tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35137493333508813492024-03-05T08:56:00.555-06:00QuietudeLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.comBlogger217125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-77569483674498884432016-03-29T16:11:00.001-05:002016-04-07T15:14:51.207-05:00He's here!Sooner than expected, we were able to welcome our newest son, Rafe David, into our arms! He was born at 9:09 AM on Sunday, March 6, weighing 7 lbs., 8 oz. and measuring 20 inches long. He was the earliest of my babies, born at 37 weeks and four days, but obviously none the worse for it with his healthy weight and size!<br><br>
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<center><font color="#A1A1A1">[Sweet Rafe at one day old]</font></center><br>
Douglas took the following week off of work and I was able to have a nice lie-in with Rafe, resting from the birth, bonding, and nursing around the clock. I even had time to do some reading(!) -- I re-read <i>Lark Rise to Candleford</i> by Flora Thompson, which makes for very pleasant post-partum reading material.<br><br>
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<center><font color="#A1A1A1">[Three weeks old -- getting quite a bit chubbier!]</font></center><br>
All of the older siblings are over the moon about having a baby brother to cuddle, especially Edmund. I'm constantly fielding the request: "Can I hold him?" And if one child gets a "yes," the other two will start clamoring, "I want to hold him, too!" <br><br>
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<center><font color="#A1A1A1">[All the children dressed up for Easter]</font></center><br>
It's been a sweet three weeks of getting to know Rafe and adjusting to life with a newborn again. I've always wanted to have a spring baby, to watch our new little one growing right alongside the life that is growing and blooming outside! God is good!<br><br>
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<center><font color="#A1A1A1">[Daffodils for Rafe David]</font></center><br>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-83507903753557462942016-02-13T10:01:00.000-06:002016-02-13T10:02:53.761-06:00Hello!Wow, the time has flown since my last update. It's probably not hard to guess part of the reason behind my blog silence. I'll let pictures speak for themselves:<br><br>
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<center><font color="#a1a1a1">[L to R: 15 weeks; 21 weeks; 29 weeks; 34 weeks!]</font></center><br>
We are really looking forward to meeting our fourth child next month! Between pregnancy and homeschooling and a camera that is dubiously working, keeping up with my blog has just become too much for me. I've decided to shut it down, although I will hopefully pop in with a birth announcement before that happens!
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<b>Thank you</b> for following along all these years! I have met so many lovely ladies through my blog; it has been such a blessing to me! Please feel free to e-mail me at any time if you would like to keep in touch. I will miss this space but I know it's time to stretch into a new season and different priorities. May God bless each and every one of you!
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-52213805220972598542015-09-16T15:15:00.000-05:002015-09-16T15:27:34.275-05:00Summer days<br>
Long time, no post! We've had a busy and full summer and I just haven't made it a priority to sit down at the computer very much. To catch you up to speed on our summer...
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Auntie Em came to live with us for nearly two months, much to the delight of everyone.
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We took an unforeseen trip to New England -- and decided to drive there with all three kids! Our route took us through Canada, stopping at Niagara Falls, and took me to eight new states (having never been further northeast than Pennsylvania).
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My favorite day out with the kids, while Douglas was occupied with a music workshop, was taking them to Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT. We love Raffi (at least his early albums, not so much the later ones) and his song "Baby Beluga." Edmund has been very interested in marine creatures this summer and the chance to see beluga whales up close was not to be missed!
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Of sewing interest, I can now say I've visited Mood Fabrics in NYC and am the owner of some lovely Liberty of London cotton poplin as a result!
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Back at home in the sewing room, I cut down this vintage full-size quilt to twin-size for Lavinia's bed. It was an old, worn quilt given to my mom by a friend of hers to use as a play mat for grandbabies. The binding was completely worn and there were some ragged holes around the edges, but I figured if I cut down the size a bit, it could still be usable. Since Lavinia has been in need of a quilt or comforter for her bed, my mom was glad to pass it on to us.
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I found some matching lavender polka-dot cotton at Walmart and made my own binding, handstitching the back for strength. Yes, it took forever, but it looks nice and neat.
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<font color="#a1a1a1">[First day of homeschool 2015!]</font></center>
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Most recently we've started up homeschool for the year. Edmund is in kindergarten now so everything feels a lot more official. I was kindly gifted some Sonlight curriculum from two friends, so we are using that for Bible, history, geography, read-aloud time, and science. I'm using Singapore Math workbooks for math, and making my own way with phonics/reading. For handwriting, I'm doing a bit of an experiment and we're using Cursive First -- we'll see how it goes! Edmund has really blossomed with his artwork this year and I love to see what he draws, too.
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I had fun designing a coat-of-arms for our school in Adobe Illustrator. This binder is the key to my success this year, with everything planned out as much as possible! I'm thankful Sonlight does that for you, and it was easy to make up our own math schedule. For me to succeed as a homeschooling mom, I've realized I must have everything PLANNED OUT -- or else it won't get done!
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If you're curious about our school name, Seekings School, it's a nod to my favorite children's books by John Masefield, <i>The Midnight Folk</i> and <i>The Box of Delights</i>. (Seekings is the name of the house where Kay, the protagonist, lives.) But, of course, it has a delightful double meaning for seekers after knowledge and truth!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-30493060215041356312015-06-20T10:13:00.000-05:002015-06-20T10:13:42.818-05:00Birthday the 32nd
Another birthday has come and gone and I'm a year older. I love having my birthday in June -- I think it is the best month of the year to be born! It's always beautiful on my birthday!
