Hearth and Homemaker

Review: Bright Starts Tropical Smiles Around We Go (the what?)

In updating my Amby Baby Motion Bed review, I realized there is another item in our home that is a favorite of ours, which I just had to share:  the Bright Starts Tropical Smiles Around We Go, available at Target.  Aside from the ridiculously long and impossible-to-remember name (I've been calling it "the walker-tainer" for over a year now--who is doing their marketing? sheesh!) it is a fabulous product.  Kudos to the inventors.  There is nothing else out there like it. 

At first I gagged at the price tag.  I don't remember exactly how much I paid for it, but I'm thinking in the ninety dollar range 18 months ago (it's on sale now at Target.com for $63.98, down from $79.98) but it turned out to be worth it.  Aside from the many gadgets and toys on the circular table (which my preschool children also enjoy playing with), it has a walker-style seat that is attached to the table base, which twists so the baby can see what is going on around him, as well as travels around the circumference of the activity table.  It was a bit of an adventure putting it together, but not terribly difficult.  It looked way too hard to disassemble, so we kept it intact when we moved.

There are a myriad of toys to play with, including a piano-like toy that has a "book" with plastic "pages".  Every time you turn the page, the piano plays different sounds:  musical notes, songs, or animal voices.  There is a star-shaped water pad with shaped sponges inside, and buttons you can push to make lights under the water light up and steel drum tropical music plays.  Those toys have on/off and low/high volume switches (nice).  There is also a fish on a pull-string, a spinning dolphin rattle, a tree shaped mirror, beads on a plastic arc, pop-up dolphins, and more.

We bought it when our younger daughter was on the upper age limits of using it.  She liked it alright inside on the carpet, but LOVED it on the smooth garage floor, watching the other children play in the driveway.  She could get herself running around it pretty fast...a bit too fast.  She was probably getting a bit big for it.  But it never was in danger of tipping over.  A baby can definitely go fast in it on a smooth surface.

My youngest son, however, loves this thing to death!  Inside, outside, carpet, deck, concrete, linoleum, anywhere you put it, the child loves this thing!  He doesn't want to lay on the floor for "tummy time" or spend much time trying to sit up or play with other toys.  He will play with other toys...as he holds them and runs around his "walker-tainer".  (Yes, I'm refusing to use that ridiculous, long-winded name.)  He loves being held, but if we can't hold him, forget the floor, he wants to "run"!  The older children love to push him around in it, or "help" him play with the toys (you do need to keep an eye on older children...they tend to want to push a baby around too fast).

One nice thing about this product is that there is an adjustable strap under the cloth seat for adjusting the height of the seat.  The seat, in its lowest position, is pretty deep/low, so you can start a child in it younger than a lot of walkers/entertainers. 

I always recommend "babywearing" with a baby sling, but when you can't, this toy is a lifesaver!  My nine month old son has never been too interested in being in a sling when I'm sitting or doing things (cleaning, cooking, etc.), unlike the others.  It's so helpful at dinnertime, too!  I'd say this is a fabulous investment for a mom with a large family.  It may be pricey, but it's one heck of a toy!  New moms, skip the bouncer (all my kids hated them) and the bassinet (a waste of money after a couple of months)  and the baby bathtub (a slippery accident waiting to happen...use a foam bath cushion or a towel in the tub with two inches of water) and invest in this.

And no, I don't sell them.  But I should!  And the Amby Hammock...I should be making money off this, lol.  I don't think Amby will be calling...read my review.  While I raved the product, I reamed the American distributor for bad service.   So I guess I won't wait by my inbox to hear from them.  But hey, Bright Starts, call me!   :-P

WFMW: How to Be Happy and Improve Your Marriage

The following post is one that I had intended to post last Wednesday, before I realized it was the Greatest Hits edition of Works For Me Wednesday.  I used it as a regular post instead, and I  did link to it during last week's WFMW post, but I've decided to go ahead and post it again, because it's something that has changed my life.  It's long, but it's worth it.  I enjoy hearing when my readers like something, because it helps me know what topics you are most interested in.  So if you like it, please leave a comment.  Enjoy!

Are you going through a depression, and feel like you are in a dark place in your life?  Are you realizing that your marriage isn't nearly as happy as you thought it was?   Does it seem like you have lost your joy in life?  Do you see your life as a mess, when you know that you have many things to be thankful for? Then read on my friends, if you have the courage. 

As a young woman I worked as a waitress, and I've often said there was one reason I really enjoyed it.  You had to smile all the time.  At least if you wanted good tips!  No matter how my day went, I was forced to put on a smile and be sweet to people, pretending I was happy.  And after a while, I WAS happy.  You can't smile for an hour straight and not become a little happier--not unless you are bound and determined to STAY miserable! 

Now I know what you're thinking:  "If she tells me to just smile, I'm going to smack her!"  Okay, fair enough.  I'd probably have thought the same thing a week ago.  And it's not quite that simple. 

I've been reading two books this week:  Fascinating Womanhood by Helen Andelin, and Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl.  While I don't agree with some of their religious views (I do not believe in divorcing ever, for any reason...if my husband was a truly horrible man, I might have to live apart from him for my own safety, but that ring would stay on my finger, regardless of his actions) their perspective on how men tick and how to be a good wife is right on target. 

I realize that over the years of my marriage I have become a very unhappy, unlovable person.  The fact that my husband not only has stayed with me, but also has done everything in his power to try to make me happy despite my depressingly negative attitude is a testament to his character.  Any lesser man would have begun to avoid me long ago.  While I have always tried to treat him with respect and love (something that is a lost art among many women today) I was so unhappy with myself that it is a miracle that he could spend any time around me at all.  I was impatient and too often angry with my children, and even the smallest task seemed overwhelmingly burdensome to me.

Then three days ago my husband and I had a conversation that made me finally realize that he was not as happy as I thought he was.  He loved me and of course had no desire to leave me but my constant bad mood was dragging him down and he didn't know how much more he could take.  My attitude was rubbing off on him, and not in a good way.   He was very kind in the way he put it, but I was so hurt and in complete shock.  I didn't realize how bad I had become.  After pondering all night what he said and what it really meant, I came to the realization that I had to do something right away before things got worse.

The first day was difficult.  I got up, showered, and dressed nice. I put on makeup and did my hair, something I usually only do when going out.  Often, when I did fix up just for him, if he forgot to compliment me I would become depressed, put my hair back in a ponytail and feel sorry for myself.  Why bother making an effort to change, I asked myself, if he doesn't notice?  But this time I would not let myself do that, no matter what. 

I read Fascinating Womanhood, and while working around the house, listened to Created To Be His Help Meet on my iPod.  I tried to stay in a pleasant mood, to be sweet towards my children, and staying happy no matter what.    It was incredibly hard.  All I managed to do was to not cry (although a few tears may have slipped out on brief occasions), to not yell (okay, I caught myself just in time once or twice) and to flash a very tight smile (maybe more like an uncomfortable grimace) a few times.  As pathetic as my attempts were, they were very noticeable to my husband, who told me later that night how much it was appreciated, and how nice I looked that day.  I had even come to bed looking nice and wearing perfume, and he was very happy.  We talked a long time, and we felt much closer.

As usual I couldn't sleep that night.  I stayed up til dawn, listening to CTBHHM and taking notes on Biblical quotes and anything I felt I most needed to work on.  That's when it really hit me.  Debi Pearl emphasized over and over how important it was to be joyful, to have a merry heart, and a cheerful countenance.  To smile!    I can't tell you how often my husband has told me that he just wants to see me be happy, and how beautiful I look when I smile.  Well then, I determined, I am going to smile.  I am going to laugh.  I am going to be joyful and merry if it kills me!

And at first it felt like it nearly did.  The day started out with a few more tight grimaces, and a few fake sounding (to me) laughs.  I took every opportunity to try and laugh at my children's antics and my husband's jokes.  I praised my children more than usual, and spent time teaching them to do work around the house (high time for that, too, I've been too lazy and impatient to do much of that up til now).  We had fun.  My husband seemed to develop a sparkle in his eye.  We didn't snap at each other at all (a frequent occurrence each weekend, until now).  By nightfall, I was actually enjoying myself.  I was happy!  I also spent the day putting other tips from FW and CTBHHM into action. 

I was not only genuinely laughing, but giggling at most of what my husband said.  We talked that night, and he told me how beautiful I looked all day, and that  this was the woman he'd fallen in love with, and he missed her.  I can't believe how easy it has become to be happy.  Not that it's never a struggle, but it is far easier than I would have thought.  I didn't need herbs, prescription drugs, a therapist, or more sympathy from my husband.  I just needed to force myself to smile and laugh. 

I look back now at the road I was on, and shudder to think where it may have led.  I am as happy now as I was on my honeymoon.  Happier. My husband is in love with me again.  I know he always loved me, but he is now in love with me once again.  Before he would give me affection, but more out of obligation or an effort of will to show me he loved me, or to make me feel better.  Now it is spontaneous, and non-stop!  I will not go back to the way I was before.  Who was that horrible woman?  Certainly not anyone I would want to be around.  Definitely not someone I want to be.

Looking back, I know now that I had lost my joy.  I had forgotten how to laugh.  I never looked for a reason to smile.  When I smiled, it was for strangers in a store.  As soon as I got home, I allowed myself to become discontent again.  I am a very blessed woman, but even this knowledge wasn't enough to make me pull myself out of it.  Realizing my devoted husband was not happy was the absolute lowest point for me.  Or at least, I didn't want it to get any lower!  Through God's grace, angelic intervention, and some effort on my part, I have found my joy again. 

So my friends, just "fake it til you make it" and paste a smile on your face, even if it feels like it will kill you.  A smile never killed anyone, but it has melted the heart of many a man!

I have learned to much from those two books, and I may write a more in depth review or do some chapter studies in the future, if time allows.  For now, here are a few Biblical quotes as well as some notes/quotes from CTBHHM that I felt particularly helpful.  Imagine: if only one tip from these books helped me this much, how incredible my marriage will continue to be as I incorporate the rest!  If your marriage is deeper in turmoil, it may take a lot more effort and time for things to turn around, but if you earnestly put the teachings of these two books into practice, it is almost certain that you will succeed.

You can get Created to Be His Help Meet here and Fascinating Womanhood here or at any bookstore. There is also a novel available to read online for free that is a fictional account of a woman on the verge of divorce who goes to a Fascinating Womanhood class and turns her life around.  It includes the main points of the FW book, plus true success stories from letters in the files of Helen Andelin.  I highly recommend getting the actual book Fascinating Womanhood because it is much more in depth and explains the whys and hows better, but for a preview of its principals and for those who can't afford to buy it right away, check out the novel, Secrets of Fascinating Womanhood.

 

Note:  I have put Biblical quotes in italics, direct CTBHHM quotes in quotations, and my comments in parentheses.  Everything else are general notes from CTBHHM.  I know this post is long but I wanted it in one piece for easy linking and/or copying.  It is worth it.  Enjoy!

A diligent woman is a crown to her husband: and she that doth things worthy of confusion, is a rottenness in his bones. 5  Proverbs 12:4     (This is a very sobering thought, and very true if we women  open our minds and allow ourselves to be humble enough to admit it)

And the Lord God said: It is not good for man to be alone: let us make him a help like unto himself. 19  Genesis 2:18,20

JOY:

2 Esdras 8:10 for the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Ecclesiasticus 1
12 The fear of the Lord shall delight the heart, and shall give joy, and gladness, and length of days.

A joyful mind maketh age flourishing: a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (Being happy keeps you young.)

Proverbs 15:13 A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by grief of mind the spirit is cast down.  (I think the reverse is true too...a cheerful countenance can make a glad heart.)

Psalms 106:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of praise: and declare his works with joy.

Traits of a good help meet--virtue, graciousness, wisdom, prudence, goodness

A good help meet has a passion for service...first husband, then children, then church/society.

