It is not bad news.

I leave the room for not even five minutes and I come back to find Cohen sitting on the love seat listening to The Bouncing Souls as loud as my little pink wonder can play. He's so cute. After I adjusted the volume to normal, he listened for about 20 minutes and just sat smiling while looking at the screen. Silly kid.

Without diving too much into my personal affairs, I have found that we'll be putting baby #2 on the back burner for awhile. Today I had an appointment and my doctor put me back on birth control to regulate my baby brewing systems. After a 1 1/2 years of trying for #2, I guess the last thing I wanted to hear was "let's wait 6 more months". But it is okay. It is not bad news. My body just needs to become healthy and that is good. My older sister is having a baby at the end of the summer so I can shower her little one with the bits and bobs I have been making.

I have quite a few small projects that I am working on. I am really eager to go home tonight and just cut out fabric. This is weird because cutting out the fabric is the part I hate most. It seems relaxing. I need a bit of mind numbing work to take in the fact that I don't have to worry whether or not I am pregnant. It will be kind of nice.

Besides... look at cutie up there rockin' out on the iPod. Who could want anything more?

What Fun!!

I received my package from Lori yesterday and it was just so awesome. Everything was tailored to me and my decor. I loved it all.

First. Lori and I share the same name and have since adopted "Thing 1 & Thing 2". While on vacation over the holidays, she picked up these little ditties.


Cohen loves trains. Lori was so cute and made him a picture frame with trains and painted a small wooden train set for him. The words read the colors of the corresponding car. Look at Cohen back there "patiently" waiting for me to photograph his trains so he can steal them and add to the 10 he already carries around.


Lori is an amazing paper artist and has made me great things before. This time I got two wall hangings which are just beautiful.

The house:

The bird hanging that will go in my bedroom. It matches my pink and brown bird pillows perfectly. As you can see in the picture, it is paired with the match books she made me a few months ago. OH! I just love this stuff!!

I also got these great magnets to match all of the rest of the papery pink and brown goodness. The word pairing is great.


And then, as if she hadn't done enough, she sent me a pile of ephemera to play around with. I'll never be as good as her. She's a genius paper artist.


What a great swap! I couldn't have been more pleased with everything that she sent me. Thanks Lori!

Jamboree

If you read regularly, you know I am a bit addicted to the swaps on Craftster.org. I have just finished up all of my January Jamboree stuff and took pictures of about half of it. I hope my crafty swap partners aren't reading, because they haven't quite received them yet.

I'll start with Lori's loot:

Lori loves birds so I made her this great bag:
I also made her this needle book from corduroy and felt, and I appliqued a bird on the front. The button is from my mother-in-law's stash. I successfully made my first button hole. I am sure my mom showed me how to do this a million times, but I haven't used my own machine to do it yet. It is functional, but my future button holes do need more work.


I made Lori and her daughter matching headbands using Heather's simple pattern and tutorial.


This is my first knitted Panta. Yeah. I had a few issues with it because I am a beginner and I had never increased before. I used a soft, cream wool. I haven't figured out quite how to take photos of light stuff. But, it is such a fast knit and I am already working on another one for myself and then I'll start one for my sister, Lyndsey.

We also agreed to craft and send stuff to the kiddies. Her son is getting a 14" pillow cover with vintage firetrucks printed on them. I feel kind of lame that I only sent the cover, but the JoAnn's by my house was out of 14" forms and I had to get this in the post.


Lori informed me her daughter is all girly-girl, so I embroidered these flowers on some bright pink corduroy to make a tote and lined it with the most amazing Popsicle printed quilting cotton. I have no good pictures of the full bag, but here are the flowers. The leaves and stems are bright green.


And last... they both get one of my chalk mats. One side is a chalk cloth and the other is oilcloth. These are great for taking to restaurants because the kids can draw on the chalk side while they wait, and then flip it over and use the oilcloth side for a place mat. They work well and I always get good responses out of them. Here they are all rolled up with little pouches containing chalk and an eraser. Cute!
Then I stuffed a few more goodies in the pouch where I could fit them.

For Amy. I didn't get all of it photographed because i was finishing up a few things last minute. However I am sending just as much stuff. I started knitting a pair of wrist warmers for her before her birthday (which is also Christmas) that I wanted to get sent off. Of course, I was super late and just included them in this package. I made her some cork and oilcloth coasters and included a drink recipe and a few other random treats. This is lot of headbands I made. They are so fun and easy which always equals satisfying.

I love the skull camouflage the best. I think it is really cute. I also made her this bag out of the same bright pink corduroy that I used for Lori's daughters bag. I lined it with some bandanna skull fabric (after all - Amy is a pirate) and added the fabric yo-yo embellishment. I love the big sparkly button.



