Fun With Applique

I still haven't found much time to finish any projects, and by that I mean I haven't even sat down at my sewing machine at all in exactly one week. I can physically feel the difference when I don't get to sit down and play with the sewing machine. Sewing and creating definitely keeps my blood pressure low! Since I have nothing new and fantastic to show, I thought I would share some quick but adorable applique I have done lately. I shared a picture of Cullen in his birthday shirt in my last post (I still kick myself that I didn't get a really good picture of the front and back before he spilled juice on it). Forgive me for the low quality pictures, I really need to find a better spot to take the pictures!

Anyway, last week I found some plain colored onesies in the closet that had been handed down to us for Aubree. Although in great condition and no stains, they were rather boring and the color a bit dull. I decided to dig out some scraps from the scrap cabinet (Yes, a whole cabinet!) and see what ideas I could come up with. First, the green onesie. I dug out some darker green batik scraps and made a stem with two leaves:

Aubree is going to be a flower for Halloween. I still have to make her headband and petals, but that shouldn't take too long! Well, that took me all of 10 minutes to do, including the stitching around the edges, so I grabbed the next one and decided to try a cute and fun design:

These are scraps from a baby blanket kit I had bought from Joanns before Aubree was born (a bad idea, since the satin unravelled through the seams after only a couple washes), and I made the "a" out of the busiest one, and used coordinating colors to mimic the designs in the main print. I absolutely love how it turned out, and she should fit it soon! I still have two more (a white and a darker pink), the white one I plan to do a cute fall/halloween themed one for our trip to the pumpkin patch this weekend. Cullen will also be getting a matching fall/halloween one as well! The best part of raw-edge applique is that you can use scraps that you already have to create something new and fantastic! Now, I just have to think about some cute ideas for their pumpkin patch shirts, and for Thanksgiving coming up! Any ideas?

Finished Botany Quilt

I know I promised these pictures days ago, but this has been a drill weekend, so Shaine has not been able to make it home before dark to help me hold it up and take a decent picture outside. I ran out to the backyard to snap this one before the sun went down.

It was made using this tutorial from Piece N Quilt. While I love my finished project, I now wish I hadn't opted out on the ric rac! I used contrasting brown thread to quilt, which looks cool on the brown back, but stands out a bit TOO much on the front. Ahhh well, I like it anyway, and it's staying here with us!

See? Aubree loves it already!

Chaos!

It has been so long since I have been able to even SIT at my sewing machine, let alone actually ACCOMPLISH anything.... All I know is that it has been at least a week, and I can actually FEEL the difference :( I am not sure how other moms find the time! Of course, I am sure it gets easier as they get older and a bit more independent, but as it is they are both on completely different schedules, Cullen goes down for his nap and little miss Aubree decides thats a perfect time to be awake and trying out her lungs. And, of course, Shaine is able to do all his usual activities, and still find time to go out once or twice a week. It's hard not to get agitated! Even when he tries to be helpful, and offers to keep them occupied, it doesn't work because within 15 minutes, he is upstairs handing me the little one because she is hungry. *sigh* Oh, and my BM isn't regulated completely yet, so any time I miss a feeding it hurts. Ah well, I can't complain too much, I have already shed the baby weight and then some.

The irony of this, though is that Cullen JUST fell asleep, and Aubree is still sleeping in her swing. Hmmm time to go play with fabric until she wakes up!

And, since this post has been more of just a rant, I'll close it with some pictures that made me laugh this week:

Cullen trying on some snowboots!

And poor Aubree, this is how they fell asleep, her face in daddy's armpit after a day at work, and an evening cooking dinner on the grill!

Welcome Aubree!

Well, Aubree Cadence is finally here, and although we have been home since yesterday afternoon I just haven't felt like being on the computer much. It was a rather quick and uneventful labor (in fact, I slept through most of it once they gave me some IV meds!) and she was born at 12:40pm on Friday.

