Knitting Projects

It's been a little while since I've posted. I thought I would share some pics of some peeks at some knitting projects I have going right now.

One of the projects, which I haven't started yet, is going to be a little dress/shirt/tunic type knitted garment for a 6 month old. It's totally not practical, but I want to knit something girly and I found a pattern I really like. I found some yarn at the local knitting store and I can't wait to get started! The picture above is both colors of the yarn I'm using. The picture below is the same yarn as the balled yarn above, but without being balled.

And this is the baby blanket I've been knitting. After we found out we are having a girl, I bought some bright pink and purple yarn from Knit Picks. I'll post more details about these projects in the future.

Have a great day!

Baby Quilt (Finished)

A few weeks ago I cut most of the fabric squares. I was going to wait until we found out if we were having a boy or girl before ordering more fabric, but I ended up ordering some fabric earlier. I'm glad I did because I was really motivated and inspired yesterday to work on the quilt. I had no expectations of finishing it in one day, but that's what I did!

First, I cut the last 9 squares of the "girly" fabric, and then I was ready to lay out all of the squares. I cleared a spot on the floor and laid all of the squares on the floor. Of course the kitties had to come help. And because of their "help" and my pregnancy brain memory, I decided to sketch out on a sheet of paper where all of the squares lay. I'm really glad I did that! I felt so organized. Ha! I even have to say I enjoyed ironing all of the pieces and strips. It was very relaxing.

When I had the top sewn together, I had to figure out what I wanted to do for the binding. Since I wasn't following a pattern I knew it was totally up to me (I guess it would be anyway). So I decided that I would use the flannel back fabric also for the binding. My step-mom Kelly answered some questions for and also with the help from the lady at the fabric store, I was ready to tie some knots. I wanted this quilt to be super simple. So instead of "quilting", I tied knots at the corners of where all of squares came together. Super simple! After that I worked for awhile on the binding, which was a little tricky. It didn't come out "perfect", but since I was the one making the quilt, it came out Christina-style. Haha!

Today I took some pictures of the quilt. I'll have to take pictures of it later on in the baby's room. I didn't have the right lens for what I wanted to do...but I did have Quent's awesome portrait lens, so I'm not complaining. So there will be more pictures later...maybe after the room is officially done. I put the blanket over a couple of stools in the livingroom, and being the curious cats that they are, Tigger and Shadow had to come check things out...

Tigger was definitely up to something. See that frisky look on his face? He was under blanket and stool, probably wondering how he could pull down the quilt...who knows!

Here is one of the corners.

Shadow was also under the stool and blanket. They probably thought I built a blanket fort for them. I love her expression. She hates the camera!

Haha! She cracks me up!

The quilt without the binding is 40x50 inches. The binding is about 1-inch. I LOVE this fabric! It's soft and such great quality! And the binding and back fabric is a soft flannel. It's super soft! I bought the patterned fabric from Etsy.

Kate Spain for Moda Central Park: Novelty Linden in Pink, Carousel in Sunshine, Zoo in Stone, Bridle Path in Metro

Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow: Acorn Chain in Pond, Nap Sack in Grass

Liz Scott for Moda Sugar Pop: Mod Buds in Brown

The two stores I bought from were: Lily Bella Fabrics and Down Shadow Lane

It's a...

GIRL!!!

You cannot really tell from these particular pictures that it's a girl, but she definitely cooperated so we could see. Yeah! I love her so much!

I love this picture of her foot. So cute!

Just wanted to share...

20 Weeks

So I've been putting off posting pics of me and the baby belly--probably because I'm such a private person and it's kinda weird like posting it out there for the world to see...not that the "world" looks at this, but you know. Anyway...I figured since I'm at 20 weeks (halfway) that I should probably post something. It wasn't until about week 18 or so that the bump started to become more obvious to me. In a few days we will find out if Baby Smith is a boy or girl, unless he/she wants to keep it a secret during the ultrasound. I have no 'gut feeling' and no preferences.

How do you like our new bedroom paint color? Hee, hee! Normally I despise painting, but I think I've been feeling super creative during this pregnancy and so even painting has been fun!

Take Flight Collab

Today is the grand opening of Digital Dandelions!! (At least I hope so!) The designers put together a collab kit that's so elegant! I love the colors! Click on the image below.

Barefoot In Spring

MScraps has a new collab kit out where all of the designers have made a contribution. They have these each month. This is my first month participating. It was a lot of fun to put together some designs. The kit is $5.00 through the weekend and it has a TON of stuff! I'd show an image of the whole kit preview, but I haven't been able to get that to work for some reason.

