A Couple Sewing Projects

On top of starting my own company making baby items, I've also been making some clothes for the kids.

This dress for Etame is made from fabric purchased at Cloth House in London.  It's heavier which makes it lay better.  The pattern is from the Japanese pattern book Girly Style.

It may be a bit big but I think she'll get good use out of it this summer.

This robe for Landon is from an old pattern.  Lots of facings.  The fabric is a soft thicker woven that is almost fleece like.

I have a few more projects I need to post as well.  The last few months have been busy and emotional and have gone by quite quickly.  Hope all of you are well out there!

Christmas Gifts

Etame's favorite gift was her Easy Bake Oven.  We have already made miniscule cupcakes and equally tiny cookies.  But I have to admit it is fun, and I can only imagine how thrilling it is through the 4 year old's mind.  She is delighted.

Etame was so good as sharing, as expected.  Tosca was loving eating all the frosting.  She's "the  tester".

 And "the poser".

The worked nicely together and enjoyed their tiny creations and soupy overdecorated result.  Now each day the question is if we can pull out the Easy Bake again.

Birthday Girl Tosca

Tosca's birthday, back in October, was simple and sweet.  She enjoyed having a family dinner and then cake and presents to open!

The older kids enjoyed it just as much, blowing out her candles for her.  

And this is how she is most often, nothing on the lower half, full of life and loving everyone.  What a sweet joy she is.

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Sleep Mask

Etame came downstairs the other morning, after waking up and was wearing this "sleep mask". 

Not sure how much good the eye mask did but she seems to think she got a very restful sleep.  Then I went to take a picture and she made this silly face.  Silly girl.

Etame's Surprise Photos, and Products from Ethiopia

Thank you everyone for all your encouragement on my new business adventure!  I don't intend to make this blog all about that, just so you know.  I am just excited to share with you my newly found interest and why it's rejuvenating me these days. 

Now, some pics of dear Etame...

These are the photos I found on my phone the other day.  Surprise!  Etame's personality comes out through these self portraits.  She is quiet and polite and sweet to all others, but when left on her own, she plays in her imaginary world, silly and funny girl.

She tags along to all of Landon's activities, finding new friends to play with, and (mostly) quietly playing with Tosca or with the toys she brought.

And of course sometimes she plays with my phone (when I'm desperate).  This little baby born from Ethiopia is emerging into a confident, kind, little girl.

I've spoke often in this space and to you personally of someday somehow wanting to combine my talent and interest and love of sewing and my desire to help women and children in Ethiopia.  Here are a few companies that are doing just that and I'm so excited to share.

Noonday Collection - "advocate for the orphan" created by adoptive parents

This is a necklace I particularly liked, made from recycled scrap metal and found war artillery shells.

fashionABLE - "Creating sustainable business for women in Africa"

This organization is all about the scarves.  Beautiful choices of ethnic scarves which remind me of that material I bought when in Ethiopia!

This one is lovely.  I need more Ethiopian fabric, it is decided. Which means a trip back to Ethiopia.  Sigh - someday...

Lastly, there is Lemlem - Created by a supermodel and native of Ethiopia "as a way to inspire economic independence in her native country and to preserve the art of weaving"

I have been following this company for a while.  Their price points are much higher than the others, but they have the style behind them and sell in companies like Neiman Marcus.

They also have children's clothes, which are super adorable!

I can't vouch for how much of the profits go back into country or directly help those in need, but I will consider it next time I'd like unique jewelry or outfits for my little girls or myself.  It's important to put our dollars into companies and people making a difference.  I love to support local and small businesses as well as those doing amazing things.  Think what the company Toms has done!  Amazing.  How lucky we are to be able to put our money into people "doing good" while getting great products in return!

If you do end up purchasing something from one of these organizations, I'd love to hear about your experience and appreciation of the goods.

Here's to making a difference!

(thanks to Jones Design Company for sharing two of these great companies on your blog)

New Opportunities

I've been thinking about going back to work for a while now.  I need to use more of my brain, the part that I used back when I worked at Nike.  I love staying home though.  Who would take the kids to activities and how would I get to play my tennis still?!  The dilemma of the stay at home mom.  But still I wanted something more.

