pick a color any color - sewing area revamp!


ok ladies, i need your help. you've all heard me moan and groan about my lack of sewing space and the fact that i am in love with a sewing desk given to me by jer's grandma 2 years ago that the hubs keeps promising to refinish and never has. the time has come though, that i am finally putting my plans into action. during our little "project home organization 2010" we decided to reorganize part of our condo to make a separate wall in our place just for my sewing desk & supplies/office. it used to be where our dining room table was. it's now moved and i'm on a sewing organizing spree.


where do you come in? i cannot for the life of me decide what to do with my desk. it used to hold a sewing machine inside it but the the top was broken. we've replaced the top and also have a separate piece of wood to hinge on to the side for when i need more desk space. the top still needs to be sanded and so does the desk if we paint it. i heart the legs and hardware. the only thing i know is that i don't want to change those. i'm open to any other suggestions. so what do you think? blue? white? wallpapered top? painted top? flat? semi-gloss? i will openly admit i am not that much of a diy'er and need some help with this project.


here's the items that i have planned for the space from ikea. the hubs and i had planned to pick them up last weekend when he was over in vancouver but silly bc ferries won't let you put anything in the check in except baggage and it was way too heavy to carry for one guy (he walked on). also friggin ikea (i love you ikea, don't take offence) charges wayyyyyy too much for shipping for us folks on vancouver island. it's seriously outrageous. it was going to cost me more to ship it then all my items combined!!! wtf! so instead of whining about it like a baby, i've now rounded up a few friends and my sis for a girl trip over to the mainland in a few weeks to pick up my new babies. and you all know i will be scoping out the fabrics there while i'm shopping :) how's that for seeing the positive in what would have been a negative!


*i'm thinking top two shelves for fabric, 3rd shelf for the drawers inserts and 4th with the white magazine boxes.

i've been inspired by some pictures recently of rooms that i saw and loved. now don't get me wrong, there are tons and i mean tons of places to get inspiration for sewing rooms and craft rooms. i've seen them. i LOVE looking at them. these were just a few that i drew inspiration from that had systems of organization in them that i felt was doable in my home on a budget.

i fell for anna's (from one of my absolute fave daily reads - "noodlhead") sewing/play room. the hubs had suggested we try the expedit shelving and at first i was against it, but after seeing anna put it to use i was sold.


i also adored the use of the expedit again in different combinations this time in alicia paulson's sewing room. i probably don't need to tell who she is, but just in case, she's the author of 2 wonderful books (stitched in time & embroidery companion) and the writer of the blog "posie gets cozy". if you haven't read them, check them out.


and i couldn't resist showing you a pic from the sewing room that gave me the oomph to even get this process started. the lovely, cozy, corner nook from lindsay of the equally lovely blog "the cottage home".


if i'm being honest, i've been dying to see this room. i've asked lindsay to show it to us before and when it was done, well, i cried. i cried because i wanted a room. a sewing room of my own in my own home. then i realized how selfish i was sounding and that i was lucky i had a healthy, loving family, a roof over my head and that i am able to be home with my babies doing something i'm passionate about. i don't need a house, or a "room" to have a sewing space. i've seen closets and corners transformed and so this is my take on the "sewing area". it was a corner in my rental condo, now it's a wall. i'm excited to see how it turns out and i'm glad you are all here to help me. heck, i'm glad i even have a sewing machine & figured out how to turn it on and load my bobbin 2 years ago.

tell me your thoughts. what do you think i should do with the desk? what's your sewing room look like? any ones that have inspired you? leave a link, comment or tweet me! i wanna see and hear about it :)

p.s. one of my dream things for my new sewing area is a wooden thread holder like the one lindsay has in her room. anyone know where i can get a good one in canada for not too much moula?

etsy monday in the mommyhood





"if life gives you lemons, make some kind of fruity juice."
~ conan o'brien

happy monday everyone! i posted last week about the glass reamer i found and when i was digging around for some more information on it i thought i would pop over to etsy and see if i could spot some more of them. the nice man who sold me the reamer even informed me that there is a national association of reamers and there are many different kinds of reamers.

reamer [ˈriːmə] n. - a utensil with a conical projection used for extracting juice from citrus fruits; lemon squeezer

he had a giant book listing all the reamers and their worth. don't ask me why but i was fascinated! you should have seen all of these reamers - i had no idea! all i knew was i loved the look of them and when they were all set up on his table they were gorgeous. what a lovely collection these would make for someone. i wish i had brought my camera to take a pic. in fact i believe martha herself is a fan of reamers as i saw on the national association of reamers page that a member of theirs collection was in the june 2010 issue of martha stewart living. i can't wait to try mine out but in the meantime i just keep picking it up and staring at it's loveliness. it makes me smile and that makes it worth every penny i paid for it.

