nanaCompany

all is calm...

This morning I was victorious (in my own way).  Since we had so much leftover ham, I decided to make eggs benedict ~ even if I've never been able to make a hollandaise sauce successfully.  And, this morning the sauce did start to "break" but a few drops of warm water and my husband's strong arm whisked that sauce right back into submission.  Ha!  Angels sang.  The eggs benedict was delicious.  Rich and delicious.

Did you have a nice Christmas?  Was it all that you hoped for?  I was pretty bummed we didn't have family to celebrate with this year, but my husband found a way to make it delightful nonetheless.  I have three words to describe my Christmas:  Anthropologie, Tiffany & Co., and... Singer!  I got a new sewing machine!!!  Goodbye Shark (from Target, second to cheapest they had, been sewing with it these last five years.)  I am so excited to try out my new machine, but I am sad for the Shark ~ it was good to me.

Today we finally got around to baking our sugar cookies... the day after Christmas.  Never too late, right?

I am so enjoying this after-Christmas calm.  Cooking, eating, reading books, watching movies... we've got nothing to do and lots of time to do it.  I am ready for the New Year, though.  Starting fresh.  Always hoping to make it the "best year ever."  I've never been a resolution girl, but this year I may write a few things on post-it notes and tack them to my mirror... How 'bout you?  Do you have resolutions for the New Year?

xo amy

I've tossed the to-do list...

We're making memories instead. 

Yesterday we took the little ones to the Grove to see Santa Claus... wait time: 4+ hours.  Yep.  So, we took our number ticket and went off to get pretzel-dogs, saw a movie (Alvin and the Chipmunks), ate lunch at Johnny Rockets, looked at books and toys, drank some hot cocoa, took photos, went to the Gap to buy new pants for both of them as it was getting colder and colder outside while we waited... and finally, at last, we did in fact see Santa Claus.

Which turned out to be the highlight of their day so I'll have to admit it was worth the wait.  The photo with Santa?  Right up there with all those awkward family photos lovingly glued into albums and shared when the kids are older.  I will tell you this: nobody was crying :)

Happy Friday and Happy Christmas Eve-Eve!

1. Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~Norman Vincent Peale, 2. Letters, 3. Happy Macarons, 4. Drosselmeyer's workshop..., 5. 10-12DearSantaStationery4, 6. 10-02 TableNumbers1, 7. 10-12Tree2800px, 8. Untitled, 9. Merry "vintage" Christmas!, 10. A Quilted Notepad Cover, 11. Closet Candy..., 12. secret gift making, 13. In a creamer...

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

ps. please be patient with me, I'm so behind on emails and everything at the moment, but I'll catch up!

xoxo amy

tick tock... tick tock...

oh, the rush is on!  The weather outside is delightful here in sunny Los Angeles.  The Christmas cards have been sent, but I haven't finished my shopping and today is the day!  Just wanted to show you a little apron I made for a new little friend of ours... her name is Soleil and she likes decorating cookies.

Of course, now Olivia wants one.  And I was just thinking to myself... do I have enough time to sew up stockings or maybe a simple table runner to spruce up the holiday meal?  So many ideas, so little time!!!

How is your holiday to-do list coming along?

xo amy

oh joy.

Sometimes you see an idea and it seems so promising but it just doesn't work out the way you'd hoped.  That was today.  Things started off well enough.  Made a few leaves and berries...

... stitched up some letters...

... and strung them up as a garland for the kids to hold while I took their holiday photo.  That, my friends, was the opposite of J-O-Y.  One child won't look at me.  One child won't smile.  (The oldest one was patient and perfect, thank you.)  You should have heard me yelling at the kids in the front yard.  Look at meeeee!  30 pictures later and not one of them is usable.  Will have to try again tomorrow, but I think we'll lose the garland ;)

Happy Friday!

1. Old but beautiful, 2. Zakka Style, 3. candy cane christmas table runner! :), 4. Elly <3, 5. Christmas centerpiece, 6. My New "Lunch Bag" Purse, 7. Untitled, 8. Christmas decoration, 9. pink & pale yellow, 10. shiny, 11. this is my winter song, december never felt so wrong., 12. wishing..., 13. Zakka Style

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

xo amy

Christmas patchwork pillow

hellooo!  I realize some women just breeze right through pregnancy, but lemme tell ya, I was never one of the those girls.  I've had better days and downright bad days lately and just when I think I've got a grip on this morning sickness and the rhythm of my energy, my body throws me a curveball.  Loooovvve it.

