A Few of My Favorite Things

 I just wanted to pop in and do a post with a few of my favorite pattern test pictures of Kessa.  I'm thinking this might be a fun time of year to do a post like this for each of the kids and we'll start off with K since she's the oldest!

Above are the Just a Jersey shirts I made for all the kiddos.  (Pattern by Blank Slate Patterns)

Above: The Soda Pop Polo from Candy Castle Designs (this one has soo many options and it's a great unisex pattern!)  

Girl and doll Avonlae dresses from Cole's Corner and Creations (she gets soooo many compliments every time she wears this one!)  

This one has me ready for summer!  The Capsule skirt from EYMM with matching doll capsule skirt!

A fun Asymmetric top from EYMM

A High Low version of the California dress from EYMM

An upcycled hack of the Calla Lily Skirt from EYMM

A Riley dress from Made for Mermaids

And last but not least, the Mayfair dress from my beloved Terra's Treasures!

Wedding Day 4.0

Yesterday my husband's sister got married.  Outside.  On the hottest day of the year (so far. ;)

This was what our dining room floor looked like on Friday night...four cute (and cool!) little outfits laid out and ready to go.  

I didn't take many pictures because I was busy nursing a baby, chasing toddlers, talking to cousins, calming fits and doing all the other things mommy's with four small children do!  lol.  However during the actual ceremony I did snag a few pictures of my girls (Tim and Zeke were sitting a few chairs away.)  

I'm not really sure when she started looking so grown up, but I do think getting her hair cut so much on Wednesday factors in.  She's going to be FIVE in two months.  FIVE!  Has it really only been five years since I had no children?  Sometimes I hardly remember those days!  lol.  Each time is good...the time before them with just Tim and I was good, and now the time with them is fabulous too.  Tiring...but fabulous!  

Don't they look adorable together?!  It's funny how different they look...but how similar their personalities are!

This is little Miss Spunk.  Vim and Vigor.  And most of all.  NO! I Do It Myself!!! ;)

(purely coinsidense that her dress and the cup match!  lol)

And that's it.  It was hot.  We all sweated a lot.  But the wedding was wonderful and Tim's sister is all married off.  

You've Got a Friend in Me...

I'm not sure if it started when I saw a $5 Buzz plushie and bought it, or if it was when we ended up with Toy Story 2, or maybe it was the day Daddy showed us previews of Toy Story 3, but whenever it happened one thing is certain, the Toy Story phenomenon has hit the Johnson household.  

When I came home with said Buzz for Zeke (because he's more of a Buzz than Woodie kinda guy...) I was promptly asked, "Where's Woodie?!"  (they go together you know!) So I agreed that, yes, they do go together and since I had Kohl's cash I agree we could get Woodie (BTW, you can't use Kohl's cash on any "Kohl's Cares" items...and Woodie was.)  So I dropped my $5 and bought a shirt and left.  However, Grandma was with us on this particular outing and she thought Kessa needed a Buzz and Woodie too (Thanks Grandma! ;) So I ran back in and bought them.  

Anyway, that's how Buzz and Woodie (x2) came to live at our house.

Woodie is having a grand time...(along with Kessa in her new SLD inspired Toy Story dress made by her mommy)

but someone still always gets left out...

(notice who's inside watching by the window...)

Patternless and Free!

Yup, that's right, I made my first "patternless" dress and I love the way it turned out!  When I say "patternless" I don't mean I just started chopping up my material and hoping for the best.  I had a dress from The Children's Place I really liked so I just used it to make my own pattern.  I pretty much just did it, but if you're not comfortable with that Dana over at Made has a great tutorial on making your own patterns.  

I was also inspired by Sheri, of Soren Lorensen Design, to make the pocket and hood patchwork.  

and a bunch more photos...because she's just so darn cute!

and some of the hood....

and a few more...because I really do exist!  ;)

The Johnson Girls!  :)  

(and I promise...more scrappy stuff coming VERY soon!!! I don't just sew.  lol )

Kessa

What's that you say?  You want more pictures?  Of me?  Of course we must oblige!  What do you think of my dress?

This is the first Sienna Dress my mommy made for me.  

It's from a shirt she got on a mission trip and it says "No False Idols Here."  Don't you love the colors?

I didn't like it at first, but now I do.  

I'm also starting to enjoy letting mommy take my picture sometimes!!!  Especially if we get to swing in the middle of the photo shoot!!

Isn't that patch on the bottom of my dress the best?  It was the back logo from the t-shirt mommy used.  Ok, I'm off for now.  It's WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY past my bedtime and mommy won't be happy if she finds me still up.  Have a great week!

The Amazing Caped Kids!

This morning we finally had a non-icky day to go outside and take pictures of the capes I made the kids play.  

When I asked Kessa if she wanted a cape she said, "Yes!  A princess one."  Little did I know that meant DISNEY Princess...as in licensed fabric.  But we had a good coupon so we splurged.  I got the template for the crown from here.  

I was super lucky to find this great pink satin in the remnants!  All the polka dots are felt. 

I know it's blurry, but I LOVE, love love love, LOVE this picture!!

Zeke's only request was that his was orange.  

He's not as fond of being "Super Zeke!" as he is of being

a knight.  Yup, that's right ladies, eat your hearts out, my little guy would rather be a knight that anything else!

For a change today Kessa let me take more pictures of her (and wanted me to!) than Zeke.  Most of his pictures today he was already half out of the frame.

and just for kicks, if you were wondering where Kessa learned to jump like that...

Of Wisdom and Dump Trucks

Everyday, not just most days, but EVERY DAY I find myself praying for wisdom.  Clinging to James 1:3 (If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given to him.)

Nothing and no one in life shows me my need of God's wisdom and help more frequently than Kessa.

  We have great times, but she is just sooo much like me I know that only God's wisdom and grace will turn her heart to Him.

This was also my entry for a fun challenge over at Scrap Attack Scrapbooking.  We picked out a word without knowing what it would be, then Lauri, the owner gave us two colors and the word we chose and we had to use them on a LO.  

Most of the time though, we have good times.  Especially with this crazy guy around to entertain us.  

Yup, little boys like to eat out dump trunks.  I'm pretty sure it doesn't get much cooler than this when you're 2.

I discovered he had loaded it up with raisins.  (and then I had to confiscate the bag because the truck was MUCH more full than this.  lol)

and it even actually "dumps" so Kessa thought she should partake too.  

(on a side note, at least I know it's not lead based paint because I repainted it!)

Country or Rock 'n' Roll?

She looks a little rock 'n' roll don't you think?

but she might be trying to sway Grace to the country side huh?