Where Does The Time Go?

Sometimes it makes me want to cry when I realize how fast time goes and how quickly our tomorrows become our yesterdays. My little girl, my baby is growing up so fast. I was told how quickly the pace of time speeds up as we get older and especially after we have kids. I never believed it, I still don't want to believe it. I have to continuously remind myself this day too will be gone I have to embrace it and make the most out of it. No regrets on time wasted...

Today is my husband's birthday, I've been so preoccupied planning our daughter's party that I neglected to plan anything for his. All within a week span: my husband's birthday, our anniversary, and our daughter's birthday...I need to make today count!

Something for Little Girl

I see so many cute homemade stuffed animals and of course I think to myself, "I can do that!" So I did. Little Leelah Lou loves kitties, just about every animal she sees is kitty, and guess what animal I made? Thats right a frog. Totally kidding I made her a cat. It did turn out odd shaped, I love the face though. I hand stitched the buttons on, for the eyes and nose, and I also stitched the mouth and whiskers on. Here are the pictures, always the best part of any project...

I cut the pattern out free hand (which I would not recommend)

Got an idea of where to sew the eyes and nose on...

All sewn up and ready to turn right side out.

Almost there...

Stuffing process has started.

Finally the finished little kitty.

Leelah didn't seem too interested in the whole stuffed animal, just the eyes and nose. She really seems to like buttons. I was afraid I was already going to have to make an eye patch for this little cutie. :)

It's Painted!

I really didn't think I would finish the painting this fast but once I started I had to finish, I couldn't make myself stop. I rather surprise myself. I think it turned out very well and think Isabell would be happy with it too.

 And the completed portrait...

I'm not sure yet but I'm thinking about finishing it off with a coat of Mod Podge not sure if it will be with the matt or the gloss... Either way I cannot wait to give it to my dear friend.

A sketch to be painted...

Not to start on a sad note but a friend of mine, my best friend actually, recently had to make a very difficult decision. Her dog, a beautiful Italian Greyhound, had gotten very sick and she had to make the heart breaking decision to put her to sleep. I wanted to commemorate the time she had with her beloved and I decided I would try to draw and paint a picture of her Iasbell. I'm not very good at drawing, I can never seem to get the shapes and shading right but so far I think its turning out pretty well. Here is the picture I used:

And here is what I have come up with so far...

I'm just hoping it turns out well and captures Isabell as she was. I'll post the completed project. I know its early but I wanted this to be a Christmas present but if I get it done soon I don't think I'll be able to wait.

Little Girls

I have this fear that one day I won't be here. Its inevitable, right? I have this fear that my daughter will miss out on the stories of her childhood and will have questions that her mom will not be able to answer. I was an adult when my mom died but after I had my daughter, I missed my mom even more and wondered did I do that when I was a baby, when did I learn to walk or talk and did I have a favorite song?

 Like fragments of a dream not quite able to see the full picture I remember: she would sing My Bonnie, she called us her little bambooshka's and I could always tell when, I heard her humming from the other room that, she was in a good mood and that would be a good time to ask for something I wanted. She knew how to embarrass me and make me angry with 7 little words "with cheeks as soft as rose petals." I remember her lasagna that was always my favorite, the rest of her cooking was only so-so. I even remember that one time we were on a family vacation in N.C. and she locked the keys in the car and it was so hot out and she made me wait outside with her in the heat while standing on blacktop. At the time I was so mad at her, but now it one of the "good" memories I have. The "good" memories are the hard ones for me to remember, its almost like grasping at straws. The not so good memories are there too, I could probably remember those easier but I try harder to keep them forgotten. . . I even remember my 18th birthday, I skipped school that day just because I was 18 and could. I was surprised when she didn't get mad but suggested the two of us take a trip to Mansfield for some lunch at Olive Garden. She made me stop at the Christian book store before heading home, it was one of her favorite places to "just look." She wanted to buy me something for my birthday, I thought "really mom at the Christian book store? The mall is just across the street." She let me pick out a necklace, very simple chain (which has since been broke and replaced and re broken) with a trinity symbol charm. I still have that charm and it means more to me then any other piece of jewelry I own. I value these memories and am grateful for them.

But still, I have this fear that one day I won't be here. I fear my daughter will wonder and have questions for her mom and they will go unanswered. I've had this fear even before she was born. Because I'm afraid I will leave her unprepared and with questions, I began writing in a journal for her. I haven't been as dedicated as I had hopes for, I'm lucky if I remember to write in it even once a month. I pray for God to continually prepare me to be who I need to be for my daughter and to give her a life full of good memories. All I can do is pray and do my best with what my mom has taught me.

I love my growing little girl. I don't know how it happened but somewhere along the way, over night I think, she is no longer my baby-baby. I value the rare times she lets me hold her and give her hugs and kisses and just lets me hold her. My heart melts every time her face lights up when she sees me and when she puts her arms around my neck and gives me the best hugs I've ever had. I love how frustrated she makes me when she pulls all the movies out on the floor and how upset she gets when I don't let her eat as many gold fish crackers as she would like. I love how she can spend so much time just flipping through a book and how much she likes bath time. I absolutely just love my little girl and now I can fully understand how much my mom loved me.

Short post...

First of all:                              Happy Independence Day!

This is going to be a short post: a before and after of an altered halter top.
I could not get this halter top to look right on me at all. But I loved the color and material.

I cut off the halter part and sewed in some elastic to make a skirt, which didn't turn out too bad. If I do say so myself.

And a second picture:

I know the pictures are not of high quality but come on you all know its hard to take pictures of yourself and with a not so great camera. Oh and also remember the striped top I made a couple posts back? I made a hair clip with some of the left over fabric and a button from my collection.

I do think hair clips are some of the easier things to make, I don't wear them as often as I would like but at least I've got some handmade ones for the rare occasions.

Enjoy your Independence Day and have some awesome cook out food for me! :)

Another monkey see, monkey wanna do...

I know I've posted about something I saw and wanted to do. I saw that top and I just had to make it and I loved it. Now I saw something else and I have got to do it! Here is what I saw:

You can view her blog and step by step tute HERE!

I absolutely love this transformation! My apartment is the upstairs of a house and our entrance is in the front but off to the side. Its very plain and uninviting. So I'm thinking beginning of next week I'm going to try my hand at making my little corner of the world prettier. The only thing: do I ask the landlord for permission or ask for forgiveness after it is all said and done? I'm thinking after I get done with it, and it looks amazing, the landlord will thank me for a job well done. But that's just how I play it out in my head :)

We have a screen door which we have no use for and it really just gets in the way, an ugly green and rusted railing and an absolutely ugly door. The door is a non existent shade of light blue and really dirty, dirty to the point that even bleach cleaner can't get it clean. The siding is the usual basic tan, which is fine but its just the boring tan with white trim. I'm thinking I want to paint the door a burgundy or a dark navy color, pretty sure those two colors would look really good with the color of the siding. The rail, not sure about that yet. I don't know if it should be the same color as the door or just a very neutral/ laid back color that won't be fighting for attention. I could always just paint over it with the same dark green that's on there. Oh, I'm just so excited to start and finish this project so I can see the outcome and feel more welcomed when I walk up to the front door. If you have any ideas you would like to share please feel free. I would love some feedback...And I promise I will take pictures and show you the before and after...Because that is in fact the best part!