It's in all of us, 
whether we like to admit it or not.
It is one of the traits that I personally like the least.
It breaks my heart to see it displayed.

It is even harder when I see it in my own life.

Sweet Halley wants to give her hair to 
She has been asking for months.
I keep hoping she will forget or change her mind.
All because of my selfishness.

She is five,
and has never had a haircut.
Hair does not come easy to my girls
and the thought of cutting off her 
sweet curls and baby blonde is 
really more than I can take.

But then I think back to when I worked at a salon.
Each time a client came in to donate their hair I cried.
Amazed by their loving hearts.
For the person whose life would change 
through the simple sacrifice of hair.
Hair that grows back.
For someone who has none.

In a week or so I am going to say goodbye to
my kind and sensitive hearted daughter's hair.

Then mail it off to be made into something wonderful.
Life changing.
I will probably never regret it.
Just thankful for the extraordinary 
lesson that Halley is teaching me.
Her example is changing my selfish heart.



what is it...
crazy people don't know they are crazy?
so if I know I'm crazy, than I'm not, right?

let me take you on a tour of a typical night for me and my crazy brain.

It's 10:30.  
Jason's not home.  
All of the girls are sleeping.
My projects are done.
The house is picked up.
I just started a new book. 
(I haven't read a book since Twilight and that, well...)
I turn off the lights and head to my room for a few hours of reading.
But then I pass by the computer.
Maybe I'll just read a few blogs.
I set a ten minute limit.
Visit Kelly.
See this post.
Click on this tutorial.
Think, well my new book does need a bookmark.
Turn back on the lights.
Go the garage to collect supplies.
Set everything up.
Make a bookmark.
Think, well everything is out I might as well make a couple.
Soon one dozen bookmarks are sewn.
Then I have to trim them, 
so I might as well watch something on the Tivo.
How is it 3am?
Turn off the lights.
Go to bed and read.
One page in, I am falling asleep.
Save my place with cute bookmark.
Nite nite.

Who are these bookmarks for?
Make a purchase during my stroller sale and you just might find out.


Hi,
thanks so much for adding to the stroller fund.
I am giddy and crazy from too much coffee,
toffee crack and insomnia.
So what do I do?
for you  grown-ups who say

"if only I had girls..."
or
"I could never pull that off..."

You can.  I promise.
Or you can't and I am just a dork...
(well I am a dork, maybe I 
just look ridiculous)
which if that is true, let me live in denial.

To me, funky hair accessories are like shoes and purses.
They always fit.
They make me happy.
They distract from 
under eye circles,
spit up stains,
wrinkles in the land of botox,
straw like bleached hair,
and two inches of roots.

Have a good hair day, or at least pretend like you are.

Secondly,
something hilarious is happening.

Someone nominated me for 
two BlogLuxe awards.

Which I hardly deserve,
which I will NEVER win,
but are really fun.

(but if I can be honest, coming in 
last place... not very fun.)

So would you take a second and hop over
and cast a vote for little old,
over-caffinetated,
under rested,
messy flower wearing,
me?

I will big puffy heart you forever!


2009 <span class=
Really?

2009 <span class=
For reals?

(If you really puffy heart me,
feel free to vote every day..
just saying.)




I need a new stroller.
I want a really, really, really nice new stroller.
My awesome Graco has been really good to me.
It has survived near weekly Disney trips for 
the past three years, countless walks and probably
one hundred beach trips.  But there comes a time
when enough is enough.  When it is near impossible
to push empty, much less filled with critters, a car seat
and tons of assorted bags, coolers, and beach toys.
I want my new stroller to be able to handle whatever
comes its way without wearing out or killing me.
I go to bed dreaming about this stroller.
I beg and beg for this stroller.
I pretend that Bumbleride will hear my pleas,
feel compassion and send me one.

But then I came back to reality and devised a plan.

I have dozens of one of a kind, limited  edition
Pretty. Messy. Flowers.
Would you like one?
Would you like to put me and my Graco out of our misery?
Would you like being a part of my dreams coming true?

What's that?
Your answer was yes?

Well lucky you!

I am having my first ever sale.
Buy two of anything in my shop and I will send
you a pin or clip in the color of your choice.

For reals.
For my super cool blog readers.
Just tell me your color preference and if you would 
rather a pin or a clip in the 'notes to seller' section.

Happy shopping means happy strolling.




my girls won't wear jeans.
ever.
jeans bug them.
all dresses and skirts all the time.

so how can I sneak them into a pair of jeans?
make a tutu of course.

what's more american than a 
red white and blue denim tutu?
I have a three pack of firecrackers who will be
tutu-ing it up come this fourth.

You can too.  Easy and inexpensive.  Promise.

Supplies:
Jeans you don't mind cutting up.
Three yards of tulle
(I am making a 5T.  You  may need more or 
less, depending on the size.)
Denim needle for your sewing machine
1 inch grosgrain ribbon

First cut the waistband and belt loops off of the jeans.
If your jeans have elastic, remove that as well.
Cut a piece of ribbon the same length.
Use a lighter to seal the ends of the ribbon.


Cut the tulle into twelve inch pieces.
You will have three per color.
Or nine total if you are using one solid color.


Open up the tulle.
Sew a gathering stitch along the entire long side.
For my machine I use zero tension and a stitch length of 5.
Make sure NOT to backstitch on either end.


Don't let the pile of tulle attack your assistant.


Because she attacks back.


This is what the gathering stitches look like.


Pull the bottom thread on one side and 
gather the tulle until it looks like this.


Pin each gathered section of tulle to the 
ribbon in the your desired color combo.


Here is what it looks like from the other side.


