D.I.Y - upcycle sweater into cozy comforts...

If you've ever read the book "The Giving Tree" you'd understand why I was tempted to call this post the 'giving sweater'...  because today we're going to take one old sweater and upcycle it into four cozy comfort accessories... in my super fast.stupid easy. approach to do.it.yourself projects around this nest!

 First I hacked off the sleeves and hemmed the top edge with a zig-zag stitch... for instant cozy leggings.

Those beauty buttons from the wrist cuffs now rest on my ankles.

Next, I chopped the collar off the sweater... it's curve makes for a perfect cup cozy... just wrap around your favourite mug. cut. sew together. 

You could 'glam' up your cup cozy with funky buttons or felted flowers too... this is just the bare-bones version.  I loved the button detailing on the back of my sweater so I cut a big floppy tea cozy shape out of it (then lined it with green fleece).

Next, I cut a strip from the sweater that would make for a cozy head wrap... and lined it with turquoise fleece.

This strip was from the waistband of the sweater that already had a big button attached... and it makes for a nice neck warmer too when turned around!

I think I may have a growing obsession with chopping up brown sweaters (if you recall the last sweater turned 'hooded scarf' d.i.y).  Plus, there's more to come next week...  I even hope to make my daughter a sweet 'reindeer' toque if I'm lucky!

Thanks for stopping by, hope you're inspired to give those old sweaters a second chance at making your life a cozier winter.

Mel ;o)

the layered look.

 No we haven't moved to the Middle East... this is just Azriel's fashion trend lately.  Since turning two she is eager to prove how grown up she is... and here's an example of her getting "dressed".  She will take the same two or three shirts each morning and rearrange them on her head countless times... highly entertaining for this mama.

She just keeps me smiling each day with her new words. discoveries. expressions (recent favourite: "Ooooh, look at dat noise!")  Here she is singing of her love for Daddy too...

I am actually really excited for this next phase of Azi wanting to dress herself... I think it will be hilarious (especially if she shares her mama's sense of 'style' growing up... or lack thereof).

Do you embrace your kids wild combinations or try to keep them looking presentable? ;o)

Azriel's outfit:

Every stitch of fabric piled on to her body is thrifted - Old Navy, George, etc.

For other - likely better dressed sweeties - hop on over to Mama Loves Papa today! 

Thanks for stopping by our nest,

Mel ;o)

confessions [of an artist] part.7.

Recent pottered works.. waiting for their final glazing.firing.

To clay or not to clay.

This is my dilema of late.  How do you give up an outlet of creativity when you know the 'practicality' of it falters?

Lately I've been sneaking out to our garage for a fast flurry of pottery making (these warmer Fall days make it so inviting).  But in the back of my mind I hear the clock ticking... my time with pottery may soon be up. It's not that I don't love hand-building at home, I do.  It's just all the steps of delivering it to my wonderful local Pottery shop... waiting for sweet ol' George to fire it in the kiln... then finding the time to go glaze it.. and waiting for it's second/final firing.  Yes, it's a few more steps than I can dance to usually.

So I confess friends, this may be my last round of pottery making for a while at this nest.  I want to use up the brick of clay I have, and make a bunch for the upcoming Christmas show I'll be in.  Then ... it will be put on the shelf for a while I think.

I'll keep my hands busy in my crafting.sewing.painting.upcycling adventures... but playing in the mud is sadly coming to a close soon.

For anyone who has never pottered I do encourage you to take a class/course at your local pottery shop (if you have one)... it's a beautiful process to be a part of!

Playfully clay-fully,
Mel ;o)

a day in our nest...

If you're wondering what an 'average' day at our nest looks like, this is the post for you:

 7:30 - 8:30am: morning snuggles. breakfast. devotionals. play time.

 9:30 - 11am: walking.visiting.or hanging with our gnomies.

 12:30 - 2:30pm: lunch. Azriel naps. Mama crafts...

 ...and Ben gets home from working at the bakery.. and then bakes for fun!

Mmmmmm.... chocolate mint cupcakes this time!

 2:30 - 3:30: Azi gets up and we either run errands or read and play.

4:30: dinner prep starts...friends drop by. Azi runs around.

 5pm: I may sneak in a bit more crafting... (Azi loves the illusion of helping me stuff the birds for my mobiles .)

5:30-6pm: dinner. reading. family time.

6:30 - 7pm: playtime.stories.bath.bedtime for Azriel.

Ben goes to bed before 8pm.. (to get up at 3:30am).

I clean up the kitchen.blog.craft.do laundry... whatever... and sneak into bed around 10:30pm.

