Birth Story|Journey to Parenthood|Mom Post

Hey crafters!

I think I’m going to call this an “In my feelings” post. So over the weekend Imani, my 1.5 year old was over her Auntie’s house. (Shout out to sister Nesha free date night/me time babysitting lol) Anyway, so she came how today and while she was napping and I was doing the dishes I was having all the feels. I also felt the extreme urge to share those feelings and thoughts with you guys.

So, those of you that know me know about the  my husband and I took to become parents. Those that don’t: we tried for a few years to conceive and were eventually told that it would not be a possibility.  We had literally just signed up for adoption classes, and accepted our new path to parenthood when we found out that I was pregnant. Which was pretty eventful in and of itself. I was the maid of honor for my cousins wedding and the bride and I were on the way to my house to get dressed but got into a major car accident. My cousin and I decided not to go to the emergency so that she could still get married but went the next day and found out we were pregnant.

Pretty intense and exciting right? Yeah, we thought so too. She was due February 26th but due to my blood pressure (which had been borderline the whole pregnancy) and a condition called preeclampsia I was admitted to the hospital a month early. And after about half a week of not being able to move or be awake much because of the drugs they had me on, I had to have an emergency c-section. She was born January 26th 4lbs and 11oz and thankfully healthy and did not have any further complications.

***Side note I totally did not mean for this to be a birth story but oh well it is now.
Anyhow, so on to the point. With all of that as a prequel to the beautiful baby girl that is Imani, I can honestly say that it was well worth it. Yet there are moments when people will ask me a question about her and how she’s doing and I’ll make some remark that insinuates that she’s a brat or something like that. Instead of saying what I truly feel which is that I welcome the terrible twos and the sleep deprivation and feet sore from chasing her down. I welcome it because I didn’t think I would have an Imani.

I mean, I guess sometimes the awkward in me takes the forefront and when people ask certain questions I’m trying to be funny or relatable but the reality is that I’m not funny and usually do not relate to other people. But it shouldn’t matter right? When someone says “hey she’s a busy little thing” because I’m chasing her around the playground or something I should say “yeah but I’ll take it every day of the week and twice on Sunday” because that’s how I feel but instead I say something like “OMG tell me about it!”

I guess the true point of this all over the place post is to say that if you ask me how Imani is doing or make a comment about how busy she is or post a video saying how aggy she is, know that what I really feel is that I don’t care because I’m just thankful to have her to chase around.

I told you in advance, all the feels. 😐

That’s it for now!

A Cool Junk Journal |Glue Book | Tutorial For Beginners

Hey Crafters,

Yeahhhhhh, it's been a while. Crazy times in our life. We moved/downsized, began potty training, stopped cosleeping,  and a whole lot of other things that have really taken up a lot of time. Not to mention that I am now babysitting two children, 8 and 10 years old, which is great! So, yeah, a whole lot to catch you guys up on.

But, today I'll be focusing on something completely unrelated to any of those things: Art Journaling. I'll be doing more posts soon to talk about/share tips and things for everything else I mentioned before, so don't fret.

Any who, so I don't know about you, but before I start a craft or new project I do a lot of Google, Pinterest and YouTube searching. This time was no different. I found lots of ideas that I wanted to try but only a few really made the cut.

Some of the things I saw I felt were too simple or too difficult. I wanted to try some new techniques but I'm crafty, so I didn't want to feel like I was doing a toddler craft, ya know? I wanted to make a book that wasn't lame/boring to make. Well, I succeeded because I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the transformation of this book in just a few days of work.


Well the first thing I did, was the front and back covers.

The YouTube video that I watched was: Art Journal Cover Process | Art Journal From a Composition Book Part 2 | Jenn SWT
She is super detailed and great for beginners and pros alike. You can check out the video for the full process, but I'm going to tell you what I did, too.


So the Materials you need are:

Composition Notebook
Mod Podge
Gesso
Paper Towels (I KNOW!!!! So exciting!)
Foam brush
Spray Mist Inks (Optional)

So basically you begin with a new composition notebook. I opened to notebook up at the middle and placed pages down on the table so that I could work both the front and the back at the same time.

