2 whole posts for the month

Wow.  2 whole posts.  That's it.  Tells you how much sewing I've done during the month.  Zero.  Sad.  Just no time.  But exciting things have been happening over here.  The kitchen  is really coming along.  I'll show you where we were about a week ago.  Granite templating happened last Friday and our install date is scheduled for August 3rd.  I'll show you "prettier" pictures then.

my sink area

my seeded glass cabinet for my pretty dishes

other side of sink (before the upper cabinets were installed)

stove area and breakfast bar

all the cabinets are up (ignore the water line from the fridge)

fridge in its new home

Lighting is up.  Hardware is being put on the cabinets slowly.  We got a lot of door knobs and drawer pulls to put on.  Most of my old kitchen has been moved out and things are in their homes in the new kitchen.  Stove has been moved over.  Things are still in disarray over here.  But slowly, life is getting back to normal.  Next on the list is the demo of our old kitchen.  Cabinets need to be removed and the sheet rock needs to be pulled off and new put up in its place.  The ceiling in the old kitchen and hallway needs to be scraped.  We have a smooth ceiling in the new kitchen and popcorn texture in the old.  Since it will be one continuous space, ceilings need to match.  Then priming and painting.  Not sure of what color I'm going to use in our dining area.  Maybe a medium shade of gray.  We'll see.

So.  That's what's been happening here.  No sewing but lots of kitchen focus.  I need to get back to sewing though.  I have 3 more pencil cases to make for party favors.  Amelia's birthday is in 30 days.  Which means in 30 days, I get to spill the beans for our big secret!!  56 more days until Disney!!

I'll be back soon!  I promise.  :)
Enjoy your day!

Jen

All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth

Have a GREAT day!

Enjoy!
Jen

It's been a while, huh?

First off... Happy 4th!  I hope everyone is staying cool and enjoying the holiday (if you are in the States).

I noticed my last post was 3 weeks ago.  Sorry!  Life has been nutty and truly?  I haven't done anything creative.  I spent some time in my sewing room today and thought I would be in there for hours but it took all I had to go up there for the 2.5 hours I worked in there.  I'm just not feeling it.

Let me fill you in on the last 3 weeks.  The secret trip to Lake George, NY for a few days was a hit.  Amelia had no clue and was even a bit confused.  She asked if we were going to NH after Lake George.  When we told her we were sticking around LG for a few days instead, she was super happy.  We had a nice time.

Project "New Kitchen" is underway.  I'll show you some progress photos if you care to see them.  I thought it was a lost cause and now it's on fast forward.  My house is a wreck.  Boxes of kitchenware is on/in every available space.  There is a fine layer of sheet rock dust on everything too.  My husband promises to put up some plastic when they sand it down to help with that.  I have old sheets to put on my furniture too.  I'm not going to bore you with all the different angles of demo photos I took.  And if you're on FB, you've seen them already.  This is a picture, standing in my new kitchen looking into the old.  My breakfast bar is going there.

Loving all the sheet rock dust!  NOT!

all sheet rocked and first coat of compound on

just another view

Punk lost her 2 front teeth.  One came out about a week ago and the 2nd she pulled out while on vacation with the in-laws in NH.  I haven't seen her yet with the 2nd one missing.  She's still on vacation.  Talk is they will be heading home either tomorrow or Friday.  I've enjoyed my peaceful time but I'm ready for her to be home again.  I miss her.

Tooth Fairy visit again!

And some sewing.  I finished 8 of the 13 pencil cases that I need to make for Amelia's upcoming birthday party.  I like how they came out and I totally shopped in my stash.  You can't tell that I did that; made not a dent in it but that's okay.  I need to shop for the 3 boys.  Amelia wants theirs to be super heroes and race cars.

And you know what else?  I was in Walmart yesterday and they already have "Back to School" stuff out!  Really??!  Back to school??   School barely finished up here and they already want us to buy new pens and pencils for school.  Insane.

I haven't mentioned it in a while but as of today.... 76 more days until our Disney trip!!  And in 52 days, my baby is going to be turning 7 and will be getting the biggest surprise of her life!  Next month I can finally spill the beans!!

Enjoy your day!  I promise not to be away for so long again.
Jen :)

Last Day of School

Today is Amelia's last day of 1st grade.  I dropped her off and actually shed a tear, watching her interact with her classmates.  Her teacher just praised her to me and told me how much she will miss having Amelia in her classroom.

