Zeke's Comfies

Comfies.  That's what my gramps used to call the cozy clothes you put on when you get home.  

Zeke is ALL about "comfies".  He couldn't care less about style most of the time as long as his clothes are soft and fuzzy.  lol

I made him these sweats for his 8th birthday last month because I wanted him to have some clothes that he loved but that also didn't look trashy.  lol  I think I succeeded.  He LOVES them.

The sweatshirt is the Peek a Boo patterns Classic Sweatshirt (hoodie version).  This is my go-to for sweatshirts.  I sized up for this one so he'll hopefully be able to wear it next year too.  

 The pants are the Domi pants pattern from Sofilantjes.  It has several different length options and two pocket options.  I really like the fit of it and plan to make some for the other kids too.  I used sweatshirt fleece for these but you can also use plain knit and make shorts!

The top stitching is my favorite part of these items!  It just adds the perfect pop of contrast.

(fabrics all from Joanns)

We've Got Spirit Yes We Do!

Last week was crazy busy for me.  Sunday my oldest turned 8, Wednesday my 3rd turned 5, Thursday - Saturday the whole family went to on a mini-vacation, Saturday was my husband and I's 11th anniversary and I had several pattern tests and custom orders to finish.  With all that on my plate I almost bowed out of testing Cole's Creations new Spirit Jacket.  

I'm SOOO glad I didn't!!!  This jacket is amazing!  It's so trendy and stylish right now and it's FAST.  I mean, like I'm pretty confident I'll be able to make them start to finish in less than an hour (including cutting!) at this point.  I have plans to do color-coded ones for all my kids as soon I can get the backs embroidered!  

(please tell me I'm not the only one with kids that do this all day every day?!?!  lol)  Anyway, the pattern is totally unisex, can be made with or without pockets (and the way the pockets are put in is really cool!) and comes in sizes 1/2 - 16!!!  You can use a variety of fabrics, including (but not limited to) flannel backed satin, faux leather, fleece, sweatshirt fleece, pointe and much more!  I used some gray sweatshirt scraps for the body of Zeke's jacket and I cut up one of my husband's OOOOOLLLLDDDD sweatshirts for the sleeves.  The bands are actually cotton lycra (ribbing is recommended, but the lycra worked ok.  I just HAD to have stripes  lol)

Oh, and if you're making one for a girl (or a boy with a doll), just a little heads up, Cole's Creations has matching 15" and 18" doll patterns for ALL their patterns.  You can find the matching Dolly Spirit Jacket here.  

Deep Sea V-Neck

Have you discovered Patterns for Pirates yet?  If you haven't you need to get over to her shop and check out her patterns!  

Judy is super great to work with and she's coming out with some super fun boy/unisex patterns!  We're in the middle of testing some basketball shorts and a FREE (yes I said FREE!!!) muscle tank pattern right now so be on the lookout for those!  But today I'm going to share my Deep Sea V-Neck Tee.  I was excited when Judy messaged me and ask me to test because I've got 2 boys, and while I love sewing for them, lets be honest, they just get the shaft sometimes.

This was my first ever time to sew a V-neck and I have to say, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be!  It was actually...dare I say it...sort of easy!  Judy holds your hand through the entire pattern and gives you THREE different options for how to sew in the V-neck.  How's that for choices?!?!  

The Deep Sea V-Neck has a more vintage fit than some shirts so it's not boxy and all and I love the fit of it on my skinny boy.  

I did the most simple version of the top with standard hems on the bottom and the short sleeves but the pattern also has long sleeves with or without cuffs and roll up sleeves with button tabs or button tabs you can put on the shoulds as well as a pocket options!  Again, how's that for choices?!?!  

Zeke wasn't sure he liked it when I showed him the shirt to begin with because "it didn't have a picture on it."  Guess that's what I get for always upcycling character shirts!  lol.  This one was upcycled from an old polo and I happen to love it...and by the end of the photoshoot Zeke decided he did too because it was so comfortable!!!  

Tee x 3

Hey all!  Life with 4 is crazy..and fun...and really crazy.  Especially when you ALSO own your own children's clothing business that's very busy...and you like to test out new patterns for designers when you get a chance.  Like last week...one of my ALL.TIME.FAVORITE pattern designers needed a few testers for sizes 6, 7, and 8...wait, WHAT?!?!  Zeke wears and 6 and Blank Slate Patterns ROCK!!!  PICK ME!!!!!! And she did!  Woohoo!!!

