Kyli Rae

Learning the Fun Way

Grandma and Grandpa's house has a little step up to the dining room. Someone sat off!Also: cute toes!

Antelope Island

The Great Salt Lake (Take Two). We went with my Aunt Sharon and cousins Jill, Kristan and Sarah. We drove to the ranch and visitor's center, then floated in the lake.

Dalton petting his first horse. He loves animals.

The only horse Maggie would go near.

We did see a few live buffalo, but didn't get this close to them,

Donut Falls and Silver Lake

We went hiking today to relieve our post-move stress. We went to Donut Falls, and had such a nice time, we went on up to Silver Lake.

And Dalton found a great seat on Jodi's belly - due Friday!

Moving Out

Moved out of our house! We had a lots of cute help and one casualty (Dalton crawled out the front door while we were loading the car and landed on the door mat.)

Toddler Leash

I made a harness for Maggie. She doesn't run off, but I'm not taking any chances with 6.5 million other people. If I made another, it'd be much better. I did a lot of piecing together and I wish I'd done a cross-halter in the back. Oh well. It'll do the job.

Laptop Case and Camera Case

Some last minute projects before we move... Our pretty, new laptop needed a pretty, new case. I whipped one up similar to Rachel's, but I didn't use bias tape. I left a hole in the lining, sewed around the opening of the lining and outside fabric together, then turned and topstitched. It's not fabulous, but it works.
I also made a case for our new camera. I used fabric scraps for the outside, fleece scraps for the inside, bias tape scraps for the trim, and velcro scraps... are you seeing a trend? Again, I just guessed at the pattern and made a lining and a shell. I did boxed corners on the bottom. Then I inserted them right sides together and trimmed with bias tape. I made a [crooked and messy] button hole for the camera strap. I also sewed tiny seams along the outside edges to help it hold its shape a little more. If I hadn't had to redo the bias tape, it would actually be really cute!
By the way, I discovered the problem with bias tape isn't me - it's the tape! This turquoise tape is so thin, I could barely use it for one layer of fabric and one layer of fleece. I don't know how I used it for all the layers of fabric and batting of Rachel's laptop case. The bias tape I used for the DVD player tote was much easier to use.

Old News

We are moving out of our house this week, so I've been avoiding taking my camera anywhere. While cleaning, I found a couple of old pictures I wanted to post. The first is Leonard and I, either for Christmas or Easter before Rachel was born. I think Dalton looks a little like I do in this picture.This one is my Dad in our garden in Los Angeles. It says January 1987 on the back - love the shirtsleeves in January. The truly awesome thing about this photo is the Datsun in the background. Two things about the Datsun: carsick on the way to piano lessons while Rachel ate cheetos, and it was supposedly bought the day before I was born. My parents' existing car broke down on the way to buy it and was given up on. Also: plastic flamingos! I think my mom's grave needs some.

Creeping Crawler

Baby Sling

I wanted something besides the Baby Bjorn to carry Dalton around with in India. I was going to buy a sling when I found a pattern for one online. So, of course I made one instead! I spent $6 on fabric, and it is really quick to make if you understand the directions and have good measurements. I actually like the way it fits with Maggie better, but maybe that's because she isn't trying to dive out of it.
I basically folded my 44" fabric in fourths, sewed the curved seam at 26" (that was my measurement). That's it! Seriously, it's very easy, once you can figure out the instructions. I didn't need to do any hemming, because I sewed the fabric into a tube before hand.

Free Zoo Day

John had a work party at the zoo today, including dinner and a train ride!I managed to take a picture of myself, Dalton and the bison on a moving train.

Brynn's Wedding

Congrats to Brynn and Craig!

With some of my other cousins at the reception. Do Laura and I still look alike?

Felt Car Playmat

Not much sewing going on around here (if you haven't heard, we are moving 8600 miles), but I finally finished a "car playplace" for Maggie. I made one a couple weeks ago for a baby shower, and then it took me a long time to get Maggie's done. This is why I don't sell the things I make - I get bored making more than 1 of anything.
It is just a felt playmat for her to play cars (and trains!) on, but I wanted it to be a little more interactive than just a road. So I added a mailbox and a little letter (thanks, Tasha!), train tracks with movable barriers (thanks, Rachel!) a tunnel, and a parking lot (thanks, John!). Originally, I'd planned on something she could hold in her lap (12x12) but it just wasn't big enough! Still, this is small and lightweight enough to take with us on the plane.
Inspiration for gas pump, carwash, pond and garage here. I got the shoelaces for the gas pumps 3/$1 at the dollar store.
Cozy Cone Motel (inspiration here)
It folds into thirds and rolls up with a tie sewn to the back. I might add a snap to the tie.
Here's the baby's. Not quite as fancy, but he got his name embroidered on it. I couldn't decide on a spot for Maggie's so it's still blank.