OMG(oodness) - can i tell you how excited i was to see this highlighted in the last issue of Mothering Magazine? bryan's parents lent us their backpack from the 70s that carried all of the Barnes' children (from when the eldest was 3 months) and we recently returned it since they now have a grandbaby in their general vicinity- it was my preferred carrier for Bryson from about 6 months. he could see everything i could from my vantage point...he could stand on the little bar at my back like they like - EVERY time we went on a flight i foregoed strollers and used the backpack and it worked splendidly...it was so much easier on my back and not to mention masculine enough for Bryan to comfortably wear it also. (this pic is of bryson when he was around 1 yr.
anywhoooo...since returning it i have scoured craigslist and thrift stores and second-hand childrens stores to find something similar and NADA...all the backpacks now-a-days are clunky and heavy and cumbersome - not a daily choice! more like a once-in-a-blue-moon hiking choice...so imagine my excitement to see Kokopax makes one similar! its a little pricey (around $150) but, if you are any sort of a traveler - it is well worth it!
I currently use the ergo for when i want to carry Bodie on my back, but i think the backpack would be better for a couple reasons: 1. he can't bite my back as easy 2. he probably won't pull my hair so much 3. he can stand up on the bar 4. he can see things better (like at the aquarium for instance - we went last week and it was a little awkward in the ergo and 5. he can't bite my back as easy...did i already say that? yeah...we have a biting problem...its those dern badger teeth!
wow! bodie is taking an awesome nap right now! i actually was able to put this one up in the shop! i have now been able to make 3 dresses out of the 4 yards of this fabric - pretty good deal i think (plus 2 headbands and one barrette...lets not forget!) i was obsessing over what to put on the front of this - i thought my Sweet B logo may be too hard to read with such busy print and i was in the pocket mood...so i decided to do a little pocket for a little girl's barrette...i don't have a girl, but i know plenty of moms struggle with keeping little barrettes in their girls' hair...so for those days when she isn't feeling the hair accessories...it has a home in this sweet little pocket!
so maybe that will last like one wear...not sure, but i thought it was a cute idea :) so here she is off into our shop!
i know a lot of babies born in the fall...i learned last year to get a head start or else i'll be eating rice n beans for 2 months because i'll have spent our entire budget on presents. part of the handmade process i love is that some of the best gifts can be so inexpensive! this dress cost less than $2 to make...the plaid fabric (look familiar?) was part of that crazy $1 per yard - the purple fabric was an old sheet no longer in use, but so soft and needed to be made into something. i used the same pattern as Eliot's dress and i really like how this one turned out. i think it will be perfect for the little girl its going to! (BTW: the dress did not photograph well...or rather i didnt photograph it well...hopefully i can get a shot of the little girl wearing it and post it later :)
i whipped up 2 dresses yesterday - one for a gift and one for the shop...i think that is a good goal...i was especially motivated since i made a sale yesterday :) i get started on a certain style - for a while it was appliques on things and lately it has been initials on things...i am a little obsessed...to my credit, bodie and bryson each only have 1 item of clothing with a "B" on it...i try to be a little creative, but i just think its so darling when kids are *proud* of their initials...i guess bryson is and maybe not other children...i remember being obsessed with "C"s when i was learning to spell. i also remember always wanting to buy those silly license plate keychains with my name on it and there has never been "Carlee" - there has been "Carly" but its just not the same is it? no...its not...not to a 10 year old...its soooo not! anyway....you can see i was clearly deprived as a child!
i have also been into this visible stitching and showing my stitches and unfinished ends that will fray just ever so - in an intentional messy way i guess. exaggerating the handmade...so on the pockets i ran 3 stitches in a contrasting color - same thing over the "e" and i topstitched with a contrasting color as well.
i went through my fabric and would love to start using up what i have and not have to buy anything new to fluff up the shop...its a personal challenge i am giving myself...which is tough for me because whenever i see a new pattern pop up i get all nutty! but then i go and use stuff like i did with this dress and fall in love with it! so its a good reminder again that we dont need to go crazy and spend money to make something that both you and the intended is going to love! (hopefully)
Bodie O, Bodie Blue, Booga Man, Face, Bro-yer...you are 9 months old today...3/4 of a year...same amount of time on the outside as you were in...well...you aren't too happy about that fact today...you are sick, again. with a nasty flu bug...you can thank your brother...he likes to touch nasty stuff and pick his nose...you will do this too i am sure :)
This month you started to notice daddy! da-da-da-da...big smiles and *kisses* even...big wet open mouth yummy kisses - the best kind! you also are still pushing out those honkin' front teeth! that means drool....lots and lots and lots of drool! you started doing your first signs - "all done" and you wave hi and goodbye. daddy swears you say "dut" for dirt...and "dunt" for dont...but i'm not so sure...i think that is more you copying us...but who knows - maybe daddy's right...i have no doubt you are a genus!
