The Recovery and Reinventment Project

Photo Friday (two days late)

2013-07-30T11:40:00.000-04:00

I had this blog post queued up and completely forgot to schedule it....until now. Two days late is better than never right?

I'm trying to get back on the Projectlife365 band wagon. I was much better this past week, so look forward to a fuller photo Friday in a couple days. This particular week however I only got two of the prompts completed.

Quality over Quantity right?

# Tick_Tock

#My_Love

Challenge: Week 5

2013-07-17T14:58:00.001-04:00

Ombre is a trend I have been completely taken with. I absolutely love, it seems, all things ombre. Maybe I've even painted my nails ombre.

I've thought about painting my sewing desk ombre...

via Pinterest

Dreamed about painting my houses' staircase ombre...

via Pinterest

And bought the supplies to make dip dyed ombre curtains out of some bland blackout curtains we already owned (bought the supplies almost a year ago but havent done yet).

via Pinterest

Despite this love of ombre I didnt even think of it when brainstorming for my categories. Thank God Manda did!

Per usual, I was kinda torn about what i wanted to do for the challenge. I thought initially that I would make a whitedress and then dip dye it. During a conversation with Manda, I realized this was probably a bad idea. I told her my plan to dye my fabric and her exact words were "Ain't nobody got time for that shit". True words. I had ombre fabric in my stash. I used that.

I made Simplicity 1662 view B.

Super easy until I was putting on the waistband. I have no idea what happened, but i had way more fabric then I needed, and it wasn't supposed to be gathered. Not wanting to take any of the stitches i had already put in out, I just took a couple tucks. LAZY.

I really like how it turned out, but i think I'm gonna have to secure the front "flap". It's windy in New England and I'm afraid that if I don't things are gonna get indecent.

Photo Friday (on Monday): Week 24, 25, 26

2013-07-15T16:14:00.000-04:00

I've been biting it pretty hard on ProjectLife365 lately. I completely skipped weeks 27 & 28 , and posted very sparingly for 24, 25 and 26. I've been downloading the prompts, but not getting any of the pictures taken or uploaded....oops.

But, I know Photo Friday is a fan favorite for my reader(s), (Andrea I'm talking to you), so I didn't want to go another week without posting. So, here's everything that I have posted, since the last update:

Week 24:

#new

Week 25:

#Sweet

Week 26:

#Turquoise

#curves

#edible

Birthday Dress

2013-07-12T15:40:00.000-04:00

I have a problem; actually it’s more like a condition, where I wait till the last minute for EVERYTHING. Not only am I a procrastinator, but I’m also a perfectionist. This is NOT a good combo. Waiting till the very last minute and then needing everything to be perfect is a recipe for disaster. In an internal effort to better my worst character flaws (and this is definitely one) I've been trying to be better about doing things before they are “absolutely due”.

This year when April rolled around, I started thinking about Liv’s birthday. I had plans to make it a very cutesy, looks like I’m a stay at home mom and have tons of time, event. She needed to be dressed as adorably as all the decorations, that I had yet to make, would be. Not wanting to wait until the last minute I looked online and ordered her a dress from Nordstrom (my absolutely favorite department store of all time).

When I ordered the dress I had thought it was made out of knit, but when it came in it was clearly cotton. I tried it on Liv, and it was really cute…..and really WHITE. WHAT WAS I THINKING?? She was going to ruin that dress in 3.5 seconds….and I had paid WAY too much for it ($38….seriously…what was I thinking). I decided to make her a birthday dress instead, but kept the dress just in case I ran out of time.

I had basically married myself to the idea of making Liv her birthday dress, but did I leave myself enough time? Of course not! I finished Liv’s birthday dress at 1pm the day before her birthday. It was intense, but I was really happy with how it turned out.

I used Simplicity 1624 for a pattern. I LOVED view A with the ruffles. It just looked classic little girl cute to me. What I didn't think about when I started sewing this dress was how damn annoying those ruffles would be to attach. They nearly killed me.

I had THE MOST PERFECT material in my stash for the dress. I basically buy anything with weenie dogs on it as an ode to Guinness. This print I got at Joann’s and it KILLED me. Weenie dogs and rain boots…could it get any cuter? NO. The answer is no.

The dress turned out adorable. The only thing that I didn't like about the pattern is that the waist seam was exposed inside the dress. I like, especially in kids clothes, when this is covered. I feel like when it isn’t, it bothers their little bellies. So, next time (if there’s a next time), I would sew a bodice lining or put a ribbon over the seam.

