For What It's Worth...or Not.

Valentine, You COLOR my Heart Happy!

2012-02-14T13:35:00.000-06:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I'm hooked on making crayons! After we made those Little People Crayons for Christmas gifts, I've been itching to make some more....and what a PERFECT time:

V-DAY!

These were made with silicone cupcake holders, and I actually experimented with both Crayola brand and a generic version. If I had to choose, I would pick crayola, hands DOWN! The colors don't mix as easily.

But, there's a TRICK to make some GORGEOUS crayons with a less expensive brand.

(You know how I'm all about pinching some pennies ;)

Keep the crayons in BIGGER pieces. In fact, I didn't break them in less than thirds.

Also, the generic brand will not take as long to melt.

So, at 250 degrees, only bake them for 10 minutes before you check on them....the crayola crayons ended up taking almost 15 minutes.

For the Valentine's...

Samantha just wanted to let her friends know that they

COLOR her HEART HAPPY!

Hope Your day is FULL of LOVE!

V-day PJs

2012-02-13T13:59:00.000-06:00

Today was one of Samantha's Valentine's Day Party....and it just happened to be a Pajama Party too! Funny thing is, I was meaning to make some PJs for the kids.

This gave me the perfect excuse!

I picked up some soft flannel at Joann's for 2.99/yd.......and I only needed 3/4yd for Sam and 1/2 for Cash.

The matching top was a plain shirt she already had, and I just embellished it to match :)

She was pretty excited!

The pants were made by using a pair of pants she already had as a pattern.

Of course, if you'd like a more comprehensive tutorial, Dana has got it all for you over at Made. :) She's got it all laid out for you!

More DIY Growth Chart Ideas

2012-02-06T07:33:00.000-06:00

This past weekend we celebrated 4 birthdays in our family....and when I say "WE" I mean, Randy and the kiddos went to 2 FUN parties while I stayed home and slept :)

I really felt horrible not attending, but I worked night shift all weekend and my poor preggo body can't function on less sleep than I normally get. :(

After posting about Cashton's Growth chart, I had a request for some growth charts for 2 of our nephews and 1 of our nieces.

The first one (The very BOY BLUE version) is for 2 brothers to share and compare....with an added foot to grow by request of mom & dad. ;)

The second is as GIRLY as you can Get! Pink and Flowery and oh so Sweet!

Hope they liked them....and will enjoy tracking their growth for YEARS to come!

Linkin' Up to:
Craftastic Monday

24 weeks

2012-02-05T06:34:00.000-06:00

Have you ever actually eaten a Papaya?

I mean, like, a real one?

I've had it in smoothies....and shampoos....and candy, but

I've never actually eaten a fresh papaya.

Just thinking....

I bet it's yummy.

AnyWho, that's what the size of Baby #3 is estimated at 24 weeks.

and here's what the little Papaya looks like from the outside:

I can't really explain what it's like to suddenly feel VERY pregnant one day. It seems like I just woke up after my half-way mark and BAM! PREGGO! I feel huge. I waddle. I'm either STARVING! Or I feel so Full I could expolde at any moment. Sudden blood rushes to my head when I stand up too quickly, HEARTBURN, and a touch of exhaustion....but, hey, other than that, We're Feeling GREAT!

My 24 week Check-up is on Wednesday, and we'll have more Ultrasound Pics--as they continue to monitor the growth of #3 closely.

It's not like I can forget he/she is in there though. This one likes to dance around just as much as Thing 1 and Thing 2, who, by the way, are completely enamored by my belly.

SLOPPY Kisses and Snuggles ALL DAY!

Hope to get some pics of that soon! :)

Do you Meal Plan??

2012-01-30T13:14:00.000-06:00

All the organized households are doing it!

That's probably why I haven't LOL!
Don't get me wrong, I've tried....it's just too much planning....and I'm not so good at that.

But I found a blog.
It's gonna help you too! (that is, if you are as lazy as me and don't want to plan ANYTHING on your own)

EAT AT HOME

They have your menus....They have your Grocery Lists....

CHECK IT OUT!

Another visit from the Graphics Fairy

2012-01-27T12:54:00.000-06:00

I've blogged about her before, but I just had to share what I've been doing lately with the vintage graphics from The Graphics Fairy

I put this 5x7 frame in our half-bath...and I have been changing it out every month. This is February's.

You can find your own FREE Valentine's Graphic HERE

and how about for March?

Here's all of her St. Patrick's Day Graphics

To make them look authentic, I simply print them out on ivory colored cardstock.

Have fun! The projects are endless!

Make your Own Growth Chart

2012-01-23T00:30:00.001-06:00

I meant to make this for Cashton for his 1st birthday.....well, that didn't happen.
I did, however, get it done for Christmas....then, it turns out, he got one for a gift as well. (Thank you!)

Guess his growth will be well documented LOL!

This was one of 3 wooden projects I made as gifts for Christmas. Funds being a little tight around the holidays...the scrap wood piles at our local hardware store was a GOLD MINE for me :)
I wanted this to be 4 feet in length, and although it's a little bit wider than what I envisioned, I'm quite happy with it. (can't beat a gift under $5!)

Also, my original plan was to paint deer along the side of it....I started with one deer head, promptly got frustrated with myself, and went with a tree. Still goes with the Theme of Cash's MODeern Room, though. Plus I got to use the leftover paint that I used on his walls ;)

Simple project, get your measuring tape out, and mark the inch marks and feet marks....and paint away!

Most difficult part of this task: Getting your 16 month old to stand still for 3 secoonds so you can measure him:

There it is: 2 1/2 feet on 1/20/12

Grandma even snuck in there to see if she's ~~shrunk~~ grown any...we didn't mark it, but LOOK she's still over 5 feet! Go Mom!

"Hmmm.....wonder if I'll ever get to the top of that tree?"

Keep Growing, Buddy!

and because he was such an uncooperative subject during this task....

The Tickle Monster was unleashed!!!!!!!

Linkin' Up with:

Craftomaniac Monday

Craftastic Monday

Shabby Apple GIVEAWAY! CLOSED

2012-01-12T13:30:00.001-06:00

Thank you ALL for your participation! What a FUN giveaway, huh?

Randomizer[dot]org was my little assistant with the choosing of a winner, and it chose:

Comment #2: Kristin said, "And I follow your blog - of course! :)"

CONGRATULATIONS, KRISTIN!

I'm sure you're all familiar with Shabby Apple: their Vintage Jewelry is nothing short of mouth-watering...I love it all! Wouldn't it be great if someone would just buy you something from there? I mean, when do we ever treat ourselves?

Lucky for you, I am honored to be able to host a giveaway for this Charming Bracelet:

Dark Secrets of Wonderland

But jewelry is not all Shabby Apple offers...I'm eying up this Green maternity Dress right now:

Wouldn't that be perfect for Easter?

Or what about this Aviary Dress for Sam?

SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM!

Go check them out!

You can shop right now and for the next 30 days get an extra 10%off with the coupon code:

whatitsworth10off

Now for the GIVEAWAY:

Make sure you leave me your Email address, so I know where to find you!

TO ENTER to Win the

Dark Secrets of Wonderland Bracelet:

you MUST LIKE Shabby Apple on Facebook HERE

come back and comment telling me you did.

Extra Entries:

Follow This Blog Publicly and tell me you are.

Tweet about this Giveaway, and tell me about it

Share this giveaway in you Facebook status, and come back and let me know

This Giveaway will be open until January 19, 2012 at 2359 CST

Winner MUST have a US Shipping Address

Christmas Part II

2012-01-07T06:11:00.003-06:00

Before I start in on all the Handmade Holiday Gifts I made this Christmas, I have been hounded about posting the rest of our Chirstmas pictures...(Hi, Mom!)

These are a few of my favorites from Christmas Eve-December 26th.....the 3 Day Christmas Extravaganza!

Sam's Christmas Program III
once again, PROUD Mama moment...she BELTED it!

Our Mantle...with the very 1st Fire in the Fireplace!

The Tree

Christmas Morning

Veggie Pizza Wreath

Samantha & GREAT Uncle Mark

12 Cousins of Christmas

Generation Me

Generation Experience

Me Captain America(s)

Money BOB!

My dad holding up his FRAMED 300 Game!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Audrey!

Audrey & Grandpa Bob blowing out their candles!

There you have it!

Christmas & Birthdays Galore!

The next few days....or possibly for the the whole of this coming week, I will let you in on all the Goodies I made this year! (didn't want to spoil the surprise before Christmas, you know)

20 Weeks: Half Way There!

2012-01-06T15:22:00.000-06:00

At 20 weeks pregnant, Number 3 is the size of a Cantaloupe.

and I'm about the size of a....bigger cantaloupe:

actually, it's not all that bad.

Doctor is impressed I've only gained 8 pounds so far....if you ask me, this just means I weighed plenty BEFORE I got pregnant ;)

I'm feeling good.

Of course, I'm tired....but that's the norm for me.

After the ultrasound, I don't remember this from the last 2 pregnancies, but I was SORE!

Pushing on baby for over an hour did not have pleasant after-effects :(

My method of sleep (when I can get it) has been falling asleep on the couch or sleeping on my back with a pillow underneath one of my hips for that slight tilt.

As for eating....I'm beginning to feel the side-effects of eating spicy food. :( so sad.

My thyroid seems to be stable on the meds I am on, so that's good news.

Woah, this is a random post!

HAHAHA!

I better quit while I'm ahead. :)

Someone wants to say HELLO...

2012-01-04T12:34:00.000-06:00

My sister and brother seem to get a lot of face time here on this blog....so I thought I might as well introduce myself so you know that I'm here:

You may have heard a little about me from my mom....she is keeping a pretty cozy womb in here for me :)
Today was her 20 week ultrasound...so lots of face time for me! WOO-HOO!

Dr. K says I'm growing perfectly....only a few days bigger than my due date, which is still set for May 24th! I'm excited meet everyone....but for now, I'm getting LOTS of exercise in here, twirling and kicking...and punching, keeping up my cardio....

Did I mention kicking? I LOVE to stretch out my legs! Hopefully mom will have some BeezLegz ready for me for when I arrive so these babies can stay nice and warm:

I hear Samantha talking to me all the time....she really likes to play "Peek-a-Boo"! So, I've been practicing...

oh, and I HEAR YOU, SAM! LOVE YOU TOO!

YOU TOO, CASHTON! You two are Crazy! We are gonna have SO much FUN! Mommy & Daddy are NOT gonna know what hit 'em! hehehehe

I suppose you're wondering what else I've doing in here:
Well, I'm practicing for my future in showbiz...

and I've been keeping up with DA Packers! You know they are going to win the SUPERBOWL again, right?

