Happy New Year!

Here's to hoping you had a very Merry Christmas and wishes for a wonderful New Year.

Christmas was very nice for us. The kids had a great time seeing my family on Christmas Eve. Puppy Feet wanted a "Santa Sack" to bring to his cousin's house. What does a Sewing Mama do but whip one up for him in the midst of a stack of last minute Christmas sewing! Of course, Little Lady wanted one too. It was pretty darn cute. My nephew was beside himself with excitement over the holiday-- being a 2 3/4 yr old chatterbox that he is! A very cute year to remember!

(the pillowcases are of cotton velour and Vera Bradley for a gift--super soft!)

Christmas day was fantastic, as well. The kids got up early--for a change!-- and opened their gifts happily. (apologies for blurry pics!-- note the new Christmas Jammies!)

We then went to church, which we had missed the night before. Well, who would have guessed that we were 5 of about 30 people there! It was FANTASTIC and intimate and so pretty. We loved the lack of crowdedness.

Then off to Hubby's family celebration with gifts galore, surprises (esp for the Oldest! Zune HD, no less) delicious food and then a little vacation. We stayed two nights and just got a nice break from all the hectic preparations, the mayhem and stretched out at my inlaws' wonderful place on the Cape.

This is the cake I made for my father in law. (with the double can of frosting which was clearly not enough and, funny, gas stations open on Christmas day don't carry more frosting! Who wouldathunk it?!) His mother was known for her multicolored cakes. This was my best attempt yet. Thanks to this blog! I didn't have gel food coloring but it was a tasty and fun cake and with warm sentiment.

Tonight, we will celebrate New Years Eve with some friends, play games, eat junk food, and laugh. No better way to bring in the New Year.

May the Lord bless your New Year 2010.

Winter Wonderland

We woke to this view out my front door. What a grand way to start the first day of Winter! We bunkered down, dh made his infamous pancakes (hey, he's saying "Bon Jour!" Julia style, we just watched Julie/Julia last night-- nut!)

     Dear Oldest did his usual

And the two younger did what all kids love

Waving! (ya, because I'm the wet blanket on the porch in my slippers LOL)

Lil Lady goes next

And for the crash!

Warm wishes to you and yours during this joyous season!

Looking for a SALE?

Look no further--
Tonya's Temptations is having a sale on some in stock items. Contact me if you'd like priority shopping. Here are some of the lovely things I have available:
Quillows! Ultra cuddle fleece blankets with a pocket for your feet or to fold your blanket into! Now $20!


Have a Buzz Lightyear fan? A super sized hooded towel! Now $22!

Tree frog pajama or lounge set-- comfy and soft!Now $15


All this and much more-- headsocks are now $8 each. Fill the stockings, get that Secret Santa gift, heck-- reward the mail carrier! Once you try one of these, you'll be hooked. I'm serious!

Last Minute Shoppers!

My group on Etsy is having a promotion right now for all you last minute shoppers! If you need your item shipped priority, they can get it done for you! Click here to see a sample of what's available!



I have all kinds of wonderful stocking stuffers-- $5 ribbon d ring belts, wooden ring teethers and more. But my latest creation is with this adorable fabric by Alexander Henry called "angel cakes"

I won!

Yay! What fun-- I won a cookbook with my comment on MixingBowlKids' blog-- of course, the comment was in regards to feeding hungry boys! A subject that I am well-versed in!

See the full post here and see what I commented on here.

Check her out. Oh my, the recipes are exciting! They are straightforward and delicious!

First Communion

Today my middle guy made his First Communion. Now that we are Lutheran, we are growing into the traditions and to be 10 and have your first communion in the fall is customary! Okeedokee!

My son asked if I had any of this fabric left and said "Hey, that'd make a good shirt for church!"


Isn't he the sweetest?

Notice the silver crosses? It looked very nice.

