Best Friend Pillows

I had these ugly pillows that needed a new look.  I never enjoyed making pillow covers because I don't like to hand sew the opening together...LaZy!!

 

But NOW ... NOW  I've learned to make them envelope-style and every throw pillow in my house is being recovered.  Easy peasy.

 

 Using the custom paper size option with Microsoft Publisher, I came up with just the right size creature I wanted on each pillow.

 

When you print it looks like the "tiles" below.

Then tape the tiles together, transfer to Ultra Heat-n-Bond (I have an unhealthy loving relationship with this stuff), cut out of desired fabric, and iron that baby on to your pillow cover.  I used black duck cloth on blue and white ticking.  I also stitched around my dogs...just because.  Don't really need to stitch with the Ultra stuff.  As a matter of fact, every REAL seamstress out there is saying right now, "Can't believe she sewed through Ultra Heat-n-Bond.  That stuff will gunk up her needle somethin' terrible."  I know and the needle has been replaced.

 

 

 And here we have Tess, our Golden Retreiver, and Woody, our Newfoundland.

  

 

...a great accent to the boys' beds.

 

Becky

Boys Bathroom

This weekend we updated the boys' bathroom (in the basement = bad lighting) from spa like soothing colors to something a bit more masculine.  "Because, ya know Mom, we are guys."

 

 

The paint color is Valspar's Shark Fin.

 

I'm especially proud of the old flag we hung over the shower curtain.

 

Anyone know what this sign means?  I don't. 

Found it in an antique store for ten bucks...had to have it.  The gentleman that sold it to me offered that it was an old railroad sign.  Really?

The old medicine cabinet is home to those manly kinda things an eleven and six year old need...deodorant, Axe, face wash, a razor without a blade, bandaids, rubber snake, a Barbie head (don't ask), and of course, a stick.

 

Boys!

 

Becky

Sewing with #3

While the oldest two were away at 4-H camp this summer, #3 and I had a

"just me and you" sewing day.

First up ... a skirt.

 

Look, Mom!  I used pins! 

Mom said to me, on more than one occasion, that she didn't know how any of my sewing projects ever turned out because I NEVER use pins.  With kids...you HAVE to use pins...UGH!

 

The hem IS even.  She's just sticking her booty out for comic relief.

Then on to the pennant banner for the girls' bedroom.

 

She cut out the triangles.

 

 

I PINNED them onto the bias tape... right side down.

 

#3 stitched them together with a zig-zag stitch.

 

 

I finished the other one because attention deficit set in and she had TV to watch before the other two got home.

This is a super simple project even if you don't sew...use fabric glue or heat-n-bond.

 

Later-

B

Leech Lake

I know...who wants to go to a lake named "Leech" Lake?  We did.  It is beautiful.  It has the clearest water of any lake I've ever been in.  It's in northern Minnesota...and yes it has GINORMOUS leeches.  These suckers are huge.  To the landlubber they look like eels!  BUT...they don't attach to people!  Thank goodness because this mom can do a whole lotta things but taking leeches off of her kids is not one of them.

We stayed at "The Bayside Resort".  Mike's cousins have a lake cabin a few feet away from the cabin that we rented.  They were our very most hospitable hosts for the weekend!  They catered to our every need.  It was fabulous and TOTALLY relaxing.  I'm going back.  Beautiful country and friendly people.  If you're looking for a quiet vacation spot, then this may be the place for you. 

 

A few photos...ok a lot! 

 

 

 The kids went tubing...

We sat on the deck...

They fished for crawfish...and caught MANY....

look how they can hang on!

 

 A few of us kayaked...my arms still hurt.

We...um...well...I guess I don't really know what #4 is doing here...but he's sure having fun!

 

One of us modeled...continuously!

 

#2 sat on the dock in the bay.  Get it?

 

We fished...

#3 had a blast with an enormous beach ball...

#4 would have slept in his life jacket...

 

#1 enjoyed the boating....

 

It was a bit chilly and rainy for a few days.  However, after this HOT and DRY summer it felt marvelous.

 

Except for some occasional try-to-take-a-nap TV watching, there were no electronics included in this vacation package.  I love that!

 

Becky

Tent

The 4-H countdown is on!  #2 made this little number for her child development project.  We found the project at Lowe's Creative Ideas.  Keep in mind that SHE did NOT do ALL of the work BY HERSELF.  She and I (with some help from Dad) put this thing together.  It's fun when I get a chance to work on a project with one kiddo individually.

The covering is a painter's drop cloth.

IMPORTANT:  wash the drop cloth BEFORE cutting it to the correct width.  We thought we had this baby licked.  We washed the fabric.  We placed it back on the frame.  #2 was ready with the staple gun and we realized that instead of being four inches too wide it was now TWO inches too short. This shtuff  (< not a typo) SHRINKS!

Instead of falling in a heap on the grass like a frustrated 3 year old (me not #2) we decided to add the jute webbing to the ends.  Problem solved and it adds a nice contrast.

This sucker is big!  #2 and I both fit inside comfortably.  This is going to be her reading hideaway.  When it comes home from Achievement Days it will be donned with Christmas lights and large fluffy floor pillows. 

We kept the color neutral so it could be passed on to #4...

and it's easier than hemming a large piece of fabric on all 4 sides.

Tess enjoyed the shade from the 100 degree temps.

Here's to creating with your kids. 

