b is for bobbins

bibs

2011-11-08T12:18:00.001-08:00

A lot of babies are born among our loved ones. Some girls I had in Young Women are starting to have babies, and that is very special to me. Seeing them make wise choices and lead beautiful lives give me a lot of joy as I work with 12 and 13 year old girls in Young Women again.

This post is for my mom. She assures me she wants to see my bibs even when they are the same bibs I always make. I can never thank my mom enough for teaching me how to sew. She shared the joy of working with my hands through her beautiful creations. She continues to be my inspiration.

And there is more to come...

Quinn turns four

2011-11-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

It was funny that Quinn knew exactly what he wanted. His guest list consisted of Aunt Karine, Jennabee, Aunt Tamsin, Grandpa and Grandma Campbell, and Aunt Trisha(Grandma Campbell's sister). So we invited them and their families over for dinner and a small celebration.

We asked him what he wanted for his birthday dinner. He said Aunt Karine's home made mac-n-cheese, Aunt Trisha's fruit salad, deviled eggs "the eyeball kind!"(I think he remembered the deviled egg eyeballs we took into Asha's class.), and cheese cake "with berries on top".

I should always let Scott choose boy gifts. Look at his smile! I would have never picked a bow and arrows.

This years has been a milestone for Quinn. He learned to entertain himself in ways we approve of. We are no longer worried that he might burn the house down or that he might seriously injure himself. We no longer panic when we haven't seen him for five minutes. He got potty trained. He stopped sucking his thumb. (Thanks, Scott, for your diligent effort at applying Mavala Stop day after day.) After not being interested for what seemed to be a long time, he recently learned his ABCs and their sounds in two weeks. Leap Frog DVD a friend loaned to us did the magic.

Quinn loves being with his brother Kai, and wants to copy everything he is doing. Lego and trains can keep him happy for a long time. He likes to watch Bob the Builder and is sure he can build a house if only we let him use Dad's tools.

When we get our Costco coupon book, Scott and I individually go through and circle things that we want to purchase. One day Scott went to Costco without me and came back with several junk food that we had never bought before. When I asked Scott why he had gotten them, he said they were circled on the coupon book. We opened the book to see wobbly circles that Quinn had added. Quinn was very proud of himself that it worked.

We asked him what his memorable moments were from the past year.

"Staying at Aunt Karine's house while Mama was in Japan and Dad was on a business trip." If he had his way, he would live there and be Aunt Karine's son.

Riding the ice explorer on the athabasca glacier in Canada. "The wheels are bigger than me!"

Hiking a total of 26.2 miles without ever being held. Here he is near the end of Opal Hills in Jasper Ntional Park. He said he couldn't possibly walk another step, lied there for a few minutes to charge, and then walked down the rest of the way.

After Kai's birth, I was told by my OBGYN that I shouldn't have any more babies. I was getting older and my scar tissue was building up from three c-sections, she said. It didn't help that I was mad at her for the complication she had caused during the c-section, but I decided to ignore her suggestion. I knew there was another baby and I wanted to have him/her. I didn't even tell Scott what she had said until much later. Two and a half years later we had Quinn. I can't imagine our family without him.

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T18:11:00.000-07:00

This year our friends(the same ones that had the 80's party last year) invited us to a murder mysery party. The sciene was set in Chicago in the 20's. Scott was a shady business man and I was a sociolite . Here we are on the way to solveing a mystery.

Jerome was the Grim Reaper. I made a skirt with a draw string, a top on a bias, and attatched a hood. Karine gave me some black remnants from her project, so there was no cost. Because I draped everything straight on the body, the fit was great. Jerome made the sythe with card board, aluminum foil, and duck tape.

Asha was a journalist. A french kind. I made the jacket as you saw in the previous post. She made the "press" tag. Bryan generously gave her several vintage cameras to complete the look.

Kai's costume came from Amazon. He was very paticular about exactly what kind of Ninjya he should be, so I didn't bother teaching him about real Ninjyas, nor worrying about making him look authentic.

We successfully steered Quinn away from the pink flamingo costume, his original plan. This picture was taken at the church carnival.

Cropped jacket for Asha

2011-10-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

Last year I made a goal to challenge myself physically and see if I could get back in shape before I turn forty. I am not going to bore you with the details here, but let's just say it has been a journey. As it turns out, I am not good at managing two projects, and sewing had been put on hold... until this past week.

In August we took a trip to Banff and surrounding national parks as a family. On one of the harder hikes, I was trying to make conversations with Asha in a desparate attempt to distract myself from the huff and puff. The topic of Haloween costumes came up. Before I knew it, I had committed to sewing Asha a jacket. Who knew being in nature with people you love could make you do such things.

Fast forward to last week...

I turned to my new sewing book I got from Japan titled "Sweet Girls Clothes" and choose style V in size 140. Here are the measurements the book gives for size 140. Height 140cm, chest 68cm, waist 57cm, hip 73cm. I think it is a smaller size 10. This is what the cover of the book looks like.

I used denim from my stash.

To minimize bulk, and to keep the project interesting, I tried my hand at a Hong Kong seam. Changing the thread back and forth got tedious, but I love the end result.

She wore the jacket to church. A picture of the jacket complete with the rest of her Halloween costume is coming in the next post.

shorts

2011-05-18T12:40:00.001-07:00

Last night I wanted to watch some talks I had recorded from the BYU Women's Conference. I knew I would fall asleep if I sat down, so I decided to sew. I don't know the logic behind it, but I get more out of those talks when my hands are busy.

I was happy to find a pair of Asha's shorts all cut out and ready to go from last year's project pile. The fabric came from an extra large pair of white shorts I bought at a yard sale for 50 cents. It has a heavier weight with good amount of stretch.

I drafted the pattern with Alison's help a few years back. Size 130. You can see another pair I had made with this pattern here.

The fabric I used for the elastic casing is voile from Ana Maria Horner's Little Folks collection. This light weight fabric is not sheer, drapes beautifully, and has a subtle sheen to it. It feels similar to the lawn of Liberty of London, but for the third of the price. Check out Anna Maria's entire fabric collection here. It is a true work of art.

Trailer report - the bunks are in

2011-05-16T19:30:00.000-07:00

One of the last things on our list was to put bunks in. All-fab, a local metal working company, built the frames and we sewed the cover with duck canvas.

This bunk has hinges so we can fold it in half length-wise and tuck it behind the couch during the day.

The one on the end may stay up there to provide extra storage for sleeping bags and pillows.

We bought 10 yards of 2 inch wide velcro. We used our glue gun to attach the rough side to the inside of the frame, and then sewed the fuzzy side to the canvas. It holds the canvas tight and we will be able to take it off and wash it.

We will get to test them out during the Memorial Day weekend. Destination is still to be determined.

Scripture bag

2011-04-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

This is the perfect little scripture bag for your little guy.

measurements (click picture to enlarge)

I used corduroy from my stash for the outer layer and cotton/linen for the inside and the pocket. If you use quilting weight fabric like I did for this girl version, sandwich a heavy weight fabric in between so it will hold it's shape. And here is another boy version I have made before.

Bendy dolls, felt horses, and wool pants

2011-04-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Some of you have asked for a tutorial on these cute dolls Elizabeth Lee made. Here it is.

Elizabeth actually didn't use a pattern or a tutorial for the horses but she wishes she had because it would have been easier. She found a tutorial that looks exactly like what she did. Tutorial here.

And here you can see how to make the sweater sleeve pants.

Thank you, Elizabeth, for letting me share your creations!

Furniture refinishing, desk

2011-04-13T10:56:00.003-07:00

Before

After sanding

Finished with new hardware

Furniture refinishing, buffet & China cabinet

2011-04-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

I know some of you didn't get a chance to look at the picture display up close. With the permission of Adrianne and Stuart Campbell, I am going to post the pictures and paint references.

China cabinet, bottom - before

Buffet - before

Buffet - after

China cabinet, top - before

with my nephew, Grant trying on his daddy's glasses

China cabinet - after

"For all of our painting projects we used Behr Oil Based Primer found at Home Depot.

