pillow covers

mackenzie got a new table and chair set from ikea for xmas this year. she loves it.
we underestimated the amount of time we thought she would be using it. originally we thought we would put it in her bedroom for crafting, coloring and tea parties galore. that isn't how it has turned out.
the table has made permanent residence in our living room and we find our behinds (which are very sore) on these little chairs more often than not.
after many minutes of torture i have now decided to make little pillow cushions for the chairs. i found some foam just about the perfect size at walmart on the weekend for just over a dollar! i think i am going to do the cushions in a pretty blue print that i have been saving to repurpose from a pillow cover. only problem is i can't seem to find some help on how to make a pillow cushion this size online. i may have to wing it, but am not wanting to do this. i would rather make them properly in this case. i will have to keep hunting some more today.
mack is feeling better but i am still not feeling great. unfortunately the overtime has started for my hubby so i am flying sick and solo. mom - you wanna come take care of me and my little one? oh....if life could only be that easy.

will they end up wearable?

on monday i started to sew the baby a new pair of mitts after searching for a pair around town that we like and her losing every pair i find.
i couldn't find a pattern (for free) online that i loved so decided to wing it. brave of me, i know. stupid? yep.

oh well. i figure the best way to learn sometimes is by trial and error. plus i have never been one to follow patterns well and tend to like to look at an object and go - aha!, i know what to make with that.

so after scrounging through the bag of clothes (to be repurposed) and scrap material i decided to make mackenzie's mitts from a pair of much loved pj pants of mine, an old receiving blanket and a stained tshirt of hers.

i used the pj's for the outer layer, the receiving blanket for the inner layer and the pieces from the stained shirt for in between for warmth and softness. i had no fleece laying around so decided to make do with what i had.

1) i sewed the blanket to the shirt pieces and then sewed that piece to the pj material. 2) after that step i sewed a hem (open ended) to each piece (that would be 4 pieces) to allow for me to later string the ribbon from my pj's through to secure the mitts to the babies wrist. 3) once you are done the hem i then sewed the mitts together resulting in a pair. don't sew all the way up to the top of the hem because you won't be able to string the ribbon in after.

i have run into a bad pin issue with the stringing part. my safety pin decided to break and get stuck in my hem thus resulting in me being very angry at my mitt and having to take about an hour to get the stupid thing out. i have now got the string in both and am just in the process of hand stitching up the the two hem sides to finish off the opening where the ribbon is and closing the side stitch of the hem (taking care not to sew through to the ribbon).

i will post pics of them when they are finished. but after last night's battle with the pin i may not pick them up again for a day or two when frustration has warn off...haha.

a little inspiration

this is what i have been ogling at this afternoon while my little one naps on my lap....

leila & ben Bolero Jacket from Liz at me and t

both the above and below pattern from oliver + s

Portabellopixie Claire Dress from Amber at one shabby chick

anna tunic by amy butler

summer dreams: tutorial for a pillowcase dress at maya*made

both the sundress and the kimono from habitual

if you are looking for a great place to find a heaven of sewing information look no further than sew, mama, sew! there blog is fun to read and full of tons of handy info, plus they sell fabric and patterns as well. it's a wonderful place to find listings of projects in one easy place.

now all i have to do is find the time to learn to sew better...help!!!???

so many projects, so little time...

what i am loving right now.

this book took my breath away. my husband was going nuts with me reading aloud sections, ooohing, ahhiiing and just being so thankful that someone finally wrote a gorgeous, inspiring book that answered all of my silly little questions about sewing. i hope this one finds it's way to my bookshelf really soon as my copy is from the library and i am too depressed with the idea of returning it.
please visit anna's blog that is a beautfiul as her precious book www.annamariahorner.blogspot.com

this humorous knitting book by two fabulous ladies is filled to the rim with funny quirks, comments and most importantly great knitting! i loved it and will be knitting more than a few of the patterns in this book. they can be found at www.masondixonknitting.com

what i am looking forward to reading:

check out www.dominomag.com for a sneak peak inside there new design book!

and if these don't get your creative juices flowing, be sure to check out the long thread's list of the top tutorials of 2008. i think i am going to make almost 1/2 of the projects listed on here, or should i say attempt to (more like want to) and where i am going to find the time is beyond me. a girl can dream right?

happy birthday

happy birthday to the best hubby/daddy!
my poor guy is suffering with some horrible tooth pain (we won't get into the tirade of stuff we have to say about dentistry and how much it costs) and has to spend his bday afternoon in the dentist chair in pain. that just sucks.

