ink'd. life on paper

Rocker Re-Cover.

2012-02-22T12:55:00.000-08:00

So my second batch of monsters were made because my sewing machine was already out...working on this bad boy.

We inherited this rocker from a neighbor & it was not this shabby, but then The Lady took to it & you can see the damage she did in time out one day. It was destined to be re-covered anyway, but I was just waiting around until I was pregnant again & knew the gender...both of which happened sooner than I anticipated! I was glad to get this eye sore out of the Lady's room & into a nursery...with a bit of a facelift in between.

Now, you know I mentioned in my monster post that I did not use a pattern. Well, much to my mother's chagrin, I again, did not use a pattern or too much fore thought, but instead, used my tried & true method which is: wing it. And then fix what you inevitably screw up.

So this is how I start. Spread it out. Think about it for 2 minutes & then start cutting.

I really just tried to allow myself enough for a seam allowance {of which I couldn't even tell you the measurement} and then I will also try to err on the side of 'too big' so I can take more out when I screw it up.

Happy to report, this seemed about the perfect amount. What can I say? My winging it method is getting better & better with each wing.

I sewed around all three sides of each of the cushions & then had to pin and hand sew the backsides {where the top & bottom cushions meet on the chair}. In my first wing it, I tried to actually sew that seam with my sewing machine. I broke a needle & had a really crooked & crappy stitch that I then had to un-pick & re-do. Turns out it is really hard to sew something that already has the cushion in it...unless you have a 2 inch seam allowance, which was a no.

My mom was really impressed with my handi-work & dare might I say, the speed with which I wing these little projects into existence. Although she laughed really hard when I showed her my initial stitch on the back -- it was bad peeps. I do not claim perfection & I did fix it, but this little diddy only took me an afternoon...which is all I am really willing to give.

The fabric was something I had on hand from a random night at Joanne's where I found it on clearance & bought the whole bolt...knowing it had a place somewhere in my house...Scot was less than thrilled with my thought process. It took about 9 months before it found a home on this chair, but I kind of love it & now my husband realizes what I a genius I am.

As for the foot rocker -- that fabric came from another project & just required a staple gun. My kind of re-covering. And yes, I realize the stripe should probably go the opposite way, but I didn't have enough to do it that way...and now I kind of like it going the way it does.

The pillow? A quick envelope cover out of 1930's reproduction prints & I am kind of obsessed with them & steal them from my mom on a regular basis.

oh and the pics? Sorry, not the best quality...they are all from my phone.

Family Time.

2012-02-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

This guy is home for the weekend & so my kids are wrestled out & worn out & I love it.

Always good to have my surrogate child home for a couple days...

Monsters.

2012-02-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

{source}

If you are anything like me, you have 387 things pinned on your pinned boards, 'to do.' right? Organize this closet, like this. Bake this fantastic cake. Build this 'easy' locker. On & on my list gets longer before it gets shorter. And frankly, there are only a few of those things I might actually do. These monsters were one of them. On a random Sunday morning my kids were up at the crack of dawn & it was my turn to take the early morning. And so, as I sat bleary eyed, I thought, you know, maybe I should actually do one of those 'mother of the year' type activities. My sewing machine was already out, working on drapes & so these little guys were born...

The Lady's

And the cute backside!

My kids were really thrilled with the idea. Beyond excited. And they were really good about dumping out every piece of fabric, buttons, bows or ribbon they could drum up. And then, they were done 'helping' & just wanted their monster done. They did pick most of their own fabrics, but after the first 30 minutes they were ready to move on & I spent the next 3 hours, cutting, trimming, sewing & tweaking my made-up pattern. Only to find myself running late for church & yelling at my kids to hurry up! Didn't they know I had spent good time getting their monsters finished for them & now that meant they had to hurry like the dickens to make it to church on time? Oh. They didn't? Well just call me 'mother of the year' then.

Because I did that not just one Sunday, but two. The first Sunday, I did them for the Lady & Scoobs & they actually USE them. And sooo, I thought the baby shouldn't be left out. He needed one too & my sewing machine was out again, recovering a chair this time, so why not?

Scoobs actually took his job of choosing fabric for the baby very seriously & it might just be my favorite one. I am happy to say, I even made these from my 'scraps!' If you know my mom, you know she has about 679 different 'scraps' of fabric {And I have a lot of quilts to show for them!}. But really people, I am talking drawers & drawers & tucked into every nook & cranny of her house. If it wasn't cute, it might be called hoarding. But I love it & I love looking at their cute monsters & seeing bits of old Halloween costumes...and okay, a lot of pieces I've 'borrowed' from my mom! Why would I ever go to a fabric store when I have her stash?!?

