the ever-evolving lunchbag

A year ago, I bought my Singer Futura for the sole purpose of doing monogrammed things. What a pain! First of all, I don't have a laptop so it involves dragging my sewing machine and all of its parts into the living room atop a shakey card table. Second of all...well, that's it but it's a huge pain. Everytime I tried it out, I ended up SO frustrated that the Futura almost went out the window so I didn't try again until recently. Now, I have the hang of it and it's kinda fun! I still wish I had a laptop but at least I have it working.
I am now offering monogramming on my oilcloth items, check out these custom bags that are also insulated-



Thanks for all of the nice comments about Julia's Halloween costume! She even got a mention on Craftzine.com blog
woohoo!

I love Halloween!

How cute is this? I'm not sure how exactly we came up with the idea but we always get a good one in mid-summer. So, how come if we get the idea in the summer, I am sewing the darn thing as we are walking out the door to a party?? I didn't actually sew much; a simple skirt, half apron, rickrack on a t-shirt and lace on socks. The bonnet was a purchase from a wonderful seamstress at GrandmasGirl on Etsy. I could have never made it even half as nice as Julianne did...this woman can sew!
I tied some fake grapes in a basket and we threw in some raisins just in case no one could figure out who she was supposed to be. As if!

We already have next year's costume planned but it's a secret.

fall favors

We are celebrating the upcoming wedding of one of my coworkers on Friday so I got to play at work all day yesterday. I stayed behind to man the fort while the entire office went to NYC for advertising week festivities. It was fine by me because I got to make fun stuff for the surprise "shower" we are having Friday.

I dipped small pretzel rods in white chocolate, decorated with fall sprinkles and bagged them. Then I added a fake leaf and velvet ribbon and TA DA! We have pretty fall shower favors!
Did I show you my new Oilcloth Halloween Banner?

The rest of my life is just general busyness, oilcloth and the pursuit of not being dirt poor.
How about you?

Oh my!

What happened to my baby? She's growing up, that's what...I guess. I'm dealing.

Last night was a birthday party for one of her friends. This friend (not pictured) is a cancer survivor and her parents have the means to celebrate BIG every year for her birthday so you can only imagine how big her sweet 16 was!

It was at a fancy country club and all the girls were asked to dress in pink to party. I have never seen so many little pink dresses in one place ever, it was like pepto club.

While the girls were partying it up, the bumble and I actually went out. Without kids. Just 2 of us. Like adults.

We went to the theater and saw "Late Nite Catechism". I laughed so hard that my face hurt and my throat was sore. If it comes to your local theater, GO! Even if you aren't Catholic, you will laugh your ass off, I promise.
Other than that I have been trying to get some Halloween stuff made for the old Etsy shop.

I really have some catching up to do on your blogs, I feel like I've been gone for a while...
have a great week!

Halloween Recap

Hello friends! It's been a crazy but fun week around here. I hope you all had a fun Halloween.

I've mentioned before that our community does an awesome parade at our seawall. The children line up by grade, march down the street and stop at the grandstand where their costumes are judged. The winners are almost always wearing a one of a kind or homemade costume and people get really creative. *cough cough my kids are 5 time winners cough cough*

Miss Julia took 3rd place as Orphan Annie in the 3rd grade category

My nephew Jacob was very cute as a police officer. My older girls were pretty lame; one was a football fan and the other was a mess.
Check out one of the nuns at Sammy's school. She dressed up as a biker. She is so much fun, really she is...the girls love her.

I wanted to show you what I made for Julia's class but Sammy stole my camera before I could snap a picture. I made these goodie bags ala Martha Stewart. They were super easy and very cute!


And lastly, look at my friends house all decorated for Halloween. I love the cat eyes in the window!


Time to hit the sewing machine, have a great weekend!

Pre-Halloween Fun and Stress

I am a planner and I am truly an organized person...just don't look around my house...but I really am a bit OCD about things, I just have to let them go until the children move out.
*wringing hands and twitching*
Anyway, I knew this Halloween party was last night and I knew I had to search for costumes in the attic and I forgot to ask my Bumble to get them for me because he is the attic-putter-awayer (as all Bumbles are) and knows where he puts all the stuff...I'm rambling...

I spent my Saturday stressed, sweaty and dusty looking for costume things in the attic, in between baking cupcakes and shopping for juice boxes because volunteers bailed (grrr I hate that). It was worth it. Look at Julia's get up:

She was Orphan Annie (using a recycled dance costume) and was thrilled when she won 2nd place in the costume contest!


Gabby and David (aka Bumble) were in the cast of actors in the haunted school and did an awesome job scaring the bejeesus out of people, seriously, they were very frightning. Sammy and her crew were a bit to cool for all that.

