Kids Couture T-shirt Tutorial

And now for a Tutorial that you all have been waiting for...with baited breath I'm sure. ;) These instructions will work for for kids shirts, adults shirts, baby clothes, baby onesies, the possibilities are limitless! They make excellent, original gifts, and special clothing items for your own children or yourself.



How to make a Child's Boutique T-shirt:

Materials needed:

Iron on transfer paper, available at your local craft or fabric store.

Iron

Scissors

Thread (A matching or contrasting color for the top stitch, and white for the bobbin)

Fabric (or fabricS) of choice

Sewing Machine

Kids T, Onesie, or desired item to embellish (purse, blanket, ect...)



1) Take your transfer paper and choice of fabric, and iron the fabric onto the transfer paper. I usually cut a small piece of fabric and iron it on, just the size I need for my design. Don't accidentally move your iron OFF of the fabric, or the transfer paper will goo your iron. Icky.


2) I like to cut out the portion that I'm working with. Consider your design to determine the size of fabric needed.

3) Generally, anything you could make a basic outline of is easy to create. You can get more detailed and do something like an animal and layer on its eyes ect. Your choice. I copied the palm tree on this fabric free hand. I like to save the paper backing when I'm done as a future stencil in my stash of design ideas. Draw your design onto the paper backing on the prepped fabric.

4) Proceed to cut out your design

5) Eat your oatmeal (or preferred lunch) while you are working. Because the kids are napping and this is your chance to eat in peace. Plus if you are like me you enjoy doing a million things at once. And if you are like me, it's generally a compulsion that can't be ignored, even if it adds stress to your life, rather than relieves it. I'm referring to multitasking, not eating. Although eating is a compulsion not to be ignored either...

6) Design ready! PEEL OFF PAPER BACKING. Ah the mature voice of experience. I've forgotten this step while distracted or doing multiple shirts, and have ended up ironing longer than needed and wondering WHY the thing won't stick? Oh Duh. (Do you like that use of verbage? Duh? Takes you back to elementary school doesn't it. Again with the maturity here.) Duh duh duh. It can't stick, the paper is still there.

7) Lay out image onto shirt however you want to place it. Centered because you like precision? Go for it. To the side because you like things a little artsy? Sure! Upside down....well...just because you're weird? Why not. I'm not stopping you. Be you. I'm not judging.

8) Iron on according to the instructions on your transfer paper. Although generally I find mine need higher heat and the regular steam setting even if it isn't recommended. But do start by following the instructions first and working from there.

Now, you don't HAVE to do this next step, but don't be scared to try. If you take your time and are careful you CAN do this. If you don't sew your design it will begin to peel after only a few washes. It is worth the time and effort.

9)Top stitch the applique to give it that finished look, and also to hold down the applique during its many washes. If you are new to sewing, take your time, take it easy, and try to sew moderately close to the edges.

The edges will probably fray a tiny bit in the future, which actually looks very cute and vintage-y. If you HATE the thought of that, you can buy a little bottle of Fray-Check at your craft store, and use it around the edges to keep them from fraying at all.

And there you have it! Your own fancy little T! Wal-Mart is an excellent place to find plain t-shirts for a low price. I bought these white ones over a year and a half ago on clearance and got an amazing deal!

Don't forget about my GIVEAWAY for this shirt in a size 4T!! It closes Tuesday night. To enter, comment on the Giveaway post, and for an extra entry mention it when you blog and link to it! (And leave me a comment so that I know you did). =)

Happy creating to you!

=)

Megan

{Comfort through Grace}

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Grace: from the Greek word Charis

Definition
-grace
-that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
-good will, loving-kindness, favour
-of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
-what is due to grace
-the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace
-the token or proof of grace, benefit
-a gift of grace
-benefit, bounty
-thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward

Comfort: Paraklesis

Definition
-a calling near, summons, (esp. for help)
-importation, supplication, entreaty
-exhortation, admonition, encouragement
-consolation, comfort, solace; that which affords comfort or refreshment
-thus of the Messianic salvation (so the Rabbis call the Messiah the consoler, the comforter)
-persuasive discourse, stirring address
-instructive, admonitory, conciliatory, powerful hortatory discourse

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father,

who Loved us and gave us eternal consolation, comfort, solace, and refreshment;

and good hope through good will, loving kindness, and favour;

give you solace and consolation, and comfort to your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Old Navy CUPONS!

