*happy birthday Henry!

Today, fifteen years ago at two-thirty in the afternoon, Henry Delano S---- came into this world. I was admitted to the hospital very early by appointment on this morning.  Franziska (my BFF) was there along with my dear husband, to witness this special moment. Henry has a schedule of his own, so Franziska while leaving to pick up Robby from school, missed his grand entrance! (she has never let him forget this)

Henry has been a sweet delight to me as  a mother. He has also been a very challenging child to raise. Very. Henry has a very curious mind and never ceases to amaze me and his father at the things that he does, or is interested in.

A Few Moments in Henry's life:
*at eighteen months old Henry set our couch on fire by striking two matches and laying them down beside him - with me in the room with my back to him.

*at 12 months or so Henry repeatedly stuck bobby pins or anything he could fit into the outlets (after peeling out the safety covers) Did you get the repeatedly part?

*climbed TWO gates on his doorway to escape when he chose to do so. (We finally, for his own safety, turned the door knob around so we could keep him in the room when needed)

*during his nap time one day he put on seventeen (17!) pull ups.. all at one time.

*wanted to marry me for many years in his toddler- preschool years.

*while his friend, Summit, was shooting a target with a high powered pellet gun he went to kick the target.. yep you guessed it.. he had a field pellet to go through two of his toes, finally exiting into his shoe.  The pellet took part of his bone off in the last toe it exited.  This was just three or so years ago. He did not cry.

*he has adopted two brothers (Summit and Ryan) and two sisters (Sarah and Mary) whom he has all known since he was a wee one. An only child can be a lonely road (though he is not really an only child, 9 years in between only two siblings is great span and it feels like we have raised two only children. I am glad he has developed such deep meaningful relationships. May each of them help him to become the man that God desires him to be.

Got the bull by the horns!

Do you see that "I gotta know" in him?

(most recent pic)

He was awarded "most improved" on his swim team this year.

It says:  Between the innocence of boyhood and the dignity of manhood we find a delightful creature of a boy. It is so true!

Henry and his sister Mary, playing King and Queen!

Evidently the album with Henry's birth pictures is already packed away. I had hoped to find this one picture of when he was first born but you will have to settle for these.

On some days I am worn down at all of the areas I fell like I have let him down as mother. Worn down by the mistakes I have made with him along the way. But then, I am encouraged because God has a great plan for him, He has given Henry a specific make up for a specific purpose which will be carried out. 

Happy Birthday Henry, your dad and I love you very much!

*t-shirt dress tutorial

Recently I have had the opportunity to make a few t-shirt dresses for a sweet little girl who lives in a world of boys! (She has four brothers)  Believe it or not.. my dear mother in love made t-shirt dresses for me, oh I don't know.. maybe twenty or so years ago. The ones she made for me fell more at the hips while this one falls right above the waistline.

I found the t-shirts at a second hand store for less than two dollars each. The fabric is from my quilting stash, but fun and funky! The great thing about this project is you can use t-shirts that may have stains down on the lower part, because you will be cutting that off.  A new out fit can virtually be made by using what you already have in your home.  Save dresses that you as a mother no longer want, this fabric can be used to make a t-shirt dress for your little girl!

\

Cut off the length that is to your liking. Make sure you get a clean straight cut.

 Then you need to run a loose basting stitch in the fabric which you will use for the skirt part of the outfit. Then you will gather the fabric.  Check out step by step instructions HERE.   I used a half yard of fabric. I would have liked it to have been more gathered, but this polo top though made of t-shirt type fabric was a bit stretchy for my optimal desired results.   

You can go ahead and hem the bottom of the fabric.

Next you will put the shirt part inside the skirt part.  The right sides of fabric need to be together with the wrong side of the skirt on the outside.  Then you will have to fit the two together and pin them in.  Some area may not fit perfectly, but you will just pin it, and sew which will make little gathered areas.

When I was done sewing a straight stitch all the way around, I went back and sewed with a zig zag stitch to stop any fraying. 

Ta-da! Isn't it cute!  I also made a little elastic belt should she want to use a belt, if not she could use it as a head band perhaps.  I will be making a few others and will post pics of those as well!  

This was not my own novel idea. As I said, my m-i-l made these for me years ago, when I was young and cute. So now I am minded in such a way that I don't want to get rid of any piece of clothing that could be re-purposed as a little dress for a young girl, or a skirt perhaps!  I did a google search on free patterns and found directions for making a pillow case sun dress. 

Check out the sweet 100% cotton pillow case that I found for one dollar. I bought it with the pillow case dress in mind! 

*a day in the life of Bentley

The end.

*i have cooked, cleaned and spent time with my family...

..and quilted!

This week we had one of our "adopted" sons in the house!   Summit and his family moved from the area about six months or so ago. I was so glad to have Summit here visiting during his spring break, spending time with us and making memories with Henry as well as some of his other friends. 

So you can imagine that I DID cook meals each day, drive the boys places, spend sometime with the family, wash clothes, dishes and etc. BUT it was also a great time for me to get some quilting finished up without feeling guilty.

I did finish the quilt that I took home from my friends house all those years ago. I don't know why I procrastinated so long. I have started and finished quite a few quilts since offering to take hers home with us for me to complete.   The beautiful quilt, pieced by my sweet friend, Jennifer was 'quilted' by me. What an honor to be a part of a quilt that will be in her family for years. Thanks Jennifer!

This is the backing which is pieced. 

It is all ready to go in a box and make its way to Alabama!

Trellis Quilt - Robyn Pandolph Cinnamon Girl & batiks

I also completed the trellis quilt.  I had purchased the fabric to make a patchwork border, but I chose to be lazy and put a simple small border on, set it in, and then meandered it.  I did use my favorite decorative stitch on my lovely Janome 6600P, to put the finishing touches on the binding.  While I initially didn't think I liked this fabric, that my sweet friend Nicole sent me three or four years ago, I am in love with the fabric and how it worked out in this quilt.  It is boxed up getting ready to hit the USPS to take a trip to some ones front door. I hope the one receiving this quilt will feel an abundance of love that is all packed into each stitch!

*you are beautiful

... and the sweet thing about it is you can never determine if someone is beautiful by simply LOOKING at them.  Beauty resides within. 

*quilts galore!

This past weekend I moved the kitchen island out of the kitchen so I could set in "A" quilt.  I did not move the island back right away and later decided since it was already moved and while the tile floor  was clean that I should set in a few more. So I did.

I started quilting this one.  While visiting one of my sweet friends several years ago, I offered to take this quilt home with me to finish for her. I have had it for, oh shoot, I lost count on how many years.  It has been longer than I would like to admit. I got a precious email from her daughter just the other day asking about this quilt.   It is the little push I needed. You know there is just something about quilting on someones pieced work.  I can hardly wait to get it finished and in the mail, it is coming along nicely and I am no longer scared to sew on it.  Jen took a few quilting classes and has made two quilts, one of which is in a hoop at home with her in Alabama. She decided she loves quilts, and although she likes quilting it is not a love for her. I know she will be delighted to get this back in her home so I am working towards this end!

What are you working on right now?