Alright, I suppose I should get going...got a lot to do today. :) Mama will be back tomorrow and tell you all about how she's been doing. And give you a view from the outside.

Until next time....which will be in 4 weeks (another growth ultrasound because my sister was so little, they just want to make sure I'm growing) Oh, and I never did tell you if I was a BOY or a GIRL....

HA-HA!

Relishing in the Season....See you Next Year!

2011-12-30T06:00:00.000-06:00

This Christmas has been the BEST Christmas of my whole life! I hate to be that person that's all Sunshine and Roses...but it truly has.
Probably due to my most recent memory (last year), where I believe to have been suffering a bit of post-partum depression....this was WAY UP there in terms of BEST HOLIDAY EVER.

I can honestly say it had nothing to do with a single gift I received. In fact, most of my gifts were returned very promptly the following day...but that's neither here nor there.

We had LOTS of family time.

Randy was/and still is off of work for the week.

The kiddos were absolutely enthralled with the magic, music, and mystery of Christmas. From Samantha's 3 Christmas Programs that she SANG her heart out in....to Christmas morning and the SHOCK of all those Presents!

We Laughed. We Loved. We ATE! We got sick....well, I got sick....but we were together and happy and OVERLY BLESSED!

I'm still basking in it....and recovering....and I will return to the blogosphere in 2012!

GOD BLESS YOU ALL this season....and in the ones to COME!

MUCH LOVE!

Sunday Photo Flashback

2011-12-18T06:00:00.001-06:00

I'm gonna do something new this week. I realize I haven't been blogging much about our family's day-to-day. It's so busy to get it all in! So this week is the first installment of Sunday's Photo Flashback.
A glimpse of what our week was like...mainly for friends and family that like to see what we've been up to....who knows, maybe I'll make it a weekly ritual?

Last weekend we had Christmas on Randizzle's side of the family....we even had a SPECIAL SURPRISE visitor:

SANTA CLAUS!

He had Sam immediately when he walked in with Jingle Bells!

She was his biggest fan!

First one to sit on his lap, she even sat with some of her cousins to make them feel more comfortable!

This trick, however, did NOT work on Cashton. He was happy with Mom or Dad ONLY. :)

I'll take it while I can!

Did I mention Sam LOVED meeting Santa?

This picture is TOO funny not to share. I know Santa was talking to someone else and not really thinking "Get this kid away from me!" Right? I mean, Santa LOVES children!

And Here's the 2011 "J" Family Cousin Shot:

Cracks me UP everytime I see this pic! All the expressions are priceless!

From Left to Right: Cashton, Alix, Gabriel, Avery, Bryce, Klaire, Samantha, & Roark.

(Baby Abigail was only 9 days old, so she missed the party....but she'll make it next time...and so will 2 more babies due in 2012!)

On Wednesday, Samantha had her 1st of 3 Christmas Programs.

This was one of my many failed attempts at getting a picture of her in front of our Tree before the show.

JINGLE HOP and JINGLE BELLS were the Songs of the Night.

I'm super excited that they recorded this. The Jingle Hop had the WHOLE stage jumping up and down with their Jingle Bells....CUTEST THING EVER!

She had a BLAST!

What's Christmas without Cookies?

Yesterday before Church we all decorated Cookies....

Well, Daddy, Mommy and Sam decorated....Cashton just stole cookies and sprinkles and ate them

YUMMO!

Sunday School Christmas Program was Amazing!

These kids are so talented and ADORABLE!

.....the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay...

Not sure if they were suppose to do actions to Away in a Manger or not....Sam did. :)

Hope you have a BLESSED Christmas WEEK!

Can't wait for all the Christmas activities we have planned for this week :)

best picture we could get, Cashton's an escapee

Easy Christmas Candy

2011-12-17T06:40:00.001-06:00

Every year, my sister and I make Christmas candy to give as gifts....

It's a trial & error sort of thing.

Over the years we have kept some EASY recipes to fall back on when our "new Adventures" don't pan out....

BUT this year....EVERYTHING WORKED!

And is DELICIOUS!!!

So I thought I'd share.

We are ALL ABOUT EASY.

So these are SUPER QUICK!

FRUITY POPCORN

made from any kind of Flavored Jello you can find!

I chose Cranberry & Lime. UNBELIEVABLY TASTY!

Find the HOW TO HERE

Also NEW to the MIX

Raspberry Truffles & Caramel Truffles

RASPBERRY TRUFFLE Recipe found HERE

CARAMEL Truffle Recipe (I'll have to get back to you on that one)

this is the closest we got to a Candy-FAIL this year. They need to be stored in the freezer at all times or they melt into puddles....thing is: they still taste VERY yummy.

as long as the NEW stuff kept working...

I went ahead and attemped

HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS

Recipe and Very Specific Instructions found HERE

I have to TOOT my own horn with these....the ladies said you NEED a standing mixer. (those are comments made by the lucky people that shine their Kitchen-Aid mixers once a week just to taunt the little guys (namely me) who dont' HAVE a Kitchen-Aid mixer) So, I set out to prove them wrong and show them that I could do it ALL by Myself....hand-mixer and me VS. Marshmallow. I WON! TOOT! TOOT!

p.s. Santa, this is the 5th year I've asked for one of those Kitchen-Aids. I have been very good. :)

The STANDBY FAVORITE:

OREO Truffles

Simple Simon:

Grind up a Bag of Oreos (any flavor) in a food processor along with 8oz. cream cheese.

Scoop out into 1 inch balls.

Cover with melted chocolate.

Done.

Extra Chocolate goes GREAT on pretzels!

We also made 3 kinds of Fudge:

Mint Fudge

Peanut Butter Fudge

and

of course,

CHEESE Fudge!

I'll have to write a Fudge Post SOON! :)

Linkin' Up with:

Positivly Splendid's Saturday Seven

Felt Food: FREE Breakfast Pattern & Tutorial

2011-12-13T01:24:00.001-06:00

AKA: the MOST anticipated Christmas Gift of 2011!!!!
(read as...Mama is SUPER excited for Samantha to open this one)

I'm rather late to the felt food craze, but I've completely jumped on the bandwagon now. In fact, once I started seeing all the fun things you could make, I came up with a few of my own patterns. And because it's Christmas....and Christmas is ALL about GIVING....I'm giving them to you too!

Not everything pictured is my own pattern, but I have listed where to find the ones I did not design, so you can make those too! Isn't this fun!?!?!?! I've been told more than once that I'm probably more excited than Sam will be to get these. (this is most likely true...but you have not seen her do the "IT's CHRISTMAS TIME!! IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME" Freak Out everytime she sees our tree or lights...so I a holding out hope her excitement for her new food will be the same)

Here are the Pattern Pieces. This is an 8.5x11 sheet, so you can save this image to your computer and print it out accordingly. All the sewing was done by hand. Just a needle and embroidery thread!

Pancakes: Cut 2 circles for each pancake. stuff ever so slightly, and sew closed. For the top pancake with syrup on it: Sew Slab of butter on syrup, sew syrup on top of one pancake circle, THEN sew the 2 pancake circles together.

Bacon: Cut 2 strips for each piece of bacon. The "fat" is just thin strips of pink felt sewn to the first strip of bacon. Once the fat is sewn on, sew the 2 strips together without stuffing.

Eggs: I have drawn out one shape for an egg. Feel free to use this twice, or make your own shape! you'll cut 2 for each egg white and 1 yellow yolk. Start sewing the yolk to one piece of egg white and stuff it before you close the edge up. Then sew the two egg whites together without stuffing.

Apple Slices: Cut out the core piece and use it as a pattern to trace the core on to the "apple fruit" with pencil. Embroider the seed in the center of the core. Stitch along the pencil line of the core with like-colored thread. Cut out the apple peel. Stitch the fruit edge to the Peel.....stuff before closing. If you make 6, you should have a Complete Apple.

Orange Slices: Cut out Orange fruit circle and embroider "sections" but stitching 3 lines that bi-sect in the center. Attach Orange fruit to center of orange rind by stitching around the circle of the "fruit". Fold this combined circle in half and sew Orange Peel to the edges...stuffing it before closing. Making 6 of these will give you a complete orange.

Banana: Find Pattern and Tutorial HERE at Helping Little Hands.

HAVE FUN!

(I know I'm gonna..hehe)

If you use this pattern...I'd LOVE to see your creations! Let me know!

......................................

Linkin' Up with:

Little People Crayons

2011-12-12T07:34:00.000-06:00

I have been meaning to do this project for awhile now....with Christmas fast approaching, it seemed like a great Stocking Stuffer item to add to my Handmade Gifts!

I know you all have a bunch of broken, neglected crayons ~~under your couch cushions~~ ~~you've rescued from the washing machine~~ in your craft bins...unwrap those suckers and break 'em up even more.

I found this silicone gingerbread man/little people mold in the cake/candy section at Joann's. (I've been told Target has some fun molds in the $1 spot too!)

Bake them at 250 degrees for about 10 minutes. (Check on around 8 minutes and use a tooth pick to break up bubbles)

Once they are all melted, remove from the oven and let cool. This happens pretty fast (15 minutes or so)

POP 'em OUT! And Have FUN!

....................................

Linkin' Up with:

Made By You Monday

Craftastic Monday
TaterTots and Jello Handmade Gift Ideas

16 Weeks: Nausea Subsiding!

2011-12-11T21:19:00.001-06:00

****This was supposed to publish on Friday. Silly, blogger!****

What a difference 4 weeks can make!

I was a little bit nervous about how I was going to survive this pregnancy with the way I felt during the 1st trimester....it just wiped.me.out!

However, I am happy to report that my energy has slowly returned! (I think it may also have something to do with the Season of Christmas though....Just LOVE this time of year!)

Baby is the size of:

an AVOCADO.

Which also reminded me how much I LOVE avocados, and will have to swing by the grocery store today and pick me up a few. YUMMY in my TUMMY!

and speaking of tummies...

Here's mine:

We had our 16 week check this week.

Heartbeat was measuring in the High 150s-Low 160s.

Again, a little bit difficult to pin-point....this little nugget won't stop moving! :) Makes me smile though....

Cause I CAN FEEL IT ALREADY!

I wasn't sure at first the beginning of this week, but I was stretching my back a certain way just at the same moment someone decided to throw a punch (or a kick...can't be too sure) WOAH!

Reminded me of the first time I felt Cashton. :)

Randizzle and I have already started discussing names.

It's so exciting!

We have a Boy List and a Girl List...

so we'll narrow them down until we have one of each to take with us to the hospital.

WE ARE A SURPRISE KINDA FAMILY!

So, you're gonna have to wait too!

