I FOUND IT!!!

The cord thing was only five feet away in my husbands computer bag the whole time.  Go figure.  :)  So happy to have it.  I don't have a pic of the quilt yet but here is a pic I took of the fabric before I put it together.  I absolutely LOVE the final product.  I'll show you soon.

When I pulled the pics off my camera I found some from our travels during the move...

HOME!

(please ignore the dirty window)

We're Here!

So... we have been here for a couple weeks.  We are currently bunking in with my sis and her fam.  (Thank You, Sis!) 

We are waiting now to move into our new-to-us home.  I keep dreaming of all the decorating I will be doing.  I've got some fun ideas, but there just gonna have to wait.

Before today I had not done any sewing since the move.  I know, Crazy!  These last few days I have really been itching to pull Berni out of the closet and sew something fabulous together.  I finally did it!  I finished a quilt top I had started a while back.  I can't wait to show you all.  Actually, I would post a pic now, but I can't find my camera cord.  Go figure.  As soon as I find it you will be the first to know!

Funny story...

My son, E was hanging out with me as I was sewing.  I was cutting off small excess triangle pieces I didn't need.  As he was playing with them he realized if he sewed two together at the points it would look like a butterfly.  So we made a butterfly.  He gifted it to me.  Such a sweet boy.

A while later he decided he wanted to ungift it and sell it for $200.  A few minutes later I noticed him walking out toward the road.  We currently live on a very quiet country road.  Probably don't get more than 20 cars pass in a day.  But close by is a much busier road.  I asked him what he was doing and he said, "I'm trying to figure out how to get those cars to come over here to buy this butterfly."  (Insert chuckle)

Me:  Come over here and we will talk about it.

... (indicates time passing as he walks slowly with his head hanging down past his shoulders)

Me:  Come sit on my lap.  (I proceed to kindly explain to him that all things have a value and that some things are most valuable as gifts to grandmas/aunties/moms...his being one of them)

E:  But I really want to sell it...for $200!

Me:  Well, maybe you can give it to your auntie as a gift.

E:  Maybe I can give it to her as a gift and have her pay me $10!

Me:  Maybe you can ask her if she will buy if for a nickle.  That is FIVE PENNIES!  (expressed with extra enthusiasm)  Actually, you should ask her if she will buy it for a quarter and if she says no you should ask her how much she will buy it for.

E:  (as he leaps off my lap and runs into the house to ask his auntie)  I will ask her to pay me $1 for it!

...  (a short laps as he runs full speed)

E:  Auntie, will you buy this from me for $1?

Auntie:  (since rejecting his offer of $200, she sweetly replies)  Sure.  Of  course I will buy it for $1.

(E looks over at me in complete amazement.)

Auntie:  Do you take change?

E:  ... (silence)

Auntie:  Orrr...maybe not. :)  I'll get you a dollar bill.

E:  (running back to me)  Mom, she bought it!  FOR $1!  Lets make some more so I can sell more.  Mom, will buy one from me for $1?

Me:  Kiddo, this is my fabric.

E:  So...will you buy one from me for $1?

Can't blame a kid for trying.


It's good to be back!
~kersten

...Another Door Opens.

When did we collect 26' x 7 1/2' x 8' of stuff?  Good thing I had a garage sale last week (and for Mikes mad 3D packing skills) , we never would have been able to fit everything otherwise.

Thanks to all the church members who helped us load and a HUGE thanks to B for dinner, hanging out with my kids all night and hers (while having her own baby strapped to her back) and for vacuuming my living room.  Bless your heart!  You inspire me to be better.  I'm sure gonna miss you.

I had a good poor me I am moving cry yesterday.  I needed it.  I feel much better now.  I'm gonna miss this wonderful place and many amazing friends and family but I'm very excited for our future!

We are off tomorrow.  I'm about as excited as a six year-old on Christmas Eve.  Can't wait.

Until next time...

