Motherscake

This mother choice of desert is cheesecake. Normally for things like my birthday I buy cake or cheesecake, or chocolate silk pie for my special day. But I've decided I want to learn how to make cheesecake so I saved my $10 and made myself one.

I started easy, made a basic recipe. I was excited because I didn't have any gaping cracks down the middle. Turns out its because it didn't cook enough. Even after being in the fridge for two days the middle didn't set up. I still eat it, its enjoyable. I'll probably finish the whole thing by myself. That's not true I shared some with my daughter.

Mothers and Keys

I made a few more key chains, because really I was having so much fun. And also because I know a few moms who have had a hard year. And really nothing says motherhood better, than digging through your overflowing bag with diapers and snacks looking for keys while trying to keep your children from running in front of a car in the parking lot.
Am I the only one that has that problem?
Even if they never use the key chains its always nice to get something in the mail.

Crazy Plans

I have plans of recovering this dora chair that's in the background. It would be lovely if it was pink and green and matched with the rest of her stuff. Right now it would be classified as the opposite.

I might be crazy. I might fail.

But I'm saving my JoAnns 50% off coupon to go buy some pink and green, or maybe just pink, or just green duck. I'm also positive I'm scared to take the dora cover off that foam.

My daughter has flowers

Wahoo, I was having so much fun making flowers, I made my daughter some nice girly color flowers. I actually only have one white tin, basket wall thing. I moved it into her bedroom for her flowers, and mine are in a vase on a bookshelf.

Silver Baby Bracelet

I finally made more baby bracelets with clasps instead of elastic, so she can't pull them off. Some of the time she wears the bracelet, and other times she screams and pulls at it, until I take it off.

Only one Sister

My sister had a girl, which is great, there are entirely too many boys in my family. So of course she got a baby blanket. Its so bright and fun, I think at least. My sister at least use to like brights for babies and kids, not pastels.

Then since I only have one sister, I can't just send a blanket. So I thought she might be in need of a keychain. She is an urban mother after all, and I can't even imagine walking places with two kids.

But honestly that just wasn't enough when you only have one sister. Here baby is going to be a summer baby, so I sent some large summer baby sheets. Not sheets, just one layer blankets. My daughter wouldn't have survived last summer without these types of blankets, even though she is a winter baby, because she loves blankets SOO much.

The whole care package. I sent some flower toys, that I DID NOT make to my older niece, she doesn't need to be left out. And they were all sent in an overly large bright starry bubble mailer. The last of its kind (long story).

Just for the record, my sister does speak French, so she will know what the blanket says. I do not, but I bought the material because I thought it was cute, not because my sister speaks french. Here are some internet translations.

Ma Poule is my hen, luckily I the first page I found, informed me that french have a lot of pet names from farm animals. Whether this is true or not, is beside the point, textbooks are not real life. Anyway, I guess basically any farm animal can be a pet name.

Petite Cocotte is my little hen (informal)

Cot Cot Codet I guess is cluck cluck

My new purse

I made a new purse today. Its huge, after a bunch of of seam ripping its smaller than it was. But this way I have room to take my kids out of the house. I don't like carrying two bags, ie a purse and a diaper bag. Plus huge bags are in style.

I'm so proud of my bottom pleats.

It has lots of compartments and pockets. Enough that my husband says I'll lose stuff. I wish I new how to make a button hole, I looked up the instructions but it seemed hard I was tired.

It has a middle divider so to keep the diapers and snacks on the opposite side as my wallet and cell phone. Speaking of cell, I put in a cell phone pocket, those are my favorite in purses.
I love pretty calicos.

And fabric flowers

Mother's Necklace

I was out at the store today, so I picked up some Crystals dyed purple to look like Amethyst. I made a new necklace. I think this is way better. It actually looks almost professional instead of bad homemade. I'm a little sloppy when it comes to bending wire, see the bead pins, but these are only about my 4th and 5th attempt. My husband said he liked the double ring look.

Dolly Dolly

I made my daughter some peg dolls, because I knew she would love them, and she does, the minute I saw them on this blog. My favorite is the redhead on the far right, she has the best hair, and dress. I was surprised at how much the permanent markers bled in the wood grain. They were fun and easy to make. Just took permanent markers and material scraps and hot glue. Since we are on the topic, I love these peg dolls, so fun. I can tell I could have more fun if I painted instead of sharpieing.

