Conversations with Chaela (Part II)

The scene: Dinner.  The Elders are over, and Chaela has climbed on the bench to sit between them.  It's the clean-up moment between the meal and the pumpkin pie.

Chaela: UUUUUUUUUUURRRGH (extremely loud grunt)!!!  Oh!  My panties are stuck in my bum! 

Incredulous silence.  Outburst of laughter.

Chaela:  Hey!  That's NOT FUNNY!

My apologies, Elders.

Picture Quilt

Maya asked me to be a part of her Winter Crafts Blog Carnival, and I'll be honest, I haven't had much time for crafting lately, so the craft I'm posting about is the only one I already have a lot of pictures of.  This blog kind of presupposes general knowledge of sewing/putting together quilts and blankets.  I did this for my husband's "big present" for Christmas last year, because it took a while and did take some money, mostly because of printer ink and transfer paper.

If you like this idea but it looks complicated, just adapt it!  You don't have to be crazy like me... I did 20 large pictures and a dozen or so smaller ones. 

Will's Halo quilt.

Of course, you don't have to make a Halo quilt (unless your "giftee" is a big fan and you know how to get their screenshots on your computer).  You can use whatever pictures you want: family pictures, wedding pictures, nature shots, etc.

Before you get your materials, determine how many pictures you want to use.  This quilt has 20 screen shots and various other smaller images.  I made sure all of my pictures were horizontal, because that was the look I wanted.  I don't remember my exact measurements, so once you come up with a design, you'll need to calculate your own.

Materials:

Pictures (mine are 8x10)

Iron on transfer paper (enough for all of your pictures)

Iron/hard flat surface

Pillow case

white cotton fabric to iron the pictures onto

one or two border fabrics

fabric for sashing (i.e., the fabric bordering the picture squares)

fabric for backing

quilt binding (your own or premade)

pearl thread or yarn for tying

thread

printer ink

PREWASH ALL FABRIC

Ok, I'll be honest, there may be a much more efficient/cheap way to do this that I don't know about.  This how I did it.

The very first thing is obviously to come up with a design and measurements.  When sewing, you always need to make room for seam allowances.  On quilts I only use a 1/4 inch seam allowance, so I cut all of my pieces 1/2 inch wider and longer than I want my finished piece to measure.  So if I want a 2 inch sashing on my finished quilt, I'm going to cut my fabric 2 and 1/2 inches wide.

Once you know all of your measurements, cut out your fabric pieces using a rotary cutter and being as precise as possible.  For the picture squares, I highly recommend white fabric.  Why?  Because the "light fabric" iron-on transfers work a million times better than the "dark fabric" ones, which I had to go back and sew on because they didn't stick.  If you don't like the white border, transfer your pictures first and then cut your fabric with only the seam allowance.  You can always add a top and bottom border to make them square (or just leave them rectangular if they're all the same size, which mine were not).

Next, I compiled a file of the pictures I wanted to use, made sure I had extra ink cartridges, and went to town printing out 8x10's.  NOTE: Even though I selected "Iron-on transfer" from my printer options, the printer didn't print the pictures as a mirror-image, which is what it's supposed to do, so you need to make sure you use a photo-editing program to "flip horizontally" before you print, and then do a test run on regular paper.

Next, take your squares of white fabric and follow the package directions to transfer the pictures, making sure your picture is centered.  The ones I used required you to place a pillow case on top of the transfer while you ironed to avoid melting the picture.  I'd use an old one; my pillow case ended up a little scorched after 20+ pictures.  I also did the transfers on my counter top instead of my ironing board, because the surface is supposed to be very solid and perfectly flat, which our ironing board is not.  If you have a ridiculous number of transfers, like I did, this part takes forever.  Do it in a well-ventilated area, because that many iron-ons start to let off some fumes after a while.  (I didn't do the "dark fabric" transfers in the sashing intersections until the quilt top was sewn together, but it's the same process.)

Once all of your pictures are transferred, lay out all of your fabric pieces to make sure you like the look of your quilt.  Do this before you sew anything together so you can rearrange if you need to.

Sew your quilt top together.

