A Monkey & A Magpie

474 Dandy Fun

2012-02-18T00:02:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to share a few dandelion pics. The kids have been dragging me back into the park again, so I have to amuse myself somehow. Actually, the dandelion that the T-Rex is holding was what started it all. Connor came up to me while I was getting ready to take them out to bring me a "flower". He is so overwhelmingly sweet (on occasion).

Beware girls... Just because he comes bearing gifts it doesn't mean he can be trusted.

Wasted wishes.... So sad.

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Trying to figure out how to post from my phone since I rarely get on the actual computer.... And most of the pictures I take are on my phone right now.

473 January 2012

2012-02-15T17:40:00.001-06:00

I honestly have no idea what we did the month of January.
I know the television got turned off a lot more often.
I know my head nearly exploded multiple times from frustration.
I know I managed to get out of the house ... a few times.
I know Connor decided he would rather stick out his tongue than smile.
I know Katie improved at school ... but she still comes home clueless about what her teachers have actually said.
I know Sugar has been toted about and kissed so much that I literally have to remind Katie that she can OVER HANDLE her hamster to the point it will hurt it. Plus, EWWW, kissing a hamster!
I know we can't wait for the tax return to post.
I know we had snow flurries ... and 70 degree days. We had the heat on full blast, and we had the windows open.
I know I made art... I even kept up with my photo a day thing... so far.

472 Atlanta Trip - Winter Holiday Edition

2012-02-04T14:25:00.000-06:00

Ever since Katie started school I try to use every school holiday for a trip home to see my family. I have probably mentioned it before, but the older I get the closer I want to be to my family. I miss Mom ... and even my stinky brothers and their families. It is always worse around a holiday, when I want to watch the kids all ripping into their presents together. And, I will admit, it was really hard for me to get in the Christmas mood this year. I caught it right there at the end, but it was a close one.

I did get to take the kids home for a week. We got to visit a bit with everyone, see some friends (although not nearly enough), and generally relax and enjoy. It was MUCH needed.

Katie does have her own bed ... but most nights she either started out here and moved, or she just stayed the whole night. I might be "mean" but I am also super cuddly.

We took a drive into North Georgia to do a little gem mining for Katie at The Lilly Pad Village. The water was COLD, but we had a blast. It was a bit off the beaten path, but the staff was really nice! I would definitely recommend it if you have a little rock hound in the family.

And of course, I have to share some pics of my adorable nephew! We got a chance to babysit him for a bit. Katie and Connor were absolutely smitten. Spencer really is one of the happiest and sweetest babies I have been around. And he LOVES a camera! What's not to love?

It got a little chilly, so we had to break out the hats.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And then ... I had to go home :(

471 Christmas Post... finally

2012-02-04T13:47:00.001-06:00

Yeah yeah ... Christmas was a long time ago ...

I am trying to convince myself to jump back into this blog, so just work with me here.

Besides, who can't use a little Christmas cheer?

First we have the Sugar Cookie Making ... very important tradition. Connor absolutely demolished an egg trying to "help" crack it. My butter wasn't cold enough and the dough refused to cooperate. Definitely not the best batch ever, but we had fun.

Katie took over some of the reading of "The Night Before Christmas".

I then forced them to pose ... clearly they are not concerned with being placed on the Naughty List.

It was a superhero Christmas for Connor, and a science Christmas for Katie. She loved her geode set from Santa. Probably the only child that was excited to see that Santa brought her a bunch of rocks.

And a trip down to Mimi and Pop Pop's to spend time with family.

Katie loves her Red Rider ... luckily she did NOT shoot her eye out. However, the very first shot she took ricocheted off the fence and hit me in the arm ... it had no force by that point, but I did have to laugh.

Okay ... enough ... Although, I haven't posted pictures from our Atlanta trip yet...

(Just trying to get it out of the way so I can do a wrap up post for January and I will feel like I am back on track.)

470 Oh, Hello ... Anyone Still There?

2012-01-18T10:52:00.002-06:00

The loss of years and years of pictures really took the joy out of blogging for me. To click on this site and see the big black boxes where pictures used to be... made me sick to my stomach. I need to get over it. Move on ... I need to remember that the entire point to this blog was to allow my family that doesn't live nearby to keep up with us. It has become more... a place I can share some of my arts and crafts stuff. A place I can ramble and even complain. Oh, don't worry ... I didn't lose my outlet entirely, it just wasn't here. But anyway, it is time to suck it up and just start posting again. Give myself something to do. I may not have much to say for a while, but I will try to get soem posts up. Maybe it will inspire me.

I will be trying to get caught up. Maybe add back in pictures to posts as I can.

I know Mom will be happy to have more current pics of the kids to look at when she drops in, so ... here is one to hold her over....

469

2011-12-09T11:55:00.001-06:00

My mom just pulled over to call me because she had finally remembered that she wanted to tell me about this really pretty wreath she saw on a blog. She does stuff like that, and it makes be smile. It makes me feel closer.

468 SIGH

2011-11-16T22:56:00.001-06:00

So... we got new phones last week.

Mine was synced to my email that is associated with this blog, and the thousands of pics in the archive were placed on my phone. I just saw this huge folder on my phone, sitting in my memory, and I deleted them...

..... AND TADA ....

Over four years of blogging pictures are GONE.

I don't know exactly what I want to do, and there is probably nothing I can do ... I could sit and make myself sick about it, but those pics are still in my hard drive, so it isn't a complete loss.

But ... other than that I absolutely love our new phones. It takes AMAZING pictures. We got the Samsung Galaxy S II, and it has an 8mp camera. That is staggering! I need to upload pics to the computer soon so I can share. Or, finally learn how to post from my phone.

This rambling post has been brought to you by the letters
E
X
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A
U
S
T
I
O
and
N

467 Extended Fall Break in Atlanta

2011-10-24T13:36:00.000-05:00

Pictures... just so there is a post, but I will come back tonight and bore you to death with descriptions. Promise!

(I'm trying to add some pictures back in after the unintended mass deletion... give me time)

466 Talk About a Guilt Trip

2011-10-06T13:48:00.001-05:00

I am apparently the worst mom ever. I found this sitting by my daughter's bed...as my inattentive rear was tucking her in, reading a bedtime story and scratching her back...

(I will post a pic when I am not on my phone)

"My baby brother when he came home. He was so cute I feed him. He chang thing. I didn't get any atencen. My mom didn't help me with my artist stuff. I wish he was he was not even here and still in the hospitle being born in my mom's belle. I Love my mom. I think it would be fun to have a brother has a baby it was not fun to have one. I Like him in all but he's stilling my mom it's a Connor is my brother."

HEARTBREAKING! And I don't just mean the grammar and spelling....

465 Don't Look If You Don't Want to Find...

2011-09-26T14:45:00.000-05:00

The other day I went looking for a particular skirt in my daughter's room. It wasn't hanging in the closet, nor was it on the floor (and considering all the shit that was on the floor, that was impressive)... It wasn't in her drawers or in the dirty clothes hamper. So, I looked in the next logical place, under the bed... And that, my friends, is where I lost my mind.

A week or so ago, my husband told her to clean her room if she wanted something. I don't remember the reward, but I do remember him checking her room and telling her she had done a good job. She received her reward and promptly didn't pick up another thing in her room. So, when I looked in the closet and then under the bed, I discovered exactly HOW she had cleaned her room.

There were boxes of toys and art supplies I had separated just shoved in the closet and dumped over...

There was a trash bag shoved under her bed that contained not one bit of trash. It did contain clothes, books, a boxed set of Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 1, and her brother's V-Reader among other things.

There were NUMEROUS empty juice pouches and bottles. Crumbled bits of Oreo. An empty bottle of CAPERS.

She's nine. I understand she will take the easy way out everytime (who can blame her?)...but this crossed the line. She has been asking for us to take her to the Mid-South Fair, not a chance in Hell. She has been asking for various and sundry things...as if she has room for a single other thing in her room.

I am taking this one. I am not going to punish myself by punishing her and making her help me. I know. I know. I am losing a chance to really teach a lesson, but let's be honest...she wouldn't have learned a damn thing. Two days later she would forget it anyway.

