Crafting

I have been busy stalking Pintrest for Holiday craft ideas.

Then I head out to find the things I will need...

Finding other things along the way.

Like this Joy key...

 I used the printed burlap technique to make this cute frame using the Joy key.

Then I found a tutorial here to make these adorable Sock Snowmen.

 I found the socks at Target, buttons and a giant bag of rice (for the filler) at Walmart. I'm all about the cheap.

Twine and bells from Michael's and the nose I used kabob sticks, coloring the end with a orange sharpie I had from our trip to Disney.

The one thing I started, that is ending up costing me more then to just have bought it at Target...

It has been a nightmare trying to find large, medium, small and tiny balls all the same color. This has balls from nearly every store around me, and I still need more tiny balls...sigh.

I have two more crafts that I am planning on making...

Well I don't know...I guess I'll craft.

Well I don't know a lot of things.

I don't know why it's taken so long to post.

I don't know why I have cravings for sweets all.the.time when obviously I don't need them. (see: my belly in a dress)

I don't know why it has to be so stinkin' cold, I mean seriously, if I wanted to be a penguin or polar bear wouldn't I live in the arctic?

I don't know why there has to be so much suffering. I see it all the time: in the news, on blogs I follow, from friends.

I don't know why I can be so bored one day and then completely obsessed with some craft project the next.

I don't even know how to use all the setting on my sewing machine, but when I have a craft in my head it's got to come out.

More on that later.

I wanted to address timing.

See we've been praying for a job change for my husband for a while now, a long while. We've also had some rather little prayers about things that in our minds aren't as major as say the job thing, but prayers no less. These little prayers, they are the ones being answered. In these crazy little ways too.

Ways that make my brain hurt thinking about the hows or whys of it.

Rob and I saw a mini van years ago...we were not the mini van buying kind of people. Not.at.all.

Dodge decided to make a change to the body style. We rather liked what they did and thought well maybe if we were going to purchase a true family vehicle we could possibly see buying something like this. But that was years ago and we weren't in any shape for that kind of purchase for a long long time.

As time wore on and our Subaru aged, every time I would get in I would say a little prayer: Lord, please let this car continue to be good for our family. We can not afford something new, this is all we've got...

(We do have a Ford Ranger that was my husbands work vehicle, but it too has aged and having two vehicles that need repairs often is a great stress. )

Right before Christmas Rob came to me with an idea of how we would pay for a "new" vehicle. I was nervous, as I always am when it comes to money. The more I prayed about it the more I saw this as God's doing. Why hadn't we thought of this before? Why didn't we pursue this before?

Well, because it's about timing.

This job thing, I've got to put my hope in the timing. God is working to make room for Rob somewhere, somewhere that Rob's gifts and talent are going to flourish. I've seen enough of the business world to know that there are a lot of hardened hearts out there and God has his work cut out softening those hearts and opening doors for my husband to walk through.

I will never know how He works and why He chooses certain prayers to answer at certain times and how time works for Him...but I do know that God is good and He works all things for good.

Back to my craft projects, I read a few crafty blogs, they are so fun to look through. Then there are the projects that jump right off the page and get stuck in my head.

I must do that, must do it must do it must do it.

 Like this ruffle pillow.

Or this sweet satin flower. All the things you could decorate with this!

I'm giddy.

I must now go to the fabric store to get my supplies.

It's might be below zero outside, but I'm got some spring-y things blooming inside!

Boutique Mouse

'Twas the night before Christmas


       When all through the house


               Not a creature was stirring

                                                                   not even a mouse...

                                      Well, that looks to me to be a mouse, and he IS stirring!

                                    Just a cute little find at a craft boutique I wanted to share.

Tealight Delights

Jenni made me laugh this morning over at Conversations with my Hairdryer. She posted a cartoon. Check it out. I needed it.

When I am down, I craft. I've been crafting all weekend. Worrying about Stacey. She is spotting and will see the Doctor today. The Emergency room people would tell her nothing except see your doctor. G.R.E.A.T.

