{pretty, happy, funny, real} volume 3 - the completed crafts edition

On the tails of my post about not being able to get things done, it might seem a bit discontinuous to post my completed craft projects.  However, the "not getting ANYTHING done" should really be read more in the context of "not getting ALL the crazy things Emily can think up done" rather than the literal nothing.  Someday, maybe I'll learn to set reasonable expectations about what can be done in 24 hours...

But anyway, doing something permanent helps with my sanity during the wash-rinse-repeat cycle of my days, when there is more dog hair on the couch now than there was 24 hours ago...despite me having vacuumed it in between (argh!).  I've recently been inspired by some friends to do a better job documenting the projects I complete - partly so that I can contribute something better than "oh yeah, I made a, uh, thing once" when they pull out a binder of beautiful pictures of their completed projects (true story) - and partly to remind myself that, every once and a while, I do get a thing or two finished (even if it's not the 15 things I planned on!)

{pretty}

My mom's Valentine's Day present, made from this pattern.  Don't look too closely, or it won't deserve it's "pretty" categorization.

{happy}

Anna's new winter hat.  I finished it late one night and couldn't wait to show her the next morning.  She immediately began "painting" with the tassels.

{funny}

At around 11:30 the night before my Godson's Baptism, I kept saying "I really should have just bought a Bible"...but I kept on sewing and managed to not be too exhausted when we welcomed that sweet baby into the Church the next day!

I designed it with the ship motif as a nod to his namesake St. Brendan, the Navigator and incorporated the cross into the mast and the fish is a nod to the ichthus (fish) symbol of Christianity.

{real}

Photo quality is low, as I had to go on a wild goose chase to collect these pictures (one from my cell phone, one from the tablet, and some from my old camera) - at least I documented them?

I have to be realistic in recognizing that the only reason I was able to get the quilt done is thanks to Justin's mom & grandmother who were visiting and took care of the girls while I went on my sewing binge.  I moved my sewing machine down to the kitchen table, and it was fun to visit with them while I worked.  Also, I can crochet while holding a sleeping baby, so my project to-do list has been including more of that and less of the sewing machine variety (although right before Christmas, I did sew with the girls on my lap (but not both of them at the same time!))

I also have been trying to only do projects that use the materials I already own.  I read an article a few months ago that talked about how the constant desire to buy more projects can take the joy away from crafting, planting seeds of discontent because the project you already have is not as exciting as the one you might find.  Especially given my inability to set realistic expectations for what I can finish, I've realized that buying fabric is like buying stress (for me, right now!) because it just adds something else unattainable to my to-do list.  So, for this year, I've decided to only buy craft materials to finish project I'm already working on - and only when I'm actually at the point of the project that I need those things.  (I've rushed out plenty of times before for the things I "need" to work on a project that has yet to be started).  So far, it's been a great experiment and has restored some of the lost excitement, and even the creativity, to sewing and crocheting.

My year-to-date craft expenditures for 2015?  $0.00  

(Had to get this post in under the wire, as I'm going to Jo-Anns tomorrow - but I need elastic for new flannel sheets I've almost finished for the girls!)

Linking up with Like Mother, Like Daughter for {p,h,f,r}

and with Ana's Cabin Fever Creativity link-up 

(p.s., fun fact, I know Ana's sister from the craft nights I gushed about before!)

{pretty, happy, funny, real} volume 2

Dear cyber friends!  It turns out that I really do enjoy posting here on the ol' blog, and when things get crazy and I don't get time to write, I miss it!  But yes, I've been busy with other things (ahem, Christmas preparations...and laundry and sleep schedules that still aren't 100% back to routine after only 2 nights away for Thanksgiving.  Heaven help me after the 2 weeks of travel that are penciled into our upcoming calendar...)

The best way to recap the time since I've last written (excluding, perhaps, an extensive invoice from Amazon.com) is a photo montage to the theme of {p,h,f,r} (pretty/funny/happy/real).  Enjoy!

{pretty}

(note, we are in fact only on the 3rd week of Advent but all of our candles have been burned because they're still last year's model (frugality for the win!)

We set up our Advent wreath, a paper count-down chain, and our nativity (with empty crib!) on the first Sunday of Advent.  I love feeling the feeling of longing that comes with the season of Advent, and I love the beautiful simplicity of these items before all of the decor of Christmas.

{happy}

I feel strongly about observing Advent, and I love the spiritual depth of the beautiful Advent hymns - ones that I intentionally listen to on repeat before I break out the Joy to the World.  However, I've struggled with the practical aspects of waiting to do all of the preparations until Christmas Eve.  I thought THIS article ("Advent Guilt" on Catholic Icing) was a wonderful reflection and it really helped me to make peace with finding a balance - of celebrating Advent, but also of preparing for Christmas.  A gradual approach feels right this year, beginning with just simple Advent things and slowly adding Christmas decor.  We got our tree this weekend and decorated it tonight.

