Confessions of a Crafty Housewife

Hmm..that time again already!

2011-11-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe how long it's been since I have written a new post!

Alas, I have been neglecting my duties online in favor of family duties. However, it's the holiday season and it's time to get crafting! Here are just a few things that I will be working on and posting about.

I will also be sharing some of my writing here and on my other blog gracefullwife.blogspot.com!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Hello Dolly....Nice To See You Again

2011-08-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

Hello Dolly

Well hello, Dolly

It's so nice to have you back where you belong!

It's been a couple of weeks since I have gotten a chance to post here on Crafty Housewife and I have missed you all greatly!

My SITS day was fantastic and I have finally gotten around to all of the blogs of all of the lovely women who visited me on my special day and left some comment love.

So what's up in the Moon House? I've been working on a new blog, running (the goal is to train for a half marathon), catching up on my reading, and taking care of my little munchkins.

I've been using the Couch 2 5K program on my iphone to start running again and tomorrow is my FINAL RUN! Ok, well last one of that program. Friday starts the Bridge to 10K program, which takes 6 weeks. After that, it's half marathon training!

This app is FANTASTIC! I haven't run and thought that my knees wouldn't take it anymore, but this program allowed me to ease back into it with very little discomfort. I just add in yoga to help strengthen my core and joints.

Now if you are interested in checking out the new blog, head on over to

http://GraceFullWife.blogspot.com

Ciao!

Come on in and SITS down with me!

2011-07-22T01:45:00.000-07:00

What a cool way to end the week! It's my SITS day!

If I was actually able to invite you in, here is what you would see. Through the front door, down the hall, and into the living room to have a seat. I would probably serve you coffee and biscuits.

And I would show you my newest painted piece, and invite you to look around some more.

Since I can't bring you all to my actual home, I will invite you to look around my blog. I love comments and questions and love meeting new friends. Please come anytime!

Stash Sharing

2011-07-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have been following several cloth diapering blogs as I have two little ones that are in diapers. I recently switched from the old school method of flat cotton diapers (you know the ones you have to fold and pin) to the incredible pocket and hybrid diapers.

If you don't know what I am talking about, and you want to know more, check out GroVia, Rumparooz, Sunbaby, Kawaii, etc. There are lots of brands to try, but these are the ones that I have used and can attest to.

I would love to encourage more new moms to use cloth diapers. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to not have to constantly run to the store to buy more diapers. Here is a look at my stash. I keep the diapers in my great grandmother's sewing cabinet!

What's in your stash and where do you keep it?

Bath Time Fun

2011-07-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, the doorbell rang and when I opened the door there was this lovely package. Have I mentioned how I love to get packages?

After my birthday week posts, I was contacted by Teri, of Seetos shop on Etsy. Those pretty felted soaps that I featured when talking about Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile soap were from her shop. When she asked me to do a review for her soaps, I absolutely jumped at the opportunity! And...insert package at front door.

My husband was almost as excited as I was to go through the box. And can I just say that when he ripped it open, the most amazing smell wafted our way. The goat milk soap was difficult to put down. Forget sniffing paint and sharpies!

All of the products in the shop are environmentally friendly. The felted soaps are made from a blend of hand-dyed natural wools. My husband couldn't figure out how she made the soaps inside the felt =)
You can choose from Dr. Bronner's soap in the hand felted package, Ivory soap, or some of her deliciously yummy, homemade goat milk soaps and soy soaps.

Pure Joy Soap

Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile Soap

Homemade Goat Milk Soap

These soaps not only smell incredible, but they work great too. I first tried out the Felted Dr. Bronners Soap and the Felted Goat Milk Soap. The felting creates a soothing loofah effect; it gently exfoliates without tearing the skin like other harsh scrubbers. I loved using these soaps and so did my husband. They lather well once you get them wet and work them between your hands the first time. Because the soaps are natural, they leave no film on the skin. I didn't even need lotion or oil for my dry skin after using them.

For those with extra sensitive skin, like my babies, there is hand felted Ivory soap. The felt that is used for this particular soap is made solely from Alpaca wool and contains no dyes. I used this on my boys. My oldest got the best use out of it as he is 8 and always covered in some type of grime. The felt is very soft and because there are no added dyes or fragrances, there was nothing to irritate their skin. I give all the soaps 10 thumbs up! (2 for each member of the family!)

There's also travel sizes for use when you're out of town or even as a stylish guest soap. I have mine in the guest bathroom for guests to admire, along with the balls of goat milk soap that arrived in a burlap sack that won my heart.

I'll be sharing some of the goat milk soap with my mom and a couple of my friends. I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

Now, you may be on board by now but wondering about the price. It's a splurge from the everyday soaps in the supermarket, but the prices are very reasonable for felted soaps. You won't find these types of boutique soaps anywhere else for such a price!

Hurry over now to Teri's Etsy Shop and try some for yourself; tell her I sent you. Have a spa day!

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary

2011-07-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know how Mary's garden grows, but I thought I would share ours. I do have say, this was a group effort. The garden is on my parents' land, but I helped plant, water, and pick and now my son helps.

How do you like the roosters? They are so much fun to have around! Feel free to link up and show off your gardens and farms.

Not So Shabby Summer Sale

2011-07-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, so am I the only one that is slightly and embarrassingly addicted to pictures of the newest royal couple? I can't resist sneaking a peak whenever I see a new post featuring the dapper duke and duchess. I think what I like most about the couple is how demure, composed, and lady-like she is (or atleast appears). I wish we had more public role models of that caliber in America. It sure beats the panty-less starlets our teenage girls are looking up to!

But enough about that. I want to move on to another topic of fashion. My favorite online dress shop.

If you've never checked out this store, you absolutely must! If you love this store already, then you should know about this KILLER summer sale! Get 20% off your order when you enter SUMMER20 at check out. Here are some of my favorites; definitely on my wish list.

Perhaps if the Duchess had known about Shabby Apple, she would have already worn some of these beauties. And perhaps you all might want to head over and take advantage of this awesome sale!

Bless the Children

2011-07-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

This morning when my so turned on the television, the first thing I saw was a picture of a sweet baby girl who is now in Jesus' arms. I don't watch much tv during the day as I have my hands full with my rambunctious boys. I didn't even know about what had happened to this little girl until I saw facebook status updates from all over crying for justice over the surprise court verdict.

In a way, it reminds me of another verdict that sent a cry up from the public. It was that of the O.J. Simpson case.

Well, in both cases many have felt that justice wasn't served. Maybe it was, and maybe it wasn't. What I want to focus on is the fact that, regardless, there is someone bigger than us who holds the world and all its happenings in His hands. One day, the persons responsible will be judged. Though it's hard to accept now, maybe they will be counted as forgiven. The good news for us is that we don't have to worry.

It is excruciatingly sad what happen to Caylee. I have a hard time understanding how anyone could hurt a child. I have the promise, though, that God loves and protects me and my family. He is protecting and loving on little Caylee now and I guarantee you that no matter what she was made to suffer, she has been given much more in heaven. This should be our comfort now.

Instead of worrying over what has happened and being upset over man's judgement. Let us spend our time in prayer. The Bible says not to worry. In fact, in Philippians 4:6 we are told what to do instead.

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray.

Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers,

letting God know your concerns. ~the Message.

Psalm 91 gives us wonderful promises of God's protection. Pray it over your children every single day. Love them. Let the one who loves them most give you peace and protection, and don't forget to thank Him!

From the Message:

You who sit down in the High God's presence,

spend the night in Shaddai's shadow,

Say this: "God, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!"

That's right-he rescues you from hidden traps,

shields you from deadly hazards.

His huge outstretched arms protect you-under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm.

Fear nothing-not wild wolves in the night,

not flying arrows in the day,

Not disease that prowls through the darkness,

not disaster that erupts at high noon.

Even though others succumb all around,

drop like flies right and left,

no harm will even graze you.

You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,

watch the wicked turn into corpses.

Yes, because God's your refuge, the High God your very own home,

Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door.

He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go.

If you stumble, they'll catch you;

their job is to keep you from falling.

You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes,

and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

"If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God,

"I'll get you out of any trouble.

I'll give you the best of care if you'll only get to know and trust me.

Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times;

I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.

I'll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!"

My Country, My Home

2011-07-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Few things stir my soul the way a patriotic ditty or poem does. I stand a bit straighter when I see soldiers marching, and shed tears for those who have fallen. I have never had the honor of serving in our military, but am filled with pride and thankfulness by those who do.

Currently, I have friends serving in various branches of the military, others who have finished their terms, an uncle in the Army, and my father and two of my grandfathers are Veterans. It was soldiers such as these that made Independence Day possible so many years ago.

Variously known as the Fourth of July and Independence Day, July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution (1775-83). In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.

We should take this time to say thank you for every soldier out there. These are the men and women who protect our country, who leave their homes, families, and children so that we can rest easy at night.

If there is something you don't like about the government, then vote. War can't always be avoided, but aren't you glad that there are people who risk their lives to keep us safe! So go celebrate today, watch the fireworks, cook out, and have fun. Do it in remembrance of those who made this day possible, who made it special.

On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee's resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 "will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival" and that the celebration should include "Pomp and Parade...Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other." On July 4th, the Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.

Have a wonderful day!

I Am Woman

2011-07-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure when it became taboo for a woman to aspire to be a wife and mother. When I was growing up, it's what I wanted to be. It wasn't until I was told I had to have a career that I began dreaming of other things I might like to do. Let me also say, before I dive into the subject, that I don't find fault with working wives and mothers, I was one for a time. I simply hope to direct a new focus on the wonderfully old ministry that is the stay at home mother/housewife. As women we should all strive to help and uplift each other, regardless of the circumstances.

In today's world where divorce is the answer and free love reigns supreme, marriage and home are being labeled old fashioned notions. The single, widowed, divorced, and working moms are defending their need to work; some battling guilt over missing out on time and milestones with their families. The moms who previously went to work and made the decision to stay home with their children (the ones given the opportunity) search to find accomplishment in a world of diapers, laundry, home, and children. I struggled for a long time feeling like a failure. By today's standards, I felt that I had nothing to contribute to our family without a paycheck.

I find more housewives and stay at home mothers struggling to defend the worth of their position. The same questions always arise. What happens if your husband leaves you? What exactly is it you do all day? Or there's my favorite, the nonchalant "must be nice". My question is, when did the role lose it's value?

Although I had always wanted to be a stay at home mom, I was more thrust into it when I lost my job at the hospital after my second child was born. My husband and I were too scared of losing my potential income to actually take that step of our own accord. Looking back, we both agree that this was one of the best things that could have happened for our family. We aren't rich, we do have to budget, but we are happy. Also, I have been able to do things for our family that I never would have been able to were I still working full time.

