Sew Much Sunshine [to the square inch]: November 2011

11.28.2011

And the winner is...

Hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving & without further ado, let's announce the winner of the giveaway.

Congratulations lucky number five, AKA the lovely Jacky from The Sweetest Petunia!

Your package will be going out shortly!

Woo hoo!

Busy this week as I prepare for my first ever craft fair on Saturday. I would love any tips or tricks if you have any!

xoxo,

11.24.2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

The big things I'm thankful for: family, friends, health, faith, & life.

Here are a few of the little things I'm thankful for:

The smell of dogs' paws

A strikingly beautiful sunset

The smell of a chlorinated swimming suit

An old couple holding hands

Getting a letter through snail mail

My dad’s laugh

My mom speaking Spanish

Chelsea’s laugh

Snuggling

Cold pillows

Wrinkly mummy sleeping bags

Fresh laundry, warm and straight out of the dryer

Water popsicles

Dancing like no one’s watching

Diving into a swimming pool

Skiing down a mountain

Really good acoustical guitar

The smell of fresh cut grass

Hugs from Cass: “give me a hug!”

Griffin’s handwriting

Griffin calling me “Polar Bear”

People praying

Scrubs

Children’s laughter, especially when one of them tells a funny joke or story

Fine-tipped black pens

Ink on fresh paper

Boys in hoodies

Feeling the sun give me more freckles

Traveling in general, especially particularly foreign places you’ve only seen pictures—pictures that will never do justice to the real thing

Journals

Paint chips

Anne Gracie romance novels

A color-coded closet

A perfectly fitting pair of jeans, like they were made for me

A piping cup of tea, especially with pyramidal tea bags

Iced coffee

Bed-head

“Peace be with you” at Mass

Red, orange and yellow leaves falling in an autumn breeze

Bicycles, old ones

Anne of Green Gables

Natalie’s laugh, when she puts her hand on her stomach and lets her whole body laugh along

Gilbert Blythe

Wellington’s (rain boots)

Mom’s story telling (Dad & the Ketchup)

Family memories & videos

Spring flowers, especially tulips

The Kite scene in Finding Neverland

Mom’s mysteries of the Rosary

Forcing Cass to give me a hug when she’s mad

Filip’s laugh

Hunter Gregory’s Buddha belly

Vermilion the color

A long, challenging run

Hunter sticking his head out the sun roof

Nature, just after it’s rained

Mom saying “these people!”

Hunter’s howl

Groggy Griffin

Chelsea’s teaching stories: “Aww Mom! I went to bed last night!”

Grandma Hesse & all her quirky sayings “these pants attract all but men & money!”

Office supply stores

Little tiny notebooks

Thimbles

New shoes

Books

Falling asleep in the sun

Dad’s robes

Iced vanilla/almond lattes

Couples holding hands with mittens on

Sister Lucy saying Thessalonians

Christmas lights

The way Hunter is really cuddly in the morning

How Natalie is the human equivalent of a Snuggie

Baking

The song G & I made up: “Clementine”

The feistiness of Grandma Hesse

Honey nut loaf without nuts

Have a blessed feast & holiday!

PS- The giveaway is still going on here!

11.22.2011

My To-Make List and Great Dinner Roll Recipes for Thanksgiving

Homemade Chex mix. Anyone have a good recipe? I LOVE this stuff, but I've never made it. I'm planning on using Betty Crocker's recipe found here.

[source]

I'm in charge of rolls this Thanksgiving. A lot of pressure, because as a side, these are a family favorite! I usually make two different recipes. I'm going with Bakingdom's soft rolls for one:

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& Our Best Bites' cheesy garlic bread swirls for the other. Garlic + cheese + bread = perfect for any meal! Recipe found here.These are so good. So good.

[source]

My sister makes a bomb diggity green bean casserole, so she's in charge of that! Grandma is always in charge of the sweet potatoes. The turkey goes to my mom & it's always FABULOUS.

Post Thanksgiving, these are on my cooking list for the men in my life:

For the Hunt Man: cheesy dog treats

For the Griff Man: Monte Cristo sandwich

For the Frederer: Chicken Pot Pie, Ina's is to die for!

What are you in charge of this Thanksgiving?

PS- Don't forget to enter the giveaway going on this week!

11.21.2011

GIVEAWAY!

Guess what? Last week I celebrated my 100th post! So, that means a giveaway from my heart of hearts to one of you lucky readers! Thanks for stickin' with me!

Here's the loot one lucky winner will receive:

That's right, the winner will receive this Joel Dewberry infinity scarf, the elegant ruffle coffee sleeve, a winter's wonderland ring & leaf drop earrings!

Here's the dig:

MANDATORY: You must be a public follower of this blog!

To enter, simply leave me a comment & tell me one little joy you are thankful for this year! (one entry). Be sure to include your email if your comment isn't linked to it.

