Crafty in Alabama

I've moved!

2013-10-25T06:15:00.002-07:00

I've moved! I have returned to a self-hosted Wordpress blog at craftyinalabama.com. Please join me there, and be sure to update your subscriptions!

Hope Spoken Link-Up

2013-10-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

Today I'm participating in the Hope Spoken Link-Up, a conference I'll be attending in March. Visit hopespoken.org to learn more!

A selfie I just took and an introduction: Hi, Hope Spoken ladies! I am so excited to be linking up with all of you, and even more excited to meet you face-to-face in March. My name is Shannon Miller and I live in Huntsville, Alabama. I'm 28 years old, married to my sweet, tall, Southern gentleman husband, Nathan, for 6 years, and we have two adorably wild babies: Georgia, who is 2-1/2, and Ryland, who is almost 1-1/2. Yes, you're reading that right that my children are 14 months apart - to the day. Yes, they were planned and no, I have no idea what we were thinking. But they are amazing and hilarious and bring so, so much joy to our lives.

I work in crafts publishing as an editor/art director. Previously, I was the founding editor of Stitch Craft Create magazine (which is actually how I became friends with Danielle Burkleo, a Hope Spoken cohost, who contributed to every issue of SCC), and currently, I serve a dual support role for Sew Beautiful magazine. Right now, I'm also writing my first book! It's a papercrafts book, and is coming out next fall from North Light.

Something I'm nervous about: I am literally frightened that my faith won't match up with so many other women that will be at this conference. I'm used to attending craft industry conferences for work, or corporate events - events that are about representing a brand, not events that are all about representing your innermost self! My relationship with God is relatively new, fragile and full of doubt. I barely go to church. Sometimes I wonder if I should even come to Hope Spoken because of that - it seems like a big commitment to make for something I'm so unsure about - but part of my also feels like that is all the more reason to come. I'm hopeful that I'm making the right decision and eager to see what comes of it.

Something I hope to take away from Hope Spoken: I think I'm most excited for a chance to connect with other women one-on-one in the small group sessions, and I hope that I form some new friendships that can continue to grow! I have very little faith-based connections to other women my age locally, so I am excited to see what I'm missing out on.

Something fun/random about me: I drink way too much coffee and Diet Coke, I cannot stick to a diet to save my life and I wear jeans every single day. I am not a huge fan of chocolate and I love to laugh. I have dreams about being a ballerina, even though I probably couldn't touch my toes if I tried. I was a gymnast when I was young, though, and I always said that if I ever met a boy with the last name "Miller," that I would marry him so that I could be "Shannon Miller," just like my favorite gymnast. So later, at 19, I met my husband on a blind date and decided to tell him that story when we met. Like a crazy person who is trying to scare a man away. But -- I guess that worked out in my favor in the end, because we've been together nearly 10 years since that day. ;)

I guess I've covered all of it - I'm excited to meet all of you in March! :)

Halloween Mantel Metallic Pumpkin Makeover

2013-10-20T10:53:00.001-07:00

I got a little crafty this week and did a mini-makeover on my old plastic pumpkins. It's officially Halloween at our house now - my dear sweet husband pulled down my bins of decorations a few weeks ago, but I didn't make my lazy self put any of it up until this weekend. One of the big delays was that I've been intending to throw some fresh paint on my old pumpkins. I have these faux Mercury glass bottles that I snagged at TJMaxx last year, and I kept thinking that metallics would be a nice look. Well, fast forward an entire year, and I finally made it happen.

Previously, I'd painted black designs on white plastic pumpkins from Michaels. They were fun, very punchy and cute especially with orange berry picks behind them. Here is our Halloween mantel from 2009:

Anyway, after six years of display and storage, the white has started yellowing, and the black paint is looking scratched and faded. I took them out in the front yard and spray painted them mostly silver, plus a few gold.

After they dried, I drew on some simple designs with white glue and sprinkled on silver and gold glitter. It was super messy and pretty fantastic. (I like to use old, unwanted giftwrap as a protective surface on the living room floor to do things like this. When I'm done, I just wad up the whole thing.)

When that was done, I overcrowded them on my mantel, and interspersed some of my other favorite Halloween decorations (the giant black metal spiders that I got on clearance from Pottery Barn several years back). I love it.

I'm guessing these repainted pumpkins will last maybe a couple years before they, too, start to look scratched and yucky; and at that point, I'll probably just scrape off the glue and glitter and layer something else on top. Considering that I got them all half price at the craft store for much cheaper than they cost these days, I'd say I'm getting my money's worth out of 'em.

Happy Halloween!

Favorite Tools Series: Paper Cutting and Punching

2013-10-19T06:25:00.003-07:00

Today's post is the second installment in my new "Favorite Tools Series," in which I'll be sharing some of my most-used cutting and punching tools that I use in papercrafting. Enjoy!

First up: scissors! Shocker, I know. Okay, so I have tried to divide some of my favorite scissors up into different categories. Truth be told, this is just a portion of my huge scissors collection, but these are the ones I find myself using the most (for paper - fabric is a different story, because you know you're not supposed to mix fabric and paper scissors, right? Okay, well if not, you do now.)

Above are a few general purpose shears, which are, of course, a must-have for any crafter. I have found that I like using a few different shears for different purposes. The top pair with the mint green handles are a pair of Martha Stewart scissors that I bought a couple years ago. They have lovely sharp blades and move super smoothly; I use them for a little bit of everything, but mostly for lighter-weight papers and when I need a bit more precision than more clunky shears can offer.

In the middle with the black handles are a pair of extremely cheap kitchen scissors. They cut like crap, but they're great for when you need to cut something with glue/tape, chunky layers or even wired tinsel trim without threatening to goop or tear up your nicer shears. Everybody needs a pair of reject scissors.

On the bottom with the orange handles is a decent pair of Fiskars shears. These are good all-purpose paper scissors like the Martha Stewart ones, but I use them on thicker card stock and for other general crafting as well.

Above we have a couple pairs of precision-tip scissors. My absolute favorite pair of scissors I own are on the right with the yellow and black handles - they are Cutter Bee scissors. On the left is a pair of Martha Stewart spring-loaded scissors that have a non-stick coating on the tip. When you need to cut in tight or intricate spaces, either of these are fantastic options. I tend to use the spring-loaded snips for precision cutting on thicker cardstock and such - the spring joint gives them some extra toughness. The Cutter Bees are my go-to for details and fussy cutting on regular or mid-weight paper. (They're also great for cutting ribbons, trims and fabric embellishments. Cuts like buttah.)

This is a pair of Fiskars Amplify shears. (I actually think this kind with the orange handles is intended for fabric, but they do make some specifically for mixed media and these work just fine.) They cut through really thick materials like nobody's business - bookboard, chipboard, cardboard, cork...my hand doesn't cramp and I feel like a superhero.

And of course, decorative-edge scissors. Above are a pair of Fiskars scallop-edge scissors, and a pair of Martha Stewart fringing scissors. (Okay, I seriously didn't realize how many Martha Stewart products I owned. The scallop scissors are great, but a little difficult to use - it takes some finagling to get the blades to line up just right (punches are easier) but they're very inexpensive and they get the job done. And as you probably know, you can get all kinds of decorative-cut scissors. Just don't go too cheap - you get what you pay for with these guys.

The fringing scissors are so stinking cool. they cut approximately 1/8-inch strips and work on plain paper or cardstock - just don't try anything too thin (like tissue) or thick (like cardboard) because it will jam up the blades. Have I mentioned that I love these things? I love them. Using them saves tons of time making things like fringed strips that will roll up into cute spiky flowers. I only wish they worked on fabric, but I haven't had any luck there yet.

Moving on from scissors, let's talk craft knives, AKA the X-acto knife. (FYI, minor pet peeve - they are not all "X-acto's." It's like how we call all boxes of tissue "Kleenex," but they're not all the actual Kleenex brand.) I have probably 5 regular craft knives hiding on my desk at any given time. X-acto brand, Excel brand, off-brand, Fiskars brand...I think I even have a Martha Stewart one hiding somewhere (of course), and I'd throw box cutter razors and larger utility knives in this category, as well. My favorite is the regular old, standard silver metal handle kind with #11 blades. I've tried different kinds of handles - they make ergonomic ones, fingertip ones (like the short orange Fiskars kind above), swivel ones...but I always seem to go back to my old standby silver handles. Honestly, the fingertip Fiskars blade above? I've used it, like, twice. I just can't get the hang of it - but try out different kinds and see what works best for you, because I know some people swear by it.

