JLB 2011 The Show

I think I have my sewing fix for the next 6 months. I've really been in a sewing funk lately. It's usually this time of year that I'm making all kinds of spring dress and summer tops. I think it has to do with my preoccupation with mine and Mark's anniversary cruise in July. I FINALLY got my passport...exciting! Why am I so excited about a week long cruise with my Love, you ask? Because this will be our first vacation alone! We were married June 9, 2001. Coincidentally, I was also in Phase III of my pharmacy training school for the Air Force. Phases in training school were meant to help new trainees re adapt to civilian life after basic training. I was allowed to wear civilian clothes, but I had to be back in my dorm room by midnight on the night we got married. I wasn't permitted to leave again until 4am. So...no honeymoon. NOW do you understand my excitement?! 

Anyways, I got off topic a little! My sister, Alisha, asked me to make another quilt for another baby shower she is attending. She picked out all of the fabric and showed me what she wanted. I had her draw out a pattern for the lion. I am okay at drawing some things, but animals and people are unrecognizable when I draw them! This is the finished product of our teamwork:

Made of minky and suede 

There was a little left over fabric, so I made a taggie to go along

Since I've been on my all organic cooking kick, there have been a few things that I've made that are mouth watering delicious. But none of them compare to dinner tonight!!! I made tacos for dinner. Plain tacos...except that they were organic with FRESH tortillas!! YUMMY!!! I used this recipe, but doubled the butter requirement and used canola oil cooking spray.  I also ended up making 1 1/2 of the recipe listed because we needed a few more tortillas. The recipe listed yields about 7-8 tortillas. They turned out great. So, if you can't tell...I'm encouraging all of you to give the recipe a run! Unless there is some kind of tortilla crisis, I will not by store bought tortillas again!

The dough 

 Before the big smash, I used just enough dough to fit into the palm of my hand and rolled it on a lightly floured surface

 I wish I had a bigger skillet so that I could cook more than one at a time

The finished product! SO GOOD!!!

Time to Sew

I have to admit it, I have not been on the creative ban wagon for a while! I go through my moments when I really want to sew all the time...or I have times, like recently, when I just do not even want to go into my sewing room! Well, it's possible that my mood is due to change soon.

Even though the creativeness was no where to be found, I still managed (through protest however...Sorry again, Jennifer!) to finish my friend's bedding for her due-anytime-now baby boy, Colt.

 I made the blanket and pillow case. Also added trim to an already-made baby bumped

 You can't tell by the pics, but these are lined in a thick ticking fabric. A brilliant idea that Jen came up with! They're thick like black out curtains, maybe thicker!

 I only saved one pic, but there are actually two runners like this- one for the dresser and one for the changing table.

Homeschooling takes up most of my times these days. Even if I get a window to sew, it is quickly closed with questions and request for help from Abi! I usually shut myself in my sewing room for a few minutes in the evening after Mark gets home.

 A throw pillow I made for Abi's bed

 The blanket I made for Natalie's little boy, Michael David. I like to make them large enough to fit a toddler bed so that it has a useful life!

It's probably one of my favorites that I've made because of the color scheme!

Next on my to-do list is making Abi and Rebecca matching dresses. If I ever manage to accomplish that task, I'll post more pics!!!

FINALLY, quilt #3!!!

Jenni finally opened her box so I can post a pic to my blog!! By the way, congrats to Jenni...Alex was born on November 20th at a whopping 7lbs 6oz!

A long time coming!

Much like a pregnancy, it takes a long time to cook up a quilt! Okay, maybe not always...but I received a special request for some quilts and if you know anything about me, you know that I like things as close to perfect as possible! When I make a quilt, the most difficult part of the process is finding the fabric. You can't just walk in the store and take the fabric "that will do". You need the perfect fabric. I started my hunt back in July and finally have a finished product today! There were three quilts to be made- 2 for boys, firetrucks, and 1 for a little girl, ladybugs. I am only posting 2 for now (because I'm waiting for Jenni to open her box to see the third!)

Little boy quilt

Little girl quilt

They were made for a twin boy and girl