i have to say...

two more

A friend of mine is expecting twin girls next month, so a baby gift is in order for her baby shower this weekend.  Having twins is an amazing thing, I am sure, but the really amazing thing here is that these babies are numbers 13 and 14 in the family!  Twelve kids are awaiting the birth of their new siblings!

You would be shocked to see how cute my friend is; she looks awesome as a soon-to-be mommy of 14!

Bibs and burpcloths made from Farmer's Market fabric will be just the thing to control the little messes that babies bring (I hope!). 

Really, with babies, the messes just seem to accumulate no matter what you do!

The bibs are reversible for added cuteness.  All that is needed now are those two little sweeties!

What crafty goodness are you working on?

the recipe box swap---on thursday!

Yippee!  I managed to remember The Recipe Box Swap this month!

This Thursday, October 2nd, the theme for the swap will be Lunchtime Favorites.  Do you make something special at home for the kids, or pack it in their lunch box for school?   Or maybe you make something special just for you!  If so, share your recipe!

Post your recipe on your blog and I  will provide an auto-link at the bottom of my post so that you can leave your post URL and others can visit and see what you have cookin'.

I hope to see you then!

chasing the sun

We spent Saturday chasing the sun.

The aspens are starting to change their colors in the mountains and we wanted to catch them before they finish.  Too many years have passed while we claim to be too busy to drive up and see them.

The weather was only partially cooperative and we ended up making our decision on where to drive based on which roads seemed to be heading towards clouds/rain/lightning versus the sunshine.

We ended up going the opposite direction of what we had planned.

At one point the sky seemed to open up just as we passed a tiny county road lined with loveliness.  It even boasted a meandering little creek!

Of course, the best sights are in the trees:

And among the flowers:

This is what most of our day looked like:

I would like to see the leaves at least one more time before their display is finished.  There is just nothing like the colors of fall.

Perfection, if you ask me!

even if your pile is small....

....make some time to play in the leaves!

Have a lovely weekend!

link love

Since Christmas is just around the corner (not really, but am already thinking about it!) I wanted to post links to some of my favorite Etsy shops.  This year I am planning on making some goods, but the rest will be from Etsy because I love the idea of buying handmade and maybe helping a woman stay home with her kids or earn a little extra money.

Take a look at the goods that are available from some VERY talented ladies:

Carolina Patchworks makes the most amazing quilts!  Plus she even has a couple of lovely patterns for sale.

My friend from Tickled Pink Girls has a knack for making colorful and adorable girl's clothes. (I AM IN LOVE WITH THAT DRESS!)   I wish I was so talented a seamstress!

Brody and Ma has a great selection of goods, including Party and Storage tubs as well as baby items.  Too cute!

Quiltville makes the cutest bags!  Check out her sold section to see what can be on a custom order.  She is great at combining fabrics!

Little Fish Big Pond has put together the cutest dress making kits for your girl, and, really, her prices are amazing---only $18.00 for the kit above (it includes the fabric and the instructions, among a couple of other things).  For those of you looking for something simple to sew, go check out her store!

How cute are these little pinafores?  Three Little Starfish makes the most adorable clothes for small children.  It makes me wish my girl was younger!

Happy shopping!

i love fall---a tribute, one day late

I am once again reminded that I love fall.  Everything about it is so "me"! I don't know why every time we reach summer's end I am so resistant to let go, since the start of fall always feel so good.

So very good.

***Apple picking is next week.  Applesauce and apple pies are soon after!  If you have never tasted a Jonathon apple fresh off the tree, you are missing out!

***I love waking up in the cool mornings.  For some reason I find it easier to wake up and greet the day with a smile!

***The leaves are starting to dance in the air when the wind blows.  Just enough to show off a little bit, but not yet enough to signal that winter is coming soon,

***The lovely yellow light during the day is warm and inviting.  Much better than the scorching sun of summer.

***The harvest is so plentiful right now.  Our farmer's market is packed with goodies and fresh things to eat.  This week tomatoes will be bought and made into salsa for the freezer.   It tastes so good during the cold winter months!

