Homemade Friday: Etsy shop update!

I'd like to have something a bit more concrete to show you other than stuff I'd like to sell, but sleep wasn't happening last night so I'm moving a bit slow.

My daughter, for the past two nights has woken up in the middle of the night and last night she wouldn't go back to sleep and so my husband went up after I'd already tried laying next to her for an hour and a half with no success.  But my daughter is a Mama's girl to a ridiculous extent and would not be consoled so Chris just brought her down to our bed where no one slept for an hour and then my husband got up because it was already 4:30 and he's insane but Adele and I went back to sleep and I woke up with her foot in my neck because I live in a house with people who are incapable of staying still when they sleep and who toss and turn and roll around and end up with their foot in my neck.

So anyway, all I have for you today is a shop update.  I've been making things - jewelry and such - fairly regularly but updating the shop always takes a bit more work than I think it's going to.

But it's done.  For now.  Please to be enjoying and sharing!

(Also - please by stuff!  Tell your friends!)

(Also again - I think it's naptime.)

Here's the link:

jaimalaya's shop of curiosities or maybe just jewelry and baby sweaters

Or you can get to it by clicking that box on the top right of the blog.

I had plenty of all-day TV days as a kid and LOOK AT HOW FANTASTIC I AM

I'm off of work for the month of July because things kind of slow down a bit at colleges in the summer.  And by 'a bit' I mean a ridiculously large amount.

I worked at WKU for a few years in the Career Services office.  I loved it.  I loved working with students and I loved being on campus and I loved what I did.  That's one of the reasons I'm excited to be back at a college.

But summers are slow, so I understand why I have to take a break.  However, I'll miss my coworkers and our discussions and I'll miss leaving the house and feeling like I contribute to something I strongly believe in.  (I know - I strongly believe in contributing to the growth and development of my children as well.  But it's different.)

I'll also miss the paycheck.

I'll be back to spending my days with my babies (who really aren't babies anymore but will forever be 'my babies.').  I think - I hope - that it will be easier this summer than in the past.  I feel more relaxed myself, and less likely to have a panic attack at the thought of taking both children to the pool by myself.  Or out in public by myself.

Plus Adele is older now and a bit more reasonable.  I think we might actually be able to do things this year.  Or at least not spend the days staring blankly at each other waiting for one of us to think of something fun to do.  My suggestions are always "Go read!  Go play outside!  Go take a nap!" Adele's are "Eat Candy!  Watch Frozen again! Play babies! Kick Sebastian!" and Sebastian's are "Watch TV!  Play video games!  Draw! Hide from Adele!"

Maybe if we can keep the fighting to a minimum we'll have some fun. So I'm looking forward to this time.  I probably will not have a craft a day or scheduled hourly activities and we will most likely have a couple of all-day TV days because Mama is tired.  But I think everyone will survive.

Me Made May 2014 - a wrap up

Sebastian is graduating from kindergarten today so don't ask me how I'm feeling.  (Sad.  I'm feeling sad.  I said don't ask.)

So instead of reflecting on the fact that my baby is entirely too grown up, and how when he was brand new I used to picture kindergarten and how far off it all was and that wasn't that just yesterday?  Like for real? No - instead I will let you stare at pictures of me standing in front of my poorly-lit bathroom mirror.

I think I did well for MMM14.  I hit my goals and then some.  My husband is happy that it's over with because now I can do things other than sew.  Like yesterday, on my day off, I sorted through boxes and totes and more totes of clothing that the children had outgrown.

(In hindsight that probably wasn't the best thing to do when also blubbering because MY BABY IS ALL GROWN UP.  Oh the feels I was/am feeling!)

So yes, the sewing will probably slow down some.  But it will still be there.  Of course it will.  If you want to see the very beginning of the month, you can find that here.

(If I knew how to create a slideshow out of all of these photos I would.  But I don't.  So I didn't.)

May 9 - Laurel Dress by Colette Patterns

May 9 - McCalls 5388

May 11 - Washi Dress by  made by rae

May 12 - Butterick 5217

May 13 - Sorbetto by Colette Patterns

May 14 - Sew Simple 1636

May 15 - Laurel by Colette Patterns

May 16 - McCalls 5388

May 17 - Clarendon Scarf

May 19 - Butterick 5217

May 20 - Sew Simple 1525

May 21 - Maritime Shorts by Grainline Studio

May 22 - Tiny Pocket Tank by Grainline Studio

May 23 - Scout Tee by Grainline Studio

May 23 again - Crepe Dress by Colette Patterns

May 26 - Washi Dress by made by rae

May 27 - Washi Dress by made by rae

May 28 - Sorbetto by Colette Patterns

May 28 again - jewelry by me

May 29 - Sew Simple 1525, necklace by me

May 30 - Puffed-Sleeved Feminine Cardigan pattern by Stefanie Japel and McCalls 5388

May 31 - Tiny Pocket Tank by Grainline Studios

May 31 again - ???

Homemade Friday: The Minecraft Creeper that won't knit itself

Have you heard of Minecraft?  It's a game that my son can spend hours and hours and hours playing, and one that I don't necessarily understand.  There are zombies and buildings and something called a 'Creeper.'  And apparently there are good Creepers and bad Creepers and House Creepers and a plethora of other Creepers.  I think.

So Sebastian is obsessed with it.  He draws them constantly, but at least now it's on paper instead of his bedroom wall or the couch pillow. And I believe that we're also going to have a Minecraft birthday party in a month.

A few months ago Sebastian asked me to make him a Creeper toy.  I'm not sure if he saw one or what, but he was definite about the fact that I could make one.  And not one to be deterred by things like not knowing what a Creeper actually was, I googled Minecraft patterns.

Guys.  I found one.  Very easily.

And so I started it.  And I worked on it.  And then I knit a little more.

I don't know why it's taking me so long to finish.  It's a simply pattern, but fiddly, you know?  There are just entirely too many pieces that all have to be knit and then sewed together and then stuffed.

The feet?  I think?

I just don't want to work on it.

But, I do because it is a cool pattern and my son will love it and appreciate it so much.  And it will be finished soon.  Hopefully.  I say hopefully because I've taken the needles I was using for the Creeper and started another fornicating deer hat for a friend.  (The people want what the people want.)

So if Sebastian asks the Creeper pattern is very complicated and detailed and that is why it's taking so long.  He's actually been really understanding about the whole thing, which shows you how sweet he is and how much I really want to finish this for him.