From Little Things To Sew by oliver + s . I love this bag. Here it is in action at The City Library of the Year 2006 . It only took us about seven years to finally go see the new library. I made two of these for the kids and they use them all the time.  I chose light canvas for the outside because I knew I wouldn't be able to handle it if I picked out some wonderful fabric only to see it dragged across the parking lot or filled with rocks.  I used the fun fabric on the inside.  And somewhere on this computer I think I have pictures of that but who knows where. I also added a little elastic hair band to the inside seem to hold their kids thermos.  It fits perfectly in there and stays upright.  I'd show a picture but ... Oh, and even though this is a very small thing, because the bag is a mucky canvas color, I added a bit of flair by using hot pink hardware on the strap.

...so fun.

This is an oliver + s free pattern, the  Popover Sundress , sewn for  Project HOPE Art  which will be given to a little girl at Nadine’s orphanage in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti.  More information on this dress drive can be found at Art Projects For Kids .  I hope to make a couple more before the December deadline. The pattern is a free PDF download which prints out on about 11 pages, I think.  You cut out around the margins of the pattern pages, line up the lettered dots, tape together, and cut out the simple front and back dress piece.  There's only two other pattern pieces to cut.  The dress is really easy to assemble.  I made the size 6 and it was a bit big around the bodice for my small-almost-7-yo.  So, a smaller size with a longer dress skirt might be a good idea for slender girls. Monkey Pants is modelling the dress for pictures and it's a good thing because she really tested the pants off of it to m...

Not only have I finally made something, BUT ... I also attempted to join a sew-along ! Incredible. OK, so I bought this terrific book, Little Things To Sew by oliver + s for myself a while ago, for Mother's Day. It made me feel less guilty about it in case I didn't ever end up making anything. I could at least just look at it. Well, Monkey Pants needed a sun hat for school but it had to be khaki, navy, or hunter green to match the uniform so I went looking for some navy fabric with little dots (what is that called? I don't know) like in the book, but of course, couldn't find any. I found this one with more sparse dots and then decided to liven it up a bit on the inside. (I don't think she'll get expelled for that, right?) This is our first year of public school, we've been homeschooling which is why I haven't had time to make anything for a year!  But that's for another post ... if I ever get around to it. Since I haven't sewn anything fo...

I made this on a bit of a whim for Easter dinner: cornish hens, artichokes, and golden potatoes with steamed carrots. Yum.

I think this has been in Target stores for a while but I just discovered them right in time for Thanksgiving, the Giada De Laurentiis line for Target.  And I wanted to share my find.  I got the set which was on sale a few weeks ago and then had to go back for the oval 2-qt. baker .  I love this off white color and the handles.  Anything you cook/bake looks yummy in them.  And they are ceramic so they bake very evenly and look great on the table. I've used them so much already.  I've made cornbread with honey butter pictured in the little ramikin, pumpkin pie, an insane 3-hour pumpkin bread pudding recipe I saw on TV, the Pioneer Woman's mashed potatoe recipe , left over turkey pot pie in the oval baker and in the large mug for an individual portion, etc.  I love them!

For monkey pants' 6th birthday I decided on a gingerbread house sort of theme since she was dressing up as Gretel for Halloween. We made it a fairy tale costume party. I tried to keep the cake as simple as possible. I figured a nine inch round with a fondant bow around it and a gingerbread house on top made with a kit wouldn't be too much work. The only thing was that I couldn't find any gingerbread house kits. Finally on the day before the party I found some Halloween kits that I had resolved to get and redecorate. But on a last minute trip to Costco (my favorite store) I was saved by this well priced ($10.00) gingerbread house kit that was already assembled! It's a Christmas one but I just added some fondant details to make it a little more Hansel and Gretel like. I have to admit, I was going for speed while decorating the gingerbread house and while I thought it was fabulous that the white icing was included in the kit I could not make anything neat look...