NewlyWoodwards

Cleaning a brick fireplace

2012-01-26T04:00:00.000-06:00

After sharing our completed tile work around the fireplace, I got a great comment from Jessica at Decor Adventures sharing her post about cleaning her brick fireplace. Well, that was all the boost I needed to clean this dirty brick that taunted me every day.

It was really icky, but it just seemed like a project I didn't want to take on before the tile was finished and the dustiness was done. Here's the before...

I simply used a spongy mitt (actually the mitt from our steam mop) and dishwashing detergent. It cut the grime like a dream. I also used a scrub brush in extra dirty and tight spots. I had to fill the bowl with clean water three times because there was so much dust and dirt on the brick and in the mortar.

And a short time later... we had a relatively clean brick fireplace. (The soot on the tile is another story. I didn't clean that before I snapped the picture.)

It may not look like a huge difference to you, but I'm thrilled with the results. In person, the change in really noticeable.

Why did I wait so long to complete this project?

Do you have a project in your house you've been putting off?

An open shelf experiment

2012-01-25T04:00:00.000-06:00

I love open shelves in kitchen. They are everywhere nowadays, and they always look so pretty.

Source: mysweetsavannah.blogspot.com via Kim on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Kim on Pinterest

Source: theinspiredroom.net via Kim on Pinterest

Source: jonesdesigncompany.com via Kim on Pinterest

Source: tearinguphouses.blogspot.com via Kim on Pinterest

When we renovated our kitchen last summer, I chose to leave the wall between the two windows empty for open shelves. While I know my messy-cabinet self well enough to know I couldn't maintain all open shelves, I thought it would be nice to have some shelves to display my lovely rainbow colored Fiestaware and other fun items.

So, we installed all the other cabinetry, and there it stood for 6 months or so. It was not our top priority, but it drove me insane. Woe is me.

Finally, I convinced Ryan that the open shelves were the next thing on the list. (This particular list lives in my head, which means it changes at a moment's notice.) I debated what style of shelves - more modern IKEA brackets, country-style wood shelves... but I ended up picking up these black metal brackets at Menards to tie in with the other black elements in the kitchen (like the faucet, hardware, and appliances).

Once we found Ryan's long-lost tile drill bit (I think it was a trick to put this project off), he installed the shelves for me and I painted simple boards to match the cabinetry. I'm still waiting a little longer to place anything on the shelves, but I love the look.

(And the brackets didn't come with black screws so I guess I'll have to paint the screws. Ugh.)

Plus, this really gives me a lot more space for displaying pretty things than I've ever had.

More to come when I get something on those shelves. And maybe I'll finally put up my fun kitchen clock. But, don't rush me!

Now, what in the world will I do with all that space?

Shameless pug post

2012-01-24T04:00:00.000-06:00

Our dogs are such a riot. It's almost embarrassing how much we love them and spoil them. So, here's a little pug update for you other dog lovers out there.

The snuggle pugs love to hang out on this chair - with or without us. It also happens to be the chair nearest to the fireplace for extra warmth. No coincidence there.

Franco has been fitted with a bark collar. He goes on these crazy barking sprees, and we really want to curb this before we have a newborn in the household. Neither of us were keen on the idea of the bark collar and have been putting it off, but we were at our wits' ends and were tired of chasing him around when he was barking up a storm. We tried the citronella spray collar first. It worked - for a day. Then, Franco decided he didn't really mind being sprayed and our entire house smelled like a bug bomb. Also - he had an uncanny ability to spray at the precise right time to get Ryan square in the face.

So, we took it back and went with a more traditional buzz collar. It seems to be working for him, although we feel terrible when he gets buzzed. (The collar self-adjusts, so the first time he barks, he gets a little warning and the severity increases from there.) After a few days, he realized that barking wasn't really a necessity. He has developed a bit of a low raspy bark that doesn't get caught by the sensor. Luckily, it's so soft that we don't mind it at all. We rarely need to put the collar on him now, after a few weeks.

Lola must be having sympathy pregnancy symptoms for her mommy. Mostly, the hunger. She usually gets fed around 2:30 or 3. If we are home on the weekends, she begins to get whiny about food at 12:30 or so. Her and I have a lot in common these days. We're also partial to naps on the couch and bouts of moodiness when we don't get what we want.

While Ryan was taking my weekly pregnancy photo last week, Lola and Franco wanted in the action. Here are the results.

All my babies at 18 weeks. These pictures make me laugh so much.

We keep telling the pugs that they will have a little brother or sister soon, but I don't think they quite understand. When I took the infant car seat up to the nursery, the dogs were so confused. They were sniffing and Lola was trying to get into the seat. Little do they know...

How are the fur babies in your lives?

The making of a sewing/craft room

2012-01-23T04:00:00.003-06:00

Many of us don't have the extra space for a fancy craft room. I'm one of those people. In our first home, we had a downstairs bedroom that I was able to use for my crafting and sewing, along with a big closet for craft storage. I realize now that I was a spoiled little brat to have that.

I really miss that space.

