Stitched Together

Our Amish Baby

2012-01-29T15:49:00.002-06:00

Last October, I had planned to make Christmas dresses for all three of my girls. That was before we knew that Iris didn't get the memo. Had I known, I would have laughed at those plans. But I didn't know, so I bought 3 yards of a wool/cotton blend in cream. Having that soft, luscious goodness laying around, along with a hankering to do some garment sewing, I couldn't resist turning some of it into a baptismal dress for our dear Iris.

There was no doubt that I needed to keep it simple. This wasn't going to be a fancy, satiny, traditional gown. It would not be a fancy, traditional baptismal service. I had this Portobellopixie pattern in mind, without the apron. I do believe this pattern has been discontinued. But when I occasionally have the opportunity to page through pattern books at chain fabric stores, I have noticed that they are coming out with patterns that are nearly identical to this one. I suppose imitation is the highest form of flattery.

I added seven rows of hand embroidery in the form of running stitches, the first four in a darker torquoise and the top three in a lighter shade.

I saw the Storybook Woods bonnet here and purchased the pattern here.

It came together quickly and easily. I enjoyed learning some new hand embroidery stitches which were described incredibly well in the pattern instructions.

Little did we know until we put that bonnet on that she would be our sweet Amish baby. I'm quite sure we called her Amish baby the entire time she wore it.

At first, I wasn't so sure I liked it. But Dan said she looked adorable. The look then grew on me quickly and ferociously.

Now I'm not sure she could be any yummier.

long overdue

2012-01-27T15:43:00.004-06:00

I took an unintentionally long break from blogging as life got away from us for a while. Dan's parents were here from Florida and spent a long weekend with us. We had great conversation, fantastic food and lots and lots of coffee. It was a wonderful time.

The kids could not wait to see Grammy and Grampy (often run together as one word - GrammyGrampy) and the girls were intent on getting fancy for them. The 'fanciness' began with Evie's hot oil treatment.

Not one to be left out, Indigo wanted in too.

Later, Candy Matching Game was played. This is a favorite game around here. Grammy was this close to beating the unbeatable Indigo... on her first try even.

We were all rather impressed. Indigo's the candy memory game champ!

The big event was Iris' baptism. GrammyGrampy were standing in for Iris' godparents - Dan's sister and brother-in-law who live in Cambodia.

I made Iris' (unconventional) dress and bonnet and I plan to blog that later. We were too busy enjoying Grammy and Grampy's company to take many pictures. Let's just say we all had a good laugh when we saw Iris in that bonnet. We called her 'Amish baby'.

Oh yes, and we forgot her tights for the service! We waited to get her dressed until we got to the church to reduce the possibility of something getting on Iris' cream dress. It was the classic I thought Dan had them and he thought I did. It was okay. It was a warm day here in Texas. My mom said the lack of tights made her look even more Amish.

I hope to take and post pics of Amish baby soon.

Happy weekend!

Around Here

2012-01-16T13:31:00.005-06:00

Iris turns three months old tomorrow. We joke that she didn't get the fourth kid memo. You know, the one that says she's supposed to be easy going, happy, love being passed around, a great sleeper. That one. Yeah, she definitely didn't get it! In fact, around here we may have even (lovingly) nicknamed her Grumpelstiltskin. I've tried eliminating dairy from my diet. We've taken her to see a chiropractor. Both seemed to help initially, only for her to return to her previously fussy state. Now I’m going for the big guns and am trying both simultaneously.

God knew that now was exactly the time in our lives for Miss Iris. Jude teases that Dan and I are the boss, but Iris is the boss of us. My sling might just be my most priceless possession. Wherever I go, Iris goes and ‘alone time’ is mostly an oxymoron… for now. Yet the kids delight in her, even Evie who was slow to come around. She looks so much like Jude as a baby. When she flashes her gummy grin I am taken back to those early days with Jude. (I blinked and he’s turning 7 this month.) I am reminded how quickly these baby days fly by and the very best gift you can give yourself when parenting a high need baby is that of surrender.

Well, surrender and really good food. All of this carrying and nursing has made me hungrier than ever! Chocolate has become its own food group. Here are some recipes we’ve been enjoying lately.

- this (30 minute) lemon and brown sugar chicken

- these mustard greens.

- these barbequed beans with kale

- this elvis (peanut butter chocolate) granola. It lasted all of 12 hours here.

- these brownies may very well be the best I've ever tasted.

- this chocolate syrup is easy and delish

Our dinner hour has been made easier by having a few things stashed away in the freezer for those evenings that are particularly hairy. We've liked

- these meatballs. They're fabulous in a simple marinara. I think the bacon is the secret ingredient.

- this taco filling. We like to add black beans to this recipe.

- this roasted eggplant/tomato soup.

- this Moroccan Lamb stew.

Dan and I choose a weekend to make food in bulk for the freezer. We double, triple, sometimes even quadruple the recipes. It's working well for our family.

And speaking of Dan, he's marching in the MLK parade today. I only wish we could've been there...

For the Kitchen: Potholders and Oven Mitts

2012-01-12T23:03:00.002-06:00

Family legend has it that there came a point each evening when my grandmother declared to her family of nine that the kitchen was officially closed. No more snacks, no second helpings or final cookies. I can almost imagine a neon sign, "Barb's Kitchen", flickering a few times before going dark.

While I only have five mouths to feed (Iris is still on the all-mom-buffet), I do know the feeling of having a kitchen that is perpetually open. Yet, considering the amount of time I spend in this bustling place, it's seriously lacking in the handmade department. I figured if this was true of my kitchen, perhaps the kitchens of some of my friends and family members could use some love in handmade form as well.

So, I set out to remedy this, if just a little, with my Christmas gifts this year- a rectangular oven mitt and potholder with a pocket. (After polling a few people, it turns out that the pocket is super important. Who knew?)

I found the tutorial for the oven mitt here. I love the versatility of this mitt, which could easily double as a trivet or handle cover for a hot pot. It's simple to make and comes together quickly.

I altered the directions of the tutorial just a bit. I sewed together the three sides (two long and one short) of the exterior fabric + batting. Then I sewed together the three sides of the lining fabrics. I turned the exterior fabric right side out and the interior lining wrong side out. Next I stuffed the lining inside the exterior fabric and battling, wrong sides together. I pushed the lining up until the corners met the corners of the exterior fabric. I trimmed off the excess lining fabric, and basted around the entire open edge. I finished it with bias binding.

For the potholders, I combined these two tutorials. I'd highly recommended basting around the edges of the potholder and pocket before quilting them. This results in less shifting of the fabric.

Now if only I had a neon sign...

Extreme Sewing... or the Oliver + S Bedtime Story Pajamas

2012-01-09T10:09:00.007-06:00

Wrapping up my Christmas sewing felt a lot like finals weeks in college. I thought I was doing an okay job preparing only to find I had so much to do and so little time. I drank far too much coffee and promised I would do things differently next time.

I had five pairs of pajama pants to make - one for each of my kids plus one for my goddaughter, Violet. My machine was set on high speed and I wasn't about to be slowed down by pins. At one point, I realized that if I hit a pin, I might very well lose an eye. But I still didn't slow down... or take out my pins. A friend tells me I am now engaging in extreme sewing. She'd like me to start wearing safety goggles.

I made matching appliqued shirts to go with the pants, outlining each animal or tree with hand stitches. This likely took just as much time as if I had made the simple kimono top. But it was much more convenient since I could do it while sitting on my couch with my baby on my lap.

I made this pattern just a little simpler by adding 1" to the pattern at the waist and forgoing a contrasting waistband altogether. I also altered the width of the contrasting leg bands, making Evie and Indigo's leg bands wider.

Four of the five pajama sets made it under the tree by Christmas Eve. Iris' pants didn't fit over her big cloth diapered booty, even though I cut the pattern a size up. I didn't have it in me to tackle another (sixth!) pair.

{As an aside: I've read that this is a great pattern for that cloth diapered bum - appropriately named Big Butt Pants!}

With my two older girls sick with RSV on Christmas Eve, I didn't get any pictures of them in their new pjs until 'Ganna's Eve'... and E's shirt was in the wash. She didn't seem to mind.

While Oliver + S has discontinued this pattern, they've been bringing back some patterns in PDF form. I hope someday this will be one of them. Otherwise, this pattern is pretty darn cute, too.

{For the girls' pajamas, I used Michael Miller's Holiday Yule Critters in Lime and Little Flakes in Red. For Jude's, I used Robert Kaufman's How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Max in White and Christmas Flannel Stripe.}

Melkam Ganna! (by Dan)

2012-01-07T23:53:00.001-06:00

The vast winter skies of Texas welcomed our family as we headed out to dinner this evening to celebrate Ganna - Ethiopian Christmas. Rachel captured this through the windshield. Scenes like this remind me how effortlessly nature creates works of art each moment, never to be exactly repeated.

For us, one of the best parts of being a transracial family is the opportunity to explore our daughter's birth culture. We want Evie to feel proud to be from the amazing and beautiful country of Ethiopia. Indeed, we feel blessed to now be an Ethiopian-American family.

Earlier in the week, we checked out this book from the library. It's the traditional Christmas nativity story with added Ethiopian flare (and absolutely amazing artwork!).

Legend has it that one of the Magi was King Balthazar of Ethiopia. It is said that he came bearing the gift of frankenscence.

Customarily, gifts are not exchanged for Ganna so we held to this tradition. Sometimes children receive a new piece of clothing. Our kids donned their traditional Ethiopian garb. Seeing the girls together like this, or my beautiful wife surrounded by our kids, brings indescribable joy to my heart.

Miss Iris was kind enough to cry only in the car, allowing us to enjoy a peaceful dinner, which Evie tackled with gusto.

We ended our Ganna celebration with a family movie night, Jude weilding the ever-present light saber he got for Christmas.

Melkam Ganna! (Merry Christmas!)

Hide {Almost} and Seek

2012-01-04T20:45:00.000-06:00

Wee Wonderfuls Mermaiden

2012-01-02T22:52:00.001-06:00

This past Christmas, Indigo had a mermaid on her wish list. There was a pattern I was eying, but I wasn't sure that I would get to this project. Feeling inspired on the night before Christmas Eve, I decided to give it a go, knowing I only had that night to finish it.

What I thought would take me an hour to finish stretched into a four hour project. A project where my bobbin kept jamming, so seams needed ripping, and then the baby started crying so I was nursing while trying to hand sew the doll's hair in place. I thought of the expression made with love and laughed a little. This was more like made with frustration and impatience. That doesn't have quite the same charm, now does it?

I wondered if she'd even like it...

To my delight, when she unwrapped her little mermaid on Christmas Eve night she gushed that she loved her and that she had no idea I could make mermaids. The soft velvet hair was her favorite... and the rickrack flower.

Mermaiden has since road on the backs of horses. (The tail is apparently no hindrance).

She's walked tight ropes. (Again, the tail doesn't hold her back.)

She's swum in her very own, custom-made pool.

She is a sweet little doll. And this really is a lovely project. I'm so glad I finished it. Just give yourself plenty of time.

Then you can honestly say that she was made with love, only love.

{For this project I used this free pattern, a sample project from the book Wee Wonderfuls by Hillary Lang. I used red velvet for her hair and Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi flannel for her fin.}

Around here

2011-12-28T21:23:00.001-06:00

:: I can distinctly remember the sadness I felt as a child the day after Christmas. After all, it was the furthest day in the entire calendar year from the next Christmas. From my bedroom window, I'd watch my dad drag our Christmas tree out to our back yard to his burning bin, the flames from the tree soon juxtaposed against the dark night sky.

This year, I felt a similar post-Christmas letdown as Dan hauled our tree out while Indigo and I carefully packed away ornaments. A month's worth of work, planning, making, shopping, wrapping - all over so quickly. Yet after our tree was out the door and the ornaments tucked away, I felt a sense of relief to get back to life as usual. The room felt open again. A space cleared for all the new year has to bring, perhaps?

:: Inspired by another adoptive parent and friend, we're leaving our mantle decorations and a second (smaller) tree up through January 7th, which is Ethiopian Christmas (Ganna). We're making plans on how to celebrate. I placed this book on hold at the library. If you're a parent in the Ethiopian adoption community, how do you celebrate Ganna?

:: Of all of the Christmas gifts given and received, I believe this one is this year's family favorite. You'll be torn between loving it and wanting to throw it against the wall... only to pick it back up and try, try again.

:: This is an awesome way to roast a chicken. And the bread salad? Incredible.

:: Dan and I joke that our anniversary shall henceforth be called our 'universary'. The day after Christmas, it always seems to get lost in the shuffle. We're okay with it.

:: I plan to share the details about the handmade items that made their way under our tree soon.

Eight

2011-12-26T11:21:00.000-06:00

Eight years ago today, after dating for a mere six months (and throwing together a wedding in two weeks!) Dan and I quasi-eloped in Florida with only immediate family in attendance. Eight years later, I am even more amazed and grateful to be his wife.

Dan is a man who can and does do anything. He's a talented writer and a gifted photographer, both digital and on film, and has ever so patiently been teaching me how to shoot in manual. As a musician, he can play drums, bass, a bit of guitar. And when I bought him a ukelele after he received a promotion, he was playing songs like Soul Sister almost immediately. Me, on the other hand? I was still working on He's Got the Whole World in His Hands two days later.

Dan works with his hands. From making small things around here to rebuilding our deck steps, he has it covered. He can also fix just about anything. With Jude as his shadow, many afternoons have been spent repairing things that need repairing. His latest interest is painting. After getting him set up with some painting basics for Christmas, Dan was at work at his new easel painting an African landscape. Taken aback by the beauty of what he had created in a matter of minutes, I asked "You took art classes in high school, right?" "Nope, this is my first time." He responded. Of course it is. As I said, he can do anything.

