Lucy...I'm home!

Gosh, did you guys think I fell off the face of the Earth?  No, I'm still here.  January was a busy month...I spent most of it prepping my job-related duties to get ready for maternity leave.  Then I had the Crafty Daughter's birthday to plan...after all, a little girl only turns 1 once.  Isn't she a cutie?

February wasn't any slower.  In the beginning of the month, the Crafty Husband and I welcomed the Crafty Son into our little family.  Thankfully, he was born happy, healthy, and wonderful in every way.  We spent the rest of the month getting used to being a family of four.  Here's our latest addition getting to know the family...aren't I the luckiest mommy in the whole world? (The very tired looking lady in the pic is me.  Be kind; I'd just had surgery!)

The month of March, though, has seen me starting to find time to craft again.  I've introduced a new group of fabrics to my little Etsy shop and started experimenting with some cute flowers to adorn my creations.  I made this pink one today...

what do you think?

Working on Wednesday - Holiday Home Prep!

Is it really possible that Christmas is like four weeks away?  We've been so busy in the Crafty household just enjoying our little one's first year (read:  not sleeping but enjoying her smiles) that the holidays have really snuck up on us. 

So now I've got to detail clean the entire house in time for the holidays.  OMG!  How am I ever going to get this done?!  I've got a few ideas for taking all of this on that I thought I'd share.  I hope they help you as you get your house ready, too.

1. Set Small Goals.  I get a little overwhelmed at the phrase "detail clean the entire house," so I've decided to focus on small goals.  This week, I'm planning on cleaning out the laundry room and kitchen pantry.  Next week, our bedroom and the nursery.  By focusing on one week's tasks, I'm hoping to avoid scaring myself into inaction. 
2. Set Priorities.  My vision of my home on Christmas looks kind of like a showroom, but I can quickly tell you which things I will punt if I can't get everything done.  The Crafty Baby to Be's room, for instance, may not be ready for public viewing when guests invade my home.  I'll close the bedroom door. 
3. Enlist help.  I try to take on a lot at home especially since the Crafty Husband has been workign so hard at his new job these past few months.  But when it comes to getting the house ready for the holidays, I know I'm going to need help.  As much as I like to think I can do everything, I really can't set up the Christmas tree by myself.  (Big box, big pregnant belly, and basement stairs do NOT go together.)  So I know that I have to ask him to help me with that.  I also plan to invite my sister over to watch her favorite niece on the day that I tackle the closets.  Some projects go better when I don't have to stop every five minutes. 
4. Make lists.  Since I've had "pregnant brain" for about two years now, I've learned that lists are my friends.  Besides, I get some kind of perverse satisfaction out of crossing things off my list. 

Small Business Saturday

In all the hype about Black Friday, I forgot to tell you guys about a shopping day that we can all get behind:  Small Business Saturday.  In its second year, Small Business Saturday is a day for shoppers to support the small businesses in their communities and online.  Of course, I include my favorite Etsy shops among that small business group. 

So this Saturday, as I scoured the internet for great deals on the items on my shopping list, I made sure that I checked out a few small business, too. 

For one thing, I ordered this awesome-looking ornament by Personalized Painter to add to my family's Christmas tree.  I really wanted something special to commemmorate this Christmas when our family will include the Crafty Husband, the Crafty Baby, and myself.  After all, this is the only Christmas when we will be a family of three. 

I

My Small Business Saturday shopping didn't stop there, though.  With a whopping ten weeks to go until our newest family member makes his appearance, I've still got a lot of baby prepping to do.  I'm convinced that it won't hurt him to use pink bibs, but I just can't subject him to wearing all of the pink/princess things that his sister wore.  So I stopped by my local children's resale shop to pick up some sleepers/outfits for him. 

Finally, while I was out and about, I decided to stop by my favorite downtown shopping district Lee's Summit, MO.  There is a wonderful scrapbooking shop there that I love to visit when shopping for one of my girlfriends.  The downtown area in this suburb to Kansas City, MO has really grown in the past few years and is a total gem.  If any of you happen to live in my neck of the woods, you should check it out. 

So Much to Be Thankful For

After the Crafty Baby finally went down for the evening, my husband and I were able to take a few minutes last night and really reflect on the things that we're thankful for this year. We must be two of the most blessed people in the whole world because our list is pretty lengthy:

• The Crafty Baby - We're thankful that she's happy and healthy and that none of our first time parent mistakes seem to have caused her any permanent harm.