Lay out your backing (right side down), then your batting, and finally your finished quilt top on top.  Trim the batting (your quilt top and backing are supposed to be the same size, though this rarely works out for me).  Use pearl thread or yarn to tie your quilt, or, if you're ambitious, actually quilt it (I'd recommend not sewing on the actual transfers if you do).  Sew on your binding.  You're done!

This is hands down the best-received gift I have ever, ever, ever given anyone in my life.  I've washed it once and the transfers handled it just fine, but I'm going to try and wash it as little as possible so that it lasts as long as it can, because my husband loves it!

Like I said, this blog presupposes a lot of sewing knowledge.  If you have more detailed questions, leave a comment and I'll try to answer them.  This was mostly just to show the idea of doing a quilt with pictures.

I am alive.

Just in case you were wondering.  However, it's 10, and I have to get up at 6, so I am going to bed.  Hopefully I'll blog soon.

Never too old!

Now that I have kids myself, I'm reminded of a whole host of things I used to do... and still don't feel too old for. 

1. Play in the sprinklers.  I know exactly why I haven't done this recently... it has something to do with what my body looks like after having two kids. 

2. Color in coloring books.  I've been doing a lot more of this lately, thanks to Chaela.  I've also noticed in places like church that half the time it's parents coloring in coloring books, not kids.  Kids are just an excuse.

3. Play with blocks or play dough.  My dad, Jordan, and Will are also guilty of this.  We always start out playing with Chaela, but at some point she wanders on to the next thing... and sometimes we don't.

4. Catching crawdads in a creek.  We don't have one, and haven't since we moved to Ohio, but if we did, you can bet some of my "mommy time" would be spent wading barefoot through the water, pants rolled up, a bucket in one hand and a stick in the other, because that's what I used.  We didn't have fancy things like nets when I was a kid.

5. Playing on a playground.  Hey, some of the stuff they have these days is just cool, like the new playground at Victory Park.  I don't have any pictures, but trust me, it's not the same stuff we had when we were kids.  It's the "big kid" side, though, so I have to wait until Chaela's a little older to have an excuse to climb on it...

I'll never be too old for some things.

So what kids of things did you do as a kid that you'd still do, given the chance?

Conversations with Chaela (Part I)

Now that Chaela's old enough to have conversations, she won't stop talking.  Some of the stuff she says is funny (but maybe I only think so because I'm her mom).  I wanted to share, so here are a few things she's said lately.  I'll probably post more as she says more stuff.

"Let's go to the library!  Let's go see animals!  Then let's go to the zoo and see books!"

"No, I can't go to bed, I have an idea."

Chaela: "Grandma, your name is Katie, and mommy's name is Katie?"  Mom: "No, mommy's name is Caitlyn."  Chaela: "Oh!  Mommy's name is Caitlyn, and Joci's name is Katie!"

(As she climbs into the laundry hamper) "Bye mommy, see you tomorrow!"

(In the car) "Daddy, I need to drive.  It's my turn."

"Look, it's Jordan and Bunface!"

And my current favorite: "Mommy, I need to go home. I need to pwn my noobs."

_________________________

Also, happy three month birthday to Joci today!

Caitlyn's YA Fantasy List

I've just finished another YA fantasy novel, and it was great.  I've read quite a few decent YA fantasy books this year, and I've posted about this genre before.  Since my favorite pastime after reading is giving people advice they didn't ask for, here is my list of books and authors you should read if you're in a YA fantasy mood.

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Before I give you my list, and just in case you've stumbled on my blog and don't know me, here's what I look for in my YA fantasy.

1. A protagonist I like.  Usually the only problem I have with my main characters is if they're female and useless.  I feel like female protagonists should be strong.

2. A good story.  Something I love to read because it's human and interesting.  Something I summarize badly to Lindsay while telling her why it's awesome and repeatedly calling her until she gets it from her library and reads it.  Something I may even attempt to tell my husband about, while simultaneously shouting at him to turn off  that game because this is important!  But that's only if it's really good.

3.  A clean read.  Unfortunately, a lot of "edgy" authors think that f-words and sex make for a good YA read.  Sorry, popular authors, but I just can't get through all of your "edginess."  I'd rather have plot and characters I secretly think of as real people than f-words and angsty teen-aged sex.

Of course, as a disclaimer, some of these books do have these things in them, but not a gratuitous amount.  Most of these books are written for an older YA audience.  Maybe not as old as me, but some of us have a hard time growing up.

