sewinsight

Nerf themed 10th birthday party

 

 

I wanted to share some photos from the Nerf themed 10th birthday party I threw for my son.  It turned out really well and the kids had lots of fun.  

I made this Nerf themed birthday cake and used rolled fondant for the "logo".  I thought it turned out great, though the fondant was not a hit with my son (he requested we not try that again, didn't like the taste).  

 

A good friend did all the graphic for us.  She designed the logo, color theme and created and printed all the water and Gatorade labels, signage, etc.  

Goodie bags had bandanas and sunglasses from the Dollar Store, candy covered chocolate (basically M&M's) in the theme colors, some gummy candies and extra Nerf darts.

 

We had the kids run an obstacle course as I wanted them to have something to do.  Used inspriation from Pinterest and thing we had around the house or picked up cheap.  Also had a "photo booth" for the kids where we took photos of them decked out in their Nerf gear.

 

Pizza had a pepperoni "target".  A great summer birthday.

More sewing for the holidays

Here are the new zippered pouches I have for the holidays.  These make great gifts for friends, family, and teachers.  I plan to give some to our teachers with gift cards inside.  

New style with handle is great for holding a cellphone, ID and keys for quick trips out.  Original without handles are great hold-alls for purse or in car.  

Price doesn't include shipping if applicable.

Green and blue floral with lining, size about 5" x 8", cost $18 each, I have 3 available.  (background color is a little greener in person than appears in this photo). 

Orange contemporary with lining, size about 4.5" x 7.5", cost $18 each, I have 2 available.

New style with loop handle, green and blue floral with lining, size about 5" x 8", cost $22, I have 1 available.

New style with loop handle, teal, cream and green geometric with lining, size about 5" x 7", cost $22, I have 1 available.

New style with loop handle, Japanese linen with floral and bird, with lining, size about 5" x 7", cost $22, I have 1 available.

New style with loop handle, Orange bubbles with lining and handle, with lining, size about 5" x 8", cost $22, I have 1 available.

Sewing for the holidays

I have been working hard on knit and sewn gifts for the holidays.  Three of my nieces kindly asked for new handbags (nice to know they liked the ones I made for them a few years back.  They came over the other night and chose patterns and fabrics.  I will post those soon (need to finish them and take photos), but this weekend I finished some zippered pouches which I have offered up for sale to some of my friends and family.  If you are interested let me know, I could post them on Etsy.  They make great gifts for teachers, loved ones, or kids.  Here are some photos:

Are you planning any sewing or knitting gifts for the holidays this year?

it's been a good summer

We are enjoying the time we have together to have some summer fun.

Baking more tarts

B tried some finger knitting.  He must be at the age (just turned 7) where he can stick with a project like this.  We found a good video on YouTube here, and he got the hang of it very quickly.  Knit half of a scarf in the evening, bound off, then knit the other half in the morning before camp, and I wove the two together.  Fun little project.

And we did a day trip to see friends who recently moved to Bainbridge Island.  They are lucky enough to be renting a house on the beach for the rest of the year, and the boys had a great time fishing (ie winding the fishing line around the reel, having me unwind, and repeat, until I called mercy), playing and beach combing.  

 (I know, the requisite toe shot) We walked a long way up and they found handfuls of beach glass.  I had to have final say over some as they were still in their "broken beer bottle" and not "lovely sanded beach glass" state.

 A lovely day.  

It feels like the summer is flying by, B has been in camps all day every weekday, and I find myself wishing we could just have a "hang out" summer, do crafts, and day trips, and bake, and go for bike rides.  Hard to squeeze that in after 3pm and before dinner.  Balance can be hard to find sometimes.  I do feel lucky that I can be done with work for the day, for the most part, when I pick him up at 3pm, but it's hard not to want a little more.  

We have entered the world of Harry Potter over here.  So fun to watch him get immersed in it.  He is working his way through the first book and just finished the movie tonight.  The smile on his face as he talks about it is priceless.  He printed a list of spells off the internet and is using a chopstick as a wand.  I am hoping not to get turned into a toad.  Makes me glad I had been collecting the books as I found them at the library used book sales.

So it's been a good summer, how about you?

a week on the coast

We spent the week at the beach with some close friends.  

On the Oregon Coast.  

 

Reconnecting after time apart.  Reading.  Boys playing.  

Drinks in the afternoon.  Food shared at a long dining table.  

 

Smashball on the beach.  Toes in the sand.  

Kids digging in the wading pools for hours.   

   

S'mores over the campfire.  Sticky fingers.  Melting chocolate.

 

Breakfast in Newport.  Fishing boats.  Fishermen in their 

boots mingle with tourists, all in line at the bakery.