The most important thing you can do to get the most out of your craft knives is to regularly change the blades. The very end of the tip can break off easily, and then the blade will continue to dull until you're getting rough-cut edges and incomplete cuts. I love using the little black box you can get from X-acto (pictured above) that comes with a bunch of blades in it, plus a hole on the end where you can safely slide used blades so you don't have to dump them in the trash.

One other thing I really like to use craft knives for is scoring, by flipping the knife over and scoring with the wrong side of the blade. It's so much more precise than a dull bone folder. Just try to make sure you're scoring on the WRONG side of the paper, because it will actually scratch the paper's surface, and you don't want to have that ugliness right side up (a beautiful crisp fold in red paper with an ugly white scratch showing through? no thanks.)

Metal rulers are also a must-have for cutting papers with a craft knife. (You never want to use plastic rulers - the knifes will slice right into the plastic.) I have a pretty large selection of metal rulers - super long ones, super short ones and even a triangular one. Cork-backed straight edges are fantastic for decreasing slippage, too. If you're just starting out, a regular 12-inch metal ruler is great. But as you start to expand your repertoire, you'll notice that you could really use more options, and you can add as you go. I just got my little 6-inch ruler above (the one on top), and it's great for working on small-scale projects like cards - especially when you have a cramped working space like I do.

Hole punching! Who knew there were so many options? (I hear the Crop-A-Dile is amazing for punching holes, and I even bought myself one a few months back, but a ghost stole it from my craft room and I absolutely cannot find it, so I'll have to report back on that one.) Did you know you can even get hole punches with standard handles that punch shapes, like stars, hearts or ribbon slots? Good lord, I love the craft store. Anyway, for regular, everyday duty, I stick to a standard hole punch that I am fairly certain I stole from my parents' office drawer about 20 years ago. The cap that keeps the punched dots inside is long gone, but hey - it does the trick. I have also found myself using this purple-handled Fiskars hole punch that makes a 1/16-inch hole. Check out the difference below:

The 1/16-inch punch is great for projects where I need to string something through my paper pieces, such as threading twine onto pieces of a paper garland.

I also often use an awl for punching small holes. I recently lost my favorite one, but my current awl is pictured above on the right - the pointed needle-like tool with the blue handle. If you can't find an awl in the papercrafts department at the craft store, look in either the clay/pottery section, or in the leather crafts section.

I would highly recommend working over a punching mat when you use an awl - otherwise, you'll make yucky indentations in your cutting mat. Plus, having a surface that the awl can sink into ensures a nice punched hole through all your layers - if you just hit a hard cutting mat underneath, you may not actually punch a hole, because the awl has nowhere to go. I have a tiny punching mat that I got in a 3-piece cutting/punching/measuring set from Stampin' Up a few years back, but you can also just work over a piece of corrugated cardboard or thick foam. Actually, because my little stamping mat is starting to get nasty, I recently bought this piece of foam from the kids craft section of play foam at Michaels:

It's about 1/4 inch thick and is exactly like the "special" mat I bought from Stampin' Up...but way cheaper.

Punches! I love my punches. You can get them in all shapes and sizes - tiny to huge, lever, handled, edge cutters or all-over-the-page... The only issue with paper punches is that you really get what you pay for, so don't expect a whole lot of versatility or shelf-life out of cheap ones. The more you shell out, the more likely you are to be able to punch through thicker cardstock without jamming it up, and without cramping your hand. The best advice I have is to get them when the craft store is running a 40-50% off sale, or use your handy smartphone coupons. (Also, please never check out at the craft store without checking your app for coupons. I know Michaels and Hobby Lobby frequently have good ones.)

In the same family as punches are die cutters. I have a Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine, and for real, if you don't have one, find one on sale and get one. I love the Big Shot because it comes with an adapter plate that allows you to use many other brands of dies by adjusting the height at which the cutting plates roll through the machine. My favorite dies are Bigz dies, because in addition to paper, they will cut through chipboard, fabric and even multiple layers of felt at one time. I have one die in particular that I love using because it has about ten 1-inch circles on it. Multiply 10 by 2 or 3 layers and you can cut out dozens of circles at one time. It's a huge time-saver.

Paper slicers and rotary trimmers: I don't use these as much as my trusty ruler and craft knife, but they are still great to have on hand for quick trimming. These are another tool in the "get what you pay for" category - less expensive trimmers are just not as precise as pricier models. For instance, I have an inexpensive, craft-quality, 12-inch Fiskars trimmer at home, and then at the office, we have a bigger foldout, LED-lit, precision Fiskars trimmer. Guess which one gives me grief and which one is pure bliss? (The Fiskars trimmer we have at work is really cool too because it has interchangeable rotary blades that can cut perforated lines, deckle edges, wavy edges, etcetera.)
T-square rulers: For cutting larger pieces of paper to perfect right angles, a t-square is super useful. I also like using my t-square for when I need to use a larger razer or box cutter to cut through thicker materials like chipboard or corrugated cardboard. The metal ruler part is thicker and sturdier than my regular handheld metal rulers, and the "t" part can be held securely against the table or cutting mat edge so that it's not in danger of shifting.
Compasses and stencils: From my college days, I have a really nice drafting compass that I like using for drawing larger circles, and a ton of plastic drafting stencils with smaller circles, squares, ovals and more. I used them much more when I did more 2D graphic design, but I still find them useful for crafting - especially the multi-sized circle templates.
Eyelet setters: I suppose this should go with my post on paper punches because technically, it punches. The Crop-A-Dile comes highly recommended, but as I mentioned above, I have one that is in its original packaging but has gone missing. In the meantime, I also have a set of spring-loaded Fiskars eyelet setters that work just fine for the little 1/8-inch scrapbooking type of eyelets.

What kind of paper cutters or punches do you love for paper crafting? Feel free to leave any questions below!

Disclaimer: This post contains my personal opinions based on my personal experiences. These products were not given to me by for review; I purchased them of my own accord, with the exception of the LED Fiskars Trimmer that was purchased by my employer, which I used for work purposes.

Friday Link Love

2013-10-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

Awhile back (like, several years ago) I used to do a Friday post a collection of some of my favorite things I'd found on the web. I have been seeing a lot of loveliness lately, and I'd love to get back to sharing some of these finds on a regular basis. I hope you enjoy these treasures as much as I did!

^^^ DIY Marquee Light at We Lived Happily Ever After - How stinking cute is this? Georgia would flip to see her name in lights. I may have to try it for her - she has so many empty walls in her room.

My Art was Stolen for Profit (and How You Can Help) at Lisa Congdon - Many of you have probably already seen this, but if not, this is a must-read. (Plus: West Elm's response and an article from Fast Company)

Printable Labels for Your Foodie Fall Gifts at Lia Griffith - Beautifully designed, chalkboard-style, free printable food labels.

Watch A Student Totally Nail Something About Women That I've Been Trying To Articulate For 37 Years at Upworthy - "...setting examples for our daughters really does matter."

"Cups" Tap Dance - Another video. Okay, so I'm getting sick of the Cups song too, but this is just good fun..and the lead dude is a total cutie.

NaNoWriMo: Kickass Tools for Success at Medium Roast - One of these years I am actually going to be able to tackle NaNoWriMo. In the meantime, here are some good tips for those of you who are doing it now.

Mommy Shorts "The Show" - Just discovered this blog and, in turn, her new show. Mom humor ensues.

The best tweets from #AddaWordRuinaChristianBook trend at RNS - I think my favorite is "Blue Like Jazz Hands," though "Paps Mere Christianity" is pretty amazing as well.

Monsters Coloring Page at Dabbles & Babbles - I copied off several sheets of this to enjoy with Georgia tomorrow morning. She loves coloring in pages with lots of little things on them!

Happy Friday!
Shannon

New work! Layered Flower Clip in SCC Gifts

2013-10-11T08:19:00.001-07:00

I've been holding off on sharing this until I knew copies were for sale in most locations - a new special edition of SCC, Stitch Craft Create Gifts, that I am proud to have edited!

