My Hallmark Obsession

Hallmark Movie Review: It Was Always You

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Countdown to Christmas 2020 really burnt me out. Out of the 40 new movies, I only chose 32 to be in my Hallmark Showdown Bracket, and it still felt like a bit much.

Then Winterfest ❄️ 2021 came….and albeit from a few good moments, none of them hit the mark for me.

Love Ever After 2021 ❤️? I thought, for sure, this will get me back in the spirit……nope. Nothing….

Until this. Until Them.

Apparently, my good friends, Tyler Hynes & Erin Krakow….

You two were just what I needed to get my Hallmark Mojo back……and I thank you. 😍

Well, yeah, and you know, love and stuff 😉

AHH! Tyler, staahhpppp being so dang lovable!

So here’s how I’m going to break it down:
5 categories, 5 hearts possible in each

CHEMISTRY (between the leads) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ David. (Well, Tyler…let’s be honest) Perfect blend of sarcasm, wit, timing…..and then hits you up with some of the most romantic monologues in Hallmark history. If you think I’m exaggerating, you haven’t watched this one yet. Elizabeth and David together were end game from childhood. It was so fun watching her realize it!

STORYLINE (overall plot of the movie) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ loved 🥰 all of it. They did such a great job of portraying childhood friends to romantic love in adulthood. I love that a huge part of the story was Elizabeth finding herself again… I love that the secondary character wasn’t thrown under the bus, I even 95% love how they ended it coming full circle.

SUPPORTING CAST ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Here’s where this one could’ve use some work. I was so wrapped up in the main characters, that I cared very little about anyone else…..Which doesn’t bother me really, but since it’s a rating system that I’ve made… I have to talk about it. I did love grandma! She always knew what was up 😉

FEELS ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ so SO SO MANY! The Dancing…the tv watching…the wedding registry!!! The hidden letters. So many swoon-worthy moments with these two! I’m not going to wreck it by trying to explain them….

HALLMARK SURPRISE (anything that really jumped out from the “norm” Hallmark Movie equation) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ The patience of this man! Normally Hallmark banks on the whirlwind romance. I was shocked by this change….especially the ending. My only wish was that the ending would have been set in Italy. I mean, missed opportunity, don’t you think?

24/25 absolutely Watching again! This one is going to be one that I come back to time and time again. 💕

Sewing

Week 6 Sewing Challenge: Sew Something with Buttons or Snaps

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well, well,well….end of week 7 and the first of the challenge balls to drop.

Although, it’s better than you may think: I HAVE completed the challenges, and I am on schedule….just haven’t blogged about it.

so, you may get more than one post today…..or maybe tomorrow?

Some other very exciting things have happened this past week too (but I’m keeping that a surprise….at least for now)

alright. Let’s talk challenge: Buttons or Snaps.

Buttons don’t scare me anymore like they used to….but, to be honest….I’m not sewing with the most reliable machines these days. In fact, I have 3 or 4 that need to be taken in to be serviced in one way or another….and, frankly, I ain’t got time to have another one bite the dust. (read that to say: I’m not chancing button holes right now) On top of that…I just really like snaps….

So SNAPS it was!

I mentioned in my Insta post that we are headed to the MOST MAGICAL Place on Earth later this year (God-willing, of course. This is a rescheduled COVID vacation) Our children DO NOT KNOW about this, so please, if you know them, keep it on the DL. Thankfully, we never told them about last year’s plans either, so the only disappointment was our own.

ANYWHOODLE…I have started gathering the necessary clothing….but you know I gotta make some too.

As soon as I saw this fabric, I knew EPCOT needed this in it’s life.

I love switching up the colors and making something extra unique!

If you’re thinking about adding some snaps to your next project….these are the kind I use:

Pattern is CKC Porter’s Button Down Shirt

Now I just have to decided if I’m making the other 3 kiddos coordinating outfits….

Sewing

C is for: Caden’s, Crimson’s, and Chastity’s

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The past 2 weeks was the Letter “C” in the CKC Sew the Alphabet Challenge…

I was thrilled to be able to complete (or at least finally SHARE)

3 different patterns:

Caden’s Storage Bean Bag

a few MORE Chasity’s ……of which I seem to not be able to stop making!

