Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Winter's Solstice


Photo from 5 Orange Potatoes website.

It's almost Christmas, 4 shopping days left! We are all very excited here at the house. Last night the kids and I sang Christmas carols and wrapped gifts, The Twelve Days of Christmas and Rudolph the-red-nose-raindeer were the favorites. Rem add-libbed every now and then, like his dad he has some interesting and funny comments...haha! It was all good and appropriate for PG. I don't think we will get snow this year for Christmas like last year, but a nice chill will make our holiday spirit a little warmer.
This morning we had a lunar eclipse, the moon was red and if I had known I could have posted sooner and warned everyone so they can get up and watch it! I've been wrapped up in Christmas I missed it!!! My friend Megan told me about it. Everyone can google it and see pictures...hehe!
I was reading through 5 Orange Potatoes blog and there is a tutorial for making a dream pillow - moon phases the picture above. I am definately going to make one for L. How perfect!

Looks easy, thanks Lisa! (Just to clarify I don't know her personally but I love her ideas).

Friday, December 17, 2010

Advent Calendar

Christmas is just around the corner and the boys have a countdown. I have wanted to make some really neat and cool advent calendar...I have not, it was one of those things I haven't had time to do. With both Rog and I working and the kid's school and after school activities we do not have much time once we are all home. So here is Ram's countdown...he just came up with it on his own and it has become our family advent calendar for 2010. He is coloring in the ornaments until the 25th when the star gets colored in!!!
Seven shopping days left until Christmas! I hope you are all almost done, and can sit back and enjoy!

2010 Advent Calendar

Thursday, November 25, 2010

happy thankgiving!

Much to eat and much to be thankful for...family everywhere.
Happy Thanksgiving!


2010-11-25 14.25.05
Originally uploaded by ravenramandmoon

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Vampire, Snow White and Colonel

The kids had a great and long Halloween weekend, they went trick-or-treating on the 30th and 31st.

Halloween 2010

Vampire, Snow White and Colonel in the US Marines.

Halloween 2010

Close up of Ram's face painting, I didn't realize L had climbed on the table and Rem was raiding his loot! (in the background).

Hope you all had a great weekend and lots of candy!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Happy Halloween!

pumpkin patch 2010

Happy and safe Halloween weekend!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

sewing challenge day 6 & 7

Day 6
I made a trash bag cover...haha! They actually call it a waste basket cover. I got this Japanese book a while back, Linen Wool Cotton and have been dying to make something...so I made this bag. I love how clean the white linen looks considering what is going inside it...trash!! It will be with the vacuum to pick up trash right before I clean. Our only trash can is in the kitchen and I tend to go back and forth so I get distracted and forget to finish cleaning. (I really do there is always something else I could be doing or helping the kids.)

It came along pretty quick too. Love it! I'm picking up trash everywhere...haha! Isn't it funny when you get something new how into it you are... My straps are just a couple inches shorter because I used this almost perfect scrap of fabric I had from the nap mat.

waste bag cover

craft book

waste basket cover

Day 7
One of my co-workers was having a "Monday" today and couldn't wait for the day to be over. I decided to make him a neck wrap, it's filled with rice so he can get some spa time either cold or hot...hehe! I hope he likes it. This took me about 30 minutes to make because it was so easy even filling it was easy. Sewing is therapeutic for me, as I have mentioned before it relaxes my jaw if you can imagine that, but it does...I'll have to ask Rog if I'm making faces...haha!
neck wrap

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

sewing challenge day 1 to 5

Day 1
Okay so I'm off to a good start, I didn't think I was going to sew anything today with all the homework the boys have to turn in Thursday and buying a new vacuum, but I finish the sewing machine cover I had started a while back.
I need to tell you about our vacuum dilemma, it died a couple of weeks ago and we started shopping for a new one yesterday. The boys really wanted a Dyson, which are extremely expensive. I do have to say they look nice, but $500 dollars...I couldn't do it. So we ended up getting a Hoover which has a lot of the same features as the Dyson but several hundred dollars less. The boys love it and they have been cleaning the house. They got the carpet done including the corners and the ceiling!!!! I had to make them stop. Rem's chore from now on will be to keep the carpets clean, pretty hard thing to do with Fred in the house. Ram's will be to keep the floor in the kitchen clean. Roger and I will have the rest of the house...

