Thursday, December 29, 2016

Merry Belated Christmas

So I didn't mean to skip this post. I had every intention of writing how excited I was to celebrate my son's first Christmas. How I had special gifts for him and Santa was bringing him his first gift. Unfortunately time and sickness didn't give me the opportunity.

Christmas Eve and day came and went rather quickly. I finished wrapping a few gifts and the hubby and I did one last minute gift run early on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day we spent the morning at home and opened gifts. We Skyped with the in-laws and they were excited to see my son. We showed off my son's new jumperoo (that last minute gift we picked up) and talked to my in-laws for a while and just enjoyed the special moment. After that we took a nap, yes I mean the whole family, then went to see my family and celebrate my niece's birthday and lastly went to have dinner at my sister-in-laws. Seems like a rather nice Christmas, right? Well let me tell you all the bad things.

So Christmas Eve I napped with my son when he took his last nap for the day. I napped maybe an hour. Normally this wouldn't affect me when I go to sleep later but for some strange reason I couldn't fall asleep. I finished a last minute crafty gift for my dad at about 11pm then got in to bed. Hubby and baby were sleeping away but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't sleep. Hubby wakes up at around midnight and I tell him I can't sleep. Hubby gets up and starts playing game (he works night shift so he can't sleep well at night) and I toss and turn in bed. 1am rolls around and my baby needs a feeding. I feed him and put him back in his crib and I'm still wide awake.

By this time I'm going a little crazy cause I need to sleep. I don't sleep through the night. My baby doesn't so I get maybe 5 hours of broken sleep because I breastfeed. 2am, 3am and hubby asks me to make him food. I begrudgingly agree but only because I am still wide awake. We go downstairs, baby monitor in hand, and I make us something quick to eat. Head back up and try to sleep. 4am comes and I'm still tossing and turning. Baby gets a diaper change and a feeding and I finally fall asleep only to wake up at 7:30am. Hence the family nap.

When we arrive at my family's house there is no one home at my father's house and my sister who lives across the street was still prepping for my niece's birthday. The party invite said 2pm and we got there a little after. Hubby and I are starving but no food to eat. So we wait. Open a few gifts for us and the baby then baby gets hungry and I feed him at my dad's house. Finally I see my other sister, her kids, my brother and his kids. We open gifts and say our "Thank you's" but my dad is not home. I'm a little disappointed as I made a very special gift for him from my son. My mother is in Heaven and as this was my son's first Christmas I wanted him to be with his grandparents. We wait a while longer and finally decide to leave cause baby needs a nap and hubby and I are starving.

We head to my sister-in-laws and arrive to be told that dinner is going to be in 2 hours since we said we would be a little late. She told us to come early and we said we'd arrive by 4pm. We arrived at exactly 4pm. Baby took maybe a 20 minute nap and is ok for now. Hubby and I snack as we open more presents and my sister-in-laws in-laws play with my son. Not bad until it starts to get dark and I realize it's getting cold in the house. Not like a little cold but hands and feet freezing cold. I tell hubby it's cold and I try to make sure baby and I hang out in the kitchen since the oven was on and that's the warmest room in the house. But we can't stay in there forever. I had to feed and change the baby twice in cold rooms doing my best to keep him warm. Hubby mentions the cold to his sister but no heater is turned on. I vaguely remember seeing the thermostat at dinner but can't remember if the room temp was the 66 number or the 68. Either way everyone was cold except my sister-in-law who was in the kitchen most of the time. Even her in laws were bundling up.

Now I had already not been feeling well and was battling a bit of a stomach ache but I barely ate any dinner. Baby manages to hang until 8pm then we head home. Get home and I put the baby to bed. I tell hubby I'm not feeling so hot and take my temperature. It's 100.4. So the lack of sleep and the freezing temperature at my sister-in-laws causes my body to basically shut down and whatever virus I was fighting off takes control. I take some meds and try to sleep but I'm shivering. I bring the baby in to bed and then at about 4am I wake up and tell hubby I need to puke.

I won't give you all the disgusting details but I spent the night and the next day battling my flu. Hubby was wonderful and went out to get me orange juice and soda when the store opened. But it was rough, I hadn't gotten sick with baby yet so that was a not so fun experience. However I am now alive and well. So to the few people who read my blog I just want to wish you a Merry belated Christmas. Hope yours was a little better than mine.

