Cure for the winter blues

This was taken the day Little Sprout came home from the hospital...

Truth be told, Little Sprout is weaning from breastfeeding.

I’m one of those “green” momma’s that believes that nursing her really helps to boost her immune system and has gotten her through our awful cold and flu season.  The babe has only had 2 nasty little colds to speak of.  Even with her sisters having had strep throat again and again, and whooping cough.  Sprout has stayed really quite healthy.  I had the same experience with my twins who I nursed until 20 months. They also stayed really healthy when they were so little.  Once they are bigger, bring on the germs.  I always thought the bigger they are the better they can handle being sick as opposed to when they are so tiny.

And so we’ve held on and kept at it as long as we could to give Little Sprout all the good stuff she needed to stay healthy.  And now we are winding down.  Which I believe has my hormones in a bit of an uproar.

Hence why my posts have been a bit “crazy” lately.  I call it the “winter blues” or “postpartum” um, 22 months later but whatever.  I’m trying to work through it and being honest about feeling “blue” I think is perfectly ok.

I didn’t even know what it was as we started to wean down to one feeding in January.  Why was I feeling so tired?  Depressed?  Weepy?  Turns out that postpartum depression does occur when you are weaning from breastfeeding.  Who knew?  Now I know it’s not in my head and I’m not crazy.  Or weak.

For some reason, as women, we have to be it all, not be weak, go, go, go, be all things to all people, never complain, never sit down, never stop and smile through it all and keep our kids and husbands happy.  I admitted to my husband the other day as I was crying while ironing that I was in fact, probably a bit depressed and hormonal.  To which he snickered and said some typical man kind of response.  I think it was like, “No kidding?  That’s a surprise” or something like that.  He’s seen me cry on my way to work, cry when I get home, cry while I’m reading blogs, cry while I’m cooking dinner…and when I can’t quite put a finger one why the heck I’m crying…well, this is why I’ve adopted the mantra lately, “hormones suck”.

I have nothing to cry about.  So, I’ve decided to slow down a bit to enjoy my family more and more.  Sleep more.  Make sure I get my vitamins.  Eat better.  Enjoy every moment more.  I think it will help me get past this shift.  It’s weird to feel generally happy yet depressed at the same time.  To feel happy yet cry for no reason.  Have you experienced this?  If so, it’s ok.  Make sure there are no little ears around and say it with me.  “Hormones suck”.

I have so much to look forward to.

Like what you ask?

Well…I have two new patterns I’m working on that I hope to have done before April.  The Madison bag and an apron.

On the blog this month I’ll be recapping a how to on our Jr. Ranger party, a tutorial for a really basic and simple softie, and I’ll share my valentines storage box instructions.

I have two magazine articles I’m working on for submission.

I have a fun set of Jr. bridesmaid dresses to make for a wedding in New Orleans.

My birthday is…this month! (on the 24th actually!)  I have a really cool giveaway I’ll be doing (Something fun from Patty Young for your iphone! and something from me)

LOST is in it’s final season and I’m totally loving it.  Seriously.  LOVE.

Spring break is coming up this month and we are going swimming with the two peas and sprout.

And my Pocket Full of Posies projects series is currently being featured in Sew Hip magazine…I’m in the current March/April issue – issue 14. In the next two issues 15 and 16, you’ll find an apron pattern and a wristlet pattern.  All based on the pocket from the apron – same pattern, 3 very different projects.  Here’s a sneak peek at the flower banner from the current issue.

Hard to see? Well...you'll have to run out and grab the March/April issue of Sew Hip for a close up look and all the instructions! :>)

Thanks for sticking with me.  I think it’s really important to support one another.  I think many of us have experienced this at one point or another in our lives and it’s always so hard to admit.  But, me saying it out loud to my friends, my family, here on the blog – has helped me to see it and focus on making it better rather than to continue to let it suck me down a black hole.

And mostly, I write this blog and print the posts out for my girls to read someday.  I never want them to think they have to be perfect.  I want them to always know it’s ok to be less than perfect, to admit it, and to ask for help and support.