But when I reach the bottom of the pile of shit and Polly Pockets and stuffed animals and art supplies and beads and dolls and trash...THEN the lesson begins. Poor girl will be facing a whole new world where she is responsible for maintaining her own room. Many groundings and punishments are sure to follow. Pray for me.

By the way, if you hear maniacal laughter it is just from the creators of Polly Pockets and Silly Bandz as they swim in the money they made off of us.

464 Ten Years Ago... (my story)

2011-09-11T10:18:00.000-05:00

We worked evenings, everyone knew we slept late, so why was my phone ringing so early in the morning?

Caller ID ... Why is my mom calling so early?! I wanted to ignore it, but I reached over and groggily answered the phone. She told me to turn on the tv, that a plane had struck the World Trade Center. And as I watched, I saw another plane ... Oh my God... I woke up Chip to watch with me. Tears streamed down my face, my heart seemed to beat slower. I cupped my hands over my abdomen, protecting the little life inside. We hadn't announced it yet, but we were pregnant with Katie. As the day unfolded my hand rarely moved from her. As it became more and more clear that our world had just changed I wanted to keep her safe.

People tried to go on with their daily lives. I had a bowling lesson (yeah, I took lessons, and I was pretty damn good) and I went. I remember driving down the road, looking over and seeing the same look of shock/sadness/fear on everyone's faces. No one was speeding, it was the most surreal experience as everyone just puttered along, their minds elsewhere. I told my bowling buddy that day that I was pregnant. I hadn't planned to tell her, but I needed to...needed that reminder of happiness and the future.

All of our lives changed that day. Forever. Not just for the weeks we didn't hear a plane overhead (and we live in a flightpath, so THAT was eerie). Not just those in New York, or the Northeast, or even just those in America. The world changed.
We will never forget the lives we lost that day. We will never forget the courage of those who ran to help. We will never forget that the very freedom that makes America so great also makes us a target...a vulnerable target, but we will be vigilant, we will be strong. We will not let this break us.

We will never forget.

463 The Day I Cut Off the Oxygen Supply

2011-09-03T10:46:00.001-05:00

Okay, so that might be a little dramatic... I did turn off the television for the night. I had good reason!!

Sunday night, the kids were whining and complaining, arguing over which show to watch and who can sit where. When Connor brought the living room remote control into the bathroom to get me to put it on Scooby Doo I decided that was the last straw! It's bad enough that I can't potty in peace, but at least bring me a problem I can solve while still sitting down.

I took that remote and (a few minutes later) placed it on top of the refrigerator. I even turned off the tv the old fashioned way to prove how serious I was!

*CLICK*

SEE! It's really over now kiddos! Well, at least for the hour or so until I can tuck you into bed... with a story and a back rub (because I am not that horribly mean of a mommy).

Oh, the begging that ensued! PLEASE MOMMY!!! to which I only have to say "PUH-LEASE CHILD" This isn't my first rodeo. I can hang on a little longer than six seconds. They survived, but it was clearly touch and go for a while there.

Fast forward to Wednesday.

The stage is set. The kids (plus 1) are on the couch, the tv is on ... and the bickering begins.

It starts off small... and slowly builds. Now they are pushing a little, Connor might be lightly kicking his sister...

Admonishing them to be nicer to each other, to sit still, to STOP HURTING YOUR BROTHER/SISTER! It all falls on deaf ears.

What is a mom to do?

What punishment affects them more than any other?

Snatch up the remote ...and CLICK.

SILENCE...

Blank stares that turn into glares.

Oh yes, I have found their kryptonite. The 52" Black Hole...

You could see the joy drain from their faces. No Scooby. No Goosebumps. NOTHING.

The oxygen seemed to drain from the room. Their brains were clearly struggling with the sudden need to THINK. Imaginations were pulled from the deep recesses of their minds and slowly dusted off. It was a painful experience. I suggested something radical. I suggested that Katie actually sit and READ A BOOK! You would think I had suggested she pluck a chicken or change a diaper or something even less savory.

As usually happens when we punish our children, it ended up hurting me more than it hurt them. Indoor tag is a great way to pass the time. It also means they were playing upstairs where my craft room caught Connor's eye. Without the distraction of tv, all his devilment was able to manifest itself... in the form of a (soon to be empty) bottle of acrylic paint ...on the floor, the wall, and on himself. And what makes it even worse, he clearly knew it was bad. He hid behind the door in his room to unscrew the cap. Basic rule to remember kids, if you have to hide it then you can just automatically assume you shouldn't be doing it.

Luckily (for him and me) the paint was still wet and the steam cleaner was handy... you know, since I have been trying to clean all the cat hair from the carpet ... almost all of it came up.

But that was truly the last straw. I told them that the tv was off for the rest of the night, with threats of the rest of the week. As the promise of hours of silence and entertaining themselves stretched before them, the remaining air grew thinner. Soon it was hard to breathe... Maybe it was the incessant whining that depleted the amount of oxygen in the air. Maybe the black hole sucked all the oxygen out of the room. Katie just lay down on the floor and whined herself to sleep. Connor leaned against me, repeatedly asking when the tv could come back on. Even my brain shut down in order to keep from exploding.

Sure, I didn't get frustrated at all that I have been listening to nothing but whining and screaming while I try to clean. It doesn't bother me in the least that they run circles around me, playing chase while I am steam cleaning the floor in the bedroom and shifting every piece of REALLY heavy furniture around to a different spot. NOT AT ALL! I love watching my children methodically destroy every patch of clean in the house as I try to create another patch. I enjoy always answering the door with an apologetic glance at the house and an explanation that this is what happens when I try to clean other parts of the house. Really, it isn't a big deal.

Sure, I have a nine year old who SHOULD at the very least maintain her own bedroom. I have big baskets in the living room for the toys that SHOULD make itso easy for them to pick up their toys. There are many SHOULDs that would help me to maintain the house and my sanity. (Like, maybe someone SHOULD stop buying them new toys) But, as all moms know, our sanity is not even of secondary importance. It falls at the very bottom of the list.

But now I have found the best method of punishment. I have found the quickest way to take the wind out of their sails. I have found the kryptonite that will lay them low. And I am going to use it! And I will enjoy that there is one less layer of sound to process, even if I do not get to enjoy complete silence. And eventually they will learn .... RIGHT??!! RIGHT??!!

462 A (MUCH NEEDED) Night With Friends

2011-08-31T23:58:00.001-05:00

One of my husband's fraternity brothers recently got married (they ran away and did it on the beach like sensible adults), and they invited everyone to come celebrate with a reception in their honor. Travel is pretty hard to pull off, but we are lucky enough that the happy couple lives right around here. I had been looking forward to seeing a bunch of our college buddies and having time to catch up with everyone. We all know I don't get out of the house very often, so this was an excellent opportunity.
Like I said, Eric and Tammy were married on the beach, so the reception had a Hawaiian theme... sundresses and Hawaiian shirts. Those trips to the mall from the last post were in search of the perfect dress... but since the perfect dress doesn't exist, I settled for this one...

Chip preferred one of the shorter dresses I had tried on, but to be perfectly honest, the dress he liked was rather tight and I wouldn't have been able to enjoy myself ...or breathe deeply. This one had the added bonus of a low neckline... I figured that not many people would make it past the cleavage to notice the ample hips. Chip just rolled his eyes, but come on! you know it was a valid point. It isn't as noticeable from this angle, but trust me.

After a bit of a last minute scramble to find a babysitter (thank you so much Nicole!!), we were all set for a night with our buddies. You know we were excited because the Jaxons were early! I know, it's a miracle!

