Where, What and When

Where have I been? What have I been doing? When did all this happen?

Completely understandable questions. It has been quite a while since I last posted anything on this blog. My last blog post was in December 2013(!) Since then we have been pretty busy with life and I am by no means complaining.

In February 2014 we welcomed our second child and daughter, Leah. Leah is such a blessed addition to our family, but she also didn't like to sleep much. In the spring of 2014 we were also planning our move from South Carolina to Georgia. We made the move that summer and spent the rest of 2014 settling in our new home and getting used to being a family of four.

Moving into 2015 we were just feeling like we were getting adjusted to life in a new place. Robert and I had a fantastic ten day trip to South Africa in March. We were celebrating our upcoming fifth wedding anniversary. I cannot say enough good things about South Africa. We love it and we would love to go back many more times.

April 2015 we found out that (surprise) we were expecting our third child! While we were all very excited, I was also a little (read a lot) overwhelmed at the thought of three children under the age of three. I can certainly testify to God's grace in so many ways and the transition to three children has not been too difficult.

We welcomed our third child, our first son, George in December of 2015. What a sweet blessing George is to our family. He is so loved by his two big sisters, Emma and Leah. His parents think he's pretty great too.

All these wonderful things mentioned are definitely not the only things occupying our time for the last two and a half years, but probably the biggest and most rewarding. As wonderful and full as our life is I didn't have a priority in blogging. Though I still found time to cook, sew, read, and create.

Hear me when I say, blogging will still not be a huge priority in my life. I know my children are growing and changing faster than I even realize. Life is busy and it goes quickly. However part of the reason I want to start blogging again is to record God's goodness and grace in my life. I'm in a new season of life. God has given me a love for creating and making. I also have a desire to share those things with others. I've had times when I had an etsy shop, sold in markets, taken custom orders, and shared in other ways the things that I was creating. All that I do is only by the grace of God and in this season I'm going to share it via this blog.

I want to remember my children's littleness and the fun things I got to cook for them and make for them. Practically I want to remember how I made some things and be able to reproduce them again. I want to remember meaningful books and the fun ones too. I want a place to put thoughts and ideas into writing. Maybe I'll inspire someone else to make something. Maybe I'll help someone else going through similar things. Maybe you'll be able to encourage me. Maybe no one will read this except myself. All of that is just fine!

I hope you enjoy walking through life with me here. Please make this blog a conversation and share what you are making and how God is working and creating in your life.

So without further ado, let me get things moving again and catch up just a bit..........

Here are a few of my favorite things that I made in the last two and a half years. I hope if you like something and are curious about it that you will ask! I might be able to make it for you or tell you how you can make it for yourself.

Note cards and envelopes for a local market I participated in.

An oliver+s dress I made for Leah

Baprons, maybe my best seller and favorite thing to sew and give.

Definitely the most requested Bapron.

The bandana bib started as a favor for a friend. It grew into a favorite thing to sell at market

Snow much fun to be one! Leah's first birthday party

Fabric state maps. I had so much fun creating custom fabric state maps for a local Mom's group fundraiser.

George's Christmas stocking. All three kids have quilted stockings using the same fabric. They all look different but they all coordinate.

Christmas 2014 we started doing advent with our children. Each envelope has a scripture telling the Christmas story. This past year we also had a puzzle piece in each envelope. Each piece has a magnet on the back so it could be put together on the refrigerator. The entire puzzle is a picture of the nativity.

A boy playtime and tummy time quilt.

George's baby quilt.

George has an Explorer's theme nursery

A wreath for the hospital door and our home to welcome our sweet little boy.

Baby mittens.

Maybe my favorite project in the last 2 years. Unique fabric scrap map of the United States of America.

I'm sure I'm forgetting even some of my favorite things, which is precisely why I'm excited about coming back to the blog! Stay posted, I promise the next post won't take me two and a half years to write.

Leah's Bedding

Well it's been a while since I've blogged here, but I promise that isn't for lack of making things. Mostly I've just been lacking time. I've made several things for other people, but most recently I made our second little girl's bedding. Leah is expected to arrive sometime in February and I really wanted to have her bedding done before Christmas. I put it off and got fabric late, and then I put it off some more. This pregnancy could be summarized in one word, procrastination. Tuesday I decided I had procrastinated long enough and that her bed skirt and blanket would be done before I went to bed. It led to a late night but start to finish, it all happened Tuesday. This is the final result.

