Notes to myself

I've been feeling a little restless today, not in a bad way, just in a"nesting" way I suppose. I came across this sationary I bought a couple years ago, and wrote myself a note...because restlessness can make you do things like that...

I decided to journal this way in July, little notes, reminders, to do lists, art...to myself...use up the stationary stash ;)

School of Craft's first assignment!!!

Embroidery by Monique

Get Your Needles Ready!!! Dawn has submitted a great challenge and post for our first assignment! Go read it here! I'm off to do a little crafting...my mom took B for a couple of hours and T is obsessed with Lego Star Wars 2 AGAIN!

Crafty Friends go surfing

I don't mean to have the beach so on my mind...sometimes it just happens by accident...like when Raesha sent me this great craftster tutorial for making a men's shirt into an uber cute girls dress...and she knows I should be cleaning ;) but I end up finding an old torn thrifted shirt in my pile of fabric to make a shirt sized version for B...and while showing hubs how cool I am and showing him the vintage label that is now in the front of the dress...he says "Hey, that's Duke Kohanamoku...you know, famous surfer...Noni has a picture of him in "Lilo and Stitch," etc. etc." I'm always surprised by the random things in my hubs head...and yet he can't remember how I like the drinking glasses stacked in the house we've lived in for 7 years!!!

Other crafty friend related things: Jess is hosting her first swap ever! and it's all about embroidery and buttons!!! Go join fast!

And Dawn is submitting a wicked great challenge post for the School of Craft that will be up this week...cross my heart and hope to die! (I've been aching to find a time and place to use that old phrase ;)

What I do next...

"Decorate" the bathroom.

What to do next...

The kiddos are asleep, Hubs went to the dollar theater, determining next step...clean, orgnaize, or craft?

Not-so-baby B

She turned 3 yesterday...Guess I'll promote her nickname of baby to Big girl B or B-button or just B...

I love her cute little country dress my mom brought over for her last night...it's from walmart! Remember when you wouldn't be caught dead in Walmart clothes...but you still had to wear them?!

My wish list turned out pretty good...chocolate cake became mint oreo ice cream pie, clouds did roll in but didn't rain on me, iron pills seem to be doing the trick, and one problem got resolved...today I thought I'd make a list of things I'm enjoying:

1. a jar of sea glass I picked up on a WA beach a couple years ago
2. the color of my dried birthday roses
3. The colors in the apron Raesha made me that I should wear out in public over my big round belly! I think all men would secretly be attracted to my motherly goddessness ;)
4. Vintage paper doll dresses for some project
5. A houseplant for me to kill but is right now the most luscious shade of green

ohhhh and stay tuned to the School of Craft for a group challenge/assignment!!!

Pretty as a Picture

(for C-bug's faerie themed room...a bit o' princess)

Every once in a while here we go through a week or 2 or 3 that just really stink. I prefer it this way...all at once instead of spread out evenly over the whole year, but it does get overwhelming. It tends to feel like you're in the middle of the ocean treading water and things just keep getting worse (sharks, thunderstorms, swells.) You know that there's a ship out there coming to get you or something...eventually, but it's a matter of holding on until it gets there... you know, not giving up to despair, or pessimism, or half a chocolate cake followed by a 44 oz. coke ;)

So what I do is write myself nice lists of lovely blessings and wishes, daydream about the beach (ha!) even though I can't go, and still know that these things are attainable, somewhere not to far away just over the horizon, is really uplifting.

My wish list top 5 for today:
1. A good rain cloud, to at least COVER the sun
2. For potential clients to continue to call me and schedule photo sessions!!! ( I have 4 in the works over the next 2 weeks!)
3. For these iron pills to be the answer to my afternoon fatigue and grouchiness
4. That the cake mom will bring tonight for baby B's 3rd b'day will be homemade and chocolate!!!
5. That at least one of our problems will be solved by tonight!

Tagged while Swimming

Told you I have the beach on my mind! Hubs is off today and when I came in he's playing some 311 song called "Speak Easy" VERY island reggae for 311 and loadsa mentioning the ocean!...well some.