Sorry this is so sporadic...I'm gonna blame it on the MommyBrain ;)

Next month,

20 Week ULTRASOUND!

Reindeer Games

2011-12-07T13:22:00.000-06:00

Getting ready for our family Christmas this coming weekend...we have 9 kiddos under the age of 7 that are going to be there.
While it gets a little crazy...it's SO much fun!

I came across this great idea for a game to keep them occupied for a bit:

REINDEER GAMES!

It's a bean bag tossing game!

I was so glad I was able to use my Christmas fabric scraps. :)

Here's the list of activites for the kids to try:

I hope they like this idea as much as I do!

I orginally found this little "Tidbit" HERE....then adapted my Reindeer Games from this site

.............................................

Linking Up with:

Someday Crafts Whatever Goes Wednesday

Blue Cricket's Show and Tell

Felt Mistletoe Tutorial

2011-12-05T02:00:00.004-06:00

One of the gifts I'm most excited about this year is Felt Food for Sam! I know, I'm like the last crafter on the PLANET to jump on the Felt Food Wagon. Better late than never, right?

Well, I'll be posting my food soon....but this idea was born out of that.

We never really hung Mistletoe in our house. I guess I never thought it looked very cute...or pretty...or fun.

But, FELT ANYTHING is CUTE, no?

This is SUPER easy...no sewing machine involved:

Just Felt, a Needle and Thread!

I started with the berries:

to stuff you can cut up small pieces of felt.

Then the leaves:

I don't have a picture of the branches, but they are simply thin strips of felt cut at three different lengths

Here are the three branches before I sewed them together at the top.

The hanging part of the Bow (Ribbon strings) is a separate piece of felt that I folded over the top of the branches and sewed closed

then I sewed the branch/ribbon combo to the bottom of the bow.

Now...the most important part:

Stand underneath it all day and collect your KISSES!

Linkin' Up With:

Craft-O-Manic Monday

Sew Can Do Craftastic Party

Made By You Monday

Countdown to Christmas: A Book a Day

2011-12-01T04:13:00.000-06:00

I'm bringing back our "Advent" Countdown that we started last year.
I originally got the idea from The Idea Room....FATASTIC blog name, don't ya think?

The object is: 25 books, 25 days until Christmas: Wrap Up each book and everyday you get to Unwrap a "NEW" Book and read it!

Great thing about this: Um, 25 PRESENTS!!!! They are completely reusable next year! And if you are like us, and are TOO flippin' busy during the month of December.....like we were last year....and didn't open all the books, even Mom & Dad can be surprised at what book you open each day!

Most of our books I've picked up at Thrift Shops....and as time goes on, I we get "Better" books, I'm gonna swap them out. A few are Baby Board books...so I'm thinking at some point the kids might get a little board with those.

We have some Classics: "The Night Before Christmas", "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", "The Polar Express" and my favorites about the TRUE Meaning of Christmas "A Room for the Little One", "The Crippled Lamb", "The Shepherd's Gift"....................and "Merry Christmas Stinky Face!"

I actually thought by this year I'd have all 25 books....turns out I don't. :( OOPS! Guess I'll start from 25 and count my way back again.....maybe our Advent will start on Dec. 6th.....

What are some of YOUR Favorite Christmas Books? Maybe I can keep an eye out for some goodies this year!

Go check her out...She's pretty cool, just ask her.

This post was inspired by:

Sleigh Co. Family Sign

2011-11-30T07:42:00.002-06:00

About 3 summers ago I picked up this wooden sleigh at a Rummage Sale for 50 cents.

It's pretty big...and solid...and 50 cents worth of AWESOME!

Well, I never did anything with. Had no inspiration.

Had no room in our old house.

With all the Wall Space in our new house....I decided to hang it up!

First it needed a little extra flair.

I came up with what I wanted it to say, and printed off the lettering from Microsoft Word.

Wish I could tell you I did some fancy trick to transfer the letters to the sleigh, but I just free-handed it.

Then painted it with a Vintage White craft paint.

The finishing touch:

A little sanding to give it the Worn, Vintage Look:

Linkin' Up with:

Someday Craft's Whatever Goes Wednesday

Blue Cricket Design's Show and Tell

Ginger Snaps WOW me Wednesday

Sew Woodsy's What's Up Wednesday

JOY-ous Christmas Decor

2011-11-29T06:59:00.002-06:00

Our New House has LOTS of Wall Space.
This is a BIG change for me....and as such, since we moved it's been difficult to hang things up....not the right scale, not sure of the right placement.....
You know what got me to change that?!?!?!

My FAVORITE DECORATING SEASON OF ALL: CHRISTMAS!!!!

I feel like I've finally got my creative juices flowing again. Maybe it's the beginning of my 2nd Trimester Energy Boost? Maybe it's that I finally am starting to feel at home in the new place? I'll tell you, the more I decorate....the more I want to create! It's an amazing feeling. I feel like myself again! ahhhh....

Okay, well, on with the show then.

I don't know about you, but every time I see a small wreath, I always wonder what in the WORLD people do with such a tiny thing? Up until last week all I was getting was flashes of "Home Interior" Parties my mom used to host....dried eucalyptus....oh, the 90's, you were something else....

I was at Goodwill the other day and saw this plain Jane, 12 incher for $1.99..(P.S. if you live in the Oshkosh area....there's a twin there :)

I picked up these wood letters at the Hob Lob for $1.99 each

If you know me....You know what I'm gonna do next: SPRAY PAINT 'EM!!!
I chose GOLD. Classy. Christmas-y. Crazy AWESOME!

And they reside above our Kitchen sink....

And Make me JOY-ous!

(even when I'm doing the dishes.....I expect this feeling to wear off in a few short days)

Linkin' Up with some other Crafty Parties:

Today's Creative Blog Get Your Craft ON

Coastal Charm Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Home Stories A to Z Tutorials & Tips

Nothing But Country Creative Creations

The Inspired Collection's Totally Inspired Tuesdays

Monday...Funday....It's a WORK day!

2011-11-28T13:46:00.000-06:00

Actually....I have been working Every Night since Wednesday.....at my "real" job.

Now that I have off for a few days, it's back to the FUN stuff. I'm Christmas-ifying the new house and having WAY too much fun. :)
I didn't want you to think I forgot about ya....I should be posting LOTS of great Christmas goodies in the next couple weeks :)
So hang on to your Stocking Caps....

Buckle into your Sleighs....

Strap on your Jingle Bells

and Get ready to Celebrate the Real Reason for the Season with US!

30 Days of Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T06:30:00.000-06:00

All month I've been reading everyone's words of Thanksgiving on Facebook. Many of my friends and family have used the whole month of November to reflect on all the blessings in their lives and share, each day, what makes them thankful.
I LOVE this idea. I would love it even more if I would remember to do it myself. :) So, in lieu of posting all month, I opted for listing them here.

30 Days of Thanksgiving. 30 Ways I've Been Blessed. 30 out of a million and one gifts I've been given....

This year.....I am thankful for:

1. Eternal Salvation. By Grace Alone.

2. A loving, supportive husband, who not only is an amazing father to our children, but ain't too bad to look at either. ;)

3. Samantha Brynn, our goofy, nurturing, little spit-fire daughter. Small in stature with a Heart the size of Mount Everest!

4. Cashton Randall, our huggable, snuggable, smiley son. Never stops exploring, getting into mischief, and an appetite the size of Mount Everest! LOL!

5. Our 3rd little one, growing within. You came as a surprise....an unexpected Blessing, for sure. The whole family is anxious to meet you!

6. Our beautiful new Home. Just waiting to be decorated for it's first Christmas with us!

7. The health of our family.

8. Our parents....the BEST Grandparents in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!

9. Our Siblings....Uncles and Aunts that love our own children as if they were their own.

10. Our 16 nieces and nephews....and 2 on the way :) You fill our holidays with LOTS of joy, laughter, and chaos!

11. My Blog family. I've met so many good friends through this medium. True friends. :)

12. Friends old and new. I may not always have enough hours in the day....or days in the week...or weeks in a month to keep in touch with all of you...but you know I love you anyway. That's my favorite part: Seeing friends I haven't seen in soooo long and passing time like it was yesterday.

13. A good job. I may not always act like it....but I am thankful for it....sometimes....

14. Food a plenty. Our family is never in want.

15. Getting out of debt.....DEBT FREE by NUMBER 3! Everything but our mortgage will be paid off before this baby is born!!!!! How GREAT is that!!!!

16. DA Packers....Gosh, I love Da Packers. I'd do anything for da Packers! oh,ya...and Da Brewers too!

17. Crafts.....Sewing.....Refurbishing....pretty much anything creative.

18. Naps.

19. Our Dog....when she eats the table scraps off the floor so I don't have to clean them up myself.

20. Residual Income. For those of you who know what I'm talking about :)

21. Aromatherapy Spa Bags...both Hot and Cold. In Citrus and Lavender....in sickness and in health

22. Sweatpants

23. Breakfast Sandwiches...Sausage or Bacon, I am not picky.

24. LadyBeez Designs

25. My Co-Workers...both past and present. You make it a little more tolerable to work without sleep...I thank you for putting up with me.

26. Everyone that puts up with me when I am less than desirable. I am working towards a better, healthier life for me and our family.....praying that time will come soon :)

27. My camera....photographs....captured memories. :) You make me smile.

28. ALL 4 seasons we get to experience in Wisconsin

29. Hot Apple Cider

30. Music. All kinds. Especially all of the Glee CDs I own that make my children happy....wonder where they picked that up from?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to YOU!

Remember to not only count your blessings on this day...but everyday!

Grandma's Recipes: Pumpkin Bread

2011-11-16T17:01:00.000-06:00

I'm continuing my quest to make my grandma's recipes to compile them into a Recipe/Memory Book that I can share with my family.

This recipe was really special because not only did I make it from a hand-written recipe card:

I got to bake the loaves in Grandma's loaf pans.....

SO DELICIOUS!!!!

12 weeks: 1st Trimester in Review

2011-11-11T06:38:00.003-06:00

It seems like just yesterday I was posting about "Number 2"....and here we are talking about "Number 3"...oh, yeah, it was practically YESTERDAY!

Did my announcement come as a surprise to you?

Well, if it did....you are NOT alone. We were quite surprised ourselves :) I mean, I do know how this kind of thing happens, it's just that we weren't expecting....or trying....or...you get the picture, right?

