About Me…

I’ve finally got most of the questions answered! I’m posting them in this post, and also on my About Me page.

Ok, so you’ll probably be hollering “UNCLE” from knowing too much about me after you read this page, but it’s my blog…so….let’s get going. 😉 I asked you guys for questions, and you delivered! I don’t know if I can answer all of them, but I’m going to try!

Click below for the whole scoop!


Family/Life/Personal Questions

Knowing that the large majority of your visitors will be women, and knowing how we LOVE details, I’d like to hear more about your life; before blogging and now.  
I was born at an early age….lol. This is a broad question, so hopefully some of the other questions can help fill in the blanks, but I grew up the oldest of 8 kids (yes, 8!), in Northern California. I am LDS, love it, and love my parents, and siblings. I seriously couldn’t have asked for a better upbringing or family. Aw, I’m gonna cry. 🙂 I was involved in gymnastics, water polo, band (flute), a violin group, church groups, etc all through my youth.
 My sibs, L to R: Jordan, Joanna, Janae, Justin, Joshua, Julia, Me, and Jarom. (yes we’re all J’s, and yes my parents are J’s too, Jonathan and Jan) We were definitely a novelty growing up in California!
Random, but how many kids do you want to have? I picture you with a slew of cuties!  Both Rory and I want 4 kids, he grew up with that many, and although I loved my childhood with tons of siblings, I am not as crazy awesome as my mom and dad so I don’t want 8 kids. (though I always get that question) Question is, will we get two boys now? I hope so, I want the genders to be even. lol! (there are 4 girls, 4 boys in my family, and 2 boys, 2 girls in Rory’s)
Sadie, Rory, Charlotte, and me.
Do you ever find yourself ignoring your babies so you can make something for your babies?
If I do, I kick myself in the toosh and stop.

What’s your favorite flavor of Girl Scout Cookie? 
Samoas, hands down! I love making these knock off bars!

It’s raining in April-rainboots or flipflops?
flip flops…year-round.

How do you feel about garlic? 
Well, since I was raised and still live in the Garlic Capital of the world, I’d be a remiss to say no. Luckily I LOVE garlic! I throw it in everything, pasta, veggies, cookies….
Are you a girly girl or next-door-neighbor girl or a tomboy? 
I think I’ve been all of these at some point in my life, but mostly I would say girl-next-door. 
How did you come up with your daughter’s names? 
Both Sadie and Charlotte’s names were found in baby name books, but I found out after they were born that they are both family names as well! (on my dad’s side) So that was perfect! I must be psychic. Sadie’s middle name is Lyn, after my sister (middle name Ashlyn), Grandpa Lynn, and also an uncle and aunt. Charlotte’s middle name is Nora, after my mother in law.

 How did you and Rory meet? How long did it take to know that you wanted to marry him? 
Aw. We met in our church’s single adult ward when I was 18, and he was 22. He had a beard when I met him, I still tease him about that! I thought he was hilarious. He thought I was pretty. We started dating a month or so later and got engaged a few months after that. I knew I wanted to marry him after a few weeks though. You just know, ya know? My parents were so excited to get me out of the house see me get married to such an awesome guy. (I guess I was a difficult teen? whatevers.) I count myself lucky I found such an amazing guy.
How long have you been married?
It will be 8 years this August. (I got married when I was 18-I know, shocking! Scandalous!
What song did you first dance to at your wedding?
Can’t Help Falling in Love with You, by Elvis Presley
Whats the most favorite thing you’ve ever done? 
I went to Europe when I was 16 with my family and our violin group. (yes I played violin but not for very long or very well) It was awesome! We went to England and Paris for two weeks. Fabulous trip!
 Oh my…there’s teenage Jess in her pleather jacket. she thought was so cool.
What is your favorite childhood memory?
Hmm..I seriously have the worst memory, so I don’t remember a lot from when I was young, but I do remember making Barbie movies with my siblings when I was young. (ok, I was 14) We thought they were hilarious (still do) and all of us still crack inside jokes from the movies. My brother Jarom was the comedian of the family, so he’s the one who made them funny.
What is your favorite snack to eat when you take a break from crafting?
chocolate. Or string cheese!

What were your favorite subjects in school?
My electives, lol. Jewelry, photography, art, pottery…I guess I’ve always been creative.

If you could be any character in a Disney movie, who would it be?
 
Ariel! She was my favorite growing up.
What is the number one value that you want to instill in your kids? 
The value of service.

