Twirly Skirts and Being Two

The weather has turned hot. My little girls were in need of something cooler. Sew, Mama, Sew blog to the rescue. If you sew ,check out this amazing resource.The girls had received some shirred tops in a hand-me-down bag and fell in love with them. The problem being, there were only two tops and one was really too big for the littles. So with great fear and trepidation, this mama put elastic thread in her bobbin and shirred away. I found myself pleasantly surprised. It worked! The shirring that is. The first top I tried to make for C6 barely went over her head. Hoping it will fit this other girl I know. If you try this tutorial please cut TWO rectangles on the fold. TWO! OK you have been warned.And the twirly skirts??? I adore them and knew the girls would put them to good use.








That is after I convinced C6 that truly this would be fun.She is 2 & a half, quickly approaching three. It is such a hard age. I do not believe in the terrible twos. There is nothing "terrible" about her.(or any two year old) I have complete and utter sympathy for them. They are unable to communicate clearly with those around them. Trapped in their minds are feelings, thoughts , stories and ideas. They desperately want to take part in everything around them. Everything is new, exciting and begging to be touched, tasted and explored. They are told many times a day "no," they aren't big enough or simply left out of what appears to be all the "fun". (I am thinking of C6's fascination of "helping" the older girls clean out the litter box.) I do not think that means we chuck loving discipline and guidance out the window. That does not mean I make excuses for everything she does. It's just my attempt to see the world through her eyes. I find when I do that I have great sympathy for her. I am a thirty-one year old woman and at times, think maybe throwing myself down on the ground and having a good cry would not be such a bad idea. How much harder for someone who has only been living this life for two years?! Praying today to see the world through my children's eyes.

Week of Spring :: Tuesday

August Highlights

August was a crazy, busy month for us. I have been away from this little spot due to a combination of a router-computer-thingie problem and and all the stuff we packed into this past month! Life is slowly tilting rightwards to (our version) normal. I wanted to take some time this week to let ya' in on some of the doings around here. The lack of computer time shot my productivity through the roof. I finished several WIP.

The Boy is not much of a model, so this was the best(only)shot I got of him in his new pants.


I made him another pair in tan and a coordinating set of shorts.


I am always suggesting he try a print or at least another color. But no!!! The Boy's wardrobe consists of dark colors and lots of pants/shorts with elastic waists. It is nice to have one child keep things simple. I have some girls that are very picky about style and colors and one who is insanely concerned about comfort! So really, I am not complaining about The Boy. There is one color he has taken a particular liking to lately . . .



He's moving up. In the end though, his favorite color will be black again:)

I Am Not Alone

She's making them and so are these folks!

I Am Addicted

My plan for my mom's day out this week was to visit my lovely (single) sister in Gainesville. I decided I needed a new shirt to wear and while I was at it, why not two? This is the same pattern (from dear Wendy:) that I made before. This time I squared off the neckline a bit, omitted the elastic in the arms and used a knit. I also cut a sharper curve on the seams. I think this helped deal with the prego look.



The color in this photo is very washed out. Argh! The knit is actually a bright, cheery yellow that screams summer. I also included a button in the middle. I am sure my husband is wondering if I made the shirt just to show off the button. I certainly spent enough time picking out just the right one.



And while in Gainesville, I worked on personalizing my second shirt, drank coffee and popped in at my sister's favorite thrift store. And lookie, lookie:


Yahoo! And totally within my limit. My lovely sister has hard a rough go of it this past year. I am proud of her. She is strong and beautiful. I am blessed to have her in my life and I plan to live it up while she is close again. Because you never really know where she will go.

I Love Wendy

A new shirt for me!!! Hip,hip hurray!!! I am really digging my new Built By Wendy patterns.I had purchased the book SewU awhile back.I am not new to sewing my own clothing, yet I found some truly wonderful ideas in this book and more than anything it inspired confidence in me. Wendy really encourages you to make it your own. And that is the part about sewing my own clothing I really like.The book includes a pattern for your basic shirt, skirt and pants. I had been eyeing her other patterns, when the local fabric super center had them for 99cents I snapped up a few.The shirt I made at the beginning of the month was from pattern 3835.This new one was made using 3964. The gray knit fabric is from my mom's fabric stash. It is super soft and is quickly making this shirt one of my favorite's to slip on. The contrast is out of a not-so-soft polyester piece I picked up at Goodwill.



But ya' gotta' love that design! The button is from a stash of vintage goodies I found at the Quigely house. This is the first piece of knit clothing I made on my new serger. I am very,very,very,very pleased with how it turned out.





I do feel a little self conscious in it (and the other one) as I think it makes me look a tiny bit pregnant. Not sure if I am just sensitive (Well, I have been pregnant for 54 months out of the last 144 months!).No one has commented on it but then again for reasons already mentioned (see those numbers above) they know better than to ask. The supposed prego appearance is not going to stop me creating some of these comfy shirts. I think they made need a new skirt.

May is Over

I am glad it is June. A new month, a new shirt and my mom is on vacation for two months. I know life will continue to throw me it's best curve balls but maybe I'll be better prepared for them this month. Last month I spent a lot of time mumbling to myself,"Peace is a Person NOT my swirling circumstances." That is very hard for me to grasp at times. It is something I need to desperately keep before my eyes,though. Living an intentional life with six children (a dog, three cats, two gerbils and a rat and oh, yeah I am married!) can be overwhelming and exhausting. I find myself easily discouraged with the endless arguments, poor school evaluations (just what have we been doing all year???) and dreams I have that are often put on the back burner (or never make it on the stove!). It is comforting to know Christ is mine and I am His. It is more than comforting . . . it is this special relationship that is the very life blood of what keeps me going. His voice speaking peace to me-“Listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to His faithful people” (Ps. 85:8). The "listen carefully" part is what I lack the most often. And I need to find ways to be more creative to hear Him. A long time ago,(Te-he just 5 years ago but it feels like forever) I had four children ages 6yrs-18months and a new blessing on the way. It was rough and to be honest much of it is a blur. My hubby, the stats keeper, isn't home so I am really hoping I did those numbers right! But regardless, the point is there were lots of littles and very little time to myself. I used to place my Bible, open to Psalms, by my water glass and would feed a bit on His peace. Since being now able to sleep through the night and rise and have a quiet time I do not look as hard for ways to slip His word into my day. I have suffered for it and so has my household. This month I purpose to listen again and to listen carefully.

“the Lord of Peace Himself gives [me] His peace at all times, and in every situation” (2 Thess. 2:16). At all times and in every situation . . . I like that. I like that very much!