Happy Halloween

 Amazing that I'm not still sewing.  In fact, costumes were completed Monday night...yes, almost a full week ahead of schedule.  We have one addition to Sam's costume for tonight, if it works, I'll fill you in.  If it doesn't, pretend you never read the previous sentence.

This week I found a filter on my camera.  Pretty cool, huh?  The original picture is below.  This was a face I found at Micheal's for a buck.  Super cute, they just stick into the candle like a push pin.  Warning...as the candle gets hot and soft, the pieces start to slip.

Amazing the capabilities I've found after reading the manual.

Also, if you look at the top right of my blog you'll see a project I'm going to attempt...a month of gratitude.  Just one photo each day.  We'll see if I can keep up!

My 7-5K-290

 

Sam.

Once you know him, you love him.

He has some quirks, but his heart is big.  One of his quirks is that he doesn't want to show how big his heart really is.

He also doesn't want praise.  Or at least loud, noticeable praise.

 Sam wanted to run a 5K with me. Ever since my first 5K (and my only) my knee hasn't been right.  I didn't want to continue to ruin it, so I stayed off it for a week.  Which turned into two weeks and a month and now it's two months and two days.

 So Sam started running with Tom and they registered for Sam's first 5K, Tom's second.  And they did it.

We weren't allowed to cheer for Sam specifically, but we cheered for Tom.

I only wish he knew how proud I am and how amazing running his first 5K at age 7 really is.

I'll keep reminding him.

Every time he runs.

Breast Cancer

Every item listing in Etsy gets 14 describers.  For this purse above I used:  Bags and Purses; Felt; pink; Musi; vintage pin; small; pod; purse; silver tone; etc.  Then I was left with one more option.  The more you list, the more chances you will be found.  The last one...I entered Breast Cancer.

After I did it, I thought it was odd.  Why did I do that?  Just because it was pink?  Silly.  Yet I left it.

This morning, I got a message from a gal on Etsy.  She is a three time breast cancer survivor and had a double mastectomy and reconstruction on her stomach.  She is having another surgery in January to get nipples.  And she wants to celebrate with a boob purse!

Who better to make a boob purse than WashMyCloth?  I'm really excited about this one.  I love the requests that come with a story.  The stories are the best.

As I write this I wonder if me writing that Breast Cancer description was in some way divine intervention. Yes, I'm sure others could make a boob purse, but for some reason, I'm feeling like someone else was involved in this.  It just feels different.

So my friend, I'll make you the pinkest, cutest boobs with the perfect nipples to take with you on your surgery date next year.

My List

I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately.  Nothing huge going on, just me procrastinating on some items and then freaking out about them every day.  I had to renew the kids' health insurance and for some reason, I kept putting it off.  It only required one quick call for an answer.  Why do I do that?

I was going to tell you about all the crap going on in my life, but who wants to hear about that? I don't even want to write about it.   So here is my other list...my happy list.


1.  My N is sticking on my computer, but it forces me to work my pointer finger a bit harder, therefore increasing my muscle power in that finger.  That is happy.

2.  Missing my niece and nephews birthday party is making me sad, but the reason is that I'm going to Maryland to visit Tom's cousin.  Tom found it odd that I was going to visit HIS cousin and not him.  Maybe he should go visit her, too!  Anyway, we are having readings done by a friend of Kelly's.  I'm very excited, the guy already mentioned to Kelly that he is getting some messages for me.  Happy!

3.  Little Man diagnosed with sinus infection.  Happy because he will hopefully return to his chipper self.  The whining is clearly getting to us all!

4.  WashMyBooty!  I'm having so much fun with this shop.  I purchased a ring at an estate sale (here it is since no one saw it) and sold it by the time I checked back.  Love that!

5.  Photography.  I love taking pictures.  I attempted my first 'shoot' with 9 children ranging in age from 9 to 4 weeks (give or take a year on the high end).  It was tough.  9 kids that know each other and are outside can really get distracted!  But, it was fun.  I definitely learned some things as well.

6.  This blog.  I've been away for a while, and felt that it was a chore and I should write something.  Any you know what?  Now that I have, I feel better.  Again.  Blogging helps me focus.

I hope that you have a great day and remember, everything that causes stress or disappointment, always has something wonderful hidden inside it.

Clowning Asleep

Yesterday, I took the day off to spend with my best boys at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY. If you live around here, you already know it is an amazing place. Every single time we go, we discover something new.  And if you ever come to this area, you must visit Strong.

It was Clown day and everyone got a clown nose. I think we came home with 6 of them.

And when I turned around to check out the quiet kids while waiting to pay the toll, this is what I saw.

This kid makes me smile even when he is sleeping.

And by the way...he denies this ever happened.

J2S3

 

Weddings.

Sometimes a wedding is for family.

Sometimes it's for a spouse's coworker.

Sometimes it's your neighbors.

