Gingerbread Houses

My sister have us a boxed kit of five little gingerbread houses to assemble and decorate. I have seen these kits before and always wondered if they really were any good, and if the little gingerbread houses actually turn out cute if they're assembled and decorated by non-professionals and small children. As it turns out, they're lots of fun, quite easy, and every single one of the little houses turned out super cute. It looks like I'm a fan after all, and I will be buying these kits again for more Christmases to come. My kidlets were more than happy to pose for me with their little candy works of art.

the best sewing machine for a beginner

My daughter Haven has a birthday coming up (she will be 9), and she has been begging me to teach her how to sew for a while now. So I decided that it's time I bought her a sewing machine of her own that she can learn on. As a result, I have been reading, reviewing, and researching as many different options that I could find in order to make the best decision possible. These are the three I am most interested in as they are not toys, but real, honest to goodness sewing machines, all of them with a cord that plugs in so there are no batteries to have to bother with. So, in no particular order...

Janome Sew Mini

 

Online I found that I could expect to pay around $60 for this, although I might be able to find a lower price on ebay. It's a 1/2 sized machine backed by a reputable name in sewing machines, and the majority of the reviews I read were excellent. It was reviewed by experienced and inexperienced sewers alike, and most of them loved this machine. It seems like it would be the perfect size for a beginning sewer and a great little machine to learn on. Here is a video of this machine in use.

Pros: Drop-in bobbin, very lightweight and portable weighing in at 5 lbs., numerous excellent reviews online, reverse lever in convenient spot, low price, small machine for small hands, and a medium-slow sewing speed that stays the same no matter how much she presses on the pedal.

Cons: No light, no snap-on presser foot so you cannot change the presser foot, no markings for seam allowance on the needle plate, small and cheap looking foot pedal, no carrying handle, there is only one stitch speed so there is no going slower or faster as you stitch, no stitch length or stitch width choices, and no buttonhole function.

 

Janome Hello Kitty

 

This is a 3/4 size machine that also got excellent reviews from both experienced and inexperienced sewers alike, but it's also close to twice the price of the other two machines, the lowest being around $110. This puts it over the top of my price range, but after the trillion or so glowing reviews I have read all over the web, it really has to be considered. I know Haven would love that it's Hello Kitty, but that fact doesn't sway me one way of the other. My only interest lies in whether it's a good sewing machine, not what character has been plastered all over it. Although you would not believe the amount of grown women reviewing it that raved about the over-the-top cute factor and about how much they love and adore Hello Kitty. I guess I must have underestimated the enormous draw of Hello Kitty across all ages. Here is a video of this machine in use.

Pros: Has the most reviews online and almost all were excellent, snap-on presser feet allows for changing out the presser foot, markings on the needle plate for seam allowance, has a light, variable sewing speed so you can go faster or slower, a decent sized foot pedal, buttonhole function, a handle for easy carrying, it's portable and lightweight at 12 lbs.

Cons: The most expensive of the machines I am interested in, some reviews said threading is not the easiest, variable sewing speed by pressing the pedal which could be hard to coordinate for a beginner while also trying to deal with stitching the fabric, reverse lever in an odd spot (odd to me anyways), no stitch length or width choices, and it has a bobbin case instead of drop-in.

 

Brother LS2000

This is a full size sewing machine, and the price is $60, so it's well within my budget. I have owned two Brother machines in the past and they are well known for their ease in use, so I know it would not be a hard machine for Haven to learn to operate. I am however concerned that it will be to fast for her. One of the criteria I am looking for is a slow stitch speed that will allow Haven to gain confidence and experience without sewing her fingers by accident. And I couldn't find any video of this machine in use, sorry.

Pros: The low price is well within my budget, variable sewing speed so you can go faster or slower, stitch length and stitch width controls, full size foot pedal, markings on the needle plate for seam allowance, reverse lever in convenient spot, easy to use and thread, it has a light.

Cons: Has a bobbin case instead of a drop-in, a full size machine and the heaviest at 15 lbs., no buttonhole function on this model, a faster sewing speed than the other two machines, and variable sewing speed by pressing the pedal which could be hard to coordinate for a beginner while also trying to deal with stitching the fabric.

Whichever machine I buy for Haven, my biggest concern is that it be the best one for her to learn on, I am not as concerned as to whether or not it will grow with her, since there are several excellent full size sewing machines that are well under $100 that she could move on to in a few years time when she is ready. I will be able to give her another one for a present come Christmas or her birthday if that ends up being the case, and the beginner machine can be passed down to Gracen by then, in addition to the numerous other nieces in my family that are also eager to learn. So basically, I'm not worried about getting my moneys worth. And can I also add that being able to watch a video of two of the sewing machines in action was a huge help. Seriously, you would think some of these companies would realize this. So anyways, there you have it.

