2 Many Ideas

A green M & M with style

2012-01-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

So I hear "You look just like your mom." almost everytime my Green M&M and I go anywhere. (honestly she is much cuter than I ever was)

This is one of those moments where even if we didn't look alike, I would love to have her outfit in my size.

I am sure I would not look as cute, so I will stick to my jeans and sweatshirts!

Happy Styling!!

Rhiannon

my 365 project

2012-01-09T11:02:00.000-08:00

days 3,4,5

Day 2

2012-01-03T21:13:00.000-08:00

My own 365 project

2012-01-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

day 1

Happy Ney Year!!

Rhiannon

A Touch of Light

2011-09-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

I just have a short post today. I know, you would think I would have more to post after staying away for so long. I love I Heart Faces and all their weekly contest. This week was a touch of sun. I recently took this picture of a friend- of- mine's beautiful daughter and thought I would enter.

Go to

and check some of the other great entries.

Happy Clicking

Rhiannon

ps- I am not sure what the lines are in the bottom of the picture, they are not in the original. I think the upload had something to do with it. I tried to upload the photo 3 times and they were in different spots each time. I got tired of trying, so if anyone knows how to fix this let me know.

Fun with sparklers

2011-07-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

How to Have a Great Vacation- a tutorial

2011-06-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

Step 1

Make sure you are spending it with people you LOVE

Cousin Laura, Mom Mary Ann, Megan and Me

Step 2

Go to the Beach!!

Step 3

Spend several days doing nothing but this.

this

and this

Step 4

Don't let a little rain ruin the fun

Step 5

Don't forget to bring the 4 best behaved and cutest kids you can find.

There you have it. Five easy steps for a great vacation.

Happy Vacationing

Rhiannon

All about the cake

2011-05-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

So my good friend Karla's oldest son graduated from 8th grade this past week, and it was all about the cake. She has held onto a Martha Stewart magazine for 4 years waiting to make this cake.

She made the scrolls from eggs and sugar and rolled them while still hot. The ties are sourpatch candies. Didn't she do a great job?! I made a few decorations for the party as well. Her son went to our local catholic school, so I took some of his worn out uniforms and turned them into a ...

Table Runner

She had a local lady do some embroidery on scraps of the shirts and pants before I worked them into the runner.

I also made this Banner.

Once again we used some of his uniform. The navy pants were a great backdrob for white letters.

Finally, I made some napkins at the last minute ( very last minute- I finished them that morning)

I made 4 of these and each one had a different center design.

Karla is an awesome cook, so there was plenty of food.

Her son of course cared more about hanging out with the guys than all of our cute decorations and awesome cake.

Here we are so proud of ourselves and Cole of course!!!

Happy Celebrating!!

Rhiannon

Yes we are still here...

2011-05-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

and yes we are still making stuff!!

Spring is in the Air....

2011-04-09T17:43:00.000-07:00

I love the first weekend of spring weather. We have had a couple of teasers here in the Midwest, but today was finally a truly great day. Lots of sunshine. I am always motivated to tackle all those lingering projects left from winter.

Here is a shelf I saved from the dumpster behind an auction house. I love these old shelves- they are made so much better that anything you find today.

It just needed a little love. I took the back off, it was warped and gross.

I gave it a good sanding and a fresh coat of paint. I makes a great place for all the stuff that doesn't fit in the desk drawers.

Happy Spring!!

Rhiannon

Joy of Love

2011-02-25T20:28:00.000-08:00

assignment 21: hands

I am slowly catching up with the Joy of Love assignments.

Here is my Green M&M's hand covered in Nutella.

It has become her favorite snack.

When you run out of strawberries, just use your fingers!

Happy Snacking!

Rhiannon

I like to ride my bicycle..

2011-02-21T19:03:00.000-08:00

I like to ride my bike.

My Green M&M is loving the change in weather. She insisted on going for a bike ride three days in a row.

Here are some pictures from our Saturday ride.

We stopped at a park for some fun!!

Back on the bike.

She kept saying "My legs are getting a good workout."

Happy Monday!

Rhiannon

Working on It

2011-02-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

Well it is to be expected-I guess. I have fallen a little behind on my Joy of Love assignments. I am still working on them and promise to post them as soon as they are finished. My problem is that a couple of the recent themes required me to be in the picture. Now I have a tripod, so that is not the problem. The real issue is that in the same week my Green M&M told me on the way the my hairstylist (who happens to be Megan's sister). "Mommy, you don't need to wax your eyebrows, they just look like monster eyebrows". Oh yes, she told me I HAVE MONSTER EYEBROWS!!!. Keep reading this gets better. A couple of days later, after getting some highlights and taking care of my hairy forehead, I am brushing my teeth next to my Blue M&M (the older one who filters his thoughts-right?). He says "Wow mom, you have big holes on your face." Yeah, I am assuming he was talking about my pores. Great-I would love to take a Self Portrait and Family Picture. Hopefully I can find an angle that shows off my big holes and monster eyebrows.

Anyway, got to love the honesty of kids!!

Here is another picture I took for assignment 12: the eyes

Happy Honesty!!

Rhiannon

Adalyn Red?

2011-02-14T22:59:00.000-08:00

I couldn't help submitting this to the I Heart Faces weekly photo challenge. The theme this week is RED.

Go check out all the other great photos.

Happy Red!!

Rhiannon

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2011-02-14T18:11:00.000-08:00

I go to my girlfriend's house almost every morning to start my day with a cup of coffee. I know a little crazy, but she makes the best "cup of Joe". Conveniently, she has a son the same age as my Green M&M. This makes it easier for the two of us to drink our coffee in peace.

Here are our two cuties wearing their Valentine's Day attire.

I made my Green M&M's dress from a t-shirt that was too short and just added the skirt. I just appliqued a tie to Mr. F's t-shirt.

Aren't they cute?

Here is my Joy of Love assignment- generations.

We had lunch with my Grandma on Sunday and took her some valentine's. Now you know where my

Green M&M gets her good looks from-her Great-Grandma!

Happy Valentine's Day

Rhiannon

Assignment 12: the eyes

2011-02-13T09:04:00.000-08:00

My Blue M&M is wrestling today (only 3 weeks left). I stayed home today because my Green M&M has a birthday party today. We finished up some valentines and took this picture for The Joy of Love

assignment 12: the eyes.

This is why I call her my Green M&M.

Oh, we got grandma's Valentine's Day cards in the mail yesterday.

Nothing shows love better than supporting the gambling habits of young children. Love you mom!!;)

Happy Gambling!!

Rhiannon

Warning- this post contains massive amounts of cuteness!!!

