Martha Stewart Meets Psycho

To say the least, the house has been buzzing with creativity lately. I'm usually always into some sort of craft or decorating or getting a form of artistic high off of something. But everytime I get pregnant, it pretty much gets insane. Poor Davey, he probably misses his wife ;)

Over the last month I've spent hours in front of the sewing machine. I wanted to make Dakota a birthday dress for her in June. I made it the night before her birthday party without measuring her and also making up half the pattern as I went. I wanted a petal knot top with an a-line bottom. The next day when she got up I had her try it on and it was soooo way too small! I guess I'll always see my kids as little ones. So, I moved the pocket up, hemmed it six inches and turned it into a summer dress for Corissa.

Then I decided to stick by the rules and go by the pattern for her next dress. It was my first Pillowcase dress and I'm super happy with the way it turned out!! I love seeing her walk around in the things I make for her. I know how loved it makes her feel, because I remember my own mother making my clothes all the time. I felt so special.

A couple of weeks ago I made an apron for my best friend Pam. Her and Levi share a birthday (Happy Birthday Pam! I love you!) and I was going to give it to her, only once I was half way through it I realized the pattern didn't call for a lining! And that is so not right with me. So I finished it and kept it. Ironic for a person who finds cooking the most mundane and retched task in the world. Okay, besides dishes. But I guess they go hand and hand.

So after all this girly sewing, I started thinking that I really wished there was something cool I could make for Levi. I figured his birthday was right around the corner so I decided to make him a banner with his name on it. And this is my favorite thing yet. The pictures don't even do it justice. I think a big part of how much I love it is because everytime I look at it, it actually reminds me of Dakota. This was a really fun project that we did together. I did the sewing and she did the turning. Everytime I made a new piece, I would hand it to her and she would turn it right side out for me. She was really helpful! I love the bonding time I get with her when we do projects like this. The first thing I'm getting for the two of us once we get into the new house is twin pottery wheels!!! I'm going to pick up a cheapy one from craigslist and then get her one of the kids wheels from the craft store and teach her how to throw pottery, glaze, and use the kiln (which if anyone knows where to get a small, relatively inexpensive kiln, please let me know!). I can't wait!!

I loved his banner so much I decided to keep it up permanantly in his room over his new 2 yr old pictures (which are on their way!). This is what it will look like when the prints get here...

I always do a mock-up in Photoshop of a wall I'm ordering prints for first, just in case it doesn't look right, then I don't end up wasting money. This one I really loved the way it turned out so I went ahead and put the order in for pebble texture 8x10's. I started tearing Levi's room apart about two months ago because I was so tired of it looking like a baby room. I think this is so much more boy-ish for the little man-child.

Another thing I loved a lot that I decided to keep around are the center pieces I made for his birthday party. I always hate having just a plain table. Which I get asked about everytime someone comes over. "Do you always have a set table?" Yep. I'm really anal. Seriously. I am. I change my centerpieces for every season. Don't laugh! I know it's totally Martha Stewart-ish meets Psycho, but it's how I roll. Anyway, so his party centerpeices are now our dining room table centerpieces for as long as they'll last. It's just succulents and lavender I picked from my mom's front yard the morning of. But it smells sooooo good when you're eating next to them!!

So this I'm sure is just the least of it. I have six months to go people. I could re-decorate the entire house by then! Oh, by then we probably won't even be here. Well, wherever we are, I'm sure I will be decorating it like a mad-woman. I'm all about it!! For now at least. Ask me again in eight months when I have a 4 yr old, 2 yr old and 2 month old. You may get a slightly different response ;)