Sewing and picking, sewing and picking...

Right before braving the storm to go swimming.
Thanks Jen Lau for the darling homemade tulip hat!

I have these grandiose ideas that I'm quite a bit more capable than I am at some things.... sewing is one that I keep telling myself...it doesn't have to be perfect, no one will notice, right?

Well, these last few days staying home because of Snow-maggedon  I found myself wanting to work on some of the projects I created for myself to do while on maternity leave that didn't get done on maternity leave :)

I sat down and cranked out a few hair clips for some of CC's little friends (and well of course one for CC too!)

The poofy headband is a little 90's I know, but it looks so darling on CC's sweet little head!

Close up--not too focused.  I couldn't find the "good" camera .

I then remembered that I had made these adorable hats from a pattern my mother-in-law gave me but I had a ton of fabric left over and the print is so darling that I decided to make a jumper! I didn't have a pattern, I just used one of CC's jumpers as an outline of how long, wide, etc I needed to make the fabric.  Thanks to my VT Kathleen I knew how to gather more easily so I cranked it right out...had a little bit of trouble because i decided I didn't want to do buttonholes at the top, but had already turned out the finished edge without attaching at the shoulder to it looked funny to do that again (it was jersey knit fabric it stretches).  Sorry if that last bit didn't make any sense! So after I slept on it, I decided to sew down the shoulders as if there were button holes and just attach buttons!  It turned out cute if I do say so myself.  CC is modeling her new jumper.and hat!

Don't mind the leggings she is wearing underneath :)

* A quick note on this jumper handcrafted with love...
I used the pattern for the hat from CC's Grandma Schultz, the buttons on the yo-yo embellishments are from CC's Grammie Rich's vintage blue mason button jar.  So when she wears it, it will remind me of those that love me and CC girl.

NEXT...

I then was thinking, it can't be that hard to do sleeves can it? I'd been thinking about how fun it would be to do a balloon /bubble dress for the little girl, so I started pondering on it and decided to just try it out. Here are two examples I found POST sewing what I ended up making :)

This is was I was imagining.

or this...

 I then remembered I had the pattern from the first dress I made CC that I could use parts of to help me construct the top bodice and sleeves...so I got that out and tried my hand at.  Well, the bubble part didn't work.  I figured out why after I had already cut, sewn, and gathered the fabric at the waist.  I'm just going to go with it this time, but I do want some helpful hints on how to make the ballooning effect.  My guess is that your fabric is really angled when you stitch it on the sides but I don't know for sure. (any helps for the future?) I wish I would have done some research and googled before I used all the fabric. oh well. Another problem occurred when I was attaching bodice to skirt. The pattern I used for the bodice was for an a-line jumper so it wouldn't match up with my skirt.  So I had to take in my bodice under the armpits and in the back to make it a more fitted straight look.  Heaven help me!  Don't look too close it isn't perfect and it may never fit her!  I just need to attach the snaps to the back since I don't have a zipper and it will be done!

the gathering got a little messy when I had to
"alter" the bodice to fit onto the skirt. 

not bad for a first try...

Isn't she the cutest?  

PS. anyone want to give me sewing lessons or know of someone that does? :)  I think I'm digging this new hobby of sorts.

Claudia Cate is 3 months old!

The best pet store ever
Snohomish

She absolutely LOVES her frog, turtle and figure 8 toy in the carseat

December 2, 2011 Oh what a big girl she is!  We just love all her new talents!  She started sleeping in her big girl crib.  She enjoys her rainforest toy that she got from her Grandma Schultz.  She loves to listen to her "babylight" music that our friends the Walchli's gave her.  She listens to it most every night.

She enjoys her teething toys and loves any toy that makes noise, especially her jingle bells that her cousin Ella gave her.  She can hold on to things really well, but ends up hitting herself because her control with her hands and arms is still questionable.

Serious about my bottle even when I'm sleeping

She grabbed and held onto my hair for the first time this week.  She has a really strong grip.  She still rolls over and enjoys tummy time.  When she is ready to be done on her tummy, she will definitely let you know.


She enjoys her exersaucer too!  She isn't very proficient at holding her self completely steady but it will come in time.  The bumbo seat is definitely enjoyable for her.  She doesn't like to lay back much.  Always on the go and always wants to look around.

You see I can roll 1/2 way and then come back whenever I want

Auntie Jodi's Visit

Mid-October 2011

Oh we can't even explain how much fun (and what a big help) it was to have Auntie Jodi come visit from Florida!  Her husband Cory so graciously took the week off and stayed home with their two daughters so that she could come visit us for a week.  She came right after CC's blessing so that we could enjoy her company for a week.  We had so much fun! Thanks Cory Brown!  We had a couple of adventures but mainly we just chilled and enjoyed each other and especially little Claudia!