do any of you collect reamers (juicers)? any fave type of collection? have some pics you want to share of yours? leave a comment and let us know...then we can all smile together.

sponsor love - chopstix

this weekend's sponsor love post is for one of my fave new shops - chopstix. stylish and fun children's clothing and other fun goodies all handmade by the talented and lovely jenny from the blog "the southern institute for domestic arts and crafts".

if you're looking for a great gift for a little one in your life i'm coveting one of the newest goodies in her shop - "the best bean bags ever". if you're like me the kiddos love to drool all over their beanbags all the time. it's a pain. well jenny's got bean bags with a washable and removable cover! simply undo the cover and take out the bean bag inside and wash it! genius. so handy!

remember this dress that i posted here? that's right, it's from jenny's shop! this gorgeous custom made hankie dress was made especially for mackenzie and she looks so precious in it and just loves it. you can find jenny's hankie dress in the shop as well. there's something just so special about reusing a vintage hankie - precious.

needing some new stylish onesies? chopstix also has custom monogrammed onesies as well as the apple and little man onesies to add some fun to any child's wardrobe. and let's not forget that every little girl needs a pretty skirt....i heart the market skirt that jenny has made as well.


so pop on over to chopstix and have a little mommy shopping time. tell jenny i said hello and if you still have time when you're done make sure to visit "the southern institute for domestic arts & crafts" - there's lots of goodies to be found over there as well.


thanks for supporting luvinthemommyhood jenny - luv ya girl!

p.s. if you are on vancouver island and planning on attending the vancouver island baby fair don't miss out on entering our giveaway! i've got a whole bunch of weekend passes to giveaway! click here to enter, you've got till sunday at midnight - good luck and see you there!

p.p.s for all those lost or affected by loss during 9/11 - you're in my thoughts today.

weekend wishes

to not feel like i am falling asleep on my feet..........


by drinking one of these....yum.....


to get my crochet and knitting needles out..........


to one day have such a wide assortment of vintage sheets.........


to make a point of remembering this when i am having a bad 'endo' day.......


to get this read this weekend (can't wait)...........


to find more lovelies made from buttons............


to keep remembering the motto of this week.........


and yes, i know i'm getting obsessed, but i keep dreaming about hunter boots....so perfect for the coast weather.....why are they so darn expensive :(


this is gonna be a quick writeup for weekend wishes, sorry guys. we had a super duper busy day today, i'm pooped, the toddler went to bed very late, the hubby was out at a meeting and baby girl is just being too darn cute tonight. squishably cute, the i want to just lay there and coo and stare at her in awe cute. so tonight i'm gonna have some family time. hope you guys understand :) a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do. i need to soak up some of those baby kisses and cozy hugs and then get some spooning in with the hubs.

my weekend is going to be pretty relaxing...i hope. i think i plan on getting a nap in somewhere...ohhh, wouldn't that be so nice...a girl can dream right? a good book, cup of tea and a nap - it would be like winning the lottery! throw in some family time and sewing and we've got ourselves a great weekend.

what are you all up to? any fun family plans? did you have a chance to stop and focus on the little things this week? what was your fave? mine was harper's first full out laughing fit...so precious :)

moments in the mommyhood - sufferin' succotash


i'm amazed at the fact that my baby girl is going to be 4 months old next week. really people, where the heck has the time gone? i can't figure it out. it's all a blur and i tried so very, very hard to remember all those little moments yet they are already fading. she's sitting, singing, rolling, and the best of all - having huge laughing fits! it's priceless and oh so adorable. we've been very lucky to have been blessed with such a good baby. she sleeps great and we hardly ever hear her cry.

she's usually a very calm, and happy baby until she wants boob. then watch out folks. her patience level is short when it comes to her food. i'm a bit scared about that for when she get's older but for now, we're loving the sleep and the smiles. i think it was because her birth was so traumatic that it evened out..haha, and maybe also because mackenzie (she was a very happy baby as well) never slept well and still doesn't. so goes the old myth that they get easier as they get older...ya right. come live with my kid..haha.


we spent the long weekend doing what i call "home organization 2010" to get ready for the hubby starting up school on top of work again. we are trying to streamline and simplify the whole condo. we spent 3 days doing chores and we pretty much only got the kids room done. yuck. yuck. yuck. wtf? i think it's going to take me 3 weeks and not 3 days. that's what happens when you have a 2 kids and live in a 2 bedroom condo. thank god i have storage downstairs or i would be insane at this point.

