poofy pink things and works of art

I found it! My camera, that is. Turns out, I had put it in a real safe place, away from the threat of certain toddler doom. Well, it seems I forgot which safe place I had used, but yesterday when I was cleaning, there it was! pretty as can be sitting on the window sill behind the drapes...sigh.

Ok, so the other night Lovie me a link to a blog she said I "must see." and oh my goodness gracious...the inspiration is running rampant over at Everyday Beauty. I got the idea from there for these crepe paper flowers I made...I was so disappointed when my local craft store only had white...no biggie though, nothing a little craft paint can't fix. I didn't have any nice stamens to use so I just painted some Christmas foliage I had left over and then I glittered it with Diamond Dust (my personal fave.) Anywho..while you're googling at her lovely blog...check out those candy lights!!! There's a strand of candy pink ones with my name all over 'em. I can't believe I lived near that shop for almost year and I never knew about it...just makes me sick, sick I tell ya.!

Mine of course are nothing compared to hers...hers are just pure eyeball bliss.

So, maybe you're wondering when I have time to craft and blog with a busy toddler, or maybe you're not, I dunno. But...just thought I would share my tactict. When blogging, I usually tape large sheets of paper to the top of my kitchen table, and then I let her go wild with crayons...it works for me. I can sit here at the table and she can color all around me as much as she wants, every once in while she'll stop to boss me around or offer me a kiss. Sometimes I use naptime...or sometimes I just wait until she goes to bed...but those tend to be my "magic hours" when inspiration and itchy, crafty fingers come alive...so mostly, we color, which results in a plethora of beautiful works of art. I can't stand the thought of throwing any of them away, I have drawers full of drawings, I recently chose a few of my favorites, framed them, and hung them in the kitchen. I just love the look of framed Child's art.



Here's a peek at my (hopefully) little future blogger, she's quite busy so my picture is blurry...I wonder what she'll blog about someday? probably her weird mom, no doubt.



Okay, I suppose I better got make some lunch...the toddler beast is calling.

Wowza!

Wowee! 17 comments is a record for me!...Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your supportive comments and well wishes about this! I definitely learned a lot from ya'll that I didn't know...and now I am prepared to have a much more open mind for my next "church adventure" :)

So, a bit of excitement for this little ol stay-at home momma...the lovely queen bee over at Bee And Rose bestowed a "luv-ly" award upon me! thank you so much! my first awards both happened in one week, whoo-hoo! If you have never visited her blog before, buzz on over there, she makes me giggle on a daily basis with her funny momma stories/sagas, and she's got super nifty ideas too! I'll post the rules in just a sec...

I've lost my camera, ya'll! I've searched my castle high and low...I have a sneaking suspicion that a certain red-headed tot has trotted off to hide it from me...probably her desperate attempt at getting me to quit shoving it in her face for a "photo op." every time she so much as sneezes...*sigh* as soon as I find it I have something pink and fluffy i'm dying to show off. Oh! and also a humorous set of lopsided curtains I attempted for my kitchen...I'm sure not ever gonna be makin' my living as a seamstress, that's fo sho!

Ok, so back to my award :-D here's the rules: ( I kinda broke them..because well, I don't eaxtactly know five bloggies well enough to award them..you know what I mean? I felt awkward...Ok, Ok, I know, I'm talking nonsense but I felt shy)

Honorees, please follow these instructions and share the LUV!

1. Put the logo on your blog or post. (You can highlight the photo and text of this post and copy/paste wherever you need to...start your highlight from the bottom up to get the photo)

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received the award.

Whew!!! So there you have it!!!! Go spread the luv!!!!

I'm proud to nominate..

1. Meme over at Screaming Meme

2. My momma, over at Lovies Cotton Candy

3. A Thorn Among Roses

4. L.O.T.s.of Love

5. The Little Bluebird Diares

Ya'll just brighten my day every time I look at your blogs!

thoroughly cheezed

I just have to share this...It's kind of long, so I'm sorry...but I was just flabbergasted today, I'm wondering if anyone has ever had any similiar experiences like the one I am about to share with you.

