creative little daisy

I heart nice people!

I have really lousy time management skills. Nothing new. What is new, is this precious little bit of sweetness.
How am I supposed to get anything done when she's around? She hangs out with me while her mama is at work and I happily spend most of my day entertaining her.  I'm learning that every minute of nap time is precious and to be used wisely, I'm just not very good at it yet. That's my lame excuse for taking so long to gush about the wonderful package I received last week from Diane. She noticed a plate in one of my photos and remembered seeing a couple of pieces in the same pattern at her local thrift store and kindly offered to send them my way. A few days later a box arrived from Diane. I noticed right away that the box was much too big for a couple of cups and bowls. The first thing I pulled from the box was this,
OH! My! Goodness!!! Can you stand the sweetness? Look at that fabric, the pleats, the polka dots, the amazing workmanship and details...

the yoyos!!!! It's a peg bag, or a clothes pin bag if you're from these parts. Whatever you want to call it, it's just beautiful!  Next, I found the letter Diane included explaining all the little goodies she'd tucked inside the box.  As I read and pulled out item after item my eyes filled with tears at the kindness of this lady, a lady I've never met.  I told her it wasn't my birthday or Christmas, but it sure did feel that way. Not only did she send the cups she'd told me about, but also this vintage pyrex dish, just because she thought I'd like it.
I do!
But wait! There's more...
Not only did Diane think of me, she also thought of Mitch,
and Bayleigh. Oh my, did she think of Bayleigh.
Sweet, indeed!
The next item blew me away! This is when the tears really came,  Diane.
A handmade baby, with dark hair and eyes made especially for Bayleigh. Diane said it was her first attempt at doll making, but I'm not sure I believe her.
The details! So many sweet little details! Alyssa named her Ruby and we all love her very much. 

That's not all folks. No, there's more. Diane also included some really delicious steak seasoning that her husband loves and buys by the case (I don't blame him, it's really, really good) and some wonderful smelling hand soap.
A box full of sunshine, I tell 'ya. Thank you, so much Diane! 

How about a little show and tell?

So many of you mentioned in your comments you've made things using one of my tutorials. I'd love to see your creations, so  I started a flickr group. If you have photos of something you've made using one of my tutorials please share them here.
I also have another group, more skills than funds.  It's all about sharing projects where you used more creativity than cash, be it with fabric, spray paint or hammer and nail.  There are already some really great displays of amazing skills, like this (wow!!). Go check it out, and join in the fun!

Let's get some happy up in here!

I wish, my friends, that I could send each and every one of you a great big bouquet of spring blossoms to thank you for your words support and encouragement. Instead I share with you some pretty color from around my yard. Just looking at this vivid display of Gods beauty makes me smile. Today is a bright, sunny day and I'm filled with happy thoughts.  Thoughts like...

Bayleigh learning how to use her hands, and singing about it. She's really begun to take off developmentally. It's an adventure, a very happy adventure watching her to see what she'll do next.

Another happy thought is a memory that popped in my mind this morning. Don't you love when that happens? Out of the blue, a thought or memory creeps into your consciousness and brightens your day. I remembered Alyssa reciting the poem Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary when she was about 3. Her version went something like this...

Mary, Mary, quack-a-terry,
How do your gaaden grow?
With silver bells and taco shells
And pretty mermaids all in a row.

Pretty sweet, huh? If that made you smile, my challenge to you is to pass it along. Share your own happy thought with someone else and spread a little sunshine today!

Ouch! No wait, make that double ouch!!

You know that old saying, it's not what you say, it's how you say it? That's what came to mind this morning as I read a new comment left on an old post. It was the first tutorial I'd ever written, the basic purse tutorial. When writing tutorials, my intention has always been to share my method of doing something with the hope that it will help someone else who could use a little visual aid, perhaps a helpful hint here and there. I've never  proclaimed to be an expert when it comes to sewing or any other from of crafting for that matter. I'm just a regular person, who happens to enjoy making things. It's a continual learning process for me and I get a great deal of satisfaction out of the sharing aspect of this blog community. I've learned so, so much from other bloggers, and writing tutorials is simply my way of being a contributing member of this wonderful society. I've never tried to profit in any way from the tutorials on my blog or have I tried to imply that the way I do something is the way. In fact, I think I always emphasize that what I'm showing is just what works for me and may or may not work for the next person. I welcome suggestions and input. That's what it's all about, that's how we learn and grow. This comment felt very negative to me (my first), even though she ended with "no offense."