Let me tell you, it's been TORTURE not sharing this exciting news with you. At first it took me awhile to fully wrap my head around being pregnant again....having Cashton and this new baby only 20 months apart....oh geez....imagine how it felt for me to see that positive pregancy test the day before my baby turned 1. I know, I know....women have been havin' babies closer together than that forever...just not me. :)

To add nausea onto anxiety....from day 1, I have been uber nauseous this time around. I feel the turn around beginning so that is Wonderful...but I spent many-a-nights hitting the couch the second Randizzle walked in the door....often making dinner just to feed the family as I close my eyes for....oh, the rest of the day.
And probably more often than that, not feeding them anything but an apology that he's on his own for supper, not being able to think of food. We've become fast friends with the crock-pot, frozen dinners, and take-out....wait, that's nothing new! LOL!

Have you had mulitple children? Close together? Do you know how fast you get fat? YIKES! I had to announce this, or my belly was gonna do it for me!

You know what's even more disheartning?

"They" say the baby is only the size of a LIME!

Awesome. Here's what our Lime looks like:

I'm probably sucking it in here....it looks much bigger in person.

In other news, my first doctor's appointment labs came back a bit abnormal. Apparently my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) was quite high. They tested my other thyroid levels (T3 & T4) and they came back normal....still I am on a low dose of meds until we know for sure that everything is okay. After my 12 week check, all of my levels were normal, but I am still on the medication until at least Week 16 when we check again. It's not that big of a deal, except that I was pretty freaked out when I first got the results.....and I can only take the meds on an empty stomach and can't eat until 30 minutes afterward. Now, that is torture.

Wanna see the little bug again?

This was at 7 weeks, 1 day.

Weird. I really thought I'd be 9 weeks at that appointment.....but I guess that might explain why I thought I was pregnant for 2 weeks before a test finally comfirmed it!

On Monday, I had my 12 week check up....a little nerve racking when the doctor couldn't find the heartbeat...but no big deal, Dr. just brought in her little hand-held ultrasound gadget, and we got to see the baby AGAIN! He/she was movin' all over the place...waving arms and legs...a little dancin' machine! SO CUTE!
I told my doctor I was hoping for a mellow one this time around.....she laughed at me.
Come to think of it.....she's laughed at me a LOT this pregnancy so far...wonder why?

But, seriously, all joking aside. My fear and anxiety is subsiding, and we are VERY excited. God makes life interesting...that's for sure! I'm glad He's in control, because I obviously have no idea what I'm doing!

You know....I was an "Unexpecting Blessing" too! Look how well that turned out :)

WAIT!....We're Not Done Yet!

2011-11-10T06:00:00.001-06:00

I left out a few pictures from our family photo shoot...

In case you can't see what's in that little picture frame....

or you didn't understand the sequence of photos....

Please allow me the pleasure to introduce you to

NUMBER #3

Grandma's Recipes: Drop White Sugar Cookies

2011-11-09T13:53:00.001-06:00

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup oil

2 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Mix all ingredients together.

Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes on lighty greased sheet

NOTE: can vary by adding pecans or sprinkle with cinnamon

Right after my grandmother passed away, my sister, cousins, and I divided up her recipes with the intention of organizing them into a book for everyone. That was almost 5 years ago.

So, in order to get the show on the road, so to speak...I am planning on making at least 1 of the recipes a week and taking photos. And I'm taking you along for the ride.

While I'm typing this, I have next week's recipe in the oven!

Enjoy!

Family Photo Shoot 2011

2011-11-07T06:40:00.001-06:00

While I love taking the kiddos pictures every year....it's nice to be in front of the camera every once and awhile. Thankfully I have a gazillion friends and family members that like to snap a photo here and there!

A few weeks ago, we were blessed to have a small photo shoot with our dear, sister-in-law, Carla. All of these photos are her handywork!

...and the idea for the matching blue plaid shirts...goes to....

RANDIZZLE.

Please, if you know him personally, make SURE you tell him how GREAT we all look...

he doesn't rub it in my face enough that it was his idea and I thought it might look too busy.

I can't even look at that picture of Sam giggling without a HUGE smile crossing my face!

WARDROBE CHANGE!

This is completely and 100% MY IDEA....

just thought I'd share.

Moments captured to cherish FOREVER!

Thank you, Carla. You are Amazing!

Can't stop smiling when I see my family all together.

Aren't they the Cutest?

Happy Halloween

2011-11-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

My SIL and I jumped into some Flight suits...well, she kinda fit. ;)

Randizzle sported his go-to Spiderman Costume (he's worn it every other year for the past 6 years)

Don't you wish you had his metabolism?

Just remember, he didn't have to bear any children....

Cashton, Our Little Turkey

and

THE Orange Princess, Samantha

Hope you had a Great Halloween.

We had a LOT of fun...even with Samantha's little trip to the pavement with her face.

She's totally fine, she just looks like she got in a bar fight.

That's cool for a 4 year old, right?

Vintage Chic Half Bath Reveal

2011-10-28T08:38:00.001-05:00

Back in July, our Half-Bath looked like this:

Lavender Walls....two-toned hardware

(I guess when they built the house, they couldn't decide between gold or silver so they went with both. gross.)

The first thing that had to go was that purple.

I just wasn't feelin' it.

At all.

I finally decided on a color and brought the paint home.

Now, I try to include the hubby in decisions as much as possible.

Meaning, I pick something out and show him....so he can say he approves...that way it's like we decided together :) But, there always seems to be a problem. He never just says, "Looks good." "Whatever you want." Which he totally should, by the way....I doesn't he trust me by now?!?!?

So, I show him the paint can....they put the sample on top.

He just stares.

Says nothing.

Then, "It's not really what I had in mind."

WHAT?!?!

What's wrong with it?

It's not too dark.

I'm confused

Apparently, he thought I was going for the Metallic Copper look.

What a dweeb.

LOL!

Ahhh....much better.

Next up:

The hardware and light fixture got a coat of Oil-Rubbed Bronze Metallic Spray Paint
LOVE THAT STUFF!

I wanted to replace the mirror that was hanging in there too.

It was just a plain flat mirror without a frame.
We had this mirror hanging in our dining room at our old house...

It got a little Paint Job too:

.......................................

And that's where the room sat from the end of July until last week.

........................................

I finally got up the nerve to finish it up.

My naptime Wall Stenciling project was the biggie...

Then I just had to get the wall hanging I'd been eying at Hobby Lobby....

and pester Randizzle to install the new faucet.

(yes, I did contemplate spray painting the old one hehe)

ALL DONE!

Now, the hours a day I spend in this room....(we're still potty training) will be pleasant and full of beauty....well, as much beauty as a toilet will really allow.

...............................................

Linkin' up with KOJODesigns Friday Fun Finds

Friday's at Remodelaholic's Anonymous

Catch as Catch Can at my Repurposed Life

The Orange Princess

2011-10-25T14:28:00.000-05:00

This princess almost made me cry.

No, not because she's shootin' me this eerie menacing look....LOL!

But, look how grown up she is!

This is the first Halloween that Samantha has actualy had interest in what she would dress up as.

When I posed the question, "What do you want to be for Halloween?"

I ~~shuddered~~ ~~cringed~~ ~~cried~~ ~~waved my fist in the air~~ smiled when she replied,

"A princess"

ugh.

"Well, what color princess would you like to be?"

ORANGE!

Now, that I could live with!

And I knew just how I was gonna make that happen.

You see, when I was a Junior in high school, I wanted an orange dress....since my mother could sew anything, I designed a little something, and she whipped it up.

It just so happens she still had it in one of her closets at home:

That was what it looked like just 36 hours ago....

Now, the CIRCLE of LIFE has brought it here:

I followed a pattern and everything!

And didn't need to use anything else but my old dress for the material.

(Well, except for that trim)

I sure do hope I can get better pictures of Sam in it this weekend!

These were the best shots I could get in a classroom full of 3 and 4 year olds, while I was trying to keep Cashton out of trouble!

Oh, did I mention, this was the dress I went to my Junior Prom in.....and my date was: Randizzle, himself!

weird.

Monday Morning Chat

2011-10-24T06:36:00.003-05:00

It's been fairly quiet around here lately....have you noticed?

This blog has been such an amazing outlet for me both personally and creatively....I'm a very sharing person. :) That's why I feel so weird that I haven't been posting very often. Of course, life is busy.

I often get comments from friends and family saying, "I don't know how you do it all! You're so creative! You are always doing such awesome stuff with your kids! Where do you find the time?" This used to be flattering. Now it makes me feel guilty. I DON'T do everything. Trust me. Things fall to the wayside (i.e. cleaning, sleeping, projects just for fun, etc.) I suppose that has contributed to my lack of blogging lately. Plus, The kiddos do NOT like me on the computer.
On top of that, I haven't made time for a lot of blog-able crafts and projects. We're in the height of Craft Fair Season and ramping up for the BIG Holiday shows....so if I'm making much of anything these days, its for LadyBeez Designs. Lots of BeezLegz, Sweater Mittens, and Knot Dresses are in my future for the next couple months :)

This is not an apology post. I will never apologize again for not blogging. 1.) Most of you that read this probably didn't even notice. LOL! 2.) My family comes first. And so does yours, which is why I know you understand how crazy life can be. 3.) I've got some AWESOME stuff coming up!!!! Believe me, you WILL NOT want to miss out!

Our House! I've been in a rut at our new house. Everything in it is nice. I mean, it pretty much was 100% move-in ready....the colors are nice. They coordinate well....and after 3 1/2 months, I'm GOING NUTSO! I feel like I'm living in someone elses house. We NEED to do something! At least Paint! But, I've been having color-block. It's so overwhleming to think about re-painting a whole house.....so I'm finally getting a little inspiration. Hence, the half bath reveal that will be coming later this week. One room at a time, right?
My problem with this house is. It's TOO new. I know, I sound ridiculous. But, honestly, my style is very old school, traditional...hardwood floors, crown molding, CHARACTER. Bold colors......and right now, I'm living in light and airy, light wood, builder-grade-esque, suburbia. like I said, I'm NUTSO.

Wow! Thanks for listening to me ramble. I needed that. Now I feel like I've caught up with an old friend. We're on the same page again. We should do this again sometime! ;)

Wall Stenciling: Half-Bath Sneak Peek

2011-10-20T01:09:00.003-05:00

This is actually Phase II of our Half Bath.

I never posted Phase I, though...so you really don't have any idea what I'm talking about ;)

Next Monday, Will be the BIG Before and After Shots, but for now...

Here's what I did during Naptime the other day.

DISCLAIMER: This restroom has absolutely NO natural lighting, so I playing with the photos as best as I could to get the correct color/lighting. So, forgive me if each photo looks a little bit different

Before Naptime, the Walls all looked like this..

Kind of A Seafoam Green/Blue...not really but the color I believe is "Serene" or something like that, and that's not very descriptive.

