This gal...

 She just doesn't need any more clothes, but I really have fun making them for her.

 she is a great size and loves dresses... princesses wear dresses.  Actually this was an issue 'cause all of her PJs were pants, and how could she go all day as a princess and be expected to don civilian PJs?  So, I made her this princess nightie... and Grandma sent her a super soft pink one and now girl is set.

 I also made this fun twirly dress from the Nani Iro pattern book (alexander henry fabric).

 It is nice and wide and perfect for spinning.

 It was pretty simple, the bias binding was the hardest, but it wasn't too bad (if I just figured out earlier the proper order to sew things in, it would have been even easier!)

 A quick crown for G's friend Lucy for her birthday!  Just some wool felt and elastic.

 Also, alas, sewing for boys is tough, there just isn't as many options... but the kids both love Totoro (me too :), so I tackled these guys by cheek and stitch.  They still need arms, but as soon as they were this far along, both of them were quickly tucked underarm and became (armless) buddies.

 there was a bit more hand-sewing, so it took longer than I thought, but I like how they turned out!

Where did it go?

Last summer, I had a serious bucket list... a substantial list of all of the things we wanted to do over the summer and it was fun to cross things off as we went along.  This summer, I worked more, planned less, and still... still we do lots, but I kind of miss being able to review the list, I guess that's what the family blog is good for. 

Anyhow, there are a few weeks left, and I am going to list my favorite summer moments (to date) and my last min, hey I want to squeeze a few more activities in list as well...

Favorites:
Camping with friends!
Berry Picking
Beach day
Cookouts (ESA friends, and with local friends... though we need to work on a few more once this heat abates a wee bit... we're getting better at the bbq pizza)
Eating handfuls of blueberries every day for weeks
Visiting with family

Things to do still:

• We didn't do nearly enough projects as a family... I had some sewing/soaping things, Brian built a pergola and is figuring out how to play the gutair, but we need some special dates with each kid... so date projects... not sure what just yet... I think more experiments!

• Val and Ray are facilitating an "end of summer" really our 10th anniversary date night in Sept, so I'm looking forward to that.  
• Picnic
• Beach camping (this one is a bit of a farce 'cause we are going camping soon... easy peasy)
• Make felt totoros for the kids
• Yeah, not as fun, but I really need to write that paper, man how many years in a row can I make this proclaimation... Well, its true, and I MUST start / is it asking too much to say I must finish it!
•  

More on soap

Just did another batch, and in an effort to remember what works and what doesn't I"ll try to keep stuff written down.

Okay, again split one batch in two bits, just for fun really.

Peppermint... I added probably close to 3/4 oz to half batch and ... voila it still smells of peppermint!  I didn't do anything else to this batch, so it is the color of the soap plain (off white)

Okay, not I"m trying to remember what I put in that other batch, it has been almost a week now, but it was about a teaspoon of red clay, bergamont and rosemary .. It's hard to tell, it has an aroma, its nice, but I wouldn't peg it as either bergamont or rosemary, I think I probably needed a lot more of each since my measurements were, to dump what was left of the bergamont in and aggressively shake the rosemary bottle onto it (20-30 drops or so), but I let these batches trace a little long and they were setting up quickly AND I didn't pre-measure anything (lesson learned).  soaps are pink, its a nice color though a bit speckly... again, probably the late trace I didn't mix the clay in as well as I should have.

UPDATE: Next Batch this Sept '12:
Well, I used a recipe from Soapmaker's companion in lieu of my trustworthy one, and it seemed to turn out okay, haven't used it yet.  I also waay increased how much essential oils I put in, so we'll see if the smells stick.  They smell good, but sort of hard to put your finger on the scent. 

soap essentials bar (has a 10%discount... may have accounted for a long set-up time):
201 g sodium hydroxide
538.7 g water
595.3g Olive Oil (Pomace)
454g Coconut oil
396.9 (14 oz) palm oil

the recipe suggested 12g grapefruit seed extract as opt, which Idid not have, I bought some so maybe for the next batch, this is supposed to be a preservative.

also suggested 7 tsp or 35 ml e.o. 

This made about 15 bars

SO I divided the batch in half and in the first batch I added:
1 oz ground dried tangerine peel
5 ml tangerine e.o.
4 ml clove e.o.
8 ml 5x orange e.o.
looks light orange with dark flecks, was weepy for a while, I am not sure what this means in terms of preserving it or utility. 

the second half batch I added:
2 tsp ground cardamon
1 tsp charchol
3 ml eucalyptus oil
10ml cedar oil
2 ml rosemary
2 ml basil.

dark grey, looks good, if you like grey soap.

Now, at the time I am sure I had a method to selecting this oil blend, but I can't remember right now, maybe some combos I saw somewhere else, maybe an attempt to get through my ever growing collection of e.o. I can't remember.  

Update That tangerine peel version above.. STILL weeping (it's 3 Nov), though less.  It is not lye, probably unsaponified oils, maybe poor mixing of the e.o. in.

Another batch of the same recipe as above (can't find my book with my other recipe, though I have it an an e.mail somewhere).

again, split it.  Probably got 19 or so bars total.  Actually almost evenly split this time.

one half, one tablespoon of bulgarian lavander + ground oatmeal (probably bet 1/8-1/4 cup didn't measure)

second half:  one tablespoon of lemongrass (some eucalyptus and rosemary to balance things out a bit) and a sprinkle of tumeric and about 1/4 tsp of dry spriulina.  The initial color sucked, it was kinda baby poop green-grey, but I think it has mellowed a lot just overnight.  we'll see when it is aged a bit more.

lofty

 A pretty throw with some really lovely fabric for the Erin and Mikes much belated wedding gift.

 I've made two of these now... with some wool batting,  This one is doubled batting so is extra fluffy... um, except, perhaps double layer of wool batting to cousins in Las Vegas in the middle of summertime... maybe not brilliant on my part, but it must get a little chilly in the air conditioning right?

 Has a kona cotton back and a nani iro double gauze on the front, which I totally totally love.

I machine tacked it with silver thread and added a little note.  I love it so much I actually made two of these... different double gauze... one for us to keep... I'll post a picture of it as well.... though it only had one layer of batting...