Master of the Tricycle

Taj is finally on his way to mastering the tricycle. We've only had it since last Christmas and have worked with him since then to teach him how to use the petals. Of course, we did have to wait six months for his legs to grow longer, but now I think he's finally got it! I can't tell you how crazy it is to see my baby boy riding a little bike. It makes me realize that he's not a baby anymore and that his birthday, announcing the arrival of the "Dreaded Twos," will be upon us in less than a week. Heaven have mercy on us!

Besides learning how to ride his bike, Taj has also become more daring with speech. Finally....he is wanting to imitate the words we say, thank goodness! I was beginning to think that Swaheli was the only language he would ever speak. The kids at the park always try to talk to him and they get Swaheli in response from Taj...and Taj gets blank stares from the kids, after which they turn to me and say, "I think he's trying to tell me something." That's what I say too kids. No matter, if he's anything like his dad, he'll know how to chew the fat with the neighbors in no time and by then we'll be wishing he didn't talk so much!

Shabby Apple Dress Design

Dress Design for Shabby Apple Dresses

Inspiration for the dress: Birthday roses from my husband that were fuscia, yellow, and orange all at the same time (for sash color) and pearls for the white dress color and design. I love pearls. I consider them the most classy piece of jewelry a woman can wear. When I think of pearls, I think of Jackie Kennedy and her crisp and elegant style, which in turn was inspiration for the dress design. She epitomized femininity. The fabric of choice: lace, white lace for the whole dress, except the sash of course. The sash would look lovely in chiffon or possibly satin, but I think the chiffon would look better on lace. Wouldn't the wearer of this dress look lovely with red lipstick and pearls?

Ta Da!

Thanks everyone for critquing my dress designs, seriously, I was so happy to see that people actually commented! And some day when I'm rich and famous, I will give all of you the credit! Haha, just kidding, not about giving you credit, but about being rich and famous:) I think now I know which sketch to really work on. Lace is definitely what I was thinking for the white dress, super feminine and super classy, Jackie Kennedy classy!

Now for the event you've all been waiting for: I completed my first sewing project today. It only took me about two hours and a good friend to help me figure out how to thread the machine. I'm telling you, those bobbins can be evil! And it took me probably an hour to pin the hem on the skirt and then to sew it. So...hmm, that's three hours total to hem a skirt. I'm sure some of you are laughing, I am too, I can't believe it took me that long. Seriously though, I'm the girl that got a C in sewing for making pajama bottoms with one of the legs too short and too tight (which my mom still wears) and a stupid stuffed football, which my teacher ripped open when she pulled on the seams to check my hand stitching....good memories. So my greatest accomplishment with this whole project was learning how to thread the machine by myself...I had nightmares about it, but I think I got this! What should I make next? I'm thinking about decorative pillows. They're always so expensive at the store, so why not make my own? I have to start somewhere....

I Need Critics!

Ladies, I am asking, no begging you for help! I am entering a Shabby Apple dress design contest and I've got about six sketches that I need your critiques on. I can only enter one design, so I need help narrowing down the mix. If you could pretty please just let me know which dress you would most likely wear out of the six and your reason(s) why, I would be ever so grateful! I know the drawing is a little rough...if only my artistic skills could match what I see in my head! Thanks so much for your help!

He's Here!!!

My Brother sewing machine finally made it here!!! My beginner's sewing kit also arrived this week, so now I have no excuses. My first project: hemming a skirt I bought at the D.I. It's got a flower print, so if I mess up, I don't think anyone will be able to tell anyway. Project Runway, here I come! Not really, but my goal is to eventually be able to make my own dresses. If anyone knows of any good sewing classes to take or someone who lives in the Salt Lake area that can teach me, please do tell!
Sidenote: We went to the dump this weekend to dispose of tree limbs and one of the workers there asked Brannon if I was his daughter, daughter? Serious? I could have kissed the man! I used to hate when people thought I was like 12 when I was really 18, but I don't mind if people think I'm 15 when I'm 25! This looking younger than I am thing is really starting to come in handy!
Have a great week everyone!
I can't turn my back for one second with this kid!

I expect great things out of you...great things!

The sewing machine box provided me with a 20 min. break from these knuckle heads.

How to Enjoy an Oreo

Ordinary Life

Activity of the day: Tearing up mom's cookbook

The beautiful roses Brannon got me for my birthday...I'm kind of like a cat lady, only with flowers...I take lots of pictures of them because they die so quickly! (I mean the flowers, not cats...)

Taj thoroughly enjoying my birthday balloon

Second activity of the day: wrestling match on mom's bed...after she made it.

Final activity of the day: dance party in mom's kitchen to the only radio station without commercials: gospel central.

Hot air balloon show from my front room window, awesome!

I've been a slacker this week on blogging. I made it a goal to post at least once a week, but my life has actually been a little busy this week, which is a first for me in a really long time! So this week I turned 25 on the 9th and in my wisened old age I decided that instead of buying clothes this year for my birthday, I would make them. Thus, I bought myself a sewing machine. I'm kind of in designer mode right now and I've been sketching dress designs like crazy for the last three weeks. My only problem: I don't know how to sew people! So I'm a LOT intimidated by a sewing machine and the task of making my creations come to life. I don't even know how to thread a machine, so you can see the predicament that I'm in. My ambitions, however, to create my own clothes so that I can have more of a selection to choose from in my closet are stronger than my fears of not knowing how to sew. So it's new territory, but I'm going to give it a shot, forge on, like the pioneers!

Speaking of shopping spree, I just had one at the local D.I. I don't know why I was so embarrassed at even the thought of being seen in a thrift store when I was a teenager, but I'm telling you now, you can find some good stuff there! I bought Taj nearly an entire wardrobe there which included argyle sweaters, new dress shirts and polo shirts, jeans, etc. People give away some nice clothes there. I also bought myself two dresses and a skirt. I'm really in to 40s and 50s style dresses right now and the D.I. is like a gold mine for those kinds of things! My whole concept of fashion has changed since high school and I can't bring myself to spend money on clothes like I used to, so I'm shameless now and proudly tell people that "I got this dress from the D.I. and it was only $5!"

As for the rest of the last two weeks of our lives, it's all in the pictures...hope you all have a great week and enjoy the cooler weather and much as I do!

9/11

I hadn't planned on doing a 9/11 post, but last night I watched a movie that inspired me to do so. I got it from Redbox with a free rental code on a whim yesterday. All the "good" movies were only on Blu-ray and since I don't have a Blu-ray player, I just hurried and chose a movie called, "My Name is Khan." I don't even think it was in theaters for the most part. It's actually a Bollywood film. At first when I was watching it I thought I wasted our free code on another dud, but it actually turned out to be an awesome show, one that I highly recommend watching, especially on a day like today. It is about a Muslim man with Aspergers Syndrome. It starts out when he is a boy and then it follows him on his journey as a Muslim in America. It's an incredible story that proves that even one person doing their best to do good things makes a huge difference in the lives of millions of people. This man, Khan, sets out to find happiness and he does against all odds. This movie also shows what innocent Muslim people had to go through after 9/11, which was kind of an eye opener to me. It will make you cry. It will inspire you to treat everyone, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. with more love and respect. It's a good show, watch it. We should all be a little more like Khan.