Last minute blanket for Connor

Hubby has been working an unordinary amount of hours the last few days in preparation for baby Connor. This has left me with less than great amounts of energy for nesting, but plenty of time. So I have decided to put some of this stagnant energy and discomfort into a productive project.

I am making Connor a granny square blanket! The colors I chose remind me so much off my beloved ocean! I decided that because it is likely to get dirty, and any number of random bodily substances on it (it is a baby blanket, after all...) That I'd use the traditional "grannys choice" blanket yarn. Red heart super saver. I am using frosty green, light blue, and buff for the squares main colors, and boardering them in a multi tone called aspen print. So far, we are at almost 2/3 of the squares being done. Just 6 more in blue, and another 18 in buff. I'll post photos and process updates when I get more finished...

Slap of Reality

This baby will be here within the month...wow...I couldn't sleep last night so I sat watching the lightning, and thinking about how my life is about to change... A wonderful new adventure.

Shopping for Baby!

Ok, so when I was still trying to get pregnant, I was reading all these great crafty mommy blogs, and I was dreaming of a time when I could write up some great tutorials, and take great photos, and post maternity pics, and chronicle my adventure into mommy-hood....then I got pregnant, and between school and work, and the fatigue and morning sickness in the early stages, crafting and blogging about it was the last thing on my mind. Oh sure, I posted a couple pictures and crochet patterns, but nothing really intriguing!

Here I am with roughly a month left until my little man decides to grace us with his cries, and I am finally getting in gear!

Perhaps not so much crafty, but worthy of posting!

Realizing I am less than 4 weeks from my expected due date (okay, so guess date) I hit the stores when hubby got paid (don't worry, I paid bills too).

I'f only I had looked that glamorous when I was shopping yesterday... waddling about in my non-supportive flats, flowy yoga pants, and too warm maternity shirt.

I picked up the last of the essentials, nursing bra and shirts (buy 3 get 1 free at Motherhood Maternity), bottles and storage bags, pump, diapers, a hamper for the nursery, etc... I got to the door 3 times and remembered more that I needed! Went back in for this and that, and when I finally got home with all of the stuff, I realized I forgot more... baby gates, baby proofing stuff, and a gas can for hubby's truck. At that point I was dead on my feet and really didn't care.

After all was said and done, and I had gotten all the goodies stowed away inside the house (I think the heat almost melted my new bottles) I looked at how much it totaled up to... who knew it could get that spendy that quickly!

I might have to start my own savings account, just to accommodate how much that cost us to get started! "Sorry kid, you cost too much when you were a baby, you gotta dish out your 18 years of allowance for your college tuition..."

But I did get some smoking good deals! Found the perfect swing at a thrift store, this model sells for about $120.00 in fancy boutique shops, I got it in brand new condition for $49.99! Along with some great hand-made blankets.

At another shop, I found a super cute bouncy seat for $27.99, and another great blanket, and a swaddle sack, total I paid $31.00!

But now we get to the fun stuff! I am finally checking things off my list of stuff to do! I finally washed through all of Connor's clothes, bedding, blankets, and toys (yep, that's the name we chose, a little boy! Exciting!). Getting the hospital bag put together (getting hubby to do his share is like pulling teeth! "I need you to pick out a shirt and pants for the hospital bag", "Yeah, Ok, when I'm done looking at reddit/ facebook/ webcomics/ sending out this email for work...." At this point, I'm about to pick out clothes for him! I put together the diaper bags, one for me, one for hubby, and one for a sitter/family drop off. I tediously organized the clothes into bins by size, and got them ready to stack out of the way until he grows into them (I know it's wishful thinking to think I can stay organized...but I'm trying!) I am getting my craft stuff back under control (since it's taking over half the nursery right now) and setting up a pseudo office in the dining room for now (we are hoping to move into a bigger place soon).

 Then I realized...I have nothing handmade that I've done for Connor! Lots of lists of things to do, lots of supplies purchased for projects, just none finished! I also realized that I have 2 close friends who are due with their own little ones within a month or so of my own... better get busy!

Plans:
Mobile for Connor

Instead of a string garland, I'll take this great idea from Crafty Endeavor and hang each ball (I'm doing yarn for a bolder effect) from a embroidery ring, then I'll cover the ring in ribbon, and dangle it on a swivel mount from my tackle box so it can spin freely.

If it's easy/fast enough, I'll do one up for my cousin's little boy, and my friend twin girls!

Hats for shower gifts: (Bri, Tabi, if you are reading this, scroll past here!)

I have knitted a super cute hat, can't show pics yet...using this color:

And I'll be crocheting 2 hats for the girls using this color:

I will also be doing some super cute carseat sized blankets for each little one! And of couse, how can I not make a hedgehog for each baby! Will post pics when I finish these projects.

I also want to finish some art work I was going to hang in the nursery, but I think between this heat, and the lack of energy, I'd rather just go sit by the river, soak my feet, and knit away the day!

And then I remember there is laundry... Oh the joys of being a new housewife...

 

More Etsy! And the joy of BNR's

First off: Owls Nest Boutique, yes, it's my etsy store, yes you should go check it out, I added more stuff! Hedgies mostly!

And on to the BNR's! What is a BNR, you ask?

A BNR is a lace where sellers buy an item in a treasury on etsy, they then take that space in the treasury, and stay until they get their spot bought. The one I'm currently in (as of the afternoon of July 10) is called JenuineBNR, and it's run by the seller JenuineCrafts! Yep, that was another link, go check it out! especially if you have a shop! And you don't have to buy the item in the treasury, just something from that sellers shop!
 

Hedgehogs!

What do you call a group of Hedgehogs?

This array of hedgehogs might also be called a prickle!

I have been making quite the array of hedgehogs myself! Thought not as prickly as their live counterparts, they are just as sharp (looking), but oh so cuddly!

They all rattle, and cuddle. And if there is enough interest in the pattern, I'd be happy to put one together. If you are more interested in just buying one, keep an eye on my etsy shop, I'll be add these little guys to it slowly.

The Owls Nest Boutique