The Pyrex Queen

Best friends?

2011-05-17T23:59:00.000-06:00

These kids are growing up way to fast for me. My baby boy is going to be a year old in less than 3 weeks! Evey is most of the way to 3! Whaaaat?

I love to watch Teagan and Evey playing so much. Now that he is walking, he follows her around the house like a little puppy. I'm talking back to her room, out to the dining room, around and around the kitchen loop. She has recently started to call him into a room to come play with her (with some limits on what toys he is actually able to touch). It warms my heart.

And it has me thinking every day if we dare disrupt this nice stage with another rugrat. Things are starting to be calm and reasonably managable (but who likes boring anyways?). We still aren't all sleeping through the night but I have low expectations of ever sleeping again.

I really need to make sure I appreciate these kiddos every day!

8 months old

2011-02-02T14:24:00.001-07:00

2010-11-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

just practicing some Picasa edits for homemade christmas cards.

Family Fall Fun

2010-10-15T09:49:00.000-06:00

This may, or may not have been our last family day in the backyard. It started snowing this morning!!

Evey, Teagan, Milo, and Ryan

Listing

2010-09-29T08:56:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I forget that I may be a little more list-crazy than the average person. Without lists, I am like rudderless boat adrift at sea (to use a poetic simile) - I get nowhere. And I tend to get a little anxious, like I am forgetting something. I tend to become a littel overwhelmed, and feel like I am forgetting something. I tend to repeat myself, and I drive others crazy with my verbal reminders of what I want/need to do.

I was diagnosed with ADD when I was in my early 20's. I went in to see a psychiatrist on my own, after a couple years of being a very unproductive employee at a desk job. I suspect, had I been grade-school age in the 1990's/2000's, in a city, I would have been diagnosed by the time I was 10. But, ADD/ ADHD were not really mainstream concepts when I was in school. I have trouble focussing on one thing, as all the other possibilities of things to do, to read, to make flood my mind. I have trouble prioritizing my time. My list-making is a survival mechanism, and a better alternative for me than taking medications. (I tried the Ritalin for a few months, and it made me feel even more anxious and weirdly energetic, but slightly high - the same way DayQuil Liqui-Caps affect my body - yucky!)

I am tempted to centralize all my lists into one place, but that would require me re-writing all of them.
My list of lists:
- Tasks: -To do today
- This week
- Each month
- Craft/ Creative/ Sewing Projects for self
- Sewing projects to sell
- House maintenance/ repairs (room by room)
- Christmas present ideas for family
- Christmas card list
- Books to read
- Baby names (on going, as we come across cool names)
- Things I want to get rid of, sell or donate
- Unfinished projects (excluding house items)
- Future new vehicle ideas
- Places to go with a toddler
- Due date list for friends' babies
- Purchasing wish list/ wait list (new microwave, external hard-drive etc)
- Blogs I read
- List of diapers we have and what sizes they fit
- Amazon.ca wishlist, Amazon.com wishlist (oops)
- List of files in our filing cabinet
- Phone lists

I'm sure there are more, but you probably get my point already!

The benefits of company

2010-09-26T22:35:00.000-06:00

I have to admit, that one reason I love to host playdates and visit company at home is that my house gets clean quicker. It may not be a deep clean, but clean enough to avoid embarassement. I know that some people may not think that is the best motivation for tidying up every day, but it works for me! Tomorrow I am getting a visit from a high school friend whose children are almost the exact same age as mine. I haven't seen her since I bumped into her on the C-train in 2000 or 2001, so I was definitely compelled to clean, as to not scare her away! (And I threw in a good scrub of the stovetop for good measure - I try to get that done at least once a month, usually the day before my mother-in-law arrives)

Day One?

2010-09-17T22:14:00.000-06:00

I may count tonight as Day One of trying to get Miss E to get to sleep on her own.
It was a struggle, considering I missed my chance to even attempt to get her down for a nap before 1:30pm, and my misguided attempt to zonk her out in the car at 4:15 failed too. (good thing)
I managed to get both kids in the bath by 6:45pm, and Teagan was fed & in bed by 7:15, but he only slept for about an hour, then was up again. I got him asleep again while watching Franklin with Evey, just in time to turn off the TV before the nefarious Toopy & Binoo started. We had a quick snack of yogourt, then she started to whine, etc because she was so tired. Straight to bed.

