Little Pretties

Here's what a glue stick, markers and non-judicious use of glitter can get you. These are Frances' ivitations to her 2nd Birthday. She gave them out to her playmates last week and they were duly impressed. Errr, well, the other moms dutifully ooohhed and awhed. It's going to be a "playground party". We've been practicing "Happy Birthday" already. I'm sure I'll post pics of the actual fete. Should be very fun.

By the way, I was glad she was creating on paper instead of where she last made her mark. The hallway walls and the cabinet thanked me, too.

Ahhh...she's so clean and pristine...

So, I know that I really wanted to keep this blog strictly about crafting and the little things that I am doing around the house. As most of us mothers know, separating the kids and your life (which, may at the worst of times seems like a good idea), is impossible. Even on a blog where you can't really see me or how I spend most of my time. And you know, I love my life right now--even when it means I can only knit two rows on my latest project, or if I'm lucky sew a zipper on the skirt I've been working on for ages--so I'm really not complaining. Right now I'm just explaining how most of my time is spent nowadays. I think mothering is creative and exciting too--as I always say, you never know where the explosion's gonna happen--some days it shoots out the leg...

...and sometimes it shoots up the back.

That's Eleanor modeling her latest creation.

We're still reaping the benefits from our trip to the Crate & Barrel outlet store a couple of weeks ago. We happened upon this quilt which was obscenely marked down. It's funny b/c MG and i had actually wanted to buy it on-line, but, well, it and the shams/sheets didn't fit out frugal budget. So, we sighed and moved on. So the fact that we saw it in the store again was really just a reunion. You know the saying about "if you love sthg., then let it go..." I guess this quilt is our version of an apaloosa (does anyone remember that book?)

We got the idea of hanging the material on the wall from several design on the cheap books, but also from this nifty site about how to make your apartment a home: apartment therapy

I about had a cow when I saw this cutting table at C&B with bolts and bolts of last season's Marimekko fabrics. It's stuff that was hanging in the stores and sold for super cheap ($9.00 per yard as opposed to $32.50 a yard.) Suffice it to say that the whole experience was a crafty/pennypinching fantasy land.

Here's a piece of Marimekko fabric for the wall. Very practical for apt. dwellers, I think. Even though we did bother painting this, here, wall a lovely shade of "Luminaria" we needn't have because the wall hangings add that color without the bother of trying to make your paint job look decent. Also, the hangings are interchangeble and the best part is: when you leave, you take it with you. Please pardon the unsightly cable wire. I guess I should've take the picture further back , so you could get a feel for the whole room. Sorry. This way you don't have to look at the toddler toys that are strewn about.

Ahh...Crate and Barrel goodness. Got these cool napkins (real cheap at the Outlet store) and decided I could really make some cool accents with them.

And look what I've made with them so far! They'll also make nifty t-shirt sleeves, i've decided.

Why is this written as underlined? Who knows. Anyway, what I wished to share was this froggy cuteness. It hangs out in our tub and "eats" our tub toys. Thanks Jen!!

Well, I've been getting lots of requests to see the T-shirts I've been working on. See, having child #2 has really thrown ye olde wardrobe for a loop. Consequently, my old T-shirts look more like halfshirts at this point--and you know that look is totally played.
So, I decided to steal the ideas I got from these sites http://www.stephaniesyjuco.com/antifactory/ or http://www.cutxpaste.com/catalog/index.php
I love the idea of recycled materials!