<br><br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/18365036974" title="roses (2) by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/442/18365036974_70b0d8d96e.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="roses (2)"></a></center><br>
Yesterday we took a day trip to celebrate my birthday, and I was so blessed to have so many of my beloved family along -- Douglas, the children, my sister-in-law, my parents, and grandmother all made it special! We ate lunch at a classy restaurant and then went to a nearby park with lots of attractions. A lookout tower to climb...
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<br><br><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/18801385829" title="lookouttower by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3806/18801385829_1b73c51420.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="lookouttower"></a><br><br>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/18982166022" title="swanboats by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3815/18982166022_49bbff0aa8.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="swanboats"></a></center><br>
And a lake for paddling in. How fun are these swan boats? Reminds me of <i>Make Way for Ducklings</i>.<br><br>
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I attempted a selfie with Rosie while we were on the water. She was very dubious about wearing a lifejacket at first, but once we got going, she seemed to warm up to the idea of messing about in boats.
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And there was a family of real swans!
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I made myself a new sundress to wear on my birthday. It's been a long time since I've made a vintage-inspired dress to wear! This one was cobbled together from a vintage 80s pattern of my mom's and a basic sundress pattern of mine, and I drafted the 50s-inspired bodice details myself. The navy gingham came from Hobby Lobby. I have been pleasantly surprised by their fabric offerings lately! I think they are making an effort to cater to home apparel sewists (not just quilters and crafters), which I appreciate.
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/18801401689" title="birthdaydress3 by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/361/18801401689_1219f87e85.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="birthdaydress3"></a></center><br>
Then home for a lovely birthday dinner at my mom's. I always look forward to pink roses in June.
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I feel very blessed indeed to have so much love showered on me on my birthday.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-9231093502524322822015-06-09T15:30:00.000-05:002015-06-09T15:30:45.446-05:00UFO sightingWhen I reorganized my sewing room at the beginning of the year, it allowed me to gather all my "sewing stuff" into one place and take stock of what I have. I found a number of UFOs (unfinished objects, in crafting parlance) that I either needed to finish or toss. This one dates back to the summer of 2013. The fabric is a cotton lawn from <a href="http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com">Fashion Fabrics Club</a> that my kids gave me for my birthday, along with the fabric that became the first rendition of my <a href="http://www.quietudeblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/mamas-favorite-maxi-dress.html">"mama's favorite" maxi dress</a>. I finally cut it out last summer, but the project stalled and I never got it finished, until recently.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/18462585288" title="blue ikat skirt by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/321/18462585288_4654c27ca1.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="blue ikat skirt"></a></center><br>
It is a pretty simple skirt, so I didn't use a pattern. The waistband is shirred elastic thread, and the skirt is lined to the ruffle with white rayon challis. The hemline is cut in a gentle high-low shape, my first foray into that trend (it's probably not trendy anymore, eh? I'm not really on top of things). It's actually a little big for me right now, since I've lost some weight since last summer -- it doesn't stay at my waist very well, which is where I'd like to wear it. However, I think this feature will make it a nice maternity and post-partum skirt.
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/18652611541" title="blue ikat skirt by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/317/18652611541_170215a1fa.jpg" width="327" height="500" alt="blue ikat skirt"></a></center><br>
I've realized I've not shared a sewing project for myself since before Rosie was born! I hope that will change this summer -- along with my two other UFO skirts, I'd enjoy sewing up a new everyday dress or two for the summertime. What's in your summer project lineup?Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-53015461211840584592015-05-26T15:13:00.000-05:002015-05-26T15:13:11.616-05:00Vintage Simplicity 3939: Seersucker<center><br><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/17945583428" title="Seersucker sundress by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7725/17945583428_49c337c678.jpg" width="349" height="500" alt="Seersucker sundress"></a></center><br>
Lavinia is getting to the age where she enjoys wearing dresses, so I'm happy to oblige by sewing up a few! I happened to have this vintage pattern in a size 3 in my stash, so I used some cotton seersucker (also from my stash) and whipped this up for her.<br><br>
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The original pattern calls for tucks and rick-rack to add a little interest. I can't buy any rick-rack in soft, vintage colors locally, so I used the white rick-rack I had on hand. It doesn't "pop" very much, but adds a subtle touch of interest. I ended up taking out the bodice darts called for in the pattern -- I think it's pretty typical for a three-year-old's waist measurement to be the same as her chest! No shaping needed! <br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/17945585298" title="Seersucker sundress by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7726/17945585298_9eb6bdd24c_z.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Seersucker sundress"></a></center><br>
Fifties dresses for girls are fairly short, and Lavinia is fairly tall, so I lengthened the skirt by three inches. I didn't actually have enough fabric to do this, so I made a faced hem out of some scrap fabric. This is exactly what it sounds like -- instead of folding the fashion fabric up into a hem, you create a facing as a hem. Since it's a straight skirt, I also used my machine to make a blind stitch hem. This is my favorite quick way to do hems on straight skirts! <br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/18134555481" title="Seersucker sundress by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7749/18134555481_fd9c34c868_z.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Seersucker sundress"></a></center>
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Vintage buttons down the back from the stash. Magnificent bridal wreath bush courtesy of my parents' yard.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/18106986896" title="Seersucker sundress by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7669/18106986896_acdf500098.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Seersucker sundress"></a></center><br>
Happy girl. More made-by-mommy dresses are in your future, Lavinia!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-71075011503826298962015-05-07T15:12:00.000-05:002015-05-07T15:12:01.499-05:00Rosie's "Milly-Molly-Mandy" dress<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16789070843" title="Milly-Molly-Mandy dress by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7756/16789070843_031a320fc5.jpg" width="318" height="500" alt="Milly-Molly-Mandy dress"></a></center><br>
I recently checked out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Big-Milly-Molly-Mandy-Story-Book/dp/0753404834/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1431028440&sr=8-2&keywords=milly+molly+mandy">The Big Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook</a> from the library and it was a huge hit at our house. Edmund and Lavinia were both enthralled with the stories of Milly-Molly-Mandy's life in an English village, and I loved their gentleness and sweetness, too. They both begged me to read the stories over and over, until the book had to be returned. I plan to add some more Milly-Molly-Mandy books to our home library!
