SEWING || INDEPENDENT PATTERN DESIGNERS ROUNDUP

i'm on a huge selfish sewing kick this year and even though i've been busy in the background working on a big project i've also been getting ready for a big bout of selfish sewing in the next few months.  i've been slowly stocking up on my favorite patterns to sew myself some serious new duds. i know a lot of you have been asking me which shops/designers are my favorites and which patterns i purchased so i decided to answer those questions here in an "independent pattern designers roundup"! you know i love me a roundup..lol.

here's listing of my go to designers who inspire me to sew for myself and to become a better seamstress. selfish sewing is ALWAYS a good thing <3

GET READY TO BE INSPIRED!

MEGAN NIELSEN PATTERNS  //  COLETTE PATTERNS  //  VICTORY PATTERNS

 DEER AND DOE  //  WIKSTEN  //  GRAINLINE STUDIO

BY HAND LONDON  //  PATTERN RUNWAY  //  SALME

SEWAHOLIC  //  SEW LIBERATED  //  ANNA MARIA HORNER

LISETTE PATTERNS  //  JAMIE CHRISTINA  //  SIS BOOM

 MADE BY RAE  //  SEAMINGLY SMITTEN  //  MAKE IT PERFECT

>> READERS FAVES <<

- SERENDIPITY STUDIO

- APRIL RHODES 

- SCIENTIFIC SEAMSTRESS

- GO TO PATTERNS

- KITSCHY COO  
- BLANK SLATE PATTERNS

i've been stocking up on fabrics, sale fabrics, fabric to make wearable muslins and fabric to indulge in.  i've got my adjustable dress form ready, and poppy the pfaff is waiting ever so patiently for me to get tracing, cutting & sewing! i can't wait!  looking at the pics above - how could you not want to sew something for yourself?  the best part is a majority of designers offer great beginner patterns so you can jump right in! they also host sew alongs and have wonderful technique tutorials and tips on their own blogs.  there's no excuse to not try.

trust me when i say it is a feeling like no other to go out in a handmade out fit and have someone ask where you got your dress and you replying "i made it". it's out of this work fabulous! 

so what do you say? selfish sewing anyone? 

what are you making this week?  tag your pics on instagram, twitter and facebook with hashtag #whatcha so we can all see!  comment below with your pics and projects/blog posts so we can check out your lovelies. happy sewing!

HEALTH || GREEN SMOOTHIES - HOW TO MAKE THEM & RECIPE ROUND UP

the other week i mentioned to you all about my new addiction to green smoothies. i've been having a green smoothie almost everyday for about 6 weeks now.  i usually have it for either breakfast or lunch but lunchtime is my favorite time for having one.  it's the perfect afternoon pick me up and helps keep me energized and falling prey to the 2-3pm slump. you know the one when you are grumpy and will do anything for a 2nd strong cup of coffee? i hate the slump. so bye bye slump - hello green smoothie!

i've also been eating gluten free (wheat free), dairy free, and as little sugar as possible.  i feel fabulous and noticed a huge change in my health issues in as little as one week (you can read more about my health issues here). i've also been working out 3 times a week (lost 6 pounds already - yay!) and will be working my way back to 5 times with the help of my chiropractor and my new found energy. i loved that you all asked me to keep you updated so it's fun to be able to post this here! 

i've been having so much fun experimenting with new foods, recipes and of course different combos for my green smoothies.  and since i started chatting about it you guys have been so enthusiastic and supportive it's been awesome! i also got a ton of emails and requests from people on recipes, how to even start to make green smoothies and tips.  i thought it would be fun to put together a wee post on the subject and see if i can get y'all as addicted as i am.

now i'm not an expert or a cook but i know what i like and what i like is easy and as fast and accessible as possible on a budget.  so i'm just going to share my tips and thoughts on green smoothies and then link over to some other peeps who know more than i do.  what i have learned is that green smoothies are wonderful for all sorts of health issues and are great for your body. especially if you're like me and would never consume as much fruit and vegetables in one day that i can get in one smoothie. so where to start?

HOW TO START MAKING GREEN SMOOTHIES 

- get a good blender & make sure it blends ice real good. this is important for all your frozen fruits or ice. i have an oster from costco that literally cost like $40 but it works. i think if i keep going with the smoothies though i might invest in a better blender later on down the road. the vitamix may be mine one day :)
- invest in buying a few staple ingredients.  i really like chia seeds & ground flax.  i rotate which one i add to my smoothies each day. i usually use 1tbsp when i use them.  the chia is fabulous though. you can find it in your local grocery store or health food store. i don't soak mine but you can. i checked with my naturopathic doctor and she said you don't need to and the benefit is the same.
- make friends with kale. i heart kale. kale makes me feel wonderful. try the green smoothies with kale and make sure to add something frozen so the ice crusher feature gets the kale blended up real good. i don't use the spine of the leaf and rip/cut up the leaves before putting them in the blender. here's a post showing you how to blend up the kale. i just chuck mine in with everything but i don't mind having teeny bits in it.
- don't overdo the kale though.  try to rotate the greens. use spinach or something else you'd enjoy.  too much kale can affect your thyroid function.
- stock up on your favorite fresh in season fruits or buy frozen and keep them handy.
- i like to put in my frozen items first, then liquid, then adding my kale or greens and then the fruit. start slow and add more milk if the blender isn't moving things, or add ice if you need to thicken it up.

WHAT ARE SOME YUMMY COMBOS TO TRY? 

i personally have liked everything that i have thrown in for green smoothies and i just mostly wing it now.  i use whatever i've got on hand.  here are some of my fave ingredients to use:

- 1 leaf kale
- 1 banana
- almond milk
- pineapple
- 1 whole orange (skin removed)
- frozen blueberries
- handful of rasberries
- 1/2 avocado
- frozen fruit medleys

i always, always use either kale or spinach, 1 banana, and frozen or fresh blueberries then add on from there. make sure if you aren't using any frozen fruit you add in a couple ice cubes so it's nice and cold!

(p.s. i know i left the stickers on all my produce...lol. i took my shots and got so into it i didn't even realize till after when i was editing and my hubby pointed out that i should have removed them. oops! oh well..keeping it real folks...keeping it real.)

GREAT PLACES FOR GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPES

i also started a new handy pinterest board!  you can now follow my journey through my "healthy eating in the mommyhood" pinterest board.  i've been pinning my fave recipes that i have tried or plan on making. i get lots of helpful tips and recipes from my bestie jane richmond whose cooking is to die for (and she has the same food avoidance's) and the lovely aja (swelldove). between the two of those i'm set.  they keep me hungry. i've linked their instagram profiles so you can follow along & see their yummy foods too! i definitely recommend asking around if any of your friends eat this way.  odds are they have some great tips and recipes to share and will also be a good support for you when you transition to adding them to your diet.


here are some of my fave sites of the moment for recipes:

- how to make a smoothie from pretty prudent (this was how i got started - great resource post!)
- 20 amazing smoothie recipes from pretty prudent on babble.com
- www.greenmonstermovement.com and ohsheglows.com
- nomnompaleo.comand i also like their ipad app
- skinnytaste.com
- sproutedkitchen.com
- glutenfreegoddess
- paleomg.com