Here are a few pics of the dress in action at the party. We had it at my in laws cause they have a nice deck and in-closed backyard. It was a small affair with a couple dozen delicious cupcakes from my favorite local cupcake bakery. Yup, all that decoration planning was thrown out the window, and decorations were bought at Iparty. It was a good day.

Maybe next year I'll spend less time pinning decorations and more time ACTUALLY making them. Maybe.

Starting a Project

2013-07-11T14:51:00.001-04:00

I’ve been having a hard time completing my challenges on time…..not sure if you’ve noticed.

I’m quick to blame Olivia for my tardiness (actually more like my inability to finish at all), but honestly, it’s more than just her.

I’ll let you in on a little secret: I hate the process of actually starting a sewing project. I love buying patterns and love picking out the fabric, but after that I start stalling.

I don’t really mind washing the fabric…..but it slows everything down so much. Then it has to be ironed, and that’s a pain. Have you ever noticed how hard it is to iron really large yardages? Ugh. Once it’s ironed it’s time to place and cut out the pattern. This is where everything really falls to pieces.

I absolutely DREAD marking and cutting the pattern. I’m not sure that the way I get my pieces cut out is the best method. I’ve done a lot of research on the matter, and am just not sure if there is any NON-annoying to mark and cut out pattern pieces.

When my mom taught me how to sew, she also taught me her method of marking out the pattern. She pins the pattern down on the material, and then carefully traces her size all the way around. When they are all marked she cuts out. I’ve used this method for years, and it’s a real time (and back) killer. Plus, if the fabric is dark, or shiny then marking it is just another issue entirely. Another issue with marking I have is that I’ve never found the “holy grail” of marking tools. Pencil works great on lighter colored cottons, but what do you use if you have a silky or dark colored fabric? Lately, (and I feel like this is awful), I’ve been using Liv’s little Crayola markers. They are bright, and are washable….right? However, if I’m using Mumma Ouellette’s marking method the marker kinda gets everywhere……

The other method that I’ve been trying out lately is to trace the pattern onto freezer paper and then trace it onto the fabric using pattern weights. I like this method, but the tracing takes a while….and it makes me start to wonder if it’s really worth it. I tell myself that it is, because if I want to make the item again then I don’t need to retrace everything. But…..I haven’t made anything a second time yet……

Once the pattern is traced and ready to cut out, I’m basically in the clear. I like the sewing part, and it goes pretty fast from there……as long as I don’t sit down on the couch before I start. Once I’m on the couch it’s so hard trying to get myself off.

Is this a part of the sewing process that you hate.....or am I just a terribly lazy person :)

Photo Friday: Week 23

2013-06-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

Week 23 of ProjectLife 365......here are the prompts......

I only missed one this week (I don't always get them all. It's actually kinda rare when I do) #creature.

Enjoy!

#unforgettable

#masterpiece

#action

#cement

#bliss

#too_much

Challenge - Week 3 & 4

2013-06-11T15:50:00.001-04:00

Here I am, late AGAIN with my sewing challenge entry. ….lol. I was completely ready last night to sit down with the ipad and type out my entry. I even have a sweet app on the ipad for blogging (Blogsy…and I paid for it too!).

But, while I was rocking Liv, I got a text from my sister in law asking if she could borrow the car so that she could go out with her friends. I told her I didn’t care (I really don’t) and she said she would be by with her friends to get it in a little bit.

After Liv went to sleep and I tip toed (and I mean tip toed, this kid is the lightest sleeper ever), down the stairs I realized that the sink was full. Not wanting the friends to see the squalor I live in, I mustered up all my housekeeping strength and did the dishes. But, the trick was on me….they never even came in.

So the dishes were done for nothing, except cleanliness. What a waste! Somehow we have been living in our house for over a year and it still looks like we just moved in. Can I just keep blaming the toddler? Please? pLease?

Alright, It’s probably time for the actual topic of this post now. Since I was a delinquent last week with the challenge post, I am going to do #2 and #3 here.

Challenge #2 - Polka Dots

I GREATLY, GREATLY underestimated how long this dress was going to take me to make. It honestly looked so simple to me, and even seemed simple the first time I read through the instruction. I was wrong.