We used Behr Paint + Primer (Oil Based) in white for the china cabinet and desk. And I don't remember the shade of blue for the buffet. But it was the Behr Paint + Primer line as well.

We bought new hardware for the china cabinet at Home Depot. Rather than buy new hardware for the buffet, we spray painted them in Rustoleums White Epoxy Spray Paint - which is good for metals and appliances."

Adrianne will be happy to answer any questions you may have. adriannercampbell@gmail.com

Trailer report - on the road

2011-04-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

We finally did it. A week in Seattle with the trailer we worked on for months. It was simply amazing. We have some pictures to prove it.

Here we are eating the first meal of pasta and meat sauce...

and breakfast of steel cut oats.

Last swig of "fizzy water" before bed.

Even chores like washing dishes are fun when you are in the trailer. Quinn begged for a turn one day and got one.

And it is all cleaned up now, ready for another trip, hopefully sooner than later.

Women's Conference references

2011-04-09T20:48:00.001-07:00

If you are here from Women's Conference, welcome! Thank you for attending my class. It gave me such joy to share that time with you. I hope you find the following links helpful and that you will be inspired to make something cute! If you have any questions, feel free to leave it in the comment section. I will reply in the comment section as well.

fort supply bag

http://mommymita.blogspot.com/2011/01/homemade-christmas-fort-supplies.html

the wooden clothes pins came from this etsy shop

http://www.etsy.com/shop/WoodToyShop?page=1

bibs

using t-shirt, sweatshirt, or kitchen towel for backing

http://www.purlbee.com/liberty-bibs/2010/9/25/liberty-baby-bibs.html

with batting inside

https://sewshesews.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/quilted-patchwork-bib-pattern-and-tutorial/

reusable zip-top bags

http://bisforbobbins.blogspot.com/2009/03/going-green.html

cape towel

http://bisforbobbins.blogspot.com/2008/03/cape-towel-and-really-big-tote.html

big bag for pool, beach and laundry

-measurements (NOT including seam allowances)

-width 24.5, Height 24, length of the handle 28 1/2width of the handle 5.5

-use medium home decor weight fabric

http://bisforbobbins.blogspot.com/2008/03/cape-towel-and-really-big-tote.html

party flags

Someone mentioned after the class that you could put the wrongs sides together of the two triangles, sew them together, and then use pinking sheers to finish the edges. A great way to save time if you are not planning on putting them in the wash.

diaper tote

http://bisforbobbins.blogspot.com/2008/03/diaper-tote.html

t-shirt resizing

tracing a favorite t-shirt

http://www.craftstylish.com/item/65308/copy-your-favorite-tee

fitting your body

http://thismamamakesstuff.com/2008/08/tutorial-fitted-t/

doll blanket and pillow case

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2008/12/doll-bedding-tutorial.html

bonnet

Simplicity pattern from Joann's

That is how far I get tonight. I will post more tomorrow. Have a great sabbath day, ladies!

Marie

Trailer - the finishing touches

2011-03-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

Next week is spring break, and we decided to take our trailer to it's first outing. Destination, Seattle. We are going to show the kids our "first date" spots. It is cute that Jerome and Asha are interested in such things now. The Space Needle, ferry ride for night lights, Science Museum, Pike Place Market, and a walk around downtown are on our list. We also want to walk around the grounds of Seattle Temple so they can see where we got married.

Scott had two international business trips back to back, but now he is working full speed trying to put the last finishing touches to get the trailer ready.

Here you can see the new heater (warmer, quieter, and greener), and the window covering. We used several purse magnets to attach the covering to the window sill.

We have AC on the ceiling, more window covers, and the accordion door we made.

Here is a closer look at the accordion door. The original vinyl one had cardboard in each slots, so Scott salvaged a corrugated plastic door from work that was damaged during shipping, and cut it into skinny pieces to fit the slots. We also added frosted tint on the bathroom window for privacy, a movable mirror and some soap dispensers.

One more curtain to instal, and we will be ready to pack!

Dress to top, almost a flop

2011-02-14T20:30:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with this dress way back in 2009 when I got the October 2009 issue of Burda magazine. The effortless flow of the fabric paired with shiny patent heels and chunky belt. Slimming effect everywhere. What's not to like about that?

The construction is very basic.
But when I ignored the suggested fabric of "wide stretch jersey" and used the light satin poly (no stretch) from Jo-anns, it didn't look anything like what I had imagined. The Laura Ashly belt that my sister gave me or my favorite black patent heels were not able to save the look. It resembled a cheep kimono dress you buy for your kid's dress up box.

I was ready to throw it out, but then Scott suggested I turn it into a shirt. "Maybe it is just too much of that wild fabric." he said.

So here it is. What do you think? Still wild, but I think it is wearable now. I tried to cut the hem short enough so it didn't look like a maternity shirt. The skinnier belt in grey blends in better as well.

I am going to consider this a practice round, and make the dress with black rayon jersey just like Burda suggests.

Trailer Report - Eating supper

2011-02-14T07:46:00.000-08:00

"Let's eat supper in the trailer!" one of the kids said excitedly, so we did. We tried the oven out for some simple cheese bunnies. It worked great.

We also tried out sleep arrangements. Jerome is too tall for this below, so we will have a bunk bed make to hang up above.

The dinette was a four seater originally, but we expanded it so all six of us could fit comfortably.

Ski trip

2011-01-21T13:03:00.000-08:00

Scott and Baby Scotty, Gillian and Jonathan's little addition.

Scott's parents rented a large lodge, and we all got to stay together. Here is me reading to my niece and nephew after my own kids lost interested.

Gillian gathered all the kids and played some games.

Here is Quinn going down the bunny hill with me. What I didn't know at the time was that Quinn could already ski and stop by himself, after Scott coached him for a couple hours. He acted all nervous and waned to hang on to my poles. Funny kid!

Bibs

2011-01-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

There are lots of cute babies born around here, and I have been making some bibs. Here are the three kinds I made this time.

Quilting details on the Amy Butler print.

This is the last of this VW Bus fabric from Heather Ross. I love this whimsical print.

Apple picking

2011-01-17T21:15:00.000-08:00

I had no idea apples could have flavor so fresh and concentrated, until I ate one off the tree. Our favorite variety was Empire. It had the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.

Here is Asha with cousin Rosalie. They worked really hard. Asha helped Aunt Karine, and Rosalie helping me.

We should have taken a family picture here. It was so pretty.

Kai and cousin Henry-Jon did more eating than picking, but that is all part of the fun!

This is what Karine, Scott's sister, did A LOT. No wonder Quinn loves her so much.

We picked 300 lbs. We will show you what we did with all the apples in the next post.

Videos from Quinn's birthday

2011-01-17T14:18:00.000-08:00

Quinn turns 3

2011-01-17T09:18:00.000-08:00

This happened last year on November 6. As he is number four in our family, we managed to make the cake but didn't get a party organized. It was all good for Quinn, though, who throughly enjoyed the occasion.

Aunt Tamsin and uncle David stopped by with a can of toffee peanuts. They told him and his family that Quinn didn't have to share, but Quinn quickly forgot about it and shared the can with everybody. After all the times his older brothers and sister brought home and shared sweets from school and birthday parties, it was finally his turn to be in charge and share. His face was beaming with joy.

Trailer report

2011-01-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

While our camera was being repaired, I got out of the habit of blogging. It took my mom several phone calls of "I am sick of seeing the cork floor!" to get me back into it. So, here I go again. There are several family events to post, so I will try to catch up this coming week.

First off, the trailer. We didn't get to take a little trip to the coast with it. It snowed the weekend we were planning to do it, and Scott had to go ahead and winterize the pipes. It did come handy when we needed a place to hide Christmas gifts.

Remember the before picture?

This is what it looks like now. Actually it doesn't look much different from the outside. The van got a towing package and that is all.

Here is the kitchen. We love the counter top with it's poured concrete look, the larger oven, stainless walls with decorative circles, round sink, and the birch look cabinets.

Here are the sofa bed and dinette pieces that we had upholstered. We took a CB2 catalog to the upholster guy and asked if he could copy the style of this sofa. He did a fantastic job. This is what it looks like when the table is down and the pillows are arranged for sleeping.

