Sometimes it’s so hard to get inspired.  Especially when you’re pregnant and feel like junk for 2 or 3 months.  Or longer.

Yep, that explains my most recent hiatus.  Probably the most legitimate excuse I’ve ever had.

But I have been feeling better.  So here I am. :)

I found a bit of inspiration today at Anthropologie.  Check out this pretty wallpaper design.  I used an old-fashioned pencil eraser to stamp out a similar design in my journal.  And I’m tempted to stamp the wall now.  But maybe I’ll just do the curtains instead.

We checked in on each other periodically.

I made a quilt top for Jacob, and she made art for Daddy’s office.

That’s our family, an extra baby, and an alien flying over us.  Emily’s the clothed one.

Which makes sense.

She’s our quick-change artist.  You can’t tell, but she’s wearing 3 skirts between her dress and pants.  Layers are in.

And they’re alright with sharing a room.  For now.

Afterall, they are preschoolers.  Preschoolers who endlessly entertain one another.

I made Emily’s quilt for her birthday last October.  And I couldn’t leave it at that.  I had to make a matching pillowcase and giant strawberry pillow.  She was grateful.  I was surprised.  It doesn’t sparkle or light up, doesn’t have ruffles, and has no Disney Princesses.  I had no idea she’d love it.

I based the quilt on Amy Karol’s wonderful Bend the Rules Sewing lapquilt.  It was perfectly easy and simple — which is just right for the preschooler set.  Agonizing over something that will be washed hundreds of times is just plain silly.  And Emily’s quilt has been washed at least a dozen times if not more since it’s debut.

Now it’s Jacob’s turn.  His bed is a little sad in comparison.

But I’ll be making the same kind of quilt for him as an early birthday present.  The quilt he has now was Evan’s as a child.  It’s sentimental and wonderful in its own way — just a bit threadbare.

Here are the fabrics I chose for Jacob’s quilt.

I think he’ll love it.  He’s sweet like that.  I plan to use the first fabric for a pillowcase as well.

And I might make a whale-shaped pillow to finish it all off.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

What are some of your favorite decorating resources?  I love Decor8 and Design*Sponge.  Now that we’re in our new home in Norfolk, I’m scouring all my favorite sites for ideas.

Here are some places inspiring me now:

• all the luck in the world - Cheerful and fresh and handmade
• Smile and Wave - Rachel Denbow epitomizes vintage-modern, which I adore
• here’s looking at me kid - I love Mandi’s interior and her vintage wardrobe
• nice*room - the name says it all
• AprillAprill - I don’t have to understand the language to appreciate the blog, but the English translations are nice :)

We’re on the market for a new sofa too.  I’m so torn between slipcovered furniture or leather.  And the price difference is kinda huge.  So I’m having analysis paralysis.  Oh, and Evan needs to sit on a sofa before he’ll commit.  Understandable.

I like this one at Ikea.

This is an easy project Emily and I did today.  Jacob enjoyed playing with the animals but had no interest in making them.  He did, however, try to cut paper with my hole punch.

All you need for this project is paper, crayons, scissors, and tiny brads.  I found a box of about 50 brads in the scrapbook supply section of Michael’s.

And we used scrapbook paper instead of construction paper because it’s much more sturdy.

I love Emily’s pig, lion, and spider family.  That pig snout was my favorite until she started drawing spider babies.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s Day.  We sure did.  And now we’re starting a-fresh.  Not only am I working out (most fun workout EVER), but I’m packing all our stuff up and we’re moving in less than a month!

New house, new friends, new city.

It’s all quite bittersweet, but we’re always game for new adventure.

By the way, I got a serger for Christmas (from my wonderful mother-in-law who is also responsible for the above gingerbread house).  I can’t wait to bust that out.  Maybe I can sew a T-shirt that’s got some stretch to it.  Unlike this one.  (Dear Cal Patch, I haven’t forgotten you.)

I also scored some great books from Evan and his brother.  They love me.

I wish that I could share piles of handmade gifts I crafted for everyone.  Alas, this was not the year for it.  Evan’s mother did make some adorable pajama pants for the kids though.  And his grandfather made Jacob a beautiful wooden highchair.  Like this one that he made for Evan nearly 30 years ago.

Every year, I make an ornament for the Derrick Family Christmas tree.  Every year, I plan to make one for each of the kids as well.  That hasn’t happened yet, but I’m still holding out hope.

This year’s ornament is supposed to be a cross-stitched snowflake.  I say “supposed to be” because it’s a bit oblong.  And snowflakes are not.  That’s what happens when you use the wrong kind of fabric for cross-stitch. :)  But I like it anyway.

I found the pattern here.

That’s a vintage lotus bowl you see there, found at the YMCA Thrift Store in Blacksburg.  We live a little too close to the thrift store, and we tend to visit it, ahem, every day.

Today, I want to share with you some passages from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way.  I’ve been going through this book for about 3 months now.  And I highly recommend it.

Here are four points she makes in Chapter 9 that really hit home:

1. “The need to be a great artist makes it hard to be an artist.”
2. “The need to produce a great work of art makes it hard to produce any art at all.”
3. “Do not call procrastination laziness.  Call it fear.”
4. “Use love for your [inner] artist to cure its fear.”

When I read these points, I just knew I had to share.  See what she’s saying?  You need to be kind to yourself to tap into your creativity.  I’m kind of sick of being afraid, personally.  And I just really appreciate Miss Cameron for helping me understand what’s blocking my creativity or keeping me from taking risks.

Anyway.  Happy Tuesday.  Go treat yourself. :)

(Hey, Y Thrift.  I’m looking at you.)

I looked at Emily one day and realized that she is no longer going to eat the acrylic paint.  On that day, I decided to buy some canvases that were just her size and set a few parameters.  This project was 100% supervised, involved limited paints, and occurred while Jacob took his afternoon nap.  Emily does not nap.  She is a Big Girl now, and she proved it by only getting a tiny bit of red paint in her hair.  And just a swoosh of magenta on her chin.

Step 1 - Prepare the canvas.  I painted the entire canvases white, let that dry, and then taped around the edges with blue painter’s tape.  Masking tape of any sort will do the trick, but it isn’t necessary.  I just thought it would be nice to have white borders framing her art. :)   If you tape it, seal the edge of the tape with a coat of white paint.

Step 2 - Paint!  I chose a limited palette of magenta, red, light blue, aqua green, and white.  Then I put a dime-sized drop of each color in a plastic lid.  I encouraged Emily to use different kinds of brushes in different sizes so she could learn how they are different (and because this makes the paintings more interesting).

Step 3 - Finish.  Allow the paint to dry a little before you remove the painter’s tape.  Once your paintings are dry, hang on the wall and enjoy!

Emily’s signature is that green “E” on the second painting.  You may want to encourage your child to sign their work too.   Just not with their tongue.  (Please do not eat the paint!)

Leftover scrap of embroidered dresser scarf + Very Small embroidery hoops

+ Scissors

+ Glue

= Tiny Art

The End. :)