So two opportunities recently came across to me.  One I am currently pouring myself into, and the other I am actually on a waiting list to take part in.  I'll let you know about that one later.  First I want to share with you, my family and blog friends, about the first.

The company is called Rodan + Fields.  It's becoming one of the most recognizable brands in the anti-aging skin care industry.  The doctors (2 women Stanford grads - girl power!) are the creators of Proactive and this is their new endeavor.  I'm pleased to be among many smart women who are coming back to the workforce (or those doing this on the side and even duplicating their regular income), teaming up to create something powerful.

The best part is that I still get to stay at home while growing this business, and with their awesome incentives and lucrative pay bonuses, I'll have the ability to contribute to our household income (something I haven't done for 8 years) and afford the new kitchen I've got my eye on.

If you'd like to jump in on the ground floor yourself, please contact me!  You can read more about the business on my site: trishacoy.myrandf.biz.  I'm looking to form a strong team to collaborate with.

If you're interested in learning more about the product line, visit me at: trishacoy.myrandf.com.

Thanks!  I'm excited to share this with you and hopefully grow my own business while continuing to stay home with my kiddos!

Contact me if you have questions.  Please join my team! You can reach me at tncornett@yahoo.com.

Back to School Picture

Landon jumped right in at school.  Third grade.  I'm especially excited for this year since my mom taught third. 

He seems to be adjusting well, meeting new friends, and up for the challenge. 

There have been a couple times when I've asked him about the boys in his class and if he thinks they could be close friends.  That's when he gets quiet and starts remembering his best friends back in Baltimore.  Those pauses make him sad.  It's tough sometimes.

But pauses are good too.  He knows he is capable of making those strong friendships, and he knows he has old friends back on the other coast too whenever we travel back.

His teacher said he's doing fantastic, especially out on the playground of course.  Oh, and everyone thinks he has an accent (thanks to his speech issue) and he thinks that's super cool.  Not sure how it will help his speech but he has no social anxiety about it whatsoever!  Even though we didn't live in Boston (cah instead of car).  We may have to give him some extra cool sayings like "whe-rah ya?" and "wicked" to give him even more confidence - ha!

Sisters

We were about to go to sleep tonight and Calvin said I should go check on Tosca since she's been getting out of her crib about oh, 20 times per night before she goes to sleep.  You know, just check on her to make sure she's not asleep on the floor on top of all the books or something.

So I go in and I hear a whimper coming from her on the wrong side of the room.  She's all snuggled in with Etame, cuddled up with Etame's arm for security.

I left her there.  They will probably sleep better than ever.

I didn't even stage the picture, although my sister brilliantly suggested doing so with kids who are fighting a lot.  These two get along quite well, most of the time.  When Tosca is not being a bully and Etame a pushover.  I am reminded how lucky I am again tonight.  I'm a lucky mom to these beautiful kids.

(This was taken during "nap time")

All Moved! And End of Year Teacher's Gifts

We're all moved to the west coast now!  The kids haven't started school yet so it still feels like an extended vacation.  Nice weather, visitors, and even a side trip to Las Vegas for Calvin and I.  This summer has been busy, if a little scrambled.

We're in our house now and enjoying being settled and finally knowing where most of our belongings are (we never found the silverware tray though!)

The end of school was insane.  I was on the phone several times per day talking to moving people at one point.  I did manage to finish some teachers gifts that I was excited to give them.

Fabric Boxes!  This one was for Landon's teacher.  

I picked up the pattern at our local quilt shop.  It wasn't the easiest to follow or to sew.  I do love the results. The fabric was all from my stash.  I did buy this very stiff insert material to keep the sides and bottom flat and upright.

The binding had to be all hand sewn like a quilt is around the edges.

This one was for Etame's teacher.  I adored both of their teachers this year.  Making them something is my way of telling them I appreciate them.  I hope they felt that sentiment.

The boxes have zipper pockets on each long side on the outside and then pouches on the inside to hold pens, pencils, and scissors. This fabric was also from my stash.  I need to do more smallish projects like this to use my stash!

Appropriate for a teacher, no?

As stressful the end of the school year can be, I just love to complete these types of projects.  Etame even has her own label!  hee-hee.

Now, onto new schools and new teachers starting after Labor Day!

