31 Days of Autumn

 

I love Autumn...

So when I was pondering what to write about for The Nester's [31 Days], 

it was the first thing that came to mind.

I wasn't sure if I could write about one specific thing for 31 days - who am I kidding - I'm not sure if I'll be able to write for a straight 31 days period but I'm gonna try - just for fun. 

I'll be posting recipes, crafts, organization, "nesting projects", and about every day life in this Autumn season.  At the end of the 31 days, I'll have about 23 days until my littlest babe will make her entrance. The time is flying by too fast but at the same time I can't wait to kiss her sweet cheeks.

Stop back and share this Autumn season with me~ Jac

Day 1-Butternut Squash (and a little bit of daily life)
Day 2 Little Helpers
Day 3 Pumpkin Oatmeal?
Day 4 Quilt Update
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8 Blessed
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Day 15
Day 16
Day 17
Day 18
Day 19
Day 20
Day 21
Day 22
Day 23
Day 24
Day 25
Day 26
Day 27
Day 28
Day 29
Day 30
Day 31

Battles

I have been part of a group called Good Morning Girls for the last several years. This 12 week session I decided to do a study on simplicity. I just finished the week on "The freedom of simplicity". It used 1 Samuel 17 also know as the David and Goliath account. 

Goliath relied on his own strength to win battle after battle. He wore the best armor, used the most up to date weapons and boasted about his victories. David on the other hand was a humble boy who came to battle with a sling, a couple stones, and God. Seems to "simple" but David was victorious and knew that the true victor was not himself but God!!! 

When we fight "battles" remember that we need to rely on God for strength and give Him the honor when the battle is won. We don't need anything special-we simply need Him. I am by no means calling God simple, it's just that we as humans try to complicate things more than necessary.

Enjoy this beautiful fall day ~Jac

Cute pumpkin idea

While doing some much needed organization in the basement, I discovered that I have an overage of canning jar rims. One of my Facebook friends posted a picture this week of a pumpkin made out of rims. I wish I had the link for you but it's only a picture-no link. Since I couldn't find a tutorial on making one-I made a one of my own (after a little playing around to get it just right).

I had more of the regular size rims in silver and gold - I used 20 in total. 

Start stringing them onto a piece of twine or yarn. I made sure mine were all going the same way. 

Once you get them on the string, pull it as tight as you can making the rims form a circle.

This is when I realized I would need at least 20 of them.

How lovely do these look?!? Pumpkin muffins (dairy free)

My sister-in-law dropped these off during my little project-notice one is missing :) 

I probably could have added more rims but thought this was good enough.

(more like my little guy was demanding some attention)

 

I remembered I had some green burlap. After searching for a while I finally found it.
I made a leaf design then folded in half when cutting out so I would have two.

My 2 little leaves. Pretty cute :)

 

I hot clued 3 cinnamon sticks in the center, then my leaves.

Here is the finished pumpkin in it's new home. I'm counting down the minutes until 

my little guy finds it. 

 

   This was a pretty easy, fast and cheap project to complete. Now go make one for yourself :)

Funny note: It took 3 minutes after this picture was taken for him to find and play with it.

Celebrate 30 & 100 with a little giveaway

*This giveaway is closed*
 
It's my birthday!

I'm embracing the new age & although I always thought  

30 was old

I don't feel old

This is also my 100th post. I knew it was getting close 
so I saved the big 100 for my big 30!

In honor of both-I'm hosting my first contest, giveaway, whatever you want to call it. Below is what I'll be sending ya. Not this exact one - this one hangs in my laundry/mud room above our coat rack.

You will receive a:

~handcrafted burlap banner ~
~with black lettering ~
~strung with twine ~
~with the wording you choose (up to 8 letters)~
~handmade by me ~

Happy entering :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reusable Lunch Bags

My daughter went back to school at the beginning of September. Within a week of packing lunches, I was sick of using so many plastic baggies. I had asked her to save them so we could use them all week but alas, she is a teenager and you think she is going to remember that if she can't remember to pick up the wet towel off the floor?!?! Yeah right :)

I have seen many reusable bags on Etsy and other blogs. I knew they wouldn't be hard to make, I just needed to pick up the fabric, nylon and get to it. I like the versions that are water-proof on the inside and also the ones with zippers but for right now I was willing to settle for easy and quick. Here is my version! They've been loved in many lunches already.

