I just read this book for my book club. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to finish this book in time for our next meeting, but I stayed up late reading every night and finished it in 3 days. I don't remember the last time a book sucked me in like that. If my children didn't require so much attention during the day, I probably would have finished sooner, but my reading time is generally limited to after 10PM when I get in bed. Since the baby still isn't sleeping through the night, it's rare that I'll stay up super late to read.
Still Alice
by Lisa Genova
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the story of Alice, a 50-year old professor at Harvard, who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. The story is told from Alice's perspective, and that is what drew me in. I felt completely connected to Alice, and I was frustrated right along with her when she struggled to find the right words, or follow a conversation, or remember what she was supposed to be doing. The story was heart-wrenching and heartwarming at the same time. I could. not. put. it. down. I cried through a good portion of this book, and when I finished it (at 1AM), I cried myself to sleep. There was so much tragedy and beauty in the way her relationships with her family members evolved throughout the course of her disease. The book was also educational for me, as I previously didn't know a lot about Alzheimer's. The progression of the disease, especially in an early-onset case, is frightening. Put this at the top of your "to-read" list.
Welcome! At any given time, I will be working on 2-3 crafty projects. Chances are, I will only complete one of them. I have a variety of hobbies and interests, and they change on a whim. This blog allows me to document my notions, projects, accomplishments, and current whims and share them with my friends, family, and other crafters and enthusiasts.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Breaking Night: A Memoir (Book Review)
I think I'm going to begin sharing some of my book reviews here. I don't write a book review on everything I read, but I'll try to be better about that and at least write a quick paragraph.
Breaking Night: A Memoir
by Liz Murray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars on this one. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the book, but a 4-star book usually has to be gripping, and I don't know if I would call this one gripping. Nevertheless, the author's story is certainly inspirational. I struggled with the first half of the book, because it was hard to read about her living conditions. I question how a situation like this can slip through the CPS radar, and it saddens me to think that there are probably many children in similar situations today. She went through so many details of her childhood that, at times, I wondered how she could remember so many details. I felt like the story became a bit rushed once she went back to high school, and it really had a different feel. I preferred the pace of the first half of the book. Overall, a great read, and I sincerely admire the author's courage and determination.
Breaking Night: A Memoir
by Liz Murray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars on this one. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the book, but a 4-star book usually has to be gripping, and I don't know if I would call this one gripping. Nevertheless, the author's story is certainly inspirational. I struggled with the first half of the book, because it was hard to read about her living conditions. I question how a situation like this can slip through the CPS radar, and it saddens me to think that there are probably many children in similar situations today. She went through so many details of her childhood that, at times, I wondered how she could remember so many details. I felt like the story became a bit rushed once she went back to high school, and it really had a different feel. I preferred the pace of the first half of the book. Overall, a great read, and I sincerely admire the author's courage and determination.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Final Kitchen Pictures
In hindsight, it was was probably a bad idea to paint my living room, hallway, and kitchen in December. If not a bad idea, it was at least a selfish one. My Christmas shopping has taken a back seat to my decorating. My Christmas cards have also taken a back seat. Like a way-in-the-back-of-the-van seat. In fact, I don't even think that back seat is even in the vehicle, because they're just not happening this year. A wise friend suggested New Year's cards, and I might do that, but everyone will know that I'm only doing it because I missed the Christmas deadline. Especially now that I've announced it on my blog. I do have 15 followers, after all.
I'm still working on a lot of finishing touches with the painting/redecorating, but I think I'm ready to share pictures of the kitchen. If you missed the FULL kitchen renovation, you should look at this post first, so you can fully appreciate the transformation.
Here is the renovated, but unpainted, kitchen. (If you look carefully, you may spy Artie the elf, who made snow angels on the island the night before. Anyone who is familiar with the "elf on the shelf" will understand why I could not move the elf, or the snow angel he created.)
And here are the "after" pictures.
I was hoping that the color would be a bit more butterscotchy (yes, I made up that word), but this color is really growing on me, and maybe it's best that it provides some contrast to the floor (which it wouldn't do if it was butterscotchy). Painting the trim and door white really made a big difference too. I have a collection of vintage plates that I'm planning to display on that far wall in the second picture.
