A Personal Post

My blog started more of an open journal forum for me, to talk about the latest trials and tribulations in our crazy family.  As I started to get into crafts it took over, and I love that, it keeps me busy! But today I am feeling the need to go back and talk about something important to me. 

When I was 3 months old, we lost our mom.  Being so young, I obviously don't have any memories of her. I feel I have gone through different phases of accepting it and acknowledging it.  I think it's pretty understandable that as I started my journey of becoming a mom, a lot of new feelings surfaced.  I finally understand what I lost in loosing her.  There is a bond that Jack and I have that is stronger than anything I can explain.  I think not having that has made me realize how badly I want to have that with him - poor guy, LOL ya, I'm so gonna be that mom in his life! 

Anyway, she was buried at a local cemetery that I regrettably don't visit as often as I should.  Last night we decided to make an impromptu trip over there so Jack could finally 'meet' her in that respect. 

I admittedly felt a little odd taking pictures. I had an image of Jack 15 years down the road telling us how creepy we were for taking pictures but there was just something so peaceful about Jack in that moment that made what is usually a hard visit for me to make, quite serene.  I left with a happy heart!

One thing about Jack that everyone comments on are his crazy blue eyes, since  Josh and I both have brown eyes.   My mom had blue eyes, so I like to tell myself it was her gift to us, so I'd see a little of her in him every day.  I know realistically it's a genes but hey, whatever makes you happy, right?

Then I added this one because it's so stinkin cute and it's my blog and I can :)



Kitchen Cafe Curtains

Remember a few postings ago when I asked if fabric was cute or not? Well, I splurged and got it!  I couldn't make my kitchen curtains fast enough, I was so excited.  Wouldn't you know, the down fall of the whole hanging curtain debacle would be Josh and I?  Apparently.. we are unable to purchase curtain rods like normal human beings.  First Josh purchased 2 rods that were too small.  Then I picked up what I thought was a 2-pack but was really a double rod... All I wanted to do was hang my curtains!

Now, don't mind the rest of my kitchen/living room in the picture.  We have officially outgrown this home and can't wait to move to a bigger place but it's just not going to happen for a little while yet.  So these curtains are my first attempt post-accepting-we-are-here-for-at-least-another-year-so-I-better-make-it-cute-and-as-liveable-as-possible.  So look at the pictures as an opportunity to see all the cute things I can do to make the space awesome while we are in it! 

I haven't been home when lighting is optimal so my apologies for the harsh lighting...

 Hiding behind the 2 bottom panels is an AC window unit.  We are so grateful to have it but man it's an eyesore!  You can see the little top of if sticking thru the window. All the more reason to just cover it all while not in use! Hmm... I also need to pretty up that space on the wall where a phone base is no longer needed!

I am so in love with them.  Next I want to make a fitted curtain for the pocket window on the door just to the left of this window.  I also think I'll have enough fabric left over to make cute place mats.

All I need to do now is finish those two things, get a farm house table with a bench, paint the cabinets white (woohoo, Dad aka landlord gave the green light.. I'm scared to do it though!) paint an accent wall and hang a shelf... I can do it!!

Pencil Pouches & More Silhouette Fun

I have spent the day with a cranky, teething 8 month old and two poor little girls with the stomach flu.  What a day. There were moments of chaos and ickiness but in the down time I actually got a few sewing projects finished up that I had been meaning to do.  The plus side to staying home all day!

Anytime I clean out the girls' backpacks there are always a ton of broken crayons and pencils at the bottom.  I was tired of throwing them away so I decided to make these little pouches.  I found the cute fabric on sale at Joanns. 

I just ordered smooth heat transfer paper for my Silhouette so this was a thought out opportunity to try it!

If I could give one tip to any new users... after you apply the heat, let it sit a minute and cool before taking off the transfer paper.  I couldn't figure out why it wasn't sticking - I was being too impatient!

 Sorry for the bad lighting, the sun disappeared before I could take decent shots!

Off to do a mountain of laundry....

Kitchen Canisters (first Silhouette project!)

After hearing me justify all the reasons why I would use a Silhouette on a daily, if not hourly basis, and showing Josh blog post after blog post of craft ideas I was dying to try if only I had a Silhouette.. SIGH!  Yes, I was as dramatic as you would expect.  Anyway, Josh surprised me with one!  Not only that, but he got me a ton of different colors of vinyl to get started with.  I had always wanted to add to these black canisters we got a year ago or so... here's my chance!