2011-02-12T21:43:00.000-08:00

I took some pictures of my friends little girl today. These were probably some of my favorite pictures to take. They have an adorable daughter and an equally adorable dog. This combo make for some sweet pictures.

Enjoy-I did!!

Warning- this post contains massive amounts of cuteness.

She was napping when I got there. I wish I was this cute with bedhead.

Here she is all ready for her close-up.

Now, this is where things get really cute.

You start with a little of this...

and this...

Add a couple of dashes of this...

and this..

You end up with a whole lot of this.

Oh, I warned you.

Have you had enough yet?

and because Valentine's day is Monday-One More.

Happy Cuteness!!!

Rhiannon

Oh to dream...

2011-02-11T19:12:00.000-08:00

So the assignment for today is ...

Dreams

Here is my dream

O.K.- I know it is not the most creative of my pictures, however it is sooooo my dream to look like this.(with bigger boobs- of course)

On that note, Happy Dieting and Exercising!!!!

Rhiannon

10: spaces- where they are comfortable

2011-02-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

Kelly's assignment today is

Spaces-where they are comfortable.

We have a chair in our living room, that we all love. There is usually an argument over who gets to sit in it. If it's me, I usually have to let a kiddo squeeze in on my lap.

Today, our cat Simon, had the chair all to himself and loved every minute of it.

And because I think everyone enjoys kitty pics, here are a couple more.

Wouldn't it be nice to spend your days doing this.

Happy Kitty!!

Rhiannon

09: passions and hobbies

2011-02-09T17:46:00.000-08:00

Here are my pics for Kelly's Joy of Love

Class 09: passions and hobbies

My Green M&M goes to dance class on Wednesdays-so today's assignment was perfect.

I had originally edited these pictures in color, but liked them so much more in black and white.

Before...

After...

See what I mean! I like it in color, but LOVE it in black and white.

Here are more pics. I couldn't always get the exact shot I wanted, because I would have been too much of a distraction. Enjoy!

Happy Dancing!

Rhiannon

Double Dose

2011-02-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

Once again I am getting in a double dose of blogging today. I am a few day behind in Kelly's Joy of Love class. I want to get these pictures up so I can start fresh tomorrow.

06: who they love

Those of you who know my, know the story behind this photo. This is my brother Sam who we LOVE and MISS so much.

08: gifts they give

My family gives me the best gift anyone could ever get-their LOVE!

Happy Love!

Rhiannon

Double Digits

2011-02-08T13:49:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post this Sunday, but we were doing this all day.

Unfortunately until the end of March wrestling consumes our Sundays. My Blue M&M turned 10 this past Sunday and here he is celebrating his birthday on the mat.

I am so proud of this kid- You know when you go to give your kids a hug and you want to squeeze them so tight, but you can't because you could crack a rib. That's the feeling I get, when I think about what a great kid he has become.

He is truly a "free spirit".

With a heart of gold.

I can never get enough of this.

He is an amazing big brother.

And is not too embarrassed to tell me "I Love You" when I drop him off at school.

I love my Blue M&M- welcome to the Double Digits!!!

Happy Birthday!!

Rhiannon

Love to Hate

2011-02-05T20:58:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe I have 2 post in one day. This one will be pretty short.

Here are my photos for The Joy of Love class 05: love to hate.

I absolutely love photographing my children, probably as much as they sometimes hate it.

Here is another photo I took for yesterday's class,

what they wear.

I don't know why, but my children would spend all day in their underwear. We are currently in the middle of a blizzard here and my kiddos act like it's summer. They will come in from outside and strip off all of their clothes. Now I know my Green M&M has a nightgown on in this picture, but she usually sports her underwear too.

To prove how serious this really is, here is a picture from our visit to Megan's last summer.

Yes, there they are collecting eggs-IN THEIR UNDERWEAR!!

Just hanging out with some chickens-IN OUR UNDERWEAR!! Yeah I know I could have probably made them put clothes on, but then what would the neighbors talk about?

Happy Weekend!

Rhiannon

Looks like we have another climber in the family!

2011-02-05T16:06:00.000-08:00

Here she is. My Blue M&M went to climbing camp over the summer and Little Miss Green had to watch him get dropped off everyday.(she was too young) We all went as a family last night for Blue M&M's birthday and...

she is a natural. The first thing she asked this morning when she got up-"Can we go climbing today?" It looks like we better look into getting a membership.

I don't know if Dad could have been any prouder.

Here is my photo for Kelly Willette's Joy of Love class 04: what they wear

In case you were wondering that's Gatorade she is wearing :)

Happy Saturday!!

Rhiannon

Then and Now

2011-02-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

OK class 03 is titled Then and Now. Unfortunately my Green M&M was a little under the weather today, so I had to keep it short and sweet.

Seriously, where does the time go?

There is still time to sign up for Kelly's class, go check it out.

Happy Photographing!!

Rhiannon

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes.

2011-02-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

So, I am on class 2 of Kelly Willette's class The Joy Of Love. Today,s topic was: the way they look. We had yet another snow day, so I took pics of how they look ......

playing in the snow.

Here are some more shots from the day.

Oh yeah did you hear? We are in the middle of a blizzard.

Happy Shoveling!!

Rhiannon

The Joy of Love

2011-02-01T14:26:00.000-08:00

Photographer Kelly Willette is running a mini photography class during the month of February called The Joy of Love.

Class 01: what they do.

We are in the middle of a blizzard here in the Midwest, so we decided to get cozy with some cookie making.

Here are some of my shot from class

01: what they do.

We braved the weather and drove just up the road to my best friend Karla's house to make these cookies. She has three boys and my Blue M&M played the whole time Miss Green M&M did all the work on the cookies. He happened to show up just as they were finished. I guess that is what he does.

Happy Snow Days!!!

Rhiannon

Happy Weekend!!

2011-01-30T10:16:00.000-08:00

We hope you are enjoying yours as much as we are!!

Happy Resting!!

Rhiannon

More Before and Afters

2011-01-27T17:07:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of little projects I have been working on. I obviously have an addiction to spray paint.

The weather here in the midwest has been keeping us indoors-so I have been doing a lot of organizing.

I have caught the spring cleaning bug early!

Happy Cleaning!

Rhiannon

Finally Hooked Back Up

2011-01-21T10:58:00.000-08:00

So, after an entire month of no Internet, we are reconnected!! I will not bore you with all the details of why anyone in this day and age would go a month without Internet. I will just get back to business.

As you can probably guess, one is able to get a lot of things done when there is no computer distracting you.

Here is a project that has been waiting patiently in my basement the last 5 years.

I remember using this chair as a little girl.

My Green M&M helped me decide on grey. We just used spray paint and gave it a little face lift.