i'm planning on doing some furniture rearranging next week too and have a post getting ready that i will need your guys help with so stay tuned for that. it's time for me to get my sewing stuff in order and more functional and for my family to actually be able to eat at our table. it's getting pretty bad. are any of you living like this? are the ironing board and your iron the newest members of your family? any tips?


this week has also been a bit tough for me with my recovery. i know i haven't talked about the birth story at all on here and probably won't (long story) but i have talked about how long it has taken me to start to feel normal again. i was just turning the corner and starting to feel like "me" again - walking, exercising, getting out and about, not so tired and then wham. i did too much on friday. i felt it when i did it and have paid the price for the last few days. i know there are some new readers here on the site and it's been a long time since i mentioned the fact that i have endometriosis.

you can read more about my experiences in a post i wrote called "5 ways to parent when you aren't at your best" last year and when i started to feel pretty crappy i went back and read it. it helped me through and i survived. my heating pad is my friend and during times like those i love that i have this blog. it makes me feel less mad and angry at my body and draw comfort in the fact that i am not alone and that we all have each other to lean on. whether it's for an illness, a loss (hugs to c.l. - you know who you are), loneliness, happiness, or for those bad/good mommy days, this blogging community never ceases to amaze me. i heart you guys and thank each and every one of you for reading.


if any of you are going through something or need to share please comment. this blog is for us to have conversations. i try to reply to all of your comments in the comments section for this reason. i think it helps all of us feel as though we are chatting and sharing. i love that. it's fun for me and i hope it's fun for you as well. don't ge me wrong, i do email some of you directly when it's personal or you ask me a question, but i've also tried to create a neighbourhood of sorts here for us, and what fun would it be to not know at least 1 of your neighbours right? so talk amongst yourselves, talk to me, heck talk to yourself. it's all cool in the mommyhood.

do you suffer from endometriosis or know someone who does? are you dealing with a chronic illness while trying to take care of your kids? are you like me and taking a long time to heal after a difficult birth experience? get your coffee/tea out, let's get our chat on :)

*all images luvinthemommyhood

makin'it in the mommyhood - pinwheel quilted coasters & vintage find love affairs

what happens when one lonely lemon and one lonely orange meet up? they fall in love. awww, so cute. they then shine just that much brighter and add that perfect pop of color to my new vintage finds that i picked up at the antique/collectibles & retro show this weekend! my lovely delphite glassware reamer and new pyrex sunflower (or daisy?) casserole dish. so bright, fresh and summery. exactly what i need when it's dreary, rainy and friggin nasty out. ahhhhh, yep, that's it....a little more to the right....i can almost feel the sunshine.


some lovely old buttons also found their way to my sewing desk. cannot wait to add one of these lovelies onto a new bag or a cute dress for one of the girls.


i also finished another sewing project - yay me! (insert me high fiveing myself) i have a little love affair with handmade coasters and it's one of my fave go to gifts. it was jer's grandma's bday last week so i decided to try a new pattern and make her a set for her bday. i used the pinwheel quilted coasters tutorial from the fab blog "the long thread".


i'm a new quilter (just learning) so i thought i would give the pinwheel pattern a go as practice for doing a quilt with this type of block. i have realized during my short time quilting that i am the worst cutter known to man. i seriously suck at cutting. cutting the pieces for these coasters alone resulted in many hours of cursing...it wasn't pretty and the hubs was scared. i really need to invest in getting a good rotary cutter. maybe that will help. i've been meaning to get one but wanted to make sure that i really enjoyed quilting before i invested in one. anyone recommend a good one?


i did have fun making them in the end and found it quite hard to part with them. they would have looked great in my living room. guess i'll have to add them to my gigantic "to make" list where the projects for me are always at the bottom...haha.

i know this post was supposed to be a link luv roundup but i just couldn't resist showing some pics of the vintage find love affair. hope you didn't mind :) do you have a thing for coasters too? a love for pyrex or all things vintage? leave me a comment and/or a link so we can all chat!

