Charlotte's Web: Shannon of Luvinthemommyhood

all photos by luvinthemommyhood

 Today we have Shannon of Luvinthemommyhood, you know that cheerful, always inviting place of a blog?  Shannon was recently honored with the award of one babble.com's top 50 craft blogs!  And she deserves it.  Shannon is warm, down to earth and enjoyable to talk with.

 She hosts Comfy Sews vs. Cozy Knits, inviting sewers and knitters to come up with projects and battle it out.  Of course we all know which side I'm on ;), but perhaps one day I will come around to the side of the "other needles".  Shannon does both, and has two sweet [not to mention adorable] girls who are often the recipients of her creations.

 She's also known for her mad round-up skills.  You give her a subject and she will cruise the internet with such agility and speed and come up with a slew projects, shops, and blogs.  She's quite bedazzling, I tell you!

Please welcome Shannon [and one of her very own cuties!]:

* * *

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be hear today to be part of what I think is one fabulous theme month! We love books in our house. Books have always played a huge role in my life. Whether it was when I was a little girl fighting with the librarian that I could indeed read the 20 books I was checking out (she quizzed me I kid you not...and needless to say I passed and they removed the limit from my card), my mom catching me under the covers with a flashlight reading when I should be sleeping, staying up all night to finish a must read book, running book clubs, working in book stores & getting to order books (the most fun thing ever!) & read advances (equally as fun) and getting to meet authors - books have always been a friend, a companion and one of my favorite things. I still take out way too many books and get dirty looks from the librarian but now my daughter does it too. I still love going to old book stores and smelling that wonderful book smell and imagining where that book has been, the stories it could tell of the hands that have held it and then bringing them home to take roots in my home.


One of the wonderful things that my own mother has done for me is to save my books that I had as a child for my children. My parents always encouraged me to read and write and both are avid readers themselves. Since having my own children it's been enlightening to reread my own childhood books with my mom's handwriting inside each and every one and now pass them to hold in my girls hands. There's something so special about curling up at bedtime with a handmade blanket, a snuggly toddler and a good book. One of the newest bedtime rituals in our house is reading a chapter from what my daughter calls "the big girl chapter books". Our first book that we chose to read was Charlotte's Web. Man...I love that book & now my daughter does too!


The funny part was that when Katy asked me to join in I had already been scheming in mind about an outfit inspired by Fern from Charlotte's Web. Something about the farm, the rope swinging, the sunny days, good food, and lots of exploring that just had my crafty mind going. I was at first going to do a fun roundup for you all but then the Fern outfit kept nagging at me at night to get made so I wrote Katy and said I'm sewing :)


We are big into repurposing and refashioning in our home and since I'm done having babies my maternity clothes have been fair game for new material. My newest fave thing to do is to use up those stretchy, comfy maternity jeans. The best thing about them is that they are soft, stretchy and made to be comfortable. Perfect for my picky toddler who has huge issues with clothing. She hates jeans. Won't wear them anymore and it hurts me so....I love jeans on little girls. I made it my mission to make the Fern inspired outfit out of jeans and to have her love them and want to wear them. She hates tight waists and loves capris. So I decided to have a go at making some adorable jean coveralls that can be worn either as capris or full length that are made almost completely (besides the lining of the bib/straps and ties) out of my maternity jeans.


What was the verdict? She loves them and so do I. Soft...check. Comfy...check. Perfect for exploring and getting into mischief...definitely a check. Would she be fit to play with Wilbur and Charlotte - you betcha! Bring out the long grass, lemonade, barn yard music and most of all, the daydreams. Who knows what can come out of them? My daughter called herself Fern all day and would not take them off. She spent all day "getting into character" by poring over the book again and again, daydreaming, looking at the pictures and asking copious amounts of questions. I, too got to have my own daydream come true. To read one of my favorite books to my little girl and then sew the outfit that I envisioned Fern lounging in and her own momma sewing by hand for her. From one momma to another.....from one child to another...you are never, ever too old for a good book. Daydreams CAN become realities.


Thanks for having me Katy and thanks for honoring so many wonderful books! It's been so amazing! I'm thrilled to have been a part of it!

* * *

That last picture just kills me!

 Thank you for being here today and for yet another great refashion, Shannon!