Ok, I had to share. I just scored BIG TIME at Old Navy with online coupons I found. Most of the maternity clothes they have are not available in stores, so I always need to shop online. By the way, these aren't maternity coupons. They are good on it all! Surprisingly, I was able to combine coupon codes. SCORE!!

I found my codes here: http://www.retailmenot.com/view/oldnavy.com

And used these:
THANKYOU- $10 off when you use Old Navy card
MYCARD- Free Shipping over $100
ONCAMP15- 15% off a $75 or more purchase (Expires the 23rd of this month! Tomorrow!)

Go forth and score. And share with me if you do. I was overdue for a needed trip to ON, and saved myself the exasperation of doing it while pregnant with two kidlets. =)

This is me happy!

-Megan

{Quilting for Dummies...and a GiVeAwAy!}

Well, I made Baby MnM's quilt in a day and a half! I know, I'm amazed at myself also! I hope I didn't get everyone too excited at the mention of a quilt the other day, although it is BEAUTIFUL, and I L.O.V.E. it, it is a basic large block quilt. Definitely not an intricate pattern. But wonderful nonetheless!!!

The lovely women who work at Keepsake Cottage Fabrics took the time to generously figure out my dimensions and the size of blocks I would need for this quilt. Thanks to their efforts, I was able to cut, assemble, and create with ease. If they hadn't been such a help, I think it would have taken me MUCH longer. My brain and math (yes, even simple math at times) don't get along. Throw in pregnancy and two talkative children in the room? Forget about it!

I'll walk you through my very simple process of making this quilt, and you will see that even if you don't sew, you could do it too!!

And then I'll tell you about my GIVEAWAY!!! And NO. I'm not giving away the quilt. So don't get your hopes up. ;)

First, you figure out the size you want your quilt to be, and then do a breakdown of the size the squares should be, and how many for each row. Honestly, if you wanted to wing it, you could just cut a bunch of squares and assemble them, and when you are done figure out the size your backing and padding should be. But it's probably better to have some firm dimensions in mind. =)

As the ladies at CKF recommended, I drew out each square on the back of my selected fabric. Each one was measured to be 10 inches square.

I drew and cut them all out, and then laid them out to figure out how I wanted them in the finished quilt. I played with the color patterns a bit, and ended up with this-

(Please note: I highly recommend keeping any dogs, cats, or wild beasts locked up if you are laying your squares out on the floor. You will spare yourself exasperation and gnashing of teeth if you follow this important advice. I also recommend keeping your 2 year old near you in her highchair with snacks, so that said 2 year old does not decide to "Help" and thus become a tornado in the midst of your hard work. Please take said advice seriously.)

Then, I sewed each row. In the bottom corner of each row I wrote in pencil the row number, so that if something happened, I wouldn't get them mixed up. Each square was carefully sewn together. I then pressed the row, and also pressed the seams open-

Finally each row was sewn and pressed, and it was time to sew the rows together-

I carefully ironed each bit as it came together, ironing the seams open so it would sew and quilt nicely-

My fabric for the back is the pink palm tree pattern. I assembled the fabric and batting (wrong sides out) and sewed the whole think together, leaving a gap at one end so that I could turn the quilt. I then top-stitched around the entire thing, giving it a nice boarder, and also closing up the gap that I used for turning it-

I sewed rows along each seam of the squares, first lengthwise, then width wise, quilting it together. My squares didn't match up perfectly each time, so I just moved along the seam as needed.At the end of such a long project, it can be helpful to turn on an old movie. I (thanks to netflix) turned on "Tea for Two" with Dorris Day. It played in the background as I finished up. I highly recommend old movies (especially Jimmy Stewart or Cary Grant) or Christmas movies as a stress reliever at the end of a long day, and while sewing or doing laundry. (Although in the instance of laundry, you might just end up sitting on the couch, with the same basket of laundry next to you and unfolded when "The End" scrolls across the screen...)

Towards the end of my project I had a craving for some cookies. We were out of chocolate chips, so I decided on chocolate cookies. I googled a recipe, and gave it a whirl. Honestly, I liked the dough best. I think the white chocolate chips ruined them, because they were WAY too sweet. And nothing really compares to gooey chocolate butter and sugar right out of the bowl anyways. Just sayin. I mean really, who here just wants to make cookies for the dough sometimes? I'm not the only one, am I?

And honestly? I needed some chocolate therapy. It was an emotionally rough day. Please, please don't send any sympathy to me though, if you think of it, please pray for my church family. Our Senior Pastor went to be with Jesus yesterday. He was a wonderful man, with a faith I hope to emulate. His son is our Associate Pastor (and now Senior Pastor) and his family are all friends of ours. I mention this because I covet your prayers for his wife and children.