(don't you love days where you don't have to leave the house and your 4 year old can wear whatever she wants)

I think it is happy we were without Internet. I can't wait to show you where I ended up putting it. I will be posting that Before and After a little later.

Happy Painting!!

Rhiannon

This Moment::Decoration

2010-12-03T05:15:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Amanda

~Megan

You Pick

2010-11-11T19:57:00.000-08:00

I took these pictures of the kiddos recently and am trying to decide on a couple for my Holiday Cards. We have not been able to coordinate a family photo or even one with both kids yet. Hopefully I will fit those in before it is too late. Let me know your favs.

Number 1

Number 2

Number 3

Number 4

Number 5

Number 6

Number 7

One of my favorites!

Number 8

Number 9

Number 10

Number 11

Number 12

Number 13

Another one of my favorites.

Number 14

Number 15

Happy Picking!

Rhiannon

NO- I didn't fall off the edge of the earth!

2010-11-07T18:50:00.000-08:00

O.K. so I took a little break from posting, sometimes it is just needed. There was no real reason for the break, I was just living life without my computer on my lap everyday. I was still sewing and creating. I caught up on some needed fall cleaning and spent a lot of time outside with the kiddos. Those of you who live in the Midwest, will probably agree that fall is too short to not take advantage of the gorgeous weather before winter comes.

So, here is one project I finished while I was away.

I got this skirt idea from my friend Shannon. My mom has been wanting me to make her one for about 5 months now. I finally got it done. My inspiration came from...

this Guy.

This is my youngest brother Sam. Sam left us on January 1st, 2009. My mom always says that one of her fears is that people will forget Sam and how he was so full of love for everything. This inspired me to make her a skirt that was full of memories of Sam and things he loved.

One of Sam's favorite candies.

Sam love spending the day with friends at the Down Syndrome Society's Buddy Walk each year.

Sam had a love for all things Disney, especially the villains. Captain Hook was by far one of his favorites. We took many trips with Sam to Disney World and I can still hear him saying "HOOK!" all around the park waiting to meet his favorite villain. And cheering when he appeared at the show in front of the castle.

I think the hearts represent Sam the best. He had so many problems with his heart throughout his life and had to endure multiple open heart surgeries. He also had the biggest heart of anyone I know. He truly loved everyone. Go figure- unhealthy heart, but full of love.

Sam always enjoyed golfing with my parents and friends. He had even perfected his Happy Gilmore Drive, it was pretty cute to watch. I loved making this skirt, and hope it gives my mom the opportunity to share some great memories when she wears it.

Happy Memories!

Rhiannon

This Moment::Self-Portrait Silliness

2010-10-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Amanda

This Moment::Harmony

2010-10-01T03:21:00.001-07:00

Inspired by Amanda

~Megan

Gettin' Girly, Y'all

2010-09-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

Ruffles are all the craze in the refashioning world. I suppose I'm a little slow to jump onto this craze because I don't have a daughter and because I'm not much of a girly girl myself. The other day I was cleaning out my closet and found a couple sweaters and tops to add to my (ever growing) pile of things to refashion. When I looked around the net to find some inspiration I kept coming across tutorials for adding ruffles to stuff. Spruce up your cardigan with ruffles! Spice up your tank with ruffles! Girly up your top with some ruffles! Alright already, I'll try it.

I took this top....

(which is actually a nice shade of lavender)

that I haven't worn in over a year

and used this tutorial from Tea Rose Home

and some dark purple cotton jersey I had on hand

and made this....

Here's a slightly blurry close-up of the RUFFLES!!

This project was much more fun that I thought it would be. I like the wonky ruffles, the slight color contrast and really love that I have a "new" top, one that I'll wear more often than once every 18 months.

The chickens and dog are totally unimpressed by the ruffles. Oh well.

~Megan

This Moment::Hammer Time

2010-09-24T03:53:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Amanda

A lot of first.

2010-09-22T22:44:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy since we returned from our visit with Megan. I hope to post more pictures soon, but for now a few "first" will have to do.

My Blue M&M had his first football game, which meant my Green M&M needed something to wear. I know some moms get nervous on the day of a game, wondering how their child may do. Not me, I just want a good picture of them looking cute in their uniforms. Just kidding-sort of !

I do think he does look pretty cute. Now because they won't let me make any alterations to his uniform, (Silly rules-what would a couple of appliques hurt? ) I made a dress for my Green M&M to wear.

Using my LBB pattern I combined some old team shirts a friend of mine had given me. She has 3 boys that have participated in many sports and were willing to part with a few of their old t-shirts.

I have been experimenting with a different collar then the pattern calls for. With fall settling in here, it is nice to have a thicker collar. I think I had 3 mom's ask me to make one for their daughters. Looks like I better round up some more shirts.

Miss Green M&M had her first day of school.

She was very excited to start school.

She also had her first dance class.

I was excited for this. Once again, it is not about how well she does, but how darn cute she looks in her leotard. So there you have our big week of first.

Any first you would like to share?

Rhiannon

Finding My Inner Frugalista

2010-09-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad that being frugal is en vogue now (thanks, economy, for totally tanking!) and that you can call yourself a "frugalista" instead of a "cheapo". Pinching pennies and finding bargains does come naturally to some people but others need some encouragement. I think I'm a bit of both. Lately I've been trying to get back in touch with my inner frugalista in a few different ways.

1. I check out books, movies and CDs from the library instead of paying to buy or rent them.

2. I make nearly all our meals at home.

3. I'm trying to get back into clipping coupons. MoneySavingMom has lots of tips on how to find all sorts of deals and how to be savvy about couponing.

4. I have a rain barrel.

Today, though, I'm really geeking out about this:

I know it's not the most radical of money saving ideas but I've wanted a clothesline for so long now and using it today makes me feel so happy. Usually I do our laundry at night so it's a little cooler when I run the dryer but I love that I can get this least favorite chore of mine done during the day.

I'm outside and, on days like today, get to enjoy a bit of sunshine and a nice breeze. You can see that my little pumpkin pie was out to help, too (as were the very curious chickens!)

Sorry about the nerdy post about a clothesline, but I really am excited about it.

How are you frugal? Any tips to share?

~M

Super Heroes

2010-09-04T19:24:00.000-07:00

My super heroes and I made it to Megan's! Here are some pics from our trip so far.

Did someone turn on the wind machine?

First stop the beach.

I don't know who had more fun, Grandma or Green M&M.

Megan is such a great hostess that we usually don't want to leave. I gave her a clutch I made as a thank you for showing us such a good time. I used this tutorial by Lex. I had found these vintage quilt squares at an antique store and was waiting for the right project. I love how it turned out.

