Pinckneyville Mardi Gras

 Well, it's that time of year again - Mardi Gras in Pinckneyville. For those of you who might not know what this momentous occasion is... let me enlighten you.

It's basically a flea market with carni food and other hand made items (this year there was a crazy amount of random crochetted things for some reason,) then later on that night there is a parade. This year's theme was "Family Vacation." It think my favorite of all the floats was the 

Titanic (Vacation Gone Wrong)  LOL 

They had half of the ship sinking with ghost people in old time 1900's clothing walking all around!

 My awesome Father and Mother-in-law

 

On Monday night my Aunt Tricia wanted to make sugar cookies with Lilly - lots of flour and sprinkles = messy and tasty!

Our New Digs

 Hotel living is really fun at first... however, it makes you appreciate your house... especially when you have a toddler who is as active as Lilly :) :) We were fortunate to have a suite and our busy little bee made use of every square inch of it! 

When we got all settled in and unpacked we christened the room by jumping on the bed and having a pillow fight! Ryleigh decided to sit this one out... ;)

 Our future home (well at least for the next 15 months)

 I think I can gets used to this...

 Jax Beach - aka Lilly's first ocean experience!

 Me and my amazing mamma!

 Saint Augustine in October is also a time for hundreds of bikers to enjoy the A1A during Bike-tober-fest :) My dad was extremely jealous!

 Saint Augustine was absolutely beautiful! It was full of history amazing sites.

 Beach at Ponte Vedra - we had to see the ocean just once more before our flight home.

Little known fact. I have not one child, not even two children... I have three children (Derek being the biggest kid of them all) 

Winery Picnic

Missouri has some amazing wineries. And if you're not a wine drinker, no problem - most of them sell beer and ale, plus food. I mean who doesn't like food?? Food and wine, I'm there.

I'm not a lush, but going to the wineries is one of my favorite things to do.

Take today for example... we went to one off of  HWY 94, a two lane road made beautiful with all of the changing leaf colors. It's a road that almost demands that you drive a motorcycle or convertible.

The winery we went to was Balducci Vineyards. Family owned since 1987 and very family oriented. You can bring your own picnic lunch, grab a nice bottle of Sonata (a semi sweet I highly recommend), and watch your kids run, play, and take turns rolling down the "big hill."

And in October, there are different bands that play on the weekends.

Yesterday we not only enjoyed Balducci's, but we also said farewell to some dear people.

A small back story...

Derek's parents moved to the midwest from southern California right before he was born. They left their families and friends because his dad was offered a job here. Through their church they met some great families and they've all stuck together creating their own 

unique "family" they call, the Round Table 10. (ten families) ;)

They are sad to see us move, but happy for the adventure that awaits us.

Lilly taking a few bites before running off to play. She occupied herself for awhile with the holly bushes. She said that the berries were food for her party. "Just pretend, Mommy..." she told me. We're working on not sticking things in our mouth...

Ryleigh was there with us, but there are no pictures of her. She was all bundled up sleeping, and enjoying the experienced arms of many eager grandma's. Ahhh, the life of a newborn!

Plus the rain held off until we got home! :)

Thank you God for your little miracles! They are greatly appreciated, especially by one little girl in particular who love love loves to be outside.

Air Plane Organization = New Bags!

Do you ever have projects that really need to be worked on, but you just don't have the drive or desire to finish them? You feel guilty for not finishing them, but you 

still make up random excuses to not work on them.

You'll eventually, hopefully soon rather than later, finish them. But right now when you look at it you think, "Ugh, I really should work on you. The responsible thing to do is finish you before starting a new project. I know I'll feel better when you're finished...

You'll be awesome when you're finished... But frankly, you're just not that fun right now."

I feel that way about my daughter's baby quilt and her baby memory book. 

She's 6 weeks old and I totally had every intention of getting them both done by now!

I blame myself, but it's much easier to blame Pinterest... 

It just sucks me in with all sorts of new and exciting project ideas!

Phew! I feel better having gotten that off my chest. Confession time over *wink* 

I commit to you that I will finish them both by the end of the year. Promise!

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 We're flying out next week and I know that organization is going to be key when traveling with a newborn and a toddler. And every time we fly my biggest stress button is the security check. I always feel rushed and no matter how many times I pack and repack my carry-on, when I get to those tan bins and slip off my shoes all organizing and structure goes out the window! I'm chucking things left and right trying in vain to get all my electronics, liquids, and other randomness laid out as neatly as possible so the security person won't have any problems scanning my crap... or I'll won't have to wait for them to personally go through it all. Don't get me wrong - I'm all about air port security, but I don't like the feeling one, that I'm holding up the line and everyone's looking at me, and two, that I need to completely repack my bag afterwards.

