Dandelion

Well, I didn't finish five bunnies like I wanted to, but I did finish one for each of my nieces before the holiday. The pattern is so simple and adorable! I just have not been feeling well. Ugh...



My son named this one Dandelion. I told my niece she could give her a new name if she wanted, but I hope she keeps it. It's so cute and creative, and really perfect for the yellow print ears and cheeks on this girl. Very impressive since he hasn't seen a dandelion since he was two. How does he even remember what they are?



I've been doing these bunnies from upholstery fabric samples and cotton prints from my stash. I played around with appliqueing plush fabric for the tail again. I love the effect, but it really is tricky given that you aren't supposed to iron that stuff.

Oh, and did you notice that the felt sandwiched between the cottons totally works for getting the ears to stand up? Hooray! The pattern designer told me it would on her Facebook page, but I was still so relieved when it worked out that way.

Monday Moments

Two Monday Moments in a row? I need to step up on the crafty!



My sister and I got our kids together for Easter for the first time ever this year. I remember the rare occasions as kids that we got to spend Easter with our cousins. It seemed like the greatest egg hunt ever happened when I was five or six. My mom and my aunt sat outside in lawn chairs as we eagerly brought them hard boiled eggs with 25 cents written on them to trade in for quarters. I think one egg even had $5 on it.

Of course, as young kids, we failed to realize that we'd get more money if we kept hunting and turned in all of our eggs at the end. We were just too eager to get our hands on that change.

Our kids are smarter. Not a single one opened their eggs to see what was inside until they were sure they had found them all. We had different colored eggs for each child to make sure that my allergy laden nephew didn't get anything that could hurt him. It was a lot of fun watching them scramble around, occasionally finding each other's eggs and giving hints about where they were. It was cute seeing their reactions to the dollar bill fortune they found too. Even the oldest was excited to get one step closer to the toy she was saving for.

Now we just have to wait 25 years or so to see if it was the best one ever.

Monday Moments...and then some

I will post cute pictures from this weekend, but first, I have to say a big hello to anyone visiting from Deb Strain's blog! She was kind enough to post photos of my quilt and another quilt someone else made from one of her adorable lines. Such a great lady!

Second, what in blue blazes is this? Are you serious? May is less than two weeks away!



Look at the poor little buds on my bush all covered in snow...I hope the forecast is better for next Sunday so the kids don't have to wear their snow pants to hunt for Easter eggs.



This photo is both a Monday Moment and a craft picture. I had promised my step-daughter that if her friend Abbie could come over, I'd invite another one of her friends and they could have a mini birthday party, since we'd be giving her gifts and making her a small cake anyway.

She had asked me if I could do a monster theme since she's into Monster High toys and Moshi Monsters online. I got some Moshi Monsters trading cards and downloaded some coloring pages from the website. I used them as stencils to paint the characters on canvas tote bags. Then I brought out a pack of fabric markers and let the girls go wild. They had a lot of fun just doing their own thing, and I got to relax because everything was so low key. Win, win!

She's finished!

Yesterday was the perfect day. The weather was gorgeous and it wasn't supposed to be. We were really unprepared. I decided I had better haul a quilt (this one was a gift from my mother-in-law) outside and take photos of my finished bunny while I had the light.



Isn't she so super cute? I love her.



This one is for my youngest niece, who is just at that age where she would pull a tail off of a bunny if I hand sewed one on. The pattern I bought had directions for appliqueing a felt tail to the back, but I didn't have any that wouldn't pill like crazy and I wanted this toy to last. So I tried my hand at applique with minky. I just happened to have two or three large scraps of a perfectly matched purple in my stash. I think it worked out well.



I am disappointed in the ears though. I didn't consider for a moment that the comparably stiff felt the pattern called for would be what held the ears up. I thought that it was somehow in the folding of the fabric. I really should have known better. I like the look of the second cotton print, so I'm wondering if maybe I could layer the felt into the ears like batting and get them to stand in the same way they do on the pattern. I will have to try it with the next bunny I have planned.

Looking good

I bought a new pattern yesterday. Because I didn't have enough things to work on? This is the start of my first attempt at it. It's turning out very cute! I hope to have five of them done in the next little while.

Monday Moments

Sunday morning, my husband and I awoke to the sound of silverware clanking on a plate. We both were startled long enough to have the thought that the other had got up and was making breakfast, then we both fell back asleep. Some time later my little boy came into my room singing, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" I opened my eyes to see this face.



I asked him what was all over his face and he said, "Fudge cake!" I followed him into the kitchen, getting angry. "Dad gave you cake for breakfast?!"

He smiled at me and said, "I did it!" I didn't believe him until I opened the refrigerator and got my second shock of the morning.



He really did get his own cake! And plate, and fork, though he isn't tall enough to reach the cupboards...so I have to hope and pray that he opened the dishwasher and didn't grab something dirty off of the kitchen counter. Yuck!