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16786811284" title="Milly-Molly-Mandy dress by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7723/16786811284_10dca88f8c.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Milly-Molly-Mandy dress"></a></center><br>
In the wake of all this, one day at Walmart, I took a stroll down the fabric aisle as I sometimes do, and the kids immediately latched onto this pink and white striped cotton as "just like Milly-Molly-Mandy's dress!" The result was fairly inevitable -- I took home three yards and promised Lavinia a Milly-Molly-Mandy dress of her own. This is an "inspired-by" version rather than an exact copy of Milly-Molly-Mandy's signature dress, as the stripes are not as wide, and there are some differences in construction.
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/17407378002" title="Milly-Molly-Mandy dress by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5468/17407378002_127932b6f3.jpg" width="316" height="500" alt="Milly-Molly-Mandy dress"></a></center>
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So why, you ask, if the dress was promised to Lavinia, is Rosie wearing it? Well, I made up the pattern myself, and somehow my first bodice attempt was way too small on Lavinia, but thankfully it fit Rosie just right! And so she received the first dress and Lavinia will soon have a matching one. It is a very simple 1920s style, much like this <a href="http://www.quietudeblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/wisteria-and-sunshine-dress.html">wisteria and sunshine dress</a>. I think it's sweet and an easy style to make!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-20425452429297841442015-04-25T06:45:00.000-05:002015-04-25T06:45:43.236-05:00Pillows and decoratingI've been putting a bit of effort into our master bedroom lately, taking care of some things that have been on the to-do list for way too long. Clearing all the clutter out? Check. Hanging pictures? Check. (This is ordinarily an easy task, but made more procrastination-worthy when one's walls are made of concrete or some other similarly impenetrable material.) Replacing the inadequate and ugly tab curtains that were hung on our French door when we moved in? Check.
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I'm still keeping a lookout through various channels for some needed items (most notably, two nightstands and a rug). After looking online for curtain rods and not finding what I need at cheaper stores and choking over the prices at nicer stores, I have decided to forgo curtains for now. We have very nice, new cellular blinds, so the curtains would really just be for effect (which is perhaps not needed in a Craftsman home, where windows are often bare). I can add fabric accents in other ways: throw blankets, bedskirt, and -- throw pillows!
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16638247033" title="floral throw pillows by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7680/16638247033_27cbdede0f.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="floral throw pillows"></a></center><br>
I found this fabric at <a href="http://www.fabric.com">Fabric.com</a> and immediately loved it! It's hard to convey colors accurately through a monitor, but the pinks are just the nicest muted vintage rose colors, my favorite. One thing I have learned through looking at decorating magazines is that I always LOVE pink floral. Not a bombardment of it, mind you, but a touch here and there is just the thing to make my heart go pitter-pat. I ran it by Douglas and his masculinity was not threatened by the idea of having pink floral throw pillows in our bedroom, so I placed my order.
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The feather pillow forms I used are 20" square, so I cut my squares of fabric to be exactly 20", too. With a bit of extra fabric taken up in the seam allowances, this works quite well for filling out all the corners of the pillow covers. I am so glad I took the time to make self-fabric piping, too -- I think they look much nicer that way. <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/05/how-to-sew-piping-into-a-pillow/">This tutorial at Craftsy</a> is very good, if you have never done that before.
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16638247913" title="floral throw pillows by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7627/16638247913_19ea4fc1fe.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="floral throw pillows"></a></center><br>
On the topic of decorating, I have never shared my favorite decorating magazine with you -- <a href="http://www.theenglishhome.co.uk/home">The English Home</a>. It's my only magazine subscription and I do enjoy it! When I can keep a good attitude, that is, as everything featured is way out of my price range. BUT -- I recently read some great older posts from <a href="http://www.likemotherlikedaughter.org">Like Mother, Like Daughter</a> that helped me feel a great deal more peace about my home. Check out <a href="http://www.likemotherlikedaughter.org/2009/04/frugal-for-beginners/">Frugal for Beginners,</a> particularly #3 and #5 -- YES, YES, YES!!! Also loved <a href="http://www.likemotherlikedaughter.org/2014/10/decorating-books-and-beauty-and-pinterest-in-the-library-project/">Decorating Books and Beauty and Pinterest</a> -- so many of the same thoughts that have been swirling around in my head, when I'm doing dishes or whatever, but expressed in a much more coherent and entertaining way. :) Thanks, <a href="http://www.thriftathome.blogspot.com/">Margo</a>, for introducing me to this great blog through your sidebar! (I feel like I'm the last to the party, but better late than never!)