Cookie Kits went in the shop Monday and they all sold out, but if you wanted one and didn't get one ~ no worries ~ I'll be listing more tomorrow.  Did you have a nice weekend?   Saturday was Nicholas' birthday party, which was a blast (pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, cookie decorating, pinata, pizza... we went a little old school on this one)... so much fun it was, I had to lay down by 4:30 in the afternoon and I was done for the night.  I've never slept so much in my life!

Sunday morning I started cutting 2 1/2" squares of Christmas fabric.  I had in mind one project, but about halfway through cutting, it was already something else...

Now Olivia has a Christmas pillow, too.  (Nicholas already has one.  Actually, he has a pillow for every season ;)

Next up, I'd like to make a garland to feature in the kids Christmas photo... which will hopefully go into the holiday cards if all goes well.  Have you sent yours out yet?  Only 11 more days 'til Christmas ~ yikes!!

xo amy

a Winner and a handful of Cookie kits!

Loved reading your comments for the cookie giveaway.  A few of you touched on my dream holiday vacation ~ Christmas in NYC with my entire family, both sides.  I'd like to get several suites for all of us (the Plaza hotel would be perfect) and just enjoy eating and drinking and laughing because everyone is nuts... though the love is undeniable.  Oh, and if not NYC than Ireland.  How's that for dreaming?  The lucky winner said she'd prefer to stay home at Christmas... "but home with snow would be fun!"

Yay!  Gail wins the little box of cookies (send me your address and I'll ship 'em right out!) but I'd like to mention I'll be selling a handful of kits in my etsy shop, so you can make your own!  The kits will include pre-cut cookie shapes, pre-cut frosting in pink, white, and chocolate, an assortment of "sprinkle" beads, polyfill, and floss.  All you'll need is a couple of needles and thread, a bit of relaxing time, and a cup of hot cocoa!

I hope to have these in the shop on Monday.  Another item that might go in (if I can bear to part with it), is this little winter pillow I finally finished up today.  Really I was just trying to see if my sewing machine missed me too... so I picked out an easy project (I did the embroidery a year ago) and sat down with my old friend for a few stitches... voila!

Well, I'm off to celebrate my most favoritest boy in the whole world... who is 6 today!  Happy Birthday, Nicholas!!!

And, lastly, Happy Friday faves!

1. Bee 'happy' embroidery, 2. Pastel Ferris Wheel, 3. Botanical Applique, 4. love is in the air, 5. ~ a rare delicacy ~, 6. 100% LINEN Rick Rack, 7. charcoal and wine hair pin trio, 8. tea cups and doilies, 9. Home Needlework Mag Oct 1914 pg 14 closeup, 10. Urban Lattice quilt complete, 11. idees, 12. Still-life of Tree & Wallpaper, 13. july1510_2

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

xo amy

visions of sugarplums

"... the children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads..."

Hurray!  I finished the cookie garland and hung it above Livi's bed.  I'm hoping it will sweeten up her dreams, and maybe even convince her to spend more time in her bed and less time in mine. ;)

xo amy

a sweet cookie garland and a giveaway

I completely forgot about the candy cane garland I'd made last year...

... though I was glad to find it, because it's making my life a bit easier.  Instead of the vision in my head, I'm going to take the easy route and incorporate the old into the new...

Nope, the cookie garland isn't finished yet.  I'm still working on it.  I'm just so.  Dang.  Tired.  We got to see baby's heartbeat Wednesday.  It's given me my first real glimmer of hope.  I even allowed myself to look at baby things at Target, just for a few minutes.  One day at a time, we keep saying.  I'm glad the holidays are here to distract.

I think I mentioned that I stitched up an extra set of play cookies?  Well I put those six cookies in a cute gift box (makes a great holiday gift for the little girl that you adore) and I'd love to give it you!

For a chance to win, leave a comment on this post by Thursday, December 8th, telling me... what would be your ultimate holiday dream vacation!  I wish I could give the winner that dream vacation, but all I've got are these cookies ;)  The winner will be chosen randomly and announced next Friday (Dec 9th).  Good luck and Happy Friday!

