Live from Tormville!

An evening jamboree

Uncle George, Todd, Jeff, Curt and my brother Kevin
click the photo to see it larger 

I called Uncle George yesterday morning and said - I dunno, George. Greg left for Chicago - the kids keep acting like they're sick, and I just don't think we're going to make it to the jamboree. 

And he said, Sharyn - you need to make time for yourself too - so make Allan babysit the sick kids and just come out by yourself for a bit.  And bring your camera.

And so I did - picking up my sister-in-law Shannon along the way. 
Was very much worth the trip.

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As for the kids - Mark's fever finally broke. It took three days.
Wendy has a fever, then she doesn't, then she does, then she doesn't.  I actually think hers might be a sinus infection - she went through a whole box of kleenex yesterday.  I'm going to try a few home remedies on her today and then debate hauling her to the doctor tomorrow.

 

how to put the batting into a tie quilt

I'm still making progress on Brian's quilt. I have until Tuesday midnight to finish it in order to meet my January goal. 

So today - since we've moved onto plan B - I've made progress. 

The first thing I did was lay it out on the floor. To know this house is to know that I have exactly two floors that I can fit a quilt on. The kitchen floor or the living room floor.

The living room floor was kind of busy. We're doing a lot of Plan B's this week. 

The next step is to lay the 'batting' on top. In this case, my batting is an old blanket. I've been picking up old blankets from garage sales for years for exactly this purpose. 

The guts were a little bigger than the quilt, so I cut it down to size, making sure to cut it to the seam allowance, not to the actual edge, to help prevent bunching in the middle. 

Now to roll the batting into the quilt. I learned how to do this from Granny Pennala, and it's the only way I've ever done it. starting at the bottom/open edge - I begin rolling up - about two rows at a time. 

I roll up, and then tuck the backing underneath. 

I make sure to keep it nice and even on both sides. 

Roll it again, and again, tuck that backing (the red flannel) underneath

It feels like a big pocket envelope as the steps continue

This is how it looks at the end of each fold. Fold, tuck the backing under, make sure it's straight - repeat. 

And just keep going as many times as needed to get all the way to the top. 

Completely folded, now it's time to reach into that pocket and begin unfolding. 

When I reach into the pocket, I grab the corner, making sure to grab the batting and everything and start to pull it back out. 

This next part Granny did a little differently. She would pull the entire quilt flat and then begin tying. Me? I start tying immediately while I can still easily reach. I tie that corner that I pull out almost instantly. 

I then go on to tie that whole top row. In my opinion, it helps to keep that batting in place and is a lot easier to access than when the quilt is all flat on the floor. 

When I run my ties - I run the yarn the whole length of the quilt and then tie one at a time - starting from the open end. Often I'll tie the first one to hold the yarn so I don't accidentally pull it through. 

Then I tie, and cut, tie, and cut, tie, and cut.....

And just like that, the whole top row is tied before I even finish unrolling the quilt. 

I'll then go about six or seven squares down both sides, again - to keep it all in place. 

At this point, I was able to easily fold it all up and put it away in order to make supper. I don't have to worry that my batting went astray when I left it because it's tied in all the important places. 

I can also finish tying it when the softer living room floor is cleaned up. 

On Monday I'll be able to sew the bottom shut and call it done. 

Life is good. :) 

I love Pinterest

We're in stranded mode over here.  Greg left this morning for Chicago - Allan is on call for work - and the babysitter-in-training is the one that's sporting a fever and feeling miserable today. 

So all my plans for today are a bust.  Wedding shower this morning - nope. Snowfest - ain't gonna happen. Jamboree tonight at Uncle George's - looking doubtful. 

So. Plan B. I told the kid's we'll decorate for Valentine's Day - for the first time EVER! 

Last night I was inspired by the garland on my Valentine Pinterest Board, and cut out a bunch of x's and hearts from felt. This morning I sewed them all together and they are hanging over my kitchen sink before lunch. 

I jazzed my version up by zig-zagging just a bit on each heart. You know - for heartbeats. Get it? 

Yeah - we're shack happy. 

After lunch I'll start putting the guts in Brian's quilt. 

 

hello weekend

This is a daily part of our day.  
Tippy's favorite part I think.  When my husband finishes reading bedtime stories to the boys and heads out to the garage to do some carving - our 14 year old border collie starts bouncing around the kitchen in anticipation and stays less than a step behind my husband - no way letting him go out without her.

Greg is leaving for Chicago this afternoon - so Tippy is going to mope for a few days.

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As for us?

I went to Costco last night intead of today because we have a bug going through the house. Mark is on fever day 3.  I have a feeling I might be stranded for a few days.

