{Ask Elizabeth} Reader Question

This weeks reader question is one I get asked quite frequently. 

"I have 3 kids and at the end of the day I'm exhausted. You have a child, and nanny as well, when do you find time to sew?"

I love sewing. I love almost all crafts, and I go through these spurts of crafting a lot {and ignoring everything else in my home}, to not crafting at all for days or even a few weeks. I stay up late a lot because our days are so busy, and I don't get to start anything until after we put our son to bed at night. I used to also use nap time to get stuff done and sometimes craft/sew, but he barely naps anymore. Sometimes he will do quiet time, but other times not. My free time is unpredictable at the moment, so it has been harder to find the time. One way I find time to do my crafting and sewing is because I don't watch TV. I am pretty good at listening to what my husband is watching, though :)

In a few short weeks when school starts for me again, I am not sure how/when I am going to find time for anything other than working and school, and taking care of our son. The school year takes so much out of me when I also have to work part/full time. But I am determined to keep blogging, and running Hoot & Bumble. I have a big vision for this new baby of mine, and I am going to make it work.

I would love some tips and tricks from other moms who have a lot on their plate, and how they handle the day to day hustle of life with kids. Whether you're a stay at home mom, a working mom, or somewhere in between, I want to hear from you. How do you do it?

I also need questions for upcoming weeks. What topics do you want to see discussed here at Hoot & Bumble?

You can comment below, email me at HootandBumble@gmail.com, or find me on Facebook.

Until next time,
Elizabeth
xxxx

Activities That Keep Young Children Entertained During Downtime

If there's one thing I've learned during my 10+ years working with children, it's how to entertain children when we only have a few minutes of downtime between activities. 

I am a nanny for 3 children, plus I take my son to work with me. There have been many times when we finish an activity but it's too early to make lunch, or I drop one child off at gymnastics and have to go back in 30 mins to pick them up again. In those short periods of time it really helps to have a list of quick, engaging activities in my mind that I can set up within a few minutes (seconds are even better).

I have compiled a list of the activities we do often that help pass the time. The kids love them and many of them are literacy or pre-literacy activities!

1. Find the stuffed animal- we will often grab a stuffed animal, and I will hide it somewhere in the house. The kids will close their eyes on the couch, while I hide it. When I am finished they all search the rooms we limited the game to. Whoever finds the animal (or whatever we chose to hide- it can be anything!) gets to hide it next.

2. I spy- I will start the game by saying "I spy with my little eye something that is" and then the color of the object I am thinking of or something that begins with the letter of the object I'm thinking of.

3. Nature Hunt- If we are outside, I will tell the kids "go find me _____" Usually I say a rock, a piece of grass, a flower, a stick, something that is a specific color, something that they think is beautiful, etc. You can send them on a hunt for anything. When they find one thing, send them to find something else, and have them start a pile of the things they find. At the end they love admiring their piles of nature treasures!

Found here

4. Number/letter recognition hunt (we do a lot of hunts, can't you tell?)- I write numbers or letters on squares of paper we cut out, or on index cards, and have the children close their eyes while I tape them around the room. Then I tell them either "go find a ___" and they find it and bring it back to me, or I have them run to a card, and they have to tell me what it is before they get to hold it.

5. Make a list- The list can be of anything. Sometimes we do a list of all fruits we can think of, sometimes it's our favorite books, sometimes it's just a grocery list. You can make a list of anything you want. This is great for young children as well as older children. Older children can help write the list themselves if they can write their letters and/or know how to read. For the younger children, they like watching me write letters, and talking about the letters and words. This is a really great pre literacy activity.

   

6. Letter sounds- Sometimes we will verbally list or write down all the words we can think of that start with a specific letter. When we get bored with one letter, we move on to another. I will say "What words start with the letter "P"?" and I will help them list some words. 

7. Build a story- I will start the story by saying a sentence to get it going. Then everyone will take turns each adding a sentence to the story. It is so fun to watch how the story unfolds and see how the personality of each child helps forms the story. Even the younger kids like to try.

8. Dance party- Many times I have turned the radio up and we have a dance party in the living room. It's great exercise, usually puts everyone in a good mood, and it's fun!

