Mardi Gras

While I haven't been able to show much of the artwork Macadam routinely brings home from school, he's full of craft:). We've got a pile ready to go up on the wall but it's often projects like below that are most fun.

We made sure it was an early night but Mac definitely got his Mardi Gras on this year.

We interrupt this program

To breakaway from all baby, all the time programming, here's a little update on the design part of the household. We didn't expect to still be in this house when Macadam made his crib transition. Thus, we are in the process of finishing some last minute touches for his new residence.

You may remember that we were last working on this project whilst waiting for our overdue baby. Well, we completed it last night and I have to say, I love it. And here is why:

1. Rob and I worked on it together from start to finish, and we had fun doing it and figuring out just how to make these branches balance (thank you Rob!)
2. Macadam is already entranced by watching the birds and the branches sway
3. The branches come from the river bank at the house where my mom and aunt grew up, and from where I cherish so many memories
4. How it brings a sense of calm, peaceful movement and nature into the room

Next up are drapes and hopefully, he will be in the crib by the end of the weekend!

Baby burrito

Well, no baby today so that meant I had time to finish another project. Since we don't have a baby model for this, I had to substitute with a stuffed animal who is nowhere near the same size as a 3-6 month old, which is what size I made the blanket. Also below are pictures from the book of what the blanket looks like on a baby. It's purpose somewhat mirrors a swaddling blanket but I think it would be great to switch out the fabrics and make a hooded towel with the pattern.

As for the fabric, I found it at the fabric store that is, unfortunately for the bank account and much to Rob's chagrin, a mile away. It's part of a new line and I couldn't resist - it's such a whimsical and soothing print.

And now we wait

We are all about patience these days (yea right!) in the Fawsome household. Actually, Rob and I both know that the waiting game we're playing right now is really just a precursor for the lovely struggle our offspring will bring. Because there's no way we will get a child who's not stubborn as the two of us combined. That said, it could be several more days before baby Faw decides, or rather, admits that he or she is as ready as we are to meet.

After finally highlighting the last of my projects on my list as completed, Rob found me upstairs cutting more fabric. In disbelief he asked me what I was doing since I was allegedly all done with my list. I had now begun on my "if there's time" project list...all of which are baby-related, finally:).

With not much else to do, even Rob helped out on one of the projects. These birds will eventually be displayed as a mobile like this one (where I got the idea and the pattern in the first place).



I also finished my very own diaper clutch (a small, travel-friendly stash bag for a few diapers, wipes and balm). I have made a few for gifts but it was fun to make one for myself, although I didn't go all out with waterproof fabric.



If baby Faw still isn't around tomorrow, I plan to work on a couple of projects from this book - such cute baby and little kid projects, including more fabric booties.

And if you're on the same pins and needles that we and most of our friends and families are on, never fear, we'll be posting and emailing very soon after the baby arrives.

A fun foundation of blocks

Here's the latest project completed - plush building blocks. It turns out scraps of fabric have many uses...one of them being to create a mismatched set of plush building blocks. Using cat toys (thank you to a suggestion from Susan K.) for various squeakers, bells and rattles, the blocks should eventually provide entertainment for baby Faw. For now, they'll be noisy pillows and chew toys, be it for the baby or Buster (just kidding).



Only a few more little projects to complete, and that's if there is time, if not, no worries.

Dog days

It's getting rather obvious to us that Buster knows something is coming, and that he's none to happy about it. He's always been a little on the sensitive side but in the last few days he's taken to strange behavior, even for him. He's started hanging out in closets, especially at night. That's right, our dog won't come out of the closet.

In an effort to provide Buster his own space, I made him a little pillow bed that he could call his own and wouldn't disrupt our staged house (have to love leftover fabric stashes). We're hoping that when the baby cries or Buster's had his fill, he can at least seek refuge on here, rather than hiding in closets, or worse.

Blanket rehab

When my mom gifted us the ladder, I also received my old baby blanket. Seeing how it's close to thirty years old, it needed a little TLC and touch up, but really aside from the binding, it's in great shape. I have so many memories of this blanket from when I was little; it was a constant companion for me.

One of my favorite stories, mainly because it baffles me that I was that small at three years old, is when my dad "lost" me for several hours while my mom and brother went skiing. He couldn't find me anywhere, looking high and low. As it turned out, I was curled up, sleeping underneath the blanket in our living room. From the way the blanket looked, you couldn't tell that I was under there, it just looked like a blanket, crumpled up in a ball.

It will be interesting to see which blanket becomes a favorite for baby Faw and whether or not he or she will build an attachment like many kids do. For now, my old blanket will at least be ready for some more use. After taking off the old binding, or what was left of it, I put a new one on, a red one, for a little punch of color.

Whistle while you work

Like Snow White, I wish I had my own enclave of dwarfs right now to help me out on my sewing projects but alas, I do not. However, it's a little less daunting than it was last week.

I really thought I would have more leisure time while not working but in the end, between getting things ready, sewing baby items and gifts, and other odds and ends, it's been pretty busy. I am loving the time I have though since it's only down to a little more than a week before we will meet baby Faw (that is, of course, if he or she chooses to come on time or a little late).

Here are some pictures of some of my latest items, including the other pair of booties, some bibs and burp cloths. More finished projects coming soon!

Oh my goodness - aren't these cute?

It's been a busy first week with no work around here. Rob and I have done our best to spend some quality time together before he left this morning for Salt Lake but it would be nice to have him around more. I am excited that the Badger family is coming to keep me company this weekend. While it's highly unlikely that I will go into labor, it's nice to get to have good friends around, just in case.

