March ORT -TUSAL

http://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/2014/03/another-totally-useless-post.html


So here we go again....another new moon and I feel like I got minimal amounts of stitching done.  It seems like since Jorilynn has joined us I have not had the time or energy to sit and stitch for a few hours a day like I used to.  By the end of the day I look at my house and do the what is more important inventory...dishes, vacuuming, folding laundry, climbing to bed, working on getting organized or crafty projects?  Lately climbing into bed has been winning and sometimes that includes stitching and sometimes it doesn't.

But with my new crazy busy stay at home life here is what I did get done....some is better than none. Every stitch I make gets me closer to the end.

Getting closer.............

Ort Jar........I think it is getting fuller

I have been busy with transitioning to be a stay at home mom, and new born.  My goal this year is to finish 2 stitchings.......That is all just 2 I can do it......

Sharing My Work.....Some of it Anyways

So after talking with people I realized that I do not show off my finished projects very often and I should.  So I am going to start and I am going to progress more often.....ok well I will try.....I have a hard time showing what I have finished. Why you ask? I have no idea......well ok actually I do...but that is an entirely different discussion for a different day.

So for starters this is my first "finished project" of the year....quite literally....she was born on January 1.  I cannot believe how fast time has gone and how little I have gotten accomplished and I get frustrated....until I see her smile and think there is no reason to get frustrated I have been a little busy  with this cutie pie........

By far my most favorite recent finished "project"

Ok so besides my little baby I have gotten somethings done recently.

I started making hot pads/pot holders from the quilt squares that I make for my monthly quilt class.  I eventually will start selling them.  I really enjoy making them because they are quick and add color to your kitchen while serving a purpose.  The ones here I sent to my mom for some sisters that she visit teaches for church.

Back #1

Front #1

Front #2

Back #2

Front #3

Back #3

Front #4

Back #4

Those hot pads/pot holders were considered "alternative blocks" meaning I used the pattern from quilt class, but chose my own fabrics to use to make a different looking block

This picture does not do the blanket justice.  But this is Jorilynn's baby blanket that I made for her.  This was pre backing, batting and tying. 

This was a midnight mystery "class" that I participated in just before halloween.
I signed up for this class and all we knew was what fabric colors to provide, we had no
idea what we were making it was really fun.  We worked on this one step at a time all while talking,
giggling and eating junk food from 6pm to about 1 am.  

This is my first crocheted blanket EVER!  

And a close up of it.  I saw this on Pinterest and fell
in love with the chunky blanket look.  So I made
one for Jorilynn

I made this blanket for my brother he love Dr. Seuss
and Cat in the Hat.  I saw this fabric and could not resist
and it took a while to find the perfect pattern.  It took a
while to make, but I like how it turned out.

My youngest brother and I had the chance to meet Dr. Seuss when he was in elementary school. He came to our school for an assemble.  I do not remember much of it, but my brother does.  He LOVES any book written by Dr. Seuss and I do too.  I love how whimsical they are and I love his story of why he started writing int he first place.











The back of the quilt is flannel.  I love flannel and how cosy it makes quilts!

This is the back of the Dr. Seuss Quilt

This is a Bernstein Bears blanket.  I used the Disappearing Nine Patch pattern to make a baby blanket to sell.  Bernstein Bears are fun.  I enjoy reading the stories to my kids.  I remember reading these books in doctors offices.



Again flannel.  I really like using flannel on baby blankets to make them soft and extra cuddly for babies.

This quilt was a kit I bought on clearance.  The pattern is called "Gypsy Quilt".  I really love all the colors and patterns.  My mom often tells me I was born in the wrong era because of the fabric patterns and colors I like....big bold and colorful.

 This quilt was a mystery quilt.  Part of the quilt class I attend we get the directions to a mystery quilt.  The last 6 months of the class we get one set of directions at a time.  We have no idea what the quilt will look like until the end.

The first set of directions include the quantity and hue of fabric.  For example  color 1 light 4 yards, color 2 medium 2 yards, color 3 medium dark 3 yards, color 4 dark, 5 yards.  That is all we know so we buy what we like and hope it works.  It is fun and I enjoy it.  The steps are broken down so in theory the last class of the year you can show off your quilt.  It is amazing at how different colors can change the color of the quilt.

This one I chose to do a Halloween theme.  Themes make the quilts more fun, I think.

As I work on cleaning and organizing the pictures on my computer I will show off more of what I have done past and present.  I forget to post because I put pictures on my computer and think..."In the next day or 2 when I get a few minutes I will post pictures...." and it never happens.

I hope this year 2014 I can become better about blogging and not just my random thoughts, but more of journaling of projects, family life, and the fun things we do.

I have decided that I am going to TRY and blog once a week on Sundays.  That way I can journal often, but not to the point that I become stressed about doing it.

Happy New Year

***I started this post at the end of 2013 and so I cannot remember everything I wanted to say, but I had enough of it going I could not delete it***

At the end of every year I do a mental review of what happened, what went well, what I need to do better in the upcoming year, what absolutely sucked, what I want to do differently in the next year........2013 was not a bad year, but it was not the best, it for sure could have been a lot worse, but it also could have been a lot better.