When One Door Closes...

We said goodbye tonight to a lot of people we love.

It was hard.

This little farming community has become home for our young family.  We will miss it here.

Grandma planned a party and grandpa smoked some delicious beef.

There were lots of loved ones...

and plenty of messy baby faces.

It was perfect.  We love you all and look forward to seeing you again!

BTW - B, I loved your jeans.

Ironing Board Cover Tutorial

I recently made a ironing board cover for a friend.  I loved how easy it was and thought it would make a great tutorial for a quick and easy project.  The best thing is you can easily customize these directions to any size of ironing board!

This is what you will need:

Cotton Fabric

Cord (I used #2 Polyester Cord--for window coverings)

Cord Stop (just one)

safety pin

Basic sewing supplies

To determine the amount of fabric you will need measure the length of your ironing board and add 13.  My board is 54".

54+13=  67"

Of those extra 13 inches, eight will be for wrapping around the board and the other five are for shrinkage/fraying that will occur when laundered (wash/dry before you begin). 

Because I wanted to use more of this fabric for future projects I just got 2 yards (72").

Lets get started...

 Lay your fabric right side down on the ground.  Put your ironing board on top of it.  Mark 4" around the board with dots.  Play a little game of connect the dots to get the line you will cut along.  If you decide you want the cover to wrap around your board less, that is completely up to you.  I would just suggest not cutting the fabric any less than 3" wider than the board.

If you have a serger you can use it instead of cutting with scissors.  This will eliminate the need to double fold when sewing. 

I really like this fabric marker!

Now cut it out.  You will need to replace your current ironing board cover and pad for this project.

(you might notice my board is missing its legs.  my son used it as a pretend surf board one day.  he was fine, but it didn't end too well for the board.)

Fold the edge of your fabric 1/4".  Press with your iron.  Determine where the center top is of your fabric.  This is where you will thread the cord though.  You only need to leave about 1" for the opening so stitch this 1/4" fold down about 3-4" in the top center.  Backstitch at both ends.  This will reinforce this area and keep it from fraying later.

If you have an overlock stitch (#3 and #8 are two types of overlock stitches) on your machine, you can sew around the edge of your fabric using that stitch instead of turning it under 1/4".

Now fold it under 3/4" and pin (make sure it is wide enough for your safety pin to go through).  You wont need to pin as frequently on the straight sides as you do on the curves.  Press it if you like or just remove the pins when you get to each one (be careful not to break any pins or your needle).

See how I have two pins next to each other under my presser foot and than two pins next to each other behind the presser foot?  I did that so I remembered to leave an opening for the the cord.  DONT stitch between the two sets.  Use a straight stitch as you sew around the board cover.  Stitch along the fold or along the inside of the serged/overlock stitch.  Backstitch at the beginning and end.  

FYI, the curved areas of your fabric will pleat a little when stitched in place.  It will not lay completely flat when turned under.  

To determine the amount of cord you need, measure around the edge of your cover and add 15.  My cover measured 145".

145+15=  160"

Thread your cord onto a safety pin.  Insert it into the area you left unstitched at the top of the cover and thread it through.  Thread cord ends through your cord stop.  Secure your cord ends so they don't fray.

Put it on your board and enjoy!

Something about these silly birds makes me happy.  The word 'frou-frou' comes to mind.  Sounds like something my dad would say.

Those of you with mini boards...  Depending on the length of your board and the width of your fabric, you might be able to use the width of fabric to run along the length of your board.  

i.e.  If your board is 30" long and the width of your fabric is at least 42", this can work.  Just keep in mind that the direction of the design on the fabric will run the width of the board, not the length.  If the width of your board is 12" you can probably get by with only 2/3 yard.

Why I have been MIA...

My little family is moving...next week.  I can't believe it is almost here.  We originally thought of moving next summer, but things turned out so we could make the move this August.  And really, once you decide to move, the waiting is the hardest part.

