It's been very rainy here for the past few weeks which is a welcome relief from the Texas heat. We are getting somewhat settled in to our new school routine and I have already baked two batches of Pumpkin Gingerbread! I love the Fall.
I'm working on a fabric leaf garland right now made from fabric and felt scraps from another project and it's turning out pretty cute. I'll share the patterns and tutorial with you when I'm finished.
Little O has been having so much fun playing in the rain. I wrapped my camera in a zip-loc baggie, grabbed an umbrella and snapped these photos:
Because of all the rain we've been having some super size mushrooms grow in the front yard. We had lots of fun measuring, snapping pics and imagining the little fairy people that might live in them. :)
How is your Fall going? I'd love to hear about your Fall traditions!
Grace & Peace,
♥Melissa~
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain." -Psalm 143:6
"Day
and night I'll stick with God. I've got a good thing going and I'm not
letting go. I'm happy from the inside out-- and from the outside in,
I'm firmly formed."
For some reason when January comes around each year, it is so hard for me to get back into the routines I had before Christmas. I have this sort of hazy-fog-of-an-idea of what I had been doing before Thanksgiving came.
You know like when you walk into a room for something but on the way to the room you start thinking about something else so that by the time you *get* to the room you're standing in the doorway saying...."now what did I come in here for?"....
{other people do that right?}
I'm standing in February saying, "now what did I come in here for?" This may or may not be the reason you haven't seen me in awhile. Just sayin'.
TWO
This is interesting. It's called Typealyzerand analyzes your personality based on what you write on your blog or rather the personality of your blog.
Here's mine:
ESFP - The Performers [ESFP]
The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.
The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.
Pretty acurate I think except for the "tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation" part, but I think that is an anomaly in my personality (one that I'm trying to get rid of actually).
What's your blog's type?
THREE
The snack of chocolate milk and cinnamon toast mixed with a little prayer can make a bad day seem not so bad after all.
If you need some last minute ideas for Valentines day The Crafty Crow has a marvelous array of them (and I'm not just saying that because I happen to be featured...*cough*).
SIX I personally am completely unprepared for heart day tomorrow having let it sneak up on me while I was standing in February trying to remember what I came in here for.
SEVEN
I think that's enough for now. Life off my computer is quite busy these days with church activities and homeschool activities and house cleaning and organizing.
{actually the last one is just hopeful thinking...heh-heh}
I'll be around (Lord willing), just not quite as often for a little while.
I hope you're all having a wonderful start to this new year. Thanks for the encouraging emails as well as pokes & prods to get back here.
Grace & Peace,
♥ Melissa~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." -1 Peter 4:8
(well, a "new-to-*me*-recycled-from-someone-who-is-*really*-getting-a-new-computer", computer...heh-heh)
Yay!
And also...*ugh*...
...because, you know, getting a new computer means...
nothing is where it should be
and things have to be installed and exported and imported and deported or whatever...
and you know...other technical/nightmarish stuff that makes you very cranky with your husband whom you love dearly and with whom you would normally *never* be cranky...
{I mean...for some people that's what getting a new computer means...}
Anyway...since I can't really post photos today and thecandy cane paper angel was a hit, I thought I'd give you some links to other lovely paper angel projects.
Hope you're having fun this season and making sweet memories...
Grace & Peace,
♥Melissa~
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow." -Matthew 28:3
This is a super sweet little Christmas craft I came up with for the kiddos to make & give to friends at church, homeschool group, etc. It's so quick and easy! (my favorite kind of craft)
What you need to get started:
the angel pattern (download here) paper (we used scrapbook paper, but you could use wrapping paper, construction paper or even fabric or felt) scissors pencil/pen candy canes embellishments if desired (sequins, glitter, stickers etc.)
Step One:
Print out the pattern and cut it out.
The pattern should be about 7" long when you print it out. If it's not, you may need to enlarge it (choose: file: print preview: scale: 125%).
Step Two:
Cut slits on the dashed lines only and fold back the paper.
Step Three:
Fold your patterned paper in half with wrong side facing out and trace the angel on the fold.
Step Four:
Cut out the angel that you traced on the patterned paper.
When you cut the slits for the candy canes, only cut the sides of the slits as shown above (not the top part).
Step Three:
Open the angel up and write a message on the back if it's for a special friend. Or decorate it with glitter and sequins.
Or just leave it plain.
Step Four:
Insert the candy cane from the back in an "over/under" pattern as shown below.
Step Five:
Delight friends and family with a sweet treat. :)
(and take photos so I can see! I love it when ya'll send me photos of the projects you've made with my patterns and tutorials--
Hey, I was just thinking, maybe I should start a flickr group for all the photos you guys are always sending me? I will work on that tonight & post when it's done! I did it! We have our own flickr group now, so if you make the angels go an upload them there--or if you've made flowers or turkeys or any projects featured here upload them to share with us all! yippee! I'm so excited! Here is the link:
We're on our way to a *very* busy Christmas-y weekend of decorating and church activities and visiting and a ladies Christmas brunch... {I'm teaching the ladies how to make a little fabric ornament that I'll show you next week.} Sneak Peek:
Have a wonderful and blessed weekend!
Grace & Peace this lovely Christmas season,
♥ Melissa~ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD." -Psalm 104:34
We've been making turkey place cards and favors over the last few days and having so much fun that I thought I should share.
mama's scrapbook version
Little O's paper plate version
It looks a little complicated at first, but it's really simple once you make one and they go together pretty quickly so you still have time to make some for thanksgiving!
Here's what you need to get started:
turkey pattern (download here) scrapbook paper (I used almost allElsie's from her adorable Zoecollection. It's double-sided so my turkey looks just as cute from the back as it does from the front! The brown paper is Over the Moon Press) paper plates or construction paper plain white paper scissors adhesive ribbon crayons
Step One
For little ones who are using a plate you'll want to draw a square in the center of the back side of the plate that is about 2.5 x 2.5 inches.
Then draw lines from the corner of each square, out to the edge of the plate. These are your cutting lines.
If you're using scrapbook paper or construction paper for your turkey then you'll need to trace the paper plate on the back of your paper first and then create the cutting pattern.
Step Two
Next, cut your paper or plate on the four lines, stopping when you get to the square.
Step Three
(I'm switching to patterned paper in the photos for better visibility but the steps are the same for paper plate or construction paper)
Now fold and score each section of paper on the square lines as above.
Step Four
Next you'll want to fold and score each of the four sections in from the corner of the square as in the photo above.
It should look something like this when you're finished:
Step Five
Now begin to fold the sides up to form the cup. The right and left side flaps should be inside the cup.
The front and back flaps should be on the outside.
Use your favorite adhesive to attach the back flaps to the inside of the cup.
The front flaps will only be attached on the inside to create wings.
Step Six
Now cut out and trace (or color) and glue your feathers, face etc. (well not *your* face, I mean the turkey pattern face...heh-heh)
I have to say, I especially fell in love with these turkey legs because it looks like he has the word "art" tattooed on his thighs, heh-heh.
My little guy created his own design on the feathers and plate and then colored them.
(we're learning about the five senses right now, so that's the mat you see under his work surface)
I found with the feathers, that it was easier to lay them out, arrange them, glue them together and *then* glue them to the bird rather than trying to glue them individually.
Step Seven
Now you can make name cards and attach with ribbon...
Or make a little sign with a favorite Thanksgiving scripture or quote for him to hold:
The cup is fairly large and could hold candy corns or snacks (maybe
line it with plastic wrap first) or napkins or any number of things you
might want on your Thanksgiving table this year.
You could also just make one and use it as a centerpiece.
I think these would be really cute made from felt or fabric too and then you could save them to use each year!
Have fun making these and send me links if you post photos!
Grace and Peace,
♥Melissa~
------------------------------------------------------------- "...singing a song of Thanksgiving, telling of all Your wonders." -Psalm 26:7
There are some days when I only have a minute and really want to post something clever and creative and well...it's just not happenin'...ya know?
Nothing.
So here's something interesting I saw this weekend. I can't decided if it's the coolest thing ever or a colossal waste of time and resources...what do you think?...
(I'm leaning towards cool)
This lady got tired of looking at this old gas station so she got some people together and they stitched a giant "gas station cozy" for it and the pumps.
The whole story is here, including tips on how to do this yourself if you want to.... heh-heh... I can't even finish the bible cover I'm working on so I'm pretty sure a *building cover* is not in my future... you never know though, it's all about God's timing isn't?
(I know exactly what building I would cover up in my neighborhood too, only it's not abandoned...heh-heh...)
Off to spend the day in a very stinky, sweaty gym with my boys for homeschool basketball.