A good help meet, in her readiness to please, looks around and sees what her husband would want to have done, and does it...she would not use lame excuses to avoid doing them.

"Is your husband still married to the same sweet little thing you were when you were courting? Or a long faced sickly complainer?  Love is like a flower, it grows only with sunshine. Has your lover seen your sunshine lately?  Is he still your lover? What would HE say?"  (Remember that song that goes "ain't no sunshine when she's gone"?  Would your husband say "ain't no sunshine when she's here"?  Be honest!)
 
"Does your husband see you as a happy thankful woman? Does he smile when he sees you, amused at the cheerful grin on your face, and the delightful things you do and say, even the dumb ones?  Learn to charm him with your mischievous, only-for-him giggle. Everyone is drawn to a smile, who and what you are is reflected in your face."

Men are highly attracted to smiles. 

The most effective beauty aid is free--a joyful smile.

"Being pitiful, hurt, discouraged, and sickly is one side of a bad marriage coin.  Men are repulsed by women who project this image.  A man's spirit like a woman is rejecting and manipulating him when a woman reacts with a broken spirit."

"God's will is for a wife to have a merry heart, a cheerful countenance, and a glow that will refresh the most tired and stressed husband on the planet.  Bubbling cheer goes a long way to maintain or even restore a marriage.  Make a decision right now to break the poor me habit, today put it down as sin and rebellion, and tomorrow wake up with joy in your heart and home."

Establish a new habit.  Ask yourself, what can I do today to make him smile?

Do a study on the word Joy in the Bible.  Memorize your favorite verses on joy.

"Every morning, let the first thing your husband sees on your face be a gentle smile even if your eyes are closed.  Any time your eyes meet or your hands touch, let it be a reminder to smile and offer a word of gladness. "

"When you eat, always show thanksgiving by means of a smile and a joyful spirit.
During the day, sing and dance and laugh with joy as you work around the house.
Your children will be delighted as you dance around the house with a broom or mop, and this lighthearted mood (visible joy is the only joy children understand) will be an encouragement to your children.  The lightness in your soul will help put you in a good frame of mind for when your husband comes home."

If you have reason to be hurt or discouraged, and yet you sing with thanksgiving, this is a true sacrifice of worship to God. 

Think of other times during the day you can establish a habit of praise and thanksgiving, by showing joy.  Write them down, think of yourself doing them, and practice doing them all day long.

A wise woman sets a joyful mood in her home. Through laughter, music and happy times she creates a positive attitude in her children.  She knows that a lighthearted home relieves her husband of stress.

psalm 99:2 Sing joyfully to God, all the earth: serve ye the Lord with gladness. Come in before his presence with exceeding great joy.

Be happy with what you have, do not spend your time thinking of all the things you want or even need that you don't have.  Mentioning to your husband the things you want but can't have or can't afford, or complaining about the things that you do have, is insulting to him.  It is as if you are telling him he is not a good provider.

Phil 4:11 I speak not as it were for want. For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to be content therewith.

Heb 13:5  Let your manners be without covetousness, contented with such things as you have; for he hath said: I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee.

1 Tim 7 For we brought nothing into this world: and certainly we can carry nothing out. 8 But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content.

10 For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the faith, and have entangled themselves in many sorrows.

"Discontentment is not a product of circumstances, it is a state of the soul."

It is wrong to think that everything will be better if only...(the family moves, has more money, etc.). 

"Thankful people have a view of life that begins deep in their souls, and outside circumstances can't mar their joy.  To them life is a continual dream come true, a continual feast."

Joy begins with thankfulness.

It is amazing how your mouth controls your soul...you can smile, and say thank you, and your spirit is directed into gratitude, with joy following.  Thankfulness is how you think.  Joy is the abundance it produces.

Psalm 126:3 Behold the inheritance of the Lord are children: the reward, the fruit of the womb. 4 As arrows in the hand of the mighty, so the children of them that have been shaken. 5 Blessed is the man that hath filled the desire with them; he shall not be confounded when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate.

1 Peter 3:1 In like manner also let wives be subject to their husbands: that if any believe not the word, they may be won without the word, by the conversation of the wives. 2 Considering your chaste conversation with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not be the outward plaiting of the hair, or the wearing of gold, or the putting on of apparel: 4 But the hidden man of the heart in the incorruptibility of a quiet and a meek spirit, which is rich in the sight of God.

Update:  I've found it challenging staying positive all week, but even when I'm only partly successful, it makes a big difference in my marriage, my family, and my whole outlook on life.  It truly Works for Me!

Pork Poop

My dear little four year old daughter came in from a long trek with Daddy and brothers across the property the other day.  Her feet were cold and her socks were somehow wet after tromping through the snow in her boots, but she told me in an excited, breathy voice of all they had seen.

This is a new house for us, and we haven't really seen the property without snow, so you can imagine the list of treasures which the receeding snow had revealed to her:  a tennis ball "for dogs AND for humans, Momma", an "orange thing", some horse poop, aaaaaaaand:

"...some pork poop, Momma!"

"Pork poop?"  Hmm, I thought.  Did the former owners have pigs, too?  And if so, how did my little daughter distinguish pig--or pork--poop from other kinds?  My husband must have taught her that...and his knowledge of animal scat must be much more thorough than I'd previously thought.  Hmmm...maybe I misunderstood her.  She doesn't speak that clearly.

"What do you mean, 'pork poop', honey?"

"It's poop that comes from a porcupine!"  She grinned, then paused.  "Porcupoop!" 

I barely heard the last part, as I was laughing hysterically.  She laughed too, and ran around talking about the "porcupoop" for a few minutes, while my husband and I continued to laugh, tears rolling down our faces.  I was so overcome with laughter, that I didn't think to ask how she came to think--or know--that the poop was from a porcupine!

And believe it or not, folks, I found a picture of porcupine poop on the internet...

Works For Me Wednesday's Greatest Hits: Organizing Hair Accessories

This Works for Me Wednesday is the Greatest Hits Edition over at Rocks in My Dryer.  My "greatest" WFMW post would have to be Organizing Little Girls' Hair Accessories posted last October.  I usually get a hit on that post at least once a day from google searches. It has definitely brought in the most traffic, although I think my most recent post on Organizing Games and Puzzles will eventually overtake it in popularity.  If you were hoping for something new, check out my post on How to Be Happy and Improve Your Marriage.  I've discovered something small that has changed my life and my marriage, and I know it can help you with yours.

In the meantime, on to the re-run greatest hit:

If you have little girls in your home, you have probably amassed a collection of what my daughter calls "pretties"...miscellaneous hair bows, pony tail holders, scrunchies, barrettes, hair clips, etc.  After a long time of scavenging for just ONE matching set of pretties (ANY set!) in drawers, baskets, sandwich baggies, etc., I finally decided I needed a solution. 

A quick trip to the local home improvement store produced several possibilities:  a myriad of plastic storage boxes, intended for use in sorting tackle, hardware, or craft supplies.  I have two different boxes now:  one is clear, with no handle, and larger clasps, which is the type mostly used for craft supplies, and this is what I use this for my daughter's "pretties".  The other one I have is more of a tackle/hardware sorter, which has a clear top and a handle, and that is used for my own hair accessories.  Both boxes have adjustable compartment walls, which allows extra room for bows, or less room for hair clips.  For puffier hair bows, you might need a larger, deeper box.

I would have liked to include a picture of the actual box I have, and how I have the hair accessories arranged, but my digital camera card is missing.  So instead I added a picture of a similar box, available at Home Depot.

Before I place a set of barrettes or clips in the box, I clip each set together, so they don't get separated.  The nice thing about the box is it keeps them all in one place, and I can easily send a child to the bathroom and have them bring back a brush and the whole "pretties" box, rather than let them paw through it, making a mess and not finding what I asked them for.

It's an inexpensive solution, and it Works For Me!

How to Be Happy and Improve Your Marriage

Are you going through a depression, and feel like you are in a dark place in your life?  Are you realizing that your marriage isn't nearly as happy as you thought it was?   Does it seem like you have lost your joy in life?  Do you see your life as a mess, when you know that you have many things to be thankful for? Then read on my friends, if you have the courage. 

As a young woman I worked as a waitress, and I've often said there was one reason I really enjoyed it.  You had to smile all the time.  At least if you wanted good tips!  No matter how my day went, I was forced to put on a smile and be sweet to people, pretending I was happy.  And after a while, I WAS happy.  You can't smile for an hour straight and not become a little happier--not unless you are bound and determined to STAY miserable! 

Now I know what you're thinking:  "If she tells me to just smile, I'm going to smack her!"  Okay, fair enough.  I'd probably have thought the same thing a week ago.  And it's not quite that simple. 

I've been reading two books this week:  Fascinating Womanhood by Helen Andelin, and Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl.  While I don't agree with some of their religious views (I do not believe in divorcing ever, for any reason...if my husband was a truly horrible man, I might have to live apart from him for my own safety, but that ring would stay on my finger, regardless of his actions) their perspective on how men tick and how to be a good wife is right on target. 

I realize that over the years of my marriage I have become a very unhappy, unlovable person.  The fact that my husband not only has stayed with me, but also has done everything in his power to try to make me happy despite my depressingly negative attitude is a testament to his character.  Any lesser man would have begun to avoid me long ago.  While I have always tried to treat him with respect and love (something that is a lost art among many women today) I was so unhappy with myself that it is a miracle that he could spend any time around me at all.  I was impatient and too often angry with my children, and even the smallest task seemed overwhelmingly burdensome to me.

Then three days ago my husband and I had a conversation that made me finally realize that he was not as happy as I thought he was.  He loved me and of course had no desire to leave me but my constant bad mood was dragging him down and he didn't know how much more he could take.  My attitude was rubbing off on him, and not in a good way.   He was very kind in the way he put it, but I was so hurt and in complete shock.  I didn't realize how bad I had become.  After pondering all night what he said and what it really meant, I came to the realization that I had to do something right away before things got worse.

The first day was difficult.  I got up, showered, and dressed nice.  I put on makeup and did my hair, something I usually only do when going out.  Often, when I did fix up just for him, if he forgot to compliment me I would become depressed, put my hair back in a ponytail and feel sorry for myself.  Why bother making an effort to change, I asked myself, if he doesn't notice?  But this time I would not let myself do that, no matter what. 

I read Fascinating Womanhood, and while working around the house, listened to Created To Be His Help Meet on my iPod.  I tried to stay in a pleasant mood, to be sweet towards my children, and staying happy no matter what.    It was incredibly hard.  All I managed to do was to not cry (although a few tears may have slipped out on brief occasions), to not yell (okay, I caught myself just in time once or twice) and to flash a very tight smile (maybe more like an uncomfortable grimace) a few times.  As pathetic as my attempts were, they were very noticeable to my husband, who told me later that night how much it was appreciated, and how nice I looked that day.  I had even come to bed looking nice and wearing perfume, and he was very happy.  We talked a long time, and we felt much closer.

As usual I couldn't sleep that night.  I stayed up til dawn, listening to CTBHHM and taking notes on Biblical quotes and anything I felt I most needed to work on.  That's when it really hit me.  Debi Pearl emphasized over and over how important it was to be joyful, to have a merry heart, and a cheerful countenance.  To smile!    I can't tell you how often my husband has told me that he just wants to see me be happy, and how beautiful I look when I smile.  Well then, I determined, I am going to smile.  I am going to laugh.  I am going to be joyful and merry if it kills me!

And at first it felt like it nearly did.  The day started out with a few more tight grimaces, and a few fake sounding (to me) laughs.  I took every opportunity to try and laugh at my children's antics and my husband's jokes.  I praised my children more than usual, and spent time teaching them to do work around the house (high time for that, too, I've been too lazy and impatient to do much of that up til now).  We had fun.  My husband seemed to develop a sparkle in his eye.  We didn't snap at each other at all (a frequent occurrence each weekend, until now).  By nightfall, I was actually enjoying myself.  I was happy!  I also spent the day putting other tips from FW and CTBHHM into action. 

