Hey, Looky What I Made, Ma!

I did these for the girls for Christmas. JB helped me. I wanted some kind of an elf with me that would verify to me that these were either 1-a really bad idea, or 2-a really good one. Turns out they were a really good one -- the girls loved them!

I found the hoodies at Big Lots for $5 each. Then I got cans of a fabric paint called "Simply Spray" at Michael's for another $5 each. I followed a tutorial -- sort of -- that I found, and attempted to make Rose's (the first one) in school colors. After that, I just played with all sorts of colors.

The names I made using a stencil I found on clearance at Lowe's.

Cool, huh?

Projects

A project update --

Dress for Rose, which doesn't fit great but it's in all the colours she liked. This pattern is just not a good one.

Sally Rabbit (JB's) now has ears, arms and one leg securely sewn on. If you've ever read "Oliver Pig" books to your kids, you know who Sally Rabbit is.

(that's the real Sally Rabbit on the right, with Amanda Pig)

A vintage apron given to me by Bug's best friend's mom, Gayle.

Tomorrow, a giveaway!

xox

I Ran Away Yesterday

I got tired of being the one who never gets the car. So I stole it and ran away.

(IF YOU'RE HERE FOR THE GIVEAWAY CARNIVAL, KEEP SCROLLING)



Just to the nearest big town, really, to drop off my dead serger and browse Tuesday Morning. Great store -- also went over to Big Lots, another favourite store. I found a few things. At Tuesday Morning, I found the greatest decorating book:

I used to be a big fan of Lynette Jennings, until she got her American show and things went downhill. It was a show with a live audience, and I just didn't care for it. She started sounding like the penultimate know-it-all of home decorating.

But she was the one that got me started on HGTV with decorating. She was the one I'd watch and learn from -- I remember one thing she said that has never left me. She held up a piece of wood to a white wall and said "see how this looks brown?" Then she held it up to a colored wall -- red or blue or something -- and said "see how now it has woodgrain, and depth?" I couldn't believe my eyes. She was right.

When I picked up this book yesterday at Tuesday Morning, I didn't have much hopes for it. But was I ever surprised! She throws out all the rules about decorating, and rather helps you organise yourself and identify your own style based on what you already have. And based on what things you own which mean a lot to you. This is really good stuff. I even sent a copy to my good friend Chari via Amazon.

I just finished upstairs installing a new ceiling fan for Rose. I think I bruised my thumb. Waaah. I also removed the cabinet doors and hardware from my bathroom cabinet. Time to paint. I have the girls painting doors today -- I haven't had a door on my bedroom, my bathroom, my closet, the half bath, or the hall closet for a few days now.

Actually, I kind of like it.

Lynette has me thinking I should knock out a wall. One of the pages in the book says "Your kitchen can be your living room. Why not?" What a great idea. Talk about an easy way to alleviate all the food dishes that accumulate in the family room!

Shopping with Hunk O Man

Today, if I can ever get Hunk O Man outta bed (it's 12:30PM and he's still sleeping!), we're going to look at Honda scooters. For me!

I saved us so much money in taxes that I asked for one and he said maybe. Plus, I will finally be able to get back and forth to Lowe's and Wal-Mart, the only two places to shop in my town.

We do have a new Tractor Supply store. Which Hunk O Man told me yesterday is really more of a hardware store, so that may top my list before long. I love me a good hardware store, especially the ones with the little screws and nuts in sizes you can't find anywhere else.

I also want to head over to Lowe's and get shelving. I have an idea to STOP THE MADNESS which is constant between Babydoll and JB, who share a room. I want to put shelving on all four of their walls, about a foot below the ceiling. This will serve two purposes: first, it will get all their crap stuff off the floor. Secondly, it will enable Babydoll to put all her crap stuff on the shelf so she can access things while on the top bunk.

I also want to head over to the local carpet place to check out remnants for their room.

And today is the deadline for the girls to finish pricing all the garage sale stuff. Which I believe, in fact, they haven't even started. I guess they'll be busy today.

And just FYI -- especially for you, Queen B -- while shopping yesterday in Bed Bath and Beyond with Hunk O Man, on our big trip to Sam's in the City, he said this:

"You know, if they had those Sham-Wow thingys, I think I'd buy one."

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's SUPER JB!