In this house, we don't have an extra bedroom for an office/craft room, so I decided to store all my "stuff" in the basement until I figured out what I was going to do.

Five months later, almost everything was still living in tubs in the basement. Along with all the other junk I didn't know what to do with. I was bringing my sewing machine upstairs to the living room to sew, which isn't super practical. When I do projects, I've been sifting through the boxes. Which meant that the basement was beginning to look like a hurricane swept through.

Hurricane Kim.

So, in January, I decided I wanted to get the space in working order to actually use the space to sew and craft. Sure - I'd have to share the space with all our holiday decor, but I think I can make the space functional, organized, and maybe even a little pretty. The basement is dry and we painted the walls and floors so it's not a terrible space.

The room will be particularly useful for me as we get ready for baby. I may have a few things I'd like to make for the nursery ... or perhaps more than a few things. It will be nice to have my own area.

To make this space work for me, I wanted a few things:

Visible fabric storage, so I could actually see what I have to work with.
Other craft storage, for all the extra stuff - paint and glue and notions and glitter and ribbon - to be easily accessible.
Table space to set up my sewing machine and actually leave it set up.
Better lighting - while the basement gets plenty of light during the day, it's pretty gloomy at night.
Something underfoot, besides concrete.
A little pretty.

Also - I wanted to spend next-to-nothing. I may have to buy a few small things, but I'm hoping to use what I already have.

I started working on the space this weekend, beginning with the first two bullets (organizing fabric and craft supplies). It took much longer than I expected, but Rome wasn't built in a day.

I started going through the four bins of fabric and craft supplies I had. I was able to get through all the fabric first.

We had this little hand-me-down bookshelf in our old house, and it's perfect for fabric. To fold into mini-bolts, I used comic book boards (purchased on Amazon for about $12). I got this tip from Smashed Peas and Carrots.

Source: smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com via Kim on Pinterest

This worked really well for me. It kept the fabric nice and neat, and also seems to be pretty sturdy so the fabric will stay nice and neat. I was able to use the boards for almost all the fabric I had, outside of the super large, stiff and extra bulky (like outdoor fabric and burlap). Now, I'm able to see all the fabric I have and it fits neatly on the shelves.

I even have a little extra space for future fabric finds. I had a few large rolls of fabric, and I just stuck those into the umbrella holder part of a coat rack. It works pretty well to coral the larger items.

For now, I put all the the smaller pieces of fabric into a bin for sorting (later). I don't like to toss pieces of fabric that could be used for pennant quilts or other small projects. I think I'll either organize them by color in small IKEA boxes I have, or by size. I may even cut some of them to 4 or 5 inch squares to store. That's still to be determined, but for now, they are corralled.

After getting this organizing inspiration from Pinterest, I also thought I could use my old college-era shoe hanger for notions or fabrics.

Source: beforeispendit.blogspot.com via Kim on Pinterest

For now, I rolled up some of my charm packs and other fabric sets, along with other notions. The shoe holder separates them pretty well. Which is handy when you are like me and have several different projects going at once. I think I'll add some tags/labels when I'm all done.

As for the other crafting supplies, I think I'll have plenty of room in the base cabinets I've been using as a cutting table. Since my supplies were already organized into photo box, it will be easy to find what I'm looking for. I still have some other things, but this is a good start.

For sewing machine seating, I pulled out my hand-me-down card table and chair. I put it right under the center light, which is the only place where I can currently avoid a shadow on the table. The table is a little worse for wear, but I'd like to cover the top with oil cloth for a little pop of color.

So, after a weekend of work, I was able to see some progress. I also have a few totes full of stuff for Goodwill. Purging is good for the soul.

Next up:

More organization - I need to finish organizing my craft supplies, which includes a box of paper and party products that I don't know what to do with. I also need to go through my smaller fabric pieces and organize.

Lighting - I'm not sure how extra lighting is going to happen. Do you think I can convince my husband to add more overhead lights? (No? Me, either.) Maybe I could find a few inexpensive lamps at Goodwill that direct light upward? For free?

Power - Ryan's parents have an extra piece of carpet that we can cut and fill the space. That will keep these tootsies nice and warm, and hopefully make it feel more like a real room and less like a basement.

Outlets - Between the iron, sewing machine, Silhouette machine and computer that inevitably lives with me, I need some power. I'm thinking of mounting a power strip on each side of the room (one on the storage shelves and one on the cabinetry) since there isn't a close outlet.

Pretty - I'd like to clean up the floors and windows. Then, I'd like to make some little curtains to the windows for some flair. I'll also add some oil cloth to the tabletop. I need to finish the unfinished side of the cabinetry, too. And perhaps I could make something pretty to hang on the walls?

Any other ideas to help me make the most of the space I have?

I may have gone overboard

2012-01-20T04:00:00.002-06:00

I know that many of you told me not to bother with any of the pregnancy books.

I'm not a good listener.

And I actually feel better when I have a little book learning to back me up. I'm working my way through pregnancy and labor and will move on to breastfeeding and raising a child (there's probably only a book or two on that, right?). Ryan even got in on the action, reading a book I brought home from the library for new dads.

