T-Shirt Diaries and More

Can you believe it? We are about to embark on another new year. It just wouldn't feel right without recapping 2012, probably the least productive blogging year of my life. Sorry about that. I realized in May or June that I really needed to spend more time with my two little ones and less time writing about my crafting adventures.  I would love to say with some sincerity that 2013 will be different, the blog will be back in full force, the upcycling ideas will flow from my head with creative abandonment, but quite honestly, although these are my intentions I have been struggling getting some of the little things done in life, like say getting through the day without puking. Yes I am pregnant with baby #3, a girl, and I have Hyperemesis Gravdarium. Which is basically morning sickness times 10. I am twenty-two weeks pregnant with my little bundle of joy and down two pounds. So we will see where the new year takes me, my family, and my life as the T0shirt Diaries au...

Have you missed me? Okay that is not me, but Phoebe was getting ready for a photoshoot, and I couldn't resist. Anyway I have been crazy busy. You see two days after I ran my latest Warrior Dash I started feeling off. My Husband thought it would be funny to be a business Luchidora this time I decided that I needed to , um, take a test and suprise! Baby Number 3 is due in May! So instead of spending my time sewing, creating, and upcycling, I have been hanging out in the bathroom being sicker than I have ever been in my life. When I am not busy getting sick, I am sleeping. Who knew growing a baby made you so darn tired (I actually forgot). Yes I will be back to crafting, but until this phase of the pregnancy is over I will bonding with the porcelain throne. Take Care!

I love Ivory, and I love science experiments that I can do with little kids. So when I heard about microwaving Ivory soap I was ready to go. The problem, Target didn't have any Ivory. So I put the idea in the back of my mind until the dreaded back to school shopping day where we procured: Ivory Soap Let the science begin. Place your ivory soap on a microwave safe plate. Now place your Ivory soap in the microwave. Don't judge your microwave isn't perfectly clean either Close the door and let the kids have one last peak. Really cool stuff (joking) Now move those children back and turn the microwave on for one minute. Pretty cool, it turns into a cloud. It is actually much bigger while being microwaved, it shrinks down once you open the microwave up. Out of the microwave Now I thought I would get crafty and see what would happen if I added food coloring. i was thinking I would get a giant purple cloud. That would be awesome. ...

Off topic, rambling, and too much information. Don't say you haven't been warned. Fructose Anyone?  Anyjazz65 via Flickr School is about to start up again, and I feel like I have spent the entire summer dealing with my son's fructose intolerance issues, if that is even what is wrong? Doctors, tests, elimination diets, oh my. Really? Mom must you take a blog picture now? It has been non stop and even though we pretty much eliminated fructose from his diet (high fructose corn syrup, melons, apples, juices, pretty much mot commercial snack products with the exception of goldfish) the guy does not stop pooping. It is a poop party. I can't potty train him because let's face it he can't control the fact that oops he has diarrhea (I told you too much information). It sucks. I feel like a failure as a parent because my son is 3 1/2 and walks around in a diaper. The kicker, he could care less. This is probably a good thing and I am lucky it happened ...

It is back, well it will be back soon..... Project Recycled! Your chance to show off your amazing upcycling skills in a contest that truly takes upcycling and recycling beyond anything you have every seen before. We have already had two amazing rounds and two amazing winners. Emily from Domestic Deadline and Season Two Winner Michka of Michka's Creative Solutions Do you have what it takes to enter? Email me at rneorr@yahoo.com and let me know if you are interested.  The contest will start in September, but there is some prep work required.  It runs five weeks and your winning tutorial will be featured! 

I know you have been holding onto the sides of your seats for dear life to see how my challenge went. I am happy to say I finished it with very few slip ups. I did not buy anything for six months from any thrift store which is a huge win. I didn't even need to buy anything to restock my T-shirt stash (and I made over 50 pieces in the last three months). As for clothes for me I made it five months. I did slip and buy two shirts and a skirt at Target.  I really didn't absolutely need them, but I was going to Chicago to see my best friend and I bought them. Oh shoot and I did buy a dress for my husbands 40th birthday party. It happened, I slipped. Oops it's blurry What I learned by my months off is that I don't need to be that girl who buys a bunch of shirts because they are on sale. I have greatly reduced my wardrobe by giving a lot of clothes away and even selling some at a recent garage sale. I have also learned to appreciate the clothes I do have and t...

