Mother's Day Photo Shoot ***Edited****

***Edited 5/17/11 too add pictures as orginal slideshow didn't come through***

I really, really wanted a family picture taken before baby #2 makes her debut...but everytime I scheduled the hubby said his family was branding that day.  Then he said he thought we should wait until after baby was born....so I got myself a mother's day gift and had Josh and my pictures taken....gotta say I wish my double chin and pregnancy weight gain weren't so evident...but I loved the experience and how the pictures turned out.

Grandmas will be getting updated pictures for Mother's Day :)

***Pictures by Leslie Bohle.  Check out her work at BohleImages.com ***

One step closer to crafting

***Edited to add pictures of fabrics & project***

I was talking to my mom about learning how to sew, she gave me a funny look and told me she never enjoyed it...and then gave me her sewing machine and everything she has to go with it !!!  I had told my hubby I was going to start getting lessons from his grandma, but was hesitant to buy a sewing machine until I knew I would actually use it.  (Insider story: my MIL made my FIL buy her an expensive fancy sewing machine when they first got married that apparently is rarely used and is a source of complaint to this day)

So I also had scored a deal on fabric from http://www.girlcharlee.com/ and caught a sale at a fabric store when visiting my sister.  My mom had me drop off the sewing machine to get oiled and adjusted, a basic service job to make sure it was working properly.  So soon I will have my own sewing machine and projects to begin!  I did a tally last week and realized that besides me, I know of 19 other people having babies in 2011 ! Technically 5 have already had their babies, so I better kick it into gear with presents for the baby boom.

From Local Fabric Store

Jersey Knits from GirlCharlee.com

More from GirlCharlee.com

Lycra from GirlCharlee.com

As I am a beginner I'm going to start with burp clothes, I figure it doesn't matter as much if the seams aren't perfect and it is a useful gift. Wish me luck, I will post pictures as soon as I get my sewing machine back from the shop and get a chance to take it for a spin.

1st sewing project: Burp Rag

Future Projects I am dying to try

Okay, so whilst browsing around in blogworld I came across a few tutorials that I want to try and make.  Hopefully I can get somewhere and pick up some material.  I'm going to see if I can arrange for my MIL or SIL to help watch Josh while I get some sewing lessons from my G-MIL.  I would love to say one night a week get a babysitter, but I have a feeling Great Grandma probably wants to see my little urchin - so maybe come along and visit/baby watcher help would be more appropriate.

Anyway, things I want to try: (sorry no pictures, but I will definitely post them after making them)

1)Baby seat cover: totally want one for my new bundle, and possibly my baby present gifts to the other 6 mommas-to-be i know of
http://www.make-it-do.com/sew-it/baby-car-seat-cover-tutorial/

2)Baby Shoes:
out of jeans:
http://www.prudentbaby.com/2010/01/diy-baby-shoes-recycled-from-old-jeans.html

out of cloth:
http://www.allcrafts.net/f.php?url=stardustshoes.blogspot.com/2006/10/cloth-shoe-pattern.html
http://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/blog/cloth_shoe.pdf

out of soft leather: I loved Robeez for Josh - but the price - ouch!
http://www.allcrafts.net/f.php?url=www.chloetoesboutique.com/store/WsPages.asp?ID=5


3)Baby Bath Apron: would be great for the new little baby, as I'm sure he/she will be getting plenty of kitchen sink baths :)
http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/bath-apron?lnc=234d758a65cee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=taxonomylist_crafts_crafts-for-babies

4)Lined Canvas Bins (from Diaper Boxes!): I have really wanted canvas lined storage, but balk at the price everytime, then I came across these.  You have to check them out - adorable, and made from empty diaper boxes - which I have a ton of!
http://www.positivelysplendid.com/2011/02/lets-make-something-together-lined.html

5)Lots of nursery ideas: toying with the idea of making my own bedding for the new baby
http://kindredspiritmommy.com/diy-sewing-for-your-babys-nursery-tutorial-roundup-part-1/

A few other sites I found inspiration from and may be trying out new ideas from:
http://www.make-your-own-baby-stuff.com/
http://www.made-by-rae.com/

Superbowl Sunday

I have been a fan of the Green Bay Packers since I was 3 years old, and I have not wavered in my fan hood (expect for in junior high when I wanted an Eagles jacket because I didn't want the same coat as my sister).  I was still a Green Bay fan, but I also had nothing against the Eagles and liked their colors, I adopted them as a team I could cheer for unless they were playing my team.

