Kids and camera's

I was going to post some more pictures of things I have made during my absence, but then I found something else.  My lovely children evidently love to take pictures of themselves.  I didn't know these existed.  So here to make you smile are my lovely girls.

Scary huh? Word of advice....never set your phone down!

Wow! It's been a long time!

Hi everyone!  It has been a very long time since I posted last!  So much is going on. The best part is that I am now teaching prenatal yoga!  I have taken yoga for a few years now from my wonderful friend Lauren, and she talked me into teaching prenatal yoga.  It has been wonderful.  I get to meet so many wonderful pregnant women.  We always have fun in class. I am still teaching childbirth education classes at Lisa Ross Birth and Women's Center. So life is busy!

I have been doing a lot of sewing too.  Here are some pictures of what I've done recently.

Love this blanket!  Very simple to make, Minky on the back and flannel on the front.  Just cut to the size you want, sew together with wrong sides together.  Leave a small opening to turn right side out.  Then topstitch around the edge, closing the opening when you get there.  See...easy peasy!

A dear friend of mine had a baby in Feb, so of course I had to make this car seat cover for her.

There are tons of car seat canopy tutorials out there for these.  Here is one that is fairly simple but adorable.

I also made her a quilt for the new baby.

Sorry the pictures aren't the greatest.  Photography is not my talent.  However, my 11 yr old daughter seems to have "the touch" when it comes to pictures.  I may post some of her pictures later.

This quilt pattern came from here.

And the backing is chenille! So soft and cuddly.  I was afraid quilting would mess up the back, so I just tacked it together by hand here and there.  I would use contrasting thread and outline a design in one of the circles.  So it will stay together, but I didn't distroy the beautiful chenille.

I'm going to leave off here.  There are a ton more things to include, but I have three laundry baskets of clothes just waitin for me to put them away.  I will put up some more things in the next few days!

If you live in Knoxville....

There is this awesome new store in Knoxville called Cutie Tooties Cloth Diapers and Natural Baby Products.  Well, they are going to be selling these great bibs and burp cloths made by yours truly!!!  I am so excited!  So if you live close to the Knoxville area, go by there and see the shop!  She carries some really adorable items.  It almost makes me wish mine were still in diapers.  Almost. 

My Etsy Shop!

Well I officially have an Etsy shop! I am so excited.  People have asked me several times if I had an Etsy shop to sell my things, and I finally gave in.  If you get a chance, hop on over to my shop and take a peek.  The shop name is MySewManyBabies.  I will be adding more things as I take pictures of them.  Right now my good friend Beth from Smith Studios is helping me with some photos.  I am not the best picture taking gal! Thank goodness I am blessed with talented friends. Take a look at her work.  I promise you won't be disappointed!

Need help!

Anyone know what this language is or what it says?

I found this fat quarter a while back and thought it was pretty cool looking.  I really want to use it to make a baby bib.  Something a little different and quirky.  I am a little afraid to since I don't know what it says. If you know what language this is or what it says, could you let me know. I am afraid if I make it into a bib, it may say something like "Llamas are weird", or it may say "There is no such thing as the Easter bunny".  Too tragic to put on a baby bib! So if you have some information about this, let me know. No moma would be happy with a baby wearing a bib that says, "Kittens are evil".

My baby and me!

Miss SassyPants and I were playing with the new Hipstamatic app on my phone yesterday.

I love the way these pictures look.  Everything these days is trying to look vintage.  You have to buy really expensive stuff to look old! Funny huh?

This is me.

This is my new orange nail polish. Like it? Can you tell we were bored?  Big sisters and big brother were gone, so it was just us. We pulled out the bubbles and had a good time.  I had forgotten how much fun blowing bubbles was.  Sometimes it's nice to pretend to be a kid again.