I was not only genuinely laughing, but giggling at most of what my husband said.  We talked that night, and he told me how beautiful I looked all day, and that  this was the woman he'd fallen in love with, and he missed her.  I can't believe how easy it has become to be happy.  Not that it's never a struggle, but it is far easier than I would have thought.  I didn't need herbs, prescription drugs, a therapist, or more sympathy from my husband.  I just needed to force myself to smile and laugh. 

I look back now at the road I was on, and shudder to think where it may have led.  I am as happy now as I was on my honeymoon.  Happier. My husband is in love with me again.  I know he always loved me, but he is now in love with me once again.  Before he would give me affection, but more out of obligation or an effort of will to show me he loved me, or to make me feel better.  Now it is spontaneous, and non-stop!  I will not go back to the way I was before.  Who was that horrible woman?  Certainly not anyone I would want to be around.  Definitely not someone I want to be.

Looking back, I know now that I had lost my joy.  I had forgotten how to laugh.  I never looked for a reason to smile.  When I smiled, it was for strangers in a store.  As soon as I got home, I allowed myself to become discontent again.  I am a very blessed woman, but even this knowledge wasn't enough to make me pull myself out of it.  Realizing my devoted husband was not happy was the absolute lowest point for me.  Or at least, I didn't want it to get any lower!  Through God's grace, angelic intervention, and some effort on my part, I have found my joy again. 

So my friends, just "fake it til you make it" and paste a smile on your face, even if it feels like it will kill you.  A smile never killed anyone, but it has melted the heart of many a man!

I have learned to much from those two books, and I may write a more in depth review or do some chapter studies in the future, if time allows.  For now, here are a few Biblical quotes as well as some notes/quotes from CTBHHM that I felt particularly helpful.  Imagine: if only one tip from these books helped me this much, how incredible my marriage will continue to be as I incorporate the rest!  If your marriage is deeper in turmoil, it may take a lot more effort and time for things to turn around, but if you earnestly put the teachings of these two books into practice, it is almost certain that you will succeed.

You can get Created to Be His Help Meet here and Fascinating Womanhood here or at any bookstore. There is also a novel available to read online for free that is a fictional account of a woman on the verge of divorce who goes to a Fascinating Womanhood class and turns her life around.  It includes the main points of the FW book, plus true success stories from letters in the files of Helen Andelin.  I highly recommend getting the actual book Fascinating Womanhood because it is much more in depth and explains the whys and hows better, but for a preview of its principals and for those who can't afford to buy it right away, check out the novel, Secrets of Fascinating Womanhood.

 

Note:  I have put Biblical quotes in italics, direct CTBHHM quotes in quotations, and my comments in parentheses.  Everything else are general notes from CTBHHM.  I know this post is long but I wanted it in one piece for easy linking and/or copying.  It is worth it.  Enjoy!

A diligent woman is a crown to her husband: and she that doth things worthy of confusion, is a rottenness in his bones. 5  Proverbs 12:4     (This is a very sobering thought, and very true if we women  open our minds and allow ourselves to be humble enough to admit it)

And the Lord God said: It is not good for man to be alone: let us make him a help like unto himself. 19  Genesis 2:18,20

JOY:

2 Esdras 8:10 for the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Ecclesiasticus 1
12 The fear of the Lord shall delight the heart, and shall give joy, and gladness, and length of days.

A joyful mind maketh age flourishing: a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (Being happy keeps you young.)

Proverbs 15:13 A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by grief of mind the spirit is cast down.  (I think the reverse is true too...a cheerful countenance can make a glad heart.)

Psalms 106:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of praise: and declare his works with joy.

Traits of a good help meet--virtue, graciousness, wisdom, prudence, goodness

A good help meet has a passion for service...first husband, then children, then church/society.

A good help meet, in her readiness to please, looks around and sees what her husband would want to have done, and does it...she would not use lame excuses to avoid doing them.

"Is your husband still married to the same sweet little thing you were when you were courting? Or a long faced sickly complainer?  Love is like a flower, it grows only with sunshine.  Has your lover seen your sunshine lately?  Is he still your lover?  What would HE say?"  (Remember that song that goes "ain't no sunshine when she's gone"?  Would your husband say "ain't no sunshine when she's here"?  Be honest!)
 
"Does your husband see you as a happy thankful woman? Does he smile when he sees you, amused at the cheerful grin on your face, and the delightful things you do and say, even the dumb ones?  Learn to charm him with your mischievous, only-for-him giggle. Everyone is drawn to a smile, who and what you are is reflected in your face."

Men are highly attracted to smiles. 

The most effective beauty aid is free--a joyful smile.

"Being pitiful, hurt, discouraged, and sickly is one side of a bad marriage coin.  Men are repulsed by women who project this image.  A man's spirit like a woman is rejecting and manipulating him when a woman reacts with a broken spirit."

"God's will is for a wife to have a merry heart, a cheerful countenance, and a glow that will refresh the most tired and stressed husband on the planet.  Bubbling cheer goes a long way to maintain or even restore a marriage.  Make a decision right now to break the poor me habit, today put it down as sin and rebellion, and tomorrow wake up with joy in your heart and home."

Establish a new habit.  Ask yourself, what can I do today to make him smile?

Do a study on the word Joy in the Bible.  Memorize your favorite verses on joy.

"Every morning, let the first thing your husband sees on your face be a gentle smile even if your eyes are closed.  Any time your eyes meet or your hands touch, let it be a reminder to smile and offer a word of gladness. "

"When you eat, always show thanksgiving by means of a smile and a joyful spirit.
During the day, sing and dance and laugh with joy as you work around the house.
Your children will be delighted as you dance around the house with a broom or mop, and this lighthearted mood (visible joy is the only joy children understand) will be an encouragement to your children.  The lightness in your soul will help put you in a good frame of mind for when your husband comes home."

If you have reason to be hurt or discouraged, and yet you sing with thanksgiving, this is a true sacrifice of worship to God. 

Think of other times during the day you can establish a habit of praise and thanksgiving, by showing joy.  Write them down, think of yourself doing them, and practice doing them all day long.

A wise woman sets a joyful mood in her home. Through laughter, music and happy times she creates a positive attitude in her children.  She knows that a lighthearted home relieves her husband of stress.

psalm 99:2 Sing joyfully to God, all the earth: serve ye the Lord with gladness. Come in before his presence with exceeding great joy.

Be happy with what you have, do not spend your time thinking of all the things you want or even need that you don't have.  Mentioning to your husband the things you want but can't have or can't afford, or complaining about the things that you do have, is insulting to him.  It is as if you are telling him he is not a good provider.

Phil 4:11 I speak not as it were for want. For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to be content therewith.

Heb 13:5  Let your manners be without covetousness, contented with such things as you have; for he hath said: I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee.

1 Tim 7 For we brought nothing into this world: and certainly we can carry nothing out. 8 But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content.

10 For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the faith, and have entangled themselves in many sorrows.

"Discontentment is not a product of circumstances, it is a state of the soul."

It is wrong to think that everything will be better if only...(the family moves, has more money, etc.). 

"Thankful people have a view of life that begins deep in their souls, and outside circumstances can't mar their joy.  To them life is a continual dream come true, a continual feast."

Joy begins with thankfulness.

It is amazing how your mouth controls your soul...you can smile, and say thank you, and your spirit is directed into gratitude, with joy following.  Thankfulness is how you think.  Joy is the abundance it produces.

Psalm 126:3 Behold the inheritance of the Lord are children: the reward, the fruit of the womb. 4 As arrows in the hand of the mighty, so the children of them that have been shaken. 5 Blessed is the man that hath filled the desire with them; he shall not be confounded when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate.

1 Peter 3:1 In like manner also let wives be subject to their husbands: that if any believe not the word, they may be won without the word, by the conversation of the wives. 2 Considering your chaste conversation with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not be the outward plaiting of the hair, or the wearing of gold, or the putting on of apparel: 4 But the hidden man of the heart in the incorruptibility of a quiet and a meek spirit, which is rich in the sight of God.

Making a Beginner Doll Quilt, Part 2

This is the follow-up to Making a Beginner Doll Quilt, Part 1.   Unfortunately some of the subsequent steps in making this doll quilt were done when it was late and I was too tired and ditzy to remember to take pictures.  I'll do my best to explain the steps I followed, but as I mentioned in Part 1, I made a lot of mistakes, and you'll do a better job if you follow the basic beginner's quilting instructions in Gloria's Quilting Tutorial that I mentioned in the first installment.  The idea of this post is to show you how easy it was, and how well it turned out, considering I did it the "quick, dirty and lazy" way! 

After finishing the patchwork portion of the quilt top, cut your borders to the proper length.  I chose to do two borders, one in the green lattice print, and one in the lavender.  I wanted the finished green border to be 1" wide, so I added an extra 1/2" to the width when cutting, for the seam allowance on either side of the border.  This made it 1.5" wide.  The length of the border is dependent on the length of the finished patchwork portion of the quilt top.  If your quilt top is 20" long, and your first border is 1.5" wide (before attaching), then make the border at least 23" long (allowing 1.5 inches of overhang on each end, for attaching to the borders on the sides of the quilt.  Fearful of making a mistake, I left even more at each end, to be trimmed off later.  I cut the borders for the two shorter sides also, leaving plenty of overhang at each end again.

I sewed the green borders on each long side of the quilt top first, with right sides together and a 1/4" seam allowance, as usual, then pressed the seam allowances to one side.  (I had that part figured out at that point, lol.)  Then I sewed on the borders for the shorter side, continuing the stitching right over the ends of the already-
attached borders, and pressed them again.  (Here you see the first green border piece sewn on and ready to be pressed.)

I trimmed the extra length off each corner of the border, and then continued to follow the same steps to attach the lavender border pieces to the green border.  This time I wanted a 2" border, so the cut width was 2.5".  (In this picture, the bottom left corner of the green border has been trimmed, while the other three await trimming.)

Your quilt top is completed!  On to the "quilt sandwich".  The next step can be done on your cutting board if it's big enough, using a rotary cutter.  Otherwise lay it on any large flat surface, such as your living room floor, as you would with any larger quilt.  This may not be exactly how the pros do it, but this was my method:

I used an old blanket instead of batting, since it won't matter to a doll if her quilt is warm enough.  ;-)  I first cut a section of the old blanket a little bigger than the quilt top, and laid it on the cutting board.  I then laid the quilt top on top of it, and used the rotary cutter and ruler to cut the blanket to the same size as the quilt top.  I removed the top and "batting", and laid the backing fabric on the cutting board, right side down.  The batting was laid on top, and the quilt top, right side up, on top of that. 

Then I used curved quilting safety pins (so much easier to work with) to carefully pin-baste through all the layers of the quilt.  They should be placed evenly to keep the layers from shifting.  You may choose to baste with a needle and thread, to avoid bending a sewing machine needle should you accidentally run over a pin with it.  I'll let you figure out how I know that.   :-)  There are  many ways to baste a quilt, including using fusible webbing and spray adhesive.  From what I read, the spray adhesive is the easiest, but after my own research, I felt that the sprays weren't the way to go, for me.  In the future I'll probably machine-baste. 

Oh, just to let you know...at this point, I realized that I had to un-pin the quilt sandwich, because I had planned on embroidering a dedication message and the label information directly onto the backing, instead of doing it on a quilt label.  Either way, it's probably easiest to do that before doing the sandwich.  A quilt label can include a dedication, a story about the quilt, the name of the quilter, the place and date it was quilted, etc.  You should at least include something that could help you identify the quilt in case it becomes lost or stolen. 

