North Carolina Natural Family Living

I wanted to share my latest project with you. No yarn, fabric or paper involved here. This is a very special project. I have been a stay-at-home mommy for almost four years now. Raising my children in a way that comes more naturally to me than the standard model of child "rearing". And while we have the support of our families we struggle to find like-minded families to interact with, in our area. So, rather than wait for someone us to reach out to us, I have begun to reach myself.

Thus is born North Carolina Natural Family Living. Now, I know most of my readers are not in my area. If you are, we would to have you join us. Otherwise, I did want to share my new blog through the site. All about, well, obviously, natural family living.

I ♥ Mary Englebreit

I was so sad to hear that Mary Englebreit's Home Companion is no longer being published. You can go here to learn why. Such an inspiring magazine and a real visual feast. But one of my favorite things about ME mag was the free paper dolls in every issue. I pulled them all out of my back issues and stored them, not knowing exactly what I would do with them. But I was recently inspired (I can't remember what caused the lightening bolt) to cut them all out and display as the art they are.

How sweet is that?! Here's more waiting to be cut.

Show and Tell Sunday

Some paper dolls for you today.

I really love paper dolls, though I have never liked to play with them. I've just always thought they were so charming just they way they are. I found these sweethearts at Kiddio. I also offer up for Sunday's show and tell these lovely coloring pages FREE! from Mary Engelbreit's online shop. That is, if you are a ME fanatic like me. She has other freebies there, as well. And tomorrow I will show you how I have combined my love of Mary and paper dolls. Til then....!

I Almost Forgot

My little flawed frames. I don't know where my head is today. Hubby let me sleep in til almost noon, as Zoe is still letting me get very little sleep. And now I am having a lazy day, mostly knitting and snuggling. Wait, I have no pic for the day. Hold on....

And....

A sweet cotton hat in the same stitch as these. I really don't know why it has not occured to me til now to use it in a hat. And I'm beginning to think warm weather thoughts (though, I'm trying real hard not to)so I thought it must be a nice soft cotton.
Anywho, my little flawed frames have found two new homes; Angie and ismoyo! Thank you everyone for all the frame love. I have all but one up in the shop, now.
Have a happy weekend, all!

Perfect!!

I am so pleased with how these turned out! The zigzag was exactly what they needed.




And I got a little carried away and made these, too.


I'll get these and probably more, listed in the shop in the next few days. But, if you would like either of the flawed pieces you are still quite welcome to comment in the last post. That will be open until this Saturday.

Not Quite Right

I have had the idea for these brewing in my head for a couple of weeks, so I was so eager to get started on them after I finished up Zoe's birthday stuff. I really love making them but I am not quite satisfied with them yet. I think I may try a zigzag stitch over the raw edges. With these I have treated the edges with Fray Check, but I am thinking that closing up the edges may keep the fabric from moving around so much as I sew around the outside.



The fabric is backed with a heavy Pellon interfacing and an extra piece is sewn onto the back to slip your photo into. I really dig them but I think I'll work on them some more today til I get them just right. But, this leaves me with these two flawed pieces. So, if you would like to give one of them a home leave me a coment on this post and I would love to send one to you. I will draw two names this Saturday. That would be..........the 21st. And these are so light I'll send them anywhere. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some success to show you.

TTFN!

My Baby is 2! or The Dresses

So, as you can see, I made the doll a matching dress. Though, apparently it's not nearly as fascinating as those JujyFruits.

She's not been sleeping well,though, and that means I'm sleeping next to none. I guess she must be working on the last of her baby teeth. But, I'm exhausted so I think I'll take a little nap, now that hubby is home.

Show and Tell Sunday/Zoe's Birthday

Today, my sweet Zoe Gail turned 2. I always hear other mothers say how it feels like "only yesterday" they were itty bitty babies or still kicking aroud inside them. Not the case with Zoe. It feels like she has always been with us. I can barely recall life without her. My Zoe has a very strong personality. I already knew who she was going to be while she was still inside of me. I felt her first kicks when I was about 13 weeks along. But within that month, her kicks became so strong and forceful I felt that I must have been farther along than we thought. So much that my midwife decided to do the home visit (my girls were both born at home) a few weeks early, just in case. As it turned out, I actually went 15 days over my due date. But, we knew from then that a little hurricane was entering our lives. She was born hard and fast the day after Valentine's Day. She could not even wait for her bag of waters to rupture and was born in the caul. And she has definately not failed to live up to her reputation. She never stops, never gives up, and is just about the sweetest little devil I have ever known.

And she wanted to show off her new big girls panties. We started training her just a few days ago.

I have more pics to share but I will get to them tomorrow. For now, though, I did want to share a couple of thrifty finds I picked up a couple of days ago.

Whir Whir, Snip Snip, Bleed Bleed

How nice to be sewing again. The whiring of the machine, the crisp snip snip of my scissors. But, I suppose I must be a little rusty because I cut myself on my scissors, twice. Then again, noone has ever accused me of being coordinated. Nevertheless, Zoe's doll is complete and waiting to be dressed. In the end, her legs and arms turned out scrawnier than my original pattern. So, I'll either have to work at this one some more or keep hunting for the other.
I decided against sewing clothes for her, though. I'm doing something a little different.

Look familiar?