A few more random facts - He grew up in West Africa, speaks some French, and can cook a delicious and creative meal without a recipe, or even a fully stocked pantry. That's where the creative part comes in. A friend of ours claims Dan is the most interesting man alive. I can't say I disagree.

Yet it's his heart that really shines above it all. His patient, kind, loving, generous heart. Always there to listen, to support, to understand. He works hard as a business executive by day, but at night, even after incredibly long days, he is fully present with me and the kids. Always.

Last night I was reflecting on our eight years together. On how blessed I am. I found myself praying that each of our children would someday be equally blessed with an amazing spouse if they choose to go down this path of marriage and family.

Happy Anniversary, my love!

Around here

2011-12-19T18:42:00.002-06:00

:: The weather's been gloomy here for the last couple of weeks. Jude took this picture today, which pretty much sums it up.

And speaking of gloomy, Iris was diagnosed with RSV today. The poor baby has been so sick. Yet I am thankful that it isn't worse and that she's been able to stay home and in arms.

:: Jude and Indigo are on their winter breaks from school. We started the week off with this blueberry-buttermilk breakfast cake.

{Image found here via Pinterest}

I made it dairy-free by using almond milk, souring it with lemon juice. I used Smart Balance instead of butter and cut the sugar down to 1/2 cup. Then I topped it with 2 Tbsps of brown sugar before baking. I also used mixed berries instead of blueberries. That's a lot of alterations, I know. But it was great and went fast. A taste of summer and sunshine on an otherwise dreary day.

:: Inspired to make better paper snowflakes, the kids and I watched this tutorial. I'll never make snowflakes the old way again. Jude and Indigo were so impressed with their personal creations and opening each one was like unwrapping a Christmas present.

:: Eves and I made these gingerbread cookies, using the spice combination and the Royal Icing instructions found in this recipe.

:: The kids and I had lots of fun playing Yahtzee this afternoon. They have their special shakes that they hope will bring them good luck.

I'm so enjoying this stage of being able to play real games with them that involve some strategy and not just pure luck. I think this one has been our favorite. Though Indigo can beat me every time.

Hoping your days are filled with games and laughter, sunshine and snowflakes... even if they're only paper ones!

Christmas Crafting {for the Gifts}

2011-12-16T09:59:00.007-06:00

In the quiet of naptime, when the stars aligned and both babies were asleep at the same time, Indigo and I wrapped gifts. As we wrapped, I envisioned the wrapping paper strewn across the living room floor on Christmas Eve night, later to be collected up into trash bags. (Downer Debbie, I know.) But it felt a little wasteful.

I glanced up and noticed some crinkled up brown packaging paper stuffed in a box with one of the gifts. I remembered this photo that I had pinned on Pinterest.

I ran an iron quickly over the paper to take out the wrinkles. It wasn't perfect, but I knew the kids wouldn't mind. Then we hit my scrap pile. There is something oh so gratifying about using up scraps. (If you have fabric scraps you'd like to use, there's a fantastic tutorial on DIY ribbon making here.)

Indigo and I stamped each gift with our favorite Christmas-themed stamps. Then we added our handmade tags (address labels, cut to size).

We placed labels on our traditionally wrapped gifts, too.

I love when projects come together spontaneously like this one... when you realize you have everything you need and the ordinary suddenly becomes just a little more creative.

It's even better when these moments are shared with a sidekick who thinks it's just as fun as you do.

And Love Grows

2011-12-15T10:41:00.001-06:00

When I was pregnant with Indigo, I wondered how I would divide my love between two kids. It was as if I believed love was like that pie you'd see when learning fractions in math class, like each additional child meant everyone got a smaller piece.

Yet our experience has shown the very opposite to be true. We've found that with every baby, even more love flows through our home... and our hearts.

And so we watch the magical process by which those who had been primarily receivers of love become transformed into the givers of love and attention.

And love multiplies.

Never runs out.

Isn't rationed.

Only grows richer.

And more beautiful.

The love, it only grows...

Decking {Our} Halls

2011-12-12T11:38:00.004-06:00

We did most of our Christmas decorating the day after Thanksgiving while my mom was in town. Such fun! But having spent a Christmas or two with a brown, crispy tree, we've learned to wait just a little longer to buy our tree.

Now the decorations are all up, the Christmas music is playing (I'm loving this), and the kids are hatching plans for what they want to give to whom. They've also 'helped' me wrap a few Christmas gifts for each other. Do you think they'll be able to keep them a secret for another two weeks? I'm not so sure...

Hoping your days are merry and bright!

Christmas Crafting {for the Season}

2011-12-09T22:18:00.002-06:00

Three Christmas seasons ago, in keeping with the desire to make each Christmas a little more handmade (while not simultaneously overwhelming myself!), I decided to focus on one seasonal project per year for our home. The project would be one that we would use in the years to come, one that could be passed on to our children, maybe even our children's children.

The first year I made an advent calendar quilt. (You can find that tutorial here.)

In the seasons since, I've delighted in watching little hands make their way into these pockets, finding a handmade ornament, a small treat, and an advent story, stories that lead us to the birth of the Christ child.

Last year I hand stitched 16 felt bird ornaments. (The pattern by itself can be found here.)

These birds reminded me of my Scandinavian heritage and Christmases spent with my maternal grandparents. Such Christmases always included a crackling fire in the fireplace, nine stockings -one for both of my grandparents and each their seven children - hung from one mantle, a bustling kitchen, and lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins. And one can hardly imagine any Scandinavian holiday without lefse!

This year, after choosing to keep things simple, I settled on a felt ball garland.

Indigo was fascinated with these small wool balls, chatting on about which color was her favorite and which ball should be strung on the garland next.

She helped me slide the balls down the green embroidery floss, being sure to leave space between each one.

The meditative rhythm of stringing one ball after another was exactly what I need on that particularly chaotic afternoon.

Before we knew it, two 5 foot long garlands were strung and hanging on our tree.

So simple? Indeed. Whether simple or complicated, quick or time consuming, love was poured into each project. These handmade items are so much more than a calendar, ornaments, or garland. They are physical representations of the traditions we've created for our own family and the memories we hold dear. And that's why, each year, I continue to make them.

How to Make a Diaper Balm {or an All-Purpose Salve}

2011-12-06T11:12:00.003-06:00

One salve that you can always find at my house is a calendula one. Calendula is great for a variety of skin related issues: dry skin or lips, eczema patches, even taking the itch out of insect bites. It heals diaper rashes quickly and is compatible for use with cloth diapers, unlike many of the over-the-counter diaper creams. The best part is that it's easy to make at home. Here's how.

Materials

- 1 or 2 cups of dried calendula flowers
- 1/3 oz beeswax
- 2 soft gels of vitamin E to preserve the salve
- Carrier oil of your choice (Almond, olive, apricot or sesame oil are all common selections.)
- 1 jar for infusing the oil
- 1 4 oz jar or tin for the salve

Some people like to add essential oils like lavender or tea tree to their salves. I prefer to keep mine fragrance-free.

****************

First, infuse the oil. This is my favorite method for infusing oil because it's so simple:

1. Loosely fill a clean, dry jar with the dried herbs. I like calendula. If you're making a diaper balm you could also add dried plantain leaf and/or dried chickweed. But just calendula is good, too.
2. Cover the herbs with the oil, filling the jar to the top.
3. Store in an airtight container in indirect light for one week. I place a bowl or dish underneath the oil in case some of it seeps out.

4. After one week's time, strain out the herbs using a fine mesh strainer.

You now have your herb-infused oil.

You can use this method to make all kinds of herb-infused oils. You could make rose or lavender oils for body or massage. You could make rosemary or basil infused oils for cooking. There are lots of possibilities!

Now that you have your oil, we're ready to make the salve. Some people like to have a designated wooden spoon for use only with beeswax because it can be hard to clean off. I've found that as long as I use a metal spoon, clean up isn't too difficult.

1. Warm 3 oz of the oil in a pot on the stove over low heat. (I save the rest of the oil to use as an after-bath oil for my baby.)
2. Add in the 1/3 oz of beeswax.
3. When the beeswax is fully melted, puncture your vitamin E soft gels and squeeze the oil into your mixture. This will preserve your salve for about 2 years. This would also be the time to add any essential oils, if that's your preference.
4. Pour the mixture into a clean 4 oz jar or tin.

Christmas Crafting {For the Little Girl}

2011-12-01T10:41:00.004-06:00

There's something I love about adding a handmade touch to our holidays. Rather predictably, of all of the holidays, Christmas is my very favorite for crafting. I had big plans for sewing a Christmas dress for each of my girls this year. The fabric is bought, the patterns purchased. But my baby has strong opinions about spending most of her time in arms. And those dress patterns? They weren't exactly easy. So, I decided to table those plans for next Christmas in favor of keeping things simple this year.

With that in mind, throughout the holiday season I plan to share some of my favorite simple handmade projects. I find that carving out a little time each day for creating really energizes me. I've been working on my projects in 10-15 minute increments here and there. Little by little, they come together.

The first project I'd like to share is the Sweet Little Dress by Leila and Ben. Oh how I love this pattern! I've made this dress at least 7 times. I like that it offers versatility. It can be dressed up with leggings or tights. It becomes more casual when worn over a long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans (or, if you're Indigo, leg warmers).

The dress above is a gift for my 2 year old goddaughter, Violet. I cut it long (one size up in length) so it can be worn for at least two years - first as a dress, later as a tunic. Like I said, it's versatile.

For this particular dress, I added bias binding on the sleeves.

I finished it with a contrasting fabric hem. Then I added a coordinating tag. (I got the idea here).

The pattern calls for 1-1.5 yards of fabric. I've found that 1.5 yards is enough fabric for two dresses and one set of matching sleeves.

So, I sewed another dress for Evie.

The main fabric is from (you guessed it) Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi collection.

For this dress, I used contrasting fabric for the sleeves, matching it to the contrasting fabric hem. This fabric is from the Loulouthi line as well.

I sewed both dresses in only an hour or two (in 10 or 15 minute increments, of course!).

Which is just another reason why this sweet little dress is one of my favorite handmade gifts... for the sweet little girl.

6 weeks

2011-11-28T20:48:00.003-06:00

I blinked and Iris went from being a newborn to being a baby. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. No more curled up frog legs or wrinkly pink skin. Her umbilical cord stump is long gone and she's getting roly poly. I shed a tear or two as I held her in my arms. Then she looked up at me and smiled. Her smile was followed up by some pretty adorable cooing. I melted.

Ready or not, we are on to this next stage, in all of its heart-warming goodness.

This place is nice, too.

{A special thanks to my mom for forcing me to take some pictures of baby Iris before she grew even bigger!}

Celebrate Color: Indigo's Winter Jacket

2011-11-18T14:34:00.003-06:00

A winter jacket for Indigo was the final project on my pre-birth crafting To Do list. I knew I'd be taking a few weeks away from sewing to soak up all things newborn and recover from birth. I finished sewing the jacket just before Iris was born, leaving only the buttons to be sewn on.

This jacket is a hybrid of my two favorite jacket patterns. I love the femininity of Simplicity 2534. I used it for the jacket body. Yet I envisioned a jacket with wider sleeves and a hood. The Oliver + S School Days pattern fit the bill.

The wool is from Mill End Store. The jacket is lined with Loulouthi Flannel - Flower Circles in Maiden. I fell in love with the turquoise while the tangerine flowers were a perfect match to the wool. It might be the softest, most luxurious flannel I've ever felt.

I altered the Oliver + S hood piece at the base, taking an inch or so off of each end so it would fit the jacket body.

This jacket was a dream to sew. It came together quickly. I finished most of the sewing in one late evening. It was just the distraction I needed to keep from focusing on being past my due date. In fact, I finished the hand sewing detail on this jacket while in early labor with Iris.

And not a moment too soon.

One warm jacket. One happy girl.

{I'm linking up with this month's Celebrate Color.}

Lowering the Bar

2011-11-14T20:30:00.002-06:00

I was home this morning with my two babes, my older two being away at school. When Evie's speech therapist canceled her appointment for later in the day, I found myself wondering what I would do with all of my free time. You know, all of the free time that one has with only newborn and toddler at home. Oh how my perspective has changed over the years!

So, with Iris asleep in the wrap, I had my hands free to spend most of the morning with my girl, Evie.

The peanut butter on her shirt is left over from breakfast. (The girl has a peanut butter addiction.)

The chocolate around her mouth? That's from molten lava chocolate cookies. (We both have a chocolate addiction.)

Yup, she's still in her pajamas and it was nearly noon.

The bar's a little lower around here these days, but we're having fun all the same.

Oh, how I love my Ethiopian beauty!

Snapshots

2011-11-12T23:13:00.003-06:00

Getting to know a new baby feels a lot like falling in love. I'm mesmerized by her, wanting to memorize every detail about her. There's a chemistry, an excitement, that carries me through the harder times, the fussy and sleepless times. I'd venture to say that each time our family has grown, this transition period of pure magic has become even sweeter, more sacred. Our confidence as parents has grown. We're relaxed. We're not second guessing ourselves. Our noses aren't buried in parenting books. This all makes days spent with a newborn much more enjoyable.

Our three other babies have taught us that babies don't keep. While it feels like I couldn't possibly forget the details of these early days of bonding, I'm surprised at how the memories blur with time. I can still vividly remember our first moments with Evangeline, but Jude and Indigo's newborn days are already becoming a little hazy. This is why I see cameras as an amazing gift. These snapshots, little frozen slices of time that will never reoccur, become more enduring.

So, I find myself here again, trying to cement these moments into my memory forever.

The way that Iris squeaks when she sleeps, small hands clasped together.

Or how her feet press against me while she sleeps in the crook of my arm. I can't resist stroking her tiny toes.

Her hair is so downy soft, her skin so velvety.

I love the way she looks up at me in the middle of the night with her big saucer eyes. She's so quiet yet so awake. We rock, she and I, during those dark, quiet hours. I cherish this time alone together.

