My insane project is done!

Avery's birthday is next week (9/24). We planned her birthday party for today and invited all of her friends. Maybe I'm a snob, but I HATE party bags!!! They are usually filled with sugary treats and cheap, junky toys. They cost way more to fill than they are worth.

Crazy me came up with the insane idea of instead of giving out party bags that will likely end up in the trash by days end that I would sew each girl a pillow with their name on it. I was totally unrealistic in the time I thought these would take to make. I began this mountain of a project on Monday by beginning to cross stitch each of the

girls name. Six hours later, I had nearly finished

the first name, Hailey (only 7 more left to go

when I had to stop and prepare dinner.

I left the aida in the den. We had a lovely family dinner, complete with the usual complaining of, "I don't like this..." While I was doing the dishes, Zane made his way in the den and found my cross stitch and scissors. He completely demolished Hailey's name.

I spent the rest of the week doing nothing but cross stitching. Late Thursday night, I finished the final name and would have all day Friday to piece together the pillows. As luck (not) would have it, my sewing machine picked Friday to have a major attitude. I had one problem after the next with it all day. I finally got everything sewed (or so I thought) and began to stuff them. Only then did I realize that in some places the seams were really weak and began splitting. I ended up having to take apart several pillows and resew them by hand. I finally had the last pillow completed at midnight last night.