Braids and Brown Boots

Tiki Man Loves...STRIPES

2012-04-18T05:48:00.000-07:00

From the Stripes Challenge at What I Wore to the students at my middle school...STRIPES ARE THE THANG. I don't know if you can consider it a real trend, since it seems like every spring everyone dons their Captain's Cap and screams "AHOY" in some nautical fashion. But...I like stripes and so does everyone else it seems. Hows about these bad boys?

STRIPES by sarahdurst featuring ralph lauren shirts

2012-04-17T12:07:00.003-07:00

Yes. It IS Shoesday! Here on the blogola we love all things shoes (you'll now notice the same of this blog). I thought it only apropos to give props to the one Trend to which I whole-heartedly subscribe:

Toms.

But they're too expensive, you say. It's really no big deal! As my mom says, "Money is made to be spent!" It's also no big deal because Toms sends a pair of shoes to a child in need every time you buy a pair for yourself. What better way to appeal to the selfish need for altruism in all of us? I can ToTaLlY spend $45 on shoes because of this fantastic sales pitch. Amazing company? Maybe. Amazing marketing? Definitely.

Call me a hippie and ship me off to Orange County, California...I bought some Toms!

Want to skip the altruism and save a buck? They're also available on Ebay.

Thursdays are for Tutorials!

2012-04-12T09:01:00.001-07:00

I think that I like the idea of sharing one tutorial a week. If you know me, you know I get a kick out of making stuff with my hands. Just. absolutely. dig. it. Since I'm a momma of two and I work, my crafting has become somewhat limited, so I'm branching out into quick and easy things that I can do to satisfy the crafting bug on (a) a tighter budget and (b) in a shorter amount of time and (c) that are nontoxic so that when my 2 year old or 5 month old gnaws on it, they won't die.

This is not a quick and easy tutorial, but it is one that I love. I'm working on a few other ones, so in the mean time...here's a recap of one of my favorites...

The Grapes of Wrath Fascinator

Tiki Man Trends: the Top Knot

2012-04-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

That's right, everyone! It's WEDNESDAY and time for your FTM (Favorite Tiki Man) to share what's trending. And what's trending right now? THE TOP KNOT. From the runway to my living room everyone's got their top knot on. Not to brag, but I've worn the top knot for years, but purely for sanitary purposes (no time to shower + filthsome hair = top knot). Here's some good ones I've seen lately:

THE BALLERINA

THE "I'M ALWAYS JUST DIFFERENT"

THE SORTA MESSY

THE "WHAT DID I DO TO MYSELF?"

MOI

Peace, love, and top knots!

It's Shoesday: Obsession

2012-04-10T08:09:00.003-07:00

Hello everyone! Have you ever wondered from whence our obsessions stem? I mean, let's be honest. We are all obsessed with certain things. For some people it's obsessively locking doors over and over. For others it's obsessing over germ ridden surfaces...or having a clean dining room table. Wait. For ~~some people~~ Sarah it's obsessively locking doors over and over. For ~~others~~ Sarah it's obsessing over germ ridden surfaces...or having a clean dining room table. BUT it's also RED SHOES...

I know exactly from whence THIS obsession came...

Ahem. Moving on. How about these lovelies from a local thrift store?

Wore them with this outfit:

Yes, it's blurry! Pretend it's just little old me trying to be artsy. :))

Coral and Blue

2012-04-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

I know Easter is typically white, white, white, but what about THIS for a change?

Coral and Blue by sarahdurst featuring coral prom dresses

5 Funky Fridays

2012-04-06T07:16:00.001-07:00

Before I say anything else, I just want to send a LARGE thank you to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today is really His day. Today was the day that He died for my sins and the sins of the whole world. We just have to believe and live for Him and Heaven is ours.

How awesome is that!?!?!? :)

I'm pretty much obsessed with fiberglass rawhide lampshades lately. I don't own any, and likely won't for a long time because they're selling for RIDICULOUS prices on eBay. I did find this website, however. It's a FANTASTIC option. You can choose the shape, color of fiberglass, and fillament style. They start at about $60, but for a brand new custom shade? I think that's a pretty good deal. Here's my 5 Funky loves from Meteor Lights.

Trending...

2012-04-04T05:51:00.000-07:00

Are you seeing what I am seeing?

That's right. It's TIKI MAN!

Tiki Man loves trends.