vacuum

Back to the subject, I use the left over blue duck canvas I had used for the stroller bag I had made for my sister's baby shower for the outside of the cover. I may had some applique to it later but I'm not sure I don't want to make it bulky. When I iron I want to have it smooth. On the inside I used the fabric I had saved from my old ironing board cover, it's that metallic heat fabric. My sewing machine sits on the kitchen table (right now) and the sun hits it I was afraid it would yellow. So now I have a simple cover that doubles as a traveling iron mat! It came out a little shorter than I wanted but that's because one side of the iron cover was worn and the other side tapered.

sewing machine cover

sewing machine cover

Day 2
Book marker! Okay the day was almost over and I couldn't think of what to sew (in about an hour or so) so I made Rem a book marker. He had mentioned he needed one and I got to use my Japanese fabric I ordered a while back! The back is Anna Maria Horner scraps I had.
I used my new iron mat, didn't feel like taking the big iron board out for a little thing and it works great!!!!

bookmarker

Day 3
Sick today...I didn't sew today and kind of messed up my challenge, but no one is perfect...hehe. This makes it one whole week of being sick. I slept after I got back from Taekwondo with the boys, I think I wore myself out at work today.

Day 4
I finished quilting my lake quilt and started on the binding! I did wavy lines going the length of it and waves on the border. It was freehand and it was kind of fun not perfect but it was good practice for me. The boys went shooting at Rog's sister's house which they have been wanting to do since the last time they were there...boys and their guns. Bren...Rem got to use the bullets you got him, he said he really didn't want to because they were special since he go them on his birthday, but we explained he could get more...hehe! I stayed home to rest with L but they had a blast they shot and caught chickens...no pictures. Rog didn't take any....

Odyssea Quilt

Day 5
Finished the binding on the quilt and went to a Roger's dad birthday, not sure how old he is??? There were no candles and we got there late. The quilt is made from the Odyssea cake layer pack and used some Amy Butler fabrics on the back and borders.

I also made a mat for Luna. She seems to enjoy sleeping on a baby comforter at my in-laws and I didn't want to tackle a quilt just to fold up and use as a mat. I've noticed she lays on Fred's bed so I made her a sleeping mat. I used a technique for making the ties from the Pink Penguin blog, that she used for the handle on her zipper bag. It was easier than trying to turn the fabric inside out! (I'm also going to try and make that wristlet as soon as I get a chance). The print fabric on the mat tore as I was turning it inside out, made the whole to small for such a bulky item out but I think the next time I make one I will use a different approach, stuffing it with batting after I sew the pieced together. I used zig zag to keep it from tearing and I don't think it looks bad since it was a small tear.

nap mat

Okay I think my challenge was to sew everyday not finish a project a day, but I seem to be inspired to complete things...hehe!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

fred's bed

A spontaneous project for my canine companion...since he is getting up there in years, thirteen...that's 91 canine years!!! His health is pretty good for his age. For those of you who have met Fred and have shared a bed with him...haha! Let me set the record straight, Fred is a cuddler he likes to sleep next to someone and some have been fortunate to share a bed with him, not of their own choice...haha!!! He is no longer able to jump on the bed and sleeps on a wool couch in our bedroom which is lower than the bed. He likes to be pretty close to me and prefers the soft couch to the floor. Just to share a little about him with everyone he is a great companion, a yellow Labrador Retriever, he has lived up to his name. He was a puppy for about the first seven years of his life, then he finally calmed down...some...just the past few years he has really mellowed out. His hearing is going, when he was young we could not get past him, now, we could sing a song, flush the toilette and run the garbage disposal before he realizes someone is home. I can tell his eyesight is starting to go too. He has trouble seeing in the dark and runs into me sometimes (because he is following me or waiting for me to come out of the restroom)...hehe! He still gets up and follows me around the house that has not slowed down unless he falls asleep and I get past him. He has recently been fixed and only because he has gotten some bloody growths that keep coming back and the vet said they were due to his hormones, getting him fixed seems to be helping. He also got heart worms about 2 years ago and that was hard on him his health has gone down quite a bit since that treatment, but he made it through and is heart worm free. I can hear him snoring right now...haha!

