Why you mock me blank page?!

I walk around almost every day with a blog topic in my head. It gets written and edited in my head before it hits the page. The moment I sit down in front of a blank screen, it disappears. All I am left with is a vague idea of what it might have been about. Family? Shoes? A family of shoes? So I will give you "Things Currently Occupying my Noodle." And maybe, just maybe, I will get my brain back to blogging:

1. Garden, version 2 - Due to crappy soil in our garden area, I decided on raised beds this year. Our garden wasn't terrible, but it took a lot more work than I was willing (and able, especially after surgery) to put in. This year, we will also have smaller sections and more vertical structures (but more produce).

2. Crafts - I swear I am in the middle of a craft crapstorm. I have 5,476,392 things I would like to do...and I have started about half of them already. I thought about detailing them, but then I realized it would exhaust me just to write them out. I have learned that any project without a set finish date will likely not get completed.

3. Vacation - we haven't been on vacation since 2006 (excludes anything in the midwest). I have been wanting to go somewhere - anywhere - other than our neighboring states. Preferably some place warm. With or without the kid.
Finally, I got ShankRabbit on board with the idea. We will have a small getaway (without the child) sometime soon and another one toward the end of the year with the kid (at a place with a kingdom of magic...).

I am about as shocked as I can physically be. Yay for vacation!

* * *

My brain has officially checked out, so here are some random pictures for you to enjoy (sorry to anyone on Twitter who has already seen these):


Gluten free thin mints. Yes, they can be done (om nom nom nom...)


Jacques, our new dishwasher. I love him so much.


A non-deviled egg. Part of an elaborate "welcome" gag played on a friend's boyfriend. He hates deviled eggs. So I made some out of meringue, yellow cupcake frosting, and red sugar. Heh heh...


My kid. My almost 3 year old.

My cup runneth over.

Several bits of crazy...er, random.

1. I am working on Craft Hope Project 7 (educational bean bags for schools in Liberia). I am having serious issues with odd numbers of bean bags. I can't make 9 or 11 bean bags...it has to be EVEN! So off I go to find suitable additions for the shape collection.

2. Today is my kid's 2nd day of dance class. I had to go out and buy a larger size leotard because the size 2-3 was way too small (what can I say? I gots a big kid). More fun stories to come about this class.

3. The day of my great uncle's funeral, I was talking with some of my relatives about being pulled over. They were telling me how they got out of tickets in the past (interesting what some people will do).

A few days later, I was pulled over and told the honest-to-jebus truth about why our plates our expired. I got a warning (and a firm reminder to get our car fixed and plates renewed). See?...telling the truth pays off too.

4. Remember about a year ago I shared with you the results of my medical mystery? Well, after a follow-up ultrasound it looks as though nothing has reduced in size (it's "persistent," as the nurse said). Now I'm scheduled to speak to my doctor next Wednesday about possible surgery. Ugh.

5. Ah ha! CRESCENT! And a 12th shape has been found. Happy dance!

6. My kid, my baby, my Peanut turned 2 on Monday. *tear*

7. I really really want to put our various vegetable seeds in the ground, but we still have some time to wait. Stupid frost times.

8. What purpose do slugs serve? I have found a couple in the soil of our future vegetable garden. Ew. I can handle earth worms...just not slugs.

Perfectly Paper - Handmade Flowers

I hate to put a disclaimer, but I must: I was in no way compensated/persuaded/asked to do this post. I just wanted to share something amazing with my readers, 'k?

A friend of mine from high school recently started her own business, Perfectly Paper - Handmade Flowers. At first I read her description and thought, "oh, paper flowers...whatev," thinking they'd be something like the tissue paper flowers we used to make in school...but then I took a look at her product and my jaw dropped.

Take a look at this photo and tell me I'm wrong.

I have never seen hand-painted paper roses look so realistic in my entire life. I wish she was doing this three years ago so I could have bought my wedding bouquet from her. The whole reason I didn't go with more flowers for my wedding was because of the waste - you spend a ton of money on something that dies a few days later. And you all know how I feel about things that are handmade!

Take a look at her website or her Etsy site. In addition to the amazing flowers you'll see her new line of greeting cards.

(Seriously...what can't this girl do?)