In my (Nearly) Final Kitchen Redo post, I mentioned that we still needed to install a backsplash, and then I never shared pictures of it once it was installed. Here is a close-up of the backsplash, which is travertine tile.
I probably won't share pictures of the living room until after the Christmas decorations come down, and my curtains go up. Of course, I have to make the curtains first. The fabric just arrived on Monday, and I'm not sure when I'm going to sew them. I'd love to work on them this weekend, but I have a feeling that Christmas shopping, baking, wrapping presents, and regular errands/chores are going to consume all of my time. Fa la la la la, la la la la.
I'm still working on a lot of finishing touches with the painting/redecorating, but I think I'm ready to share pictures of the kitchen. If you missed the FULL kitchen renovation, you should look at this post first, so you can fully appreciate the transformation.
Here is the renovated, but unpainted, kitchen. (If you look carefully, you may spy Artie the elf, who made snow angels on the island the night before. Anyone who is familiar with the "elf on the shelf" will understand why I could not move the elf, or the snow angel he created.)
And here are the "after" pictures.
I was hoping that the color would be a bit more butterscotchy (yes, I made up that word), but this color is really growing on me, and maybe it's best that it provides some contrast to the floor (which it wouldn't do if it was butterscotchy). Painting the trim and door white really made a big difference too. I have a collection of vintage plates that I'm planning to display on that far wall in the second picture.
In my (Nearly) Final Kitchen Redo post, I mentioned that we still needed to install a backsplash, and then I never shared pictures of it once it was installed. Here is a close-up of the backsplash, which is travertine tile.
I probably won't share pictures of the living room until after the Christmas decorations come down, and my curtains go up. Of course, I have to make the curtains first. The fabric just arrived on Monday, and I'm not sure when I'm going to sew them. I'd love to work on them this weekend, but I have a feeling that Christmas shopping, baking, wrapping presents, and regular errands/chores are going to consume all of my time. Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
On the 9th day, I rested
I mentioned in my last post that I was itching to do some home re-decorating. Well, I have been a busy girl ever since I posted. Sometimes, I am a major procrastinator, and other times, I jump in with both feet. Without looking. And without a net. It's quite impressive, really. This doesn't always work out well for me, because I sometimes find myself in over my head after it's too late. Therein lies the reason I have so many unfinished projects around the house. I am happy to report, however, that this is not one of those instances. Starting with last Wednesday, this is what I have been doing...
Day 1: Chose living room paint color, purchased paint and supplies, did some prep work (removed pictures and switch plates, washed walls, taped ceiling and trim, etc.)
Day 2: one coat of tinted primer applied to living room and hallway
Day 3: first and second coat of paint applied
Day 4: touched up crown molding, trim, and doors in living room and hallway, put furniture back in place, completed 2 jewelry orders
Day 5: chose kitchen paint color, shopped for fabric for living room curtains
Day 6: purchased kitchen paint, did prep work in kitchen, ordered fabric for living room curtains
Day 7: applied 3 coats of paint to kitchen (the third coat was really light and mostly a touch-up), applied 1 coat of paint to kitchen trim
Day 8: 2 more coats of paint on kitchen trim and door (to garage), painted 2 picture frames (I purchased a collection of picture frames at Savers and plan to do a shabby chic collage in the living room)
Day 9: applied a fourth (!) coat of paint to the kitchen trim and door
So now, on the evening of day 9, I am doing absolutely nothing. The prep work and clean-up that goes along with painting is more exhausting than the painting itself. I should really try to hang some of my pictures, and clean a little bit, but I just don't have it in me tonight. Instead, I'm sitting here watching DVR'd episodes of Ellen and Christmas movies on TBS.
I'm really pleased with the painting results. Oh, and my wonderful husband patched the hole in my kitchen ceiling, so that is a big improvement as well. I will share pictures after I finish some of the final details...hang artwork and curtains, etc. My curtain fabric is arriving next Monday, so I will have to wipe the dust off my sewing machine, and see if I can still remember how to use it. We're hoping to get our Christmas tree this weekend, so the holiday decorating may delay my home decorating projects for a while.