The pattern that I used was the Oliver & S Birthday dress. This was the first time I had ever used a pattern from an independent pattern maker. I have basically always made Simplicity or McCall’s, with a few Butterick mixed in (but they aren’t really my style for the most part). I thought this garment came out absolutely beautiful, but I felt like I had a really hard time visualizing what they were telling me to do in the directions. I had to read through them a bunch of times to actually understand what I was supposed to do.

Attaching the Hem facing nearly killed me. I just COULD not understand how I was supposed to do it. It seemed from the picture in the instructions that you were supposed to unfold the overhang on each side, and line it up to the edge…. But then it was just way too short. I sewed, and unpicked, and sewed and unpicked and sewed and unpicked. Finally, I actually thought that I may have cut out the wrong pattern size. I pulled out all of my freezer paper patterns (I’ve been doing this lately, and am not quite sure how I feel about it yet), and the actual patterns. Turns out I did make a size Three….I was absolutely stumped.

Out of sheer desperation I decided to Google, “Oliver and S birthday Dress Hem facing”. Turns out they have a user community on their website!! YAY!! I was able to find a forum post about the dress, and FINALLY understood what to do!!

Also, I had a hard time with the pleats. I never mark lines on the right side of the fabric when I’m supposed to. I’m okay with how they came out….but I wouldn’t say I’m in love with them.

I am excited to try my other Oliver & S patterns. I thought that the dress looked so finished and professional looking. Mass produced patterns just don’t take the same care to make sure that the inside looks nice.

Finally, the more clothing I sew the more I feel like I need a serger………….

Challenge #2 – Zip me Up!

I know you are all going to think it….so I’ll just say it….I called it in on this challenge. I KNEW that I wasn’t going to be able to finish a project from scratch this week, since I was working on the polka dot project until Wednesday. Zip it up was more of a refashioning project for me….

I was shopping in the clearance section of Target (baby free…one of life’s great pleasures) and saw this cute high low tank top. I thought to myself, “This would be just adorable with an exposed zipper”. Eight dollars and an hour later and TA DA!! Sewing challenge #3 is done!

I think it looks really cute. Thanks to Hubs for taking the pictures, and to Olivia for just having to be in them.

Next week’s challenge is Swim Cover-up. I’m pumped. Already have my fabric and pattern picked out. My fresh husband actually said to me, when I told him I was stopping at the fabric store on the way home from work yesterday to get the fabric, “Wait, you aren’t just going to sew zippers onto already made clothes from now on?”. Freshy ……..fresh………….. fresh.

Don’t forget to head over to my sister’s blog and look at her projects (she’s way more on the ball than me)!! I want her polka dot project by the way………

Sneak Peek

2013-06-05T17:01:00.001-04:00

So......I'm two days.....almost three on my sewing challenge post/project this week.

Oops!

Lots of factors have gone into this delinquency. To start things off I GREATLY under estimated how long it would take me to sew the garment I chose.

Also, I greatly OVER estimated how easily I would be able to get Olivia into Minnie bed at night. This girl has been acting like the typical two year old for the last week. I used to be able to get her to sleep really easily if I wore her out during the day or she skipped her nap. Lately, this has only made her more cranky and harder to get to sleep.

Finally, I chose an Oliver & S pattern as my inspiration this week. I'd never used an Oliver&S pattern before, or anyindependent pattern maker for that matter. I found some of theinstructions difficult to understand.

That all being said, its coming out beautifully!

Here's a little sneak peek...full post with pictures soon

Photo a Day - Project Life 365

2013-05-29T15:35:00.002-04:00

I love taking pictures. For a short while during my senior year of high school I thought about going to Photography school. But, I thought about doing a lot of things....

For my VERY first Mother's Day (2011 - Liv was one day old!) Hubs got me a DSLR camera. Basically, that gift solidified my obsession.

This past January I decided to take part in ProjectLife365. What's that you ask? WELL, its a SUPER fun photo a day project. Each week we are given seven hashtags for inspiration. I share my photos (labeled with the hashtag of the day) on Instagram, but you can share on Twitter and Facebook too.

I have missed a few hashtags along the way but I have REALLY enjoyed playing along.

I plan on updating the blog weekly with my ProjectLife Pictures. Ill probably do it on Friday because my friend Andrea (who may be my only reader) misses my photo Friday posts :)

Until then, here are a few of my favorites.

#daily_life

#lucky

#upside_down

#satisfying

#9_to_5

#skyline

#type

Challenge - Week 1

2013-05-28T10:45:00.001-04:00

This week's prompt for the sewing challenge was "Work and Play". I had sewers block. Bad.