My fabric of choice-off the clearance rack

My lap overfloweth :)

{31 weeks}

I hit 30 weeks...31 to be exact. This pregnancy is flying by and I find myself trying to savor every minute of it. This little girl doesn't let me feel her move much (unless I wake up in the middle of the night) but today I have felt her so much today-roll, tumble, kick, poke. LOVE IT! I'm surprised that she still has room to move that much. I had Hails take a picture of my bump hill tonight since I have a picture of me pregnant with Gunnar on the same week. I know it doesn't look like I'm smaller this time around but I am. The jeans I grew out of at 4 1/2 months last time, I'm still wearing now and most of my shirts are still baggy. Maybe this means a smaller baby?!? If so, someone please bring me a cute newborn outfit to the hospital :) I have not bought any since Gunnar had squished legs in his going home outfit and didn't wear another piece of newborn clothing.

FALL

The sun shines just a bit different

the air is crisp

the leaves are changing

I believe Fall is upon us! 

I am sad to see the days of playing in the sprinkler, working in the garden, softball games, windows open leave us. At the same time it's refreshing! I'm looking forward to 

hot cider

footie pajamas

and most of all a new little babe :)

I baked the first pie of the season last night. Since pumpkin is my daughters favorite-I had to make pumpkin just for her. We didn't even let it cool before digging in :)

What are you looking forward to this Fall?

{26 Weeks+a few more}

This pregnancy has FLOWN by. It might have something to do with a certain 18month old or the fact that due to our crazy weather, I've been canning like crazy. It's hard to believe that in 10 weeks {please, pretty please not 12} our baby girl could be here. I don't really have much to get ready-we have enough cloth diapers, a crib, some clothes, oh-and her quilt is all stitched up :) Really what more do you need.

With my last pregnancy my lower back hurt  bad from 12 weeks on and by the time I was 6 months my right fingers, hand and arm would go numb. Up until now {29 weeks as of this post} I'm doing pretty good. I have what is called pubic symphysis which flares up at least once a day and makes walking very difficult at times. I used to walk every day and now it is more like a couple times a week. No more mile walks either - I make it to the ice cream stop around the corner, sit for a bit, then walk back - LOL! My initial blood work showed that my Vitamin D level was at 9 which is super, super low. I had more blood work done last week and it's up to 20.6 but still needs to be much higher. Several times this pregnancy I've also felt as though I was going to pass out, shaky, etc.When they called to tell me about my Vitamin D they also said that I am anemic which is why I've been feeling as though I'd pass out. Hopefully I can find some natural sources other than what I already use to help get these levels up. I am so, so tired at the end of the day. Even with all of this I still feel like this pregnancy is going well and others are much worse off. Praying for another successful VBAC even though I've been dreaming I had to have another c-section.

Below is me at 26 weeks. Trying to find the time to snap a picture of my belly is just not easy - I might get in another picture before she comes & I might not :)

Here is a link to my post at 24 weeks with my last pregnancy. Maybe it is just wishful thinking, but I think I'm a bit smaller even at 2 weeks further along. Hoping that means a smaller baby in the end :)

One Quilt, Two Quilt

Two years ago (this month) I found a pattern for an adorable little boys quilt. As soon as I had the chance I bought the fabric, showed it to the family and told them of my plans to make his quilt before he arrived in 5 months! That poor quilt has yet to be made :( I had in intentions to make it many times but as you know from my previous post, time gets away from me. The other day I went looking for the blog and pattern online and couldn't find it. I checked my pinterest, (duh, we didn't have pinterest 2 years ago) I searched for over an hour and finally found it. I'm giving myself until the end of September to get his quilt done. I have however already finished our sweet baby girls quilt. It's been done for over a month and she isn't due for 11 more weeks.