I hope many of you are able to use these activities that we love so much. It always helps to have a few tricks up your sleeve when the kids start getting bored, or you are in the car waiting to pick up a sibling from an activity. Let me know if you try any of these activities! I'd love some feedback!

{Better You Challenge}

Last week I challenged you to try something out of your comfort zone. Sometimes it is really easy to get lost in the daily hustle bustle of life and we forget to actually live life. 

As a kid, I was very cautious, and nervous about everything. As I've gotten older, I've gotten much more brave about doing things that are out of my comfort zone. But I do tend to stick to things that are in my comfort zone, as I suspect most people do. 

Last week, I did do something out of my comfort zone. I went zip lining through the tree tops with friends. This was something that made me very nervous. I am a little scared of heights, but that is not what was making me nervous. I can't quite pin point why I was so afraid. 

I completed 1 short course, and the first obstacle of another before I had to call it quits because of my uncontrollable shaking and fear. I really liked the zip lining part of the course. If only the entire course was a zip line without the obstacles. 

Another thing I did outside of my comfort zone was to post my 12 things I miss about Breastfeeding post. I tend to keep most opinions to myself, and I am pretty modest. This post was very personal to me, and I was afraid to share it because I didn't want to offend any moms who didn't or couldn't nurse their babies. It took a lot for me to decide to post it. I decided the benefits to my blog outweighed the risks of comments I might have to respond to. To my surprise it was received extremely well by all types of moms, and it has become the top post of my bog to date. I am so proud of myself for my accomplishments this week. I feel like I've learned so much about myself.

Sooo, I want to know. How did you do? In what way did you step out of your comfort zone? Did you try something new and adventurous, or do something you don't normally do? 

As for this weeks challenge, I want you to make a list of some goals you want to work on. Long term and/or short term goals. Then get to work making those goals happen. Recently it has really helped me to keep a list of my goals. I try to do weekly smaller goals that work towards my bigger goals. It helps me in all aspects of my life- personal, and business. Good luck!

{Sunshine Sunday}

This past week we've been on vacation. We spent 3 days at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, our home state. It was our first hotel stay with Jackson, and our first extended beach vacation, just the 3 of us.

We had so much fun, and we enjoyed the time we got to spend together as a family. We really felt like we had to make the most of it before things get crazy the next few months when school starts for me, and as I look for a new job. 

We left on Wednesday morning, and had breakfast in Dover with MomMom Peggy, Kyle's grandmother, since her house was halfway way to the beach. We decided after that to spend a few hours at Killens Pond State Park, and visit the water park they have. It was really crowded with camp kids, but Jackson loved the little water slides they had for his age. 

Thursday wasn't a great beach day. It was cold, windy, and overcast with a constant threat of rain. We spent some time on the boardwalk playing mini golf, and enjoyed some arcade games. Jackson won an armful of stuffed animals, and couldn't have been any happier. Thursday evening we decided we didn't want to waste any more beach time, so after dinner we packed up chairs, and some beach toys and set up on the beach even though it was a little chilly. The sun was starting to peek through the clouds even though it was almost sunset. We hung out on the beach for a while, and had a good portion of the beach to ourselves. We didn't swim, but spent time relaxing, playing in the sand, and flying our kite.

On Friday, we had great weather, and we were on the beach by 9:30am, before most other people arrived. We got a great spot up front near the waters edge, and spent hours playing in the sand, and jumping waves. It was an amazing day. Kyle has never been much for the beach, but has recently started enjoying it. I was so happy to see him loving the ocean, and not wanting to leave. The rest of the day was spent having lunch, riding rides at Funland, and then stopped for dinner on our way home.

I am so happy, and grateful that we had those few days together at the beach, and the entire week together as a family. I love my little family so much, and can't imagine my life without them. Any
time spent together with them is time well spent. I hope I never take them for granted.

** 

This week we will be getting back into our daily hustle of work, and everyday life. I am working on some new designs for the Hoot & Bumble shop, so I'll be excited to show you what's coming next.

Don't forget to use the 10% off a purchase of $6 or more with coupon code VACATION2013. Ends Tuesday July 30th. 

Update + Flash Sale Extended

We have been away the last few days on our first real family beach vacation {more on that for the next post}. So I am taking tonight and tomorrow to catch up on some posts, and hopefully there will be another great series of posts coming up in the next week.

