Saturday, December 19, 2009

My First Apron...




My mother-in-law and her husband spotted this old barn stamp in my collection last winter. It looks like his grandfather's barn, and they wanted something with it... just not sure what. It took me a LONG time to come up with something practical to make. It would not fit on a 4X4 tile, plus I already made her coasters with the Bucking Horse on it. Well... I decided to use a SU! craft ink pad and just stamp it on fabric and sew an apron to show it off on. And that I did. Now onto the matching potholders! (another first!)

Crayon Rolls!




I am excited with these. As soon as I got the hang of them, they weren't too much work. These two are for Nate's cousin's kids. I am pleased. I am thinking of making them each a matching tote bag to carry their coloring books in with them! Here is the tutorial I used... Crayon Roll

My little Elf...



These are one of two sets of Baby Legs that I made Ella. I just love them :)

More Potato Bags...


For Nate's dad and uncle. I still have some Broncos fabric leftover... I LOVE IT.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

I am a bit disapointed...



I really don't like the way this one turned out. I think I am going to shorten it and redo the bottom as well as the top. It just looked too narrow at the neck, and the ruffle... well, you can tell I was rushing to finish it. So, tomorrow I will work on it. Tonight I made Ella two pairs of baby legs and a couple of microfiber inserts (for her diapers). The leg warmers are Christmas-ey so I am really excited to get her into those tomorrow! She's going to be wearing her skirts like everyday haha, I love 'em!!!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

I think this is it!


Now to locate more bashful blue and not quite navy cardstock! Ugh... why am I so last minute? I bought two packages of whisper white cs and silver cord with my last SU order, so I'm good on that! Maybe the office supply in town will have something comparable. I used some stickles on her little muff and ice skates. I am not sure about that "Merry Christmas" sentiment yet. I will have to dig through my stash to see if I have something I like better! Only 59 more to go! If worse comes to worse I will just cut back my list... or use half these, half of other cards I've made in the past ;)

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

FOLLOW ME...

Ha, I know I get a few visitors, but did you know you could follow my blog? Once I have 25 followers I plan on having a drawing for a prize... If you look on the left colloum (there are three total) there is a spot that says "followers" (it's the third/last spot). You can then click "follow" and enter your e-mail address! Fun!!

Air Force Jammies!





I bought the fabric to make Allison some jammies a few months ago. I kept putting it off! I finally made them today and I really like them. I just sewed on the little Air Force emblem to a Garanimals top I got at Wal-Mart. I was going to make her fleece jammies but it doesn't get really cold where she lives so I thought cotton might be more practical!

Potato Baker Bags


Here are my first two of my 12 (maybe more, lol!) potato baker bags I am making for Christmas gifts. I decided not to do them for my family... I already bought gifts for them. I am going to make one for my Nana for her birthday in January, however! I am making them for all Nate's aunts, uncles, cousins... one per household. I also usually make them chocolate covered pretzels. This year I am also making bath salts. Just a fun little bag of goodies for whoever is at Christmas dinner...

Snowflakes are Falling


This is a retired set from Stampin' Up! that I just LOVE. I got it at a garage sale in Illinois this summer. It's one of my favorites from this time of year. I had a lot of designer paper left from two years ago, and felt flurries from last year. I cut out the tag the stamp is on from my new Winter Woodland Cricut cartridge. I still haven't found THE card I am sending out this year. Who knows if I will have time to make 50 now that I'm being so picky...

Sunday, November 29, 2009

First Bib and burp cloth.


I've been wanting to make baby stuff for all the little ones who are soon to be born... Nate's cousin Brandi and I have become pretty close in the past few months. She had her third baby, her only boy on Nov. 17th. She named him Ivan. I was pregnant this year to be due within two weeks of her until I lost mine in April. So, Ivan holds a special place in my heart already :) I am sure my little baby looks out for him as well.
Anyway, to gear away from my mushiness, I will present my first bib and burp cloth made for a very special little man.

Friday, November 13, 2009

November Iron Chef



Secret Ingredient: CARROTS. And it's a favorite food of Ella's, so it will be great to have more carrot recipes!!!! I had a dessert catagory. So, Light Carrot Cocoa Snack Cake it is! This month Jessica sent us all a little inspiration... a page out of BHG, I think... It had orange furniture, china & more. The orange chair really stood out to me... so I went down to our local scrapbook store to see what I could find. I found the prettiest orange and cream damask flocked paper... it was $2 a sheet and I bought three... little did I know I would only use one. So now I need to make some fun fall cards and maybe a layout with the rest! I also picked up some fun textured bazzil cardstock. I spent a while looking at my find when I decided to add some brown bazzil cs. I had a bunch of very vanilla ribbon and used v.v. cs to print my recipe on. I was looking for a measuring spoon stamp I had when I stumbled across this one... I have never used it. My mom bought it a while ago, and since she doesn't stamp she sent it home with me when I visited. Oh my gosh, it was just perfectly retro. I didn't have any punches big enough to fit my stamp. So then I had a DUH! moment. I used my cricut. Yep, that expensive sucker just sits in my closet. I forgot how much fun it is... so now it's sitting on my desk waiting for more action. Enjoy!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

A new Halloween dress....



