Meet Ruth!

Here is the very reason I have not blogged in months. My sweet baby girl, Ruth. Josh and I didn't know we could love so much! She is a perfect baby...never cries, always smiles and laughs, eats every two hours. Yep, I am staying pretty busy. However, I am committed to getting back to blogging because I just love the idea of scrapbooking my life...it is just easier online ; )

Today I made a baby headband for Ruth with my friend Shailey. She is entering the blogging world too! I will put a link up to her blog soon! I am also thinking I will enter the world of etsy...I hope it goes well!

Ok well we are moving to Lawrence, KS in three short weeks. I will try to put up a few more pictures of our sweet girl and our crafting adventures before then!

Craft Night

While Josh decided he wanted to paint his beloved filing cabinet, Ashley and I got busy crafting the night away.

We of course needed cookies and coffee to help us get the job done so we made those and got started having fun! We both feel really blessed when we just get to be creative in God's presence with all the beautiful colors and textures and fun things He has made. So needless to say, it was a GREAT night of just enjoying the Lord and each other....oh and Josh had a great time getting half in on the creativity while he liquid sanded his cabinet and painted it. When it is finished in all its beauty, I will have to put up a picture entitled, "Made by Josh". He will love that!

Well here are our crafts. I made fabric flowers galore and Ashley embroidered the most lovely onesie EVER!

Enjoy - we sure did!

Our First Mother's Day

We have had a good time in the past few years hosting Mother's Day Brunch. This year was the best ever because I kinda counted as a MOM! Here are some pictures of our table for brunch. Thanks to designspongeonline.com for the really great flower ideas. Planting them in a goblet was so fun and way more classy than a terra cotta pot if you ask me : )

Oh and just for the record, Ashley is coming in town to craft with me and help me stay distracted until our baby comes. So get ready - because over the next few days there will be PICTURES GALORE of our fun baby crafting adventures!

DIY Ottoman

I did a little DIY project while Josh was grilling our dinner tonight. We found this black ottoman at a thrift store for like ten bucks. I just covered it with some of my favorite Amy Butler fabric and put it by Ruth's rocking chair. It is an old SUPER COMFY chair my Dad passed down to us with an IKEA throw on it. Hopefully Ruth and I will spend lots of time bonding and feeding in that chair.

The wire baskets have quickly become one of my favorite parts of the room. A old man practically threw them at me at his garage sale. I offered to pay him for them but he said they were worthless and I should just take them! Uhh GREAT! I love them. Josh spray painted them for me to match some frames we have for another wall. They are really cute storage and just a pretty part of the room.

I hope some other people are grilling out tonight. It is so beautiful here in Springfield - we are loving sitting on the porch and relaxing.

Carbs!

I have been really interested in bread making lately. I found this recipe for Chocolate Chip Braided Bread. The good news is that it was really pretty. Bad news is that it tasted bad. Oh well, I tried a new recipe. I will chuck that one and find a better one.

Great place to look for bread recipes: tastespotting.com

She kicks!

Ok so I thought maybe filming this in black and white would make it less weird that it was my belly. But Ruth and I were listening to some praise music this morning and I think she liked it a

lot!

Made By Bekah

As we are getting Ruth's room ready for her arrival, we are having to come up with some very not-permanent designs because we are moving a month or two after she arrives. So we have turned our guest room into her room also. After getting a great bookcase from our aunt and uncle, we were able to fill it with storage bins and books.

Check out these great decorations one of my besties made!! She got the R at Joannes in Dallas and painted some great floral print on there to match the fabric colors. The lamb and elephant are original Bekah Wertz designs that she originally made for the shower invites! She printed them and framed them for Ruth to have. I am obsessed!!!

Thanks Bek for adorning her bookshelf with the greatest decorations ever!!

Ribbon and Bows and Pear Blossom Trees

Last Monday we had a girls day in KC while the guys were at the Royals Opening Day. Yep, we made bows all afternoon!

Sweet Sweet Adelyn with Uncle Matt!

Easter with my Mom's family and Josh's family was sooo very fun. Here are some pics...

By the way did you know how bad those trees stink?? I had no idea but we were all about to gag!

Free Baby Bootie Pattern

Ok so I have forgotten completely how to upload my knitting patterns but I will one day remember and put the pattern for this on here...in the meantime, email me at madebymaddi@gmail.com if you want the pattern. It will work with any dk weight yarn and they knit up so quickly.

