I spy a TaDa Resell

A Chocolate Lollipop set with jeans/belt and two tees. These were completely custom designed to her liking and I loved how they turned out. So sweet! Visit her auction here if you have a little one wearing a size 24mos/2T. Sorry I don't have a photo to post, I couldn't snag one from the listing.

Happy bidding!

And the winner is...

We have decided to choose between two names at the hospital. We'll wait a day or two and see what he looks like (if he's even a he!) and then name him. I figure there is no hurry since we'll be there for 4 days. The two final names are:

Samuel David Eagen

or

Joshua David Eagen

I have a sneeking suspicion that Sam will be the ultimate winner though. Yesterday Dave said he was saying the name out loud on his way home, just practicing. What a cutie!

So...I just had Emily draw from the following entries (Jenn, Kim and Sarah) out of a hat to see who wins the "Little Joe" video..and the winner is...

Drum role please...

Kim...you are the lucky winner! Since I already know where you live, I'll get it to you as soon as the video arrives. Your kiddos will love it!

Thanks to everyone who contributed names to our big search. We greatly appreciated it!

I just had to take a picture of the sweet little outfit I found him at Gymboree. For now the tags stay on until I call my Mom to say, "Hurry here with the girls to meet their New Baby Brother! Oh and can you throw those boy clothes in the wash and bring them on your next visit?" It's amazing how picking out a new name, and buying some cute new duds can make me once again hope for a boy. But I know we will be truly blessed no matter who is in there! I love you peanut. ~Mom

We are nearing a naming decision, just waiting for Dave to give me his top three and then we'll duke it out. Only 20 days to go, but at my appointment this week (just 2 left) my Dr. said that I could go any day. I've been having a ton of very painful Braxton Hicks and take a pill to make them stop at home saving me countless trips to the hospital. But should they not stop one of these days and I do have to go in, they won't stop them. Instead, it will be a c-section right away. So strange to hear since last time around they did everything they could to keep those little ones in as long as possible (we made it to 38 weeks exactly). So...20 days, OR LESS!!!

Today I pulled out the baby clothes and other necessities and tomorrow I will wash them all. I do need to make a stop at Gymbo tomorrow, to get at least 2 outfits for coming home in, in case New Baby is a boy. I have 2 pairs of pjs in yellow for the 0-3 month size and a few boy sets for bigger sizes but that's it or he'll be wearing lots of PINK. Next I need to pack my bag. Then there are the countless other projects I'm still hoping to get done in the next 3 weeks...5 pairs of jeans to embellish...1 top and 1 dress left to make...nursing cover-up to make...a dresser to add 2 coats of paint to...trim to sand and varnish again and help Dave install so we can finally park both vehicles in the garage...take down the trampoline for winter...cut down all the perennials but I think I'll wait until spring for that one. Carpel tunnel set in a couple of weeks ago, so I'm sure I won't get it all done, but I'll give it my best shot.

As of yesterday my mind has been racing with tons of ideas for homemade Christmas gifts this year. I've also finished several projects for the girls so I'll take some pics soon and share those too. Oh and be sure to check out Nicole's softie doll tutorial. Now I need to add 4 of those to my list.

Little "Joe" and a Little Contest

The most watched movie in our house right now is the Veggie Tales "Ballad of Little Joe." Created by Dave's cousin Phil, it's a super cute version of the Old Testament story of Joseph, the youngest son of Jacob sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Emily walks around singing the tunes and asking to watch it all day long (of course I don't let her). We thought since Emily is always pretending to be Little Joe, telling us to call her Little Joe and running around the house looking for her brothers and asking us if we are her brothers...that it would be fun to name New Baby "Joe" so the girls can call him Little Joe. I asked Emily what she thought of that and she said "that's funny" the way only she can. Joey could come from either Joseph or Jonah.

Now, Dave doesn't really think we should name our son after a movie character that a 3 year old just happens to be enamored with and he's probably right, but I do actually like the names Jonah and Joseph. We have few other leads at this point. I keep saying "sure that one's ok, if I was naming my 4th boy and had already used the perfect name."

So, here is where you come in. I would love for you to leave name suggestions (as many as you like) here for us to consider. So just leave a comment with the boy name(s) you think we should use and if we decide on yours I'll send you a brand new "Little Joe" DVD. If more than one person leaves the same name, then I'll have Emily draw from those names out of a hat (she can't read yet so it will be fare...hehe). Middle names would be great too, but not necessary for the contest. I'll just draw from the first-name that's chosen. Please leave your comments by this Sunday night and I'll reveal the winner as soon as we agree on the name. Don't worry it will be in the next week or two, we won't be going in to the hospital empty-handed. :)

Tips: We chose Emily and Allison becasue I felt they were timeless names and easy to spell and had cute nicknames. We are looking for a boy name that compliments theirs. We aren't looking for trendy (no Connor, Hunter, Tanner etc...), we prefer names that you would find in almost every generation, if that makes sense. A Biblical name would be a plus too, but not necessary. We would prefer to use a middle name of either David or Scott and the last name is Eagen. I also try to think "does it sound good on a little boy, on a high schooler, a Dad and a Grandpa? And a new question I've been asking lately is "would that be a name his wife would like to call him?"

