Summer Days

These lazy summer days are going by way to fast!  Okay, so ours aren't really lazy.  We've just finished up artificial inseminating 50+ head of cattle, transferred roughly 25 embryos into our recipient cows, I ultra sounded 20+ head of cattle, and have had 66 calves born thus far.

Both kiddos are in the preschool summer school program and are having a blast.  Yesterday they "visited" Italy on their train tour of Europe.  It's exciting to hear what they learn and eat at each stop.  The teachers joke that they are "eating their way through Europe" as at each "stop" they make a food from that place.  In Wales they had welsh cake, in Italy pasta, etc.

Since Aslyn is going much more regularly now, I made her  a lunchbox just like her brothers.  Instead of trains, I used a couple of the Puppy Park prints I had won at Sewing Summit last year, as well as pieces from my stash.

Finished these kitchen towels from Patchwork, Please! 

Well, I'm off to chaufer kids to school!  Have a happy Thursday!

Patchwork, Please! Bell Pepper Coasters

I received Ayumi's new book Patchwork, Please! about a month ago. This book is filled with so many cute projects!

There is a sew along with this book organized  by Lindsey & Debbie, which features a new project each Monday.  The first project being these adorable bell pepper coasters!

These were so easy to put together, and a great way to use up a few of your scraps!  Win, win!

I'm thinking an orange bell pepper needs to be added to this little bell pepper family!

Water Bottle Holder

This week the Zakka Style sew along hosted by LR Stitched  consisted of constructing a water bottle holder. 

I chose to use snaps as opposed to the buttons in the instructions.  Also, instead of appliqueing scrap strips, I chose to do an all over print...let me just show you!

Fabric used: Later Alligator - A Tribute to Tammis Keefe by Michael Miller,   Denyse Schmidt's Flea Market Fancy Eyelet in pink, and Essex linen in natural by Robert Kaufman

I have added making a few more of these to my projects list; especially since Logan said he wanted one!

Zakka Hand Warmers

A lot of you know about the Zakka Style sew along happening over at LR Stitched (and if you don't you should check it out!)  I had been following along, each week looking at the all the great projects people were linking to.  And almost every week I heard myself saying, "That is so cute!"  and "Oh!  I need to make that!"  

I finally purchased the Zakka Style book and am ready to start making!  The sew along is in week 12 (halfway through the book.)

The project was hand warmers; rice filled pouches that you heat in the microwave and slip into an opening in the back of your decorative pouch. These in turn can be put in your pockets to help warm up cold, wet hands.



rice pouch and back of hand warmer

The original embroidery on the project is the faces of a little boy and girl;  I decided to capture my 4 year and 20 month old kids' hands.

Wouldn't these make the perfect gift for a long distance relative?!