Goodbyes are Hard

We've been doing a great deal of goodbye-ing here.  It's nice to know friends care enough to send us off wrapped in love and good thoughts.

This is my fabulous group of playgroup friends.  Lately, we've managed to meet more without the kids and have enjoyed having full conversations that we once were unable to do.  We pretty much all met through (the best) kids music class, in Baltimore and have been friends and our kids have been friends for several years now.  We've had baby showers for one another and been through adoptions, moves, and many gathers.  I have been really truly blessed to have these strong and supportive women in my life.

Tosca really enjoyed herself at Etame's end of school picnic.  She enjoys herself pretty much anywhere people are.  I dressed them alike in the dresses I got at Petit Bateau while in Paris.  It's one of my favorite children's clothing brands.  Simple with little detailed such as the white buttons on the bodice with yellow stitching and embroidered "x"s in the middle.

I have absolutely loved Etame's preschool.  There's a sweetness about it, how nurturing they are to the children and kind and teaching them how to be king themselves.  It's everything a preschool should be.  I worry about finding that when we move.

Here's Etame with her good friend.  She will miss all the friendships she has kindled in her world.  It really is hard to say goodbye.

Yes another dress for my little girl

Etame calls this her apron dress.  It's a bit fancy for the name, and for where I'll let her wear it (no playing in the dirt with new article of clothing I make!).    I have been sewing this dress up for about a year.  Yep, procrastination, distraction, general ADD, it all contributes to the fact that I have more projects than time to complete them.  But that just makes it all the more rewarding when I finish one right?!

I tried to use as many fabrics as possible from my stash, which in this case included a men's dress shirt that I picked up at Goodwill for Calvin.  He didn't like the fit but I love the fabric quality and colors (the main bodice one - blue with pink stripes). 

I like to recycle, what can I say?  It must be the Oregon that comes out in me.  I still am infatuated with the simple tied patchwork quilt that my nana made with old (70's polyester) fabrics.  I wonder what clothes she made them out of and who wore them.  It seems to have more meaning to me than fabric that came from JoAnn's.  But the coordinating fabrics did come from there.  :-)

I added a lace bottom trim that reminds me of a detail from my childhood, ribbon strung through the eyes of the lace.  Sweet.  The one thing about this style of dress is it was super difficult to find and decide on coordinating fabrics!  I suppose you could simplify and use only a couple but I like the end effect and Etame seems to also.  She wouldn't hold still and kept throwing her hands up in the air.  Sweet dress for a sweet girl.

Pillows!

Recently, I made a few pillows for our fabulous neighbors.  She picked out the fabric which is a beautiful swirly crewel work (anyone familiar with crewel?) in a floral pattern.  I made the cording and sewed up three pillows for her to use in her dining room.  I was pleased with the result, and have more confidence in cording.

Our neighbor seemed thrilled to have them.  She had her chairs covered in the same fabric one pillow
sits on each chair to the side of her table.  It's rewarding to finish a custom project like this and also such a relief to complete as you never know how it will turn out.  I'm such a procrastinator too that I wait until I have a definitive deadline to complete it.  Then I finish it in a couple days.  It drives my mom nuts as I am always telling her all the projects I have going on.  Too many!

I see London, I see France...

I had the amazing opportunity to go with all my sisters and our mom to London and Paris!

We toured hard - each day we were out the door at 8ish and not back until at least 9 at night.  One night in Paris we actually stayed up til 2am.  Then we all came back to the states and either hit a wall or got sick.  But we made the most of it while we were there!

Shopping at Liberty of London - a must stop for those that love that floral Tana Lawn fabric that they are known for.  The fabric was almost half the price that I could get here in the states.  It was magnificent.  A dream for a sewer.  Here's the outside of the department store.  The whole building was a site in itself.  Traditional English Tudor.  "Lovely" as we are now saying every other word.  That and "rubbish" and "bullocks".  I'm not sure which is just slang and which is swearing.  Better be careful I suppose.

We saw so many sites:  Tea at L'Orangerie in Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, Picadilly Square, Portrait Museum, Trafalgar Square, The London Museum, The Foundling Museum, Kensington Palace to see Princess Di's dresses, London Tower, The Eye, London Bridge, Big Ben, St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, British War Museum, and even managed to see a musical - We Will Rock You, with music from Queen.