Since moving to the island, finding our "home church" has been a challenge for both Tyler and me. Both of us grew up in the church and have specific expectations of what we want for our family. He and I come from drastically different religious back grounds, he grew up Mormon and I grew up in a Southern Church of Christ, but overall, we both know what we want. We've tried various churches but so far neither of us have sensed that we have found a church where we felt we belonged. We know that God has a specific church in mind for us...we just can't seem to find it.

I go to a ladies bible study every week and one of the ladies there suggested that Isabella and I visit a new church with her this Sunday, I've really been discouraged and off the hunt lately, so I thought it would be a good way to hop back onto the wagon...The first sign that it wasn't the church for me was the big sign in the parking lot advertising that the church had a bookstore and a cafe inside...since when did going to church on Sunday mornings become a business venture?? I'm trying to keep an open mind so I shrugged it off, I tell myself the times have changed a little...then I noticed everyone was really casual, I'm seeing a lot of blue jeans...I immediately felt overdressed in my sweater set and black skirt...Isabella even more so in her crisply starched sailor dress, lacy socks and matching hair-bow...uhm...apparently we didn't get that memo. I'm starting to feel really out of place, but we go and choose a pew....no sooner had I chosen a nice, empty pew near the back and settled my big diaper bag, (aka The Mothership) when a lady approached me and informed me that children under the age of 12 were not "allowed" to sit in the sanctuary because they are a "disturbance" I would need to "leave my child in the approiate nursery" Uhm...whoa.

My friend saw me bristling so she quickly caught my arm and guided me out of the sanctuary, she encouraged me to check out the state-of-the-art nursery system she heard they have...I was trying to keep my cool and it was taking every possible bit of will power I had not to bolt for the door...I step into the nursery and I am immediately bombarded with three very well-intentioned and sweet women, one asked Isabella's name, one asked her age, one asked me if she had any allergies...all in unison. Then I was handed one of those restaraunt vibrating devices "to alert me if she cried" and was told to write down all of her information on a form-then, go enjoy the message! wait a second...what? by this time my child is clawing her way up my sweater set and is digging the heels of those pretty little Lamour shoes into my thigh like a jockey, she is obviously not having anything whatsoever to do with this hullababloo, there was a lady trying to force a badge with Isabella's "assigned vibrator number" onto her dress, she was prying my child out of my arms. By this time, Crazy-Psycho-Mom side is been rearing her nasty head...and with my daughters small plea of "Help baby! No!" (she calls me baby, not mommy) I'm like, nope sorry. I ask nice lady number one; " Can't I just sit down here with her?! It's our first visit and she's scared." Nice lady number two very emphatically chimed in "Oh, no maam! we don't permit the mothers to stay!" Uhm....exit please?

My kid is hanging onto me like a baby monkey, she's migrating up my body and pretty soon I think I might have to peel her arms off of my eyes, all four of her limbs are wrapped around my body in a clench of terror, I feel the gullet of my throat being compacted by the force of her burrowed head...I make my way back up the stairs to a glassed-in room outside of the sanctuary, theres a nice, cheerful sign on the door that says NURSING MOTHERS ONLY!...(Quick! Bella, hide that sippy cup! this is our only hope!) I go in and mark my territory with The Mothership...three moms are already in there with some very content babies, nursing away. I get a few odd looks walking in with my chattering tot, but I don't care, at this point I know I'm not ever coming back so I just I smile, say "Hi ya'll." and I plop myself right down. Right in front of my seat, at pefect eye-level, in big, capitol, red letters, is a sign that reads: PLEASE KEEP YOUR CHILDREN QUIET!!! ....Sigh....

Maybe I am just old fashioned...but I was brought up to sit through church quietly and with my family...I can remeber not being a disturbance at the age of 3 or 4, sitting nicely for my mother with coloring books and crayons, if I misbehaved, she flicked me on the head or gave me "the look" and that would straighten me right out...How am I supposed to raise my daughter to know how to worship and behave in church if she is not "allowed" to sit in there with me? I'm sorry if I have offended anyone...but this was the first time I had ever been told to basically NOT bring my child to church with me until he/she was 12...the audacity of it all just blew me away.