READERS FAVORITES
- simplegreensmoothies.com

SHARE YOUR FAVORITE GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPES & BLOGS

so go get that blender warmed up, get those chia seeds ready (see them above? these things are amazing!) and get smoothie making!  you're gonna love it! feel free to share your favorite smoothie recipes and favorite foodie sites in the comments below. i'll add them to the post above in a "readers favorites section". i'm always on the hunt for great gluten/dairy/sugar free cooking websites & books so share away!!!

thanks again for all your wonderful and loving comments on my post the other week. it means so much to me that you all shared your stories too and offered up support. i heart you guys <3 

TECH || HOW TO MIGRATE YOUR GOOGLE READER FEED

tgif! phew am i happy it's friday today!  this week has been a long one and a big project i've been working on in the background has definitely been kicking my behind (don't worry, i'll fill you all in soon). i'm so ready for the weekend.  i wanted to pop in today and chat with you all about the demise of google reader and how you can all still follow luvinthemommyhood (& all your other fave blogs) easily.  so don't fret - there's lots of information out there to make this an easy transition for all of you using a service like google reader to read your blogs.

you may have noticed i spruced up the sidebar and added a few changes here and there to the blog. i hope you like them! there are new post dividers, handy links in the sidebar, the latest instagrams and latest pins as well! i also wanted to make it easy for you all to follow luvinthemommyhood in all formats. i want to make sure you're able to get our feed and still keep on reading. one thing to remember when reading this post is that both feedly and bloglovin' will easily move your google reader subscriptions over to their service. it really is simple and fast! you won't lose a thing!  but you have to act soon - google reader will be gone in under 3 weeks.

here's how you can follow luvinthemommyhood....

first up on the sidebar is our brand new free luvinthemommyhood newsletter! it's fun!  it also only comes once a month and is a handy recap of what went on the blog during that month.  i've been enjoying putting it together so if you'd like to sign up you can do so here at the link below:

luvinthemommyhood free newsletter

second is one of the readers i've been using - bloglovin'.  it's been around for a long time and is easy and fun to use.  you can follow your friends and other blogs, get daily updates of the blogs you follow sent to you via email, see who's following you and follow them back, like things and read the full post right from bloglovin'.  it's easy, free and you can find our blog to follow on bloglovin' below:

luvinthemommyhood on bloglovin'

next up is feedly.  i've really been enjoying feedly.  i like all the different functions, layouts and streamlined look of it.  i also like that i can just see "today's post" in a lovely and inspiring magazine style layout with social media icons built right in so i can share, like etc right from feedly. so handy! you can even pin!  i've been using feedly just a bit more than bloglovin' simply for the ease of the layout for me. i follow A TON of blogs and feedly makes it feel less overwhelming and definitely more fun to read vs the old google reader.  you can follow luvinthemommyhood's feed on feedly here:

luvinthemommyhood on feedly

last but not least there is always email.  you can subscribe to get our weekly posts via email through this link:

luvinthemommyhood email subscription

i hope that you'll find this post helpful and that you won't miss out on a thing.  here are some other helpful posts on moving your google readers subscriptions:

- how can i migrate from google reader to feedly?
- tips for google readers migrating to feedly
- how to move your google reader rss feed to bloglovin
- bloglovin' tutorial

which service have you been using?  do you prefer one over the other? why?  i'd love to hear your thoughts!

in the meantime have a wonderful and lovely weekend!  i hope it's filled with laughter, coffee, good friends, family and creative time - you deserve it! see you on monday! xoxo

SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG - THE WINNERS!!!

Crafty Characters Embroidery Patterns from Wild Olive

TODAY IS THE DAY! were you the winner of the fabulous and exciting prizes from our tops, tanks & tees knit along? i'm still drooling over them all! some serious prizes up for grabs people! don't our sponsors rock! and guess what - so do you!!! all of your projects were just amazing! so proud of all of you! it's making me even more excited for the summer sweater knit along coming up!  so don't get sad and miss all of us too much, the SSKAL is just around the corner. i'm hoping for mid july. so start planning now :) it's gonna be HUGE fun!

you ready to hear who the winners are? cross your fingers.......

1ST PLACE WINNER
JENNIFER SADLER
you have won the following prizes!!! congrats!!!
- $50 Gift Certificate from Sundara Yarns
- copy of Autumn Bloom, Courtyard, Thurlow, Woodstack and a $50 Voucher for the Sweet Fiber Online Shop
- 1 winner will win a copy of every e-book by Tin Can Knits 
- a copy of knitbot essentials by hannah fettig from knitbot

2ND PLACE WINNER
LAURA HILL
you have won the following prizes!!! congrats!!!
- a Neon Sampler Pack (1 (50g) 100% Superwash Merion Dk skein EACH of Hot Pink, Bright Orange, Lemon yellow & Apple Green) from Rain City Knits
- two 250 gram skeins of Dakota Targhee Yarn (naturally white, the yarn can be left as is or dyed beautifully) from Ashland Bay
- $25 Gift Certificate to Jane Richmond 
- two custom dyed-to-order skeins on any base from Duck Duck Wool  

3RD PLACE WINNER
ERIN BLACK

you have won the following prizes!!! congrats!!!
- copy of New Lines Collection & the uptown hobo bag pattern from rosyposy designs 
- $25 Gift Certificate to by Annie Claire
- $25 Gift Certificate to the Yarniad by Hilary Smith Callis

all the prizes can be viewed in more detail in our giveaway post here. 

a HUGE thank you to all of our amazing sponsors!!!! such wonderful prizes!!! thank you all for your support of our knit alongs! and THANK YOU to all of you fab knitters for joining in and knitting with me!  i say this every time but you guys honestly don't know how much it means to me. so thank you so much!

KNIT ALONG SPONSORS

CREATING || WHATCHA MAKING?

custom leather bracelet by c. johanesen studio (stay tuned to see more about my new bracelet this month & find out what the full quote is!)

sooooo...whatcha making this week? clothes? quilts? a baby (j/k!!!)? what are you creating? sewing? knitting? crocheting? cooking? embroidering? spill the beans! we want to know!

i know we do this almost weekly on our facebook page and it's always so fun for me to see what projects you are all working on so i thought why not try it over here in our hood too? i mean who wants to make something and then NOT hear anyone say how awesome it is!? right! it feeeeellllssss good to hear how awesome your mad skills are! you just made something with your own two hands! you rock!

i also find it so inspiring to feel the creative energy and the buzz when we all get chatting about we're making or planning on making.  i also think this is a great way for all of us to find the time each week to spend being creative for ourselves. to take that time to nurture ourselves and our creative sides. to help remind ourselves to make that part of our lives a priority.

you with me? head on down to the comments and fill us in. don't be shy. spill the beans & share your pics. tell us what you're working on this week and tell us the details. what fabric? which yarn? what pattern? did you blog about it? show us! link up your blog post in the comments below and let's get cheering each other on! stuck and need help with your project? ask us your questions & share your opinions. i'd love to get the convo going.

not in the mood to post about your project? so excited with it you can't wait to fb or blog your new lovely? share it with us on instagram! i heart instagram! use the hashtag #whatcha so we can see your pics!!! fun, fun fun!!! you can find me on instagram under "luvinthemommyhood".

so c'mon...join in with me - you so know you wanna..hehe. ready, set, go - whatcha making?