I just want to say how floored I am at the amount of page views I have received the last 2 days. I broke the 10,000 mark yesterday. It was so fun to watch the page numbers soar from just over 1,000 to well over 10,000 in less than 48 hours. All thanks to the shares from my 12 Things I miss about Breastfeeding post!! Yeah baby! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read that post, and the others.  Please keep sharing the posts you like with your friends.

***

& because of all the fun we had on our vacation, and to celebrate all my new fans, I am going to extend the coupon code for the 10% off your entire order over $6 until Tuesday night. Just use coupon code VACATION2013 at checkout.

{10 Sewing Tips for Beginners}

Since I am a mostly self taught seamstress, I have learned many things by making a mistake first. I have wasted SO much fabric, and have had to ditch way too many projects. But I really wanted to learn how to sew, so I kept at it. I learned from each mistake. With each mistake made, I became a little more confident in my sewing. To be perfectly honest, I still don't know a whole lot about sewing. I learn more and more every day.

The following is a list of some things I wish I had read before I started sewing. It would have saved so much time, frustration, and money had I known these simple tips.

1. Always, always, always wash and dry fabric before using it. Fabric is made with starches and stiffeners to make it look great in the store, and to keep its shape. It also needs to be preshrunk so your projects will keep their shape. In the beginning, I never washed my fabric because I was impatient and didn't want to wait for it, and because I didn't want it to fray. I honestly didn't think it was that important. I ruined a lot of projects that way. Now I wash it as soon as I get it home from the store, so that it's ready when I want to use it. It becomes softer, and smells good too.

2. Never underestimate the importance of ironing. Ironing is a step that should never be skipped. It sets the fabric up for cutting, and makes everything nice and flat to ensure the best cuts and lines can be made. It also makes the fabric easier to work with because it stops it from curling up. It's also prettier that way :)

3. Even up the edges of the fabric before cutting it. During cutting at the fabric store, washing, and drying, the edges can become uneven and fray. I find that when I even the edges, it makes for much less frustrating measuring and cutting when I start to cut the pattern out. It also saves fabric when you can plan your cuts and know they are placed exactly where they should be to get the most out of the fabric.

4. Buy a rotary cutter, self healing mat, and a clear ruler. I used to use my scissors to cut everything out. It took forever, and it was hard to get a straight cut. Then I discovered a rotary cutter, and I have been in heaven ever since. It makes measuring, and cutting so much faster! The mat and ruler have lines on them, and it's so easy to line the fabric up to the lines on the mat, place the rule on top, and roll the rotary cutter along the ruler to get a clean, straight cut. Just be careful, the rotary cutter is sharp. Ask my hand. Ouch.

5. Speaking of cutting, when you do use scissors, only use your fabric scissors, and make sure to always keep them sharp, and clean. Dull scissors can be hard to work with, and frustrating when they don't cut right. Also, never use your fabric scissors to cut anything other than fabric. It can ruin and dull them.

6. Use good thread. Using cheap or old thread is really be a bad idea. Thread quality can make or break a project. No pun intended :). Thread that is old can dry out, and break very easily. It can also mess up the tension in your sewing machine, and cause knotting on the underside of your project. I can't tell you how many times I've been frustrated with my sewing machine because of knotted thread. Once I figured out it was my thread, and made the switch, sewing became much less frustrating. The brand in the picture above is the brand I mainly use. 

7. Pin everything. Even if you think you don't need to. I often skipped this step in the beginning because I thought I could just hold it all in place. Trust me, things shift even when you are holding them. Use the pins. I've even recently found that binder clips are great for this purpose also. I've also seen people use hair clips as pins. Anything works, really. 

8. Using interfacing makes things look more professional. Interfacing, batting, or fusible fleece (which is what I usually use) gives your projects better shape. It makes them heavier, and less flimsy. It is a step that's pretty easy to do, and doesn't take much extra time, so it shouldn't be skipped. and it is well worth it. I use interfacing for all of my zipper bags, and totes. 

9. When sewing a project inside out, cut the corners and trim the excess fabric before turning. This helps remove bulk, and allows the corners to poke out better. I always do this. Just don't trim too close to the stitches or they won't hold. I cut maybe a 1/4 inch away from the stitches.