Tiki Man does a lot of surfing....INTERNET surfing...har har har (insert thigh slap). He asked me if he could take Wednesdays on the Blog and show you a little bit about what's trending. Since he's so handsome, I said yes. Here's his first trend:

HEYWOOD-WAKEFIELD FURNITURE

(the old stuff)

source

Any lover of the Mod Midcentury knows Heywood-Wakefield. It's the supra cool blonde furniture that James Bond would lounge on. Right now it's trending across north America. The people that bought the original Heywood-Wakefield (and yes, the company is still up and running, creating and making beautiful furniture right here in the good-old US) are dying off in droves and the stuff is at estate sales and auctions like never before. If you hunt, you can get some killer pieces, like this:

source

Or THESE:

source

Nice. Tiki Man loves.

It's SHOESDAY!

2012-04-03T09:09:00.001-07:00

We aren't always existential...no...no no...sometimes we just like to look at the pretty things on our feet. We like to think of all of the fun things that they have seen and the places they have been. I used to think it was just a little strange that in the book "Blue Shoes and Happiness" (part of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series) that Mma Ramotswe's assistant, Grace Makutsi's shoes would speak to her. They would say things like, "Look, Boss...we are the best thing for your feet. Who wants to be in those ugly brown shoes, anyway," or "Boss, you are a lucky, lucky girl to have shoes as nice as us." But then I got these blue shoes (c/o Modcloth):

What do you think they would say?

Phlox and the Machine

2012-04-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

I know that you all have much the same issue as I...lots of industrial pieces of ancient machinery lying around your house...really...it's something we all struggle with, I'm sure.

I'm not sure of the machine this piece came from...but it really is beautiful, don't you think? My husband is in the middle of working on some lighting made of different types of pulleys and chains from old machines, and I found this piece in the middle of my garage. The garden is blooming and I thought that this rusty gold would be the perfect addition!

I love the juxtaposition of the flowers and the rusty metal (don't judge my weeds). I'm sure there's some sort of theoretical statement that could be made about metal and flowers and industry and nature, but it's early and I'm too tired to think of something poetic.

5 Funky Fridays

2012-03-30T06:00:00.001-07:00

I started a little series previously called "5 Funky Fridays" to showcase some of my internet obsessions. Why funky? Because that's just the way I roll.

...fantastic Maxi skirt from Simply Audrey...YUM

...fiberglass lampshade...L.O.V.E....(on ebay...don't bid because I am!!!)...

...super fabulous stamp set from my FAVORITE office supply company...love those Brits...

...FUNKY Sputnik lamp that I found while junking in Ohio...

...um...one please...

Best Friends

2012-03-29T06:39:00.002-07:00

Maybe he would never shout it from the rooftops...but that right there is his best buddy...

We just need folks, don't we?

...it amazes me that there are folks that we see every day...

...who have little impact on our lives...

...whether that is right or wrong...

But there are those that we see as infrequently as Venus who change our lives forever...

...who we can't live without...

...who...just knowing that they are in the world somewhere...

...makes life...

...that much brighter...

FREAKY FACES!

2012-03-20T20:41:00.001-07:00

Sooooo....confession time. I am the wife of a picker <insert head hung in mock contrition>.

Another confession: I like junk. The weirder, the better.

Third confession: The other day I called home to yak at the mom. The dad said, "Your mother bought you shoes today<HOLLA!>. I think that if she doesn't buy something every couple of days her blood sugar rises." So it looks like I was destined to be addicted to the hunt.

Final confession: These are some faces from RJA (recent junk acquisitions). Aren't they killer?

...Peck & Peck Lion (5th Ave. NY)...rawr...c. 1950s...

...bronze waning moon statue c. 1920s...

...Mexican cat and mouse wall hanging...yum...c. 1950...

One Year...

2012-03-19T08:38:00.001-07:00

Nearly one calendar year has passed since my last post. Where have I been?

Yeah...new baby! We'll call her the Littlest. Littlest was born with a hole in her heart. Don't worry...it closed up a month later. That was totally a God thing. She's a-ok. Momma was very sick throughout the entire pregnancy and didn't really feel like blogging...or doing much else.

However, in the back of my mind was this little blog of mine. I don't quite know what to do with it at this point. The past year has been a whirlwind and as a mother of two little girls and a full time literacy coach at a local middle school...I am not sure where blogging belongs.

