Boutique Update #2

So, I think I totally spaced a boutique update last week.  That's probably because there wasn't much to show.  The first week of school really threw me and all the kids were falling apart- not much time to create things.

This week is go time.  I have one week from tomorrow to be ready- so we'll see how much actually gets accomplished in that time frame.

Today, I made three bat pillows.  I had two of the fronts ready and just needed to put the backs on, and the other I started and finished in the course of the day.  

 

I finished four mummies and four Frankensteins last week.  Then, when putting the clear coat on the "Frankies" there was some issue and two of them are marred.  I'm not sure if I can salvage them or not. :(  Luckily I have enough clay to make more if I have to.

So, the goal for the coming week?  I'd love to have 4 more totes, 3 more pillows, 4 complete sets of Halloween figurines (and blocks), 4 complete sets of Thanksgiving figurines and blocks, 4 EEK! banners and as many spiders as I can crank out.  As well as 4 felt Happy Birthday Banners.

My mother in law is going to take my youngest 2 for the next three days while the big kids are in school.  Hopefully I'll be able to focus and really start cranking stuff out.

Wish me luck.

XOXO,

Amy

p.s. before you start to feel too sorry for me, I'm taking tonight off for a girls' night out.  Just a 'refresher' before the grind begins. ;)

Becoming a Butterfly {Mom-day}

My Darling Daughter,
  You just finished your first week of fourth grade.  And I am sad to say it hasn't been the best first week ever.  Your class is made up of half fourth graders and half third graders and this really bothers you.  You had a mix-up with recess and that really embarrassed you.  You are worried that you're going to miss out on a lot of the things your friends in other classes are going to get to do.
  I wish I could say that you have no reason to worry.  That it's going to be the best year ever.  I wish I could say that I am really excited for you to be in this class.  But I can't, because it's not true.  I'm worried about you missing out on fun fourth grade stuff too.  I really wish you were in just a regular fourth grade class.
 Yesterday in church there was a talk on adversity.  We were told a story about a man and a butterfly- were you listening?  The man was watching a butterfly struggle to come out of it's chrysalis.  The butterfly seemed to be stuck.  The man, trying to help the butterfly, cut open the chrysalis with some scissors.  The butterfly came out easily.  But it was misshapen.  The body was swollen and the wings were shriveled.  The butterfly never flew.  The man didn't realize that the struggle to get out of the chrysalis was necessary for the butterfly to fully develop and grow.  It helped the fluid in the butterfly's body to be pushed into the wings- allowing them to expand and sustain flight.  The butterfly never fully lived up to the measure of it's creation.
  My daughter- from your birth I have been nurturing you in the cocoon of our family.  I have been watching and helping you grow and develop within a loving and safe environment.  Now you are out in the world.  Slowly working your way out of the cocoon.  There are struggles- great ones at times.  I am tempted to shield you from the struggles, from the pain and pressure of this tremendous challenge.  I want to insert myself into your process- to make it easier for you.  But I cannot, I must not.
  These challenges are necessary for you to fully become who you were meant to be.  To fully live up to the measure of your own creation.  To fly.
 So I am stepping back.  Putting down the "scissors" and allowing you the opportunity to struggle, to grow and to learn.  I will be here for you, watching, protecting and cheering you on.  I will encourage you and give you a place to rest and recharge from the struggle- and then send you off again, to resume the process of becoming.
  I can already see the beauty that lies within you.  The person you are becoming is beautiful and amazing.  I am awed at the strength, compassion and love that resides within you.  And I cannot wait to see who you become.
  This year might very well be full of challenges and struggles, ones that are difficult to overcome.  But, I know that as you work through them- you will gain great strength and understanding and abilities that you might otherwise miss out on.  Please remember that you are not alone in your struggles.  You have parents who love you more than anything, brothers and a sister who adore you, grandparents and extended family ready to rally around you.  And you have a Savior and Older Brother who has promised to always be there for you, to help you and strengthen you and sustain you through your life.  Turn to Him and your Father in prayer, trust in your faith and love for them, and you will see miracles.
  I love you my sweet girl.  I can not wait to see you FLY!!
xoxo,
Mom.

