enJOY it

we are closing escrow on our house today.

February 25, 2013

This has been a whirlwind. A 31 day whirlwind. We fell in love with the house on Thursday 1/24, nine days before Paul was set to leave for six months, and today it's going to be ours.

I am grateful for an ON TOP OF IT realtor, SUPER HELPFUL parents, FANTASTIC military packers & movers, a SUPPORTIVE & APPRECIATIVE husband, my UNCANNY organization skills & an ability to TRUST my gut on BIG decisions.

Today all of our stuff got loaded into a truck. This afternoon and tomorrow morning are about starting and stopping utilities, cleaning like a crazy person, changing our address on everything, taking a glucose screening test for the baby girl, setting up a PO Box for the business, dropping off the cable box, ordering lamps (like this and this) and most likely wandering Target to look at rugs.

And then it's on to San Diego for the next adventure. I cannot wait to get the keys to that house.
i love february.

February 25, 2013

fabric paper glue DIY storage baskets, mt casa tape, baby gap chambray shirt dress, handmade pearl ring, starbucks valentine ampersand mug, west elm anchor welcome mat.

Simple loves this month. Loving that anchor welcome mat, but waiting until we're in the house to start buying stuff that might work. Resisted that ampersand mug, but was pleased to get so many links on twitter to it. A big fan of wearing baby girl's birthstone on my own finger. Considering taping up stripes in her bedroom similar to this idea. Thinking I could use about 10 of those DIY storage baskets…
project life 2013 : week 7.

February 24, 2013

It's week seven and I love this project.

click the photo to enlarge for a somewhat clearer image.

Week of : February 11 – February 17.

What happened this week? It was Valentine week and while that meant very little as far as what we did, I decided to keep the LOVE theme alive and well with this week's 3×4 cards. I also finished up the baby quilt and had friends in town for the weekend.

Anything special in the spread? Two inserts this week. One is similar to what I have done before – I took a coin pocket page and slipped in 2×2 inch scraps of fabric from the quilt. I didn't have enough patterns to fill all the pockets, so I added in some extra little embellishments and sewed those pockets closed. The blurred out pocket is a letter sticker with the baby's initial.

Techniques this week : There is another insert as well – on Saturday, Paul's Valentine's card from Spain arrived. I, of course, cried at the mailbox and wanted to include it in the spread. I opened it and stuck it and the envelope in a horizontal 8×10 pocket page. The card floated around in there so I machine stitched around it to hold it in place. Love that you can see his handwriting (and the fact that he used a Christmas postage stamp), the front of the card and then his note on the inside.

Overall thoughts : I love the overall PINK and RED theme to this week which was semi-intentional. Love feeling excited about this project all over again in 2013. And a note about that heart pocket, that's a printable from Paislee Press that I printed on transparency. The "best year yet" is a peek at next week's spread that you just see through the heart.

Ratio of iPhone photos to "real camera" photos : 5 to 2.

Ratio of photos taken by Elise to photos taken by Paul : All were mine this week. BUT I have a bunch of photos from Paul that will be in next week. He took an off-base excursion and was thoughtful enough to grab a few shots for me.

Supplies used : Seafoam core kit, Studio Calico butterfly and hexagon stickers & heart wood chips, Elise Joy ps I love you stamp, Paislee Press printable card, Freckled Fawn swell wood chip, Meredith Tilton heart 3×4 card, A Pair of Pairs xoxo printable, Amy Tangerine diecuts (house and elephant), Elle's Studio heart die cut, Martha Stewart & Avery labels.

Tools used : Design A pocket pages, coin pocket page, horizontal 8×10 pocket page, Fiskars corner rounder, Zig Millenium pen, Rotatrim paper trimmer, Office Depot date stamp, staz-on ink. All photos were printed at home on my HP Photosmart 2575 printer on Office Depot semi-gloss photo paper.

Project Life is a memory-keeping system created by Becky Higgins. I use photos, text and stuff to document our life weekly. You can see all the posts from 2012 here and 2013 here. Do you have a question about how I am tackling this project? Check here.
twenty-eight.

February 22, 2013

Today I am 28.

