May I Present...

Hi Everyone, today we are linking up with Vanessa!  We were paired in a swap and she made Liam an awesome Birthday gift!  I'll let her tell you all about it~ 


Hi Potato Craft Followers! I'm Vanessa and I blog over at my sewing/craft blog, Designs By Sessa! One of the first people that ever taught me how to sew was a sweet friend of mine named Carla! She makes these awesome hooded towels for baby gifts for friends and they are so awesome.... see?

 I have 2! One she made me originally and another after she taught me how to make them! I finally asked her to allow me to reveal how she makes them for others to enjoy in a tutorial, too! Carla's Hooded Towel Tutorial has been one of my & my reader's favorite tutorials, so when Rachael at Imagine Gnats linked me up with Shawna for our Covert Robin and I saw her sweet boy Liam had just celebrated his 1st birthday, well, I knew I just had to make him one!

 Isn't he just precious in it!? 

I always use the Room Essential towels from Target for these hooded towels! They work out great for this project! For Liam's towel, I chose navy blue and used some striped Ralph Lauren fabric for around his hood. I love how it gave it definitely a nautical look perfect for a bath or the beach! 

I used the same fabric for his 'L' applique on the back, too. 

More than all though, it was so fun to make someone else happy! I'm glad I got paired with Shawna and got to make her/Liam such an awesome present!

Thanks, for having me Shawna! And I'd love to have you over at Designs By Sessa anytime, so feel free to stop by and say "Hello!!!"

Sewing Therapy

We were hoping to be able to share very good news with everyone very soon.  And had in fact started telling people in real life that I was 16 weeks pregnant.  However we have instead found out that our little baby to be had no heartbeat at the latest ultrasound, just this last Thursday. One day shy of 16 weeks.  From everything I have researched, this is very unusual as most miscarriages occur before 12 weeks. As all of my previous miscarriages have.  So we were a little shocked.
But like all of my babies, living and dead, this one will get a quilt.  I have sewn a quilt for each of my miscarriages and donated it to either the woman's shelter or hospital to give out to someone who could use a baby quilt.  This isn't any different.  I find that some simple sewing and some tears really help.  And so, once I have it all quilted, I will be giving this baby's quilt to Miles Memorial to give to someone else who could use a little comfort. 

I used very bright colors, some Tula Pink, some Amy Butler, some Malka Dubrawsky to make this quilt.  I think it makes for a very cheery little blanky that someone will hopefully drag around the house and sleep with the way this baby should have been able to. 

Swappy Goodness!

I am participating in the Covert Robin swap this month and yesterday I got an awesome swap package in the mail from Vanessa who blogs over here!  Actually I should say that Liam got an awesome Birthday present from Vanessa!  Isn't that hooded towel adorable!  And, although it is hard to see on a squirmy little baby, there is a monogrammed L on the back!  This towel has already proved perfect for a post shower cuddle and will be great this summer at the beach. 

Thinking Spring

We had a snow day last week.  One day in which I did not go to work and the children and husband came home from school and work early.  And we spent that afternoon doing super fun snow day-type activities.  And one activity, I'm thinking the favorite of everyone involved, that was not a snow day-type activity.  We started some tomato seeds.
Fynn loved pouring the water over the peet pellets and watching them grow like "magic" and poking holes with his finger into each one.  We sprinkled the seeds together to help control the clumping that inevitably will happen and we gave the plants a little water.  And then we put the tray up on the fire mantel so it would stay nice and warm and get some morning sun and we waited.
We went about our life for the last week or so and ignored it.  And taking the tray down to check and water it this morning we got quite a nice little surprise.  Plants have started growing!

So, even after this mild winter, I guess the sign outside Clark's farm stand is right....there really are only 3 more days until spring! 
The lake is thawing out, and we went and bought our first grown up grill this last weekend.  The steak and chicken we cooked last night were to die for!  I see many, many grilled dinners each week to come as the clocks have turned and given us a bit more light to cook by after we get home every night.
Spring is definetly in the air at our house.  How about yours?