tiny

Wouldn't you just love to receive these tiny little packages in the mail?

Me too!

picky

I am going to talk about zits in this post- so if you are easily disgusted, stop reading, and for the rest of you, prepare to be thoroughly grossed out.

I am disgusted by my zits. When I have a breakout, I don't leave the house because I am disgusted by myself. And if I do have to go anywhere public, I am in a constant state of anxiety that Other People can see my face. I'm also a chronic picker. I love to pick. Scabs, blackheads, zits, dry skin, whatever. When I was a teen, my mom would make me let her pick my blackheads. "They are screaming at me!" she would say. And they do scream- until they are gone.

Danny is oh-so-lucky that his skin is perfect- I never feel the need to pick on him. Instead I have to ask him to get the monsters that appear on my back that I can't reach. And then I scream bloody murder, because those suckers hurt! Sometimes after he is done torturing me, I ask to see if he has any back zits. And he never ever does. I just gaze at his perfect milky white skin and I get so jealous.

I talked about it in this post a few weeks ago. Since using Kiehls, my face has gotten a ton better. And by combining the Ultra Face Wash with my Clarisonic on a daily basis, my skin has started to heal all the old acne scars and my breakouts are minimal compared to a few months ago. I made myself promise not to pick my face as much so that this new routine can work. I want to have healthy skin so that I can wear less to no makeup and feel good about myself. I know that I will always have some acne, but it's getting better and that makes me hopeful.

Last week, I started to get a cystic zit on my chin. Like I said- nothing helps those cystic monsters. And it's so SO hard for me to leave them alone. But I haven't touched it. And today, I had to give it it's own zip code. It's out of control. It's huge and it looks ready to pop- but I know better. Cystic ones never pop- they are just full of fluid and the more you squeeze them the more badly they scar. I really really want it to go away! I feel so gross, and I don't want to go anywhere or do anything until it at least goes down and isn't so 3D.

This is such a lame post. But I'm posting it anyway cause it's been on my mind all weekend long.

bizarre

Have you heard about Parkour for Lazies- the British game of lying down? I found this a few months ago- but I always forget to play! (or am too embarrassed, or know that Danny would refuse to participate)

So all you have to do is lay on something, anything- as if you were standing up. So toes pointed toward the ground, arms to your sides.

Hilarious.

Anyone wanna join me? Let's be Parkour buddies! The photos will embarrass the hell out of our children when they are teenagers!

The dude in the bathroom kills me!

The freezer case is my fav. Followed closely by the one at Knott's Berry Farm. If it hadn't been raining cats and dogs at Disneyland, I so would have made my mom take pics of me being lazy!

(link)

dive

How amazing is this underwater sculpture installment?

It kinda reminds me of the Spiral Jetty, by one of my favorite artists Robert Smithson. I love how he made "green" art in nature. This Jason guy takes it to a whole new level...

Kinda eerie.

I don't think I'd want to see it in person. Then again I don't ever want to dive underwater for any reason ever. Deep water freaks me out.

And nature takes it's course. An ever changing work of art. I love it!

Also kinda reminds me of the men on the Flying Dutchman.

(found via google reader, link here)

growing

I want this in my house right freaking now.

While you are making it for me with your mad carpentry skills, I will be looking for chunky vintage books to put on it.

Okay? Go!

(found on google reader, link here)

(I have finally finished painting. So today I get to put my sewing room back together! I have a few other things to wrap up in there before I can take pictures of the new dreamy sewing room so stay tuned to see the "after"!)

paint, escalators & a new baby

I spent yesterday sleeping in (see below) and edging my sewing room in blue paint. I am now ready to roll! (pun intended)

I spent Monday chasing this little one all over the hospital for 3 hours while his brand new baby sister was being born- can I have babies with dark curly hair? Please?

Yes I filled his sippy with apple juice to the top and let him drink the whole damn thing in 30 minutes. It made him happy.

And yes, I paid the price with the resulting stink bomb diaper from hell. I haven't changed a poopy diaper since Mal was a baby. (20 years ago. Eeek) I did a good job, I think- he was a lot happier afterwards.

We rode up and down the escalators for an hour or so, then he wanted to climb down the up and up the down. I told him that just because he got a new sister didn't mean he needed to sacrifice his little fingers. So I trapped him in this spot- and he actually liked it. Most of the people that were going up would wave or tap on the glass. Lifesaver, those escalators. How many times in a row can I spell escalators wrong? 4.