Today I am writing this post from bed – on the actual day the post goes live. I wanted it to reflect the moment. This moment.

Today I am surrounded by boxes. Our house is packed up and waiting to move. I am packed up and waiting to move.

Today I am dealing with hoopla surrounding the Escrow closing. I have realized closing on a house is much like joining the circus only with less organization (on their part) and more hoops to jump through (on my part).

Today I will remind myself over and over to focus on the big picture. This hassle, these delays and this mess are so small compared to the final result. Someday, I'll look back and if not laugh, at least smile and shake my head.

Today I know we'll get there.

Today I felt baby girl roll around. I felt her kick. I felt her dance to a beat I cannot yet hear. Per usual, I teared up. It's overwhelming to feel so much love for something so tiny and for someone I have yet to know.

Today I will go to the doctor for my final appointment before we move. We'll see the baby and check her growth. My mom is with me and so today she'll see her first grandbaby and her first real ultrasound. That's pretty cool.

Today I will talk with Paul via FaceTime. This is birthday #2 in a row we've been separated by deployment. That's hard. So hard. But seeing him and hearing him makes it better. Today is another day we have to take one a time.

Today I am celebrating a birthday. I am happy to be reaching this age. I am tired and overwhelmed, but I am so looking forward to a new year. I am so looking forward to what is next.

Today I am 28.
27 favorite moments.

February 21, 2013

Yesterday I shared the things that made 27 special and today it's the moments. I added to and adjusted this list over a period of a few days. It always makes me a bit weepy to think back and this year was no exception. So much change. So much good. Here are 27 favorite moments from the past year that came to mind.

launching myself at Paul for the first time in seven months.

when we started really clicking as a couple again post-deployment.

waking up to 100 stamp sales that first day.

people watching over cocktails at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs.

turning cartwheels and having Paul show me "ninja rolls" in the dark on the beach one night after too many beers.

screaming along to "We Are Young" by Fun. at a friend's wedding.

seeing the beginnings of my first tomato.

eating my first backyard tomato with salt & pepper and realizing that "Surprise! I like tomatoes!"

watching the Olympics with Paul and coming up with drinking games to make the best of the awful commentary.

sharing my secret about the Seafoam kit.

reuniting with my college girlfriends for a crazy fantastic wedding.

having dinner with our best friends in DC (twice!)

sitting at a coffee shop in Little Italy and realizing we had to get back to San Diego, no matter what.

seeing a plus sign on a pregnancy test.

realizing I was no longer waking up nauseous in the mornings and that food sounded good again.

seeing our tiny baby's heart beat for the first time.

every single run of my mile a day challenge.

opening the Seafoam kit.

reading aloud to Paul from "The History of Everything."

finding out that our baby is a girl like I "knew" all along.

having Paul feel kicks from the baby through my stomach.

(if I am being honest, every single nudge and kick from the baby girl over the past six weeks would make this list. I cannot describe the magic of feeling her move.)

learning that baby girl is most likely just fine after it was recommended we get a level II ultrasound.

that night on the beach watching the magic sky.

opening escrow on the house of our dreams.

holding Paul tightly the night before he left.

last Monday, on my walk, when I was overwhelmed with joy about what's next.

p.s. here are the 26 moments from last year.
27 favorite things.

February 20, 2013

It's birthday week around here and I wanted to continue last year's tradition and share a list of things that made 27 great.

TimerCam app for iPhone / for sure my most used app. I've talked about this over and over but total go to for getting self-portraits with the iPhone.

Essie Ole Caliente nail polish / this was my color last spring and summer. I didn't even notice how frequently I wore it until I saw all my gardening photos together in this book. I can't wait to use it again this summer.

eggs over easy / I haven't been eating runny eggs since I found out I was pregnant, but these were my go to. For a long stretch there, when Paul came home for lunch we ate cheese quesadillas with two eggs over easy, sour cream and sriracha. So good. Runny eggs are my favorite and I can't wait to eat them again.

Chemex / We bought a Chemex shortly after Paul got home from deployment and never looked back. I even gave away our old coffee maker. See a video we filmed about the Chemex works here.