And what a night. I danced like a fool! No, not because of the alcohol ... Mostly because I am not known for my dancing skills. I am not afraid to get out there and shake it (as long as there are a few people to act crazy with me)! I did have a few drinks, but if anything they only caused me to be more cautious ... those little cups are slosh prone on the dance floor. Yes, I even did the required wedding party line dances. I refused to "clap clap clap, clap yo hands" ... I did have my hands full after all (drink and phone...shush, I put my phone in Chip's pocket a few times, but I needed to have the camera part of it ready). Oh, and I apologize to anyone whose feet I stepped on, but that will teach you to dance too close to me.

p.s. Clearest sign I was dancing like a wild thing ... I was sore the next day! OUCH! (and so sad)

There is not much that will beat a night with old friends. A few couldn't make it, and they were sorely missed, but all in all we had a fabulous time. If I could convince everyone to head back to college I totally would! I love you all! There was lots of laughing and talking and hugging and laughing. YES, there was enough laughter to warrant saying it twice. And I was really in need of some good hugs!

Even if the lighting was abysmal... I know! I know! It is more romantic to be dimly lit... BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PICTURES!?!? I brought my big camera, but I felt odd taking it out when there was a photographer walkng around. I settled for really being a guest and enjoying my friends! In this day and age of camera phones and instantly posting to facebook reception halls should turn up the lights a wee bit ;) That being said, a few pics from the night (forgive them).

Super blurry, but it would have been so cute! UGH!!!

TO THE HAPPY COUPLE!

I wish you a lifetime of joy.

A lifetime of love.

I wish for you to start and end each day with a kiss.

I wish for you long conversations about nothing ..and everything.

I wish for you comfortable silences, too.

I wish you happiness in yourselves and in each other.

Congratulations! And thank you so much for inviting us to help celebrate your marriage!

461 Randomness As Usual

2011-08-29T10:32:00.002-05:00

Still experiencing bloggers block. Not sure what to write about and not sure why it would even matter. But, I know it will come back to me eventually. Until then I will just share some randomness from our lives.

In chronological order, but I know it will seem completely mixed up ... I give you almost two weeks of Jaxon4 life...

I need to do more research into Mexican Sugar Skulls. I just love the way they look ... but I am sure there are different meanings to different images, and since it is not my heritage I worry I will make something offensive in some way. For now I am just doodling within a skull shape.

Katie's obsession with feathers made us check out the local Beauty Store where I was promptly scared and amused by these wig modeling mannequins.

Birthday party for friends...

...with friends...

A trip to the mall last Sunday with the family...

The Wolfchase Mall now has a train ... and Connor HAD to ride it. So we ALL had to ride it. First, he chose the blue car...

But after snapping a pic, Connor noticed the caboose...

Katie wasn't being very cooperative about taking pictures ... I'll show her! (that is gum on her lips, she had just popped a bubble)

Sunday night we got home to find Bartleby unable to run from Connor. When he did stand up he could barely stumble to the next room. I picked him up and held him in my lap until he passed away. It was peaceful, and he got to go in arms that loved him with a loving voice in his ear. He waited until we got home to him. He was neurotic, but he was a wonderful cat. We miss him. It hits harder sometimes. When the kids are in bed and he doesn't jump in my lap. When we go to the bathroom and he doesn't chase after us, knowing we will be trapped and he can get pet. When we walk by the cat food aisle in the store and it suddenly hits us that we don't need to walk down it. Bartleby, you are loved and missed. I took this pic a few weeks ago. Our handsome boy...

Monday we had to go back to the mall. We had to exchange Connor's Captain America costume for a bigger size... and we were looking for a sundress and a Hawaiian shirt for our friends wedding reception that was coming up. Connor and Katie took turns harrassing ... I mean "helping" me in the dressing room.

And Katie had finally talked us into a second hamster ... We are clearly gluttons for punishment.

And we came home with a new Winter White. Her name is Sugar... and I am pretty proud of Katie for not wanting to name her Salt since we already have a Pepper.

And some random fun ...

460 Off on a Tangent... Again

2011-08-18T13:02:00.000-05:00

Katie has been back in school for less than two weeks, and already I am reminded of why Summer Break is so very awesome. How I managed to forget the early alarm clock, the pick up right when Connor should be going down for a nap, or the hell that is homework I will never know, but forget it I did.

Monday was one of those horrible, rotten, very bad days that makes you question your sanity and/or your parenting skills. The struggle to get homework done ... or to even get Katie to crack open a book is a hard one every day. Monday however I had promised Katie that I would take her to get feathers in her hair. You know, since we obviously are rolling in dough, might as well spend $25 (plus the $5 tip, of course) for three skinny little feathers off a rooster which took a whole five minutes to crimp into her hair. I had my reservations about the feathers, but she has been asking for them all summer, and the school cleared the skinny ones to go along with dress code. So, I gave in. Sure, I can't get her to comb her hair on a daily basis, but she wants to go to a beauty salon ... for feathers... And we all know I am a huge pushover, so we headed out to find a beauty salon that would do feathers. Her friend Mia had feathers done at a little salon, so I looked it up and we headed that way ... I did not check the days and times it was open, and not being very girly myself I didn't even think that some salons aren't open on Mondays. Of course, we had passed several beauty shops on the way, so we just made a u-turn and found another. We ended up at Cabello Salon, and Jennifer was super sweet with Katie. We picked out the feathers and she popped them on in and we were off again. Yellow, purple, and turquoise if you were wondering.

We walked outside and I tried to get Katie to pause for a picture... she immediately threw a little diva attitude. SERIOUSLY?! Two seconds haven't passed since I just handed over the cash for those little things in her hair! You would think it wouldn't surprise me by now, but it does every single time. I should know that the minute she gets what she wants she will no longer comply with my wishes. And I know she isn't the only child who pulls out the smiles and "yes ma'ams" to get what she wants. (Shhhh Mom, I know ... it is payback) But hell! She should know by now that if I can't get a picture then it might as well not have happened. There needs to be a contract specifying that I will be able to take as many pictures as I like when she is getting what she wants. I had to be satisfied with a really horrible picture to commemorate one of our few mother/daughter outings.

She is now obsessively checking out ebay for feathers. It is SO easy to do ... and I mentioned that if we were going to do it again then I might as well do it myself. She now has the idea that I am going to do her hair and all of her friends' hair ... And if I had the stuff then of course I would happily put feathers in everyone's hair, but I wasn't planning on opening up my own business (which is exactly how Katie interpreted it).

And while Katie and I were out getting her hair done did, Chip took Connor for a much needed haircut. It was even MORE needed after Chip tried to buy one more day by trimming his bangs with kitchen shears... We were headed down to visit his parents and Connor had hair brushing his eyelashes, so he was just trying to make it easier for him to see (I guess).

I am not sure how an actual barber managed to mess his hair up even MORE, but she certainly did. He's three ... he squirms. That is enough of an excuse right there, but apparently she blamed it on his cowlick ... and the color of his hair (it shows everything you know). Luckily, he is still the cutest thing in the world. Hair grows.

Okay ... enough about hair. And I just realized I got off on a tangent. I was going to rant about how I am starting to wonder if being a stay at home mom does more harm than good. (Bear with me)
When I was in fourth grade (I started in 3rd) I rode my bike home from school with my sixth grade brother, or I walked home with my nose buried in a book the whole way (Mrs. Pinson always feared for me), and we were home alone until Mom got off work. We were latchkey kids. And that wasn't a bad thing. It taught us to be self sufficient. It taught us to figure out problems on our own. It taught us to find strength within ourselves. I don't remember ever being scared (except of the Pizza Man, but I told that story long ago). It was a simpler time, and by simpler I mean the bad stuff happened, but you didn't hear about it everyday. We got home and we did our homework, or we sat at the table and did it while Mom made dinner. I don't remember needing constant help and supervision. This might have backfired in a few ways... I don't learn well from others. If I can't teach myself then I will just fail (and fail I have on occasion). I am trying to let myself learn from others. It is a conscious effort to stop myself from shutting the door when someone tries to teach me something. I am trying. It doesn't always work.
I am starting to worry that Katie is relying on me too much. Constant access to me has kept her from learning to rely on herself. It is hard to determine what is actual need of help and what is a need for attention. Then she asks for help, but she is clearly not listening while I try to teach her how to solve a problem on her own. JUST GREAT! She got my refusal to be taught and a double dose of lazy. That poor child needs an intervention or school is just going to get worse. Or maybe she is just staring at me blankly until I give up in frustration and give her the answer. Unluckily for her, my patience is improving.
Am I a helicopter mom?!
Am I the enabler?!
I want to raise confident, secure, self-reliant, and strong children. I just haven't figured out exactly how to do that yet. Especially not without giving up my super sweet, snuggly babies. This requires a better sense of balance than I seem to possess. But I am working on it. And isn't that all we can do?
Eventually I will teach myself how to be a better parent...don't bother trying to tell me how. I am not that good at accepting help just yet.