Jodi and I have been friends since we were babies I'm sure.  Our moms our best friends.  When Jodi was having her first baby Lauren (who turns 8 this year sheesh!) she lived in Lewiston and she said my momma helped encourage her with nursing and was a nurturing support.  Jodi was that for me.  She was my champion.

I had other champions as well, don't get me wrong, my sisters, my mother in law, and other dear friends.  But there was something about having one of my oldest friends here with no other purpose then to help and give me ideas and solutions.  I had her undivided time attention and love.

It's hard to explain, but I just felt so relaxed and comfortable.  Not that I was stressed out before, but I was relaxed and able to think about things with a perspective rather than just being hyper focused.  I know that I can't put it into words.  But believe me.  It was such a great week.


Since Jodi left, we have missed her.  She is such a good friend, I would even say she is family...well she is family!    The sense of peace, calm, and support she brought was much needed and honestly, I really feel blessed that she was able to be with us.  Things were just less rushed and having an extra set of hands was nice to be able to get things done--or not--and it didn't matter.

We didn't get any photos of us together, but here is a picture of Jodi and CC!

This is little Claudia Cate bundled up in Jodi's arms in the blanket she made for her!

Beautiful Handmade Dress from Auntie Kim Beckman

We received a package for CC in the mail when she was about 2 1/2 months.  It was a beautiful handmade needlework dress.  Wow!  She was stunning in it!  It was a dress similar to what she made Ella and my other nieces.  My mom and Kim were dear friends and Kim had agreed to make the grandbaby girls these darling dresses.

When we opened the package tears came to my eyes. It was yet another reminder of how many people care about us and our little baby girl.  The outpouring of love that must have gone into making such a darling dress--it is breathtaking.

Of course when we went to take pictures of her in it, she kept pulling her slip up.  Something about the extra ruffles around her face.  So of course I took a few photos of that pose too!

I couldn't help myself.  Her startled look was priceless!

I love her smile

Auntie Kim, her daughter Kaci and little CC

December 2011

...tell them what they've won...

a NEW CAR (new to us)....
November 8,2011    We broke down and joined the world in owning a SUV.  I am in love with the Pilot!  It drives so smooth, it is so comfy and heavenly and the best part, I got to pick it out!

Yes, I am 32 years old and I picked out a car for myself for the first time EVER!  I was lucky enough to possess my parents former car once I graduated from college. When I was in HS I drove the '68 VW bug and the '88 mercury tracer. Both cars of which I enjoyed driving, however neither of which I picked out on my own!

We sold Paul's 2 door Scion, knowing that at some point we were going to look at getting a little bigger car (is that an oxymoron?). Little did we know it would be less than 24 hours later that we found one that was just for us!

Our main concern was space for traveling and saving our backs bending in and lifting CC out of the backseat of the accords was taxing on our already ailing backs.  Now we can store more than just the stroller in the cargo space and still have plenty of room for other goods.

Do I feel spoiled?  Yes.  Am I super happy?  For Sure.  So yes, it has a lot of bells and whistles, heated seats and mirrors, AUX plug, DVD, third row seating, and much  much more engine stuff oh and it is highly rated for safety.  It is also a great color...dark cherry pearl!

The Princess Pilot loves to pilot her Pilot

Leavenworth Tree Lighting Ceremony

Early in the month of December, Paul's sister Lauren invited us to go to this place called Woodinville Wonderland.  An at-home mega light display that was fantastic. (highly recommend it--37 minutes of pure awesomeness--google it!)  I mentioned then that I wanted this year to be full of holiday spirit so we started to craft our month out to maximize the holiday cheer-o-meter. One of those events we decided on was the Leavenworth Tree Lighting Ceremony.

We went last year on the snow train with mom and all of our family and thoroughly enjoyed making a lifelong memory.  I wanted to have that feeling of being with mom enjoying the lights together again.  I knew it wouldn't be exactly the same, but I felt her in my heart that day.  It was cold but the lights were beautiful.  I missed my mom a lot and found my mind wandering to days when she was around and wishing she could enjoy the holiday season with us and little CC.

December 10, 2011  We piled Mike and Teresa (Paul's parents), and Lauren and Bryan (Paul's sister and bro-in-law) into our Honda Pilot.  It was a great drive.  The roads and weather were fantastic.  It was pretty darn cold, but everyone survived.  Claudia Cate loved having company in the back seat for the drive there and back.  She was mesmerized both by her Grandma Schultz and her Uncle Bryan.  We ate at a yummy place called "Mozart Cafe" and got our pictures taken with all sorts of holiday characters.

Here are some of the photo highlights (big thanks to Bryan for letting us steal some of his photos too!).

Super bundled up...it was burrito cold there!

Here we are!

Photos of the crowds.  This was nothing--once we were 15 minutes from tree lighting,  the streets were packed

Uncle Bryan captured an interesting face...

That's better.

Grandma Schultz

Bryan and Lauren

The whole crew.  It was cold and CC had fallen asleep or else we would have pulled her out for the photo.

Fantastic!