Back to the finished product. I decided after a little soul therapy from that bowl of chocolate, to make a t-shirt for LaLa. You will see that in a moment. First, a few more glimpses of the quilt-

Hmm- I see a few threads that need snipping...

And now, for the t-shirt I made for Lala, and the reveal of the giveaway.

The model is cuter than the t-shirt, so she gets first dibs-

Now for the t, I'm sorry that this photo of it on is blurry!

And here is the shirt one more time-

Yes, quite a productive day.

{GIVEAWAY}

I'm giving away one t-shirt just like LaLa's in a size 4t! If you don't have a little one who will fit it or grow into it, it would make a very fun gift! The one she is wearing in her picture is 3t, and I chose it so it would be big, because it will shrink a little bit. Plus she won't out grow it right away!

To enter, leave me a comment! If you want to have a second entry, mention (and link to) my giveaway in your blog! In the past I offered extra entries for licking your elbow, but I'll let you off the hook this time. This giveaway will be open until Tuesday evening, May 25th.

Also, soon I will show you a little tutorial on making your own cute t-shirts for your kiddos. This tutorial will work for t-shirts, tank tops, onesies, or anything else you might want to embellish! It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO simple, and fun. Honestly, I feel like I'm giving some not-so-secret secret away, because I used to sell these on etsy. But really, you can find out how to do them anywhere. =) I want to share the wealth! Its designer for a buck! (Literally, if you find a t-shirt for a buck, and already have the supplies, it is!)

AND (this is getting really long...) I will post next week my Chicken Salad recipe, and my lemonaid-for-one recipe. (Meredith, there you have it! The salad, lemonaid, AND quilt! Hehe. And also some sewing ideas for that new little sewing machine!)

That said, I'm signing off. Enter my giveaway, and be of good cheer!

=)

Megan

{Chicken Salad and Addictive Fabric...but it all starts with a Pancake}

Our day began an hour earlier than usual, which seems to be the NEW usual. Sigh. The kids have been waking up early, and I have been unable to sleep anyways- a mix of insomnia and my round tummy being eternally uncomfortable. Come September it will return to normal, but until then...Sigh.

So, one sleep deprived Mommy, and two antsy kiddos equals-

And also-

The sun was shining beautifully, and a storm is supposed to be rolling in...So we headed out to my favorite fabric store EVER. I have been hunting all week for the bedding that I want to use in LaLa's room for her BIG GIRL BED! Ack! I ordered hers (you'll see it in a moment...) and decided to make a quilt for Baby MnM who is arriving in September.

Did I mention we found out the baby is a girl???

So, I purchased LaLa's bedding, and I decided to try to find some similar fabrics for the baby's quilt. They will be sharing a room. So we headed out to Country Village.

And saw this cocky rooster-


Did you see that wig he has? Hilarious.

Below is a little snapshot of what we did. Buy fabric. Chase rooster. Shop for fabric. Eat hot dog. Sit on merry-go-round horses. Enjoy sunshine.

Keepsake Cottage Fabrics is also how you spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E. Look it up. It's in the dictionary.


Here is the fabric I chose for the quilt-

YUMMY.

I L.O.V.E fabric. Oh yes. I find it addictive. It makes my mouth water. It calls to me.

I came home, put the kiddos down for a nap, and made myself lunch. I have been anticipating today's lunch since last night, when I made my mom's famous Chicken Salad. OOOOh yes. First I made some home made lemonaid, and threw in some fresh raspberries and a sliced strawberry-

Oh Chicken Salad, this photo does not do you justice.

At the grocery store they had these GIANT strawberries, and so the kids and I will be having some when they get up-


And I will be having this-

Ok, I PROMISE you all that a TWO coffee day is R.A.R.E. Promise. Cross my heart. But this week? It's just one of those weeks. Know what I mean?

Speaking of this week, my son's fever broke on Sunday, Praise God! He is healthy and well now. What a relief.

Do you all want the recipe for my chicken salad? Let me know, I'll post it if you do.

Now, about that quilt. I've never made a quilt before. Uh-oh. I am not the most patient person, so I don't get into very many projects that require exactness. Usually I just let the artist in me flow.

And? I plan to do it THIS WEEKEND. Yep. I'll post photos of my progress. Yikes! I want to be able to get more of the fabric for decorative pillows and such, and if I take all summer to do the quilt, I don't know if they will still have it all!

