birthday crafts- pennant banner, cake stand, homemade trophies.

Birthday Pennant Banner-
mine took 10 minutes.
i just used one black poster board.
cut it into 5 inch wide strips, piled 3 together and eyeballed cutting out triangles.
they don't have to be perfect, you can't even tell...
i had some bulletin board letters from a teacher's store that i stapled on.
glue is too messy and staples are easy to remove.
i folded my ribbon in half and counted out the middle of my sign.
happy (space) birthday! is 15... so letter 8 is the middle "i"
i started with the middle letter "i" and worked out- STAPLING each banner to the ribbon.
on one banner i stapled the ribbon on the back and the other i stapled it on front- just see what you like.
i hung them on my mantle/wall with thumbtacks or picture hanging nails.
easy. cute. simple.

Re-Usable Cake Stands-
i wanted different levels on the table.
sometimes is stick bowls or pots under the table cloth or table runner.
but, this time i just took a wide vase and a mug and placed plates on top of them.
it was an easy way to make things look a little fancy.

Homemade Trophies-
i've done this a few times for youth events.
i just find old McDonald's toys and hot glue them to a can of beans or baby food jars.
spray paint everything silver (or gold)
and TAH DAH!!  (you could print out a sign to glue or tape to the front of the can, if you want.)
easy, kinda cute, and the kids love them.
i do tell the kids not to keep them forever because there is still black beans inside.

once again, i feel silly sharing these ideas with you because they are so simple.
i don't have a lot of time or money to spend on decorations... so i am really fast and really cheap.
i also bought a bag of balloons that i just had my kids blow up and throw all over the basement.
the kids played with them all night long.
i don't think birthday parties need to be super fancy.
but, i might feel differently if i didn't have seven children.
have a great day!!

preschool at a nursing home.

i had jakob's 3rd birthday party at a nursing home.
i loved it.
there is magic in the interaction of children and the elderly.
i have often thought that i could do a little preschool group at a nursing home...
we've arranged christmas programs and singing programs there.
and FINALLY i just called and asked if i could come for an hour with a group of preschoolers.
right now we go once a month- next month i will do it every other week.

it is nothing great-- just circle time with activities and songs, craft time and snack time.
i got most everything i used for $10 at the dollar tree.
our theme this month was RED which was easy because of Valentine's Day.
we'll do GREEN in March.
(i asked one of my sweet friends to come help- all her children are in school, but she came and was a lifesaver holding eve who screamed most of the time.  i had two other moms who stayed and helped out the whole time.  i couldn't have done it without other moms.  and, todd showed up for the end- right when i thought eve was never going to calm down- she had a blowout diaper and i had no change of clothes or wipes... nice. it really does take a village.)

children bring joy.
i can't imagine being at a stage of life where i am without the touch of a child.
when little fingers hold wrinkled hands, i can see both sets of eyes light up.
the facility we were at is a Memory Care facility.
seeing those men and women, who are parents, grandparents and great grandparents, as they struggle to communicate just touches my heart strings.
Wise souls who are ill and unable to remember or articulate as they once could.
i wanted them to feel normal and loved.
one grandfather started making cute animal sounds when he saw the children.
he belted out the start of a jolly hello tune before he got confused and distracted.
for a glimpse, i saw him as the man he was, and is, deep down.
i know he was a fun father and a jovial grandfather.
one of my friends has her mother in this facility.
my eyes filled with tears as her youngest child threw a balloon into the basket on her grandmother's lap.
her grandmother had a sweet smile on her face as she made a big effort to pat the balloon into the basket.
for a moment she was just a proud grandmother, i felt her spirit so present and so loving.
it was magical.

i was impressed by my timid lily...
she went around saying hello, telling them her name, holding their hands, smiling...
it was sweet to watch.

