justin and i dont know when we can buy a house, hopefully before next summer. so we have been just looking here and there online at houses in olympia to see prices and neighborhoods and get an idea of what we dont want and what we do. i know that my ideal house probably isnt going to happen and we will have to compromise some things, but i am still listing all my desires and we will go from there.

this house is a little further from downtown than we would like, but is really cute VINTAGE HOME and almost exactly what i was picturing. there are a few problems though. the neighborhood is ok, but then right behind this house is a dumpy house and a HUGE dog! no thank you. there is no fence and barely any grass in back. puting down more grass would be doable, but building a fence... hmmm and then there is only one bathroom. i would be willing to do with only one, but i do have a huge love for large tubs and have been dreaming of the day i can take a relaxing bath after the kids go to bed. so potentially if the bathroom is large enough we could add it ourselves BUT this bathroom is tiny! no dishwasher either.

i love are the archetecture and character of it. very bright and open inside and a finished basement which we could use for justins office, slash pool room.... if we have a pool table(= or at least hang out with friends after hours and not be as worried about the kids hearing us. also it has three other bedrooms besides this, so the space is great.  i love the hardwoods also! i guess seeing this house gives me hope we can find something we will like or close to it, but then is discouraging since they are asking 237,500 and it isnt in a very good area and it has no fence??and only one small bathroom. i think it is priced a bit high, but what do i know? but it is fun to look and dream(=

here are a few crafts that i have been working on this summer.all of which i made with old clothing remnants or fabrics that i have or some from my grandmother when she passed away. 

this shirt i made for dahlia out of a skirt that i bought literally 10 years ago at the good will. i never used it and yes i kept it all this time, just in case. i liked the patch work on it. the back of the shirt is what used to be the back of the skirt, so conveniently there is a button and zipper in the perfect spot. i hemmed the bottom and made some straps... 

 

i got really excited about making purses and bags this summer, but then ran out of the gusto for it since i have no space to work. but i managed to make a few. i gave a smaller purse to my best friend but i forgot to get a picture of it. you can see it a bit in the photo of her adorable girl rosamund! i braided the strap with three different fabrics and it is not a square shape, a little larger on the bottom. i used several different colors and patterns of fabrics, i think six for the purse i gave shekinah. i really liked the design i made her, i should have made two! but this black purse is great too. i have always had a thing for black and red, although i dont wear it much anymore, i still wanted something to use to spice up a boring all black day....many times when i dont know what to wear, especially in the winter i just throw on a black top. this bag is large enough that i can throw a couple diapers and a change of clothes for the kids and not feel like i am lugging a giant diaper bag across town. but small enough to be just a purse for me. it took a while to sew the flower together, there are several layers and i had to iron them together and then sew them, so they wouldnt shift. i really dont like to use pins!

 

 

i have been wanting to make dahlia a doll for a while and it seemed that it shouldnt be too hard. i just happened to come across an episode of martha stewart and she was doing a doll craft. (i learn better by watching someone, not reading about it)  i usually tevo her shows and skip through it checking for a neat craft or something interesting. tevo is awesome, i wouldnt watch tv without it! anyways, she had a guest on who makes handmade dolls. they were adorable and so i busted one out. i admit i am not the best sewing woman but i love the idea. i have the design in mind for many things but actually puting it together is a whole nother process. that is why i havent actually made more bags i think, my head spins when i sew for very long. anyhow, i didnt do exactly what she did but it is similar. dahlia picked out the hair color and i did the rest. i wanted to name her rosie but she INSISTED on micaiah. my best friends daughter is named micaiah, she talks a lot about her now adays.

 

 

i liked this project because it is ok to not be precise, it is a funky doll and i dont mind things not being symetrical. i should have drawn the face on before i stuffed it though, that was a bit awkward.... this is my first one so my next will should be much better! i ddint have any fabric lying around that was close to skin color, the piece i used was actually the backside of a paisley print, so she looks a bit pale, i think she may faint (=

 

i have been interested in swimming for a while now and since buying a house with a pool is out of the question and moving to an apartment complex with a pool is as much out of the question as the first reason.... then i suppose joining a gym is my next option. so i checked into the gyms with pools close to us. the prices were 45 bucks and 60 for the higher end place. i can understand charging that much, but the joining fees for one of them is absurd! 200 bucks!! the ymca is only 90 bucks to join and if i spread that out over 6 months then it makes it sound better, but where am i going to find 65 extra dollars a month? seriously any ideas?

i dont want to do any kind of party throwing money making thing, pampered chef, jewelry candles... not for me!   i thought maybe i could make totes and purses  for 25 bucks each out of the fabrics i already have ,but what if i dont make my quota, who doesnt get to eat that month? (= in theory making stuff to sell is a great idea, but being consistent is the problem. i think something outside the home would be best. so if you have any ideas, i really want to hear them! i really really want to swim!!!