Crushing on Ruffles

A couple weeks back while waiting for Ride to come skipping out of preschool, I shuffled through my subscription of Country Living. While perusing it my eyes fell upon this...

It made me grin.

To explain... 

Sometime ago I discovered these shower curtains... 

and fell deeeeply in love.  

But our courtship wouldn't last... the price tag was not budget friendly, $96.00-$165.00...gulp...yowzers!   After some contemplation I resolved to construct it.  And here is the result of my infatuation...

It cost me less than $25.00  

After I completed this project an idea materialized... what if I made a
fabulous ruffled tablecloth?!  

And this is why the Country Living photo made me smile.

It was exactly as I imagined.

Now I must create it.

Now... I'd love to give in-depth instructions, but I wasn't blogging when I made this little gem.  So I didn't save what I had jotted down on paper.   If you really want to tackle this and you feel like you need a little direction, email me, leave a comment, or give me a ring.  We'll chat.  If enough people want instructions, I'll write some up.  
Wouldn't they be scrumptious as regular curtains too?  

When I make the tablecloth, I'll take care to make directions as I go. 

Oh... and I found these at Target just after I finished the curtain.  

I did a happy little jig in the aisle.

XOXO

Snow home custom for valentines is a special breakfast.  Pink pancakes, pink strawberry milk etc... However because this year V-day landed on the day of rest I deviated from the norm.  Knowing I wouldn't be going out on the town with my beau, I elected to do a Valentine dinner instead of breakfast.

On the menu....

Spicy Enchiladas and

Black Beans with Rice

For dessert...

-Raise your hand if you devour Girl Scout Thin Mints by the sleeve...

(Especially if they are straight from the freezer, the perfect way enjoy them, in my opinion)

-Raise your hand if you love ice cream...

-Raise your hand if you consider chocolate a food group...

Is your hand still up?

Then you will La La Love this...

Thin Mint Ice Cream Mud Pie

We have a little family recipe blog.  Just click on your desired dish and by the power of internet linking it will whisk you away to the recipe.  In other words I'm just too lazy to post each one twice.

After dinner we exchanged Valentines.  The girls set up a game of hot or cold for us to find the valentines they had made for us.

Here was Scooters.

How cute is that?  

Then after the exchange, Ride had prepared a program. 

This is something that goes down at our home at least 5 evenings of the week.  Before she can retire to bed Ride dances for us.  She pretends she is on SYTYCD.  Oddly enough, Ride is our shy one.  But she has no reservations presenting her sweet moves on the living room floor... I mean stage.  She has me introduce her and everything.  (I possess neither the short skirts nor the legs to properly portray Cat Deeley.  And my attempt at an British accent is laughable). 

 I remember mimicking a certain dance show at her age.  I clearly recall stating that when I grew up I wanted to be a Solid Gold dancer.  My mom pointed out that their attire was "not nice."  Which was true, they loved their high cut leotards in the 80's.  However my 5 year old eyes didn't notice that.  These dancers dazzled... strutting to the trendiest music around, and they did it all in gold high heels.  Mesmerizing.  

We recorded Rides performance, but J said if I posted it she may never forgive me.  I argued that I doubted that my blog would be around when she would be old enough to care.  But I still gave in... perhaps one day I'll post it.  Instead, for those of you who would like to dance down memory lane with me, enjoy...

Pure awesome!

Amateur Mountaineer

While polishing the front of the fridge, one of my many perpetual duties, I noticed abnormal handprints.  Not abnormal because they were there (this is why wiping it down has become a daily chore), no instead they were unusual because they seemed to be misshapen.  Upon further analysis I observed they were not handprints, but footprints.  They were oddly high, and next to the door handles.  "That's Weird" I thought.  Then I noticed a stool, moved from its normal place, to right next to the fridge.  In my mind I pictured Ride sliding the stool infront of the fridge, sitting on the stool, extending her legs and placing her feet on the refrigerator.  It didn't make sense, but I stopped really asking questions about bizarre things my kids do ages ago.  Especially with that kid.

Then the other day, while fixing dinner I looked over to see this....

So it wasn't Ride after all.  It had been Momo, scaling the great silver food filled tower.

These pictures really don't do it justice.  I raced for the camera and he had started coming down.  Originally his little feet were next to his hands.  Then he saw the camera, he loves the camera.  He left his perch to come to see his picture.

