What I Worked On This Week

1. submitted in the zig zag contest

2. working on new totes (just finished the handles last night)

3. working on a new collection of fabrics


4. hand quilting a cheater robot quilt that I found at Joann's for my boys. This is where they can play and I can still watch them as I quilt.

This weekend will be full of studying (for exams) and sewing on the new totes

I'm really hoping to get this set of totes done so I can show it to you!

Spoonflower Zig Zag Contest

I submitted my Zig-zag cheater quilt yesterday for the Spoonflower's weekly contest.

The colors were inspired by gemstones, and the gray is like the stone that covers the lines of rays from gems that shine through the cracks of the dark stones.  So cheesy, huh?

What do you think?
You're probably wondering why i didn't do the zig zag all the way, huh? I wanted to do something a little different to keep it zig zag but also unique.

I'll let you know when it's time to vote! ;)

I'm excited to purchase this and make it my own quilt!

Birthday Party, a month late

Child #2's birthday was exactly a month ago. I never planned a birthday party because someone was always getting sick.
So just last week, I said, we're doing a family birthday party for Child #2 this Sunday!

That is exactly what happened. S made roasted pulled pork on the grill (delicious, and I usually don't like these things from restaurants). and we made banana cupcakes with decorated them chocolate icing with nilla wafers.

We didn't do anything fancy, just a family get together for Child #2.


for the monkeys:
whatever cupcakes you want to use. we just chose to do banana cupcakes.

dark frosting, we used milk chocolate

mini nilla wafers (cut them in half, don't try to break them, or you'll be eating most of the box from them breaking apart) - you can also see the top left where i didn't cut them, and they don't look as cute as the ones that were cut for the ears.

regular nilla wafers

Red and Black Piping gels. for the nose, use toothpick.

This weeks' project

I finally finished this week's project!

Finished a medium pouch, small pouch, key pouch, and extra small pouch.
Excuse the bad lighting, I was too excited to take a picture!

I'm thinking about renaming the sizes of the pouches:
medium pouch to large pouch
small to medium
extra small to small.

Perfect Quaker Cookies

I'm not sure if you've noticed at the side, there is a button for TangoPony. We are both a part of KCEtsy Street Team (it's pretty awesome, and you should join if you're in KC)

On her blog, she posted the Perfect Quaker Cookies!

picture source

I don't know about you, but I do love me sommmme good Oatmeal Raisin cookies!

Check out her post for the recipe and her adventure to the grocery store searching for the perfect Quaker Cookies!

Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

Child #1 doesn't care for vegetables... so, he always says that green foods makes him sick.

We usually hide vegetables in their foods, but he always somehow finds them and picks them out.

I've been on a smoothie kick lately, it first started by me purchasing Jamba Smoothie Mixes. They're delicious by the way! But I figured that I need to do something healthier.

I made my own Blueberry Spinach smoothie.

1 cup frozen blueberries
~3 cups of spinach (take the stems off if you need to)
1 frozen banana (peeled, of course)
1 frozen peach (i usually have it peeled, but it's not necessary)
1 container of plain greek yogurt (our favorite greek yogurt is Oikos)
1/4 cup apple juice

Serves approx. 3 - 4

put it all together in a blender and mix until smooth.

I have to make sure I make these "green" smoothies not the color green. Child #1 will start questioning! So, I thought that blueberries would 'hide' the green color.

The boys loved it! They couldn't taste the spinach, and it's definitely a do again!

I totally took the picture of the smoothie late, we were all enjoying the smoothie so much, that toward the end, I was like, "Oh no! I need to take a picture!"

Donating to Art Unleashed, Part 2

I made a new tote... this is the first one, and it will be donated to Art Unleashed. ...
I've been doing some tote sketches to add to my shop collection. Couple nights ago, I started cutting fabrics, etc. Started at 9pm, shortly after the boys went to bed. Then it was getting pretty late, I looked up at the clock in the craft room and the hands said it was midnight... only to find out that the batteries were dying, and it was actually 2am!!
So, I was like, Well, I'm up this late already, might as well just finish it. Thinking that it'll take me another hour.  Nope, I did not finish it until 445am. Got into bed at 5am. Got a 2 hour power nap. went to work........................ not as a productive day since half of my brain was still asleep!

Then later finding out that I have strep. Ugh. What a week, already!!

I will be keeping a distance from everyone for a few days until it's "safe" to interact with other human beings!

Oh yes, so what do you think? Love to hear some feedback on how to make it perfect for you!

Donating to Art Unleashed, Part 1

Last year was the first year that I started to donate to Art Unleashed (an event from the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City) to help with pets in the Kansas City area. I actually did 2 doodles last year (doodles are painting/sketch/art on  5"x5" MDF tiles)

This year I decided to stitch something for them.  This is just one of the two that I will be donating. I'm still working on the other one, that's why this is the "Part 1" ;)

What do you think? Dog bones. I think it's pretty cute!!!

If you're in the Greater Kansas City area, you can purchase tickets here for $25 to Art Unleashed.

Hoover Twin Tank Steam Mop - Review

As you know, I have two little boys. We have wood floors in the kitchen and eating area. As any mother with toddlers would know, there is hardly a time where food does not fall on the floor.
Our boys are definitely no exception. Child #2 loves to eat off the floor. Do not ask me why! He would dump his food sometimes on the floor just to eat it off the floor.
Child #1 would throw away anything that touches the floor, with the exception of any types of sweets.

