friday

Finally. I am so glad. Aren't you?

This week was a busy week and it was my first time leaving the house by myself with all three girls in tow. Where did I go you ask? My mom's house. I guess that makes it no big deal then, huh? It was a fun day and super nice to be out of the house. I left all three girls there to do errands. I would feed Soul, then leave for 2 hours, come back, feed her again, and then leave for another 2 hours. I am her food, so I can't be too far away! In my every two hour galavants I did some thrifting and errands that I have been longing to do, but don't dare do with three!

On my thrifting excursion, I got some goodies, one of which is a 1200FF Polaroid camera. I can't wait to try that out, but first I must get spectra film. Also, I got the globes, well one is from etsy, that are now placed in a perfect place on the old French pie safe. I love them.

This room is my studio area, the other half of this room, which I purposely did not picture, is a horrendous mess! My mess. I haven't quite figured out to make all the space functional. I love this side of the room though. This is the side where my girls paint, color, read, and play while I am working. Though, the room looks clean, don't let this picture fool you. If you get up close there are marker stains all throughout the carpet. I dream for the day when we can have wood floors!

Time to get my Friday started and wake the girls. Ben and I might go on a date tonight, but it depends if we have babysitters. I hope so. I really want to get out with my Ben! I love just being with my husband!!!

That's all folks! Happy Friday!!!

braided headband tutorial

*This post was a guest post sometime ago over at Smile and Wave, but just in case you missed it, here it it.

Sometimes you feel stuck with your hair and just need something quick and different (okay, maybe new) and this headband is the perfect thing (it only takes about 20 minutes)!

What you need:

2- safety pins

6- strips of fabric about 18'' long (can add more strips depending how many bands you want)

1- 6'' piece of elastic

sewing machine

1. gather 3 strips of fabric.

2. pin together ends.

3. braid together.

4. repeat steps 1-3 for remaining 3 strips of fabric.

5. lay both braids side by side with ends matching together.

6. straight stitch ends together.

7. snip excess fabric and repeat for the other end (braided bands should be about 15-16'' in length).

8. take your elastic and sew into one end of the braid and repeat on the other end.

(what the braided band looks like when done sewing)

9. wear then go out and have fun! enjoy...

(I am horrible at these kinds of shots)

Hope you liked this quick little project... if you get bored of it on your head, just pull it down and wear it as a necklace around your neck. For another way to recycle scraps, you can make a braided necklace or check out the Free People blog for directions I made on how to use the scraps to make braided handles for a bag!

greencraft magazine

GreenCraft Magazine's latest issue is out and I am so honored to have been asked to be a contributor for their magazine. This resourceful magazine has many different projects which will help you repurpose something to give it new life. My contribution was none other than my tutorial on using fabric scraps to make a lovely fabric necklace.

It is always surreal and so exciting to see something I made photographed and actually in print. I feel so blessed and it is only God who opens the doors. Thank you God!

I highly recommend picking up a copy somewhere and a list of retailers can be found here. There are so many other wonderful ideas done by much more talented artists in this magazine that I am sure you will be making a new to-do list of fun projects!

polaroid tuesday: week four

A gift from one of my good friends. I love my paperwhites.

more cute hats needed

Done. The big girls have their own hats. Did you know that cute hats make girls silly?

By golly, I think this world needs more cute hats because there can never be too much silly.

To be a silly girl, see directions here. I am definitely making one for myself!

rain

I love the rain. I love that we stay in our pajamas while it is gloomy and cold outside, but we are warm and cozy inside. I love the rain so much I made a rain cloud (inspired by this cloud). Our little rain cloud makes me especially happy!

Have a cozy weekend! Stay warm and dry wherever you are...

scenes of our day

Three kids. Not much gets done in a day now that I have three. Time goes faster, more messes are made, and sometimes I feel that I won't ever catch up. I am definitely having to learn to rebalance, it isn't easy and often times I find myself frustrated. In times like these, I need to pray more. Well, I ought to pray more regardless.