This new pattern, Tee Times 3,  has three different options.  A Peter Pan collar (not really my style), a hoodie (we all know I LOVE a good hoodie!), and a basic tee.

I was assigned the basic tee and I decided to do it long sleeved in a thermal knit that Zeke has been wanting something out of.

The overall fit was pretty good but has been made even better since this version.  The final version has a thinner neckband and has been skinnied up a bit too.  I think I'll be sizing down one so that they're tight and making him a bunch of these to wear under t-shirts this fall/winter.  He loves this shirt and has worn it 2 or 3 times already (and it's the middle of summer!)  lol.  

Yup...he's a stud.  The blue of the shirt really goes well with his eyes too I think.  I'm going to have to remember that and make him more blue clothing!

Zeke's Room (still a WIP)

So here are some "before" pictures...(as in RIGHT before.  My mom and MIL were getting ready to crack open the paint and start in when I snapped these.)

And the other side of the room...

here are some not very good pictures of what it looks like now.  

We left the ceiling white and painted the walls Silver Sword.  Zeke's bed is half of the bunk beds he and Kessa used to share.  I sanded it down and then painted it with a glossy black.  I LOVE the way it turned out!  

My mom made his quilt for him several years back.  I designed it based on an Elsie Flannigan print that's no longer available.    

Then, last December when I was looking through the Water4Christmas Etsy shop I stumbled across this designer.  She only had girl prints, but I loved her style and the idea and I'd been wanting some artwork with Ezekiel 36:26 on it for Zeke's room so I contacted her and she did a custom print for me, which turned out AMAZING!!!  

I sent her a picture of Ezekiel and a picture of his quilt and asked if she could come up with something.  The map on the print...just like the map on his quilt.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE what she came up with.  (and she is selling them in her shop now too if you think your little guy needs one.  ;)

Then about a month ago I found a free download for this great vintage style Cars 2 movie posters.  They were just what I was going for as far as getting some "Cars" style into his room without being too themey.  I printed them out at home and then framed them and hung them up with Command strips (those things are great!)

And next to his closet (which is the kids FAVORITE spot in our house!  lol, it's like a little cave and the perfect size for them to play in.) I hung up some licence plates.  I'm hoping to continue adding to this collection (if you've got any you'd be willing to donate I'm willing to pay shipping! lol )

and in the poor neglected corner by the door is Baby No Name's bed.  

Things that I'm still planning to do:

• Find a dresser that I can put a changing pad on top of
• Make curtains
• do a vinyl cutout on my Silhouette of either Proverbs 8:33 or Proverbs 19:20
• Find/make a laundry hamper

So that's it!  The pictures aren't great, but I really love the way it looks IRL.  

Basic Grey Kinda Month

Basic Grey is one of the featured manufactured this month at A Walk Down Memory Lane (which means everything by BG is 25% off!)

Here's one of the LOs I did using Basic Grey's Max and Whiskers line and also their Oliver line.

and if 25% off wasn't enough, how about a contest?!?!?

Create a layout using 60% of Basic Grey products - you can use any BG collection and products

* Upload your layout to the Gallery  at A Walk Down Memory Lane under Spring is Here contest category by midnight on April 30th
* 1 Layout per person
* Submit you creation by posting your creation in the gallery then link it back here
* To upload into the gallery you must register in the gallery first.
* The entery must be new and not entered in other contests or challenges
* Winner will be announced on May 5th

* Winner will receive a GC from AWDML 

Can't wait to see what you come up with!!!

Basic Grey Kinda Month

Basic Grey is one of the featured manufactured this month at A Walk Down Memory Lane (which means everything by BG is 25% off!)

Here's one of the LOs I did using Basic Grey's Max and Whiskers line and also their Oliver line.

and if 25% off wasn't enough, how about a contest?!?!?