Also, got tagged by Kerry

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not really, but my middle name is like my dad's a bit
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? a couple days ago...surprised it's not more w/these hormones!!!
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING most of the time...I like the individula letters but it always looks messy to me...when I was bored in highscool I would develop different ways to write each letter, developing a new handwriting because I was bored with the old.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LUNCH MEAT? turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 3.5
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? depends, some people like me, some don't get me...or something???
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? yes
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? yes!!! someday
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL?honey bunches of oats
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?never, and i try not to wear laces...I prefer buckles
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? yuppers
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM? birthday cake flavored w/brownies, almonds, and choc. syrup
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? style and disposition
15. RED OR PINK? How about both together?
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I like myself quite a bit, but I am pretty messy and my boobs are too big! ;)
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST no one, I've been fortunate thus far
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?I'm sure I'll read it on their blogs ;)
19. WHAT COLOUR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? jeans and flip flops
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? banana
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? children waking up, lego star wars 2 video game, dogs running around the yard
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE? apple green, but I'd pick a spot next to sea green and marigold for ambiance
23. FAVOURITE SMELLS? sea air
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? my sista
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? yes'm Kerry rocks!
26. FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH? football, but especially at the stadium
27. HAIR COLOUR? I'm not quite sure...some people see red, other's light brown, I always think it's blonde
28. EYE COLOUR? hazel :) greeeeen
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? sometimes, but rarely
30. FAVOURITE FOOD? mmmm anything that gets mentioned...I'm ready to go try what kerry suggested. pregnancy again
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? happy endings of course
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Was watching "Stranger than Fiction" again yesterday
33. WHAT COLOUR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? green, w/ a green brown and white babydoll top over it.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? depends on the location...though winter is more comfortable
35. HUGS OR KISSES? how could you choose just one?!
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I'm not sure who I'm tagging yet...Lain probably
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND you never know
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? "A Long Way Down" by Nick Hornby and "Tom Sawyer" (the kids are loving it!)
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?R2D2 and C3PO...ha!
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? nothing television viewing has been neglected thanks to lego star wars and a lack of good programming
42. FAVOURITE SOUND? rain on the roof
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? hmmm depends where you call home
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? how about unusual? I can make my eyeballs shake...loev to freak people(kids) out with that one
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? CA!!!!!!
47. WHAT SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU LIKE?fly

tagging (if you're up for it):
Jess
Lain
Dawn
Regina
Ali

I dunno, I hate tagging people...I never know which 5 to pick!

Crafting Away

I've been dreaming of far off places...well maybe not too far...but dreaming of beaches and spanish architecture, and palm trees...and trying not to dream of outrageous costs of living. How I'd love to transplant my family somewhere closer to the coast...

Eat Tree Tie

I've been having fun with some Fisher Price cards (from one of those old school desk.magnet toys) I'm putting the "EAT" card in our dining area amongst my collecton of chalkboards. I might frame another for upstairs, or just put them on the fridge. I love them so much but I have about 10 cards...where would I put 10 cards?! So I've decided to give a few up.

The "Tree" and "Tie" cards are available for $5 each (shipping included in the states) I'm sure I'll have more up this week, just have to decide which to keep.

Email me for more info mokistar at aol dot com :)

Daddy-o

Have to pay tribute to the dads!

I don't know why I like him so much right now! Maybe it's the pregnancy... ;) Actually he's been a real sweetheart. He's been using his credit at the video store to buy the kids movies and video games, takes them upstairs to play "Kings of Kingsland" ( a made up game they all play together,) he covers for me when the pregnancy is kicking my butt, and runs every imaginable errand for the rest of us. He's a good daddy!

Here's my dad:

"playing engineer" on a fun trip we took...we always took trips. He also can fix things, install things, speak Italian, COOK Italian, loads dishes, listens to great music and has an outstanding sense of humor! Happy Father's Day dad!

School of Craft flickr group

Read about it on the school of craft blog. Click the button in the sidebar---->

Yard Sales with Vera :)

I always find such great treasures, but never have I found anything "Vera!" After a long day we stopped at a church yard sale that was offering a $2/bag clearance of remaining items. I threw these 2 napkins in my bag almsot absent mindedly, just because I liked the flowers. It wasn't until I got home that I discovered they were by the coveted "Vera" that you see around on blogs...not that I have to have what everyone else has ha! in fact I'll be cutting these dearies up into something!

Also scored today was 2 lacy king sized flat sheets and pillow cases to make into curtains and a duvet cover for C's room ($10), a men and boys' pattern for shirt, shorts and hat (25¢), pyrex dishes: 1 yellow(50¢), little left over dish w/ lid(25¢), casserole dish(75¢), unused autograph book ($1), Tom Saywer (40¢), white ceramic flower basket (from $2 bag), zebra cluth for C(from $2 bag)

Not in the picture, from the $2 bag: elmo T-shirt, girl's gap sweater, tank top for me, resin cowboy statue for a friend's daughter, 4th of July door wreath, plastic crown, and cheap-o hand bag for B. Only a couple things I didn't need ;)

Thank you "Fairy" much

Can't resist a good pun. Thanks for all the b'day wishes! We had a nice night...ate at one of our favorite Mexican restaraunts, browsed books and magazines at the book/music store, kids were watched by my mom and dad for a couple of hours...just a nice night.

