Another First :)

It's my first refashion. I very loosely based this refashion on this tutorial. Love the checks, wish I had a checks shirt to refashion. But since I was a virgin "refashioner" I started with this ho-hum gray top. I think it was given to me from a lady I used to work with. It's ok, just not anything fabulous. I thinks it better now and I'll at least wear it more. So here's the before. As always, click to enlarge.

I wish I would have got better pics on the arms. They were 3/4 length, with a wide cuff-almost 4 inches. I cut the arms and collar off, I just free-handed it.

I cut the cuffs off the sleeves and trimmed them to about 2.5 inches. Then I pleated them a little and made them into my new neckline. Finished off the back of the tank and armholes. BTW, before I did all this I took in the armholes a bit. They were a little gaping as a tank, so I just took in at the shoulder. And modeling ;) Sorry for the horrible blurry pic. Next time I wear it I'll try to get the Mr. to take a better pic.

What I'd do different?? Next time I think I'll start by finishing off the armholes and back neckline. But all-in-all I think it's pretty cute.

Creating a Schedule and Meal Plan with Google Calendar

My FIRST tutorial! I'm so excited, but bear with me :) Simple Mom had a recent entry about creating a routine. I took that info and used it to form my own routine and also incorporated a meal plan. So here's how I use Google Calendar to stay organized. P.S. Click pics to enlarge and zoom :)

1. If you haven't already go to Google and sign up for a Gmail account. You will use this account to login and create your calendar.

2. When you login you'll see your blank calendar. From here you can start creating events. Here is a picture of my calendar (I have all four of my calendars showing). My default calendar is the blue, this is where I list actual events, times we'll be gone, play dates, etc. My Meal Plan calendar is turquoise. The kids basic schedule is in orangy-mustard color. The "Mom" schedule is in reddish-brick color.
3. To create an event click on the calendar during the time you want the event. A box will pop up, if you simply want the name of event and that time fill it in and click 'Create Event'. Or to add more info to your event or make it repeating click 'edit event detail' This screen will appear. Here is me creating an event for my Meal Plan Calendar. For my Meal Plan Calendar I enter the name of the meal, select "All Day', repeats weekly, every three weeks. Make sure you select the correct calendar you want it listed on. See I have chosen "Meal Plan" I also use the Description section to list the complete meal, like what sides or other items we'll be having that night. I also use the email reminder option (which I LOVE).
4. Here is the handing email that gets sent straight to my ipod and reminds me what we're having for dinner.

5. To create more calendars click 'create' in the My Calendars section. This is also where you can select or de-select the calendars to choose which ones you want to view. Below I have selected my default calendar and my Meal Plan calendar. You my also change the color of what your events are in a specific calendar by clicking the drop-down next to that calendar name. A color selection chart will pop-out, it will also include the Calendar settings link and a few other options.
I hope this was helpful for you. I print out weekly calendars with the Meal Plan and default calendar (blue one) shown. That way I can see at a glance what we're eating and what we're doing.

Creating a Schedule

I've been using Google Calendar a ton lately. Simple Mom did a post on creating a weekly routine and it INSPIRED me. So I've been working on getting my together. I'm hoping to start using it next week since right now we're in Dallas with dad. I've also been using Google Calendar to put together my meal plan. Keli posted that she uses her calendar for her meal plan and just repeats every 3 weeks. I've taken the lead from that and adapted both of those ladies suggestions to fit my life. One of the great things too I love about GCal is that I can have it send an email to me for events, or the morning of it can send an email and tell me what's for dinner. I LOVE THAT!

I'm going to start working on my first tutorial letting you know how I put it all together and what works for me. I'm really excited about getting organized. Lord knows, I can use all the help I can get. So be looking for that in the next week or so. We need to get home and get the house back in order, but I'll be working on it.

My New Pleated Purse

I finally got to make myself a new purse. I've been wanting to for a long time and the other night I stayed up (way too late) and just did it. I searched for lots of patterns, I like this one a lot but in the end I winged it without a pattern and it turned out really cute. Although I didn't put a magnetic snap closure, I'm debating whether to add a orange snap. I also want to make a matching wallet, but haven't found a pattern I like. So maybe I'll end up winging that too. Pics aren't the best but here it is.

What a difference a year makes!!

Check out the kiddos! Time flies when you're having fun

I'm Back!

I haven't blogged here in a long time, ok well forever. But I'm back and hope to use this blog for a couple of different purposes now. I'll be posting lots more about what I'm sewing and projects I'm doing. As always, I'll have pics of the kids and stories of what's going on in our lives, and I also hope to use this blog sort of as a journal of how I'm seeing God work in my life. So stayed tuned!