Dolls for charity with Craft Hope

Craft Hope has begun to collect dolls for children at the Casa Bernabe Orphanage in Nicaragua. What a great cause! Check out One Crafty Place for free doll patterns. You can take a look at the Craft Hope Flicker Pool and the facebook group to get an idea of what others are doing.

Dolls are due June 13th, so get sewing!

What it's like to be one of Emma Kate's toys

Emma Kate got a hold of the camera, and this time I didn't immediately take it away. I was interested in what the video would turn out to be. It turned out pretty funny! I love all the whispers you hear as she walks around and how her eyes dart around from one thing to another, she takes in so much so quickly.

Here's a little snippet:

Mom's Birthday

My mom's birthday is next week and I am finally getting started on her present. Hopefully I can get everything done in time!

Here's the inspiration:

Tote - This is a basic tote and not really what I have in mind for mom, but it's a good reference for measurements. Mine will have a large outer pocket that will basically wrap around the bag.

Accessory Bag - I think these box bags are too cute. The one I'm going to make for mom will have a smaller handle and will match the tote.

Love Bird - No explanation necessary. What mom wouldn't love to find this sweet little bird in their new tote?

Thank you to all the creators of these tutorials... you ladies are great.

My baby is 10 months old today.

I've been a mother for ten months now and I still can't believe it. I'm a mother? Yes. I'm a mother. I am responsible for a tiny helpless and dependent person. As a teenager, I often imagined what it would be like. In my mind, I was very different. I looked different, I talked different, and I was old. Now that I AM a mother, I don't feel different. I'm the same person who, 10 years ago, imagined what it would be like. This probably makes no sense, but I guess it doesn't really make sense to me either. What I do know is, this is definitely another one of those points in my life when I am reminded of just how little I really knew about real life as a teenager.

These last ten months have been the hardest and most exhausting of my life, but they have also been the most rewarding. Having a child has humbled me like nothing else could. Before every decision I make, I wonder about what would be best for my daughter--what would be a good example, what would help her to grow and learn, what would make her happy. Every night, before I go to bed, I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with another day to spend with her on this earth. I love my little girl in a way I didn't know was capable, in a way I could never have imagined... especially not as a teenager wondering what motherhood will be like.

I finally jumped.

Well, I did it. After all of those "one day"s and "maybe later"s, I jumped into the blog pool. It will be nice to have a place to empty my brain. My thinking is that my thought process will eventually become clearer as I empty and organize them. We'll see!

Today was an absolutely fantastic day because Laura came to visit us. Laura lives in Utah, so it isn't often we get to reunite. I think there's a test to know if you're "good friends" or just friends... if someone is a good friend, it doesn't matter how much time goes by since the last time you were together, you still feel comfortable. Laura's a good friend. =)