*all images luvinthemommyhood

Vancouver Island Baby Fair Giveaway

i'm getting excited for the vancouver island baby fair! i can't wait to see all the fabulous exhibitors (see the list here) - some of whom are my fave shops in town, i'm also not embarrassed to admit that i really can't wait to see bobs & lolo live and in action! just a few month's ago we did a little feature during babyhood bonanza here on luvinthemommyhood with and interview with the vancouver island baby fair creator - shirley broback. in that post i mentioned that i heart bobs & lolo. they commented on the post and i have to say i was very excited...i mean really, i dance around the house singing to their music videos on tv. it was a surreal mommy moment.

the baby fair is sure to be a great time. grab the kids, bring the hubs, load up the strollers and baby carriers, down a coffee and head on over. there's sure to be lots of mingling, shopping and fun to be had. don't have a ticket yet? don't worry, the best part is that luvinthemommyhood and vancouver island baby fair are pairing up to offer you a chance to win some tix!

how many tickets? 4 weekend passes! that's right! 4 winners will each get a weekend pass to whoop it up at the vancouver island baby fair. and this fair isn't just about babies, it's geared for newborns to preschool aged children so don't worry if you're kiddos are out of diapers there's still lots of cool stuff to see. the baby races are sure to be a laugh, the annual baby photo contest is always a hit and then mix that up with a great lineup of main stage speakers ranging from a cloth diapering dad to caring for children with special needs and some kick butt exhibitors and you've got what i'd call a great baby fair :)



how do you enter?


1) visit the vancouver island baby fair website and tell me the exhibitor that you are most excited to see and come back here and leave me a comment.

a few of my faves -

the savvy squirrel coupon book, awesome mommies, mothering touch centre, hip baby, bellies in bloom, cat and fiddle kids store, island parent magazine, rockbebe, abby sprouts, wobabybasics, and tall tales books to name a few.

2) for bonus entries do the following:

a) tweet about the vancouver island baby fair and then come and comment you did.
b) join our facebook group and then comment letting me know you liked us.
c) subscribe (top of sidebar) or follow us on google connect (sidebar) and then comment you did that too.


giveaway rules:

the giveaway is open until sunday, sept 12th, midnight (pacific standard time).
**please leave an email address, if there isn't one you will be disqualified.**

victoria's baby fair will be held on saturday, september 25th and sunday, september 26th at the pearkes recreation center in victoria, bc.

a big thank you to shirley for organizing such a great resource for new and expectant parents - you rock! we look forward to seeing you all there!!!

weekend wishes

to remember these words to live by........

image source

to figure out how to make myself a giant doily rug......


to find some vintage buttons this weekend....


to stop obsessing over this table, yes, it's even in my dreams....

image source

to wake up with my family in this kitchen...........


to watch anne of green gables...i can't wait until the girls are old enough to read these...

image source

to find these fantastic popsicle molds.........



to simplify and streamline our home for when the hubs starts school again....


to get ready to enjoy the change of seasons and to embrace fall.

(these are chocolate acorns!!!)

we've got a long weekend on monday (yippee) so i won't be back till tuesday. after the last few weeks an extra day with the hubs home is a wonderful, wonderful thing! we plan on maybe going to an outdoor fair, an antique/collectibles/vintage fair (hunting for pyrex, buttons & other goodies), a concert by the ocean, cleaning, purging and cleaning some more. mixed in with some sewing, ok, hopefully lots of sewing, cuddles, friends, laughs and lots and lots of coffee...oops, i mean fun (you all know i hope i get a bit of sleep in there too).

we also plan on taking some pics this weekend and trying to capture a shot of our 3 year old who thinks lately that she is a "unicorn, fairy, princess horsie" (her wording). she's so obsessed with the idea of being a unicorn, fairy princess horsie that i made her a horn yesterday...ahahah, i'm still laughing about it and can't stop. i took a toilet paper roll and wrapped and taped some construction paper around it in a cone shape with a point on top and then put two holes in the bottom of the roll and slipped a matching headband in it. she won't take it off. ahhh, the little moments right? so adorable and hilarious at the same time. she now runs around making horse noises and insisting she doesn't have to eat dinner or go to bed because unicorns don't have to. too cute (hopefully pics to come).

what are your plans this weekend? any funny things going on with your kids this week? do they have a favorite thing they imagine themselves to be? happy weekend wishing!

moments in the mommyhood - sneak peek

life did not go as planned yesterday. the day started off good and then went haywire from that point on. all you folks out there with more than one child know what i'm talking about. you just get one down for a nap and then the other one wakes it up and your whole day is blown. harper is a great sleeper (knock on wood) but she just couldn't get a nap today...every time she closed her eyes that sneaky sister of hers would wake her up. poor thing. this didn't leave much time for me to do anything but what absolutely needed to get done.


