Project cousin installment #1

I think I've mentioned project cousin before and thought I would share it today. Project cousin is basically where I am Ashlyn's sweat shop worker until she has sent a package of something to wear to each and every one of her girl cousins. It started with a birthday gift and her wanting to have a matching skirt to wear to church with her cousin. There are several cousins at church and I didn't want anyone to feel left out so I told her we'll just make a big project out of it and make one for everyone. I also stink at doing birthday gifts and usually only give one every 3 years so I figured it was about time.

I'm stupid, there I said it. Have I ever mentioned Cody has 8 brothers and sisters and I have 5 and most of them have more than 2 kids? I did find out that if I make the same skirt over and over and over again until I want to throw stuff at the wall I can whip out 2 a day. Here's what I have so far.

Day 9 and 3 skirts. I said I could make 2 a day but really I cut one out, eat some chocolate, sew a seam, make something really bad for me to eat, and call it a day.

Good thing they are fun and fast or I would have quit after #1. Thought I should mention the design- not mine so there won't be a tutorial. After my 50th one maybe I'll do something original I can do a tute for!

Have a fantastic what ever day I scheduled this for since my computer still stinks.

El Gut update

I'm not sure if it's a been there done that attitude or the fact that I'm over half way through baking this little buddy and I'm not prepared for #6 mentally but either way I'm not posting as much about my pregnancy this time as I did with Kennedy. I get comments, emails, and my family keeps harassing me to post a nice juicy belly shot and update and I'm nothing if not a show off so I thought today is as good a day as any. Plus I actually got dressed today. So here's the skinny... or I guess fatty on my bulging middle and little buddy.


That shirt is deceiving. My belly is so low I want to sing "does your gut hang low, does it wobble to and fro" every time I walk. I feel huge but I've been told I don't look it. When you can't see your feet or stand up without assistance it's hard to believe. I'm 23 weeks this week so about 6 months (I think). I feel, well pregnant so I guess that's a good thing since I am. There are two things I hear every month I go to the doctor and I'll share them because those of you that haven't had children yet need to be prepared for what you'll hear later on- "Wow that's a yellow purse" and "With your weight gain... try to slow it down". If I were a gambling woman I would place a bet that I'll hear that next time to. That's the extent of my Dr. visits.

I have enough diapers already to change an army of babies and I'm slowly adding to the clothing pile but I have to tell you, I really thought I was having a girl so I'm still adjusting to needing boy stuff. I gave Jeremy's stuff away a few x chromosomes ago so I need to get cracking! He has a name but I don't want to start a family fued so I'm not going to post it until it's legally his. We haven't decided on a middle name yet though.

I think that about wraps it up and the next update will probably be to show you my chubby little guy! Of course you'll have to wait until November for that ;).

Big Bad Bermudas

So I like to sew stuff. A lot. But I've never ever in my entire life ever made cut off shorts. I know you're thinking "How hard is that?". For me, very. I always think they look like, well, cut off jeans. I tried my hand at it the other day out of necessity more than anything else and can I tell you...

I kind of like them. Be kind, they're my first attempt.

They were kind of growing on me until Ashlyn put them on and one leg is longer than the other. It has to be Ashlyn because I know I measured twice and cut once. Oh well. On to version #2 I guess. Is it so hard to cut off jeans or is that just me?

Funner in the Summer!

I think I mentioned before about Mique and her fun blog 30 Handmade Days, but in case I you haven't heard she's been doing an entire summer's worth of fun projects and today is my day! I'm so excited to share my secret project... but you'll have to go over there for the tutorial. Sneaky I know but you'll want to go check out all the other projects to!

Have a fantastic Thursday!

My spare 20

No, not my spare 20 pounds. I passed that marker months ago. I managed to eek out an extra 20 minutes to myself this week and what did I do with it? I made a skirt for Ashlyn. At 8:00 last night. So she could wear it this morning. I thought about cramming another 800 calories worth of sweets down my gullet and watching a British comedy on OPB instead but my Dr. has put the fear in me that babies turn sugar into baby fat. She's my new doctor, my regular one (my favorite) retired on me. I'm not sure if I've mentioned before that I'm addicted to sweets or not ;). She keeps asking me if I want to deliver another 9+ lb baby... hmm. I keep telling Cody that I'm going to have this baby at home so I don't have to go to her anymore. Ignorance is bliss!

Ashlyn and I are going to kick off project cousin this week so I'll share that soon. I'll be up to my eyeballs in elastic and fabric so it should be a ton of fun. I also have a secret project to share Thursday so this week will be rockin'.

Have a great sabbath and eat a couple extra brownies for me. Oh, and don't forget the marshmallow milkshake!

I'm a little late in posting my button project for July, more stinking computer issues. I'm not going to bore you with how I'm going to light my computer on fire tonight and make plastic tasting smores over it. I'm going to show off my Button Shop Creative Team feature that I did for Monday.
I got a sampling of the "Sweetie Tweetie" buttons and I know I say this every time but they are completely adorable. My kids are constantly asking me if they can eat Tessa's buttons so I thought it would be fun to put them on a cupcake apron for Mary, my little chocolate loving buddy. I love how it turned out and think I need one for me. Not a maternity one though so maybe next year ;).

I'm working on a few things for next week so maybe I'll give a sneak later this week... if I can pull it together!

Have a fantastic Wednesday. I'm off to light up the ol' Dell! Anyone wanna pass me the Hershey's bars?

