Holiday 2010 Break Day #1

Well...I'd like to say that today went off with a BANG!!!
but it didn't.

Our day didn't officially start really till about 10:00 am.  NO i didn't sleep in till 10 am. 

I WISH!!!

My children are up at the crack of dawn...they must get it from my dad because he is the only man that I know of, of anyone in our family that does the same thing.  I mean no later than 7:20 am and that's if I am lucky!
The worst of it was that I didn't sleep well last night.  This little babe inside me was going nuts and with the heartburn and acid reflux I was up and down till about 12:00 am and sick twice...NO FUN AT ALL!!!
I did however have a few things that I wanted to get done today...a few things around the house, a craft with the kids, some ETSY Shipping, and hopefully later on a little sewing and last min Christmas wrapping if I am lucky.

The best part of our HOLIDAY  is that we all get to be together and I guess that can be good or bad.  Rob did have to work today but he worked from home.  He is now off for the next week and a half so it's all four of us...kind of bitter sweet....it will be the last time that it's just the four of us.

So here was our craft for the day.  Some little felted wreath ornaments.  I got the idea from the Whatever Blog.  It's one of my favorites...actually Rob  has indicated more than once hat I stock all the blogs on my side bar.  I think that is a little creepy sounding...I just love them though.  They make life loo so much prettier/happier/simpler than it really is sometimes.  AND for this stay at home mom it's kind of a mind getaway that's needed every once in a while...maybe daily :)...but no..I do not stalk them...just admire them I guess :)

I've learned that SNACK must come with the craft at our house... it seems to be the only way.

 A bunch of felt pieces 1"x1" squares..I suggest doing this ahead of time so that the kiddos aren't constantly asking what you are doing like mine did...it takes a little bit to cut all these little things :)
 String the felt onto DMC floss with a needle we used doll making needles the tips are sharp enough to go through the felt but not too sharp for the kiddos if they accidentally stick themselves and they are really long so you can stack a few on the needle and then pull it through.

 Me and Tyler this lasted all of a few min before he was down and gone.

 Tyler's pic while he was playing with the camera..I felt obligated to add it :)

The end result

 I ended up finishing all of them Tyler was done way early and that was to be expected.  McKenzie just wasn't in the mood.  I think they turned out pretty cute and now we have a few more decorations for our Christmas Tree.

 And to be quite honest nothing ends the afternoon any better than some snuggle time with Daddy!!!
Hopefully tomorrow will go a little better..we'll see
XOXO Suzanne Lay

MUST HAVE!!!!

So I just went to my ETSY account to check on orders and I saw this on the main page!

Something that I live by an absolute must for my journey to HAPPINESS
and I just have to have ASAP!!!!
I LOVE IT!!!!
Here is the ETSY shop where you can get one too she is so talented I just adore her work!

ALSO.....
I am having an ETSY sale use this code and get 25% off everything in the store...trying to clear out a few things :)   HOLIDAYSALE2010

XOXO Suzanne Lay

First Snow

We woke up this morning to a pretty Winter Wonderland!

I think that snow is peaceful...and I love to watch it fall.  It has this majestic, serene beauty to it.
But to be honest
I hate to be cold!!!
Despite that...when Rob headed out to shovel the drive way and the walk way we decided to let the kiddos enjoy the winters first snow fall of the year.  We dressed them in layers and headed out, it wasn't horrible except for when the wind kicked up.
Sharing a few photos....

I'm just trying to soak up as much time with my family as I can.  Our third baby could arrive at any time in the next 6 to 7 weeks. 
I still find it amazing that I am pregnant again, and I often find myself lost in the idea of how I will be able to manage a family of five and hold down my business.
I am SO THANKFUL that the Lord made me a Multi Tasker, this is where I find the first light of hope that I will be able to start the path on this next journey.

Here are a few projects that I finished up by the end of the week...

 All the letters have sold!!! and I just go a call today to make a few more :)

The hair accessories that I have been working on for a while now...they are all up loaded to my ETSY SHOP check them out when you get a chance!

XOXO
Suzanne Lay

Baby I's Cold Outside....

In St. Louis it is VERY cold outside!!!

Today I wanted to finish two of the things on my TO DO list.

It started with getting Tyler a new coat this season it came with a hat and gloves...only the hat did not fit! The first time I put it on him he would not let me take it off and I kind of freaked out.  I was thinking..."We can't leave"....there is no way because on it (the hat) looks like a Yumika (sp? a jewish cap).