[Almost] Every night, I sit on the floor by the dining table with a bottle of floor cleaning spray, and clean up the floor with a towel. If there is a spot that is hard to get off, I'll spray and let it sit there as I get to other spots, and then spot clean the tough crusty part. We haven't found a mop that really cleans the floor.

I had the opportunity to try out Hoover Twin Tank Steam Mop! I was very excited -- as you can tell by the picture below!  This is when I came home late from work, and I was telling Steve that I had received an e-mail that the Steam Mop was coming soon... and he walked to the other room and brought it out and said, "this steam mop?" ... I was very excited! Yes, the little things in life excites me!!!

So, here are some things on the box that Hoover Steam Mop does:

• Disinfects & Kills or Removes 99.99% of harmful bacteria (with steam alone)
• TwinTank Technology - which allows users to keep formula cleaning solution and water separate for total control.
• Solution Control Dial - users can easily control the amount of cleaning solution used to meet the needs of any cleaning job
• 30-Foot Power Cord - pretty awesome if you have a big kitchen
• Removable Tanks - for easy filling and emptying
• Triangular Swivel Mop Head
• Carpet Glider
• Microfiber Triangle Pads
• Soft-Touch Grip
• Cord Release
• "Steam Ready" Indicator LED

I didn't clean the floor for a couple days, believe me, it was really difficult walking on the sticky floor.
While the boys were taking a nap, I took a picture of the spot under where the boys usually eat.

I swept first, so you can actually see the spots rather than extra dirty floor.
If you click on the picture, you can probably see better of all the dirty spots.


The directions to the steam mop was very easy to follow and easy to use! It's not loud, and with the tough spots, I just went extra slow over it. Just one time over the spot, it's gone! What? I didn't have to go back and forth with the mop! I didn't have to get down on the floor and scrap at it!

It's gone! How easy was that? It didn't take the floor long to dry from the mop, maybe 5 minutes or less.

Here is another spot. I think this is probably drips of juice and just got dirty from walking on it. I have no idea how long it has been there.

Just a slow glide over the spot...

I had to take a bigger picture because I couldn't remember where the spot originally was at!

Now, for the carpet test:
I have no idea what my kids had spilled here, I think it may be cranberry juice. Child #1 was on a cranberry juice kick for a little bit.

 Not sure if you can see it, but there is a small reddish stain.

I did the Spot Clean for this part. You can see a slight spot, but you can hardly see it now!


PROS:

• Super light and compact
• Triangular head, I could get the tight corners under the bar easily
• Disinfects 99.99% -- this is nice since my youngest enjoy eating off the floor
• TwinTake - which means, I don't necessary have to use the solution and I can use just the steam (this means I can save some money)
• Microfiber Pads that I can just throw in the wash for easy cleaning!
• Cord Release makes it easy so I don't have to unwind 30' of cord just to wind it back up!!
• Steam Ready Indicator is super quick, barely one minute and it's ready for me to use!
• It glides very easily on the wood floor and carpet!
• Swivel head, that's easy to turn with just a twist of the wrist

CONS:

• Need to refill water with every cleaning job.

I don't think it's a big deal with refilling the water with every project, but we have used it at least 2 - 3 times a week now.  We don't let the water sit in the tanks for very long.

Overall, I think it's a great product! Super easy to use! Definitely better than sitting on the floor!

“I received a sample of this product to facilitate my review, but my opinions are entirely my own.”

Foot injuries and internal struggles

I have not been running. It makes me sad. I hurt my foot during the half marathon, later figured out that it was the shoes.
Then couple weeks ago, I went running, and somehow hurt my foot. I must have been running funny or something. I still can't figure it out. I even had to go to the doctor's because I could barely walk on it.

This makes me sad since I can't run... it really just dampened my mood.
Maybe that's why I haven't been posting? I have been busy with work, really busy.... then studying for licensing exams. Why did I pick a degree that I have to take more exams after college?
But I also have some internal struggles that I have been fighting with.

I have low thyroid count, borderline. So I'm always fatigue... and sometime that really puts you in a bluesy mood. It took awhile for me to really say, 'Hey, I need to see the doctor'. S had to mention it in a way that I wouldn't bite his head off! But he did, and I finally went to the see doctor about three months ago.

I've been going through some mild depression. It's not too serious, I've been taking some meds to see what works for me. Basically I am a science project. haha.
I thought running would help with putting me in a better mood, but it hasn't helped... at least not enough to make a difference.

You know how there are those 'emo' days when you're a teenager? I almost feel like that, but I don't have time to feel like that. When you're a teenager, everything is a big deal, and you get moody real fast. Well, for me, not everything is a big deal, if something doesn't work out. ok, I can handle it (i think!)... but I really unmotivated to do anything. Sometimes, even my hobby doesn't seem to put me in a better mood. I'm so ho-hum. just in a weird funk. I would sometimes cry myself to sleep, and sometimes when I'm really overwhelmed with life - I would cry at my desk at work for no reason at all (and then just avoid anyone that walks by)... I just go in a shut down mode where nothing I do would make me happy. Granted, I have a wonderful family, I do think of that, and think how fortunate I am... but there is just that trigger that I can't turn on to where I feel good about myself.

So, my doctor put me on some anti-depression pills, which is fine... it's been about 3 or so months, I'm still tired, I will say that my mood is better, but I don't feel like myself yet. So, we're still trying to figure everything out.

Maybe this is my break from the pressure? It's just an internal struggle that I need to overcome. I really hope I'm not the only one like this, and I know I'm not... but I just don't know who to talk to... or who sometimes I can relate to.

hey, thanks for listening to me. I really appreciate it.