Making Room for Baby

2012-02-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Over the last 3 or 4 months this ol' house of mine {which really isn't old at all} has seen plenty of change. I've painted 2 rooms, moved 3 rooms, hung multiple picture walls {wait, I made my sister do that}, sewn drapes, hung drapery curtain rods, not once, but twice, recovered a chair & a myriad of other things...all for baby number 3. He should already feel so loved, right? And how will he show it? By keeping me up all night, I'm sure. But I think I will be happy with my sleepless accommodations & I'm sure he'll be cute with a head full of hair, so I'll take it.

Back to my room renovations...I had quite the time trying to figure out just where I wanted each little person in my life. I had the baby pretty well locked onto a room, but there were 2 other rooms & 2 other people & the playroom? Where to put all those dang toys. I did not want to part with my play room & I was unsure of a room sharing possibility with a boy & a girl. Is that even legal? Not sure, but Scoobs & the Lady are bunking up...all so I can keep a door shut on the toys.

I figure this is the only time they will be able to share & it will probably only last 2 years before they are too old for such nonsense inflicted by their mother. But until then this was Nesting Project No.1. This room had to be done, so I could move the play room, so I could set up the babies room, etc, etc.

Here is the room 'in progress'

I spent a couple days prepping the walls for paint. Seriously, I spent days prepping. This room used to be the Lady's & I had a picket fence along that window wall, so I had lots to putty, sand, wipe down & prime. It was a complete pain in the butt, but it was worth it. Once I had that done & then taped, I banged out the painting in one night after Scot got home from work...maybe 3 hours? I was pretty impressed with myself. I used a paint with the primer already in it & it was worth the extra $10 to not have to do a double coat on the whole thing {there were a few spots I double touched}.

For beds, we decided to go the bunk route, since I wanted to keep as much floor space as I could with two in there. And it may have been the only I way I was able to sell Scoobs on the idea of sharing a room with his sister. According to him, 'She bugs me.' Shocker. I bet when she is 16 he will feel a bit different about her...and her friends.

For the bedding, inspiration struck on the clearance aisle of Target. I've never found so much, so randomly & so just what I needed on clearance at Target. To be honest, I wasn't totally sure on the shared space idea, until I saw the bedding for the Lady. The orange damask comforter? $19.98. When I saw that, I thought, 'okay, she can do orange floral, he can do navy...I already have navy dressers...yes. They are sharing.' And that is how thought out my plan was. Then that same trip I stumbled on that navy floral rug. It is 5x7 & wool & I paid $39 for it. sold again. Scoobs sheets were $9.98. His quilt almost broke the bank at a whopping $39 {not on sale} and the accent pillows were about $20 each...I figured I deserved a splurge there with all my other savings. The only other thing I had to pick up were the baskets under the Lady's bed. I got them at Hobby Lobby for about $30 for both & they house all their shoes. And so, just like that, they were sharing a room...and I kinda love it.

Just this morning Scoobs informed me that his sister woke him up this morning with her 'heavy breathing.' He actually imitated it & even in my own bed at 6 am I had to laugh. My sister & I shared a room for 12 or 13 years & it took me right back.

Pregnancy Update

2012-02-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

Consider this the first & last picture you will see of me pregnant.

Here I am in all my pregnant glory. Right now I am 31 weeks, but according to the doc yesterday, I am measuring 32 weeks...and trust me, I'm feeling it.

This past weekend Scot & I headed out for our Valentine date & left our normal stomping grounds of suburbia & headed to our old stomping grounds around ASU's campus. Funny how different the demographics shift in a 15 minute drive. I was a walking ad for birth control amongst all the college co-eds. The looks & comments were abundant & ever-hilarious. You had the quiet looks of amazement that scanned me up & down with eyes bulging to the under-the-breath comments in the vein of, "Holy cow, did you see that girl?!?" "She is huge!" "Woah!"

It was funny & then it just got old. But I am to that point now in pregnancy where everyone has something to say. My pediatrician told me I looked like I should have had the baby yesterday, another asked if I was having twins & then followed up with seriously? when I told her no. The guy at Home Depot even put triplets into play. So...here I am. Bursting with baby. My local gas station attendant even offered me some of her old maternity clothes, which may have been the most funny moment of my life.

And sometimes I feel huge & other times, I feel just about normal...for being 31 weeks pregnant. But now we are in the nitty gritty stages. The uncomfortable nights & about zero clothes that fit just right. But I have wished with my other two that I had just enjoyed the last weeks more & then every time I'm pregnant again, I remember why I don't. I just feel fat, tired & awkward & this go around I feel completely overwhelmed & exhausted.

