Obsessing Over Dust Ruffles

Upon my latest obsession and research I found out that bumper pads are “out” for safety reasons. At first I took this well, then pondered upon it and then decided even if it wasn’t out, that it should be. I remember often being annoyed by the fact that I could not see directly into my children’s crib because the damned things were in the way. Apparently the risk of a child hurting themselves by limb going through crib slats are so slim that the pros of not having one outweigh that risk.

So to make up for the loss of a bumper pad, taking in the fact that I want to make my own nursery bedding set, I’ve turned to the dust ruffle. I am on a search for the most ridiculous, beautiful, eye-catching, mother-fucking crib skirts ever!

I have found a few gorgeous, breath-taking ones and based off of them I have come to the golden rules for stunning crib skirts:

1. Longer is better. Your dust ruffle should be at least floor length or more! Flowing! (Think of the things you can hide under there!)

2. The fabric should be full, it should have a look that doesn’t make one feel as if it’s stretched from one end of the crib to the other. You need some slack and ruffling of the fabric to enhance its effect.

3. There should be something eye-catching about it. Whether it be a pattern, soft white with blue polka dots or a fringe of pompoms.
It could just be the pure elegance of the fabric itself or some bright color that catches the eye but doesn’t overwhelm the feel of your theme.

4. The crib skirt should be at least three-sided. There are sets out there that come with a front-only dust ruffle, this can be fine in some situations…but the sides are also important. The back of the crib…not so much.

I’ll also note, upon researching this and looking at the gorgeous fabrics and the numerous options…there is no reason in hell why this fabric couldn’t be repurposed when the days of the crib skirt are over. A darling skirt for you little princess, new curtains or valances, or you can just keep them to pass down…I’m sure there are many more things!

1. The Ava Crib Skirt by Glenna Jean

2. The Latte Kiss Crib Skirt by Nava

3. Pompom Fringe by Modern PeaPod

4. I just want to put this page up because there are a lot of eye-catching beautiful crib skirts and for good prices too.
Mod Peapod, Catalog, Crib Skirts Page
5. The Casanova crib skirt by Nava…if you wanted to find it(use the link for 2, it's a Boys set). ( I will warn that Nava does not seem to sell pieces seperately and the stuff is expensive as hell...but oh, so pretty!)

I’m still looking into fabrics and things that would go with the theme I have chosen for my girls nursery and evaluating the cost of making a remarkable dust ruffle myself…I might even change my mind on the theme but I can post about that another time when I don’t have that nagging fear that someone will “Steal it” or something silly along those lines.

Favorite Quotes from Books

I did a guest blog at My Fantasy Life titled Tuesday's Thoughts and Tips, the post before mine inspired me to do this post. These aren't really my top favorites of all time or even from my top favorite books, but these are all quotes that I loved when I first read them and still love them for a long time after.

Quote #1. "The sun burnt every day. It burnt Time. The world rushed in a circle and turned on its axis and time was busy burning the years and the people anyway, without any help from him. So if he burnt things with the firemen and the sun burnt Time, that meant that everything burnt!"
- Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, Part 3
What isn't there to love about this? Bradbury wrote this and it sings to my heart like a beautiful poem.

Quote #2. “...the devil on my right shoulder must have brutally strangled the angel on my left...”
-Gena Showalter, Playing with Fire
Enough said, really.
Quote #3. “If you begin to give away parts of yourself, eventually you'll give it all. And once you've lost yourself, haven't you lost everything?”
-Julie Garwood, For The Roses
Sigh! I love this book, it's always in my top books and I love this quote from it. It's a good quote that stands well on it's own and stands well within it's own situation.

Quote #4. "Insanity is contagious."
-Joseph Heller, Catch 22
No Joke...Another quote that one can't help but love, that works both in and out of the book.

Quote #5. “The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likable. In three days no one could stand him.”
-Joseph Heller, Catch 22
Okay, I had written this wonderful piece about my poor, darling husband...but in the end I chunk it. It was written and would have received some good laughs...but I think I'll just end this with "Kill 'em with kindness, darling, you kill them with kindness." Even while this man can drive me freaking insane...I think one of his greatest flaws is that he is entirely too nice to people, whether they deserve it or not!

So these are five of mine, later I may find more if this post is liked or I'm bored or inspired into it. :D Please comment with a quote or a few that you love, I look forward to seeing them through you!

The Mother of All Contests!

