Valentines on the Brain

Can you believe that Valentines Day is right around the corner.....

On my hunt.... for some of the cutest crafts to make for Teacher gifts and for the family for Valentines Day I came across some of the cutest stuff so I thought why not write a quick bloggy post about them...

How adorable are these backpacks for the chairs of students. I have to say this might be on the top of one of my sewing list... Like it isn't already long enough

I know that I want to make a gum Ball machine out of pots....

But that picture is coming....

How cute is this

These jars are simply adorable I love how they look and this is something you could use all year long... Very Kid friendly

Sew what to make for Valentines day that it Mommy and kiddo friendly. hOWL Cute are these....

I'm in love with Owls and just know that these might get made.I'm working on some boy rice bags for my little man he is always suffering from growing pains, but how cute.... are these.

Well I hope you all got some adorable ideas...Thanks for pulling up a seat and stitching a few... til next time.

Family Traditions to start....

Okay so a new year... new pictures to start the year off... I have been playing with my memories software... I didnt realize how many memories... and pitcutres we have from this past Christmas

Bug is getting so big starting to come into her one...

Brayden is still our little Comedian. always the center of attention... He always knows how to make you smile.

Like every year since B was born we have had brunch with Santa, this year was no exception. The kids love seeing Mr. and Mrs. Claus defiantly a great tradition.

My Sister flew home and we met her New boyfriend Scott... Was such a blessing to see her so happy My mom finally got all of us together to get her family portrait... hard to believe its been 9 years

Caleigh feel in love with HER Scott... She wouldn't leave his side, since he has left when she sees his picture she talks about her Uncle Scott... She was a little disappointed when he wasn't under the tree.... LOL guess there will be a trip to Germany in our future.

The Kids pictures turned out so cute and it was nice to finally get a family picture since I have lost all my weight.

It was nice to have all of my Siblings home this year with our better halves... The kids had such an amazing visit cant wait til we see everyone again.

This year we lost a great Woman in our life shortly before Christmas she always wanted the FAMILY together to share the memories of the day with each other. This is the first time I think in at least 6 years that we have all been together on Christmas day so we made sure we got the Group Photo. Mamma Bett was defiantly smiling down on us that day.

Hubby with his cousins and sister.  

 The only person missing was ONE OF A KIND... We love you and miss you daily GG Bett.

I hope every ones holiday was as amazing as ours. Here's to an amazing 2012 

Get your... SEW on... or is it a Giveaway

So as promised I thought I would start the year off right with a Giveaway and some pictures of the latest projects that I did in December... WOW can you believe 2012 has already started and I haven't even begun to start Scrapbooking or thought about catching up on the projects that I haven't even finished yet. I think that I am defiantly starting on getting my PhD in Embroidery......

Or maybe that's the PhD in Sewing...

I'm not sure I just know there are not enough hours in the day to get it all done. I have so may fun designs, projects, craftiness to do that I just cant seem to get it all done. Don't you just hate when that happens.

So GIVEAWAY I think that was in the title of this post... Now I cant start the year off without giving my awesome followers something FUN and exciting. Now Sewing by far is my passion but I love anything crafty. I have to say when Liz contacted me from My Memories I was very excited to review there product.

A little history on what My Memories is, It is a digital scrapbooking program, that is extremely user friendly. Not only can you digital scrapbook but you can download the finished pages as back drops to your computer, Create gifts for family members, order completed albums. The sky is the limit with this software and you don't have to know how to digital scrapbook because the software is very easy to use,there are so many templates that you can just plug your pictures into and you have an instant album. I used the software for the first time right before Christmas and made this adorable page of our family.

This was so easy and fun to create I hope that you enjoy the software as much as I do.

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Mandatory Entry: In order to enter the giveaway go to mymemories.com and choose your favorite digital paper pack or layout, then comment below telling me which one is your favorite

This giveaway is offered to US & Canadian residents only. Please make sure you include your email address if you are not already a friend via google friend. This will make it easier to contact you if you are the winner.

NOTE: If you skip the mandatory entry, none of your entries will count for the giveaway.

Extra Entries (please leave separate comment for each entry)* Follow Me (or tell me you already do) (1 entry)
* Like easy My Memories On Facebook. (3 entries)
* Follow Me Twitter and Tweet This....(2 entries)
* Blog About This Amazing Giveaway (4 entries)

Giveaway closes January 14th@ 11:00 pm (EST) Winner will be picked January 15th by Random.org and notified by email, a post will follow. Winner will have 48 hours to reply to my email otherwise a new winner will be picked.Disclaimer: I was contacted via email by a mymemories.com and received the above mentioned product to review. Any and all opinions are mine and are unbiased
To the Sewing Part I like to make my own gifts for Christmas and hear are a few examples of what I made with the easy template collages from My Memories.

