The Handmade Dress

I thought this was the big 100th post, but I had a few drafts saved that I didn't know about so it's really 98 or 99. That gives me a little more time to get my act together! We have been fighting this nasty bug that has been going around. Yuck! I'm taking my boy to the dentist today for what looks like it could be an abscess. My poor baby boy. I have been sewing, but I don't have anything finished yet. You will be the first to see! I promise! I wanted to leave you with something that would (hopefully) inspire you to start your spring sewing, so I have dug up some pictures from the last few years. To see more pictures you can click on "gallery" at the top of the page. This was Molly's dress coat from when she was four. Maddie will be wearing it before I know it! UPDATE: Timothy's tooth is not abscessed (thank you Jesus!), but he is still feeling pretty icky. The flu is everywhere! I'm praying that we don't have it. I went to the doctor,...

Hey mamas. I have a very sweet friend Kayla , who has just had her first baby- identical twin boys! She is such a trooper, breastfeeding from the very beginning with no encouragement, even from the doctor! Well the boys are now around six weeks old and she has hit a rocky spot. She has also just started a blog about her breastfeeding adventure in hopes of finding some much needed encouragement and support. Please, I am begging you, overwhelm her with support! It's up to us to help, teach, and encourage the younger women. I am so proud of her amazing efforts, let's help this mama push through! Kayla, I love you! Just click on her name to get to her blog. I have included a picture of me nursing Tim and holding Molly. Can you tell I was worn out? LOL! My next post will be my 100th post! I am planning something big, so stay tuned!

Thanks everyone for your sweet comments yesterday. I think I just needed a break. When Ben got home I went to Walmart and walked around eating Dove chocolate and drinking a diet Sunkist, it really worked wonders! Doesn't take much to make a hillbilly happy! Today has been a wonderful day! - xoxox, Samantha My aunt had her baby, isn't this beautiful! Everyone look at the tutorial list or scroll down a few posts, I finally got the single crochet tutorial posted.

I'm a little blue today. I'm feeling overwhelmed with just my everyday chores. Things are really going great, there is no reason to feel this way. But I can't help it. I know I will feel better tomorrow, but I just had to say it. Do you ever feel this way? Sorry for such a depressing post.

Two pigs on a couch. Rae (my sister) and her babies Lily and Iris have been staying with us for the weekend. The kids and I were doing the footie pajama slide yesterday morning and Rae said that I needed to video this for the blog. I guess I just don't think about all these silly things we do, they seem so everyday that I think people won't find them interesting; well after watching this video I have decided that it is pretty funny. So here is the footie pajama slide, filmed just this morning! (This is a video. To watch click the play symbol)

I have been trying to upload your 2nd crochet tutorial everyday for the last four days! I finally realized last night that the video file was a little too big; so I will have to redo the whole stinkin thing! Well....your worth it. I couldn't leave you with no pictures, and my sweet friend Sheila has asked for a funny kid story, so here ya go. The other day I peeked outside to check on the kids and this is what I saw. They were canoeing. In the yard. I wasn't allowed in the boat.....cause it might sink. They later rode the canoe down the hill in our front yard. Crazy kids! Later that day Tim told me, while patting my belly, "mama yoow fat, yoow eat too much". Well he's honest I'll give him that! LOL! Well if I'm fat it's from giving birth to these three little angels, so I think it's well worth it. Just look what I get to see when I wake up in the morning. She sleeps in her own bed at night, but after daddy leaves in the mornings, she sne...

(This is a video, to watch click on the play symbol) If you haven't watched the first video please do. This video is on how to do a single crochet (in patterns it will be abbreviated to sc). First you will make a beginning chain, just like in the first video, as long as you want (I recommend at least 15 chain). Then you insert the hook in the second ch from the hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over and go through both loops on the hook- this is a single crochet. Do this to the end of each row - end, meaning very last stitch - then ch 1 and turn to begin the next row. WOW! I never realized how hard it is to crochet that slow, with a tripod and camera between your legs and arms! Did I mention that I couldn't see what I was doing because the camera was in the way? I had to look through the screen on the camera. It was a bit challenging, so I am sorry if it's a little rocky at times! Oh, and you may want to turn your volume down because my phone started ringing ...

The other night while I was hard at work on my website, I told Molly to go put some footie pajamas on Maddie. She came back and said that she couldn't find any. I was so in my own little world, that I just told her to go back and look again. She didn't come back for about fifteen minutes, but I didn't notice because I was so 'locked in' to the computer (bad mama!). When she finally came back she said, "Mom, I couldn't find those footie pajamas that you were talkin about; so I just made her some." Well THIS got mamas attention! I turned and looked at this....... Molly had found a sweat suit, put the top on Maddie, got the pants, and sewn a sock onto the leg. Footie pajamas. Just like I said. She couldn't find what I was talking about, but she had to obey, so she just worked it out. I laughed so hard! I told Molly that she was absolutely the coolest kid on earth. Can you believe how inventive? I was just so proud! She did a pretty good job too,...

I suggest you use a size G hook and a sport weight yarn, the reason for this is: If you learn on a medium sized yarn and hook, it will be easier to move up or down a size if you need to. When people learn on the bigger yarns and hooks, they find it hard to hold and handle the small crochet thread. (This is a video, to watch click on the play symbol.) First you will need to tie a slip knot and fit it to your hook. This is the best way for a beginner to hold the yarn and hook. The yarn is threaded through my fingers over the pointer and pinkie, and under the middle and ring finger. I hold the hook underhanded the way you would hold a knife. Then you will start your first chain by bringing the thread over the back of the hook, and up toward you. This is called yarning over. When you have yarned over, pull the hook through the first loop (as shown in video). In most patterns "chain" is abbreviated to "ch". This may take some practice so don't get frustrated...

It's still under construction so excuse the mess, but I love it! I have a couple of very smart guys helping out, so it probably won't be long before people can make purchases. I hope you will all check it out and tell me what you think! Tell me this: Is it simple to use? Does anything need to be added? I have not even begun to work on the wording for my pattern or book listings, but if you have any suggestions please tell me! I need your feedback. Thanks mamas. You can get there by clicking on "Home" at the top of the blog, or by clicking HERE . I know it is still a little confusing that you can't make purchases there, but if you see something you like you can visit my current shop HERE . All the listings are the same.

I woke to Ben's alarm clock going off this morning. I rolled over to his side of the bed and cut it off. I was surprised that he wasn't in the bed. I got up and looked through the house for him, but he wasn't there. I called his phone, but it rang in his office. I went to the window to look for his truck, and it was gone. The only thing that came to my mind was that he might be on a call with our neighborhood volunteer fire dept. He works full time at a neighboring city's fire department, but when he's home he runs calls with the volunteer dept. I looked for his dispatch pager and it was gone so then I was pretty sure that's where he was. I laid back down and prayed that God would keep him safe wherever he was. Then I heard the lifesaver helicopter fly over the house. I hate to know when he is out on call, it drives me mad! About an hour later I heard his truck pull up. Ahhhhhh..........relief! While everyone was sleeping cozy in their beds, My husband was wadin...