ready to go

"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, go to" Soule Mama or leave a link to your moment in the comments.

links

These look like the Morning Glory Muffins at one of my favorite breakfast places (Colonial Cafe).

The hardware you need to install an Anthropologie door knob.

Stream Stevie Nicks' new album.

Yahoo wants to get rid of Delicious and move all your bookmarks. Anyone know of a good website to keep my bookmarks on?

The A-Z Guide to Sharing, Swapping, or Selling Practically Anything

What to grow and not grow in a window box. I really want a window box but we have vinyl siding. Anyone know how I can accomplish this without putting huge holes in my siding?

remember

At the beginning of April we actually had good weather. Good enough weather to be optimistic and get the bike ready. Then the snow came and the rain and tomorrow there's supposed to be more snow. It's getting a little depressing. I try to be upbeat, but I think Mother Nature's beginning to hate me. Couple that with not enough sleep and cranky children who just want to go outside and you have a day that ended with a pint of Ben & Jerry's. Sometimes my children are so very sweet and awesome and then there are days like yesterday that leave me with nothing I want to share.

hello egg salad sandwiches

I hope you all had a nice Easter if you celebrate it. We decided to try something different with the eggs this year as Daughter hates to get her hands dirty. So we went with watercolors. I wasn't too sure how it would work at first (even though I saw it done here), but it actually turned out to be the best thing ever.

We were in a bit of a hurry because with all the redecorating around here we almost forgot about the eggs. It was right before bedtime on Saturday night that we were doing them, so Daughter did half and I did half. She was able to be much more creative than she's ever been with the dye. She made a smiley face on one, a pirate on another, and a rainbow of other colors.

I was a little less creative with my half and just did a wash over them. You could make them darker by adding more layers of paint, but like I wrote above, we were in a hurry. We left them out of the carton to dry because I was afraid if we put them in the carton half of the paint would get rubbed off. The watercolor isn't permanent, but hard boiled eggs that the Easter Bunny hides aren't a permanent fixture in our house. They're gone within a week.

One more thing about the watercolors, the clean up was a breeze. Always an added bonus for projects in this house.

besteam Feature: Headpin Wear

Today I have the honor of featuring Cathy Tuggle who runs the shop Headpin Wear. She is someone who comments on my blog fairly regularly and seems like a genuinely upbeat good person (the kind I like). She resides in Benicia, CA and by day works for an Auto Processing Company. Luckily she doesn't commute far so she has time for her more creative job of making jewelry. And did I mention it's gorgeous jewelry?

The above earrings were the first thing that caught my eye. I could see them worn on a really nice night out. They are so classy and elegant. Maybe if I ever go to the Oscars or if I know someone getting married (which is more likely to happen) these would make an excellent gift. They would go with any color dress (I've heard red wedding dresses are making a come back) without taking away from the dress; instead just adding a nice touch.

These I think are good for all day wear which is why I chose them. They're small enough not to get in the way and the color would match any outfit. Perfect for an earring.

This is one of my favorites because it highlights her versatility. It's fun and fresh without being over the top. Plus it really shows that Cathy can make jewelry for all types of people.

I encourage you to check out Headpin Wear yourself and maybe you'll find something you like, or something your mom would like (this is your official Mother's Day reminder). Cathy also has a blog where she features other shops and welcomes comments.

story time

"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, go to" Soule Mama or leave a link to your moment in the comments.

yay organization!

I try very hard to make our home a nice place for both the kids and adults that reside here. One place that always bothered me was the front door. We never had a really good place to put coats and shoes. The adults managed to survive by walking to the closet with their coats and shoes in hand, but the kids always just threw everything down by the front door. I don't think I need to tell you what a mess it made. We put up with it for way too long because it was just our two kids, but once I started babysitting and they also both had back packs and coats it was terrible.

We fixed it this weekend. On Sunday I decided that I needed to keep moving in order to not fall asleep and we made our Arts and Hooks Rack. I have wanted to make this since I got the book a year ago, but we never had a good place for them or I never found the perfect hooks. I wanted the hooks that had the upper and lower spot to hang things. This way every child got a place to put their back pack and coat while taking up less space on the wall.

I liked this design because we were also able to use Daughter's artwork and bring in parts of the family. Two of the artworks were old and one she made especially for the hooks. Unfortunately she used a peach crayon so it's a little hard to see, but she was very proud of it so we used it anyways. The whole thing was very easy to do and took only a morning before they were hung on the wall.

The hooks were the only thing I paid for and I was able to find them at Anthropologie. The wood started out as a shelf from Ikea 6 years ago. From that shelf it had been cut in half to become two smaller shelves. We recently took down those smaller shelves because we moved the closets in our bedroom and it became these hooks. The top color of paint is the same as the nightstand that I did in her room (she requested that color) and the bottom color is the same that is on our office walls (Freshaire in Spring Season). The artwork we have plenty of and the ribbon I bought years ago for something else and never used it. I absolutely love how it all turned out and how nice the space by my front door is.

so sad.

