GIVEAWAY || C. JOHANNESEN STUDIO CUSTOM LEATHER JEWELRY

who's in the mood for a little pressie for themselves? 

we've been chatting the last month or so about making ourselves and our health & creativity priorities in our busy lives so why not treat ourselves to a new pretty for our wrists? i was lucky enough to get my hands on some of the awesome handmade jewelry from the shop c johannesen studio! they make gorgeous, custom leather & metal jewelry. you can request everything from custom text, and color on any leather item they sell in their shop as well. their leather items include wrap bracelets, cuffs, secret message bracelets, and more - all distressed and made to order with their hand carved designs.

i got to make a custom bracelet for myself and boy was it hard to choose that special quote to put on my new bracelet. in the end after weeks of indecisiveness i went a russet color for my leather and for quotes i went with one of my all time favorites...

"the desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul."

i love wearing it and have been non stop. the quote i chose means so much to me and always rings so true to my heart. i love that i can look down at my wrist and see that lovely quote and smile. a gentle reminder to find those precious minutes in the day to create and be creative whether alone or with my kids.

you ready to find out how to enter?

|| THE PRIZE ||
- one lucky winner will win a $30 Gift Certificate to c. johannesen studio! yay!

|| HOW TO ENTER ||
- simply leave a comment letting me know what quote you would put on your bracelet if you won.
- bonus entry: like c. johannesen studio and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and leave me a new comment letting me know you did that too.

||  THE RULES  ||
- you must leave a valid email in your comment to be eligible to win.
- the giveaway is open until sunday, july 13th, 2013 at midnight (PST).

if you can't wait to win head on over to c. johannesen studio and use the code "luv20" for 20% off orders through till 07/13/2013!!! 

good luck & a big thanks to jessica of c. johannesen studio!  you can find more c. joahnnesen studio below..

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MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD || TAKING IT EASY

we recently got back from a fun (and hot) mini vacay in vancouver!  those two little kidlets of mine had a blast! we hit up granville island, the vancouver aquarium and the show stopper of the weekend - the taylor swift concert!  we are big taylor fans in our house. i've been listening to her since m was a wee baby in my tummy and both girls love her. the hubs surprised m and i with tix for the concert for xmas. needless to say we were pretty excited and had a great time (albeit a hot one). taylor put on a great show and i got to see ed sheeran as well who i really like as well. only cons were a) it was so freaking in hot in the stadium i thought i would pass out.

have we not heard of a/c? 42,000 people and no a/c?? wth?

b) the show started way too late. she had 3 opening acts! 3! ed doing a 45min set! it was a long road till she came out and by the time she did most of the kids were exhausted and bored. we got there at 6 for crying out loud! she came on sometime after 9! m passed out at about 10:15. she couldn't stand the heat and had already been dancing and yelling her wee brains out for hours by that point. all in all though it was fabulous to take her to her first "big girl" concert! the look on her face when we got to venue was priceless! i had to stop myself from crying i got so emotional in a weird way. i love music and concerts so much it was such a special thing for the 2 of us to share together and have a fun mommy/daughter night out! so fun to go from singing in the car to taylor to singing in a venue that size with that many people. she was so excited!



all in all we are happy to be back home and back to a quieter pace. even though i lived in vancouver for many years every time i go there with the kids i come back happy to be home. only problem was that we got home only to have myself experience a big health scare. if you follow me on fb or twitter you may have seen i had an anaphylactic allergic reaction earlier this week and had to spend a nice chunk of time in the hospital. i had eaten some pistachios (which i hadn't had in years) and my tongue swelled up etc. they now have me off all nuts (tree nuts included) until i can get allergy testing done and i have a new best friend called the epipen that i get to carry around with me.

i'm starving and my skin is so dry. seriously all my soap, shaving cream, body wash, body lotion etc have nuts in it. 

i hate dry skin! i need to go on a hunt for nut free body lotion. any recommendations? i try to use only all natural products due to my illness so that's why there are so many nuts! the food thing has been soooo hard. honestly - to all of you out there with kids who have nut allergies or have them yourselves i feel for you. i only have just started and this is very, very hard! combining the nut removal and my dairy free, gluten free, sugar free diet = one hungry and grumpy momma! if you see me at the grocery store back away...lol. j/k...sort of...lol.

it's getting better though. i found out my fave gluten free bread is nut free so that helped a lot. i also found a nut free rice milk that i can use in place of my almond milk. plus my fave gluten free pasta is also nut free so last night i actually had a nice meal! yay!