This week – my focus was on Sprout.  Here’s what made me smile…

Nakedness running down the hall to the bath...BEGGING to get in the "bubba"

Cute little wrinkly toes in the tub...

I'm pretty sure she thinks that's a toothbrush...but she "swam" in the tub for 40 minutes!

This is MY cure for the winter blues.  Simple pleasures not lost in the clutter.  Hope you are well…see you soon!

xoxo,

Trish

Matthew 11:28-29
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (thank you for the reminder Beki)

Oh Happy Day…

{Root beer floats…}

{Fun field bags…}

{crafting…}

{and critters…}

The Two Peas had a great birthday weekend and are sound asleep at the moment.  My fingers are also pooped or else I’d tell you all about it.  Later this week we’ll chat after I catch a few zzz’s myself and rest up, ok?

Hope you had a happy weekend too…

xoxo,

Trish

Do I have to?

I think I do.

I have to say, sorry.

Sorry for complaining so much lately.  What the heck is wrong with me?

When I read back over some of my posts lately I thought, geez, what a jerk.  What a stupid jerk.  What am I complaining about?

My children are healthy.  I’m doing well.  I haven’t had any heart issues or been in the hospital for 15 months now.  My husband gets better and better everyday.  Even after a very hard road we’ve had.  Our families are healthy.  Life is good.  Ya know, I’m really blessed.  I KNOW that…

But I wasted a lot of breath and space whining about being tired and having too much to do.

The truth is, nobody said life was easy.  God has a plan for me.  And what would I learn or where would I be if there were no struggles in getting there, wherever “there” is?

There are tiny little joys in each and every day – bits of heaven all the time.  But if I keep whining so much – I’m going to miss them.

I always thought I was the kind of Mom that could do it all.  I just can’t so I’m going to let the stupid stuff go and let the good stuff in more often.  More hugs.  More kisses.  More messes.  More of taking in the moments before they are gone.

Sounds so cliché, doesn’t it?  And I’m pretty sure I’ve said it before.  At least twice.  Probably more.

But it’s true.  I’m not getting any younger.  Neither are my kids.  Life is short.  I don’t want to miss a single day God has prepared for me.  I have to live more deliberately than that – I need to, I deserve to, I was made to…

I was thinking about that when I left my art class tonight.  My sister was 15 when she died.  I was a year older than little Sprout is now when she passed.  She never got to do any of the things I’m so privileged to do.  So how can I complain?  Just stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid.

This blog is more than just a crafty how to kind of a place.  It’s my space.  A place for me to…to be me.  Take it or leave it.

Now excuse me, I have some quality snow time to spend with my family out back on our sledding hill.  The Two Peas can’t get enough of it and you can’t hardly get them to come in.  Little Sprout can’t stop saying “wheeeee!” and “no” for snow.  It’s up to her waist…around 45″ they said we’ve had so far…fun way to spend February. And we have an entire weekend of celebrations planned.  I’m the mother of soon to be 9 year old identical twin girls.  Couldn’t be anything better.  I’m lucky blessed enough to have them all – I’ll try better not to forget that and how special my job of “Mom” really is.

xoxo,

Trish

Felting a who with what?

My sentiments exactly.

Being snowed in like we were last week…and over the weekend, and again this week…with the snow and the big flakes that won’t seem to stop (I think we are a little over 22″ for the week or so) encouraged me to actually try a few new projects like the crib sheet and necklace…and oh, yes, those boxes.  (hopefully some directions for you this Friday?  Don’t hold your breath though, right?)

I’ve been hearing little snippets or seeing little things here and there about felting. What is that I wondered?  Do I have to have special tools?  Well, it’s pretty simple.

Wool sweater.  Hot water wash.  Tumble dry.  That’s felting.

So, the peas, little sprout and I…

made one of our trips over to see what’s cool at the goodwill store.  I’ve had some pretty good scores there before.

We found some great sweaters.  The quality of wool makes a difference.  One sweater felted much nicer than the other.  One didn’t seem to change the weave very much.  Felting should make it really tight.  After completing my project, and thinking about writing this post…I found this very helpful link.

