kirstencan

Productivity Binge

What fun to read your comments on my last post!  Thank you all for sharing (and I'm glad I'm not the only one...).

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Wow!  We had a great weekend!  I hope you all did as well.  We somehow got a ton of stuff done.  That doesn't always happen.

First and foremost, we finally finished priming over the Ugly Wallpaper in the playroom (no, I'm not stripping it, and yes, I tried - it refuses to budge). 

I had an 'in progress' photo here, but deleted it.  Oh, I hate that wallpaper!  I don't even want it on my blog!
 

So this week it will be painted - I can't wait to show it off, but I think I'll wait until it's completely finished - which will be a while, as we're waiting for IKEA to open to get our new toy cabinets!  Anyway, I'm excited.

While I was priming, I noticed this little scrap of blue on the ceiling (and here you can see a bit of the horrid wallpaper:)

Guess what it is? 

Crepe paper streamer scrap from Princess 4th birthday!  Um, yeah, that was almost 3 years ago (ahem).  It was super cute, though, it was Cinderella themed, and the playroom was the ballroom...

and no, I didn't take it down.

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Also watched some good films:  Masterpiece Theatre's Jane Eyre (did anyone else see this?  Wow!  It's gorgeous and amazing.) and The Pursuit of Happyness (Oy.  Was it just us, or was this hard to watch?  It's a beautiful film and all, but we were so stressed!  Was it because we're parents?  Or do we just get too involved in our films... We kept thinking, "Any minute now, his luck will turn, any minute..."  Yeah, the last two minutes of the show and that's it!  I liked it but don't think I can watch that one again.  It sure made me count my blessings, though!)
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I got a tiny bit of crafting in - I love how this project turned out and will show you later this week.
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Not to mention that the weather was completely glorious - we were able to hang-dry some laundry and got the little sprinkler out, as the Big Plumbing Job dessimated our sprinkler system (our poor yard!) and the kids had a ball.

Don't you love getting stuff done?

When you come to my house...

...I will have to check on the boys every 2.5 minutes or so - making conversation difficult.  Otherwise they will be trying to flush a roll of paper towels down the toilet - or worse, the sink.

...There will probably be an impromptu dance party.  Be prepared to be astonished by Monkey's innate sense of rhythm.

...My table probably won't be cleared off from breakfast.

...Please take off your shoes at the door.

...Know that there are baby door locks on half of the doors in the house.

...There will probably be at least one potty trip, accident, or really smelly diaper while you're here.  I apologize in advance.

...Help me remember that the orange and red cups are Thomas', and the blue and green cups are Monkey's (they leave them all over the house, so we needed a system!).

...Thomas will want to sing the ABC song with you - several times.

...It will be impossible to get any decent photos of the kids.

...Lunch will be served at precisely 11:30.

...Princess will talk the entire time.

...Monkey will ask for a pacifier, even though he already has one.

...Star Wars will be discussed, read about and/or acted out.

...Many rocket ship and race car noises will be heard.

...Please don't notice that my windows need to be cleaned.

...Feel free to borrow a book or two - you'll find some in every room.

...We'll probably watch Max & Ruby or Thomas the Tank Engine at some point.

...On your way to the bathroom feel free to step over the clean laundry that the boys have thrown from the shelves.

...At least one Calvin & Hobbes book will be on the table.

...Thomas will ask you to play legos or race cars. "I be this one, you be this one."  Don't think you can get out of it.

What's it like at your house?

Zipper

Thanks so much for your kind words and support about my little shop!  I am happy to say that I've sold a few things, and gotten a couple of custom orders, so that's pretty exciting.

I've been taking projects with me a lot lately - to speech mostly.  I'll take a shirt that I've started appliquéing and do the hand stitching behind the 2-way mirror.  I usually throw everything I need into my purse.

That doesn't turn out ideally.  Floss and needles loose in a purse ...

And then I was flipping through Quilts and saw that there is a zipper pouch project in there.

That would be perfect.

Except that I've never sewn a zipper before!  Well, technically, once in a sewing class in college, but I didn't remember how to do it.

Well, it's way easier than I thought!  Look, a zipper!  Not perfect, but it works!  And the pouch is just big enough for a couple of floss cards and some small scissors. 

Now I can carry my crafting in a more organized fashion! Hooray!
(The vintage fabric was part of a bag of fabric I recently thrifted).