 

Coffee with the seagulls.

A walk through town.   

Tourist nicknacks.  A seagull guarding his prize, a fish 

stolen from a fishing boat.  Fishermen taking a break along the street.

And fresh crab.  For all but me, the new vegetarian.  

Black bean salad with fresh grilled corn.  We will be sad

to go, but look forward to doing it again next summer.

Sun and rain

Spring in Seattle, we cherish those days when the sun comes out.  Feeling the warmth of the sun on our faces, the colors and blooming flowers of spring.  But those of us who have been here long enough, know that it won't stay, so we have to take what we get and we are good at that.

B is doing Little League for the first time.  They recently had the big kick off parade.  Quite the event.  

 

 

 

I know I have said it before, but what I love about this little neighborhood we live in is the small town feel.  Parades like this, the fact that we can go into our favorite shops - the bookstore, pie shop, bakery - and they know who we are, they know our names, they know our favorite requests.  Rare in this day and age.

This weekend we celebrated a sunny Saturday (and were inspired by Anthony Bourdain in Provence the other night) with a provincial feast.  Pan fried sole (I am still eating fish), grilled portabello mushroom and asparagus.  Caprese salad and a very nice loaf of Macrina bread with some olive tapenade.  All those flavors, first grill of the season, fresh local fish.  so good.  but we knew to cherish the sun, because Sunday brought the rain.
 
 

But that's okay, because we broke out the dining table Ping Pong set and had some fun.  
  

Happy weekend to you.

Baking with B

Took me a bit to post these photos, but we are heading to Cali for some sun today, just me and B, and I was emptying off the camera and realized I forgot these.

On a recent Saturday it was just the two of us for the day, so I decided we would bake up a storm.  A loaf of bread, Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies, and some Orange Blueberry Muffins.  He chose the muffin recipe from a Williams Sonoma Kids cookbook we have and lead the cooking on those.

 

For dinner I made this soup, a current favorite in our household.  A nice way to combine the vegetarian (or trying to be) eater with my two carnivores.   What we do is I have the soup only, and they grill sausages and add them to their soup.  

Been working on a scarf, inspired by one in Last Minute Knitted Gifts.  Love the randomness of how the two different yarns combine this way.  Been reading Jane Eyre - never read it in college or high school (am I the only one) but thought it would be fun to try something new.  I am enjoying it, the language is such that I really need to focus while I read, but that's a good thing.  What are you reading?

what's different

Well I did it and switched to the free Typepad Microblog, now I won't feel guilty.  I will still post so please still stop by.  We are well, just crazy busy with life.  Hope you are well too.

lunch at the farmer's market

even in rainy Seattle in the winter, we try to get out, it was sprinkling, and the rain started harder before we left, but we had a great lunch today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
hungry yet?

I feel a change coming

I have been feeling guilt over neglecting this space, but for a million reasons I just am not getting over here as much as I would like.  What gets me is the waste of paying for something I am not using.  So I am exploring downgrading the blog for a while, to one of their free micro plans.  Maybe spending more time on Flickr, and practicing photography more.  We'll see.  

but for now, here is what I have been up to...

no sewing because half of our basement is torn back down to the concrete and studs, my sewing spot is temporarily gone.  i have been knitting, slow but sure, will share when i finish.

b and i went downtown a bit ago, wandered through Lush, the overwhelming smell of scented soaps, a little much for our sensitive perfume free - dye free noses.

 

then into Daiso, the office supply aisle, so hard to choose.

 

the puppy is growing, up to 80 lbs in 8 months, eek.  we are all settling in together as a family, getting into the rhythm of a new member of the household, he is even beginning to make peace with the feline population of our house.

 

 

MLK Day spent sledding with friends up at the Pass.  i was grumpy about going, dreading the long drive and standing around freezing, but thoroughly enjoying myself after all.  the drive was peaceful, and the vision of the tall snowy mountains appearing bigger and bigger around each bend as we approached reminded me of my cerebral need to see the mountains and ocean at least once a year.  i forget that and am always surprised at the feeling of centering and calm that wash over me when i see the ocean or a mountain up close, after a long absence.  the kids had a great time and the adults too.  i got to take a few runs with b, together on the sled, the complete joy of flying down a snowy hill, remembering what it was like to be a kid.

 

 

yesterday a walk with my boys, to "the village".  that is what people call our little neighborhood downtown.  about 3 blocks long by 2 blocks wide, with too many coffee shops, the locally owned bookstore, hardware store, bakery and of course the pie shop.  i love the small town feel that is captured here, in the arms of a very big city.

 

 

 

I will admit too, I have spent the last month absorbed in a series of books, here's your hint.