I laid her down with her two stuffed kitties, all tucked in under the quilts and she passed through several states of tired: cozy and happy and content, fighting sleep and wanting to wrap herself around my neck, standing up and trying to crawl into my lap etc. etc. I finally got her to settle while I sat on the edge of her bed and leaned over her, while she had one arm around my neck. When her breathing slowed, I took her arm off, set it on her tummy, waited a few minutes then bolted. (then straight to the basement to crack a dusty bottle of wine*). I count this night as closer to just sitting next to her, than actually having to lay next to her under the covers in full choke hold.

I figure this is going to be much like weaning her from the boob. The first few nights will be loud and rough to listen to (for Ryan), but it really shouldn't take more than a week for her to get with the program. I hope.**

*Normally I don't drink when breastfeeding, but I figured that if Teagan was able to sleep through 45 minutes of Evey's screams and pounding on the shared wall between their rooms, he would not awaken to nurse before the alchohol is out of my system from one glass. I really needed it to get the echoes out of my skull. His first wakings after 8pm bedtimes seem to be 2am at the earliest, so I should be golden.

**I weaned her at 14 months, when I was about a month and a half pregnant. She was wanting to nurse 8-9 times a night (oh yes!), and I was getting very annoyed and tired. Then I started to get a blister on one side, which told me that I likely didn't have any milk, so we stopped cold turkey the next day. I did need to nurse her on the 3rd day to get her down for a nap, and help get the engorgement down. After that we were both fine. I really wanted to have at least 7 months off before the next baby wanted a piece of me.

Sleep, Baby, Sleep

2010-09-15T09:29:00.001-06:00

I am getting quite frustrated with Evey's sleep. I feel like after 2 years, we should be able to just put her in bed, read her a story, turn of the light and let her sleep. Not in this universe!

If we miss our window of tiredness with her, by even a few minutes, then she is up until 10. Last night she fought sleep until 1am. Not cool. I think part of OUR problem, is that we let her watch T.V in the evening, after playtime and bath, and we won't pull her away from the show in the middle of it. We also don't like confrontation, because we are afraid the crying and carrying on could wake Teagan. Obviously this approach to bedtime is not working.

I figure there are three gentle approaches we could take:
    1. No Cry Sleep Solution - ROUTINE, ROUTINE, ROUTINE
    2. Baby Whisperer for Toddlers - shush, and put back in bed
    3. Supernanny approach - keep putting them back in bed, no talking, slowly move yourself out of the room.
I need to refresh myself on these techniques just to get a good grasp of them. Regardless of which option we go with, we need to push an earlier bedtime. Earlier like 7pm, even if it means Daddy doesn't get much evening playtime during the week.

The benefits of getting Evey to sleep earlier are obvious - she'll be less tired, we'll have more time in the evenings to get chores done when we still have energy and Ryan and I might actually be able to spend some quality time with each other. (And I might be able to start sewing more, and maybe start making some money doing it.

Wish me luck!

I sat in the tub 'til I looked like a prune

2010-09-14T00:20:00.006-06:00

I don't know that I was ever so body obsessed as I have been since I became pregnant with my first child. Thinking about what is going into my body, thinking about what is coming out of my body, thinking about how big I am getting or how small I may become. I honestly was not this bad as a developing teenager, I am sure of it. Laying in the tub tonight (first un-interrupted bath in over a year), glancing at my post-baby #2 body, it got me thinking about how having kids really DOES take a toll on a woman's body (and mind).

I think I have fared pretty well. Fully clothed, in properly supportive bra, I probably look much the same as my 22 year old self (before I became gainfully employed and gained 20 pounds because I could AFFORD to eat and I could drive everywhere). But once the clothes come off, not so much. Gravity takes hold. Bold blue veins glow across my entire chest. There are stretch marks that no cream will make disappear. And my insides - well, I know they've been re-arranged. I don't dwell on what my body has become, but I do wonder how much more it will change.