1. Christmas is here to stay ..., 2. FWQAL 49 and 50 - Red Pink Green Blue White Flower Sugar Lecien, 3. to you and yours, 4. Spring bird, 5. IMG_7036, 6. Christmas Bear ATC, 7. Nutcracker ornaments, 8. Etsy Prints Round Up, 9. printed doll, 10. Livros de Receitas - Explore!, 11. Vintage embroidery, 12. Letterpress calendar - over the rainbow, 13. francis

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

xo amy

:: hand sewn sweets

It was nearly 5 years ago that I timidly opened a shop on Etsy, selling children's aprons and felt cookies.  I really didn't know how to sew ~ that was the very beginning of this self-taught sewing journey and my first aprons were badly constructed and kinda ugly.

Luckily my sewing has improved ~ but the felt cookies have stayed the same.  I've been sewing up the same play cookies for people around the world these past five years and just yesterday I woke up early, early ~ and decided to make a set for Olivia, a bunch more for a holiday garland, and another set maybe for a giveaway...

Slooowwwly the Christmas decorations are coming out.  I've got a cute idea for a garland featuring these pretend cookies... we'll see if I can pull it off as cute as the vision in my head.  Also, I've been drinking ginger tea today to try and ward off this morning/noon/night sickness.  Have you any good remedies?

xo amy

throw the confetti: we have a winner!

I can picture a lot of husbands' eyes rolling at the list of feel-good movies you've put together for me.  And I confess, out of all the movies you've mentioned, I've seen (and love) nearly all of them and they already line my shelves.  But there is one I haven't seen before ("You've Got Mail") that was mentioned so many times, I'll have to netflix it for sure.  The winner of my little giveaway mentioned two faves~ "Amelie" and "500 Days of Summer."  And the winner is...

Yay!  Amanda of Itchin' Stitchin' was randomly drawn from all those sweet comments you left, but I'd like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to each and every one of you.  I am so thankful for your prayers and good baby vibes.  I feel that every little bit will help and maybe, just maybe, we'll have a miracle baby in our arms at the end of this.  For now I'm still in the midst of first trimester yuckiness ;(

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We went to Las Vegas to celebrate it (and my birthday) with my husband's family.  Fatique and nausea were conspiring against me the entire time, but it was awesome to see family who entertain in so many ways ;)  Love 'em. 

1. You cannot always have happiness, but you can always give happiness., 2. vintage threads, 3. 20, 4. Untitled, 5. On my desk, 6. quilt kit :: coming soon!, 7. HAMMERPRESS, 8. "housepillow", 9. party light, 10. Yarn, 11. DSCN1077, 12. NEW Three Rose Necklaces, 13. Sprinkled Cupcake

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

So I hope you enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving and are now ready for a kickin' holiday season... my favorite time of year.  Have you started decorating yet?

xo amy

a giveaway and an announcement

Warning: things are about to get personal.  I was going to wait a while longer, but I can't keep a secret, at all, and the things that are happening now are really affecting my daily life more than I'd expected.  So I'm gonna spill...

About a week ago I was to finally begin classes for nursing school ~ we'd been preparing for this for months but I'd been wanting to do it for years and it was going to be such a major change in our lives.  Suddenly though, all this has come to a screeching halt as I've discovered I am pregnant, yes.  I'm pregnant.  Which is a joyous thing except that I had an endometrial ablation about a year and a half ago and I haven't had a period since and my uterus is in no condition to support a pregnancy and the possibility of miscarriage is so high that I can't quite wrap my mind around the idea that we're actually having a baby.  But right now, at least, I am very very pregnant.  I'm horribly nauseous and queasy and emotional and exhausted and I'm not really able to do much at all.  I'm getting kinda good at playing Angry Birds.  No sewing of any kind has happened.  In fact, all my rare moments out of bed these past few days have been spent building Lego ships with the kids.  A good use of my time and energy, I'm sure ;) 

So, sadly I have nothing to blog.  One moment I'm in tears, waiting for the miscarriage, and the next I am imagining this crazy house with one more baby in it.  I would love to know if any of you have had a successful pregnancy after endometrial ablation.  I know that many of you have had high risk pregnancies and can totally relate.   I am so open to hearing anything you might have to share with me.  I thank you for reading all of this, if you still are, and I hope I don't sound too much like a sad-sack, even though I am.  Hormones, ladies, they just don't help!!!