I failed week one.

The week started with promise. I had a day off the Thursday before, new patterns and new fabric. I decided to do a little shopping and gardening on my day off before I started sewing...... Bad idea. Right around dinner the vomiting started. When all was said and done I was sick for about a week.

When the vomiting ended, a fever set in. I had a fever for a couple days, which i think caused my mouth to erupt in canker sores. Canker sores all through my mouth and down my throat. It was excruciating. All this time I tried so hard to decide what to do for the challenge. I just couldn't do it. I kept obsessing over my choice, thinking that maybe there was a better choice i could make. It was insane. So, nothing got started.

Also, there was a lot of sleeping on the couch.

I did start making a quilt for Olivia's baby. The quilt top went together pretty easy, minus a small mistake i made while cutting (I need serious practice with my rotary cutter). I'm having a SUPER hard time quilting it though. Ive tried hand quilting machine quilting and it just keeps bunching. I'm tempted to just tie it....but maybe i'll do a little quilting research today at work before i resort to that.

Next weeks challenge: Polka Dot.....and I'm actually doing this one. I already have an idea, fabric, pattern and supplies. Just need to start cutting.

Hubs is working a lot this week, maybe Ill have enough time to do last weeks too.....maybe.

Sew What it's Summer Challenge

2013-05-28T10:24:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I decided to try to force myself to sew more of my own clothes. While talking to my sister about it, she came up with the idea of doing a sewing challenge to keep us motivated. I thought why not ...right?

We decided to call the challenge "Sew What it's Summer".....cute right? The challenge goes from May 19th to September 2nd, and has been divided into 16 weeks. Each of us came up with 8 challenges. Apparently, Manda came up with challenges that she had plans for..... me....I just thought of cool things I wanted to wear........

Here they are.....

Week#1	Starting Date	Challenger	Challenge
1	5/20/2013	Amanda	Work and Play
2	5/27/2013	Margie	Polka Dot
3	6/3/2013	Amanda	Zip Me Up
4	6/10/2013	Margie	Swim Cover Up
5	6/17/2013	Amanda	Ombre
6	6/24/2013	Margie	Maxi Dress (2 week challange)
--	7/1/2013	BREAK	BREAK
7	7/8/2013	Amanda	Retro Rundown
8	7/15/2013	Margie	Chambray
9	7/22/2013	Amanda	Bejeweled
10	7/29/2013	Margie	Nautical
11	8/5/2013	Amanda	Waste Not Want Not
12	8/12/2013	Margie	Anthropologie Knock off
13	8/19/2013	Amanda	Hidden Treasure
14	8/26/2013	Margie	Black & White
15	9/2/2013	Amanda	My Style icon would wear that.
16	9/9/2013	Margie	Inspired

Rules of the Game:
All challenges last a week. Start the week's challenge on Monday, finish by Sunday @ midnight and blog about it by Monday @ midnight. Make sure when you blog about about that you include the tag or label #sewwhatitssummer.

That's it - everything else with the challenge is fair game. Get ready for some great projects and looks soon to be displayed on this site :) And don't forget to check out my sister Manda's Blog.

Do you still have that blog?

2013-05-23T15:51:00.004-04:00

It’s a question I get asked a lot…

And I’ll answer “yeah, but, I also have a really active 2 year old……..”

Which brings us to my biggest question.

Where do two year olds get their energy??

Who ever can find the answer to that......and bottle it....will be a MILLIONAIRE....seriously. From the second Liv wakes up to the second right before she falls asleep...she's moving.....at 500 mph.

I’m absolutely exhausted at the end of the day. Work, taking care of myself and taking care of Olivia is just overwhelming.My poor husband and dog…..

I can’t even think about having another child…...not yet. How do mom’s of multiple children do it?
Back to the blog right?? Looks like I haven’t updated since January? Wow. ….so much for that resolution.

I have been doing a bunch of projects sewing and the house decor, since I've updated though, and will try to update you on them as we go.Since January, I've been doing a photo a day project on instagram and am going to try to figure out a good way to update you on my progress doing that. I don’t get to post a picture everyday for this, but I just love being able to do this project. Plus, it’s super easy, and I can post the picture with the appropriate hash tag while Liv is taking a few breaths (or drinking from her bottle that she isn't supposed to be drinking from anymore).

