Ist Official Photo's Of The New Puppy At Home

...so it has been a full week since we brought our new puppy home. When you bring a puppy home on top of dealing with your present dog it is a little hectic to say the least. "Tupper" our 2 year old cockapoo is just starting to cope with what came his way. He's been given a lot of extra loving. My daughter named our new puppy "Brody." He's a good boy but we are still definitely figuring out each other's habits. I think after a few more months of a lot of repetition we'll be OK.

I caught a Kodak moment this morning. The two dogs decided for the first time to play with each other....a little tug of war. Sorry for the blurry picture but you can see they are bonding.

I think they will be friends.

~amy

More All Wrapped Up Baby Booties ~ It's All About Presentaion

I bet you can't guess what the inspiration piece was for these furry baby boots (hint...hint...the box in the background)? The fabric gift wrap is reversible as are the baby boots. Talk about presentation!! After baby is done wearing them...put them away in their own matching wrap for future generations to love and cherish. Great for gift giving and the enviornment. Sizes newborn through 1yr. ~amy

oliver + s Children's Clothes Patterns

I ordered this pattern and couldn't wait to show you! I was very excited when I saw these images on the cover of the oliver + s patterns from http://www.oliverands.com/ . I love anything nostalgic. Each pattern contains adorable garments to sew and a cut out paper doll with clothes to boot! The cut out dolls are illustrated by Dan Andreasen illustrator of the American Girl books. Each cut out doll is sure to provide a fun activity for your little one ....enabling you to sew your child's adorable outfit! I ordered this pattern so I can display the cover of the pattern and paper dolls in my studio.  ~amy

Happy Dyngus Day!...... & More Easter

Growing up in a family from polish decent had it's fun times and one of those fun times for a kid was Dyngus day. The Polish tradition on Easter Monday. It is celebrated by everyone with enthusiasm by sprinkling each other with water. As kids we used pussy willow branches and dipped them in water.... then sprinkling the water from the branch on our victim. They say by being splashed with water on Easter Monday will bring you good luck throughout the year. I have heard other's say that if a certain boy splashes you with water...he is sure to marry you. Either way it's a fun tradition with fond memories.

We also have a few traditions concerning Easter Sunday. Following Mass...we return home to eat the food blessed from the day before on Holy Saturday. The Easter table is covered with a white tablecloth. On the middle of the table in our home are colored eggs, cold meats, coils of sausages, ham, pound cakes, and a lamb made of butter. It's also tradition to share blessed eggs with the members of our family and wish each other good health, happiness for the rest of the year. Below are a few images from our Easter. I hope your Easter was lovely. ~amy

Happy Easter!

Dreaming....Planning Our Summer Retreat

We've decided we won't be taking a big trip this summer.....so I think I'll try to make our outdoor living spaces more pleasant for my family and I. I invision it to be...kind of like our own little summer retreat.

We have a front porch and a back porch...both with roofs. I found this picture of a porch that structurally looks pretty similar to our back porch. I'm planning on adding area rugs, squishy pillows, maybe some vintage linens, lamps, rocking chairs, a wicker love seat with a cushion and whatever else I can find in the house that I'm not using....like the twig flower box I have in the family room. I'll put it on the back porch and fill it with flower pots....oh lots of flowers and herbs. Can't forget an end table to set my drink and books on and XM Radio playing 40's music softly all day.

...and of course when you're on the porch relaxing...you'll have to have a wild flower garden to gaze upon. Yep...we're going to plant a wild flower garden. I am so excited about this! A few years back at our previous home...we planted wild flower seeds we bought from our local retailer and I think we could of had more flowers. This year we are going to use our wild flower seeds (100% flower seeds with no fillers) we got while visiting the Wild Flower Farm last summer just outside of Burlington, Vermont. I have big hopes for these seeds. Hoping for a lot more flowers. Calling all hummingbirds and Monarch Butterfly's!! I can't wait to start sculpting out the bed and adding more dirt and plant! I'll be sure to post pictures of the garden this summer providing it grows. No negative thinking.....it will flourish!! ~amy

Havapoo Puppy Is Ours

Just thought I'd give you a sneak peak of our new puppy. He's not home with us yet but he will be in a few weeks. We don't have a name for him so if you have any suggestions....we're all ears. He's half havanese and half poodle. I'm a little concerned because we have a dog already and I've never had more than one dog at a time. I foresee a lot of commotion between the two dogs at first but eventually a lot of love. Our new puppy is non shedding and should not get any bigger than 8 to 12lbs. The havanese breed is suppose to be very smart and have been used as circus dogs because they're easy to train. I'm banking on that....if you know what I mean?? Anyway...we're very excited to get him home with us and to finally name him. ~amy

More National Press!

Thank you so much, American Baby, for featuring The Duck Pull Toy Knotted Blankie on p. 58!