Mr. Sir's Early Birthday

Mr. Sir enlisted in the Air Force. He is now an Airman. He leaves for basic training in April and will be gone for his birthday in May.

Me, being the awesome wife that I am decided to celebrate his birthday a little early. It consisted of one of his favorite (and time consuming) meals. It is called a Pasty (pass-tea). It consists of ground hamburger, potatoes and onions in a pie crust type shell and baked. Each shell is hand done and they are individualized so each person gets their own. So, I told him I was going to go 'cut fabric' at my mother-in-law's. Instead of 'cutting fabric' I got the the Pasty's all ready to go and suprised him the next day. He loved it.

I also sent him on a scavenger hunt. I bought him a 12 pack of beer along with a 4 pack of Guinness (his favorite). I made him wait outside while I planted the clues. I wanted to celebrate his birthday as early as I could because I knew I wanted to get him beer and wanted to give him plenty of time to enjoy it before he leaves for basic.

The first clue sent him to James's book box where there was a beer waiting for him, it told him to crack it open for the hunt.


One of the clues was
#3
In the summer you like fishing,
but sometimes trout are missing,
So please don't pout,
about the Lost Trout
hiding in the shower yet,
waiting to get wet.

There was also,

Katy Perry is on her way
for a Three Way
but you better hide your Star Wars books,
or you will get some very weird looks. 

I won't go over all the clues, but there was a beer called "Lost Trout" in the shower. "Sugar Shack" in the bed. "Three Way" by his Star Wars books and so on. It finally ended in the fridge with the Guinness. He had a lot of fun with the hunt.

I still need to make him a chocolate cake (it is required for a birthday). But that can come later.

Live and Love

Capes and frilly things.

I love bearing gifts to my niece and nephews. Especially when I get to make said gifts. Last week I got hit by the sewing bug and along with making myself a skirt, I made Tim and Tom both capes and Bug a skirt.

The capes are all upcycled out of old sweaters and other scraps that I had lying around. The skirt fabric I had been holding onto for some time for the perfect project. 

Bug is such a little ham, I love her. The minute she put on the skirt she started prancing around the house. 

The capes turned out really cute. They have fleece in the hood so that they are actually functional and will keep them warm during those spring days playing out in the woods.

Live and Love

An Owl Diaper Cake

I have a friend who is expecting a baby any day now. She had a shower a few weeks ago and I wasn't sure what to get her. I love looking at baby gifts on Pinterest and I saw an adorable little owl. So I had to reproduce a cute little doo-dad for her.

Ain't she cute.... lets call her Who-phia.

Instead of purple eyes, I swapped the purple cloth out for a couple of onsies. There is a bib that I serged up, a rubber ducky for the nose, a receiving blanket for the wings, and little viking socks for the ears. Then, of course there are diapers. Adorable cute little newborn diapers. I am sure they will be well-soiled.

Live and Love

The joy of giving, for the kitchen.

 Christmas came and Christmas went. 

Hallelujah the Son of God is born!

This is a place to post things that I make, I feel a little weird posting the Christmas gifts that I made because I made them for the people and not to post. But yet I made them so here you go.  

This is a 5 bean soup mix that I made. I used this recipe from Back To Her Roots. According to my sister who has already made a batch, the spice packet was absolutely delicious! It sure smelled good when I was mixing it up so I knew it was going to be yummy. (By the way, I love making bean soups which is why I gifted them.)

These are microwave bowl pot holders. I don't have the original post that I got the pattern from. My mom posted it on Facebook a while before Christmas (and yes I have searched Facebook). She not-so-subtlety hinted that she would like a couple for Christmas. I was okay with that. I like easy Christmas gifts. (My sisters and I also gave her and my dad tickets to the Phantom of the Opera and they had a blast!)

These I made on my own. I probably should have made a tutorial for them. Ah well, I need a few more so when I make them next I will take pictures and write up a tutorial. They are waterproof, (using leftover PUL from James's diapers) reusable, zippy bags. I gave a few for Christmas because I love them. Great snacks like apples, celery, and carrots.

I may have kept some of these for myself too, both the bowl cozies and the zippy bags. Right now the zippy bags are my favorite. Great for packing Mr. Sir's lunches for work!

Live and Love

Owl quilt and funky moster doll.

One day a few weeks ago, I got the urge to create. I didn't know what I wanted to make but just started cutting and sewing. I came up with this funky monster doll. Stuffed with some poly-fil and has fake pearl button eyes. I thought she was a cute little monster.

This owl panel I found on a sale table at a fabric store over a year ago. I knew that I wanted to do this with it. Just hadn't finished it yet. It is just a cute panel that I quilted with my machine. I love it and gave it and the monster to Bug (my 5 year old niece) for Christmas.

Live and Love

Twin Twin Gifts Gifts

I have two of the most adorable twin nephews ever.

We will call them Tim and Tom for the sake of Green Socks with Polka dots.

Two adorable nephews need semi-matching pajamas, right? Earlier this year I made them each 3 pair of pajama pants that I hoped that they could grow into. Well, the way those two wear (other fitting words might be 'play in', 'destroy', and 'grow into') their pajamas they needed to have another pair each 'on dock' to move into. So here are the finished products.

 Two playful boys also need playful pillowcases. Tim is in love with Mickey, and Tom likes robots. So this Auntie had fun playing around with pillowcase ideas and came up with these.










The mickey was a panel on a little pillow that I reused. Also, the robot I just made using leftover fabric from the pajamas that I made earlier this year and some wonder-under, zig zagging on the edges so they stay down.