This summer, my sister and I have come up with a blogging/sewing challenge to keep ourselves motivated. It started this week. Basically, each week we have a prompt and will need to sew something to match that prompt and then blog about it. I’ll blog here, she will blog over at her new (and fabulous) blogI came up with half the prompts, she came up with the other half (separate post for that coming up shortly)

Have I started working on this week's prompt yet?
You know I haven't
Some things never change........but isn't that what's comforting about life?

HELLLLOOOOOO 2013!!

2013-01-09T20:29:00.000-05:00

New Year's Eve may be one of my favorite holidays. Christmas is great with all the gifts and everything, but on New Years, you get the chance to start completely fresh in the new year, whilst (love that word...did I use it correctly?) celebrating for the year that past. It's the feeling of accomplishment and anticipation all rolled into one night.

Before Olivia, I would ring in the new year in downtown Boston, in a crowded bar, with a few of our friends and lots of alcohol. January 1st was never a very good day for me.....as most of it was spent with a hangover. The last few years, we've spent the night at home, relaxing, watching tv, and just having a good time with friends. No hangover. Thank you Olivia for coming into my life and stopping me from being hungover on the first day of every year :)

Another thing that I like about New Years is the resolutions. I know lots of people say that they don't keep them.....but I like the idea of being introspective and trying to better yourself. It's always nice to take a long look at yourself and see what needs changing. So, of course.....I've come up with a few resolutions of my own.

1. Take better care of myself
Since Olivia's been around I've made every excuse in the book not to exercise, eat right or drink enough water. Lately, I have even been sleeping in my clothes and not washing my face or teeth before bed. It's just bad. I put EVERY single ounce of energy I have into Olivia. I need to make sure I take care of myself at least as much as I take care of her......so that I can be around for her for a good long time.

2. Go to the Dentist
I HATE the dentist. Hate hate hate. I haven't been since before I was pregnant....which is just stupid. I pay for dental insurance monthly...and eventually I'm going to have a little girl that is going to need to go to the dentist. I need to be a good example. Right?

3. Take more time do hobbies....and blog.

We'll see how it goes!!

My Insta-Week

2012-11-09T13:22:00.001-05:00

This past week was so exciting!! I've never been really politically minded, but this year I was so AMPED for the election. I think it's because of the fact that I'm a mom now.....

I am so excited that Obama won! Prayers have been answered.

This weekend is a long weekend for me!! I have a couple projects planned....that I will share with you next week.....

Alright....here's my week in review.....care of my Instagram feed.........

From top Left to Right: Olivia HAS to watch Mickey basically on top of the tv / Mommy and baby at yet another doctor's appointment / Oatmeal, Theraflu and Irish Tea....I was sick / I VOTED! / Shopping in the Christmas Aisle in Target is Happiness / Some times you just want to paint your nails 5 different shades of pink (ombre) / Doing my nails and drinking wine, watching Election night coverage

Follow me on Instagram @babymarg08

Pinterest Inspired: Christening Flower Arrangements

2012-11-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

After Olivia's christening we had a little reception at one of the local restaurants. I had scoured Pinterest for decoration inspiration. I didn't want to decorate that heavily, because the function room we were using was really cute. I did see this idea for flower arrangements which I LOVED......

Original pin via Pinterest

I used that idea for my centerpieces and I thought they came out amazing!

Mason jars, flowers and lemons all came from the grocery store. It was so easy to get prepared, and as a nice little side effect the lemons kept the flowers fresh for a couple extra days!

Christening Dress

2012-11-06T20:17:00.000-05:00

In February Hubs and I had Olivia christened. She was about nine months old. Most of the time the babies are much younger at a christening. We put it off a little longer than I (or our very Catholic families) had wanted to....but her arrival into this world was a little bit more eventful than we had expected.

Before she was born I was DEAD SET on making her Christening gown, but as things got busier my resolve waned. I ended up doing a lot of online gown shopping before I made my final decision to make the gown. Everything I saw online was so shiny or expensive.....or both. I wanted Olivia to look like a baby in a pretty white gown.....not a bride.

So, it was decided, I would make the gown. I had bought this pattern from Simplicity:

image via Simplicity.com

I liked the lace in View A, but I liked the bodice in View B and decided to meld them together. I decided on cotton batiste as my fabric and ordered everything I needed from Fabric.com. This is in no way a sponsored post for Fabric.com (because my blog really isn't popular enough for those), but they were FABULOUS. I got everything I needed....even the buttons, all from one place, only had to pay shipping once, and didn't have to wait in a long line (while trying to juggle a bolt of fabric and a squirmy baby) at the fabric store to have my material cut. It was amazing....and only cost me $35. I was a happy mommy. Oh wait, I just remembered, I got the lace at Joann's.....so I got almost everything at Fabric.com. Still counts. I remember obsessing over the lace. I wanted it to be just perfect.