CRUSHES || MASON JARS & LIDS

i'm crushing big time this month on mason jars. this isn't a new crush to me, i'm always loving mason jars, but this month i got some new beauties. ohhhhh....i'm so excited to show you them. some people will get my love and some will wonder what all the fuss is about but that's ok :)  us mason jar junkies get it. we love the love.

i mean how could one resist the lure of the infamous blue jars? how stunning is the color on these beauties? fo'realsies. gorgeous. i don't even want to drink out of them yet they are so gosh darn pretty. and the lids? i know you wanna know about the lids on the other jars too. last year sometime i got a cuppow.  i love it.  just in case you haven't seen or heard of it a cuppow is an awesome sippy cup sort of lid you can put on mason jars so you can drink out of them. i use it for my coffee, my water, my everything when i'm home and when i'm out and about. it's awesome.

but recently my friends and i got in on an order to get our newest crush - the wide mouth tumbler size mason jar. the PERFECT size for green smoothies (hehe), frappucinos, and other yummy concoctions. it's also great for water with cucumbers/lemons and other detox wonders.  i just got mine (i got 2) and have already used them on numerous occasions. love it.  i picked up a fun reCAP mason jar lid as well to use for the wide mouth tumbler. perfection! newest water bottle! so fun!

and what's on order?  they were out of stock when we ordered but we all were wanting this cool lid that also goes on the wide mouth tumbler for straws etc. awesome. i cannot wait to get it as well. my green smoothie drinking process will be complete..lol. i know, i'm a dork :P

but i love them all.  of course my hubby thinks i'm nuts because i already own a flat of mason jars when he saw my new loot he was like "what the? what?". he doesn't get it. but that's ok. i do and i enjoy drinking out of them and if it means there are less spills in my house and i drink way more green smoothies it's all good in my book.

|| PRODUCTS SHOWN ||

*all products shown (except clear regular size mason jars) from www.greenmunch.ca
- blue heritage mason jars
- wide mouth tumbler mason jar
- cuppow lid
- reCAP mason jar lid
- widemouth mason jar tumbler lid 

what are you crushing on this month? do you have a fondness for mason jars and all the cool lids and goodies to go with them? have you found a cool one lately? share! i want to hear about it. i know my pals and i aren't the only ones out there.  coffee's on and i'm wishing you all a happy mason jar sippin' weekend. hugs <3

SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG || GIVEAWAY TIME!

balloon bench by satoshi itasaki via yatzer.com

are you all ready for some lovely prizes for our spring tops, tanks & tees knit along? some awesome new yarn, books, patterns, & more! i'm so freakin' excited about these prizes! whoever wins these are some lucky knitters!  i really enjoy showing you all the wonderful businesses behind our knit alongs that help make it all possible! they are all wonderful so please go show your support and love to these hardworking peeps! having their generosity and support is so great! happy shopping :)

*Please note: the knit along has already ended. This giveaway is for those who have already participated in the Spring Tops, Tanks & Tees Knit Along that ended last week.*

you ready to drool? here are the awesome businesses that supported our spring tops, tanks & tees knit along & their generous prizes! 

 || PRIZE ||
- a copy of knitbot essentials by hannah fettig from knitbot

||  PRIZE  ||

- $50 Gift Certificate from Sundara Yarns

|| PRIZE ||

- copy of Autumn Bloom, Courtyard, Thurlow, Woodstack and a $50 Voucher for the Sweet Fiber Online Shop

||  PRIZE ||

 - $25 Gift Certificate to Jane Richmond

 || PRIZE ||

- $25 Gift Certificate to the Yarniad by Hilary Smith Callis

|| PRIZE ||

- 1 winner will win a copy of every e-book by Tin Can Knits

|| PRIZE ||

- two custom dyed-to-order skeins on any base from Duck Duck Wool

|| PRIZE ||

- $25 Gift Certificate to by Annie Claire

|| PRIZE ||

- two 250 gram skeins of Dakota Targhee Yarn (naturally white, the yarn can be left as is or dyed beautifully) from Ashland Bay

|| PRIZE ||

- a Neon Sampler Pack (1 (50g) 100% Superwash Merion Dk skein EACH of Hot Pink, Bright Orange, Lemon yellow & Apple Green) from Rain City Knits

 ||  PRIZES  ||

- copy of New Lines Collection & the uptown hobo bag pattern from rosyposy designs

||  FIRST PLACE ||

- sundara yarns prize  - sweet fiber yarns prize  - tin can knits prize  - knitbot prize package

|| SECOND PLACE ||

- rain city knits prize package  - ashland bay yarn package  - jane richmond designs prize - duck duck wool prize 

|| THIRD PLACE ||

- rosy posy designs package  - by annie claire prize  - the yarniad prize

HOW TO ENTER:
- You must simply be signed up in the SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG and have started a project.  You DO NOT have to be done your project but you must have cast on and started knitting.

SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG

RULES:
- You must have left a valid email address when you signed up in the form above.

- You must have taken part in the Spring Tops, Tanks & Tees Knit Along that is now over.
- Giveaway ends Monday, June 10th, 2013 at midnight, pst.

you can follow along with all things spring tops, tanks & tees knit along here:

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

good luck everyone!!! so many wonderful prizes!!! i can't wait to see who wins!!!  thanks so very much for knitting along with me! 

A LITTLE BARING OF THE SOUL IS GOOD FOR EVERYONE...RIGHT?

it's all good: delicious, easy recipes that will make you look good & feel great by gwyneth paltrow & julia turshen

so you may have guessed by the image of gwyneth paltrow above that this post is not about sewing. it's not about knitting either. but it is about me and also about something very important to me.  getting healthy - finally.  since this was the year i made a pact to do some selfish sewing, selfish knitting & take some time to shift my priorities for work/home etc i figured i should also take some time to actually find the elusive time to take better care of myself and finally make it a priority.  something that i haven't done since my first daughter was born.  you all know the story...when you become a mother everything changes. there is a shifting in your soul, in the core of your being and suddenly everything "you" becomes the last thing on your list.

i spent last year trying to find the balance that would allow me time to nurture my creative self.  i discovered that to be a happier person i need a certain amount of time each day to mentally be creative and allow myself that and be ok with indulging in that need.  but what i seem to have forgotten was that in order to be able to have the energy, desire and sense of self to do this, work more hours than i care to admit, be a damn good mother and wife and then have some left over to physically care for myself has seem to gotten me lost.  i think part of my puzzle has been the caring for my "physical self" alongside my "mental self".  they go hand in hand. duh shannon...lol.  i was so focused on my creative self and exploring it and writing about it that i have not had one drop left to focus on my physical self.

the physical self that has horrid back issues that make it hard for me to exercise, the self that suffers from very bad endometriosis, has had many surgeries, that is anemic, and that deals daily with many other ailments that i won't bore you with but that are very much a part of my life that i don't share on here because...well it's mostly a happy place and who the heck wants to hear me moan and groan everyday right? not me..lol.  i'd rather chat with you all about fun stuff :)  it makes my day.

but back to the reason of this post. i've finally reached a point of just not being happy with myself.  not my personality but my physical self.  i am tired of not having answers for issues and health concerns.  so between myself, my naturopathic physcician, and my family doctor i'm on a mission to take back control. something i find very important when dealing with my endometriosis especially. it can take control of your life and i find that any way i can find to take hold of the steering wheel of my own body it helps me to deal better with the side effects.

