Sew Cute Skirts

This is my recent sewing project. It was so much fun to get out the serger and complete this project in just a few hours from start to finish!

No, I'm not "Super (sewing) Woman" like some of you others out there, but I have made a few things in my life-my wedding dress, quilts, some skirts, and maternity clothes... Nothing to fancy.

Okay, maybe my sewing projects have been more on the elaborate side-what was I thinking!

Most of that was before I had kids! So, this recent sewing project is one of the simpleist I've done. Here's what I did...




I saw these two adorable jumpers at a store a while back. Knowing that Kyla isn't so into jumper or dresses but always loves a cute skirt, I thought I would just make hers into a skirt. Maya thought hers needed to be turned into a skirt too. So here are the original jumpers...

So after everyone was in bed one night I started by cutting off the tops of the jumpers, just above the gathered elastic strip...

Then I serged along the edges...
Then I cut off the straps from the top part of the jumper and needle stitched them into 4 flowers-2 of each color. Here is the beginning of a flower...
The next morning I cut off the elastic gathered strips from the very top of the jumper and sewed them both into head bands. Then I added one of each flower in the matching color to the headbands...
This is the only material I had left from the jumpers after I completed the skirts, headbands, and flower pins!
Then the fun began. When they got home from school that day, I had them try on their outfits and model them for me. Kyla decared that they were in fact very cute skirts! :)
They will be fun skirts for this spring and summer...
And now the real truth comes out... I bought the jumpers at Walmart for $12 dollars a piece (including white teeshirts). The short sweaters are from Hanna Andersson outfits that I bought 2 years ago. The Hanna skirts got too short but the short sweater style is cuter as it gets shorter so they work perfect. We bought the shoes last fall at Target. So these cute outfits cost me a total of $24 dollars and a few sleepless hours...

And the funnest part for me is that I can tell everyone I made them!

Except for you who know the truth... how easy, how fast, how cheap they really were. How I'm just a cheater, a wanna-be, a teaser...

But I'm okay with that!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!
Alison

I ♥ These Ones

Kyla, Sage holding Lita, Elise

It's always amazing to me how much people respond to a baby. They make old men smile and little girls giggle. What is it about a baby that makes eyes turn my way no matter where I am-the post office, grocery store, school, truck stop...

A few weeks ago when I was in Kyla's class helping out, with Lita in her sling, several little 4th grade boys came over to me and gently stroked her fingers and asked questions like "Does she smile?" The teachers and girls all gushed over her at great length but it was the attention of the rough and tumble boys that left me amazed.

At the store she just has to let out a little cry and every woman within 10 yards of us runs over to "coo" and "goo" at her but it always surprises me when full grown men stop what they're doing and come and ask "ohhh, how old is she?" Yesterday in the grocery store, with all four kids, a tough-looking man in his 50's asked me this question and then told us all about his brand new grandchild. Then he told Colter he better protect all his sisters and it would serve him well someday. Another older man looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said, "you are just getting started"... he has 11 children.

I remember this kind of attention when my other kids were babies. I didn't realize how much I missed it until this baby came along. The connecting with others, friends and strangers, over something that is so precious. Something that they find great joy in. No one is embarrassed to love a baby. And no one is embarrassed to show it.

A couch full of kids!

We had a super fun evening with Adrean and Anna and their kids not to long ago. IT was fun to get caught up! Thanks for coming over and playing with us!

Two Months Old!

Melita turned 2 months old on April 14th. Here is a video for the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and anyone else who is interested. Oh, and see the soft sewn flannel blanket she's laying on in the video? Thank you Amy! ;)

She's changing so fast we can hardly keep up with her. Here are two more layouts I did for her baby book...

...and the cute knit blanket she's laying on in the above pictures? Thank you Grandma Judy!

We have received so many sweet things for Melita. I can't possibly share them all with you but I do want to point out some of the beautiful handmade things people have made for her... each gift is SO special!

hugsfromus,
Alison

Spring=New Life

Next up... Melita is 2 months, another trip to see another Grandma and some more cousins time!
Alison

Memory Lane Monday: Red Umbrella

(please go to my playlist near the top left corner of my blog and click play to hear "Red Umbrella")

This multi-media presentation is dedicated to my little family.

Let is rain
Let it wash my tears away
Tomorrow's another day

Who needs the sunshine when you have a red umbrella!

It's snowing/raining today. It made me think of this fun post I did a year ago!

Oh, and speaking of years... we just celebrated our 4th Anniversary here at "From This Front Porch". Here is the very first post I ever did on April 11th 2007.

