China Adoption Banner

Our neighbors just returned from China with their 6 year old son.

He has the greatest smile and is so sweet...

We missed them while they were gone and couldn't wait to meet the newest addition to their family!

Blogging Blah...

So I feel like blogging has fallen by the way side...

I do however instagram 

Feel Free to follow me there

jengill

I'm also on Twitter...

Oh and of course Pinterest...
I L.O.V.E. Pinning...

Fred and Wilma Flintstone Costume

Another toddler costume duo...

Fred and Wilma Flintstone...

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head Costume

Trick or Treat

A friend asked if I could make her daughter and son Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head costumes...
I said I'd try... They turned out pretty cute,
 and I can't wait to see her kids in them...
I decided her daughter need a candy bag with extra parts, it's just felt pieces cut
and vinyl sewn over the top....

Elise's California Adventure

 Finally after years of friendship Elise was able to come to California!

I decorated her room in a colorful vintage theme.

 Painted a milk glass lamp yellow...

 Filled a basket with new linens, her favorite snacks, toiletries, and gifts!

 We filled our days with crafting

 This was a cowl we modified the directions and ended up

with a leg warmer... Oops hahaha 

Emilie spend her days crafting with us.

 The kitchen table held two sewing machines and all of our supplies,

Off to the side was a 4 foot table filled with vintage sheets and fabric...

Photo op...

 My mom's birthday was during Elise's visit and she made my mom 

this dish towel..

 She also made her homemade cream cheese biscuits and put them

in a glass Poppy jar (my mom's favorite) and brought pear preserves from

Georgia to complete the gift!

My mom LOVED it...

 We made dishmats with terry cloth backing for drying dishes...

 We took a trip to Sutter's Creek

The Three Amigos

We looked up CRAZY pronunciations

because clearly we say things different in CA than they

do in GA... For the record the correct way to say Top Ramen is: 

RAHmen 

not RAYmen ... ;)

...and we took a boat ride on the lake...

It was an AWESOME 10 days filled with

FUN.FRIENDS.and FOOD.

Thank you Elise for coming, until next time!

Craft Night

I will start with the most important SNACKS...

A group of 6 of us gathered to make crafts last Friday night.

Lots of candy and supplies (how can you go wrong)?

We made banners inspired by Cookie Mondays

and bunny tail garlands aka pom pom garlands.

We made burlap nests.

Burlap Covered letters

and burlap mason jars...

What a FUN night...

We can't wait to do it again...

Apron and Birthday Dishtowel

This week my friend, Amy has a birthday...

I knew I wanted to make her something fun...

We both love to bake and eat baked goods... hahaha

I have several fun project pinned on my Pinterest boards...

The apron pattern can be found here (it's such a flattering apron)...

The cake dishtowel tutorial can be found here...

Adoption from China

We have dear friends who are on a journey to adopt from China...

My friend chose "Hope" as her word for 2012

I think it's a perfect word...

We look so forward to being part of the "village"

that gets to love on this little guy...

Happy Birthday Beckie....

Broken Arm Shirt Tutorial

How's that for a title??

Our cute little neighbor broke her arm requiring surgery...

No fun

I wanted to be able to DO something...

I couldn't imagine how they were going to keep her warm,

it's not like tank tops will do in Dec/Jan

I searched online for shirts for people with broken arms (no such thing)

I decided I would try and make one...

I purchased a couple sweatshirts and some velcro.

Cut the sleeve off right above the elbow.

Cut the entire side of the shirt open on the seam.

Pinned and sewed a finish seam for the sleeve.

Added and sewed velcro to each side of the sleeves and side.

Tada...

A finished shirt that can easily be put on and "velcroed" around the cast.

JOYfull

Such a fun season of JOY...

One of the little guys I take care of did the 12 days of Christmas for me, I felt like a kid again... It was sooo much fun opening a gift a day...

Another little guy gave me a gift card to get a pedicure... YES please...

... and one of my besties hooked me up with tons of thirty-one products and a Christmas bonus!

I feel soooo loved by my little friends...

On Christmas morning our boys got so see what Santa brought,

he only fills stockings in this house...

Tinko

Bird and his doggy Dolce

Polly Wog

FoFo Juice