you also say the cutest "uh-oh" when you drop something - you laugh like crazy whenever you pull my hair and try to fit my face in your mouth.
it was your first time in the church nursery this month...for church and for MOPS - you did great! all the ladies were impressed by your muscle mass and your skills...i guess they found out about your iron grip the hard way :)
we weighed you when you went to see auntie at her office so she could check on you - you weigh 21 pounds - 28 inches long...you are floating more to the center of the growth chart...but too bad they dont check muscle mass because you are just a big muscle!
i hope you are finally over this Booga Man because we have missed you around here! Lovin you to pieces!
Mama
if you have ever worked with kids or have kids of your own you know that they are obsessed with fairness. i noticed this especially as a site advisor working with K-6 at a science camp (thanks again for that mom!) but i guess now i am plagued with this question as a young mother (young not in age thank you, but in experience). i am constantly trying to get Bryson to share his toys...or if he does take a toy from Bodie to give him a different one first that he may like. while this works most of the time - i know it won't work for much longer! i think Bryson already senses that it isn't fair he has to share all his toys - some are special to him - some were given as presents to him only. does that make it fair that he HAS to share it? i dont know...
for instance, in one area i don't mind them not sharing...i dont like the looks of a baby playing with guns...come to think of it i dont like the looks of any child playing with guns, but that is a battle i lost long ago. when you come from a family where many are NRA members...that is a battle you don't even want to fight...and plus there were serious double standards when i bought him his first lightsaber (but its a jedi weapon...its different) no...apparently its not...and uncle jake now buys him a gun every time he sees him - most break before we leave his house, but still...back to my point...i let bryson keep his guns to himself - he needs to keep them in a special place so Bodie can't play with them and he isn't allowed to tease him with toys that he plays with.
but this brings me to my dilemma of personal property. what is personal property to a 3 year -almost 4 year old? how do i respect his property, but encourage a giving spirit in him? how do you teach what to share and what not to share to a pre-schooler? instinctively i believe it is important that a child learns about personal property - where to keep it so that it doesn't get stepped on/broken - how to care for it - how to put it back where it belongs...these are all things i am forced to think about now that there is 2 kids and i think it is good to start laying some rules before the baby gets bigger. anyway - any thoughts/suggestions/book recommendations would be helpful...i am torn between not wanting to create an object hording selfish person and someone who feels like they have nothing to call their own....
bryson calls it the dancing rug...he apparently likes to dance on it? he must be my son...anyway - here she is...i finished it last night since my husband had some video editing to do and i had some wild hair to sew... i am very proud of myself right now. i just kind of dove in and decided i would make it up as i go and since it was for a picnic blanket - meant to get grass stains and spills (and drool and snot as today was the case) i was not too hung up on following a pattern or how perfect it turned out.
so i thought it would be easy to do squares...ummm...big squares! the less coming togethers of squares the better for me :) so i decided 10x10" squares - at first i decided it would be 6x7 but i laid them out and decided i should add another row to make it a square - so it became 70"x70" before the sewing. i pieced it all together on sunday and went to bed thinking, "now what?"
i knew i needed batting and something to piece (or baste) the quilt together so i made a trip to Joanns and got some batting...okay...so i had that. then after i put the kids to bed i looked up a couple tutorials. i found that a lot of people tape the backing down nice and taut...then put the batting on top of that and iron out wrinkles and then the top layer - a little fabric sandwich...and safety pin it together...
at first for the backing i was going to use a sheet...simple and i wouldn't have to dive into my fabric stash...although the only sheets i could spare for this project were funky materials - jersey and sateen...so i decided to use up some more of the $1 yard plaid fabric...just kinda pieced it all together with what i had left...i didnt put too much thought into it, but i like how it turned out - simple...pop of blue...but poor back of the quilt will only be seeing dirt and grass and sand...so here it is the back...
