A couple inspiring reads

While I haven't actually read these books I would love to buy them when the finances permit! I found them through the author's blog: http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/

Not sure if I can legally C&P images of the book cover so here are the titles and descriptions, both books by Amanda Blake Soule:

The Creative Family
Between work and school, music lessons, and sports practice, there is less and less time to connect as a family. Those few moments together are often spent making meals, doing homework, or watching TV. In this inspiring book, Amanda Soule, a young mother of three, presents simple ways to use arts and crafts and other forms of creativity to deepen family connections.

For parents of all backgrounds, The Creative Family offers unique creative activities for the whole family. The range of projects includes: imaginative play such as dress-up, home theater, and parlor games; arts and crafts such as family drawing time and knitting with children; nature explorations such as creating garden journals and using natural toys; and family celebrations that include making music and displaying children’s art. These fun and engaging alternatives to television, video games, and the computer are meant to captivate children’s imaginations, celebrate their achievements, and express love and gratitude as a family.

Handmade Home
Handmade Home offers simple sewing and craft projects for the home that reflect the needs, activities, and personalities of today’s families. Filled with thirty-three projects made by reusing and repurposing materials—from vintage feedsacks to old sheets and towels—and including some projects that children can help with, all of the items here offer a practical use in the home. Amanda Soule does much more than simply present a collection of handmade items; she reveals crafting as a lifestyle based on the principles of consuming less and reusing more, appreciating the earth, and connecting to our families. This is a craft book that gives you the tools for creating a life—and a home—full of beauty, integrity, and joy.
Projects include:
• Papa’s Healing Cozy: This hot water bottle cover becomes a simple way to offer comfort to a sick child
• Baby Sling: A simple pattern for an object that offers so much to a small child—refuge from the world and a place to lay their head next to a parent’ heart
• Beach Blanket To-Go: Repurpose old sheets to create the perfect picnic blanket for special outdoor meals
• Cozy Wall Pockets: A creative solution for storing a child's small treasures.

Let's try this again

About 4 months ago I tried posting a quilt-in-progress only to have to delete the post. Being the totally brain-dead mama that I am I didn't even think that the woman who was to be surprised with this quilt would somehow find the post (it wouldn't have been too hard seeing as she has access to my blog)!

The very short story of this quilt...it starts with another mama acquaintance of mine whom I "met" through an online fertility board while pregnant with my first child. A group of us connected and formed our own little private board. We have gone through the births and everyday lives of our September 2006 babies, many subsequent births of siblings, miscarriages, fertility issues, health issues, you name it. This mama was anxiously expecting the birth of her 3rd child, a sweet little girl. One fateful day, however, it was learned that the baby was no longer alive. This mama gave birth to a beautiful angel in January 2009 at 17 weeks. This tiny angel has touched all of our lives and we felt that it was only appropriate to give said mama a comforting reminder of her little girl. The group of us pieced together squares of a quilt, added our own personal touches and presented the finished project to the mama (via snail mail) around Mother's Day.

Here are the squares that I worked on before they were pieced:

This is the applique I added to each square. The three flowers represents each of this mama's babies.