if anyone has some tips for eating nut free i would be so thankful. 

i'm so confused on things like vegetable oil etc. some sites say yes - some say no and since i haven't seen an allergist yet i'm going off the internet which is overwhelming to say the least. on the plus side i have learned a ton about what is in my food and what a heckuva lot of chemical ingredients are and why they use them.

so this was supposed to be a short post saying i'm taking it easy today and this weekend to get better but i guess i got chatting. you don't mind though right? yay :) i'm still not feeling right. i'm very tired and feel - fragile for lack of a better word. definitely not myself so i'll be taking this weekend to rest and get better...oh and work on the sally dress pattern...wink wink. thanks for all of your entries everyone! hopefully i'll be getting back to you sooner than later! i was hoping to be feeling better by now but so far that hasn't happened yet. as soon as i get it done you will be the first to know :)

thanks for all your kind words on fb/twitter about my health scare. you guys are so sweet. i hope you all have a wonderful relaxing, family filled, good food, laughs and crafty kinda weekend! see you all next week <3

GIVEAWAY || FAT QUARTER SHOP FABRIC WINNER!

first off happy 4th of july to all my american readers! i hope you have a great day today! we just celebrated canada day on monday so it feels like a week of celebrations! even though they are both big holidays i just wasn't in the mood for red or blue...i was in the mood for pink! some boom boom room pink that is! yep - that there is my newest essie color. i found myself longing for a borderline neon pink for the summer. it's a fun one! it also felt like just the right color to announce the winner of our fat quarter shop fabric giveaway!!!

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the winner of our fat quarter shop fabric giveaway is:

commenter #37-lisa

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congratulations! i will be in touch with you later today to get your information!

thanks to all of you who entered and also to the fabulous fat quarter shop for the lovely giveaway! you can find all things fat quarter shop here:

shop  ||  blog  ||  facebook  ||  twitter  ||  pinterest

CALL FOR TESTERS || THE SALLY DRESS

the sally dress sewing pattern is almost here! we've been busy behind the scenes getting the pattern ready and i'm almost done! a few more days and i'll be needing some awesome testers (meaning you of course) to sew some up. and in case you missed it here's the post from vintage may that shows more pics and info about the sally dress.

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THE SALLY DRESS DETAILS
the sally dress is sized for 2t - 8! yep, you asked and i answered! the dress features large wide pockets and a fun square neckline with no closures. it's a slip on and slip off kinda dress. the kidlets love that it's so easy to get on and off. the dress has options to make it sleeveless or to go for short sleeves or 3/4 length sleeves - all featuring a fully lined & seamless bodice! i would put the level of sewing for this dress at intermediate or a very intermediate beginner.

TIMELINE FOR TESTING
the timeline for the dress is 5 days after the pattern goes out for testing. i'm aiming for the pattern to go out at the end of the week or early next week depending on my crazy children and how well they let this momma work. the sally dress (aside from cutting and prep) is approximately 2+hours of sewing (less if you do no sleeves).

WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR IN A TESTER?
i'm looking for people who have read a sewing pattern before & know how to read/follow them (this is very important). have some sewing experience (preferably at a beginner intermediate and up level) & somewhere online (ex. blog, flickr etc) that i can see some of your sewing skills, have children available in the size they are sewing to photograph the garment in. hopefully you have awesome photography skills so i can see how the dress fits (& show off your pics later in a post). and finally you are able to sew the dress in the short timeline given and are able to give positive constructive criticism of the pattern - what can i say, i have a soft heart..lol.

so what do you say? would you like to join in and be a tester for the sally dress? yay! fill out the application below with all your info. please note we will only be contacting the people who have been chosen to test. if you are chosen you will receive a free copy of the sally dress pattern and possible feature of your dress in an upcoming post on the test dresses.

THANK YOU - THE TESTERS ARE NOW FULL

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a big thank you to everyone for being so supportive about the sally dress! you guys mean so much to me and your enthusiasm is contagious - so thank you!!! i can't wait to be able to share it with all of you.

what fabrics would you make the sally dress in? i'm working on a few with some fabric i've been hoarding way toooooo long in my stash! you can see a sneak peek of one in my instagram feed.