I took pictures on my iPhone while sewing, so bear with me......

The bodice had pin-tucks on both sides of the center. They really didn't turn out as perfectly as I had hoped, and I really couldn't figure out why. I took them out and resewed them a couple of times, but it always came out the same way. After the second time redoing them I gave up and hoped it wouldn't be so noticeable to everyone else.

The pintucks on the bottom of the gown came out MUCH better. Of course my stitching could have been a tiny bit straighter, but all in all I thought it looked good. I love how the ipod cord and baby toy just snuck into the pic......

All together, no sleeves or collar, but all the hard work done. I ended up having to tack down the top row of lace because it just didn't want to stay upside down.

Completed! Isn't it so pretty?? Honestly, I think it's probably the nicest thing I have ever made. I should have taken a picture of the seams on the inside too, cause I made sure that they were all done nice and neat as well.

Linking up at a few parties.....

My Insta-Week

2012-11-02T14:53:00.002-04:00

It's Friday!! Yay!! Best day AND easiest blog post of the week!!

Here's my week in review.....

From Bottom Left right around the L to top Left : Olivia's Halloween Costume / The "damage" we incurred from Sandy / Surprise Roses from Hubs / Home sick with baby (I love her) / Halloween sit and spin Pink Pumpkin Surprise / Buzz Buzz Buzz

And today I am thankful for strawberry yogurt and how well it hides the presence of Amoxicillin from my child. All my life I have hated strawberry yogurt....but now, now we are in love.

Follow me on Instagram @babymarg08

A Month for Giving Thanks

2012-11-01T14:45:00.000-04:00

Today is the first day of November (holy cow where has the year gone). This morning while I was sitting in my car, waiting to get over the bridge from Quincy to Dorchester (seriously less than five miles), and getting more and more frustrated by the second (only took me an hour to get to work today), I started thinking about positive thinking. I am a huge believer of positive thinking, but not a very good follower. I let myself get bogged down by the little disappointments of the day too much. Way too much.

I've decided that I'm going to give thanks for something that is positive in my life everyday in November. This hopefully will set me on the right track for the upcoming Christmas season and the new year to come. I have SO much to be thankful for........I'm tired of focusing on what is wrong. It's just so DEPRESSING. Plus.....As Drake and my Husband say....."You only Live Once" (actually Hubs says "You only get one Trip").........

I know I don't blog everyday, but I'll catch up for the days that I missed when I do. I won't have it take up the whole blog entry (cause I have SOOO much interesting stuff to talk about). Feel free to participate with me. A little positive thinking can go a long way.....

So....Here goes...

Today, on a day that that I was 45 minutes late to work, I am REALLY thankful for my job. I love working where I do. I finally love doing what I do. And, most importantly, I finally have the flexibility that I need to take care of the most important thing in my world, my family, the way that it needs to be. Not only do they not stress when I show up late, nearly every day, but it is never questioned when I need to stay home with a sick child. I really feel blessed to have found this job...........

The Tale of Hurricane Sandy

2012-10-30T14:14:00.000-04:00

Is it too early in the week for me to wish it was over?? I'm there already, I swear. Freakenstorm storm Sandy preparations, survival and aftermath have just been exhausting. The actual storm didn't end up being that bad, I think it was the preparations that were worse.

Sunday Olivia and I went to Target to return a pair of shoes, get batteries, and coffee......all the necessities. I was hoping it would be a quick trip...but, instead it was a disaster.

When we got there I went straight to customer service to return my ONE $8 pair of shoes that I bought mistakenly in the wrong size. Ahead of me was a man with an entire cart........

The shoes......can't wait to wear them....

I naively thought he was just returning a few things.... $800 later....I was ready to explode. Also, Let's just say I am not a person who's stomach reacts very well when there is cream or whole milk in their coffee......and I'm pretty sure there was. It is NOT easy to look calm and collected while absolutely RUNNING to the bathroom with a toddler and a cart while people are freaking out about the upcoming storm. I almost didn't make it......

Monday, while the storm was on, was absolutely lovely. No traffic and I got out of work at 1pm.

