Sneak Peak...

I started working on the bib for the giveaway and as promised here's the sneak peak. Leave a comment here on my blog and you'll have a chance to win! Good luck!

Update on the Lumpling!

Dathan and the Lumpling have become such good friends that he's revealed his true name is Phil...Phil McCrackin to be exact but Dathan's pretty sure that last name is an alias. Phil was given a top secret security clearance so he's able to go to work with Dathan and his friends every day. Boy was it difficult doing a background check on Phil but luckily everything went through ok. Now he's learning all about Army life and the intel world.

Dathan says he's been having a hard time keeping Phil quiet in his pocket. In the short time they've been over there together Phil has already realized how screwed up the Army can be. Especially when it comes to certain "people in charge". When Phil found out first they weren't getting any days off, then they were only getting half a day off once a week until they "prove" themselves, he got so angry one of his eyes popped off his head and the medics had to patch him back up! When Phil heard a majority of a certain group of soldiers got mid-tour leave dates they requested he knew that was no coincidence. Phil felt that group should've lived up to their titles and put others before themselves, but Dathan informed Phil that it just doesn't work that way. What really sent Phil over the edge was hearing how there were SINGLE soldiers who claimed they needed to be home for their wedding anniversaries to get the dates they wanted. Dathan had to stuff him in a foot locker to cool off for a few days after that. Phil is slowly learning to adapt but I wish Dathan would just let him speak up. Hey if new soldiers going through BCT are allowed to have cell phones, how much longer is it really going to be before you can tell certain people to kiss your ass without getting disciplined?

Despite all the bureaucratic BS, they are having some good times. They're getting ready to throw a pirate party for our friend Randy. I'm pretty sure this will be the first pirate party the palace has ever seen. Last week they had their first half day off and were able to get together with friends for coffee and a pipe. That reminds me...does anyone know where to get a Lumpling size pipe? Phil got awful sick after sharing Dathan's.

Dathan hasn't been feeling well lately so in order to allow him to get some rest Phil decided to go out and explore with our friends Samantha and Randy. They took some pictures and Phil said it's ok if I share them here.

Outside the Palace Phil has some extra padding, so don't worry, this didn't hurt

Sitting in the big chair in the palace

Goofing around with Chad

Hanging out on Randy's shoulder

That's it for now, but I'll be sure to update you again once I hear more from Phil and Dathan!

It's Giveaway Time Again!

For those of you who havn't yet seen my new patchwork style bibs, get over to my SHOP and check 'em out! I really am having so much fun creating these bibs. Unlike anything else I've ever sewn I don't start out with anything in mind. It's totally free form and spontaneous. It's just me, my fav fabrics, and a whole lot of creativity. I love it! I know they are a bit pricier then my other bibs, but they are more time consuming to create and well, I love them so much I can't let them go for any less. Because there are no patterns or exact measurements involved, each one is unique. So you see, they are worth it. :-)

For the next two weeks you have an opportunity to win a FREE patchwork style bib for your little Schmooley! All you have to do is leave a comment here on my blog. I am leaving this giveaway open until Saturday, December 8th. The winner will be drawn at random and posted by the 9th. Please mention a way for me to contact you when you leave your comment. I am going to start working on the bib that will be given away this week and should have a picture up by next weekend. The picture up above is just a sample of one I've already created. Closing this giveaway by the 8th allows enough time for the bib to be in your hands for the holidays. I'm sure you know a Schmooley who would look adorable in one!

Good luck everyone!

Doing the Happy Dance!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Our Turkey Day was pretty "eh" but I expected as much all things considered. I did accomplish quite a few things...the mother load of laundry, baking four different kinds of cookies, and putting up my Christmas decorations just to name a few.

Today I have something to be very very thankful for. Back in October my Aunt lost her beloved golden retriever Ruefuz at Schwartzwood State Park in NJ. My family has been going to Schwartzwood for years and on October 21st they were having a picnic there. Just as everyone was about to leave Rue just took off. My Aunt, Uncle, and cousin ran after him but eventually he was out of sight. They distributed hundreds of fliers, went back to the park throughout the week, notified the NJ state police,fire departments, rescues, and shelters, put ads on the local news, newspapers, and weather channel, etc. I posted on Craigslist, Dog Detective.com, Pet911.com, PetFinder.com, etc. and had many people e-mail me with words of encouragement. Despite everyone's efforts though, it seemed like Ruefuz was gone for good.

Last night someone near Branchville, NJ spotted Ruefuz and called in his brothers to help catch him. After being outside in the cold for exactly one month and two days Ruefuz was rescued and brought home today! Rue is my Aunt Barbie's life and I know without him she wasn't whole. I am so thankful for his return, and all the kind words and support she received from so many people.

I am just so thankful he's home!