Cullen didn't quite know what to think of her at first, resorting instead to being loud and rambunctious... He's still in a show-off mood most of the time, but he's very gentle and caring. If she fusses he goes over and says "Hey! Hey Baby! Shhh!" and pats her belly.

Although Shaine shrugged it off when I told him the other day she would have him wrapped around her finger, he is completely enamored with her.

She looks so much like Cullen did (only a bit chubbier) that all I can think of is how fast she is going to grow!

Baby Blanket

I whipped this up yesterday during naptime for Cullen's newest little cousin!

I did some hand embroidery around the letters to make sure that the Heat N Bond would stay on through a baby pulling on it and the wash, etc. I know it SAYS permanent, but it was already seeming to peel, I guess it doesn't hold on flannel as well as regular cotton fabric!

I used this tutorial from Piece N Quilt, and it was SOOO easy to follow and make. I think the actual cutting took longer than the sewing, since I have such a small cutting mat. I even made a matching burp rag/towel this morning in less than ten minutes.

I also recently found out my little sister is expecting her first child! It is my first niece and Cullen's first cousin on my side of the family. She's only a couple weeks (well, she thinks she's only about a month... I am betting she's a bit farther along than she thinks...). It was quite funny when she told me. She tends to ramble on the phone, and I tend to --accidentally-- tune out sometimes.... All of a sudden I heard "I'm pregnant". She's said that before when she knows I'm zoning out to test me. So I said "No you're not," and she started crying! I felt so bad, and said "You're for real this time? I thought you were just testing me!" And then she started laughing while still crying.... I told her "Whoa, two pregnant chicks on the phone, we need to decide if we are laughing or crying because that's too many emotions for one phone call." Anyway, her husband is thrilled, and she's adjusting to the idea. I can't wait to find out what she is having and make lots of goodies for her!

Big Things This Way!

First of all, Cullen has a new little cousin on the way! Shaine's cousin's wife (confusing, maybe?) is in labor at the moment, and little Liam will be here soon! I am going to try my hand at some embroidery to put his name on a little blanket I want to make for him. I will hopefully have that to show in the next few days. I certainly have enough embroidery floss to choose from:

Also, I finally went ahead and opened an etsy shop! There isn't much in there yet, but hopefully will be someday soon, I seem to have been bitten by the sewing bug and have LOTS of plans/ideas in my head!

Lastly, 44th Street Fabric is having ANOTHER giveaway! How awesome is that? And this time there will be two winners, one receiving 2 Lily & Will charm packs and a quilt pattern, and the other receiving 2 Fandango charm packs and a quilt pattern (thats the one I am hoping for!). Get over there for your chance(s) to win, and good luck!

Finished Baby Quilt

I finished the binding on this baby quilt this morning:

It is one made for my old roommate during our Iraq deployment, who just had her second little girl. She wanted something pink and brown, feminine, but not TOO girly. I think I accomplished that. She says she loves it!


I used moda marbles for the sashing, and the backing is by Deb Strain, although I can't remember off the top of my head which collection! The fabrics in the squares came from a mini-FQ-bundle I had in my stash for while. Although I didn't like piecing the blocks together, and wasn't completely happy with the way they turned out before, now that they are put together, I really am happy with the overall product!

And so it begins...

I'm a 21 year old first time mommie to the most beautiful baby boy. My entire life has been turned upside down since the day that I found out I was pregnant. I had just gotten back from a yearlong deployment to Iraq when we conceived. My boyfriend and I met in Iraq, and although extremely interested in each other we wanted to remain friends until we got to the states and not start our relationship over there. Well, see how that worked out? I got pregnant the night I got back to the states, and he knew it way before I did. Since then it has been a humongous roller coaster of events, emotion, and drama. Every day I feel like I'm either at the end of my ropes or at the top of the world.
I'm not even really sure what I hope to accomplish with this blog, other than that nobody I personally know knows that it exists, at least not yet.