22 & 23 weeks

I got a little behind on my weekly photo/journal update so I'm doing a double whammy this week!

This second trimester sure is passing me by!

Wanting to see the previous weeks? Look here.

making room for baby

This week I've had the urge to purge.

It began when I started to clean out my craft room and it has consumed me.

I went through e.v.e.r.y. piece of clothing I owe. My rule was if I hadn't worn it in a year, it was out. I just wanted to weed out stuff that I didn't wear or didn't fit well anymore.

This was a little tricky to do at 23 weeks pregnant, because nothing really fits well anymore but I had to remind myself that I may want those clothes again one day.

I consigned almost 50 items.

Locals: I recommend Salvaged in Wyndhurst.

Closets got hit, storage bins got cleaned out, and my yard sale pile began to grow.

Locals: April 21 I'm teaming up with some friends to have a HUGE yard sale. Mark your calendars.

As we begin to move around furniture to different rooms, there are some things that I reluctantly must part with and will make their way to craigslist.

Floor Lamp - SOLD

 Art Easel/Painting Bench

4x6 Faux Bois/Wood Grain Rug - SOLD

Table Lamp (matches floor lamp) - SOLD

Brushed Nickel Queen Bedframe - SOLD

(I'm most sad about having to part with this. It doesn't fit in the room that will become our guest bedroom.)

Locals: If you're interested in something, feel free to shoot me an email or check craigslist.

It feels good to begin to get rid of stuff and make room for a little boy to join our household!

on my mind

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Mine was rainy but productive. My house is currently in shambles as we are starting to switch rooms around and make room for baby.

Here's a sampling of the images and ideas that are swirling around in my head as we make these changes.

                                                                                               Source: thehandmadehome.net 

                                                                                       Source: brightbazaar.blogspot.com 

                                                                                       Source: zpotrzebypiekna.pl 

                                                                                            Source: marthastewart.com 

                                                                                     Source: theplacefurnituregalleries.com 

                                                                                Source: kara-thehomefiles.blogspot.com  

                                                                                         Source: ohdeedoh.com 

                                                                                             Source: projectnursery.com  

I'm proud to be able to say that the craft room is underway, the cabinet for G's room just needs knobs, and my faux roman shades are waiting to be sewn. Can't wait to show you all how busy I've been!

diy silk flowers + a spring wreath

There are tons of fabric flowers out there these days, but today I'm sharing my favorite one to make. I've been making this flower for awhile so I'm not really sure where to attribute its origin from, but it's the combination of two of my favorite things - silk petals and pom poms.

All you need in order to make this pretty little flower is silky fabric (because you're going to burn the edges), a lighter (to burn said edges) and embroidery thread.

Take your fabric of choice and fold it over three times. My fabric of choice is mustard yellow, go figure.

You're folding it over three times so you that you only need to cut once for each size of petal.
Cut out small, medium and large circles.

Take your lighter and lightly singe the edges of each of the petals.

Each of your petals will have a unique form from the way it burned.

Now, choose a color of embroidery thread for your flower center.

For your center, you're essentially just making a mini pom pom.
If you're not sure how to do that - start by wrapping some of your thread around two fingers.

Pull it off your fingers and tie it in the center so that you have a loop on each end.

Cut through each loop and fluff.

Now, take a few of the strands you used to tie the center and thread them through an embroidery needle.

Stack your petals.

Send the needle through the center of the flower, so that you can tie it off on the bottom.
(If sewing isn't your gig, you could always use hot glue to attach each of the petals to each other and then the pom pom to the center.)

Admire your pretty little flower with a fun pom-pom center.

I often make these flowers to embellish a wrapped gift or add a pin to make a brooch.
Today, I made them specifically to embellish a spring wreath.

I pinned them to a piece of ribbon and tied the ribbon to a grapevine wreath.
Done and done.

Happy flower making and happy spring! 

i'm so crafty...

source

When I first saw this on pinterest, it made me chuckle. But when I started to really think about it, I realized how un-true it is. Never more in my life have I felt so left out of the creative process. There is nothing I did to create this baby (besides doing the deed). The forming and fashioning of this baby is completely out of my control. Yes, I can play my part by not eating lunch meat and raw cookie dough, avoiding smoking and alcohol, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but ultimately it is the Lord who is knitting this baby into the little person that will join our family.

     "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb " Psalm 139:13

I meditated so much on this verse during the first trimester when I was filled with anxiety about losing another baby. God taught me so much about what it means to rest in Him. He whispered peace into my heart.

I cannot think of a more distinct situation where I have wanted so badly to create something perfect and beautiful, but the creative process is out of my hands. I struggle with worry - Is everything going okay in there? But I always come back to resting and knowing His way are higher and more perfect and beautiful than I could ever dream of. I look out at the mountains or catch a glimpse of the sunset, and I smile thinking that the same Creator is making my baby. He is deciding on the eye color, the amount of hair, and the curve of our sweet baby's face. And I trust Him. I know that this baby is going to be God's perfect combination of me and Josh and I can't wait to meet him.

signs

These are good signs that progress is underway on our list of things to do.

Seeing all the stuff that was crammed in my office out in the living room makes me excited to get organized.

Making new art to hang in the new office/craft room motivates me to make an inspirational space.

Can't wait to show you guys the new look!

21 weeks

Wanting to see the previous weeks? Look here.

on the docket

Thanks to all you experienced mamas who left your words of wisdom for me. I feel less overwhelmed by all the stuff out there already.

One thing that is still quite daunting though is thinking about all the changing/rearranging we have to do in the next four months to make way for Grady.

The room that is going to be his room is currently the guest bedroom.

Which means that the guest bedroom will move into what is currently called 'the craft room'.
(Obviously this picture was taken before the room was overtaken by craft supplies.)

Which, in turn, means that everything that is currently in the craft room will be finding a home in the office.

All this leads many diy/space-saving/organizing projects on our list of things to-do.
The first of which will be building an L-shaped desk in the office to accommodate both a craft space and a work space.
 
source

Once the craft room is empty, we'll be able to create a quaint guest bedroom.
We'll have to get creative with the headboard as our current bedframe won't fit in that room.

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Finally, this will leave us with an empty room across the hallway from ours to create a lovely space for our little boy.
 
mood board by me




Stay tuned for lots of changes in Casa de Goodman!

overstimulated and overwhelmed

There is so much stuff for baby. Where does one possibly begin to start?

Diapers. That's as far as I've gotten. 

I look around online and I get overwhelmed. Then I read some must-have lists from experienced mamas and think I'm getting some clarity.

Sherry@YoungHouseLove

Katie@BowerPower

Boppies, Diaper Genies, Miracle Blankets, Travel Systems, Gas-Free Bottles, Butt Paste?! It's like a new language to learn.

So, what I really want to know is what you experienced mamas consider a must-have baby item.
One or two gems you think I should put in my arsenal.

I need all the help I can get.