Alex's Quilt is DONE!

Yesterday, while the boys were sleeping I managed to finish Alex's quilt. For the past week I've been taking care of all the loose string, which wasn't a whole lot, but I wasn't eager to to it either, so I only did a couple here and a couple there.

The binding was a little tricky to figure out, since I didn't have a clue how a do it. So I looked up how to bind a quilt on the net and found that a majority of the site didn't have illustrations to go with the instruction is which what I needed, so I had to just wing it, which I think I did a pretty good job.

This is the material I used for the binding, you can't really tell that it is a satin looking fabric.



And the final look.


Oh yeah, we can't forget the back look it the quilt either!

Invasion of the Great Ants!

One thing I cannot stand is ants in my house. At first it is just one, then five, and before you know it you have the whole colony taking an extended vacation in your WHOLE kitchen.

At first I thought I was leaving sweet stuff out or not cleaning the counters very well, but I've used Lysol w/Bleach 4-in-1 to clean my WHOLE kitchen and those boogers still came back. The more I thought about it, I realized that when I first noticed the ants was the next morning after we had cooked bacon to go with our dinner about a week ago.

As I was telling my mom this, she told me that I had grease ants (thief ants), which would make complete sense. Last night I left Alex's huge half-eaten lollipop in a bowl on the stove and there were no ants in it at all and still aren't!

So know that I know what I'm up against I searched the net on how to get rid of them. Some really wacked out sites and some that are okay... I seen that several of them said to spray vinegar on the surface where the ants are, that is after you clean the surface thoroughly to get rid of any food trace.

Again, I cleaned my WHOLE kitchen with my Lysol cleaner and dumped (I know they told me to spray, but I want to get rid of the ants) vinegar all over my counter tops, cabinets, and floor. Hopefully this works, because we had a similar problem last year and I don't want it to happen again.

(It started out with one ant, then five, then about seven to ten for about a week. When I left the house at 7:30 am to take the boys to the babysitters I had cleaned up about seven ants. When Andy went into the kitchen about two hours later there was a 4 inch wide band of ants stretching from my counter tops in the kitchen, down the cabinet wall to the floor all the way from the kitchen to the dining room to the living room back behind the couch. Andy called me right away and I thought he was exaggerating just a tad bit, but when I got home I could not believe what I saw. I was trying to figure out what this black strip was running from my kitchen to my living room. I thought that the bug spray had turned my carpet a different color from a chemical reaction, but when I looked closer it was hundred and thousands, must likely millions of little, tiny, ity-bity, teeny-weeny, black ants. Which know that I think about it they were probably grease ants too! I wish I would have taken a picture, just so you could see that I'm NOT exaggerating.)

SO, if the vinegar doesn't work, does any one have any suggests for me?

Getting Some Fresh Air

Saturday, Alex has a birthday party to go to at Chuckie Cheese. (I HATE CHUCKIE CHEESE!!!) And he has another birthday party this coming weekend at Chuckie Cheese. He also had a birthday party invite to Tokens 'N Tickets, but (1) Andy wasn't home in time to watch Jon and (2) Alex wasn't behaving very well to deserve to go. (I know this irrelevant, but Alex was just at Chuckie Cheese a couple weeks ago for yet another birthday party. There are at least 4 kids, at the babysitter's, who celebrate their birthday this time of the year.)

After the party, Grandma DiTommaso came and picked up both of the boys. They were so happy. Plus I needed a break from them for a while.

So, I went over Sunday around noon time or so to pick up the boys, but know full well that we will not be leaving until after supper time, which this time it was about 8:00 pm. But after I got there I helped Grandma get the boys around and we all went outside FOR SOME FRESH AIR! The boys had so much fun, that they didn't want to go back in even though they were starting to get very cranky from skipping their naps.

Jon is so happy... I can't believe he is only 15 months old.












Look at him...walking with such determination!




Alex is also getting big...I didn't even know that he knew how to blow bubbles!

My Boys!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The Quilt is Quilted!

YAH....I'm just about done with Alex's blanket. I just need to tie off the loose ends and put binding on it.

