Pinterest!

I was in a bit of a crafting funk and was feeling uninspired.  I'd made enough bows and flower clips to last a lifetime and my foray into creating fascinators wasn't going well (I think I was just a bit burned out in the hair accessory department).  I have been hooked on Pinterest for awhile now and I was going through my boards one day when I realized I had pinned all this stuff with the intent of trying to do it all, but I hadn't done a single project (except some cute Halloween Mummies in October).  So I decided to start working my way through my boards.  It has been really useful having project ideas at my finger tips.  KK has been sick a lot this month which equals me being home a lot without much to do other than cleaning the house for the umpteenth time.  So I went to WalMart and bought a bunch of supplies to get me through a few projects and when nap time comes, I get to work.  I have done some crafty projects, but I have done some organizing projects as well.  I have really enjoyed myself so far.

One of my boards is all about photography.  I have a great Nikon D5100, but I never took it off the auto setting because I don't know much about lighting or aperture or speed and what not.  I decided it was time to start learning.  I want to take a class but until then I am relying on the internet and tips from friends.  Christmas gave me a good opportunity to start experimenting with light.  Here's some fun stuff (not saying it is good by any stretch, but it has been good practice).  I really like experimenting with speed and aperture.  My dad lent me a tripod and it has been super fun to play with.  I think I spent over an hour in front of my tree Christmas Eve, just playing around with speed.

Another board I have on Pinterest is simply called DIY.  It's just fun stuff that I think I can do on my own.  So far I have made a weekly dry erase board out a a WalMart collection picture frame and scrapbooking paper and stickers-

This project was super easy and only took about 30 minutes to do.

Another project that has been sort of fun has been painting glass jars with mod podge and food coloring to tint them.  Here is just one of the jars I have done.  I love sea glass and its soft beautiful colors.  When I was on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea I collected as much as I could find, which wasn't much.  I have loads of baby food jars that I use to store knick knacks and thought painting a few would be fun.  I have been experimenting with the opacity so that my jars will end up being shades of the same color.  

I also decided to try my hand at a "Calm Down Jar," a jar of glitter that you can use to try to calm down an overwrought toddler.  You just mix hot water, glitter glue, food coloring and some fine glitter into a glass jar and shake.  Another super easy project and KayKay loves it-

KayKay stealing the jar after I'd had it just a few minutes

I also have a board devoted to organization tips and tricks.  We have a small house, and a lot of stuff so I need all the help I can get.  So far, here is what I have come up with-

Magnetic strips and hooks in the medicine cabinet

Velcro strips on the toy cubby

Works great for corralling those smaller babies

Also works for play food that is felt or has velcro on it

Ikea spice rack hack

Thank you Pinterest, can't wait to see what other great ideas I'll get from it!

Ribbon Rose Tutorial

I love making these little ribbon roses!  They are so quick and easy and look great.  These are very similar to the roses that are so popular for headbands and pins.  You can make them with satin or grosgrain ribbon, even zippers!  This is one of the best tutorials I have found. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NriXH3qMuqk

So You Think You Can Shop

I've been on a bit of a crafty kick, thanks to some precios free time I managed to find last week in the form of two floating holidays I had to take before July 1 (or I'd lose them).  I'm sure the crafty bug will wear off soon and I will be back to posting couponing ideas, or probably more likely, not posting anything at all.  So bear with me through one or two more crafty posts (I have a rolled ribbon tutorial I have got to share!  It would be so wrong to keep it all to myself!).

On to this post though, something quick and easy to help out my friends that are in the same boat I am- living in a small town with only the craft aisles of Wal-Mart to supply me (JoAnn's will be opening in a few months though!!! WOOHOO!).  So a question I get a lot is- where do you get your supplies?  I do use WalMart quite a bit for ribbon.  If I need just plain ribbon they are reasonable and have a decent amount of colors.  Most of my korker ribbon was bought at WallyWorld.  I also buy my basics there- the glue guns, the glue sticks, buttons, yarn and the like.  But what if I need monkey ribbon to match K's Gymboree outfit?  Or what if I don't want to pay $2 for a single crocheted headband?  I do what all small town savy shoppers have learned to do- shop online.  Here are some of my favorite stores-

My go-to store for headbands, flowers, tutus and pettiskirts is www.haloheaven.com.  Their shipping is crazy high, but their prices on their supplies are great.  So I wait until they offer a free shipping sale and stock up.

For specialty ribbon I have had the best luck with eBay.  K has a bunch of cute Gymboree outfits and I love finding ribbon that matches.  I just search for Gymboree ribbon and viola.  Printed ribbon is always a bit pricey, but with a little shopping around you can usually find it for a reasonable price.  I also like to buy alligator clips and crocheted headbands in bulk off of eBay.

Etsy has become a great place for supplies, especially if you are looking for vintage or upcycled materials.  I have found some gorgeous flowers and lace on here.  If you are looking with unique embellishments this is also a good place to start your search.

