Feeling a bit sentimental right now. I mean, how did this little baby turn into this almost-toddler?

I can’t believe we can now say that he’ll be a year old next month.

For a while now, I’ve been a wannabe crafter. I always find tutorials online, but I sell myself short thinking that I can’t do it. I’ve been pinning a lot lately, and I have a board dedicated to DIY tutorials. Since I’ve been out of school for the past few weeks, my evenings have been pretty low-key, and I’ve had plenty of time to try a couple of the tutorials.

I mentioned a while back that I made a yarn wreath (though I still haven’t added flowers to it), so I had some extra yarn leftover. I found a tutorial for finger-knitting, and I thought it looked easy enough. I have tried knitting before but gave up after I wasn’t perfect on the first try–I do that often–so I thought this finger-knitting technique looked much easier. Well, I tried it, and I actually made a scarf! I really like the technique, and it creates a skinny, rope-like scarf that can be wrapped around. I actually made mine into a loop/infinity scarf. I just made a small one this time, but I’m making one for my sister (in lime green!), and I plan on making it bigger so that it can wrap around more. (I also bought some bulkier yarn to try to make a thicker scarf. I have several ideas up my sleeve!) I considered selling a few in the future, but I want to practice the technique a bit more.

Another craft I have found to be fun (and fairly easy!) are felt flower headbands. I made one a couple weeks ago for practice, and I gave it to my sister. (She wears it often and she has already asked for more in other colors.)

My sister wearing my first felt flower headband.

I posted pictures of on facebook, and I had a couple requests from friends wanting to buy them. I’m actually selling a few to a friend (for her daughter); I finished them up the other day, and I think they turned out great.

Right now, I’m selling them for $6 each (or three for $15, which is a “special” I’m doing until Friday). I’m hoping to use any of the extra money to buy more supplies so I can build up enough stock to open an Etsy shop–possibly by Spring Break, which is the middle of March.

It’s really rewarding when you see a finished project, especially for someone like me who usually gives up at the first “bump in the road.” I’m not sure how much time I’ll have to craft once school starts up again (next week), but I do know that one of my goals this year is to make more time for crafting.

What are you making more time for this year?

1. What did you get for Christmas?
Hmm, let’s see. My parents gave me a Keurig for my birthday, which was also part Christmas gift. I got a great pair of boots from Josh’s grandparents (I have seriously worn them EVERY SINGLE DAY, and that is no lie). Josh’s parents gave me a flannel shirt (that I love–I’ve worn it three times since), a necklace, a $25 gift card, socks, pajamas, and other random gifts. My brother-in-law gave me some nail polish from Sephora by OPI. Josh’s cousin received my name for the gift exchange we do at his great-grandma’s house, and she gave me a shirt and a k-cup carousel for my Keurig. I received other random, awesome gifts as well! (Many of the gifts have been posted on my instagram, if you follow me there: @somewhatvoluble)

2. Have you taken down your Christmas decorations?
Uh, no. I meant to yesterday, but then the Christmas tree came on (we have it on a timer), and it was FINALLY flurrying outside, so I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Maybe tonight? We’ll probably wait until later in the week to take outside lights down since it’s supposed to warm up again (well, to the 50s).

3. What did you do for New Years Eve?
New Year’s Eve is Josh’s birthday (he turned 25 this year!), so we always go to his parents’ house and his mom cooks us dinner. Josh gets to pick what he wants every year, so we had tacos “with the fixins.” We also played some games on the Wii with his parents, brother, and grandparents. Josh and I went home around 10:30, and we were in bed by 11:00. Yes, we missed the ball dropping, but we had a great night of sleep!

4. Do you like accents?
Sure. I’m surrounded by southern accents on a daily basis.

5. What kind of television do you have?
Off the top of my head, I have no idea.

6. Did you make any changes at the beginning of 2012?
Not really. I’m not big on resolutions, aside from “remain optimistic.” I’m trying! I actually would like to lose about ten pounds this year, though, if I can. Even five would be okay by me!

7. What’s the last book you read and do you recommend it?
The last book I read all the way through was Divergent, I think. I HIGHLY recommend it. Seriously. I can’t wait for Insurgent to come out in May–it’s already on pre-order!

8. Do you stay current on celebrity gossip?
Occasionally, when I’m bored, I read up on a few things.

9. Do you know the words to Bohemian Rhapsody? Gangstas Paradise? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Probably not every single word, but I know most.