Yesterday my doctor indicated some minor complications that will require weekly doctor visits, along with weekly ultrasounds, blood tests & non-stress tests to monitor. I'm grateful for the ability to monitor it & for that fact that it isn't anything overly worrisome, but it does leave my delivery date up in the air...something I've never had to have up in the air. Both my other kids were scheduled c-sections, 2 weeks early due to prior complications & surgeries that make 'going into labor' dangerous for me & my babies. And soo...I feel overwhelmed. I'm sure my pregnancy hormones have nothing to do with these feelings. Nothing at all. The baby will probably come sooner than I planned, which really, who can complain about that {assuming all is healthy}?!? But, now I am in a scramble mode where I feel like I need all my sheets washed, diapers bought & put away & what about the carseat...is it expired? All these last few little things that I have left lingering on my list, that I now want all wrapped up & I have about zero energy or motivation to actually do them.

oops.

Announcing Baby Love

2012-02-14T12:27:00.000-08:00

To all my pregnant friends {all 167 of you} click over to my sister's newest photography venture BabyLove...and thank me later.

Just think...you could have this photo shoot for free.

Heart Day Festivities

2012-02-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Remember my post about spring planting {in January!}...well they are coming along quite well...and even produced some heart shaped buds just in time for Valentine's Day!

In other heart day happenings, we celebrated last Friday with friends...and my kids were over the moon about it.

Today we will probably make some treats, do some deliveries & take it easy as the Lady & I continue to recoup. Oh yeah, and go to soccer practice tonight...because we are all about romance! haha.

Happy Valentines Day.

Happy Heart Week.

2012-02-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

Which is saying something!!!

Yesterday afternoon I was knocked out with the flu. The Lady is on antibiotics for a nasty ear infection & I think we are all feeling the effects today, so we are taking it e.a.s.y. Good thing I already had these made up. Bad thing? I did not have Scoobs' done for his party at school today. My sister came over late last night to help me in my delirium, but needless to say, they are lame. Oh well. He loves them all the same.

More to come...

Misson Call

2012-02-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

This post has been a long time coming...19 years! In the Mormon faith, boys at age 19 are expected to serve 2 year missions. They go through lots of 'training' to get ready for these 2 years. All through high school there are various activities to help them learn the gospel & be prepared to serve others. And then it intensifies post high school with weekly meetings to study & be sure that is where & what they want to do. Then they visit about 100 doctors to make sure they are physically capable to be called to almost anywhere in the world. After that they fill out their 'papers' with their parents & bishop. At around 18-and-a-half it is a common question for boys, 'Are your papers in yet?' 'Have you submitted your papers yet?' 'When can you submit your papers?' There is lots of talk about their 'papers!' The 'papers' are merely all their info from doctors, parents, bishops & the missionary himself...kind of like an application form.

Once they are filled out, then they are submitted. Which means they are sent to Salt Lake City, where church headquarters are. Each missionary will then receive a 'call' or assignment from our prophet, Thomas S. Monson.

Once they are submitted, it is a waiting game. Mailboxes are checked. Online statuses are double checked & fingernails are bitten. All in anticipation of this white envelope:

Kevin's call arrived on a Thursday & he was on a flight home from Provo that night. We waited around ALL day on Friday so we could all be there Friday night when he opened it. There was a lot of speculation about where he might go...

I looked online to gather my 'best' guess as to where he might land...did you know my family is a bit competitive? Yes...it even spreads to things like this! Anyway, I had no idea how many missions there actually were...The Congo, Thailand, Ukraine, Figi, Ghana, Armenia, Singapore, Italy, Korea, Marshall Islands...the list went on & on. Some I found intriguing & others left me nervous! Mongolia! Mozambique! Madagascar! I didn't even know where half these places were. We had a good idea he would probably go foreign {meaning out of the States} because of the amount of postage on his white envelope. Kevin & his {1million} friends leaving on missions soon have noticed that the foreign calls typically have more postage on them because they are heavier with paperwork. So for instance, some of his 'state side' friends' postage was about $.60 while his other friends going foreign were about $.80. His postage? $.90. I told him he was probably going to be the first missionary on the moon. {Did you know Newt Gingrich has a colony there?!?}

So we all made our best guesses. Scot choose Scotland. I picked Thailand. Scoobs chose Mexico & we chose California for The Lady...I guess they have a lot of missions in California, so she had good odds!

And then it was time to open...he reads through the intro...we are all holding our breaths...and he keeps reading...stumbling over some words & finally gets to it...'you have been called to serve the people of Samara Russia.'

