Back at it.

Wow. It has been a long time since I have blogged. Life is crazy right now, but I think it's good to document the craziness. Writing is great outlet for me to do this and lately I have been learning so much. Rather than catch everyone up on the last few months let me just sum it up for you.

1. I was pregnant
2. It was HOT
3. I had a baby
4. We have been so blessed with amazing family/friends
5. Our baby is cute, but she is not perfect - I am learning that's ok.

So we are in the midst of a huge life change right now. We welcomed Lila Jane into our world on September 7th. Actually, we welcomed her on December 28th 2011 when I stopped at Walgreens on the way to work to pick up one of "those" tests. Then, as luck would have it I had to go back home to get something so I did not actually take the pregnancy test AT work - but at home - where it was freaking positive. I called Josh right away. We weren't necessarily trying, but we were ok if it happened. And it happened FAST.  And then I had to give up wine, soft cheese, hot yoga, regular pants, comfortable sleeping and then eventually my job.

So here we are in September and the baby is here and I am still not back in regular pants or doing hot yoga or sleeping - and last week when we thought we'd sneak out for a date night (and some wine?) well Lila cried the whole night and it didn't happen.

Yesterday a dear friend came to drop off some DVDs for me to watch as I breastfeed. So sweet. She was wearing a pencil skirt and cute shoes and had just got off work. She had gone to Starbucks that day. What a career woman. And I thought back a few years when I was doing PR and had business trips, was 30 pounds thinner and I wore cute pants from Banana Republic and had a whole collection of pointy toed heels (they were said to be slimming). And I kind of longed for that life again. Instead I was in sweatpants and a nursing tank and I had a messy house.

I can't really wrap up all these thoughts in a bow. God didn't teach me some amazing lesson and here I am 24 hours later content and smiling. It's a struggle. We were up till 3 am with a crying baby. And a crying mama. We are in a new season of life and I have to figure out life in this season. I have to figure out God's purpose for THIS season. Because it's here. In my face.

What gifts and talents has God given me that he wants me to use in this season? It seems like in each season God brings out your gifts and talents differently. Six months ago, I might have used my talent of writing to write an email. Now, I use it to update a blog. My gift of compassion will come thru when my baby is hurting at 2 am and I want to make her feel better. It's never been used in that way before. So in one sense I am looking forward to seeing where God takes me in THIS season, but it's hard not to look back at past seasons and wish I was there.

So I will remind myself of this TRUTH...

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:12-14" 

And here is our little muffin Lila. 

Precious. 

Where I've been

Well hello long neglected blog. I feel like the lamest blogger and crafter in the world, but I think for the last 6 weeks I have been in a frozen state. Most of you know about this...

Seeing those two pink lines on a pregnancy test came as a bit of a shock and I don't know why - but I haven't been able to pour myself into much of anything. Except napping. I have become very passionate about that.

Truth is... I have been feeling a little anxiety and worry over the next oh, 18 years. And 7 months. I mean, I've never been a MOM before. I've never even had a younger sibling to take care of. I was always the youngest child... and then out of college I didn't get married, but i worked. I was a writer, I edited, I did public relations, I wore blazers, I got a cubicle, I went on business trips. And was very independent. But then life changed. And it was good...but it was different.

And now life is changing once again. And soon I will be a full time mom. And I get that I will still work. There will be diapers and feedings and cleaning and it will be hard...but it will be different than the work I do now. It just will.

I won't be going into an office. I won't have pretty file folders and post its and a labeler that is my very own. I won't start my day with email. I won't have to order toner or plan any meetings. They are small things. But I will miss them.

So yeah, I feel like I am in this state of almost grieving the loss of one season of life but also excited for this new little person that God is knitting together...but still, there's the fear. The fear I will lose my identity. The fear that my identity is misplaced to begin with. My true identity is in Christ. I can't forget that.

All of life is sacred. All of life has value. From coordinating camps to changing diapers to sitting at a desk to making dinner. We can do all those things in a way that glorifies the Lord. And everything we do should be for the glory of Christ.

So yeah, that's where I am at. I haven't figured it all out yet. But writing really does help me get my thoughts out there.

Anyways, here's where I hope to be sometime soon. A woman clothes herself in strength who "Laughs without fear of the future" I am not there yet...but hopefully God will help me get there:)

Weekend update:)

We had a great weekend gearing up for Christmas!! Here are a few highlights:) (courtesy of Josh's iphone)





It's not Christmas without some crafts. I found teal yarn and was inspired to make some trees. I kind love them. I might just start wrapping my whole house in yarn and lace.