I'm taking pink crochet to work on so I think I'll be ok.
Have a terrific Tuesday my crafty friends.
Grace and Peace,
♥ Melissa~
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Just at the right time, the Lord will send showers of blessings." -Ezekiel 34:26
*I'm thinking maybe I should change the name to just "time for ten" or something, huh?*
one Remember this post?and this one? According to sitemeter I had visitors from Fannie Mae and Target Corporation on those two days. Weird, huh?
two I think it is time to give up the ghost on these little turkey candlestick holders, what do you think?
I love them so much because they were some of the first holiday decorations I ever bought when I was first married. I have such a warm feeling and fond memories when I look at them.
Well, I did until they became headless and tail-less.
I think the head may be rolling around in the thanksgiving box somewhere.
Maybe I'll glue it back on and give them one more year.
three I was right about the candy problem. Right now there are three different bags of candy in the kitchen.
The orange slices are calling my name.
four Sometimes when I pray I think I must sound like a five year old little girl to the Lord. I can just manage to get out, "oh please, oh please, oh pleeeeeasseee Lord."
five I'm not telling you what the above prayer was in reference to.
six I've been working on a really fun project this week. I'm a member of theChristian Paper Artists group and every couple of years, 52 of us get together and design a deck of cards around a scriptural theme.
Last time the theme was "proverbs". Here's my card from that deck:
The edges are square when we send them in, but the card company prints them on rounded cards.
The deck came out so, so pretty last time. 52 little works of art.
seven This year the theme was love. I chose Romans 8:39 as my scripture. One of my favorites:
I printed the scripture on the back of a pink ticket. I have to say I was pretty excited when it worked without jamming up my printer...heh-heh. eight We also vote on our favorites for the back of the card. I entered this design:
It's a compilation of all the love scriptures that everyone chose. Just reading those all in a row will bless your socks off!
nine If you're interested in purchasing a deck of these cards let me know and I will get you in touch with our group leader. She's taking orders right now. I gave some out for Christmas last time and they were a big hit.
ten Finally here is a fun freebie for crafty types and homeschoolers!
DJ Inkersis giving away a "Vote 2008" set of clip art and borders! One of the sheets would make a great notebooking page.
♥ Melissa~ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 8:38-39
71 I'm not really a "pet" person, but maybe I will be when my boys are grown.
72 I took ballet lessons, tap lessons and piano lessons as a child.
Me (in the center) during a ballet recital in the seventies.
73 I can't dance or play the piano now.
74 I'd like to try again with those lessons someday.
75 And the samba. (it just looks fun)
76 In junior high my mom wrote me a note to get out of school early so I could come home and watch Luke and Laura's wedding on General Hospital.
77 I may occasionally still watch General Hospital (especially if Laura is making a guest appearance), but I will never admit it.
78 I was a "wench" at medieval times for a very short time.
79 It was one of the hardest jobs I've *ever* had (and in a somewhat demoralizing costume no less).
80 I'm a very visual person.
81 I can read something a thousand times and not get it, but show me a picture and voila! (I know...don't say voila)
82 I ♥ photography
83 I love love love trees
84 I have pale skin, green eyes and freckles from my Irish heritage and straight, thick black hair from my Cherokee Indian heritage.
85 My first job was teaching preschool in South Africa.
86 Those kids are in their twenties now.
87 That cannot be true.
88 I swore I would never get married when I was a teenager and now I cry when my husband goes out of town and have an overwhelming urge to go stay with a friend 'til he gets back. I guess I like being married after all. :)
89 I was home skipping school and watching tv when the news broke that President Reagan had been shot. My dad called the house looking for my mom and we talked about it and he never asked me why I was home.
90 That combined with #77 makes it sound like I skipped school a lot, but really I didn't. Junior high was just a nightmare...and then in high school I became a homeschooler...and there is no skipping when you're a homeschooler...*LOL*
91 I am not very good about writing back to people, keeping up with email, etc.
92 It's something that I really need to work on.
93 I have an obsession with old black & white photo booths.
94 I just think they are so cool. me in a photo booth at Amy's Ice Creamin Austin, TX
95 I would love to have one in my living room someday. Wouldn't that be the greatest?
96 I love my morning coffee, very, very strong with cream and sugar.
97 I love my husband & kids more than anything else in this world.
98 I once was lost, but now I'm found.
99 His grace has set me free.
100 I love my life.
----
Whew, so a hundred things you now know about me. I hope we're still friends.
Grace & Peace,
♥ Melissa~
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," -2 Tim 2:19
34 I used to teach scrapbook classes; first in my local store (which is now closed and still makes me sad to think about) and then at conventions like CKU, GASC and ME.
35 Because of the above I attend some crafty trade shows which really was one of the funnest things I've ever done.
36 My friend and I saw the guy from 24 at the JFK airport on the way home from one of the trade shows (the NY stationery show).
37 It was right after 911 and he was getting frisked. He was wearing all black and looked very annoyed.
38 That's pretty much my only brush with fame.
39 My most favorite holiday in the whole wide world is Christmas (I also love valentines day a lot).
40 I don't really like wearing make up, never wear it at home, but if I'm going somewhere I'll put a little on.
41 For extra self-indulgence on a rough day I will go for a Wendy's Chocolate Frosty Root Beer Float (sounds gross, but oh so good)
42 Speaking of self-indulgence, I have never had a massage. I'm not sure I would like some stranger's hands all over me like that.
43 My brother and his wife are both police officers I am so proud of them.
44 I normally don't watch the news, but during the elections I have watched *way* too much of it.
46 I love to go camping with my family (with qualifications, we have an air conditioner in the camper and campground bathrooms have to be semi-clean and bug free, the second doesn't always happen).
47 I think tivo and air conditioning are two of the best inventions *ever*.
48 I love going to the movies, but rarely go because they're mostly garbage (expensive garbage at that).
49 Favorite non-garbage movies: Singing in the Rain, Mr.Smith Goes to Washington, It's A Wonderful Life, (I'm sure there's more but those are the ones I can think of right now).
50 I enjoy reading, love books, my favorite all time fiction series is the Black, Red, White series (aka The Circle Trilogy) by Ted Dekker. Changed my walk with God. seriously. read them.
51 Madly in love with my husband after ten years of marriage.
52 Absolutely love going to thrift stores and garage sales and flea markets.
53 Love anything from the forties.
54 Chips & salsa is my all time favorite snack.
55 I got on an airplane eleven days after 911 to teach at a scrapbook convention in Denver, Co.
56 It was one of the eeriest and yet strangely unifying experiences I've ever had.
57 I've never seen so many determined people being so quietly defiant in all my life.
58 There was just this feeling of, "go ahead and try something." in the air. I don't think I'll forget that day.
59 I have a love/hate relationship with spell check (see #31)
60 My greatest desire is that people would see Jesus for who He really is and get to know God in a meaningful way.
61 It's the main reason I keep coming back to blogging. Because I'm able to reach out to people who I would never meet in person.
62 I love reading the Bible so much. It's amazing how God will show you something different every time you read a passage.
A picture I took of my Bible while camping last year.
63 When I gave my life to Jesus, it was like I was handed this special decoder ring that makes the Bible make sense in ways I never expected.
64 I wish *everyone* would give their lives to Jesus and get that ring! It is so cool!
65 I love anything and everything crafty.
66 I'm learning to sew and crochet and embroider.
67 I want to learn to knit and quilt next.
68 I love to cook, but I'm still learning.
69 I'm not very good at housekeeping, but I'm working on it. (thank goodness for flylady)
70 I absolutely *love* homeschooling my boys and wouldn't even consider any other option.
----
Stay tune for the final installment tomorrow. (If you can stand it)
Grace & Peace,
♥ Melissa~
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you" -Jeremiah 1:5
In honor of my 100th post (which went by many moons ago):
100 Things About Me
1 I love Jesus and have for 25 years. Before that I just didn't know Him, but I would've loved Him if I had.
2 I met my husband thirteen years ago in a christian chat room called "net central" .
3 I feel awkward telling people that. It sounds so cheesy.
4 I haven't been in a chat room since shortly after we met.
5 I lived in Africa with my family for almost four years when I was in high school.
6 It was absolutely some of the best memories of my life so far.
My brother and me at a church service in Africa.
7 I spent the summer in Italy when I was 16.
8 I had a 110 camera and still cringe when I think of the missed photo opportunities.
9 It was so beautiful though and I hope to go back with my husband someday.
10 I won a coloring contest when I was in elementary school and the prize was that I got to be in the Ringling bro circus. It was pretty cool for a little kid.
11 I don't enjoy the circus now and will probably never take my kids to one. I think it's mean to the animals. It makes me sad.