What are 5 things on your bucket list? 
Travel to Europe again.
Travel across the US.
Finish our backyard.
Paint a (decent) picture.
Re-learn the violin.
Did you ever picture yourself being a mother to two beautiful little girls ?
Not really, but I looove it! I thought it would be more even, but I have a feeling  more girls will be coming our way, much to Rory’s chagrin. 😉 (not an announcement!)
Did you plan your pregnancies? 
Yes. We Rory wanted to be finished with school before having kids, and so I got pregnant the month Rory graduated. Sadly, that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, but a few months later I got pregnant with Sadie. Her and Charlotte are 22 months apart. We wanted our kids to be about 2 years apart, but I’m feeling like I want to wait a little while longer between Charlotte and the next one. I want to enjoy them and not be stressed out with another newborn.
Are you happy right this minute?
Yes! A little tired, but yes.
Is life different than you planned or are you living the dream?
I am living the dream and LOVING it. I often think about how lucky I am, to have an amazing family, friends, the gospel, and this wonderful hobby obsession.
If the grocery store was having a HUGE BOGO on all cereal what two (different) kinds would you choose? 
LIFE cereal. I would buy two boxes. Love that stuff.
Do you have a favorite TV show?
Do you have a couple of  hours? I love TV! Some of my favorites are: Arrested Development, The Office, 30 Rock, Grey’s Anatomy, Pushing up Daisies, Castle, Friday Night Lights, Parks and Recreation, Firefly, Veronica Mars, GLEE, Community, Chuck, Psych, Prison Break, Off the Map, Survivor, Diner, Drive ins, and Dives….and probably more.
What TV show is your guilty pleasure? Like you know it’s really silly and pointless, but you can’t help watching it. 
 I love those cake competitions on the Food Network.
What’s your favorite thing to drink? 
water. But I love me a good strawberry lemonade too.
Who is your favorite band? 
I don’t listen to much right now (Sadie dictates our music choices most days), so I’d have to say Alan Menken and the Disney Orchestra. lol.

For a non-craft related question – what is the worst thing you ever ate? 
I love most food. Passionately. But I really don’t care for beets. They’re slimy and stain things. yuck.
If you could choose 3 people to have dinner with, who would they be and why. (No limit of who – dead or alive, real or fictitious) 
Harry Potter, Han Solo, and Veronica Mars. That would make for some interesting conversation, wouldn’t you say?
What is your favorite vegetable? 
Broccoli! Steamed with butter, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Seriously could eat a whole plate of that. yum!

Paper or plastic? 😉 
Plastic, but I try so hard to remember my reusable bags-I remember about 1/4 of the time. 🙁 I recycle at least!

Green Olives or Black Olives?
BLACK! green olives are an abomination. (no offense to green olive lovers *cough* weirdos *cough*) I grew up with a bowl of black olives at almost every family dinner. (to this day!)
Have you ever been to New Zealand? Not as of yet, but I plan to be very world-traveled at some point in my life. 
Also where are your favorite places to shop? You have some cute clothes.
Thanks! I wish I could say I shop at J.Crew, Anthropologie, etc….but my budget lands me at Target, Old Navy, various thrift shops, and Ross. Glamorous, eh? My style is very laid back and casual..sandals (even in winter) tees and pants/shorts. Belts once in awhile, and skirts, dresses, and heels on Sundays only. Usually only one piece of jewelry. (besides my wedding ring of course)

What did you want to be when you grew up?
An Olympic gymnast or equestrian. (I went though a pretty intense horse obsession around age 11-13) I did gymnastics before and during high school, but I was only good at floor.
 What is your favorite Ice Cream or Milkshake? 
Milkshake-good old vanilla. Ice Cream-Oreo 

What Jessica were you named after? 
hmm, not sure actually! I think my parents heard it somewhere and liked it.
Who was your favorite teacher who inspired you in some way and you’ve never forgotten? 
One of my Youth teachers from church-Dixie Zinn. She has a way of listening and talking to you that makes you feel so important and loved. We are still in touch and get together every so often, which is always a treat!
Are you messy or a neat freak?
A  little bit of both. I can live with some mess, but only for so long.

“Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?” 
lol! Blue, and green….soo… teal!
What’s the most loved thing someone has ever made for you? 
Probably one of Sadie’s drawings. They are adorable. She is going to be an artist someday, I swear. lol just kidding. 