Friday, December 23, 2016

Hoarding

So I was going through my craft supplies and wanted to weed out anything I hadn't used in a while. Now before my son was born and I knew I would have to give up my crafting space I already purged my stash. This time however I really needed to get rid of things. And that's where the title comes from. Hello, my name is Natalie and I'm a craft supplies hoarder.

My vice seems to be bling. I LOVE bling. Pearls, crystals, swirls, clear, colored, you name it. I have quite a collection because of the Scrapbook Expo and sales at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. But having a son doesn't really allow me to use much bling.  If I had a girl flowers and bling would be on every page but because I have a boy I can't use much of it. So I had to purge my stash. I have so many beautiful blings but they are going to good homes.

Another thing I like to hoard is chipboard books. A few years back that was the rage. Mini books were found on several scrapbook blogs and YouTube Channels everywhere. There are still some crafters who make them but I have steered away from them. I did however purchase tons of chipboard books from Michael's (they were $1.50 or less!) and have stored them until recently. Once again they are going to good homes. I have a few mini books I made that never got any pictures. They were just so cute and fun to make!

The last and probably largest thing I hoard is paper. Ahh paper. It's so beautiful with it's many colors and patterns. And don't get me started on paper pads. I purchased paper almost every time I walked into a craft store. 90% of the time it was because it was on sale. I have donated quite a bit of paper that was unused for many years and the only reason I purchased it was because it was on sale. Now I'm a little more selective but I have quite a bit of paper because of my Cricut. I don't purchase as much patterned paper because of this but if I need a design I will pick a sheet or two up.

So that's it. That is the extent of my hoarding. Well, there is this thing about a guy named Tim Holtz but I'll save that for another post.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Thrifty mama

So I was going through some finances today, paying some bills, things like that when it occurred to me that some of you new mommies and crafters are probably looking for ways to save some money here and there. Now by no means do I have the greatest ways to save money but a few dollars really help.

 A little note: I am no way affiliated with any of the companies or apps I'm about to tell you about. I do however get a bonus for the Ebates and Ibotta links I post.

I'll start with the crafty side. Easiest way to save a few dollars is by downloading an app. You don't get bombarded with emails if you don't want and the coupon will always be in your hand. Michael's, Jo-Ann's and Hobby Lobby all have their own apps where they give you coupons as well as show you what deals or specials they have. If you don't want the apps to take up space on your phone you can always email subscribe or for Michael's and Hobby Lobby you can print directly from their website. Micheal's and Jo-Ann's do accept competitor coupons. I'm not sure about mobile but printed coupons are taken.

Another great way to save a few dollars is to watch for sales. Michael's and Jo-Ann's usually have something you need on sale and it is great to take advantage of that. I learned a little trick to the Hobby Lobby sales. They repeat their sales every other week or every two weeks. So if you need something from Tim Holtz from Hobby Lobby just wait and watch. Every third week Tim Holtz (and Cricut products!) go on sale. You can also do some online shopping but I'm rather picky and impatient and can never justify the cost of shipping.

Now for the mama side. Coupon clipping can be a little time consuming so I have started using two apps/sites to help with my thrifty-ness. The first is an app called Ibotta. This app lets you cash in rebates at grocery stores, clothing stores, and restaurants. Now I will say that they tend to give you a lot of alcohol rebates but there are a few non-alcoholic rebates I have cashed in. Some have been for diapering products as well as everyday groceries. Again you won't be saving hundreds of dollars and you can't cash out until you reach at least $20 in rebates. BUT that can be in the form of a gift card or cash sent directly to you through PayPal or Venmo. I will say you have to go through the rebates to select them to be able to redeem but I tend to do this when I'm breastfeeding and can't move around.

To sign up with Ibotta click this link: https://ibotta.com/r/26thq

The other site I use is Ebates. This website gives you cash back for online shopping. It's pretty simple really. Just go through their site and depending on the store or website you get a certain percent of cash back. They will send you a check every 3 months as long as the cash back amount exceeds $5.01. You can also withdraw the money using PayPal.

To sign up with Ebates click this link: https://www.ebates.com/r/NATALI20684?eeid=28187

Finally, this is the quickest way to save some money for a very specific store. There is no wait time as you get a percentage or discount as you check out. This is the Cartwheel app from Target. I shop at Target for the majority of my toiletries, cat and baby products. They are constantly updating the discounts they offer and make it easy for you to search and look up. I also love that you can scan an item in store to see if there is a discount. You can stack Cartwheel with your Redcard so I do highly suggest getting that as well if you can. I have saved quite a bit using Cartwheel especially on diapers and diaper cream for my baby.

