Pictureless update

Though after I get some permission I will have pics of some recent shoots.

Just thought you'd like to know that I have my plarn bag almost done. It just needs handles- and a cutesy flower!! I'm going to try some plarn scrubbies, too. My original plan was to put cotton around it, but I'm worried about the whole washing/drying thing, so I'll probably JUST do a plarn scrubby.

I'm also very close to being done with a baby blanket for Erin's project and my Halloween Afghan.

I have been somewhat discouraged lately. I've been wanting to try a couple cute projects, but I don't know... it's complicated. Bizarre emotional attachments to craft projects..... you probably think I'm psychotic, but oh well....

Responsibility

We're having a planning meeting tonight for YW, so I made the following forms. Enjoy them.

Download Planning Sheet
This sheet has lines for brainstorming activity ideas and a spot for the dates on the right. You can insert your own using word or wordperfect, or you can print as is and just write them in.

Download Responsibility sheet
This sheet outlines who is responsible for each activity, esp good if you're having the YW in charge of them. It has spots to see who is helping and spots to jot down what needs to be done.

More Freebie Stationary

I fixed the lines so it's actually usable. To save, click on the picture so it's full sized. Then right click and save as. Brushes by Obsidian Dawn

Enjoy!

Cool Gift

This year, for gifts, since I haven't been the best and doing things ahead of time, I've given kids the gift of music. There is a website- totally legit- it's called Free Kids Music and it's a bunch of artists who want to get their songs heard. So I have them saved on my computer and I put them onto CD's and give them as gifts. Easy, only the cost of a burnable CD and the kids love 'em!

Plots, Projects, and Plarn

My family planted a garden! I'm so excited about it, you don't even know. Most of them are peppers, but that's fine by me since they are SUPPOSED to be easy to grow and we eat them like crazy!

Here's how my Halloween Afghan is coming along:

Also, I'm making Plarn!! Yarn made from plastic bags. The more colorful, the better!

Manual 1, Lesson 16 stuff for YW

Here are some things I made for tomorrow's lesson.

First, the word strips

For handouts, I made two. Now, I DID NOT MAKE THE FRAME, but I can't remember which digi-scrap kit it came out of. But I'm not taking credit. ANd the words are from the manual

Also, using a quote from Sherri Dew that I found at Mormonshare, I made this alternate handout:

I have funny kids!

My kids say funny things all the time.

Yesterday, Xander and I are were outside playing and the conversation went like this:
Me: Gavin's going to be here soon.
X: How do you know he's coming?
Me: How do you think I know he's coming?
X (hanging his head, looking defeated): I know. You looked it up on the internet.

My kids are currently obsessed w/ hair length (since Jules got hers cut) and they're constantly pointing out if boys have girl hair or if girls have boy hair. Sunday, Juliana came home and asked me, "How come Jesus has girl hair and wears dresses?"  Yeah- try explaining that it's just the way people dressed back then to a 3 year old....

They DO funny things as well. Today I decided they needed to take naps. I could hear commotion and went upstairs. Xander was IN Vaughn's crib playing with him. I took Vaughn downstairs for a while, but decided to try again when I figured Xander was mostly asleep. Except Vaughn must have LOVED playing with Xander because he would try to get Xander's attention and make him laugh.

Juliana's having fun with her hair cut. Daily, I see something along the lines of this:

IN church the other day, I was filling in during primary. I was sitting across the room during the lesson and Juliana noticed her teacher had a TINY bit of cleavage and asked her, "DO you have milk?!" Her teacher was gracious about it and just whispered to her, "No, I don't have milk." So naturally, Jules points at me, and definitely NOT in a quiet voice says, "My mom has milk!"

I made the yummiest treats.....

AND FORGOT TO TAKE PICTURES!!!!! It makes me want to cry, yessiree it does!!! I made cake balls. Now, they look NOTHING like Bakerella's, but if you've seen more than five pictures on this blog you know that it won't ever come remotely close. I wanted to do some dipped in white chocolate and make them look like golf balls for my dad, but if I made the dimples while the chocolate was melted, it made a big mess and looked spikey. IF I waited more than 10 seconds, the chocolate was too hard. So I just made half dipped in white chocolate and half in dark chocolate.  Since my dad's was made with a yellow cake and coconut pecan frosting (GROSS! COCONUT!!), I made a batch for myself as well. Mine was a chocolate cake mix and cream cheese frosting dipped in milk chocolate. A little piece of heaven!!! So uber yummy. As a matter of fact, they were so yummy, that I used that cake mix to fill some truffles. I am not the biggest fan of ganache, so I personally like them WAY better and afte I use this batch of ganash, will forever be my filling (sorry if I spoiled your Christmas present).