It is hard to recap it all, but somethings that stand out to me are after a year of trying we finally got pregnant with our 3rd baby, we are finally in a place of our own....well its an apartment, but it is ours, Jeff was able to find a nice job in his field of study BEFORE he graduated school, we had a relatively medical free/healthy year, I finally figured out this crochet thing after about 20 years of not understanding it, Payeton sleeps in her own bed all night long (most of the time). 

Jasmin is starting to read and loves it.  We also discovered that she is our Sci-Fi scary movie kind of girl.  Some of her favorite movies include Avatar....not the anime, but the movie with the blue people with tails (as she calls it).  She is also into zombies and vampires.  She loves Monster High and other scary movies. While Payeton is my Strawberry Shortcake, rainbows and butterflies kind of girl.  She HATES scary movies....Hotel Transylvania scares her.  She is a love and very sensitive.  I love that the girls are starting to develop their own personalities and likes.

Both girls are growing like weeds.  They are both 90th percentile plus for height and weight, they are both left handed, they LOVE to watch movies and read books.  It is a punishment to them if we tell them they have to go to bed without a book.  Which does not happen often, but when it does they act like their world is coming to an end and I am THE WORST MOM EVER!!!

I have learned how to be thankful for even the small things in life.  To be grateful for my situation because it could always be worse.  

2013 was not a bad year.....could it have been better?  Of course, but 2013 was our turning point and things are getting better and we are hoping and praying that 2014 only gets better!

Stop Buying and Start Doing.......

So I have serious ADD when it comes to finishing projects. I want this sign

 I cannot tell you (ok I am embarrassed to admit) how many projects I have the materials for and have even started, but have not finished.  We are not talking a few weeks lapse I have fabric or materials for various sewing projects, counted cross stitch projects, Super Saturday projects that I bought a few years ago.  They either sit untouched or unfinished.

I was thinking the other day if I were locked in a room without distractions, plenty of food and water and movies or music for background noise, and ALL the materials I needed to finish each started project or bought for project I would be busy for a couple of years.

Here is just one project I started over a year ago. A quilt for my brother called "Tumbler Quilt".  It is a great quilt to use up the scraps of fabric that are too big to throw away, but not really big enough for anything else.

This is fabric chain sewn together waiting to be cut and ironed.

This is the tub of already cut fabric

I got all of the fabric cut now it is waiting to be ironed and sewing together
to make strips of 4.  I know right now it does make sense but it will later!

I have close to a dozen quilts either started or the fabric has been purchased, I have fabric for crayon rolls, pillow cases, clothes, hot pads/pot holders (it depends on what you call them) and fabric that I bought because it was too cute to pass up.  I have probably 20 + counted cross stitch kits and patterns sitting in boxes waiting to be done and at least 6 started counted cross stitch projects.  I have yarn for different crochet projects......Ok ok I think you get the picture.

Anyways I keep buying and buying and buying and I will start some and soon get bored so I will start another.  I have overwhelmed myself by what I have staring at me to get done.  So my main question is why can't I finish a project?  On the rare occasion that I do finish something it feels soooooooooo good.  A weight is lifted and I can breath until I turn around and see the next project.  Not only do I keep buying I cannot say no to people.  When someone asks me if I can make something for them I always say yes.  I need to learn to either keep my mouth shut or say no.

I have tried banning myself from fabric stores unless I NEED something, but once I walk in I loose self control and come out with more......

I cannot blame anyone for my overwhelmed feelings of unfinished projects, but myself.  I need to attend Unfinished Projects Anonymous!

I just need to not be distracted and finish projects!!!!!!

Distractions......

Ok so I started this post last month......so now I feel the title is even more appropriate.   Life happened, I got distracted, thought I saved what I started.......but I didn't!!!

I have been trying to figure out why I don't have enough time in my day to get it all done.  Now I do realize that some days you do it get all done because the stars align, the moon is reflecting the su. Just right, the gods are on your side....whatever you want to call it.......you are on top of the world.  By the time you fall into bed, you pat yourself on the back and say to yourself...."I am awesome" you feel, like your perfect spouse, the best parent, the best sibling, daughter, etc........but than it seems like you have a day where at the end of the day you think to yourself.....well what did I do today, laundry is not done, we had cold ceral for dinner, the kids made it to bed with the clothes they wore to bed the night before and played in today.......you did not get anything done and can't put a finger on it.........it could have been your kids demanded your attention every waking moment.....you did not get out of bed until noon.....were you distracted? 

I have found a pattern the day I am on top of the world, appointments, made phone calls made, laundry was done and put away, kids did work sheets, house was cleaned, dinner made and ready for my hsivand when he got home, kids bathed.........I think you get the idea......after a "perfect" day it seems the next day......I put kids to bed and I look around at the sink full of dishes......the cereal bowls on the counter from dinner.....I did not even get dressed......I think what on earth did I do today?  Apparently nothing......oh wait yeah I did I pinned 400 new pins on Pinterest, I updated my Facebook status almost every hour, I read everyone else's posts and commented on every single one of my friends, I played my unimportant Facebook games, iPhone games, I watched movies all day, I think I fed my kids lunch or maybe they just out of the snack drawer...all well they ate something....I hope.  I go to bed feeling an inch tall a horrible person, mother and wife.  So as I try not to beat myself up too much I vow to myself tomorrow I won't even touch the computer, I will leave my phone on my dresser, I won't even think about Pinterest.     But it never happens.  

