A budding artist

This year for Christmas, Jonathan really surprised me with a gift from Katelynn.

I LOVE crafting and making things and I love having someone to do them with now too.

He bought a mug that you can paint and draw on and then bake it.

I was pretty excited to do it...but wanted to wait...so I put it in a drawer and when I was packing things for vacation I found it..I was pretty excited to be able to do it.

Katelynn was pretty happy about it too.

 Mommy drew some pictures on it first then I gave her the paint an the brush and let her go to town.

As you can see I painted a little bit first to show her how it needed to be done.

 Concentrating hard on getting paint on her brush.

 Pretty excited to paint mommy's gift

 Getting quite colorful

 Learned to hold the brush pretty well for a 1 1/2  year old

 Finished product...Mommy was quite happy.

 Messy artist hands

 Enjoying a tasty Zebra cake as a treat after lunch

 Good till the last bite

 Having a little girl has been the BEST thing that has ever happened to me.  I have loved every minute of it!!!  When I was a working mom...I had so many dreams and wishes that I wanted to do..but just not enough hours in my days to do it all.  I became so overwhelmed and really started to HATE who I was becoming as a mom.  I was an anxious ball of nerves and would burst at every upset.  I had began praying long before Katelynn was born that MAYBE...just Maybe I could become a stay at home mom.  It was with a hopeful heart I listened to Jonathan as he told me I would probably be able to quit work in Oct 2010.  Even up to the month of Oct...I was so excited but part of me KNEW something bad was going to happen and I would not be able to quit.  Well the time came...and I was able to quit.  And somehow something in me began to relax.  I don't like to think of myself as a controlling person...BUT when it comes to my own life and family...I want to at least feel I can somewhat "Control" what is happening .  And with working...I felt TOTALLY lost.  My HEART GOES OUT..to mommy's who WISH beyond anything that they could  stay home.  I know that feeling!!!!   I pray for different mom's that I know that wish they could have the stay at home life.
God has been so good to us...in supplying our wants and our desires...and I am looking even more forward to the fact...that by the end of Summer 2011 with the exception of our house...we will be DEBT FREE!!!  God has helped us and is still helping us!



1st Modge Podge craft

Got my floral foam FINALLY!!!  Those crazy things are more expensive than what I thought they would be. But thanks to 50% off at JO-Ann's I was able to get this for a little over $3

My 2nd floral arrangement I have done.  I am beginning to like doing this!  Still have a long way to go...to being good at it...but I do enjoy it.

And here it is...I think the colors are a bit bright..so I mght have to add a few things to the center arrangement so that it flows well.  Not really sure.  I will keep staring at it...and maybe it will hit me...what I need to do.

Another arrangement that needed a MAKEOVER!

Since I am getting rid of the Apples in my kitchen.  This sign needed to go...BUT I kind of liked it..at least the fact that it was a sign and it was destressed looking.  And a new sign this size would cost roughly $10. I could do that...but I have been seeing SO MANY makeover projects I decided to try one out myself.



After going through alot of scrapbook paper, I finally decided on a design that I felt would look nice in my kitchen. Got out my new bottle of Modge Podge (that I had on hand for another project...still waiting to be done..waiting on some stencils)  I have to say I was pretty excited to do this!

1. I placed the scrap paper on the sign and creased it on the edges where it hung over....then took a box cutter and sliced off the excess. 

2. then took my sponge brush and layered on the Modge Podge. Placed paper on top. Then smeared more modge podge on.

3. Then quckly before it dried I placed my center piece of SOLID scrap paper (that I had previously printed with a scripture and then measured and cut to fit) on top and smeared more Modge Podge on with my trusty sponge brush.

4. I repeated smearing more Modge Podge on every 15 min . About 4 times.

I learned not to do it to thick...and not to let it pool up making several white lines...that I had to peel off carefully with a knife.

5. After it was all dry...about 30 min after the last layer was put on...I took a coarse nail file and rubbed it over the top and the side....so it gave it a rugged look. 

6. Lastly took a lightly damp cloth and wiped it over the entire sign...then a dry one to dry it all.

And after about 3 hrs...here it is!

