Handmade Monday: sweatshirt

I'm as surprised as you are to see this banner again (assuming you're surprised). The sad thing is today's featured project is one from last winter(?), so I could have posted it at any time. I'm just going to continue and blame my lame blogging on my double relocation and the fact that our computer is in our spare/storage room, if that's alright with you. Next week, however, this feature should be brand new because I'm so far behind on projects it's ridiculous.

For some reason almost every embroidery pattern I have screams "make this for your sister-in-love!" at me. I have so many things I want to make her that if I actually complete them all her and my brother will be up to their eyeballs in stitches. Earlier this year I grabbed this little pattern from over at Sublime Stitching, and decided she needed a sweatshirt of all things. In retrospect this clearly should have been on a pillow or the corner of a blanket. Live and learn. 

 

Handmade Monday: camera case

My excuse for being late is this ... I am moving in five days, not just from one home to another, but from the bottom of my state to the top. Since I have yet to pack up my current house, or sign a lease on a new one, my life is a bit disorganized. I hope you'll forgive me.

On a craftier note, here is the case I made to go with the spiffy new camera I bought my mom for her birthday. I only had a few hours to construct it, so it's kinda sloppy, but it works. :)

Camera Case:

Since I failed to center the word smile, I had to throw an "s" on the end. Oh well, at least it was handmade. Right?

Changes

*Disclaimer: This post will most likely be a quite mishmoshy. Read at your own risk.*

Change #1: You may or may not have noticed that "I Heart This!" has been absent recently. I've decided to let it pop up at random rather than force it to appear every Thursday. To be honest, my heart hasn't really been in it the last few weeks.

Change #2: The Anderson family is finally moving to Portland!! 

Twenty days ago the hubs received the life changing news that he had landed a new job, and they needed him to start June 14th. We have ten days until he's scheduled to stroll into that new office and still haven't found a place to live. 

One week after learning the good news we made the 4.5 hour drive north to look at houses only to find they were all in shady neighborhoods. We've traveled up twice since then, each time going up and back all in the same day with toddler in tow, and we're still homeless. Since we don't have a place lined up, I've been living in denial, and haven't packed a single box. *gulp* To say I'm a bit stressed out is an understatement.

Today, while we wait to hear the status of a rental application submitted on the one decent house we've found, I find myself in a bit of a funk. While I'm SUPER excited to be moving, I'm thrown by how hard it's been emotionally. A myriad of things have taken me off guard ... finding a place to live, the financial blow to our barely there savings, leaving our first home to become renters again, how much I'm going to miss people, and leaving family. Oh, how I wish I could just pick up my house and relocate it with my mom inside!  

Since that's not really possible I have A LOT of work to do in the next week. I hope you'll forgive my lack of blogging as of late, and my absence over the next little while. I know my blog is still in it's infancy, but my little handful of readers mean the world to me. I would really appreciate it if you'll just stay tuned. <3

Handmade Monday: grandma's pillowcase

I have been a terrible blogger lately because life has been horribly hectic. My goal is to get a post or two up this week to bring my small, but oh so special, handful of readers up to speed. Until then, here's some of my embroidery since it's still Monday here in Oregon.

Pillowcase for Grandma:

Thanks for sticking with me! <3

I Heart This! Oregon Coast

Jeezy creezy. The universe does not want me to post this. First the power was out at La Casa de Anderson, then blogger was being all sorts of snarky, and now my internet is throwing a fit because of the lack of electricity. It's been a weird week. 

The hubs treated our little family (including my mom) to a weekend trip to the coast for Mother's Day. If you've never been you should put it on your bucket list. It's quite lovely. 

Oregon Coast:

Some fun stuff:

 

Our cute rental:

That's all I have for today. In the last 48 hours we've received some really exciting news and some not so fun news. Once I get all my thoughts organized I'll be back with bells on. ;) I hope everyone has a great weekend! Happy Friday! <3

Handmade Monday: Momma's Day Edition

A little over a decade ago I started making my momma gifts for Mother's Day, and the tradition has carried over into my own little family unit. Since the tot is only two the hubs has been doing the majority of the work thus far and she "helps". Here's what a received this year ...