10. What is your favorite education television show?
We actually just got rid of our satellite, so we only have Hulu and Netflix. I’m sad to say we don’t watch much educational television. When we had satellite, Josh watched shows on Discovery, History, etc… and I would occasionally watch with him. I always like watching the “How It’s Made” shows.

Questions found here.

On Christmas Eve, my nephew turned ten months old. I really cannot believe he’ll be a year old in less than two months. It’s so close that we’re starting to plan his first birthday party.

Ready for the candlelight service at church. Look at that hair!

He came to my house for the first time since he was born. (Well, he has come in the past, but it was for short visits, and it was when he was still very tiny.) Our house isn’t baby-proof and I wasn’t sure how the cats would react around him, but my sister and Hayden came over for a day, and I think they had a good time. Mostly, the cats seemed scared, and Hayden was okay with the cats as long as he could see them. As soon as they were out of sight, he started crying (until he forgot about them).

Since this was his first Christmas, my parents bought him a bunch of toys, and he loves every one of them! Husband and I gave him a sit-to-stand walker and some clothes. (Next Christmas, he’ll be almost two, so I think he’ll have a better understanding then.) He really likes the walker! He started running with it as soon as we set it up, but I think he gets ahead of himself a bit. Luckily, the front of the walker also comes off to sit on the floor, so he can still play with it while sitting.

Christmas Day! (He didn't want to let go of the handle for the walker I gave him.)

I feel like he has grown so much in just the past week. He now has six teeth and one or two more coming in. (Only two are on the bottom–the rest are up top.) He started standing on his own this weekend and even took a couple steps (!) so I have a feeling he may be walking before his first birthday. It’s sort of bittersweet. I’m looking forward to when he can run and jump into my arms when he sees me, but I love the stage he is at now.

Hayden & Mommy -- the day after Christmas. (My sister is wearing a headband I made!)

When I walked into their house yesterday, as soon as he saw me, he started saying “Muh! Muh! Muh!” (his name for me) and reaching for me. I seriously love those moments.

P.S. I may be getting a carseat specifically for my car in January. Any suggestions for a safe, convertible carseat?

I’ve been watching the clock a lot this week. I’m looking forward to the long weekend of spending time with family for the Christmas holiday.

Remember when I posted about some DIY projects I found on pinterest? Well, I decided to attempt a yarn wreath, and after a trip to JoAnn’s, I had the supplies I needed. I spent the majority of Monday evening wrapping up my wreath. I think it turned out nicely, though it’s not perfect.

I also received my first box from Citrus Lane. Technically, it’s for my sister and nephew. It’s sort of like Birchbox, but for parents. They sent a cute hat for Hayden, a full bottle of lotion, a gingerbread cookie cutter, and a beautiful bracelet for my sister. (If you’d like to join, you can use my invite link, and use CITRUSHALF at checkout to get half off your first box!)

Tuesday evening, I decided to try crafting a flower for my yarn wreath. (I used this tutorial for my flower.)

I decided not to use that style of flower on my wreath. (Well, I want to try other styles before deciding.) I ended up making a headband instead, and I gave it to my sister.

I’ve been tired this week, but the evening crafts have helped center me. I’ve also been reading my Bible (for educational as well as personal reasons). I’m reading it in chronological order, and right now, I’m on Job (just a few days in), and there have been some great reminders. It’s keeping me humble.

Even though the cold weather hasn’t hit us yet, I’m truly looking forward to Christmas this weekend. It doesn’t feel like it’s so close, but I think an evening drive to look at Christmas lights might help with that.

1. What is your favorite online-only store?
I actually don’t think I shop at any online-only stores. Duh, Amazon. (My brain wasn’t working very well this morning.)

2. Do you enjoy wrapping gifts?
Not really. My husband is a great gift-wrapper, so I usually try to get him to wrap mine.

3. What is the temperature in your city today?
Currently, it’s 48-degrees, which is warm for this time of year. The high today is 60-degrees, which is DEFINITELY too warm. It should be in the thirties during the day.

4. What time do you eat dinner?
I usually try to eat around six, but last night, I ate after eight because I was crafting a yarn wreath for a couple hours and forgot about dinner. (Wrapping a yarn wreath is a LONG–sometimes frustrating–process.

5. Will you be making New Years Resolutions?
I have a few things in mind that I’d like to accomplish in the coming year, but I’m not declaring official resolutions.