10. Last but not least, keep your sewing machine clean, free of dust, and oiled. Clean your sewing machine every so often depending on how much you use it. I usually clean mine every few projects. I use an air spray can to spray the dust away, and I oil the moving parts where they rub. Your sewing machine manual should tell you how to clean yours. But I will get a tutorial going soon on how to clean a sewing machine.

I hope you learned something from this. & I also hope that reading this will save others from some of the frustration that I have experienced. Sewing is so much fun, and I want beginner seamstresses to be confident that they can learn, even without a teacher. Good luck, and I'd love to answer any questions you have about sewing. If I don't know the answer, I will certainly find out, and we can learn together. Experienced seamstresses, please feel free to leave any of your sewing tips in the comment section below. Happy sewing! 

{Ask Elizabeth} How to Set Up a Craft Table

Welcome to my first Ask Elizabeth Series post. As I may have mentioned before, I am so super excited about this series, and to start off, I have a great question sent in by a reader.

Susana asks:

"I've been wanting to set up a craft table for myself at home. What are the essentials that I need on there and how could I get it well organized?"

Great question, Susana. I first want to start off by saying, a craft room is one of my biggest dreams. Right now I have a corner of our basement set up for all of my craft supplies. I lug all of my materials for one project up the steps when I need it, and then back down the steps when I am finished so we can eat meals. When setting up a craft area, it is very important to consider a few things. Here is my dream craft space {more like a craft room. Maybe someday.}

Found on Pinterest

What do you need to consider when setting up a craft room?

- How much space do you need?
- How much space do you have available?
- What types of crafts will you be doing in the space?
- How much time will you be spending there?

Personally, I would want a space near a window, with lots of natural light, and not easily accessible to my 3 year old. I spend a lot of time crafting, and would want something comfortable, relaxing, and with enough space that I don't feel cluttered.

After you decide where you will set up, you should decide which type of work space you need. Do you need a table? A few tables, that can serve as different types of "stations"? What else does your space need to inlcude? For example, most of my projects are sewing related. I typically set my kitchen up with 3 different work stations when I sew- a cutting/pinning/prepping station. an ironing station, and my sewing machine space. If I were to set up a craft area, these are the 3 must have spaces I would include.  

Now you can move on to getting set up. I like to keep the things I use a lot right in my reach. My scissors, rotary cutter, pins, pencils, etc. are usually on top of my table. You can use decorative cans or cups to hold your supplies {maybe even some aluminum cans, that have been painted or covered in scrapbook paper}.

Found on Pinterest

One of my favorite ways to store craft supplies is in clear jars. Either mason jars or even cleaned out glass sauce jars or pickle jars. They are so pretty, they can be left out on a shelf, and the supplies can be the art. Storage for craft supplies doesn't have to cost money.

Found on Pinterest

If you have the wall space, peg boards are a great way to organize craft spaces. They are completely adjustable, cheap, & they look great too.

Found on Pinterest

 

For other supplies, like paper or fabric, I like to have cubbies, or drawers to hide them in. I believe that everything should have a place. If not, it is hard to keep things organized. There's nothing worse than needing a certain pair of scissors, or a particular ribbon to complete a project, and not being able to find it.

Found on Pinterest

Setting up a craft room can be fun. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money, and you don't have to have a lot of space either. If you spend some time thinking and planning it out, you can make it a place you want to spend your free time, and the possibilities are endless! Have fun with it, and make it the creative space a craft area should be!

{If you have any questions about this post, or want to submit a new question for next weeks Ask Elizabeth post, please comment below, find me on Facebook, or email me at HootandBumble@gmail.com}


Elizabeth
xxxx

12 things I miss about Breastfeeding

Our Jackson was born in 2010 and I had always known I wanted to nurse my babies. Despite some having their doubts, I nursed our little boy full time, round the clock until he was 18 months. It was wonderful, other than the persistent thrush I had to battle for almost all of the 18 months. Sometimes I think back to our nursing times, and miss it deeply. I threw together a list of what exactly I miss for this post. My hope is that new moms who are struggling with nursing will read this, and it will give them the strength to push through the tough times. (I am in no way telling someone they are less of a mother if they don’t nurse their baby. But sometimes all someone needs is a little encouragement. You can do this).

