I'm at the hospital

I am waiting for the arrival of my niece and we are wondering if she will make her appearance before April Fools day! I'll be back with news soon and pictures too!

Oh I'm SOOOOOO excited!

Another one bites the dust

Well, I had hoped to share a lovely new skirt that I was working on today. I have a pattern that I've been wanting to try for a while now and I decided that today was the day to use it! It's been so much warmer around here lately that I've been wanting to wear skirts and sandals instead of jeans all the time.

I picked out my fabric that I wanted to use and after reading through the directions I pinned my pieces and cut them. I was excited because I had just enough fabric to make this skirt! Or so I thought.

I didn't realize that I was supposed to cut 2 of each of the panels. For some reason I thought I only needed to cut one of each piece. As you can guess I didn't have nearly enough fabric. I cut up a whole piece of cloth and I won't be able to use it. I chose fabric from my stash that I bought about a year ago so there probably won't be any left at the fabric store. And even if there is I have other things I need to be spending my money on. Like school supplies. I was accepted into college for the fall!

Oh well...better luck next time!

Welcome to my life...or part of it at least.

This is where I work. The dentist office where I spend quite a few hours each week making people miserable! Yay! Or not! Well, at least I don't intentionally make people miserable but people just don't seem to like coming to the dentist very much so they are usually pretty miserable. :(
This is one of the operatories in the office. Room 2 actually. As you can see it is pretty small and there is lots of dark wood...the office's decor is a little outdated (okay, a lot outdated. My boss's personal office has an ORANGE rug! Eww! lol). But we are slowly bringing things up to date by bringing in new chairs and we hope to get new computers and things someday soon. My doctor has only been there since June of last year and the improvements are tremendous!

My doctor's side of the room.

And this little space is my world. My chair, my cart with the suction (I used to be so scared of using the suction, now it is second nature.), and the laptop and x-ray tubehead. I spend a lot of time here. For example, I spent 10 hours there yesterday. Looong day!
I also spend quite a bit of time here. This is the sterilization center/lab.
Do you remember this picture from earlier?
This is what it looks like during the day.

This is where I've been for the past few days instead of at my sewing machine which is why I have no crafts or projects to post on. Instead work and school has been consuming my life. I failed a homework assignment in Chemistry and also one of the quizzes, but my teacher said almost everyone failed that quiz so he won't penalize us for that. Whew! But that homework assignment has been haunting me so today when I had my exam in that class I got so nervous that I didn't even get to finish one of the problems.
I'm so glad that I have tomorrow off!

Later~

Apron Theme: Spend No Money!

I think this is the perfect opportunity to jump in on the action at Tie One On. Once afore-mentioned energy comes back (and I finish my homework) I think I will break out that apron pattern I bought for a dollar(!) last month and give it a whirl. Luckily the deadline isn't until April 30th so that is plenty of time to work on one!

I bought some fabric to make into skirts and I'd like to try out the patterns I got on some cheaper fabric before I use the fabric I like to make anything. I'm hoping to start cutting out the patterns this week. Of course I intend to do a lot of things that don't quite get done, but I'm really hoping for this to happen. I'm pretty sure I only have one exam this week. I made a 96.7% on my last test in this class (chemistry) so I'm hoping I can keep my test scores in the 90th percentile. We shall see.
I'll check back in later.

Happy weekend. :)

yawn

As much as I wish I could say I finished or even started a new project this week I just can't. This week has really kicked me in the rear. I am too tired! Between work and school my energy has just been zapped. I paid a visit to the doctor this week to see if we can't find out why my energy is always so low. I get so tired that after a regular work day I am so sleepy I feel like I can't focus on my classes or even on driving which particularly causes me concern. And I try to get as much sleep as I can so it isn't like I am staying up to all hours of the night. Anywho, my regular doctor was booked and couldn't see me so I saw a different doctor and I just loved her! I want to see her from now on. She was so encouraging and she is into integrative medicine so she was understanding of how I prefer to use natural methods of healing rather than allopathic methods of healing whenever possible. We are running a bunch of tests and I have a follow-up visit scheduled with her. So hopefully my creative juices will begin flowing again soon and I will have the energy to act on them.
Until then, I'll just admire the other lovely springy work being shown on other blogs.
I guess did get some work done on the scarf I started awhile back so I guess that is something. It is about halfway finished. :)
ciao all!

