Happy December!

I spent a large part of my day yesterday running around without my head. Today I am catching up from that debacle. Part of my new routine is scaling down and I have found that it is really hard to simplify your life. One thing that I discovered last year was to stay away from the mall for the last 3 months of the year.

There is something about going to the mall at Christmas time that really makes me hate Christmas. I don't know what it is that turns ordinary people into assholes. Maybe they didn't get the parking space they wanted or the cheap and useless thing they were going to buy that is all the rage is sold out. I don't know but I don't like it. Last year I went to the grocery store and stocked up on gift cards. Nothing says "I love you and so glad to be giving you a gift" like a $50 Visa gift card. When they say it's the thought that counts, my thought is, I just saved myself a shitload of time and aggravation.

p.s. Don't you love all the ornament filled bottom half of my tree?

Isabella wanted to make her dad something so we went to Michaels and stocked up on craft crud to make some crap, I mean, thoughtful gifts.

She worked on this yesterday afternoon, after we had to go to a Christmas party so when we got home she saw her dad and could not wait to give him his Christmas surprise. I guess we could start a tradition of gift giving on the first day of December.

So Phil is the proud owner of this t-shirt showing him with a surfboard in a wave. And he has a dog on a leash. The artist signed her name but then added more ocean on top of it. Let's just say that he better wear this and wear it with gusto.

I'm working on something for Isabella and her cousins. It's going to be cute, at least in my head it all looks adorable. Heather Ross is one of my FAVORITE fabric designers and I love her patterns as well. Too bad her fabric is $17 a yard. I pay so much for it that I have a hard time cutting it up. But the little girls in my family are worth it so they are getting something from her Far Far Away line. This is just a little peek cause I am loving my life right now.

How to Bind a Quilt

I found this tutorial on binding and thought I would save myself the aggravation of video of posting pictures. This lady is a pro and her nails are much nicer than mine.

The Non-Vegan American Girl

One of my hobbies is sewing. Mostly I like quilting and the occasional outfit for Belen. But lately I am having so much fun thinking of fun designs for Miss Darcy, Belen's American Girl doll. Last week they were having a special and offered free shipping. I bought a few outfits but I still want to come up with something of my own.

About two years ago I bought a piece of leather for a steal and had hoped to make some sort of coin purse out of it. If any of you haven't bought leather before know that it doesn't come in neat little bolts perfectly folded. I had this random shaped piece and while I was cutting out patterns inspiration hit me. I thought of making a doll outfit to practice working with leather.

Lately I have been reading about Chanel and looking at her designs. I channeled my inner Coco and made a leather suit. This is my take on a mid century design with my modern twist.

The jacket is lined with 100% cotton, an Alexander Henry print and I used pre-made bias tape, my favorite thing to use when making doll clothes. I don't remember how much the leather cost me but the fabric was $3 a yard and I probably used a fat quarter's worth. If I were to buy a leather outfit at the American Girl store I know it would've cost me a lot more. Most of the fun is coming up with a design in your head, then making that thought into something. Fruition.

Dress up anyone?

Gobble Gobble

This is me rocking the pasta necklace my gorgeous daughter made me for Thanksgiving. We are enjoying our Thanksgiving picnic at San Onofre. Thanksgiving is our throw away holiday. We don't do typical and Phil and I can be somewhat unconventional. He did threaten me earlier this week that he wanted a roasted turkey dinner but knowing that I would be cooking all day for a family that doesn't like food, I talked him out of that absurd idea. I knew I would be the only person eating any of the side dishes and leftovers.

So instead of spending a load at the grocery store I spent my time with my husband and daughter. Don't you love Phil's camera work?

I was surprised to see a lot of people had the same idea. And why not? The sun was shining and the air was cool and fresh.

This was an Thanksgiving as we got at Casa Beauchesne. I like Isabella's version of Oreo turkeys. She gave the babies names and refused to let anyone eat any. This is them, following mama turkey. As parents we worry about establishing traditions, but Isabella loved having the attention of both parents and I loved not being a slave for a week for one meal that no one would eat. If you ever want to forgo troughing it next year, meet us at the beach. Don't forget the sunscreen.

Pilgrim Joes

This ice cream is going to send me over the edge. I like ice cream, I enjoy eating it every now and again but not all the time. I've had two pints of Chubby Hubby in my freezer with freezer burn. I just threw away coffee ice cream that my sister bought, two visits ago... I watch my sugar and treats carefully so when I indulge it's usually socially.

I wished that someone else in my household would enjoy pumpkin pie or anything pumpkin so that I could justify slaving over a homemade pie dough to make a pie from scratch.

When I saw this Pumpkin Ice Cream I knew that all my hopes and pumpkin pie dreams have been answered.

Let's just say for Black Friday I am going to run out and buy a freezer so I can get my year supply of Pumpkin Ice Cream, it's that good. I only ate it gourmet style, which means a very small amount, but I've been thinking about it all day.

Trader Joes makes the best ice cream and do you know why?

Organic milk, eggs and cream. The pumpkin flavor is perfection. It was like someone took a really good pumpkin pie and a simple yet delicious vanilla ice cream and did a mash-up.

So when I get back from my turkey sandwich picnic at the beach I am going to indulge again in a little bit of pumpkin heaven.

Sad attempt at a tutorial pt. 1

This pic should say: Hey! Check out my pink puffs!

I wanted to post a tutorial on binding today since I have taught binding 5,963 times. Actually I lie, it was 5,962.

So I am going to attempt to do it but in case I don't get to it tonight I will show you what I did today. I finished the tag team quilting today for CB. SB did one part last night and I finished it this afternoon. CB is flying in as I type so we did not have time to hand bind.

I cut 3" strips for my binding. I don't do it on the bias. I know I should and I'm not a true quilter because of it but I really hate wasting fabric so shoot me. Instead of doing a 1/4" seam allowance I did 1/2'. I leave a couple of inches open and begin sewing the binding on. The corners are tricky, hence the desire to post a tutorial. But until I figure it out I will show you the finished project. SB bought a delicious lime green minky for the backing. We stretched and pulled it but we still had to add more to the back to it has a fun strip of colorful striped flannel running down the middle.

It's not the most technical quilt but it's a fun one to whip up and it will be great for CB to cuddle up in on a cold night. As for our fabric choices, we just picked out happy, colorful and bright fabric.

My Humps