More PJ Pants (Thrifty under Fifty Challenge)

Some more PJ pants I made for the Thrifty under Fifty Challenge.  These are an altered Amy Butler pattern found in her In Stitches book.   I've cut down the waist and added some cuffs on the bottom.  I have one last picture left from the Thrifty under Fifty Challenge but I will share that in the next day or so.  Don't want to bore you all in one day:)

Beauty and the Geek (part of the Thrifty under 50 challenge)

Some finished softies I made, well I say finished but really they don't have shoes yet.  I've found these take allot of time and for one that has a very short attention span they aren't something I will be making lots of in the future.   The geek is for my 2 year old for Christmas but I'm betting the dogs will get it and destroy as soon as it's out of the wrapping......

These were part of the Thrifty under Fifty challenge but I just now took pictures of them.  They cost me $13 to make, $10 for the pattern and $3 for the buttons.  The monkey pattern was free though.  The patterns are from MMMCrafts , which I love to visit because she has allot of cute ideas.

Thrifty Under Fifty Car Mat to Go

I have to say that I stole this idea from Jamie.  She is a very talented seamstress and has allot of great ideas.  She was kind enough to post pictures of these car mats on my group.  I used Michael Miller Merryville line to make these and I ended up  getting 4 out of the scrap I had which was just under a yard.  I still have 3 more to make but I'm not sure I will have them done by today which is the end of the Thrifty Under Fifty challenge.  I think I will make a couple of small changes on the other 3 too.  The zipper needs some work and I'm thinking I might be better off to go with a flap and velcro, so it will be easier for little kids to get to.

Thrifty Under Fifty PJ Pants

Even though my boys like to run around with the least amount of clothes on as possible, I thought I would make them some PJ pants.  Hopefully they will wear them but if not they were easy to make.  I made a pair for my youngest, 2 for my 4 year old and 2 for my 9 year old.  I need to make my 11 year old some too but I'm waiting to get some different material for him.  It's so hard to find good quality boy fabric that isn't geared toward toddlers.  

Thrifty under Fifty Completed Project cost $0

Pot holders made with fabric scraps, heat resistant fabric and batting from fabric stash.  I didn't use a pattern so total cost was nothing $0:)

PJ pants and a Rag Quilt.  Used patterns and material from my stash so it didn't cost me a dime.  Rag Quilt needs to be washed and cut still.

Thrifty Under Fifty Completed Projects

Andalucia Katy Kitty
Originally uploaded by Cocoa Dreams

Katy Kitty done in Andalucia by Patty Young. The pattern was purchased from MMCrafts for $10.  I had the fabric but had to buy some buttons for $3.  So total cost of Katy Kitty was $13.  I still have a coat, skirt and shoes I need to make for her.

I've been Picked

I've been picked for the You Can Make This $50 and Under Challenge!!  Woo hoo!!  I feel like I just won something!  So you all will have to keep coming back and see what I've made and guess who I'm making them for because I can't tell you who it is till after Christmas.  I've been to YMCT a couple times but never really spent much time looking on the site so I'm guessing by the end of this challenge I'm going to be a YMCT junkie.  I have quite a few presents I would like to make and really need to get my creative juices flowing so I can come up with cool ideas for all the men in my life:)

See Katie Sew: A giveaway for two

See Katie Sew: A giveaway for two

Give Away

Give away at See Katie Sew  This blog has been around for 2 years but I just happened to find it today from going to some other blogs I frequent.  Anyways I really don't need anymore material but I can't help but enter because a girl can never have to much fabric right?

Why Mom Drinks Margaritas Part 11

1.  to stop me from killing my kid
2. to stop me from ever wanting to get pregnant again
3. to get my hubby drunk if I decide I want more kids
4. to get through the fits that my 4 year old throws
5. to forget about all the looks I got while carrying my 4 year old out the toy department in Target with 3 other boys following me
6. to forget that I'm a total loser with no real accomplishments other than being a great mom to 4 kids
7. to get to sleep without worrying about everything I need to get done tomorrow
8. to get to sleep without worrying about everything I didn't get done that day
9. to get  through the fact that I had to get off my ass yet again to let the dogs out, even though I have already let them out 10 other million times.
10. to stop me from killing my puppies who have just chewed a hole in my new outdoor cushions, tracked red dirt on my white carpet and peed on the floor
11. to get through the fact that my son has just taken off his dirty diaper and I suddenly notice that's not dirt on his face
12. to stop me from killing my kid once I realize that he has kicked holes into his bedroom wall because he was mad that I wouldn't let him have his 5th pepsi for the day
13. ........heck I could go on forever but I won't bore you any longer

So what's your choice of drink????? and why????