I have a purse that I bought at a craft fair with a magnetic snap installed just like yours, and my purse ripped around the snap after barely a month of use. I just talked to someone who told me how to install a magnetic snap correctly. Sorry, ladies, her method of installing snaps is not for purses you would use on a daily basis or sell for profit! No offense.

Sorry, call me thin-skinned, but I did take a little offense. I wouldn't have minded at all if her comment had gone something like.... I've recently learned that in order to assure the fabric doesn't tear from around the clasp, it's better if you install the snap this way.... That way we can all learn from her great expertise and it doesn't sound offensive at all.
While I'm still feeling a little bruised by the comment, Toby and Lucky begin arguing a bit over who should be closest to me. It started with a little low growling from each but quickly escalated, as neither felt much like backing down this morning. I swiveled around slightly in my chair to tell them to knock it off, getting my leg between the feisty boys and the smallest of the two bit the hell out of the back of my leg. Pardon my language, I assure you, it's milder than what I said at the time. It hurt like heck. I've never really been bitten by a dog. The occasional little snap while playing, sure. But a real chomp down on my bony little leg bite? No.  It seemed the day was shaping up to be a day of not so pleasant firsts. Double ouch!

Here you can see the horrific wound and the vicious creature who savagely attacked me.

I'm pleased to say, that was no indication of how the rest of the day would shape up. It's after three and the afternoon has been completely ouchless.

For Karen (and anyone else who may be interested)

Karen noticed the pool in the background of one of the photos in my previous post and asked to see more. She and her husband are in the process of rebuilding the deck around their pool so she was interested in seeing ours. My first thought was to email the photos to Karen, because the area around the pool has been a little neglected lately. Before I took up sewing, gardening was my hobby of choice. Mitch and I spent hours in the yard. Every shrub, plant, bush or flower in this yard was planted by our hands. It was a wooded lot before we built the house 12 years ago. Now I do good to keep a few flower pots watered and Mitch barely has time to keep the grass cut. Why do I have to get so wordy? Did I need all those words to say, please excuse the weeds and grassless patches (dog pee x 4  + beautiful green grass = dead grass). Here you go Karen, photos of the pool and deck.

See that walkway? Mitch spent hours making that.

Notice the dirt Toby's lying on? Used to be grass. The deck is a couple of summers past due for re-staining. The majority of the deck is just a step above ground level. We wanted it to have more of a patio feel so we kept it as low as possible.  In case you're wondering, no the pool isn't 18 inches deep. It is an above ground pool, but about 30 inches is buried. We were strongly cautioned against this, but hey, we were rebels in our younger days. Everyone said it would rust and wouldn't last more than 2 or 3 seasons. We replaced the liner a couple years ago, and there wasn't a spot of rust on the walls after being buried for 10 years. Before installing the pool walls, Mitch painted the portion that would be underground with a metal roof coating. He also placed a layer of roofing paper between the pool wall and the dirt and it's provided enough of a barrier to protect the pool wall from rusting. I can only speak from our experience, I don't know if this method would work for anyone else. Also know that by installing a pool this way, it completely voids any warranty you may have.


The grass looks deceptively good in these photos, I'm not sure why. In reality it has more bald spots than a hair club for men commercial. Being southern, we have the requisite camper and old car parked in the backyard, sorry to shatter any illusions that I had one bit of sophistication about me. Hey, the car isn't up on blocks, we're not complete rednecks.

Lest you think it's all Bayleigh all the time...

Just 90% of the time. The other 10% I let her parents have her and I do things like laundry and occasionally cook. I also did a little mini-makeover on the back porch. It was a very low budget makeover, my favorite kind. Just the cost of a few cans of spray paint, some patio lights from Kmart and a couple of clearance accessories from Hobby Lobby. In total I spent less than 50 bucks and it was worth every dollar. I've been out there every morning and evening since, though the good cleaning I gave it probably made that possible more than the makeover. Good grief, how much hair can a cat shed before she's bald?!
This is how it looked before I started. Not bad, but not the look I wanted. (thank goodness, you can't see the three inches of cat hair on those chair cushions)

Better? I spray painted those wicker chairs for the 37th time. They've been natural wicker, white, green, black, white again, black again...I like to spray paint.  The table there between them is actually a birdbath.

A glass top (made for those cheap round tables you can get at walmart/target) happens to fit perfectly.

My favorite change was the swing. I've had it for years and it's the most comfortable swing you can imagine.  Comfortable? Yes. Pretty? No. I had made a cover for the cushion but it was faded and dirty from kitty lounging, but the frame was still a dark green. Again, not so bad, but not the look I wanted.

