My Favorite Post to Date

I put together this compilation of my favorite moments from the past 5 years, because I'm that person. I love love love this post. There are some unhappy, very unhappy days in there, a lot of chaotic days lately, and just some downright frustrating parts of my life, of every one's life, but for me, it's important to remember how blessed I am, how great my life is, how amazing my husband is, how much joy my girls have brought to my life, how I am surrounded by family and friends who love me, and how nice it is to be 'happylaney.'

Almost a Year to Date

So, it's been almost a year to date since I last talked about this rug. I am happy to say that I finished it yesterday. I will have to admit that I like shorter craft projects, this one seemed to take forever, and I grew sick of it, and just couldn't look at it for a while; a long while. This rug was worked on by Melissa (thanks!), Becky (many thanks!) went to the B&B with me a couple times, and even went on the trip to Wisconsin last year.

When Aunt Linda was here she wanted to see Cecilia's room, and I was a little embarrassed. We still had the air conditioner on the floor, and not much else going on. So, I'm motivated to spruce the room up a little, and make it hers, even if all she does is sleep in there. The bottom picture is where we stand now. We need some curtains (what do you think; white, pink, green?), I framed some pictures, I have one thing on the wall, and a crib shadowbox thing that I could put stuff in...any ideas? My mom was such a great home decorator, and I don't have much of a clue...

Rug Update

Becky and I have been working on our rugs and I will have to say that I think mine will look good, it just takes forever.

It's not like I have anything else going on right now...

With any luck I'll have it finished before the baby comes...

Crafty

One of my many projects I'm in the middle of right now is this rug project for the baby's room. Becky has convinced me that if I buy this fleece, and cut it up in little strips, that it will turn into a rug, similar to the last picture. She is doing one too, and she has a small head start on me.

Looks like I have a lot of cutting and pulling to do.

She has always liked my sewing projects.

Two Winter "Projects" Finished

So, I have lots to tell you, and lots of pictures to show, but lately not enough time in front of the computer. Since I have last blogged, a week ago today, a lot, I'm talking, a lot, has happened in my little neck of the woods. I have been to California and Indiana and back again and in between, but that's not what I am blogging about today. That will all have to wait until tomorrow. Today I introduce the newest member of my extended family, Norah.

She is Joe and Amanda's fourth child, and she fits right in to the beauty of their family. She also fits right in to my arms. ;) She let me hold her a long time on Friday, and didn't make a peep.

So, while Amanda has been working on Norah all winter, I've been working on a present for Norah all winter. I made my first quilt. It's a baby quilt, so it's small, and I didn't officially quilt it in the sense of sewing millions of little stitches to hold it together, but I did piece the top part together and the batting, and the back fabric. I chose all flannel because I know Amanda likes soft things. I placed all the little triangles together on the dining room table and took pictures to see how I wanted to pattern to look. This is the pattern I chose.

I liked it because the colorful fabric that I liked the best looked like pieces of candy with the green fabric looking like the ends that you unwrap.

It was hard to keep this project a secret from my blog, because I really wanted to share my progress. I spent many winter weekend days at the dining room table, trying to remember my mom's advice of "so shall you sew, so shall you rip."

John says I shouldn't tell you that all the corners don't match up perfectly, but it's my first one and I did the best I could. The flannel is thick, so it was hard to sew some of the pieces where a lot of fabric came together at one spot.

almost finished

finished



This is one of my better corners. I tied the three pieces (the top, batting and bottom) together with embroidery thread.


This is Norah on the quilt. The quilt looked small before Norah was on it. Now it looks like she will grow into it just fine. I guess I shouldn't say, "two winter projects finished" because even though my part is done, Amanda and Joe's job has just begun.

I never get tired of seeing a cat in the cat bed that I made.