Oh hey! There's my face. (Still weird to see myself in print. Georgia thinks it's hilarious - "I see Mommy's pitcher!") This is a really fun multicrafts pub that rounds out at 144 pages. It's got a little bit of everything - sewing, jewelry, papercrafts, knit & crochet, etcetera.

Oh hi again, there's my little flower clip project on the table of contents! I just love this felt & fabric clip turned out. The layers of fabric are made stiff with a fusible interfacing, and each layer has a different embroidered or buttoned embellishment that combine in what is really substantial handmade accessory. It's super easy to make, and though it's included in the magazine's DIY giftwrap section, it comes with an alligator clip so that you can snap it onto a bag, a blouse or a headband.

The rest of the issue is really phenomenal, if I do say so myself. Our designer Courtney does nothing but top-notch work, and the whole edition is pure eye candy. And truthfully, everything is so DOABLE. There is no lack for functional projects that you would not only actually have a reason and desire to make, but be able to pull off in a short amount of time and with what you have on hand.

I think my absolute favorite project is Angela Bowman's Watercolor Patchwork Hoops. This technique is just so cool - and surprisingly easy. I can't wait to try it. She also has some other versions she's made on her blog, like this gorgeous zipper pouch and this beautiful green and white hoop.

I also love Alma de la Melena Cox's fused fabric artwork, using her Telamadera Fusion technique. I learned about Alma's work after my mom told me about an interview she did on The Quilt Show. I went to look her up, and fell in love. Bonus? She is incredibly kind and generous. There are so many more projects in here from other amazing women I've met through my work on SCC - Danielle, Kristi, Jen, Heidi, Lindsay...so please, run out and check out SCC Gifts. It's a keeper!

Favorite Tools Series: Glues for Papercraft

2013-09-28T06:15:00.004-07:00

Happy Saturday! As most of you know, I am in the throes of writing my first craft book. It's a papercraft book with lots (lots) of projects, so I'm constantly switching between all different kinds of tools and supplies. My desk is always cluttered with stacks of goodies - it looks like a craft store! Piles of cutting tools, measuring tools, clamping tools....I've just got to have all my favorite things at arm's reach for when I need one. Thus, I decided to kick off a little "Favorite Tools Series" here on my blog, where I can share all the materials I like working with in categories. Who knows what we'll cover - seems like a good guest post spot, no?

Today's post is all about my (current) favorite glues for papercraft. I honestly believe that some people are intimidated by glue, and there's no shame in that. I mean, with as much good rapport as I have with glue today, when I hear the term, my mind still automatically thinks "grade school glue that wrinkles, making a huge mess = craft fail." Surely I'm not alone there! But I'm here to tell you - there is life beyond that runny white white stuff. Here are some of my favorites that I've been working with lately. I'd love to hear your input and favorites in the comments!

First up is Fabri-Tac, which is manufactured by Beacon Adhesives. I know, it sounds like a fabric glue, but this stuff? It is amazing for just about anything. In the past, I have called it "hot glue in a bottle" because for many of the same applications in which you might want to use hot glue, Fabri-Tac will probably do the trick (and you won't burn yourself). It's a clear, goopy, gel-like glue that grabs and dries quickly. I find that it works best for when I'm working with fibrous or porous materials, so in papercrafting, I use it when working with handmade or heavily textured papers, as well as when attaching ribbons and trims, or when gluing down things with body, like paper accordion rosettes.

Two big tips for Fabri-Tac from yours truly: It WILL dry out to an unusable, rubbery state, so BE SURE you put your cap back on. It's tiny, but it's red, so just place it somewhere nearby when you're working so that you don't lose it. If you do lose it, at the very least, cover the tip with some paper tape or something to prevent air from getting in. Secondly, be careful when trimming away the tip to open it -- if you trim it too much, it will literally pour out onto your work and make a huge, gloppy mess. Then again, too little, and it will be struggle to get it out. If you're in the market for some Fabri-Tac, I recommend buying two small bottles instead of one big one - then, trim one tip just slightly for more precise applications, and one farther down the nozzle for when you really do just need a nice, big glob of awesome.

Ah, Elmer's! Now, when I was beating up on runny white craft glue above, I didn't mean this stuff. Craft Bond is the go-to glue for when you just need a good, strong hold, but not necessarily immediate dry time. It WILL wrinkle if you use lots over a large area, but if you use smaller dots and a thin application, it won't - especially on thicker papers. I use Craft Bond for adding extra stability to things like paper flowers after they've already been created, by flipping them over and dousing the backside. It can sit overnight, and then it will dry to a nice, firm finish that you couldn't blow up if you tried. I also like to use Craft Bond if I'm attaching paper bits to things like wire or toothpicks for something like a cupcake topper; as long as it can sit for awhile to dry, it's super stable when you're done.

That doesn't mean Craft Bond can't be used for more delicate crafting, though. It's the perfect adhesive for strong holds on paper quilling. When I'm quilling, I either squirt out a little puddle of Craft Bond onto scrap paper and use a straight pin or a needle to apply it; or, I use one of these handy glue pens that has a smaller tip, which are the greatest invention since sliced bread.

Not pictured, but I also use Craft Bond glue sticks..they're my favorite glue sticks. One thing I love them for is to pre-adhere papers together before I sew them on my sewing machine. They're also excellent for gluing thinner papers together over large areas. Craft Bond also has a spray adhesive that I love.

Tombow Mono Liquid Glues! These things are great. I love their applicator tips - precision tip on one end, broad tip on the other with a wide area that makes it easy to spread. The Aqua glue is clear and dries pretty fast. The Multi is white, but dries clear and is super strong. You can also let it dry before applying for a repositionable surface, which I don't really use but does make for a super sticky residue if you get the glue on your hands, so be prepared for that! Tombow Liquid is excellent for cardstock and paper, plus embellishments; and Tombow Multi is also good for that stuff, but works great especially for gluing things like chipboard/bookboard.

Let's talk decoupage. I am a huge fan of gel medium, which is an acrylic painting medium you can use to add texture to your paintings, and to extend your paint without watering it down. But my favorite use is for collage! Because it's a gel, it's thicker than other more liquid-y decoupage mediums, and the hold is phenomenal. It comes in gloss or matte, and I just use old paintbrushes to apply it - first underneath, then again over the top of whatever paper I'm decoupaging. I'll be honest, I also use my fingers a LOT in decoupage. People say to use a brayer to get air bubbles out...meh. I just push them out and smooth them down with my index and middle fingers. I just like the control and I like getting messy. It's good times.

Last but certainly not least, the glue I've been draining from bottles at a time: Zip Dry. This stuff is phenomenal. It's quick-drying and non-wrinkling, and is perfect for gluing paper to paper. Actually, I use it a lot for gluing card fronts to a folded card base; for awhile I was using double stick tape rollers to do this, but it was frustrating to try to get everything perfectly aligned before sticking them together. Now, I use thin lines of Zip Dry, and I have a few seconds I can shift around the card front to get it perfectly aligned on the card base before it dries.

Three tips for Zip Dry: It dries clear, but very shiny - so be careful of it seeping out beyond the edges of your glued pieces, in case you plan on coating it later with a glossy gel medium or something like that. Secondly, be careful snipping the tip off to open it up. More than once, I've snipped off too much and the glue pours out too quickly. This is easily fixed by replacing the top with a little precision tip applicator that you can purchase separately (I got this bag of bottles at the craft store and just use the nozzle tips). Third, because this stuff dries so quickly and I use it with a precision tip, the tip end will dry over really fast! Just use your fingers or a straight pin to pull off the film that's blocking airflow; and be sure to replace your cap when you're done.

Some other must-mentions that are also great for papercrafts:

Aleene's Tacky Glue (I enjoy the Fast Grab type best)
Mod Podge (they just have so many different formulas that are lots of fun)
Hot glue (does this really need explanation?)
PVA (this is basically any white glue like Elmer's, but it's great for bookmaking and chipboard as well as any quilling or general paper crafting)

What kind of glues do you love for papercrafts? Share below in the comments!

Disclaimer: This post contains my personal opinions based on my personal experiences. These products were not given to me by for review; I purchased them of my own accord.

ch-ch-ch-changes; or, when things don't go your way

2013-09-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that these past 18 months have been the most tumultuous of my life. SO many changes, SO many unexpected twists and turns, SO many shifts in perspective. So many blessings and yet so many hardships. But I'm feeling really good this week, so it's easier to think about it all.