for the binding i added a 6" row of the white plaid i had to give myself a lot of play room. i decided to fold it over and sew it onto the back. as far as the quilting goes, i read somewhere that a common thing for simple patch quilts is to "stitch in the ditch" and run two straight stitches along the rows already made. i really did it because of that term...i kept singing it to myself as i was sewing...."stitchin in the ditch...stitch the ditch" catchy isnt it?
i got out for a little bit today...didnt stay too long because of this...poor Bodie...he is really miserable...he can barely nurse and is just in general not pleased with life right now...i am praying he recovers and that i manage to sneak away from this as well as bryan!
anyway - the dancing rug...overall - it was a lot of work...i have a lot of respect for quilters (i had before, but now even more so) i like the simple squares and may try one a little more complicated - i like the idea of using all my bags of scraps! but i am going to stick to stocking up the shop for now! so there goes one of my new years resolutions...now onto that marathon!
so i found i quite liked the post where i dumped random bits of info...makes my brain work less...i like that...it pleases my mother and helps me journal random bits of info...yes...very nice for me and my tired brain...so here we go again...under the theme of inspiration...wuuuuu...fancy!
*i was inspired to today to get out of the "sick house" and it was actually such an amazingly great day - we missed church because both boys are still recouping from FEVERS and SICKNESS - they are tainted and unlike other mothers...ahem...i don't put my kids in the nursery when they are sick! sorry...i am bitter because i found out someone at our church's children may have H1N1...not happy...i started bryson (or rather my sister did) on Tamiflu just in case!!! he is on day 3 and feeling much better - both his and Bodie's fevers have broken...as you can see by the picture he is already getting back to his normal self :)
*i was inspired to run because of my bro and SIL - who ran 10 miles the other day just cause...well i guess just cause we are training...i guess you can say the Catalina Marathon is inspiring all of us! instead of church we ran 6.5 miles throughout the marina in Long Beach - we really love it here...we really dig this town...this was confirmed yet again on our run. apparently i signed up for the long beach half marathon, which to my surprise is in like 3 weeks...yikes! i really need to step it up. after that one we are going to do Calico's 30k trail run again in January for training...excited!!
*i was inspired to cook! i have been reading some amazing food blogs and it has been inspiring the dormant cook in me...(i think i have been dormant all summer - hibernating in the office) after our run auntie sara met us at our house for Brunch by the infamous breakfast chef that is Bryan - soyrizo scramble with spinach and goat cheese...yuummmmm...after brunch i started on Candis' famous lentil soup...seriously the best i have made - it was fabulous - Bryson ate his whole bowl - and he hasnt eaten ANYTHING for a week! (this recipe should be posted...you will want it...trust me) however, not sure why i decided it was soup season...80 degree weather this weekend...please autumn...we are waiting...i have lots of soups and roasts to make... *i was inspired to play dress-up with Bodie in anticipation of Halloween! yesterday i found bryson's old halloween costume in my closet - it barely fit Bodie...definitely wont be able to wear it this Halloween...i totally had to stuff him in it...look at his poor face - "mommy...not me too...please dont make me wear silly things like you do to brother" sorry dear...its what mommy does...until she gets a girl or a small dog she will not leave you guys alone...
*i was inspired to start a quilt! i was inspired by this post and this post. i started my first quilt! not really with any instructions...not really sure what i do next...something about batting and binding...good thing there are youtube tutorials! and the salesladies at our local Sew N Vac...this was one of my New Years Resolutions...to sew a quilt. i got this itch to do it since we are going to be doing a photo shoot (i won a $200 gift certificate at MOPS a couple months ago!) and i thought it would be neat to do it at a park and even neater if we were having a picnic on a blanket i made...we'll see if it gets done by then...we'll see if i even know what the hay i am doing...cause i am pretty clueless at this point.
i had a lot of fun making it...who knew? i always thought it would be so boring...the cutting the pinning the matching up of the pieces...not my cuppatea...but i loved piecing it together (cutting i can live without...not gunna lie) and loved seeing it join each neighboring square and then each neighboring row...it was...fun...truly...and i thought i would get all hung up if my squares didnt line up perfectly, but they turned out so much better than i originally thought...i posted my best square and my worst square...i dont really feel too bad if this doesnt turn out either, because Paige and i got this fabric at this creepy cut-it-yourself basement store for a $1 a yard - i think i got like 40 yards or something ridiculous...but it has turned out perfect for projects like this!
*i was inspired to make more little girl things! i didn't have any batting and still was excited about sewing so i made this headband for sweet Eliot to match her cute little dress...
