-Samantha-

Samantha Jane is here!  

She is a wee little pip squeak, and we are all very much in love. The last few weeks of pregnancy were hard...really hard.  So happy it is over, and she is here safe and sound!

Her siblings are very much in love.

I can't believe that I have *four* beautiful little kids.

  

This guy is having the hardest time adjusting, but he likes to pat her.

In other news it appears I have lost quite a few of the photos on my blog.  I know I will be able to recover them all, but it may take me awhile to get them back up.  I will start with the tutorials and more recent posts and work my way through.  So frustrating but at least they aren't gone forever!  If you have a post that you are looking for the pictures for, please let me know and I will try to get them up soon for you.


  

-hop, hop!-

I made this little bunny for my nephew for my birthday.  Isn't he cute?!  Of course, I am way late in getting this off, but luckily one year olds don't have much of an idea of what is going on anyway. ;0p

This is a pattern by Retro Mama called Betsy and Basil.  The last time I made softies, there was a lot of trying to turn itty bitty arms and legs.  It wasn't really my cup of tea, but this pattern fortunately doesn't have that issue. ;0)  The pattern calls for corduroy which I thought I had, but must have thought wrong because I could not find it.  So I just substituted a plain tan solid, and I think it worked just fine.  For the accent pieces I used some Heather Ross dots and stripes.

I love his little fluffy tail!

Hopefully, he will be loved by his future owner!

-slower-

Life has been going at a much slower pace or rather I have been going at a much slower pace. ;0)  Between sickness and end of pregnancy I just haven't been doing much except trying to keep up with the kids and reading.  I picked up "The Hunger Games" on a whim and before you knew it I was addicted and finished all three in less than a week!  *whew*  I was having all sorts of crazy dreams while reading those!  

I did make this envelope clutch last week!  When I saw Anna's new pattern I thought it would be a great little purse for me to put in the diaper bag  I am going to have to be toting around again soon.

It was a great pattern and came together easily.  I used a fat quarter text print I picked up back in October during the shop hop at Sewing Summit.  

For the inside I used a white Moda Grunge fabric and notebook fabric for the pockets.  I had just this small amount of light pink piping that was just waiting for this clutch! 

I made the large size, and it is quite large.  Perfect for fitting all your basic necessities!  I am thinking another large one would be perfect as a diaper clutch!

-a mini complete!-

I finished my little mini quilt for The Fab Little Quilt swap over on Flickr.  I admit when I saw my partner's mosaic I was filled with anxiety.  She had picked such amazing pieces filled with details.  I didn't know what in the world I could make.  So, I started browsing through my copy of Cathy Gaubert's Doll Quilt Book.  In fact, this quilt is one of the featured minis on the cover!  It really suited so many of my partner's requests and likes.  I didn't change much.

This little quilt features fun bright colors, raw edge applique and some embroidery.  I definitely think my favorite part is the house with the birdie on top.  

Overall, I am pleased with how it turned out.  The pattern was relatively easy to follow.  The only thing that I did not like was that this quilt required 1/2" seam allowances.  I had already started cutting before I realized this, but I recommend adjusting it to 1/4" seam allowances.  There was quite a bit of bulk.  I also like to use single fold binding for small quilts and mug rugs. I have been a convert ever since reading this little tutorial.  

Lucky for me, I finished this just in time to enter it into Jennifer's Modern Mini Quilt contest!  There are some amazing prizes and lots of amazing entries!  I am getting this in just in time!  *whew*