October Recap

Ok, So I've totally flopped on being involved in my LTTSA this month and in the Celebrate Color festivities. It's been a crazy couple a weeks. I've gone to the park almost everyday with the boys and been baking Pumpkin Pies and working on my Etsy store.
Etsy recently went through a redesign on how the search engines work and as a result my items weren't getting found. The update was for the better (I grudgingly admit), but I have about 40 items in my shop and every single last one of them had to be updated and keywords not only changed, but then I had to watch my google analytics page to make sure the new tag words were letting people find my listings, and then update them again and again, until I was making my way back to the top of search results by using the best searchwords possible. It's been a long process, and I'm still not finished, but about 40% is done, so now I'm starting to get sales again. Which means I had crocheting to do. I also had to get some new Holiday Hats made up and pics taken of, and listed...
Cute Huh? I was happy :)

Wyatt has also become mobile now. Yes, my 6mo old is crawling. And my 2yr old leaves little bitty choking sized toys everywhere. Nuff said.

I managed to squeeze in a pair of slippers for Redding with a left over fat quarter from his Thomas the Tank Engine Quilt. I styled them after some Ikea Idegran Slippers I saw while I was on Vacation with my Bestie in Orlando for the first week in October. It was a awesome weekend! We stayed at the Gaylord Palms Hotel and our 6th floor balcony looked into the main atrium. Too fabulous. We spent lots of time by the pool and squeezed some shopping in between all the relaxation. We also party crashed a Hindu wedding that had been going on for the last several days and scored some free drinks before we had to make a break from our helpful Indian friend who wanted to take us for a walk around the atriums after the celebration. We went to the bathroom and then bailed down the nearest stairwell when he wasn't looking. It was so fun.

Anyways, While I was there at Ikea, I saw these slippers and just knew Redding would love some big fluffy slippers like them, so after much pulling apart of stitches and playing with stuffing amounts, I got his pair finished complete with grippy soles on the bottom :)

He doesn't look thrilled in this pic like he should, but trust me, he likes them :)

I also have started my first real quilt. With blocks, sashing, and everything. After searching through everyone's project archives while lackadaisically following the Christmas blog Hop over at Ellison Lane Quilts, I stumbled upon this adorable and easy Whirly Gig Quilt. I thought, "Yes! Finally Something I'm not scared to try!" It looked easy enough and the best part is I can make my squares as big as I want and each block only has 8 pieces in it, so I already have half my blocks sewn up. Naturally, I didn't follow the directions *exactly* even though, the blogger warned me to "be sure to cut your blocks like so...", but I didn't think it was necessary and ended up having to recut some pieces. But that's ok! Half the blocks are going to be white and blue like this, and the others are going to be white and pink.

Oooo! Look what I found while going through my pics! Yummy Blueberry Scones! I'll post up the recipe tomorrow. I made them while working on my quilt. I just needed some good scones. I've been on a "I'm going to make everything myself that I usually buy at Starbuck" kick lately. Cost effective for sure, well, comparatively, but dangerous with the ease at which I can now create tasties. So I'll share a couple drink recipes with you too. Because It's not right for my to keep them to myself. You should have to indulge as well. I'm also gonna post up the most tastiest bread recipe I've made yet. Breadmachine style, of course, but still homemade :)

So, I'm hoping to be able to make up my LTTSA project tomorrow, cut into our last pumpkin and make yummy toasted pumpkin seeds, and I also am going to have to learn how to use a circular saw. Yep. You heard me right. I have a pile of fence posts in my backyard from when part of my God-only-knows how old privacy fence took a dive in a storm this summer. Florida Thunderstorms are serious business. I love them. Here is my Pinterest page of Ideas for my Fence pieces. I don't feel like copying and linking all the pics here, so if you have a desire, feel free to check it out.
Can you believe that Christmas is just around the corner?! Now, I'm not one of those "Let's just skip right over Thanksgiving straight on to Christmas" people, but Crocheting a bunch of Holiday hats gets me thinking... and thinkin... and thinkin... about what the heck I'm going to make for everyone this year! I know for sure if I get my Whirly Gig Quilt done this month I'm going to be making From the Blue Chairs Stack and Whack Wonky Block quilt that looks so fun and would be perfect for the Christmas fabrics I bought last year and didn't get around to doing anything with.
Enough Rambling. I think this post was more for me as a Sign post of What-I've-done/What-I'm-going-to-do to prove to me that I didn't while away October. Sometimes it just feels like, "Where did all my Time Go?!" and this has helped me to stop beating myself up over it, and see, "Oh, yeah, I did make/do that." So I haven't squandered my precious time. And here's one more pic just for you, because you need a smile :)