But I thought I'd end this post on a good note.  Have you seen the new book from C&T Publishing, called Modern Blocks?

I'm so honored to have two blocks featured in it...

But these two are my favorites...

{ by Melisssa Crowe }

{ by Lynne Goldsworthy }

And I have a copy of the book to giveaway!  So, all you have to do is leave a comment here on this post, telling me... hmmm, let's see... how about, what's your favorite movie to watch when you're not feeling well?  I have this really weird ability to watch the same movies over and over again... lately I've been watching "Atonement", "Star Trek", and "Pride and Prejudice."  And now that the holiday season is here, I'm sure we'll be watching "Elf" again... love that movie.

So, the giveaway is open to my international and domestic friends and I'll accept comments until midnight on Friday, November 25.  Plus, I'll be adding a few extras in to go with the book.

Cheers to you!  xo amy

thankful

During a month that is all about giving thanks and being grateful, I couldn't pass on the opportunity to sew up a small thank you for Joan, who recently sent me a parcel of goodies and Lecien Flower Sugar scraps.  Of course, I used some of those very scraps to make this needlebook for her...

{ In case you missed it, I did a tutorial on how to make your own needlebook here. }

This is just a trifle, but my way of saying thanks.  Of course I'm thankful for about a million other things, but I'll spare you the list.  I do have to show you the early Christmas present I just received in the mail from Isa... 

This, my dears, is a wee Christmas stocking, hand appliqued and embroidered in a style that is so adorably Isa ~ and imagine, this stocking arrived in a box stuffed with chocolate, goodies, and fabric.  Yes, a lot to be thankful for...

Lastly, thank you for coming by...

1. Carrot Cake , 2. FWQAL 42 - Gray White 2 Flower Sugar Lecien, 3. cherry blossoms galore, 4. Love, Cake, & Sprinkles Sliced, 5. Tote Bag Love!, 6. Hair clips, 7. how perfectly perfect..., 8. Pretty Peggy Garland, 9. Red Springy Pouch, 10. Some new additions, 11. fun with wool, needle and hand felting japanese craft book, 12. Sewing Egg Carton, 13. Untitled

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

And make sure to check in on Monday... I'll be doing a little giveaway!  xo amy

:: tuesday

Life has gotten a bit dramatic over here and soon I will have news to share with you... today I've got this children's tote bag to show you...

It's pretty simple: a basic tote bag with a deep front pocket featuring handsewn hexagons.  Canvas webbing handles.  Fully lined.  Wooden accent buttons.  Measures approximately 12" x 14".  Made with love ~ always.  Going in the shop, when I get a chance.

xo amy

:: friday again?

thank you thank you for your well wishes!  Just a few more and I think I'll start feeling better.  Also, the soup my husband brings home is a help.  I am a huge fan of soup.  As in, I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Clam chowder, matso ball, French onion, beef barley, potato, albondigas, lentil, tortilla, wonton, even a chicken soup, if it's done right.  Heaven help me, I am turning into an old lady right before your eyes 'cuz I just realized that pajamas, a warm scarf, soup, and staying home and quilting are my favorite things in the world!

Another favorite thing?  Surprise mail.  The awesome lady behind momomadeit on Etsy just sent me a nice big parcel of scraps... mostly Lecien Flower Sugar scraps, but there were plenty of others, and some trims and a cute handmade ornament as well.  And why did she send all this to me... a virtual stranger?  Because she knew I would love to put these scraps to use and she was right and she is awesome. 

During my hour out of bed today I sat with a dresden plate template, a hexagon template, and my quilting square... just snipping away!  I'm so excited to see what I can do with these... thank you sooo much, Joan!

Friday faves...

1. In the end, I think that I will like that we were sitting on the bed, talking & wondering where the time had gone., 2. OOAK Sheepy*, 3. Untitled, 4. l/ll, 5. Paris frame of mind, 6. Teddy Love, 7. sprig needlebooks, 8. ..., 9. Victoria Magazine July/August, 10. cursive hello wooden rubber stamp, 11. Ribbons, 12. seasonal letters, 13. Fabulous mail day :)

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Happy Weekend to you!  xo amy

:: the start of something good

This is just the beginning...

