Bittersweet. Final ohbrooke Post
I started this blog 3 and a half years ago not really knowing where it would go. The greatest impact I think it’s had is on myself. I remember being in 8th grade and teachers telling us that we’ll find out “who we are” in high school. While high school was definitely a test of strength, confidence and will power, it definitely didn’t shape who I am. In retrospect, this blog has shaped me more than any institution has. My mother and father are both creative, and my siblings equally so. As the youngest child, I never knew where my creativity fit in and I think I found it in this blog. In high school my creativity was red hair and a tongue ring. At least it was honed on party planning and the perfect couch this go-around.
Last year I had a baby and my life changed, my daily routine changed, my blog changed. Until then, I had the luxury of time to take before, after, and during-the-process photos and keep a myriad of projects going at once. Now my focus leads me to my babe {my ever-supportive husband}, my baby {my adorable little energy-sucker} and my web design business {my proverbial baby}. While I will forever be doing too many things at once, updating this blog keeps slipping down the list of things I need to do. I’m sad to stop writing it, but for now I think I need to.
So it’s bittersweet. I loved keeping this blog up, but I don’t want another thing to come between me and my three “babies”.
For now, I’ll continue to post photos {sans photo-editing and quippy write-ups} on my Facebook page.
Thank You!
You were key in my creative “coming-of-age”. I only hope to get bolder and better with age!
A look back into my favorite posts:
FYI – I loved writing this “What I Know Now” series and would love to write it into a book. Have your agent call me.
Free Downloads: Easter Goodie Bags
A quick trip to the store for Easter candies and a few pieces of cardstock later {regular paper works well too}, I came up with an easy-but-cute favor idea. Click the links to get free downloadable PDFs for the bag tags, prints 6 to a letter-sized sheet of paper. {bunny artwork from here, chick artwork from here}
Free Download {PDF}
Bunny Poop {used with Whoppers}
Bunny Babies {used with marshmallow bunnies}
Bunny Tails {used with cotton candy or marshmallows}
Chick-a-dees {used with Easter grass and peanut butter Easter M&M’s}
If you’re not a designer
When creating favors or labels or anything from scratch… think simple. Simple makes a statement, even with the irreverant “{bunny} poop” favors. Simple goes a long way.
Easter Favor Ideas
Easter always sneaks up on me. With the little one, a friend of ours has put together a mini Easter Egg Hunt, mostly for 2 years and under. I’m trying to come up with an Easter treat, and I’ve got it whittled down to these DOABLE, don’t-need-too-much-patience ideas {click image for links}:
Relocating and It Feels So Good
Not exactly, but I’m feeling a little sing-songy tonight.
So, here’s the scoop. Just six weeks into our condo being on the market, we got an offer. Suddenly we had possibly 30 days to pack up and ship out. But ship where? We’re planning on renting in the same area for a while until we find “THE” house we can stay in and grow 12 babies and no pets in. But that doesn’t really answer the question. I’m flexible on the city. I’m flexible on the property-type and the size. I’m not, however, flexible on price. How on earth did rent get so high?
With equal parts “Shoot!” and “Phew!”, the offer fell through. I felt the ground back under my feet and the swift kick in my pants about being more aware of the rentals in the area. I drove by four of the possible rentals on my list, only to cross them right off. Seems like $2300/month will get you a mid-century home in San Ramon with 30 year old carpets and tiled kitchen counter tops with brown grout. $2,000 might get you a 2-bedroom condo in Dublin, split on three levels. And $1800 gets you single-paned windows, a fenced-in miniature patio, and two car-ports.
Pffffftttttt…
I don’t ask for much. I need 3-bedrooms so I have office space and room to grow. I need a place for this baby {who thinks he’s four} to run around and thin out. I need 2 clean bathrooms that won’t make me want to take a shower after I’ve been in the shower. I need a kitchen that will motivate me to cook, not work against me. And my final plea, a garage for all the things that are ‘must-haves’ for babies, but were only had for a few months, bikes, food storage, and so I don’t ever have to pour a pitcher of water on my windshield.
It doesn’t feel like too much to ask, so why is it?
