Saturday, May 31, 2008

Marshmallows

So, lots of stuff happening here, unfortunately absolutely non of it is fun crafty related. :) But! I wanted to share this marshmallow recipe. I absolutely fell in love with these and made small batches of them to take around to friends and neighbors at Christmas time. What does this have to do with the heat of the summer you ask? Well, tonight we had some completely adorable friends over, all of their kids are the exact same age as ours and it was so much fun! We were talking and somehow the marshmallows came up. She laughed and teased a bit about making marshmallows ... so I told her that she WOULD be getting some homemade marshmallows, that her life would never truly be complete without them. We all joked a bit and they left just a bit ago ... now guess what is on my stove cooking this moment as we speak? Yep, those yummy-licious marshmallows are going to go so well in a nice cup of hot cocoa, with 100+ degree weather outside to help her feel all nice & toasty inside. LOL.

Friday, May 30, 2008

The Service Auction

So, last night I won a jar of brownies in a jar and the best part was also I won a bid on a free band-saw lesson! :) I am so excited, and after seeing these beautiful flowers, I know what I would LOVE to make for my daughter's room. Maybe in scrapbook paper instead of fabric??? Seriously, no post EVER feels complete without some type of pictures ... so here is the before and after pictures of my new computer desk. My honey sanded & stained it for me (intending it to be the dining room table) ... but it came up just a bit short (about two feet shorter than our current table) and a lot more wobbly than we thought it would be. So, I needed a better computer desk (than the old card table we were given as a wedding gift). I love it and it makes me REALLY want to do more home projects ...

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Two more finished WIP's! :)

I finished sewing up the two quilt tops for Grandma to tie. I'm really lovin' the one made with the charm packs, the yellow monkey one is for her to give to someone else. I am going to make two more for myself for us to do together.
Tonight our church is having a women's social, with a service auction. I'm offering up my recipes in a cute little box like this one. I don't know if I'll have really accumulated enough points by then for anything (we get points for doing good things ... not a money based auction), but I hope so! :) Then, look at this little bit of creating by the kids ... they were so proud of their fort and the fact that it was big enough that even Mommy could climb inside. :)

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

It's so sad ...

But, I am just now finishing week 3 for the quilt-a-long. But hey! At least I'm only two weeks behind now! :) Then I am also finished with an old WIP ... the tutorial is from here for the bathmats. I have some super cute wallpaper that I got on clearance at Lowe's and can't wait to put it all together soon! :)

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Almost a Post a Day ...

I missed a couple, but hey! I did a lot more craft stuff then I usually do! :) This weekend, I made a point to sit and sew a bunch (photos tomorrow!) and also to work on some digi-scrappin' too! Here are a couple of the layouts I finished ... The one main goal for Monday was to go to Jo-Ann's and use a couple 40% off coupons was given for batting, my sweet husband even offered to check out in a seperate line for me so I could get all the batting I needed. So, hopefully some of those blankets can get done this week. My daughter Savannah is such a cutie. She keeps going up to her Hungry Caterpillar blanket, hugging it and telling me, "thank you mommy, thank you for making this for me!". Seriously that girl melts my heart sometimes. :)

Monday, May 26, 2008

Lots of Fun Goin' On! :)

So, I went to Jo-Ann's for their sale, but made sure to show up super early in the day and the lines were almost non-existent (compared to what I expected at least!) ... and it was going great ... except for the whole, forgot my wallet & had to spend 30 minutes driving back home, getting it and going back thing. LOL. I picked up the flannel for the backings on the blankets and the fabric for the second blanket to be tied by Grandma. It's a Debbie Mumm love her designs!) and I don't know about your children, but I definitely think mine are all little monkeys sometimes. :)
Here are some more close-ups of the quilt top, seriously love this blanket! :)
My friend and I were talking about Memorial Day Weekend vacations, and she coined this weekend perfectly, a stay-cation! LOL. The kids have been "camping" in a tent ... and Daddy was named the official camp chef. Seriously, who knew so many things could be deep-fried??? He made these yummy versions of smore's for the kids (again deep-fried), I will have to take pictures of next time ... the kids loved them! :) And now here is the pile of WIP blankets ... time to get to work today! Happy Memorial Day and thank you to all the men & women who serve us all so we can enjoy our freedom.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Been there. Done that.