so today's moments in the mommyhood was supposed to be filled with some adorable shots i got of our soon to be 4 month old and our fun weekend....but that didn't happen. so instead i thought i would give you a sneak peek with 2 of my fave pics from those photoshoots and also a peek at what are some of my fave vintage finds in our house...teacup month may be over but my love for loveable oldies isn't - and you all know about my addiction to pyrex.

so here you go......let me introduce you.....

her name is "mellow yellow", isn't she pretty? she looks fabulous with a fiesta salad and has been with me since i found her at a very dirty garage sale a long, long time ago. she cleaned up nice.

this is green celine (she's so fun) we like to make broccoli/cauliflower salad in her and with her is her pal orange lee, she's very worn but well loved. she is frequently accessorized with jello or pudding.

this is red ted. he's the stud of the bunch. he's been around with me for over 10 years. yep, we go way baaack. he has a fondness for cookies.

this is the newest member of our family...blue sue. she called out to me on a shelf in value village a few months ago as soon as i opened the door and if any of you have been to this shop you know how big it is. i saw her as soon as i walked in and we've been smitten with each other ever since. she has a special spot on display in our kitchen. she likes to be coddled.

and last but not least...i couldn't resist sneaking in a shot of our teapot. that's right, it's not old, but i love it anyways. it's from ikea and makes a great cuppa tea!

what are your fave treasures that you have found lately? comment below and leave me a link, you all know i wanna see! have you been having nap time troubles too? let's chat :)

*all images copyright luvinthemommyhood

teacup month - the final sip


it's over......oh how i'll miss tea cup month. it's been fun, inspiring and exactly what i needed to lighten up my mood these last few weeks. it's been a riot looking at all the goodies online and seeing all the wonderful creativity and true repurposing used when it comes to such a simple object as a teacup. i may not be british but that doesn't mean i don't LOVE my tea and it seems as though you all do too :)

when i first told the hubs about teacup month he thought i was off my rocker, but i knew deep down that i couldn't be alone in my adoration for all things mug/cups. and sure enough, you all were too! so i hope you have had fun, got some new ideas, tutorials & patterns, and maybe rescued a few teacups along the way. i don't think i'll ever look at a teacup the same way again. for those of you who linked up with pics/posts about your cups i added you in. if i missed anyone please leave me a comment below or email me and i'll add you to this post :)

i thought it would be helpful for anyone interested to be able to find all the links in one place. so here they all are. sit down, brew a cup of tea, savor that first sip and happy linking!












































there were a few goodies that i didn't get a chance to fit in a post so i thought i would add them in here so you all can enjoy them as well.









thank you all for joining in on my little tea party, it's been fun! hopefully we can do it again sometime. what was your fave part of teacup month? do you still want to show off a fave teacup? leave me a comment below with a link to your post and i'll add you to the party!

makin'it in the mommyhood - time for school & some gremlins


school time is almost here...and my oldest daughter is about to start preschool. she's also a big snack lover. yummmm, snacks! what to do with all those snacks? dried fruit mix? a little juice? maybe some cheese? oh, and we can't forget some crackers..oops...those got eaten before we could snap the photo.


why not whip up some super easy and fun to make reusable snack bags? no velcro, no zippers, no loops or buttons. just simple envelope style with some fun fabric. easy for toddlers to open, easy to clean, no chemicals...just cuteness.


i meant to make 1. i made 5 or 6 - that's how addicting they are. i also plan to make a whole bunch more. little hands love them too. fun to watch mom make and fun to play with and store all those yummy goodies they adore. wanna make some of your own? click here for the video tutorial from amy karol of "the angry chicken".


my snack bag tutorial was made from some leftovers of a project that i still have to post and haven't had time to do yet...soon, soon. but i did get to a local store (the cloth castle) here in victoria to pick up some yummy new fabric to add to my stash and to my "must make" list. it's long. huge. it just keeps growing and i don't know how to contain my little gremlin. i don't feed it after midnight, and i don't get them wet but dang...it's still growing. that list is HUGE (dusty - i added about 20 things to mine - help)!


sorry, i couldn't help myself. it's late, i'm tired. that's my excuse and i'm sticking to it. i also just love me some gremlin's. and yes, as my hubby likes to remind me, i'm so old that i remember when gremlins are cool (i still think they are, i even had one).

moving right along, here are my new fabrics.........

riley blake designs "summer song" by my mind's eye

"lorenza" alexander henry collection

riley blake designs "just dreamy" by my mind's eye

can't remember the name of this one


let's hope i actually get the time to make the projects i have planned for them. don't worry, i'll be posting some goodies for you along the way. my sewing machine actually didn't call out crying for me in the night the last 2 days because...insert drum roll please...i actually got to sew!!!! it's a miracle!!! i got the snack bags above done (when i was supposed to be making something for the site) and i'm almost done a little quilting project that is a gift so i can't post it here yet.

what have you all been making? any new projects on your to make list? what do you do to find time to sew with a busy schedule? late night or early morning? nap time or bedtime? let's chat :)

winners of the retro mama giveaway



time to announce the winners of the posy cozies patchwork tea cozy pattern from retro mama! congratulations ladies! have fun dressing up and keeping warm those tea pots! so fun! kim will be in touch with you both in regards to your prize.