mackenzie and i made him a calendar for his office at work and it turned out great. he also loved his newly revised ipod cover (will post pics soon) and uses the tuxedo style one for the cell phone. i am in the process of making another one for our new camera. that pattern is addicting and lots of fun. (for more info see this post)

we won't be doing much tonight to celebrate jer's bday but we did get a chance to go out and somewhat hit the town on saturday, in what i call - parentstyle. meaning we left at 6 and were home just after 10...haha. it was fun and a nice break from the baby.
so happy bday to my man and i hope you are having a great day today, tooth pain and all.
p.s. i promise to make the banana bread this week.

goofy girls

i have a cold. it sucks. what sucks more is that i think mackie may have it too.
we dragged ourselves outside today, colds and all, to "baby picasso" at the James Bay Community Centre. mackenzie loves this class. she gets to go wild with the arts & crafts, play with toys & kids all in a structured environment with a teacher. but the best part of all of it is that i don't have to clean up!!!! yippee! any mom who has a toddler this age knows the size of mess i am talking about. how they manage to get things in the places they do is beyond me. last week mack stamped her face and had a dog character in ink on her cheek. luckily it washed off. if you live in the area you should check out the class. it is $20 for 4 classes and then they start over again. it's a great program for a wide age group of kids. i take 2 buses to get there so it must be worth it...haha.

after trekking home on the buses we decided that my throat hurt too much to read stories, which mackenzie was requesting, so i thought i would post about this site that has saved me many a time when i haven't felt like reading. check out TumbleBooks. it's a site that has a library of books for kids of all ages that are read aloud by authors and such. it shows the pictures, animation and also highlights the words as they are read. mackenzie loves it.

we especially love the robert munsch ones. he is a delight to listen to. the site is a demo through the victoria public library website. i am not too sure how you go about signing up or if you pay because i just use the library's link to it. i do know that tumblebooks also has libraries for older kids that features a great variety of classics and new books as well.

my little goofball and i then had some lunch. i had to post some of the pics i got of my wee one gobbling up her food today. too cute if you ask me, but i am her mother...haha.

are these regis worthy? not sure yet, but i have a few weeks left to decide. i need help though. so those of you out there who happen to read this little blog of mine, please let me know which pic you think should be the one we enter in. i really wanna see my baby's face on the regis and kelly show!!

suiting up the ipod

jeremy's bday is just around the corner so i have been scheming up some gifts to make for him. he insists he doesn't want anything for his bday, but i just can't seem to believe him..haha.
a few months ago i saw a great project on "made by petchy's" blog. it was the cutest little ipod cover i have ever seen. i feel in love with it. i wanted one.
only problem is i don't use my ipod that much anymore unless it is on our ipod base as a stereo. whenever i go out i have the baby with me and that doesn't lend itself well to rockin out on my ipod. i miss blaring the tunes and going for a run, but now i just blare them at home and watch my darling little girl rock out along with me.
since i ended up not getting inspired to make one for myself i decided to replace jer's ratty old one with a new handmade by me one. i have a whole bunch of his old dress shirts laying around just begging to be repurposed, so out they came.
i decided to go for a very simple, yet modern look. it reminds me of a suit, which seems to go perfectly with jeremy. he doesn't like bold, colorful things.
the tutorial on made by petchy's blog uses a sewing machine, but because i was making this with mackenzie running around i hand stitched instead. it took longer and isn't as clean around the seams, but that's how it goes when you have a toddler running around and you are trying to surprise your hubby.
i ran into a problem with the sizing. jer has an older video style ipod and the one on the tutorial is for a smaller ipod. i sneakily called jer at work and came up with a random question to get him to measure the ipod. i then guesstimated the sizes....not a good idea. i am not so good at this......haha. i decided to put my fear aside and make it anyways and cross my fingers that it fits.
it didn't fit. yep, it sucks. but it fits our cell phone perfectly and also my ipod. his ipod fit in it, but i forgot how much thicker it is (that is what took up all the room) and the top flat doesn't come down far enough to be tucked under the band closure.
oh well, it just means i get to make another one. it was a fun quick project and now he gets two pressies instead of one. a cell phone cover and an ipod cover! what a lucky guy.

unable to compost?

i was taking mackenzie to dance class this morning when i came across a white piece of paper stuck to the telephone pole at the bus stop near my house. normally i don't read those unless it has to do with concerts, but this one caught my eye. it wasn't because of the design of the ad, but the actual idea behind it.
pedal to petal is a new business in victoria that spoke right to my lazy composter heart. if you are like me and are living in an urban type dwelling that doesn't allow for easy composting this is the answer for you.
pedal to petal is offering a new service for residents of victoria. these "bicycle loving food security activists" will pick up your waste to compost for you. yes, if you don't have the time or the space, they will come take all of your stinky kitchen scraps away!
they are reducing carbon emissions and landfill waste to help feed the soil of the city. pedal to petal also supports urban organic agriculture projects that provide fresh produce for low-income Victorians. i love their tag line:

feed the soil, feed the city

How much is it? well, it's "dirt" cheap...haha, i know, i'm cheesy. there are different rate plans available. Here are their rate fees from their blog www.pedaltopetal.blogspot.com :