Found many good sweaters.  I cut into a beautiful Ralph Lauren cashmere blend sweater today for the wrist cuffs in a yummy grape color.  And I’m  in the process of making more of these…which sell like crazy in town at the coffeehouse.And I felted some.  Now what?  What do you do with this stuff?  Well, I did what I do and that is make a bag.  With an owl.  Love my owls.

Not a good view? Let's try another...

Little owl looked lonely so I added some more color to the front too...

the whole texture of the bag is pretty cool...and really sturdy

Yep, a fun project.  And I love upcycling and reusing stuff.  Have you made any cool green projects lately?  Do share!  Send me a link and I’ll share them all in another post soon!

xoxo,

Trish

The date night that never was…

I tried to find a happy picture of me to contradict what I'm about to write so as not to depress you all too much...

I’m feeling rather sorry for myself.  Stand by…because I’m about to whine in 3…2…1…

I am never alone.  Except on my way to or from work.  I have a child attached to my hip at most times of every day.  And usually it’s more than one, it’s usually all 3.  Now, don’t take that the wrong way.  I ADORE my children.

I work really, really hard.  I work part time outside of the home which requires me to actually do a wee bit of work everyday from home in terms of just checking and responding to emails, etc.  I run my own business.  That requires me to sew, list, sell, create tutorials, submit articles, and lately, pick up and work on my portfolio again (yes, yes…I’m one of “those” – like a million others – wanna be textile designer).  To enhance what I can do in communications at both my day job and also in my dream job, I’ve started taking classes at our local art college.  On my wish list of classes for the summer is a basic figure drawing course.  I haven’t done that since high school…

And art, is something my mother always told me to do.  I was too stubborn to listen…but I digress, that’s a whole other subject.  I was still whining.  So, let me finish my pathetic little whine session.

I think I was saying I work really, really hard.  I serve my community in an “official” capacity (we’ll leave it at that) – belong to our twins club, the local art guild, active in our church, oh, did I mention I have 3 kids?

I know.  Big whoop.  Like, who doesn’t do all these things?  I’m just sayin’, I’m never alone.  I can’t even tell you the last time I was alone in my house.  I can’t remember.  It’s been since before the baby was born and she’s 21 months now.

And the gardener and I (‘cuz that’s what I call my husband) – the last date we went on included the baby.  Not much of a date.

On occassion, I’ll stop somewhere on my way home from work for an hour or less maybe to run an errand.  But what I need is some me time.  ME!  Or ME and the HUBS.  He doesn’t get any time either because while I’m at work during the week, he’s at home with baby.  And while he’s at work, I’m at home with the baby.  And when one of us gets home, the other may run out for an errand.

It’s just the “moment” we are in in our lives.  I don’t want to complain…ok, yes I do.

I love my life.  I’m just pooped.  If I had one day a month – a full 8 hours – to do whatever I wanted and I didn’t have to fix dinner for anyone or do laundry or work or sew for a whole day – LUXURY!  Man, what I would give to have that one day a month.  Heck, I’d settle for every other month at this point.

So, our date night that never was…our 12th Wedding Anniversary, Valentines Day.  Spent, me with the kids, the husband at work.  One of his Rangers called off sick all weekend and he had to cover his shifts.

To make myself think that we would really be actually going on a real date sometime, I made this fabulous necklace inspired by this…

This one is from anthropologie...

…and here is a great tutorial that got me started on this whole fabric roses thing awhile ago…I’ve made little pins and hair barrettes but I just hadn’t made the necklace I wanted yet.

So my date night that never was…well, here’s what I would have worn on my neck.

Took me close to 3 hours to make the whole thing...longer than I thought.

I love the gray I chose...it's very subtle for such a "statement" necklace.

I added in my some pretty charcoal colored pearl beads and then sewed it onto a black ribbon.