12 Things I miss about Breastfeeding:

1. Midnight snuggles- Even though I complained about having to wake up in the middle of the night, and it got old after a few months, I miss it now that it’s gone. It really wasn’t that bad, because I got used to it after a while.

2. Being the sole nutrition and food source for my baby- When I was nursing, I loved being the only person who could feed my baby. I rarely pumped because I didn’t need to, and because I could never pump much. I loved that the food I was feeding my baby was fresh from the tap, and whole, and personalized to his needs. Now that he is 3, and I have to actually prepare and keep track of what he is eating it’s so much harder to make sure he’s getting everything he needs.

3. Milky baby smiles- The best thing in the world to me was watching my baby pause to smile at me while he was nursing. It was so sweet!

4. The convenience- There was no packing of snacks, and bottles or cups when I was nursing. It was grab a few diapers, wipes, and go. I loved not having to wash bottles, or prepare anything beforehand for a trip.

5. That I could sooth him, and calm him down instantly- If he was upset, hurt, scared, or overwhelmed, all I had to do was nurse him, and he was instantly calm. Now it takes a lot more patience and mental capacity to curve a tantrum, or make a boo boo better.

6. Weight loss- When I was nursing, I was the smallest I had ever been. I ate as much as I wanted, and looked good. Now, I’ve gained some of it back, and have to watch what I eat. That’s not fun.

7. Being sick didn’t last so long- When my baby had a cold I would just nurse him constantly, and he would be cleared up in no more than 3 days. Now it can sometimes take up to a week before the yuckies are out of his system.

8. The many many uses for breast milk- Breast milk is good for so many things. I used it to clear up pink eye, and an ear infection. I used it to heal cuts, and to moisturize skin. It’s like a cure all. It’s a wonder that doctors don’t prescribe breast milk as the treatment for many ailments. Really.

9. The conversations- When I was nursing people were constantly asking me questions about my thoughts, my experience, how it works, and many other things. I always tried to use those times to educate people about the benefits of breastfeeding. I honestly believe that many stereotypes are because people just don’t understand how it works, and it’s not “normal” to them because they haven’t been exposed to it enough.

10. The boobs- I loved my boobs while nursing! Now they are just a saggy mess.

11. It was an excuse to keep my baby close to me- If we were out in public, or with a big group of people and I didn’t want someone holding my baby, I would sometimes just say I needed to nurse him. It worked like a charm every time. My baby also got over stimulated very easily and wanted to be close to me, so it worked out perfectly.

12. The rest- I thought nursing was hard work. Until I had a busy toddler who could talk, run away from me, and was too smart for his own good. Now that’s hard work. I’d be so grateful to be able to sit down for 10 minutes every hour to cuddle my child. I try now, and he just runs away.

I hope that reading my precious memories has touched different mothers in different types of ways. For the mothers who are currently nursing, I hope it highlighted the need to cherish every nursing minute with your little one. It does pass so quickly. & for the alumni nursers, I hope it has made you think of the precious moments and countless hours you spent nursing your little nurslings however long ago that was. 

Tell me, what do you miss about nursing your little one? What is your most precious memory?

{Better You Challenge Series}

Last weeks challenge was to try to slow down a bit and not wish away the days waiting for better ones to come along. I challenged you to live in the moment and appreciate each day as it comes for what it is.

I think last week was the perfect week for me to do this challenge. I started my 11 day vacation on Thursday and left for a girls weekend with my BFF on Friday afternoon. So I had the temptation to wish away all the days before those things that I was looking forward to. It was hard, I admit, because I was super excited. But I had to keep reminding myself that I needed to soak up as much time with my son and husband as I could because I was going to be away from them for 2.5 days {first time ever}. I do feel like I spent more time slowing down than I have been. First challenge was a success. Now to keep at it.

How did you do last week? I want to know. 

This weeks challenge is to try something out of your comfort zone. It is really easy to stick to your comfort zone and back away when something scares you. But you never learn anything new about your self until you take a risk, and just do it. 

{Sunshine Sunday}

This weekend was so great. 

On Friday, I took the train down to Charlottesville, VA to stay with my best friend, Katherine, and her boyfriend. It was my first train ride, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was nice not having to drive, and worry about entertaining a toddler in the back seat. My train was delayed a little, but I didn't mind much. I met a few nice people to talk to who helped the ride go a little faster, and I spent the rest of the 5 hour ride reading my book, and researching stuff for Hoot & Bumble.