The fabric is Modern Roses by Stephanie Ryan. I saw the fabric earlier in the Fall but it wasn't released until almost Thanksgiving. I loved it so much when I first saw it I decided to wait for it, and I didn't bother looking at anything else. Some people have asked if I used a pattern and the answer is no. In so many ways I think things like bedding is much easier to make up as you go along and it becomes exactly what you want. In fact I often say that I sew cute fun things, not practical things and the reason is probably because I would have to use a pattern when sewing practical things. Therefore I use patterns very little.

I'm excited to have at least one thing checked off of the "anticipating baby" to do list. This literally might be the only thing. Funny how things change with baby number 2. Regardless if I get anything else done before Leah's arrival I'm so excited to meet her and welcome her into our family. Children are such a blessing and being able to make them special gifts is such a little token of my appreciation.

Peach Sorbet

Emma and I stopped by our local seafood mart, Captain Crusty's, yesterday. Despite the name sounding kind of gross, the seafood is excellent. After buying the shrimp that was on my list, I bought some delicious peaches, that were not on my list. I couldn't resist the basket full of peaches knowing that peach season is almost over. Our entire family loves to eat peaches just the way they are.  Unfortunately I had already bought lots of other different fruit the day before that we also need to eat. Needless to say I needed to find something to do with the peaches.
I wasn't feeling the traditional peach recipes. No cobbler or pie for us this week. Instead I started thinking of my new love of the summer, sorbet. We received this ice cream maker from my parents for our first anniversary and too be honest we haven't used it much until this year. I found great ice cream recipes, but they were all too rich and it took us way to long to finish them. This summer I decided to try my hand at sorbet and so far it has been a hit. We've had raspberry sorbet and lemon-basil sorbet, so why not peach sorbet!?
I started searching pinterest (of course) and the internet for peach sorbet recipes. There are a ton! Most were peach and something else, like basil or lavender. I just wanted plain peach sorbet. Finally I decided to just make something up on my own. I compiled several different recipes for ideas and measurements, but then I got in the kitchen and just kind of made it up.

Here is the recipe for the best peach sorbet! (that I have ever made...)

1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of water
juice of one small lemon
1 tbs of dark rum*
1 1/2- 2lbs of peaches (about 4 medium sized peaches)

*The dark rum is completely optional. It won't hurt your sorbet to leave it out. I discovered that if you put just a little bit of liquor in your sorbets it doesn't freeze rock hard. That way you don't bend spoons or have to wait 15 minutes for your sorbet to thaw before you can serve it. Additionally, you won't be able to taste that small amount of liquor especially if it is something like vodka. I used dark rum because we had it and I thought it would be a good flavor combination with peaches, but you have to have a pretty sensitive palate to taste it.

First dissolve your sugar in your water in a small saucepan on low-medium heat. Making a simple syrup.
While your simple syrup is coming together, cut and pit your peaches. You can just cut the peaches into wedges and remove the pit. Don't bother removing the skin of the peaches.
Once the peaches are all cut, throw them into your food processor. Pulverize those bad boys until they are as pureed as they can possibly be. (It should look like baby food)
Take your pureed peaches and pour them into a strainer over a mixing bowl. Using a spatula force the liquid into the bowl, leaving most of the skin and chunks in the strainer. Some skin and chunks will make it into the bowl and that is ok.
Add the lemon juice to the bowl of the pureed peaches and place the mixture in the refrigerator.
Once your simple syrup has come together allow it to cool completely. (Sometimes I pour mine into a measuring cup and let it sit in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to help it cool faster)
When the syrup has cooled, pour it into your peach mixture and also add your rum at this time (if you are using liquor).
Mix everything together and pour it into your ready ice cream maker.
Our ice cream maker takes about 15 minutes for sorbet to have the right consistency. Keep in mind that your sorbet will firm up more once it is put in an air tight container in the freezer.
Next, enjoy!

This recipe made about 1 quart of sorbet.

My only regret. Not knowing to make this at the beginning of peach season..... until next year.

A little girl's apron

My friend asked me if I could make her niece an apron for her upcoming birthday. Her niece loves to help in the kitchen and was turning four. What a perfect gift idea! I really wanted to help, but we were about to leave for a trip and I had no idea what size to make for a four year old. No problem. My friend measured her son who she thought would be comparable in size and I quickly went to the fabric store and got started.

