Thursday, April 29, 2010

Bleachy Tees!

I have a new obsession. Well, it might not be new, but it sure is fun! And it's been a good distraction from all the adoption craziness going on here lately....

So, what is this new obsession? Well, it's making t-shirt designs with a bleach pen on some plain jane tees! Sound fun?

Here is how I go about it:

Take a plain tshirt (or a print one, whatever you like really)

Get your bleach pen

Like so:

I used a tshirt form from Hobby Lobby I got a while back. You could also just put freezer paper on the other side of the shirt to prevent any bleeding from the bleach pen. Make sure you don't draw the design bigger than the paper or form or you will have some bleach action on the back of the shirt too!

Now, here is where you can do one of two things: you can trace the design you want with chalk first and then trace over that with the bleach pen. OR, you can just freehand it. I did both ways and for some reason the chalk one turned out more blotchy. Not sure why, maybe I will test it out again to see if maybe it was just a fluke. However, do what works best for you. :)


Monster Surfing

Fun Robot

Then, I let it sit for approx. an hour on the shirt. Basically make sure the color is actually changing on the shirt where the bleach pen is. Then, pop it in the wash and then dry and VOILA!

Fun new and super personalized t-shirt!!!

Now, I just need to stop finding tshirts to do this to. Before I know it all my son's t-shirts will be bleachy designed!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Today

Ahhhh.....I feel like I can breath again.

And this is a good thing compared to yesterday. Yesterday felt like a nightmare. A horrible, no good, very bad nightmare. The nightmare, unfortunately, isn't over, but I am still hopeful. And not a false sense of "everything is just gonna be great and fine and OK!", but just a peace. A peace that truly surpasses all understanding.

I went back to the fabric store (with coupon in hand!) to get the other fabric I found yesterday. Funny thing, I ended up choosing another one! I liked it better. I even texted the pic to my hubby to see what he thought. I love my iphone. And guess what? It was ON SALE! I didn't even need my coupon. Bonus. Aaand...it didn't rain buckets on me! The sky was dark, but just tiny drops and I did not get drenched walking to my car.

I also love that I feel mostly me again! I know that might sound completely odd to some, but if you know me in real life, you know I am a pretty positive person who is typically pretty happy and excited for others and their good news. Yesterday though? That me was buried under potential grief and pain that was just so dark. I did not like being there in that dark place. It's just not me.

But sometimes I think we all need to just be let to be mad. To be angry and hurt and let it come out. To be able to express it and be OK with not wanting to talk or be reminded of the pain that was bearing down so hard on me yesterday. The fear and pain are still there, but I am able to let it go and let a peace wash over me. I am able to breath today.

I was also able to see cute little girl stuff and not burst into a mess of tears. That is a super improvement over yesterday! I cannot promise I won't tear up on occasion, but ahhh. Breathing feels good.

It feels good to feel more like me again.

I hope no matter what your day is like, that you are able to breath and have a peace too.

Happy Weekend and many Blessings to you!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

My Day

Wow. What.a.day it's been today.

I awoke to an email from a well meaning friend saying how sorry she was about what she had heard on the news about Russia and adoptions to the US. Wha?!

I thought I was gonna faint when I only was able to get a tidbit of info from the media at that time, which did say indeed Russia suspended things. I thought my heart was going to break into millions of pieces.

Then I decided I needed to distract myself and was not going to think about it (ha!) until I had heard from our agency. We did and there were no confirmed reports saying there was a suspension, but obviously things are still a little shaky.

Basically we are still in limbo. Not so fun.

I decided I would head out and go to the fabric store to find a specific fabric I was looking for to make a dress. For me. I cannot remember the last time I actually made me something. Hmmm.

So to Starbucks I went and then the fabric store. Priorities ya know. Can't think right without a little caffeine!

So, I found what I was looking for. Two things actually.

Aaaand I had forgotten my coupon!!! Ugh.

So I chose one and decided to go back for the other one later... WITH my coupon.

Then I decided to browse about at some patterns, minding NOT to happen upon cute little girl clothes lest I burst into tears...

SO, the lady next to me starts up a conversation about how her daughter is having a baby and is looking at lots of little bitty things and telling me all about her plans.

