Blog motivation

It's difficult for me to get motivated about blogging - I'm not witty, or funny, or anything else that would give complete strangers reason to follow my daily life. However, I have set myself some challenges this year - and I figure I could probably increase my motivation for completing those challenges by letting the whole world - quite literally - know what they are. I obviously don't expect very many people at all to read this blog, and that is perfectly fine with me. But they might - and that should hopefully get me to keep it updated.

So, the first of this years' challenges - to run a trail race. Last year, I signed up for a trail race in the spring, but didn't make it. I did however, get back into running for a few months, ran the Durham 1/4 Marathon (in 1:11), got myself up to a distance of 13k, but stopped in September when school started up again and things at work got really crazy. This year, I've signed up for The Limberlost Challenge, which I am super excited about! I've mashed together a couple training plans from the Internet, and last week was the first 'real' week of training. Here's how it went - completed 100 out of 60 minutes of cross training. Completed 42 out of 100 minutes of running. However, there is an explanation... Mike dropped me off at the indoor track on Monday on his way to the grocery store, but I realized a second too late that it was closed for the Easter holiday. My cell was at home charging, so I got in around 5 minutes of running to meet up with him at the store. I wasn't able to get out of the house for Saturday's 40 min run, so I did it on the elliptical at a lower resistance than I use for cross training. Hence the low run time and high CT time. Hopefully I do better this week.

More challenges next time..

 

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A tale of two skirts...

Abby still won't try on the Holiday dress I made for her, however, I've recently finished a few projects that she loves to wear. My niece, Tehya, is all about princesses at the moment, so for her 3rd birthday, I made her a tutu. I found this blog post really helpful in getting started. However, I found it much easier to form the loop in the tulle with my fingers, then slide it onto the elastic and tighten it once it was in place. A matter of personal preference, I'm sure. Anyhoo, I figured that, while I'm buying the tulle and making one tutu, I may as well make one or maybe even four more. Just because I can't start off small in anything I do. Tehya loved her pink and sparkly white tutu, after a small incident involving a twirl and a slip on a piece of wrapping paper. Abby also loves her mermaid tutu in shades of blue and purple. Oh, I also cut the strips in different widths, and for Abby's I even cut the teal strips kinda wonky hoping they might look like seaweed. I'm not sure if it's even noticeable. I cut the ends to points or rounded them off as well, instead of leaving them straight.

I made smaller versions for Kayleigh, in shades of green and pink, and a super-cute little one in sparkly beige and pink for my little sister Elizabeth, who is expecting her first baby in June!
I love craft books. I have a huge collection, and I'm hoping to post reviews of many of the projects I've attempted from these books. A recent purchase was Sewing Clothes Kids Love: Sewing Patterns and Instructions for Boys' and Girls' Outfits. I bought it partly on a whim, as I was planning to buy one book, but had to add a few more to get the free shipping. (They always get me with the free shipping... admittedly, it doesn't take much to convince me to buy another book or two.) I love the individual patterns these ladies publish as Farbenmix, but hadn't convinced myself to splurge on them as they can be expensive to buy and have shipped. However, after reviewing the book and making the Insa skirt, I will definitely be adding more of their patterns to my collection! Abby loves her 'princess' skirt too, so the title of the book is definitely fitting. I was a little worried that my skirt wouldn't turn out as well as all the gorgeous examples in the book, as the pattern is for the basic skirt, and it's up to you to choose your fabrics and trims to personalize it. However, I pulled out all my second-hand linens, and a bunch of trims I had bought on sale at Fabricland (while buying the tulle!) and after several hours of pondering, I took the leap and started cutting. The best part is that the pattern pieces are simple to cut and assemble, and the skirt goes together very easily! Even without specific instructions on adding trims, by following the general instructions, and looking at the skirts in the photos and picking out ideas that I liked, I put this skirt together in just a few hours. And I have to admit, I'm in love with it. I would make one for myself if I could get away with it! I'm so happy that Abby loves it too.

I can't wait to make more skirts. I am totally happy with just making this skirt over and over! But, there are 10 patterns in the book, and I am hoping to try a few more, especially if I can find some cute second-hand knits to cut up for the t-shirt and tank patterns!

On the dining room table this week? Shower invites for my little sister's baby shower!

Seven months and growing..

Kayleigh sharing her love for sweet peas!