He's always been a climber.  It first became apparent when he was 7 months old.   I was putting up christmas, I had a ladder in the house.  I left the room and returned to find him at the top.   He was grinning and clapping... like he conquered Mt. Kilimanjaro, which was conveniently located in our front room. These are the things that make J proud.  Me... I've always said I'd be amazed if he made it to two.  He's 21 months.  He may just prove me wrong.  

Dress Up Valentines

I adore decorating for holidays.  Valentines is no exception.

Most of the valentines decor I already had. (Or is stuff I temporarily borrowed from other rooms in the house). 

This year I added 2 things...

The L.O.V.E. letters hung to an old door above the TV armoire.

But really I only added the letter V. It said NOEL for christmas (I bought those letters years ago) and suddenly it dawned on me that if I simply buy a V, take down the N and rearrange the letters I've got LOVE. And only for $5.39, I used a coupon. (Those letters came from JoAnns)

And then I added all those fabulous pom pom flowers.

They are super easy and darn cheap. They are made of coffee filters.  There is a link of a great video tutorial on how to make them at the end of this post.  But I added a twist of my own, which I'll explain first.

When I went to pick up the filters they only had white.  I also wanted to get them in that lovely tan color.  I had my kids with me. I did not want to take 3 kids into another grocery store.  Does anyone else leave grocery shopping on the verge of tears?  It's not my girls.... it's the BOY.  Who hates hates HATES being buckled into the cart.  He wiggles and worms until he gets loose. No matter how tight I make that darn strap.  And throws a mighty fit until he accomplishes his mission.

So looking at my son, I knew I was seconds away from disaster.  And a light bulb appears.  Blessed blessed light bulb.  What if I dyed them?  So I hightailed it down to the laundry detergent aisle and picked myself up some dye.  Taupe and pink.

Here is how I did it...

I started with the pink. I followed the directions for the stovetop (I was worried the washer would destroy them).  I also halved everything.  So I still have half a packet of color for some other project.  Then after I rinsed them I skipped the "wash them with detergent" step and stuck them in the dryer... look how pretty.

For the taupe I tried something different.  I wanted different shades of taupe.  So I put a few in at beginning. Then I waited 5 minutes and added more and repeated this until I only had 15 minutes left on the timer.

Sooo super thrilled with the outcome.  I wish I had done that on the pink. Oh well.

  

Then I made some out of news paper.  Simply trace circles onto the paper (don't use a red marker... I did that so you could see it... you'll want a pencil). Now just pretend they are coffee filters and follow the same instructions as in the video.

While I was doing all this Ride and Scooter were creating there own masterpieces...

Cool huh?

Apparently Ride learned this in preschool.  I asked her for help and made one of my own.  Take a marker (kids washable marker is what we used) color around the edges of the circle.  Add a little water and watch the colors bleed.  I then used a hair dryer to dry them.  I did't want them as crinkly as the filters I tossed in the dryer.

(Ride showing me how it's done)


 Here is the result.

It looks like a giant carnation.

Perfect.

Now to make this... 

I simply tied a knot at the end of a string. a

Added a dab of hot glue to it.  Then with a needle I strung the filters, newspaper circles, cupcake liners, and even a couple of spools of ribbon (that were down to the end, so not to waist ribbon) on to the string.  I'd then end a section with another knot and dab of glue and start a new one about a foot away.

  

This year J and his brothers started a new company.  Does anyone need anything shipped?;)

Because of this we have been pinching our pennies.  It's been good for both of us.  Here is the break down on the cost of all those fun flower pom poms...

Large coffee filters...$1.18

Small coffee filters...$1.12

Rit dye pink...$2.99

Rit dye taupe...$2.49

Newspaper... free (from the neighbor) 

Ribbon & String... already had loads, so no additional cost there

Grand total to take my meh valentines decorations to... I live in anthropologie decorations (ok, so that's wishful thinking)... 

$7.78

(of course I'd need to add tax too)

So fun!  So thrifty!  So easy-peasy!

Here is the video tutorial link 

Rhonna Farrer 

She has some other great tutorials as well.  I'm love love loving her Lollies.

Wouldn't these pom poms be great for a baby shower or birthday?

So many possibilities.

HAPPY HEARTS DAY!

ip❤d valentines

J's friend Matt married a girl named Steff.  She is beautiful.  She just had a baby.  They named her Lucy (sigh...one of my adored names). Beautiful Steff put a picture and link on facebook of the valentines she had made for her sons class.  They were soooo stinkin' darling, that I too HAD to make these for the girls classes.
Here is how mine turned out...