So to make his life easier I wanted to make him a bed instead of buying him one to show him how much I love that fur ball...he has been shedding a lot lately. The boys helped me stencil his name so no one takes his bed, L may, she is already laying on it...hehe. I used a khaki color duck canvas...love the stuff always looking for something to do with it. I picked the khaki because I thought it would hide his hair the most. I was a Joann's trying to find a dog hair on me, normally I am all covered in it, but I could not find one, finally found one in my bag...just one of all things!!! So there I am trying to see what would hide his hair the best, with one tiny hair...it was between khaki, grey and an avocado green color. They have so many colors to choose from. The back has snaps on the underside and I filled it with my old twin size down comforter. Those old arthritic bones need warmth. I meant to have the stencil closer to the edge and along the long side but oh well it looks good anyways.

Here is his new bed we can move it around from room to room and he doesn't have to jump to get on it.

Fred's bed

Fred's bed

Fred's bed

Fred's bed

Bliss!!

I think he likes it!

fred's bed
















This is pretty much what will happen to the bed...haha!

September is sewing month! So I'm challenging myself to sew everyday all month long...wooo!! Hopefully this will get some of my WIP's done and I can get ahead...Halloween costumes, Christmas presents and other stuff I'm probably not remembering right now??? So will you sew with me? What are you working on? Come on!!!

I wonder if I can post daily also???? hmmmm that's not part of my challenge though....haha!!

I thought I would make a list of ideas to get ahead, not necessarily in this order:

1. bean bags for the kids (have started from stardustshoes blog)
2. finish lake quilt (quilt and bind)
3. caught up on bunny blocks (April-August...okay September)
4. birthday quilts (only 2 left for the year, this could count as two, have fabric)
5. Maisy quilt for L (have kit)
6. skirt for myself (I have a "flirty skirt" pattern I have been dying to make)
7. Halloween table runner (quilt and bind)
8. Thanksgiving table runner (have fabric)
9. curtains for the living room (already have the fabric)
10. quilt along blocks (actually joined 2 different ones...this should count as 13)
11. reversable applique block (quilt and bind)
12. strip quilt kit - Amy Butler (have the kit)
13. quilt kit - Heather Bailey fabrics (don't remeber the name of the kit)
14. Hot Flash quilt to finish (have it cut)
15. finish fourth of july quilt (I'm thinking about taking apart and redoing)
16. deer head for the spare bedroom (have fabric, Dorm Decor book)
17. baseball quilt for a friend (have the stuff)

Dang! this is just what I have started this doesn't include what I also want...

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Black Belt Clubbers

2010-08-19 20.23.09
I'm a little behind on posting because I have been sewing some stuff for my sister's surprise birthday shower which was last Saturday and I'll be showing those pictures soon.

Friday before we got on a plane the martial arts school had promotional rank testing and the boys were awarded their high yellow belts plus they got invited to the Back Belt Club (BBC)!!! This is a big deal for the boys and they wanted to join which is even more of a deal. I originally had to drag them to their first few classes they were not sure they liked it. Their self confidence has improved so much and so have their social skills. The instructors are great but strict at the same time. They have positive reinforcement that is great for the kids. In the picture they are holding their BBC blue uniforms, which they are getting their names and the name of the school embroidered on them. They were so excited and I was a little nervous for them. The testing was about 2 hours long but the last half hour was more for the board breakers. I usually never make it into the pictures because I'm the one taking them but you can see me in the reflection next to Rem's head...hehe! {I just noticed the whole picture didn't paste so you can't see me... : (  If you click on the picture it will take you to flickr and you can see me!!!} They worked so hard and they were sweating like crazy...I love it when they sweat!!!

Yesterday they had a board breaking seminar and of course I haven no pictures of that because they had us help, we were the coaches so when they practice at home we can help them. I really did not think they would let them break the boards it was happening so quick and there were quite a bit of kids in the class, but they did!!! They broke wood boards! I got a lecture on wood as well. A lighter piece of wood has less sap in it so it is not as wet. Wet wood tends to bend and is harder to break. If you have a board that is bent, break into the outside of the curve if you try and break into the curve it has bend and will be harder to break.