A few things I did differently than the tutorial.  I used a polyester type of fabric.  I used a hot glue gun and dabbed a dot of glue on every turn.  I twisted and folded my fabric constantly as I went around.  Then, I cut with pinking shears, a felt circle the size of the rose.  I mounded it with glue and pressed the rose into it when I was done.  I pressed it really hard to try and flatten it out a little too.  Then, I sewed each flower and bead to each other to make it one big piece.

I love it.  And like usual in my quest to afford to only work part time so I can be home more with kids – I have one for sale over in my etsy shop.  (you saw that one coming a mile away, right?).  I can do it any color or combination of colors and fancy do-dads and lace and bling so if you’d like one for your date night (good luck with that!) I’d be happy to make one for you!

If you want to make one with me – well, join me for our next sewing class.  We’ll be making some accessory bags and learning how to make these into pins to adorn our little bags – and I promise, we always have fun!

Now, if I could just arrange some time away…

{ps A THANK YOU to Bernina Sewing Machines and their fab blog for featuring me in their favorite blogs links this week – check them out!  They have super fun things over there!}

xoxo,

Trish

Happy Valentines Day!

Baby "B" Pea did this all by herself with the exception of cutting and stitching the heart on.

Loads of snow dumped on us this week gave us just the excuse and time to do some sewing with the Two Peas.  They love it although one of them is a bit afraid of it.  She frequently reminds me of the scene in one of the American Girl movies where a child is sewing in a factory and sews over their finger.  Hence her fear.

Anyway, last year we made Valentines card boxes for their class party by covering a cereal box with fabrics.  This year, I had the great idea to make one of those fabric organizer boxes.  Only I didn’t have a pattern – like usual.  And I searched some tutorials and I couldn’t actually find one that was any good.  I only spent like 4 minutes looking – I was sure I could figure it out on my own.  If you know of one, please share!  (I did find this one which would be great for a baby gift but way more complicated than I was looking for this project.  I needed quick!)

I should mention here I don’t do math in my head.  Or on paper.  Very well.  Not my strong point.

And these tutorials never specified any sizes just a choose your size then do this…blah, blah.  I need EXACT details…left up to me, um, you could be asking for disaster.  When it comes to numbers.

So, with that in mind, I mismeasured on the first box.  Duh?!  It was a rectangle, not square.  But, it’s still super cute.   I have to say, I just stand over the top of the peas and help them not sew over their fingers.  They do the rest.  Getting better everyday.

Second time we actually got a box shape.

Excuse the jammies...the peas don't actually wear clothes at all when they are home. It's jammies all the time!

Do you want to know how we did it?  Me too.  I’m gonna make one more and make sure I get my measurements correct on all the parts and pieces and then I’ll share it with you.  And I’ll have exact measurements for you so there will be no confusion!  These boxes would be great for all kinds of things where you need some storage!

For now, our family wishes you love and peace and all the happy hugs you can stand on this Valentines Day.  Snuggle with your sweeties, eat chocolate and have a really great day.

Valentines Day 2010 is my 12th wedding anniversary.

I have the greatest guy on earth.  In many ways but I love it when he spoils me.  Did I tell you?  This week after dinner I commented that I had printed off a Dairy Queen blizzard coupon to use sometime.  I went up to take a bath after dinner and when I came back down he said he had to run out…and came back with blizzards for all.   He’s sweet that way.  We don’t actually have any plans just yet because with all this snow we can’t really get any of the grandparents over to help watch kids for us to get away but I hope to at least sneak off for a nice dinner sometime soon with my hubby of 12 years.

Um, hello? Why didn’t you tell me how easy this was?

Little Sprout loves her new sheet - for the day

I just want to know why you never told me how easy this was?  Seriously!

Little Sprout has this problem.  She’s a tummy sleeper.  And about every other day, she wakes up with the front of her wet and she’s has to take a bath and I have to change her bedding.  So, I need a fair number of sheets for her mattress to keep up.

I was shopping in town for fabric that was on sale on Super Bowl Sunday.  This Anna Maria Horner flannel is so soft and pretty.  I love it!

Have you made a crib sheet before?  I twitter friend recommended this tutorial.  Literally, a 2 yard cut of fabric and some elastic…30-45 minutes later, you have a crib sheet!

