I Wimped Out

So the Christmas tree came crashing down 2 days after we put it up this year, tree stand and all. I thank my lucky stars that I hadn't gotten around to putting any of my grandparents vintage ornaments on and after cleaning up the mess I wimped out and left them in their storage boxes till next year. Oh the mess we had to clean up at 3:30 in the morning, but I had visions of those little feet that pit patter into our bedroom every morning between 5am and 6am crunching through the broken ornaments on the way.

Amazingly the ornaments that were broken were not part of the collections that I have been amassing to send off with each child as they leave our nest for their very own. The few that were broken were the new ones from this year and  I was able to quickly replace those. So note to self, always tie the Christmas tree to the wall and next year, my favorite vintage ornaments, I promise to bring you out for all to enjoy!

On another good note, this gal of mine turned 15 the other day and is currently enjoying the Florida weather with her most generous Aunt and Uncle, and cousin for Christmas. We miss you Bailey girl, but are thrilled for you and know that visiting Harry Potter World is something you will never forget!

Merry Christmas to you all wherever your travels this Holiday season may take you, or not take you, but enjoying family and friends at home like us. Well that is most of us, from this house of boys and 1 mama to yours, may your holidays be merry and bright and may 2011 be full of joy!

Whew!

One birthday left to go, all craft shows done and special orders almost complete, no weekend plans for the 1st time all fall, and a tired Mama ready to enjoy the Holidays! No big plans here, but a relaxing friend and family filled holiday that I am so looking forward to. Simple but non the less fulfilling!

We'll be missing our oldest this Christmas as she is being whisked away to the fantasy land of Disney and Harry Potter with my Sister and Brother-in-law and our neice. She can not wait to go, and as for turning 15 next week she is as enamored as her cousin of 11 years. I'm sure it will be a trip with life long memories!

My plans for today though? Sharing an afternoon of collaborative crafting, hot tea and chocolate filled croissants! Yum-mm, decadent!

Thanksgiving giving

Well better late than never, this Thanksgiving apron with Halloween reverse is finally ready for ordering from the shop. Technology woes this week made my slow progress even slower getting this cutie up in time for the holiday, but snap it up while you can because I'm so tempted to keep this one for myself.

Not the typical holiday baking going on here but baking non the less as my niece has requested my famous zucchini bread for our Thanksgiving contribution this year so I think I'll whip up a bunch and freeze some for the kids for that early morning school rush. I am such a messy cook that I love the attached vintage chenille bedspread fabric so I never have to hunt far for a towel to wipe my hands clean. The reverse side features a vintage look Halloween fabric with a great plaid fabric towel loop to hang your own favorite towel from. Special order a coordinating child's size one as a gift or to use with your little one!

Holiday Aprons

Well its been really slow progress but I'm happy to say the aprons for holiday baking and cooking are starting to show up in my shop. Many more coming with adult ones too!

Two November birthdays under our belt with the third arriving this week and Thanksgiving next week? Where did November go? Are you ready for the holidays?

 Well I'm back to the studio, maybe if I hibernate in there time won't be rushing by so fast!

Happy Halloween

Hope your Halloween is full fledged spooky, fun and sugar filled!

Close Call

Do you have a dog? We do, but almost didn't a few days ago. I've sprouted a few more grey hairs after watching Tuck who escaped out of the fenced yard, run in front of a car. We heard the sickening thump and then miracuously watched as he ran out from the other side of the car only to run right back across the street and up the porch into the house. A few very minor scrapes, amazing! Love him dearly, but oh the stress he has added to my life! Don't they say pets help you to live longer, by calming your heart rate when you pet them? Not working yet!

The Countdown begins

We have a bunch of end of the year birthdays including yours truly. The young ones around here have started asking how much longer and what does mine come after? As if Halloween was not exciting enough?So as I run through the lineup I'm thinking we are going to be decorated around here for something or other until the New Year. I kinda like that! Hope you are enjoying your October!

