Monday, August 24, 2009

Help Others

Now I know in the current economy it can be hard to find a way to help others or to even imagine sometimes that there might be people who need things more than we do.

So here is a fabulous way to help others and maybe even get your craft closet cleaned in the meantime.

Iraqi Boxes of Love

A US Army soldier currently stationed in Europe is collecting boxes of fabric, buttons, needles, thread, and any other sewing items you may have collecting dust to give the people of Iraq. He wants you to bundle them up and ship them out. He'll get them in the hands of those in need. Don't have sewing items to get rid of? The amazing Sew Mama Sew is donating 150 bundles to IBOL. All you have to do is hand over $15 and they'll even pay for shipping. $15 is such a small amount and will make a big difference in someone's life.

So come on crafty mamas and pops send some love!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Ho Lee Chow

Yesterday my friend Kristy and I went to Dongdaemun in Seoul for retail therapy. We had so much fun and realized we may never see everything there is in that huge complex of buildings.

Here is my haul.

Photobucket

An insane amount of white FOE (for swimsuits)
Solid quilters cotton
Lightweight Denim with anchors for next 4th of July
Fun print
Nightgown fabric for me

Photobucket

Solid color bias tape 50 yards a pack
Floral bias tape 25 yard pack
Light blue serger thread
Belt webbing (Izzy needs belts badly)
D-Rings
Velvet ribbon in 2 widths
Grosgrain ribbon (my local has some matching fabric!)

After shopping for four straight hours we went to a Chinese-American restaurant called "Ho Lee Chow". It was yummy! We shared General Tso's Chicken and Orange Beef. We also had shrimp spring rolls, white rice and coke. I didn't take my camera so no pictures unfortunately. It really is so very American of me to come all this way and crave American foods but I have been trying to like the Korean-Chinese food I promise!

Lastly just a cute picture of my budding fashion designer. She also put mittens on her feet and wears layers of clothing.

Photobucket

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Hotdog

The kids chose hot dog lunchables for their lunch on our recent trip to the Samsung Children's Museum in Seoul. We went last Tuesday with the play group. It was a lot of fun for everyone. My camera though was not happy with the lighting in the building.

There was a small exhibit detailing the history of Korea.
Photobucket

Next we went to the build a house exhibit. One of the most creative I've seen in a children's museum. There was a structure with lots of square openings for kids to place blocks of various sizes, "windows", and tiles. There were two cranes for hauling the blocks to the second floor and tubes to dump them back down again.
Photobucket

Photobucket

Another exhibit focusing on careers was based on the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. There was a dress up area representing a career in acting.
Photobucket

A space flight area and many others.
Photobucket

The rest of the second floor was taken up by a sound and music exhibit. The kitchen band room was a lot of fun!
Photobucket

The third floor had exhibits on air, water, and the human life cycle.
Photobucket

Also on the third floor was a "television studio" with lots of drums to bang on.
Photobucket

Photobucket

The fourth floor was about interactions between people and had a toddler play room.
Photobucket

Photobucket

I made the dress Izzy wore last summer but it is just fitting now.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Hot and Humid and H20

It has been terribly hot and humid here for more than a month. The kids and I go to the water park on post as much as possible. We tend to go after lunch and first swim in the deep pool for about an hour. I made the swimsuits.

Photobucket

Photobucket

During the break we have ice cream a lot of days and then the kids play in the smaller pools while I read. D has gotten so brave and is going done all the slides now and even jumped off the diving board.

Photobucket

Photobucket

Izzy is loving the water and once got in without her life jacket, sank for a second, and pulled herself back out. I was really proud of her and happy that I had taught her well.

Photobucket

See that little black dot in the distance?

Photobucket

That is our friend the helicopter. The water park is right next to the flight line so we see a lot of choppers and small planes.

Photobucket