Time flies when you're...busy

Wow, I just came up for air and realized I haven't posted in almost two weeks. My excuse is work, I have been so busy and trying to balance that with family time is tough. We are rapidly approaching the end of the quarter, and while that means wrapping up projects and grading papers, at least it also means a break is coming!

I haven't sewn much the past couple of weeks, but I have worked on a couple of things; and we have had a couple of nice fall outings (finally)!

I often finish an embroidery project and think the back looks cool and abstract, so for now here is a preview of the latest:


Also, my sister's birthday was this week (Happy Birthday, Jen!) and last month I found this travel mug that I thought she'd like:


So I made a "lunch bucket" to go with it:


You can't tell from the picture, but I used iron-on vinyl on the inside and included an elastic band to support the mug. It's also the first thing I've completed that includes a ModernJax tag!

We took Jaxon to the pumpkin patch down the street, and he loved the gourds:


And our street had a Halloween party last weekend, and Jaxon was Yoda (again). Good times!



PS I am reading a great book that has been hard to put down: "The Thirteenth Tale"

Good news or bad news??

I always like to hear the bad news first so things end on a high note. Just like I save the best bite of the meal for last.

I think I am 0 for 2 for craft swaps. *sigh* The quilt I made was received by the recipient on October 1. Still haven't heard from her. Nor have I received a quilt. *sigh* I keep checking the Flickr Group hoping for new posts, but I think I am out of luck. No more swaps for me.

And I've caught Jaxon's cold.

Enough of the pity party.

I have another baby blanket top done. This one uses my rocket embroidery. And my new labels from Namemaker came yesterday. I had second thoughts about the white text on black background because since ordering I've noticed a lot of other tags like this. But I think they will look really nice. So now I can finish my stack of half complete projects.

Also, my book club, which meets in the neighboring "big city" about 45 minutes away, made the trek to my neck of the woods. We made a big event out of it and had the kids come along to paint pumpkins.

Here are the big kids:


And here's little baby Jaxon:

And finally I was going to share the recipe for the dinner I made tonight, but it was so super yummy that I overate and now I don't even want to THINK about food.

Poor sick baby

Poor baby, can't even stay awake through lunch
Jaxon came down with a cold this weekend...snotty nose, sore throat, coughing. We stayed home today, but, surprisingly, even with a sick baby I had a pretty productive day. I've learned to find small projects I can carry around as I follow Jaxon.

I got some grading done, a couple loads of laundry, and lots of fabric sorted. Also, I finished another baby blanket top...

My sister sent me a set of fat quarters and a charm pack from Anna Maria Horner's Pink Chocolate

...made some muffins from Heidi's version of Amy's recipe, and Jaxon seemed to like them...



...and, finally, while I followed the fussy baby around I worked on these center blocks for baby blankets.

Nifty Gifties and a WIP!

My aunt and uncle just got back from Hawaii and brought us a couple of things:


This cute outfit for Jaxon to wear next spring, or if the weather stays like this he can wear it for Halloween and we'll do a Hawaii 5-0 theme!


This awesome tiki, the tag says "Winner Tiki," and that the owner of this tiki is determined and successful. Do you think any of these tikis have tags that say "Bad Luck Tiki" like the one on the Brady Bunch??

Also, I heard a rumor that my favorite artist, Shag, is designing a line of merchandise for Disney World. He did a line for Disneyland's last anniversary, and you can find many items overpriced here. If this rumor is true I must make a trip to Disney and clean them out. Here is a Shag for inspiration:


And finally, I finished two baby blanket tops. You may recognize the wahine fabric from a past project. Also the embroidery is a Sublime Stitching pattern.