AND as promised here are some pictures of the progress that I have done, but was too lazy to post them as I was writing the last time.

Update on Quilt #2

I have the front of the quilt completely done and it's only been four days, since I've gotten my new sewing machine.

Yesterday, I went to go get Alex out of bed and he kind of smelled. I told him to get up, so we can get ready for the babysitters and he tells me, "I threw up mommy." So I'm looking and I don't see anything, and I ask him where. He point to the side of him, which I still do not see, until he sits up. It looks like he threw up with his head to the side and when he was done he didn't move or come get me for that matter. It had run down his check to the side of his head and neck. SO GROSS! I got him up, took him the bathroom for a quick bath, and got him all cleaned up and dressed again. I took his temp, which he had a little fever, so he stayed him from the sitters, but Jon went. So Alex watched movies most of the day, while laying on the couch.

It was when he was resting that I took the time to work on the his blanket, which I was able to finish the top piece. Yes, I know, I need to post picture of my progress. Well I have taken some photos, but they 're not with me right now. Hopefully, I get them posted tonight. And maybe if I work hard enough I can have the quilt done by Saturday, which would be the 1 week mark for my quilt in progress.

Update on Quilt

So, yesterday when Andy got home I asked if I could purchase a sewing machine, since I'm making Alex a quilt. To my amazement he said, "YES!"

I was sooo excited that I quickly got address (well made myself presentably to go out in public) and out the door I went. I had already checked online to see when Joann's closed, which was 7:00 pm on Sundays, which left me with an hour to get the, look at the different machine, and get checked out. Also, I had to buy more fabric, remember, because I mis-measured the last time.

First things first..get the fabric, just in case there's a waiting line ten miles long like the other day when I went. DONE!

Second, find someone who works in the sewing machine section. Check!

I told the sales lady that I'm new to sewing, but I also want a machine for quilting... I know new sewer and I'm taking on quilting I most be nuts right! Anyways, she takes me a Singer that about $300...OK I was thinking in my head that there has to be a cheaper machine than that to get the job, especially since I had already researched the net. I told her that I'd seen one on the Joann.com for $199 or below, and she took right over see that machine. While the lady was explaining that machine I happen to glance over her shoulder (which was not hard to do since I'm 5'10" and she was 4'5") and there in the corner was a machine for $129. So I pointed it out, and when all said and done, that was the machine I took home. But before I left the store I made sure that I went to go grab some thread. machine isn't handy unless you have the thread for it!

The first thing I do when I get home is open up the box and start getting acquainted with my brand new sewing machine...it's not my mom's, not m y grandma's, but mine and no one elses.

I get it all hooked, threaded the bobbin, and not time to thread the machine. I got just about all done until I came to a step and sure enough there is a piece missing from the machine. I can't even tell you how bummed out I am about it. So I asked Andy to come over and help me get the machine back in the box to take back to the store. He comes over and looks at it and asked me what piece I'm missing, so I tell him, and he looks over it some, mean time I'm in the kitchen getting something to drink.

The next thing I hear is, "Honey, I fixed it for you!", is a I-know-more-about-sewing-than-you-do voice. EEWW, I was so angry at him, for shoving that in my face, because the rest of the night he was checking on me to making sure I knew what I was doing. He told me to make sure that I practiced on a couple of scrap pieces before I started on the quilt. So, I did and threw the practice pieces in his face just to prove to him that I knew what I was doing after all. He looks at it and examining it very intently, then he asked, "Did you make sure that you backed stitched to secure the ends?" I told him to look at the piece a little more carefully and that he would notice that the ends did have a thicker line of thread where I DID back-stitch. Ha Ha, I proved to him, that I knew what I was doing. Then I told him if his didn't stop quizzing me on sewing, that i was going to make him sew Alex's quilt....that got him to shut up.

Once I got the hang of the sewing machine, I got started, which I got about all the square pieces sewn together to make triangles, and then I had to cut them all in half. So tonight I'll finish the couple that i didn't get to. Also, now that I cut triangle i have to open it up to reveal the two-colored square, which I'll have to piece with another two-colored square and repeat the process again so that I end up with a four-colored square.

