Resurfacing...

...into the blogasphere for a moment.  Life is so busy I haven't even thought of blogging - I've been spending my time outside!!  Yay!  Hard to believe that just over four weeks ago we had snow on the ground and now it's summer weather.  Our spring was lots of melting and now the trees and plants are bursting with growth.  I'm loving the green after 6 months of white!

I have been spending a bit of time sewing though.  I finished this Kaffe Fasset runner for the girls room.  I quilted it using this method from Oh, Fansson! as a practice for my Scrappy Trip.  I may need to practice again by the time I quilt that one!

I've also been working on summer dresses for the girls.  My deadline is coming closer and closer as we're heading to BC in 4 weeks!!  One done, one needing to be hemmed and one to start.

I'll leave you with a few pictures of where we've been spending our time...

So happy to see colour in the yard again!

We celebrated our three oldest's birthdays in the past 2 weeks - this was their big gift.

They actually slept out there all night :)

My Prairie Girl

Melissa is going on a class trip to Barkerville in a couple of weeks.  They all have to dress in period costume so I took the opportunity to make her something.  As an added bonus, I do have three girls so they can all wear this outfit when they have their turn.

Aside from purchasing the pattern, I didn't spend anything on the outfit.  I've had the fabric on my shelf for quite a few years - it was given to me (do you recognize the fabric, Jennifer?)  The apron fabric is from a sheet.  Even the lace on the apron was from the sheet. 

The pattern is a McCall's Costume pattern M9424.  I used the pattern for the dress, but the apron is just my own 'design'.  To be honest I just started cutting and ripping and sewing and this is how it turned out. :-)

She is very happy about the outfit and super excited about the trip.

A Random Bullet Post

My life seems to be random right now so here goes...

• First of all, the winner for the Bias Tape Giveaway is Jeannie D!  I will be contacting you very soon for your address.

• I was floored that so many people signed up to win this little pile of bias tape.  Seems to me that people love fun and colourful bias tape and would have loved to win this pile.  Thanks for stopping by our little blog!

• We've had gorgeous sunny weather as of late.  Great for gardening, not so much for housework (or homework.)

• I am sewing, I just can't show you any of it right now.

• And the 24 table runners for my sister aren't going to be that exciting to show you.  But I did learn how to make a rolled hem on my serger.  (Thanks for the idea, Karen.)

• And equally boring to show you would be the many jeans made into shorts, long leggings made into short leggings and even a few long sleeve t-shirts made into short sleeved ones.  Saves a lot of money!

• My sister is getting married in less than 2 months!  We are all very excited about that.

• Yesterday I did something I've been wanting to do for a long time.  Together with my mom and sister I participated in the March for Life in Victoria, BC.  In Canada we have no laws regarding abortion.  A baby can be aborted at any stage in pregnancy.  And it happens that babies are aborted at the 40 week mark.
I'm a mother with 5 children.  I've also experienced a miscarriage at the 15 week mark.  I held that little baby and marveled at her completeness.  She was most definitely a human being, a person with her own unique features.  Made in God's image and now with her heavenly Father.  Thousands of babies are killed each year in Canada.  It is heartbreaking and sickening to think of it.  It needs to stop!  It was great to hear my brother speak on the steps of the Parliament Buildings.  May God bless the efforts of all in the Pro-Life movement!

• Aside from the March for Life we had a lovely day wandering around the gorgeous city of Victoria, BC.

On the ferry

On the ferry - Me, my mom, Karen, Mike

The ferry on the way home.

Giveaway Closed Giveaway Day - Bias Tape

Hi there!  I'm Alisa, wife to Gord, mom to 5 (4-12 years) and maker of many things.  I have a small etsy shop  - the Busy Quilt Mom where I sell the odd quilt, my bib pattern and my favourite, bias tape.  As a result I have piles of odds and end bias tape and I am going to give it to one of our readers.  Kind of an odd giveaway, but I trust that some of you are making things that could use or need some colourful bias tape. 

I'll be throwing in some extra bits of fun trim from my sewing room as well.  Kind of a surprise package for you!

To enter just leave a comment!  Tell me something you have made or would like to make that includes bias tape/binding.  If that's too hard, just tell me where you are from and what kind of weather you are having lately.  Thanks for stopping by!

Just thought to add that I have a video on YouTube on how to apply bias binding.  Here's the link!

Sleep Sacks Available

I've been busy making sleep sacks lately!  I've made seven and I have 6 available for purchase.  I have several sizes available.  The outer fabric is cotton and the lining is cotton flannel.  The snaps are high quality resin snaps -  the kind used for diapers - so they can handle frequent washing and opening and closing.

I had a tough time taking good photos of these.  I don't have a white board large enough.  So please excuse the photography.  I can sew, but photos aren't my expertise. :-)

I've put the information below each set of photos.  If you'd like one please email me

gordandalisa at gmail dot com

TRAVELLING ANIMALS

MEDIUM - Measures 32 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $37 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local - please email me) 

I have 2 sleep sacks in MUSHROOM.

SMALL - Measures 26 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $35 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local - please email me) 

MEDIUM - Measures 32 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $37 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local- please email me)

PINK PLAID

SMALL - Measures 26 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $35 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local - please email me) 

PINK ARGYLE - I have 2 sleep sacks

MEDIUM -  Measures 32 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $37 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local- please email me)

LARGE - Measures 39 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $39 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local- please email me)

And the last one I made for my nephew.  This one is for you, Yvonne.

I have decided not to list the sleep sacks in my etsy shop for two reasons.  One, I expect to sell most of these locally and two, I am too lazy to figure out the shipping costs to far away lands unless I have a serious interest.