Hamman Family

Valentine #5 Color wonder - Day 172

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-06:00

We LOVE color wonder books. We use them for Church. The kids can color and nothing gets on the pews, floor, clothes. or skin. The boys were needing a new book since the other one was all colored, so I planned it so this one fell on a Sunday morning.

Valentine #4 Treat - Day 171

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

Today is an easy day. I just had a little treat for them. Mini M&M's!

Valentine #3 Valentines - Day 170

2012-01-29T00:00:00.000-06:00

This year we had a impromptu photo shoot with a tiger puppet. Ben has recently started growling like a dinosaur and I thought this idea would be adorable. So I edited the pics in Photoshop and added words via picnik and I printed them at Wal-Mart. We will send them to Grandparents, cousins, and a few to friends. I think I will back them with white card stock just to make them stable.

Valentine #2 groundhogs day - Day 169

2012-01-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

Today is Groundhog day and to honor that I made a cute little critter name P. We will do very groundhog things today like watch the groundhog try and find his shadow, eat on the "ground", and make a craft using a Popsicle stick puppet and a paper cup (link). So when the boys wake up they will find a very cheeky P the groundhog!

Valentines advent - Day 168

2012-01-27T12:46:00.002-06:00

A few posts ago I made little mailboxes for the boys with a plan in mind of putting something special in the boxes every day in February. Since they don't get valentines from school I thought this would be a way to enjoy the holiday. So I am posting a few days early so YOU can plan ahead and be prepared for your advent. I will give you the list of what I will do and then each day starting today for fourteen days I will show a picture of what was in them!

Valentines Advent

Valentines stickers
Groundhog day
Make Valentines to give
Treat
coloring books
heart shaped balloon
Make Daddy's valentine
Treat
Heart attack our neighbors
Make sugar cookies
Treat
V-Day tie
Bubbly cider
Valentines day surprise

Day #1

So Day #1 is Valentines day stickers. I found them at Wal-Mart for .97 and they are supposed to go on your window. I will have the boys put them wherever they want to since we have a lot of window space!

Arise and Shine Forth - Day 167

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

I am in Young Women's and this Sunday is our New Beginnings. I was in charge of table decorations. My partner in crime - Jennifer - helped me out! We purchased a 2x6x14 piece of lumber from our local Home Depot. They were so kind and cut them down to 8" with some left over.

We painted them the value colors.

I found this print via pinterest and printed them out in black and white. It is the theme for 2012. Then I took markers and outlined one of the lines.

Then we sanded them to make it look roughed up.

Here is the stash!

Then I broke out the mod podge - my other best friend - and put a layer on the unpainted side.

Make sure when you lay the paper down, use a bone folder to smooth it out so no bubbles form underneath.

Then sand the sides that the paper is over.

This one bubbled a little. When it has dried a little mod podge the top of it.

This is them after the papers are on.

I added bling to the front.

I am so excited for Sunday and after the party, the girls get to take a block home!

The toilette that ran away - Day 166

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-06:00

Our Master bathroom toilette was running. It would never stop. We decided that the ball and arm mechanism wasn't working as efficiently anymore. So I went to the local Home Depot and asked someone for help. They introduced me to this new toilette valve. It takes the ball and arm out of the equation. Here is what the box looks like.

This was the problem

This is all that is included: the box, the mechanism, the hose, the little parts, and instructions.

First step is to turn off the water to the toilette. My valve is right under the toilette. Then you flush the toilette until the water is gone.

You will have to soak it up with a towel.

Then you need pliers to help loosen the nut under the bolt. A little more water will come out I promise so catch it with the towel.

I had to use these pliers. They were easier to grip and stay griped to the bolt. I also had to hold onto the old mechanism at the same time.

This is what you will work with after it is out.

Here is the new one! The big black thing is the new "ball". It moves up and down with the level of water.

You will have to twist the bottom of the mechanism to the right height. It needs to be at least 1" higher than the drain tube. It is the only other big tube in the tank. This one you had to put a rubber "washer" on the bottom of the mechanism. The washer and the other small parts are connected in a white clip looking thing. They are easy to pull apart. Push the washer as far as you can up the thread.

Slide the mechanism into the hole, but make sure the nozzle is facing the draining tube.

Place the plastic washer on the end and tighten it as far as you can using just your hands.

Connect the hose onto the end and once again just tighten with your hands.

Now you take the long black tube and connect one end to the nozzle.

Connect the other end of the tube to the white clip.

Slide the white clip down the overflow tube. make sure the black tube is lined up with the tube and not the rest of the tank.

Turn the water back on and see if it worked!

This is what it looks like after it is working great!

I wish I would have had a blog to follow when I tried to fix the problem! Good luck!!!

Highlight your hair - Day 165

2012-01-24T12:31:00.002-06:00

Let's face it, coloring your hair is expensive. The upkeep is expensive. I found a system that works really great for and I thought I would share! Because I have red in my hair I can only use a specific kind of hair dye. I have tried others and it turns orange:(So the one I use is L'Oreal Paris Frost & design in the color champagne. Here is the box.

Here is what my hair looked like before

This is what comes in the box. a bunch of packets and bottles, a mixing container, plastic gloves, instructions, a cap, and two little hooks.

The directions are really good at telling you what to do. You are supposed to put the little cap on first. Tie it on even though it looks horrible and like an old lady. You will want it on tight. Then you take the hook size you want, I like the bigger of the two, and poke through the holes one by one and grab hair and pull it through. This is probably the hardest part. Having a partner to help it so nice.

Then after you have pulled all the hair through you mix the color packets it tells you to in this little container. Two of the three are pictured.

Then you slather the mix on your head. start at the back bottom and move your way to the front. I take a big glob and place it on the roots, then smear that through the tips. Make sure you have covered all the hair strand and then pile it on the cap. when your all done they have this plastic bag you place on your head and tie in the front center. This way you can do other things while you wait. Mine takes an hour, any earlier it looks too orange.

When your time is up you hop in the shower and take of the clear cap and run water over the higlighted hair. Then you pull the holy cap off and wash and condition your hair. Then they have this leave in rinse you put in and then your done. Blow dry and style! It looks awesome!

Before

After

Picnik - Day 164

2012-01-23T12:40:00.000-06:00

So today is a very sad day. My favorite website that does photo editing is closing down. So The reason why I am blogging about it is all of the premium features are free until they close the site. SO go and use up all the fun features and save them before they are gone!

Picnik

Before

After

Crab Rangoon - Day 163

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-06:00

DIY Crab Rangoon

I bought the prepackaged imitation crab from Wal-Mart. I wanted real crab, but alas i am on an imitation budget. I have made two double batches of this recipe and still have some left over! It goes on forever! So I made this recipe and bonus it is a weight watchers recipe! I also used a blender so that it was creamy and a smooth consistency. They were a big hit Saturday night!

Before the blend

After the blend

I use water to seal the edges

Don't put too much in or it won't taste as good. You want a good crunch to cream ratio. I think I used a teaspoon.

Pinch the edges together so the points meet in the middle

They look like this before the oven and they look golden brown and crispy after!

Valentines card - Day 162

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-06:00

I made this little for Valentines and I LOVE it! I had so much fun!

The circles are sandwiched between the papers

Ben wanted me to take a picture of his toys lined up

I gathered pattern paper on a strip of paper

A little key in a box

Add some buttons

I wanted to keep the inside super simple since the outside is really ornate.

Now it is ready for little love notes for my little love note!

Stained glass mobile - Day 161

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

The boys and I did a project and I thought the pictures were so colorful. I will let them do the talking.

We ironed crayon shavings between wax paper and cut them into circles and hearts. Then we strung them up! It is an adorable stained glass mobile!

Directions:

take wrapers off of crayons.
sharpen crayons in a pencil sharpener, keep the shavings.
lay down wax paper shinny side up (or freezer paper works too).
distribute shavings all over paper. Leave some white too.
lay another sheet of wax paper on top.Shinny side touching the shavings.
Iron the paper until it looks like the shavings have melted.
cut the wax paper into what ever shapes you want.
Use a glue gun to adhere them to string at different levels.

Golden Globes 2012 - Day 160

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000-06:00

I love dresses and this year at the Golden Globes my expectations were met.

Favorites

Love the color and Audrey Hepburn throwback!