Here's what I do know:
1. I realized that this blog can't be what the others are. I'm not Dana...I'm not Disney...I'm not Jessica Quirk. I've got to find out who I am and how this blog will be an expression of that.

2. I need an outlet. I have so many thoughts and ideas and dreams running through my head that keeping them pent up inside has made me nearly crazy this past year! Maybe this is where I let it all out!

3. I don't know what this blog will become over the next few weeks or months or years, but I know that it can't be anything but what I need it to be. And if no one ever reads it except my Mom, then that's ok.

4. Potty-training STINKS!

The Mod Chronicles: Sister Blogs are Great!

2011-03-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hello.

My name is Sarah.

I am obsessed with clothing. AND shoes.

When I was 5, I changed outfits to match the story I was reinacting. Mother and I would go shopping and I would do a "fashion show" when we got home, which consisted of me puting on each item and showing it to her.

Now that we've got THAT confession out of the way...onto SISTER BLOGS! There are two pretty cute sister blogs out there that I must mention:

Styled By Three

Sisters 4 Say More is More

They are super lovely and I heart their classyness. I've stolen some outfit ideas from time to time. The Sisters 4 are having a shoe week linky party next week and I'm about to die. The Mod Chronicles is Going CRAZY with shoes next week, so WATCH OUT! My mother would be so proud.

Since this post is about sisters, I thought I'd show you my super-cute Sister-in-Law. We'll call her Sil. We could own a store together one day. Or maybe a blog...or maybe just go in on an apartment once our husbands die (but she's not married yet, and my husband is beyond healthy, so that may be a while...).

Love ya, Sil!

Welcome Back! (and a refashion)

2011-03-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Am I late or what? I have to say, Spring Break was the best. The bad news? I didn't craft. At all. And it was ok. What did I do instead? I read two books. I'm rather entrenched in YA (Young Adult) lit due to my career as a middle school English teacher, so I won't bore you with sword fights and the like...

BUT if you want a good fantasy book about some monks in an abbey...here's a fun fantasy one. Mainly for high school readers...fyi...

What else did I do? I shopped a little and came across this wonderous belt at the Salvo (aka The Salvation Army) for 50 cents (score.).

Love the faux leather and the buckle....but it was too big! I almost threw it away, then it though SHUH! Refashion!

I put the belt on and figured out how much I needed to get rid of. I made sure the buckle was in the center of my back. Then I marked where I was pinching with a pencil.

Next, I got the scissors and hacked into the belt. Don't worry...it was faux leather and cut very nicely.

I pieced the two ends together like so:

I got out the glue gun and glued the ends together.

Now, I decided that I didn't want that seam to show and look cajankity, so I cut out some squares from the patch I removed.

Then, I just glued one on top of the other and finished it off with a button.

Now the belt fits and I'm in happy, too.

Happy Refashioning!

Going on vacation!

2011-03-19T20:57:00.001-07:00

Hey peeps! It's SPLITS-VILLE for Spring Break. I may check back in from time to time over the course of the week, but otherwise we are outta here! Happy Spring Break! See you next week.

...long way to go until potty trained...

...and don't ask about the fan...it's not what you think...

DUCK tape...L.O.V.E. RETURNS!

2011-03-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

After a brief hiatus, DUCK TAPE IS BACK!!!!

DA-nA!
DA-nA!

Today I will be showing you how to make this bombastic lunch box!

...I think it's splendiforous...

Here's What You Need:

2 rolls of duck tape

1 yard of clear plastic (same kind as for the duck tape bag)

card board for top, back, and bottom (I just used a couple old cereal boxes)

sticky back velcro

ribbon for the handle

2 brads for the sides

Here's What I Did:

1. I cut out one strip of plastic that was 8 inches wide and 21 inches long and I added an inch on each side around the top. The is going to be the top, back, and bottom of the lunch box. The second strip was just 8 inches wide and 21 inches long. This is going to be the sides of the lunch box.

...top, back, bottom... ...3 sides...

Called Piece of Plastic A Called Piece of Plastic B

2. Next, cut out 3 cardboard squares that are 8 inches wide and about 7 inches in length. Yes, there are 4 in this picture. I like to be safe. :)

3. Take the 3 pieces of cardboard and put a small piece of tape on the back, so they stick in place. Lay them across the piece of plastic A. Like this!

4. Begin to run your duck tape LENGTHWISE (this is important, if you want your pattern to match all the way around the lunch box).