 It's amazing what they tell you when you have time like this together.  Sometimes they are waiting for just the right moment to ask you that thing that's been on their mind.  What better place for these conversations than in the garage/workshop/craftroom/...

Becky

Grilled Fish

I'm going to share the easiest peasiest way to grill fish - evah!

Our favorites are tilipia and mahi-mahi.  I buy the frozen fillets and thaw them overnight in the fridge.  The package doesn't recommend this method but non of my people have died yet.  Go with what ya know.

The grill should be around 400 degrees.

First we make cute little aluminum foil "boats" for our fillets.

Add a pat of butter, sea salt, pepper, and a couple teaspoons of lemon juice to each "fish boat".

Place on the preheated grill.

Sit in your favorite chair and chat with your favorite canine companion and wait.

If you're lucky, a kid might come out and talk to you while your waiting.

Check on the fish from time to time.  It should take about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.

They are done when they are white and flake apart with a fork.

These are SO good as they are or grill a nice big hard roll or bun and have yourself a fish sandwich.

Tell the kids it's chicken.  They'll never know the dif.

Becky

Brave

Looking for something to do in air conditioning this weekend? 

Take the kids to see "Brave"...in 3D!

It was a fabulous movie.  One of those movies with adult humor for us big kids.  My sister and I were a bit concerned that we both might blow chunks with the whole 3D thing, but the glasses didn't take long to get use to and we managed to keep our popcorn and Junior Mints right where they belonged... 

GET IN MY BELLY.

#3 had a Christmas morning face when she learned she could keep the glasses. 

She popped the lenses out and wore them like this the rest of the day. 

Simple pleasures.

Becky

Camp Stool

It's July....crunch time for 4-H projects

. 

This Friday is Fashion Revue.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with 4-H, this is an event in which the 4-Her makes a clothing item and then models the item with coordinating accessories in front of a judge.  Back in my day this provided "Toddler and Tiara" type of competition amongst as Johnson County 4-Hers.  Not kidding.  Things aren't as ugly around here.

While I'm having flashbacks and hotflashes about midnight sewing sessions to finish the clothing projects, I thought I'd procrastinate a bit more and show you the project that #1 completed last week.

We found this cute little raggedy camp stool at Habitat for a dollar.

#1 sanded the legs to get the grime off and then rubbed on a coat or two of clear wax.

Then he made a new seat out of vintage cowboy canvas using the old seat as a pattern.

Notice the tape on the machine?  This is a life saver when teaching kids how to sew.  Place the tape where the seem allowance needs to be and the child has all kinds of room to keep the edge even with the tape and the seem allowance will be consistent (best case scenario).

He covered the nails with decorative vintage looking nailheads. 

Took him about three hours from start to finish to complete. 

That's excluding the we-(Mom and #1) need-a-break-from-eachother moments.  Everyone has these when working with their kids, right? 

Step away...just step away.

It can hold up to 50 pounds...

(probably more - but we won't test that until after Achievement Days.)

Now I'm ready to head back to the sewing room with #2.

Becky

Working Cattle

It's been a while since I've been inspired to share anything on this forum.  Then many wonderful and surprisingly entertaining thoughts/ideas popped into my head.  The first of these was a photo journal of our family "working" a pen of cattle.  Ya don't just see that everyday...or do you? 

It was then that I chose to check in on my Bestie in Nebraska to see what she had been talking about...you guessed, didn't you?  Working THEIR calves!  Ugh.  I thought I had an original idea.  Not sa much.

I will give J. credit for being first but I have to share our side of the coin since I edited all of those stinkin' pictures.

Here we go-

 Prop open the gate to desired pen of cattle in a mechanical engineering kinda way...

...with a stick.

Hide behind the tractor until they start to come out of the pen.

Wait for the cattle to come out of their pen.

The arrow points to where the photographer (me) was... then they needed my professional help to chase the rest of 'em out.

Now it's time to get these boys moving in the same direction towards the alley and working chutes {up between those two silos, in other words}.  I often times find myself talking to them like Babe talked to the ewes, "Now, if you fine gentleman would kindly walk up the alley in an orderly fashion, I would be forever grateful."  This dialogue is happening in my head.  My fellow cowboys would look at me with disgust if I actually said it out loud.  That's ok.  The cattle KNOW ME.

They are in the alley ready for their tiny little shot to keep them healthy, make them strong, and most importantly, TASTE GOOD. 

 That was cold.

Keep in mind, they haven't been fed yet and it's almost 9:00am. 

Most of them are as pissed off as #1088 here. 

 "They move better if they are hungry."  Tell him that when you're down in the alley with all 1100# of him.  Oh no. Wait.  It's ME that's down in the alley with him.

Oh look...the princesses have arrived...apparently, there was a uniform today.

AND we mustn't forget the basketball.

Pregame talk with Dad.

Thoughts here:

a. No, he didn't go to the "Final Four".  We shop at Goodwill.

b. The kid with the stick has no idea what his dad is saying at this point.

c. The ladies are thinking about doughnuts and how much longer 'til we can go make sumthin' outta duct tape.

Getting the job done.

Fast forward 90 minutes.  Done.  Cattle are back in their pen eating their breakfast. 

Another Saturday morning.

The next three photos are what you get when you hand the 6 year old the camera when you are busy and say, "Put this in the pick-up for me."

Happy trails-

Becky