What? This is the most neglected blog you have ever seen?

I know, I know! This IS the most neglected blog in the world, poor thing. Many of you probably ask - why does she have a blog?

But I have excuses, and good ones at that!

I got a little overwhelmed with orders in April/May/June. Well, that's an understatement. I extended myself too far, didn't take any new orders at all after the first or second week in May, and did not finish up the current orders until the end of June, and that was sewing my fingers to the bone. I was doing it for a reason, though, I knew we would need extra money when we moved into our new home!


That's right, we are now homeowners! Or will be after what seems like a million more payments, but don't sweat the small stuff, right?


It was very poetic, we signed papers for our home on July 14, our seventh wedding anniversary, and then got the keys on the 18th. I have a few things to say about home buying, and none of them positive. It is the most frustrating, unclear, horrible process I have ever been through and the thing that irked me the most was that all these people who are supposed to be "helping" you along the way act as though nothing is a big deal. And I understand that to them, because they see it every day, it isn't a big deal, happens all the time, blah blah blah. However, for us, first time homebuyers who have very little clue what to expect, it's a HUGE deal. That was so frustrating for us.

But all is well, we got the house, we have moved in and settled, and we are very happy. Buying a home here also gives us a sense of permanancy we have never felt anywhere else. The first place we lived after being married we LOVED, and probably would have happily died there, but it wasn't logistical. My hubby was driving an hour one way to work, and I was driving half an hour the opposite direction. It was not a good long term situation. The next place we lived, we learned a lot there, so all of you know the types of experiences that you"learn" from. Enough said. But now we live where we always have wanted to live, and we are both so happy and ready to just stay here forever. It's a good calming feeling.

So, see, good excuse!!

We took a short family vacation over to the Oregon coast after we were all settled in, to sort of destress and unwind before my husband had to return to work. We flew kites (Draya's kite lasted all of 30 seconds before it blew into trees, not to be retrieved), ate clam chowder, went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium, and all around had a great time.

The girls loved the sand on the beach!

And kites while we still had two:

Then, on the way home from the coast, we took Highway 242, which is a historic highway that is only open part of the year, and it's so pretty and such a fun drive. The best part of the drive is the Dee Wright Observatory.

It's on a huge lava flow, and the house is made out of obsidian. It has peeking holes you look out that point towards each mountain in the Cascades. It's such a fun place. My husband and I enjoyed the history and everything there, but the girls? Eh, they were ALL about the chipmunks!

Isn't he cute? Brave little suckers, too....they came right up to the girls and were begging for more crackers! They had no shame!







It was a fun little trip!

And we also lost our minds enough to get the girls a new puppy - he was a housewarming present!


He is obviously horribly abused



"MOM, he was COLD!!!"

His breeders had called him Whip, and so we adopted the name of Cool Whip :) I love pembroke welsh corgis so much, so I am very happy with our new addition.

So, as you can tell, I basically took the whole summer off of sewing, and it was lovely. I even had intentions of just closing down my business, never to return. I think all that sewing in April/May/June majorly burned me out. But about the beginning of August, I started feeling that itch to create. After sewing up some cute stuff for the girls, I decided that I would in fact stock my cart again, but on a much smaller scale. Another reason I got overwhelmed this spring is that I not only stocked custom slots in my store, but I also accepted customs via email. It was just.too.much. So now I am having be a meany butt and tell everyone to stalk my store if they want a custom. It's very hard for me to say no, but it's also so much healthier for me to say no. I think I have struck a good compromise.

My favorite outfits for the girls so far for fall:

These were made from this great interlock my sister picked up at Hancock's last year. It's striped on one side, solid on the other, and that stuff is THICK. It will be so nice and snuggly when it's cold here this winter. And aren't they just too cute?

That is my quick and dirty update with a peppering of excuses as to why this blog has been soooo boring. I am also planning on making this blog not just about sewing, but about all fun things we do!