Confessions

So a while ago I made a goal to not spend a penny on clothes for the rest of 2009, and to not get a drink from Sonic more than once a week.  I meant it, I really was committed.  But I cheated.  On both.  I meant to confess, I was going to, just putting it off, but I heard from a friend who said she's been feeling guilty every time she bought clothes, thinking of me NOT buying clothes so I had to come clean!  I really have been doing pretty good, first we decided to do family pictures, so a couple purchases HAD to be made (right?)  then I got my $10 Gap card rewards coupon, and I decided it would be silly for me to NOT buy that purple dress, since I only had 1 dress that still fit me and a good 6-8 Sundays left.  Then I was buying a baby gift for a friend and realised Harrison NEEDED to have a few new cold weather basics since Charlie was a summer baby, and then today I really blew it at Old Navy, just going to "peek" if they had anything left in their Halloween $2 sale,

and then I saw they were doing 50% of kids clearance, PLUS 30% off Stuff & Save and well, I don't even need to justify that!  So there you go, I hope I didn't make anyone else feel bad for buying clothes!  Or going to Sonic.  Sometimes you just need a Route 44 Dr. Pepper more than once a week, especially when you go and they give you a receipt with a coupon for a FREE one you know?

Covered Clipboard Organizer instructions

Since a few people have asked, here are my basic directions- get a clipboard.  Cover surface with Mod Podge and smooth on a sheet of pretty scrapbook paper.  (measure and trim around the clip at the top,) Add a layer or 2 of Mod Podge on top of the paper if you want.  For the pocket, I just got a piece of white cardstock and trimmed it to be the width of my clipboard, which was about 9" and 8 1/2" long, and then folded down 4" on the top and bottom and that left me with about 1/2" in the middle to hold stuff.  Then I made little accordian folded strips out of colored cardstock for the sides, and  I attached it together with double stick tape.  Then I put some patterned paper on the front of the pocket, and cut a scalloped circle and initial on the Cricut and stuck those on top of the pocket.  If I did them again, I would either use double sided patterned or colored cardstock for the pocket, or line the inside of the pocket too.  I got the pocket idea from a blog called OurBigEarth and you can see their detailed tutorial HERE.  I think I first saw these simple modern looking ones on Martha Stewart: 

But you could get really crafty with ribbon and chipboard etc too.

Clip it up- getting more organized

As much as I try to be laid back, relaxed, anything goes, etc. I have realized that as my kids get older, and I get more of them, I need to have systems and routines and be more organized.  These clipboards are hopefully going to help.  I've been wanting to do them for a while, originally they were just going to be covered in a pretty paper with our first initials, but then I saw one that had a pocket and I knew mine needed to have pockets.  I finally finished them yesterday and I don't want to put stuff in them because I think they are so pretty!  (but I will use them, and it will help clear off all the junk on my desk!)

Time out is exhausting...

More Family Pics

I mentioned earlier that we had our family pictures taken, they turned out great despite me being very pregnant and anemic, and a certain almost-six-year-old trying to ruin every picture by pulling some goofy face, and a certain 1 year old trying to run wild the entire time!  Our photographer was Troy Brinkerhoff and he just does an amazing job.  He somehow always manages to catch the kids looking beautiful and photogenic! If you book soon he's running a great fall special for families, go check out his website HERE. (he does weddings and babies and everything else, too.)

It's hard to choose favorites, I could show you tons of them!

Recipe Cards- another free download

*reposted 5/29 with updated download link- thanks!

I'm not entirely finished yet, but I got my first batch of recipe cards typed up, laminated and punched and I love them! It's hit me that I only have 3 weeks give or take a few days before my life gets turned upside down and inside out with a new baby and I have several projects hanging out there unfinished, time to get busy!  Anyways, I really love my new recipe cards, I'm going to put my top 30 or so easy dinners on one ring, (idea I got from Nanny Goat forever ago) cookies and deserts on another ring, and then the rest just in my recipe box.  If you like my recipe cards I put them in  PDF file and you can download and print them by clicking HERE.

(yes, I am having fun making my own free downloads)

Exciting!

Tip Junkie featured my little spider web candle shades! It's one of my favorite websites because they always have tons of "tips" for everything from all over the blog world. You can see the other Halloween ideas they featured today HERE.

Creepy Vellum Spider Web Candle Shades- free download

Edit: 9/10 download link updated! Let me know if you have any problems opening it! Thanks!

I played around with a spider web template from Martha Stewart's website and came up with these printable candle shades! I printed mine on vellum, but it would work just as well printed on regular paper. You basically just have to cut the sheet in half lengthwise and trim edges, secure each wrap in a circle with double stick tape and then set your little "lantern" over a tealight in glass. (or if you are like me and have little hands around that won't leave them alone, get those little battery votives and drop one in the middle.) You can download the spider web sheet by clicking HERE. They are my favorite Halloween decoration at the moment! I have big plans for the wall above them, stay tuned...

If you use these, I have one tip, I put the printed side on the inside of mine, so it's hard to see the spider and web in daylight, but when it gets dark they look really cool, and you can see the design inside when you look down at them.

Make your own PB Pirate Pumpkins

We are on round 2 of the fever bug, 2 kids on the mend and the other 2 down now- today I told them we'd make some Halloween decorations. I can't get out to buy the felt but I love this idea from Living with Lindsey: She made her own patterns to make the Pirate Pumpkin kits she saw in the PB catalog. You can see hers and get the patterns HERE.

Feeling a little like this guy...

My mom has one of these and I was thinking of him last night as I went to bed, thinking about how our week off from school is not looking so fun now that we've got 2 sick kids over here. I think we all feel a little bit like this guy today.
PS Mr C thinks it is the scariest thing ever (besides the skull head who's eyeballs and teeth pop out while he screams) and Miss E thinks he is the funniest thing ever because she is sure he just needs to go potty.

Rob Ryan Papercut artist

I saw this awesome, sweet print and decided I have another favorite artist to add to my sidebar list- Rob Ryan creates amazing artwork with paper and scissors. Reading this one made me cry a little: You can see more of his sweet work, and read his blog, or find his shop HERE.

These are adorable! Free download...

Head over to design.wash.rinse.repeat to download these free pumpkin pop toppers from Celeste! I am in love! Click HERE.

I'm a winner! Thank you!

No, not the grand prize, but I did win a first prize in the Jose Ole Recipe contest and got a $100 gift card to Cooking.com! Thank you SO, SO much to anyone who voted for me, you're the best! (And thanks Jose!) Now I have to decide what to get~ I know I want one of these for sure:
What would you get?

Everything was worse in the 80's

This is taken from a dating video in the 80's- you will laugh out loud.

Pumpkin Bars Recipe, per your request!

So my mom is actually the only one who requested the recipe, but it's the best pumpkin bar recipe out there in my opinion (especially when my friend Gina makes them) and I wanted to share it with you. Plus I needed a reason to show off one of my cute recipe cards! I made 6 different colors and designs, for different categories of recipes and they are simple and cute if I do say so myself! I'm still typing my collection and I can't wait to have them all done, laminated and stuck on rings!

CPS Sketch 136

Here's my card for the CPS sketch 136. To see the sketch and some great cards, click HERE. I learned how to make the fun torn paper flower from Little Birdie Secrets, HERE.

A new tradition?

I think pumpkin bars on October 1st will be a new tradition.

I like these

Just spending way too much time searching for cute recipe cards- I need to get my recipe PILE under control... But aren't these note cards cute? Found on Etsy HERE.