AWANA Bags!

Since our church started an AWANA program this fall, I've wanted to make a bag for Autumn to keep her Awana book and Bible in.  She likes having different bags for each activity, so she needed one for Wednesday nights.

There is NOTHING fancy about this bag, but the main point is, I made it and Autumn loves it.  I made one for her, and one for her cousin Mark.  Simple, yellow bags embellished with dog bones (because that's the award they win in T&T for saying verses) and the first initial of their name, along with coordinating handles.

Last week my mother in law explained to me verbally how to complete an embroidery stitch and I was determined to give it a shot.  Even though it looks like a drunk did it, trust me, it looks a LOT better than just stitching a straight stitch around the letters.  And hey, it was my first try, so I really should cut myself some slack!

Pumpkin Patch

Monday was the perfect day to visit the pumpkin patch!

Cayla, Lisa, Luke, Autumn, Mark & Kelly

Cayla and Luke on the tractor headed to the apple orchards!

Autumn and Mark ready to pick apples!

Autumn with a Red Delicious!

Leo the big, black Newfoundland who lives on site, came out to the orchard to eat apples.

Cayla in the orchard!

Mark and Autumn!

My sister was delirious about picking apples!

Can you see the little spider on the pumpkin?  How very Halloween!

I just liked these!

Autumn posing with her pumpkin!

Cayla and Autumn!

Mark and Autumn!

Me with my pumpkin pick!

The kids had a blast on the huge tire swing.  Since it was Monday  we had the place to ourselves and it was awesome!

Kelly and her pumpkin!

Autumn and the sheep!

Autumn and Mark

Apple options.  All the Granny Smith were gone :(

Kelly and Lisa paying for their produce!

Autumn eating a grape honey stick.

Mark, on the cow!

 

We brought hot chocolate for the kids to have afterwards.  It was still so hot they could hardly drink it!

Trying to cool down the hot cocoa, before heading home!  Great day at the pumpkin patch.  Definitely one of my favorite fall activities!1!

Shirt Cuff Pockets!

After seeing some of the cutest shirt-sleeve pockets on the Internet a few weeks ago I was determined to make my own.  I love a case, a pocket, a bag, whatever.  Anything that compartmentalizes another thing is right up my alley.

So I headed out to my local thrift store and snagged 5 long-sleeved shirts for about $6.  They sat in the bag for about a week, then I washed and folded them, and set them in the chair in my computer room, where they sat for several days.  Until tonight.  Feeling inspired, I cut the cuff off one of the sleeves, squirted the cut-edge with a little Fray Check, stitched up the sides and folded the flap down.  And that's it.  Now I have 5 adorable little pockets.  I should slip one in my purse and use it to hold chap stick, money, gum, my bluetooth, or any number of small items that always seem to work themselves to the bottom of my bag.

Pockets will vary according to the shirt's cut, style, and size.  A man's large or XL shirt will usually make a much larger pocket than a woman's small.  The pocket on the far right is a woman's shirt with a slight french cuff and it's my least favorite because not only is it quite narrow, it also has a slanted flap.

I slipped a gift card into each pocket and it fit perfectly except for the woman's shirt cuff which was, as I said, too narrow.  But I love the idea of using them for gift cards because it's like getting two gifts in one :)

Zucchini Season!

It's zucchini season and I have been abundantly blessed with plenty of it from family and friends.  In an effort to not let it go to waste, I whipped up some mini zucchini loaves.  I think they turned out delicious, even if they are a bit uneasy on the eyes :) 

Zucchini Bread Recipe

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 teasp. salt

2-1/2 teasp. cinnamon

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

3/4 teasp. baking powder

3/4 teaspon. baking soda

1-1/2 cups grated zucchini

In a small bowl, combine sugars, oil, and egg.  Mix together.  In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Mix wet and dry ingredients together; fold in zucchini.  Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans, or use mini loaf pans or muffins cups.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes (for large loaves), 30-35 minutes (for small loaves).  Adjust accordingly for muffins!

IndoctriNation Film Trailer!

The above trailer is from a film titled, "IndoctriNation" and while I have not watched the whole film I cannot wait to order it and see it.  We often complain that government has too much involvement in our lives, and that government is broken, yet we send our children off to be educated in and by this broken system.  What?!

"Everything exists to proclaim the glory of God, and the one place where we send our kids seven hours a day, is a place where God's name can't be mentioned.  It's not indoctrination, it's insanity."  R.C. Sproul Jr.

Clip-It!

I finally got around to doing another craft and this one was E-A-S-Y!!!

Using medium sized binder clips I cut pieces of fabric to fit, and then mod-podged the fabric to the clip.  Done!

I think these would also be cute using ribbon or scrapbook paper, but with the paper I would definitely want to mod-podge the outside of the paper as well and not just secure it to the clip.

These are the tiny binder clips and they weren't quite as easy, but they're definitely as cute :)

Autumn's Birthday!

One post a month is pretty pathetic, but with the busy summer we've had it seems to be about all I can manage.  In August we celebrated Autumn's 9th birthday with a "Hello Kitty" party.  She had a blast, as you can see from the photos below:

The smiley birthday girl opening her gifts!

Grammy and Poppy gave her a bag full of mis-matched socks filled with money.  Midas had a great time counting her 'gold'.

What can I say? Except that this picture has my favorite 9 year old, my favorite dog and my gorgeous man all in one shot.

Hello Kitty was a beautifully decorated white cake with white frosting.  Super, sickeningly sweet frosting I might add :)

She received an iPod Touch with a new Perry the Platypus cover and she was over the moon.  I should have gotten a video of the happy dance she performed when she opened her gift!

Making a wish and blowing out the candles!

My beautiful niece, Caitlin and her dad Kevin are completely engrossed in the conversation!

My favorite little people in the whole wide world.  I love you both more than you will ever know!  Thanks for being an amazing big sister Cayla!
Happy Birthday Autumn!