7 Quick Takes (vol. 8) ~ Camels, Cards, and Cozies

I'm so very behind with posting, but instead of catching up, I'm going to distract you with a 7 Quick Takes post and adorable pictures...

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See... you've already forgotten that you haven't seen all the incredible family pictures we took over Christmas yet.  But here is a little gem to whet your appetite.

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And, I desperately need to do a Matthan update.  He changes so fast that I can't keep up.  Like, he's getting into stuff.  And no, I could not get them all back into the box.

52 Card pick-up is for amateurs... 500 Q-tip pick up is for the pros.

Some things don't change, he still loves books :)

Clearly I need to clean out my bathroom cabinets because it looks like I have little monsters living in there. :)

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Matthan is starting to get the hang of feeding himself and is starting to be more adamant about doing things himself.  But he has figured out that when it comes to spaghetti, it's more efficient to have Mommy feed him, and he begs me to feed him.

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I wanted to do as many homemade items for Christmas as possible.  I thought it would be fun.  I did have to cut some projects, but here is what I managed to do.

Coffee cozies for my sister and sister-in-law

Including their initial on one side

My grandmother gives out handmade birthday cards to all of the people in her Sunday school class and she mentioned that she doesn't have pretty envelopes.  So I made her envelopes.

Painted a Batman piggy bank for the nephew

And probably the one that I'm most proud of is the painting I did for The Hubs.  It wasn't this painting (that I haven't accomplished yet for lack of the canvas size we want), but I pulled this one off without The Hubs finding out.  It was inspired by a huge, very expensive painting that we saw in an art museum.

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Continuing with the homemade theme, I made envelopes a while back and wanted to have cards to go with them, but wasn't sure what I wanted to do.  I discovered embroidery cards, so I embroidered cards to go with my homemade envelopes.

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The Hubs and I noticed this year that our nativity set doesn't have a camel.  A friend of ours, who lives in Israel, sent us a Christmas package (more about this another time), and wouldn't you know it?  It had a camel!  We're delighted!

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I get such a kick out of watching The Hubs and Little Man interact in their unique way.  Little Man definitely loves his daddy.

King of the Daddy hill

That's all for today folks!  

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

7 Quick Takes (vol. 5): Breast Cancer Awareness Month & Wing Sauce

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If you have a minute, please read my post from yesterday - "In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month".

Mom, Me, and my sister Sarah ~ approx 1991

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I'm sure you know by now that sunshine removes stains from cloth diapers.  But did you know that sunshine removes wing sauce?  You're welcome.

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I know that I'm already linking to Conversion Diary today, but I thought you'd all like this particular post that she wrote:  "What is the Religious Climate in Your Part of the World?".  She asked people to answer survey questions such as "How appropriate would it be if a person were to acknowledge that he or she is a believing Christian?" and "What belief system do the politicians in your area claim to practice?".  People answered in the comments section, and the contributors are from all over the world. It is incredible how different it is for people in other countries.  We forget.

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I'm technologically challenged.  The only reason I have a picture at the top of my blog is because my husband edited it and put it there for me.  Technology and I do not have a good relationship.  I worked as a waitress in high school at a restaurant that had POS systems for their cash registers.  They told me I couldn't mess it up.  Within 10 minutes I had three computers down and they were calling the manager in to fix them.  Do not underestimate my power.  However, I've decided to try to conquer this long-standing love/hate relationship I have with technology, and attempt to learn how to use our Nikon camera.  We'll see.  The majority of pictures on this blog were taken with my iPhone.  If they're blurry...

...grainy, weirdly composed, or look a little off... I likely took them.  If they look beautiful composed and edited, The Hubs likely took them.  But he had a communication arts major in high school where he was a camera man, so...ya know...he's got a head start on me.  This photo wasn't so shabby...go me and my iPhone!

Of course, it could be more the subject and less my picture taken skillz.  ;)

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When I give Matthan a bottle (which he's almost completely weaned off of, oh my breakin' mother heart), I usually snuggle in bed or on the couch with him and hold him in my arms and I hold the bottle for him.  When Daddy gives him a bottle...

"Here son, do it yourself"

That's why he has two parents, because it didn't even occur to me to do it that way.  But that's cool, I'll take my snuggles.

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I'm still working on that new painting.  Trying to find time to paint when I have a one year old is a little difficult.  So in the mean time, I'll feature some others.

This is a painting that I did for The Hubs.  It's a 14x16 (approximately, I'm too lazy to actually get up and measure it) acrylic painting of a picture that we took on our second date.  We perched the camera on a rock to get the shot.  

  

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I'm going to do a Matthan update soon.  I have so much to tell you!  But in case you're new around here, here was the last update.

Happy Friday!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Bloom Where You're Planted

So we have accomplished very little decorating in our apartment. I think this is somewhat due to being burnt out on moving and redecorating several times, but probably due partly to laziness and the thought that we might move again soon so why bother (well, that's me, I can't speak for the Hubs). But I'm learning to bloom where I'm planted and part of that is making the best out of my circumstances, including improving what I can around me and being at peace with what I can't. I'm being renewed in my passion for making this our "home" instead of just the place we live in. Didn't expect such insightfulness (yes, I made up a word) to accompany simple pictures of our decorating, did ya?

Our living room is my favorite room (and the only one that we've decorated, which is convenient that it is the first room you come into and where people hang out). It distracts our guests from realizing that the rest of our walls are bare. This frame is on your left on a small wall when you walk in our door past our coat closet. It contains an assortment of scrapbook paper, and it's kind of funky, which I like. I accidentally cut off our cute key hook/mail holder, oops. It's bright and cheery and make me happy.


At this point (in case you were wondering), I could have taken a big shot of our living room...but then I would have had to clean it...so I masterly shot around the clutter. :) It was either clean or blog...I choose procrastination.

We love mantels, and decorating them. Oh, did I mention that all of our cute decorations somehow migrated into the living room which is maybe #12 why we have not decorated elsewhere...cuz everything is in the living room. The paintings originally hung in our bedroom. I painted them, and they have our wedding vows etched into the primer (which you can't see unless you get close). The candle holder was originally on our table. Oh, in the pictures I somehow missed the 5 instruments that live in our small living room. I don't mind as long as the Hubs plays them. Oh, 5 is a lot you say? HAHAHA, that does not include the other instruments in the closets...I'm living in a music store people. We need to have kids so we can have a band and I can have good music all the time.

The cake topper from our wedding has survived 3 (4?) moves and now sits on our mantle

This is on the same wall as the front door, and has the recent-ish new addition of another of my paintings (for sale, BTW), and the awesome quilt made by my MIL. She had no idea that we had decorated in navy blue and lime green, but it goes perfectly. It's in the picture for your benefit, but it's rarely sits there since it's the perfect size to cuddle under.

I love funky and bright pillows. The ones in the picture are from Ikea (as are our curtains, not pictured). These are the two funky ones, the other ones are just green and blue. They're so comfy. You're welcome to come over and take a nap with our comfy pillows and quilt...I wouldn't mind the company.

The pillow background is white, but the light wasn't good (and neither is the photographer). Don't you love polka dots? Hope you enjoyed the mini tour. If you have any decorating tips/suggestions for the rest of my rooms, please send them my way. The bedroom has caused me great anxiety, and my husband says I'm no longer allowed to order bed linens off the internet. Actually, if someone wants to call Vern or Genevieve and plead our case that we deserve a beautiful, professionally decorated bedroom...I wouldn't mind :)

Out of boredom came...

a new painting.