459 That Atlanta Trip I Took and Never Shared

2011-08-11T15:34:00.000-05:00

On July 26th I became an aunt again (and possibly for the last time *sigh*)! And what a cutie he is! I had to restrain myself for a day before the kids and I headed for one last visit to Atlanta before the summer break was over. Working around a school schedule really cuts into our ability to visit freely, so I wasn't sure when my next chance to run home would be. With a fresh and shiny baby to snuggle and family to visit it was a must!

I woke up bright and early Wednesday morning and threw way too many clothes into laundry baskets (I am a master packer. Be jealous of my skills). Then I loaded up the kids and the hamster for the drive to Atlanta. Yes, we had to take the hamster. Poor Pepper has to put up with so much as part of our family :) In order to take the kids on potty breaks we had to put her in her exercise ball and stash her in my purse. It was pushing 100 degrees outside and there was NO way I was risking another hamster heat stroke... Katie wanted to carry the ball, but I was finally able to convince her that most places frown on bringing rodents inside.

I did manage to time my arrival to Atlanta to coincide with rush hour, but at least I wasn't dealing with Talladega traffic this time! Luckily I only had a few miles of bumper to bumper to deal with, but it was MORE than enough. Especially coming at the tail end of a long drive listening to "How much longer we be here?" But even with the traffic, and the blanket of smog hiding most of the skyline, it felt so good to be back home. Turning into the neighborhood was a great feeling.

We were able to relax for a little while before we headed up to the hospital so I could get my baby fix.

AND HOW CUTE IS HE??!! This is Spencer. The newest addition to the family. I might be a little biased, but I think he is super handsome. And there is nothing like holding a fresh baby to make your hormones kick into overdrive. I think it is all that new baby smell. (and yes, I didn't break out the big camera, these are from the phone)

We always try to have at least a little "adventure" when we are in Atlanta, and this time my mom had the excellent idea of going to the Southern Railway Museum in Duluth, GA. Connor was in HEAVEN!Even if it was pushing 100 degrees out there and it was SWELTERING! Still, all in all it was a very cool outing.

They got to climb up in the cab of the General and look around.

They had all different kinds of public transportation, not just trains. I loved this cute bus.

And we got to walk through a lot of different types of cars. Did I mention it was REALLY HOT? or that the trains are REALLY OLD? Some of them also happened to be REALLY STINKY. No way to avoid that of course, but be prepared to do some mouth breathing in a few of the cars.

And of course we had to catch a little train ride. The whistle hurt Connor's ears but he was certainly game to put up with it for a train ride.

Also important to note for anyone planning to take kids to the Southeastern Railway Museum ... The gift shop is full of actual train themed merchandise. And it is all reasonably priced. I hate nothing more than going somewhere, walking in the gift shop to see them selling something I could buy at Walmart... for three times the price. If I am going to purchase a souvenir then I want it to really reflect the experience.

After the train museum we ran over to the SprayPark in Roswell. The kids didn't play very long, but they certainly needed the chance to cool off.

I didn't take as many pictures this time in Atlanta. Next time I come home I will be able to force everyone to take a new family pic, but with Ronka and Spence in the hospital it wasn't going to happen this time around. As usual I didn't get to see everyone enough. Katie and Connor want to see their cousins more often. We did get to go out to dinner with some friends who qualify as family. I was trying to pack visiting and recharging my sanity into one trip ... and I think the sanity recharge failed. I just hope I can get back home soon to see everyone.
Georgia, I miss you already.

458 First Day of Fourth

2011-08-04T09:20:00.000-05:00

Today my little girl went back to school. She is now officially a Fourth Grader. And while I am excited about the new level of calm in my house, I am already missing my girl. But hey! At least I was able to get on the computer for more than two minutes. Guess I will have time to bore everyone to death again.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for this year of school.

Last year Katie was miserable. Her teacher was a screamer, and the little girls in her class were already pulling out the "popular" card. It is amazing how kids interpret being "popular" as being the biggest bitch. Gee, thanks a lot Disney! She spent the summer asking me to homeschool her, but she WILL NOT listen to me so I would have no hope of her actually doing any work. Plus, I think it is important for kids to interact with others. They need to learn how to deal with conflict and adversity. In real life you will not always be surrounded by the ones who love you most, so you have to learn how to trust in yourself and have strength. It is a hard lesson to learn, and it is one I seem to be forgetting myself.

We are also breaking in two teachers to helping Katie monitor her diabetes. I can only hope it goes more smoothly than last year. If they start sending her to the office in order to call and eat her snack when her blood sugar is out of whack again I will flip my lid. She was missing thirty minutes of class ... and then being expected to understand what the teacher didn't teach her. The whole point to having her 504 Plan is so that her diabetes does not have an impact on her learning. Last year Katie was made to feel that there was something wrong with her. She felt singled out. She was made to feel that she was interrupting the class.

How hard is it to allow a child to check her sugar? She knows how to do it herself.

How distracting is it for her to eat a bag of fruit snacks? It isn't messy and it goes quickly.

How hard is it to show respect for a child? Way too hard apparently.

So, keep your fingers crossed and say a little prayer for Katie AND her teachers... I am hoping this won't be as bumpy of a ride as last year.

457 ARGH

2011-07-23T23:12:00.000-05:00

Everytime I touch my computer I get attacked. It is by my adorably annoying children, but it still means I am mostly MIA... I will be back with pics and stories and crafty goodness soon. School starts back on August 4th and I will be able to think again!

456 Hello Again

2011-07-09T21:07:00.000-05:00

I know, I know ...
I don't call.
I don't write.
You were worried, weren't you?!
But, not to worry ... we have just been enjoying our summer here in the Jaxon house.
A little duck feeding to pass the time.

I love that Connor is HISSING at the geese. It probably wouldn't have been as cute if the geese tried to hiss back, but they stayed clear of him.

We finally got the pool up and we have been in it NONSTOP (at least it seems that way to me). Katie is becoming a fish, and Connor is testing his limits with his arm floaties. I, however, am playing lifeguard and catcher. Connor's favorite thing to do in the pool is to jump off the ladder .... shhhhh, I know you aren't technically supposed to jump off the ladders.

.....and I turned 34.

I won some barbecue rub from a contest on The Thought Vox blog. I can't wait to try it out, and you know I will be taking pics and letting you know about it. C-Dub's BBQ Rub is all natural and organic. I won't keep telling you about it here, but see that link right up there in red? Yeah, follow that! You can read reviews and information about the company. And of course you can order some for yourself!! I will be adding my own two cents as soon as I get a chance to rub it on some meat :) Also, that blue link .. follow it to The Thought Vox. It is a great blog and she frequently runs contests for music and other goodies (not to mention that Pam is an incredible artist in her own right-the photograph behind the rubs was on the card from Pam).

After a day in the pool I am finding it hard to find the energy to be creative. I finally broke out the sketchbook and I have drawn up a new canvas that needs to be painted, but other than that I have been a bit creatively brain dead. And, along those same lines I have run out of things to say ....

We did enjoy some fireworks on the 4th at Latimer Lakes with some friends.... I brought the big camera, but I never took it out. The phone camera is just too easy...

I know we are blurry, but it is the only pic of all four of us.

We did get a new hamster... Her name is Pepper, but we are currently fighting off wet tail, so I am not sure how exciting our news is... Hopefully I will be able to share more pictures of her soon. She really is a little cutie. She seems to be much younger than Snowflake was when we got her, so she is having some problems adjusting.

455 For the Love of Matty

2011-06-26T00:28:00.000-05:00

Just a few pics since it has been so long. I will fill in the backstory later when I can do it justice.