<br><br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/17234908576" title="theenglishhome by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8740/17234908576_73405915a8.jpg" width="500" height="324" alt="theenglishhome"></a>
</center> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-44943859002726547202015-04-20T11:15:00.001-05:002015-04-20T11:24:38.602-05:00Simplicity 2081, revisited<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/17025526158" title="Simplicity 2081 by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8729/17025526158_e5fb8dde52.jpg" width="319" height="500" alt="Simplicity 2081"></a></center><br>
I recently finished up another version of vintage sewing pattern Simplicity 2081 for Douglas. Never mind that this was a promised garment for his birthday in 2014. Yes, it was a year late. You can see the first version (also a birthday present) <a href="http://www.laura.bitter-gamer.com/quietude/2009/03/birthday-shirt.html">here</a>, if you like. What can I say, I like him in light blue!
<br><br>I used a striped shirting from Colorado Fabrics (formerly Denver Fabrics), but I laid the pattern pieces crosswise so that the stripe would be horizontal instead of vertical. This time, I also followed the pattern's button layout and made the buttonholes horizontal, as instructed. Sometimes I feel like pattern-makers must know better, but usually when I'm uncertain about an instruction and I go with what the pattern says instead of my own gut instinct, I end up regretting it. The buttons don't go down far enough and it's just kind of weird to have horizontal buttonholes on a shirt! Oh well, we'll say it's authentic to the time period.
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I actually painted and re-organized our spare room back in late January, and set up the most functional sewing area I've had in quite a while! So I've been getting a lot more sewing done(!!!). This is, of course, relative to how much sewing I was doing at this time last year, when Rosie was a newborn. Meaning, it's happening, as opposed to not. :) I'm good with that.
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-3232276911613532472015-04-05T16:48:00.000-05:002015-04-05T16:48:21.077-05:00Happy Easter!<center><br><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16424153904" title="hot cross buns by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7593/16424153904_93c3b17f76.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="hot cross buns"></a></center><br>
The kids helped me make hot cross buns on Good Friday. I halved <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/04/hot-cross-buns/">the Pioneer Woman's recipe</a> and that made a dozen for our little family. Edmund helped me frost them while the girls were taking their naps.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16426450913" title="hot cross buns by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7637/16426450913_51dd86fca1.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="hot cross buns"></a></center><br>
The next day, I found this curiously-consumed bun, which made me laugh. This is Lavinia's. What child doesn't want to eat the frosting? My funny little daughter!
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-62583380332997262142015-03-25T14:42:00.000-05:002015-03-25T14:46:22.816-05:00Spring lunch<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16903548356" title="spring lunch by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8698/16903548356_e1743f2810.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="spring lunch"></a></center><br>
This is a recipe I like to make in the spring, whenever asparagus is coming into season. The ingredients may sound odd, but it's truly delicious! (By the way, this is called a sandwich, but I eat it with a knife and fork.)
<br><br><b>Asparagus and Cannellini Bean Open-Face Sandwich</b>
<ul>
<li>2 Tbsp. butter
<li>1 small onion, finely chopped
<li>1 small carrot, grated
<li>1 tsp. fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
<li>14 oz. can of cannellini beans
<li>2/3 c. half-and-half (for non-American readers, this is a 50/50 mixture of milk and cream)
<li>4-8 oz. young asparagus spears, trimmed
<li>4 slices whole wheat bread
<li>salt and pepper
</ul>
Melt butter in sauce pan and saute onion and carrots, around 4 minutes. Add thyme. Rinse beans and drain, then add to onions and carrots. Pour in half-and-half and heat slowly, until just short of boiling. Remove from heat and add freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste.
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Poach asparagus spears 3-4 minutes or steam until just tender.
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Toast bread. Place asparagus on top of toast, then spoon bean mixture over top (or vice versa, like I did). Serve immediately.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-8621107829235868612015-03-10T07:54:00.000-05:002015-03-11T07:23:54.706-05:00Leather toddler shoesI'm rather behind on posting any projects! Here are the shoes I made for Rosie's birthday over a month ago. I posted a photo on Instagram while I was making them, and you can see that they originally had leather bows for a little feminine accent. <br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16164183913" title="leatherbabyshoes by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8703/16164183913_87072a70a7_n.jpg" width="320" height="319" alt="leatherbabyshoes"></a><br>
<font color="#a1a1a1">[One shoe down, one to go!]</font></center><br>
I handstitched the bows onto the uppers before assembling the shoes, but I'm sorry to report that my handstitching was not strong enough to withstand even one day of toddler crawling! By the end of the first day, the bows were loose, wonky, and falling off. I removed them and pondered how I could re-attach. The only solution I can think of is leather glue, but I am dubious as to how well that would work. Rosie is now walking more than crawling, which means less stress to the tops of her shoes, but still! Even though the bows were cute, I think I will leave these as is, and chalk it up to a learning experience.