If you were to win a million dollars what would you do with it?
Pay off our house, buy a minivan, and finish the backyard.

Do you like cooking? 
I do like to cook! I like to make easy, but tasty dishes. Rory is somewhat of a picky eater so I can’t always cook the things I’d like to eat, but I’ve learned to adjust. (and order what I can’t eat at home when we go out!)
What’s your favorite dish/cake, thing to cook?
Cupcakes or cookies.

What are some of your favorite recipes? 
You can find some of my faves on my recipe blog, here.
I especially love to bake. Check out these Cookies and Cream Cupcakes. droool… 
Lastly, sweet or savoury?
You’re making me choose? grrr. Sweet.

Ice cream or baked goods?!
Brownies!

What is your favorite chocolate?
um, any kind. I pretty much adore chocolate in all it’s forms. (except white)
Where do you want to be in 5 years, 10 years?
I want to be a good mother, good wife, and good friend.
Is your hair naturally straight?
Nope, it’s wavy, although when I was younger it was curly, like ringlets curly. That went away after moving to Utah, and having two kids. Thank goodness…
What is your biggest vice?
Probably chocolate.
Do you ever get any rest??!! 
I am in bed usually, by 11 each night. I value my sleep, and generally, sleepy sewing is BAD sewing…for me.

How many hours do you sleep a day? 
7-8
Do you exercise?
I do! We have an elliptical machine that I go on 3-4 times a week for an hour each time, while Charlotte is napping and Sadie watches The Little Einsteins. I usually read books which helps the time go by. I crave these hours!
Do you like to read? If so, what are your favorite books?
I adore reading! When I was younger you could find me at our library every week checking out a stack of (no lie) 20 books, which I would return within the week. Lately I don’t have as much time to read, but some of my favorites are Harry Potter (of course!), The Hunger Games series, Twilight series (I’ll admit lol), historical fiction novels, Little House on the Prairie books, etc. I’m a sucker for romances and easy reads. No “smarty pants” books for me these days.
If you were feeling super daring, what color would you put in your hair?
I went realllly dark on accident once and I kind of liked it!

What chore would you beg, borrow, or steal in order to avoid?
Carrying in the groceries, and mopping the floors. 🙁 I don’t mind the grocery shopping, I just hate carrying them from the car to the house cause you can never get them all inside in one trip!
Easiest chore? 
Dishes. I’m extremely fast at them. (on purpose)

What is your favourite way to eat bacon? 
In a BLT! yum
Can you lick your elbow?
Sadly, no.
Do you have any fears/phobia’s?
Shudder…yes. I am severely scared of something that starts with a S and ends with a iders. aka the “s” word. (peeking under my desk to check for them…ok, I’m back.) I have been known to cry, squeal, and climb on top of anyone nearby when I see one. My family used to tease me, with fake ones, but they have since learned their lesson, from various bruises and scratches they’ve received in return. (Plus, Rory’ll tell them off for me)

 If a Genie in a lamp granted you 3 wishes, what would they be?
Oooh boy.
1. That all my family would live nearby.
2. That my backyard would be fully landscaped the way I want it.
3. Unlimited fabric. (by way of unlimited money…lol)
What country would you like to visit?
I’ve always thought I’d like to visit Australia, but I hear they have giant “S” words and snakes, so maybe not.
 Where is your favorite holiday spot? 
hmm…anywhere my family is. Gathered in my parents house singing Christmas carols and eating delish holiday food is bliss.
What are your top 3 fav places you have visited? 
London (love all the historical places and accents!)
Paris (the art museums, food, and atmosphere is fabulous)
Disneyland (will never get sick of it!)
Top 3 places you would LIKE to visit? 
Italy
Australia
Ireland
Sewing/Crafting/Blogging
When did you start sewing, and how did you learn?
I sewed skirts and things when I was younger, mainly being prodded by my mom. I hated it but liked the feeling of making it myself. Then when I got pregnant, I wanted to make my baby a blanket. The rest is history! I am mostly self-taught, using the wonders of internet tutorials and how tos. There is so much information out there these days, it’s amazing.
 The first blanket of many…
What was your first craft? Where did it all start? 
 Oh I can’t even remember! I grew up in a pretty crafty family-my mom is an amazing seamstress and all around crafty maven (has made bunches of prom dresses and matching outfits for us kids, not to mention four amazing weddings on a budget), and my dad is a fantastic wood worker and can make anything. Seriously. He could make a jungle gym if you asked him to. Just ask me about the climbing wall/fort he built in our backyard. Or the three tiered bunk beds with a loft and slide he built my brothers.
How did you get into blogging? 
I first started blogging as a way to keep in touch with family. Along the way, I discovered I loved sewing and crafts, and they kind of staged a coup and took over the family blog.
Where do you seeing yourself creativity-wise in regards to sewing in 5 years? Designing your own fabric line? Owning a fabric shop? Teaching classes? Vlogging? Definitely I see myself becoming a millionaire from my sewing/pattern/fabric lines. BWAHAHAA. ok, so maybe that’s a stretch, but I’ve always thought having a fabric store would be awesome (I’d soo be my best customer), but really, I’ll probably still be sewing up a storm for my kids and having to bribe them even more to wear the clothes since they’ll be older. 😉 Someday I’d love to get in the pattern business.
 Where do you find your inspiration for color combinations before you start sewing a quilt?  
I start off by finding one fabric that has lots of colors in it that I like, and then pulling other fabrics that have the same colors. Stripes, polka dots, solids…but it all comes back to that one fabric. (or two, or three, really)

