Bunny Bunting

 One of the many things on my get caught up list was to put our tee ball/park basket together. Picnic quilt, bottle water, brush/hair pretties, wipes, snacks, bug spray, sunscreen, and a to go first aide kit. We are all set for some spring outings now

 Delivered 16 pillowcases for the One Million Pillowcase Challenge along with a bunch of other errands

 Finally back home to work on a bunny bunting for the grands. I loaded this photo out of order. sigh..
Want to give one a try, they were sew easy, and cheap as dirt. I used polka dot scraps for mine

1.) Make a sandwich of scrap fabric and leftover batting

 2.) Trace out this cute bunny onto your fabric sandwich. You can download and print here. BTW it's really cute to just print and put in a white frame

 3.) Now satin stitch along the lines

 4.) Cut your bunny out close to the edge without cutting into the stitching

 5.) Time to dress your bunny. You might like a button eye, Pom Pom nose and tail.

 6.) Maybe your like me a plain Jane bunny is just fine.

 7.) Stitch your bunny ears on to a strip of binding.

Done!! So simple but cute.

Wheee, what a day. I can tell you I am glad it's over. Running 101 errands is one of my least favorite things to do. I left home at 9:00AM not to return until after 2:00, most of that time was spent on the roads. :(

Sew happy to have at least on of my charity projects out the door. Sew many more to go. I have been having a heck of a time finding coordinators/drop off points for them all. Sure wish folks would update their web sites :(. There is no way I can even begin to clean out one of the spare bedrooms until I get deliveries made.

Off to bed with a good book, tomorrow will be another full day

Surprise Visitor

  I am donating pillowcase dresses to a friend of a friend for a mission trip coming up in July too the Dominican Republic. While out and about looking for deals on books for Project Night Night I wondered through the linen isle where I found 12 packs of pillow cases. Pillow cases are really hard to find as most are sold with sets of sheets. This was my first visit to an "Ollie's" store, talk about some deals!! It will be my new go to store for childrens books!!!

 How about that price!! By using my scraps/stash to add a bit of pretty I will be able to make up 24 dresses for $1.00 each!! Making pillow case dresses are not on my current to do list but when the time comes I am all set

All day Sunday and Monday was spent trying to get things back in order around the house. While I am not finished yet I do have it on the run. Maybe two more days and things will be back under control. Since I arrived home from vacation things have been topsy turvy, just too much on my MUST DO NOW plate

Is this not the ugliest creature on the face of the earth? How would you like to look up and see one walking in your back door? OH MY I still get the creeps just thinking about it. AJ the beagle and I were snuggling on the sofa Sunday night watching a movie while tieing blankets when out of the corner of my eye something moved. A possum was just peeking its nasty head in the back door, ewwwww I jumped up growling like a mad woman running right at it. One nasty hiss and it was on it's way back out. You better believe I won't be propping open the screen door ever again!!!!

I still have the creeps after chasing that possum out the back door. What in the world I would have done if it had come after me I just don't know. AJ the beagle....she dove a little deeper under her quilt when the action began. I finally gave up on her ever calming down and just took her to bed. Some hunter that dog is!!

What a great two days of uninterrupted, no errands, just let the phone ring couple of days it has been!! If I can stay on track I should have things caught up and in order again. Too many things have been slipping for too long. I hate to have that overwhelmed feeling, knowing I bring most of it on myself is nuts. I do have some running that must be done this week but I have decided Wednesday is the running day. I want one more day to myself concentrating on the home front.

I have a GOOD visitor coming in over the weekend. I want the decks cleared so we can enjoy our time together. Wanna take a guess who gets to have a nice visit at home so soon? Yep, its hubby. The project is in a little bit of a lull for now before he gets too busy to do anything but eat, sleep, and work. Is much as I hate to see the hours he puts in, after years in this business we know it means the end of the project is in sight. I know not to get my hopes too high as there always seems to be another change of plans but this time we have decided he just HAS to have some time at HOME before going off again. That may mean burning a whole lot of vacation days to get the time but he has more than he will ever be able to use until retirement. I am ready for this ship to have a two man team!!

