Floppy Disk fabric

So, you know back in the day... ok ok, it wasn't that long ago... it was more like a month ago. I designed a floppy disk fabric for Spoonflower's outdated technology. Yeah, I remember it like it was yesterday... [sigh]

ok anyway...

Well, another designer (Cherie from StudioCherie, who I admire very much) had purchased the fabric and created this masterpiece!

click on the pic for the link!

Hands down. It totally made my day today. You should stop by and tell Cherie that she's awesome for making such an awesome product with such an awesome fabric. lol, it's awesome. one more time, awesome.


yep. awesome.

Zeke's Paint & Design Centers - Review

We purchased two groupons to Zeke's Paint & Design Centers awhile back.

Of course, like the best procrastinator ever, we went the day it expires ... I panicked a bit because I had no idea what colors to do! I still wanted to paint the boys' room, but I still haven't figured out what I wanted to do yet. I have an idea, but nothing set!

I called Zeke's when they opened, and the guy who picked up the phone was very friendly (I called the Prairie Village location). I explained that I have groupons, but don't know what I want to do with them yet. He just told me that I could just get the white paint in the finish that I want, and just come in with it to add color to it. It didn't cost extra to add colors. What? really?! That's great!! It definitely calmed me down and not frantically searching for a color that I may not even like later.

That's exactly what we did. The guy at the counter was super friendly (we went to the Overland Park location). He helped put all the paint in my trunk while the boys (this includes the husband, don't worry, I didn't leave the kids in the car with the windows cracked) were in the car. The kiddies were passed out!

So, overall, it was a great experience. Customer service was great!!

I'll be back to get my colors!

Happy Mother Challenge - Day 7

Happy Mother Challenge - Day 7

CHALLENGE: 


Cut the list of expectations you have for the people in your life in half. Focus on the big stuff and let the small stuff go. Mothers can be much happier if we learn to dismiss character flaws, sullen attitudes, or temper tantrums and focus on the goodness in loved ones. Doing so doesn’t mean that we are blind; it is quite the opposite. It means that we are willing to see the faults and frailties of our loved ones but appreciate and love them anyway. This is gritty, deeper love, the kind that brings great joy not only to our loved one, but to us as well. Love that requires us to say things that are right and good, to extend comfort and forgiveness to a loved one when he doesn’t deserve it, or refuse to give up trying, is the kind that truly makes life worth living.

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If you go to the link on Dr. Meg Meeker's website, there is a line that says "the problem isn’t really our disappointment; the problem is our expectations."

I noticed lately with D (Child #1) that he gets frustrated when we praise him. (In case you didn't know, D is 3 years old) It's not like we never praise him or praise him too much. If he does something right, we tell him "good job!"... encouraging words.
On Sunday, as he was getting dressed for church, he had a hard time putting his arms through his shirt. He was "stuck" and wanted me to help him. But by the time he came over to me (since I was dressing C), he figured it out. I said, "You did it! You didn't need my help! Good job!" ... he looked at me, and was frustrated, and told me not to talk to him. Of course, I don't allow talking back in our house. So, he got a stern talk about talking back to me. I also had him come over to me, I hugged him and told him how proud I am that he figured out putting his shirt on, and it's okay to be achieve difficult things.
Sunday before, he made a mistake with something, I don't recall. But he made a mistake, and got frustrated. I just pulled him aside (we were at church), and told him that it's okay to make mistakes and it's okay to be wrong sometimes, and we'll still love him.

I'm not sure what he is going through right now, being able to express and talk about his feelings? He doesn't talk about it, he just gets frustrated.

I think the hardest part with "expectations" with both kids are different. With D, it was potty training. It took him longer than most kids to start potty training. He didn't care if he was wet, poopy, etc. But the moment when we stopped expecting it. He wanted to do it. He started to go to the bathroom!! I think this really taught us, as parents, that the moment we stop expecting him to be like every other kid... He'll always be himself. We should help him with himself and not help him to be like other kids.

As for C, he's almost 20 months, and still barely talks (under 8 words). D had over 50+ by this age. I was concerned. I asked the doctor during check up couple months ago, she said it's normal for this age. She did ask if we were comparing with his brother. We were. So, we need to step back and not expect it out of him, and it'll happen when it happens.

They are not like any other children.
They are perfect in their own way

This is a few months ago as we were going on a walk.  

I don't think I'll ever get a good camera picture. These boys move too fast for my camera phone! 

 

short break

Well, I'm sure you read the title, and you're thinking. ... Didn't you just start this blog?


I'm all over the place. I was all over this blogging, kick starting it ... blogging [almost] everyday... then now, I'm going to tell you that I'm taking a break!  I'm such a jerk. sorry.

I love blogging, and I love you. I love sharing tutorials, I love sharing with you... and it means a lot to me that you stop by to read my blog ramblings.

But... I do have to work to feed my addiction to fabric. I do have to keep working to advance in my career to feed my addiction to crafting (and pay for daycare).  Feed me Seymour! Oh yeah, I totally said that out loud.

So, my short break is to help my career. What? Your career is not to blog? Unfortunately, I do not make any money sharing my love of sewing, crafting, etc.  I have not figured out how to really make money so I can quit my day job to blog. Sorry, that's the facts. I still need to pay for all these fun projects as well as paying for daycare, bills, ... life.
As for my career, I'll be taking exams throughout the next few years to advance in my career. Boo. But no worries... right now it's just going to be until April that I'll be gone. I'll probably take a break here and there to study cram for the exams.