Come spring, we will decorate it and take better pictures. Until then, it sits in front of the house and looks cute.

cork floor

2010-09-25T13:54:00.001-07:00

The floor is in, and we love it! Scott got up at six this morning and started applying glue to the floor board and tiles. You are supposed to wait two hours to let the surface of the glue dry before installing. At eight Scott and I started installation with some help from Quinn. The glue feels dry, but when you put the tile down and pound on it with a big hammer all around, it sticks, really hard. The middle ones went on very quickly, after which we took some time cutting out the shaped pieces along the edge. There really is no fast way to do that, but to make a pattern piece with paper, trim it until it is exactly right, and then cut out the cork tiles using the pattern. After shaving a little more cork off here and there, you have a piece that fits beautifully.

This piece along the door frame was the hardest.

And these ones.

The cork pattern looks like this up close. Isn't it cool?

Here is the kitchen back splash installed. I wasn't sure if I liked the decorative pattern, but it sure hides finger prints. I polished the sleek side half way, until I realized that it will get dirty again when we install the counter top.

kitchen backsplash

2010-09-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

Scott and Bryan worked on the stainless steel for the kitchen backsplash late into the night after pack meeting. Here is the report from Bryan.

" if we didn't have to buy such a big piece of stainless steel this would be easier"

Drilling holes to get ready to cut out the window opening with the jigsaw in the kitchen backsplash.

Nearly done. We said we would be home at 10:30 so we had better hurry ( work faster Scott).

Some gave all ( A positive type) for the project ( darn I knew I should have brought leather gloves!)

Marie here:

The backsplash is installed, and the kitchen pieces are built back in the trailer. We are now ready for the counter top. More pictures to come. Stay tuned!

The "before"

2010-09-23T11:29:00.001-07:00

These are the pictures the previous owner took for the ebay auction. You can see a lot has already changed.

camper " extraction" trek

2010-09-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

Bryan took these pictures and wrote the captions. The pictures are not in the correct order, but you'll get the idea.

The large cabinet in the dumpster at the campground in Redding CA- after we dumped it in there at 10 pm the night before ( unbeknown to all the other campers) except the one who was driving in late that night and saw us crossing the road the cabinet in hand- looking like "deer in the headlights" except hefting a cabinet.

We knew we would be successful when we stayed at the " winners" casino ( a real dump)

Mercury(Bryan and Karine's Sprinter) pulling Snowball 2- at the campground in Redding CA

Scott passing a corvette while pulling the camper- " boy you can travel fast with these light campers"

Scott's first time using the stove- making cinnamon rolls ( the stove runs a little hot)

Again, we are very thankful to Bryan for helping this all happen.

A little repost on the progress...

The fabric came today, but the upholsterer is too busy and can't get to recovering our couch bed and dinette until October. We have decided the colorful tambour doors had to go, so they are getting a new coat of paint in light grey. It looks much better for the space. The stainless sheet for the kitchen back splash should be here any time. The cork floor tiles got here on Monday, and they are in the process of being acclimatized.

Here is the camper we should have built. It even has a bath tub. Maybe next time. Thanks, Yu-kun.

overhead storage

2010-09-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Randall, the counter top guy finally showed up with samples Friday night. They looked very cool, but I forgot to take pictures. Asha has been our faithful photographer, and we don't get any pictures when she isn't around. We chose a dark grey concrete look for the kitchen and whiter concrete for the dinette. The ply wood will be covered with a thin layer of concrete. The surface will be textured, and then a durable clear coat will be applied. We will get a great look while the weight will be kept light. We are very excited.

The over head storage with tambour doors was the next project we worked on. Scott and Jerome worked on painting it with the same color as the walls. The tambour doors and the structure were missing from our trailer, so we bought the structure from the Airstream in seattle, and bought some light colored wood tambour online.

The side pieces got painted silver.

The tambour got painted in some cheerful colors.

This is how they turned out. It looks pretty in this picture, but we are having second thoughts about the stripe. It is busy and a bit too much in the small space. We decided to install it the way it is, and re-evaluate once everything else is in place.

Scott's parents, not pictured, and Karine and Bryan, in the picture below, stopped by to see our progress. It is always fun to show other people what we have been doing. Bryan and Karine have been fantastic supporters.

It is raining today, and Scott has found a leak in the front. We will have to work on repairing that.

Bathroom

2010-09-17T09:24:00.000-07:00

Remember the closet?

It looks like this after the birch contact paper was applied. We got it from designyourwall.com and was very happy with the quality. It made the closet look just like the birch furniture I have from IKEA.

Scott really did take the bathroom out.

The toilet pieces and the shower pan got two coats of POR15.

It was a little tricky to apply an even coat to it. The paint is very thin and it runs if there is any excess applied. The side of the toilet kept getting streaky marks. We are hoping the third coat will smooth the bumps out, but Scott is going to call the customer support in the meantime to see if we should sand it down and then rent a sprayer to apply the next coat.

The counter top guy isn't finished with the samples. No progress there. We are leaning more and more towards the poured concrete look, and can't wait to see what he comes up with. We will put the kitchen back in and make progress on the bathroom during the weekend, before the cork floor tiles come on Monday.

upholstry fabric

2010-09-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

We got many fabric samples from KOVI fabrics. There is a couch we love in CB2 here and we ordered a lot of grey tones hoping to copy that.

The top three picks in the trailer against birch, and aluminum.

We think the middle one is the winner, but the left one does look closer to the CB2 couch.

The middle fabric looks like this up close.

Scott ended up taking the bathroom apart as well. He is planning to paint most of the surfaces with POR15 epoxy paint.

Next up... The counter top guy is coming with samples tonight. We asked him to make a poured concrete look and a glossy white look because we couldn't decide. We can't wait!

In the meantime, Scott has covered all the faux wood surfaces with birch contact paper, and they are ready to be installed.

Stay tuned!

windows and dinette

2010-09-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful Saturday, and we made some progress on the trailer.

First off, all the windows got new screens.

The old paint got scrubbed off of the screen frame with Premium Paint & Epoxy Remover. We first applied the paint remover, let it sit for a few minutes, and then wiped the paint off with paper towel. It took a few tries to get the paint completely off. But then Scott tried scrubbing with the steel wool and the paint removal together, and it went quicker. Once all the paint was off, we polished it with steel wool. Here is how it looks against the newly painted wall.

Then we worked on the dinette. The tambour doors and frame got spray painted with Rust-Olium's Clean Metal Primer, Rust-Oleum's Ultra Cover Metallic Aluminum, and a coat of polyurethane.

Here is what it looks like assembled.

Scott cut ply wood to fit the curvature of the front, attached it to the frame, and now we have a dinette base.

We are now waiting for the shipment of the cork floor, sample fabric for the dinette, and birch contact paper for the cabinets. Randle, our counter top guy, is working on samples for the kitchen counter top and dinette table.

Introducing Argosy

2010-09-10T22:07:00.000-07:00

Camping has never been our thing, but we are hoping to change that. Being in the great outdoors in Yellowstone this summer has left us wanting to do more. Watching our kids enjoy themselves in the nature was priceless. We decided getting a travel trailer would make things easier and help us get out.

Brother-in-law, Bryan, found an ebay listing in Sacramento for a 1978 20 foot Argosy. We knew we could trust him when he said it looks to be in good shape. He owns the exact same model himself and is very knowledgeable about vintage trailers. Scott finalized the purchase on ebay after he talked to the owner on the phone, and he and Bryan set off to go get it that weekend. 17 hours each way, but they came back in two and a half days. Bryan kindly drove his car because ours doesn't have a towing package yet (Totota said they are releasing their 2011 towing package in a few weeks). The trailer is in great condition, and all the appliances work. The dinette and sofa bed are missing because it was used as an office at one point, but the sale price reflected that and we got a good deal. The previous owner had big plans for restoring it, but he got tired and bought a RV instead.

We drove over to Seattle last weekend to purchase some furniture from a guy who is restoring a 34 foot Airstream. He was getting rid of everything inside since he is going to put in all new furniture. We got the dinette and couch bed that we will refinish and reupholster. We also bought three over head bins that we will use the tambour door mechanism of. Ours is missing that completely. We are excited that we don't have to have those pieces made from scratch. The guy's oven was deeper and newer, so we got that as well.