SUPPLIES:

Wall/Floor Stencil from Hobby Lobby (with 40% off coupon)

Foam Roller

1 little bottle of Vinatge White Craft Paint

1 little bottle of Pearl-lizing (is that a word) Paint

Pencil

Painter's Tape

Cost: $18 and some change

I mixed the Vintage White & Pearl Paint One-to-One and added water to dilute it. I wanted the pant to be a little translucent. This bathroom is pretty small, so I didn't want it to be too overpowering.

It worked pretty good.

I admit it was a little more time-consuming and annoying to do than I expected. First, I had the paint too diluted...and then there were plenty of spots where I had too MUCH paint, and it bled, or GOBBED on....and I'm way too lazy to fix that.

But, really, once it dried, you can't tell that much.

What do you think?

And here's a bit more of a Sneak Peek of the Rest of the room:

Next Week, I'll reveal the WHOLE thing!

To be honest, it's not finished yet, and this gives me a deadline. LOL!

...............................

Showin' Off My Stuff with Fireflies and Jellybeans

Strutin' My Stuff with Somewhat Simple

Saved By Suzy's House Party

Partyin' with The Idea Room

Pumpkin No. 79

2011-10-06T13:14:00.000-05:00

Our new house doesn't have very large, very noticable house numbers...

That being said, I haven't yet decided what I want to do fix that...at least permanantly.

But for the Fall Months, Two small white pumpkins are doing the trick.

First I gave them a good cleaning

I took the first pumpkin, stood it upside-down and buried the stem in the dirt of this planter we already had.

Then, set the second pumpkin on top

A little black craft paint, and...

We Have HOUSE NUMBERS!

Linkin' Up With:

Fireflies & Jellybean's Show off Your Stuff

Somewhat Simple's Strut Your Stuff

The Purple Door Chronicles: Fall Wreath

2011-10-04T06:25:00.008-05:00

One of the most exciting things about our new house:

The PURPLE DOOR.

and not just because it's purple...

Although, we have a niece that now either wants my brother to paint their door purple or move to a new house with a purple door......or perhaps just move in with us!

or because Samantha calls our house "THE PURPLE HOUSE"

(seriously, the only purple thing on the house is the door...guess it makes a statement)

No, I'm excited about our purple door,

because I get to DECORATE IT!

WREATHS, BABY!!!!!

Our First Front Door Decor:

The Fall Wreath

I'm a changer-upper.

So, making a wreath that was flexible to my ever changing moods was a MUST.

NO GLUE.

Nothing permanent on this guy.

Everything is held in place with pins.

Right down to the 2 spools of orange ribbon wrapped around it.

I was able to keep it all under $10 too!

All supplies were from "Hobby Hobby" (Sam's lil' nickname)

And when Fall fades in Winter...I can just pop it all off and decorate the ring again!

Like my Projects?

Click on the "Projects Gallery" at the top of the page to see my archive

WINNERS for the SEPTEMBER GIVEAWAYS!!!!

2011-10-02T14:17:00.000-05:00

WINNERS ARE:

PRIZE PACKAGE #1

LadyBeez BeezLegz
$10 EmmaJean's GC or Custom Pendant
Oh Shoot Creative Letter E-File
goes to:

Kristin S. said...

I would choose the Family one, I feel so blessed to have had a baby girl just 6 weeks ago!! Family is so important to me :)
September 6, 2011 3:03 PM

PRIZE PACKAGE #2

LadyBeez BabyBeez Set

TizzyDee's Child Hat

Oh Shoot Creative Letter E-file

goes to:

Oka said...

Neat that you got to meet someone local.

September 2, 2011 8:18 PM

PRIZE PACKAGE #3

LadyBeez Upcycled Mittens

Custom Fancy Hat by Becky

Oh Shoot Creative Letter E-file

goes to:

he looks so old in his overalls!!! put a brick on his head and stop feeding him, he can not continue to grow so fast!! happy birthday sweet cash :)

-carmen
September 15, 2011 2:02 AM

CONGRATULATIONS to my 3 winners. Please email me ASAP at

bjmama.4whatitsworth@gmail.com

and we will talk out all the specifics!

If I don't hear from you by October 5th, I will choose a new winner. :)

one more day.....

2011-10-01T15:22:00.002-05:00

Sorry, I'm really busy getting ready for the Gallery Walk tonight....
I will announce the winners tomorrow! :)

LAST DAY to ENTER!!!

2011-09-30T09:20:00.000-05:00

GO BACK....make sure you've commented on EVERY POST this month!

The 3 Prize Packages are listed in the Right SideBar!

WINNERS will be announced TOMORROW!!!!

Gallery Walk THIS Saturday

2011-09-29T06:26:00.002-05:00

I hope all you local peeps will be strolling down Main Street in Oshkosh this Saturday night from 6-9pm!

LadyBeez Designs is going to be the Featured Artist at EmmaJean's Boutique!

We're bringing our WHOLE Stock of BeezLegz
Need an inspiration for a Halloween Costume? Or maybe just the finishing touch? These double as Leg & Arm Warmers!!!

Upcycled Sweater Mittens

and Quilted Purses!

Other items that we have at EmmaJean's include our

Aromatherapy Spa & Boo-Boo Bags

Knot Dresses (super cute with long sleeves underneath for the cooler weather)

Ruffle Sleeve Dresses

and BabyBeez Sets

Danny, We Meet Again!...and a teeny Favor...

2011-09-28T13:59:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to hang out with my BFF Danny Gokey again...
You know, just another day in the exciting life of me! :)

photo courtesy of MCM Photography

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you may remember back when Season 8 of American Idol was coming to an end....the 3 remaining contestants made their Hometown Visits. Danny Gokey happens to hale from the GREAT STATE of WISCONSIN (just one of the many things we have in common :) So, Samantha and I made a trip down to Milwaukee to celebrate with the city and give him some Good 'Ol Wisco LOVE!
Want a little flashback action?

What brought Danny back into my life again? Well, he was a special guest of the It's All About You Women's Expo in Downtown Milwaukee this past weekend. His charity, The Sophia's Heart Foundation, was the expo's benefactor, and he graciously came to speak about all the amazing work the Foundation has been able to accomplish since it began.
I'm not sure if you know his story before he tried out for American Idol, but he shared it with us, and to say it is moving would be the understatement of the century!
I would love to share it with you, but I wouldn't even begin to do it justice. So, please, I encourage you to visit his website here and read all about his journey.

Danny shared with us all the great things he has been able to do through his Foundation...which although based out of Nashville, TN also has a program in his hometown, Milwaukee, WI. focusing on Music & Arts. Shout OUT to the Sophia's Heart Choir that performed!!! You KIDS ROCK!

Anywhooooo....about that favor....Sophia's Heart needs our help to win a $50,000 grant! And it's FREE for you and I!!!! There's 2 WAYS:
1.) TEXT: sophiasheart to the Number: 244326
2.) Go to THIS SITE and Enter Sophia's Heart into the business tab and Nashville, TN for location

It's going to ask you a couple questions about why you like this foundation....and such. Danny told us we could just say, "Because Danny Gokey is Awesome." Which, we TOTALLY did! Because, he most certainly IS! :)

I mean, he even signed some of my BeezLegz for me!!!! :) I'm keeping one and donating another....who's the lucky charity?.......you know who you are cause you had a very telling dream about this very thing :)

So, PLEASE go VOTE!!!! Help Sophia's Heart HELP more people!!!!

I'm 29....no, Really.

2011-09-21T12:10:00.000-05:00

It's My Birthday!

and I really am 29! At least for the next 365 days...

Double the Birthday, Double the FUN!

2011-09-19T06:42:00.000-05:00

Saturday we got to celebrate Cashton's 1st Birthday...but we celebrated EXTRA hard because we were celebrating Cashton's cousin, Isaac's, 5th birthday as well.

You know how I feel about birthday themes :) It was a tough one this time because we wanted a theme that was relevant to both boys.

Then it dawns on me: TRUCKS!

Cashton's 1st Birthday Cake was pretty simple. I used a new truck and fill the bed with a mixture of Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Pudding:

Isaac's Cake was a little bit more time consuming, but super cute..and by cute I mean rugged and manly.

It's a Chocolate & Butter Pecan Layered Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

The "dirt" is food-processed Oreos.

Isaac got to keep the trucks too!

Looking back the the pictures I took, I must say, I was very disappointed with myself. I think I was too busy with the food that I didn't get as many shots as I wanted. :(

I did manage to snap this one of the mantle though.

(Birthday Banner & Cashton's Birthday Quilt Square...I'll post more about those later)

HERE'S the 5 YEAR OLD!

Hope you had FUN, Isaac!

The the ONE YEAR OLD

I like to call this:

"The Phases of Cake Eating"

In the end, I think he liked it...he's always so willing to share too!

Hey, look, I made a photo appearance!

and, AGAIN!

Woah!

Well, 1st BOY BIRTHDAY Party in the BOOKS!

And we're all Dirtier and Better for it!

Flashback: Watch Cash Grow

2011-09-16T06:30:00.001-05:00

The 12 months of photos with his "C" have come to an end....

sigh....

It's amazing to look back and see just how much Cashton has changed!

It seems like it was only yesterday I was staring at this tiny little baby:

and now he's ONE! A Toddler, even!

For more Blasts from the Past, visit Jen's 525,600 Minutes

Spotlight: BabyBeez Set

2011-09-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Modeling LadyBeez BabyBeez Set today is:

A Strapping, Young, One-Year-Old,

He's a Virgo,

Likes long walks across the grass,

Snuggles in the Moonlight,

and Fistfuls of Food.

Yes, that's a little vest on his onesie.

Sorry ladies. He's too young to start dating. Give us a call back in 30 years or so.

Prize Package #2 includes a custom BabyBeez Set from yours truly. :)

How it works:

You and I will personally work together to create a unique combo.

1 pair of BeezLegz

and

1 Custom Appliqued Onesie (or shirt if the kiddo you have in mind is older)

Here's a couple more examples:

Remember how to enter?

Every comment you post on ANY post this WHOLE month will enter you to win one of the 3 prize packages:

Prize Package #1:

Your Choice of LadyBeez Designs BeezLegz

$10 EmmaJean's Gift Certificate OR Mother's Pendant (you choose)

OH Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

Prize Package #2

Custom LadyBeez Designs BeezSet (Onesie/Shirt with Matching BeezLegz)

Oh Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

TizzyDee's Child Hat

Prize Package #3

LadyBeez Designs Upcycled Sweater Mittens (you pick your colors)

Oh Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

Fancy Hats by Becky FANCY HAT: Pick Your Colors

Keep checking back all month to watch these prize packages GROW!

How are they gonna do that?

Have something you'd like to donate?

Shoot me an email!

Happy 1st Birthday CASHTON!

2011-09-13T10:04:00.001-05:00

Such a little man already, you amaze us everyday.

