Changing table re-do

Hurray!!!

I've been without a computer for almost a month and have been working on so many projects!!

I'm excited to finally start blogging about them..

First up...

Spruce up that changing table!

Sunny day for this Tardis-Blue changing table 

This is still a work on progress as the changing pad needs a new cover and the baskets that go beneath need a fresh coat of paint 

but

I still wanted to show you anyway... 

This was a fun one. I'll share the process.

First,
I'd like to give a big thank you to my friend, Jessica, who gave me this changing table.  It sat in her garage for lots of days, maybe even years, with the hope of a project to complete.  When she moved a state away (still bitter about that one...) she gave it to me! Awesome-ness! I had a changing table with Mr. Sunshine but didn't with the little Birdie and let me tell you, although it is not a necessity, I l-o-v-e, loooove having a changing table.  I'm so very excited to have one for baby #3!


Here it is...

She had started sanding it but hadn't gotten far.  So that was step one.  Sand that puppy.

(ps-some people choose not to sand. It never works out for me. Do as you like!)

That's me. Sanding. 

Announcement: 

If you plan to re-do/fashion/furbish/etc. any sort of furniture, 

Buy an electric sander. 

The end. 

Question: "What do your kids do while you work on stuff?"
Answer...

Look!!

Sanded

After you sand, use a clean cloth to wipe all the dust away. 

At this point, I got so excited and didn't take anymore pictures...

Oh brother

So, 

Pick your paint color, I recommend getting a paint+primer, I only needed a little can. 

Two coats of paint.

Let it dry. 

Pick a varnish/clear coat that matches your style (matte, glossy, semi).

Apply two clean coats. 

Honestly, I always just talk to whoever is working the counter at whichever hardware store I happen to be at.  I ask all kinds of questions and bug 'em until I feel satisfied and confident.  I have done lots of furniture projects but seem to do it a little different every time. 

Tada!

Unintentional Prom Hair

So having longish hair and all like I do, 

I try to avoid washing it daily

But...

My hair gets really dirty looking after less than 24 hours..

Ponytails get boring so I try to spice it up. 

This morning I started hair-pinning and twisting away and ended up looking like I was headed to prom. 

Whoops... 

inspiration...

Yep. Prom hair.

PS- It's really hard to get a picture of the back of my head. I took the following in the bathroom at the library. 

So tacky, right?

I was like, soooo over dressed for the preschool story time at our local library.  

HAH!

All I was missing was my wrist corsage... 

The Sun!! It Burns Us!

Long post ahead to include:

Pregnancy stories

Belly shots

Two, count 'em, TWO projects

All kinds of sarcastic wit from yours truly *wink*

Hiss!

This is the sound of the light of day touching my skin as I finally emerge from the cave of the first half of my pregnancy. 

Me eyes!!

(picture I took after running into the Misters coworkers...because without fail I always look like a scrub when I see people like that.  I only have make-up on one eye...A mess I am!

Yeah, remember this?

Baby #3 is currently cooking in my oven (25weeks5days) and I am loving it. 

Well, loving that I have finally started feeling better the past couple weeks.



Side note: Wanna hear a funny story? 
How I knew I was pregnant...Ahem!

Back in February, the Mister had two months of training to complete up in Montana. The kids and I drove him up there and dropped him off at the smallest tiny-teenie base I ever saw. I was sad to leave him but that's the life of this military wife, my friends. Anyhoo, on the way home the kids and I blasted the "Frozen" soundtrack for the majority of the hours home, singing our hearts out.  Whenever this song came on.....

...I was a sobbing mess, like tears dripping off my chin. I have lots of sisters and the sister love in this movie just gets to me every.single.time..
So I was sitting there, crying, and I thought to myself, okay these songs are good... but they aren't this good.
I was due to start my cycle that day but after a year of disappointing pregnancy tests I had told myself to just wait a week to test.
But when we got home I gave in and boom.
Positive.
Saweet!
Then I had to be the "married-single-mom-military-wife" for the next two months.
We watched a lot of Netflix and ate a lot of crap food. And I don't even care if you judge.


This pregnancy has been my hardest.  Super odd how that happens. With Sunshine and Birdie I felt better around 12 or 13 weeks.  This baby took me all the way to 20weeks of feeling consistently terrible and then slowly got better up until now.

So without further ado.... please bask in the vast glory that is my baby belly.
Pictures taken at 25weeks3days

But first...
Please witness what I wear on a daily basis...
Leggings and over sized t-shirts
And yes that is a mix of Doctor Who and Peter Pan, two fandoms of which I support an addiction.
Tink is the light on the Tardis...
"So that's how it flies!"