Grand Opening

Wish me luck!

I have opened my own Etsy shop (I know, me and everybody else, right?)!

I want to say first-off that I am not expecting you, Dear Reader, to buy my stuff.  I don't like when blogs pressure readers to buy from them.  If you want to, I'd be delighted, and please tell your friends if you think they'd be interested, but while I will talk about the shop sometimes (as it is a new adventure for me!) I will try not to make you feel guilty for not buying from me.  That's the beauty of Etsy - people will hopefully find me through searches, too.

I just think that a shop sounds like fun. When I get into an appliqué kick, and run out of my family's shirts - I'll have someplace to put the extras!  And if it helps pay for my crafting habit (and Stanley's repair bill...), so much the better, right?

Pricing was hard.  Hand-stitching this batch of appliqué shirts took a lot of time.  So how much do you charge to make it worthwhile for you and the buyer?
I really looked at each item and how much time was spent making it.  The brooches were a dilemma - I  mean, I shopped for wool sweaters (and they're
100% lambswool), felted them myself, then made the brooches.  But when I look at them, I see the imperfections in my work and wonder how I could possibly charge more for them.  So anyway, prices may fluctuate in the future, but for now they're what they are! :)

BTW, I 'invested' in a small stock of these cute stripey shirts - I have lots of them between 18 mos, 2T and 3T, plus snap-bottom shirts for baby girls and boys (and I'm more than willing to try and find other sizes).  So, if you have been thinking that you would like a specific shirt (letter, number, train, flowers, etc.) let me know!

Anyway, let me know what you think, or if you run into any problems if you stop by!  I have shirts, bunting, magnets, and brooches up for sale right now.

It's worth asking...

We are in need of spaceships.

I've been keeping my eyes open while thrifting for space ship toys - esp. Star Wars ones.  None yet. 

Today at a friend's house (hey, Whitney!) Thomas got to play with their extensive space ship collection.  His faves were the burger king kids' meal toy ones - small and chunky. 

So... does anyone have a few of those they might want to get rid of?

Thomas is crying because he wants the mailman to come bring him some spaceships (I just ordered that book for him from eBay - which I've checked for these - but I'm not finding exactly what I want).

Specifically I want the tie-fighter, x-wing, and snowspeeder (for some reason the snowspeeder is Thomas' all-time fave ship).  I'd be willing to make something for you to trade!

Just thought I'd ask - I know how those fast food toys clutter up closets!  And it is spring cleaning season!

Anyone?

Anyone?

Beuhler?

**A few days later:  I just won an eBay auction for a few of them that wasn't a total ripoff, so I guess we're okay!

Book Sale

Today was the big downtown library's annual sale.**

We went with my parents and sister, so we could tag-team - we'd switch who was watching the kids outside and who was inside shopping.

Ahh, the books.

Do you see all the books?  They're all for sale!
It's a great opportunity to get hardcover books (for $1 to boot), school books, and anything for Princess - as it's nearly impossible to keep her in books.

It gets pretty crazy, with people pushing carts or hauling bags and boxes through cramped aisles.  It can be cool, though, people start chatting, and recommending books to other people...
I hung out in the Children's aisle, and the classics, mostly.

I weeded my full duffel bag (a little - just so you could zip it) because I remembered that at least one time I have written a $60 check here...

Total: $17.50.

$17.50?

Must go back in! (Seriously, I did!)

Chasing the kids at Library Square while it's Aaron's turn.
(Monkey wears his cape a lot).

Our loot - total = 37.50.

JF's, kids' non-fiction, a CD, books to cut up, cooking and gardening books, and lots of fiction.

(The tallest pile with 'Heidi' on top is all books for Princess.  Thomas listened to his new Curious George book - but only halfway - he's WAY into this new book I got him on eBay.)

Luckily, I have a big, strong husband to carry our huge bags of books 5 blocks to the car! (You don't usually have to park that far away, but there was a city event that had a bunch of streets blocked off...)

**They told me when I checked out that it's a bi-annual sale!  Apparently I've been missing the October sale - all these years!

Felting Fun

I bought a couple of sweaters specifically to felt.
I've been wanting to try that - what fun!

I don't know why it was more fun than just buying felt. 
It worked well, and for some reason I found it fun to cut up -
maybe because it was thick and reminded me of cutting sugar cookie dough.
mmmmmmm....sugar cookies.......