Love her hippie but simple chic

Another vintage style dress. Love the color.

Love Jessika Alba and her choice. Simple and gorgeous!

So simple and love the dress length.

Love the shoes!

Love the detail in the bodice. Great color!

I LOVE her! Great shape and fits her body type. (short)

Awesome detail and shimmer. Great for her body type. (short)

Everyone loves this choice and I do too. Love the accessories.

Haters:

I hate tie dye. Especially on a gown. At the Golden Globes. Blech!

She looks like a naked mermaid. Get some class.

Waaaay to simple. Needs more flash for the Golden Globes. The print is wrong too.

I hate high necklines. Hate, HAte, HATe, HATE!

Angelina let me down. She usually makes great choices, but for some reason I hate this. Maybe it's her expression.......Something.

Good grief I hate this the most! It makes her look old and fat. It does nothing for her figure and is not pretty.Come on Julianna! uggg.

Bonus round:
A whole bunch of modest gowns!

Love the print and lace!

Love the color and glitter!

Madonna in modest??? What happened? Whatever it was I like it.

Love her dress and headband and EVERYTHING! She rocks!

SO pretty and I don't mind the long sleeves (I usually don't like them).

What are your choices? Did I miss some good or bad ones?

BioTrue - Day 159

2012-01-18T09:13:00.000-06:00

We have a flexible spending account attached to our medical insurance and at the end of every year if you haven't used up the money you loose it. So the trick is to buy supplies that qualify. This year we stocked up on contact solution called BioTrue. It is usually the most expensive solution, so we don't buy it.

This last years Florida trip we all got pink eye. None of us had insurance since Daniel had just lost his job. So I was looking for a creative way to get rid of it. My dad had told me of a different mix of organic liquids he used, but I couldn't remember what it was so in my research I found that there is a specific chemical you need to get rid of pink eye and guess what has it........BioTrue! So I just bought a little bottle of it and within a few days the pink eye was gone! So I thought if you used the stuff all of the time, we would never get pink eye!!!

Here are all the facts on their website!

Valentines mailboxes! - Day 158

2012-01-17T09:09:00.001-06:00

I love the dollar section of Target and I especially love the holiday things I find there. This time I found little mailboxes out of metal. I wanted them to look more official so I went thrifting and found a few candle holders. I sanded the metal one and spray painted them white. Then I just glued the mail boxes on top. The boys love them and I plan on putting fun little things in them during the month of February to build up the Feb. 14th!

Valentines banner - Day 157

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

I couldn't wait to share the cute Valentines banner. I made it out of paper and cost me $1.25. I bought this stack of vintage style paper at Wal-Mart of all places for $5. There was a ton of paper and I will use it forever! I have an old book which I used for the middle of each banner.

Then I used some more pattern paper to make rosettes for each banner.

Then I made Two "x" and two "o" using red paper and the cricut. Then I found fine glitter at Wal-Mart again and used it on the letters with glue.

The middle banner matches the door heart.

Close up detail

The ribbon I hot glued on the banners

The big picture!

Finished heart - Day 156

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

So If you follow my post from yesterday you are up to date. We start with that heart and we are taking an old pattern and cutting it up into strips. I made them all the same width. You will have to use several pieces. You start by putting hot glue on the back of the heart in a little line following the edge. then you start scrunching the paper on top of the glue. Only do a little bit at a time. I would pinch the paper and stick it in the glue.

Close up

Small sections at a time

Finished the edge

This is what it looks like from the front!

Then I took some white scrap fabric and made a rosette. I also did the pattern scrunching on it.

It was too plain so I added cute little extra letters. They are on clear plastic sticker bubbles.

I added some ribbon on on the back

I found some scratchy ribbon that I made into a bow with hot glue.

I added some sparkles to the biggest heart

Then I added a ribbon flag and a pin to the medium size heart

Then I added a embellished paper clip to the other medium size heart

Here it is on my front door! It is so stinking cute and do you know how much it cost to make?

I had all these things on hand. The thing about crafting is when you buy a package of something, you never use all of it, so this is a product of left over supplies!

Paper heart - Day 155

2012-01-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

I saw this adorable paper heart on Pinterest. I tried to make it with other colored paper, but I didn't like it, so I stuck with neutral tones. I used the cricut to cut the hearts and then I used some funky scissors to make it look like fabric that has pinked. Then I used my sewing machine to sew them all together. I am going to use this later, but you will have stay tuned.....!!

How to store fruits and veggies - Day 154

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

Since I have decided to become as close as I can to a "Vegan" I have looked for tips on prolonging the life of my fruits and veggies. I want to share what I found with you!

How to store fresh produce

Exersice - Day 153

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

I know we all have those new years resolutions to get fit. I think it stems from our fear of getting into a swimsuit soon. No matter the motivation, we all struggle with following through and enjoying physical exercise. I found this great website called bodyrock.tv. It is a complete website dedicated to workout videos. What I like about it is she has different levels. If you can't do what she is doing, it's ok! Right now I am doing a workout where you time yourself for 50 seconds and you do as many _____ as you can in that 50 secs. I do:

squat jumps
high knees
push ups
sit ups
burpees
high jumps(tuck both knees when you jump)

It takes ten minute and my body feels it the next day. I compare myself each week to see my growth. After a month I will move on to bigger and better workouts. So go check it out for yourself!

Bodyrock.tv

Miss Sophie - Day 152

2012-01-11T09:06:00.001-06:00

Tayrien is not done teething yet so for Christmas I wanted to get him a toy that would help with that process. I had heard of this little giraffe and seen them all over. I found one on amazon and talked to Daniel about it. It is made is France and is totally non-toxic for kids. So we purchased it and it was his gift from us for Christmas. The second he took it out he loved it. He doesn't tote it around like his blanky, but we keep it in his crib and if he is ever biting anything I know exactly where it is. Ben even loves it and tries to get away with gnawing on it.

So I got the package in the mail and the giraffe comes in a cute little box.

There were two things besides the giraffe in the box. One is a card on the right that has the history of Sophie in all different languages. Sophie's story. She is totally non-toxic! Of course she was born in Paris!!

The other card was a cute little cardboard strength paper that you can put is a scrapbook or shadowbox. It says who it is for, who it cam from, a place for a picture, etc.

The second Tayrien pulled it out of the box he loved her! He immediately started chewing on her and hasn't stopped since. We all love her and now we call anything that gets chewed on a Sophie!

Power bars - Day 151

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

I realized yesterday I needed healthy snacks in the house. I usually get junk and I want to change that. Wal-Mart has a few healthy choices, but I wanted to go to a regular grocery store to see what options they had. I love the brand Kashi so I bought a small box for the house.

The boys had it for a snack and love them. I have had them before and they are really good. I bought myself a different bar to try out. I bought a Luna bar. It is especially for women. I don't know if it is just brand marketing or if they do make it just for us chica's but they are so yummy! I got the flavor cookies and cream. I like that you can buy in bulk on Amazon with super savor free shipping.

So I like what I found today, but I know there a whole bunch of other options and I want to know which ones you recommend. Leave a message of you favorites!!!

Pizza monkey bread - Day 150

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

So I am always trying to find new ways to eat pizza. I like this one because it is at least vegetarian. It was really good and maybe I can figure out a replacement for the cheese one day so it can be Vegan. I also didn't use as much butter and I think it was fake butter. Still tasted yummy. I think if you are a meat eater you could add peperoni or sausage to the mix!

Pizza monkey bread

Homemade goldfish or gold star- Day 149

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

Another pinterest recipe! Homemade goldfish...uh I mean gold stars. We don't have a fish cookie cutter so we made stars! They turned out great and they are even better on the second day!

Recipe

Wood Snowcouple - Day 148

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

I saw this adorable Mr. and Mrs. Snow-people on pinterest and knew I had to make them. Even though it is 65 degrees outside I know the cold weather is coming, so I did it anyways. I already had some leftover wood I found in my stash. The original was out of 2x4's, but I have no saw to cut what I have. Luckily there were two pieces that worked well! So all I did was paint them white, add permanent marker eyes, and a fabric scarf and they are too cute!

Forehead thermometer - 147

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

If anyone has had children you know they get sick. The worst part about them being sick is taking their temperature. I hate struggling with the thermometer in the hind quarters or even under the arm. I don't really now if I did it right.