But we're holding out hope that we'll all be well at the same time at some point - still hoping to go to Snowfest. But we agreed - if we don't get there this year - then next year for sure.

 

January Project: corduroy quilt

One of my goals for 2012 is to complete on project a month. This month it's this special request corduroy quilt for our 6 year old.  "heavy" he says. "I want a HEAVY blanket"  

Like his mother. 

Yesterday I finished sewing the rows all together, and last evening I got the back sewn on. Today I'm hoping to rummage through the crawl space and find a batting. 

I'm so glad that I included the pockets. I think there are six of them total. They were also his request and he'll have fun with them.  And don't mind that my corners don't match up perfectly.  This quilt is made of all different types of corduroy - Wide Wale, Normal Wale. Thin, Thick. Pants, yardage, shirts and jackets - all repurposed to bring this together. The red (formerly a jacket) was actually a little stretchy. It's okay. When I tie it it'll be hardly noticeable. 

As for the backing - a twin size flat flannel sheet that I had picked up once upon a long time ago for exactly this purpose. 

It feels good to be using up some of my craft hoard. 

He slept under it already last night. 

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As for today?

Sick kid. Mark started running a fever yesterday afternoon. Fever, hacking, bellyache. I have a lot of possibilites for the weekend if we're all healthy, but if we have sick kids - well - we'll just have to decorate the house for Valentines Day or something. 

And finish a quilt, and get a head start on the February project. 

Wingin' it is our thing. 

Ten Things

ONE

A sneak peek of February's Studio AE

TWO

I had seen a glasses holder sometime before Christmas and asked my husband if he'd make me one. It came in the house this week. I'm loving it. 

THREE

I really do like our new percolator. It makes good coffee

FOUR

24 days and counting with no chocolate. *pumps fist* 

FIVE

On track with Brian's quilt. Yesterday I ironed the seams, today I'll sew the rows together

SIX

I'm happy that we renewed our membership at The Henry Ford. It gives us an option for something to do during this snowless winter. 

SEVEN

I love my yellow vintage pencil sharpener. We had been going through one sharpener after another when I finally gave up on all the new models and bought this classic on Etsy. Love it.  I love my pencils needle sharp. 

EIGHT

Happy Sigh. I couldn't decide which print I liked the most, so I got a bit of each of the Retro Kitchen line. Brian's quilt is my January project - these fabrics are my February project(s).

NINE

Also for February - bumped into this Months of Letters challenge last evening and it's so me. My heart raced a bit. Yes, I'll be partaking. 

TEN

Considering taking the kids to Snowfest 2012

Happy Wednesday! 

The Birthday Report

This boy's fifth birthday was a busy full day. 
We woke up to a bit of wet, gray and gloom but we decided to head out to Potter Park Zoo anyway. I had originally thought I'd put a call out to see if we could find anyone to join us, but after looking at the weather, I pretty much thought you'd all think I was nuts and we just went on our own. 

I swung by the money machine on the way out there, thinking maybe they were at least charging for parking, but nope - that was free too (no admission fees until April) 

While some of the exhibits were closed (obviously) there was still plenty to entertain us, and just as I had always thought - many of the animals were more active in the colder temperatures than they are on the 90 plus degree summer days that we often find ourselves at the zoo. We humans aren't all that bright, are we. 

While it was damp and a little cold outside, we made it through most of the zoo before the heavy rain started - which, of course, found as exactly at the far side of the zoo. Thankfully that didn't last too long. There were also a lot of puddles, that had I been smart (we humans and all that) I would have put the puddle lover in his rubber boots instead of his brand-new shoes. 

Almost want to pet her, don't you?

Or not. 

Brian wanted to be reassured that the glass was break-proof.  It was fun to watch her gnaw on her lunch right there in front of us. 

We warmed up in the bird house, but Wendy didn't like the humidity. 

I was enjoying the colors.

The boys wanted to see the monkeys twice. I was dodging puddles trying to get this shot. 

Before we left for the zoo in the morning, my plan had been to have just a small birthday cake festivity in the evening with just the six of us. I was kinda thinking that the zoo thing was *it*.  The birthday boy's older siblings, however, had been filling the fivester's head with ideas ever since we woke up.  "And your friends will come over!" "And you'll get presents!" 

And I was ughing and wishing they had gone to school. 

And began texting neighbors. And by the time we got home, the kids that wanted a party suddenly found themselves with chores. And I was making cupcakes because I was no longer sure the carrot cake would be enough. 

