birthday bunting

March has been fickle this past week. I get entirely too excited that "Spring has sprung!" and then it decides to rain this whole past week. At least there's been a glimmer of sunshine today. My snow crocus' have decided to make an appearance finally. When I planted them, I didn't know they were such tiny little flowers/bulbs and I have them planted in one of the biggest pots....oh well. I'm a "learn-as-you-go" type gardener.

I finished Ryan's (the boyfriend) sister's birthday present yesterday and I'm quite pleased. Since I've been feeling so crafty and in the mood to hand make everything, I decided I'd make her some bunting with her name on it for her room at college. Like everyone else online lately, I'm also quite on board the bunting craziness train. Here's some of the springtime bunting I did:

 I just love the mini-bunting on the branches! It makes me smile every time I pass it. :) Anyways, onto zee most recent project....

Here's the fabric I picked out. She said her room has maroon with some light pink, white, gray in it. You can't see well from the picture but the white fabric has a faint light gray design. I like all things bright and colorful, Ryan's sister, however, is quite classy so I had to try to tone down any kitschy-ness.

 Although I hate the tracing, I absolutely love little piles of fabric all cut out and looking perfect. One of life's joys. Then I traced the letters (have to remember to flip the letters backwards!) onto some Heat N Bond (one of the best inventions ever)...

Then, cut them out and iron them on...

Why aren't these triangles cut out you might ask?

So I can embroider around them. The Heat N Bond works well, you don't have to sew it on or anything, but I like the detail of embroidery and I haven't done it in a while. Oh, yes, you can't embroider without a good snack, hence the jelly beans.

I discovered that Boo actually likes jelly beans. After he figured out how to eat this first one he kept trying to get more. Anyways, so after embroidering, finish cutting out, I sewed them all up. Here again, love little piles of fabric - all perfect and same-sized. Oh, and after my first attempt at bunting I looked a tutorial (I unfortunately don't remember which one to give proper credit) and learned 2 easy bunting "shortcuts": leave the tops alone while sewing them up, and then get double bias tape (so it's already pre-folded over, pin the little flag part sandwiched between the bias tape and sew on up. Super easy and super quick...

The final product:

Ta-da! From far away the font kind of makes the whole thing look medieval, but in good way. Hopefully the colors will match her room. I do hope she likes it. (She's nice enough to pretend anyway.) I had to guess on the proper colors since I've never seen her room at college. In real life I don't think it looks so Valentine's-y. Oh, and I love the wrap job I did to:

I cut a brown paper bag into an envelope thingy and tied it off with a strip of left over fabric. All we have is Christmas wrapping paper and I attempting to spend less money on random unnecessary things. Truth be told, I love this much more than store-bought anything. :)

Of course, I can't go a day currently without having some kind of project to work on. I'm feeling a bit slow and have the pregnant-lazies currently, here's a sneak peek of what I'm working on now:

Crochet, super-awesome, lovely, happiness time. Just what I need. :)

no phone day

This is my phone. This is the phone I forgot to bring to work with me today. We'll blame that on "pregnancy brain," but a whole working day without my phone was just....weird. How will I procrastinate working? How will anyone from work reach me? What if I get in an accident? What will I entertain myself with at lunch?

Aside from the fact that I really hate not having it for emergencies, I learned a lot about not having my phone on me:

I'm more outgoing and tend to seek out the company of others more since I'm not so absorbed in my phone. I met a man with three greyhounds. He told me their histories and let me pet them.  I also met a nice middle school girl at a different school who was kind enough not only to give me directions to the proper classroom, but to escort me all the way there. I also bullshitted at length with my boss and other coworker, which I hardly ever do.

I have no idea what time it is when I don't have my phone. Goodness. This is why people my age don't wear watches. We have phones. We lose the phone? We lose all sense of time.

I am no more productive without a phone. You'd think since I wasn't checking Facebook or the blogs, or the weather I'd be more productive. Nope. I just work slower to make the work last.

I am more attached to my phone than I realize.  The feeling of not being able to check my phone when I wanted throughout the day is the same feeling I got the first day I went without smoking any cigarettes when I quit. It kind of makes me sick to think of that.

It was quite the experiment although it was not intended. I don't think I'll be giving up my phone though. I've already given up cigarettes (silly pregnancy) and most television (silly girl thinking "I'm not going to let my child watch any television for the first 2 years") in the past 6 months. I'm okay with keeping my phone habit. Better to be addicted to information than nicotine, right?

