List of Fun Activities

Some Fun Things We've Been Up to This Summer:

1.  Flying kites at the ocean, of course.
2.  Building sandcastles and knocking them down.
3.  Chasing the surf.
4.  Sidewalk chalk galore.
5.  Playdates.
6.  Swimming.
7.  Family Fun Center in Tukwila - Kidopolis (love it).
8.  Splashing in the river.
9.  Running through the sprinkler.
10.  Nights around the firepit making smores - Mmmmm.
11.  Family reunions.

I hope that you all have been having fun this summer too.  I've been reminded at least 20 times today that school is only 10 days away.  My oldest is starting Kindergarten and she is very excited to meet her teacher and find her desk.  I'm excited too, but for very different reasons.  One happens to be the reduction of fighting sessions between her and her two-year-old sister.  It has been very loud (screaming, crying, tattling, etc.) during the days when we're at home.  Oh my, some peace and quiet - that's one thing I'm definately looking forward to.  Yeah!  Kindergarten here we come!

I'll be posting a schoolwork memory box later on.  I've just bought the box itself and now have to figure out how I want to decorate it.  Stay tuned.

Yvonne

Sew a Gift Bag

I have a confession to make.  I have only used a sewing machine a couple of times and it was always with my aunt standing right next to me telling me what to do.  However, I was determined to sew a gift bag for a friend and my aunt wasn't available.  So, I grabbed the user manual for a Singer Quantum XL-100 that I was given to me by a lovely woman (who will go unnamed - but she knows who she is :). 

I spent about an hour setting the system up on my kitchen table, learning how to wind the bobbin, setting up my ironing board, and learning the basic information I needed to know to sew my project.  Then the work began.  I know that it took me about ten times longer to put this gift bag than it would have my aunt, but I think it turned out pretty good for my first solo project.

I apologize for the lack of fantastic photography (I'll have to develop that skill later).  However, I just LOVE this fabric and think the recipient will be please, even if there are a few not-so-straight stitched areas :).  I'm going to try another one now that I know the process and know how to do a better job on it.

If you would like to try your hand at this gift bag, you can find the pattern and tutorial at Sew4Home.

Happy Crafting,

Yvonne

Art Smock from Make It and Love It

Have you seen anything so cute?!  I love this art smock idea from Make It and Love It.  Ashley is so talented.  If you want to see the tutorial on how to put this smock together just go here.

This brings me to a confession.  Do any of you use OneNote?  I do.  I use it to keep track of all the craft projects I want to do when I get time (ha!).  I've added this smock to my sewing list and I have to tell you, it's number 45 on the list.  I haven't put them in the order I'm going to do them yet.  I have a feeling this one's going to be somewhere in the top ten.  Oh, how I really need to get my craft area project done.