I finished the Hourglass Sweater* (number 5 since I started the numbering system all weird - from now on they will be numbered as I finish, not as I start). I love the body of it. LOVE the body of it. I really dislike the neckline; I dislike it so much I will probably never wear it.

I went down past the smallest size for the neckline and it's still huge. I'm not a fan of the 80's with their off the shoulder sweatshirts, but if you are, then this is the sweater for you. It has that perfect 80's neckline, just a little off the shoulder (unfortunately for me, a little off each shoulder) and it is comfortable everywhere else. As for me, I think I'll stick with top down sweater patterns from now on.

As for what to do with this sweater, I'm thinking about looking into how to repurpose them into some pants for Son and then felting the rest and making a hat. I just need to look into it so it doesn't unravel when I cut it.

*rav link

Besteam Feature: MysticWynd

Karen is the owner of Mystic Wynd; she was born and raised in Chicago but currently lives in Arizona. She tries to make jewelry that appeals to everyone and it is because of this that she designs pieces with easy to close clasps or front closures. Perfect for a Grandma that may be suffering from arthritis. She's also willing to customize items to suit your needs, so if you find some earrings you love but don't have pierced ears, just send her a note.

Her shop is full of really amazing jewelry, but these are a few of my favorites.

I could totally picture wearing this on an adult night out with the one dress (yes, one dress) that I own. It would be such a great accent piece and I would not want to share this with my kids (hence the adult night out).

I absolutely love this necklace. It was on the featured items which is why it caught my eye, but it's so amazing. I love the detail on it including the accent gems on the chain and the gems on the heart are perfectly placed.

I love the shade of turquoise on these earrings. They're simple yet elegant. Kind of an understated beauty.

Karen has a great eye for jewelry so I think we're all in luck that she opened an Etsy shop. You can also catch up with her on her blog (and if I liked lemon I would totally make that Cheesecake Pie)

guest blog.

I'm putting off my Besteam feature for a day because I think you should all go read my guest blog post at FarrenSquare. It's all about why I was unable to breast feed Daughter and how I was judged for it. Very personal and raw, so if you feel you don't know me well enough it's a must read.

monkey see monkey do

"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, go to" Soule Mama or leave a link to your moment in the comments.

so close...

I have so very little left to do compared to what I've already done. Sew the hem down for the neckline, graft the underarm stitches together, weave in ends, block, and then wait until fall to wear it (I timed that one right didn't I?). It's so close to done though.

I went down to the smallest size for the neckline. I had read that it was a wide neck, so I figured out how to go down two sizes while only doing as many rows as called for for my size. I tried it on and it was nearly off my shoulders (at two sizes smaller) so I just kept going. Hopefully it won't be too big. The sleeves are too long, so if I decide they're bothersome I'll look up how to frog from a cast on edge. Then hopefully I can make them shorter. Otherwise I'll learn to deal because this took a long time to knit and there is NO WAY I am frogging everything down to and including the sleeves.

enjoyment

Things I'm enjoying:

• the green coming out from all the brown
• the outdoor time without tons of layers on
• that I have 7 rows and finishing work left of my hourglass sweater (hopefully by Easter)
• that I'm almost feeling back to normal (still a little sore)
• that I was able to do yoga yesterday for the first time in weeks
• that the wall is almost back up in the living room (the stomach flu delayed it a bit)
• the idea of handmade trades like Chrissy is doing over at Whimsical Poppysmic (if you're interested in one email me at chasingthenuns(at)gmail(dot)com)
• that my guest blog should be up at FarrenSquare (she's all kinds of cool and you should read her blog for more than just my guest blog spot) soon (it's more personal than I've ever really gotten on this blog)

that's right.

I spent the weekend ill and want a day off from blogging my life.

Besteam Feature: Beader Bubbe

I have found so many great jewelry shops through Besteam and Beader Bubbe is no exception. The shop is run by Agnes who is a mother of five (five! I have so much respect for that) and resides in Brooklyn. Currently she still has a day job and I'm sure when she retires she'll have a lot more time (even with those 6 grandchildren as well) to make even more jewelry, which she loves to do.

We all know my obsession with dangle earrings. I love the color of these. I know some people who grew up in the seventies might think avocado and get a little put off, but I love this color. Too bad Husband doesn't or it would be in my house more.

This pendant is hands down my favorite item in her shop. It's elegant, yet still fun. I just think you could wear it for a fancy night out or a fun day of shopping. Versatile and awesome.