I made this adorable pillow or my MIL who recently lost her own mother before Christmas. It was hard for us to celebrate this year with out having Mamma Bett with us, and the kids truly missed having their GG Bett. We made this pillow with my children and My Niece's hand prints. I embroidered the saying....

WHEN YOUR HANDS FEEL EMPTY GIVE ME A HUG AND KNOW YOUR GRANDCHILDREN HANDED YOU THEIR LOVE

A New bag pattern I made one of my Best Friends I had made one prior to this but since she is now addicted to cloth she needed something a little bigger to carry all of that fluff in. She loved it, I have to say this is my new favorite bag.

This is the gifts that I made my nieces, they are really into skulls and cross bones right now so what more to do than for me to make them their own purses. They turned out so adorable.

Pin It

BEFORE YOU LEAVE DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT (BUT REMEMBER FOLLOW THE RULES).... FREE SOFTWARE.... WHAT BETTER WAY TO ORGANIZE YOUR MEMORIES.

~~WELCOME 2012~~

WOW!!! Another year already Where did the last 365 days go, just feels like yesterday I was blogging about ringing in the memories of 2011, I believe that MIRACLES do happen to those who believe in them, If I have learned anything in the past 31 years its that Life is a big lesson everything that you embark on whatever path you take at the end of the day its a learning experience and what you take from that journey will either make you stronger or not. I have learned that I'm stronger than I EVER thought a person could be, but through this journey of finding my strength I was surrounded by others that Had greater strength than I did to help lead me to the right direction. I hope that I continue to guide my children in the direction that leads them to great happiness and I know that they will continue to have BIG Hearts and continue to reach out to those less fortunate than them. MY CHALLENGE TO YOU IS TO PAY IT FORWARD to someone new this year, someone that might need a pick me up, a hug, a plate of food, maybe a new jacket, someone close in your life is calling out for help but to PROUD to truly ask for it. I know that GOD has surrounded me by angels on this earth and without you LADIES in my life I would have a really hard time getting through the day, you always know how to make me smile when I mad is heck, or when I'm down you have a way of lifting me up. You always seem to know what I need before I do and for that Friendship and Love and understanding I'm excited to see what 2012 has in store for me.

For my family, MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND, I hope he gets a chance to relax a  little enjoy his accomplishments, take a moment to enjoy those little things in life that take our breathe away, and to know how truly blessed I am to have him in my life. I love you hunny and I hope this is our Year to SHINE! To my PARENTS I hope this is a year of GREAT NEW BEGINNINGS, a year to accomplish your dreams, reach for the stars and know that your goal is within your reach, TO my DAD I hope you find peace and Joy in what roads lie ahead, I hope you have a moment to relax and reflect on life's journeys the stepping stones you paved for your children, and the foundations that you have set forth in each of our lives to make us the adults we are today, To my MOM I hope you are able to relax, enjoy the years memories, triumphs, and embrace those times that you aren't looking forward to because TIME will speed by and we know that together we can conquer the world. To my SISTER I know 2012 is going to be your year, A year of MEMORIES, great LOVE, JOY, PEACE, and I know that your blessings are just starting, I look forward to enjoying your life's new adventure with you. To my BABY BROTHER, I know this year is already going to be your year, you graduate from college what an amazing accomplishment, you begin to start your life and take the journey that God has paved for you. remember to embrace life's little moments, take the time to stop and smell a few roses, and enjoy all that life has to offer, because it is yours to make of it what you want.

So every year I challenge myself last year I had a long list of goals and I did complete some of them, but this year I have added to those goals so I look forward to Blogging through the year, I miss my readers, I miss being able to channel all of the strength, hope, love that you all give to me and my family on a daily basis, and I miss blogging about my creative thinking. I have so many new projects on the horizon and I'm working on a blog to get the year started off right. I look forward to your feedback, and the love that you all have given me the past 3 years.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HERE IS TO AN AMAZING 2012

