Nurse Momma

One of my best friends, works with me in the hospital. She's an incredible pediatric nurse. An amazing woman. And the best friend, I could ask for. No lie!!!

Lexie struggled with fertility problems. For years. And it just broke my heart. You know, sometimes, you meet people, and just know. They are meant to be parents. Lexie and her hubby, are those kind of people.

On December 12, 2012, the welcomed twin girls!!! What a blessing! Oh, and I just might be a Godmother again. :)

Sweet Lexie went on maternity at the end of the Summer. She spent her last trimester, on bed rest. A precautionary move. To make sure, those sweet girls, were safe! Then Lexie got 8 1/2 weeks of maternity leave! If you're doing the math, she would have been back to work on February 11th. But my friend was pretty smart. She stacked her vacation and sick time. Saved it up. Which allowed her, another 8 weeks at home!!!

That brings us to today. April 8th. Lexie is going back to work. I talked to her last night, and she was a total wreck!!! Actually, all week we've been talking. And Lexie, was not looking forward to going back to work. How could she leave her girls? Especially for the hours she works...

I knew I had to do something for Lexie. And the girls. But what??? I'm over 4 hours away. Working at another hospital. All I want to do, is give them all a hug. Tell them it's going to be OK. But I'm not near. What to do???

I spent a few hours searching Pinterest. :) And then headed to Target. I bought my sweet friend a gift. Wrote her a note. And set to make 2 little nurses...

I figured I'd send each of the girls, a little nurse. So they could have their momma close to them. You know, while she is at work! I got everything made, and sent out on Friday. And they got their package on Saturday! :)

Love this pattern! It's so cute. And was such an easy pattern. Did I mention, it's free!!! You just have to love K and J Dolls. Their patterns are adorable. Now, I'm thinking of turning this amigurumi nurse, into an amigurumi doctor. :)

I feel bad, because I'm not near Lexie. What can I do??? I did give Lexie my work number. Hoping to be of some help today. I know she has missed work. And I know, she'll miss her girls. But I know, this will be good for all of them.

Lex, I love ya girl! Take deep breaths. The girls are going to miss you. But they will be OK today. And when you get home, they'll have great big smiles. Just for their momma!!!

Cupcake Garland

My beautiful Goddaughter turns 1, later this week. She is a doll and a half!!! Her family is having a fun dinner, later this week. On her birthday. Because her birthday party is later this month. But I wanted to make something fun. For the dinner.

I found this cute garland pattern. And I called up my Commadre, to ask what colors she was going to use for the dinner. I know Alice. She had already bought colorful plates, decorations, and an outfit for Sofia!!! And she ordered the most beautiful flowers.

I'm going to go with some pretty, and bright colors. I'm definitely going to make Sofia's cupcake garland longer. Alice and Mark, have a long buffet in their dining room. I know exactly how long it is. Because I might have made a few garlands for my friends. :)

I honestly can't wait for Friday!!! I get to see my good friends. And my precious Goddaughter. Dr. L...I've missed my old friend. He also happens to be Sofia's Godfather. Friday night, is going to be all about fun. And shouldn't turning 1, be all about cupcakes and fun? I think so!!!

Nothing Says Summer Like...

To me, nothing says summer like s'mores. Nothing! It wasn't a "tradition" in my family. Nope! But when I was about 5, my grandparents moved to the mountains. It was heaven! For the entire family. Weekly, we'd go visit. I'd spend entire summers with them. And because my grandma LOVED to fish, many hours were spent at the lake.

We always had a little fire going, at sunset. My grandma would be making coffee, on the open fire. And I'd go find a stick. I'd sit there, roasting my 3 marshmallows. It was my perfect end, to all those perfect days. With my grandparents at the lake!

When I was in middle school, I started going to summer camp. For music. It wasn't all summer long. But it was glorious! This is where, I learned about s'mores. I know! I had a rough childhood. It took until I was 11 years old, to discover s'mores!!!

