First of all, I needed to post a better image of my stamped stamps I made with my tools from my back tack buddy. So, here it is. Sorry about the bad lighting yesterday.

And…

I need to take a break. I’m just too caught up in my little crafty blog world, and I’m realizing that it isn’t the best thing for me. The computer is always here and always on and it has become so habitual to just make a few clicks to see if there’s anything new on Wee Wonderfuls or Angry Chicken. There is nothing inherantly wrong with that, but I spend too much time thinking of all the things I want to make, or feel bad that I didn’t make that cute doll first, or just wish I had time to make things as cool as this blog girl or that…

So, I’m not going to let myself check blogs for the next week or two. And that means no posts here either. After that, I’m going to just make one post a week– or just post one day a week (there may have to be a few posts, all in different categories). I just need to spend my time on other things– to serve at church (where the group of women I lead has been rearranged and has grown from about 80 sisters to over 200), to recommit to my orderly house routines, to making my own art with my own ideas…

Anyway, I hope I come back refreshed and renewed in a couple of weeks. Wish me luck!

Well, school today was “watch mom cut.” I put my new tools from Margie to work and made some stamps. We’ve had little wrens in the japanese maple right out of our dining room window. They are so cute with their tails straight up. I love having a yard with trees. I love my dining room window. I love the wrens and cardinals and chickadess and gold finches and other feathered visitors just as we sit at our kitchen table. Oh, yeah, stamps– that’s what this is about. I made some wrens, and of course, some bunnies. It’s fun to be a printmaker again, even if it is just stamps and not anything glorious and artsy. I need more ink colors. As much as I love brown, it’s just not doing it for me here.

So, back tack II has come full circle for me. I made a bag and craft kit, I received a bag and craft tools, I sent a bag, and I used my tools. What a fun game to play!

I’ve had the bag done for quite a while, but collecting and crafting the goodies inside concluded Monday, and today I was able to steal some time with good lighting to take pictures.

The bag is pretty simple in its construction. It’s made of some thrifted wool fabric that I felted (the technical term for “washed it in hot water so it would shrink”) and lined with Amy Butler Charm fabrics. There’s also a little pouch made to match the lining, and both have rug flower pins to add some fun.

Table of Contents:
* “Hook Tiny: tips for rug hooking on a very small scale” — a little card with, yes, a rug flower

* a little rug hooked pincushion, which is a little wonky and imperfect, so I hope she likes it

* a pocket journal that fits right into the color scheme

* linen rug backing

* a little book of how to hook

* an emroidery hoop

* a rug hook

* glue for finishing little projects

* and some of that wool I dyed all cut up and ready for rugs

I hope my partner likes it. It has been really fun making this bag and filling it with stuff. It’s got me thinking about Christmas gifts. Hmmm…

My back tack II bag came from Margie!! She was very thoughtful of me as a mom of 3 little ones and made a good sized bag with lots of pockets.

I can fit my planner, a sketchbook, a diaper, a snack, a book to read, maybe even a small project–and yet it is not too big to carry around everywhere. I used it at church yesterday. I just totally love it. It is so well made– and there are squirrels and acorns on the lining fabric. So FUN!

To keep me busy she sent some tools for lino-cutting. YIPPEE!! I will be using them by the end of the week. I can’t wait. Also, there is some fun paper and some fabric tape to stamp on and make seedpod labels– which will be very cool on my books and bears and other things.

She had to pay an arm and a leg to get it to me, because she’s in Australia–hence to Koala Caremello candies (which are almost all gone now).

Take a close look at the post card she sent with a little note. It is lovely– a linocut by book artist Ilse van Garderen.

Back tack was sure a fun game to play.

I finished up my bag and kit to send today, so I’ll take pictures tomorrow when I can get some good light.

I’m getting the finishing touches done on my back-tack project. I’m putting together a little rug-hooking kit, so I’m decorating my bag with little rug-hooked flowers using this fabric.

These are so fun and fast. I think I’ll make some for myself to salvage my clogs.

And here’s some real flower inspiration. My crowning flower gardening acheivement this summer were these prolific blanket flowers (ghalardia)– because they are drought resistent and handle complete neglect.