Because we just can't decide, and our #1 name is no longer an option (Andy/Andrew), I'm actually hoping that New Baby is a girl. That one we have down pat! Abigail Anne Eagen. We love the name and I think it's fun to say Emmy, Allie, Abby. By the way, should I be spelling Allie, A-L-L-Y, just becasue the others end in "y"? Hmmm...Would love your input on that one too.

Here's a list of options we've been thinking of, but please feel free to suggest any others you like. I've looked at tons of Baby name lists but just get overwhelmed by them. With only 3-1/2 weeks to go, I am really stressing out about this. It's driving me nuts now that we chose not to find out Baby's gender this time. What were we thinking???

The letter "J" here is purely coincidence.
Joshua "Josh"
Jonah
Jack (after my Grandpa)
Joseph (my half-Brother has a half-sister also married to a Dave and with children named Emily and Joseph, and 2 of her 3 kids are twins. I guess it would make it easy to remember!)

Under the Big Top

CIRCUS UPDATE: We are exhausted!!! Both girls cried and begged to go home as soon as the lights came down and the loud music started. Allison was terribly afraid of the clowns. Go figure...we thought for sure Emily would be the timid one and Allison would love it all. She made Dave take her out of the arena both times the clowns came in and for the first half of the show she hid under her jacket and pulled Dave's hand over her eyes. Near the end, she did do a bit of clapping and laughing though. Emily was a trooper, but the phrase I heard most from her was "I need to go home." So...we won't be doing that again anytime soon. Of course they talked about it fondly the whole way home.

I just love how these outfits turned out. This was my first time making ruched ruffles. They were so much fun, now I want to add them to everything! Can you believe I didn't applique or hand embroider on any of these pieces? A definite change from my usual. They went together pretty quickly, except for my usual indecisive nature about what to put where.













This was my favorite photo shoot so far. The girls had a lot of fun, even though it was only 53 degrees outside. And they actually listened to direction. They are getting to be such big girls! Just 3 more days before we go to the Circus...we can't wait!

I'm sure these 4 pieces will make it to my Etsy store once I'm ready to take on some custom orders.

I just finished up a pair of decoupaged jeans, made-to-match Gymboree's new Holiday Friend line too. We are off to the play area at the Mall to show them off! hehe

Trick or Tweets!

I decided to see if my vintage light switch plate would fit in the girls new room. I was so excited to find that it does! The switch was too close to the door trim in their old room to accomodate the roof overhang. Now I'm painting a little dresser for their room, green, so I can add the matching lamp with nightlight to it. I used this lamp on my nightstand until I was 23. I need to find a more suitable shade though. You can find vintage lamps like this on eBay just like mine, Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, even some sold in pairs. Keep searching I'm sure more will pop up over time. I've passed these all up myself, not knowing if New Baby is a girl or boy. Have I told you yet how much I regret not finding out? The planner in me is really thrown for a loop. But only 4 weeks from this Friday to go!



The "trick" part is that it looks like sadly our Mary Engelbreit paper doll collection will be coming to a halt. Her Home Companion magaine publisher has decided to drop it. I hear from Jona that they are shopping for a new publisher though, which is good news.



And I couldn't pass up these adorable pencil and asseccory cases at Barnes & Noble a few weeks ago. I bought the girls each the small size for their pencils too, but for some odd reason they both chose the bumble bee design. I asked every which way I could to get them to prefer the birdies, but to no avail. Now that I'm organized, they hold my plethora of sewing marking pens and my colored Sharpie pens. I love opening my drawer and having them staring back at me. Makes me smile! Ohhhh...and the smell of plastic brings me back to those lovely school days when all I looked forward to about going back to school was the new supplies to buy.

Redeeming Myself

After another 4 days of sewing projects my room was even messier. It got so bad that I couldn't open the door all the way. So I spent most of today cleaning it and I thought I better document it quick so I can always come back to be inspired to clean again as needed. Of course the mess really only moves from room to room. While I'm cleaning one, the girls are destroying another (this time the playroom). C'est la vie!

I think it looks great now. I even moved the furniture myself!




Gone is all the fabric in New Baby's crib...


put away neatly folded mostly by project...


and in color order.


And all of my drawers got the "a place for everything and everything in it's place" treatment.






So there you have it! Oh and tomorrow we are heading out to take pictures of my latest sets. We are going to the Circus on Saturday (3rd row seats!!!) and this week-end I made 2 different dresses and pants for the occasion. Can't wait to show you! It's been forever since you've seen anything new from me.