After Mod Podge and Paper Towels Have Dried Overnight

Then, with your foam brush, you're going to make a thin/medium layer of Mod Podge completely covering the cover. Then you're going to take your paper towels, and cover the entire cover.

When I did this, I kind of scrunched the paper towels up a bit to give a little more texture. TIP: For the excess that hangs over the sides, you can either cut it off or like I did fold it over the top and add more Mod Podge. I like it like that because made the edges look more natural, and not straight, but whatever you think is best, "Do you, Boo."

I put two layers of paper towels and Mod Podge.  I then let the notebook dry overnight. (It should look like the first image.)

Then, because you can still sort of see through the paper towel, you're going to paint over it with some white paint or gesso. Which I, of course, didn't take a picture of.
Then, I took my Spray inks (pink and purple) and sprayed to my heart's content.

This is what it looked like after spraying with the mists. I think I liked it better before I added my chipboard embellishments but, I'm keeping it like it is.

                                                                                                                               

So, I added some chipboard shapes that I like, and freehand cut the word "ART" with some heavy card stock. Then, I painted over them with Gesso, and once that was dry I sprayed some more mist. I also added some gems, because... well. I like BLING!! Any who. That's it for the cover.

The inside I watched AMANDA RANDOMS video on how she prepped her junk journal. I actually ended up watching her whole series on that Junk Journal and subscribed because I really liked her ideas, but again, "Do you, boo."

Her page process is basically, crumpling up a few pages at a time, then uncrumpling them. Then taking an ink pad and rubbing it over the pages, mixing and blending different colors. Amanda Random used distress inks but I used my Stampin' Up inks, and it worked just fine. Some pages, I liked the way the back bled through and didn't add any additional ink, but others I added in some colors.

 I think they look AWESOME!

 I used the spray mist on some pages.

 I tried to make some pages look connected by the way I prepped them.

 Here's my WIP first page. I'm not sure where I'm going with this page, but I know I'm not completely done/satisfied with it yet.

This is the front inside flap. I'm planning to put a pic of my family in the white square, then on the numbered items, write some personal promises or memories that I cherish. I'm going to add some stencil work with gesso or modeling paste to break up all of the browns.

Well, alright! This was a WAYYY longer post than I intended but, you've finally reached the end. LOL.

Thanks for stopping by, Crafters!

My Natural Hair Journey | Loving & Hating My Natural Hair | Natural Hairstyles Short/Medium

Hey Crafters,

So today's post is to talk about my natural hair journey, so far. I have been a natural hair girl since 2015. I was transitioning to natural for a while before that, then I dyed my hair, was natural for about a year, then I decided to chop off all of the color.

Here's my big chop pic:

This was taken the day of my big chop, September of 2015. I was feeling good about the chop and hopeful for my natural hair journey. I rocked the mess out of the TWA, I was super serious about caring for my hair, and giving it the love it needed.

Now, over the course of the past few years, I have gone through some CHANGES with my hair! LOL. It has definitely been a love/hate relationship.

I have gone through so many phases. Get ready for the montage.

So, you can see that I've gone through TONS of different styles and phases, and truthfully I am completely frustrated by my lack of hair growth. Which leads me to my main point today: I need to change my hair regimen and take better care of my hair.

I'm calling this phase the WTF phase. Seeing how I don't know WTF I want to do with my hair. I'm so confused with life (well, hair anyway). There are so many things I see that  I like. So many things that I think I should try. For instance, I saw that rice water can help with hair growth. Also, hair banding, but I'm worried about the tension that could cause, and I'm already dealing with breakage.

Then, I'm thinking, maybe I should loc my hair. I know I'd love it because I love yarn braids which look like locs.