And here is a page Jessica created using my designs for the kit. I love what she did!

The Bar Method Pregnancy

In 2010 "my little word" was discipline. Part of learning that discipline was also developing an exercise routine instead of being lazy and talking myself out of exercising. I've continued with a routine since I've been pregnant, although the first trimester was more challenging because of feeling tired and feeling "weird". But since 12 weeks I've been feeling more energetic, so it's been so much better to stick with my routine. Shortly after I found out I was pregnant I ordered a dvd from The Bar Method for pregnancy (scroll down a bit for a preview and info). I've enjoyed The Bar Method exercises over the years and exercises very similar to it, like Squeeze by Tracy Effinger. I know how much I enjoy finding tidbits of information like this on other blogs, so I thought I would share with you.

I highly recommend this pregnancy dvd if you are pregnant and looking for some movement. The exercises are safe and effective!

Have a super awesome day!

The Sweetest Sound

Hello! Happy Tuesday! It's raining outside today! We had a beautiful weekend visiting our family in Juneau, Alaska. We met our nephew Jackson for the first time. He's adorable! I'll have to share a picture or two of him soon. I felt inspired today to create, and this story was fresh on my mind, so I created this. It's a page about hearing the baby's heartbeat. There are no pictures to go along with it, so I made sure the journaling was the central part of this page. I had so much fun creating it! This is the second page I've done about baby so far. There will be many more to come! *wink*

For this page I used parts of a mini-kit I designed for MScraps. It will be available in April and it's called Barefoot in Spring. I also used some elements/paper from a kit called I'll Love You Forever from The Lilypad.

Framed No.1

Hello! Happy Friday to you! This week I have a new digi product out called Framed No.1. It's only available at MScraps right now, and it's on sale through the weekend!!

The layout above is also a sneak peek of a future kit coming soon!

This layout was created by Rebekah, one of my fabulous members of my creative team. She's also using the Flags & Ribbons No.1. I really like how the frames look on this page!

Have a super great weekend!!

Digital Dandelions

Hello! I love Spring! I love all of the new things sprouting up. One new thing that is coming is a NEW digital scrapbooking shop called Digital Dandelions (click on picture below for direct link--site work is still in progress)! I am so excited about this new adventure! The shop opens April 1st! The fabulous designers are behind the scenes working on a collaboration kit called Take Flight, which I think is a perfect name since this is the beginning of a new journey. I'm so thankful to Leora Sanford, who offered me this opportunity to sell my products through Digital Dandelions! I will update you about sales and any news asap!

Paint

I must feel really inspired right now due to the spring weather because I have been wanting to paint! I've been waiting for it to get a little 'warmer' before painting the baby room so I could have the windows open for good ventilation. Well, yesterday and today were the days! Yesterday, I painted only one wall this cream color called "Conversation" (True Value). This morning I waited until the sunlight was shining through the window in the room before starting with the orange paint called "Clown Fish". After the first coat of paint, I was a little hesitant about the color. It's more yellow/gold than I wanted, but after a second coat it looks much better and the color seems to be growing on me. It's a very vibrant color. After painting one wall with it, I knew that it definitely needs to stay only on one wall. The other three walls are going to be the cream color. I have one more wall to paint before I'm finished!

I also painted a shelf the orange color today. This will be hanging on the wall in the same room.

Today

I'm in love with today!

It's BEAUTIFUL outside!

It's 50 degrees!

I have some windows open!

I vacuumed out our truck!

I saw my first robin yesterday! It's now officially spring! (Ok, so the slug I saw the other day was my first sign...sigh)

It's sunny! It's beautiful! Thank you, LORD!

Bubble Talk and Flags & Ribbon No.1

I have two new kits out this week. They are both at MScraps.com (click on links below for direct link to product) and soon to be at the new site (opening on MONDAY, March 21st!). I've been having a lot of fun with these kits!

Bubble Talk

Flags & Ribbons No.1

3 Pages

And here are some layouts I created using Bubble Talk and Flags & Ribbons No.1:


For this layout I used the original ribbons instead of building my own.

For this layout I built my own.

And here's a mix of both on this one.

Only Fools...

HELLO! (Whoa, that was a big hello!)

I think spring is in the air...at least rain is in the air! But I'm ok with that! I LOVE the rain! You don't have to shovel it! *wink* It looks like it's going to get up to the upper 40's this week. Sweet!