I challenge you, my dear writers, submit according to this and you may win your entire manuscript edited by me, for free(this is the full package deal a paid client would get for substantive editing). Send me 500 words or less about your mother, or someone that was or is in your life that filled the role of mother.

This should contain your feelings about her, good or otherwise, a story about said person.
Ode, poem, story, it doesn’t matter.
Funny, sad, or other emotion doesn’t matter.
Be creative!
What’s important:
1. Good writing style
2. The truth
3. At least one pass through a spell checker or the like.
4. 500 words or less.
This does not need to have anything to do with the piece you would have edited if you win!
There is also a chance for 2nd and 3rd place winners, this is not guaranteed. The 2nd and 3rd place winners probably won't get a whole manuscript free, but would get something out of it!

Submit by Sunday Night. (please send to Greenify13@yahoo.com if this doesn't work for you let me know, we'll figure something out)
Monday night I will announce the winner(s). Good luck!

Green Proofing!

May’s Madness

Okay, so we have to have some new blogs. These are my newest top picks to share with you! Please understand that these are in no particular order!

1. Some Species Eat Their Young.
Seriously, it’s true, some do…but this father(writer, semi-pro Jedi-Master and more) doesn’t seem to find them tasty…But, they certainly are funny. Funny-tasting perhaps?

2. Fnkybee
The funky bee, oh yeah. Welcome to the brain of…we’ll call her Bee. Awww, I have a Honey and a Bee….Haha, I shall build a farm and put all the awesome people within it…and I shall name it Interwebs!
Okay, but seriously, hilarious stuff here. And come on, Survival Sarcasm is an every (I hope) Friday adventure washed down with Vodka. I heart you Bee…in a non-weird way. Just a Mom needing Vodka and funnies way…

3. Honey-Uniquely Me
A mother, a writer, a real friend of mine...writes about being a mother, a writer and a friend of mine...hmm.
4. Thypolar’s Life
A little bit of everything, this mom goes through medical problems and endures hardships like many (but) while yielding sarcasm and funnies as a sword. The struggles this Mom goes through, I have no idea how she does it, but she does it well!

5. Peddler of Dreams
She makes me think of…me? Editor, blogger, artist at heart, and she has recipes. Though I’ll admit that the orange cheesecake must be tried, I still like my recipes more…but don’t let that deter you from reading and trying her recipes and anything else you come across.

6. Southern Hospitality By Rhoda
Beautiful posts of beautiful homes, and just…beautiful. Now, the other blogs listed are also beautiful, but this one just makes my heart sing to the tune of “I want, I want, I want to remodel”! I know I’d be good at it, I’ve done projects before…I just need a place to vent my awesomeness upon! Enough about me, Rhoda also has a page (yes, a page) for other awesome blogs. I know, I love it, especially upon finding that some of my favs in this category are on this page. There is also recipes and other stuff, I'll leave it to you to find out.
**********~~~~~~~~~~**********
What else is there?
Oh…a challenge, in my next post…or perhaps the following one (or even the one after that)…I will tell you about my 30(or however many days) challenge for myself and hopefully you! If you have any ideas for this extensive, yet God-willing fun, and other good verbs describing awesomeness…please reply with them. Anything, hurry, you never know when theost will come…though I will push for sooner rather then later.

Pork Roast

Crockpot Pork Roast (with citrus) aka "Heavenly Harvest Pork Roast"

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup Pomegranate Juice
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 1 tablespoon steak seasoning
• 1 pork roast, 4 to 5 pounds
• 2 pears, cored, peeled, sliced thick
• 1/2 orange with peel, sliced thick

1. Mix pomegranate juice and sugar together in small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Pour mixture into slow cooker.
2. Mix salt, pepper, garlic salt, and steak seasoning together in small mixing bowl. Rub mixture over roast in your slow cooker. Turn roast to cover with juice. Top roast with pear and orange slices.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH, 6 to 8 hours, or until tender. Serve with juice and fruit slices.

Just typing this makes my mouth water. I suggest buttered potatoes, cheese noodles, and other simple meals. This is tasty, and great for left over sandwhiches! Mhm, top it off with a nice fresh fruit salad with cream for dessert!

Creamy Bacon Chicken!

