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I cannot wait to see Harlow as a big sister.
Every morning, without fail, the first thing she asks,
We listen to baby’s heart-beep, please?
(Well, right after she makes sure she can have yogurt for breakfast. Homegirl wakes up hungry!)
She gives him kisses throughout the day, and usually pretends that he’s kicking her when he does, and talks about him to anyone who will listen.
I love “catching” her in the middle of her mother moments. She turns into a pile of giggles when she sees me looking.
From reminding her babies to “eat your bites,” to singing her favorite lullabies or teaching them her memory verses from church, to “burrito-ing” them in under their blankets, I am amazed at how innate her little mama skills are and how much she loves to show them.
Yup. Tearing up as I write this. Goodness, you pregnancy hormones, you.
So when I asked her if she’d like to test out her baby brother’s new travel crib, she was beside herself.
And then when I had it set up in about 20 seconds with one hand, I stood there a bit shocked. Okay, a lot shocked. I had heard from everyone how amazingly simple and easy this playard is to set up, but I honestly hadn’t realized how how easy it is. For the past three years, I’ve been on portable crib set up and tear down duty — Andy would happily go clean all the bathrooms to avoid this dreaded task….until now.
Now I have a feeling we’ll be fighting over who gets to be awarded with this task!
Yup. I’m a breeze believer.
After getting her babies all settled, sung-to and sleeping for their naps, Harlow turned on the charm and asked if she could sleep in brother’s new “twavel cwib.”
She really had to twist my arm.
I was able to carry the breeze up the stairs while holding Harlow’s hand, and we set it up in mommy and daddy’s room — I figured it would take advantage of her napping elsewhere and tidy up and organize her room a bit!
I was amazed at how comfortable she looked in the breeze — it definitely has a bigger sleeping space, and my lanky toddler slept for almost 4 hours! I also love that the mattress cover is waterproof, as we are definitely in a hit or miss stage of sleeptime accidents.
She sang for a while and then “read” for a bit before her epic nap. I would say it was a success!
So if my gush-fest and photo insanity didn’t convince you enough: I am a breeze believer through and through. And I will happily yell that from the rooftops!
I am feeling the nesting coming on even earlier with baby brother, and I’m so anxious to meet him and watch Harlow put all of her big sister practicing to good use!
Want the chance to become a breeze believer too? I’m beyond excited to give away a 4moms breeze playard to one of you! And 4moms is giving away a breeze playard each and every day during the month of June over on their facebook page! How amazing is that?
Use the entry options below for your chance to win a 4moms breeze playard!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
xo
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I’ve had so much fun creating projects and tutorials for you guys — and I hope you’re enjoying them! I have quite a few more in the pipeline, and I’m trying to keep them diverse as possible.
These last two projects have been created using the Brother Designio DZ1500F — it is a high speed straight stitch machine that is available on Amazon. I know, what doesn’t Amazon have? I don’t know about you, but I love Amazon for almost anything and everything. There are times, however, when it’s a little scary making a large purchase without trying or testing or touching the product prior to hitting that 1-Click button. Ah! the fear.
Well, I’m hoping that I can help you think through some of the features to look for when shopping for a new sewing machine. I’ve been surprised by how this machine has become my go-to sewing machine, but I hope to be very clear about what separates this type of sewing machine from a computerized sewing machine and features you might be looking for.
I’ve been sewing from a fairly young age. I’ve been watching my mom sew since I was born on a cold day in February, yet I still find myself often getting into ruts with sewing, just as I do with other things. Up until now, I didn’t have a sewing machine that pushed me to learn and do more. I would stick to techniques I felt confident in, instead of pushing myself to learn new.
I honestly didn’t even really think about that fact prior to trying this new machine. I want to help you find the machine that fits your needs and challenges you to continually expand your sewing knowledge and skills.
Today I want to focus on two new techniques this machine has pushed me to try — and love! — but first, I want to share a few features that have me completely swooning. And of course features that now I couldn’t possibly live without. haha, kind of like accidentally getting a car with heated seats…I’m now horrified at the thought of not having them!
Kidding. Kinda.
No beeping.
Because the DZ1500F is an industrial style workhorse machine, it plugs in and has 2 lights…and the technology basically ends there. I love how quiet this machine is. I love that it doesn’t beep angrily at me whenever I want to change a setting. (I know my other sewing machines aren’t angry, but ah! that beeping! I haven’t figured out how to turn it off.)
Settings stay put. [Stitch length dial pictured above.]
Almost every setting is manually changed — stitch length, tension dials, feed dogs — you can turn your machine off without needing to remember where you last had your needle placement, what stitch length and width you last used….none of that! It’s just sitting there, smiling at you and waiting for you to come back! And you will. Goodness this machine has me smitten.