On another note. I scored some plants that my coworker decided she didn't want taking over her yard:

I just have to plant them in the garden. Or the house. I think they'll be okay until tomorrow if I spray them. It's raining and I'm lazy. It's time to get crafting for the night anyway. I'm making a birthday present for the boyfriend's sister. I'll show you when I'm done, but here's a sneak peek for my next post:

a quilt fit for a chihuahua

Very soon I have to start transitioning little Boo Radley to sleep in the living room instead of our bedroom since this summer we'll have the baby in there. I recently made two quilts for Luna which Boo really enjoyed laying on while I worked on them, so I decided he needed his own. (He doesn't have a dog bed. He's apparently too sophisticated for that.) This weekend Jo-Ann Fabrics was having a sale on Snuggle Flannel (1.99/yd down from 6.99/yd!) so I decided that's what I would make for him - a nice soft snuggly blankie for when he must sleep on the couch instead of under the covers in our bed.

The end result: Gorgeous! Lovely! Snuggly wonderful mini chihuahua-sized quilt.

Here it is in action: (Please forgive poor phone-quality pictures)

Laying in the sunshine, lovin' life.

Then the cat attacked, in a fit of playfulness and jealousy. She had no interest in this quilt until I finished it and gave it to Boo:

Scout (the kitty), underneath a brand new, handmade doggie quilt. Complete with dog cowering in the background.

Kitty then proceeded to attack poor little Boo out of jealousy all morning. Who knew a fuzzy little quilt could 'cause so much chaos?

In case you were wondering: Yes, I did spend Saturday night in my jam-jams, rocking out to Taylor Swift, making a quilt for my chihuahua. I'm allowed to be this lame/awesome 'cause I'm pregnant. (Ryan didn't mind. It meant he got to play uninterrupted video games all night. Although he did have to listen to Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift puts me in a good mood. Embarrassing, but very helpful for warding off pregnancy-bitchiness.)

I actually love this quilt. I look at it and it makes me very pleased. It reminds me of a quilt that would be in a farmhouse in the summertime. Nice, light colors. Just looking at it is refreshing. (Pretend it's not made out of flannel, however.) It was a very good way to spend the weekend. Boo enjoys it, although I think I'm more in love with it. Hopefully he'll feel more comfortable when I finally stop being selfish and boot him out into the living room to go to sleep.

two-forty-six

apartment two-forty-six

 Hi there. Welcome to my new blog two-forty-six. I hate long introductions so I'll get right to it and introduce everyone and explain everything.

alexandrea!

• I recently turned twenty-five this past Groundhog's Day.
• I currently live in northern California. I moved here from Ohio two years ago. I have no official hometown, however. My father was in the military. I've moved nine times through out my life.
• I work as an RN for a nearby school district. School nurse sounds awesome, but it's actually mostly paperwork. Bonus: I work a "school year schedule." If the kids don't have school, neither do I.
• I'm currently six and a half months pregnant. I'm due June 24, 2012. It's a girl. :)
• I don't have a lot of friends in the area and spend most of my time making things and hanging out around the apartment.

And now for the rest of Apartment 246's occupants:

Ryan, the boyfriend

Luna, the soon-to-be daughter

Boo Radley, my fiesty but lovable chihuahua

Scout, kitty with the largest tail you've ever seen.

The fish, collectively named "The Ministry of Magic."

Hermit crabs "Crabbe" and "Goyle". They're hiding. You can't see them.

And what will this blog include you might be wondering....anything that might be occurring in the land or with the occupants of apartment two-forty-six:

• Whatever various crafts I'm doing at the moment. I have no exact craft, I do a bit of everything. One day I may crochet, the next I may make a quilt, or paint plastic dinosaurs.
• I don't happen to cook often, so if I do, I make it worth it. Or at least try to. Maybe a better name for this section would be "How to Cook Slop."
• Various pictures of my animals 'cause I'm one of those people.
• Any pictures period. I went out one day and bought myself a fancy-schmancy camera to persue photography. I'm not very good, but it makes me happy and that's all that matters.
• Whatever pregnancy/baby related topic I feel like. I'm currently six and a half months pregnant.
• Any stories or anecdotes from our lives or the things we do here. 

Anything you'd like to know, just ask. Hopefully I can keep things interesting.