I love wearing her in my wrap, the way she curls up as if still in the womb. Almost always, she is instantly quieted, calm. As long as she is with me, she's happy.

Then there's that distinctive newborn cry of hers. It's so loud and robust for such a little one.

Iris, when not in arms.

Dan says newborns are a force to be reckoned with. They can keep us up most of the night. They cry and we come quickly. They require us to be flexible, to go with the flow. Rigid plans or highly structured schedules? Forget it!

But we couldn't be more smitten with our newborn. And these snapshots? Well, I hold them close to my heart.

I'm loving...

2011-11-08T21:13:00.005-06:00

... my moby wrap. Our girl Iris is only content when carried (by me, just me) or while nursing. I'm not sure what I'd do without it.

...that Indigo can now ride a bike without training wheels.

... this cornbread recipe. I made muffins instead of bread. My kids have a thing for muffins. And heart-shaped muffins? Even better!

We recently learned that Evangeline has a dairy allergy. I made these muffins dairy-free using almond milk. It worked well. Based on the some of the reviews, I also increased the oil to 1/2 cup and added 1/2 tsp of vanilla. And I used blue cornmeal.

... that Oliver + S recently re-released this pattern, this time in PDF form. Can I admit that I'm already planning my girls' Christmas dresses?

These Sleepy Days

2011-11-05T22:59:00.004-05:00

:: I'm learning that my levels of energy, motivation, and creativity correlate well with the amount of sleep I've had the night before. Considering that Iris' sleep habits leave us wondering if she is actually a Cullen, it's no surprise that these three buttons have sat idly all week, waiting to be sewn.

:: The aforementioned situation was not helped by the fact that four out of the six of us had a stomach virus last weekend. (Thankfully, the two babies were spared.)

:: In an interesting twist of fate, our washing machine bit the dust the day after said virus.

:: Our coffee maker quickly followed suit.

:: We watch with awe and reverence as Miss Iris unfolds from life in the womb to life earth-side. She has already grown out of some of her newborn clothes and recently rolled from her side to her tummy. She's not even three weeks old. Slow down on the growing, dear child! It's too fast for this mama.

:: I was inspired by a friend who reminded me to see all of my children, exactly where they are, with the same fascination shown to a newborn. Sure, their growing and changing aren't quite as dramatic. But it's fleeting all the same.

Like the way my other baby, Evie, seems like such a big girl in comparison to a newborn, but is still a baby in so many ways. Spending 20 minutes rocking together makes her the happiest girl in the world.

Or how Indigo, at four, loves nothing more than to go outside and pick flowers for me.

Or how Jude in all his sweetness told me I have pretty eyes. (That boy knows just how to melt a mama's heart.)

These days with a newborn are sleepy ones. They're days where my house is messier than it once was and my laundry is piled higher. There are times when, in my fatigue, I have to resist the urge to nag and work a little harder to cultivate patience. Because even though I am tired, I have three children with abundant energy.

But there's magic in these days. They are days brimming with so much love. And so many tender, beautiful moments.

From Womb to World - Iris' Birth Story

2011-11-02T20:16:00.004-05:00

Iris had a way of letting me know when her time being carried in my body was beginning and ending. When I was only 10 days pregnant, before I even had a positive pregnancy test, I had a dream that I gave birth to a baby girl and was filled with so much joy. Nine months later, the night before I went into labor, I dreamed that I would wake to signs of my labor beginning.

It was a beautiful morning. The weather was perfect and the sun was shining. Indeed, I woke to signs of dilation. We went to church as a family and I would pause every now and then when I felt a stronger contraction. But I knew if I was in early labor, I didn't want to pay too much attention to it just yet.

After church we had lunch together and then decided to buy supplies for a belly cast. I knew this might be my last chance to make one. I've never wanted to do a belly cast in the past. I wondered what I'd do with it. We decided to make one anyway. Dan did the casting while the kids looked on. Our home was buzzing with love, joy, and anticipation. It felt like Christmas morning.

belly cast, not yet painted

Almost as soon as the cast set, I started having more signs of dilation. I called my doula and I started timing my contractions. They were coming every 2- 5 minutes, but still gentle enough that it was hard to tell when they began and ended. Being I had a very fast labor with Indigo, we decided to head to the hospital to see if this was it.

We got to the hospital around 6 pm and found I was at 2 cm. Two! But 90% effaced. We stayed for an hour and I progressed to 3.

Flip flops in case my water broke (!)

With my doula, husband and midwife all there, I felt we were putting far too much attention on early labor. I felt like a watched pot. And, frankly, I was little embarrassed for going in so early. We decided to go home until things picked up. My midwife told me to try to relax as much as possible at home. She was sure she'd be seeing me later that night.

I came home and took a bath while my mom and I talked on the phone. We talked about labor and birth. We re-told our birth stories. It was a lovely conversation. She started timing my contractions. They were coming every three minutes and lasting a full minute. By the time we ended our conversation 45 minutes later, I was having hard time talking through each contraction, so we headed back to the hospital.

We got to the hospital around 9 pm. This time I was at 6 cm. I found both laying down and sitting to be extremely painful. It made my contractions so much more intense. So I stood, I walked, I swayed, but I did not sit down. I was getting tired from standing.

Dan, practically a doula himself after going through three labors with me, suggested I hold onto him for support.

We found our rhythm in this position. I spent the next three hours on my feet. Dan was my primary support person. My doula offered gentle suggestions and words of encouragement while rubbing my back. I felt completely supported.

I asked my midwife to check me around 11:30 pm. I was at 9 cm. I was in transition! We were all surprised because my contractions were so manageable. With the support of Dan and my doula, I didn't once feel like I couldn't cope.

Unlike my other two labors, my contractions never came right on top of each other. I always had a blissful minute or two between each one. During this time we would joke and laugh, right up until pushing.

Around midnight, right before I started to feel like pushing, my water broke. We all thought I would have our baby in no time. Indigo had been born so quickly and pushing was exhilarating. With this birth, however, the urge to push brought with it lots of pain.

It was slow going and everyone was a little perplexed as to why pushing was so difficult. We tried various pushing positions, but the baby was taking her time and each contraction hurt a lot.

We had planned all along for Indigo to be present for her sister's birth. We had done lots of preparation for this in advance. Jude wasn't too interested in being there, but changed his mind at the last minute. The kids came into the room about 10 minutes before the baby was born. My doula said, "Okay, kids, everyone growl when mommy growls." I knew I was absolutely not up for that and asked that they wait outside the door.

As you can see, they didn't mind a bit. They were very excited to meet their new sister.

Finally, after 57 minutes of pushing, Miss Iris Lucia was born... with her eyes looking straight at the ceiling, just like Indigo's picture had depicted. Yes, she was posterior. There was a collective "Aha!" moment in the room as they realized why pushing had been so difficult. Dan was able to catch the baby and place her on my chest.

She was finally here! I saw her face and recognized her immediately. Oh, yes, you look just like my other (bio) babies. It was as if I had known that face all of my life.

She had a lusty cry, no doubt.

The kids came in just moments after her birth.

They were so happy to meet their new sister.

Jude said, "Look, mom, it's like her feet are covered in sugar!"

Jude, who's a little squeamish around blood, left with our babysitter. Indigo wanted to hang around with us. Iris stayed on my chest, skin to skin for the first hour of her life.

After so much excitement, Indigo quickly fell asleep.

A couple of hours later, we moved to our postpartum room, where Dan and Indi camped out together.

Now, 2 1/2 weeks later, the pitter-patter of children's feet has been supplemented with the cries and sounds of a newborn baby, blending together perfectly as they should.

Welcome to the world, Iris Lucia. You are exactly where you should be...in our family. And we're so very happy that you're here!

Halloween

2011-10-31T20:10:00.002-05:00

Hoping you had a fantastic Halloween!

Iris and the All Night Party

2011-10-27T22:08:00.002-05:00

When I was pregnant with Iris, I had a sneaking suspicion that our girl might be a night owl . She always liked to get her groove on right around midnight. I could set my clock by it.

I tried to convince myself that maybe our days were just full enough that I only noticed her being more active at night.

It turns out that my initial mama intuition was right. Miss Iris likes to stay up most of the night while spending her days fast asleep, unaware of the activity (chaos?) that so often whirls around her.

Dan has taken two glorious weeks off of work, so we are both taking turns on night duty, alternating every couple of hours. I was so tired last night that I fell asleep sitting up while nursing. In my bed. She's not yet proficient at nursing, but she's getting the hang of it.

Our days are spent keeping life as simple as possible. We're doing a lot of this.

I'm trying to rest and recover while I can. Since my baby is spending most of her days sleeping, my hands were free to work on this pin cushion caddy for my midwife who delivered Iris.

I made one for myself almost two years ago. I'm not sure what I would do without it.

This project requires lots of hand sewing. I added some hand embroidery, too.

Two perfect activities for lazy afternoons spent on the couch. Though I wouldn't recommend attempting the latter at 2 am, under dim lights, with a baby in a Moby. It isn't pretty.

{The pattern for the pin cushion caddy is from Anna Maria Horner's book Seams to Me. There were a couple of small errors with this pattern. The errata, along with a few other tips and clarifications can be found here.}

Tutorial: A Receiving Blanket with Bias Binding

2011-10-24T11:02:00.003-05:00

{I wrote this tutorial just days before Baby Iris was born. This was my last sewing project for her before her birth. On this side of things, we are both enjoying this blanket very much.}

One of the ways that the women in my family like to welcome a new baby is with a flannel swaddling blanket. When my own babies were small, these oversized, handmade blankets were my very favorites.

After Anna Maria Horner introduced her flannel and voile lines, I made this voile/flannel receiving blanket for a friend. And I fell in love. The weight of the blanket is just perfect. One side is so smooth and silky while the other is soft and buttery. I knew I wanted my baby wrapped in all that goodness. This time I decided to make one with bias binding, like the ones featured here.

Here's how I did it.

Materials :
-1 yard of flannel
-1 yard of voile
{If you want to make a square blanket increase the yardage to 1 1/4 yards of each}
- 0.5 -1 yard of fabric to make your own bias binding
or
-coordinating store-bought bias binding

{Anna Maria Horner sells receiving blanket project kits here.}

Getting Started

1. I started by squaring my flannel piece since the width of my flannel is shorter than the width of the voile. I find the easiest way to cut a larger piece of fabric is to fold it in half lengthwise, matching the selvage edges. Square the sides that run perpendicular to the selvages.

2. Then cut off the selvages.

3. Pin the squared flannel piece to the unsquared voile piece wrong sides together. (This voile has a printed wrong side, but these fabrics are in fact wrong sides together.)

4. Smooth out any wrinkles as you go.

5. Baste the flannel and voile together. Then remove the pins.

6. Cut away the excess voile fabric. Using a straight edge makes this step a breeze.

Your blanket now looks like this.

7. Because this blanket is bound with bias binding, you will need to round the edges. Use a large plate or lid as as template and trace the rounded corner.

Cut along the line you just traced to make a rounded corner.

Don't worry about re-basting the corners. Your other basting stitches will hold the corners together.

Adding the Bias Binding

You can now choose whether you would like to make your own bias binding or purchase your binding already made. For this blanket, I much prefer the feel of the voile binding to the rougher texture of the binding you would find at the chain fabric stores.

1. When you make your bias binding, you need to cut your fabric on the 45 degree bias. There is a tutorial on how to do that here. Since I had only 1/2 yard of voile fabric, I cut my binding on the crossgrain to do less joining. Doing this caused my corners to cup up ever-so-slightly. I found notching and trimming the corners helped a lot with this.

For the nicest corners, cut your binding strips on the bias.

2. Overlap your binding strips right sides together so that they are perpendicular to one another. Stitch at a 45 degree angle.

Trim the seam allowance to 1/4".

Press the seam allowance open.

Tip: If your binding strips are the same color on the right and wrong side, be sure to designate one side as the right side as you join your strips together.

3. Now that you've joined your strips together, fold them in half and press so that one side is 1-2 mm longer than the other side.

4. You will now have a crease in the middle of your long strip, with one side slightly wider than the other. Press the left and right sides in toward the center crease.

5. Now that your left and right sides are pressed inward, fold again along your original middle crease and press. One of the folded sides will be slightly wider than the other. This is what we want.

Attach the binding to the blanket

{My favorite tutorial on how to attach bias binding is Amy Karol's video tutorial here.}

1. Unfold the narrower side of your bias binding open. Fold in the end about 1/4". Line up the edge of the binding with the edge of your blanket.

2. Sew the binding to the blanket in (or just to the right of) the crease.

Tip: Make sure you change your stitch length from the longer basting stitch we used earlier to your normal stitch length.

3. Continue sewing around your blanket until you reach your starting place. Then overlap your binding strips by 1/4-1/2".

4. Using the tip of your iron, press the binding away from the blanket toward the seam allowance.

5. Then wrap the binding around to the other side of the blanket and press.

Sewing the binding to the blanket

You have two options in how you attach your binding:

Option 1. You can machine sew your binding to the back of your blanket. Make sure your binding covers the stitching line. (If you're using homemade binding, which may be less stiff than the traditional store-bought version, you might want to pin it just over the stitching line before you sew). Edgestitch the binding from the front of the blanket, about 1/8" inside the binding seam.

Option 2. You can hand sew your binding to the flannel side of your blanket. This way, you will not see any stitching on your blanket. This is the option that I chose. I used this stitch, being very careful to only catch the flannel side of my blanket, so that my stitches did not show through to the voile side.

Your blanket is finished! You will now make one sweet baby (and mama!) very happy.

Waking Up

2011-10-21T18:19:00.006-05:00

This little one has her days and nights confused, so we had a rare opportunity to see these eyes open for more than a minute or two during daylight hours.

We are soaking in all things newborn - those sweet sleep smiles, curled up legs, her nursing squeaks, the way she can grasp our finger with her fingers or her toes. Lots of time spent in arms or skin to skin.

