Learn more about what is in some of your favorite foods

Learn more about what is in some of your favorite foods

It just ain't happenin'

Alright dedicated followers...

Thank you so much for still being here even though I'm obviously not very often!!   I have all the best intentions in the world to post.  Really, I do.  As I lay in bed at night I even think up elaborate and hopefully witty descriptions to share about the projects we're working on and other adventures in my life.   But, alas, I never find enough time in the day (or night) to actually document them...

I don't know if I'll ever be too busy for crafting, sewing and party planning, but it seems like it's time I admit that doing all that stuff is one thing, but blogging about it all is a different animal.  You have to have the pictures of the process, the steps laid out ahead, the before shots, the after shots and most of all the TIME!  

And with 3 little kiddos and soon to be 4 little kiddos 5 years old and under, time is most importantly what I do not have a lot of.  

Before I wrap up Subtle Tee.  I wanted to say thank you for following me and all for the emails and comments saying that you missed me blogging and asking for various tutorials for me to do even months after I've last posted!   I can't believe every time I get a new comment on something I wrote several years back that people still follow and read my blog!!!  

I do love blogging and have missed it.  But this kind of blog will have to wait until life slows down a bit.   But for right now, what I can and do NEED to share all about is my crazy, busy, often funny and just wonderfully imperfect life as a Mommy.

And so I decided to do just that.  I started a new blog that really won't be fancy at all.  And likely dreadfully boring to most of you.  It might be too long somedays and too wordy.  It will include mostly iphone pictures.  Probably quite a few typos here and there... but if you can get beyond that and are curious what the inside of my regular old life is like... come check out some random anecdotes of mommy-ing and pregnancy and being a wife.  

I'll still keep up Subtle Tee for a while and maybe post here once every really amazing new project or something.  But mostly, I'll focus on the new blog, Apparent Tales.  So if you're inclined, I'll see you there!

Lately...

Our life seems like a movie with a plot that thickens at every turn.

So grab some pop corn and a comfy seat as I try catching you up to speed on us being busy being busy!

I couldn't believe how long it's been since I last said hello, but it's good for you faithful followers to know that we're still here


We'll "here" is relative, because we haven't exactly stayed put anywhere this year.



Sometimes it takes moving away to know that you belong exactly where you were in the first place. Please tell me we're not the only one's who've learned that lesson the hard way?!

So we moved back.

Yep.

6 months after we moved away.


Naturally this meant we spent many hours like this...



Don't worry! While this looks like an angry face... I'd rather think of it as a tired face... sometimes in kidland those go hand-in-hand and can easily be confused.


They didn't hate us for long. Especially when we stopped to visit cousins who made sure we didn't pack away our silly sides!



And we certainly didn't pack away our creativity...



I also want you to know that in the midst of packing boxes, lots of driving and job hunting our kids have definitely not stopped smiling and growing...


Or playing grown up for that matter...


And also acting grown up when we least expect it...


And surprisingly doing a much better job than I might have given her credit for


Except for a teensy evidence of one last bowl lick before the wash...


Thank goodness this went in the dishwasher just in case!


But rest assure, I'm still hanging in there!


Well... ok I'm not doing nearly enough of that, but we have been doing plenty of this


and even a little of this...


So you can understand why the sewing and crafting as been put aside for a wee bit... or at least the blogging about it! Like I could NOT do some sort of creative something for this long?!

Anyway, there's much to tell you all about, so bare with me as I'm trying really hard to find the right balance so that I can keep sharing about our crazy life while still having enough time left to enjoy the precious moments like this:


It's such a blessing to see your kids really love each other.

Siblings are the best!

Make the cut!

It's so sad to see those soft baby locks go...


Even if when you have photographed evidence that the time has come like this...

Clearly I have a history of waiting just a tad too long to make that infamous first cut

See what I mean??

Don't believe me?

Well go on then... refresh your memory with this rag muffin's before shots!?


Everyone loves to say "Look at all that hair!! Oh just you wait, that hair'll fall out before you know it"


Nope!