Back to the task at hand, more sorting, list making, planning, and merry making for today.

Saturday Stuff

 At the last minute yesterday morning DD#1 needed a bow hanger for the shower she was hosting in the afternoon. I still had a small piece of  fabric the new Mommy used for babies nursery leftover from the bunting I had made for her.

 One bow hanger for Miss L

 While picking up the wooden letter for the bow hanger I found this blank hat. Humm why not make Miss L a girlie baseball hat.

 Then on to Tyler's game

 Karsyn was rocking her new hoodie

  Mason entertained us all running around as always with a big smile on his face.

 I left the game early to set the shower up for DD#1.  The Mommy to be loved her collection of hand made bibs

 The food and tables were a hit, so dainty and peaceful

I am loving these painted then distressed mason jars

 

All of this activity followed by dinner out for a GF's Birthday had me wanting to just crawl under the table for a nap last night! Today will be a SLOW day for me!! A load or two of laundry, clean up the mess of last minute sewing yesterday morning then on to the sewing room, I need to tackle the huge mess it is in once again.

 

It seems like all I have done this past week is make a mess, clean up a mess, make another mess, then clean up once more. I have PILES of charity sewing completed that needs to go out the door. Delivering all these sewn with love piles is my main focus for next week. I am so far behind inputting charity receipts its not funny. That too needs to be caught up and organized. Last but not least I need a few hours to sit and reflect, prioritize, plan, and come up with a reasonable schedule for our charity commitments. I am close to over extending myself... Hubby will hopefully be finishing up in TX soon. My free time will be cut drastically when he is home full time (we can only hope)

 

I know I want to continue with each and every one of the charities but I can't continue at the pace I have been going. Spring looks to be here for good, the garden and yard are both out of control, just keeping up with the outside work can be a full time job!

 

Does anyone have any tips to share on how you organize yourself to give back but still meet all your commitment's at home?

Spring

 Hubby's cherry tree is putting on her spring show. I just love a show off in the spring!

 She is just loaded in tiny blooms

The perfect place for a little girl to run laps

 

The windows are wide open to give the pollen a place to settle wherever it chooses all over the house. My blue car has a nice film of yellow to cover the dirt from our mountain trip. Last but certainly not least Tee ball starts tomorrow. Yep it's spring in the south!

 

 

Hunting Bargains

  I spent the entire morning yesterday looking for a good deal on summer tops for the little girls to deck out with all of the embroidery designs I have stitched out. After striking out at three different stores I ended up at Gymboree where they had a 50% off sale in addition to earning Gymboree bucks.

 Five Easter shirts complete two more to go!! As with other shirts I have fancied up for the grands I basted these designs on so I can remove the baskets after Easter then replace them with something else. I have lots of something else's ready to go!!

 One stop that wasn't a total waste of time was Wally World where I found these no sew blanket kits marked down to $7.00 each!! Yippee I was also able to finish off items for hubby's Easter basket, mark one more thing off my to do list.

One of our spare bedrooms has been taken over by Project Night Night! I need to find someplace better to store this what I hope to be an ongoing charity project. This is only part of what I have been able to stash back. The sewing room has piles of fleece waiting to be turned into blankets for the kiddo's.

I need a vacation. I know, I know, I just returned home from a vacation but it was a NO sleep vacation! After 5 days of hanging out with my GF getting no more than 4 hours sleep each night I hit the driveway full steam ahead having Kara for the next 3 days, a baby shower for DD#3, Kara back again, and one day to catch up on everything that had to be caught up after vacation. Yesterday was get errands done, finish up some of the in progress to do's, deliver kitchen and office window treatment to DD#1, inventory Project Night Night items, and make a plan for the next 4 days of grands, tee ball, housework.......See I told you I need a vacation.