454 Photocation - Kid Torturing Edition

2011-06-12T16:22:00.000-05:00

My photo buddy, Tricia Spaulding (she is the photographer behind Made You Look Photography, check her out on Facebook!) and I hijacked the kids for some photo fun ... well, it was fun for us. And isn't that the important thing?! There is a little ramshackle house off of Highway 51. The paint is peeling and there is junk EVERYWHERE ... but man is it an awesome place for pictures.

Honestly, I was raised to stay off of any property that you don't own or weren't invited to visit, so I spent the whole time looking over my shoulder, waiting for the police to come and tell us to leave. I know ... I worry too much, and the cops never came. (On a sidenote: kids these days need to learn that lesson about staying off other people's property, too many bikes and scooters are going missing on our street).

And then I got down to the business of pulling teeth ... at least that is how the kids acted. You would think I was chasing them with a pair of pliers instead of pointing a camera at them. Its not like I asked them to comb their hair ... I wasn't trying to work miracles after all.

Connor definitely wins the How Not To Say CHEESE! Award ...

He was more interested in playing with Alex. I just can't compete with another boy ... and sticks.

I had fun with some actions in Lightroom .. though none are straight actions. I only use them as a jumping off point. Really, if I couldn't scroll through some actions to get an idea of how a picture would look black and white, sepia, saturated, unsaturated, or completely tweaked I would spend so much more time processing pictures. Actions are a great source of inspiration, but use them wisely .. you don't want your pictures to look like everyone else's. And there is my most important advice on photography ... and the reason you probably should not ask me for advice.

I don't know why ... everytime I try to get a picture of Katie with a younger child she tries to choke them into submission. There is a picture of her doing the same thing to her cousin about seven years ago. Oh .. you know I had to look it up ... 12/20/2004

5/26/2011

And here we are going to pretend I asked Connor to blow a kiss ...

And as with all things ... it ended with Katie dissolving into tears. This time it was about having a sleepover. I let her have the sleepover ... and I have this picture to show her later in life when she acts up ... or to show her boyfriend/husband/children.

Tricia in action. At least Alex was a wee bit cooperative for her.

I didn't even ask them to do the Chorus Line kick ... gotta love girls!

They might not have been as cooperative as I had hoped, but then I really didn't have high expectations going in .. I love the pics I got, even though they may not be technically great. I know I am not a posed portrait type photographer. I like to catch the action, the INTERACTION. I want to capture the memory, not just the look. Hoping to find the balance of both ..

453 Goodbye to Snowflake ... and other matters of importance

2011-06-10T14:23:00.001-05:00

I don't want to be one of those people always apologizing about not posting. Seriously, the world likes to get in the way. The medical emergencies have grown.

Connor had a spider bite, which I thought was a brown recluse (but luckily, it was not).

Katie spilled a bowl of molten hot homemade soup in her lap and suffered second degree burns.

Chip's father has been in the hospital for five days. It is much more serious, although he is on the mend. Since it is not my story to share, at this time I will only ask for your prayers, healing thoughts, and good vibes. Whatever you believe to work, please ... do it.

And then yesterday, Katie's hamster Snowflake died. She just wanted her hamster near her ... and she didn't think about the fact the sun was blazing hot when she brought her out in her travel cage. It must not have taken long. I didn't even know she had taken her outside. The next thing I knew, Katie came running inside with Snowflake cupped in her hands. We are all a bit distraught. She was possibly the sweetest hamster EVER. She put up with the constant handling and snuggling, and she even seemed to like it. How many hamsters do you know that like to have their tummy scratched? Snowflake did. She was a constant companion for the past few months, and this is a really hard lesson for Katie to learn. I do want her to understand that every life is precious. Even a hamster. The little things around us need our care and our compassion. It is our responsibility to look out for those who look up to us. It is a lesson I want her to always carry with her in life. I hope it is a lesson that will make her a better friend and person in general.

This is also Connor's first brush with mortality. We went to buy a "coffin" for Snowflake and when we returned he ran to her cage ... "Snowflake's still dead?" And I tried to explain it to him. And then, watching tv, out of nowhere he said "Mama, is Snowflake better now?" Oh my honey, Snowflake will never be better. She is gone. And he CRUMPLED! His little face first as he started to cry, then he just folded his body forward. The pain a three year old can feel!! I gathered him to me and rocked him. My poor baby. He loved that little rat (Chip and I always called her 'little rat'.. it became a term of endearment for her) as much as anyone could. In his little world she was a huge part. Today he is still coming to terms with it. I know it will fade quickly. A three year old can't remember forever ... at least not the depth of pain, thank goodness.
We will try again in a few weeks. A new hamster, preferably a Winter White like our Snowflake. But for now, we are mourning the loss of our Snowflake. She never stayed too still, so the pictures are usually blurry, but here are a few ...
We brought her home on February 7, 2011 ... as we walked out of the pet store there were snowflakes falling. She is a Winter White, so it was only fitting that Katie decided to name her Snowflake.

Connor always wanted to be around Snowflake, and he was surprisingly gentle with her. Still, we had to keep her in a locked room when he was running around after Snowflake was discovered on the kitchen counter. The story finally came out that he had taken her out of her cage, brought her downstairs and then tried to give her a bath in Dawn dish soap... I guess at some point she escaped him because Chip found her wandering around the counter. At first he thought it was a mouse, and he was about to smush her ... luckily he noticed the grey stripe on her back. It took a lot of very gentle cleanings to remove all the soap. For a few days she had water in her ear, and it threw her balance off. But she got better, and stronger ... and after that ANY kind of handling seemed gentle to her.

We finally got adventurous enough to try out some "regular" food ... she loved pecans. She would take the nut in her little paws and eat and eat. Sweetest thing.

She was a Jackson ... even if she was the littlest. We miss you Snowflake. Katie says she is so sorry. She promises to take better care of the next hamster and to love it in your memory. Sleep well my little rat.

452 Making Crafty Plans for Fiber Arts Friday

2011-05-30T16:53:00.000-05:00

I have been consumed with end of school, birthday, minor medical emergency x2, and cleaning. Spare moments have been spent doodling and painting ... and by spare moments I mean when I am stuck outside sweating and watching the kids play.

There are a few things which have popped into my head that I want to work on that will fit into my Fiber Arts Friday type stuff, but they are sadly still in my head. I have made a few more small purses. A few moments here and there are all I have had to devote to crochet.

The only thing that purse has carried is a hamster ... that poor, poor rodent ..

I also made a cute one with chenille yarn. Soft and fuzzy.

BUT! My next project is to make some little arm covers for the chair I rescued from the neighbor. I have coveted this chair (and its twin which he still has) since the first time I saw it. The lines. THE BACK! Swoon! This one is more worn than the other, but it is mostly on the arms. I eventually would like to try to make a slipcover for it, but I think I will be content with some arm covers for now.

I gave it a good steam cleaning before I brought it into the house to live. I would love to haul it out in the middle of a field for some pictures...

My other project is for my Soon-To-Be Nephew. Awhile back I bought a pattern for a baby portrait prop. It is a crocheted baby coccoon, and I would love for my newest family member to be the first inside. Luckily I have until July 28th to complete that project.

I also would love to do some more quilting. I really enjoyed making that art quilt, so I might have to make time to play with my sewing machine. Maybe another baby quilt will go into the works... a baby quilt is the largest size I have ever completed...

And ... it is summer vacation here, and last year the girls made little purses. Maybe this year we will make it all the way to completing a pillow. One of the days when it is too hot to even contemplate going outside I will break out the sewing machines for them.

So, there are endless things to do ... just need to find (or MAKE) the time to do them.

451 The Magpie Turns Nine

2011-05-25T10:24:00.000-05:00

So, any other bloggers been putting off posting for fear that Blogger would eat their post again? Okay, I am not really worried it will, but I was very disappointed when that post came down. I get discouraged... and maybe just a little distracted. Okay ... fine ... so I have mostly been distracted.

My sweet baby Magpie turned NINE on Monday. NINE!!! How in the world did that happen?! Oh, and the pre-teen/tween attitude is already starting. Boy, is it ever! I know, it is our fault for spoiling her ... but really, who wouldn't spoil this face?

