creative little daisy

Why not?

It's a quiet, rainy Saturday, why not dust off the cobwebs at my sad, forgotten blog?

I wonder if a blog is even relevant anymore, with people keeping track of things by way of twitter, instagram, facebook, and probably others I'm not hip enough to know about.

I read a couple of blog posts recently that made me miss the old days of blogging. The days I spent hours sewing and more hours blogging about it.  I can't put my finger on what shifted and what happened to that girl. The girl who sewed and blogged. I miss her.

That girl wouldn't be a month late introducing the new man in my life. He's small, pale and extremely handsome.

I'm so proud to introduce Sawyer Mitchell, my son's first born son and my first grandson. He was born on July 2 and as you can imagine, stole my heart at first sight.

It was discovered soon after birth that Sawyer was going to need surgery. Thank God, the surgery went smoothly with no complications, but not knowing what the extent might be, Casey was allowed to come home on emergency leave from Afghanistan. The photo above was taken as he was meeting his son for the first time. It's a little blurry, because I was shaking with excitement, but I think it captures the emotion of the moment.

What's new with you, friends? Let's catch up! If you don't follow me on instagram, please do. That way I can follow you too. I've been able to keep up with a few of my old blogging buddies that way and I'm slightly better about posting there. (only slightly)  There's a link over  in my sidebar.

At least she looked angelic

Bayleigh and Mrs. Jill

A week before our church's Christmas program I was asked to make costumes for the three littlest angels, Bayliegh included. Needed were three dresses, three halos and one set of wings. The dresses and halos were easy, but the wings gave me a bit of an unexpected fit. When we had a week to play with Alyssa got online to find a set we could buy. Oh no, there is no need to buy, even if they are only five dollars a set. No, they will be easy to make. I was so sure they would be so easy, I didn't stress at all. Just use one of the sets we have as a guide, bend a coat hanger, cover it with white tights or pantyhose, add some glittery accents and done. No prob. You know where this is going, right? To make a very long story short, after a few failed attempts for various reasons, on Sunday afternoon, I still had no wings. In a panic I grabbed a set of pink fairy wings off the shelf at the Dollar General with no idea how I would make them work.  I rushed home and painted them white with acrylic craft paint. I'm sure you can imagine how that worked out. Not too cute and still pinkish. I grabbed a can of white spray paint and saturated them, hung them outside to dry and prayed. Just as I was beginning to think I was going to have to cut a set out of cardboard Alyssa came to the rescue. She remembered an old costume hanging in her closet. Attached to the hem was a big white feather boa. She said, cut this off and glue it onto the white spray painted wings. Oh yea, I can do that. I can glue like nobodies business. With minutes to go, I emerged from the craft room with a beautiful set of angel wings. So beautiful we worried that it may seem I was playing favorites by making Bayleigh a prettier set than the other angels. Of course that wasn't the case. Here she was being angelic in the vestibule of the church. It went downhill from there. As time drew near for her to walk down the isle of the church with the five other angels, she began to protest. She wanted Nana to hold her. OK fine, I'll walk down with you, I can carry you and  I'll even sit with you in the choir loft. As the doors opened the tears turned to sobs, the further down the isle we went the louder the crying. The angels were to walk, two by two, down the isle, step onto the stage and enter the choir loft from either side. As we approached the stage the crying and wailing had turned to screams.  I stepped onto the stage and didn't even bother going into the choir loft. There was no way I was going to sit up there with this wailing child.  I  walked right off the side and tried to clam her.  Her mommy came over and retrieved her, since between the wails she could hear I want my mommy. Even after being placed in her mommy's arms, she continued the crying, only now she's calling for nana. Unable to console her, Alyssa took her out of the sanctuary and waited in the fellowship hall for the program to end. Her big stage debut was over. Oh well, she sure did look pretty. Maybe next year.

 

 

I'm getting a little nervous about my party planned for Sunday. What if no one shows?  I can see myself like the geeky teen, who invited all the cool kids to her birthday party. You know the scene, the poor geeky kid is eating chips and sipping punch by the lonely food table at midnight, because no one showed up for her party. I hope you'll show up and bring a friend with your cool projects made using a Silhouette or Cricut. Sunday beginning at 8pm.  I even made a little button you can take if you like buttons. The button and code are over there on the right.

 

Randomness

I'm thinking of moving my blog from Typepad to Blogger. Anyone have any helpful insight as to how difficult this will be to do?