the kids sang and danced and interacted a bit.
i had a few games planned to facilitate interaction...
-we hid a stuffed heart with a grandparent and the kids went to find it.
-the grandparents held a basket and the kids tried to throw a ball of red yarn or a red balloon into it.
-i had foam hearts that the kids gave to the grandparents "giving them love".
we all did "head, shoulders, knees and toes together", we all stretched together, we all sang "If you're happy and you know it" together...
(the woman in the orange jacket was named mildred, she reminded me of my grandmother who passed away a few years ago.)

it was an easy, fun morning!
i learned this lesson-- don't be afraid to serve.
do you have something that you've thought about?
something that you could do, without much effort, that would bless the lives of others?
i believe God will whisper to you what it is.
some small thing, to serve a few of His children.

i finally listened-- and as i served i was filled with joy.
i know i was doing exactly what He wanted me to do.
i was serving in a small way... and it was beautiful.
JUST DO IT.
make a phone call, schedule the date... just do the one small thing that nags at the back of your mind.
i heard someone once say, you may have a dream that seems too hard to do.
just take the first step towards it.
my first step- i cancelled leah's preschool and i told the teacher i was thinking about doing my own preschool at a nursing home.
my second step- i drove to the place where i thought i wanted to do it.
i felt a distinct impression that there was another place where i would be of more service.
my third step- (the hardest) i called the first place i had chosen.  the lady i talked to was a bit dismissive and too busy to talk.  she said they had a lot of stuff going on, could i call back next month.  i knew that was not the place.
i called the memory care facility.  i knew it would not be as fun as the other more glamorous home, but i knew  we could be of greater service.
the activity director i talked with was SO excited.  she called me back in five minutes to tell me she had checked with her boss and everything was good.
they were kind, appreciative, and very flexible.  a great match.  we scheduled a date.
my fourth step- i just did it.
i was scared and nervous and unsure...  but it was fine.

i'm actually surprised at how easy it was to do something.
we each have something we can do.  some small thing.
if you don't know what it is-- ask God to tell you again.
to lead you to someone you can serve.
"be not weary in well-doing for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.  and out of small things proceedeth that which is great."  doctrine and covenants 64:33

because i served, my family was blessed.

this line from a church song kept urging me forward...

"I strengthen my family by my good works..."

true.

we all can do some small thing...  

preschool at a nursing home, that was my thing.

what's yours?

life is good.

make a moby.

this moby can handle an 8.5 month pregnant belly and a 2 year old.  :)

yes, i made a moby wrap.

it was simple-- two seams and some cutting.

I used a 40% off coupon at JoAnn's and bought 3 yards of ribbed knit fabric.

(I did look at my Walmart and they didn't have any cute knit for less than $5 a yard.)

I cut the fabric in half down the fold line, giving me 6 yards of fabric only 22.5 inches wide.
I didn't just want to sew the two pieces together- because I didn't want a seam down the middle where you would see it, so I cut one 3 yard piece in half (1.5 yards each) and i sewed them both to the ends of the other 3 yard piece.  Sorry if this is confusing- it really wasn't difficult.
The trickiest part-- figuring out what stitch to use when sewing two pieces of knit together.
The BEST is to use a serger- which I don't have.

I used the STRETCH STITCH... on my machine it looks like a teeny-tiny zig zag stitch..

Two seams later I was done!
I also stitched a little heart in front middle so I could easily center the wrap when I'm trying to wrap myself.

We'll see if I love it.

I'm glad I'll have the option to try it out... and it only cost me $15, so I won't be too dissappointed if I have to repurpose the knit later on.

I REALLY thought it would be fun to have my baby yesterday- 3-1-11 (remember I have 4 other kids born on the first of the month.)

But, for now, my lily will have to get all of our baby lovin'.

bows and headbands.

remember this--

it is DARLING.

and, i want to buy it.  You can buy it here.

but, i decided to TRY and make it...

this is what i came up with... 

Here is a cute tutorial for felt flowers.

Mine's not as cute-- but it was free.

while i was hair clip making, i pulled out some of the ribbon i had saved from my baby shower packaging...

i think our bow supply is sufficiently updated--

Oh, little girls... little girls...

