Well if the world's going to end...

2012. The year the world is supposed to end. Well, if that's the case, I better get crackin'!

Seriously, though, I typically hate new year's resolutions. Why make the commitment to start some new habit on an arbitrary day in the dead of winter when the gloom and doom of the weather is enough to make you stop before you begin? But here I am, thinking about things I'd like to change about myself, both at home and at work, and I am drawn to this idea of making some improvements. Recently, a friend on Facebook posted about some changes she'll be making herself, and someone reminded her (and thereby me) that it takes 3 weeks to establish a habit. With that in mind, here we go...

Resolution #1: Take at least 2 photos a day and blog 2 times a week (probably going to be on Friday and Sunday).
Action: already doing it! Woo hoo! Please--hold me accountable to this. I fully welcome being accosted by friends and family on Facebook, via email, etc.

Resolution #2: Monthly projects to get myself organized and ready...for what? (insert sarcastic voice) Obviously, the end of the world. If we're all gonna die, I'm gonna make sure things are squared away so I can leave this world footloose and fancy free ;-) (in serious tone) Honestly, organizing makes me feel at ease, probably because I'm a bit of a control freak. And although each project will last a month, I'm hoping that some of the habits established in them will continue long after.
Action: List monthly projects and possible tasks. Begin January's project.

• January: Finances
• Organize financial documents
• Create filing system for downloading e-bills, bank statements, etc.
• Revisit budget
• Prepare for taxes
• Create savings plan--retirement, college, emergency fund, etc.
• February: Get moving!
• Increasing weekly goals
• Morning yoga
• March: Eat in month
• Menu planning
• Freezer meals
• Quick lunches
• April: Spiritual Renewal
• Visit different UU congregations each Sunday
• Schedule dedication ceremony for Adela
• May: Reducing energy usage
• New strategies
• Unplugging
• June: Downsizing and reusing
• Going through closets and items
• Only shopping for needed items at reuse places (garage sales, thrift stores, etc.)
• July: Reducing water usage
• August: Christmas gifts
• No new resource use
• Make make make!
• Budget
• September: Eat local month
• October: Credit card free month
• November: Month of Gratitude
• Thank you note, email, or phone call every day
• 1-minute daily reflection every day
• 4 volunteer projects
• December: ???

Since the world is supposed to end in December, I figured I'd wait and see! No, really, I just can't come up with another goal. Suggestions are welcome!

Are these resolutions ambitious? Absolutely. But you know what they say--go big or go home!

Hello 2012. I'm excited to see what we can accomplish this year!

The Letter "A"

This blog post today is brought to you by the letter "A"--

A is for "absenteeism by blogger." Sorry--I'll blame my lack of blogging on the heat. It's been awful at times. Thank goodness for...

A is for AIR CONDITIONING!

A is for "ABC Block"...

I crocheted both of these recently. I was quite proud of them, until I got this fabulous rattle from my friend Victoria. I am still proud of my blocks, but I bow to her mad knitting skills.

A is for AMAZING garage sale finds! The Highland Park garage sales were this last weekend, and I was fortunate enough to bum around for many hours with Courtney and the kids, Tamara, Angie, and my lovely husband. Here's our $8 exersaucer--it'll work beautifully!

A is for "The other word for bum" wipes. That's right--I made cloth diaper wipes! A could also be for "assigning new purposes to old things," since the back was made of soft, old t-shirts. It was the easiest thing in the world. Cut out 8" X 8" squares. Zig zag around the edges. Done and done. I wish all projects were so quick!

Cardboard templates = awesomeness.

A is for Alyssa at 33 weeks--AAAAhhhh! As Jake says, "You're belly is getting so big!" I agree. It's hard to imagine it will continue to grow.

A is for...wait, is that a letter to hang on the nursery wall? Sure is! So here's a clue for all those who are wondering about a name...but where does the A go? At the beginning? At the end? Or somewhere in between? Only time will tell, but feel free to take guesses!

Earth Day

There's only one Earth. And I'm committed to keeping it as healthy as possible for my children and all future generation. Here's what I did on Earth Day to do my small part. I made things from old t-shirts and scrap fabric. It's recycling, reducing, and reusing all at the same time, plus loads of fun!

I had stumbled across this awesome tutorial for making tote bags from t-shirts. And it was as easy as pie. Or, since I don't think pie is that easy to make, let's go with "easy as cupcakes" instead.

First, lay your old shirt flat. Then cut off the arms, making sure to leave the seams. I made the mistake the first time of laying it flat and cutting straight across through two layers--and ended up cutting the seam off on one side. My advice: cut around the arm near the seam for a flawless look! Leaving the seams in help reinforce the bag's strength.

After you've cut both arms off, place a dinner place halfway down the top over the collar, trace, and cut out.