Fashion Statements

For: x-lisa-x chic casual - by KAMILKA on Polyvore.com

(I did not make this set, I just found it on Polyvore and added it here for a visual.)


Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. - Colossians 3:12

As girls (and guys), we know that fashion plays a big role in our societies and, therefore, our lives. It is a huge industry! Our clothes say a lot about us and our lifestyles. People describe their styles as being preppy, sporty, retro, glam, bohemian, 80's, etc. etc. because they want to identify with whatever they are styling themselves after. We express what we like and often times who we like or want to be like through the clothes that we choose to wear. I mean, you can tell a person has a 'thing' for the 70's if they always wear clothing styled after that decade. We can tell a person likes bright colors, or a certain color, if all their clothes are really bright or contain the same color all the time. You can often tell which bands and brands people like if their clothes sport their logos.

So, as a Christian, it makes me wonder. When people look at us do they see compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience? Can they tell we identify with our God who saved us, loves us dearly, makes us holy? God tells us to clothe ourselves with these things. I know as well as the next person that you can't weave a shirt or pair of pants out of compassion and humility. But I would like for people to look at me and say, "she is kind (compassionate, gentle, patient, humble)" and know that I identify myself as the child of the one true God who loves me (and you).

I want that to be my fashion statement.

New on my knitting needles

I finished the other scarf. I am pleased with the way it turned out. Now I'm making another one for another friend at a different college. :) I need to learn how to make something besides scarfs! I still have this dream to knit a skirt, but I think I need to do some quick 'stash-busting' projects first. I have a feeling that a skirt will take quite a long time to do..

Puppy love

Here are the puppies our dog had. Only three out of the five made it past the first week. Now they are four and a half weeks old and they are huge! They are pretty sweet too. I took them outside this morning because it is so beautiful outside today. It is sunny and warm...we made it past January and February and although March technically counts as winter, I feel like spring is on its way!I love this first photo.

Our grass is dormant right now...it looks so ugly!

I love pictures of yawning puppies.

These puppies are very dark. They are very hard to photograph so I had to go back and lighten up the photos after I took them. Sorry the quality of the photos isn't so good.

I should post pictures that I took of our Weimaraner puppies when we used to breed Weimaraners. They were so cute.

New Sewing stuff

Over President's Day my Dad asked me if I wanted to go to JoAnn's fabric store. That was the first shock. He never asks me if I want to go there. I used to have to beg him or my mom to take me there.
The second shock was that I didn't really want to go. This necessary self-inflicted/enforced budget makes going out to the store not so fun!
But because he asked me, I went with him. He was refinishing a chair his grandmother gave him and they were getting ready to reupholster it and he needed some foam or something for it.

While we were there I decided to look through the patterns and guess what?! Simplicity had patterns on sale: 5 for $5! So I bought 5, because even on this budget I can afford that. :)I have never watched Project Runway, but I like the idea of wearing summer dresses. That is what these will become. They will probably be a little bit longer, and will definitely have straps. The pictures make me understand the whole concept of 'less is more.' I think I'll wear a little more fabric and show a little less skin, thank you. :)

And I think there is a rule somewhere that states: if able to buy a Built by Wendy pattern(s) on sale, do so immediately! I am just following rules set in place for my good. Right?
And because all of my aprons have issues with laying properly I got this apron pattern. Hopefully it will help me get the idea of how to make good aprons.
And I got this fabric on sale at Wal-mart. I don't like Wal-mart's fabrics, but I did like this print. And the denim was cheap and I want to try to make a skirt so that is where those came from.

