31 weeks!

Yes I know I look amazing!! ;) Just kidding, of course! 9 weeks left, I can't believe how fast things seem to be going now.
My girls wanted to be in the picture too. Don't you just love their cheesy grins almost?!

Homeschooling

Every year I have to evaluate how the past year went. What worked? What didn't work? Why didn't it work? Then, I have to figure out what I want to do for the next year. We just finished up our school year and will be starting our next year at the beginning of June. This will help me in case I have a colicky baby or I just want a break in August after the baby comes. :) So, I have selected our curriculum and ordered it yesterday and am actually excited to start. Here's the lineup:

My Father's World for all the kiddos (getting the kindergarten and 1st grade specific curriculums and I already own the Geography, which is year 1 in a 5 year rotation)
Math U See
Writing Strands 3 & 4
Happy Phonics
Hooked on Phonics
Letter of the week (confessions of a homeschooler's version)
Apologia Science
Total language Plus I let my 2 older kids pick out the books they would like to read and they will use the study packets from TLP which take about 8 weeks. I loooove this program. It is a total language program spelling, grammar, vocab., even some handwriting, writing...I probably missed something, but it really covers it all nice and neat!
We use Aleks online for math reinforcement for my oldest 2
Handwriting without tears
It tends to cost a bit when I am having to order everything at the same time, but fortunately I have a lot of these things already and am able to hand them down to younger children.

Any ideas for tutorials

So, anyone out there have ideas on what kind of tutorials I should post? I have a lot of ideas rolling around in my head, but would like to know what people are interested in.

29 weeks

29 weeks, well almost 28 weeks and 6 days!

See my new bracelet!!??!! I love it! I will show close up pics later; this is definitely my new crafting thing for right now.

Ruffled Curtain Tutorial

Ruffled Curtain Tutorial

Supplies:

**Fabric in your choice of color (I purchased 4yds. I have long windows though) The amount you purchase is going to be based on your measurements for your particular window. I used the width of the fabric 45" for my window and then a little over 2 yds for the length. So basically you will just add 6" to the width of your window and then just measure where the curtain will stop down to where you want it to stop and add 4" to that measurement. (clear as mud!)

You are also going to want to cut (I cut 22 and had some extra) strips of 2 1/2" fabric by the width of the fabric (45").

You are going to take your fabric and fold it in half length wise.

Then fold it in half again.

And again. Now you are going to iron the heck out of it so that you have creases where it is folded.

This is what it should look like after you have ironed it.

I serged the edge of my strips of fabric and then attached them all together to make one long strip. Once you have done that you are going to want to put your sewing machine on its longest stitch and put your tension setting on the highest it will go. Then sew down the middle of the strip until it is all ruffled. (it should ruffle itself by doing those 2 things to your machine)

Here is what it looks like as it starts to ruffle itself.

Here is my big pile of ruffles. Oh, and Gracie!

The lines I had you iron into your curtain are for ruffle placement. I placed my ruffles on there to see if I had enough to do every line I had ironed onto the curtain. Obviously, I didn't cut it to try this out I just swagged it back and forth. I didn't have enough so I decided to do a pattern of 3 lines then skip 1. Start pinning your ruffles down, when you get to the end of a line cut the ruffle and start on the next line. This part took a little while.

This is what mine looked like all pinned up.

Now you want to sew them down. I sewed down the middle right next to the ruffling stitch. After I sewed down the middle I did pull out the ruffling stitch which was no biggie because it is such a large stitch.

You want to iron the top and bottom of the curtain down by 1/2" each. Do not turn them down again because we are going to do the sides first.

Iron down the sides of the curtain 1/2". Do this on both sides of the curtain.

Then, repeat the last step and iron down the edge again by 5/8"-3/4". You should have a nice edge now. Do this on both sides of the curtain.

Sew about a 5/8" from the edge on both sides of the curtain. Make sure you keep your ruffles flat as you sew them.

Next you will iron the bottom up 5/8".

Sew about 5/8" from the bottom of the curtain.

Measure down about 2" maybe a smidge more. This will be the "sleeve" for the curtain rod.

I sewed about a 2" seam here so that the curtain rod would fit through the opening.

Here is the before picture of my bathroom w/out any curtains, but it did have broken blinds and a roman shade (which is a total piece).

Here is my beautiful curtain. I love it, I wish you could see it in person it is much lovelier in person than in a pic. That is partly because it is such a small area for me to try and get a good pic. Oh well, you get the idea.

Ironing Board Cover Tutorial

Ironing Board Cover Tutorial

Supplies:

Fabric the length and width of your ironing board x 2 (I used 2 layers of fabric)

Quilters batting

String

Safety pin

Place your ironing board on top of the fabric (I used 2 layers of fabric so that I could place my batting in between) you will be using. I am using fabric that used to hang in the entrance of my school room until Grace decided to cut eye holes in it. So, it has sat in my basement waiting for me to fix it or something. I guess I decided on the or something...because it is becoming my awesome ironing board cover! You want to trim it about 2" from the edges of the ironing board.
This is what it looks like all trimmed up. You will also want to have your fabric strips that are 2 1/2" by 140".

I used quilting batting to give it a little extra padding. You will want to cut that the same as the fabric.

Once you have cut the batting place it in between the 2 layers of fabric.

Sew around the edges of the fabric just to baste everything together.

I also decided to quilt my fabric because I was worried about the batting shifting around when I had to wash because let's face it I will have to wash it they always end up looking nasty!This is what it looks like all quilted.

Iron the end under for the opening of what will become your tube for the string. You won't iron the other end under because it is probably going to be to long and you can trim it after you get it all pinned to the size it will need to be.