From Walking shortly after 10 months, Saying short phrases like, "All Done" and "Thank You", and Running with open arms to give us your big bear hug around our necks...

Seriously, where has this year gone?

Your brilliant blue eyes still stun everyone that happens to look your way.

It's so rewarding watching you learn new things!

Never stop exploring your world.

I cannot put into words how much we love you. Just know...WE DO!

But, really, there's no rush.

You can slow down on the "Growing Up" thing.

(I happen to love you being a Mama's Boy.)

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY,

CASHTON RANDALL!

Sponsor: Tizzy Dee on Etsy

2011-09-12T09:34:00.000-05:00

Who loves a good crocheted item?

I DO! I DO!

One: Crochetting is one of the crafty things I do NOT do.
Two: I happen to know a few ladies that are UBER talented in this department so I don't need to!
and THREE:....and Most importantly for all of you....TWO of these wonderful women have donated to this month's Giveaway!

Can I get a "WOOT WOOT"? Okay. Calm down now...so I can introduce you to:

Seriously CUTE Hats, girl!

Got any kiddos that have a cartoon BFF?

Or maybe you just have a stud-muffin like I do.

(if only he'd keep the hat on)...it even came with interchangable straps!

And there's SO MUCH more Courtney does! If you have a soft spot for the Cookie Monster, the Sock Monkey, or the Texas Longhorns....or maybe you just need a flower headband or a coffee cozy?..
Check out TizzyDee on Etsy HERE

Wanna WIN a Child's Hat from TizzyDee?
She donated this Child-sized beauty!

Remember how to enter?

Every comment you post on ANY post this WHOLE month will enter you to win one of the 3 prize packages:

Prize Package #1:

Your Choice of LadyBeez Designs BeezLegz

$10 EmmaJean's Gift Certificate OR Mother's Pendant (you choose)

OH Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

Prize Package #2

Custom LadyBeez Designs BeezSet (Onesie/Shirt with Matching BeezLegz)

Oh Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

TizzyDee's Child Hat

Prize Package #3

LadyBeez Designs Upcycled Sweater Mittens (you pick your colors)

Oh Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

Fancy Hats by Becky FANCY HAT: Pick Your Colors

Keep checking back all month to watch these prize packages GROW!

How are they gonna do that?

Have something you'd like to donate?

Shoot me an email!

Isn't this fun?!?!

Love to Our Grandparents!

2011-09-10T06:54:00.000-05:00

She rocks another baby...

hums an age old lullaby
She hopes no one is watching
as with thanks, she starts to cry

Remembering the time
when the babies were her own
And her mother told her gently
too soon they would be grown

Lots of bedtime stories,
skinned knees, and tears to dry
Teddy bears, toy trucks and dolls
and kites up in the sky

First days of school, first loves,
the proms, the wedding days
Sand castles and snowball fights
and teaching them to pray

Now, as she holds her grandchild
and gives thanks unto the Lord
She knows to be a Grandma
is motherhood's reward!

- Unknown Author

This post is dedicated....
to my grandmothers who are no longer with us here on this earth,
to Randy's grandmothers that are still so much a part of our lives,
to our children's grandmothers that bless our lives every day with their love and kindness...
to the grandfathers I never really knew,
to the grandfathers that shower us and our children with love and pride...

You taught us what it means to be loved.....and to love our children unconditionally.

Thank you. From the bottom of our hearts.

Stampin' Apples

2011-09-09T15:05:00.000-05:00

When I think of September, one of the first things that comes to mind is APPLES! We always go pick apples this month, and even though pies and applesauce and caramel apples are GREAT….sometimes we pick too many.

Here’s a fun art project you can do with the kiddos. Use your apples as stamps! Then have fun coming up with pictures that you can turn your apple shapes into.

Supplies:

Paint (whatever kind you’d like. I used fabric paint and made shirts for the kids)

Apples
Paper (or plain shirts…great way to hide a stain ;)
Brush

1. Cut your Apple in half. (BONUS: you can do 2 different colors with each one)

2. Paint the Apple…if you use a brush you can get better coverage, and you could use more than one color per apple half….think rainbow butterflies :)

3. Stamp your Paper or Shirt

4. STAMP STAMP STAMP away (or just stick with one)

5. Use a brush and add details to your prints:

Make LADYBUGS

Or get Ready for OCTOBER with a PUMPKIN

Other IDEAS: Butterflies, Spiders, a BIG Caterpillar, Assorted Balls (Basketball, Baseball, etc.) Monster Faces, ….an APPLE! LOL! Have fun with it!

Got some extra potatoes? They have stronger meat, and you could even carve shapes into them! The possibilities are endless when you play with your food!

.....................................

Linkin' Up with:

KojoDesigns Fun Finds

Sponsor: Fancy Hats by Becky

2011-09-08T08:54:00.000-05:00

It's almost time to dig out your cold weather gear....
Do YOU have a FANCY Hat you can wear?

Becky crochets these beautiful hats in whatever colors you can dream up! (even if she doesn't agree with your color combos) LOL! But she's not just about HATS...she makes hair accessories too!

Are you excited for the BIG PACKER GAME tonight? Check out her TEAM colors. For those of you who aren't Packer Backers... I'm sure can make something for you too...not sure why she would though ;)

WHHOOOOOOOOOO's an OWL fan? I can't get OVER her Hat/Legwarmer sets!

Becky is participating in the

and giving away

A FANCY HAT:

Choose your size and your colors!!!

Remember how to enter?

Every comment you post on ANY post this WHOLE month will enter you to win one of the 3 prize packages:

Prize Package #1:

Your Choice of LadyBeez Designs BeezLegz

$10 EmmaJean's Gift Certificate OR Mother's Pendant (you choose)

OH Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

Prize Package #2

Custom LadyBeez Designs BeezSet (Onesie/Shirt with Matching BeezLegz)

Oh Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

Prize Package #3

LadyBeez Designs Upcycled Sweater Mittens (you pick your colors)

Oh Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

Fancy Hats by Becky FANCY HAT: Pick Your Colors

Keep checking back all month to watch these prize packages GROW!

How are they gonna do that?

Have something you'd like to donate?

Shoot me an email!

Isn't this fun?!?!

Sponsor: Oh Shoot Photography

2011-09-06T09:05:00.000-05:00

Today's sponsor is Kelly from Oh Shoot Photography

I met Kelly years ago through our local mom's group, and since then she's taken Oshkosh by storm with her camera in tote! If you're in the area and need some pics...you can find her website HERE, find her on Facebook HERE, or check out her blog HERE.....she's easy to get ahold of LOL!

Besides her adorable portrait photography, Kelly designs Creative Letter Collages. Her newest addition: COLORED Letters!

Kelly has been super gracious to all you lucky readers and has donated not ONE, not TWO, but THREE Creative Letter Collage E-Files....

So, EACH of the Three Prize packages with contain

YOUR CHOICE of the

"LOVE" (pictured above)

or "FAMILY"

In the comments below, tell me which one you'd pick and how you'd like it personalized.

Remember how to enter?

Every comment you post on ANY post this WHOLE month will enter you to win one of the 3 prize packages:

Prize Package #1:

Your Choice of LadyBeez Designs BeezLegz

$10 EmmaJean's Gift Certificate OR Mother's Pendant (you choose)

OH Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

Prize Package #2

Custom LadyBeez Designs BeezSet (Onesie/Shirt with Matching BeezLegz)

Oh Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

Prize Package #3

LadyBeez Designs Upcycled Sweater Mittens (you pick your colors)

Oh Shoot LOVE or FAMILY E-file

Keep checking back all month to watch these prize packages GROW!

How are they gonna do that?

Have something you'd like to donate?

Shoot me an email!

Isn't this fun?!?!

Saturday SNEAKS: from the depths of our basement

2011-09-03T17:55:00.001-05:00

This has been in our basement for over 4 years.

We decided to make this Labor Day Weekend a Weekend of Labor.

Hope to have a Refurbished Reveal for you later this week....

for now, Randizzle is out in our garage.....ahhhh I Love Saying "Our Garage".....sanding it down...

and I'm in the house with the kiddos trying to explain what all the noise is.

DON"T FORGET ABOUT SEPTEMBER'S GIVEAWAY!!!

click the pic on the right hand sidebar for details

Sponsor: Mindy of EmmaJean's Boutique

2011-09-02T12:14:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things about blogging is meeting fellow crafty folk...but it's very rare that I get to meet them in person.

That's EXACTLY what happened though with Mindy. (I suppose it helped that we live in the same city)

This past Spring, Mindy had VERY exciting news to share with me: Her mother and her were opening a storefront Downtown Oshkosh....not only did they ask LadyBeez Designs to consign with them....it meant we got to MEET IN PERSON!

These ladies are just my kind of people!

Crafty and a little bit Crazy :)

Mindy has graciously offered to be a part of

If you win the prize package with EmmaJean's Boutique in it,

You'll have your choice of one of Mindy's Handstamped Mother's Pendants...

Like the one she made me:

or a $10 gift certificate to EmmaJean's Boutique (for the locals)

AND if you live near Oshkosh, WI....go check out EmmaJean's: 223 N. Main St!

They have handmade items for ALL kinds of people: children's clothing, home decor, toys, accessories, jewlery, bath & body goodies and SO MUCH MORE!

Remember how to enter?

Every comment you post on ANY post this WHOLE month will enter you to win one of the 3 prize packages:

Prize Package #1:

Your Choice of LadyBeez Designs BeezLegz

$10 EmmaJean's Gift Certificate OR Mother's Pendant (you choose)

Prize Package #2

Custom LadyBeez Designs BeezSet (Onesie/Shirt with Matching BeezLegz)

Prize Package #3

LadyBeez Designs Upcycled Sweater Mittens (you pick your colors)

Keep checking back all month to watch these prize packages GROW!

How are they gonna do that?

Have something you'd like to donate?

Shoot me an email!

BEST MONTH EVER Giveaway Announcement

2011-09-01T08:44:00.001-05:00

the CRISP Fall Air

Apples Ripe for the Picking

New School Year

New Shoes

New Clothes

The Leaves are starting to Change

Cool Nights

T-Shirt and Jeans kinda Weather

Autumn

Sapphires

Apple Pie

Mums

Cashton's 1st Birthday!

.......

Oh, and It's MY BIRTHDAY MONTH TOO!

How did I almost forget that?

hehehe

Why do you think it's the BEST month of the year? LOL!

HOPE YOU HAVE A SUPER SEPTEMBER!

I have BIG things in store for you!

Oh, what the hay....I'll start today.

ALL MONTH LONG,

you will qualify for 3 FABULOUS BIRTHDAY MONTH prizes!!!!

For every comment you leave me..

THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE MONTH,

on ANY and EVERY post,

you will be entered to WIN!