one of them is being on a stricter diet.  while i have always abided by an anti-inflammatory diet and watching what i eat it's just not working for me anymore.  i don't feel good.  so in my journey towards finding out some causes of my issues i've decided to dig deeper.  along with not eating wheat, i'm also eating dairy free and trying to avoid sugar.  i'm trying to rid my body of processed foods and eating whole. i'm not on paleo or any "diet plan", but am rather trying to eat for my body. these are all foods that cause my body issues and that i am sensitive to.  so for the last month i've rid these of my body and i feel so many changes already.  my mind feels clearer for one and my body is starting to feel better. some of the things that have been bothering me have started to go away.  the wheat/gluten is a big deal for me so it seems still so i'm in the process of getting tested for celiac disease as well.

this was phase one of my plan.  i'm back on a treatment plan that my naturopathic doc and i have done before that helps and are trying new things that are working.  but like anyone else who works closely with a naturopathic doctor and who suffers from a chronic illness, you know it's not easy work.  it takes time and commitment but the pay off is huge.  just look at my daughters.  other doctors told me that there was no other treatment left for me but pain meds. i tried everything let me tell you. they also told me i most likely would never have children. it was the darkest time of my life. one where i contemplated a hysterectomy to rid myself of the torment but realized there was one thing left i had not tried yet - a naturopath.  soon after meeting mine my life changed. i looked like a new person and felt like one. i met my now husband and got pregnant right away.  my endocrinologist could not believe the change in my body and i couldn't believe it myself.  it was crazy how much 6 months of hard work with her changed my whole life - body and spirit. truth be told i almost lost both of my girls. each time i got pregnant the doctors gave me the "you are most likely having a miscarriage speech & said there was nothing to be done and each time my naturopath balanced my wacky hormones, put me on bed rest and saved both of my girls. i don't care what anyone else says she gave me my babies and for that i owe her so very much.  she gave me hope and strength.

so i know gwyneth causes a love/hate reaction in most.  i happen to like her. i admit it. i think she's charming and you have to admit - she looks fabulous.  but besides from that her newest book "it's all good" spoke to me.  luckily my girls gave it to me for mother's day (thank you honey!) and within the first few chapters i resonated with what she wrote about.  it couldn't have come at a better time for me and where i am in my life. even though i'm eating better it doesn't miraculously make me enjoy cooking...lol. yes, i don't enjoy cooking that much. it's no shocker. i am  learning to realize it's importance but that doesn't mean i'll ever choose it over sewing or knitting...lol. if i've got a spare hour i sure as hell ain't using it in the kitchen but hey, that's just my opinion.

but this book makes me WANT to cook better when i do cook. the food is accessible. realistic. achievable. beautiful and most importantly healthy and family friendly.  i cannot say how much i am a sucker for beautiful books.  don't get me wrong - cook books are on the most part lovely but this book - this book sang to my aesthetic.  it's clean. there's white space - no clutter. the images take you away and i can't stop looking at it for inspiration and just for fun.  it's stunning and a wonderful addition to my cookbook library. only prob is i love it to much to stick in the dark pantry where my other cookbooks live. right now it lives on my coffee table where i can remind myself that it's not as hard as i think it is to make the change. the hardest few weeks are over and my body is beginning to adjust and find it's happy place. it's now time for the fun - the experimenting with new foods and recipes. new things to try not just for myself but also for my family.

over the last 4 weeks i have also become a die hard green smoothie addict. i swear these smoothies and juices are like coffee to my body. and you all know how much i love my coffee. now instead of coffee with my lunch and the inevitable 3pm mood crash i have a green smoothie for lunch and feel great!  i've always had a hard time eating enough fruit and vegetables and now it's easy. one meal and done - yum!  the kids even LOVE them. my youngest asks for a green smoothie for lunch almost everyday now too.  it's great!

next up on my journey is exercise.  i enjoy exercise and don't do enough of it.  hardly any actually. with my hubbies hours, my insane work, the kids, extracurricular activities and life my workouts get lost at the end. i know there others out there who can more than relate. so to make it easier for myself i've decided to break up all my new changes into phases.  creative self, physical self (diet) and then physical self (exercise).  it's now time to add in the exercise.  this is the hardest one. with my back issues i'm limited but i need to start somewhere right?  new shoes was my start.  got myself fitted for some brand spankin' new runners and this week i'm starting fresh. no pressure.  no punishment - baby steps. i know myself well enough to know it has to be because i WANT to do it not because i HAVE to do it and i have to ENJOY what i'm doing to do. no goal weights, no workout plans just me getting back to being healthy. one. baby. step. at. a. time.

it's all good: delicious, easy recipes that will make you look good & feel great by gwyneth paltrow & julia turshen

so gwyneth - thank you. thank you for being inspirational, for being brave and taking control of your health and for making it easier for me to take control of mine.  my body thanks you.  and thank you to all of you for being part of my journey. for being here alongside me with friendship and open arms during the last 5 years of my life.  i hope the journey only gets better from here. i love you guys <3

so...who's with me? anyone else on a health mission? any green smoothie recipes you love and recommend? other cookbooks?  stories to share? i'd love to hear so i don't feel like the only gal who bared my soul on the good ol'intranet..lol. a little baring of the soul is good for everyone...right?

*disclosure: i am an amazon associate but this book was not given to me for review.

KNITTING || MY FIRST PAIR OF SOCKS!

>>> pattern: gusset heel basic socks pattern by wendy d. johnson yarn: sweet fiber lolli socks mcn in colorway pink lemonade <<<

welcome to my newest addiction. see those fun, bright colored socks? fully hooked. i have to admit that even though i have been knitting since a young girl i have never made a pair of socks nor even attempted to make socks.  i detest wearing socks so the thought of wool on my feet sort of wigged me out over the years. then i got this yarn.  it put me over the edge. suddenly i NEEDED wool socks.  so i jumped right in with both feet (no pun intended).  i got myself some needles, yarn, a book, asked questions of my sock knitting friends, and started making them.

i became addicted right off the bat.  i decided after purchasing "socks from the toe up: essential techniques and patterns from wendy knits" that i was going to do the gusset heel basic sock pattern.  i found myself so in love with the turkish cast on and the toe up method that i couldn't stop working on these.  i was loving it!  only issue i had was that i went in braver than i intended. i refused to use anything but my sweet fiber lollisocks mcn yarn in colorway pink lemonade to make my first pair of socks (read more about this yarn here).  so the nice thing about socks from the toe up is that you can use wendy's vanilla formula to make a pair of socks with any yarn/needle.  only thing i didn't know is that being a sock ahem...virgin...was that this was way trickier than i first thought. a lot of pondering and researching had to be done to get the right formula for turning my heel, which by the way was a lot of fun and not scary at all like i first thought.

the only other problem i ran into was with my bind off.  i decided after researching different bind offs for socks to go with the sewn bind off.  the first sock was fine, although it could have been a smidgen looser.  so when i went to do the 2nd sock's bind off i remember and tried my best to do it looser.  i was an over achiever. the thing was loosey goosey!! it was so bad i had to take it out and let me tell you - that is a not a fast process! damn thing took me forever to take out!  i redid it and it's still a bit ruffly (meaning too loose) but i left it.  i resigned myself to the love of handmade and realized that i was just happy i had even made socks that really looked and fit like socks!  it was such a great feeling when you turn that heel and they actually look like socks!  it's part of the reason i love it so much!  i get bored really easily with certain styles of projects and i thought socks would bore me but nope - way too much fun! plus the new addi turbo sock rocket needles from sure helped! if you are a sock knitting addict get some of these! they are amazing! i am a pretty fast knitter and i felt like i was on fire!  so awesome!

