Flannel Shirt Re-Do

After

I received this shirt in the mail when one of my best friends, Kirsten, moved to Laguna Beach, CA to be a nanny. Now that we're on opposite coasts, she wanted me to have one of her softest flannel shirts (that I borrowed all the time anyway!) and even gave me permission to fit it.

Before 

I've always had trouble finding shirts that fit. I can range from size small to large and some part is always either too tight or too baggy, thanks to nature's curves. So, if you have similar issues, this is a really easy way to fit any flannel or dress shirt so that it is actually flattering and doesn't look like it should be on a rail-thin mannequin. Or a boy.

Before

After

In the front, simply gather fabric right below the bust-line on each side. This step is super easy, I sewed mine while still wearing the shirt!

Back

For the back, I attached 2 buttons about 8 inches apart...

After 

  ...then I wrapped embroidery thread (think friendship bracelets) securely around each of the buttons and left enough slack so the shirt is form-fitting but still loose enough to move.

That's it! It only took a few minutes and now I get to wear my cozy, happy shirt all winter!

Homemade Gift for 2-year-old Boy

Back from Thanksgiving break in Chicago and Indiana. I got to see so many friends and family that I have missed dearly for months but I'm also glad to be back and trying to get stuff done! So, projects and blog time...

The little boy I babysit is turning 2 on Thursday and his mom is bringing him to my house to play with the other toddler I watch since they have become such close little friends! I wanted to give him a gift and since he loves playing with his dad's old Hot Wheels and we have plenty at my parents house, I  picked 6 of the coolest ones while I was home for Thanksgiving.

Gift sack that stands on its own (with Hot Wheels inside) and birthday card

I've always preferred used and homemade gifts - for giving and receiving - and I figured that now is the gift-giving time of year anyway and I had better start! To make this gift a little more personal than a simple hand-me-down, I made a gift sack and a card.

Bonus: Almost every part of this gift is used or re-usable so you don't have to worry about buying more expensive and wasteful crafting supplies.

Gift Sack (with Draw String)

Cut 2 piece of fabric the size you want the sack + a 1/2 inch on each side
 (I used an old upholstery sample and denim from old jeans)

Place the 2 pieces of fabric with the good sides in and sew 3 edge together
(Since this sack is mostly just to give a gift, I did not hem the 4th edge)

Optional: Square off the bottom of the sack

Cut small slits near top of sack but low enough to prevent fraying
(I cut 10 holes for this sack and, once again, did not finish them)

Thread a ribbon, rope or twine through though the holes
(In this  case, an old shoelace!)

Birthday Card

The card is pretty basic and can obviously be done many different ways. Since the birthday boy is only 2 years old, I made mine like a postcard with just a front and a simple, crayon-written message on back. No fancy, inside/outside folding cards here! I'm a simple girl at heart.

Supplies: Scrapbook paper, card-stock, basic computer paper,
Modge Podge (and brush),  glue stick and some old storybook illustrations I love. 

My favorite part about this card is the dinosaur, cut out from an old kid's book I found from the 70's. The book was in tatters but I cut out the pictures, realistic watercolors of pre-historic animals. I'm always trying to find a special project to use them because I like them so much.

The Whole Package

 Reusable Gift Sack + Recycled Hot Wheels + Homemade Birthday Card =
A pretty sweet, totally guilt-free birthday present

Happy Crafting!

Bath Time for a Sick Puppy

Part 1: The Sick Puppy

2 weeks after adopting our dog, Lady,  we found out that she was positive for heartworms.

I didn't know at the time how serious heartworms were. I thought they was on par with fleas: something you don't want your dog to have but more of a nuisance than anything else. Turns out, they're life-threatening and they're all over this region.

No one I knew ever had a dog with heartworms in Illinois or Indiana but everyone I talk to here has had a dog with them or at least knows someone who did. It's not really a surprise once you think about it. Heartworms are spread by mosquitos and, if there's one thing this area has, it's mosquitos (and chiggers and ticks and cockroaches...)

At first, we were really upset that the animal shelter mailed us her positive results 2 weeks after telling us that she had been tested and was completely healthy. Treatments cost around $800-$1,000 and are pretty miserable for the dog. I almost cried a few times thinking about if anything happened to her. It may sound pathetic, but Lady was the absolute BEST part of my new life in North Carolina and losing her so soon after falling head-over-heels would be devastating.