No need for the scissor scramble. [Automatic thread cutter button pictured above.]
You know what I mean — you need to trim a thread and every sewing scissor you own has gone on vacation. With the click of a button, the DZ1500F clips threads nice and close to your last stitch. It’s magical.
Easy needle position. [Needle position indicator pictured above.]
I’ll be honest, I can never remember how to change my needle placement on my computerized machines. Even though my 90% of the time, I want my needle to end in the down position, there are times when I’m working on a project that requires an up needle placement instead. I love how simple the DZ1500F makes the switch — if the light is on? Needle position down. Light is off? Needle position up.
The machine will default to light on at start, but simply clicking the button once will change your needle position until you either 1) change it back or 2) turn off your machine. [So there is one setting that changes when you power down your machine! :) ]
Needle Felting Attachment [Needle felting attachment pictured above.]
This attachment intrigued me when I read about it in the description of the DZ1500F. I’ll be honest, I was clueless about what this attachment would look like, how it would work, and what I could even do with it — but now I’m hooked!
Having a machine with the ability to push me in a skill I didn’t even really know existed has been an unexpected treat.
This attachment allows you to use both roving wool and wool felt to create appliqué-ish projects — although I think they are way more amazing. In case you missed it, here is a simple project you could start with.
Wondering how on earth this attachment works? See it in action here.
Free Motion Quilting [Included free motion quilting foot pictured above.]
In addition to the needle felting attachment, the DZ1500F comes with 6 sewing feet. When looking for a machine, it’s always important to note what accessories come with the purchase and what accessories will need to be purchased separately. Just like with other purchases, the accessories can quickly add up if you need to purchase each item individually. I love that this machine comes with quality sewing feet great for sewing at any skill — challenging beginners to play and try new techniques and fulfilling requirements and needs of the more experienced as well.
I have tried free motion quilting before, but I’ve never found success or fun in it. Because the DZ1500F is simple in design, it’s super easy to remember the settings needed to make each technique successful. No changing needle position — it doesn’t move. No wondering how to lower the feed dogs, the dial is clearly marked.
Most of all, the speed, space and construction of this machine makes it incredibly versatile. This machine will keep up with you as you improve your sewing skills and challenge you to do more.
I should probably give mine a name — any suggestions?
What do you look for when buying a sewing machine? Are you wanting to learn how to sew, but nervous to purchase? Let me know what questions you have — and I’d love to do my best to answer them! The DZ1500F might not be the perfect fit for you — maybe another machine is the right fit — or perhaps it’s exactly what you’ve been looking for!
xo
I was sent the Brother DZ1500F machine to test and review and was compensated for this review post. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
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This last monday evening, er wee hours of the morning, I had the rare privilege of photographing the birth of my friends’ daughter, Marion Annabel. After having Harlow — and the blessing of having our emotions and experience documented — I knew that capturing this moment would be an incredible gift to others. I had mentioned to Ashley about my dream to someday become a birth photographer, and she immediately said, “okay I’m due December 15!”
To say I was nervous was an understatement — I told them I would capture these moments, but what if nothing even turned out? I’m super hard on myself. I’m excited to grow and improve, but I do know that I tear up every time I look through these images, so I’m hopeful that some emotion was captured and is portrayed through these photos.
A warning to you all — these photos are completely fine for work, but well, there are just a lot of photos. {I had such a hard time choosing!}
Sorry, not sorry.
xo.
Dustin and Ashley, thank you for allowing me to be present as Marion Annbel entered this world. I was and still am immensely honored to have taken these photos and been there with you. We love her so much already!
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Two college sophomores huddled under blankets at our desks, listening to Italian and art history. We were so cold that we took turns holding a nalgene filled with boiling water. I wish I still had the sketch she drew of a nalgene sitting in a pot accompanied by the question, “can you boil a nalgene?”
Clearly the cold and Italian and art was taking a toll on our brain functioning.
Conveniently, she was right handed and I, left, so we shared one pair of gloves–this is what friends do when living abroad in a convent. Then, when the hand we were writing with became too numb, we would pass the nalgene, whose water had now become luke warm, back and forth.
This memory is one that I will not forgot shortly — it is accompanied by so many ridiculous others that and I made during our time in Orvieto, Italy while we were in college. We almost missed our flight to Frankfurt, because we were, of course, discussing our grandiose plans for our time there. I should add–and really, this could be an entire post–we lived in a small hill city, in a convent, and we had no internet. We truly had no idea what we were about to experience as we chatted in the Chicago airport, waiting to board our flight.