*and lastly i was inspired in general by this video of the Black Eyed Peas performing for Oprah's anniversary show...the power of a crowd like that is motivating...uniting...did i already kinda say powerful...well...it is! enjoy!
today a marks a year since she passed. she is still in my thoughts and i still have a good cry at least once a month thinking of her. whenever i see a good sale i flinch to call her...whenever i miss her i go to her blog and read some of her first posts and crack up.
when i think over this year and think about how her life and death have influenced me i realize that it is immeasurable. i feel like i have learned a lot about friendship and the value in it and the value in the celebration of friends, like Devon liked to celebrate - any time she could - any reason she could - it was all a party...one that she couldn't wait to plan! when bryson was first born she was so supportive - she organized all our friends to get gift certificates to restaurants and take-out places and included menus and everything! it was such a help during those first months...she also babysat and helped out any way she could... i missed that with Bodie being born. i also felt a little guilty that here i was with 2 little ones experiencing something she was robbed of.
i have many funny memories of Devon and they pop up in my mind here and there and cause simultaneous waves of joy and sorrow. i miss her because she is no longer here, but without sounding too cheese...she helped change a part of me that needed changing. she helped spawn a lot of change in my life - she influenced me a lot more than she will ever know and i will always remember her for that and always thank her and always remember this day.
i included this last pic because it was such a funny night out - everyone was complaining because we couldn't get into the Sky Room - i just tried to get everyone a drink so they would stop complaining...that night my old band director from high school was playing at this place...anyway - sounds silly but ruthie and devon and i would crack up for many days to come about this night....look at my purse on the table...i still use that purse - and this is from 2006...oh dear...Devon was always trying to get the girls together for a girls night - again any reason to celebrate and any reason to plan something!
i miss my friend. i miss her laugh and her friendship and her planning and her knack for sales and menus and knowing where to go in long beach for anything! i miss her humor and her love for people and her generosity - of herself - her time, her anything you might need without ever asking anything in return. i will continue to honor her and remember her and cry for her and hope that we do meet again someday for a big girls night out!
my very talented friend Whitney Hill who owns Bel Kai Designs designed a custom necklace for my sister-in-law. I have had my eye on her necklaces for a while and LOVE the custom kid ones, but so many of my friends don't have a *complete* family yet...which is why i have my eye on the charm necklaces - ya just keep adding...even if there is an "uh-oh"...which there has happened to be quite a few in my group of friends these days...hopefully that doesn't catch on in the Barnes house...i mean...how could it? i practice natural family planning...its FOOL proof, right? right? hello? anyone there?
anyway - my SIL is going to love it! its simple and feminine without being girly...which is hard to do sometimes...check out her store for more fabulous necklaces!
this sweet little dress is going to a certain little fall birthday girl...who happens to be born on Halloween...who i had the pleasure of dancing with in Dallas...who is the sweetest little whiner i have ever seen..."mommy ehhh" - i am still working on her tutu because of course she needs that tutu for her upcoming dance classes, right mum?
i used the Olive Ann Designs To Tie For dress pattern. this is my new favorite pattern - it can be a dress or top - it has a pattern for a matching doll dress (can you say cuteness?) and headbands. what? amazing! it was a cinch to do - after the cutting was done i probably put it together in a little over an hour. i modified it a bit - i left out the giraffes however...probably much to my mother's delight :) inside joke...sorry...and added her initial and used less of a border for the bottom than it called for and my seam allowance was a little off - it called for 5/8" - i probably should've stuck with it, but it seemed way too narrow for the straps and arms - i didnt want it too low cut either. isnt this fabric the cutest! this fabric just screamed little Eliot since she is a true fall baby like myself...and since she is turning 2 (what? really?) and becoming more picky about what she wears i really do hope she likes it! well...there is always the tutu in case this one doesn't work out baby girl!
in case you missed it...i know it is rough to stay up till midnight anymore :) trust me - i even had Tivo...ugghhh...this is going to be a loooong day! well - enjoy! we were super stoked on how it turned out! i just looked at our site an hour ago and it was down!!! what??? but it should *hopefully* be resolved and we will sit here and wait for the emails/phone calls to start coming in....seriously...any time now... *crickets chirping*
i saw this video today and couldn't help but crack up! this is so Bodie right now! into everything already destroying the place...yeah 2 boys...*insert sigh* - in case you don't catch it they edited out the human interaction...in case you were concerned they let the baby go 4 hours with no one around :)
*warning* this post is completely random...i have had all sorts of random post ideas today - pretty standard when i am in the office...but today i actually made somewhat good use of my time in there and didn't post a bunches of time (as bryson would say)...i am up now and waiting for our segment to air on Conan, so thought i would jot down some randomness....this being my journal, i wanted to make sure i notated some happenings around here...