Now I really need to start using up my stash. Right now it is spread around my bedroom in a very disorganized way.

Wowza!

Hey, look! How sweet of Lisa from The Hem Line blog to tag me with an award. :) Thank you, Lisa! I'm completely flattered!

So I am supposed to send this out to 10 other bloggers, but I'm not sure I will make it to that many!

So I think I'm just going to send it out to the ladies whose blogs are what made me interested in blogging to begin with and to the ladies whose blogs are just beautiful and inspiring! I hope that someday my work is as good as theirs is!

- Chara Michelle
- Brin from My Messy Thrilling Life She has a great blog but she is shutting it down next month. I am not the only person who is very sad about this. :(
- Pleasant View Schoolhouse
- Sparkle Power
- Tiny Happy

Isn't blogging fun?

Breaks (Written on a Friday, posted on a Sunday)

It's Friday. I'm at work on my break. And it's a lovely day. Today I have the office basically to myself. It is rainy outside. Normally I don't enjoy rainy days like this. I'm a sunshine-loving girl. But every once in awhile I enjoy a rainy day. Especially when it feels almost like spring outside. I also (surprisingly?) enjoy working on Fridays. And I enjoy the opportunity to be alone for a little while with no sounds except my own breathing and the 'drip drip' of the rain outside and the 'tick tock' of the clock on the wall and the clicking of my keys on the keyboard as I wait for 3 o'clock to roll around so I can head home and enjoy the rest of my day. I have plans for this weekend! After a particularly long and trying week I am ready to spend 2 days with family and friends enjoying the people God has placed in my life. What would I do without those wonderful people? They are truly a blessing!

Inhale, exhale; drip, drop; click, clack; tick, tock...two and a half more hours until my lovely weekend begins!

Happy weekend. I hope it's lovely for everyone!

A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on. ~Carl Sandburg

A few months ago at work I was talking to a patient who was telling me about her grandchildren. I told her that my sister was expecting a baby and how excited I was. To my horror she looked at me and squinted her eyes and said, "I wouldn't bring a baby into the world! Would you?" Um...absolutely! Having a husband and family has been my dearest dream for a long time. I know times are difficult, but the world has faced dark times before and children are the hope for the future. They are the future. I was mad at that woman for trying to burst my bubble. Maybe I should have felt sorry for her because her perspective was so wrong.

So I was thrilled when I saw all the people who came out to the baby showers that the ladies at church threw last week and the one we threw yesterday. Friends and family who came to celebrate a new life and show their support for my sister and her husband. It was so encouraging and it meant a lot to our family.

I said I would show pictures of the other hand-made gifts. Here you go! Sarah made these beautiful baby hats. She made several sizes so the baby could grow into them. She used great colors, don't you think?
Holly, my younger sister, made this elephant. It came from Joelle Hoverson's Last Minute Patchwork Quilts and Gifts. I LOVE that book! I think I've used it more than any other sewing/craft book I own.
Sharon (my brother-in-law Matt's mom) got this kit and made it when he was a baby but never framed it. So she framed it and gave it to them for their baby. Sweet isn't it?!
Somehow, I think her quilt is sweeter! I just love the colors she used. SO gorgeous! I think log cabin quilts look so beautiful, but I'm not sure I would have the patience to make one. I can only imagine all the hard work that went into this.
Matt's dad made this cradle for their baby. That family is so talented! Everything they do turns out so beautiful!

And this perambulator is cool! The word perambulator makes me think of The Importance of Being Earnest. If you haven't seen that movie, go watch it. It's so funny. I get the song stuck in my head, but it's okay. It's one song I don't mind having stuck in my head. :) Matt and Jacqueline were given this pram by someone who Matt worked for. They aren't sure if they are going to take the baby out in this thing (though it would be kind of cool huh?) but it is so pretty! We used both the cradle and the pram to hold shower gifts. They were neat decorations.
So let me tell you (and show you) the shower!

