Felt Agnolotti Pasta
Super cute and super easy!
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Sweet Tooth
I found the following tutorial through pintrest (of course): Lollipop Tutorial and look how they turned out!
Felt Agnolotti Pasta
Super cute and super easy!
Felt Agnolotti Pasta
Super cute and super easy!
Recipe Recommendations
BBQ Chicken Fajitas
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
Baked Penne
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
My husband (and son - who is two) are very picky eaters. I highly recommend the four recipes listed above for picky eaters! They were a success with my two picky eaters.
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
Baked Penne
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
My husband (and son - who is two) are very picky eaters. I highly recommend the four recipes listed above for picky eaters! They were a success with my two picky eaters.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
DIY smashbook
So I was at Michael's about three weeks ago looking at this (to me) new way of scrapbooking called Project Life. Thanks to pintrest (oh how I am addicted to thee and I hate thee all at the same time) I discovered Project Life. I was fascinated. I wanted to give it a try. I wanted to make my life easier when it came to scrapbooking (I'm only 3 years behind...) I wanted to remember the everyday not just the "special events."
I was digging through their Project Life materials when I came across these things called Smashbooks. Smashbooks? What the heck is that? I picked them up, I examined them. I looked at all the fancy add ons that came with them. Interesting concept. I've been journaling since I was nine. Yes nine. I have an 18 gallon tote in my garage filled with old planners and various journals and diaries I've been completing since I was a kid. I even have my old agendas from middle school. (Seriously? But what an insight into what my life was like at age 12 and what I was into - hello stickers!)
However, since college (oh so long ago it feels) I've been bad about journaling. I've tried different techniques but I just couldn't seem to keep up with the day to day telling of my life (welcome adulthood!) In the last few years the journals that I have been most successful at filling out and keeping up with are those that don't require the day to day information. Let's face it, my day to day life is boring. I wanted something more meaningful. As I continued looking at Project Life layouts on Pintrest I looked at the journaling cards and some cards were things that were too personal for me to share with others - which for me is the point of Project Life.
I've been under a great deal of stress lately (8 months pregnant to start with) and I decided that I need a way to unwind at the end of each day. However, I also needed something flexible, something that won't make me upset if I miss a day (or three). Something that will help me grow as a person. Something that would help me release my anxieties and stress. Something that would help me realize who I really am. I kept coming back to the Smashbook concept.
Flash forward to last week and I went to Hobby Lobby. I wandered up and down the aisles looking for Smashbooks. Finally found them, in the clearance bin. Guess Hobby Lobby isn't going to carry them anymore. Oh well. I spent a good 45 minutes or more looking through the various Smashbooks (the sizes, the papers in them, the dividers, etc). I wasn't completely sold on the concept. I couldn't insert my own pages or items into the Smashbooks unless I started getting creative. Plus I didn't know if I wanted to spend $10 or more for a journal (yes, $10 or more for a clearance item!) that I may or may not keep up with.
So I came home and started digging through Pintrest (yes, once again) to find people who had created their own Smashbooks. There were TONS. As I looked through various pins and ideas, it finally dawned on me that I had everything I needed to create a Smashbook at home. I didn't purchase a single material. (Of course, I'm a craft hoarder).
Here's what I used:
1. 12 x 12 black sheet of cardstock
2. Various 12 x 12 scrapbooking papers
3. Glue stick
4. Scotch tape
5. 3 binder rings
6. Precut letters
7. Hole punch
8. Paper cutter
I used my paper cutter to cut down the 12 x 12 sheets into two 6 x 8 sheets. (I saved all the extra cardstock to use as journaling cards later on). Then I used the glue stick to glue together the papers, so that the journal papers are double sided. This also provided more stability and allows me to sharpies (I love sharpies!) without the marker bleeding through. After gluing the pages together I used scotch tape (clear) to tape up the tops and right sides of the papers. This helps keep the pages together while turning the book (I would so pick at the pages otherwise!)
After that I cut the black card stock down to 9 x 7 size. One side is the front, the other side is the back of the book. I then glued the letters "Mama Madness" to the front cover. It seemed more appropriate than Smashbook. I then used the hole punch to punch three holes into each piece of cardstock. I did the covers last to help keep on the pages more centered within the covers. I was going to laminate the covers but was too lazy last night to go upstairs, turn on my laminator, wait, laminate, and cut. Maybe I'll laminate down the road, maybe I won't. Who knows? I took scotch tape and covered the cover letters with it because I thought it gave it an artsy type of feel to it.