Happy weekend! I think I have plenty to keep me busy.

A fireplace update

2012-01-18T04:00:00.001-06:00

Just a little update on our fireplace tiling. The tiling is complete and Ryan finished trimming it out, too. I think I'm in love.

A few of you had questions about the fireplace last time. I'm not planning to paint it. It's just too permanent and I think it may look silly with the black insert. Plus, I don't mind the brick at all. I do need to clean it really well, but that will happen eventually. (Has anyone cleaned brick? Can I just use soap and water?)

The tiling really makes the living room feel more complete.

And since the living room is where Ryan, the pugs and I spend the majority of our waking hours at home, it's nice that it feels a little closer to "finished."

Do you like the update?

To clean, or not to clean...

2012-01-17T04:00:00.000-06:00

I've been pretty much worthless when it comes to keeping the house clean lately.

I could blame it on being pregnant and still tired. (Will that ever go away?) I could blame it on de-holiday-izing. I could blame it on the fireplace tile project, which means tools and supplies everywhere. I could even blame it on the the snow that's recently graced the Midwest with its presence, which brings wet boots and paws.

But these are just all excuses. And I've never been really great at keeping the house clean. And as you know, if you don't keep up with cleaning the house, it just becomes a monster. And our house, it was a monster.

Last weekend, I realized that the best option was to set off a bleach bomb. So, after getting the downstairs back in-check, I decided to attempt a little cleaning schedule to get me back on track.

This is not a major revelation, but I hope it will help me stay on top of the basic cleaning in the house. When I feel more ambitious, maybe I'll even be up to more deep cleaning. (But let's not get crazy.)

Since we're already pretty good (usually) about daily pick-up, this is what we're continue to do daily:

Make bed.
Wipe down bathroom sink after use.
Spray showers in the morning.
Toss junk mail and keep kitchen countertops relatively clear.
Dishes done or in dishwasher (Ryan).
Take out garbage, as needed.
Pick up books/dog toys/pillows in the living room.
Wipe down table and counters after use.

And here's the new cleaning plan. This is really just the bare-bones basics, so if someone stops by the house, I won't be (too) mortified. Since I'm the one who's more bothered about having a clean house, I'll do much of this. But, as a disclaimer, Ryan's one heckuva vaccuumer, so he may help.

Monday

Vacuum, steam mop and dust upstairs bedrooms and stairs, wipe down fans and trim as needed.

Tuesday

Vacuum, steam mop and dust living room and dining room, wipe down fan and trim as needed.

Wednesday

Clean kitchen - appliances, cabinets, backsplash, counters, fan and floor.

Thursday

Clean bathroom - toilet, vanity, mirror, tub and floor.

Friday to Sunday

Other small projects, laundry, additional vacuuming or nothing at all.

I expect that not every day will go perfectly, but my hope is that this list is very doable in about 20 minutes each day after work. And if I miss cleaning my kitchen one week, I'm sure it will be there next week. Or on Friday, when it's driving me crazy.

I've listed these on our kitchen chalkboard this week as a reminder. I may make a checklist for the fridge if it goes well.

(Thanks to My Happy House and Organizing Made Fun for some ideas and inspiration for the cleaning schedule.)

In other cleaning news, I've recently grown fond of Mrs. Jones Soapbox cleaning products. I purchased the cleaning kit after reading about the products in Country Living. Not only are they pretty and nontoxic, they also work really well. I love the idea of glass, but I went with plastic so I didn't risk breaking anything.

I stick them all in a tote from 31 Gifts under my sink and pull them out with ease when I'm cleaning. From left to right:

The scrub is probably my favorite thing for cleaning the stovetop, sinks and tub. It smells really awesome.
Sparkle works like a dream on glass and on my black appliances. No streaks. (It's also great on stainless.)
Soapy is a dillutable cleaner that I haven't used yet.
Clean is the all-purpose cleaner that I use on pretty much anything, including my kitchen cabinets and backsplash...
Shine is a wood and leather conditioner for my furniture and wood countertops.

If you are interested in some new, nontoxic cleaners, I'd give these a try. You can purchase refills instead of buying new packaging all the time. (I've not been compensated to share this, it's just something I like and thought you may like. Although, Mrs. Jones, you can send me your products anytime. ;))

So, how do you manage to keep your house clean? Do you have any tips or tricks to maintain a clean home?

A dresser for baby

2012-01-16T04:00:00.001-06:00

In true Kim style, I've begun to start obsessing about furniture for the nursery. Which isn't that surprising, because I'm a nutcase.

While we aren't planning to really start working on the nursery until we find out if we're having a boy or girl, I do have an idea of what type of crib and dresser I'd like, regardless of sex. So, I've been scouting stores and Craigslist and online for the best deals.

Then, when my buddy, Michelle, at Decor and the Dog tipped me off to a crib at the local Salvation Army Outlet, I couldn't get there soon enough. Luckily, Michelle was also up for a thrifting trip and met me there within the hour.

(You are totally jealous, aren't you? We are so cool and had nothing else going on on a Saturday morning. Outside of cleaning the house, which could wait.)