I will admit I was nervous & excited for him all at the same time. I first thought, at least it is a developed country. Scot didn't have running water some of the time on his mission...I figure, he's okay in Russia on that count, right? But geez...how cold is it there? Needless to say we were on google about 1 mili second later. Turns out the average temp is 42 degrees. yeesh.

And then I kind of felt like throwing up. I can't believe it's here & he will be halfway around the world this summer. He won't be beaching it or spending the 4th of July around the pool with us. He will be in Russia, which is where he needs to be, but it is always bittersweet. I know it will be an amazing experience for him with a lot of growth, but that doesn't happen without some harrowing days in there & my heart aches for him in advance for those days. My little Scoobs is already missing him & he hasn't left yet!

But even though my selfish self is really sad {I love having Kevin around}! I am so very excited for him to fall in love with the people in Russia & have those experiences. He is prepared beyond measure to go & serve & exudes goodness. They are so lucky to have him. I can't wait to hear all about it in his letters & I'm grateful for his example to Scoobs. He always surprises me with his maturity & discipline & for that I am most grateful.

Oh...and my mom, sister & I all showed up in the same thing. Funny part is, I saw my mom earlier that day & we both had on something else. Great minds think alike.

Orzo with Parmesan & Basil

2012-02-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I made this for dinner.

I have about 1 million things pinned on pinterest & am now sorting my way through some of them...you will probably only hear about the winners.

And I'm happy to report, this one will stick around.

It is an orzo dish & is perfect for those nights when you have soccer practice,

church meetings & about 1 million other things going on, but still want something

warm & home cooked.

Go here for the recipe.

Back in Season

2012-02-07T07:38:00.000-08:00

Scoobs started another soccer season a couple weeks back & I am back in my comfort zone of soccer mom. Some games he is a bump on a log, like last week when my mom, dad & brother came...taking his turn in goal {which he loves} & being silly with his friends. And other weeks he's on fire, like this week, when it was just me, Scot & the Lady in attendance. I love watching his interpretation of the game, it is almost like I can read the marque of thoughts going through his head...calculating where he should be & when. He has one little buddy on the team that he's played with before & when they get the chance to play together, they will actually pass the ball down the field.

This last Saturday, he scored 5 goals & the other team was actually cheering against him. I could hear parent's yelling, 'stop him!' to their kids & I have to say it kind of made me smile...until they started grabbing his jersey & pushing him over. Really.

And I get that sometimes the goal-scoring kid is annoying...and maybe their parents are even more annoying? So on those goal scoring games, I struggle to balance how much I cheer for him. Sounds dumb, right? But it's not like I want to jump out of my chair & hoot & holler at every goal...that's obnoxious. But at the same time, the kid is 5 & he's playing hard & having fun, so why not be happy for him?

Anyway, I wasn't quite sure they were actually pushing him. He kept falling & I could tell he was ticked about it, but I was distracted with the Lady & thought maybe it was my crazy pregnant hormones. So I kept my mouth shut & let it play out. But then another dad on our team finally yelled, 'oh c'mon ref you GOTTA call that!' as Scoobs landed in a heap just feet from the goal. As the other team cheered that he 'fell.' I would probably fall too, if my jersey was grabbed. You should know that Scot is coaching on the field, so he can't actually yell at the ref...and that is usually my job when I'm not busy being pregnant. And so the game ended with a penalty kick, that Scoobs didn't even want to take because he was crying over being manhandled.

I admit at first, I was a little peeved. According to Scoobs, the kid was grabbing his jersey & in the process actually grabbed & pinched his back & that was what he was crying about. We have a little rule at our house that their is no crying on the soccer field & so when Scot reminded him to either play, or sit out, he composed himself, but by then the game was over. There was half a minute where I wanted to go have a word with the mom that was yelling so fiercely against him. Like really?

There have been games where Scoobs has been on the other end...getting his butt kicked. But my mom & I actually started cheering for the girl doing the butt kicking because she was playing awesome & that is fun. We were laughing at how good she was. Scoobs couldn't get anything past her & she completely shut him out...again & again & again. Frankly, I was glad she kicked his butt. It made him work a little harder & know what it felt like to lose. He still talks about her & laughs about how she kicked his butt.

Instead of sharing my two cents, I kept my mouth shut in regards to the other parents...but I did let Scoobs know that if that happens again, he has every right to stand up, look that kid in the face & tell him to knock it off...and then go score on him again.

{post edit}: You should know, that I really hesitated in posting this. I re-wrote it in a generic form, giving you a nondescript account of how I was grateful for him to have the opportunity to learn good life lessons via soccer...which is true. I'm glad he's had both experiences, I just prefer the 'real' account better than the 'generic' & figured you would too. So hopefully you find the humor...

