Two down; One to go!

Blood test: done. We should know the results of Sam's RAST test in a couple of weeks. Sam really did a great job, however he did flinch at first causing the needle to come out of his arm. And knowing what he was in for at that point brought on the howls! So in went the needle again. One minute, a strawberry sucker, and a Bugs Bunny bandage later, and he was back to his usual antics :o) Mommy, however, was still clenching every muscle!

I pride myself on not being a queasy person, and can pretty much watch, look at, and handle human "grossness", but for whatever reason when Sam tensed up, so did I. And of course, it took me another 20 minutes before I could relax. So since my mom was with me and the boys, we left the clinic and decided to peruse the clearance racks at Old Navy. I just love it when stores put perfectly good clothing out for next to nothing :o) Retail therapy to the rescue!

Happy Friday! Amy

Fingers Crossed!

This morning Sam and I made a quick trip to the allergist for his 1-year retest for peanut allergy. The great news is that his skin test came out negative! He was such a trooper, and bravely gave up his arm, which I really did not expect. I figured I’d have to sit on him kicking and screaming :o) But he really impressed me, and I was so proud of him. And for his valiant efforts he was rewarded by the nurse with a blue monster truck to play with while we waited the 12 minutes for the allergen to take effect. Before we get too excited, though, I have to take him in for a RAST blood test, and if that comes back negative, then he’ll be allowed to eat a peanut butter sandwich at the doctor’s office. So he’s passed part 1 of 3!

Thankfully, at his young age he really doesn’t know what he’s “missing out” on. But I sure will be able to rest easier when I don’t have to read every label, or pass on something just because I don’t know what’s in it. This is one issue where I’m overjoyed that he’s a pretty picky eater :o) And if all is resolved in the end I know a few folks at our house who will be overjoyed that peanut butter is once again allowed to visit our pantry!

As a bit of history, Sam broke out in this rash after just licking a small amount of peanut butter off a spoon when he was about 18 months old:


It was a smaller red splotch here and there intermittently that started me thinking he might have an allergy to something, but I wasn't sure exactly what it was. After Caleb left a spoon (off of which he'd eaten peanut butter) on the table, Sam stuck it in his mouth and I yanked it right out before he could eat any, but the rash came on almost immediately covering his cheeks, mouth and under his chin, and that's when I called to have him tested.

If you are wondering about peanut or other food allergies, some good resources can be found on the web: FoodAllergy.org, PeanutAllergy.com, MyFoodAllergies.net.

I'm no expert as I've not had to deal with many more situations than friends and family's homes, and the church nursery, because Sam is so young, but there are blogs-a-plenty that are written by moms with kids who have more severe allergies and more life situations that could be problematic for their kids. Those blogs may be of more immediate help to introduce you to a community dealing with the same allergy issues.

Here's to passing tests 2 and 3! Happy Monday! Amy

Oh...the resources available today!

If I were getting married in this day and age, I would be addicted to Weddingbee.com! Befriending and chatting with other brides planning their weddings. Having open access to others’ wedding plans, ideas, purchases and opinions is such a blast, not to mention the rewards reaped from reading about plans that worked out great, or just didn’t pan out at all, before you invest your own time and money! And having the support of other brides going through it all is priceless.

Recently, I worked with a bride (Miss Canary) on some custom zip bags that were added to gift bags she was making up for her bridesmaids. This was my introduction to the Weddingbee. She is a wonderfully thoughtful blogger, and is a real asset to the site. Even though I don’t need to plan another wedding, I still found her blog enjoyable to read, and I loved checking out the other items she bought for herself or her wedding party, and the artists she came in contact with. Check her out!

Spools, Spools, Spools

Going through as many spools of thread as I do, I’ve been wondering, “What in the world do I do with all these empty spools?” Of course I could just pitch them, but it seems so wasteful. Surely there’s something my kids could do with these! So off I head to the internet to find some ideas. Most ideas I found are for wooden spools, but mine are all plastic. So here are 2 ideas I found that I might try:

Fourth of July Necklace from Highlightskids.com

Sitting Spools from Funology

I plan on taking my empty spools on our vacation for a craft project with the boys. I’ll post photos of our craft endeavors when we return, especially if I come up with any really cool spool ideas. I’m thinking I’ll take glue, fabric scraps and paints with us, and see what happens! Maybe a colorful spool pyramid for the boys to build and knock over (which they will love even if they don’t want to do the decorating part!), and maybe some strung shapes like I’ve made with beads in the past, we’ll see!

