sienna, sienna, sienna!

I've visited Goodwill FAR too many times in the past couple of months, and ever since I found the Sienna pattern at Lil Blue Boo, I've bought FAR too many t-shirts!  M. laughs when I go to a store (any store) that carries clothes because I check the clearance section for knits every single time. 

This week I spent an entire evening organizing what I have and choosing combinations for dresses.  I finished three for Lily this week!  She's elated, and refuses to wear anything else.  Thank heavens she has 4 now, so I can launder without leaving her naked for the couple of hours it takes to wash.  :) 

First, here is New Orleans:

(We like the trumpets.)

Here is what Lily calls the "Superstar":

And here is her favorite (and mine), Spiders!

Front

 Back

 Detail (just two spiders I cut from the excess and sewed on)

Oh, and for good measure, here's a picture of my lovely model with the bunny face she had painted on earlier in the day:

Isn't she pretty?  Sigh.  I love that girl. 

to boldly go... (heh heh, split infinitive!)

Sometimes I think I'm cool, and then I write a title like that and realize what a complete and utter geek I am.  Not only did I quote Star Trek, I commented on its grammar.  Oh well. 

We got a notice months back that March 18th would be the 1st grade musical program.  I put it right on my calendar.

A week ago we got a note from the music teacher that the theme of the program was "Free to be Me," and she wanted the kids to dress up as what they hope to to be when they grow up. 

A week, not so great, but ok.  Then I asked Peter what he wanted to be. 

An astronaut.  An astronaut costume?  In a week?  Gah! 

I think we worked it out, though.  :) 

For the costume: a painter's suit from Lowe's ($4.99); an entire evening taking apart said painter's suit maid for a 6-foot burly man and resewing it based on a pair of Peter's jeans and a tee shirt, since he was asleep (this task would have been considerably easier if I hadn't insisted on keeping the zipper intact and using the elastic already on the arms and legs.  I ended up cutting the top of the zipper off and using the arm elastic but sewing in my own leg elastic); red bias tape found in a box of sewing goodies my grandma gave me last time I visited (I could have used red thread to sew it on but come on, we all know I'm way to lazy to rethread). 

(the elastic on one of the legs got caught -- I promise they're both the same length!)

For the patches I printed images from nasa.gov onto iron-on paper ($9.99 for 12 sheets, I used one), which I ironed on to knit cotton and then sewed onto the suit.

For the helmet: papier maché balloon; white duct tape; 4 pens; yellow paper for lights; Sharpie. 

So for less than $15, we ended up with a great costume that Peter was proud to wear.  And I'm not going to lie, I'm proud, too!  Plus, guess what?  1/4 way done with Halloween already!  :)

defeat.

I grew up thinking that it was important to follow my dreams.

Music was my dream.  It was my passion, my heart, my desire; music was everything.

It still is in a lot of ways.  The only thing that I have ever felt that trumps music (or even simply measures up) is motherhood.

In college, where I majored in Voice, I knew that I didn't want to be a professional opera singer.  I just don't LOVE opera like some of the people I knew there did.  I wanted to be a studio singer, a choral singer and a recital singer.

And I am.  First and foremost I am mother to 4 amazing kids.  Second I am singer.  I get paid to do what I love.

But right now all I feel is defeat. 

I'm not sad that we haven't managed to afford piano lessons for Peter yet, or violin lessons for Lily.  In fact, at the moment I'm a bit determined to steer them away from the arts and music in general. 

I wouldn't be able to sing if it weren't for M, who provides for our family.  M is a music professor, currently looking for work, and things don't look good. 

Thankfully, M has other skills.  But the thought of leaving music altogether is heartbreaking to both of us.  And defeating. 

What about all the years of practice?  What about the gobs (and gobs and gobs) of money spent on advanced degrees?  It just feels like such a waste. 

Nothing is certain yet, but other options are being explored.  (blah blah blah passive tense I don't giveacrap Dr. Johnson from Music 304)

Heart is broken; stomach hurts; have no idea where we'll be moving this summer. 

Beyond anything else, though, I'm praying my guts out that I'll be able to amend this entry in a few days saying that I was wrong and that everything is coming up roses. 

I think I'll title that post "triumph."

gifts!

I think my favorite thing about making stuff for people is that I think about them while I'm working.  And I know some AMAZING people, so I'll have an endless supply of projects! 

Here are some things I made for my friend Sarah's kids.  Sarah is a true gem.

For her eldest, a simple skirt found HERE and a tee shirt with yo yo's and buttons.

 

 

For her middle child, Trinket Keepers (including one big enough to fit a DS) found HERE and some quilted letters.  

 

  

  

And for her baby, and Itty Bitty Dress found HERE and some tiny shoes found HERE.  

 

 

Sigh.  I'm showing, now, how good I am at following other people's patterns.  Maybe at some point I'll branch out and design some of my own, but for now, I'm perfectly content copying masters!  Thanks to all the wonderful designers out there who freely share their ideas!  I probably wouldn't have started this sewing craze if it weren't for all of you! 

I hope all the kiddos are happy with their goodies.  I had a blast making them! 

thanks

The other night, as I rocked Sophia to sleep for the third time since I'd put her to bed a just 2 hours earlier, I wished someone were there to pat me on the back. 