Sons of Anarchy / this show is so good. Almost too good. Paul
got hooked on deployment and then got me hooked when he returned. We are
caught up through season five and on the edge of our seats for next
season. I can't think of a show that has kept me so enthralled for five
seasons (and yes, that includes Dexter).

gardening / by far my favorite new hobby. I was so excited this spring to grow my first garden. Basil and tomatoes were my stand out favorites. I learned so much about plants and what works and what doesn't. I cannot wait to dig in (pun intended) again. Hoping to get plants going mid-March this year.

backyard tomatoes / these deserve their own mention in addition to gardening. I have never been a big tomato fan. And now that I have tasted backyard fresh ones, the way they are intended to be eaten, I understand why. I could eat backyard tomatoes like candy and will look forward to the two months every summer where that is possible from now on.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver / probably my favorite non-fiction book of the year. Inspired my eat local experiment and so many other thoughts about whole eating.

my taped desk / this was such a fun experiment. I think when I set up my new office it might go (it's starting to look a little worn) but I LOVED the bright color while it lasted.

Talenti salted carmel gelato / by far the best frozen treat you can buy at the grocery store.

diagonal stripes / pattern of the year for sure. 🙂

Great with Child by Beth Ann Fennelly / I have mentioned this book many times now, but it has to be on the list. Such an inspiring book about pregnancy and motherhood.

quilting / I was making quilts before this year, but I hit my stride with this hobby in the past six months for sure. LOVE pulling patterns. Love cutting fabric. Love sewing. But most of all, love cuddling up under a handmade quilt.

maxi dresses and skirts / I know. These would be on a lot of peoples' lists probably as they were trendy this past year. Love the comfort, love the ease. Love that they work on short folks and continue to work through pregnancy.

the Olympics / Paul and I watched almost all of the coverage this year. It was such a fun bonding experience and one of my favorite memories from the best summer ever – for sure.

Bloody Mary's / I became hooked this year. And then once I became pregnant enjoyed the non-vodka version just as much.

rubber stamps / the stamps are my favorite product and project ever. I have had so much fun creating functional designs that I want to use. Excited to see where this product lines goes in the future.

Les Miserables / finding out that the movie was coming out renewed my love for the soundtrack. I listened to it almost non stop in November and December. I enjoyed the movie very much, but I think the anticipation of it was even better.

Shirley Temples / totally my drink of choice since becoming pregnant. I had forgotten how great these are. And how fun they are to order at fancy restaurants.

yoga / this activity snuck back into my life and I am so grateful for it. Making time almost each evening to light candles and stretch has been good for my mind and good for my body.

Josie Maran sunscreen / this has become my go to. Natural, eco-friendly and fantastic. Not sure I'll ever change this up.

the Seafoam kit / I can't not include this. I worked on it for a good part of the year and now have the pleasure of using each week in my Project Life album. One of my favorite projects ever.

FaceTime / I can already tell this is going to make a huge difference in keeping Paul and I connected. Love walking up to a face-to-face chat with Paul every morning. It takes away the sting of him being gone just a little bit.

the big bookshelf / we had this before I turned 27, but I have really loved it this past year. By far my favorite piece of furniture in this townhouse. Based on the layout of our next place, I am not sure if I am going to be able to use it again in the same capacity but I am so glad that I finally got to live out my dream (from 2006!) of having one. 😉

grilled cheese sandwiches / now that I am not eating undercooked eggs, I
am eating a lot of cooked sandwhiches. We've started making them in the
oven open face. Right onto the top rack goes two pieces of wheat
sourdogh, both with cheese and deli sliced ham or turkey on top. The
bread toasts, the cheese melts and deli-meat gets cooked. After about
five minutes (at 450*) I pull them out, stick them together and enjoy.

beach rocks / collection of the year. So glad I'll have a jar to take with me to our next house to remember the 15 months we lived on a beach.

"I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be." – Groucho Marx. / my favorite quote this past year and one I have returned to often.

see last year's list of 26 favorite things here.
the walls are clear.

February 19, 2013

I pulled 53 nails out of the wall yesterday and today. It's a lot of wall art.

The site of frames stacked up makes me so excited. I love the idea of a total change up. At the next house, I'll line up every single piece of art we have on the floor and then pick which is going in which room. If I do my job right, nothing will be paired exactly how it was in this place.

