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. 

 

A Big Box of Happy

Recently I won the fabulous giveaway over at File Me Away. As I kid I won the cake walk so frequently that I believed you just walked in a circle and then they gave you a treat, but this is the first time I've ever won anything as an adult. Honestly, I couldn't have been more excited if I tried! 

Due to the whole move and move again fiasco I had to wait for what felt like an eternity before I was able to give Megan a mailing address. Boy was it worth the wait! 

My spoils:

Those suitcases are so pretty in real life! I'm torn between actually using them, storing craft supplies in them, or just putting them on display. Within the littlest one I found a lovely card, coasters with knitting instructions, a little frame magnet, an apron, and the coolest little cookbook thing ever! I don't cook, but all of my mother's recipes came from similar books, and there are tons of blank pages inside for notes (although I don't think I'll ever want to soil the pages with my handwriting). 

Please forgive me if it seems like I'm bragging. I'm just really excited and wanted to share. I will definitely need to have a giveaway of my own at some point so that I can pay it forward. Thanks again Megan! You're awesome! 

Moving

A little over a month ago we pulled out of our driveway in Southern Oregon and headed north. This was a dream and plan we'd had for years and it was finally coming true, but at first it was really hard to be excited. I was taken off guard by how much I was reluctant to leave behind. I knew I'd miss my mom, my friends and my home, but it's shocking the things you grow attached to. Who knew I'd be heartbroken to move away from my pediatrician?

The thing I miss most though is my little abode. We own our home in Central Point, and even though we bought it knowing we'd never stay, and it certainly isn't our dream house, I still love and miss it.

For the first three weeks I wanted to my house back so badly it hurt. The place we had lined up to rent turned out to be a bit of a nightmare. The bedrooms upstairs were creepier than we remembered and I was reluctant to put ELA to bed every night (crazy old house not remodeled very well after all). Our bed frame couldn't fit up the staircase, so we just had our mattress on the floor. None of our furniture really fit because it was smaller than we'd realized, and the washer smelled like mold. 

Then, during our first 48 hours in that house, it became obvious we couldn't stay. Both ELA and I were suffering massive asthma issues, but only while in the house, and our financial situation tightened up a bit. We spent the next few weeks trying to find somewhere new (with the only internet access being on our phones!).

Fortunately a little duplex popped up just in time. I'm not crazy about sharing walls, but I've done it before and it's not forever. :)

We still haven't fully unpacked, but we're definitely getting starting to get settled. Eventually I'll even set up my craft area and Handmade Monday will return. What a thought!

I Am Here, I Am Here!

After over three weeks, two moves, and one relocation I am here. If anyone has been waiting for signs of life to emerge from my dust speck, I am here. Life has been super crazy since the moving truck pulled out of our old driveway and into our new one (and then into a second new one), and I can't wait to tell you about it, but first I need to unpack these horrible boxes. 

I hope all is well. Please stay tuned! 

Something(s) I'm Looking Forward To

Remember that "30 days of blogging" list I was working on? This is day 10:

• Getting my current house packed up.
• Receiving and signing the lease for the new rental.
• Unpacking.
• Going to Ikea.
• Settling in so I can start crafting more.
• Exploring a new city.
• Visiting family.
• My first concert (Sara Bareilles & Joshua Radin).
• Harry Potter.
• The birth of my dearest friend's new baby boy.
• Having an address to mail things to. ;)
• Getting to know my fellow bloggers.

What are somethings you're looking forward to?

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

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.