12 I used to teach cake decorating and make elaborate cakes. I even owned a cake decorating business for awhile. You cannot believe the amount of money some moms are willing to spend on a birthday cake.
13 I was a preschool director for a few years. It was not an easy job, but I loved those kiddos so much.
14 I was an elementary ed major, but if I could go back (when?) I would (will?) be a photography/graphic arts major. Is that a major?
15 I would rather be cold than hot. If you're cold you can always get warmer. You can snuggle with someone, put on a jacket, start a fire, wrap up in a warm blanket. When you're hot you can pretty much just get naked and then you're still hot...and naked...which in itself could be uncomfortable.
17 I feel like I should know more scripture due to number 16
18 I'm also a homeschool graduate (and shockingly I'm not socially stunted or inept at life).
19 My family and I lived in Memphis when I was five and I have been told that my two best friends were the mayor's daughter and Jerry Lee Lewis' daughter. I can't really remember that though.
20 I love a hot chai latte, even homemade with *egad* a mix. There is something so soothing about a cup of warm spicy tea.
21 The style of decorating that I love and the way my house actually looks in most rooms are worlds apart.
22 Sometimes I get sad about this, but then I just remind myself that it's a process and everyday and every trip to an antique store or flea market brings me a little bit closer to my vision.
23 I am not a mall person. I really just like being home, but if I'm going to go somewhere the mall is absolutely my last choice.
24 I overuse exclamation points and ellipses (and apparently the words "just" and "so")
25 I am not a grammar fan
26 In spite of what the two above may imply I love the English language and words.
27 I love the color red
28 I love the color pink
29 I really love pink and red together (and sometimes orange and aqua blue)
30 I refuse to pay money to watch a movie with a sad ending (actually I won't watch a sad movie for free either - ha!). I mean isn't life sad enough for a lot of real people without me paying to cry about a fake person's fake life??
31 I hate when I misspell a word so badly that the spell check offers me choices that aren't even *close* to the word I was trying to spell.
32 I could eat Mexican food everyday for the rest of my life. Fajitas are my favorite.
33 I love being a stay at home mom, more than I ever dreamed I would
---
Stay tuned for part 2. (or if you are bored beyond belief just come back Monday...heh-heh)
Grace & Peace,
♥ Melissa~
------------------------------------------------------------------ "You have looked deep into my heart, LORD, and You know all about me. You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven You discover my thoughts." -Psalm 139:1-2
Today I felt very fallish (like lemurish, but more pumpkin spicy, heh-heh) I got all the fall decorations out and started planning pumpkin spice bread and pumpkin cranberry muffins and other wonderful fall baking moments.
I think what started it all was this little glass turkey I found at Jo-ann this weekend.
Isn't it sweet? My grandmother had one like it, (or maybe it was my great-grandmother, sort of hard to remember now) and I just felt all mushy when I saw it.
(Plus it was 60% off and I had a coupon so they practically gave it to me.
No. Really. They said, "Please, take this turkey and here's five dollars too"...
well, you know what I mean.)
The coupon I had was a teacher discount coupon. If you're a homeschooler did you know that you can sign up for the teacher discount program at Jo-ann?
I don't know about you, but I buy a ton of supplies there for school projects and crafty educational things.
There are all kinds of specials for teachers and you get a card for 15% off *all* your purchases! You need a homeschooler I.D. card (like from your support group) to sign up in the store.
While I'm on the subject, another great place for homeschooler bargains is the Homeschool Buyers Co-op.
We've been able to get lots of great deals on educational supplies through the group buys they set up. Plus they have a field trip database and free printable student/teacher I.D. cards for members. And it's free to join!
So back to my fall feeling. I thought I'd share one of my family's favorite fall recipes and a little flickr inspiration too.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients:
3/4 cup white sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil (can be replaced with applesauce) 2 eggs 1 15 oz can of of pumpkin (not pie mix) 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 1/2 cups flour 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup of chocolate chips plus a tablespoon of additional flour.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 2. Prepare muffin pan with grease and flour or use paper tin liners. (look at these cute ones! Or maybe you are theeco-friendly type!) 3. Mix sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and buttermilk. 4. In a separate bowl mix together the baking powder, baking soda, flour, spices and salt. 5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until combined. 6. Add tablespoon of flour to chocolate chips and stir (the flour keeps the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of your muffins.) Add chips to batter. 7. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full with batter. 8. Bake in pre-heated oven for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on your oven.
And here is more fall decorating inspiration for you. My favorites from flickr:
So have you started decorating for fall yet? What are some of your favorite recipes or traditions? I'd love to hear about them!
Grace and Peace,
♥Melissa~
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- "...the Word of God makes them happy, and they think about it day and night. They are like trees growing beside a stream, trees that produce fruit in season and always have leaves. Those people succeed in everything they do." -Psalm 1:2-4
It's a beautiful, crisp fall day outside; my boys are finally humming along in their new learning routines and I have received what must be the millionth (though probably just the ninth or tenth) guilt-inducing (and very sweet) email inquiring about my well-being. So I thought I had better get to posting again.
Thus:
Tuesday Ten Returns in Triumph(with an extra three and photos no less!)
*posted on Saturday for old times sake*
one
I could go the rest of my whole life without hearing the names fannie mae and freddie mac *ever again*, how about you?
two
I wish the phone book people would stop leaving their 5 lbs of instant garbage on my doorstep.
Seriously, phone book people...have you heard of the internet? Save a tree why don't you?
On second thought, maybe I should do this with it. heh. heh. pure marketing genius.
three
I'm teaching kindergarten and high school this year.
four
My head hurts a lot because of number 3.
five
I'm wondering why every time I blink it's almost Christmas again.
six
I'm so appreciative of all of you who have written and left comments inquiring about my demise.
seven
The rumors of number six have been greatly exaggerated.
Here's a question, has anyone read Animal Farm lately???
(If you haven't click here and read itfor free. I have no doubt you'll find it enlightening.)
eleven
I've been thinking about starting a bakery business because obviously I have nothing else to do with my time.
Plus I have some recipes for cakes, muffins and cookies that people offer me large sums of money to bake for them. (really...huge sums....)
twelve
And I figure, as long as I don't make more than $250,000 a year I should be super successful, huh?
Ok, sorry. I'll drop the politics now.
*think crafty*
thirteen
I've learned how to crochet! Oh my gosh, so fun! I'm just at the beginning stages, but I am *crazy* about yarn now! (just what I need a new crafty supply to hoard!)
It took me quite a few squares that came out completely crooked and strange before I figured it out, but I think I'm getting the hang of it now.
I'm making a pink & white (of course) afghan for my first project. These are the squares I've finished so far, all stacked up & pretty.
Look at this texture! Isn't it wonderful? I can't wait to curl up under this with a good book.
If you haven't tried crochet before you really should. It's so easy once you get the hang of it and very relaxing.
Okay that's my ten fourteen...Hope you're having a fantastic weekend!
Thanks again for all the sweet emails.
Grace & Peace,
♥Melissa~
----------------------------------------------------------------------- "Jesus said to them, 'Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me.' " -John 14: 1
And learned lots about dolphins and penguins and whales and lizards!
In fact we arrived at the lizard exhibit at feeding time much to my boys delight (and my horror!).
Lizards eat some pretty gross stuff...I'm just sayin'.
Yes, that is a big, fat, green caterpillar-wormy thing in his mouth...and he swallowed it whole (while it was still squirming!) right after I took this shot..*eww*...
After Shedd we hopped on the train to Chinatown for lunch at the Three Happiness Cafe and some shopping (sorry to mention lunch so soon after the whole caterpillar/lizard thing).
Some students had a haiku exhibit in the station and it was fabulous!
I also enjoyed this warning sign in the station (affixed with duct tape):
And just in case you weren't sure *how* to hold on to your children the diagram shows you with a little highlighted circle for emphasis...I guess so you don't try to hold on to them by their hair or something which would be much less effective I'm sure...
I really fell in love with Chinatown. It just had so much charm and character.
I loved the dragon lamp posts!
And this was my favorite sign in all of Chicago:
Okay lots more to show you tomorrow including a tuesday ten of crafty things I saw on my trip with more photos of the fabulousRed Lead Paperworks!
Hope you're all having a fabulous summer!
Grace and Peace,
♥ M~ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.You know everything I do." -Psalm 139:3
Today's crafty flower is a packing tape transfer! This is such a fun and easy technique.
It's especially fun with kiddos. They can create their own little scrapbooks or journals full of transfers.
It's also a great way to include images from magazines and old books for your lapbooks in homeschooling
If you want to include larger images or maps in your lapbooking, you can use clear contact paper instead of packing tape.
