins or secret treasure maps.   :)

**Later on in the day...**

My guys had so much fun sewing these that they asked for more scraps to whip up an arm band, another satchel, and a special pouch for my Dad, who is sick, so it will cheer him up.  And that's the whole reason we spend time making things, isn't it?

I must say I really enjoy doing these special things with my children; however, it takes a LOT out of me!  I need to get everything organized and ready to go first, otherwise I get way too irritable and then it's no fun for anyone.  Next I set up stations at the table, gather everyone around, and most importantly, pray for patience!  :)

I'm linking up to these great sites~

Creative Itch, Sew Can Do, Made By You Mondays, 
To Sew With Love,
Six in the Nest,
 Tea Rose Home 

**Snow Day / Day #2 at Home**
They were still sewing!!
Here is my new bookmark from Caleb, aww.....

Pink balloons & pantaloons

This past Saturday was my sister-in-law Marj's baby shower, and it was soooo much fun!  I'm thrilled to have another niece and so very excited for my brother- and sister-in-law!!

These are some of the goodies I made for the new baby...

 I am so in love with these little booties!

 squeal, just love 'em!

 sweet little clippie

and a cute heart onesie with coordinating pantaloons...I'm swooning just thinking of Isabelle Kate wearing something like this when she was a baby

close up of the contrasting ruffle...

...and waistband ~ so pretty & feminine

and a sweet pocket on the toosh

I hung onto a couple of onesies so once Baby Girl arrives, I'll applique her name or initials on the front.

I was so happy to make these things, and I sure hope they fit right, ha!

***feel free to stop here if you're visiting from the hops***  :)
...but click on a link below if you want to see some really great things!
Tatertots and Jello 
Bubbly Nature

Just a Girl's Show and Share







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Karen and Kristen, Bill's sister, came over to the house to meet Isabelle and me before noon, and I drove us down to the party.  We aren't usually all in the same car together, so Isabelle was really, really happy about that!  There were a few heavy snow squalls that made me a teensy bit nervous, but they were quick-moving and the roads were pretty clear all the way down.

I was a little nervous about how my sweetie girl would do in the restraint department..all those pretty gifts...but she did great!  I was really proud of her!

such a beautiful little girl!

all smiles with Auntie Kristen

and smiles with Grandma, a co-host for the festivities

drawing lots of pictures and "helping" with the bingo game

Auntie Marj thought she needed some help, and Isabelle was more than happy to oblige

Isabelle pulled all of the tissue paper out of the bag and had handed it over to someone to throw away...with most of the gifts still wrapped loosely inside it, ha!  Thankfully, Marj's friend noticed and gave the "trash" back!

isn't this so cute???

all of our guesses about how big around Marj's belly is, ha!

Some of us really overestimated!  hee hee   :)

The cake was beautiful, and SO good!

I could've licked that icing clean off if I thought no one would notice!

At several points throughout the party, Karen and Marj would ask, "Did Bethany get a picture of... or ...?," and while I was so honored, I was shaky-knees nervous!  That's a lotta pressure for someone who is never quite sure what she's doing with that big girl camera!

Speaking of taking pictures, a few weeks ago I did my first official portrait session with Marj, and I love how they turned out!  (Thank goodness for editing, whew- indoor photos are SO hard!)

These were two of my favorites...and when I saw how beautiful she looked in the dress she wore at her shower, I was thinking of how great some portrait pics would look in that...I may have to take a few more!

Anyhoo, as we were cleaning up after the party, Marj asked if we would all go upstairs and pray over the baby in her room, and I thought that was the most wonderful, amazing thing to do!  I wish I had thought of that so many years ago for my own babies.  Karen snapped some great pics of us, but she hasn't emailed them to me yet.

And then we came home, and not only had Bill played with the boys all day long, he had gone shopping, made dinner, completely cleaned out and organized the basement (mostly ALL my stuff which I just couldn't seem to get a handle on), and cleaned up the kitchen after making said dinner.  I was truly impressed and honored that he had done so much simply to make me happy and relive some of my "burden."

It just so happened that all the way home, I was thinking about celebrating New Year's (yes, a week late!) officially with my family.  It didn't seem right to let something special pass us by without its rightful commemoration, so we opened up the bottle of sparkling cider that had been sitting on the counter forever and toasted in the new year together.  We prayed that we would be a family that honors the Lord in all that we do and say, and that we want to follow wherever He leads us.

So we've been thinking about that...
 

I Heart Faces...how i heart THIS face!

The Best Face of 2010...

Click above to see other entries for this week's contest, & to join in on the fun!

Honestly, there were soooo many pictures to choose from,
but this one comes back to my mind again and again and again.
I hope it will remind me to look for fun in the simple things throughout 2011.

This is one of my middle sons.

He has the biggest heart, a temperamental artsy side,

& the most amazing, incredible eyes I have ever seen.

At first glance, they appear to be a rich brown color...
but look closer- that luscious brown is surrounded by the most brilliant, perfect green.
L-O-V-E these eyes!

We'd been playing in our yard on an unseasonably warm March afternoon...

I love everything about this simple picture, from the speck of blue trampoline plastic on his upper lip to his sprawling freckles; from his unruly, auburn hair (like his Mama's, ahem) to those magnificent, thoughtful eyes.

And I love how this photo brings me right back to that wonderful afternoon with my children.

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Birthday Girl Portraits & Glimpses of Home

I had to laugh at myself when I was having the worst luck taking portrait pics of my very photogenic little girl...and then we discovered the whole wrong-mode-thing on the camera.

Imagine that!  Me, getting the camera "stuck" in some wrong mode?

I guess you can never go completely wrong when you're snapping pictures of someone as precious as this, though!

And I had to include these because they are just so cute.

 

Every year after we take down the tree, (did that yesterday) recover from the onslaught of new toys and "stuff" (which seems to get bigger and bigger every year actually!), I always take a deep breath, engage in a day or two-long deep clean, and prepare for the coming year.

That, and I buy a cheap, bright plant at the grocery store.  It's always great while it lasts.

Till Valentine's Day, if I'm lucky.

This year, everything feels a little different, mainly because of switching rooms around, buying new furniture, finishing up projects and such.  Everything looks really different, too.  I'm not used to it.  But I like it. 

So here's that glimpse I warned you about promised...

This next picture is way too bright because I had my ISO setting up too high (ooh la la, listen to me!), but I kind of like how it obscures the details, keeping things more mysterious, ha.
And though you can now see some of my bare book shelves, you can't see the wrinkles in the drapes.

 :)

There's still a little more to do in order to finish, but I'm really happy with our progress so far.

On the To Do list:
find a smallish, (inexpensive) neutral area rug
make 2 more large pillows, 1 smaller accent one (I already have the fabric for the smaller one, yay!)
find a small bench or stool to complete my Hobby Nook
beg/bribe my Dad, my favorite electrician, to install recessed lights
and...put the finishing touches on the fireplace!!!!!!!!