Back to Crafting, Sewing, Quilting, and Blogging... I hope!

It's hard to believe that it has been a little over a year since our "surprise" baby boy was born. What a year it has been. So many blessings to be thankful for, but quilting, sewing, and most crafting has been very sporadic, and blogging about anything I did do just didn't happen. He keeps me busy, as do his brothers. He is so adorable and charms everyone he meets, pics included so you can see what I am talking about!

In September school started and my middle son began Kindergarten. It is my first time home schooling Kindergarten, as my older son didn't begin home schooling until First grade. Any "free time" I had was put into researching and executing fun learning activities, and LOTS of laminating and cutting! I have completely fallen in loved my laminator!

In October I helped with our church's Harvest Fest. As usual it was a lot of fun, but many late nights spent at the church as a family. All 3 boys were troopers! I wanted an inexpensive way to bring "Fall" into our church so I learned how to make Tissue Paper Pom Poms... I think everyone thought I was nuts when I kept saying, "no we need more!" BUT I think they turned out so beautiful. My husband and I spent 2 weeks making these trees out of a paper mache type clay.

I chose a theme for Baby Boy's first birthday in October and whenever I could steal a minute on Pinterest I was pinning away! I was so excited about doing a Dr Suess party. Unfortunately I really couldn't start executing any of the ideas until after Christmas.

I agreed to teach a women's Bible Study at our church in November and December, and I had the idea to do a study through the Jesse Tree and by the end of the study each woman would have her on set of 24 felt ornaments. Much of November and part of December was spent cutting out felt pieces for the ornament kits. I must admit that was quite an undertaking while working my accounting job, homeschooling, keeping a home, and taking care of a baby who still nurses every couple of hours. The ornaments were very simple, but since I had to cut 480 felt circles, and all of the pieces for 240 ornaments, they had to be fairly simple! I am so happy I did it and I really think the ladies in the study enjoyed it.

6 of the 24 ornaments

My Jesse Tree

I had plans for several Christmas presents that would involve sewing and some other crafting aspects... But my husband had an ATV accident the day after Thanksgiving and I had to make some hard cuts on the homemade Christmas gifts! He injured his wrist and was unable to move it, so he couldn't help with the baby and he couldn't cut some of the wooden pieces I needed for a couple projects. The only handmade gift I finished was for my In-Laws. I made a Family Celebrations board for them. There are a lot of us, with 7 kids, spouses, grandkids, and one great grandbaby. I really wanted them to have this wall hanging for their home.

Christmas was lovely, we spent it in Minnesota and Wisconsin with Family and Friends. The day after we arrived home I went into full-on PARTY PLANNING MODE! The party was scheduled for January 25th and I had 24 days to execute all of my ideas!

My next blog post will be all about the party, the pic below is just to show off the Star of the Show!

With a Bushel and Peck of Love,

Jessica

I've Been Busy... And NOT Quilting!

I can't believe it has been months since I have blogged. That's because it's been months since I have really sewn/quilted. I have done a few quick things here and there, but nothing big or too fun! I knew that having a baby would slow down my sewing and quilting, but I don't think I realized it would bring it to a screeching halt.

Matias is already 6 months old and he is wonderful and has brought so much joy into our home. He seems a lot more advanced in his gross motor skills than my other two boys. He started crawling at 5 months and has just started pulling himself up at barely 6 months! He is so curious and into everything.

Over the past few months my "quick" projects have included a couple of aprons that I donated to a silent auction/fundraiser and I did make that Summer/Spring Wall Hanging out of Joel Dewberry Botanique that I mentioned in my previous post back in March.
 I found that working in 15 minute increments is not a good way for me to sew/quilt. I would forget what I was doing once I stopped, and getting started back was difficult and I made so many mistakes. It took me a couple of months to make something that should have taken a few hours!