Don't forget to cover the flaps!

5. Flip this piece over and cover the back as well. Run the pattern the same direction!

6. Now you will cover piece of plastic B with duck tape. In order for the pattern to work, you must run your duck tape horizontally, not vertically as you did with piece of plastic A. You only need to cover one side of piece of plastic B.

7. Run another strip of duck tape over one of the long ends. This will be the top of your lunch box and this reinforces the box (see the pic below). Now you are ready to assemble the box!

Piece of Plastic A Piece of Plastic B

8. Lay your pieces out like so. Place piece of plastic B with the duck tape side up, next to the middle section of piece of plastic A. Run a strip of duck tape down the length of piece of plastic B to secure it. Do this on the inside and outside.

...outside...

...inside...

9. Now bring the bottom of the box (piece of plastic A) up to meet the side of piece of plastic B. Add duck tape to the inside and outside.

10. Fold around the front and add duck tape to the inside and outside.

11. Fold around to the final side and do more duck taping on the inside and outside.

12. Your box is basically done!

13. Add an inner see through pocket following this tutorial.

14. Now, add sticky velcro to the flaps and where the flaps will meet the box.

15. For the handle, take a pretty piece of ribbon and cover the back with duck tape to make it more sturdy. Trim the edges!

16. Mark the spot where you want your handles to go on either side with a pin or with a marker.

17. Find some pretty brads.

18. Insert the brad into the ribbon, then into the bag itself.

...add some more ribbon for flair...

You are all done! Yay! Enjoy your beautiful lunch box!

A Break from DUCK Tape!

2011-03-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

Well...only because I have umpteen pictures to edit for the latest project, but FEAR NOT! Duck tape will return soon. Very very soon!

I thought I would take a short break to show you a (literally) 20 minute sewing project that I did.

The first problem?

I didn't do laundry.

The second problem?

My daughter's legs are growing faster than the rest of her so NO DRESS covers her little bumpkin.

The third problem?

Well....there wasn't a third problem.

...an aside...

We're in love.

Getting back to the clothing issue for the Girlie...I decided that I could make a dress in 20 minutes. Now, the excellent thing about this dress is that it is made of an old t shirt and ruffle fabric that does not fray because it's.............JERSEY KNIT!!!!! There was no serging or hemming making this a super-quick process.

Here's what you need:

1 old t shirt from the bottom of the drawer (that still fits at the arms and neck)

1/2 yard of ruffle fabric (found mine on clearance at H. Lobby about 6 months ago)

Here's What I Did:

1. I took that little t shirt and I measured under the armpits.

2. Then I sliced the top from the bottom. By the way, the pic is blurry, and not sure why. I just couldn't get a good pic. I am so very sorry!

3. Next, I cut my fabric the desired length and width (I doubled the measurement from above, so my entire width was 21 inches). I folded the fabric in half and made sure it looked ok with the top. My length was about 18 inches. I know you'll probably think that's WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too long, but if you knew what it was costing to keep those chubby legs somewhat covered in the winter, you'd understand.

4. I unfolded the fabric and ran a basting stitch along the top of the fabric.

...stretch that stitch as wide as it will go!...

5. Next, I gathered the fabric until it was the same size as the base of my tshirt (or, well, half of a tshirt).

...another side note...that shirt looks HORRIBLY linty...it wasn't...lint doesn't happen in our house....

That was a lie. But if I know it's a lie, and you know it's a lie...is it a lie?

But it really didn't look like this at all.

6. With the right sides together, I ran a zigzag stitch down the side. I decided to make this the back seam.

7. Now...it's time to attach! Making sure the bottom of the dress is with the RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, I rearranged the it so the seam was in the back. Then I took the shirt RIGHT SIDE OUT and slid it inside the top of the bottom of the dress. I made sure to slide the t shirt in upside down (i.e. the neck and arms facing the bottom of the dress). I also made sure the back seam was in the middle of the back of the t shirt.

8. I pinned like mad.

9. Then I sewed a zig zag stitch around the edge, turned the dress right side out and VOILA! Done in 20 minutes.

Now...let's see the beautiful, perfectly posed angelic child-of-mine.

...there...oh wait...shoot...not looking...

...holding very very still....and NOW!...shoot...

...ok Girlie...don't move...SMILE....yes...now..........man.....

....hold her still!...