While the crib search was a bust, I did find a perfect little antique dresser at a local antique mall.

As I was canoodling it and Michelle was enabling me to buy it, we found out it wasn't for sale.

Then, miraculously, as we walked away and made our way around the rest of the antique mall, it was magically for sale again.

I like that it's not huge, since we have a ginormous closet in the nursery we don't really need a huge dresser. It's really the perfect size for a changing pad on top.

I also like that it'll be good for a boy or girl, has lots of character, could fit into almost any room in our home and was affordable. And I adore those little drop knobs.

It's in great shape, and I'm planning to leave it as-is. Which is great, because I have no desire whatsoever to paint a dresser.

Thanks, Michelle, for making me go shopping on Saturday. Thanks to you, I have one check off my list.

Did you find any diamonds-in-the-rough this weekend?

Avocado-lime pasta

2012-01-12T20:41:00.002-06:00

This recipe is brought to you by my (real-life) friend, Rebecca. This is a vegan recipe that she often eats for lunch at work, and I decided it looked so yummy that I wanted to try it myself. Ryan and I had it for supper with a salad and it was super tasty. Even Ryan liked this recipe, and he was definitely unsure about the idea of avocado, lime and pasta together.

I doubled Rebecca's recipe, and my modifications are listed below.

Avocado-lime pasta

In a food processor, pulse:
2 avocados
2 limes, juiced
3 cloves of garlic
Bunch of cilantro, chopped

Add olive oil until it reaches desired consistency (it will be similar to a pesto).

Toss with a half-box of wheat pasta, cooked. Serve cold.

This would also make a really good side dish, but we enjoyed it as the main meal. =)

Happy weekend, friends!

Get your daily fruit and spinach

2012-01-11T19:12:00.000-06:00

I like fruit, but I have a hard time getting enough fruit in my daily meals. When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to try a little harder to get more fruit in my diet for Baby Dub.

So, this is how I do it... a simple smoothie once a day (usually for breakfast in the car on the way to work). I have a generic Bullet so I can quickly make a single serving. (I hate cleaning out the blender, so this is a must.)

This gives me almost all the fruit I need in a day, plus lots of added vitamins from OJ and spinach.

I know that lots of smoothie recipes have been floating around the interwebs. I make mine a little different, since I don't love adding yogurt or milk to it. So, here's my "recipe" for a power-boost smoothie.

First, stuff the blender cup with the following:

A big handful of fresh spinach leaves (filling nearly half the cup)
Half a banana (frozen or fresh) - eat the rest of it while you are working for more fruit
Frozen fruit to the top - I buy frozen strawberries, mixed berries, peaches and mix it up each day. You can also use fresh berries if you have them but I like that frozen fruit is easier to keep and makes it more like a frozen shake.

Then, fill the glass halfway with Orange Juice.

Top it off with water. (You can use OJ for the whole glass, but it adds to the calories.)

Then, blend it up and voila. Instant pack of vitamins, antioxidants and taste.

That's what several servings of fruit looks like, friends. The best part is that there is no way to screw this up. I think that bananas, OJ and spinach are a must. But, you can really add any other fruits to make this your own.

How do you get enough fruit in your diet?

Half-square triangle block of the month

2012-01-10T04:00:00.001-06:00

Over the weekend, I was inspired to start quilting again by my buddy Michael at Inspired by Charm. He tweeted about a great block a month series at In Color Order. The purpose of the series is to make a half-square triangle quilt block each month.

I immediately loved the idea because the blocks will be more intricate than my past quilting. So, great practice. Plus, I thought it'd be a great way to make a commitment to quilting each month. Without getting too committed and not being able to follow through.

Well, that was all the inspiration I needed. I pretty much went right to my fabric stash and picked fabrics for my quilt squares. And because I couldn't choose, I went with two of them. So, I'll be trying to make two blocks each month, and have all the blocks for two small quilts by next Christmas.

I used some fun Christmas fabrics for the first. (Because Baby Dub will need a Christmas quilt of his/her own of course.)

And Bliss by Camille and Bonnie. (Which is my favorite fabric line of all time.)

For background, I used fabric from a white Kona layer cake.

It took a little longer than expected to finish my blocks, but I feel really good about them. I definitely need to be a little more precise with cutting and measuring, but this is not an act of perfection, folks. And I still think they are quite lovely.

Does anyone else want to play along?

A little tile project

2012-01-09T04:00:00.001-06:00

Our current project has been the fireplace. (And by our, I mean Ryan's.) After adding the wood-burning insert, we were getting lots of use from the fireplace. It really pumps out lots of heat and helps our energy bills. Now, he's been working on tiling the area around the fireplace. It would have probably been better to tile before adding the wood-burning insert, but that would have been too easy.

I think it's because Ryan really hates to lay hexagon tile and was putting it off. I mean, HE HATES IT. He says it shaves years off his life and he refuses to ever lay it again. I think he's being overdramatic. (And if you know me, you know that me calling Ryan melodramatic is hilarious.) And I'm planning to have hexagon tile in every home I ever live in. So...