Then, flip the shirt inside out. Pin the bottom of the shirt together, and zig-zag stitch TWO times across the bottom directly on the seam that's already there.

I then added what the tutorial called "gussets" to give the bag some depth. I'm not really sure if I did it right. In fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't. But whatever! I just zig-zagged an inch or so up the side of the bags at a right angle to the corner, and it seems to have worked!

I also worked on some nursing pads for when the baby comes and I start breastfeeding. They were made out of layers of fleece and soft denim (a favorite, very worn old pair of jeans). I just used my circular magnetic pin holder as the template.

And made a few bibs, too, while I was at it.

Let me just say that the aforementioned favorite old pair of jeans has been incorporated into 4 bibs, 10 nursing pads, and 3 velcro pouches for the diaper bag (you can see the "pocket pouches" made out of the back pockets in the back of the nursing pad photo). It's amazing how much I managed to get out of a single pair of jeans. Think about the possibilities for all sorts of other things!

Happy Earth Day everyone!

A Baby Bib

I had some free time tonight (it's amazing what only working one job will do for that!!!). So I decided to make a bib. Out of recycled materials. Yes, I'm just that crunchy ;-)

A while back when I was looking online for patterns and tutorials, I found this great tutorial for making a recycled bib posted by Linda Permann at CraftStylish.com. I decided to give it a try. With the overabundance of scrap jeans and other various fabrics lying around, it's not like I had anything to lose.

Here's the process:

1. Print off pattern from the tutorial. Add a 2 inch section of paper where it says. Fold fabric in half. Place pattern on fold, pin, and cut. Make two of these. I used one jean side and one green microfleece side.

2. To make the patchwork part, measure 2 inches and 5 1/2 inches from bottom of bib. Draw a straight line across with tailor's chalk and cut out. Next, make a 4 inch by 10 1/2 inch strip of cloth (can be all one piece or many pieces put together to measure this). Sew patchwork pieces together using 1/4 inch seam allowance and press open seams.

3. Next sew the patchwork strip to the long ends of the bib, making sure right sides are facing each other. Press seams down when finished. Trim off any excess patchwork fabric to shape the bib.

4. With right sides facing each other, pin the bib sides together. Sew a 1/4 inch seam around the edge, leaving about 2 inches on the bottom open to turn the bib inside out. Once finished, trim off excess fabric in the corners and turn inside out, using a "point turner" (aka the eraser end of a pencil for those of us too cheap to purchase one) to get into corners. Press down entire bib and fold under the open part at the bottom 1/2 inch; press. Top stitch around entire edge of bib and around patchwork parts. And....

Voila! Bib is...

almost done. Just need to buy the snaps. But it's pretty cute, eh? It looks a bit small, but I'm not an expert yet. I might enlargen the pattern a bit next time, though, to get a range of bibs going in my stash.

Jake even had to try it out. Here he is pretending to cry while wearing it.

And lastly, here's updated bump pics for all those keeping track! Week 23!

Consignment sales are the BEST!

The title sums it up. Let me say that I've always been one for a bargain. I have fond memories of garage sale-ing with my Grandma Lorraine while we were up north at the Cabin and of scrounging my pennies together for the local garage sales in Lonsdale when I was younger, ready and waiting to find new books and trinkets to take home. I scoured thrift stores as a teenager, looking for cool and hip things.

But now I've found the perfect thing between hunting and searching for the goods amongst a lot of junk and going to a specialty store: consignment sales. Today I went to the Sunflower Sprouts children's consignment sale in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. For anyone not from this area, it's the 'burbs. And the 'burbs = nice things. All they had, subsequently, was nice maternity, baby, and kids things. It was a gold mine. Especially since I went to their "New Moms Presale" which means I got to go in before the general public and snatch up the really good stuff!

So for a little over a hundred dollars, here's my haul:

...a Fischer-Price vibrating bouncer

Here's to hoping Baby Girl doesn't mind blue! The bunny's make it seem pretty gender neutral, though.

...a Boppy playmat with a small boppy pillow for Baby Girl and hook-on toys

Jake doing an excellent impression of Baby.

Isn't it adorable? All the toys are in that plastic bag. So excited!

...a gently used Baby Bjorn carrier (they retail for $80...it's ridiculous...this one was $15!)

Jake modeling the carrier. He's gonna make a wonderful papa!

...9 NB onesies and two pairs of pants

Notice the tags still on the one!

..a ring-sling carrier

...a brand new nursing cover

...Dr. Sear's The Breastfeeding Book

...a bottle drying rack

...2 swaddle-wraps (they are oh so soft and come highly recommended by my friend Ellen!) 

...Some maternity clothes, including another pairs of jeans, a cute green skirt, a black-and-white polka dot sundress, and some lounging shorts.

Am I hooked? Absolutely! I'm signed up for another 2 in the next month :-)

And because I missed last week, here's a pic of the bump for week 22--a day early!