I lay down to feed Soul and I hear the older girls making a ruckus somewhere, I come out to find a mess of toys laid out everywhere! This can sometimes drive me crazy as the inner neat freak inside me freaks out, but I must learn to let things go. It is just an absolute must for my sanity. Nevertheless, though sometimes they and their messes can drive me insane, at the end of the day as I sit with them on the couch and cuddle, I am definitely glad to be there mom. I will happily take them messes and all. Thank you Lord for giving me True, Brave, and Soul.

keeping cozy

These days of torrential rain that has hit southern California has kept us wanting to just do cozy things... watch movies on the computer, read books in bed, and drink hot chocolate. Though, nothing else can be cozier than working with yarn and crocheting up something warm and fuzzy.

True hasn't been wanting to wear Cakies rosy posies of late, thus I had to think of something new. I think these knitted bows are perfecto and her new favorite (mine too as they are large enough for me to wear) and she is already requesting a few more colors be made.

Naturally, Brave must have what True has, and she was relentless in reminding me that I had to make her one too. Hers is a bit smaller than True's bow, but just as cozy and cute.

I am not sure bows are ready to stay in Soul's hair, despite her having tons of it, but she needed something to keep her head just as cozy and I think this little snow hat was just the thing. I used the tutorial that Elsie shared awhile back, though instead of strings to tie I made a strap and added a cute yellow, vintage button to close.

These three girls sweet faces just make me want to cozy up to them all day long. I want to smother them with kisses (even as True and Brave are at this moment yelling at each other about who gets to sit on what side).

I will keep crocheting today as my girls are demanding snow hats and more bows for themselves and I am loving these bows so much that I want to put a few in the shop.

What are you doing today to be cozy?

polaroid tuesday: week three

The clouds rolled in and the rain is here. I love the cozy feeling the rain brings.

On another note, I must admit it is so easy to be comfortable in life, but we must see that everyone isn't comfortable. Pain, sadness, and devastation is real and it is especially real for everyone in Haiti. Part of loving God is also loving others, so if you have a heart to do something to help, here is a site that has a few organizations you can donate to (Thanks Danni for the link!). I chose World Vision as a means to help, but there are plethora of other choices. If you are able, I encourage you to help also.

wrap and ben

The postpartum body has left me a bit frustrated with what to wear, plus the fact the food needs to be easy accessible for baby. Thus, I think making a wrap dress was definitely needed. I actually made a pattern as I made this dress, so I am sure you will be seeing more wrap dresses to come. I already have two different fabrics waiting to be turned into a wrap dress of sorts. This is my first try, though Ben wasn't so keen on the fabric, but he did like the cut.

Another reason I needed a dress, was that Ben and I had a date on Friday (after we picked something up in L.A., visited with friends, and went to the doctor because I have mastitis yet again). Therefore, I wanted to look and feel pretty for him. He is just the absolute handsomest fellow around!

The dress was good. The date was good, but Ben's kisses are even better.

Happy Monday everyone! This week's forecast in southern California is rain. I love rain.

p.s. my baby seester is so cute... you should read her blog.

a little mama

Ever since Soul joined our family, True and Brave have really taken to playing together a lot. It seems like their pretend play has grown since Soul came. Could it be that their Mommy is breast feeding, thus during this time they are left to wander and play to their heart's content? I think so.

After Soul's feeding, I have to go looking for what little corner the two big girls decided to claim as their own. Today, I found my little Brave in her room all by her lonesome.

Oh but do not despair, as she was quite a happy bee as she was rocking the newest pair of mama-made dolls. She was acting like such a little Mama. Sometimes, she even has me call her Mama... oh the imagination of little ones!

