Peaches!

We have a 'Contender' peach tree in our yard.  This is it's third year to bear fruit and it's only 4 years old.  This year it was loaded, this picture shows only one branch.  I think we picked about 80-90 lbs of fruit!

I truly believe the best way to eat a peach is fresh, however we weren't going to be eating 80 lbs worth so I gave some away and we ate a many as we could possibly stand to eat and bake with and I preserved the rest. 

My counter looked like this for about a week, each time I'd get it almost emptied off I'd go pick again! 

This was the first time I'd used a canner alone and I felt like such a grown up doing almost everything solo! :)  First I tackled basic canned peaches.  And to be honest I must have read 15 different blog post on doing so and really can't remember whose I used. I think I just took information from all of them and went to work! I used a lighter syrup and between 3 different sessions ended up with 18 quarts and 9 pints.  We've eaten one so far and it was fantastic! 

I also made peach butter, raspberry peach jam, peach preserves all in half pints.  The peach butter is great on pancakes and waffles, the raspberry peach jam doesn't use pectin so it is a bit runnier but awesome mixed into vanilla yogurt (I like Chobani), and the peach preserves take awhile to cook down but they're great too!  It was fun to experiment and to have such great success canning made the week even better! I also froze quite a few slices on cookie sheet and then transferred to freezer bags, these I can bake with or perhaps just eat? 

I will say I didn't do much cooking during that last week in August and I had to recover for a few days afterwards but now that we are starting to open a few jars it was well worth the work!  As most things in life are.  Thanks for stopping in!

Where have I been?

I see that I haven't blogged since summer KCWC ended!  I wish I had a list of really good reasons but the best one is just life.  We tried to pack as much summer into August as possible with things like swimming, gardening (love my tomatoes), trip to an amusement park, and a State Fair visit.  Peyton started Kindergarten August 27th and that same week I was drowning in peaches and processed them everyday of the week!  More on those peaches next post.

Oh to be young again!  This girl loves the water.

I feel like all this just happened, how can life move that fast!?

Yes, that is a giant tractor wheel!

I've also been on a big reading kick since the end of July, I've read 11 books.  (This number shocked me, I guessed 7 before I double checked!)  I decided to add a Goodreads widget to my sidebar in case anyone is interested in what I've read.  Anyone else out there a big reader, any books to recommend?  Of my recent reads I loved Beautiful Disaster and the first two Selection series books.  I would say my happiest solo moments are spent cutting out fabric or reading a good book.

I have been sewing too, just not sharing!  I have quite a few posts written to share in the next few weeks.  I really did miss being here, but thoroughly enjoyed the break.  And my sincerest apologies for the summer post in early October! :)

One more KCW project!

I finished this outfit Sunday, the last day of KCW and am just getting around to posting.  I've had VBS all this week, playing games with preschoolers has been fun, but not good for keeping up with things at home!

I used the same Ottobre pattern that I used with the gray and black tee from earlier in the week. It was easy to just make the same pattern.  I used a recycled tee for the red fabric but the orange strip is new.  It was nice to have the hems for the sleeves, although these also got miss cut so two old red shirts were "harmed" in the making of this new shirt! :)  Other than that I am really happy with it!

For the shorts I just could not resist Dana's new Kid Shorts pattern, I mean $6 for shorts for both kids and in sizes 12 months to 10 years?  Plus all the different finishes, there was just no way!! :)  It was definitely worth it!  I hope to make a couple more pairs and will be turning them into pants for Carter this fall.  I love the pockets and I really should have made them flat front but was too lazy, you don't really notice it and it saved me a little time.  I also left off back pockets mainly for speed sake too, I do wish I'd thrown them on but I could always fiddle and put them on later.    

The peek of red you see on the pockets was some red robot fabric for the lining that I added just because I didn't was to make plain chambray shorts! You don't notice it, but I know it's there!

 Here's hoping to a more successful fall KCW!  If you want to check out all the great summer projects made head on over!
Until next time! :)

KCW day 4...too many irons in the fire!

My KCW started off in a terrible fashion!  First I probably didn't have time to join in this week, but really missed not doing it in the spring so I decided to sign up regardless!  I have been meaning to sew a couple more outfits for Carter all summer and thought that KCW would help me do it!  And it has, but it's been less that pleasant.  I decided to recycle tees to make the first shirt.  Which is good...except I haven't sewn recently where I needed to worry about saving pre-made hems and messed up cutting not once but twice. Good thing I had extra shirts!  I do like preserving existing hems because it does same time but not when you mis-cut!!  I also sewed the back of the shirt backwards so them hem is switch around, luckily you don't notice it.  I mean really...sometimes I wonder what else could go wrong!

The pattern for the tee was from the Ottobre autumn 2012 issue.  The pattern has long sleeves so I used another tee of his to decide where to cut for the short sleeve.  It was an easy pattern just 3 pieces.  I have another one to share later this week once I get the shorts made to go with it.

Speaking of shorts I used the same free pattern from Caila Made that I used with these cat shorts to make these lovely orange gingham ones.  I did lengthen the pattern by an inch in hopes he can wear them next summer too. And I raised the rise of the waist a bit too since I thought my first pair was a bit low rise for me.  I added back pockets to since I like that addition to basic shorts.