And, even though the pictures stink and we are squinting, I'm adding the other outfits I made for the day--



It was a wonderful service at church and we all really enjoyed it. I'm more beat that you could imagine.. I made a feast fit for a king twice this long weekend! LOL

Oh ya.. and below is a rare shot of the DH and I together--- Good night!

Black Friday Shopping

I'd never indulged in the "Black Friday" mayhem until my husband shared with me the thrill. Now? He stays with the kids while I take off :-D

Do you like to stay home? In your jammies and slippers with your big steamy cup o'joe? I've got the deal for you. Go shopping with the SewingMamas Team on Etsy and you can grab up all the specials we are offering!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It doesn't have the mayhem of the other holidays-- the loss of the meaning behind the holiday or the crazy influx of candy. Thanksgiving is just what is sounds like -- a time to get together with family to come together for a meal and give thanks for everything we have.

I've been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for as long as I can remember. Not even sure if I started making it before or after I had my first child. But through all those years, I've got it down to a science. My biggest mission was to have as many things made from scratch, try to reduce the fat (and the lethargy that comes after eating like that) and have dinner on the table HOT. That last one took some time!

I've made up many of my own traditions. Don't get me wrong, we had a BLAST as kids getting together with my Dad's family every year, tons of cousins everywhere, long table after table, "everyone have a chair?!"-- it was a great time. Sadly, there aren't tons of cousins for my kids but there are our own traditions. I started making cranberry sauce from scratch. Oh boy, that met with staunch criticism for *many* years but it's looked forward to now. I also like to enjoy the fall vegetables- wonderfully roasted butternut squash and sweet potatoes (because I can't pick which I like better), a newer, healthier broccoli casserole, and, new this year, homemade butter!

I used to be a preschool teacher. I loved having the kids get a baby food jar and shake and shake the heavy cream-- with a lot of help from the teachers!- and bring home their own little butter ball. I'd done this with my oldest once or twice, he didn't remember. Well, I was going to make sure SOMEONE remembered doing it and the two younger were on board!

The picture above is of Sturbridge House Pumpkin Muffins (made from pumpkin cooked from Halloween) and our own fresh homemade butter, still in the buttermilk.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone. Enjoy your own traditions and have Thanksgiving whatever way makes you happy. It isn't about emulating someone else, it's about being yourself.

Thank you, Lord, for all the many blessings you bestow upon us. Your love and guidance is a welcome gift.
Amen.

Vintage Pattern Find!

It's amazing what you'll come across out of no where.

Long story short, I have a wonderful batch of vintage patterns from the late 1960s. Most not even opened! What I don't have is the shape to be able to wear most of these styles. Your lucky day! I'm offering them up and you can find them here. Drop me a note if you need more info.

A Nice Morning

I've been getting up early for, oh I don't know, a few months or so. It's the only time my house is quiet. I'm a homeschooler so it's not quiet during the day ;-) and, at night, I'm in a house full of night owls-- playing with legos, cds with music and stories going, and "one more hug!" goes on until well past 9:30, and that's on a good night.


So this morning, I woke at 7, came down scuffling in my jammies and slippers with a cozy robe and had my coffee. Eventually, I had to wake children so that we could get to our Homeschooling Group that we attend on Thursdays.

"Good morning!" I call up the stairs. Nothing. "Hello?" Still nothing. "Time to get up!" And, then, finally, I hear a "Hi Mom" creakily respond. Yep, reliably, it's my middle child-- my saving grace most days. I made him a deal. I'd make one of his favorites, Homemade Belgium Waffles with chocolate chips, and he'd get up and shower. Sigh :-) If it were only that easy to get the other two awake.

I've had this recipe for quite some time and have had the waffle maker even longer than that. Give it a whirl. You won't regret it (can't you see the steam coming up from the waffle iron? Oh yes, it's a treat, I'll tell you.

Homemade Waffles

Ingredients:
one egg
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup skim milk
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp olive oil

Whisk egg in bowl until a little foamy.