Mother's Ring

I would love to have two rings, to make up a mother's ring for my right handed ring finger, one with an Amethyst, and one with a Blue Topaz. That is not in the budget for mother's day anytime soon so instead, I made this. I need better stones, these are just cheap glass, but it was good for a first attempt. Leather would probably also be better than this cheap stuff. I think I will also do Turquoise next time for December. I love it. It makes me feel so connected to my children. As if their constant crying doesn't?!

I learned how to make flowers

I learned how to make flowers. So yes, now my wall looks a little frumpy and a little old lady like, but I love them all the same.

Of course I didn't follow the tutorial exactly. Instead of cutting circles, I did half circles, because then I didn't have to iron or rotary cut, plus I was using small scraps in some cases. My flowers also only have one layer not two.

They are a great diversion while watching TV. They were very fun to make, especially the buttons in the center.

We got KEYCHAINS!

I found this cute tutorial, that I barely followed at all, but still after seeing it, I knew I needed to put my scraps to good use. (I know mine totally don't look professional like the tutorial. But Teresa tells me I don't want my sewing to look professional, how will people know I know how to sew?) I had a wrist band thing keychain already that I used all the time but it was so ugly, just a skinny black piece of nylon. I don't know where it came from. This is much more me.

Then I needed one for our pool keys. Once again I had a long black ugly nylon one. I love black and brown together, so I figured it would be a perfect use. I know its not manly looking, but at least its not floral for when my husband goes to the pool.

Seriously I love black and brown, I love the same polka dots (but different color) with the brown square. Oh speaking of the tutorial, it calls for ribbon, I only had white ribbon in that width, so I had to improvise, I like calico there better anyway, plus I'm trying to not spend money. On my first key chain on the top, I use skinny ribbon, and trying to make it purposelessly look messy. I think it looks accidentally messy but oh well.

Then my mom was in town this weekend, and once she saw my key chains of course she wanted one. She likes blue and yellow, I know this is mostly green but still. She did pick the material.

I forgot to mention I think the tutorial calls for wonder under, I don't know she called it something else. I only had light interfacing, which is what I used, because I was trying not to spend money. I don't usually understand directions (blame it on my dyslexia), this being a case in point. So I was left to my own devises after looking at her pictures.

Me the sew"er"

I really enjoy sewing. I'm terrible at cutting straight, and find it difficult to use an iron with two small children. Unfortunately using a sewing machine is only about 40% of a well made project. It takes just as much time to cut as to sew. Not to mention ironing. I'm finally learning how to master my rotary cutter, for straight lines, but oh it takes work. Can someone cut for me? What about the iron, irons are so hot and heavy, and ironing boards are so rickety. I live in dire of fear of burning my children, no one is allowed by the ironing board, and I never store the iron on the board. I enjoy sewing, I especially love coming up with projects in my head, so I enjoy 50% of the project but the 10% of ironing, and the 40% of cutting I could do with out.

This pretty much sums of my life, my young toddler (she's really not a baby anymore), me, my four year old poky the puppy wandering somewhere near but not too close, and my husband, not around. (He was the one that took the picture, and its not a bad thing he wants to provide for the family by working full time, and better the family by another degree, I appreciate it all, but he is still not around.)

Spring Pillows

I felt over run by neutrals, I have a beighish/whitesh couch, and cream reclinder, and white walls. I needed so serious color even if it is too bright. I love my new pillows, they are so springy and bright, and green I love bright green. It will match great with my fake container of green grass, and all my other green knickknacks.

This pillow is kind of cool, I found felt buttons.

Bow Holder

I made my daughter a bow/clippie holder. I love it, I'm quite proud, it was fun to do. The buttons are glued on to give the ribbons stability, I used a rather large frame, so I needed some stability to hold the ribbon on.

Wahoo look at all those clips for such a bald baby. Just kidding she now has hair. Almost.

Her side of the room. Girls are fun huh?

Her patron saint of love. Just kidding, we don't believe in patron saints, its just a yard ornament I thought was cute at Joanns, it was the right colors for her side of the room, and blonde. My son informed me it was an angel not a fairy, because she has a round thing around her head-- halo. Silly me I was calling it a fairy.