But then we realized that we got her from a kill shelter and that if they had seen her paperwork, she never would have lived for us to adopt her in the first place.

It's all about perspective.

So, here we are, a few months later. Lady has recovered from her treatment (2 low-level injections of arsenic!) and we were able to use money from our granny set up for my sister to cover most of the vet bills. Thanks, Granny!

Sadly, Lady can't run or get too worked up until after Christmas. And this girl lives to play fetch. Chasing tennis balls is her calling and she answers that calling with a vengeance.

But today we found an activity Lady can do: GET A BATH!!


Part 2: Bath Time

Since Lady's been wading in nearby Shelly Lake most mornings for the last few weeks, we figured she could probably use a good scrubbing before we head home for Thanksgiving tomorrow.

There's a local pet store called Unleashed that offers self-service tubs, products, supplies and even a grooming table for $15. If you live in Raleigh, I definitely recommend this place!

When you use the tub, you get access to their brushes, combs, nail clippers, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, eye cleaner, ear cleaner, ear lotion, paw & nose lotion, flea spray, de-tangle spray... anything you can think of and even some things you would never think of. And we used all of it- even the stuff we didn't really need. It was just so fun to use all these products for free!

Well, it was fun for us. Lady didn't enjoy it quite as much until the end when we dried her off and bought her salmon treats, the only kind she'll eat (she came pre-spoiled, it's not our fault). 

Very dry and happy girl. Notice how the tail is a blur?

On the blogging horizon: 

-A video of my dog playing with her new toy that only I will think is cute

-A post that isn't just about how much I love my dog

Homemade Dog Bed

I mostly want to use this blog for projects and ideas as a way to keep myself motivated and to share ideas with others. So, without further ado...

My beautiful Lady and her beautiful bed!

 She curled up and fell asleep only a few minutes after I finished making the bed

Why make your own dog bed?

When my sister and I adopted Lady- our wonderful 8 year old Blue Heeler/Pointer mix- 2 months ago, I knew I wanted to make or use resale items as much as possible for her. I try to buy as few store-bought things for myself, so why not do the same for my dog? If you're not particularly opposed to buying-new, however, there are several practical reasons to make your own bed:

Customized: Make it the exact size, color and fabric you want. Mine matches my bedspread!

Cheap: I used 2 old pillow shams and bed pillows that I didn't need. A pack of pillows from the store costs less than $4 but you probably already have old pillows laying around anyway!

Washable: Since the bed is really just a big pillow case, you can machine wash it.

Semi-disposable: If you have a dog that rips everything to shreds  why waste money on store-bought beds? Just use all pillow cases, bed sheets or even tablecloths and make a cover. If it gets ruined, make a new one!

Easy: How easy? Read below!

Making your own dog bed:

If you have sewn a lot before, this project is a walk in the park. But even if you don't sew much, this is a great beginning project because you can do it however you want and it doesn't require much attention to detail (it is for a dog, after all). Even if you don't have the same materials I started out with or you don't understand my very vague directions, basically, sew 2 pieces of fabric together and stuff it! I'm sure your pup won't complain...

What I used:

2 pillow shams (left from the previous resident and that match my bedspread!), 2 old bed pillows (less than $4 at any department store), my sewing machine and my dog (as a tester).

A very tired puppy waiting for her bed...

The Process:

I didn't get any step-by-step photos for this one and it's relatively hard to explain (though not hard to do) so I'll just lay out the basics. I cut off one edge of the long side of each sham and sewed the tops, bottoms and edges together SEPARATELY.  If you don't sew each part separately, you will basically end up with two sew-together rectangles and your dog won't be very comfy...

That's it. The complications come in the details though, as sewing each part separately can be pretty difficult with a machine depending on the weight and weave of the fabric you're using. That's why it's fine to do it however works best for you!

Enjoy!

Lady still using her bed 2 months later, as I type!

My Post-College Funk

I'm not delusional. I know that yet another blog by yet another twenty-something who's "just trying to figure it all out" is about as fresh and exciting as a FarmVille request on facebook. 

But, for me, starting this blog is a terrifying, ambitious and liberating endeavor that marks a significant change in my beliefs and habits.

Why is such an ordinary blog such a big deal for me? Let me tell you a tale...

6 months and 11 days ago, I graduated college. 

The following 3 months and 15 days were unforgettable. Weddings, road trips, a family reunion and countless incredible nights hanging out with all the people I love most. And I was ignorant enough to believe that- just like the few hundred dollars I had at the time- the good times would never end.

