Bedroom Makeover & DIY

DIY Stenciled Monogram Onesie

Tomorrow, I have a baby shoot!  I am SOOO excited to take newborn photos of little Cora! For the occasion, I decided that I would make her some long overdue monogrammed onesies.

The first step is to cut your monogram on your cutting machine and load some Freezer Paper into your machine.  I loaded my paper shiny side up, which meant that I had to "horizontally flip" my monogram design so that it will cut backwards.  (When you iron it on, you iron it shiny side down so the design will be correct when you lay it!)

The settings that I used on my silhouette machine were: Blade 1, Speed 3, Thickness 6.

Next, you will want to reverse weed your design.  Meaning, if it is a monogram, you will want the monogram itself to be left when you are done weeding.

Here comes the hard part... piece by piece, you will lay your pieces of your design onto the onesie (shiny side down) and iron them on.  This is the longest and most tedious part of the process.  This is what it should look like when you're done:

The next step is the fun part!  Iron away and make sure all of the pieces are sticking to the fabric and then apply your paint!  I used Americana multi-surface acrylic paint from Michael's.  After you allow it to dry completely (or if you're impatient like me, blow dry it for several minutes to speed up the process).

And then, VOILA!  You have a beautiful monogrammed onesie!

I will post beautiful baby photos of Cora in her monogrammed onesie as soon as possible! :)

Finding Strength

It's been way too long since I last posted. I guess I have just been wrapped up in work, school and the duties of being a Navy wife...whatever that means.

I guess I kind if feel like I've been cheated.  I don't feel like a wife because Ryan and I have been separated for so long. The saying is true.

It doesn't get easier; you just get stronger.

I feel like I heard that every day when I was a new MilSO going through the horrors of bootcamp and being separated from my best friend for the first time.  Now, I have found the deeper meaning behind it. I guess I thought that I would "get used to" him being gone, but, honestly, it just hasn't happened for me yet. I still think about him all of the time -- still make plans as if he was here.

Does anyone else feel like they're playing a game of 20 freaking questions every time they go to a get together, party, family dinner, etc?  I don't think people understand that everyone under the sun has the same questions and I don't have the answers.

No, I don't know when he is coming back.
No, he won't be home for Christmas.
No, I can't talk to him right now.
No, I don't know where we are going to be stationed next.
Yes, it's hard.

It makes it so hard to enjoy getting out of the house when the only thing people want to talk about is Ryan, the military, etc.  I'm sick of talking about the military and sick of telling you all, "I don't know."  It hurts my heart to tell you that I don't know the next time I'll see my husband or talk to my husband.

Right now, I'm just trying to find level ground and figure out my life, his life, our lives.  I feel like I have so much to balance.  I don't know if I am getting stronger, but I know that this definitely hasn't gotten any easier. I still dread the next time I have to say goodbye as if I've already said hello.

December can't get here fast enough. Maybe seeing my husband again after 7 long months will help me to find that strength everyone's been talking about.

DIY Rustic Wall Art

My most recent project was this wooden heart that I purchased from Michael's months ago.  It was wooden and attached to twine and (if you know anything about me), that was all I needed to convince me to buy it.  Sadly, it had been sitting in my craft box for a long time before I transformed it.

So, here's how I did it:

First, after perusing Pinterest for a bit, I found a quote that I thought would suit my project well.  "I will love you with my whole heart for my whole life," I decided, was the best fit.  So, then, I went to my Silhouette Studio, started creating, and this is what I ended up with:

After sizing it up and cutting it out, I painted my wooden heart in the area that I was going to be placing the letters.  Initially, I thought that I wanted my lettering to be white and I wanted my wood to be brown, but I changed my mind towards the end.  No harm, no foul.

 

 

Finally, I placed my design on the wood and peeled it off.  Voila!  I then realized that I liked the brown lettering and decided to just paint the rest of the wood white also. :)

I must say that I am very happy with how all of my projects are coming out.  I am just so in love with the rustic look and (thankfully) we had a rustic wedding, so it all works together with my wedding decor.  So, this is the wall.  (ie. the beginning of my awesome collage of wedding photos and homemade decor).

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Wedding Invitation

I just made this custom wedding invitation for a good friend
of mine and I have to say that I now LOVE making invitations.

If you're interested, leave a comment! :)

This is Marriage

I'm sharing this anonymously because I don't know the military wife who posted this personally, but her story really spoke to me.

"So I have been trying not to post anything very personal about my relationship because I've been realizing the harm it does, but THIS I have to share.  So, Valentine's Day was [our] first anniversary.  My dad was nice enough to take the baby all day and all night so we could be alone.  Unfortunately, we fought all day.  Maybe two hours the whole day we were okay, but it even got so bad he went to sleep on the couch -- and I didn't even ask him.   

One of the things we fought a lot about [was that] he didn't get me anything.  Not even a card.  We've been fighting every day since -- all day -- and then last night we finally both broke down. I was a disaster and when I woke up this morning I walked into the dining room to find a vacuum (I've been wanting one for a while), several cards, two movies (because we didn't get to watch one due to fighting) and beautiful flowers.  

One of the cards said: 'I love you [...] I wish I could just do it right the first time.  So, here is to the beginning to the second 1st Anniversary.  I hope it's more of what you were expecting than what I did the first time.  So, here's to doing it right the first time.' 

And he promised to take me out whenever we're lucky enough to get a babysitter when he's off. 

