Trying new things...

The girls and I have been busy over these past weeks. Busy making things. Trying new things. Loving all of it. First up are these delicious chocolate covered orange peels. I'd bookmarked these when I first saw them on one of my favorite blogs and last week I finally made them. Yum! Lauren has been busy making rings and necklaces galore! She received a Shrink-It Art Set in her stocking and is amazed and excited about how small everything becomes. It brings her hours of joy. She also is now enrolled in sewing class with Emma. She made three scrunchies the first day and a sweet little backpack this week. To say she is thrilled would be the understatement of the year. I just realized I have no pictures of her latest creations, but I will remedy that soon.
Emma is enjoying her new embroidery kit very much! Also a stocking stuffer, we opened it last week on a particularly dark and rainy day hoping it would provide some distraction for a child who normally spends 4 hours every afternoon outside (read: mom was about to lose her mind and was desperate for a distraction that involved sitting quietly indoors!). I (ahem, Santa!) found this adorable little kit at TJ Maxx for $3.99! It came with 7 small skeins of embroidery floss in different colors, a stack of iron-on transfer patters (which can each be used multiple times), an embroidery hoop, needle, 2 tea towels and a simple, easy to follow "Instructional" booklet! She is currently working on this tea towel for grandma Pam....so shhh! Don't tell! (She was actually quite worried that grandma might see this post thus spoiling the surprise.)


Emma is also quite thrilled to report that she made her first "sale"! She has overheard many older girls in sewing class talk about making things for friends and classmates and being paid for it. It's hard to explain to an eight year old that you can't exactly go up to someone and say, "Hi. Want me to make you a backpack? Ok, that will be $15 please." Um, it doesn't quite work like that. However, she has been making birthday gifts for friends in the form of backpacks, purses and pj pants. Well, a few weeks ago when a friend opened her gift my dear friend, Kati, asked Emma if she could pay her to make one for her too. If you have spent any time around my daughter over the past 2 weeks, this is probably old news as she has told nearly everyone about her new "job", as she calls it ! :)

And here is my latest obsession. Flower hair clippies. I ♥ them! I wear them nearly everyday. And since I only had 4, I decided to make some more. Ok, a lot more. I may have a problem. I also may have 13 new flower clippies.

"Hi. Want me to make you a flower clippie?" :)

In all seriousness, I think 2010 shall be the year of "New Things". I'm going to make a concerted effort to try something new every week. Whether it's a new recipe, a new sewing pattern (or not...I detest patterns. It will likely be a stolen idea that I will try to recreate without the pattern or instructions. You should stay tuned as this often proves to be quite hilarious.), new fabric, new restaurant.....the sky is the limit, really. It's not about the "new" so much as it is about the "try".

I already have my next new "try" lined up and it's a good one! I can't wait to tell you all about it....soon.

Also, I met a lovely piano instructor last night that recently moved to Shafter and so the girls will begin lessons soon! They are very excited! And who knows, maybe I'll join them. I have always wanted to try to learn an instrument as well.

This is going to be a great year!