Check out Barry’s documentation.

My sister inlaw called yesterday with potty training and cloth diapering questions. Her little girl isn’t quite two, but she’s really aware of when she’s wet and likes to go potty. They’ve come out with new pull-ups that let kids feel when they’re wet. What? How silly is that. CLOTH DIAPERS FEEL WET and you don’t have to throw them away! I think that cloth diapering really helps with potty training because babies are able to connect the sensation of peeing with being wet. With Brenna, as soon as I switched to cloth diapers (she was almost 2 1/2, Jonah was 4 months old) she was potty trained. Jonah figured it all out right after he was 2– which was great for me because shortly after that Logan was born and I only had one baby in diapers. I love cloth diapering. They seem so much softer and more comfortable that plastic and paper (I mean, I HATE wearing sticky, bunchy, plastic and paper maxi pads just a few days a month), they don’t have the gross chemical mixed with pee smell– or the fake perfume smell, I can customize the absorbency, and I don’t have to spend $50 a month on diapers or step foot in a Wal-mart!

The best place to find cloth diapering supplies is online. I haven’t found any stores with anything worth trying, though Babies R Us may have a few things. So here are some links to help anyone interested in researching and trying cloth diapers:

What I use and love:
Mother Ease Onesize diapers and Air flow covers– I use these almost exclusively now with Logan, and have since he was about 4 months old. And– they fit Jonah if we have an accident and he needs to wear a diaper for a little while. The Airflow covers are the best leak proof cover I have found, and they have cute prints. They are also very reasonably priced. I have one Sandy’s diaper, which is side snapping, and it is easy for Jonah to pull up and down like underwear. I will probably buy more when Logan gets closer to potty training. I like to keep an All in one diaper in the diaper bag for quick changes– no separate cover. They also have training pants that have a waterproof exterior, but aren’t quite as absorbent as a diaper. I haven’t tried them though.

I have a few Wonderoos. They work for Logan now, and I liked them when Jonah was 2, but even though they are a one-sized diaper, I just didn’t have luck with them when Logan was a little baby.

Other good online stores:
Jardine diapers is my favorite online store. I placed my first diaper order there (for flat “prefold” diapers and Pro-Wrap covers. My covers wore out, but I still use the diapers.). She has really good product descriptions and acurate size measurements to help you decide what to buy.

I also like Green Mountain Diapers. They have great customer service and a good variety of products, and send you a nice paper catalog with your order.

Resources:
The Diaper Pin is an online review and forum page and has a log of great, helpful information about cloth diapering and potty learning. What ever you need to know, it’s there.

The Diaper Hyena is similar and fun.

The One Stop Diaper Shop is run by Jessica Wiseman (Very Mom) and her FAQs were the clincher in my conversion to cloth.

There are a lot of Work at Home Moms (WAHMs) who sew and sell coth diapers, and buying from them is a great thing to do– supporting someone so they can stay home with their kids. They are really high quality and lovingly made, not to mention much cuter than anything else you’ll find. Find links and reviews at the Diaper Pin, the Diaper Hyena, or on the advertising links at the Diaper Shop.

Well, I hope this helps someone out there in cyber space! I’ve cloth diapered 2 babies now, and the thought of disposables just grosses me out now. It is definitely worth a try– and if you aren’t in love with it like I am, there is always E-bay!

My friend April is updating her little bunny knitting pattern book and I just got done with a few illustrations for it.

Fun, huh? I love April’s knit bunnies. And, I miss April. She moved far, far away…

I don’t always like to admit that I watch Oprah, but I do while I’m making dinner as long as it won’t scar my children for life with man-bashing or descriptions of heinous crimes. Anyway, yesterday she had a young stay at home mom who writes songs named Lori McKenna. Her song Fireflies was recently recorded by Faith Hill. I was just so struck by the song, by the story of this young mom who just quietly did her thing and chased her dreams, the magic time of youth of dreams and idealism and limitless possibility. It made me think of this poem I wrote in high school:

And as I watch my own children it makes me realize why we are to “become as little children.”

And I also have this quote running through my mind: “How well am I doing in helping others reach their potential?” ( from Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Virtue of Kindness,” Ensign, May 2005, 26)