Hoody Towel

If I ever need a good reality check on what I do and do not enjoy...I just need to challenge myself with a good sewing project.

Enter:  hooded towel tutorial for Miss Alaina.  Type in that Google search (minus the 'for Miss Alaina' part) and a million of them will pop up.  I perused the first few I came upon and settled on one to try out that looked super cute and had super clear instructions and matching photos.  

So there I went - picking out cute pink towels, digging through my fabric scraps, running out to Hancock Fabric to find matching ric-rac, and plopped down in front of my sewing machine with our laptop poised just right to follow the steps to a T.

Stupid hoody towel. Sewing through terry cloth: NOT enjoyable.  

I did really enjoy my first experience with ric-rac (the zig zaggy light blue "ribbon" shown in the picture above - for the crafty layman).  It was fun and easy and turned out way cuter than I expected.  Plus I can sew a mad straight line, yo.  It's all that other curving, hemming, fancy jazz that gets me.

Ric-Rac: Enjoyable.

 

I got pretty frustrated with the attaching of the hood to the towel.  Who ever heard of sewing a wad of terry cloth to another wad of terry cloth without using a factory-style heavy duty upholstery machine?!  Certainly not me.

Unfortunately...I stole this idea from a friend who has mastered the hoody towel beautifully - so between her and the million of tutorials online, it can be done.  I assume, and it's just a guess, that when I got overly confident and veered from the pattern to attempt to make my seam less bulky and try something I've never tried before, I probably made it a little harder than it would have otherwise been.  I'm surprise I didn't break a needle.

Stupid stupid hoody towel.  Attaching of the hood: NOT enjoyable. 

Overall, the darn thing turned out nicely and I might even try it again.  Or I might just go visit the  inspiration website that started it all for me and buy one of Leticia's.  She and her mom started up a hooded towel venture and I've purchased several of her towels - which I've loved so much I figured I better learn how to make these cause it would be so much more cost conscious of me.  Sorry about that Ticia...

Alternatively, if you have a super cute model who thinks his new "cape" is pretty cool and twirly, it might just make it all worth while.

Watching son twirl in flowery pink towel:  definitely enjoyable! 


*Pssst! Go see Ticia's creations at http://inkydinkdesigns.com or http://inkydinkdesigns.etsy.com

Brotherly Love

Right before Alaina was born we purchased a new camera. One of my favorite things to do these days is just sit around with the kids and play with all the settings on it. This day I was trying out the different f-stops while Joseph played with blocks and cars next to me.


I snapped a few here and a few there and would compare them on the screen. My subject was enthralled with the ceiling fan and as beautiful as always.


Growing like a weed and getting chubbier by the minute, her smiles are never ending and this little lady couldn't be more loved.


Then Joseph decided he was going to come on over and see what was going on. These two are so sweet. I can't believe how her face lights up when she sees him. It's become common for Josh and I to find Joseph when Alaina starts to get fussy because he can always calm her down.


I think he is just as enamored with her as we are.


What a couple of sweeties!


I know they'll have fights and hit rough patches in their sibling relationship, but I don't have to worry about any of that yet.


For now it's all pure and simple untarnished brotherly love.

Love is...

...having a PILE of half finished projects that wait oh so patiently for you to make your return.



...accepting me and my pile of half finished projects because we're a package deal, and that's just how I roll.



...knowing that even though I have a huge pile of half finished projects, they will get done and they will be fabulous.



...having faith in my ability to get through my pile even if it takes SIX MONTHS.


Love is a super cute yarn-wrapped Valentines heart wreath with Cupid's arrow...COMPLETE...just in time for fall.

Through the Eyes of...a Water Filter?

We have a faucet mount water filter in the kitchen. I frequently find our Rock Star (Joseph) grabbing it like a microphone and wailing out a few notes into it. He sings into it like it's going out of style. If I'm lucky he'll let me join in and be a back up singer or drummer. But if I'm really lucky, the camera will be close by and I'll be able to snap a few shots of the show.


I remember the first time I caught him standing over the sink making faces. I didn't know what the heck he was doing at first, until upon taking a few steps closer I could tell he noticed his reflection in the water filter. That was pretty darn funny to him since his reflection was convex.


Since Rock and Roll has been his new "thing" lately, this combo microphone/fun house mirror couldn't be any better. Talk about easily entertained! I'll be standing next to him getting just as big of a kick out of it as he is.


From here on out I'll always have nice shiny water filter attached to my faucet just waiting for a nice goofy smile or a good rock song. I just hope nobody catches me singing into it...

Peek A Boo...

...I've missed you!

I've got so much to catch up on I just can't wait. I've always loved writing and although I'm no respected journalist or prize winning editorial writer, I find myself composing stories in my head most of the day and while laying in bed at night. I've been like that for as long as I can remember. Oh dearest blog, we're going to burn it up!

So I've been away for too long...but raising these kiddos is becoming more and more time consuming and I'm a mommy first, pretend journalist second. And being a mommy is getting better and better these days. Let the blogging commence!