Working with Laminated Cotton

I have been drooling over the laminated cotton in my local quilt shop for a while, but was never able to justify spending the money on it to experiment with it.  When I had the opportunity to meet Cindy with Riley Blake fabric and she offered to get me some to try I jumped at the chance.  I originally thought I would use it to make one of my regular tote bags, but when I got my hands on it I realized that the weight wouldn't be right for the size I usually make.  On to plan B.

I mentioned yesterday in the tutorial for making this bag that I was inspired by this tote by Jessica at Me Sew Crazy.  In her post she linked to a great post on laminated cotton by Pink Chalk Studios here.  She really experimented with her cotton and discovered all sorts of cool things- and since she already did the work I didn't have to. 
I decided that since I already had a walking foot for my sewing machine that's what I would use to combat the sticky problem- (Jessica has another tip for that in her post as well.)  The other tip I have read for that is using a Teflon coated foot- but I didn't want to fork over the $.  I didn't have any problem using the walking foot with the cotton, but when I came to some thicker seams I did need to use both hands to "feed" it through. (a gentle tug from behind helped)

I would say that the biggest hurdle in sewing with Laminated Cotton is the iron factor. (I just coined that phrase. ;) )  You really don't want to take your hot iron to any of the seams, especially on the laminated side.  So keep that in mind when deciding what you'd like to make with it.  Having said that, though, I did find that finger pressing worked pretty well since the laminate coating held the crease until I could get the top stitching done.

And let's talk for a minute about one of the benefits of laminated cotton- the cuteness factor! 

Not only are the fabrics darling, modern and current prints (many fabric designers are including laminates in their new fabric lines), but with the base of the fabric being quilting cotton, the fabric is light weight and flexible.  (especially in comparison to vinyl and oilcloth.)  Which makes it perfect for adding embellishments (like my awesome ruffle. ;) )  to your projects.
I am going to try adding some interfacing to the next project I do.  I prefer fusible interfacing, so we'll see if that will work with this fabric.
A few last notes:  The sweet girl who cut the fabric for me said she has made a few bibs for her grand babies with it- they get washed in the washing machine often and have held up well.  Repeated washing may dull the sheen on the laminate- so be aware of that.
As we've discussed- the laminate holds a crease well- so if you're going to store it, you will probably want to roll it up and not fold it. 
And finally- if you get addicted to Laminated cotton, and start buying it up in bulk- don't say I didn't warn you. :)
xoxo,
Amy

Back To School- August Point of View Reveal

Pencils are sharpened, notebooks covered, shoes laced up- it's time for back to school! :) 

Even if school has already started in your neck of the woods- we have some great projects to help you make the most of this fun time of year.  Click the names for the link to the contributor's project:

Gwen          Camilla          Leanne          Michelle

You're already at mine, and this month we have a terrific guest poster: Daune from Cottage in the Oaks.  She has a delightful blog and a terrific sense of humor- I hope you'll take some time to pop over and say hello and maybe take a look around while you're there.  Then head over to Michelle's blog to link up your own Point of View projects.  Anything related to Back to School is fair game- and we'll each feature our favorites next week!

 

Now- on to the tutorial.  To make this tote you will need 1/2 yard fabric for exterior, 1/2 yard for lining and approx. 3 yards (or so) ribbon- for straps.  Plus sewing implements.  For this project I used some laminated cotton that I was given to try from Riley Blake Fabric. (the fabric is from the Happier line)

*disclaimer #1- Riley Blake fabric did not ask me to write up a tutorial using this fabric, nor did they ask for a blog post.  They just asked if I'd like to try it and I said YES!