DIY car seat strap covers

My child has a wonderful car seat. Unfortunately, the straps irritate the side of her neck when she falls asleep (especially if she's wearing a tank top or short sleeve shirt). I knew I needed to do something before we spend 6+ hours in the car on Friday.

Now, some brilliant person has already created the concept of the "car seat strap cover," but what fun is buying some when you can make your own?

Here are my instructions on how to Make Your Own Car Seat Strap Covers
I apologize ahead of time for some of the photos...my camera battery died in the middle of production and I had to use my phone for the rest.

You will need:
fabric - I chose a soft "minky" fabric for the outside and a plain ol' boring cotton fabric for the inside.
Velcro
(optional) Batting or some other stuffing-type material (polyfil, cotton, scrap fabric, the neighbor's cat...)

1. Measure your car seat straps above the clip, length and width (IMPORTANT: be sure the clip is in the appropriate place your child wears it. You do not want the cover impeding the proper use of the car seat straps).

My strap width was about 1.75" - I rounded this up to 2" (I call this the "Isabella factor" - gives me room to make a mistake with no real harm to the project) and added an extra inch to accommodate the Velcro.

On the length - I added only a 1/2" to accommodate the seams (no room for error on this one - yipe!)

No, I did not embroider some weird arrow motif on her seat belt. Those arrows indicate where to measure.




2. If your fabric has an obvious directionality (like this godforsaken lovely choice I made), decide which way you want it to lay as a final product. Also, it is a good idea to do test runs on a scrap piece of fabric to figure out the correct tension for this project (if your machine does this automatically...then I hate you).





3. Cut out 2 pieces of the cover fabric and 2 pieces of the underside fabric.

See that pizza cutter-looking thing? That's my new rotary cutter. *swoon*

















4. Pin fabric, right sides together and sew, leaving an opening on one side (for turning).

Who uses a white pin on white fabric? Really...


















5. Clip the corners (it will make the corners less clumpy) and turn your fabric right side out.









Now, onto velcro...

6a. Attach Velcro pieces to each of the long sides (on the underside fabric).

To each his own when it comes to exactly how to attach the Velcro...if you've got a tried and true way to do it, then go for it. I personally did a basting stitch down the middle (red arrow) then went back and stitched around the outside (removing the basting afterward).

Note: I decided to put the Velcro in such a way so when closed it would be more like a clam-shell around the belt and not looped around to the underside of the belt. I didn't want unnecessary bulk under the belt, both for safety and comfort reasons.


Ah, my seam ripper. We have such a love-hate relationship, as you will see later on.










6b. Remember when I told you to do a scrap test for tension? Well, I didn't (do as I say, not as I do). It took three tries and a lot of hand cranking to get that friggin' lovely Velcro attached to the project.

(Behold! The Blur of Frustration!)

(Everyone, this is Betty. Betty - everyone)




6c. Don't get in a fight with your seam ripper. He will always win.



Ow.






7. Originally, I decided against doing any kind of filling because the fabric was plush enough not to need it. However, I thought a thin layer of batting might make things a little more comfy for the slumbering child. So, this part is completely optional - especially if you are using a wonderfully soft, plush fabric for the outside.

Note: I did not secure the batting to the project in any way. Yes, I realize the "afterthought" batting will eventually shift and clump after washing a few times. I can always open it up, replace it, and tack it down in some way. No biggie.
(Eeeew. My nails look gross. Gotta do something about that...)

8. Stitch the openings closed.











9. Hey look...the *grumble, grumble* Velcro works!












10. All done and ready to use!

Kenmore Mini Ultra

I'm posting this meme for the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog. So, if you really don't want to read all about my lovely sewing machine, then skip this post.


Photo courtesy of Sears.com. You think I'd take a picture of my sewing table? BAHAHAHAHA!

What brand and model do you have?
Kenmore Mini Ultra

How long have you had it?
About 3 years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
I think I bought it on sale at Sears for $50-$80.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
Clothing, stuffed animals/dolls, bags/purses, baby gifts (bibs, blankets, burp cloths), baby shoes

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
I sew about 3-4 hours every other day. I would say it gets a moderate amount of wear and tear, but I maintain it pretty well.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I like my machine. It's very easy to use and small in size. Her name is Betty. :)

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
All of the basic features of any machine - a good amount of stitches, easy to use, etc. Nothing fancy.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
Nope.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
There is nothing super exciting to tell about it...other than I got it because I wanted to make my own veil for my wedding.
Oh, and I once thought it was possessed when I would turn it on and it would start sewing right away (turns out my fabric bin was on the pedal).