Believe it or not, quilts have been stolen from church displays, quilt shows, nursing homes, storage units, and even burglarized from people's homes.  A nicely-done quilt can go for $500-$1000, and smart thieves or unethical collectors know this.  Even if the theft is just coincidental and your quilt isn't worth much--say, a thief uses it to wrap up and cart off the stuff he stole from your home--you'll be sad just the same.  There are actually missing quilt sites dedicated to trying to reunite quilt owners with their missing quilts.  So label your creation!

I wanted to label mine in such a way that the label couldn't be removed (even though it's just a doll quilt).  So mine is machine embroidered on the backing.  Don't look too closely--I had some first-timer issues with it.  The thread broke for the first letter of the dedication, and for the creator label, I chose too-small type because I was too lazy to test out the second part, like I did the first.  Live and learn!  I also didn't choose the best spot for the embroidery, and the dedication was slightly crooked.   

(I forgot to take a picture of the embroidered back before the sandwiching and quilting.  These pictures were taken part way through the process of the machine quilting, as you can see by the circular quilting design on part of the fabric.  The odd camera angle was to avoid including personal information on the quilt labeling in the photos.  I could have done it closer-up, but then you'd see how bad it looked!)

Soon (hopefully) to come in the third and final installment...quilting the quilt.

Organizing Games, Puzzles and Table Activities

Have you ever watched your child go to the closet for a game, only to hear a giant crash and see a multitude of plastic game pieces, dice, and cards shower down upon him?  Have your children come to you asking where the missing pieces of a particular puzzle are located (as if you were the last one to use them)?  Then it may be time for the Works For Me Wednesday game and puzzle organization edition!

I used to be amazed when I went to someone's house and saw teetering stacks of tattered game boxes in their family room closet.  The children were always surprised when they pulled out a game and find several pieces missing...even though the crushed and gaping box-corner should have been a dead-giveaway as to the fate of said missing pieces!  After witnessing similar situations over and over in other people's houses, I made a mental note of how NOT to store puzzles and games when I had kids.  Here is how my games are stored:

Instead of a closet, where games are likely to get knocked around when the children attempt to slide a game out from the bottom of a large stack of boxes, I put them in two short, wide dressers.  Also known as  bureaus in some parts of the country...or maybe "chest of drawers".  You get the idea.  The kind I have are plain looking.  They are about three feet tall and maybe four feet wide, with six drawers in each.  I have used them in the dining area, but recently moved them into the living room. 

Each drawer is labeled with the type of games in it (toddler, preschool,  or kindergarten) and a list of the games in there.  Most drawers only hold about three games or so, depending on the box size and how well they fit in.  The idea is to prevent "rummaging", which is sure to damage the game boxes. 

If a game has a lot of small pieces, those pieces are put into a ziploc baggie before putting into a box.  That way, should a game box split open somehow or get dropped on the way to being put away, the pieces won't end up all over the place, with some never to be found.  If there are different types of pieces to the puzzle or game, separate them into the proper categories and give each group of pieces its own labeled baggie, as I did  in the picture below.

The makers of this puzzle don't tell you that there are actually three puzzles in the box, one of which is not pictured on the box (brilliant).  So once we figured it out and put all three together, NO WAY was I going to go through that again (ages five and up, yeah, right).  Now each puzzle has its own baggie, plus one for the little astronaut guys.   I recommend using the  baggies with the zipper "handles" on them, not the match-the-blue-and-yellow-lines- and-try-to-get-it-closed-on-the-first-try kind.  Easier for little kids, and they hold up better too, especially if you get the freezer  style.

Should a box get damaged or split open anyway, repair the damage immediately before the entire box is ruined.  Trust me, you will save yourself a lot of trouble in the long run.  If you don't have time to repair it, put it up away from little hands until you do.

Most of my games are in very good condition.  Almost all of them have every single piece they came with.  The few with damaged boxes or one missing piece, are that way because shortly before our move, the children weren't being supervised when they took out or put away games.  They now are required to ask permission first, and be supervised while playing.  Before putting the game away, they must bring it to me or my husband, so we can make sure all pieces are there and properly put away inside the box.  They also must play the games in the living room, where they can be more easily supervised.  This is easier now that the game drawers are in here, and my two year old daughter is now more interested in trying to play games, rather than run off with the pieces and try to eat them!   When my  infant son becomes a walker, we'll probably find a way to partition off part of the living room so the older ones can play undisturbed with games and toys that have small pieces.

Since instituting these rules, the games are almost always neat and organized, and the children enjoy playing them more, because they always know where each game is, and they don't get frustrated because everything they need is always there.  They spend a great deal of time using their games now.

Here you can see part of one of the dressers.    Here is one of the drawers, with three games inside.  Notice the boxes are in very good shape (considering I have five small children, lol).   (I had a picture of the whole dresser, but it didn't come out right...just as well, it's badly scuffed and in need of a paint job!) 

   

Here is another drawer.  This one isn't as neat, but it's the toddler drawer, so I'm pretty proud of it.  That little opened box was damaged a while back during the time when their game playing wasn't supervised, and doesn't close well. 

This is the kindergarten drawer.  These games are for my oldest son.  The other children can sometimes play them, but only under close supervision, otherwise they'll ruin the card games.  The younger children are not allowed to get games out of this drawer on their own.

This drawer is for my use only.  It contains books that need to be repaired (thanks to little toddler hands shredding them) and "found" pieces to games and puzzles that are still packed away in storage.

This is a close up of the toddler drawer label.  A little dark and hard to read, but you get the idea. 

I also store my homeschooling and art supplies in a few of these drawers, though I'm sure I'll outgrow the drawers once we get into first and second grade homeschooling.   

What do you do if your board game boxes are already crushed?  Try Game Savers!  They have various sized plastic boxes to replace your ruined boxes.  Then you can organize to your heart's content! If you don't have drawers available like mine, or some of your games don't fit in drawers, check out the many available shelf dividers at your local home improvement store, so you can store your games in such a way that there are no more than two or three games stacked on top of one another.  In those circumstances, using something like the Game Savers boxes would help even more to prevent damage and loss of puzzle and game pieces.

I hope you enjoyed seeing how my game and puzzle storage system Works For Me!

Making a Beginner Doll Quilt, Part 1

I've never made a quilt before, and it wasn't something I was dying to learn, but I thought it would be a good skill to have.   (As it turns out, it was easy!)  I was impatient to start, even though I hadn't found an adequate online tutorial for beginning quilters.  Most assume you have a lot of sewing experience or basic quilting knowledge. 

Here is an account of what I did.  Be warned:  much of this is NOT how a real quilter does it, as I have now discovered after viewing a fabulous beginner's quilting tutorial here at SewAQuilt.com by Gloria Massard.  (I just panicked...I couldn't find the bookmark for that link!  Fortunately I found it in my computer's history file.  Whew!)  That website has the best beginner's tutorial I've found so far.   I wish I'd found it before starting this doll quilt, as I made a lot of mistakes, particularly with fabric selection.  But I think you'll agree, it turned out quite well.  There are no glaring errors, anyway! 

Warning:  Quilting can be addictive!

First, select a fabric.  Go to a quilting store or buy quilting fabric at a fabric store.  Do not buy any old thing as I did, from Walmart.  One of the fabrics I chose (the lavender one) was cheap, thin, and wrinkled horribly.  It was 100% cotton, just like the yellow fabric, but it wrinkled much worse and didn't iron out well.  You live and learn.  There are other things to consider such as grain, color-fastness, choosing colors, etc. which Gloria's tutorial will teach you.   My daughter's room is lavender, so I chose 3 fabrics:  lavender, a yellow with lavender irises and green stems, and a print with green lattice and rosebud sprays.  The yellow fabric was lovely, but the pattern was too big to show up in a doll quilt.  It shows up as being too broken up in the patchwork squares.  However, it looks nice as the backing.  How much fabric? I think I got half a yard of the green and a whole yard of the yellow.  I could have done with less yellow, but I wanted to use it as the backing.  (Note:  Always buy more than you need...you WILL make mistakes...in fact, cut out a few extra squares ahead of time.)

Cut out 48 squares of fabric, 2 1/2 inches square.  Since I planned on using the yellow and lavender fabrics for the patchwork squares, I cut out 24 squares out of each (saving the green for the border). I used a large veggie cutting board, because the large quilting mat I own is packed up somewhere.  Towards the end of the project, I went out and bought a new one, that had a pressing board attached to the back side.  Love it!  If you buy a mat, get a big one.   If you make more than just a doll quilt, you'll end up wanting a bigger one, anyway. 

I already had a rotary cutter, and I STRONGLY suggest getting one.  It is so much easier than using scissors.  I use this with a cutting mat for cutting fabric around sewing patterns, too.  CAREFUL!  Rotary cutters are razor sharp.  Retract the blade after EVERY cut, or you WILL cut yourself, even on a "dull" rotary blade.  I'm not telling you how I know that.   ;-)  Bleeding  on your beloved already-cut quilt squares is not cool.   Do not use around children!  Do not leave unattended!  Did I mention, be careful?

You also should have a clear plastic quilter's ruler for making straight, square cuts.  (Note that in one of the pictures above, at first I used a mini clipboard instead, along with a NOT-squared paper template.  These squares were the "problem squares" in the finished quilt top--use a cutting mat and clear quilter's ruler!) I went out and bought a "frosted" (paper-backed) ruler that's supposed to help you see the lines better on dark fabric.  I found it hard to see the fabric through it, and went out and bought a larger square one that has slits in it to help you make nice, straight cuts.

In fact, it would be worth it to pick up a quilter's cutting mat,(at left) too, as it has lined grids on it, and in combination with a quilter's ruler , it produces  more "square" squares.  Trust me, the squareness of your squares is important!   

After your squares are cut, lay them out the way you want your quilt to look.  (I believe the picture here shows the squares in a later step, after pairing, sewing and pressing, but I wanted you to get an idea of how I laid it out.) If there is a "direction" to the pattern (there was, somewhat, on my yellow fabric) make sure the squares are properly oriented.  You can set them up any way you like.  I chose a checkerboard look.  Keep it simple the first time. 

When you go to piece the quilt, don't stack up the squares if you have directional fabric (oh, and never choose plaid unless you're an experienced sewer).  I just stacked them in two stacks, and sewed away...ending up with some flower stems in the pattern pointing up.  Not too noticeable, but still...

Pick up the squares two at a time, and pin them, right sides together.  Sew them (without backstitching) together with a 1/4  inch seam.  You can chain stitch them (one after another, connected by a short amount of thread) not cutting in between patch pairs.  (See left) This saves time and thread.  After each row is completed, cut the thread and lay the row down in the order you picked them up.  (It's hard to see, but in the above-right picture,  I'm sewing two squares into a pair, with the back of the lavender fabric facing up.  On my machine there is no labeled line etched in the metal plate for the 1/4" seam.  I figured out it is the long white line on the clear bobbin cover.   If you don't have one, you could buy a 1/4" foot for your machine, or measure 1/4" from the  needle, towards the right, and lay down a piece of masking tape, or  a stack of ten post-its as a guide.)

After all squares are paired and sewn, press the seams.  Though more time consuming, I found it to be easier to pin the seams open and flat...of course, then I found out they didn't need to be flat, so you probably won't need to pin them down.  Just explaining, since some pictures may show the pinned-down seam allowances.  (If you're wondering why this pair isn't attached in a chain stitch to other pairs, I didn't pick up that tip til halfway through sewing up the pairs.)

Apparently you are supposed to press the seam allowances to one side, usually toward the darker fabric.  I think you're supposed to alternate directions, but I haven't figured all that out yet.  So here you see my improperly pressed seam allowances. 

When all pressed, snip apart the thread strings connecting the pairs, then trim the extra bit of thread off each pair one at a time.  Don't lose the order of the squares.  (Here you see my layout of pairs, and the first pair flipped over and pinned to the pair below it.)  Then, take the first pair and the pair below it, pin them right sides together, and sew, always using a 1/4" seam allowance.  When done, you will have a block (two pairs of squares, sewn together).  Do the same with the rest of the pairs, again chain stitching them one after another.  After sewing, press the seam allowances and trim the threads. 

