BOO!

Happy Halloween!  We had a fun weekend filled with parties, pumpkin carving and sewing.  Athena went to a Halloween party Friday night and got to wear her costume.  It's always nice when they get a little more wear than just the one night.  We are thinking of letting her have a party next year since they don't get to celebrate at school anymore.  I finished up Hailey's costume just in time for her to head to a party on Saturday night.  Then we ran around doing errands and carved some pumpkins Sunday.  I also managed to sneak in a bit of sewing, had to make a gift bag for my niece to get it in the mail today.  Hope you all have a wonderfully spooky day!  Check in tomorrow for the costume pictures.

Another Fun Weekend

We had another fun weekend. We had a nice lunch with the Newton's, we sure are going to miss them.  And since Athena had Monday off from school we decided to use our other Groupon and get out of the valley for a night.  We took the long way to Flagstaff.  It was a nice drive through Wikenburg, up to Prescott where we got out to stretch our legs for a bit.  Then onto the always over crowded Jerome, we had hoped to stop for lunch but it was just too annoyingly crowded so we headed down to Cottonwood and found a great little dive, Verde Lea Market and Deli.  The food was fantastic!  Then we made our way through Sedona and stopped for a hike in Oak Creek Canyon.  We were hoping that the fall foliage would be in full swing but we were a bit too early.  There were only a few trees starting to make the change but it was still a beautiful hike and drive.  We got to our little cabin at the Flagstaff Nordic Center at about 7:00 Sunday night.  It was cold but very cozy in the little cabin.  In fact, Shawn built a fire that had us so warm we had to get up and open the door for a bit in the middle of the night.  It was a nice little get away. 

A downside of the weekend was that we woke up to leave for our little adventure and Athena's pet parakeet, Sally had died during the night.  So we started out a little sad, but it was nice to have the trip to take her mind off it.  She was pretty old for a parakeet but will be missed.

There are more pictures of our hike on our flickr site if you would like to check them out.  Happy Fall!

Art Filled Weekend

We had a fun weekend.  We went down to First Saturday in downtown Glendale to mostly enjoy the cooler weather and get outside for the first time in months.  We saw some cool things and Athena had her very first sno-cone. (not really, but she seemed to think it was the first one she has ever had)  Then on Sunday we went to the free day at the Phoenix Art Museum.  There were some very cool new exhibits going on.  We also had a nice lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory, we haven't been there since we moved to Arizona about 8 years ago.

I also got a lot of sewing done on Athena's costume.  I am so excited at how it is coming together now.  Hailey has requested Gryffindor robes, (not sure who she wants to be just as long as it's Gryffindor) then I have a very cool idea for Bubbles this year too, hopefully it works out and she will wear it :)

I also made another gift bag for one of our nieces.  I forgot to take a picture though before I had it boxed up and ready to ship so here is just a shot of the adorable fabric I found.

I hope everyone has a wonderful October.  What are you going to be for Halloween this year? 

Costume in the Works

I don't have a picture of a finished project today but here is a shot of what I have been working on.  Athena's Halloween costume!  She is going to be Luna Lovegood (from Harry Potter) this year.  I couldn't find a pattern that was just right so I decided to take the crazy woman route and make up my own.  That's what everyone does right?  Well I did get a good start from a tutorial here.  But it still wasn't exactly right for me, so I made some adjustments.  Athena chose gabardine (the Simon & Garfunkel song has been in my head for weeks!) and while is has the perfect drape, look and feel, it sure is a pain to work with.  There are black strings everywhere!  We are also making her radish earrings and butterbeer cork necklace.  I'm on my 3rd attempt at the earrings.  I think it's just about right but I'm pretty sure I am going to need a bigger piece of wire so will probably have to take it apart and start over.

Not too much else going on around here right now.  Just looking forward to the weather cooling off so we can enjoy being outside again.

Hey it's Monday

Sorry no cute pictures for you today.  I am in the head scratching phase of my next sewing project.  I decided to go more authentic with the Halloween costume so that means I am making up a pattern for her robes from a tutorial I found online.  My brain is really fried! 

In other news, Athena was #100 out of 100 kids at her school that get to go to Cardinal's camp tomorrow.  You should have seen the look on her face when Dr. Crudder told her she was #100!  It was great, but a little stressful as we were getting closer and he was yelling out "okay only 10 more, only 6 more" and not knowing if the people in front of us only had 1 kid or if they were turning them in for more kids.

Weather was nice last week but it looks like the 100's are creeping back in on us this week.  One more month, then it's paradise time!

How Cute

How cute is this fabric?  I made myself a new apron and hot pads this week.  My old hot pads were gifts from when we got married 20 years ago.  They were seriously disgusting!  I'm not kidding.  And how fun is it going to be to pull stuff out of the oven with these cute babies?  I also got around to fixing the zipper on Athena's lunch box, hopefully it will last a bit longer this time.

We are also in the planning stages of Halloween costumes.  Athena has decided to be Luna Lovegood, from Harry Potter, this year.  I'm excited to make her costume, well some of it anyway.  But as I look through photos from the movie I'm wondering how authentic I should make it.  Is Athena really going to care (or even notice) that her robes have a seam around the neckline where the hood is attached?  Will she notice or care that her blue lining isn't the exact shade of those in the movie? 

I also have at least one Christmas sewing plan in my head already.  Yeah I went there.  When you make gifts you have to start early :)

Broken Zipper

I thought that when school started I would be able to sew even more.  Not the case.  I have hardly been in the sewing room the past few weeks, and my to-do list of crafts is growing.  Halloween is next month you know, I have to make my kids decided on a costume by September 1st so I can be on the lookout for pattern and fabric deals.  This year was pretty easy, Athena didn't even have to pause to think about it. 

I've also go that really cool big project I keep talking about, but can't actually work on until the weather cools off a bit.  I have a few new things for myself cut out and ready to go but just sitting in there waiting.  Oh and the sipper broke on Athena's lunchbox that I made.  So now I have to tear it apart to fix it.  Or just start over I haven't decided which would be easier yet. 

But life is good, school is going well for Athena, she is excited to be learning some new dances for Christmas, and Hailey is moving back in!