Sew... much to do and 'darn'-ing needles... no time to do it!

ok... CHEESY play on words... I know!

I've decided that getting busy doing 'things' seems to be pretty important for my state of mind - not being on the verge of tears all the time, and to be pleasant to be around... SOoooo! One of the things that has helped me to keep myself occupied is of course to do lots of creative projects. One of them is to re-organize my back room to become a studio using a lot of Mr Safety-Man's mom's craft, sewing, knitting, etc supplies we brought back from Maine!! This actually has me excited and happy about something. I just have to get moving on it - so I can actually start being creative!!

Back in the spring - when I made the sweet shirts (if I do say so myself *blush*) for my girls - I really felt self-gratification and fulfillment in sewing. I just felt whole. Between sewing & clay - I am finding a calling I think, something I truly enjoy to do something I would like to do forever, something I would love to follow in to some kind of profession. Oooooooo to own my own shop...there I go dreamin' again...

While I was in Utah - trying to heal with my sister & family. I had just read about some cute summer sundresses on a sweet blog called Create and Delegate - right before everything happened. It dawned on me while I was there...PERFECT!! I thought it would help Cynn and I have something to focus on, something to be able to talk together, plan together, and for the little girls - something to look forward to!

We toodled over to Bernina Fabrics...I thought I had died and gone to fabric heaven... If I lived in Logan I think I would go broke! WHY can't we have a store like this? I wish they had a website where you could purchase fabric because it was GORGEOUS!!!!

Sewing in Utah helped me to maintain being creative, gave some shopping therapy, and yet it helped occupy our minds too. My love for sewing just GREW... it was a healing experience. Cynn (my hero) and I had a few nights alone working together where we could cry, laugh, talk, cry some more, be silly, mad, creative, and just be sisters who are trying to heal from such a tragedy. It was truly a bonding time and helped us to slowly start to make sense of things. I will treasure those nights. I look at the pretty dresses we accomplished and cute bags... and it means more to me than ever...

We also decided to make "Discovery Bags" for all five of the kiddos. We thought up the name because the kiddos could use them as they "discovered the world"... on a hike, walk, bike ride, or walking down to The Pioneer Parade. They worked perfect for that - we should know because we did all of the above! They could pick up items, hold water bottles etc... perfect for holding what they needed!
Cynn and I even decided to make something for ourselves... I tried a dress like the girls.
Well it didn't exactly look as cute on me...
as them...

I do l.o.v.e my dress...The fabric is just beautiful. It's comfey and airy and fun to wear. And I ended up making this one at my mom's house - so doing it together with Cynn & Mom was really special.

I just need to tweak it here and there to fit a bit less like a hmmmm 'moo-moo' I guess. Cynn decided that she was going to use her fabric differently (seeing my dress on me without the belt... i don't blame her lol) and we didn't get to finish hers...kinda a bummer - but she will create something beautiful or else I will for her! It did help us to pass the time in a creative way, helping us to have something to focus on rather than dwelling on our grief and helped us to spend quality time together.

I. LOVE. SEWING!!!! I REAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLYYYY DO!

I cannot wait to get started on more projects! Stay tuned for treasures from Gramma San's house... ooooo the projects I can do with some of the neat stuff we brought home!!!

Utah

We made it safely to UT and I took some neat photos from the plane... the landscape of our beautiful country is phenomenal... truly awe-inspiring! We went from the green, warm area of Florida, over dry barren landscapes, to these gorgeous valleys and fissures in our land! Patchwork fields, winding snake-like rivers and streams, to BOOM! these jagged mountains capped in white!!

I heard "Are we in Utah yet?", "Momma look at the mountains - THERE'S SNOW! We have to be in Utah now", "MOMMA there's big hillllllllllls!" I loved it! It was so exciting to see the change in the countryside and see the changes and excitement in the girls faces.

Ahhhhhhhhhh... it's nice to relax and just "be" here. It's funny - I didn't grow up here, I have never lived here but somehow - and maybe it's seeing a lot of my childhood memories in things around my parents home - I feel like I am "home" for the holidays. It is a rather neat, heart-warming feeling.

When the girls first arrived I could see the anticipation, their feelings were palpable as they raced around searching and exploring all the nooks and crannies of the house. They talked steadily about a secret room and even divised a "code word" for it so only those they entrusted with the code word would know which room they were talking about. The girls had fun re-visiting some of their favorite things in the house...tea sets, trains, and a special doll that Boo re-named "Annabelle". They played in the tiny amount of snow that was left in the backyard of Maia and Poppa's house. They also jumped in to leaves and had a grand time flopping around and throwing the leaves at eachother!

Little Ms Boo has followed Poppa around like a little puppy. She has been Poppa's helper and it is so neat to watch. They already been busy raking the front yard together, setting up with Ky the train village for the z-scale train model, and after a short nap they will set up a train that ms Boo and ms Kyky will be able to do on their own.

Even though the plane trip was difficult as far as pain goes... it was worth the trip in more ways than one!