Lets face it...those of you who know us...Tyler has a huge mellon...it's off the charts we all know this.  So finding a hat for him is quite the task.  Basically if it fits me...then it will fit him.  We have the same size head...  Yes a 2.5 year old and a 32 year old have the same size head it's crazy.

So...I decided to make him a new hat instead of struggling to find one that would work at the store.  I think it turned out cute!

And of course if I make something for Tyler I need to make something for McKenzie...that's just how I roll...it's only fair.





I'm not a big fan of hats for McKenzie not that they don't look cute on her...but they smash her curls and that drives me a little nuts!

I think they turned out ADORABLE!!! Both made of super soft Fleece and lined with Flannel.  Which makes them super cozy and will keep them warm cuz Baby It's Cold Outside!!!

XOXO Suzanne

Forced to take a BREAK..GRR

Well Rob laid down the law tonight! HA!

I've had quite the dramatized day...did you see my FB posts? I think I let everyone know about it on there.
But...Just in case you missed it let me share it here too..why not!?!....

Long story short...I had a little confrontation today in the Mall parking lot...I got yelled at by a mean lady and she told me that she didn't care that I was pregnant. 
I would normally shrug this off after a little while...but do you have any clue just how many hormones are rushing through my body at the moment? I don't just have the normal preggo hormones I have added progesterone and Steroids as well..so can we say DRAMA!! yes...yes we can.

I am better now....but I cried most of the day.
So if you know me at all you know that I am ALWAYS working on something...today during nap time...I was working on a few letters for an order.  I have some other things that I would like to work on as well for instance...
1.  I have an alteration to finish up
2.  More letters
3. Hair accessories that I have been working on for GK and dying to post soon - SO CUTE!!!
4. Tyler got a hat with his new coat only it doesn't fit - it looks like a yumika (SP? those little Jewish hats) - yes his head is the same size as mine (SERIOUSLY)...so I want to make him a new one and a scarf to match I got the fabric today!
5. GK Ear warmer for McKenzie and a scarf to match I got that fabric today too.

Oh there's other things :)...There's always more ideas floating around in this crazy head of mine.

So after dinner I'm laying everything out starting with the finishing of the alteration.  I look up and there's my husband staring at me. 
I'm just kinda like what? I didn't do anything....

He proceeds to tell me that I need to take a break.  After the day that I have had I need to relax.

Deep down I know this..and I know that he is right.
But...as I said earlier...if you know me...this is basically IMPOSSIBLE!!!!! how can I just sit there and not do anything??????????? 

I'M GOING NUTS HERE PEOPLE!!!!
I know it's best for baby and for me...but..

I AM SO BORED!!!!!!!!

I am actually shocked that this pic is kind of decent...no makeup, hair not done.  AND with all that crying today my eyes aren't even puffy :)

SO here's to a not so great preggo day...I'd like to ask for a re-do....may I not have anymore like you!
XOXO
Suzanne



Remembering.....

I tried to keep myself very busy today.
Doing random crafts for GK and trying to complete letter orders.
Christmas Music played in the back ground and I had some special time with my son Tyler.
I didn't go anywhere and I did that on purpose. 
Why??
Because today I am 29 weeks and 2 days into my final pregnancy.  Tyler was born at 29 weeks and 2 days.
It's a bittersweet moment...I am thankful that I am still pregnant and not experiencing any preterm labor symptoms...yet I am remembering everything that happened only a short time ago.
Tyler was born in the evening on the 4th of July to Bruce Springsteen's song BORN IN THE USA!!! a proud moment but a scary time.  A time of uncertainty and a time of fear.  Not knowing if the steroid shots that they gave me would help him breath not understanding just how small he would be or what our family would be going through much less experiencing in the days and weeks to come...so much fear.  But as I laid there and hearing his cry I remember thanking my God for his blessing and praying over and over for his help in giving Tyler the strength to get through every moment until he was strong enough to come home.
Tyler was born on the 4th of July 2008 at 8:42 pm.
Tyler weighed 3 lbs and 12 oz
Tyler was 16.5 inches long
He was very small..BUT..he was very strong!
He was our little miracle baby.  We do not know why I went into labor so early there were no infections no symptoms.  My body just decided to let him go.
Some of our little miracles with Tyler:
He was off oxygen within 24 hours and breathing on his own. 
He was sent from the South pod NICU (which is for babies that need extra attention) to the Elephant Pod in the North NICU in less than a week. 
He consistently put on weight, and grew each day
He was home in five weeks. 
That was the longest five weeks of my life.  But I visited him every day and stayed for as long and I possibly could each time.
Looking back this was one of the darkest, and saddest times of my life. 
It is the worst feeling to leave the hospital and not take your baby with you.  I can't tell you how many times I went in to visit him and saw the other mothers leaving with their babies - it was a gut wrenching feeling I wanted that to be us; I wanted him to come home with me and our family.  I knew that he was in the best place for him at that time but I just wished that we as a family didn't have to go through this.  It's not something that I would wish on anybody...it's heartbreaking!
Here are a few pics of Tyler...He was small...very small...but again...he was strong and our GOD was with him every moment then and still every moment now.  We are truly blessed for Tyler to have been born so early and have no developmental issues.  While we have had to see a few specialist doctors regarding is eyes and a cyst in his brain they have not effected him developmentally and they have not been associated to his preterm birth.
TYLER I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

