The balance beam

I often feel like a preschooler on a balance beam.  Wobbling from side to side.  Slowly one foot in front of the other.  Mind racing about what's coming next while focusing on not falling.  Sometimes the beam is low with no real consequences of falling.  Sometimes it's high and the consequences are lifelong.

The balance of self vs others.  As a wife and mother I am constantly faced with the choice between self and others.  It is precarious, the balance, some days my soul aches for freedom of choice of time, sleep, quiet.  With it no where in sight.  Other days it is a steady walk across and the day ends with a gratitude and peace.  There is always more that could be or should be done but there is ALWAYS more. 

The great balance beam.  How high was your beam today?  Did you make it?  Did you fall off and get back up or where you a show stopper?

Blogging frustrations and a close to KCWC

So I am finally on a roll with the whole blogging thing and what should happen...  My windows live writer "stops working".  I have gotten pretty behind the times technologically and I cannot figure it out.  I might have to take the computer some where to get it figured out and I am not thrilled.

This is the purple dress.  It is made out of corduroy outer, fully lined, and first timers piping.  She looks really great in purple.  Plus, she is comfortable in this style which means she wants to wear it.

She really is gorgeous.

Then the pants.  I had so much hope for these but I am not so thrilled.

back side - original pockets - too big

They look much better in action.  I need to make the waist tighter and see how they look then.

front - made the waist band to small

So now I am glad that KCWC is coming to an end.  It was a busy week.  I am happy in what I accomplished and it is so fun to look through the flickr group to see all the inspiration.

Now for a bit of a sewing break.  At least a day or two. :-)

Clover

KCWC- babies

 

I have babies on the brain a bit.  Partly from the realization that I truly don’t want to have any more myself and partly because my baby brother is having his first soon and it’s a girl. I didn’t start sewing until my daughter was about 3 years old so I missed sewing little baby girl stuff.  So now I get to use my brother to try all sorts of stuff in the name of gifts.

Last week I made several things for her and I will share it here right before the baby shower.  Last night I added a couple things though and I love it. 

I pretty much made the leggings this past weekend but added the little tag on the leg and added the embellishment to the onesie last night.  I had bought the trim a few months ago while visiting my mom in Bakersfield.  They have the most fabulous fabric store, Strawberry Patches.  (Most people drive through Bakersfield at least once in their lives, it would be worth it to stop at this store)  It looks so simple right.  Well it actually was not. There is this mesh stuff you have to sew through and try not to sew through the flowers.

The leggings were super simple.  They are 3 month size, as is the onesie.  I used the inspiration from here to make the pattern.  Super easy.  I used the double needle for the first time.  Again, a suggestion from here.  I really like how it looks.  

Alright, time for the girl to go to bed and to get to sewing the dress I cut out last night.  Oh yeah I am using piping for the first time.  Wish me luck.

 

Clover

KCWC–thing 1 and thing 2

 

My kids really can act like these characters.  I think this is Robert Kaufman flannel.  It is so nice.  It is thick and smooth and my son has been oohing and ahhing over the fabric for a few weeks now.  I am happy to say this is the first matching outfit I have made them.  This is the third time I have used this pattern from the Scientific Seamstress.  I think it is cute on my daughter I am for sure not using it again on my son.  I just don’t love the wide legs on the boy.  It is a super simple flawless pattern but I just cant get into it.  Oh well.  I also finished up the leggings earlier.  It is the Lil Blue Boo leggings pattern.  I finally used it and I LOVE the pattern, how it fits, and it is easy to modify.  However, I have confirmed that no matter what the color polka dots aren't really for him.  He wore them out yesterday and was called a girl.  While I usually don’t really care about gender biases I still don’t really want my two year old boy to look like a girl.  Have a good day.  Cheers to another night of sewing!

Clover

prep and peeking

 

 

Have you looked at what others have already made??  This is such a fun week and inspiring for so many other creations.  Cant wait to sew tonight! Don’t forget to look at her flickr group.

Clover

Winning

 

When I first started reading blogs I would enter EVERY giveaway I came across.  In fact Sew Mama Sew’s giveaway days is how I found out about a lot of blogs.  In fact in the beginning I won a couple things and it was fun.  As I continue to read blogs and try to keep my time on the internet limited to within reason I now only enter giveaways for something that I might use or know someone who might use them.

I couple months one of my favorite blogs. The Cottage Home had a giveaway for a photography book.  Mamarazzi.  Knowing that I had learned so little about my camera and my photos were still a hit or miss I or very mediocre at best I knew this was not one to pass on.  And guess what?!

I won!!  This is a great book with a lot of great practical advice.  I read the whole book with in the week that I got it.  It talks about the exposure triangle in a way that I am beginning to grasp.  I am still having hits or misses but a few less mediocre pictures.  I think I need to read this book a few more times.  It does focus on taking photos of kids which is what I do most of the time but I am still struggling a little with taking photos of my “creations.”  Maybe any one who reads this could give me some feedback on my photos!?  Thanks Lindsay for a great giveaway.

Come on back because soon I will have a little bit more to say about…Winning

Clover

How my 4 year old convinced me to eat brussel sprouts.

 

Does anyone’s kids watch Olivia on Nick Jr.?  This is my daughter’s favorite show.  Probably because my daughter is very much like Olivia.  Well Olivia’s best friend is Francine and one day when Olivia has dinner with Francine's family they eat brussel sprouts.  So the other day we are shopping at Trader Joes and my daughter yells “BRUSSEL SPROUTS! Can we please get some?!”  Well let me tell you my first instinct is to say “um, honey you aren't gonna like them.”  Then the mom instinct kicked in and I said. “ Of course lets get some!!”  Well we got home and I thought ugh how am I going to cook these so I can eat them without gagging and how am I going to cook them so that my daughter might actually eat them!  I wasn’t too worried about her because she loves raw cauliflower and oo’s and aah’s over them like candy. It was me that was pretty nervous.  Cause come on.  Brussel Sprouts.  Well whenever I am in doubt of something what do I do… I “Google it”  And of course it didn’t let me down.  The number one result was for my culinary hero Ina Garten.  Duh!! of course.  So here's what she said.

Roast them.  Ahha!

And it was so easy.  Olive oil, salt and pepper, oven 350 for 35 minutes.  What can be easier.  I was starting to get hopeful.  Then, what Ina is so great at.  She said.  “when they come out of the oven salt them like french fries”.  Now I was actually getting excited!

They were delicious!  Crunchy and salty on the outside and just the right texture on the inside. 

Even my husband liked them.  The surprise really was my daughter didn’t love them because they didn’t look like Francine’s.  But she ate her whole serving and now I have another vegetable to add to the mix.

So, are you weary of brussel sprouts?  Give them a try you won’t be disappointed.

Clover

I better get a plan.

 

kcwc-button-fall-2011

I really don’t want to miss this.  My son definitely needs some pants.  And, I have some baby gifts to make.  Who doesn’t like to see baby clothes!!

See ya soon,

Clover