Why Mom Drinks Margaritas

Most of the time I'm raising my boys alone because my hubby is always gone.  Ever since we moved here to Georgia my hubby has been gone.  First he was in Savannah, GA and now he is back in Tacoma, WA.  He will be home for a couple days in December.  He won't be home for Thanksgiving but will be home for Christmas, which is nice because he missed last Christmas.  He tends to miss every other Christmas.  Im sure you can image (maybe you can't if your lucky) that it's hard being somewhere new, not knowing anyone, not having a hubby around and not having any family around but throwing myself a pity party isn't going to help anyone, not even myself so I just deal with it.

Yesterday it really hit me when we were carving pumpkins and my oldest says "Where's Grandma?"  My heart dropped and I almost started crying because every year mom comes over and carves pumpkins with us.  It will probably hit me again tonight when we are out trick or treating because my mom also use to come with us trick or treating.

Well I've been stuck to the internet and blogging world the last couple of days looking at all the Quilt Market pictures and reading about all the fabric designers and pattern designers.  I love seeing all the new products and fabric lines coming out but on the other hand I'm so envious because I couldn't be there.  I went to the Spring Quilt Market in Portland and its so FUN.  Well anyway I come upon a blog talking about how Anna Maria Horner is now pregnant with her 6th child and I'm wondering to myself how in the HECK does she raise 5 kids and design fabric, design patterns and write books and now she is having another baby????!!!!!?????  What the HECK!!!!!  Someone tell me she has a super helpful husband and maybe a nanny or something?????  Because I can't imagine getting everything she does done and still raise a family of 5 with another on the way.  I just can't!!  She really makes me sick and at the same time I feel like a loser that I can't get that all done myself.  I wonder why the heck I can't even get my son's Halloween costume done without wanting to drink. I was so irratated that I was ready to rename my blog Why Mom Drinks Margaritas last night.  Holly's drink of choice is Rum but mine would be Margarita!!  I LOVE Margarita's and it's one of the founding reasons why I never want to get pregnant again, well other than the fact that I can just barely take care of the 4 that I have and still be a loser who can't design fabrics or patterns or write a book......LOL!!

*******Please note - yes, my son is holding my best friend and yes it's really Jose but he hasn't had any Jose's or Rita's.  It's a prop and for photographic purpose only.  And no, I look totally wasted and so does my son but really we are just completely unphotogentic and that's what makes this photo so dang funny.

Back On Schedule

Yes, I'm back on schedule but in a bad way because this means that I just got a speeding ticket.   Yep, I use to be on a schedule of 1 ticket per year and then I went on this hiatus and didn't get a ticket for 10 years.  Well last year on my way back home from California to Washington I got my first ticket in 10 years for speeding and then today was my second ticket for speeding.  Just what you need before the holidays.  One good thing I figured out was that you can go 1-10 miles over the speed limit and only get a $37 ticket, now thats more like what I can afford.  Unfortunately I was going 17 miles over the speed limit and scored myself a big fat $179 ticket:)  Oh, well what can you do!

I'm still working on the Halloween costumes, but I got them almost done.  The blanket in the photo is one I designed but I worry that it might be not so practical but it's super warm and soft.......and cute to boot!!  I just need to list it on Etsy

I have a couple more new designs to show off but I need to clean up the photos or take different ones.  The presentation didn't turn out as cut as I thought it would.  I also have a couple of designs in my head to work on but that will have to wait till next week after the Halloween Crazies.  Speaking of crazies I guess I should mention that my 2 year old now wake up and the first thing out of his mouth is Guitar Hero.  He wants to play this all day long but he doesn't really play he just watches everyone else play.

Not getting stuff done that I should be doing

Well I'm rushing around trying to get Halloween costumes done, products ready to be shipped off, cutting in stock orders and working on a wholesale order.  Some of these task could have been done last week or the week before when I was sewing for fun and making my sister some PJ pants and a camisole.  The pattern is originally from Amy Butler's In Stitches book but I've modified it a bit by putting on cuffs and shortening the waist bands so they fit lower on the waist.  Unfortunately I forgot to cut these a big bigger than the printed pattern to account for a bigger size so they ended up being a little snug.  The camisole is from Favorite Things and it comes in Adult and little girl sizes.  The camisole can actually be worn as a tank top with shorts or a skirt and is pretty easy to make.  I modify it a bit by lining the top portion of it so it just looks better finished.