Then take the first block and the one next to it, pin right sides together, and sew.  Attach the third block in that row, pinning it right sides together to the second block, and sew.  Press.  You should have a row of three blocks.  Do the same with the other rows. (Here, on the left you see blocks waiting to be pinned into a row, and on the right are sewn and pressed rows, ready to be attached to each

After all rows are sewn and pressed, flip top row over onto bottom row, right sides together, pin and sew.  Press.  Do the same with the third and fourth rows.  You should now have the two top rows sewn together, and the two bottom rows sewn together.

Flip the two upper connected rows over onto the two bottom connected rows so right sides are facing together, pin, sew, and press.   

It was late at night when I did the last two steps, and the lighting was even worse than in the other pictures.  And I was tired.  So there are no pictures of those steps.  But you should get the gist by now.  (At right is the patchwork portion of the quilt top, finished and pressed.)

You should now have the patchwork portion of the quilt top finished.  You could stop there, and go on to cutting the batting and backing, and finish with binding.  This would make a simpler quilt.  However, most quilts have at least one border, and it's really easy, so you may want to try at least one.  I did two borders.  I feel it looks more finished. 

The hardest part is over!  Next installment:  borders, batting, quilt back, quilting, and binding.  And don't forget to check out Gloria's tutorial.  It is excellent.  More concise than a book, yet much more informative than the average internet tutorial.  I'm almost finished with my quilt, and it looks great so far.  It's working for me!  Good luck, and happy quilting.

For those who have been looking forward to part 2 of the Detangling Doll Hair tutorial, here it is...and here is part 1 for those who missed it.  I am doing embroidery on the back of the doll quilt tonight, so I should have part 2 of this doll quilt tutorial done in a day or so.

Detangling Matted Doll Hair, Part 2

Well, I suppose saying Part 2 was coming "soon" was a bit of an....um...underestimation on my part!  My apologies.  So here it is.  (And here's Part 1 if you missed it.)  This didn't work that great for me.  But my daughter's doll was as bad as I've ever seen.  So for those of you out there whose daughter's dolls aren't as hopeless as mine, here are the final steps:

Once the doll hair is completely dry, use a hair dryer to warm the hair, in order to "set" it more.  Be sure not to let it get so close that it could melt or singe the hair.  You may want to use a warm setting rather than hot.  Test the heat of the dryer with your hand, and use your own judgement.

Let cool for a few minutes, then carefully remove the "rollers" from the doll's hair.

Here she is after the rollers were taken out. 

Finger-fluff the hair.  I made the mistake of brushing through it,
which pulled out some of the curl.  If your doll's hair seems smoother and more like it's original manufactured hair, you may be able to brush it.   If it is not, then just finger-fluff it.

And here is my grateful daughter (grateful that her "thief" of a mom finally returned her doll, that is) running away with her prized baby.  Actually, she did seem pretty excited about the new 'do...she laughed and stared at it as she held it close.  It didn't turn out as good as I'd hoped, but it was definitely better.  Of course, after a week of carrying it around by the hair, it's pretty much back to it's original "electric shock" look.  But maybe with a little more style.  ;-)   Oh well, she loves it anyway.   I may resort to cutting off half the doll's hair and just making it a bonnet...one that my daughter won't take off twenty times a day!

This project didn't exactly Work For Me the way that I'd hoped, but that doesn't mean it won't work for you...if you have a slightly less freaky-haired doll!  Now I'm on to my next project...making this doll a quilt!  Tune in for further adventures.

Teach Your Child to Sew

In the last couple of months, I have realized just how big my children have gotten.  It has brought to mind the many things I should be beginning to work on with them, that I haven't even thought about.  As they get older, I want them to learn the skills that I (and in fact most people of our generation, especially women) never had a chance to learn.  Chief among those skills is sewing.
 
Unless you want your daughters, starting at age 6, to wear clothing that closely resembles  something that a particular formerly bald pop star would be seen wearing (sans her "unmentionables"), then sewing is truly a must.  Not to mention that it's quite pathetic that most people nowadays don't even know how to sew on a button (among many other very basic skills)!  Sewing, like fixing a car, is a skill that will always come in handy as your child grows up.  Everyone loses a button, has hems come undone, and needs to have clothing taken in/out or somehow adjusted.

My two oldest children, at ages four and (almost) six are a little young to do real sewing, I think.  But I did want to start introducing them to the concept.  Today I let them watch as I pinned together two rows of completed quilt blocks, and then sewed them together, and pinned the seams flat in preparation for pressing.  I made sure they stayed back, knew not to come too close or bump me or do anything that too greatly distracted me while the machine was going. 

They were very interested as I explained why I was pinning the rows, what a backstitch was and when and why it was used, and how I had to stop before a pin got to close to the presser foot in order to remove it and stick it in the pin cushion.  I explained that I needed to make sure the needle was down if I stopped and needed to lift the presser foot to make sure the seams were laying flat before sewing over them. 

Now all of this wasn't intended to be a real lesson...obviously it was more information than a young child would need in an introductory lesson.  It was just meant to teach them a little bit about sewing and to garner interest in the hobby.  They were very interested, and impressed when I laid out the rows of stitches quilt blocks to show them how it would look when it was done.  I also cautioned them many times that a sewing machine is a tool, that the needle is sharp and can be dangerous, and that a child is never to touch a sewing machine or foot pedal at all, unless they have permission and mommy is with them, helping. 

I'm not sure at what point they will be ready to really start learning.  My friends have started their children with a needle and thread.   I know how to hand sew even less than machine sew, and my stitches are notoriously messy, so I don't see much point in starting with that.  In searching online, I found a fabulous tutorial at One Hour Craft, for teaching your child how to machine sew in a safe manner.  They start the child out with no needle or bobbin in the machine, so the worst that can happen is that the child might get their finger pinched if a finger got too close to the moving parts while "sewing". 

First, the parent teaches the child basic machine parts and how to use it.  Then the child practices using the pedal, getting used to how much pressure is needed to manipulate it.  Then a piece of felt with a straight line drawn on it is placed in the machine (still without needle or thread) and the parent shows the child how to line up the fabric and "sew" along the drawn line. 

When the child is ready, she can move on to working with a real needle and thread, under close and constant supervision, going slowly and using colored thread to try to sew on the line, and eventually, around the edge of the fabric.  After enough practice, the child can go on to sew the little bag in lesson three.  I found these three tutorials to be very well thought-out and  safety-conscious.  It is much more practical than anything I would have come up with.  Their personal opinion is that a child probably isn't ready until she is at least 6 or 7 years old. 

Here are the lessons:
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3

I hope you find them as helpful as I have!

Sneak Peek at WIP Posts to Come

Just checking in to let everyone know that I will be posting the second part to the doll hair "fix" in the next day or so.  I just haven't gotten the last few pictures uploaded yet. 

My latest work in progress is a quilt.  Don't be too impressed...it's a doll quilt, for the aforementioned bed-head doll.  I know my limitations!  Being a novice seamstress, I've never done a quilt before, and a doll quilt not only suits my quilting experience (none) but also my impatient temperament.  I have a tendency to lose interest in projects, or just forget about them!  However, as consolation to my dear husband, who is tempted to despair when he sees me start (and spend money on) yet another interest, hobby, or project...I usually do come back to it eventually!

This quilt is simple, using two fabrics...a pale yellow fabric with lavender irises, and a lavender fabric, which I have since realized is 100% COTTON, WHAT WAS I THINKING!!  Novice mistake, not checking the fabric.  So those little lavender squares have been ironed and re-ironed as the project progresses.

I hope to be done with the quilt top tonight, or tomorrow at the latest.  I love this project, because I'll get to see results quickly, making it more rewarding.   I have been taking pictures step by step to share .  (The quilt on the right is an example of a doll quilt swapped at a Doll Quilt Swap blog, done by someone named Pamela.)

I have found a couple of links online for doll quilt swaps, but they seem to either be defunct, or else filled up.  So if anyone out there knows of an open doll quilt swap, let me know.  I have some really cute ideas for it. 

I'm not sure exactly when the quilt post will be uploaded, but I'm planning on using it for my next Works for Me Wednesday post, so I may draft it ahead of time and upload it late Tuesday night.

Until then, I'll be a-sewin'!

Detangling Matted Doll Hair, Part 1--My Way...Yours?

Okay, I'm  bummed, because I spent ages meticulously documenting this for WFMW, only to realize it's backwards day.  Meaning I'm supposed to ask you for help.  ARGH!  Oh well, no problem.  Because you see, this tutorial didn't exactly work for me.  It improved the doll hair a lot, but not enough.  I think it will work for many people, just not for people whose daughters have dolls with completely destroyed hair.  So, read on, and if you have methods that you think are better than this one, please share in my comment section.  (There, does that count?  Because after this long post, my brain is fried!  *sigh*)

My youngest daughter became suddenly obsessed with baby dolls a few months ago.  One particular doll really caught her fancy:  a second-hand dark-skinned baby doll that had been given to us by a friend.  Almost all our dolls were bought or given second hand, so all show some wear, but this baby had the ugliest, most matted hair I'd ever seen.  It was a strange color, too, as if the baby had gone out and gotten a bad dye job!  But my daughter loved it.  She has carried it everywhere ever since.  The doll itself is cute, with a very sweet face.  But oh, that hair!

After investigating having the hair re-rooted by a professional or shaving the existing hair and gluing on a doll's wig myself, both options were too costly for me.  So I looked for tutorials online as to how one goes about detangling matted doll hair.  I came up with several ideas, and this is how I chose to do it:

1.  Wash doll's hair with a mild shampoo or soap.  I chose an all natural, mild liquid soap.  Don't wash it as you would a child's hair, because that could cause worse matting.  Work the shampoo or soap through the hair by squeezing it from the roots to the tip.  Rinse thoroughly.  If the hair was very dirty, you could repeat this step.

This picture is from after the washing.  I forgot a real "before" picture.  It was a little worse than this.

2.  You can try combing it at this stage, but it's likely you'll need to use conditioner or creme rinse.  Work the conditioner through the doll's hair in the same manner as the soap, but do not rinse it out.  Use a good amount of it, and lightly squeeze out the excess if it is dripping.  Use your fingers and a fork to start separating the clumped sections of hair.

Here I am separating the clumps, alternating between my fingers and a fork.

3.  Comb out the hair a little at a time, starting at the tips and working slowly up to the roots.  This will take a long time if it's bad.  You might want  a radio show to listen to as you work, lol.  You could start with a hair pick, large-tooth comb, or a fork (as I did).  Then move on to a  stiff-bristled brush or smaller-toothed comb.  A hard plastic doll brush could work good, though for a doll with a lot of hair, you'll have to divide it into many small sections for the little bristled to penetrate the hair. 

4.  When it is all combed through (I never thought I'd actually get it combed through, it seemed like a miracle) you need to decide what the style of hair should be.  If you purchased it new or in nearly original condition, you probably remember what it looked like.  If not, you'll need to play around, brushing it one way or another and checking out what the roots of the hair look like.  If you brush it the wrong way, you'll likely have giant bald spots.  Comb the hair flat in the direction or directions that you think it was meant to be.

5.  If necessary, trim the ends of the hair.  It is likely with all the combing that some strands got stretched, and the hairstyle will look unkempt if it isn't even.

6.  Using cut segments of a straw, roll up sections of the hair, starting at the bottom, working your way around the head, then upwards, a layer at a time, and section by section.  Secure each straw "curler" with a hair pin.  Don't make the sections too big or thick, or it will take too long to dry.  Keep in mind as you go what the ending hair style should be, and curl it accordingly--either rolling over or rolling under, and whether the curler should lay horizontally or vertically.  It all depends on the end result you want.  Be sure no hair escapes, especially the ends, or those bits of hair will remain uncurled.