After 5 nights in London, we were on our way to Paris for 3 more nights.   

We just happened upon Michel Cluizel chocolates and Calvin and I had stopped at their store in NYC on 5th Avenue at Christmas.  I had to bring back some chocolates for him.  They are that good.

At the top of Arc de Triomphe.  We went nonstop in Paris too, but we had time to stop for crepes often and their fabulous French pastries.  Amber even bought a baguette as a prop.  At first no one was allowed to eat it as it was for looks only but that didn't last long.  We each had a taste.  The food quality there was so far above our expectations as Americans.  Nobody was eating while walking, on the subway, or ordering take out that I noticed.  Most people weren't eating at all actually - just smoking and drinking.  Maybe that's their secret!

 We waited in line at the Eiffel Tower for a couple hours.  It was insane but we made it fun by making up stories about all the people who were going in the express VIP dining line.  Then we did get some excitement when security heightened and bodyguards and drivers got out of two black cars.  A few people emerged and we were still speculating as to who they were.  We had no clue but the people behind us in line were from Brazil and filled us in that he was a major soap opera star there.  I can't remember his name and was just nearly traumatized googling "soap opera star Brazil" when a X rated site popped up.  So anyhow, he was very very good looking and it was fun to have some entertainment while we waiting in the "commoners" line.

This is one of my favorite pictures, the view from our hotel room.  Notre Dame out one side and the Eiffel Tower was out the other window.  The muted colors here are mimicked in all their clothes.  A nice palate for kids wear as well, with little crafted details in their clothing.

We truly had a great trip.  Lots of good uninterrupted conversations, advice, and quality togetherness.

Amber introduced a nice tradition that she does in her family where on the last night, we each fill out a series of questions such as "What was your favorite church", "Best food", "Worst food".  We went around the room each telling our answers.  What a nice way to wrap up a trip, by reflecting upon it and seeing what was important to each person.  It was most interesting to me to see how it wasn't usually the things we saw that were memorable or touching.  It was the small moments, the food we ate, and the places we happened upon that left the most impact.  Something to remember for our future vacations.  You certainly can't plan those moments, just as you can't predict which lessons you will learn about yourself.  I learned that I could walk farther, stay out later, and go longer before a meal that I ever thought possible.  A good lesson indeed.

Moving!

It's true - we're moving... sometime this spring/summer.  It's all a big whirl of emotions and activity right now, but as it sinks in, we are happy and ready for the new adventure.

We've spent 7 years in Baltimore.  4 in the city and nearly 3 out in the country.  Amazing friends have helped us survive with no family nearby and have been our support every step of the way.  Thanks friends for your friendship... deep friendships that will last forever. 

Now, we look forward to our next chapter.

We are moving to California!  Los Angeles area.  Here are some of the things we look forward to...

- Shorts year round (Landon)
- Closer to cousins (Landon)
- Tennis year round (me)
- Sunset over the ocean (me)
- Outdoor lifestyle (Calvin)
- Closer to all family!
- Being together (Etame and Tosca)  They don't care where we are as long as we're together

Here's a sweet video of an exchange student visiting California for the first time - love the fonts...


EF - Live The Language - Los Angeles from Albin Holmqvist on Vimeo.

Craft Station

At Etame's preschool conference last week, her teacher suggested we make a craft station for her to have her own coloring area.  She then described how she used little trays for her daughter and friends for portable crafting.  So, I took this tray that we were going to throw out (from IKEA) and I picked up two little galvanized buckets from IKEA on my latest trip, and created this:

It was a big challenging to affix the buckets to the tray.  I tried hot glue but it didn't take.  So I ended up drilling through the bucket and tray and putting a bolt through the center.

The bolts stuck out a bit on the under side, so I used the Dremel tool with the metal circular cutter attachment to saw them off.  A hack saw would probably work too.  I gave it a couple coats of turquoise spray paint and it was done.

Etame was able to try it out right away since she had "homework".  She was beyond excited for this homework, mind you.  Landon looked at her like she was crazy when she exclaimed, "I have homework!' so happily.

She carried her new tray over to the table and colored her mask for her homework.  She loves all things school related.  Loves her friends, her teacher, and the independence of it all.