Focus on Family - April 6

Well, Jeffery is gone this week until Friday evening. To be honest, it's really not that much different than what our regular days are like, since Jeff has been working so many hours, most days he leaves for work just after the kids are up, and he comes home after the kids are down for the night. I've been keeping Alexander up until 9:00 p.m. or so, so he can have a bit of time with Jeff. I'm trying to keep Isabel on her schedule, though, so she usually sees Jeff only in the mornings.


And it's not just home life that Jeff is missing out on - he hasn't been able to participate at IGNITE (youth group) for over a month now, and Thursday nights he usually gets together with his accountability group, but he hasn't been able to do that either. I'll be glad when work slows down a bit, so Jeff can finally breathe.

Sunday was a rough day for Alexander. It started out just fine, going to Sunday School at church without a fuss, and waiting patiently in the nursery after the service was over while I breastfed Isabel. After church, we went to my aunt and uncle's home in Ancaster to celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday, which was April 2. This is where it all began. While playing with his uncle Andrew, he slammed his face in the carpet and now has a carpet burn on his forehead. Later in the evening, he got poked in the eyeball, he tripped on the carpet in his bedroom, and his toes got run over by an office chair (the ones with the wheels). Needless to say, he went to bed that night without a fuss. Either he was tired, or he was trying to escape from receiving any more pain.

It's been a great week for Isabel - well maybe more for me. She slept through the night twice since last Wednesday! Thursday night and Monday night. I was able to pump two almost-full bottles as a result. YAY! She usually doesn't leave me much to pump.


Isabel has become discontented being anywhere but my arms again (though I suppose that if there was someone else holding her, she would be fine there too). She's okay in the swing in the morning, as I posted last week, but after her ONE NAP - yes, my 3 month old baby takes only ONE nap a day - she is picky. I try to move her around from the swing to the couch to the bumbo to the vibrating chair (that doesn't vibrate), but she's not happy in any spot for too long a time.

When I put her on the couch sitting up, she tenses her legs and straightens them out, as if she's trying to stand up, but when she relaxes her legs, her head has fallen down the height of the couch enough for her to be laying down, and she gets frustrated with that. But she doesn't want to try to sit up anymore; it's as if she has given up on being able to sit up straight for any length of time.

Isabel always gives a small smile after Alexander kisses her - as long as it's not too slobbery.

Alexander has been much better with staying in bed after I put him down for the night. After we pray, I always tell him that I love him and to stay in bed, and he says, "uh-huh". And he stays in bed! The only exception this week was the evening that Jeffery came home after Alexander was in bed; he came out of bed to give Jeff a hug and kiss, then he went straight back to bed. That was really sweet - I couldn't spank him for wanting to see his dada (that's what he calls Jeff).

My favourite time of the day is very quickly becoming Isabel's bath time (other than bed and nap times). It lasts about five minutes or so, but it's wonderful to see her smile and splash around in the water. She likes the water warmer than I thought a baby would like it, but as soon as her feet touch the bottom of the bathtub and feels the water, she's gets this huge grin on her face, and after I wash her and rinse the soap off, she wiggles around and kicks and splashes, all the while with this impossibly adorable grin on her face - it's great!


I've been busy this week - making more cards for Saturday's craft fair and getting the closet ready to be my craft area. Unfortunately, I've hit a snag with the closet. The shelves that held our books is anchored to the wall, and there are plastic covers that cover the screws that anchor it, and I can't get the covers off the unscrew the screws! Which I am taking as a sign, by the way, that I shouldn't even try. If I try, the shelf will probably fall apart or fall on top of me or do something dreadful, knowing my luck.


I was really hoping to be able to get the closet empty (no shelving or anything) by the time Jeffery gets back. Maybe I'll wrangle help from some man who knows what they're doing... It is rather embarrassing, though, knowing that I can't even take off these annoying little plastic covers... it is making me feel as if I'll never be handy. Well, I am a bit too clumsy to pull that off anyway.


Until next week, then... I pray that you recognize the blessings God showers on you - and give thanks and glory to Him.

Featured Artist - creativecorksnmore

I saw this picture on the front page of etsy the other morning, under the "You Might Like" section, and I was instantly intrigued. When I looked at their shop, I discovered that everything they make is made with corks! SO awesome!


Hailing from Oregon, Tanita and Devon are really passionate about re-using items that would normally be garbage. I know that I wouldn't be keeping any leftover wine bottle corks!


Here are some words from our featured artists:


Creative Corks N’ More is just a vehicle for us, it only gives us the opportunity to join the green crafting movement and make a difference. We do this to show others how to repurpose for a purpose. You can use less, reuse more, and have fun with garbage. After all, garbage has feelings, too!

We are from Eugene, OR where the green movement is taken very seriously. I would have to say that is where the spark that lit our green crafting fire came from. When you see what can be done with recycled items, and how it can better both parties it is truly something exciting. We are asked so often; “why corks?” and the answer is simple and consists of two answers, really. First, corks are not only an image that states recycled, but they are very easy and simple to work with. Second, when you look at a cork the possibilities are literally endless, unlike general crafting medias.

However, we are not limited to corks by any means. The “N’ More” of Creative Corks gives us the opportunity to work with other items as well. We have recently branched into wine bottles, ceramic, decoupage, and more. Our goal is to have that something for everyone, and spread the philosophy we’ve adopted.

When asked what our philosophy is when it comes to recycling our intent is not simply to recycle materials, but to demonstrate the value of our stories and how much we can recover from them. Both literally and figuratively, we achieve this goal. There is a purpose for everything and the inspiration to create comes from absolutely anything.


I love how their store is not only a way to sell their creations, but it's also a way to open people's eyes about the green movement. Who knows; it may bring someone to be creative with some of their garbage! I'm not that creative myself, so that someone probably won't be me, but you never know, right?


You can join their page on facebook and take a look at more of their items at Handmade Spark.


Here are some of my favourites:

a serving tray

magnets!

a new angle on the cork and white dry erase board!

I love the ingenuity and creativeness (is that a word?) of their products! I personally want to get the magnets, but I don't really need them, I just want them. They are so unique, and then I would have all matching magnets! (I like to match.)


Take a look at Creative Corks N More's shop, and I'm sure that you will be amazed at their creativity and the beautiful way they are able to re-purpose corks!

Glue Under My Fingernails

Well, there isn't really any glue under my fingernails. The title just sounded interesting. Actually, I'm taking a well deserved break from crafting this week. Instead, I have been trying to empty out the office closet so I can redo it as my craft area.

Unfortunately, the office is our "catch-all" room right now as well as our office and my craft area, so it's a complete disaster. This is what the closet area looks like:

I have taken the totes on the right down to the basement; they contain the clothes that don't fit my son anymore. So the right side is currently empty. And I'm planning on putting the books into boxes until we get a proper bookshelf, which will go into the corner of my current craft space:

I know, I know: How did I ever get anything done on this tiny table? Well, this is not what it normally looks like; it's usually a lot neater. However, I was too lazy this week to neaten up my table. The closet will better house all this than the tiny little table in the corner of the office. There is a laminate counter top in the laundry room in the basement that we are not using for anything. So Jeff will cut it down to size so we are able to stick it in the closet, and I will have a larger worktop running the full length of the closet. YAY! And I'll put curtains up in front of the closet too, so that when I'm not using it, I can just close the curtains, and it will look neat, even if the table does not! :)

However, I am doing a spring craft show in Oakville on April 9, so I better get cracking with more designs!