*disclaimer #2- the method I used for getting the round bottom worked PRETTY well, but it wasn't perfect.  If anyone has a better method for developing a pattern for a round bottomed tote- I'd love the link. :)

*disclaimer #3- I was totally inspired by this gorgeous Bustle Tote and this laminated one from Jessica at Me Sew Crazy and these ruffle cinch totes from Wendy at Craft Goodies.  Both of these ladies are incredibly talented.

Ahem, now let's get started. 

 

The first thing  you'll want to do is decide how big you want the bottom to be.  I used a dessert plate as my template.  I measured around the diameter of the plate, added 2" for seam allowances (I used 1/2" seam allowances for the bag) and divided by 2.  I used my toddler's shirt as a gauge for how tall I wanted the bag.  My measurements ended up being 17 1/2" high by 12 3/4".  I cut two pieces of the exterior fabric and 2 pieces of the lining fabric.  Then I traced the plate once on each of the two fabrics and cut it out leaving a 1/2" border.  I used some of the scraps of the lining fabric to make the ruffles.  (mine are 2" wide and were about 16" long, sewn on the exterior fabric approx 2 1/2" from the bottom)

On the exterior fabric only- mark the sides 2 1/2" down from the top, then another 1" down from the first mark- on both sides of the fabric.  Sew down the two side seams, back stitching at the starting and stopping points.  SKIP the area between the two marks on both sides.  Repeat for the lining fabric.

Turn the lining fabric right side out and slide it inside the exterior fabric.  Line up the side seams and the top edge.  Sew around the top.

You can see that the seam needs a little help, but you don't want to press the laminate side of the fabric.  I just finger-pressed the seam and then topstitched it down.  It worked great- the laminate holds the crease pretty well.

After top stitching the seam, we need to make the casing for our backpack.  I used painters tape to mark the spacing for the first seam- 2" from the top edge.  The painters' tape is 1" wide so I used the other edge to make the bottom seam.

1. Now take 1 1/2 yards of your ribbon- using a safety pin, thread it through the casing.

2. Bring it around the entire bag so it comes out the same opening it came in.

3. Repeat for the other side.  Straighten both ends of the ribbon on each side, pin them to the bottom of the bag.  I wanted mine more "backpack" style, so I put them on the same piece of exterior fabric 2" from each side.

Pull the exterior of the fabric inside out.  Pin the circles to the bottom of the exterior and lining pieces, making sure to catch the ends of the ribbons in the seam.  Sew around the circles.

Make sure to leave an opening in the lining to turn the bag right side out.  Once the bag is turned, push out the bottom exterior seam to straighten it out and sew the opening of the lining shut.  Push it into the exterior of the bag.

Done.

And your 2 1/2 year old might decide that since she has a new backpack, she's ready to head off to school "All by myself."

Be Prepared.

XOXO,

Amy

p.s. tomorrow I will share just a couple of things I learned using laminated cotton- which I now LOVE.
Linked up to Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Friday Flair at Whipperberry, Friday Fun Finds at KoJoDesigns, BFF link party at The Answer is Chocolate, Weekend Wrap-up Party at Tatertots and Jello

high Five! {Mom-day}

 This past week has been crazy and fun.  Full of goodness and family.  And celebrating.  Celebrating the last week of summer, celebrating family and celebrating this darling boy's Fifth birthday!

He wanted a party that was "all the sports except hockey".  Hmm...Cupcakes it is! :)  The soccer balls leave a bit to be desired, but he figured out what they were, so I call it success! :)  He had a wonderful day, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Tomorrow is our first day back to school.  I'm looking forward to a schedule and routine, I'm NOT looking forward to homework and managing schedules.  :)
Goodnight my friends.  Thanks for being there for me.
xoxo,
Amy

Don't let Fear dictate your ride

Training this week went pretty well.  I didn't skip any days- so that's a major improvement. ;)  I finally got my hands on a bike.  More about that in a minute.

I still have not been in a pool.  I think once I get my first swim under my belt I'll feel a whole lot better about everything.  It's the unknown that makes me worry.