Here are the boards they broke!!! I am very proud of them. The had started them with a piece of paper for them to break to get their technique and balance. The instructor said it would be harder to break a piece of paper than wood because it bends. It looked pretty easy to me...haha! The boys did break the piece of paper in class. Sooo today I tried to break a piece of paper, I did the side kick they did and I did not break the piece of paper. It was really hard! I'm afraid to try wood because I think I would hurt myself...haha!

board breaking seminar

Thursday, August 12, 2010

back to school

first day of school

The boys are back in school! Can you believe that today was their first day. It's still so hot around here it feels like the middle of summer. Ram on the left starting second grade and Rem on the right starting fourth grade. The picture was taken on their way to class. They are so cute and little! Even though it looks like they are headed toward their executions...haha! The boys were okay with going to school Ram was more excited than Rem. I remember the first day of school was always exciting and I could not wait to go. I would get up early, have new clothes to wear, see my friends and new classes...maybe it's just a girl thing...hehe!

When I got home from work it was nice to hear they had a good day after all, they liked their teacher (yea! I like that!) and they like their class. Rog got them pizza for dinner!!! Yippee!

I also added pictures of the stuff I'm working on...

I got some fabric from this online store for a quilt I'm making using some Alexander Henry 2-D Zoo fabric. I'm in love with all the Alexander Henry fabrics they are so cute. I've got quite a bit of his stuff...poor Rog he doesn't say anything...hehe! Too much fabric and not enough time...sounds like a slogan for a t-shirt...hmmmm.

I also have a lot of pictures that Ram draws with birds, fish, boats and butterflies I'm trying to do something with them all so here is one of the projects with the cardinal Ram drew. I colored copied on canvas but I may try again just on white fabric...not sure, still trying to figure it out.

2-d zoo

drawings

Monday, August 9, 2010

calvin and hobbes

Hey check this out I just saw it here at the Letter Writers Alliance blog, it's Calvin and Hobbes! They came out in July. It's too bad we can't get all of just Calvin and Hobbes but you can get them at the post office. I'm smiling just thinking of the comic strip...hehe!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

celebrations

It has finally calmed down a bit around here and I'm able to gather together some of the pictures. These are just a few we have tons more...literally. I've got so much to talk about hopefully it doesn't turn into a book.

My sisters, Brenda and Karla were visiting me two, three...maybe four weeks ago...dang the time just flies! It was fun being around them again. I hope they enjoyed their vacation and got to relax, but I'm not sure if that happened since we stayed up too late some nights, you know how that goes it's tradition.

Karla came in Friday, the 9th and we got to talk and hang out. She said she would be getting her one on one time with me because she was coming in a week before everyone else...hehe!

belt week graduation

The boys had belt camp that week. They started Taekwondo in June and belt camp got them through their first belt...they are now yellow belts!  My little warriors!!

Brenda and Jessica, my niece, came in the following Thursday late -er actually it was Friday morning when they came in, they got stuck in Dallas and they eventually had to switch planes because of an a/c leak. It was pouring rain I could hardly see when we were coming home from the airport. We haven't gotten much since them. I think Brenda was a little nervous but I was trying to stay calm even though I couldn't see and I trying not to hydroplane. I hope I succeeded I never said anything to her...she's pregnant and I didn't want to stress her even more...

The next day (actually I think I'm still on the same day...Friday) we had the boys graduation at the martial arts school. It also happened to be Rem's 9th birthday (again where does the time go!!!). He got to be an honorary black belt for the day.

belt week graduation

You can see Ram's head in the foreground.

He was so excited and his brother was excited for him too! We brought in cupcakes to celebrate his birthday with the other students. At the end of the class they had graduation for everyone. Master Hammons made it fun for the kids during their graduated, he kept cracking us up. I kept looking at my sister Karla he had her rolling. Ram also graduated with his yellow belt and looked pretty good in it! They have come a long way from where they started and I am so proud of them. Next we are working towards their high yellow belts.

Ok it has been pretty hot around here and the girls...the older girls...the little one did not complain, thought it was way too hot and of course the mosquitoes did not help.

The celebrating was not over...

baptism

Saturday we had L's and Jessica's baptism they both looked so cute! Brenda and Luis are L's godparents and Roger and I are Jessica's godparents. So we had a lot to celebrate. I've got tons of pictures that both Kelli and Karla took and I'll add a link to the other ones later. The girls got a little tired and cranky during the service but they made it through and did actually really well during the pouring of the water.

baptism
 
baptism

baptism

baptism

baptism

baptism

baptism

We all came back home and had tres leches cake for the baptism, it's a Mexican cake that means milk cake but they use 3 different types and I'm not sure what 3 types evaporated, regular...not sure, it taste good though. Of all the pictures I think Karla may have taken a pictures of the cake...so no picture of that. Sorry it should be in that empty spot in the middle of the table. My camera had run out of battery. I'll have to get them from Karla there were some cute ones of the girls next to the cake. 