This is the state of our garage right now. What you see closest to you is the kitchen cabinet. We bought birch contact paper to cover it. The two pieces on the right and the pillows in the back make the dinette. We spray painted the frame and tambour doors last night, and it is looking nice and fresh. The upholstery fabric samples have been ordered, and we will have the dinette and bed reupholstered as soon as we finalize the fabric choice.

Here is Scott painting late into the night. Two coats of primer and two coats of Benjamin Moore "Old Prairie". Scott is facing the kitchen where there will be a sink, fridge, stove, oven, and over head storage. Behind him will be a sofa bed. The camera is standing where there will be a dinette that converts to more sleeping area. There is a three piece bathroom in the back with a shower, toilet, and sink. The tall wood paneling you see on the right is a wardrobe, which will also be covered in birch contact paper.

T-shirt resizing - tie dye

2010-09-09T09:20:00.001-07:00

before: size 6-8 and boxy

after: size 5 slim

before: size 12 and boxy

after: size 8 and girly

I traced the shape of Kai's Old Navy size 5 shirt for his, and used Milimili's cap sleeve pattern for Asha's.

T-shirt resizing - boxy to girly

2010-09-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

At the end of the school year, Jerome brought home a men's size small t-shirt from the D.A.R.E. graduation, that he had no interest in wearing. Asha said she wanted it, so it got dropped in the resize pile. Fast forward to this week, and I realized that Jerome and Asha could use some t-shirts. I dug in the resize pile and came up with a few things.

This one came out the best because the sleeves were wide enough for some puffy details. I used a Milimili pattern in size 140. More shirts using this pattern here and here.

Kai's first day of kindergarten

2010-08-25T13:25:00.001-07:00

We can't believe this day has finally come. It was a long wait for Kai.

I hope he is having as much fun as he anticipated. I can't wait to have him back and hear all about it.

Art

2010-07-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

Asha has turned into our photographer. She takes the camera out to the yard and takes beautiful pictures of nature. She also takes a lot of pictures of me, which has been a different experience all together. I try to be accommodating and do my best at posing for her. It is only fare after all the modeling she has done for this blog.

We started getting raspberries this week. A handful a day and just enough to eat on the spot and enjoy. Asha took the following two pics.

Jerome, Asha, and Kai enjoyed a fun art camp in Moscow with cousins. Here is Jerome rinsing out the dye of the tie-dye shirts.

I am impressed at how pretty they turned out.

The summer fun continues.

Jerome's Birthday Party

2010-07-06T23:08:00.000-07:00

This was the best birthday party, ever. Jerome planned and executed all the activities. He and Asha cleaned the whole house and decorated. Scott bought the pizza and I made the cake. Instead of running around, I really got to enjoy the party.

Here is Asha putting the last minute touches to the table. She worked so hard for her brother.

Everybody enjoying the food after a big water balloon fight in the yard.

The boys worked on one of the presents.

Niece Jennabee came and watched Quinn so I could enjoy the party. She is an angel sent from Heaven, and we love her.

Jerome is starting middle school in August. I feel old.

Summer, finally

2010-06-30T23:34:00.000-07:00

The high is in the seventies, finally, and we are immersed in summer fun. Water park, pool, beach (Snake River), parks, sleepover, and a visit to the university creamery with cousins. Jerome and Asha have been working hard with house work and caring for the little boys to free up my time for such fun activities. It has been a blast.

I had never thought Kai and Quinn looked a like, until I saw this picture taken today.

Jerome, Asha, and Kai took swim lessons. It was Jerome and Asha's first time, and they loved it. Here is Kai with his instructor.

When an 11 year old has all afternoon to spend in the yard with his knife, this is what he comes up with. "Don't worry Mom. I only cut off the dead branches." he assures me.

Today was Jerome's 11th birthday. Since Scott is gone all week to Japan on business, we had the family celebration with Scott's side of the family last Sunday. Here he is with the big chocolate trifle I made.

Oops, wrong order. It took a while to light up all 11 candles.

I will try to take some pictures at the next water activity. I am usually busy chasing Quinn while making sure Kai is alive, so never remember to pull out the camera.

The reason I haven't been sewing was that...

2010-06-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

I have been painting. There is no surface left of the old in the two kids' rooms. It took almost a month since my painting time was limited to nap time and late evenings. Kids taking turns getting sick didn't speed things up either.

The bed and side table came from Spokane via Craig's list, a great find.

This desk could also use a new coat of paint, but that has to wait for another Saturday.

I added a couple shelves for Asha's clothes and knick knacks.

Home projects

2010-05-16T21:11:00.001-07:00

We had a productive Saturday. We planted 64 trees, 60 Thuja trees along the driveway, 3 apple trees in the front yard, and a maple tree in front of the house. Scott's dad and brother-in-law Bryan came to help us early in the morning, and it wasn't until after noon that they got all of them planted. What a job! We couldn't have done it without their help! Here are three pictures to show you the before and after. The car is Bryan's.

This is what happens to your spices when Scott takes charge of the kitchen. He didn't let me color coordinate them, either. They are alphabetized.

Scott also built a fence on the side of the house. I will report on that as soon as we clean up around it.

More pics from the reunion

2010-05-11T15:17:00.001-07:00

No sewing around here nowadays. Just potty training and laundry.

I got some pictures from my brother's camera, so I am going to share a few with you.

The first is my parents with their 13 grandkids.

Front row left to right

Max(T4), Caryn(Y1), Erika(T1) with Maile(Y2) on her lap, Ison(Y3) on Grandma's lap, Quinn(M4) on Grandpa's lap, Emi(T2) with Kenji(T5) on her lap, Asha(M2), Sho(K1), and Ayumu(K2)

Back row left to right

Jerome(M1), Mia(T3), and Kai(M3),

My parents with the kids. Most of the time they were in the pool playing.

I wish I got a pictures of that.

Our vacation house had a nice grass yard, which led to this beach.

This year we tried dance night per kids' request. My dad out-danced all the kids.

The happiest kid on earth

Thank you, Mom and Dad for the best vacation!!

Ohki Family Reunion

2010-05-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

The pool enthusiasts, complete with facepaint.

The whole clan.

It has been four years since we all got together.

Quinn was ready for the picture session before any of us. Imagine that!

I have been missing my family. I wish we lived closer.

Church Bag for a Little Girl

2010-04-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

Just the right size for a Book of Mormon and a paperback primary song book.

I like the inside fabric just as much as the outside.

A little pocket for bookmarks and pencils.

I put a layer of off white denim in between to give it some shape.

Girly Whirlygiggle Quilt

2010-03-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

Remember the quilting fabric I got in Japan last summer? I used the red, pink, and yellow tones, and came up with this baby quilt.

I finally get to post it now that it has been delivered to Adrianne, who had a girl last month.

All finished!

2010-03-25T13:01:00.000-07:00

It is a great feeling to finish a project, especially the ones that sat for a while. A lot of thank you's to Adrianne, who suggested I recover the bar stools in the first place. She also helped me find the Teflon coated fabric. Karine entertained my baby and kept me company while I took the original cover apart and cut out the new ones. I couldn't have done it without them.

So far, the Teflon has repelled melted chocolate, brownies, yogurt, and ball point pen. The stains came out with a soft rub of a wet dish towel. I might have to go buy some stocks of this company.

Scott just came home from a nine day trip to Europe. Family Home Evening and school lunches are the first ones to go among other things when he is away. This time I asked Asha to come up with something for Family Home Evening. She got busy and came up with this.

She got the lesson out of the Family Home Evening manual "because that is what Papa always uses", shared a story, and led a nice discussion. We had a fun evening, and I didn't have to do a thing. I was humbled and thankful for my wonderful kids.

IKEA bar stool gets a makeover

2010-03-20T23:01:00.000-07:00

Before: IKEA HENRIKSDAL bar stool with a Gobo white cover

(This is what it looks like after day 3, until I wash it again.)

After: Isn't it a beauty?

I took the white one apart with a seam ripper and used the pieces as a pattern. The fabric came from Calico Corners. It has a teflon finish, so I am excited to put it to the test.