The yellow pair I love but they aren't super practical. I just figured that Ruth will have to pose for a few pictures in them and maybe we will find a cute dress they match for a special occasion. The purple pair - now those will stay on! I loved making them and thought the little pearl buttons finished them off perfectly!

Currently I am working on a orange and pink silk/wool pair and a matching hat for next fall...pictures to come : )

I think I am done blogging for the day but you never know....

Daffodils and Baby Blankets - oh my!

I think God is using this beautiful weather to really drive Easter home for us this year. There is new and beautiful life springing up all over the place and that is exactly what we have in Christ. I am just feeling really grateful every time we drive around and see everything in bloom!

In our own backyard we have daffodils springing up that Josh absolutely loves. Ahh it makes me so happy because we can't figure out why he loves these yellow flowers so much. But boy does he! I think they will have to be planted in every yard we have for the rest of our lives : )

I spent an amazing day today with my Mom and Great Grandma Sally. We used Amy Butler fabric from the FM store here in Springfield and a plush grey back to make a sweet crib blanket for Ruth's bed. She doesn't have a crib yet so that is why all the pictures are outside. I couldn't be more happy with the way it turned out....SO CUTE! And if you like that, just wait till you see the fabric I got for the bedskirt. It is a coordinating Amy Butler chevron stripe : ) More pictures to come as I finish things up

HAPPY EASTER! HE IS RISEN!

I've created a monster!!

Ok a few more baby bows... I keep making them and I just can't stop.

And a quick pic of Ruth in my belly : ) we got a new camera today and we have been having a blast learning all about it

Tutu Time

I am having tons of fun teaching myself how to do easy crafts. When tulle was on sale the other day at Hobby Lobby, I knew it was time to test out my tutu skills!

Here are some pictures of what I came up with. It should fit a newborn to six month old baby girl if I did my measuring right. I still need to sew up the seam one day when my machine is out.

On a side note, the hubby and I had our first birthing class tonight. We would be the only people in the class who couldn't keep it together during the relaxation time. Oh well. I am sure we will be able to buck up at birth time and stop our giggling. We just couldn't stop thinking about the movie Baby Mama (one of our favorites). If only our birthing class teacher had a funny lisp...

I'm hair bow crazy!

I am super obsessed with cute baby hair bows lately! They are so overpriced on etsy and in baby boutiques. So, I figured I would just whip some up with some vintage ribbon I found at a dime store by the Plaza in KC.

Here are some pics of Adelyn, my precious niece, modeling a few that I sent her. She is pretty much the cutest little girl ever : )

Getting Back to Blogging

I don't have any idea why I took a 6 month break from blogging. Life got a little busier and my stomach got a little bigger : ) Whatever my reasons were - I am back!!

I have been crafting up a storm for our little baby girl on the way. So it is a perfect time to make lots of posts about all of my knitting, baking, crafting, and crazy creations!

Last Saturday was my first baby shower! My girlfriends threw it and it was picture perfect....here are the pics!

The lovely shower guests!
Adorable shoes from Amanda!! I even got to bring home the umbrellas behind me for a little flair in Ruth's nursery.
Shailey's wonderful table-scape.... beat that Sandra Lee
And of course... cinnamon rolls for breakfast before the shower. They are so easy to make - here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
2 Envelopes Active Dry Yeast
1/4 c. warm water (100-110 degrees)
1 1/2 C. warm buttermilk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 TBSP granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 3/4 c. flour
1/4 c. butter softened
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I use WAYYY more)
raisins and nuts are optional
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk for frosting

Directions:
1. combine yeast and warm water in a 1 c liquid measuring cup; let stand for 5 min. Combine buttermilk and next 4 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast mixture; mix well. Add 2 cups flour, beating at med speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Gradually stir in enough flour that remains to make a soft dough
2. Turn dough on a lightly floured surface and knead lightly for 5 min (I don't do this, I just knead it in the bowl with my hands). cover and let rest 5 min.
3. Roll dough into an 18 x 9 inch rectangle; spread butter over dough ( I double the amount of butter). sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over butter. Roll up dough starting at long side pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets and pinch seam to seal
4. cut roll into 12 slices. place slices in a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. cover and let rise until doubled in bulk (about 30 min)
5. preheat oven to 350
6. bake for 20 min, cool 10 min and drizzle icing over rolls