Home

2011-10-19T17:07:00.003-05:00

We are home. It's so very good to be home. We came home yesterday afternoon. Jude and Indigo couldn't be happier. Evie? Well, she's in a bit of denial. When asked if she wanted mama to come home, she replied, "Yes!" Then when asked if she wanted baby to come home, she shook her head and said, "No". She's actually doing well all things considered. These transitions are hard for two year olds. Today at naptime, Dan sang her a song he made up about how she is mommy and daddy's baby. She glowed and kept asking for "more".

Baby Iris and I are doing well. As good as one could ask for, really. I'm making my way through the peaks and valleys that can come along with milk coming in, probably made a little more intense as we wonder if she will be our last newborn. Thankfully, that is not a decision to be made today.

Oh we love her so.

Welcome to the World, Iris Lucia (by Dan)

2011-10-17T17:18:00.001-05:00

October 17, 12:40 am Rachel gracefully delivered Iris Lucia into the world for her first breath. I am in awe of my wife who had a natural birth with this little girl, who apparently thought it would be fun to mix it up by being born posterior (face up, v. face down). Rachel and Iris are doing great... she is 21 inches long and 8 lbs 6 oz...Iris, not Rachel. Rachel is still 5'7". As she was born I had the privileged of "catching" Iris, under the watchful eye of our amazing midwife.

Thanks to everyone for their love, prayers and support,

Dan

Me, Giving Birth

2011-10-14T17:55:00.003-05:00

Indigo drew this picture for me yesterday. She told me it's me, laying on a bed, having the baby. I realize it may look like I have tail feathers. Nope, that's the baby.

And look, I'm smiling. That might be my favorite part. Can I admit that I find this picture both really funny and oddly inspiring at the same time?

This morning I asked Indigo if she thought I might just be pregnant forever. She assured me that babies always come and that no baby has lived inside his or her mom forever. Then she added that she was sure the baby would be born by December 21st.

I think that's a safe assumption...

Around here

2011-10-13T16:18:00.000-05:00

:: We are still loving this play dough recipe. My kids even prefer it to the store bought variety.

:: Aren't these these owl cupcakes perfect for Halloween?

:: Dan's been busy in his shop finishing up a few projects before baby arrives.

At our church, we don't pass a traditional offering plate. Instead, there's a giving box where people can give in a way that is more private and (hopefully) more intentional. The pastors asked Dan if he'd build a wooden one.

Dan also worked with the older kids refurbishing a kid-sized table and chairs set.

:: I have to laugh a little about how much my girls love to have their finger and toenails painted given that I never paint mine. They don't stick to ordinary pink, either. They like to get creative: blue, purple, yellow, white with glitter to resemble snow, rainbow.

Perhaps they've picked up on my love of color. Or maybe they've discovered the joy in having a creative outlet, even at this early age. Either way, I'm fine with it. Especially since we found these great nail polishes that give you color without some of the nasty chemicals.

:: The girls and I made these peanut butter dog treats for our crazy 9 month old lab puppy, Bondi. Dan affectionately (and sometimes not so affectionately) refers to him as his personal trainer. The jar of treats below was a gift for Bondi's puppy pals, the dogs of a kind friend who's taking over the dog walking responsibilities for a few days after the baby is born.

Indigo was sure that the dogs would prefer the leaf cookie cutter shapes because they "love to sniff out leaves". They'd definitely want the dalmatian and fire hydrant printed fabric for the lid cover. And for the label? Well, a bone shape, of course!

That girl makes me smile.

And so does this girl.

Oh, does she ever!

:: Pinterest + the onset of late pregnancy fatigue = massive loss of productivity

Well, Hello There, Due Date. We Meet Again...

2011-10-11T09:23:00.005-05:00

Dear Due Date,

I expected all along that you and I would meet again. After all, I went beyond 41 weeks with my other two pregnancies. I nearly drove myself crazy then, trying everything short of castor oil to get labor to begin. And all to no avail. These things tend to happen in their own time, no matter how much we'd like to convince ourselves otherwise.

This time, I decided do things differently. If I trusted in birth, then it begged the question - why do I need to try anything and everything to bring on labor? Don't my body and my baby know when the time is right? I decided to relax and accept rather than push and insist. From the moment we shared the news of this pregnancy, when asked when our baby was due I usually replied, "In October. Probably October 20-something." That's when we were expecting her.

Yet life has a way of teaching us to be flexible, to abandon illusions of control. Around 38 weeks, I started having signs of labor. This caught me off guard. Mentally, I had been preparing for almost another month of pregnancy. At one point I was having so many contractions that my midwife thought I might be in early labor. Of course this just so happened to occur on an evening when we were planning to see a concert in Austin as a family. We had purchased tickets two months prior, when I was absolutely sure this baby would not be coming early. My midwife gave me permission to go only if I packed a hospital bag. We drove over half way there and stopped to eat dinner at a favorite restaurant. My contractions had been coming every 9-10 minutes for a couple of hours. It was almost 100 degrees outside, and this outdoor concert was standing room only. We decided to turn back to home. I took a bath and went to bed, in case labor was beginning. And the contractions stopped.

Thankfully the kids were pretty forgiving about it all.

So, today, Due Date, as we meet for a third time, I can honestly say I am perfectly content bumping into you once again. I'm thankful that I'm comfortable, sleeping well, and able to stay active. I'm kind of enjoying the way that the baby's kicks now resemble an alien trying to break out of a cocoon. Best of all, you remind me that soon, oh so very soon, we will be meeting our baby.

That is, when she is good and ready.

A Quilt for Baby

2011-10-09T19:02:00.003-05:00

I sat awake in a house where everyone else was asleep. It was nearly midnight and I was surrounded by silence. Silence. It's a rarity around here. I've found myself so drawn to it lately. As I sat alone, I hand stitched our baby's quilt.

I dreamed and wondered and processed all that was to come. I thought of all of the women that I joined as I did this. The women who have held fabrics in their hands, the thread and needle binding them together, as they dreamed about their babies. Wondering what they would look like... what they would be like. Whether the baby was a he or she. The women who whispered prayers for their growing babies, prayers that all would be well.

How many woman have processed their own fears as the needle made its way through the fabrics, moving in and out? Those normal concerns that arise about labor and birth. Or wondering how their family will adjust as this new little one is welcomed into it. Then of course there is the swell of joyful anticipation of what is to come.

I looked out at the dark sky and the bright moon. The same moon my grandmothers and great-grandmothers gazed upon as they carried their own babies. I felt a solidarity with other mothers, past and present. And I found myself thankful yet again for the gift of sewing.

{For this quilt I used Storyboek Field Stroll Cheater patchwork. I hand quilted it in a stair-step pattern using different colors of embroidery floss.}

Tutorial: Postpartum Wellness - An Herbal {Sitz} Bath

2011-10-06T22:17:00.007-05:00

As we draw closer to our baby's birth, one project I've enjoyed, both this pregnancy and in my last, is creating a postpartum wellness kit for myself. So much of the pre-birth preparations whirl around the baby. A postpartum wellness kit is a wonderful way to encourage a new mom to nurture herself, too.

One of my favorite herbal allays to include in my kit is an herbal sitz bath. While the body is beautifully designed to heal itself after birth, herbs can gently assist in this work. I healed quickly after my last birth and I credit the herbs I used in aiding in this process. I was grateful to have them.

The following recipe is adapted from my favorite book on postpartum wellness, Natural Healing After Birth by Aviva Romm. This recipe can be used for herbal baths, sitz baths and in the peri bottle. (It is absolutely for external use only.) I buy my herbs locally whenever possible. When I can't find them locally, I purchase them from Mountain Rose Herbs. Mountain Rose Herbs carries high quality herbs at great prices. I've been ordering from them for several years and have yet to be disappointed.

Postpartum Herbal Sitz Bath

Note: You do not have to use every herb on this list. The herbs in the top row (except myrrh) are generally considered to be soothing whereas the herbs on the bottom row are healing and astringent. The herbs in the bottom row are commonly seen in most postpartum sitz bath formulas. You can choose as many (or few) as you'd like from the top row and at least two or three from the bottom row.

You'll need:

0.5 oz marshmallow root, chickweed, chamomile flowers, lavender, and/or myrrh powder

1 oz witch hazel leaf, comfrey, yarrow, sage and/or rosemary

a kitchen scale to weigh your herbs

Sea Salt

Directions:

Combine your herbs. Set the sea salt aside for later.

For a Sitz Bath and Peri Bottle: Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Turn off heat. Add one large handful (about 1 oz) of herbs to the water. Steep, covered, for 30 minutes. Strain out the herbs using a fine mesh strainer so only the liquid remains. Set aside 1 quart to be used in the peri bottle and/or for compresses. Add the remaining 1 quart to a sitz bath tub (available at most pharmacies). Fill with warm water, adding 2 tablespoons of sea salt.

For an Herbal Bath: Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Turn off heat. Add two large handfuls (about 2 oz) of herbs to the water. Steep, covered, for 30 minutes. Strain out the herbs using a fine mesh strainer so only the liquid remains. Add the liquid to the bathtub along with 1/2 cup of sea salt. Relax and enjoy!

A Picnic Blanket for Fall... and Always

2011-10-04T09:22:00.001-05:00

For many, the turn of the calendar to October encourages the turning of their energy inward toward home. Having spent most of my life in the Midwest, I too once lived in rhythm with the traditional four seasons. Now that our family lives in Texas, we've had to learn a new rhythm. One where October brings a much needed respite from the heat. While many shift toward spending more time indoors, we are more eager than ever to start spending our time outdoors again. We're ready to get back to evening family walks, bike rides, and weekend hikes - activities that aren't nearly as pleasant when it's 100 (+) degrees outside. After experiencing one of the hottest summers on record with my own personal heater on board, I'm soaking up every moment of this change... and trying to get outside as much as I can. It's also why I was determined to finish this picnic blanket before baby's arrival. (Can I confess that the material has been sitting on my shelf for the last 2 years?)

I used Amy Butler's Picnic blanket pattern - free and available here. The brilliant part about this quilt design is that one side is laminated cotton. Laminated cotton, sometimes called oilcloth, is a slick fabric that can be wiped clean. It's often used to make rain coats, changing pads, or splat mats for under baby's high chair.

Laminated cotton is great for my family since it takes my kids oh, about 2 minutes to spill something.

After eating their faces often look something like this.

Sometimes they wipe their dirty hands on the blanket instead of a napkin. (See Indigo below.)

Of course, of course, we try to teach them good manners. But kids will be kids. If we were going for pristine, we wouldn't take them on picnics. The laminated cotton allows me to relax rather than cringe when they do things that would make Emily Post wag a finger at me. And that makes it a lot more fun for us all.

A home decor weight fabric is recommended for the reverse side. This fabric, sturdier than a quilting cotton, is perfect for activities that don't have a high probability for spillage. Like book reading or star gazing. And definitely playing!

Being the laminated cotton repels water, we can sit on the cloth side of the blanket, even on damp grass, without the water soaking through. That means our pants stay dry, which also means less laundry for me. I appreciate this. I already have enough laundry to do. Oh, do I ever!

I think this blanket will be used often and well-loved... this fall and in the years to come.

The kids think so, too.

{For this project I used this laminated cotton and this home decor fabric.}

I'm Loving...

2011-10-01T17:39:00.001-05:00

:: that this month (week? night?) we will meet the newest member of our family. This book is giving me renewed confidence as I approach labor and birth for a third time.

:: that my freezer is stocked with lots of frozen goodness after a dear friend and I spent an afternoon preparing meals together. The food tasted delicious. The fellowship, laughter and love that went into it only made it better. Even if I was having so many contractions that we thought she might just have to catch this baby in a strainer.

:: this Roasted Tomato and Eggplant soup. And the weather being cool, dark, and stormy while we enjoyed it. An added bonus, especially here in Texas.

:: fall flowers from my thoughtful husband.

:: Evie's special bond with her dad. And those l o n g, tight hugs that she loves to give.

:: seeing handmade quilts strewn throughout our home. Even if I didn't always enjoy every part of the process of making them. Machine quilting? I think those days are mostly over for me. I'm decidedly in love with hand sewing. (Have I mentioned that already?)

Two more coming soon!

Wishing you a lovely October and a fantastic fall!

A Celebration of One Thousand Gifts {and Counting}

2011-09-28T16:40:00.002-05:00

Last January, Ann Voskamp in her book One Thousand Gifts, challenged me to not only strive to live a life of moment-to-moment awareness, but to also see the world through the lens of intentional gratitude. To not just make sweeping generalizations about being thankful, but to open my eyes to the specific beauty in each moment. Then to partake in the discipline of writing it down, counting these gifts to 1000.

And so it began. I started my own journal. My journal of beautiful moments. I began counting.

Counting my gratitude for the seemingly ordinary.

#56 - Birds singing outside my window
#74 -The sunlight streaming through bare tree branches
#283 - Fresh air through open windows
#375 - The smell of freshly cut grass

My gratitude for things that are beyond ordinary.

#47 - New life growing within.

Gratitude in moments that might otherwise frustrate.

#32 - That rubbing alcohol removes permanent marker from computer screens
#896 - An overflowing toilet means we have a toilet
#897- that normally runs well
#898- and running water!

Gratitude in the moments that are difficult.

As we waited in the ER to find out if our baby was still living after some first trimester bleeding~

#265- The calming presence of a doula sister
#268 - Lavender essential oil
#273- A smiling nurse
#277- Seeing that beating heart (!)

In this, in all of this, I began to see that all really is grace.

Lavish grace.

I've now reached 1000. But stop counting, I will not. The more I search for the beauty in the moment, the more this way of seeing the world becomes my new way of being. When there is no pen or paper at hand, I take a deep breath and pause, if just for a moment to give thanks. Thanks silently offered up from the quiet chambers of my soul. Thanks that somehow ricochets back to me in the form of deep peace and joy. It's funny how it works like that, isn't it? Thanks is something that we give, yet it gives us so much more.