So today, I will be rolling away in my sewing room, turning it a nice shade of Tiffany blue. Then Loo-loo and I have a lunch date. I'm thinking Kneaders...or maybe In n Out. I'll let her decide.

randomness

It feels so good to pull on a pair of comfy pants after a long day in skinny jeans.

Whether it be 5 minutes or 5 hours, every time I sit on our couch I get covered in cat hair head to toe. It's not the couch. It's the cats that latch on to me the second I sit down. I try my very best to de-fur before leaving the house. A long time ago when I worked at Starbucks, I arrived only to have my manager say "I see you've brought your cat with you today." She was a cat hater.

The other day Danny and I tried Este pizza for the first time. It was really good- but they had the most hideous music playing. A reggae (shiver, gulp, retch) band covering Radiohead. Most horrifying. Next time we will order out.

Having my sewing room all torn up is depressing. I need to get it back to normal asap.

In any movie context, squiggly tentacled octopus-like flying bad guys/demons/harbingers of death drive me crazy. Who in the world started that whole trend? And why does it bother me so?

Movies that have them- the Matrix, Hell Boy, War of the Worlds, Star Trek, and even Buffy- to name a few. Make it stop.

I saved up my birthday and christmas cash and got me some new boots. They are the most comfortable boots I have ever owned. I even took Van for a long walk in them- no blisters, sore toes, or arch pain. So if I wear them everyday, don't judge me. Besides, I need to get my money's worth.

P.S. do you see my clearer, smoother skin in that photo? I always have to photoshop out my blemishes and scars. I knew this new skin regimen was making my skin clearer, but I didn't realize that it was also helping my scars heal! Yea!

wtf?

I tore apart my sewing room.

I ripped up the carpet, the pad, the carpet tack. The old, stained and kinda gross original wood floor is now completely exposed. After I swept up all the splinters and rusty nails, I took a look at my new floor. What, did someone get murdered in this room? (my tv Ph.D in Law & Order and minor in CSI education tells me yes.)

"What's wrong with me?" I thought at 11 p.m. Saturday night, "I had a perfectly organized, clean sewing room. Who cares if it's tan and there is a section of carpet missing? There are people that don't even have sewing rooms. There are people that don't even have a place to live. I am such a brat! Was it really that annoying?"

I guess it was. It really doesn't matter now. So I kicked myself into a second wind, and got the 2 coats of primer cutting in done. I entertained myself by watching old Charmed episodes (totally hate Shannen Doherty. Then I think, well maybe she's not so bad. Then back to I totally hate her) and listening to Slacker Radio on my iPhone. Which BTW, I can't decide if I like the newest Band Of Horses album. A song will start, and I go "Eeeeeee. Kinda don't like that note he's hitting." And then I think, "but maybe it's ok- it took like 10 years for me to like Modest Mouse." Which BTW, I love my new iPhone. I never used to use my old one as an iPod, but with this one I do it all the time. Part of it is the waaay better headphones that came with the phone.

Anyway.

What started all this craziness was me sitting in my sewing room after I had just cleaned it. I looked around- ugh, I hate that missing corner of carpet. (we had to cut it out because I have very naughty kittens that peed and peed and it was the only solution.) So 3/4 of the room had stupid white carpet and the other 1/4 was the aforementioned wood floor.

I like to sit and think in my sewing room. I like to look at all the pretty things, all the new fabric. About what I want to make next. About solutions to problems. And it's almost like I kept getting interrupted by that empty spot. And the tan walls are okay- it's just so not my color. I want to sit and stare at a different color.

So I proposed my idea to rip out the carpet out and re-paint the walls to Danny as soon as he walked in the door on Friday evening. He said it was fine as long as I didn't expect him to help. And I didn't- I actually wanted to do this by myself.

And then 11 p.m. on Saturday happened. Man, I go overboard.

But it will be so perfect when I am done. It will be such a beautiful and functional sewing room- one that I won't feel ashamed of if people want to come over and see my stuff. (Which has been happening more and more lately.) And then I get questions like "Is that throw-up on the floor?" Ugh, (gulp) yes it is. I swear that wasn't there when you called. Let's go into the other room, shall we? I'll just grab what you wanted to see...

