The Pin Cushion Vacates

Well it's only been about four years in the making but the fam headed to the beach last week.  It was incredible.  We really needed it.  We are much better versions of ourselves at the beach. 

I even let my dad stack the dishwasher in his super inefficient manner and it didn't even bother me. 

The weather was perfect.

Our view was amazing. 

The baby was excited.

I got to play with my kids and watch them and enjoy them.  No rushing around, no school, no commitments or phone calls.  All day, everyday.  We just played. 

I did some embroidery on our family quilt.  I'm adding some doodling on the borders.  I've traced some of the girls' precious drawings and first attempts at writing their names so that they can be embroidered forever.  I'm thinking of tracing baby boy's hands and adding a scripture on there too.  Think I can get hubs to doodle something as well?  :)

I came home and finished off a little pillow for baby James who was born super duper early at 32 weeks!  Stay strong, little one. 

It was really a lovely time and we are enjoying the memories and photos of the trip.  I came home ready and hungry to get back to my Janome.  Eight whole days without her seemed like a lot but it did indeed get the creative juices flowing. 

Hope you are refreshed and enjoying the beginnings of a fantastic summer season. Happy trails to those who are traveling!

Lion's Teeth

In my last post I was talking about how I just adore the colors of spring.  Here we are again, just soaking it up.  With the nutso weather we've been having this year so far, I feel like we've had four springs since it gets super warm then snows and warms up again.  Repeat.

Pattern is Coming Soon by Camille Roskelley

Here is one of my current quilts.  This is for a friend's son who just turned 3 and is in the big bed.  I have been trying to talk many of my clients into making this quilt for their sons and someone finally agreed!  :)  I only say that because I really wanted to make it for my boy and knew I probably never would if I didn't get someone else to start the process. 

I couldn't find any revisions of the quilt for a twin size.  So I dusted off the calculator and got to it.  It was pretty simple to figure out the rectangles but man those little sashings about put me over the edge.  Thankfully I think I figured it out.  Whew!
So here is Henry's quilt top.  Just needs some borders and I'll finish it up in a jiffy.  Only to start on the next one for Nino.

Speaking of my baby boy, he turned ONE!  He and Isabella have close enough birthdays that we were going to celebrate them together.  Except that they were both sick and it never happened.  Sad, sad, sad!   We finally gave him his smash cake a whopping two weeks later.  Sorry, buddy. 

Spring here means a plethora of dandelions.  We love 'em!  Yes, if we can't get the lawn mowed quick enough we do look like a drug house, but oh well.  Frances Ellen Watkins Harper wrote a lovely poem about Dandelions and this is one of my favorite verses: 

Children of the earth and sun.
We are slow to understand
All the richness of the gifts
Flowing from our Father's hand

We've been studying them for our Nature Journal time this week.  They really are fascinating plants.  I'm trying to decide if I'm brave enough to try Dandelion Fritters, Syrup, or Jam...

Because of naps and trying to remain on a schedule, we are kinda secluded sometimes and don't get out to explore as much as I'd like.  But using really great resources like The Handbook of Nature Study blog and other books like the actual HONS give me a lot of new ideas to make the ordinary extraordinary in the familiar yard before us.

Our first year of homeschooling is wrapping up and I am so thankful for the opportunity to spend this time with my oldest.  We have really learned a lot together and our relationship has grown as well.  It has been such a blessing and I really must say I am really excited for first grade to start in the fall.