I saw a pattern for a rag quilt back in July and knew that was the quilt that I wanted to make for our little girl. I went to my local Joanns and searched for 7 different but coordinating fabric. I had a hard time but finally found some that would work. I think next time I will go to the city so I have more of a selection. I followed the pattern directions to a T but found in the end a couple hiccups. First off, flannel shrinks so much when you wash it that you don't end up with a 1/2 yard. My recommendation would be to purchase 3/4 yard in 7 fabrics and 2 1/2 yards of the middle (white is what I used). The 1/2 yard for the binding was plenty and with the little extra from cutting your strips you can add into the binding. I ended up cutting my strips in 5 3/4 inches and 3 inches (if there was enough fabric) or 2 1/2 inches when there wasn't. I also had to trim quite a bit of the sides after everything was stitched due to the width shrinking so much. I know it might sound confusing but I promise it will make sense once you start making it :) If you have any question, please email me and I'll help ya out!

Here are some pictures as I progressed on the quilt. I made it in a weekend with some help of my little guy! He is such a "helper".

Big pile of freshly washed fabric.

Make sure to iron out your fabric-it makes it so much easier to measure, cut, and sew.

See how much it shrunk-BOO!

My little helper is so cute :)

All the strips are cut and ready to be assembled.

Put one strip right side down, add a white strip, and place another strip right side up and pin together.

Whew, everything all pinned up and ready to sew.

Sew a straight line down the middle. I used a contrasting fabric.

See the layers?

Lay out your strips in the order you want. Believe it or not this took me the longest!

After sewing the strips (make sure you always but the backs to each other before sewing) cut slits.

This is what the front and back look like.

So proud of himself and all the hard work he did!

Binding all done, freshly washed and getting some fresh air.

 

 

 

Now it just need some cool weather and a sweet baby girl to wrap itself around :) 

I followed this tutorial for the quilt and this tutorial for the binding.

Hanging out with some Angry Birds

It's been awhile since I've hung out here. I have been busy canning, preserving, nesting, getting a little lady ready for 8th grade, keeping a 1 1/2 yr old occupied and out of trouble, oh...and growing a baby! Time gets away from me way too fast. That's who I am and I don't foresee that changing.

Along those line-I have a dear friend who's little boy loves angry birds. Everytime I see him he asks to play it on my phone...problem is...I have an old school phone and we refuse to pay for a data plan with Ver*zon  so I wanted to make him his very own angry birds game. I found this post and went into brainstorm mode-his birthday is at the end of December.

I knew I had stuff that's hidden so the husbs doesn't throw it away laying around that I could use to make the game. I found some formula cans to use and I had plenty of paints to use. I couldn't find a red ball anywhere so I decided to use some red felt for a bean/rice bag. Supplies check, time??? Now fast forward 9 months because his birthday came and went :( I always have good intentions of getting homemade projects done on time but it only happens about half the time (hoping the homemade factor cancels the late factor). He just started Kindergarten and I knew this would be a perfect little gift for him.

Instead of trying to paint the cans, I covered them with construction paper and taped them on. I had intentions of gluing them on but the glue sticks were in the basement and I was upstairs-with the tape :) I am by no means a painter but I followed the picture and when I messed up just painted over the mistake and tried again. After the paint had dried I covered everything with a coat of matte modge podge. For the bean/rice bag, I traced a circle with a small glass bowl and stitched along the line. I left an opening so that when I cut the circle out, I could flip it right side out. Since I had rice on hand and used that to fill the bag then I whip stitched the opening closed. Following the picture again painted an angry looking bird. About the time I cleaned the last of the paint out of the brush my little guy woke up. He made a bee line and stuck his little fingers right on top of the bird-BOO! I repainted and made sure to stick it up higher this time!!! I'm very happy with how it turned out.

I dropped the finally finished game off so it would be there waiting on him after his first day of school. He will love it - I have no doubt!