Mother Goose Baby Shower Invites

2012-02-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

{Front}

{Back}

I did this invites earlier this Fall & have yet to get them on the blog or in the shop...but they are here now. We printed these on a fine art linen paper & I loved how they turned out.

In the shop I am offering the front as a digital file, where you do your own printing, but I also love the striped back & think it adds a ton to the design, so it is up for grabs that way too.

Doing Less of This & More of That.

2012-02-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

What's not to love, right?

I'm officially 2 months from having a new baby...and a part of me is a bit sad for this baby.

She's a lover.

And so, I'm soaking up these last weeks with her.

Try not to be jealous.

Framed Book Art

2012-02-02T22:03:00.000-08:00

I am a lover of books. I love to read & somehow hope to instill that in my kids. I want them to love a great book. And so...I tend to buy books, especially hardback children's books. And then I get them home & take off their beautiful book jackets because I certainly don't want them ruined! And then think...now what? What do I do with the book jackets? I can't bring myself to throw them away, but again, don't want them ruined...and so, I decided to frame them & hang them in the reading corner of their new playroom. Did I mention I managed to move every room in this house to accommodate this baby? Yeah more on that later...

First, I bought me some 8x10 frames at HomeGoods or Hobby Lobby...or somewhere, I can't remember now.

Then I pulled the glass out & used that as my template for where to cut on the book jackets. Traced.

Cut.

Framed & hung.

I love all 3 of these books because they actually have some significant meaning. The first, Dr. Suess' The Place You'll Go, was a gift my husband received when he graduated high school.

The second, The Ugly Duckling, was actually read to me at my wedding dinner -- and that was the actual book my sister bought to read from...and yes, my family is brutal.

And the third, well let's just say we love Olivia.

How to Print Better at Costco

2012-02-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Whether you admit it or not, we all know that the cheapest, most bang for you buck place to print your photos & printables is Costco.

I kind of have a love/hate relationship with Costco Photo Printing.

I love to hate it and...

I hate to love it.

Sometimes, it is just what makes the most sense, so even I, will on occasion skip my fancy dancy labs & head to Costco. So here is the trick to actually getting a somewhat decent photo &/or printable artwork printed from there...

STEP ONE:

For the life of me, I cannot figure why their default photo finish is set to glossy. Once you have your photos placed in your shopping cart, switch the finish to lustre! Or curse yourself & Costo's defaults when you pick up your fingerprinty glossy prints. yuck.

STEP TWO:

This is a little tricky, because you will feel like you have already placed your order, but in fact, you can still make changes & this one is crucial to every designer & photographer. When reviewing your order you will see the above box...you might have to look for it. Click on the 'edit options' button because we want to turn the 'auto correct' OFF. I have printed prints with this on & ALL my colors are wonky...which drives me a bit batty. Typically they come back too red, if I haven't turned this off.

STEP THREE:

When you click on the 'edit options' button in Step Two, you will be lead to this page, click that little box to turn off auto-correct, click continue & then thank me when you pick up your prints.

And that's it.

Here's to better prints from Costco!

Customized Children's Artwork

2012-01-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

More inspiration from Pottery Barn Kids. Love that place & when I saw these cute custom art pieces hanging on their catalog walls...my design brain jumped right on board.

I'm sure I'll be adding more & more of these as times permits, but the idea is the artwork is customized with your child's name & either birthday or year of birth. All pieces are sized 11x14.

Makes for some fun artwork if you ask me.

You can find them here.

You may or may not have noticed, I am not offering nearly as many digital files anymore in my shop. As a rule of thumb, custom pieces, like the ones shown here, will be offered in digital form. Other pieces that do not require customization, will typically no longer be offered in digital form...like these ones.

Give Me Your Best...

2012-01-30T07:36:00.000-08:00

Potty training techniques.

Really I am desperately in need. You see, I have this little Lady who, as you well know, likes to give me a run for my money. Just when I think I've got her figured out, she kicks & flails herself into a new phase.

Her current phase? Wetting her pants...among other things. She has been 'potty trained' for 9 months with the exception of naps & bedtime. And yet now, 10 weeks before a new baby, she is so very NOT potty trained. Her wetting & other things got so bad, she is now back in a diaper, which I know was probably my worst mistake, but she was having so many accidents & in places she could not be having accidents, that I finally just gave up.

kill me. I am trying to shore up my patience into giving it another go, but let me remind you...she's a fiesty one. And I'm so very tired of battling her potty woes.