Well, I sorta kept my little secret, to myself. Until 4 or 5 years ago. I'd buy Hersey bars, graham crackers, and marshmallows. The beginning of summer heat, meant I needed these things! It was that one thing, I just loved to share with my Goddaughters. It didn't matter, that I had to use the BBQ grill to toast our marshmallows. :)

I also finally made my parents s'mores. I think it was 3 years ago. My Mom LOVED them! My Dad, I think he thought I was nuts. But I sat there, over the stove, toasting marshmallows. And we enjoyed our little treat.

Well, this week, I needed a bit of a "pick me up." I spent all day Monday, in the hospital. Dealing with some health issues. Things I'd been ignoring for far too long! And I'd been feeling bad. Not really wanting to do anything. Which isn't good, when you're getting paid, to make people happy. I'm telling you, in general, musicians are a happy bunch of people. But some days, that smile, is just another part of the costume...

So I was pleasantly surprised, when my friends had a fire going. And all the makings of s'mores. Yum! That smile, wasn't fake. And it's been plastered across my face, ever since. Yes, my friends now how, to cheer a girl up. :)

As my Goddaughters were so excited, covered in sticky, yummy goo, I got an idea. Can I turn s'mores into some amigurumi fun? I took to Google. And I came up with this picture...

So cute!!! But another broken link, when I tried to find the source. :( Have you seen this picture before? Or know where I can find the pattern? I searched Ana's blog. To me, these look a lot like her patterns. No luck! I searched Etsy, eBay, and Ravelry. No luck!

I think these will be perfect, for the itty bitties in my life. I just need to find the pattern. If you have any idea, where I can find this pattern, please leave me a comment. I'd really appreciate it. Oh, and don't forget to enter our giveaway!

Groundhog Day

On Monday, I was just not having the best of days. Sometimes, that just happens. And you have to deal with it. You know, life is not always about sunshine and puppy dog tails. Let me tell you, neither was Monday.

But I'm lucky. I have a wonderful group of friends. That surrounded me. Helped make Monday, a better day. Thank goodness for them! And as I was trying to wrap my head around the days activities, my friends made me a yummy dinner. My best friend suggested we watch Groundhog Day.

Where that came from, I'm not sure. But she pulled out a DVD. We settled in. With our yummy dinner, and enjoyed the movie. I'd never seen this movie. I don't know how that happened. But this was a nice way, to take my mind off of my troubles.

And the evening wasn't complete, without a little crafting. I started a new summer throw. Crochet. I'm in love with the colors of yarn. And I'm totally "winging" the pattern. I'm making it up as I go. So we shall see what happens! Either way, this is what I needed on Monday night. Oh, and don't forget to enter our giveaway. You have until Friday! :)

Whimsical Book Necklace

One thing, that you probably don't know about me, is I'm a HUGE reader! As in, I read 5 books a week. For fun! That have nothing to do with school! I've been like this, since I was a little girl. You see, when I was little, nothing was better than the week, that the Book Fair rolled into our school library.

My oldest Goddaughter is also a BIG fan of reading. And crafting. Lots of time, she finds a project. Then her dad takes her shopping for the supplies. And I go help her. I've been teaching her how to sew. She's pretty good at crochet. And we've tried our hand at jewelry making. It's a fun thing that we share. Not only do we craft together. But she also has someone to talk to. That's what I enjoy the most!

Recently, she sent me this picture. Well, her dad did. And asked me, if I thought we could make these. I said we could. A fun book necklace! It got my heart racing a bit. :) And now, we have one little project planned. Before my Goddaughter and her daddy leave for the summer.

Honestly, my brain has been in overdrive! I just can't wait to make myself a necklace. I'm that much of a nerd! Or a bookworm. However you want to put it. And of course, I'm looking forward to some quality time, with my Goddaughter.

Happy May Day!