What do you love about fall?

this is me!

As soon as I posted on Friday I began to wonder how on earth I was going to come up with pictures of "me"!  The problem was easily solved by asking my hubby  to take some, and he did it like the dickens.  In fact, he pretty much followed me around with a camera all weekend and kept taking pictures when I least expected it.  I began to feel like I needed to be sure to lock the bathroom door, just to be safe!

His paparazzi style of getting the job done left me with some TERRIBLE photos, which will not be posted here today in the interest of saving my delicate sense of self esteem.  Believe me when I say that I think I need to smile more often! 

Thank you, Honey, for your sweet dedication to the job!

Let's start off in the video store.  This was my first glimpse into the fact that I may have created a camera monster.  I wasn't looking to be surprised by being photographed out in public.  I was also surprised in the library, WallyWorld, and coming down the stairs in the morning in my PJ's.  This is me:

This is also me at the Pueblo Chili and Frijole Festival:

Me again at the Chili and Bean Fest:

This is me picking out candy at WallyWorld.  This is a borderline dirty look that says "you had better knock this off, Honey!":

This is me with my photog hubby at Karate testing on Saturday.  He and my boys earned their brown belts while I took pictures of them on the sidelines (That's the way,u-huh u-huh, I like it!).  This one was taken by a friend:

Now I am REALLY hoping that some of you will be playing along with me, and that I will not be the only one showing off my pictures!  If you are posting your pictures on your blog, please leave your post URL in the auto-link below and that way lots of people can come by and see the real you!

I can't wait to see your lovely face!

Have a great Monday!

saturday shop notes

Pop Garden and Bijoux are the featured fabrics in my shop this weekend and anything you purchase from these collections before Sunday, September 21st at 11:59 PM, will be 10% off!  All you have to do is add this code---POPGARDENBLOG10---in the "message to seller" section and your receipt will be revised to reflect the special price.  If you want a custom-listing, simply mention the code in your  conversation or email.

Have a great weekend!

will you join me?

This week two of my blogging friends were nice enough to post pictures of themselves on their blogs.  I have known these ladies for a long time and, until this week, had no idea what they looked like!   How nice it is to be able to see the faces of the people that I chat with here in the blogosphere!

So this got me thinking...

Let's have some fun on Monday and post pictures of ourselves.  This weekend is a perfect time to have someone take a picture of you (you can give up control of the camera for just a moment!) and then post it.  Don't worry about looking fabulous or skinny or young, just show off a photo that shows the real you.  Even better, show off a few photos.

Part of the reason that I love taking pictures is that I am in control of the camera, and I always make a hearty attempt to hide when a camera is pointed in my direction, so I am just as guilty of being camera-shy as you are. 

If I can do this, you can too! 

I am even going to give you some photo ideas:  THIS IS ME engaging in my favorite hobby, eating my favorite food, wearing a fabulous outfit/wearing a terrible outfit, bungee jumping, reading a book, cleaning the toilet, being creative, spending money, etc., etc., etc.

The ideas just go on and on, don't they?

I will post an auto-link here in my post on Monday so that everyone can make the rounds and see the real you!

Will you join me?

Please?  Pretty please?

a list 'o' links

***Pumpkin Petunia shows how to make sweet felt barrettes for the little girls in your life.

***One of my new favorite blogs is Stuff Christians Like.  He writes the funniest things about counseling lingo, if there was a Christian version of Guitar Hero, fish bumper stickers, and college church attendance , and he also posts encouragement like this.  Read it and you might find yourself inspired and chuckling at the same time.

***Cherryskin has put together a pattern for a cute calico kitty.  Perfect for the cat lovers in your life!

UK Lass in US has the perfect crafts for apple and pear season.  These would make great pincushions or decorations for fall.

***Sweet Tidings has these adorable notepads available for free download.  Too cute!

***Lots of new fabrics are on their way to my shop.  If you want a preview of what's coming, click here.