One cover down, two more to go.

More 90 minute shirts

2010-03-04T14:59:00.000-08:00

I had been warned from Dana herself that this was going to be addicting, and it is. It is because they turn out cute whatever you made them with. I made two more last night and also added the dog to the one I had already posted. I can't stop thinking of cute color combos.

Quick refashion - 90 minute shirt

2010-03-03T20:29:00.000-08:00

Quinn has been experiencing a growth spurt, averaging an inch a month for the past three. He started this fall/winter season with 18-24 month clothes, then 24/2T for a few months, and now threatens to move on to 3T before spring comes.

I went looking for warm 3T clothes in Kai's bin yesterday, but without much success. I remembered Kai spent his 3T time in San Diego and didn't need much of that. He just wore a hoodie when it got a little chilly. And that is how I ended up at the sewing machine making t-shirts during Quinn's nap.

I used a "90 minute shirt" tutorial that Dana of MADE put together. The idea of finishing two shirts during one nap appealed to me. No binding, snaps, or buttons sounded great.

Dana shows you in great detail how to make your own pattern with an old onesie you cut up and use as a templet. Since I didn't have one on hand I could part with, I printed out the picture of hers and photocopied it at 400%. Of course the whole pattern piece didn't fit on the letter size paper. I focused on the arm and neck details, and then traced it to my pattern paper. I added sleeve and body length to Quinn's measurements.

The actual sewing went very quickly. Ironing the ribbing in place before sewing helps. I used a large white t-shirt I picked up at a yard sale just for a project like this.

It looked very cute on, but I made a few adjustments to the pattern to make it perfect. I made the arm hole bigger, shoulders wider, and the back top seam lower for our chunky boy. Below is the improved version. The gray and green cotton-lycra knits are from fabric fairy.

This is a great tutorial if you have the patience to work on the pattern until you get the fit just right. It may take a few tries, but it is worth the effort.

Easy Summer Dress

2010-01-29T15:50:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to let you know what I have been up to. I am finally back in the groove.

This easy dress is the first of several projects I have planned for spring and summer.

Pattern: Style 114 of May 2009 Burda Magazine

Fabric: herringbone cotton from Japan (I love the bumpy texture and gauze-like softness of it.)

I first made a muslin with a $1/yd fabric I had on hand. It fit without any adjustments, so I ended up sewing it up to another dress.

Here is another gathered camisole for Asha. (the first one posted here.) I cut up my tunic. It was one of those "I will wear this when I loose weight" purchases. Now, two kids later, I would be happy if I could go back to the size I was then, and the tunic had to find a better purpose. I kept the side seams and bottom hem intact, so it ended up being a quick and fun project.

My sister's wedding - 2

2010-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

My brother Ken, whom I enjoyed spending time with during the wedding.

I ran into my mission companion in the bride's room. She had just gotten married right before my sister.

Here is a picture from the reception. I wasn't able to stay for it, but I heard it was nice.

Christmas

2010-01-03T14:31:00.000-08:00

I didn't make any gifts this year, but Asha got a beautiful coat completed with a hat, a hand warmer, and gaiters for her doll from Aunt Kim. The coat is fully lined and the details are amazing. There is nothing that tickles my sewing fancy more than gifts like this. Thank you, Kim! You are the best!

Scott got me some sewing books. I didn't know I wanted them, but I haven't been able to put them down. There is so much more to learn. He also got me some Project Runaway DVDs. I love it that he likes to watch them with me.

I got some fabric from Japan that I can't wait to turn into clothes. They are mostly lawn and double gauge for spring and summer.

Here is a glimpse of our crazy Christmas morning. Quinn is sporting the safety goggles from the Black and Decker Junior power tool set Santa got him from Costco. Quinn usually doesn't play with toys (He prefers kitchen gadgets and electronics we forget to put away.), but this authentic looking set has fooled him. The sounds the drills and saws make are pretty real, and Santa got a bargain for only $20.

We had a special Christmas dinner with Scott's parents and Scott's sister's family. Scott made roasted duck, oyster dressing, butternut squash risotto, and ginger cake topped with whipped cream for dessert. Everything was just delicious, and we had a great evening together.

Ski Trip

2010-01-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

After eight years of having babies, we made it to the slopes this week.

Pictures and video here.

My sister's wedding

2009-12-31T23:20:00.000-08:00

Everything was perfect and absolutely beautiful.

Here they are in the elevator of Hotel New Otani, on the way to the wedding breakfast.

In front of the Tokyo Temple.

My parents sitting down to get ready for some family pictures.

Dress details.

I am so thankful I could be there to witness it.

"Turtle Hood" Pullover

2009-12-14T14:04:00.001-08:00

My baby sister is getting married, and I am leaving on Thursday for Tokyo to attend the wedding.

Alison suggested I sew something comfortable to wear on the plane, and this is what I came up with. It feels like pajamas, and that is just what I will need on the 11 hour flight.

pattern: Turtle Hood pullover from hibi+

size: medium (I am a large on the Japanese size chart, an 8 in the US, but this medium fits OK as long as I don't wear anything bulky underneath. The sleeves could have been a little longer.

fabric: juicy Couture cable grey velour from Fabric Fairy

Merry Christmas

2009-12-11T18:44:00.001-08:00

Winter coat for Kai - Oliver and S, school days jacket and coat

2009-12-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

He is so happy that he has been wearing it since nine this morning.

Pattern: Oliver and S, school days jacket and coat (link to the pattern here)

Their blog had great fabric suggestions for their patterns. I have bought two more patterns from them, and can't wait to get to work. Here is a Flickr group where you can see what other people have made using Oliver and S patterns.

Size: 4

Kai took after his father, and is very lean. Although he will be five in May, the measurements suggested I make a four. I am glad I did.

Fabric:

outer- thick dark denim with some stretch (Wal-mart, $3/yard) I should have bought the rest of the bolt. It was sold out when I went back. That was after I washed what I bought and decided I really liked it.

lining- thick fleece (the kind you see on sporty pull-overs) This one came from a fleece warehouse in seattle that has since closed. Since I wasn't sewing much back when Scott's sister took me there, I just picked up a kitchen garbage bag sized remnant bag for $10. I am proud to say that the piece I used for this coat was the last piece of that bag, and now it is all gone. It only took me 11 years and 9 moves.

lining for the hood- fine wale corduroy from the RS closet clean-out.

Christmas Dress

2009-12-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

This dress had been on my sewing planner since summer, but I didn't get to it until the day before the first Sunday of December. Talk about procrastination, and thank goodness it was a quick project.

What makes this dress unique is cutting the fabric on the bias. I love the slimming silhouette and how it moves.

The book tells you to roughly cut the main pieces out, hang them on a hanger over-night to let it stretch on the bias, and then cut it out exactly. I should have taken that seriously. I did 4 hours. The wool stretched another third of an inch while Asha was wearing it, and covered the ruffles more than my liking. I am going to take the blind stitches out and hem it shorter for the full effect.

Pattern: Style D-1 of "Concert and recital dresses for sisters" (link here)

Size: 130

Fabric: The grey wool came from the thrift store. You can't beat $2.37 for 3 yards. The black satin used for the lining and the ruffles came from Joann's.

My little boys...

2009-11-18T21:47:00.000-08:00

... keep me hopping.

Burda Top

2009-11-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

This is a pattern I had been wanting to try for a while. I just love the sleeve detail. It should have been an easy/quick project, but I had a hard time getting the tension right on my serger after Quinn played with the dials, and that resulted in lots of picking of the stitches and resewing.

Pattern: Burda World of Fashion Jan 2009, style 106B

Fabric: Premium stretch cotton from fabric.com

In the magazine, the model is wearing this shirt with a wide enamel belt. I love that look, but my black belt was too dressy for this cotton. I am going to make another one with shimmery stretch fabric.

Halloween

2009-11-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

This year I told the kids that they have to come up with their own costumes. After all, our costume box is well stocked, and I didn't want to use my precious sewing time for something I will see once a year. They didn't mind at all, and we had a happy Halloween.

Aunt Trisha brought these cute, and yummy, cup cakes.