Happy May Day! I just enjoy May Day. Mostly because I get to surprise the people I love, with little gifts. For the last 11 years,  I've left my neighbors a little something sweet. Just to let them know, I'm thinking of them. And friends generally get some yummy baked goodies. My Goddaughters, well that get a little flowery treat.

But I also enjoy May Day, because it brings us further into the growing season. Generally speaking, the flowers have been blooming for weeks here. And the heat, well it's definitely on the rise. May just brings so many wonderful things with it. Especially, the end of the Spring Semester. :)

Oh, and I found this picture. I just adore these little flowers. I think in a color palette of 3 or 5 colors, this could make a fun summer throw. Where is this pattern from? Because honestly, I want to work on this during May! :)

A Story About a Sewing Machine

I got my first sewing machine, when I was in elementary school. I wanted to sew. But I'm positive, my Mom didn't want to teach her small child, how to sew on her expensive sewing machine. Instead, my parents bought me a sewing machine for Christmas. Nothing fancy, or special.

But I LOVED it! My sister also bought me a big sewing box, filled with tons of supplies! There was not a happier 7 year old, around. :) I'm almost positive, my parents bought the sewing machine at Wal-Mart. For less than $100. Crazy thing is, I never used it! I think, I tried sewing once. And didn't know what I was doing. Heck, I was 7 years old!

Well, we ended up taking my sewing machine, to my parents' cabin. We figured, on the weekends I'd learn how to sew. It didn't happen. But my Mom did sew on it. :) Jump ahead. I'm in my twenties. Living on my own. And I take my sewing machine, to my house. I start sewing, and I LOVED it!

For the next few years, I'm so inspired. Not just by "Blogland." But by my friends' kids. My Goddaughters. And stuff that I couldn't afford to buy. All was going great. Until, it wasn't anymore. My sewing machine, didn't want to work. I tried everything. I took it, to get worked on. Nothing!

After a few months, I just gave up. And I honestly didn't have any money, to spend on it. Or a new one. So when I had to sew, I'd go use my Goddaughter's sewing machine. Not convenient. But it was working. My parents surprised me, with a new sewing machine.

Again, it wasn't anything fancy. One of the Singer sewing machines that Target sells. That week, it was on sale for $70. How do I know? Because I went to the 5 local Target stores, looking for it. With no luck! And I happened to mention this, to my parents. On a Friday night. Before my birthday. Not expecting anything. Just annoyed that I couldn't find my sewing machine.

My parents happened to find one, in their city. The next morning. That was my birthday present. And I was over the moon! It was quite a bit different from my old machine. This one, was a front loading machine. My other, was a drop in bobbin. This machine, was also light weight. That was both good, and bad. But I've gotten to enjoy it.

Honestly, I've been saving my pennies. Hoping to buy a better sewing machine. It's not that I don't appreciate these sewing machines. Or that I don't love them. Because I LOVE them!But I've been sewing a lot more. And I want something more durable. Something that has a few more "bells and whistles."

That lead to me visiting JoAnn's. And I was dreaming of the day, when I could invest in a nice sewing machine. One that makes button holes. And has fun stitches. Something to grow, with my new sewing abilities. That's when I spotted this beauty!!!

Isn't this a pretty sewing machine? Well, I picked up the brochure. And showed it to my Mom the other day. She LOVED it too! I'd love to buy this for myself. The 50th Anniversary Singer Sewing Machine! It's nice to dream about. A little bit of history.

But I'm very happy with my sewing machine. And the fact that there is history behind it. My own history. My own story in the sewing world. And I'm really grateful, that my Mom shared this love of hers, with me!

I Just Might Have

Tomorrow, we're going to be selling at our church's Valentine's Day Craft Fair. Life has been really busy around here. You know, school, work, baby showers, birthday parties, and just life. That means, crafting has been a little slow around these parts. You know what I mean? Life has just taken over.