We are trying to get the kids to sleep, so we can enjoy some wine and sewing. Hope I have some goodies to post tomorrow.

Happy Vacation!

Rhiannon

On the Road Again

2010-09-03T03:17:00.000-07:00

I am leaving tomorrow morning with the kiddos to visit the other half of this blog. I love chatting with Megan on line and the phone, but there is nothing better then spending an entire week together.

Before I go, I have to show you some things I found today.

I found all of these at a garage sale. I am a sucker for dishes and vintage pottery. I got all 5 of these pieces for $37. I am not sure if they are authentic depression glass, but I think they may be. I don't really know how to tell the difference. (if any knows anything about these let me know) I just love how it is almost like polka dots on the glass. You know how I love my dots.

Happy Travels!

Rhiannon

I Heart N.Y.

2010-08-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends just had her second baby last week. Her older son in going to be 2 next month. Now, I know a lot of mother's choose to have their children close together for a good reason, I am not one of those mothers. I think mothers who have children this close in age, are ~~crazy~~ braver then me.

We could not wait to get our hands on the little guy. Here he is with my Green M&M. She could not get enough. Being around new babies does put me in the mood to have one, then I go home to my children (who are 5 years apart on purpose) fighting over who gets to turn off the t.v., the mood quickly goes away. So when I say women who have kids close together are braver then me, I mean it. My friend Casey has decided to prove it. She is leaving for New York on Thursday. Why ? Because both her and her husband are originally from there. Let me break this down for you.

Cesarean on Thursday

Released from the hospital on Sunday

Packing and taking care of newborn and 2yr Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

Drive to New York (with 1week old, 2 yr. old , 2 dogs and a husband) on Thursday

Did I mention-We Live In Illinois!!!

See what I mean by ~~Crazy~~ Brave.

I picked up a couple of t-shirts at Goodwill, and made the boys matching hats for the trip.

My friend Shannon showed me a version of these hats. I changed it up a little bit and ended up with these.

Seriously, does it get any cuter?

Now, if only they would stay like this forever.

Happy Babies!!

Rhiannon

Aiden's Not-A-Box

2010-08-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago while we were visiting our library Aiden came across these wonderful books by Antoinette Portis called 'Not a Stick' and 'Not a Box'. Each story is about exciting and imaginative things you can do or make with ordinary objects. Aiden laughed and laughed when we first read them. Here's an animation of his favorite:

The books have also piqued his imagination. So much so that the other day he asked if he could have his own 'not-a-box.'
Well, of course you can, kiddo!!

So I took a box from work and he directed us on how to decorate it.

We painted it red

cut out some spacey sort of shapes

taped them on

and voila

A Rocket Ship Not-A-Box!

He and Polar Bear landed on Toy Planet where they found a huge bucket of cars.
Hope your summer adventures are just as exciting!

~Megan

Made with Love!

2010-08-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

After the death of my brother Sam, the local golf course decided to rename their parent child golf outing in his honor. It was held a couple of weeks ago, and I believe it is the biggest turn out they have had for this event ever.

One of Sam's favorite activities was golfing with his family. It is a great way to celebrate his life.

My mom had some really cute t-shirts made for the day, and I of course could not help but make this dress out of one for my Green M&M.

The shirts had photos of my brother golfing on the front.

I found this shirt with golfers on it at my local thrift store. It worked perfect for the back of the dress.

I added some orange polka dot ruffles to the bottom. Everything is cuter with polka dots!!

I think of Sam everyday and miss him so much. It is nice to have a day to celebrate him and the beautiful person he was with others.

My husband golfed with one of our good friends and his son.

There was some intense Tug of War after dinner.

Green M&M and I spent the day with my grandma. We are not golfers.

Happy Memories!

Rhiannon

2010-08-24T14:29:00.001-07:00

Another week gone!!!!

2010-08-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

OK, I know I said was going to post more than once a week. Well, it looks like until school starts, once a week will have to do.

I have been doing some sewing and so have the kiddos.

Green M&M got a new sewing machine and asks everyday if we can sew. I Love It!! She even purchased her first fat quarter bundle. Blue M&M has been making drawstring bags. Pictures of those will come later.

Grandma got him a bird feeder kit. I think he did a great job. It is so nice when he reads the directions and figures it out all by himself.

We have been having such a good time enjoying the last few weeks of summer, I am just not doing a good job documenting all my projects. I promise to get back to craft post soon. For now you are stuck with our summer fun.

Blue M&M also had climbing camp this week. He is having such a great time, I think he would like it to last 2 weeks instead of one.

He has done really well and will probably be talking me into taking him climbing more often. Who knows maybe I will get off my lazy butt and climb too. Although I don't know if I want to be shown up by my 9 year old.

Grandma is coming with to tomorrow. She is so afraid of heights, she will probably be uncomfortable just watching.

Happy Summer!!

Rhiannon

Where has the week gone?

2010-07-30T18:38:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's Friday already. I am feeling like our blog name is so true this week. I have so many great blog post running through my mind (almost too many), and having a hard time getting them posted. So I apologize for the long post, filled with lots of pictures.

Here is what we have been up to.

We went to visit family in St. Louis last weekend.

They took us to a great park by their house. It had this great fountain for the kids to play in.

They had so much fun, we went both days we were there.

If you ever make a trip to St.Louis, you have to visit the City Museum. It is amazing. They have salvaged items from the city to build a giant playhouse for kid and adults.

We had so much fun, but it was a little crowded. I promised my Blue M&M that I would take him out of school on a weekday and go back. Shh! Don't tell his teacher.

I will also go more prepared. I will not wear a skirt and will definitely wear tennis shoes.

We also stopped by the zoo. The zoo is located in a gorgeous park and is free!! Score.

Blue M&M got to feed the sting rays. It was pretty cooool!

And of course all good times come to an end.

I stayed with my great hostess and tour guide Laura. She is a fellow sewer, so we had to stop by the fabric store and make some goodies while ~~the kids~~ her daughter slept.

I made this dress for Maria, I wanted to get some better pictures, but she was not in the mood.

I used the basic pillowcase dress pattern and just added the waistband. I used the same technique Dana used on her shirt dress.

O.K here are some other things we've done this week.

We had to say good bye to my brother Donnie. Boo hoo!

We picked vegetables from the garden. Now what to do with it all?

We made Joy's peanut butter and jelly cookies. Yummy!!

We did some babysitting for this little guy.

So my not so new year's resolution is to post more that once a week and photograph more before and afters of my refashions. We will see how that works out.

Happy Weekend!!

Rhiannon

Another trip to Missouri

2010-07-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to Missouri for my Brother-in-law's wedding.