It doesn't look like I will be creating and listing any new jewelry before the holidays, but I have a few orders to keep me busy. I am thankful that the baby napped well for me most of the week, which allowed me to accomplish as much as I did. But now, I'm tired and I don't want to see a paintbrush or blue tape for a while. And at some point, I just want to sit back and enjoy my newly-decorated home. I didn't make it to the gym as much as usual over the past week, but I'm pretty happy about everything else I accomplished.
You may have noticed that I changed the design of my blog a little bit. (I'm changing everything this week. I just had my hair done a few weeks ago. Otherwise, I'd be changing that too.) The truth is, I was playing around with the layout and colors, and then I couldn't figure out how to get it back to the way it was. I also added the new "follow by email" feature. What do you think of the new look?
Day 1: Chose living room paint color, purchased paint and supplies, did some prep work (removed pictures and switch plates, washed walls, taped ceiling and trim, etc.)
Day 2: one coat of tinted primer applied to living room and hallway
Day 3: first and second coat of paint applied
Day 4: touched up crown molding, trim, and doors in living room and hallway, put furniture back in place, completed 2 jewelry orders
Day 5: chose kitchen paint color, shopped for fabric for living room curtains
Day 6: purchased kitchen paint, did prep work in kitchen, ordered fabric for living room curtains
Day 7: applied 3 coats of paint to kitchen (the third coat was really light and mostly a touch-up), applied 1 coat of paint to kitchen trim
Day 8: 2 more coats of paint on kitchen trim and door (to garage), painted 2 picture frames (I purchased a collection of picture frames at Savers and plan to do a shabby chic collage in the living room)
Day 9: applied a fourth (!) coat of paint to the kitchen trim and door
So now, on the evening of day 9, I am doing absolutely nothing. The prep work and clean-up that goes along with painting is more exhausting than the painting itself. I should really try to hang some of my pictures, and clean a little bit, but I just don't have it in me tonight. Instead, I'm sitting here watching DVR'd episodes of Ellen and Christmas movies on TBS.
I'm really pleased with the painting results. Oh, and my wonderful husband patched the hole in my kitchen ceiling, so that is a big improvement as well. I will share pictures after I finish some of the final details...hang artwork and curtains, etc. My curtain fabric is arriving next Monday, so I will have to wipe the dust off my sewing machine, and see if I can still remember how to use it. We're hoping to get our Christmas tree this weekend, so the holiday decorating may delay my home decorating projects for a while.
It doesn't look like I will be creating and listing any new jewelry before the holidays, but I have a few orders to keep me busy. I am thankful that the baby napped well for me most of the week, which allowed me to accomplish as much as I did. But now, I'm tired and I don't want to see a paintbrush or blue tape for a while. And at some point, I just want to sit back and enjoy my newly-decorated home. I didn't make it to the gym as much as usual over the past week, but I'm pretty happy about everything else I accomplished.
You may have noticed that I changed the design of my blog a little bit. (I'm changing everything this week. I just had my hair done a few weeks ago. Otherwise, I'd be changing that too.) The truth is, I was playing around with the layout and colors, and then I couldn't figure out how to get it back to the way it was. I also added the new "follow by email" feature. What do you think of the new look?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Happy Birthday, Whimsy Design
It has been one year since I opened my Etsy shop. And while it hasn't gone gangbusters, I really enjoy having a shop, and occasionally listing items. Most of my jewelry sales are local custom orders, and my customers find me through word of mouth. But I love the Etsy community and wish that I could spend more time on the forums and wonderful resources that are available to Etsy shop owners. The beauty of Etsy is that it allows you to be as active as you want. If I ignore my shop for a month, it still sits there online, and doesn't cost me a penny.
I would like to get a few pieces listed for the holidays (Hey, it's only November 29th. I have plenty of time, right?), but I also want to paint my living room and potentially my kitchen, before the holidays. Which means I should start, um...tomorrow. I've mentioned before that I enjoy rearranging and redecorating my house...
