Mama's Little Helper

Upcycling fun!

I have a lot of discarded jeans lying around so I'm trying to use them in sewing projects. I found a tutorial for a soft basket from Joanna at stardustshoes. She has some great tutorials on her blog.

The bag goes together really quickly, but tearing the seams out of the jeans take some extra time. So if you want to do a few projects work on the fabric while you're sitting in front of the TV or something. 

The outside of the basket is upcycled denim with a pocket added right off the pants. The lining and the cuff are men's dress shirts--the heavy cotton type. The handles are more denim which I just zig-zagged together instead of buying some web/trim. I didn't have any heavy interfacing so I used some stiff felt for the bottom and just sewed it into the bottom. 

The nice thing about using discarded clothing is that it won't shrink! I hope that Peter will use it to carry his toys from his room to the living room and back again. The short handles make it easy to carry. Thanks Joanna!

Typepad Question of the Day

If you were only allowed to own one book, what book would you choose?
Submitted by The Private Library.

 My answer would always be my favorite book, Circle of Friends, by Maeve Binchy

Alphainventions.com -- Helping a blogger out.

Just found out that using this site: alphainventions can bring a lot more views to your site. Viewing the home page gets you real time updates of other blogs; opening a world of other people's worlds. It's free to sign up and is building a great blogger community!

Feed Your Soul On a Budget.

Found this great blog here on typepad. A few Atlanta residents are raising money to buy a bicycle for a man who collects and recycles cans for a living: blog  What I find inspiring is that these people saw a need and are stepping outside of their regular lives to meet that need. 

The way things are, right now, it's difficult to think about what someone else needs. Right? I'm having enough trouble getting through each day. Do I really have time and resources to help someone else? Turns out I do. The site originators are asking for $1. You can pay thru Paypal and they truly only want your dollar. I tried to up my amount and it didn't work. 

So, I feel great about myself and it only cost a buck. I can't wait to see what happens to George. I'll bet it makes me feel even better when they show him getting that bike!

LAZY LAZY LAZY!

I have been the world's worst blogger this summer. But I have been hard at work on other things! I spent yesterday looking at other people's sewing and craft blogs that I have decided to get back to work! I've made a lot of wonderful skirts and dresses for Ella, my niece and I can't wait to share!

Life is not the most fun ever. DH is still out of work and unlikely to get any since he isn't actually pursuing any jobs. I am angry and frustrated. FORGET about trying to make our relationship side work. I can barely stand to be in the same room...

Salma Hayek; my breast feeding hero!

It's all over the news that Salma Hayek was filmed breast feeding an infant in Sierra Leone. The controversy? It wasn't her baby! I wish I could call her on the phone and say, "well done!" Well done for admitting that you don't always love breast feeding but the benefits to your daughter have you "addicted". Well done for revealing that a modern woman can be a breast feeding mother! Well done, for continuing to be sexy and desirable while caring for a child.  Well done for not apologizing for breast feeding!!! 

From an article on abcnews.com :

"God bless Salma Hayek, who can go stick her boob in some poor African baby's mouth," Dr. Gilberg-Lenz said. "I think it's completely crazy. But I say, 'You go." She made a point and she made it loud and clear. And look, it's started a conversation about how breastfeeding is good and women should have a choice about it and we shouldn't be so afraid of our bodies."

Read the article and see the video abcnews

Wooing my husband...

I'm 40 years old (until next month) I've got a kid, a business and all problems a typical American has. But the one problem that haunts me is that I really have a good relationship with my husband. We share no common interests, bicker constantly and don't seem to like each other, all that much. We certainly aren't in love. But I love him. It's an undeniable fact. Is it merely fear of the unknown or an affection built on familiarity? I don't know. What I do know is that we are going to be together for a while longer. I'm not changing things until my son is grown and out of the house. Yeah, Yeah, I know there are people who think that's a bad idea, but I'm not dumping my son's father right now. 

 I want to see if it's possible to change things by changing my approach. There are myriad self help books on the subject. From Dr. Laura to Chris Rock the consensus seems to be food, sex and silence are what a man really wants. I've always resented this attitude. The idea that if I praise my husband for taking out the trash I can feed his ego enough to make him into the  man I need him to be. Honestly, I don't want the responsibility for raising a husband. But the facts are undeniable; what I'm doing isn't really working for me. The idea that two people can live together as adults, each taking responsibility for the home, children and relationship, is obviously a fantasy. This week marks our 16th wedding anniversary and I'm unhappy! 

So, I've decided to try and woo my husband.  I'm not sure how to do it. I don't know if it's even possible at this point. But it couldn't be any worse than it is now. My first tactic is going to be niceness. Is that a word? I'm just going to try and be nice and see what happens. I hope to find some resources that will help me and maybe you, if you're interested and I will report them to you here. 

Wish me luck, I think I'm going to need it!

The After-Christmas Blues

Ugh! Back to work today. Really didn't want to go. The first day back after a break is usually exciting for me, but I think the fact that I worked all holiday is working against my enthusiasm today. 

I've been baking for a local coffee house and it's so exciting! But soooo tiring as I have to deliver the product at 5am each day. Thus far, I haven't been to bed before midnight and that wake up call is coming much too early.  When I'm tired, or someone tells me it's not going to work, I remind myself of Paula Deen and her bag lunches! Read about Paula here . Paula! You inspire me!

Check out my bakery website here

The site needs to be updated and you can't order online, yet. But it's a fun view anyway! I hope to add cookies for shipping soon. So keep checking back.

Lojack for laptops (for free)

You may not know that you can buy and install a security system for your laptop which will enable you to trace your laptop if stolen or lost AND take a picture of your thief! That's called "lojack for laptops." However, I found a free version developed by the University of Washington, which will do the same thing! 

Check it out and never lose your laptop, again! adonis

Create a swowflake!