Ummmm.... super cute!

I think they'd be fun for a birthday party too.

So recently I took some flack for not posting instructions for some of the projects I've posted.  I'm going to try to be better.

I will post a link with the original instructions at the end of this post. 

But I do have a few tips.

1. Make a template of the paper that wraps around the conversation hearts package.  Draw lines where each fold should be. With double sided tape, attach it to your countertop.  This will keep it from moving around. Then place the colored paper below the template, use a ruler and a bone folder to create your lines and folds.  No pencil marks.  No need to measure it out multiple times.  And you'll get crisp perfect folds.

2. You'll download the ipod screen and circle thing (I have no idea what its technical name is) from the link.  If you shrink it down a tad in photoshop you then can use a 1.5" circle punch... instead of cutting out each circle with scissors.

3. Print it off onto sticker or full sheet label paper. LOVE that stuff. No glue required.

4. I didn't use Reeses peanut butter cups, as the instructions will suggest.  I just used Hershey kisses.  You won't need to wrap foil around them (as the instructions tell you).  And you'll avoid a problem for kids with peanut allergies.

Scooter wanted the silver wrapped kisses. Ride opted for pink.

This is what I put on the back.

Again printed on sticker paper.

Here's the link...

family fun rock candy

Oh... how do you like new look of the blog?  

I'm kinda in love with its simplicity.

Prayers Answered

"There is nothing that we are enduring that Jesus does not understand, and He waits for us to go to our Heavenly Father in prayer. I testify that if we will be obedient and if we are diligent, our prayers will be answered, our problems will diminish, our fears will dissipate, light will come upon us, the darkness of despair will be dispersed, and we will be close to the Lord and feel of His love and of the comfort of the Holy Ghost. It is my prayer that we can find the faith, courage, and strength to endure to the end so that we may feel the joy of faithfully returning to the arms of our Heavenly Father." 

Robert D. Hales

The heavens were listening,

Miracles are happening....

stakerzxposed.blogspot.com

Welcome back baby Bronson!

PRAY

Over the last week I've been stalking a blog.  Diligently.

It came to light through the wonders of facebook.  Apparently I have friends whom are friends with this wonderful lady.  Her name is Sara.  And these friends of mine were asking for prayers in Sara's behalf.  She has a child (a son not much younger than my Momo) in the PICU at Primary Childrens Hospital. Her blog has brought me to tears.  It also has opened a few old wounds of my own.  My soul aches for her.  You can read about her story here. 

stakerzxposed.blogspot.com

She is an beautiful writer.  She is an excellent mother.  She is a great example of faith.  And although it is heart wrenching to read.  It is so so so inspiring.

On friday she posted the need for prayers.  Her little boy over the last couple days had been doing well, he was steadily improving.  However Friday he had taken a sudden unexplainable turn for the worst.  It hit a nerve.  The scars on my heart burned.  I had been there.  I had once solicited prayers.  Prayers from family, friends... anyone, I wasn't picky.  I needed prayers for me.  My sweet angel couldn't be repaired.  Through personal revelation, God's message was unmistakeable, she was not meant to stay.  She was required in the heavens.  I never asked her to be healed.  In doing so I would be denying the unique communication with the heavens that I was permitted to receive.  But I was broken.  My heart was aching.  I needed strength.  My role in this wasn't yet complete. 

But this boy...   this wonderful child, has... HOPE!  

I found myself on my knees.  

Crying
Begging

Pleading
with the Lord.

That night, before bed, I checked my google reader one last time.  Hoping for an update.  There wasn't one.

Then came a sleepless night.

I tossed and turned.  So many emotions that had laid dorment within me were unexpectedly awakened.  

Finally, abandoning my wish for sleep I got up.  It was after 3:30 a.m. I went out into the living room, as not to disturb J, and checked again for any news.  She had posted.  There was no good news.  However she expressed sooooo much faith.  I was in awe.  I returned to my knees.  I prayed again.  Then knowing sleep was near impossible, I began piddling on the internet to occupy my mind. Then Momo whimpered.  It wasn't a cry of distress.  I think he was more or less sniveling in his sleep.  It was enough for me.  I retrieved Momo from his bed and returned with him to mine.  He layed his head on my chest.  Over my blemished heart.  And I finally fell asleep.

*******

I find myself asking for prayers again.  This time for someone I don't even know. 

Please pray for Bronson Staker.

HE healed my shattered heart.

HE CAN heal this broken boy.