Not with my little hair balls.


It just grows and grows until Mom takes matters into her own hands.


Which sometimes has turned out pretty stylin'

And other times...


Yeah, I know Sweetheart, I'd have a pouty face if my mom cut my bangs like that too...

She got used to it.. which is a good thing, because we're still growing out those few months of Audry Hepburn baby bangs.... 2 years later... esh...



Understandably, I was determined to get things right with my third little birdie!

Which is why for his 3 month birthday weekend, this little piggy went wee, wee, wee, wee all the way to the barber's bumbo!


As usual, he was such a good sport about it.


He just quietly sat in the Bumbo happily drooling while I pretended to finally know what I was doing this time

But when I said "ALL DONE!!"

I think he was still a little dubious....

"Are you sure I don't look silly??"

After all he had seen pictures of my first 2 victims

Don't worry little guy!

Once he caught a glimpse of his handsome mug he was all smiles!



Cheeky cheeky cheeks!!!


Yes, baby boy, your new style makes your cheeks look even fatter!

And to this Mommy says mission accomplished!

Pack N' Play Sheet Tutorial

It's looking like poor lil' number 3 will be stuck in the P n' P for a more than just the first few weeks here until his older brother cannot possibly safely be confined fit in the crib any longer ...

Soooooo I thought I'd start making this Pack n' Play business a little more cozy for the hopefully long haul ahead of us.

First thing's first, we need to get this baby bird some upgrades to the starchy Graco sheets to some softer ones while spending less than his college savings. Best place to look... my own linen closet!

Between the hubby and me we have tons of queen size sheets from our single days that just hibernate in our closet until the lucky day when guests come to visit. And even then, only the few and the fortunate get slept on. So I "borrowed" a few jersey sets to recycle into pack n' play sheets.

And it took me whole 20 minutes!

Which is about all the sewing time I have these days :)

Wanna try?

Here's what you need:

• 1 yard of fabric
• 36 inches of 1/4 or 3/8 inch elastic
• Thread
• Sewing goodies (machine, scissors etc)
• 20 minutes

Here's all you do:

Step 1: Cut the fabric

A standard Graco Pack N' Play sheet is 26" wide x 38 1/2" long when it's all said and done, so if you don't have a Graco brand make sure to measure your standard sheets or actual pack n' play to be sure these measurements will work.

A few options:

• For raw or serged edges cut the fabric 34″ wide x 43″ long
• For hemmed ends cut the fabric 35″ wide x 43″ long
• If using knit or jersey fabric like I did in this tutorial cut 1" smaller in each direction to account for the stretch.

Step 2: Cut the corners

Fold the fabric in half long ways and make sure the corners match up as closely as possible.


Mark 4″x 4″ squares out of each of the 4 corners and cut them out.

Step 3: Sew the corners together

Fold the corners of the corners together to make a diagonal edge with the fabric inside out.

Serge or stitch together with a zig zag stitch on your machine

Step 4: Finish the edges

I simply serged my edges since no one will see them, but since I know not everyone has a serger I made one sheet with hemmed edges to show you :)

Step 5: Attach the elastic

Cut 4 pieces of elastic each 9" long. Fold the 9" piece in half & mark the center

Turn the fabric inside out and line up the center of the elastic with the edge of the seam in the corner and pin in place.

Then you want to mark out 9″ from both sides of that point and pin the lose ends of the elastic to the sheet. Start sewing at the middle of the elastic on the seam.

Stretch the elastic from both ends as you go and sew the elastic to the sheet with a zig zag stitch then turn over and sew in the other direction.

It should look something like that when you're done.


Or, if you used the hemmed edges string the elastic through to the 9" mark and sew in place. Pull the other end to the 9" mark on the other side of the corner and sew in place.

Go ahead, that's all... try it on...

Tah Dah!

Now, you'll have to excuse me while I go snuggle with my favorite new born and that scrumptiously soft baby skin!

As close to Heaven as it gets here!