So there you have it.  A few good places to look for crafting supplies, especially if you are looking for bow making stuff.

So You Think You Can't Craft

Some craft projects are just so easy, anyone can do them.  Right now flower clips are all the rage and they are so easy!  (Sure you can make them more elaborate, but if you want something quick and easy and rewarding, look no further than a flower clip.  I whipped up this pile in about 30 minutes.

All you need is silk flower heads, an embellishment for the middle if you want one, hot glue (I suggest true hot glue, not the low temp stuff), and a hair clip.  I like to use alligator clips because they hold so much better in fine hair, but you may want to use a smooth clip if you are planning on clipping onto crocheted headbands or anything that can snag easily.

I first remove the head of the flower off the stem.  I like to pull the base off too, just to see how well the flower is put together, if it looks like the petals are going to be loose, I give it a dollop of glue before I pop the base back on.  If I want a flower to lay really flat or if I am going to layer it with feathers or something I leave the base off so it is more pliable.  Next I hot glue an embellishement in the middle if I want one.  (Lately I have been buying flower heads with the embellishments already in place, they seem to hold on better in the long run).  With the alligator clips I just pop on a generous ball of hot glue and place the flower on it.  If the clip is going to be visible or if the clip is smooth, I like to line the clip with a bit of ribbon first.  And that's it!  So easy!

I've started experimenting with paper flowers too- I think they look pretty good!

So You Think You Can Be Martha Stewart

Have you ever felt the need to be crafty?  As in "I just need to make something cute and sweet and fun and I need to do it right now!"  I had one of those moments this week.  And I totally blame Martha Stewart.  I was flipping through one of my Martha Stewart Living magazines (I won a subscription a few months ago, pretty sweet prize if you don't mind being reminded constantly that no one can do it better than Martha can) and saw some sweet and delightful felt flowers.  Felt Flowers?!?!?!   I didn't know felt flowers exisited before Martha told me so.  How did I not know about these little bundles of adorableness?  They are so cute and easy to make!  So add this to the list of crafty goodness I only have time to do when I am on vacation.  Prepare to be hooked on felt!

You will need a sheet of felt in your flower color, a sheet of leaf green felt, matching embroidery floss or heavy duty thread, a needle that can handle felt, good, sharp scissors, a large and small petal template, a leaf template, marker or fabric chalk and glue (I used hot glue).

I found a basic petal template online and drew the outline of the petals on the felt in marker. (This was not the best idea, there was some bleeding from the ink and the petals had to be cut inside the line so the discoloration wouldn't show.  Next time I will use chalk or maybe a lighter marker.)  I cut out the petals.  Next I took five petals and stitched them together with a loose over under stitch.  I knotted both ends, but that probably wasn't necessary.  When I was done, it looked like this (side note- buy felt and thread at the same time, my best guess for matching was not so great, luckily the thread is hidden, but it still irritates me for some reason.

Once I had all the petals facing the same direction I cinched them together to form the flower.  Now, I am pretty sure Martha Stewart can do this with one hand.  I could barely do it with 2.  It might be helpful to have someone pull and hold the strings while you correct petals that try to twist the wrong way.  This one bloom took me a good 15 minutes of wrestling it before it looked right.  Once it was perfect, I tied the ends together in a double knot.

Next I did the the smaller petals.  Always use an odd number of petals for the best results.  For a big flower do 7 large petals, 5 medium petals and 3 small.  This set was done just like the first set only they were alot easier to tie together.  Yay!

Adorable, right?  I ended up making a few flowers this size just because they were easy and cute.

I layered the two sets of petals together to make my flower.  Martha probably sews her flowers together, I used hot glue.  Way faster.  I also hot glued an embellishment to go in the middle and a leaf on the back.  Viola!

I'm not crazy about the button, it's just not the right color.  I'll probably pull it off and switch it for something a little more flashy.  I think it turned out pretty cute though.

Here's some smaller one layer/5 petal flowers-

I think they will look adorable on a headband for a newborn!

Of course, after I took the trouble to figure this out and killed about 2 hours trying to make it all work, I decided to see what the intenet held by way of felt flower patterns and I found this-

http://mrspriss.com/2010/05/18/classic-felt-flowers-tutorial/

Felt flower tutorial for a no-sew felt flower!  Hot glue gunners of the world unite!