Mix dry ingredients together in another bowl. Add milk and fold together gently (just stir it gently). Fold in egg and oil.


I've made this in MANY variations. Only the white of the egg, different flours, just skim milk, it all works.

For a treat, I like to heat maple syrup and frozen berries and use that to sweeten it. Yum!!

Oh, and don't forget, for your favorite middle child, add chocolate chips

My Singer Treadle Sewing Machine

I have a close friend that has many things in common with me. She lives in my town, she homeschools her children and, well, she sews! This common interest started out innocent enough but has totally taken on a life of its own.

That brings me to my Singer Treadle Sewing Machine. Circa 1924. A beauty to behold.

Long story short, she owns many sewing machines. I sent her a link to a beautiful treadle machine that she ended up buying and taking home. She, in turn, saw a machine on the side of the road (no less) and that's how I ended up with my pretty lady.

I didn't take a 'before' pic but today is my 'after' pics. It was a beautiful day today. I took a short walk with the dog and kids. I should have stayed outside longer. Instead, I stayed inside while others cheered for the Patriots and I researched and cleaned up the machine and its table.

The above pic is the after. The below pic in the midst of painstakingly taking each piece, spraying it down, scrubbing it, removing clumps of lint, and just getting down and dirty with this piece of history. How I wish it could tell me the tales of where it's been, what it's made and how it was loved.

Wolf Suit for Max!

maI love that book and I'm thrilled about the movie. Can't wait to see it actually.



And in my shop, I've put an interpretion of the Wolf Suit that Max wears. I have no little ones to model it but it's going to look so cute on some lucky kiddo!

Click here to see!

Proud Mama Moment..

Last week was a Graduation at my son's Karate School. He's taking Tung Su Do (probably spelled that wrong) Here he is at the graduation, partnering with a Black Belt to show what he's got. You can see in second 13(the green belted one), my son and his practice partner laughing because my son won't 'tap out' LOL

From second 47 on over a half a minute, my son won't tap out or flinch at the nerve pressure his partner is trying to take him down with. The Sensei comes over and tells him to pull my guy over his shoulder and finally, my son goes down LOL

For the record, I'm told he's supposed to give in and not let the Black Belt look like he doesn't know what he's doing. Everyone is laughing so it's all in good fun.

He's now second level Brown Belt (4 Gup) and has six more months at this level. He's been taking classes for two years now. He's grown physically (he's now 6ft 2!) and emotionally throughout this time and I'm very proud of him. I don't know, frankly, what we all would have done as a family if he didn't have this great program.

As always--a thing to be thankful for.

I love the Fall

I love fall. It's the best season of the year. There's no place like New England in the fall. Crisp air and apples--ripe for the picking.

We got together with a bunch of homeschool families and went apple picking. Below are some of the kids after the apple picking and before the cider donuts--- YUM!

Of course, my girl and her Godsister in matching shirts "Chillin' with my Gnomies"-made by me!

Today was spent outside, sweatshirts on, climbing through Purgatory Chasm. It's a local wonder-- a rock formation probably from the moving of glaciers 14,000 years ago.

It was so nice that my oldest came, climbed, laughed with friends.

My middle guy really enjoyed it too. His favorite part was all the little caves!

My girlie. Telling us where to go. She didn't want to leave!Even the husband came for this one!

Ok, one pic of me.We went to Purgatory Chasm one time. LONG ago when my oldest was the only child we had! We will definately be going back soon.

Recent Fundraiser Fair

I was fortunate enough to participate in a fundraiser to support Colorectal Cancer through the Amercian Cancer Society.There was music, good food and great company!

Here are some of the goodies I brought: Baby gown goodness

Embellished bamboo velour backed bibs "Snugglers" to swaddle baby!

Great messenger style bags

Generously sized hooded towels

More baby gown goodness with knot hats made from bamboo velour--super yummy!