The Smile Award

I just got paid the nicest compliment by my dear friend Jessica. Thank you, you are tutu sweet! I wish I could send this back to you.

Characteristics for the Smile Award:
1. Must display a cheerful attitude.
(Hmmm...I need to work on that one a bit more.)

2. Must love one another.
(Just as you would want others to love you.)

3. Must make mistakes.
(This is a daily occurrence in my life, just trying not to make any real "big" ones)

4. Must learn from others.
(I love learning new things from people I admire.)

5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world.
(I try to make it fun for everyone that stops by.)

6. Must love life.
(Without a doubt!)

7. Must love kids.
(Absolutely, I love watching them learn and grow.)

These are the rules for The Smile Award:
1. The recipient must link back the the award’s creator.
2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.
3. You must chose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself.
4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award.
5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.
6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.
7. You must thank your giver.

I now award this Smile Award to:
Jona of Stop Staring and Start Sewing: Her blog always makes me smile. She freely gives so many wonderful tips and is a truly lovely person to know. Mother extraordinaire, she does everything! I knew right away I liked this gal, we share the same affection for Mary Engelbreit and Bob the Tomato.

Allison of Lula Bee Boutique: A former group mate and one talented Momma. I love her creative spirit and desire to be the best mom to her 2 kiddos, one with Autisim which I know is a daily challenge. You are an inspiration to me.

Erin of The Vintage Pearl: A lovely Christian woman, wife and mother of 4 adorable kiddos. I love reading about her families adventures and the cute things he kids say and do. And she makes the hippest jewelry out there.

Mary of Confessions of a Craft Addict: I just found her blog this week and love it! She is such a nice sweet person and I admire that she is "doing the right thing" in everyday occurrences even if it may embarrass her kiddos. I can't wait to read more about her every time I visit.

Jessica of Little Pumpkin Grace: OK so I know I can't really send this back to you, but I want you to know how much you really inspire me. Your lovely relationships with your daughter, Mother and Grandmother are so precious to hear about. You are always positive and such a happy person. I imagine you smiling all of the time. Grace is so blessed to have you for her Mama!

Another of my favorites, the amazingly talented Jenn of Take A Bow Creations, has already been given the award, so I'll give someone else a chance.

Thanks for making this world a better place ladies!

There are so many more I could send this too, if only they had a blog...nudge...nudge...Kori, Michelle, Amy and Kim come to mind right away. ;)

Comfy Quilt Giveaway

I just love this comfy looking quilt that Elizabeth Cranmer is giveing away over on her blog. She designed this pattern and is bringing her second version of this quilt to Market in a couple of weeks. Stop over to her blog to enter or just gaze at her lovely photos.

Its...uh...my collection!

I'll admit it, I have an obsession with vintage handmade Christmas ornaments, tree skirts and stockings from the 70's-80's. I've decided to add to the collection that my mother started back then and have been having fun finding more of the same on eBay. As soon as New Baby arrives I'll decide which stocking kits to buy and get those made by next Christmas. I have 3 kits to work on but no real intentions of having them done for this year.

Tree skirt my mother made



And her ornaments



And here are the "new" old treasures I've found. Goldilocks and the 3 bears in the center are my favorites (the bear in the middle doesn't go with that set though).





My favorite here are the "Three Little Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens."


My goal is to have a tree that's filled with these felt pretties and vintage inspired glass ornaments, with colored lights. Quite a change from my northwoods themed tree with white lights that we are used to. Most of the finds on eBay are from estate sales, so I hope to stop by some in our area too.

I can't believe I'm doing this...

Inspired by a recent post by fabric and pattern designer Lila Tueller, Chelsea of Vintage Chic Boutique is having a "Messiest Creative Space Contest." I hope this doesn't burst anyone's opinion of me by seeing my sewing room in all it's glory. You may be thinking, "Wow...how can all those cute things come from THAT!?!?!?"

Well, in my defense, I've reached the point in my pregnancy where it's much more difficult to bend over and pick things up from the floor. Of course that doesnt' explain the pile of fabric in New Baby's crib. That's just me having finished a very detailed applique project that required a zillion different colors and I prefer to refold them all at the end. Hmmm...it's the end, I better get folding.

I'd like to say that I still clean-up between every new project (I used to), but this is the mess that the past 5 projects has created. I do have to say that I'm lucky I can even see the floor at this point. Since I only have 5 weeks left before New Baby's arrival, and a list a mile long of sewing projects, I plan to take time this week-end to clean the room since my sewing machine is currently in the shop. I will admit that I removed the bevy of dirty dishes, that look more like science projects at this point, before snapping a few pics. So without further excuses or explanations, here it is (shudder)...









If you too would like to throw caution to the wind, and let it all hang out, visit Chelsea's blog to enter her contest. I hope I have at least made someone else feel better about their mess. Oh and...the rest of my house? Spotless of course! ;)