Jenny's - Our fall tradition

Its the quintessential just have to do it or it is not the perfect fall if you don't make a visit to the farmstand. We discovered Jenny's atleast 4 or 5 years ago now and have been going ever since.This year we managed to sneak our visit in before the end of September which I was thrilled about, right after Max's 2nd shutout soccer game. The weather here this fall has been rather perfect and it feels like we are getting a rather long stretch of cool crisp days.

Jenny's is located in quaint little Dexter Michigan and right in the Y of 2

country roads and is a picturesque sprawling farm stand dominated by a mountainous straw maize that the kids love to crawl thru. Its pitch black in the tunnels and kids of all ages love the squealing fun of bumping in to each other in the tunnels and ending up at the various exits around the bottom of the massive mound. Such fun!

Probably our best memory came though a few years ago when we decided to ride the horse drawn wagon and as the horses began to trot

up the hill my husband and oldest son almost slid right off the back end of the wagon. Not sure how I did it but managed to grab hold of them with the yougest on my lap and prevent them from landing on the muddy hillside. The kids tell the story to anyone who will listen of how they almost fell off the wagon and we splashed thru the puddles and trotted so fast down the hills we were sure we would be bounced right out of the hay wagon. We were all in histerics by the end of the ride and its one that will probably never be topped! 

I just love how beautiful the mums and apples, pumpkins and gourds mixed in with the tastiest donuts, jams, pies and cider all are eye candy. I managed to snap a few pictures before my camera battery failed as usually happens when I want to take pictures. How I always manage to leave the lense cover open or

forget to check and see if its charged I don't know but I'm really good at it!

This place is so New England, we even have to pass under an old stone railroad track which remind me of all the stone walls that ramble along the paved cowpaths I learned to drive on in Massachusetts. I so miss New England but love the little pockets of it I find here and there in Michigan.

    

I wish I had put in some mums along my front walk this spring or atleast some annuals so it would be lush and full out there like the flowers at Jenny's but the flower thing didn't happen here in our yard, unless it was the hardy perennials out back, for the 1st time this year. I did manage to buy 1 large mum for an empty pot out front but it sits alone compared to these lovely plantings at Jenny's.

Ofcourse I don't have the stone surrounded pond or farmland rolling away from my front yard or a sweetly painted wagon either. There's something for everyone at Jenny's because as much as I love, the quaint, the boys love the giant staw monster that towers over one of the entrances. We've been to the orchards with the rides and the scary haunted houses and all the hullaballoo and I just love the simple country elegance not to mention the free fun at Jenny's.

What do you all do for fall traiditions with your family's? I think its my favorite time of year for weather and decorating around the house. Next on my to do list is the slightly dreaded fall closet switheroo. It seems an endless swapping out process with 6 people in the house and the limited space, but it must be done. Hope yours is a happy and healthy fall!

                                              

Back to School

Well the kids are into their second week of school now and I still am not believing I am now a mother of a High schooler, Middle schooler, and 2 elementary schoolers. The amount of paperwork is staggering from the 4 of them and I know before long I will be buried, but for now I think I am on top of everything. Being responsible is my goal this year for all of them. Not just to lessen my stress load but to help them be in charge of their own lives as much is appropriate for each age. The blame game is popular with my 7 and 11 year old boys and I wish for them to learn more of what the consequences are when they aren't on top of or even just committed to their own responsibilities. (If they only knew how hard it is to sit back and let them fail in order to learn being responsible for their own work, Sigh.)

Here's to a wonderfully educational and fulfilling year at school for all! And lots of Studio time for me!

New Year's Resolution

Had my first root canal yesterday. Why is it that I dread the dentist so much I forget to call for like forever? My dentist is a blast, so funny and all the hygienists are so sweet, so why do I put it off so long? Because I want to add a root canal to my list of experiences? Well check, that's done and I have to say not so bad. Pain no worse than getting a filling, just really time consuming, almost 2 hours tilted in the chair with my head practically on the floor. Don't really want to do it again though so I think calling the dentist more regularly is my new resolution. (it doesn't matter that New Year's is still almost 5 months away right?)
Trading the dentist's chair for the driver's seat today as the kids are busy starting up sports activities again but definitely a preferable choice over a root canal.