Card:

Charms (& the back of the card):

It says, "I've got some mad photoshop skills."

Sorry this post is almost late. We just returned from our blissful little beach getaway (which I'll probably be blogging about later).<3

Handmade Monday: owl apron

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a decent weekend. Here in Oregon we had our first real dose of warm spring sunshine, so I spent it hitting garage sales, weeding, barbecuing, and getting a sunburn. :P

Today's project is actually one from quite a few months ago because my current one is taking for-ev-er and my workspace is too messy to start anything new. 

An owl apron:

This was a gift for my aunt's birthday last September, and is actually one of my first (if not the first) embroidery pieces. It was done on one of those horrible stiff aprons from the craft store because I was a naive little crafter in the beginning. I hadn't even considering learning to sew yet, and I didn't realize you can stitch on almost anything you can poke a needle through. Live and learn. :)

Sunshine is predicted for the at least the next five days, but I'll probably be hiding indoors nursing my tomato red neck. Perhaps I'll get organized and get some stuff made. What fun things do you have planned this week?  

I Heart This!

I love surprises (as long as they don't cause me to become the center of attention), and this week was full of them.

Heartsy.me

My super cool sister-in-love (we're connected by love, not just the law) posted a link to this little website on Facebook last week, and it has been feeding off my checking account ever since. It's Groupon for Etsy. Seriously, does it get any better? 

Red Vines Drawing Contest

Tuesday I found this at the bottom of my Red Vines. Apparently this snazzy little doodle won third place in the Teen: 13 to 18 entrant category. If you'd like to see more winners you can find them here, or go buy a box of these tasty treats and be surprised.

Parking Lot Carnival!

I have no idea what this is actually called, nor do I care. All I know is that for the last few years a little carnival has magically popped up in our mall parking lot, and I love it. I've only actually attended twice. (The first time my friend dissolved into tears after I convinced her to get on a ride, and this year the tot developed a carousel addiction.) I'm just happy looking at it. How much more fun would the world be if more carnivals just popped up in random places? A ton! It would be a ton more fun! :)

I hope you've made some delightful discoveries of your own lately. If not perhaps the Easter Bunny will bring you some treats this weekend. Happy Thursday!

King For A Day

Today is my super awesome husband's birthday, and the tot and I are going to do our best to make him feel like a king! Normally he works between 40-80 hours a week, and still manages to come home with a smile on his face and prepare dinner. After dinner he bathes his little one to ensure he gives her some quality time, and stays awake long enough to watch movies, play games, and snuggle with me. Getting him to take five minutes for himself is nearly impossible, yet somehow I managed to convince him to take today off (from everything!) so we're going to take advantage of it.

Happy Birthday Bryan!! 

You're amazing and we love you!!

P.S. Special thanks to the birthday boy for walking me through Photoshop over the phone yesterday so I could put a crown on his unsuspecting head. ;)

I Heart This!

Often times I find myself trying to explain something I've recently discovered to someone with a kid on Christmas level of excitement. My body starts manufacturing adrenaline as I try to accurately explain the specifics, and those around me dissolve into fits of giggles in order to counteract the information overload. Since that's not exactly the best way to enlighten others I've created the I Heart This! My plan/hope here is to post something every Thursday that I feel the need to rave about or recommend. It could be a gadget, a website, a service, or almost anything, but it will always be something I believe needs a little love.

Cinnamon bears

While we were in Sunriver, soaking up some much needed family time, my brother, sister-in-law, and myself shared a small bag of spontaneously purchased cinnamon bears. Bryan hates cinnamon, so I hadn't had any in quite awhile. They were delightful. In fact, they were so tasty there are currently a few in my pantry.

