Random Phone Pics

Made this dip for a party last week - thank you Pinterest!  It calls for 1 tub of cool whip, one box of vanilla pudding mix, and one can of pumpkin.  Next time I'd like to substitute the can pumpkin for a can of pumpkin pie mix.  Just to add a little bit of spice to it.   

McCord's feet aren't usually this dirty!  

Weed eating. 

Bought this fabric well before Wade was born.  Shame that I made Wade's pants a bit too small and I had to squeeze him in!  Just had to get a picture of them together in their matching outfits, because I'm pretty sure, Wade's never going to fit in his pants again!

Little break with Ernie and Bert while we did a bit of Christmas shopping today. 

My heart grows bigger every time I look at this photo. 

...and this one. 

McCord and I made a turkey out of his hand print inspired by this photo.  I had intended to make one of Wade's hand too, but it would be so tiny, I don't think I could sew around his fingers.  This is one craft that I'll have to save for Wade for a couple of years.  

Brought home a couple of yards of this fabric last week that I found at my favorite fabric store. It was the last of the bolt, and I'd love to find a couple more yards to make drapes for the dining room. I've been crazed trying to track it down!

Mc and I made this turkey t-shirt last week so he'd have a little something festive to wear to preschool. He was dying to put his hands all over it!  He had so much fun!

Estate Sale

Sunday's paper ran an ad for an estate sale of a woman who was considered a master quilter and baker.  Estate sale + sewing + someone who loves sweets?  Yes, please.

I just had to go check out this curious adventure!

Apparently the woman had 5 children and she and her husband built their house which was secluded among the trees on 26 acres.  Her sewing room was huge and included french doors that opened up onto a second floor deck with views of the thick woods and large creek in her backyard.  Sounds romantic but the house was a complete mess!  I believe she was a bit of a hoarder!  I expected to be the only crazy person who would travel way, way, out of the way to get a bargain, but the house was packed with lots of other crazy people just like me.  What fun Wade & I had scavenging for a bargain!

Here are a few pictures of the randomness that was this estate sale.

Wrapping paper, anyone?

Vintage sewing machines

There was an impressive sale on fabric. 

Yes, that is a tree trunk in the center of the room. 

I scored two bundles of striped knit fabric. 

Several yards of charcoal gray and red velvet - thinking about making some matching Christmas outfits out of the red for Mc and Wade. 

I fell in love with this childish flannel - it has a little boy dressed as an astronaut and his dog shooting a rocket. It looks vintage, but I have no idea. 

I spun the flannel into a blanket for Mc with soft minky fabric on the reverse side. Wade's matching blanket is in the works. 

If you are as curious about this estate sale as I was, and would like to see the pictures of the merchandise before it was picked over, click here.  You won't believe your eyes.

My Wagon Gets Around

: : A Post By McCord : :

A few days before Thanksgiving, my mama and I took my wagon to Ikea so we could do a little shopping.  As you know, my wagon gets around.  She wanted to post about this shopping excursion several weeks ago, but it's been pretty hectic in our house between renovations and sewing and getting ready for Christmas, so I've hijacked her laptop to share a few photos with you. 

Here I am getting ready for my first Ikea experience.  We arrived early before the store opened so we could get in a full Ikea lather with all the crazies. 

And here I am practicing my Ikea happy dance. Inspired by the music video Thriller.

It helps if you get your mouth involved in the dance too.  Just let it all out! 



Now that we've gotten that behind us, let's shop!

Here are a few pictures my mom took of products she was tempted to buy...

This big stripe runner for $35

And this one for $39

She loved this fixture and I think she wants to go back and get it for the new room I'll be sharing with baby brother or sister when renovations are complete.

And she liked this too - but couldn't figure out where to put it.

She did a little Ikea dance herself when she saw that this fixture was drastically reduced from $90 to $40.  She really debated but....



...decided to go with this large pendent instead.  I'm really glad she chose it, but we'll see how long it takes her to assemble it.

The wagon was perfect to lug around all of our loot!



I'm a lover, what can I say?  I hug and kiss everything. 



After a full morning of shopping, we refueled in the cafeteria.  I had a fine meal of chicken fingers and fries. 

And then I made some new friends in the kids' play station in the cafeteria.  This little girl has 5 brothers and sisters!  Her mom brought all of them to Ikea. 



This friendly guy is one of her siblings.  His name is J-A-A-D-E-N.  I know because every time he told me his name he spelled it out for me.  

After we played, mama loaded me back in the wagon and proceeded to take the tray with our dirty dishes to the tray station.  Right then, J-A-A-D-E-N came running over to me to give me one last hug.  As mama was turned around to watch us, she must have forgotten about the tray she was carrying while pulling the wagon, because it tipped forward, and she dropped the whole thing on the ground.  Dirty dishes and all.  And they all shattered to pieces of course.  It was kind of embarassing.  All I could say was, "uh uh uh uh uh uh uh OH!"

And here's one thing you should know about taking a wagon to Ikea.  If you do something embarassing, and then decide to go hide in the crowds of shoppers and act like you're a normal human being, the wagon will give you away.  Not that we tried to do that or anything.   

Mama also contemplated these fun panels for the playroom.

And I'd love to have this swing in my bedroom, but mama said we should wait until I'm a bit older.



And this one's pretty cool too.



Check out the little boy in the background.  He's checking out my ride!



I dedicate this post to Papa and Gee Gee for giving me the wagon for my birthday.  As you can see, it was a perfect gift and I'm thinking about decorating it for Christmas.  It's kind of like my sleigh.

Choose & Cut Christmas Tree Farm You'll Love

Happy belated Thanksgiving! 

I intended to do a Thanksgiving post, but my almost 17 month-old decided to drop both his morning and afternoon naps simultaneously this week and throw the Biggest Tantrum Witnessed in the History of Motherhood.  In T.J. Maxx.  With a store full of shoppers.  You might have seen us.  I was the mom who abandoned a cart full of merchandise to haul my son (kicking, screaming, and flailing arms) in the football hold through the nearest exit.  I did not see you because I was averting eye contact with every living being. 

Needless to say, blogging didn't make it on the to-do list. 

 
But tantrums aside, we had a fabulous family day today driving into the Blue Ridge Mountains to this Choose & Cut Christmas Tree Farm.  Driving up to North Carolina has been a tradition that Bo and I started as newlyweds and each year we've chosen a different farm to explore.  Sometimes we just hop in the car without a plan and see where we end up, but this year, I did a little research to find a farm that Monkey would love.  It did not disappoint.  Not only did we have acres of beautiful Frasier firs to choose from, but we also visited with Santa, miniature donkeys, goats, chickens, and ducks.  There is also a free hayride offered that views a 100-year old historic log cabin. 

Here are a few pictures from our excursion - hope to get pictures up of our decorated trees later this week. 

Stopping to fuel up at a Mexican restaurant prior to finding the perfect tree

Helping Daddy string the lights on Mc's playroom tree

Since I didn't get to blog last week, I have many exciting things to share.  Here are some upcoming posts:

• McCord and I have a clumsy visit to the world of Ikea
• New blog head!  A high school friend (thank you FB for bringing us together!) of mine has thoughtfully designed a new blog head for High Cotton Handmade
• Updates on our bathroom renovation (we have a toilet! and antique dresser/vanity will be installed this week)
• I plan to make a few Ruffle Knit Wraps next week and list them on etsy ($27 each).  Let me know if you'd like to place an order for Christmas.  If you've spoken to me about this already, I'll be in touch.  Assuming all fabric is in stock, here are the color options: cranberry red, tangerine, citrine green, chocolate brown, charcoal, and bright/rosy pink.