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Definitely. It is a great sewing machine for beginners or for anyone who is looking for a straight-forward, "no frills" machine.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
I think it's very important to look for a machine that is going to suit your specific needs, not just go out and buy one because it has all the bells and whistles.

It was originally about repurposing...

ShankRabbit and I love to "repurpose." For example, when I had to take a scissors to our recalled pack n' play, I tried to think of other ways to use the residual materials (as long as it was not for baby-supporting purposes, as apparently this version failed at). Here are a couple of our projects -

I made Peanut a pair of soft-soled shoes out of an old pair of jeans:


Look at those chubby baby legs!



(the pattern for these awesome, relatively easy baby shoes can be found here).

**Note: I whipped these up really quick because I needed a good multi-purpose shoe. They aren't pretty, but they work (and we have since added puffy paint "treads" to the bottoms for a non-slip grip).

ShankRabbit made a headboard for our bed out of two small nightstands:


(as you can see, there is barely any room for walking next to the bed, let alone a nightstand)

And since I'm showing you a picture of our headboard, allow me to explain a few things:

1. That "lock" box houses my jewelry. Nothing of importance in there since the most expensive items I own are on me 24/7. So, if there is anyone out there reading who thinks they are going to hit pay dirt by breaking in and stealing this box...you are sorely mistaken. Unless you like name necklaces from 8th grade and several pairs of $1 earrings...

2. Yes, that is a cribbage board in the middle section. ShankRabbit and I like to play a game or two if we go to bed earlier than normal (I know...we're one EXCITING married couple, I tell ya!).

3. My side of the bed houses the "Babyproofing Bible," an InStyle magazine, and a homemade heating pad. ShankRabbit's side has all of our DS games, a devotion book, and the Bible.

4. Eventually, I would like to outfit this with doors in (Plexiglass? Acrylic?) some form of plastic sheeting that will slide across. I will have ShankRabbit run some lights and you've got one heckuva lighting and (hidden) storage option...or at least the pipe dream is there.

So, I realize that I meant to cover how much we love to repurpose and yadda yadda yadda...but since I've gone into depth about our headboard (and felt the need to explain everything), I wonder -

What's on your headboard/nightstand?

Shots, crafts and garbage guilt

I was thinking of what to title this post and I have to share with you my train of thought -

I could call it "Shots." Though, that could imply alcoholic shots. Too bad immunizations aren't as fun as those. The next time I'm at the doctor and have to get a shot, I should ask for a whiskey chaser.

Yes, I am truly an odd bird. No need to remind me.

* * * * *

Today is Peanut's 12 month 1 year* check-up. Shots are on the docket. Typically, she handles these pretty well, but with her recent sickness, who knows what the next couple days will bring. Let's hope a small dose of Tylenol beforehand helps out.

* * * * *

I have a new button on the left side of my blog for Craft Hope. What is it? "Craft Hope is a faith-based, love inspired project designed to share handmade crafts with those less fortunate. It is our hope to combine our love for crafting and desire to help others into a project to make a difference around the world."

Sometimes I feel like I don't have enough time to breathe, let alone craft...but this community really calls to me. Even if you think you are not "crafty," they provide easy-to-follow tutorials.

Don't worry, my five blogger friends waiting for crafts. You have not been forgotten and I already have your projects in the works.

* * * * *

At Peanut's party, we put out a blue plastic recycling bag for all of the soda cans and bottles. We failed to put a sign on it (and failed to provide an equally large garbage bag). Therefore, our recycling bag was used for garbage AND recycling. Hey, at least it matched our party decor.
Am I weird for feeling guilty about throwing all that away? Or how about peering out the window at the garbage man to see if he has a disapproving look or comment?

____________

* - Shankrabbit and I decided once Peanut reached a year, we would say her age in years instead of months. We've come across so many people that will say their child is something like "29 months old." You're not telling someone how old your child is, you are giving them a math problem.