First of all, I chose to get married. I wanted to share my life with someone and to raise a family together. I truly believe that marriage is a beautiful glimpse into the love that Christ has for His bride (the church). Marriage is work, and although it isn't politically correct to say, both male and female have specific roles to fill. The wife's role is to be her husband's helpmate, to honor him. This isn't an antiquated view of things, nor does it devalue women in general, it's simply how we were created. The husband's role is to protect and love the wife just as Christ loved the church.

I think that blurring the line between male and female is an injustice to everyone involved. Yes, there are differences between the two. The differences are a thing of beauty and should be celebrated, not rubbed out. To ignore the differences would be like saying that a woman can only be beautiful if she has blonde hair, blue eyes, is 5'9" and wears a size 6. Of course we don't all fit into that category, just like we don't all have the same gifts or roles. There are things that men excel at over women, and vice versa. Have you ever seen a man volunteer to give birth?

I chose to have children. I believe that children are a gift from God. I believe that when parents had the time and energy to take the lead in their children's education and upbringing, there weren't as many behavioral problems. I know many women today who have no idea how to run a home because no one showed them growing up. Maybe it was assumed that Home Ec. classes would cover it. It's obvious by the vast number of books teaching women how to cook, sew, clean and organize, that many women were left in the dark in this area. On the other hand, maybe the importance of education left little time for anything else.

My goal is to help women in my position learn to value their roles as wife and mother. I want to teach women, as well as the next generation of girls, the life skills necessary to running a home. I want to provide support for women experiencing hard times (loss of family members, divorce, etc.). I want to help other newlyweds learn to build strong marriages.

The bottom line is, whatever you choose to do, do it the best of your ability. If you are a stay at home wife and mother, then strive to make your house a home. Be intentional in your relationships with your husband and children. This is your career, your calling, your ministry. If you work outside your home, also do that to the best of your ability. If you work and also have children, make sure that the time you spend with your children is quality time. Turn off your phone, remove distractions, and really BE with your children. If you are married and in either situation, you must make your marriage a priority.

This may end up being quite the controversial subject, but I would love to hear your thoughts.

A Change in Plans

2011-07-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

I had every intention of revealing my furniture yesterday, but I threw out my back and alas, never got to finish. I did, however, take a few pictures of the sealed pieces to show and found another great project and blog to share.

Here are the pictures I snapped with my phone on the way to Home Depot to get the machine screws for the drawer hardware.

Once this furniture is finished, I will be on to my dining room =)

And now, on to the new blog and project that I mentioned. I actually found this through The Graphics Fairy. The GF is my favorite blog to find cool vintage graphics and I highly recommend you check her out! Every week, TGF features projects to brag about. These are projects where bloggers have taken her free graphics and created cool, whimsical, and beautiful projects with them. The most recent one that caught my attention was from the appropriately named blog You Could Make That. Check out this gorgeous desk that she overhauled. It started out as a curb side find!

So until I get my furniture finished and posted, enjoy checking out these fabulous websites!

Birthday Bashing

2011-07-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

Well my friends, the week has come to an end. It's been a fabulous week. I want to thank those of you who left comments and I am brain-storming some giveaway ideas for you. But before we do that, let me share with you what I have been working on since Tuesday night.

I bought a BEAUTIFUL set of antique furniture off of craigslist about a month about and it has been sitting in my garage ever since, just waiting for me to get around to it. Because it was my birthday week, I took some extra time letting the children play outside and letting hubby watch the children while I worked on my new bedroom furniture. Here is what I started with:

During my break I decided to go hipstamatic with my photos. All of the above were prior to any priming or painting. It looked kind of rough, but oh wait until you see the end result! Below are two of the pieces after being primed and painted. It's hard to see exactly what they look like because of the iphone camera app that I was using. (I just couldn't help myself, I love my hipstamatic app =) )

I was going to go ahead and post the pictures of what they look like now, but honestly they aren't finished. I have sanded, primed, painted, distressed, and sealed all the pieces, but the hardware still needs to be put back on and the drawers wiped out and put in place. I am hoping to have it all done and in place tomorrow to share with you all!

Do you remember the felted soap that I posted about this week?

The fabulous Teri of Seetos is the WAHM that makes these. After debuting them in my Birthday post, I will be doing a special review of these fantastic soaps. Since she so graciously contacted me to do the review, I am going to give away a felted soap of your choice from her etsy shop. Click the link and head to her shop to pick out a soap to try and leave a comment here telling me what your pick is and your email. I will leave the giveaway open for 1 week, it will close Friday July 8 at midnight EST and I will draw the winner and send you your package!

Extra Entries:

1. Follow @brandymoon on twitter and leave a comment saying you did so. (1)
2. Post this giveaway on your blog (2) come back and leave a comment saying you did this.
3. Post about this giveaway on twitter (1) you can do one entry each day of the giveaway. Come back and leave a comment with your tweet and your twitter name.
4. Post about this giveaway on facebook (1) you can do one entry each day of the giveaway. Come back and leave a comment with your post and your facebook link.

Don't forget to come back for the big furniture reveal!

It's My Birthday!

2011-06-29T04:25:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be spending the day with you all! Today we have running, Cracker Barrell, pool time and church scheduled. Before I dive into that, though, I wanted to share with you what I have been ordering for my family. It may be my birthday, but it's my children who are getting the presents!

For those of you looking for some more natural products for your children, here are some GREAT choices from Etsy.

For baby wipes, I have been using old baby wash cloths and mixing up a solution. Unfortunately, because of trying to avoid certain chemicals I have had to discontinue the baby shampoo in my homemade solution. This has led to a search for a more natural baby shampoo, which led to these yummy Scrubby Bubby Chunks.

Now, as I said, I have been searching for a great natural baby shampoo and here is what I found. It was love at first sight with the cute little birds on the logo. And the best part, when I favorited her shop, I got the nicest little email from the mom who makes this product. She has even agreed to do a guest post here on my blog about her web business. I give you BabySwank!

Now, all of you know I love my cloth diapers. I have only yet shared with you my Rumparooz, but I have a few more GroVia on their way this week, and recently received my Kawaii and Sunbaby diapers. I have yet to have a diaper I don't like, but let's be real, who wouldn't like the ease that these gems bring to cloth diapering. How do you care for these? Why, naturally of course! Here's the newest detergent I have found.

This next item isn't exactly homemade, or on etsy. It is a very cool, and very useful tool, though. Wouldn't you know, that since we bought this we haven't had one poopy diaper! Lol

The hubs hooked the white one up yesterday and so we haven't had the opportunity to try it out yet. All the little things to make life easier!

I have to add one little item that isn't necessarily baby related, but has done wonders for my skin. It's Dr. Bronner's liquid Peppermint Castile Soap. Oh my do I love this! I love that it leaves a cooling sensation on my skin from the peppermint in it. I love that it rinses so clean without any build up or residue on my skin. I love that it isn't expensive when you consider the small amount you need to use vs. size of the bottle. Lastly, I love how soft my skin is without having to use lotion. I am one of those women that get the rough keratin-sort of bumps on the back of my upper arms. All of that is gone now. I may be able to contribute part of it to my water filter, but I know part of it is thanks to the castile soap. Why not even try a bar wrapped in this great felt.

Alright, enough talking. It's time to go play!

Birthday Blog Day 2

2011-06-28T17:35:00.000-07:00

Day #2 of Birthday posts and tomorrow is my ACTUAL birthday. I am so excited to share today's list with all of you. My newest obsession is the bird. I love birds on everything and have brought several of these beautiful feathered friend into our home in the form of textiles. Later on in the week I am going to be sharing with you some of my favorite items in my home and will highlight my birds.

But for now, I'd like to share some beauties that I found on Etsy...

I hope everyone is having a lovely Tuesday! Stay tuned for a special post all about birthdays tomorrow and don't forget to comment if you are interested in a special giveaway.

Birthday Blog Day 1

2011-06-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

Yay! Day 1 of my birthday week and we had a blast. A little running, a little lunch, a little shopping, and now a little blogging.

Because it's my birthday this week, I am going to be sharing my favorite things, things I can't live without, and things I would love to order! And maybe, just maybe, I'll give away one of my favorite things on Friday. If you would like to be a part of the giveaway, post your comments here on this post and let me know that there are enough people interested.

Okay, so here goes....

Top 10 mommy favorites on Etsy (a.k.a. my wishlist)

I was going to share some pictures from our garden and all that we picked this weekend but I left my camera at my parent's house. That's okay, I'll share them with you later, along with tips for putting up veggies. Last year was my first year canning and this year will be my first to can what we grew ourselves.

Don't forget, leave me a comment if you want to see a giveaway on Friday!

Mary vs. Martha

2011-06-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

Today was day 2 of my new book 31 Days To Clean and I am right on track. I cleaned out and scrubbed the refrigerator and freezer. I also picked a grocery bag full of green beans, ran/walked about 3 miles, made out my "to do wishlist", got my groceries for the week, and caught up on laundry.

Phew, what a day!

Where this blog is concerned, I am excited to make out another "to do" list:

1. Upload the 2 months old pics from my camera.

2. Catch up on blog posts with said pics.

3. Line up some guest posters.

4. Line up some giveaways for the week of my birthday.

5. Start interviewing some SAHM's on starting your own home business.

6. Interview some new authors.

7. Bring back the weekly etiquette posts.

My home list contains several paint projects and a few sewing ones so you know I will be posting on those as well. I also want to share some of what our garden has yielded with all of you. My oldest son has really enjoyed helping me pick veggies, the 2 year old enjoys getting to run around the yard while we pick, and the baby...well, he stays with my mom while I pick. More to come!

Becoming a Happy Homemaker

2011-06-16T18:41:00.000-07:00

Since the 1980's, it seems that the art of homemaking has become less and less of a priority and more of a nuisance. So many women feel the pressure to have a home that looks perfect, but are frustrated when they aren't able to keep up with the daily demands of it. Many reach this point and either let the house go altogether, or they hire someone to come in and do it for them. The desire of my heart is to see more and more women learn and embrace these life skills even though they may not have learned them early in life.

Very commonly we joke about a woman's place being inside the house. You can call me politically incorrect if you want, but I believe that the home truly is the woman's domain.

I would love to be able to mentor young girls and teach them these very skills that will aid them so greatly in the future when they become wives and mothers. Imagine my excitement once I found this wonderful book!

Imagine learning to make your house a home and not hating the work. Imagine finding value and accomplishment in your home. You don't have to be a natural born cleaner to stay organized and you don't have to love cleaning to maintain a pleasant place to rest instead of a chaotic group of rooms where you go at the end of the day.