all in all i really enjoyed the whole process, love that they fit my foot perfectly and that i can now dress up my feet with knitterly lovelies as well as the rest of my body.  i also wear them! shocker right? i normally hate wearing socks but when you put cashmere & merino up next to my toes i guess they are happy :) those suckers have expensive taste..lol.

||  PATTERN  ||
- gusset heel basic socks from Socks from the Toe Up: Essential Techniques and Patterns from Wendy Knits

||  YARN  ||
- sweet fiber lollisocks mcn in colorway pink lemonade

||  NOTES  ||
- i used size US 2 / 2.75mm needles and about 3/4 (i'm guessing, i haven't weight it yet) of the skein of yarn.
- i adjusted the pattern to suit my yarn and gauge.
- i used addi turbo sock rockets and looooooved them.

are you a sock knitter?  addicted too?  what is your fave sock pattern? yarn? advice for new sock knitters? c'mon, pull up a seat, coffees one and i'd love to chat!  wishing you all a sunny, fun, creative, family & friend filled kinda weekend.

SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG || STARRING YOU

lady bat by mamatronic

it's time for STARRING YOU!!!!  i love, love, love this post!  it's so fun compiling pics and putting together a big ol' post starring all of your hard work!  you ladies were on fire for the tops, tanks & tees knit along! wowsa!  some of you made 3 projects! needles were setting off smoke alarms! there were so many stunning and gorgeous projects chosen i'm sure you'll agree that all of our faves/queues have grown by miles.  i know i'm going to have a very hard time next tttkal with all of these waiting to be made!

cap sleeve lattice top made by jaykayknits

the best part for me during these kal's is the conversation and the friendships made. i look forward to reading all the chit chat each day and keeping up with every one's projects and lives. it's so rewarding and each time more fab peeps join the more fun it gets!  so thank you all again for joining in and knittng with me and to helping make my dream of having such a fun community of knitters a reality!  i'm so proud of you all!!! giant hugs your way

now for the fun part.......here you are!  the spring tops, tanks & tees starring you post!!! wahoo!!!

sophia made by thinkliz

holla back tank made by sdurank

cap sleeve lattice tops made by: 1. pattymatt 2. sbnyc 3. hillvintage 4.morelikejune

gemini by jane richmond (sleeve mod version)

modern twin set by truly myrtle

1. tiger lily tank

mackinac tank made by pattymatt

shawl cardigan by beatrice2009

1. work+shelter 2. ribbed pullover vest

1. amiga 2.elfe 3. floating

1. meris 2. vertex cardigan 3. date night 4. featherweight cardigan 5. cerie 6.work+shelter

1. work+shelter 2. work+shelter 3. low tide cardigan

urban made by moonkun

1. gemini 2. strond 3. billowing 4. poolside

1. marguerite 2 autumn leaves 3. bulle 4. oriental lily 5.sproutlette dress

1. imogen tee 2. gemini 3. gemini 4. miette 5.whisper cardigan 6. faith

beatnik made by dreareneeknit's

and a HUGE thank you to our wonderful and generous sponsors for making our kal's a reality!  next week is our super sized giveaway! you will not want to miss this!!!!

>> OUR LOVELY SPONSORS <<

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board & our pattern roundup post
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.
- remember to tag your instagram pics with #tttkal, same goes on twitter.

MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD || CATCHING UP

we've had a busy week my wee family and i.  we recently got back from a wee trip to vancouver for my hubbies convocation! so excited! he's finally done!  after many long years of his working full time/studying he has achieved such a huge accomplishment. it was such a joy and i was so proud to see him walk across that stage as a CA! congrats again hun! i love you so much and the girls and i are so proud of you!!!

now i think we need to find out about some winners! we have winners to announce for 2 different giveaways!!! first up is the ella's cottage fabric giveaway! the winner of a 16 fat quarter bundle of happy go lucky is.......

commenter #19 - johanna vandeweghe

next up is the winner of the sew pretty t-shirt dresses book giveaway.  the winner of a copy of "sew pretty t-shirt dresses" is......

commenter #62 - karen propes

congrats ladies! i'll be in touch with you sometime today!  thank you to all of you who entered. and just cause i think they are just so darn cute i couldn't resist posting some pics of my girlies. 

p.s. i'm in the middle of massive potty training drama for the wee one. any tips? it was easy with my oldest.  i have to have her trained by september to go to preschool. she just turned 3 so it's time. i can't wait to have the final diaper party :) would love any help you could give.  hope you all had a great weekend!

SEWING || PATRICIA COWL & SASCHA THE DRESS FORM

i recently got my hands on some of the fabulous bari j's new line "bijoux" from art gallery fabrics. this fabric line is gorgeous and so fun! i love the bohemian vibe and the colors are just drool worthy!  you will definitely not get bored with this fabric line. i honestly couldn't choose my fave print.

---

but i was able to decide what to make with it. i knew as soon as i saw bijoux that it had to be a patricia cowl (you can find my tutorial to make the patricia cowl here. it's fast, fun & a great sew!). it just screamed cowl to me and it also screamed a pressie for a certain friend of mine.  she's been waiting a long time for this so i'm so glad to finally get it blogged and hopefully mailed out to her next week. 

hannah - merry christmas...lol. hugs! lol.  hope you love it and sorry it took me 5 months too long!

---

---

isn't it pretty? i just want to throw it on with a white tank, some cute jeans, a bangle and my flip flops. so lovely.  wait...what's that you ask..."who's that sassy grey gal wearing it"?  well...let me tell you.  she's new to our house.  she's funny, a tad shy, curvy, purdy and is my new friend.  her name is sascha singer. she says hi!  nice to meet you.  she's bff's with poppy the pfaff.  lmao. ok...ok...ok...in all seriousness you know how i love naming inanimate objects i adore in my home right? i know it's a tad weird but whatevs...it's fun!  anyhoo, her name is sascha singer but she was born singer 151, in the US, at Joanns.com.  she came to us a few weeks ago and we have loved her ever since.

---

---

i have been on the hunt for an adjustable dress form for years. years. could never afford the one i wanted so started looking second hand but it's damn hard to find an adjustable m/l size dress form in good condition. my 41" bust needed to be represented...lol.  so does my baby gut. and my hips. and my butt...lol.  so when i spotted a big sale on at joanns.com for a huge steal off the dress forms i jumped at the chance. i had been wanting a grey one but could never find a grey singer so i was pretty excited to be able to order this one and ship on over to canada.  to all you fellow canadians the shipping was not bad at all and the duty etc was $10. can't go wrong for that!!!! i'm happy with the dress form for the price i paid which was under $100 and i can't wait to use it for my first garment for myself.

---

PATTERN

- Patricia Cowl by me

FABRIC

- Bijoux by Bari J for Art Gallery Fabrics

- Prints used:

into the wild cedar, bohemian charms cedar, embroidery's fortune rose, bohemian charms honey, dream catcher fuchsia, mystic traveler magenta.

