30 Before/During/After 30 Part 1

It's been a while since I looked at this, so I thought it would be fun to post. Then I got tired of writing halfway down, so this is the first half! 

My 30 Before 30 List*

*I turned 30 in June, so I am giving myself another year!

1. Memorize 10 poems. Progress--3 down (Invictus by William Henly, Litany by Billy Collins, and Wild Geese by Mary Oliver.  There were a couple of others, but I forgot them!) Currently working on Soldier of Fortune by Robert Service.
2. Memorize 5 piano pieces. Progress--Memorized the 1st page of the Downton Abbey theme song. 6 more pages to go on that one. Guess I should practice more!
3. Read a mind-stretching church book. Progress--None. I need recommendations, but no Hugh Nibley please--I am not quite there yet!
4. Have a repertoire of great vegan dinners. Progress--Pretty good! I have gotten some really good recipes lately, but I am at like 7 consistent recipes and would like 20.
5. Sew at least one wearable dress. Progress--Completed! I made a green dress that I wore on St. Patrick's Day!
6. Get the best abs of my life. Just abs. Progress--Ummm, I am going to say that I did have very very good abs about a week before I got pregnant with baby #4. Those abs were a result of a new gym membership and a no-grains diet. The gym, the abs, and the no-grains are a no-go for me right now, though. Boo.
7. Build a stylish, fun wardrobe. Progress--Pregnancy-stalled until further notice.
8. Increase my knowledge of family history. Progress--Completed! I have been on both mine and my husband's family search pages a lot and have read several journal entries of my ancestors. Knowledge increased!
9. Pick an actor, series, or genre, and watch the complete works. Progress--Still can't decide which actor/series/genre to follow, although I have watched all 5 seasons of Parks and Rec in the past couple of months. Does that count? I am considered everything and anything Patrick Stewart, since it just seems like he can do no wrong...although that is a lot of Star Trek to watch!
10. Read a book about Joseph Smith. Progress--Again, I need a good book recommendation!
11. Teach myself blog design. Progress--Nada. My computer time has been very limited lately.
12. Get caught up on baby books. Progress--I got caught up and then got pregnant, so now I have an entirely new book to start!
13. Take a class. Progress--Incomplete. Which class? Hmmm...
14. Create something out of a new-to-me medium/process. Progress: Completed! The kids and I spent an afternoon making doll food out of polymer clay, which was awesome and cute!
15. Have a good exercise regimen going. Progress--I did for a while but have since fallen off. Exercise for me is a weekly class plus a couple of nights a week of the exercise bike or prenatal pilates.  Definitely need to step this one up!

Turning 30!

Last summer, I made a 30 Before 30 list. I was a little too ambitious.

I put down such grand goals as memorize 10 poems (4 down!) and memorize 10

piano pieces (hmmm...seeing as I never get a chance to play the piano without a child crawling on me, this one was a bad idea).

However, I did cross a few things off--and one of them was go to the L.A. Fabric District, which I did, on my birthday!

I dragged my prego best friend along, and she was such a good sport. Thanks, Ru!

I didn't take many pictures, but we had a good time.  I get easily overwhelmed, so I had mapped everything out and only went to the few shops that I had read good reviews about.

One of them was Michael Levine loft, where we spent most of our time (see Ru sitting on that big pile of fabric? Yeah, we were there a while).  It is basically a big loft full of cardboard boxes you dig through and pay $2.50 a pound for what you find.

It was awesome.

Here's what I got:

I got yards of ribbing, jersey fabric, interlock knit, sweatshirt knit, stretch chambray, chiffon, and a cool bird print fabric.

I got many, many, many yards of fabric for around $25. Take that, Joann's!

Afterwards, we went to the Flower District, which was fun.

And then hit Friday L.A. traffic, which was not so fun!

When I got back, my sister and her family were there from Arizona, so it was so nice to have them celebrate!

Fox made me an origami hat. I am wiped out at this point :)

And marshmallow peanut-butter cup brownies.  I hadn't had sugar in a while. Probably a bad choice of dessert!