Out with the OLD and in WITH the NEW

Can you believe that the year is ending and once again its time for the reflection on what 2011 brought to our family. As we embarked on the new journey of 2011 with open arms the year brought us great joys, new adventures, many heart breaks, heart aches, moments to last a life time, sorrows. It was a year of painful Goodbyes, but loving Hello's, we were blessed to have new friendships made and new loves to enter into our lives. I feel like although 2011 was a rough year it taught us once again that God knows best before we know ourselves. Everyday is an adventure and it is our job to embrace it our to be bitter and angry at what life is throwing at us. If Life was supposed to be easy there would be a manual somewhere to breeze right through. "I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES"  I believe that in HIM all things are possible, allowing your WHOLE heart to be wrapped in his arms completely no matter what curve balls life brings you, you can pick the pieces up and move on. I have to say reflecting on the past few months has been a hard one to stomach, there has been a lot of heart ache, but buried deep in all the hurt was so MANY Wonderful Happy times and Memories that Brad the kids and I will cherish forever. We are blessed to have AMAZING Friends that we consider family (you know who you are), Great Family that helps guide us in the direction to take the right road that God has paved for us. And we have our FAITH that gets us through the worst of times. I'm a MOTHER, WIFE, FRIEND, DAUGHTER, and a SISTER.... I'M A BELIEVER of All things come to those who wait, our day is approaching for a brighter tomorrow, and we hope and pray that all the happiness and love in the world showers all of our friends and family in 2012. As we wash away all the past of 2011, the heart ache, goodbyes, and replace it with the memories of what is to come... those bittersweet moments we seem to forget about , try to embrace the little things in life because at the end of the day that is what is most precious.

So To start the year off right.... We close this chapter in our life 2011 we bid you a found farewell, thank you for the GREAT memories, the laughs, the adventures, the friendships, the love, and the Strength that you taught us all we had. To 2012 I toast to you I hope this is our year of Greatness, Our children will shine, this will be our year of answers, our year of Overcoming all the obstacles that might lie ahead, and WE WILL DO IT WALKING HAND IN HAND ONE STITCH AT A TIME.  

Wishing all of my loved ones a Safe and Happy NEW YEARS EVE! Tomorrow Brings New Resolutions, NEW BEGINNINGS and NEW Adventures. I hope you take this journey with me... ONE STITCH AT A TIME.

Trash to treasure

Sew... what has everyone been up to the last few months? I have been slowly tackling those little household projects that don't ever seem to go anywhere. Last summer my mom and I went to a yard sale and we came across this wonderful step stool, My grandmother had one and I just knew that I had to have it...


It has potential

the demolition

I knew that it needed to be recovered but for the past year it has looked like the trash pile was a better place for it, Instead of a Booster, C-bug uses this as her seat for dinner, so I knew I needed to get motivated and recover it before she was 12... LOL

So here is the kitchen table... a little messy but I figured I better bite the bullet so I went into the studio and remembered that I had got some Oil Cloth a few months ago super cheap and I had just enough to refinish this chair. I wanted something FUN that said Girl but at the same time fit my personality.....

The finished project it took me about 10 minutes to refinish it WOW why did I wait so long, hubby loved it because I added more padding to the seat and the Oil Cloth is easy to wipe which  makes it easy to clean after dinner no more looking at the torn rusted seat.

I think C-bug Likes it and that's all that matters. I would love to see some of your finished projects so feel free to link up and let me see what crafty goodness you all have come up with.



Back on this adventure

WOW I'm looking at the posts and just realized my life has been so busy being a mommy, wife, student, working woman, volunteer, seamstress... that I have neglected my blog. I cant believe its been almost 2 1/2 months since I have had the chance to sit down and write a quick blog. Well that's just not cool, so over the next few days Ill be writing some catch up blogs, about life, mommy hood, crafting, and other fun things that have been going on in my neck of the woods.

WOW can you believe Christmas is almost here... Hard to believe that 2011 is almost over I just don't know where the time went, it seems like before children time seemed to stand still, but between the carpool lanes, the soccer games, the various mommy hood adventures that I tackle on a daily basis, then you throw in the taxi driver, the cook, the maid, the wife and everything else in the world that seems to consume the hours that I'm awake I have figured that there just isn't enough time to get done everything that I want to accomplish. 

When I'm crafting I feel like I'm in my own little world, being able to create something beautiful out of something as simple as a piece of paper, a scrap of fabric or just spending the time being creative. I find that my passion for sewing, embroidering and crafting is the smile that it brings to the person receiving those items . I have always had a small obsession to purses, okay ill admit that my husband might be RIGHT!  SHH don't tell him I said he was right.... That my Small obsession is a little bit bigger than that. I found myself realizing that my creative talents that GOD blessed me with could be useful because instead of buying my own bags I could make them... Ummm yeah can we say that all my tested bags that I prepare prior to a pattern going into the CFC Etsy store ... yeah that tester somehow ends up on my shoulder.... LOL...

I have to say the addiction has gotten cheaper because I make them for myself but hasn't gotten any better because my closets are bursting at the seams. I find that its so much fun to draft up a new bag to go with that super cute outfit that I'm working on. I currently have 9 patterns that I'm working on for the Holiday season Guess I better get moving on that.... Do you think I could wish upon a star to get time to stand still for a few days. I can dream right.

So lets get back in the groove I'm missing my bloggy friends and followers and cant wait to see what crafty goodness everyone is up to these days. I just love this time of year everything has the wonderful aroma of fall, the cinnamon, the colors everything around us just screams holiday season.... As much as I'm not ready for thanksgiving, birthdays and Christmas to approach I'm also like a little kid because this is my favorite time of year.  I look forward to catching up with all of my blogging buddies.