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On to the list!  I'll list authors, because that's what I do; I find an author I like and read all their stuff.

Carrie Vaughn - Voices of Dragons. 
I haven't read anything else by her yet, and this is her only YA book, so I can't vouch for the swearing/sex level of her adult novels.

Kelley Armstrong - The Darkest Powers Trilogy: The Summoning, The Awakening, and The Reckoning.  Currently working on Dime Store Magic, however, I think I should have gone to Stolen, because I'm pretty sure it's one of her first ones, and they all take place in the same world.

Cassandra Clare - The Mortal Instruments Series: City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass.  They're pretty good, even if the main character is dangerously close to breaking my anti-"female and useless" rule.  She has a new series starting called The Infernal Devices.  We'll have to see about those.

Libba Bray - The Gemma Doyle Trilogy: A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing.

Scott Westerfeld - Leviathan was my favorite of his, but you may also enjoy his Uglies Series: Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and Extras.  Peeps and his Midnighters Series (The Secret Hour, Touching Darkness, and Blue Noon) were also pretty good.  He has a ton of books out, so type his name in the search box under "author" at your library and go at it.

Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games Series: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay ( the last one is coming out August 24 of this year, so I haven't read it and don't know if it will be good or not, obviously).

And of course, good ol' Orson Scott Card - Ender's Game.  It's just good.  I have a hard time putting it in the same category as these, because I feel like it's a heavier read.  Not harder, just deeper.  All of his books are pretty dense reads.  Very good, but in medium-sized quantities.

Alright, I feel satisfied that this is enough unsolicited advice for now.  Remember, I have a limited attention span and scope of interest, so if one of these isn't your thing, they probably all aren't (with the exception of Ender's Game).

Independence Day

Possibly because my 4th of July has always been associated with the best vacation ever (my grandma's house on a lake in MO), it's one of my favorite holidays.  I'm proud to be American, but as a nation I believe we lose sight of what this day means.  This is the day we honor not only those who died to give us freedom, but the fact that we are free.  I think that modern America forgets, or wants to, that we are also founded on faith.  Today in church we sang the Star Spangled Banner.  Virtually every American knows the first verse, but I was struck by the last verse and wanted to share it with you.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Amen, Mr. Key.

5 Great Things That Make My Day

Well, it's possible that with two blogs in less than a week, I'm getting back into the swing of things.  But let's not get our hopes up.

Anyway, yesterday I was going along, minding my own business, when without warning I encountered a bunch of Great Things that made my day.  Here are my top five Great Things as of now, from Great to Greatest:

#5  Yoga. 

Specifically, Yoga X, part of the p90x series of DVDs I borrowed from a friend, who is awesome.  I always thought yoga didn't look that hard.  HA!  I could only do about 20 minutes of the DVD before I was done, because I am a wimp.  But it felt SO GOOD!  Everybody try it!

#4 Dave Barry's I'll Mature When I'm Dead

Everyone must read Dave Barry, because he's possibly the funniest author out there right now.  This is just his latest book; he has quite an extensive list of publications.  I can't even explain it, just read his stuff and laugh, then laugh again, then again, until you're snorting and your sides ache.

#3  Goody Spin Pins

People with long hair must have these.  Since my hair has gotten about to the point of ridiculousness (and I still haven't cut it for reasons even I don't understand), I've been at a complete loss as to how to style it.  I recently tried normal bobby pins, and instead of styled hair all I got were a bunch of stretched out, unusable bobby pins.  These seemed pricey at first, especially since only two come in the package, but they're worth every cent.  One holds all of my ridiculous amount of hair reasonably well, which is astounding enough, but when I use both of them my hair could withstand a tornado.  And, best of all, it takes literally seconds to put my hair up with these.  They win top spot on the "things that make my day but are not of eternal-type importance" list.  The next two are more of that kind of thing.

#2 Daily reading from the Book of Mormon

I usually don't get too terribly much into religion on my blog, but I just have to say that reading from this book is amazing.  It truly does contain truths that are so plain and simple... it just makes me happy.  Here's an example from one of my favorite chapters, 2 Nephi, chapter 2:11:

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

And from the same chapter, verse 25:

25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

It just makes me feel good inside.