Hanging with the dinosaurs

Spent some time hanging with the dinosaurs this weekend at the University of Michigan Science Museum with the family. It used to be a favorite of everyone's but after some grumbling they all found something to get excited about while there and were soon running from exhibit to exhibit.We are definitely enjoying the last few weeks of somewhat unstructured time before adding the school day back into the mix. I say somewhat as we have had some type of sports practice or summer school class to attend through out the summer. Not too much time for a very long getaway this summer. We managed to squeeze in 2 quick camping trips between fund raisers for high school cheer and football car washes and picnics. Next summe,r now that we kinda are in the know as to the schedule of summer activities for High School sports I am planning getaways ahead of time now that we know how limited we are. A whole actual week of camping!

 

Its hard to believe after next summer all 4 kids will be in school full days! Such an unprecedented amount of "free" time between the hours of 8:15am and 3pm. My goal and wish is to be able to really make Laurie Lou a viable business and further develop my product line and dare I say get to the point where I could actually hire someone else to run the parts of the business I don't excel at? Well, a girl can dream can't she?

Short term goals? Well that should definitely be to clean and organize my sewing room. I'm too embarrassed to even show you all what it looks like but maybe I'll do some before and after pictures. Hope the rest of your summer is relaxing and full of wonderful memories!

I'm back!

Well I've really been here all along but somehow couldn't get started on a new post. Definitely enjoying my new computer though still learning my way around Windows 7. Very frustrated with Blogger as I some how screwed up my template and not liking their new template options at all! Please bear with me as I try to configure something I like again.

Here's a look at my first custom diaper bag. It came out so great I think I'll make some more. Hope you are trying something new too!

Coming Attractions

A little glimpse of my newest vintage chenille crib blankets awaiting new fabric backings. I think I've found just thing! Happy Saturday!

Whew! What a couple of weeks! Preschool, Elementary, and Middle School graduations last week, lots of games and practices, a short but sweet camping trip and one 8th grade trip to Washington DC. So glad summer is here and there is no more alarm clock! I hope to be back here more regularly now that we have settled into summer, but first week off school and we are battling a nasty virus here. All the kids have come down with it one at a time. Luckily its a kid variety and I can hold, cuddle and soothe without worrying that I might come down with it too. Itching to get in the studio, but I guess that will wait.

Great finds and the summer ahead

Waiting arrival on 2 great finds of vintage chenille crib blankets! I'm so excited to pair up some new fabric backings with them. One is again a bunny pattern but different than I've ever seen and I think I've already found a great match for the reverse side. The other is a more universal pattern for baby girls or boys with lots of soft chenille and just the word BABY appearing in the middle. Can't wait to show you!

Back in the Swing

Finally back up and running with my digital camera. Waiting for replacement parts was frustrating, but I'm so happy not to be missing any more photo ops with the kids and it feels like forever since I last photographed my items for the Etsy shop. Lots to catch up on! Said goodbye to a beautiful vintage chenille bunny quilt from my Etsy shop last night, but I know its going to a good home to celebrate the arrival of a new life. This now gives me the excuse to hunt for some more vintage chenille crib blankets. I love finding the perfect fabric for backings to these wonderful handmade vintage pieces. Such a great heirloom piece for any nursery! Well off to catch up! Have a great Day!

Life Out of Control

I am so struggling right now with staying on top of everything. It seems my mind is a jumble of schedules and to do lists and ideas and I feel like I can't get to the top of the mountain to stay in control! I'm a right brainer and organization is not my forte'.The kids are way over booked this spring and the thing that scares me the most is that the youngest is not even in any extra curricular activities. Yikes! What will happen then?

