Modern Silhouettes Using Photoshop

Craft win today!

I have long admired projects involving children's silhouettes and decided this week that I was going to make something to fit my new grey and yellow bedroom decor.  I am beyond thrilled with the way these came out so I have to share my process.

Step 1: Take a profile picture of your child.  I found it worked better against a plain wall than against a window.

Step 2: Open picture in photoshop (I have CS2).

Step 3: Follow this tutorial to outline the profile and create the silhouette with a transparent background.

Once I had the silhouettes made, I saved them as psd files just in case I wanted to use them again later.

   - Side note: I also flipped Callum's profile horizontally since I had them both facing the same way for the pictures and did not want them so in the final product.

Step 4: Find a nice background.  I simply did a google image search for yellow chevron and found a site that had background for cell phones.  The resolution was plenty for a 5x7 print.  Since I'm only creating these for personal use, I have no problem just using a background off google.
Create a new project in your desired size (I did 5x7s) and paste the background onto it.

Step 5: Move the profile outline onto project with the background.  Save as a new jpeg and you're done!  I just printed the projects on regular paper, but I think it would turn out even better on photo paper.

End result:

Don't worry, I'll be hanging them on the wall as soon as Callum's done napping and I can hammer without terrible consequences.

Bean Bag for Stuffed Animals

Pinterest....oh pinterest....
One idea that came up was using a bean bag chair cover to store stuffed animals.  Well, walmart didn't have any cute covers AND they were $15.  But an adorable patterned flat twin sheet was $4.50.  Yep.  You know what happened there.
I tortured myself by making a bean bag myself.
I generally used this set of pattern and instructions but made a couple edits.

It took me a while to figure out that, Yes, it is folded on both the left AND the bottom.  I'm bad with spatial stuff.  I blame core+ math...

This is what one panel looks like

After I cut out the six panels, I also cut out two circles using a trash can as a template.  (Yep, I'm cool like that.)

Then I cut the larger circle in half and stuck a zipper in there.  Then struggled my way along until I got it all sewn together.

But it's done and I think it looks pretty cute!  Here it is with the stuffed animals from the playroom only (not the bedroom or the attic).  Yes, we do, in fact, have too many stuffed animals...

Fewer Pterodactyls

Everett has developed a new cry, for which, we are thankful! For those who cannot immediately bring to mind the sound of a newborn's cry, I shall explain to you its downsides. A newborn's cry is not meant to be pleasant to the ear, and it generally makes the hearer want to, A. Cry, B. Rip his/her hair out, C. make it stop, make it STOP!. In addition to this terrible sound, if a problem was not fixed quickly enough, we would be convinced that our dear little boy had turned into an ancient pterodactyl. Thus, our joy at Everett discovering his vocal cords and attempting to use them for good.
I guess he has learned that we try our best to fix whatever is wrong when he cries, so he has decided to reward us by using his new sound. Unfortunately, I have not yet caught it on video, but I will keep trying. Now, we are not entirely freed from flying dinosaur-era creatures in our house, and are still punished with their presence when dear baby either has very hurt feelings or is in some kind of pain. Maybe it is just my glee from not hearing the terrible newborn cry, or maybe this new cry actually is humorous, but I often bust up laughing when Everett is heartily trying to tell me that he is sick of playing, wants to be held, or would like his next meal. He doesn't seem too bothered by my laughter though, and sometimes stops his lamenting to smile at me in return.
In news about me (not that you care, but I'm writing about it anyway. My blog!), I have figured out some things about daycare/returning to work. We thought about using daycare and having both Bri and I work full-time, but I just couldn't accept the idea of half my paychecks going to some barely trained women to give my baby some bottles and try to keep him quiet all day.
I realized that I actually had some time on my hands after whipping this hat up in one day, and decided that maybe I was ready to start doing some work again. After talking with my boss (who is the nicest guy boss in the world, btw), I have decided to stay on leave (kind of) for the next four weeks and do some grading, editing, and random projects at home. I will do this while Brian continues working 10 hour days at the lab until the last week of Feb. Then, we are going to try splitting our time at home. Brian will stay home with Ev (and work on his thesis) until noon, while I go to work for four hours or so. Then, I will return home (with some projects to do) and Brian will go off to the lab until 5 or 6. I'm really hoping we manage to make it work this way, because there are no daycare slots available anywhere (we turned down the ONE slot that opened).

Finally some pictures [33w1d]

Okay, here I am! And I come bearing pictures! I know, I know, I might have been attacked by angry mobs had I dared show my face here without providing a peace offering of photographs. Since I don't care much for angry mobs, I just decided to prevent this problem altogether.
On Saturday, we returned the breast pump we had bought from Target (because mom found a double Medela for $20 at a garage sale in Ashland!!!) and used the money to get more necessary baby things. It was a bit expensive, but I'm feeling much better about life now - you know I can't feel good about life unless I feel adequately prepared for things.
On Sunday morning, Brian went for a bike ride with some of the tri club, and I thought, "hmm...maybe I shouldn't be entirely useless today and actually do something with everything we bought yesterday..." So, I worked on The Nursery. (Capital letters show scary emphasis.)
Here is the valence we found at a garage sale this summer. Brian actually put this up a while ago after we bought a curtain rod on another trip to Target. We also found the little lighthouse window hanging at a different garage sale and since I'm vaguely attempting to create a nautical theme for the kiddo, it's now in the window. (We still need to take down old stuff from the walls like those seen in this picture).