Remember….you can purchase your own 5 pack up there ⬆️ by clicking the SHOP button 😉

Last but not least, the release of the Brand New Pattern: Crimson’s Crossover Hoodie allowed me to share mine with you all!

I wasn’t expecting this crushed velvet to give me such ALI vibes…..

but, I’ll take it!

Sewing

Temperature Quilt: 2020 Complete with Border

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I feel like it’s been so long since we’ve chatted about the Temperature Quilt from that yester-year 2020. Then I realized…..it has only been a month since I blogged about it, and that’s what I had been doing all along the way. I guess what I have really been missing is the tracking of temps. Doing something everyday for a year really changes a person, ya know?!?!?

Well, this week of 2021….in the middle of a polar vortex…..while I daydreamed of the dark blues that would have compromised a temperature quilt had I continued this project into the new year……I finished the white hexie border around the ‘ol 2020 girl.

So, Here she is….in all her Glory……

My 2020 Hexie Temperature Quilt representing Oshkosh, Wisconsin with the added White Hexie Border.

A Quick Reminder of the Temperature Legend for all you guys and gals that might be curious:

Just looking at it completed is so surreal to me.

I remember the end of every month catching up on missed days….being so nervous this would be the month I quit….

and then…..super excited to dive into the next month to see how much the color patterns would change through the month and from one to the next……

I have to be honest.

I’m pretty proud.

And…..because I wouldn’t be me without giving you a little glimpse into my crazy world, I give you this real-life anecdote:

I hang this quilt up on the wall in our living room in order to get these pictures. So, as we were sitting down to dinner last night, and all 4 children are talking around/over/on top of each other and us adult people…….

  • Me: I finished the white border around my quilt today.
  • Hubby: Yeah I see that! Looks really cool.
  • Child #1: The flower needs watering that’s why it’s dying.
  • Child #4: no, it needs more sun.
  • Hubby: it’s fine, we will just cut it off and throw it out so it will have more energy to bloom again…
  • Child #2: YOU’RE GOING TO THROW OUT MOM’S QUILT?!?!?!
  • Child #3: What?!?! Why Would you do that?????
  • Me: [explaining to #1-#4 the perils of carrying on 2 conversations at one time]
  • Hubby: Are you Kidding?!?!? Mom sewed that beautiful quilt every single day for a whole year. We wouldn’t just throw it out.
  • Me: **shrugs** seems kind of legit though.

And, that my friends, is how they keep me humble…..because after all that work, all that time, and all that beauty…..

Imagining one of them spilling something, ripping something, or tossing this aside as garbage wouldn’t surprise me at the end of the day.

And I guess that’s motherhood in a nutshell, no?

I do have more work to do on it:

The back of the quilt is what I will tackle next, but until then, I am going to sit back and enjoy it for a bit…..

And pray it doesn’t get thrown out 😉

Sewing

Week 5 Sewing Challenge: Sew Something for Storage

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When this week began, I had big plans for sewing some fabric boxes or containers for my sewing studio….organization still on the mind…..and I gotta harness that while the mood strikes, ya know?

But, as I was sitting at my machines sewing garments….this Big Jar ‘O Zippers was staring me right in the face. I realized that I purchased these zippers months ago with plans to make more Stuffed Animal Storage Bean Bags…..but I never did. What made me wait so long? Not sure. I made this one for the girls’ room last spring.

And this guy for the boys’ room:

Then made this one for auction shortly after…

I even had a friend order one for her daughter’s birthday:

They seemed popular enough, so perhaps it was just the colors of zippers I had left that was holding me back.

That’s when I find it’s nice to come at it from a different perspective. I went Zipper to Fabric….instead of Fabric to Zipper. Meaning, I used the color of the zippers I had to inspire the fabric choices in these…… and that, my friends, is your weekly glimpse into the crazy train in my brain that led me to the decision to make these this week:

If you’re interested to have one to be your very own, you can bid on them this weekend in the Red Rose Auction House. (Hint: click on those blue words to find the Auction items up for bids)

Our littlest guy loves his so much he fills it half full and sleeps on it like a pillow 🙂

Week 5 of 52 in the books!