When Rachael and I first became moms, I found myself always so encouraged by her intentional ease by which she parented. She doesn’t sweat about the small stuff, but is ernest in seeking wisdom for the big. She is one I love going to with embarrassing stories of my mom-days, because she will laugh and then say something that makes me feel somewhat normal once again.
When her second daughter, Joan Bea, arrived I knew I wanted to make something for her. I had seen some quilts on pinterest — this one and these ones in particular! I had a giant scrap of the same print!
I wanted something small. Rachael and her husband, Joe, and their daughters, Lux and Joan, live in Boston. She walks everywhere and inspires me to get out more. I wanted something that would be too bulky for trips to the park.
I wanted something feminine, but not frilly. I love Rachael’s classic style and fashion forward eye. I can always look to her for trends that are up and coming — she knows what those Europeans are scheming, I tell you.
I wanted something that looked like art. I’ve been playing with more piecing recently, but my heart still is happiest when I just “paint” with the fabrics, mixing and matching sizes and patterns.
The leather label and the pink binding are two of my favorites aspects of the quilt — I love how it turned out. What do you think?
{photo of Joan and her quilt — courtesy of Rachael}
Isn’t Joan just the cutest?
xo.
the perfect leather bag.
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This post is a little out of the ordinary, but hopefully it’ll help some of you out quite a bit!
Either that or I’ve been hiding under a rock and what I’m about to share is old news.
I’m pretty out of the loop sometimes, so that wouldn’t totally surprise me.
But I have this awesome sister who happens to also be an awesome graphic designer.
She also happens to keep me hip, sends me screen shots of typos, and lets me know when I’ve totally over-edited a photo.
See? I told you she’s awesome.
She also tries to keep me in the loop on trends happening in the design world: usually everything she emails me goes right over my head.
That was until she sent me a link to GuideGuide.
Y’all.
This is it. I used to struggle for hours trying to put together photo collages in photoshop.
Hours.
But GuideGuide just becomes part of photoshop, allowing you to choose the number of columns and rows and how thick the margin is between them. Just type in the numbers, click a button, and the guidelines appear.
I know, right?
[I know I’m isolating photoshop users, I’m sorry! I’m still trying to see if there is a freeware similar to GuideGuide for other photoediting software. If you know about one, let me know! GuideGuide also has no idea who I am, even though they’ve changed my life.]
Enjoy!
I know it might seem like a long process, but I promise it is super quick and easy once you get going!
Hope this helps!
And again — I could be totally clueless, outdated, and all-1995 with this tutorial, so just, be nice if that’s the case. :)
xoxo
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I broke one of the cardinal rules of parenting, I think.
But I’m not sorry I did.
One of the rules in our home, is “No climbing on the table”–coffee table, end table, whatever table–isn’t allowed. We’re pretty laid back as a family, but teaching our children manners that stay consistent as they grow? That is a biggie for us.
And dancing on a table isn’t something I would typically encourage.
But today I let–no, I encouraged–Harlow to break that rule.
I could probably read into the way that Harlow’s eyes lit up when I plopped her on the coffee table for some photos. I could worry about the future teenage years and assume the worst because of how excited she was, but I’m seeing it differently. I vividly remember as a child when rules and structure were broken–or maybe just slightly bent–by my parents.
It was kind of the best thing ever.
Staying up late when company was over–I loved listening to adult conversation.
Ordering pop when we went out to eat: we are a water family, so pop/soda/coke was a big treat.
Baking cookies in the middle of the night because a storm kept me awake–oh wait, that was my mom and sister. I’m not jealous, and clearly I’m not harboring any jealousy over that one. ;o]
So when I lifted Harlow on to that table, I had no idea that God would be teaching me a lesson as I watched her twirl and dance and stomp her feet.
I also had no idea that I would be fighting back tears while writing this post.
I know the list above is simple and plain and probably quite boring. But to me?
These seemingly small events in my life, were little events that displayed affirmation of my parents’ love for my sisters and me.
It was a reminder that we were more important than structure.
It was a confirmation of correct priorities–work and commitments were important, but so were we.
It taught me the importance of being flexible.
But most of all, they showed me that they loved us in a way that caused them to disrupt normal flow and structure–and when rules and plans changed, it reminded us again of just how much.
And I pray that somehow my little girl sees and feels that love from me.
[In case you were wondering, “no climbing/dancing on the table” is a rule again–until I decide it’s time to break it again.]
On Harlow: Mt Dew Dress, made/designed by Aunt Kaitlyn // jeggings, Circo, Target // slippers, her momma, Coconut Robot