I have been lucky, that I am down the (unhealthy) 20 pounds that I gained during 10 years of working. so I wonder if I can lose more, or if I even should. I have never been an exerciser, so I wonder if it is possible to take all my mommy mushiness and tighten it up. I daydream about being able to do yoga daily to get a stronger core and not feel all cramped up in my muscles all day. I aspire to eating the nutritionally balanced meals and snacks that I have written out on my fridge. It really comes down to two things: time and motivation.

Right now my main priorities have been to keep my family fed, the bills paid and still try to visit at least one friend outside of the house. I would love to do more quilting. I would love to catch up on my long neglected photo albums. I would love to exercise. But when I have a spare moment, inertia hits, or laundry, or checking my email the 50th time hoping for a playdate proposal or facebook update. lame lame lame. Granted I have ALWAYS had a wishlist/ to do list that is impossibly long, and I have long accepted that it will never end. I just like to do, and always have new ideas for projects to start. But this ramble is an entirely new post.

Body-wise I DO need to be more accountable to my health, vanity aside. I am hoping to breastfeed my son until he is at least a year old, and I need to make sure that I am eating properly. Getting up a little earlier in the morning to stretch out and do yoga can only be a benefit to my health and state of mind - provided I go to bed sooner than the 2 am curfew I seem to be on the past 2 weeks. I would like to feel energetic during the day so I can be a better mom (and maybe feel motivated enough to squeeze in some sewing or proper housekeeping instead of wasting time on the internet).

Anyways. I am a girl of many goals, so just picking one to focus on for a few weeks may be my best bet.

I'm a bad mommy blogger, and other ramblings

2010-09-12T22:53:00.004-06:00

So since I posted last:
Evey had both her 1st and 2nd birthdays.
I had a son in June 2010.
That pretty much sums up my life in the last 15 months!
It's not that I don't have much to say about the day to day of motherhood. I have literally written volumes since Evey was born - I just tend to be an old fashioned pen and paper journaller. (I'm halfway through Volume 44 after 22 years of writing.)

This last year and a bit of motherhood has not been that overwhelming. It could be lack of decent sleep that adds the rosy lens maybe? But I haven't felt that bad. Scarily enough, I was already considering a 3rd child while I was still in recovery with #2. *shake of head* Silly me!
I am finding the hardest struggles to be this:
Getting Evey to nap before 2pm
Getting Evey to bed before 10 pm
Getting Evey to sleep without being in a choker hold hug.
Having the kitchen/house in a state at least one step below chaos before Daddy comes home from work.
(notice a trend?)
God love him, Teagan is an awesome sleeper (right now, I'll add, in order to not jinx myself), so much of the nap/bedtime struggles occur after he has zonked out. I'll admit that during the first few weeks, I felt like a ping pong ball going between their two rooms and ours, but by 2.5-3 months, he started sleeping 8-12 hours stretches. Sweet. The first morning that I woke up after 7.5 hours of solid sleep, I had two thoughts: 1. Why is it still dark outside and I'm wide awake and 2. Oh my god is my baby alive?. Seriously, I had to check his breathing, then pick him up and feed him to make myself feel better. I love my son! I love Evey too, but it is not because of her sleeping habits! I may post about my progress with her sleep, once I can actually commit to getting a firm bedtime routine down.

It's not to say that I haven't been tired. I spend a great deal of time feeding Teagan during the day, and when I have a moment free, I am more likely to rest than run around trying to fold clothes or what not. Ryan has really done a lot around the house, but I think my window of semi-laziness should be coming to a close soon, because I can't burn out the one person who is actually bringing money into the house by having him working day and night.

That is another series of changes that might be good to publicize for some accountability.

I am not aiming to be supermom - I just don't want to be lazy mom who watches t.v and is on the computer all the time while her kids run rampant around the house (because that's what many days seem like around here!) I just don't feel comfortable with the way our routine has become. I know I have a newborn, but I am a goal-oriented person, and I need something a little more structured to work towards.