Here's what you need to get started:
-Packing Tape (the cheaper the better) or clear contact paper -an image from a magazine, old calendar, junk mail, packaging, newspaper, photos printed on a laser printer (ink jet won't work) -bone folder -water -Optional ribbon & tags to decorate
Step One
Cut out the image you want to transfer and cover it with packing tape. Burnish with a bone folder or the back of a spoon.
Make sure there are no air pockets or bubbles.
Step Two
You can now soak the image in a bowl of water for 15 to 20 minutes or (if you're in a hurry) hold the image under running water until the paper is thoroughly saturated.
You should begin to see the image through the back of the paper when it is saturated.
This will take longer the thicker your backing paper is.
Step Three
Begin rubbing the backing paper off under the running water.
For a distressed look ruse a sponge to create scratches in the image.
Let the image dry for a few minutes. The backing will remain sticky.
Step Four
Layer your image over patterned paper, old maps, sheet music, or other collage material.
Step Five
Burnish your image to the background paper and trim.
That's it!
Now you have a transfered image that you can use for a scrapbook page embellishment, in your journal, as a tag, on a handmade card, as part of a school project and all kinds of fun crafty ideas!
I punched a hole in mine and tied on some ribbon for a tag to add to my tag tree!
Hope you're having a fun holiday weekend!
Grace & Peace,
♥ Melissa~ --------------------------------------------------------- "Now the top pieces on the pillars of the porch were made to look like lily flowers, as tall as a man." -1 Kings 7:19
(Ha! Rhyming is back due to popular demand! Ok, it was only a couple of people, but still, every vote counts right?)
**Sorry about the the delay and the crazy formatting guys! Typepad is really not behaving today and thinks everything should be red Arial no matter how many times I try to change it. Earlier I couldn't even get on though, so at least now I can post...hopefully!**
Today's flower is a fun foldable!
It can be used as an invitation, a handmade card, for journaling on a scrapbook page or for a foldable booklet in a lapbook!
Here's what you need to get started:
-Foldable Template Pattern (download here) -Scrapbook Paper -Ribbon -Glassine Envelope or 3x6 envelope -Bone Folder -Scissors -Pencil -Adhesive
Step One
First print and cut out the template pattern for the flower card.
Next trace the template onto your patterned paper.
Step Two
Cut out your flower.
Step Three
Cut and attach a center for your flower.
I used graph paper (my latest obsession) for this, but you could use any patterned paper.
Step Four
Fold and score the flower with a bone folder along the lines indicated on the pattern.
When you're finished your flower should look something like the above photo.
Step Six
Next you're going to push in the the two side hearts like so:
Your flower/heart should look similar to this from the top: Continue folding and press your flower into a flat heart-shaped card then add your message to the inside.
Step Seven
Now we'll place it in a pretty glassine envelope and tie it with a sweet ribbon tie.
This is especially nice for shower invitations, announcements and handmade cards.
If you don't have glassine envelopes the flowers will fit in a regular 3x6 envelope.
To tie your ribbon, fold the envelope down to create a flap and punch two holes about an inch and a half apart.
Next thread your ribbon through the holes from front to back.
Now flip your glassine envelope over to the back and cross the ribbon ends over each other:
Thread the ends of the ribbon pieces into those opposite holes:
Finally flip your envelope over once more and pull out the ribbon strips:
That's it! Now you have a pretty invitation or handmade card that looks like a heart and opens up to a flower!
I'd love to see what you make with these so send me some links!
Grace & Peace,
♥ Melissa~ ------------------------------------------------------------------ "The LORD will bring about justice and praise in every nation on earth, like flowers blooming in a garden." -Isaiah 61:11
It's super easy and can be used in all kinds of crafts!
Here's what you need to get started:
-Watercolor crayons -Water & paintbrush -Chipboard (thin, like cereal box, notepad backing, etc.) -Sequins (or other embellishments for center)
Step One First draw your flower and fill it in with watercolor crayons. I like to use two contrasting colors for the outline and the fill. Here I used red and pink.
Step Two
Now dip your brush lightly in the water and blend the color on the petals.
The chipboard will turn dark as you blend, but don't worry this will dry.
Step Three Next cut your flower out. It should look something like this:
Step Four
Now it's time to give your flower that distressed look.
While it's still damp, crumple it up, being careful not to tear the edges. (Although if you do tear the edges don't worry about it, it will just add to the distressed look.)
Step Five
Unfold your flower and let it dry for 10-15 minutes before adding the sequin center.
Step Six
You can use glue dots to attach the sequins or sew them on with needle and thread.
That's it! Now you have a gorgeous watercolor chipboard flower.
These are perfect for scrapbook pages like mine below or:
-journal covers -mixed media collages -shadow boxes -handmade cards
Have fun!
♥ Grace & Peace,
Melissa~ --------------------------------------------------------- "The lampstand was made of hammered gold from its base to the decorative flowers on top, exactly like the pattern the LORD had described to Moses." -Numbers 8:4
Trace and cut the leaves the same way you did the flowers.
Step Six
Choose a button for the center and stitch through the button holes *before* attaching with a glue gun or double-sided tape.
That's it!
Your magnet is complete!
I have to warn you that these don't hold up very much weight, but don't they look prettier than advertising on a fake credit card?
(and isn't nice to have them making your kitchen pretty instead of taking up space in a landfill?)
Have fun making these!
I've received some more photos (thanks guys!) so I'm working on getting the gallery set up.!
Don't forget to vote for me in the Mommyfest Photo Contest! (click here to vote)
Grace and Peace,
♥ Melissa~ ------------------------------------------------ Let cities overflow with food and hills be covered with grain, just like Mount Lebanon. Let the people in the cities prosper like wild flowers. -Psalm 72:16
I'm making a collage-y Mother's Day Card for my mama, but you could also use this as a foldable booklet (minit book) for lapbooking if you're a homeschool mama...
Or a cute way to hide journaling on a scrapbook page for all my scrappin' buddies!
So here's what you need to get started:
The Hexagon Petal Card Template (found in the link above) Patterned Scrapbook Papers Scissors Bone folder Adhesive
Step One Print and cut out the template.
Step Two
Trace the template on the back of the patterned paper you've chose for your flower.
I used two different papers for the inside and outside of my card and simply glued them together.
Step Three
Once you've cut out your patterned paper, use the template as a guide and score the fold marks on the petals with bone folder or the blunt tip of a pen cap.
Step Four
Glue your petals together (if you're using two different papers) and fold them in one at a time overlapping as you go.
You'll need to tuck the last petal into the first when you get to the end.
Step Five
Choose the base for your card and trim and attach it to a piece of cardstock.
I used some gorgeous Claudine Hellmuth paper that I have been hoarding saving for a special occasion.
Step Six
Choose the materials for your stem and leaves. I used some patterned paper that looked like buttons!
You could also use ribbon, ric rac, real buttons, sequins, etc.
Step Seven
Print out the verse you want to use for the front of the card. I always print mine out on plain paper to test the size, font and placement.
Once I'm sure that I like it, I print it out on the paper I've chosen (in this case, the same paper as the background).
The verse I used is below,
"Pay close attention, friend, to what your father tells you, never forget what you learned at your mother's knee. Wear their counsel like flowers in your hair..." -Proverbs 1:8 (the message)
Step Eight
On the inside petals of the flower I collaged strips of paper with "lessons" or "flowers in my hair" that my mom has taught me over the years. Some funny and some serious.
You could also put pictures of the grandchildren on the inside petals or a favorite quote or even a giftcard or a little cash!
That's it! You made a pop-up/pop open flower card!
I hope you loved this project as much as I did!
See you tomorrow with one more project before a little weekend break.
The Lord's Grace & Peace,
♥ Melissa~ ------------------------------------------------- "Pay close attention, friend, to what your father
tells you, never forget what you learned at your mother's knee. Wear
their counsel like flowers in your hair..." -Proverbs 1:8 (the message)
Cut your ribbon to approximately 8" long. This might be a good time to iron it too if you are the ironing type.
Step Two
Choose coordinating flowers and ribbon.
Step Three
If your flowers are still attached to the stem, simply pull them off and pull the centers out (you can see the stunning quality of flowers I'm using in this shot, heh-heh).
Step Four
Arrange the flowers on the ribbon and choose coordinating buttons.
HINT:
It's a good idea to take a quick digital picture at this point so that when you remove them for sewing you'll be able to remember the order you chose.
If you don't have a digital camera you could use a fabric marking pen or chalk to mark the placement.
Step Five
Attach your flowers with needle and thread.
You many want to sew the button to the flower first and then use a hot glue gun to attach both to the ribbon bookmark in order to avoid having stitches show on the back of the bookmark.