And so I am at a bitter sweet moment...remembering everything that we went through with Tyler at this exact point during my pregnancy with him...and at the same time THANKFUL that all the precautions that my OB is taking this time seem to be working for as of now I am still pregnant with my third child!!

XOXO Suzanne



Really?? How long has it been??

WOW REALLY?

I can't believe that a month has gone by since I have blogged.

I have been MIA..where??

Secluded in my dining room turned studio working on production for my Fall 2010 line/Alterations/Curtains/Letters/Anything else asked of me.  With only two dresses left I am finally coming up for air only to turn around and start producing samples for my Fall 2011 line :).  It's a never ending story; a revolving door that never stops. 

But....
I love it!

Am I stressed? not now...have I had my moments...YES!!!! being sick twice once with sinus's and then with the flu did not help.  Maybe stressed isn't the right word...more like overwhelmed.  That sounds better because I am not suppose to stress with this baby!

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel two more black dresses for a personal client and I can start on some new things..that is exciting for me.

What's horrible is that I haven't even taken pics of anything since my last post.  I hate that...I must get back to my journey to happiness!!  Here are two prints that make me happy :) I'm going to buy them one is for McKenzie's room (the butterfly) and the other is for our home!! I can't wait until they come in!!

I AM SO EXCITED!!!

ETSY Shop for Prints

XOXO Suzanne

How You LIVE!!!!

Do you know who Point of Grace is?
They have been one of my absolute favorite Christian groups since High School.  I just LOVE them!  There is so much Praise and Worship and Meaning in every song that they sing.  I think I have them all memorized by heart :).  I was running a few errands yesterday all by myself (not something that happens too often) and I kept listing to this song over and over.  I am on that journey to HAPPINESS and this song says it perfectly!  I think that it is a song that every woman should listen to at least once a week.  For me...at least once a day ;) ENJOY!



And as I was pulling into Home Goods I looked over to my left and saw the CARNIVAL at our mall.  I just smiled as I looked at all the rides and flags flapping in the wind.  So many memories came flooding back to me.  My dad and I went to the Carnival every time that it came to town our favorite ride was the Tilt-A-Whirl.  I went home and told Rob that we should take the kiddos this weekend, so guess what we did today after Church, and a nap? we surprised the kids with a trip to the Carnival.  Here are a few pics they had a blast!  And..so did mom and dad, watching the excitement in there eyes was priceless.

For those of you who keep asking to see my belly bump on facebook here is a little fun pic for you we are currently 17 weeks :)

XOXO, Suzanne

Big Gril Headbands!!!

I won't even tell you how much trouble I got into yesterday when McKenzie came home to see the baby girl headbands that I had made but nothing for her.  She was heartbroken :(...she loves to get things from me that I have made for her so I couldn't let much time go by without filling that little heartache.  I created these and she absolutely LOVES them so I think this might be something that I continue to do.  ENJOY!!
XOXO, Suzanne

Prices:

Glitzie Kenzie Bow Headband $10.00

Glitzie Kenzie Flower Bunch Headband $15.00

(Both are avaliable in my ETSY Shop and I will be making more in various colors)

Suzanne's E-Mail

Baby Girls Headbands

So today I was suppose to be finishing those Dining Room curtains....that didn't happen.  They are delayed yet again.  I did go and get the thread I needed for them so I guess in a way there was a step in the right direction ;) 
Instead of sewing curtains during Tyler's nap time today I played with these.  Little headband for baby girls.  I have some other ideas to change them up a little and offer some more variety but until I get the chance to tackle those ideas here are the ones that I got done today. 
The barrettes are removable so that you can either use another band color or just the barrette itself.  Hope you like them.  I am going to sell them on my ETSY shop.  There is a link on the side of the page if you are interested or you can e-mail me here.