Is there anything sexier than a man with a paint gun? I think not.

Patio lights from Kmart were the perfect finishing touch, if you ask Bayleigh.

Like Monica, I get trigger happy and spray paint everything that doesn't run, once I get started.
I  painted the chairs, 

and the plant stands


Seriously, if it isn't moving, it is in danger of getting painted. That's why Toby tries to be very still.

Move over Toby, the swing is big enough for both of us.

If you need me, I'll be on the back porch, sipping iced tea, and checking out the great reading material Mr. UPS brought today.

This is how we roll

Papa secured the carseat to the golf cart so Bayleigh and nana could cruise around the yard on this glorious (and rare) 80 degree, low humidity day.

It's all good...

I sit here on this quiet Saturday morning overcome with just how good it all is. My intent was to type out a quick line or two to let everyone know that Bayleigh is home and doing well. How hard is that? As I gathered my thoughts and arranged the words in my mind it wasn't long before I realized this wasn't going to be a quick one line post. Boy, I've really got to do something crafty so I can stop with the gushy emotional posts already. It has been an emotional week, a roller coaster ride of ups and downs. What is this grandparent deal? Why is it you feel everything you felt for your own children, only magnified? I can't say that I love her more than Alyssa or Casey, but I love her differently. I love her louder and brighter and just thinking about it makes my heart swell and sends waves through my chest and up to my throat and brings tears to my eyes. It was terrifying to put that thermometer under her arm and see the numbers rise so quickly. It was heart wrenching to hear the fear in Alyssa's voice when she called to tell me how worried the doctor seemed. I felt so helpless when Derek called because he had to leave the room as the nurses stuck and stuck and stuck his precious little girl, trying to get enough blood for the tests. Her temperature normalized with one dose of tylenol and was normal for the rest of her hospital stay. By Monday morning she was happy and smiling and wondering what all the fuss was about.

What was causing the big, bad fever? A urinary tract infection. Not a common finding for a such a little one, so she's going to have more testing (outpatient)  to rule out something called  VU Reflux.

I wonder now if Alyssa understands why we tried so hard to shelter and protect her, if she realizes it was out of love that we said no, or seemed too strict. This week she felt a fear greater than any fear she could have ever experienced and Derek who has been to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. I dare say, this experience was just as scary. I'm very proud of these young parents and how they weathered this first storm of parenthood.

Now as I sit here on this quiet Saturday morning, reflecting on the week's events, a busy week of ups and downs, it feels so good to take a deep breath and relax in knowing, for this moment, it's all good.

There was another exciting event this week, but that deserves a post all its own.

Prayers and good vibes welcome here...

Our sweet little Bayleigh girl spiked a wicked high temp on Sunday evening, quite a concerning thing for a six week old. She seems to be back to her happy, bright-eyed self today, but has to stay in the hospital until they get the results of her blood cultures sometime Wednesday. When you say your prayers, please say a little one for Miss Bayleigh and her mama and daddy (and her nanna and papa too).

Two very different frocks

I made myself a couple of dresses and I have to say, I think photographing them was harder than sewing.



This is my least favorite of the two. I've worn it once, on a breezy day resulting in a couple of near misses on the church steps, so before I wear it again I need to  figure out an anti-flashing remedy. The pattern is Butterick 5046 (fast and easy). For me it was neither fast nor easy. I think it could have been, but there were some confusing steps that sent the quick part right out the window.  I'm sure there has to be an easier way of attaching the inset to the bodice and then the skirt but I don't think I'll be making this one again to figure it out. It's not a very flattering fit for a string bean.



This one (Vogue 8351), I'd probably make 10 of if I could find reasonably priced, decent looking, knit fabric. This is a poly- spandex knit from Hancock fabrics- $4.99 on sale.  It was my first  attempt sewing knit and just like everyone says, it's not as hard as you think. I'm not sure why I was so worried. I started  it the day before Bayleigh was born and finished it yesterday. Does that qualify as quick? When I tried it on last night, Casey looked at me and sounding rather surprised said did you make that? It looks like something you'd pay like... 65 dollars for.  I'm taking that as a compliment. Alyssa laughed and said, no you wouldn't. I'm  notoriously cheap when it comes to clothes and she's right, I definitely wouldn't have paid $65 for it, but I do love it.

(edited to add) Shannon mentioned in her comment that she'd like to see more pictures of Bayleigh. Well, you know we proud nanas are always eager to share pictures, so that's no problem Shannon. I take lots of pictures of the rapidly growing sweetie-pie, you can see them on my flickr page. Click here or there's a link in the sidebar to the left.