Chula Vista Resort

We were to get a big blizzard this past weekend, but it didn't really materialize as bad as they predicted. This was great, as we had planned our annual mini getaway to the Wisconsin Dells. Sunday morning we left and had a nice time at the Chula Vista Resort. My FIL and his wife were to come from Iowa and meet us there; unfortunately, they DID have the bad weather, and wisely decided not to make the drive. Since we had planned on 7 people total, we had a way cool suite, with a full kitchen, fireplaces, 2 bedrooms, the works. It was an awesome room at a great price (Sunday night rates are way better than Friday and Saturday ones).

The boys had a BLAST swimming in the water park. Connor took a little bit of encouraging but once he got in, there was no stopping him! We did manage to leave his backpack at home, so we got to the resort and all he had were the clothes on his back. Ha! Thankfully all these hotels in the Dells sell swimming suits and diapers. Caleb managed to get Connor on a few little slides. At first Connor didn't like them, but once he'd go down one, he'd want to go again.
Calvin loved the lazy river and the 'baby pool'. We also had a lot of fun going down the big water slides; Calvin made the cutoff height by about 2 inches (yeah!). Being there Sunday night meant I missed most of the Academy Awards stuff (I do like seeing all the dresses), but watching my boys play like this trumps any TV show any day:

The Arrow of Light

Last Sunday we had the annual Blue and Gold Banquet for our Cub Scout Pack.

Caleb earned the Arrow of Light, which is the highest award a boy can earn in Cub Scouts. We also got him a real Indian arrow, which I then decorated with beads and feathers. Each bead represents some aspect of his time in Cub Scouts, such as badges he's earned, participation in community service, etc.

He worked really hard to earn the award, and we're really proud of him.

Some Miscellaneous Sewing

I've been sewing on some quickie miscellaneous projects:

This is a chalice veil for my mom's church. They needed a black one for Ash Wednesday, and instead of ordering one (for $250!), my mom decided to make it. She came over to get some advice on fabric (the green one was our sample), and I showed her some stuff from my stash. This black wool was perfect. I even had ambiance to line it with, and offered to sew it up. It's a 28" square, and took me an hour.

Yes, another superhero cape and cowl. This particular one is for a little boy up in Eau Claire. His family suffered a horrible tragedy about a month ago, and a few of us on NMSL are putting together care packages for him and his mom (due with twins in april). I also made one last Saturday for a friend of Calvin's. I've made FOUR of these already this year!

Valentine Goodies

The boys had a fun Valentine's Day. Parties, goodies, treats, fun. The best goody of all?

Vacuum-sealed frogs!





Yep, all ready for dissection! Is that cool or what? :)

A Few More Bags

The pattern club meeting was last night. I didn't get all the Amy Butler bags I had cut out finished, but I did manage to get these done. From the left: Swing Bag, In Town drawstring bag, Chelsea Tote, and an In Town handbag (yes, this is just like the one I made for Julie -- I was able to cut out two). I used scraps leftover from my nephew's quilt to make the drawstring bag. I am partway through the Favorite Clutch, and then I'll work on the Cabo Halter muslin (I did an FBA on the pattern, and hope it works out). I also have one more In Town bag to do, this time with bamboo purse handles.

Here you can see the linings I chose. The Chelsea Tote is reversible, and has a false bottom. It's going to go live with a friend of mine -- I hope she likes it. I bought a button to make a closure for the handbag. The meeting was a lot of fun. Someone had made the Kimono Robe from AB's In Stitches book, and I got to try it on. That was helpful, as now I have a few modifications in mind. Two people made the Messenger Bag. Both said it was a LOT of work, but it looks fantastic. Kelly didn't make it, though. :( I was hoping to meet her and check out her Cafe Apron. I'm sure the snowstorm we had was a definite factor in the smallish attendance (I was 30 minutes late myself).

I'm really looking forward to the next few months of the club. Next month is Nancy Erickson's Fashion Sewing Group patterns, and then Jalie patterns in May. In the fall we have a month for HotPatterns and Decades of Style, so that should motivate me to get my HP pattern made up (and maybe order a few more! ~G~).

More Snow

We woke up to more snow this morning.
I had hoped to get a lot of sewing done this weekend, but only managed a Swing Bag and part of an In Town Bag. Connor was up Saturday night complaining about his ear, and my nose started dripping like a faucet yesterday. The pattern club meeting is tomorrow night, and I'd still like to make a Chelsea Tote and the Cabo Halter.

Once the snow stops I'll get out and shovel.

Card Making

Valentine's Day is coming, so we are working on making cards. I got this idea from a Family Fun magazine (the 2/2006 issue, I think). We cut hearts out of white cardstock (these hearts are 5" tall and 5.5 inches wide). Then we cut the same size heart from pink translucent paper (on clearance at Michaels -- how convenient!). I was able to get 3 hearts out of a standard sheet of cardstock, and 5 hearts from the 12x12 translucent paper. I then used a fancy edge scissors (deckle edge maybe?) on the pink heart. The boys then used the foam stamps to stamp a heart on the cardstock. The stamps are all different kinds of hearts, and we used bright pink ink.

Next we punched an even number of holes around the edge -- we found 16 was a good number. If there are too few, the candy falls out. Now we laced 1/4" sheer ribbon through the holes (24" was just the right length). Before the boys get to the last few holes at the top, they put some candy in the valentine. Some Gobstoppers and Sweet Tarts seem to be the winning combo. I'm partial to Conversation Hearts myself.

Our finished Valentines! Pretty cute, no?

I RAN OUT!!!

ARGH!!! I ran out of yarn for my purple sweater. I have only 3 more rows of ribbing to do (222 sts each row) and then the bind off row. I'm probably only short 30 yds or so. I could just scream! (well, I did). Anyway, if anyone has a bit of Classic Elite Duchess in color #1095 (a plum) and in dyelot #169 you could send my way, I'd be so grateful. I'll send you a little something as a thank you.

I'm going to try the yarn shop, but I don't have my hopes up.

my good friend Esther has found some for me!!!!

Amy Butler "Pattern" Festival

I belong to an Independent Pattern Club, and each month we pick a pattern line to focus on. For February, we'll be discussing and showing Amy Butler patterns, one of my fave indie lines. I want to bring a bunch of her things to show, so I had a "pattern festival" (you know, like a film festival) last weekend. Clockwise from the bottom left I have: Drawstring Handbag and two In Town Bags, a Chelsea Tote Bag, a Swing Bag, and the Favorite Clutch, from the 12/2005 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting (I'm told this is the clutch from the Dorothy Bag pattern, which I believe has been discontinued). I also cut out a muslin of the Cabo Halter.

I stitched up the drawstring bag this weekend (it's cute!). The rest are all prepared with fused interfacing or basted canvas and ready to stitch. Our club meeting is on the 13th, so I have about a week to get them made up.

Soliciting Ideas

Two months from yesterday is my fifteenth wedding anniversary. I looked up an anniversary gifts table, and have found that the traditional gift is crystal, while the modern gift is watches. Usually David and I don't really do much of anything, maybe dinner out, but this year I want to do something special for him. I am stumped for ideas that would tie into either crystal or watches (wait, I could do something along the lines of 'time'. hmm....). Ideas anyone?