It was sunny. My faces are ridiculous...


Okay, up first, the more flattering quarter-turn angle...

Birdie was all...Wha???

All right, here comes the big one

You know those little pregnant mamas who just stay so cute and tiny and adorably cute?
I am not one of them


In other big news (get the pun?) nesting is in full swing at my house. Been working on some fun things.
Take a look!

Before...

During...

Sand that baby down!

Slap on the paint...

After...

Oh yummy! I just love this little dresser so stinking much! I got it for free from a friend and I'm letting my kiddos share it...even thought I love it so much I considered just keeping it in my kitchen so I could look at it all the time.
Hah!


And look! 
I finally finished our little birdie-girl's quilt.
Thanks to my tall neighbor for holding this up for me!
Quilt stats-
13 fat quarters making...
20-8.5x8.5 squares
12-8.5x16.5 rectangles
1-16.5x16.5 square
Riley Blake fabrics (love that stuff!)

Front...

Back...

My new favorite thing to do is have a little peek-a-boo on the back of all the fabrics used for the front.  

And that purple binding is just heaven to me. 

This quilt also ended up with some awesome stippling.  

Loving it...

Yummy stippling texture...

The angle of the sun really makes the texture stick out.  

I kept rubbing my hands on it, I couldn't help it!

More stippling texture...

That's all for now my friends!

I have lots of projects in the works and am excited to share them with you! 

Thanks for reading 

• 
  

Spilling over

Heehee 

:-)

Quilts for Kids

I first heard of 

Quilts for Kids 

on one of my favorite blogs

Makeit-Loveit

And decided to try my hand at it. 

It's a great organization that gives kids in hospitals quilts as a extra snuggle to help them feel better. 

You request a kit

they send it

you follow the directions

Quilt it up

Mail it back

Boom. 

You pay for the batting and the price to ship it back

Totally worth it!

 

This is the quilt...

 They even have a cute little label so you can name it. 

How fun is that?

Do you notice how much thread I had left after quilting? 

Seriously, it was a close finish! 

I reccommend it! 

Especially if you have been feeling a hankering for charity work.

But make sure you have some spare time to do it. 

They like you to have it done 6-8 weeks after receiving it.

It took me quite a bit longer. 

Woops. 

Anyway, just spreading the word! A great charity to donate time and supplies to!

Toddler Ties For Sale! Take 2

Hey remember this?

That time I announced I was ready to sell ties?

 Well I finally did it! And I am very excited

Visit my shop and have a look

https://www.etsy.com/shop/StarrsTownShop

I am new to Etsy so I also need lots of tips.

Seriously...

Help a girl out!

P.S. Ever bought/received a neck tie from me in the past and want to adjust the length?? 

Untie it, iron it, and re-tie it...

My Amateur Attempt at a Princess Castle Cake

First of all...

Happy Birthday to the Bird!!

a couple weeks late...

It's hard to have a birthday so close to Christmas.

And then we all got the full blown 8day flu over New Years.

So the Bird had a small little party with some family friends. 

I wanted to try my hand at a castle cake and share the experience with you

I apologize for the pictures everyone... I used my phone and usually had sticking fingers so it got a little rough now and then. Woops! 

The cake was a lot simpler than I thought. 

Would you like to learn how to make one too??

10 Things I'm Learning About Death and Grief.

"Grief" Self-portrait by Michelle Starrs assisted by Joseph Starrs
December 5th 2013

 Almost 8 weeks ago my Dad passed away. 

 This explains my absence from blogging. 

After years of a mysterious illness, best described as a mix between 

Corticobasal Degeneration

Posterior Cortical Atrophy

Parkinson's

Early-onset Alzheimer's

And eventually labeled as a "Unique Case"...

My dad passed away on November 11th 2013

Day #7- "All the Better to See You With My Dear..."

I am thankful for my 

Eyes

These orbs are amazing little things. 

And I am so glad they work and help me create memories

My Dad has green eyes and my Mom has blue 

I have the happy combination of the two 

It reminds me of the different characteristics I see mirrored in myself from my lovely parents. 

Sometimes I am more like my Mom and other times more like my Dad. 

Regardless I am so happy for the things I see. 

Family, friends, good, bad... I'm so thankful these lenses work

Day #6 Sibs

Sibling Love

Andy

Amy

Annie

Juli

Christy

Michelle