Create a layout using 60% of Basic Grey products - you can use any BG collection and products

* Upload your layout to the Gallery  at A Walk Down Memory Lane under Spring is Here contest category by midnight on April 30th
* 1 Layout per person
* Submit you creation by posting your creation in the gallery then link it back here
* To upload into the gallery you must register in the gallery first.
* The entery must be new and not entered in other contests or challenges
* Winner will be announced on May 5th

Can't wait to see what you come up with!!!
* Winner will recieve a GC from AWDML 

Lily Bee Blast From the Past

I know I've proclaimed my undying love for Lily Bee before, but it's true.  I can't believe I'm going to share this, because I'm certainly not holding my breath about making it, but they're having a Design Team Call and I'm going to give it a go.  I ordered some new papers to play with because I had used up almost every last scrap that I had (plus, is that not a good reason to go buy new scrap goodies?!?  lol)  

So, while I'm not going to show you anything new yet, I thought it might be fun to go back and see some of the work I've done with Lily Bee papers in the past!

and a few minis...

This one won 3rd place in a Lily Bee contest...you can see the rest of the album here. 

And one I made for Zeke's golden birthday that you can see here.  

And hopefully I'll have some more fun stuff to share in the next few days!  :)

  

Baseball Dreams

(sorry about the crummy picture, still working on where to take them indoors)

I've been hoarding this picture of my son for almost a year...which is not like me at all.  I know there are a TON of things technically wrong with the photo, but it's one of those that just speaks to my heart.  His tousled little boy hair,  his taggie, the way he's sleeping on his arms, and of course...the baseball.  

I wanted this LO to be simple and focus on the picture and the feeling behind it.  I mean, to me, America, little boys, and baseball just go together.  What little boy doesn't dream of hitting a home run or winning the game?

 I also thought it was rather fitting that he had one red, white and blue jammies in the picture so I went with those colors for the base of my LO, kind of underscoring the whole "America's Favorite Pastime" without being too patriotic feeling.  

The American Crafts Letterman Thickers were PERFECT for this LO, but the white was just too stark a contrast for the feel I was going for, so, I did what I always do...to everything!  lol, I swiped them with some Close to Cocoa ink and then they looked nice and dirty and were a perfect fit!  

ROAR!

We had a simple Dino party for my son's 3rd birthday.  Family and a few friends came over and we had homemade pizza, dinosaur cake and of course ice cream!

I used this recipe for the cake and then changed up a few things (like using plastic dinosaurs so he could keep them and play with them and using pretzels for the tree trunks.)  

Then taking a cue from Virginia I used my new Silhouette to cut out some dinosaurs from vinyl and put them on some "grab and go" sippies.  (I even added bows to the dinos for the girls!  lol)  

and then because I'm addicted to my new toy I made a little banner too.  

I just *love* when they learn to do this (please note the sarcastic tone with which that was typed!)

There!  That's better.  We kept his birthday shirt simple this year because I found this perfect dino shirt that already fit him.  I figured, why mess with a good thing?  So I just slapped a three on there and he's one happy boy!  (except when it's in the laundry!  lol)

Yup, he's got the whole "CHEEEEESSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEE" thing down!  lol

*trying* to blow out the candles...(and yes, that would be my preggo belly back there!  lol, not sure who took this picture)

   Yup, I think this picture is proof positive that I done good!  ;)  

Happy Birthday Buddy!!!!!!!!

Well it's Sunday morning and instead of joining together with fellow believers to edify and spur one another one to love and good deeds, Grace and I are chillin' at home with nasty noses...and I'm not sure about her but my head kinda feels like it's trying to implode.

I sat down here in the hopes of sharing some of 'Zekiel's 3rd birthday party, but for unknown reasons my computer isn't reading my memory card.  Sooo....hopefully I'll be back later today with those pictures for you.  In the meantime, enjoy some of my sweet little dude, who today....is THREE.

This little guy joined our family on Jan 2nd, 2008...and just happened to be the first baby of the year in our county!  (he won some fun goodies for that too! :)

With him and his name (Ezekiel) he reminds us of The Strength of God and that He has promised that He "will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from  all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols  I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you  a new heart, and  a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27  And I will put my Spirit within you,  and cause you to walk in my statutes and  be careful to obey my rules." (Ez. 36: 26-27)

He has brought with him bugs, and trucks, and dirt and noise and all things boy.  

He has added more joy, more love, more hugs (he's GOOD at hugs, let me tell you what!), more laughter, and more noise (oh, I already said that one?  Well...it should be in there twice anyway! ;)

He is all boy and is quickly learning to protect and care for his sisters.  We are so thankful and blessed that God added him to our family and has allowed us to enjoy and learn and laugh and play and cry with him for three years.  We pray we have many more years with him and that God will save him at an early age and use him mightily for His glory.  

I love you with all my heart 'Zekiel.