Seriously, in Vegas the weather is so nasty this time of year. Usually we have 100+ degree weather and we have had 108 as a high already. Then, the last couple of days, the wind has rolled into the valley and the clouds are here and high 60's-low 70's weather is here! Hip-hip-hooray!!! So glad to have this brief break from the hot summer nasty weather! :) We had been planning on going out of town, but with gas skyrocketing like it has, the gas bill for the last month, combined with gas for an out of town weekend would have been too much for us. So instead, the plan is camping in the house and roasting marshmallows and having fun! :)
I finished the quilt top for the around the world baby blanket, but it ended up being too complicated looking compared to my Grandma's usual style. Each of us kids has a baby blanket from her ... mine is on the bottom, Hunter got Winnie the Pooh, Savannah got the cute purple/pink teddy bears and Colton got the alphabet blanket. Each one is just a straight yard and a half of fabric, flannel backing and tied. And I realized, it's time to stick with Grandma's original plan and make the blankets look like something she would and did make.
So, I am going to Jo-Ann's for some Debbie Mum fabric that's on sale and going to throw together her quilt tops this weekend ... and make them just like Grandma likes them. Her mental health hasn't been the greatest and I really just want to make sure we celebrate her and have each of our "future" kids with this special gift from their great-grandma. But that leaves the question of who to give this animal quilt to? I love it soooooo much and don't want to just "give it" to someone that isn't ultra special. ;)

Friday, May 23, 2008

Must have been a mistake ...

Seriously. I mean, that chocolate strawberry jam I was making was so nasty. Tar like gross. Makes me want to vomit just thinking about it. Yuck. I don't know what I did wrong, but whatever it was a colossal mistake and a mistake that took up every free moment of an ENTIRE day. But then, my friend Megan pointed out freezer jam. Freezer jam? I had never even heard of it, but that stuff is seriously soooooo delicious!!! Yum! I made a triple batch (in less than an hour!) with the last good sale on strawberries for the season. That triple batch made 11 jars of the jam. I'm just itching to try another type of freezer jam as soon as another good fruit is in season ... they suggested cherries on the instruction sheet. YUM!!! (Here's a side by side view of the freezer jam --light and delicious-- and the tar-like mistake ...)

Then look at this sweetness that was dropped off the other day, such a nice thank-you! :)

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Thank-you!!!

Seriously, Suze & Lisa, you guys rock! Who knew there was a turning tool or a trick of the trade?!? Probably everyone else, but I am seriously soooooo new at this whole process! I've been eagerly awaiting a payday so that I can go pick up the turning tool for the stuff and gotta try that sewing trick too! :) Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you! :)
I finished the second grocery bag ... but I have a major limitation on my sewing room. Mainly, that I don't have one. LOL. So, every time I want to sew, I have to completely haul everything out, set up on the kitchen table and get going (and then pack it back most nights as well). But, I can't iron during the day, since the kids are always running back and forth past the ironing section (aka - the kitchen). So, I make a lot progress on a lot of projects. And then I have to stop for the day until I can safely plug in the iron ... LOL. So, here's some WIP's ...

Sunday, May 18, 2008

1 of 6

Well, I've gotten the sides sewn up, and the handles too. Now, for the most annoying thing I have ever done, turning the fabric right side out on each handle ... why did I think this would be faster than just ironing in the sides a little?!? Oh well, at least by the end of tonight they should all be sewn up! :) I love these!!!

Saturday, May 17, 2008

It's 10:40 pm

So this still counts as a post for Saturday, right? Right? ;) I'm trying to keep up with this whole post a day thing, on the plus side ... it's really motivating me to finish a few WIP's! Like this one ... I've been making those adorable Martha Stewart tea towels (that I found on clearance!) into re-usable grocery bags. I know I could just buy them and it'd be cheaper, but where's the cute-craftiness in that?!?

Friday, May 16, 2008

Finished Project!

Seriously, I have been wondering if I would ever have anything really to put on this craft blog that I have made! But, I finished up a recipe box. It's a going away gift for a dear friend of ours that is moving up to Salt Lake and today's her last day at work. She was one of Ryan's employees and I seriously just adore that girl. It's been four years (holy cow!) since we first met her and she's just an awesome, awesome friend and I am going to miss her being around! So, I finished up some of those recipe cards and printed up about 50 or so and used mod podge on the tin. It's not quite as cute as I wanted ... I went a little overboard on the mod podge (first time user here!), and the cute chipboard letters I bought WOULD. NOT. STICK. No matter what I tried. But I think it's still fun. I put mod podge around the actual paper to create a bit of a barrier against food and splatters and messes in the kitchen. Here are some of the recipe cards ...

