Free Patterns

I know a few of my readers will appreciate this. So without further ado - here are some free Amy Butler Patterns. (Quilts, accessories, and more!) You can download them in PDF form from her website.

Happy Sewing!

http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/free_patterns.php

Time Savers (This ones for you Mom)

I recently learned about Google Reader. It's one of those great internet tools that I think I learned about a little later than others. Perhaps it's because I've just started reading blogs (that is, surfing through craft blogs for creative ideas). But I must confess I am grateful to my friend that showed me the light. I decided it was only fair to share my little time saver with everyone else.
If you don't already use it - here's how:

1. From Google or your google home page - press more in the top (very top left of google screen) menu and scroll down to Reader. From Gmail - press Reader in the top menu.
2. Sign in to Google Reader using your gmail account.
3. In the left hand column click Add subscription. (Big blue plus sign beside it.)
4. Enter the blog site (ie. cyberrenos.blogspot.com) and press add.
5. The blog will show up below there and will likely have several *new posts. You use this just like an email inbox. Right below the Add Subscription section are two links to show only the updated blogs or all of them. I prefer to use updated so I only have to see what is new to read. When the blog is first added all the entries for the last month are marked as new. Click on the blog and then in the right screen above all the entries click on Mark all as read.
6. If there are problems: try adding it again, it may not have worked. Also check if it's a private blog or not (if it's one you have been invited to and have to log in to - it doesn't have a published feed for Google Reader). Sometimes GR will come up with several sites and ask you which one you mean. Usually the best bet is the one you entered, if it's not there try the one with feed in it.
7. Lastly - it is possible to divide all your subcriptions up into sub-folders. To do that click on Settings in the upper right corner. Then click on Subscriptions. Beside each blog subscription you have the option to Change Folders. Click on that, select New Folder and type in the folder name you want to move it to. (I have mine divided between friends and craft stuff for right now.)

OK Happy time saving and good luck!

Our exciting news...

Ha ha ha ha. You all go ahead and think what you will. I'm not pregnant. You can trust me on that one. (This stems from the fact that two of my friends have blogged their exciting pregnancy news this week! That and the flu attack I had this weekend while visiting family raised a few questions among sibblings. Yeah - I know you were all wondering.)
The real news is that our laminate flooring is completely installed! I want to give a huge round of applause to my dad, my husband, and our wonderful friends (names not mentioned for sake of anonymity - but we truly appreciate each one of you...) for all their hard work. I'll confess I myself got into the ordeal and clicked in a few planks myself. It's not rocket science - but it is HARD work. (Standing Ovation for all above mentioned here.)
OK I will post pictures quickly. What I actually plan to do is post before and afters for everyone. Then you can fully appreciate how wonderful this is for us! Seriously - our carpets were nasty and getting nastier by the minute. Now we have to replace the carpet in the hall/stairs and master bedroom and we will hopefully have no more carpet beetles. I know. Gross.
Interestingly enough - along with the change in flooring our little guys mysterious rash has also disappeared. It made a short reappearance last night - but it does gross me out to think it might have been the carpet causing the rash all along.
I'd love to say we are all healthier - but this weekend we came down with the flu. Yes it was nasty. You don't want details. I'll just say - little one and I are doing better. My wonderful husband on the other hand, I think taking care of us about did him in. He's in the first stages of recovery and I'm hoping and praying all will be better tomorrow.

Craft Haven

Lately I've been so dissapointed with all the craft stores I have been visiting. Jo-Anns and Michaels just don't cut it anymore. I mean, I walk in and it's the same old. I've seen the stuff before, there doesn't seem to be much new - unless you stroll over to the seasonal section, and that's just not why I go there in the first place. So - needless to say I was very excited to take a trip to Ben Franklin with my Mom and few weeks ago. I got even more excited when we arrived and discovered a side-walk sale! Let's just say it was like Heaven opened for a minute and I could hear singing. At this point I'd normally be calling myself back to reality - but honestly, I'd rather revel in the few moments I have to remember the store. Ahh...
So it was fantastic. It had so much of what I've been looking for, new modern things, fabric to enjoy, vinyl lettering (that you can purchase and order) a bead section that actually made me want to start back up, and so much more. Why is it that it can't be in my town. Oh well - I'll be making excursions there as often as I can. (Which, I confess, this week I plan to go.) It was so purely delightful to go to a craft store that actually had stuff to inspire me. Thank you Ben Franklin for fulfilling this crafters needs!

Teach a kid to go up the stairs...

And it will feel like a lifetime of telling him - no, get off the table! I swear it feels like every second I am turning around and catching him standing on the table. Of course - it has helped to remove all tempting (that means everything) objects from the table - but I still have this motherly fear that drives me to insanity when I catch him up there. I guess it's my husbands fault for nick-naming him Monkey. Can't help but have the climbing instict with that kind of name.

Family Photos

We got our family photos taken yesterday. Kali did a fabulous job. I'm so grateful to her for taking the time to do this for us. Aside from our grad pictures (which although OK were nothing fun to admire) we hadn't had family pictures since we were married. Ouch. That's almost 3 years ago now!
I must admit it was stressful picking out the clothing. I think we did well though. I was going for casual but still good-looking. After going through closets and going shopping for co-ordinating things I am pleased that I only bought one piece of clothing (my top). The rest we all had! (We even all had nice brown sandals!)
It was a kind of cloudy day and then an hour or two before we took off the sun came out and it got really warm. We were so hot wandering around Gas Works Park in Seattle. Worst of all the little one did not want to look at the camera. But in the end we got some great pictures. Check out Kali's blog to see some of them.

Oh Canada, My Home and Native Land...

While I may have just received my Permanent Residency I am still very Canadian. Don't believe me? - listen carefully when I say sorry, borrow, tomorrow, mom, and many other words. Most of the time the accent is still there. (Especially after a phone call or visit from family.)

Today is Canada Day! It's the day we celebrate Canada - kind of a birthday of sorts. It actually is the day that the British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada joined into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada became Ontario and Quebec). That was July 1, 1867.

Fast forward to this morning. My dear husband was playing on the bed with our little son and said "Happy Canada Day!" Then he said to our son. "Not that you're Canadian yet." (Mostly to get a reaction from me.) But I really must say I am proud to say that he is. We just need to do the paperwork so he can have proof. I must admit, I'm glad he's not going to have to go through the process of immigration. He's already a citizen of two awesome countries!

All I can say is I certainly wish I was up in Canada today at the water slides with the rest of my family and having a BBQ too. So as a family we are celebrating and getting our pictures taken! (Alright it wasn't planned - just happened that way!)

So to everyone out there HAPPY CANADA DAY! And just so I don't have to post about the 4th of July later this week... HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY too!