Later tonight I'll try to get some picture of what I'm talking about.

March is National Craft Month

According to Joann.com!

So, I've decided to start getting one of projects scratch of the list. I'm going to make Alex's blanket; he's already seen the material for it and when he had to go to bed without it he started crying, until I explained what I was going to do.

I'm going to to make him a quilt, which is something that I've wanted to do for him ever since he was born.

So far I've got all the material picked out and bought, which I did a year ago. Friday, I then went online to start looking for pattern ideas, since I've never made a quilt before (How hard can it be....This shall be FUN!). I found a good site called Free Patterns.com. They have crafts, beading, knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting, etc.

Now I have my pattern picked out, but it's was getting to be a late Friday night, so I told myself that I'll start in the morning on it. Good thing too...I found some other site (don't remember their web addresses), and one said to wash the fabric before starting. I never thought about that, it's a good thing though, so I washed must of my fabric that night, which got out a lot of extra dye. That would have been awful to get the whole quilt made and then wash it, only to discover that the different materials had bleed and ruined the beauty of it.

Then yesterday I measured out my fabric according the pattern I pick out, only to discover that I don't have enough of the one color, which just so happens to be a remnant that I picked out. So, while the kids were sleeping I went to Joann's to pick out more material. (Andy stayed home with the boys....(What!?! Do you think I'd actually go out while the kids slept and leave them at home all by themselves?) Since I didn't bother taking what I already had with me to match, I just found something else in the similar color to go with. After getting home I check the color with the rest of the materials and we have a winner! Shwoooo!

This morning I got up, fed the kids and popped in a movie, and then i got started on the quilt again. After I got the last color cut to size, which is the same one that I went to the store, I started to pin the pieces together for the first set of sewing, only to realize that I didn't have enough material. So, later on today, I have to go back to Joann's and get more material...this time I'll measure to make sure that I get enough. The really sad part is, I only need 2 more squares!

Now comes the hard part...sew all the pieces together. You're probably thinking what so hard about sewing...well it's the fact that I DO NOT have a sewing maching, which is a pretty important piece of making a quilt. I've though about maybe sewing it all be hand, but that will take me forever....I don't want to spend the two years working on this quilt. So after the boys get up from their nap we're going to go to Joann's to look at sewing machines, heck, we're going to be there anyways, since I need to get more material.

So Ta Ta For Now...I'll keep you "posted" on my progress as I get closer to the finished project.

Oh, and don't forget to have fun with your CRAFT this month!

I sang to my best friends' boyfriend in a hole because I'm AWESOME!

Don't spoil the fun, and keep it going............. Type out the sentence you end up with in the comment box. Then copy and paste this to you blog with the Title being your sentence that you ended up with.

Pick the month you were born:
January-------I kicked
February------I loved
March--------I karate chopped
April----------I licked
May----------I jumped on
June----------I smelled
July-----------I did the Macarena With
August--------I had lunch with
September----I danced with
October-------I sang to
November-----I yelled at
December-----I ran over

Pick the day (number) you were born on:
1-------a birdbath
2-------a monster
3-------a phone
4-------a fork
5-------a snowman
6-------a gangster
7-------my mobile phone
8-------my dog
9-------my best friends' boyfriend
10-------my neighbor
11-------my science teacher
12-------a banana
13-------a fireman
14-------a stuffed animal
15-------a goat
16--- ----a pickle
17-------your mom
18-------a spoon
19------ - a smurf
20-------a baseball bat
21-------a ninja
22-------Chuck Norris
23-------a noodle
24-------a squirrel
25-------a football player
26-------my sister
27-------my brother
28-------an iPod
29-------a surfer
30-------a homeless guy
31-------a llama

What is the last number of the year you were born:
1--------- In my car
2 --------- On your car
3 ----------- In a hole
4 ----------- Under your bed
5 ----------- Riding a Motorcycle
6 --------- sliding down a hill
7 --------- in an elevator
8---------- at the dinner table
9 -------- In line at the bank
0 -------- in your bathroom

Pick the color of shirt you are wearing:
White---------because I'm cool like that
Black---------because that's how I roll.
Pink-----------because I'm NOT crazy.
Red-----------because the voices told me to.
Blue-----------because I'm sexy and I do what I want
Green---------because I think I need some serious help.
Purple---------because I'm AWESOME!
Gray----------because Big Bird said to and he's my leader.
Yellow--------Orange--------because my family thinks I'm stupid anyway.
Brown---------because I can.
Other----------because I'm a Ninja!
None----------because I can't control myself!