What are the prizes?

HAHA!

I don't know yet.

That's where you help too!

You didn't think this was gonna be free, did ya?

I CAN tell you that EACH prize package will have an item from LadyBeez Designs,

but I'd love to make them even BIGGER AND BETTER with your help!

Wanna sponsor this CRAZY GIVEAWAY?

Contact me:

bjmama.4whatitsworth@gmail.com

We'll talk details!

It's a MICKEY MOUSE Birthday!

2011-08-29T12:44:00.004-05:00

Don't let this fool you.....she's only shy when she's finally captured the attention of everyone in the room.

This was Sam's reaction to her "Happy Birthday" Song.

We had a party inspired by her LOVE for Mickey Mouse!

I already know you're gonna ask, so I must take a moment to thank the women who assisted me in these cupcakes:

Kathie for the idea

Amanda for the base butter cream frosting recipe

and Betty for her marvelous box cakes!

Where I come from....SEMI-homemade is best!

Oreos, Half dipped in Red Melting Chocolate, with Dark Melting choclate circles for ears...and white choclate pipetted buttons! Simple as that...just a wee bit time consuming ;)

The cupcakes were a hit....but I'm pretty sure they were out shined by:

THE BOUNCY HOUSE

and the

PINATA!

HOPE YOU HAD A SUPER CHEERS MICKEY PARTY!

Happy 4th Birthday!

(this is her last birthday post I promise)

until next year, at least

Antique Archaeology 101

2011-08-26T07:22:00.003-05:00

Have you seen "American Pickers" on the History Channel?

It's like Hoarders meets Pawn Stars for the History junkie!

I LOVE IT!

This past weekend our family went camping down in Illinois and we were a stone's throw across the Mississippi River from THE American Pickers home base!

Now, I wouldn't have even known this if it weren't for my brother...

who not only is an American Pickers Fan,

but also happens to share my passion for

LETTERBOXING...

And we hit a Jackpot HERE!

So, if you're ever near Le Claire, Iowa...

I definitely recommend finding this little shop

They have so much cool stuff to see...

I'd love to be more descriptive, but how do you categorize it besides

STUFF?!?!

REALLY cool OLD stuff.

We even saw the truck they drive around in finding their "picks"

Unfortunately Mike & Frank weren't at the shop that day (which was sad, these two guys CRACK.ME.UP.)...but Danielle was! And I don't care what my brother says. She was there the day we went. Greeted us with a Big ~~bEAR hUG~~ Friendly Smile and said ~~she wanted to be my best friend~~ Hello.

No, I don't have a picture.

You'll just have to trust me.

And now, when we watch the show...it makes us feel extra special cause we've been there!

dorks.

we know.

1st First Day of School 2011

2011-08-25T10:22:00.001-05:00

NEW SHOES and ALL!

This seems so "Old School" already. Last year was Samantha's real first day of school, as she started in the Early Childhood Program. Back then she was 3 years and two weeks old. She was just as excited then as she was today. We have very mixed feelings about how beneficial last years' school year really was....

Today she started school at the school I went to when I was a little girl. Kinda strange...and kinda hilarious all at the same time. A lot of the parents of the children in her class were very familiar faces (alumni of the very same school) We had a few reunions! LOL!

Sam will still continue in the Early Childhood Program this year as well, but public school don't start until next week...so we'll have a "2nd First Day of School" TOO! :)

So happy she's so ready.

So Excited!

SO BIG!

At 4 years and 1 week old...she's starting 3K

She's FOUR!

2011-08-17T05:12:00.000-05:00

She's Colorful!

She's Sneaky!

She's Curious!

She's a Model!

She LAUGHS!

and LAUGHS!

She's Picture Perfect!

She (Pretends) to be Shy Sometimes.

SHE'S FOUR!

Our Sweet Samantha turns 4 today!

If you think that went fast...you're preachin' to the choir!

There's so much that I could say today about this girl. Sweet is a word that comes very quickly to mind when I think of how to describe our little beauty. Sam never meets a person she does not want as her friend. She walks straight up to every child and says, "What's YOUR name?". Hugs and kisses come very easily to those she loves. In fact just yesterday while we were getting ready, she stood outside my bathroom door and said, "I need a Mama-Hug." Seriously. melt. my. heart.

You might find it odd that I'm referencing words/phrases that she is using, but speech has come slowly to Samantha, so this is something that is a source of pride for us. She has never had trouble expressing herself with actions, but now the words are coming along as well. Everyday she surprises us with something new!

Samantha Brynn,

It brings us so much joy to watch you grow and learn new things! I pray you always keep the song in your heart and continue to let the wonderful light you bring to our world shine on everyone you meet. God sent us our very own angel 4 years ago, and we thank Him everyday for you!

LOVE LOVE LOVE you to PIECES!

Sam's B-day Week Day 2: GLEE-Shirt II

2011-08-16T13:53:00.001-05:00

Day 2 of ALL THINGS SAM for her Birthday Week is

ALL THINGS GLEE!

Yes, she is only (almost) 4.

I would be lying if I said we didn't let her watch the show. Honestly, the first season was so much fun and she was too young to understand much of anything but the singing and dancing....

The second season, however, got a little bit crazy...so thankfully, someone invented DVR!

Now she just gets to watch the parts we allow her to :)

THE SINGING and DANCING!!!!

I have NO idea why she gets so excited about this show...

it's not like her mother went to the opening night of the Glee 3D Concert Movie last Friday

and it's not like both of her parents drove down to Chicago to see the Concert Tour LIVE last May either...

Weird. Wonder where she picked it up?

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????

You may remember the First Glee Shirt I made her.

Well, she went a grew out of it! BOO!

It was so cute becasue she barely talked back then, and she would still ask to wear her Glee shirt ALL THE TIME :)

I decided to fancy it up a bit this time.

(notice I'm giving you the graphic? :) Note: I do NOT own Glee or anything related)

I made this little print to use as another iron-on. These are her favorite songs from the show.

Of course, with my track record with Iron-On Transfers, I totally botched the first attempt:

But if at first you don't succeed....

This time I ironed it on to Cotton, cut it out, and sewed it onto the previous attempt.

I LOVE the Yellow!

I can't WAIT until she opens this tomorrow!!! :)

Linkin' Up with

Sew Cute Tuesdays

Get Your Craft ON

Show and Tell with BCD

Sam's Birthday Quilt Square

2011-08-15T02:05:00.002-05:00

IT'S SAMANTHA'S BIRTHDAY WEEK!!!!

WOAH!

We almost have a FOUR YEAR OLD!

(be sure to visit My Photog blog for more photos of the Samantha throughout the week )

In celebration of the Birthday Girl....

I'm talking about Sam's FAVORITE things this week.

And when I say favorites...I'm talkin' OBSESSIONS.

I figured we'd start it out right with:

RAINBOWS

I might have jumped the gun last year when I made her a Rainbow cake...or perhaps I started this particular obsession (oops!) At any rate, since her 3rd birthday, Sam fell in LOVE with Rainbows.

You've seen her new Bedroom, right?

With the whole moving thing, I dropped the ball on making my Monthly Quilt Squares from the Count On It book

(you can see April here & May here)
I'm going to get back on track with those....
So...To Combine these two lovely trains ~~wreck~~ of thought...

I started with the Special Birthday Quilt Square for Sam:
it was fairly easy choosing a color scheme....

MY favorite part is the decorative stitch I used around the frosting....makes it look fluffy and yummy!

Make a WISH, Sweet Samantha!

YOU'RE ALMOST FOUR!

...................................................

Linkin' Up with:

Makin' the World Cuter Mondays

CraftOManiac Monday

MODe(e)rn Boy's Room

2011-08-08T01:57:00.002-05:00

The Big Reveal is HERE!

I know you've all been very patient with me. I promise I wasn't trying to hype it up anymore than it needed to be....ok, maybe I was juuuust a little :)

One corner of the room has an inverted corner in it.

This is one of the two places that receive my Stripe Treatment.

It is also where his name is displayed.

Following the room back around to the left is his crib.
With the Deer Painting positioned just above.

continuing on...
The other portion of the wall that received some Stripe love:

(if you keep on going to the left you are back at the door)

One more glance at that Antlered Beauty...I mean Beau

and the wide view from the door:
you can see the curtains from here

(the room also has a part off to the right of the window where his dresser and closet are located...but right now that part is kind of boring. When I add more to it, I'll be sure to share it)

Remember where we started:

and

The MODe(e)rn Boy's Room

I would like to thank Sharyn Sowell for her inspirational fabric! This all started with you! :)

........................................

Linkin' Up with:

CraftOManiac Monday

Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphisis Monday

Making the World Cuter

Homemaker on a Dime's Creative Blogger monday

Keeping It Simple's Motivate Me Monday

Made By You Mondays at Skip to my Lou

Cashton's First Haircut

2011-08-07T07:13:00.004-05:00

BEFORE:

Look at those TEETH growin' in!

Randizzle has been begging me for WEEKS to get Cashton's haricut....I finally gave in. He had a lot of growth coming up over his ears, and since he never lost any of the hair on top of his head from the day he was born...I figured it was time.

He was such a BIG boy in the chair.

(It helped that they had a little wheel with a horn to honk)

Seriously.

CAN.

NOT.

GET.

OVER.

HOW.

OLD.

IT.

MAKES.

HIM.

LOOK.

Are you ready for this?

Neither am I!

AFTER:

Now he's even BLONDER!

(She cut off all the dark stuff)

and I didn't think he could get any cuter!

Do you remember when your kiddos got the "1st Haircut"?

Did you cry?

(I didn't cry.....on the outside, at least)

MODe(e)rn Room: DIY Projector for a Mural

2011-08-05T07:35:00.001-05:00

The second part of painting Cashton's room began with the idea of painting a Deer Head silouette on the wall. Although I normally wing my mural painting projects, I wanted this to look perfect.

Problem: I don't own a projector, and I'm too ~~cheap~~ frugal to rent one

So, I thought I'd try making one with what I had around the house.

I printed off the image I wanted right from Google images. I grabbed a Ziploc baggie.

After I enlarged the image a bit, I traced it with a black Sharpie.

Look, a HOMEMADE Transparency!

Here's where the DIY becomes more of a DI-with a helper....I stood with the flashlight and baggie, and my mom traced it out on the wall.

1. You need the room to be VERY DARK.

2. You have to have a steady hand(s)

3. Tip: hold the light away and down from the image.

4. Be willing to wing it a little if you have two little monsters clawing at your ankles while you are doing this project as your traced picture will NOT be perfect.

I was okay with what we got...I really just wanted the general shape/size

Ever wonder what I do when I get home from the night shift...instead of sleeping?