We were at church yesterday and the cute baby in front of us climbed over. 

(Meaning- I made faces at him the whole meeting until I finally couldn't take it any more and I stole him from his mother.  Yes, I'm VERY ready for my own baby to distract me during church.)

Anyway, the little girls and I were playing with him for awhile and leah said with surprise and a little bit of disgust, "Mom, this is a BOY baby."

I chuckled.  I'm not sure she even knows what to do with BOY babies.

And, i really do LOVE little girls.

just sayin'.

ps- this is MARCH... do you know i'm having a baby THIS month?!!

yup... 17 days doesn't sound very long to me...

although, to me, tonight sounds like a good night to have a baby!

an easy blanket.

anna had a birthday party on Friday night.

we decided to do a little sewing.

With 60 inches of a cute cotton, one yard of a soft fabric, a little iron-on and some co-ordinating scrap fabric, we made a cute, easy blanket.

first- we printed out reagan in mirror image.  anna traced it onto the iron-on, ironed that onto a piece of fabric, cut out the letters and ironed them onto her front fabric.

second- on the sewing machine, she stitched in the middle of each letter.

third- we pinned right sides together.

fourth- anna stitched around the edges of the blanket leaving a hole to turn it right-side-out

fifth- we top-stitched around the whole blanket.

VERY FAST and VERY EASY.

 And, I had to make a blanket for my sweet baby...  you can never have too many soft blankets...

happy president's day!

ps. my boys sew too.

just in case you're thinking i only sew with my girls... i thought i'd add these pictures from last weekend.

yes, my boys get crafty when they are on a mission.

this mission-- create a Sheath for their swords.

 mission accomplished.

a blanket for baby- tiramisu.

i had some off-white yarn and decided to crochet a quick blanket for my baby...

BUT-- i ran out of yarn!!  (I had enough for the middle, just not the edging.

I opted for some dark gray yarn for the border... it's cute. 

And, it only cost me $3.

Here are some pictures of other tiramisu blankets i found on ravelry.
I really like it in all white-- but i thought it would look weird trying to match yarn that didn't quite match...

Here is a link to the "tiramisu" pattern if you want to make your own...
it's quick and easy... although, i'm not really sure i know how to crochet.

now, i just need a baby to wrap in it...

a wreath and taming the BEAST.

yesterday, i made this.

it's cute, but i'm not sure that i LOVE it...

but, it was something to do, to keep me from organizing...

i just recycled my peppermint wreath- i didn't think the peppermints would store well.

Beauty and the HOUSE
oh, i had a great revelation this morning... while i was laying in bed in that sweet place between asleep and awake.
i wrote my post from start to finish in my head and it was great.
only, it's not as profound or clear as i sit down to write.

you see, the past two weeks i've been an organizing machine.
energetic, excited... a pregnant girl on a mission.
this week, i'm slow and overwhelmed and i would rather take a nap than do anything.
i've been trying to figure out what has changed.
and this morning, i figured it out.
my husband.
(it's always his 'fault' somehow.)

the past couple weeks he's been telling me, not is actual words... but, you know, in his thoughts...
that he thought i was CRAZY.
i was doing too much.  our house was fine.
for sure, to him house organization was something i SHOULDN'T be doing in my condition.
and i, was on a mission to prove him wrong.
to prove the whole world wrong.
OH YEAH WORLD!! 
You just watch a pregnant woman, with no oxygen in her brain, do AMAZING things.
i kept telling myself that i was doing great!  and, i was.
Determination really is a great motivator.
I was a bit ticked off as i worked-- but work i did.

