Mommiedom

Monday, February 13, 2012

My hubby is crafty too!

I think after a dozen years it is finally rubbing off on my husband to be crafty. He has over the years built me an awesome shelf and quilt rack. He also just over the holidays built an incredible table for his bar. I keep forgetting to get pics of it. The other thing he has started doing is decorating his VW bug for the seasons. Of course for Halloween the orange bug was a jack o'lantern and over Xmas was a giant ornament.

Though he might have out did himself this time. He has wanted and talked about making a car into the General Lee. I had to talk him out of it with out old Kia prior to selling it. So when he got the bug in October, I knew it was only a matter of time. I actually kept my mouth shut and than he started on it again. I actually totally came up with the idea that it be the Lt. Lee because well it is smaller and Lt. could also stand for little.

So this weekend he went to work cutting out his vinyl clings and attaching them to the car. He than traced out the letters in white vinyl electrical tape. The car looks sweet and is so funny. So now we have all been assigned names from the Dukes. I am for some reason Uncle Jesse because the 5 year old scooped up Daisy instantly.

So here is the car all done and I think it is so cute and well a little tongue and cheek in the humor!

# crafts

Menu Board- My Version

Becky 11:37 AM 2 Comments

So I totally admit I love Pinterst and have found so many awesome ideas on there for the home, crafts, kids, and lots of recipes I want to try. I saw this Menu Board on there the other day. I had repinned it from someone else and once I saw it, so wanted to make it as soon as I could, so today as it rains, I set to work on it and of course made my own version. I actually saw this Weekly Schedule and used that as well for inspiration.

So I started out with an 11x17 frame I picked up from the craft store and with my 50 percent off coupon it cost 3 bucks but beware that it isn't as sturdy and could break.

I cut seven 2.5 inch stripes of coordinating paper and than adhered it onto the insert that comes with the frame. I did have to trim off excess because my paper was 12 inches long.

I inserted the covered insert back into the frame and than pulled out my trusty Cricut. Be warned this can do a number on the pads for cutting. I used a new one which was super sticky and well the vinyl really stuck and had to be tossed out. So if you use a Cricut, use a pad that has already been used.

I used Black vinyl

The cricut

Peeling off the letters

Attaching to the top of the glass.

I cut out the words Menu, and than abbreviation for the week. I only used Monday thru Friday because honestly those are really the only days I cook. Saturday and Sunday, it really depends. The Menu letters were 1.5 inches while the days of the week were 1inch. Because I don't like things so even, I alternated the days on each side of the board.

When I was done with the letters, I also added on some stickers of desserts. The paper and stickers are part of the new SU mini catalog called Sweet Shop. I really thought it looked cute for a menu board with all the little sweets on it.

I than took a dry erase marker and wrote down what we will be having for the week. The dry erase marker wipes right off and I also attached heavy duty Velcro to the back and hung it up on my cabinet. I used one that I don't go in all that often because I figured if it keeps getting closed, no Velcro in the world will hold it up there. I can just take it down to wipe off and add the new menu for next week.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Projects this week

Becky 12:46 PM 0 Comments

I actually did get some great projects done this week. When my hubby is out of town, I have more me time, so I craft, and card make. I had some fun with it.

A card I created

New stamps for new projects!

Sweet Cupcake

Sweet Ribbon Jar

Card that was inspired by a Lisa Young card.

# crafts

Chaos in the Mommiedom

Becky 12:34 PM 0 Comments

There has been quite a bit of unrest this week in the Mommiedom. The Queen has been a travel widow while the Daddy is away on business. Usually it isn't that bad but the two year well has been difficult. I am glad Daddy returns tomorrow from the trip and well I am likely going to run away (okay maybe I will just get out sans the kids at some point).

This was the first time my husband has traveled in about 6 months. Last time, I didn't have a kindergartner so having to get us all ready and out the door instead of the kid and husband was a new experience. The hardest part of it all was that the two year old decided this was the week to go into full fledged terrible twos. He tested every boundary possible and than some I didn't even realized existed. Monday he saw more of the timeout area than I think any where else.

Tuesday he seemed to even out some and well was good most of the day though he is hitting a lot which I need to nip. He seems to do it mostly out of frustration and anger when it isn't going his way. He is about 180 degrees different from Miss O the oldest. She tested but not to this degree. I have been told it is a boy thing and that this is just how they are and will outgrow it. The problem is I am not sure I am going to last it till than.

Just kidding, I will. I actually started doing some new things with him. He really likes stories, so I amped it up in reading more books to him. We went from like one or two a day to tops of half a dozen and sometimes the same one over and over again. I have learned a lot about Chuggington now.

I did some reading up on how to deal with that difficult child- you know that child who is exactly like you! Yeah I know he is a version of me. I see way more of that stubborn streak like me than I ever did in Miss O. I think because he is so much like me that we butt heads so much. I am a lot like my mom and well that is why we had permanent bruise on our foreheads as I was growing up!