Notice how focused my kiddos are.

This weekend we are going back to Missouri to visit my cousin Laura. She also has a love for sewing and crafting. Check out what she made Maria for her birthday.

She did a great job and I am in love with this fabric.

So back on the road, talk to you all Monday!

Happy Traveling!!

Rhiannon

Random stuff

2010-07-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

Here is some random stuff from our summer!!

Warning- this post could be filled with many pictures-read on at your own risk.

First of all, great minds think alike. We also took a trip to pick blueberries.

No, that is not my bus. Although I think it would be fun to drive.

I loved the buckets all stacked and ready to fill.

All smiles and excited at the beginning of the day.

Picked blueberries for oh, let say about 20minutes and...

they were ready to go back to the car.

I did get them to stay in the field long enough to pick 30lbs of berries. That includes my mom's buckets.

We froze some, but we have already eaten about half of what we picked. Yummy!!!

Here are a couple of projects I didn't get a chance to post earlier.

A patriotic LBB dress, that I have not been able to find since I took these pictures.

It was meant to be worn on the 4th of July, but we lost it. I'm sure it will turn up. Probably in January, when it will be too small and out of season.

This outfit did get worn on the 4th. I made this for my friend Niki's daughter. She picked up the flower print at an antique shop. I think it used to be a tablecloth. I also made a dress to match for her younger daughter. Hopefully I will get some pics of them wearing their outfits.

Finally, on the way to the blueberry patch, we passed this.

These are all sculptures made from recycled objects.

The artist, Jack, was in his workshop and was more than happy to show us around when we stopped to take photos.

He even let Marcus help with his current project, a dolphin made from metal shavings. He gets them from a local factory.

He said that he occasionally sells a sculpture, but that is not why he does it. He just love creating art from what would otherwise be forgotten.

The kids had a great time getting up close and trying to figure out what the art had been in a previous life.

It was all very inspiring.

Happy Recycling!!

Rhiannon

This Weekend

2010-07-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

We picked blueberries

Made orange scones

And played around at the park

Hope you all had a great weekend, too!

~Megan

PS

Congrats to Rhiannon for making Dana's summer, 3TIMES over!!!

PPS

Why can't I get my photos as big as Rhi's? I must be doing something wrong but it's not obvious what it is. Ugh!

8 and Beautiful

2010-07-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

My good friend's daughter is turning 8 on monday. I recently took some pictures for her birthday.

Isn't she gorgeous? She is in a supermodel phase, can't you tell?

I upcycled a tanktop, belt and t-shirt to make her this bag and hair clip.

I think I turned out pretty cute.

We are off to Missouri for my brother-in-law's wedding. Talk to you all Monday.

Happy Weekend!

Rhiannon

A Busy Weekend

2010-07-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

Miss M turned 4 on Saturday. I cannot believe it has been 4 years already. Too bad she acts like she is 12. I guess that is what happens when you try to keep up with an older brother.

Here are the start of her birthday photos. I have been busy editing lots of pics and trying to put together a video. I will post more when they are done.

M wanted a "princess" party. I am not a fan of cartoon character parties, so I went for more of an elegant party (fit for a princess). We used real plates and cups with different ribbons on each handle.

I got these gorgeous flowers at the farmer's market that morning for .10 cents a stem. I hung them from the trees above the tables with tulle.

I made up some felt crowns and had stickers for the girls to decorate with.

Every princess need a crown.

There was hopscotch.

And cute girly dresses.

Of course even cuter girls.

I think every one's favorite part of the party was digging all the treasures out of the sand.

I don't know who had more fun the kid at the party or me planning it. I am such a sucker for a party.

After M's party, we had my brother Vinnie's official graduation party at my parents house.

Here are a few pics from that.

No party is complete without live music. I don't know what we are going to do when my brother Donnie moves to California. We will miss his great voice. (don't worry Donnie, that's not the only thing we will miss)

Everyone obviously had a good time. That's my brother Vinnie, third from the left, next to him is my cousin Jesse, then my brother Donnie and my cousin John on the far right. Vinnie, Jesse and John all graduated college this year. It was a celebration for all three.

Happy Celebrating!!

Rhainnon

All Things Girly

2010-07-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

We have been spending the day getting ready for miss M's 4th birthday party.

The party is tomorrow and M is so excited!!!

Here is a sneak peek. It will be full of all things girly.

Don't forget the cupcakes!!!

Happy Decorating!!

Rhiannon

Happy Birthday America!!!

2010-07-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a fun and festive 4th of July. Ours was great!! We spent the day with friends eating lots of food.

I made these cookies. They were so simple and looked great.

The kids spent the day swimming, eating popsicles and playing with friends!

Of course no 4th is complete without a little red, white and blue. Unfortunately all the store bought clothing for the 4th usually has the date and year on it. I am not a fan of this, because as most of you know, I am ~~cheap~~ frugal and want my kiddos to be able to wear their clothes more than one day out of the year. I found Marcus' shirt for 50 cents at a garage sale. You can't tell but it just has stripes on the front with the number 15 in navy. I made Maria's dress from old t-shirts. It has enough red, white and blue to be festive, but she will still be able to wear it all summer.

Now before you look too closely at the next pictures, I have to tell you I forgot to take photos before Maria put it on. I took these this morning and obviously before I did the laundry. Please ignore the wrinkles and stains.

This is the same tie dress I am in love with. I made my own pattern from a dress I had, but Dana over at Made has a free pattern for her version called The Warhol Dress.

My friend Shannon has been making skirts out of t-shirts and she leaves the bottom unfinished so they roll as they get worn in. I like the look, so I left the bottom unfinished.

I did make myself something to wear for the first time. I will post that later, because it did make it into the washing machine this morning.

Happy Monday!

Rhiannon

Good Job Dad!!

2010-06-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

I thought I would show off Jason's recent project. I had intended to post this for Father's Day, but time got away from me. Seems to happen a lot lately.

I am lucky to be married to a great handyman who is somewhat of a perfectionist. At times this can be frustrating because I am an instant gratification girl and he is a measure twice cut once guy.

Anyway, here are some BEFORE photos.

Try to ignore the our crazy kids and focus on the sidewalk.

We live in an old farmhouse, that came with an old sidewalk.

Now for the AFTER.

Didn't he do a great job? We plan on putting a stone wall and patio where the grass is on the bottom half of the picture. Jason will do all of it himself, so it may take some time.

If it looks as nice as the sidewalk, (I know it will) it will be worth the wait.

Happy Landscaping!

Subtract one and add two...

2010-06-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

..projects to my list.