Cookie scoop

I purchased this a few years ago at a Pampered Chef party. I bought it because I'm the person who always attends those stupid parties and feels guilty if I don't purchase a little something. Fortunately, this was money well spent. I've used it to scoop cookies, muffins, and, earlier this week, cupcakes. It's a handy little sucker.

COUGAR TOWN!!

This show is hilarious. When it first started Bryan would always find something else to do and I'd be sitting on the couch cracking up all by myself. Eventually I convinced him to sit through an episode and I've been gloating ever since. There are a lot of running jokes (or maybe inside jokes), so sometimes things don't immediately make sense, but the hubs is proof that you can catch on quickly. It airs Wednesdays at 9:30 on ABC, and it's definitely worth 30 minutes of your time.

Something(s) I Miss

This is Day 9:

There is a small handful of people at the top of this list, but I don't want this blog to become so sentimental it's not fun to read. Besides, there are tons of other things that deserve some attention too.

I miss Pudding Pops.

A few years ago I was super excited to stumble across these in a local Safeway. I loved them when I was a kid and had forgotten all about them. Unfortunately they've disappeared from there as well. If you know where I can find them please let me know.

I miss long road trips.

As I mentioned earlier this week, we've spent a lot of time in our car lately, but each time our destination has been less than five hours away. I miss the kind of road trips I used to take with my family. The kind where you spend multiple days in the car surrounded by pillows, blankets, and snacks. The kind where you just stop at every dinky attraction that catches your eye and pick where to end the day at random. I would love to simply drive to Texas for our annual Austin visit, but with gas prices as high as they are now this is probably the most expensive way to travel.

I miss the original Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Ponies, and Care Bears.

Seriously. These "new" versions are ridiculous. Not even my tot wants to watch them.

I miss chalkboards in classrooms and snail mail letters.

Don't get me wrong, I love technology. I'm currently blogging from my couch and checking FB on my phone, while Netflix is playing in the background. Okay, I'm not actually neglecting my daughter that much but you get the idea. I am saturated in technology. I really do mean it when I say I love it. Even so, I still feel a little sad knowing our children will never run their fingers through the chalk dust at the blackboard or lick a stamp. The more the world changes the more I find myself having those "when I was your age" moments.

Getting Back On Track & Short-term Goals

Jeezy creezy! The last two weeks have been crazy. I feel like we were in constant motion. Everything that has been simmering came to a boil all at once, and we did our best not to let anything burn (except maybe ourselves). We endured ants, exterminators, emergency vet visits, heart wrenching goodbyes, and multiple days in the car. Simultaneously we enjoyed birthday surprises (with lots of birthday cake), precious quality time with loved ones, a family bike ride through the trees, the Oregon Zoo, dinner with dear friends, and the thrilling glimpse of opportunity. It was chaotic, but definitely time well spent.

Now, after sleeping for the majority of the last three days, I feel ready to return to the land of the living and my wee little blog. I have a few ideas brewing, but for now I'll return to our regularly scheduled program (aka the 30 days) with short-term goals.

This is Day 8:

• Get the songs from Tangled out of my head. Seriously.
• Tell friends and family about this blog because so far I've been too chicken.
• Lose weight. (I have a lot to get rid of, so this is both a short and long-term goal.)
• Make the tot an Easter basket.
• Work on list of crafts!!
• Put together boxes for thredup.com.
• Work on the backyard.
• Help the hubs find a job, find a place to live, and move to Portland.
• Get my hands on more spice tea from Republic of Tea.

Something I Rarely Leave the House Without

This is Day 7:

When I leave the house I am usually toting the typical large lady bag, and it is usually sufficiently stuffed. Within you will find my cell phone, keys, and lip gloss among a slew of other things. I believe that's pretty much the norm in our society. However, that's not all I take with me when I exit my abode ... I rarely leave my house without my little one, "ELA".

For a little over two years now I've been fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom, and loved every second of it. Yes, I have the moments where I'm surprised not to find myself flinging her out a window, but even those are precious. As anyone with children will tell you, it goes way too fast. I'd gladly have an entire year of tantrums if it meant she'd stay small a little longer. 