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16773384891" title="leather baby shoes by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8592/16773384891_62807951da.jpg" width="500" height="330" alt="leather baby shoes"></a></center><br>
Thankfully the quality of the leather hides the holes made by my handstitching. I used the same pattern as <a href="http://www.quietudeblog.blogspot.com/2015/01/felted-wool-baby-shoes.html">my last effort</a>, but resolved the printing issues I had. This time I used a size 6-12 months and they fit her just right. I sewed the shoes on my machine, with a leather needle, and had no problems with skipping stitches except once, when I was trying to sew through too many layers. The leather (and suede for the soles) came from a local shoe repair shop, where I can go and root through bins of scraps and take what I need for a few bucks.
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16773384031" title="leather baby shoes by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7586/16773384031_4b26d46445.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="leather baby shoes"></a></center><br>
This project earned me the title of "shoemaker" from Edmund. :) I'll take it!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-56300190954181939232015-03-04T16:08:00.003-06:002015-03-04T16:08:56.780-06:00Florida in February<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16530572400" title="beach by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8622/16530572400_3c309da684.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="beach"></a></center>
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We just got back from a family trip to Florida, our first in three years. <br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16510723647" title="beach3 by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8659/16510723647_f0fa759ae1.jpg" width="317" height="500" alt="beach3"></a></center>
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Lots of firsts for my girls. First airplane ride, first visit to the beach, first visit to their great-grandparents' condo. <br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16717997095" title="beach2 by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8668/16717997095_bcbd0b8be8.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="beach2"></a></center><br>
We built some modest sand sculptures. <br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16095686894" title="florida by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8593/16095686894_d9f00d44ca.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="florida"></a></center><br>
The weather wasn't very cooperative. We had one sunny day, and although the temperatures were always more pleasant than what we'd experience back home, it was still a bit cool. The natives were wearing winter coats.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16692095956" title="hibiscus by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8621/16692095956_9600a7bcd0.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="hibiscus"></a></center><br>
Lots of greenery for winter-weary Northerners, however.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16530570800" title="waves1 by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8677/16530570800_c5a22e54d3.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="waves1"></a><br><br>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16510722327" title="waves2 by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8618/16510722327_8613865ba1.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="waves2"></a><br><br>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16530425068" title="waves3 by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8651/16530425068_017b7c5a95.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="waves3"></a></center><br>
And these kids would not be kept from the ocean! Edmund and his cousin loved to jump waves.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16692095346" title="Shells by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8612/16692095346_024fb998db.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Shells"></a></center><br>
My favorite memory was taking Edmund for an early-morning walk to hunt for shells and other beach treasures. The commonest seashells sparked big-time excitement. You can see we found a nice assortment! God's beauty is everywhere.
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-14077858474095512242015-02-19T15:23:00.000-06:002015-02-19T15:23:56.931-06:00Collecting winter whites<br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16583881025" title="Winter whites by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8608/16583881025_c1173c10e0.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Winter whites"></a></center>
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16398010479" title="Winter whites by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/16398010479_b943fd08ea.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Winter whites"></a></center>
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16583880485" title="Winter whites by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7390/16583880485_a3f0f2789b.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Winter whites"></a></center>
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16396649908" title="Winter whites by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7393/16396649908_9a2b584271.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Winter whites"></a></center>
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16396846360" title="Winter whites by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7425/16396846360_fe9c703faf.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Winter whites"></a></center>
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15961726404" title="Winter whites by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7384/15961726404_90cd3e5f89.jpg" width="500" height="338" alt="Winter whites"></a></center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-3074149798746156292015-02-04T15:15:00.000-06:002015-02-04T15:20:49.173-06:00A rosy day in February<br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16444229512" title="Rosie's 1st birthday by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7291/16444229512_5bed65a8b4.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Rosie's 1st birthday"></a></center><br>
Yesterday our baby Rosamund turned one year old! At breakfast, she opened some handmade cards from her siblings and a gift from Mommy and Daddy.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16259267687" title="Rosie's 1st birthday by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7438/16259267687_c37c1304a8.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Rosie's 1st birthday"></a></center><br>
She has been in danger of getting very attached to a very soft, but very ugly, orange plaid throw blanket that we have. We gave her her own soft pink baby blanket from <a href="http://www.berkshireblanket.com">Berkshire Blanket</a>. See those fingers in the mouth? That's a sign of contentedness. I think the switcheroo will go unnoticed.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16257504308" title="Rosie's 1st birthday by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8570/16257504308_c43c9a09f3.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Rosie's 1st birthday"></a></center><br>
She also received the felt rose hairclip, which I battled to keep in place all day long, and some new chocolate brown leather shoes made by me. I'll post about those soon.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16257765460" title="Rosie's 1st birthday by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7426/16257765460_c9b31bc354.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Rosie's 1st birthday"></a></center><br>
I asked my mom if we could have the birthday luncheon at her house, so she provided the beautiful table while I contributed the food. We had tomato bisque and a variety of small, savory sandwiches and crudités, with cake and tea for dessert.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15825099903" title="Rosie's 1st birthday by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8643/15825099903_f5c370c0dd.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Rosie's 1st birthday"></a></center><br>
Mom set the table with vintage dishes belonging to Rosamund's great-great-great-grandmother. I sure hope Rosamund loves roses as much as I do, because the rose theme is not slacking off anytime soon!<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15822642714" title="Rosie's 1st birthday by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7382/15822642714_605a5419c1.jpg" width="500" height="327" alt="Rosie's 1st birthday"></a></center><br>
For her first birthday cake, I used our champagne blush wedding cake recipe, which I've not tasted since our wedding. I thought the recipe was lost, but when I mentioned it to my mom, she found it for me. Whew!<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16257503648" title="Rosie's 1st birthday by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7290/16257503648_8a1e646dcb.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Rosie's 1st birthday"></a></center><br>
Happy day celebrating a precious little lady. We love you, Rosamund!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-28480841520047601622015-01-16T15:30:00.000-06:002015-02-09T18:18:20.416-06:00Felted wool baby shoes<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16108153258" title="felted shoes by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7488/16108153258_0b125db700.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="felted shoes"></a></center><br>
OK, OK, I didn't think I would do it, but I did! I'm giving baby shoes a shot. It is so hard to find classic, sweet shoes for little girls that don't involve pink, cartoon characters, and glitter. Rosamund is outgrowing her winter shoes (hand-me-downs from Lavinia) and the next sizes in girls' winter shoes that I have just aren't working for her. She is just on the verge of toddling so I want to continue to put her in soft-soled shoes, the better to walk on her own.