This is marriage, not being perfect.  Hell, it can be absolutely horrible, but being able to talk it out and you both never stop trying or giving up on each other NO MATTER how bad it gets.  I love you [...].  Thank you for not giving up on me through this past year."

Marriage isn't perfect.  It isn't supposed to be.  That movie you went to see on Valentine's Day that made you question your marriage/relationship because your man isn't like the actor in the movie...yeah, that movie was horseshit.  Romance is a fallacy and those movies aren't indicative of what real love is.

Real love is fighting about stupid things and saying things you don't mean.  Real love is screwing up something really important and saying "I'm sorry."  Real love is cuddling and watching her favorite TV series or his favorite guy that eats bugs on the History channel.  Real love is falling asleep on the couch on your wedding night as he takes the bobby pins out of your hair.  Real love is what I have with Ryan and I wouldn't trade what we have for anything in this world.

Valentine's Day: as told by a Sappy MilSO

As most of you probably know, this Valentine's Day was mine and Ryan's "first" as a married couple.  It was really hard on me to be without him.  Holidays seem to be the worst.  I was lucky to be able to spend our "first" Christmas and New Year's together.  There was just something about Valentine's Day that made it extra difficult to be without him.

Most of the time, I don't like to talk about Ryan being gone.  I feel like people get tired of hearing about it, or that they would rather just ignore the fact that he's gone rather than deal with it.  I also don't like to be the "Debbie Downer" or the "complainer," so, I try my best to put on a smile and bite my tongue when I think of saying things like, "I wish Ryan was here."

BUT...

What people don't understand is: Ryan is my best friend.  It's hard being without your spouse, but when your husband and best friend are all rolled into one huge ball of awesomeness... that takes it to a new level of difficulty.  So, maybe I'll just continue to wear my heart on my sleeve and stop trying to conceal my emotions.  Maybe other people should change the way they see me.  Some days are harder than others and yesterday just so happened to be one of them.

Ryan did his best to try to make things a little easier for me.  He sent me chocolate-covered strawberries and balloons from Edible Arrangements.  My hubby knows me all too well: food is much better than flowers.  The strawberries were amazing, as told by my ten-year-old sister who helped me devour an entire box of them in one sitting.  What meant the most was this recovered-from-the-trash note that Ryan sent along with the delicious dessert:

I'm one lucky gal.

In addition to the dessert delivery, Ryan posted a plethora of pictures to my Facebook wall.  I think he knew that I was feeling down, or that I needed a pick-me-up.  That's the thing with Ryan.  He knows how I'm feeling without me even having to say anything.  Even from 7,838 miles away.

All About Care Packages

My husband has only been in Japan for 5 months, so I wouldn't call myself a care package pro or anything.  However, I will share with you all of the insight that I have gained so far.

1.  Obtain their mailing address.  Most of the time, this can be done by Googling their ship name or base name.  If you can't find it online, simply ask your soldier/sailor/airman/coastie/etc. and they will be able to give it to you.

2.  Order and/or pick up military care package boxes.  USPS is your friend.  You can either call them at 800-610-8734 to order the kit or you can go to your local post office and ask for the FREE military packages.  These can be sent to any FPO/AP address (so, any military base worldwide).  The kit includes boxes, stickers, customs forms, and even tape.

3.  Choose a theme.  Whether it's a holiday, their birthday, or just because, themes are an awesome way to begin creating your care package.

3A. (Optional) Choose scrapbook paper to go on the inside of the box.  This is my favorite part.
Hobby Lobby and Michael's are great.  You just choose two coordinating pieces,
fold them in half, cut them and tape them to the box.  It's simple and decorative!

4.  Get the stuff.  Depending on your theme, now's the time to get the good stuff!  Military members love food, but I would shy away from homemade goods unless its something like trail-mix or you know that it will get there in time.  There are a lot of not-so-successful stories about homemade food items.  Other good items to send are: pictures, cards from family/friends, working gloves, thermals, socks, underwear, washing pods, dryer sheets, towels, blankets and favorite snacks.  For a list of things not to send, go here.

5.  Stuff it, seal it, send it.  Stuff all the stuff into the care package. Seal it with your handy dandy packing tape they sent you.  Fill out the pesky customs form (if it's an international shipment). Send it by taking it to a drop box or to your local Post Office! :)

Christmas Care Package

I sent my sailor his care package just in case I didn't make it to Japan due to some crazy reason.  Luckily, I made it and had a GREAT two weeks in Japan.  I'd be doing all of the MilSO's a disservice if I didn't post pictures of the gifts I got him and the package that I sent.  So, here you are: :)

The "HOME" shirt pictured in the care package box was made by a local company here in NC called Kustom Kottage.  They can make anything and everything and my husband LOVED his shirt.  They also make decals, tumblers, etc.  If you can think it, they can make it!

I ordered these puzzle piece keychains from an Etsy shop called RiverValleyJewelry.  My husband, again, loved it.  Although it came as a keychain, he took it off and put it on his dog tag chain so that he could wear it every day.  :)

I ordered this embossed USN wallet from EBay.  My husband kept saying that he needed a wallet, so it was a purchase that was long overdue.  This was his favorite gift.

Kustom Kottage also made this shirt for us.  The first thing Ryan said when he opened it was, "I'll actually wear this!"  Not exactly the response I was thinking I'd get, but, hey, I'll take it!