7.  When you have all the hair done up in "curlers", get some boiling water (mine was almost boiling) and some ice water ready.  Pour the  boiled water over the doll's head, being sure to soak all of it.  This makes the hair softer and more pliable, and ready to curl.  Be careful not to let any hair get too hot.  Immediately pour the ice water over all of the doll's hair to set the curls.   (Note:  In the picture, you see me dunking the doll in hot water, rather than pouring.  This was a mistake, I realized, because more water got inside the doll than I would like, because of all the holes in the head where the hair is rooted in.) 

 

8.  Let all the excess water drip off the head, then gently and carefully lay a towel over the doll's head, and with both hands, squeeze the towel all around the head to gently to soak up any extra water.

9.  Let the doll sit until the hair is completely dry.  I recommend hanging the doll upside down to make sure any water than got inside the head is drained completely out.  I clipped my doll's leg to a child's hanger, then hung it upside down to dry.  If your daughter loves her doll, I would do all this at night while she sleeps, and hang it where she won't see it, so you can have the most drying time available.  If she finds it hanging in such an "undignified" position, she'll grab it down, and there goes the hairdo!  I gave my daughter a substitute doll to sleep with, and fortunately she didn't mind it.   

Part 2 and the results. 

Useful Links:

Extreme Barbie Makeover  This is the article I found most helpful.  Although I don't use Barbies in my home [I want my children to play with baby dolls to practice being a mommy, not play with full grown overly-endowed women dolls to practice being obsessed with various careers and the latest fashion! -sorry Barbie lovers  ;-)  ] , I did find the tips very useful.  Warning:  If you aren't comfortable with your children looking at creepy unclothed Barbie dolls, don't let them view this linked site with you.

Doll Customizing Tips  Tips for fixing thrift store Barbie doll's hair

Doll Care and Restoration Tips  General care and restoration of various types of dolls

Spring is (Almost) In the Air!

While it still feels like we are in the depths of winter, spring is almost around the corner.  The time of year has come to start planning gardens and starting seeds, and start getting ready for a spring cleaning.  After a very busy winter for our family, we are in dire need of a thorough cleaning.  Now that things have slowed down, there will be a lot of (hopefully) great posts to come!

One project I am currently working on is trying to fix the hair on my daughter's beloved, ratty doll.  Actually the doll is in decent shape, except for the hair, which is a matted disaster.  I have looked up some information on fixing dolls hair, and for those of you with little girls at home, whose dolls and My Little Ponies have a tangled mess draping from their heads, I am taking pictures of each step of the process. 

There are several upcoming sewing projects I hope to be starting on very soon.  Some at the top of my list:  unremovable doll clothes for the above-mentioned ratty doll, aprons for me and my daughter, dresses for both daughters, toy totes for the children to bring to church, and eventually, some clothing for myself. 

WFMW: the What Do I Fix? edition

Today at Rocks In My Dryer, it is Works for Me Wednesday...the What Do I Fix edition.  As in, for dinner.  What is a super-quick-and-easy meal for my family?  Well, Shannon "stole" my frozen cheese ravioli with frozen garlic bread meal  ;-)   so I'll have to give you another. 

My most favorite fast meal is a spicy Mexican Bean soup.  All canned, can't be simpler. 

Ingredients:
2 cans black beans (I try to use the ones that come with chopped jalapenos)
2 cans small red chili beans in a "medium" chili sauce
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans corn
2 cans diced tomatoes and chiles

Open up each can, and dump the entire contents of each into a very large stockpot.  Throw the cans away.  Heat up the soup slowly, stirring occasionally.  Let simmer awhile, maybe 20 minutes.  Make sure to stir well and don't put the heat too high, or you get beans stuck to the bottom of the pot.  Done.

This dish is delicious on its own, but you can serve with crackers, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, cheese, etc.  For a side dish you could try corn bread or a nice salad.  But this is usually my "lazy day" meal, so I just stick with the soup.

If your children don't like spicy foods, you should get regular black beans, not the jalapeno kind.  You may also want to use plain tomatoes, without the chiles.  It won't be quite as good, but you can add spices if you want.  Or, you could use two smaller pots, one without the spicy stuff, for the children, and one with the spicy stuff, for adults.  This recipe feeds me, my husband, and four of my children (ages 20 months-5 years) with leftovers for the adults.  For a small family, you could cut the recipe in half, or save some for leftovers.  It is better the next day, and freezes really well. 

Hope you like it!

Fantastic Pureed Squash

I whipped up some squash for Thanksgiving, and it was sooooo good!  It was a big hit with the kids.  They liked it even more than the stuffing.  I got the idea from recipes I've seen that call for you to cook squash halves with a tablespoon of butter and a bit of maple syrup in the cavity.  I figured if you mixed it in, it would taste even better!  I can't give you exact measurements, because I just "winged it".  But here it is...

Take one Buttercup Squash (any squash will do, don't know if it will taste as good), cut in half, remove seeds and stringy stuff.  Place in the preheated oven, cook according to directions on the squash's sticker (or a cookbook).  Remove when squash is tender.  When cooled just enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, put into your mixer's bowl.  Add slices of real butter to taste (I used a lot....heck, it was Thanksgiving), mix until the butter is melted and mixed in.  Add a squirt of maple syrup, to taste.  Mix some more.  Serve.

This puree came out so smooth and sweet and delicious.  I probably added a bit too much syrup, but it was still fabulous.  I had no idea squash could taste so good!  I plan on making this often.

Learn to Play an Instrument Free

Yes indeed, my friends, I must have slept through Wednesday because this Works for Me Wednesday post is being posted in the wee hours of Thursday!    Hey, it still counts.   Because I said so.   ;-)

Have you ever had daydreams of your children playing musical instruments together in a harmonious little family band?  Would you like your child  or yourself to have the opportunity of learning to play now, only you don't have the money to do so?  I have a little secret to share...

You don't have to pay a dime to learn how to play an instrument!  You can learn to play online.  There are many videos on the internet giving instructions of the basics for many different instruments.  There are also many reasonably-priced DVDs and books online that you can order for any instrument, which are designed for beginners to teach themselves.  If you want your younger child to learn, simply learn the basics yourself, and teach it to your child.  Older children can teach themselves. 

With a little effort and a lot of practice, you'd be surprised how far you can get.  Once you find yourself at a point where you want to progress in skill, you can always pay for lessons then.  At least you've saved a lot of money in the meantime.  Plus, if you teach yourself how to play an instrument, you can teach those basics to each of your children...which, if you have a large family, can really add up!  This would be especially helpful with the piano.  I think that is one instrument everyone should learn.  Ideally I would like each of my children to learn the piano and one other instrument of their choice. 

I found a video series on You Tube for how to play the piano.  I wasn't sure I liked the instruction at first, but after a couple of minutes, I realized that the instructions were pretty simple and easy to follow.  I could learn at my own pace, rewind and watch a section again, and I didn't even have to leave the house.  Or get dressed!  Or put on makeup!  Or drag five kids in the car with me!  (Okay, you get the idea, lol.)

In five minutes I learned a few of the basics.  In fact, I learned a lot more in that five minutes than an acquaintance, who taught piano, was able to teach me in two ten-minute sessions.    And I learned it on my child's tiny toy keyboard with the teeny tiny keys!  Of course, for regular playing I will want a full-sized keyboard or piano.  There were videos on You Tube for other instruments too, including the violin, which were very well done. 

"But instruments are expensive!"  So you say.  I say not necessarily.  There are free pianos out there for the taking.  Some may be junk, of course, but often people just don't want to take the monstrosities when they move.  Go online and look up tips on buying used pianos.  Be wary of tips given on websites where they sell new pianos...they may make it sound like buying an old piano is unwise.  While there some precautions you need to take, I think you could get a reasonably decent piano free or very cheap.  On craigslist, I found two or three free pianos that sounded like they would be a good bet, and a dozen more for$100-200.  Freecycle may have some too, as well as your local newspaper's "bargain" ad section. 

Bear in mind that with a piano, free isn't really free.  Even if it's in perfect condition, pianos must be tuned after they are moved.  Also, they are extremely heavy.  You will need at least two very strong men to move an upright piano, and many of the piano owners out there will require that you hire a bonded piano mover or they won't give you the piano.

I know there may be pianists out there who cringe at this advice, but if you take care in researching and selecting your piano, I think you will find something that will work for you.  If you are buying a piano for your five-year-old to learn, or if you are a forty-year-old who just wants to mess around with the piano and have fun, your piano doesn't have to be perfect.  You can always upgrade later if your child becomes seriously interested in pursuing the piano.

Other instruments are much less likely to be free, but will be easy to transport, and less risky to buy.  After researching on craigslist, I was able to find several violins starting at $80, flutes starting at $100, and clarinets starting at $75.  That is much cheaper than new.  I was seeing new flutes starting at $350 on one website.  Wow, imagine spending that and your child ends up hating the flute!  At least if you buy a used one, you can probably turn around and sell it for what you paid.

Another idea, if you are interested in wind instruments, is to get started with a recorder.  This is a plastic instrument that appears somewhat like a clarinet, but there is no reed.  You can find them in many stores as a set with an instruction manual for under ten dollars.  I've seen them at Walmart and Barnes and Noble.   The cheap ones are made of plastic and have a high, shrill sound.  They are all soprano recorders.  An alto recorder, especially one made of wood, is much more pleasant to the ear.  However, they are more expensive, and may be a bit long for the small children to play.  The deeper the sound, the longer the recorder.

That is something to keep in mind--research online how to choose the right size instrument, especially if buying for a child.  A full-size violin is too big for a young child, and would be a waste of money. 

There are also other websites online that may have videos or tutorials on learning instruments, such as Expert Village.  Keep looking until you find the right video series for you. 

For my family, we are planning on getting a piano, a fiddle (same as a violin, just played differently and sometimes has a flatter bridge) and a recorder to start.  We will purchase them one at a time as finances allow.  I may also get a flute, since I played one for a short time as a child.  Incidentally, one video I found online for flute instruction was much more clear and easy to follow than the school's music teacher who taught me as a child. 

Good luck, and get playing!

   

Aprons and Sewing Machines

Wooo Hooo!  Not only did my wonderful husband buy me a new Bernina 700D serger last week, but this week he gave me the go-ahead to get a brand new Singer CE-250 Sewing/Embroidery Machine.  Isn't he the sweetest?

We had some extra money come in recently.  Although we have sooooo many needs right now, I know he's doing it to make me happy, and also because we really do need to start making our children's clothes.  My oldest daughter is at the age where not only can you not find dresses long enough, but you can't even find child-like clothing most of the time.  A great deal of it is very trampy.  I'm sorry, I refuse to dress my child in halter tops and "Daisy Duke" shorts.  But I digress.   ;-)

Technically, he said to buy the machine and bring it home, and we'd make the decision together about whether or not to keep it, before we opened it.  Today is the last day we can return it, but I think he wants to keep it.  I'm SO excited.  I have wanted an embroidery machine for so long. 

I have been so busy I haven't even tested out the serger, though I plan to tomorrow.  I had to clean out my closet and re-organize my bedroom to give myself enough space to work.  My first project is another pair of bloomers for my daugher.  They're quick and easy, and shouldn't take more than two hours with the serger.  Once I have the hang of the machine, it's on to an apron for Ann, the winner of my apron giveaway.  I am testing out a few designs.  I'd really like to make some vintage style aprons, and also some feminine, unusual styles.  If they work out, I plan to offer them for sale. 

When the projects are done, I will post pictures.  I'd love to have everyone's opinions on the aprons.  So please check back in the next few days!

Toy Organization

It's Works For Me Wednesday again, and I've recently begun the monumental task of re-organizing my children's toys.  Previously, I had used many clear plastic shoe boxes to organize their toys, with machine-printed labels.  It looked great, and worked well...as long as I was in the room to supervise their play.  Well, as any mom of many little ones knows, that's not always possible. 