* i finally am motivated to start sewing again after my summer hiatus...i visited a couple craft stores and have a pattern cut and ready to piece together already! this is a proud moment since i really haven't done anything for so long. we may be participating in patchwork come november - (trust me when i get the word it will be posted!) and so i am in full crafting gear now!
* pockey pock is now a daily part of our lives. he came with us to the craft store and there are also some characters now bryson dubs "the big boys" i asked if they had names and one is named Dede (pronounced day day) and his last name is Japanese...something like Matsuhati - perhaps he is part Indian part Japanese? Bryson was also very concerned when i was vacuuming today that i didnt vacuum up pockey pock...i tried...i guess i missed him :)
* Bodie is starting to make sounds on a more regular basis - anytime he drops something we say "uh-oh" and he tries to mimic the sound and it comes out so awkward and darling! he also tries to sign "all done" it comes out da-duh...he still says mamamamama and dada too! he LOVES his bath time and i have been making it an effort to make it routine...although bedtimes are rough around these parts!
* bryson spent his first full night with bodie both in the same room Sunday night. bodie slept through the entire night and bryson was really proud of himself for not waking bodie (as was mommy!)
* as i posted before we are actually going to air on The Tonight Show - we have revamped our site, thanks to the very talented Justin Wade (rashelle of friendkidly's husband) - and have been anticipating it all summer...very excited to see what comes of that!
* i am almost done setting up our *new* company (LA Pool Guys changed their business entity yet again...hopefully for the last time) - insert sigh of relief...
* i spoke with our accountant and it turns out we overpaid...what??? (yes we just filed - it is because of Bodie's social security card fiasco...looooong boring story) this has never happened...we are looking at a pretty nice return and i am thinking of using part of it to convert to a Mac....notebook...oooohhh...been a long time coming and there are many logistics to work out, but very exciting!
* Bryan just recorded a remix with Pseudo Rebels - "I've Got a Feelin" by Black Eyed Peas - video should be going up soon! they are looking to release the album on my birthday - Nov 3 - look for it! his finger is also still healing and no golf or softball still...he is bummed...can't say i am too bummed about that :) he saw a hand specialist who gave him a splint for his finger and was impressed at his "setting" job...
* I am having fun reading Douglas Coupland's novel JPod - to be honest i haven't enjoyed one of his books for a while, but this one is reminiscent of Microserfs and a lot of fun to read - in the book one of my favorite excerpts is that some characters are trying to see if you can walk across the room with a butcher knife without looking psycho...they find it is not possible...i have tried this as well and confirm...
* i am also excited about MOPS starting back up and Jr League as well as our new Life Group Bible Study - some time for myself to remember how to center everything!
so that is a little nutshell of where the Barnes' are right now...it seems like after Labor Day we are in a continual regrouping stage where we scramble to pick up our lives from before the summer madness! i feel like i can breathe a little more now and be a little less "Debbie Downer"...dunno if summer being over or Bodie sleeping *somewhat* through the night is the reason...either way i am starting to see the silver lining!
The Shop has finally been updated! I added my bandana pants up there...finally! Bryson wore these tonight to go get ice cream and it reminded me!
these are so easy to make and so fun to wear - they were a hot ticket at our last craft fair, so i thought i would start stocking the store in anticipation for the next one...fingers crossed...hope we get in!
*the little model is sweet baby Eliot - just shy of 1 year old in this pic...funny that my almost 4 year old fits in the same pants :) *
Also - in case you are around tonight LA Pool Guys are airing on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien! check us out! if you miss us, perhaps you can find us on Hulu? or NBC? or you can come over and watch it...we are sure to Tivo it!
so this last week has been a little nutty for us. to recap:
1. last saturday 9/5 while attending the Greek Festival...bryan attempted the strong man hit the mallet on the thing and try to ring the bell thing...and broke his finger...after breaking it and having his buddy "set" it back in place he then fainted...the firemen were called and EMT and i almost got into a fight with a 50 yr old crazy lady whose booth B fainted in front of....it was a CRAZY day. this is obviously the short of it...its much crazier and involved than all this - after an ER trip we learned he broke his pinkie in 3 places...he had a temporary cast and now has a finger splint and hasn't complained once. so there was that...