Saturday Garland

I used my Martha Stewart circle cutter that hubby had tucked into my stocking this Christmas. (he remembered! aww) I can totally vouch for this circle cutter, it was so sooth and easy to use...I almost lost a finger when I was changing the blade but other than that this thing is my new favorite gadget. However, I decided this week, that after midnight there will be no more crafting for me involving blades of any kind. I'm not sure how it happened, but when I was inserting the blade I cut the tip of my finger wide open...the blade was so razor sharp I didn't even feel it or realize it until I felt something tickling my elbow and realized it was my own blood flowing down my arm. Pretty gross, huh? My kitchen looked like a crime scene by the time it was over. So, just be careful with this thing, it's no joke.

ANYwho...I used chipboard letters, Martha Stewart and diamond dust glitters but unfortunately didn't have anything skinny enough on hand except for that white yarn to tie the circles onto my ribbon with, I'm going to replace it with white ribbon because I think it will look better.

So that's my weekend so far, The Bella and I sure miss our man, but we have big plans to walk to the park, take a dip in the neighborhood pool, and maybe partake in some ice cream cones with colored sprinkles. We're visiting a new church tomorrow morning and then after her afternoon nap, we're going to make pink cupcakes in leu of her favorite book, Pinkalicous :) A nice, simple weekend. Perfect.

I hope ya'll are all enjoying your weekends as well :)

Truffles for my tot

Ok, so I'm not a big fan of Valentines day...I'm just fine with going out and buying myself my own chocolates...that way I can choose the ones I like :-P...but I love making things for Isabella and putting together sweet Valentines for her. I saw this idea on Etsy, originially a larger version for Cupcakes though, and I thought "hey! I could do that...why not make them smaller and use them as chocolates?" I was up until 3am that night... happily making felt truffles.

I was on my way to the craft store yesterday to purchase more supplise, when I had a flat tire...I'm talking my rim hitting the pavement flat tire. Great. Now I'm sporting a nice, little donut on my car until I can find my car's type of tires...stupid tires have to be all special and hard to find. Apparently ya can't just go to Wal-Mart for these...go figure.

Anyways...thank goodness hubby made sure I had roadside assistance added to my insurance policy before he left...that's my fella, right there. I will have many more edibles to show you soon...I just wanted to give you a peek at what I have been working away on...I love felt, and now I'm craving Godivas....

blissful

I know I'm not the only one who thinks Naps are the most beautiful and wonderful luxury in the world....I seldom ever get do this...but today when Isabella went down for her afternoon nap, I went down too. I wish so badly she would snuggle up in bed with me, but she absolutely refuses to sleep anywhere other than her own bed...a lot like her momma. She was tuckered out from a a day of play at the park...her little cheeks are still rosy. There was so much housework I needed to be doing, but my fluffy, white pillows were beckoning to me ever so sweetly...I finally yielded and I am so glad I did. We mommies work hard! It's important to remember to treat yourself every now and then...even if that treat is something as simple as an afternoon nap...

I've been tagged!

Syndee over at Syndee's Space tagged me for a game! I have to list 8 random facts about myself and then tag 8 other people...weellll....I don't really know 8 people to tag because I'm still sort of a newbie...so I am only going to choose a few of my closies :) I hope that's ok...

1. My hair is mousy brown. I dye it red. Everyone just assumes it is natural because my daughter is a flaming red-head...is it bad that I don't correct them??

2. The other day, I ran the front of my car completely over a cement curb in a crowded parking lot. I was completely alone with no one to share the humor with me. I was very stuck. I drive a stick shift. I had to gun my engine in reverse and my child was in the back seat going "WHOA! Whoa!"

3. I'm addicted to Diet Coke...absolutely, hopelessy, addicted. They don't make a patch for that.

4. I could easily spend my husband's entire pay-check on Etsy. Etsy rocks the socks right off of my feet.

5. I proudly played with my American Girl dolls until I was 13.

6. My favorite books as a little girl were the Anne of Green Gables books, and Little Women.

7. I was homeschooled all the way through highschool, and I'm proud of it :)

8. I want a Scotty Dog...quite badly.

Okydoky then...that's all I got. I'm tagging, Kelsey, Mom, Kimsey and Whitney :)

My mom awarded me with this nifty award! Here is the info: "This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are extremely charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly written text into the body of their award."

Ok-again, I don't really know 8 people to award this to...But I choose: Mom, Kelsey, Whitney and Frenzied Mother :)