52 in 1: WEEK 36 - heart garland & fabric bulletin board

I have been going crazy pounding out the projects this week. Yes! Two of my favorites were this cute heart garland that Brynlee and I made after I saw this tutorial, and this super simple fabric covered bulletin board.


Brynlee had so much fun painting the cardstock for the hearts... and Mac loved looking for daddy out the back door and being silly. :)

I've been overwhelmed with unpacking and decorating. I'm so anxious to make this place our home, so little projects like a bulletin board covered with some pretty fabric help (oh, I am so behind the times on this, but I kept muttering PUT. A. BIRD. ON. IT. as I worked).

Bulletin board = pretty.  Red/orange wall = not pretty. 

Sneak peek into next week's project.... ohhh I can't wait!  Bye bye nasty red kitchen!

taking chances

This week, we've had to take our chances on a few things.

Gluing back together my favorite cake stand after it busted in the move: success! Oh such sadness was in my heart when it was pulled out of the box broken. Luckily I got it at The Christmas Tree Shop and surely paid no more than a few bucks for it.

Ripping the carpet off the stairs to reveal pretty, clean hardwood: major success! Except pulling out the carpet staples was a major pain in the you-know-what. And don't even get me started on those ballerina legs and how my baby looks 7 years old.

Bright red lipstick: would-be success, if I ever finally got the nerve to actually wear it out of the house instead of rashly grabbing a tissue and wiping it off at the last second.

"Green" smoothies: success according to Mac and me, Brynlee's still on the fence (if you can't tell from the look on her face).

Colored jeans: success (in my opinion!) especially since I got them at Old Navy for 6 bucks.  The experience was a little ego-shattering, since I had to go up TWO sizes to get these to fit right... I guess they don't call them "super skinny" jeans for nothing.  Too bad their name doesn't rub off on me.  They are a bit short too, so I'm thinking flats are in the cards to pair with these jeans, which means I won't be able to wear them until spring.  Or later.  Yay, Rochester winter!  Oh, and I decided I must have cobalt blue too.  Who AM I?!

And finally, I guess this last "chance" we took is participating in a family dance while we were out to lunch this past weekend.

Success! :)

52 in 1: WEEK 35 - cozy burpcloths

My house is still such a mess. Not in complete shambles, but there is still so much stuff EVERYWHERE. Not to mention I haven't even got close to being able to pull out all of my decorative little doo dads. In unpacking, I'm learning to take it one day at a time. Small victories are still victories!

So the other day, Alyssa mentioned that she wanted to make some burpcloths for a gift. I needed to make some for Amy for a baby shower she was soon attending (which was today, nothing like me waiting til the last minute), so we planned to just pound them out as the kids went buck wild in my basement. And that's exactly what happened.

I know burpcloths aren't the most interesting or involved project for a 52/1 (even though the girly fabric is so pretty... I used the softest flannel), but, as I said, small victories. AND, knowing that Alyssa was going to come over and sew with me, I had completely organized my crafty/sewing area in the basement (full tour coming when I feel it's pretty enough to show off, ha!) the night before. BIG victory there! Ahh, it is wonderful to have a space to create. So wonderful. So grateful!!!

daybook

Outside my window...

it's very cold but sunny.  It was really windy last night so there are branches everywhere.  I have to pinch myself when I look outside, because in spite of all the work to be done, we are in OUR HOUSE... we are home!

I am thinking...

that I just might need this... so cute!  (Ahem, Valentine's Day?)

I am thankful for...

all of the wonderful people who helped us pack, move, and unpack in the past week.  Not sure I really know how to truly express my gratitude.

I am learning...

that unpacking a house with a 14 month old is literally impossible.

I am creating...

my craft/work/sewing room.... oh it's gonna be so great.  I'm so excited it makes me want to cry!

I am going...

to small group tonight... excited to see old friends and meet new friends.

I am hearing...

the hum of the monitors (B has decided that naps are a good thing) and traffic.

Around my house...

it still looks like a war zone but things are coming together.  I took a video (that I'll share later this week) before I was able to tackle the boxes so I can chronicle all that we get done.

One of my favorite things...

is dancing in the kitchen with my girl and my boy saying "Pthlzzz" (please) unprompted. :)

A few plans for my week...

unpacking, girls' night, unpacking.

A picture...

(Or a few... some snippets of the past few days)

 

Empty {new} house

Kids on a shelf (as I unpack books)

Mac eating broccoli (it's a MIRACLE!  I guess the trick is letting him do it himself)

Happy Wednesday, friends!

PCB giveaway winner!

Oh this weekend has been nutzo. Nutso? Insane. But I promised a giveaway winner and here it is:

Lucky #29 is:

 

And I find this hilarious because I have personally known the winners of the last 3 giveaways I have sponsored!  I swear it's not fixed.  So glad my dear A-dubs is the winner, though!

Oh and we did make it safe and sound to our new house.  Despite a snowstorm and all the little things that could have gone wrong and the stresses of a move, we made it.  My house looks like an explosion of STUFF, but I'm trying to tackle one room/area at a time.  

So. 

Much. 

To. 

Do.  

Breathe....

52 in 1: WEEK 34 - empty house

I'm typing this post on my phone with no wifi, laying on the floor of the living room because every last piece of furniture we own is packed up in a moving truck. Well, other than the lovely air mattress that we will be slumbering on tonight. Yesterday and today was spent totally clearing out the house, packing boxes, and cleaning. Tomorrow we head out around 5am. I had to say some hard goodbyes in the past few days.