2. pseudo rebels have been recording a remix all week here and i have heard "I got a feelin" approximately 9.876 times. good times. good feelin' times i guess you would say.
3. MOPS started up again...yeah! so nice to have that grown up time for a couple hours!
4. Jr League started up again and I had a Jr League meeting here as well as a craft night this week and not to mention trying to sneak in the office whenever i can to deal with the monster pile that is my inbox
in between all the madness i have been able to steal my babies away to the park and the VA garden and the El Dorado Nature Walk and 2nd Street and the beach...it has been good to have some time with Bryson - he keeps trying to tell B to fire me...so i dont have to work anymore...awwww...so sad...he won't though bryson...trust me...i have tried...several times!
i am hoping this weekend is a little more laid back...we have plans every day so far, but hopefully we can find time in between to just RELAX! hope your weekend is peaceful and rejuvenating as well! Cheers!
P.S. isnt that picture just awesome? this is Bodie's new sign - "all done" - he says it like "da duh" and does a one hand interpretation...and Bryson picking his nose...of course...
bodie is growing some big ol' front top teeth....he is not too thrilled about it either. the last 2 days he has been very antsy...very not happy with anything except maybe nursing...maybe...while nursing though he does NOT like to be held - he likes to kick and to pinch my skin HARD and move like crazy...not the best most peaceful loving bonding experience for us right now...my chest is all red and pockmarked and his kicks HURT! anyway...just sayin' the kid is growing and there is no stopping it...check out how darling he is though...can you see the teeth a comin'?
it is confirmed. bryson has an imaginary friend. i have heard him talking to him for about a month now...wasnt sure if he was sticking around, but it looks like he is to stay. today at the park he spilled his yogurt all over the grass and then told me, "oh it wasn't me mom, it was pockey pock" that was the first time he blamed anything on this imaginary friend...certainly not the last i am sure!
growing up i had myself 2 imaginary friends. one i dont remember - only hear from my parent's stories...her name was Sheta...pronounced sheh-ta...don't ask...don't know where the name came from. the second was Jan...jan was very plain - brown hair, brown eyes - very dull...i was always the center of attention when jan was around - it was great! okay that makes me a little freaky i admit.
anyway - tonight on the way to dinner bryson was talking to pockey pock as a person and i grabbed B's hand and asked bryson who he was talking to - B does not know about pockey pock...B does not pick up on the imaginary world like myself...i happen to live there about 1/3 of the day, so i tend to see these things...anyway - he got all embarassed (any time i have questioned bryson about him he gets silly and changes the subject) and when B encouraged him he told him that he is really really really little. B asked him where he lived and he said in a really really really little house...(duh)he said there were a lot of little pockey pocks and some of them lived in his head...he drew a picture for B at dinner of pockey pock...
i am sure pockey pock will find a way into our world in more affronting ways...knowing bryson this will happen shortly.
one of my favorite books of poetry as a kid...okay who is kidding...as an adult as well...was Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein...but that dern picture on the back cover of the book is haunting...not sure if his picture is actually on that book or on Giving Tree or both? but at any rate - he is one freaky dude! i have been following the blog We Love You So as i mentioned before and they highlighted him...apparently he did cartoons for playboy? he also wrote the Johnny Cash song "My Name is Sue". never knew. my ringtone for my brother is "My Name is Sue" - he loves that song...taught it to his kids. my nephew recites it...but this little clip is a little freaky...he sings part of the song with Johnny Cash and by sings i mean SCREAMS!
Because, really...we have a lot of talking to do...this Easter is going to be interesting! Bryan taped our conversation after i posted his picture up (per his request - just so you know i NEVER ask him if he wants to do his blog...its totally his idea every time!) and maybe i will put it up on his blog too, because the process of doing a blog post with him is funnier than the actual post because i can't possibly type as fast as he talks! anyway - enjoy!
i have been meaning to change up my mantle for a while. i like to change it every 6 months or so because i get sick of looking at the same arrangement. is this normal? i dunno, but for me i like to have an ever-changing centerpiece for our everchanging family and wanted to start documenting it...as long as we have a mantle at least! i have had an idea kicking around in my head for some while, but with the summers and all the pressures on our family that our business brings, i have curtailed all creative endeavors.