The one thing I don't like is when My kitchen light is on and if your standing directly accross from the sign..you can not read it due to the glare off the Modge Podge.

 Other than a few bubbles in it...I think it turned out ok..for my 1st Modge Podge project.



All in a winters day

SPACE SAVER BAGS

I have HUGE like for them.  I say LIKE and not LOVE due to there are some issues with them.

In this SMALL bag  there are: (Katelynn's clothes)

2   socks

13 skirts

4 dresses

1 Halloween costume

FROM this Extra- Large bag:

1 twin size thermal blanket

2 large throws

4 baby blankets.

 TO THIS:

 Issues with the bag is it doesn't always keep it's seal well.  But if you get it into the area you want it and don't yank the bag around to much, and make sure your really get the zip lock bag locked well!

But It has saved me a ton of room with having a growing toddler with lots of clothes.

AROUND OUR HOME LATELY

Anyone who has kids has made at least 1 homemade tent at some point.

Here was Katelynn's first real homemade tent!

I don't think she quite knew what to think when I started bringing all the kitchen chairs and her Highchair in the living room.

She had a blast.  Mind her outfit, we have been going thru clothes and just like a kid when you go through OLD toys they suddenly become their favorite again...well my daughter does that with her clothes.  She thinks she has to put them on.  SO the last few days we have worn OLD PJ shirts over our outfits.  I figured the layers are not going to hurt her and as funny as she looks, it keeps her happy.  And WHO CARES, we are at home..she should be happy and comfortable. 

 Mommy and Katelynn enjoying the tent

 Braving the cold..and enjoying the snow.

 Has to be one of MY FAVORITE OUTSIDE pictures of her!!!   TOTAL JOY!!!

 I think she had more fun rolling in the snow than anything!  Probably due to the fact she had several layers and couldn't move really well!  Mommy wanted to be sure she was warm! :)

 Yes, she ate lots of snow...and NO it was not YELLOW either!  I didn't think about it until I was shoveling the drive way and saw some and quickly got rid of it and had her stay away from that pile! 

SO winter has been enjoyed! 

BRING ON THE SPRING!!!!

A new look

I have had Apples in my kitchen since I got married.  And before that my mom had apples in her kitchen.  Needless to say I am tired of looking at apples!

SO, after I took my Christmas decor down I put up some of my new decor.

It's far from being done....but it is a start...and I am really loving it!

I love the big floral arrangement...in the wooden water can...but I think I am going to use it in my living room on top of my entertainment center. I may add a large frame with what has become popular "Subway Art"...still thinking on that one.  And the family photo frame...I am going to add some colored scrapbook paper behind the letters.  The canisters to the right have apples on the back.  They were a pretty expensive set..and I need them for decor...so I plan to prime them and then paint them either burgundy, or golden yellow, or light olive green and then add either some words like "faith, Hope or family" or a "Star" or something.

 This is on top of my fridge....I am pretty pleased with it as is!

The picture says... Life is not measured in how many breaths we take..but the moments that take our breath away.  (or something like that...to lazy to go look right now!)

 LOVE this side of my kitchen.  (which tells me I still need to really work on the other side to match the thrill I have at looking at this side!)    I found the little Planter tricycle at A.J Wright (same line of store as a T.J Max)  Still need to take the tag off, but I am waiting on a coupon from Jo Ann's or another craft store to buy a floral dome, so I can put some silk mums in the basket.  The basket of Ivy on the Far left is going "bye-bye" and I will be still looking for something else to place there.

 Here is a close up of the middle...that I am just "IN LOVE" with.  I got the bucket and the Burgundy jar and the wooden star with candle (which does light up) from the coverbridge festival. The bucket and jar I got at the same booth..the star I got a year ago.  The Ivy in the bucket I got from $ Tree.  Then the "Family" Jug...I got from Flower Factory.  The wooden star is sitting on a upside down basket that holds one of my round baking dishes.

Like I said, I still have a ways to go...but for now I am Loving the new look!  I have alot of work to do transforming some signs that I have in my kitchen that say things about Apples...but with a little paint and some Modge Podge  I think I can save money and REMAKE them to what I want.  Pretty excited to think of the possibilities!