The Turners said... 71

I would use a gray, yellow, and white color scheme.
ashleyturner007@gmail.com



Wow! So adorable! I love it all!

mail (at) katybooth (dot) ca



thanks kim and thank you to all of you for entering :)

etsy monday in the mommyhood - teacup lovelies


"you can never get a cup of tea or a book long enough to suit me".

~ c.s. lewis

teacup month is almost over....i'm sad. it's been a blast. i hope you guys have enjoyed it too. for the last etsy monday during teacup month i thought i would take a look for some images that captured that love for teacups that we all have. here's some of the faves that i found..and yep, there is a heckuva lot more than 4 again, but i couldn't resist. there were too many lovely pics to post.







do you have a favorite image, photograph or piece of artwork that's a teacup? i'd love to see it! link up :) hope you all had a great weekend!

sponsor love - marie madeline studio


let's show a little mommyhood luv for one of our newest sponsors - marie madeline studio! love 'em! this sweet, lovely group of 1 mom and her 4 daughters is super talented with an eye for all things colorful and patchwork. so fabulous!

need a cute bag or dress? how about something for the little girl in your life? your home? marie madeline's got something for you. they sell everything from patterns& fabrics to handmade goodies. get ready to be inspired and brighten up your day! the fabulous long sisters also have a lovely little blog filled with tutorials, sew simply series, fun stuff about their family, recipes, and info on new products/discounts and giveaways.


i've put together some of my faves for you to drool over.......i hope you heart their stuff as much as i do! plus marie madeline studio is offering all luvinthemommyhood readers a special treat:

10% off as many orders as you would like from now untill monday, september 6th! just enter the code "mommyhood" at the checkout.









you can find all things marie madeline on their website, etsy shop and blog. thanks for helping to support the mommyhood ladies - you guys rock!

are you interested in sponsoring luvinthemommyhood? looking for somewhere fun to advertise? we have limited spots open for september for businesses/blogs that are a great fit for luvinthemommyhood - we luv our sponsors here in the mommyhood. email me at luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca for rates if you want to be a part of our friendly neighbourhood!

weekend wishes

to be able to help a close friend heal...........


to whip myself up a pair of these....so cozy...


to teach my daughter this by believing it about myself...........


that i will one day find this table and bring it home with me.....

to be able to get out thrifting for these lovelies......oh yes, i want more...

to finally find a bike for mack after looking since april.....


to remember to do this more often.......


that some other people are loving this show as much as i am...i need a "plain mommy" makeover...


that you are all enjoying teacup month as much as i have organizing it.


what a week. aiayaya. i'm glad it's over, but also sad to see august is almost at an end. where the heck did summer go? we had a better day yesterday and a lot of that had to do with your sweet comments on wednesday's post. you guys are the best. thank you so much for all of your kind words. hugs to all of you who were also having a crappy, bad mommy day :)

this weekend i plan to go shopping for some fabrics and a few notions to get caught up on my sewing to do list and maybe a little surprise for the site! tomorrow (sat) i'm excited to announce that i will also be returning as a guest on the "real parenting" radio show on C-FAX 1070 with host amy bronee at 10:30am so tune in! if you aren't in victoria you can also stream the show from the C-FAX website.

the hubs finally finished school until october now. man, oh man, am i tired and so is he. it's nice to know he doesn't need to do homework at night or study on the weekend...it's just family time. mackenzie has been having some issues with the phone this week and i've decided it's time to nip it in the bud. do any of you have any tips to try out for when your 3 year old transforms into the devil as soon as your phone rings? i'm serious, it's scary...she is not my child when i am on the phone...hahaha, and then i swear as soon as i hang up she wants nothing to do with me. what the heck is that all about???

what are your weekend wishes? any fun plans? i plan to do a bit more thrifting this weekend if i get the time. if any of you are readers that live here in victoria, bc where is your fave place to go on the hunt? i'm getting tired of the overpriced goodies at value village. don't get me wrong, it's fun going there, but i have to admit the prices just get higher and higher every time i go. i still feel new to victoria and don't know of many other good secondhand shops (the salvation army's i've been in have been horrible). i'd love it if you could share your favorite haunts....