So I've been busy making stuff.

I made some really cute Snowman frames and I am planning a giveaway on thanksgiving.

Every year we host Christmas Eve. I love it! Everyone is welcome and I love seeing who'll show up. I also make sure I have gifties for those that pop in. Handy dandy tools for the guys and I take care of the girlie stuff. We also keep some Starbucks cards and gas cards on hand too.

Today I wanted to share the tea lights I did.

Let your light shine!

So easy, fun and inexpensive.

These will get to go home with our guests.
Now I have to share some of the silly finds that caught my eye at Walgreen's last night.

Mike and Ike fruit spray. Never heard of such a thing. But totally up my kiddos alley. So you remember the ring pops. I know you do. Well, I found Frozen lip pops.

Aren't these hilarious?

They will be great stocking stuffers.

Don't forget to share some of your finds too! I love hearing from you.

Win This!

I am getting close to my 1000th hit on my blog. I never thought I'd make it to 100! To celebrate, I am having a drawing to say thank you to all my blogging friends who brighten my days. It has been such a joy getting to know you and sharing. I have been in my stamp room all day creating a special something.

This cute little (5"x5") frame.

I will randomly draw a winner from everyone that comments on my posts through out the week. For every comment you leave I'll add another chance for you to win.

Good Luck.

Blacky & the Posies

I still can not get over my lucky Friday. I really didn't want to post today, nothing compares to shaking John McCain's hand. He might just be the next president!!! Ok, so our weekend was ok. It's not like having the Straight Talk Bus pull up in front of you or anything. FINE! I'll stop waxing...

We did a family thing and went to the apple orchard. (forgot the camera.) We go nearly every weekend...we love the apples and tractor rides. I also got crafty. I made Roo a cute little dog made out of gloves featured on Flipflops & applesauce. His name is Blacky.Roo named him. He really thought it was funny that I sewed Blacky's head on backwards. Oops. That's what happens when you've got two rugrats yappin' in your ear while you are trying to do something. Lucky for Blacky I'm a competent brain surgeon.

See all better...

He was so happy to have a new friend. Butter was not so happy. I am making her a sock monkey but I ran out of stuffing. And she would let me "operate" on one of her old shabby stuffed animals... But then the mail came and in it was our Pleated Poppy Posies.

Aren't they darling? I ordered two hair clips for Butter and a pin for myself.

Next up school pictures...this promises to be one of those weeks...Stay tuned I got some dewsies for ya.

Call Me Crazy & Spooky

I know, you can call me crazy, My friend Pollie does. Ok she never said crazy, she just said I'm making her look bad. She's my Stampin' Up demonstrator extraordinaire. And she has only just ordered out of the new holiday mini. (comes out to the rest of us Oct.1) I completed my Christmas cards. I'm a stamper/scrapper and I am a little obsessive. I got some beautiful designer series paper (Last years' model from Pollie's open house) , and had a stamp set to use and paper to complete the project sooooo... Now all I have to do is sit and wait for the perfect family picture to go in them and Dec. 12 to roll around...It's a sickness. I know. Yet can you believe I am a year and a half behind in my children's scrapbooks? Oh yes. But for arguments sake Scrap booking takes a whole lot more time, energy and creativity than I haven't had lately. I actually get depressed when I look at the bins full of pictures. Maybe that's why I like blogging so much.
Just to give myself a little break I did craft a small fall-ish item I used some left-over fall paper, stamped a few images added a ribbon. There you have it. Beautiful Fall all framed up.


Also I have to give a WAY TO GO! To my Nicky. He is doing so well with his potty training. twice now he has gone poopy in the potty with no help and no messes! (See 'Grossed out; blog)
because He has had NO accidents or messes he got to do his favorite thing on his new favorite thing. He got to paint a skeleton!!! OOOOOOOOOOOOO!