This weekend has been fun creative-wise: I've been able to work more on a new kit. Ideas have been flooding my mind. I have to jot notes down so I won't forget things. Like I'll be doing housework and I'll think of an idea and I have to write it down fast so I don't forget. I love when the creative juices flow!

The page below is one I created weeks and weeks ago:



I have a couple of new kits coming out this next week. Whoohoo!

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Baby Quilt

A few weeks ago I bought some fabric from Etsy, which is my new favorite online store. Sometimes I like to go on there just to daydream! I was looking at one of my favorite blogs and there was a link to this Etsy seller, Lily Bella Fabrics. It was love at first sight when I saw the fabric with the giraffe on it (the bottom fabric in the picture). I've been a lover and collector of giraffes for years, so it's a natural central decor selection for the baby's room. There isn't really a "theme" for the room, only a color theme, which so far is orange, cream, brown, turqoise, and...maybe pink, with a touch of giraffe! Since we don't know if Baby Smith is a boy or girl, I'm waiting until we find out (April 8th) if I should add pink to the fabric selections. It may sound silly to some, but it makes perfect sense to my pregnant mind. Hee, hee!

So today I had the sudden urge to cut fabric squares. I'm not following a pattern. I despise quilt patterns. I've made a few small quilts in the past, but the last quilt ended up in the trash because nothing was coming together the way it should have. (Yes, I'm a slight perfectionist) So after licking my quilting wounds over the last few years, I decided to try my hand at it again. This quilt is going to be very simple. Like outrageously simple!

It took me an hour to cut 6x6 inch squares out of 6 different patterns of fabric. I sketched out my own pattern and figured out how many squares I would need of each fabric depending on if Baby Smith is a girl or boy. I feel so organized. Haha...

Now I wait until April 8th. Oh the suspense!

Greener Grass Designs at MScraps!!

It's official! I'm in a NEW store...well, new for me! My products are 20% through the weekend! Check it out here!

Do you feel safe?

Do you feel safe to be yourself?

Or do you feel more safe to hide behind a mask?

Are you for real or are you playing pretend?

Do you feel safe having your own ideas, having your own original creativity, and putting your own personal 'mark' on things?

Or do you imitate others because it's 'safe', because it's already been done? Because you are afraid of what others might think?

Do you hide behind what's comfortable because you don't want to make mistakes or look foolish? Are you afraid of failure?

I know I have talked about this SO MANY times on this blog about the importance of being yourself, but I think it's good to have a fresh reminder to be who God has created you to be. There is no one else like you. There is no other you. Isn't that awesome?

I want you to know that it's OK to be you! And I want you to know that God loves you for YOU! And you can love you for you--you can LIKE yourself! Stop comparing yourself to someone else!

Be you!

Dude Mountain

My friend Nettie (Hi Nettie!) reminded me that I needed to make an update on the announcement I made last week about a new shop opening up where I will be selling my designs. Well...it was supposed to open Monday, but the website is being worked on and there have been some changes, so it will still be a few days.

I was also offered to sell through a second site called Memory Scraps, and of course I accepted! I just feel so blessed that I have the opportunity to sell through both places. Thank you, Lord! When I first read Michelle Coleman's email stating that Little Dreamer was going to close, my heart sank. I felt sad and even had tears. Right before that I had made plans to really pour myself more into design. I had even requested working less time at the coffee shop so I could do so. So I'm so delighted and thankful for these new opportunities!! How is it said? "When God closes a door, He opens a window." So true!

Over the weekend I worked on repackaging my kit previews and getting things ready for the new store(s). I decided I won't be transferring over all of the designs I have made so far for the new stores because some of them just aren't very popular or I need to redo some things. I'm seeing what's most popular and I'm going to do my best to stick with those kinds of designs. I'm learning as I go.



On a knitting note, I felted Quent's slippers the other day. He really likes them! They look nice! I should take pictures...

Well, that's all for now folks! I'll let you know more about the new store as soon as possible!

Flowers

Hello! Today I've been working on reorganizing some things in my digi product because starting on Monday I will be selling at a new store since Little Dreamer Designs is closing! I'm SO excited about this opportunity. I will give more details on Monday (or maybe even sooner)!

Here's a page I created last week, at least I think it was last week:



I usually have a good memory, but I think the baby must be stealing some of that. It's been funny to me! Speaking of babies, I started knitting a blanket for Baby Smith. I also attempted to make baby socks (more like booties), but that wasn't working out too well. I don't think I like knitting socks or complicated slippers. Haha!

Well, I must continue reorganizing...