Quilted Wall Hanging - Joel Dewberry Botanique Fabric

Child's Apron - Joel Dewberry Botanique Fabric

Mother Daughter Aprons - Joel Dewberry Botanique Fabric 

While I have not been able to sew as much as I might like, I have found a new/temporary "hobby" to satisfy my love for fabric.... Woven Wraps for babywearing! I am now completely obsessed with these gorgeous woven wraps used to wear babies. What began for me as a necessity to get things done around the house while taking care of the baby, has become oh so much  more.

Above - Kokadi Elephant Parade Turquoise (100% Cotton)

Above - Oscha Okinami Morgan (50% Hemp/50% Bamboo)

Above - Oscha Okinami Blue Ice (50% Egyptian Combed Cotton/50% Cotton)

I am in love with the patterns, the colors, the weaving, the blends... and wrapping my sweet baby boy close to my heart! He loves it to, as you can see from some of the pictures.

So while some days I wish I had time to sew, quilt, and craft my heart is so full and I am so thankful that I was blessed with this surprise baby boy that I had no idea how much I needed in my life! Time has already flown and before I know it I am sure I will be back to my sewing room, but for now I am treasuring my busy days with him... and his brothers too, of course!

Hug Around The Neck - Jessica

January, February, New Baby, Quilting Hiatus

Wow! January and February are gone and as I look back I am thankful that we survived the whirlwind. I am thankful for friends and family that supported us with encouragement and kindness; by taking care of the older boys, doing laundry and cleaning, cooking and bringing meals, and emotionally supporting me through a very stressful two months.


By January my body was very tired of being pregnant, the nausea was back, I wasn't sleeping, and I just couldn't keep up with normal every day life. Thankfully my mom arrived January 3rd and helped with everything. I am so thankful for her. Dad arrived January 8th, and Nate's parents arrived January 11th. We were all very excited and ready for the eminent arrival of Baby Matias... but he had other plans!

41 Weeks and Counting...

January 12th was a very exciting day Nate preached and he baptized Mikko. It was wonderful to have both sets of grandparents in town to celebrate Mikko's baptism.

Lets just say that the next two weeks were stressful. We really had a great time with the grandparents here, but we were all holding our breaths with every contraction (and there were a lot of them, but they never really progressed), and that was stressful. Finally on Saturday January 25th after two weeks of what seemed like non-stop labor and almost 42 weeks pregnant Matias Eero Pyykkonen made his debut!

Matias Eero Pyykkonen

7lbs13oz

20inches

While labor went wonderfully, delivery did not. The beautiful water birth that I had been planning for 10 months ended in me having to be removed from the tub in an emergency situation, and the baby having to be turned with the vacuumed, unfortunately his head was sideways and he just couldn't descend properly. Thankfully I have an amazing doctor and baby was fine, and I didn't have a c-section. I had quite a few complications due to the delivery and recovery has been rather difficult.

Thankfully my mom was able to stay for 3 weeks after Matias' birth. During that time she waited on me hand and foot and took care of everything - homeschooling Mikko, playing with Kai, laundry, cooking and cleaning, etc. After mom left church friends began bringing us meals, and are still doing so! We are so blessed.

Needless to say, there has been no quilting since Matias was born. I am not sure when I will be able to get back into the sewing room again. Although, 3 weeks after he was born I put Matias in the Moby wrap and made a cute felt crown as birthday gift for a friends little girl.

I did make a couple of quilts while waiting for Matias to arrive. I have two friends due with babies March and April -

And while I know that it will be a while until I actually get back into sewing/quilting routinely I can dream can't I? I am including pics of 3 lines of Fabric that I would love to sew/quilt with...

Mercer by Dear Stella - Love the softness and femininity of this line.


Chic Flora by Art Gallery Fabrics - I can just imagine how silky this fabric feels, I love AGF fabrics.


Botanique by Joel Dewberry - Confession: I actually ordered some of this, not sure when I will have time to sew with it, but I really want a "Spring/Summer" wall hanging for my dining room with a matching table runner.

What is favorite new line of fabric and what are your Spring (assuming it gets here) sewing plans?

High Street Jelly Roll Giveaway

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!!
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER - Shannon Mower

I am really excited to write this post!