Now, I am usually quite a pleasant and nice person and am happy for others and their happy news. But today? Today I just wanted to NOT think about itty bitty cute things. I just wanted to be and look at patterns and get my fabric and not talk about cute little itty bitty things.

Then, the other two ladies on the other side of me were talking and chatting about what? Cute little girl things and looking at cute little girl patterns....right.next.to.me.

Again, I am all for it, but really?! Seriously?! I had to get outta there...I was surrounded and trying to not burst into an emotional mess of tears.

So, off I went to pay for things and get to the car, so I could make it home in time to meet the bus for my little monkey boy.

And what happens when I leave? It starts pouring rain on me as I started walking to my car.....poured. I got wet.

But ya know what? Starbucks got my coffee right. Yay! I found the fabric I was looking for. Double Yay! Then, I got to come home and get a hug from my boy as he came off the bus. And that is wonderfulness.

So, my world is a little emotional right now and it kinda really sucks. A lot. But, the sky is not falling and there is still hope that the US and Russia will work things out to where we, and many others, can go and meet and bring home our children.

I miss our daughter. I hate the thought of her being left in an orphanage to grow up. It's unbearable to think of what might happen if she is. I already love this little girl so, so much. I don't know what will happen, but I know I will not stop praying.

Blessings and I hope I have better news in the adoption world next week! Meanwhile, I will try to get some fun crafty posts ready to post next week. It's a good distraction for me....

Toodles!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Don't Sneeze!!!

See these those little brownish green squiggly things up in this tree with the new brighter green leaves growing?


Those little things and the stuff it brings causes quite a bit of craziness with allergies around here. Pollen. Oak pollen. Ick.


It leaves a film of green and yellow all over everything. Kinda like this. See the coating of the stuff? That is not a dirty grill, it's just been coated with green ick from the trees. You could sweep and clean all day and it's just gonna be there again the next day.

And those squiggly things fall off the trees and all over EVERYTHING too, like the patio, the car, in the pool. Oh, and ones hair.

Yes, it is ever so lovely to be sitting at Starbucks with some girlfriends and one of them point out that there is something in your hair. And it's not your new hairband or anything relatively pretty. Nope, it's the oak stuff.

What's worse, my sister and I were out cycling the other day and as we were loading the bikes back on the bike rack, we turned to see a cloud of green ick blowing off the tops of the trees. For fellow LOST fans, I am serious when I say it looked like smokie, just green.

I am not sure why it has caught my attention so much this year. We have it every year, but this year just seems to be worse somehow. When I was pregnant, it was awful. I certainly noticed it then because I could not go outside without sneezing.

This year, it is not causing so much sneezing, but the allergies are causing some headache issues it seems with my boy. Makes me sad.

I love Spring and all, but I could sure do without the green smokie and brown squiggly things. Yuck.

Anything in your neck of the woods that causes major allergies? If not, where do you live, I want to come visit!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

A Little Bit of Happy

Don't you just love it when you happen upon a serious happy find when you're not expecting to?! Me too!

I went to Joanns last night. I usually love going to fabric stores and just meandering about for a moment, but last night I was just intending to go for some much needed embroidery floss, 'cause I was out of the colors I needed!

So, off I went.

I got my floss and decided to meander a bit. Looked for some lace applique stuff (another project hopefully I can share about soon) but could not find any without sequins and such. Oh well. So then I rounded another corner and happened upon a sample sale!

These!


Ya know all those fabric samples they have for the decor fabric and such? Yeah, those! I have heard they occasionally sell them when certain fabrics have been discontinued, however, I have NEVER managed to find when that "time" is! There wasn't too much to choose from, but what I did find will work just nicely for some pillows I want to make for the Chickadee's bed.

And check out the price tag!

Woohoo! Two pillows (I already have the pillow forms) for $4 each! Very adoption budget friendly. And they will be completely one of a kind and blend with the colors of her room just nicely. Not too matchy matchy. The bedspread is actually a vintage creamy white chenille that belonged to my hubby's grandmother. It's in great condition and we always thought if we had a girl someday, we use it in her room. And if all keeps going well, then we shall! (more on that over HERE)

So, next week on the agenda is pillow making! And since they are already basically cut and ready to sew, they should come together in a snap!

Have you ever used these samples for such things? I would love to know what projects others have made with them!