Birth photos website

Yes, as a doula I love to read birth stories and see photos of birth.  I found this website tonight, and it is wonderful!  http://www.dfwbirthphotographer.com/home/ Lynsey Stone is so talented.  She captures all the different emotions felt during a birth.  Her work is very real.  There are some pictures that leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.  Then there are those that stike a very deep chord inside those who have been through a tough labor.  One thing I love is that almost every woman wears the exact same expression the first time they see their baby.  It is a look of utter disbelief and joy.  Every first time mom that is a client of mine, I tell the same thing.  Even though you know there is a baby inside you, when you first see the baby there will be a moment of shock.  They all smile sweetly at me thinking I am a lunatic.  Until they have their baby.  Then they laugh and say I was right.  Nothing can compare you for that first sight of your baby.  It is magical. So enjoy looking through Lynsey Stone's website.  I hope it will bring back some magical memories for you.

Berry and Peach Picking

My other half had Wed off work, so we decided to take the kids to The Fruit and Berry Patch in Halls for a little fun. The girls were so excited! That is one of their favorite places to go.

Miss SassyPants was so excited at picking blackberries.  We picked more than Daddy did, so that was awesome for her! We won't tell her that he let us win.

Next we went to the peach trees.  They were beautiful!

Sweetie Pie was pretty good at finding pretty peaches. Say that 3 times fast!!!  Too bad she gets her height from me, so she was limited.

Daddy's little helper. Ain't she cute?!?

This is my favortie picture.  I have this app on my phone that lets you take pictures that look like they were taken on an old camera.  Reminds me of the pictures of my sister and I when we were little. 

Caught snacking in the field!

Yep, her too. Caught!

And last we visited the goats.  They were quite happy to see us.  Talking up a storm!

This one just had to come and say "Byyyeeeee". Yeah I know. That was a little corny. But it was funny!

Great thrift store find

Yes, I admit it.  I am one of those people that love going to thrift stores.  There is something about going through all that stuff and finding a treasure.  You can find some really neat stuff if you look. Can you tell I am a child of the 80's? "Neat", now that is an old word!

Isn't it beautiful! I have never been drawn to the blue and white china, but I think I am now. It's hard to see the picture on the cup, but it's of a man and woman in a carriage with the words "Tally Ho" written on the side.  My daughter just loves that it says Made in England on the bottom.  She is easy fascinated, like me. Poor child!

A great UPS day!

Look what the man in brown brought me today! AccuQuilt Go Baby!

At first I was worried that I may have wasted my money.  But after trying it, I am hooked! I can hear my rotary cutter crying from loneliness. It is so simple and is so much better than my cutting! Now I have to buy a bunch more dies! Can you hear my bank account screaming?!?

A little joke for you

Saw this and I thought it was awesome.  This is true of fabric if you are a sewer, and of yarn if you are a knitter or crocheter.

A recent study has indicated that fabric gives off certain Pheromones, that
actually hypnotize women and cause them to purchase ungodly amounts.
When stored in large quantities in enclosed spaces, the Pheromones (in the fabric) cause memory loss and induce the nesting syndrome ( similar to the ones
squirrels have before the onset of winter, i.e. storing food) therefore perpetuating their
species, and not having a population loss due to their kind being cut up into pieces and
mixed with others. Sound tests have also revealed that these fabrics emit a very
high-pitched sound, heard only by a select few of breed of women known as
customers.
When played backwards on an LP, the sounds are heard as chants "Buy me" "Cut
me" "Sew me"!  In order to overcome the so-called feeding frenzy effect that these
fabrics cause, one must wear a face mask when entering a storage facility and use ear
plugs to avoid being pulled into their grip. (One must laugh however, at the sight of
customers in a fabric store, with WW2 army gas masks and headphones !)

Studies have also indicated that aliens have inhabited the earth, helping to spread
the effect that these fabrics have on the human population. They are called fabric
store clerks. It's also been my experience that these same Pheromones cause a
pathological need to secret these fabric purchases away when taken home (or at least
blend them into the existing stash) and when asked by a significant other if the fabric is
new, the reply is "I've had it for a while"

(Originally published in August 1997 in the Western North Carolina Quilters Guild
Newsletter) Written by Kathy (Smith) Harris, Tuscon AZ

Update to previous post

I was scolded by my three year old for calling her "the baby".  So I am changing her nickname to "Little Miss Sassypants".  It really suits her better anyway.

