The carpet is gone...

And what a nasty mess that old carpet padding was... yuck. Particles flew everywhere while I scraped it off the floor and swept up.

Home Improvement begins...

I love HGTV, I adore home decorating. I was super excited to "get the ok" to put our mark on this place. It probably hasn't been painted in ages, and Ella's room was the first project I wanted to tackle. This is because it has NO wallpaper (there is 1-2 walls papered in the kitchen, bathroom and our room) and really needed a fresh look. I also wanted to paint BEFORE we tore up the carpet. Anyway, I chose "peapod green." and we are getting a gallon of white (well, antique white) paint tomorrow to do the trim, inside of the closet, Ella's dresser, and a small bookshelf (when I find her one!). I have picked out black and white damask fabric and polka-dot fabric to make sheets, bed skirts, curtains and some throws. That will get ordered this week... this is the damask fabric : Click Here
Here are a few before pictures...
My helper :)

Anyone know a cheap place to get some new light covers for the ceiling fan? We really need some new ones...
Well, here is Ella's green room!

(the hose is for the a/c unit)

a peak at the pretty hardwood floor!!!!!! The padding from the carpet is so old that some of it is like powder now... kinda gross, but easy to rip up!!
And yep, the trim is all still baby blue. I can't wait to see the white in there :)

Iron Chef Swap... CUPCAKES!

I was so excited to start unpacking my paper crafting supplies this past week!!! I still have about half in storage, but I am going to sneak them over ASAP. I keep finding goodies I didn't realize I had, and OH MY WORD do I have a lot of stamps!!! I haven't had them all out since last October so it will be overwhelming when I do.
Anyway, I used to participate in a monthly Iron Chef 6X6 recipe swap, hosted by one of my best paper crafting friends, Jessica in Kansas (her blog is listed on my blog list!). Instead of a secret ingredient this month, our theme was CUPCAKES (how incredibly cute!). I have a few cupcake stamps, but chose this acrylic stamp that came in a way cute set by Inkadinkado.
I used some Bazzil, Martha Stewart and SU! cardstock... and the patterned paper is by EK Success. Oh, and that little swirl? It's my most favorite little swirl, from SU!'s Season of Joy set. I use that little thing in far too many projects!
Anyway, here's the first recipe card project I've attempted in months....

I decided on Matcha cupcakes after all. I wanted to do the Green Velvet Recipe I found... yet I just could not. I've been going green lately and won't add food coloring to my baked goods... unless it is natural! Matcha is a powdered green tea, it can be found at oriental specialty stores or health-food shops... or online!

It's been far too long...

since I have done ANY papercrafting! We left Torrington in February to attempt to move to Cheyenne... living with my aunt, uncle & 3 young cousins (in Colorado) until mid-May. The only papercrafting I did during those three months was one A-Z swap (its in a previous post) and my brother and now sister-in-law's wedding invites (which I might post once I can block out addresses!).
Nathan left to stay with his dad and grandpa in Torrington and Ella and I went to "wait out" the job situation in Illinois at my parents home. About a month and a half ago Nathan's grandfather passed away. Ella and I came home early.
Well, we are back in Torrington staying at his grandfather's place. I have no idea how permanent this is, so I am going ahead and making it home... I've been slowly packing away things for the family to go through, storing it, and moving some of our things in. Just today we bought some paint so that Ella can have the first room to be complete. It's been years since any painting has been done, so anything we do will be of help when it comes time for the family to decide what they will do with the place... who knows? Maybe our situation will go better that we might buy it.
It's been a difficult year, however, I've learned the lesson of patience over and over, and that is hard for me. I like a plan and I like things to go my way, and I've had the opposite. All of this has left me incredibly humbled.
And on a lighter note... I will post my newest papercrafting progect in another post, lol.

Halter Top

I was browsing tutorials and came across this great top...


So I stayed up last night to make Ella this one...


So I stayed up last night to make Ella this one...

Make sure you stop by and check out this tutorial that I used to make Ella's top, I really enjoy her blog! http://www.thegreenwife.com/frommetoyou/tutorials/toddler-halter-top-tutorial/

Ella's Tutu

My friend April edited these pics I took last week. I made Ella this purple tutu back in April to wear for the March of Dimes right after I lost the baby. I swear Ella gets prettier everyday!

Pillowcase crazy...

I've gotten into sewing dresses this week. I am thrilled because I can make these out of heavier fabric for fall and winter. I am contemplating how to make doll and child matching dresses.
These are my first three creations...