Visit the authoress Sara Mae at 31 Days to Clean and learn more.

An Author in the Family

2011-06-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, you heard me right, we have an author in the family!

My parents have had an incredible journey with weight loss and learning to make better health choices. Now, you can read about that journey in my dad's new book! Check out the official press release.

I am so proud of them and the work they've put into this new lifestyle. It's even affected my family. Because so many face obesity and find it difficult to make good choices for their health in such fast paced times, Scott Davis talks candidly about his journey and why he decided it was time.

You can pre-order your own signed copy here and tell him Brandy sent you!

Affiliate Affection

2011-06-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

Yay for new affiliations!

I am very excited to say that I am now an affiliate of the Cloth Diaper Outlet.

They have everything you need if you are thinking of getting started with cloth diapering. They have all the major brands such as Bummis, GroVia, Rumparooz, Thirsties, Happy Heineys. You can even trade in your diapers for a different brand to try out.

If you need safe laundry detergent and you don't want to make your own, why not try Rockin Green. This cloth diaper soap is perfect for hard water and is eco friendly!

But the fun doesn't stop there, Cloth Diaper Outlet has much more to chose from, including gifts for both baby and mama. Head on over, check them out, and show some love.

Cloth Crazy

2011-06-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

At this point in my life, it's safe to say that all things kid/baby is the name of my game. I love my house projects and I plan to start a paint project very soon, but taking care of my babies comes first.

Currently, I am knee deep in diaper days. I recently mentioned my return to cloth diapering and my love for Rumparooz. Well, not everyone can afford them and I can't afford to stock up like I need for both of my babies. This sent me on a hunt for more easy diaper solutions. I love the one size fits all of the Rumparooz and wanted to find a nice alternative.

Thanks to the work I have put into Swagbucks, Crowdtap and SocialSpark, I have been purchasing a few more needs and am trying a new brand that I came across called Kawaii. I just placed my order today so I can't tell you yet what I think of them, but I can show you how stinking adorable they are.

As soon as they arrive, I will be sure to let you know what I think and give a full review. I am also placing an order for some Sunbaby diapers and a diaper sprayer. I can honestly say that I don't miss buying diapers and wipes. I do, however, need to find a good travel wipe alternative. Here are some pics of the Sunbaby diapers I plan on trying out.

I think I am addicted and going cloth crazy =)

The Store Brand Shuffle

2011-06-10T05:02:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Anyone that knows me will testify that I LOVE to save money. My mama always taught me that just because you have $100 to buy shoes doesn't mean you buy a $100 pair of shoes. I have tried to apply that lesson to all of my purchases, especially now that we have three little ones to clothe and feed!

When it comes to going to a pharmacy, I have found that I really like Walgreens. I have had the opportunity to try a few of their store brand products and would definitely recommend them. So far, I have tried their Walgreens brand cold medicine, Wal-dryl (allergy medicine), and band aids. I am here to tell you, the name brands have nothing on Walgreens now-a-days.

Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products are a great value, allowing families and individuals to save money without sacrificing quality or trust. With the rising cost of health care, saving money on over-the-counter medications can really benefit a family’s budget. In addition to being an exceptional value, Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products contain the same active ingredients as other national brands. Visit Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products to learn more about Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products.

If quality and savings weren't enough, purchase of every Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Product supports bringing preventive wellness services to local communities through the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™. Walgreens will contribute up to $3 million annually to the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™. The Walgreens Way to Well Fund™ will provide free preventive health tests as well as other health and wellness services and education to local communities. Some of those services will include preventive health tests through the National Urban League Health & Wellness Tour and vouchers redeemable in select stores.

If you would like to try some of Walgreens Brand Health and Wellness products, check out these bloggers that are currently giving away Walgreens gift cards and enter for a chance to win! You can find them at giveaways.

Wearing My Baby

2011-06-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

For anyone that is expecting or has given up on finding the perfect baby carrier, let me introduce you to my new best friend!

It's called the Ergo Baby Carrier.

I have bought and been given 7-8 different styles of baby carrier. Each one whether wrap, sling, backpack, or frontpack, all fell short of my hopes and expectations. The biggest problem with each being that they hurt my back. The second problem were that most made carrying the baby awkward. Some of them would stretch out and slide further and further down the longer I wore them. So into the stroller went my babies.

Until a sweet friend came along and shared with me her best friend.

Because of the thick front belt and it's overall construction, the majority of baby's weight rests on the waist and hips, therefor taking the bulk of the weight and pressure off of the back. The Ergo is easy to put on and take off and doesn't require 8 hands to use.

I have enjoyed this carrier so much that I even hiked the monastery 5K while wearing this to carry Levi. I give it four thumbs up and 10 stars (yes, Levi likes it too!)

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Am I Starting to Crunch?

2011-06-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

Breastfeeding, cloth diapers, organic, oh my!

Okay, so maybe it's possible that I am going overboard, but given the opportunity and the knowledge who wouldn't?

I have long admitted that cloth diapers were better for babies in general. I went old school CDing with my first two children (flat diapers, diaper pins, and plastic pants). It was cheap overall and the cloth diapers made excellent cleaning cloths after. Of course, eventually the laundry would wear me down and I succumbed to my family pleading for easier disposables.

Fast forward to my latest boy, and I am back on the cloth diaper train again. This time, I have invested little by little in Rumparooz. Now, I will grant that they are more expensive, but they are easy and chemical free.

My husband even likes these and pronounces them easy to use!

And now you know my new obsession.

Get Fit for Motherhood

2011-06-04T18:01:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of CryoCell International for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Just about every expecting mom that I know is familiar with the topic of cord blood banking. I have to admit that I have considered it with each of my pregnancies. There are so many wonderful things that can be accomplished with those precious stem cells in the umbilical cord blood.

Companies like Cryo-Cell Cord Bank are tirelessly seeking new advancements and doing research to preserve stem cells in a non-controversial way. It's all about seeking health for the future. Cryo-Cell also is seeking health for moms now. Right now, when you enroll in Cryo-Cell's U-Cord service, you can receive a free Baby Jogger City Mini!

Banking your child's stem cells could save a life for your family. Through research and the use of stem cells, scientists have been able to cure approximately 80 diseases and have been used in transplants worldwide.

"Stem cells are the master cells responsible for producing all of the mature cells in our blood and immune system. They form the white cells that fight infection, the red cells that carry oxygen, the platelets that promote clotting and the cells of our immune systems.

Stem cell treatments and transplants have already been used for such wide-ranging diseases and conditions as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia, sickle cell disease, severe anemia's and severe combined immunodeficiency. And experimentation for expanded uses of stem cells holds great promise. Current research is being conducted on the use of stem cells for the treatment of cardiac and neurological diseases, to name a few."- Cryo-Cell Facts

To learn more about stem cells go to Cryo-Cell, and if you enroll today you can recieve a Baby Jogger City Mini. There's no better time to start thinking about your health and that of your newborn child than now!

Moving and Shaking

2011-06-04T06:02:00.000-07:00

Guess who's back?

Back again?

It's me! It seems like I have been in the throws of moving for the last 2-3 months, but I am happy to announce that it's finally over! We are in our new home and getting settled. The only thing left is to get the gas turned on so that we can stop our little house on the prairie cooking and bathing. You never appreciate hot running water as much as when you have to heat it on the stove (a camping stove no less) in order to have it hot.

The best part of our new home, though, is how much room we now have both inside and out. I will have some pictures once I have the chance to get my camera out and "finish" the rooms.

We also helped to plant a garden at my mom's house. We have tomatoes, squash, zucchini, melons, beans, radishes, watermelon, egg plant, and a few other things. We have gotten the most delicious squash and it's fun to take the children out and let them help me pick.

And no move would be complete without paint projects and home decor. I found the most wonderful old dresser, chest, mirror, and two night tables that I am going to start sanding down soon. I can't wait to share those! I'll also show the wonderful pieces that I got for my boys, mostly from my grandmother and great-grandmother. We are very excited to be in a place where we will stay for a while (hopefully).

What do you have planned this summer?

Band-Aids vs. Duct Tape

2011-05-02T19:00:00.001-07:00

This is a compensated post written by me on behalf of Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

When it comes to patching up scrapes and cuts, my husbands idea of saving money would be to cover said wound with duct tape. In the south, all the men opt for duct tape. Moms, on the other hand, may prefer a slightly better option. I recently got to try out the Walgreens store brand Band-Aids.

I had never tried the Walgreens brand before, but I am always looking for a better deal. My sample arrived from Walgreens just in time. My two year old cut his finger; and Band-Aids to the rescue. The Walgreens brand worked great! He did manage to get it off, but it took him a while of picking at it. In my book, that means they stick well and work well.

With the rising cost of healthcare, many people are looking for ways to save money and Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products can help you do just that. The quality is absolutely comparable to the more expensive name brands. I would appreciate hearing from any of my readers that have tried this product as well.

When you purchase any of the Walgreens Health & Wellness products, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™. The Walgreens Way to Well Fund™ will provide free preventive health tests as well as other health and wellness services and education to local communities. Some of those services will include preventive health tests through the National Urban League Health & Wellness Tour and vouchers redeemable in select stores.

Give Walgreens Health and Wellness Products a try and know that you will be giving to your community at the same time. Let me know what you think!

Excuses in Pictures

2011-04-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

Wow! So much going on around here. I almost feel like Dorothy getting swept up in that storm. Not only have we had many storms lately, but we have also had 4 birthdays in the last two months, Easter (I made 4 children's outfits), 5 birthday desserts to make, taking away the two year old's pacifier, and potty training! All started in the last two months.

These are my excuses for the lack of blogging, and don't forget about the wedding that we planned and executed in 48 hours, not to mention school activities and Bible study =)

You can see the cupcakes I made at the bottom of the picture, though they are blurry

Now, we just have to successfully potty train.....I may need extra prayers if today is any indication, lol!

Stroller Derby

2011-04-14T14:10:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I am still here!

Just thought you should know since I have had so much going on lately.

First up...I am doing a 5k this weekend. I haven't done a race in years, but a friend of mine called and asked me to join her. So we got together a few more people and we have a team. Now this race is to benefit the Pregnancy Resource Center in our county and it's called the "Run for the Bun". Since we all have small children that we are going to be pushing in strollers, we have dubbed ourselves the "Stroller Derby" and my very talented mama has put together a logo for our team shirts.

Wait for it...

If you happen to find yourself in McDonough, GA this Saturday then you should come out. Bring the kids and enjoy the beautiful afternoon!