p.s. i hope you all have a wonderful weekend and thanks for all your comments last week about the cable dilemma. we are still undecided....but i'm leaning in the direction of cancelling. your thoughts all helped a lot.

link luv roundup - teacup crafts


ok ladies, here's our newest teacup month roundup. a few of you lovely folks have emailed me some goodies you have found around the web that were made from teacups so i got inspired to go digging to see what else we could find to whip up some crafty goodies using our teacups. some of these are for fun, some for purpose, some for decor & home organization, cooking and even inspiration. i didn't include just tutorials in the roundup this time because i ended up getting so inspired by all the lovely projects i found that i couldn't resist posting them all. i hope you find something here that strikes your fancy! my fave are the dishtowel kitchen embroidery designs from posie gets cozy & the teacup bracelets - luv, luv, luv them!

1. almonds in vintage teacups from real simple
2. teacup lighting fixture via paper n stitch
3. teacup lamp from sweet paul
4. teacup wall clock on sweet paul (clock from umbra)
5. jewelry storage from martha stewart
6. teacup wreath by beth's bagz

1. vintage bone chine teacup bracelets by abigail maryrose clark

1. teacup candles from design sponge
2. teacup wine glasses from re-nest (via country living)
3. cake stand for all about you
4. hand painted teacup and saucer by aya rosen

how to: porcelain decoration from carina's craftblog

1. teacup lights from martha stewart
2. teacup organizer via apartment therapy

1. teacup garden from woman's day
2. easter place cards from holiday crafts and creations
3. tree cups from martha stewart

1. teacup garden by woman's day
2. teacup birdhouse by the runnerduck
3. pink sugar peony by lynette horner
4. terrarium teacup by pretty little things
5. teacup bird feeder tutorial by cap creations
6. teacup bird feeder tutorial by little chief honeybee (via readymade)

1. vintage teacup w/charming favour and name tag by sugarblossom
2. printable teacup note cards by to be charmed
3. teacup card by zakka life

1. teacup cupcakes by sweet paul 2. teacup snack by ada and darcy

1. teacup pin by lupin
2. lavender tea bag tutorial by lupin
3. fabric teacup via try handmade
4. teacup pouch by patchwork pottery

1. vintage emroidery kitchen designs from tipnut
2. dish towel emroidery designs by posie gets cozy

i can't believe teacup month is almost over...where has the time gone! i've been having so much fun. have you guys been enjoying it? anything you would like to see before the tea party is over?


p.s. don't forget to get your entries in for the retro mama teapot cozy giveaway.

moments in the mommyhood - just one of those days....


this tuesday have just been one of those days.....when nothing goes as planned, you're tired, your head hurts, your toddler won't listen, she won't share with her friends, your condo is hot, your baby won't nap, then the toddler gets a runny faucet nose and doesn't understand not to rub it all over the house and said baby, toddler won't go to sleep for bed till 9, baby later than that, hubby at school after work for final exam, you can't make that phone call you promised to a dear friend that's going through some hard times, you've hardly had dinner and can't drink booze because your breastfeeding, the email inbox is overflowing and there's no time for mom to do her link luv roundup because she is so friggin exhausted. that was my day. can anybody else out there relate?


so here's some pics of the culprits, my adorable girls. i have to say, i was ready for a big ol'rant when i sat down to write this but just looking at these made me feel ten times better. it feels as though it's been a long summer, a lot of good, but also a lot of new adjustments for the whole family. looking at these made me feel truly blessed and so very thankful for my girls and the hubs (luv you). but that aside, we all have those crappy mom days when we are mortified that there is a fly on the wall who is going to whisper all your secrets about those "not so proud" mommy moments we all have. i had a few today. but i'm off to bed, as i schedule this post, to try to erase some of those moments and to curl up with some good ol'project runway reruns to ease the inner bi*ch in me :)


have you been having any bad mommy days lately? let's all make each other feel better. i know there are a lot of you out there that are single moms, or moms who's hubbies are away, overseas, working a lot and not home (mine) and it always makes me feel better when we can all give each other a little pick me up and some support to get through "one of those days".

*all images copyright luvinthemommyhood

Retro Mama Teapot Cozy Pattern Giveaway!

oooohhhh, another giveaway!i'm excited! i eyed this teapot cozy a while ago & fell in love with it! so when i started teacup month it was only natural to ask the fabulously talented kim from retro mama to do a giveaway for one of her gorgeous teapot cozy patterns! so all you sewers that have been drooling over the teapot cozy madness over here now's your chance to make one of your very own!