I just am at a point where I have no idea which way I want to go, I'm just completely underwhelmed with my hair. Do you ever get like that? Where you just have hit a wall with your hair, and don't know how to get past it? Well, that's where I'm at. I need a hair-tervention. (Yes I just made that up)

Come on Crafters, give me some ideas! Share your hair tips, send me links, I need some hair love. I think that the first thing I'm going to do is a deep condition, or perhaps a clay mask. Something to try and restore some life into my hair.

Get Paid for Poetry? Yes, Please.

Hey there, Crafters!

Quick post for today!

So, I've mentioned before that I am currently writing a few different books. One of those is a book of poetry that I have previously written, but not done anything with. Now, of course, some of it is horse fodder, but there are some that are (in my and previous creative writers professors opinion) pretty good. 

One of which, I have submitted to Poets.Media, which is a tier of vocal.media that calls itself a "long-form social publishing platform that helps creators get their voice heard and make money from their content." They also require a few things in order to post, one of which is an image or video to relate to the post. I chose to use Canva as an image creator. I think its perfect for the poem. I could have definitely done this in PS but it's so quick and painless in Canva, so, yeah, winner winner chicken dinner.

Click pic to see my first submission!

Anyway, so, I'm thinking its totally worth the risk of one poem. I don't really want to submit my extremely best work, just in case it doesn't pan out, you know. But, we shall see. They pay based on numbers of views and encourage creators to share on social media, etc. So, I created a Pinterest link, or two, and put it on my FB page, to increase viewers.

I am also in the long and drawn out process of editing and purging poems and short stories, to put into my collection, which will be published through Kindle Direct Publishing. 

As you can see, I am more of a "don't put all your eggs in one basket" kinda gal, so I'm trying to spread the love a little. 😉 I'm hoping both of them end up being great, but you never know! Wish me luck and publicity, Crafters!

That's it for now!

Getting Play Dates: SAHM Life

So, as you all know, I'm a stay at home momma, and I've just come to a realization: I have to talk to other moms in order to get my daughter play dates. Ok, duh right? But its more than that. Imani is such a social butterfly. She hasn't met a child that she doesn't immediately want to "play" with (or hug a lot LOL). The issue is that awkward moment when a class has ended, and your kid has hit it off with another kid, and you're wondering if the other mom would be into a play date. Here's what I have come to learn and do.

No one wants to be a creeper, but both usually want a play date. So, what I have forced myself to do is, ask those probing questions that kinda make you look like a creeper, but shows the other mom that you're trying to open a dialogue.

Like today, before the Musical Mondays in June: at the Euclid Public Library started, another mom and I were chatting and she said the reason she brought her, also 16-month-old daughter, was to socialize with other kiddos. (Like me!)

So, after the program was over, we both kinda hung back and had a chat. I asked if she was coming to the next Monday, she said yes, so I came back with a "Hey, should we let them play together afterward?" She was totally on board, so it was a go.

I'm sure that some of you extroverts are rolling your eyes and saying, yeah yeah so what, but for an introvert, that's a pretty big ask.


I guess the point of this post is to say, if you are kind of an introvert or a person who is slow to warm up to people, it's kind of necessary to move past that in order for your kiddo to get the socialization he or she needs. Especially us stay at home moms (and dads). But know that you are not alone in your awkwardness! LOL.

Well, that's all for now, Crafters!

Side note, Imani had a blast at the Musical Monday. She loves to dance, so I knew it would be a hit, but she really interacted with the other children a lot. Mimicking the bigger kids, and watching the tots her age.

Graduation T-Shirts and Graduation Cap (Nursing Degree)

Hey there Crafters!

So the past couple of weeks have been full of graduations, three of which I attended. With those graduations came crafts. I mean, I love a good craft like the next crafter but MAN it was a lot going on. Not to mention that I am in the process of preparing for a move, so my house is full of boxes and looking bare. Okay, done griping, I promise!

Anywho, this post should have been two separate posts, but I'm combining them in hopes that I'll get the post done quicker. Also, as a "whoops sorry I haven't posted in two weeks" apology I plan on posting something every day this week, so it should be interesting! On to the crafty bits.