Let me introduce my babies

I thought I would share a little about my family this morning.  They are all so special and unique.  And maybe a little sassy....

This is my oldest, we will call him "the teenager". I discovered I hardly have any pictures of him anymore.  Could it be because he avoids us at all cost?!?  The couple recent pictures I have of him are a little embarrassing.  If I posted them, you would never hear from me again.  I would be buried somewhere with my seam ripper clutched in my hand.  Not a pretty sight! But I love him dearly.  He is a pretty awesome kid.  However there are times I have to remind myself that the...um...snarky stage will end. The clay isn't dry yet! There is still molding that can be done!

This is my second child, we will call her "the creative genius".  She is incredibly smart! Straight A's in school and teachers pet.  Can you tell by the picture of her?  She wants to do everything I do when it comes to sewing and knitting.  "The creative genius" is a whiz at drawing and writing.  So smart!!!  I just pray she uses her "powers" for good and not evil.  Some days I wonder....

Here is baby #3.  And yes she is in a clothes basket. We shall call this one "Sweetie Pie".  This child has a smile that just lights up a room.  And the evil giggle to go with it.  "Sweetie Pie" has a very tender heart.  She is fiercely loyal and has loves completely.  This is the one who will get her feelings hurt the quickest.  A harsh word to this one will break her heart.  I could squeeze this one all day!  Mainly because the older two are really beyond the "moma lovin" stage. Sigh....

And this is "the baby".  She is about to turn 4, so technically she isn't a baby anymore.  However I still call her that out of habit.  This one will always be my baby.  Even when she is 34 instead of 4.  "The baby" is still very attached to me.  She is happy to be by my side 24/7.  She can leave me to go play with someone, but I had better not ever leave her to go do something.  She will call me crying saying she misses me.  Breaks my heart!  This child is so funny.  Everyday I crack up over something she has said.  She is also a tad rotten.  How a 3 yr old can have a 13 yr old attitude I am not sure. But she does!  I am really frightened of the teenage years with this one.  I will probably be completely gray or completely bald by the time she turns 16.  I will probably have a nervous tick by the time she is 10.  In the middle of all this "attitude", she does give some amazing hugs.  She is my best snuggler.

And last is "Fozzie Bear".   We adopted him from the shelter right before Christmas.  He is truly the most spoilt out of all our children.  If your behind touches something solid (chair, floor, bed, toliet) he thinks he has to sit on your lap.  Sometimes it's sweet and sometimes it's annoying.  But I wouldn't trade him for anything.  Is it weird that Fozzie Bear's favorite toy is a stuffed frog?  We named the frog Kermit.  Thought it was fitting.

So this is my babies.  Somedays I want to pull my hair out.  Other days I want to pull their hair out!  But overall they are pretty wonderful. 

Here we go!

I guess the best place to start is to share some about myself.  I'm Anne, a sahm of 4 awesome kids.  My center and strength is God and my church family.  Don't know what I would do without them! My life is my husband and kids. Married to Will for 12 years and mom to 4 kids (ages 16, 10, 6, and 3). My passion is assisting women through their pregnancy and childbirth as a birth doula.  You can check out my website at http://www.pushdoula.com/.  And my "therpy" is sewing.  I do a little of everything - knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting, and embrodiery.  This keeps my sane.  And trust me, I need all the help I can get! After having 4 kids, we decided that was enough.  But I love the little ones so much, that is one reason I became a doula.  Most of my sewing is for babies also.  Seems like my life kinda revolves around babies in some way or another, so I figured it should be in the title of my blog. 

This blog will have little pieces of all my life.  I can't share too much of the doula part, due to privacy issues.  But I love it so much, I will find things to share with you.  There will be lots of posts about things I am making.  I love to share with my friends what I have made.  So this will be my "show and tell" area! Can't wait to get to know you guys better!