Here's hoping that I get at least one more post in before September 2011! (and that I am not blogging about baby #3 arriving before then.)

Out as long as she was in.

2009-06-17T09:51:00.006-06:00

Where did the last 9 months go! (I should say 9.5 months at this point)

Evey is now a mobile little lady - she's pulling her self up on everything and "cruising" around the room constantly. She doesn't sit still. But then again, look at her parents!

She loves to pull items out of bags, baskets, bowls - so it makes folding laundry, putting away toys and baking a little difficult if she is within arms reach.

She's a real copycat already, so we need to be careful what we are teaching her.

I am still not in the groove of true "housewifely-

ness". It's all I can manage to just get some dishes washed, and laundry done. Between just keeping her out of things, running errands, and getting sucked into blog-reading.....

Ryan has really come through as a great dad, and has picked up a LOT of slack around here!

RockBand Baby

2009-02-03T17:19:00.002-07:00

We are going to have to make a Rockband character for Evey. She is such a hardcore rocker, that she deserves it:

good eats

2009-01-17T16:28:00.003-07:00

Yesterday I gave in to Evey's overwhelming desire to eat "regular" food and made her some thin pablum for lunch. She loooooved it. So we tried again today, a little thicker and she was just as enthusiastic about it, opening her mouth wide when the loaded spoon was nearing her mouth.
I may only do a small once-a-day feeding for the next little while, as she is still only 4.5 months old (shame on us), but she is so EAGER.

Right now she is in a major copycat phase, and she wants to do everything we are - brushing her teeth (gums), grabbing papers that I am reading and grabbing the microphone while I am singing at Rockband (she has her own mic now). FUN FUN FUN! She is also working on rolling over - she's managed 2 or 3 times on her own since Monday, but won't do it for daddy yet.

Penetrating gaze

2009-01-08T15:51:00.002-07:00

Penetrating gaze
Originally uploaded by Mrs.Razzo

I think this is one of my favorite photos of Evey so far. She is looking into my soul, asking me to take the task of parenting her seriously! She is normally a happy baby, but she does have her moments, where she is just observing and analyzing what she sees.

Evey turned 4 months old a few days ago, and I am still in awe of how fast she is growing. She grabs for food, hair, anything. She wants to start eating real food right now, but we will have to wait awhile. It will be hard if she has either Ryan or I's patience!

I have been trying to fill in her baby book the past few weeks, to get "caught up". It has areas for my reflections on this and that after her birth and I think I was in so much of a blur I didn't really have time to be reflective. If anything I can always just tape a cute photo of her over the hard questions!!

I am looking forward to this year. I am trying to truly dedicate myself to being a present parent, and not try to multitask too much at her expense. (i.e. keeping her up too late to watch the end of CSI) I have also (mostly) decided that I am going to set aside my professional organizing dreams for awhile, probably even not renew my professional association membership this year. It is a hard decision, because the Professional Organizers in Canada Conference is in Calgary this fall, and I could write my trained professional organizers exam. I just don't want to stretch myself thin trying to study for it, plus we REALLY don't have much extra money around for me to have memberships and certificates that I won't be using for a long while. If that career is really meant to be, it will still be around when I am a little more "trained" as a parent, and have reliable child care for days I have clients.

Best of luck to all in 2009.

Evey Sitting

2008-12-29T13:59:00.001-07:00

Evey Sitting
Originally uploaded by Mrs.Razzo

This is what we will be working on in the new year - keeping Evey happy and possibly a little more vertical than her current fish flop on the floor!

the holiday season looms

2008-12-11T10:34:00.004-07:00

This has been a busy week already with one christmas party on Tuesday and one today. I have barely shopped/ crafted any presents yet. The small children of relatives and friends are covered, but no adults so far.

I am still in the blur of new motherhood I think. It seems our life revolves around tending to Evey and doing chores. Ryan was doing some preliminary resarch on a theatre (musical or play) outing in the new year for us. woo hoo a date!