Switch to normal tension and stitch length on your machine.
I use a fairly big zig zag stitch to make sure 
the threads grab all of the crazy tulle.
Stitch down the entire length of the ribbon.


My assistant thinks you are doing a great job!


Pin the ribbon to the inside of the denim 
waistband with the messy side down.


Fold in the ribbon where the button goes.


Sew a straight stitch along the legnth of the waistband.
Clip stray threads.
Done!!!


A certain firecracker had no interest in working today.


She was not feeling patriotic.
The only freedom she was interested in was 
freedom from her mother's photoshoot.


But a little candy got a semi smile out of her.

(You can find instructions for the tank here
and grab a headband here.)





I used to be a really good driver.
I thought I was awesome and amazing.
I learned on a stick shift.


My first car was a Volvo station wagon.
Except it wasn't as nice as this one.
Jealous?

I moved on from the Volvo to a truck, then to a SUV.

Moms in minivans made me CRAZY!!!
I judged,
rolled my eyes,
was impatient,
complained.

Why can they never park!!!
What is wrong with them?

I thought that motherhood automatically made you forget how to drive.

When I became a mom I still drove a SUV and I could rock any parking space.
Parallel park in downtown LA?
No problem.
Back out of a tiny space, surrounded by Suburbans?
Easy.
I could rip up and down mountain roads without using my brakes.

But then, we had another kid.
Gas was five billion dollars a gallon.
My dream of owning a Sequoia quietly died.
Instead, we went with a more sensible minivan.

As soon as I got the keys, I too forgot how to park.
Or back out.
Or come within legal length of curbs.

It only took one week for me to take out a pole.
Two weeks to destroy the picket fence in our front yard.
One month to do my worst to a shopping cart corral.

Now you can find me sitting in the van, singing the kids songs, as I wait 
for the school parking lot to clear. All with the hope that I won't demolish anything.

Consider me humbled.
Take my apology.
Being a mom has not made me a bad driver.
The minivan has.

Here is my reasoning,
you cannot see the nose on a minivan.
Therefore, you have no idea if you are dangerously close, 
or very far away from doubling your insurance premium.

So to all of you SUV driving, eye rolling, judging Target shoppers
who see me breaking out in a cold sweat, nearing a panic attack, 
then quitting and parking far away, have a little compassion.

Because now I sure do.


After quite a few failed attempts,
most which looked more like a doctor's mirror, 
and less like something you would want to put on a baby,
I am happy to introduce the latest line of happiness in the shop.


Meet the Pretty. Messy. Baby line of headbands.
Perfect for the little one in your life who,
regardless of how much pink she wears,
or how over the top girly her carseat is,
or how you tell the stranger her name is Janey,
is still called a boy.
(Not like that happens to me.
Every single day.)

Now she can be called a boy with 
a stinking cute flower on her head.


Happy Friday!

Today I am excited to introduce you to Karin from A Window Into Whimsy

"As a child, the impression was given to me that I was the musician/singer and that my sister was the ‘artist’.  Maybe that’s why I wanted to become an artisan so badly. I love creating, and even attempting to make things that will never see the light of day.  The art of creating is fun in itself… not everything has to make its way to Etsy. ;)  When my daughter, now 11 was young, and my husband and I decided that I would stay home to raise her, I was very antsy… and turned to Michael’s and other such stores for inspiration.  I painted, I glued, I scrapbooked, lol.  Then my mil bought me a sewing machine and I was instantly hooked.  I started with Halloween costumes… they only have to last one day!  Then on to a valance for a window here and there.  Then I saw a purse I liked in a store, but wanted different fabric and decided that I could do it.  Oddly enough, I am awful with patterns made by other people.  If I can look at it and figure it out… we are in luck, otherwise, well, it’s a 50/50 shot, lol.  So I went home and ‘figured it out’.  Then one friend asked for one, and another and another. And so was born “A Window Into Whimsy.”  My mother did craft shows when I was a child, and I remember LOVING going to them… so it was a natural fit.  From there came Etsy, and more shows.  Now I have designed other purse styles, along with trying to find other items for ‘every day life”.  I think everyone deserves their bit of ‘flair’.  ;)  My favorite part of sewing remains to be the fabric shopping. I let out an expressive sigh every time I enter my favorite local fabric store!  I’m not much for clothes shopping, but you could let me lose in a fabric store for hours, lol. ;)

 

Family life?  I have been married to Ross for almost 12 years, and we have two kids, Haley (11) and Davis (8).  They are each other’s best friend and I am thankful for that every day!  I hope that never changes. :)  I married young, had a family young, and love every minute of it.  A lot of my friends are just beginning their families, and I love that now I can enjoy their families now with such a different perspective."

 

Her shop is full of beautifully crafted
extradordinarily useful hand sewn goodness.
Patchwork happiness in a wallet,
a charming craft apron,
A cute way to hold and pretty up your tissues.

Karin is generously offering a $25 gift certificate
to the happy winner.

Here's how to play:
(rembember to leave a separate comment for each entry.)
1.  Visit her shop.
Return and tell me what you simply must have.
2.  Visit her blog.
Leave some comment love.
Make googly eyes over her quilt along progress.
3.  Send your Facebook friends this way.
4.  Tweet about it.
5.  Blog about it.
This week I want to do something new.
Something that I feel passionate about.
Something for someone else.
6.  Do something kind.
Unexpected.
Unwarranted.
No need to tell me what it is,
or who it is for.  
Just be nice, 
and honest.
A note, a call, a treat....
Then come back here and leave a 
smiley face in the comment section.
:)

Entries will be open until noon Pacific on Monday, June 22nd

Happy, happy, happy.