File under "supermom": Baby quilt is finished!
Click on the photo for more details!
Posted at 01:49 PM on April 14, 2008 | Comments (2)No need for diamonds
Lisa Leonard has a website! I love her simple designs and have purchased a few gifts with her already. This is just to spread the word...
Posted at 02:24 PM on April 07, 2008 | Comments (1)Christmas Brag Entry
(Click on the photos to find out what you're looking at)
Why does the time before Christmas have to be so stressful? There must be a solution, there must. I just don't know which one it is. The last few days have been frantic and I kept thinking I had to cut down on chores somewhere, but the problem is this: Before Christmas there are three kinds of things to do: The first is the kind I really enjoy, like baking or crafting. I want to do those the most. They make me happy. Then there is the kind that has to be done if you don't want to be a jerk, like getting gifts for teachers and hairdressers and friends. Those usually have to be ready even before Christmas. And the last kind is the regular kind... the crap you have to do anyway, whether it's Christmas or a random weekday. I find it disappointing that after a day of standing in the kitchen baking, people still want to eat dinner! So then, it's baking & making dinner, which totally takes away from the fun of baking, because it has to be squeezed in with the boring type of cooking.
If I have to assemble and wrap presents, I should be excused from laundry.. and no, not to make up for it later, I should just be EXCUSED for those days. I need to get someone to write me a note. Of course I try to keep up with everything, living dangerously on that very thin edge to insanity. I don't sleep enough and a pregnant body doesn't forgive those things lightly. I wake up and remind myself to just be veeery careful and watch for any signs of impending emotional disaster, so that I might be able to take a nap right beforehand and spare my children the unsightly break-down.
I realize, I should just let some things go, but it's not so easy. My mercilessly strict inner voice demands me to do the regular chores first and THEN the fluff, meaning the things that are not necessary but just fun (That voice uses very belittling vocabulary when it comes to my artistic aspirations, it's very insulting.). I refuse though. I will not give up the fun crafts in order to have a vacuumed living room. I will not!
Posted at 05:08 PM on December 23, 2007 | Comments (2)A tiny Christmas preview
Veronika doesn't read this site yet, so I can share my excitement about one gift I made for her today. I had been looking for some type of swaddling blanket for her doll, because Veronika always tries to wrap her up in a blanket and carry her around, but the blanket keeps sliding off to her great frustration and so she keeps bringing the doll to me with this half furious/half whiny voice: "Mamaaa, it.. doesn't.. stay.. ON!!!" I wanted something like this, because I got a similar version for Ivan as a gift (thank you, Kathrin!). They call it a "carrynest", but I've known it since I was little, because babies used to be swaddled in that stuff all the time (Einbinddeckerl!). Of course this thing does not exist for dolls. I looked everywhere, at least I think I did, so the logical conclusion was to make it myself. It had to be easy and fast and really, it came together this morning (the kids were at the sitters, of course!) with no major setbacks. I didn't rip one seam, now that I think of it... which is big for me.
Posted at 12:58 PM on December 17, 2007More recycling
I came across the tutorial for this craft bucket via "Whip up" a few months ago and was so delighted that finally I had the perfect project for those old torn jeans I've been saving.
Who saves old ripped jeans? Me. Because, I don't know, I just love the way jeans look... it's also a lot of heavy sturdy fabric and it feels funny just throwing them out. So I keep them because I don't know what to do with all of our sprawling 900+ square feet! Anyway, once I started I thought I'd make three, because I had three pairs of jeans and because, why not? So much fun. It's quite easy to make. If you are not interrupted 23 times, you could do it in less than a couple of hours.
This one I made first and immediately stuffed it with my current knitting project. I usually use baskets for my knitting, but this is SO MUCH better. The jeans pockets inside hold all the usual knick knacks like measuring tape, extra needles, pens that normally would somehow disappear in my basket and I could never find them. This way it is so neat. I love order. Then you stuff it with the wool and the walls hold up and it looks cute wherever.
This one was next and Veronika claimed it immediately for her "Barbies". She only has one and a few miniature ones (or whatever they are), so I usually stuff a few toy animals in there to make the bucket stand up (I don't know how the pink foamy crown got in there). I have to admit, I changed the project directions after I made the first one, because as it turns out, sewing over jeans is really hard and making everything straight is even harder, because guess what, jeans are curvy and whatnot and so for the two subsequent buckets I did a lot of snipping around before I sewed anything together. I'm so handy.
The third one is the perfectest one, because by then I had practice. It's made with my old Long & Lean's from GAP. And guess what? If you want it, you can have it. Email me! I will accept money for postage, the time, tears and sweat spent are free.
Posted at 02:16 PM on August 29, 2007 | Comments (6)