I think I like this necklace so much because I used to know someone who wore pieces like this. A little on the larger side and very turquoise and she truly didn't care what anyone thought of her fashion. This reminds me of her and I miss her sometimes.

I encourage you to check out Agnes's shop for more jewelry and even some hand painted tees. She also has a blog where you can check out what she does on a regular basis, a facebook page and a twitter feed. She is one very busy person.

angry birds

"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, go to" Soule Mama or leave a link to your moment in the comments.

honored

Hey! Look what I got! Just when I was wondering what I'd blog about today. I got it from FarrenSquare who is an amazing newish Mom. We met on Twitter (of all places) and she understood my sense of humor. It was meant to be. She is also a fierce human being trying to raise a feminist son (as am I - until I had a son, I never realized the many limitations that are put on boys) and she plays with fire. No, seriously, she plays with fire.

"In part of receiving this award, I was asked to list seven facts about myself and then pass the award on to seven other bloggers!" (I totally stole that from her. She says it so well I just don't feel the need to change it).

1. Son was the best surprise I've ever had.
2. Son was the first of my children that came home with me from the hospital (and will be the last).
3. There are more pictures of Son in my friday moments because he allows me to take photos of him.
4. Daughter was close to 7 weeks early and spent almost a month in the NICU.
5. I would not wish the NICU on my worst enemy.
6. I am pro-choice and don't ever try to talk me out of that. I firmly believe that everybody should have a choice.
7. I drink a lot of caffeine.

I'm ignoring the 7 blogs thing. I know you're supposed to keep this going, but I'm just not. I'd give it back to FarrenSquare if I could, but that's not allowed.

you're getting sleepy

I have a confession...I have not been doing much crafting lately. My wrists have been hurting something fierce and with the door project and a new little one all in the same week; I have been a bit tired to think about it. I have the stuff to make a light box much like this one, I'm working on the Hourglass Sweater (only like 20 more rows or something), and I have a bunny hat that needs ears (and I need to find that yarn because I fear that my son took it). But I haven't really done any of it because at the end of the day I simply want to go lay down in my bedroom despite the fact that it's missing one wall and hope that this night the cats won't wake me up.

A wall

This is (quite literally) what went down in my house this weekend. We're getting ready to move a door which we've hired someone to do because we're not that handy. However, I excel at having the big ideas on how to change our house and Husband has started to excel at destruction. It's almost the perfect team.

That knotty pine used to be this horrid dark colored stain, really horrid. I hated it from the moment we looked at the house, but we couldn't afford to gut the living room right away. At the time I was watching a lot of home improvement shows and there was one where she painted a knotty pine in the basement. I had an AHA! moment and we painted the living room. Now I really like it; it adds some very nice texture and the color makes the room light and airy.

We're keeping it which explains this photo of Husband being really careful taking out the wall. We want to reuse as much as possible, not only to save on cost, but because it's more environmentally friendly as well.

And there it is with a lot of boxed up belongings and a messy bedroom (is it possible to keep the room the renovation is happening in clean?). We're going to repaint the bedroom. I was thinking a dark purple, but now I'm wondering if a light goldenrod wouldn't be better. It was winter when I was thinking the darker color; now that it's getting to be sunnier outside I would like to bring it inside.

besteam feature: Las Flores Del Sur

Today is my first day of watching 4 children. Currently I only have two, but after we dropped off Daughter at preschool I answered more why questions than I ever thought possible. Daughter is more of a "how" questioner, so I've never had the why's before. All this is to say that this post probably took longer than you ever thought possible and if I lose my train of thought I apologize to the readers and the owner of this awesome shop, Las Flores del Sur, Marisa.

Speaking of Marisa, she resides in Motevidea, Uruguay. I don't know much about Uruguay even though I'm sure it was studied back in high school Spanish class. I distinctly remember it being covered because when we did reports on South American countries I was hoping for Uruguay or Argentina; I got Peru. Although Marisa does all kinds of crafts, Las Flores Del Sur, focuses on her jewelry and button making. I love the fabric flower pins (of which she has many colors). I could picture them on a plain knit hat to make it a bit fancier or perhaps dress up a coat.

Since I know it might actually be summer somewhere and you might not be wearing hats, there are these beautiful bobby pins. You could hold back your hair from that summer breeze or just keep your bangs out of your face.

If you don't have hair, have no fear. These wooden buttons are very unique while still being classic. These would look good on almost any sweater, even if you haven't knit it. Replacing the buttons on a sweater is a quick way to make it less like everybody else's.

I encourage you to check out everything at Las Flores del Sur along with her blog (where she has some food photos, a person after my own heart), and her etsy shop where she sells supplies and beading tutorials.

at least someone wears what I make

"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, go to" Soule Mama or leave a link to your moment in the comments.