Want to know what happens tomorrow? More on that later =)

Cake Crazy

2011-04-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been really searching to learn new techniques to up my cake game. I made my first wedding cake, have gotten "from scratch" recipes down, and made chocolate buttercream roses covering my mom's birthday cake. Here are just a few pictures of what I have learned over the last year or so.

There are many other cakes, cupcakes, and such that I have done and just forgot to capture on film or else I can't find the pictures. Fortunately, I have more holidays coming up to practice on! I have another cake to make for my mother on Monday, a birthday cake for sweet Noah turning 2, etc.

And now, for my inspiration...CAKE BLOGS!

I wanted to share one of the greatest cake blogs I have found because it can help ANYONE become a cake artist. It's called My Cake School Blog.

Check out some of the things you can learn to do.

Now you can go to your closest Joann's or bakery and take classes, or you can pay $30 for an entire year of tutorials! The lovely lady behind the tutorials is a stay at home mom and extremely talented. Imagine what you could learn in a year.....what could you make?

My Mama's Day

2011-04-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

There's a very special lady in my life and yesterday was her birthday!

It's my mama! I do so love my mama and am so very thankful for her. For her birthday, I simply had to whip up something special. I got to work on this sweet buttercup bag. You can find the pattern and instructions here.

Now, for the cake, she requested a yellow cake with chocolate icing. So that is what she had. I couldn't make a plain cake, so I got an idea to cover the cake in buttercream roses.

Homemade Baby Wipes

2011-03-28T06:15:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard, well let me tell you! I am a HUGE fan of the Homemade Mamas!

I don't know where all they get their ideas, but they are GENIUS! I like trying out the different things they post on, like soft pretzels for Valentine's Day, mint oreo brownies for St. Patrick's Day, and now baby wipes!

I am always looking for a better way of doing things and adding in green here and there. Since I have two babies in diapers, I have a great need for wipes and boy do we go through them! So when I told my friend about this idea, she wasted no time in trying it out herself. When I say how much she liked them, I tried it too.

You simple cut a roll of Viva paper towels in half and remove the cardboard. Next boil 2 cups of water and let it return to room temp. Mix the water with 2 tbsp. of baby shampoo and 1 tbsp of baby oil. Mix and put in your half roll. That's it!

Now I will give you the two downsides to this method:

1) For "mud butt" you may need a few extra wipes

2) You MUST use them in a timely fashion because they will mold if left sitting. This is because of no preservatives in them (a good thing as far as I am concerned!)

As for the $, I always have baby shampoo around. People buy so much for baby showers and then you are using it for the next 5 years. This is my case, I haven't bought baby shampoo but a couple of times EVER, and I have three boys. I also already had 3 bottles of baby oil because I use it on my babies after bath time (I buy the cheaper store brand as well). And a roll of Viva paper towels is about $2.00 and makes 2 tubs of wipes.

Who says going green is more expensive?

Peek-A-Boo

2011-03-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening, my husband was doing laundry. He emptied the dryer and put everything on our bed to fold. While he was folding, I happened to walk past the dryer and what do I find?

If they make this their new clubhouse, does that mean that I can make them do the laundry?

Food of the Irish

2011-03-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

Last week I blogged about our St. Patrick's day goodness. This week, I wanted to share our wonderful meal.

I love making and trying foods from different countries and cultures. Irish specialties are no different. So on St. Patty's day we dined on Guinness Corned Beef and Colcannon. European Cuisines had this to say about colcannon:

Colcannon (sometimes also spelled "colchannon") is probably the single traditional Irish dish that is eaten by the largest number of modern Irish people. It's the food that's also a game... or an oracle for the year ahead... and there are even songs about it.

Sauteeing cabbage and onions in bacon drippings (I use turkey bacon)

Mix the cabbage into the mashed potatoes for the colcannon

As for the guinness corned beef, we simply coated the corned beef with brown sugar, covered it in guinness, and then cook in the oven on low heat for 2-3 hours (or you could use a slow cooker too). I cannot tell you how good this meal was and my whole family loved it!

For dessert, we took a tip from the Homemade Mamas and made mint oreo brownies.

Cotton, the Flower of Our Lives

2011-03-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me also knows that I am a sucker for the southern way of life. Sweet tea, southern graces, southern drawls, a slower and more laid back way of living. I also love to hear my grandfather talk about growing up on the farm.

Cotton was their major money crop on his farm. His daddy, mama, sister and brothers all worked along side each other picking cotton from sun up to sun down for about a month and a half picking cotton to be taken to the gin so that they could earn their living. There were about 35 acres of cotton on their 200 acre plot of land where they also grew their own food and housed livestock.

Once, when I was a little girl, my mama stopped by the roadside where cotton was growing and took me to pick some so that I could see what it looked like and what all was involved.

I am now looking for a place that I might take my children to pick cotton so that they understand the hard work involved and what their great-grandfather grew up doing. I am also quite obsessed with all the cool ideas I am seeing for decorating with raw cotton. I told my husband that I want a "bouquet" of cotton in a Mason jar for our table.

And then I saw this wreath and LOVED it!! I must make one of these for spring!

And maybe if I ever get to renew my vows, we will use some of these ideas =)

Bella!

I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover

2011-03-17T04:09:00.000-07:00

It's March 17 and you know what that means!

It's also my cousin's birthday today and the day my oldest son was due. I remember being pregnant with him and thinking that if he would only come on his due date....pregnant forever! The good news is, he came two days later and we will celebrate his 8th birthday on Saturday.

As for my cousin, well I have been sending her birthday wishes and blessings this morning. And for all of you, an Irish Blessing for your day. Be sure to wear your green or get pinched! (Pinched lovingly of course =) )

Let Them Eat Cake!

2011-03-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

I have a motto. It drives my family BONKERS! Are you ready for it?

"How hard could it be?"

Right?? I look at things and think, how hard could it be? Usually I think it can't be that hard and undertake way too much. That being said, when my friend announced to me that she was getting married in 48 hours I ended up with a to-do list that included re-make dress, make wedding cake, re-make bouquet, and pull out everything I had from my wedding to see what they could use.

I baked 6 round cakes (with the intention of custom cutting the circular layers into 3 tiers). The cakes were cooled and then chilled to prepare them for the construction and crumb coat. I left the cake, at the crumb coat stage, in the refrigerator over night. If you need to, you can do this up to a week ahead of the event.

The next morning we got up, cooked breakfast, and thought nothing of our toddler going through the fridge, per his normal routine...until it occurred to me that he was quiet and there was cake! In my moment of "oh crap", I ran to the fridge to see little finger gouge marks through the top layer of the cake. Fortunately I had extra cake to be able to fix it. And another crumb coat. And another session in the fridge.

After the cake chilled again, I pulled it out and put the final icing layer on. I used a spreader to smooth it all out. I added a teal ribbon at the base of each layer and then used a #7 round tip to make little dots all around the top and bottom of the cake layers. Once that was all done, I finished the cake off with teal hydrangeas.

The cake itself was a white cake with champagne buttercream icing. I used the Wilton buttercream icing recipe and then instead of using milk, I used champagne.

Fabulosity!

2011-03-15T07:03:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pier 1. All opinions are 100% mine.

Okay, so you have all heard me talk before about the move coming up in a couple of months and my dreams of decorating my new place. Well, Pier 1 has lots of fabulousness for my patio! Their indoor/outdoor furniture would be great anywhere and has become more and more affordable.

I LOVE the swingasan chair!

And the BIRDS!!!! They are so stinking cute!

And for the garden some stools and a frog to help out!

The chairs, rugs and pillows could be used inside as well.

These are just a few of the new items at Pier 1 this spring. Shopping for these items begins March 20th so head over and check out what your must haves are.

You can sign up to receive information for a special in-store offer for the weekend of March 18 - 20 at Pier 1 Outdoor newsletter.

Pier 1 Tweet Ups:

Dallas: March 22nd
Atlanta: April 5th
NYC: April 20th

For more info about dates and times, visit: Pier 1 Tweetups

48 Hours: Part 1

2011-03-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, picture this...

Friday, my friend says she is getting married on Sunday (she had just found out, by the way). In 48 hours we managed to put together a sweet wedding and other dear friends chipped in for the reception. I still have to edit the photos from the wedding, but I wanted to share at least a little tid bit with you in the mean time!

So Friday night I start working on her wedding dress. Her mother had made her a dress years before that she wanted to wear, but it was a bit outdated. I took it apart at the seams and remade the dress she described to me. I don't have a picture of the before (she is going to try and find one, I completely forgot!) but by Saturday evening she had a custom made dress to fit her!

Check it out...

I first had her try on the dress in its original form so that I could get an idea for how she wanted it to hang. (Originally it was an a-line style with a chiffon overlay) I ended up taking out material from the middle of the dress and then attaching the skirt to the top with pleats added. I used the material that I cut out to make flutter sleeves. The chiffon layer was used to make a ruched belt and rosettes.

I must confess that this was a huge undertaking and I had no idea when I started just exactly how it would turn out. Fortunately, with a little prayer and a lot of coffee (and coke) the dress turned out wonderfully!

Tomorrow I will show you the cake that I made for the wedding. We also did the bouquet which ties in with the cake. My friend told me that after this weekend I definitely needed to change the name of my blog to OBSESSIONS of a Crafty Housewife! I think we set a record.

Stodgy is Sexy

2011-03-11T15:00:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Caid. All opinions are 100% mine.

Ever heard of Stodgy is Sexy? Ever heard of Dave Ramsey? Jim Sammons? Financial Peace?

Being financially stable has begun taking the place of the "keeping up with the Jones'" mentality. More and more families, including ours, are learning to live within their means. Our mantra: Don't owe anyone anything but love, another great one is "buy used and save the difference"

My husband and I have gone from being house-poor with a car note, to living comfortably with no revolving debt.

I am now a stay at home mom to 3 boys. I sew, cook, clip coupons, bake, care for the children, quilt, can vegetables for winter and have happily returned to a "simpler" way of life. I shop thrift stores and consignment shops, as well as recycle hand-me-downs. My husband works outside the home and does handyman jobs in his free time to supplement our income. We look forward to teaching our children to live debt free and to be able to help others do the same.

If you would like to see more stories like ours, check out Stodgy is Sexy

Imagine a life less stressed, debt free even!

Brotherly Love

2011-03-07T18:48:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning, while getting ready for church I turned around to find my almost 2 year old trying to hold his baby brother. What made this particularly funny is the fact that baby brother is almost as big as he is!

Sweet Home Mississippi

2011-03-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

My husband and I made an impromptu, somewhat planned trip to my hometown in Mississippi last weekend to visit my grandparents there. It's been a while since I have been home, but I really do just love it there! I love that my grandparents are getting to know my children, and even better that my children enjoy spending time with their great-grandparents. What a cool thing!