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These are a "dipping my feet in" version of the free pattern available at <a href="http://darlingdiapers.com/SDminimocfinal2.PDF">Darling Diapers</a> (brought to my attention by <a href="http://www.thoughtsandthimbles.blogspot.com">Shannon</a>, who has already made and shared several pairs of adorable leather shoes on her blog! Thanks for the inspiration, Shannon!) These ones are made of felted wool, with leather (wrong-side-out, for texture) on the bottom. I sewed the wool parts on my sewing machine, but I don't have any leather needles for my machine (yet -- they're on their way, thanks to Amazon Prime) so I hand-stitched the uppers and soles together. Let's just say my hand-stitching could use a great deal of practice.
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I made the 12-18 month size, but they are a tad snug on my almost-one-year-old, so for my next version, I will size up. (EDIT: I think I made a mistake while printing, so that's why the sizing was off!) These practice ones are not very feminine so I am mulling over some ways to "pretty" them up while still sticking with neutral colors.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-2346932367042262542015-01-14T15:58:00.000-06:002015-01-14T16:02:22.950-06:00Mei tai in actionI find I am using baby carriers more and more with each successive child -- it becomes more necessary to have hands free when you've got other children to care for. I've actually tried three different "traditional" baby carrier styles over the years -- a ring sling, a mei tai, and a moby wrap. They each have their pros and cons but the one I've ended up using the most is the mei tai, made from Sew Liberated's <a href="http://www.sewliberated.com/products/mei-tai-baby-carrier-sewing-pattern">mei tai baby carrier pattern</a>. I haven't used my sling since Edmund was a baby, because the uneven weight distribution just tends to make my neck and shoulder ache. My sister-in-law lent me her moby wrap when Lavinia was born, and even though it's the most complicated to get on, it's my favorite for the newborn stage because of the great head support. However, when my babies get old enough to hold up their heads on their own, I favor the mei tai because it's easier and faster to put on than the moby.
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16095662959" title="Mei tai by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7528/16095662959_e5ee81eb40.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Mei tai"></a></center><br>
This is a typical scene you'll find around our house on any given morning -- Rosie riding on my back in the mei tai while I'm doing housework. She is not-so-content to play on her own while I'm busy, but she's very content to hang out back there while I do dishes. I also frequently use the mei tai when I'm out and about. I almost always wear Rosie in the front when I'm grocery shopping, which leaves one kid in the cart and one kid walking beside me (or both kids strapped into one of those ridiculous, un-maneuverable two-child carts at places like Walmart or Target -- why they like to ride in there, I have no idea).
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15659367484" title="Mei tai by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8587/15659367484_8ba379a1ee.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Mei tai"></a><br><font color+"#a1a1a1">[I do have to put my hair in a stylin' side pony because Rosie LOVES to pull it otherwise!]</font></center><br>
So anyway, about the pattern. I made it a long time ago, when I was pregnant with Lavinia, but here's what I can recall: first off, I managed to make it out of 45" wide home décor fabric, and less than what the pattern calls for. I <I>think</I> I did this by rotating the layout of the straps 90 degrees. Unfortunately I can't remember exactly what I did, but just a head's up that you don't have to go with what's recommended in the pattern -- play around with the layout and see what you can come up with. Also, you could totally omit the patch pocket on the front of the mei tai. I never use it; it's just not handy.
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All in all, I'm happy with my carrier and it's held up well after nearly three years of use (although the fabric has faded quite a bit).Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-64231994127363699092015-01-08T14:11:00.000-06:002015-01-08T14:11:54.420-06:00Hen's "Banbury Cross" cardigan<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMa9BlZQJ7VZ1n6MQ7g4D0EpXf6v6IX7F5DHpckfui1bHoQ9AvR131iZeo9hRWaoMfHYFSGd5ylV5eJh87iAH4iMwZeM4U3w6S3mSC5G7J3a2SlLx642aNHr8JtVnYvL_xw-l588PA2Lut/s1600/hen_banburycross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMa9BlZQJ7VZ1n6MQ7g4D0EpXf6v6IX7F5DHpckfui1bHoQ9AvR131iZeo9hRWaoMfHYFSGd5ylV5eJh87iAH4iMwZeM4U3w6S3mSC5G7J3a2SlLx642aNHr8JtVnYvL_xw-l588PA2Lut/s640/hen_banburycross.jpg" /></a></div>
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I wanted to share with you all a really sweet version of the Banbury Cross cardigan pattern that a customer recently sent me! Isn't the houndstooth the cutest? Well done, Hen!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-72271327203541955012015-01-06T14:17:00.000-06:002015-01-06T14:17:22.491-06:00Heraldic bunting for Sir Edmund<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16216532705" title="Heraldic Bunting by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7499/16216532705_4fc28b40ab.jpg" width="500" height="166" alt="Heraldic Bunting"></a></center><br>
One of the two handmade gifts I made for Christmas this year was this heraldic bunting for Edmund's room. I haven't done a whole lot to decorate his room for him yet, but I liked the idea of going with a "knights and dragons" theme. When I put up <a href="http://www.quietudeblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/purple-bunting.html">Lavinia's bunting</a> in her room, he was a bit wistful and wished he could have some more "decorations" in his room, too. I think he's pleased to have this!
