Where Did the Week Go? 365 update

Wow, this week flew! I had intentions of posting more, I even wrote posts- that’s where it ended. I guess life just got in the way (also explains the lack of progress photos today, sorry).

It seems that most of this week took planning, and determination (aka forcing myself to do something). For instance, Tuesday I had a root canal. This root canal was a little different than most, I’ll spare you the gory details- but the term “filet the gums” was used more than once. Everything turned out fine, just took some planning on my part, you know being deliberate. I crocheted in the morning, when I usually pick up the house. I also took my project with me, and utilized red lights and waiting room time. At least 30 minutes of crafting, CHECK!

Enough rambling, did I keep up the rest of the week?

• 10th- 1 hour in sewing room
• 11th- 1 1/2 hour in sewing room
• 12th- 2+ hours sewing! (I didn’t get much sleep, if any the night before. I wanted to go to bed, but I forced myself to trek down the stairs, and get to work.)
• 13th- crochet on and off throughout day, 45 minutes hand sewing
• 14th- 1 1/2 hour in sewing room
• 15th- knew I wouldn’t make it to my sewing dungeon, so crocheted 1 hour in morning before appointment, at red lights, and in waiting room.
• 16th- 1 hour in sewing room
• 17th- 1 1/2 hours in sewing room, 30 (ish) minutes crocheting
• 18th- 45 minutes in sewing room, 30 (ish) minutes crocheting

I have found that crafting is becoming a habit. I am also feeling more creative and motivated in other areas of my life, a definite plus. I think I am developing a habit…

Have you been working on changing/developing a habit?

Dear Bread Machine, I Was Wrong

Do you remember my bread making fails of the past? Probably not, I didn’t have too many visits then (I still don’t, but hey its getting better). If you want to laugh at my kitchen fails, check this and this out.

I wasn’t always a horrible bread maker, in fact I used to make really good bread. Using this same bread machine. Well, after the couple of fiascos mentioned above (plus a few undocumented ones) I called my once beloved kitchen appliance many bad names. This is why I am apologizing. The problem was the user, not the machine.

Why the change of heart? I tried this recipe (now one of my family’s favorite breads), followed all the tips, AND consulted my bread machine manual. I think my biggest problem was that my liquid (usually water) was too hot. Anyway, I have had so many delicious loaves of bread since then.

Here it is- Potato Bread SUCCESS!

Bread Machine, I am sorry for my behavior. Thank you for your forgiveness.

Let me tell you, my household is thrilled that my bread machine and I have made up. I use it multiple times during the week for bread, rolls, sweets, pizza crust, etc. (That is a warning, more bread machine posts in the future.)

Do you have any favorite bread machine recipes?

30 by 30, only 4 Months Left!

Instead of New Year’s Resolutions, I made a list, a list of thirty things I want to accomplish before I turn 30 (next May). This is not a crazy-exciting list. This is not a outrageous, adventurous bucket list. This is just a list of a few things that I have need to personally work on. Sorta a list to help corral the chaos.

Without further ado, here’s my updated list. (a strikethrough means completed):