First up is the Graduation Cap I made for my cousin graduating from Nursing School. It came out so cute! 
To make it:
I bought a sheet of adhesive rhinestones and the nurse embellishments from Joann's. I also create a bow using my Bowdabra. I used 2.5" white satin, green satin, and a gold mesh ribbon. I sewed a couple of safety pins to the back of the bow, and then stuck it onto the cap that way. 
The letters are Cricut Gold Glitter Iron, which I used in my Cricut Expression 2 to cut the words. I believe they were cut at 2" using the Plantin School Book font cartridge.

Alright, next up are the graduation t-shirts I made for my nephew's high school graduation. I made a shirt for his mom, dad, and little sister.

I created these shirts, also using the Plantin School Book font card and Cricut Iron On Vinyl. What do you think? I think they turned out pretty awesome! I also did a little Recon to my Sister's Shirt by cutting and tying both sides.

There you have it! Graduation creations! Did you do any graduation crafts this season? If so, share in the comments below, I'd love you see what you did.

That's it for now, Crafters! 

12-18 month old craft idea:Infant/Toddler Alphabet Craft

Hey Crafters!

So, this is going to be the first Learning post. Yay, for not procrastinating the post!

As a first time mom, I find that I am constantly looking to see what other momma's have done at home with their little ones. This, I'm sure, is not going to change any time soon. But, there are some things that I know from being a preschool/daycare teacher and I just have to find a way to make them work for Imani.

I am always looking for ways to let Imani explore art materials. (I mean, duh, I'm a crafter, so of course, right) We've done a lot of crafts/art activities, and now I'm thinking that I need to share them with the world because, if there's any other momma's out there like me, you're always on the lookout for something new.

As a preschool teacher, I always found myself in the process versus product debate. As a new momma, I want something that I can keep as a memento of the fun we have! When I was in the classroom, I tried to blend the process art with the product driven crafts, and that is what this craft is: a blend of process and product. Enjoy!

Alphabet Craft

Materials:

Computer (optional)

Printer (optional)

26 Pieces of Colored and 26 Pieces of White or Black Cardstock

Art Materials (crayons, markers, washable paint dotters, torn tissue paper, finger paint, shaving cream)

Scissors

Sharpie 

Directions:

1. If using a computer, create an outline of all of the letters of the alphabet and Print onto colored cardstock. I used Microsoft Word, and the Word Art, and selected a font I liked. You want to go more basic, and less fancy with your font.
1. If not using a computer, draw the outline of all the letters of the alphabet onto your colored card stock. (cumbersome, but doable, just thinking of the non-computer folks)
2. For each letter of the alphabet select an art material, and allow the child to decorate.
1. We do one letter each week. I also recommend getting books from the library to go along with each letter. Ex. "A" read a book about Alligators.  
2. We repeated the various art materials on other letters, really it was just whatever she was willing to work with on any given day.
3. Once your letter is dry, cut it out, and paste onto your (white or black) cardstock. 
4. Hang as is, or laminate and then hang.
1. We haven't finished our alphabet yet, but here's a bit of what we have done so far.

The Letter C was created by gluing torn pieces of tissue paper to the printed letter C, then once dry cutting it out. Imani did NOT like the sticky feeling of the glue, so be prepared for that!
The Letter G, Imani added stickers, then I cut it out. Tip: if your little one is like Imani, peel the sticker back a little to give some help.
The Letter A, was finger painting.

 The Letter D was done by dipping a toilet paper tube into various colors of paint and using it as a stamp/paintbrush.
Lastly, the Letter E was done using some Washable Glitter Paint Dotters. (Not sure where I got them from, sorry!)

I think they are all coming out so cute! The finished alphabet can be laminated, and bound into a book, or put into picture frames and hung on the wall in their room.

What do you think Crafters? Does this craft straddle the Product vs. Process gap? I think so!

Side NOTE! I'm also in the process of writing an ebook with TONS of fun craft and learning activities that I have tried with Imani. Let me know in the comments below if this is something you'd be interested in! 

Well, that's it for now Crafters!