This was taken after Trunk-or-Treat. Quinn threw up shortly after this... on me and my kimono. Scott's sister, Karine, reminded me later not to pick up a whiney kid on Halloween. I need to remember that.

I got to host Kai's pre-school party.

Turtle neck and Camisole

2009-11-09T22:46:00.000-08:00

I am finally back on my own computer. While my hard drive was being replaced and the OS upgraded, I had more time to create instead of admiring creations of others.

This is the closest to the true color.

Fabric:

turtle neck - premium stretch cotton knit (10% spandex)

camisole - Liberty Tana Lawn

Patterns:

Everyday Girl Clothes from Pattern Label

I graded up to size 130

A Winter jacket for Quinn

2009-10-21T15:46:00.000-07:00

Quinn had a Gap corduroy coat last year that I loved. It could be dressed down for jeans, while also looking great with church clothes. Now that he has grown out of it, it was time to sew one up for this year. I started with suiting fabric I had bought when Jerome was little. I was pleased that I still liked it after 9 years, while fashion trends have changed quite a bit. I added a lining of sweatshirt fabric for warmth. I made a label out of the tiger in a Echino scrap fabric Alison had given me. It pulled all the colors together and gave the jacket that little detail I was after.

The mustard corduroy came from what was left of Asha's bubble skirt, and the sweatshirt fabric for the lining came from Scott's old Cougar sweatshirt.

Pattern: Toddler Boy and Girl Clothes

Size: 90

Layered puff-sleeved T

2009-10-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

We have been enjoying a Saturday with no obligations for the first time in a long, long time. We tidied up the yard in preparation for the snow, made salsa with our last batch of tomatoes (Thanks for the idea and recipe, Kersten!), and played with the kids a lot.

I made this layered shirt while Quinn was taking his nap.

Pattern: Milimili Girl's T-shir set, the dog appliqué is from a quilt book, White Design - Simple Quilt

Size: 130

Fabric: Navy with white dots from Fabric Fairy, and white sleeves from Alison. Check out Alison and Paul's new bike here. It is the coolest bike I have ever seen.

Smock dress

2009-10-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

I finished another school outfit early this morning. My sewing area is right next to our workout room, and it was too hard to resist putting elastic in the leggings to finish up this outfit after my workout.

Smock dress

Pattern: style "g" of Mom and Girl Matching Clothes size 130

I took out about 4 inches off the width because I didn't have enough fabric, and also added a waist band. I think it is a better look for older girls.

Fabric: Japanese lawn from Hobbyla Hobbyle

Leggings

Pattern: Everyday bottoms
I added some ruffles at the bottom.

Fabric: Cotton Lycra from a fabric store in Salt Lake City (Thank you for getting it, Alison!)

Kids after church.

Baptism

2009-10-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

Asha's baptism was very special. I loved watching her beam with excitement to follow the example of Jesus Christ. I looked around the room and felt so blessed when I saw faces of Asha's favorite people, including grand parents, ants, uncles, cousins, teachers, and friends. I know that with the help of those wonderful people, and many more who couldn't be there, Asha will continue to have a joyful life.

Alison sketched the dress and gave me trouble shooting sessions on the phone. Scott's mom found the fabric. Thank you.

Here is a picture of the pleated skirt and leggings on her.

Pleated denim skirt and leggings

2009-10-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

With the dress out of the way (I was planning on making some flowers for it, but that may or may not happen.), I am back going down the list of fall/winter clothes I had planned to sew. It is so much fun to work on items I can complete during one nap time of Quinn's.

I am hoping the leggings will keep those legs warm and extend the wearable time into the early winter. I used cotton interlock for them, and they are a bit snug. I have a few more pairs cut out using cotton lycra, and that should work better with the extra stretch.

Patterns:

skirt - Everyday Girl Clothes, (Click here for all the clothes Alison made for her girls out of this book.) view 29, size 130 (The book only goes up to 120, so I scaled it up.)

leggings - Everyday Bottoms

Fabric:

skirt - denim from NPS Store in Salt Lake City (Thanks, Alison!)

leggings - cotton interlock from Fabric Fairy

Nightgown

2009-10-04T16:40:00.000-07:00

My mom made two beautiful nightgowns for me right around the time I was Asha's age. I finished this nightgown for Asha today, and enjoyed watching her excitement as I reflected on my own.

It is interesting how my prospective has changed over the years. When I was in college and was taking all the childhood education classes, my judgmental eyes and immature prospective led me to make a list of what my mom was doing wrong. I often got in trouble for giving parenting tips off that list. I felt excited to raise my own children so I could try the new and better way of raising. Once I had Jerome, I quickly gained respect for my mom's selfless act of going through the pain of bringing me into this world and caring for me. I was humbled and determined to work as hard as she did. Now that I have four, I am constantly in awe of what my mom has accomplished. Raising five children in suburbia Tokyo while working as a nurse was no easy task, especially how she did it. She never cut corners and always strived for excellence. I would be happy if I could pass along to my children even half of what she has given me.

Perhaps that is one of the reasons I sew. I am trying to carry on the heritage.

fabric: double gauze

pattern: vintage Simplicity pattern from etsy

size: 8

Baptismal Dress

2009-09-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

I am almost finished. Covered buttons, snaps, and some flowers left to do. 10 days left until the special day.

Muslin

2009-09-16T11:12:00.001-07:00

The canning is mostly underway. I did peaches, pears, and LOTS of tomatoes. My sister suggested I make tomato sauce. With the strainer we borrowed from Scott's mom, we have been having a lot of fun doing that. I love it that we can reduce the amount to half before we bottle it.

Kai started pre-school this week. It is a co-op one, where we moms take turns and host. Twice a week for a couple hours each is just perfect for us. Kai said it was the "bestest" day as he came out of the first day of school. Our goal is to not drop out this time. With Jerome, the three moms decided to quit after a few months. Alison started teaching early morning seminary, Nary was my counselor, and I was the RS pres. in an inner city branch in Philly. We just didn't have the time or energy to stay on the Joy School curriculum. It still turned into a lasting friendship, so something great came out of it. Asha dropped out when Scott got a new job in San Diego and we moved.

Asha is getting baptized on October 10th. I started sewing the baptism dress, now that I have a deadline. The last few days were spent making the muslin to test the fit. It took a few tries.

I based the bodice pattern on her Easter dress but changed the sleeves and added the cross-over. The shoulders needed a little widening, too.

Now I am ready to cut out the fabric and start sewing.

Fall/Winter sewing camp: the planner

2009-09-07T13:33:00.000-07:00

After looking through all the fabric, patterns, and the few clothes Asha can still wear from last winter, Alison helped me come up with a good plan for fall/winter sewing. I made a chart to organize it in my binder. Here is one of the pages. If you are interested in the books I am getting the patterns from, you can check our Japanese sewing blog.

We are deep into the canning season. My kids are loving all the fruit and tomatoes.

Quinn likes to talk to the birds. "Birbie, birbie" he calls, and then gets sad when they fly away.

Here is Kai grinding the wheat for me. He takes this job very seriously, and does a great job.

Fall/Winter sewing camp

2009-09-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

Alison and her family came, and we had another fun visit. Here is a post about our last sewing camp. We talked fabric all evening and then looked through patterns the following morning. I now have solid plans for Asha's fall/winter clothes. I can't wait to get started.

Alison is expecting a boy in February, which will be their seventh child. I am so excited for her.

Here is Asha in the skirt Alison made for her. Asha already wore it to church today, and received many compliments.

James and Jerome, the Joy School buddies, are up to their old tricks again. Here they are making a Icosidodecahedron from the math book they both own.

We already miss them and can't wait to have another visit. A special thank you goes to Paul and Scott who took the kids on a hike so Alison and I could enjoy a quiet morning.

100 Quilts in 100 days: twin-size quilt, finished

2009-08-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

This is what it looked like when I was quilting last night. I think I am getting the hang of free motion quilting. It is not perfect yet, but good enough to want to keep doing it. Scott told me he will make an extension table like this one, which should really help.

I LOVE all the colors in this quilt. I am starting to feel sad that I have to let it go. I wanted to make something I would be happy receiving and this feeling tells me that I did.

