I Birthed A Kangaroo

I tell you, it wasn't easy. But so worth it. What I LOVE about this pattern is it came with a photo tutorial. Because let me tell ya, I was in no mood last week to sew. But I had this pattern staring up at me, calling my name. Begging me to birth a kangaroo, and let me tell you I see why now.

 

I became frustrated last year with another designer, and swore off any more animal patterns. And then I fell in love with a Toucan. Head over heels. And this designer had a sale and after looking at all her designs, I picked a Kangaroo, and thought this was the last chance. And after sewing this little lady I will be back. I have a toucan to buy after all.



I added the pouch, the pouch is NOT in the pattern. It's really easy to do, you just add in the fabric first thing, and as you sew, trim it up a bit. I added the black trim before adding the legs. My boys said it had to have a pouch. 

When I buy a new pattern, I normally practice with scrap fabric or some Muslim fabric. It allows me to practice the pattern. To make any adjustments I need to make for myself. Allows me to fully understand the pattern before diving into my good fabric. Even for as long as I've been sewing I still believe in practicing.

 

Now to name the little lady?

 

You can buy your pattern here...

 

http://www.funkyfriendsfactory.com/products/instant-downloads

 



Job Lose/Change of Job/Change of Position

No matter what you call it, it's utterly depressing. So hubby's work is "claiming" the current position he is in, is being moved to a training only position. Bull Crap. You can't be in that position for more then a year, then you have to move up or down the ladder.

 

For hubby to move up, we are talking boat loads of stress, we are talking about having to move stores, the second you move up the ladder, the company starts to move you from store to store, you have no say in where you go. We know many managers that drive 1-2 hours just to get to work. Odds are our drive will be over an hour. The company doesn't pay extra for gas. They just won't. So there goes any extra money that the position would come with.

 

Or move down the ladder, a lot less stress, he can stay with his current store, a 20 minute drive for us. But it's a pay cut. We will be making two dollars less an hour.

 



Honestly what I think is happening is something we have seen over and over and over again. No matter how good of an employee you are, his company likes to push out the aging employee's. We have seen it so many times. No one retires from his company, well ok one did two years ago, she some how made it to the end. But no one since that we know of has "retired" from the company.

 

This company just loves to treat their employee's like utter crap. I'm so tired of seeing it and now we are feeling it.

 

Yep, ask why does he work for them? well for the last few years we have been putting out applications. But no one wants to hire a middle aged guy. In about 3-4 years of putting out applications, we have yet to receive one call back. Which freaks me out because if they completely push him out we are up a creek.

 

So things are pretty depressing here right now. As we let all the piece's drop. What will be his new days off? what will the paycheck look like now? How much more can I tighten the budget? All the homeschooling will be dumped on me. Have to re-arrange dinner's. Since he will be home for dinner every night. Although now dumping all the night time stuff on me as well. Because odds are he will go to bed when the kids go to bed.

 

Depressing. 

Bear Quilt

Found this guy on pinterest. Blew him up, no really blew him up, about six feet tall. I think the background is too dark for the black, so he really doesn't stand out to me? Although this is one quilt you need to see in person, photos do nothing for it. I like him, he was a challenge. 

Ocean Quilt

It started with a shark. I saw a shark sticker (kid ya not) and thought that would be awesome has a quilt. My first thoughts was to do a block quilt. A shark in one block a whale in another. But then the whale was created and I had a thought on coral, and rocks. Got it all done and then had to create some fish. This currently is not finished it's just the top. I'm going to have to spend a month quilting all these tops I'm creating. 

Is It Spring Yet?

I got the leeks and onions going. I'm hoping with planting early this year they will be ready to harvest on time? I just now, well yesterday harvested my leeks. Part of it is a time issue.

 

The backyard garden is totally under construction. I'm re-arranging bricks and moving dirt around. I shouldn't have to spend a dime. But if I'm here for another year or two I have to have a backyard that works for me. This area drives me up the wall. So I run out in-between rain and I pick one project a day. Once that is done I come in. This way I'm not spending days and days out there in early spring. Hopefully I can take photos soon?

 

Up next I need to pick tomatoes and figure out what I'm growing. Won't be doing 500 tomatoes. Like last year. Should try and keep it under 100. Although so many tomatoes I want to grow. But after last year, I'm not the biggest fan of cherry tomatoes. I'll probably grow matt's folly, it's a great one to slice in half and put on the dehydrator. I have a list going for the neighbor. She came over one day and saw a purple tomato and about freaked out. Tomatoes are only red. Nope. I have every color I can think of. She took a purple tomato and raced home to show her husband. So I will plant blue berries for her. It's a lovely purple cherry tomato. I could talk tomatoes all night long, but won't.

 

Well talk about peppers instead....OK joking. Need to get on peppers too.

 

So basically every moment I can I'm out in the garden. Just waiting for spring. 

Boy's Christmas

These are the gifts the boys gave each other. I think they did really well in thinking, planning and plotting on what to make/give each other. Although mommy did 100% of the sewing. I do not have patterns for any of these.

 

So slug terra is their new thing. IDK. Tucker and I drew these guys out, I blow them up and made them into stuffed animals. Tucker gave these to Cole.



 Cole adopted these monkey's from goodwill for Tucker. Because every monkey needs a good home. 

I noticed Cole getting into drawing, and him and I sat down and worked on drawing out a picture of Buddy, Cole did it all himself, and he was doing great. Well until he added a black beard? Buddy doesn't have a black beard. 

 



Tucker wanted to make stuffed animals for Ethan, but as I reminded Tucker that Ethan has given away all his stuff animals? We decided to do pillows instead. Which worked out well. I used the same pattern I used to make the stuffed animals.

 



I don't know how to explain Ethan's gift to Tucker and Cole? They call it a blaster holder. So now they run around the house blasting (Lego's) at each other. Yeah, can't wait for summer and finding Lego's all over the front yard?

 



I'll do more Christmas coming up.