This practice is far too beautiful, too life-giving to stop.

{For a brief yet stirring introduction to Ann's thoughts on mindfulness and gratitude, this video is a great place to start.}

A Warm Jacket for My Warm Hearted Boy

2011-09-26T17:13:00.001-05:00

Jude's the type of kid who likes to play it cool. But when I told him I had stayed up late finishing this year's winter jacket for him, his face lit up like it was Christmas morning.

Like last year, I used this Oliver + S pattern, altering it only to taper the sleeves an inch or so. Jude chose the wool based on swatches from Mill End Store. Again it did not disappoint.

Jude asked if we could line it with fleece. He chose this light blue fleece velour. I generally prefer to work with natural fibers but the fleece makes for a cozy (and warm!) winter jacket. It'll easily stand up to the morning temperatures in the 30s and 40s that we get here in Texas, without additional layering.

I had some toggles on hand from last year that I purchased from Pacific Trimmings. The leather cording is from JoAnns.

I decided to use snaps instead of velcro this time. I was a little intimidated by snaps last time. I shouldn't have been. They were even easier to sew on than the velcro. Just be sure to separate the jacket front from the lining when you hand sew them on so that your stitching doesn't show through to the front of the jacket.

Being I don't sew a lot for my boy, I do love making something for him that he will wear so often.

Something that he picked out all by himself. And something that might just remind him of his mom.

Bedside Conversations

2011-09-23T20:41:00.002-05:00

Some of the best conversations I have with Jude are shared as I sit by his bedside as he tries to fall asleep at night. There's something about this time that makes him more likely to divulge the details of his day with me - his fears, his triumphs, his deep questions about life. Because oh, yes, even at 6 this boy already has lots of deep questions! He's also at his sweetest then. I'd venture to guess he's learned that the sweeter he is, the longer I tend to stay. Smart boy, he is! I'm thankful for these special conversations, that he still seeks the comfort of mama at the end of the day. I want to enjoy these snapshots into his heart and life while he remains willing to let me peek in at them.

Except when I don't. Oh, and there are time when I don't. Times that I'd rather tell him to go to sleep already. When I'm tired after a long and full day with the kids. When we've done our hour-long routine of bath, books, daddy's made up bedtime stories, then prayers. Often I'm ready for my time, when I can fill my own cup by doing the things that both energize and relax me.

Then I discovered bedside hand sewing.

The rhythm of the stitches relaxes me. It gives me just the patience I need at a time of day when my patience can wear thin.

I'm energized as I watch this creation become ever so slightly transformed, flower by flower, stitch by stitch.

It requires only that I follow along the lines. I can fully absorb the conversation with Jude while my hands are busy doing their work.

Or I can soak in the quiet. He is supposed to be sleeping after all.

Jude gets what he needs. And I get what I need, too. Because I don't want to miss out on these moments with my boy. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was rocking him to sleep?

And Evie? Well, she gets a dress infused with a little more mama love.

The hand embroidery on this dress was inspired by this Anna Maria Horner pillow and her new needleworks collection.

Around Here

2011-09-21T20:13:00.007-05:00

:: Dan's blog post on attachment in adopted children was posted today to the adoption website We Are Grafted In.

Dan's unfailing support and reassuring optimism as we parent all three of our children mean the world to me. He has taught me so much about unconditional, sacrificial love. I can be completely vulnerable with him, knowing I will be met with acceptance. He challenges me to grow, but always in the context of love. And these kids of ours? They think he hangs the moon.

:: I am slowly feeling better after my recent stomach flu. I saw my midwives today and they tell me that baby is as happy as ever, at least according to her heart tones.

We're so thankful for the support we've received during this time. Thank you. A friend from our church organized a few meals for our family. She also brought flowers.

An example of how you don't have to travel far to nourish the bodies and souls of others. We are grateful.

:: Our kids have been patient with my need for rest as I take time to recover.

The older two began begging me to teach them hand embroidery. An activity we can do while seated that simultaneously melts my heart to watch? Um, yes!

Jude's second project, a squirrel

Double threading the needle and skipping the embroidery hoop makes for easy sewing for this age group.

:: Receiving something like 8 bags of IV fluid over the weekend gave me the opportunity to explain the term "cankles" to my Chinese acupuncturist today.

I only wish you could've been there to hear it...

I just spent the last day and a half in Labor and Delivery...

2011-09-18T22:14:00.008-05:00

But this baby is still tucked inside of me.

Just hours after Dan wrote this post about an eventful 24 hours around here, I came down with the stomach flu that Jude had. Since Jude had only thrown up once, I was hopeful that this would be a short-lived virus. Not so. I could not keep anything down and after a couple of hours of that, I started having contractions. They were coming every two minutes. Knowing that dehydration can cause contractions we headed to the hospital in the middle of the night. (Don't these things always happen in the middle of the night?)

When we got there, the nurses immediately started monitoring the baby. I was still vomiting and the baby was tachycardic. At one point, even after a bag of IV fluids, her heart rate was staying in the 210s. They told me to get settled in, saying they needed to observe the baby for at least another 24 hours and get my symptoms under control.

Indeed, achieving both did take another day. As we were driving home, I found myself feeling thankful for so much. Thankful that we live in a part of the world where this kind of treatment is available. Thankful that the baby is considered full term, so had I gone into labor, she would have been fine. Thankful for my midwives who advocated for me each step of the way. Thankful for the babysitter that came at 3 am so we could go to the hospital. Thankful for our other babysitter who stayed all day so Dan could be with me. Even though I was mostly sleeping, his presence meant so much.

And very thankful that our baby's heartbeat regulated and we were able to come home. Home for our final weeks of our two hearts beating inside this one body of mine.

It's good to be home.

Wherever you go, don't forget your health insurance card (by Dan)

2011-09-16T21:36:00.004-05:00

This week we decided to stress test our health insurance plan.

Thursday: Evie has a few diapers with blood in them, we call the doctor, then end up going to pediatric urgent care. Doctor checked her out and says she's fine. Whew!

Thursday (a few hours later): Jude declares he is not feeling well, so we let him fall asleep in our bed. Shortly after that, he vomits all over our bed and himself. Barf goes through comforter, top sheet, fitted sheet, mattress pad and mattress cover. Apparently the 12 inch stainless steel bowl he had sitting next to his head for just this reason was too small of a target. The whole family sleeps upstairs since our bedroom has cooties.

Friday (today): I get a call from Rachel while at work. Evie was dancing around the living room and took a header into the coffee table and split her ear wide open. Since Jude was sick at home, we decided that I should leave work to take her to the ER. While we are in the ER waiting room, Indi calls my cell and tells Evie, "I'm sorry you broke off part of your ear, Evie." Apparently after Evie and I left for the ER, Indi was actually looking around our rug for a piece of Evie's ear.

Before each stitch, the doctor would say, "Ok, here we go" so that the nurses knew to really hold her tightly. Every time he said that Evie would reply, "Oh no!" and start wailing.

As Rachel says, "Scars are like tattoos, only with better stories." Evie now has bragging rights of being our first kid to get stitches.

When I'm done with this post I'm planning on doing some woodworking. Given our luck this week however, power tools may be tempting fate a bit too much.

So Much Goodness

2011-09-14T21:38:00.003-05:00

Perhaps one of the best kept secrets about adoption is the support available to us in this rich and diverse community to which we belong. A friend and fellow adoptive parent once said, "Our family has been introduced to a whole new world that we would have never known existed had we not adopted." Some of the bravest, most inspirational people I've ever known, I met on this journey.

Early on, while still enrolled in the Taiwan program, I was invited to join a group of women who were exploring the darker issues in adoption. Issues like loss, corruption, fear. In the context of a private blog, it sunk in deeply that adoption always begins with loss. Adoption is not a fairytale, no matter how convincing those 'first meeting' pictures may look. My perspective was forever altered.

When we changed programs to Ethiopia, my fellow adoptive parents were there to guide us. Some gave us advice on compiling our dossier. Others helped us prepare for travel. Some encouraged us as we waited not-so-patiently for a court date. Others listened and offered suggestions as we made our way through the labyrinth of transitioning home. With some of these families, we developed long-lasting friendships. Others were in our lives for a short time, but exactly when we needed them. All of these families were weaved into the fabric of our story.

Recently a friend from the adoption community mailed two boxes filled with the fabric of her story, literally. One box was stuffed full of brand new bamboo cloth diapers, along with some gently used all-in-one diapers and laundry soap.

Another was filled with baby clothes, most with the tags still on.

She included some handmade items, too. Items that ended up being too small to fit her little one.

The fabrics inside these boxes were the physical manifestation of one adoptive mother's dream to have her daughter home and in her arms. She bought these items in anticipation of her daughter's arrival. But as the months dragged on and her daughter grew in the arms of another, they served as a reminder of hope unfulfilled. Eventually, after months of waiting for a court date and embassy approval, this family was finally able to bring their daughter home. In all of this, they thought of us not only when they traveled for their court date, but again when they went back to Ethiopia a second time to be united with their daughter once and for all.

This time they brought back this traditional Ethiopian dress for our new baby. They wanted each of our children to have a traditional Ethiopian outfit of their own.

Now, having been home for several months, they have come to see the ways in which the timing of their adoption was just as it was supposed to be. They learned the hard lesson of surrender that the adoption process seemed determined to teach us. With that perspective, along with the knowledge that we were starting again, she decided to pass along all of this goodness, and all that it once represented, to our family and our new little one. She included with it a handwritten letter which described the emotions that these items held for her in their story.

We were overwhelmed by her generosity and thoughtfulness. We try not to hold onto more than we need. She had given so much that we were able to pass some of it along to the young moms at the women's shelter where I work. When the moms with baby girls saw these new gorgeous clothes, clothes that they could never afford, their eyes lit up and smiles spread across their faces. These two boxes blessed so many.

Oh the goodness of this community! And how very grateful I am to be a part of it.

Around Here

2011-09-12T22:05:00.002-05:00

:: We are elated to be spending more time playing out of doors.

Leaf piles, the evening's golden hue, the days shortening slightly, but noticeably. All welcome signs that the seasons are changing.

:: This popsicle maker was an early Christmas gift from Dan's parents. It freezes popsicles in around 10 minutes.

His mom sent this book of recipes along with it. So much inspiration and deliciousness.

Like fudgesicles made with baking chocolate, cream, milk, and water. Yum! Did I mention they freeze in 10 minutes?

:: Name that bump has become a favorite game around story time.

:: We try to keep the art of handwritten correspondence alive and well. On almost a daily basis, the kids draw pictures for and write letters to one another.

I joined in on the fun and embellished some stationary. With fabric (what else?!)

:: Last weekend, I had attended a training for midwives, doulas and nurses on providing care in unexpected outcomes. While the topic was a heavy one, the fellowship with these women always nourishes my soul.

The training ended with a two hour lecture by medical anthropologist and world renowned birth expert Robbie Davis-Floyd.

Yes, I was a bit star struck indeed.

:: Oh how this baby just keeps on growing!

Adoption: When attachment takes time (by Dan)

2011-09-09T18:33:00.003-05:00

This is one of my favorite pictures of Evie and me. With each of our children there are two or three pictures that Rachel has captured which so completely reflect my relationship with each of them and the love I feel for them.

Maybe the reason that seeing her wrapped in my arms means so much is because getting her here has been a journey. One that has taken time and tenacity. Evie has had to learn how to attach to her new parents like all adopted children. From stories we've heard from other adoptive parents, sometimes this transition is relatively seamless. Other times children are fearfully clingy, some act out, still others push their parents away. Through no fault of her own, for Evie this process of attachment was long and difficult.

Rachel was really the one who, through stubborn, determined love kept working with our precious daughter, patiently demonstrating to her that no matter how much Evie tried to keep her little heart at arm's length, she would be a deeply loved child.

And slowly, but surely, in fits and starts, Evie began reciprocating and trusting us with her own love. Looking back, it is interesting to realize that it happened in cycles. She would attach, then withdraw for awhile, then attach again; neither Evie nor us certain if she was attaching for good or if it was another trial run, where she was experimenting with trusting us just to see what it was like.

During one of those trial runs, we felt confident that she was nearly there. She had been home with us for almost a year; it felt like she had finally reached a secure place. So we opened ourselves to the possibility of growing our family once again, this time through pregnancy. Shortly after we saw those pink lines, we discovered that it had been another trial run on her part. This time she pushed away harder, longer, and more intensely than she ever had before. Through morning sickness and all, Rachel spent her days loving the heck out of our little girl. Then slowly but surely--so slowly that I can't even put my finger on when--she was there for good. She'd finally taken down the fierce protective shield she kept around her heart.

I don't want to make it sound like it was easy-- for Evie or for us. Too often I've heard or read adoption stories where the parents are portrayed as patient heroes, making the rest of us mere mortals feel like incompetent failures. There were frustrating and heartbreaking days, with tears and sometimes a great deal of fear, where commitment over feeling is what ultimately carried the day.

Thank you Rachel for the unconditional, unbending, unyielding love you show to all of us... Jude, Indigo, Evangeline, our growing baby and me. And thank you, Evangeline, for finally opening your heart to us.

School Days and the Secret Button

2011-09-07T21:50:00.004-05:00

Today was Indigo's first day of school. School for Indigo is a familiar place. When she was only a year old, I'd wear her in my Ergo while helping with special events for Jude. As a toddler, she would cry when we'd dropped off Jude. She couldn't wait for the day when she could go, too. After much anticipation, she was finally able to attend last year. Today we started again. She didn't miss a beat.

This time it's Indigo who runs confidently to join her friends while Evie looks on.

A teacher asked Evie if she wants to come to school someday, too. "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" she replied enthusiastically, jumping up and down. Though that is at least a year away-- I covet our time alone together too much to send her just yet.