And after I have had my fill of doing it the easy way, I am going to attempt felt roses- these are so sweet!

http://www.purlbee.com/rose-barrettes/

So You Think You Can Breastfeed

Yep, I am going personal on this one.  Very personal.  Turn back now if you find lactation TMI.  :)


Where to begin with my breastfeeding story?  I could start at the hospital where, after two days of enthusiasm and determination my lactation consultant said to me in frustration, "just give her a bottle!"  K had a lazy latch.  So lazy she wouldn't even latch onto a bottle, she preferred to let formula just dribble into her mouth.  Strike one against my decision to breastfeed.  I could fast forward 4 weeks when I returned to work full time.  My first week back I was sent to Vegas for a class.  I dutifully brought my pump, but alas, no working outlets in the restrooms.  Strike two.  Maybe I should start the next week, sitting in my doctor's office asking for Reglan (a drug that stimulates milk production) when my supply had dwindled to a mere ounce a day (not an ounce per pump, an ounce total from both sides).  Or a few weeks later when blood work revealed that although I had incredibly high levels of prolactin (the hormone that stimulates milk production), my body was not receiving the message.  What little I was producing had no nutritional value.  Ouch.  Strike three- I was out.  An endocrinologist strongly suggested I give up my goal.  I was 2 months post partum and had not once ever successfully breastfed.  It was a bitter (and expensive!) pill to swallow.  I had an MRI to check my pituitary, more and more bloodwork done.  I still don't have a good reason why my body reacted that way.  I took it hard.  I felt worthless and inadequate.  I had failed at labor (my body doesn't recognize pitocin either) and now I had failed at feeding my child.  I know now that a lot of the depression I had then was just the perfect storm of misery I had been dealt at that time.  Not only had I unexpectedly had a c-section and could not breastfeed, I had to return to work after four weeks, James left for Morocco for a month and we found out he was deploying to Afghanistan 6 weeks after he returned from Morocco.   Because I only had four weeks to recover from surgery, a started having a slew of health problems around that time too (severe abdominal and leg pain from not letting myself heal properly was a big one).  I had a lot of reasons to be depressed.  Breastfeeding should've fallen right off my lists of concerns, but instead I fixated on it.  I hated myself for it.  About 4 months after K was born a friend of mine had her first child.  Not only did breastfeeding come relatively easy to her, it seemed to me that her cups literaly runneth over.  She made milk in spades.  I was jealous.  I was frustrated.  I felt like I was robbing my child of something precious.  I felt I had to defend formula feeding to everyone, whether they wanted me to or not.  I blamed all K's illnesses, all her foul moods, everything, on the fact that I was a bad mom because I couldn't breastfeed.  (Again, I was probably more overdramatic because my whole experience was being colored by the much larger issues I was also dealing with.  But even knowing that, didn't make it any easier to accept.  Even here, two years later, without all the depression hanging over me, I still feel pangs of regret about not breastfeeding, even though I have a perfectly healthy happy child.  I don't know if a steady diet of breast milk would've made K any different than she already is.  Probably not.) 

And so here is where the story would logically come to an end.  I tried, I failed, I am moving on.  But then I never did tell you where my breastfeeding story really began, did I?  Here is where it really starts.  Remember my friend with milk to spare?  She really and truly did have milk to spare.  A few months after her son was born she approached me with what she was sure was sort of an odd offer.  She had pumped and froze a supply of milk so great, her child would never be able to use it all before it expired.  She wanted to know if I wanted it for K.  I remember looking at her face as she offered, I could tell she wasn't sure if it was the sort of thing you could offer to someone.  And I remember thinking, "I should find this so weird that she wants to give me her milk."  But I didn't find it weird.  Even now, just sitting here remembering that moment, tears spring to my eyes.  It was the most incredible present anyone could have offered me in those dark days.  She literally cared so much about me and K that she wanted to share herself with us.  I readily accepted.  If I could give K just one bottle of breastmilk a day on the off chance that there might be some benefit to it, I was going to do it.  Even if it wasn't mine.  And that is what I did for several months after that until the milk ran out.  I still have the little insulated bag my friend would fill with frozen bags of milk for me to take home everyday.  I just like what it means to me now, I guess.

People sometimes ask how K was fed.  Formula or breast, they'll ask.  I think sometimes people, espcially new moms, just want some sort of answer as to which is truly best.  I always say, both.  But then I like to tell them the answer that they are really looking for- you have to do what is best for you and your baby.  Maybe its breastfeeding, maybe its formula, maybe it is a little of both.  Maybe it is something you need to do on your own, maybe it ends up being something you have to ask for help with, or maybe even accept a little help with.  All that matters is that it works for you and the baby. 

So You Think You Can Blog (more than once every couple of months)

I keep telling myself to update this.  People have asked for more couponing blogs, or for me to post instructions on something crafty they have seen.  And I swear that I will, and then I don't.  I am a lazy, lazy blogger.  I am much better at reading blogs (hello all my online friends!) than I am at updating this blog.  I really thought this time I would do it.  I was super motivated.  But there is the job and the kid and the hubby and the dishes and the laundry and about 80 million other excuses not to do it.  I could sit here and say I will be better, but it probably isn't true. 

I am cooking up some couponing blogs and maybe you will see some crafty goodness in a few weeks.  Until then I am going to do something a little more personal.  I hope you like it.