Did I need a pat on the back?  No.  Would it have been nice?  Definitely. 

Now, you might think, "Why in the world would this chick who professes to love motherhood want a pat on the back just for rocking her baby to sleep?  I mean, that's what she's supposed to do; she's a mom." Well, you're right--I do love motherhood.  I wouldn't trade it for a kazillion dollars or the keys to life's problems or even for a size 0 body. 

I'll give you the answer I give to Will after he's asked me "Why?" for the hundredth time inside of an hour: Oh, just because.  (And don't even think of asking me, "Because why?" because I know kung fu.  Actually I don't, but I have some wicked crazy fake kung fu moves that will make you quiver in your boots.)

There's lots of stuff I'm supposed to do.  Then there's lots of other stuff I want to do.  When those two intersect on the Venn diagram, great!  When they don't, I have to make choices. 

Just like every mom in the world, I make choices.  I can spend all day wishing that I loved to clean or iron or do laundry (and believe me, I've tried.  I've probably spent more time wishing I loved ironing than I've actually spent ironing in the nearly 10 years of my marriage).  Some days I do find joy in it.  Most days I just do it.  Some days I don't do it at all. 

And some days, like the other day, I wish someone would say, "You are so freaking good at laundry.  I've never seen anyone do laundry like you," and I'd bow and accept a bouquet huger than my head from one of my adoring fans.

I don't know if anyone other than a mom can fully understand this sentiment.  I can't think of another time (except for maybe my mission) when I was required to do so much for so many other people before I could do anything for myself.  That's the intention, I think.  Once in a while, though, it would be so cool to get a high five or a fist bump for putting on a bra before I stepped out of the house.

And so I say to all the moms out there, thanks for making lunch today.  Thanks for helping your kid with his homework.  Thanks for wiping that bum for the 5th time.  Thanks for breaking up that argument.  You friggin' rock.  No one can wipe a bum like you can. 

To my own mom, just thanks.  For everything.  I get it now. 

sophia loves chocolate!

I finished Sophia's Lil Blue Boo Sienna dress a while ago, but then the poor baby got RSV. It. Was. AWFUL. She was sick, sick, sick for two whole weeks, and then it took another week for her to feel completely better.

Lily was so excited that Sophia had a dress like hers! She made sure they both were wearing the dresses, and then she followed her around all morning. It was very sweet. Here are some pics.

Oh, first the stats: The sleeves came from a size 14 knit halter top that I got for $1; the "I <3 Chocolate" portion from a kids' tee shirt; the ruffle on the bottom from an Old Navy flag shirt circa 2001.

 

You'd think I would have thought of letting her eat actual chocolate in her Chocolate Dress, but no, they're craisins.   She was all glassy-eyed and sick, so I was glad to get any pics!  

 

Isn't she gorgeous, even though she's sick? 

 

I included this one because you can see Lily behind her in HER LBB dress!  

And here's the full view!  I love that belly so much.  

More tomorrow!  You can't wait, can you?  :)

Must catch up!

I have so many things to show you!  I've been lazy about posting, but also I've been so busy making stuff! 

In my pursuits, I've learned a few things about myself. 

• Sewing is my new love.  Clothes for my kids, gifts, odds and ends, anything I can come up with.  I have so many projects in my head that I can't even keep straight what comes next.  But I have a huge folder of bookmarks on my computer where they're all saved!
• Crafting is also fun, but not my favorite.  You'll hear more about that in a bit.  
• I enjoy projects that I can finish in one night.  
• Sewing projects usually take longer than that, so I prefer to do the planning/fabric cutting one night and then sew the next night.  
• Sewing projects that I can do start to finish in one night are the BEST.  

And now for some pics! 

First, the Valentine's wreath (aka the bane of my existence):

To see the inspiration, click here. 

I saw that wreath and thought, "Hey, I have satin leftover from Lily's Halloween costume two YEARS ago, I can make this work." 

Not so much.  First of all, I couldn't find a foam heart.  I used cardboard.  Cut it WAY too big, so I had WAY more area to cover than the original.  It took me 3 hours! 

Second, what is it with me and glue guns?  Seriously, I even pick the thing up without burning myself.  I burned my thumb twice in the same spot, which resulted in a big old blister.  Being without the use of a thumb for a few days made me hesitant to pick up the dumb thing ever again. 

Now, with all the grumpies about it out of the way, isn't it cute?  I did rather enjoy looking at it every time I went out (or in) the door.  :) 

 

  

Next, here are pics of the kids' valentines.  Oh, goodness, I tried another idea first.  Tried and tried and tried and it didn't work.  So I went back to this idea, which had been rattling around in my head for a while, apparently since I saw THIS post.  

I knew I could do this.  I mean, how much do Dum Dums cost?  And 4x6 prints?  like 29 cents each?  So I made each kid stand out in the freezing cold while I snapped away.  Here's what we came up with!  

 

  

  

That's all I can manage for tonight.  But there is much more to come!  I can't wait to show you Sophia in her t-shirt dress, the spring wreath I managed to make and some gifts I just shipped off yesterday!