From Croffice to Playroom :(
In the time it takes me to take a 2 minute shower, my little 9 month monster can accomplish this:
Which is why my office went from this:
To this:
Oh, the glamor of motherhood!
So, a question to you work-at-home moms… what’s your routine? I am lucky enough to stay home with baby, but part of being able to do that means that I do have to work a little bit. I sprint to the computer during both naps, but sometimes those are short and there’s more to do. Please leave your tips for getting work done, aside from giving him a brother.
Digital Scrapbooking Again
This is my third year creating a digital scrapbook. It’s officially a tradition {I’m thinking ‘trinity’ tradition. Knee deep in Dexter Season 4 – can’t help myself}. I even decided that instead of doing a ‘scrapbook’ for each child, I would just do family books each year. Baby pretty much bogarted all of the camera time this year, so the book is three times as thick and all about him anyway. {I’ve done a previous post about digital scrapbooking here}
I also need to clarify. I am crafty, yes. But something about scrapbooking makes me want to melt into a puddle. I don’t have the patience or the desire to organize, cut and glue the photos. This year, Kodak SAVED ME.
Kodak very generously offered to pay for my photo book this year. After I had separated the photos on my hard drive that I wanted to use, I uploaded them to the kodak website and this is what happened:
No joke, the book was done.
Pictures were AUTOMATICALLY arranged in date order, and placed into perfect little layouts. Melt into a puddle, I did not. I spent about 15 minutes moving a few pictures via a super-easy drag and drop method, added a few captions and was done! If this is not a life saver, it’s at least a TIME-saver. I love how the book turned out, and loved how easy it was. Other programs I have used for digital scrapbooks line all of your images along the bottom, and one by one you place them into a layout. It can take HOURS. Kodak is the bomb, ’nuff said.
Loving my new photo book, it arrived just a few days later. Look at my little boo and how much we’ve done this year!
So no, it wasn’t just about a free photo book. It was about trying a great new product, that has totally won me over. I LOVE when an easy solution comes around to make my ordinarily busy life somewhat more manageable.
Hob-Knobbing
This bag can only mean one thing… TROUBLE.
Lucky for my husband, I made it out of the store having spent only $20 and took my “that’ll do nightstand”:
And made it a favorite!
Now, get out there girls and give your knobs a lift! ;)
Homemade Christmas Gifts
For my book club last week we did a little Secret Santa exchange. We were all giggles and oohs and aahs – I think we were more excited for the homemade taco soup and gifts than talking about our book {typical group of girls}.
I had fun making my gifts for my good friend Laura:
Fun purple pillowcases using “Itty Bitty Chairs” by Laurie Wisbrun and High Society Petals.
Then a runner for her table, using Bird Swing by Michael Miller and Glass Tiles by Patty Young Fabric.
Wrapped up in the selvage edge for fun.
Bagged using Christmas tags I made last year {you can download for free here}.
Similarly, my mom’s gifts to her coworkers this year were Christmas Dreaming Pillowcases; Our yearly tradition growing up.
My “Go-To” Recipes
I compiled a few of our recipes we use all the time – quick, low-prep dishes that we’ve gathered from friends or new cookbooks. I put it together to share with my sister-in-law, and thought you might want it too {It’s not fancy!}. Do please share some back if you’ve got ‘em!
Treasure Hunting
I found some treasures while out at a nameless store today… but I promised myself I would only buy the one thing I was there for. No fun!
Not that you need a kit to make a pillowcase, but here it is. My mom should have done this years ago.
In a pinch for some Divine Twine?
Color wheel puzzle… SO COOL! Yes, my son will know what “vermillion” is.
Haunted House Tour
…Last Halloween post, I promise.
Every year when I was little, my family used to go to a haunted house around the corner. Fully decked-out, the whole garage was set with false doors, strobe lights, hydraulic parts; all of which was guarded by a masked man with a chainsaw. As of last year, this house was still in business, and it is still my favorite place to go on Halloween.