We will be celebrating Carter's second birthday this weekend and my house is a mess and I've got a cake to make so hopefully I can get my other outfit for him done.  I also have an Anywhere dress cut out that I would like to get finished too!  Summer seems to be flying by with kid activities and lots of pool time (especially this week with all our heat!)  I am looking forward to sewing more once school starts back up!

Oh...one other very fun note!  I ran into Vanessa from V and Co on Tuesday at JoAnn's in town!  I follow her blog and love her latest fabric line.  Of course I went right up and introduced myself and she was of course very lovely and nice!  It was a fun treat, especially as I was just coming from spending an hour in a half at the DMV renewing my drivers license!   Until next time, happy sewing!

Scoop Top...sewing for ME!

Hello, sorry for the sparse blogging here recently.  I have over booked my summer so far and seem to be having trouble finding the time to sew and blog, but I have high hopes for this month! :)  Today I've got some sewing for me! Yeah!  If you haven't tried Kristin's Scoop Top you have to give it a try. Even if you're like me and think you won't fit into the small/med. free pattern she has available; print it and see!  If it does't work she is working on a wider range of sizes, I believe. What got me to take the plunge and try it was when I saw this cute top by Anna, I thought maybe it will work, and it did!!

I didn't really change much at all other than raising the neck up a bit for my preference.  It is ultra flattering and SO comfy!  I love how the cut is fitted enough to be figure flattering, but then where mommas (at least this momma) needs a bit more room it widens out a bit to help hide that dreaded middle! I'd wear it everyday if I could. In fact it's been made for at least 3 weeks and that's been part of my problem in blogging about it.  I've worn it so much that either it or myself have needed cleaning! :)

The fabric is from JoAnn's and it is a couple of years old.  I was concerned that it would be too busy, but I really like it.  It was on hand and that was the biggest factor! :)

I did the sleeves the way Anna did and finished them like the neckline.  I think I like that better than just hemming the under.  There will be more of these great tees in my future!!

We were at my parents this past weekend and my dad has been bailing hay so I decided that might be a fun backdrop for some pictures!  I love the country and while I enjoy my city life now, being home feels like a bit of heaven! (Oh, and my mom made me a belated birthday cake, that made the weekend down right perfect!) Thanks for stopping by, have a fun and happy 4th of July!!
p.s. I couldn't leave out the cows, how can you not love cows! :)

T-shirts and the Tinny pattern winner!!

**The winner of the Tinny pattern is Nicole!  Congratulations!  I'll pass your e-mail address onto An.

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I'm guessing your kids wear a lot of t-shirts.  Mine do, anyway.  And while I buy many of them I am finding that making them gives me warm fuzzy feelings! :)  You see I've figured out that I sew mainly as an expression of love.  I love my kids and seeing them in handmade clothes makes my heart happy.  Also t-shirts are a quick sew and that is also a big plus.  I use Rae's skinny tee as the base for most of my tee's.  My only big change is that I always make the neck binding bigger, because for me when cut as per the pattern the neck opening is too tight (at least for my kids heads), but otherwise it is perfect.

 I recently tried another pattern for tees and was really happy with the result!  I bought the book Growing Up Sew Liberated mainly for the envelope tee pattern mainly which I wrote about here.  And actually that t-shirt fits this summer, so when questioning sizing in that book, make the smaller one! :)

 The Crossover tee is another great pattern from the book!  I omitted the bottom band to make it more daytime wear and less pajama like.  The fabric is from Girl Charlee and part of their exclusive Vintage Revival collection, and it's just lovely!  Girl Charlee is a great place to hunt for knit fabric and at great prices too! This bird print just looks like summer to me!

The crossover tee only goes to size 5 but it is a generous pattern.  Peyton doesn't wear a 5 in commercial clothing anymore but I just added a little over an inch in length and it fits great. Here is a little action shot, badminton, her newly discovered sport! :)

Carter also got a new tee recently.  My Grandma has turned over some of her kids fabric stash to me and this cute print matched perfectly with a pair of green pants that needed a top! I used the Skinny tee pattern for the shirt and it fits my skinny boy perfectly.  He's really into vehicles and likes to points out the red trucks on the tee, so he's a fan!

Sewing for my kids is really such a joy and seeing them play in handmade clothes is the best feeling!  Have a happy Tuesday!

Birthday fun (my first giveaway!)

I've got a treat today!  My birthday is Sunday and I'm hoping for at least a couple of fun surprises.  Fortunately I have one for you too!  An from Straight Grain has a new pattern; which I'm guessing you already know! :) And she's generously offered a copy for each of her testers to giveaway!  Yeah!!  After seeing all the fun dresses other testers made I can't wait to make another, I think an asymmetrical collar is calling my name!

       

I actually gifted myself this year and bought a new camera lens.  I think it is going to be a fun new tool to have!  Here is a glimpse of my next post using my new lens. What is it about little boys that is just overwhelmingly adorable?!

To enter to win a copy of the wonderful new Tinny pattern please leave me a comment about what your ideal birthday gift would be!  And for an extra entry please tell me how you are following me!  The giveaway will be open through Monday June 10th and I'll announce the winner on Tuesday!