I hope these little tips helped. Like I said, you're not going to save hundreds of dollars each time but when you have a baby or a limited craft budget every penny saved counts.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

My Crafting Supplies

So I know I've been bombarding you all with mommy stories and honestly you will get a lot of those. I still consider myself a crafty mama but motherhood is 99% of my life right now. I will do my best to put in craft tips and share projects as my son gets older but he's still very young right now and requires 100% of my attention.

So my first crafty post is going to be about the supplies I use most. I've been a scrapbooker for roughly 12 years or so and I've gone through a few phases. I have also gone out of the box from traditional scrapbooking into a little mixed media and digital scrapbooking. I make cards, banners, mini books, frames, use canvas, etc. I think I have dipped my fingers in at least every type of scrapbooking related phase. 

That being said I could not always purchase the best tools or most recent paper lines. I do have preference for a certain designer and prefer a certain way to scrapbook. But through all this I have come to learn what tools and supplies I really need. So here is my list (in no particular order).

1. ATG Gun

Now this can be a bit bulky and take a little bit to get used to but I love this thing because it takes me awhile to use up the adhesive. I used to use smaller tape runners and would get frustrated having to change it all the time. I can go through a few projects before I need to refill this. My suggestion is to wait for a 50% off coupon to get this as it is a little pricey. The refills are $10 for 2 so I also wait for a 50% off coupon to get my refills as well. 

2. Non-stick Craft Sheet
 Love this! It is a must for anyone who crafts. It resists paint, ink, glue, you name it. It is also heat resistant so if you use embossing powders or a hot glue gun it won't get damaged. I do suggest getting the larger size for your craft area but I also purchased the smaller size for when I craft somewhere else.

3. Cardstock

This is pretty much a given but it is always good to have a variety of solid color cardstock. I make cards as well as scrapbook so I like to have plenty on hand. Size wise I like to keep 8 1/2x11 as well as a few sheets of 12x12. Bazzill makes some great quality cardstock but thickness is really up to you. I shop a lot at Michael's so I do purchase the Recollection's brand and have had no issues. 

4. Scissors
Now I'm a little biased on these scissors only because I am in love with Tim Holtz and everything he makes. But honestly these scissors are amazing! They will cut through cardstock, grungeboard, cardboard, thin plastic and even wire. They have a pointed tip which is great for fussy cutting and the soft grip handles make cutting comfortable.

5. Paper trimmer
Along with scissors, a paper trimmer is very important.Now there are different styles of paper trimmers and prices as well. I use a simple sliding trimmer like the one pictured but you can get a guillotine style or even a roller style. Mine has the arm that slides out for larger measurements but there are trimmers that have a wider surface area too. I don't have a lot of space so this one just worked for me.

6. Cricut Machine
Again I'm a little bias on this as this is the only cutting machine I have owned. But I do love my Cricut. I have several cartridges and now with Design Space you can upload your own images. Because of this machine (and the air is the third machine I've owned from Cricut) I no longer purchase stickers. I have moved on and now cut out all my images. Personally I think it makes the scrapbook pages and other projects a little more sophisticated. As with all my other purchases, I always wait for a deal or sale or try to use a coupon if I can. 

These are probably my top crafting supplies I use on a regular basis. I don't use very many embellishments because I have a Cricut and prefer to cut out images. Every once in a while, especially when I make cards, I do use stamps and ink but otherwise these are the supplies I use regularly. If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment. 

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Worst mommy ever

So I had my first "worst mommy ever" moment yesterday. I would have wrote about it then but I ended up babysitting my nephew and with two kids and a hubby at home there was no way I was going to be able to write. So let me tell you what made me the worst mommy ever.

I was playing with my son downstairs in the living room and had him in his Sit Me Up chair. He was fine for a few minutes but then he decided that he wanted out. So I took him out of the chair but he still wanted to play with the toys attached to the Sit Me Up. I sat in front of the chair with my son between my legs so he could play. Well while this is going on, one of our cats decides she's going to pull out some extra toys from a small cabinet we have. I tell her to stop but like all cats she doesn't listen. So I decide I'm going to try and make her stop. Wait, let me explain one thing. In our living room we don't have a couch but these very nice wooden chairs from Vietnam that my in-laws so graciously gave us. They are made of solid wood and are able to recline so they have a foot stool attached. My son's chair is in between these wooden chairs. Okay so I go to scold the cat once again and my son tips to the side as I have stopped supporting him with my hands and part of my leg.