If you were driving around the Cleveland Museum of Art during the Summer Solstice of 2009 you might have seen this.... So what happens to 18,720 pool noodles when they are no longer gracing the Cleveland Museum of Art's East Wing? Well Nicole McGee of Plenty Underfoot has been storing quite a few of them for the past few years.  They popped up at Collective Upcycle this season: My sister hanging with the noodles at Collective Upcycle So when Collective Upcycle was over for the summer, Nicole, gratiously offered to let us take home a noodle or two. My daughter jumped at the chance to bring some noodles home, and set up several different configurations at the store before we got even took them home.  Audra from Little Tiger and the Milk Bellied Princess was their with the milk bellied princess and miss milk bellied princess and Phoebe used the noodles as a table and chairs, a boardwalk surrounded by hot lava, and an island of some sorts. Audra shared her ...

As you know I love running. Well, love is probably not the right word, it's more like I try desperately to love it. I like the idea of living a healthy lifestyle and challenging myself. I like the excitement of 5K's, the atmosphere, and the people. In an attempt to run at least one a month, June's 5K was the Color Run, a 5K where a different color tossed at every kilometer. You start the race out white and end it looking like a rainbow puked on you. I recommend checking it out if it comes to your city, but prepared to be scrubbing the colored powder off your skin for at least a week (my back is still blue). Running makes me thirsty, and I am not talking about being thirsty for water (wink, wink). I also need to watch my calorie count. I LOVE cider. That crisp, apple flavor hits the spot after a sweaty workout. The problems with cider are the whopping 180 calories per serving, it's heavy, and can be pretty sweet. It's good, but not right after ...

I have a problem with my shirts, they are all just a little too short. It is like I am stuck in some bad 90's video wearing baby doll T-shirts showing off my belly, and really no one wants to see this mamma's tummy anymore. I absolutely adore the neckline of this shirt. I love the shirts colors, and stripes. I do not love that it bunches up over my belly button whenever I put it on. So I got a little creative and added a skirt too it. Now she is a cute and sassy little tunic/dress. I can wear her with leggings, jeans, or even tights. Now who wants to hit the town in this new little lady?

I was invited to try out The Artist’s Way Toolkit by Julia Cameron. I was excited to delve into an interactive learning experience. During my trial I had access to the toolkit, which included:  My Contract Artist’s Date Artist’s Way Exercises Creative Pages Creative Notes It was simple and straightforward. I had to commit to myself to write daily morning pages (beautiful, but not realistic for a mother of two under five), take myself on dates, and journal. I love the concept, giving yourself time to be creative in your own mind. Sadly I had a hard time writing every morning. When a toddler wakes up you cannot tell them to stay in bed until you have three uninterrupted pages written, and peacefully purge all of the brilliance in your mind. I did like the concept of long-hand writing. So my morning pages turned into afternoon pages as I snuck away into the bathroom for a moment of peace to write.   There is something about wri...

I love the summer. The sun, the sand, the excitement There is just so much to do and experience. So much to see, and so many fairy houses to build. There are food trucks to wait outside of (Seoul Sausage from the Great Food Truck Race 3) and lemonade to be consumed. Summer for me is about experiencing the excitement with my children and experiencing the joy of my little ones. I tend to go on a sort of blogging vacation during the summer months. I am still here, stalking creative ideas on pintrest and sewing t-shirt goodness. I just do it at my own pace. So if you are looking for regular updates, never fear, they will be back in the Fall. I will be here, but on a very casual basis. The blog will be around forever, but my children won't be young for that much longer. So keep popping by, just don't be sad if I don't update too often. Thanks,

Summers are for having fun, and nothing, I mean nothing, is more fun to me then being part of Collective Upcycle. Yesterday was their Grand Opening celebration (complete with cupcakes and champagne!) There was just so much amazing recycled art I was completely jaw-droopingly, floored. In a good way of course. Check out some amazing upcycles ( oh and I had to explain to my mom yesterday what upcycling is so if you do not know it is taking something pre-loved and giving it a second life.) Audra from Little Tiger and the Milk Bellied Princess My friend and fellow blogger Audra created these amazing fuzzy wigs out of felted sweaters and yarn remnants. She saw several of them make their way to a new home last night. An adorable little high school student made these upcycled pins as a way to raise money to become a foreign exchange student.  Her mom and co-artist Maudy is a seamstress and I love how she inspired her daughter to take on this creative venture. ...