Mommy's coming home early, better finish these munchkins before she does.....

Seriously, what could be better? But, then I backed into someone trying to get out of line at Burger King. The hittee...he was not pleased with me when I asked if I had "gotten" him. His response "YES, you DEFINITELY hit me, I FELT IT". I knew I had hit him (hit is such a strong word here though. I was going 2 miles an hour...if that). Was there any damage? No....of course not......it was a Toyota Tacoma....I mean...if that can't take the impact of 2 mph bump on it's bumper....we've got problems....

The hurricane "damage" at our house.....

Today, maybe the worst thing of the whole three day Sandy affair happened. When I went to the kitchen at work to get my lunch I noticed a box of Joe on the table. YES! Office Kitchenette code says if you leave it in the kitchenette then it's public domain and I can eat/drink it freely. So, I filled up my coffee cup and went over to the microwave to heat it up. My coffee cup was too big and wouldn't fit in. This was terrible...I was already invested in the coffee. Frantically I searched the cupboards. I found a cup that looked clean and I thought my coffee would fit. I poured it in and heated it up. It wasn't until I was pouring it out that I noticed a lipstick stain on the side of the cup..... ewww....could I still drink the coffee??

I asked both my sister and my friend Andrea.....they gave me the same response....as long as I didn't drink it in the "heating up cup" I was fine. PHEW. I was really tense there for a few moments.....

Also, since Sunday Olivia's been sick....which is really why I don't have anything interesting to blog about. I need to take pictures....but she insisted that I come home and nap with her yesterday. Who is going to argue with a sick baby??

NOT I....NOT I.

My Insta-Week

2012-10-26T14:16:00.003-04:00

How is it already Friday?!?
But seriously, THANK GOD it is already Friday.

I'm just TIRED.

Ready for the week in review via my Instagram feed??

Coffee Break and Kate Spade....nuff said.

My crazy child actually walks UP slides like its no big deal.

PIGGY TAILS!

No nap at baby school = nap immediately when picked up then crying all night.

She knows we had sushi with out her, and isn't impressed.

Can you tell I love Instagram, and Olivia? Follow me @ babymarg08

Milestones

2012-10-23T20:52:00.001-04:00

This past February I turned 30. It was a really hard birthday for me. I didn't like the idea of being 30. Even now, thirty just seems way older to me than I feel like I am. Adults are thirty, and most of the time I just don't feel like I am an adult.

Having a kid and turning thirty in the same year was a double whammy. After having Olivia I felt completely lost identity wise. I had this baby that needed me so much, and a body that just didnt feel like mine anymore. Now add an age crisis on top of that and, as you can imagine, I was an absolute mess. It was a tough adjustment, but eventually I learned how to feel like "me" while being Olivia's mommy.

I still don't feel like I am thirty.

Now that it's October and I've been 30 for seven (whole) months I understand the wisdom of the saying "You are only as old as you feel". I feel firmly in my twenties (really the perfect age range).

Pintastic Project

2012-10-22T20:39:00.004-04:00

When Olivia watches TV she watches Disney Junior, or cartoon movies. We don't really watch any other kid channels with her, because basically, I don't like the shows they have to offer. I get stuck watching this crap with her....so right now, she's got to watch stuff that I like. Mostly, I like everything on Disney Junior (with the exception of Jake and the Neverland Pirates, but that's only cause they annoy me to a ridiculous degree with all their Yay Hay Haying....). One of Liv's favorite shows is Chuggington. We call it her Chuggers. She actually says "chugga, chugga". The show is about young talking trains learning how to be good trains from the older trains. Adorable. One of the "main" characters is a train called Coco and when she's excited she says "TRAINTASTIC!" Long story, but that's what I thought of when I wrote the title of this blog. I can just picture Coco jumping on her little train track saying "PIN TASTIC!" CHUGGA CHUGGA CHOO CHOO!

I love Pinterest. I could spend so many hours just pouring over every little pin. I have several boards with TONS of things pinned........ But I NEVER go back and look at them. When we moved into the new house I decided that was over. I WANTED to actually do some of the things I pinned. I have been wanting to make a cool jewelry storage solution for awhile. I pinned this picture....

Via www.fullmeasureofhappiness.com

And decided I NEEDED this in my bedroom. In the original pin they used a towel rod and shower curtain hooks to make the hanger. I've noticed that a TON of crafters use towel rods for crafting. I wanna know where they are buying these! Towel Bars are EXPENSIVE!