My father doesn't like sports and hates football, my mom loves all sports and is a Steelers fan.  However, because my Great Grandma used to babysit Jerry Kramer (played for the Packers in the '60s) many locals were fans and didn't discourage my love of the Cheeseheads...but even with that neat little tie in, that was not how I picked my team.  Ole Rolandson owned a John Deere dealership and I thought he was the coolest person in the world, he shared hero status with only my Grandpa Coleman and my father.  When I rode along with dad on a parts run, Ole would let me sit on the JD lawnmowers and pretend to drive, and he would hit the vending machine hard with his fist and hand me a free pop.  The vending machine was old and still had the glass bottles that you had to drink the pop at the store and put the empty bottle back in crate, where the bottles would be washed and re-used.  But I digress, I loved the Packers because their colors were green and yellow the same as  John Deere's colors...and I was convinced that Ole owned them both.

My son is destined to be a Packers fan as well, I am determined of this....and after 13 years my team made it to the Superbowl so I did the only natural thing....I threw a Superbowl Party! 

I dressed my little man head to toe in Packers gear, minus the Cheesehat Eric wouldn't let me order for him. 

I made super nachos, bacon wrapped lil' smokies, shrimp crescent rollups, chips and 4 kinds of dip, virgin margaritas (the pregnant lady doesn't provide alcohol) fruit cups, pop & juice.

Josh helped me clean house and then decorate for the party...Our styles are a bit different however, he did have fun unraveling the roll of toilet paper and covering our whole house in it.

The party was a success, and with a Green Bay victory our house was a happy place last Sunday.  Josh paid no attention to the game what so ever, but loved going around bumming food and dancing to the music during half time. 

God, Family, and Football ~ Vince Lombardi

My First Blog

A co-worker has gotten me hooked on reading blogs, and because I am also wannabe crafter she also informed me that I can create a blog to follow other blogs for inspiration.  Just the other day we were talking about getting lost in blog world, and I decided I will give it a try.

Now I am not much of a writer, but I do love to read and be inspired to create things - hopefully I will be able to move past just mere inspiration and actually move to creation. I am not sure if will be able to blog, but if it works out some of my interests I plan to learn about (and hopefully write about) include:

1) Sewing, my grandma-in-law lives one block away and was a seamstress for the little town I now live in. I moved with my husband here last summer.  She has also graciously agreed to give me sewing lessons, and gingerbread cookie lessons (her cookies are legendary - mine are dunkers).

2) DIY - my husband and I recently bought a house that was built in the '50s, it is very dated and has an unfinished basement.  There are so many home improvement projects to get my hands on in making this house our home.

3) Cooking - don't get me wrong, I can cook.  But I yearn to try and experience new things and to be the person coming to a potluck or get together where people say, "I hope she brings..." "You have never had ____ until you have had hers", or "I've never would have thought to try this, but now I'm hooked".  Now  I realize that sounds a bit of a self-centered goal, but I'm okay with that. I married into a family of amazing cooks, who love to host and have their guests rolling out when they leave.  I want to be able to fit in and move beyond the responsibility of bringing the relish tray.

4) Parenting - I am the mother of a 15 month old boy with a 2nd baby due the end of May.  Parenting is a never ending learning journey that I am just embarking on. Which also ties into my deisre of learning how to sew and make things, instead of buy things for my children....not that I have anything against shopping ;)