While I cut it up, I thought 'Wow, this really is felt!' 
Because I'm a genius.

And here's a peek at some felty fun...

Need. More. Sweaters!

Birthday Recap

Thank you all so much for your birthday wishes for Monkey!

He had a great day.
(He spent most of it in his cape - and this little '2' shirt I made him).

.

Monkey has been talking for months about having a 'Pooh & Lumpy' cake.
Months.
Then, last week he started talking about how he wanted a 'Mater and the Ghostlight' cake (!), or a Darth Vadar cake.

Luckily, I was able to talk him back into the Lumpy idea - which was probably the easiest to make!

(and of course, it's gluten and dairy-free, so Thomas could eat it, too).

Princess helped by making the little cupcake flags.

Monkey found the powdered sugar and announced "I like sugar, Mom!"

(Well, of course you do!)

Mom made his birthday crown and we got Monkey some helium balloons.  I was going to separate them and put them in different places, but he had such fun playing with them (and carrying them around for most of the day) and the ribbons got hopelessly tangled up - and that's okay.

Yesterday I took 347 photos.
I wish I could share all the good ones!

Okay, gotta go play some Mr. Potato Head and eat some cake for breakfast!

My Baby is Two!

Today is Monkey's 2nd birthday. 

The time has FLOWN!

This weekend I whipped up a cape for him.
He's been wanting to be 'Super Bunny' - which
is from a Max & Ruby episode.  My kids don't
really know much about Batman, Spiderman, etc.

(Star Wars, yes...)

I am so grateful for this kid.
He is so happy and funny.

We got pregnant with him right before Thomas
started acting wild (which happens with a lot
of autistic kids around 18-24 mos. We had no
idea that there was anything 'different' about
Thomas at that time). 

We've joked several times that it's a good thing
Monkey happened when he did or we might not
have had him at all!

Oh, I'm so glad we did.  He is a joy to
be around.

• I love how he says 'Wee Haaa!' when he's on the swings.
• I love how he says 'Deyicious'.
• I love how he experiments with plurals, like "Fish, fishes, fisha-es" to try and figure them out on his own.
• I love how when you ask where something went his standard reply is: "It flew away" or "It fell in the water".  Which never makes any sense at all.

• I love how he has to have any snack in a bowl.  Don't try and give him even 2 raisins without a bowl, bag, or napkin to put them in.

• I love how he calls almonds 'acorns' and won't eat them unless you call them that, too (a nod to Totoro).

• I love how he loves the garden so much that it's an insult for him to find out that Aaron was working there without him.

• I love that he loves fruits & vegetables.  He'll eat anything and loves it.  Very unlike my other two.  His current favorite is Clementines - 'Peel my Cemenkine?'

• I love how he dances - he's got such rhythm!
• I love going shopping with just him.  We just talk away, and he's hilarious.
• I love that he knows a wampa monster from a rancor monster (Star Wars)
• I love how his hair is finally growing in - except those front corners...
• I love how even though he's definitely the skinniest of my kids, he's still chubby enough to kiss thoroughly.

If you ask him if he's a Big Boy, he'll
angrily say 'NO!  I'm a Big Baby!'

That's okay by me,
Happy Birthday to my big baby.
I'm so glad you're here with me.

He's Back!

He made it!

Look at Stanley all repaired and wrapped in plastic like he's new or something!

Hooray!

The repairman (who I would recommend)told me about... 9 times that I shouldn't let my husband get near it.  And he stuck a sticker on it to remind me to call him when it needs a tune-up.  (For the record, Aaron did nothing to it except take the case off!  It was the boys or me who caused any damage to it).

He even put new felt circles around the ... spool-holder-thingy.  And he told me several times that it's a good machine, which is nice to hear, you know?  I mean, it's a lower-end Kenmore from 9 years ago, but that's why I bought a Kenmore, because I thought it would last a really long time.

Now I'm going to put Stanley to work, to maybe pay for his repair bill.  I have a stack of fabric all cut and waiting for him.

**added later - I just sewed with him and Stanley is making the most delicious soft humming sound!  Much quieter than before!

And on a thrifting note, I found some awesome fabric yesterday:

The yellow is a king-sized sheet soon to be a summer skirt.  The others are all heavier, bag-making fabric.  Woo hoo!