Order Up! It's a Blog Smorgasbord...

This is going to be a little bit of this and a lot of that....especially pictures, as I update you on the events and projects in my life the last few days. I'm still getting used to this blogging idea, so it's going to take me a while before the kinks are all worked out....

A corner of my home (in tribute to all of you other blogging ladies out there)....This is actually in my living room, and I had Bob string up fishing line from one corner to the other. I have hung 3 paper lanterns (the other two are at the corners), and I am currently hanging up the plethora of artwork Will brings home weekly from preschool. This was actually taken around Valentine's Day, so you can see a few of the fabric hearts I strung up as well....

Now...a few pictures from this weekend....

Bob playing the "strong man" at the circus (he actually doesn't have to play; he really is strong!). Nathan just laughs and laughs as Bob twirls them around in a circle...I think we get more fun out of hearing that and Will scream in delight than the boys do being made dizzy...

Will wants to be "big" now, so he is finally, completely, absolutely potty trained!! And he looooves to play big brother, like here, and feed his little brother (the "baby bee").

And on to all my projects...some finished, some still in-process...

Here are 5 blankets, 12 cuffs, and 8 hair clips for the Made for China

project. There's still a huge need...and still time to sign up, so link on over and make a difference.

A WIP...and I've been saying that for about 4 months now! It will be my first complete knitting project, and I'm now about halfway through. It should be finished in time for next fall.....

YES! I finally have a stash!!! Of course, all of this I had to buy, but that was half the fun anyhow. So many choices.....oh, my pretties, what shall I do with you now? I've some ideas, but I need to work on my sewing skills on scraps and such before I touch my beloved pile. Any and all contributions to the stash are welcome....

So now off to my latest project...hopefully I will have a picture to post soon...and while you are enjoying your day, pop on over to SouleMama.... It's Amanda's 2-year blog-aversary, and she is just so inspirational! Congratulations, Amanda!

Little rays of sunshine... (#4)

No updates on my WIPs yet, but I'm getting there, I promise!

While I was watching the storm roll in today, trolling around the web, I came across this. Kelli's idea is so wonderful, no matter what your faith (or lack of it) or what your own traditions may be for Lent. I encourage everyone to check it out! I will be keeping you posted on my own efforts for CAOK...and, of course, many of you may be recipients of one of my acts of kindness. Those of you who know me know that I don't need an excuse to do this, but this certainly is a worthy cause for those of you who might need an incentive.

Anyhow, for those of you who live near a JoAnn's get yourself over there this week! Almost everything is on sale! I have been celebrating this Year of Gluttony by adding to my fabric stash. I never knew I had it in me to covet fabric. With Valentine's Day patterns at 60% off, who wouldn't? As soon as they are all washed and ironed (in process), I will post my beautiful selections. I went there on the excuse of buying a new needle for my ancient (but well-loved) Kenmore sewing machine, but I couldn't resist. It's like being a kid in a candy store.....

Happy New Year! (#3)

Sunday ushered in the Year of the Boar (we prefer "Year of the Pig" as the boys both love to make a "piggy" face). As you can see from the pics., gluttony was the order of the evening's events.
Here's the spread....


And here's the chowing down.....(even baby Nathan was enjoying the feast)!

I am notably absent from the table, as I was taking the pictures! However, Bob did manage to snap a cute one of Nathan and I.
And I certainly couldn't go with bringing something...here's my first attempt at Chinese baking: sweet sesame buns and almond cookies. The bun recipe is from the current issue of Rachael Ray's mag., and the almond cookies are from Everyday Day Food (the special cookie edition). The buns were a little sweet for me, but the cookies were such a hit, I made more the next day, along with some molasses-spice cookies as gifts. More pics. are loaded as a set on the flickr account if you want to see all of the evenings festivities...



Coooooookies.....yum!

My next post should include some of the projects I've been working on...some are also featured over at flickr. I've finished most of my contribution for the Made for China project. I feel very honored to take part in this. Check out the link for Kidding Around if you would like to find out more or contribute to it yourself.

Off to fold laundry, iron some of my new fabric stash, and then to Joann's for a new needle for the sewing machine. I don't know if this was the original needle, but even so, my sweet grandmother has been deceased for almost 16 years, so it was at least that old. That's a well made needle!

Beautiful Day... (#2)

Not to borrow a U2 song title, but it really was. It was just enough of a tease of a spring-to-come....and my apologies go out to anyone who is groaning at this point. I know some of you are head-high in snow, but for we native Californians, there is a beauty in that, too. Or maybe I just speak for myself...enough rambling....

I hope to have more pics up soon, but you can see I've added a link to Flickr on the sidebar. I've got more than enough WIPs to fill up this page and then some, but I'll try to limit myself. I'm still figuring out all of the technology here, so please be patient, as this is only Day 2 in blogland.

If you are a wanna-be crafter like me, check out my links. These ladies are really gifted and so inspirational.

I do confess.....(#1)

I'm really not so crafty....but it seems like my friends and family think so, so thus the title. I'll call myself this (crafty) as I am a work in progress, and I really hope to see myself as crafty someday. I'm sure my ramblings will include more than just my fumbles through creativity...and once I figure out all the technology of it, I will post pics as well.

So...I've really been inspired by all those truly crafty people out there....It's also been a bit of therapy to me. You see, despite living this completely wonderful life....one with my super fantastic husband (Bob) and two wildly active and completely adorable little boys (Will, 3 years, and Nathan, 15 mos.), I was completely unhappy. To make a long blog short, I finally faced up to what I had suspected all along (PPD) and got some help for it. It's still a one-day-at-a-time process, but I am no longer in that black hole just existing. I am thriving and loving life! And so I thank all of you for your blogs that have helped me find my creative side again...And when I figure out how to do the links and all that, I will properly acknowledge you.

Anyhow....I've got a lot of WIPs going on right now...trying to hide the needles (knitting and sewing), glue, and other possible implements of self-torture from my little ones. Will is already a crafter in the making, so my scraps and such are finding uses in his room. Nathan loves how fun ribbons are...how our two older "babies" (the kitties - Sydney and Dixie) love to chase him and the ribbons around the house...And, as all you moms out there know, finding "alone" time to work on my "krafts" (yes, I do love to use "quotes" and probably not always correctly, Mom, you English teacher you). So my crafts, as well as my spirit, are continual works in progress.

Now off to work on one or two things while the boys are napping....