I had a great day and learned a lot.  Like most of the fabric district is pretty sleazy, but some of it is cool...and parking is crazy.  But I successfully drove in downtown L.A. without getting flipped off (like last time :) )

I am excited to be 30! I feel like it gives me some credibility with the amount of kids I have, if that makes sense. Here's to the next decade!

 

 

Tumble Tee and Circle Skirt

     

I got to be a pattern tester for Imagine Gnats' new pattern, the Tumble Tee.  I love pattern testing! I highly recommend this pattern--easy and a great way to use up clothes destined for Goodwill. And no set-in sleeves! I want one!

I refashioned a shirt of mine into a Tumble Tee for Coco in a half-hour--now that is an awesome pattern :)
I also made her a circle-skirt. Also super quick. Also awesome.
Let the twirling commence!

Sew Mama Sew: Giveaway Winner!

      And the winner is:  

      

 Rocksteadyemme who said...

the new mowgli's song: San Francisco

I will be e-mailing you shortly...but first, here is the song she recommended...and it

makes me very happy...it is so so cute and catchy!

Thank you for participating this year and giving me some good songs to look up! 

It's Giveaway Day!

     

 It's Sew Mama Sew's bi-annual Giveaway Day, and, in an attempt to lure karma into me *finally* winning one of the bajillion giveaways I enter each year, I thought I would offer something up this week!

Here's the prize:

                 

Simplicity 1690: A Leanne Marshall pattern, along with a 1 1/2 yard cut of Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks voile in Forest Hills Berry.

The pattern has a cute skirt and dress option--but my favorite is the super easy, slouchy tee it includes! No closures or facings or set in sleeves! Plus the AMH voile would be just perfect to use for this tee! I love how the Quirky Peach made hers!

*This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Sorry!*

To enter, leave a comment telling me the name of a song that always makes you super happy!

Giveaway open until May 10th.

Check Sew Mama Sew for more great giveaways this week!

Cook from the Book: Cornflake Cookies

I didn't take pics of mine--this is from online--but my cookies looked a lot like this.

   

   I recently finished the book Paris, My Sweet, which I loved!  Definitely worth the $6 on Amazon! One thing I loved about it was how the author has lists for the best sweets in Paris and then also in New York.  

  At the top of her list, for the #1 sweet to try in New York, was Momofuku's famous Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookie. She rated it #1 over all of the cupcakes and pies and cakes she has tried as a "sweets columnist"! So--I was very intrigued!

 Since the internet has everything, I found the recipe in several places, like here. I must like torture, because I am not eating sugar right now yet still decided to make a batch of these cookies. I did break down and eat half of one--and then got a headache. Worth it. Luckily, I made them for a girl on bed rest, so they were out of the house quick! Sad for my husband, who could have easily eaten the whole batch!

  If you decide to make them, you first have to buy cornflakes and mix in sugar and butter and then bake them into a "cornflake crunch". I have a feeling that if you just use frosted flakes, you will get the same effect with much less effort.  Also, the recipe calls for making giant cookies--but I think the cookies turned out better when I made them small. The big ones spread too much.

 Despite the fact that I couldn't really eat them due to my bajillion cavities,  they were fun to make and try--but not sure they would be #1 on my list for best treats, although they definitely were a huge hit with everyone who tried them (the girl I gave them to texted me with "Must.Have.Recipe.")  

Guess I'll have to go to New York and see what would be #1 on my list!

Kids' Clothes Week: Geranium Dress

Outfit #2: The Geranium Dress

     

More clothes for Coco! Despite the fact that she is obsessed with hammerhead sharks and sea monsters (she's moved on from vampires), she loves to wear skirts and dresses. I found this cute fabric at HobbyLobby for $3 a yard, and it is so cute!
  I used Made by Rae's Geranium Dress Pattern, which is super popular for good reason--it is super easy and cute and has pockets!  I added three inches to the length, and it is just barely clearing Coco's knees--girl's got her daddy's build--hallelujah! :)