My older boys have enjoyed one more summer here spending time with their grandparents--swimming, going to an air show, getting farm parts and lunches with grandpa, helping grandma with yard work, having sleepovers--doing the things they love to do.  Thank you grandma and grandpa!

These last couple weeks have found me deep into packing.  I have found the word "packing" doesn't just mean putting things into boxes.  It is sorting, trashing, selling, donating, cleaning and organizing.  The biggest move we have made since having kids (kids=lots more "stuff") was about 15 miles.  Next week we will be going 600+ miles.  We now have even more "stuff" than we did when we made that short 15 mile move.

Why is it that once you start packing, your house seems to be so messy?  Oh well only a few days left.

Any suggestions from you more experienced movers out there?

Yes, even in the middle of all this "packing" I find time to sew.  Not much, only a few minutes in the evening after my kids are in bed.  I need it, actually.  It is a major stress reliever for me.  I wanted to come up with something quick and easy that I can share with you all before the big move.

Come back Thursday and ironing might just become your newest favorite chore...maybe.

SALE!

--SALE HAS ENDED--

Just in case you haven't been over to my Etsy Shop recently, I am have a Christmas In July SALE going on right now.  All products have been marked down 20%!  These are the lowest my prices have ever been.  This SALE continues until the end of the month.  Just 3 MORE DAYS!

I have patterns...

quilt kits...

a quilt...

and countdown chains!

Plus, I offer a coupon with every purchase!  Don't miss it, only 3 MORE DAYS!

After - Vintage Cosco High Chair

Remember this awful before picture of the lovely vintage Cosco high chair?  Peeling paint, rust, burn mark on the seat.  It really needed some love.

Here is the after...

Stripped, sanded, repainted and reupholstered.  I love this Amy Butler fabric!  I added vinyl for easy cleaning.

The only thing to improve this high chair is an adorable little person...

I might need to attach a securing strap...

Like I said before, this is a family heirloom.  My mother and her sisters sat it in, my sisters and I sat in it and now I have it for my children.  I imagine it is sturdy enough for my grandchildren to sit in someday.

Hope you love it as much as I do!

Scrap Busting Table Runner

I made another one of these, but this time I added it to my Etsy shop.

Bullseye Block Tutorial

I am posting a tutorial for this bullseye block over at CluckCluckSew today.  Run over and check it out!

Desk Project

Picked it up at a garage sale.  Just what I needed...another project...?

See this beautiful wall paper adorning the table top?  I wanted to see how hard it was to scrape off and before I pulled out the camera I almost had half of it off.  Oops, you still get the idea.

I am very excited for the drawer in the front.  I love drawers.  Any ideas for paint colors I should use?

Happy 4th of July!

Modern Squares Baby Quilt

The newest addition to my shop.

Love it!

Prince Charming

My husband is so good to me.  He is so busy and rarely has the time to mow the lawn, which means I am usually the one doing it.  Which is fine, but it is so nice when he does it...like this morning.

This is a monster of a trampoline.  There is no way I can move this on my own, which means when I am the one mowing it usually doesn't get moved....

and the grass ends up looking like this.  My boys call it their jungle.

Thank you dear sweet husband!

Doesn't this look so nice!?

My flower beds really need weeded!  See those extremely tall dandy-lions mixed in with the flowers.  Oh, well.  Such is life.  

Vintage Cosco High Chair

I recently got this high chair from my mom.  Having serviced seven little ones, it has been though a lot!   

I REALLY liked the original look, but there is a burn mark from a pot, peeling paint on the tray and rust on the legs and arms so I decided to give it a little face lift.

I took the seat and back off and oh man was it nasty!  I'll keep you posted on the change.

I would SO love to get my hands on another one so each of my babies could have one.

Actually, I think this high chair is from the 1950's.  If so, that means it might have been my mother's also.  How sweet to think that my babies are sitting in the same chair their grandma sat in at their age.