Impossible, right?! And the cuteness just continued to grow. I really stood no chance against her ... until she learned the word "no". Why do we teach kids to walk and talk?! It just leads to them leaving us *WAHHHHHHHHH*

But eventually, they do learn to talk .. and then they learn to TALK BACK. Last year, Katie learned the art of the "bobblehead" ... mouthing off in her head while her head bobbles back and forth with sass. Maybe this year she will learn to keep all complaints firmly leashed in her own head. A Mom can hope ...

Monday we took cupcakes to school, and then we checked Katie out for lunch at Joe's Crab Shack and a little trip to Toys'R'Us.

The playground was a bit moist, but that didn't stop my little grubbers from playing.

We even had a special guest for Katie's birthday lunch ...

Happy Birthday my sweet girl! You are the light of my life and the beat of my heart. I wish you the best ninth year ever. I love you forever.

450 A Weekend in Cleveland...

2011-05-17T09:53:00.001-05:00

Through the lens of my cell phone (because I forgot my real camera)

Sunday

449 Dear Mom...

2011-05-17T08:46:00.000-05:00

As with everything else in my life I am doing this late. I have no clue why I am always behind, but it can't be blamed on you. I am pretty sure I have never known you to be late (when it wasn't my fault) ever. I don't think I learned all the lessons I should have growing up because I am clearly an amateur when it comes to this parenting thing. I lack your patience and quiet strength. And obviously your organizational skills. I think you must have found extra hours in the day that no one else knew about. I seem to turn in circles without ever getting anything done.
I did learn the most important lesson. LOVE. Above and beyond anything else was your devotion to us, even at our most unappreciative. As I watch Katie, and I see the beginnings of puberty (way too soon), I remember what a horrible brat I was and I am afraid. Very afraid!

---Gee, Thanks Blogger for deleting this post and only having a partial saved in drafts. I wrote something really sweet and touching here. Luckily my Mom got to read it before you decided to remove EVERYONE'S last post. I know they say that anything you put on the internet can be found, even after it is deleted, but I just don't have the skills (read, patience) to look for it.

So, in summation ... Thank you Mom for always being my biggest supporter, my loudest cheerleader, and my shoulder to lean on. I love you!

Happy Mother's Day!

You know, to anyone who didn't read it when I wrote it the FIRST time ....

448 Small Crochet Purse Tutorial

2011-05-08T17:16:00.002-05:00

A quickie project (shhh, it wasn't last minute and mostly to fill this spot) ...
This is the first multiple stitch I ever learned, and it has remained a favorite because it is so simple and it looks great. I use it for baby blankets quite a bit.

The Stitch - We will call it the Simple Shell since I have no idea what the real name is. As long as your base chain is divisible by three then this will work. Every third hole you do 1 single crochet and 2 double crochets. The most complicated part? Remembering the start and end of each row.

For the purse I created a chain of 48 stitches (yarn is cotton, worsted weight. F hook). You will subtract 3 and divide by 3 to figure out how many shells you will have on each row. 48-3=45 / 3 = 15 ... okay, technically you will have 14 full shells since the final spot will be how you create the turn.

Chain 48. You will do 1 double crochet in the third opening from your hook. Then you coninue in your pattern until the last hole on the row. When you hae reached the last possible place for a stitch you just do 1 single crochet, chain three and turn. After the turn you will do 1 double chain in the first hole, then start over with the pattern. Simple. It creates a small puffy shell. (is any of this making sense?)

I think the purse is eight rows. I lay the rectangle out (without binding off), then folded it in thirds to create my purse shape, stitching up the sides still with the yarn uncut using a slipstitch through both layers. I had to bring the yarn across the bottom to stitch the other side, so I estimated how much yarn that would take and "sewed" it through the bottom before stitching up the other side. I created the strap by slipstitching my yarn into one corner, chaining until I had the length I wanted and slipstitching, then I single crocheted my way back to the other side. Make sure you use a few stitches when joining to the purse for stability.

My purse is super small, about the size of a man's billfold, but it is easy to increase the pattern to any size you wish, just increase in multiples of three.

Hmm ... Fiber Arts Friday seems to keep happening on Sunday, but Sunday doesn't start with an F ... and since no one seems to mind I will just keep Friday. It is mostly just a suggestion anyway, it really means the whole weekend.

Most of this week I was playing in my sketchbook, and I will be adding pics to my Sketchbook link on the side soon.

447 Fiber Arts Friday: Art Quilt Thingamadoober

2011-04-29T17:56:00.003-05:00

As usual I didn't start working on this project until 1AM last Friday morning ... then I spent all day enjoying my family, so I skipped last Friday. Sorry, most of the pictures are off my phone.

I bumbled my way through creating this. First I made a batting and fabric sandwich, two pieces offabric, batting, and one more piece of batting (that I hoped would cut down on snags, failed). I left a small opening so I could turn it, planning on sewing my pieces on top and having the finished edge ... then I realized that I would still have the raw outer edges (DUH). *sigh*

So, I cut another base piece to construct my quilt thingamadoober on. I placed my Earth piece and stitched it down. I then started adding my pieces around in a crazy (lazy) log cabin type way. Placing the new piece right side down and sewing it down, then ironing it flat before cutting.

Then I placed it facedown on the padded piece I had already created, stitching around except for a 4-5 inch opening to turn. I purposely did not make it perfect. Promise. And this is what I got ... and then I slept ;)

All ready for the fun part... embroidery! I slowly added some images over the past week.

Trying to decide what I wanted to add was both fun and a little frustrating. I didn't have a set idea, just making it up as I went along.

I wanted to add a tree ... it is one of the images that speaks to me most. I cut a shape from black felt and stitched it down while I watched the kids play in the front yard.

I am still adding to it. Stitching around the blocks, little designs. It is something small enough to schlep out to the park when the kids want to play, and it has been fun to work on. Nothing overwhelming.

Although everyone keeps asking me what it is supposed to be.... It just IS. It serves no purpose. It is something to do, and hopefully something that isn't horrible to look at. It can't touch the gorgeous art quilts that are out there, so I will just call it my thingamadoober and leave it at that.

446 Easter Weekend

2011-04-28T00:15:00.000-05:00

My mom came to visit last Wednesday (since I finally uncovered the bed in my craft room/ guest room), and we were all so excited to spend some time with Grammy! Meals eaten at the table, cups of coffee consumed. Mostly time spent relaxing and just enjoying having my Mommy in the same room with me.
Katie wore her t-shirt to school last Thursday since there was no school on actual Earth Day. She was super excited to come home and have me force her to stand still for a picture. Such joy on her face... and please ignore where the hamster peed on her. *sigh*
Sidenote: Chip took her to have her hair cut last Monday ... AND HE LET THEM CUT LAYERS IN HER HAIR! Boys just don't know that layers are a hair stylists way of making you come back soon. Sure, it looked good when she blew it out and straightened it, but I can barely get the girl to comb her hair. In other words, a week later it looks like it was butchered.

Friday we headed down to Batesville to visit our cousins. Katie and Connor had a blast! Grammy insisted we take some pictures in this wicker chair that had belonged to my great grandmother. Grammy introduced Katie to headbands. She has worn them before, but they have never been a big part of her accessorizing. I hope they stick around! Anything to keep her hair out of her face.

The kids had a BLAST on the four wheeler. I think it was hard to keep Connor from grabbing the throttle.

Saturday we managed to make it to an egg hunt BEFORE the hordes were released upon the Easter Bunny droppings. A petting zoo area and a bounce house and the kids were happy.

The kids were split up into age groups, and I am so glad Chip was able to go with us because he took Katie to her section while I had Connor. He was so cute waiting for the hunt to begin. He enjoyed the wind blowing through his hair, and he was a pro at egg hunting!

Well ... Katie can pout about ANYTHING!

An after Easter Egg Hunt lunch at a Chinese buffet seems to have cheered her up though.

I also managed to ruin three dozen eggs. I tried hard boiling them all at one time with a towel folded between the layers. One, I didn't use a white towel ... it was yellow, and so were all of my eggs when I was done. Two, they were shy of being hard boiled. Impossible to peel, and soft. The yolks were a gorgeous yellow though ...