Do you knit? Crochet? If not, will you learn how to soon?
I have crocheted exactly one thing in my life, and it took me about 5 years. So no, I’m not really into crocheting. I’d love to be able to figure out the patterns, but all the counting and looping makes my head hurt.

If you didn’t sew, what could you see yourself doing creatively? 
If I didn’t sew, I’d probably still be into scrapbooking. I have 20+ albums full of pages I’ve done, and used to be obsessive! Sewing has kind of taken over for now, but someday I’ll use all the supplies I’m hoarding. You can check out some of my pages here. 
below is a little sample. 🙂 


How do you come up with your amazingly creative ideas?!  
 Everywhere! I am always studying people’s clothing (so if you think I’m staring at your chest, sorry, it’s the ruffles…) or snagging pics from the internet, magazines, books. Inspiration can come from anywhere!

How did you decide on a sewing machine to buy?
I got the same brand my mom has always had, a Brother. (SE-350) Basically because it has a start/stop button on the machine, I don’t do well with pedals, lol! Though, it is quite a workhorse and has served me well over the past 4 years. My serger is also a Brother (3034d).
When you are fabric shopping, and you see a fabric you LOVE, MUST HAVE, ETC., how much of it do you buy? One yard is nice but most projects/patterns seem to take more. If I don’t have anything specific in mind, I never know how much to get… How much would YOU buy? 
A yard and a half probably. Two if it’s true love.
Where do you buy your fabric? 
Mostly online since I only have a Joann nearby. I’ll list them below:
What’s your favorite way to add a little character to your creations? 
Add some buttons, pleats, or ruffles. Done and done!
How do you find time to craft?
By tying the kids up in the closet. I jest!
What is the one sewing/crafting tool you can’t live without? Sewing machines excluded 🙂 
My cutting mat and rotary cutter! I use them with every single sewing project I do.
What is your go-to fabric store? 
 Probably Joann’s, since I get alot of my basic supplies there.
One type of pattern you just can’t resist?
Dresses.
What is one tip you would give to a newbie interested in getting started on sewing? Where to start? What is a must have? 
Well, a sewing machine is good to have… 😉 Start with a project with straight lines to build your confidence. I started with bibs and burp clothes mostly, they’re great to have around for presents, and easy to make! The Bapron is easy and impressive. 🙂

Do you stick to a craft budget and what is it? 
Ummm. I don’t really have a strict budget, I just try and keep it reasonable…and having sponsors on my blog seriously got Rory off my back about my crafty spending habits, so THANK you so much, sponsors, for enabling my fabric addiction and keeping Rory happy! (and my fabric shelves full)
What’s the one thing you like least about sewing?
Unpicking seams. Blech!
While I know your girls aren’t always happy about posing for your adorable pictures, do they wear what you make for them in ‘real life’? 
They do! Usually there’s not a day that goes by that one of us three isn’t wearing something I’ve made. That makes me happy! Sadie loves her dress collection.
What does your sewing room look like? Besides the type of sewing machine someone has, I’m always curious to know where a person sews!
You can read all about my sewing room here!
Do you have a sewing nemesis? Some technique that gets you every time?
Not a technique per say, but my dag-gum iron always burns my fingers on the steam setting.

What is the process behind creating something brand new?

