Not Quitting My Day Job

Have you ever wanted to be really good at something, but just weren't? It doesn't matter how hard you practice and try, you just can't seem to master it? That's me with sewing. I'm not bad at all of my sewing projects. I am actually pretty good with clothing patterns and simple undertakings like bibs and appliques. But I've been sewing for long enough that I should be really good at constructing and creating all of the things I put under my presser foot.

But alas, I'm not.

I have been wanting to make Penelope a sunsuit for a few weeks now. I found a few online printable patterns, but my printer wouldn't cooperate and I ended up with really tiny, askew shapes instead of workable pattern pieces. I've studied enough tutorials and have made plenty of simple dresses with my own stash of patterns that I felt confident I could make one without a pattern.

I used an outfit I already had as a template and worked on her sunsuit at night for a week. It was simple and came together easily. I had most of the outfit completed when I realized that it looked really big. I tried it on Beatrice and it totally fit her. Hmph. Undeterred, I trimmed down the sides and reconstructed everything. Still huge.

It's not good. The stride is really long and has a weird bunching effect. The open back is too low cut. The ruffle in the front is too high and frilly. The sides are narrow and loose. I messed up the whole thing and I can't entirely figure out how or where I went wrong. I am so upset about it. The wasted fabric!!

It looks really stupid on Beatrice, as you can see, but you should see it on Penelope. Oh my, it looks like a weird, huge potato sack with ruffles. I laughed. And then I cried. Not really. I still want to try to salvage it into a wearable outfit for Penelope, but I don't know where to begin. I will be purchasing a sunsuit pattern at Joann's immediately.

Ugh, why can't I just be good at this??? It has so much potential, dontcha think?

Nice To See You Too

I love nap time. It's a nice 2 to 3 hour break from the girls in the middle of the day for me to clean, prep dinner, and sew/crochet/online shop. I think most stay at home moms appreciate the break that nap time provides and relish the time apart, however they choose to spend it.

After my break though, I'm ready to see my babies. I bound up the stairs at the first signs of stirring from their rooms, ready to welcome them with snuggles and snacks. I can't wait to hold them and hear all about their dreams. Every single day though, I'm greeted with this:

A really grumpy girl who's not as happy to see me as I am to see her.

She wakes up crying and continues to do so for another 20 minutes. "Do you want a snack? Did you poop? Did you have a bad dream? Do you want me to rock you?" I prod her for answers, but all she does is cry and say, "back to bed." When I put her back in the bed, she flips out.

I hold her.

She hates it.

 

Is it me? I'm beginning to take it personally...

Treasure Hunt

The girls and I walked down to the clean beach this morning. We were in search of some fresh air and adventure and found a multitude of treasures along the way.

We found dead birds, dismembered crabs, and lots of fish bones. The girls were enthralled. You're probably wondering what kind of horrible beach did I take my children to. We also found live treasures like sea worms, tiny crabs, and other creepy crawlies from the sea.

 

We got nice and dirty digging in the sand in search of more sea life and shell treasures. We were on a mission.

The girls were thrilled with each new thing they found, but nothing excited them more than a piece of unlikely treasure half-buried near our stroller.

A spork. Beatrice has been asking about sporks for a few weeks now (she heard about them from her Veggie Tales movie), but has never seen one in person. She was so excited, she brought it home. There is currently a used spork in my dishwasher, which I'm sure will deliver food into my child's mouth at some point, much to my disfavor.

Used sporks and all, my girls are the best treasure hunters I know!

Weekend Adventure: Hermosa Beach Pier

We haven't been on a local adventure in awhile. Instead, we've been enjoying lazy mornings at home, playing on our playground, and hanging out with neighbors. Today though, I woke up feeling like I wanted to explore, so we got dressed and drove to Hermosa Beach.

The month of June is notorious for being gray and dreary in Los Angeles and is known as the June Gloom. When we left the house, it was 65, gray, and really foggy so I didn't plan for us to hang out on the beach. Hermosa has a large fishing pier that is connected to a busy restaurant and shopping district and is a great place to walk around and explore no matter what the weather is like. That was our plan today.

The girls got gelato and I got an espresso. We walked the pier with our treats and checked out the fishermen and the mighty ocean.

I love walking on piers. They are always full of people: tourists, fishermen, old couples holding hands, new couples on first dates, and people dedicated to physical fitness (these folks are often doing lunges up and down the length of the pier and doing push ups off the railing - strange, but so fun to watch). I always think that if I could ever go on a first date again (not that I want to, honey), I would want to go on one in California so we could walk a pier.

We walked the pier then crossed the bike path to check out the shops. It was busy and alive with activity.

The thing I love about California beach towns is that they are full of the local people that live here. Surfers, cyclists, professionals, celebs, coffee drinkers, mimosa drinkers, people without kids, people with lots of kids, and every other kind of person fill the beaches and piers and cafes and shops. Different people enjoying everything the same, magnificent California beach has to offer. I love it.

Despite just having had gelato about an hour before, we found ourselves having cupcakes at the sweetest cupcakery on the beach.

After making mental notes of all the eateries I want to try in Hermosa Beach (I'm a sucker for a gourmet taco stand), we ditched the stroller and headed for the beach. The gloom lifted and the blue waters were calling us.

 

We didn't have suits or blankets or buckets or shovels, but we pranced in the water and dug our toes in the sand.

I love California. I love that I live so close to numerous beach towns that are each unique and have their own personality and vibe. Exploring this state continues to be my favorite weekend adventure.

Hermosa Beach, you were awesome.

Handmade

I make things. I can sew and crochet and through these hobbies, I make lots of things. When I'm invited to a baby shower, you can guarantee I will be giving handmade gifts.

I give a lot of baby blankets.

Hats.

Headbands.

Burp cloths.

And onesies. See? I make lots of things.

My new favorite baby shower gift is bibs. I make them with soft, thick fleece backing and funky prints.

I always feel a bit nervous when giving someone a handmade gift. Will they think it's too cheap or old-fashioned? Do they even like crocheted hats or appliqued onesies? Turns out, most people love one of a kind gifts.

We had a surprise baby shower for my sweet friend a few weeks ago and I went back and forth on purchasing a gift or making one. I ended up doing both, but the handmade gifts were definite favorites. That made me feel really happy.

I love making stuff, but I really love making stuff that people love. Consider buying a handmade gift for your next baby shower here.