Not that the kids cared if the eggs were slightly yellow. We had so much fun dyeing them! Even Connor got in on it ... and on dyeing his arm blue.

We couldn't let the fun end. We broke out a white crayon. Katie went crazy drawing and writing on the eggs. We tried transferring temporary tattoos, but that didn't work as well as I had hoped. We also broke out the Sharpie markers to draw on the dyed eggs.

An Easter Morning Egg Hunt to round out the Easter festivities...

The Easter Bunny hit it out of the park with the Play Doh filled eggs. That Easter Bunny is awesome!

Another great thing about my Mom visiting this past weekend was that she watched the kids so we could go out for our NINTH wedding anniversary ... I use the term wedding loosely since it was a super quick JP ceremony, 13 minutes from the car and back. Makes it seem silly that we overslept the first appointment to get married on the 23rd, but really, I could sleep through anything back then. Especially in those precious days before children when sleep was one of my greatest talents.

We went out for dinner to celebrate. We decided to try a different sushi place... I know you are shocked.... We tried sake for the first time. We opted for the Sampler to get an idea of what we might like. I like the green apple and the watermelon. Well, truthfully I can live without the sake, but if I had to choose.

CHEERS! Happy Anniversary to us!

We were a little concerned about whether or not it would live up to our experiences at Nagoya, but when the rolls were delivered we were quite pleased (though we prefer the ambiance at Nagoya). We ordered the Super and the Fuji rolls. If I remember correctly then the roll covered with a MOUND of crawfish is the Fuji, and the Super has soft shell crab. They were DELICIOUS!

Oh, and I did start my Fiber Arts Friday project ON Friday, but I was too busy enjoying my time with Mom to get on the computer. I will post it this Friday and we can pretend it is still Earth Day ... and shouldn't we love the Earth everyday anyway?!

Thank you Mom for coming out to see us. We loved having you here .... you know there are a ton of houses for sale nearby .... I wish I could sip coffee with you everyday. I love you so much!

445 Earth Day T-Shirt - Fiber Arts Friday

2011-04-17T13:49:00.002-05:00

You can just start blaming the kids for my lack of posts. Connor is on a mission to destroy as much of my home and sanity as possible, so there is very little time to sit in front of a computer. Only to get worse once school is out for the summer I am sure.

I decided to make Katie an Earth Day T-shirt on Friday... Hey, it counts for Fiber Art Friday... t-shirt is a fiber! I procrastinate, it is not news...

I googled pictures of the globe, and decided to use a heart shaped version. There are a ton of royalty free image out there. Enlarge and print out a copy.

Place your cloth or t-shirt over the image and trace with a fabric marker. It won't be perfect, but then all you really need is the basic shape of the continents to get your point across with this image. I first did this on a piece of cloth with the idea that I would then sew it onto the shirt, but decided to paint directly on the t-shirt instead. I think I will use my first attempt to make a small art quilt hanging. Perfect for next week...

I used a textile medium to convert my regular acrylic paint into a washable paint. This bottle is at least 8 years old, so I am sure the look has changed. It is very easy to use. One part textile medium to two parts acrylic paint.

Begin filling in your image. Try to get as thin of a coat as possible while still covering completely.

It says to let it dry for 7 days ... I let it dry for 24 hours. It seems to be working fine, but you might want to actually follow directions ;) Hand wash and hang to dry. You will also need to heat set the paint. Make sure you use an ironing cloth. My iron dribbled on my piece and I had to re-wash it. Good news though, it definitely held up through two washings...

Connor's shirt is from one he had stained. There is a small picture on the chest that I painted over. Gotta love recycling a shirt for Earth Day.

Now to get my children clean and cooperative for a picture of them wearing my masterpieces ...

444 You have missed...

2011-04-14T23:24:00.001-05:00

...nothing.
The kids have just been doing their best to complete my descent into insanity. I am starting to think a good project would be padding a room. I am just not sure whether it would be for me or them...

Chip and I did get another kid free weekend thanks to my in-laws. Even BETTER, they met me halfway for the drop off and the pick up! It was a dream! We did another night of sushi and a movie. We saw "Arthur", and we loved it. I was afraid it would just be a letdown because I loved the first one, but we really enjoyed it. The sushi was delicious. We tried a couple new rolls. The Nagoya Roll (top) and a Soft-Shell Crab Roll.

The weather has been getting nicer, except when it has gotten worse. Torrential rain, gale force winds. But some days it is gorgeous!

which doesn't stop them from pouting...

I attempted ice dyeing some canvas, but it was way too thick and (mostly) a failure.

And soon I will have blooms in my yard that are not weeds!! I have a few buds on my rosebush, my peony, and the irises! I am most excited about my peony, which was my grandfather's peony. FIVE BUDS so far!

The irises are descended from my grandfather's irises, too.

The rose? WalMart special ....

So, see ... you haven't missed a thing! Though my Mom is coming to visit next week!! HOORAY!!

443 Crochet Heart Pattern

2011-04-09T16:18:00.005-05:00

Here is another OOPSIE pattern. I thought I could just grab up my yarn and hook and just remember a pattern ... I was wrong.

Small Crochet Heart
F hook
worsted weight yarn
yarn needle
stuffing

Chain 2

6 Single Chain furthest from hook

2SC, (2SC), 2SC, (2SC) - [8]

3SC, (2SC), 3SC, (2SC) - [10]
4SC, (2SC), 4SC, (2SC) - [12]
2SC, (2SC), 2SC, (2SC), 2SC, (2SC), 2SC, (2SC) - [16]
3SC, (2SC), 3SC, (2SC), 3SC, (2SC), 3SC, (2SC) - [20]

4SC, (2SC), 4SC, (2SC), 4SC, (2SC), 4SC, (2SC) - [24]
24SC - [24]

4SC, skip 1, 5SC, skip 1, 5SC, skip 1, 5SC, skip 1, 1SC - [20]
20SC - [20]
3SC, skip 1, 4SC, skip 1, 4SC, skip 1, 4SC, skip 1, 1SC - [16]
2SC, skip 1, 3SC, skip 1, 3SC, skip 1, 3SC, skip 1, 1SC - [12]

cut at least a 12 inch tail, pull through last loop to tie off
STUFF STUFF STUFF

switch to the yarn needle
Squeeze opening so that 6 stitches are against 6 stitches in a straight line
stitch closed

Bringing your needle to the middle stitch down through the top and anchor with stitches through the body to create the indent.

So, another late Fiber Art Friday ...

442 Crochet Ball - Free Pattern and Fiber Arts Friday

2011-04-01T19:44:00.002-05:00

In defense of my stash of crochet eggs I had to come up with something to distract the kids. I was tired of finding eggs all over the house. I am not quite ready to play Easter Egg Hunt just yet (though Katie bought two bags of plastic eggs and some candy to play with her friends). I grabbed my yarn and just made it up as I went along... then I tried to remember exactly what I did. That is probably backwards, but it is how it usually works with me.

Of course, that ball has mysteriously disappeared. I made this multicolored ball today, and within two hours of Katie being home it was missing ... and when found it was dirty and covered with bits of grass. The pattern worked out great(and mostly I wanted to test it to see if it was readable).

Well, not great. I was unhappy with how the decreases looked when done with the different colors, although they didn't show too much in a solid color. It might work out if I had skipped a hole to decrease instead of yarning through two before joining. And yes, I am working this out in my head as I type, so just ignore the ramblings. :)

Ball (with decreases)

worsted weight

F hook

yarn needle

stuffing

(2sc) will indicate that two single crochet stitches are done in one opening/hole

(sc2t) decrease by joining two stitches together. Yarn through two openings before joining

Chain 2

R1- 8 sc in furthest hole from hook [8]

R2- 3sc, (2sc), 3sc, (2sc) [10]

R3- 4sc, (2sc), 4sc, (2sc) [12]

R4- 1sc, (2sc) repeat 6 times [18]

R5- 2sc, (2sc) repeat 6 times [24]

R6- 4sc, (2sc) repeat 5 times [30]

R7&8- sc each around [30]

R9- 3sc, (sc2t) repeat 6 times [24]

R10- 2sc, (sc2t) repeat 6 times [18]

R11- 1sc, (sc2t) repeat 6 times [12]

STUFF STUFF STUFF - I like mine firm, you can roll between your hands when you are done to give it more of a ball shape.