... and I'm liking it so far.  It's a housewarming gift ~ a tea towel, although for a second there it almost ended up an apron.  And I do think it's pretty as it is, but my goal is to personalize it with some applique and embroidery for my beautiful niece who got married over the weekend.

These two are so truly beautiful inside and out.  They were married at the top of a hill overlooking the ocean and it was crazy windy, but breathtaking.

Of course, now I have bronchitis.  Yep.  I had a cold but now it's full blown bronchitis and today I was that mom picking up her kids from school in 5 layers, shivering in 70 degree heat, tissue in hand, red raw nose, watery eyes, coughing ~ the kind of person I avoid like the plague.  I won't blame you if you want to go wash your hands now...

Have a wonderful, healthy, happy week!

xo amy

:: for Rach

A long time ago I found the most perfect fabric for my {flickr} friend, Rach.  Perfect because she loves Karel Capek... the tea, the adorable tins, the sweet illustrations, and now Karel Capek fabric!  So, I bought a little bit of it to make her something and after an elongated flurry of snipping and stitching, this quilted wall hanging thingy is my surprise for Rach.  It has been a long time in the works (I did the patchwork then let it lay around, I added the linen, did some quilting, ignored it, I added the hand-sewn binding and let it lay around some more, I added the lace and let it... yes, lay around, etc. etc.) and I'm so glad it's now finished so I can finally send it to her.  I hope she's got a spare bit of wall for it...

I had fun making this because the only part I planned were the patches of Karel Capek fabric and the rest evolved organically.  The lace on the bottom is a most delicate antique lace I found once at an antique store.  It was such a short length I had no idea what I would ever use it for, but throwing it on Rach's piece felt right.  If you're familiar with her you know already what a sweet lady she is.  Cheers to you my dear!  xoxo amy

And of course, here's a little friday inspiration...

1. Special order, 2. brooke dress, 3. handmade zakka for baby, 4. spring tile, 5. Liberty Launch Party, 6. Pink Vanilla Meringue, 7. Ollalieberry Ice Cream Quilt, 8. Morning Coffee, 9. french sequins in pretty packages, 10. home sweet home, 11. project patchwork, 12. colour palette : a wee hint of cobalt..., 13. Tamar Mogendorff

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Happy friday!

hello mr. turkey, how are you?

Hello!  I feel like I've been gone a looong time but it's been less than a week.  Last Saturday my sister and her friend arrived for a visit.  Sunday, the three of us ran the Los Angeles Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon...

... which was awesome.  Monday we spent all day in Hollywood, then raced home as the sun was going down, put the kids in their Halloween costumes and walked into town for the party on Main St., followed by trick or treating. 

I didn't get one single good shot of the kids in their costumes but they were cute as heck and we had a blast, all of us.  Next day we spent the entire day at Disneyland and went on nearly every ride because the parks were virtually empty... yes!  And more family fun followed until today ~ we took the "aunts" back to the airport so they could go home to Connecticut, and now we resume life as usual.  Which leads me to turkeys...

"Hello Mr. Turkey, How are you?"  That was a song Nicholas came home singing from pre-school last year and so I made him a pillowcase.  And now that Halloween is so suddenly over, Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming fast!  I'm thinking placemats for the kids might be in order... though Mr. Turkey, I now see, needs one of those red dangly things.  Anyone know what that thing is called?

To help me get back into the sewing spirit, I just received this in the mail from Kerri's shop, So Deerly Loved...

Thanks so much, Kerri!!  Time to get reacquainted with my sewing machine!!!

xo amy

this morning I had to wonder...

Does this mean I'm Supermom?

1. our wedding invitations, 2. Baby Boo, 3. Untitled, 4. french knots, 5. Celebrate, 6. Pink Grapefruit Granita , 7. the start of the flying farfalle quilt, 8. for laurel, 9. Mummy Flat Bonnie - Outside, 10. Untitled, 11. gh - embroidered birds, 12. No Place Like Home, 13. part of my teacup collection

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Thanks for the super sweet comments about my needle book tutorial.  With praise like that I might be convinced of making more!   Happy Friday...  xo amy

needlebook tutorial by nanaCompany

Yay!  Here's a little tutorial on how I make my needlebooks.  They're super easy, fast, and fun... so let's get started.