The tile was leftover from our bathroom remodel, but of course we were a few square feet short. Because of the holidays, we couldn't get it from our local tile guy right away. But, all's well that ends well. Ryan also added more flowers and a black hexagon trim, which I love.

These pictures were taken before all the grout was wiped off. With the unglazed tiles, it's a pretty tedious process to remove all the grout residue. But, I think it's worth it. The tile really brightens up the fireplace area with the dark brick and black insert. And the pattern ties in really well to the entry way with original hex tile.

Next up, sealing (me). Then, Ryan will add wood trim around the tile and get a piece of metal cut to surround the insert.

What do you think?

Some answers about Baby W

2012-01-05T04:00:00.000-06:00

Well, I thought I'd put together a little post with answers and explanations, taken from the questions and comments I received in response to our baby announcement. (So much for the "this isn't turning into a baby blog," right? If you have no interest in our journey so far, you can just skip this post. I wouldn't blame you. I've been there.)

In other news, you are really the sweetest people in the world. I think the baby post broke the comment record at NewlyWoodwards. And I kind of just want to print off all your kind words and frame them because they made me so happy. I'm a lucky gal to have all that extra support.

And I also checked out every book that you recommended from the library. So, I've got some reading to do. ;) (I'm kind of a over-researcher, so I'm just planning to read everything I can get my hands on for the time being.)

It's really too bad for Baby Woodward that he or she will be living in a Bears household. The Bears didn't even make it to the playoffs, for goodness sakes.

Anyhoo...

When did we find out?
We found out we were pregnant in October and kept it to ourselves until we were "sure." To make "sure," I purchased nearly every pregnancy test at the store. (Exaggerating. Slightly.)

The time period before we told family and friends was really overwhelming for me. Ryan was super supportive, but I'm an oversharer (surprise!), so keeping a secret this big was rough. Not to mention the early decisions that had to be made and I didn't have anyone to bounce ideas off. But, we made it through.

After going to the doctor a few times, we felt more confident telling family and friends. We spilled the beans to our parents before Thanksgiving and started telling other friends and family members after Thanksgiving. I arbitrarily decided to wait to break the news on the blog/Facebook/Twitter until after the holidays. It gave me a good chance to tell as many people as possible in person/in Christmas cards/through phone calls.

How have I been feeling?
Tired. Like, for real. Ex-hausted. I know that every pregnant woman says she was tired, but, holy moley. I didn't realize exactly how tired I'd be for the first 10 or 12 weeks. There were days that I wondered how I'd stay awake. Luckily, I was done with school and able to come directly home from work and lay around until I went to sleep. My husband is a very understanding man.

I'm usually a bit of a "go-er" and "do-er," so I'm still getting used to the idea of slowing down and being okay with a little less productivity.

On the plus side, I didn't have any real morning sickness and very little nausea, so I'm darn lucky.

And right now, I have some sort of a cold. And I'm not 100 percent used to not being able to drink a bottle of NyQuil when I'm sick. So, there's that.

What's been the biggest change in pregnancy so far?

Outside of just learning to take it easy, I haven't had many changes, especially since I'm still pretty early. I did give up high heels cold turkey. They started to hurt my feet and I didn't want to risk falling. (This was especially true after I slipped and fell down our 18 hardwood stairs. Ouch. That's another story.)

I'm also getting used to going without gallons of iced tea every day. I seriously love iced tea. Otherwise, I haven't had much trouble giving anything up.

How did the family react to the news?
Everyone was very excited, of course. Nothing is more fun than breaking the news that a baby is on the way. Arizona Lainey nearly died of excitement, which would have really ruined the moment. She's been waiting for a grandchild for years (way longer than would have been appropriate for her oldest daughter to have a child). Ryan's parents were also thrilled to have another grandchild. Needless to say, this baby won't be short on love.

As an aside, we purchased a great book for both sets of parents to break the news - That's what grandparents are for by Arlene Uslander. I asked the author to sign the book with "You'd better practice reading this before your grandbaby is born in June." (Isn't it so cool that the author will sign the book?) I hope it will be a great keepsake for our parents and a good story for Baby Woodward.

Will we find out if it's a boy or girl?
Yes. As long as baby cooperates. Four more weeks and we should know.

Have we talked about names?
Yes. But we are waiting until we know if it's a boy or girl so we can narrow our ~~disagreements~~ choices. It will be a small miracle if we ever pick a name we agree on. We have vastly different ideas for appropriate names. For the record, this child will not be named after a bodybuilder if it's a boy. ;)

What are we doing for the nursery?
Well, we're planning to get a crib. That much is clear. ;)

Over the holidays, my parents and Ryan did move all the extra bedroom furniture out of the extra bedroom. So, we have an empty room, ready for baby.

Stay tuned on this one. I think we may end up with a crib.

We did decide to wait to make decisions on the nursery until we find out the sex of the baby. I have some ideas and lots of inspiration, which many of you noticed in my Pinterest boards. I also have a massive pull-down vintage school map that Ryan found for me on Craigslist. That will make an appearance somewhere.