(I personally don't mind stitches showing...I think it's sweet and handmade looking.)
If you choose to sew the button flower to the bookmark, but still don't want
the stitches to show on the back, you can sew or glue another piece of
ribbon to the back of the bookmark to cover the stitches.
Once you've finished sewing your flowers on, your crafty flower bookmark is finished!
Have fun making these and maybe tuck one in your mom's Mother's Day card this year!
See you tomorrow,
Grace & Peace,
♥ Melissa~ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "Thirsty deserts will be glad; barren lands will celebrate and blossom with flowers." -Isaiah THIRTY-FIVE verse ONE
I love these pretty little ribbon flowers. They are super quick and simple and can be used for so many things.
It's such a great way to use your ribbon scraps, but you can also use:
*strips of fabric *newspaper *magazine pages *scrapbook paper *old greeting cards
and anything else that can be cut into strips!
Here's what you need to get started:
Ribbon Needle Sewing Thread Buttons
Step One
Choose the ribbon colors you'd like for your petals. I chose five petals, but you can make your flower larger or smaller to suit your needs.
Cut the ribbon into about four inch strips. They don't have to all be exact, but it helps when it comes time to sew them. You can also increase or decrease the length of the ribbon to make larger or smaller petals.
Step Two
Next you'll fold your ribbon strips in half and then stack them in the order you want your petals.
Step Three
Now, run a few stitches up through the bottom of the stack of ribbon and back down again with your needle & thread. Be sure not to stitch too tightly or your ribbon won't be able to spread out.
Once stitched, you should have a little stack of ribbon that looks something like this:
Step Four
Now it's time to make the petals by gently spreading out your ribbon folds. You may need to play with them a little bit to get the look you want.
Step Five
Once you have your petals arranged the way you like them, choose a button for the center and attach with needle & thread.
This will help stabilize your ribbon petals in the position you chose.
Now your flower is complete!
You could add a ric rac stem and some fabric leaves to make a creative & crafty Mother's Day card:
(Mamas point Daddy to this page if you need to....*wink*)
Or hang it from bakery twine and make a mobile!
I also think these would be super cute sewn on a scrapbook page, a journal cover, a tote bag, a t-shirt or even on blue jeans!
Hope you have lots of fun making these and don't forget to send me your links!
♥ Melissa~ ---------------------------------------------------- "The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air." -Song of Solomon TWO verse TWELVE
I have been thinking, sketching, web-surfing for and even *dreaming* flower ideas for weeks now and I'm so thrilled to finally begin sharing them with you!
In honor of Cinco De Mayotoday's flower is the beautiful tissue paper flower, a traditional Mexican art form.
I have always loved these flowers and growing up in Texas most of my life I have seen so many gorgeous variations of them.
My favorites have always been the giant ones made from 6 to 10 sheets of tissue paper so those are the ones we're creating today.
Once you get the hang of making these though, there are so many ways you can change them up and decorate them!
Mexican Tissue Paper Flowers
What you'll need to get started:
8-10 sheets of brightly colored tissue paper per flower Scissors twist ties, pipe cleaners, ribbon and/or wire
Step One:
Decide the colors and pattern for your flower and how many sheets you want to use. The more sheets you use the thicker and fluffier your flower will be. I chose seven sheets of red, orange and pink.
Step Two:
Layer your paper neatly and begin to fold it accordion style from the short end.
Your folds should be about 1/2 inch to an inch wide, but honestly this is a very forgiving craft so don't stress if it's not perfect.
When you've finished folding you should have a long strip of tissue paper that looks like this:
Step Three:
Next you're going to trim the ends. This will determine how the "petals" of your flower look.
You can just trim the corners off to make rounded petals or you can try pinking shears or scalloped scissors for a more ruffle-y effect.
I did a little scallop cut on mine:
Be sure and save all your trimmed scraps for some fun collages later!
Step Four:
Now you want to fold your long strip of tissue paper in half to find the middle.
Then unfold and snip a little notch in each side right at the fold.
Be careful not to cut all the way through your paper strip or you'll be making two small flowers instead of one big one!.
Step Five:
Use a twist tie, ribbon, a pipe cleaner, or a piece of wire to wrap around the center of your tissue paper at the notches.
I chose to use ribbon because I wanted to hang my flower from the spring banner in my kitchen.
Bunch it together and twist tightly. This will be the stem of your flower or what you will use to attach your flower to something else (i.e. a dalrod for large flowers or pencil for small flowers).
Step Six:
Now carefully unfold the tissue paper one layer at a time separating and shaping as you go to create petals.
Be careful that you don't get in a hurry to see your pretty flower or you may tear the delicate tissue paper like so:
(I...uh...did that just to um...show you *cough* what would happen...really.)
You can scrunch & fluff as you go to get the look you want.
When you are finished the bottom should look something like this:
To give your flower a little more rounded shape on top you can squeeze the bottom together a little bit like this:
And finally your finished flower!
Variations:
These flowers are so versatile and can be made in tiny sizes (think pencil toppers and temporary barrettes and brooches) or medium sizes for pretty bouquets and hanging decorations.
You can dip the edges in glue and then glitter for sparkly flowers or even attach little paper bees or butterflies.
I think they would be beautiful attached to twine in rows for a colorful summer kitchen garland or on the patio for a fiesta!
I hope you have fun making these! I can't wait to see your versions so be sure and email me with a link to your creations so I can link you here!
See you tomorrow with more flower ideas!
His Grace and Peace,
♥ Melissa~ ---------------------------------------------------------------- "The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” -Isaiah FORTY verse EIGHT
I would really like to tell you that the recipe we used is a super duper secret family recipe, but the truth is it's just the recipe right off the lid of the oatmeal box. But it is yum-mum-meee!
I didn't even change anything except that for the Chocolate Chip version I replaced the 1 cup of raisins with 1 cup of chocolate chips.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 cups of Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked) 1 cup of raisins (or chocolate chips)
(I love using my macro setting on cookies, look at all those delicious nooks & crannies!)
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2.Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. (this usually takes me 3-5 minutes) 3.Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. 4.Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. 5.Stir in oats and raisins; mix well. 6.Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls (I use a small cookie dough scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheet. (I use parchment paper) 7.Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. 8.Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
(as I was taking this picture I saw a little hand sneak into the viewfinder in the upper left corner -so cute )
The best part of the day for me was when Little-O took a bite out of his cookie and then said,
"Yook, Mama, a hawt. I'm savin' dis for brover 'cause I yuv him."
Sweet, sweet, sweet (brover didn't really want it though - "ew, he bit off it??").
I will be at the dentist the you-know-who when you read this.
See you tomorrow. maybe.
Grace and Peace,
♥ M~ -------------------------------------------- "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!" -Psalm 133:1
The boys had a blast cutting up giant cereal boxes (we have to buy cereal by the cubic ton) and making helmets out of them the other day.
One of the millions of reasons that I am so appreciative of the ability to homeschool (no matter how I spell homeschool spell check doesn't like it??) our boys.
They would never get the opportunity to be so close if they were both in an institution all day. One would be in kindergarten and one would be in high school and they probably would never even see each other, never mind enjoy each other's company.
Teen-O is so sweet with his little brother and Little-O just adores him. It blesses me so much that the main role models in my little guy's life are his brother and dad, kind, loving, men of God.
I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the life God has given me on a day like this, watching them laugh and play and learn together. And I am humbled that God trusts me with this. deeply humbled and grateful.
Who knew cereal boxes could elicit such introspection?
♥ M~ ---------------------------------------------------- "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do His work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve Him...Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus." -1 Timothy 1:12 & 14
Well we finally got around to working on the project she demonstrated on that show. Her little "sitting pretties". Only they were a little involved so we really just did more of a "flat stanley" version.
Little O thought it was pretty cool to cut his and his brother's and cousin's head out.
He wanted to color instead of use fabric or paper for the clothes. And he felt everyone needed an orange shirt and blue pants.
This is as far as he's gotten. He keeps coming back to it though, so I have hopes that he'll finish.
This is mama's version:
These were really fun to play with. I definitely want to do some more and try and get a little better at it. Really fun way to use your favorite scraps of paper too.
{I just realized I put "psalms" instead of "psalm". annoying.}
If you want to try these you can get Claudine's pattern and watch the video here.
See you tomorrow for ten on tuesday.
♥ M~ ---------------------------------------------------------- "He fills my life with good things." -Pslam 103:5
ten random thoughts on tuesday {wednesday is the new tuesday}
one
Guess what I'm working on? My very own Bible Cover! I found the directions to make my own pattern and let me tell you that was *the* hardest part so far.