Six years ago, I stripped the wallpaper in my living room and hallway (and kitchen and bathroom, but that's another story), and painted it red. By the way, if you ever have to strip wallpaper, I highly recommend Wallwik. I tried various methods that included steaming, DIF, scraping, screaming, and crying, and the Wallwik is just amazing. It saved my marriage, but that too, is a story for another time. Anyway, I have enjoyed my warm, rich, red living room for six years, but now it's time for it to go. And I mean now. I'm over the red. I'm looking at a nice neutral, like "Latte" from Restoration Hardware. However, I'll probably end up getting a similar color from Sherwin Williams, because, 1) it's less expensive, and 2) I won't have to wait for shipping (our local store doesn't carry the paint). If I don't paint this week, it will have to wait until January when I take down the Christmas decorations, and I really don't want to wait that long.
I recently started collecting some vintage pieces to add to my home. Most of my decor is fairly modern, and I decided that I want to infuse some fun vintage pieces into the mix, and just make it a bit more unique. I want to start with a fresh color palette, and then I'll feel like I've completely made-over my living room. I picked up a few things at a huge antique store last weekend, and I will be receiving some exciting packages in the next week. (Ssssshhhh...don't tell my husband -- I'm hoping he won't notice.)
So, I want to redecorate and make some new jewelry all in the next week. Sounds rather ambitious, huh? Wish me luck.
I would like to get a few pieces listed for the holidays (Hey, it's only November 29th. I have plenty of time, right?), but I also want to paint my living room and potentially my kitchen, before the holidays. Which means I should start, um...tomorrow. I've mentioned before that I enjoy rearranging and redecorating my house...
Six years ago, I stripped the wallpaper in my living room and hallway (and kitchen and bathroom, but that's another story), and painted it red. By the way, if you ever have to strip wallpaper, I highly recommend Wallwik. I tried various methods that included steaming, DIF, scraping, screaming, and crying, and the Wallwik is just amazing. It saved my marriage, but that too, is a story for another time. Anyway, I have enjoyed my warm, rich, red living room for six years, but now it's time for it to go. And I mean now. I'm over the red. I'm looking at a nice neutral, like "Latte" from Restoration Hardware. However, I'll probably end up getting a similar color from Sherwin Williams, because, 1) it's less expensive, and 2) I won't have to wait for shipping (our local store doesn't carry the paint). If I don't paint this week, it will have to wait until January when I take down the Christmas decorations, and I really don't want to wait that long.
I recently started collecting some vintage pieces to add to my home. Most of my decor is fairly modern, and I decided that I want to infuse some fun vintage pieces into the mix, and just make it a bit more unique. I want to start with a fresh color palette, and then I'll feel like I've completely made-over my living room. I picked up a few things at a huge antique store last weekend, and I will be receiving some exciting packages in the next week. (Ssssshhhh...don't tell my husband -- I'm hoping he won't notice.)
So, I want to redecorate and make some new jewelry all in the next week. Sounds rather ambitious, huh? Wish me luck.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Imagination
Creative block. Probably something like writer's block. I sometimes fiddle with beads, wire, and chain, and just can't come up with anything that makes me happy. I'll start a necklace, realize I don't like where its headed, take it apart, and start over again. Sometimes it all just comes together. Other times, I spend more time ripping things apart than putting them together.
I realize there are many factors affecting my creative flow (lack of sleep and lack of time, to name a few), but I wonder if there is an art to being creative. Is using your imagination an art in and of itself? I look at Conor, my 4-year old son, who is wonderfully inventive and imaginative, and I think that most parents would say the same of their young children. So, do we lose the ability to be creative as we age? I hope that I can always foster and encourage creativity in my children.
A recent conversation with Conor went something like this:
Conor: When Friday comes into my room, I can fly.
Me: Friday comes into your room?
Conor: Yeah, Friday is a boo-yak.
Me: What's a boo-yak?
Conor: It's a kind of a thing that turns into a ghost.
Me: The boo-yak's name is Friday?
Conor: Yes, Friday comes in and we fly all around my room.
Me: That's pretty cool. I didn't know you did that. Today is Thursday, so tomorrow is Friday. Will Friday come into your room tomorrow?
Conor: No, he only comes on Tuesdays.