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16029169060" title="Heraldic Bunting by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7516/16029169060_7dc52677f4.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Heraldic Bunting"></a></center><br>
Each little flag was a fun challenge to figure out. I bought 1/2 yard of various bright colors of cotton at Walmart and then just let my imagination go with piecing the designs. I did put in St. George's Cross because Edmund really likes the beautifully-illustrated book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saint-George-Dragon-Margaret-Hodges/dp/0316367958/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420574977&sr=8-1&keywords=st.+george+and+the+dragon">Saint George and the Dragon</a>. The black and red diamond flag was the most time-consuming. I had a bit of fun with the ermine/black flag, because I've never printed on fabric before! I found an image of an ermine pattern online, fixed it up a bit in Photoshop, then printed it onto some white cotton that had been ironed onto freezer paper to stiffen it. It worked beautifully.
<br><br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16029017428" title="Dragon! by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8591/16029017428_39477d51c3.jpg" width="500" height="394" alt="Dragon!"></a></center><br>
Edmund also had fun contributing to the new theme!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-29302346234030418582015-01-04T18:07:00.002-06:002015-01-04T18:07:49.413-06:00January is for hibernating<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16014472957" title="Jersey lounge pants by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7471/16014472957_d6fd3da17c.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Jersey lounge pants"></a></center><br>
My first completed sewing project of 2015 are these jersey knit lounge/pajama pants! Influenced by the late, great "Victoria" magazine, I tend to imagine January as a time for staying indoors... lounging with a cup of tea... looking out at the snow... dreaming of future plans... Hopefully I can catch a few moments to do a bit of "hibernating" in these pants!
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I used an old pair of pajama bottoms that were falling apart to make a new pattern, at least for the legs. My old PJs had a more elaborate waistband, but I just wanted something easy and comfortable so I made a foldover yoga waistband. Somehow, as I was making the pattern pieces, the back of the pants ended up too short, so I left these unhemmed so they'd be long enough (you can do that with knits since they don't unravel). Usually I like my garments to be nicely finished, but since these pants are for home, the raw hem doesn't bother me. :)
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15577873794" title="Jersey lounge pants by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7474/15577873794_cb9f1a00b3.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Jersey lounge pants"></a></center><br>
I bought this jersey knit several years ago at Denver Fabrics and it's been residing in my stash ever since. I never had a clear plan of what to do with it, but I think pajama pants are a perfect answer! The print is so pretty and feminine, perfect for lounging at home. Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-48867419118512489692015-01-03T11:48:00.000-06:002015-01-03T11:48:46.198-06:00Music for a winter's day: Mahler's 4th<br><center><iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/suWFRYUXvO4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-39055549459628615742014-12-31T08:42:00.001-06:002014-12-31T08:43:14.557-06:00And a happy Christmas!<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16155331552" title="Christmas 2014 by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7497/16155331552_c49c74ecd6.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Christmas 2014"></a></center><br>
This year I set aside one day, the 23rd, for our family Christmas at home, and it was really one of the most fun Christmas celebrations that I can remember. Douglas and I have alternated spending Christmases with his family or mine every year since we were married, which has been wonderful. But as more children have been added unto us, I've craved a bit of time for our own family traditions, and togetherness with our own little family of five. Last year, after Christmas was over, I decided that this year I would just set aside a day to be our family Christmas, and I think it worked out nicely. We still had plenty of time to enjoy with my family and Douglas', but it was special to have time just to ourselves, too.
<br><br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15533742934" title="Christmas 2014 by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7518/15533742934_f9b3dbaa6c.jpg" width="321" height="500" alt="Christmas 2014"></a></center><br>
We woke up to a gentle snowfall, which was a simply lovely blessing on the day. We had a leisurely morning of opening stockings and gifts, and then a brunch of scrambled eggs and sausage patties. The kids enjoyed their toys and we cleaned up all the wrappings after eating, then put the youngest two children down for a nap while Edmund was permitted to continue playing with his new things. This was the first year he really wanted a specific toy. He had seen someone played with a radio-controlled helicopter while on a walk this summer, and he remembered that and kept talking about "an airplane that can go on its own." Well, thanks to my parents, his wish came true -- Mom found an inexpensive helicopter on Amazon. We were pretty sure it wouldn't last long in the hands of a five-year-old (it's recommended for ages 14+), and we were right -- but he had such fun playing with it while it lasted!