See below.

I'm very happy with the outcome

It's the Piece de Resistance!

complementing the Curtains & the Stripes...

Make SURE you come back on MONDAY for the FULL

MODe(e)rn Bedroom REVAL!

.........................................

Linkin' Up with:

KojoDesigns' Friday Fun Finds

The Shabby Nest's Frugal Friday

Simply Designing's Simply Link

MODe(e)rn Room: Stripes on the Wall

2011-08-04T08:28:00.001-05:00

Tuesday I introduced you to my fabric inspiration when I showed you how I made Cash's curtains.

These two beauties were the start of what I like to call Cashton's

MODe(e)rn Bedroom.

Get It?

"Modern" & "Deer"

I'm a dork.

Does it help to tell you I came up with that at 4am one morning? No? oh.

Anyway, first things first when it comes to a room makeover:

PAINT!

Here is what Cash's room looked like a month ago when we moved in:

obviously lavender & yellow was not going to cut it...

Taking my cue from the "Into the Woods" fabric:

Light Blue & Dark Brown.

The whole room got a (couple) coats of Blue as the base.

Then it was time to try out this "Stripe Painting Method"

1.Paint the base coat.

2. Tape off your stripes with painter's tape

3. Paint your accent color

4. Remove tape before it completely dries

I did this on two separate places in this room: one on the corner that juts out and one on the slant.

If BJ Mama had been watching the DIY Network, she would have known to paint her base color over the painter's tape to seal the edges before she painted the accent color. This would have given her cleaner lines.

In fact I DO watch the DIY Network , thankyouverymuch, but you did not air this little tip until the day AFTER I painted. :P

So, I will be touching these stripes up for the next few months ;) Good thing for me, when you are atanding from a distance, it doesn't look too bad.

Just one MORE post Before the FULL MODe(e)rn Bedroom REVEAL!

...................................

Linkin' Up with Fireflies & Jellybeans Show Off

Somewhat Simple's Strut Your Stuff

NighOwl Crafting's Hoo's Got Talent?

The Shabby Creek Cottage's Transformation Thursday

Simple Curtains: A Tutorial

2011-08-02T04:41:00.001-05:00

I've been told I have a slight fabric fetish...

it's a sickness I'm not quite ready to part with though.

About 4 months ago, it happened again. I saw some fabric that inspired a whole room!

"Into the Woods" by Sharyn Sowell

It's modern, it's masculine, it's adorable, and the deer motif I knew would put a smile on Randy's face...so obviously, PERFECT for Cashton's room!

I wanted something simple for his curtains. Simple, meaning no ruffles or bows or "cutesy" frills.

He's a little man after all!

And I thought I'd share how I made them...

1. First things first: You have to measure your window. I swear...there are 10 different sized windows in our new house! Measure yours and add 2 inches on the width. This is going to give you a "Straight Look" no folds. For your length: eyeball it. I know, "what kind of jabber-walkie tutorial is this"?

But, it really depends on the fabric you use.

Mine for instance the top fabric (stripes) measures 1 1/2yds.

Bottom Fabric (deer) 20 inches.

11. Repeat the "Fold 1/2", Iron, Fold 1/2" again, Iron, and Sew" as seen above to the bottom edge of the curtain to finish it off.

15. Hang that Curtain Up! You DID IT!

Turns out, I'm going to be adding to this little tutorial...I thought with the "shade" and the curtain, the room would darken a lot more than it did....PART II will be making this curtain "Room Darkening"
Who's excited?
No?....

Well if that doesn't get you excited...here's a sneak peek of the rest of his room...

MORE TO COME SOON!

..............................................................

Linkin' up with:

Today's Creative Blog's Get your Craft On

Creative Itch's Sew Cute Tuesday

Ginger Snap Craft's WOW me Wednesday

July Mantle

2011-07-28T03:09:00.000-05:00

I know July is almost over...BUT

It's the first time I've ever even had a mantle...much less been able to decorate one!

I couldn't resist displaying some PATRIOTIC and LOVED pictures to start off my Mantle Decorating Days!

To Celebrate our Anniversary (which was on the 4th), the main focal point is our 16x20 wedding "MONEY SHOT" Wedding Sparkler photo. This picture, by the way, was HUGE in our old house. Now it looks so small, :)
The small picture on the right is an old picture of my grandma and grandpa. My grandma passed away on the 1st of this month at the tender age of 96.
The white horse was in her room over the past few years...she LOVED white horses. Believed in their luck. Everytime we passed one she said a little ditty: "Lucky, lucky white horse...Lucky, lucky lee...Bring good luck to Little Old Me!"
Other assorted Americana decor I have gathered up over the years. In fact, I believe both of those pieces were purchased AFTER the 4th at Hobby Lobby at 80% off! LOVE THAT PLACE!

Showing Off My Stuff with Fireflies & Jellybeans today!

Our Household Family Binder

2011-07-25T08:31:00.000-05:00

It's time to get this NEW House in ORDER!

Over the past few months, I've heard a lot of "How do you do all you do?" "Where do you find the time?" "I could NEVER do everything you do!" And while I know these are all meant as compliments...they make me feel very guilty.

Truth is: I don't.

I show you all the FUN things I make time for in our lives. The projects, the blogs, the playtime,.....you don't see the mess behind it all. Frankly it drives me nutso some days. While all of you busy bee mommies (and daddies) are keeping a clean/organized household....ours sometimes is chaotic! Dirty clothes/dirty floors/dirty dishes pile up.....and on and on.

While linking up to a craft linky party last week....I stumbled upon my EXACT opposite: Jen. First impression, we could be very similar: She's a creative mom that loves bright colors and crafting and home decor....but it comes to an ABRUPT HALT there. Her blog is called I heart Organizing. LOL! Mine should be called "I heart someone else to come and clean and organize FOR me"

Well, she inspired me. (I know, Kim....you inspire me too ;) I need to get my life in order. Our house in order. I NEED TO! And there's no better time than the present right? I mean, I want this new house to be a FRESH start for our family. So let's keep it FRESH!

Jen did a challenge back in March to create a Family Binder.
OH HOW I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN!!
(Because back then she was a DOLL and gave everyone FREE printables to create their own right along with her)
Not that she's not a DOLL now.....just that FREE is always better ;)
Now you can purchase her templates from her Etsy shop though.

Of course, I'm El Cheapo (or would that be La Cheapa?) And made up my own sheets based off of her ideas...hope you don't mind Jen! :) I would say if you are in the market for these types of organizing templates and you don't want to make up your own...you won't find them any cuter than hers!

But here is what I have so far:

I'm going to LOVE having all our important contact info all in one place!

...and in ADDITION to Jen's Home Maintenance List, I made a whole YEAR checklist! (That might be the Med Tech in me seeping out a bit)

Another Amazing resource I used was the Free Calendar Pages I printed from AnythingButPerfect

Of course, Randy is SUPER skeptical that I might actually stick to this. (I do think he may be right)
But today is a NEW day! Anything is Possible, right? Pray for me. :)

.....and then I can tackle all of Jen's OTHER PROJECTS!

Master Bedroom Lamps

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For the past...oh, I'd say 2 years, my darling husband has been requesting a lamp for his side of the bed.

I found this great deal on a lamp 2 years ago...

A lamp.

Apparently, it's hard for a married couple to share one lamp.

Who knew?

When we moved into this new house and set up our bedroom, I turned to him and lovingly asked him if he'd like me to find a lamp for his side of the bed.

That reaction was priceless!

hehehehe.

So, on my Thrift store run I was able to pick up these two Glass/Brass Beauties:

Two of them for $7.00

Add to that one can of spray paint:

ahhhh...That's Better!

Pretty sweet, Huh?

He's Happy. I'm Happy.

.........................................

Linkin' Up with:

Paisley Passion's Thrilling Thursday

Saved by Love Creations' Thrifty Thursday

Happy Birthday Randizzle!

2011-07-20T11:29:00.000-05:00

STRONG

and SENSITIVE

SILLY

and SWEET

WE LOVE EVERY PART!

Hope you have a SUPER Birthday,

Daddy!

For What It's Worth...or Not.

Valentine, You COLOR my Heart Happy!

V-day PJs

More DIY Growth Chart Ideas

24 weeks

Do you Meal Plan??

Another visit from the Graphics Fairy

Make your Own Growth Chart

Shabby Apple GIVEAWAY! *CLOSED*

Christmas Part II

20 Weeks: Half Way There!

Someone wants to say HELLO...

Relishing in the Season....See you Next Year!

Sunday Photo Flashback

Easy Christmas Candy

Felt Food: FREE Breakfast Pattern & Tutorial

Little People Crayons

16 Weeks: Nausea Subsiding!

Reindeer Games

Felt Mistletoe Tutorial

Countdown to Christmas: A Book a Day

Sleigh Co. Family Sign

JOY-ous Christmas Decor

Monday...Funday....It's a WORK day!

30 Days of Thanksgiving

Grandma's Recipes: Pumpkin Bread

12 weeks: 1st Trimester in Review

WAIT!....We're Not Done Yet!

Grandma's Recipes: Drop White Sugar Cookies

Family Photo Shoot 2011

Happy Halloween

Vintage Chic Half Bath Reveal

The Orange Princess

Monday Morning Chat

Wall Stenciling: Half-Bath Sneak Peek

Pumpkin No. 79

The Purple Door Chronicles: Fall Wreath

WINNERS for the SEPTEMBER GIVEAWAYS!!!!

one more day.....

LAST DAY to ENTER!!!

Gallery Walk THIS Saturday

Danny, We Meet Again!...and a teeny Favor...

I'm 29....no, Really.

Double the Birthday, Double the FUN!

Flashback: Watch Cash Grow

Spotlight: BabyBeez Set

Happy 1st Birthday CASHTON!

Sponsor: Tizzy Dee on Etsy

Love to Our Grandparents!

Stampin' Apples

Sponsor: Fancy Hats by Becky

Sponsor: Oh Shoot Photography

Saturday SNEAKS: from the depths of our basement

Sponsor: Mindy of EmmaJean's Boutique

BEST MONTH EVER Giveaway Announcement

It's a MICKEY MOUSE Birthday!

Antique Archaeology 101

1st First Day of School 2011

She's FOUR!

Sam's B-day Week Day 2: GLEE-Shirt II

Sam's Birthday Quilt Square

MODe(e)rn Boy's Room

Cashton's First Haircut

MODe(e)rn Room: DIY Projector for a Mural

MODe(e)rn Room: Stripes on the Wall

Simple Curtains: A Tutorial

July Mantle

Our Household Family Binder

Master Bedroom Lamps

Happy Birthday Randizzle!

Shabby Apple GIVEAWAY! CLOSED