My friends only requests were that it be a full apron and girly. She also said her niece liked the color pink. When I got home with the fabric I decided to make it reversible. It was a fun project and I can't wait to make one for Emma. I hope she liked it and more importantly I really hope it fit!

Cutie Pie!

Last week with the help of some dear friends a "Cutie Pie" baby shower was thrown for two precious friends and their little girls. Lauren and Abby our each expecting a "cutie pie" little girl in June.

The theme of the shower was Cutie Pie! We had pies (sweet and savory) for our food and Nicole Moses worked out decorating onesies for an activity. I hope Lauren and Abby enjoyed their shower as much as I enjoyed getting things ready for it!

                   

                         

Cooper's Bedding

I told you I had some projects I was working on and this was the first. My sweet nephew (to be), Cooper needed some bedding. My sister Brit picked out the fabric she liked, I ordered it and then it sat for more than a month. I kept saying I was going to work on it but kept putting it off. I'm learning that with a now mobile child sewing has to be a planned kind of thing. Then a couple of weeks ago my sister sent me a picture of their crib and I knew I needed to get to work.
Since I live in South Carolina and my sister lives in Chicago I had been planning on sending the bedding when it was finished, because I didn't want them to wait until we visit (after Cooper's birth) in June. Some of Brit's (awesome) friends gave a baby shower for Cooper and I was so sad that I wouldn't be able to fly in for it. The night that my sister sent me the picture of the crib it was a little more than a week to the shower. Something came over me and I decided as soon as I put Emma to bed I would start and finish Cooper's bedding. I'm pleased to say (for a still pretty beginner seamstress) it took me a total of about 4 hours to complete a crib skirt and blanket. I put it in the mail the next morning to one of her friends giving the shower. The bedding arrived in time for the shower, and they really like it! Success!
I did everything in such a rush I didn't take any pictures along the way or even of the finished product, but my sister was gracious enough to send me pictures of the true finished product. (she takes much better pictures as it is)

 The fabric is from Carousel Designs. I would highly recommend them for fabric or bedding. There fabric is top notch and is a good price. The crib skirt and front of the blanket is "Stella Chevron" and the back of the blanket "Silver Gray Minky".

We can't wait to meet Cooper when he arrives! He is so loved by so many already! Aunt Casey loves you Cooper and I hope you like your blanket!

It's Been A Long Time

It's been entirely too long since I've posted something! I'm slacking on both of my blogs lately. Let me assure you this lack of blogging has not been for lack of making things. I've been busy making things, but I've also been busy chasing around a very mobile (now 10 month old!) baby. I have been doing a horrible job of documenting the things that I have been making, but I've promised myself to do better. 

My last post was in October! Since then I've made some more baby bedding for a friend of mine that had twins. They are the sweetest little babies and it was such a joy making them sweet blankets and crib skirts (sorry I don't have a picture of them). The most "making" I did was for a Christmas sale. A friend of mine from church hosted a Christmas Gifting Party. The idea was to help her friends that have "at home" businesses and to raise money to support our churches mission effort in Africa. Each participant selected a certain amount of their proceeds to be donated to our church's mission fund. I wasn't able to attend the sale but I gladly sent some things along.

I made a bunch of baprons and burp cloths, some paci clips, a few adult kitchen aprons (half and full covering), Christmas hand towels, and felt ornaments. I had so much fun working on all these projects leading up to Christmas, plus it was a great way to raise money for a great cause and be reminded the true meaning of Christmas.

This was my sale table

I had so much fun with all the different fabric

I made several felt ornaments this year. The poinsettias were my favorite.

I even made little tags for all of my merchandise.

The next special project I worked on for Christmas was a Christmas stocking for Emma. I ordered some fabric, with enough to make several more stockings (for future children). The plan is to use the same kind of fabric but quilt future stockings in different ways, so that each child's stocking coordinates but is unique as well. My mom cross stitched Emma's name on the top (it wasn't sewn on yet in the picture), which she had done for mine and my sister's stockings when we were little. Such a special stocking that  can be used for many years to come!

Such a sweet addition to our mantle this year!

I'm currently busy making baby bedding for my sister's little boy due in May! We are so excited to be welcoming, Cooper in to the family. I can't wait to meet him. I'll be sure to post pictures of his baby bedding. I'm also working on Emma's 1st birthday, "Our Little Miss Sunshine is Turning 1" and a "Cutie Pie" themed baby shower. It's going to be a busy spring, but I'm so excited to sew and glue!