How are the pugs taking it?
Franco didn't even want a sister, and then Lola came around. He's not sure what to think about another baby to suck away his attention. Luckily, a tired momma means lots of snuggle pug time. So, both pugs are a-okay with me being pregnant. And, my dad gives Franco extra love, too. So, all is well.

(Any tips for introducing babies to very spoiled dogs?)

So, that's where we're at.

What did I miss?

Snapshots of Christmas 2011

2012-01-03T04:00:00.001-06:00

Before I get to Christmas, I just have to thank you all for your wonderful and encouraging words about our baby news yesterday. I never anticipated such an huge outpouring of support, but I really appreciate each and every comment and email. I had a permasmile on my face yesterday. I'm just so grateful for each of you and that I am so thankful to have gotten to know such wonderful people through this crazy little blog. There were some questions that I received and I'd like to get them all together in one post. Maybe tomorrow... or sometime soon.

And now...

I know Christmas is over. But it's my blog and skipping Christmas photos would just be downright negligent.

In addition to all our normal (and wonderful) Christmas gatherings, this was the first year of hosting Christmas lunch at our house. It was just a small group - our parents and my brother. I think it was a very fun new tradition.

We had the traditional Christmas meal of lasagna, salad and bruschetta. (What? That's not traditional in your house?) I also made chocolate-caramel mousse for dessert, which was quite fun and fancy, if you ask me.

And call me Olan Mills, but I made the families take pictures together.

We are quite lucky to have such wonderful families in the picture. I thoroughly enjoyed having both sets of parents over at once. It's hard to believe that next year, we'll have an extra Woodward in the pictures. (Yay! I love that the cat is out of the bag.)

So, all-in-all, we had a four-star Christmas.

Hope your holidays were just as merry and bright.

It's 2012, baby!

2012-01-02T04:00:00.002-06:00

It's time for 2012 goals.... but first, let's quickly recap 2011 goals.

I went with more concrete goals for the year. Overall, I think I did rather well. (Although not so well in the health section.)

enjoy ~~Take a family photo in the fall.~~ ~~Make digital albums for each of the first 3 years of our marriage~~. ~~Organize photos, scan and back up~~. Make a blog book. ~~Go on two trips~~. ~~Practice taking better photos~~. create ~~Finish a quilt~~. ~~Make a list of sewing/crochet/crafting projects and make something for us every month~~. Refinish the sewing table. Build a piece of furniture with Ryan. ~~Make myself an item of clothing~~. home ~~Finish the new house~~. ~~Sell our current home~~. ~~Move into our new home~~. Get on a regular cleaning schedule. learn ~~Finish my MBA~~. ~~Finish my designation~~. cook ~~Make a new recipe every month~~. Cook a vegetarian meal each week. ~~Eat at home at least 3 days/week~~. save ~~Keep the budget every month~~. ~~Get debt-free~~. ~~Live on one paycheck by year's end~~. health Run 5 miles without stopping. Work out at least 12 days/month. Find a tennis partner and play. grow ~~Have a garden despite the moving situation~~. ~~Preserve produce~~. misc. ~~Send thank-you notes regularly~~. ~~Purge things we don't need or use~~.

As for 2012, I'm going with just one goal...
Have a baby!

(Ryan got me this ornament for Christmas from Etsy. My baby belly isn't quite so big. Yet.)

That's right ... the NewlyWoodwards are having a baby. I figured it'd be silly to make any other goals for 2012. I think this is a big enough change for the year.

Baby W is due in June, which means we're about 16 weeks along. So far, so good on the pregnancy front. Outside of extreme exhaustion and worthlessness in the way of productivity, I've been feeling pretty good.

Needless to say, there will be lots to do in the upcoming months. While I don't plan to make this blog baby-central, I hope you'll understand that I've got baby on the brain, and some of our projects will definitely center around that. But that doesn't mean that we won't still be the same ol' NewlyWoodwards - renovating, gardening, crafting and writing all about the journey.

So, did you have a feeling something was brewing around here?
(And also, any helpful books and websites for parents-to-be would certainly be welcome.)

The wife's December goals - how'd I do?

2012-01-01T04:00:00.001-06:00

I know that most people are thinking about resolutions. But, first, I've gotta resolve my December goals. Overall - I'd say it went pretty well.

The Wife's December Goals
~~Read or listen to two books.~~
Nothing noteworthy this month.
~~Bake something.~~
First try making scotcheroos for the cookie exchange.
~~Host Christmas lunch at our house for the first time.~~
It was a nice new tradition for the Woodwards.
~~Make gifts.~~
Finished a few things this month - including a casserole carrier, upcycled mittens and a crochet cowl.
~~Host a cookie exchange.~~
Work on our Christmas quilt.
FAIL!
~~Eat at home for breakfast most mornings.~~
I did pretty well with this.
~~Try a new recipe.~~
Baked potato soup was quite yummy.
Go to yoga.
FAIL! I did make it to the gym this month, though.
~~Enjoy the holidays.~~
Easy peasy. It was a lovely holiday season.