Most of the photos I took were with my iPhone, but here are some taken from the park at the zoo and our Sunday lunch at the Round Table in Columbus.

You can see that we were having problems getting a picture where everyone was looking in the same direction and ready for the camera. They will make for great memories someday! If you ever find yourself in Columbus, MS you must try the Round Table and take a picture in the giant rocking chair out front.

I am having so much more fun with Photoshop since finding these fun actions!

Easy Rompers

2011-03-07T06:59:00.000-08:00

It's long been a dream of mine to be able to make clothing for my family in order to complete the whole Donna Reed/June Cleaver vision I have had of being the perfect wife and mom. Suffice it to say that I am not, nor ever will be, the perfect wife and mother......but hey, a girl can dream can't she?

After browsing through the Etsy stores for children's patterns, I came across one that I thought would be easy enough. If you want to purchase the same pattern, you can find it here. I purchased and then printed out the pattern, taped the pieces together and then traced out patterns on freezer paper. This way I didn't have to waste more paper printing out multiple copies of the pattern. I showed off the material in a previous post. Here is what they look like all finished.

I will share the little girl dresses with you in a future post along with a dress I am making for me from a retro Butterick pattern.

Organic Art

2011-03-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine recently sent me a link for a VERY cool Etsy shop! I can TOTALLY see all of these in my future kitchen. You know, the one I am going to have when we move into our fabulous house in a couple of months? The one we haven't picked out yet =)

The art is both cool and for a good cause! Check out the Etsy shop here and then go and check out his website here. I am hoping to grow some good veggies this year and plan for an even bigger canning season!

And the Winner Is....

2011-03-06T17:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I realize I am late posting the winner to the giveaway, but I am happy to announce that the winner is Sarah from Simply Sarah. Her comment was selected through random.org.

Sarah said...: I could use a fancy shmancy blog header :) I dig yours and I dig Torri's work!; February 4, 2011 1:04 PM

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; The numbers generated by this widget come from RANDOM.ORG's true random number generator.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &lt;/p&gt;
Thanks to you who commented, hopefully we will have even more to join in next time! Congrats Sarah and I will be contacting you to get with Torri for your blog header!

Subsequently, this is my 100th post! Thanks for sharing this milestone with me!

Paste on This!

2011-03-04T13:00:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

So many baby products and suggestions changed between having my 8 year old and my 2 year old. For me, it was almost like starting over. So when I started asking my friends what they were using for diaper rash almost every one of them said Boudreaux's Butt Paste.

It's the Butt Paste of the future!

Once Noah was born I gave it a try and loved it. It's easy to spread on, easy to wipe off, and has no offensive odor. I like that Boudreaux's isn't really filmy and tacky. When I changed Noah's diapers, everything cleaned right up. This is particularly important as you don't want to leave any harmful residue on baby's skin to further irritate it.

Boudreaux's was formulated by a pharmacist under the guidance of a pediatrician to address the issue of diaper rash care. It's Pediatrician recommended as well as mommy recommended!

This zinc oxide/peruvian balsam cream treats diaper rash, soothes irritated skin, and comes in a number of handy sizes. I used Boudreaux's in the tube with the flip top cap, a great choice if you have only one hand to spare while changing a squirming child.

Boudreaux's has been featured on multiple media sources, such as Oprah, People Magazine, Today Show and TLC. If you haven't tried Boudreaux's, what are you waiting for? You can head over to Boudreaux's Butt Paste and receive your own free sample. Check out what all the buzz is about today!

New Photoshop Actions

2011-02-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

I have been playing ~~all~~ this morning with my newest photoshop action set called Blessings. This is the newest action set (also available for Photoshop Elements) from Paint the Moon Photography. I used the same picture so that you could see the differences the different actions make.

I also played with some from the Coffee Shop Blog which are free! I honestly love both, but here are some examples.

Don't forget to leave a comment on the giveaway page for a chance to win a custom blog header!

Braciole Made Easy

2011-02-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

This is hands down one of my husband's favorite recipes, given to me by a great Italian cook who happens to be a friend of mine! I managed to take some pictures during the prep of the dish, but it was inhaled before I could take a photo of the finished product.

Gather together a steak (we like flat irons), various Italian cheeses, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, bread crumbs, spinach, and anything else that sounds good along the way.

Here I am getting started. First, filet and open up the steak. Lay it out on a flat surface, grab your meat mallet and go to town. You will want to beat that sucker within an inch of its life.

I almost didn't include this photo thanks to the post baby flab, but I wanted you to see the sweet apron my mother bought me =)

Once the meat was pounded out, I sprinkled a little salt and red pepper and rubbed it in. Now switch gears and drain your spinach to put in the filling.

Once the spinach is drained, transfer it over to the food processor along with the roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, cheese, olive oil, and bread crumbs. It should make a nice paste.

Spread the paste all across the steak, roll it up, and tie it with butchers twine if you have it. If you don't have anything to tie it up with don't worry (I didn't either). Transfer the whole thing into a pan and brown it on all sides.

When all sides are nicely browned, place the rolled up steak into a baking pan and pour on your favorite spaghetti sauce. Bake in the oven on 350 for 1-3 hours. Note, you can take this out and eat after an hour and it's wonderful but if you can wait longer (up to 3 hours) you will have something truly mouth-watering and AH-mazing!!! It was so good I didn't get to take a picture of the final product.

I did, however, get a picture of the cupcakes for dessert =) Bliss makes some awesome champagne icing!

Now if you haven't already, head over to check out the giveaway celebrating my upcoming 100th post!

P.S. these photos were processed with Vanilla Pop from Paint The Moon

Father-Son Baptism

2011-02-22T19:46:00.000-08:00

It seems that, not only am I catching up on my blogging, sewing, and crafting, but I am also catching up on my pictures. On Superbowl Sunday, my eldest son and his father were baptized together. We were so proud!

The photos were edited with actions from Paint the Moon Photography and the Coffee Shop Blog.

Since a baptism involves water, I decided to go with the action "Sea Delight" from PTM.

I hope everyone is checking out my giveaway post! You have until February 27 to enter.

Okay Tuesday #3

2011-02-22T09:34:00.000-08:00

This idea came from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your diary. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either.

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It's OK.....

to forgo chores for the day in honor of playing outside with your children.

to believe that friendships should be drama free and that you should embrace your differences instead of comparing them.

to wonder why it's been a month since the last episode of Fairly Legal and wonder when it will come back. There have only been 2 episodes and I really liked them!

to plan and decorate my theoretical cottage that we will surely one day live in.

to spend the day driving around with no particular destination just to enjoy the weather.

to turn up your favorite song and dance around the house like a retarded string bean.

to not know where "that smell" is coming from in a house full of 3 little boys and one big boy...

Speaking of the Oscars!

2011-02-21T18:34:00.000-08:00

It has taken me much too long, but I am FINALLY getting to accept an award and thank Brittany of My Decoupaged Life. One of the best things about hosting a blog is getting to meet new people and exchange ideas all over the world. Mrs. Brittany has bestowed upon me the Versatile Blogger Award.

The rules for accepting this award are:

1. You have to thank the person who awarded you & link them back in your post and let them know you "accept" the award
2. Tell everyone 7 random facts about yourself
3. Pass the award to 15 new found bloggers (I am going to update this post with those bloggers very, very soon, but have mommy duties to attend first)
4. Contact each blogger and let them know you have passed this award onto them

So for the 7 random facts, here goes!

1. I am a fabric junkie. There, I said it! I go into fabric stores, head right to the scrap bins and dig for treasure. I have about 2-3 boxes of treasure now. =)

2. I love parties and events for kids, someone is always handing out Nerds, they are a ridiculously sugary, guilty pleasure.

3. My husband and I have ridiculously large collections of movies and music. Our iTunes library is over 4000 now.

4. I am determined that each one of my boys will have their very own, finished baby book. I can't tell you how many times people have told me that they never finished the ones for their children, including my parents and grandparents. This is a major goal for me.

5. I would love to own a house big enough to adopt a dozen or so children. Being a wife and mother was a childhood dream that has now come true and I wouldn't mind having as many kids as the Duggars (though I would prefer not to have to go through labor that many times)

6. I turn on the computer and facebook before I get out of bed and leave it on all day so that I can randomly walk by and see what's going on with my friends.

7. I have a new obsession for champagne icing. I could eat myself into a sugar coma!

Oh, and that reminds me, someone left a comment a while back that they thought my blog said "Obsessions" instead of "Confessions" and I'm thinking I kind of like it! It's closer to my neurotic personality =)

It's Getting Better All the Time

2011-02-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

Well, we have made it through a barrage of doctor appointments today and are home safe and sound, antibiotics in hand. Since I am confined to my room for the moment, I thought I would share what I am in the process of making now.

I bought these two PDF patterns off of etsy last week to get outfits for Easter started for my boys. The youngest 2 will be wearing these adorable outfits.

You can see the fabrics and what I have completed so far here

I took this picture and the next with my iphone and was playing with the photoshop app, so they might look a tad funky. I have yet to be able to get colors all the way right on a screen that small. I just love those fabrics and the colors! And check out what I picked out for my girls in Virginia...

I will share the dresses I am making with this later on. But since we are still on the subject of sewing, check out these super cute Retro Butterick patterns I picked up on Saturday.

I already have the material to make the first one, and I am thinking I should get some more coordinating fabric so that I can make the first one into an Easter dress to match my boys! What do you think?

Don't forget to head over and check out my giveaway ending February 27th!

Playing Catch Up

2011-02-20T19:05:00.000-08:00

Hello my blogger friends, remember me??

I have been absent much too long and have missed you all. Unfortunately, we have been battling different bugs running through our family for several weeks now and this past week was the worst! On the other hand, we did have some fun in between bugs and fortunately I captured some of it on my iPhone!

Last weekend I got together with a friend of mine to try out the Valentine pretzels that the Homemade Mamas debuted. Here is what we ended up with.

As soon as I get the rest of my photos loaded on the computer, I will share a yummy dinner recipe with you. This will definitely be one for the books!

Lastly, don't forget about my giveaway. I realized that I forgot to put an ending date on it, but if you want to have a chance at winning a custom blog header from Digital Confection, head here and leave me a comment. The giveaway will remain open until February 27th and the winner will be revealed on February 28.

Quilted Tree Skirt

2011-02-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

I finished my Christmas tree skirt! Yes, I realize that it's now February. So I'm a little late.....

Anyway, I think it's pretty and wanted to show it off before I start working on a lap quilt.