I can't make this stuff up, people. I struggle to keep up with his creativity at times. Like when we're playing trains and he wants his train to talk to my train. I mean, other than introducing our trains to each other, and saying "Hey, let's pull some freight," how much does a train really have to say? I do my best, but it's a struggle for me. I realize that this type of pretend play is different from artistic creativity, but I think it all comes from the same general area of the brain, right? Perhaps more train-play will be good for my creative juices.
I finally sat down and made a bracelet this week. (Actually, since I started this blog post 2 weeks ago, it has now been 2 weeks since I made the bracelet.) It will soon be for sale in my Etsy shop. Ideally, I like to wait until I have a few pieces ready for sale, and then do a photo shoot for them all at once. I think it's a better use of my time, and it helps to give my website a cohesive look and feel when my photos are all shot in the same light. I made an exception this time, and just took a few photos of the bracelet today, so I can share them with you.
This bracelet feels like autumn to me, with the amber and brown tones. It was made from a mix of new beads, and some that I repurposed from consignment store pieces, so I will be making them in limited quantity.
I realize there are many factors affecting my creative flow (lack of sleep and lack of time, to name a few), but I wonder if there is an art to being creative. Is using your imagination an art in and of itself? I look at Conor, my 4-year old son, who is wonderfully inventive and imaginative, and I think that most parents would say the same of their young children. So, do we lose the ability to be creative as we age? I hope that I can always foster and encourage creativity in my children.
A recent conversation with Conor went something like this:
Conor: When Friday comes into my room, I can fly.
Me: Friday comes into your room?
Conor: Yeah, Friday is a boo-yak.
Me: What's a boo-yak?
Conor: It's a kind of a thing that turns into a ghost.
Me: The boo-yak's name is Friday?
Conor: Yes, Friday comes in and we fly all around my room.
Me: That's pretty cool. I didn't know you did that. Today is Thursday, so tomorrow is Friday. Will Friday come into your room tomorrow?
Conor: No, he only comes on Tuesdays.
I can't make this stuff up, people. I struggle to keep up with his creativity at times. Like when we're playing trains and he wants his train to talk to my train. I mean, other than introducing our trains to each other, and saying "Hey, let's pull some freight," how much does a train really have to say? I do my best, but it's a struggle for me. I realize that this type of pretend play is different from artistic creativity, but I think it all comes from the same general area of the brain, right? Perhaps more train-play will be good for my creative juices.
I finally sat down and made a bracelet this week. (Actually, since I started this blog post 2 weeks ago, it has now been 2 weeks since I made the bracelet.) It will soon be for sale in my Etsy shop. Ideally, I like to wait until I have a few pieces ready for sale, and then do a photo shoot for them all at once. I think it's a better use of my time, and it helps to give my website a cohesive look and feel when my photos are all shot in the same light. I made an exception this time, and just took a few photos of the bracelet today, so I can share them with you.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
I'm Still Here and I Still Love You
I have been receiving emails from concerned individuals wondering where I am. I'm here! Right here in my house! Between the pile of laundry and the baby swing. Can you see me now?
Seriously though, do you really want to hear my long list of excuses for why I haven't updated my blog? You do??? Good!
Meet Jude. Isn't he cute? He's the newest addition to our family. He is quite possibly the happiest baby on the planet. He doesn't sleep very much, but he's so cute that we forgive him for that. And actually, he is finally starting to sleep a little better. (knocking on wood)
As many of you already know, I left my full-time job in May to stay home with my boys. It has been a big, but wonderful, change for our family. We are having a fabulous summer, and I'm so fortunate to be able to stay home with them. For some reason, I thought I would have more time for jewelry/blogging when I left my job, but I am not finding that to be the case. My 4-year old hasn't napped since the baby was born, and the baby likes to take 15-minute naps.
Shortly after Jude was born, my computer crashed. That certainly put a damper on my website updates and blogging endeavors. I just got a replacement a few weeks ago, so that is a relief. And I switched to Mac! I really like it so far, but I'm still working through the learning curve. Earlier ,when trying to add a photo to this post, I accidentally opened Photo Booth instead of iPhoto. And when I tried to close it, I instead took a scary picture of myself. Scary because I'm still in my jammies and wearing a dumbfounded expression and yesterday's eye make-up. No, I'm not going to share that picture with you. Are you crazy?