DRESS FORM

- purchased at www.joanns.com

- model singer 151

- adjustable dress form in size M/L

---

do you have a dress form?  which brand is your favorite? i had a hard time deciding between dritz, singer and all the others but figured before i invest a lot more money into a dress form i would try this brand out and see how much i use it, pros/cons and if it's worth investing in one three times as expensive later on down the road.  i'd love to hear what dress form you use and if you're so inclined what her name is...lol. have a wonderful weekend everyone!

p.s. don't forget to enter the ella's cottage fabric giveaway for a 16 fat quarter bundle of "happy go lucky" from bonnie and camille. you can enter here.

VINTAGE MAY || THE SALLY DRESS

the vintage vibe is in the air! can you feel it? that's right everyone - it's vintage may! i was so excited to be asked to join in for this fun series hosted by my pals kristin of the awesome blog - skirt as top and the equally as amazing jess of craftiness is not optional. i knew as soon as i got invited i could not pass this one up.  a dress had to be made.  a vintage inspired one at that.  this is right up my alley! luckily i had recently gotten just the right fabric.  bright, a modern yet still vintage vibe and an oh so cheerful color for my little one. 

vintage may

the print i decided to use definitely reminded me of my inspiration - sally draper of the tv show mad men. i looove mad men and i love the clothing from the show.  i thought it would be fun to use sally as my jumping off point.  can't you just see her in a scene wearing this cute frock? the fabric i used is floradots in saffron by erin mcmorris for free spirit.  i also have some in a blue/grey tone that i hope to use to sew my oldest a sally dress as well with some fun add ons. the bodice and pockets were then lined with hidden treasure gold from indie by pat bravo for art gallery fabrics. such a great print too!

---

when doing my original sketches i knew i wanted big pockets. but not just any pockets - pockets that show. easy ones to throw hidden treasures in - my little ponies, dolls, shells, rocks...you name it - my girls will carry it.  they are constantly storing goodies in their pockets so this time instead of me finding it hidden in the wash i figured i wouldn't miss them in these big ol' pockets. plus, well, pockets just plain rock!

---

---

i also knew when designing this dress that simplicity was my goal.  i wanted no closures - thus the square neckline.  and yes, that's right - there is no zipper or buttons.  you just pull it on. love it!  and so does she!  the bodice is fully lined as are the pockets.  the pockets also go right down into the hem for optimum toy storage! i also knew i wanted a higher waistline, gathered skirt and a shorter length than normal.  it's hard to tell from these pics but she could easily wear this as a tunic.  i might have even gone a bit shorter if she had stood still longer for me to pin more accurately.  darn 3 year olds...lol...don't they want mommy to make them stand on a stool wearing a piece of fabric with pins for 10 minutes while i measure over and over again? no way.  she's a trooper though.  she's getting there.

---

---

the best part of the whole process - that smile! she loves it and that sure does my heart good.  such a doll this one.  she just melts my heart.

what do you guys think of this dress?  i've got so many fun variations of the sally dress that i'd like to try. in fact i'm leaning to making this one a pattern available. any interest?  would you like to see a pattern for the sally dress?  sleeves? long or short?  i'd love to hear your thoughts!  it's a fun dress to make and you guys know my style - if it's fun/rewarding to make, allows you to customize and shows off my fave fabric crush it's a winner in my book.

a huge thank you to kristin and jess for having me along as part of vintage may.  please be sure to check out all the other bloggers involved in this fun series. there is a TON of amazing lovelies being made and it's not to be missed.  you can find all the vintage may goodness below:

>> vintage may oncraftiness is not optional <<

>> vintage may onskirt as top <<

|| FABRICS USED ||

-  floradots in saffron by erin mcmorris for free spirit.

- bodice and pocket are lined withhidden treasures goldfrom indie by pat bravo for art gallery fabrics.

|| PATTERN USED ||

|| VINTAGE MAY INSPIRATION ||

-sally draper of the tv showmad men.

*EDITED TO ADD - THE SALLY DRESS PATTERN IS NOW FOR SALE! YOU CAN FIND THE SALLY DRESS PATTERN HERE AND READ MORE ABOUT IT HERE! THANK YOU!*

SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG || EXTENSION ANNOUNCEMENT!

vintage alarm clock from things with soul

alrighty - you all voted! the winner of the timeline extension poll is...1 week!  wahoo!  you've all got an extra week ladies! it was sure close! remember - you don't have to finish your project to qualify for the fab giveaway.  we just want you knitting and having fun so don't stress - this should be fun!

the new deadline for the tops, tanks & tees kal is:

>> may 28th, 2013, midnight, pst <<

make sure to upload your finished pics into the finished project thread in our ravelry group so i can put together our starring you post!  some of you have already been showing your first and 2nd finished projects! you're on firrrreeee!  so jealous!  my knitting has come to an abrupt halt due to some other deadlines.  not sure if even i'm going to make it to the finish line this time round gals but i'm going to give it my best shot :)

i can't wait to see all your projects next week!  how's yours coming along? have you blogged about your project? link up ladies!  

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board & our pattern roundup post
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.
- remember to tag your instagram pics with #tttkal, same goes on twitter.

>> OUR LOVELY SPONSORS <<

FABRIC GIVEAWAY || ELLA'S COTTAGE

happy go lucky fabric fat quarter bundle - img src: ella's cottage

yum, yum, yum, yum! who's in the mood for some fabric fun? i am, i am!!! yahoo!  one of our newest sponsors - ella's cottage is offering up a lovely fabric giveaway today!  i love me a good fabric giveaway!

happy go lucky fat quarter fabric bundle - img src: ella's cottage

i have been a long time reader of the blog "simplicity" of camille roskelly and love her fabrics and quilt patterns.  i was excited when i saw the prize leigh anne of ella's cottage was giving away! this is a sweet one!  the happy go lucky line is the newest range of fabrics from bonnie and camille for moda.  it's bright, happy and oh so lovely!  perfect for that new quilt you've been dying to whip up! need some inspiration? you can find some of the patterns that camille has designed for this line of fabrics HERE. 

in the mood to win some?  click to find out how! 

ella's cottage is your newest fave etsy shop filled with your current fabric crushes.  the owner leigh anne is not just giving away this awesome prize she is also offering everyone 15% OFF all orders with coupon code "luvinthemommyhood"!  and that's not all!!!  you can also get free shipping on all orders over $50 within canada/us with coupon code "shipfree50"!!!  thank you leigh anne!!!
 *(customers further abroad are free to use the 15% off code but must contact ella's cottage directly for shipping costs). 
**(both the 15% off and free shipping coupons cannot be combined in one order).

|| THE PRIZE ||
- one lucky winner will win 16 fat quarters from the lovely line "happy go lucky" by bonnie & camille for moda from ella's cottage

|| HOW TO ENTER ||
- simply leave me a comment letting me know what you would make if you won.
- *bonus entry: like ella's cottage and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and then come back and tell us you did that as well in a seperate comment.

|| THE RULES ||
- you must have a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified.
- this giveaway is open to canadian & US residents ONLY.
- giveaway is open until 05/26/2013, midnight, PST.

