Friday Favorites (6/26/09)

Erin at $5 Dinners shares a recipe for Beef, Snap Pea and Broccoli Stir-Fry. The cost of this dinner was just $3.59. YUM! The Long Thread shares 50 Summer Crafts for Kids. Who couldn't use more ideas for entertaining children during the summer months? Melissa at Bloggin' It shows us how she made scrappy paper dolls. What a great way to use extra scrapbook paper and have fun with your little girls at the same time. We will definitely be doing this! Little Birdie Secrets shows how to make party poppers for your July 4th celebration. I bet the kids would have a blast with these! Ashlee at Pretty Partridge made really cute fun photo wall art with scrapbook paper. Another great way to use some of my stash of paper! Naptime Journal shows us how to do some plastic basket weaving using plastic crates and ribbon. These would make fantastic decorative storage or cute containers for holding gifts. Emily at Not So Idle Hands shows us how to Make old, broken crayons fun again. I have already picked up the trays to do this with my daughters. Very cute! Have fun!

Pay It Forward...

Some of you know about and are participating in my Pay It Forward Crafting Style. Yesterday, I received my craft from Emily at Not So Idle Hands. Is this not the cutest? She said she remembered me saying I had 2 little girls so she thought they would like this. She was so right! Katie snapped it right up and loves it!

It's a chalkboard made out of vinyl. Emily sewed the adorable fabric and ribbon to the back to create a chalkboard for a child to take along anywhere they like. Sew cute! I mean soooo cute!

Here is the link to the tutorial. Go take a peek. She also did a "whiteboard vinyl" one.

Thanks again Emily! We love our craft!

To those of you who are participating in my Pay It Forward, I will be contacting you soon if I don't have your address.

Monday Musings... A.A. Milne

I have often seen and loved the many sayings of Winnie the Pooh and friends created by A.A. Milne. Just a few for you this Monday morning... Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. ~Christopher Robin to Pooh Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again? ~Winnie the Pooh "When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?" "What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?" "I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said. It's snowing still," said Eeyore gloomily. "So it is." "And freezing." "Is it?" "Yes," said Eeyore. "However," he said, brightening up a little, "we haven't had an earthquake lately.” “When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.” ~Winnie the Pooh Have a great day!

Artful Penpals

So, this week I stumbled across a blog called Artful Penpals.

Shelagh (beautiful name isn't it) is an artist and mom in Nova Scotia. Her blog Alice in Paris Loves Art and Tea is full of her gorgeous colorful artwork and photos. You really have to stop by and see all her work. She also has a link to her Etsy shop. Make sure you give her some bloggy love.

Shelagh has started the Artful Penpals to help bring back the lost art of letter writing. I absolutely loved the idea because I too feel that going to the mailbox and receiving something more than junkmail or a bill can really brighten one's day.

Here is what she writes in her post:

I had written a post in my blog a while ago about the joy of the written word and how lovely it is to hold a precious letter in your hand. Exciting to go to your post box and discover a wee personal treasure just for you, waiting to be opened. I was surprised at how many people felt the same way and longed for that kind of personal touch. So I thought I would facilitate a small, return to the handwritten letter ...."festival"!

To participate, all you have to do is send one letter, the kind of letter you would like to receive, to your penpal and they will do the same in kind. Lovely stationery, big bulky, slender elegant, something enclosed, it is up to you. I will match you with a writing partner. You don't need to have a blog to sign on. I will add your name/blog to the side bar once you have signed up:)

So, go visit Artful Penpals and sign up! What are you waiting for? Registration closes on June 14 so that Shelagh can match each person up with a penpal. While you are there, visit Shelagh at Alice in Paris Loves Art and Tea. I promise you will love it!

Friday Favorites (6/5/09)

Look at all the great links I found this week!

Erin at $5 dinners posted a great recipe for Round Steak and Mashed Potatoes. Cost for the entire yummy meal was $4.91! She also shared a recipe for Shrimp Kabobs with Creamy Dijon Dill Sauce ($3.95), see, you really need to go and visit her!

Melissa at Bloggin' It shared an idea for entertaining children in her Beans Beans the Magical Fruit post. I've already tried this and it really worked keeping my 3 year old busy!

Lovin' this Simple Card Holder Tutorial from Teri at Big Ideas from a Little Girl. I make alot of card sets for gifts and would love to package them this way!

Teresa at Eclectic Rose shares a recipe for Cream Filled Strawberries while looking for positives on cleaning day. :) They sound simply divine!

Mique at 30 days shares some links to some really cute Digital Downloads. I think I may use the recipe card one.

Marie at Make and Takes shares her idea for Keeping Kids Busy This Summer with her Summer Tub O'Fun. Love this! She also shared a recipe for Creamy and Delicious Baked Potato Salad. Can you say YUMMY!?

Tonya at Currently Crafting shares a how to on Paint Tin Pot Plants. Such a cute idea to do with the little ones.

Robin at All Things Heart and Home shares an Adorable little Coasters ~ DIY! Easy and cute!

Emily at Not So Idle Hands shares a tutorial on Etching Glass. I have been wanting to try this for some time and think that it makes a great gift!

Jill at Controlling My Chaos has printable Chore Charts for the kids. We will definitely be using these with the onset of summer.

That all for now. Have a fabulous weekend!

A is for...

I'm not sure who! :) This letter is an order for someone's birthday gift.

Last day of school!

It is my Bug's last day of kindergarten. I cannot believe the little 6lb 9oz. baby I held just 6 short years ago is headed for 1st Grade!

In honor of finishing her first year of school, I started a last day of the school year tradition. I made her a t-shirt.

This is the back.

This is the front.

She loves it and it was easy. I just bought a $2.99 shirt at Hobby Lobby and used Tulip Puffy Paint. Nik wants one now too! I guess hers could say Bye-Bye Frog Class on the back and Fish Class here I come! on the front.

I also finished K's teacher's pots. I'm about to run them over to the school right now.

I am not a huge fan of yellow, but Katie's teacher is and I really like the way this one turned out.

I have another pot that I did in purple, but haven't mastered the way I upload my pics to blogger, so this will just have to do. Hope you all have a fantastic day!