Giggle Girls

Sydney and her cousin, Karalyn, are so funny together. They make up games and giggle the whole time they play. They are very sweet.

Week of Crafts - Friday

Today concludes the week. Thanks everyone for stopping by each day. I really appreciate. I have to say I like craft weeks - it motivates me to get stuff done. I like the feeling of accomplishment. Here is a scrapbook page for today's craft. The pictures are from last summer - look how much she's grown!

I also finished my order for the Chicago's Children Museum earlier this week and shipped it out to them. Here is just al small part of the order.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Week of Crafts - Thursday

I'm tired of using all those plastic bags at the grocery store for produce. My solution was to use the leftover mesh fabric (from the puzzle bags) and make my own. I used a ribbon to tie it closed. You can wash it and it doesn't weight anything (so no extra cost there). You can find them on Etsy too.

Sorry to picture of Syd today. Just a real quick post.

Week of Crafts - Wednesday

Whew! Just a couple more days. Here are some straight pins/stick pins I have made. You can tack paper and other ephemera up on a bulletin board with them if you like. Hmmm...I'm sure there is a lot of other uses too. : )

And, again, for the non-crafting type - here Sydney helping me craft!

Week of Crafts - Tuesday

My craft for today is homemade laundry detergent. It's alright you can call me weird. I don't know why I wanted to try it. It definitely cheaper and all natural (minus the Oxy-clean). It does clean just as well too. The recipe I used was:

1 bar of Ivory soap (grated)

1 cup Borax

1 cup Washing Soda

1/4 cup Oxy-Clean (optional)

You just have to use a couple tablespoons per load. I like it and it was so quick and easy to make (easier than a walk down the detergent aisle and deciding which kind to buy this time). You can use other bars of soap as well. You can find more recipes and info here. I used recipe #4.

And for all those you don't care about homemade laundry detergent (shame on you!), here's a picture of Sydney dressed in Matt's clothes.

Week of Crafts - Monday

I haven't done this is awhile so I thought it was time to do it again. I wanted something to stick in the packages when someone bought an item from my store - as a little promo item. I love these flowers (they are all over Etsy) and I was happy to find them on a tutorial. I thought they would be perfect. I have made a whole bunch and turn them into pins. I figured with the pins you can put them on purses, clothes, anything really. I have a lot more ideas swimming around in my head with these guys. I could probably do a whole week of items made with these flowers. Anyway...let's continue! : )

I designed myself a little logo with Photoshop and the pins the fit right on the card and "Viola!"

There is my jar full. I love looking at them and am very happy when I get to put one in a package! I hope my customers are happy when they find it too.

And for all of you who really don't care about crafts (shame on you!) - here's a picture of Sydney and her new love, Diego.

Crafts!

Holy Smokes I've been busy with crafts. These are just a few of the things I've been up to and this doesn't include the continuous sewing of felt food. I just received another big order for the Chicago Children's Museum which I have been working on too. Here are some tags for the Etsy store.

I needed some new oven mitts...so what would any normal person do? Make their own! : ) haha.

Again, Dixie needed a new leash...so why spend $10 when I can make one for $3!


Ooh, this is one of my favorites. I found this brass butterfly napkin holder at the thrift store for a dollar. Matt did the make-over for me by spray painting it pink. It's a great addition to my craft room and makes me quite happy when I look at it.

Joanie, Jean's mom, painted this piggy bank for Sydney's 2nd birthday. It is so cute and Sydney loves it too. We put the coins in and take them out - over and over again!

In Sydney news, it's been quite exciting. She has started praying for us at dinner. It goes something like this:

"Dear God, thank you for Sydney, mommy, and daddy. In Jesus name. Amen."

Very cute and to the point. I love it. Also, Jen bought some Leapfrog DVDs (here and here) for her birthday. She has been watching them and now knows what every letter says. For example, she'll say "What does M say?" then replies "Mmm" and so forth. She'll be reading before we know it - Whew, that's scary! Have a good day everyone.

At the Lake

So we met our friends, Lauren & Jason, at their parents lakehouse. It was so much fun. Lauren is one of my best friends from college, so it's always good to hang out with her. Her parents, Susan & Joey, are fanastic people also. (Hi Susan!) : )

We just went for the day. Here is Matt and Syd swimming.

