the beautiful girls

in case you did not know.
I love the Beautiful girls.
I saw them up close a couple years ago in DC and love them even more now.

La Mar.

my favorite. is this one.

Sometimes when I really, really listen to it, I feel like I might cry.

Once in a while it will pop in on my play list and stop me in my tracks.

It's like a love song to my kids in a way. But they don't even know it.

seriously. it's beautiful.

Tonight I've got the windows open after a fresh rain with a cool breeze kissing my cheeks. 

I am listening to this and being just a little sentimental.

it happens.

Bag of SHOULDS

Okay, so for the next few minutes I want you to put down that bag of shoulds.
Let's decide you don't always have to follow the "rules"
Who says you should have to follow someone else's path just because everyone thinks that's what you "should" do.
I think we all grow up being told everything we "should" do.
But who knows how your very own life is going to end up being?

My Bag of shoulds is all about this. A gorgeous tote with my original artwork.
I drew a girl holding on but letting go....
Holding on to her dreams and hopes but letting go of all the shoulds.

I was thinking how overwhelmed I felt at times, by all of life's shoulds. They are too heavy. Too much. 
That bag gets fuller and fuller until you just can not carry it any more. 
We are somehow all very burdened by what we should do, should be doing. 
How we should spend our time. 
Who we should please. 
But who says? What happens when you set down that bag of shoulds? 
What if you don't even apologize for it? 
What if you allow yourself to feel what you are feeling right now? 
DO what is calling to you. 

That does not mean you are letting go of responsibility. You are still being responsible.
Putting down that bag of shoulds just means you are no longer doing things because that is what someone else expects. 
Because you "should." 
No one knows you better than you. 
You should be empowered to do what your intuition is telling you. 
What if you no longer felt the need to explain yourself? You shouldn't have to. 
Yep, there are a million things on our to do lists. 

What if we let go of all those shoulds and just be. 

Embrace self. 

And then, pass it along to the ones we love. 

I am thinking that is what we SHOULD do. Don't you? 

Do you want to carry around your own little reminder?

They are in the shop now.

Custom fabric requests for top band are available.

the dancing monsters have left the building

as you know monsters are dear to my heart.
here are a couple "hip hop" monsters that danced their way out the door this week.

*working on some spring items to add to the shop ;)

11 QUESTIONS answered.

so, I was tagged a couple times last week for these 11 things about me and I was a slacker.

I got tagged again yesterday so, I am going to give it to you. You asked for it.

When is your birthday?   I along with my 3 babes, are winter babies. I was born January 26th on the Oregon coast.                                                                                                                                

What is your favorite color? ORANGE is my happiest color. 

Where do you go/what do you do when you are overwhelmed and need to clear your head? Don't laugh. I have a house full of people who seem like they need me at ALL times. The best place to go I can only tell you because they do not read this silly blog. I go into my bedroom closet, sit on the floor and just breathe. If it is crisp outside I will go outside and sit in the grass and breathe. I feel better and alive from the fresh air. But I have to be very sly about my escapes it if I want to be alone ;)

Who would you call if you needed help burying a body? [oh yeah I just asked who your shovel buddy is.] I think I would have to say my friend Missy. She is a Jersey girl. She is Irish. She told me she was my shovel buddy. so there.

What is your favorite movie and why do you like it so much?

can I have more than one favorite? like all time favorites? Say Anything. Pay it forward. They top my list....but I probably have a long list. I always say a movie that makes me cry is a terrible movie (but that's not really true)

If you had 15  minutes to go back in time and give the high school freshman version  of yourself a piece of advice - what would it be? everything will be fine. you don't have to be perfect. you just have to be you. and your high school sweetheart? Go for it. He will be an awesome dad and your very best friend. Oh and children? they are going to tear out your heart, chew it up, spit it out and then hug it and put it back together. It happens. Just know that you will never love anything more.

What is your favorite article of clothing in your closet or dresser? A good pair of jeans. Mine recently died (sob) But every girl should have a pair of jeans that they put on and instantly feel like "a woman" and have some sass in her step ;)

Your plans for the day have been canceled [don't worry you weren't looking forward to it]. What are you going to do with the 8 hours you have just freed up? this is sad. but today I would tell you I can not remember the last time I took a nap so I might do that.....but then I would feel like I wasted all this free time. So then I would say, if I really could do what ever I wanted I'd go to the nearest lake and hop on a jet ski. That would be awesome. Do you think I have enough time in 8 hours to pull it off ??

Of all the DIY projects and crafty goodness you've created what is your current favorite? my fabrics. oh and the little outfit I just made for the Bean. she looks so funky in it. I love that one.