So, this year we have a flexible spending account with our insurance. If we don't spend the allotted money by the end of the year, it is dissolved. We pay for it anyways, so what we do is buy a whole bunch of stuff at this online store made just for flexible spending account end of the year buyers. This year we got a whole bunch of goodies that I will share with you.

Today is the forehead thermometer. Now I don't have to deal with any Openings of the body. So we got it in the mail and I immediately opened it. Here is the packaging:

Comes with a little bag.

You have to pull the tab to get started.

There is a light up screen.

Top

Bottom

Reader

So what you do after you have pulled the tab is turn it on. It will light up. Then you have to push the start button on the top and scan 1 inch above the eyebrow for three seconds. It will beep at you and the you turn it over and read the temp. It will beep 10 times and flash red if it is high enough to be a problem. Otherwise it glows green. There is also a memory function. It remembers the last temp taken when shut off. You can program it to remember to, but I don't need it to. I think I took everyone's temp twice and maybe Tayrien's five because he will sit still. I love it and can't believe I didn't buy one when I had my first baby!

Organized home - Day 146

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

Let me introduce you to my home book. I have a binder that I keep all my cleaning lists, food calendars, important numbers, etc. I used this website called organizedhome.com to print off all the pages and lists I use. They have everything from a craft list, spring cleaning, and Christmas. My favorite list was the Christmas ornament list. My kids get an ornament from Gram and Papa Dan every year and I just filled it out today so I don't forget who's ornament and when they got it. I plan to give the ornaments to the boys when they get married if they want them. Another one I liked was a travel check list. It helps organize you when you go on a trip. So Go to the link

Printables

and find out what works for you!

Pumpkin-carrot muffins - Day 145

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

I am not going to lie. The best part about this muffin is the glaze. It is so yummy! I put in more orange juice than was called for and it was even yummier! Ok, so the muffin is great, but with the glaze it is fantastic!!! Here is the link for the muffins. I am going to use them in the morning for breakfast since I can't really do a cold shake when it is below freezing outside! Pictured are mini muffins and the orange juice glaze.

Soy ginger Salmon with roasted potatoe stacks - Day 144

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

Tonight I made some yummy Salmon and potatoes. I used this recipe for the Salmon. It turned out really good and I didn't marinate it the recommended time, so I can only imagine what it would taste like if I had more time. I also baked it in the oven since it was too cold to grill outside.

There was no potatoes recipe. I sliced them in my Cuisinart. Then I stalked them on a cookie sheet and drizzled them with olive oil. Then I topped it with sea salt and Thyme and baked it on a cookie sheet till they were done. I think it was about 15 min.
Both boys loved the potatoes and Tayrien loved the fish.

Happy NewYear - Day 143

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-06:00

I love starting fresh. I love the New year because it gives me a chance to make goals and start over. I know I am human so this helps me feel better about the failures as well as the successes I have had in the past year. I have the chance to begin again. One of my favorite quotes is

"If you don't like where you are, change it. You are not a tree."

So this year I have some different resolutions. Some are the same old ones, but I threw in some new ones to tackle:

Complete the transition to the vegan diet
Get rid of my momma pooch before I have to put on a swimsuit
Get the hang of a budget
Draw closer to my Savior
Learn French (or at least be consistent in practicing)
Be positive even though life can be rough

What are your resolutions? Do something fresh and fantastic this year!

Holiday dress - Day 142

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

Here is part two of the Holiday ensemble. I received a vintage dress pattern from a friend and I made it true to the pattern. It tuned out horrible. It was so big and gross looking. I had to refashion the whole top. I started by using my dress form. It has my exact specs and measurements as my body so any work I do on it will fit me. I started to put in deeper darts in the front and back. It was easier to change it from a scoop neck with front buttons to a square neck with no buttons. I like the square neck more anyways. Then when I was all done, it looked way too plane, so I added a band of striped fabric to the waist to make it look thinner there. I love it and I love the dress with the apron over it!

The zipper is just over the hips

Holiday Apron - Day 141

2011-12-31T00:00:00.000-06:00

I bought this fabulous fabric with some birthday money. I wanted to make a vintage dress and matching apron that I could wear for Christmas. Needless to say I did not have enough time to complete them before Christmas. So I finished it in time for the New Years Eve party we are having at our house. I will show you the apron today. I love pleats and I knew I wanted the top of the apron to have them. I used some leftover material from the boys birthday and some of the polka dot fabric I bought for the dress.

Then I looked all over my house for any red fabric I had and draped it on a bias so it flows beautifully. I liked the asymmetrical look and I didn't finish any hems or seams so you get a rough effect against the nice fabric. I also added some white pom-poms.

It is just so classy! I love it! It is the nicest apron I have ever made/owned! I can't wait to try it out!

Model: Barbara the dress form

Taquitos - Day 140

2011-12-30T07:37:00.000-06:00

I made these taquitos the other day and they were yummy. I didn't follow the recipe exactly because I didn't have black beans or regular peppers, onions or corn tortillas. I used red bell peppers, green onions, pinto beans, and flour tortillas. It was ok, but I think it would have been better with the right ingredients. I will link you the real recipe.

Mr. Hammy - Day 139

2011-12-29T08:44:00.000-06:00

I want to introduce you to a friend of mine. Mr. Hammy. We started our friendship at college and has followed me since. He is an ironing buddy. You know when you go to iron a piece of women's clothing that is supposed to be 3D (bust) and it makes weird folds cause the fabric doesn't know where to go? Me. Hammy fixes this problem. He is made especially for placing under bust points and any other 3D part of a garment so you can iron it properly. Also this is a good tool for when you are making a dress shirt. You form the collar here. So his real name is just Ham and I am sure you can find him at fabric stores!

Did you know the difference between a garment looking homemade or store bought is the ironing? It is everything in finishing the look of a garment. So a little lesson in ironing: There are three components of ironing: Heat, pressure and moisture. Did you know that the average person doesn't leave the iron on the garment long enough for it to do anything? We are so scared of burning that the garment suffers. So you need to have the highest heat you can for the garment, use pressure (that is why the old iron Irons are so heavy), and use the steam button. That is my favorite step in ironing. It totally makes things easier!

Mr. Hammy under the bust of a dress I am making!

Scraper thingy - Day 138

2011-12-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

My mom found this awesome tool at Wal-Mart. It is less than a dollar and is awesome! It is a wedge design and an easy grip. It gets EVERYTHING off dishes. I use all day long and is a lifesaver. I love that it is so cheap!

Treasure box - Day 137

2011-12-27T08:04:00.001-06:00

Daniel and I have been wanting to get Benjamin his own little treasure box. Daniel had one growing up and he loved it so he wanted Ben to have one too. I had been looking for one for months. Finally we found one at a flea market. It was in pretty rough shape. Everything that is metal was nasty. I had to replace it all. The inside had a yucky chain that had to be removed. Then the inside needed to be covered. So I did what every crafty person would do....modge podge. We found some cool map paper and I placed it all over the inside. It looks awesome now and I was actually kind of jealous that I didn't have one. Ben loves it and we got him a little lock and key to put on the front so only he can get into it. I can't wait to see what he tries to hide in there. Good and not so much alike!

Angry birds - Day 136

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

Here is the second hat I made and it belongs to Ben. I pictured them both together so you can get the full effect. They got their pictures with Santa in them!

Merry Christmas - Day 135

2011-12-24T09:21:00.002-06:00

Here is a gimps into our Christmas!

Christmas Eve making cookies for Santa.
Ben has his finger in the frosting. The next pic taken he was licking the finger.

We Started a new tradition this year of putting crepe paper up in the hall so the kids can't get through until we are all ready. Then they bust through!

The kids loved their gifts. They loved ripping open the wrapping paper. Most of the time Ben helped Tayrien open his.

Santa key - Day 134

2011-12-24T09:21:00.000-06:00

I saw this idea last year and started on it, but finished it this year. We do not have a chimney so there is this dilemma of how Santa gets in. I found this cute little skeleton key and made a bag to hold it. We put it on the front door knob Christmas ever in case Santa wants the easy way in our house. I painted a key on the front using a freezer paper stencil and fabric paint. It looks a little blobb-ish.