...doh....

...come on...stop it!...just stand still...

...<sigh>...

...is this her aura or something?...at least it looks sweet...

Eat your heart out Bloglandia... :)

DUCK Tape....L.O.V.E. part trois

2011-03-12T05:28:00.000-08:00

NOW FOR MY FAVORITE!!!! DUCK TAPE FLOWERS! Yay!

These bad mama-jammas were pretty easy to make and I'm obsessed at the moment.

Here's what you need:

Duck tape of choice

Floral wire

Scissors

Here's what I did:

1. Cut out a strip of duck tape and snip about 12 bits floral wires that are 2 inches in length. For my large flowers I made 6 large petals and 6 small petals. The smaller flower is just 6 small petals. Lay your duck tape face up on your surface and lay your floral wire like so. They are about 1 1/2 inches apart.

2. Lay another piece of duck tape face down over that and snip halfway between each wire.

3. Next, you just trim the pieces into the petal shape that you like.

4. For the 6 smaller petals, just lay the wire ONLY HALFWAY UP the duck tape, cover and snip (sorry I didn't get a picture!).

5. Once you have all of your petals, you can bend them around like so:

6. Trim your wire down on the larger petals to make it easier to put together. I didn't start with short pieces because they were just easier for me to handle. Take your larger petals and lay them together like this (color change!):

7. Put a piece of duct tape on the top and bottom of the flower.

...top...

...bottom...

8. Now take your smaller petals and SHOVE them through the center of the duck tape to the other side (you don't have to be a mountain woman to do this).

9. Arrange them as you like.

10. Now, for the center, you can either glue a button on, or take another piece of floral wire and cover the end with some duck tape.

If you do this, just stick it through the center of your flower, too.

11. Flip your flower over and you will see all these crazy wires sticking out of the back from your smaller petals:

No worries! Just fold them back towards the flower itself and cover it with duck tape!

All done! Glue, safety pin, velcro it to your duck tape bag of choice (or add it to anything else you'd like) and you're done!

I LOVE DUCK TAPE!

Monday? Duck tape LUNCH BOX. HOLLA!

DUCK tape...L.O.V.E. part deux

2011-03-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

Still lovin' me some DUCK tape. A gal friend at work has asked me to do a lunch box refashion. I walked in to see her (she being the creative lovely herself...I mean you should see the happy poofs hanging from the ceiling in her classroom...) and she had purchased the damask duck tape and was wearing damask earrings. She's super cute!

Anyhoo...THE BAG! THE BAG! I promised that I would share how to accessorize, and so now I will. :) Today it's the pockets, tomorrow, THE FLOWERS!

What I Did for the See Through Pocket:

1. I'm going to show you how I made two different pockets for the inside: a see-though and a covered pocket (for your secret stash). For the see through pocket, cut out the size of pocket you would like. I like a big pocket, so I made mine 7 inches by 8 inches.

2. Next, I trimmed the top out with a piece of duct tape.

3. Next, I laid my bag on its side and put the pocket where I would want it to be.

4. Then, using a few pieces of duck tape, I outlined the sides and bottom. I added a small velcro closure with sticky back velcro, and DONE! And EASY!

What I did for the Covered Pocket:

1. Again, cut out a piece of plastic the size you want.

2. Trim the edge with duck tape.

3. Lay it in your bag where you want it to be.

4. Run strips of duck tape over the entire pocket, applying 2 strips on the ends and at the bottom to reinforce it. Add some sticky back velcro to the top and you're DONE! And EASY!

FLOWERS TOMORROW!

DUCK tape...L.O.V.E.

2011-03-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

Alright. There's a whole lot of celebrating the boy happening on the Intra-net...which is fine. But the only boy in my house is my husby and he refuses to let me craft for him. So I am celebrating the boy...GIRL style.

I'm not crazy. I promise...but I was at Target and since our Target is being remodeled, I began to wander. Usually I have a purpose, but on this day, I didn't. I suppose that's why I came home with this...

Yep. That's right. Damask duck tape....it may have irked the gg, but it got my brain ticking. And here's what I came up with:

A DUCT TAPE BAG!

Oh yes...it's awesome...it's lovely...it's my new favorite thing and I spent only $3.89, since I used some of my STASH that I had lying around to make the bag.