What is it they say when you're little when you complain that something is not fair?

Oh yeah: "LIFE is not fair." (Thanks for that one, Dad.)

And it's really not. If you think it should be, you're painfully mistaken. I see it a lot these days through the eyes of my 2-year-old daughter, when I make her do something that really isn't fair, or that really doesn't line up with everything she knows -- but she has to do it anyway, because I said so; for her safety, or because it's an exception to the rule, or because let's be honest, I'm the boss and "I know we allowed you to do that earlier but I'm tired of you doing that now so please cut it out for the love of all things holy." And I love my children, but I am their parent and not their friend; so as parents, we get to call the shots as best as we see fit to raise them beautifully while maintaining our sanity.

For this very reason I will hug my children and give them a big kiss and tell them I'm proud of them anyway when they don't win first prize or get a trophy; but I won't go demand that they get one anyway, because it's only fair, and their little feelings might get hurt.

That's life, kid. I love you, let's go snuggle up and read your favorite book, try harder next time, tomorrow's a new day.

Because let's talk about fair, shall we? Is it fair when we work really hard and still don't seem to get ahead? Is it fair when we see unfortunate things happen to people or things we care about by factors beyond our control? Is it fair when the internet goes out for a few days, and the Comcast rep on the phone is a total jerk? Is it fair when bad, sad or otherwise unpleasant things happen to good people, hard workers, valued members of society?

It's not. Le' duh.

But let's think about that for a minute. A few years back, I heard this sentiment: "You cannot control what happens, but you can control your reaction to it."

That little line quite literally changed the way I respond to problems and frustrations. And now? It's a little self-righteous, but I get very frustrated when people rely on deflection and blaming others when this "bad stuff" happens. Take 5 minutes to be pissed off at the unfairness at it all, or a day if you need it, then gather yourself and move on. Take some responsibility, make a plan, change your attitude and get to work. I am not the prime example of doing this, but it is something I try to keep in the back of my mind when I feel myself getting emotional and troubled.

You don't have to attend every battle you're invited to. (<--- Also a favorite line. Cheese much?) Yes, some fights are worth fighting, but not all of them. Because if you cry foul at every turn, how will "they" know to listen when you have a true problem that needs careful, concerned attention?

Nathan and I had an extremely enjoyable evening last Friday. We were exhausted from preparing to throw a yard sale the next morning, and got ourselves and the kids into pajamas early. Georgia and Ryland were so sweet and playful and funny, we were all laughing and chatting; and after they fell asleep, we watched a good movie in bed ourselves. Afterwards, we laid there in the dark for awhile, pillow-talking about how wonderful of a night we'd had. How the extreme toughness and sheer physical exhaustion of the last year seemed to be waning. How we were so lucky to be having these happy, relatively easy times at home. And we've revisited that thought a few times since then - we're trying to remain thankful and in-the-moment, because who knows what curveball will come our way next and throw us off our game.

And you know what? That's what matters. The good stuff. Pardon my French, but shit happens - it's inevitable, whether you've set yourself up for it or not. It's been a really, really tough 18 months, and if I had the ability, I would change a lot of it. *Obviously*, I think I know what would be best (don't we all?) but unfortunately, I don't always get to make those decisions. Working mamas of little ones, all I can tell you is - when things get crazy tough, whether it be at work or at home, hang in there and keep pushing through the sludge.

There IS light at the end of the tunnel, even if you can't see it yet.

(Please remind me of that during my next breakdown.)

and into august we go

2013-08-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

Nathan and I got home on Friday evening from a week away at the beach. It was pretty phenomenal (both of our sets of parents helped us by swapping out keeping the kids and shuttling them to/from daycare). The best part? Sleep. Lots and lots of sleep.

We were in Sandestin for a few days by ourselves, and then we drove over to Gulf Shores to spend some time with our friends, who were also at the beach and generously offered to host us at their gorgeous beach house (one of my most favorite places I've ever been). It was a much-needed escape after the complete insanity that was the last few weeks of July. I had a situation where two major work deadlines, a major work event and one major book deadline all stacked up within a week of one another at the end of July. I don't think I've ever had to push through a stretch of craziness like that in such a short amount of time! I seriously think it took me the first half of our vacation to finally chill out. But I did, eventually, and thank God for that.

One of the biggest things I had to accomplish by the end of last month was the first set of stepout photography for my book. Holy. Moly. It was craziness, getting ready for and working through it all; but I'm super pleased with how it's going so far. I am so thankful I get to work with Jennifer, a wonderful colleague and friend of mine, with whom I am already very comfortable working; because otherwise, I think I'd be freaking out double. Having a solid support system and trusting the people you work so closely with is so valuable.

Speaking of support systems, I don't know what I'd do without Nathan. I'm also really thankful him -- and his best friend, who spent nearly every evening helping take care of the kids while I worked for the couple of weeks leading up to that deadline.

Georgia was a fun assistant in the craft room, too - a little comic relief for me. While I was making messes like this:

...she would sit next to me and make messes like this:

I think she found that green highlighter in the desk drawer, but I really don't know.

One of her favorite things to do these days is "play buttons." Be still my heart. I set her up with a tray and a jar, sometimes a few small bows, and she goes to town. She loves to stack up two at a time and give them to me as "snacks," "chips" or "candy." It's hard to resist that cuteness.

Anyway, back from vacation means back to the grind. I keep telling everyone -- it's not that work is bad, or the book is bad, or the kids or bad, or the house is bad, it's just a lot - piled up, every day, a lot to tackle. Thank goodness for coffee and Diet Coke. And for these two loves of my life:

....though let's be honest, I could go for another week at the beach right about now.

six years

2013-07-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

"Let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together, yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow."

~Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

in pursuit of the work/life balance

2013-07-05T07:21:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, a blogger whom I've really come to admire, Abby Glassenberg, posed a question on Twitter about the concept of having a work/life balance. It really struck a chord with me - this is something I struggle with on a daily basis, and when it was suggested that a few folks co-blog about the topic, I knew I wanted in. Today, several of us are posting about what work/life balance means to us. Here is my take, and following my post below are links to the rest of the crew. Stop by their blogs and see what they have to to say!

First, a little background on my work life. I work full-time in craft magazine publishing, in a fairly small satellite office of a large, international multimedia company. In many ways, it's really a perfect situation - the family-oriented feel of our local office means working with people I love, lots of flexibility and getting to go to a place I genuinely care about every day. But on top of that, the work we do is far-reaching, bigger in a lot of ways than I think many people would assume come out of a little place in North Alabama, which is just pretty cool. Furthermore, I do work that I am very passionate about - we all are. More on that later.

So, additionally, I do a lot of independent work - in the past, I've run a busy freelance graphics and web design business, operated a few little Etsy shops and at one time, I blogged a lot. Today, my biggest independent work is as an author. I've recently signed my first craft book deal and I'm in the trenches of meeting my first deadline. This means that nearly every night after the kids are in bed, I head to my craft room and hide out for a few hours until exhaustion and back pain take over; and I think this is simply the way my life will be until the first part of next year. My husband has been warned (poor thing).

In many ways, my full-time job is a dream. I know a lot of people would see it that way, and for the most part, they're right. Spending all day, every day, entrenched in creativity and the handmade and craft publishing...wow! I'll be honest, it is cool. But I'll also be honest in that at times, it's super bittersweet. I have had a couple jobs that were not at all in the craft industry, and I felt like I was exploding with unspent creativity; so I was dying for free time to create. But now that I work in it every day, it's different; I often feel like I've spent so much of my creative energy at work, that I've used up all my good ideas and excitement so that by the time I have a few minutes of craft time at home to do my own projects? I'm over it.

For the last few years, nearly all of the craft projects I've completed have been for work purposes; and I have so many things I want to do for myself, but when I go to sit down and do it on the weekends, laying on the floor sounds more appealing because that part of my brain is just DONE. So that? That means my waking hours at home are spent chasing my tail between kids and housework and my marriage, and I often have to snap myself out of feeling resentful of the idea that I "never have time to do MY things." My husband has heard that a thousand times.