1. purge home, clear clutter {Ongoing. Seriously, will this ever be done?}
2. make cleaning a habit {Ongoing, but being deliberate has helped a ton!}
3. make recycling a habit {After a few visits to town council meetings, our town finally started curbside recycling in August!}
4. scan pictures, organize pictures {Have not even touched this. To my defense, the desktop started deciding when it wants to work, and it is not very often. (Lame excuse, I know.)}
5. organize recipes {Same result as #4}
6. paint bedroom; decorate {Rearranged, and deep-cleaned/organized. Started thinking about colors…}
7. paint living room; decorate {Picked a color, bought a sample, loved it. Need to remove wallpaper border at top of 12 foot wall, buy paint, and paint!}
8. learn how to effective manage household, and time {I am happy to say that I am getting much better at this.}
9. make wedding album {See #4}
10. journal for the boys {Procrastinator! I will do this this week. I’ll tell you about it when I’m done.}
11. journal for my husband {See #10}
12. learn how to use my camera, and take more pictures {Ongoing, getting better.}
13. have monthly date nights with my husband {Trying a new sitter tonight!}
14. go on mini-vacation with hubby {We did go away overnight in September, and December. (not my idea of mini-vacation, but we will take what we can get!)}
15. go on vacation with the family {Thanks to a wonderful Christmas gift last year we took the family to Great Wolf Lodge. This is probably going to have to suffice for this year.}
16. read to the boys every day {I may have figured this out!}
17. learn to/teach the kids to pray (and Lord's prayer, and Ten Commandments) {Am I a bad mom?}
18. teach my step-daughter to sew and/or encourage her creative interests {Struggles here…}
19. implement a budget {Nope}
20. start nursing clinicals {Crossed off because I didn't get in this winter, hopefully in fall.}
21. manage time better {Isn’t this the same as #8? Guess I know what I need to be working on!}
22. get up early (like to start day by 6:00) {Boys are early risers. I am no means perfect, but so much better.}
23. dress for my hubby more often (less jeans and t-shirts) {I am struggling in the colder season, but I am crossing it off because 1. I wore skirts/dresses most of summer and 2. hubby likes me in jeans and t-shirts.}
24. style hair more, less ponytails {Since I made the cut, I have been better, not perfect, but better.}
25. blog regularly {I think I need to make myself a schedule.}
26. exercise regularly {You would not believe that one of my previous careers was a full-time fitness instructor and personal trainer.}
27. craft through books; get rid of books not needed {I have not actually been crafting through books, but I have been getting rid of the ones that do not inspire my creativity.}
28. craft through stash {Stash is still here, but getting smaller. The only materials I have bought have been project-specific.}
29. make a dress, and wear it {May make more, but check this one out.}
30. start selling on etsy {Been working on shop.}
31. do a 365 project {10 days in of 365 days of Crafting for Cash.}
32. have a (semi) handmade Christmas {did not finish all I aspired too, but did manage to make a few gifts.}

Wow! I have a lot to do in four months.

Time management seems to be a recurring theme. How do you manage your family, household, time, and creative aspirations? I need so much help in this area.

365 days of Creating for Cash Update 1

Its ten days into 2013. Usually any resolutions I have made are long forgotten be now. What about my commitment to Create for Cash?

As you may remember from last week, I set a goal of Creating for at least 30 minutes every day for a year. Can I do it? So far, mostly, yup. Here’s a breakdown from the past nine days:

• 1st- 1 1/2 hours in sewing room
• 2nd- 1 1/2 hours in sewing room
• 3rd- 1 hour in sewing room
• 4th- 1 1/2 hour in sewing room
• 5th- I had some housework that had to get done during naptime, so I crocheted while the boys were playing. (30 minutes +)
• 6th- The boys wanted to party all night, so naptime also meant mommy naptime. Frogged dishcloth from yesterday, and started over. (30 minutes +)
• 7th- 1 1/2 hours in sewing room
• 8th- Took pictures, edited pictures, and started working on Etsy listings (talk about overwhelming!)
• 9th- 1 hour in sewing room

These are my (mostly) completed projects from this week, plus I have cut out a few in each pattern so they are ready for customization. It doesn’t look too impressive in photo; maybe I should have posted a picture of the stack waiting to be customized.

I have learned that ironing and cutting takes more time than anything. I also learned that although I love sewing and the final product, I truly enjoy the ironing and cutting process. Therapeutic of sorts.

I have also fallen into a routine that I enjoy. (You know me and routines. ) On the flipside, I still have to focus on being deliberate (see Saturday and Sunday).

I plan in the next week or two to discuss my routine (if it is still working), the how's and why’s of what I make, and my plans for other items.

What motivates you? How do you squeeze in time (or squeeze out productivity)?

Deliberate Reading

Note to self: Schedule haircuts…

Reading is important to me. As a child I was taught that reading is the best superpower one can possess. If you can read, you can do anything; fix a car, bake a cake, build a house, time travel, exotic travel, dream, deepen your relationship with God, anything is possible with a book.

Needless to say, our whole family enjoys reading. My boys even love books. All day long they are bringing a book to mama, and sitting down to listen to a story. The only problem is that they don’t stick around past once upon a time. They are up and on to something else.