This is Fred McFee. The book we borrowed from our library. It's a book about Two children that win a skeleton in a carnival, they name him Fred McFee and hang him in their sycamore tree for Halloween. It's spooky fun. Roo liked it so much it's his story of choice every night. We were at the craft store and he saw the little skeleton guy. "Mommy, it's Fred!" So I bought Roo some paint and told him if he makes poopy in the potty he can paint Fred. Not only did he paint Fred. It's glow in the dark paint!
How cool is that? I know it's not the greatest picture but you try taking a picture of glow in the dark paint without a flash! It's tricky stuff.

I realize I've been heavy on the Roo stuff and light on Butter. She is busy with school and when she's not at school she's playing school. They are learning bus safety. Today she came right home collected all her horses and Roo's F.P. Little people Bus and was teaching her horses bus safety! I should have got a picture! I'll try later. But whenever I bring out the camera she likes to "pose". Have a great Tuesday.


Do you have a favorite Halloween book or story?


Let me know.

Table Lesson

I enjoy checking out other blogs. Flipflops and Applesauce has these wonderful ideas for crafts. I took one and did it with Butter and Roo. It is to show them how to correctly set the table.

This is the template we used. To help them remember where things go I made up a story about Princess Forkina, who was kept from her prince, Spoons by the wicked Sir Knifemen and a swamp filled with angry crocodiles.

They waited patiently for me to tell the story. Asking through out the afternoon. After I told the story I gave each of them the chance to tell the story using the "puppets" and template. Then I had them make their own "kingdom."

They were both so excited to tell Daddy the story of Princess Forkina and Prince Spoons. And would you believe they fought over WHO got to set the table? We tried to tell them we didn't need knifes and spoons tonight but they wouldn't hear of it. That wasn't how the story goes!

I love Roo's kingdom. His faces are so cute, look at the little crown on the spoon, and the swamp is spot on! There is even a green crocadile in the center.

Cute Purse.

Here is my finished purse. How adorable. My friend Pollie is so talented.
I used it as a scrapbook for our family vacation to Two Harbors.

These are the sweet little "notes" that are tucked into the little pockets of the purse.

This is also one of my projects. I covered some craft letters to make a cute little name for a small shelf in the living room. I have also made a few more frames. I will be set to order more paper now!

Made with Love.

I have been trying to spend some time crafting. It isn't always easy to find a peaceful moment. But I just wanted to share some of the things I've done lately.

It is nearly time for a new catalog to come out. And just before that happens things "retire". There is this feeling of mad dash to stock pile favorite colors that retire. I have a rule that if I order decorative paper I must use it up before buying the next "ooh gotta have that paper."

So most of what I've been making is using the Afternoon Tea paper set. It's so pretty, it reminds me of those delicate hankies Granny's used to carry up there sleeves. My talented friend Pollie gave a class using that paper to make a cute scrapbook in the shape of a purse. Pockets and all!

It was fun to make and as soon as I got home I started adding pictures. I'll show you my finished product tomorrow.

Uncommon

For some reason this week seems to be dragging on. Maybe it's me or the heat or the house being closed up. Whatever it is I've been stressed and frustrated. The kids are MONKEYS! climbing and running and jumping all over the place. When all I feel like is curling up in a ball and having quiet. I have been stressed about my CT scan. The lesion on my liver is gone. Which makes my mind race, "Where did it go?" "Was there really one there in the first place?" Oh well I should be happy right? I am for that. But it also showed I have a kidney stone. Oh Great! After talking to my dear friend Pollie, I am feeling better about that too. So now I'm on a quest to drink 64 oz of water a day. (Plus the glasses of tea, coffee and milk I have with meals)

I have been reading Susie Larson's Uncommon Woman. I thought the very beginning of it was so great so I made a frame to remind myself just how: Remarkable, Extraordinary, Exceptional, Unearthly, Singular, Significant, Special, Minding-blowing...Uncommon I AM. (and you are too!)