Because (I know you want to hear this) Kobe cow-cow puked twice a day for over a year. Mostly in the sewing room. That's one reason we kept the 3/4 carpet in there as long as we did. That's also why she dropped down to 5lbs. I didn't want to take her favorite place to puke away- a place that we could hide if we needed to. But then my vet tech sister got her some kitty Pepcid and no more puking! So, now I could get rid of the carpet I hated so much.

And I did think about doing something about the stained floor. I googled how to paint wood floors and how to re-stain them. Nothing is easy- or cheap. Besides, we rent. And in researching DIY refinishing wood floors, I kept seeing photos of DIY refinished furniture- resting on a floor that looked an awful lot like my stained floor. So whatever. It's in. And I didn't have to do a thing.

P.S. ripping out 50 year old carpet tack sucks. That crap splinters everywhere- and rusty nails go flying. We now are the proud owners of a crowbar though. And I got a workout. My uncle Dave says that anything that makes you sweat can be counted as a workout. And he does Ironman stuff and fixes my teeth with his high tech tools for next to nothing so I think he is probably right.

P.P.S I'm kinda sad that Seriously So Blessed is over.

seriously?

Apparently, I have taught Loo-loo a new word.

Seriously.

Usually when she is frustrated she says poop and pee. Ex. While navigating through the tiny aisle of the airplane, she said poopandpeepoopandpeepoopandpee from the back of the plane to the front of the plane, and she got louder as she went. And I let her because at least she was moving.

So on Wednesday we went to Dan's (grocery store) to get her some valentines for her friends, and she picked us each out a 20 oz soda, and I made her carry them to the car. As she followed me, with her hands full, she kept yelling at me "Seriously?!" but it sounded more like "Sicily?! SICILY?! Sicily?!" and when she finally got to the car she said "GEEZ!"

Quite a step above poopandpee. It's a good thing I haven't taught her any swear words.

And here is a little video that she made. I hope it makes you as happy as it makes me! If it were a perfume, it would be eau de parfum loo-loo. Fully concentrated, a little goes a long way, your scarf will smell like it for weeks.

classic loo-loo from freshfromthebakery on Vimeo.

tuesday with van

I texted Nan Monday night, and begged her to let me watch Van on Tuesday.

(It worked!)

He is teething, so he is a little cranky. I could only keep him happy with my loud lens for a bit, wanna see?

I got to feed him his 2nd day of sweet potato baby food- he loved it! Obviously, I left a little bit of it on his nose for this photo shoot. Oops.

This baby's poppa can do this funky origami folding thing with his tongue- is it weird that I know that? Anyway, from the look of this photo- Van is well on his way!

After my camera was no longer entertaining, we went for a walk. Have I mentioned how much I love BOB strollers? I decided a long time ago that I really want one (when we need it) even though I think they are ugly as hell. Okay, Gracos and such are way more hideous. But seriously. Sidewalk cracks, huge puddles, curbs, snow, whatever- they are no match for those knobby 18 inch tires. And pushing it one handed- very smooth.

Outside is way better than inside. See? I finally got a few smiles once we were outside. So glad it was nice and warm today.

Isn't it silly that in January 43 degrees is considered wonderful and nice? "Cool!" I thought as I checked the temp today before leaving, "I don't have to wear my hoodie under my coat, or put my 2 pairs of gloves on, and I can wear my converse instead of my boots!"

I can't wait for this snow crap to go away!

miss chloe

(Yes, I think I may have a problem.)

I saw this wonderful doll on the Wee Wonderfuls website- I was really hoping she'd be in the book, but she is not. Nevertheless, I bought the PDF pattern anyway, and went to town!

(photo from the wee wonderfuls website)

I fell in love with her mostly because of her hair. Loo-loo has beautiful blond hair that has a little natural curl to it- so different than the rest of our family. This is the kind of doll I wanted to make for Loo-loo originally- remember the one I made for her last year for her birthday?

Yeah, this one is much better!

This is the first dress I made for her- it's the pattern that came with the doll. But I don't like it. It's cute, but I just wanted something- different. I took a gamble and used this pattern, just 15% smaller. I didn't know if it would fit- I am SO glad it worked out!

This is a much more Loo-loo like doll, dontcha think?

Hello.

Her hair is a natural wool yarn, braided then soaked in warm water to shrink it slightly, and to give it those perfect waves.

As I was cutting it up to make the hairstyle, I kinda felt like I was working with dried ramen noodles.