But the truth is that I DO have the time - I just don't have the drive, and that's a rough reality. It's a double-edged sword, working for your passion, but working for someone else - because at the end of the day, it really is someone else's project, not yours. I cherish and am proud of the ownership I feel with projects I work on, and I know it really does make them better; but I also miss out, by draining so much of myself for something that I don't actually own. It's like fostering a dog - I have learned not to let myself get too close, because he's not really mine to begin with.

Hence why I am so much in love with my current book project - it's going to kill me, maybe, but when I'm done? That's MY name going on the front, and it's MY book, and nobody can take that away from me. This sounds a little backwards and crazy, but I've realized that, essentially, I'm destroying my work/life balance to take back my work into my life.

And the bonus is this: since I started this insane schedule, I actually feel I've developed a much healthier balance with my day job. The passion is still there - but it's balanced, because I've got a forced outlet for my pent-up creative energy (those book deadlines are coming strong and steady, whether I'm ready or not). It's something I look forward to every day, and it makes me so much less emotional when things don't go right at my "real job." Someone recently brought up the fact that I have two very young children and a busy job, and like, what, was I just completely crazy for taking on a book, too? I responded that I must just be a glutton for self-punishment, but that honestly? Right now, I don't feel like I'm going the wrong direction.

Balance be damned. For the first time in a long time, I feel pretty excited about both my day job and my own work - and that's an awesome feeling.

Georgia's Quilt, Finished!

2013-05-26T09:02:00.001-07:00

Guess what's done?

Boom! You'll recall the post I made a few months back about my determination to finish Georgia's baby quilt by her 2nd birthday (March 20). I'm proud to say, despite my tardy blogging of the event, it did happen, and with time to spare. I was laying here snuggling in it on the couch just now and realized I never shared it, so here are my beautiful cell phone photos of the masterpiece. I'm proud to say that this is my first "real" and "big" quilt I've finished! I've pieced real quilts, but small ones; and I've made big quilts, but just big patchwork squares - nothing cut and pieced from a designed pattern. I'm so proud.

It's not going to win any awards, but I am so pleased that I was able to piece and free motion quilt the whole thing by myself. My mom, quilter extraordinaire (she says no, but I disagree) helped me through the bits that were holding me back - applying the borders and sandwiching the batting & backing to the front - but I did the rest.

I will say this - it's going to be a long time before I attempt machine stitching down the binding again. I tried it down 1.5 sides of this piece before deciding how much I hated it - it looked awful. Maybe I just need more practice, but I also really enjoyed sitting under the weight of the quilt for awhile while I mindlessly handstitched the back down. I'm so glad I ripped out the machine work.

It's been in heavy rotation with the kids, and already been through the wash a few times (suffice it to say, not only do we allow eating in the living room, but we've been through our share of sicknesses the last few months). It's held up beautifully so far. I hope it gets super soft over the years, washed and tumbled over and over again, and that Georgia takes it with her to college, like I did with my favorite quilts - they were one of my biggest comforts away from home.

Next up? I have a little blue lap quilt ready to piece from blocks into rows, and then I intend to make a really large, king size (or bigger, because we cannot share) quilt for our master bedroom. So naturally, based on the timetable I set with Georgia's quilt, it will be about um....6 years before those are complete. I'll keep you posted.

Happy 1st Birthday, Ryland!

2013-05-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

Our sweet angel boy Ryland turns one year old today! I cannot believe a whole year has passed. I can honestly say that this has been the hardest year of my life - but also the best. Ryland brings so much joy to our lives, and every day gets better as we watch our two children grow up together. Time is already flying, and I know in about 5 seconds, they'll be teenagers. I can hardly stand it.

We intended for the party to be up on Monte Sano Mountain, at the state park playground; but we'd had heavy rain, and even though no rain fell on Saturday, it was so wet and muggy outside that we ended up just moving the party to our house. We didn't clean much, really, and went easy on the food; ordered Ted's Barbecue and made a box cake with premade sugar decorations. It all worked out great, though - everyone loved the bbq, and I got tons of compliments on my cake. Thanks, Betty Crocker & Duncan Hines! This was no Pinterest-worthy party, but I couldn't care less; it was a great day with family, and Ryland had a blast.

It was supposed to be a cars-themed party, we just pulled out every single car and truck toy we could find in the house. Anything with wheels was set out in the living room, and Ryland and the rest of the kids had a blast. Ryland especially had fun stealing toys from his cousin Isaac - they're about 5 months apart, and we know they're going to be best buds! Poor Isaac - Ryland mostly just wants to "pat" (slap) his head.

My favorite part was singing "Happy Birthday" letting Ry dig into his smash cake. Georgia didn't want to touch hers last year, but RyRy will eat anything and is our little china shop bull, so he loved it. He was so adorable & kept that hat on for the longest time!

He spent a good 30 minutes shoveling icing and cake bits into his mouth before we wiped him down and set him loose again to play. He loved having so many kids around. (Cannot wait to send him to daycare in a few weeks for the first time because we know how much he's going to LOVE having other little kids to play with all day!)

For favors, we sent everyone home with a few die cast racing cars that I found in bulk for cheap at Party City. It was a hit...and easy.

This sweet boy...one year old, starting to stand on his own, and he'll be walking soon. Wow. How is that possible, when it seems like just yesterday I was spending my days of maternity leave snuggled up in bed with him for hours on end? I love you so much, little guy! You'll always be momma's baby.

plans...big plans [before pictures]

2013-05-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

Before Ryland was born, we switched rooms around in our house so that he could have the nursery, Georgia could have our old room and we could move into the "Man Room." Our room is still in a sad state of disarray, and though Georgia's room is not a total mess, it's a long way from being all decorated (at least the way I see it in my head). We made a lot of progress when my mom made her new curtains and my parents bought her a rug for Christmas, but the walls are still almost totally blank, and I really want to get that squared away. I especially have big dreamy plans for this wall:

I have an Ikea brand wire + clips curtain "rod" I want to hang low over the record bench where she can display her artwork, and then I keep envisioning a salon gallery-style arrangement above that. We have a collection of some posters and artwork, and I have some canvases prepped for more. Of course, in my head, this is all so much more perfect and amazing than it will be in real life, but whatever. Georgia will like it. (Speaking of real life, how about that mess, eh? This is actually pretty clean compared to usual.)

There's also a space above her little bookshelf where I plan to hang all her little circular items - we have a handful of framed hoops and some little plates that I think will look cute here. On the wall to the right, I'm not sure yet - it's an odd space because the bathroom door covers half of it when it's open (which is most of the time).

I don't hate what we have going on over by the crib - it's a cute corner shelf that I painted gray, and there are some little collectibles on it. Then there is a baby picture of her on the left, and her yellow Andy Warhol high heel print I got for her nursery. I guess these might stay, but I need a way to incorporate some more color. Everything is still primarily yellow and gray from her original nursery, but I don't want to limit it and I plan in starting to pop in some blues, reds and greens like in the rug.

Anyway, over on the right is her glider - which is covered in quilts to protect it from Spike the cat, who pretty much lives on it. There are a couple shelves that used to be above her changing table, but they're not very useful anymore and I may take them down to put some other artwork in its place.

So that's that - I have some neat pieces I've been saving to go up when I get ready to "do" her room, and I can't wait to put them to use. Now that Ryland is a little older and the kids are getting easier to manage, I can see me finally having the time to spend on it! And speaking of house projects, we are spending lots more time in our dining room with ever before having family meals, and I've got to do something with this mess.

We bought paint a few years ago that we never used - gray for the bottom and a light blue for the top - and I plan on either reusing some old red curtains I have, or making some new curtains. The table and china cabinet will stay, but the Coca-Cola cooler may go somewhere else for storage. We've got some art ready to go up (mostly Civil War prints of Nathan's), and I truly hate the chandelier - I at least want to paint it or something.

For perspective, here is from the dining room window facing the kitchen. That's the door to our pantry on the left, and the jukebox poking out from behind the wall in the hallway going into the kitchen.

So that's what's on my docket for house projects in the next few months. I'll keep you posted as I work on Georgia's room especially!

on motherhood

2013-03-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

My sweet girl Georgia turns 2 years old next week. I am trying to wrap my head around that.

My life has changed dramatically in the last two years, and by default, so have I. I'd say I've done a pretty bang-up job of rolling with the punches and making the best of it all - good and bad - but really, I worry I've just made it through with more good days than bad. If that's true, I'd be okay with that. I'm proud of that.