What happened to my one activity per kid plan? Bailey is now in 3 sports as she has just made the High School Cheer team and practice starts tonight! She hasn't even finished 8th grade! So that makes 3 at once with Track, Softball, and Cheer. Lukily she stays on top of her homework and just landed her 1st 4.0! Max our sports fanatic is playing soccer and baseball and with all the rain, which the plants love, we have so many rescheduled games. Sat in the pouring rain last night to watch the team work so hard and lose due to weather conditions and a really poor ref. Luckily the boys were all as gracious as we parents have taught them to be and walked away with their heads held high. Quinn the next one in line has switched to soccer this year and loves it! He's our man on wheels always running and so fast! He's a little bo-legged still after spend a few years in leg braces for tibia torsion, but boy does that make him go! Poor little man Tate gets dragged along more than he wants unfortunately, as he's our resident homebody, but luckily Baba is coming to the rescue tonight so he won't have to come along. Thank goodness for my mother-in-law. Couldn't do half of what I do without her!

Have to say I'm hoping for a rain date again tonight, just to let life slow down and stay under control. How do you stay in control? I'm definitely going back to the 1 sport plan next fall but with a kindergartener, 3rd grader, 6th grader (first year in middle school) and a freshman in high school I'm sure we will still be stuggling with the schedule! Second plan is to make the to do list and actually follow it everyday to stay in control. Third plan is to learn how to let the apron strings hang a little looser and give the kids more responsibility. Yep, thats the plan! I'll let you know how it works.

PS Did I tell you my husband is coaching the baseball team this spring, leaving on a business trip next week and it's Max's 11th birthday on Saturday?

Happy Mother's Day!

Here's hoping a marvelous mother's Day is heading your way! Me I'm just hoping for a pot of coffee I didn't brew and dinner I didn't make. Simple things but ever so nice! We will be spending the day at my sister-in-law's, BBQing my mother-in-law's favorite, hot dogs and hamburgers, while bundled in coats on the patio!Atleast the sun is supposed to shine. Hope my Mom will be enjoying sun and fun during her 1st West Coast Mothers Day! We'll miss you Mom!

Whipping up some mini jewelry/coin/makeup bags for gifts and some desserts to share. What are you doing on Mother's Day? Hope its wonderful!

A New Kind of Special Dress

Remember when you were little and you went shopping with Mom for that special dress for a holiday or wedding and how you felt like a princess wearing it? Well I was just lamenting the other day how my little girl is so past special dresses. It's cute T's and jeans on her curvy teenage body and a role of the eye when I suggest dressing up for church. Well last weekend we were invited (Thank you Kim!) by my dear friend and her daughter who happens to be my daughter's friend to go shopping for confirmation dresses. It was such a memory maker with the girls lined up all in a row in the dressing rooms and stepping out to shyly model each dress they tried on. We managed to find perfect dresses and sandals for both. Now Bailey's dress hangs waiting to be worn for Saturday's confirmation dinner and I know she can't wait to wear it. She looks as special as she feels in it. Hopefully her brothers, the 3 stooges, will understand this momentous occasion and allow her to bask in the glory of it, but somehow I am in doubt.
I would love to show you pictures, but you'll have to let your imagination run as my camera is being temperamental and not allowing me to post pictures. I can't wait to share them with you!

A Busy Week

Well its been a busy week in the Studio and I have to say it is time for a spring cleaning! But first I'll tell you what kept me away. A midweek trip to Brooklyn Michigan on Wednesday landed Laurie Lou in a new boutique called Eva's Twosies! So excited to be there and looking forward to their relocation to Tecumseh Michigan in May to a shop 4 times as large! I met the inspiration behind the store and that was little Eva herself at not quite 2 she was quite the sales girl. My product will be in good hands. I'll post pictures of the new location as soon as I can.

Lots of new items up in Laurie Lou as I was busy stitching away to get ready for the meeting with the new store and an Etsy Showcase spot on Saturday so stop on in. As always if there's something you can't find let me know and I can make it up if it isn't already in the works.

I also have been patiently photographing the blooming of spring here. We have a beautiful wild cherry? tree right in front of our porch and some years it buds up and blooms within a few days or the rain spoils the petals but this year we have had an exceptionally early and wonderfully perfect warm spring so far. Not too warm or cold, but just right so after 2 weeks the blooms are finally out full force and I think the most gorgeous they have ever been! Have a great weekend!