Today I am going to spend some quality time with my washer, dryer and sewing machine and perhaps admire my newest fabric therapy acquisitions that came in the mail yesterday

*please excuse the blurry photos, my batteries keep crapping out on me!

And first place goes to.....

And first place goes to.....
Originally uploaded by cbcyr.

Giant ball of yarn costume!
Our community hosts a Halloween Parade every year. Kids line up by grade at the sea wall and march a few blocks behind a truck blaring Halloween music, they stop at the judging panel and show off their fabulous costumes and find out if they win a prize. From there they move on to hot chocolate, cider and donuts and dance in the streets. FUN!!!
My camera shy middle daughter won 3rd prize for her group! She was an old Noni (Italian grandma) complete with rosary beads and a cane. That's her, 2nd one from the left.

She really played the part, complaining about her brittle bones and scolding children, she is quite a character!
It was a great night but do you know what the little one asked as we walked home with tired and sore feet....... Mommy, what am I going to be next year?

yarn ball re-worked

A little rethinking, shopping for the right color shirt and losing the yarn hair and it looks like "ball-of-yarn" will be making the Halloween Parade tomorrow night!
Feel free to vote for this costume at http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?board=252.0 I am shameless!!

Not much time to talk tonight but I will share a picture of these yummy brownies. I invented this years ago (well, in my little world I did!). It is so much easier to make brownies for kids parties in a cupcake pan (325 for 25 minutes). No crumbs, no gooey center of the pan......easy peasy.

Happy Halloween!

Multi-tasking Sunday

Where do I start?
The "ball of yarn" costume failed miserably last night, luckily I have an attic full of costumes so yarn girl became a cute little Japanese girl for the big Halloween party at the school last night. No worries, I'll have the "ball of yarn" re-worked by Tuesday. (fingers crossed)
I whipped up these 2 pillows in between loads of laundry:

One is for my mother-in-law and the other is for my sister-in-law (her daughter) BOTH born on Halloween! That's a little freaky, eh?

While these two cuties carved our jack-o-lantern, I was able to do more laundry and start dinner.

In case there is any question regarding Julia's outfit...yup she picks out her weekend clothes.

Look how cute Jack came out!

While dinner was cooking I roasted these yummy pumpkin seeds. I could eat them until I get sick.

And then Julia and I made these super delicious chocolate dipped pretzels with lots of sprinkles to give to her friends at school.

I should leave now- I hear my drier buzzing, Julia is ready to get out of the tub, the cat is started to beg for his dinner and I think I left my sewing machine on- I'll leave you with a cute picture from the party last night:

my eldest is the cowgirl and I honestly do have a middle daughter but she's extremely camera shy!

yarn hair

yarn hair
Originally uploaded by cbcyr.

I was home sick yesterday with a nasty stomach bug (yuck!) but I managed to finish Julia's Halloween costume. The pile of knitted pink is her trick or treat bag using giant needles as handles. I had a bunch more pink acrylic leftover so made some hair... I hope my husband doesn't look for the baseball hat that's underneath! I'm going to work today, I should be fine as long as I don't eat or drink a thing. I'm hoping to show one finished quilt by Sunday night, stay tuned.

one down.... two to go

What do you get when you mix a giant bouncy ball, plaster cloth, newspaper, glue, cheap acrylic yarn, and gobs of hot glue?

A giant ball of yarn for a Halloween costume, of course! I hope people will know what she is, but just in case i have a few more tricks up my sleeve involving those huge neon knitting needles.

It was another big day for Julia.

She lost another tooth last night! Apparently the ToothFairy has strict guidelines she must adhere to because she will not leave tooth money under the pillow if the child is not in her own bed. Julia slept in her sister's bed last night but left her tooth under her own empty pillow. At first she thought that the ToothFairy forgot but then I erm..... remembered that empty bed rule, thankfully.

Once a week I like to get some therapy from the remnant bin at JoAnn Fabrics. Hey, it's way cheaper than real therapy and it makes me so happy. Here are yesterday's finds:

It was slim pickings because all remnants were 75% off, but I did alright for only a few dollars! I hate that Batman fabric but you never know when I'll need it for a little boy gift.

Ahhhhhhh fall

October Fabric Swap
Originally uploaded by cbcyr.

Every month my craftster friend Pauline and I do a themed fabric swap. Both being generous sorts, it turns out to be a bit more than just a yard of fabric. This is what I sent her for October. I don't have any Halloween fabrics so I went for fall. We usually add one handmade item, I quickly sketched this acorn that I stitched onto a pretty fall colored towel.

Not too bad for a rush job!

Other crafty news includes progress being made to the mystery Halloween costume
and I have one of the horse quilts finished except for the binding while the other will be quilted starting tonight. Looks like I will make my deadlines!