Veggies Ahead!

I haven't been in the sewing room for ...... so so so long.  It is gardening season.  I have had a late start on getting things planted with our weather being unseasonably cool. 

My hubby is not the handy type, but he has his moments.  He whipped up these 2 raised garden beds for me, right up next to the house.

I am not the perfect gardener and that is not my focus on this year's garden.  It may have been the tomatoes that had priority in the beginning but the focus quickly changed to be far more important - my children.  This year I am making a giant effort in teaching my kids about gardening, eco-systems, bugs and all that goes with seeing live things and their purposes.  

T

The morning my four year old discovered earthworms, touched my heart.  Yes, he has seen worms, bugs, spiders, et al., but this was far different.  It was a REAL earthworm, like the ones I remember growing up in the midwest in large numbers.  I cannot remember the last time I saw one here in Texas.  I had cleared my bamboo forest (long story best for another time) which at one time was my salsa garden.  My hubby had brought home some mint from work (yanked up by the roots) so I took baby doll out to pop them in the ground of the old garden.  As I dug the holes I found two very healthy and beautiful earthworms.  I called my son over and he let me place it in his hand without any squeemy-ness (sp?) he was just fascinated.  He carried both to our new garden and let them go, he watched them bury themselves as he talked the into the new garden.

 The kids have been a great help, each checks on the plants everyday.  Their wonderment has been the best about the whole project.  I just pull that to the forefront of my mind whenever they want to HELP a little too much.  ;-)  
When we were planting, I finally was able to let go and just say, go for it, scatter them where they land.  Mostly they were the marigold seeds which are now scattered patchwork style through out the garden.  We now have a few baby tomatoes peeking out, radishes that the kids fret over, 'cause something is eating at their leaves.  Funny, since my kids won't eat radishes but....they are their radishes.  We go out every several days and make a game of trying to identify the plants coming up.  Finding this fun and educational, it is amazing what a child picks up, and remembers.

PLANTED

Tomatoes (5), 2-types of Carrots, French Breakfast Radishes, Cucumbers, Jalepeno, Anaheim, Rosemary, Parsley, Basil, Coriander, Snow peas, Sugar Snap Peas, Ky Green Beans, Garlic, Celery, Oregano, and of course Marigolds.

Crocodiles Ahead!

For back to school night I whipped up this little crocodile for Sterling's teacher.  The class mascot is ?? you guessed it.

I saw the tutorial on Sew4Home.  Several of the parents asked if I could make another one for them.   Okay, on my list, it is always a great compliment for someone to ask you to make them one for whatever craft you have just displayed.

Monkeys, crocs and bears - Oh My!

Yes!  School finally starts on Monday.  Just to add a little fun to their school supplies we decorated with vinyl.  I had Blackbord or Coffee colored vinyl to work with and since the kids classroom mascots were monkeys and crocodiles everything worked.

 I cut and they stuck.  It is interesting to identify each child's decorating style.  Tori had everything lined up and matching, very consistently cute.  Sterling on the other hand had a story to tell with every folder.  He had crocs following the leader, crocks going swimming, crocks fighting and the mother breaking them up......LOL.  I am so glad they enjoyed it, I give a little giggle remembering the afternoon.

Mommy also got a little vinyl crafting in also.....

 Since my littlest is a pre-reader I put a little teddy bear visual on his Graham cracker treats.....Yes, I did notice I spelled Graham wrong on my label, but no one at my house has noticed.  I replaced my tape labels on most of my pantry goods.  Look'n pretty good in there.  I am trying to take on thought of 'If it is worth doing, it is worth doing cute' which I read some where earlier this month.

Special Thanks

Finally recovering from vacation, we all know that catch up things.  One special friend of my Aunt made a thoughtful offer by giving us a guest pass to the lake. Kentucky had the hottest Summer on record and a swim in the lake was life saving for moms with kids.  Elk lake is one of the few swimming holes in their area and it is private access.  My kids thought it was way cool to swim in a lake with a real beach, and watch the skiers and boats go by.  Here is the card I whipped up for her.  The digi is by Mo, colored in Copic markers.

Tuesday's Child by Mo Manning has to be my favorite of all my digital stamps.

Great idea to share!

I just had to share this idea.  I cannot believe someone hasn't started mass producing these.  I was surfing my usual blogs and Dana posted this tutorial that I love!


For her full tutorial and credits to her friend who inspired the tutorial go HERE.

Craft'n with the boys.

I saw Audra's post on her blog and thought this would be a great thing for my kids and I to do with our under used crayons.  My daughter bailed on us but my boys and I melted what crayons I could dig up (yep, all of them).  I think I had more fun than they did.  Miller (3) help take the paper off and break up the crayons.  Sterling (7) did most of the breaking up and cupping the crayons.  I was the only one that let blood.  Sterling was unscathed but Miller stuck the fingers of one hand into the cooling crayons, luckily it had cooled down well enough that it was just a little sting.

Valentine Colors

In the oven we go

Sterling, cutting the crayons

Artist at work

Our haul of the day

Mommy and the boys also worked on this year's Valentines.  I saw a cute match box idea on the web.  I figured I could make my own matchboxes on a large scale, 3" sq by 1" deep out of on-hand supplies.

Bottom part of the match boxes.

Even Miller got in on the action

 I just love that my kids enjoy crafting and seem to have the knack for it.

Friday - Project finished!

Yeah, finished project Friday.

I popped into Hancock Fabrics looking for wool felt (they did not have) but they had this adorable fabric.  Just had my dear daughters name all over it.  I was able to whip up this little skirt for her this afternoon using a simple tutorial by Dana at Made.  

It is a double skirt, with a pink polka-dot lower skirt.  I even dug out my rolled hem foot for my Pfaff and learned how to use it.  I am so proud of myself.  YEAH ME!

I also had a upcycle project I completed today which was semi-successful.  I am sure this bag will come in handy, and I will make another with a tweak or two.

I have no idea what the logo is on the front, I picked up the t-shirt at Savers for $0.99 but it had good body.  It is a market bag made out of 2 t-shirts, cool huh?