Embrace the Camera - Me and Brit

Ok, so I'm a day late, but it's time again for Embrace the Camera over on Emily Andersons blog.  This week is all about Me and Brittny.

We don't have a whole lot of pictures together.  I think maybe because we are the ones with a camera in our hands.  These pictures were taken last mothers day.

Brittny is one of my best friends.  We live within 5 minutes of each other so I get to see her at least a few times a week.  I am so grateful for this.  Since Chloe joined our family, I know Brittny and Jon feel like we only want to see Chloe.  And although we would be so sad if they showed up at our house without her for some reason, I am always happy when Brittny and I get time to connect.    

Love you Brit.

Vintage Sheet PJ Bottoms

I love vintage things. Especially vintage linens.  I don't really know why.  I just do. 

I started buying up vintage sheets because I thought they were cool.

I knew I would think of something to make with them eventually.

One day I had the brilliant idea of making pajama bottoms out of these sheets.

And of course, Alexis had to have the first pair.

I had to add dingle balls.  These always remind me of Alexis.

I used the Slumber Buns pattern from paisley pincushion.   

They turned out so cute. 

Here's my stash.  Who should get the next pair?

xoxo,

Carol

Just normal.

Good Morning.  How was your weekend?
Mine was just a normal weekend.  And believe me, I loved it.  Sometimes it is nice to just have normal.

That's what this post is all about.  I read some mom blogs and I love the way they capture the normal everyday life of being a mom.  Most of them are stay at home moms and I can remember those days of having young ones at home.  Days looked the same and I couldn't wait to get out of the house  to find excitement and connection with other grown ups.  I wish blogging was around when I had little ones at home, but then we didn't even have personal computers back then.

Wow!  That just made me sound really old!

Now that my kids are teen and above, I spend hardly any time at home and live for days when I don't have to leave the house.  I can't even remember the last time this happened.

Anyway, I am learning from these mom blogs I read, to enjoy and cherish the everday, no matter what my everyday looks like.


So here is a peek:  this is what my weekend looked like.


Friday, Tom and Bailey headed off to our friend Jamie's (see his blog here) wedding in Mammouth, CA.  It looked like it was a beautiful weekend.  Cali and I had to stay home for a dance activity she had to perform in.

Friday night I had a hot date with this lovely lady.  Courtny and I work together, but I still feel like we rarely see each other.  So little date nights with her are always fun and she is my daughter so extra bonus!!

Most of my day Saturday was filled with driving Cali back and forth to dance.  We spend many hours on the road doing this.  She loves dance and is very dedicated.  It's worth all the driving.  Plus it gives me one on one time with her.

Cali's dance ensemble performed at the Walnut Creek Twilight Parade on Saturday night.

Sunday morning, I was drinking my coffee, blogging and enjoying some early quiet time when I heard this strange noise.  It almost sounded like water dripping, but not quite.  I looked around to see what it was and my backyard was full of turkeys.  You would think we lived in the country with all the wild life we see around here.

I finished off the stockings for CraftHope and wrapped them all up to send of to Alabama.

Sunday afternoon Cali and I went to Oakland to get her a new pair of pointe shoes.  It's kind of fun to do this.  Even though I don't dance, it is fun for me too because I love watching her get so excited about a new pair of pointe shoes. I  love watching my girl be so passionate about something.

After we were done, we walked through this cute neighborhood of Rockridge and passed a waxing studio.  Cali asked to get her eyebrows waxed.  It was her first time so I had to take pictures. She thought I was so weird, but I didn't care.  This is the last time one of my daughters will get her eye brows waxed for the first time.

Finally made it home.   Tom and Bailey had made it back from the wedding, Brittny, Jon and Chloe came over for a visit.   We actually had a dinner at home.  It was lovely.

Tom and Chloe watching Elmo.

Sometimes I just love normal.

xoxo,

Carol

Embrace the Camera: Time with Trav

It's time for Embrace the Camera with The Anderson Crew again.

Time with Travis doesn't get to happen as often as I like.  He lives the farthest away of all my kids.  Even though it is only in San Francisco, he is busy being a student and has fewer opportunities to hang out.  So when he can make it over, we LOVE it! 

He is our oldest and only son. He is loving, funny and a genuinely nice guy!

I have learned so much from you Trav.

Love you!

xoxo,

Carol/Mom

Thrifting and Stockings

I love thrifting. Do you know what I mean?  It's like an adventure! You walk into the store, hoping to  find that perfect treasure.  Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't.

Before craftday I made one last stop at the The Thrift Station in Danville to try and find any fun linens to use in our stockings.  The store was pretty wiped out.  I decided to make one quick pass through the store before I left and look what I found.  

Isn't she cute?  And even better, look what I paid for her.

Here is her new home.  Now I have a place to put my morning cup of coffee.

So we had a great turnout for our Craftivism Day.  We made stockings to send off to the organization Christmas in Dixie.  This group is gathering Christmas decorations for the victims of the Tornado in Alabama.  

See this post for the details.

Everything was in order.  

Fabric table.

Trim table.

Yummy snacks from the farmers market.