We traveled a lot in July. And I mean a lot. For 2.5 weeks, we traveled via car and train from Massachusetts to Florida and back, with stops in Virginia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. In case you're wondering, I highly recommend travel via the Auto Train from VA to FL. The vacation deserves its own blog entry, but I will just say that the boys were superstar travelers, the weather was amazing, and we saw tons of family.
We have also taken a lot of little day trips and have just been generally enjoying summer and everything that New England has to offer in the summer. We have to live it up now and make the most of the summer, so that when we're having a Nor'easter in January and I question why in the world we live here, I can reflect on the fabulous summers we have.
I'm really flattered to know that there other followers who look forward to reading my blog. I didn't realize that I had more followers beyond those who follow me publicly. You know who you are, and I love you!
Since I'm such a procrastinator, I kept telling myself that I would get back to blogging and jewelry-making after the baby was born, after I figure out a new routine with the boys, after I get a new computer, after vacation...and before I knew it, six months had passed. It's really kind of ridiculous. I know you're saying, "How long does it take to write a simple blog entry anyway?" The answer is 6.2 days. That's right. Because I start it, and then the baby needs to eat, or Conor wants to play a game, and then I forget about the blog until the next day, and I pick it up again until someone needs help on the potty. You get the idea.
So for now, I'll say that I should finally be able to post more regularly. You know, after I get back from my trip to PA next week, and as soon as Conor starts preschool again...
Seriously though, do you really want to hear my long list of excuses for why I haven't updated my blog? You do??? Good!
This is my number one reason:
Meet Jude. Isn't he cute? He's the newest addition to our family. He is quite possibly the happiest baby on the planet. He doesn't sleep very much, but he's so cute that we forgive him for that. And actually, he is finally starting to sleep a little better. (knocking on wood)
Here is proud big brother Conor, who also keeps me very busy.
As many of you already know, I left my full-time job in May to stay home with my boys. It has been a big, but wonderful, change for our family. We are having a fabulous summer, and I'm so fortunate to be able to stay home with them. For some reason, I thought I would have more time for jewelry/blogging when I left my job, but I am not finding that to be the case. My 4-year old hasn't napped since the baby was born, and the baby likes to take 15-minute naps.
Shortly after Jude was born, my computer crashed. That certainly put a damper on my website updates and blogging endeavors. I just got a replacement a few weeks ago, so that is a relief. And I switched to Mac! I really like it so far, but I'm still working through the learning curve. Earlier ,when trying to add a photo to this post, I accidentally opened Photo Booth instead of iPhoto. And when I tried to close it, I instead took a scary picture of myself. Scary because I'm still in my jammies and wearing a dumbfounded expression and yesterday's eye make-up. No, I'm not going to share that picture with you. Are you crazy?
We traveled a lot in July. And I mean a lot. For 2.5 weeks, we traveled via car and train from Massachusetts to Florida and back, with stops in Virginia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. In case you're wondering, I highly recommend travel via the Auto Train from VA to FL. The vacation deserves its own blog entry, but I will just say that the boys were superstar travelers, the weather was amazing, and we saw tons of family.
We celebrated my grandmother's 100th birthday in Florida.
The boys enjoyed the Carolina beaches.
We have also taken a lot of little day trips and have just been generally enjoying summer and everything that New England has to offer in the summer. We have to live it up now and make the most of the summer, so that when we're having a Nor'easter in January and I question why in the world we live here, I can reflect on the fabulous summers we have.
I'm really flattered to know that there other followers who look forward to reading my blog. I didn't realize that I had more followers beyond those who follow me publicly. You know who you are, and I love you!
Since I'm such a procrastinator, I kept telling myself that I would get back to blogging and jewelry-making after the baby was born, after I figure out a new routine with the boys, after I get a new computer, after vacation...and before I knew it, six months had passed. It's really kind of ridiculous. I know you're saying, "How long does it take to write a simple blog entry anyway?" The answer is 6.2 days. That's right. Because I start it, and then the baby needs to eat, or Conor wants to play a game, and then I forget about the blog until the next day, and I pick it up again until someone needs help on the potty. You get the idea.