This is not good for a variety of reasons. I'm sure you can guess why. One, we're behind, way behind, on gifts! Way behind! My cousin's baby shower is about 2 weeks away, and I might have 1/2 of her gift finished. Half! My Mom is a little behind too. Oh, and then, our "stock" is down. From the craft fair in December. And Christmas time.

But with life being so busy, there's not much I can do. I managed to make a few hats, some amis, and a baby blanket. This week! It's been crazy! I've literally been crocheting between classes, on my way to work, and through meals. But it's getting done. :) So I feel like I need to make up in other places. Like baking. So I went a googling, and I came across these beauties!

Whoopie pies. Not just any whoopie pie. But chocolate cherry whoopies! I couldn't pass them up. And along with my usual cupcakes, candy, and other treats...I baked up a batch of these goodies! Yum! I can't wait to see people's reactions. I know in the south, these are big. Real big! My friends love them. But around my hometown, I honestly hadn't heard of them.

The craft fair is in a few short hours, and honestly I feel so behind! I'm going to try and stay up a few more hours. You know, to make a few more things. Perhaps some headbands, hair clips, or maybe finish this sweater that I'm working on.

Let's Wear Red!

Today is the first Friday in February. And I encourage everyone to wear red today! It's a simple way to show your support. For all the women in your life. And I also encourage you to visit this website. Take a look at the different signs and symptoms. Consider your own health. You just never know, when this information, can be lifesaving! Let's wear red all month long!

Lost Patterns...

My little cousin is expecting her first baby, in about 6 weeks. Her baby shower is just weeks away. And I'm barely starting her gifts! :( My schedule has been so bad! I've wanted to sit and start some stuff, but school, work, and the holidays kind of got in the way.

Not to mention, all the babies that were born, between August and November! So I'm ridiculously behind on projects. Oh, and the fact that the hospital where I work, is moving to a new building...is not helping. My office is in shambles! Half of my stuff, is in my old office...the other half is in my new office.

I tried to get started on my projects. Yesterday. I bought all the yarn I needed. And then I hit a wall. I couldn't find the patterns that I needed. Or more like, that patterns that I wanted to use...

Like this book. Coats and Clark, "Soft and Sweet for Baby." That blue sweater with the hat, "Fairytale Set," is my favorite to make! There's also a cute Christening Set. And a Mother's Shawl in this book.

This book of booties, is also a favorite! I like to make those white booties, with the blue ribbon, to match the set above. Or I make the Mary Janes, to go with another hat, that I make.

And this book, well, has 2 sets that I like! A LOT!!! I like to make the flowery set, in pink. It's so cute! And that green hat at the top, it's a butterfly set. I really like making the hat and booties. :)

Two of my favorite blankets to make, are in this book. Along with those cute animals! Because the crib bedding that my cousin bought, would go perfectly with those animals!

This is the only book that I don't own. I've never even seen it in person! And there is a gorgeous sweater, that I want to make! No luck. At all! I just can't find this pattern book.

So I've looked all through my house. And in my office...my old office. With no luck. I don't know what I'm going to do. Most of these are older books. And I can't find any of them in the craft stores, around here. If you happen to know, where I can find these books, PLEASE let me know! As soon as you can. Because I only have one blanket made...and I totally winged it! Looking at another blanket, that I had made...using that pattern. Oh, I'm having some issues...

I Can't Wait to...

The weather around here, has been a little crazy! It's been nearly 70 degrees, during the day. But at night, it's been in the 20s! The warm weather, keeps making me want to garden. I want to go outside, and start digging around. I want to feel the dirt in my nails.

And I can't wait to start seeing, beautiful flowers growing. To smell the sweet scent of roses, and freshly mowed grass. And to plant a garden! With lots of yummy veggies. :)

Gardening is something that I've learned to appreciate, because of my Mom. And I really do miss it! The winters around here, are normally short. And not too cold. But, the flowers and garden definitely die away. I really miss spending the evenings outside. Helping nature along. And growing something, from a tiny little seed. Spring...where are you?