6. How old is your oldest pair of shoes that you still wear?
Maybe a few years?

7. Do you have any restaurant phone numbers saved in your phone?
For some reason, I have Little Caesars saved in my phone. I also have our local Mexican restaurant saved for take-out.

8. What is your favorite and least favorite letter to write in cursive?
I’m pretty good at L’s in cursive (because my middle name begins with one). My least favorite might be the official way to write Q in cursive. I definitely don’t write it like that, if I’m writing in cursive.

9. Do you know any good riddles?
None that I can think of off the top of my head.

10. How do you feel about snow?
I like it when I don’t have to drive on it. We actually don’t get “big” snows very often. We are more prone to getting ice, which I’m not a big fan of.

Questions found here.

Last week, I took my last final of the semester. I was nervous because my overall grade in the class was a 91%–very close to a B. If I didn’t do well on the final, I wouldn’t pull off an A in the class. Luckily, I made an A on the final, which ultimately meant I made A’s for all of my classes. I wasn’t really expecting to pull it off, but when I only had a few weeks left in the semester and realized I still had A’s in all of my classes, I thought, I got this. But then classes sort of got hard, and I was a bit worried. However, I pulled it off in the end. So, I made A’s in Statistics for Psychology, Statistics lab, Social Psychology, Computers in Business, and Intro to Special Education. That’s twelve more hours down, so now I’m at sixty-eight hours total–which also means I’m officially a junior (sixty hours).

I sort of decided a few weeks ago that I’m not sure if counseling is for me. I saw Amber’s post and it inspired me to look into Speech Language Pathology. My school (the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga) doesn’t have an SLP Master’s program, but the main University of Tennessee (in Knoxville) campus does. It’s a 3-year program and it’s something I’m really interested in doing, so that is my newest goal (after I receive my B.S. in Psychology, of course). Anyway, I also decided to change my concentration from education to health care/biology. SCARY, but I seem to have a knack for science (I made A’s in both Astronomy and Physics at the college level and Biology 1 & 2 at the high school level).

Enough rambling. This is what next semester is looking like for me:

Western Humanities II (ENGL 1150): I took Western Humanities I a while ago. I actually dropped Western Humanities II halfway through one semester to lighten my class load, so I’m picking it up again. It’s a required class for my degree. A historical approach to the pivotal ideas, systems of thought, and creations of the Western world from approximately 1600 C.E. to the present. Emphasis on matters of literary structure, style, and content.

College Algrebra (MATH 1130): When I first started school, I was an Early Childhood Education major, and since I did so well on my ACT, I wasn’t required to take College Algebra. (I went straight to Intro to Statistics.) However, Psychology majors are required to take a math AND stats course. I’ve been putting it off, but it’s time to take it. (I’ve considered trying to test out of it, but it has been so long since I’ve taken algebra, I’m not sure I’d do well.) This precalculus course is designed primarily for students majoring in business, the life sciences, or the social sciences, blah blah blah…

Research Methodology: Laboratory and Field Research Techniques (PSY 2020 & PSY 2020L): This class consists of a lecture and a lab period. It’s a required class for Psychology majors. General introduction to research methods in psychology with an emphasis on basic strategies for empirically identifying causal and correlational relationships. Topics will include laboratory and field techniques, quasi-experimental and non-experimental models, and the ethical issues involved in research.

Learning & Motivation (PSY 3110): I’m looking forward to this class, and I’m hoping it’s an easy A! Study of the effective conditions for various learning phenomena; roles of motivation, reinforcement, and punishment in learning.

So, I’m taking thirteen credit hours next semester. It’s sort of daunting, but I think I can handle it. I’m not too nervous about college algebra–I loved algebra in high school, but I may need to refresh my memory a bit. I’m nervous about Research Methodology because I don’t know what to expect, and I’m nervous about Western Humanities II because I know it will require a lot of reading and writing, and I tend to procrastinate.

I’ve also signed up for three classes during the summer, but I’ll get into that later.

While I’m looking forward to next semester, I’m so very glad to have a few weeks off (from school, at least).

I mentioned that I was getting to know my sewing machine a little better last weekend. I really don’t have a ton of fabric to play around with right now, so I’ve been browsing pinterest all week for fun, DIY projects–and not just those that require a sewing machine!