Deliciously refreshing water.

Pretty flowers.

And a sample stocking.

Now all we needed were the people.  The wonderful helpers who came to give of their time and creativity to share love with others on the other side of the US.

Everyone worked hard.  We made 25 stockings!  

Ta..Da..

Thanks everyone!

xoxo,

Carol

Flower DIY

Another DIY

(I think I got enough photos this time.)

Today's DIY is for making fabric flowerettes.  They are easy and don't take much time.  You can make them while watching Project Runway or whatever your favorite TV show is.  That is what I do.  I don't like to just sit in front of the tele without something to do.

I made these for our stockings we made on Craft Day.

First you need a length of fabric.  I usually use the width of whatever fabric I am using.  So if the fabric is 45" wide, that is how long your piece will be.   You do not have to use this much.  You probably won't or you flower will get very large.  But it will work to make it larger,  you will just need to sew it up as you go.

Cut or rip about a 1" strip of fabric.  I like to rip my fabric because I like the edges all frayed, but it can have a clean edge as well.

Second, fold the end up to make a triangle.

Then grab the bottom of the triangle and start rolling the fabric.  This starts the center of the flower.

Once you get the center started, fold the long end of the strip.  See the picture below.

After you fold the strip down, keep rolling the center.

Keep folding and rolling, holding on to the small center part.  This acts as a sort of stem.

As the flower starts to get bigger, the pedals will start to form.  The flower will get flatter.

With a needle and thread, sew the underneath part of the flower securing all the layers.

 (ok, maybe I should have had one more picture here of me sewing the back so let me know if you have any questions. I'll be glad to get back to you)

Anyway, you will see these little guys show up in a later post on top of a stocking waiting to be shipped to Alabama.

xoxo,

Carol

I need a new look. Any suggestions?

Actually, I like my look, and it took my 45 years to be able to honestly say this.  I actually am talking about my blog.

My daughter Brittny who orignially started this blog with me has started her own blog.  I must tell you, this was my secret desire.  She has the best way of putting into written word the way she sees the world. Even the name of her blog is creative and original:  10baretoes.   I am so happy.  My devious plan worked!  You really should read her blog.  It's amazing.


She also made a wonderful announcement the other day.  Can you believe it?  I'm gonna be a gramma again! Being a grandmother is the best thing ever!

But, this also means we won't be 6girls3boys anymore. It will be a while until we know if we are 7girls3boys or 6girls4boys.  And can you imagine if I kept this up through all 5 of my kids having kids?  I would have to change the name who knows how many times. 

I knew this name wouldn't last long, and I also wasn't sure if I would be able to keep up with blogging.  But, I love it!  Writing and expressing my feelings have never been my strong suit, but blogging has helped me do this.  It is a great way to journal our life. I also love the creativity that I am able to express and share through blogging.  For now, I will blog.


So that means...I need a new name for my blog.  This is not an easy task, so I am reaching out to my wonderful friends and family to ask for help.  Do you have any suggestions?


I'm serious!  I really need help!  I can't think of anything and I better change it soon before I become famous!


xoxo,

Carol

Today I will choose joy

I am the kind of person who always has too much to do, overcommits and wants to spend important time with people I love.  That's what my day looked like today.  My schedule today:

7:00 Wake up

8:00 Breakfast at Sideboards with Tom

9:00 head home

10:00 Get hair colored

12:00 head to Thrift store to see if I can find any last minute linens for Craft Day tomorrow 

1:00 Drop Bailey and her friends to Sideboards for lunch. Go back home to get Cali for lunch. (I had the wrong car today for lots and lots of girls.)

1:45 Stop by Brittny's house to drop off her phone that she left at my house the day before, invite her to lunch with me and Cali

2:00 Lunch with Cali, Brittny and Chloe

3:00 Back home so Cali can get ready for dance

3:40 Take Cali to dance

4:00 Pick up extra sewing machine at Julie's house

4:30 Grab Coffee (I'm gonna need it to get everything ready for tomorrow)

5:00 Pick up Cali from dance head home

In between the above schedule, I squeezed in some work emails and paperwork, started my first stocking sample, took pictures for a future blog and now (7:34 PM - now 9:01 PM because my internet is having issues) writing this post. PHEW!  Almost done.  I just have to take Cali's friend home at 10:00 PM and finish setting out items for tomorrow.  

As I look at this schedule, I think wow, no wonder I am tired.  

But, I must say, today was a great day.  

I feel good in my soul.  

Tom and I snuck out early this morning and had coffee.  We like to do this.  It is our date time.  I am so grateful that I love spending time with my husband.

I know I complain about all the driving I do, but I really love the time I get to spend with my two youngest (plus friends).  Not much longer and they will be driving themselves and this precious alone time will be gone.  I love impromptu lunches and any time I can spend with Brittny and Chloe.

I am preparing, organizing, creating, and planning for tomorrow.  Some wonderful people will gather in my home to spend their time creating for others who are in need.  

I love this.  

I love having people in my home, 

I love creating for others, 

I love doing things that matter.

Today is a good day.

xoxo,

Carol