Here is the back. I used a twin-size flat sheet, to which I added the two strips of colors to make it big enough. I had problems keeping the flat sheet flat, and got many creases. Starching the sheet heavily would have helped, but I didn't think about it until I was too far into quilting. I use those quilter's safety pins and I should have pinned more closely. I just didn't have enough pins. I am not very proud of the back, but it is done.
Next up: fall/winter sewing for the kids and myself

100 Quilts in 100 days: Chinese Coin Stack, finished

2009-08-24T12:03:00.001-07:00

It is quilted and finished with a scrappy binding. I had forgotten how fun it is to make a baby quilt. It had been a couple years.

I quilted it with diagonal lines, two inches apart. My seam guide attachment worked perfectly for that, and it was very quick. I think it is a good look for this contemporary quilt.
I put a strip of coin stack in the back, too. I love the back just as much as the front.
Cousin Hannah and her family was visiting last week, and Kai enjoyed a joyous reunion. It had been a year since we moved away from them in San Diego, but the two still remembered how much they love each other.

100 Quilts in 100 days: Chinese Coin Stack

2009-08-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

I finished the top of a baby quilt. I used the pattern from Last-minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts but changed the size to fit the required 36x60 size. Now off to quilting.

Pay it forward

2009-08-12T13:02:00.001-07:00

This is what my kids and I have been eating. Tri-berry jam on home made whole wheat bread. Who knew jam and bread could be so good?

Several months ago, I signed up for a crafty "Pay it forward" on my friend, Kiersten's blog. I had no idea she was going to send me such a yummy treat. Thank you so much, Kiersten!

I was supposed to post the same thing on my blog right away, and ask for people who wanted to participate. Unfortunately, life got busy and it got forgotten. Now that Kiersten has sent me her yummy creation, I had better post mine. So here goes. I hope you sign up!

The deal: The first 5 people to respond to this post will receive something made by me for you! It will be my choice, but custom designed especially for you. Just so we’re on the same page, here are the details: No guarantees my gift will make you feel absolute true love, but possibly some happiness, slight fervor, or maybe chocolate. It will be done sometime this year. You will have no clue what it will be… cookies, a photograph, a piece of homemade jewelry. It may be some other random thing I am capable of making or doing that would be enjoyable to you! I may bake something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you! That’s for sure. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The fine print (which is actually the same size, but whatever): You must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on their blog. When you get your lovely homemade goods from me, post a picture on your blog so I know my love arrived without a hitch. Who wants to play?

Tagged

2009-08-07T19:20:00.000-07:00

I got tagged by Dawn, a friend who used to be my neighbor long ago.

8 things I did yesterday:

8. Got up early and worked out

7. Listened to the Book of Mormon CDs for six hours (The Campbell cousins are having a BOM marathon this week.)

6. Helped Asha with her piano practice (I love it that she wants me to sit by her and help.)

5. Made a berry smoothie ( Loving my Blentec blender!)

4. Talked to my mom about our next reunion (We have been talking about it everyday since we got back.)

3. Set up crib tent on Quinn's crib

2. Vacuumed the tile floor with ErgoRapido (I sweep after every meal, and this little vacuum makes it so easy and fun.)

1. Realized I was tagged

8 favorite shows

8. Antiques Road Show

7. American Idol

6. Burn Notice

5.Psyche

4. Monk

3. The Amazing Race

2. West Wing

1. Project Runaway

8 favorite restaurants

8. Joe's Pizza in Philadelphia

7. The Prime Rib in Philadelphia

6. Minar Palace in Philadelphia

5. Trattoria Acqua in San Diego

4. The Red Door in Moscow, ID

3. Patty's in Moscow, ID

2. The best Thai restaurant I can't remember the name of on Oahu

1. Chipotle

8 things I'm looking forward to

8. more sewing and quilting when school starts

7. working out with Scott without interruption (Some day...)

6. start skiing as a family

5. my sister's wedding

4. traveling all around Japan with Scott and kids

3. painting the kids' rooms

2. canning tomatoes

1. harvesting Kabocha, the Japanese pumpkins

8 people I tag

I am not going to tag anybody, but let me know if you decide to play along. I would love to see your post.

100 Quilts in 100 days

2009-08-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

That was a long break from this blog. I picked up a stubborn cold in Hawaii, and hadn't had the energy to do anything but the minimum. While I wasn't feeling well, I missed my mom like never before, and wished I lived closer. I guess that is what happens when you get spoiled and spend the whole summer with her. Don't worry, though. I am feeling all the way better. My spirit is back up, and I am ready to create!

Here is my new project. It is a twin-size quilt. I finished the top today.

Our church is having a big quilting summer, where they are trying to collect 100 home made quilts to donate to the local shelters, Community Action, etc. That is just what I needed to get the courage to cut into the stack of Heather Bailey fabric I sat on for a couple years. It was liberating.

The following two pics show what I inherited from my mom's fabric stash. I can't wait to see what I can turn it into.

We love the summer evenings here in Pullman. We eat outside, and then work on the garden. Here is a picture of the kids when Scott decided to squirt them with the water gun right before dinner.

Japan Report: fabric purchased

2009-07-31T16:00:00.000-07:00

The wonderful thing about sharing the same hobby as your mom is that she will walk all day in and out of fabric stores with you, tell you all about the different fabric and give you suggestions for projects, pay for all the fabric, and thank you at the end for the fun day. I have the best mom. We had so much fun!

Here is the Japanese fat quarters I got. My mom got the same selection, so I can't wait to see what she makes with her stack.

We didn't forget the backing fabric either. Can you tell we love strawberries?
Some fabric for clothes. The brown on top is a fine cotton for a dress, the purple is a liberty for a blouse, the cream is a double gauze for night gown, and the bottom is a denim-like knit.
I have seen many Japanese sewing blog moms sew skinny jeans for their girls with this knit, so that is what I am going to try.

Scott pointed out that my mom is one step ahead of me in the repentance process of the fabric addiction. She has admitted. She also has about four times as much fabric... after my mom and I did a "clean sweep (TLC)" of her work space that is. Tomorrow I will show you what I inherited from her after the sweep.

Back from Paradise

2009-07-29T20:42:00.000-07:00

We flew back very late last night from my brother's place in Hawaii. We thought it would be really hot there, but my brother lives up on a hill and the breeze kept us nice and cool. Beach, water park, late night visits to the Flowrider, hiking, Polynesian Cultural Center, running, cousin camp, and fun shopping kept us busy and happy. When we were home, the kids were busy preparing for the talent show. Erika, my brother's oldest, led her siblings and our kids and came up with a fun program. I'm looking forward to the next reunion just for that. It was so good. Scott was spoiled by an unlimited food budget from my Mom, and barbecued some great dishes on my brother's new charcoal grill. The highlight for me was the scallops wrapped in proscuitto. He also made his apple pie (pictures here, scroll down a bit) three times upon request. We finally got to meet my sister's fiancee, Daisuke, and were impressed! We can't wait to have him join our family.

Here is some fabric my Mom got me in Hawaii. I never get tired of the beautiful prints.

This is our first harvest from our garden.

We worked on it tonight. The pumpkins were trying to take over.

Kai is still our garden lover.

Japan report

2009-07-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

Don't expect much. This is the ONLY picture I took. I was too busy having fun with my family to remember to pull out my camera. My mom snapped this one with her cell. It is of a square watermelon Japanese farmers are trying to market (square ones are apparently easier to ship and store in little Japanese refrigerators). My mom thinks being squeezed in a plexiglass cube makes them sad, and not taste so sweet. I was interested in trying a piece, but there was only one for display.

Scott and I are off to another trip tomorrow, this time with the kids. Blue ocean, water park, hikes, and lots of cousin time awaits.

I will post the fabric and books I got in Japan when I get back.

I am off to Japan!

2009-07-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

Be good while I am gone :)

Jerome turns 10!

2009-06-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I last sewed anything worth posting. Here are some of what I have been up to.

-having lot's of fun with Scott's sisters and friends

-going to garage sales

-tending to our, now massive, garden (50 tomatoes!)