So, what do you think? Have any opinions on this subject or your own experience learning to sew? I would love to hear it!

awesomely hooky

I love to crochet. Especially in the colder months, it's so fun to have a wooly, yarny project to work on. So when I stumbled across this super cool site a few months ago, I fell instantly in love.

(photo from attic24)

I love her pictures, I love her posts, I love her tips and tricks, I love her crafting, and I especially love, love, love her crochet. Her projects use so many bright, happy colors, and there are so many fun and cool uses of simple and classic patterns. It's such a treat to stop by her blog, I truly enjoy reading it and I am dying to try out a bunch of her patterns.

And she was also just featured on 'Whip Up' with a seriously fun and pretty crochet snowflake tutorial. I just adore these.

 

Seriously, I could go on and on, but instead I just urge you to check her out. Just know that I am currently setting aside yarn for another afghan project, this one using lots and lots of very bright and cheery colors. Oh the hooky joy!

that rabbit belongs to emily brown

While at the school Book Fair a few weeks ago, I came across this book titled "That Rabbit Belongs To Emily Brown". Even though I had never heard of it, nor read it before, I kept coming back to it, it just looked like a good book to me. Finally I gave in and decided to buy it, it appealed so strongly to me with all of it's cute and quirky illustrations, I felt like I couldn't lose. But once I got home it was immediately seized by my little ones who made off with it to read for themselves, and it kept getting passed from child to child until I finally found a moment to grab it and sit down to read it for myself. And I absolutely loved it. Hands down one of THE best childrens books I have read in a very long time. Cute story, cute characters, and wonderful illustrations, it is incredibly well done. My kids love it too, and I have been working on making a Stanley for some of my little kidlets to lug around, because everyone needs their own Stanley. I also found that there is another title by this author, "Emily Brown And The Thing" that looks just as wonderful, so I am looking to find a copy to buy presently. Have you read any good childrens literature lately?

My Opinion On Certain Baby Items...

-With a newborn, I have discovered all that I need in the 0-3 and 3-6 months size clothing is a lot of onesies, socks, sleepers, layette gowns and 3-4 nice outfits for the few times you will actually leave the house. (This may vary depending on the number of children you already have. Fewer children means more times you might actually leave the house. More children mean you are never getting out of here, who are you kidding! Adjust number of nice outfits accordingly.)
-Blankets with satin backing look posh, but in reality they suck rocks. It constantly feels like your baby is going to rocket out of your arms and slip to the floor every time you try and move them or pick them up when wrapped in one. Satin edging is fine, as long as it’s just the edges. Flannel and regular woven cottons are best, they can be made into any weight blanket for any season, and they wash up super soft too.
-I don’t use the crib for at the very least the first few months, usually longer. Most babies end up in bed with you no matter what you think, try, or do. But all is not lost, they do begin to sleep in the bassinet you quickly set next to your bed after you figure this out. Mine just end up in bed with me since I fall asleep after I get them to nurse during the night. But I have never had any problems transitioning any of my babies over to their cribs, so it has always worked out for me. So far.
-Those cute little scratch mitts in the baby department might seem like they are a necessity, but don’t be fooled, they NEVER work. Babies can pop them off faster than you can keep picking them back up and putting them back on again. Do not waste your time and money. What does work is a pair of little baby socks pulled over their hands, it gives them room to open and close their fists whilst staying snugly on since a sock is long enough to go down to their wrist, and will actually keep them from scratching their tiny little faces. Which babies do, over and over again, no matter how often you clip their nails.
-Baby Wipes usually end up becoming more than just a diaper changing tool. For me, I use them to clean sticky or dirty faces, hands, and tummies, and a lot of other stuff I’m sure they were never inteneded for, but work just the same. They are just so darn handy!
-Huge diaper bags are not needed, no matter how many children you have. A small to medium sized bag will really take care of all of your needs. C’mon, do you really need a huge, cavernous tote bag filled with half of your nursery and toy box, mixed in with a package of Nilla wafers crushed into dust on the bottom? Yeah, I didn't think so.
-Pull-Ups are really just pull-on diapers for big kids. I know it, and more importantly, my child knows it and will treat them as such. They are not a potty training tool.
-All of my children lost their baby teeth on a weekend, a Sunday, or a time when we had no change or a way to get any for the “Tooth Fairy”. After several fiascos involving a no-show with the Tooth Fairy and a very confused child, I have since kept a small stash of change and a dollar bill or two for just such an emergency. As you can see from a previous post, it paid off big time for Haven. I swear you never know when those teeth will come out, and it always catches you off guard.
-I personally swear by the sling carriers with my newborns when I go out in public. They swaddle, cradle and keep them snuggled up to you, all the while you actually have your hands free. It really works and my babies love them! Plus it keeps strangers from touching my little baby and spreading germs.Seriously, I am astonished at how often strangers feel like they can manhandle my tiny little baby. This stops them from doing that. Durn Strangers!
-A Boppy is one of my most frequently used items with each of my babies, and I have ended up buying a new one each time since I wear them out. For me they are worth every penny, and then some. I love them!
-There is no such thing as too many burp cloths.
-I always carry a travel size scented body spray or scented lotion in my diaper bag. This way if there is an accidental spit-up on me and I'm not able to change my outfit, I won’t have to go the rest of the time smelling like baby puke. I can just give myself a quick spritz or a squeeze of lotion either all over or just on the offending spot. Baby pukies happen a lot, and you might as well smell nice for yourself and those around you.
-For the first few months with a newborn I keep a basket with a good handle and fill it with my baby necessities. This way I am able to grab, with only one hand, all of the stuff I will need for diaper changes, spitups and such so I always have it nearby no matter where I am in the house, and I don;t have to go hunting anything down the first little while. My basket holds several diapers, travel wipes, hand sanitzer, diaper cream, 2-3 burp cloths, baby lotion, spare onesie, socks and a sleeper (sometimes a water bottle and a granola bar for me). This way I can even ask one of my kids to just grab the basket for me and I have everything I need right there. Otherwise I am hunting down everything for each diaper change or accident, and this way I can save myself the headache. I refill the basket each night when I have a minute.
-Granola bars, individual yogurts and bottled water are a lifesaver for a busy Mom with a new baby, nursing or not. It might seem like a waste to buy individual bottles of water, but I find if I do get them that I tend to drink more since it’s easier to grab one and go anywhere. A glass of water just has too much potential for spilling, and water bottles have caps. Granola bars or yogurt can give you a quick boost in between meals or even as a good snack. As weird as it sounds, I get so busy taking care of my kids that I forget to eat a lot of the time, so I try and keep these on hand so I don’t go too long between meals.
*Please note: These are all my own personal preferences and opinions, not intended to insult or offend anyone. You can shoot me down and tell me off too if you want, I do not think I am ANY sort of final opinion or authority, these are just my thoughts on this stuff. The only “absolute”, is that there are no “absolutes”.