Here's Your Sign

Yesterday I was buying a 2 large bags of Purina dog chow at Walmart, for my dogs Winston, Chief, Gus, and Maximus.

I was about to check out when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think, that I had an elephant?

Since I had little else to do, on impulse, I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, and that I was starting the Purina Diet again, although I probably shouldn't because I ended up in the hospital last time. On the bright side though, I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in the Intensive Care Ward with tubes coming out of every hole in my body and IVs in both arms.

I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry and that the food is nutritionally complete so I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was enthralled with my story by now.)

Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food had poisoned me.

I told her no; I had stopped in the middle of the parking lot to lick my butt and a car hit me.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack, he was laughing so hard!

WAL-MART won't let me shop there anymore!

For more information on Stupid People go to http://www.billengvall.com/

Getting Over My Artistic Block (of 3 years)

One thing that a lot of people do not know about me is that I'm a very artistic person. I use to the draw, paint, take pitcures, makes things from clay, make bead bracelets, etc. But for the past three years (ever since Alex was born), I haven't been doing anything like that, which could explain my recent funk that I'm in. I feel like something is missing in my life.

When I was in college, I got my Associates in Visual Communications Technology, which is just fancy for layout & design work, along with a little web deisgn, and photography. Before I graduated, I designed my own logo...I'll have to go through all of my boxes of stuff to see if I can find, so when I make my crafts for my post Pay It Forward, I can brand whatever it is that I decide to make.

What makes me mad about the bead bracelets, is that fact that I was so good at it, that I made about 20-30 bracelets/ankle bracelets for a friend at work...they were going to have a fund raiser for her niece so was very sick (I can't remember what she now)...my bracelets that I donated sold for $15-$20 each. All the procedes went to help the little girl. Well that was last time I ever did anything with bead bracelets, becuase still needed to finish school and then I got pregnant, which put everything on hold, even my bachlors degree!

So, now that I've got ideas in my head, I'm going to go write them down and start checking them off one by one.

St Patrick's Day

Going Green Day is just around the corner...

Don't forget the wear green (that's visible, underwear does not count), unless you want to get pinched.

At our house we make it fun...we add green food coloring to just about everything...

Pancakes
Eggs
Cupcakes
Cookies
Pudding
Mash Potatoes

Anything that has a batter like feeling to it that you can easily stir in some drops of green food coloring.

We even make green jello. And last summer I bought some Margarita Lime Flavored Jello, so I'm going to try make the recipe on the box for Sparkling Ice Jello. I'll let you now it turned out and I'll post the directions whether or not I batched it up.

Pay It Forward

I have been inspired to try something by my friend Mary. This is open to anyone who reads my blog! So here it goes….

The first FIVE people to respond to this post will get something made by yours truly!! I get to chose what it is, and make it just for YOU!! However, this offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1: I make no guarantees that you will like what I make! (although I'm hoping you do!)
2: What I create will be just for you.
3: It will be done within 1 (one) year of your responded date.
4: You have no clue what it's going to be. I enjoy crafts, sewing, photography, and even cooking!

There is one little catch. You must re-post this on YOUR blog, facebook, myspace, or whatever you use to contact the masses and make the same offer to the first 5 people who respond on your blog entry, thereby continuing the fun! (Keep it local if you would like, however you want to do it is fine.)

The first 5 people to leave a comment telling me they will be posting this on their blog will win a special something made by me! Be sure to post a picture of what your handmade prize is when you get it!

This offer expires December 31, 2009.

This will be a fun and interesting little experiment.