i am really loving silhouettes and the simple beauty of the dark silhouette that can capture a person without cheesy smiles and poses...so i had this idea of a "family portrait" of each of our silhouettes on a canvas with our own personal touch. in the beginning my IDEA was very complex - an intricate pattern and hand-embroidery and the silhouette and a mixture of textiles and personal touch. in the end, i decided that all of that would take away from the simplicity of the silhouette that i love, so i settled with the silhouette on a textured backdrop with a simple picture that personalized each of us. i think it turned out quite neatly, without overdoing it!
for each of us i tried to picture what is on our minds...for bryan...aka Left Brain as he now shall be named :) i used hearts to symbolize the three of us on his mind...i played around with a lot of different images and he wasn't happy until i used the hearts...so i am glad i nailed his! for me i used birds - inspired by this iron bird collage circa 1965 that i saw in a shop window - to epitomize my 3 boys constantly circling my thoughts. for bryson he told me he wanted golf balls, so i put 3 "golf balls" how i did to show a sorta "whats to come" because with bryson we are ALWAYS wondering what is to come with him! For bodie i put a footprint because that is a sight we are constantly seeing now with his super crawling abilities, but also because he is starting to leave his footprint in our family with his BIG personality starting to show through.
the only "true" silhouette" was bryans. I took his profile (babies and todders are impossible to photog a silhouette it turns out) and printed it out...i messed with the size on my printer and printed out his silhouette. for the rest of us i found images on the internet and messed with the sizes and printed out. then i cut out the silhouettes, traced them onto heat n bond paper. I then ironed the heat n bond onto the blue velvet backing. i carefully cut each silhouette then ironed them onto the fabric. for each of us i did the same steps for our images. then i staple-gunned the fabric onto cavases from Michael's and that was it!
i am very happy with how this turned out and it cost me all of $5 for the canvases. i already had the fabric for the canvases and the velvet for the images plus the heat n bond to apply the velvet silhouettes and images to the fabric. MUCH cheaper than a true family portrait and much more personal since it was all handmade!
i had a ton of fun re-imagining the family portrait! hopefully this inspires someone to reinvent the portrait as well!
so...bryan being the bizness man of the fam - (total side note: i heard a female comedienne call her husband Left Brain...i am thinking of stealing that for future posts because he is SO my left brain!!!!)...decided i should put adsense on my blog. linz commented on the t.rojan ad (spelled this way to hopefully prevent future ads) and i too saw it right after B put it on my blog...WHAT the hey? what in my content constitued t.rojan? please tell me if my blog posts are dirty....or even PG rated...maybe it was my "taking charge of your fertility" post...BTW - month #1 was a success...in case you were curious...probably you weren't...but still...i totally messed up my charting and knew when i was in dangerous waters...i guess that is the "learning process"
anyway - apologies to my copious readers (mom) for the ad banners...i dont even know how exactly i will be paid, but i promise to spend the first check of $1.58 on t.rojans to ensure the success of TCOYF!
wow! bodie is taking an awesome nap right now! i actually was able to put this one up in the shop! i have now been able to make 3 dresses out of the 4 yards of this fabric - pretty good deal i think (plus 2 headbands and one barrette...lets not forget!) i was obsessing over what to put on the front of this - i thought my Sweet B logo may be too hard to read with such busy print and i was in the pocket mood...so i decided to do a little pocket for a little girl's barrette...i don't have a girl, but i know plenty of moms struggle with keeping little barrettes in their girls' hair...so for those days when she isn't feeling the hair accessories...it has a home in this sweet little pocket!
i know a lot of babies born in the fall...i learned last year to get a head start or else i'll be eating rice n beans for 2 months because i'll have spent our entire budget on presents. part of the handmade process i love is that some of the best gifts can be so inexpensive! this dress cost less than $2 to make...the plaid fabric (look familiar?) was part of that crazy $1 per yard - the purple fabric was an old sheet no longer in use, but so soft and needed to be made into something. i used the same pattern as Eliot's dress and i really like how this one turned out. i think it will be perfect for the little girl its going to! (BTW: the dress did not photograph well...or rather i didnt photograph it well...hopefully i can get a shot of the little girl wearing it and post it later :) 
i whipped up 2 dresses yesterday - one for a gift and one for the shop...i think that is a good goal...i was especially motivated since i made a sale yesterday :) i get started on a certain style - for a while it was appliques on things and lately it has been initials on things...i am a little obsessed...to my credit, bodie and bryson each only have 1 item of clothing with a "B" on it...i try to be a little creative, but i just think its so darling when kids are *proud* of their initials...i guess bryson is and maybe not other children...i remember being obsessed with "C"s when i was learning to spell. i also remember always wanting to buy those silly license plate keychains with my name on it and there has never been "Carlee" - there has been "Carly" but its just not the same is it? no...its not...not to a 10 year old...its soooo not! anyway....you can see i was clearly deprived as a child!