Suzanne's E-Mail

XOXO, Suzanne

Filling those orders....

I didn't know that those letters would be taken to so well.  But I am very "Thankful".  I enjoy making them.  I had an order placed for some baby gifts.  Sorry for no posts lately but this is what I've been doing.  Just sharing a few more pics, I think they turned out pretty cute.  I've decided to call the girl letters "Glitzie Kenzie" and the boy letters "Rough and Rugged".  Of course I am still taking orders so if you or anyone that you know is interested just let me know.

Suzanne's E-mail 

XOXO, Suzanne

More Letters...just sharing

I worked on these over the weekend.  They are all available in my ETSY Shop...there is a link on the side hope you like them :)...now off to make my Dining Room curtains...the list never ends I tell you.
XOXO
Suzanne

HOLY COW...IT WORKED!?!

It's been a good day...well all except for 15 to 20 min where I found a HUGE spider in my Foyer and managed to throw my flip flop just right in order to kill the stupid thing...but the thing was prego I guess because suddenly there were tiny little spiders crawling everywhere.  I was hyperventilating....major freak out!!! Oh in case you didn't know I HATE SPIDERS!!!, they scare the crap out of me!!! I cringe when I see them it does not matter the size they are all horrifying.  I managed to find the bug killer and spray the heck out of my threshold leaving it for Rob to clean up when he got home.  I was good to kill the spiders huge and tiny...no way in heck was I going to touch them there wasn't enough paper towels or toilet paper in the world to put enough thickness between my fingers and those nasty things!!!!

So that was the bad part of my day...lets move on to the better part of it shall we :)

So guess what...I CRAFTED!...if you are a close friend of mine and reading this at the moment I am sure that you are sitting back and in some way thinking of a phrase that might be something in the realms of "Excuse Me !?!"  I am NOT a crafter...far from it.  In fact for the majority of my life I loathed crafting...referring to is as "Crafty Crap" and I have very little of it in my home, what I do have; I have for the kiddos.  I felt the need to buy something to decorate the house with when the seasons changed or the holidays came.  But this is only because McKenzie would ask why we didn't decorate like her friends moms did?? I did decorate for Christmas of course, just not the other holidays or seasons. 

Also whenever I think of crafting I always think of those cute little old ladies that do all the cross stitching, and the dolls that you buy to sit on your beds with the crocheted dresses, and doilies...oh the list goes on you've been to those craft fairs...you know what I am talking about.

But I learned through a friend of a friend that crafting can be modern as well and we can all put our own little spin on it so as long as it includes fabric...because that IS my obsession...then I will give it a go.  I am trying new things after all.  Oh and this friend that I am speaking of her name is Stacy Davault and I HEART her SO MUCH!!! She doesn't have a blog but here is a link to her FB page check it out sometime, she had pics up of some of the things that she makes and sells.  She really just has the best stuff and always working on new things.

So I was sitting there this morning pondering what I was going to do today...there are a couple of projects that I want to try but I have this issue...Decisions....when there are a lot of choices I get flustered and I have a hard time singling one out.  So I pushed those aside I thought of something new and I was actually shocked that I liked the turn out. 

I used modge podge to put the fabric on the letters, distressed them and then added some rhinestones for a little glitz...GLITZ is a MUST!!! at least that is how McKenzie and I feel :).
The "M" is for McKenzie and I am gifting the "A".
Many of you send me e-mails via FB on my posts (which I am truly thankful for) if anyone would be interested in having one of these made let me know I actually had fun doing this :) info is below

Glitzie Kenzie "LETTERS"

A-Z

stand 12" high only 1/4" thick (not made to hang on the wall..more for display)

$10.00 each

Suzanne Lay - e-mail

I can make them to match your kiddos rooms as far as colors go and I can do letters for BOYS too well just nix those rhinestones ;)

XOXO Suzanne

BEAT THAT CLUTTER!!!!

Frankly, today did not start out like yesterday did, instead of a deep breath of fresh air is was more of a groan followed with a HUGH UGH!!!!...why??? would you want to wake up to this?