I've been earning a little extra money to send Roger to NYC. He deserves it more than anyone I know. So, I've been making truffles, taking pictures, all that kind of stuff. I really do wish I could sell cake balls, but mine look aweful. Taste good, but look aweful. Oh well. I have resigned myself to the fact that nothing I ever make is going to look just like the picture it was taken from....

Oh! And I was on CraftFail yesterday! :D http://craftfail.com/?p=260

Happy Mother's Day

If you're reading my blog, you are included in this....

File Folder Books

- These are fun little books that are SO super easy to make that it's not even funny! You can make them as plain or as fancy as you want.

What you'll need:
Cardstock (Appx. 4x6)
1/2 of a piece of 8 1/2x11 printer paper
Stapler (with staples)
THIS PATTERN from Mirkwood Designs

First, cut out the pattern and trace onto cardstock. Cut out.

Next, take your half sheet of paper. 1. Cut IT in half so that it's a fat rectangle, not a long one.
2. Take those two halves and cut THEM in half. 3.Take all four of those pieces, put them together and FOLD them (not cut them) in half. Place into file folder and staple. Ta-da!!!

Then it's time to decorate the books. The first time we did them, we used Crafty Pod's idea and made ABC books by cutting out pictures from magazines- we esp love Oriental Trading catalogs. You can order one HERE.

Today we used them to make Thumbrint pictures, a la Ed Emberly.

For my dad

Sunday is Mother's Day, yes. But I already have a mother's day gift that I'm working on. It's also my Dad's birthday. What should I do for him? He likes golf, computer, his family, and games. I want to make something, if possible since there is a whole $28 in our bank account- wait, scratch that, we bought chicken, so now it's more like $19.... till payday anyway. SO, what can I MAKE my dad by Sunday? Roger had some good ideas for crocheting, but I'm not sure I'll have time since today is Wednesday....

Mommy's New Rules

Stepped on the scale today. Did NOT like what I saw. Still trying to run, but with kids, it is NOT an easy task!

So, here are my new rules.

1) One serving. Period. I don't care what it is or how much I like it. One serving.

2) Steps at least 10x a day (besides regular walking)

3) No food after 10 PM (yes, it's later than most, but I'm trying to be realistic)

I want to be like this

Roger is watching Quantom of Solace. I don't do James Bond- esp after midnight, so I decided to do some blog hopping. I ran across Filth Wizardry and I must say.... I am SO impressed. I've never been patient. Ever. Now I have more reason to be, though. This blog is all about preschool activities. When my preschoolers are busy, they aren't naughty. Go figure.

Other stuff I've found that I want to make with my kids:

Mini-ABC books by Crafty Pod

Card Table Playhouse by Sew Much Ado

HEY! You're saying right now, you're just taking stuff from One Pretty Thing and posting here. Correction, I'm making a list for myself of the ones that I PERSONALLY am planning or dreaming of doing.... which makes me realize that I really need to overcome my sewing fears. I think I"ll start with beanbags to build my confidence. Sarah's going to help me make one of THESE cute dresses from men's shirts.   Still, I get a little antsy when I know a project needs sewing. Ooh, and I really need to make some headbands. This one at Pixeltrashmania is cute, but I'm worried it may be too complicated for me- because I'm a WUSS!!!! Colee says I could also pull off these Wrap Pants from Laupre, but it's something I'd need a buddy on.

Holy cow!! There is an ENTIRE huge list of kids websites here at Rocks In My Dryer.

Now, back to stuff for the kids:
How adorable are these teeny canvases from the New New?!
We should totally make Kites, like the ones on Frugal Family Fun Blog

Alrighty, I would totally love to update more, but I'm tired. If you have any SUPER easy sewing projects or kids crafts (that I can do WITH my kids) that I would be able to start building up my patience level bit by bit, please let me know!