Just like the bike.  Until I had my first ride, I didn't know how well I would do.  And after the first mile, I almost called off the whole thing.  The first mile is all up hill.  All. of. it.  By the time I got to the top my thighs were burning, my throat was screaming and I was nearly in tears.  If I couldn't make the first mile, how on earth would I do 12?  Luckily the next mile is all down hill, and the rest of my ride was fairly level (except for the mile uphill on the way back.)  I clocked my first ride- 6 miles.  Not bad.  Still, it took me an hour to do it.  And looking on the site for the triathlon, it says the slowest average time for the 12 mile ride is 55 minutes.  Uh, I think I still have some work to do.
So tonight I went on another ride.  I wanted to go 9 miles.  It started off much better than the first ride.  I go 4.5 miles from my house, turn around and come back.  When I got to the turn around point, the sun started to dip behind the mountain.  I didn't know how quickly it would get dark.  I started to panic.  I pushed pretty hard.  I didn't want to be stuck in the dark.  And I started thinking about my timing.  About how I needed to step it up for the triathlon.  How I wasn't sure that in 4 weeks I could double my time.  How I really want to do well.  Pushing, pedaling..... Then the thought came to my mind.

"Don't let fear dictate your ride."

And I slowed down.  The pedaling and the thoughts. 
It was a beautiful night.  And I was missing it.  Rushing past and through it because of some perceived expectations.

I wish I could show you the sunset.  The beautiful backyard gardens.  The hawk sitting on the fencepost. 
I wish I could share with you the peace that came from riding my own ride.  At my own pace.  On my own path.
Not worrying about the time, or the distance or the expectations. 
Just riding.
And thinking. 
Thinking that often I let fear dictate my decisions.  Fear of what others think.  Fear of making the wrong choice.  Fear of failing.
Thinking about how many things I miss because of that fear.  And realizing that if I would allow my instincts to determine my path, instead of that fear- I might find a life even more beautiful than I could imagine-
right in front of me.
XOXO,
Amy

Contemplating

So, here it is- a new post.  After 3 whole days of no posting. ;)  I know  you were worried, right?  You weren't?

Good.

Cuz, I've decided that that's how it's going to be over the next few weeks.  Very sporadic.
I am caught up in a whole jumble of thoughts, concerns, craziness and lists.  More like a tsunami of "stuff" that is threatening to derail my entire life if I don't make it to high ground.  Plus a cough that won't let me sleep. boo.

So, I will still be here.  I have two tutorials that just need some finishing touches (one is the Smocked pillow- don't you worry) that I have brewing.  I plan on keeping you all updated on my progress on the boutique and the triathlon- because I want you to be able to sleep- and not worry about how I'm doing. :)

So- on to the matter at hand: The Boutique Update.
I finished two wavy ruffle pillows

And three fabric Happy Birthday Banners. (well, almost finished.  Hopefully tonight they'll be completely finished)

I look at the list of things I need/want to make and I just get overwhelmed.  So, instead of actually doing anything, I just sit and stare at it.  My husband sat me down last night and helped talk me down a bit.  I'm going to start making smaller lists. ;)  That way I actually get something done.  And if I don't get to everything on the big list?  I gave it my best.

So, here's to small lists and sleep.  I really need both right about now.
xoxo,
Amy

Training Post #1

My daughter hates it that I can make this face and she can't.  Are you jealous too?
First week of training has gone pretty well.  Except for the huge blister on my heel.  And I don't have a bike, and I still need to find a place to swim- and goggles so I can wear my contacts while swimming. (I tend to swim crooked if I don't watch where I'm going.)  So yeah, I'm pretty much a wreck.  But I have made it out most days, and I'm getting faster.  Which is good.
I've also come to a decision.  I'm okay with being the last person across the finish line. (my competitive side just slapped me in the face)  The biggest thing for me is finishing.  Making permanent changes to the way I treat and see my body.  Overcoming fear and doubt and just going for it.  And not dying.  If I can do all of that (especially the not dying part) I will count this adventure a success.
Now, I better go to bed.  I need to run/limp in the morning.
XOXO,
Amy

