Getting My Craft On

I haven't felt terribly creative lately.  I've had a few ideas and I've spent hours on Pinterest marveling at other people's creativity, but I haven't actually felt compelled to make anything lately.

A few weeks ago, I had an idea for a t-shirt for my youngest (inspired by her current obsession), but I just didn't have the motivation to make it.

So, last night, creativity and inspiration combined to bite me on the butt and I got to work.

This was super simple.  I don't know what took me so long to get started.  It didn't take more than 20 minutes to make it.

Luna's glasses were my inspiration.  I toyed with the idea of adding her earrings or possibly a Ravenclaw tie and sketch a blouse collar, but decided to keep it simple.

Collar reads, "Luna Loony Lovegood, you're okay in my book." 

I created the design free-hand.  The pink of glasses are painted with paint markers.  The lenses are fabric paint.  The text was done quickly by hand using permanent marker.  I usually prefer transfers for fonts because I'm lousy at free-handing letters, but I have a huge font collection.  Today, though, I knew the t-shirt would get tossed aside unfinished (like far more of my projects than I care to admit), so I just grabbed Sharpies and did it myself. 

Around the bottom and the glasses, I used my very favorite Luna line, "You're just as sane as I am."  Around the collar, I used a line from Harry and the Potters' "Luna Lovegood is OK."  It reads, "Luna Loony Lovegood, you're okay in my book."  

She loves it.  Her big sisters have put in requests for versions in their sizes.  

It's not by far my best work, but, hey, at least I put my toes back into the creativity pool.  

Show Me What Ya Got #42 at Not Just A Housewife

Girl Scout Cookies Renew My Faith In Humanity

and not only because Samoas are so freaking delicious.

Did you know Girl Scout cookies are kosher?  Did you know my big girls are Girl Scouts? Did you know that you can buy Girl Scout cookies from them?  Well, now my entire neighborhood knows.

Today, they set up a table in our yard and danced and paraded about on the corner as advertising.  They wore their sashes and jumped up and down while screaming, "Buy Girl Scout Cookies," while holding a skirt as a pom pom in one hand and a box of Thin Mints in the other.

Everyone got in on the action.  The baby held a box of cookies and jumped up and down yelling, "Cookies.  Cookies."  My son paraded up and down the street with a tutu on his head yelling, "Girl Scout Cookies."  A number of people told us they stopped because they saw him and he was just too cute.  So when cars passed, he frowned and said, "They didn't stop.  They must not think I'm cute."  Oy vey, that boy!

At Hebrew school, he charged into all the teacher's rooms and implored them to buy cookies.  He then told me repeatedly that he wants to be a Girl Scout too.  Oh hun, I don't think so, but you sure do make a great salesman.  

The big girls did a great job and they had a lot of business.  I was super impressed.  When a middle school girl walked home across the street, the kids yelled to her to buy cookies.  I explained that kids might not have the money to buy cookies, but wouldn't you know it, she stopped home and then came right to our house with her wallet and was the kids' first customer.  The UPS guy delivered the girls new L.L. Bean backpacks (on which I got a FANTASTIC deal) and then bought a box of cookies.  An EMT stopped and gave the kids a $6.50 tip.  I was actually surprised by how many people donated extra money.  The girls had a ton of sales in just an hour.  They were so proud of themselves.  I am too.  I'm also thrilled with everyone who came out.  I never dreamed they'd have as many customers as they did.

This has lit a spark in my kids.  Now they want to be out there all the time.  Tomorrow, they're selling at the local Hillel then they're coming home to open shop back up on the lawn once more.

Why yes, my son DOES have a tutu on his head.

The kindness of strangers

The kids were all playing in the yard today when my oldest came in in tears. Turns out she kicked their favorite ball (a gift from my brother) over the fence into the busy road.

I assessed the situation (which really means I stood in the doorway and watched the thing roll further and further away while cursing to myself and trying to decide if I really wanted to risk my life in busy traffic for a $2 over-sized ball) and decided to go after it.

After risking life and limb to cross the busy road (that might be a wee bit of an over-statement, but hey, I'll go with it), I still couldn't catch the blasted thing. The wind just kept pushing it further and further away.

When what to my wondering eyes did appear but a pickup truck on it's way towards me. A woman pulled over, got out, caught the ball and brought it to me.

She told me it had flown in front of her when it sailed over the fence. She saw the kids in the yard and was afraid they'd run after it, so she came back around to get it for them.

Isn't that awesome? That, right there, made my whole day/week/month/year.

I think I shall invest in one of those quarter high bounce balls to keep in my van to remind me of this.  It will serve as a visual reminder to pass that kindness along whenever I can.

Valentine's Day Revisited & Redefined

valentines day
Originally uploaded by rebecca anne

I hated Valentine's Day. As a teenager, I boycotted it. I donned all black and bitched about stupid made-up Halmark holidays.

To this day, my husband and I don't celebrate it. When it comes to companies encouraging people to spend insane amounts of money to honor a painful pagan fertility festival, I still feel as snarky as I did when I was 16.