I hear the chair make a noise and then my son starts crying hysterically. I look and he is face down by the foot of the chair. I go in to mommy panic mode and pick him up and try to console him while looking for any bumps or bruises. Hubby is home and comes down to check on us and helps me calm the baby. He's mad that I let that happen but I'm mentally beating myself up. My son has been sitting up with some support for a while now and can tripod sit for a little bit. I didn't expect him to tilt to the side but honestly I knew better.

I cried after hubby was able to calm down our son and then handed him back to me. I hated myself all day for that mistake I made and honestly can say I called myself the worst mom ever. But I know that these things can happen even if you are watching your little one diligently. Accidents happen and luckily my son was not seriously hurt but more scared. I did learn a lesson though and will from now on keep all my son's toys away from those chairs. Even if it means my house looks messy.

I guess I just want to let any new mommy know that accidents happen even if you try to prevent them. Kids are going to fall, they will get bumps and bruises eventually and that doesn't make you a bad parent. I worked in a preschool for 11 years before becoming a stay at home mom. I have a degree in Child Development and know that these things will happen even if you are watching. But as a mom this hurt me and I kicked myself so much for letting it happen but I'm not a bad parent. Not long after my son was smiling and playing again and I just had to keep telling myself that I'm an excellent mom and am doing the best I can. I hope you mommies remember that too whenever you feel like the worst mommy ever.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

To sleep or not to sleep?

That really is the question. I wanted to post last night but decided I wanted to go to bed. I've realized that seems to be my choice a lot these days. Eat or sleep? Clean the house or sleep? Bathe or sleep? 9 time out of 10 sleep is the answer (I do bathe so don't think I'm some unhygienic person!). Just with a baby who is exclusively breastfed and doesn't sleep through the night you have to get all the sleep you can.

When I was pregnant a lot of people told me "sleep while you can!" and I did my best to listen to them but with horrible heartburn and a squished bladder it was hard. And the bigger my belly got the harder it was to get comfortable. So let me put it this way, if you're not pregnant and don't have any children get as much sleep while you can! Seriously. My little guy gets up quite a few times a night and has this habit of every few days being wide awake from 4am to 5am. It's hard but I push through for my son. We are normally always up by 7:30 am so our day begins early.

But back to the choice of sleeping. I had always wondered how my parents did it. How they took care of me with so little sleep. I remember my dad staying up until past midnight but then getting up for work at 5am. Or my mom having to take care of me through the night when I was sick and still manage a household the next day. I think it is our minds telling us to push through. I've gone days were I maybe had 5 broken hours of sleep and took no naps the whole day. And do nap when baby naps if you can. I was also told to "sleep when baby sleeps" but you can't always do that. That's a story for another post though.

So bottom line, even if you have a sink full of dishes, laundry needs to be done, and you didn't bathe in the last 24 hours, sleep is more important. The dishes and laundry will still be there in the morning and a morning shower will help perk you up but you can't get back those hours of missed sleep.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Hello!

So normally you'd start with an introduction of who you are. Honestly I'm too tired to actually write something long and unrealistic. So here's the shortened version: I'm a wife and new mommy who used to be an avid scrapbooker/crafter. I say "used to" because when I became pregnant and when my son was born I have had barely any energy or time to craft. Don't get me wrong, I love being a mommy and am so grateful my hubby let me stay home but I had the unrealistic dreams of putting my baby down for naps/bedtime and then scrapbooking a beautiful album for him or creating decor for his room.

You want to know what I have created in the last year since getting my big fat positive? A banner with my son's name, two monkey cut outs, a wall cling and one scrapbook page. Now that may seem like a lot to some people but for me that is bare minimum. I'm used to crafting at least three times a week. Again, I'm not complaining just showing the realistic side to being a crafting mommy. And that's why I wanted to start this blog. To write about my experience as a wife, first time mommy, and crafter.

So I hope some of you join me as I learn what it's like to be a stay at home mom and attempt to get some creativity going. I intend to share my experiences, both good and bad, as well as post any creations I manage to do.