Becca, Susan and Tasha helped us out so much. They helped prepare food, blow up balloons, and decorate. They were great! I don't know what we would do without them. :)

And speaking of food: We had two tables set up in the dining room for all of it! One large one for real food and a smaller one for the desserts. Tasha made the pretty crepe paper bow. None of us like using crepe paper, but she did a great job decorating with it.
Hmm...yummy. :) I don't even want to know how many calories are on that table. After all, you know what I always say: Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we diet! Only I don't really diet very much which is why I'm so skinny. Or not...hmm...
Jacqueline and Tasha decorated the cup cakes. Yes, Jacqueline decorated the cupcakes for her own shower. It's art on a plate!

Actually, speaking of art on a plate take a look at this veggie tray!A swan made from an apple. This was made by Christina (the picture below). She studied culinary arts in school. Isn't she talented?We tried to keep the decor simple. We used flowers and the gifts and food to make things look festive.
And all the beautiful ladies made the place pretty too. :) There is my pregnant sister! She is talking to Matt's aunt Christine and his cousin's wife, Tracy. I hadn't met Tracy before. She is very nice! And stylin too! And she owns a weimaraner Oh I miss my weimaraner. :(

We played this fun game where a few of the ladies put balloons under their shirts (to look like they were pregnant) and had to tie their shoes. The first one to tie both shoes won!
Susan is an expert mom. She has 6 sons! She was pretty quick!
Liz had a hard time. Her excuse was she adopted both her sons. :)We also did a little mixer at the beginning so people could meet each other. There were quite a few folks who came from out of town and we wanted everyone to have a chance to interact and meet each other. What they did was everyone got a slip of paper and they wrote down an unusual fact about themselves. Then they threw the slips into a basket and we mixed it up and they all drew one of the slips out. Then they had to go ask around and find out who wrote whatever was on their paper.
It was fun to find out who was a deputy sherrif, who rescued ducklings from a storm drain, who backpacked through Europe, who took the opportunity to reinvent themself and who managed to set their own broken leg after being kicked by a horse! Everyone got a chance to share something about themselves and most of us got a good laugh out of it!

Fun times. :) But I have to admit, I'm relieved it is over! I had a great time, but I was plumb worn out by the end of the day!

Handmade baby shower gifts.

These were some onsies that my co-worker gave to me to give my sister. They were gently used and the only fault we found with them were, "they're kind of...boring." Yes. The plain white and pink and yellow onsies were boring. Or they had little appliques that my sister did not like. Things that said ' I'm the Princess!' or some other such saying. I think the baby will be a princess (being that she is the King of King's child), but we don't want her to walk around with a princess complex or anything. So we covered it up!I used to look at yo-yos and think to myself, "ick!" Shocking because they were so easy and fun to make and are really cute! A quick way to dress up so many things. I think my yo-yo making days are just beginning.

Nothing like a baby shower to change your life. :)
Okay, so I have this fabric that looks like an ice cream cone. I was able to cut up pieces and applique them to this onesie/sleeper (whatever it is) and then I couldn't help myself and added the iScream writing to the bottom. It was supposed to look like the lettering for iPod.
I was told that flannel receiving blankets make better burp cloths than cloth diapers do. I heard that they are easier to wash and keep clean.
But aren't receiving blankets really big? I found this idea for homemade flannel burp rags on a blog somewhere awhile ago and thought it was a great idea.
I have a picture of this quilt when it was just a pieced quilt top. I finished it up and tied it off last week. With all the pink things I knew this baby would be getting, I decided to go for some neutral colors and chose green. She is due just after St. Patricks day and she is part Irish.
That doesn't actually have anything to do with why I chose green for the quilt. :) I just liked the colors.
I put these together in a basket with more onesies from Target (with little sheep on them...aww!) and some baby wash cloths and baby mittens and a rubber ducky (that says HOT on the bottom if the bath water is too hot) and called it a gift.

Wait till you see some of the other handmade goodies given at the shower from grandma's and friends. It was so fun to see the things people made.