It looks like the storm is here, the wind is blowing, my power just flickered off and back on, and the kiddos are up!

I'm going to start figuring out that quilt...(And I might just eat some Chicken Salad for dinner too...)

=)

Megan

(P.S. If I ever seem food obsessive on my blog or when I comment on YOUR blog, I shall blame it on pregnancy. But really? I love food. FOOOOD. But you didn't hear that here.)

{Burger Maddness}

We love to BBQ burgers at our house! My husband things I make the perfect burger, and I always enjoy soaking up his praise about them.

Last nights burgers were especially yummy. My husband prepared TWO for himself in anticipation of the goodness.The problem is, our patties were a bit thicker this time (ok A LOT thicker) and he was only able to conquer 1 and 3/4's of his.

I usually use lettuce for a bun for mine, skipping the bread bun. I'm not cutting carbs, I just generally do it to narrow down calories a little...cause then I can have dessert. ;)

I know most of you probably have a favorite way of making your burgers, but I'll share my Top Secret recipe with you in case you want to try something different.

{Note my oh so precise measurements.}

Ingredients:

Ground beef- lowest fat I can get

Onion

BBQ sauce

Garlic powder

Salt

(you were expecting a more secret ingredient, weren't you?)

Assembly:

Dice onion very small.

Put ground beef in a bowl.

Squirt in a good amount of BBQ sauce, sprinkle in salt, and poof on the garlic powder.

Toss onion on top.

Work it all together really well. (EWWW. I don't enjoy this part at all. I've come a long ways tho. When we first got married I wouldn't TOUCH raw meat with my hands)

Shape into patties, and grill them up on the BBQ!

We topped off the meal with some baked french fries, and since Red Robin is super close to us, I asked my husband to pick up their special seasoning for our fries. Yummy! Although I have to admit, baked fries don't compare to FRIED french fries. Sigh. Oh well. Still good!

So there you have it! Now let me tell you the frustration I had making this post! My pictures wouldn't upload, even though I tried OVER, and OVER, and OVER. Agh!


Now I'll let you in on the going on's in our little house. My son has been sick since LAST Friday. It started with a high fever, and that's about all its been. Well, we took him into the walk in clinic on Tuesday, and the Dr. said it was an ear infection. I was shocked because he didn't say his ears hurt that whole weekend. He has had (I think) 4 ear infections in the past 4 or 5 months, and it's weirding me out! He has never EVER had an ear infection before this all began. He's 4.5, and this is all a new thing.

SO. We've been giving him the antibiotics since Tuesday, and his fever STILL keeps spiking really high when his fever-reducer wears off. If it doesn't stop by this afternoon, we're headed back in to the Dr. In the past we have seen a huge improvement within 24 hours of beginning his antibiotics. This lingering high fever is just weird.

I'll be letting you know how our son is doing when I find out.

How do YOU like to make your burgers???

A Tease of Summer

Summertime is in the air. It teases us. Glimpses, Sunny days, with cloudy rainy cold days sandwiched in between...

The flip flops are out, and on our feet on the days that permit it...

The playtoys beckon us...

And Tiny Pink Converse made for a two year old are sported with some capris...

Little ducks toddling in a row...

And those shoes again...so STINKING adorable...

Ah yes summertime. I know you are near. You will come in glory, and yet it will be brief here in the Northwest. But it will be glorious.

The seasons of our life are so reflective of those that surround us. Sometimes we seem to be stuck in an unending winter. Perhaps the winter is desolation, or sorrow. Or maybe a winter of calm, peace, and purity.

And then spring emerges. Hints of new life or new opportunities bud, and you can sense them coming. Life seems fresh. Perhaps you have glimpses of color between rainstorms.

Then comes summer. Oh summer. Glorious, warm, filled with delights. It comes like a burst of joy, an explosion in our hearts! It can be exhilarating.

Eventually summer melts into fall. In my life, I feel most energized in the fall. It delights me. The colors of the leaves, the crisp bite in the air, the warmth of the sun as the day progresses. Such memories formed in autumn in my heart...

All these seasons, ever changing. We struggle with wanting to capture one, and keep it forever, but it is not to be. Because these seasons in our life are what make it LIFE! Without a taste of winter, we could not fully appreciate the burst of summer. The delights of autumn. Without the sweltering heat of summer, we would not welcome the pristine white days of snow.

It is all beautiful, and it surrounds us. And if you look carefully, it all turns our hearts to the One who made it all...

Be blessed, whatever season you are in.

