Fall Colors

Growing up we almost never went for drives to see the changing leaves.  My parents did many other things, but that wasn't one of them.  Most of my experience with the beautiful colors of fall has actually come in the last few years as I have driven back and forth through Sardine Canyon every weekend or two.  My absolute favorite was last year when I drove through it every 3 to 4 days for a full year straight. The drive was exhausting, but I saw the canyon in every stage of beauty.  We can see the mountains out our back window now, and I think that was what finally got my parents interested in going for a drive, so yesterday we took the Alpine Loop.  It was most exciting because my daddy actually decided to go with us.  

I am no photographer, and can't do the beauty the justice it deserves, but these photos are my feeble attempt to capture the splendor of the colors.  

The colors extending up the hill mixed together, and it was gorgeous!

This is definitely one of my basic point and shoot moments, but I just can't get over all of the red on those peaks.  So pretty.

I loved this random patch of yellow in the midst of all of the evergreens.

I think this may be my favorite shot of the day.

Seriously splendid colors everywhere!

I am definitely loving the gorgeous fall we're having this year.

Tale of the Stuffed Orca

I have said many times that Orcas (commonly known as killer whales) are my favorite animal, so it should come as no surprise that I own a stuffed animal that looks like an orca.  It's a favorite of mine, always has been.  Most of my nieces and nephews have only found it vaguely interesting at best, and it has rarely been played with.  For some reason my 4 year-old niece Hannah loves the thing.  Don't ask me why.  Ever since she was very little she has played with it, and my two plastic barbie Orcas.  I think she and her little sister are the only non school aged children I know who know that they are called Orcas (or Ortas as Livvy calls them.)  

Tonight I was sitting at my computer checking facebook before going to bed, and was just about to shut everything down when I noticed my door (which doesn't latch) had been brushed open a crack.  I figured maybe Livvy had pushed it open during her babblings without my noticing since her crib is set up in an alcove next to my door, but I figured I'd sneak one more peak of my sleeping girls before turning in.  Livvy was out cold.  I walked over to the guest room, but because of the dark I couldn't quite tell if Hannah was in her sleeping bag or not.  When I realized she wasn't I checked the bathroom, but I couldn't find her.  I was about to head upstairs when I saw her conked out on the couch nearest my room.  I stood there for a few minutes trying to decide if I should move her to the bed, or her sleeping bag to her when her eyes opened.  I tilted my head, gave her a "start splain' look" and waved my hand.  She quickly stated that she wanted the Orca.  My mind flashed back to bedtime.  Bath? Check.  Jammies?  Check.  Teeth brushed? Check.  Stories? Check.  Stuffed animal? oops.  Orca has become a staple in her bedtime routine when she is here.  Good going Aunt Missa.  I got it out for her, sent her back to bed and within a minute she was dead to the world, the orca keeping a watchful eye over her.  Even the flash of my camera didn't stir her.  Guess a little comfort and security of a favorite animal was all she needed.  Love that girl :)

Orca keeping watch while Hannah sleeps peacefully

  

Getting Crafty

A little over a month ago one of my best friends Britney had a baby.  Brit and I have been friends since middle school, and even lived together for a semester before she got married.  She is awesome, but totally weird in the best way.  She has a wacky sense of humor, and is so much fun.  I love it, but she is so not the kind to decorate with baby farm animals and pastels.  In fact her nursery for her little girl is decorated in a Dr. Seuss theme.  I had spent months trying to figure out what to get her for her baby shower that she would love and use.  

For various other projects of my mother's we spent much of the summer combing the local fabric shops.  As we entered one in Sandy there was a quilted pillow on display that had 4 totally cute monsters holding up the letters of a little boy's name.  My thoughts automatically went to Britney, and I took a picture to use as my inspiration.  It took a little time, and a lot of web browsing before I finally figured out what I was going to make though.  I considered pillows and blankets, but I knew she would get a lot of those and didn't want it to be just another that went to the bottom of her closet.  I think we were actually walking out of wal-mart when I saw a mother with her baby in a car seat with an adorable cover.  Light-bulb!  How about a car seat cover with a cute monster on it?  I set to work finding patterns and found a blog online with a great pattern.  It was super simple, and I could really make it my own.  

I took a couple of weeks to pick out the right fabrics.  I wanted something that was monstery, but not screaming boy.  Girly, but not baby.  More than anything I wanted to find something I knew she would love, and I would love giving to her.  I eventually settled on a teal, hot pink, and lime green color scheme, and found the most adorable fabrics.  I freehanded the whole monster, just guessing and cutting duplicates for the front and back.  At one point I accidentally sewed the corner of the cover into the center when I was attaching the handles, and nearly screamed, but I was able to pick it out pretty easily, and everything else went fairly smoothly.  The hardest part was sewing the dang thing on because there were so many odd angles, but I love the way it turned out.

Pinning the back on

Making sure it's centered before sewing it on.

I ended up having to cut the feet off of the back of the monster because the back isn't as long as the front, but I really wanted to do the tail, so on it went.  I almost didn't do the claws because it was so hard to pin and sew around those little scraps, but ultimately I decided it needed it, and now I can't imagine having finished it any other way.

The finished back.  I think this may be my favorite angle of the whole thing.  

ROAR!!!!  For Britney and Oliver's adorable little monster Cori!  

Such a fun project to try my hand at.  Next up, a dress for my halloween costume.  Haven't made a dress since elementary school.  This should be interesting.