Now the month isn't over. Next week will be Baby B's 3rd B'day (a week after mine.) I decided to have a little faerie b'day party for her (remember my post about the Faerie themed table?) SO I thought it would be fun if for the next week or so, I share some of the faerie projects I am working on...for the party and for C-bugs enchanted bedroom. This particular piece I finished about a month ago for the bedroom, but the roof was ripped off by those little B hands! We just found the missing pieces...barely...as they had been thrown behind the counterless cabinets. I am so glad the pieces were found before the countertops were permanently put into place. I imagined my house would be on one of those home shows decades from now, where the new homeowners find funny things in the walls and under floorboards...what would those owners think of my cheerios, credit card statements, and craft bits??? I guess they's assume the itty bitty space behind my corner cabinet was a secret hiding place for a crafters secret craft (and cheerios) obsession!

I couldn't get a really good picture of the whole shelf. There's a little bit of faerie-ness on every shelf. You can see detail of each one here, here, and here.

14/14 Fourteen things about me on my B'day

In that hazy time as I was waking up from a nap yesterday, I had one of those sort of awake dreams about a handful of project ideas to do...new things, that weren't on any list or seen in any book...just some inspired sleepy vision...I wish that would happen all the time.

This was the first, a bunny made with a cardboard thread cone for the body, adorned and slightly embellished...when I finished her todays I saw the future of cone based kittens and princess pugs dressed and ready for picnics???

I'm really impressed with myself that I blogged for 14 days straight. I'm not really sure if I have ever done it...maybe once around Christmas???...so I got a little obsessed with one of my favorite numbers (14) and made a list in my journal of 14 things about me...I'll share:

1. I'm married to a crime fighting super hero whose alter ego keeps me well stocked in Butterfingers, homemade herbal tea, and too much sweet talk ;)

2. I am mommy to 3 tenacious redheads and think they should be called "Tenacious D"

3. I would rather drive a VW than a lexus
4. I'd be a vegetarian, if I didn't like steak so much...and I only eat it about once a month!
5. I've always wanted to like olives, but I don't.
6. If I could live anywhere, I would live in Southern California, near the beach
7. I'd like to sleep in a treehouse
8. I placed 3rd in a school art contest when I was in kindergarten, and might not be an artist today if I hadn't.
9. I like the beginning of seasons, but not the middle or end
10. I didn't keep any childhood friends...except my sisters
11. I have shared a bedroom with someone since I was a year and a half old
12. I have recently realized that pregancy has made some of my most timid fears into raging panic attacks (swimming in lakes and interacting with insects)
13. And despite this I am birthing w/o pain meds in about 14 weeks
14. Talking about myself, taking pride in (and sharing) my art is not something I ever did before I started blogging. In fact I was strongly against it because I thought it would give others the impression that I was conceited.

Thank you for reading my list...now I've got to get ready to go out to dinnner with the hubs!

13/14 I can't decide

I got my b'day present 2 days early from my parents. They bought me a counter top! We were remodeling and were supposed to get free counter tops through my FIL's company and it fell through...which of course he could care less about...but with no money left for the countertops we have not had them on our new section of cabinets for almost a year (still had the counter on the other side of the kitchen)

But now I need to finish the remodel and PAINT! I don't know what to do...stick with the red??? add a funky scalloped border??? what about deep chocolate brown? I really don't know. Any opinions? any inspirational pictures you love? FYI I've got a collection of green pottery like the cookie jar on the counter, the adjoining family room is dark dark brown leather, black, and red, and I've got a collection of chalk boards I'm going to hang in the dining area...

12/14 Trying

Realizing that I am tempermentally a mess after 1 o'clock, I thought, instead of cleaning this morning I should make some clothes for the kiddos. It's been awhile and I forgot how long it actually takes to make something (it takes all morning btw.) But I did it! And it's all I am going to do today!

11/14 The School of Craft

After watching a neat PBS special on craft a couple weeks ago(?) I was inspired by things that teachers and students said at Penland School of Craft. The idea of community, friendship, and an open learning environment is what I always look no matter where I am at or what I am doing.