Decorating for Valentine's Day

At the beginning of the month, I went to Walgreen's. To pick up my Dad's prescriptions. And while I was waiting, I started to explore the store. They were setting up Valentine's Day stuff. And it just made me smile! I don't know why, but I LOVE to decorate for Valentine's Day.

This is funny. Because I don't like Valentine's Day. At all! I never have. But I really enjoy decorating for Valentine's Day. :) That's when I spotted some lights. In the shape of hearts. To make a long story short, my Mom and I each ended up with one. And before I left my parents' house, I decorated their house for Valentine's Day.

But when I got home, I just wasn't motivated. I had holiday decorations to take down. I had lots of stuff to put away. Life to get back into. Just a lot of stuff to do. And my light, it sat in it's box. On the chair. For nearly 10 days! I wanted to decorate, I just wasn't motivated. Until I saw this picture.

Isn't this little girl too cute? Well, this picture motivated me. To get up, and decorate. If nothing else, my HUGE front window. I started slow. I put up my heart light. Added some twinkle lights. And got crocheting. I made a heart garland. Then I realized it was too short. I told you, my window is HUGE! So that one, I'll probably try and sell.

Over the next few days, I've managed to crochet a garland. Actually, a couple. And on a quick trip to the Dollar Tree, I picked up some balloon lanterns. Added my Valentine's Day bunting to my mirror. I still want to make a few pillows, and add some of my other trinkets. Yes, I really do enjoy decorating for the holiday of LOVE!

Look What I Found...

I don't know about you, but I got a few gift cards for Christmas. And it was a nice little treat! :) Just a few days ago, I headed out to Wal-Mart. I needed a few essentials. And was going to look through the craft section. Honestly, I was leaving with bread, milk, eggs, grapes, and some cotton thread.

That is, until I past the book section. That's when I about died! Did you know, you can buy books for $2.96? Books that sell for at least $12.95 elsewhere! Actually, many of the books that I picked up, had a $16.95 price on the cover. But Wal-Mart had them for $2.96! Like this one...

I bought 10 books! A little crazy. I know! But this book, it immediately grabbed my attention! I just had to pick it up. And since I'm a HUGE reader, I was in heaven! Even more so, because I only used 1 gift card. And it still has money on it. This is going to be the first book that I read...as soon as I finish my current book. Oh Wal-Mart...can you offer some craft books at this price? Pretty please!

Merry Christmas!

We just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! What a beautiful day this is. Filled with so much love and magic. If you're anything like us, you're still trying to finish your baking, cooking, and gift wrapping. But it's all worth it, just to see those smiles! We hope that your holiday is filled with family, friends, and lots of love! Merry Christmas!

Cowl

If you're anything like me, you like a good scarf. Something pretty. Something that's easy to throw on. But warm! That adds a little to your outfit. You know the type. Well, I have a nice stash of scarves. My favorites are the $5 ones from Wal-Mart. I can't lie! But in the last year, I've really started to love cowls. Like this one!

The funny thing is, I've made plenty of these. For gifts. To sell. But never, have I made myself one. Well, right after Christmas, I'm going to make one. I'm thinking in a dark plum color. Wouldn't that be so pretty? I'm already excited about my plans! Honestly, I can't wait to wear a cowl, just like this one!

What Do You Think?

Recently, my cousin has been talking about The Shack. She's been talking about it for a while now. A few weeks. And it's sounds like an interesting book. Not really a religious book. But more of a book, that questions ones beliefs and religion. Makes you think a little...

Have you read The Shack? Would you recommend it? Is it something worth my time? I absolutely LOVE reading! Add I've been wondering about this book, for a while now. Honestly, if I could find it at the local store, I probably would have bought it. So what do you think?

Craft Supplies

If you've been reading a craft blog, for the last year or so, you've heard about the Cricut and the Silhouette. There are so many projects that you can make with these 2 machines. And I've been eyeing them, for longer than I can remember...