Starting school means early mornings filled with outdoor play. In this part of Texas, there are only a few hours in the morning when you can enjoy the crispness of early fall. I made Indigo a simple wool jacket for mornings such as these.

The wool is so soft and velvety. It's from Mill End Store and they gladly mail swatches. I've been impressed with the quality, price and variety in the wool they carry.

The jacket is lined with Anna Maria's voile, so silky and light. The wool and voile combined make this jacket just a bit heavier than a cardigan.

Inside it has what Indigo and I call the 'secret button'. Can't see it? That's how it got it's name. I'd recommend separating the wool from the lining when you sew on this button, so your stitching doesn't show through on the jacket front.

I used this $6 pattern that I found on Etsy.

It runs up to size 4. Since Indigo is 4 1/2 and tall, I added an inch to the sleeves and overall length. It was a very tight squeeze getting this pattern to fit on the one yard of fabric recommended.

After sewing so many Oliver + S patterns, I have become a stickler on finishing. So I deviated from the pattern and used a slip stitch to join the wool and lining on the sleeves.

Then I topstitched the sleeve before adding the two buttons.

I was talking with one of our neighbors whose husband recently retired. Their children are grown and out of the house and as we talked I was reminded how quickly these years will slip by and how soon first days of school will be a thing of the past. Watching Indigo's enthusiasm over her secret button jacket is one of the little joys that fill these fleeting days.

Tutorial: How to Hand Sew a Quilt Binding

2011-09-03T19:25:00.010-05:00

I've come to find that my favorite part of sewing a quilt is hand sewing the binding to the quilt backing. Perhaps it's because I'm finally so close to seeing what was once only an image in my mind come to fruition. Or because hand sewing is so easy to start and stop, requiring only a needle and an (optional) pin or two. Maybe it's the way it keeps my hand busy while I converse with my husband or sit near my kids as they play. Or the way the repetition lulls me into a meditation of its own when I sneak away for a few minutes alone. For all of these reasons, hand sewing is something I have grown to love.

There are plenty of tutorials on how to bind a quilt. My favorite is this one. Yet I've found that most of the time, the instructions stop short on how to hand sew the binding to the quilt backing, simply stating to "hand sew" it. One book that I own gets a little more specific saying to use a slip stitch. When I used this stitch and later enthusiastically asked an avid quilter what she thought of my binding, the room suddenly went to {crickets} followed by a hesitant, "Yeah.... it's (pause) nice." I knew then and there that I needed someone to teach me a better way.

At the end of Jude's kindergarten year, his teacher gave every child a bound quilt block with their name embroidered on it.

She does this each year, making 20 blocks, one for each child, in addition to the class quilt which is auctioned off at the school fundraiser. I looked at the hand stitching on the binding of the block. It was impeccable - nearly invisible. I asked if she could share her secret with me. She was happy to and she gave me permission to share it here with you, too.

1. Single thread your needle with about 18 inches of thread. (If you use more it may get tangled.) Make a knot at the end of the thread. Some quilters suggests matching the thread color to the binding. Others prefer to match it to the backing.

2. Fold your binding so that it covers your machine stitching line. I pin it down a few inches away from my starting point and move the pin as I go.

3. Insert your needle under the un-sewn quilt binding (in the backing) to hide the knot. Then insert it into the crease of your binding.

Pull the needle and thread all the way through.

4. Insert the needle into the backing of quilt, directly beneath where your thread came out. It's best to insert the needle into the backing at or behind the binding. If you insert it into the backing just behind the binding, the stitch will be nearly invisible. Then continue to move your needle up into the inside of your binding.

5. When your needle is in between the two layers of the quilt binding, turn the needle perpendicular. Take a 3/8" running stitch inside the crease of the binding.

6. Pull your needle and thread through. You will now be back at step 4. You will again insert the needle into a "bite" of the backing and then make a 3/8" running stitch inside the binding. The only stitches that will be visible are the tiny "bites" into the backing.

Now I am going to show you another method for hand sewing the binding. This method may be a little easier because you don't have to make the perpendicular turn with your needle. You can try both methods and see which you prefer. Here's how this method works.

Steps 1-3 are the same as the first method.

4. Insert your needle into the quilt backing, directly beneath where your thread came out.

5. This time, you will make a 3/8" running stitch into the quilt backing and come out in the crease of the quilt binding.

With this method you need to be very careful that you insert the needle only into the quilt backing and batting and not into the front layer of the quilt. If you accidentally insert it through all three layers, the stitch will be visible from the front of the quilt.

6. When you pull your needle through, you will be back at step 4. You will repeat this stitch over and over. As with the last method, only the tiny "bites" you take from the quilt binding into the backing will be visible. The other stitches will be buried, this time in your quilt backing.

A video tutorial of this method is available here.

For both methods:

When you reach the corner, fold the binding so it forms a crisp miter, overlapping the bindings slightly where they meet. Insert your needle through both layers of the binding, like this.

You can then whip stitch the binding at the corner, or just continue hand stitching the binding.

When you run out of thread, hide a knot under the un-sewn binding

and start again.

Pour yourself a cup of tea, get comfortable under your quilt, and enjoy these quiet stitches. You'll be done in no time!

Around Here

2011-09-01T23:50:00.012-05:00

:: As I turn the calendar from August to September, I can hardly believe that next month I'm having a baby!

:: This morning at Evangeline's hematology appointment, they officially declared that she has made a full recovery from the anemia and neutropenia she was diagnosed with when she first came home.

:: This website, shared by a friend and fellow adoptive parent, provides invaluable information for those of us with adoptive children who struggle with feeding issues.

:: My kids are loving these berry muffins (recipe from this book). Go for the double batch. They go fast.

:: These candied pecans were supposed to go on a salad, but were consumed too quickly to make it to the dinner table. [I put them in the oven on parchment paper for an additional 5 minutes or so to make them a little crispier.] Yum!

:: And get ready for this one - I finally finished my quilt!

I hope to share a tutorial on how to hand sew the binding to the quilt backing soon.

[Edited to add: You can now find that tutorial here. ]

An Easy Pajama Pattern, Made Even Easier

2011-08-30T23:18:00.011-05:00

Of all of the sewing patterns that I own, the one that I've used the most is the Oliver + S Bedtime Story Pajama pattern. This pattern features a kimono top with pants that have contrasting waistband and leg bindings.

While I think this pattern is adorable, there are times when I want to make something even simpler. One of those times was the week before we went to my parents' farm in the midwest.

Here in Texas, even with our AC running, our kids' bedrooms are often much too warm for traditional pajamas.

The kids sleep in sleep shorts. In Wisconsin, it's cooler at night, so the kids needed pajamas. Indigo had outgrown all of her pajamas. I decided to make a few pair for her, knowing we'd be able to use them here in a few months as well.

Since time was short, I decided to skip the contrasting waistband altogether. Instead, I added 1.5" to the top. I then folded the raw edge over by 1/2", and again by about 1", pressing each time. Next I edge-stitched this to form a casing. [For more specific instructions on how to do this, see the waistband instructions on this pattern.]

In the spirit of simplicity, I used bias tape rather than cutting the pattern pieces for the contrasting leg bindings. I made the bias tape for the pants pictured above, but used store-bought bias tape for the other two pajama pants. Even easier! [This video tutorial taught me how to apply bias tape.]

I skipped the kimono top in favor of appliqued shirts.

I always add a piece of ribbon as a tag, so the kids (and I!) can quickly distinguish the back from the front of the pants.

In my experience, the pants have held up great through repeated washings and frequent use. Evie is now wearing Indigo's pajamas from several years ago. Like this shirt and these pants

These horse pants are also a favorite.

The great thing about two year olds is that even previously worn items seem new and exciting to them. Especially when they are being handed down by a sister with a bit of a jealous streak. When she sees Indigo so resistant to pass something along, even when Indi doesn't have a prayer of squeezing into it, well, that can only mean it's very special.

Indigo learns about sharing and generosity while Evie learns about recycling. They learn these valuable lessons... and there's less sewing for me. At least for now.

A Bib for Baby

2011-08-27T22:20:00.003-05:00

I sure am enjoying these final weeks of sewing for baby. I only have a blanket left to make. I'm contemplating skipping a baby quilt this time in favor of a voile/flannel receiving blanket. I made one for a friend's baby and the two fabrics were so lovely together. It's also the perfect weight for the still warm Texas fall weather.

Speaking of fall, I am also planning the projects I have yet to make for my other little ones before baby arrives. Halloween costumes and winter jackets are on my list. And a picnic blanket. The fabrics and bias binding for said blanket have been cut and waiting on my shelf for at least a year. Maybe two. My track record with blankets is pretty abysmal.

So the bib...

The (free!) pattern can be found here. I fell in love with this bib upon first sight. The mama and baby bird are so sweet. I also wanted more practice at embroidery. I learned basic embroidery from this tutorial for this project. When I was in the midwest earlier this month, my mom taught me how to make a french knot. I love the way they look and they are so easy to make. If you don't have someone to show you, this video tutorial is great. I wondered whether we really needed an embroidery hoop for this project. My mom said yes. Being one that insists on learning through experience, I tried without. My mom was right. You definitely need an embroidery hoop or the fabric will pucker. Just sayin'.

This bib isn't exactly practical. It's linen. It's light-colored and sure to show stains. I don't know how the ribbon (or the embroidery!) will hold up through repeated washings. I was not deterred. However, from past experience, I do believe the most practical bib would be made from a laminated cotton. Laminate is wipeable - perfect for bibs! These two tutorials look fantastic.

Around Here

2011-08-23T23:07:00.005-05:00

:: Early in the summer, Jude decided that he wanted to read 100 books with me. The plan was when he reached 100, he would celebrate by having his kindergarten teacher over for cupcakes. She agreed. (She's amazing like that!) He read 100 books by the end of June, but we were just able to coordinate our schedules for the big 'party' last weekend.

In addition to eating cupcakes, books were read. She also gave him his very own copy of this clever book. Then she gave me a lesson on the way she binds quilts. (I asked. Her bindings are incredible!) She's such a special woman - and a gifted teacher to both young and old.

:: With my quilt binding lesson under my belt, I started binding my quilt. I've been working on this quilt since January. A personal record for sure.

Last year Indigo had to wear an eye patch to correct an eye that drifted in slightly on occasion. Her follow up appointment was this morning. They told us to expect to be there for at least two hours. I brought my quilt along.

While we waited (and waited and waited) I taught Indigo how to hand sew.

For a four year old, this requires a lot of concentration. But she loved it.

All went well. No more eye patches for this girl!

:: In an attempt to find something to do with our six acorn squash from our CSA, I landed on this recipe. It was amazing, though it could probably have been served for dessert.

I'm not exactly sure how we ended up with winter squash when we're on a 30+ days-over-100-degrees-tear. Though I am certainly no expert on Texas gardening... thus the CSA membership. This dish will definitely be on our Thanksgiving table this year.

Did you know you can roast acorn squash seeds just like pumpkin seeds?

:: I've been working on this bib for baby.

I was this close to finishing it when I accidentally knocked my iron off my ironing board... and it bit the dust. No more machine sewing for me until I get a new iron.

:: Jude came down with a cough over the weekend, which gave me the chance to try out Amy Karol's two recipes featured in this lovely little book. The recipes were for Slippery Elm (Cough) Drops and an Herbal Vapor Rub.

My favorite book on herbal medicine for kids is Naturally Healthy Babies and Children by Aviva Romm. This has been my go to book since Jude was a baby. I combined what I've learned from this book with the recipes by Amy Karol.

Slippery Elm lozenges are fantastic not just for coughs, but also digestive complaints, like heartburn. (If you don't want to make your own but want to give slippery elm a try, these lozenges are great.)

Jude has a strong aversion to mint so for the Herbal Vapor Rub, I created my own essential oil blend using 20 drops of eucalyptus, 10 drops of rosemary, 5 drops of lavender, and 2 drops of tea tree oil. The recipe suggests that you infuse dried herbs into the carrier oil. If I were to make it again, I would skip this step. I wasn't crazy about the earthy smell this added to the rub.

Jude (and Indi - who's not sick!) loved both the drops and the rub, so that spells success in my book. They were easy to make.

:: A big thank you to those who have kept me and my first world problems in their thoughts and prayers. They are felt. My back is about 85% better thanks to a very talent acupuncturist. About 10 minutes into my session after my muscles had relaxed, I felt baby move head down. My midwife confirmed yesterday that this is indeed the case.

And that's what's been going on around here lately.

Moments

2011-08-20T23:39:00.003-05:00

I once heard a lecture wherein the speaker discussed how the human mind has an uncanny ability to focus its attention on anything but the present. Often it ruminates on the past or shifts to the future, yet being fully present in the moment proves difficult. He suggested gently reminding oneself that it is still right now, then to be there in the weight of the moment.

Of course, as my husband jokes, there are times when we want to say, 'unfortunately, it is still the now.'

While the concept of living in the moment is certainly not new and might even sound simplistic, the impact on my life has been profound. I quickly discovered how often I divert my attention away from the present, my thoughts being elsewhere. When I started reminding myself that it was still now, that I could only do what I was doing now, life became easier. I no longer had to focus on all there was to do. Instead, I shifted my attention to the one thing I was doing. This mindset was especially helpful on the days when the dishes were piled high and the laundry even higher. The days when my kids were cranky and Dan was working late, when I felt overwhelmed. I place my awareness on whatever it is that I am doing, instead of on the heaviness of my expectations and the length of my To Do list. When I do this, the day usually ends up going much more smoothly than the story I had playing in my head predicted.

Over the last few weeks, I went from feeling fantastic to experiencing severe discomfort. As I move closer to birth, the laxity in my sacroiliac joint is making it difficult to walk. My stride now resembles that of a duck... or a pirate. My midwives believe the baby is likely transverse, so when I sit down something big and hard often wedges under my rib. Experiencing pain is a sure fire way to bring you back to the present. As much as I want to enjoy and soak in this pregnancy, being uncomfortable admittedly makes it more difficult.

