Yep! We have six kids: 1-2-3-4-5-6, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
When I became a mother, I had no idea what to do with that first 7lb. 14oz bundle of innocence that stared up at me with those beautiful brown eyes. Instantly my heart was filled with boundless love and expectation. It’s been 11 years since I began the journey into motherhood and I have *not* been disappointed. While I have felt a bit clueless at times and wondered if I was getting the “mothering thing” right, I have grown by leaps and bounds as a person because of the little lives that GOD has so graciously entrusted to my care. And, for this alone, I am humbled. LITTLE KIDS GROW (Add Love then Stir) is about sharing beautiful things with those you love, something that starts from the heart and extends from there.
I learned the basics of sewing as a teenager. I loved designing and wanted to make all the things that I was sketching out on paper, but alas, sewing took way too long for me (short attention span syndrome here), so I ditched it for a good 15 years or so. But, once I got married and started a family, things began to change. Somehow I grew patience, go figure! I started out sewing for myself just for fun. It was a great way for me to relax and a wonderful creative outlet. Once our family started growing, I also began sewing a few pieces here and there for my kids when they were really young, but I wasn’t very confident in my sewing abilities, so admittedly many of the things that I made never made it passed our front door (many times not even out of my sewing room). It wasn’t until 2011 that I began to take my hobby seriously.That year’s economy was a beast for our family, and what started out as an occasional hobby quickly became an integrated part of my life. Good quality clothing is expensive, and clothing a family of 8 can put quite a dent in the pocketbook, so I determined that I’d either have to get a second job just to clothe everyone or I’d better learn how to sew things that I wouldn’t mind them wearing out in public 
. I’ve learned so much through sewing books and blogs. It has been one of my greatest pleasures to discover that I can actually make things for my family that they love. I now gladly sew to supplement our budget, and I’m finding that the more I create, the more I’m able to infuse a bit more of myself into everything I make, and this feels really good. I’m sharing a piece of myself with my little ones that hopefully they’ll remember for a lifetime.
I currently use 2 sewing machines both Kenmore’s (one vintage and a newer one). I also use my Necchi serger when I thread it correctly, which is still a work in progress. I love designing and draping. I have a great appreciation for vintage clothing construction, unusual fabrics, texture, and fabric manipulation (eg. smocking, pleating, etc.). I find store bought patterns to be a bit time consuming, but I will use them on occasion. And, I have major zipper installation phobia, but I’m working hard to get over it.
While this site is mainly about sewing and my creative pursuits, I’m also a big advocate of fitness and nutrition. I may throw in a few mom friendly exercises or recipes from time to time to keep things interesting. I also love to read, so don’t be surprised if a few good books sneak their way onto the pages of this blog as well.
Life is not always a “tall glass of lemonade”, and my life is far from perfect, but for this website I choose to focus on the good stuff. I hope you’ll join me in “accentuating the positive”!
Keep doin’ what you love!
Shannon