I just wanted to say Happy Turkey Day! I hope you're all sharing this day with friends and loved ones, eating lots of yummy treats, and being thankful for everything there is to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Unfortunately I havn't been able to get as many things in my shop as I'd like to have by now. This is what happens when life gets in the way I guess. But that doesn't mean I havn't been dreaming up some yummy creations in my busy little brain! I finally got a chance to work on one of them today and am giving you a sneak peak...
It doesn't have a snap yet but I needed to share. Look for this and a new quilted patchwork style of bibs and blankets coming soon to Inspired by Schmooley. You can visit the shop by clicking HERE.

Here's another great gift idea for the Schmooley in your life...it's a personalized CD from JustMe!Music. I picked up one of these at the Holly Day show for Xavier and he loves it. His CD has over 20 songs, sung by Elmo, and each song has his name in it at least 2 - 3 times. It's like your Schmooley's favorite characters are singing just to them!

At the show the CDs were $26 or $20 each if you purchased more then one. Your character choices include Elmo, Barney, The Wiggles Veggie Tales, and Disney Princesses. You can order your own CD and get more information by clicking HERE.

Rub A Dub Dub

I'd like to thank everyone who contacted me regarding my last post. Your words of kindness and encouragement mean more then you know. I was really upset last night but am trying to keep busy and keep my mind off the deployment today. I can either fret about it or get over it, and I'm choosing to keep my head up and move on. Thank you again to everyone! I will have some more pictures and stories from Iraq, including photos of the Lumpling's journey, shortly.

With the winter weather upon us, I know I'm not the only one concerned about dry skin. For those of you who havn't already tried it I highly recommend getting some handmade soap. Commercial soaps contain all kinds of nasty chemicals and ingredients that may get you clean, but will leave your skin feeling dry and flakey. Handmade soaps are natural and gentle on your skin, and still get you clean. There's much more variety in scent, color, texture, and ingredients. I know I definitely notice a difference since I started using handmade and am going to share a few of my finds with you.

I found some great handmade soap at the Holly Days show in Fayetteville, NC, by Pretty Baby Soap Co. You can visit their website by clicking HERE. They had a deal, five bars for $20, which I fully took advantage of. They also offer a product called bath tea. It's a mixture of herbs packaged in a small drawstring bag similar to a tea bag. You dip the "tea" in the tub for a minute or so and viola! Your bath water is scented with calming stress relieving herbs. They're only three for $5 (think stocking stuffers!) so I loaded up and now have one hanging in everyone's closet, one hanging from my shower head so I get the aroma when I'm showering, and one in my dresser.

I also ordered some natural milk and honey soaps from Cottage Garden Therapies on Etsy. They are a husband and wife team based in Deep South Louisiana. They grow everything naturally in their own garden and handmake soap the old fashioned way. The packaging of these soaps is fantastic, and would make for a very pretty gift. Each soap is wrapped in paper, put in a little box and sealed with a wax seal. A very pretty label adorns the top of each box. I ordered Milk & Honey, Hippie in a Bar, and Pumpkin Spice, and was very pleased to also receive a full size sample of Celtic Sea Moss with my order! I will caution you though, when they say at least 10 - 14 days for shipping they mean it, but only because they want to make sure the products you receive are fresh. If you need something in a rush I'd highly recommend contacting them before you place your order to make sure they can do it. And their deadline for Christmas orders is December 10th, so hurry over to their shop by clicking HERE.

For Dathan I ordered some beer soap from Anderson Soap Co. I figured since he can't drink it over there, at least he can smell it. So I ordered the beer soap bar, which is made with Guinness, and new brew soap, which is made with Sam Adams. My order came with two small samples and was packaged very securely. It was shipped very quickly. This is another husband and wife team offering hot and cold processed soaps, scrubs, sprays, body butters, and lip balms. You can visit the shop by clicking HERE, or the blog by clicking HERE. What a great gift for the man in your life!

My sister-in-law Jes has been plagued by eczema and dry itchy skin for as long as I've known her. So as a gift I ordered her this gorgeous set from South Pacific Body on Etsy. It arrived today while I happened to be on the phone with her and she was thrilled! South Pacific Body's products are all handmade by a Jersey Girl living on the beautiful Jersey Shore. Yeah! Another Yankee, like me! Not only did the gift arrive quickly, it was also beautifully packaged and included a gift tag. Jes was thrilled with it and couldn't wait to hop in the shower and test it out. Visit South Pacific Body's Etsy shop HERE or their website HERE.

Handmade soap should always be stored on a dish like the one pictured above so it can dry properly. This gift set included a wooden soap dish but you can also purchase one separately from South Pacific Body. And, of course, they're handmade!

Not sure what to get for yourself or as a gift? Why not try a soap sampler? My sampler from Pixie Soap on Etsy just arrived today. These soaps are so fragrant I could smell them even before I opened the envelope. Five yummy scents to try...what could be better? They're also the perfect size for traveling, or in your guest bath, and would make perfect stocking stuffers. View Pixie Soap by clicking HERE.

We are going to be one super clean family for awhile!