Yet as Dan and I talked through this I realized there is a big difference between being present and romanticizing the present. I can recognize the sacredness of this time, while admitting that it's not all rainbows and unicorns at every moment. In the spirit of One Thousand Gifts, I can continue to count all that I am grateful for (because there is so much to be grateful for!) and accept what is. I can look for the lessons to be learned. Slowing down is an inevitable part of life with a newborn. I'm getting some practice now. As much as I do cherish this time, I'm not meant to be pregnant forever. The discomforts of the third trimester encourage me to be open to the fact that this little one will soon enter the world and she and I will begin a new chapter together.

I also feel a swelling of gratitude for the stability that we have as a family. Sometimes I think about Evangeline's first mom and I wonder what her pregnancy was like. Was it easy? Was it hard? Did she know then that she would not be able to parent Evie? If so, facing those more challenging days of pregnancy would become substantially more difficult. My heart aches when I think about it.

We will continue to take things moment by moment. Or at least we will try.

School Days

2011-08-19T09:12:00.006-05:00

Yesterday was Jude's first day of first grade. It was also his first time doing a traditional school day, since he attended a kindergarten in which the days alternated in length between 3 and 5 hours.

This child is living proof that independence really can come through initial dependence. For the first three years or so of Jude's life, he practically wanted to crawl back into my womb to live. He was so timid and fearful. He lacked confidence. He shied away from groups. He literally trembled when I left him.

As a first time parent, I worried that his behavior was the result of my parenting. We were 'attachment parenting' for lack of a better term and other parents would comment that we needed to leave him more often or push him into independence. Little things, like our decision not to leave him in the church nursery, were examples to others of how "overprotective" we were. Still, pushing him into independence didn't feel right to us. Some nudging, perhaps, but we wanted him to blossom in his own time.

And blossom he did. At the end of his kindergarten year, his teachers told me that one phrase they had never heard from Jude was "I can't." This once timid mama's boy is now eager to try new things. He was enthusiastic about going to a brand new school, about meeting new friends. (Can I admit that I was the one with butterflies in my stomach?)

While he had a bit of trepidation when Dan finally said goodbye, by the time I picked him up he had worked through it. I asked him how he liked school and he exclaimed, "I loved it!" I then asked if this meant he doesn't want to do homeschool. He sighed and rolled his eyes, "Mom!"

I guess that's a no for now.

I share our story in case others are in the same position as we were a few years ago. If you are blessed with a child who others might label 'clingy' or 'high maintenance' know that you don't have to push the child away to make him independent. Children all develop in their own time, at their own pace. Every child's personality is different. I'm learning now more than ever that parenting is not like following a recipe. Even though we parent our kids in the similar way, all three of them have distinctly different personalities, which result in distinctly different challenges, strengths and needs.

We live in a society that values rugged individualism. So much so that these ideals are placed on children as young as babies. We have found that when you nurture the seedling, allowing for dependence, the bloom is sure to follow... in its own time.

And it's oh so beautiful to see.

Life on the Farm

2011-08-15T17:15:00.002-05:00

After spending most of the summer enduring 100 (+) degree temperatures in Texas, last week the two older kids and I happily boarded a plane to the midwest to spend six cooler days with family and friends. This time, circumstances had it that Dan and Evie stayed behind.

We spent the first night at a cabin on a lake with some friends, our (seven!) kids playing while we caught up. Is there anything better?

The next evening we got settled in at my parents' farm. Whenever we're home for a visit, one of the highlights is always time spent at our friend Margie's farm.

Doesn't every farm boy (and especially one from Texas!) need a cowboy hat?

This fly mask is dual purpose. It keeps the flies away while making the kids laugh.

Riding the horses is a favorite activity at Margie's farm.

The kids are becoming so brave. They can trot now, knowing how the make that classic 'click click' sound to get the horses to speed up. They've also learned to 'steer'.

They must have ridden for at least an hour.

But life on the farm isn't all play. The kids have learned that the horses needed to be brushed and have their hooves cleaned before and after the ride.

This horse was envious of my apple, picked fresh from the tree. Can you blame her? Baby and I were happy to share.

As much as Indigo loves horses, the barn kitten might have been her favorite. Jude is allergic to cats, so she knows that an indoor cat is out for us. But if we ever have a barn of our own someday, then she could have a barn cat. For a couple of hours, she was living her dream.

A day at Margie's farm would not be complete without feeding the chickens.

And who could forget the goats?

Forget Disney World. I'm nearly certain that there's no better (or happier!) place to be than Margie's farm.

Sewing for Ugandan Orphans

2011-08-07T21:24:00.003-05:00

There are two things that I particularly love about the blog world. One is all of the inspiration that can be found there. The other is having the chance to connect with people whom I would never otherwise meet in 'real life'. Take Lara for example. Our paths crossed early this year as we exchanged emails about adoption. Her inquiring mind and passionate heart encouraged me to dig deeper than ever before into the issues surrounding adoption - questions about ethics, the need, and the many, many orphans who will never be eligible for adoption. I wrote about some of what I learned here. I was blessed and inspired to watch her journey unfold as she changed countries from Ethiopia to Uganda; from a healthy infant to a preschooler and/or a special needs child. She has since been matched with 4 year old "A". We hope and pray that she is able to bring him home soon!

As she prepares for her second trip to Uganda, she wanted to collect donations for the items the orphanage needs the most. The orphanage expressed a great need for items for girls entering puberty - underwear, bras, ibuprofen and menstrual pads. You can read all about that here. Similar to the situation in Ethiopia, some of these girls are resorting to using trash for pads because they simply don't have any other choice. It's humbling to read about these needs, a reminder of how much I take for granted here.

On the first Sunday of every month, our church does something called Serve First where we do service projects in the community. There are generally several projects to choose from and around 100 people participate each month. There's a woman at our church who makes and sells her own cloth diapers. I emailed her, thinking she would be just the one to conspire with on planning a Serve First event to help meet the needs of these Ugandan orphans. She designed the pattern, told me exactly what I needed to buy, provided the microfiber and brought her snap press. She rocked this project! I hosted the party and purchased the fabric.

She chose a suedecloth topper to wick moisture away from the body. She decided on a flannel and microfiber inner for great absorbency.

She brought snaps and her snap press. The pads come together like this.

There were six women who attended the party. We made the pads in an assembly line fashion. We used two sewing machine, two sergers, two rotary cutters, and broke 4 or 5 needles. The grand total of our efforts? 27 pads.

The cost of purchasing a similar cloth pad is around $17-$18 per pad. That means we saved around $450 making these pads, including the cost of the fabric! And we had so much fun in the process.

One woman also brought 12 gently used bras, which she found thrifting and several packs of new underwear. I'd call this event a huge success. I feel so blessed to be a part of such an amazing faith community!

I have to extend an enormous thank you to Dan. I injured my back last week quite badly, then got into a very minor car accident on Friday and had to go to the hospital to have the baby monitored for a few hours as a precaution. Thankfully (and as we expected) everything looked great. But I wasn't able to do as much around here as I normally am, so Dan had to pick up my slack. He worked hard to get things ready. When I apologized for my hindered mobility he cheerfully responded that we were in this together and he was glad to do his part. A man willing to work hard during his very limited free time to help teen girls in Uganda? Yup, he's nothing short of amazing. What a beautiful example he sets for our children, too.

Matching Dresses... Sometimes

2011-08-06T18:27:00.006-05:00

"Mom, I sometimes like when you make me and Evie matching dresses, but mostly, I just want them to be different. If you keep making me and Evie matching dresses and the new baby is a girl, she won't have a matching dress. Then she would be so jealous. So, we better not."

-Indigo, March 2011

When we first came home from Ethiopia, we frequently received questions from strangers about our family. There was a time when I was asked at least on a weekly basis whether I was babysitting Evie. Often it was easier to dress the girls alike because people then quickly understood that we were all a family.

Now that we have been home for a year and a half (!), we rarely get those kind of questions anymore. I'm not exactly sure why things have changed, but we really appreciate it. I think most adoptive families just want to be like everyone else. In accounts by adult adoptees, many report that they didn't appreciate being singled out by strangers while in public. It made them feel uncomfortable and they came to resent it. I'm proud to have a child from the amazing country of Ethiopia. I love to share information with people about adoption and/or orphan care... but not necessarily in front of Evie. Especially when those questions are personal in nature and regarding the details of her story, a story that is hers to share, not mine.

I still sew the girls matching dresses sometimes. With the width of fabric being around 42-44 inches, I often have enough fabric left from one project to make a second dress without much added expense. In addition, making two dresses at the same time is quite a lot faster than making two dresses from different fabrics and patterns. I don't have the girls wear their dresses at the same time anymore... unless they want to! With the exception being for the following photos -

The fabric for the dresses is from Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi line.

The dress pattern is this sweet little PDF by Leila and Ben, available for only $6.

I used this free tutorial for the ruffle leggings.

Look complicated? That's what I thought at first. They're not. The leggings are made from a pre-sewn ruffle fabric. You sew them like regular leggings. You don't even need to hem them! Just be sure that the ruffles are always pointing down when you sew them.

My girls. Sisters. Friends. Two kids easily entertained by a stool.

[And speaking of my daughters, I loved this prayer for a daughter. Beautiful.]

Around here

2011-08-03T23:38:00.004-05:00

:: I went from being comfortably pregnant to heavy laden, seemingly overnight.

My back is none too pleased with the change in events.

Everybody keeps asking me when I'm due. When I say October they are visibly taken aback. I'm pretty sure they thought I was going to say next week. Or tomorrow.

:: Indigo wanted to experiment with using the camera.

Apparently she needs a few more lessons on how to use the zoom function. Though these pictures are kind of artsy, right? The beauty of seeing the world through the eyes of a 4 year old.

:: Indigo and I continue our task of starting over for baby and trying to buy most everything secondhand. So far, so good. Thrifting is going well. Last weekend we focused on the 3-6 month size. We bought 15 things, some with new tags still on, for around $55.

When Indigo saw the middle sleeper with the bib attached, she exclaimed, "Mom, this is a great shirt! Do you want to know why it is a great shirt? Because it has a bib stuck to it!" Dan asked her if we could change her name to Pollyanna. She emphatically refused, stating she likes being Indigo.

:: Jude and Dan are working together on refurbishing a table - a garage sale find from several years ago.

It's pretty serious business.

:: I made several jars of low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam.

Can I admit that there was no sentimentality about the process this time around? Other than that I do love hearing those lids pop. I scorched two, yes two (!), pans on the long simmer needed for the low sugar recipe. Thankfully I was able to get them clean, though it wasn't easy. I also burned myself getting the jars in and out of the boiling water. (Did I mention I don't have a jar lifter?) When I asked Dan to step in and help, he burned himself too.

I think next time I'm going to try making freezer jam instead. Don't these recipes look amazing?

How to Sew a Contrasting Fabric Hem

2011-08-02T23:45:00.020-05:00

Not one to be left out, when Indigo saw I had made matching dresses for her sisters, she wanted one too. But that particular dress pattern only went up to size 24 months. So, when I ordered the fabric for the other two dresses, I ordered a little extra with Indigo in mind. With it, I made a Lazy Days skirt with a matching appliqued shirt for her.

The Lazy Days Skirt is a simple and free(!) pattern offered by Oliver + S. Rather than finish the skirt with its usual ribbon hem, I decided to try a contrasting fabric hem instead. Liesl wrote a great tutorial on how to do a hem facing. To finish the skirt with a contrasting fabric hem, she suggests you reverse the directions of the hem facing. This way the facing shows on the right side of the skirt rather than the wrong side of the skirt.

As I worked my way through the tutorial reversing the directions, I found myself a little confused at one point and ended up doing some seam ripping. Since I believe in swear-free sewing, I wanted to lay out how I did this hem, with photos. That way if you, like me, are doing late night sewing you won't have to think too hard. I'm basing this entire tutorial on the hem facing tutorial by Liesl from Oliver + S. Each step will correspond with her steps here.

1. This first step is the same as the Oliver + S tutorial.

2. Pin the right side of the facing to the wrong side of the skirt, matching seams and raw edges. Sew with a 1/2" seam.

3. Press the seam allowance toward the skirt. Press the facing away from the skirt, as pictured below.

Understitch the seam allowance to the main skirt fabric, 1/8" away from the seam. This will ensure that the wrong side of the skirt does not show from the front of the skirt.

You can see there are two rows of stitching in the above photo. The bottom row is the understitching.

4. After you trim the seam allowance, press the hem facing up toward your skirt.

The wrong side of your skirt now looks like this

5. Edgestitch the top of the hem facing to the skirt. I used contrasting thread.

The wrong side of your skirt now look like this

That's it! You're done with your Lazy Days Skirt with contrasting fabric hem!

Lazy days, though? Don't count on it!

For My Two Babies

2011-07-31T16:25:00.005-05:00

Handmade Beginnings is such a lovely book for sewing for little ones. So far, I've completed three projects from this book for the baby who will soon join our family. This time, I decided to work on something for the girl I currently call my baby.

The projects in this book generally go up to size 18-24 months. Even though Evie is over 2 and wears a size 2T, this dress was a perfect fit.

She's getting to be so grown up. She has no trouble keeping up with her older siblings. Or telling them "No!" while wagging her finger when they get out of line.

But, she's still my baby.

I also made this miniature version for our baby who is coming soon.

It's so much easier to make two dresses at once, especially being I'm quite in love with this fabric line.

For my two babies.

Making Napkins

2011-07-28T23:39:00.001-05:00

Cloth napkins are a mainstay item in our house. As a family of five, we go through them fast. Apparently there are some families who use the same cloth napkin a few times in a row. We are far too messy for that. That means sometime napkins are in short supply, especially if we are having company and I haven't done laundry. Ahem.