Let me just shout this to the world now...I HATE CLEANING!!!! do I feel better no not at all...because it's still there.  This is not an area of my life where God has blessed me.  To all those "Neat Freaks" out there...I wish so bad some days that I was like you...but sadly I am not.  Not at all; not even close.  I thought for a moment.  See in being a Christian I have learned that this is not all mine...no...it's God's and I am totally thankful for what he has given to me...so here was my conversation that played out in my head..

Me: God you gave this to me, this is your mess so...you pick it up :) squinting my eyes shut tightly praying for that magical wand chiming sound like in Cinderella hoping/praying that it would be gone when I opened my eyes.  But it wasn't instead this is what I heard.

GOD: Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

Oh GREAT!, he's quoting scripture at me THANKS A LOT!!!!

I then chuckled, smiled, shook my head and proceeded to BEAT THAT CLUTTER!!!!

I found it funny that I kind of cheered myself on.  I started to think back to when I was a Cheerleader in High School.  You know what... I wanted to cheer SO BAD...it tried out for years starting in Jr. High.  I almost made it that last year...how do I know? I was close with both of the cheer coaches one pulled me out of my first class the morning after tryouts and told me I missed it by a "fraction of a point" (they were both math teachers...go figure)...so a fraction of a point cost me a spot on the squad..bummer.  But I did make the squad in High School and you know what... I HATED IT!!!! every second of it.  As I stood on the side lines fake smiling and cheering the team on....I so badly wanted to be out on the court.  AND....those cute little uniforms....those were probably the worst...see I have really long legs...and that skirt barley covered my rump..thankfully I cheered for a fall sport so I was able to wrap my sweatshirt around my waist or wear sweatpants under my skirt.  Going up the stairs was the WORST!!! some girls might like that kind of attention...I for one did not.  I think it's interesting when we work for something SO HARD and then when we finally get it....it's not as great as we thought it would be.

So back to my day :)  did I get everything done?...nope sure did not...but I did get a lot of it tackled

Laundry: Done

Kitchen: Scrubbed from top to bottom

Piles of Clutter: Mostly sorted and put away

Dusting: Done

Floors: Cleaned

I laid Tyler down for a nap and I began to enjoy some GOODNESS!!! leaving the rest of the clutter and cleaning for another day

A Fresh Start...My journey to Happiness

This is a picture from my trip to Cocoa Beach with Rob a few years ago it just brings peace to my heart I loved this place.

I woke up this morning and took a deep breath.  Today is a fresh start.
A new Journey...after a long talk last night with my Husband ...thoughts and feelings that I have been harboring for a while surfaced.
I've been struggling lately with many things, but most of all my happiness being bogged down by me fears.  You would think that I have it all am AMAZING husband, two beautiful children and my third child on the way.  My own clothing line that is stable in this economy...yet something is missing.  I seem to spend more time looking into other peoples live such as my friends and even women I don't know through facebook and blogs admiring their lives.  They just seem so happy through their posts and through their pictures I want that.  But I don't feel that. 
I don't feel like I am enjoying being a wife and mother like I should be, I feel like I am missing out on something.  I'm not enjoying my business as much as I thought that I would because I've narrowed it to only "one kind" of design, and that is just not me I am more random than that.  I love to be creative I miss being creative with more than just clothing.  I love to create and design on so many levels and I want to try every one of them. 
I am tired of comparing myself to others and constantly worrying what others think of me.  I just feel so convicted that I am not living the life that God wants me to live so I am making changes. 
I am taking a leap of faith and giving God the control of my life, it's so easy to say that he has control of our lives but how often do we really relinquish the control to him? Honestly I have a very hard time giving up control it's like I ease up on the Tug of War rope but never completely let go.  I am excited to jump but I am deathly scared to fail. 
So in taking my deep breath this morning I am stepping through that fear, my fear of giving God control of my life, my fear of falling short of being a good wife and mother for my family, me fear of my business failing, my fear of another preterm labor, my fear of what others think of my clothing line, my fear of how others view me as an individual, my fear of how others view me as a christian, my constant fear of losing someone close to me...the list goes on and on I live in FEAR and while at this moment I am scared to death I remember a few scriptures.
Romans 8:31
"If God is for us, who can stand against us?"
And David said in Psalms 27 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?"
So hears to taking that leap of faith and facing all those fears that I have and starting my journey to Happiness!.
Who knows what will come next or what I may create, but with God anything is possible ;)
XOXO
Suzanne