Then, 2 months and 27 days ago, the "real world" happened. Time to become an adult, a college graduate, a real person. In other words: get a job.

I decided to move in with my sister in Raleigh, North Carolina and start my new life there. And, oh boy, did I have high expectations for my new life! 

Now, I didn't so much expect a great salary or the opportunity to put my degree to good use- the media, economic reports and past graduates had pretty much put those hopes to rest- it was more that I just expected to become a completely different person. Really.

What does that mean? 

Here are just a few actual examples of the person I thought I might magically become when I changed my mailing address:

The Epic Hippie- I would weigh 20 lbs less (not actually lose weight, I just naturally weigh less in this reality) become a raw vegan and do yoga in the forest every day. ("What's that I see? A little bird? Come here, little bird! Rest on my shoulder and sing me your forest songs!")

A Really Professional Young Professional- I would snag some super fancy job, start drinking lattes and only wear the type of clothes that people describe with polite synonyms for boring (e.g. muted, sensible, moderate, plain). Oo, and pencil skirts! And- let's not get crazy- but maybe even a blazer on really important days!

B.A. Bartender - There's really only one important distinction between this girl and my real self: I would be significantly less awkward! I would be assertive, decisive and maybe even be able to talk to a stranger without weirdly touching my face or contorting into strange positions.

Hardcore Environmental/Human Rights Activist - My radical views and complete indifference to mainstream society would allow me to finally just buzz my head. (We all know it's gonna happen sometime...)

Apprentice Horse Whisperer- "What's that, Mr. Redford? You think I have the gift? And... you... want my hand in marriage?!" 

A Runner- This one may seem the most attainable but, trust me, it's not.

All of these, and more, are actual scenarios and alter-egos I thought might just materialize because I got a degree and moved to a new state. 

And did any of them happen? Just becoming a horse whisperer. I guess I didn't so much become a horse whisperer and marry Robert Redford as much as I did take one horseback riding lesson that a friend found on Groupon. Still counts, though.

So, I got pretty bummed. Each day that went by that I didn't have random, super-awesome new tattoos or a super-awesome job or some some super-awesome new hairstyle, I got more and more disappointed. I eventually fell into what could either be classified as a mild depression or a severe funk: I started avoiding talking to my friends, rarely left the house and became atrociously unhealthy. Seriously. I ate McDonald's so often that when I actually went in to order my food for the first time, the guy mopping the floor saw me and asked, in front of everyone, "What?! No drive-thru today?" 

Yeah, that happened.

But, the reality is, my new life wasn't that bad. I set up a little "nanny share" where I could babysit two fantastic toddlers in my house, I was making decent money, I got a dog that I love, I went out with my sister and her friends, met some really cool people and have had some really good times. I (mostly) quit smoking and (mostly) fixed my horrendous sleep schedule. I even met a pretty great guy. It just wasn't any of the fantasies I had clung to and I therefore determined that my life sucked.

Which brings me to the present and my not-so-impressive-by-anyone-else's-standards-but-my-own blog. 

Last weeks, I found out I would no longer be babysitting for one of the families that made up about 70% of my income. I was bummed. I was lost, once again. I didn't know if I should move home and give up, stay and find a dead-end job or just hop the border and avoid next month's student loan payment (I favored the latter). 

But then I realized: this is my chance to start all over again, all over again. And maybe this time, I can be a little more realistic and focus on the little exciting things that are happening instead of the huge, ludicrous things that aren't. And that's why I started this blog this week. 

See, just as I had imagined becoming an epic new person, I had imagined releasing some epic new blog that would wow all my friends, family and probably even Western civilization as a whole. But (obviously) that's not what this is. This is a pretty ordinary post on what will probably be a pretty ordinary blog. But I'm ok with that. I'm ok with being ordinary.

This is a struggle I've had for a long time that many of my friends are familiar with: the all-or-nothing mentality. I often think that if I'm not going to be or do the most incredible and extreme thing imaginable, I just won't be or do anything at all. But I'm going to fight that mentality. This blog is not extraordinary and it probably never will be, just like I'll probably never be one of those awesome chicks above. So what?

I'd rather do little, ordinary things like posting about my thoughts and feelings than sit and fret and plan some fairy-tale without ever accomplishing anything. So, world, this is it. This is my very own blog and this is all I have to say for now:

I'm just the actual me, living my actual life and trying to be happy doing it.