Happy Advent!

In an effort to keep the family Christ-centered this Advent season, I want to make sure each day until Christmas is filled with fun, meaningful things to do with the kids - activities that will remind us of the true Christmas story, and keep us all others-focused.

Finding ideas to do this I had to look no further than other Etsians and Bloggers! My two favorites were:

We Are That Family Blog

CopyCrafts Advent Calendar


I'll be taking it day by day, and if I come up with any ideas that work incredibly well, I'll post about it!

May you be blessed this Advent season! Amy

Election Day Baby!

We are so excited! Our birthmom gave birth yesterday! So we have an election day baby, and we'll be bringing her home from the hospital tomorrow.

Baby "Shiny", as our oldest son nicknamed her long before we knew she even existed, will meet her big brothers, and one overly-loving lab/chow, as well as two of her grandparents, and whoever else pops over to the house tomorrow. What a day it will be! We can't wait!

More on baby "Shiny" as the days go on...

Happy Wednesday! Amy

A Revamped Nursery

So, you know I love to sew. You may know that I love African things. What you may not know is that I love artist Julia Cairns' prints! I think I have made, and am currently making, several things from each of her fabric lines over the past few years. Of course I've made totes for friends, but I have kept a few of my bigger projects because I just cannot bear to part with them!

Earlier this year I ordered her line for Quilting Treasures called "Radiance", and revamped our nursery, and I LOVE it! The colors are unexpected for a baby's room, yet are still soft and calm. And best yet - because it is not a baby print it will hopefully be well-loved for years to come by #3!

Included in the redecorated nursery are wall hangings I made using Anna Maria Horner's painted silhouette technique;



a gorgeous photo frame trio made by Fabrications By Lindsay;




















Vinyl wall decals of birds in orange from Ceejay77;









and made by me from the Radiance line are:

a new valance,












a covered pillow,















a do-it-yourself lamp
















a small wall hanging/cloth mini quilt,













and a lap quilt, into which I added some soft peach and green subtle prints from Moda.






I'm just so happy with the way everything turned out! What do you think?

I would love to know if you enjoy Julia Cairns' work as much as I do, and if you've made anything using her prints? Also, I have a fair amount of fabric left, and wonder if you have any wonderful ideas for nursery decor or baby/kid items to share?

Currently, I am also working on a new panel for a wall hanging from her "Sunset Safari" line. I'm trying a new quilting technique or two, so I'll post on that once I finish the project. And I'm soon going to be purchasing a stash of her newest line "Joyful Days" - I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Happy Tuesday, Amy

PS - the symbols I used in the silhouettes represent: peace (dove), wisdom and creativity (adinkra spider's web), charity (heart in hand), love safety and security (adinkra fence), trust and faith in God (adinkra stalk).

The Waiting Game Continues

So we're still in a holding pattern for baby #3, but one thing we know for sure is that each day brings us closer to her arrival. We are surely ready! We've pulled out everything from storage we can think of that this baby will need, and we've stocked up diapers, wipes and formula. Now, what are we forgetting?!




In the meantime I'm trying to get everything in my inventory reposted into my Etsy store. Stop by and check out what's available in my pre-made stock. Also, enjoy free shipping (within the US) through December 20th. It's my way of helping out with your holiday spending!




Until next time - I'm stockpiling my sleep hours, and spending as much time one-on-one with the boys before their sister makes her arrival!

Happy Wednesday! Amy

Getting Ready

We found out earlier this week that our birthmom start having contractions over the weekend! She's at home on bed rest right now after having been sent home from the hospital Monday night. Please keep her in your prayers, if you would!

While we still might have a few weeks to wait, we busied ourselves over the last couple of days to get ready to welcome our new bundle of joy home, whenever she arrives! Since I've already made some purchases for the occasion, I thought I'd share them with you.

Having welcomed two boys into our home, this little girl is going to be quite a change for us. Instead of spending money on a new infant car seat, I decided to recover the navy blue and gold seat we already had. This set is from BellaBabyCompany.com, called Buttercup Bouquet. I don't like pink all that much, but this print mixed with yellow and green grabbed my attention - especially the incredibly soft butter yellow minky it is coordinated with. The set is $59.00 when purchased alone, and comes with the canopy and seat cover. I went ahead and purchased an extra seat cover ($32) made in the print so that I can easily change it out when I need to wash it. And a matching travel blanket ($19) for chilly trips to the bus stop! Additionally I could have also bought coordinating strap covers. Purchasing the set plus the 2 additional pieces at once saved me $11 - full set cost is $99.00.