On Saturday, my ever-so-humble man woke up a different person.
He actually started organizing his closet before i was even out of bed.
He kept saying stuff like, "Honey, this house looks great.  You were right.  We can finish this."
what?!
all of a sudden, house organization became something i SHOULD do.
and, i did what every good housewife does when a goal becomes an obligation... i REBELLED.
i'm tired.
i don't feel good.
i'm hungry.
all i do is clean the house.
i'm never going to finish.
i can't have a baby and sell our house.
blah.
the more i whined, the more the professor started doing.
and the more he "HELPED", the worse i felt.
i've slept in the past few mornings while he got the kids ready for school and fed them breakfast.
he even came home early to pick them up from school a couple days.
i haven't made dinner.  i haven't exercised.
i'm withering.  and, i hate it.
the less i do, the worse i feel.
and, i'm FINISHED feeling yucky.

in our church, we do not have paid clergy.  we believe that the Lord calls us to help out through revelation.  we are invited to serve in different areas of our church and we are invited to pray about it and accept or decline the calling.
almost every time i am pregnant or have a new baby, God asks me to do hard things.
ALWAYS people around me tell me i'm doing too much.
ALWAYS i feel better and powerful while i'm serving.
God knows that deep down, i'm a WARRIOR.
i need to keep busy or i melt.
(i LOVE to be asked to bring someone else dinner when i'm very busy... because i turn into Superwoman... oh yeah, just because i have 3 doctors appointments, and soccer practice, and 2 sick kids at home, that doesn't mean i can't make dinner for someone else... i have to eat anyway--- watch me FLY!!!)
i KNOW i'm mental.  i can't help it.

somehow, in my early morning brain, this was all linked to Belle... and the beast.
how, when she was locked in the dungeon she fought against him (this is me- feeling like i 'should' be cleaning.)
but, when she was released from her dungeon and someone else said, "He's a beast, he's got claws, razor sharp ones!"
what happened?  all of a sudden she was like, "No, he's nice really." 
And she realized she LOVED the beast.
Is it just me, or in general is it always easier to prove someone wrong than live up to expectations?

So today, i'm going to PROVE myself wrong.
I'm going to CONQUER the impossible!!
I'm going to completely finish my bedroom.
FINISH the craft room.
do my laundry (even if i have to stay up late watching late night television while i fold.)
i'm going to start with a clean house and WORK HARD all day- loving my BEAST of a house.
i do LOVE to organize.
i am a WARRIOR for order (and a dork, just so you know.)

and tomorrow...
i'm going to give myself permission to take a day off.
i'm going to READ on the couch, ALL DAY.
with no rebellion and no guilt.

just tell me i can't do it.
tell me i'm asking too much of myself.
tell me i SHOULD be laying down, all day, every day.
tell me i SHOULDN'T exercise in my condition.
tell me i SHOULDN'T worry about what i eat.
tell me, it's my 7th pregnancy, i need to be taking it easy and rejoicing in fatness.
please, just tell me that- so i can prove you wrong.
cause dang it, my sweet husband is HELPING and SUPPORTIVE of my projects and he's just taken away all my adrenaline.

(i mean, what would have happened if Gaston was like, "Belle, I think you should give the beast a chance.  He might be a nice guy after all."  or her father, what if her dad was like, "Belle, you have to go back there, the beast is kind under all that saliva."  yeah, you know what i'm talking about Belle would have run the other direction.  Probably watched some junk TV, kissed Gaston, and left the beast a beast forever.  this is my half-dream thinking again.)   

maybe, you can join me.

Do you have something you really SHOULD NOT be doing today?

Something you CAN'T do because you are much too busy, or sick, or....

Just do it.  And prove to yourself... that beast really isn't as bad as everyone else thinks he is.

1.11.11 Love.

because the professor's closet is emptied all over the floor of my bedroom.
my biggest, scariest organizing project yet...
pictures, frames, stuff from my wedding, stamp collections, coin collections, his mission stuff, etc., etc....
blah.
i'm having hot flashes THINKING about cleaning it up...
so...
i made some things!!
for valentine's day--
a heart for my wall... (it's big... you can't really tell.)

a pillow for my chair...

and some bibs for my babies...

nothing like a good day of procrastination to get you to finish up some projects you have been wanting to do forever.

hope your day is filled with LOVE!!!

my favorite love song?

here it is...