It's a bummer that most of the projects I worked on this week were gifts since I can't share pictures yet. However, I just finished my first pair of shoes/booties for the baby, and man, they are so cute! I will have another pair with the fabric I shared earlier but here are my test ones.

Cute overload

Okay, well maybe it's not as good as cuteoverload.com but my latest fabric selection came in the mail and I am in love - it's a great little combination of jungle/farm animals, childlike but not sticky sweet-cute, and gender-neutral, classic colors. I thought I had curbed my fabric addiction but when this popped up online, I couldn't hold back. I mean, come on, I don't want to deprive our child of such finds, do I? Rob doesn't believe me that it was really a "mom knows best" kind of situation but he understands that sometimes I just can't say no to fabric. Luckily, I jumped on it because it's since sold out.

My original plan was for a blanket but now, after seeing the fabric in all its glory, it's hard to say whether it should be made into a wall hanging of some kind, bibs, a blanket or something else. Thoughts?

Update: Wall hanging it is and hopefully a bib and some shoes, we'll see!

A little more ready for little faw

When our plans had to change for the holiday weekend (Boulder and the new Mr. and Mrs. Wilbourn - we wish we were there), I decided to take advantage of the time both by relaxing and knocking out a couple of baby-related projects I had on my list. Below are pictures of my new diaper bag. I adapted this pattern and added a couple of features I liked but didn't want to pay for with this bag. And the second is a nursing cover (aka a hooter hider), which I knocked off from this popular version. (I am realizing there is a trend in my sewing habits:).)




Hope you had a happy 4th! Baby Faw went crazy from being in such close proximity to the fireworks show...we're hoping it was a good crazy and not traumatized in the womb crazy.

We live here?

We've been in the process of getting the house ready to sell and while we knew it would take a lot of work we didn't realize how much work that actually meant. Projects that have been lurking for two years suddenly needed to be done in two weeks, if not two days, and let's just say it was pretty daunting, in particular when one of you is entering the eighth month of pregnancy. Rob did some amazing work and between the two of us, the house is in the best shape we could imagine. As the final wafts of ammonia and trim paint leave the house, it's ready and on the market as of tomorrow.

In honor of our little abode and with fingers crossed that it will sell in prompt fashion, you can check out the collection of photos that were taken for the listing. While some of the staging isn't representative of our specific tastes (i.e. my master vision for the baby's room is currently on hold), it looks, and feels, wonderful and spacious.

Side note, living in a staged house is like living in constant fear that you're going to accidentally leave out your generic, non-lifestyle dish soap, bump a towel into disarray and never, ever get that pillow back into its original fluffy/firm ratio. Seriously, we're scared about living in our own house for fear of mess, which is an entirely foreign concept to both Rob and me. On the flip side, it's teaching us to be more thoughtful when we change our clothes, let alone leave the house since it has to be in pristine shape, just in case someone calls to see the house while we run an errand.

Shameless plug - if you know anyone who is looking to buy a great home in one of the best Seattle neighborhoods, have them call or email us.

Feathering the crib, part deux

Well, it probably would have been easier to buy it but the crib set, including the bumper, is now done! I am happy to have this off my plate. Even without a pattern, it turned out pretty well. It took much longer than I had hoped but nonetheless, it's done. The crib is officially open for business, or a baby rather:).

Off to start on the remaining projects including the diaper bag, nursing cover, plush blocks, bibs, blankets, gifts and more (seriously, I don't know what I was thinking). Like I said earlier, it's going to be a sweat shop here for the next month or so!

Chutes and ladders

When we first started thinking about the baby's room, I wanted to find an older, white ladder to use for displaying and storing baby blankets. Finding a decent ladder that would work well proved really difficult and I was so happy and grateful when my mom said she would take on the task. Discovering a fantastic old-growth fir ladder that was hiding out on the family homestead, my mom whipped it into shape and cut it down to be just the right size and exactly what I wanted! We put it the room when we got back from visiting and it looks great. Add to that a wonderful crocheted baby blanket that my maternal grandmother made for me when I was a baby and you have a family heirloom in the making! Thank you Mom!

Feathering the crib, part one

I realize now that when I was first pregnant, I was overly ambitious. It's somewhat relative to the amount I have ignored the reality that labor will happen. When I look at my list of all the items I intended to make a few months ago I shake my head. As in, what was I thinking? And this was before things got even busier with some other changes we're making in the house category.

Nonetheless, all the supplies and fabric have been purchased so my sewing area will need to be a part-time sweat shop in the coming two months. Last week I decided to take on what I felt would be the hardest, the crib comforter. In many ways, it was really simple, it was just the covered cording (below), that was intimidating me. The end result though, I love. Of course, I see all of my, thankfully small, mistakes but it turned out just right for what we need. Rob and I are both thinking I will need to make one for us sometime, in the least, a throw for the couch. I used bamboo batting for the fill, and it's so incredibly soft and cozy. Plus it was much more economically feasible than the crib sets I liked. The beauty of sewing is that you can knock off what you like to a degree, which is exactly what I did.

Part deux of feathering the crib will be the bumper and hopefully a mattress, and then on to a few more, okay several more, projects.

More pictures of this project and others are up (and will be) on our Flickr photo stream (see to the right) along with our day trip to Whidbey Island and Fairhaven (home of the best French toast, ever).

Before and after

The last piece of furniture for the baby's room we've been searching for is the rocker. We doubted the whole room could be furnished by Craigslist, but we were wrong. We made another ideal find. It was a ridiculously good deal and after a couple of hours with some great fabric, it's like a brand new chair.

Here's the before:


Here's the after:


It turned out pretty well, and the fabric just makes you want to believe that we'll have sunshine year round. Hopefully it will be a nice little nook for Rob and me to sooth the babes in the future.