The day I found a cracked, broken, empty plastic shoebox, sans label and full of dried, pulverized grass in my basement (apparently the three year old snuck outside with it at some point), I knew it was time for plan B.  The rotational tub plan.

I already had a couple of Rubbermaid "Roughneck" deep plastic totes that I use up in the living room.  These are for their larger toys, and are kept in the entertainment center.  Since it has no back and is sitting kitty-corner, there is enough room for them in there, with their ends poking out the back.  I picked up a few more at Target, and my plan is to divide up all the toys that aren't part of a set, and put them in the tubs.  I'll keep the tubs in the storage room, and take out a new tub or two each week.  It will be like Christmas all over again. 

As for the toys that are parts of a set, or are small and numerous, I will modify the shoebox plan.  Most of the sets are toys that belong to one particular child, such as my daughter's farm set or my son's plastic soldiers.  Those will be kept in the shoeboxes (unless they continue to abuse them, in which case I'll find an alternative) and put in each child's closet.  The closets have the slide locks for bi-fold doors on them, and the kids are told to stay out of them (and mostly they do).  I'll choose 2 boxes to pull out every few days, to keep next to their bed.  These will be the toys they play with when they are awake during nap, or wake up in the morning.

As for the toys that don't belong to a particular child, such as the box of matchbox cars, each child will get one of those, also to keep in their room.  I will rotate these boxes among the children.  The extras will be kept in the storage room with the extra Rubbermaid tubs. 

I've also picked up a few new boxes for the toy sets that have outgrown the plastic shoe boxes.  They are white plastic with gray handles and holes in them.  They come in many sizes.  What I like about them is that they are tough, and cheap.  When I saw the new bigger sizes that Walmart is now carrying, I cleaned them out.  If you go looking for them and see a big empty shelf...sorry, that was probably me!

I'm also very proud of myself for finally letting some toys go.  Broken pieces I've been saving, toys that were given to us second-hand that are ugly, or something I don't want my children to have--you name it!  I even got rid of something brand-new, bought for us by a family member.  It was ugly, the kids didn't like it, and they never played with it. Boy was that hard for me!  I cleared out a whole box of toys.  My husband was so proud! 

I'm always on the lookout for new ways to organize toys, because I'm finding that as my family size grows and my children grow up, our needs are ever-changing.  But for now...this Works for Me!

WFMW (Backwards Day) Removing Urine Odor?

Today is Works for Me (Backwards) Wednesday.  This means that instead of sharing a tip with you, I will be asking for YOUR tips.

Calling all moms of little boys, and expert house cleaners!  If you have little boys, this question will make you laugh, or cringe from flashbacks:  How do you get horrendous urine odors from little boys' "near-misses" out of your bathroom?

Here's the situation:  As you know, many little boys like to stand "like Daddy" when they pee.  I try to discourage this with my boys, until they are old enough to really control their aim, if you know what I mean.  My five year old recently started standing up, but unbeknownst to me, the three year old must have seen it, and started copying him.  What's worse, both of them were standing off to the side a little bit, instead of standing right in front of the toilet.  You guessed it, I started noticing yellow stains on the walls and my white shower curtain.  The older one sometimes cleaned it up, but not well.  I noticed this in the main bathroom, but I don't go in the children's bathroom as often, so sometimes it dried in there before being cleaned up. 

Even worse, my daughter, for some strange reason, started not sitting up all the way on her potty seat on the toilet, resulting in a waterfall of pee onto the floor.  Yikes!  She, being sneakier, did clean it up--at least in the front.  She then proceeded to hide her wet underwear and put on new ones.  *sigh*

So at this point, you are imagining what the floor behind my toilet must be like.  But my friends, it gets worse, because the idiots who built this house (don't get me started on them) put unprotected wood trim in the bathroom and no sealer or caulking between the trim and the linoleum!  So after about ten times of trying to clean the bathroom with every known cleaner and deodorizer, I finally realized that the smell was most likely coming from the drywall behind the trim and the wood sub-floor under the linoleum, where some urine must have gotten into. 

This is a rental home, so short of tearing out the drywall and linoleum, what can I do?   Any tips would be appreciated.  Tell me what works for you!

Organize Your Move: Bankers' Boxes

My family has moved many times over the last few years, for a variety of reasons.  After multiple moves using boxes from the grocery store, and saved boxes from the cases of diapers we bought, etc., I'd had it.  Hard-to-fit odd-sized boxes, smooshed box corners and broken items all convinced me that it was time for an alternative.

For this move, I bought white storage boxes from Sam's Club, often called "bankers' boxes".  Businesses often use them to hold files during a move or storage.  They have great carrying handles, and lids that make it easy to search inside for something you need, and put them back with no trouble.

These storage boxes come folded flat in a box of ten for $13.72.  If you've ever bought one of these individually, you'd know this is a phenomenal price.  They are made of 50-60% post-consumer recycled materials, are maximum strength, and have a stacking strength of 600 pounds. 

They are not kidding about the strength, either!  I have boxes stacked in the garage at least six-high full of heavy stuff, including a lot of books, and they are holding up great!  One important tip is:  you MUST stack them properly.  They must sit squarely on top of each other.  If you don't have them stacked neatly, it can put too much stress on a weaker part of the box, and cause damage.  None of the boxes are broken, despite much shifting and moving them around, but a couple of lids got the edges bent when I caught the edges of them with another box. 

You can easily write on the end of them, and see it clearly.  You can also use those color-coded moving stickers, and they show up great against the white.  If there are breakables inside, you may want to tape the cover to the box.  I didn't for most stuff, but for anything I didn't want to risk spilling out, I did.   

If you take care of the boxes, they can be unfolded and saved for another move, or re-used for holiday or out-of-season clothing storage.  These boxes are a great, inexpensive alternative to the outrageously expensive moving boxes, or the frugal-but-frustrating giveaway boxes.  For me, it has been worth every penny.

And the Winner Is....

....Ann'Re!!  You can visit her blog at http://blog.kerchners.com/ .  She has a home business crocheting afghans, scarves, etc. 

Congratulations, Ann'Re, and thank you to everyone who visited my site and entered the drawing.   It was so much fun,  I think I will do my own giveaway again in the near future, so check back again soon!

Less Than a Day Left to Win an Apron!!

If you just stopped by, be sure to check out my apron giveaway for the Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway.  There is less than a day left to enter!  I've had a ton of visitors and over 180 people enter the giveaway so far.  I am really surprised, since my giveaway was so far down the Mr. Linky list for the bloggy giveaways that I thought surely people would pass out from exhaustion before getting to enter mine!

I, myself, have entered probably fewer than one hundred giveaways (although it seems like more).  I've heard some people have entered them all.  Are you people crazy?!  Don't you have kids?   If so, are you feeding them?!  ;-)  Just kidding!  I just take waaaaaay too long signing up for the giveaways.  I think  I couldn't sleep if I entered them all.  (Actually, I haven't slept much anyway, lol.)

I am STILL on the lookout for the vintage apron.  My husband is the one who packed the aprons up...and naturally, he doesn't remember where.  I tore apart my entryway closet looking for it, sure it was in there.  It wasn't. On the bright side, my closet looks pretty good now.  There were too many boxes in there, and not enough room for coats and shoes.  My feet have not been bruised in an avalanche of shoes when I've opened it today, as they usually are!  I've tried locating a vintage apron on craigslist, but to no avail.  Well, there was one, but it didn't sound that nice.  Nothing but the best for my giveaway participants!

This weekend I have been on the hunt for a serger.  I had been wanting one anyway, and I figured if I end up making the winner an apron, it will be much more finished and nicer-looking, and should hold up much better to wear and tear.

That doesn't mean I'm giving up, though.  I have plenty more boxes to look through.  If I haven't found it by Sunday night/Monday morning, when I announce the giveaway winner, I will then ask the winner their fabric choices for their specially-made apron.

Vision Forum Giveaway at Life in a Shoe

Life in a Shoe is hosting a giveaway of $250 worth of Vision Forum goodies.  Yep, you read right, $250!
Just download their catalog, peruse the goodies, and make up a $250 wish list of Vision Forum publications.  Then post it on your blog and link back to the Life in a Shoe post.  Last, go back to the post at Life in a Shoe, and post a comment, with a link back to your own blog posting. 

Goodness, my head is spinning at the thought of all the freebies out there in blogland this week.  Whew!

So here is my dream list:

Best of Entrepreneurial Bootcamp, $125
How to Help Your Husband, $16
A Knight of the White Cross, $20
Prairie Bonnet, in pink, $12
Child-size Yellow Apron, $10
Modesty Slip, size small, $10
Beautiful Girlhood Tea Set, $55

Apologies...Comments are now Allowed!

Ooops!  No wonder why I wasn't getting any comments!  I was starting to think nobody liked my poor little blog...then I signed up for the Fall Y'all giveaway, and my site meter showed visitors...but nobody commented in order to sign up for the giveaway.  Something HAD to be going on...

Well, it turns out silly old me didn't somehow had the comments allowed only to registered users.  Eeek!  Sorry about that, my friends.  I am not good at blog design or HTML stuff.  Heck, I'm lucky I manage to figure out how to edit my posts!  LOL 

Someday soon I hope to figure all this stuff out, so my blog will be a prettier place to visit.

Now...comment away!

Win a Dyson!

Go to The Domestic Diva to enter to win a $400 Dyson vacuum cleaner.  Boy, do I want one of these!  Our vacuum hasn't worked right since our landlord "borrowed" our vacuum to vacuum our carpet after he had it cleaned (while we were in the moving out process).  All the wet carpet fiber plugged up the vacuum, and all the cleaning in the world hasn't restored it to normal.  We had just bought it, too.  Grrrr!

Anyway, I digress....go win a Dyson!  (Though I admit, I hope I win, lol.)

(By the way, does anyone know how to add HTML into the sidebar for my typepad blog?  I'm supposed to add a picture link in my sidebar to the Dyson giveaway, but I've looked in the help files and tried everything, and nothing works.  I'm blog illiterate--help!  Thanks.)

The Amby Baby Hammock - Review

If your baby has colic, acid reflux, or you are worried about your baby getting a flat head from laying on his back...or if you even just want a more natural way for your baby to sleep, the Amby Baby Motion Bed may be the solution for you.

Also known as the Amby Baby Hammock, this unusual "bed" is designed somewhat like a hammock, and hangs from a sturdy spring on a heavy duty tubular frame.  The hammock surrounds the baby, with plenty of room for your baby to grow.   The sides are made of a breathable net fabric to allow air circulation.  There is a pad with a cover in it, and the hammock can be adjusted so the baby's head is raised a bit, helping reduce reflux, gas, and colic.  The baby feels warm and swaddled, like in the womb, and you are able to lay the baby on his back, as recommended, without the worry of causing a flattening of the baby's head, as with a firm crib mattress.

Most babies sleep longer in an Amby.  If the baby wakes, his thrashing movements can make the bed jiggle and sway, often calming him back to sleep.  Many mothers keep the Amby bed near their bed, so they can reach out and jiggle the hammock and soothe the baby back to sleep. 

My experience with the Amby is a positive one.  I didn't quite find it the miracle that some did, but it was helpful with my baby, who was so restless that I just can't sleep with him in bed most of the time. He also had trouble with gas in the beginning, and it seemed to help. Now, at almost three months old he sleeps for a very long time.  When he sleeps in it, I set my alarm so that I can get him up and feed him (to keep my milk supply up, for natural child spacing).  Otherwise he'd sleep too long, and I could have a drop in milk.

The nice thing is it just fits through a bedroom door, so you can move it from room to room without taking it apart.  When taken apart and put into the carrying bag, it is easier than a Graco Pack n' Play to carry.  It's not too hard to put together.  I did find, however, that I couldn't get the baby's head raised at all, even following the directions.  So I bought a memory foam wedge designed to elevate a baby's head slightly, and I used that in it until just recently.