I'm best at journaling with guided questions and thoughts. Give me an empty journal and pft, I'm back in the same situation as I was before. I found a 30 page challenge for smashbooks on pintrest (told you I was addicted), so I took the first few pages of my new smashbook and wrote (in sharpie, love the sharpies) and wrote down the 30 challenges.
My goal is to get through the 30 challenges and then begin a new challenge. Smashbook/journaling challenges are hard to come by, apparently. If you find any, let me know! Otherwise, I'll probably start creating my own. With themes. I'm crazy...
On a side note, this a great way to use up all that extra scrapbooking paper! You know you have paper in your stacks that you can't stand. Paper that was either gifted to you by someone who knows nothing of your style, extra papers you got in a large paper pack that you can't stand, papers you got a scrapbooking swap... the list goes on. But you just can't seem to get rid of that paper. Well, here you go!
I was digging through their Project Life materials when I came across these things called Smashbooks. Smashbooks? What the heck is that? I picked them up, I examined them. I looked at all the fancy add ons that came with them. Interesting concept. I've been journaling since I was nine. Yes nine. I have an 18 gallon tote in my garage filled with old planners and various journals and diaries I've been completing since I was a kid. I even have my old agendas from middle school. (Seriously? But what an insight into what my life was like at age 12 and what I was into - hello stickers!)
However, since college (oh so long ago it feels) I've been bad about journaling. I've tried different techniques but I just couldn't seem to keep up with the day to day telling of my life (welcome adulthood!) In the last few years the journals that I have been most successful at filling out and keeping up with are those that don't require the day to day information. Let's face it, my day to day life is boring. I wanted something more meaningful. As I continued looking at Project Life layouts on Pintrest I looked at the journaling cards and some cards were things that were too personal for me to share with others - which for me is the point of Project Life.
I've been under a great deal of stress lately (8 months pregnant to start with) and I decided that I need a way to unwind at the end of each day. However, I also needed something flexible, something that won't make me upset if I miss a day (or three). Something that will help me grow as a person. Something that would help me release my anxieties and stress. Something that would help me realize who I really am. I kept coming back to the Smashbook concept.
Flash forward to last week and I went to Hobby Lobby. I wandered up and down the aisles looking for Smashbooks. Finally found them, in the clearance bin. Guess Hobby Lobby isn't going to carry them anymore. Oh well. I spent a good 45 minutes or more looking through the various Smashbooks (the sizes, the papers in them, the dividers, etc). I wasn't completely sold on the concept. I couldn't insert my own pages or items into the Smashbooks unless I started getting creative. Plus I didn't know if I wanted to spend $10 or more for a journal (yes, $10 or more for a clearance item!) that I may or may not keep up with.
So I came home and started digging through Pintrest (yes, once again) to find people who had created their own Smashbooks. There were TONS. As I looked through various pins and ideas, it finally dawned on me that I had everything I needed to create a Smashbook at home. I didn't purchase a single material. (Of course, I'm a craft hoarder).
Here's what I used:
1. 12 x 12 black sheet of cardstock
2. Various 12 x 12 scrapbooking papers
3. Glue stick
4. Scotch tape
5. 3 binder rings
6. Precut letters
7. Hole punch
8. Paper cutter
I used my paper cutter to cut down the 12 x 12 sheets into two 6 x 8 sheets. (I saved all the extra cardstock to use as journaling cards later on). Then I used the glue stick to glue together the papers, so that the journal papers are double sided. This also provided more stability and allows me to sharpies (I love sharpies!) without the marker bleeding through. After gluing the pages together I used scotch tape (clear) to tape up the tops and right sides of the papers. This helps keep the pages together while turning the book (I would so pick at the pages otherwise!)
After that I cut the black card stock down to 9 x 7 size. One side is the front, the other side is the back of the book. I then glued the letters "Mama Madness" to the front cover. It seemed more appropriate than Smashbook. I then used the hole punch to punch three holes into each piece of cardstock. I did the covers last to help keep on the pages more centered within the covers. I was going to laminate the covers but was too lazy last night to go upstairs, turn on my laminator, wait, laminate, and cut. Maybe I'll laminate down the road, maybe I won't. Who knows? I took scotch tape and covered the cover letters with it because I thought it gave it an artsy type of feel to it.
I'm best at journaling with guided questions and thoughts. Give me an empty journal and pft, I'm back in the same situation as I was before. I found a 30 page challenge for smashbooks on pintrest (told you I was addicted), so I took the first few pages of my new smashbook and wrote (in sharpie, love the sharpies) and wrote down the 30 challenges.
