String Pillow aka String Theory Pillow

I pretty sure that this is ok to post. I don't think that my Grandma Marilyn knows about this blog. If she does, I just ruined the surprise for Christmas.

I found the tutorial to make the blocks here at film in the fridge.  I love her blog, I think this site made me really want to start quilting. It's called a string quilt, but I keep calling it the String Theory Block. I've been hanging around Physicists too much.

Piecing the blocks with phone book pages. I knew I didn't recycle those for a reason.

I used the tutorial from Sew, Mama, Sew! to put the rest of the pillow together.

I honestly thought I was making a zipper closure and then part way through the tutorial I realized it was for envelope style closure. Must always remind myself to read through all the instructions before I cut my fabric. Either way it can come off to clean if need be.

I think this is my favourite completed project so far.

I hope she likes it!

Quick Change Trousers

 I made these adorable little pants for my friends baby girls. I used Anna Maria Horner's pattern from Handmade Beginnings,  I love this pattern

I made all of Jacks pant's and shorts from this pattern. It comes together so quickly and they are reversible. They are just so tiny and cute I love them.

I used some Voile from Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks collection and some solid olive and purple cotton for the pants.

I can't wait to put them in the mail, I hope they fit properly

pull apart apple cinnamon bread with glaze

I really thought this bread was going to be amazing. Maybe I didn't knead the dough properly or misread the instructions but it just wasn't that amazing.The boy's loved it but the will eat anything really.

Still on the hunt for a tasty apple bread like Sarcee bakeries recipe.

I do love my Kitchen-aid, so much so when I opened it on Christmas morning I started crying. I'm such a dork!

Jack liked the bread. 

Baking with Jackson

It has been so cold here lately and I am always trying to find things to do with Jack. So the other day when Jack grabbed some Christmas rice krispies and threw them into the cart I had the great idea of letting him help make rice krispie squares!

Please note the 2 cups of rice krispies on the floor.

Genius right? Not so much, I forgot the biggest part was melting butter and marshmallows and how hot and sticky and painful that would be to get on your hand, mine not his :P

He did however enjoy licking the spoon and the bowl and anything else he could get his hands on. He did have fun helping measure the cereal and marshmallows.

I heart Etsy & Fabric Chains

I love etsy so much! I bought these adorable little pins last week from button empire

They arrived today in pleasing adorable little package. I thought they were very fitting
I am going to pin one into Andrews work bag, when he's in Russia he will be surprised with my nerdiness. Boy's (Andrew) are silly and don't really like these sort of things, but I don't care. I am lucky that Andrew usually humours my ideas and just goes with it.

I have so many awesome completed sewing projects that I want to show, since all 4 of you readers are my family and friends I will have to show you after Christmas.

Actually I can put the gift I made for Little K on here. I seriously doubt that Little K will just be browsing around blogger searching for her handmade Christmas gifts.

I am trying to make gifts that are useful. So for the most part I have been asking for ideas and my Aunt requested a countdown chain for little K. So I made this reusable fabric chain with velcro so she can take them down by herself. I just used scraps of some of my favourite and special fabric.

I made a little pouch to keep all the links in. 

I found a tutorial at film in the fridge. & modabakeshop. I used both tutorials to make them. It was a bit repetitive to make, but I think it turned out well. I hope she likes it.

True confessions of a total nerd

Last night I made a last minute decision to go to the 10pm showing of Breaking Dawn.
I even went an hour early just in case there was a line. So I made my husband drive back to school to print off my pre bought ticket because my printer has been out of ink for  couple of years now.  I made my way in the snow to the movie theatre. There was no line, the theatre wasn't even 1/4 filled. I realized that the average crowd of 14 & 15 year old girls aren't allowed to go to the movie that late on a school night.

So it was just me and a woman and her husband complaining about $6.00 pop while she ignored him and worked on her sodoku puzzle. She also came prepared with a bright blue snuggie. Behind me a couple were bickering about the fact that she had tricked him and dragged him to see this stupid movie. I am glad I went by myself.

It was exactly what I wanted in this ridiculous series cheesy acting, bad CGI babies and irritating fellow movie goers.

Grateful that I have a husband who encourages spontaneous breaks for myself.

one year ago today

I was looking at photos of Jack from last year and I found this one. I can't believe how big he is getting. Please stop growing so fast!

This is what we came home to.

This morning we woke up to this

 The kids are all happy, I am trying to stay upbeat and positive about cold weather and slushy mess.

Jack was so happy to be out in the snow. Now if I can find some way to convince him to wear gloves.

Just strolling around, no big deal

The one thing I love about the snow is the light. It makes taking pictures inside so much easier.

This is my craft area, It stresses me out just looking at it. I have like 15 projects on the go right now. I started so many and kind of got overwhelmed and can't decide what to finish first. 

Home for a rest

We went back to the Island for a little visit. I was getting a bit homesick and this trip was perfect. It also gave Andrew the chance to let his inner workaholic out.

I think the visit was also good for Jack. Every time we come home from a visit with all the little cousins I notice a huge difference in him. He is usually picked up some new words among other things.

eating some grapes with his cousin Kathryn

Jack loved visiting with all the Family. I think that is what I miss most about living in Victoria. He loves hanging with all his grandparents so much. I love having regular adult interaction.

playing in the yard with Grandma & Grandpa

He looks like such a big boy

at the mall with Grandpa

Jack loved halloween for the most part. A few decorations scared him a little bit, other than that he loved that people were just giving him candy. He kept pulling us to the next store for more candy. 