Here's what you will need to make the bag:

1 1/2 yards of clear plastic bag material (found mine on clearance at Joann's)
1 roll of duck tape
scissors
regular tape
some type of rope for the handles

Here's what I did:
1. First, I decided how big I wanted my bag. I cut out a piece of clear plastic that was 25 inches wide by 36 inches long. Next, I began to cover the plastic with my duck tape. Here are the measurements and the process I used to cover the plastic:

I did this because I wanted my pattern to go in the same direction on both sides. If you are using duck tape that does not have a pattern, just run duck tape the entire length of the clear plastic. You will want to be sure to overlap the pieces just a tiny bit. It won't be perfect. Just looky here:

2. Once my sheet of plastic was covered, I began to fold it into a bag shape. This was a little bit difficult to get pictures of, but I'll do my best! First, I creased and creased on the pink fold lines from the pictures above, just to make sure my folding would be easy.

3. Turn the duck tape "fabric" wrong side up and vertically facing you. Starting on the right side, fold the sides of the base in about 2 1/2 - 3 inches.

4. The next part of the process is kind of like folding wrapping paper for a present. Starting with the side closest to you fold it up into a triangle and use clear tape to tape it in place.

Repeat with the other side.

Once I was done, I covered the triangle with 2-3 pieces of duct tape to secure it. Follow the same process with the other end of your bag, and you will see it start to come together!

5. Next, you will notice (DUH) that the ends of your bag are still flapping loose in the wind. Not to worry! Take out your ironing board and place your almost bag over the end like so:

6. Run a piece of duct tape down the outside and inside of this seam.

...outside...

...inside...

7. Do the same for both sides. Now you are VERY close to being done! The next steps are easy. After I bound the bag together, I trimmed around the top to make sure everything was even.

8. Then I cut out a piece of cardboard the length and width of the base and covered it with duck tape to make it sturdy.

9. Next, I outlined the top in the turquoise. I recommend cutting a small bit of tape at a time and going around the edge. The longer the tape, the easier it is to mess up.

10. Then I folded over 2-3 strips of tape that were about 2 inches long and put them where I wanted my holes for my straps. I marked the spot where I would cut with an X.

...sorry about that glare!...

11. Then I cut out a square. Why a square? It was just easier! I suppose if you had grommetting capabilities, this would be a good time to put them to use.

12. Then I strung my fun yellow cording through and double knotted the ends. I added some sticky velcro for a closure. All done!

This isn't the end of our handy tutorials, however. Next, I will show you how I did 2 pockets on the inside, and then lastly...FLOWERS for the outside!

I love my bag.

I shared this craft HERE, and HERE.

The Mod Chronicles: We Are Purple People

2011-03-08T05:09:00.000-08:00

I never realized how much I liked purple until I was wearing a purple top, wearing purple shoes, drawing a poster for my classroom in purple marker and had a student look at me and say, "Ms. D, you sure do rock the purple, don't you?"

Yes, dear student. I do rock the purple. A lot.

...this is us folks...braids...and boots...and all...

(shoes - zappos.com, tights - TJMaxx clearnace, skirt - thrifted on etsy.com, cardigan/scarf - Anne Taylor Loft clearance, belt - thrifted FOR $0.50!, daughter and crazy photographer husband - priceless)

Guilty Mom Syndrome Part 2

2011-03-06T16:00:00.000-08:00

And now...it's time for another post from one little lass that suffers from...

GUILTY MOM SYNDROME!!!! (cue ominous music)

source

Last time it was cloth diapers. This time it's

SHAKE AND SHAKE (and I helped)

I'm not crazy...I promise. But in order to alleviate some of the GM 'drome I often make strange crazy toys for my daughter. Right now she's all about shaking things. She loves it. She'll shake any carton she can get her hands on. And whenever the Berenstain Bears are on, she shakes herself...tisk...tisk...But I wanted to make her some modern maracas with mama's love.

Here's what I did:

1. First, I raided our local I.D.E.A. store. This is a great local nonprofit that sells recycled materials and other donated materials. The proceeds go to fund scholarships for local classrooms. Here was the haul. It cost $12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. For this project I pulled out the following:

clear plastic containers

some tape and Altoids containers

colorful items that make pretty noise (and confetti...always confetti...)

and some rub-on transfers from the dollar section at Micheal's (score!)

3. I chose the transfers that I wanted and rubbed them onto the outside of my clear boxes.

...because she does...