*Ignore the awful pictures!  By the time I got them uploaded to my computer I had already taken the seat and back apart.  The final pics will looks much better, PROMISE!

stash busting table runner

It's not very often that I make something for myself but considering how much I LOVE Bubblegum Basics I knew I had to before I work through my whole stash.

This runner is approx. 42" long and 11" wide.  Fits perfectly on top of my dresser.

I think next time I might sandwich the front, batting and back together before I stitch on the pieces.  We'll see.

Chains!!!

Have I mention, I LOVE countdown chains?  So fun!

Just added a few more to my etsy shop.

Daily Dialogue

"Mom, take a picture of me getting the earwax out of my ear."

"Okay.  Are you going to eat it?" 

"Ewww, thats gross." (while smiling as though he is actually thinking about it)

Picnic

We had our first official outside-on-a-blanket picnic today.  Gone are the days (at least for a few months) of pitching the blanket in the living room.

Ditch Water

In all my years growing up on a farm, I never saw the water come into the ditch.

So when my six year-old came running in the door yesterday exclaiming that the water was coming in "10 minutes!", I was just as excited as he was. 

I quickly finished the dishes, bundled up Thing 1 & Thing 2 and waited for the water to come.  It did.  Finally.  After about 30 minutes.  Take if from me, it is SO hard to wait patiently when you are so ridiculously excited!

The water master had a few guys helping him.  They didn't understand why I was taking pictures. In fact, one of them said, "So, why are you taking pictures of the water?"  He was completely dumbfounded.  

To blog about, of course!

Can you add something to your bucket list once you realize it should have already been there? 

That evening I asked my six year-old what he was thinking when the water was coming in.  In his true character, "I was thinking I want to be one of those guys when I grow up so I can help the water come in the ditch."

Nice.

parties, parties and more parties

The weather man was right.  I woke up the next morning to snow.  I think I was being teased.

Gratefully it was melted before noon and it was warm enough to play outside by the time the party started.

I was able to take a mini vacation and visit some family and friends over the weekend.  I had so much fun! As I was packing I realized it was only the second time in seven years (since I was married) that I wasn't packing for or sharing suitcase space with someone else.  In fact, I was able to pack all my things in a bag not much larger than a purse.  It was fabulous!  Of course, I went shopping and came home with twice the amount.  Like it said, it was fabulous!

However, I did miss my little family.

Daddy was spectacular.  Every day was another party.  Apparently, Saturday lunch was a nutritious combination of cheeto puffs, cereal, root beer, french bread and yogurt.  As I was closing the door to leave I heard my six year-old say something.  Thinking he must be expressing his disappointment on my departure I thought it best to go back in and reassure him that all would be well and he would enjoy his time with daddy.  I opened the door and asked if he had said something to me, to which he replied, "No, I am just planning our boy party."

Pretty sure it was an enjoyable weekend for all!

Hoping For Warmer Days

It's beautiful today.

Really, it's beautiful everyday.  Sometimes it's just hard to see.

It's cold and windy.  It's usually windy here.  The clouds make their way across the sky, occasionally allowing the sun an opportunity to warm our skin.  The wind picks up again.  Goosebumps.

The trees and bushes want to bloom.  Hoping for warmer days.

My sons birthday is tomorrow.  He'll be six.  There will be darts, a treasure hunt, a piñata and mud pie.  The weather man says there will also be rain.  Maybe snow.  Move the piñata and little boys inside?  I sure hope it doesn't rain.  Hopefully their mamas send them over dressed appropriately.

My grass needs cut.  Hoping for warmer days.

Grandma's Eggs

A few nights ago, Fabio* was tucking our children into bed when my first-born said, "(snif snif) something stinks."  Second-born piped in with, "(a long pondering snif) Mmm...it smells good.  Like grandmas eggs.  I'm hungry!"

*Name changed to protect the stinker.