Wavy Ruffle Pillow Tutorial

So, I kind of have the impression that you like this pillow. :)  I'm so happy.  It's been featured and pinned all over the place, and for that I am forever grateful.  I thought, since it was so popular and all, that you might like the deets about how I made this ruffilicious thing of beauty.
First you will need some fabric.  I think a yard and a half should more than cover you.  It might even be too much, but I want to cover my bases. ;)  {when I made my pillow I had some yardage from my MIL.  It was 60" wide and I didn't measure how much I used.}  You should be able to get both your ruffles and your pillow cover from the 1 1/2 yards. (of 45" wide fabric)  You will also need a pillow form and various sewing implements.
Cut your pillow cover front.  I usually cut mine 1" larger than the size of the pillow form.  Then cut your strips for the ruffles.  I used this tutorial from Dana over at Made to cut the strips on the bias.  I cut my strips 1 1/2" wide.   You don't need to cut all the way down to the corner- you will just want the longer strips cut right on the diagonal- you will need about 18 strips total. (depending on the size of your pillow) I cut them on the bias so they don't fray- if you like the look of frayed ruffles, then don't worry about bias cutting them. (you will probably need less fabric)
Now we need to take this pile:

  and turn it into this pile:

I use a tip I learned from Vanessa to start the ruffle process.  I lightly pinch the thread as it comes off the spool while I'm sewing down the center of the strips.  (the stitch length is at the longest setting)

This will ruffle up the strips nicely, but I don't have to mess with my tension at all.  (my machine doesn't like me to mess with the tension AT ALL)  Make sure you leave tails of thread to start and stop each strip so they don't start to unravel, but Don't backstitch.  You can leave your ruffles as they come off the machine, but I like my ruffles really ruffly, so I gathered them up even tighter by hand.
Now it's time to get them on the pillow cover.
Take your front piece and lay it flat, right side up.  Take your first ruffle and place it down in the pattern you want your ruffles to be in.

Pin it down.

Add the next one and pin it down.  I find it's easier to get them all in place and pinned before sewing, but you can pin one row and sew it then repeat too. :)

I start sewing on the first row I placed.  The design tends to get skewed a bit by the curves, so I want my main shape to stay true.  Then I work out from there.  In this shot I have sewed the middle four rows down.  continue sewing until all the ruffles are in place.  Once the ruffles are sewn down, trim the edges so they are straight again.  Now you can finish your pillow cover with your method of choice.  I used an envelope style closure and put a ruffle down the edge of the outside flap.

When you get ready to sew the front to the back you will want to pay attention to which parts of the ruffles you want caught in the seams (the ends of the strips) and which parts you don't (The ruffles themselves).  Use pins to keep the parts you don't want sewn down out of the line of fire.

Then you're good to go.

On this pair I did the big curve on opposite sides of the pillow so they would complement each other.  I think they look great on my bed- but I'm going to put these in the boutique.  I guess I'll have to make more for myself when it's over. ;)
If you make any of these pillows- I would love for you to send me the link.  It's fun to see how people use your tutorials.
Have a ruffly weekend- I'll see you Saturday.
xoxo,
Amy
Linked up to Fun Friday Finds at KoJo Design, Friday Flair at Whipperberry, Weekend Wrap Up party at Tatertots and Jello

Stay Tuned

I am working on the ruffle pillow tutorial as we speak...But I have been hindered by some rude person who hacked my laptop.  We have a virus of some sort and until I can get it fixed, I don't have access to the pictures I need to finish it up. :( 
I really don't know why people are such jerks.  I mean really, why can't I just use my computer and the internet without having to worry about being violated at every turn?
Sorry for the rant, I'm a little frustrated.
I'm hoping to get the post up soon.  Please bear with me.
xoxo,
Amy