Got any great ideas of your own??? Let me hear 'em!

And here’s an adorable spool creation I found on Etsy made by KreatedbyKelly!

Have a great weekend! Amy

Vacation Prep

So, big nerd that I am, I decided today that instead of making my own vacation checklist I would do a Google search to see if I could find one ready-made. Surely with the organization industry as big as it has gotten it wouldn’t take too long to find one – and I was not disappointed! Soon after starting my search I found many travel checklists – some too broad, like world travel on an airplane, and some too narrow, like only how to pack your suitcase efficiently. All important checklists to have, but not quite what I was looking for. Then I found a variety of travel checklists on RealSimple.com – should have figured to look there first! There’s so much information and travel tips there about packing – how to’s, what to’s, and what not to’s, etc.

I found a pre-vacation checklist for things that I should take care of a few days before our beach vacation, and checklists for packing up everything we’ll need for our trip. Perhaps these links will help you get ready for your next vacation – especially if you’re a big nerd like me!

At StickyFingersTravel.com I found a checklist for long car journeys with kids– fabulous!

My ideas on what not to forget:

*To check your tire pressure, and make sure you have a spare and tools in case of a flat or blowout

*To check your vehicle’s fluid levels

*Flares, flashlight, white cloth and other emergency equipment

*A jug of water, for vehicle and human consumption in an emergency

*A cooler with water, fruit, and box of granola bars or suitable energy-replacement

*Napkins or paper towels

*A trash bag (I have a new one from Allyson Hill that is way cool!)

*Those blankies and favorite stuffies for a more comforting and comfortable long car ride!

Happy Monday! Amy

Beautiful Things To Come

Almost daily I'm getting new fabrics in (did I mention it's a sickness?), and I want to just dive in and roll around in it all- they are just so beautiful! I can't wait to get down to business with them, but I also just find beauty in the uncut fabric and want to soak it all in.

Farmer's Market and Ginger Blossom by Sandi Henderson, Ginseng, Aviary and Chestnut Hill by Joel Dewberry, Garden Party by Anna Maria Horner, some Amy Butler and Tina Givens, just to name a few.

Here are a couple of bags I whipped up yesterday and today - keep checking the shop for more :o)

Amy

My First Press!

Boy was I elated this morning when I opened my inbox! I had an email from Regan Stephens from Sprig.com's Green Deal of the Day saying she'd done a write-up on my Checkbook Cover & Eyeglass Case Sets. It's my first official press, which makes me pretty giddy :o)

I'm filled with gratitude every time I sell something. I'm just not sure if I'll ever get used to it. I kind of hope not. Just to know that doing something that gives me such joy can go on to give others some joy makes me truly thankful that I have the time, talent, and family support to make this business keep going!

If you'd like to check out the post on Sprig.com I encourage you to do so! Sprig.com Green Deal of the Day

Have a great Monday! Amy

Love and Joy

Ahhhh...vacation Bible school :o)

I remember just loving VBS as a kid - the songs, the stories, the crafts - and I'm hoping my little men do as well! This year our theme is Son Harvest County Fair, growing the fruit of the Spirit. Our church is decked out in farm decor with gardens sprouting, animals grazing, and farmers tending.

I'm helping in the craft department again this year (surprise, surprise), so I get to see all of the pre-K through rising 4th graders come through. They are having such a great time! Monday and Tuesday our kids grew love and sprouted joy! I can't wait to see their sweet faces again today!

John 15:12, (Jesus said) "Love one another as I have loved you."
Psalm 126:3, "The Lord gives us joy."

So far we've made bookmarks and cards to give to others to show our love, joyful watermelon music shakers, and piggy banks to remind us to be thankful to God for all he's given us!

My little men's crafts from day 1 and 2!