Dolly WIP

I finally got the unatural disater that is my work room under control. But now I realize just how much stuff I amassed over the past few months. I must get with hubby about building some new shelving/something to accomodate all of my supplies. (No, paring down on supplies is not an option, but, yes, I probably do have a problem.) Regardless, it's "clean" now, well, at least there's space to work.

So, I have begun Zoe's dolly. I cannot find my pattern. I spent a half an hour, or so, looking for it before I gave up and made a new one. I can't draw worth spit so it's very hard for me to get the proportions right, but I think I did alright. She's all cut out, now I have to decide on fabric for her clothes. That's the fun part.

And I'm so excited that the CPSIA was delayed until next year. I have really been itching to get some new dolls into the shop. Hopefully I'll be able to get back in there later today and get this one sewn up. I'll show you the progress tomorrow.

Today

Happy Tuesday!

Oh, My.......

My Zoe is turning 2 on Sunday. She is abit difficult to buy/make for. Her sissie is a big-time girlie girl. Get her a princess dress or a baby doll and she's as happy as can be. Zoe....not so much. Not that she doesn't like to play dress up, though she would rather take things off than actually wear them. And while she does like to play with dolls she grows bored of them rather quickly. She's something of a tomboy-type, but not so much that she's into trucks and what-not...yet. So, this puts her at an awkard in-between stage and puts me at a loss as how to do for her for holidays. She is quite passionate about dogs, however, and I have this sweet little puppy that I bought from Etsy seller RAEWADOLLY. I actually got it for her for Christmas but it didn't come til the day after, so he has been patiently waiting in my gift cupboard.

Seriously, she has oodles of dogs and loves each and every one of them. So, what does this have to do with this, you ask.

Well, I got it into my head last night that I would make her a dolly. I love to make them but this is easier said than done at the moment because this is what my work room looks like right now. Actually, this is the nice version. I'm too 'shamed to show the rest. Since Thanksgiving I have literally been throwing things into the room. Now I have to lift my legs high just to walk around. I have been meaning to get in there and clean for a couple of months now, but....

Yikes! This is a meager attempt at wrangling a drop in the bucket that is my yarn stash. There's so much more all over the room that I have no clue how to store. It's already all over the house. In baskets and cupboards and bowels. I even have a few balls in planter type basket hanging on the wall. Supplies as art!
Well, I have about five more days to wade through the mess and get the job done. Wish me luck!

ps. If you don't hear back from me by next Monday, send the search party.

Show and Tell Sunday

I have been too absent this week and plan to make it up starting tomorrow. To be honest I don't know what has been stealing my time away. Do you have ever have weeks like that? So busy doing what? I don't know. I did have a few orders to get out but nothing major. No, if I had to guess I would say cleaning this house which seems kinda like that IHOP commercial with the never-ending pancakes. Do you know which one I'm talking about? The man takes a bite of his pancakes and they immediately reform. Yeah, that's my house. I clean and the mess just reappears as quickly as I can clean it up.
And these things have been diverting my attention;

Vintage pillow cases I got from Etsy seller LissyBug. I don't know what I'm going to do with them yet. I may......use them as pillow cases. I know, it's out there. I also got this

It's my first piece from Art and Ghosts. And she sent this piece with it as a 5x7.


I am in love!
So, this is where I've been, I suppose. Shopping online. I have more that I'll show you later. Now I'm off to do a little birthday knitting for my Zoe Gail.
Good night!

Visiting With Friends and What I Finally Decided On

My good friend Rachel came down for a visit from Connecticut. She will be here visiting friends and family for the next couple of weeks. So, she and her hubby and little boy, Lerin, her little ones and me and the girls got together for lunch today. We tried to go to the park but it got cold and windy really fast. Now, looking out my window, I see it's snowing. Or, should I say, teasing me. I doubt it will accumulate at all. Still, it was nice to get to see her and gave me a chance to try out my new camera.

I decided to go with the Canon. I really love it but haven't really taken the time, yet, to get familiar with the different settings.

I took advantage of having her here and had her do a little modeling for a couple new pieces.


Well, I'm going to enjoy the snow while it lasts and play around with my camera some more.

Happy Tuesday!

You Won!

We have a winner: Aik! And a big "thank you" to everyone who participated in my very first giveaway. But don't forget, Patti is having her half of the giveaway and will be accepting entries until this Wednesday (the fourth).

Show and Tell Sunday

I discovered this site last night, PaperbackSwap (click on the logo to check out the site). I could quickly become addicted to this (okay, I already am). Do you swap here? I'd love to see your bookshelf. Here's mine. Since I was a teenager I have collected books obsessively. I have some of the oddest books that I know I will never read, but haven't had the heart to get rid of them. So, this is perfect for someone like me. I'll just swap them out for some I will read!

My poor Kaiya has been so sick all weekend. Whenever she gets sick at all she has difficulty breathing. We are suspecting asthma. This time was no exception. But this morning my dad turned me onto this. What a godsend! It helped tremedously. And, as it turns out, it has many, many uses. We'll definately be keeping a bottle of this around the house.



My giveaway ends tomorrow (Monday, Feb. 2). I'll be drawing a winner around noon, so get your entry in! And Patti has started up her half of the giveaway. So get on over to her blog and enter. And by the by, her lotion is fantastic! I'm already an addict. She's included a jar in the giveaway, so you do not want to miss out! Her giveaway end Wednesday, Feb 4.