Since I've yet to be offered such a deal, she continues to grow, and I continue to miss my baby while adoring the little girl she's becoming. It's because of all these fleeting moments that she accompanies me more often than not. Even though I love listening to the music in my car without worrying about the volume and little ears, I love hearing her "sing along" with the songs so much more. Therefore, when I gather up my things and prepare to go out into the world it's not something I rarely leave without, but a very special someone.

Something(s) That Terrify Me

This is Day 6:

Instead of focusing on one fear, and letting this post become depressing, I'm going to make a little list. Some of these things terrify me to the core, others are worrisome, and some just give me the heebee jeebees.

• losing a loved one
• the ocean
• spiders 
• not being the mother my daughter deserves
• always living a plane ride away from family
• my pcos
• earthquakes
• taking people for granted
• becoming stagnant
• falling through ice
• other creepy bugs
• looking out into the dark

A Photo of My Best Friend

This is Day 5:

When I put this prompt on the list I had intended on using it as an excuse to gush about my husband. I mean, who isn't married to their best friend? I know I am (love you, honey). However, this portion of the list just happened to fall on March 23rd, so I'm going a different direction. While the hubs is still my number one, I'm going to quickly brag about another amazing gent in my life - my brother.

When I was about four I asked for a baby brother and actually got one. For years I considered him "my baby". When he started to walk he became my crash test dummy, my biggest annoyance, and my favorite playmate. As we've grown he's been my bodyguard, the keeper of my secrets, and my greatest friend. Since we've entered into adulthood he's walked me down the aisle, lugged a million moving boxes, and accepted the role of godfather to his little niece. He's always held a very special, very large, portion of my heart and no one who knows him would ever question it. He's just that awesome. 

My brother, Colt.

I chose to showcase him today because it was exactly 27 years ago that we met for the first time. Happy Birthday, Bub! 


If you'd like to know more, please visit the blog of this extraordinary wife (whom I stole this photo from).

iPad Cover

Whoa! Two posts in one day! I have just set a personal record. ;)

Last night I finished making the hubs an iPad cover. Well, technically it's cover 2.0 because the first one I made for Valentine's Day wasn't holding up so well. Thankfully he loves me because I'm teaching myself to sew and, as is the case with most my crafting, it rarely turns out how I had envisioned.

The front.

The inside.

At the end of the day, I'm just happy it's functional. :)

*If your interested in attempting a cover of your own, I purchased the pattern from Sew Spoiled on Etsy. 

Last Five FB Statuses.

This is Day 2:  

• I've followed the crowd and lost my contacts - please text me your number if you'd like to remain friends.  

• Yay! We have internet again! :)

• ELA* is so enamored with her new Pez dispenser she doesn't even realize it's supposed to be filled with candy.

• Pondering/planning tattoos ...

• Just downloaded Words with Friends. If anyone wants to play my username is cheyanders. :)

* I don't plan on posting a lot of personal info about my offspring on here, so I changed her name in status three to her initials. 

P.S. I swear I'm not really as boring as these suggest.

Introduce Yourself With 15 Facts.

I'm going to use a little mash-up of various "30 days of blogging" lists in order to get the 'ole blog ball rolling. This is Day 1:

• My name is Cheyloe Anderson.
• This is my third, and final, attempt at blogging.
• I am the mother of a hilarious little girl (she's two).
• I am the wife of an equally entertaining husband.
• I live in and love the state of Oregon, but I'm not fond of the Rogue Valley.
• Once upon a time I was a dancer, and I'd love to be again.
• Embroidering by hand is my new favorite hobby.
• I long for serious crafting skills.
• I find grocery shopping kind of exciting now that I've started clipping coupons.
• I am trying to be healthier.
• I recycle and try to "be green" and buy organic.
• Listening to music always put me in a better mood. 
• I hate to cook, but I love to bake.
• I don't borrow books, I prefer to buy them.
• Like every blogger, I would love to be paid to write.