I read a BlogHer post this morning by Janelle from Renegade Mothering on how motherhood changes you, and it really resonated with me. It's called Beautiful Catastrophe: The Death and Rebirth of Becoming a Mother.

Beautiful catastrophe. I don't think I have ever heard someone describe my feelings on motherhood as succinctly as this.

Let me first say, without hesitation, that I absolutely adore being a mother to my two rugrats. They are the light of my life, and I wouldn't change a thing. But just because I love our life and our family doesn't mean it's not tough or that I don't question myself on a daily basis. And at the end of the day, I think we do a pretty good job...but who am I to guess whatever it is I'm doing today that will send my daughter into therapy when she's older? Ah well, that's something I try not to think about. We do the best we can do for our children day in and day out, and that is all we can do - nothing more, nothing less.

I am extremely lucky to have a husband whom I adore to tackle this journey with me. He's really and truly an amazing dad and spouse and teammate; now, I'm the first one to forget it, and I should have my hand smacked for that. He deserves all of the grace he gives me, imperfect and difficult as I am. My goal since we got married has always been to choose my battles wisely - love more, criticize less. You know the saying - our thoughts become our beliefs, our beliefs become our actions...so in reminding myself to appreciate everything Nathan does instead of getting irked for how he does it, I think I'm able to save myself a lot of frustration and heartache. (Granted, this isn't a perfect system, but it does tremendously help me in keeping a positive perspective.)

But you know, although he's super hands-on and involved with and responsible for our children, I found there to be something very alienating and lonely about becoming a mom. This is just my experience of course - but in that Beautiful Catastrophe post I mentioned, Janelle shares her feeling of jealousy at how her husband got to leave and go to work while she stayed, attached to a newborn, feeling like she'd never get to leave again. That struck a huge chord with me; the first few weeks of Ryland's life, I felt suffocated in this house. This tiny, perfect baby that wanted to breastfeed constantly, something I didn't have the responsibility of with Georgia since I pumped and bottle-fed (that had its own difficulties, but someone else could always give her a bottle and share the responsibility). I started to resent that Nathan got to leave every day for work and come home in the evening after 8 glorious hours away. I even grew jealous of my daughter, only 14 or 15 months old at the time, because of how much freedom she had that it seemed like I would never get back. And don't even get me started on my friends and coworkers. How dare they continue living their lives and leaving their homes and going out for coffee while I was jailed like this?

All the while, during this time I would lose myself gazing in amazement at my angels, joining my husband in adoration of our little family that WE created. We'd gotten everything we'd ever dreamed about. The rollercoaster of emotions was almost to much to bear.

And of course, I did get my freedom back, in my own way. Ryland started sleeping longer stretches, I was able to start pumping and share feedings with the help of bottles, and of course, I went back to work (which is still like a daily vacation to me). My hormone-laden, cabin-fevered hysteria quickly wore off and I eased back into normalcy of both schedule and mental state. I quickly regained the luxury of a glass of wine and more than 2 cups of coffee. What seemed like a black hole I'd never come out of was, in the grand scheme of things, quite a short-lived panic.

But fast forward to today, and while I contentedly travel through our day-to-day of morning sounds, workdays, evening family time, thank-God-they're-asleep time and my head hitting the pillow, I still struggle with an ache for the old me. What happened to her? I refuse to accept that she just died, gone forever, but I don't know that she's here with me, either. If she is, she's a shadow of the girl I once was, hiding inside the woman I am today. The mother I am today.

And is that a bad thing? I don't think so. I believe changes of self are not only inevitable, they're necessary and important. It's called awareness and growth. Mindfulness and thankfulness.

While I joke as much as the next tired momma, I get very frustrated at singular interpretations of what it is to be a parent. Jest I might, but motherhood is certainly not drudgery and struggle and wistful thinking; and in the same breath, it is certainly not sunshine and laughter and bliss.

No, motherhood is not any of these things; it's all of them mashed up together in unequal parts and zero regularity, and they equal joy and engaged living and honesty about what I'm going through as I begin this amazing journey.

And I have to remember that, too -- it is just the beginning. Nathan and I were having a tough time a couple months ago managing our expectations with reality, and together we came to the realization that this is our life, we wanted and want it, we chose and choose it. Therefore, constantly waiting impatiently for the next break or nap or vacation and constantly wishing for the hassle-free days of our past weren't going to do us any good at all. We needed to snap ourselves into the present and just live it, good and bad, sickness and health, richer or poorer, you know that old rhyme...

Things have been exponentially better around here since we made that discovery. A simple change in perspective is all we needed to fill our minds with healthy thoughts and healthy attitudes.

Motherhood really is a beautiful catastrophe. Parenting and family and children and life are beautiful catastrophes.

I would hardly call all my internal change over the last two years a disaster or chaos or any other number of phenomena with negative connotations. But I think to avoid the strange woman I see facing me in the mirror is a mistake. She's here to stay, so we might as well get to know one another.

I'm finding that I actually quite like her.

What we're eating: Breakfast

2013-03-07T19:30:00.000-08:00

As promised (weeks ago), I am going to start sharing some of our healthy eating options we've been using at our house since the first of the year. We're both on a health kick - partly for weight loss, but mostly to just be healthier in general for ourselves, our kids and our future. We know that we get away with making unhealthy choices because of our age, but that won't last forever. I've been doing Weight Watchers (online), which I love and had a lot of success with a few years ago pre-kids. Nathan's just tracking his food using MyFitnessPal, which never worked for me because I found it to be too restricting and I was always starving -- but to each his own! And we're both hitting the gym. He's always been a workout warrior, but I just joined a health club close to our house for the first time in years and years. I have no idea what I'm doing, but there are individual TV's on the cardio machines, which is pretty amazesauce. I'm trying to work up the courage to try a class - I don't know what it intimidates me so badly.

Anyway, one of the biggest changes for us is that I have been cooking us breakfast nearly every day. We have been destroying some eggs, and we've been going through our favorite staple veggies (mushrooms, onions and tomatoes) like crazy.

One thing I have been love, love, loving is these cheap little egg rings. I have read negative reviews about how they stick (I've never had that problem with plenty of cooking spray) and that they leak (just a tiny bit, but nothing horrible), and they've made it really easy for us to make breakfast sandwiches. These are awesome for us because we can eat them on the go, whether we're running around the house getting ready with kids under our feet, or driving to drop the kids off at grandparents' houses or school on the way to work.

I tried bagel thins once or twice, but as much as I love bagels, I just didn't love them. They seemed too dry and tasteless to me. We have both been really enjoying Arnold brand Sandwich Thins though, of which we like the multigrain and flax versions. For mine, usually I put a slice of part-skim mozzarella cheese down and top it with a hot egg, which melts it a little; then sometimes, I'll throw on some additional veggies like some mushrooms and onions that I've sauteed on the side of the same pan. Nathan likes to load his up with jalapenos and hot sauce (yuck to me, but whatever floats his boat!)

Other times, I'll make a bunch of eggs omelet style with half and half whole eggs and egg whites. We like to mix in chopped up mushroom, onion, spinach and/or tomato and a little fresh minced garlic, and we'll split it up to eat either by itself or on sandwich thins.

Chopped up Hormel turkey pepperoni is yummy in eggs too, and really low in fat and WW points. Occasionally, I've used turkey or venison, ground or sausage, since we usually have deer on hand in the freezer or leftovers from supper.

Cheese-wise, if I'm not serving the eggs with a slice of low fat mozzarella, I'll chop up a wedge of WW cheese (it's just like Laughing Cow wedges) which melts down really nicely and adds some rich flavor. Or, I'll just add some straight sharp cheddar, chopped up really tiny - you use so little that it hardly adds points value or calories at all.

Of course, we do love scrambled eggs as well, which are fantastic on a whole wheat tortilla. I've also tried the "Extreme Wellness" sundried tomato tortillas, which I wasn't a huge fan of for burritos (they just seemed a little too moist or something, and fell apart really easily) though they tasted pretty good.

If I have to grab something to eat at work instead of cooking at home, I like Greek yogurt with granola and sugar free fruit preserves. A go-to for me is a 1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt, a 1/4 cup Bear Fit granola (I like the vanilla flavor) and a tablespoon or two of Smucker's sugar free raspberry preserves. Mixed all together, it sweetens the yogurt and has tons of protein.