Yesterday, her and True had one request. They wanted a new doll, not that don't already have plenty, but as a doll-lover myself (I had tons of Barbies growing up) how could I refuse such a sweet request? Doll making for my girls is what I did and two new little dolls is what they get! Perfect for more pretend playing during those moments Mama is occupied with little Soul.

just so cool

The day before yesterday, I saw Rachel's flickr and I was definitely smitten on the idea of Ttv. I have never heard of it, but being how I am now a toy and vintage camera junkie, I knew I had to try this out, especially since my sister and her boyfriend (the photographer) gave me a vintage Brownie Hawkeye for Christmas. Immediately, I read up on it from Hula Seventy and gave my own go at it. Let's say my contraption looks horrendous, but this is just the beginning. I am so excited about this. Thanks Rachel for sharing it...

I think my first results are just alright, but I hope to get better! I want to go to the beach to get a picture that looks this. I am definitely in love with Ttv.

polaroid tuesday: week two

I love any kind of garland or bunting. It always makes a space more fun!

this is our monday morning

We have a few crafty things on the agenda today. First off is some painting with watercolors and I am trying to not let the neat freak in me cut out the fun as they spill a bit of water here and there. Kids will be kids and art isn't all about being neat, right? I am also hoping to do a bit of sewing. I haven't really done that in awhile, though Soul did have a bit of a rough night, thus my eyes feel quite heavy. On the other hand, once I dive into a good project I find myself full of energy, so maybe that will happen today.

What does your Monday morning look like?

the chalkboard canvas

I have had this vision of a chalkboard canvas for so long now and asked Ben to make it for me for Christmas. It was all I wanted along with an email to this company to try and finish our wedding video, which was almost 5 years ago. Anyways, like usual, Ben was able to deliver both requests, though we are still waiting for a reply to his email.

On Christmas morning, I got my chalkboard canvas and True got something special along with it. Anytime Ben asked her what she wanted for Christmas, she would say, "Snow." We have no idea where she got that idea, but that is what she wanted. Living in southern California we really couldn't give her that, so the next best option was Ben drew her snow.

True and I were both happy girls.

I love children's art and wanted some grand way to display it, so I thought of a chalkboard canvas. Plus, I just love any kind of chalkboard so much!

Ben just took a large canvas and painted it with chalkboard paint. That way it is light enough to hang up and take down to draw on anytime. The girls had a blast drawing on it for the first time, but they did fight about who gets to draw on what side.

Introducing their first official installment on the chalkboard canvas. The wonderful thing is that we can change it up weekly!

We have our very own priceless piece of modern art hanging in our family room done by two of the world's greatest artists.

Happy weekend everyone!!!

gosh

In love with her sweet head...

In love with her sweet little toes...

We simply cannot get enough of her.

Hope you don't mind all the baby gushing! Back to crafty stuff tomorrow...

yarn happy

I was quite obsessed a couple weeks ago with making scarves and yarn necklaces galore, but then I had to stop because the holidays came and now I think I am ready to begin again.

I wish I could say that I could crochet all these fancy things, but I can't. I can just make scarves, cowls, and necklaces. That's about it. I can't even do a proper flower as I guess my way through. Maybe, I should look for some tutorials. Anyone know some good and easy ones? Eventually, maybe I could learn to make a granny square, but I am not sure I would ever get it or have the patience for it. I guess, I may just stick to scarf making and make myself one in every color!

polaroid tuesday: week one

One of my favorite girls on one of my favorite chairs.

rockin' new year

For New Year's Eve we do something we call "Club Bratcher." We dress up in our silliest outfit, eat some black-eyed peas, then blast some Black Eyed Peas and dance the night away. This year we even had a strobe light!

To help get our party started, I made a colorful garland to string above our dinner table...

True made a "Happy New Year" sign...

The girls got a New Year present, which was a new sketchbook for the new year...

Ben made Grilled Insalata Di Mare, which is seriously so yum that everyone must try it...

Of course, he also made black-eyed peas as it is tradition to have that before we dance...

After we all indulged in the yummy food, we got the party started and danced...

And danced...

And danced...

Okay, actually Ben and I got out-danced by Brave and True as we were exhausted, but the strobe light was giving them some magical energy despite the late hour. Nevertheless, we all rocked the night away and rang in the New Year together.

We've got a feeling 2010 will bring lots of good things. It already started pretty great!!!