Crafty Crafties Part 4

I made my cardigan out of an old T-shirt! How fun is this?! Not bad for 50 cents, huh?
It's not my original idea, but I still love it. I am going to jazz it up with maybe a fabric tree or some leaves on the shoulder and around or something.


On another note, there are rumors flying around that we are supposed to get dumped with (and I am quoting from the weather channel) "crippling" snow next week, reminiscent of the blizzard of '95 (?). I have my doubts about this. I have been looking at the ever trusty weather.com and there isn't a drop of precipitation anywhere on the radar map. I think they have us confused with Canada. People are taking it seriously, though. I was at Foodland today and it was a mad house! I only went for milk because Elli was out of it. Crazy!

Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway! I might just give away more than one! Who knows!

Darn! I missed it! GIVEAWAY!

* Contest is Closed *

I completely missed my 300th post! I only missed it by 2, so I guess it's not that big of a deal.

And Hey!

Since my actual 300th post was a Crafty Crafties post - I'm going to do a giveaway!

I am going to give away one of my spoon pendants! I can't decide which one, so I'll give you three choices. Just leave a comment on my post here and tell me which one you would prefer and if I draw your name out of a hat - it's yours! Make sure that you put your email address or someway that I can contact you in your comment! If you don't have a google account, you can comment as anonymous - just leave your name and such.

I'll leave the contest open until Next Saturday, February 7th. Tell your friends!

*A disclaimer* remember that I am still new at making these - I still make the resin drip a little...in other words there is a drip of resin on the back of the spoons that I can't get picked off! It doesn't effect the look or feel of the pendant at all. I'm not prefect!!! Geesh!!! After all, it's free for you, so you can't complain that much.... :)

Breaking news - CPSIA delayed! Your amazing efforts made a difference

(This is from CoolMomPicks - where the save handmade link links to)

"According to today's most excellent release from the Consumer Products Safety Commission, the CPSC has done the only common sense thing it could have done, and granted a one year stay of testing and certification requirements until February 10, 2010 Which means...
whoo!
Commissioner Nancy Nord in her letter to congress calls it "a time-out." Which is exactly the right thing to do.
To quote the CPSC statement:
Manufacturers and importers large and small of children's products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will need to meet the lead and phthalates limits... The stay of enforcement provides some temporary, limited relief to the crafters, children's garment manufacturers and toy makers who had been subject to the testing and certification required under the CPSIA. These businesses will not need to issue certificates based on testing of their products until additional decisions are issued by the Commission. However, all businesses, including, but not limited to, handmade toy and apparel makers, crafters and home-based small businesses, must still be sure that their products conform to all safety standards

The stay...does not address thrift and second hand stores and small retailers because they are not required to test and certify products under the CPSIA.

It's all we've ever really wanted - to protect our kids from lead and other toxins, while being mindful of the good guys who were never a threat in the first place.

Your emails, calls, and support have been invaluable to so many small businesses. And to us. Thank you.

Read about the one year CPSIA stay at the CPSC website. "

Snowballs in the sky

The other day it was snowing what looked like snowballs. Giant snowflake clusters falling from the sky. I took E up out of her chair - she was eating (trying to eat) lunch, and we went outside for a second. It was still pretty slippery because of the ice, so we didn't play, but she enjoyed the moment anyway.

Catching snowflakes!

Crafty Crafties Part 3

This isn't a very exciting part of my recent craftiness, but it's kind of crafty nonetheless. When Elli want to color, I don't mind. What drives me nuts, is when the crayons look like this:

So today I said "Enough!" I grabbed my muffin tin, my exacto knife to cute off the wrappers that weren't already torn off (she was eating lunch at the table, so no knife near baby), and began sorting and cutting.

I stuck them in a warm oven for a while:

We waited anxiously:

Pulled them out of the oven and let them cool:

Then after her nap, she had a "new" toy to play with and I had a much smaller mess in my floor after her coloring!

Since, neither of these things are exceptionally exciting enough to have their own post, here's something else I have done lately~

E for Elli :

Here's where it ended up on her wall:

25 things about me

I've been tagged for 25 things...a lot...(on Facebook) so I thought I might as well post it here too. So here it goes:

~25 things about me~

1. I married my first love
2. I am the oldest of 4 kids - 3 girls, 1 boy. My poor brother.
3. My mom raised me to think that I can do anything, be anyone, and succeed at everything it I try my hardest. I hope to pass that on to Elli.
4. Though I know I can do anything, etc, I can sitll be self-conscious and timid about myself, embarass easily, etc. It depends on my mood I geuss, because some days I don't give a hoot what you think of me :)
5. I enjoy getting dirty. Playing in the mud, being covered in clay, sweating, being messy while I'm artsy, swimming in a river. It washes off, so what's the big deal?
6. I hate washing dishes and let them pile up for days so that I only have to do them once...or hoping Mike will wash them or have enough pity on me to build a new kitchen and get me a dishwasher. That's not too much to ask is it?!
7. I have a dog, and because of her I vaccum regularly. Okay, I hate housework.
8. One my pet peeves is people who are late. Yes, my time is just as important as yours, and yes, I do have better things to do besides set and wait on you to show up. If I tell you I will be there at 5pm, count on it. Not 5:05, not 5:10, ... (copied from my friend Lori - I can't say it any better than this!)
9. I love color. Really!? Purple hair, every room is a different color, my wardrobe. So maybe you already knew this.
10. It takes me FOREVER to get pictures from my camera to my computer to anywhere that anyone can see it.
11. I eat way too much. If I am bored, I eat. If I am thirsty, I eat. If I need to get out of the stinkin' house but can't because Elli's sleeping or it's friggin' icy outside, I eat. I really should use my treadmill.
12. I got a treadmill 2 weeks ago. I've used it 3 times. I'm lazy. No - I'm busy doing other things that I can't do while Elli's awake. I am not dedicated to it.
13. I want to love my treadmill.
14. I love to be artistic and want to make money selling my art and my crafts. Any takers?!
15. I have more pajamas than any other article of clothing in my closet.
16. I have to have the lights in my house so that if people are outside, they have a hard time seeing in. Okay, when I was little I used to swear that someone was looking in my bedroom window, and it scarred me. So now, I can't have open windows at night, lights on unless the curtains are closed when it's dark outside, anything like that.
17. I visualize the perfect escape to everything in the moment, just incase it would happen. For example - if I'm driving over a bridge I go through steps of what to do incase the bridge collapses while I'm on it, so that I will survive. Or how I how beat the crap out of anyone who would jump out at me from behind a corner or try to steal something from me. Seriously you all, don't mess with me. I'm prepared.
18. I can do the worm, and can do it well.
19. I hope to plant a garden this spring and summer and harvest my own veggies and things.
20. I hate WalMart....almost as much as I hate craft shows. 'nough said.
21. I used to have long hair, but now that it's short and stylish, it is hard to grow it out. I've tried and cut it off again. But, if I just pulled it up and out of my face anyway while it was long, what was the point of having long hair?
22. I enjoy singing, but am not necessarily great at it. I had fun singing Sunday morning at church with the worship team, and hope that I wasn't so bad that I can't do it again.
23. I am not a kid person. I never babysat, watched my brother and sisters well, or planned on having a family. I am still not comfortable with kids. I like middle school age and older. They're goofy and make me laugh. I will babysit any of my friends kids because I know them and have grown to be comfortable with them and I love my own and am thrilled by her everyday.
24. I'll have more kids someday, but I'm scared to go for it now because of my back and neck from my car accident. I threw up everyday for 9 months with Elli....I can't do that with whiplash neck and TMJ face!
25. I am really happy this is my last factoid. I am cheap and have a hard time buying anything becasue I think to myself all the time that I can make it, and make it better - for example - Vera Bradley bags. But if I am depressed, I will on ocassion buy clothes or some really cool shoes at full price.

Braids

Can you believe my 2 year old let me do this to her hair?! Too bad she's napping on it right now and ruining my masterpiece!! Ha!

Ice

Yesterday, snow. Today, ice. Currently, it's raining. Then ice again. Then snow again. What a mess!

Snow day!

It snowed today! And it wasn't so bitter cold that we couldn't go outside, so Elli and I bundled ourselves up and headed out! Our street is a dead end, so it never EVER gets plowed, no one ever drives on it, and it's a little bit of a hill, so I grabbed a sled and played in the middle of the street. That's right. And it was fun! Then we headed out back, threw snow balls at the dog, played in the swing,

ooo look! what's this!?

pouted because her lip hurts.

The other day, Elli bit through her lip. Poor little thing. It wasn't that bad before, but now it looks (and probably feels) like 2 giant ulcers in her mouth right on her lip. If she eats, it hurts, if she moves, it hurts. If she talks and her lip touches her teeth, it hurts. I feel bad for her, because there isn't a whole lot I can do to help her. I've just given her a popcicle before she eats to kindof numb it, teething tablets because she says her teeth hurt, and occasionally I'll put some baby orajel on it. I don't know what else there is that I can do. Hopefully she'll be able to sleep. She's already cried two or three time since she's been down. :(
But she enjoyed the snow!

Crafty Crafties Part 2

I finished my spoon necklaces today. Here they are before I filled them with casting epoxy:

The green one was supposed to look like a dragonfly, but the effect kindof got lost in the casting. His little wings disappeared.

And if I was thinking, I would have put them in the same order. Oh well. And it's a blurry picture. Sorry, I'm still getting used to my new camera.

Here they are resin-ated, beaded, and ready to wear.
I think they are fun, but I spilled epoxy everywhere in the process. I had no where to lay them down when I filled them, they tipped over, they leaned, I'd bump them...it was a mess. Eh, I'll probably do it again.