The last stop of the day was at Barnes and Noble to purchase one of the Downton Abby books I have had my eye on, gotta love GC's! Since I was already in the store figured I might as well pick up a new Easter book for the grands holiday collection. In the back of my mind I knew there was something else I should purchase but for the life of me I couldn't remember. As soon as I walked in the Project Night Night storage/bedroom I remembered I needed 6 books to go along with the stuffed puppies I found on sale last week :) I think I am going to have to start carrying my notebook with me when I am out and about!

Here is the update on Project Night Night. I have still not had the time to get a group of ladies together to work on blankets Sunday evenings. Every ones schedule's are filling up with vacations, yard work and all that jazz something is always standing in the way, I don't expect things to slow down now that our weather has finally taken a turn for the GOOD! I am rethinking the plan....I may end up just working on the blankets Sunday evenings with an open invitation to whoever wants to join in. For the others who would like to be a part of providing the totes to the kiddo's but don't have the time I am going to hit them up for some cold hard CASH. I am fortunate to have a bit more time to shop around for good deals. I can make their money go a long, long way.

The inventory:
20 totes
31 completed blankets
21 stuffed animals
16 new books

I still need 6 more books, print out the labels, stuff the bags, then deliver them to the shelter. Our oldest grand Tyler who is seven will be recruited along with our DD's to finish the task. We have not done an all hands on deck family charity project in a long time. The time has come. Ty has the week after Easter off for spring break, that's my target date as our big girls too have that week off. Sounds like a plan, sure hope it works out!! Ha

Off for the morning shower then on to pick up the wild child. We are finally able to go to the park in the mornings, what a difference a week makes. Last week at this time we had spitting snow, yesterday it was 84 degrees!!

Gadget Grouch

Not my Photo!

 

The pile of cell phones or whatever they are called now days is too me a pile of mostly useless crap! You see I have finally come to the conclusion that I am a gadget grouch. I have known for quite some time I have a HUGE adversion to these devices but today, right here, right now, I am going to share with the world if you are around me you best be tucking that gadget away! Oh ya, and turn off the beeps, dings, or whatever it is that alerts you that someone, someplace might have posted they are getting a pedi.

 

I am not only very anti gadget I am also menopausal. There is a chance I might forget my southern manners and throw your lifeline out the window due to my "condition"

 

Here is what I am sick to death of.

 

On their phone while driving

On the phone in the check out line

On the phone at restaurants or any public place for that matter

On the phone at the family dinner table

On the phone in the restroom

On the phone during your child's sports games

On the phone in church

On the phone during your child's special program at school/church

 

I need to stop, just thinking about all of the places people are pluged in has me reaching for another Doves Dark Chocolate.

 

I had a friend who invited me to lunch one day not long ago whom I had not seen in too long a time. We chatted for a very short time before she checked her gadget that was sitting right beside her fork. No excuse me, or hold on a second let me check something, she just started scrolling away checking her text messages, FB, e-mail, tweeter, or whatever it is people feel sustains their life these days. How rude!! As our meal was delivered she was still at it, laughing at whatever it was she was reading, typing away with a big old smile on her face. She never acknowledge the server, thanked her for the food or even looked up. She did finally put her gadget down to shove in a bite or two before the gadget binged again, she was then back at it.

 

I sat for awhile quietly eating....then my "condition" started to kick in. Once the "condition" gets going its hard to tame the beast that's within. I had three choices, release the beast, give her the "look", or just finish the meal as quickly as I could and get the heck outa there.

 

I never had the chance to give her the "look" as she never made eye contact while working her gadget and shoving food in her mouth. At one point she did ask a question or try to strike up a conversation but it didn't last long as the bings continued. I finished my meal, got her attintion to say "will you excuse me?" then left. She called later that day to tell me her feelings were hurt that I had "Just left her at the restaurant to eat alone" In the nicest way possible due to my "condition" I tried to explain why I had finished my meal then headed home. I have never, nor will I ever accept another lunch date with her and her gadget, my "condition"  you know. She might not agree with me but she does at least respect my odd "Obsession" Ha

 

During DD#3's baby shower Sunday I noticed DD#2 was holding up a gadget looking into it intently. My "condition" came on so quickly I couldn't stop myself from blurting out DD#2 put the PHONE DOWN with the "Mama ain't happy voice". Come to find out she was taking photo's of her sister opening gifts. My bad. I did apologize to her explaining I forgot phones do more than just make calls these days and ask her to give me a heads up next time. I have a "condition" you know.