You'll need:

12- 1.5" fabric squares in assorted prints for patchwork back

1- base fabric for front: 3.5" x 4.5", appliqued/embroidered any way you like

1- strip of fabric for "book binding": 1.5" x 4.5"

1- inside fabric: 7.5" x 4.5"

1- piece of batting: 8" x 5"

2- pieces of felt 6.75" x 3.75", finished with decorative scissors if you like

hair elastic or ribbon, and button

Floss (I use perle cotton, no. 8)

Use a scant 1/4" seam allowance throughout this tutorial...

How to:

• Step 1: I always start with the back patchwork.  Sew your 12 squares together, butting the seams so the squares align nicely.  Then decorate the front of the needlebook using any design you like. 

• Step 2: Place patchwork back and "book binding' piece right sides facing and stitch together.  Press open and then stitch the decorated front to the "book binding".  Press open (I tend to cut my pieces slightly bigger than needed and then square off with my rotary cutter and a quilting square once I've stitched them together).  Lay your finished piece on top of the batting. 

• Step 3: Now I do some handquilting with my perle cotton floss through the needlebook cover and the batting.  I also did some embroidery on the front.  (Added a little tag, too, for fun).

• Step 4: Sew the hair elastic or ribbon right on top of the patchwork end (centered), with the loop facing inward.

• Step 5: With right sides facing, pin the 7.5" x 4.5" inside fabric to your needlebook cover.  Stitch all the way around, leaving an opening so you can turn it right side out. (I've left my opening at the top of the patchwork back.)

• Step 6: Turn your needlebook cover right side out, push out the corners and iron flat.  Slip stitch the opening closed.  I am a very messy slip-stitcher ;)

• Step 7: Next, I stitch by hand around the outside of the needlebook cover and up the two sides of the "book binding" using my perle cotton floss.  At the end of the stitching, make a knot, insert your needle back into the same hole the floss is coming out... push your needle about two inches away before pulling it up.  Tug the knot under the cotton and into the batting.  Snip your floss and make sure the tails disappear.  I always bury my knots!

• Step 8: Next, add your felt "pages."  (I embellished mine a little ahead of time but this can be done afterwards as well.)  Center them inside the book and stitch in place.  I start about a half inch from the top, backstitch, stitch all the way down and finish again with back stitches.  Use pins as your guides.

It's nice and centered.  See?  Also, I usually wait until after the pages are sewn in before trimming them with my scallop scissors.  (Mine are from Fiskars but they no longer make them.  Here is a similar pair of scallop shears.  And yes, they really are that expensive.  You might find them cheaper on Amazon or eBay.)

• Step 9: Lastly, add a button, and you're done!

How to sew a button?  Knot your thread.  Push your needle through from the opposite side of where the button will be.  Pull the knot through to the batting.  Hide those tails inside the fabric.  Make a few stitches to secure the knot.  Stitch through the button holes several times and pull your needle out the back side.  Make a knot and bury it.  That's all!  ;)

Whew!  I honestly live in fear of making tutorials even for simple things like this because... let's just say because.  If I've left something out or something is not clear, please don't hesitate to ask me any questions... I'll do my best to answer.  And now I get to send this little needlebook off to it's birthday recipient.

Happy sewing!  xo amy

:: jack 'o lantern!

This weekend we were up to our ears in Halloween fun.  Nicholas had new and old friends come over Saturday and I whipped up a party faster that you can say "jack o' lantern!"  Of course, I didn't sit down all day, but the kids had fun.  We did cookie decorating, pumpkin carving, balloon drawing, play-doh, and baking: we baked a Boston Cream pie and a pumpkin pie, from scratch.  Nicholas had been begging me for days to make the pumpkin pie and I was sure he wouldn't like it ~ when it was his turn to use the mixer, he said, "ew, that pumpkin smells disgusting!"  But, after a can of sweetened condensed milk and several dashes of spice, he did, in fact, like  it.  Of course, gobs of whipped cream helped, too.

The house was filled to the brim with chocolate and candy corn and sweets (and pizza), so you can imagine how we all felt at the end of the day.  As usual, I forgot to take pics, so the next morning I snapped a shot of what was left over:

Someone, please, tell me to stop eating the pumpkin pie, it is sooo good!  (I didn't even think I liked the stuff!?!)  And in case you thought I forgot...

A needlebook tutorial is absolutely coming next.

xo amy