Addictions and craziness

Quite the title for a blog post but right now that would describe our house in 2 words. Addictions - well personally I'm addicted to fresh salsa and I WANT IT EVERYDAY. Most would think that's not such a bad addiction but since I like to put salsa over cream cheese and eat it, it's really not such a good thing. I can't say much about the mexican restaurants around here but I can say they have killer Salsa!! I want to stop at them and just get salsa for take out but I'm always scared they might think I'm a little crazy if I do. Another thing I'm addicted to is cherry cokes from Sonic but actually my whole family is addicted to the cherry cokes at Sonic. Were always finding a reason to stop by Sonic and pick up one. Lastly my boys and I are addicted to Guitar Hero and Rockband and this is what qualifies us as crazy because we went to Walmart very late Saturday night so we could be the first to get the new Guitar Hero World Tour that came out Sunday morning at 12am. Luckily we were the only crazy people to do this and even had to ask the sales clerk to go dig in the back to find it. I know I had to look crazy going to Walmart at midnight with 4 boys, one of them sound asleep in stroller and then their is my 4 year old being loud and obnoxious in a very quiet and deserted Walmart. Like I tell my kids you see all kinds of crazies at Walmart and that night we were one of them:) Another thing that qualifies me as crazy is the fact that we stayed up till 5 am playing Guitar Hero World Tour . Lucikly my youngest slept in till 10:30 so I did manage to get 5 1/2 hours of sleep. My 2 year old is also addicted to Guitar Hero as you can see in the pictures.

Halloween

It's almost time for my favorite holiday. I didn't do too much decorating inside or outside this year because I would rather be sewing. Not sure what we will do for Halloween. Cade wants to be a knight so I need to make him a costume and find a book that has a knight in it. Not sure what we are all going to dress up as. We probably won't decide till last minute. Well, I'm going to keep this short because I'm ready to go to bed. I will leave you with some pics of my Halloween creations.

I'm Back!!!!

Yes, it's true I'm back to blogging and hopefully on a regular basis from now on. So I guess an update is in order since the last post.

Day 14 - No showing and we were ready to lower our asking price by $5000 but was going to wait till the weekend was over.
Day 17 - We got a showing!! We got a showing!! About an hour after the showing we heard they were going to make an offer on the house. They loved our house, gave us full asking price and wanted our Refrigerator, brand new cherry red washer and dryer. Well we really didn't want to give up our new washer and dryer but we knew we were pretty lucky to get this offer. In the end we kept the washer and dryer and they got $1500 to go and buy their own washer and dryer. Pretty sweet deal for them, wish we had hired an realtor that would actually work for us. It was a major ordeal to get her to help us keep our washer and dryer.
Day 25 - Hubby leaves for a 4 day drive to GA. They started packing up our house. After getting a quote of $2500 to move our Toyota Sequoia to GA we are starting to rethink the whole idea of the boys and I flying to GA.
Day 26 - My mom and I decide that we will go on a roadtrip with 4 kids and 3 dogs (2 of which are puppies).
Day 28 - Were declared crazy and start our 2500 mile journey, 2 adults, 2 boys and 3 dogs.

Day 34 - We arrive in GA, dropped my mom off at my grandpa's house and head to Columbus.
Day 35 - We close on our house in WA and Sign on our house in GA

So now we are in GA and hubby is gone in Savannah, which leaves me to unpacking and moving into the house with help from my mom. Man, what the heck would I do without my mom??? She was a lifesaver and it was so hard to say goodbye to her.

2 months later - We are settled and adapting to the South. I love my house and having the time of my life decorating it and just loving it:) The boys have all met friends and are adapting to the new rules of school. Yeah, I about passed out when they told my 6th grader rocker son that he has to tuck his concert t-shirt in. Are you FREAKIN kiddin me?????? Who the hell tucks a t-shirt in and why the hell are you making my son tuck his shirt in??? Please don't tell me that you are going to start making him say "Yes, mam" and "No, mam". Sure enough one day his teacher said to him, "I know you don't say this in Washington but could you answer me with, Yes, mam or no mam?" What I thought was the end of world ..... 2 months later it's no big deal and we even find out southern boys hate tucking their shirt in as much as we do.

So I've been dying to tell you'all about the difference between the West coast and the South:

1. The only time you see inmates on the west coast or even in the middle of the US is when you are actually in Prison. In Georgia you see inmates everyday because they are working on the road, in the state offices and collecting your garbage. Imagine my surprise when I see they even put Prison's next to the High School, thank golly it's 30 miles from us.