My kid is amazing. She is not even 14 1/2 yet, and she is a genius.

I know every mom says that. But mine really is, honestly and truly. I kid you not. (no pun intended)

And here is why:

A long time ago I bought a new faucet for the half bath. I was astounded at how much water was dripping out of the old one, and thought it should be replaced. It was one of those old single-head knobby models that is what we refer to in decorating as "absolutely vile."

So of course I sat the box with the new faucet in there on the counter as a decorative item. This is what we refer to in decorating as "yeah, yeah, I'll get to it eventually; it's on the list."

I have been pushing the girls to complete some rather big tasks this summer before school starts again. Namely, clean out the side attic and have a garage sale. They have been avoiding me. Nobody meets my gaze anymore when we pass in the kitchen. Hmmm. Could this have something to do with the fact that I ask if their chore is done and if the project is finished before they go play on the Gamecube? Everyone knows that they'd better be busy when they see me.

So JB asked yesterday if she could replace the faucet.

"Sure," I replied.

Huh? What did she just ask me?

I went back to the taxes. I was thinking she would get as far as reading the directions -- if she remembered to do that -- and then wander away having given up before she even started.

Not so. The next time I saw her, she was asking me if we had any WD-40. I looked up from the the taxes, and I told her to ask Dad.

And then I see she and Hunk O Man leaving to go to Lowe's. They apparently needed new pipes. And WD-40.

There was a sound to my right as I typed and ciphered. It was JB in that bathroom under the sink, trying to get connectors to fit.

They mysteriously disappeared to Lowe's again, Hunk O Man and she, and then they came back again.

Then I heard water running. So I went running.

There was a new faucet on the sink. With running water. And none on the floor.

I am not even kidding you. No leaks, no problems, just a beautiful new faucet and stopper.

The dead faucet was laying in the hallway, looking very, well, dead. And ugly.

She actually did it. She disconnected an old faucet, and installed a new one. ON HER OWN. The only real question I had to answer was when she asked where the water shut-off valves were.

I got her on the phone with Pappy immediately. The Master of All Things Handy had to know that finally somebody else in this family has the Handyman Gene. I hooted and hollered and high fives went all round.

And now I am in search of a bumpersticker that says

"Proud Parent of Kid Who Can Install Faucets On Her Own."

To go right beside the one I have currently, which says this:

"I WANNA BE BARBIE. THAT CHICK HAS EVERYTHING."

Which is under my license frame, which says "I'M NOT SPEEDING. I'M QUALIFYING."

More photos of spoils

I just finished doing taxes today. I am surprisingly in a relatively good mood because God is good! I started out thinking we owed and then fixed something and all of a sudden we get a refund!

I hate money. It comes, it goes. Life is about people and beautiful things. Enough about money!

I know you're all dying to see my photos of the fabulous fabrics I got at Hobby Lobby. Since that one of the messy table was so -- well, messy.

Anyway, I have to tell you that I think I alarmed the woman who showed up to cut everything. After all, these were all on bolts, and the bolts are big, and I had about 400 bolts stacked up . . .

I looked at her, smiled, held out my hand, and said this: "I know, but let me just say first of all that I LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. The closest fabric store is at least an hour away."

I'm not sure that really helped, but she was a little happier when I said "If there's less than a yard left on the bolt, I'll take that too." (since she offered it at half off!)

Then we started talking, and I found out she previously lived in southern CA like I did, and we reminisced about how it's changed over the years.

So on to the fabric. I got things in threes if I could, in order to make bags, aprons, etc. Here we go:

Pink, Green and Black:

Pink and Black:

Pink and Brown:

Black and White:

Blue and Chocolate brown:

Japanese prints I knew Bug would love:

Couldn't resist this, now, could I?

A couple of remnants I loved, and the blue and white china print -- loved that --

Chiffon for a skirt for Bunny, who was helping choose:

And her skirt will be kind of like Bug's, here which is just a couple of squares sewn on top of each other and hemmed, and an elastic waistband attached:

Bug actually wanted two skirts like this, and we already had the purple print. So I got some solid purple to go with it.

And now that all the money stuff is done, I will be able to endlessly create at will!

(just as soon as I get the laundry done)

deep breath.

sigh.

I'm walking away now.

Maybe a game of Zuma . . .