Ok, so I hate it and before the paint was dry I made something else from book paper, fabric and hot glue. I cut out circles from the book paper and crumpled them up a few different ways. Then I folded each one in half and then half again. So quarter size. Then I glued them onto a felt piece. Then I made a rosette out of red and white fabric and glued it to the center. I put some bling on and then glued the whole thing to the front. I love this so much more than the boring old blob!

Puppet nativity - Day 133

2011-12-23T12:33:00.000-06:00

My mom had the pattern for nativity puppets years ago and recently made them for an enrichment activity. I was able to make a set myself. The boys are really into puppets so they love these.

Oh and i had to throw this pic in. Ben playing with play dough!

30 day vegan challange - Day 132

2011-12-22T09:18:00.000-06:00

I got this wonderful book yesterday! I am so excited! It has been on my wishlist ever since I decided to go vegan. It is so much better than I thought! This book helps you transition from meat eater to vegan. She helps you find and make good food and gives you the knowledge you need. If you are serious about changing your diet, this is the book you need!

Fresh tomato soup - Day 131

2011-12-21T08:22:00.001-06:00

Daniel and I went to Sams club yesterday and they had a taste testing stand with this fresh fantastic tomato soup. They had it on sale for $2 so we bought one package. It came with six vine tomatoes, whole wheat croutons, and a seasoning packet. I cut up the tomatoes and put them in a pan on the stove on high. I then put the seasoning packet in, mixed it up, and put the lid on. I kept stirring it every once and a while. After 15 minutes I poured it into a blender and mixed it in there. then it was ready to eat! The croutons were awesome and the tomato soup actually tasted like tomatoes! It was so awesome. I am never going to eat that canned junk!

Portable Santa - Day 130

2011-12-20T07:41:00.000-06:00

Daniel did this last night and I was super impressed. I am not going to ruin the suprise for you, but it is a personal mmessage from Santa and it is really good. So go do it!

Portable Santa

DIY chalboard paint - Day 129

2011-12-19T00:00:00.000-06:00

So this is a post about how to make your own chalkboard paint. I used this method for the window redo yesterday. It is so simple. I picked up a paint sample from Home depot in the Martha Stewart area. They are 1 cups worth of paint in each jar and only cost $1!!!! So with this method you can use any paint. Keep in mind there is no dark colored chalk, so the darker the paint the better. I chose a charcoal grey. I know the pic doesn't look grey, but it isn't quite black. The other ingredient you use is White dry Non-sanded grout. Like the stuff you would use to put tile down. I found it in the tile section and it was a huge box for $5. It will probably last me forever!

Before

Ok so you add 2 TBSP of the grout for every one cup. Since the paint samples come in 1 cup it works perfectly. I poured the paint into a plastic bowl and measured in the grout. I mixed it with the measuring spoon I used, but you don't have to. You mix it till it looks good. It will still be a little bumpy and it thickens up REALLY fast. Like with in an hour it gets hard to use. You slather it on whatever you want and I found the sponge brushes work the best to spread it on and get all the bumps out. Then you let it dry. You just have to wait till it is really dry before you draw on it. You can paint it on anything! If it is a slippery surface just sand it before hand and you should be good to go! I bet once you start you will be addicted! It is so fun!

Window redo part deux - Day 128

2011-12-18T11:26:00.001-06:00

So The wonderful window is complete and it is a chalkboard window! I cut plywood to fit perfectly in each pane square like a pane of glass. I then painted them with chalkboard paint. I used hot glue to keep them in place and tight now they are staying, but I may have to try a different adherence if this one doesn't work. I love it! It will sit above the kitchen island and I will use it as a a shopping needs list and other notes I need in the kitchen!

Before

Done

Just fabulouse - Day 127

2011-12-17T16:32:00.001-06:00

I heard about this website that has designer shoes for all one low price. I was getting really frusterated with the shoes I have been buying not being a great quiality because that is all I can afford. I thought this might help me. So you take this little survey and they send you a bunch of ideas that match your taste. Then all the shoes are the same price and you get free shipping. When I signed up they gave me 50% off my first pair of shoes and I knew right there it was going to be a great relationship! I had to order that day and since tomorrow is my b-day I thought "Yes please!!!" They also have ratings and reviews on the shoes. The one I ordered fits slightly small so I just ordered a little bigger because I hate when my shoes are so small! They also have a way to earn points and use them toward shoes. Awesome! I have always loved shoes and have gotten out of the loop recently so here I go again!

Oh and the shoes at the top.....I totally bought them.

Go check it out:

Justfab

Window redo part 1 - Day 126

2011-12-16T10:24:00.001-06:00

Before

Stage 1

So I received these great windows form my dear cousin and this is the first thing I wanted to do with it. I sanded and removed the old nasty paint as well as the old glass panes. The paint removal was soooo tough! There were like ten layers and it never ended. I can only imagine what I inhaled to get this looking good! It still has original hardware! The next stage is so awesome I can't wait to share it with you, but it is not done yet, so look for part deux!

Back to Basics Cocoa-Latte Chrome - Day 125

2011-12-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

So I have hot chocolate all the time in the winter, like ALL the time. When I lived in Idaho it was like every day. I had this machine when I lived there and had to sell it before I left. Sad day. I have not replaced it until now (three years later), and I am really excited about it and I thought I would share my thoughts with you and do a product review!

I bought mine on Amazon and it arrived in three days. Love! So Here is how it arrived.

Without the box.

Love this sticker. I don't think my other one came with this.

You have to turn the lid sideways to pull off

The metal bottom is what helps heat the liquid. See the little mixer?

Other side has the On/Off switch

Bottom contains the cord wrapped up! (love)

So I didn't realize this with the last one, but there are recipes in the owners manual! So I chose Honey cocoa. I also used almond milk and carob powder. I grew up on Carob. It comes from a Mediterranean evergreen tree.

Put everything in the bowl and put the lid on. Then flip the on switch.

The mixer will heat and mix until the desired temperature is reached. It is awesome. I also like to add candy bars, mint, chocolate chips, Hershey kisses, really anything you want you can put into the mix. That is why I love this machine so much! So the machine will turn off when it is ready. Then you flip the froth switch and lift up the nozzle and let the chocolate out into the cup!

Notice the on switch will stay on even though the mixer is not mixing. That means it is still on until you turn the switch off. That way if you make a lot people can keep frothing when they dispense and it will stay warm.

To clean you just lift the top part off the base and wash in warm soapy water. Make sure to twist off the nozzle and wash it too!

I am so happy with this machine. I bought the coco-motion before this the first time and it broke it two uses. This is way more heavy duty. Just beware that if you use a candy bar with nuts, they do not melt and may stop up the nozzle.

There you go! Love in a cup!

Oreo chocolate popcorn - Post 124

2011-12-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

I made this really yummy oreo popcorn last night and had to share! I popped my own popcorn using a whirly pop, but you can use a regular bag of popcorn you pop in the micro. So then you take a whole block of almond bark and melt it in the micro. You place half a package of oreos and the melted chocolate in the blender and blend till smooth. Lay wax or parchment paper on counter and lay popcorn out in a single layer. You may want to pop two bags of popcorn depending on how much chocolate you want on your popcorn. Then you pour the chocolate oreo mix over popcorn and let sit. I put sprinkles over the top too. After it has cooled you just peel it off and enjoy! We ate our with hot chocolate and it was a great combo!

I used half the chocolate for mine. I didn't want the boys to get too much of a sugar high. I think the next time I make it I will add the whole block of almond bark.

Pig pig - Post 123

2011-12-13T08:04:00.003-06:00

So this is Tayrien's new hat. Ben will have one kind of like it,
you will just have to wait and see which one!

Chilly Willy - Day 122

2011-12-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

I saw this adorable penguin on etsy and showed Daniel and we both LOVED him. So I made a big one for our house. I started with an old suit of Daniel's and cut a big rectangle about 11" x 21". I gathered the top and made a bottom circle the circumference that would fit the rectangle. Then I attached the bottom and then sewed up the sides. I placed some rice in the bottom for a little stability and then stuffed the heck out of him. Then you cinch the gathered edge closed. I then crocheted a hat to fit Chilly Willy. I sewed the hat to his head. I know my kids well. Then I made his belly and attached it with embroidery thread. Then I made his little arms by sewing an arc out of the suit fabric. I attached them with embroidery floss in the shape of an "X". I used the buttons from the suit as his eyes and put some fleece behind for definition. Then I used the embroidery floss to make a cute triangle nose. We named him Chilly Willy. Daniel said when he was little his mom made a gingerbread man that they all threw around growing up, so I knew that this penguin would as well. With in the first five seconds of me giving it to the boys, he turned into a football!

