Polka Dot Pretties Aprons Sent

I joined Shawnee's Flirty Apron Swap. The theme for this swap was polka dot pretties. The aprons had to include polka dots. You also had to include a new cookbook for your partner. Polka dots, aprons and a cookbook how could I not join this swap?!!!
I finished my apron before spring break started. I was so excited to find that my partner had a young daughter. Nature Girl and I have been lucky to receive surprise mother and daughter aprons in a few of the apron swaps I've been in. Nature Girl was so excited to receive a surprise apron and we love wearing our matching aprons! I decided to share the apron love and made matching mother daughter aprons for my partner and her daughter.

This is what I sent to Alice and her daughter. Check out some of the other polka dot pretties aprons here. I had a great time sewing and wanted to sew more so I signed up for the Hot Mama's Apron Swap and The Great Apron Swap of 2010.

Technical difficulties

Sorry but we're experiencing some technical difficulties. The links to my tutorials aren't working. Hopefully all will be well in a few days. Technology is a great thing when it works and frustrating when it doesn't!
In the meantime here are few pictures of Nature Girl. This is the outfit and hat she picked out to wear for crazy hat day at school. Isn't she cute?!!

Winter Fun

Today we went out on a mountain in Vermont for a ski and snowboarding event. None of us ski or snowboard but we had fun tubing. Nature Girl has always been a bit hesitant when it comes to sledding, even down our little hills at home. Needless to say she wasn't sure about the tubing hill. It was pretty big and those tubes go REALLY fast! We talked her into going and she had a great time! While we were on the mountain Nature Girl got to have her picture taken with the Yeti. She thought it was great!
I enjoyed the fresh air but the 5 minute walk from the car to the tubing hill reminded me why I don't ski or participate in outdoor winter sports . . . . it's way to cold!!!

Look Who's 6!

Look who turned 6! Here she is in her new 6 tee shirt.

Nature Girl celebrated her 6th birthday with a surprise party at Build A Bear. She had a great time and made a new puppy, which she named Pup. Everyone had fun and they all left with a new stuffed friend. One of my nephews told me he loved his dalmatian so much that it almost made him cry. I thought that was so sweet!

Happy Birthday Nature Girl!

Cheap Hot Mamas Apron Swap

Val over at Yarnigras hosted the Cheap Hot Mamas Apron Swap. The idea was to create an apron without spending any money. This is what I received from Madelyn. She made matching aprons for Nature Girl and I. I just love mother daughter aprons!!! So does Nature Girl! She refused to take hers off for the picture. She begrudgingly let me photograph the stickers and necklace making kits but informed me that she was not taking off her apron!


Madelyn made our aprons to be reversible. This is my favorite way to make aprons, as it's a two for one, so what's not to love. This is one of the sides. Notice the chocolate frosting on Nature Girl's sleeve? She helped frost birthday cupcakes before school Friday morning. The worst part is I didn't know she had frosting on her sleeve and sent her to school like that!


This is the reverse side. I can't decide which side I like the best. I love red, black and white together so it's hard to decide. I just love both sides! Thank you Madelyn!!! We love our aprons, they're perfect for us! And thank you for the goodies too!


This is the apron I finished to send to my partner. It's from a Tea Party Apron pattern by the apron lady. I didn't even cheat as I used fabric from my stash and the pattern was purchased with a gift certificate so I didn't spend any money. Hopefully my partner will like the apron. I had fun sewing and I think my sewing machine was happy to see me again!

Snow Day

This week we had a much needed snow day! Nature Girl and I had a great day. We hung out a home and enjoyed our time together. We baked fresh bread for lunch, made outrageous cookie bars and holiday pretzel twists. And for once I didn't do even one little bit of school work for a day! It was wonderful!
While we did bake on our snow day my sewing machine is still lonely as we haven't spent any time together in months. I did get to help Beth from Weepereas with her baby shoe tutorial a while back. I had a great time working on the tutorial even though I didn't get to do any sewing. Tutorials are the best. It's like combining teaching, lesson plans and crafts . . . what a great combination. I had fun working on it! You have to check out Beth's Etsy shop. She has some amazing things in her shop. I just love her fabric choices! While you're there check out the baby shoe tutorial she has for sale. Maybe you'll even find some last minute Christmas gifts.

There are Witches in the Air

Nature Girl has had fun decorating the house for Halloween. We have window clings on all of the glass doors and Halloween decorations and trinkets all over the house. She loves her holidays! This is a little witch she drew. I just love her art work! I stumbled on this one in a pile of papers on the table. I knew immediately what it was, a witch flying on her broomstick. Isn't it a cute little witch?

Speaking of witches. We received our Witches swap package last week. It's this amazing Halloween pocket made by Melinda. She is an artist with fabric! To read more about it or to see some of the other items sent and received in the swap check here.