<br><br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/16130292246" title="Christmas 2014 by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7541/16130292246_16185c2328.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Christmas 2014"></a></center><br>
After naps, we went for a cold walk in the wild (or as close to it as we can get around here), then came home to a dinner of <a href="http://www.laura.bitter-gamer.com/quietude/2009/10/one-year.html">cheese fondue</a>. I have not made that in such a long time, and I wasn't sure if the kids would like the more "grown-up" tasting cheese, but they did! I had planned on serving eggnog for the kids and mulled wine for me and Douglas, but I was so tired I ended up falling asleep at 7:30pm. Thankfully, Douglas put the little ones to bed, so we were all able to get some much-needed rest after a happy day of celebration.
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<center><i>This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. - I John 1:5</center></i>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-4259884120151116182014-12-12T05:33:00.000-06:002014-12-12T05:33:35.147-06:00Evening light on fruit<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15978026906" title="Christmas fruit by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7532/15978026906_e70f809f2f.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Christmas fruit"></a><br><font color="#a1a1a1">[not a dirty mirror with those specks, just a 100-year-old one!]</font></center><br>
I have found that a cheap and easy way to decorate for Christmas is to use mostly natural objects... extra greenery cut from our tree, pinecones, dehydrated citrus slices, and a bowl of seasonal fruit. I set this basket, lined with a green plaid scarf, out on the sideboard of our built-in china cabinet, and filled it with apples, pears, pomegranates, grapefruit, oranges, and clementines. The amount and type of fruit varies as we eat our way through it, but it makes a festive focal point out of something we have on hand, anyway!
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-78218437336192140332014-12-05T16:08:00.000-06:002014-12-05T16:08:12.907-06:00December whirling inThere's a prevailing thought that you shouldn't even THINK about Christmas until after Thanksgiving, but I have come to realize that when you are a homemaker in charge of decorating and festivities, that attitude is Bunk. Hopefully each year I will do better, but I often end up scrambling around, trying to get things pulled together post-Thanksgiving (or whenever we return from our travels -- this year, it was Nov. 30).
<br><br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15768824729" title="Christmas stockings by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8608/15768824729_425c71f0b0.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Christmas stockings"></a></center><br>
At least in one area, I am way ahead of the game -- stockings. I've been wanting to pull together some coordinated family stockings, but as is typical, I couldn't find anything store-bought that I really liked. So last August, I finally made some! Yes, August. I did NOT want to be doing Christmas sewing in December.
<br><br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15767439238" title="Christmas stockings by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7556/15767439238_07d2f6503c.jpg" width="500" height="213" alt="Christmas stockings"></a></center><br>
I used quilting cottons from Moda's "Lumiere de Noel" line by French General, which is a few years old and very hard to find. I finally found some yardage from a few small online quilting shops. I don't know how many more stockings we may need in future for more children, so I ordered some extra prints just in case! I have stripes and plaids for boys and florals for girls.
<br><br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15929061046" title="Christmas stockings by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7532/15929061046_61bf515f29.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Christmas stockings"></a></center><br>
I made up my own pattern, which is just a simple and classic stocking shape, with a cuff for names. The stockings are lined with an off-white twill and the cuffs are made from a linen-like cotton, both from Walmart, of all places. I hand-embroidered the names onto the cuffs, using an alphabet lifted from one of my English embroidery books (it is copied from an alphabet on a sampler made by one of the Brontë sisters). The "linen" wasn't quite fine enough to do counted cross-stitch, so I traced each name onto freezer paper, centered and ironed it onto each cuff, and then embroidered over my guide. After 1/2 of the cross stitch was done (all the stitches on one diagonal), I carefully tore away the freezer paper with my fingers and tweezers, then finished the cross-stitches.
<br><br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15954839215" title="Christmas stockings by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7541/15954839215_a51076a312.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Christmas stockings"></a></center><br>
I really love the way they turned out, and I am THRILLED to have them done before the Christmas season started! They definitely pass my home decor test: "Is this something that would be found in an English country home?" ;-)
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3513749333350881349.post-62890123459399594892014-12-02T08:21:00.002-06:002014-12-02T08:21:50.673-06:00Birthday boy<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15740087129" title="birthday cake! by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8609/15740087129_29dd888708.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="birthday cake!"></a></center><br>
Before November becomes a distant memory, let me make mention of Edmund's 5th birthday! This year, his birthday fell on the day before Thanksgiving. We traveled cross-country to be with my brother and his family for the holiday, so it was special for Edmund to be in a new place and with a special playmate (his cousin) for the day. I had thought we might go out to a bounce house or gym in the Big City for a special treat, but the kids were having so much fun just playing at home, we scrapped that plan. Why add to the stress of bundling everyone out the door on the day before a big holiday when the birthday boy just wants to play at home?
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Edmund requested the same cake from last year -- <a href="https://www.hersheys.com/celebrate/holidays/recipedetail.aspx?id=8108">Hershey's "Especially Dark" Chocolate Cake</a> topped with "Especially Dark" frosting and raspberries. I accidentally made the frosting a bit thin, so it's not sticking as well as it should in this picture. This year he wanted a "helicopter cake" so my mom found a little toy helicopter to put inside a landing pad of raspberries and candles. This cake is <i>rich!</i> But oh so yummy when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to give a little extra sweetness to the dark chocolate.
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22146155@N06/15925469432" title="birthday cake! by Laura Singer, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8664/15925469432_f7edf9f995.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="birthday cake!"></a><br>
<font color="#a1a1a1">[Edmund in his new special PJs from great-grandma]</font></center>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234162572763034574noreply@blogger.com4