My main goal is to actually start going to bed before 2am every night... and getting more than 4 hours of sleep everyday. Sometimes, I wish I could curl up under my desk at work and take a short nap.  The lack of sleep has really affected my work, at home, and everywhere.
So, my break is for my well being too. I have been sick at least 2 times every month, the lack of sleep really does it in for me. and I'm sure it doesn't help with my crankiness! LOL, I'm kidding... I'm never cranky! LOL, kidding. I'm really not hysterical!

So, I promise I'll be back as soon as I can. Maybe not blogging everyday, but probably once a week.  I'll still be on facebook. So, you can always see what I'm up to there. ;)

This is really hard for me because of how much I'll miss you. It's me, not you. I promise.

Remember, I'm glad that you're here, even just to stop by for a little bit.

Happy Mother Challenge - Day 6

Happy Mother Challenge - Day 6

I missed this one last week.

CHALLENGE:
Carve out some time for yourself this week.  Put away your iPhone, turn off your computer and be with yourself and just listen.


Here are some ideas to inspire you. Feel free to list some of your own in the comments below!


Arrive early to work and before you jump out of your car to start the day, turn off the car and silence the radio. Just sit and be.
Shut your office door after lunch, turn off the computer, silence your phone and take a breather.
Go to your local library, find a comfortable chair and absorb the silence.
After your children are asleep in their beds, go to your favorite chair. Turn off the television and just spend a few minutes listening to the silence.
Your turn. Tell me how you will carve out a bit of solitude for yourself this week. Do it and come back and tell me how it felt.

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I have a really hard time with this. My mind is super active, I can't sit still. I have a really hard time just "vegging". If I'm watching TV, I am either folding clothes, putting dishes away, I hardly ever just watch TV. I think the only time I really do watch TV is when one of the boys (mostly C, because he's the cuddler, D doesn't care to cuddle).
I keep myself busy so my mind doesn't wander... like S says, when I get a thought, which is a snowflake... and when I'm thinking about it, it turns into a giant snowball that just rolls down the hill and gets bigger and bigger.

So, I'm going to try my best to just sit and just be.

We'll see how it goes... ... I have a feeling I won't do this very well.

Happy Friday

So many great things this week!

1. D (Child #1) has pooped in the toilet! This is so wonderful! This is a milestone for all parents. I even have a picture of him with his poop. Yes, I do. But I will spare you of this wonderful monumental picture. He was really scared to poop in the toilet, so S would sit with him, hold his hand, ... just anything. He would tell us, "it's too hard" or "I'm scared" ... And we really wanted him to just poop in the toilet. But 3 nights ago, I told him to go potty before dinner and wash his hands. I see his face turning red. He gets the "red man" face when he poops. So, I asked him what he was doing. He responds, "I'm pooping." like it was nothing. I ran over there asking him if he wants a book to read or anything. and he's looks at me like, "mom, i'm pooping, get out of here!" ... he says, "no." and keeps going.
I am so proud of my boy! He has pooped in the toilet 3 days in a row now! Wahoo!
oh yes, we leave the door open when he goes to the bathroom because if he closes it... he will be playing in there, toilet paper everywhere, etc.

2. We just introduced sunglasses to C last week. He loves them. D never really cared for them. I tried to catch a picture of him, but he was moving too fast. I think he looks like a mini Cee Lo. Now I need to find him a white cat (oh yeah, I love The Voice!)

3. I am FINALLY getting over my sinus head cold. I was feeling really miserable all last week and part of this week.

4. I had lunch with a friend, Erin, on Monday. We try to get together once a month for lunch to catch up on life and all the above. So, every time I meet with her, it's pretty awesome.

Photo Challenge - Day 1

Click here for the list of daily photo challenge for March.


Day 1 - UP

My 'up' view at my desk.

To see my other pictures for March's Photo Challenge, head on over to my facebook page.

Headband Challenge #2

For the month of February, Art Gallery Fabrics' Challenge is headband and must use yo-yo flowers or twisted flowers.

Someone at work stopped by my desk few months ago and asked if I wanted this peacock hat that they had made for some fashion show.  I really had no idea what I would do with it, but I took it any way. I think you can always reuse something.

This is the hat... picture below is what happened when I ripped it apart trying to find a good feather. The whole time, I literally was making the peacock sound as I was making this headband -- sometimes it was in my head... it's even going on in my head this second. It's not a pleasant sound. If you can imagine the unpleasant sound with my attempt to it, you might laugh, or worse cry.
S was not in the room... and for a good reason too. Click here for a youtube video of a peacock sound if you have never heard it.

I made the twisted flowers mashing a few of the tutorials out there.  I have this weird thing with hot glue guns. I am very timid with it, almost like I am going to literally burn my hand off if I am not careful. Needless to say, this challenge was a challenge for me! Haha! My hand was not burnt off after completing this challenge. I did burn my finger though, good thing it didn't fall off!

All fabrics are from Art Gallery Fabrics. I made a double sided headband using Ivory Double Bloom.  The large twisted flower is in Teal Sparkles, and the small twisted flower is in Evening Showers.

What do you think of my submission?

I want to thank Lori for being my headband model! :)


P.S. Can you help me? Can you please stop by Art Gallery Fabrics' blog and vote for my headband? Thank you! I really appreciate it!