I have the sleeping babe in my other arm now ( I am getting quite proficient in one handed typing). I should probably take this oppportunity to work on the apron order I have, and switch out the laundry.

I'm a mom now

2008-11-18T22:21:00.004-07:00

Evey is now 10 weeks and 5 days old. She already is developing a personality - a happy one luckily. We are mostly adjusted to the new groove. The cat has resigned himself to not being the baby anymore.

September 4th

End of October 2008

5 weeks one day

2008-07-28T10:04:00.002-06:00

36 days
The baby is coming quick!

We finally did the big move yesterday. I now have an office/ craft room, and the nursery is just for the baby. We moved furniture, re-routed wiring and added more to the "spare-spare" room.

The nursery is still quite empty - a cradle, child's rocking chair and vintage chair are all that sit in there now. The curtains are up. The quilt is finished. The closet is full of books and clothes and diapers and blankets and miscellaneous decorations waiting to be put up on the walls. We have picked out a new dresser, side table and toybox to pick up on Monday. We are now awaiting the grand delivery of the baby supplies from my family in August. We are just about ready - stuff wise!

We had our first Birth & Babies class last Thursday, and it seems that it will be a good learning experience for both of us. Ryan has been reassured that he is not the only dad who is a little apprehensive about this whole baby thing!

One semi-related-to-baby class I am taking this weekend, is how to properly use my camera. My Christmas present was a fancy digital SLR, but 99% of the pictures I have taken in the past 6 months have been on the AUTO setting. I need to upgrade my skills!

Well, off to finishing up the office/ craft room. I still have several piles of books that need to find homes, and I have some reports to work on today....so close to being done!

It's apparently been a while!

2008-07-14T13:42:00.002-06:00

So it's already July 2008. Where did the past year go? I have the feeling that blogging is not really my preferred forum for self expression. I have been journalling for 20 years, so I guess paper is my thing.

So...since last July I have:
1. "left" my job at BSA - though I am still doing these flippin' studies - I definitely have not been putting in the full time hours require to wrap them up quick.

2. become pregnant - hence the inability to put in full time hours and finish the darn studies

That pretty much sums up the last 12 months!

I may end up changing this blog to a baby blog once the little one comes in September. I can posts photos to the grandparent's delight. (and for JenP who is the only one who reads this thing I think!)

20 days later

2007-07-27T13:30:00.000-06:00

I finally ordered my business cards last night, but haven't received confirmation that the email was received, so still waiting.

This weekend is a combo of folk fest, spending time with my poor neglected husband and moving offices to downtown. Woo Hoo!

Hopefully I don't snap this weekend!

Update for Jen P / test logos

2007-07-06T16:31:00.000-06:00

Jen P, i am updating this just for you!

I also want to see if my backward, slapdash logo creating methods actually worked!

jpg - wrong colours, grammar error

gif - with final colour should be okay

Figuring this out has given me many a headache. Hopefully this is adequate for me to finally get my business cards ordered already!! Hopefully Ilija can use this on my webpage as well.

Half way there

2007-02-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to be moving forward with my goals still.

I am halfway through my entrepreneurship courses (6/12) and my business plan for professional organizing is really coming together. Of the Professional Organizers of Canada courses, I have 5 of 18 completed. I am so happy that I chose to learn first before just jumping in.

The number one lesson I have learned is: start my business part time and on weekends - and depending on how much time I truly can devote to it, grow it from there. One P.Org. I chatted with worked on evenings/weekends for 1.5 years before she left her dayjob to organize full time. I think that is a managable way to approach it. I am learning that there are many ins and outs to running a business and it is not going to be popular and busy overnight!

Family Day Office organizing:

(sorry the pictures are so dark)

Before:

After:

Finished!

2007-02-20T21:05:00.000-07:00

I finally finished ryan's quilt. No orders for more yet!

Milo enjoying his piece of the quilt! Doesn't he look happy?