So for now, I'll say that I should finally be able to post more regularly. You know, after I get back from my trip to PA next week, and as soon as Conor starts preschool again...
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Another reason to wear your baby
When my oldest son was a baby, I used to make slings. I even thought I would start selling them, but then the CPSIA came along. While its intentions were good, it made it nearly impossible for a small business, or work-at-home-moms (WAHM) to make and sell children's products. So while I couldn't sell them, I still enjoyed making some for myself.
I'm a huge fan of babywearing, and I buy baby carriers the way that some women buy shoes and handbags. OK, so I buy a lot of shoes and handbags too. (I told you I love accessories!) The other day, I was wearing my little guy in a "Bali Baby Stretch" wrap, which is snug and warm and perfect for New England winters. We were at "Ring a Ding Sing Thing" at our local library, which involves stories, music, motion, instruments, dancing, and general chaos with toddlers running all over the place while enjoying these things. The wrap is the perfect solution for keeping my little guy cozy and happy while keeping both hands free so I can chase my toddler.
Another mom commented on my wrap and asked some questions about how to use it. She asked how old my baby was (3.5 weeks), and then she paid me a lovely compliment by saying I looked fantastic and she couldn't believe that I just had a baby. I thanked her, but explained that by wearing my baby in front, and covering the rest of my torso with a wrap, I was able to disguise my problem areas. (And just so you know, I am trying to cut myself some slack, and I know I will bounce back to my pre-pregnancy weight with time, but I have a long way to go. I've had a few people tell me that I don't look like I just had a baby. I know I should just take that compliment at face value, but I can't help but wonder if all these people think that I just looked this big all the time?!?!)
So, baby-wearing makes you look thinner -- just another reason to wear your baby! ;)
P.S. If you don't understand the term "babywearing," you can learn more here.
I'm a huge fan of babywearing, and I buy baby carriers the way that some women buy shoes and handbags. OK, so I buy a lot of shoes and handbags too. (I told you I love accessories!) The other day, I was wearing my little guy in a "Bali Baby Stretch" wrap, which is snug and warm and perfect for New England winters. We were at "Ring a Ding Sing Thing" at our local library, which involves stories, music, motion, instruments, dancing, and general chaos with toddlers running all over the place while enjoying these things. The wrap is the perfect solution for keeping my little guy cozy and happy while keeping both hands free so I can chase my toddler.
Another mom commented on my wrap and asked some questions about how to use it. She asked how old my baby was (3.5 weeks), and then she paid me a lovely compliment by saying I looked fantastic and she couldn't believe that I just had a baby. I thanked her, but explained that by wearing my baby in front, and covering the rest of my torso with a wrap, I was able to disguise my problem areas. (And just so you know, I am trying to cut myself some slack, and I know I will bounce back to my pre-pregnancy weight with time, but I have a long way to go. I've had a few people tell me that I don't look like I just had a baby. I know I should just take that compliment at face value, but I can't help but wonder if all these people think that I just looked this big all the time?!?!)
May 2008
November 2009
March 2011
P.S. If you don't understand the term "babywearing," you can learn more here.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Preparing to Reopen
You may have noticed that my Etsy shop has been in vacation mode since late January. I closed my shop for a mini maternity leave. My beautiful son was born on February 7th, and we are adjusting to life with a 4-year old and a newborn. I could dedicate an entire blog post to that alone, but overall, it has been much easier than I thought.
So now that I'm getting into the swing of things, and even getting a few hours of sleep here and there, I want to reopen my shop. I need to update some listings and change some of my policies (like turnaround time, which may be longer initially), and of course, list some new pieces. I'm toying with the idea of a grand reopening sale, once I can get some new pieces designed, completed, and photographed.
I hope to reopen in the next couple of days. Stay tuned!
So now that I'm getting into the swing of things, and even getting a few hours of sleep here and there, I want to reopen my shop. I need to update some listings and change some of my policies (like turnaround time, which may be longer initially), and of course, list some new pieces. I'm toying with the idea of a grand reopening sale, once I can get some new pieces designed, completed, and photographed.
I hope to reopen in the next couple of days. Stay tuned!
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