Anyway, I told you I was crafting...and still taking horrible photos of all of it. I am working on a pretty amazing craft tote for another swap...I KNOW...that I am pretty excited about. I got all of the inner pockets, needle rolls, and pincushions in there. I just need to sew the lining and the outer part together to make it a tote. That is the scary part. Mike wonders when I am going to make something for myself. It will come in time.

Tagged

Tagged by Kim

"According to the rules... Each player of this game starts with the "6 Weird Things about You". People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says 'you are tagged' in their comments and tell them to read your blog!"

1. I was my high school homecoming queen. This was so out of my element. I was dressed as Cyndi Lauper and had waist length crimped hair with several different colors in it. I knew all of the candidates were supposed to bring a dress just in case they won, but I thought I had no chance so I didn't bother. I am sure that bright pink tutu and stripey tights were a hit in my small Idaho town.

2. I can twirl the baton. I was part of a troop when we lived in Carson City, NV from age 5 - 9. I know it isn't cool, but I like to stay fresh on my skills. The only person who thinks it is cool is Cohen. Mike just laughs at me.

3. I really hate mass production sewing. I'm a "one of a kind" sewer because the creating part of sewing and crafting is what I like best.

4. My favorite candies are peeps and conversations hearts, and any weird sugary candy that is like unto them. I should like the sophisticated stuff like truffles and stuff, but I don't.

5. I won't eat my mashed potatoes (or any food for that matter) if the fruity stuff has touched it. I need to invest in some plates with dividers because I HATE when my food touches.

6. I still listen to punk rock music. I can't help it. I may look a little square, but I am still a rockin' and rollin' on the inside.

And...now you are all better people because you know this random stuff about me.

Calm Before the Storm

I am titling this blog this for a couple of reasons. First of all, I just took a much needed break to crafty blog land and it really helped my mind refocus. I am enjoying the delurking that is going on. It is so fun to see what everyone looks like and to learn random bits about them. If you look to the right of this post, I pretty much still look like that. I am a little fatter, a little blonder, and a little older. That picture is so weird and pixelated.

I loved these blogs entries today:

WeeWonderfuls
Wise Craft
Meshell
Moonstitches
GentlyTipToe
Stacy - the amazing seamstress

Nothing like beautiful crafts and children's artwork to make me feel better. I LOVE YOU BLOGGERS! Leave me a note if you stop by. I'd love to see if anyone really looks at this besides my few friends and family members.

So, as I mentioned a few posts ago, I work for a small health and beauty company. This morning we got an email from the CEO and founder of our company that said he is resigning. No reason and no warning. The board has been trying to figure out what to do all afternoon. It shocked us all. There are not many of us here, so this is shocking news. Our office has such a great vibe (heck... I can blog from my desk at work) and it has been interrupted. My boss took many of the perks of this job with him. I guess I'll find out what happens next week.

I am taking tomorrow off...YAY...to cook this month's meals...BOO! My friend and I started cooking a months worth of meals in one day and it is such a hellish task. Going to the grocery store is a nightmare.

Butcher: What can I get for you today?
Me: 32 chicken breasts, 4 pounds of roast, 4 pound of ground turkey...
Butcher: You feeding an army?
Me: Ummmm (sheepish grin as I try to figure out how to explain this)... sort of.

It is a long, hard day that is so worth it in the end. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have dinner sitting in the fridge thawing all day, fully prepared. All I have to do is pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes and it is good. I tell you... golden. I do tend to forget the side dishes, though. Our consumption of fresh fruits and veggies went down last month, but I am determined to fix that this month. Plus, with my New Year's resolution to lose some of my flab, we're making a lot of broth soups this time around. I'll try to photograph the event and post it up here. It really is worth doing. It really is worth doing. Can you tell I am trying to convince myself?

I've been having drama with many other things, too. It has just been a nutty week all in all.

So the reason I say it is the "Calm Before the Storm" is because I have nothing to do today. It is eerily quiet at work and I think I'll have time for a lot of crafting and cleaning tonight. It feels so good, but I know that it will be crazy for the next few days. I am going to go home and clean the house and knit while I watch my NBC Thursday line-up that I love so much and hopefully play with some trains with Cohen. It will be good. Hopefully, I won't crash on his bed reading books like I have for the last few nights, only to wake-up about 1:00 am completely confused as to why all the lights are on and I am still wearing shoes.

Tomorrow will start early with the 5:00 am workout with Genell and then I'll hit the ground running and won't stop until about the 27th. Sheesh. Thinking about it just makes me need to take a nap.

Here is a good photo that portrays waiting. This is Cohen and Mike watching the Shrinky Dink plastic through the oven window. Cohen was quite concerned when it all started curling up.

Two Offerings

After several rounds of temptation, I have entered the Sweat Shoppe swap on Craftster. I'm offering these sweet little pillows. I have had the little tree hanging on the back of my door with a price tag still on it since my last boutique at the beginning of December. It didn't sell and I was glad. I love it and i love those buttons. I bought the blouse at Savers just for those buttons. I do hope they are well received because I think they are cute and it is sometimes hard to part with things. Oh well. I'll make more and there are other fabulous buttons out there for the taking.


