Enjoy the journey

Sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride. 

Appliqué

One of my goals this year is to become a better seamstress.  Which shouldn't be too hard since my sewing abilities are rather limited.  As in sew in a straight line.  So I started looking for projects and different basic things I could do in my free time.  Luckily there are some amazing women in my neighborhood who are willing to help me on my way, in addition to blogs, YouTube videos, books and the fabulous Craftsy website.

Unfortunately 

I did not recruit their help soon enough.  

I started Quilt Doodle Designs 2015 block of the month quilt that looks whimsical and fun - just up my ally!   I am familiar with interfacing - but I didn't realize that heat n bond is different.  Ha!!!  So needless to say I made it a little harder than necessary for my first two blocks! As I was cutting interfacing for these tiny pieces I thought there has got to be a better way.  There just has to be!

Then I found a video that shows how to do what took me 3 hours only took her 6 minutes.  Bah!!! 

Needless to say I have learned my lesson.  And I am loving the appliqué process now!  It is as easy as 1-2-3-4. Trace, press, cut, sew. 

1. Trace your pattern on the heat n bond.  It is pretty thin so you can see through it without shining a light.   The pattern I'm using is backwards so when I'm done it will be the right way.  Cut out your pieces is a general manner.  You do not need to be too precise at this point.  

2. Press the cut out piece on the chosen fabric. 

3. Cut it out according to your traced pattern, peal off the backing and then press it in place on your base fabric! 

4.  Sew.  This is the hardest part depending on how many curves and such your pattern has.  Please do not judge my final pieces as I am still improving!  Hopefully as I do each block it will get a little better.  :) 

I did end up buying a spray version of heat n bond so that I would not have to recut everything out for my tree and snowman.  It worked wonderfully.  :). 

Please note there are cute buttons and little additions that I will put on the blocks at the end. 

Amber

Packing

Did I mention I hate packing?  I am sure I mentioned that somewhere.  Well I am about to be in full packing mode.  Typically I avoid packing for as long as possible.  If possible I enlist others to assist cough cough do it for me.

So in that spirit here are the top 3 ways I have successfully had others pack for me:

1. I can't get it to all fit.

  One of the times I went back to college from home I remember complaining to my mom that I could not get everything to fit in my suitcases and boxes.   She generously showed me (meaning did it for me).  Somehow it all fit!!!

2. I'm running out of time!

  I'm pretty sure my best friend from college packed up most of my kitchen, bathroom and misc decorations one year because I was running out of time.  She of course had been packed for almost a full week before we had to move.   

3. I have to work!

  This one I feel is the most ligitament reason.  I mean a full time working gal only has so much time to herself. Add in a little baby. And yep. Absolutely zero time for packing.  I am proud to say that I have used this a few times.  In our most recent move my husband did a lot of the packing before he left to attend his class.  I did some packing here and there, my mother-in-law did more packing while I was at work.  Ultimately though it came down to while they were loading the truck I was finishing packing up the last few things.  This one can be the most stressful.  

I assume you now understand why these reasons are all very good ones! 

Unfortunately I do not think they will fly this move.  Good thing half my stuff is still in boxes from our move in Novemeber.  I mean ultimately I probably should start packing earlier than last minute - and there are many good and different ways to do this. I found quite a few excellent blog posts on the subject which can be found on my Pinterest board entitled "Moving". 

Wish me luck!!!  

El Mundo de Elmo

ZZ and I do not watch a lot of T.V. However sometimes she only can read the same books so many times or play with her toys so many times.  (Or maybe it's me...take your pick) We usually just watch Fraggle Rock - and she dances and is captivated by the musical numbers.  But I was thinking it might be time for a new show. So I searched Hulu for a new tv show.  ZZ loves her Elmo she picked out for Christmas, so I thought Sesame Street - but I was more interested than she was.  So I was like isn't there an Elmo show?!?  And yes! There is.  Except on Hulu it is only in Spanish.   

ZZ loves El Mundo de Elmo.  

They are only 15 min long and she watches the whoooole thing.   Score!  I'm expecting a bilingual child any day now.  

But really.  Now Spense tries to say things in Spanish and English.  I might need to research more how to teach your children in two languages.  :)

Change is hard

Change is hard.  Whether you are trying to change your diet, your spending habits, a process or preceding, the people you spend time with. Whatever it might be the fact of the matter is change is just part of life.  This is something I am still coming to terms with.

For my little family having Zz was a huge change and adjustment.  My husband and I loved going out to movies, out to eat and just being social in general.  Since Zz  came we have had to adjust our budget, spending habits, as well as our schedule.   And it has been hard - rewarding - but hard.  I found our priorities shifted - we are still social we just hang out with others at their/our home instead of at the movies. I feel like Zz was one of the easiest- hard changes I've made.

I wrote the above in August.

It is now Feb 2nd and I stand by my previous thoughts.

Change is Hard.

Luckily - I am provided a lot of opportunity to learn from it right now.  When I started this post I was a full-time working mom, my husband was in the process of a major career change, and that was only the beginning.  Since then we have sold our first home in Vegas and moved to our current temporary home in Utah while my husband gains experience and knowledge in his new field of choice.  Did I ever mention how much I hate moving?  Despise it.  I am now a full time mom, and I am on a new adventure.

Sometimes I miss working - I mean you get a break from your kids.

Every day.

Being a mom is exhausting.  When does she learn to put her toys away?!  Sick Days? No Longer!  Days off?  I laugh - really?  I can honestly say that I have never worked like I am working now.

But the rewards of staying home are priceless.