Fresh starts are the absolute best.

…and speaking of fresh starts : I changed up the colors around the blog this morning because I couldn't sleep last night. Apparently the green was driving me crazy.
quilt for the baby girl.

February 19, 2013

This little quilt came together faster than expected. I guess when your husband deploys and your day job hits a lull, craft time goes through the roof. I was happy for the sewing distraction this past week and am so thrilled with the finished quilt. Really, this one is my favorite.

I ended up using three yards of patterned fabric for the top (1/4 yard of 12 different patterns – more information on the patterns can be found here). I had 16 rows of 21 triangles. The equilateral triangles were about 4.5 inches tall. The finished quilt is about 60×45 inches.

I lined the quilt with 100% cotton batting and backed it in gray. I machine-stitched all the pieces together along every diagonal line with pink thread. It took awhile, but this part is always my favorite. The stitches give it such definition. Every time I share a quilt on the blog, I get asked if I use a walking foot – I do not. I looked into one, but didn't find an attachment for my machine. I gather that a walking foot would help me manhandle the fabric through the machine and keep my lines straight, but after seven machine stitched quilts, I still see no need for it. I am happy with my imperfect lines. 🙂

I bound it all together with striped pink and white fabric (brand unknown – so sorry! I know it's a Japanese fabric). I love the striped binding so much.

This was the first time I tried machine stitching on my binding instead of hand stitching. I didn't do it to save time (though it was a HUGE time-saver). I did it because I think the machine stitching will hold up better. I imagine a baby quilt is going to need to get washed much more often than my other quilts and I want something I can throw in the machine and not worry about the stitches falling out.

I love the invisibility that comes with hand-stitching, but I hate that I can never seem to secure the binding perfectly. I don't want to have to "fix" a blanket that it meant to be used constantly.

I followed this tutorial for machine stitching the binding. I am totally happy with the look on top and 90% happy with the look on the back. On the top side, my stitching is pretty clean. On the backside, it goes off the border more than a few times. Not a deal breaker, but something I'll work to perfect on my next few quilts.

And, here's the sappy part… instead of signing my initials on the backside, I added a label with a note for baby girl. I used embroidery floss to "sign" on a piece of twill and then used a satin stitch on the machine to hold the twill in place on the front of the quilt. The satin stitching goes through to the backside because I added it last.

So that's it! A quilt for the little one to add to her two knit blankets. Annnnd, I am done(ish) on making stuff for baby. Creative energy for the next few months will be focused on setting up our new place and getting her nursery ready. At least, that is the plan.

Anticipating your questions : here is a tutorial for how I put together quilts. This is my sewing machine. The list of fabrics I used is here. More questions? Please ask in the comments.
these next few weeks are moving weeks around here…

February 18, 2013

…and I have normal posts planned, but will also be dropping in with random photos & thoughts.

For instance, I moved in to this house with one indoor plant (that top right one) and I am leaving with seven. During the 13 months we lived here, there were many (many) more, but these are the survivors.

I cannot wait to fill the new house with GREEN & HEALTHY plants.
a woven wall hanging.

February 18, 2013

My eyes popped out of my head when I saw this woven wall hanging on Rachel's blog. Super cool! Super easy looking! Super inexpensive!

Rachel has a tutorial for how to she made her "loom." I didn't have a drawer, but I had a piece of plywood and I hammered nails into it to create my own version.

I purchased cotton string from Target and used that to string the
base (just by wrapping it back and forth around the nails). Then I wove a variety of black, white and gray yarns that I had
left over from various projects through the string.

To get the almost checkerboard looking section, I wove a piece of
white and a piece of black yarn together at the same time. This part is
probably my favorite and was easy enough to do. Rachel recommended
not pulling the yarn to tightly as it will cause your weaving to pull
in too much which makes the edges crooked. She's totally right and even
knowing that and being extra careful, I still had problems and had to
redo parts to keep the edges clean.

I love the result though! I have already made a bigger, brighter one out of orange and teal yarn
that I can't wait to hang in the entry of our new house. It will be fun to
figure out where this one (and everything else we own) will go once we
start settling in.