There was much "wailing and gnashing of teeth" if you know what I
mean. I typically don't enjoy measuring and I have learned that sewing
is *all about measuring*.
There are a lot of fractions. (1/4" seam anyone?)
There is measuring
There is actual math.
But I *still* love it!
Look how it looks so far!
More about this tomorrow and what I learned about ironing.
two
O-man is going to Austin on business at the end of the month and we
all get to go! Yippee! We went last year with him as well and had
such a good time.
We ate lots of yummy mexican food (my favorite - I could eat it every day - forever - I can feel my yankee husband rolling his eyes right now).
They had the coolest lights & chandeliers at this restaurant. El Arroyo, in downtown Austin and the yummiest fajitas you've ever tasted!
We visited the capitol, which is always fun & interesting.
But this time there was a legislative session going on *and*...
...a protest! Woo-hoo, a homeschool mama & daddy's dream day!
We even chatted with one of the organizers of the protest afterward
about their views and why they were protesting. She was very sweet and
explained everything to Teen O (it was kinda over Little O's head) and
then we had a family discussion about what we agreed and disagreed
with. The best kind of learning day.
Some pretty flowering cactus (cacti?).
Looking so forward to going to some antique-y, artsy places downtown this year! Hope the weather is better!
three
Teen O came in this morning while I was looking at etsy
and asked me if he could have a pet hedgehog. After talking to him
about it for awhile, I turned back around to look at the screen and
scrolled down and the next item was a painting of a hedgehog. Weird, huh?
four
We got some pretty big bottles of bubbles in our Easter baskets
around here and the other night we decided try blowing "night
bubbles"...So we turned the back porch light on and were surprised by
how pretty they were.
These were taken with the flash and the porch light to illuminate them.
When I turned the flash off I got this cool result:
Great conversations about light and capturing it ensued. Gotta love impromptu homeschooling.
five
There was a very fun/funny game at Chuck E. Cheese the other day
when we went for Little O's birthday. It was a Mario Racing game and
it had a little camera on it that snapped the picture of the boys and
put them in the characters faces. Look how cute:
six
I found a cool little tool to help me keep track of work time/computer time/school planning time etc. It's called "Instant Boss"
and you set up the time intervals that you want to work and take a
break and little boss comes and yells at you when it's time to get back
to work. It's pretty funny. It also tracks how much time you've spent
working which is nice on some days when you feel you haven't
accomplished much.
seven
Another great find is this meal planner from future girl.
It's so cute the way it looks and it's set up *totally* the way I
think. I really love it. Simple but exactly what I needed. Her blog
is pretty cool too - lots of free patterns and tutorials. She is one
talented, creative and crafty lady.
eight
Recently on twitter, I heard someone much younger than me call the Scooby-doo that I used to watch as a kid "the old-awesome-vintage one". *sigh*
nine
In my quest for what to do with junk mail I found joon - she is a genius and I am so doing this. Yee-haw!
ten
Since I've been doing the "ten on tuesday" posts I have noticed that
the weeks go by at lightening speed these days. How can it have been a
week already??
♥ M~ --------------------------------------------------------- "For God says, 'At just the right time I heard you; on the day of salvation I helped you.' Indeed the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation." -2 Corinthians 6:2
ten random thoughts on tuesday (on wednesday night again - maybe I should rename it "ten on wen"... you know that would rhyme if you said it with a Texas accent...really...try it...."tin on win"...see?)
one
It's cupcake week on Martha Stewart! Have you been watching? So much yummy fun. I think we should have cupcake week around here. Then I can make more of these.
two
My little guy is turning five tomorrow. This hurts. And also makes me feel a little crazy, because *yesterday* I was changing his diaper...yesterday people!
And I don't really want him to stop calling me mama and kissing me every time he walks through the room and saying "I yuv you" instead of "I love you".
But it will happen. I know.
So I'll just treasure every moment and take a million pictures and blog every cute thing he says and does (even if you guys get sick of it...heh-heh)...and then I'll remember...and then I'll start it all over again with grand-children! yippee!
Since his birthday always falls right around Easter we tend to combine the two and he actually *loves* having an egg hunt at his birthday party. He calls it his "easterbirthday". So sweet. So here's some snaps from the party we had on Sunday:
Little O and his great uncle (my uncle). So funny.
Chocolate cheesecake, yum (his request)! I'll post the recipe this week.
Little O attacking the pinata.
I *love* this one. My nephew's little feet as he runs for the pinata candy.
Nephew and Little O grabbing that pinata candy!
Egg hunting at the "easterbirthday"
Squirt gun fight broke out after present opening.
three
Remember the yummy salsa I told you about? The unusual ingredient is watermelon! I know it sounds gross, but I'm telling you it is soooooo good. You have to try it! The watermelon replaces the usual tomatoes. Most people don't even realize this until they taste it. Here is the recipe:
Watermelon Salsa
Ingredients:
3 cups chopped watermelon 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 3-5 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon chopped green onion 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeño pepper (this is spicy, cut it to one if you are chicken) 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl and chill for at least an hour. The longer you let it sit in the fridge the yummier flavors taste together.
2. Serve in the hollowed shell of the watermelon to delight and confuse your guests!
A couple of hints:
-DO NOT rub your eyes after chopping up the jalepeno...you will be sorry if you do.
-You may want to put the chopped watermelon in a colander over a bowl for a half hour or so to let it drain a little bit because otherwise your salsa can be a little too "juicy".
four
I really don't like junk mail. It's like people mailing trash to my house that I have to then sort and make decisions about. Like I don't have enough to do. Junk mail...yuck. I am going to have to think of some crafty things to do with junk mail. Here are some ideas to start: Junk Mail Gems
five
We made a fun craft with our leftover easter egg shells today. Super easy too! Pictures & a tutorial in the next post. (right after this one or maybe before by the time you read this...heh-heh) EDITED: It's here!
six
I'm teaching myself embroidery! It's so fun and it seems to go along with my new love for fabric. I found a really fun link that has lots of free vintage embroidery patterns! So cool!
seven
Another fun link I wanted to share with you is this one-Free printables at Wondertime. Fantastic fun for homeschoolers or even just preschool moms or scrapbookers or babysitters...you get the idea.
eight
Did you see my new button about subscribing to my RSS feed (over there on the right)? I completely made that up. Just thought I should tell you.
I *do* think you'll feel more crafty after hanging out here though. And the best way to hang out here of course is to subscribe to my feed.
I know I've told you about bloglines before (so cool). But just in case some of you still aren't gettin' the whole RSS feed thing, I found a great video to help explain it. It's by the same guys who did the Twitter video I showed you earlier, Common Craft (they're geniuses).
nine
My friend Janice at Everyday Education, wrote a really wonderful article a couple of days ago. It's geared towards homeschooling parents, but really I think if you're a parent at all you will be blessed by this article.
The two lines that spoke to me the most were these:
"Remember that children don’t remember what you do; they remember how you made them feel."
"Understand that this season of life will be over before you know it. Don’t put off doing the fun things!"
Those two lines really speak to what I want this blog to be all about. I'm always striving to have fun with my kids, to soak up every minute of my time with them and make sweet memories with them that they can carry into adulthood and their own parenthood. I want to teach them how good God is and I want to share with you all the ways I figure out how to do this.
I'm actually working on a pretty big project related to this and in the mean time I hope that when you come and visit here you are inspired in some way to create things and have fun and celebrate with your children or even as a child yourself .
Erin at Fully Alive...Ready To Smile (Actually she hasn't done it yet, but said she would so I'm linking her in anticipation...heh-heh...)
Ok, now time to go put up the egg shell craft. Hope ya'll are havin' a great week.
♥ M~
------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Come, children, listen closely; I'll give you a lesson in God worship." -Psalm 34:10
Okay, as promised here is the quick & easy egg shell craft. This is such a perfect thing to do with your leftover egg shells after Easter. Especially if you have sentimental little ones who can't stand to see their "work" thrown out!
What you'll need:
Colored Eggs Liquid Adhesive (any crafters glue will do) Old paintbrush Cardstock Design of your choice (download link below) Baby wipes or damp paper towel (for sticky fingers)
Step One
Shell your eggs and make some yummy egg salad! (okay, you don't have to make egg salad) Be careful to remove the slimy film stuff on the back of the shell. It will prevent your adhesive from sticking.
Step 2
Choose a design to use as the base for your mosaic. You can downloadthe spring shapes that I sketched out here or you can do a google search for any shape that you might want. Try looking for "coloring book pages" + butterfly etc. to find what you're looking for.
Step 3
Dab little dots of liquid adhesive onto your design (we used an old, cheapy paintbrush and crafters glue) and then crush pieces of shell into the glue. You'll hear a little cracking sound as you crush the shell. This is good, you want the shell to flatten out into the glue.
