A Week of Reality (and a little sewing)

...And then there are weeks when I have very little time for sewing. The reality of having 5 kids that all have something different going on hits hard and I barely have time to sit down, let alone do any frivolous crafting. ;)

I did manage to get the pattern pieces cut out for the most recent pattern that I bought from Gingermelon. Gingermelon is only one of my very favorite Etsy shops on the whole entire planet! Shelly is so talented and makes the cutest little patterns for felt dolls and animals that I've ever laid eyes on. Not only that, she is so friendly and lovely to work with. I have messaged her several times with questions about materials or colors she has used and she is always very quick to respond and very willing to help. I adore people like her! I recently bought her Cinderella pattern because Piper LOVES Cinderella. However, Piper has no interest in seeing the new movie. She watched the preview and realized it wasn't a cartoon, and Cinderella's hair wasn't yellow, and it wasn't up. So, NO, she didn't want to see it. She has her standards, you know. But I think this doll, once I finish it, will meet her approval. Her hair is a lovely shade of yellow, and it's UP!

I'm happy to say that the folder I keep my Gingermelon patterns in is busting at the seems. It's time to upgrade to a 3 ring binder. :)

You can shop at Gingermelon's Etsy shop HERE

My Owen had the Hope of America program that the 5th graders participate in every year, this was our 3rd time around. It's a really great program that always brings tears to my eyes. And it's so fun to watch your kids feel so proud to be a part of it. Seeing his little face, so happy that we had all come to watch, made the traffic, and the parking, and the crowds getting to the Marriot Center at BYU well worth it.

I only recorded one song, but it's the last song and the one that always makes me cry:



My Benjamin turned 15 this week! I kidnapped him from school and took him to lunch and on a little shopping spree for some desperately needed clothes, and the thing I hate spending money on but he just couldn't live another minute without, an XBOX Live Gold membership. I suppose his sweet and innocent looking smile is worth it. ;)

Instead of having a family dinner party, he chose a friend party instead. I'm not one to have friend parties for the little kids. Entertaining a whole crowd of little ones is NOT one of my talents. But when they're teenagers and I can throw pizza and cake at them and let them entertain themselves, I can handle that. Benjamin chose cheesecake for his birthday cake, which you wouldn't think would be that big of an ordeal. But leave it to me to make it one! 10 hours in the kitchen and 3 cheesecakes later... Yes, 3. Don't ask. One of these days I'll be more experienced with cheesecake and it won't be such a thing when my kids request one for their birthday. But this time we've got enough cheesecake leftover to feed a small army. :)

My Oliver had his Pinewood Derby race this week! Sadly, we forgot that it was on Friday, the same time we planned Ben's party. So Bruce got to go watch Oliver race his Rhino car, which he designed and painted all himself, and I got to supervise the teenage boy party.

And last but not least, my PK had State Finals for Winter Drumline. This was the first year that Westlake had their own indoor drumline team and they ended the season in 2nd place! They had an awesomely intense and dark show that was SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH! PK's been playing the first bass drum in Westlake's marching band for 4 years now. But this was the first year I've ever been to indoor drumline competitions and they were a ton of fun. This Saturday was the end of his career as a high school drummer and it makes me so proud and so sad at the same time. He's been closing a lot of chapters in his life with graduation coming up. But dang, that boy has done so much, he's worked his tail off and I couldn't be more proud of him. *sniff*

If you want to see their show:




And that was my crazy week. Somewhere in there I did manage to squeeze in some work on sewing projects that I've taken on for some friends. A dear, lifelong friend of mine is having his wedding reception in his backyard and asked me to make some new cushions for some backyard furniture he has. It's something I've never done before, but I told him I do it, so I'm figuring it out! Pictures when they're all done. :)

And when we got home Saturday night from state finals at Weber State, I swore I wouldn't get out of bed until Monday. And boy I made good on that promise. I finished hand stitching the binding on this beautiful quilt that my friend Barbara made for an auction for a local fundraiser that's coming up.

I had originally told her I would machine quilt it for her. But it turned out too big for me to quilt with my sewing machine. So my wonderful and thoughtful friend, Heather, quilted it with her long-arm quilting machine. So, feeling like I had done nothing to help, besides passing it from one hand to the next, I offered to bind it. I got the top side machine sewn and one side of the back hand sewn last week. Then yesterday I finished hand stitching the other 3 sides. It only took me a whole Star Wars Trilogy! Sewing and Star Wars. The perfect way to give my screaming knee a rest. Here is my beautiful and talented friend, Barbara and her finished quilt. This quilt will be up for auction at Wines Park in Lehi, Utah on Saturday, May 30th during the Walk with Angels fundraiser. All proceeds will go to the United Angels Foundation, which helps families with children that have special needs. You can get more info on the fundraiser HERE

This week, with much less on the calendar, I hope to finish with Aaron's backyard cushions, and maybe even hand-stitch a Cinderella doll for my only princess!!! :)

Thanks stopping by for a visit! I hope you all have a fabulous week!

XOXO
~Elizabeth