And now onto January...

The Wife's January Goals
Read at least two books.
Try a new recipe.
Make upcycled mittens for myself.
Purge and donate excess stuff.
Organize craft stuff and fabric.
Get to the gym.
Install open shelves in the kitchen.

What's on your list for January?

2011: A year of NewlyWoodwards

2011-12-31T14:18:00.000-06:00

2011 was a big year for Ryan and I. And here's where I tie it up in a nice little bow for you (and me).

We finished a huge number of projects on our new home this year, including -

Tiling the bathroom and finishing it.
Refinishing hardwood floors.
Cleaning and painting the basement.
Installing new kitchen cabinetry.
Completing tile and wood countertops.
Finishing all the house's trim work and tons of painting.
Installing board and batten in the stairway and living room ceiling.
Updating the new stairway.
Building an entryway built-in.
Painting aluminum siding.
Completing windows.
And pretty much everything else.

We sold our first home and moved into our second home.

We had the opportunity to spend time in Montreal, Arizona, and took a fabulous Northwest road trip through Washington, Oregon and California.

We welcomed our first niece, Addison.

I finished my MBA, which means I tell Ryan that I now know everything there is to know. (Modesty is not my best quality.)

I did a lot of sewing - including six baby quilts, four casserole carriers, three pairs of mittens, two pairs of curtain panels for the dining room and a skirt.

We celebrated ten years of being a couple and four years married.

I'd say that was a pretty fabulous year.

How was your 2011?

Four years

2011-12-29T14:52:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago, Ryan and I were at home on the couch and I was truly overcome by this crushing and humbling sense of gratitude. For my husband. For all the blessings in our lives. For everything.

I'm feeling the same way today.

Four years ago, Ryan and I became husband and wife. It is truly one of the best things that has ever happened to me. That's probably a bit gushy, but it's true.

2011 also marks 10 years of being a couple. When you are 17 and 18 years old, marriage is the last thing on your mind. And Ryan also made it quite clear that he wasn't planning to marry until he was "at least 35." (I'm quite pleased that he changed his mind.)

Our wedding day was quite lovely, if I do say so myself. But, the best part was that, at the end of the day, we were married. How lucky were we to meet at 17 and 18 years old?

Every moment hasn't been easy or even fun. But we are truly better together. And I'm feeling particularly grateful today for each and every moment.

(I know I've been off the radar this week. Ryan and I are off for the holidays and spending time doing very exciting things like taking down Christmas decorations, cleaning closets, laying tile and watching Bones on Netflix. We'll be back.)

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T16:00:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas from the NewlyWoodwards! Hope your day was both merry and bright!

Here's the blog reveal of the Christmas card for 2011.

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

(Thanks again to Shutterfly for the help with the cards this year.)

(A gift of) Mason Jar Candles

2011-12-23T04:00:00.000-06:00

The final speedy handmade gift is this mason jar candle. My friend Rebecca and I made these last month and they ended up being pretty simple (but very messy). We gave them to coworkers and other friends.

We used small mason jars for the vessel (although you could use anything). Rebecca picked up the wax at Ben Franklin and I had some essential oils from green cleaning supplies. We used cinnamon and peppermint for ours.

If you are interested, check out the simple tutorial on Ruffled.

What do you think?

(A gift of) Carrying casseroles

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

I'm super excited to be over at Maybe Matilda today sharing some of my top homemade gifts. Please visit and leave me some comment love?

And in the spirit of handmade gifting, here's another handmade gift for Christmas. This is another fast project that you really could finish before the holidays. I was done with mine in 3 hours and was able to use up supplies I had on-hand.

This is a really great gift for almost anyone. It's my go-to wedding gift (I include a couple Pyrex dishes and pot holders) or for your cousin who always brings the cheesy potatoes.

My mother-in-law had asked me for a casserole carrier this year. I really like to give handmade gifts, but I know that many of us worry that the person may not appreciate such a gift, not realizing the time and effort and accepting those imperfections. That's why I was so happy to oblige when she asked for something specific. I love to make things that I know a person will love. (That's also why I often make specific gifts after a person compliments one of my handmade items. Makes it easy.)

Anyhow, this casserole carrier turned out really well, in my opinion. The fabric is one of my favorites from Bliss by Moda. I used the same tutorial as I have in the past, via 2 little hooligans. (I do make the long side a little longer. And next time I'll also make the short piece a little wider.)

It's made with insulted batting, so it should keep the food warm in transit.

I like to make the straps long enough to put it over your shoulder. This is just personal preference. I put everything over my shoulder.

I'm still investigating a career in modeling.

And there's another quick gift, perfect for that last-minute christmas gift. =)

What do you think?

(A gift of) Upcycled mittens

2011-12-21T04:00:00.001-06:00

Since we celebrated the holidays with Ryan's family last weekend, I have several quick-to-make gifts to share before Christmas this year.

I know Christmas is only a few days away. But, I promise you that my homemade gifts are quick gifts. I may have even made these items within 24 hours of gifting them. (I'm a last-minute personality.)