The incredible shrinking woman

2007-01-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

I have been a little busy since November!
First - I want to share my glee at finally weighing less than 140lbs!
Since I started seeing the nutritionist this fall I have lost about 7 or 8 pounds. Until last week, I had just cut back on carbs after 3pm, but last Sunday I started a herbal detox, and dropped more weight. (If i don't count yesterday and today's moments of weakness).

I am not a huge girl, but I am only 5'2", so that weight was putting me over 35% bodyfat - which is not healthy.
My hope is that I can exercise the rest of the weight off. I am not prepared to keep eating as sparsely as I have. It has been a real struggle to avoid milk & cheese and bread. I can definitely feel and see what it was doing to my body though. The past couple of days were not following the plan (pizza for supper, greek pita, feta today at lunch) and I totally feel the big puffy bread in my stomach. Lots of veggies don't make me feel full the same way bread does, but, i can eat and eat and eat without feeling puffy. So supper tonight is back following the rules - we are having ribs cooked in tomatoes, onions, peppers and chicken broth. I'll roast some potatoes to go with. I think i have 4 days left of the detox.

I do need to start exercising though - for cardio and for muscles. To get down to 20% bodyfat, I'd have to drop to 113 lbs if I don't develop muscle!! no chance!! I'd rather end up around 125.

Anyways, other busyness includes the organzing courses, entrepreneurship courses, sewing, trying to avoid being mauled by milo and trying to help ryan out around the house (since i am apparently never home anymore). I haven't been doing choir for the past few weeks - just feel too busy - I actually have homework!

Well, now that I got that out! I did finish a few crafts over christmas that I will post when I have a second.
I finished Blair & Andrea's quilt, some baby bibs, and an apron for Jeff's Jen. I gutted the craft room the other day and cleared out a ton of unused paper and supplies that I was holding on for no good reason. I also removed a few piles of "potential" projects and put the fabric away.

Now I only have a few things on the table:
1. finish ryan's quilt for his birthday (next wednesday!!)
2. sew a black flippy skirt for myself.
3. hem a couple more pairs of pants
4. fix the butt of the pants i ripped out in the attempt to fit ryan, with no luck. :(

That's all I should really commit myself to!!

later!

Big as an elephant!

2006-11-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

I just got a new picture of my nephew - he is growing so fast!!
Three months old and he is so grown up!

Catching up

2006-11-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

This is a quick catch up post - Seriously,where did the summer go??
I have a few sewing projects going on right now(i.e. in pieces on the floor)
Ryan's Calgary flames quilt
Banner for church
I have a few projects that I am still wishing to do:
sew a flippy black skirt with the nice rayon from goodwill
mend the ever growing pile of holey socks and cat ripped pants
attend to the piles (now spilled) that are for christmas presents:
apron for Jen Rourke
hangings for grandmas,moms
slippers
apron pile for sale?

Alas, it now looks as though 3 tornados hit my craft room, and the closets barfed up fabric.
It is now a good "organizing portfolio" project!!

I finally got emmas quilt delivered a few weeks ago, but I can't get blogger to upload them.
Check out the photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/thepyrexqueen

I'd better get to work!

Digging myself out

2006-10-10T15:51:00.000-06:00

This morning i heard a song on the radio that really struck a chord.
excerpt:
NATASHA BEDINGFIELD "Unwritten"
I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

I have been in a tizzy, thought stew, mental tornado this past month (or so - 29 1/2 years?? he he). I am feeling stressed and caught in the spin cycle. I am questioning my present situation - am i happy at work? Am i working towards my dreams? Am I living my own life?

I asked the question/ voiced my "complaints" to a handful of close friends this weekend to get feedback and was given some good/different perspectives by a few good friends. Some feedback was surprising and previously unrealized, but needed. Some pointed out the obvious thoughts that i have been struggling with - i.e. put words in my mouth that i could not find..