Once I had kids, though, I found myself longing for the Valentine's Days of my youth, the ones full of glitter-covered hand-made cards and pink cupcakes with red sprinkles.

This year, our homeschool group had a Valentine's Day party with a card exchange. The kids had a blast. I had a blast. It was so much fun and helped put me in another frame of mind.

While we don't celebrate it, I still found myself missing my husband today even more than usual. That longing made me feel the first itch of pitty for myself.  But how can you feel sorry for yourself when the little people in your life insist on addressing Valentine's Day cards to everyone they've ever met?  Watching a little friend tote your youngest around so sweetly through nearly the entire party tugs the corners of your mouth in an upward direction.   When your son demands to give his Hebrew teacher his very favorite brand new Toy Story Valentine pencil, you simply can't feel down.

I think I've found a way to reframe the day so that I can truly enjoy it.  Instead of the sappy jewel-incrusted anti-single-fest Valentine's Day has been forced into, I found myself enjoying time with friends and watching my children doing the same (only their interactions contained far more screeching and hanging upside down than mine).  It made me thankful for it all--my friends, my kids, my situation in life, my husband (even if he's not here), my marriage (which can survive these absences time and time again) and yes, pink cupcakes with edible heart decorations.

Thank You Friends! [EXPLORED]

Originally uploaded by FrozenBlizzard

Thank You

thank you

Originally uploaded by hellojenuine.

I've had odd experiences lately. Other people have asked me for help and I've been grateful to be able to do that.

It started during a week when I was feeling particularly low. I was acutely aware of how much I missed my husband. The kids were bickering. I was frustrated.

Out of the blue, a friend called and asked me to babysit. Now, I usually greatly dislike babysitting. Yes, I love my own children and I like spending time with them, but when you add another kid (or two or three) to the mix, it throws me off. Being a parent can be rough and I have enough of it with my own kids thankyouverymuch. As I like to say, "If I didn't get to enjoy the conception, I don't want to deal with the discipline."

In this case, though, it was only one child and one smallish child who fits right in with the flow at our house. So it wasn't a problem. It wasn't any big sacrifice for me at all, but for the parents, it was a huge help.

I was thanked profusely, but I really wanted to thank THEM. They helped pull me out of my sadness. They reminded me that I had the potential to help. There's a true power in that. When you know someone can truly use your help, you have a purpose. You're no longer a tiny insignificant speck in that great wide world.

"When somebody needs you, well there's no drug like that."

Wherein My Daughters and I have a Gilmore Girls Moment

After popping outside every so often to check the progress of the eclipse, I woke the big girls around 1:30.  We had time to head outside to watch the moon disappear.

Luckily, it wasn't too cold.  We grabbed jackets and a blanket and sprawled out on the ground to stare up at the sky.  

We pin-pointed constellations.  We talked about outer space.  We watched the moon.  We sang Maccabeats' hit songs.  We laughed like idiots.  We made short videos of us acting like idiots.  I discovered that over-tired 8-year-olds are a lot like my drunk friends in college.  

I had a lot of fun and the girls did too.  This is not something any one of us will ever experience again.  

Finally, just before 3, the girls hinged on certifiably insane and I was crossing the finish line towards completely and utterly exhausted.  So once the moon was completely hidden, we came in for good and headed in a bedwardly direction.  

No matter where we go from here (or when we all finally get there together), we will have the memories of lying under the stars in this front yard, bundled in jackets, watching the amazing sky (and dancing like idiots too).  

Once I was sure the girls were asleep, I snuck back out for one last glimpse.  The shining edge of the moon made me smile.  I can't quite explain it, but I find it exciting and comforting.  It's exciting because this series of events won't happen again for more than 300 years.  It's exciting because I got to spend that time outside laughing with my girls at 2 am (a time they won't see the awake side of again for quite some time).  I find the normalcy of it exciting too.  Things return.  Everything comes back to its normal state.  

I find that whole notion very comforting right now.  

There's no place like home.

I had no idea what on earth I was going to blog about today.  Well, I DID have an idea, but then the baby got to feeling sick again and suddenly, I was at a loss.

Well, now she's on the floor flipping through books and I'm online flipping through Etsy.  That gave me a blog topic.

I've been putting together a wish list for the kids which involves lots of neat artwork for their new rooms (whenever we move).  I want to have a whole exciting array of new artwork for them to anticipate hanging on the walls of their brand new rooms.

I've found some adorable artwork for them, but I've also found some art that I want to hoard all to myself.

The word "Home" as always had a different meaning for us since we were a military family.  That quotation is one I've loved for the longest time.  Now that we're separated again in our quest for "Home," this rings even truer.  I love that art from  Volume 25.  I have no connection with that shop.  Heck, I've never even heard of them before, but I can't tell you how much I love that piece right there.  

And oh my stars and garters!  This one titled "Wherever we are together is home" is another one I must have.  What a fantastic reminder this is!  I think this would be perfect in my youngest's room.  I love the colors and there's a bird.  We called her "Tziporah" when she was tiny.  She reminds me of all things birds (plus she was even a bird for Halloween).  

Oh, that shop just made my heart so happy!  I want to stock up on just about everything they have.  Happy distractions ROCK!