So now you know the 'normal' rhythm of a weekday here...

Thanks for stopping in,

Mel ;o)

my baby.fruit basket.6.

Oh what's in a name?

Just a whole barrel full of pressure to pick the right one!  The one that rolls around your mouth in a pleasing way.  The one that rings a certain tune when used in conjunction with your family name...

Currently I have exhausted boy names from all different cultures and races.  I have tossed a few favourites at Ben... only to have them vetoed (and vice-versa).  I've gone through a baby's name book bigger than a phone book and still found it lacking....

Why is it that every name reminds you of someone that once pulled your hair in grade two, or picked their pimples in grade ten?!  Association in this scenario is just as sloppy as Pavlov's dog drool I find.

But no worries.. we at least have three names picked at this point (and for the curious, they all happen to end in "on"... so that's something....).  Once I see the his face I think we'll decide which one fits best.

Do you put much stock in name meanings?  I won't let it cancel a vote, but the meaning behind a name sure helps make it enticing sometimes... and then there's my name Melissa which means: honeybee.  whoopity-dee.

Want to keep up with the buzz on my baby-progress... you can follow this guy's growth down the produce aisle here.

Mel ;o) 

slide.show.sunday.take 20.

Hello friends... here's another episode of our weekend in snapshots:

Saturday morning proved, once again, that Ben is the bestest husband... home from the bakery at 6:30am... he washed all the dinner party dishes from the previous night and had blueberry pancakes cooking up for his gals!

We headed downtown for some morning fun.. hanging out at Black Honey Cafe where my artworks are still on display (and yes, a 30+mama can still wear pigtails!).

Over to Hunter West Gallery to view my artist.friend's beautiful paintings... you may remember my recent post about her.

Candid camera caught Ben sneaking a few zzz's from getting up at 2:30am.

Walking around downtown in the beautiful sun (what the heck is this tree?)... and grabbing a yummy fresh lunch at the Planet.

While daughter naps mama can sneak off to the garage and 'play in the clay' (fact: my artistic ability increases with the amount my tongue sticks out!).  Working on some new pottery for a christmas craft show.

Up to the in-laws for 'family dinner Saturday' as usual.  Azi loves her white wonder dog, Hazel there.

A beautiful, sunny, family filled weekend had here!

Hope yours was lovely too,

see you tomorrow!

Mel ;o)

confessions [of a mama] part.9.

So, I'm not a big fan of 'posing' or making my blog a showcase for my face ... but I know it helps me connect better to a blogger when I get to see them once and a while instead of just posts about all the stuff they're doing.creating.exploring.... right?  Anyway, so this was me posing the other day and documenting where my gut has grown to at the SIX month mark now!  The lighting was quite lovely in our breezeway that morning...  I was even wearing my d.i.y tablecloth skirt.... mind-blowing, I know.

But this is the lucky 'capture' ... where the room - and my face -  illuminated to see my daughter come in from her nap... all fluffy haired and sleepy eyed... looking for her mama (with Daddy as her guide).  She's been my clingy-koala all week...(teething.turning two...who knows).

(You may recognise Azriel's outfit from yesterday's Small Style post)

Three years ago I would not have recognised myself in this shot.  

Sure, I would not have been holding this daughter or 'wombing' this soon-to-be-son.... but also because I would not have dreamed I'd be this person. this mama.

See, I never wanted to have kids originally... there's my confession.  Three years ago our newly married selves figured all we needed/wanted was each other.  We shied away from our friends with kids - I was never the eager one to hold a new baby.. fearing I'd likely mangle it with an awkward attempt at holding them!

A little back-history.

  I never dreamed of birthing my own children,

but I still dreamed of running a future foster home... 

I had eight years of being involved in youth work/ministry

and felt like a 'mama' to many of those youth.  

I just never felt that maternal clock beating in my own heart (or womb?).

So what changed?  Well, the timely words of some close friends... asking why we were against having kids if God calls them a "blessing" was one nudge.  Lots of thinking.praying.wrestling about my fears.hopes.assumptions (like," I'm going to screw our kids up!!")... and then we just decided to be 'open' to the idea.

'Open' then meant - "Omigosh we're PREGNANT!" one month later!  Talk about divine comedy.  Much like yesterdays' musings... I still look back and wonder how this could be. 

Ben and I.. the nuts that we are... now raising a family.

But I wouldn't want it any other way.

My heart has grown in ways I didn't know it could.

Living.loving.giving.growing a family is such a blessing.

Who knew I could be so changed?

the growing mama (belly, heart and all)

Mel ;o)