Bodie O, Bodie Blue, Booga Man, Face, Bro-yer...you are 9 months old today...3/4 of a year...same amount of time on the outside as you were in...well...you aren't too happy about that fact today...you are sick, again. with a nasty flu bug...you can thank your brother...he likes to touch nasty stuff and pick his nose...you will do this too i am sure :) 
i hope you are finally over this Booga Man because we have missed you around here! Lovin you to pieces!
so i thought it would be easy to do squares...ummm...big squares! the less coming togethers of squares the better for me :) so i decided 10x10" squares - at first i decided it would be 6x7 but i laid them out and decided i should add another row to make it a square - so it became 70"x70" before the sewing. i pieced it all together on sunday and went to bed thinking, "now what?"
*i was inspired to today to get out of the "sick house" and it was actually such an amazingly great day - we missed church because both boys are still recouping from FEVERS and SICKNESS - they are tainted and unlike other mothers...ahem...i don't put my kids in the nursery when they are sick! sorry...i am bitter because i found out someone at our church's children may have H1N1...not happy...i started bryson (or rather my sister did) on Tamiflu just in case!!! he is on day 3 and feeling much better - both his and Bodie's fevers have broken...as you can see by the picture he is already getting back to his normal self :)
*i was inspired to run because of my bro and SIL - who ran 10 miles the other day just cause...well i guess just cause we are training...i guess you can say the Catalina Marathon is inspiring all of us! instead of church we ran 6.5 miles throughout the marina in Long Beach - we really love it here...we really dig this town...this was confirmed yet again on our run. apparently i signed up for the long beach half marathon, which to my surprise is in like 3 weeks...yikes! i really need to step it up. after that one we are going to do Calico's 30k trail run again in January for training...excited!!
*i was inspired to start a quilt! i was inspired by this post and this post. i started my first quilt! not really with any instructions...not really sure what i do next...something about batting and binding...good thing there are youtube tutorials! and the salesladies at our local Sew N Vac...this was one of my New Years Resolutions...to sew a quilt. i got this itch to do it since we are going to be doing a photo shoot (i won a $200 gift certificate at MOPS a couple months ago!) and i thought it would be neat to do it at a park and even neater if we were having a picnic on a blanket i made...we'll see if it gets done by then...we'll see if i even know what the hay i am doing...cause i am pretty clueless at this point.
ly thought...i posted my best square and my worst square...i dont really feel too bad if this doesnt turn out either, because Paige and i got this fabric at this creepy cut-it-yourself basement store for a $1 a yard - i think i got like 40 yards or something ridiculous...but it has turned out perfect for projects like this!
*i was inspired to make more little girl things! i didn't have any batting and still was excited about sewing so i made this headband for sweet Eliot to match her cute little dress...
today a marks a year since she passed. she is still in my thoughts and i still have a good cry at least once a month thinking of her. whenever i see a good sale i flinch to call her...whenever i miss her i go to her blog and read some of her first posts and crack up.
i have many funny memories of Devon and they pop up in my mind here and there and cause simultaneous waves of joy and sorrow. i miss her because she is no longer here, but without sounding too cheese...she helped change a part of me that needed changing. she helped spawn a lot of change in my life - she influenced me a lot more than she will ever know and i will always remember her for that and always thank her and always remember this day.
this sweet little dress is going to a certain little fall birthday girl...who happens to be born on Halloween...who i had the pleasure of dancing with in Dallas...who is the sweetest little whiner i have ever seen..."mommy ehhh" - i am still working on her tutu because of course she needs that tutu for her upcoming dance classes, right mum?
k out baby girl!
r-changing centerpiece for our everchanging family and wanted to start documenting it...as long as we have a mantle at least! i have had an idea kicking around in my head for some while, but with the summers and all the pressures on our family that our business brings, i have curtailed all creative endeavors.
did to show a sorta "whats to come" because with bryson we are ALWAYS wondering what is to come with him! For bodie i put a footprint because that is a sight we are constantly seeing now with his super crawling abilities, but also because he is starting to leave his footprint in our family with his BIG personality starting to show through.
ne to reinvent the portrait as well!