Also waiting by the door, ready to be grabbed when necessary, is our bag-o-baby-stuff! Included here are the necessary newborn diapers (oh-so-tiny!), wipes and creams, pacifiers, onsies, and a new girly sleeper (well as girly as I've gotten so far!). I also have a new set from Susan's Treasures - a small lovey, burp cloth and bib featuring a Crayola print. I just love crayons!! A while ago I made my first Etsy trade with her for an adorable purse, and just couldn't pass up the Crayola print and red minky :o)



So for now we are in waiting mode again, yet trying not to act like we have a few more weeks, lest we get caught off guard - as babies tend to do to us!

Happy Thursday! Amy

PB & J for Dinner!

In celebration of Sam passing his third and final allergy test today – The Peanut Challenge – we celebrated with a dinner of PB & Js all around! We are so happy to welcome PB back into our family, for we have missed him so. Sam passed his test with flying paleness – meaning no blotchy face :o) It is indeed a red letter day for us all.

Happy Wednesday! Amy

First Days

I was always so nervous on the first day of school. Nervous about liking my teacher, finding my classroom, meeting new kids, having to raise my hand in class and answer a question out loud. All sorts of things. Last week I watched the bigger little man climb aboard a big yellow school bus and never look back. He just thinks school is so cool! This Tuesday morning I watched the littlest man climb into a friend’s car, and drive off to his first day of preschool. At least Sam gave me a glance as he pulled away from the house :o) It seems Josh and I have raised up two little boys who are secure and well-adjusted, which should give me some comfort, right? Well, no. While I was glad I didn’t have to endure either of them crying and saying they didn’t want to go, I really could appreciate a look that says, “Mom, I’m gonna miss you every minute I’m away!” Fat chance! I love my boys, and they love me, but more and more these days it takes a bump or a bruise, a fall or a tumble, for them to need me. Is it wrong to feel a twinge of glee when they come running with tears? Maybe so, but I’ll take what I can get :o)

Today’s a first for me, too. I’d like to start featuring the Etsy shops of my Amys in the Arts teammates. I hope you’ll find them as charming as I do, and give their shops a look!

First up: “Old jeans never die, they just go to…”

The Recycled Jeans Co.

“Old jeans never die…” Isn’t that so true? I love the look and feel of jeans. Denim is probably one of the most recyclable fabrics because its durable, great looking whether brand new or faded and shredded, and it only gets softer with age. Amy, from The Recycled Jeans Co., takes great care to offer you adorable, quality products that are made from mostly reclaimed fabrics. She’s an Army wife, a homeschooling mama, and a self-professed fabric-aholic (just like me!). 30 years ago her grandmother taught her how to sew, and now she loves to hunt down fabrics at thrift stores and yard sales to head on to the next challenge of making them new again! 10% of her profits go to local charities – gotta love that! Take some time to browse her shop today! My favorite: The Funky Denim Heart Pillow. I love the zipper pocket – so unexpected! You’ll find lunch bags, drink cozies, bears, totes,laundry bags, quilts and pillows, and much more!

Check out Amy’s blog, website and Etsy store!

recycledjeansco.blogspot.com and www.recycledjeansco.com and www.recycledjeans.etsy.com

Happy Thursday! Amy

More Fab News!

Sam's blood test came back negative! His last hurdle to be cleared of his peanut allergy will be mid September, so I'll post more on this at a later date :o)

In the meantime I'm going to spend the next week and a half getting ready to send Caleb off to Kindergarten and to play soccer for the first time, and to send Sam off to his first year of preschool. My babies are growing up!!

I leave you with some photos from our beach vacation in the Outer Banks- it was so awesome!

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

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

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!

Georgia Rules!

My Little Men at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport

Have you ever just been wracked with fear over whether or not you should get on a plane with a 2 and a 5 year old? Well we just returned from the most amazing time over the last 5 days hanging out with my cousin, Jen, and her husband, Jim, near Savannah. The trip held a bunch of firsts for the whole family. This was Sam’s first flight ever, and Caleb’s first that he’ll remember. The boys did wonderfully, and we were so happy we decided to fly instead of drive 10 hours! It was the first time we’d been to Jen and Jim’s horse farm – Silverthorne Run Stables and Riding Academy, and Sam’s first horse ride (which lasted all of about 1 minute). Caleb’s first time doing farm work (which included mucking out a stall, spreading hay, helping drive the tractor to move a manure pile, and we all fed the horses their fair share of grass and carrots). We all got to witness horseshoeing , which is incredibly neat, especially when you’ve never seen it done before. And this was all on Wednesday, our first day at the farm! Caleb was quite the little farm hand. He just wanted to be involved in everything Jen was doing!

We spent a few hours on Thursday in downtown Savannah, where we ate lunch at Leopold’s, walked through the city a bit, and went down to the river to watch the boats go by. Most of all Caleb was anxious to get back to the farm to see the horses, play with their 4 dogs, and chase whichever of the 5 cats the boys could find at any moment.