good luck to you all and a big thank you to ella's cottage!  you can find more about ella's cottage below:

shop  ||  facebook

EVERYTHING OLD YARN || HAPPY STREET OBSESSION

happy street by veera valimaki

have you ever spotted a pattern and fallen head over heels in love? well you all know what a big fan i am of veera valimaki's patterns and when her newest shawl - happy street popped up a few weeks ago i got bit real bad.  i mean the kind of hours of mad hunting for the exact same yarn colors kind of bad. i'm the kinda gal that just can't seem to resist short rows, grey and bright neon pink in a shawl. i was and am obsessed.

i was also out of luck. for a brief moment that is.  i could not find the same colors of madelinetosh yarns that veera used anywhere.  luckily my friend em of everything old fame lives in the same city as i do and we all happened to be discussing our new happy street obsession when she revealed that she was working on a new yarn weight - solo sock....yessss!!! a  super soft, 100% superwash merino, sock weight, single ply,  that she so sweetly and kindly offered to dye me up some in the same colorways as veera's happy street. yahoo!!! problem solved!

haar, november and pinkie pie in solo sock from everything old

truth be told i much prefer my everything old's "solo sock" over my madelinetosh merino lite i just used for my stripe study.  the yarn is way softer, has great drape and helloooooo...could that pink get any more friggin' awesome!  the yarn just shines! it's beautiful! the best part about the pink besides the rockin' colorway is that em called it "pinkie pie". i die.  for reals...pinkie pie?!

we love my little pony in our house. like really love it.  so my girls made me swear that i would take a pic of the yarn starring the oh so glamorous pink pie herself...lmao! i know, i know....i'm sorry em, i couldn't resist the lure of the pony. she batted those darn eyelashes at me and i just couldn't resist.  she looks good with it no?  the greys are also equally as gorgeous.  both haar (the darker blue/grey tone) and november (lighter grey) have depth, and are both lovely shades of grey. i love me a good grey people!  and even though em rocks with her colors her greys all stand on their own as well. the girls got skillz!

if you've been looking to get your hands on some yarn for happy street look no further. em has some of the same colorways dyed up and ready for you to bring on home!  you can find her new weight of yarn "solo sock" for sale now and the colorways i purchased "haar", "november" , and "pinkie pie" in her shop now! trust me in that you won't be disappointed. we all covet em's yarns here and they are gorgeous!!!!  thank you again em, for being so awesome and for allowing me to indulge in my latest obsession. xoxo

you can follow and find out more about everything old here:

shop  ||  blog  ||  ravelry  ||  facebook  ||  twitter  ||  instagram

what about you?  are you a veera fan? addicted to her shawls as well?  are you planning on making happy street?  what colorways are you using?  and what about everything old! are you a fan too?  let's chat some yarn goodness!  wishing you all a lovely and handmade kinda weekend.

p.s. off topic... the online crafting community was saddened, shocked and devestated to hear of the loss of kathreen of whipup yesterday. she will be missed greatly. she touched the lives of so many - mine included.  for those of you inquiring on how to help the children an Education Fund has been set up and you can find more information here on whipup.  any help you can do to spread the word is so greatly appreciated. thank you in advance for your time and generosity.

SPRING TOP, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG || DEADLINE IS LOOMING

pattern: levenwick by gudrun johnston

oh man....my spring tops, tanks & tees knit along projects has come to a dead halt for me.  i'm now sitting and typing this post, staring at my project and drinking a venti (yes venti) coffee from starbucks (it was my free drink so don't judge..lol. who doesn't order a venti when it's free right?). the fear of running out of yarn has taken over my excitement for the finished project.  i spent 4 hours knitting with my gals on sat night and i'm still not at the bottom of the cardi. i'm now into the 3rd skein and only have 1 left! 1 left to do the button band, a pocket and 2 sleeves?!!!!!!!! CRAZYTOWN people!  crazy. it's keeping me up at night. lol. die hard knitters will understand this dread and concern. i'm fretting big time but too darn lazy to search for more yarn and too darn stubborn to give up my hope that i can indeed perform a miracle and salvadge the project without more yarn. oh my...someone slap me out of it.  or at least tell me i can do it. one or the other..lol.

my plan of attack is to finish the bottom, do the button band and then weigh what i have left.  then do the sleeves dividing up the portion of yarn left over and see how far i get and then at that point order and hunt for more yarn.  darn it all.  i highly doubt i will make the deadline......but speaking of deadlines how are you all doing?  are we leaning towards an extension like normal? would you like 1 or 2 more weeks? let me know and we'll make it happen.  i need an consensus though peeps and because i'm all diplomatic and stuff (i just voted for our election last night - what a gong show that was but i digress) i've added a little poll into this post just for your voting pleasure.  let me know your thoughts and i'll do my best to make the end of the kal a happy one for us all :)

i'm hoping the poll will distract from the fact that i did indeed promise a shot of my cardi on my human body and not my dream size dress form (she's a 34" bust - i'm 41..lmao!). i did not get a pic taken. i'm hoping for next week. it just may happen.  i gotta nag the hubs and you all know how our photo shoots go.  they always end in me drinking alcohol to calm my nerves.

this week has been a weird one for my kal project. instead of knitting on my project i've been worrying about it which has been deterring me from working on it so i then in turn distract myself by watching knitting podcasts.  now watching podcasts is a bit new for me.  i'm slowly building up my faves.  this week i found 2 new to me ones that i really enjoyed!  the first one is hosted by a gal in our kal who knits one handed!  she's such a sweetheart and her podcast is shot in hawaii! ummmm...can i come live there with you? so gorgeous!  you can find her podcast "singlehandedknitter" on her website and her ravelry group of the same name here. thanks for the shout out melissa in your most recent podcast!

i also stumbled up on the "must stash" podcast. love these gals!  beware though...once i started watching i wanted to watch them all in a row. such a fun duo these gals are!  i was excited to see one of them was making jane's pattern grace! yay! check it out if you're looking for one filled with yarny goodness! you can find the must stash podcast here and all of their social media and ravelry info is on their blog.

so in the true manner of allowing me to continue to self soothe and procrastinate what are your fave knitting podcasts to watch?  fill me in!  i'm thinking it might be fun to put a fun list together in our ravelry group as a resource. whatcha think? 

POLL FOR DEADLINE EXTENSION

remember to vote in the poll about the deadline above!  i've also got coffee and tea on the go for you all...so pull up a seat, come cry with me over my sweater and then i can cheer yours on cause judging by the pics in our rav group you gals are doing AMAZING! DROOLWORTHY! some people are on their 3rd projects!!! thank you for knitting with me :)

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board & our pattern roundup post
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.
- remember to tag your instagram pics with #tttkal, same goes on twitter.