Checking out his loot

At the neighbours with Grandpa John

uncle Alex's pumpkin

I could have done without the very turbulent scary flight home but, all in all a fun trip back home. Plus it's always nice to get home to Andrew

Pull-Apart Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread

I found this recipe via Pinterest. We have a favourite bakery in Calgary, that sells the most amazing apple cinnamon bread. 

I went to buy some back in Early September and it was closed. I just kind of stood peering in hoping that maybe someone would pop out and sell me a loaf of bread. 

 Ever since then I have been on the lookout for a recipe. This is similar but with Pumpkin. It was fairly easy but with all yeast recipes slightly time consuming. I always feel trapped in the house when making any sort of bread things.  

I think next time I wont put as much nutmeg but all in all it was pretty tasty. Andrew really loved this and kept sneaking a few bits at a time. I don't know why he feels the need to sneak it. We are the only people eating it, I made it for him.

You cant see the nice orange colour of the dough because the lighting in my kitchen is brutal

some dance music for Jack and I, while we wait for the dough to rise

fresh out of the oven

with the glaze. The glaze called for rum but i didn't have any and I am not a huge fan of baking with liquor . I just used a bit of vanilla instead.

really need to stop taking photo's in my kitchen

Weekend sewing

Weekend Sewing

I made these bags for one of my sisters birthday, earlier this year. I love the book weekend sewing by Heather Ross. 

Everything Bag 

Toiletry Bag

Such easy and pleasing patterns. 

Foreword facing Shelves

Andrew built these amazing foreword facing shelves for Jack's bedroom. I love that he can see all of his options and pick some books for bedtime. 

I found the tutorial on Pinterest. 

I love how Andrew snuck a Physics textbook into the picture. 

Homemade Bread

I am behind in all my baking and sewing posts, but I wanted to post this bread recipe. It worked out alright, I think I could have let the yeast sit a little longer. I found it in my Better Homes in Garden Cookbook. It was the first cook book I bought for myself and is probably one of my most used books. It has a lot of basic recipes. Great when you are just beginning to cook. 

I love homemade bread with butter straight out of the oven.

Do you have any bread recipes that you swear by? I am always looking for a good one.

If I just had...

Do you remember when you were little and had just taken up a new hobby,  how you wanted the best of the best of everything. For me it was Basketball shoes. I truly believed that if I just had the right pair of  Air Jordan's I would be the best player on the team! Of course I didn't get the exact right pair and was never the best player on the team, but I loved Basketball and I didn't need the silly shoes.

The point of this silly little story...

If I Just had this Kelly Moore  - Libby Camera Bag in Caramel

 I would be the best photographer/super mom and I may just bring about world peace. 

French Breakfast Muffins

I made these amazing little muffins the other day. They are simple and delicious. I think its best to serve them warm. I like how the recipe makes 8 muffins. A dozen is usually too many for us here . These would be good to serve at a brunch fresh from the oven I thought they made the perfect dessert with some tea.

Lemon Blueberry Scones

These Blueberry Scones are my favourite. They come together so quickly and are fairly easy to make. I got a giant container of Blueberries for free at the Superstore and didn't want any to go to waste. I made these and threw them in a paper bag and brought fresh warm scones to Andrew's office for him and his co-workers.  Who doesn't appreciate warm baked goods.

I really need to stop taking pictures in my kitchen. There is absolutely no natural light. 

Road Trips, Weddings and Sprinklers

We made our annual summer trip back to the Island In July. I was worried how Jack would handle the long drive. He was AMAZING!

We packed a bag of dollar store toys and whenever he started to get a bit restless we would pass a new toy back. The best $15 I ever spent. 

We went home for my sister in laws wedding. We helped make all sorts of tasty goodies

They had the most amazing wedding. The perfect wedding, weather and celebration. They also had the most amazing photographers http://www.darshanphotography.com/ I wish I could go back in time and have them for our wedding. If you are looking for amazing wedding pictures I seriously suggest them.

These are two pictures from http://www.darshanphotography.com/

 
Sage and I playing with the kids in the Backyard. She is so amazing she helped me make all the cupcakes for the wedding. She is growing up so fast, I miss being around my sisters. I can't wait until we  move back to the Island.


We made these cupcakes for the wedding.
chocolate cupcake recipe
 Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

I wish that I had taken pictures. I had just been so busy, it totally slipped my mind. Maybe I can find some from another guest at the wedding.

My Adorable Momma! She is so cute, I love her so much.

Jack had his first experience with the sprinkler. He was in love it.

I made this outfit for Jack. I made the bow tie using this Tutorial. It was super easy and came together nicely. I used this Vest Tutorial and I used the pattern from Handmade Beginnings for the pants. I make all of his pants and shorts with this pattern. I bought a pair of grey dress pants form the thrift store for the pants and the bow tie and vest were made from a pair of my dad's old dress pants. I bought the shirt at H&M and he wore his Black Chuck Taylors. He looked so adorable. He slept through most of the ceremony, which is actually probably a blessing in disguise. He stayed with my Dad and Asma for the reception so Andrew and I were able to fully enjoy the reception. 

All in all our trip was amazing. It was a bit hectic and busy but enjoyable. How I long to live near our family.