What's around the next corner on Memory Lane?

See you next Monday!

Grab my button and take your own walk down memory lane every Monday!
(copy and paste this code)

<center><a href="http://hugsfromus.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="From This Front Porch" src="http://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/April2010/scan0001/844740824_XVxeh-S.jpg" border="0" /></a></center>

Don't forget to leave me a comment so I can walk along with you!

Together

Spring Break is now over,
and all of the fun.

So wonderful to be together,
but we didn't see much sun!

It's back to hard working,
and being serious 'bout school.

But warmer weather is coming,
and Summer Vacation will be cool!

-AH

Alison

Funny Friday

"I'm NOT the picture type..."

Have a super weekend everyone!
Alison

Nerdy Thursday

I can't believe I sent my kids off to school looking like this today!

I really had nothing to do with it. Kyla was up before me, organizing everyone's outfits for Spirit Week, Nerdy Thursday at school.

Randy and I were so baffled. We would have never thought of looking like this and going out in public. We were much more timid as children.

Well, maybe I would have dressed up a little, but I would have been much more conservative!

Well, I may have worn mismatched socks and shoes, but I would have never fixed my hair like this!

Okay, I may have fixed my hair like this, but I would have NEVER gone out in public wearing those awful glasses!

Wait...

Those are my glasses I wore as a child! And I did wear them in public... like every single day...

*clearing throat* Wow, I was really a nerd! I'm surprised Randy married me knowing that our children could turn out like THIS!

Wait...

The glasses he wore as a child make my glasses look beautiful...

Our poor, poor children. What is dressing up nerdy to them was just a norm for us and maybe still is...

After I ranted and raved this morning about their outfits and sending them to school in such a state, my daughter pointed out that the way I was dressed would fit right in with the theme of the day.

I pointed out that I wasn't dressed yet for the day.

But, she did have a good point...

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!
Alison

While We Were Sledding...

...Mom was back at home taking care of both babies. Here is a video she took of them that I had to share. She had to take a video to assure us they were just fine while we were gone. They actually seemed to be making an effort to get to know each other! Thanks Grandma!



Today Melita is 2 months old and she's looking up at me and smiling-to cute!!! She isn't very vocal but once and a while she "talks" to us. She is starting to really respond to the kids when they talk to her-she gets SO excited... hands flying and legs kicking, smiling and cooing. I really want to remember this!

Alison

Sledding on The King

Not only did we get to go sledding on the funnest hill in the world (this hill), over spring break, but we also got to meet some fun new friends! We just couldn't get enough of it.

Oh, you'll notice the kids wearing helmets on the second day. The snow was icy that day and super fast, and the hill steep enough (where they do this) to slide down on your bottom (or tummy)...YIKES!!! But oh, so fun!

We went South for spring break and found some great fun in the sun... er, snow.

Alison

4 Reasons to Smile on Sunday

#1 Who needs to go to St. Louis when the sun is shining in the window here in Montana? ;)

#2 A happy baby because she slept through almost the entire meeting.

#3 Ham in the oven, sweet potatoes in the steamer, pear/spinach salad in the fridge, and homemade cake to go with our strawberries for desert. And coffee.

#4 Four little people to share it with!

Alison

p.s. I'm still working on my spring break pictures so thought I would post this picture for now, especially for my blogging buddies who met this weekend in St. Louis. Glad you enjoyed your time together! Enjoy your week EVERYONE!!!

A Stop to See Great-Grandma

We left on our trip on Monday, March 28th. We spent the night in Bozeman and the kids enjoyed swimming in the pool at the hotel. We all got a good nights sleep including Lita and I! The next morning after a quick breakfast and packing up our things, we headed over to see Great-Grandma Ruth at the nursing home. It was a special time. She is really enjoying her time there and was very content. It was nice to get to see Jeanne H. too! After lunch at Applebee's and a quick stop at Kmart to get a map and pajamas for Maya (we forgot both) we were on our way again...

Alison

Hand Shuffle & Bright Eyes

Daddy didn't get to go with us on our Spring Break trip so we made the most of the last Sunday evening together with him. We left the next moring to head South to Wyoming with Grandma! There is nothing as fun and crazy as a good game of hand shuffle. It usually ends in fits of laughter and red hands. Lita just watched it all with her bright eyes. She was almost 6 weeks in this picture. Now she's past the 7 week mark. I wondered how she was going to do the next couple days on our long trip. It turns out she endured the hours in her car seat better than I expected. Whew! :) Spring Break Pictures to come... Alison