You won a contest and were just given $1000...what do you do with it? really? I am too practical. YAWN. I would buy an orange dishwasher. So maybe that isn't totally practical. But I do need a new dishwasher and I think an orange one MIGHT make me like doing the dishes. And if I am paying that is the one I want.

You're super well connected fairy godmother is paying you a visit and asks if there is anyone you are eager to meet. She loves connecting people so you need to come up with someone, fast, so as not to offend her. Who do you ask to meet and why? I have always wanted to meet Madonna. always.

now the silly rules:

I know I was suppose to cut and paste them and tell you what to do, but I'm sort of a rule breaker.
Play along ONLY if you want! and leave me the link in the comments section so I can get to know you better now too!
SMOOOTCHES,
aubrey

I have no idea what I am doing

As a writer for RevolutionizeHER, I write things as they come to me and I feel them. But sometimes it's probably how "The Bachelor" feels. By the time the post "airs," I've sort of already worked through it. This morning when I saw my post go up over there, I had to laugh. It couldn't be more true. Some days I feel like I am a rock star mom. 

Intuition tells me exactly what to do. Other days, like today, I am just doing my best.

As the year began, I have had my oldest baby turn 13.
I have had my youngest turn five.I thought by now, somehow I would have it all figured out. This mom thing.I think pretty quick on my feet and I want with my entire being for the very best.I am honest. I am brutal. I am LOVING. I am wholeheartedly committed.

But I am going to be completely honest with you.

SOME DAYS I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I AM DOING.

to read how I also have no idea what I am doing with my business read the rest here today ;)

'Not So Scrappy' fabric challenge

Bloomerie.

I have to say they are rock stars.
They have sent me the many fabrics I've ordered over this past year quick, and always end up making me smile in the process!
So, when they announced a 'Not So Scrappy' fabric challenge last month I was just a little giddy.
AND THEN, they announced the challengers and I was one!! YES!
They were going to send me a bundle of six different fat eighths.

I had so many ideas pop into my head as I waited for my stack to arrive and was feeling sort of indecisive UNTIL I opened it. The Bean happened to be standing there when I opened the box   {I may have been doing a happy dance which may have drawn attention to myself} She let out a glee filled scream and said I HAD to make her something. It's only instructions? Have fun!! Now that is a good thing.

So I decided to make her a little outfit and used one of the solids for her waistband and cut each of the other eights 12 1/2 inches each (Leaving me five 9x9 inch squares left over of them!!)

I then cut each of the strips in half and pinned them together and sewed them to make the bottom of the skirt. I attached the solid top band and attached a zipper up the back.

We were aloud to use an extra fabric from our stash, but to make this outfit come together super quick for this antsy five year old I used her sisters outgrown shirt. {WIN} I just added some cute fabric sleeves to the t-shirt with one of the extra pieces of fabric to tie it all together.

I thought about doing a little applique on the front but my girl likes things simple and said no way.

um, can you tell she is happy?

Time is my worst enemy and I still have four 9x9 inch squares to make her a little matching purse.

I say WOAH. That is sort of amazing if you think about it. ALL that out of this little pack of fabric.

She asked me if she could please wear it every single day.

I think that alone is enough to make this mom smile.

I seriously am keeping my eye out for the next scrappy pack because I have a couple more plain t-shirts I could transform.... instead of a zipper every time I could do an elastic waistband too.

Headed out the door... custom orders

wow.
Whirl wind month and I have not done a "heading out the door" post in a while.
Custom order were the words of the month. phew!
SO brace yourself people. There might be a bunch of photos in this post!

After making this {shmily} pouch for a macbook, I am thinking I need some more {shmily} in my life!!

isn't that fabric absolutely awesome sauce!?

This cute puppy named "honey" was the topic of conversation for me and my Bean. I made up a story about her best friends the bees and everything ;)

 Cover your eyes. Bum shot!

we had fun playing with her floppy ears too!

Next, a lovely gals pinterest wish come true ;)

A happy spring purse with wooden handles.

a little zebra love'n

ereader pouch

and actual Zebras

funny story. The Bean wanted hers "realistic" so I had to make another one more girly for a charity basket.

(get it out of my system :) hers on the right, theirs on the left.

and a little more ereader love in school colors

last one I'll post today is some monsters, because you know I love little monsters

Hope everyone likes their special orders! 

I think I may be coming up with a que system for custom orders to keep them more on track.

I hate to make people wait!!

Serious fun stuff this month though.

Which one is your favorite?