P.S. Unless we get if fixed tonight I'll be checking my mail and stuff once a week, so really I'm not ignoring anyone. I might die of internet withdrawals.

Extra fireworks will be fired

Today was the big day, I had my 20 week ultrasound this morning! I’ve been so worried that something was going to be wrong. Not that I have a big reason to feel that way but I’ve been so blessed to have 5 healthy kids I was nervous that something could come up this time. I feel that way every single time though. Everything looks great, so that’s a big relief. Baby is growing as it should and is just the cutest little 11 ounce thing.

We were lucky enough to get 2 short little digital clips along with the pictures so it was fun to bring the disk home and let the kids watch their new sibling kick around and wave at them. I was going to add a picture of my pregnant self today but nah… don’t feel like it. How about I tell the gender instead?

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I’m nice like that. I figure it’s the least I can do. Isn’t finding out you’re pregnant and then waiting to see what it will look like surprise enough?

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I say so! No one will convince me other wise. Ever. I give better gifts to people who tell. Not really but I should start doing that ;).

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So, it’s a….

Mustache Onesie!!!! Yep, Jeremy’s pleading has been heard and he will get the brother we keep forgetting to order for him. I don’t want to jinx myself and say it too many times or bits might just fall off in the next 20 weeks.

Now to scrounge up baby boy ideas. I typed that so it doesn’t count towards the jinxing. I feel in the mood to light blue fire works now.

Have a happy and safe 4th weekend!

Laundry (in)sanity

Ah laundry. The bane of my existence. I get so jealous when I run across a blog post where someone says “We came home from our trip and I had an entire load to wash”. HA! Yes, I ha’d you 1 load people. I’m not bragging or trying to play the martyr here but with 7 1/2 people and a smelly dog in our family I have at least 12 loads a week of just clothes and towels. Add sheets and blankets and dog stuff and our house is basically a 24 hour laundromat.

Since I’m elbow deep in clothes all the time I thought I’d give my $.02 on laundry and how I make it a little more bearable.

I can almost hear the gasps coming- I only buy white towels, kitchen and bath. I know you probably think I’m crazy but I swear by it. My kids are hard on towels and don’t always get them into the laundry when they should so they end up smelling gross or stained. I used to have dark green towels and I would have to wash them several times to get them to smell okay and sometimes they would still have a stain or two on them that no amount of stain treating or soaking would get out.

Not with white towels. I throw my towels in the wash with bleach and let it soak for a while. Being able to bleach them is key. My towels are several years old and look great. It works for restaurants, hospitals, and hotels and by golly it works for big families to. I do buy colored beach towels just so the kids know which towels they can take to the pool or outside. No white towels leave the house.

Here’s my other dirty (clean?) secret. I don’t fold or match socks. We have a sock basket and everyone is on their own for finding socks. As I’m folding I put all the socks I find in the load in a separate pile and if there happens to be a match screaming at me I’ll fold it, the rest go in the basket. Moral of this story, make sure both your socks are together in the dirty laundry or you get to play find and seek. This isn’t so much for convenience as it is that I just hate socks.

Each child over 6 also folds his/her own laundry. I’ll happily wash and throw their clothes in their baskets but it’s their responsibility to see that they get folded. Let me tell you, it sure cuts down on the amount of clean clothes they “accidently” put in the dirty clothes bins because eventually they do have to fold them again.

Long post but it’s been on my mind, and covering my coffee table at the moment. Any tips that save your laundry day?

Nice Try.

Reason #1298 why children are worth keeping around.

Alrighty, let’s see what’s so urgent.

It reads (as written): CONTRACT. I here by make it offical That my son JeremyA.Baxter is allowed to play the Wii six hours a day on any game he wants. If this contract is harmed in any way the legal laws of the house clearly state that this contract is permanet . An further more this legal paper was actually currently signed by Brigdet K.Baxter.

I must have a huge case of pregnancy brain because I don’t remember this contract and I’m positive that as dumb as I look right now I still remember how to spell my own name. I think.

In our house you have to earn video game time. For every chapter you read in an actual book (no comic books) you get 10 minutes of Wii time. He hasn’t touched a book in over a month. Nice try buddy. I love kids!

Today is brought to you by the letter P

Today is my Creative Team Spotlight on The Button Shop blog! I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love these projects. I chose the Spring Poppies buttons to make Kennedy a Poppy dress for her birthday in August.

I couldn’t resist. Once I laid my eyes on those buttons I knew immediately what I was going to do! If I’m having another girl I’m going to have to stock up on more buttons, they just make the outfits. Visit Tessa’s blog for close-ups of the dress and more details. I made the dress with my own pattern and plan on doing a tutorial for it after I tweak a few things so stay tuned!

Next up I thought I’d tell you about my friend Bethany’s adorable daughter Storey. Isn’t that the cutest name? Bethany entered a photo of Storey in a contest and would love some help with the votes. I think it’s the cutest one so I gladly helped her out. Today is the last day to vote and if you have a facebook or Twitter account she would love the help. In fact she would love it so much she’s offering everyone who votes a free pattern from her shop! Just leave her a comment here and let her know which one you’d like after you vote. You can vote *here*.

It’s so rude of me to show you my pillows in progress and then not give you the skinny on how I made them. Sorry Des! For my pillows I used this little video from Martha’s site. The site drives me absolutely insane but I love being able to watch a video and pause it if I need to. It’s called freehand machine embroidery (basically scribbling with your machine). So fun, and easy after some practice.

So there you have it. Poppies, pictures, patterns, and pillows. I love Monday!