A Bit Of A Germ-A-Phobe

About two years ago Korby and Heidi and I met at one of the local indoor playground/softplay at the skating rink and let the kids have a bit of fun running around. After we were done Korby had all of her kids use the hand sanitizer gel that was there in a dispenser near the entrance, and I was going to have mine do the same but ended up getting distracted (hey, it happens!) and just loaded my kids into the car and went home. The next day 3 of my kids came down with Strep throat, and so did Livy (the Dr. said it can develop in less than 24 hours time), but none of Korby’s kids had so much as the sniffles. We realized it had probably been picked up at the playland (which had been packed with kids) and Korby was the only one to use the sanitizer on her kids hands, so she was spared.
   So from that day on I have gotten a little fanatical about Germ-X and I carry small bottles on my person at all times. I also carry travel packs of antibacterial wipes, and I cannot tell you how often they have saved me. No matter what I always wipe down the front seat section and handle of a shopping cart before using it or putting children in it, any high chair in a restaurant, the table and benches in a fast food place, any handles and stuff in public bathrooms, or even my kids hands and faces if I need to, they just give me a little bit more peace of mind.
   I’m not a germ freak, I just know that in public places, especially if we’re going to be eating, germs are more likely to go from the hands to the mouth and I don’t need any extra illnesses brought home, they bring enough from school. And this year I have 4 going to school, so it will be interesting to see how much sickness I can keep at bay. So my absolute must haves for an outing are as follows:
-small bottle of Germ-X in my purse to sanitize hands before eating (at a playland when they run off to play in between eating I have my kids rub this on their hands everytime they come back to the table to eat, before they pick up their food)
-travel pack of antibacterial wipes in my purse to clean any seating or table area, shopping carts, public highchairs, or wipe hands and faces if needed
-travel pack of kleenex in my purse for runny noses, I can’t handle the booger face especially in public
-a canister of baby wipes in my car for just about any job/emergency you can name and I mean ANY, from throwing up to spilled food or drinks
   The winter of 2004 was a really bad one for us with a TON of illness at our house, and it didn’t let up until Summer. So last winter I made a few changes and we had a huge decrease in the number of visits to the Dr. and E.R. and it was a lot easier for everyone. One of the changes I made was that as soon as each child arrived home from school they removed their shoes at the back door, used Germ-X on their hands, and sometimes I had them change ther shirts and wash their faces. It really helped a lot and made for a much nicer winter season and a lot less missed school and church. So I’m ready for this next winter season, and I hope to keep everyone as healthy as possible!