Last Halloween, I put together a tour of 3 haunted houses and 1 fun decorated house. We got couples together to take our tour, girls in one car, boys in the other. We had fun scaring each other and checking out the decorations in the neighborhood. If you’re in my area, you can download this tour of Pleasanton Haunted Houses {you may want to drive by on the day of to make sure all are participating this year}.
You can download my word doc here to use my template. Check out the haunted houses or fun decorations by looking at your local newspaper or radio stations.
Big Fish, Small Pond
Anybody else feeling this way? Maybe it’s the addition to the family. Maybe I’ve nipped and tucked every corner of this condo. Maybe it’s just time to change my hair color, but something has got me itching for bigger quarters. I’ve got a baby swing, bouncer and maternity clothes crowding one closet; tools, weedled-down craft supplies and bubble wrap in another. And trust me, I’ve WEEDLED. Something about Owen being on the brink of crawling has me frantic. What will he do? Bounce around from wall to wall like a Roomba?
Roomy homes are cheaper than they’ve ever been, but how can they still be so out of reach? I want to ‘get while the gettin’s good’, but I don’t want to stretch too thin. So, where’s the balance? How do you make it work?
Speed Up Your WordPress Site
Are you running WordPress on your GoDaddy hosted site? Did you just witness the lightening speed load time of ohbrooke just now? Well, it’s about as lightening-quick as WordPress is gonna get.
GoDaddy moved my site to grid hosting and it has made a HA-UGE difference. It took about 20 minutes over the phone, and don’t worry if you’re not technical, they walk you through it step-by-step. PLUS, it doesn’t cost extra.
Now go get you some grid hosting!
New Banner Advertising Rates
Readership is growing and you’d like to ride on my coattails. KIDDING! I’d be nowhere without you. I kiss the ground you walk on, you inspire me to jam more fun projects into my ever-busy days.
You’ll be seeing new ads in my sidebar, and new pretty ads in the RSS Feed. Wanna be a part of it? I have new ad rates and I’d love to send you info on it. Email me at ohbrooke{at}gmail.com by Monday, and I’ll extend my previous advertiser discount to you.
Car Seat Canopies and Giveaway!
My little Owen, or, “He who does not sleep”, has enjoyed his new accessories. And, let’s face it, if I got one good nap out of this boy due to these great inventions, then they are well worth having!
It was evident that I needed a car seat canopy with my new baby when I couldn’t wait the month or two to get out of the house on account of “stir-craziness”. I made a cover, and since then have tried a few others out as well.
JJ Cole Car Seat Canopy
This Canopy achieved what I was hoping to: keep the cover attached to the car seat when there is rain and wind {this product just came out this month!}. I had my baby in April, and a few trips to Target to get my post c-section bod moving, left me in the rain. All I had was a receiving blanket to keep the rain {and curious strangers} away from my baby. This would have been a perfect cover for this outing, because you can check on the little one without disturbing him with the little slit in the front. Plus, it’s adorable.
JJ Cole Car Seat Canopy
LOVE this cover. All I want to do is keep my baby warm {drives his dad crazy}. These are so adorable, and maybe the warmth helps them sleep better? {are you seeing a pattern here? Ya, my baby no sleepy.} Anyway, super cozy, and much less bulky than other warm covers I have. This you can keep in the car for the chilly outings and late night trip to DQ {yes, we’ve done this}. This cover comes out in September {also coming in PINK!}.
WhipperBerry WhipperKeeper Car Seat Cover
This cover is the type of cover that I’ve noticed most of my friends have – cute, handmade, easy to attach and easy to stick in the diaper bag. This has been great because it’s an impromptu blanket and tummy time mat, so you don’t have to bring a bunch of things with you. It’s easy for me to bring the whole house with me when I take Owen out, so I love that I can use this for multiple things. This is the heaviest fabric I’ve seen used for this kind of cover – very well made and durable. Should last me for my seven kids {heh heh}.
WhipperKeeper Giveaway!
You can win your own WhipperBerry WhipperKeeper, any fabric you choose!
Leave a comment below to enter the giveaway, comments close on Thursday September 2, winner will be chosen the following day. Good luck! And for heaven’s sake! Keep those babies outta the sun!