(Will try to find picture!)
Ingredients:

•8 bacon slices (whole slices, don't chop in half, I use 16+ slices)
•8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
•2 (10 oz) cans roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup
•1 cup sour cream
•1/2 cup flour

Preparation:

You can prepare this one of two ways. Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat until some of the fat is rendered. Be sure that the bacon is still pliable and not crisp. Drain on paper towels. If you use this method, reduce the flour to 1/4 cup. Or don't cook the bacon and proceed with the recipe.
(I don't cook the bacon)
Then wrap one slice of bacon(I use 2 or more depending on the size of the chicken) around each boneless chicken breast and place in a 4-5 quart crockpot. In medium bowl, combine condensed soups, sour cream, and flour and mix with wire whisk to blend. Pour over chicken. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken and bacon are thoroughly cooked. You may want to remove the chicken and beat the sauce with a wire whisk so it is very well blended. Pour sauce over chicken. Serves 8

If you have a new hot cooking crockpot, check the chicken at 5 hours. It should be 160 degrees F.

Great with: Carrots, mashed potatoes...you name it...it's awesome!

Somebody has to say it!

Moving with children is difficult!
It’s not so easy as just doing it! Some have even told me, girl, stop cleaning, you should be packing. But with a 3-year old and 8-month old….what? The balance of packing and keeping things clean is so delicate it can break at any given moment.
In an attempt to ease the pains of moving I have scoured the internet for advise on what other mothers do to survive. My findings have been, as of yet, useless. So, I scratch my head…what in the world will it take to keep the balance between daily new and beginning a new one?

Nothing!

If someone, like myself, were to think that they could find a balance in the chaos of packing with a toddler running around…insanity is all to be left. Fact is, chaos is the middle name of any toddler, and chaos is part of packing. A double-dose of insanity in this case, as “they” say, insanity is doing the same thing over and o’er expecting different results.
So it must be said, no matter what advice is out there, surviving a move with children is truly difficult.
So through this journey, I’ve found that I have my own list of advice, it’s just a matter of sticking to it!
1. Buy new crayons/markers and a brand new coloring book.
          -Sit Isaac down with it while folding clothes, cleaning and packing.
I have found Isaac to be counter-productive. If I fold clothes, he unfolds them…and so on.
2. Do things while everyone sleeps!
          -This seems to require taking a nap with the children during the day. Let’s face it, staying up once until 2AM packing and progressing for a move is fine…but if you need to do this more then once you will weear yourself out. Neither you or your family need a tired mommy trying to figure out if she’s scooped 2 spoons of formula into a bottle or three.
          -Also, it’s to be noted that your mood will be better, during this stressful, hectic time if you have adequate sleep- but also productiveness!
3. Break those rules you’ve worked so hard to instill. There is no harm in your toddler watching a movie while you pack their room or any room for that matter.
          -Isaac likes to be “up my butt” in all things!
4. If you’re moving far, stop buying meats and frozen goods a little before the move date.
          -Waste not, what not, and so forth.
5. This is the biggest of them all. Assess your situation, belongings and what your new situation will be.
          -Toss out everything you don’t need.
          -Sell what you are comfortable in replacing.
This is where less is more! Less to pack, less to spend on moving. Less fuss and muss. All equaling less stress!
6. Take good healthy breaks, take walks, get out of the chaos
          -This benefits everyone. And everyone being happier and calmer, makes you happier and calmer!
7. Have the right supplies.
          -Boxes, bubble wrap, tape!
Label all of your boxes/bags/what have you. Room it will go in, and items within it.
          -Toys, coloring and craft items for children and so forth!
Make sure to do your children’s room last, or as close to last as possible.
8. Follow the advice your family could use!
          -They say to let the children pack their own things. With how Isaac is, this is not possible! Instead he can color boxes (especially if they are holding his stuff)
-Be sure to tape the box up first! Haha, or you’ll find yourself re-packing!
9. I have no number 9. :D
10. Turn off the television. Turn on the music. Dance around, act silly, get your kids to play along.
          -The good old-fashioned radio. However, I hate commercials, they grate on one’s nerves. You need you nerves in tact!
          -Internet Radio. Pandora. Youtube, and various other methods of listening online to music you love.
          -Your Cds.

Okay, so that’s my list.

In the end, I think that no matter the often crappy advice out there, and now we can include my own…you must always remember that there is NO one-size-fits-all when it comes to moving. You just have to know what works for you and yours. You have to try to remember things like the fact that even though you are creating chaos beyond measure that things in the end:
          -Will be all right!
          -That life must stay as normal as possible. Delicate balance.
          -That you still need to breath to continue on with the packing progress. :D

So breath, post about what has helped you. What you hope will help you. Rant your little heads off and then get back to it! As I am...