The house clean, and the pizza dinner eaten, we gave Markie his present from us before the guests arrived. Tippy, our 14 year old border collie, is - just as I suspected - not pleased with Mark's new remote control car. But boy - we pegged this one right.  Even better than new shoes. 

And fun was had by all. 

We slept well. 

Happy Tuesday. 

And now he's five

photo taken Friday after he shared birthday treats at school (because we don't have school today)

I'm a little shell shocked that our baby is five. He's the first of ours that we even considered putting into preschool, and it's been the best thing for him. And I won't lie, I think the adjustment year was good for both of us. Kindergarten has become only an all day every day option. 

I'm going to miss him in the fall - but he's ready. He is much more bored this year than he was last year. Last year he was content being my partner in shopping, baking and laundry. This year he's just bored. I gave him one of those preschool workbooks to play with a couple weeks ago and he plowed right through it. Patter-ins being his favorite. 

He still loves to help me bake. 

If he's with his siblings on the computer, he will leave them to come bake with me if he senses I might be making something. He does the same with his dad when his dad starts making breakfast or dinner. I'm pretty sure he could make his own omelet no problem. 

He still gets a little weary of group craft projects in story hour or preschool, but he's done much better coping. 

He wore that crown, though, all weekend long - even while shopping on Saturday. We did tell him that he couldn't wear it to church on Sunday to which he replied, "I know". 

For his birthday he asked for new shoes and animal crackers. He got new shoes on Saturday, and he'll get his own bag of animal crackers tonight along with something else that Tippy - our dog - is NOT going to like. 

He told Wendy that he's going to invite all her friends to his party. To which I thought - uh-oh, we weren't really planning a Party, persay.  Cake and family - and we're working on finding something fun to do today since it's a no school day. 

Although, Brian - the six year old - is pretty disgusted that we're getting such a lazy start on this birthday stuff. Brian, I'm learning - likes atmosphere, mood, and details. He wants balloons and banners for birthdays. 

I'll have to see what I can do. 

 

Project Life: Week 3

Have I mentioned that I love this project?
Have I mentioned that it's hecka hard to photograph page protectors?

You should have seen me an hour ago wandering all over the house with my album, camera dangling around my neck, trying to find the spot with the least shine and the best light.

The left side.

I'm learning a few things along the way with this project.

1. While obviously I want to try to keep the family balanced in the album, I can't stress about it. The teenager is much harder to nail down than the 6 year old, and that's just the way it is at this stage in our life. What I do like about these types of projects is that it does push me to try harder to catch the more elusive ones.

2. I like including current events or bits of 'history'. Receipts (how many stores that were around when you were a kid are still around today?  Remember  A&P? Arbor Drugs? Hudsons?  This is why I include receipts - along with the cost of living aspect. This week instead of the receipt I included a screen shot. 

SOPA and PIPA were big news in the internet world this week with many sights having a blackout day. I need to include journaling for this somehow and include how much our teenager was invested in this one. I actually probably wouldn't have known about it before blackout day had Allan not mentioned it to me about a week prior - incredulous that I didn't know about it. 

(If anyone wants a screen shot for their albums - I have one from Pinterest, Etsy, the one shown above and Google. I took them not sure which I wanted to use or what I was going to do with them, but knowing I wanted at least one) 

Each week I include a journaling card that has bullets from the week. Little bits of this and that. This week I realized after I had put all my photos in the protector that I forgot to include the bit about Brian being into wearing his zip up hoodie every day. And night. That's the blurb that wraps around the corner on the bottom of the card. 

I also let Wendy fill in a card since she had a big week - with her braces and being chosen to be the weather reporter on the morning news at school. 

For my dates I've been using the now retired set - A Date With Ali by Ali Edwards. The sentiment is from Favorite Memories by Ali Edwards.

The Right Page

Last week I had mentioned that I intended to put Brian's missing tooth photo in the lower right to match up with last weeks - but in the end, I ended up with more 4 x 6 photos than spaces, so I had to crop the one I could. I've learned to roll with it. 

The stamp on the lower right is also from the Favorite Memories by Ali Edwards set. 

I included the quote of the week - from Mark. And how I'm doing on my goal to exercise 30 minutes a day - this week I nailed all 7 days.  Oooh-Rah!!

Are you doing Project Life?  Link me up!

Next week I'll include bits of my lack of organization process.

 

lazy sunday

home from church
spaghetti for lunch
dishes are done
it was a close game of checkers

We had debated going to Potter Park Zoo (did you know that admittance is free for all ages through March?) but it's cold outside. We were wishing we had realized it was the Plymouth Ice Festival - we would have planned our day around it and packed to go from church. Hard to work up the energy to drive back out that way again.

So here we are.

Lazy.
And loving it.