CB&C goes all Design on ya

EDITED TO ADD:  P.s. I feel it necessary to clarify that the time spent with my husband was not romantic in nature. Thus I was not being disrespectful to him or to our relationship by letting my mind wander. The massage was to relieve my achy back and in trade he got to watch the History Channel during the massage - something I don't care to watch with him. I call it a win-win! ;)

I was lying in bed last night trying to enjoy the back rub my husband was treating me to, when this blog post was running rampant in my brain.  For a moment, I seriously considered stopping the massage and hopping up to get the laptop!  Wha??  Then I thought better and just let the thoughts roll around my noggin while I tried to relax.

Here's the deal.  I went to school for design - back in the day - before having 3 children and choosing to be a stay-at-home-mom, over being a "working" mom.  {I tread lightly with that word, knowing we SAHM's DO work.}  But you get what I'm sayin'.  As of late, be it this quirky, bit-of-everything, blog I've started, or Facebook networking, or that I'm just putting my design skills out there more, but I've had WAY more opportunities to give design consult than I ever imagined.  And guess what?  I love it!!  I've done a funeral reception, consulted on a nursery & child's room for the same family, did sketches and a living room color/design consult for a friend, was recently pulled in to help with a kitchen table makeover, designed a shabby/mod baby shower, and have started the beginning stages of consulting another through a future living room re-do.  *whew*  My "portfolio" of sorts is growing, and word is getting out that I'm someone who knows enough about what I'm doing to come to when you need help.

So, what do I do?  Should Cherry Blossoms & Chickens become a primarily DIY & Design Blog?  Should I start charging for my consulting?  {confession:  I have such a hard time charging people for things.}  But if I'm to make a lifestyle out of this design stuff, maybe I need to consider it?

So there you have it.  I've spilled my guts to you.  My innermost desires and worries.  What you do with this information is your business LOL  If you have tips for me, I'll take them!  For now, I'm going to mull this over and try and decide where God is leading me in this stage of my life.

Blessings!

I'm featured!

My friend decided to feature me and my Thrifty Monogram project in her blog newsletter!  How cool is that??!!??

Check out her Creative Crafting blog to see my feature!

it's going to be o.k.

do you ever just look at your kids?  when they don't know it.  when they have no idea that you're observing.

i watch their eyes twinkle when they are laughing together.

i know it's real laughter.  and they aren't fighting.  pure enjoyment in each others company.

i watch as they help one another complete a task.  not because i told them to.  just because they want to help.

i know it's real kindness.  it's coming from the heart.  a desire to serve one another.

i listen as they are respectful to other adults. 

and i have this sense that i must be doing something right.

it's in these stolen moments that i see the people my kids are becoming.  {not the fighting.  arguing.  sassy children they sometimes are}  the people they are when no one is watching. 

and as i watch.  i find myself smiling.  they are turning out o.k.

A Super Cool Giveaway...

You just have to check this out.

I love V and Co.

She always creates such super cool stuff.

And now you can win her Junior Jelly Roll of Simply Color Ombre strips!!

Follow this LINK to see how to enter and tell her

CHERRY BLOSSOMS & CHICKENS sent you over!

Here's what you can win...

{love}

Inspiration!

I seriously have been a crafting DIVA since our crafting weekend a few weeks ago.  I immediately set up my sewing machine and have found myself behind her sewing a multitude of things.  A nubby pillowcase for my son in a fabric HE chose and "had to have".  More of those adorable circle skirts!  {I think just about every little girl on my Christmas list will be getting one this year.}  And just playing around with some random ideas.  One afternoon I whipped up a small quilted table runner to try and use up some of my scraps.

Today we had some extra time after swimming lessons and so we buzzed through a few thrift stores in search of treasures.  I wanted to pick up some tee's for some ideas I had in my head, and found 3 in gorgeous shades to make 3 different projects.    And at least these projects didn't get added to the "to finish someday" pile!

TURQUOISE

I think turquoise is my new favorite summer color.  And while this shade isn't a true representation of the actual color I {love}, it'll do.  So I made another dolman tee out of it!




SHERBERT

Another color I can't resist.  I had thought that this would be a skirt for myself, but alas, my hips are still to big.  {sad face}  However, it fits my daughter perfectly.  The ruffle was already on the bottom of the shirt, so I simply cut off the top to the correct length I wanted the skirt, and added the elastic waistband just like in the circle skirts.  {i love working with jersey knit}

 






LIME

Could there be 3 better colors to work with ??  I think not!  This one was just meant to be an infinity scarf.  1 Pinterest Tutorial + 1-$1 Tee = a funky infinity scarf that's NO SEW!

And then something with the scraps {love} - A little wrap for a mason jar to hold my scissors, etc.

More to come as I think I've found the armoire that will work perfectly for my craft organizer!

Another week DOWN

Even after a girls crafting weekend where there were turtle muffins {yes, there are such things, and we have fallen in love with each other} and other goodies, I managed to squeak out a loss of 1# this past week.  I'm thrilled, and now back down to what I weighed at the start of summer.  I didn't gain a lot, but I was up about 2#'s overall, otherwise maintaining over these summer months.  Well, now I'm itching to loose these last 15-ish pounds and be at goal!

Two of my kiddos also had their check ups today and their pediatrician encouraged me to get rid of the junk food {hot dogs, chips, white bread} and serve the family what I've been eating.  He encouraged me to take baby steps towards a changing lifestyle. 

Our first change - BREAKFAST!  No more toast toast toast for breakfast.  My kids could easily put away a small loaf between the 3 of them for breakfast!  Starting tomorrow, I will get up a few minutes early and make eggs, oatmeal, pancakes... something other than several pieces of toast.... as their breakfast meal. 

What'll we change next?  I don't know, but this seemed like the most obvious step!  I'll keep you posted on our transitions and how the fam is taking the change. 

What healthy changes have you made recently?

Girls Crafting Weekend Recap

As promised, a recap of the girls crafting weekend.  

It all started with an innocent comment on facebook that flourished into oblivion.  And by 'oblivion' I mean a full blown weekend of girl time and crafting!  Think mirror tiles, fabric galore, yarn, beads, hot glue guns, paint and brushes, tutorials accessed via laptops, tracing paper, tissue paper and quilts!  Every available crafting surface was utilized to it's fullest.  Here's how it went down...

 

I found this great tutorial on how to convert a man's t-shirt like this....

 ......into a ladies dolman t-shirt like this!  It seriously took like 10 minutes!

Here we are all spread out on the brand spankin' new Amish made table.

 Grandma helping make poms to decorate a future nursery.  

{NOT mine, mind you}

 My sister and I making garden bling with fishing line, beads and mirror tiles.

 

 My garden bling complete.  I love how it turned out with the sparkle and turquoise.

 My other sister crafting away with beads!

 Here she is again with the earrings and necklace she made.  I am SO stealing the necklace idea.  Tutorial to come!!

  Thank you Mom for bringing your fancy shmancy sewing machine. 

 Working on my circle skirts.

 

 Here I am, back at home, posing in my skirt.

 

  My little stinker of a nephew.  Nana didn't get much done this past weekend with all your finicky naps.

 

One of my daughters with the box she painted.

 And my middle sister, once again, with her knit sock - that's she's been working on for almost a year!

It was a wonderful time of getting to know each other and sharing ideas.  Another is already in the works for over the winter months when we're all itching for some inspiration!