Single-Unit Dwellings
$5/week up to 5 gallons
$7/week up to 10 gallons
$18/Month pre-paid up to 5 gallons
$26/Month pre-paid up to 10 gallons

Multi-Unit Dwellings (when 5 or more units participate)
$3/week up to 5 gallons
$5/week up to 10 gallons
$11/month up to 5 gallons
$18/month up to 10 gallons

Special Discounts
Refer a friend and receive one week free pick-up. No limit to number of referrals.
We are open to barter/trade. What do you have to offer?

not sure about all of you, but the barter/trade deal and the refer a friend sounds great!!! i think it's time i stop the guilt i have of not composting due to being grossed out by the idea of worms living under my sink and give these guys a call. for more information and answers on how pedal to petal works check out their blog at www.pedaltopetal.blogspot.com, call 250-383-5144 extension 1116 or email pedaltopetal@gmail.com.

remember those moments?

remember those moments when you were a child and you experienced pure joy and awe when you saw something for the very first time?

i think we all need to take more time to cherish those little moments in our lives and continue to have even more of them as adults.

i have been fiddling with the new camera today and trying to get my bearings.we had fun trying out some of the settings and i haven't quite got my flash useage down pat as you can see from all the color differences. mackenzie was being cooperative and extra cute today in her yellow jammies (her pick last night) and i thought i just might capture the infamous "regis & kelly" shot.

our weekend

the beautiful baby photo contest is coming up on regis & kelly starting on monday so we spent the weekend trying out the new camera and tried to get the winning shot of our own cutie patootie.
the weather has been rainy and miserable but some of the shots came out alright regardless. we don't know if we have the shot we want yet, so we are gonna keep snapping away and hope we catch just the right moment.
if you think one of these or another photo of mackenzie you have seen on the blog recently is your fave to be entered let me know! i would love just to see her pic on regis regardless if she wins or not. they flash photos of the entries as the days of the contest go by. i entered her last year, but no luck, i never caught a glimpse......but you never know, i have a feeling 2009 could be our year!

thrifty

camille, mackenzie and i hit up the thrift store on friday.
it's always nice to have my sister with me to help out with mackenzie while shopping. she can be a handful when confined to her stroller for too long, which i am sure is normal for most toddlers. both of us ended up with some great loot and also found that time goes by way too fast when you are in the "thriftworld".....haha.

here's some of my finds:

i fell in love with this little snack bowl which reminds me of one my nana always had with nuts in it. i love the bright green with the wood combination.

i have been on the lookout for a tray for a few weeks now and even though this wasn't what i was looking for (i wanted glass or wood) i fell for the pattern and color in this keswick one anyways. it's old and it's english so i of course love it.

i found these cute, pillar candles that look like wood at chapters for 75% off as well! what a steal and it sure paid off not buying them when i first spotted them a few months ago at full price!!!

my fave find of the day was this signed print by local artist kathryn amisson. i saw it from an aisle down and was drawn to it immediately. it reminds me of the way the coast juts out at mackenzie beach in tofino where my honey and i were married last year. i have to do some more research on this print. we opened up the back of the frame and there is an artist bio but we can't open it enough to see if it is a print or an art card. it is signed by the artist in gold pen though, which is super cool, considering i paid only $5.99 for it. we would love to find out where the location really is, but either way it's special to us.

i also scooped a cute pair of shoes, some books, and a new etch sketch style toy for mackenzie. it was fun and one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon - treasure hunting!

and the winner is....

it's that time of year.....the golden globe awards are tonight.
i think this is my fave awards show. the stars are eating and drinking as the awards go and you just know someone is gonna get sloshed and make an ass of themselves or do the mandatory political rant. oh, and of course, he could forget jack nicholson. he will be there, shades and all, laughing at everyone from his prime seat in the room. love it.
it's almost time for the red carpet as i write this and i am excited. there have been some outstanding movies this year, some of which are just being released in theatres this month. the tv shows have been great and we love ourselves a bit of a marathon day around here of one show or another.
here's some of our faves for the year.

tv shows:

my hubby and i are addicted to californication. i will openly admit i love the swearing and the complete lack of any tact in this show. it talks about and shows a side of life that nobody else has had the guts to show on television. to top it all off, it's friggin hilarious and we always end up talking about the episodes with our friends weeks after we have seen them.
same goes for entourage. who can not love entourage? i heart jeremy piven and think his comedic skills warrant the last few years worth of awards he has been winning. the character he plays fits him to a tee. it feels as if you are seeing a bit of his real personality, which may be why he does it so well. but unfortunately the same goes for californication, david duchovny plays a sex addict of sorts and now it seems he is one in real life. i think it will be a tough one for the comedy show in the male department. i would like to see neil patrick harris take home an award for his role on how i met your mother, which is another of our faves.

