branching out

Today was a day. The sweetie is turning into a little explorer. I think she's getting to the terrible twos a little early. We managed to change her clothes three times today. It probably should have been four after she dumped her entire sippy cup of apple juice on the floor at her feet. (I only changed her socks that time). If she wasn't making a mess or getting into something she shouldn't, she was hanging on my leg trying to be held. I think I held her half the day. She may be teething, but wow, it is good to have it today behind us. She did have her sweet moments though, like putting a donut shaped toy in her mouth that pushed up her top lip and showed her front teeth through the opening in the middle. She looked  like a scary rabid rabbit. That was pretty funny. I'm only sorry I didn't get a picture. She also gave me lots of cuddles which are always priceless. I do love some cuddles! Well, anyway, it was a definitely a day. On to more related topics . . .

I've started playing around with combining design on the computer and handmade cards. I love the look of handmade cards, but sometimes it can be limiting (especially when I'm not willing to spend a fortune on crafting supplies). I thought a card with a branch coming out designed on the computer would be fun to dress up with leaves of any color, or blossoms . . . so many possiblities! If I can fine tune the details I will post it as a freebie. Happy Wednesday!

Freebie Friday Repost: Valentines Printables

Enjoy some past fun Valentine Printables! I've determined it's time to start removing past printables and only keep up the last couple of freebies. So start downloading them while you can!

Here is one way to use the Valentine Simple Cards. Click to find lots more ideas.

Catch up quick and do a 14 days of I love you with these Valentine Notes. Or make a chain card or banner to hang up on Valentines Day.

 These Valentine Toppers are great for cupcakes, but also make a nice seal or tag on a valentine package too!

Personalize this Valentine Box with meaningful trinkets or candies. Not too big at 2 inches square, but perfect for a little something to share.

In the shop: Animal Shaped Alphabet Toppers

I've just posted these fun Animal shaped alphabet circles

The idea of these toppers was to make my ABC posters a little more accessible, and useable. They are fun on a wall, but I want to use them in more ways. 

The possibilities of these circular little ABC's created by animal bodies are pretty vast. Here are some ideas:

Obviously you can use them as cupcake toppers

How about as a card embellishments

A small gift tag

A monogrammed seal for kids gifts, favor bags, etc . . .

Make a mini word banner for the top of a cake or a small space

Turn into stickers

Make into a matching game

Make into badges or a knecklace

Anyway, pretty fun. Find them here. 

weekend prep

This may be a little, or a lot, random and completely not on topic, but it is what I did this weekend. We put 1700 lbs of hard white wheat into 6 gallon food grade buckets with lots of oxygen packs to take out all the air. We, being me, my mom, the hunny, and my bro. It only took us about an hour to fill 34 buckets.  

And why, you ask, in the heck were we doing that? Well, for lots of reasons. My mom found a great deal on wheat, say $20 for 50 lbs. And we're both trying to add more whole wheat to our diet. But, these weren't just for my mom and I and that's only part of why we were doing it. We were also doing it to be prepared. Food Storage you know. Not because I'm a conspiracy theorist or because I think 2012 is going to be the end of the world, but because you never know what might happen-not just with the world but with us. What if the hunny lost his job? It sure would be nice to have a little back up food around until we got back on our feet. Anyway, so the buckets got divided out 6 ways and I'm happy to have a little extra wheat on hand :) Random, yes. Reassuring too :)

Starting

I guess my whining last week paid off. After venting a bit on Friday I kicked myself back into gear. First gear. But Saturday I went to Joann's and bought myself some fabric, and this is what I've accomplished so far: All the squares cut out for the buddies quilt. I'm anxious to see the final results! But I dare say venting is therapeutic!

We colored a set of Birthday Masks for fun the other day as well . . . they work great . . . maybe not great enough to hide my lack of make up though, eh?

Freebie Friday: Super Mask Birthday Card

I guess January is always kind of an unproductive month for me. December is so crazy I think I just kind of ooze into a blissful indifference to getting much done in January. The first week or so I'm still running off the steam of Christmas and the hope of New Year's resolutions. But after that it just kind of peters out. And that is where I am. I have lots of great ideas floating around in my head. Like starting a quilt like this but expanding it to a twin size, and using this technique to make it faster. I want to start drawing again since painting seems to be too time consuming for this time of my life, and then I've got a paper mache lamp/ light fixture with Christmas lights as the "bulb" floating around in my head . . . and then a gazillion design projects including some Valentine's ones that may or may not get done before that holiday hits. But, instead I sat around reading Parenting and Time Magazine this afternoon for a good hour or so while the buddy watched TV and the sweetie played dolls and tried to figure out how lego's work (don't worry she's past the eating them phase).

Anywhoo. . . I did make a boy version of the printable Birthday cards as a Freebie Friday for you today though: (Actually I made them over a week ago because I had a nephew's birthday come up, but that's beside the point, right).

Click here to download the Super Mask Birthday Card. 

Each page makes two birthday cards with instructions for the birthday boy to cut out and color the mask themselves. I recommend printing on white cardstock so they can color it however they choose!

Enjoy!

Brown Bag Wreath

This awesome wreath I was first introduced to on Make Happy. I saw it and knew I needed to make it. But that was over a year ago. I even bought an 1.25 inch scalloped hole punch specifically for this (it's come in handy for lots of other things). But when I took down my Christmas wreath our poor little door looked so bare. I knew the brown paper bag wreath had finally moved up on the priority list. It was time to make it.

I started with a pretty thick brown bag and then moved to what else I had on hand-lunch bags. After starting to put them on the wreath I realized that they weren't quite the same color of brown. So I tried to vary them both through the whole thing to add a little depth. Anyway, a little picture tutorial below. Or you can go to the original in depth tutorial by MaryJanes and Galoshes.

Have a great Wednesday!!