I like to keep a lighthearted blog but I also like to keep it real. This is a new year's post and as such a good time to reflect on the past year. To be frank this last year kind of sucked. My husband and I weathered multiple extended family crises, there was a pretty big change up at church (though not bad I still struggle with change), the long distance relocation of one of my closest friends, and finally there was the terrible events in Oregon and in Connecticut. All told this has been a pretty sad year. And I think that's okay. I think it's all right to acknowledge that it hasn't been all roses and rainbows to admit that maybe this is a good year to say goodbye too.

That being said I don't want you to think my entire year has been a wash. On the contrary all these things have made the sweet things of life so much more poignant. I have spent a good amount of time being overwhelmed with gratitude for what I have. For feeling humbled by the wonderful blessings I find heaped upon my, often, ungrateful head. I have children I love and a husband I adore. I love our church family and job, our little home seems so much warmer and brighter now. I was able to welcome a new nephew into the world. I have made some new discoveries about myself and about my dreams. I heard it said "The good things don't always soften the bad things, but vice-versa, the bad things don't necissarily spoil the good things and make them unimportant."This seems a fitting quote for 2012.

I am hopeful for this coming year. Hopeful that I will continue to see the Lord working, continue to minister beside my husband. I am looking forward to seeing my sons grow and learn. I have some new goals for my writing and am excited to see where my pen and sewing machine take me. This journey we call life is really full; full of good and bad laughter and tears. Thank you for journeying with me readers. Know that I value your kind words so very much.

Happy New Year.

With that in mind I'm excited to announce that I am planning some very big changes to the blog. Oh, I'll still blather on about sewing and cooking and whatever else tickles my fancy but I'm going to be changing the look and even location. I hope you'll stick with me through these changes, I really think it's going to make it a better blogging experience for all of us.

Thanks again and happy new year!

Santa Came to Visit

My dear Aunt Clause. She's too cute.

When you have a mother who sews you get a lot of perks. For instance you might get a special visit from Mr. and Mrs. Clause because Mrs. Clause needs a new apron and she has some unique specifications (as you would expect). Most children would consider this to be a huge bonus... most children... Indeed, my oldest son was stoked and chatted with the famous pair for quite a while. The neighbor children, while cautious, were soon won over by the jolly man's charms. However, there was Conster, and he was NOT amused. He was so far from enthused that I would venture to say he may be traumatized, not the kind of traumatized that would require psychiatric help but certainly the kind that will dis-sway him from ever having a picture taken with Mickey Mouse.

This is what he did the entire time Santa and Mrs. Clause were at my house. He gave the impression that he was asleep, as he refused to open his eyes at all. However, since his grip was tighter then death, I was fairly certain he was awake. No amount of encouragement or begging would get him to open his eyes. Poor thing. I hope that Mr. and Mrs. Clause aren't offended, I'm sure they're used to this kind of thing and really three out of four kids isn't bad.

What about you? Any traumatized Christmas memories? I find the best thing to assuage the pain of creepy santa's past is to let us laugh with you and presents. Leave a comment on this post telling us your funny holiday memories to enter to win one of these Christmas gifts. I'll pick a winner on boxing day December 26th because it's a very british thing and I'm still finding myself taken with Anglophila

Some goodies for you; aprons, pincushions, nestlaces.
Plenty to go around so leave a comment.

Pajama's Done!

The wonder of sewing is the ability to join any kind of style of fabric you'd like. I have boys they love super heros, they love the Teen Age Mutant Ninja Turtles. I tried to find a picture of the TMNT's running because that is how my boys run everywhere now; with there chest sticking out and their arms behind them (I guess this is how ninjas run). Imagine my joy when I found a pattern for karate pajamas at the Salvation Army store. Perfect for Christmas! And, it was perfect except that when I went to make them the pieces to the karate top were not there, grrrrrrrr. Sure I could just make them regular jammies but by now I have my mind made up that they will haven ninja pajamas!

I ended up using a robe pattern and just cut it shorter (of course I cut it too short but solved that problem by adding a black band to the bottom which tied it to the black pajama pants perfectly). It worked well, except I didn't buy enough quite enough fabric and had to get creative with the facings. The style of the pajamas is ninja but the fabric is this really cool marvel comic book fabric. Joann's just has the coolest marvel stuff, it's all retro looking and so neat!

There just ended up being one problem. I had to use superman fabric scraps from last year to make the facings and as any comic book reader knows if you mix Marvel and DC black holes can result. However, since SuperH has both companies underwear living peacefully in his drawer I thought it was worth the risk. In the end, despite the fact that there were many bang-my-head-against-the-desk (this is mostly a result from the fact that it was suppose to be easier and faster then it ended up being) moments and the fact that they're not perfect (will I ever get used to that?) I am very pleased with them and I think the boys will be too.

Now onto the next task in the mountain of projects!

This is amish peanut butter. If you've never had amish peanut butter it's homemade peanut butter mixed with marshmallow cream. It's fantastic. This was made and given to me, along with some other amazing treats from a coworker of Brian's. This woman is pretty great; she homeschool's her kids, works two very demanding jobs and somehow makes time to put together gift baskets of wonderful homemade treats.

Do you know what I am capable of? Eating the peanut butter by dipping saltine crackers straight into the jar. And no I didn't use a plate; just stood there eating it right at the counter filled with dirty dishes. I know it's healthier to eat at the table with silverware but I cut SuperH's pajama top too short, and my hair was falling down in a crazy way and I had not had nearly enough caffeine.

Another friend was telling me how she ate russian tea cakes for breakfast (that's a little cookie covered in powdered sugar). I was instantly jealous as my mom used to make those at Christmas and I haven't had any in years. What does it say about my state of mind that I'm eating straight from a jar, while in a sewing trance, and am jealous of eating something healthy like cookies for breakfast?

Cest' la vi. Where do you fall on the spectrum of Christmas habits? On a scale from I-haven't-brushed-my-hair-in-days to I'm-completely-ready-and-everything's-wrapped (if that's you I sort of hate you, not really but kind of).

Oops I kind of fell off the radar there for a while. Sorry!! Christmas has this effect on me every year. I get so busy. It's a good busy but blogging always falls by the way side. I'm sorry I love you guys! I also find it difficult to blog about projects because I don't want to spoil anyones Christmas presents!!

This is me trying on a super amazing pair of glasses 

during our annual Christmas antiquing trip.

Wish my hair looked better, I keep trying

to get a good pic of the new color.

After Christmas I should have a few to share though. Today I spent the entire morning mending this really cool vintage coat that someone gave me. The lining had so many seams popped. After a couple false starts (where I mended the armhole to the wrong spot) I finally got it finished, yea!! Boy is mending the most boring kind of sewing there is. It's not at all fun like skirts, and toys, and pajamas.

The boys admiring the tree. Conster is

wearing two pair of underwhere here because

he told me that's what Power Ranger's do.

This year we got a real tree. I love it, it smells so good and looks delightfully non-perfect. Brian picked it out and brought it home for me, so sweet. He also stopped and picked up Christmas tree lights and he bought the big ones that look all 1950's. What a great man, he knows me so well! The lights and all my old ornaments really give the tree a vintage look. Simply perfect. This was the first year the boys were into decorating with me. They weren't actually very helpful but they were darn cute! I love that they're old enough to get excited for some of these traditional things.

If I look at this pile of projects too long I have a panic attack!

I hope your having a fabulous December. Any projects you want to share with us? Also, check back next week for a Christmas give-a-way.

Bye for now!