First, sketching out a pattern. Then, sometimes I make a muslin (practice piece, usually out of cheap or crap fabric) to make sure it fits, but usually I dive right in and try making it. I learn best by making mistakes, but I often will work out, in my head, how to construct something for days or weeks even, before I make it. It usually comes together pretty smoothly if I do that.
What is the weirdest thing you have ever made? 
Probably this tin can I covered with blue paper and sandpaper on the bottom. Then I drew fish on the blue part-it was an ocean pen holder for Father’s Day. My dad kept it for years. (probably out of pity)
What was your biggest crafty fail? 
See above. 😉
If you had to pick one craft to make every time you craft for a year, and that is the only craft you could make, what would it be and why? 
Does clothing count as one craft? Then, clothing.
I’m curious about how you got your blog out there, and picked up so many followers. I mean, obviously, your blog is awesome. But how did you get it so popular?
Aw, shucks. Well, honestly I don’t know-being featured on other blogs was key to getting followers, but I never made that a priority. I was never out to be the “biggest” and “best” crafty blog. I wanted to stay true to myself and my own projects, and I think I’ve done that. I just try to ignore the pressure that comes with more readers, and just keep keepin’ on. I hope you guys can tell how much I love this blog and how much I appreciate you stopping by! It’s one of the most important things in my life, and it’s brought me a lot of joy and fulfillment.
Every blog has a title, and behind that title is a story. What’s the story behind “Craftiness is Not Optional?”
Well, I used it as a tagline and then it became the name of my blog. I don’t quite remember how I thought of it, I just think it describes how I feel about creating. It’s just not an option for me to not be crafty or sew. It’s essential to my mental health. 😉
What time you spend everyday in your blog? 
I probably spend around 4-5 hours on my blog, creating projects, writing posts, answering emails, etc. 
Do you think is to much or to little?
I think it’s probably a little too much, but I like to be on top of things so I’m always checking up on it. I’m kind of a control freak. 😉
Those of us who blog know that it isn’t always easy. What motivates you to continue blogging?
hmm, I’ll admit, some days I wish I could quit, but those days are few and far between. I love it too much! What motivates me to keep blogging is my love for sewing and crafting. If I’m having a lull in creativity, I just keep looking for inspiration, and when it strikes, I can recognize it, and let it take me away! (same as Calgon…;)

Do you ever feel “burdened” by your blogging gig? Do you ever want a break from sewing but feel you have to keep producing, producing, producing?
Sometimes I do. I try to ignore the pressure, but sometimes it gets to me. Then I take a step back, and remind myself why I do this. Because I love it.
What do you enjoy most about blogging? 
Comments! I’m not gonna lie. It’s nice to get feedback and compliments, everyone likes that! Also, meeting all sorts of fun and interesting people from around the world is pretty fantastic.
As a person who just bought there first sewing machine last week, what are a couple of tips you would give someone starting to make baby/children’s clothes? 
Start simple, with a skirt, bib, or peasant top. Those are easy and good to build up your sewing confidence!
Where is your serger??

Hmm I’ve always wondered how you balance it all. Are you just a really fast sewer? Good at time management? 
Yes, and yes, I suppose. I’m pretty good at multi tasking and have learned to sew quickly. Both good habits! I am also insanely punctual. Just ask (almost) anyone I’ve guest posted for. lol.

How many spools of teal thread do you own? 
Strangely enough, none. I have like 4 blues, but no true teal.

What has been your most challenging or frustrating sewing project?
Recovering this couch. 

Did you give up or embrace the experience? 
Embraced it, eventually! I keep thinking I want to redo it, since it’s falling apart at the corners, but then I fight that impulse as hard as possible cause I remember how hard it was…lol. Still…someday I will.
 Do you use a stitch ripper often?
At least once a project, usually.
What is your favorite crafty-tool, besides the sewing machine? 
Probably my hot glue gun!
Have you ever sewn something for Rory? 
Do you count appliques on tee shirts? then, yes. But that’s it, really.
What is your favorite, most productive time to sew? 
During naps and after bedtime. 
What has been your favorite project?  
Too many to choose from! I will never get sick of sewing clothing though, there are so many options and styles, and so much more to learn. One of my ultimate faves is this color book I made. Seriously. Love.
Sometimes I can literally see you ‘churn’ out girl clothes, how long does it take you to sew up one? You seem mighty fast! 
For a dress, if it’s my first time with the design, and I’m doing a tutorial, depending on the difficulty, it can take around 2-3 hours. 
How many hours do you spend in sewing a day?
Usually I spend an average of 2 hours sewing a day, I would say.
 
