5 on Friday

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A little over a month ago, I won a Tula baby carrier in a raffle!

I have actually been interested in a Tula for a while.  A good friend has one and she loves it.  But I have an ergo (an older one but still in great condition) and couldn't really justify that amount. 

But then I won...so a brand new Tula for $12!

I got to pick my pattern and I went with the Shenandoah.  

Y'all, I am loving this carrier.  I am still glad I have my ergo, because I think it's better with smaller babies.  But this carrier is perfect for Gil.  It feels better on my back and it's easier to put on by myself.  I am officially a Tula fan!

T     W     O

We made it all the way through the winter without any major sickness and then Jack got sick this week.  He just had a slight fever and was sort of mopey on Tuesday, so nothing big.

When Jack takes a nap during the day, you know he's not feeling well!

By Wednesday he was fine, but he hadn't been fever free for long enough, so we had another quiet day at home.  He enjoyed playing out back in his (Christmas) pjs.  Also, those pjs were a splurge and a bit more than I usually spend on pjs (which is not saying much because I'm a total cheapo).  We have gotten every penny worth from them.  Jack loves these pajamas SO much.

T     H     R     E     E

Bech was home yesterday so I used the extra help and got some sewing done!

I have had this fabric since last fall and finally made some throw pillows.  I made two, but only had the insert on hand for one.  But I've got a craft store coupon so I'll grab another one this weekend.

I want to add some more pillows to our couch to go with this fabric.

I'm loving this one from Target.

Here's another fun option.

I just love the look of a gray couch (which we have) with lots of fun throw pillows in bright colors, like this:

F     O     U     R

I also worked on some shorts for Gil.  Gil has an absurd amount of smocked bubbles and jon jons for the summer.  But Gil is SO messy when he's outside so I knew I needed some play clothes for the summer too.  I wanted something cheap (so I wouldn't be too upset when he got them dirty) but still cute.  I bought some fabric at the Cotton Patch in Bogue Chitto two years ago to make shorts for Jack and never got around to it.  So I pulled the fabric out and picked up some cheap striped shirts at Target.

Here he is modeling one of his new pair of shorts.  Also, that's the face he made when I told him I wanted to take a picture.  He's a cheeseball!

F     I     V     E

We have a busy and fun weekend planned.  When the weather finally gets nice up here, life gets busy!  It's like we've all been bears, hibernating through the winter, and now we are just so excited to be outside and with other people again!

This afternoon, I'm going over to a friends house for a mom "happy hour."  We are drinking wine and cider and letting our kids run around their yard.  Perfection!

Tomorrow we have swim lessons, Jack's best school friends' birthday party (oh fine, she's his girlfriend, at least that's what they say), and then Saturday night is a cookout at a friends.  

On Sundays, we don't have church until 3 p.m. (the perks of being a church plant!), so I'm sure we will be at a park that morning!

Have a wonderful weekend!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

Today, I'm linking up to Cheer's Y'all to share a few of my favorite things.

O     N     E

First off, I've been eying some of Kristen Ley's new prints and cards!

Kristen is one of my sister's best friends and bridesmaids.  She has had an etsy for a while, but just launched a full site for her letterpress business, Thimblepress.

I have several of her prints, but I LOVE this Christmas card.  Can't you just see it framed?

T     W     O

I still love Bath and Body Works and am, thus, still stuck in Junior High.  But I LOVE Christmas smells in everything...which includes bath supplies.

And this Merry Marshmallow Kiss line looks right up my alley.

I know, you probably just threw up in your mouth.  That's okay, more marshmallow scented body wash for me!

T     H     R     E     E

It's getting cold here!  I have most of the cold weather essentials (down jacket, ski jacket, gloves, scarves, long johns), but I'm lacking in hats!

I love this Fair Isle beanie from Gap--cute, but warm! 

F     O     U     R

Makeup!

I don't usually splurge in the makeup area.  I

 get foundation and mascara from the drugstore.  But blush and eyeshadows are my splurges.  

I usually stick with Urban Decay eyeshadows, 

but I am in love with some of these palettes from Too Faced:

Joy to the Girls

I like these colors, plus they have Christmas names!

Natural at Night

This set is a good price, and the colors are ones I would use a lot.

Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush

I usually use this blush (yeah, just gonna link to that name), but I like the different options in this compact.

F     I     V     E

I've gotten really into sewing lately.  I want to try to hand at some appliqué style projects, but I need a few more tools.

This Fiskar's rotary cutting set seems like a great deal.   Plus, it's at JoAnn's, and they ALWAYS have 40% coupons.  I use the app, so I just scan the coupon at the register.  

What about y'all?  Any dream items you're wishing for this Christmas?

Sewing Project

...And I'm back!  This past month has been nothing short of crazy.  We had a 2 year old birthday, my sister's wedding, a quick trip to the Ozarks, a quick trip to Oxford and Memphis, an Evans family vacation at a lake house, and now it's pack pack pack, apply apply apply, and keep a 2 year old happy.

But Jack's grandparents (both sets) have spent the past 6 days spoiling Jack like crazy so that Bech and I could pack in peace.  I'd say we are about 90% of the way done.  All that's left is things that we are still currently using and some of Bech's pottery (and that is mostly because he needed some special packing materials that will get in today).

Yesterday, after I packed in the morning and translated some Vergil in the afternoon, I knew that it was time for a break.  I picked up some coordinating fabric last week at the Cotton Patch in Brookhaven (if you are local and don't know about this place, you have to go visit!  They have amazing prices on fabric!).

Jack needs some fall clothes.  He has SO many summer outfits, and that's great in the South.  He wore short jonjons until October here.  But that is not going to fly up in Pennsylvania.  And if you've read this blog for long, you've probably figure out that I am sort of very particular/vain about what Jack wears.  I hit up Remember Nguyen's memorial day sale so he's set on church clothes.  And I've got a bunch from Expectations after Christmas sale as well.  But I needed some just everyday clothes.  

I've always loved the look of Pipper's patterned boy pants, and I love me a cute applique top.  So I decided to make some!

I got these fabrics for $6 for 3/4 a yard (from the Cotton Patch).  I decided to do reversible so that I could cuff the pants and to add an extra layer for warmth.  I might make a pair or two of non-reversible (but still lined) pants as well.

The first pair--I am going to get a "J" appliqued in the polka dot fabric.

The second pair (and probably my favorite print)--I am going to get a green tree appliqued.

The third pair.  I saved this one for last because of the stripes.  I am going to get an owl (there's an owl in the print) appliqued in the stripe.  Also, I still have to the elastic in the waist.

I had a Simplicity pattern for the pants.  I added on 3 inches on the last two pairs (I forgot on the first!) so that I could cuff them.  I made them in 3T, because I do have a larger child.  And if they're a little big this year, then we'll get 2 years out of them!

I'm not a good sewer by any means.  All I've done before is a couple of sets of curtains.  But I found TONS of good resources online:

This girl explains things really well.  Her pants aren't meant to be worn in reverse, plus she uses seam bias, so I couldn't follow some of her instructions.  But I used a lot of her tips.

This one was definitely the most helpful, just because I was making the same style.  She doesn't explain the cuffs very well, but everything else was great.

This explains the cuffs a little more clearly.

If you want to add outside pockets.

A helpful video.

Again, I am not a sewer...these were so easy!  And I got a lot faster.  The first pair took about 2 hours, the second 1 1/2, and the third about an hour.  I am definitely going to make more.  Plus with the price for the fabric, each pair was about $12.75...I could not have bought similar pants for that price!