A few months ago, I picked up 2 yards of Anna Maria's fabric, which I intended to use for cloth napkins. This fabric seemed to be designed with table linens in mind. Being I've been doing more hand sewing lately, and loving it (!), this seemed like the perfect time to make napkins with a hand sewn hem.

photo (and meal!) by Dan

Making cloth napkins is easy, but the mitered corners can be a little sweary. This tutorial was invaluable - the best I have found yet - on making easy, sharp mitered corners.

I used pearl cotton embroidery thread in Ecru for the hem. My helper thought that ironing (under careful supervision) was the best job in the world and undoubtedly meant that she was a very big girl.

A few nights of peaceful sewing over conversation with my husband, and these napkins were done.

Around Here

2011-07-26T18:50:00.003-05:00

:: Evie is adding more and more words to her vocabulary. On this particular morning, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, flashed me a huge smile, pointed to her hair and exclaimed "Fro!"

:: I am feeling the need to slow down and take a little bit of time for quiet each day. I love that this girl is eager to join me.

:: Jude's love affair with legos began this summer. They keep little hands busy for a long time, which makes me love legos, too - even if there are a bunch of tiny pieces. It means he's doing this

instead of this

And no, that photo is not staged. I happened to have my camera nearby and snapped this photo just before telling Jude that we absolutely do not use the sling shot to shoot Scotch tape... well, at least not in the house. :)

:: We made bread yesterday. "Let rise in a warm place"? Done!

Does anyone have a good whole wheat bread recipe that they'd recommend? We're always looking.

:: This pickle recipe was amazing... even if it does look like a jar of swamp water.

I cut the sugar in half. I used this recipe to make the pickling spice. Next time, I'll make them hotter by adding more red pepper flakes.

:: I have a stack of projects this close to being completed.

I'm waiting for some fabric to arrive so I can finish them up.

And that's what's going on around here this week.

Sunday Afternoons are for...

2011-07-24T20:31:00.001-05:00

... rhythm and blues.

A Tenderheartedness

2011-07-21T22:46:00.008-05:00

As I move into the final months of my pregnancy, I find myself experiencing the same feelings that I did each time we've grown our family. Every time, there's been an intense desire to get everything ready as we prepare for this new life to join our family. There's a tenderness toward the world, my children, and life in general that I'm normally not as in touch with. Can I admit that I heard the song "Butterfly Kisses" when I was out one day and it nearly made me cry? Good grief - that has got to be a new all-time low. I read a blog post suggesting that the poor here have it good, and I thought about the babies in the population that I work with and I cried. It literally kept me up most of the night. Sometimes when I go to work and hold these babies, there's a heaviness, an ache that I feel. I offer up a silent prayer for them while they sleep on my chest. I pray for hope in situations that often feel so hopeless.

Then there are the emotions associated with my own children. I talk with Dan late in the evening, when our children are all tucked into bed, about how much I want to protect them from the ugliness of the world, protect their innocence for as long as I can. How what he and I have is so amazing and how much I want that for them someday. How I hope we are raising them to love God and to express that love in service to others. At the same time, I am so grateful for the moments I have with them right now. There's a part of me that wishes that we could just freeze time and stay here forever. Of course, life doesn't work like that. As children grow, relationships change and blossom and grow, too. There is a beauty that comes with that. With every passing year, I find myself more grateful for the way my relationship has changed and grown with each of my children. Yet I want be here fully to not miss a thing.

I was sewing one day and realized that a day will come when I won't have little ones to sew for anymore. It's such a blessing to be able to make these tiny creations. Currently, I am continuing to make projects from Handmade Beginnings. I love this book. It's not just for newborns, either. Almost all of the patterns can be made up to the 18-24 month size. In fact, next week, I plan to sew a dress for Evie based on a pattern from this book. Here's what I've been working for the littlest member of our family.

For the booties, I used one of Anna Maria's quilting cottons from one of her older lines. I lined them with her flannel, which is utterly amazing. There's cotton batting sandwiched in the middle, so baby's feet are sure to stay warm.

Front

Back

These ever popular Quick Change Trousers are reversible. I used corduroy on one side and lined them with some of Anna Maria's voile. The fabric on the upper back side is from Amy Butler's Love line. All of these fabrics were already on my shelf.

Unlike the murkiness of the emotions that I wade through as we prepare for our daughter, creating and 'nesting' are straightforward, concrete, and light. Perhaps that's the best part of experiencing the two together.

Thoughts on a Lazy, Rainy Afternoon

2011-07-19T21:27:00.004-05:00

To say that we've been in a drought here in central Texas is an understatement. So you can imagine our excitement when we heard claps of thunder this afternoon. Dan said he'd be working late so we were settled in for a lazyish afternoon. Evie was napping. I've finally been getting around to hand quilting this quilt.

And check out my super classy thimbles (um, band aids)

Both older kids were engaged, Indigo in drawing a portrait of me quilting, actually. I found this to be quite amusing. I had never been the subject of a portrait before.

Then it started pouring. Pouring.

We sat on our covered back porch and "enjoyed the rain" as the kids said, until the downpour stopped about 30 minutes later. I love rain. I love the sound of it, the smell of it, how it makes everything so green and lush. Living in a state where rain is an infrequent but much needed visitor has made me appreciate the rain even more.

Speaking of Texas, I was out with the kids last week and saw this bumper sticker.

I just had to laugh... and stop to take a picture.

Yup, we're in Texas.

As for this afternoon, we are very thankful for the glorious rain. And for the quiet moments that accompanied it.

The Summer of... Well, Summer Squash

2011-07-17T19:32:00.004-05:00

It all started with a lot of summer squash and a hankering for zucchini bread.

Twenty-two summer squash were grated, all by Jude. Voluntarily, I might add.

During the first round of baking, he grated 15. When he had finished two, I looked at him and said, "Great job, Jude. Only 13 more to go!" We both looked at each other and started laughing. It was a ridiculous amount of summer squash, really.

In the end, we made a grand total of 10 loaves of zucchini bread. Two loaves of blueberry zucchini bread with a crumble topping.

Four loaves of chocolate chip zucchini bread

[Note: These loaves baked in significantly less time than the recipe suggested - about 50-55 min instead of 80 minutes.]

And four loaves of pumpkin zucchini bread. We added chocolate chips to two of these loaves. Are you noticing a trend? We are a family of chocolate lovers.

Three of the loaves went into the freezer to be saved until after the baby is born (labels colored by Indigo).

Two were shared with friends.

Which means that the five were consumed by us, in only a matter of days.

My kitchen helpers.

All of the recipes were awesome, but I did make some changes across the board to all three. [Each recipe makes two loaves.]

:: I always bake with canola oil versus vegetable oil.

:: I used 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce instead of 1 cup of oil.

:: I used 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 all-purpose instead of only all-purpose flour.

:: Instead of 2 cups of white sugar, I used 1 cup and then 1/2 cup of brown sugar (or maple syrup for the pumpkin loaves).

:: On loaves 7 and 8, I only had one egg and the recipe called for three. I read that you can substitute one half of a banana per egg required. We used one whole banana instead of 2 eggs and it made the chocolate chip loaves even more delicious. I'd do that again next time.

:: I both oiled and floured the pans and all of the loaves came out easily.

Whew! That was a lot of summer squash. And there's more to come. Are you being overrun with zucchini or summer squash? If so, how have you been using it?

Around here

2011-07-13T22:21:00.000-05:00

:: I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Evie was doing this

and this

to pass time and get a laugh in the grocery store check out aisle. After all, one of her siblings' favorite games happens to be the "Who Can Make the Funniest Face at the Dinner Table" Contest. Of course, Dan and I are way too mature and refined to participate in anything like that. And we definitely don't try to win. Ahem.

Of course, winning is always difficult when Dan pulls out all the stops.

:: In my quest to get ready for baby, I finished a pair of booties. This was another project from Handmade Beginnings.

I used some of Anna Maria's flannel for the lining, cotton batting in the center, and one of the fabrics from Amy Butler's Love line on the outside - all of which I had sitting on my shelf! I'm in love with these booties and am already planning to make a second pair. They are so buttery soft on the inside. I might even have been daydreaming about a pair for myself. You know, if I wore booties...

:: Indigo asked me this afternoon whether "getting fired" meant that someone had to walk through fire. Whew! Glad we cleared that one up!

:: This might just be the best - and easiest- play dough recipe that we've found yet!

:: The kids were begging for apple pie of all things - out of season, I know! I used this recipe, altering it slightly by cutting down on the sugar. Other reviewers suggested this as well. We thought this pie was fantastic - and easy! I will definitely keep this recipe in mind for the fall.

:: Having the chance to sit down and take in this moment

while my kids played made gratitude #734 on my way to 1000.

Handmade Beginnings

2011-07-11T23:11:00.007-05:00

When growing a family, be it through adoption or through pregnancy, it seems that the learning curve is the steepest the first time around. Our first time through both experiences was marked with voracious reading, lots of questions, a certain amount of insecurity, and a few fears. We relied upon the advice of those who had gone before us to help guide us as we navigated our way through each path.

The second and subsequent times through seem to bring a freedom, a confidence, and an ease that wasn't there the first time. Now I can only speak for pregnancy when I say this, but this seems to also be true of my friends who have adopted a second (or more) time. They often exhibit such grace, trust and patience with the process.

Being pregnant a third time with our fourth child, I feel more confidence and trust than I did either time before. I am far from being preoccupied with my pregnancy. In fact, if I'm honest, I am often so busy caring for my children, cooking, cleaning, sewing, and working, that it's sometimes easy to forget that I'm pregnant. Occasionally, I feel a little guilty about that. Because I am now keenly aware of how quickly these children grow and how fleeting the time is. I want to cherish it and soak it in as much as I can.

The fact that we are starting again in terms of baby everything has given me the opportunity to sew a few things for our baby. As much as I enjoy the sewing process itself, this time has now been transformed into a meditation as I sew for this little one that I carry within. It's a step back from the busyness of the day. In those quiet evening hours when the other kids are asleep, I spend time focusing on her, daydreaming about her, wondering what she will be like, as I sew these tiny creations for her.

When looking for baby sewing inspiration, I began with Anna Maria Horner's latest book, Handmade Beginnings. The first thing that caught my eye was her patchwork sleep sack. My fabric stash has grown but with my kids growing as they are, I seldom have the chance to use these smaller pieces. This was the perfect scrap buster. So, I made this sleep sack first.

As Anna Maria suggested, I added a few traditional quilting details by making hand-quilting stitches around the armholes and along the inner side of the binding. I chose to use a larger stitch with contrasting thread for more of an embroidered look.

This was my first attempt at hand quilting and I followed this tutorial. Keeping several stitches on the needle at once worked well in creating straight, even stitches. It was much easier than going stitch by stitch.

When I was about halfway done cutting the squares for the patchwork of this first sleep sack, I remembered that I had over a dozen log cabin blocks that I had pieced a couple of years ago. I had planned to use them in a quilt for my friend who had generously donated hundreds of ounces of breast milk for Evie. But I didn't feel that these blocks quite suited her and went a different direction with her quilt. The blocks felt just right for this project.

The blocks had a vintage feel to me so I matched them with this vintage-y nursery rhythm fabric that I had on my shelf. I again used hand quilting stitches around the armholes.

Rather than adding more hand stitching to this sleep sack, I decided to tie the quilt blocks using embroidery floss. There's something about a tied quilt that reminds me so much my grandmother's house. So warm and inviting - and I felt it kept with the overall vintage feel of this sleep sack.

This was my first time tying a quilt and it was even easier than I imagined. I followed these tutorials.

Both of the sleep sacks are fully lined with Anna Maria's flannel. It was the only fabric I needed to purchase for this project. The rest of the fabrics came from my scrap pile.

The pattern instructions for this project were phenomenal - par for the course for Anna Maria Horner. The only place that I deviated from the pattern was in applying the velcro. I waited to baste and serge the bottom of the sleep sacks until the end of the project so I could sew the velcro onto the lining only. This way my stitches would not show through to the front of the sleep sack. I also used store bought bias tape rather than making my own. (Amy Karol of Angry Chicken has this fantastic tutorial on how to apply bias tape without swearing).

This is our daughter's handmade beginning.

Sewing for Boys

2011-07-10T21:53:00.008-05:00

For those of us who sew, sewing for boys can be a bit of a challenge. The challenge only grows as the boy grows. There are lots of cute toddler patterns for boys, but most would be too "babyish" - according to my 6 1/2 year old. His wardrobe pretty much consists of T-shirts and shorts or pants. Customized T-shirts using appliques or stencils and fabric paints are a fun and easy project for boys. But it's harder to get as creative with pants and shorts (like you can with girls' dresses and skirts), without crossing over into 'babyish' territory.

For several years, I had been eying this Oliver + S pants pattern (now out of print but still available here). Yet I was never inspired enough to buy it. But Jude's been growing out of most of his pants. Meanwhile we've been learning more about the way clothes sold in many department stores are made... and growing increasingly uncomfortable with that process. [That's another post for another day, but some great places to start are here and here and here.]

With that in mind, when I saw all of this great inspiration here, it was just the nudge I needed to purchase this pattern. It's unisex so I know I'll get a lot of use out of it.

Jude requested airplane fabric for the waistband, which made me smile. Even though he sees himself as such a big boy, especially in comparison to his younger sisters, he's not yet too grown up for airplanes.

Jude liked giving me his input on his pants, though I don't think he liked trying them on so many times to get the right fit. "Again, Mom?!" Exasperated sigh.

I took the pants in about a 1/2 inch on the inner leg seams. They were just a little too wide otherwise.

Goodness, this boy is growing up so fast! All of my reminding him to slow down on the growing up seems to be rubbing off on him. Yesterday he told me, "Mom, Evie's getting so big and I don't want her to grow up." He then trailed off, nostalgically saying, "I'll always remember her as my little munchkin." Where in the world did he get that from? Ahem. I will admit, though, that having an oldest as nurturing and voluntarily helpful as Jude is truly a blessing!