I have had a few options kicking around in my head that are "practical career options" but Ryan suggested that i start moving towards what I often talk about. Ryan told me that I need to do what I need to do. And that if it costs money, then we'll spend money to make sure that I am happy.He suggested that I try out an entrepreneurship course and learn about setting up my own business. (Whether sewing or organizing related)

Today I re-visited the Prof. Organizers of Canada Webpage and found that the Calgary Chapter is meeting on November 1st. I am going to make a point of attending that meeting, to get more information. I cannot be afraid. They also have web based seminars that are quite inexpensive.

On a lighter note - I finished another baby quilt. Photos to come. I decided that before i start Ryan's hockey quilt I am going to make a few things for myself, so i started my "comfy cozy" skirt on Sunday afternoon. I just need to put in a waist band and hem the bottom. It is stretchy and knitted and purple, and will be awesome to curl up in at home. It is too ugly to wear in public, but the fabric was practically free. (3.99 at goodwill)

Okay, now that i have somewhat caught up and cleared my mind, i can get back to work for another hour, and then, only then, can i go home.

News News News

2006-08-29T10:54:00.000-06:00

Well, time flies!
This week I became an auntie:
Kail Richard Orriss was born on Sunday August 27, 2006!
I am so excited to go see Kail and Kelly this weekend. She told me that I am not allowed to steal him though. :(

I have actually managed to get a few projects done this month:
- Rebecca's curtains
- Hayden's wall hanging
- piecing the top of Emma's quilt
- making an elephant for Kail (he is cute)
- Piano cover for me!
- make rhubarb cake

I'm just trying to keep on top of being creative!
more later...

Organization?

2006-07-20T11:43:00.000-06:00

Can a nostalgic person be a professional organizer?
I am thinking that it is NOT possible - without major hipocrasy!!
When think about what I'd like to declutter at my house, I realize that I don't want to let many things go myself. I see myself as the curator of memories - that I want tangible many years from now so our kids, and my family can have those triggers of great memories.

I salvage fabric and other "junk" to bring back reminders of the "good old days", before life got modern and overly full of stuff. But that is my stuff - dredging up the past!

I am hoping that somebody will give me permission to keep holding on to these things!

Thrifty Itch

2006-07-12T09:55:00.000-06:00

I just extricated myself from reading a bunch of thrifting blogs, and now I'm itching to go to my local Goodwill to see what's new. I want to post some of my photos of what I've picked up in the past month..i've been on a green and yellow spree I think.

I usually make it there at least once a week - and usually leave with something - whether it is one lonely pillowcase or a basketful of goodies.

My last haul included flowered sheets that I plan on turning into quilt squares and a skirt, a set of stacking stools that are screaming for a new coat of paint and seat covers, and some more miscellaneous fabric. I'm a sucker for fabric - so my pile is now quite high!

I will get some pictures up yet! I am definitely running over to the store at lunchtime!

Before and After

2006-07-06T09:28:00.000-06:00

A partial view of my new green kitchen.
The colour is actually brighter, but this picture was taken early in the morning on an overcast day - so it doesn't pop. It actually reflects off the ceiling and sides of the cupboards if the light is right!
Before (Previous owner's stuff)

After (Our stuff - including Grandma's tins and blue coffee pot)

Green kitchen, yellow skirt

2006-07-05T15:24:00.000-06:00

Last week was quite productive as I created a skirt from one of my fabric piles, and I painted my kitchen green - photos yet to be taken. It felt so good to get the kitchen done. I was getting quite sick of the peachy white walls. Milo tried to help, but he really didn't do much except get in the way.

The skirt has been fun too - but I have some modification to do tothe hem - mainly doing a real hem - as my cheat hem 0f bias tape just does not want to hold.

Tonight I am going to try my hardest to finish little Rebecca's curtains and baby Hayden's wall hanging. I'd like to deliver them both this weekend.

Last weekend I spent a relaxing time at the edge ofthe mountains - visiting with old friends. We felt like the Ya-Yas. What a great place to live!

It made me realize that I need to spend more time with my girl friends, and I have every right to try to achieve my daydreams - as it IS possible.

My friends out there decided they wanted to build a house in the mountains - so they did!

My dreams are a little smaller - I want to create a haven of my house - unique and fun and suited to Ryan and I's personalities. I am a nester, and I want to fix the house up to my specifications.