Tomorrow we are headed to Lake George, NY for a few days of start the of the Summer fun.  Playing in the water park and riding rides at the amusement park.  Amelia has no idea where we are going.  She thinks we're headed to New Hampshire.  I can't wait to spring the surprise on her.  I'm HOPING that she will be clueless during the drive.  She knows the way to NH.  I'm sure she will catch on but I'm hoping not.

Here's my Punk.  Happy as can be for the last day of school.  She is ready for lazy mornings and no learnin'.

I made some Teacher gifts.  For her "main" teacher, I made a very simple table topper or wall hanging.  I found some cute fabric at Joann Fabrics and came up with this.  I even paid attention and cut and pieced the directional fabric the right way!

Here's the label I had Amelia write.

I found another very cute gift to make.  Reusable cups with tea and lemonade packets.  Here's the post where I initially saw the idea.

aren't they cute??

Here are the flags close up:

And the inside stuffed with the drink packets.

Everything was a big hit!  Punk's teachers were very appreciative of it all.  Now I just have to get through today and can relax for a few days.  When we get back from our mini getaway, I need to pack up my kitchen!  New cabinets have been ordered and new construction has been started.  The walls (and old cabinets) are coming down in a couple of weeks.  I need to get cracking!

Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

Mini Quilt Swap

Kris hosted a mini quilt swap and Sinta and I were partners.  She has received my mini and I received hers on Monday.

This is what I made for Sinta

Of course with a couple of little extras

After I took the pictures and sent my mini off to Sinta, I stared at the pictures and noticed a big mistake.  Take a good look... do you see it??  Maybe not so much a mistake but it bothers me.  There are 2 gray centers on the top and 2 orange centers on the bottom.  But that wasn't my intention.  I was doing an "AB/BA" pattern based on the fabric pattern.  The bottom left should be the top right.  What a dope.  I really wasn't pay attention.

I received Sinta's on Monday.  Oh how I love it!  It matches my sewing room perfectly.  I need to go to Target this Friday for a birthday gift and while I'm there, I will pick up a curtain rod with clips so that I hang it in my sewing room.  Sinta added a cute pattern and a pair of embroidery scissors too.  I haven't looked a the pattern yet.  I don't need the extra temptation right now.  ;)  Thank you Sinta!

Kris had an extra incentive to be an early bird sender.  The swap was sponsored by Sew Lux Fabric and Gifts .  Send early to your partner and win a secret prize.  There were 2 winner and I was one of the lucky ones.  My prize was in the mail too on Monday.

I haven't busted it open yet but I will.  Soon.  :)

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Lickety Split

Amanda Jean posted some VERY cute trash cans for her van and I had to make myself a couple.  Tutorial here.  They are very quick to whip up.  The original tutorial says to use oilcloth for the inside and home dec weight fabric for the outside.  I didn't have any of that but I did have some Decro-Bond and iron-on vinyl!

Ta Da!

 
And here is it in my car

Seriously cute!  And took no time at all to make.  So quick that I made 2 more for my cousin plus a second for the other seat in my car (the ice cream truck one is in my car).

Amelia really likes them too.  She designated one for DVDs (I have a built-in player in my car) and the other for trash.  Maybe my back seat will be a little cleaner now.  ;)

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Pencil Case

Pinterest.  It's a dangerous place.  The ideas and crafts out there is mind-blowing.  The recipes.  Oh the recipes!  I try to stay off Pinterest as much as I can. I pop on there once a week or so.  It can just suck you in if you don't keep tabs on yourself.  Kris had pinned a tutorial for a fabric pencil case.  It's very cute and it was on my mind for a day or two.  Kris jumped on it first and found out that it was too short for regular pencils (the ones you use a sharpener for).  I decided to give it a shot yesterday afternoon before Amelia got home from her weekend away at my Mom's.  I extended the measurement by 2 inches and used a 12" zipper.  It's cute!

I had an idea to make them as party favors for the kids at Amelia's birthday this year.  She liked the idea and agreed.  So now I have 3 months to make 12 more.  Nice thing is that we will be shopping out of my stash.  Only thing I need to stock up on is more 12" zippers but etsy is good for that!  15 zippers for 9 bucks.  Can't beat that!

Enjoy your day!
Jen