The latest......

As promised, I am finally posting some more crafts. It's been forever, but I didn't want to post any of these because they were Christmas presents.

And yes, I realize the liklihood of any of the people these were intended for was going to see them was very unlikely, but just my luck......

 This last one is my absolute favorite because of that cute little dog!

Here is my mantle that I decorated this year. I love how it turned out, but I already have plans to improve it next year.

For some reason I did not get a picture where you can see the whole fireplace. So this first picture shows the bottom with the two nativities and the stockings that were never hung up. (Santa still filled them.)

 Here you can see all the stuff I have on top.  We have a ton of stockings (Mine and The Husband's from when we were little, The Boy's first stocking, and our current stockings) that I was going to decorate with, but I ran out of time. 

Oh, look! Right there on the left. That would be The Husband's Fireman of the Year Award!!

Close up of one of the stocking holders. I bought all of these after Christmas the last two years and don't think I paid over $3.00 for any of them.

If you know me, you know that I like things to be symmetrical, but the unevenness of the ornaments hanging is exactly what I wanted. I love the randomness of them. All in all, it took me about 5 minutes to put this together and it has been my favorite decor this season. Like I said, I have plans to improve it next year and can't wait to put it up again!!

Don't Give Up!!

Just a quick note to say don't give up on me!! I have some crafts to post, but just never seem to have time to get on here and upload the pictures. Bad blogger!

Anyway, hang in there. I've almost got my new craft area/office set up and then will have more to show.

:)

Halloween pages

A couple of weekends ago a wonderful friend of mine (hi Tammy!!) invited me to a day of scrapbooking a local scrapbooking store. Well, kind of local. It was a 45ish minute drive, but so worth it!

We made 6 Halloween scrapbooking pages and I wanted to share them with you. The pictures aren't great, but you can still see them.

Now, I have never been a person to create pages before I had my pictures ready. I am stressing out that I won't have the right pictures for each of the pages!

This costume page is a perfect example. It only has space for three pictures. Two if I want to journal. I know I will have a ton more pictures of him in his costume! It's not even Halloween and I already have enough pictures for this page!!!

So now I need to decide. Do I want to keep these pages, give them away, or sell them? I don't know! I think I'll wait to get my Halloween pictures developed and then decide. Who knows? It make work out perfectly and I will have stressed out for nothing!

Who has high blood pressure? This girl!

Yes, now I officially have a medical reason to lose weight. I know, I know. Technically, I've always had that reason, but since my last post sooooo long ago (or maybe around the time of my last post), my Dad has suffered numerous heart attacks, been declared disabled, and I have had my heart checked out. While my heart overall looks fine, I do have some thickening of the wall on the left side which is caused by high blood pressure.

Apparently, I've had high blood pressure for awhile now and not known it. Doctors orders: blood pressure medicine, lose weight, and eat healthy. Yes, I've know those last two for many years now. I mean, my baby is 3 and half years old. I weight about 10 lbs more than when I brought The Boy home from the hospital. So, yeah. Lose weight, eat healthy? Nothing new there.

The high blood pressure scares me. So, I am doing it this time (how many times have I said that?!?). Not doing it is no longer an option. Who's with me!?!?!?!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Here is the recipe that I follow for my Snot Laundry Detergent...I'm still thinking up names for it right now, but for now, I call it Snot.

 

 

Homemade Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Fels Naptha 

½ cup washing soda

½ cup borax powder 

~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~

 

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan.  Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts.  Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket.   Now add your soap mixture and stir.  Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir.  Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel.  You use ½ cup per load. 

Optional: If you want your soap to have some sort of scent you can scent this with ½ to 1 oz. of essential oil or fragrance oil of your choice. Note: I don't add any scent. I think it smells great without it. Also, there is no scent when the clothes come out of the dryer.

Just some notes:

The finished product will look like snot. Seriously.

There will be practically no suds. None. Nada. Zilch. Totally normal. The ingredients are what does the cleaning anyway. Not the suds.

 

 

Update: Found the Source!! 

 

Blue Ribbon Crafts

This weekend is our local County Fair. This year there was an exhibit for crafters (both adult and kids) to enter for ribbons. There were quilts, foods, clothing, and all kinds of crafts and goodies. The Boy, The Nephew, and A Friend all entered spray painted bags.