My goal is to get through the 30 challenges and then begin a new challenge. Smashbook/journaling challenges are hard to come by, apparently. If you find any, let me know! Otherwise, I'll probably start creating my own. With themes. I'm crazy...
On a side note, this a great way to use up all that extra scrapbooking paper! You know you have paper in your stacks that you can't stand. Paper that was either gifted to you by someone who knows nothing of your style, extra papers you got in a large paper pack that you can't stand, papers you got a scrapbooking swap... the list goes on. But you just can't seem to get rid of that paper. Well, here you go!
Monday, July 29, 2013
Number the Bean Bags
Bean Bags... With numbers. Awesome fun. Until an unfortunate incident with my cat led to my having to throw them all away. We won't talk about it. It's still too difficult... *sniff*
W.I.P.s
So... I am that type of crafter that has about 100 different projects going on at one time. No joke. Here is the start of a Doctor Who scarf. I've been working on this for over 3 years now... :( I know. Failure. However, in my defense (or perhaps a really poor excuse), its super hot where I live for about 10 months out of the year, leaving me with a very narrow window to actually knit in. I mean, seriously, who knits when its over 100 degrees outside? Not this girl.
Fish City... What to say about this monster? I've been working on this for about 2.5 years. I feel like I'm nowhere. Then again... I don't even remember the last time I picked this one up to work on it (not that I can actually pick it up mind you). This project, sadly, keeps getting shoved to the side in favor of smaller projects.
Fish City... What to say about this monster? I've been working on this for about 2.5 years. I feel like I'm nowhere. Then again... I don't even remember the last time I picked this one up to work on it (not that I can actually pick it up mind you). This project, sadly, keeps getting shoved to the side in favor of smaller projects.
Perry Blanket
My husband tried to be crafty. He didn't realize what a pain these no sew fleece blankets can actually be.
Cloth Wipes & DIY Detergent for Diapers
So we've been cloth diapering with our son for a while. (He is almost 22 months) We're trying to continue being more environmentally friendly and more cost efficient so I made some cloth wipes. I used a simple tutorial I found on pintrest that used fleece and water. Easy enough right? Wrong. After a few days the fleece started to leave little fleece bunnies on little man's behind and all over his cloth diapers (even turning the insides of them blue!). I don't know if I used the wrong type of fleece or what, but we instantly scratched that idea and went back to the throw away kind.
Then I found this tutorial about using flannel. So I made six cloth wipes to try out and see how they do. They did awesome. I use just water and they work great! SO much better than the throw away kind (esp. on big messes). I made some more and I only need to rewet wipes every other day or so. The tea tree oil isn't necessary when using cloth wipes, however, I did use it when my son had an extremely bad diaper rash and *poof* it was gone in a 24 hours. Awesome.
As for the detergent I use on my cloth diapers, I highly recommend this one created by Hive of the Honey Bee. Super simple: 1 cup of oxy clean, 1 cup of washing soda, 1 cup of baking soda. I initially chose this one out of all the other homemade recommendations because this one is borax free. I avoid all cleaners that use borax because of its toxic properties. Ick. I am not bringing that into my house!
I've used it for about three weeks so far and it works great! Two days ago, I noticed that the diapers were getting a little scratchy and rough, so I did a cycle of diapers using Snuggle fabric softener and All Laundry detergent, followed by a cycle with this DIY detergent, before hanging them out to dry. So far, the diapers have remained super soft since with no reaction to little man.
Then I found this tutorial about using flannel. So I made six cloth wipes to try out and see how they do. They did awesome. I use just water and they work great! SO much better than the throw away kind (esp. on big messes). I made some more and I only need to rewet wipes every other day or so. The tea tree oil isn't necessary when using cloth wipes, however, I did use it when my son had an extremely bad diaper rash and *poof* it was gone in a 24 hours. Awesome.
As for the detergent I use on my cloth diapers, I highly recommend this one created by Hive of the Honey Bee. Super simple: 1 cup of oxy clean, 1 cup of washing soda, 1 cup of baking soda. I initially chose this one out of all the other homemade recommendations because this one is borax free. I avoid all cleaners that use borax because of its toxic properties. Ick. I am not bringing that into my house!
I've used it for about three weeks so far and it works great! Two days ago, I noticed that the diapers were getting a little scratchy and rough, so I did a cycle of diapers using Snuggle fabric softener and All Laundry detergent, followed by a cycle with this DIY detergent, before hanging them out to dry. So far, the diapers have remained super soft since with no reaction to little man.
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