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Post a Day in May #11

We're definitely creating over here ... just not creating in a sewing machine kind-of way. Lids to be used for preschool ... making bread (with my new bread machine!) ... making strawberry hand pies and trying out the chocolate strawberry jam. The kids are in heaven with all the baking (and taste testing) happening. Now, we're going to the local water park (yes it is already summer type heat happening over here) to have a picnic in the park with Daddy. Heaven! :)

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Post in Day #10

No real time for chattin' today ... I feel like the little rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, "I'm late! I'm late!" LOL. But I did have a fantastic Mother's Day! I got a bread maker and sweet cards from my two oldest ones ... melts my heart.
Has anyone seen this blog? I just discovered food blogs and yummy! Man, oh man ... I can't keep up with all the fun ideas & recipes I've been finding! Of course, the one that TRULY had to be made, as soon and quickly as possible is chocolate covered strawberry jam. Oh yum! I am not a huge jam fan, so I am chopping my strawberries up & puree-ing them, and of course this is my very first experience EVER with canning or making something like this. But chocolate with strawberries ... with my morning breakfast sounds like perfection to me!
And one more little piece of randomness for the day ... I am horrible at doing hair and have fallen in love with this blog. Seriously, check her out! This one is my new favorite, doesn't Savannah's hair look so sweet like that? I'm just dying for her hair to grow a little longer now for some of those sweet do's! :)

Monday, May 12, 2008

Post a Day in May #9

Late is better than never, right? Just wanted to point out this fabulous scrunchie flower garland over at allsorts! I love, love, love this and have been SLOWLY collecting fat quarters to make this for my daughter's room. She has such fantastic ideas! :)

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Post a Day in May #8

Happy Mother's Day! Hopefully we are all getting a little break today ... right? :) And I wanted to quickly post some photos of my babies (when they were brand new babies) ... ::sigh:: why is it the best part, that whole folded up into a ball perfection is only for a few short days/weeks and then as soon as I'm together enough to really enjoy it, it's already over? Anyways, I'm going to celebrate a fun day with my kiddo-s and enjoy a YUMMY dinner my hubs has promised! Hope you all have a great day too! :)

Friday, May 9, 2008

Post a Day in May #7

Is anyone else out there stressed over Mother's Day? Seriously? Anyone??? Maybe, just maybe I'm putting too much pressure on myself for something I *know* will not be saved and looked at for only a day or so and then thrown away. Maybe. But at least I have now finished up the Mother's Day gifts!!! They are so sweet! Of course they won't be getting into the mail until tomorrow at this rate, so I am making my husband call up his grandma's and telling them it's on the way ... so they don't think we forgot them.I used a quick fill set of pages from the shabby princess' site. Love the name badge kits! They weren't very much money and two pages fit on a single 4x6 card so it was very inexpensive. I picked up the vinyl name badge holders from Office Max for $4.59 for 12, so each one made 2 sets of gifts. Seriously, inexpensive and so sweet looking! Then I just tied some ribbon I have around to add a little funk. I love, love, love the shabby princess' designs. Seriously, her stuff is so great, the attention to detail and colors and quality are fabulous! No, unforunately I don't get anything for advertising for her like this ... I only wish I was good enough to join the ranks of her talented scrapbook team. But, you seriously should check out her stuff sometime, fabulous! Total it cost $25 for all five sets and I have enough left overs to make myself one ... which is what's on the plan for today. :)

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Post a Day In May #6

I may have mentioned this before, but I am seriously lovin' the fabric choices for this block-a-week program! And even though it might be insane to not finish all the other projects I have going on first, I've decided that I NEED to make a second quilt with this fabric. First off, I am lovin' the colors and reproduction fabric and second, I am sooooo cheap. Seriously, I don't spend money on fabric and there's enough from each fat quarter to make a second block and still get my little bag for my blanket (I think). So, it really cuts down the cost in my mind for this. I just need to go pick up some more white background fabric this weekend for it.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Post a Day in May #5