>> OUR LOVELY SPONSORS <<

MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD || THREE

my baby is turning 3 today.  i had a hard time sleeping last night.  for some reason this bday has affected me so much more than 1 or 2 did.  i just cannot believe she is 3. where has the time gone already?  my little angel has just gotten so big and is so not a baby anymore..lol.  i miss the baby days.  harper is such a gift.  she is the most darling little thing and she has her momma just wrapped around her little finger. i mean how could you say no to that face right?  she's my little buddy and comes with me everywhere.  she's so precious and i just can't wait to see what 3 has in store for her.

i have spent a lot of time in thought since xmas about this blog, my creative passions, goals and of course, my family.  what and how to balance my time, energy and attention to and when.  i haven't succeeded in finding the answer but we're slowly getting there.  i don't want to miss the last 2 years i have home with her. i want to cherish them because once she's in kindergarten that's it.  that part of my life with my girls is over.  as much as it is exhausting and challenging i love being able to work from home and be with my girlies.

over the last few months things have changed a bit.  i feel the urge to have some more "evening" time free for me to create instead of being on the computer.  i want to spend time with my husband and i want to have time to actually sleep...lol.  this blog has been such a special and important part of my life and it's not going anywhere - i'm just trying to find a new balance that allows me time to have a healthy home life with my girls, time to take care of myself with exercise and healthy food, time to design and create and of course, time to document it all here with all of you. i hope you all understand and have continued to enjoy the blog this year so far as my family and i transition into a new phase of my dreams and goals.  this momma has to shift things around a bit to make sure i'm not spread so thin i can't enjoy any of it.  my health suffers and so does my family life.  blogging is damn hard work (more than i think 70% of the population is aware of) and mixed with being a full time mom it leaves little left over.  i swear i work more than my hubby :)

my little harper has helped me to realize that i need to balance things better or before i know it another year will have flown past in a blink of an eye and most of it will be spent with mommy and daddy working instead of us all having quality time together. i hope i can try to succeed at least a little bit in all the areas i would like to.  i want to put quality content out here on the blog but i also want to work on my other goals of pattern designing and books.  i hope you'll join me in the journey.  it's so amazing to know that so many of you have been reading since mackenzie was a baby and throughout all of harper's journey.  there is something so amazing and special about that feeling.  i truly love and appreciate every one of you for reading and for being my friend.  thank you from the bottom of my heart.

and to my little girl - mommy loves you. to the moon and back and the stars too.  may all your wishes come true my special angel.

any of you in the same boat with struggling to balance it all? are you an emotional bday person too?  please tell me i'm not the only one doing serious reflection and crying on my toddler's bday..lol.

GIVEAWAY & BOOK REVIEW || SEW PRETTY T-SHIRT DRESSES

sew pretty t-shirt dresses by sweet seams

are you getting ready to through your closets now that the nicer weather is starting? does anyone else get bit by that bug right before summer starts? i always feel the need to purge/clean and re-organize all the clothes in our house before a new season rolls in.  so when i got a chance to review the book "sew pretty t-shirt dresses: more than 25 easy, pattern-free designs for little girls" i was so in.  perfect thing to do with the hubs old tshirts, or ones that have gotten too short or stained for the girls and so on.  it's been a while since i repurposed anything and this book got my wheels turning again.

sew pretty t-shirt dresses has a pattern for every taste level.  from simple and fun to way girly girl.  the book is filled with bright, fun and colorful photos, clear instructions and a section i think we would all appreciate entitled "t-shirt dresses 101" with tips, techniques and more on sewing t-shirt dresses.  the ladies behind sweet seams did a great job putting together 28 patterns!!!  wowsa!

i really enjoyed the layout and found the book concise and easy to follow.  the book is suitable for every sewing level and features projects that would be easily customizable for a more advanced sewer. i think a beginner could jump in using their how to sections at the front of the book and have some fun with these patterns. all the patterns look fast and all begin with 1 t-shirt.  i think it's a great way to create a unique garment for that special girl in your life!

would you like to win one?  find out how to enter below!

Images from Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses by Sweet Seams Studio, published by Sixth&Spring Books. Photography by Dan Howell and dress design and instructions copyright © 2013 by Sixth&Spring Books/Soho Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

 ||  THE PRIZE ||

- one lucky winner will win a copy of "sew pretty t-shirt dresses"! get your t-shirts and sewing machines ready!

|| HOW TO ENTER ||

- simply leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite creative thing to do with old tshirts is.  that's it! yay for easy!

|| THE RULES ||

- you must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified.  
- giveaway is open until 05/19/13, midnight, PST.

good luck and happy sewing!  thank you to sixth & spring books for the fun giveaway!

MAY 5TH
Nouveau Stitch  |  Just Pure Lovely  |  The Crafty Princess Diaries
MAY 6TH
Crafting A Green World  |  Stitched by Crystal
MAY 7TH
Prudent Baby | House of 34
MAY 8TH
Smashed Peas and Carrots  |  Simply Modern Mom
MAY 9TH
Marsha’s Spot  |  Sew Spoiled
MAY 10TH
Dollar Store Crafts  |  Only From Scratch
MAY 11TH
Wild Olive  |  Positively Splendid
MAY 12TH
On the Laundry Line  |  Elegance and Elephants
MAY 13TH
luvinthemommyhood  |  My Little Gems

SEWING || OPEN WIDE ZIPPERED POUCH

open wide zippered pouch tutorial from noodlehead ||  fabric from bari j's splendor 1920

it was recently my mom's 60th bday this week.  among the other gifts we gave her i made her a special pouch to put her knitting and/or hand quilting projects in for working on the go.  my folks love to camp and i thought this would come in handy for her fireside projects.  my mom is a pure die hard and seriously hand quilts her quilts from start to finish. not even her binding is sewn with the machine. it blows my mind every time i see one of her finished quilts.

we both started learning to quilt at the same time - i with the machine and her with her hands :)  i have now happily learned to enjoy sewing my binding on by hand (one part of it anyways) and i'm still working away trying to get her to try her hand at doing a bit on the machine.  in the meantime though i thought she could keep all her wee pieces in this cute pouch to pull out when she wants to work on them.

my mom is also my favorite secret weapon. she's got an eye like a hawk. she lovingly, painstakingly and very carefully edits and proofs all of my tutorials and patterns. she never misses a thing. i love that i always have her and my dad to send my pdf's to for a thorough and intense proofing.  it's so fun to have them be a part of my wee business.  

when i had decided to make my mom a new pouch i knew i wanted to try a new style of zippered pouch instead of the basic rectangle one that i usually make. i remembered my friend anna from noodlehead's free "open wide zippered pouch" tutorial.  this pouch is soooo fun to make!  with 3 sizes available i'm dying to make myself a trio of pouches!  i have so many projects on the go i'm still running out of pouches/bags/totes...lol. which in turn means i create more pouches, which means more projects being made. crazytown i tell ya. somebody stop me!

my mom loves teals and blues. any shade and she'll take it - anywhere.  so when it came time to choose my fabric i went straight to bari j's line - splendor 1920 for art gallery fabrics i knew my mom would swoon over it just like i did.  i chose "english garden serene" as the outer print and then did the lining in one of my fave's "tea delight jam". if you're a fan of bari's work check out her newest line - bijoux. i have another pressie i just made for someone out of it and the line is just gorgeous!

i hope my mom enjoys her pouch :)  i wouldn't sew a zipper for just anyone..wink wink.  to my mom: you are amazing.  i love you very much and could never make you enough goodies to show you how much i appreciate everything you have done for me and my family and how much you mean to me.

>>> PATTERN <<<
- open wide zippered pouch from noodlehead

>>> FABRIC <<<
- english garden serene & tea delights jam from splendor 1920 from bari j for art gallery fabrics.

>>> NOTES <<<
- made no mods to this pattern. loved it!

are you making your mom a handmade gift this year?  are you addicted to zippered pouches as well?  remember you can get 15% off all purchases in our brand new veryshannon pattern store, ravelry shop and etsy shop till 05/13/13 using coupon code "mothersday". happy making!