The Amby can be used until your baby is 12 months or 25 pounds. Because of its design, babies are not able to sit up in it until much later than they normally would for a baby swing or crib.  However, starting at age 9 months, Amby recommends that the parent be in the same room with the baby, so you can monitor when he wakes up, to be sure he can't sit up in it.  Once the baby is too old to sleep in it, there is a jumper seat that can be attached to it, for the baby to use it as a Johnny Jump Up type of thing.  There are a few different packages you can buy, and one of them comes with the seat and a heavier duty spring.  If you purchase the basic package, you can buy the jumper seat later.  There are also other accessories, like the cuddlers, which hold a newborn or preemie in place and make them feel more "snuggled".

One word of warning:  the American distributor of the Amby Baby Hammock, in my opinion, has TERRIBLE customer service.  I had called with a question about ordering, and the woman seemed reluctant to be bothered to find someone to answer my question.  But she promised she would get back to me shortly.  Hours later, I called, and got voice mail, and left a message.  I was polite, but made it clear that I wanted to get one that day, and needed an answer, and that I was desperate.  I had already told her earlier that I was recovering from the birth, very ill, and was getting no sleep because of the baby, so it was urgent for me to find out the answer so I could get an Amby right away.  I not only didn't hear from her that day....I NEVER HEARD FROM HER, EVER!  For a company that specifically serves post-partum mothers, many of whom probably have colicky babies and are already emotional, it seems rude and fiscally detrimental for them to have such poor customer service. 

Needless to say, I decided not to do business with them.  I knew already that there are Amby beds on craigslist and ebay, and it isn't too hard to get one half the price of new.  So that's exactly what I did.  I was happy, because the woman who I bought from was SO nice. She couldn't find one of the sheets that went with it, and promised to look for it.  She did, and not only mailed it to me, but followed up with me to make sure I got it.  The American Amby distributor could learn a lot from her!

So my opinion of the Amby is that it is very useful and an excellent product...however, I recommend getting it second-hand.

UPDATE:  4/18/08 -  This has been one of my most popular posts by far.  Almost neck-and-neck with Organizing Little Girls' Hair Accessories, this post has brought in a lot of traffic.  So it's only fair to update you all with my complete Amby Baby experience...my son loved his hammock.  He slept so long at night, and at naps.  When he woke up, he stayed happy in his hammock until we came to get him (which, with a large family, was sometimes delayed a while).  Now, I have to say he also was without a doubt my happiest and most easily self-entertained baby, but I still think the Amby helped.  Around the age of 8 months, he started twisting around in the Amby, always rolling onto his right side.  Sometimes he would push himself up towards the head of the hammock a bit, and sometimes get his blanket pushed up under him.  It did make me nervous that he was getting so mobile, but I knew he couldn't sit up on his own yet (his only desire is to play in his walker-toy, which is amazing and I will have to review very soon...so he hates to lay down or sit anywhere else).  The reviews I had read all said that as long as the baby couldn't sit up on his own, he should be safe.  Even now he can't do that, but at 9 months, his contortions were making me a bit nervous, so we moved him to the crib.  Big DOWNSIDE to the Amby...the transition.  As expected, he hated going from a snug, cozy, womb-like environment to a cold, "hard", open one like the crib.  He cried a bit the first day or so.  But I attached some crib toys and now he's fairly happy.  I still think he misses the Amby though.  It has been a useful product.  It has lasted much longer than a bassinet and was very easily transported.  We used it when we were in a temporary apartment, waiting to move into our new home.  With five children in a two bedroom apartment, he ended up in the master bathroom.  But the Amby fit, and was easy to set up, and could be moved from room to room without being broken down.  Definitely a good buy, especially if you get is used, which I highly suggest.  If I weren't having more children, I could sell it for what I paid. 

The "Fall, Y'all!" Bloggy Giveaway

NOTE:  The giveaway is now closed to further entrants.  Results will be announced by Monday, November 5th.

Shannon over at Rocks in My Dryer has a sister site called BloggyGiveaways.com that is having...well...a bloggy giveaway!  It's called "The Fall, Y'all!" Bloggy Giveaway, where many of her readers link to their own blog where they are giving something away.  Pretty neat!

My contribution to the giveaway is a beautiful vintage-style apron.  It is white with a field of lavender-colored roses covering it, with purple piping along the edges.  It is a lovely apron, my absolute favorite.  But  I just don't use it that often, because I prefer my longer apron with the pockets.  So I've decided to bless a dear reader with this treasure. 

Pictures of the apron will be forthcoming, as soon as I get a new card for my digital camera this weekend.  To enter, simply leave a comment with a link back to your own blog.  You don't have to be participating in the giveaway yourself, but I need the link as a way to identify you and contact you after the contest.   If you don't have a blog, you can leave your email address in the comment, but be warned that this is a public blog and you could end up with spam as a result!   Also, you must be a resident of the United States to enter, so I can afford to ship it to you free.  ;-)    (My apologies to any dear international readers.)

I will choose a winner by November 4th at 9 pm.  Approximately--I've got a lot of kids, lol.  But I'll either close the comments for this post (if I can figure out how) or edit this post to let you know the giveaway is closed.  My method of choosing will be fair to everyone--I will draw a random day, then a random time, and whoever posted closest to that day and time, wins.  Good luck, everyone, and spread the word!

EDIT:  I looked for my apron, and it wasn't in the box with the other aprons.   (We're getting ready to move soon, and they are boxed up.)  I'm not giving up, I'll keep looking, but if I can't find it, I promise to sew the winner a lovely apron instead.  I have some beautiful fabric, and may even be able to let the winner choose.  But hopefully I'll track the purple-flowered apron down, because I don't want to disappoint anyone.  Please note that the apron is, I believe, vintage style, but not actually vintage.  Judging by the fabric, it looks fairly new.  Also the apron does not have a neck strap or ties--it is meant to be pinned to your blouse, in Amish fashion.  It is very cute.

And please take a look around my blog, and let me know what posts you like, and what you'd like to see more of.  Thank you for visiting, and good luck!

Organizer for Little Girls' Hair Accessories

If you have little girls in your home, you have probably amassed a collection of what my daughter calls "pretties"...miscellaneous hair bows, pony tail holders, scrunchies, barrettes, hair clips, etc.  After a long time of scavenging for just ONE matching set of pretties (ANY set!) in drawers, baskets, sandwich baggies, etc., I finally decided I needed a solution. 

A quick trip to the local home improvement store produced several possibilities:  a myriad of plastic storage boxes, intended for use in sorting tackle, hardware, or craft supplies.  I have two different boxes now:  one is clear, with no handle, and larger clasps, which is the type mostly used for craft supplies, and this is what I use this for my daughter's "pretties".  The other one I have is more of a tackle/hardware sorter, which has a clear top and a handle, and that is used for my own hair accessories.  Both boxes have adjustable compartment walls, which allows extra room for bows, or less room for hair clips.  For puffier hair bows, you might need a larger, deeper box.

I would have liked to include a picture of the actual box I have, and how I have the hair accessories arranged, but my digital camera card is missing.  So instead I added a picture of a similar box, available at Home Depot.

Before I place a set of barrettes or clips in the box, I clip each set together, so they don't get separated.  The nice thing about the box is it keeps them all in one place, and I can easily send a child to the bathroom and have them bring back a brush and the whole "pretties" box, rather than let them paw through it, making a mess and not finding what I asked them for.

It's an inexpensive solution, and it Works For Me!

Houseplants

Mrs. Wilt over at The Sparrows Nest recently posted about her new Bromeliad plant and about Toxic Plants.  I recommend particularly the Toxic Plants post, as it lists the plants you want to avoid having in your home or yard if you have children or pets, or if your yard is unfenced and open to your neighbors' children and pets who may wander through.

I'm not a person with a green thumb.  I often neglect my plants to death, particularly if they are outdoor plants, or indoor plants placed up high--which, as a mom to many little ones, they always are.  The longest a plant has lasted for me was a year, and that was only due to my husband's diligence in trying to save the poor thing.

When I was single, I had two plants in my apartment that did fairly well.  One was a China Doll tree.  The other was ivy.  My China Doll tree was so cute, with tiny leaves, and it was pruned into a spherical shape--much more attractive than the tree pictured here.  It managed to hang on, though it didn't grow much, in spite of my sporadic watering schedule. 

The ivy was even more tenacious.  Though it was in a dark, windowless bathroom and never saw the light of day, and was also often deprived of water, it stubbornly hung on.  Some leaves occasionally yellowed, but would green up upon the offering of a drink.  It would be the perfect plant for me today, were it not for the fact that ivy is poisonous. 

So ivy is out for families with pets or children, but since I didn't see the China Doll tree on Mrs. Wilt's list, you may want to look into it as an option. 

Preventing SIDS

If you are like any mother out there, you have read about the risk of SIDS and the current commands issued to us by "experts"  who tell us we must lay our babies on their backs if we want them to live.  (Of course, they have told us the same thing in the past about putting our babies on their sides and their stomachs--in the time my mom has been alive, "they" have had us flipping our babies around every decade or two, in every possible position!)

Research done by a New Zealand chemist indicates that the real cause of SIDS is toxic gases put out by today's chemical-laden mattresses.   According to an article on healthychild.com, " Chemical compounds containing phosphorus, arsenic and antimony have been added to mattresses as fire retardants and for other purposes since the early 1950's. A fungus that commonly grows in bedding can interact with these chemicals to create poisonous gases (Richardson 1994).  These heavier-than-air gases are concentrated in a thin layer on the baby's mattress or are diffused away and dissipated into the surrounding atmosphere. If a baby breathes or absorbs a lethal dose of the gases, the central nervous system shuts down, stopping breathing and then heart function. These gases can fatally poison a baby, without waking the sleeping baby and without any struggle by the baby. A normal autopsy would not reveal any sign that the baby was poisoned (Sprott 1996)."

There are contributing risk factors that raise the risk of a SIDS death occurring, including immunizations, which weaken the immune system and leave the infant more vulnerable, and laying a baby on their stomach, which puts the baby face-down into the toxic mattress.   Many people in  New  Zealand have taken to wrapping their mattresses with a special protective cover that is supposed to  provide a barrier to the toxic gases, protecting the infant.  There have been no reported cases of  SIDS deaths in a properly-wrapped mattress, according to the article.

Another alternative is to buy crib mattresses (or adult mattresses, if you co-sleep) which are made out of organic cotton and wool, or 100% natural latex made without chemicals and using 100% organic covering materials.  Yes, they are very expensive, with prices starting around $300 for a crib mattress, but if you are expecting a baby you have nine months to save up (or perhaps you can get some relatives to go in on it for you as a shower gift) and a healthy sleep surface is more important than a baby bouncer, swing, or other baby gadget.  These mattresses can be ordered online through many websites, and sometimes ordered through a local health food store.

The Amby Baby Hammock is another choice.  It is a free-standing frame with a secure hammock-like bed that hangs from a sturdy spring.  It looks a little bit similar to a one-armed baby swing.  The baby can lay on his back in the hammock without getting a flat head.  It, too, is pricey, but can be easily purchased second-hand online.  It is not organic, but it is a better choice than a traditional crib mattress, as the baby can be comfortably placed on his back in a more "womb-like" environment.  I will be following up this post with another reviewing the Amby. 

For more information on vaccinations and their possible risks/side effects, visit the Vaccination Information & Choice Network.  Be sure to know everything about a substance before you introduce it into your child's body. 

If you are a co-sleeper, consider buying a mattress wrapper, or even better, find a way to invest in an organic sleep surface.  The Natural Bed Store has 100% natural latex mattresses that, while expensive, seemed to me to be a good buy, as far as quality vs. pricing goes.  After all my own research, their Heaven & Earth mattress appears to be the best quality in a price range that...well, I can't really afford, but that I'm willing to save up for.  If the tax return that the IRS lost ever gets processed and shows up, that will be our first purchase!