Frames as presets - Day 121

2011-12-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

I thought my house needed even more Christmas decorations in my house so I covered my frames and art canvas's with wrapping paper to make them look like gifts! It looks so good now!

Joseph of Nazareth - Day 120

2011-12-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

So if you remember a while ago I did a post on having a Christ centered Christmas. It was on Mary the mother of Jesus. This post is of Joseph her husband. The book talked about service and how Joseph looked so hard to find a place for Mary to have her baby. They don't give us a big description of how hard he tried, but if your wife was in labor, you would probably try really hard. So we are supposed to look for ways we can do service. I chose to have our family make homeless packs. I always feel so bad when I see a homeless person on the side of the road, but especially during Christmas time. I thought of all the things I would want if I had nothing and put them into a zip lock bag. We made two kits and house them in the car for when we come upon someone who needs one! I bought all the items at the dollar store. I spent $20 and wish I could have spent more. Daniel was so excited he wanted to do more and next year he wants to make a ton! Maybe we can inspire you all to make your own and share a little Christmas service!

Here is the list:

razors
altoids
trail mix
heavy socks
bandana
deoderant
baby wipes
chap stick
tooth brushes

DIY magnetic pincushion - Day 119

2011-12-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

So I had this great magnetic pincushion from the store that I love and the other day it fell and broke. So I thought I would make my own. I found this great little dish at the thrift store and new it would be perfect. I saved the magnet from the one that broke and just hot glued it to the bottom. I think you can just use big magnets on the bottom.

Elf printable! - Day 118

2011-12-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

Who doesn't love a free printable from a great Christmas movie?

Free Printable

Herbal ice tea - Day 117

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

My dad introduced me to this wonderful idea. A few years ago he had bypass surgery and he couldn't drink what he wanted anymore (soda). So he invented this recipe for Iced herbal tea. It is soooooo good.

Here is the box you can buy from Wal-Mart. We do not use the blueberry flavor.

I filled the small pot about 2/3 full of water and boiled it.

Put all the flavored tea bags in the pot of water and take it off the heat. Let it seep for ten minutes or longer.

After it is done seeping take the bags out and put it in a storage container. I use a metal water bottle. Let it cool down in the fridge. This is your concentrate so don't drink this!!! When you are ready fill your glass or bottle half way with water and half with the concentrate. Then you need to sweeten it. I use Truvia. I use four little packets of the Truvia sugar for a huge water bottle. Enjoy!

Christmas bow ties - Day 116

2011-12-06T02:00:00.000-06:00

I woke up Sunday and around the time I was supposed to put the boys in the bath to get ready for church, I decided to make them some bow ties. I thought I would share how I do it with you guys! Firs you cut a rectangle a little bit bigger than you want the final bow tie to be. I like 2 1/2 in x 5 1/2 in. So you need to cut 3 in. x 6 in. Then you place right sides together and sew around the rectangle leaving a little opening in the middle.

For the inside of the bow tie I use felt. I feel it gives it stability. I cut two layers of the felt the same size as the finished project and sew the ends together like the picture.

Turn the bow tie right side out through that little hole.

Stuff the felt inside by folding the end in half.

Flatten the felt. It is probably a little bunched.

Cut a piece for the middle. Fold the raw edges in so there are three layers.

Sew the hole up.

Pinch the middle and tuck the sides to the middle.

Place middle fabric over the pinch and stitch with a needle. Measure the elastic so you can fit it over your kids head. It will be smaller than the head since it will stretch.

Viola! Christmas bow ties!

Recordable Christmas story - Day 115

2011-12-05T07:37:00.001-06:00

I was so excited when I was on my trip to Time out for Women in Kansas city when I found a recordable book of the birth of Christ in Costco. I had been looking for a recordable Night before Christmas and didn't even know this one existed. The cool thing about this book is that even when you change out the batteries the recording stays! There are buttons on the side, and one says record, but they can't record over unless you do something special in the battery cover.

So my plan was to have each grandparent read a page. The boys have six and I think there are eight pages, so Daniel and I can read too. This way they will always hear the Christmas story from their grandparents FOREVER! I like stuff like that so I thought it might be memorable for my kids too!

The great thing is I found the exact one at Wal-Mart this week for only a few dollars more. So you guys can totally steal this idea!

Leggings from socks - 114

2011-12-04T08:18:00.001-06:00

This is one of my most favorite things to make and to put on my kids. I like to give Ben choices so he can learn to make good choices when he gets older. Sometimes this means he wears shorts when it is too cold outside. So so I don't feel like a horrible mother I have him wear leggings. Tayrien wears them all the time because I love them and he won't say no. Also leggings fit anyone. They are either more scrunched or stretched out.

They are super easy to make. You need the long adult socks to work with. All you do is cut the sock right above the heel and then strait stitch across that bottom edge. I turned it under one time and it was too bulky and looked funny. The raw edge is darling. For girls you could put a ribbon or lace along that edge too.

You could use the left over part to make rosettes or something like that.

Little girls skirt - Day 113

2011-12-03T14:46:00.001-06:00

So one of my friends just had a baby girl. Since I do not have one, I have to spoil hers. I mad the cutest skirt and even better, legging, but wait...there's more. I even made a hair rosette. I couldn't help myself. I think I would have made her a whole crib set and wardrobe if I could. Ok, so I started by making a simple base skirt. A rectangle that is sewed down the side seam. I guessed on how big to make it. I thought she could wear it now and it would be longer and grow with it. Then I hemmed it and ran ____________through it.

Then I cut four different colored patterns for the ruffles. I made them 3" wide and double the length of the skirt rectangle.

Then I hemmed them(white line on the left side) and did two rows of strait stitch right next to each other for gathering.

You pull both bobbin (bottom) threads together and bunch up the fabric into a ruffle. You only ruffle enough to go around one time on the skirt.

Then you place the first ruffle right sides together and stitch the ruffle on where you want it. I guessed the placement on top of the other ruffles.

Then you flip that same ruffle over and top stitch it so it stays down.

Here is the final project! Isn't it adorable! I wish boys could wear pink ruffly things.

oops!

Apple slice pancakes - Day 112

2011-12-02T02:00:00.000-06:00

This is soooo yummy! I sliced red apples into rings and dipped them into thicker pancake batter and cooked them. Oh so yummy! They were a huge hit with the boys and I couldn't stop eating them! I bet it would taste even better with spices like cinnamon or pumpkin spice!

Elf on shelf - Day 111

2011-12-01T02:00:00.000-06:00

I have found the coolest tradition for Christmas. I am sure it is so popular and you all have this already, but this is new for me. Elf on shelf! It is a cool little story about an elf who comes to your house every December to make sure your kids are good. He also gets into mischief. The kids wake up every morning and go and find the elf and see what he is doing or has done. You also get to name the elf and it comes with the book. I had started something like this years ago, but planned on using an invisible elf. I made him a passport and everything, so I am just using it for this elf! We chose a boy elf that looked like my boys with blue eyes. I have a whole page of ideas on pinterest. We named our elf Harvey Peppermint. I love the way Ben says Harvey. "Haaauuvy". I am going to have so much fun with this idea! I got mine at Target and I got $5 gift card. You get the same bonus if you order it online. It is the same price as amazon.com with no gift card. I thought about making my own, but I couldn't come up with something I liked more than this doll. It was a little pricey. Maybe the day after Christmas would be a good idea!

Advent calendar for Hubby - Day 110

2011-11-30T02:00:00.000-06:00

I saw this adorable idea to make an advent calendar for my husband. I made it to help get him in the Christmas spirit and for us to be able to spend time doing holiday things. I always get way to busy during the month of December, so this way we will do it for sure. I wrote 24 date ideas, love notes, or activities for the family. I put each day in an envelope and a number on the front. Then I used clothes pins and pinned them on a ribbon on my kitchen windows. Each day he will open a new envelope. The 25th day I wrote him a heart felt letter. Here is a link to my ideas for the days. You can use them if you want. Here is a link to the original idea.

