Chop Chop!

It was time.  Mostly out of laziness, partly out of rather spending money on fabric, I haven't had a change in my do for a really long time.  The plan was to chop a whole bunch off, but that sweet talkin' gal with the sheers did this instead:

I still pass by a mirror and wonder who that is, I haven't had bangs for ages, and I haven't done my hair straight for probably a year or more.  Like I said, mostly laziness.

I brought with me a most delightful companion.  She sat there the whole time, devouring three fashion magazines, and had to show me every other page full of crazy hair-dos, colorful make-up, and fancy clothes.

Plus, she did her own hair.  What a cutie.  We don't spend much one-on-one time now that she's a school girl.

So we stopped to get her any frozen concoction her little freckled face desired.

She ate every last drop and kept looking at me with surprised eyes exclaiming, "I keep forgetting what you look like!"

I think that was my favorite part.

Still getting used to the bangs.  Mostly loving them.  Ryan even asked if I had my hair colored.  Nope.  Just chopped off a bunch of natural highlights I guess.

Sure glad I took along this little side kick.

Winners & Discount

The three winners of the Princess and the Pea Pattern from Follow the White Bunny are:

Shannon,

Suzanne,

&

Jennyroo!

Congratulations, you three!
***Nicole is now offering 15% off any of her patterns in her shop www.followthewhitebunny.com using coupon code "NOBIGDILL" until December 4th!  

Also, remember that cute spool necklace?  

Karla is offering no big dill readers 10% off that or anything else in her shop until December 6th!  (psst, stocking stuffers?)  Use coupon code "sewapropos" for your discount.

Belated Thanks

Wowsers, as the great Inspector Gadget would say!  After your comments, recipes, links, ingredient recommendations, and encouragement from yesterday's post, I feel like I can do this non-dairy thing wholly and enjoyably!  Thank you for all the suggestions.  Drummer isn't colicky (we've done that and it's a wonder we had any more kids) but he is an awful light sleeper or his stomach doesn't agree with what I eat.  He seems to be doing a bit better, and hopefully we can figure out how to get more sleep.

I am behind on my Thanksgiving post, happily due to Once Upon a Thread, and beware of the photo explosion, but I do have 6 kids.  

We took a walk up the beach for some yearly Starbuck's hot chocolate, but of course it's better when it comes in a fancy cup and when we pay an entire paycheck for one round.  Ryan and I stuck with the apple cider, mine sans whipped cream. 

Ryan strapped little Drummer to his chest and he slept the whole time (Drummer, not Ryan.)

I had the kids write in the sand what they were thankful for.

In case you can't tell what they say,

Olive is thankful for nature.

Clover is thankful for messes (and noise and chaos and more messes.)

Pearl is thankful for her blue beta.

Divine knows what to say ;)  She's growing up, that one.  The other day at dinner she replied to someone's story, TMI (too much information).  Yeah.  She's already speaking in acronyms and abreeves.  I told her that her parents aren't Peeps, are we?  Sheesh.

Azure is thankful for God.  Ditto, Azure.

Drummer is thankful for snuggles with his dad,

and food from his mom.

We didn't do turkey.  

Neither Ryan nor I like it.

We had homemade pizza, and the kids don't seem to mind we don't do a traditional Thanksgiving feast.

I told them to make a funny face.

Then I told them to each kiss their neighbor.  Ha.

We spent the morning painting toenails.  That's a lot of nailpolish.  Yo. (I'm practicing having a tween.)

Then I told them to spread out their toes.

And tangle their legs.

Then tangle their arms.  Clover doesn't like to mingle, apparently.

The hot chocolate was guzzled and made for full bellies and warm bodies.

They're all so different, from what they'll eat, wear, and do to how they need to be loved, parented, and teased.

Some slip their hand into mine without even noticing, just needing a touch.  Others you have to sneak in a hug when they're not looking ;).

They make us laugh and want to pull our hair out from one moment

to the next.

I'm grateful for the man who made them with me.

He's pretty amazing, you know.

He makes me want to do and be better, supports me even when I have crazy ideas.  Plus he's a hunk.

Okay, enough mush.  Happy belated Thanksgiving,

and off to wrap Christmas presents, hang stars and snowflakes (that's the only way we'll see any snow here.)

OUT: Muster of YOU! (plus a giveaway)

So many of you have been playing right along with Once Upon a Thread and have done such fun projects.  Here are just a few from the Flickr group:

Sweet Cheeks Design had fun with the princess and the pea!

Liza Jane made this colorful jacket based on the book "I Ain't Gonna Paint No More," actually painting the fabric!  (The book looks like a very fun one, too.)

A Piggy Baby did some cute onesies inspired by "A Color of His Own"

Feather's Flights made this cute applique and somehow managed to capture this shot of her cutie cute mimicking the bird from "Are You My Mother?"  Love it.

And we all recognize these characters from Richard Scarry.  Good job girls from Crafting Makes the Heart Grow Fonder!

Darling bunny from "Fluffy" and I'm loving the cover to the book as well!

A peasant dress from Bremen Town Musicians, great applique work!

Story dolls-I can pick out Pippi Longstocking, can you tell who the rest are?

Colorful Skirt and Shirt inspired by Suki's Kimono written by Chieri Uegaki--makes me want to check out the book!

"Little Blue and Little Yellow" land on a hoodie!  

"The Little House," of course!  You'll want to click to see Jane's great roof detail.

Another one you'll want to click on to see the interior details from "Will You Be My Mommy." 

Another Pigeon Project!  Look at the tie.  Love that detail!  Good job, Jen.

Richard Scarry's characters in a quilt to keep you warm!  Darling, and fantastic embroidery.

and a matching "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" quilt!

"Emily's Balloon" recreated by stamping random red stars on the fabric.  Brilliant!

And I've been waiting for this one to appear!  "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See."  I know my little Cloves would love this as she "reads" it.

Look what those lovely gals at Clever Charlotte came up with using their patterns, as well as the Knuffle Bunny look alike!

I hadn't heard of this book before OUT, but think I need to check it out, because I certainly have 7 silly eaters of my own!

You really just need to check out the Flickr group to see them all, such great projects, everyone!  I wish we could just all meet up and have a night of sewing and sharing our inspiration and eat avocado ice cream with almond cookies.  I think I'll put it on my wish list to Santa.

Now, for one more giveaway to send you off from another round of Once Upon a Thread, I have 3 patterns returning from last OUT, Follow the White Bunny!

This would be a great holiday project to take with you when you travel, you know, just in case you have the itch to sew in the midst of the fruit cake and mistletoe.

Okay.  So: 

➊ Leave a comment to enter to win one of 3 patterns!

➋ Please include your email address if it's not linked to your profile.

➌ Open JUST TODAY!! (so hop on it. ;) Closed!

Thank you one and all for another great round of Once Upon a Thread!  

It was delightful as usual!