Thursday, May 15, 2014

Motivated by deadlines!


My sister graduates on Saturday. She finished her courses and will be walking and getting her MA in Library Science. I am oh so proud of her!!!! To have accomplished her degree while being an amazing wife and mother of three - so inspiring. Also - my smarty pants sister is graduating with a 4.0! Wow!

Listening to her getting excited and planning her trip up with the family to the University so she can walk - I was really motivated to get the appliqué done on my sister's quilt. I'm hoping to finish it so I can give it to her as a graduation present. I have about six more hexagons to go before I finish the appliqué.

I have to admit that half way through this quilt I wanted to stop and do an easier pattern just so I can gift a quilt to my sister. I confess that today I actually went through my stash and did an interview of fabrics to see if I could swing a quilt top for her... but I forced myself to get over the slump I found myself in and before I knew it - an end to the hand appliqué was in sight!

It's coming along - just a few more to go... stitch by stitch... you can do it. =)

My goal is to have this quilt finished when Ross and I head to the mainland - I dream of gifting it to her during a small family party I'm planning for her. In my head I can see her happily sitting at the table after a delicious meal of Italian family style dishes - and then seeing her eyes light up when we bring out a red velvet cake from her favorite bakery - and then finally her eyes tearing up when I present her her long awaited quilt. ::crossing fingers:: I just hope I can pull it all off! In my head it's amazing. In reality - the quilt is still sitting in my sewing basket... Ahhhhh.... where are the quilting fairies when you need them!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Baby's first blanket finished!





I started working on this baby blanket a few weeks back. The weather has been so cool and rainy - the perfect weather to play with yarn. The blanket is made with 100% cotton, and it is very soft and drapes so nicely. It has been nice to be able to crochet. Crochet was the first craft I ever picked up so it was nice to work with something so familiar. I can't believe that the first baby project is finished! It makes me excited to work on something else. I've been writing to do lists of everything I want to make to get ready for the baby, the list keeps getting longer too so I better get on it.

Did you have a good mother's day? My first one was so very memorable. Ross made fried rice to take to our church brunch potluck. What a wonder not having to cook on a potluck day! I ended up spending the free hour catching up on reading some of my favorite blogs and it inspired me to start making and crafting for the baby.

I also got these precious cards and warm wishes. Do you remember your first mother's day? What a wonder!!! I know that the baby isn't here, but Ross reminds me that I am a mother because I am working so hard at taking care of baby now. We are in our third trimester and along with that came lower iron levels. I've been doing so much reading up on it and didn't realize that a lot of what I was doing before was wrong! For example, did you know that caffeine blocks iron absorption? I didn't. So when I was taking my prenatal vitamins with breakfast, which included my morning cup of tea, it wasn't helping as far as iron went. So, I've made a few changes, like taking my prenatal vitamin with dinner, eating more iron rich foods, drinking and eating more vitamin C rich foods (which helps with absorption!) and also taking a natural iron supplement. I've actually had more energy so it has been so nice.

This pregnancy has seemed to go by so fast. I can't believe we are in our last trimester. The baby has been getting more active in its kicking and I have enjoyed taking to it... telling baby how excited I am to meet him/her, what I want for baby, what I hope for baby... singing songs that my parents sang to me... precious.

I'm so grateful for the chance to become a mother.