**

On Saturday, we all went to The Adventure Park At Sandy River Retreat, a zip lining and tree top adventure park. I wouldn't call myself scared of heights, but it was definitely out of my comfort zone. I was very impressed with the staff and how the park is run. Their equipment is top of the line and easy to use, and I felt very safe using it. 

I did the short green course first with Katherine, and Chris. There was a tight rope type obstacle that we had to walk across {while about 30 feet up in the air}. I didn't like it, but I got through it, and eventually got to the zip line. That was a lot of fun to fly through the trees. 

On the next course we tried, I got through most of an obstacle before losing my balance and having to pull myself to the end of it. I took a few steps on to the next obstacle and decided I was done. At that point, I was completely freaking out inside, and almost in tears. I was even shaking. On the outside I knew I was safe, and wanted to do it. On the inside, I just couldn't make myself go on any farther. I asked one of the employees monitoring my area to come rescue me {she had a key that allowed my zip line clips to go backwards}. She did, and I slowly walked back down to the platform, and back down to solid ground. It felt great to have my feet on the ground again. 

During the rest of the trip, I stood on the ground, and took pictures of Katherine and Chris as they did the rest of the courses. & to be honest, that was perfectly fine with me. 

Overall, I would recommend this park to anyone who likes a little adventure, or someone looking to trying something new. It really was such a great, positive atmosphere. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. You can tell they all love their jobs. For the 3 hours you get to play for it is definitely worth the money.

As a result of this adventure I learned a little more about myself. It's something that will always stick with me, and for that I am truly thankful, and grateful that I tried something new.

**

The rest of the weekend we did a little shopping, hung out with a few drinks, and visited the pool for a few minutes before a storm. I drove back to Delaware with Katherine last night, and I was so excited to see my husband, and son. It was good to get away, but always nice to be home as well. 

I hope it's not too long before we get to do another girls weekend :)

Thanks for reading, and catching up. What did you do this weekend?

{My nails}

I just recently stopped biting my nails. It has taken a lot of hard work to get my nails and cuticles healthy, and learn to take care of them. Since I had never really done it before, it was a learning curve.

But I am having so.much.fun grooming them, and playing around with fun paint colors, and techniques. 

I recently found this amazing product:

Salon Effects By Sally Hansen 
{Disclaimer: This is not a paid ad. I am not receiving any type of payment for posting this. All opinions and words are mine and mine alone.} 

I bought mine at a local 5 below store for $3, which I think is an unbeatable price. They were so easy to put on, and believe it or not, they lasted much longer than regular nail polish with top coat! That's after doing dishes, and swimming for a week! They looked great and professional too. & there are sooo many patterns, and colors to choose from.

{Shop OPEN!}

{I'm doing my happy dance}

Because I can sit back and breathe for a few short minutes. This week has been major crunch time [with a few late nights] trying to meet the deadline I set for myself to get my shop open. {I finally did it} Phew.

I'd like to introduce to you, the Hoot & Bumble Online Shop, where you can purchase my handmade creations. Or you can click on the tab above ^ from anywhere on the blog :)

My favorite creations in my shop are the tote bags. They are so much fun to create, and I love watching them come together. I can't wait to make more for the shop! 

They are such a great size, and can really hold a lot. They look great too!

{Funny Story} The first one I made for the shop, is now the one I carry around. Wanna know why? One set of pockets were sewn in upside down. Oops. I won't make that mistake again. But at least I have a bag for myself now ;)

So far I've used my bag as an every day tote back and forth to work or out for errands, but I also took it to the pool a few times. It was perfect for my towel, and a book. & I loved having pockets to put my keys and phone in. I also took it to the library one day and carried about 7 books home in it. It would make a great gift as a stylish diaper bag for a new mom {or yourself}.

Of course, I have other items in my shop too, that are just as amazing. Check out the wristlets, zipper pouches, and coin purses. There's even a little something for the kiddies :)

I am leaving for a weekend away with my best friend {kidless} tomorrow, so all orders will ship out on Monday. You can use coupon code GRAND10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. Coupon expires on Sunday July 21, 2013. 

Also, next week look for details about how YOU can win some Hoot & Bumble goodies in my first giveaway!

Thanks for reading :)