#1: Will

I've been underappreciating my husband a lot lately.  I've been ornery, cantankerous, and downright awful, and he continues to love me.  He does more than I do to clean, he does so much to takes care of our girls, he helps my parents, and he pretty much gives in to giving me what I want, especially if I whine about it for a very long time (another flaw I'm working on).  He puts up with the fact that I have no filter between my mind and my mouth, and no one should ever have to do that.  He inspires me to be healthier, then eats ice cream with me at night (which is how I like it... besides, it's just a little), tells me I'm beautiful when I'm so not the girl he married... and mostly in return I give him a bad time about everything.

I'm sorry, Will.  I love you dearly and I'll try to improve.  Thank you for everything you do.

Tell me, what are your top five Great Things?  Comment or write a blog of your own about it!

On Societal Ills and My Awesome Talents

On the news today, I saw that the consumer watchdog group The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is threatening to bring a lawsuit against McDonald's because the company refuses to stop a practice which is horribly, incredibly dangerous to our children.

Offering toys in Happy Meals.

It's shocking, I know.  Apparently including toys in a Happy Meal is part of an insidious marketing plot to make the meal more appealing to children (duh), but the lure of those toys is deadly.  "Why?!" you cry from the edge of your seat.  Prepare yourselves: Happy Meals make kids fat.

That's right, that corporate powerhouse is killing our kids by force-feeding them greasy hamburgers and fries, thus causing rampant childhood obesity.  Because kids will want a hamburger or deep-fried chicken less if a cheap wad of plastic wasn't included.

But wait!  I just realized something, CSPI!

I'm the parent, not you.  And definitely not McDonalds. I decide what my children eat, and I'm perfectly capable of making that decision, whether Happy Meals have toys or not.

I am so sick of groups like you trying to usurp my parental responsibilities; responsibilities that I hold sacred.  McDonald's is a company, an entity whose sole purpose to make money.  It's completely within their rights to market toys to children to get them to eat there.  That's why they exist.  It's not their job to make sure my kids are healthy, it's mine.  I want it.  I claim it.  If I don't want to feed my kids a hamburger and fries, I won't.  Period.  But if I do want to, there had darn well better be a toy in that bag. 

It's my job to say no, CSPI.  Your threatened lawsuit is not only ridiculous, it is an insult to my intelligence and my competence as a parent.

What are you going to do next, CSPI?  Threaten a lawsuit against restaurants with a dollar menu if they refuse to raise prices?  After all, cheap, fast food is an insidious marketing ploy to get adults to eat there, and eating there could cause obesity!! 

Doesn't that sound idiotic?  That's because it is.  And it's pretty much the same thing.  I prefer the freedom to choose for myself, thank you.

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In other news:  Look what I can do!  I made a mei tai-style baby carrier using this tutorial.  I added a few tweaks of my own, of course.  I'd like to be able to come up with my own design eventually.

Joci loves it!  I think babies like being in carriers like this.  She was throwing a fit and stopped pretty much immediately when I put her in this for a test-run.  30 seconds later she was asleep.

So does Chaela.  I put her in it and she kept telling me which way to go, like I was a horse.  Then she told me to take her on a walk outside.  What a charming daughter I have.

I have to admit, I love this thing because it can carry Joci or Chaela without a problem. 

When Good Movies Go Bad

Oh, Letters to Juliet, why?

I liked you in the beginning, even though, like 99% of movies out there, you were set in NYC.  I could forgive your lack of creativity in setting.

I loved you in the middle, even though your leading man had skinny legs and the acting took a turn for the mediocre.  He had a sexy voice, and that was enough for me.

I was pretty sure when you came out on video I would buy you.

But then, THEN you dropped that last scene on me.  If it had been good writing and bad acting, it would have been ok.  If it had been bad writing and good acting, it would have been ok.  But no, bad acting and horrid, atrocious writing.  Though you had the predicable ending my romantic sensibilities desired, that last scene oozed cheese so embarrassingly that I cannot overlook it.

 WHY?

I am stricken.

You could have been like French Kiss or 10 Things I Hate About You, one of those romantic movies with a great story.  You could have been in my top five.  Alas!  Sadness and woe!

I am so disappointed in you.