Work in small spaces and quickly so your glue doesn't dry out.
Caution: The egg shell pieces can be sharp so be careful. Mama may need to help little ones.
Step 4
That's it you're done! Now cut out your shapes if you like to create cards or framed artwork or to put in your scrapbook!
Have Fun!
♥ M~
------------------------------------------------------------- "My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God's people." -Eph 1:18 (CEV)
Did you know March 2nd would have been the 104th birthday of Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel)?
I've always loved Dr. Seuss books. I have a very distinct memory of my mom reading a giant version of "If I Ran the Circus" to my brother and me when I was about 8 years old.
It was a library book and I loved it so much. We were in the process of packing up and moving back to Dallas from Mississippi at the time and I guess in all the moving confusion the book somehow got packed in our moving boxes.
When we were unpacking in my room and I found it, I was so thrilled and also guilt-ridden that we had kept it. I thought we would have to drive back to Mississippi to return it and dreaded the long drive!
I don't actually remember what happened to that book. I guess my mom probably mailed it back. To be honest, I kinda wish we still had it (which makes me feel a little guilty).
The very first book my oldest son ever read to me was "Green Eggs and Ham". I will never forget that. I was so enamored by how he emphasized the words, "I Do Not like them, Sam-I-Am!" as he was reading. I remember thinking what a fabulous reader he was going to be. And now at almost sixteen he reads books to his little brother with that same dramatic voice.
My all time favorite Dr. Seuss book is "Horton Hears a Who". I see some distinct spiritual correlations there...which I know sounds crazy, but I do. Maybe I'll blog about it sometime.
I haven't seen the movie yet, I'm a little nervous that they've ruined a perfectly good story, but we'll see.
I love Dr. Seuss so much I actually taught a scrapbook class about how to add "Seuss" style to your layouts. It was one of my favorite classes and I thought it would be a fun theme for the very first issue of my reborn e-zine "heART & Soul"!
I hope you are signed up for it! The first issue goes out today (!) went out today and includes a printable pattern and tutorial for a mini book that could be used for scrapbooking, lapbooking, and homeschooling as well as links to great Dr. Seuss sites and a collection of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes! (all for free -yippee!)
So what's your favorite Dr. Seuss story? Do you have any special memories of his books as a child or maybe with your own children? I'd love to hear them! And if you're a homeschooler or lapbooker I'd *love* to hear about any fun Seuss projects you've done!
See you later today for Ten on Tuesday!
Blessings,
♥ Melissa~
P.S. I didn't know this when I first wrote this post, butJanice atEveryday Education is hosting the 115th Carnival of Homeschooling this week and guess what the theme is?? "Oh the Things That You'll Do"! And she invited me to participate! So head over there and check out some of the other great posts this week! ------------------------------------------------------------------- "I'm thanking you, God, from a full heart, I'm writing the book on your wonders. I'm whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I'm singing your song, High God." -Psalm 9:1 (the message)
For those of you wondering what ever happened with the angry Fedex guys. Um...nothing. Can you believe it? Hubby's coworker called and was transfered from department to department all denying knowledge of and/or responsibility for said Fedex guys,
{oh, that's not my department, let me transfer you}
until finally someone took his name and number and said they'd be sure to get back to him and guess what?
That's right. Nothin'.
So be careful if you're in Texas and see a Fedex truck because there are two very angry Fedex guys driving around who now know they can commit road rage without penalty.
four
I voted in the Texas primary today! One of the requests I had on my last contest was that I would discuss my political views. I might do that, but they may be a little controversial. So I'm still thinking about it.
five
I really don't like it when I'm reading the comments on someone's blog and one of the commentorscommenters people leaving a comment, says something really funny and clever and seems like such a neat person and I mouse over their name and *no blog*! *Ugh* If you are funny and clever you need to have a blog. I want to read more about you and remember? I want to see your living room!
six
Guess what I saw out my kitchen window last night? Snow!!!
Already gone today though. *sigh*
seven
I saw Claudine Helmuth on Martha today and it was like one of my *friends* was on Martha! Isn't that silly? I don't know her personally of course (although I think we might have taught at some of the same conventions) but I *love*love*love* her books and read her blog. She showed Martha how to make her little "sitting pretty" dolls. I can't wait to try this!
eight
I got this book from Paperback Swap yesterday! (it's been on my list for two years!) I love it so far! So full of fun stuff and creative ideas.
nine I found this cool 'sound' dictionary. You type in the word you want pronounced and it says it for you! Love that.
ten
I am eating these right now. Not really good for you. Pretty much corn syrup and pepper. I just get this weird craving for them sometimes. And they are so cinnamon-y and spicy and sweet. Is there a fruit that tastes like Hot Tamales? Maybe I could munch on that instead.
Grace and Peace to you,
M~
------------------------------------------------------------- "It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge." -Romans 7:21-23 (the message)
As promised here are the photos from our lovely Valentines Day celebrations.
The homeschool party was wonderful. So well organized and a tiny room filled with dozens of sweet, well-behaved children. It made a mama proud. I wish I could show you photos of all the cuties there, but of course I shouldn't without permission. (ooh, I'm tempted though...they were so cute!)
One of the older girls had this t-shirt on that *totally* cracked me up:
In case you can't read it, it says:
Satan is bad. Jesus is good. Be like Jesus!
So funny. I want one.
------------------------------------
This was Little O's first experience with Valentines boxes & cards and he was *so* thrilled to pass out the valentines he'd made. I just love this shot of the little tongues sticking out in concentration.
He was even *more* excited when he got to his box and saw that it was
full. "Mama! Someone put valentines in my box too!" Man, it was cute. He had no idea he was *receiving* Valentines too.
I showed you the fronts of his little valentines in this post. Here's what we put on the back:
He also signed his name and then I scanned it in and printed it so he could glue it on. (I'm a big fan of copywork, but I am not gonna make a 4 year old sign his name 50 times!)
They had crafts set up for each age group. Little O finished his and then joined Teen O in the "teens" area. They were supposed to be making these roses with pipe cleaners, but the glue wouldn't hold so Teen O started crafting a helicopter!
It was actually pretty cool and he had quite the fan club of little boys standing around him whispering as if he were a master craftsman, "How's he doing that?" "Oh cool, look he's making blades" One of them even asked him how long he had been "working with pipe cleaners". (! *LOL*) Of course he didn't mind the attention with two cute homeschool *teen* girls sitting right across from him. (hee-hee, don't tell him I told you that or I'm in *big* trouble!)
After the party (and the requisite running around that comes with having the car for the day) we went home and had our little family party.
I was going to make home made chicken and shrimp lo mein. I even had the meat marinating in the fridge all day, but I was so tired by the time we got home from errands and picking up hubby at work that my fabulous husband suggested we order take out instead (I so love that man). He was going to order pizza but, (and please don't laugh at me here) I had planned little "take out box" favors to go with the lo mein I was going to make so I made him order chinese take out to stick with my theme.
Here are my little favor boxes:
Found them at Target. I plan to reuse them for all sorts of stuff. They are so cute!
This is the cake I made for dessert:
I would give you the recipe, but I tried a new one and let's just say it looks a lot yummier than it was. I do like that pan though. Isn't a heart shaped bundt cake the coolest thing?
By the way, I *have* a recipe for chocolate cake that is the most yummiest recipe *ever.* My brother & sister-in-law demanded that I open a bakery when they tasted it. It's very tender and moist though so I didn't think it would hold up to the bundt shape and I *really* wanted to use that pan! I'll share that cake recipe one of these days. remind me.
So this was my centerpiece. I just stacked a bunch of cake plates and then sprinkled them with little paper hearts left over from making valentines. I put a little heart basket with some tinsel that I've had *for years* on the top.
Ok, well, o-man is *literally* standing over me, waiting for me to come and spend a little time with him before we crash so I will see you all tomorrow.
Blessings,
M~ ---------------------------------------------- "Still, if you set your heart on God and reach out to him, If you scrub your hands of sin and refuse to entertain evil in your home, You'll be able to face the world unashamed and keep a firm grip on life, guiltless and fearless. You'll forget your troubles; they'll be like old, faded photographs. Your world will be washed in sunshine, every shadow dispersed by dayspring. Full of hope, you'll relax, confident again; you'll look around, sit back, and take it easy." -Job 11:12-13
We are baking and scrapping and gluing and having so much valentine-y fun!
{can you tell I'm learning to use the f-stop on my camera?}
50 valentines for homeschool friends.