It's Go Time

This last week has been full of craziness.  Some of it self induced and some of it give away induced. :) 

A few weeks ago I applied to be in a boutique.  It's fairly large with many applicants and I wasn't sure I'd get in.  Last week I found out I did get in!!  I'm really excited to have a venue to try to sell some of my stuff, but then I realized the boutique is in 5 weeks.  Yikes!  And I realized if I had paid better attention, I would have known I was in about 4 weeks ago and totally missed it!  Doh, sometimes I really wonder where my brain is.
So, over the next few weeks I'll be making a few of these:

 And some of these:

 And a few of these too:

As well as my figurines, spiders and some other goodies!  It's going to be crazy. :)
And, if that wasn't enough crazy for one person, I just found out I won Tam's giveaway over at Sew Dang Cute Crafts.  What did I win you wonder?  Well, I won a free entry into a triathalon!  Um, yeah, me, in a traithalon.  Granted it's a women only, non- competitive traithalon, but still.  I'm a little worried I might drown, or fall off my bike.  Or be the last....person.....in......
But, I'm sucking up the terror and going for it.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I'm taking it.  So now, in addition to crazy sewing and making- I'm also going to be training.  It's ok, you can laugh at me, I'm kinda laughing at myself- in a hysterical, semi-crying kind of way.  :)
As an added bonus, I've decided to bring you all along on my journey with me.  I'm going to blog about how I'm preparing for the boutique and how my training is going.  I'm thinking Tuesdays will be my boutique update and I'll post about the training on Saturday. 
So, since it's Tuesday- here's my update on preparations for the boutique:  I have almost finished two more ruffle pillows.  And..that's it. :(  Not really where I wanted to be.  I did get to Joann's and working sales and coupons managed to spend $100 and save $134, plus I got two $10 coupons to use this week.  I used those yesterday and spent $6 and saved $46!  So, now I have some supplies and I need to get going.  I have 8 pillow forms, fabric to make 4 Happy Birthday banners out of fabric, 6 banners out of felt, and enough clay to make a few sets of Halloween and Thanksgiving figurines plus a bunch of turkeys.  I also have enough supplies to make about 8 tote bags.  I also need to work on my booth set- up, and come up with a clever back drop where I can hang my banners and display my tote bags.  I only have a 3' X 6' space, so we'll see what I can do with it.
Are you ready to head out on this crazy journey with me? 
Let's GO!!!
xoxo,
Amy
p.s. I should have the ruffle pillow tutorial done tomorrow and I'm working on the smocked pillow tute as well.  Look for that one on Thurs. :)

Mortality {Monday is "Mom"-day}

On a walk to see the neighborhood baby zebra.

I don't remember how old I was the first time I realized that my mom was really just a person.  I think I was probably in college.  I mean, I did go through the phase as a teenager when she was always wrong, but even then she was still right.  My mom always seemed to have it together.  She was confident and assured and on top of things. 
And then I realized that she was more than that.  She was also human, with human frailties and faults and doubts and worries.  And that she was doing her best and worrying that it wasn't enough.
I just wanted to take a minute today to tell her publicly that she did more than enough.  Now that I'm a mother, I'm starting to see just how much she sacrificed and endured for our well- being.  All of the energy my parents put into creating memories for us- at the cabin, cutting down Christmas trees, boating- it is amazing the opportunities we were given with the resources my parents had. 
My mom is a very spiritual person, and she used that to her advantage.  She called upon wisdom greater than her own to guide and teach and train her family.  And not to brag or anything, but I think she did a pretty good job- I mean, I'm her kid and I'm pretty great. ;)  All of her kids are pretty great.
I have had  a few experiences this weekend that have made me realize how fragile and transient this life is.  I am trying to seize today and make it matter.  And the first step: Telling my mom how much I love her.

So mom,

I love you.