Don't forget about the giveaway I have going on, you can win your own custom header!

The Crafty Housewife Reveals....

2011-02-02T17:17:00.000-08:00

...A brand new look!

Thanks to the fabulous Torri over at Digital Confection!

In honor of the new look, the upcoming 100th post, and 6 months in blogland I will be hosting a giveaway. I will be giving away a custom blog header to 1 lucky follower and Miss Torri will be designing it. Check out some of her work.

Everyone who leaves me a comment will be entered to win. For an extra chance at winning become a follower of Crafty Housewife, post about this giveaway on your blog, and/or post on facebook (leave me a separate comment for each of these you do). The giveaway will run until February 27th and the winner will be announced on February 28th.

Okay Tuesday

2011-02-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

This idea came from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your diary. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's OK.....

to wish that someone would invent baby ambien.

to love vintage fashion way more than modern day clothing.

to be eating on my third Hershey pie in 3 weeks. Hey, I'm nursing and need the extra calories =)

to occasionally spend all day in our jammies. We spend so much time going and doing, that sometimes we just need a break!

to enjoy cooking and baking more than eating what you have made.

to think that Valentine's Day brings out the cheesy in people. I want creativity, not balloons. I want love, not candy. I want to hear what my husband thinks of me, not what Hallmark mass marketed.

to be a chocolate snob. I don't care for most supermarket chocolate bars, but I will take Godiva cappuccino truffles ANY DAY!

to want to Homeschool so that I can spend more time with my babies =)

A Month for Love

2011-02-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

Hello February!

After a very long night (the 1 month old slept, the 21 month old screamed), here I sit with my coffee ready to kick off a new month. For the past couple of days I have been house/dog sitting for my parents. You may remember a post I did about Get Real Conferences, well they have been in Charlotte, NC putting on a 2 day conference.

And here are their two adorable dogs that we have been watching.

So back to kicking off a new month. At the beginning of every month I head off to my favorite website to grab a new desktop background for my laptop and for my desktop computer. Smashing Magazine has lots to choose from by top designers and you can get the images with or without the calender.

I love these especially!

And now for menu planning, date night planning, and feeding a hungry baby!

Chicken Corn Chowder

2011-01-31T11:04:00.000-08:00

It's a rainy day here in Atlanta, and with the rain comes a slight chill in the air.

When we have weather like this I always crave soups. This particular chowder is a favorite of mine. Not only is this recipe SUPER easy, but it's incredibly yummy as well! My great aunt shared this with me when I was a teenager, but I have no idea where she got it from.

Picture courtesy of Macaroni and Cheesecake

For this recipe you will need:

1 can creamed corn
1 can whole kernel corn
1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package country gravy mix
1 small vidalia onion

Chop the onion and chicken and saute in a small pan. Once the chicken is cooked and the onions caramelized you can move them into a medium sized pot. Prepare the country gravy mix according to the directions in your pot. After the gravy has set up, add both cans of corn (you will want to drain the whole kernel corn). Finally, heat and stir all the ingredients together until uniform and hot.

Now ENJOY! Mangia!

Hand Prints

2011-01-28T05:27:00.000-08:00

This year, my family opted to do a handmade Christmas. Everything turned out so nice and everyone loved their gifts. Sadly though, one gift got lost a just resurfaced last week. I stitched all of our hands and framed them for the parents and wanted to show the finished product.

This would be a great gift idea for any holiday!

Newbie Party

Vintage Patterns

2011-01-27T07:20:00.000-08:00

Check it out....

Okay, tilt your head to the right (since the rotate in iphoto didn't translate into Blogger) and you can get a glimpse of my latest cool purchase on Ebay! I love finding vintage mail patterns from the 40's, they are typically fairly cheap on Ebay.

The down side to these patterns is that they are very rarely in my size and they are very old and fragile. So here I am going to give a short tutorial to solve the old and fragile part. You will need a sewers measuring tape, newspaper, tape, and a brightly colored pen (to show up against the news print.

If you are creative enough to be a true seamstress, then you obviously don't need this, but for the rest of us here it is. You will have to pull the pattern out and make sure that you have all the pieces that should be included. Lay them out and gently straighten them out by pressing on wrinkles and creases with your hands.

While the patterns are laying out settling, take your measurements and check the stats on the package. Write them down so that you can make adjustments later. If you aren't sure about how to take precise measurements, or which measurements you need, here is a great guide.

Now, pull out your newspaper. You are going to want to trace your pattern pieces out on the newspaper (make sure to include all darts and markings with your bright pen). For longer pieces, like skirts and pants, you will need to tape pieces of newspaper together to accommodate. Cut out your pattern pieces from the newspaper and label them (make sure you do this or else you won't know what is what later!).

Now, if the pattern needs alteration to fit you, check out this tutorial by Angie at Quality Time Vintage on pattern alteration.

And now my friends, you are ready to get your fabric and get to sewing! Any questions?

It's OK to...

2011-01-25T06:43:00.000-08:00

I swiped this idea from Airing My Dirty Laundry who got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in!

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to need coffee and kisses from my babies to be able to start my day

to enjoy watching french movies (I have to read the subtitles). It's a romantic, guilty pleasure.

to wish I had a babysitter to watch the kids in the morning so I could go to the gym. Baby flab and loose skin are not my color!

to be fascinated with ric rac and all the different things you can do with it.

to obsess over the location of items in my home. Everything should have it's place, so when you take something out you put it back where you got it from.

to believe there is a right and wrong way to load the dishwasher

to think that baby feet are the cutest things God ever created

to believe that I have the best, sweetest, funnest, most handsome 3 boys that ever walked the earth

to be addicted to ginger bread men.

Sweet Family

2011-01-21T05:48:00.000-08:00

I got a sweet surprise yesterday when my grandmother called to tell me that my cousin was at her house and to hurry over!

We were both only children for many years and so I view her much as a sister figure from childhood. We fought like sisters anyway, lol! Not too many months ago, she FINALLY moved back to Atlanta after being gone almost 12 years. Along with that, she moved her photography to Atlanta and it keeps her very busy these days. Needless to say I was excited to get to spend some time with her!

If you want to see some of her work, check out her site at Carla Gates Photography

I don't like to show anyone's work without permission, but she did photos of her stepbrother's family when she first got back so I will let you sneak a peak at them =)

Photo Fun

2011-01-21T05:32:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a new love I have recently found. It's called Paint The Moon Photography! They have all these wonderful actions and things for Photoshop to help enhance your pictures and further beautify your work.

I picked up the freebies and the Miracle Makeover, but I want all of it!!! Check out all the before and afters on the site.

Baby Making Mama over at Baby Making Machine is now holding a giveaway for $35 to spend at Paint The Moon, so head over to her page and enter to win!

Fun and Other Stuff....

2011-01-20T17:18:00.000-08:00

So I have been counting out the days and posts, and in honor of my upcoming 100th post I am going to be having a giveaway. My very first giveaway on my blog! I will announce what will be given away in a later post, so stay tuned.

I will also be unveiling a new custom look soon! I have contacted the very talented Torri at Digital Confections and will have my new look, hopefully, by February. Check out some examples of her work.

It's Sew On!

2011-01-20T16:38:00.000-08:00

Since my third bundle of joy has been born I have had very little time to work on my crafts and to do list. Needless to say, the list is getting pretty long right about now! And it just got even longer! Thanks to a fellow blogger I have found some fabulous FREE vintage patterns online. YES, I said FREE!!

BurdaStyle is this fabulous online resource for patterns. They even show pictures of the finished product and allow you to upload your own pics when you finish a pattern. Check out some of the patterns I downloaded.

More good news is that I have found some backings for my quilt tops and will be finishing those up very soon. I even have a gift card that my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas so that I can get the rest of my batting.

It DOES Get Easier

2011-01-17T06:24:00.000-08:00

It DOES Get Easier

I found this article this morning on Southern Momentum's blog and I have to say it's most definitely worth sharing! As the mother of a 7 year old, a 20 month old, and a 1 month old, there are times that sleep deprivation reduces me to tears. There are times when my head swims because no sleep causes bouts of vertigo. There are times when I can't think straight and ask my husband to fold the dishes. In truth, these are laughable moments, but can be stressful all the same.

Some of the best advice I got from my grandmother. She told me to not take things so seriously. I think sometimes, with all these little ones, we get overstimulated and then try to over-control the situation. Children should be children and they should be able to have fun at home. I hope that you all enjoy this article as much as I did!

It's Time To thredUP

2011-01-16T08:19:00.000-08:00

Okay moms! I learned about this on the news this past week and had to check it out for myself!

This is possibly one of the best things to happen for moms since ebay and consignment shopping. It's called thredUP and it's a service to swap things you no longer need for your children with newer items that you do need. They send you flat rate shipping boxes, you fill and list them on thredUP.com , then you pick out boxes that you need for your child.

It's free to sign up and create an account on thredUP. Once you pick your box, or boxes, you pay $5 for shipping. The boxes may have 7-15 or so items enclosed. This many items new would probably cost around $100+. This company has not contacted me in any way, I simply think it's a GREAT idea! So head over and check it out!

Happy Birthday!

2011-01-16T07:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my youngest baby's 1 month birthday! It doesn't seem possible that a month has flown by already and I am starting to get a little sad at time passing so fast on my last planned baby. (I say planned, but the reality is that none of them were planned, just happy surprises. We only agreed on the number)

So to celebrate, my sweet mama found these wonderful things called Sticky Bellies.

They are these adorable stickers to commemorate the vast changes of baby's first year. So we piled little man into an oversized basket with the quilt that my husband's grandmother made and took the first picture. Admittedly, the lighting is poor in this apartment and I didn't use my best lens (figured that out when I went to edit the pics). Next month I will have a new posing idea along with the good lens!

Now, the Sticky Bellies company doesn't know me from Eve's housecat, but I highly recommend these if you have a newborn or are expecting. It makes for a wonderful way to keep track of the fast passing time.

Shabby Apple Goodness

2011-01-12T08:48:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to announce an affiliation with Shabby Apple! This is an incredible vintage style retailer and I could seriously order one of everything! So head on over and check them out.

Forget the Resolutions

2011-01-11T08:14:00.000-08:00

I have never been one to make many resolutions for the New Year and this year is no different. I am instead making my list of things to do. One of the first things we have on our plate this year is moving. We have added a third boy to our ranks and therefor can no longer fit into our two bedrooms. So in the midst of looking for a new place to rent, I am dreaming of decorating! I really love natural materials, birds, and lettered items. Here are a few of the items I am planning on crafting for the new place.