We had our annual cookie bake with the women in my family! Been doing this since I was in junior high:) I made a yummy recipe from Pinterest! (chocolate chip cookies with corn starch in them...whaa?? But it was good. Promise).



Here is me posing with Rudolph on what was one of my favorite dates ever! We went to Liberty Market for dinner and then walked around Cherry Lane - which is a street near us that goes ALL OUT for Christmas. They had carolers and one backyard was set up as Bethlehem. It was so beautiful!



So love this season and all that comes with it!

Craft time: Sheet Music Garland

Awhile back I found some old music at a thrift store for well, super cheap. Like 5 cents cheap. Now, I do love Goodwill but I never have good luck there when I look for old sheet music. I actually talked to a manager about it and asked him why they didn't have any. He said when it comes in they sometimes throw it away because they didn't think people wanted it. I told him it was very trendy and they should keep it and sell it! I think he thought I was crazy but oh well. Goodwill needs to be informed.

So until they get sheet music I will get it from my second fave thrift store, Gracie's in Tempe. I have been seeing adorable garlands in blogland and I wanted to get in on the garland action. Which is a phrase you probably don't hear a lot.

I got together my sheet music and hot glue and got to work.

Now, I was struggling a bit with how to get words in the center. I started hand embroidering words so I could spell out "O Holy Night" I think I got as far as "O Ho" before I was like... this is WAY to much work. Coley from Junk in the Trunk informed me she used stamps ...and well, I hadn't thought of that before. I had visions on the stamps from the 90s that had like grapevines and weird bouquets. But I went to Micheal's' with my 40 percent off coupon and found some ridiculous stamps that I liked very much. They were like $5 with my coupon! It was awesome.

So I got to stamping an folding an gluin. Which kind of sound like that song wishin and hopin but for crafty people.

I cut circle of burlap for the center and then cut circles of off white paper for the center. I stamped the word joy and hot glue the circles to the twine. It looks kind of ghetto from the back but I don't know how to make it look better, so I just went with it. I made three of them and put them in my tree and they look pretty adorbs if I do say so myself;)

Sorry for the poor picture quality here..hard for me to get a good shot of the whole tree.

And really the banner options are endless. Happy Birthday, Believe, Faith, Hope, Love, Peace....basically any fruit of the spirit. So - if your dreams of being the next Mozart have failed you and all your left with is sheet music - you can be the next Mozart of the crafting world! Tear up your music and get to work.

Yup.

For ...those who want to give up on their business idea/etsy/blog/ or if they think their hobby is lame. Or if that nagging voice in your head keeps telling you that no one will like what you are doing. I liked this. And yeah, I am insecure sometimes.

Lace Lovin'

Tomorrow Josh and I are getting our pictures done! Josh's sister Jen of Kreatid Photography is kind of a rock star photog so I am excited:)

I've been kind of into lace dresses lately so that's what I am wearing. I wish I could say mine was all cool and vintage but it's not. Totally from JC Penney (I had a coupon).

Here are some other pretty lace dress pictures I am loving lately!

Gotta love T. Swift...

Chictopia

Pinterest

Urban Outfitters

Elle.com

All This Happiness (cool fashion blog btw)

Holiday Shoppe recap

Whew. It's been a crazy few weeks! Two boutiques means I have been super busy. Anyways. I wanted to post a few pics of an awesome Holiday Shoppe I was a part of a few weeks ago. Liz, from the Blue Eyed Owl got together a bunch of crafty ladies for a co-op vintage market. There were so many handmade and vintage items. And yummy food. AND santa. Yeah - it was awesome. Here are just a few snapshots from the day.

This should have said "scalding hot cocoa" it was a wee bit warm.

Just a little peak at my booth:)

New sparkle headbands!

Some lovely vintage ice cream bowls:) I do love these. A lot.

Blue Eyed Owl (love these bows).

Vintage ornaments from Blue Eyed Owl - love it.

Beautiful bows from Ashley @ The Pink Ruffle

More Pink Ruffle goodness...

Paper straws from Domestic Charm - I was next to Katelyn that day and she had such fun stuff and I love her super creative blog!

Lovely felt headbands from Miss Hotcakes

More Miss Hotcakes...

Junk in the Trunk girls representin! They had some beautiful items as usual:)

Ashley from the Shine Project!

And the lovely Bonnie Inc.!

There were some other great vendors there but my camera stopped working halfway thru the day so I didn't get around to everyone:(