This move is so bittersweet.

daybook: moving on the brain edition

Outside my window...

it's clear and chilly.  It hasn't rained/showed for weeks, and we have had sun and clear skies.  Tomorrow it's supposed to rain... the ONE day we will be packing up the moving truck.  I am praying it holds off!

I am thinking...

that perhaps staying up until 5am packing my kitchen will affect/is affecting my productivity today.  

Also, I'm thinking/highly suggesting that you should hop over to Keight's blog and enter her fun giveaways (do I spy a PCB giveaway?!  Oh yes I do!) and don't forget to enter my PCB giveaway this week right HERE!

I am thankful for...

my mom and dad, who are watching the kids this week while we pack.  I truly don't think packing this house would have been possible with my sweet rugrats underfoot.

Also, my love who turned 30 on Sunday!  I had plans for an elaborate birthday post,

but they were squashed.  Wonder why.  Thankful that Ryan is understanding/not needy!

I am learning...

how much STUFF we have... makes me want to chuck everything and live a simpler life.

I am creating...

plans to decorate the new house!  Speaking of creating, check out these.  HILARIOUS!!!

I am going...

out to dinner with friends tonight, and have done so with various friends every night this week.  Part goodbye, part break from packing, part lack of food in the house.

I am hearing...

Us and our Daughters.  Oh, Phil LaRue, you will always be my teenage crush.

Around my house...

there are boxes everywhere.  Duh.

One of my favorite things...

is talking to my sweet B on the phone while we are apart this week... despite the conversations lasting 7 seconds.

A few plans for my week...

do I really need to say it?

A picture...

My mom has been super diligent with sending pics of the kids this week.  Love her and them.

That picture of Brynlee makes me weep.  Miss them so much.

52 in 1: WEEK 33 - movin out and a giveaway

So, guess what?

I've cleared out my dining room/craft (I still shudder at that word, can't we think of something better??) room/sewing room and packed it all up.

This is what it looked like prior/during the pack up:

Embarrassing!

And this is what it looks like now:

Obviously still needing some TLC, but better.

Clearing out and packing up this room was my big project of this week (besides getting and trying to recover from the stomach flu. YUCK). Why?

BECAUSE WE ARE MOVING BACK TO NEW YORK!

Like, next week. So life is going to be crazy(-er) and messy(-er) and (more) chaotic for awhile. We bought a house in Rochester (our home sweet home) a little over a month ago and will be packing up this upcoming week and heading out for good on Friday (Ryan's job is transferring back). I'm so excited and overwhelmed and sad and stressed. I'm so bummed to leave the sweet (now {rest-of-my} lifelong) friends we have made here in MA, but I feel like God has grown and molded me so much during this past year and a half, and I am so ready to follow His plan for me and my family. It's funny, because I felt like I had FINALLY "embraced the space" I had been given here and really, truly felt content. I think He just wanted me to give it up and surrender to His plan.  He's funny.  And amazing.

I'm also pumped to own a house again and my mind is brimming with PROJECTS!  Oh, 52/1, you aren't going to be able to handle the plans I have up my sleeves.  I can't wait to document the fun stuff we do to this house to make it more "us," which is funny because that's the reason I started this blog in the first place, when we bought our first house. 


So, in this next crazy busy week, I will probably be a bit absent from the blog. I had been promising a Poppy Chain giveaway this week, and I won't go back on my word! So here it is: Just for fun and as my way of saying happy new year, one lucky recipient will win a $25 credit to my shop, plus free shipping of whatever the winner picks!

To enter:

Leave a comment telling what you would pick from my shop if you won!

Additional entries:

become a follower (or let me know that you already are) of my blog

"favorite" The Poppy Chain Boutique on Etsy

follow me on Twitter

Leave me comments for each method of entry! I feel kind of silly with all this "follow me" stuff, but I have to start somewhere, right? :)

You have until next Saturday night (the 14th) to enter and I'll pick a winner at random and announce the winner next Sunday, January 15th. Hopefully the dust will be semi-settling by then!

one word

Early last January, I chose my "word of the year". Last year's word was warm. I wanted to become more of an arms-wide-open type person. More down to earth. The type of person that anyone would feel comfortable around.

I'm still working on being a warm person, but I think I have made progress. I hope I have. It's so easy to just close up inside myself and just do what I have to do, and not intentionally interact with others.

This year, I think my word will be patience. To be more specific, not so much with waiting for something to happen, but with people. I get so frustrated with people. I want to love people. Even more specifically, I want to be patient first and foremost with my husband and kids. Why is it that we often treat the ones we love most the worst?? Often, my patience tank is empty before we even get downstairs in the morning. The only person who is to blame for that is me. I desire to be more gracious, more calm, more understanding. My sweet family deserves the best of me, and it is my job to BE the best of me. Ryan is so calm, so patient with me and with the kids. I know that is in his nature to be so, but he just inspires me. I pray I can be the person my family deserves and the person I KNOW I was created to be.

Watch out, 2012. There's gonna be more deep breaths, more smiles when the only thing I want to do is scream.

Happy New Year, friends. Anyone else have a word for 2012?

Nourish Organics lip balm WINNER!

And the winner of a Nourish Organics lip balm of choice is...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jenny is actually my cousin (in law)! Do you think Rafflecopter knew?!  ;)

Get ready for another fun giveaway this week!  Yay!

Happy New Year!