Since it was kinda spendy, and I thought it was too big, I decided not to use the towel bar for the hanger part. I had some rusty ugly kitchen towel bars that we had removed from the cabinet under the sink in the kitchen. FREE! I got some spray paint and some S hooks at home depot and got to crafting. I started with 8 hooks.....I think. It was enough for all the necklaces I currently have, but will need some more soon (hopefully).

I really love the way it turned out!

I still have one of the gross rusty kitchen towel bars left, so I think I may do a tutorial..........

My Insta-Week

2012-10-19T20:41:00.001-04:00

I have a really nice camera that Hubs got for me when Liv was born, but I'm forever snapping pictures with my Iphone. It's always with me, always charged, and wonderfully light and thin. Are the pictures as good? Absolutely not, but I capture a little piece of Liv's life everyday, so I'm ok with it. I love to use Instagram to edit and share my pictures (follow me!! Im babymarg08).

I thought it would be fun to do a week in review, through my instagram pics on fridays. So.....here goes.....

Nips in a value pack was my million dollar idea......I thought....

Hiking up Monument Hill

Helping Mommy

I FINALLY found twilight ladybug. She was lost after the move. Apparently I didn't really search the closet well.

I stumbled upon my old drivers license. Yuck!

Sometimes, you just cant wait for the wine to chill

Inspiration: Mini Boden

2012-10-16T15:55:00.001-04:00

Today while looking over my Gmail, I stumbled over to Nordstrom (seriously my favorite department store), and found myself looking through the baby clothes. I just love to dress Olivia. She looks cute in seriously EVERYTHING!

I came across this line of clothes called Mini Boden.........OHMYGOSH.......... I'm in love! Olivia is a very lucky baby, that has a wardrobe mostly consisting of pieces from Janie and Jack. I think Janie and Jack is just absolutely adorable, and thankfully have a sister in law who works there and can hook me up. But, Mini Boden, welcome to my life, I think Liv will be wearing some of you soon too.

Actually, part of what I liked about the Mini Boden clothes were how much I thought that I would be able to recreate them myself. I have been dying for the time to actually make Olivia some clothes by hand. Maybe I could start slow by throwing some appliques, like these, only already made clothes......

Mini Boden

Mini Boden via Nordstrom

Mini Boden

The top with the butterflies is a Little Girl top, and not a baby one, but how adorable is that? When Olivia was in the belly I decided to do her room with a butterfly pattern and then just went crazy with the butterfly accents. To this day, whenever I see butterflies I associate them with her. I love to put her in things with butterflies....call me crazy....but I just feel like she loves them as much as I do.

Oh....by the way..... look at me I finally got a blog post out!! YAY!

HI

2012-08-31T22:55:00.001-04:00

Hi.
I've been trying to decide how I want to write this blog entry for awhile and honestly.......I've got nothing. It's been 338 (ish depending on when I actually post this) days since I last posted. That's almost a year! I have SOOOOOO many excuses, but does it really matter? Probably not.....because despite all of those........I'm gonna start blogging again!! YAY!!

Soooooooo.......that being said, I've decided to make a few "alterations" to the format of the blog. I'm going to write more about ALL the creative things that interest me, not JUST do it yourself projects. I considered starting a new blog all together, but then I would lose all of you who actually stuck with me during those last 338 days (if there are any of you that fit that criteria out there).
From now on, I'm gonna post about makeup, fashion, photography, crafts, sewing......just general creativity in my life. Oh, and of course.....I'm gonna have to add a little bit about being a mommy to my gorgeous little girl.

What I'm NOT going to post about anymore is anyone that isn't in my DIRECT family (aka, me, Hubs, Olivia and Guin). Over my sabbatical (such a great word right??) there was an incident with my blog and words that I had "supposedly" written about a family member. I am very careful about what I say here, realizing that it is being posted for anyone, anywhere in the world to see. I know that I never have and NEVER would use this blog to say anything hurtful. But, I just really hated being put in that situation. Especially the part where I had to explain to this person that I never said anything bad about them on a blog that they didn't even know existed.
Enough about that... :)

I'm REALLY excited to be back! I really (can I say really again??) enjoyed blogging before, even though my readership is nearly non-existant. Who knows.....maybe this time will be different......

I can't promise to post everyday....because I know that probably won't happen.....but I promise to post interesting :)

Finally, I'll leave you with one of the 2,506 photos on my phone......cause......who wants a post without a photo?? Right??