Building Bridges

I have sat down many times in the past few weeks, to stop a few minutes out of my day to write something magical, uplifting, spiritual something from my heart, and I seem to get hit smack in the face with a brick wall. Ever feel like that... Like you have so much on your mind... your heart and feel like it might implode before you can get it out and then realize at that moment that ..... WOW!!! your speechless.... then today I came across an amazing blog, Ashley totally hit the nail on the head for me and it is so that place that I needed to be today

She asked the question "Blessed to Be A Blessing (Building Kingdom Bridges)" she went on to talk about a Sunday service that she had attended that spoke of how to use your blessings whatever they might be to build those bridges, and to pour out GODS love to those around you. She went on to ask the questions I’d encourage you today to look at the blessings God has given you and ask yourself, “How can I use what God has given me to be a blessing to others? How can I build bridges with what I have?”

So I thought about it an realized my BRIDGE is Sewing, Crafty, and trying to live each day as he would see it. I think this story really has helped me write this post for who it is intended not myself, not about my sewing but about JOANNA SIBERT, a sweet vibrant little girl.. A precious angel sent by god to show us what STRENGTH, COURAGE, FAITH, and what it means to PRAY. Joanna was born 8 years ago with Spina bifida she has endured so much in her life, from surgeries, to doctors appointments, countless hours of therapy, road trips to Richmond, Canada, and Norfolk, Her parents have stopped at nothing to get her the care that she deserved... and needed. In July Joanna was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare cancer. She is such a fighter, no matter what at the end of the day Joanna can light up a room. She was recently featured in our local newspaper, Hampton girl battles multiple health problems

There have been various benefits to help her in her fight. If you have a moment stop by and read her journey at http://www.joannalee.net/

When I found out I felt very helpless Praying just didn't seem enough, I thought and thought and the only thing that I could do was sew... So I got in contact with her mom and decided to make JOJO a bag all her own she is such a special little girl and I felt blessed that they agreed. JOJO picked out the colors and I worked my magic here is the First Bag of PROJECT HOPE for JOANNA

I then made the 2nd bag for her mom because every momma needs a bag for all those trips back and forth to the hospital so bag #2

then I couldn't leave the sisters out so Project HOPE expanded to Bags 3 and 4

I am asking all my crafting friends out their the same questions Look in the mirror and ask yourself what blessings God has given you and ask yourself, “How can I use what God has given me to be a blessing to others? How can I build bridges with what I have?”

To all my crafty ladies and Gents out their I'm asking for volunteers for PROJECT HOPE FOR JOANNA, Its a small project I have been working on behind the scenes with some fellow crafters, If you are interested in helping out in Project Hope please email me for more details at cuddleflycreations@yahoo.com in the subject line please state PROJECT HOPE, we are looking for volunteers to show her how special she is.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. and GOD BLESS!!!

Bloggin and Summertime....

Sew just had a moment to step back from the sewing machine that has been running non stop the last few days, Time away from the kiddos and hubster, and stopped by the blog and realized its been awhile. Wow where did the time go June.... July.... Now its August . Geesh seems like I was just here chatting it up with everyone and NOW the summer is almost over. What a whirlwind it has been, summer of change, crazy schedules and WOW what fun adventures. I have a lot of pictures that I'm editing a lots of fun stories to share. I have a few projects Ive been working on which seems to have taken most of my time here lately. I had surgery couple weeks ago that I'm still slowing bouncing back from, lots of fun adventures with the kiddos and some sad ones also. Looking forward to catching up, but for now I must head back to the studio, this week will bring lots of pictures of the projects as well as lots of answers that will be shared on to what has been taking up so much of time. I look forward to talking with each one of you Later for now.

Hugs April

Everyone needs....

Sew.... When reflecting on the past few years and everything that we have been through as a family I have truly been blessed to be able to find daily inspiration in crafting, sewing, and various other activities with my friends, family and my blogging community. I had started a list earlier this year of things that I wanted to try and accomplish and this year I have decided to participate again with  All People Quilt and make some little child happy with a vibrant fun pillow case, This year I would like to make at least 200 pillowcases and hope that my blogging friends out there can help. My donation is to 2 wonderful causes close to my heart... one is to the Local children's hospital I have spent many nights there with my daughter Caleigh she has shown me how strong I am and how many children go there daily .......and daily they are met with obstacles that aren't always there chosen path but children are resilient and I have found hope and faith that the lord has truly paved out our path and that he knows what is best for us before we ourselves know.

Sew if your bored or just looking for a great opportunity to give back to an amazing organization Please help me in making over 200+ pillowcases and surpass my goal. Lets give back to those in need and show them how much they are cared for.