Lovingly,

Megan

Annoying Beauty

I am annoyed.

I am annoyed with Americas obsession with beauty and perfection, that I personally feel has distorted the majority of women's thinking about what True Beauty is. You might not think yourself among this majority, but give me a moment to elaborate.

Our society is programmed to give privilege to those who fit the standard of beauty. To admire beauty, and extol those who meet the standard. I know this is true in many cultures, but I don't believe that all of them have as stringent a view on beauty as we do.

Beauty in America is synonyms with a perfect figure that sports no extra fat, love handles, or cellulite. It requires perfect hair and teeth. And a good amount of s..ex appeal must be thrown into the mix. It must be flaunted. Faces should be free of flaws, zits, acne...skin should be tan, but apparently without the risks of skin cancerous sun, and so money must be spent on fake tans to achieve that golden glow. Noses? Not too big or out of the ordinary.

This 'beauty' is presented to us from childhood. Even if our parents are careful with what we watch or see, we live in a society filled with the pressure of perfection.

I'm annoyed that each one of us- every single human being on this planet- is FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE according to the Word of God. And yet each one of us sees faults and imperfections in ourselves that are a part of who we are, and how we are created. We each have different hair, we carry our weight differently, we have different facial features...

I'm annoyed. Annoyed, annoyed, annoyed!

(And it's not just pregnancy hormones!)

I'm annoyed that this perception and pursuit of beauty has slunk into my heart and life, lowering my self confidence, and making me desire to be something I'm not. I'm annoyed that it tarnishes even little girls views of themselves. I'm annoyed that it drives teenage girls to diet, develop eating disorders, secretly loathe themselves, and in the less extreme but just as harmful: spend an excessive amount of time, money and effort on becoming beautiful enough.

And oh the selfishness that this breeds. The devil delights in this obsession with beauty because it requires one to dwell on ones self constantly. Maybe some wouldn't call it "trying to be beautiful" but "overcoming a fault or imperfection." No matter what we call it, we turn inward rather than turning outward as the Lord calls us. We waste excessive time on ourselves, and in the process, shortchange things that we could be doing for others and the Lord. We enter into bondage of self, and lose our freedom in Christ.

inward. Seeking opportunities to help others- the poor, the needy, the lonely.
Freedom is found in pouring out yourself for others. Finding ways to give. Cooking a meal for a family, giving financially if you are able, turning your prayers outward rather than inward.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."
Isiah 58:6-11

Coming to an acceptance of who we are, and how we were created does not give us license to overindulge in unhealthy habits or stop pursuing healthy changes in our lives. And it doesn't give us a right to give up on our grooming in such a way that our husbands want to run right back out

the door when they arrive home. ;)

The Bible does not condemn beauty, but rather gives us a right view of beauty. First an foremost our beauty comes from within (stop groaning, I know you've heard that for years).

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised"

Proverbs 31:30

But beauty is not disallowed in scripture. Far from it! In Song of Solomon, the husband delights in the beauty of his wife, and she in her husbands beauty. Many beautiful women are mentioned in the scripture. I believe though, that beauty then and beauty now are two very different things. Beauty today is unrealistic perfection.

I don't write this to preach at you! Far from it. I'm preaching at myself. I'm pregnant, and gaining weight I don't want to gain! (laughing at self) If I complain after this baby comes that I'm not losing weight fast enough, you have a right to correct me and send me back to my own post about beauty! I struggled for years with my nose, because I felt it wasn't small enough. I have agonized about my weight going straight to my love handles, and that even when I was at my lowest weight when I was sick, they were still there! I'd have to be only skin and bones to lose them, because of my body type. And that wouldn't be beautiful at all!!

You see? Society's standards seep into even the most steadfast of minds. Let's change our hearts and minds about beauty. Let's teach our daughters the value of who they are before the world decides to teach them for us. Let's focus on others and not fall into the trap of self.

Let your light shine, for there is where your beauty is found!

In Love,

Megan

{My Adventure in Italy}

I didn't mention on here yet that my husband and I had the privilege of going to Rome and Venice last month. Amazingly, we arrived home only 2 days before the Icelandic volcano started erupting!


We had many adventures, and good times, but it was also a very challenging trip. I missed my kids terribly, and the stresses of international travel made me long for home!


I'd like to share some photos from our trip with you.


First off, on the bus, there were signs designating seats for the elderly, pregnant woman, infirm, and such...I found the photos highly amusing. One of my favorite things to take pictures of happens to be funny signs and illustrations.