Crafty Crafties Part 1

Just to prove that I actually have been doing things, I am going to post some pictures of the fun.

I have been making stencils out of freezer paper and painting my clothes. I am trying to figure out a design I can do that will incorporate fabric bleaching with the painting too. Kindof a negative/positive thing. Any ideas? As cool as these are, they are unfortunately one-of-a-kind. I can only use my stencil one time. I usually tear it when I pull it off of the fabric (becuase it's ironed on). I guess that I could cut out a completely new one, so it isn't exactly one-of-a-kind, but what fun would that be?!

So here are some of the designs I've done:

This is one I made for the back of one of Mike's dress shirts. Turned out pretty cool.

This I made for Jackie. She loves the tv show 'House.' Everything is first diagnosed as lupus on the show. A pretty good likeness. I am going to make her a Mike Rowe from "Dirty Jobs" shirt too.

I love sea turtles. I kept this one.

Handmade IS better. Just promoting my stuff in a way, I guess.

I copied this clipart from a website. It took WAY too long for me to finish this one. I am happy with it, but it was too complicated. I like to get things finished fast, and that didn't happen with this one.

I want to make some things for Elli too, but I don't know what. It seems like a lot of pressure to pick out something to put on a few shirts for her. Any ideas?

Stay tuned! More crafty crafties to come! And a friend of mine will be giving away something of mine on her blog soon for her 500th post! I'll let you know what that happens too :) - and what it is ofcourse!

Save Handmade

Please! Click on the new button that I posted on my blog - it says "Save Handmade" on it :)

There is an incredible amount of information about this new law that is coming into effect on February 10 that is, in my opinion, really going to screw up the economy - not to mention any family struggling with income and trying to suppliment with safe, handmade childrens things.

Like me, for example.

Please, write/email/call your congressman and senator - there are sample letters on the page that you'll be routed to.

These links are on the page also, but I found them sadly interesting:

Endangered Whimsy- a blog gallery of handmade products endangered by the CPSIA. Feel free to submit yours. I will as soon as I get some photos. It makes me really sad.

Sad but true: The $15,160 kids dress on etsy posted in protest of the CPSIA. How can the government expect us to survive?

Anyways, there is a lot of good stuff, and a lot of ways we can voice our opposition and hopefully make a change. Didn't Obama say that this is a country "for the people" ? Let's see if he means it.

Mom's birthday

So today we had a surprise birthday party for my mom. I can't believe we actually kept it a surprise! She only got suspicious at the last moment when she came to the restaurant and recognized vehicles. We did pretty good! We went to Texas Roadhouse...mmmmm. THey even let me bring my own cupcakes for dessert! How nice is that?!

Speaking of cupcakes. Let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time there was a wonderful daughter whose mother was turning "*0" and she wanted to bake some delicious cupcakes for her birthday party. I had it all together. My chocolate, the butter, the eggs, everything. I begin baking. The batter is delicious. I plop them into the oven and bake. I rotate half way through so that they become evenly baked. I get distracted watching a *stupid* movie and completely miss the timer. I burnt the cupcakes. It's 2 days before the party and it's like 9:30 at night. What am I going to do?! I am not making anymore cupcakes because, frankly, I am severely ticked off. I should have been paying attention, but it's not completely my fault! My dear husband had surround sound and likes to watch movies with the volume up very loud. And my timer noise is dying. Anyhow. The next day I call up my local Foodland (in Vienna - highly reccomend it) and beg them to make me up some cupcakes to pick up in the morning. They said sure and well, I'm reasonable okay with that. How bad can they be?

This morning I go to pick up the cupcakes before I head to the party palace and guess what I do. I grab the tray of 24 cupcakes, turn to put them in my cart, and spill them all over the floor! They are all over the cart. Icing is everywhere. I felt like such an idiot. All the customers, including Elli, all were like "Oh no!" "Awww..." "Oh my." It was kindof funny. But! The bakery manager (lucky me that she was there) came to my rescue and whipeed me up some more cupcakes right there! It only took like 10 minutes. Get your cupcakes from Foodland from now on! Boycot WalMart!

They better have been good cupcakes. I don't think I even ate one, I was so sick of them.

Here are a couple pictures of the big party. People wearing mom's crazy old lady glasses. It was fun :)

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Okay okay okay

Okay! Okay! I have been gone for a long time now. Sorry. I just haven't felt like writing and didn't really care if I ever did it again. But, maybe now I'll keep it up. We'll see :)
I've been really productive in my artsy crafty world these past couple of months. I will post pictures of my things in the next day or two. Well, I will post them after I get pictures off of my camera and onto my computer. Whenever that will be....
I am not working anymore, so I hope to really paint a lot in my studio on my new easel! Woohoo!! I can't wait to use it. Maybe since I'm not working I'll blog regularly. Ha! Maybe.
Just thought I'd let you know that I still exist. I really am making things for an etsy shop. I really will blog about things again soon. I really will give things away.