4. Fill your container with all manner of pretty stuff. I used plastic letters, plastic coins, puzzle pieces, confetti, and washers (for pretty noises)...

5. Using some sturdy clear plastic tape, tape around the outside so nothing flies out only to be inhaled, swallowed, or vacuumed at a later date.

6. For a different type of sound, I put some washers into an Altoids container and taped it up.

She loved them.

...don't judge me for the laundry hanging on the dining room chairs...it's the husby's fault...wait...you didn't notice until I pointed it out...SHOOT!...better delete all that so no one reads it...

Thank you for tuning in and reading about one way I deal with...

GUILTY MOM SYNDROME!!!! (cue ominous music)

Guilty Mom Syndrome? Part 1...

2011-03-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's because I work...maybe its because I'm crazy...or maybe, just maybe it's because I'm Greek. Whatever it is...I go through these phases that I call...

GUILTY MOM SYNDROME!!!! (cue ominous music)

source

Ladies...have you ever felt tired? Stressed? Concerned that due to you being a working mother your child will grow up and be a derelict? Are you worried that he/she likely won't read until they are 17 because you had to work to pay the bills? Do you worry that your child will soon believe that the other children in daycare are the real siblings and that you just care for them in the evenings when the real mommy is sleeping?

I am, of course, being a bit facetious (because I love my job), but I do have moments of Guilty Mom Syndrome. It's not unusual to us all, I think. So I've put together a few posts that help me deal with being a working mom and do away with some of that Guilty Mom Syndrome.

So what's the first thing I do to help me beat the GM 'drome? I cloth diaper the Girlie.

I know...the image of refuse probably just popped into your head. You should have seen my husband's face when I mentioned it to him...but it really isn't all that bad.

Here's the deal, you don't need all that stuff everyone tells you that you need to cloth diaper (sprayers and soakers and buckets, etc. etc.). All you need I've outlined below

1. Buy flushable liners. These are cheap and if you put one in your cloth diaper, it catches most of the #2 and you just literally flick it into the toilet. The end. Even the runny stuff.

2. Buy at least 7 diapers. We didn't cloth diaper until the Girlie was a year old, but for 6 months and up, this is plenty. You'll do a load of diapers a day, but if you're on a budget, that's all you'll be able to justifiably afford. You could make your own, however...there are tutorials here, here, and here.

2. Buy a large wetbag with a ZIPPER (or make one). If baby has done business #1, just put it in the wetbag until you've got 5-6 diapers. Then dump it all in the washer (including the wetbag), add your detergent and go! If you have business #2, make sure to get most of the refuse, then throw it in the washer on a short cycle with no detergent. Just cold water. That's it. Leave it in there until you've got a stash ready and wash them all together. Nothing smells. I promise. Especially if you...

3. Buy this detergent. It's a little bit expensive, but it does last for 90 loads and KILLS all smells. My local green store has it in stock with a nice buy 10 get one free deal. Soap.com has free shipping with orders over $39. Another good deal...

4. Buy some extra doublers (cloth liners). You can put these inside the regular diapers for overnight or car trips. Baby's good for MILES.

Here's a run-down of the diapers I have.

1. Bummis Bamboo Easy Fit Diaper

I love the patterns they have. I also like the tuck-in bamboo liner. This is the most expensive that I own. To date I have purchased three and they were about $23 on Amazon, $27 in stores.

2. BabyKicks All In One.

I really like this one too. I don't know if it's the color or what, but I lean towards this diaper a lot. The hemp liner makes it a sturdy little diaper and it sort of molds itself to the Girlie so nicely...I'm a huge fan! It's a pretty good deal at $18. These go on sale a lot, too.

3. Grovia All in One.

This one is probably my favorite. The outer covering is made of the nicest, softest, nylon stretchy fabric that you've ever felt. The lining is SUPER soft organic cotton, and, best of all, it's THIN! I mean really really thin. Like as thin as a disposable. I have 2 of these and am planning to buy more. They aren't a bad deal at $22.

Overall, the Girlie loves her diapers. I put her in disposables on occasion and she either fusses or gets a nasty rash. Plus, cloth diapering is so cost-effective. For the same money as I would spend purchasing 7 boxes of disposable diapers (and we went through about 15 boxes the first year), I can reuse what I have and even diaper any following tots.

So, thank you for tuning in and reading about one way I deal with...

GUILTY MOM SYNDROME!!!! (cue ominous music)