Example:

Oh yes I love that one. It still makes me laugh.



In Venice, I spied a little bird helping himself to lunch at a fruit stand-


Here are my love and I in Venice, overlooking some of the beautiful landmarks. I have to say that getting this photo taken was hilarious. A young man who was by himself saw me with our camera (a Cannon Rebel) and knowing that I would know how to use his (something smiler, a Rebel or Nikon...can't remember) he askes me to take his photo. He had his "shot" all lined up, and asked me to stand in a specific spot. Totally understandable, I would do the same! I took several pictures of him, and he was very pleased. I then asked if he would take our photo. Well, let me tell you- this is a man who loved his camera! He was like a photographer for models or something! He was moving around, taking photo after photo, and really getting into it! Made me wish I'd been a bit less shy and put a little umph into HIS photoshoot!


Here is an angel that flanked the sides of a bridge, with many others, on the road that led across the river in Rome into the Vatican area. They were gorgeous, and each held a symbolic item that related to Jesus ministry or death.

And finally, I invented a rousing game, which I like to call "Slug Nun". No, I did NOT slug a nun, it was the equivalent of 'Slug Bug', and I (oh-so-gently) slugged my husband each time I saw a nun. He of course was allowed to play also, but being that I invented the game, I won each time. ;) And so, in tribute to Slug Nun- slug! Gotcha!

More photos and stories to come...Please share with me your adventures in travel!

-Megan

Digging in!

I'm in the middle of a project, trying to move my craft and sewing stuff to a place where I can actually USE it!

The question of the day is, Why on earth do I get motivated to do these things at such odd times? I have 2 additional boys over at my house for 2 days, and the inspiration hits me NOW. Oy.

So here I sit, typing a quick note, while my dining room table is COVERED with all my crafting, scrapbooking, and sewing stuff. Hmmm. The table at which we must seat 4 kids and 2 adults come dinner time. At least I have a deadline!

If it looks good enough for photos, I'll be sure to share. If not, well, I'll keep my mess hidden. ;)

Ok, I've really gotta get back to it. Bye!

Looking forward!

I love blogging.

I don't like being away from it, but sometimes I go through periods of time where I don't feel like I have a creative thought to share, a blogging drought seems to plague me.

Writing has always been a passion of mine, as has photography. So blog world is a wonderful place for me to be. But sometimes (confession) I feel a little overwhelmed. You all are so wonderful and inspirational! You have so much to give and share! You blog regularly, you make projects, your blogs pour out beauty, inspiration, and LIFE, from every word!!! And I wonder, what do I have to share? I'm chuckling at myself right now. This is no cry for pity. I just love your blogs.

Feeling confused sometimes, I wonder, who am I? As a mother of 2 small children and one on the way, sometimes I feel at a loss. I love my life right now (except those awful pregnancy hormone days). But I also wonder how to incorporate creativity and inspiration into these days? Very much lacking the time, energy, and desire to pursue anything other than getting my kitchen clean and forcing myself to tidy the house leaves me wondering...My crafts, supplies, and sewing machine have been packed into a closet since my daughter was a little over one year old, because monkey that she is, I can't keep them out in plain sight or they get pillaged. I craft by the "mess method" I need to have it ALL out, so that I can see it all! We don't have any extra room in our home to be able to keep it in sight. I need a creative home makeover! (Mom....are you reading this?? hehehe...)

On a brighter note, we will be 20 weeks pregnant on Monday! That means we will be halfway through this pregnancy! Yay! And as of about a week ago, I seem to have emerged from the I'm-so-sick-I-feel-nauseous-ALL-the-time, period of pregnancy. Double Yay! I feel human again. Which means a return to blogging more often. We find out on Monday (if the baby allows us to find out) the gender!

Perhaps it's the taste of summer that is teasing me- the desire for warmth and fresh berries, to soak up the sun while the kids play in our little yard, iced tea and pie....but I've pulled out The Farm Chicks book again and have been spending a little time each day flipping through its delicious pages.

Their annual Farm Chicks Antique Show is coming in June, and I REALLY want to be there! I have the blessing of actually living (slightly) near this event, as my little home is in Western Washington, and their fabulous show is in Eastern Washington. It's a bit of a drive (nothing to blink at unless your pregnant and have 2 kids, wink wink), but it still remains a possibility. They are even having a Giveaway to be there for set-up day and a special dinner. Oh please-please-please can I win?? I'll DEFINITELY be there if I do. ;)

Looking forward to spending more time with you this Spring and Summer my friends!!

-Megan