It's amazing how quickly time goes by when you are trying to keep up with a toddler and a baby. It's also amazing to see what new and wonderful things they do every single day. I am always trying to remember to be in the moment and to just sit back and watch them be together. Kayleigh just loves every bit of attention Abby gives her, and her laugh is so, just, full of pure joy that I can't help but laugh too!

Kayleigh is seven months old now, and is growing like crazy! She loves food. When she was four months old, she would protest at being left in her bouncy chair on the floor next to us while we ate. So Abby got a booster seat and Kayleigh moved into the high chair. She had her first taste of rice cereal and hasn't looked back. I've been making lots of fruits and veggies and even the rice cereal for her from the book Easy Gourmet Baby Food: 150 Recipes for Homemade Goodness
. This book has had a lot of use. I made most of Abby's first foods from the recipes, and I still use it to try out recipes for her to see if I can get her to eat something new. I love how it includes tips for using the recipes in meals for Mommy and Daddy, and the nutritional info is very helpful as well! Below are the pear, mango, blueberry-banana and sweet potato purees.

The things you can accomplish...

Abby has been spending a few days with her grandparents, which means I've had some time to work on some projects! It's funny how relative time can be. I thought I had no time when I had one baby, then when she became a toddler, I thought, now I really have no time. Then I had another baby, and figured, how did I think I had no time before, now I don't even have time to think about what to do. I just keep up. Well, having only a 6 month old these last few days feels like I've had tons of time! And that was only during nap times and evenings, after dishes and dinner and all that other fun stuff. Sooo... what got done..

Well, I managed to cut the pieces out for the skirt I mentionned in my last post, so it's ready to be all sewed up. I finished Abby's holiday dress, just a few months late.


I also whipped up a couple of placemats using some Michael Miller laminated cotton, and made up a cute little apron with the remaining bit of fabric. I even made the bias tape myself, using a handy little bias-tape maker tool, no less.


I like to try to bake treats on Fridays. This can be difficult if Abigail doesn't nap. One recent Friday, I told Abby that Mommy would make her cherry butterfly cakes if she had a nap. She said 'OK'. And napped. So she got her cherry butterfly cakes.


This tactic hasn't worked again. But the next week, Abby made marshmallow pops, and did a wonderful job! The idea is from the Fairies Cookbook
Abby got for Christmas from Grandma.

Visit my flickr site for more photos from our pop making session, as well as some other projects I've been working on.

The beginning of another UFO..

My two-year old, Abby, is on a nap strike. Today was one of those rare days where she and my 6 month old, Kayleigh, had a nap at the same time. Usually I am so overwhelmed with all the things I want to do with this time, that I resort to cleaning up the toy hazards strewn around the house or prepping dinner.

However, I find the longer I go without doing something creative, whether it is sewing something for the girls, or knitting, or even reading about creative things, I get a little crazy. A bit grumpy, even. So for the well-being of myself, and in turn, the rest of the family, this time is now craft time.

On Sunday, hubby was kind enough to watch the girls while I made a quick run to Fabricland. I was really good and only shopped for an hour and a half. The fall fabrics are on sale, as well as Simplicity patterns. I am a bit of a pattern hoarder, so I bought eight of them, including a Burda pattern. Most of the patterns are for the girls, but I treated myself to a few as well, since I'm closing in on my pre-preggers weight.

I liked this skirt (view B)so much, I bought some cute grey and magenta plaid fabric and the required notions as well. So today, when Abby fell asleep watching Winnie-the-Pooh, I decided to trace and cut out my skirt pattern. I had time to do just that, and even marinade some pork for souvlaki!

Now I just need time to cut it out of the fabric and sew it... After I finish Abby's Christmas dress, and making the curtains for her room. And her quilt, which I've only been working on since last June...

Jumping on the blogwagon...

Hi there!

I'm hoping for this blog to be a place to record and share lots of different things with friends and family. You are likely to find a lot of craft related things, like projects I'm working on, or cool things I've discovered here and there. I'll definitely bore you silly with all the awesome things my kids do 'cause that's my prerogative as a mother. And I'm sure I'll mention some noteworthy organizations that are doing wonderful things for people and the environment. I'll probably go off on a tangent now and then as well. Sound like fun?!



Since I am mother to a 2 1/2 year old and a 6 month old, updates will be sporadic at best. Posting will likely be done either late at night, or while trying to play tea party, cook dinner, nurse, or something else, so please expect some insanity.

Thanks for stopping by!