I finished one item this weekend, and gained two more. I made a baby gown for Casey. If I was smart, I would have finished something with an earlier deadline. Casey is not due until September and I have several things that I need to make before the end of July. Oh well, I was inspired by this Beetles T-shirt I found on clearance, and I had to go with the inspiration.

Casey loves the Beetles and requested some gowns for the baby. I think she will love this.

Now Casey, I am only posting this because you know I could never have saved it for September. Keeping surprises is something I am not so good at.

Here is another pic, I love the striped sleeves. I cannot wait to see this on the baby.

I will cross that off my list and add the curtains for my grandma and dress requested by my aunt (for her granddaughter). Sleep is so overrated.

The kiddos and I went to our family reunion today. Here are a few photos I had to share.

Unfortunately for the little ones, it rained. Miss Louisa (my cousin Laura's daughter) was so sweet playing in the puddles, until...

my kiddos gave her a lesson on puddle play.

I think her laughter was worth getting her new (handmade by Laura) dress all wet.

Louisa soon got the hang of it.

A little rain isn't going to ruin our party!!

Happy Splashing!

Rhiannon

Picking Some Summer Fun!

2010-06-13T08:28:00.000-07:00

It seem like my list of things to sew keeps getting longer, and all I want to do is enjoy the sunshine and summer with the kiddos. I have decided that I am going to write my list down, and hopefully seeing it on paper will help me get motivated to finish all the projects in my head.

Here is my to do list

Baby gift for Casey-she is due in September (plenty of time left)

Birthday gifts for Caitlyn-July (still got time)

Baby gift for Baby Gia and Birthday gifts for Dax and Petra -coming to visit in July

Dresses for Jersee and Jayla -their mom gave me fabric and asked me to come up with something (starting this tomorrow)

Fix zipper on Jenny's bag - should have done this already
Baby gift for Reid- born on Friday (luckily he lives in Arizona-got a little time) Congrats Andrea-Love you!

Believe it or not, when I see it in writing, it does not seem so bad. Very doable if I focus- oh yeah, that's the hardest part.

I almost forgot the biggest project is Maria's Princess Extravaganza coming up in July. Looks like I may have some long nights ahead of me, because I refuse to miss out on moments like ...

..this.

We went to our cousin's quarry and the girls picked me some of these wildflowers.

They matched my summer tablecloth perfectly and were the perfect size for my hanging jars.

I love this tablecloth, I stumbled across it a garage sale last year. It is actually meant for a round table, but I don't care.

I usually have candles in the jars, the flowers are a nice change. And yes, I do have a tree branch hanging from my ceiling.

The kiddos and I also picked some of ..

these yummy mulberries. We all ended up with..

these. It was worth it.

Happy Picking!

Rhiannon

I'm Back, Too!

2010-06-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, it feels like forever since I've joined y'all on the blog. I'd like to thank Rhiannon for staying so motivated and sharing so many of her goings on lately. She's been keeping this blog rolling, for sure!

Well, what the heck have I been up to these past weeks?

Moving.
Packing and moving.

Then packing some more.
Cleaning.
More packing.

After that I did some moving and a bit more cleaning.

It was just a move across town but good grief was it so much work. Work that isn't exactly done yet. See, there's one huge hurdle left to tackle.

This hot mess will one day be my craft room/office. I'm so excited to have an entire room devoted to housing my craft supplies, one that has a door on it that can hide the messes... er... I mean, projects in progress. But right now it is hiding all the things I ran out of energy to deal with. Hopefully over the next few weeks I'll be able to share some progress on this project so I can get back to the fun of crafting again. My poor sewing machine has been neglected for so long.

One of the first places to set up during a move, the most important room in the house in my opinion, is the kitchen. Am I right? I think it gives everyone comfort during such a long transition period and it's nice to have some bit of normalcy to go along with a big change. Especially with a toddler in the house. It certainly isn't easy or always practical to keep up with homecooked meals during a move so we focused on making things that are fun and easy to prepare. With summer (unofficially) in full swing here in Georgia, we made one of our favorites recently. Pink Lemonade! I found this recipe on Joy the Baker's site last year.

Aiden squeezes the lemons while I process the raspberries.

Wowie zowie is it ever yummy.

Do yourself a favor and make some. It is especially delicious when sipped on the back porch on these hot summer nights.

Well, it's good to finally have internet again and to be back in touch with my virtual world. This is going to be a great summer, I can't wait to share it with you all.

~Megan

PS

Anyone want to share their favorite summer recipes?

I'm Back!!!

2010-06-11T13:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry everyone, we have been too busy enjoying our summer. Doing things like...

..this!!!

I have managed to fit in a little sewing. Of course it involves another dress for Maria. I have made almost all of her summer wardrobe, and have stuck to using recycled fabric and clothing.

I was inspired by Dana's Warhol Dress for this one. I actually drafted my own pattern from a Gap dress given to Maria by a friend. I really liked the cut of the neckline. I guess I am not the only one. Dana has also made a pattern for this.

Anyway, here is my version.

My friend Shannon got this maternity shirt at one of our local thrift stores on bag day. That is when they give you a brown paper bag and let you fill it for $1.00. So I guess you could say this dress cost Shannon about 10 cents. Hey Shannon- I owe you 10cents.

Here is the finished dress.

I love the way it fit. Maria wore it the other day, and my friends are already asking for one for their kiddos. Looks like I will be making a few more of these.

I hope you all are enjoying the start of your summer as much as we are. Here a couple more fun pics from ours. Sorry I can't help it.

A slug found in the garden.

A turtle found at our friends lake.

And 2 cuties found in my garage.

Oh yeah, I have already picked up Poison Ivy. One of the joys of living in the country.

So...

Happy Itching!!

Rhiannon

Windy City Wrap Up

2010-06-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

Finally, the rest of our Chicago visit, in pictures.

Enjoy!

Fun in the water,

in the rickshaw,

(Yes, that is my brother in the driver's seat. See what a degree in oil painting gets you. Just kidding Vinnie-Love YOU!)

at the zoo,

at the Lily Pond,

(this is hidden behind the zoo-like a secret garden)

the dogs,

(both kinds)

and of course more fun in the pool.

Sort of .

Now I just need to take all this great inspiration and go create.

Happy Creating!

Rhiannon

Chicago Fun!

2010-05-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

Here are photos of some of the fun we are having.

Try not to be too jealous :)

The Zoo.

Played in some water.

Ate lemons...

..with Grandma.

Having too much fun.

Happy Weekend!

Rhiannon

Congratulations Vinnie!!!

2010-05-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from Vinnie's graduation. It was a very nice ceremony.

They put together a slide show of the graduates artwork, all of their talent was quite impressive. You can check out some of Vinnie's art here.