This is a bookshelf that we bought at a garage sale last year and it has been a long battle to get things off of it to use for baby stuff. I finally stacked things better and removed some books to free up the top two shelves. The lighthouse lamp was Brian's from long ago and we bought a nice new plain white shade for it (the one before was bent and had yellow ships on it...not my style...). The shell is also Brian's, but I don't know if it will remain there. On the top shelf is also a pile of fuzzy blankets! One I made, one Nancy made, and one I bought. The second shelf is currently holding the basket full of onesies and two bins of random stuff that will probably be replaced by other, more useful stuff later. (You'll also notice the swing and carseat on the floor.)
Here's a picture of our new changing table! Although it isn't white, it was too cute to pass up. While at Target, we bought this nice new changing pad (yes, there is a strap and buckle attached). This thing is now loaded with necessary items, i.e. diapers, receiving blankets, wipes, thermometer, comb/brush, clippers, aspirator, and desitin. Within those lovely doors are baskets and bins of socks, bibs, burp cloths, bath stuff, bottles, and other random items.

Here's another exciting picture for you! This is the most recent blanket I made, and I must say, I am quite proud of myself. I discovered this technique called "intarsia" which immediately struck me as a fascinating combination of knitting/crocheting and cross stitching! I only made the preemie sized blanket because the regular sized one would have taken a whole lot of yarn. You will notice a large white square in the middle of the picture. It does not look this way in real life. Snowp's initial is in this square, and of course, I don't want you to see it!
Here's a closer look at one of the stars.

Well, that's it! Nope, no belly picture this time. It's been hot and sticky and I refuse to let Brian take any pictures until it cools down. :)

I'm bad. [25w1d]

So I discovered this site called mamabargains.com (which Brian calls baby woot) where they sell off one deal at a time. Well, I get home from work today and what is on the site, but the most awesome looking blanket in the world! It didn't take me long to decide I must have one, so I picked out a color and headed for the checkout. Then I realized shipping would be $8 in addition to the $12 for the blanket (they retail for $50 without shipping normally!). So then I decided I'd better not. I even called Brian and told him about it. Just listen to their description of the blanket: "My oh my! The Star Swaddler Blanket by Baby Star is so super soft and cuddly you'll wish they made them in adult sizes! The soft waffle material makes it a natural swaddler with it's light weight ultra snuggly soft goodness - is it sure to entice your little one to curl up and siesta! A truly lucky star find in this Star Swaddler! 30 x 30 inches All products are formaldehyde free making them safe for baby and safe four our environment! "

Well, I couldn't help myself. I'm not normally an impulsive shopper but darn it I wanted this blanket!!! Look how soft they look!So I ordered one in chocolate with blue trim! Heehee. Snowpea will have a celebrity-quality blankie to tote around!! Take that Suri Cruise!I'm not all bad though. I decided to build up snowpea's musical brain by playing him my favorite classical piece (on youtube, not an instrument, duh!). So I found some Moonlight Sonata and sat the laptop near my belly. Wow, did I get a reaction! I don't know if he was trying to get away from the sound, was conducting his own orchestra, or dancing, but he sure was doing something! So now we've got some Clair de Lune going. He seems to enjoy that too. So I found a new fun thing to do when I want to make snowpea move. :) Who knows, maybe he'll become a musical genius!
I've been doing well, except for killing my feet, legs, and bum yesterday. Brian had a triathlon in Indy (which we had to wake up for at 3:45 AM!!!) and I walked along the canal (twice) as he swam then sat on hard rock for two hours waiting for him to finish. Well, I thought my heels were going to fall off after we got home and took a nap. Then at bedtime, I discovered sciatic nerve pain. That was fun (sarcasm abounding). Luckily, this morning I felt much better and all is well again in the world of Beth and her body. (Ooo, we're now onto Per Te by Josh Groban for music choices now!)

Oh! And the crib is now put together! Yay! Brian was very happy to get it together and likes to look at it. :) Here it is:The crib is currently filled with stuff that we don't have another place for yet. Hopefully we'll figure something out for that soon. (The bunny is named HopHop. He is Brian's from when Christy was born!)

I also still had blue yarn left and decided to complete my blue outfit by crocheting up some mittens. There's still the tiniest bit left, but I'm not sure what I can do with it. Maybe trim the next hat. :)That's all for now. We haven't taken a belly pic yet this week, so I'll post again sometime this week.