I found all these and many more wonderful items on etsy. I plan on adding these to my to do list, and maybe some extras for family and friends. What items are on your to do list this year?

I will have to share my ideas for my little men and their rooms shortly!

New Year, New You

2011-01-10T04:37:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I am a tiny bit late in my New Years felicitations, but better late than never right?

Mid December brought our family an early Christmas present, our third son Levi.

The day that he was born, we had the first snow of the season. Christmas Day brought more snow, and now still more!!

We have deemed Levi our little snow baby!

Now, for all the wonderful things to come and make in 2011!

I have joined a Homemade Pay-it-Forward. I posted this on my facebook and promised to send something homemade to the first 5 people that commented on my post if they would in turn post the same message and send something to 5 more people, and so on. I haven't quite decided what I will make for each person, but I will be posting as soon as I have some ideas.

I will be heading out in search of material to back my quilts that I need to finish, and I have 3 more lap quilt projects to be started as well. I can't wait to begin posting pictures of all these! Here's wishing you all a happy snow day =)

Christmas Decorations

2010-12-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share some of my favorite Christmas stuff that I have accumulated over the years. Some things were given to me, some were passed down, and some were bought. No matter how these pieces came into our home, they all warm my heart and make me happy when I pull them out each year!

The little trees on the piano proudly display the ornaments that my oldest has made for me over the years. I love that they are the first thing you come to when you walk into our apartment. I have also made a habit of putting up pine garland with ornaments over windows and mirrors. It's such an easy way to dress things up and it gives the room a finished look (IMO). And by the way, how do you like my Christmas sock monkeys? I have another hanging on the tree that I will show in my next post.

Happy Christmas y'all!

Christmas Ideas

2010-12-01T06:53:00.000-08:00

Well, as you can see, I have been doing a bit of updating on the blog. I just love Christmas time with my family. With all the baking, decorating, caroling, etc. it's a time of wonder for me still! Even though I am 9 months pregnant, I am determined to make this time of year special for my boys.

I will be posting some of our activities in the coming weeks, as well as recipes to try, crafts to make, and things to do. First off, I wanted to share just a few ideas I have found on blogs that I love.

Room To Inspire posted these GORGEOUS sheet music candles.

The Sewer, the Caker, the Copycat Maker shows us how to make our own delicious marshmellows

Homemade Mamas hit home with this super cool and easy bread mix gift

Now, if you are looking for something fun to do with the kiddos, try Elf on the Shelf ! I think my husband is looking more forward to it than the kids are. Our "Buddy" elf is hanging around the house waiting for my oldest to get home and find him (we were running behind this morning before school).

Another great idea if you are south of Atlanta, this weekend is The Living Christmas Tree, presented by Jonesboro First Baptist. Showings are Friday at 7, Saturday at 4, and Sunday evening. Saturday Dec. 4, is the McDonough Christmas Tree lighting. Festivities usually last most of the day. Now, I am off to get ready for my shift at the school Christmas shop!

Furniture Painting

2010-11-17T13:36:00.000-08:00

In preparing for the newest addition to our family, I have been hard and fast at work trying to get everything ready. Part of getting ready consisted of rearranging furniture and painting it to match the dresser I did about a month ago.

The last picture is the worst, but in all fairness I am still having to use my phone to photograph everything right now. I will attempt to post some better pictures once I get my big girl camera all charged up!

For the furniture I used SW paint in Ivory Lace with a Mocha glaze (wipe with a damp cloth to get the desired effect) and a flat polyurethane to protect it.

Christmas Stockings

2010-11-16T13:26:00.000-08:00

Well, the intention was to have coordinating Christmas stockings this year. Unfortunately my plan didn't come about the way I expected it to. Fortunately I am happy with the results and everyone loves their quilted stockings!

The first is mine, all girly, retro, and ruffly! The second one is for my dad since he likes to come over and join in the early morning festivities.

Then there is my husband, the Tech fan. He actually has a blanket in the same material that his mom made him last year. All he needs now is the matching pillow!

And finally we have the three coordinating Charlie Brown stockings for my three boys.

Crafty Pillows

2010-11-15T13:22:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share some pillow covers I made a couple of weeks ago for a party I was having. I was bored as could be with the plain blue throw pillows on my couch and so I rummaged through my materials to the wonderful brown corduroy material, some plain white material, and lots of scraps (mostly from my great grandmother).

I cut out a tree trunk shape and leaf shapes and started pinning all the materials together and came up with this!

These make the perfect fall pillows and I just used corduroy on the back and made a pocket fold to hold the pillow in so that I can change it out with the seasons.

Mosaic Monday
Metamorphosis Monday
Motivate Me Monday

Handyman Hardware

2010-11-01T05:27:00.000-07:00

Wow! Can you believe that it's November already? I have to admit that it has snuck up on me. This morning I want to shift the focus a little. I want to ~~brag about~~ talk about my husband.

Since November= Thanksgiving, I would like to revisit a time 4 years ago. My husband and I met at a Halloween party. I went as a flapper and he, being the quiet man that he is, simply wore one of his signature funny shirts (I had a platinum blonde wig on and he had to check out my myspace page to see what I looked like in real life). Our first date was the very beginning of November 4 years ago. I got to meet my future in-laws for the first time at Thanksgiving. You could say that I have a lot to be grateful this time of year!

To say that my husband is a handyman would be an understatement. There is nothing that we have come across that he hasn't been able to do. He fixes cars, does home repairs, wood work, soldering, plumbing, minor electrical, I think you get the picture. One of the things he does to allow me to stay at home with the children is picking up side jobs. His latest was to add on a playhouse sort of addition to a swing set for a family that goes to school with my 2nd grader. I wanted to share some of the pictures with you this morning. (He and his dad have to go back and stain and seal this weekend)

I am so proud of his work. After 2.5 years of marriage and 2 more children he still amazes me and makes me proud to call him husband!

Friday's Finishes

2010-10-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

Good almost afternoon to you all!

I shared yesterday with you all some of the fun gift ideas that I have found for making this Christmas a homemade one. Before I go any farther, I wanted to explain the thought behind this project for those that maybe aren't into crafts and such. The reason we decided to do this is not because we can't afford to go and buy each other a gift. My husband and I agreed on this because it is much more meaningful to us when someone has taken the time, thought, and energy to create something for us to treasure. We also feel that this sentiment at Christmas will turn the focus away from spending to Jesus, celebrating his birth, and serving others by being intentional in doing for them.

That all being said, I want to share a few more things that I have finished.

I have a quilted table runner checked off the list, custom made kitchen towels for my MIL and a hand project that I mentioned yesterday that will be framed with our names on it.

If there is a recipe or project that you see on my blog and you would like more information, just leave a comment and I will be sure to get back to you. If there is something you like and are interested in purchasing a similar item also let me know. I haven't yet had a chance to build up a supply for a shop yet, but will make custom orders if anyone is interested.

Hope everyone has a fabulous Friday! Be safe if you go out trick-or-treating!

Crafty Party

Homemade Christmas

2010-10-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, my husband and I have committed to a homemade Christmas this year. Most of the items will be made here at home, but for the picky and hard to shop for family member we will be buying homemade (if I am unable to come up with something). So I thought that I would share a few things I have made with you and also the treasuries that I made on Etsy for some great homemade shopping ideas!

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!

If you happen to be my mother, I love you but please stop reading at this point, it will ruin the surprise.

First of all, almost everyone is getting a little gift bag with goodies like homemade apple butter, crockpot candy (I will post the recipe for this later), and preserves or biscotti. Teachers are getting cookies in a jar in their gift bag, and if I have time some homemade sugar scrub with olive oil for the cold winter months.

I have made stockings and monkey pillows for my boys to go along with a few other things.

I am working on an embroidered hands picture that will go to both sets of grandparents. It has all of our hands embroidered together. Unfortunately I don't have an example picture or a finished picture to show you, but I will post it ASAP! I do have a picture of the quilted table runner I made. This one is for my mom. I also made a purse for my best friend (the other one was for me =) ).

I am in the process of making some custom kitchen towels for my mother-in-law and will post those when I am finished.

Now for those of you who still don't have any ideas but love the idea of a homemade Christmas, I put together a couple of treasuries on Etsy. You can visit any one of the links:

Homemade Holidays
Burlap
Anthropologie Inspired

There are a wide variety of items in a wide range of prices to fit anyone's budget.

Fun Fridays

2010-10-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

I have to tell you, I am super excited for tonight. We have made Fridays our fun days. Since my oldest doesn't have homework or football practice, we have the entire evening at our disposal! Last Friday I actually let him play hooky from school and we all went to the Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Fall Favorites

2010-10-21T08:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday to all and hooray for finding work arounds for technical difficulties!

I have a really great camera that I love, but I have recently misplaced the battery charger and so I am having to take all my pictures on my iphone and email them to myself. I really wanted to share some recent favorites with all of you and since the photos are from my phone, I can introduce the number 1 favorite right now!

1) Hipstamatic App for iPhone

This awesome app lets me take vintage-like pictures. You can swap out types of film and even lenses. Just to give you more of an example, all the pictures in this post will be with this app.

2) My camera- even though I can't charge it temporarily it's a wonderful camera. I shoot with a Nikon D70

3) Pumpkin Spice Lattes- Seasonal coffees are always a comfort thing for me. Fortunately, since I can't hit up Starbucks all the time I buy the flavored creamer for home and enjoy a cup anytime I want!

4) Ceramic pumpkins- speaking of fall, I am fortunate enough to have several ceramic pumpkins that my grandmothers and great grandmothers made. They make me smile when I look at them and this little guy was made sometime in the 60's.

5) Sleeping babies- Is there anything sweeter than watching your child sleep? I think not. Occasionally my little man gets to nap with me during the day, I just love snuggling with him!

6) Root Beer Floats- We have an old-timey soda fountain around the corner from our apartments and my oldest loves to stop by there. I love that we get to share root beer floats and talk about our days.

7) Sewing Machines- This is my mama's sewing machine that she lets live at my house. I try and take very good care of it while I am humming along making things for family and friends.

8) Puppies- Okay, so technically neither one of these is a puppy but they are sweet, adorable, fun-filled friends! They are my parents' dogs and I go and visit and stay with them whenever my parents are out of town. The littlest is the oldest and used to curl up next to me when I was pregnant with my oldest. D would kick and play with him even back then.

Vintage Thingy Thursday
Thirsty For Comments Thursday

A Little Paint and Some Hardware

2010-10-13T18:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I mentioned that I was going to be working on painting some furniture this week and how excited I was to be back in the swing of things. Well, wouldn't you know that I would get overly excited and end up confined to the bed! The good news is that I finished two whole pieces of furniture today. The bad news is that by the time hubby got home the sciatic was screaming and I was contracting (Braxton-Hicks of course).