I don't want to live in it with the bland colours it has now. I want it to have my colours!

Anyhoo..back to work!

Order from Chaos

2006-06-20T09:49:00.000-06:00

I am very happy with the state of my craft room now. I've got layout room on the floor, and all the piles of potential in the corner. Now to finally hang pictures!

We've been living in our place for almost 7 months and we have very few pictures hanging on the wall. First, we didn't want to ruin the beautiful job Ryan did patching all the holes from the previous owner, and second - we have no art. As well, it took until 2 days ago for us to decide on paint colours for the hallways and living room!

It doesn't matter which pictures I hang in my craft room, since it is my space. I can put up all the cheeseball pictures I've picked up from garage/yard sales over the years. But I would like it to look *somewhat* put together!

I painted three pictures for the bedroom that I need to get framed this week. I'll post the triptych once they are framed and up.

Distraction at it's most productive

2006-06-19T09:52:00.000-06:00

This weekend was supposed to be a work catch-up weekend. I had a grand plan of putting in 20 hours of report writing... but instead my house is clean, my mending pile is shorter, and the yard is tidy. Hey, at least I was productive! A clean house makes a happy Jen. So the time will be made up in the next 2 days??

I was happy to have Jen (1) over to help me put the finishing touches on cleaning my craft room. It looked like a tornado had hit it. I managed to clear out 3 bags for the garbage bin, and one bag to donate. I still have way too much fabric though. I've created piles on my drafting table with the name of the potential project recipient for motivation... let's see how that works. I managed to dig into one pile yesterday, and started Rebecca's curtains. I've got maybe 1 hour left on them, then I just need to pick up a rod.

Well, gotta get truckin'. The boss is coming in to review reports this afternoon, and I need to get something for him to read!

I sat in the tub 'til I looked like a prune...

2006-06-16T09:09:00.000-06:00

I had a flash of inspiration last night, regarding how I can contribute to my own sanity, and stress control.

Only do things that contribute to accomplishing a goal.

When I am at work - only do work-related tasks that contribute to getting reports done, or improving my knowledge.

When I am at home, don't waste time on crappy t.v. when I know that I am daydreaming about quilting and sewing when I am at work.

Each action should be deliberate and meaningful, and that will make my life deliberate and meaningful. If I need to relax and turn my brain to mush, then I'll watch mush-inducing t.v.

I will feel like I am not just biding time, if everything is done with purpose!

Off to be productive!!!

2006-06-15T09:27:00.000-06:00

Rain,Rain,Rain!!
I must have slept enough last night, because the rain hasn't dampened my mood to get lots done today. Yesterday I felt quite productive at work, so I must continue that. I was hoping to put in a crapload of overtime this month, so I can truly enjoy my trip to the lake in mid-July.

Unfortunately one drawback of the wonky weather is it has made our new kitten insane!
He has been meowing to be picked up, put down, played with...and tearing around the house like he's on speed. Hopefully he is a little calmer tonight, as I've got another meeting and will not be home to play. I'm sure the hubby can handle him!

I was trying to catch a picture of Milo actually curled up inside this basket, but as soon as I grabbed my camera he escaped!

It's a start

2006-06-13T17:24:00.000-06:00

Well, we'll see how long I can keep this up!
This past week I have drifted past, and been sucked into a few really good blogs on crafting, thrifting, quilting...which inspired me to perhaps start one of my own.
I have journalled the old-fashioned-way since I was in elementary school, and have accumulated many books of stressy ramblings in the meantime. I think I am near volume 35? 36? or even 37? after 18 years. The annoyance with journalling is I tend to return to the same topics, over and over (and over again)...which is unhelpful, when trying to grow and move forward as a person. I usually only notice this though, when I reread old journals and discover I have fallen into the same pit again!

Hopefully, writing out "in public" will keep me positive and creative...and motivated! I want to spend more time sewing and quilting...working on my expanding family tree, and writing. My ability at prose has suffered at the hands of writing technical reports for the last 6 years.
Well, life beckons.