Lasagna soup and Olive Garden - Day 109

2011-11-29T02:00:00.000-06:00

I made this yummo soup and I also made Olive Garden bread sticks! It was so yummo alone and when you combine them...!!!!!!!!!!!!! yes, it was that good. It was a hit with the boys too. Here is the link to both:

Lasagna

Bread sticks

Card wreath - Day 108

2011-11-28T12:28:00.001-06:00

For years I have displayed my Christmas cards the same way. This way I made it more permanent. I would make a wreath out of cardboard and tape the cards in a circle so it looks like a picture wreath!

Previously I had made a mobile with little lambs, but Tayrien has grown out of it and I decided to use the ring as a wreath! So I made a simple bow and glued it on the top. I took mini clothes pins and hot glued them on the rest of the wreath. I made sure to rotate the pins in opposite way so the cards don't hit each other.

Wise men - Day 107

2011-11-27T08:09:00.001-06:00

I made this tile last year at an enrichment. They ordered the saying, but you could totally make it on a cricut with vinyl. You simply place the saying where you want on the tile. I placed it on a tile and display it on an easel.

Cutest ornament on the block - Day 107

2011-11-26T02:00:00.000-06:00

I thought I would share last years Christmas ornament that was made. I took a block about 2x2" and sanded it. I printed and cut a photo to fit that size. Make sure the photo you choose is one where the heads are small. Then I used wrapping paper, craft paper, or other embellishments and place them on the sides. I used modge podge on all the sides including the photo, on the bottom and top to secure. Then you take an eye hook and screw it in the top and string ribbon through to hang! Super simple and oh so cute!

Christmas card 2011 - Day 106

2011-11-25T02:00:00.000-06:00

I saw this adorable picture on Pinterest and had to do it. They turned out great, but am torn between color and black and white. The B&W is my favorite, but I think I have to do the color as a card. Please help me! Look at them by themselves. I think when they are next to each other it skews the beauty.

Or do I go totally random and funny and do this one?

Totally just made up my mind.

I like the bloopers one!

Snow globe - Day 105

2011-11-24T02:00:00.000-06:00

I found this adorable DIY Snow globe at Michaels the same time as the plastic ornaments and had to get it. It was very cheap and so much fun! I inherited the trees from my mom's craft bin, so I can't tell you where to get some, but the snowman is made of buttons glued together with hot glue. I used the hot glue to glue them to the bottom of the globe. There are three pieces to the globe. The ball, the bottom, and the lid. Glue your pieces to the bottom. You will push it up into the globe. I filled the ball up with water to the very bottom ring (look for the arrow). then turn the bottom upside down and put it into the globe. Some water will spill, but that is ok, you don't want a lot of air bubbles. Then you screw on the lid. I showed Ben and he was so excited! I then put it way up high and told him he could play with it only with me. I could foresee a disaster!

Air dry clay - Day 104

2011-11-23T02:00:00.000-06:00

Today Ben and I made clay ornaments. I have this little tree that Daniel and I used when we lived a little hole in the garage a few years ago and this year I thought I would put it up in the boys room, kind of like a night light. Here is the Recipe for making the clay. We let it dry for a few days. I made sure to put holes in the clay so we can put strings through. I think we might paint them too. Super simple and so fun! We used cookie cutters! Go have fun! We will show you the tree when it is finished.

A Christ centered Christmas - Day 103

2011-11-22T07:20:00.001-06:00

I purchased a book at Time out for Women by Emily Freemancalled “A Christ-Centered Christmas” and started reading it last week. She takesseven points from the birth of Christ and helps us apply them to our Holiday season.We started early and are doing one point each week for FHE, and an extra twoduring the week until Christmas.

Last night we started with the first point, Mary the motherof Jesus. It talks about her sacrifice and what she might have been thinking.It says “she pondered these things in her heart” so I used that in my lessonlast night. We talked about what pondering was, that Christmas is Jesusbirthday, and that we need to ponder about him. At the end of each chapter shegives a song, scripture, and an activity that applies that we sang for FHE and then gives the main pointsof the chapter for a lesson. The song was Silent Night. The scriptures were Luke 1:25-56 and Luke 2:5-7, 19. The activity she provided was to make a heartornament and hang it on the Christmas tree or make heart shaped cookies. We collected red paper and cut outa heart. Then we punched a hole and used string to hang it on the tree. It isthe first ornament and I think I like that tradition. Stay tuned to tomorrow, I think we will haveanother lesson today that I can share with you!

Dear Santa - Day 102

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

When I was little it was all about Santa. My parents gave a few gifts, but the main event was Santa. I thought I was so clever when I found out he wasn't real. My brothers didn't know and I felt so special that I was in on it! I also felt so loved by my parents that they gave all the credit to Santa and let me believe in something so magical! I remember not being able to sleep on Christmas eve. The excitement was to great!! I wanted my children to have just as much magic in their lives. So in our little family Santa is included, but not as big a part as in my childhood. The main event is the Wisemen. They each get one gift from each of the Wisemen. I feel like it keeps the focus on Christ. Ok, back to the point....So Santa gets the stockings. We still write to him, because our stockings are kind of big and lots of gifts can fit in them.

For about three years now we have written letters to Santa. I write a reply to them in a sealed envelope and address it to my children. You have place a stamp on both the inside and outside letters. Then I place that envelope in a larger envelope and send it to this address:

Santa Claus
North Pole, AK
5400 Mail Trail
Fairbanks, AK 99709-9999

The post office will open the bigger envelope and stamp the letter to your child like it is from the North Pole. Then send it back as if Santa wrote them, because it really came from the North Pole!

Here are the papers I am using this year for the kids to write their letters on. I found it at Michaels for $1 each. I am a sucker for cool envelopes an it was all matching and i couldn't help myself. I could have totally made it myself, but it would have been about the same price to print it at Staples in color.

Doggie biscuts - Day 101

2011-11-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

I juice my own carrots for my shakes in the morning and with that comes a lot of left over carrot pulp. I call it carrot crap. My Granny used to put it in green jello. Ewwwwwww. It was so disgusting, by I appreciate her use of the whole carrot. She grew up in the depression. I get it, but I can't handle carrot crap in my jello. So I hate throwing it out. I thought this time I would try making dog biscuts and putting some carrot crap into it. The recipe I used was here. I added about four tablespoons of carrot crap in the recipe and more applesauce because it was too dry. Ben helped me cut them out with cookie cutters and I will be giving them away at Christmas to our puppy friends! Shhh, don't tell!

Giveaway - Day 100

2011-11-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today is the day! I have reached 100 days straight! I really didn't think it would get this far. I am so thankful for the inspiration and ideas that come to me so that I can bless your lives! I am so grateful for all you followers! I would be nothing without you! Ok so tell me what you guys want to know. I want to share my knowledge and talent with you. What has been your favorite post or what did I miss?

I thought I would share this photo of me with the single carrot I grew this year. It was so small, but oh so yummy...... Random I know.

The Winner is

{Jeanie Hills}

Photo shop - Day 99

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

Before

After

So I recently discovered this awesome tool in Photoshop that I have to share. It is the healing tool. It is # 7 from the top and it looks like a little band aid. You zoom way close and use the Alt button to pick up a sample and click on the blemish or imperfection you want to dissolve. You need to use the blur tool to soften your lines. You should re-sample by using the Alt button every few clicks. It is AMAZING! Now go and try it!

(I also whitened my teeth and took out the red eye.)

Don't forget to enter the giveaway. Today is the last day! Click here.

Temple etch - Day 98

2011-11-17T07:34:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine wanted to do some etching last Saturday at our Enrichment party and she was so busy teaching she didn't get to! So I did it for her. I cut a stencil out of vinyl on the cricut and slathered the armor etch on it. Then I was looking for scrap book paper to put behind it and I found a temple picture! It looks so good and she wanted to switch the paper out with each season. It is a super fun idea!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway. Click here.