The Cricut has been out longer. At least I think so. And I see it everywhere! At Hobby Lobby, Wal-Mart, and JoAnn's. EVERYWHERE! They're always having sales. But even the sale price, is just out of my reach...right now.

How about the Silhouette? Almost every blog out there, the big ones, is sponsored by Silhouette. And honestly, if I had a few hundred dollars, I'd buy this bad boy! Without even thinking about it. I find myself, dreaming about so many projects. Oh, my! If only. But let me tell you, I'll be saving my pennies, to buy one of these fun machines.

Mark's Craft Books

Have you ever heard of Mark Montano? Well, I didn't know that he wrote craft books. On a recent trip to Barnes and Noble, I literally stumbled on one! I was there buying some stuff for school. But I sat down with this book, and took a long look!

And by a long look, I mean I sat there for 2 hours. Just going through all the projects. What a great book! And it wasn't too expensive. I think it was under $15. Honestly, it's an incredible book for the money!

That's not all. When I got home, I Googled the book. And I found out that there are 2 of these books. Yes, 2! I'm putting these on my "Wish List." Maybe just maybe...I'll get them for Christmas. I'd be so excited! Because I'm already thinking, of all the projects that I want to make. :)

New Snowflakes

For the last few years, my Mom has been crocheting Christmas ornaments. We've combined them with store bought ornaments, and it's made for a pretty Christmas tree. Lots of delicate crochet snowflakes. Made with thread. Mixed in with other white and sparkly ornaments. I even beaded some little ones for her.

I've always wanted to make some of my own. For my Christmas tree. But I don't really enjoy crocheting with thread. The thin thread that my Mom uses. And my Christmas tree is nothing like her more "dressy" Christmas tree. My Christmas tree is much more "traditional." In the sense, that it's a mix of many different types of ornaments. Collected over the years. With vintage lights. That kind of tree. So when I came across this picture, I was thrilled!

It's a little close to Christmas, for me to start this new project. But I had never thought of using twine. Or making snowflakes in another color, than white. And you know what, I really like this idea. This might be a good project to work on, all year. You know, make a few every month. This might just work out! And I could also make a few, to add to special presents next year. :)

Craft Fair and Amigurumi

Today my Mom and I, are selling at our church's Holiday Craft Fair. We don't sell at many. Mostly because, well, we don't have the time. I would LOVE to do more of this. But my schedule really doesn't allow for that. My Mom and I always look forward to December and February, when our church has these Craft Fairs.

We started to just support the church. It's fun. We get to meet new people. We support our church. And we're able to make a little bit of money. Maybe in the future, we'll do a few more. Or start selling on Etsy. It's been a goal of mine. To start our shop.

This has been a tough 2 weeks. Trying to get ready for the Craft Fair. But also, dealing with life. I got really busy with work and performing. School has been crazy! I've been ridiculously sick! Time has been almost scheduled to the second! I haven't had as much time as I had originally hoped. But I've gotten some things done. Mostly, these little guys.

For whatever reason, these amigurumis are a BIG hit! I just don't have enough time. I wish I did. Oh, and I can't find these darn eyes! I live in a small town. We have 1 store that sells them. And 99% of the time, they're out of stock! But I managed to make a few. And I have the parts, to put about 5 of them together. That will be my project. As we're hanging out today.

So if you're around, come by. We'll have 2 tables. Everything from crafts to baked goods. Yes, I made cupcakes and candy. My Mom baked lots of cookies. Sadly, I didn't make peanut brittle. It's my thing. The one thing, that everyone knows us for. But I can't find the ingredients. And well, I really didn't have too much time this week.

Don't forget to stop by and say Hi! Our church, 9AM-1PM. Santa will be there. The church is also selling breakfast and lunch. Honestly, it's delish! And there are so many great booths. If you need more info, e-mail us, or call me. Hope to see you there!