Now that you're in the loop with my dilemma, I'm excited to show you these really fun bags that I whipped up this afternoon! Pinterest inspired of course.

The idea came from this picture I found by LBG Studios. 

They sell the pattern for 6$, but really it's pretty self explanatory. 

 

I went to the Goodwill in search of leather, but alas... the one I went to didn't have anything like the suede leather in the picture, however I did find some coal gray corduroy pants instead. $1 :)

I used canvas material from JoAnns for the main fabric. Right now canvas is 50% off, but I always have my 40% off coupon yo. Did you know that they also accept Hobby Lobby and Michael's coupons too?? I digress.. The maroon knit I used for the lining was just some random material I had lying around here at the house.

I cut 4 rectangle pieces (11 1/2" x 14 1/2") / 2 in the main fabric & 2 in the lining fabric.

I added the corduroy accent triangles.

 I used a 9" zipper and added a bit of corduroy to lengthen it on each end.

After I sewed the lining to the main fabric I attached them to either side of the zipper.

I sewed the sides and bottom together, then I used my serger it to clean it up. Never underestimate the amazing powers of a serger! Mine is a Baby Lock :) :) If you are thinking of investing in one, don't think about it - just get it! You won't regret it. 

In a word = Awwwwesome! (said in a high pitched sing song voice)

I flipped it inside out and voila! A perfect bag for all of my electronics! So now, when I'm in line to go through air port security, I'll just whip out this fabulous bag, lay it in the bin, and all my random devices will be in one place. One very stylish place I might add...

****

I had some extra fabric left over, plus my kids were both still taking their naps, so I made a pencil bag. Hey moms, do you recognize the button/elastic accent?! 

A good use of 20 minutes! ;)

Oh yea - I also had some time to make a phone case too!

No more unorganized mamma! A bag for everything, and everything in it's bag.

When Lilly woke up she couldn't wait to help me "crafting." So I let her organize my mom's button basket. She had some odds and ends in there so Lilly picked out all of the items that she deemed different. She found some charms, old keys, and a buckeye for mending socks.

She's LOVES to sort things!

One time, when we went to the Olive Garden she asked my husband, Derek if she could organize the sugar packets... She also asked me to take a picture of this key specifically because she wanted to know what it went to :) 

If keys could talk...

Flattened Doll House

In a couple of weeks we are going to be flying down to Jacksonville, FL

to find a new abode, so I've been thinking of activities to keep Lilly occupied on the flight.

Mainly flat type of activities

I wish I was super-duper creative and that awesome ideas just sprouted from my brain like flowers, but alas... they don't so naturally I started looking on Pinterest.

At first I searched paper dolls, but the more I got to thinking about it the more of a bad idea it seemed. There are so many parts that I envisioned a total mess where I'm looking around the floor of the plane for random paper shoe or shirt pieces. Not a good situation.

Then I stumbled upon Lolly Dolls!

Made by Teawagontales

 http://teawagontales.blogspot.nl/2012/08/miss-lolly-dollyhow-to.html

Oh, and not only are the dolls super cute, but I'm extremely jealous of her workspace!!!

Ok, back to the dolls...

Did I mention how precious they are?? Plus they are really really easy to make!

On her site she explains all about how to make them, but basically you draw faces on the end of tongue depressors, then you can either use scrap booking paper or patterned tape for the clothing.

 

(pre black marker for the details) 

(post black marker details)

I'm in love with the striped socks, Mary Jane shoes, and pink hair! 

I now have, oh I mean Lilly now has, four amazing Lolly Dolls. But where are they going to play???

A flat doll house of course!

 I used cut pieces of paper for the dolls clothes which in turn gave me an idea for collage type scenes. I wanted the scenes/rooms to look like Lilly and I had went through magazines cutting out everyday items. I made ten scenes and/or rooms.

1) Front yard 2) Living room 3) Kitchen 4) Bedroom 5) Library 6) Boutique 

7) Zoo 8) Park 9) Beach 10) Theater

 I made all the prints in Photoshop. Then I took my flash drive to the local print shop and had them printed on card stock. After that, I covered them in contact paper so they would be more durable. Lastly, I bound them into a file folder, and I also added a pocket to store the dolls in. 

 All in all, the project cost me under $20 too!

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Potato painting fun :)

This is what Lilly did while I was making the doll scenes. 

 Potato painting then turned into finger/hand painting - which is obviously more fun for a toddler! Silly mommy.... Lilly told me that the potatoes got in her way! hehehe

 If you'd like to order the Flat Doll House prints please email me at:

sing_82@yahoo.com

Doll House pdf Prints:  $10 

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