I am so excited with this one. It took all of like 20 minutes to make, but now I am having second thoughts on the black bias tape. It blends in with her shirt. So, I might be back at it this afternoon :) The ruffled bottom was sooooo easy to make. If anyone wants one, let me know! I have enough left to make one more dress! And I am going to make a contrasting doll dress (with the orange fabric. But... back to my pink bathroom. I ran out before lunch to get more DIF gel to strip that wallpaper and I better get at it before the princess' nap is over!

Monday, October 19, 2009

The Pink Nightmare... is being ATTACKED





Well, it's a start. I am taking down the paper and painting before Saturday. Ugh, this bathroom it my nightmare. I was going to tile the tub all the way up, until I looked and I think the spout is part of that metal plate on the wall... ummm... and there is no pull for the shower. So... we have to replace all of that hardware. I am thinking it will be cheaper and easier to buy an all-in-one shower wall. Ugh. I wish someone would help me with this project. I might call a plumber for the stuff I can't do. I am so sick of taking baths, it's just gross. I ran out of wallpaper remover, so I will have to get more and finish taking it all down tomorrow evening. Then I will tear up the carpet WOOHOO!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

October Iron Chef


I was so excited last month to be swapping again I didn't even notice the challenge.. haha. Jess always has a challenge or more for our pages and they are always optional... This month's secret ingredient was ONIONS! We looove onions here, so that was exciting! I had the crockpot category. I got an awesome new slowcooker last Christmas from my mom and have been crockpot obsessed ever since. I made this yummy Southern Chicken & Dumplings while Allison was visiting and she even liked it.
I used Bazzil and Martha Stewart cardstock. My dp is by SU! (I bought tons last fall when I was still a demo). The stamps are all by SU! (except the swirl... that's Autumn Leaves) and the ink. The eyelets came with my crop-a-dile and the tab punch is SU!. Oh, the leaf punch was one I got from Amanda's boss in her big box of supplies she gave me when she quit scrapbooking, lol.
The challenge was to use the Halloween theme without using orange, black, purple, or green as the main colors...and without it being spooky!! Another challenge was to use eyelets, fibers and something transparent. I did use eyelets, but felt anything else on my page would be overkill. I made my own pumpkin template using paint to cut out my recipes.
I am so in love with this whole page... it makes me happy. I was excited to photograph it next to Ella's first pumpkin. Hope everyone loves it as much as I do... such an easy and yummy recipe for fall!!!!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

New Shirt


I wish they made one in my size too!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Ed


this is my cousin Ed, he wants to start blogging someday too.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

The colors am painting our room...



are growing on me. What do you think??? The gray is a lot darker than I planned, and I was going to trim with white and used a tan. Does it go or should I redo the trim in white??? Can I still have red bedding? What about window treatments?
Fresh granola from the oven...
Fresh granola bars pre-cutting...


A shirtless toddler enjoying a bar pre-bath...

Friday, September 4, 2009

SUPER YUM. Granola bars.....

Granola Recipe
6 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
Add 6 cups of any of the following:
soy flour
whole wheat flour
wheat germ rolled wheat flakes
sunflower, pumpkin or sesame seeds
non fat dry milk
shredded coconut
unsalted nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts or pecans)
Heat the following in a large roasting pan:
2 sticks butter or 1 cup oil
1 cup honey, molasses or maple syrup
1/2 cup water
2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
Add dry ingredients and stir together.
Cook at 250 degrees stirring every 20 min. for 2 1/2 hours or until browned.
Granola Bar Recipe
1/4 lb. melted butter
1 1/4 lbs peanut butter

Mix together and add:
1 1/3 cups honey
2 1/4 lbs. granola (40 oz)
1 1/3 cups sunflower seeds (shelled)
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 cup raisins
Mix well and put into greased 9X13" pan. Chill and cut into squares. Wrap in wax paper. Keep refrigerated.

Our room...





is the next on my list. The wallpaper is now gone! Tonight I trash the window treatments and hopefully start painting the trim... It's hard to be living out of suitcases and boxes... I can't wait to have our dressers back!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Missing Chicago... just a little




Getting bored here in Torrington without my family or friends... I wanted to at least go to Cheyenne this week so I can be a little social. It's sad when you really can't do anything but shop to keep you entertained outside the home. Lucky for me I do have a great sister-in-law who hangs out with Ella and I sometimes. Without her I'd be really pathetic! Lol.
I put Ella's Chicago shirt on her today, made me miss my sister who gave it to her. It's big, so this is the first time she wore it...

Dresser...




The dresser was a regular bright white, and I painted it to the same white as the trim & Ella's crib. I am happy with it now. I still haven't put the knobs back on. I really want some clear crystal knobs but can't spend the extra money right now. So, I am thinking of stamping or painting them with a black swirl or scroll... not sure yet!