Extra entries:

+1 Follow @belleviewplace on Twitter

+1 Add Belleview Place to your favorites on Etsy

+1 Tweet, blog, or facebook about this giveaway and include link to this post

You can copy this or craft your own:

To celebrate the big 100th post, @belleviewplace is giving away some sweet loot. Come enter for yourself! http://bit.ly/sZ8LNk

As a special gift, use code HUNDRED for 20% off your Belleview Place purchase now through Thursday, December 1st! Guaranteed for Christmas delivery!

Giveaway open to all US residents & will close Sunday, November 27th.

Winner will be chosen via Random.org & will be contacted via email & on this blog on Monday, November 28th.

11.19.2011

Spent last weekend with the family in one of our favorite Colorado cities, Estes Park. Here are some of the memories! This weekend will be spent crafting away. Tomorrow I'm going to Philadelphia! Busy!

The Stanley Hotel where Stephen King wrote The Shining

Scarf: Anthropologie
Sweater: Patagonia
Gloves: Peru
Hat: H&M

Whilst hiking, we saw this. He put us to shame!

Mr. Elkman

The proverbial hat picture (we take one or seven on every vacation).

Enjoy the weekend!

11.18.2011

Living the Good Life

Just a few pictures from my weekend in Nebraska reuniting with all my college friends!

Crystal Cappuccino, anyone? Remember this shirt?

Have you ever played this game? It's a hit at parties or in small groups! Tear up some paper & have each person write 10 famous people or friends that you all know. Fold them up and dump them all in a bowl. Have each person draw one and without looking, lick it and stick it to your forehead. You have 20 yes or no questions to guess who you are! SO fun!

Getting ready to tailgate!

Trying on the garb at Wal-Mart. I should have bought that hat. Shucks.

Twilight hour!

We went on the field after the game!

Care package, courtesy of a special family in Michigan.

My first ever planking picture. Creepy.

Have a great weekend!

PS-This is officially my 100th post! To celebrate, join me for a giveaway next week!

11.12.2011

I am in LOVE...

with Joel Dewberry. In a platonic swooning fabric fest, I am in LOVE.

At the local fabric/craft store I frequent, the cute and crafty saleslady ringing me up said, "I'm noticing a pattern... Joel Dewberry."

I don't look at designer's names when choosing fabric, I just go with what makes me smile and lights my eyes up with potential, but somehow every time that happens, the fabric calling is Joel Dewberry.

I can't stop saying it! Joel Dewberry. Joel Dewberry. It rolls off the tongue so pleasantly! Joel Dewberry (okay, I'll stop!).

Eclectic modern. Brilliant, Joel Dewberry. I love you!

My favorite collection is Heirloom. Here are my most recent investments:

Opal Jade, voile

Tile Flourish Amber, voile

To Infinity scarves & beyond! That's where these puppies are going. Can't wait for more! I love voile!

If you're brave enough to click the website, get ready to drool &/or fork up some dough buying the fabric on Etsy. Enjoy! Show me what you make with your Joel Dewberry!

11.11.2011

Hello, friends!

'Twas a week filled with joyful memories of my weekend in Omaha. Reminiscing with college friends is therapy for any aching soul! We had so much fun. I took a grand total of 12 pictures because (brilliant me) brought the camera with a dead battery & no charger. Hoops.

You'll see those pictures soon & get a proper update in time. I am headed to the mountains this weekend, out of town again. Next weekend I head to Philadelphia & then it's Thanksgiving. Busy times around here!

Not to mention, I'm crafting my bones out getting ready for a craft fair! Let me know if you have any tips or advice for this little novice!

Have you seen my mottos? I went to the grand opening of H&M in Denver yesterday with my sister & this rule was broken by far too many chickadees out there. Ladies, as if our men weren't tempted enough... please just wear some pantaloons! Thanks!

I'll leave you with a picture of the Cathedral Basilica from this morning. I tried to go to confession at 6:30am & I was booted because Father had to get ready for mass. That's life, though! Note to self: be punctual!

Unedited & with a wee cell phone camera. Yep, it looks that good with a bad camera.

Have a fruitful weekend,

11.02.2011

All Souls Day

Today we celebrate & remember all the faithful souls that have gone before us.

If you have lost anyone in your life this past year, today is a great day to remember them & pray for them.

Here's a great quote by Amos Traver that reminds us of the message of the resurrection:

God bless,

11.01.2011

All Saints Day

Hip hip hooray! What a very special and important day. It's All Saints Day!

Here's a little blurb on my favorite saint, Saint Gianna Beretta Molla:

She was a skier, a physician, and an ardent wife and mother. She was a person just like us & is now in heaven enjoying the beautiful banquet and praying for all of us.

[source]

She cultivated the Christian life and inspired others through faith her involvement with the Church. She studied medicine and eventually married her sweet Pietro and they started a family together.

During her last pregnancy, she developed a fibroma in her uterus and knowing the risk, insisted that her child be saved. Shortly after the birth of her daughter, Gianna Emanuela, St. Gianna died. She is one of the first lay married saints to be beatified & her family was even able to attend her beatification in Rome with Pope John Paul II (how fantastic)!