This is frustrating for a mama like me (I tend to be a little too structured). One of my 30 by 30 goals is to read to the boys everyday. For the past year I have tried many different ways to read to my boys, with no success. Until I started being deliberate with our reading.

Inspired by Money Saving Mom, I decided to try something different- reading while they eat.

We love it! The boys are getting read to. They tend to eat better. The biggest bonus? They have been throwing less food. We usually get about 4 books read before their attention diverts to something else.

We (translation: mama) is getting a little tired of the same books. What are your favorite children’s books to read aloud?

Freezer Friendly Egg-Free Cranberry Orange Scones

Yup, I’m still plugging away at this egg-free business. To the delight of my family, things are starting to taste much better.
My latest accomplishment- cranberry orange scones. I used this recipe from Don’t Waste the Crumbs. Oh..these are absolutely delicious! The best part? I did not have to alter the recipe. Towards the end of the recipe is a variation for those who find “cutting in the butter” to be challenging. Instead of eggs and butter, use extra cream.
Let me tell you, these scones are so scrumptious! If you have some cranberries hanging out in your freezer, you need to make these scones! Now. Go ahead, mix everything up, I’ll wait. Stop back in before you put them in the oven, I’m going to save your hips a couple of pounds.
That was easy, huh? So, everything is mixed up, the oven is hot, and the scones are formed into balls. Now see how many there are? Is this enough, or too much? Be honest.
If you have too many you can freeze the extras. (See how we’re doing your hips a favor? )
Take the extras, put them on a plate, cookie sheet, whatever you have handy. Pop that tray into the freezer for about an hour. You want to ‘flash freeze’ the scones so they don’t freeze together in one big glob. After an hour, put them in an airtight container. I use a freezer bag labeled with baking instructions.
When you are ready for another scrumptious breakfast or snack pull a few out of the freezer, and bake as normal. You may have to add a little time because they are frozen. But watch them! I only had to add an extra five minutes.
These tasted just as good, if not better after frozen. How about you? Do you freezer cook (or prepare)?

365 Days of Creating for Cash

Remember that one of my 30 by 30 goals is to do a 365 project? I have been ruminating about this project for a while now. I want a project that I will feel fulfilled with. I need a project that I can actually do, not one that I fail at within the first week. I would like it if my project also met some of my other 30 by 30 goals, and put a big dent in my craft stash.
The hubby is really pushing me to sell my creations. He loves everything I make, and wants the rest of the world to enjoy it too. He can often be heard bragging (while toting around our boys), “Oh you like that, Theresa made it.”
It feels so good to have someone who believes in your talents and passions. It also makes me feel like crap that I have not made an effort in this area. I have this horrible habit of talking myself down before I even begin.
2013 is going to be different (I hope).
We are so fortunate that the boys take a 2 1/2 to 3 hour nap every day. Usually I use this time for housework, a shower, cooking, and wasting time on the computer. I have been working on revamping my routine. (Being deliberate.)
Cleaning: Most of the cleaning now takes place at night, after the boys go to bed. This has been a habit I have tried and tried to implement in the past. In the past I would convince myself that I was too tired for housework, leaving it for naptime. Now, I remind myself of the great feeling of waking up to a (semi) clean house.
Shower: This is the next area I need to work on. I want to get up earlier, and shower before hubby leaves for work. Lately the boys have been waking up (and partying) in the middle of the night, so I may find I have to add this to my nightly routine during this season of life.
Cooking: This may still be done during naptime. Although I am being more deliberate about prepping food ahead of time.
Computer: Whew…does anyone else have a problem with this time waster? I know I do! This is going to be a trial and error project for me, hopefully I can find an appropriate schedule.
What a list! On top of this I am committing to Creating for Cash. I am committing a minimum of 30 minutes a day. I would love to commit 2 hours, but I know me. I have to start small. Thirty minutes (minimum) of naptime will be devoted to making items for my (hopeful) etsy shop and summertime craft fairs.
So that’s it. (In a long post version.) 365 days of Creating for Cash. I will spare you the boring daily updates. I am shooting to post my progress once a week, ‘cuz I need the accountability.
How about you? Have you ever tried a 365 project? If so, what was it, and how long did you last?