Honestly, all it requires is cutting out 8″x8″ squares from each corner, sew those together, hem the whole sheet, sew on elastic in corners.  I couldn’t believe how simple it was.  Or how cute too!

such a busy reader...

and as I type this, she's doing the same thing that she is doing in the photo, dancing...always dancing!

And we are also working on the Two Peas birthday.  On the 20th, my little twins will be turning 9.  We are having a Jr. Ranger Birthday Party at Dad’s park in the Ranger Station…with all the critters on display, toads and snakes and turtles.  We are going on a treasure hunt hike in the snow, making little beaded owls to hang on their field bags I’m making everyone, and going to see and touch and learn about the animals on display there.  Should be fun…here’s a sneak peek of the invites we made up with our scraps…

our last single digit birthday...makes me kind of sad.

How to keep a baby somewhat clean 101

Was this a class you registered for back in college?  Yeah, me either.  It’s one of those technical skill things you can’t learn in a book but must experience in real life, right?

Yep…so this is pretty much my mess maker, Little Sprout.

Back when our messes were smaller...note the clean tray.

I had made a bunch of cute little bibs for her to wear back in the early days.  Loved these.  They caught what little drops fell as we fed her and they were so cute.  If I do say so myself.  This one is my favorite.

A whole brood of birdies...

But that was then and this is now.

and again...note the tray. Explosive.

Little Sprout can no longer make do with those little cute fabric bibs.  We’ve moved on to industrial strength coverage here.  Attempting to utilize everything we’ve learned to date from our “How to keep a baby somewhat clean 101″ course.

Who can resist the new oilcloths that are out?  I fell in love with the Amy Butler LOVE collection of oilcloths but ouch!  They are pricey.  I decided I could afford a quarter yard of two different prints.  They are 54” so you get a little more which is good.

I doubled up the oilcloth so that the laminated side was exposed both front and back.  I worried that if the cotton back got stained it wouldn’t stay looking nice.  I don’t know if this is actually necessary though.  I didn’t know much about the oilcloths but a Twitter friend shared this link with me.  I found it to be FULL of great information.

You can wash laminated cotton.  Who knew?  So I think the double up was overkill.  I mean, you could single layer the bib and throw it in the washing machine if needed.  But with the double sided, all I do is wipe and hang to dry.

Anyway, I traced an old bib and added like 15 feet of length to it.  Just kidding.  Sort of.  I mean, check out the mess this girl makes.

Little Miss Independant

and ambidextrous

I made the bib wide and quite long.  It is long enough to actually lay down in her lap.  I layed the two pieces wrong sides together so the laminated cotton was facing out on both sides.  Then I made my own bias tape and sewed it on.  Added some velcro at the neck.  Done.  Super simple.

A few notes.  I found that it’s sticky.  You need a teflon foot to sew with.  I used one but it was still sticky.  I found this link that suggests using painters tape.  I think that would have done the trick for sure.  I also found that it can wrinkle kind of easily so you just have to be careful with it.

I ordered mine from Quilthome.com.  They carefully packaged it, rolling it and putting bubble wrap with it so it arrived in beautiful condition.

Thinking I’d be thrifty, I did not put a pocket on it.  Did you know the pocket is great for catching things like soup and yogurt that wee ones insist on feeding themselves as it dribbles all down the front?  So bib #2 WILL have a pocket.

I might even add an extra little tie under the arms to run around the back.  Just because.   While she typically dances in her seat, shakes her head wildly and giggles a lot – her bib gets out of place.  I think an extra strap may help to keep it down without me having to constantly adjust it.

You see how big I made this...oh we need every inch of coverage for this girl

and as much as I love this girl I love this LOVE fabric!

I would love to actually do a table cloth with this fabric but it’s like almost $20 a yard.  Too rich for us for a tablecloth.

Have you used the laminated cottons before?  What did you make and what suggestions do you have?

xoxo,

Trish

Dan the Picture Man

Shortly after the twins were born, I got a phone call from “Dan the picture man” asking me if I’d like him to come out to our house to do in home portraits for our babies.  He offered a special deal for first time baby photos that I couldn’t resist.