How do you keep on top of your fabric stash?…it must be huge! I have so much trouble keeping mine tidy and actually organised enough to know what I have…Do you keep all of your offcuts? I’ve seen pics of your sewing room, but do you have fabric hidden away?
It’s definitely grown since I showed you how I organize my fabric, right now I have a lot piled up on my serger table. I need more shelves! 
What was your very first favorite color or color combo? 
Probably blue and yellow-that’s how I decorated my first bedroom. With plaid. It was awesome. I did cut out my name in wood letters-crafty even then!
What is your current favorite color combo—what dominates your stash? 
Aqua and pink are my faves right now.
How do you stay organized with all your sewing patterns?
 I use this box to organize them, although they’re a lot messier now. I need to come up with a better system.
What is your favorite thing to make for others? 
Something useful or pretty. 

What inspires your sewing?
Everything!
Why did you learn to sew?
To make things for my baby. (Sadie)
What is your least favorite thing about sewing?
Cutting out large pattern pieces.
What is currently your favorite line of fabric? 
Aw, man! That’s too hard. You can see some of my current faves over on my Pinterest fabric board, though!

What is one surprise tool that you use in your sewing experience? I’m looking for something cool and useful. 
I use a chopstick for turning corners out, it’s perfect for that!
 Where do you find your motivation on those days that seem motivation-less? 
I clean my craft room. Often I discover a half finished project (or a dozen) that would be easy to finish up. BINGO! Crafty mojo is back. Sometimes I just give up and watch TV. I also like lists, and crossing things off them.
How do you balance it all? 
No clue. It’s always a struggle. I just try my best to make sure everyone’s clean, fed, and reasonably happy. If that’s true, everything else is icing on the cake.
Why do you craft? 
Creating something literally gives me a high-I just love the feeling of making something out of…well, not nothing, but supplies and fabric, at least. Using my brain to figure out how things are made, and posting on this blog helps me feel like I have an identity outside of “Mom” and allows me to foster all these wonderful friendships with you all!
You are way talented – but what else would you like to learn to do / be better at? 
I would LOVE to learn how to design stuff on a computer-nothing crazy involved, but it would be cool to make my own tags and stuff for parties and things. 
Have you ever ignored your gut telling you NOT to sew something and regretted it? If so what did you make, why didn’t it work, and what did you do with it?  
Yes! I made a dress for Sadie once where nothing worked-the fabric, shape, fit…I tried and tried to make it work but it was a total flop. I tossed it in the garbage!
Can you stop yourself sewing?
It’s very difficult. When Rory starts calling me “that crazy lady who lives in the sweat shop in the back” I know it’s time to quit and spend some quality time with the hubs.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten (sewing or otherwise)? 
 These are both great quotes to live by.


 Do you dream about sewing?
I can never remember my dreams, so I don’t know…I’ll bet I have though.

Do you find yourself sneaking into to sew when you shouldn’t really?
 
Uh, yeah. 😉
Did your mother sew for you too? 
Yes, she did. Matching outfits every Easter and Christmas, which I hated once I was about 9 or 10…hence I am forcing matching outfits on my kids too, to perpetuate the matchiness madness. She also sewed most of my formal dresses in high school, as well as my sisters’. Also lots and lots of ties, dresses, skirts, etc. She can do no wrong in her sewing room!
 What do your girls do while you are sewing?  
They are usually sleeping when I sew. Or, if I’m trying to finish something up really quickly, I’ll park Sadie in front of the TV. (bad mom!) Never when Charlotte’s awake though, she’s too active! 

Comments

  1. This is so interesting! It’s nice to get to know you better, thanks for being so honest 🙂 and your wedding picture is beautiful!

  2. holy crap ! that’s ALOT of questions! how you managed to answer all of them is beyond me!

    ahhh teach me how to sew! like to use a sewing machine! 😛

    -robots in trouble

  3. I am born and bred Australian and I can honestly say I have never seen a really big spider in my life.. As long as you don’t go out bush you should be safe 😉 or snakes.. I’ve only ever seen them at the zoo…..
    So I think you’ll definitely have to travel to Oz! We really are a nice bunch 🙂

  4. You have to come down under Jess! You’d love it and so would the girls and Rory. There’s not that many of the S-words around really! {Meegy – I think big is relative ; ) } It was lovely to read all your answers, thanks for taking the time!