We had a chocolate cake for Rem, his theme was Troy Built power washer...haha! He came up with it.
I think he had a good birthday he got a lot of the camping stuff he had asked for tent, sleeping bag, lamps...hehe!  He got aluminum foil as a gift from his granny, and yes he loved it! He likes to make stuff and he likes the shiny characteristic of the foil. He got to shoot a .22 the week before so he got some shells and a hip pouch from the girls, loved that too!! He had a great day. (Again I think Karla has those pictures...hehe)

baptism

This is the only picture we had of Rem's cake...I think there maybe one where it is not in the box??? Karla??

I had ordered a Yudu and it came in early in the week. Its a silk screening machine and Karla helped me make a t-shirt (actually she did all the work...hehe!)  for Rem that he designed. Can't wait to use it again!

birthday t-shirt

His shirt looks great! he wore it for his birthday great work Karla and Rem!

These are the pictures of the keepsakes we made for the baptism and since we were up until 4am the night before they deserved to be seen...haha! We had more boxes than candle pillars made.

baptism

Sunday we went to the lake, so the girls could cool down. They got a boat ride although the water was higher than average it was hard to get a good beach spot, but Roger found a pretty good spot. The water felt perfect it cooled us down and it wasn't too cold. Brenda is pregnant so I think she enjoyed some of that baby weight being held up by the water. Covered everyone with sunscreen and dove in.
 
lake

lake

Karla in the background trying to sneak Jessica in the picture, I didn't notice until afterwards when she told me...haha!

Hope you guys had a good time while you were here!
 
baptism

This is Jessica with Fred by the end of the trip, she was pretty scared of him when she first got here. They look like buddies now!!

Garden update...I have to say the garden it struggling right now. I didn't do much with it while the girls where visiting and it's been so hot. I hear a lot of people of having trouble with tomatoes right now. I personally have not had much of a harvest...dang! The basil for some unknown reason is doing really great! Lost the pumpkins due to the heat...sniff sniff. I was really looking forward to them.
 
Finally I wanted to let you all know I'm getting ready to open my etsy shop. I just signed up and I'm getting ready to make a couple of things to list for sale. As soon as I get some stuff ready I'll go ahead and list my website. If you have not heard of etsy check it out I have bought some neat stuff from there.
 
Getting ready for school to start next week!!! ack!!!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

garden update

I added white pumpkin seeds last week "Casper" and this week I have sprouts! The package said I can harvest in 105 days...middle of October! Perfect timing for Halloween. The carrots don't seem to be coming through yet???? But I do have more seeds. You can see the grass it starting to go crazy in the background since I have not had a chance to pull it because of the holiday weekend (actually it has been since Wednesday...hmmm). I would like to tip my garden hat (-er soon to have garden hat, because I don't have one yet, but I will maybe it's more of salute until said hat can be purchased) to all those gardeners, this is hard work and I'm pretty much leaving my garden on it's own. After I worked in the garden I'm sore and achy. I'd also like to add that I consider myself pretty young, but my elderly retired neighbors do much more work than I do and they don't seem to get as tired as I do...haha! 
With everything going so well there has to be bad news...I lost my squash plant, something killed it not sure if bugs or just mold, it was definately not animals. I need to add a picture in case anyone recognized the cause and can give me advice. This happened last year too and it was in a different part of the garden. I did get one squash! 
The sunflowers are blooming like crazy and I noticed the birds are eatin up the seeds. I'll have to get out there and get some before they are all gone. Luckily are still more buds further down the stalks so I should get more.
I also wanted to add Ram's drawing of a blue jay...it looks great and the wing flaps...hehe! He used a picture from a bird book he borrowed from his granny to get the details.

garden update

garden update

garden update

Sunday, July 4, 2010

4th of July


4th of July
Originally uploaded by ravenramandmoon
Happy Independance Day!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

garden update

Wednesday's garden update...
Here are some shots of the backyard garden. It's starting to get full! I added some white pumpkins, carrots, radishes and some flower seeds around the borders.
Look at all those tomato plants if they all produce we will be eating tomatoes all day...hehe!

garden update


garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update