I made biscuits for breakfast- ok, so it was more like brunch. Anyway, as I was making those biscuits, Bayleigh was helping, and it occurred to me this seemingly small event is anything but small.  We are making memories. The things we do, these everyday little things are settling into her little heart and mind and will be sweet memories one day when she's old and I'm gone. 

I painted the front door, and I don't think I like it. It looks OK from outside, but if the door is open, it looks awful from inside my living room. It reminds me of the teal that was all the rage in the 90s. You know, the shade that was always paired with peach. Blech!

 

Not bad from this view, right?

Check out this one.

 

1995 called and wants its teal door with brass knob back.

The interior side hasn't been painted, it's still stained. I plan to paint it, but  NOT be this color.

Bubble Therapy

   

Every day, we've been blowing bubbles.

 

I love that face. Oh, that dirty little face.

Thinking some deep thoughts over bubbles...

 

 

She's getting pretty good at it.

Bubbles and Bayleigh,

have a way of making everything better.

A pillowcase dress

How's that for a clever title?

I finally got around to making Bayleigh a pillowcase dress.  There are loads of tutorials just a google search away.  Most are free but I also saw a couple you can purchase if you are so inclined. 

I shirred the top by sewing four lines of stitching with elastic thread in the bobbin.

Used a rolled hem on my serger to finish the raw edges (before shirring) and tacked on some ribbon for shoulder ties (after shirring). Easy-peasy!

It's great for gardening,

 and perfect for picking...

Party Girl

Bayleigh's first birthday party was this past weekend at her nana and papa's house. 

I made her little birthday crown using this tutorial. Nana and papa got her a ball pit that was much bigger than expected, but lots of fun for all the curly haired cutie pies in attendance.

 

I found the idea for making these favor bags in a magazine, but I don't remember which- Mary Engelbreit Home Companion, perhaps? It was easy, just cut off 3/4 of the green bag, snip around the edges to make some blades of grass, put a little white glue or double stick tape in the bottom before inserting the white bag then glue on a little butterfly. We put some sidewalk chalk, bubbles and a pack of fruit gummies inside.

 

I've seen the Martha Stewart pompoms around and finally had a reason to give them a try. Fun stuff, decorating for a little girl's birthday party!

 

 

 

I love this caught by the paparazzi shot .

The weather was beautiful, the company was great, it was a delightful time to celebrate a delightful little girl.  Our list of blessings just keeps on growing...

Some Bunny Is One Today

Happy Birthday Bunny!!

It melts my heart to watch her sleeping

those eyelashes...

those chubby cheeks...

that little button nose...

I'm going to strike it rich...

As soon as I find a good use for dog hair and dust bunnies. I'm telling you folks, I'm sitting on a goldmine over here. I'm pretty sure there must be a way to melt fat, smooth wrinkles, cure impotence, or at least run a car's engine with dog hair being the key ingredient. I'm just waiting for the stroke of brilliance to come to me in the middle of the night. Perhaps on one of those nights I'm awake at 4 am to let one of the bossy little shedders out to pee. In that 4am haze, I'll have a shining moment of clarity and discover why my life is filled with so much dog hair and dust. There must be a reason, right?
Before Bayleigh was born, it wasn't only dog hair I had to fight, but also cat hair. Any cat owner knows the average cat sheds his own weight in hair every two days.  The kitties now live outside and do all their shedding all over my back porch.
I do battle daily with the dog hair, mostly because of Bayleigh. Don't get me wrong. I don't like the idea of it, but for the most part, if I go a day without vacuuming, it only affects my socks. Since Bayleigh spends so much time on the floor crawling around and exploring, it gets all over her. So I vacuum. And sweep. And vacuum some more.  All this vacuuming and sweeping so my little angel won't be covered in dog hair.
So, what does she do every chance she gets?


She climbs right in the middle of a dog bed. There are several around the house and she's been in them all.

She gets right in the middle. Right in the stinky, hairy middle.

And when I chase behind her and pull her out? I get this face.

**JenJen, your comment about using the sticky lint roller on the couch reminded me of something I've wanted to share. I can't count how many sticky rollers I've been through. Recently I saw a commercial for the Pledge Fabric Sweeper. Anything promising to be fast, easy and effective in removing pet hair gets my attention. I picked one up at the grocery store and have been pleasantly surprised with the results. It really works. I keep it next to the bed for a quick sweep of the covers when I make the bed. Takes no time and gets all the hair, no need to fight with tape.  I give it two furry paws up. Or should that be sixteen furry paws? Four dogs... sixteen paws. Man! That's a lot of paws.

I think it's time to move the junk food...

to a higher/safer spot.

Because someone I know  loves Cheetos,


and knows where to find them.