So...whatcha got?!? Something? Please? I'm begging.

Happy Birthday to Scoobs.

2012-01-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

So glad he's mine. He keeps me on my toes & cracks me up every.single.day. Love every moment with him...even when he's telling me, 'this is the worst day ever!'

I've always said he is 4 going on 14 -- he gets my sarcasm & can dish it right back, so everyday holds an abundance of witty comments. Try not to be jealous. He loves to keep up with the 'big' kids & does pretty well at it. He can laugh at himself & will probably laugh at you too. He is happy & his giggles are a common sound around these parts.

Something I love most about him right now is how he takes care of his sister. He is good at teaching her the ropes & loves to build tents with her. I love hearing them carry on in their new room together. He unbuckles her car seat for her & re-tucks her into bed at night when she gets out. He also teases her, chases her & hits her when she gets out of line...you know, just like every older brother should. I love seeing their relationship unfold. He will get after her & then she will retaliate & he will stop look her dead in the eyes & say, 'that didn't hurt' with a little smirk on his face. It makes me laugh every time, because remember, I was always the little sister too.

He knows how to have fun & I'm glad I'm the one who gets to have fun with him.

xoxo. Scoobs. We love you.

Friday Favorite: Sticky Popcorn

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've had 2 different people call/text for this recipe & I have a bowl of it currently sitting on my counter, so I figure it qualifies as a favorite, right?

First. Pop your popcorn. I pop about 3 mixing bowls worth in an air popper, you could probably use microwave, but not sure.

Then mix this ingredients on the stove:

1 1/2 C. Sugar

1 1/4 C. Karo Syrup

2 sticks butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

You want to let this melt & boil for about 2-3 minutes.

DO NOT OVER COOK THIS.

If it overcooks it will harden on the popcorn & be no bueno.

Once it has boiled, pour over popcorn until evenly coated.

Then pace yourself. You will want to eat all 3 bowls in one sitting.

As a side note, this recipe comes from my aunt who put hers over trail mix, which I love as well. Her trail mix did not include the salt in the sauce recipe & was poured over:

4 C. Cheerios {Honey Nut}

1 box Rice Chex cereal

1/2 package pretzel sticks

Cashews {however many you want}

I really like it over that too, but am mostly too lazy for all that, so I just pop popcorn.

Introducing: Children's Artwork

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

Preparing for baby #3 has meant moving the play room & moving Scoobs into a room with The Lady. Which involved way more than I wanted to do, but gave me the ideal set up for my nursery & so...we did it.

I think this is the first time I've actually had a nursery pretty much how I want it. Okay, if money were no concern, of course I'd go completely over-the-top, but is that ever really the case? And even saying that, I'm not sure I'd do much more. I love all the pieces in his nursery & most of them have some sort of meaning & so it feels good to be in there, which is the goal, right?

Already having a boy & a girl, I basically had all the pieces I needed, but things needed tweaking here & there. One thing I wanted was some things for the wall. I wasn't really sure what I even wanted, so I of course, opened up Pottery Barn Kids & Land of Nod.

And then these were born:

I'm actually only using one in the nursery, but they are all up in the shop.

This Thing Called Mothering.

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I want to pull my hair out at the things that go on in my house, my car, my day, my life. Sometimes I cannot believe I am the mom in Walgreen's saying, 'don't touch that.' 'please stay with me.' 'no, we aren't buying that today.' 'please put that back.' 'excuse me. no hitting.' For the entire time I am there. By the end of the day, I am usually tired of listening to myself.

The Lady was sick on Sunday & Monday. The throw ups. So there have been messes. And tonight, dinner included straws with bubbles, burps, tag around the table, tipping over chairs & of course, hitting. Because what would dinner be without those things? Lunchtime included a table for 3 outside on the patio & was complete with more tag, water guns spraying mid-bite & you guessed it, hitting.

Sometimes I actually try to referee these goings on. You know try to keep things civil & mannerly like. Tonight? I just sat & ate my own dinner & let what would be be. As I sat, I tried to list the things I had accomplished today. Sometimes I do that. As chaos ensues, I just pretend to be somewhere else...tonight I was thinking about 'The List.' You know that mental one you tally? The only thing I could think that was on my 'list of things to do' & got accomplished today was 4 windows got washed. That was it.

I kept thinking, I had to have done something more today than just get 4 windows washed. What else? But that was it. Nothing else on my list got checked off.