 

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy just as much as anyone else the connvenience of cell phones for emergencies or just to let someone know I am running late or some such thing. My cell phone stays in the car. I don't need something beeping, dinging, ringing, or whatever scaring the s... out of me when it goes off as I am eating or shopping. I also have no desire to share with the world at large my private conversations.

 

My cell phone is 12 years old...it's a flip phone...the battery falls out sometimes as Tyler lost the back years ago when he was teething on it (Ty boy is now 7 years old) My phone won't text....I don't need a phone that does text as I couldn't see all those little words without a magnifying glass. My phone doesn't talk to me....I can't ask it questions. I'm OK with that as I don't think I want to converse with a gadget. I don't know if my phone takes photo's as I am afraid to touch any buttons other than the volume. I have a super nice camera to take photos with. I don't know how to turn my phone off, I just remove the battery instead (no back due to toddler remember).

 

I wish Hallmark would come up with a "Gadget Free" holiday. How cool would that be. They could make up some really cute cards that people could send to each other in the MAIL with real WORDS written on them that people WRITE by hand!!!!

 

I must close now as I feel my "condition" is kicking in. Time to get this day started gadget free!!!

 

 

 

 

Simple Stuff

 Kara and I found a nice pile of carrots in the garden that had survived winter. Tyler and Kara are our garden buddies, they love to pick and eat from the garden.

 Kara is checking out her carrots for bugs. She was sure there was a big o bug somewhere to play with.

 Then a taste test. Yuck! carrots that have been in the ground all winter don't taste too good.

 After I drug her in the house to rest my feet she played for a whole lot longer than I thought she would with Nanny's new "Memory lane" toys

 More memories from way back when. Our girls would play with these "Calico Critters" all over the house. On tables, under tables, a quite corner, under the bed covers at night, lots of critter adventures so many years ago :)

Now as then the cute little houses stand empty, not a critter in sight.

 

A GF and I hit Toys R Us Saturday night looking for an oversize stuffed animal to put in grand #5 travel system for the baby shower on Sunday. Going in a toy store is the kiss of death for my budget, I'm always finding something I had no idea we needed :)

 

While I didn't find what I was looking for I did run into the "Calico Critter" display in the retro toy section. I had not thought about these sweet toys our girls use to play with for hours on end until I saw that OH MY so cute set up. I had a buggy and some cash........blush.

 

The house's were on the "brown sale" 30 or 40% off (can't remember) The critter sets were on sale buy one get one 50% off. I didn't realize that until after they were in the buggy, sale or no sale they were coming home with me. Honestly I was tempted to back the car up to the front door and buy it ALL!! Do you have any toys that speaks to you? Not in the push a button and it talks sorta way!

 

While watching Kara move around the house with the sweet little critters using her imagination, talking too and for them all I pushed away the sewing pile and just enjoyed hearing her cute voice. here are a few phrases that sticks in my head

 

"you gonna break you neck"

"time out for you"

"I rescue you now"

"That was a close one"

 

I can't wait to have some one on one time with each of the grands to see how they interact with the animals. I am feeling some scrapbook pages coming on! Ha It's been a LONG time since I have had the scrap booking itch.

 

DD#1 remembers these mini beauties as the "Woodland Animals" I was thinking they were called the "Sylvanian Families" who the heck knows. I'm just glad I ran into them so the grands can enjoy some wholesome fun without all the buttons, bells, and whistles of today's toys. Here is a site that gives an overview of "calico Critters" just scroll down a bit to she the description and history. These would make a cute addition to Easter baskets this year, hummm....