Iron the 2 1/2" x 140" fabric in half lengthwise. This will become your tube to feed the string through to make the cover fit your ironing board.

Pin the "tube" all the way around the cover.

This is where I trimmed the fabric to fit it was about 10" to long so just cut it then fold the end under as you will see in the next picture and you will end up having two openings.

Use a 1/2" seam all the way around. You are going to want to "feed" string or ribbon in the opening of the tube.

Tie a knot in the string and slide the safety pin through the knot.

Feed the string that is attached to the safety pin through the tube that you sewed onto the cover.

String all fed through! It took a little while for me to get it all the way around that sucker.

Place the cover upside down and put the ironing board on top of it. You will now want to pull the string tight, very tight. I had to pull my up around the edge of the ironing board and then just pulled the string until I couldn't.

Tie it in a bow and the hard part is done now.

TaDa....the finished product!! I love it! Looks so much better than the nasty stained blue and white striped ironing board cover I had before and even better I didn't even have to buy anything to make it. I was able to use stuff I already had on hand.

The deal with Tuesday Tutorials...

So, I have decided I am driving myself crazy trying to get a tutorial put up on Tuesday because of my responsibilities at church. I serve in the YW and have activity night on Tuesday. So, I have decided I will now do Thursday tutorials instead. I know the name isn't quite as catchy but, it will make life easier on me! :) I plan on posting one this Thursday just haven't decided what I would like to do yet...so stay tuned and you will find out.

Hot, Hot, Hot!!!

You know it's going to be a long day when you are talking to the ac people on the phone and you are trying not to cry. Sometimes, being hormonal just stinks!! I hate not being able to control my emotions as well as when I am not preggo. Our ac is not working it is 82 out and it's supposed to be 87 degrees today. I don't mind being pregnant in the summer but, that is because we have ac!! I am soo frustrated because our ac unit is only 4 years old and we had to have it worked on last year the mother board was fried. I thought when you bought new stuff it was supposed to at least work for awhile. I don't consider 3-4 years long enough to have to start dealing w/ problems already. We did hit happy hour at sonic today and that helped a little. I just think we will camp out in the basement tonight there is no way I will be able to fall asleep w/ my house this hot and sticky!
Alright, I am done ranting for now! :{

27.5 weeks

So here are the "best" pics we got today. Russell was being a goof and just started clicking away. When I checked to see if there was an acceptable one there wasn't so I told him to please take a decent one. Unfortunately he wasted the battery on goofing off and this is what I was left with to choose from. Oh well.....
I know cheesy smile but, in my defense I was smiling and talking at the same time trying to get him to stop goofing off!

Also, I am finally in my 3rd Trimester!!!! WOOHOO!!!

Just complaining...

OK so I know the mind is a powerful thing but, 8man my body just will not cooperate. I seriously want to get my house completely organized and beautified before this baby comes which is 3 months away (I have a lot to do) and I get into cleaning and I am totally wiped out after like an hour or two. I am such a baby right now!!! 3 more months. I am grateful to be pregnant and love this little guy; I am just not used to being so limited. This pregnancy by far has been much harder...I am ALWAYS tired. I didn't really experience that with my others and my goodness my back always hurts to. My husband must be biting his tongue or something to not be laughing me because I sound ridiculous I would laugh at myself if it didn't hurt so much; at the end of the day I am gasping every time I move because I get shooting pain down my leg. Thankfully, I always feel better in the morning when I get up. OK enough complaining I am grateful to be mobile and do the things (for the most part) I would like to do I know I just need to moderate a little more! I really am grateful for this pregnancy and baby and a super super supportive husband!!! Love you babe!

Tuesday Tutorial Key fobs

Key Fob Tutorial

Supplies:

Key Fob Hardware (I get mine on etsy)

Fusible fleece

2 coordinating fabrics that are each 2.25" x 12"

of course a sewing machine helps too!

Here are the 3 fabric items. I was feeling patriotic so that is what I went with. I just pieced together the stars and stripes fabric but, normally I just use 2 solid pieces of fabric.Iron your fusible fleece onto the fabric that you are going to be using on the outside of the Key fob. If you are going to embroider or embellish your fabric w/ anything now is the time to do it.
Put your 2 pieces of fabric right sides together. Use a 5/8" seam as pictured below.

Open up the fabric and put wrong sides together. Now you are going to sew about 1/8" from the edge of the fabric. This is personal preference you can go closer or further. This is going to help the fabric lay down so that it isn't annoying the snot out of you while working w/ the other side.

Now I topstitch about another 1/8" or so from the last line, like I said this is just personal preference you don't even need to do 2 rows of topstitching.

This is what it should look like after both rows of topstitching are done on the one side.

Now you are going to fold over the raw edges on the other side 1/2". I pin down the top layer just to hold it in place. Then I fold over the bottom layer 1/2" and pin them together. Hopefully, you will understand what I am saying by using the pics.

Now you are going to sew about 1/8" from the edge and do another row of topstitching just like you did on the other side.

This is what it should look like minus the wonky edge that I didn't sew so well apparently. Ughhh....my Pfaff is acting up and I am using a 99 dollar brother from wally world and I just don't have as much control w/ it as my Pfaff.

Here is a pic. of the key fob hardware. Like I said I order my from etsy and it ends up being about 40 cents per set.

Fold the fabric in half and then you are going to place the unfinished upper edge into the key fob hardware that has the clamp like part.

Clamp down on the key fob hardware using pliers or something like that. Make sure you put a towel in between your tool and the hardware or it will leave marks on it.

Here it is all finished.