making a little red riding hood for little one - so fun!
another fun project from my new favorite sewing book, and here's another post about it too.
i was thrilled to see that mary abreu, who wrote the book, commented on the second posting!
i should clarify that most of the patterns in the book don't have aprons, but i love using the cute panels we have in our shop for the aprons - can't resist.
the skirt on the left is for my little one, and the one on the right is for her little friend who is turning 3. i made them both last night during the last few hours of summer - quick and easy and ready for fall!
this little girl is at the most scrumptious, delightful age - wish I could keep her this way.
this book was recommended to me by amazon.com, where their computer has apparantly discovered my passion for sewing.... and i LOVE it.
my first project it inspired is a patriotic dress for little grace. we visited brock's parents in the wilds of missouri for the 4th of july weekend, and had a wonderful time. i took these photos there.
"bunny buns" from the "friend" magazine for saturday dinner.
the "i found my easter basket" dance, saturday afternoon.
easter dress
easter morning ensemble ....i had so much fun making the dresses and tie. i used this pattern from mod kid for the dresses. it only goes up to size 7, so i adjusted the pattern for big sister. photography by tashi
baby kittens, 1 week old, photography by mia
easter tulip
our easter weekend was full of fun: firehouse annual pancake breakfast & egg hunt, stake preparedness fair, egg coloring, easter basket hunt in our yard, missionaries for turkey dinner on sunday,....and well.....lots of chocolate!
so much has happened, so much to blog about, so much to say that will go unsaid.
::girl's day photos mostly taken by tashi & mia
at the end of february, we set up our hina matsuri (girl's day) set for the first time in about 6 years. the length of time is mostly due to noah's little fingers, and, we accidentally left it in utah when we moved. it took some time and planning to get it here with us.
this is a vintage set of the japanese imperial court that was given to us by a friend of a friend whose daughters were grown and didn't want it any more. we were thrilled to receive it.
it was such a delight to have it up that we didn't take it down after girl's day on the 3rd, even though it can supposedly curse your daughters with not being able to get married if you leave it up. we decided we were willing to take the risk...
and then the earthquake hit, and none of us has had the heart to take it down until today. tashi is diligently dis-assembling it now, which is seriously as much work as taking down a christmas tree, or more.
we are different now because of the earthquake, in better ways i believe, and in painful ways.
our last neighborhood in japan, maihama san chome in urayasu city, recieved a lot of damage from the earthquake, but not the tsunami, thankfully.
in the midst of my heartbreak, i prayed to know what i was meant to learn from the experience, and the answer was that we are all connected, much more than we realize. and that what happens to any one of us in this world affects us all, whether we realize it or not. it has been a powerful lesson that was reinforced by my father's passing on april 6th, which i will write about in another post.
this is a photo of our neighborhood near the home we lived in for 4.5 years. i took it from the urayasu city home page (click for link)
we are grateful the damage here wasn't worse, and our hearts break for the greater devastation and loss farther north.
a list of facebook posts i made during the first week or two:
Gracie is playing with the "Sylvanian Families" sets we brought back from Japan, like she does most mornings while I work. She is setting up the little school with all the little Japanese school accessories at my feet, just like the schools where Lexi, Tashi, & Mia went, and just like the schools that were hit by Tsuanami. Everywhere I turn, I have reminders. Our big "Girl's Day" set (of the Japanese Imperial court) is still up, taking up much of our living room like a Christmas tree would, and none of us have the heart to take it down, but don't have the heart to look at it either. Mia is having trouble breathing (anxiety), and I occasionally am too. I don't want to eat. Noah is worried about his birth mother....all of this, and we aren't even in Japan, we are safe and sound here.... I almost feel guilty to be having this hard of a time when others are suffering so, and we are so blessed. But I don't feel blessed. I feel their pain. I know the Lord is in charge and has a plan. But it still hurts tremendously.
we have blessed with a gloriously beautiful easter weekend. i love the hope, rebirth and new life that easter brings, both spiritually and in nature. easter is at once the most significant, and most overlooked day of the year.
"easter is that most sacred of days when the hearts of devout christians turn to the savior with humble gratitude." .....richard g. scott
our daffodils in the early easter morning light
discovery of the easter baskets
a chocolate bunny just for me!
breakfast: chocolate cinnamon sweet rolls with cream cheese frosting, all made from scratch
hyacinths salvaged from the Temple gardens last spring with daffodils in our front garden.
![]( <a href="http://mormon.org/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/juliewuliee/1-1.jpg"/></a>){kind=link}