My latest piece of art and a {Giveaway} - Day 97

2011-11-16T07:49:00.000-06:00

I recently started painting again and right now I am into watercolor. I love when Ben wakes up from a nap because his eyes are the biggest of the day. I snapped a pic and used it as my inspiration for this painting. I used a new technique. I LOVED it! I used Miskit. It is a repellent of paint. It is the bright orange stuff. You erase it off when you are done and it leaves bright white.

Origonal inspiration

black and white

Miskit and a little color

A little blue

A LOT more color

(notice the blow dryer, you can only do one color at a time or it will run together,

so this speeds things up)

Here is the finished project.

On a different note this is day 97 and I thought a {giveaway} was in order for making it this far! I will announce the winner on day 100! It will be chosen by a random generator. All you have to do is follow my blog and leave a comment under this post. The prize is a...

$10 Michael's gift card

Christmas wreath - Day 96

2011-11-15T09:38:00.001-06:00

I bought a Christmas wreath last year that was just pine branches. I decorated it with fake flowers and berries. This year it didn't look as cute to me, so I decorated it differently this year. I found this amazing chip board collection in the scrapbook section of Wal-Mart for .97! It had a Santa, snowman, the word Happy Holidays in flags, mittens, snowflakes and some word strips.

I made some rosettes out of scrap fabric and hot glue. I will do a tutorial for tomorrow on how to make rosettes.

Then I glues felt to the back and cut around the edges so you couldn't see it from the front. Then you glue the rosette edges together so they have more stability.

I glued string in three places on the back of the felt so I could tie it to my wreath (in case I want to change it next year).

Then I glued the Santa, snowman, snowflakes, and the saying "Jingle all the way" on the front of the rosettes.Then I tied it to the wreath.

Next I glued one long string on the back of the "Happy" letters, and another on the back of the "Holidays" letters. I tied them to the wreath. I placed the mittens and another word strip over where I tied them .I didn't glue them to the wreath, so they will eventually fall off and I will tape them on.

Here is the final project

Here it is on my door!

Pocket Nativity - Day 95

2011-11-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

When I was at Time Out For Women I bought this cute little nativity pocket. I think they well them at Deseret Book. I love the design of the actual pocket, but the finger puppets were missing some essence parts. I didn't worry too much because they were an easy fix for me. Take a look at the before and after pics. I don't know what kind of cows they have in China (that is where this was made). I plan to add more puppets later.

Sure cuts a lot - Day 94

2011-11-13T08:48:00.001-06:00

I have had a cricut machine for about a year now. I have never purchased a cartridge except the ones that came with the machine. I have used my machine a thousand times and 99% of the time I use sure cuts a lot. It is a program that lets you use a computer to layout where you want to place things, how big, and what font. It uses every font you have on your computer. I also download a free font everyday or every other day from this blogs:

svgcuts

svgshop

If you have a cricut machine you need to get this program to make your life easier!

Christmas props - Day 93

2011-11-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

My dear friend Miss Lori is a photographer and has taken every momentous photo in our family since Daniel and I were married. She was needing a prop for Christmas photo session and she spotted one in Pinterest and asked if I would make it for her. It was a bit tricky, but I used dowel rods, hot glue and a power drill. I only wish that I could keep this beautiful display!

Christmas ornaments - Day 92

2011-11-11T08:46:00.001-06:00

Every year the boys get to make a new ornament for the Christmas tree. I have made them so far because they are so little. This year we made hand print ornaments. I found these awesome bulbs that are PLASTIC! I used the larger one for Ben and the smaller one for Tayrien. We used regular acrylic paint and applied it to their hands. Ben did awesome and it only took one try. Tayrien took about 8 times. I would have to wipe it off and try again. He would grab the globe like he should, but then he would move his hands side to side. The final time I had to just let him touch it for a second and then quickly move it away. I applied a ribbon to the top and it added their names and the date on the opposite side of the hand.

Tayrien

Benjamin

Christmas card book - Day 91

2011-11-10T09:06:00.001-06:00

This is a cute way to display and keep The Christmas cards you receive in the mail from friends and family over the years. Super simple and you can lay them on your table as a look book every Christmas!

Pumkin soup - Day 90

2011-11-09T09:35:00.000-06:00

I made this awesome pumpkin soup and I used a huge pumpkin to serve it in. I took all the guts out and cleaned it as much as I could. Then you prick the inside with a fork a bunch of times and rub the outside with oil. Then I cooked the pumpkin soup on the stove top while the pumpkin was cooking in the oven. Then I placed the soup in the hot pumpkin and added a dollop of sour cream. It was so yummy I even ate some for breakfast! The soup recipe I used I found on pinterest.

Hummus... I'm eating hummus - Day 89

2011-11-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

I have struggled with finding a great hummus recipe and instruction and finally youtube prevails.

Roasted red pepper Hummus

Ingredients

1 red bell pepper
Click to see savings
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Click to see savings
1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Click to see savings
1/4 teaspoon salt
Click to see savings
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, quartered

Preparation

Preheat broiler.
Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Peel.
Place bell pepper and remaining ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.
Add water to help it move along and keep adding the water until it reaches a whipped thickness. It helps get the lumps out the more liquid.

Hummusingredients

Finished product

Tahini: Take 1.2 cup regular sesame seeds (I found them at a local imports store) and 8 tsp of little olive oil and heat them on the stove a few minutes on high till they start "popping". Place into a blender and make smooth. Add olive oil to help it blend. Maybe even a little water. It needs to be really thin.

Sesame seeds

Blended Tahini- this picture was before I added more liquid

Stuffed French Toast - Day 88

2011-11-07T12:59:00.000-06:00

This morning I made French Toast and by lunch time there were two slices left. I decided to use them for my lunch. I took cream cheese, strawberry jam, and banana slices and made a delicious treat! I warmed it up in the micro for 30 seconds and it was so yummy! I think I will try nutella next time!

TOFW - Day 87

2011-11-06T07:17:00.000-06:00

I just spent a few days at Time Out For Women. It is like EFY for old ladies. They have inspirational speakers and musicians of our faith come and inspire us to be better mommies and wives. This year was no exception. I had so much fun with the ladies I went with. Claire Fogelquist, Jeanie ANderson, Candie Giesey, and Jeanie Hills. We laughed our selves silly! We also made a stop at the Liberty jail and the New Kansas City Temple. OH and what happens at TOFW stays at TOFW!

Pancakes - Day 86

2011-11-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share the way I make pancakes with you guys. I read this cookbook called Deceptively Delicious a while back and she helps you put fruits and veggies into you food so no one can tell they are in there. So Since then I place an ice cube of sweet potatoes in my pancakes. I add pumpkin pie spice and it tastes amazing! I tried a new ingredient the other day and it was a big hit. Strawberries! I blended them up and placed them on top of the pancakes. Since I use a mustard container to evenly dispense the batter I was afraid they would get stuck, but I think they would have looked better if the berries were mixed throughout. I cut the tip of the mustard dispenser down a little to make it slightly bigger and it is so easy to make perfectly perfect pancakes. I make itty bitty ones for the boys to hold and this is the easiest way I have found to make them. I hate drippy drops from the batter bowl. Be creative with your pancakes. They make great snacks too! What kinds of pancakes do you make?

Camera strap - Day 85

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have wanted to make this adorable camera strap cover for my big canon camera. I wanted to make it all ruffly and have a rosette, and then I remember my hubby will probably use it too, so I left is simple. Just a cover no frills.So lay your strap on top of the fabric and cut is 5/8 in bigger all the way around.

Hem the ends

Lay the strap on the fabric again and make sure there is enough room for a seam on the back. Sew it with right sides together and turn right side out.

I made mine a little too tight so it was a little rough getting it on, but I worked it and I like the tightness. It feels so much better than that scratchy strap.

Thankful jar - Day 84

2011-11-03T10:11:00.000-05:00

So I have this craft I am doing for Young womens this month and I thought I would share. You take a jar (reuse) and take the label off and clean it. If it stinks put a little vinegar in it and let it sit and the smell will come out. Then wrap the jar in your favorite scrapbook paper where the old label used to be. I used glue dots to affix it to the jar. Then take a complimentary color paper and cut it into a rectangle for a label. It will not go all the way around. Then I used my cricut to cut out the words Thankful jar and glued them to the strip. You could just write the words or print them on your pretty paper if you don't have a cricut. Punch one hole at each end of the label and run twine through. Run the twin behind the label and tie on one side. I found these adorable turkeys pre-made out of felt at Michaels and bought the bag of seven for YW. They have a glue back so I just stuck them to the other side of the label opposite of the knot. Now your jar is ready for daily strips with things you are thankful for. The tradition is to open the jar and read them all during Thanksgiving dinner.

