Elizabeth has had a hard week. I'm sure it is mostly my fault as my patience level has been about as high as freshly mowed courthouse grass, but I've managed to get myself back on track I think. I can just only stand so much of her whining and screaming at being told no before I want to get the Gypsies on speed dial. Instead, I break out the Peanut Butter Cheerios. They are magical things that buy silence for a few minutes. Here's the recipe:

1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup butter or margarine
6 cups Cheerios

Melt the butter and peanut butter. Pour over Cheerios. Mix well. Spread them on a flat surface to cool. Store in an airtight container.

They are excellent tea party food, too.

We use butter in ours because Elizabeth is on limited amounts of milk and needs a little extra milk-fat. And yeah, I've heard there are PB Cheerios in the stores now. I think these are better, though. And a lot more controllable - you pick what goes in! I've need wanting to try it with a brand of organic, gluten free o cereal that I've had before. The o's are a little sweet because they have pomegranate juice in the mix. I think they would be really great!

ANYWAY!

Busy week around here. Elizabeth turned two (TWO! GAK!) and is really enjoying her new toys. She got new play dishes (inculding a tea set), a dolly stroller, two new dolls and dolly care set, and more books than you can shake a stick at. She loves every bit of it! Annie isn't very popular, but I can't say I'm surprised. Blue Bear is her Best Friend and that isn't going to change anytime soon.

Mommy forgets party dress? Wear one of great-granna's!

Speaking of Blue Bear, he may end up being my next sewing project. I think I may have to frankenbear the Not Blue Bear to patch up Blue Bear. She will not accept any substitutions and she is terrified of bandaids. As in kicking, wailing, screaming, freaking-out-about-seeing-the-box scared of bandaids.

But I have managed to get some sewing in. I've remade a couple of her diapers into something i like a lot better. I've also gotten some of Elizabeth's fall things cut out. I've also unpacked a couple of the pairs of B3Ps that I made last winter and let the hems down on them. They should still fit this fall. She's gotten taller, not broader! And I did this:

I'm one of those DISGUSTING people who seems to be able to do just about anything. Tell me I can't do something and you better believe that I will. "Can't" only seems to exist in my world as a challenge. Really to the point of craziness - "You can't rob a bank!" Well, yeah I could. But *will* I? Nope.

And therein lies the difference! See, some people have gotten can't and won't mixed up. Just like need and want. I can do anything. Base jumping, dishes, vacuuming when Elizabeth is home. All things I can do. Also, all things I will not do!*

But in sewing I think I've finally found something that I'll not be doing again for a VERY long time because it just about become a big ole CAN'T right out of the gate.

And here she is. A Raggedy Ann doll for Elizabeth's birthday. I will start by saying that she is done with plenty of time to spare (about a week) and that she will have more clothes than just this one dress. But...

I go on record here and now stating that I Will Never Make Another Doll Of This Pattern Again.

It's not the hair or the wig or the clothes or the 'putting the body together with the legs and arms rammed inside the torso' or the seam ripping to restuff the head. It's her neck.

Less than an inch wide to start with and having to be sewn on to a curve with just enough room inside of the circle for the presser foot and half of my pinky finger the neck of this thing is the stuff of my nightmares. Sewing this thing should replace all forms of torture used and in some instances could be used as a substitute for the death penalty.

If I were not already nuts I would have been put in a home by now.

But, she's done, she's cute, and I don't think that Elizabeth is going to mind some of her wonkier points.

After all, she loves Annie almost as much as her Auntie M. does. And Auntie M's guest bedroom is decorated with Annie's.**

Fun things to note about Annie: The buttons on her shoes and the rickrack on her dress are both True Vintage - grandma's sewing room to the rescue! Also, her tights probably look familiar - I've still got BOATLOADS of that sheet left, too.

*In reality, there is only one thing that I simply can not do. And that is father a child. I do not have the biological capability to do that.

** Not like creepy-dolly decorated. There's a couple of Annie prints on the wall, M's own Annie doll for her youth, and a couple of figurines and a throw over the chair. And I think the bed linens are in the reds and blues of Annie, but are NOT Annie print.

Our new home boasts a County Fair every year. This year, it's happening the third week of this month. They have lots of events and exhibitions it seems. There's even a division for sewing stuff!

I've decided that I'll enter.

Now comes the big decision-making. What do I put in? Most everything will be in the Children's Clothing class. Dress-Up and Casual will probably be the two things I enter. But the real question is this: WHAT do I enter?

I think that my much-loved and over-used Sweet Tartan needs to go. It's very pretty and *really* well put together. And will probably qualify as Dress-Up. Perhaps one of the peasant-top-and-skirt sets would work for casual.

And get this: there's a class for Recycled Clothing! Only it is in adult sizes. Boo! I've got so much stuff I've recycled in to stuff for Elizabeth!

But there is also a Quilt division with a Baby Quilt class. Well, I have one of those. But it isn't eligible sicne I made it last year.

And I have diapers. I have one in particular that I might enter in the Any Other Infant Item class. I'll at least take it along and see what they say! It's red outside with a cow-print inside. One of the first I made and one of the best, too.




I can't believe that I'm considering this. I doubt that I'd win anything, but it seems like an appealing thing to do - and a good chance to see what other folks have made and are proud of this year. I may even meet some other local sewing types!