It really is a cute dress, I will just have use it for one of her friends!

summer song quilt

My friend Kim is having a baby girl (next week!) and the quilt I have been working on for her is finally finished! (great timing!)

I love, love, love this collection of fabrics- Summer Song by Riley Blake. My mom and I about died when it came out last spring- I wanted to make a quilt so badly with the whole collection, but I already have 3 (!) quilt projects lined up- so I would just oogle it whenever we would see it at the fabric store.

Then back in November Kim asked if I could make a quilt for her baby girl- and I highly suggested this collection. Little did I know that by then it had been discontinued (of course) so I had to hunt to find it, (thank you etsy!) but I did. And I am beyond excited to give it to her!

Front

Back (I always like to do a little something with the back, so it could be reversible.)

Holly @ Elaine's Quilt Block did a very fine job at machine quilting it, as usual. I love her!

Seriously. In love. Do I have to give it away?

Since this was such an easy design to piece and sew, I had to add a little appliqued tree with her name embroidered to the back...

Gorgeous.

Congrats Kim! You made a very fine choice- and I loved every minute making it for your precious baby girl!

face time

(I've been meaning to do this review for months- I finally have some good results, so it's time!)

I got the Clarisonic skin brush 6 months ago. My 30's has introduced me to the horror that is adult acne. At the time of purchase, I was desperate for anything that would help. I figured that spending that kind of cash would do the trick. (Don't get me wrong- I love my Clarisonic, it just didn't solve the problem on it's own. I highly recommend one if you have the money.)

I was using it twice a day, with salicylic acid face wash. I also use MD Skincare's Alpha Beta Daily Peel at night, and their All-over Blemish Solution. My pores did shrink, and my blackheads got way better- only a few remain, and if they are bugging me I can get them out easily without making them erupt into monster zits.

My main problem is the cystic acne. Terrible monsters. They look and feel like normal whiteheads and then BOOM! They turn into gigantic painful red lumps that refuse to go away and leave awful scars behind. Pick them or not, the end result is the same. Looking like a pizza face teenager, and my favorite, scars.

(for years I used Proactiv. I finally realized that it just made my skin worse. I replaced it with MD Skincare stuff. It has worked great, but does not help with the cystic acne, and it's damn expensive.)

After 2 months of not seeing any difference in the cystic acne, I got lazy and dropped the use down to once a day. Then every other day. After a few weeks of this- they got better. Laziness paying off? That never happens.

Okay here is the really good part. My friend Kelly just got a job at the Kiehls counter at Nordstrom. So I checked out their website to see if they had anything interesting. I had always written them off as being too expensive, I'd never even looked at a price tag. So in checking out their website, I actually found quite a few items that might help my terrible skin.

I set off to Nordstrom last Wednesday to see Kelly and to buy some new face stuff. I was bound and determined to buy the Blue Herbal cleanser, toner, and moisturizer- a triple whammy on my oily and stubborn skin. I could get all 3 for around $60- a screaming deal compared to the $90 All-over Blemish stuff that I have been using forever. I love it, but if something could work better for less- I'm all over it!

Kelly advised me away from all 3. Said it would dry me out way to bad. "But I'm SO oily!" I said. "Trust me," he said. I ended up getting the Ultra Facial cleanser- super simple, non drying, no salicylic acid, just basic face wash. I also got the Blue Herbal Moisturizer, and the Blue Herbal Spot Treatment. I have never used moisturizer- I'm so oily that I never get dry.

After ONE day. Let me say that again. After ONE day of using the Ultra cleanser with the Clarisonic, then my usual Alpha Beta Peel, followed by the moisturizer and the spot treatment, my face was clearer. I had a few budding monsters and that spot treatment stopped them dead in their tracks. The ones that were already present are healing without getting worse first like they always do.

Now, I know there are a ton of products out there that may give me great results. But I'm not willing to pay $30 for a tiny tube of spot treatment. I kinda don't care if it works- it's too much money. But the Kiehls Blue Herbal Spot Treatment is $16. The Ultra cleanser is $18, and the Blue Herbal Moisturizer is $23. I can handle those prices. I'm thinking I may replace the Alpha Beta Peel with a toner, and go all Kiehls but I'm gonna ask Kelly which one he'd recommend.

A huge, giant shout out to Kelly- you saved my skin. I will be seeing you often- much to the disappointment of Sephora.

