happy st patricks day to everyone

And a Happy Birthday to my best Alien bud. Figured I would get use to your new birthday!! Hope it was a good one.

Anywho... here are the kiddos all dressed in their greenish best for the day. Aren't they just the cutest?? Let me tell you... looks can be deceiving! ;) And I must mention how much I simply adore my little lady in her skirts with leggings! She has legs I would kill for! Not sure where they came from, but I'm glad she got them! You can't see it that great, but she wore her hair accessory!! And it looks like my lamp is tipped a bit. Need to check that later!

Here is another item of fun I needed my glue gun for... pinwheels!! oh my so fun to make, I couldn't stop! Of course it would have been easier to make them if I had used two sided paper but I like a challenge so I glued two pieces of paper together!! Nothing is simple with me! I got the idea and instructions from the Scrapbooks etc April 2011 edition page 30. I had to glue the wooden skewers to the pinwheels. I didn't need them to spin, less chance of little hands getting to them if they don't move!!

I picked up the pails at Target in the $1 spot. The material ribbons are from the very large stash I acquired from my mom's fabric closet on our last trip to Syracuse. We released much fabric that day to a better place. Which equals more room at my parents place. The flowers on the one bucket are made from some ribbon I had on hand. Found a YouTube video for them which was pretty darn simple to do!! Love videos that make me feel like I am a genius cuz I can do things!! The flowered flower (single one on the left pail) is made from material. I made it the same way as the ribbon ones. The grass is from an old Easter basket. We have a few for me to choose from. I went with purple. Love purple!!

Close up of a couple of the pinwheels.

The rest of the mantel. The bunnies are those plaster kits that you paint. My mom did them. When Kira saw them at her house, she fell in love with them and had to have them. I think my mom just wanted them out of her house!! So here they are!

For Christmas I filled these containers with cheapie ornaments, for Easter we use extra eggs. Yes I am a pack rat and yes I do save pretty much everything! Not sure why I save them as the Easter Bunny brings us new ones every year. Someday I'll release things.

Last little bit of decoration on the piano. More plastic eggs. Hope the kids don't get too confused on Easter morning and try to tear apart my decorations looking for their eggs!! LOL The tall jar was once used as a spaghetti holder, then it held my rice, now it is a decoration. See... I do not throw things away!!

Thanks for peeking at my decorations. Hoping I can find a couple other things I thought I had. Need to check out the loft again. So sad that I take better care of my Christmas stuff than the other holidays and I have a ton of stuff for all the holidays!! I need to work on that. Spring cleaning project!! Anyone up to help???

To my dear sweet Alien!! I received a large envelope from you today. You are too generous and so sweet!! Love the Hoops and Yoyo Valentines! I did not see them but glad they are now mine!! That ribbon rocks! Thank you for the Swiss dots embossing folder... kiss kiss!!! And the card... love the card!! I need to make me one like that as I have a new border punch... it's leaves!! I cannot wait to use it. As well as butterfly punches!! I see leaves and butterflies in my future. Thanks for the enabling... and for the goodies. Love you!!

why i needed the hot glue gun

It was for this fun project!! Kira decided she needed something for St. Patricks Day for her hair. The good news was that she didn't ask me the night before. You know the drill... everything is due the very next day as you are tucking in your sweetheart for dreamland! So happy about that!!

Anywho... when I was going through my mom's large closet of material last month, I happened across some clover fabric. The little light bulb went off once Kira asked for a hair accessory. I could make some of those adorable fabric flowers that are all the rage!! A few YouTube videos later and here's what I made!!

Pretty stinking cute if I don't say so myself!! I made an extra one for my friends daughter as well. Only burned myself a few times on the hot glue gun so that is a good thing. I also have a ton more fabric that I rescued from my mom's before mentioned fabric closet/ room. Thinking I can have a ton of fun with these flowers!! As long as my fingers hold out.

And a cute picture of the day from yesterday that I had to share! We were at Walmart and he got thirsty. What's a mom to do?? Buy a bottle of milk, of course. He drank half of it before we got to the van. That was just on the walk from the check out to the van!! He can really drink his beloved milk.

Working on a bunch of pin wheels for a Spring/ Easter display on my mantle. We'll see if it works out or not. If it does... you shall all see it. If not... it will be forgotten about and never mentioned again!!

feeling the shame

I am hanging my head here. Makes it hard to type, but it must be done. I am ashamed to admit something to you all. Yes it is a horrible thing I have done.

OH THE SHAME!!

What you might be asking is making me so distressed?? I have discovered I am not the true crafter that I thought I was.

I spent two days looking for my hot glue gun. I was convinced it was in my crafting room here. Really, I thought it was here. Tearing things apart looking for it. Very stressful. Couldn't find it or the large pack of glue sticks that goes with it.

Finally decided to look in the garage loft. That took some time. Still couldn't find it. Almost gave up and headed to the store to get another one. But I KNEW that I had not thrown it out so it HAD to be around here somewhere.

Enter my wonderful hubby (love that man!!) He remembers that I had packed it up when I went through one of my many cleaning sprees in this packed room. YAHOOIE!! So back to the loft I went with a sense of purpose and....

I FOUND IT!!

Here is my shame... what kind of crafter packs away her hot glue gun?? Seriously. Who does that? Well I admit, it was me. I will go back to the ranks of amateur crafter hanging my head in shame.