So I may have already mentioned this, but Mother's Day & Father's Day get kind of intense for me. Gift wise that is. I always want to come up with something original, fun and unique. But something that also fits within our budget and that will work for all five women (yes five ... no not in a polygamy kind of way ... but in a gotta give something to the grandma's and even one great-great grandma kind of way). So, last year I had this CRAZY idea to make tissue paper flower bouquets. Which doesn't sound too intense, until you realize that I decided to include my children in the idea and they got to pick the flowers and do all the work with me at a more supervisory/helping role.
So, each color choice on the flowers was just excruciating for them, trying to make sure they ALWAYS made a good color combo with not too many dark colors and not too many lights. Seriously, I started on them in early March and worked on them EVERY single day with Hunter while his sister was sleeping for quiet time. I barely got them in the mail in time for Mother's Day.
Anyways, I of course do NOT have a picture to be found of the 70 tissue paper flowers that I made (I'll have to remember to take a picture of them at my Grandma's house next time we're there ... she saved hers), but I did find a cute tutorial for you to try these yourselves!
Hopefully tomorrow I will have finished the Mother's Day gifts for this year and can show them to you! :)

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Post a Day in May #4

Okay, so this is hard coming up with something crafty for everyday! Especially, since yesterday I had 102+ fever and was sooooo sick. My sweet husband took the day off of work and took such great care of me. He finished all my laundry, swept, cleaned, vacuumed, seriously the works. Still not feeling very good today, but SO much better thanks to him. :)
So ... I wanted to share this cross-stitch (sorry for the funky photo ... I was trying to avoid the glare of the sun). Each baby has had one (I'll share Savannah's another day ... when I'm desperate for a posting, ha!), and poor baby #3 still isn't even close to finished (honestly it's barely even started). This one is my favorite, partially because it was the first cross-stitch I had ever really finished, and also because I genuinely just love the bear on the moon. Hunter loves that he has a special thing that Mommy made just for him when he was born. :) **Even though it did take me until he was 18 months old to finish it!**

Monday, May 5, 2008

Fantastic-y Goodness!

So, I know better than to sign up and commit myself for things. I tried desperately to do the photo a day last month & failed miserably. It didn't seem too difficult, but then I saw all the fantastic photos being produced & placed too much emphasis and pressure on myself to get "good shots". And as a result, I ended up not finishing it. So, when allsorts wanted others to sign up for the post a day during May I figured I could do it ... but NOT sign up for it and just see how it goes. :)

Today I HAD to share some fantastic-y goodness!!! My friend Mati gave me all of her Martha Stewart Kids Magazines!!! Can you believe it?!?!? Seriously I am soooo in love with these things! I keep looking through them over & over again the last couple of days. So amazing! :) Then, on the exact same day my other friend Megan came over for a bit and gave me this fun book! I love, love, love Christmas and can't wait to try out some of the ideas! :)

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Block One Finished!

Yesterday while I was out shopping with some friends, one of the gals commented that I seemed to really like retro-ish fabrics. I hadn't really thought about it at all, but then I started looking more and more at my choices in the past and now and I guess she is right. :) So, it hit me exactly what theme to use for the block-a-week with crazymomquilt's! I bought a bunch of reproduction-ish fabrics and made block #1! I have enough I could *technically* make two sets of each block and give the second blanket away as a gift (already pre-thinking for Christmas) ... but then of course my husband looks around at all the other un-finished projects and reminds me to take it easy & not over-commit myself. LOL. :) I love the little tiny cowboys on this fabric, so sweet! :)

Saturday, May 3, 2008

How does that saying go?

When the Daddy's away, the mice will play ... is that how it goes? Definitely true, with Ryan gone for the night, it means a very late night of being freaked out by every little noise & lots and lots of sewing time! And man, it felt sooooo good to sit down and actually make something again!!! It's been way too long with no creative juices flowing or anything productive getting done! But, I had to at least finish up the quilt block for this month's block a month program at a local quilt store.... and I also finished (finally) the quilt top for Grandma to tie ... there's lots of other things that are almost finished too now, but not quite ready for showing. :)
Then I bought some fun, new fabric today! I needed some fabric for the block a week over by Amanda Jean & I really, really like the colors I picked up for it. I am planning on making a cute matching bag to hold the blanket in (just like she did) and making this our official picnic blanket. I also got that cute lightning bug fabric on clearance (for $5 a yard)! Planning on a baby sling for that. And then, this is quite the departure (color-wise) for me ... but I really, really LOVE Eric Carle stories and this fabric was so fantastic and even better IRL. Jeanette (a gal I went with) had a fantastic little strip sewing quilt out of that and I am so excited to make this for my daughter. Mati suggested the idea of buying a couple of panels and giving these as baby gifts ... maybe that's a good idea for one or two?