The New School Year

We're heading into the second week of school starting, but I wanted to post the kids first day of school pictures. 

Aevarie started 1st grade. And I couldn't resist adding her pictures from Kindergarten and Preschool. I'm noticing a "hair-up" trend going on......

Hanami Test

I had the pleasure of testing the Hanami pattern from Straight Grain. I was so excited when I saw the email saying I had be chosen as a tester!

A great thing about this pattern is that it has LOTS of options.

Saffron Twirl Dress Release!

I am pleased to announce the release of my first pattern, the Saffron Twirl Dress! 

I cannot tell you what an awesome (and sometimes hard and crazy) adventure it has been to make this pattern.

School Shopping

This year has been so incredibly different then most. Most years, my kids are dying to go back to school by about 3 weeks into summer vacation, and I start getting antsy by the 9th week. This year, school REALLY snuck up on us though. I realized last night that school starts this Monday and we haven't prepared at all! Grandma DID buy them some pencil cases, but beyond that......

So today I took the kids up to do some school shopping. My number 1 place to go is always Old Navy. My husband helped me get the kids ready, we dropped my husband off at work, and I headed up with all the kids. I was in such a hurry (we had to get my husband back to work) that I didn't really pay any attention to what exactly my husband dressed the little girls in......Lets just say my usually very put together little girls were replaced by street urchins. 

Bullying

School is in plain sight and with everyone getting things ready, new clothes being bought (or in my case made). Choosing out backpacks and pencil cases, I would like to take a minute and discuss something that has been getting a lot of highlights but still not discussed enough. 

Bullying. 

When you think of bullying, you usually think of a giant kid stuffing a much smaller and nerdy kids head into a toilet. Sad to say that my son has had this happen to him. I can also go into personal experience and recite girls throwing rocks at me, kids calling me names, girls undoing my bra in the hallways at school....some people have it worse then others, but we ALL sadly, deal with bullying at many points in our lives. 

We've become aware of it. There's been discussions. But something happened today that made me really wonder if the message has gotten through to US? 

When I first joined the "Blogger world" I was amazed. These women are amazing. Sharing their experiences and crafty knowledge eagerly to anyone and everyone. Bringing each other up and helping.

Then the more I've gotten into it, I've started to see politics. There's a circle, clique, sewing country club, if you will, to it.

Then today I saw it. Bullying. 

I'm going to admit. I am still pretty outraged about it. It was uncalled for and childish. We are supposed to be here pulling each other up. Not tearing each other down. 

That also made me wonder. How do we expect our children to not bully others or to handle bullying, when we ourselves do it? Have we forgotten the old motto, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Do I need to bring out the Bambi?

I'm not making this post to call out or chastise. More to enlighten or hopefully make people more aware that we are all human. We have amazing talents and I know we all want to share our talents. We have no need to tear each other down. 

Too, good luck for school! I just found out that my 1st grader is going to probably be getting more homework then my 5th grader. Not going to lie.....I'm petrified! 

Happy School Days people!!

Saffron Twirl Dress

It's that time again! This was the very reason I actually started writing a blog. The biggest problem I keep coming up with is what project do I submit?? If you read my last post, you would see I have no shortage of items to choose from. But, I wanted it to be different. Showing off a bit more of my talent.

Then it hit me. For the last few months I have been drafting my own pattern. Slacking at times and needing my awesome sewing posse to kick my butt into gear, and it is nearly completed. I hope....

So, without further ado, I introduce to you:

The Saffron Twirl Dress.

Summer

 I can't believe how quickly this summer went by. It's been a really weird summer. The weather has been weird. Life has been weird. It's just been a very different summer. Granted, we still have 18 days before school starts and summer officially ends for us. I was going back through all the pictures of our summer and cannot believe how much sewing I have accomplished! This is the majority of my summer projects. And, like I said, I still have 18 days left. Who knows what else I can accomplish in that time.

But, just so you guys know, I've not been idle this summer. My blog has been suffering, but I have been a busy busy bee!

Happy August everyone!!!