now for the ladies of comedy. i have just started watching the starter wife, late i know, but at least i have caught it. i almost peed myself watching this show the other night. debra messing is priceless.
now who can forget mary louise parker in weeds. this has to be one of our favorite shows in the last few years. we can't wait for the next season to start. i also give a good finger cross for christina applegate for samantha who? which has to be one of the most moved around time slotted shows ever. i can never find that friggin show and have to constantly download it to watch it, but it's worth it.
in the drama department i had to write about glen close and damages. oh my, i don't even know where to start because i loved this show so much. my folks think they can jump in and start in season 2 which just aired this last past week and it pains me to think of someone not seeing season 1, it was that good. i watched them back to back and it was the most suspenseful, dark and nail biting show i have seen. i cannot say enough of this show and i am so happy it is back on the air. if you love suspense and legal thrillers you need to watch damages.

i also need to give a nod to brothers & sisters, one of my fave shows that i am even farther behind on then the starter wife. my mom got me hooked on this one and yes, they argue alot around family dinners the show is still funny and i can't stop watching it.

movies:

the first movie i think has to win is wall-e. we have watched this movie at least 3 times in our household and i just can't seem to get enough of that cute, little hunk of junk. go wall-e, go.
i am not gonna babble about the movie category nominees that much because i feel there is no reason to explain why i like them or why they are good, i think that all that needs to be said is - go see them! slumdog millionaire and the curious case of benjamin button are my two faves for best movie.
and now i have to go and ogle the gorgeous gowns, comment on the hair (my fave part of course), pick my best and worse dressed and then settle in for a few entertaining hours of endless thank you speeches, celebrity drunkenness, jack nicholson and of course, one of the best parts - brad pitt and george clooney. now who doesn't want to see them?

tea and guitar anyone?

it's windy today again...what a surprise.
the weather here has been erratic to say the least. between snow one day, storming winds and rain the next to and then quickly to sunshine, it's been hard to plan outings with mackenzie. we never know what to expect. we headed out early and walked to mackenzie's music class this morning in a cold, windy bluster, left in rain on the bus and got off the bus to sunshine.
mackenzie and i decided to get out her new crayola tadoodle from nana and opa to play with. she loves it. the stamps from the crayola beginnings line are great and she sure has had fun with them.
i broke out the guitar. it's been a while. but it was fun and mackie sure loves playing it.
we decided to let elmo and george the elephant to have a tea party while we played guitar to some mellow kate walsh music. (the perfect windy day, stay inside and be cozy music)
jeremy and i have been cracking up lately listening to all the new words and phrases mackenzie has been saying. she is talking at a 2-3 year level and it sure is hilarious. she is repeating everything (which toddlers are known to do) and our faves that she says are: articulate and hippopotamus. she loves to watch sesame street and has now started imitating the count. she does the whole "one..aahahhaaa...two...ahhhhaaa" and so on. they sure are amazing little beings at this age. so fascinating. we sometimes find ourselves just sitting and watching her, stunned that she is ours and how very precious she is and reveling in her funny little thought processes.
so far, it's been a great day.

we're back

we're back.
the camera finally arrived and i am so excited to be able to take pics again. life just hasn't been the same without our copious amounts of pics throughout the day. mack was more than happy to get to posing. we have been super busy having endless tea parties filled with dress up and lots of made up tea flavours. tea parties have become the new fave of the house.

blog withdrawl

it's been a while since i have had a chance to post. it's been a busy, bustling and happy holiday season.
unfortunately our camera decided to go on the fritz on christmas eve of all times. we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new camera and frantically trying to remember in our minds all the adorable and special moments we had as a family over the last week.
we are also in the middle of reformatting our computer and i don't have our pics reloaded again yet.
look for more posts in the next few days and lots of new pics!!!
hoping you all had a great holiday and a special new years.

snow, snow, snow

christmas is just around the corner....

we are super excited for christmas in the cook family household. i cannot wait to see little mackenzie's face on christmas morning.
we spent all weekend baking christmas cookies, listening to christmas music, watching the sound of music and a lot of other xmas time, feel good movies while the snow came down storm style. makes me miss home.
not too sure if i will post much more before xmas, things are going to be a bit hectic around here.
i wish all of you a very, warm, and wonderful christmas filled with family and friends and most importantly laughter and love. may the new year bring you the ability to value the beauty in simplicity, live simply but richly and to cherish each and every precious moment.

another day indoors filled with blanket sledding, diaper box beds, snowflake watching, pine cones & ornaments.

our tree