Oh, this is such a horrible photo. I made this blanket for a friend in my neighborhood who just had a baby boy. It is a cute little 30"x30" blanket. It is made from the softest quilting cotton. These are the kind of fabrics that make me wish I was having a baby tomorrow. I found this piece on the 70% off table at JoAnn's last week. There was only about 40" left so I snagged it for a whopping total of $.86. The brown stuff I always have as a staple in my stash. Because I was trying to get it done before the baby was too big to fit under it (the baby is 2 weeks old and the blanket is pretty tiny), I just tied it with some sweet yarn that I tie most of my last minute baby blankets with.


And... this herb couscous with carrots and cranberries was delicious served with some lightly curried chicken and a green salad.

As I stated yesterday, I hope to get some better photos this weekend to replace some of the junky ones I have on here. I want to hire you guys to take my photos, or your in house photographers. Although, I cannot complain. I have an in house illustrator and that is ALWAYS handy.

Have a great weekend!

No Daylight

The days have been dark and it has caused me to sleep in longer than normal. I've been getting to work really late this week forcing me to leave the office just as the sun is going down. I have not been able to take a decent picture of one thing that I've made. Is is a bummer because I've been working on a lot of stuff. Hopefully I can have a nicephoto shoot this weekend with the natural light. You should see the snow. It is just like my last post. It is snowing so hard, I'm wearing no coat and canvas shoes. I did wear a yellow scarf that I finished knitting on Sunday.

I've also finished a scarf that was supposed to be a Christmas gift for my gal Steph. She looked very cute wearing it to lunch today. Last night Mike and I stayed up past one watching this (of course it was dumb - but I do like the Shonen Knife cover of the Carpenter's Top of the World that they played) while I got to the half way of a beautiful cream panta for Lori. I also started on some pink warmers for Amy. Oooooh - they are lovely and I would love to keep them. I'm glad Soul Spun keeps this color stocked.

I made little hanging pillows for a Craftster swap and they turned out quite juvenile. I'll take another stab at them tonight. Over the weekend I worked on a cute little pillow cover and headbands. I used Heather Bailey's tutorial and they whip up quickly. Right before church started on Sunday, I decided I needed a head band and I was there sitting in my seat with time to spare. I also made one of Stacy's pear pincushions, although I have yet to find the perfect twig because my world is covered in snow. Her pattern is clear and easy to sew up.


I did manage to photograph this bag I finished for Nikki. It is not a good photo, but the bag turned out great. Nikki saved this outfit of her grandmother's after she passed away. It was
always Nikki's favorite. She didn't really want to keep the clothing around so I volunteered to make it into something. The interfacing I used is WAY too thick and the 100% polyester fabric was not keen with it. But, overall it is good and she is pleased. I added a little fabric yo-yo with the buttons from the blouse.



I am happily crafting away and hopefully I'll be able to share some things with you next week.

PS. New Year's Resolution - take better photos. :)

Be Prepared

When I got to work this morning at 8:00 am, the ground was dry and the air was warm.
It is now 2:00 pm (only 2 hours to quittin' time - yeehaw!) and look what is happening:



Good thing I wore my snowshoes!


Oh brother. I have lived in snow country since I was 9 years old and in Utah since 1999. Why is it that I think putting a cardigan over a tank top counts as a coat? Why is it that as long as it is not flip flops, they are good enough for winter? I might as well be out there in my bare feet.

But let's talk about my cute shoes. I got these bright pink cotton beauties at K-Mart last year (while scrounging for 75% off Martha Stewart sparkly green ornament) on the Blue Light table for $1.50. They are a size too big, but who cares. THEY ARE BRIGHT PINK! They are cotton shoes. I figure they'll shrink a little with each washing.

One last note... man I have a great view. When the sky isn't all white from snow, I can see all the way downtown (about 45 blocks from my office) because I am up on the bench of the Wasatch Mountains (Eagle Plaza). It really is the best office in the city - maybe the guys on the third floor have a better view. There is talk of our company moving to the Industrial Wasteland that is the I-15 corridor. This is a bummer because my commute is NOTHING. I only live five miles from work. Anyway... blah, blah, blah.

Some of you have asked what I do for a job. I work at an online health and beauty company and wear a few hats. I am the copy writer (although, you'd never know from my lack speak here on this ol' blog), the Director of Regulatory Affairs, and am trying to fit affiliate marketing in there somewhere, too. It is a good job. I work with great people and it is very, very flexible which is great for spending extra time with the kiddo and crafting. These things are muy importante!

Speaking of, I better get back to work. This post was supposed to be about the foot of snow outside and my cotton shoes. Bye!