This is probably my favorite thing I've made so far. These upcycled wool mittens were given to my sister-in-law to keep her fingers toasty this winter.

They are 100 percent upcycled - from the sweater (that belonged to me and was originally a Liz Claiborne thrifted number) to the inner fleece (which hailed from an off-white fleece blanket from Goodwill).

Here's the sweater in 2009. It makes much better mittens.

I was able to get two and a half pairs of mittens from the sweater. And I have a few other sweaters that I've already cut for mittens. So, several others will be getting a pair of these puppies. But, they will all look quite different based on the sweater.

The first pair took me about 2 hours, with the help of my friend Stephanie. I think the others will go quicker. It's a fairly simple process, with the cuff coming from the sleeve cuffs of the sweater.

I also put this green cowl together for my sister-in-law, to go with the mittens. This is cowl #7 I've made this winter. They really make great gifts and are really speedy.

So, there's ~~one~~ two of my handmade gifts this Christmas.

What do you think?

Family photos

2011-12-20T04:00:00.001-06:00

Our little family got our photos taken by a professional this year, in the hopes that we'd get better shots and have less stress (from trying to set up a tripod and timer ourselves).

At first, I felt a little silly getting professional photos taken when we don't have kids, but I'm so happy we did. It's nice to have some "good" pictures of us, regardless of whether we have a little one.

We were really happy to work with Erin with Candid Moment Photography. She was wonderful and was able to capture some great family photos for us - which is a huge accomplishment when we have two squirmy and uncooperative pugs and a husband who really isn't a fan of getting his photos taken.

Here are a few of my favorites.

I just sent my Christmas cards with a few photos. I'll share the card soon.

If you are in the Quad Cities, I highly recommend Erin. Check her out!

Do you get family photos taken?

Dare to ... have traditions! (Week 6/6 link-up)

2011-12-18T17:00:00.000-06:00

Well, it's the sixth and final week of the Dare to DIY blog parties. I hope you had as much fun with this as I have. There have been so many amazing ideas, and new people to "meet."

But before we say goodbye to this year's blog parties, let's talk traditions.

This week is your opportunity to share how you celebrate the holidays with traditions.

Dare to … have traditions!
Everyone has traditions for the holidays. Tell us all about your favorites or start a new tradition to share.

My turn
I've shared our Christmas traditions over the last few years (2008, 2009 and 2010). Most are the same.

But there's something I've realized about traditions. I've learned that it's okay to change and adjust traditions. Life changes, and your traditions need to change with it.

Usually, we spend Christmas day with Ryan's family. But, this year, Ryan's brother and sister-in-law came home last weekend for Christmas festivities, so they can spend the holiday with our niece Addy at home.

So, since Christmas is changing, I embraced it. Ryan and I are hosting a Christmas lunch at our home for our families on Christmas Day. I'm very excited about this brand new tradition! (And, in case you are wondering, I think I'm serving lasagna. No need to be traditional, right?)

We'll spend Christmas Eve at my grandpa's house, as per usual.

Here are some of our other holiday traditions:

We exchange ornaments for Christmas. We also pick up an ornament on our trips. It's fun to put them up each year and remember all our travels and memories.
Ryan and I both have the week after Christmas off. It's so nice to have some down time at the end of the year. No big plans this year! (Unless you count cleaning and purging, which I don't.)
We keep track of all our memories, gifts, entertaining and Christmas cards in our Christmas memories book. I get lots of questions about this book. It's really neat and a good way to organize your thoughts. You can buy it here and have it personalized with your name. (It's available elsewhere, as well.)

Your turn...

What did you DARE to come up with?

A couple of guidelines:

1. Please link to the specific post, not your general blog address.

2. Please include a teaser of your post.
3. Please visit at least one other blog below and comment! This will help us all meet each other.

4. Link your post back up to NewlyWoodwards with text or this button. Just pull the code from below.

I'm so excited to see what you come up with.

Thanks for playing along with the Dare to DIY blog parties this year.

Did you dare? (Dare to ... deck the halls!)

2011-12-16T04:00:00.022-06:00

Wow! There were so many great projects this week at Dare to ... deck the halls! I am so thankful to everyone for linking up to this blog party. I think I was able to check out all your projects and I hope you know how excited I was about all your great ideas! I just wish there were another few ~~weeks~~ months 'til Christmas so I could try some of them myself. (And maybe to finish Christmas shopping.)

Here are some of my favorites this week ...

Gumdrop wreath by Ducks in a Row.

Felt monogram ornaments at Longbrake Living.

Noel sign at Davenport DIY.

Snowflake art at Decor and the Dog.

DIY Sharpie Christmas plates by Sense and Simplicity.

Stag head pillow at Keller Creative.

DIY holiday chalkboard at Welcome to Heardmont.

Handmade stockings at His and Hers.

Red and aqua homemade ornaments at Keri & Brian.

I hope you had a chance to check out some great projects this week. And don't forget to comment!

The final week of Dare to DIY (Dare to ... have traditions!) goes up on Sunday night. Make sure to link up with your favorite holiday traditions.

What was your favorite project of the week?