• The Crafty Baby to Be - Every time he moves around I am thankful that he seems to be getting stronger and more prepared to make his appearance in our family. I can't wait to meet him. (But don't read that the wrong way little man...you're not done baking yet so stay put!)

• Our home - You can't turn on the TV these days without seeing something about the people who are losing their homes right and left. I am incredibly grateful that we have a roof over our heads, warm air pouring out of the furnace vents, and lights to sew by.

• Our family - This year has been hard on some parts of our family. My husband lost his grandma...my Grammy had to come to terms with the fact that she can't live on her own anymore. My dad's health isn't great. Even with all of that going on, though, they are always a constant source of love and support.

• Each other - Nothing could have cemented my feeling for my husband like the experience of bringing the Crafty Baby into our family. He was so wonderful, so supportive that I really feel like I am the luckiest gal ever born. I hope I give him half as much to appreciate about me.

Okay...I'll stop the mushfest. It must be all of the pregnancy hormones. But, again, I want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope my posts find you with as much to be thankful for as I have!

What's the Big Deal with Black Friday?

I’m sure you’ve seen all of the hubbub over Target choosing to open its doors at Midnight on Thanksgiving/Black Friday. It’s been all over the television and the internet these past few days. I have to admit, though, that I just don’t understand what the big deal is here.


Now, don’t think I’m cold and heartless. I understand the plight of people who have to work on holidays. I just don’t understand why Target’s decision is any different than Walmart’s decision for years to be open on Thanksgiving. Or Quiktrip’s. Kmart’s been open at least the last couple of years during Thanksgiving. I know I went to a special “Black Friday” event at a Michaels craft store a couple of years ago at like 10 PM on Thanksgiving. Why is this one guy at Target causing such a ruckus?

I have to wonder if all of these people who are signing the petition against stores who are opening on Thanksgiving really understand what they’re complaining about (or maybe I don’t). Are they all really saying that they aren’t going to stop at a Quiktrip for gas while they’re driving around on Thanksgiving? Or won’t run to Walmart for the napkins they forgot to purchase on Wednesday?

I think if you’re going to be against stores being open on Thanksgiving it should be all stores. Not just the ones where an employee complained loudly and got some attention. I’ve worked those shifts in retail. My husband will be working this year. And don’t get me started on the number of nurses/doctors and other emergency folks who are kind enough to work to ensure that we are all safe.

Clinginess Doesn't Leave Much Room for Craftiness

You guys know that I'm always a bit stretched for time.  Between my FT job, the crafty baby, and the Etsy shop, and trying to keep up with this blog, there just isn't a lot of time leftover for other things.  This weekend, though, reminded me that it's okay to let everything else go once in awhile and just choose to focus on one thing. 

Now I don't want to get too melodramatic. The Crafty Baby was sick all weekend, but not with anything serious. She ran a light fever and was pretty lethargic. (Dr. confirmed it all for us; I'd never just guess with our little one's health.) But she was pretty clingy. Lots of snuggles with Mommy were required.

So almost no crafting got done...so much for my big plans to re-stock the Etsy shop.  Oh well...there's always next week.

Making Some Life Adjustments

Boy this crafty life just keeps getting busier and busier!  If there is one thing I have learned since adding the Crafty Baby into our lives, it's that life constantly needs some adjustments. 

When she was tiny, I almost never found time to blog or sew.  I didn't know how to look after her and do my own things, too.  Eventually, though, I realized that I could put her in her little swing and let her watch Mommy sew away. 

As she got older (and learned to sit up on her own) I started learning to find ways to include her in what I'm doing.  When I cook, she bangs away from her high chair with a measuring cup or two.  When I am laying out a baby quilt, I give her a few fabric scraps to play with.  (Be sure to watch out for scraps headed for the mouth!)

Now that she's much more active, though, I find that my routine is in need of an adjustment again.  I've given up sewing with her in the room because she has developed a heck of a pincer grasp and I'm petrified that she's going to try to eat a pin that I drop.  So now I sew like the dickens after she's down for the night (but before the middle of the night fussies start). 

The Modern Megan bag has gotten a small adjustment too.  I found these new glides for the adjustable straps on the messenger bags.  Aren't they awesome?! 

I bought them on Etsy, of course, and can't wait to use them on lots of new bags,  They seem to adjust a little easier than the hardware I was using before, but still look stylish.  Now if only my life adjustments were this simple!