Off to the corner with me....

the best girl scout cookie ever and a gift

Yesterday Kira and I helped out at her troop's cookie booth outside the local gas station. Thank goodness it was a pretty decent day with sun and a gentle wind. Haven't had too many of those around here, so it was nice. Kira got to dress up as a Thin Mint, her favorite cookie. We then went out to the grass patch by the road so she and another girl could wave at the cars. They had fun and we sold a ton of cookies!! She does make a pretty cute Thin Mint!!

This is the project I was working on a last week or so with the mod podge. Love the smell of mod podge. Anywho... a friend of mine was going to surprise her kids with a trip to Disney and I thought I could make her up a little vacation journal to record all the great memories they will be making. I mailed it to her with no time to spare! She left later that evening after receiving it! Talk about close. LOL

Anywho... here it is.... I think I got the journal at the dollar store or from ACMoore/ Joanns/ Michaels. I really can't remember just that I have had it for awhile! Added some Mickey/ Disney paper from my very large stash along with a ribbon. The Wishes do come true is a Jolee's set that was perfect for this project. On the final coat of mod podge, I added some very fine glitter. After it was dried, I ran my hand over it to get off any loose glitter. Worked pretty good. Pixie dust all set for the trip!

This is the inside cover (the back cover is the same) I mod podge'd all four covers to make sure it will withstand the travel and happy hands coming in contact with it. BTW... she loved it!! So happy.

me... I am happy that Turn Off TV week is behind me. Now to start working on the Book Fair. Guess I should get at it. Happy Sunday!

counting down till Friday

It has been a crazy busy week. I love when PTA events coincide with hubby leaving town... NOT! And it wasn't like he was gone for a day... no he has been gone since Sunday! I have had to drag my poor kids with me to every Turn Off TV event this week. Monday we had a picnic dinner at the school so they wouldn't starve! They have been such troopers and for the most part well behaved. Hard being in one spot for so long.

Anywho... last night was Chuck E Cheese fun time. I sat towards the doors to catch people coming in with my raffle tickets for sale and they ran around playing all the games and hanging with their friends. I kept dishing out the tokens at a small amount so they would have to check in with me and I would know they were still in the building! For the most part, they knew where the other one was the whole time.

I had the pleasure of holding all the tickets they were winning. Kira declared that the new Operation game was 'sick' (oh I am not going to enjoy having a pre-teen in the house) and she did win a boatload of tickets from it. Alex came up to me with a picture he had done which I thought was the sweetest thing ever. Then Kira came up with her picture... okay now we are tied for sweetest thing!! Then be still my beating heart... both of my children whom I wanted to hang on the walls with duct tape Tuesday evening, came to me and handed me this...

It is the best gift ever!! I didn't even ask for them to do it yet they did it cuz they know I like getting these during our visits. Makes a mommy happy. I do believe I shall make it through this week after all. Doesn't hurt that daddy will be home soon!! ;)

last nights fun

I had to share this picture of Alex from last night. One of the events last night was having a local art store, To Your Art's Content, come in and let the kids paint ornaments that will be fired at their store and picked up later. I handed off my camera to one of the mom's and she got some amazing pictures of the kids... including this one of my little guy. Love it!!

He was so proud of himself that he didn't drop his star. They mentioned a few times to be careful and not drop them and he didn't! It was a great activity for our Turn Off TV Week. And yes he does need a haircut. He is looking a bit shaggy, but still adorable!

I finally got a chance to look through my blog and found that I had already posted the rest of the basket goodies earlier. Silly me. If you want to see them again, they are here. I guess I need more sleep.

Tonights fun will include hanging at Chuck E Cheese with a large number of kids. I think I am up for it. The good part is that I don't have to think about dinner for my kiddos and I don't have to stay for the entire time! I may be able to get the kids to bed at a decent hour this week. That would equate to this mommy getting to bed early as well. I am thinking American Idol will be recorded for viewing later. *yawn*

more cards (photo heavy)

Yup here are the rest of the cards I made. I'll have to post the other fun items later. I don't think I did post them yet. I'll have to go back and check. Don't need to repost!!

Last night was great. The ice cream social was fun and delicious! All of the baskets were well received. I think we'll be selling many tickets this week. woohoo!! Tonight we have an art studio coming in to help the kids create magnets (at least that was the game plan a bit ago) and then we have a magician coming in. I am looking forward to that show. I hear he is amazing. Should be fun.

Back to the cards.... more of my scraps working their way back into the light of day. The ribbon is white. Looks a bit purple in the picture. It's dreaming of being a different color! LOL

One of my favorites!! I am happy with the stitching (just ignore the couple of missed stitches) I like this one. It's fun. Love my scraps!!

Simple with some stickles.

Dragged out my embossing folder (one of two) and had some fun. Primas that were happy to be used instead of hanging out on my desk as pretty decorations.

This one is pretty neat too. Love doing that paper ribbon stuff! Such a fun look.

Can you believe it?? Another flower?!! Somehow my stripe paper turned just a smidge when I adhered it to the card. grrrrr. I can live with it... I think.

This is just plain yummy looking! Yes... scraps.

The ribbon on the sentiment block is really a light blue. It wanted to be white I guess.

Another one of my favorites. Seriously used scraps on this too! I guess you could say I needed to clean out my stash!

That's it. Tomorrow's post should include the rest of the basket goodies for your viewing pleasure. Take it easy and have a great one!