Ottoman redu - Day 83

2011-11-02T14:43:00.000-05:00

When I was pregnant with Tayrien I wanted to buy a ottoman so it would make breastfeeding easier.I used it to prop my feet up on while feeding. I found this great little cube at a thrift store for $10! It was the perfect green shade for my living room. I have used it every day since then. The sad part is that so has Ben. Ben is a messy kid and the Ottoman now looks like this:

So I decided to recover it. I wanted to make it really girly with ruffles and such. So first I laid the fabric on top and cut a square that was 5/8 in wider allt he way around (you can lay the fabric down an then the stool on top of it to measure).

I wanted a drop waist effect so I added a piece at the top. I didn't measure by in. I just laid it up there and quessed where it looked good. Make sure to add your seam allowance of 5/8 in.

So I sewed the top and side pieces together. Make sure you don't sew the first 5/8 or last 5/8.

Next you need to join two side pieces . Line them up and let the top piece fold diagonally. Sew along the seam.

Then I took the next fabric and measured all the way around the stool in height and length. It was one big rectangle. Then I sewed the ends to make on big loop.

Then I sewed the tan loop to the pattern piece.

I decided to leave it without any ruffles because it is in the office which is technically my husbands space, so I realized it should be less girly. I am happy with it and love the two tone!

Halloween - Day 82

2011-11-01T11:53:00.000-05:00

Ben getting a skeleton on his cheek. Tayrien was turned into a kitty.

Waiting in line

Tayrien and Grandma Dee

Ben as Hiccup the viking

Tyler as Woody, Nathan as Buzz, Ben as Hiccup, and Tayrien as a viking

Haunted hayride

Lentil sprouts - Day 81

2011-10-31T11:45:00.000-05:00

Day 1 Day 4

I went to a preparedness fair a few years ago and got an attachment to make a canning jar into a sprout maker. It has taken me forever to figure out what I wanted to do with it, but finally I have done it! What you do is take the plastic grid from the craft dept. and cut it to fit the lid of the jar and viola! It is super easy. I took dry lentils, about 1/4 cup, and place into the jar. Fill it all the way up and let it soak 24 hrs. Then strain the water out and put it in a dark place. I keep mine under my kitchen sink. Every morning when I go to get my dish washing detergent I see the jar and remember to fill it up and dump it out. I do this a few times and put it back. After a few days I have yummy sprouts to eat! Did you know that an average person needs 40-50g of protein a day and lentil sprouts give us 10g! That is extremely high for a plant. If you also have other protein veggies in the same meal, you may get all your protein in one sitting! Who new!

Date jar - Day 80

2011-10-30T08:14:00.000-05:00

So I hate it when the hubby calls and says we are going out tonight and I can't think of anything new to do. So we end up going out to dinner and a movie, again. I never think to research on the internet for ideas. So I did this one day and I compiled a list in Word and printed it off. Then I took an oats container and decorated it. Then I labeled it Date ideas. So now I am prepared. You just draw an idea out of the container and go!

Lets talk about Salad - Day 79

2011-10-29T08:23:00.000-05:00

I love salads when they have great stuff in them other than carrots and lettuce. So here is my take on salad.

The base I always use is spinich. I hate the stuff cooked, but love it raw.

So then I add veggies. My favorites are olives, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, raisins, avocado, strawberries, blueberries, cucumber, grapes, green bell pepper, corn, and mandarin oranges. I don't put all of them in at the same time, but you can mix and match.

Then I add a cool topping like pine nuts, croutons, or every once in a while grilled chicken.

My favorite salad dressing is raspberry vinaigrette and it goes with just about anything.

The boys love eating all the fun "surprises" they can find in their salad. So go forth and eat plants!

I LOVE Cilantro - Day 78

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

I use Cilantro a lot in my cooking. It is also hard to keep it fresh. I found this recipe on Pinterest and tried it.

2 cups cilantro (1 bunch you buy at store)
3 cloves garlic
3-4 tbsp. lime or lemon juice (I used bottled lime juice)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp. sea salt (I used kosher)

Combine all ingredients in your food processor and pulverize. Divide andfreeze (in mini muffin tins or ice cube trays), then pop out and store in a bagand freeze again. Or serve fresh for some amazing flavor.

keeping bananas fresh for shakes- Day 77

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

So I have a banana every morning in my shake and I was having a hard time keeping them fresh. So I blended them one at at time with a little drop of water and froze them in muffin tins. This way they will be fresh and frozen for the shake!

Lentil pasta - Day 76

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Our fist vegan meal was a hit. We still have meat in our house so I am using it, but once it is gone it will be replaced with a vegetable substitute. Last night I used Polish sausage and it will be replaced with veggi-sausage. It will taste the same. Even Daniel LOVED it! Here is the recipe:

Lentil pasta

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup dry lentils
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces vegan sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices (optional)
1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1 (12 ounce) package rotini pasta (I used elbow)

Directions

Bring the vegetable broth, lentils, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and bay leaf to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Add additional broth if needed to keep the lentils moist. Discard the bay leaf once done.
As the lentils simmer, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, thyme, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for 1 minute, then add the sausage. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the onion has softened, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the kale and rotini pasta. Cook until the rotini is al dente, about 8 minutes. Remove some of the cooking water, and set aside. Drain the pasta, then return to the pot, and stir in the lentils, and onion mixture. Use the reserved cooking liquid to adjust the moistness of the dish to your liking. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast to serve.

Forks over Knives - Day 75

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Since I started this raw diet my life has completely changed. I have more energy, I am more satisfied, which means I eat less, which leads to loosing weight, and I am so much happier. It is amazing how changing your diet can completely turn your life inside out for the better. A friend of mine recently watched this movie called "Forks over Knives" and Daniel and I started to watch it last night. It is unbelievable! They have so much research and statistics that show how meat and dairy poison our lives. They also talk about how as Americans we think the only source of protein comes from meat. Not so! You can get just as much from plants or legumes and you don't have the life altering side affects like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. They even go to say that it can prevent cancer. A study in Asia found that they ate this diet and there were 18 cases of cancer. That same year there were 114,000 in America. This was taken in 1950! NO wonder we are so sick and so big!

They polled some Americans and asked why we eat meat and every one said protein. We as a society only eat meat because we think it is what we need and it is socially required. Interesting.

So our family is going to start the transition to semi-vegan. Tayrien and I are allergic to milk, so we are already drinking alternative sources for calcium. Almond milk is my favorite. I also picked up some soy cheese and can't tell the difference. We will eat fish because we don't think it falls in the red meat category that causes bad health. Whole grains, fruits, veggies all apply. We will be cutting back on all processed and refined sugars.

We aren't going to totally restrict our diet in that we won't have Thanksgiving dinner, or eating what our extended family eats. I don't want to go to a restaurant and not eat what sounds good. Eating meat sparingly gives us the healthy nutrients our body stores. A few times a year is no biggie.

You guys need to watch this video. I think it is on Netflix. It will change your life. I am not crazy!

Forks over Knives website

The burning house - Day 74

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

I saw this image on pinterest a while ago and last night I did it for myself. It is a picture of one person and if their house were burning, what would they grab to save? Here are some examples:

I walked through my house looking at things and thinking about what could be replaced. I came up with not very many things. This surprised me since I like to hang on to things. I guess it is because all of my keepsake items are in storage. I would have pulled a few things from there. So here is my burning house(I didn't include dogs or ppl-they are a given) :

(Left - Right - Top row- Note from Daniel, rock in the shape of my childhood dog speckles from my dad, the sheep my granny made for me when I was little, Granny's jar of buttons- Middle row - Vacation jar to Sarasota, my favorite box camera, my phone (info), Sweetheart journal - Bottom row - Eiffel tower wedding cake topper, Ben's owl, my scrapbook.

I didn't include a lot of photos cause they are replaceable. Also a lot of antiques because I am sure I could replace them. I think I need to evaluate what I have in my house if I don't LOVE it! I feel a purge coming on! What would you take?