2. Everyone drinks Sweet Tea, eats chicken, wings and barbeque. Who thought that their would be so many fast food joints that serve Chicken? At my son's school you don't even have to ask what is for lunch because it's always going to be some form of chicken. I just wonder when my son is going to start flapping his wings and start clucking?

3. Real men where pink.....well lets just say I've seen more men and boys wear pink shirts here in 2 months than I have seen in my whole life living on the west coast. Even living 40 minutes from San Fran I can still say this.

4. People are just more friendlier here in the South. Sometimes almost too friendly. One night we went out to dinner and the damn waiter wouldn't leave us alone, I thought he was going to come home with us. The waiter was from the restaurant that my son declared was dirty when he walked in and saw peanut shells all over the floor.

5. People in the South actually eat and have an appetite after walking into a mustard yellow decorated restaurant. I mean how does a person not lose their appetite walking into a mustard yellow restaurant or even walking into a restaurant with a big pig on it? We won't even talk about buffets here.

6. Kids here in the South still get whipped with a belt from their dad. Shoot we would get arrested if we wooped our kids with a belt on the West coast.

I know there are some more differences but it's getting late and I need to head to bed. Really even with the minor differences I'm enjoying living in the south and my oldest that says he hates the south has given up his Dr. Pepper and replaced it with Sweet Tea.

Day 2

It's day 2 of our house on the market and I'm already dissapointed for a number of reasons:

1. My realtor is unreliable.
2. I expected at least one showing already.
3. Keeping the house clean with 4+ boys is driving me to drink.

I was already drinking by 3pm on the second day. I don't know if I can do this for days, weeks or months for that matter. I felt if I made a mess in my house then maybe someone would call for a showing so I got the material out and cut. Well it's all cut and still no call. It's 7pm and I think we can write day 2 off. I hope day 3 is better.

I'm not sure how you can end up paying a realtor $6000 and she still can't manage to show up on time or even call you to tell you that she is going to be late. It took her till day 2 to get the lock box and flyer box up. I don't think she gets it. I mean we have to sell this house ASAP so we can buy our DREAM HOUSE. Every minute I feel like it's slipping through our fingers and we are going to lose out on it. I've checked out all the other houses on the market and not 1 freakin house compares to our DREAM house. (In my most spoiled child voice...)I WANT THAT HOUSE!!! I WANT IT!! I WANT IT! I WANT IT NOW!!!

I'm So Excited and I Just Can't Hide It!!

Yep, I'm so Excited hubby will be here tomorrow morning and I just can't wait!! My day has went wonderfully! I found a small business to analyze for one of my classes, I got back to 152 pounds (I had gained 5 pounds over Christmas) and Cadester was good at Costco (thank you Costco for getting rid of all the toys)!

And you thought I was just excited because I finished this quilt top! I did finish it but I really didn't spend the time to match up the seams which leaves allot to be desired but luckily it's harldy noticeable to the discerning eye. The quilt is done in Amy Butler Belle material and the pattern was from The Quilter Magazine January 2007 edition. The pattern was pretty easy but it was time consuming to cut out because you had to fussy cut 60+ pieces. I actually enjoy the cutting out part though. I really wish though I had spent the time to match up the seams better. I guess that is what you get when you rush. Oh well you live and learn. Now I must get off and get back to hand sewing the binding on.

A Screw Up.....Maybe Not?

Why is it whenever you are in a hurry, things always screw up? That is what happened to me. I've been trying to get everything in order before my hubby comes home and I wanted to have all my orders done tonight so I could play Thursday and Friday before my hubby came home. Well I might be working tomorrow to fix my mistake. A customer ordered the paris poodle burp cloth and a pillow. Well on my website it doesn't give the customer a choice of what pillow they want. When I get my orders I read the order form and I usually go back and double check it again before I do anything. Which I did this time but I didn't read over the paypal receipt and of course that is where the customer stated which pillow she wanted. Darn! Darn! Darnit! I'm praying the customer will be happy with the Eiffel Tower pillow, since it matches the Paris Poodle Burp Cloth. Now we have to wait and see!

****Guess what she loved the pillow!!!

Cooking In Style

I thought I would share with you all an apron I made my sister this Christmas. Well actually I made it after Christmas. I didn't use a pattern but really it wasn't hard to come up with your own apron pattern. The eiffle tower print is from Michael Miller and the dots are from various other companies. I also used some velvet ric rac and ribbon from May Arts to embellish it.

I just finished a quilt top but I will share that in a couple of days. I probably won't be sewing for the next couple of weeks though because my hubby is coming home on Saturday for 2 weeks, I can't wait!! So I better get off and start working on a couple store orders so I can spend all my time with my hubby!