It's one of life's great joys for me to sit in a darkened room next to a lit tree (which I have the pleasure of doing now).  And I realized that this brings me a reflective peace that I maybe missed last year when our tree didn't go up until Christmas Eve.  It helps to build the anticipation and the excitement for the coming of the joyful holiday and of our Christ.

So: happy for the tree, happy for figuring out the balance that works for our family, happy for toddler squeals of joy, and the fact that we managed this operation without breaking any ornaments (yet) - although we did spill some hot cocoa in the process!

{funny}

It makes me smile to see all the places that the pieces from Anna's play nativity set have turned up :)  The camel watched over her breakfast, St. Joseph accompanied her at bath time the other night, and baby Jesus is tucked in snugly in her doll house.

Incidentally, we've spent so much time reading nativity board books (a few favorites HERE, HERE, and HERE) and talking about it getting ready for Jesus' birthday (a VERY exciting idea for a birthday loving toddler) that more than a few good-meaning strangers who have asked Anna while we're out and about if she's ready for Santa Claus have been meant by blank stares (although, today she did tell the pediatrician "not yet" in response).

{real}

I've shared only my favorite 7 of the more than 250 pictures in my December file, and so it seems fair to also show things that are a bit more...representative...of daily life around here:

(Behold, the power of cropped photos for making it appear that you have things put together!)

Spoiler alert, the Christmas card will not feature Christmas jammies, since that photo shoot produced only out-takes...including this one, which makes me laugh out loud every time I see Anna's face.

The {real} story is that despite trying to keep things simple, the addition of Christmas preparations has turned my day-to-day from being mostly under control to feeling a little crazy.  I've also found that this sentimental season has been rough for me emotionally as I think about my Grandpa and our first Christmas without him.  And I also have to say that although we're so thankful for the opportunity to house-sit this year, this season especially sends a little (or big!) twinge of homesickness for my sweet little house (and how much I loved to decorate it for the holidays!) and all of the places and people we left behind with this year's move (and the family and friends in our hometowns who are still too far away despite the move that we had hoped might bring us geographically closer).

A friend reassured me tonight that it's never too late to still claim postpartum hormones for the emotional roller-coaster of motherhood ;)  A little bittersweet in some ways, I suppose...but I'm glad for the chance to reflect on all the pretty, happy, funny that still weaves its way through the days.

Happy Advent, and a Merry Christmas in case I don't find my way back to the keyboard between now and then!

linking up with Like Mother Like Daughter for {p,h,f,r}

{pretty, happy, funny, real} volume 1

You probably know I read a lot of blogs.  Many of them, I do so for the feeling of "yeah, sister, it's not just you" from the comrades in the trenches of motherhood.  And then there's others where it's a depiction of the noble goal, proof and reminders that this is not just possible, but so very worth it (and beautiful along the way!)  There is no better in this second category than Like Mother Like Daughter {written by the author of this book I shared a few months ago}, and Auntie Leila has so much to recommend and demonstrate about having achieved the "former glory" of homemaking.

So you know their weekly link-up titled "{pretty, happy, funny, real}" is right up my alley, especially since the subtitle is about "capturing the contentment in everyday life."

I had a very {real} night last night - perhaps Julia's worst to date (whaddya think, correlated with it being her first night sans swaddle?) - and woke up (the time I had to stay up, that is) feeling really, really tired and really, really grumpy.

That probably wasn't the context that most people would chose to introduce tempera paint, but having been buoyed by my two cups of decaf coffee (yes, I'm sensitive enough to caffeine that decaf does it for me in the wake-up category) and needing something to distract myself from...well, myself and my grumpiness, we went for it.  And pretty/happy/funny/real contentment commenced, including a mini photo shoot of the kitchen while my little artist worked.

{pretty}

Makes me miss my old kitchen and how pretty it looked in the fall.  Makes me excited for having "my" home again sometime and all of my things can come out of storage.  Makes me realize that "home" can still be wherever we make it.  

(I'm probably the only one who thinks this much about the corner by the microwave).

{happy}

Buy your stock in Crayola now.

Also in Bounty.

{funny}

I should have predicted that was coming after this...

{real}

I guess I wasn't the only one tired from last night.

Awake at night, sleeping during craft time...

and content now only snuggled up next to Mama in the Ergo, which is why I'm blogging and not sleeping myself.  Or doing the very real pile of dishes (not my favorite task with the carrier on!)

Check out more {p,h,f,r} here.