I have a Christmas Finish and a Giveaway to share with you today!

I finished my Christmas Wall Hanging using Winter's Lane by Kate and Birdie for Moda, just in the nick of time for Christmas. I shared a couple of weeks ago how I really wanted some of this fabric for my very own, but by the time I was looking to order it the availability was very limited... That's when I stumbled upon Old South Fabrics!

I ordered a couple of Charm Packs and a couple of yards of two different prints. I had no idea what I was going to make with it, but I knew it would be something for my very own to decorate my home.

I decided to paper piece 4 Lone Star Bursts using a tutorial and template from Six White Horses, then I added sashing and a border. I backed it with Kona Snow and simply quilted it by stitching in the ditch around the stars, sashing, and border. I bound it using a gray print from Winter's Lane.

Okay okay I am getting to the part you really want to know about... THE GIVEAWAY!!! 

During the process of finding Winter's Lane, ordering it, and making the wall hanging I had the opportunity to chit chat with Wanda from Old South Fabrics via email. I don't have a LQS, and pretty much order all of my fabric online and ordering from Wanda at Old South Fabrics was like buying fabric from my LQS, what Southern Hospitality! 

Old South Fabrics is sponsoring a fabric giveaway on my blog, this is a first for me, so I am VERY excited! And what a lovely giveaway it is... 

A JELLY ROLL OF HIGH STREET by Lily Ashbury for Moda. 

This quilt is made from a Jelly Roll of High Street

Isn't this just yummy??? 

So, how do you enter the giveaway?

Between 12/23/2013 and 12/30/2013 do one or all of the following to enter the giveaway! Winner will be selected at random on the morning of December 31st. 

1. Like Old South Fabric on Facebook and comment here

2. Go to Old South Fabric.com and sign up to receive special offers via email and comment here

3. Share the giveaway on your favorite form of social media and comment here

4. If you are my follower or become a follower (extra optional entry) comment here how you follow

That is 4 possible entries to win this lovely fabric!

*Remember if you are a no-reply commentor to leave me your email address so that I can get in touch with you!*

Also, take a moment to look at this great Sale that will be going on at Old South Fabrics during the same time as the Giveaway!

SPECIAL SALE!!! 12/23 - 12/30

All Moda fabrics $5.50 per yard and up. Entire inventory on sale. Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes $29.99- excluding Batiks- Selected Moda fabrics up to 50% off.

Navy and Chartreuse Nursery - Final Reveal

I have shown bits and pieces of our Baby Boy's Nursery in progress, but today I would just like to share pics as a cohesive unit.

I used Premier Prints navy and chartreuse fabrics, and navy minky dot fabric ordered from Fabric.com. Honestly, I don't generally mention how much I spend on a project because I don't quilt and sew to save money, I do it because I love it, and I enjoy giving one of a kind gifts that have taken a lot of time and thought to create. But I am also rather proud of myself for how much I was able to do with what fabric ordered.
I spent $103.00, yep $103.00 and I made all of the following with the fabric and have a little bit leftover (thinking about making a pillow)...

Crib Bumpers
Crib Skirt
Crib Quilt
Curtains
3 Fabric Baskets
Covered a Lampshade
Wrapped 4 - 16X20 Canvases for Wall Art
Covered 6 Wooden Letters to spell baby's name

That cost does not include the batting, the filler for the bumpers, the piping insert, the fusible foundation for the baskets, the wooden letters, or canvases, but even still I feel rather proud that I was able to create a completely custom nursery for our baby, for a fraction of the cost of purchasing a typical bedding set.

I decided to leave the walls white, as I was afraid the room my become dark and too busy if we painted.

Below I am including close-ups of a few of the items and the link to the post where I went into some detail about making the item.

Crib Set

Crib Quilt

Fabric Baskets

Fabric Covered Letters

Lamp Shade

Wall Art - Jeremiah 1:5

So now we just need a baby! Baby Matias Eero will arrive sometime mid-January if things go as planned, but who knows he's a baby and they don't always follow our plans!