Friday we all jumped in the trucks to head to my uncle’s lakehouse. Jen and I had the pleasure of spending time, just the two of us, in one truck with the dogs. And even more fabulous, I had a doggie in my lap the whole way up and back – pure heaven! The lake experience was a first for all of us to swim in a lake, and ride jet skis. We left the wakeboarding to the experts in the family! We got to spend a few days with Jen’s brother, Scott, and his wife, Erin. Caleb really enjoyed playing with Maddie and Kate, their two little girls. Sam is very much a two-year-old, and spent most of the time bouncing off the walls, or changing his mind back and forth about going in the lake. I think he finally felt okay about it about a half hour before we got out to get ready to drive back to the farm!

It was great catching up with my cousins and their families, and enjoying a vacation that was actually relaxing! Now we’re back to reality, and I’ve got to get sewing in between our other summer activities to get ready for the fall craft show season, and keep my Etsy shop full of interesting items.

Thanks to Jen and Jim for their fabulous hospitality, and for showing us a great time in such a relaxing setting. We can’t wait to see you again!!

A New State and New Experiences

Tomorrow marks the first flight for my 2 year old son, Sam, and the first flight my 5 year old son, Caleb, will remember. We are all very excited about getting away for a small vacation. The boys are both enamored with airplanes (and cars, and trains, and trucks, and motorcycles, and fire engines, and ambulances, and lawn mowers - you catch my drift!), but I'm a little nervous about how they'll respond to the revving engines as we begin our flight. They could totally surprise me, as they do every single day, and really not be affected by it, and I'm praying that's the case.

So, we're off to Georgia tomorrow, to visit my cousin at her horse farm. I expect 5 days of wonderment as my little men also experience horses and farm life firsthand. It should be fun! I hope to have plenty of fun photos to show of on our return. As for now, it's all laundry, packing, and getting the dog and fish squared away for our departure :o) Once I get back it will be back to work, and time to buckle down to get ready for craft show season this fall with SewArtsy!

Blessings, Amy

Fathers' Day

What's better than spoiling your husband on fathers' day? Knowing that your mom and dad are coming, and bringing dinner with them!
I don't like to cook much, but my mom has some pretty good recipes, one of which she brought today. It's a chicken casserole that just always seems to hit the spot. It's made with: chicken (of course), cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups, she adds celery and onion, sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs or stuffing mix and dried cranberries - so yummy!!
And I didn't slack too much. I did cook a spaghetti squash and some other sides to go along with the casserole.
We had a fabulous time celebrating Josh and my dad, Jack. The boys just adore Josh, and my dad, who is pretty much up for anything when it comes to my little men - what a trooper!
I hope the dads in your life had a blessed fathers' day! Amy
Here's a special portrait of Daddy that Caleb drew :o)

Me, A Blogger?

"I know now, only one thing matters in these day. One thing, true love, love and love alone, true love." James Taylor, Jump Up Behind Me

June 13, 2008

Hi! I’m Amy, and last night I decided I’d really like to have a place to share my thoughts. So here they are, deep or shallow as they may be!

A little bit about myself: I’m 35, wife to Josh, and mom to Caleb and Samuel at this point. I love to sew and do crafts. I’m addicted to fabric—a condition I inherited from my mom, Bobbi. I swore I’d never have that sickness, but I found myself falling under its spell at about age 29, when my mom bought me my first sewing machine. I knew immediately how to use it after watching her sew my entire life, and the freedom it gave me to create my own ditties was incredible. Now I own my own little business, SewArtsy, and get to share my creative ditties with others. You can check out my stuff at www.sewartsy.etsy.com

I’m also deeply passionate about adoption! Josh and I have been blessed with our two little boys through adoption, and we are once again in the waiting process for another little blessing. I use my business as a way to inform others and support adoption by donating 10% of the sales from my baby items and Hair Clippy Caddies to Bethany Christian Services. Josh and I have been involved with them since 2002 when we started our first adoption process. Bethany treats birthparents with great care and dignity whether or not they decide to make an adoption plan for their child, as well as providing counsel and adoption services to those childless couples who face infertility or those families who want to add to their existing family through adoption. You can read more about their wonderful services at Bethany.org

Other things I like: the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Skyline Drive and the Shenandoahs, our doggie, Hannah, James Taylor, my ipod, browsing sites like Etsy, JCarolinecreative.com, Keepsake Quilting, and Fabric.com, sharing our adoption experience with others contemplating the decision to adopt, reading other blogs, and getting together with my girlfriends for our reading-is-optional book club!

Hope you’ll be back if you’re interested in keeping up with my musings! Blessings to you! Amy