He has been photographing our family ever since.  And in exchange for some more family photos he took of us recently, I’m writing this post to tell you how much we have enjoyed our experiences with him.  He photographs our family at least once a year and our kids have literally, grown up with him.

Little sprout...would you believe this was taken in my living room?

Dan will go just about anywhere to take your photos.  What I love best is having him come to our house.  He brings his lights, his screens – and for our baby photos, literally, we set up on our kitchen table with screens and got these shots.  How much more easy can it get for a Mom?

And can I just mention - I made her gown. This is the baptism gown(s there are actually two of them from the twins) that I made for my babies. I'll tell that story someday...

And this was taken in our backyard, under our apple tree beside the girls playhouse

Special moments in time and photos taken in special places that mean so much to us.  A favorite shady spot in the summer time.  The apple tree where I gather apples from and make applesauce in the early summer.

We don’t have to pack anybody up to go anywhere.  Dan comes in.  Sets up.  Is amazing with the kids and able to get just the right smiles to come out.  He packs up.  He’s gone.  Quick.  Painless.  Priceless.

With a favorite friend who has since left us...

One of my favorite shots with little sprout and again, this was taken in my living room! You gotta love how easy this is, right?!

and a favorite sleeping buddy

sister love

Dan is wonderful and I highly recommend him.  As a matter of fact – he has been kind enough to offer 75% off his sitting fees for any of our readers who mention “Trish Preston from Two Peas in a Pod”.  He’ll come to you (if you are somewhere here in Ohio – I suppose for the right price, he’d travel wink! wink!).  Come to your home, come to a local park (we’ve had photos taken at the hubby’s park he works at and others around town) or you can come to his studio if you’d like.

Just don’t forget to mention our blog to receive your discount.  I promise, you’ll be so pleased with the results!

xoxo,

Trish

Sew? Me? Why yes, yes I do. You?

Thank you Barb for a great space to work in! This is her "Stampin' Up" studio where she teaches her stamp classes. Once a month, presto chango - it's a sewing classroom!

Some of you sew.  Some of you don’t.  But if you don’t…is it fair to say you wish you did?

I hear it all the time.  “I wish I knew how to sew!”.  Seriously – anyone can sew!  And so, I’ve been teaching a few classes about once a month on some original and other projects.  Fun for beginners.  Fun for those advanced sewers.

Last week, we had our TOTES! class.  The idea was that I would share how I draft…ha!  How I “draft” a bag pattern.  Um, a tote bag is a rectangle basically.  Add straps.  Boom!  You’re done.

With a few patches and a basic pattern, I introduced them to using offset blocks and a little no sew trick.  Two different ways to make the gussets and how to make the straps.  How to create pockets from whatever scraps you have.  How to use interfacing.  How to insert a snap.  I think that about sums it up.  Wanna see what they came up with?

Check them out!

Love these prints together

Love this bird print! Jayne really wanted this print. I had a bit of it left. We swapped homemade soap for this fabric. I'm happy. She's happy. And what a fabulous tote!

Would you believe that Katie, who made this, had NEVER sewn before?! This was her first ever attempt! She was AWESOME! A real natural!

Kim picked these wonderfully warm pretty prints from Feather Your Nest.

February, we are sewing up some fabulous accessory bags and learning how to make little rolled roses and more to pin on or attach to barrettes.

March, we are getting ready for Spring with some home dec sewing.  Pillow covers and table runners.  I love making the table runners actually into placemats which you can use on an end table too.

April, preparing for Mother’s Day we will be making aprons.

May, end of school year so we will be making teacher thank you gifts.  Notebook covers and coffee cup cozies.

June, ready for the summer – we will be making a classic, pillowcase dresses.

Want to join us?  If you sign up for any 3 classes and pay in advance, you’ll receive a $20 discount.  If you’ve taken a class with me – I’d love to hear what you think and share with everyone.  I love seeing what you all create!  Thanks for sewing with me!

xoxo,

Trish