Unlucky 13

13 months. That's how long it'll be before I see my husband again. Dathan got the word on when his mid-tour leave will be today and he's not coming home until NEXT October. That's 13 months without seeing the kids. I'm sad for me of course, but I can't believe he's missing 13 months of their lives. Especially Schmooley...she's such a Daddy's girl and is doing more and more things everyday. Her personality is coming alive and he's missing it. Yes he was here to see her crawl, walk, cut a tooth, etc. but now is when she's really starting to do all the cute stuff. She cuddles her stuffed animals and blows kisses and things like that. And Xavier, well he's becoming such a young man. Man I am bummed. :-(


Some pics right before he left in September...

Farewell dinner at the Olive Garden:

The night he left...

More Gift Ideas!

I came across this gorgeous baby/toddler blanket by hoobaleedoos on Etsy. Not only do I love the fact that it's larger then most (32" x 32" square) but I was also super inspired by it! The back is a pink and green leaf print from Heather Bailey's Freshcut line. I picked up some of this fabric awhile back from a local quilt shop and couldn't quite figure out what else to pair it with. She's got a lot of other great items in her shop, and she offers a convenient layaway plan! You can view the listing by clicking HERE.







You could say I have a small obsession with sock creatures. This most likely comes from the fact I have attempted to make sock monkeys myself on many occassions and they all come out miserable, poor guys. If we ever get another dog at least he/she will have lots of chew toys! This adorable little creature by teapotkate is named Beatrice. If you adopt her and her brother, Bernard, you'll get a discount. But at only $20 each they are already a steal! Click HERE to see the listing.







We also have a small J.R.R. Tolkien obsession in the Padgett household and therefore I HAD to share this one:
It's a hobbit door by WeeFolkOutfitters. I firmly believe in wee folk, and have ever since I was a little girl and heard the tail of the brownies (if you were a Girl Scout, I know you'll understand that). They offer several different styles of doors but this is my favorite. I'm definitely getting one for myself, and my fairy obsessed friend Amber. But shhhh, don't tell her! You can see more from WeeFolkOutfitters by clicking HERE.

I had a proud Mommy moment this week and since my camera finally decided to cooperate I can share it with all of you! Schmooley has decided to share in my fabric obsession...this gorgeous Michael Miller disco dot print arrive the other day and she just couldn't get enough of it.

A new style of blankets, as well as bibs and burp cloths will soon be available in this print in my shop.

Warning!

With the holidays fast approaching I'm constantly thinking about toys for the kids, my niece, and my nephew. All the recent toy recalls have me completely freaked out! I asked my Mom the other day how many of my toys were recalled when I was a child. She can't recall a single one. In the last few months I've had to return, replace, or throw away six items between both Schmooley and Xavier, and I know I'm not alone. Therefore this year I am going all handmade, or made in the USA.

The latest recall I've read about has to be the most shocking one I've heard so far. It was reported on The Mommy Designer Blog (go check it out if you havn't already...it's FABULOUS!) that Spin Master's Aqua-Dots have been recalled. They may possibly contain a date-rape drug. A date-rape drug! Can you believe that?! The coating on the beads that causes the beads to stick to eachother when water is added contains a chemical that may turn toxic when many are ingested. If your child swallows the beads they may become comatose, develop respiratory depression, or have seizures. And, of course, they were made in China. No suprise there. If you have any of these beads you can read the CPSC report HERE, or by visiting Spin Master's website HERE.

Scary stuff! On a positive note, I am having fun finding toys I think my little Schmoolies will be delighted with this year. I thought I'd share a few of my recent finds with you...

First up is Chester the Sock Dog by Doodlebugfinery on Etsy. He's about 15", and looks as if he's fully housebroken. That's my kind of dog! Xavier has been asking for another puppy so this is definitely on my list for him. She's also got some great onesies and tees listed in her shop.

Next is a Kawaii owl hat crocheted in any size you'd like by tiptopapplesauce. Schmooley HAS to have one of these this year! She guarantees everything 100% and takes custom orders. I know Schmooley will be unique in this, as well as the oh-so important CUTE!

I'll be posting more of my finds soon, but in the meantime if you have great handmade or made the USA gifts and toys you'd like to share with me, either leave a comment or send an e-mail over to inspiredbyschmooley@hotmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!

October's Burp Cloth Giveaway Winner!

Busy busy busy we've been, so I'm sorry I'm a little late in posting this. I'm proud to announce that the winner of the first official Inspired by Schmooley giveaway is...Hilary! AKA mommyknowsbest. Hilary if you could, please e-mail me at inspiredbymyschmooley@hotmail.com and let me know if you'd like these burp cloths in lime, tangerine, or cherry dot. I can't seem to find an e-mail address for you. I will get to work on them as soon as you let me know your color choice and you should have them in about two weeks.

Just in case anyone was wondering, the winner was drawn by a very fair and impartial judge...Schmooley! She picked the name out of a hat. I have pictures and will post them as soon as I can locate the USB cable for my camera, which seems to have gone missing.

Thanks to everyone who entered! More giveaways will be coming in the near future. Make sure to check back often. You can also visit http://www.inspiredbyschmooley.etsy.com for more goodies for your Schmooley.