Flannel Infinity Scarf

Felted Wool Wrist Warmers

Felt Flower Headbands

10-minute Fabric Headband

Christmas Yarn Wreath

Are you on Pinterest? If not, I’ll gladly send you an invitation. If so, what are some of your favorite DIYs?

1. How do you eat your eggs?
When making them myself, I either eat a fried egg with runny yolk or scrambled. When at a restaurant, I specify either “sunnyside up” or “over-easy.”

2. Do you volunteer?
No, I don’t, though I’d like to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House.

3. What’s your favorite brand of jeans?
Mostly, I wear AE Artist brand, but I’d like to branch out a bit. Suggestions?

4. What was your child’s first word? Or what was your first word?
I don’t have a child, but my first word was “bye bye.”

5. Can you french braid?
No, but my mom can.

6. Do you prefer wide rule, college rule, or blank paper?
College ruled.

7. Is there a specific treat do you always make during the holidays?8
I usually make sugar cookies.

8. Do you have a KitchenAid mixer? Do you want one?
I don’t have one, but I want one!

9. What kind of computer do you use?
I have a macbook. At work, I use HP.

10. Favorite Christmas movie?
I love the classics: Santa Clause is Coming to Town; Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; Frosty. I also love Elf.

Questions found here.

My parents bought me a Keurig for my birthday, so I’ve been drinking a large amount of coffee. (Okay, just one cup a day, but for me, that is a large amount.) When I drink caffeine, I tend to get this big-haired ideas and I start making Big Plans. Usually, they fall through when the caffeine wears off. However, I think they’re starting to stick around a bit lately–possibly due to the extra caffeine coursing through my veins.

Last year, I bought a new Singer sewing machine. I took it out of the box, taught myself how to thread the bobbin and thread the needle … and haven’t touched it since. Well, lately I’ve come to the realization that I just have too much stuff, and I sort of gave myself an ultimatum: learn how to sew or sell the machine. The weekend rolled around, and I cleaned up my sewing area, hooked up my sewing machine, re-taught myself how to thread the needle, and practiced sewing lines on some fabric I bought many moons ago.

Obviously, not an expert yet.

After practicing lines, I started cutting some fabric. I had watched a few video tutorials and I wanted to try my own little project. Since I don’t yet own a self-healing mat or rotary cutters, I free-handed cutting the fabric using a pair of scissors. Basically, the fabric wasn’t perfectly matched up, but since this was a practice run, I didn’t really mind.

After pinning the fabric together, I started sewing. (I should mention that I didn’t iron the fabric because I actually don’t even own an iron. Shocker, I know!) I’d be lying if I said I got it right the first time. The biggest lesson I learned is to be patient. I was trying to sew too fast, and once I slowed things down a bit, I actually did much better. So, I sewed the fabric together and turned it right-side out, and I was shocked to see that it actually turned out OK, although the lines weren’t perfect. I was almost giddy with excitement that I had actually sewn something together.

Another important factor I learned: the seam ripper is my best friend right now. You can sort of see one of my outside stitches in the top of the picture above. Ugly and definitely not straight. I ripped that seam out, and in the process of sewing up the outside, I ripped the seam out three or four times so I could start over. Once I reminded myself to be patient, I ended up with what looked like a decent finished product–for my first try at least!

See? I obviously didn't iron the fabric.

Right now, I’m calling it a potholder, though it doesn’t have batting on the inside. I’m thinking of framing my first “project” so that I can see how far I’ve come someday. (Yes, I plan on continuing in this venture.) I do have a few projects I’m hoping to try in the near future (when I can buy more supplies): infinity scarf, fabric coasters, potholders, headbands, and napkins.

Over the course of the weekend, I did learn a few things:

1. The basics of sewing really aren’t that difficult, as long as you’re patient. Patience really is key throughout the entire process.
2. You will have to re-thread your needle several times, probably. You might become an expert at this task.
3. Pins might fall on the floor and be lost in the carpet. You may step on them.
4. You will come dangerously close to sewing the needle through your thumb. Be cautious when near the needle.
5. Like I said, seam ripper = best friend. You will mess up. Mess-ups can usually be fixed. Just be patient.
6. Sewing can be really addicting. Like, really. I’m daydreaming about it all day now.

Overall, it has been a great experience so far. I’m looking forward to more practice, and I’m hoping to have at least one perfected project complete by the time I go back to school on January 9th. If you have any suggestions, feel free to send them my way!

[all images taken using my iPhone and the instagram app]