It was so easy and all I can think about is all the possibilities! I can't wait.  Josh should just realize now that probably everything in the house is going to be labeled in some cute fashion from here on out. :) 

I can't wait to get started on some new projects!!

More Burlap Signs.... requested by the girls!

After I had made my first burlap sign in the spirit of St. Patty's Day... I quickly received requests from the girls to make them signs of their own. I asked what they wanted after some pondering I got the request from Kali to do a "family" sign, and predictably, Kenzie said "surprise me"... lol that girl will do anything to avoid making a decision.

For Kali's I printed out the letters, broke out the exacto knife and what felt like years later was ready to use it as a stencil.

This is where I will now gush and tell you that I USED MY NEW SILHOUETTE (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) to make Kenzie's. I can't even begin to describe how excited I am to have it and will refrain because it will take over this posting. Just know, I'm in love.

Kenzie has an extreme love of horses, so I found the image online, imported that bad boy in.. and cut it out, using the negative space on the paper as a stencil. I can't wait for them to see tonight when they get home, they'll love em!

My Craigslist Steal

I am always so jealous when I see people go "oh I found this giant piece of furniture on Craigslist for $1 and I transformed it into the centerpiece of my house"... because that never happens to me. Everything around here on Craigslist is 99% of the time a rip off. So when I found a nighstand for $10, a day after ours literally fell apart, I was shocked, and grabbed that bad boy up.

Here he is... ahem.. feel free to ignore anything you see in the background there... in my defense the garage is sooo not my territory!

I kinda wished I could cut the designs out of the corners because I wasn't crazy about them, but I wasn't brave enough to try, so I left them as is.

See that handle? Would have been nice to remove it, but it was sealed with two nails that were not moving for anyone... you'll notice my paint marks later... OH WELL!

30 minutes of sanding and about 600 coats of paint later.....

Like the paint on the handle? sigh.

I debated about scuffing it up to 'antique' it but with nothing else in my room like that, I was afraid it would just look beat up. I figured I could always do it later, so I left it alone.

Yay for Craigslist Deals!

Girl's room re-do

We live in a tiny house. like 960 square feet kind of tiny.   So, it seemed like a smart space saving solution 2 years ago to get the girls bunk beds.  They had actually been begging for a while but there is a certain lil' clutzy red head I didn't trust to not jump from the top.  So we waited until we could scare her enough about it she was mature enough to know better.  I was disappointed to see a lot of the sets at Target, Walmart and even Ikea seemed kinda flimsy.... it just didn't seem like a good recipe with these daredevil children.  So when I spotted a set on Craigslist where the owner boasted is 220lb son launches himself onto these on a regular basis I was sold... I went with practicality over beauty and the girls got this bad boy:

Sooooo dark. But they served their purpose and the girls were excited.  Note the "Princess Purple" walls they were SO excited to paint.   Anywho.  The honeymoon ended a year later when no one wanted to deal with being on top bunk anymore.  But alas, we had filled the room no longer needing space for 2 beds.  So we deterred them for as long as possible before they practically went on strike a few weeks ago.  Here's what the rest of the room looked like.  This was an old picture.  That small chest has been removed and a bookshelf PACKED with books is in it's place.

It really wasn't that great, but it worked.  Anyway, we set out for a plan to change up what we could.  Jack has a tall white dresser, and we knew we'd need something skinnier than what they had now, so my plan was to swap out dressers.  Wow.  That is a COMPLETE pain in the neck. Clothes. Everywhere.  But, we got it done.  We took down the beds, got them some bulletin boards and.....

Tada!  Yes, they have 1.5 million stuffed animals. 

Hi Gismo.

Side note:  Thank GOD I am taking a photography class so I can learn how to take pictures LOL.

It's really nothing major but the gasps and awwws, and the girls wanting to go to bed at 6:45 to be in their room pleased me enough. 

While I was sitting in their room completely taken apart I wished I thought it thru a bit more before I started because I would have painted.  The purple is cute, but nothing matches!  The girls want to make new duvet covers, and add curtains and such and there is no way to match both their personalities, and that paint color. 

I am looking forward to all the little things we'll be doing now... like I said, new beds, Josh is going to build something (Just dicovered ana-white.com... where have you been my whole life?!) and all the little accessories.  I'll post pics as we actually get stuff done over the next few weeks.