SEWING || A LITTLE FLORAL ANYONE?

i recently ordered some fabric that was on for a steal and a half! like $2/yd kind of steal! can we say wearable muslin anyone? yesssss. that's right. i'm getting ready to start my selfish sewing binge soon (looking for patterns to try? check out our independent pattern designer roundup)!  in the meantime though i keep looking at the fabrics i have hoarded for selfish sewing and then looking at my patterns and i just can't decide which ones to go with what.

fabrics above from fabric.com

while looking at my pile of fabric i also realized that i must be on a floral binge.  these prints remind me fondly of my early 90's years. i love that floral long dresses and short dresses are around again. and $2/yd! you can't go wrong people! even with hefty shipping charges to canada - ouch! ouch! ouch! i also still have the stunningly soft double gauze and some liberty cotton (shown below) that i've been hoarding as well. it's going to be so hard to cut into that gauze - it really is soooo soft and truly a treat for me to have. i got them both on sale for a great price a month or so ago.

1. muddy works currant in citron from kokka 2. cranston in colorway d from liberty from pink castle fabrics

here's the patterns i currently have and am wanting to make this year (this is of course if i find a way to add 10 more hours to my day).
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the entire breakwater collection by megan nielsen 

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another wiksten tank & another tova by wiksten

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another laurel & hawthorn by colette patterns

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any suggestions? are you sewing any of the patterns above? what fabrics are you using? any online shops you recommend for "apparel fabrics"? i'm on the hunt for some lovely shirting for the hawthorn dress. it's the only one i don't have any fabric for yet.

fill me in ladies! i want to know what you're making! wishing you all a lovely, handmade, coffee & tea, friends and family filled kinda weekend. i'm taking my oldest to her first concert! we're going to see taylor swift! i'm so excited! but more on that next week <3

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

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

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.

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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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!*

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.

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!

SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG - WORKING IT OUT

it's tops, tanks & tees day!  i recently went on a mini vacay to tofino, bc on the weekend and knit like a mad woman the whole car ride there. i'm happy to say i'm almost at the bottom of my levenwick.  what i'm not happy to report is i'm worried about running out of my yarn. yep. bad planner i am.  you see i had purchased my yarn in the hopes of making a tee. then decided to make levenwick instead. i was a tad short on the yardage but figured i could shorten my sleeves which i tend to need to do anyways.  but now i'm almost at the bottom of the cardi and am just about done the 3rd skein out of my 5. eek! i still have a large gorgeous button band to do (that replicates the collar) and both sleeves. not sure if i'm gonna make it......cross your fingers for me will ya?

take note that the dress form this cardi is hanging on is a very teeny size and def not the size large i'm making.  it looks like a freaking tent on this form but hey...that's what you do when you can't get a shot of yourself in it easily and your house is a disaster, your kids are crying for dinner and you just...well...need a pic. hopefully next week i can take a progress shot with it on me and not on my teeny dress from which i absolutely do not use for making clothes for myself (hint, hint...i bought a new one! she just arrived! i can't wait to introduce you all to her! more to come on that soon).

levenwick by gudrun johnston for wool people

i know i'm not the only one having some ttt kal project issues though.  remember if you need help or have questions please feel free to ask our ravelry kal group.  we love to help out and give support!  there are also lots of helpful posts listed here in our knit alongs home page.  you can easily peruse through the old knit alongs as well for guest posts and tips on the problem/issue you are having.  i know some of you are starting to finish your projects (you go girls!) but for those who are coming up on some special techniques like pockets, picking up stitches or getting ready to do seaming i wanted to remind you all of some of our fave helpful posts from previous knit alongs!

|| HELPFUL POSTS ||
- seaming with guest kelly of celtic cast on (this has videos! it's awesome)
- how to knit pockets
- picking up stitches tutorial from guest jane richmond
- how to pick up stitches tips post

also i just have to say one of my absolute favorite thing about this kal (besides all the awesome conversations going on in our ravelry group) is instagram! i adore that you are all using the #tttkal hashtag! i so look forward to watching your progression shots on there! it's bee so fun!!! i'm trying to find a way to showcase some of the pics on here...or at least get a screenshot or something. we'll see if i can finagle something.  if you're not on instagram join in - it's one of my fave forms of social media. you can find me on there under "luvinthemommyhood" and you can also keep up to date with my instagram shots on the sidebar at the bottom as well if you're not on instagram.

and just a reminder if you are done your ttt kal project please feel free to post your finished pics in our FO thread for the ttt kal as well.  that way i can make sure to include you in our "starring you" post at the of the knit along!

alrighty...fill me in! how's your project coming along? did you blog about your project this week?  have you hit any roadblocks?  go on...pour a cup of coffee & let's chat!  

>> 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.