I might add that the inventor of wonder-under is a genius.

Live and Love

Bubbles!?! My Bubbles!!!

Mr. Sir told me that when he was growing up, every Christmas he would go to his grandparents house and his grandpa would always be sure to light up the bubble lights on top of the shelf. They were always a hit with the kids. His dad was sure to have bubble lights too, they have a special place in the window of the house for all to enjoy.

Well this year Mr. Sir's older brother thought of a brilliant idea for a gift for us for Christmas. Our own bubble lights! The log that they are sitting on was taken from the windbreak of Mr. Sir's childhood home so no matter where we are, we always have a piece of home with us for the holidays. His brother cleaned it up and hollowed out the bottom for the cord.

 We put it up on top of our kitchen cupboards and they create a really cool pattern on the wall. It brings a lot of warmth to the kitchen in the ambiance and in our hearts.

Live and Love

Baby in a pod.

I love to post about other people's art. There is so much talent out there. 

One of the gifts that I received this year was my baby pod. My mother works with polymer clay and owns Quilted in Clay. Go ahead and check out her website. I promise, you will  be awed like I am every time she makes something new.

Anywho, when my sisters had babies she made them pods. My next eldest sister got her pod when my niece was born and then my eldest sister got a pod with twins inside (two peas in a pod!) when my twin nephews were born.

This year I received mine for James.

Talk about an adorable little pod!

 I also got one of her new barrettes. I love the orange ones!

She is so talented.

Live and Love

Viking Fluff

James' big gift this christmas was a diaper. 

Yes, a diaper.

Well, technically its a diaper cover.
Close enough.

A super - crazy- cool diaper cover, of course!























James sure likes it, and its big enough for him to wear for a while.

Mr. Sir loved the diaper too. It is too bad that the Viking's season is over. The bright side is that we live in Minnesota where Viking's apparel is always in style.


My only issue is that I should have softened up the fabric first. I know it will soften with use but it is a little stiff to start.

Go Vikings!

I used the basic pattern from WitteyBums, Flip-Style and Elemental-Style Diaper and switched it up to suit my diaper.

Live and Love

A Driving Cap Extraordinaire

Mr. Sir has a Guinness driving cap that we both absolutely love. I love it on him and he loves to wear it. The original plan was to make a matching one for James for his christening outfit (preferably one that didn't say Guinness on it) but that didn't really happen because I was too caught up in the outfit and ran out of time. But I found this tutorial at Bouncing Buttons crafts making it simple and attempted to make it smaller for James later. Well, I didn't make it nearly small enough and it ended up being the perfect size for Mr. Sir's 10 year old brother. Worked great as a birthday gift and he loves it! I highly recommend the tutorial, it is really easy and she has a pattern that prints right off of the computer.
Live and Love

**I am not getting anything for recommending the tutorial, I just really really liked it!

Fabric Book Covers

On Monday I have a Christmas Party for my quilt guild and it took me ages to figure out what I wanted to give for a gift. Sure I could go out and buy a 20 dollar quilty gift but that would defeat the purpose of being in a quilting guild. I also like to create useful gifts. Today I had been talking to Mr. Sir about how I needed to make a few covers for our books. So perfect. Also, if any of them happen to see this blog, well they know what will be in my package!

I used the Little Bits- Paperback Book Covers pattern by Cindi Edgerton. It was a lot of fun and really simple. I hope my giftee enjoys it!

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Little Gentleman

You get two posts from me today! I am in a posting mood. Also, I found the pictures of this while I was posting The Tube Top Tee and remembered that I had forgotten to post it after I gifted it.

A few months ago my cousin had a very handsome little baby boy. So I gave him what all handsome little boys should have. Semi-formal baby wear! I got the idea from Crafting 'till Midnight her blog is super cute. Instead of using the dryer sheet on the back though, I used wonder-under and ironed the bow tie on the onsie and then edge stitched the edging, that way you don't have to worry about the dryer sheet coming off on baby.
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Vikings Vest

The Front.

Alrighty, So both me and Mr. Sir (my husband) grew up in the frigid north also known as Minnesota, USA. At least most winters it is pretty darn frigid, not this one. Anyways, Mr. Sir is a diehard Vikings fan. They didn't do so great this year, but it's not about winning, its about how they play the game and the fact that they represent our home state. Last Christmas I made Mr. Sir a vikings scarf, but this Christmas I decided to use my college education and actually sew him something that will keep him warm.
He had been asking for a vest, so I made him this. Yes I used a pattern, good ole Simplicity. Got it on sale 5 patterns for $5. Not bad.

Merry Christmas dear.

Live and Love 

The Back.

A Carrot Colored Bunny

Now that Christmas is over I must start posting all of the lovely gifts that I made. If I made them myself I will start doing tutorials but if I used a pattern I will just post the finished product.
My earliest gift that I got finished was a knitted carrot colored bunny that I made my (gonna be 3 years old next week) little niece who from here on out I will call Bug. So here you go....

 This is what the finished bunny was SUPPOSED to look like from the book "Knitted Toys", I got the book from the library and finished the bunny in about 2 weeks. The picture below is me working on the separate pieces. Also below is the finished bunny. I messed up on a few things, I'm pretty sure the weight of the yarn was bigger so my bunny got long and skinny. Also, some of the directions were a little confusing for an amateur knitter like myself. But all in all I am pretty proud of the finished bunny. Bug sure likes the bunny too.
~Live and Love