They all did the spray painting all by themselves and are so proud of their work. I need to get pictures of the back of the bags and will as soon as we go pick them up.

First up, The Boy's bag...

The Nephew's bag...

He said the red was a frame for the other colors.

A Friend's bag....

Love those red stripes!

And now for something rare...ME! IN A PICTURE!!!! WITH STRAIGHT HAIR!!!!

Coming Soon....

I have a ton of photos to upload of projects that I have done in the past (passed?! I never know which word to use) few weeks, but my internet has been all wonky and I can't get pictures to upload.

So...

Be on the look out. I promise more pictures and projects soon.

Test

I just downloaded a Blogger app on my phone. Testing to see if it works.

I Blame Mr. Hershey

197.2. It's all Mr. Hershey's fault. We have a plethora of Rolos and Mr. Goodbars in our house right now. Man, those things are yummy. I have eaten two or three a day in the past few weeks. I guess that's why my weight has started creeping back up.

I will say that this is the most I have ever weighed. It really stinks. So, here I go again. If I eat a candy bar, I am going to walk on the treadmill until I have burned those candy bar calories off my big fat belly.

On another note, we were in Florida last week visiting my mother-in-law. She and I went to get a mani/pedi and the spa there has a doctor who comes in and does botox and laser liposuction. LASER LIPOSUCTION, I say!! No needles, no scars. How awesome would that be? In and out. Instant flat belly. I'm afraid to ask how much it would cost.

On another, another note, I have two of three craft posts in the making so be sure to check back next week. I have really cute cards to show you.

Until next time!

Currently......

Well, not currently as in right this minute. 

Currently as in starting tomorrow. 

I hurt already.

Challenge #12 - Kid's Theme

Challenge #12 is to create a item with a Kid Theme. I knew just what I wanted to do when I saw this. I've had this page in mind for awhile, but have never gotten the time to set down and actually create. I cut everything with my gypsy (love that thing!!) and even have the recipe right in front of me to type it up for you!! (Still haven't found the recipe for Challenge #4.

I just love this team photo of The Boy's first Tball team. They are all such cuties!!

Recipe:

(All papers were from my stash.)
Cricut Cartridge: Sports Mania

"Go Team" - width: 3.16in & length: 2.66in

Baseball Red and White layers - width: 7.29in & length: 7.00in

Team Banner - width: 6.00in & length: 2.80in

Plans were changed today. I had planned to scrapbook all day after church, but The Husband wanted to take me out to lunch for Mother's Day and who I am to say no?!?! So, while I didn't get to participate in all the Challenges at My Pink Stamper, I am happy with the two that I did do.  And, who knows? The deadline is tomorrow night. Maybe I'll sneak in another challenge or two.

*This scrapbook page is being entered in My Pink Stamper's National Scrapbooking Challenge #12 found here.*

National Scrapbooking Day!!

Today is National Scrapbooking Day and for the first time ever, I am going to participate in some challenges that I found online. Luckily, the challenges are opened all weekend so I have time to go back and create. Some blogs are doing one challenge an hour. Now, there is no way that I will be able to do all of those, but I will pick and choose by the prize that is given away. 

So, be expecting lots of post from me on this blog. Each challenge requires a post and I've already found 3 that I know I want to do.

Let the fun begin!!!

Challenge #4 - Mother's Day Theme

I made this card today for the best mother in the world - MINE!! She is pretty awesome and  I love her so much. 

Mumsy (I love calling her that!!) loves flowers and while I don't have a cartridge with her favorite flower (irs), I know she will love this card anyway. 

(Note to self: Get 50 States cartridge. You need it!!)

I will put the recipe for this card up later. I can't find my paper where I wrote everything down. Also, sorry if there are some i's missing from ths post. My i key is not wanting to work. I've tried to go back and add any that I could find. Stupd i button -  making this so hard to type. Boo, i button!!  BOO!!!

For example, here's a sentence without me going back and fixing the missing letters.

 never knew how much the letter  was used untl  mssed t. t s used n so many words and s only mssed when t doesn't work.

Very annoying. 

Here's the sentence fixed. 

I never knew how much the letter i was used until I missed it. It is used in so many words and is only missed when it doesn't work.

 Anywho! Back on topic. I will add the recipe for this card later. Now, I'm off to find that missing piece of paper.

*This card is being entered in My Pink Stamper's National Scrapbooking Challenge #4 found here.*