Thankfully it did not take too long, because I parked in 2hr parking and risked being towed.

Their guest speaker was Howard Terpning. He graduated from the American Academy of Art and was given the Distinguished Alumnus Award.

You may recognize some of his work like...

and this.

We enjoyed a great dinner after. Always good eats in the city.

Here are some pics from the day.

Here's the whole family minus Jason, he had to work. Only an art school can get away with having a graduation on Wednesday at 3:00.

(a sewing note- Maria's dress is from a thrift store skirt.)

Vinnie loved his wallet and card.

Hope you all have a great weekend. I have Internet, so more city pictures to come.

Happy Friday!!

Rhiannon

Graduation

2010-05-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

My brother Vinnie is graduating from art school today!! Hooray! I cannot believe I am that old. The kids and I are heading up to the city to attend his ceremony. We are staying until Sunday so probably no post until I get back.

Here is Vinnie and his girlfriend. Sorry Emily it was the recent pic I had.

This is a picture of all three of my little brothers. I love those guys. I am the oldest and the only girl, so I spent a lot of time babysitting. From the left Donnie, Sammy (miss him so much) and Vinnie.

And here we are at a Steve Martin concert. That's my Jason on the far right.

So you might wonder what do you give a super hip guy graduating from The Academy of Art, with a degree on Oil Painting. It's a little intimidating making him anything, because he is a brilliant artist and super creative.

We made...

a wallet out of the kiddos paintings.

I used contact paper to stiffen the paper. I think this would also be a cut Father's Day gift.

Happy Vacation!

Rhiannon

Going OUT!!

2010-05-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

The Hubby and I very rarely get the opportunity to go out alone. Tonight is an exception, we got a sitter. My cousin is going to come sit with the kids, so we can go see ...

..this guy.

That's my little brother Donnie. He has a band with his best friend Ross.

They are called The Heroic Charade and

they are performing at a local bar tonight, thanks to Kelly (Megan's sister).

So tonight promises to be filled with family, friends, great music and maybe..

..some dancing? Yeah, probably not the dancing.

Check out The Heroic Charade and give them a listen.

Happy Listening!

Rhiannon

Footstool and Cuteness

2010-05-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Footstool.....

...now for Cuteness

I love his laugh.

He is growing up way too fast for me.

Once again a simple shoot for the blog turned into a complete photo session.

Good thing my kids are pros.

I thought this was just funny.

Happy Cuteness!

Rhiannon

Tank Dress Tutorial

2010-05-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

Here goes nothing, my first official tutorial.

I made this dress for Maria from a couple of thrift store finds. (surprise, surprise)

I have one side note before you go on. I am self taught in the sewing and refashioning department, so don't be too critical of my technique. This is how I made the dress, not to be confused with the correct way to make this style of dress.

Here we go...

This is the finished dress. Pretty cute isn't it?

O.K., I started with these 2 women's shirts from the thrift store.

They both cost under $2.00 each. I feel bad spending over $2.00 on anything I am going to cut apart. So most of Maria's summer wardrobe cost me less that $5.00 a garment. Love it.

I started by putting the tank on Maria inside out so I could pin where I wanted to take in the sides and straps. You could probably use a tank you already have that fits as a guide for resizing. I was able to bribe Maria with some play money. I am not sure if this was genius or cruel, either way it worked. The hard part was getting it off without poking her with a pin.

Don't you love her smile?

I then pinned all the way down each side of the shirt, to mark where I wanted to sew.

I followed my lines and sewed up the sides and...

... across the shoulders. Notice, I have not cut any of this shirt yet, not even the length.

Once I have sewn all the seams, I cut the extra fabric off the sides and the shoulders.

Once the extra fabric was cut, I serged the seams.

Next, I turned the shirt right side out and pinned where I wanted the skirt to start. I used one of Maria's tanks as a guide.

Now I need a base for my ruffles. I had this t-shirt that was donated to me from a friend.

I liked the length of this striped dress Maria already had. I decided to use it as a guide. I put the tank on top of the pink t-shirt and then the striped dress on top of both. I adjusted the pink t-shirt until I had it lined up with the bottom of the dress.

I removed the dress and marked where I wanted to cut the top of the pink shirt.

I cut the pink shirt at the top and on the sides.To mark where I wanted to cut the sides of my skirt, I started with the width of the tank and cut at an angle, so I would have an a-line shape when done. Making any sense at all? I hope so.

I placed my skirt fabric right sides together and stitched up one side.

I serged that seam too. I love my serger. It makes feel like a better sewer when my projects are serged on the inside. There's a beginner sewing tip for you- buy a serger. I makes you look like you know what you are doing:)

Now for the fun part, the ruffles. I cut three 2.5 inch strips. If you have more fabric, you can add more ruffles. I just made what I could with one shirt. The challenge of refashioning. After I cut the strips, I cut one side, so I had a long strip of fabric to gather.

I thought I had pictures of the gathered pieces, but I guess not. I just used a gathering stitch on my sewing machine and then placed the first ruffle at the bottom of the skirt. I had it hang over the hem about 1 inch. After sewing it on, I added the next row. I just estimated on the spacing. I made them as even as I could and left about 2 inches at the top for a waistband.

Once all the ruffles were on, I folded it in half (right sides together) and stitched up the side.

I turned the skirt right side out and OOHED and AHHED over how cute it was. Then I cut the top band of fabric off and flipped it over onto the skirt (right sides together)

After sewing the band to the skirt, I put the tank inside the skirt, flipped the skirt over and sewed the skirt to the shirt. I doubled checked my length before I finally cut the tank.

Trim all your extra thread, and there you have it. A cute new dress for summer!

Thank goodness that's over. Tutorials are a lot of work, especially when you are not really sure what you are doing. I hope, if nothing else, this was inspiring.

Let me know what you think.

Happy Sewing!!

Rhiannon

This was posted on The Train To Crazy. Check out her Make it and Wear it post. It is full of inspiration.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

A Mother's hands are busy

From the early morn until

Evening shadows settle

On the kitchen window sill-

A Mother's hands are loving

A Mother's hands are strong

A Mother's hands are clever

At fixing what goes wrong-

And year by year each one of us

More clearly understands

How many times our happiness

Was all "in Mother's hands"

Doris J. Faulhaber

Can I Keep It?

2010-05-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

What do you give your super adorable 22 year old cousin who is moving to Colorado?

A scarf, of course. But not just any scarf, you make her a recycled t-shirt scarf.

She wears scarves all the time, and I'm sure she owns a few. So I had to get creative. This was super easy to make and the possibilities are endless. I can't wait to make one for myself.

