Sheets!

Thanks to a friend's idea, I now have embellished sheets to offer!  You can see more information on them on my other blog:  chuiesfamily.blogspot.com.  Here is what they look like . . . .

Yes, although she is posing like she is asleep, she really does hold her "chicken" in a mighty grip when she sleeps!  It is one of those Pete and Repeat - read VERY obnoxious - toys, but she loves it with all her heart!  We let the batteries run down and didn't replace them for a long time.  I finally took pity and put new ones in.  Chicka's reaction should have been recorded - it was precious.  She ran to him with her arms outstretched yelling

 "cccchhhhhhhiiiiiiicccccckkkkkeeeeennnnn" 

in such an endearing way - like a long lost close friend that you haven't seen in ages!  OK - so we put up with "chicken", whom by the way really is a parrot - but we can't convince chick-a-dee!

And the most important thing is . . . . . after pretending to sleep in her bed for a picture . . . . .

This is THE FIRST TIME in over a year that Chicka has gone to sleep in her own bed!  Without a single peep!  Can we hope to hope that tonight will go as well?  Or tomorrow?????

Blue Rose Dairy

We were able to go on a field trip today to a goat dairy!  Chicka wasn't too sure about these creatures!

After awhile, she kind of enjoyed touching them.

They also make cheese - just like I used to do it, but with an entire cheese kitchen to do it in.  Somehow I don't recall having quite that many chevre bags hanging at one time!  We were able to sample some of their cheese - yummy - the garlic and dill one was every bit as good as what we used to make!

Chicka had something that tasted good on her jacket - this Anatolian couldn't resist her - and of course, she didn't appreciate it!

Sewing Time

Freecyle, freecyle, freecycle!  I love freecycle!  If you don't know what it is - check it out!  So far I have been too slow to be able to actually get any of the goodies, until this time.  I actually posted a wanted ad for an iron and an office chair to use in my sewing room.

There are SO many things to replace after you have lost everything in a fire, you don't realize it until you need it!  So it was with an iron.  I have been making all these blankets and fussing with the wrinkles, each time saying "I have got to buy an iron!".

Well, I decided - hey, ask and ye shall recieve, right????  - so I posted the ad.  Guess what????  I now have a nice chair that adjusts up and down on rollers to use while I sew AND an awesome iron - for free!  Two lovely ladies immediately responded to my ad saying that they had just what I needed - they are terrific!

Here is a quick photo of my new iron all set up and ready to work:

I know, I know - it is dorky to get so excited about an iron, but this iron is PERFECT!  It is the good, old kind that weighs a TON and stays SUPER hot, so that when you need it, it is ready!

Hence you get too excited about how it looks in my "sewing room", take another look:

This is clean - only a few toys amongst my tools, but step in just a little closer, 

and now you get a closer look at "the mess"!  Chicka loves playing with all the fabric scraps!

Big brother made some yummy popsicles that he shared with Chicka.  Of course you have to drink tea with everything, right????

New Skirt/Pant Fabrics and Blankets

Woo hoo - I went shopping today!  Here is one trio that I found - I can't wait to get this one made up!  I found two others - click on Zabi's button on the side bar to see them!

Here is one of the recent boy's blankets that I finished, and . . . .

one of the girl's blankets!

A Special Thanks

You will have to go take a look at the fresh new look of Zabi's blog - just click on the button on the right sidebar.  Thanks to Daleea at http://justonechildatatime.blogspot.com/, who also made the buttons for you to copy onto your blog!  She is a very special and talented woman who offered to help me spruce up the look!  Thank you, Daleea!

Blanket Raffle

I have decided to do a raffle for one my blankets!

The tickets for a chance to win a blanket of your choice is $5 each.  You can purchase a ticket and see the selections by visiting chuiesfamily.blogspot.com and using the chip'in function on the sidebar.  Please be sure to leave me a message that you purchased a ticket so that I can record your information.

I will do a random drawing on April 1st - I promise, no joke!

Each ticket purchased helps bring our sweet Zabi home!

A Budding Artist in the Family!

Well, this doesn't show up very well after scanning it, but Chicka drew her first baby!  You can faintly see the two eyes, the mouth (looks sad!) and the two ears!  Perhaps in my senility I have forgotten when toddlers start drawing recognizable figures, but thinking of her just one short year ago - not even being able to stand on her own, couldn't feed herself, etc. - I am one proud mama of my just turned 3 year old girl!