So what took up our whole day? To be honest, I'm not really sure today, or most days. But we do have blankets littering the family room from tents that have been played in all day. We made it to school & to the school field trip at the fire station. We also managed naps for myself & the Lady. We made it to Target to get supplies for an upcoming birthday. The dishes in the dishwasher are clean. Soccer practice was attended & the park was visited. A birthday gift was delivered & the shower also got a bit of a clean...that is, if you call spraying out some soap & giving your kids sponges while they bathe cleaning the shower.

As I continued to sit amidst the dinner table chaos, I decided maybe my list needs to change. Maybe instead of things like washing 4 windows, it should include more tents, more straws with bubbles & tag...even around the dinner table. Because those? I could check those off every day. And while they might not be the most mannerly in Walgreens, the Lady did take it upon herself to clear her own dishes without being asked tonight & then got all the place mats put away too. And Scoobs? He begs every night to meet me in my bed to read Superfudge & snuggle.

{the glasses? better than these, right?}

I'm adding those to my list & checking them off. No one cares about clean windows anyway.

Spring Planting

2012-01-24T07:54:00.000-08:00

{Scoobs & I are reading Super Fudge...and they catch worms to sell to a neighbor. He thinks he's in business!}

I know in the rest of the world it is winter. Here in the desert though, it feels a lot more like spring. At the start of my nesting phase was this little project, that I drummed up on & whim & an 80 degree Saturday. Flower planting. You should know my mother & grandmother are expert flower planters. Me? Not so much. Scot rolls his eyes whenever thoughts turn to flower planting. But eye rolling aside, I am starting to figure out the ins & outs of flowers at my house. Growing up, we lived on the 'sunny' or north side of the street. My house now, sits on the 'shady' side, or south side of the street, which I have learned can really make a difference in your flowers.

So I have one area, that screams for beautiful flowers. It leads right up to my front door & is perfectly contained for a flower garden. Problem #1: It receives a couple hours of very harsh afternoon sun in the summer & just about zero sun in the winter...which is our prime flower season. Problem #2: Above this little plot my roof line converges as such to produce massive run-off when it rains. Pleting & pounding any poor unsuspecting flower into submission. I've looked into gutters to protect this one little spot...the price tag? $900. Um, no thanks. And so, I've killed plenty of flowers in this little plot.

Here are the first ones to bite the dust.

And here she is this winter. In her barren glory.

On this particular day & Home Depot trip, I wasn't even going to tackle planting anything here. I had yet to devise a plan & so I was just going to leave it dirty & lackluster. But of course, when I am actually at Home Depot, something shiny catches my eye & ends up coming home with me. This time, it was bulbs. yes. Bulbs. I don't think my mom has ever even planted blubs, but I thought, what the heck, they are marked for shade. So I came home with bulbs for 2 different varieties of Lily of the Valley. I wish you could have seen Scot & I looking at these things trying to figure out which way was up. I'm still not sure I've planted one variety correctly. But the other?

Is growing. And I couldn't be more happy. I've actually surprised myself with this whole process, as this planting has actually required some patience & effort without the encouragement of one green thing for weeks. Not something I am known for.

The second area I planted was in my backyard, which receives an abundance of winter sun...it just required me moving mounds of gravel. No big whup when your 7 months pregnant and longing for a work out.

Here she is, all prepped & ready to be planted.

For this area, I planted a variety of different sun-loving seeds. My mom had done this last season & the flowers were amazing. This plot sits right outside my kitchen table window & so I thought the height would be fun & the flowers can actually be cut & put into vases. And so Scoobs & I prepped & prepped & then planted.

Only to come out the next day to a huge water leak. And by huge I mean I was literally shoveling water out of my freshly planted plot, that I had just shoveled gravel from for 2 days.

I may of wanted to curl up in my bed & cry. Instead, I headed for the Depot & got the part I needed for free & fixed the dang thing. And yes, there was some serious eye rolling going on from the spousal unit.

And then I waited. And watered. And hoped I had disturbed my seeds too much with my sprinkler fix. Then I checked with my mom to see how long before something would pop up. She was not very encouraging with her raised eyebrows & response of, 'oh, it took a long time.'

crap.

Until I was watering on Sunday & saw these little guys.

Eye rolling husband pointed out that they were probably weeds. I tell you, some times his support of such projects can be under-whelming.

But I knew better. Because see? These leaves are a little different & I planted three different seeds.

So weeds? I think not. thankyouverymuch.

I can't hardly wait to see what these babies drum up.

More pictures to come.

Happy Spring. er. I mean winter?

Heavy...with Child & Cute Kids.

