Back to School

Hello!

School started yesterday.  Life is back on it's old routine.
It's very hot right now in Southern California. Because of the drought, we only are allowed watering the plants twice a week. My little garden is not doing very well, but is surviving.
Hope you are enjoying your end of Summer. Here we still have some hot weather ahead.
I have some things to share since my last post. It was way back in June!
First, my Flip-it Stamps  cross stitch ornaments.

Here are July and August. I made some color changes on both. I am just so excited to finish my little collection. I am late this month, still need to start the September ornament!

 

I finally made a patriotic table runner for my sideboard. It's a simple one, made with fabric I had at home. I am trying to use the fabric from my stash, instead of buying more.

This is Mason, I don't remember if I posted him before, but he is too cute to not share. He is a Boyd's Bears cookie jar, but I never put cookies inside him.

This little flag pillow I made with scraps and tiny star buttons.

Another Cross Stitch finish.  This is "A Very Merry Summer" from JBW designs. It was on my to do list for a long time.

Three new clothespin dolls for my  collection! I just love to find the right accessories for each one. This time, I had everything in my craft "stuff".

I had great plans for baking with Brenda this Summer. But, most days were just too hot to bake.
We managed to bake a little, including a peach pie. Brenda made an small one all for herself.

Don't you love the many beautiful knit pumpkins on Pinterest? Some are made from old sweaters. Since I had no old orange sweater, I found some orange yarn and knitted one. It was very easy!

And here is my latest project. A pie carrier for my gingerbread loving friend.  I had this fabric in my stash. She loved it!
That's all for now. Hope you stay cool wherever you live.
Have a great day!

Ana Paula.

Summer

Hi!
Last weeks of summer vacation! I am busy sewing some new tops for Brenda wear at school.
Not pictures yet.
This summer I managed to finish some projects that were for a long time on my list.
This button monogram  was a WIP for quite sometime.

I am so happy I finally finished it.
The idea is not mine. I saw many online, and fell in love with these ones.
The buttons were sew on a piece of beige linen and I found what I think is the perfect frame at Salvation Army. I just love how it looks.
I also did a little knitting. Very little.

Miss American Girl Felicity got some new stuff.

I made her a shawl using some leftover yarn.

 

I also made her a couple of new dresses. This orange dress was made from a dress my sister sent to Brenda when she was about four years old.

This one is her new tea party dress.

And for Brenda I made three shorts from jeans using some cute trims I got on Etsy.

 

 I also made her a Minion hat for her to wear to go see Despicable Me 2.

 

It was a long line, but it was worth it.
This year we stayed home, just doing some local things.

 

We had a picnic at the park to celebrate my husband's birthday.

 

A visit to San Diego to see the Grandparents.

 

We went to The OC County Fair and Brenda had a good time with the butterflies.

 

We went to the  Clans of the Highlands picnic and I baked a strawberry - cherry cobbler to take.

It was a fun day with Great Grandma, Grandpa , Aunt Pat and some friends.

And Brenda made some new friends.

Well, these are some of the things we did this summer.

I also baked this Plum upside down cake last week. It was so good!
Now, I just need to finish my sewing!

Have a great end of Summer!

Summer

We are having a stay cation this summer just doing local trips.
We also joined the summer reading program from our local library. We just finished it.
I will share some pictures of our little adventures. First, a Fourth of July celebration and breakfast at church.

Some days later we were invited by friends  to go to the Paul Getty museum in Los Angels.

On the way back we stopped by the LDS Los Angeles Temple to see the newly remodeled visitor's center.

Of course we had a day at The OC county fair. Brenda got a new "carriage".  It helped a lot, since walking the whole day can be difficult for her.

Fair food can be  weird like bacon dipped in chocolate and fried butter. The corn looked good, but we got  fennel cake with strawberries and went to a restaurant after the fair. A lot healthier!

At the crafts building they had some lovely things.
Beautiful quilts.

I love redwork. And Swedish weaving.

My favorite quilt was the one hanging on the middle. Amazing work!
Now the cross stitch. This one really looked like a painting.

More beautiful pieces.

I liked this one... so cool!

We also spent some days in San Diego where Brenda among  many other activities, built a sand castle with grandpa.

But the best thing this summer was our  visit to Brenda's leg doctor.
She is doing very well and now she is allowed to use the slide at the playground. When it is not crowded, to avoid accidents. This may sound like nothing for many, but for us it is huge! She is so happy, and we are too. The doctor even recommended walks around the block.
If you want to know more about Brenda's condition please visit The Childrens Tumor Foundation website.
Brenda does her best to follow the doctor's orders, but she is just a seven year old that wants to do all the things the other kids do. It is very hard for her to be "normal" but not to be able to do normal things. She is a very faithful child, and before the visit to the doctor she told me that she wished  the doctor let her to do "one thing"...meaning less restrictions at her play time.  And she got it!  Yes, life is full of little miracles and my little princess believes in it.

Hope you are having a great summer.
Thanks for stopping by!
Ana Paula.