Blustery March Madness

This is crazy weather!  The temp dropped nearly 10 degrees in less than 5 minutes.  After the squall, the temp rose again and all was well.  Weird!  I didn't catch the blizzardy snow - for awhile it was coming down all which ways in a furious flurry!

Any landscaping ideas for this year????

Chicka was SO pleased with her book stacking.

Playing with bubbles in the sink is one of her favorite things to do.

I just got a new picture of Miss MPops - my grand daughter, who unfortunately lives clear across the nation from us :-(  Of course I'm not biased in any way, but isn't she adorable?????

Swing Dance

Last night MissE and IBoy joined a group of friends at a swing club.

Can you tell that they had a blast?

Sewing Mania!

I am slowly gaining ground on orders versus availability!  Here are the latest two blankets that I have finished, ready to sell.

Be sure to click on Zabi's photo to the right or the photo of the blankets to see all of the items that I have for sale!

I couldn't pass snapping this photo yesterday.  Chicka and Dad peacefully snoozin' on the couch!

Crazy Hair Day at School!

Yup - crazy hat or hair day at Friday School today.  Here is how they looked as they walked out the door.  Chicka and I did not go today because she is sick :-(

You can't fully appreciate the entire "do", but you can get an idea!

Here are all of the competitors:

All sorts of crazy ideas - what fun everyone had!  And the winner is . . . . . . . . . MissE!  You can kind of see her in the center - she has a light colored sweatshirt on.

Personally, I think that Dad should have won the award!

Under Liberty

Well, Under Liberty had it's cast and crew party along with the sneak peak and the unedited version of the movie.  The boys have done an outstanding job ~ way to go!!!!!!  They apprehensively wait to see themselves on screen!

You can view the trailer at www.youtube.com/watch?v=M77KKF9DFgY

Do we have a professional wrestler in the family??????

March, already?????

Just a snooze, but couldn't resist taking a photo.  Amazingly enough, she will now lay down and go to sleep for her nap without me holding her until she drifts off!  Baby steps, right????

Enjoying a brief sunny moment!

Someone else was enjoying the sun!  This pregnant doe and her yearling come around every afternoon.  Of course to dogs go crazy when they show up!

Another blanket Made!

Cookin' Up Trouble!

MissE here!  Mumsie, IBoy, Chicka and I all decided to make brownies today - spur of the moment crazy wildness.    Realizing that there was no way we could possibly get all of the dough out of the bowl, off the spatula, and off the beater(we tried our hardest!  we only gave up after fifteen whole seconds), we decided to honor the age old saying, "Waste not, Want not."!  So IBoy took the bowl, I took the beater, and Chicka took the spatula.... Chicka was definitely the one who made the biggest mess.  Really.

Another Blanket Made!

I was able to get one more blanket done today!  This one is 42 x 59.  A beautiful floral flannel on one side and a raised design, fuzzy, soft knit on the other.  The knit on this blanket is a creamy color - I also have the same fabric in a pale pink knit.

Skirt Fabric

OK, here is my fabric selection so far for custom made 3 tier gathered skirts for little girls.  I can make them out of all one fabric, 2 fabrics, or 3 coordinating fabrics.  What do you think?

These are the wovens - medium weight cotton

And these are cotton knits - like a t-shirt - 

 

You can email me directly with any questions!

Hooray! I have a serger!!!!

Thank you, Mom and Dad!  My parents took me shopping yesterday and bought me a new serger - my old one died in the fire :-(

This means that I can now get busy and make some items to sell.  Each cent that I make is going towards bringing Zabi home from China!

I was able to make a blanket and a skirt this afternoon - I'll give you a sneak peek.

The blanket is a large 41 x 53 inches, as you can see in the photo with Chicka laying on it!  It is made from warm, fuzzy flannel on one side and a soft, stretchy cotton knit on the other.  I have made these blankets as gifts for new babies for nearly 20 years, and I have teenagers tell me that they still have the blankets that I made for them - that those blankets have been loved and treasured all these years!  You can also see the skirt that I made as a trial run for Inara.

The problem that I think that I will have with selling the blankets is that the fabric costs me $25 or more for each blanket.  That is fine for giving as a gift, but I'm afraid that they will be too spendy for people to buy.  I think that I will just say that anything above $25 (plus shipping) is considered a love donation for Zabi.  Does that sound fair?

I will be posting fabric options for the skirts.  All I would need is the waist measurement of the sweetie recipient and the desired length.  The skirts are not as expensive to make.  Anything above $15 (plus shipping) will again be considered a love donation. 

Please let me know if you have any fantastic ideas!