So there's my boring breakfast food post. :) What do you do for breakfast on a healthy-eating diet?

DIY @ SCC: Shoebox Receipt File

2013-03-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

You guys, I really do blog. I promise. I just do it for work so much more than myself! I've got to do a better job of not just blogging for my job. Anyway, I figured that when I have a DIY post up over at the Stitch Craft Create blog, I'd link to it from here as well, which is probably cheating but I have no shame. So here is numero uno of this new sneaky tactic to force myself into blogging...

Last week, I shared an easy way to make a little receipt file using a children's shoe box. This was actually my husband's Valentine's Day gift, because isn't budgeting everyone's first thought at the word "romance?" No? Okay then.

But seriously, this is great for us because we really do keep up with every single receipt and track it on a giant spreadsheet that Nathan keeps up with, bless him. But things can get a little disorganized when we divide them out across our debit card, our flex medical benefits card, and each of our individual credit cards. We'd been throwing our receipts into a little wooden box for him to go through, but it was really just chaos. Now, I can file my receipts for him really easily and he has way less questions to ask when it's spreadsheet updating time.

It's gotten rave reviews from him the last few months. And isn't that paper to die for? It's a new line from Fancy Pants Designs called Park Bench. Love love love. Check out the full how-to right here.

Alright. More blogging to come this week. Maybe.

a new toy for ipad blogging

2013-01-29T17:35:00.001-08:00

So, I treated myself to a new toy - a new Bluetooth keypboard and case for my iPad. It's red, and I'm using it right now. I bought a fairly cheap one to see how I liked it before dishing out lots of cash for an expensive one. I paid for a blogging app (excellent, btw), but it's a little difficult to type a lot on the touch screen keyboard. So this one? So far, so good - the spacebar isn't extremely sensitive, so I'm backspacing a bit to go back and hit it harder to correct mistakes. That's a tad annoying. But setup was a breeze, and the case is really nice and sturdy. Plus, I love that the keyboard is removable in its magnetic sleeve - I'm typing this from the couch while my ipad is propped up a few feet away on the ottoman.

Alright, just wanted to do quick post on my new toy. Planning on a post later this week about my Weight Watchers-friendly breakfasts of late. Until then!

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Tomato, Cucumber & Onion Salad

2013-01-24T17:02:00.000-08:00

So with two babies in the house, it's safe to say Mommy needs to lose some weight. I lost a fair amount of pounds on Weight Watchers before I first got pregnant, and really liked the program - so that's what I decided to go back to. I love that it's relatively unrestrictive and encourages good habits, choices and awareness.

But really, beyond the whole "don't want to buy bigger pants" aspect, I want to be healthier all around. I won't be in my twenties forever, and I know the older I get, the harder it will be to make a lifestyle change. So that means more raw foods, more fruits and vegetables, more lean proteins, more cooking. And I am NOT a good cook, so this has been and will be interesting. And holy crap, "healthy" groceries are so much more expensive, which is just unfair. But that's another blog post...

I'll share more on my usual meal choices soon, but I wanted to share a favorite snack/side that I have always loved. I worked at a Mediterranean cafe with a friend of mine after high school, and the Moroccan chef there showed her how to make this salad. She showed me, and I've loved it ever since. And yes, it's got raw onions in it - which I am generally not a fan of, even though I love them cooked. But something about chopping them up really tiny with other crunchy veggies and seasoning just takes the "ick" factor out of it. So if you're not an onion lover like me - try it anyway. You might surprise yourself. And if you're really not sure, just use a small amount of onion and ooch up the amount another time.

Tomato, Cucumber & Onion Salad
Ingredients:
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Onion
- Oil
- Ground cumin
- Kosher salt (optional)

Chop up equal parts tomato, cucumber and onion. I like to chop mine up super tiny. Food is more fun that way. Top with a splash of oil (I used extra virgin olive oil this time, but you can also just use a little vegetable oil or anything else with a fairly neutral flavor). Shake a bit of cumin on top, then stir it all together. Taste it, and add more cumin to your liking. I also like to sprinkle in a little kosher salt sometimes.

And um...that's it. It's delicious, crunchy, flavorful and super healthy. Depending on how much oil you use, it's only 1 or 2 pp (Weight Watchers PointsPlus). And the nice thing is that you can make as little or as much as you want - enough for a small snack, or a bunch for a family-size side dish.

We've been going through vegetables like crazy. Veggies and eggs. I see egg carton crafts in my future.

I'll share some more of my recent go-to's next week!

3 years in the making

2013-01-20T10:09:00.002-08:00

In 2010, I fell in love with the "Hello Betty" fabric line by Chloe's Closet for Moda. I saw a Honey Bun of it at a great (now out of business) quilt shop in Decatur, and my mom generously helped me gather the pieces for a pattern so I could attempt my first "big," "real" quilt. If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with mint green, and I couldn't resist using it for the solid background.

I dug in and made some pretty earnest progress for awhile. It was slow go (anything I do is) but I surprised myself with how easily it was coming together.

Spike helped.

While I was putting it together, I found out I was pregnant with my daughter Georgia. I decided this would be her baby quilt, a gift from me to her. I set a goal of finishing it by her birthday. Things were going swimmingly - until she was unexpectedly born over 5 weeks early. No baby quilt for Georgia! By the time I had the time to revisit it, I was overwhelmed (and pregnant again, this time with my son Ryland). My mom, happy to help, ordered the backing, attached the borders and pinned it for quilting for me to help me get over the hump and get it done. I decided I was over rejecting the help and that I'd get it done for Georgia's 1st birthday present.

Of course, you can guess what happened - Ryland was born, and the little time I could spend in the sewing room? It was gone altogether. Georgia's quilt sat folded and pinned in a big plastic bag, judging me from its spot stashed under my craft desk. I was too scared and overwhelemed at the prospect of quilting (not my strongest skill) to do anything with it.

Things are finally settling down, though. We're all sleeping through the night (most of the time) and we've seen some glimmers of our two babies playing together and entertaining one another.

Also? We desperately need new couch pillows. They're gross. And I really want to sew, quilt and applique new ones. But I feel too guilty at the prospect of starting in on something new when I have a huge, nearly-finished masterpiece staring me in the face.

So the new goal? Finish it for Georgia's 2nd birthday (March 20) - 3 years after I started it.

Yesterday, I pulled it out of its big bag, threaded my machine with the to-die-for light green Aurifil I'd bought just for it and started in.

I am not an experienced free motion quilter. I don't have great control over my stitch length and I'm sure plenty of people would cringe at the details. And? I have every intention of binding it by *gasp* machine, just to get it done.

And you know what? I don't care, because I am finishing what I started with a bang. It's only taken me sitting down for two naptimes to have more than half of it quilted already. I was stunned earlier when I took it off the machine to see what a little dent I'd made, only to discover I'd made a BIG dent. Wow! I am super proud of myself.

Next time you see a picture of this quilt, it will be quilted. Can't promise it will be bound yet, but that's the goal for G's birthday.

My 2013 Word of the Year: Rise

2013-01-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

I've been seeing lots of talk about everyone's "word of the year" in lieu of New Year's Resolutions, and I've loved the idea. I started thinking this week about what mine might be. Lots of them crossed my mind, but one continued to stick out that I think sums up everything I want for myself in 2013. The more I pondered on it, the more I fell in love with the idea. So with that, I settled on my word for this year: RISE.

I feel like "rise" encompasses so many of the goals I have for myself. For sure I've got more concrete aspirations (lose a few pounds, blog more, keep the house more organized) but I really feel like if I can work on conditioning my state of mind and my more abstract wishes for myself, those physical things will follow naturally.

I hope to embody the idea of "rising" in so many ways, and not just for me - but in that I hope to uplift others as well. Helping to be a light to my children, friends, family, coworkers and even those who frustrate me by way of example and encouragement is so important to me. You've all heard the quote about being the change you wish to see in the world, right? I feel like I fail to live up to that sometimes when all the while I expect it of others. That's so wrong.

This year I want to strive to rise to each and every occasion as it comes instead of letting my challenges meet me at the ground. I want to be able to rise above things that would make me stumble and find a way to jump over them instead, or at least move them out of my way without unnecessary struggle or strife or upset. I want to stop taking things personally that are simply not personal while remembering to handle them with grace and care. I want to find the strength within myself that I know must be there that will allow me to meet my frustrations with a new and improved sense of self and optimism.

