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Monday, August 29, 2011

Lavender Tea

Has anyone else ever tried Lavender Tea? When I first tried it last year I rode the fence for awhile (okay, almost a year) before I poured myself a cup of Lavender Moon Tea this morning and decided it was a keeper.  It is a wonderfully fragrant and delicate-looking flower/plant/herb.  It's technically an herb and is actually very hardy.


Isn't it gorgeous? I have always loved the smell and look of it.  I mean, come on, it's purple and it smells great! What more do you need?

It also just so happens that I live a few hours away from one of the biggest lavender capitals (at least in the US and as far as I know.  It's really big though).  A little town called Sequim, WA (pronounced like "swim" with a Q.  "S-qwim").  Really cute little town.  They have shops for just about everything - well, probably for everything - relating to lavender.  I enjoyed walking around town.  We stopped to get the boys some lavender ice cream but of course all they wanted was Mint Chocolate Chip in a cone.  They're 3 and 5, can't expect too much yet I guess.  :)

Anyway, I did find this wonderful little tea and herb shop.  I do mean "little" quite literally.  It was probably no bigger than a 9x9 foot room and a delightful little shop.  Shelves all along the walls with big glass mason jars full of different herbs and teas - many I had never heard of but enjoyed trying to pronounce.  I decided on a Lavender Moon Tea because it sounded good and I thought, well, I really ought to buy something lavender.  Glad I did.  I'm enjoying my morning tea.  Hope your morning is going well!

I will be posting a few pics later of my brothers wedding.  For those of you who don't know, my little brother was married recently (August 20th to be exact).  The wedding was beautiful and Kris and Caitlin could not have looked more in love with each other.  I pretty much cried off and on the whole day.  Oh dear! Time to stop talking about this and go enjoy my tea.  I can feel the waterworks coming on again.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Just a quick post for now to say I'm sorry about the long absence.  I have had much going on lately and frankly haven't had any time for sewing, let alone blogging about my sewing. 

My dad has been really sick and was in the hospital for about a week.  I spent my days at the hospital hanging out with him and allowing my mom to get some much needed rest.  My dad is now home from the hospital but still very sick.  

August 20th was my little brothers wedding.   :)  Very excited about that! I absolutely adore my brother and was so happy to be present when he pledged his life and love to Caitlin.  Caitlin is a wonderful young woman with a kind and generous heart and always has such a genuine smile on her face.  I could not have hand-picked anyone better for my brother.  They are such an attractive couple - both physically and spiritually - and it was such a blessing to have the opportunity to see them together and witness how young and in love they are.  (sniff, sniff).

Me, the Hubs and the boys had a great time at the wedding.  The boys were ring bearers and looked way too stinkin' cute in their little tuxes!  We arrived a few days before the wedding and helped Caitlin's parents run some errands and get things finished up for the wedding.  I was in charge of the rehearsal dinner since my parents couldn't make it to the wedding, so Jake and I got that set up with the help of my Granny and my dads three sisters (aka. "the Aunts").  I was so grateful for all the help and great company I was provided.  It was wonderful to see my extended family and close friends of my parents and have that time to catch up with them all. 

Since my dad was still so sick, and barely out of the hospital, my parents were not able to attend the wedding.  The church where the wedding was held was able to hook their video equipment up to Skype though, and my parents and mother-in-law were all able to watch the wedding ceremony live through Skype on their TV!  It was a wonderful present to them as I know they were so sad not to be physically at the wedding.

Well, this is what has kept me so busy and absence as of late.  I will be back very soon to continue blogging about my quilting and sewing adventures.  I hope you have all had a wonderful summer!

Steph

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Sorry to say but the owl blogged about here will not be making it to my etsy shop.  Aiden walked in as I was finishing her a few weeks ago and hugged her tightly - much to my distress as there were pins and a needle in her!  He just looked so cute patting her head and saying, "Oh mommy, did you make her for me? I love this owl too." (He already has 2 of them)! After I pried it carefully from his fingers and explained it was going to be for sale soon, he made his cutest sad face and said, "Oh mom, you know I love it the most of anybody? Maybe you should keep her for your bed? You don't have an owl for your very own, you know? And she is purple.  That's your favorite color mom! You should keep her at our house!"


So I caved.  She sat on my bed for 10.4 seconds before being confiscated to Aiden's bed (ummm, well mom... she has friends on my bed.  Then she won't be so lonely for more owls.  I'll take good care of her.  So will Odin.  I'm telling the truth, I'm not lying!).  Sigh.  I guess I'll have to make these owls in secret from now on or I will never ever get one to my shop.  I decided letting the boys keep her (Aiden gets her in the AM and Odin gets her in the PM) was worth sacrificing the money to be made selling her.  They are so happy and she does look great on their beds.  Isn't that what it's about anyway? Making these little guys smile?  If I can make something with my own two hands that pleases them so much, I'm pretty darn happy too!

I'm going to try working on a new Moda Bakeshop pattern I found today.  Here is the link:  Apple Crate Quilt


This is designed by a fellow blogger Angela from Fussycut who happens to be my current muse!  Isn't it just gorgeous in this fabric! It's new fabric by Aneela Hoey, Little Apples.  I adore this quilt! I'm going to try making it with the abundance of Christmas fabrics I currently have.  Hope to have some pictures up tomorrow.  Be sure to check out Angela's blog! It is filled with wonderful quilts, some great tuts and enjoyable reading. Enjoy the pattern and let me know if you make this quilt! I'd love to see them!  I bet Angela would too! ;)

Enjoy your weekend!
Steph