Mr. L is what you would call a spirited child- you know the one who says "no" louder than the rest and screams more often. That kid whose personality is the one that you get those looks at. You know the ones, it is both the handle your child but I sort of feel bad for you looks. That one we all give other mothers at times. I know I have given it and yes with Mr. L I have received it. Oh I remember the first time it happened to me- I was shell-shocked by it.

My son is who he is- incredibly smart, adorable, and currently wearing a shirt that states he drives me crazy. He is also stubborn, strong-willed and seemingly getting sneakier about his actions. He spilled milk on the floor the other day and I asked him what happen. He pointed to the dog and blamed her. It made me laugh.

Mr. L and I have to come to an understanding one where I understand him and he chooses to not! All kidding aside, it is important to me that we get to a point where he understands that he can't act this way and I just need to keep consistent on it. As hard as it is to keep doing the same thing, it will pay off one of these days , weeks, months, okay who I am I kidding- likely years!!

I am so happy that this week is about over. Friday so far has been good and tomorrow, the hubby is picked up and I have some relief in this thing we call parenting.

# kids

Friday, February 3, 2012

Coffee Filter Wreath 2

Becky 8:46 AM 0 Comments

Okay I really like my coffee filter wreath I created and have hanging on the front door. Everyone gets a kick out of touching it and trying to figure out what it is made out of. It is pretty easy to figure that one out but I did some goggling to see what others are doing with the filters and I found so many awesome ideas. I was inspired by so many of them and took to working on another one but this time is was way different and far more complicated to do. I think it took a total of about 4 hours to create over two days.

I first started off with my supplies which were about 100 coffee filters, paint, paper dishes, newspaper, masking tape, and a floral ring.

I than took paint and diluted with water. I just added the paint to the water and mixed it up to make it cloudy looking.

I than dunked the separated coffee filters into the dishes. I colored about 40 though the green and light blue-were very light- just kissed with color. I let the filters dry overnight.

I than took a white coffee filter and cut the center out and rolled a rosette.

I added a ring of the dyed filters around that creating a larger flower.

This is how I cut out the centers. The different ways I cut would create either wider fuller flowers or more closed up ones.

I used lots and lots of masking tape to tape the pinched bottom of each section of the rosette.

I just than started building the wreath as I went along. I am sure if you made all of them first but I was on unsure how many I would need. I lost count after awhile but I think I am close to 40 handmade flowers.

Using the centers of the cut out filters, I created little rosettes to fill in areas where you could see the floral ring.

Closeup of some of the flowers.

Building the wreath up!

The completed wreath after about a total 4 hours (about 30 minutes to dye and 3.5 hours to create and build).

The completed wreath hanging over my piano. I really like it but would have liked darker colors. I think if I make another one I am using the natural filters and darker colors.

I found the filters nice and sturdy in creating the roses. I think tissue paper would work but it would be thinner and in my opinion way more cutting.

# crafts

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Blueberry Cobbler

Becky 1:30 AM 0 Comments

I know I talked about how much weight I have lost and yet I am posting a sweet treat on here. I figure that once in awhile that it is okay to eat and a nice serving of it is about 4 points on Weight Watchers which isn't all that bad.

I really like the Food Network Show The Pioneer Woman hosted by Ree Drummond. Does it surprise you I like that show! One of the episodes I caught, she made Sunday dinner so when I was getting dinner ready for dinner on Sunday, I thought about that cobbler she made.

So I checked her website and here is the recipe and realized I had everything in the pantry for it except the blackberries, but I did have some wild blueberries in the freezer. So I set to work on it and created a delicious masterpiece that took minutes to prepare and about an hour to bake at 350 degrees.

I will make it again because it was so good. Both the kids inhaled it (see picture of Mr. L enjoying it). I might use less sugar next time because the blueberries were really sweet. I also added some frozen whipped topping on it which melted nicely all over it. Ice cream would also work very nicely.

Here is the cobbler right before I stuck it in the oven.

Here is the cobbler after it baked for an hour. The edges are all brown and it was so yummy!

Here is Mr. L enjoying it and yes he was licking his fingers!

# recipes

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Sew Wednesday Project- iPhone Cover

Becky 2:00 AM 0 Comments

I saw this adorable iPhone cover on Pinterest the other day and so wanted to make it. I had so much fun making it- I did two. One for me and one as a door prize for my workshop on Friday (there are still places left for it and you could win this as well as other prizes).

It was simple to make and the directions are here for it. I made both of them in about 30 minutes including cutting time. I always love a cute project that takes minutes and has a large impact when it i done. I also love saying I made it. It is super cute and hopefully it will help me in finding my phone in my purse and not scratching it all up or anymore than it already is!