I also get that once in a while we all have lazy days where we never got dressed, the kids watched movies all day, they had cold cereal for all 3 meals and even their snacks, your lucky if dirty dishes even made it to the sink.....everyone needs a lazy day once in a while to recharge or just to snuggle the kids because it has been a long time.....or the kids are extr needy because of not feeling good, or they are cranky or they are clingy and won't let you leave their sight.  

I know the world that I have created in my head......"Leave it to Beaver" world does not exist....but I would like to have something close something so when my husband comes home after 10 + hours at work (some days that does not include commute time) he can have a yummy dinner ready, an almost clean home, kids bathed, etc so when he does get home we can eat dinner and watch a movie or go play or just have snuggle time.

It amazes me at how helpful technology is, how it has improved, how much easier it is to stay in touch with friends and family, you can keep all of your appointments in your phone now and not have to carry around a calendar, how we can have the world literally at our finger tips on our phone, but now it seems we have even more distractions.  Not saying these things are bad, but it is crazy to me that I can sit down and I am going to spend 5 minutes while the kids are eating lunch to catch up on Facebook and the next thing I know the kids have finished eating, watched a movie and my husband is going to be home in an hour and I have no idea what to make for dinner.  I was distracted from spending time with my kids, folding laundry, quickly putting dishes in dishwasher, making dinner, going for a walk outside in the sunshine......whatever it may be.  How did technology take over?  

I laugh at this thought, but there is marrit to it. I wish we were in the 50s again.  You know the time where there were only 5 tv channels, kids played out side until dark, there were no cell phones or computers, etc.  life was hard back then no doubt, but a lot simpler in many aspects....kids were not demanding toys they saw on tv, everyone knew their neighbors, the only time we were able to talk on the phone was at home...etc. ok so maybe we don't have to go as far back as the 50s, but it better illustrates my idea. 

I need to become unplugged, but it is so hard.  Having the world at my finger tips is so handy I can look up anything online and get my answer, but by being attached to my phone I miss out on what my kids are doing, I don't talk to my husband like I should because we are both busy looking at our phones, I even have noticed how irritated I get when I am trying to read a frivolous article online and one of my sweet children asks me a question.  

I am struggling to find a balance in my life.  Technology has been a huge blessing in many ways, but detrimental in others.  Do you remember having all of your friends phone numbers memorized? I do......can you tell me what your husbands phone number is at work? Or what your best friends number is now? I know I can't. Have we stopped making out brains work hard because we can plug it all into our phone. Are we damaging out brains by not making them work?  I think of it as becoming out of shape. I quit working out years ago....life happened, marriage jobs, kids, injuries......I tried to do a basic workout the other day and oh my gosh I have gotten weak and to think a few years ago I could play college soccer for 90 minutes and now I cannot even walk up the stairs without my thighs burning and breathing heavy.....is that what is happening to our brains?  Are we creating Alzheimer's by not working our brains like we used to, like muscle atrophy has set in on my for lack of using my muscles?

Oh look there we go again I got distracted...again....

How do you limit distractions? And not just Facebook distractions, but in general, we are all plagued with our own distractions weather it be technology, talking on the phone, writing, etc.

I have so many things I need to get done and I know if I limited my distractions I would get a lot more done, so why can't I walk away from them? HELP!!!!!!

March ORT

So I thought I had my phone set up to notify me when it was time to post......I was wrong....or maybe it did and I ignored...which I never ignore my alarms and alerts...EVER!!!!  Technology is awesome....if you use it and don't ignore it.  

Anyways, I am late as usual!  SURPRISE!!!!

I am focusing on 2 different stitchings right now.  1 started about 2 years ago and the other one I started about 5 months ago.  

This is an alphabet "sampler".  It is about families and each letter of the alphabet
 depicts a different aspect of the family

My ORT jar

This is one I am turning into a birth sampler for my daughter that was just born

I know it does not look like I have gotten much done, but I have been a little be preoccupied by the newest addition to our family and trying to get caught up on my quilting projects as well.  I have so many unfinished projects it is crazy!

This is the source of about 90% of my distractions right now.
She is 2 months old and is a happy little baby

Now that I have officially joined the stay at home mom world I hope that I might get more done durning the day and have more time to stitch at night. I can hear all the giggles from other moms.....they can stop now....I know I won't have more time for me.  I am a mom of 5 year old 4 year old and 2 month old.........

My three daughters that keep me on my toes and boy do I love them

They all make me want to pull my hair out, but they also provide me hours of entertainment and laughter.  My two older girls have turned into such wonderful helpers that love their baby sister....a little too much!

I am loving my life though!