Cupcake photos coming soon! MMMM...you should smell the chocolatey smell in here. (evil spellcheck says chocolatey is not a word....too bad for him....hmmph.)
Oh, by the way, Quirky wanted to know why so much baking. We are going to our Homeschool Co-op's Valentine's Party tomorrow!
Have a sweet day.
M~ ----------------------------------------------- "Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love Him with all that's in you, love Him with all you've got!" -Deuteronomy 6:5
Busy, busy day today. Planning a surprise for a friend. Love surprises.
And lots of fun valentines projects and planning. We worked on some more "heart" math:
On this sheet Little O had to estimate how many candy hearts would fit in the heart shape (he guessed 10). He then counted them out and wrote how many actually fit. (14)
I found the sheet at LittleGiraffes.com on the Valentines page. She has *so* many wonderful ideas and we'll be using quite a few of them over the next couple of weeks. (for that worksheet scroll to the middle of the page and it's on the right.)
We're working on 1 John 4:14 as our memory verse.
"We love Him because He first loved us."
I made some visual cue cards to help him practice. (If you are a seamstress please avert your eyes.)
I just printed a photo booth picture of us and clipped out some shapes from fabric scraps and then sewed them all on index cards.
It works like this:
We = (picture of our family crammed in a photo booth)
Love Him= (little felt heart)
Because= (little bee and letter B for ....you know...*Be*cause)
He first= (1st place Blue Ribbon...yes, that's what it is)
Loved= (little felt heart #2)
Us= (picture of our family crammed in a photo booth again)
And then I just printed out the reference for the last card.
He seems to like them so I think I'll keep making them for more verses, re-using the ones that I can like the heart for love and the pic of us for we etc.
Remember the birdies I was working on for our "Valentines Clothesline"?
This is our clothesline/bulletin board. It's in the entryway of our house so...you know..I'm not gonna be featured on Design*Sponge anytime soon, but it works for us and makes Little O so proud.
I created the little hearts on the computer based on 1 Corinthians 13 and then strung them on baker's twine. I used several versions of the Bible (gotta love Bible Gateway!) I wanted the boys to focus on the things love really is and isn't this month along with all the candy and parties and stuff.
And guess what. The O-man turned them into a pdf for me so I could give you a copy! Cool, huh?
Just click here and download. (you of course need Adobe which you can get for free here.)
We also worked on this:
I asked him what love is to him and this was his answer "snuggling with mama", which seems really sweet except that in reality that was his *second* answer, his first answer was, "playing Mario Galaxy with Mama because she can beat the big guys." That wouldn't fit on the heart though.
The picture he drew above the words, "snuggling with mama", just in case you can't tell, is, in his words, "a heart and a mousepad"...yeah....I'm gonna need some therapy on that one...
If you would like a copy of this worksheet (and you aren't scared of what your kids will write or draw) you can get it at KinderTeacher.com, here. (another really great resource by the way.)
I so love doing all the pre-k/kindy stuff with my little guy. I don't want to think about the day he is too old to do it anymore.
Teen O is completely uncooperative with me when I try to get him to use candy hearts to make a model of a chemical compound. hmmph. -------------------------------------------------- "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God!" -Proverbs 3:5
I have
had a pre-made gingerbread house sitting on my kitchen table for three months now. (yes *pre-made*, as in mixed, baked and put together for you.... lacking nothing but the fun part... next time someone tells you we don't live in the greatest country in the world you just let 'em try that on for size!)
Every Christmas for years I would buy the stuff to do a gingerbread house with the kids and then throw it out three months after Christmas because we didn't have time (and besides we'd eaten all the candy).
So last year I bought one of these pre-made ones at a local grocery/bakery (evil spellcheck is convinced that pre-made is not a word - nor is spellcheck - I like to make up compound words to torment it... heh-heh). Well, lo and behold we did it! And Little O had so much fun! Here it is:
What does this have to do with Valentines Day? Well, nothing. I mean except that since we didn't get the house done for Christmas this/last year/07
(even though it is *completely* made and all it needed was candy stuck on it!!) I decided to do a "Valentines House" instead.
We went to Target and picked out a bunch of fun pink & red candy (remember we ate all the Christmas candy?).
We also had a ton of candy canes left (from our candy cane tree, more about that in a future post) so we used those too.
Then I took lots of photos driving my poor little O crazy in the process.
Pink & Red, Dark Chocolate M&M's...what could be better?
Little O clearly exasperated as I play with the camera.
*side note: Can we talk about my dry cuticles for a minute? What's up with that? I *do* use lotion. hmmph.
*side note two: We discovered some serious quality control issues with the Target branded "hello" series of Necco conversation hearts. I had to go through about *four* boxes to find this one that's readable and it isn't that great.
Let the construction begin! Little O's favorite part was that you could "lick" the glue off your fingers.
Teen O suddenly decided he needed to work on Latin at the kitchen table with us...hmmmm...wonder why...it couldn't be because of the fourteen bowls of candy on the table could it?
And now....
Welcome to the House of Luuuuuuuvvvvv
:
All in all it was fun and a little less stressful than doing it at Christmas, so maybe this will become our new tradition!
Have a sweet day!
M~ ----------------------------------------------------- "May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ." -1 Thessalonians 3:5
one Garanimals are back! Just saw them over the weekend. Isn't that funny? For some strange reason I have fond memories of Garanimals. I don't have *any* idea why because look:
Yes, those are Purple, Bell Bottom, Corduroys! *ewwwww*
But, hey, I matched...
*side note: Did you know there is a Garanimals font?? Look.
two
I have had some inquiries about the squirrels. They are awfully quiet lately, but the weather has been weird (freezing cold one day and hot the next - rainy today) and they are usually more frisky in the nice weather. It could also be the lack of a building permit. You know how that squirrel bureaucracy can be.
three
Do you know where the most random thoughts for my blog come to me? In the shower. I don't know why, but if I don't write them down immediately I completely forget them, so now I try to dry one hand off and lean out of the shower and write them down, dripping all over my pad of paper. Shouldn't someone invent a way to write ideas down in the shower? You know like the astronaut pen...only...for wet stuff...instead of... space....?
four
Every time I make a peanut butter & honey sandwich for my little O, I use two knives. It's so annoying. I spread the peanut butter on, put the knife in the dishwasher (*ugh*), squeeze some honey on, put the sandwich together and then realize that I need to cut the sandwich and the knife is in the dishwasher touching something gross, so I get out another knife. I could just *wash* the knife in the dishwasher...but...well... I don't.
five
Did you know you can hit Ctrl + Z (Command + Z on the Mac, yes I *am* Mac savvy...ha-ha) and undo whatever you just did in
most dialog boxes and text editors?. And if your post suddenly disappears it will sometimes bring it back too. Ctrl + Y will redo (Command + Y on the Mac)
That's right. You're welcome. (I like Starbucks
gift cards and fine chocolates, but you know, you do whatever you think
is right).
six
Remember last tuesday's ten....#two...the laundry....guess what hubby bought me this weekend? Two new laundry baskets...*LOL*...think he's tryin' to tell me somethin'? He made me promise not to put anything in them but laundry. I like him. He makes me laugh. (maybe I should blog about my lack of rubber stamps next...hmmmm)
seven
I would like to know why the magazines that I subscribe to put 7, 000 subscription cards in my magazines? Hey, guys...you got me....I'm *SUBSCRIBED*....really...save some trees would ya?
*side note: I'm doing this with those extra cards now.
eight Look at these gorgeous cookies!
They're made with these! Isn't that cool? I really want to try them!
nine
The other day Teen-O was putting a box in the garage for me. It looked like he was about to put it on my treadmill that is all set up and waiting for me.... and I said, "Don't put it on my treadmill, ok?" and he laughed...out loud... I think he even snorted! And then he choked out "Ok, mom".
hmmph.
What? I'm gonna use it.
ten
These are some little birdie babies I'm working on for our Valentine Clothesline. (more on that later.)
Aren't they so beeeee-you-teeee-ful?? I just love birdies.
Hey that ten wasn't as hard as last time. I think I'm gettin' the hang of this!
M~ ----------------------------------------------------- "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them." -Matthew 6:26
My little O and I are learning about snow, penguins, polar bears and all things arctic this month so I have been obsessed with paper snowflakes (seeing as this is the only kind of snow we get to see a lot of around here).
These are some minis that I tried and hung above my desk for inspiration. It's amazing how satisfying and fun it is to sit and snip away and then unfold this lovely little piece of lacey, white, paper.
I've found some great links for patterns and ideas that I'll share soon.
Leaving for a long, busy day in a few minutes. Could use your prayers today.
Grace and Peace,
Melissa~ ---------------------------------------------------------------- "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." -2 Cor. 1:3
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