October 27, 2011

Silly Halloween Costume

I got off easy on Halloween costumes this year.  Grandma made Cameron's and Janessa is using one we already have.  I only have to worry about Andy's.  (because the big boys are, well big enough to worry about theirs).  I bought a pair of red sweats and a pair blue sweats to make a Jester costume.  Cut both pair of pants in half along the center front/back.  Then sew opposites together and you have a pair of two-toned pants.  Red leg, blue leg.  Simple.

Not so simple.  (keep in mind that I have a cold so I am high on Dayquil, but that probably really has nothing to do with it).  First I have a hard time getting the 'right'sides of the fabric together so they are all lined up to sew.  The easy way is to put one pant leg inside the other, but it took a bit fumbling around before I  remembered that and got it all squared away.  I finally got it all lined up and realized the right sides weren't together--I had blue on the wrong side.  So I redid it, (you have to have one pant leg turned inside out) and started sewing.  However, I soon realized I was sewing the same sides of pants together.  Like, I didn't get opposite sides of the pants that I cut up--I had a "left" blue and a "left" red.  So there would be half a front and half a back on what should be the front of the pants.  got it?

ok.  I took out the little bit of sewing I did and found two opposite sides and started again.  (and i did make sure I was sewing a blue and a red)  All was going fine.  Then the bobbin ran out, of course.  Then I got to the waist band.  Too thick.  My needle got stuck and bent.  ahhh!  My machine was not cooperating on that waistband, though it did the other side just fine.  I finally had to manually turn the wheel on the side of the machine for a quite a few stitches and it worked.

I now have a pair of red and blue jester pants.  It took sooo much longer than the 10 minutes is should have taken. (And of course I was trying to squeeze it in on the day I had a relief society meeting, a field trip, piano lessons, and my parents over for dinner).

October 7, 2011

New Kitchen

Before...



missing pieces...a hole in the counter where a cook top stove had been.  we covered it with a board and taped it on.  the other hole is where a trash compactor had been we think.

broken drawers...(our silverware was in a basket on the counter since it was too heavy for the broken drawers)
missing drawers...


NOW!


pantry size cupboard!  yay! we will now store less food in the office

new microwave and cupboards above range (which previously had no cupboards above it, or to the side of it)

This was a solid wall (with a doorway) between the dining room and kitchen.  We cut a hole and added a bar and desk area.