Birthday Banner

I know you have seen all of the adorable banners hanging around the blog world. I thought I would try my hand at one. It turns out that the triangle ruler that I picked up on clearance was the perfect size for the job.

While I love the felt banners out there, felt just wasn't the look that I was going for. I wanted some cute background fabric, which if funny because I ended up with something close to solid anyway. Rather than using ribbon, I wanted something that felt a little more sturdy, something you could see from the front of the banner, and most importantly something that I had on hand. Being a quilter, the first thing that came to mind was binding the banner.

I also wanted to have the option to hang the banner as one really long piece or in two pieces depending on where the actually hanging would take place. I love how it turned out! After realizing that the next birthday in our house wasn't until July, this banner ended up posted in the shop for someone else to enjoy.

Fortunately

I've been feeling better :) Thank you for all of the get well wishes here and in person.

I have company, but have been working on a fun little project here and there. Not finishing up any projects mind you, just starting new ones.

February?

Things have been a little crazy around here lately. I feel like one of those characters in a time travel movie that shows up and asks what the date is. February? Really? I have officially been sick for four weeks. Other than having babies, I can't remember being down for this long.

In the beginning it was just a little chest cold and some sinus pressure, and I was a really good sport. Then somewhere along the line it turned into this bronchial, beginnings of pneumonia plus a sinus infection sort of thing.

When I look back, I really don't know how we've made it through the past month. The kids have pitched in the best they can trying to get along, bake cookies on their own, and even doing the dishes - including the hand washing and pots and pans without being asked.

Me? I've just been trying to put out one fire at a time. A load of laundry here (mostly pajama bottoms, t-shirts and school uniforms) a crock pot dinner there. I've lived on this soup for days at a time - you have to add a can of spicy v-8 juice to it. All this time sewing pads and stippling a few small quilts for a local shop. Sara and I did manage to get some Valentine cards made for her class and I did make a lemon cake for the kids and Diego to celebrate the day. They didn't even mind that the red icing turned orange when it soaked into the yellow cake.

Today, I woke up and told my husband, "I think the little man is gone." He thought I was delirious and asked, "What little man? " To which I replied, "The little man that has been sitting on my chest." I guess that second round of antibiotics and the steroids are starting to kick in. I was actually able to read a few blogs this morning and add a post here. Maybe I can get to sweeping that dusty floor and throwing in another load of laundry.

photos staged and taken by Sara