I guess I should learn that when you are 31 weeks pregnant you must pace yourself a bit better. Never-the-less I have some pictures to show you of my dresser renovation and the little wooden stool for the boys. I got a before shot of the stool, but not of the dresser. I get ahead of myself sometimes. The dresser was black and you can see some of the detail on the drawers before I started sanding and priming.

So I sanded, primed, and applied two coats of Ivory Lace from Sherwin Williams. Then I did a brown glaze and wiped with a damp cloth for the final effect. I also added new drawer pulls.

I really like the final product!

I also did the wooden stool and here are the photos from that.

Before and After Party

Let's Celebrate!

2010-10-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

I am attempting to get back in the swing of things with my blog and have been failing miserably of late. I did come up with this post though, because I am on the Thanksgiving track. This year my family is joining forces with my inlaws to have a big Thanksgiving feast and of course a feast wouldn't be complete without all the decorations!

So while I was googling DIY Thanksgiving centerpieces, I found some really cool ideas on the web and wanted to share them with you all.

I am thinking burlap runners, festive cloth napkins tied with raffia and acorns, and candle centerpieces like these. I already have the fabric and raffia and have ordered the acorns off Etsy. Now I can start sewing the napkins and I can't wait to show you all what the final product is going to look like!

I also will have some painting projects to show off this week. I am working on a dresser for the bedroom right now. Eventually I will get all the bedroom furniture painted to match. Then there is the stool for the boys to paint, along with my tall table in the dining room. My husband actually made that table for me for our wedding; we put the unity candle there. I promise lots of pretty pictures as soon as I have some final results for you!

Since we are on the subject of Thanksgiving...

I just want to say that I am thankful for my husband, children, parents, family, etc.

I am also thankful that I get to stay at home with my children. I am thankful that occasionally I get to help out my parents with Get Real Student Conferences, and I am thankful that I have so many wonderful people and blessings in my life!

What are you thankful for? Do you have any neat Thanksgiving ideas? I would love to hear all about them!

Seriously Slacking!

2010-10-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

Okay ladies, I have been slacking when it comes to my blog. I have actually been sick, busy, and then recovering during the last couple of weeks so my energy has been spent reading what everyone else has to say.

I did want to share a very cool thing I got to be a part of this week. My stepfather is a Christian Comedian and Singer and one of the things that has pressed on his heart is student ministry. Out of this passion Get Real Student Conferences was born. You can actually see and read more about it here.

So this week they were short a staff member for the One Real Day, which is the one day version of the conference. Scott called me and asked if I would be able to find a sitter for the baby and come work with them. My husband swapped his off days and agreed to keep the house and children for the day, so I was off at 5AM on Thursday morning to meet the team at the church.

I can't tell you how much fun I had! Of course I got to spend adult time with my parents (when the children are around we all focus more on them), but I also got to spend the day with Billy and Cassie Lord (very talented musicians), Derrick Moore (chaplain for Georgia Tech football), Mark Shelley (youth speaker), our pastor, and Eric the sound man! These are all dear friends of our family and great servants of God. We saw teenagers AND adults give their lives to Christ and there is nothing more beautiful in the world! It reminded me of the scriptures when they report the numbers added to the kingdom that day.

Now, if you ever see a banner, flyer, facebook posting, etc., for a Get Real Student Conference you should absolutely sign up and bring your children! If you are a teacher, talk to your headmaster. This is one event you DON'T want to miss!

Mark's Quilt

2010-10-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

This is the quilt I would like to make for my handyman hubby!

An Anthro Knockoff

2010-10-04T03:43:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone! It's Monday, it's 6:30, and it's just about time to get the kiddos up and start running!

A while back, I shared with you all a purse that I REALLY loved and wanted to duplicate. Nancy over at La Maison Reid had found an Anthropology purse that she loved, but like the rest of us refused to pay the $90 price tag. I don't know about you but I was raised to believe that just because you can spend $100 on something, it doesn't mean that you should.

So I followed her tutorial and here is what I have so far.

The material is the same that I used for my bedroom side tables. I am currently working on a couple more of these beauties for Christmas gifts and couldn't be happier with the way they turned out! You can find the tutorial here.

Now for all you mommies with young children, I wanted to share with you a great book that I just got on Saturday. It's Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel and a great read for getting to your children's hearts to not just punish when they do wrong, but to teach life lessons through scriptures during these times. Just to be clear, I have not been asked to do a review by this person, I simply appreciate the book and wanted to share!

Motivate Me Monday
Making Monday Marvelous
Craft-O-Maniac Monday

I hope that everyone has a great day! If you have any questions about the purse, the book, or anything else leave me a comment and I will be happy to answer!
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Easy Nursing Wraps

2010-10-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

I have been searching high and low since I was pregnant with my 17 month old to find a really great nursing cover. Unfortunately, I bought one that I though would work and the only thing it did was aggravate me! My solution? Make my own!

I went to the quilting store right up the road and got some great material for the wrap and got started.

I cut a 26"x38" rectangle for the main piece of the wrap. I also cut strips about 4"x26" for the neck. I took the strips and folded a small amount the length of the strip in, ironed flat, then folded a larger section in so that the sides overlapped each other and stitched down the center. I then sewed a hem around the entire 26"x38" piece of material (making it about 24x36 in the end) and attached the neck ties around the neck. You can hold the main piece up and position the straps where it would be more comfy for your taste.

This entire project took me about an hour to finish and now I have a fabulous nursing wrap (compare to the Hooter Hider). You can add a pocket on the outside to hold nursing pads and/or a wash cloth for feeding times. If you are an advanced sewer, you can embellish as you like (i.e. ruffles, ric rac trim, etc.)

Favorite Things
Seasonal Sundays
Sunday Favorites

What's New Pussycat?

2010-09-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

Well my friends, it's been a week since I have visited with you all and you have been missed! I have spent the last week taking care of my children and spending the rest of my time trying to recuperate in bed. Fortunately, I think this cold (or whatever it is) is at the point of subsiding.

I've been working on a few things this week from the sick bed and my mother gave me several boxes of miscellaneous sewing items. Inside these boxes I actually found some more quilt tops (both almost finished) from my great grandmother's house.

I can't wait to get started on finishing these, it makes me feel connected to my Grandma White (my great grandmother). I also can't wait to be able to display these beauties in my home along with the others. Eventually I will work up my skills to be able to make the double wedding ring quilt that I have always wanted and secretly hoped I would get as a wedding gift.

For now though, this is my next quilting project

I will be working on posting some more of my recent projects and tutorials throughout tomorrow. It's great to be back with y'all!

Vintage Thingy Thursday

Snappy Scarves

2010-09-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

The other day my mom shared an article from The Daily Candy with me. This crafty lady Erica Domesek from psimadethis.com came up with a crafty idea for a scarf. I reproduced it tonight with a maternity shirt I had that didn't quite cover the belly anymore.

First, you want to make a straight cut across under the arms.

Now you can begin cutting fringe in strips about an inch wide, starting at the cut edge and extending about halfway up.

When you are through cutting the fringe, start pulling on the pieces. They will begin to elongate and curl up.

Once all the pieces are done, you are left with one very cool scarf! Just wrap and go!

I love this easy to make scarf. It takes about 15 minutes to make and the possibilities are endless.

Show and Tell Friday
Shabby Chic Cottage
Fresh, Clean, and Pure Friday
New Friend Friday

A New Table and Old Trimmings

2010-09-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

Each week I visit various blogs admiring the beautiful table set-ups. Some of my favorite elements are the acorn dishes and groups of gourds. I will admit to having weeded out lots of things from my kitchen and home decor when we moved into a smaller apartment, and now I am wishing I still had certain items for these posts. So now, each week, I round up my new finds and other decor and try and put together an eye catching table.

This week I used fabric that I had gotten at a yard sale for $1. I added the cornucopia from my Memaw's house (the arrangement in the center was a Salvation Army find a couple of years ago) and the cups my dear friend painted and gave us for Christmas last year.

The candlesticks are the same from last week, but the leaf placemats were given to me a few years back when my mama bought them and then decided not to use them. I actually have a ton of this fabric that's on the table and so I believe that I will make some pretty pumpkins out of it! I just need to find a suitable template and I will post the how-to when I am done.

I wanted to share a few things that I found when opening my great-aunt's trunk. I have only looked through the top section, but here is a sneak peek at what I found.

Vintage Thingy Thursday

Tablescape Thursday

Looking Back

2010-09-22T03:24:00.000-07:00

Outdoor Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday
White Wednesday

A Confusing Array

2010-09-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

I have fall decorations all around my home with a few tiny touches of Halloween thrown in because they are cute. I also have Christmas projects littering my desk/craft table. I do believe that anyone walking in right now might be a little confused.

I am one of those people that likes to do all the Christmas shopping ahead of time. Unfortunately, I am also one of those people that can't stand to wait until Christmas to see people with their gifts. This year, pretty much everything I am giving for Christmas will be homemade. I have my mother's gift almost done, the boys' stockings are done, and I am halfway done with some gift bags/purses for the women in my family. (These will hold the Christmas goodies)

I will have some finished pictures up by the end of the week. I didn't catch every step in the sewing process, so if there are any questions just leave me a comment with your question and I will be happy to answer.

I started out to make a pretty purse, but quickly realized the style that I was going for would be totally wrong for this fabric and the print would be way to busy. I made a few minor adjustments and here is what I came up with. First, take two 10"x18" pieces of fabric and make six pleats at the top of each. Stitch across with the sewing machine to keep the pleats in place. Put the printed sides together and sew a hem around the three edges, making the sides and bottom of the bag. I chose to square the corners, but you aren't required to.

Next I cut strips of fabric to make the straps. Just fold each strip in half (wrong side out) and sew up the side. Once both straps are done you can turn them wright side out and iron them flat. If you want the straps to stay flat you can, at this point, sew up both edges.

Once the outer bag and straps are done, choose an alternating fabric for the inside of the bag, sew it the same as you did the outside. Place the liner in the bag and sew the top edges together making sure that the straps are placed in between the outside and the liner. I am going to also be adding a ribbon in the middle of each side to be able to tie the bag shut.

Now you have the perfect little bag that can either be used as a purse or a gift bag for other goodies! I happened to luck up on all of this material at a yard sale for only $1!

I also got a really cool purse for myself for 50¢. If you know me, then you know that this purse is a very good reflection of my personality.

Next up will be a new tablescape for the week! Hope y'all have a wonderful Tuesday!

Tackle It Tuesday
Metamorphosis Monday
Today's Thrifty Treasures