francecrew at ellieandjohn

Pillows. Done.

I think I mentioned back here that my girl needed some new pillow for her reading corner.  I didn't have any of the same fabric from the original pillows, but I decided to make the jump to grab my fave Anna Maria Horner fabric that I have been hoarding for over a year.  I made two new pillows. One is all the same fabric using AMH's bubble burst in turquoise.  You can still scoop some up here.  The other pillow was quilted with a combo of the bubble burst fabric and the coordinating mixed signals in seafoam, which you can still get here. I've been using the same tutorial for pillows since Sparkle Power introduced it here almost three years ago.  woah.

Ok, now I'm wishing I quilted both.  Call me a little crazy, but I hand quilted it.  Yes, it takes a long time.  Yes, it's not perfect. (I have not been hand-quilting for long.)  But I LOVE the result.  Makes me want to do more...maybe sell a few? Hmmm...

Here's the finished nook sans kiddos.  I'm totally digging it.

Score of the Week

I've been on a search for some short bootish shoes that I could wear around the house, but could be worn out if neccessary.  I'm not a slipper kinda gal.  I needed something a little more, well, not slipper-like.  Of course I have been envisioning myself in some short Uggs, without an Ugg pricetag. ($100+ for a pair of glorified slippers? puh-lease.)  I even found myself at a local Ugg-selling store with big SALE signs in the window.  $10 off of Uggs. ugh.

I made my way to the local Marshalls. Ahhhh! Do you hear the heavens opening up, too? I rarely even glance at the clearance section here.  There is NEVER anything good left, right?  Wrong.  And the best part? $13. Isn't that 1/24th of a pair of the aforementioned boot brand? Love.  

busy weekend...

My weekend kicked off with a day of cooking. I totally rocked it in the kitchen, almost the whole day too, with my littlest friends at me feet.  Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those I love to cook all the time, every day kind of people.  But it's growing on me...some days.

We started with one of our faves, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. I got the recipe from my Mom's group a couple of years ago. I do believe our family could live solely on these. They are not particularly healthy, but I try to do a smidge less sugar and throw in a cup of whole wheat flour to replace white, so that's something, right? 

Here's my fave superhero helping me...

Next we made some homemade meatballs from this recipe at Family Fun. I was a little nervous about obvious spinach being in them. They were/are super yummy and were even eaten by the super-picky-I-don't-eat-green-things-and-prefer-to-eat-anything-from-a-package almost three year old.  The recipe is great because it makes a ton of them and you can freeze some for a future meal.

I made the meatballs to go with the Meatball Minestrone Soup, also from FamilyFun.  The soup was a great hit with 2 out of 3 kids. (The other just ate the meatballs.)  Really yummy.  We actually had our babysitter make it (don't worry, we prepped it for her), but it really is that simple.

So part of all this cooking was because I had a little birthday this weekend, so my goal was to get as much cooking done as possible.  I didn't want to have to think about it too much on my special day.  I also thought that my day warranted a little centerpiece for the table.  Nothing fancy...just fun.

Like I said, nothing fancy here.  I just grabbed some fun fabric from my stash to brighten the table up.  Just pressed the sides. (No sewing, friends.)  A couple ball jars filled with white, pink or tan spools of thread - some of these had been my grammy's!!! - and tied with a quick bit of bright pink ribbon. I used that same ribbon at the base of my cake plate and put those delish muffins on top. Trust me, it didn't stay like that for very long. yum. And here's the recipe:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flous
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (I often only do 1)

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth.  Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Fill greased or lined muffin cup three-fourths full.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.  Makes about 2 dozen muffins.

Tye-Die and Metal

My boy and I had such a fun weekend of just the two of us (and 50 others).  We got to stay overnight with his Cub Scouts at the Higgins Armory in Worcester, MA, which we had never been to.  Mr. Higgins was literally obsessed with all things metal.  So, not just the armor, but the building itself had the coolest details.

We are now armed (heehee) with much more information about the medieval age, made our own shields, dined in a great hall, and slept next to a ginormous chess board. awesome.

::why don't guys wear feathers like this now?

::the sea of cub scouts

::beautiful metalwork

::the boy

there is a boy

there is a boy who lives at my house.  he is growing up fast, fast, fast.  he is good with his hands, playing with friends, solving problems.  he is the firstborn.  to get an unposed pic of him you must be sneaky. ironic, when we have told him you should never be sneaky.  but you must. i get to go on an overnight with my boy.  just me and him. (and 50 other cub scouts and their dad or mom) i was a little intimadated by the large group activity.  but still, it's me and him. together. really excited now.  

    happy weekending to you.

 

 

 

New Nook

I spent the morning with a babe at my back and a toddler at my feet and I, no, we cleaned our living room.  A good deep clean.  You know the kind.  Dusted the ceiling corners, window sills, vaccumed couch cushions, WASHED THE FLOORS.  Oh man, it feels awesome to have a room this clean.  (We will not be discussing the other 7 rooms, plus bathrooms)  This room is clean.  And with this cleaning I reorganized my furniture.  I love doing that, changing things up.  But my favorite, my very favorite part of the whole cleaning and reorganization is the little reading nook that we created.  I think my girl loves it.

I had a couple of homemade pillows that were not being used.  They fit in this corner so perfectly. But I do think my girl could maybe use just a couple more...don't you think?

By the way, she's reading The Mitten by Jan Brett, one of my winter favorites.  Next to her, on the floor, is Flannel Kisses by Linda Crotta Brennan.

walking

The weather has been perfectly suited for some walking, so walking we have gone.  I can't believe, and often forget, how much better our day goes when we have been outside, walking.  Oh, it's hard to remember these things when there are dirty dishes, piles of laundry, emails to return.  But these things will wait.  Yes, they will wait.  The results from a bit of time spent outside? Well-eaten lunches,  longer naps (for those who do so), better concentration (for those who do not).  It's refreshing on so many levels.

We're very blessed that our own backyard is a prime place for exploring.  This is what our pond looked like the other morning.  

A favorite rock.  "Biggest rock in the whole world,"is what one of my exploring buddies call it. Always have to check this little spot to see what the animal friends may or may not have left in it.

And here is said explorer. On top of the "biggest rock in the whole world." With his current favorite treat of choice.

Happy exploring to you and yours!

Prospecting.

A smidge of change is in the wind.  The hubby, who normally works from home, will be heading to an office a few days a week.  We're really excited as it means that his business is growing.  It may also mean that his home office, may be taken over by shared with my fun crafty stuff.

As you can see my craft bins have been waiting, umm, patiently to find a spot to reside.

There is so much potential and TONS of work...I CAN. NOT. WAIT.

Happy Weekending.

May your weekend be as relaxing as mine was for two hours during naptime today.  :)

Wow...what a year.

In my mind we have had a year unlike most people will ever experience.  So, so much good, but in a fast and furious kind of way.  In a nutshell, we had our third baby just a few months before 2011 began and simultaneously we built a house, our First Day Cottage.   We moved into our home in June of this past year.  Since that time our family is growing to know and appreciate our new home (which I do think has an old soul). I plan to share some photos of our home on an ongoing basis to show you the nook and crannies that we have created here.  There is lots to keep us busy with on this land, nevermind the three little ones that reside in it.  We have lots of dreams for the outside around our home. Gardens. Chickens. Wood to chop and clear. Paths to create. Pirate ships to build...oops, we already did that one.  But right now we are, for the most part, hunkered down inside.  Staying warm.  Being together.

::the back of our home during the Christmas season

                                                                                                                           (pic by jeremy)

::inside our home at christmas

                                                                                                                           (pic by jeremy)