I wrapped it up it right away, or I would have worn it to work today.

Yes, it is wrapped in bubble wrap. We get a lot of orders shipped in that stuff at work, and I hate to throw it out. I think it is fun to use as gift wrap.

Happy Wrapping!

Rhiannon

Family Fun Jar...

2010-05-06T07:57:00.001-07:00

..put to good use.
The kids have been collecting the change they find around the house and putting it in the "Family Fun Jar". When the carnival came to town last weekend, I found the perfect way to get out of spending my money on the overpriced rides and food. The kids were completely on board with cashing in the change and using it to pay for an evening with the family at the carnival.

Now, I am usually the one on the sidelines with the camera snapping photos, but for some reason I let Jason talk me into riding the rides and he was the one behind the camera for a change. I think his argument went something like this....

"There is no way those rides are meant to support the weight of a grown man."

After riding those swings, I would have to agree.

And by the way, he could never have squeezed his legs in the ride.

Alright, I'll admit it, he didn't have to talk me into this one.

What 9 year old doesn't love bumper cars?

The kids have already started refilling the jar.

Happy Family Fun!!
Rhiannon

By the way, Maria is wearing another dress from her refashioned sumer wardrobe.
Women's t-shirt + old pillowcase = cute Top!

And the winner is....

2010-05-05T17:41:00.001-07:00

Can you see the excitement on my assistant's face??

Congratulations, Liz!! Thank you all for joining in on the fun, we'll definitely do this again.

Now I need to get back to some crafting. I gotta keep up with that crazy cousin of mine!

~Megan

Mother's Day Giveaway::Terre Tesori

2010-05-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is this weekend, did you know? I for one can't believe it's May already since in my mind (and in my chore list) I'm still only half way through April. So as you may have guessed I'm way behind on crafting gifts for all the special mommas in my life but maybe I can help you with one of yours.

I have a very good friend who just happens to be an amazing craftsman. His medium of choice is wood and he can make just about anything:

Rocking horses

Bi-plane shelves

Beautiful pens

Wine bottle stoppers

Recently James, who's business is called Terre Tesori has started making some really beautiful jewelry:

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of his rings so you'll have to trust me that they're gorgeous. Maybe he'll post some pics on his blog (hint, hint, JW) and you can see them for yourself.

For this giveaway I have a lovely pair of ebony teardrop shaped earrings:

He cuts the wood so thin that they're very light and comfortable to wear. I get the most complements when I wear my pair.

So here's the details to enter:

1. Follow us and leave a comment telling us you did!

2. If you already follow, leave a comment telling us you are!

That's it. I'll draw a winner Wednesday morning, May 5 and ship that day so hopefully it will get to you by the weekend. Sorry this is open to U.S. residents only.

And, please, if you have a moment check out James' blog Terre Tesori where he has more photos and info on his work. You can contact him directly at jimskio@yahoo.com for info about pricing.

Good luck. :)

~Megan

Don't be a party pooper...

2010-05-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

Go join the party!!

Andrea at The Train to Crazy has a blog party going on. If you make and wear it, she'll link it.

Go Check It Out

May Day Fun!!

2010-05-03T08:16:00.000-07:00

So after a conversation with Megan today, we have come to the conclusion that May Day baskets and the tradition of leaving them on some one's doorstep, may not be practiced everywhere. Growing up in the Midwest, we took part in this May 1st tradition.

This year we put Dana's no-sew flowers in our baskets.

Check out the tutorial here.

So, for those of you not familiar with the tradition,

first you hang your basket on the door,

ring the doorbell,

and RUN!!!

The idea is to leave the basket without the recipient knowing who it is from. If you get caught they get a kiss.

Happy May Day-Late

Rhiannon

Guess What

2010-05-01T20:24:00.000-07:00

I made Maria another dress. I know big surprise.

I will get the basics of the dress out of the way and then I hope you are ready for a long post of Maria pictures. I got a little carried away and ended up doing an entire photo shoot.

I used a tutorial by Vanessa at V and Co. Another great blog to get lost in.

I purchased this skirt for $1.50 at my local consignment store. I am very lucky to have a clean and well managed second hand store near by. They are very selective about what they will sell, this saves me from having to watch for stains and holes when shopping. They also keep their stock rotated by having some great sales. Once a month, they open their loft for one week and all the old stock get sold for 99 cents. I mark my calendar and go every month.

Using a skirt with a zipper, made this dress easy to size.

I used the extra fabric from the lining to make this flower. I used my sewing machine to attach it and added the button by hand.

Our yard is full of what we call helicopters. They are seeds from a tree and when you throw them in the air, they spin as they fall, like a helicopter.

Watching my kids collect as many as they could in their hands before they launched them into the air, brought back memories of doing the same as a child. It was always fun to stand under the falling "helicopters"as they all spiraled to the ground around me. It is funny how a memory like this seems insignificant until you experience it again with your own children.

This is probably one of my favorite pictures of the bunch. It gives me a warm, fuzzy, summer is coming feeling.

I warned you, I took a lot of pictures.

Marcus was sick from school. Doesn't he look terrible? Funny how fresh air cures an upset stomach.

Thanks for putting up with all my pics.

Happy Photographing!

Rhiannon

Say Hello

2010-04-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

To my little friends!

These are a couple of fused plastic zipper bags I made recently.

I love how they turned out, I think I will be making a lot more.

I need to come up with some cute names-any ideas?

This is another tutorial I hope to finish soon.

I love making this stuff, I just forget to take pictures of the process.

Happy Recycling

Rhiannon

Makin' Stuff!!

2010-04-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

O.K. for the next couple of weeks, I am going to be addicted to Dana and Disney's blogs. They are Celebrating all Moms, with tutorials, giveaways and stories. If you are looking for some great Mother's Day ideas check out their blogs. I, of course will be trying most of their tutorials and posting my results.

I made this flower pen and matching notebook for Maria's friend Jessica.

Jessica is our Baby sitter's sister and just turned 15. I wanted to make her something fun and age appropriate. I used Dana's no sew flower tutorial and V and Co's composition book cover tutorial.

I liked this project so much, I bought 2 more composition books. I think Maria and I might need our own. I thought about covering a sketch pad for Marcus (using different fabric-of course)

Happy Friday

Rhiannon

Yippie!!

2010-04-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

I WON!!!

Amy over at Buggy and Jellybean gave away her person copy of Amy Butler's Sew It Kit, and I won.

Holy Crap- I never win anything. and this will be my first Amy Butler book. I have drooled over copies of her books at the fabric store and cannot wait to have one of my own.

Thanks Again Amy, you made my day.

Happy Earth Day!

Rhiannon