So that's it: in 2013, I want to embrace this whole "rise" concept and play it out in as many ways as I can. Wish me luck.

Do you have a word of the year?

a Christmas story

2013-01-04T18:49:00.000-08:00

We had a bit of a different kind of Christmas thanks to a nasty little virus called RSV, aka Really Scary Virus. It's basically just a cold virus in older children and adults, but in babies especially under one year old, it can be extremely dangerous. I can't believe we made it through Georgia's first year without any complications from it, but unfortunately, Ryland was not so lucky. We're fairly certain Georgia brought it home with her from daycare, where she goes twice a week (Ryland won't start going for a few months yet).

On Monday, December 17, Georgia went to the doctor with a high fever and was diagnosed with a double ear infection and laryngitis. When she continued to have a high temp and lethargy after several days of antibiotics, we made an appointment to take her back in - and sent Ryland, too, since he was starting to run a fever and had been throwing up his bottles for a couple days (super unlike him since he has never spit up much at all). They said Georgia's ears were looking better and checked Ryland for RSV - which he had, and they assumed Georgia did as well. They sent us home and said to up his breathing treatments and start giving them to her; he'd been on them for over a month with bronchiolitis and wheezing that wouldn't go completely away. This was on Thursday, Dec. 20.

Unfortunately, while Georgia started to get better, Ryland started going downhill. We expected that, since they'd told us his "peak" day was yet to come, but when he started seeming a bit better on Friday afternoon, I stopped worrying so badly. But he was so listless and unable to keep anything down on Saturday that I started to get concerned again - and when Nathan expressed worry, I knew something wasn't right. I called into our doctor's office nurse call line for reassurance...but I didn't get it. With all of his symptoms (age, jagged deep breathing, stomach sucking under lungs with breaths, seeing his ribs with breaths, lethargy, dehydration concern) they recommended we take him into the Pediatric ER - just to check his oxygen and dehydration, if nothing else.

I'd been terrified at the thought of having to take him to the hospital, but going was actually not as bad as being there. The most terrifying thing was touching anything in the busy, busy Pediatric ER on the Saturday before Christmas.

They took him into Triage fairly quickly (because of his age and our concerns about breathing, I believe) and from there he was sent straight back to a bed. After watching his scarily-low oxygen levels for awhile, they told us they were going to admit him due to his RSV complications and bronchiolitis. I knew in the pit of my stomach that this meant at least two nights, but I didn't really think we'd be there over Christmas. Unfortunately, we were - we went home on December 26, after 4 nights. But as you can see from his sick little eyes, in these pictures, we needed to be there.

They decided to put in an IV and keep him on oxygen, the level of which was up and down constantly, but took longer than expected to get him off. He was just a slow recoverer. On Christmas Day, he started doing better and they took him off oxygen. Their rule was 24 hours without oxygen, or at least long enough to monitor during a long deep sleep, when his levels would be at their lowest. So that's how we spent Christmas night - me on the hospital bed couch, hardly able to sleep because I kept peeking at his pulse-ox monitor to make sure it stayed at 90 or above. And it did, mostly.

The day after Christmas, we really started to see our boy return to himself as he started rolling around in his crib and tangling his cords, grinning and chewing on everything. They released us by midday; we went and picked up Georgia and headed home to pretend it was Christmas Eve. After spending lots of time shuttling between grandparents, Georgia was SO excited to be home with all of us, and especially to see "Ry Ry."

"Christmas Eve" and "Day" were nice (on the 26th and 27th), just not quite what we had in mind. The kids didn't know any different, of course, and we enjoyed ourselves, but it just really wasn't "Christmas" to me. It was okay, though. I was so thankful to have Ryland home and so exhausted and so thankful for the general health of my babies, it was a total blur. I honestly think I'm still in a fog from the holidays because it feels like there was all this buildup for a celebration that didn't really happen.

I will say that watching Georgia open her gifts was such a delight! She's super into baby dolls right now, and I gave her an American Girl "Bitty Baby" that we named Alice. She loves her and carries her everywhere, feeding her and burping her. Totally worth it. I was so stinking excited for her to have her first American Girl Doll - I have Samantha and Kirsten waiting for her in a trunk when she's old enough!

Santa came a day late for us, which was awfully kind of him, considering our circumstances. Ryland got new pacifiers and some teething toys, and Georgia got a President Barbie and play jewelry and a drawing desk. Both of them got lots of plastic balls, which are a favorite toy in this house.

All in all, not the best Christmas of all time - but in the end, we got to take our little boy home and everyone's on the mend now, which is all that matters. But I'll be honest - I'm ready to pack up the decorations and move on into 2013! It was truly a holiday reminder to be thankful for the important things.

Video blogging...?

2012-12-11T17:17:00.000-08:00

I'd like to apologize in advance for this hilariously boring attempt. But a blog is a blog, so hi five to ME.

starting early

2012-12-06T20:00:00.000-08:00

Well, if I'm not the worst blogger ever, I don't know who is. It's not that I don't have things to talk about. Oh, I've got things. Two very small diapered ones in fact, one female and one male, both very cute and very exhausting. And an awesome job - amazing, but exhausting. And lots of craft goodness happens in this house, when I'm not too exhausted.

Perhaps the exhausting part is why I'm such a terrible blogger....and housekeeper. Not to mention that I've got this gorgeous blog redesign I had my a sweet friend help me with several months ago, and I've hardly touched it. Shameful!

Does anybody actually stick to their New Year Resolutions? Seriously, anybody? Well, whatever. My biggest one is to get back to regular blogging, and I just don't even feel like waiting until January to kick it off, so here we go. How bout an update?

Georgia is 20 months old with a head full of curly hair and an amazing little personality to match. She "talks" nonstop, sings and dances, always wants to color, loves on her brother (and gets mad at her brother for playing with her toys), is obsessed with Yo Gabba Gabba and enjoys testing the disciplinary waters. She's quickly turning into a little girl, and I hate it. Love it, hate it.

Ryland is 6 months old and the pure light of my life. He is almost sitting up and rolls all over the floor, grins and giggles incessantly (except for when he screams bloody murder for food or sleep) and wears the same size diapers and pants as his sister (he's way over the 95th percentile for height and weight). He's started on solids, but he doesn't quite understand it yet; and he is best friends with the cat.

Nathan is still the same wonderful husband he always has been, except that I love him more and more as I watch him grow as a father. I always knew he would be a great dad, but there is something about the chemistry he has with our children, especially Georgia, that is just a gift beyond all others. I hit the jackpot with this guy.

With me, I'm trucking on. I'm super happy, but I have my ups and downs; mostly because I chose to have children 14 months apart while remaining committed to my job. And you know, an attempt at some semblance of a personal life. All my days are insanity these days - wonderful, exciting, but pure crazy. I'm just blessed to do something I love every day. Honestly, work is almost always the only place I have an excuse to be creative and crafty and get to follow through on my ideas. I love it, and I love my coworkers. I'm a lucky lady in that I don't dread it.

Okay, so - go go gadget blog! Back again soon...no, really.

our week in instagram photos

2012-11-10T07:10:00.000-08:00

Crazy hair Saturday morning; reading books with G - apparently I disliked this spelling of ketchup as a child; neighborhood watch; learning how to do Eskimo kisses; sorting clothes for Ryland while Georgia shoves them all in his crib; a quiet minute alone with chips and junk tv

Husband and father being goofs after the football game (roll tide); sleepy, sleepier, sleepiest; favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch with coworkers for Courtney's birthday; USA USA USA; 19 months vs 5 months; Millers 2012

Happy boy awake at 4:30 am; my messy desk; getting ready to start a new embroidery project; green lazy daisy stitches look like seaweed on blue; a preview of my next project for SCC; proofing the Winter edition of SCC - kicking off a column with the lovely Thomas Knauer

Courtney's mock cover for SCC; eyes crossing from 116 pages of proofing in one day; my chunkiest of monkeys; Grandpa vs. Ryland; sweet happy boy; piles of review books in my office

Movie time with candles; finally, a moment of peace after hours of fussing - yes, that's wine on my nightstand; left her alone for 2 minutes with Daddy...