The new little girl Rage...

...at least in my neck of the woods! Kathy found instructions to make this adorable twirly skirt online at the cutest sewing blog, "house on hill road" and we can't stop making them! It is SO easy...all straight lines! This is pretty much my first successful clothing sewing project, and it can be yours too! To get started, buy a
-3/4 yard of skirt fabric
-1/2 yard of a coordinating fabric for hem & waist
-about 20 inches 1/2 inch elastic
I am boring and got all of my fabric at JoAnn's, but Kathy found fabric online here. To see some of her skirts click here.
Next step are the shirts that match...that is where I have to get creative...wish me luck!

Oilcloth...my kind of sewing!

Last year, I got into the oilcloth trend after seeing an adorable tablecloth at Kate's. Anyway, I learned how to find it, sew it, and make some neat things...mainly tablecloths and this beach bag. The beach bag wore me out and I didnt finish all my other projects...until yesterday! Here are some of the projects I did...and seriously, it is NOT hard. You will need a serger set for rolled hemming, (threaded with one normal spool and 2 wooly nylon spools), and some oilcloth! I buy mine here. You can find a couple patterns here, but I just make them up...as I go.

These were supposed to be artsmocks, but since I was so anxious to get them done, I made them into aprons (I figure they will work for art too...dont you think?)

I was having so much fun, I had to make more bibs today!

Sunday Barbeques

Summer is almost here, so it's time to start one of my favorite traditions...Sunday Barbeques! Ok, so I have only done it once, last year, but it was so much fun! Start at the beginning of the summer with a large group of people (we did it with our church and through emails) Every one that is able, signs up to host a barbeque on a sunday until all the sundays are filled. Then, the host provides a backyard (or front yard), a BBQ grill, papergoods and utensils, and condiments...and thats it. Everyone is invited (even if they cant host) and each family brings their own meat and a side dish. It was so much fun to have a whole yummy meal every week, without much preparation. It is also SO fun to get together with so many people. Some weeks we wouldnt even bring meat, because there were so many great sides. If you live away from family (and cant eat at Mom and Dad's every sunday) try this...You'll Love how easy it is!

Spring Table Setting

Easter at Kathy's was just as beautiful as last year! She made made simple flower arrangements with white mums and bright paper sacks. Look closely because the ribbon is strung through the bag...very clever!

Beside the beautiful table cloth, I loved how she tied in the yellow napkins with the ribbon and the lemon slices.

She bought the colored take out boxes at Michaels. They were filled with crinkle paper and easter goodies! Yum!

Easter Tradition: Trifle

My friend Kate has a family tradition of eating trifle on Easter. (I think they make it on Mother's Day too!) This year I used her recipe and made my first one. Yes, they are very easy...but no, they dont all look as pretty as the magazines! I looked into it and found some of the coolest trifle recipes that I want to try...chocolate raspberry, caramel apple, chocolate mocha...I suggest that we all try to make a unique trifle very soon. Oh yeah, and if you want to make ANY dish look impressive, present it in the trifle bowl. Think chinese chicken salad layered, or mexican layers, or rice and chicken layered...get creative!
Mine was angel food cake, bananas, vanilla pudding, strawberries & strawberry glaze. I might line up the strawberries along the outside next time.

Dare to Paint it...part 1

This is my ode to craft paint (which I started buying maybe a year ago!) It makes our lives so much better, if we dare to use it. So we bought this oil painting in a flea market in France last week (for about 10 Euros). It was in a cream colored dingy frame, but I was worried about the cost of a new frame because it isnt a standard size. Well, my aunt suggested that I paint it...which is exactly what I did. Since I am a beginner, I use the same method: Paint, sand, stain. I really like how it turned out!
We bought Robbie a carved wooden sword in Brugge, and I planned from the beginning to try and paint it. Again, I dared to do it (with Robbie's color choices, and I think it turned out great!

I know the sword is an odd gift for a little boy...but he always tells us stories about swording the bad guys!

Tradition: Easter Chocolate

Well if you havent done it yet...you should be hitting your favorite chocolate shop for a treat for your kids and spouse. My parents used to put a Sees Candy chocolate egg in our baskets, decorated and personalized with our name. I loved it.

try a box of hand picked chocolates...a sees candy egg...
for me, it is as much the presentation as it is the taste!
one of the thousand chocolate shops that I checked out in france and belgium last week...incredible! Dont worry, we have plenty in the US. In Philadelphia, try Naked Chocolate and Scoopdeville!