>> OUR LOVELY SPONSORS <<

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CRUSHES || YARN & FABRIC LOVE

celadon & earl grey madelinetosh tosh sock

it's crushes time!  i finally got a chance to take some pics of my newest yarn and fabric lovelies!   mmmmmm.....so yummy all of them! i can't even decide which ones i love the most!  i indulged big time recently on my first 2 skeins ever of madelinetosh tosh sock! i cannot wait to knit with these skeins.  i knew when my lys - the beehive wool shop, got their big shipment of madtosh in that i absolutely had to get a skein of earl grey. i needed it. i didnt' even think twice.  the extra skein of celadon was a welcome addition and because it's so hard to get madtosh where i love in such a wide array of colors i spoiled myself and got 2 and it was worth it.  so gorg!  i didn't even realized how nicely they match with each other until i got outside and into my car.  a happy coincidence since now i think i may knit them in the same project. not sure what yet but my wheels are happily spinning.

one of my other favorite yarn companies - quince and co, recently released a new yarn!  owl is here!  and it doesn't disappoint!  a gorgeous blend of american wool and american alpaca these are a more than welcome addition to my stash.  a group of us where i live all went in on a big order to scoop up some of there lovely colorways. i can't wait to wind these up and get swatching!!!

quince and co owl in colorways - cilantro, sokoke, and cerulean

as for fabric i hit up a big pink castle fabrics sale a while back and got some beautiful new fabrics for a steal of a price!!!!  i had been waiting to try the liberty lifestyle prints for some time and so i didn't hesitate when i spotted the gorgeous mix of blues and corals in cranston. love it!  and then when i spotted the double gauze from kokka on the right i just about fainted! i got such a good deal i thought my eyes were seeing things wrong!  needless to say i got enough of both the liberty and kokka prints to make new dresses for myself.

1 & 2. floradots in gray & saffron by erin mcmorris for free spirit & 3. liberty cranston 4. free spirit designer solid in peach blush 5. commas in slate & chalk from zen chic for moda 6. muddy works currant in citron double gauze by tomotake for kokka

i haven't decided on which pattern yet but will definitely be posting something soon.  i've narrowed it down to a few and am hoping to finalize my wandering eye sooner than later..lol. i bought myself an invisible zipper foot finally (no more cowboy style zipper installations for me) so i'm all ready for another laurel dress or blouse maybe or any other garment with an invisible zipper. bring it on zippers!

what are you crushing on this week?  any new yarns or fabric prints you've scooped on or indulged in?  what are you hoping or saving for?  i've got a few other fabric/yarn lovelies to show you next week as well as a few new project - i can't wait! so spill the beans...did you treat yourself for mothers day too?

MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD || A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN

soooooo....it's been a wee bit quiet here because i've been away :)  we went on a mini-vacay for the last 4 days!  we were lucky enough to getaway for a wonderful little holiday to one of our favorite places - tofino, bc.  we were married in tofino on mackenzie beach and haven't had a chance to go back since then.  so we decided it was high time we packed the kids in the car and made a road trip to one of our fave places and also one of the most magical ones we've ever been too.  it honestly is breathtaking.  i can't wait to go back again. for real. i'm already planning...lol.

 

needless to say we had a great time!  we got home last night after a weekend filled with AMAZING weather! the kind of weather tofino just doesn't get that often.  so my condo is filled with bags, piles of dirty laundry, toys, more bags and well, just all the stuff that you cart with you on a road trip with 2 kids that you are just too darn hot and tired to put away when you get home...lol.

so i'm taking today to clean the darn place up or attempt to cause it's just plain hot here too! don't get me wrong, i am definitely not complaining about this sunshine. it is glorious and feels so darn nice,  but its like an oven over here in my condo so we'll see how much i actually get done.  i've got lots of pics to show you soon and some fun posts this week as well. i also sent out our very first email newsletter for the blog right before we left! did you get one?  what did you think? you likey? i had so much fun putting it together!  i'd love to hear your thoughts.

i also have a winner to announce today! don't think i've forgotten about the gorgeous sweet fiber yarns giveaway!!! our lucky winner is..................commenter #42 - andee!!! congratulations andee!!!! you are one lucky lady!!!  someone will be in touch with you today. thanks to all of you who entered and to the lovely melissa of sweet fiber yarns for her generous & oh so lovely prize!

in the meantime fill me in on what you've been up to.  what have you been making & creating?  have you been sewing or knitting?  have you been to tofino before? i want to hear about it. i missed you guys!