***giveaway is now closed***

i just can't get enough of these tea cozies - i'm addicted! don't you just love the quilted patchwork? it just adds that extra twist and that special something to the everyday cozy! so gorgeous! do you want to make one? you know you wanna......i know i do!

what's the prize:

2 winners will each win a copy of the "posy cozies patchwork tea cozy pattern" from retro mama!


how do you enter?

1) simply pop on over to retro mama, drool over her lovely shop and then come back and tell me your fave item. simple as that.

2) leave another comment telling me the color scheme you would make your cozy in and the fabric you would use. i love hearing this! it's way more fun to share!

rules of the giveaway:

- you must leave a contact email address to enter or you will be disqualified.

- the giveaway is open until sunday, august 29th at midnight (pacific standard time).


i mean seriously, how could someone resist the lovelies in kim's shop? pincushions, sofites, sewing patterns and kits.....fabulous! tilly and tommy the elephants are my faves. do you want to see some more of retro mama's talents? make sure to check out her blog as well to keep updated on giveaways, sales and other project's she has on the go. you can find her blog here.

thanks so much kim, for joining in on "teacup month"! so very sweet of you and thanks for all the drool worthy lovelies in your pretty shop :)

ok ladies, let's get those tea pots warmed and cozied up! the fall is on it's way......

*all images copyright retro mama

winners of the magpie pattern giveaway!

good morning folks, you ready to find out who our winner for the magpie patterns back to school giveaway are? ok, here goes....the first winner is....


Natalie said... 45

I love the darling little Mousie on the New Finds page! I would love to win the sewing patterns and those embroidery patterns are fantastic! ndotkimble @ msn.com Thanks!


congratulations natalie! you win the sewing patterns from leila and ben and also the emroidery patterns for a,b & c, from penguin and fish!!! happy sewing!!

I absolutely love the shetland winter warmers and the baby yoke cardigan. I just wish the cardigan came in a bigger size. thanks for the chance to win.

lbroadstreet@tds.net

congratulations leah! you win the knitting patterns from cotton and cloud! perfect time of year to whip out those needles and yarn :)

thanks to all of you who entered and for amy from magpie patterns for offering the giveaway! she'll be in touch with you both.

etsy monday in the mommyhood - teacup jewelry edition

1. bobbypin with teacup and lace doily by le chou chou
2. necklace with teacup and lace doily by le chou chou
3. bracelet with tea cup and lace doily by le chou chou
4. vintage style ring with teacup and lace doily by le chou chou


1. alice tea cup hairpin by tasty
2. alice teacup necklace by tasty
3. alice teacup earrings with blue detail by tasty
4. alice teacu earrings with green detail by tasty
5. alice teacup ring white with blue by tasty
6. alice teacup earrings by tasty

"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage." ~Catherine Douzel

oh my gosh, this post was seriously so hard to put together. i could not stop drooling. i actually feared for the life of my laptop. that and the fact the baby almost barfed all over it as well caused me some undue stress. can you believe this stuff!!!! seriously. seriuosly. how gorgeous is it all? i had a whim to see if anyone had made some jewelry with teacups on etsy and holy cow! i sure didn't expect what i found! i could not in any way shape or form choose only 4. so instead i showcased 2 shops and my fave goodies from each one. gorgeous, lovely goodies. so now we can wear our love for tea, drink it, decorate with it and adorn our mugs and pots with it. life is so fun and we have another giveaway to add for you all tomorrow as well!

do you have any teacup jewelry? i'd love to see a pic if you do! c'mon, join in the tea cup month, click here for past posts and don't forget to snag our button off the sidebar if you like. you're invited, your cup is waiting and i just pulled some fresh muffins out of the oven - there's tea and coffee for everyone!


p.s. off topic, i had a very strong urge all week to go to our local value village (the hubs thought i was nuts) and dragged the whole famdamily down on saturday and what did i find....you ready for this....it's crazy....you sure you are ready? i found the dish from my weekend wish post!! yes the pyrex with the lovely blue flakes on it. can you believe it!!!!! i almost fainted. i was shaking with excitement. i coddled that dish like my baby and brought that sucker home. amy...i'm sorry, there was only one, but if i change my mind she's all yours. your gorgeous kitchen would be a nice home for it. i'm jealous by the way....frothing at the mouth over your mixer, heck the whole pic.