Matt's jumping in.

Sydney's turn!

Trying to touch and hold the minnows.

They even made cupcakes! Do they know us or what!?

Hanging out on the boat.

Jason tubing.

Matt tubing.

The family tubing.

Syd did good on the tube - and no we didn't go real fast! I can't believe I didn't get any pictures with Lauren or her parents! What kind of blogger am I? I guess we'll just have to do it again.

Next post (coming tomorrow): Crafts! : )

Crafts and Baking

That's what I do...besides taking care of Sydney (of course)! heehee!

Here is my solution for all of Sydney's puzzles. I get sick of the puzzle pieces going everywhere so I made each puzzle a zippered bag. They are made of mesh so she can see each puzzle and everything fits right inside. It works out very well and Sydney has no problems with it.

My mother-in-law, Karen, let me borrowed her sewing serger. I've been wanting to try one for a long time and "Holy Smokes." I'm in love with it! It makes everything look so professional. I used it to make the bags above - it's so fast and makes everything perfect. What's not to love about that?

Onto baking, here is some Mexican Wedding Cookies from this book by one of my favorite baking authors. Her books are great and the pictures are just fabulous to look at.

Yummy cookies covered in powdered sugar and made with pecans from Pa's trees!

Happy 4th of July!

I hope everyone had a good 4th. We went to Austin for the weekend. We ran a few errands and played some Wii. The errands consisted of Central Market and Hey Cupcake! I can't help it - I like to bake and eat baked goods! : )

Hillary and Heather - my arms (specifically my shoulders) are so sore from boxing! haha.

Before we left, I made some 4th of July star cookies. I have a baking prodigy...

Or at least someone as enthusiastic as I am to eat the baked goods! The cookies are a cinnamon sugar cookie recipe - so good! I liked it better than traditional sugar cookies. That's sayin' something.

We went to the neighborhood pool on Saturday.

Blowing bubbles.

Sydney eating her 1st popsicle. She did excellent - not a single drop down her swimsuit.

Nonnie and Sydney.

Eating an ice cream cone on the way home.

Vote for my cupcakes!

Here is where you vote for my cupcakes and you don't need an Etsy account - so there is no excuse! : )

http://www.etsyhomefront.com/2008/06/30/independence-day-team-challenge/

Just post a comment writing that your favorite item is a cupcake. Thanks everyone.

Summer Felt Foods

Here are my new felt food creations made this weekend - ice cream sandwiches and popsicles! I also have an ice cream cone in the works.

Also, if you have an Etsy account you need to vote for my cupcakes! : ) I'll post the link to the voting as soon as it's up (July 1st). I am doing a challenge through an Etsy team - you vote for the best (or the one you like the best) patriotic themed idea/product. And since you read my blog, the best product your going to see is my cupcakes! haha.

Sydney's First Week of School

Well, I guess it's actually not school - it's a Mother's Day Out program at our church. Either way, it's "school" at our house. It's twice a week and runs through the end of July. Syd did great both days and has really taken to one of her teachers. Very cute stuff. Here she is with her very large backpack!

What have I been doing with all my new free time? I run errands and workout with my trainer/circuit training teacher. He kicks my behind every time and I love it! I try to sneak in some crafts too! : )

This week's baking consisted of cupcakes. I added mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in the batter (before baking). I believe I saw it in a Martha Stewart Living "Good Things." I put a little batter in the bottom then the peanut butter cup and topped it off with more batter. The Reese's totally sank to the bottom. I think next time I'll put them right on top of all the batter. Hopefully, at that point won't fall to the bottom. It is a nice little surprise in the cupcake though! It's also just a vanilla batter with chocolate frosting. Here's the 2 pictures - I couln't decide which one I liked better so you get both!

Limited Edition Cupcakes

I'm part of this military group through Etsy. We are doing a red, white, and blue challenge in celebration of the 4th of July. Everyone is to vote starting on July 1st for their favorite. Here is my entry. Nothing like....cupcakes! : )

The listing for the cupcakes are here.