More than you could ever know.  

Thank you.

For your sacrifice, your time and most importantly- your love.

You continue to teach me, guide me and help me find my way.

You are a precious gift from God, for me and our whole family.

We will love you forever.

xoxo,

Amy

Couch Makeover {pillow #5}

We're getting down to the end, friends.  Once I reveal pillow #5, we only have one more pillow to complete for the couch makeover.  

I'm wondering if I should draw out the process a little bit.

What do you think?

Keep stalling?

or get on with it?

Ok- I hear you.  Here it is, Pillow #5:

Yes.  Another textural wonder.  I have fallen in love with Canadian Smocking.  You will see more of this in the future.  Along with a tutorial and some hints.  But, if you can't wait for me, here is a site with lots of inspiration and this post will help you get started.  The biggest hint I can give you is DON'T use knits.  :)  You can see how the embossed pieces (the raised pieces) are sinking in the middle- that's because the material is too thin.  Choose something with some body.  And NO stretch.  There.  I'm done with my rant.

I have to admit though, that even with the imperfections, this pillow is lovely.

Finished smocking.

Even the back side is cool looking.

The hardest part is lining up the pleats to make the pillow.

If you look closely you can see the little gold flecks that made me fall in love with this fabric.  It has just a subtle sheen to it- it's lovely.

One last parting glance.

A new home. :)  Maybe.  I have been trying to keep the pillows in the original position I first laid them out for the pictures.  I do not like this arrangement.  I am waiting for the final pillow before I make any decisions about placement.  Notice that the final pillow is the polka dot pillow.  Still waiting for the perfect inspiration to finish it.  It will probably just get piping. ;)

I am also working on a tutorial for the wavy ruffle pillow.  Man, that one is popular! :)  Thanks for all your pins and features.  I really appreciate your support.

xoxo,

Amy

{Before}{Pillow #1}{Pillow #2}{Pillow #3}{Pillow #4}
Linked up to:
Friday Flair at Whipperberry
Feature Friday at Spunky Junky
Weekend Wrap-up Party at Tatertots and Jello

Summer Hiking {Mom-day}

Oh Summer- You are so fleeting!  Only three weeks left before the start of school.  We are trying to cram as much as we can into these last few glorious days.  Yesterday we went on a hike.  My 9 year old had the camera most of the time:

Alpine Flowers in Bloom.

Our Destination

I did take the camera back near the end of the hike so I could capture this:

My 2 year old's epic fit because I wouldn't carry her down the mountain in the back pack.  {She did get to ride the entire way UP the mountain in it}  Nothing like crying and screaming echoing off the mountain.  Lovely.
It was a beautiful day- aside from the swarms of mosquitoes and my kids and I had a blast.  Hope you're off enjoying the last hurrah of summer as well.
XOXO,
Amy

Couch Makeover {pillow #4}

 

Ahhh Pillow #4.  What is there to say except YUMMY!

I love this pillow.

I adore this pillow.

I want to surround myself with this much ruffly goodness ALL.THE.TIME.

 

Another view.

Yes.  Still beautiful.

I know ruffle pillows have been done.  But I have wanted one, Coveted one, and never took the time to make one- until now.

And the back just NEEDED a ruffle.  Because you can NEVER have enough ruffles.

The only thing I have to add about how I made this pillow is that I cut the strips for the ruffles on the bias so they wouldn't fray.  (I cut them 1 1/2" wide if you're interested)  The finished pillow is 18"

And now, let's just enjoy her more, shall we?

Yes, yes we shall.

XOXO,

Amy

Couch Makeover Links: Before, {Pillow #1}, {Pillow #2}, {Pillow #3}
Linking up to:
Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts
Look What I made at Creations by Kara
Home Decor and Organizing Link Party at Organize and Decorate Everything
BFF link Party at The Answer is Chocolate
Friday Flair at Whipperberry
Weekend Wrap-up Party at Tatertots and Jello