I always love the artists and bloggers that are so willing to share their techniques and sources with others who want to learn, and want to create a specific blog for those that want to teach or learn.

Go read the intro here at The School of Craft. If you have something you'd like to contribute or learn more about, let me know. Subscribe to it in bloglines for the best updates, and you can download this button (or the one above) to add to your blogs and sidebars:

10/14 Just Lazy Sunday Goodness

While cleaning the studio, I cam3 across these "Soul Cards" I made for a Nervousness collabrative project. Each participant was given 4 different topics to make 4 different cards. I think the top left one is my favorite (Sanctuary) But I am tossing them all...just had to get a digital image of them...too much stuff in my house LOL!

I also came across a neat website today with an even neater tutorial for making embroidered buttons. (from a japanese book I think.) I'll have to go back and pick through the blog more.

I heard we're getting an Anthropologie soon, so I've been browsing and drooling over all their things. I went through flickr this afternoon and faved a couple dozen Anthropologie pics. One of them, a beautiful light fixture that reminds me of Chihuly. If you ever have the opportunity to see one of Chihuly's exhibits, DO IT! You will not regret it and will probably be in love!

Oh and I made a mosaic of more project inspiring pics from flickr! You can click on this pic to see them better.

Now I'm off for a while to make fluffy pancakes for dinner! num!

9/14 All about the green apple

1. me, 2. i will see you in far off places, 3. granny smith, 4. Untitled, 5. perfect match, 6. A bit sour but still a sweetie!, 7. hey there, green eyes......, 8. Bad Apples, 9. bunches of apples!

We watched "Stranger Than Fiction" last night, and I absolutely loved it. Green apples in the movie too. I think it's my new favorite movie. If you haven't seen it, it's like "Being John Malkovich" (w/o the raunch,) a bit of magic from "Amelie," and a bit of the not so funny romantic comedy-ness of "Punch Drunk Love."

The yard sale was ok...made about $30...sifted through my sisters things and found over $100 worth of things she can sell on ebay (she would have only made$12 on at the yard sale) I'm no Apron Thrft Girl though ;) Afterward we went to lunch with Raesha...too bad all of our kids went with us!...ok too bad mine went with me anyways.

Friday Night

Here's an old felt bead tutorial I orignally did for one of my old blogs...You can click on the image to get a bigger view that you are very welcom to print out if you want.

I am so glad it's the weekend. And even though I have a wee bit of a garage sale list, I'll be having a garage sale again instead...We're hoping for a better turn out on a non holiday weekend...but either way, I get to hang with my sister, drink lots of soda, and chit chat...and most importantly not do anything of REALY importance...something I have had far too much of this week and was wonderfully interrupted a couple nights ago my Tortuga Torte at a local cafe courtesy of the lovely, talented, and SO generous Raesha (Hey R, come by tomorrow for some chit chat ;)

Now I am off to pick one of 3 dvd's I borrowed from my sister to sit down to, while nibbling her homemade choc. chip cookies, and sip some nummy herbal tea :)

8/14 in the studio

I meant to post this yesterday, but my job at church got a little out of hand and dominated my afternoon and evening...I am blessed ;)

I love reading the Creative Organizing Blog and she always has such cute tags on all her baskets and bins. I just used some handcarved stamps I had made last year and a couple of layers of paper...and voila! almost an hour later I had 9 tags! LOL! But I do love them and cuteness helps me stay organized....what helps you stay organized? any tips? I'm pretty lazy, so I think the biggesttip for me would be "When you're done with it, put it away!" Something I should have retained from my childhood ;)

Here's a peak at the shelves. I have 4 of these square cubbies from Target. Eventually I will have a piece of wood cut for the 2 in te corner to make a corner work space and then securely stack the other two on top for a more condensed work area. We're trying convert the studio into a studio/computer/tv room...thought maybe I could keep my crafts off the kitchen table and on the craft table if I could supervise the kids in the studio...we'll see.

7/14 (post 1) For lack...

I have been in the studio all morning, moving shelves (which I shouldn't do on my own, but I did one time move my bed and flip the matress at 7 months pregnant because my hubs was on his ship (at sea or over night) and I really wanted to move the bedroom around...but I digress) I am also sorting, organizing, and purging...determining the value of each item that comes across my hands...do I want it? do I need it? can I sell it? who can I give it too?...there I go again...

