My Sweet Lily

Dear Lily,
I can't believe you have been with us for eight years! It seems like only yesterday that you came into this world and made our lives infinitely more exciting, wondrous, meaningful. (and also crazy, hectic and exasperating at times) You made me a mother and you mean the world to me. You are such a special girl, here are a few examples.

1. I admire your empathy toward others. You are always considerate of people's feelings.
2. I respect the fact that you always try to do the right thing and follow the rules.
   
3. I am in awe of your self confidence and self-awareness at such a young age. You do your own thing even if everyone else is doing something else.
4. You are a fabulous artist and writer.
5. I think it is amazing how well you pay attention to things, you can always retell an event or story with many details.
   
6. You are so sweet to your little sister, even though I know she drives you nuts sometimes.
7. I love that you will let her sleep in your bed, so she isn't scared or upset
8. I loved when you went on a field trip you used some of your tickets to get a prize for her too.
9. I love that you can be so patient with her in helping her learn how to do something new.
10. I love that you call each other 'sissy'

There are so many more things about you that are amazing. I am so grateful to be your mom and I love watching you grow and mature (although don't do it too quickly, OK?)

Love,
Mom

Thanks

Thanks to everyone who gave me input about my little hellion. I have removed the post because it doesn't feel right to have all of her bad qualities on display for the world to see. I sure wouldn't want a list of my bad qualities floating around the internet ((shudder)). Here is a pic from our recent vacation to South Padre Island, TX instead.

The fabulous Grosgrain strikes again

I have been saying I need an apron for ages. Every time I cook (or eat for that matter) something ends up on my shirt. I have the fabric yet not the time to make one for myself, so I am posting a link to try and win a gorgeous, retro apron that is way cuter than what I would make anyway. Cross your fingers for me!

Boojiboo Flirty Apron GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Edit: My fabulous friend Chris sent me a Boojiboo apron for my birthday and I love it. Thanks Chris!

Father's Day

Well, I tried. That's all I can say. I got my hubby tickets to the Tigers game with my oldest daughter, Lily, for Father's Day. Pretty good gift, right? Wrong. Lily slept over a friend's the night before and had a bit of a cold, that combined with the heat made her a cranky mess so they ended up leaving the game before the end of the 4th inning. She was apparently whining the whole time and being quite embarrassing. Great. I just wanted to yell at her "Why are you ruining this day?" but she is just a kid and it doesn't matter what day it is, if she's cranky, she's cranky. The other one was no peach either as you can see from the pic below:
I may have redeemed the day somewhat with a steak dinner and the 'best chocolate sheet cake ever'.

My husband is such a wonderful father. Having grown up with barely a relationship with mine, I am so grateful that my girls have a dad who is here and will always be here for them, no matter what. I also know that we wouldn't have the life we have without him. So, I am sorry this day wasn't the best representation of how much we appreciate you, we will try to show you everyday how much you mean to us.

My machine

This post is all about my sewing machine so for those of you who don't sew or could care less about my machine, feel free to click on over to facebook or YouTube.

This meme came from Sew Mama Sew and since I recently bought a brand spanking new machine after working on a dinosaur that was made the year I was born, I had to participate.

What brand and model do you have?
Brother Innovis 40

How long have you had it?
about 6 months

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
$400

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
Mostly bags, clothing, softies

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
I sew almost every day

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
Absolutely love it, it was a major upgrade from my previous machine.

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
The button hole feature is awesome. Love the auto backstitch feature as well. And the free arm which my dinosaur did not have.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
Not really, but the Brother needle is offset to the left of center as the default and that took some getting used to.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
I had been sewing everything on a solid steel White machine made in 1973 that I found at a thrift store for $25. It worked well, but not up for the amount of use I was giving it. Plus, it didn't have any cool features or a free arm, so it was time to upgrade. In the 6 months or so I've had it, I have made many things including 6 tutus for a school play, many bags, and a shirt for myself.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Absolutely. Brother makes a great product for a great price, but I would recommend going through a dealer to make sure you are getting the top of the line machines, not to mention great service. I went to Leabu's in Ann Arbor.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
Think about what features you really NEED. I wanted a bunch of fancy stuff, like embroidery, but just didn't think I would use it enough to justify the cost. And really, how many decorative stitches do you need??

Do you have a dream machine?
I wouldn't mind an embroidery machine someday, but for now my Brother is perfect.

Vintage Wedding Refashioned Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

As many of you probably know, my adorable sister, Julie, went to Africa in the winter with a West African dance group and wound up falling in love and getting engaged!!! Well, her hope is that he will be able to come to the states and they will get married by the end of summer. Now wouldn't this be the PERFECT dress for her??

Vintage Wedding Refashioned Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

I so have to win this for her. Anyone who knows her personality and style would understand why this is awesome.

Here is a picture of her and my Lily
And one with her and her honey:

In Italian!

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Lily got a duo with her best friend in the spring sing in Italian! Aren't they adorable??
Lily_SpringSing_2009
Originally uploaded by magwilky