  5. Jess, I seriously read that whole thing. I LOVE reading question and answer things – so fun. Especially love the non crafty related stuff. 8 kids, wow. Your mom must seriously be amazing!!

    Thanks for sharing,
    Lindsay

  6. Спасибо!Было очень интересно читать о вас и вашей семье.

  7. It’s so great to get to know you more! I missed out on the question round, I don’t know why I didn’t post. How old are your girls?

    Love your inspirational quotes. I need to hang that second one up and maybe I will get my quilting done. I am just worried to “fail” although I have never even tried it. Oh and LOVE that color book! My boys might be too old for it (2), but my little girl is due in October. Maybe her first Christmas present. 🙂

  8. It took me two sessions to read through all those, but I made it! Thanks for sharing and for being willing to get personal. I understand other bloggers’ motivations for keeping their lives secret (I tend to be a little tight-lipped myself), but it makes for a little more boring of a reading experience, IMO.

  9. Since your favorite part of blogging is the comments (see…I WAS paying attention!), I thought I’d leave you one. I bet that took you forever to write that post! Thanks for sharing.

  10. Thanks for the link to the cooking blog. Didn’t know about it:) I’m always looking for new easy tasty dishes! Bookmarked a lot of them!
    -Sydney

  11. That was so much fun to read! Okay…So I just realized that you and I were very similar as teenagers. I was a “difficult” teen and I would check out loads of books from the library only to return them read after one week.
    Jessica, you are amazing! I am so happy to see you living a life that you can be proud of.
    Love you cutie!
    P.S. Now that my family is gone, we MUST get together.

  12. First of all, you are hilarious and I heart you!
    Second of all – Wow! You got married at 18! You were obviously a much more mature (and much better behaved) than me 🙂
    I loved all your answers…thanks for taking the time to answer all those questions!

  13. Wow! How did you manage to answer every question?! I enjoyed reading all your answers! And by all I mean I really read all of them!

  14. Wow, that was a ton of questions! Thanks for answering them all, it’s cool to get to know you better! It’s neat to see that a lot of us young-ish seamstresses seem to have a lot in common, personality-wise. 🙂

  15. Loved learning more about you!! Thanks so much for being so open and willing to answer all of our questions. This was fun to read!

  16. Love it Jessica! Thanks for sharing- you are an amazing person.

  17. You’re so great to share so much with us! Thank you. :o)

  18. AWESOME! I’d love to have dinner with Harry and Han and Veronica too. 🙂 I learned a lot about you! It’s almost like we should all tell you a weird/random/interesting fact about ourselves. . . . .

  19. you are way too cute!! 🙂
    Love your wedding song choice and love your blog even more knowing you like Firefly 😉
    Nice to know you better and love the stories about your family – they all sound amazing – what a talented bunch!
    Thanks for the insight into your life, you really had me giggling – great sense of humour! x

  20. Great post ! Really help us to know more about you. And I have been reading your blog nearly everyday of the week. Your work has been an inspiration for me. I have 2 daughters too, aged 10 and 6. Love from Singapore.

  21. I now know more about you than my husband and I know about each other! Wowza!
    🙂

  22. Hi Jess,

    I have recently started following your blog and loved reading this post. I am an Aussie and have never had a big snake or spider anywhere near me (oops – Hope I haven’t jinxed myself!)
    And your kids are just too cute.

  23. Wow, thanks for taking out the time to share all this great info and history about yourself! Guess what? I also married when I was 18 and started my sewing journey with the birth of my first daughter, too! I guess it’s not as scandalous as one would think 😉
    Young, crafty, creative SAHMs rule! lol, jk but it’s nice to know someone else shares that quality. Smiles!

  24. I can’t believe you answered all of the questions, Jess! It took me three visits to read through all of the answers, but it was well worth it 🙂 So interesting.

  25. What a great post! 🙂 I loved reading al of it :). Best wishes from Poland!

  26. I just found your blog through Noodlehead, and it is gorgeous. I’m so glad I found it!

  27. Wow, that was a whole lot of question fun! I loved reading it

  28. Anonymous says

    Hello!
    Like these questions.
    I would love to learn the violin and travel to Euprope. Maybe i can do that when i get my own house (im only 12 right now).right now i just play piano (lessons and youth worship band at church).

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