2012-01-22T21:05:00.000-08:00

Suddenly I am feeling the weight of this baby. My 'nesting' days seemed to have past & my energy levels have dwindled, fading between barely there & non-existent. My ability to sleep has vanished & yet I am always tired. I can't catch my breath & while I can still wear my fabulous maternity pants, the desire to actually get dressed is getting smaller & smaller each day. I counted last night to see how many weeks left. I have not kept track of how far along I've been this whole pregnancy. People ask & I usually reply, 'I don't know...about...and then make my best guess.' My neighbor a couple houses down, is due 2 weeks after me & she is a religious week-keeper-tracker, so I've depended on her to keep me up to date when I really can't pin it down...even remotely close! Technically, I have 12 weeks left, but with a scheduled C-Section at least one week early, I have only 11 weeks left to be heavy with child.

I know they will go by fast, but the hospital is starting to look more & more enticing. I finally feel like I know what I am doing the third time around. And so while I continue to get heavier with child, I do less & less & my kids roam the neighborhood more & more.

Some favorite pics from the week:

These 4 are the plasma car posse.

Do you have a plasma car? If not, you need to get one. Both my kids cruise on it.

Scoobs & The Lady & their cousin at the park. I wish I could say this picture is as rosy as it appears, but in actuality, Scoobs was bringing me, 'the babies' because they were 'bugging' him & his friends. I kind of love that he walked them hand in hand clear across the park to deposit them with me. They might have been bugging, but he's a good brother, right?

And this girl. She has been sick as a dog today, but this week she's been scrounging around the hood like this...post nap hair ragamuffin...because, you know, I am too heavy with child to do it. The red shoes? They were my nieces from 10 years ago. I loved them when she wore them & the Lady dug them out of her stash this week & lo & behold, they fit. perfecto. raggy hair & all.

Oh & do you love that we can wear shorts in January? I do.

A Simple Thank You.

2012-01-20T07:04:00.000-08:00

{I have no idea where the source of this picture is...Pinterest. But I love it.}

What is it about a 'thank you' that makes any job or situation tolerable? For me, it is the simple recognition of a job well done or completed that always makes me feel worthwhile & appreciated. Some of my favorite cards that I've received are ones of thanks. They are usually unexpected & always make me feel like a million bucks...whether deserved or not!

Recently, I owed some {a lot} of people some thanks. Thanks for thinking of me. Thanks for your help. Thanks. And so, I did what I normally do. Spend an excessive amount of time thinking about it & then putting it on paper & thinking of you. And so, here they are. My new thank you cards.

Up and ready in the shop. Printed double-sided on Fine Art Linen paper & paired with Kraft paper envelopes. I think they turned out pretty cute!

Custom Wedding Invites

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

Remember that post about hell week? Sorry dad...bad word choice {again}, but really, that week always about does me in. Remember I mentioned a wedding thrown into the holiday madness? Well this was it. And I was most delighted with the way they turned out.

I always have mild {to extreme} anxiety when printing a large wedding suite. The second I hit that button to 'send to print' I want to crawl under my desk & cry until they are actually in my hands. It is like handing someone your baby, except its not actually on any level near your own child, but the toil & sweat that went into that creation sometimes looks cuter than your actual child, who has taught himself to burp & likes to moon you at inopportune times. Anyway, it feels kind of like handing over your baby and then hoping they handle it just right & get all the cuts, folds & colors done to perfection, like you've drummed up in your head.

I'm not gonna lie, the copper color on this scared me half to death. What if it came back orange? eek. Happy Halloween...and oh, by the way, we're getting married. Yeah...that's what I was scared about.

BUT happy to report, it came back perfectly copper.

phew. And I have to say, I feel in love with it & all the added touches.

This invitation measures 5"x7" and is an ornate tri-fold printed on pearl paper. The exterior was copper, and instead of a belly band the mother of the bride searched far & wide for the perfect lace to wrap the invite in. Then we tied & tagged. I am in love with the lace.

When opened guests were invited to the occasion & given all the details, including a stunning picture of the happy couple.

We did a lot of different typefaces & colors creating a beautiful layers of text. We went back & forth on so many things getting each detail just right & finally just started sharing our pinboards...come to find out, we had both pinned a lot of the same invites! A picture is worth a thousand words & once we had done that, it was like magic. Everything just fell right into place.

The backside of the invite showed the couple on a motorcycle. Come to find out, it was the groom's friend's motorcycle that they borrowed for the shoot because he had sold his very same motorcycle to buy a ring. I love the sentiment & hope he gets a new motorcycle soon!

The inserts measure 4"x6" and give the guests all the extra details. Again, we did a lot of different typefaces & colors to carry the design throughout.

And while I was scared to death of printing the copper, I'm so very glad we did.

They were mailed in a navy envelope that was pearl as well & we stamped these in gold with a calligraphy stamp as well for the return address.