 

Had so planned on stopping in here today and catching up but I can't seem to work past this headache that has been dogging me all week. I think sticking my head under the pillow for a few before the onslaught of kids this afternoon is in order however. Hope to be back tomorrow and letting you in on some new happenings in the studio!

Happy Birthday to my Sweetheart!

Whipping up a few surprises in the Studio today for my Hubby on his special day. That's what I've decided to call adult birthdays around here. Definitely not as fun to get a year older at our age (when we feel 20 something but aren't anymore). Everyone deserves one special day a year where they are cherished, so I'm baking a favorite dessert of his and compiling an assortment of camping accessories ( for the man I never thought would camp - the one who can't wait for the first camping trip this year).  Here's to the beginning of a fabulous year dear, another year where I am the luckiest wife to be married to you!

Sugar Haze

Okay, I do it to myself seems like every holiday but somehow can't resist the sweets! Think I enjoy them even more than the main course. Lots of leftovers to help with the meal planning for the week, love that! (all thanks to my terrific mother in law this year) She's one of those cooks that can't follow a recipe but can whip up something wonderful using whatever is on hand. Trying to add some of that to my cooking ability. I'm not a bad cook just an uninspired one usually. Too many kids not liking what anyone else likes and of course the mess and chore of planning, gathering, creating and cleaning after a meal and I think twice about starting. Not so with crafting, but then I can work in total chaos when it comes to creating for Laurie Lou Studio. Have to get more organized in there though, I know its holding me back from creating some great things. That's a whole other blog post though.
Hope you are recovering from an enjoyable holiday, like I am this week. Its back to the gym and the studio for me as I finally landed a Main Showcase on Etsy this Saturday. Big push to sew, photograph, and post this week. Planning on a really productive week! See you back here soon!

Easter Wishes

I just wanted to hop in here and say hope your Easter holiday is filled with friends and family and is a wonderful memory maker! Happily we are still in the egg hunt phase and it's great to see everyone get into it, from the buying of egg fillers to how many eggs to hide and if the weather is nice enough for an outside egg hunt. We might actually be able to have one outside this year! A rarity for those of us in the northern midwest. The last outdoor one I can remember was 12 years ago and my daughter was 2 years old. Our yougest egg hunter is now 5 and is already wearing  his suitcoat and tie (all week to preschool I might add),  long gone are the days of Easter dresses and dress shoes for the rest of the gang except for our Tate who has a style all his own. Have a wonderful weekend and save travels if you are on the go!

Wake up calls

What does your morning look like? Typically mine goes like this, a little someone with an internal alarm clock set to go off before the morning shows the first rays of sunlight, a 5 minute snuggle to get warm on top of mama and the sweet words whispered in my ear "time to watch a moobie". Gets me every time! Most mornings these days the Tuckmiester (insert crazy Labrador retriever) seems to think I need encouragement and standing on hind leg drapes himself ever so carefully atop us with a whiskered sniff to encourage and indeed see if help is needed to prod me out of bed. Who can say no to all of that? Not I, that's for sure, and off we go to start our day.
Here's to gentle wake up calls. Have a great day!

Starting off

I wasn't so sure about blogging when I first heard about it, but it seems increasingly an intriguing idea. I've been thinking about blogging for awhile now and I tend to overthink things till they are perfect in my head and sometimes never act on them. Perfectionism? Probably, but as one of my 2010 resolutions (learning to blog and actually doing it) I thought I'd better get on the bandwagon seeing as it is already the third week of March. So here goes, and please bear with me as I am learning my way around a computer still and I'm sure I will be bumbling my way through, but we will stumble around together. Meanwhile check out my Etsy shop and Esty in general as its a fabulous site, and I'll meet you back here soon! As you would think, there is always a story to tell with 4 zany kids, 1 crazy labrador and lots of crafting to be done!