Summer projects...

Summer is in full swing and I've been trying to get some things done here before the real heat sets in!!

First, my mom is redoing some of the pictures that are up in her house and is now going to have a "grandkid" wall. So we needed to take a nice recent picture of the kids. On Sunday morning we headed out front to take our shots.



We also started swimming lessons. Bud and Emma are both in the same class and have been doing a good job. I think they've both improved a lot and I hope that more swimming throughout the rest of the summer will progress them even further. Mo gets to play in the wading pool during their lessons and is enjoying some water time.





I've also been working on a few projects myself. For sewing, I finished a blanket for the new little man and used a piece of the extra fabric to make a small "changing pad". I sewed a piece of shower curtain (they have them at the dollartree!) in the middle to make it "leak proof"!!

I've also been trying out more "applique". I found some terry cloth at Walmart and thought I'd give bibs a try. I'm very happy with how these turned out:


My latest project is on that I've been wanting to get done for a while. I apologize for those that were interested in doing it with me. I decided to start it and just couldn't stop! I'm very happy with how or "tree hands" turned out and the kids had a lot of fun helping get them put together. I decided to add their names in vinyl and a quote above to tie it all together.



(Them empty frame will get filled in August when our little guy joins the family)
Here's where you can find the original idea and instructions: At Second Street
I used flat canvas that came in a pack of 3 from Joanns (don't forget our 40% coupon). I painted them tan. I used 3 different green fabrics for the leaves and a brown one for the hands. It all got modge podged down and sat overnight to dry. I purchased frames at Walmart and took the glass out.

Yesterday I found another neat project that I think I might have to try. Have you every done any quilling? I haven't, but this looks so neat!! What an awesome gift it would make!
Check it out here: Craftasical

Might have to try it...

I follow and check a lot of craft blogs. I'm look for ideas of crafts I would like to do and just enjoy seeing other peoples handiwork! I saw this one a while back and it caught me eye. Then today it was featured on Modge Podge Rocks and it reminded me that I really want to make this!
It was made over At Second Street: A creative blog. The tree trunks are her children's hands, she cut out the leaves and the modge podged it all together on a burlap canvas! Click on the picture to get the full tutorial!

Anyone want to try and make one with me once school is out? Has anyone seen any crafts you just can pass up and just have to make yourself? I'm always interested in a fun new craft!

Don't for get to enter my giveaway. It's on until this Friday: Light up Marble Racers!

Christmas Craft: Marble Magnets

The first time I made marble magnets was at least 2 years ago. The entire concept of personalizing magnets with your own pictures and paper was a great idea to me. We even did it at a Super Saturday for HFPE. Over the last 2 years I've randomly made more and then it dwindled away. Then last week I decided to make them again after reading in a few different places that you can use diamond glaze to adhere the paper to the marble! Yet another use for a great product. Now this doesn't diminish my love for modge podge it still can't be beat for many, many applications!

So, go out to your Dollartree and buy yourself some glass marble accents. The dollartree is seriously the best place to find them. They might to be perfectly clear or round, but a $1 for about 25-you can't beat a price like that!

Print some pictures or grab your favorite scrapbook paper and cut out to the size you need (they're ususally 1 1/8 inches or so)

Put a small amount (smaller than a dime) of diamond glaze on the back of the marble.

Place your picture on and press evenly until the diamond glaze has evenly coated the picture and marble.

Let it dry and glue on a magnet. I prefer usuing E6000 to glue my magnets on and I buy my rare earth magnets here: (http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.1105) they have free shipping, but it does take a couple of weeks to get to you.

I think they are much clearer and easier to make than with the Modge Podge. It's a fun way to have seasonal magnets or family pictures that have a purpose. It's also an easy homemade gift!

I also wanted to add a picture of the finish Baby's ABC book we made at the baby shower a couple of weeks ago. After all of the letters were finished, I laminated the pages and had it bound at Staples:

I also finished up our family birthday calendar. Now I need to get them all mailed out!


I hope everyone has a great Veteran's Day and weekend! We're headed on a little family trip for a baptism-Go Bridget!! I'm super excited to see family, get family pictures taken, go the temple, go to the zoo, do some shopping and play some games!!

Recovering...

Now this title is slightly deceptive! We had a great weekend. We went down to LA and N8 went to the Stake Temple Day (a 4 hour session!) while I took the kids and did some random shopping. We picked up some fun thing-fabric for Christmas gifts, fabric for baby blankets, fabric in general and these:
We did them last night for FHE, very fun! I want to get these for Christmas!
We didn't really need to recover from Sunday either. We got a call from Ricky, Saturday night, letting us know my Aunt and Uncle came to town and would be joining for dinner. Ricky and Kim made lasagna so we were very happy! At church we had great talks, especially Mirilou's! And the kids did well practicing for the upcoming Primary Program.

Monday we a little different and could cause for some recovery. Since last year we have been doing things both here at home and at school to help with behavior modification for Bud in relation to ADHD. For the last month or so we have been working with the school more because of some more problems we have been having. We had the school Physiologist come in and observe him. We also had a SAT (Student Assessment Team) meeting. And he is meeting in a small group once a week with the school councilor. But it came time that we met with our Pediatrician again. After a long discussion (really I don't think I've ever had a doctor really sit down and talk with me & N8 for so long) we decided to start Bud on a low dose ADHD medicine. Over the next couple of weeks we will be fine tuning the dosage to see how it helps. She also wants to rule out mini-seizures. Since Bud was about 3 he has had a "tick", habit, whatever one want to call it. He shakes his arms. When he does it, he does not respond and can't do anything. It only lasts for a few seconds, but at some points in the day can be very frequent. So, on Monday we get to get him up at 3am so that he can be sleep deprived and take him for an EEG that morning. I'm glad we're working on things and hope that we're making the right decisions.

Now what I really am recovering........ are some chairs! I know, a lot of other junk from our lives to read through to get to the more interesting part! A few weeks ago I got 4 old church chairs from a ward member. They were in good condition but the fabric was itchy and not very pretty! Part of my shopping down in LA was to find fabric to recover the chairs. Luckily Joann's was dong 50% off their red tag decorator fabric and it only cost me $10 in fabric! I now have 2 of the four done and I like them so much better! What do you think?
Before:

After:

My other recovering project was covering clothespins! I have seen these around and just thought they were too cute and had to try it myself! A little scrapbook paper, modge podge, magnet and embellishments and there you have it!

Now here's hoping that we have a calm, productive week that requires no recovery, except for recovering chairs and clothepins!

Wood block project #1- Be Blocks

So I'm planning on doing multiple projects with the 4x4 blocks I got and just finished the first one. I first saw the project here at : Not so idle hands. She does a great tutorial on how to make these. There's another project I was already planning on doing with the blocks when I saw this and I though I would try this one as well. And even though it wasn't the original plan, it's what got done first!!

Here's what you need: 3-4x4 blocks sanded, paint (either spray paint or craft paint), vinyl in your color of choice, 3 squares of 4x4 scrapbook paper, modge podge & a foam paint brush

There is 1-Be and the 9 words-Grateful, Smart, Clean, True, Positive, Prayerful, Humble, Involved, Still.

For added visual appeal I put a square of scrapbook paper on the top of each block and modge podged it down.


The final project:


I did my vinyl slightly different than the one from Not so idle hands. Her's was super cute I just wanted it a little different.

Now onto my next block project! It all painted and ready to go so we'll see, it might happen tonight, but I got a new laptop today and have to transfer a TON of stuff onto it (plus figure out it's quirks!) so I might be doing that instead!
Happy Crafting