-making freezer meals for Tamsin and Dave, who bravely agreed to watch our children while Scott and I go to Japan (It is my first time going back home in four and a half years. My mom is so excited that she keeps calling and asking what I want to do. I want to do everything!)

-starting a Japanese pattern sewing blog with Alison (Alison has done all the work. All I do is talk to her on the phone everyday.)

-sub a RS lesson (I hate it every time, but learn so much.)

-coordinating many meals for people in our church (There have been quite a few births, moves, illnesses, and accidents.)

Jerome turned ten today. What a blessing it has been to have him for a whole decade! My mom used to say, "Work hard and teach your first one well, so all the other children can follow the example." I think we are on the right track. I love his tender spirit, his honesty and willingness to choose the right. He is also very creative and loves to teach. Asha and Kai has learned a lot from him.

I don't know how it happened, but the birthday boy worked the hardest to put the party on. Here he is, putting the finishing touches on his dream cake. (note to self : Burgundy dye makes pink, not burgundy no matter how much dye you put in it. Twizzlers, bizzed up in a blender can substitute for sprinkles for a mosaic effect.)

Sharing his "Lego love" with his brother. I live for sweet moments like this.

Candles, binary clock style. Scott's idea. The boys thought it was so cool.

Bendable Sculpy creations.

Jerome, 5 months, in Costa Rica. He still has the same smile.

We love you so much. Happy Birthday!

First time at the sewing machine

2009-06-20T13:05:00.001-07:00

We have cousin Caroline over for the weekend, and it has been so much fun. She and Asha love projects, so we decided to make a tote bag. They cut out their little squares and appliqued them on to the duck fabric at the sewing machine. It was Asha's first time and Caroline's second to sew with a sewing machine. I had a lot of fun watching them as they carefully handled the fabric. Then we assembled the bag.

Puffed Sleeve Shirt

2009-06-10T16:30:00.000-07:00

Quick post before I have to run my kids over to the aquatic center for swim evaluation. I know. Summer is here. My kids are getting out of school tomorrow. I am so excited!

Here is a puffed sleeve t-shirt. My friend, Keiko, gave me the pattern. Thank you so much. We love it!

Kai started swim lessons. He can now swim about 3 yards to the end of the pool.

Can't get enough of this.

Here is a better picture of the shirt.

On her

2009-06-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

I guess you can't really see the pocket details with this shirt on the top, but you still get the idea.

Here you can see the progress of our garden. We just have to put the raspberries in where the green poles are, and then we can start watching the plants grow.

Capris

2009-06-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

It is more fun to make dresses and skirts, but Asha needs a few capris. Here is the first of three pairs I want to make. I drafted the pattern using several pant patterns I have.

I had the idea for the front pockets for a few years, and Alison helped me draft it out. They turned out just as I imagined. I will post a picture of Asha wearing them later.

The fabric came from $1.50/yard Wal-Mart mystery fabric stack. I think it is cotton/poly blend. I bought a few extra yards so I can make shorts for the boys, too.

We have been busy putting our garden in. Here is Kai with his plant, the Sugar Baby watermelon. He caught the gardening bug the most, and has been working the hardest.

Here is Jerome using the ice breaker to break down the clay-like soil that the rototiller missed.

Twirly skirt - take three

2009-05-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

I finally made one for Asha with the Heather Bailey, Freshcut fabric. (Did you know that Heather's sister-in-law, Rachel, goes to the same church as us? She even teaches Asha's class. She is very cute.) I could see that Asha wasn't sure about my fabric choice, but she came around when she saw the green hoodie I paired it with. It was this morning's thrift store find for $2.37. I will have to resize it tonight because it is too big for her, but I am pleased with how well it matches the skirt.

Asha captured Jerome's rock-n-roll face during dinner clean up. He is singing his heart out to "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World.

Jerome is baking peanut butter sandwich cookies from the Taste of Home cookbook right now. He volunteered to bring some to his class party. I love it that he can just do that without my help.

Holiday Girl Clothes, view 26

2009-05-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

Fabric: seersucker from a cute fabric store in Kauai

Pattern: view 26 of Girls Holiday Clothes ISBN978-4-579-11195-4

Size: 130

Comfy Summer Dress 2

2009-05-14T15:46:00.001-07:00

Purple floral: Marimekko cotton lycra knit from fabricfairy.com

Yellow stripe: cut up a t-shirt from a local thrift store

The shirt on him

2009-05-12T19:09:00.001-07:00

The gray one was too plain, so I added some details using the remnants from the crimson one.

Wardrobe Refashion: t-shirt resize

2009-05-12T16:24:00.000-07:00

Before: men's XL t-shirt we got at a basketball game for free

After: a size 10 t-shirt for Jerome

Here is another one.

Before: men's large t-shirt from a thrift store for $2.37 (no pic)

After: another t-shirt for Jerome

No more wasted t-shirts in this household.

Comfy Summer Dress

2009-05-08T17:05:00.000-07:00

It is sunny and pretty around here in Eastern Washington. To kick start the summer sewing, I made a little dress for Asha.

The fabric came from Fabric Fairy, and I drafted the pattern with a lot of help from Alison.

I couldn't tell which Asha was more excited about, the dress or the label. I ordered a bunch from here.

Knits from Fabric Fairy

2009-05-06T10:44:00.001-07:00

I enjoy seeing pictures of fabric people purchase online. I can see the fabric in a natural light and it gives me a better idea of the colors and texture. So, here is my contribution.

Fabric Fairy didn't disappoint with their selection or their quality. Their Marimekko swim suit fabric is to die for as well. I am going to tackle that next summer when Asha grows out of her current ones.

The top two fabric in the first picture, "Summer Breeze Floral Cotton Knit by Baby Nay" and "White Dots on turquoise Blue Cotton Knit by Baby Nay" are super, super soft. It would make a nice baby layette or even a blanket. I am going to make a night gown for Asha.

The large and bold dots are going to be perfect for a fun summer play dress.

I can't wait to start cutting and sewing!

Quinn turned 18 months today. He went to nursery for the first time last Sunday, and acted like he had always been there. Phew.

Twirly Skirt - take two

2009-05-05T12:37:00.001-07:00

The skirt I had made for my niece was too small, so here is another one I came up with. I paired it with a shirt from Pumpkin Patch.

Women's Conference was up-lifting in every aspect. Inspiring talks, delicious food (Scott's mom treated us to the buffet at the top of Joseph Smith building!), fun shopping, and great company. I ran into several old friends from Pittsburgh and San Diego as well. I was too busy having fun to remember to pull out my camera, but I did capture sister-in-law Kersten during her book signing at the BYU book store.
The mad run through campus in flats to John Bythway's class left me with sore feet. Having to hold up my pants the whole time didn't help, either. Note to myself: Bring a belt and running shoes next time.

Twirly skirt

2009-04-28T18:22:00.001-07:00

A birthday present for my niece in Hawaii. The pattern is from www.banberry place.com. I trimmed the bottom straight and put binding on just like the one I made for Asha last year. It is still my favorite skirt pattern.

I am off to Utah again. This time with Scott's mom and sisters for BYU Women's Conference. Sister Kersten is going to be at the BYU Book Store from 1:30 to 3:00 for a book signing, so I will likely be there hanging out. Come and see us!

Utah Trip: Mini Reunion

2009-04-22T14:48:00.001-07:00

We stayed at my brother Yu and wife Jamiee's place the following two nights. My brother Ken is finishing up his MBA and will go back to Tokyo soon, so we had a small reunion with his family too. It was so much fun to catch up with my brothers and their wives. Asha was a popular big cousin, and played with cousins Sho and Caryn pretty much the whole time. The pictures are from our trip to Temple Square on Sunday after church.

(left to right) Brother Yu, wife Jamiee, Brother Ken, and wife Hiroko who served a mission at Temple Square

Brother Ken and me. I am wearing a dress I found at a yard sale in Salt Lake for $2. Alison took the size XL dress apart and resized it to fit me. It deserves a post on it's own. I will do that once the dress comes out of the laundry.

kids with cousins, Caryn and Sho

We saw Scott's cousin, Angela, who is serving a mission there.
Thank you, Yu and Jamiee for hosting a great reunion!