I stopped for lunch and some blog reading and saw and read some lovely things...and it got me to thinking about how nice and lovely I am in the morning, but once one o'clock rolls around, I seem to have very little sympathy for others, and start to feel rather pessimistic, negative or other non happy disposition...I can't help it, it's how mypregnancies go...so I thought I'd share the lovliness I found on the web this morning though I'm sure these blogs are on your lists ;)

Posie's Zing
Nienie's week of vegetarian menus
Dorie's lovely sunhat and cute story about flowered sheets
Corey's funny french husband story
Jenna Rose's BEAUTIFUL pillows that I am bound to copy for myself
Basco's P.O.V. on tea which I highly agree with (my hubs has been surprising me by making a pitcher of tea the last couple of days!!! A big deal for a guy that really only knows how to make mac'n'cheese, and chili
Poppies from Cinnamon Because they remind me of Calif. and that's where I long to be
Added this blog to my reading list (thanks to Deb who makes awesome wood cut outs btw!!!)

Check back later and I'll show you some progress in the studio make over

6/14 What's in the Jars?

A handful of years ago, Jess exposed me to Sarah Ban Breathnach's Mrs. Sharp's Traditions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations Of Comfort & Joy . A sweet book! During the month of June she tells how you can throw a little party for the faeries in your gardens on the first day of summer (if I remember correctly) So Jess in I, each in our respecitve 'gardens' left a little tea party and in return the faeries left little gifts for the wee ones in our homes. I haven't been that great at keeping it a tradition, but with my baby B's birthday being on June 21st, the first day of summer, I plan on hosting a faerie birthday party for her. Won't that be cute?! We'll leave a mini cup cake or 2 out for the faeries who I am sure will leave magical party favors in return.

I have to say, Jess showed me Lisa Ketell's faeries and I thought it would be so cool to do a faerie in a jar swap...without realizing there have already been some going on around the web! LOL! I'm behind on what's cool!

Here are 3 other jars (I'm still working on the big one) You can click on the pics to see them larger.

The kind of thing I like

noisy though

Day 5/14 My June Table

I try to redecorate this table/dresser every month to fit a theme (pumpkins and withces in October, Christmas village and snowmen in Dec,A little asain theme in January.)

You can't really tell the theme right now (the jars are empty ;) But I'm working on it. It has something to do with June, and a tradition and craft completely inspired by Jess. If her kids knew what a great mom she is!!! If my kids knew what a great mom she is, they would have left me years ago!

What day is it???

It's the 4th, which means 11 days or 10 days until the 14th...how do you count a count down...I've confused myself! ha! Let's just say it's day 4 of 14...k?

I worked on my digital scrap pages all evening for that travel journal I made. I didn't expect to do so many pages (6) and still have a lot I want to document about the trip...I'll probably do a couple non digitals for the journaling.

I have to say my favorite parts of the trip were teaching the kids the chorus to "Oh My Darling Clementine," singing and dancing to "Let's go to the Hop" with baby B, and waking up to this awesome thunderstorm on Sunday:

Applique Queen and her new blog

I have often referred to my friend, the applique queen, on my old blog. She and I learned Martha's freezer paper method of applique together a handful of years ago, and then she just went crazy from there ;) After years of blog reading and talking about it, she finally started her own blog!!! Go over and read it, tell her hello, and wish her luck! She's a doemstic diva (makes her own bread ALLLL the time!!!!)
Me and My Storey

12 Days: Me (and my van)

I'm back from our weekend trip to the lake..... No exciting post today, but I like this pic that hubs took of me and my VW...12 hours before a sudden gust of wind from a thunderstorm ripped my wonderful awning from my car :)

13 days: a day early

Since I will be busy tomorrow with family and away from the computer all day, I'm posting this early.

13 days until my b'day...this is what I look like right now...big and round...I am already feeling the limitations of pregnancy (in your 30's) and still have 16-18 weeks left...never early on birthing babies.

Once the baby is here it will be a snap. Being pregnant, in the summer, with 3 other rowdy kiddos...not a happy mama :)120 something days and counting ;) but only 13 'til my b'day.

14 Days: I love yard sales!

My sister convinced me to not be responsible today with my busy plans for the weekend, and instead hunt down some Friday yard sales. I was pretty happy with what I found (a couple of great estate sales.) I managed a to find a couple of baggies of vintage buttons (swoon,) kitchy embroidery patterns, and this lovely old reader! There's plenty more that I found too, but this book has me excited for a project that I might be able to squeeze in during the weekend???

I'll post tomorrow's post now early, since I'll be away from the computer alllllll day.:(