And then there is a wedding for a kid.

I met Jill when she was in high school.  She was and still is an amazing person.  I was her youth leader at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Buffalo.  If I correctly recall, she was a Freshman when I started and was able to go on all the trips and events.  The above picture was one of our best trips to New Hampshire for hiking and canoeing.  Driving a 15 passenger van in the curving roads in NH isn't the easiest and I have a poor little squirrel to show for it.  He didn't make it under the tires and I couldn't swerve in time.  The kids wrote a song about it.  But I digress.

I have found that kids with names that are extraordinary seem to do better in society.  It may not happen in high school with all the bullying, but I believe that a kid with an odd or unusual name needs to stick up for themselves more and becomes more assertive and steadfast.  They also can have a bit of humor.  My son, Little Man, was named differently or unusually because I love the name and I want him to be proud of who he is and to stand out.

Jill has a last name like that.  Jill S*****((r-S*************r.  That is a mouth full.  We used to kid with Jill that she needed to marry a S*****t.  Then we would sing the song, Jill S*****r S*************r S****tt her name is my name too, whenever we'd go out, the people all would shout, there goes Jill S**********r S*************r S****tt.

Oh, how I wanted to sing that song all day yesterday.

Jill is assertive and self assured, she has been through tragedy, struggles, joys and now love.  Yesterday, she married Joe S****n.

Guess what people....S******n can easily replace S*****tt!  The song shall go on!

But to my main point about Jill.  She wrote me a note 4 months ago asking if I could come to her wedding.  She wrote that I had influenced her life and been an important part of it.  I was flabbergasted.  Firstly, she hand wrote a note!  Secondly, I was a big part of her life?  I think it's sometimes hard for me to realize the impression I've left on someone.  This was amazing.  She is amazing.

So, back to Jill.  I wanted to make her a quilt with their initial on the front.  Well, as you could guess, initials for Jill are a bit complex.  S would work, yet she is S-S.  I was fairly certain she wouldn't drop one.  I emailed her and told her how honored I was to come to their wedding and what are you doing about your name?  She hinted that she may just add S****n.  Wow.  That's a lot.  She and Joe came up with a little abbreviation for them J2S3.  Joe and Jill, and all the S last names.  Quite clever and totally expected from a doctor.  Did I mention Jill is a Doctor?  Amazing young lady.

So J2S3 was it.  I hoped it wasn't a catchy little diddy that would fade in a couple years.  But even the return label's had J2S3 on them, so I was fairly certain we'd be good.

 
 It was a great wedding and lovely reception.  Coincidentally, the wedding and reception were at the same places that Tom and I celebrated our wedding, 11 years ago.

A beautiful day.

Eleven years ago, and yesterday.

Vacation

Two weeks ago, my Mom and my boys went with me to Knox Farm in East Aurora, NY for the Fiber Fest. It was a cool day that got cold quickly.

 They had crafts for the kids.  A woven felt hat.  Adorable.  All the pieces were pre-cut and it was just about weaving and decorating.  I'm glad they had the hats, kind of wish I had one for myself.

I'm going on vacation for the next couple days.  A staycation if you will.

My kids are off, so I thought it'd be fun to be off, too.  Then I just added one day at the end for me.

Me, my sewing machine, my camera and some coffee.

Dish Towels

I may have found a new place to hang our Christmas Stockings.

Not having a fireplace shouldn't stop you from enjoying all the traditions of the holidays.  I made these two stockings from dish towels that I purchased two or three years ago. 

Yes, years ago.  I love how the stockings are hung with the family pictures.  Who needs a mantel?

I just never got to them.  But now, I've perfected my pattern, with one more change to come (bigger foot) and then I hope to add the other stockings to the shop.  This pair is available in my Etsy shop here.

I've been a little absent here as I'm cranking out a wedding gift that I'll show you after I gift it...Sunday is the wedding so I need to get to work.  I did take a couple days off starting tomorrow, so very excited to spend some 'me' time in my studio (aka basement corner).

Apples Apples and More Apples

 Do you have one of these?

Apple peeler, corer and time saver?

This is one of my favorite Fall toys.  Yes, we call it a toy around here.  It's also magic.

It takes something healthy and makes it fun.

 It peels, cores and slices in a cool spiral, just like those expensive hams.

The kids love using it.  I put the apple on and clamp the suction to my stove top and they are on their way.  No more paring knife and mom standing at the kitchen counter for longer than it takes them to eat the apple.  There isn't much waste, either.

And...it is great for pies.

Or crumble, if I'm the one that makes it.  This is the Gluten Free Bisquick Impossible Apple Pie recipe.

It was pretty good.  I might try my own crumble topping, this one needed more butter.

But, what doesn't need more butter?

Apple Picking

This is my buddy Denver.

He went apple picking with us yesterday for his very first time.

He picked some beauties.