Now if I can just do something about my hair...

I love books...

...especially children's books. I already have a collection of them- I say they're for our future children, but really- they are for me.

So when I became the book buyer for my last job- it was like a dream come true. And after awhile, I realized that I had some inside hook-ups on finding out-of-print books.

My favorite book as a child was "Mouse House". We would go to the library all the time, and I would always get it. My mom told me that while staying at my grandma's while something was being done to our house, she got that book for me so that I would be entertained long enough so that she could leave me & loo-loo so she could run an errand.

Neither of us could find it, even with my hook-ups. Do you know how many kids books are titled "Mouse House"? Lots. So I gave up.

A few weeks ago I was searching the Wee Wonderfuls website looking for a photo of a doll she had made that I wanted to show my mom. She is always buying old books and going to the library and blogging about her great finds. In looking through her archives- I found this post, about the illustrator Adrienne Adams. Click it!

Okay- there it is! My favorite childhood book! I screamed "MOM! I FOUND IT!" Of course she thought I meant the doll, and was confused as to why I was so excited. The she came over and saw what I had found. I clicked on the photo so I could see who the author was. I googled it, and found an old library copy on Alibris. A week later, I had my fav book back in my hands, back in my life.

I climbed into bed that night to read the book. It was a lot longer than I remembered- no wonder my mom picked that one to keep me busy!

The book is about a little girl that receives a red brick mouse house, complete with Mr. & Mrs. Mouse- but becomes bored with it because the toy mice don't move or play. Then a real baby mouse from her pantry goes looking for a new house for his family because the broken flower pot they live in is too small for family. It's very cute, very old fashioned, and published in 1953.

Now I really want to make a mouse house play set for me. Every detail is covered by the amazing illustrations- it would definitely be a project.

Worth every minute though...

oh penelope

I'm kind of obsessed with this book.

Isn't she adorable? I had to make one. Had to.

Meet Penelope.

Loo-loo named her while we were watching the movie Penelope- have you seen it? It's so cute- and I want her bedroom. Really do. That swing! Ohhhh.

Anyway.

Since I don't have or know any little girls readily available to be my model, I had to hang it on the wall for an action shot.

Such a sweet face, and the hair...so cute and so easy.

I have been coveting the new Moda fabric line called It's a Hoot, and I think it works perfectly. All I had to buy were 5 fat quarters and some felt. This was a really fun, really easy project.

Another fun little girlie thing to go in my already huge collection of Things For Our Future Children. Just so you know I have everything for a play kitchen- except the kitchen. Play food, silverware, plates, pots, pans...and when the time comes, I have a DIY to make a play kitchen.

not yet

Bella (my parents dog) almost died last Saturday night.

I got a text from my sister telling me that she had stopped eating, was just laying on her bed, and had trouble breathing. She was on an IV, and probably wouldn't make it through the night.

I put on my leg warmers and headed out the door.

The night was spent on my parents living room floor. Layers of couch cushions, pillows and blankets made makeshift beds for Mal and me, with my mom on the couch. We sat and talked, took turns sleeping. Well, except for me. I can't sleep at night unless I take my meds, and I didn't take them on purpose- I needed to stay awake. I needed to listen to her breathing- when it got bad, I would softly stroke her head, so she could go back to sleep.

I have been dreading/preparing for the day that cow cow goes. She's been sickly- we can't take her to the vet cause she might just die on the car ride there. She was only 5 lbs (cause she was puking everysingleday!!!). But we got her better- she takes kitty Pepcid twice a day and has to eat this really rich and fattening wet food that is freaking disgusting and if she farts on you-whooooeeeeeee. Start repenting cause you will probably DIE.

But she's up to 7 lbs as of today!

Anyway...

Bella has a large mass on her liver, and there is something wrong with her intestines. Mal and the vet she works with thinks it's cancer. She's only 12.

After a few shots of steroids, some broth and chicken- she started to walk again late Sunday evening. She eventually had her IV taken out and is doing much better. For how long is anyone's guess, but for now she is almost her old self. She wags her tail and is happy to see me.

Poor Bella. I though for sure Kobe cow cow would go before her. I am so grateful that she is doing better- we weren't ready to let her go so suddenly.

I am also very glad to have spent last night sleeping in my warm comfy bed with my warm comfy husband. (is it rude to call him "comfy"? I don't mean it in a rude way.)