R12- 4sc, (sc2t) repeat 2 times [10]

R13- 3sc, (sc2t) repeat 2 times [8]

R14- (sc2t) repeat 4 times [4]

R15- (sc2t) skip one, yarn though and slipstitch to finish.

Weave in your ends.

But like I said I wasn't happy with the decreases, so I figured the only way to get out of decreasing was to make two identical halves and stitch together.

Ball (no decreases)

worsted weight
F hook
yarn needle
stuffing

Make Two!

Chain 2

R1- 6sc in furthest hole from hook [6]

R2- (2sc) repeat 6 times [12]

R3- 1sc, (2sc) repeat 6 times [18]

R4- 2sc, (2sc) repeat 6 times [24]

R5- 3sc, (2sc) repeat 6 times [30]

R6&7-sc around [30]

Slipstitch to secure end

Leave at least 12-16 inches of yarn to stitch halves together.

Position the two halves together, using one side's tail first stitch around ...

leave a small opening to stuff through

After stuffing sew to close.
I then took the other tail and stitched back around just to be DOUBLE sure it stayed together.

The second round of stitches created that little ridge. I don't mind it, but I just wanted to warn you.

The white balls were done with an acrylic worsted weight yarn, and the multicolored is a Lily & Cream cotton yarn.

Something quick to work up, and fun for your kids ... or a cat ;).

I also created my own egg pattern, but that will have to wait.

Happy Crafting!

Linked up this post at ....

441 Crochet Eggs for an Unbreakable Easter Fiber Arts Friday(ish)

2011-03-27T01:10:00.003-05:00

I came across this post on Easy Makes Me Happy with a free pattern for crochet eggs and I knew I HAD to make a few ... I think I am at 21 eggs right now ;)

This is my modified pattern (because you know I can't totally follow instructions) but it is very similar and completely inspired by Tara at Easy - and because I hate to in any way have anyone think something is mine that isn't I only modified from Round 9 on (which works out to be the bottom of the egg) Swing on by Tara's blog for her whole pattern which is perfection. (she also gives instructions for two-toned and striped eggs) See, the link right up there ^^^ in blue ...

F crochet hook
worsted weight yarn (though it works with baby weight and a chunkier weight, too)

Rnd 9 – (sc in next 4, sc2tog) around. (20)

Rnd 10 – (sc in next 3, sc2tog) around. (16)
Rnd 11 – (sc in next 2, sc2tog) around. (12)

Now you will stuff your egg. Take your time and stuff it firmly, you can roll the egg in your hand and reshape it slightly later, but a lot of the shape has to do with how you stuff it now.
(and totally off the subject, I think this would make a great strawberry at this point)

sc in next 1, sc2tog (repeat 4 times)
sc2tog (2 times)
slipstitch to close
Weave in ends.

White eggs - worsted weight (shhh, it is from a big skein of Red Heart The Pounder I have had for years)
Solid Colored eggs - worsted weight Caron Simply Soft
Multi-colored eggs - worsted weight cotton Lily Sugar'n'Cream

These eggs will stand up a lot better than the traditional Easter eggs with my kids, and you don't have to worry about putting all your eggs in one basket (sorry, I had to)!

And there you go, another late Fiber Arts Friday... one day I will remember what day of the week it is.

440 Spring Break 2011

2011-03-24T17:27:00.000-05:00

Spring Break comes early down here. Katie had all last week off, and for the first time we didn't go to Atlanta. We spent the week just playing around the house, and we took a couple trips to the zoo.

We had plans to meet up on Tuesday at the zoo with my college buddies Tracy, Julie, and Andrea and their families, but Tuesday fell through when a few people succumbed to gas station food. So, we rescheduled for Wednesday, which worked out great because Chip could go and the weather was perfect... well, maybe a little hot.
I love being around these people. It is like being surrounded by family. Everyone has such a good time together. We love each others kids like our own and it shows. I was having fun (and the kids weren't too happy with my camera) so I didn't take that many pictures.

Pictures stopped around this point because I was carrying Chloe on my hip. Poor girl was exhausted, and she had a little scare when she turned around and didn't see us. But since Andrea carried Anna Catherine on her back most of the time I think I got out really easy!!

After the zoo we went to eat at Cafe Ole. Mmmmmm queso dip, sun, and friends. Luckily it wasn't very busy so our kids weren't annoying to too many people... just us ;)

Oh, and lest it be forgotten... I also Sleepless in Seattled an apple. And I got the picture before the peel broke ;) Its the little things...

On Sunday I took the girls to the zoo... and apparently everyone else had the same idea because the parking lot was totally full and we ended up having to park on the road in front of the Brooks Museum and walk. Of course when we finally parked and started walking they had opened up the parking lot. Oh well, as Mia said, at least we were getting some exercise. By the time we got there the girls were ready to splash about in the Little Nile.

See, prrof I was there :)

At least the walk back to the car was pretty... After six hours I was beyond tired!

Katie said I was being mean, but I was so happy when Spring Break was over.

....Two more months until Summer Vacation....

439 Ice Dyeing Addict - And My Late Fiber Art Friday

2011-03-22T15:20:00.000-05:00

One of the posts I "Stumbled" upon was this one on ice dyeing at Bloom, Bake & Create. I knew I needed to try it right away. I showed Katie, and she was dying to try it, too.
As everyone knows I never actually follow directions, so you might want to check out the inspiration post.

We got four bags of Tulip Permanent Fabric Dye (link is for Michael's but we just got ours at Walmart, about $2.50 each I think). Pink, Royal Blue, Lime Green, and Black. A five pack of white t-shirts. And a bag of ice of course! I have done 3 shirts and a full fitted sheet and I have more than half left)

As you can see you need some sort of a rack to put your fabric on and something to catch the drips. I used a piece of wire shelving we had removed from a closet and a big rubbermaid container.
Twist, tie, rubberband, do whatever you want to do to your fabric/t-shirts.
Cover completely with ice.

Sprinkle with the dye. I used a baby spoon, a couple scoops each, but I might have been a bit too liberal.

Cover and let the ice melt. You are supposed to wait 24 hours but I only waited about 12 hours on the shirts.

After the ice melts it will look something like this. Notice the clumps of un-dissolved dye. I am way too cheap to waste that much dye ;) And all the drippings ... they make purple in case you were wondering.

The three t-shirts turned out great, but I wish I hadn't used so much black. After I rinsed them until the water ran clear I hung them to dry. After they were totally dry I threw them in the washing machine by themselves on a low load. I added about a cup of vinegar to help set the color (I heard this somewhere and it has never let me down). Use your regular detergent as well, you don't want your shirts stinking of vinegar. Dry on high heat to really bake in that color (yeah, its technical).

See, purple. I went in search of something to put in the drippings and I came up with this full flat sheet. It had a white on white pattern of flowers. The flowers themselves stayed white making it even better. I didn't let it soak very long. I should have. left it longer for a deeper color.

And since I did the flat sheet I thought it only right to do the fitted sheet. I just twisted the fabric then rolled it into a huge rosette shape. Covered with ice and sprinkled on the dye... and waited 24 hours... although it nearly killed me.

I even placed a sheet of my journal underneath to catch some of the drips.

And the finished fitted sheet. Perfect for Katie's bed.

This is a great way to breathe new life into some of those sheets and shirts that might have become a little dingy but are still in good shape. I can't wait to do some lengths of fabric to play with!!

438 Our Random Life

2011-03-14T16:58:00.001-05:00

I think all this dreary weather is getting me down. I can't seem to build up the energy to do ... much of anything. I haven't blogged really, but then we haven't been up to too much lately. So, here is the breakdown.

Two weekends ago my in-laws were awesome enough to take the kids for the weekend so that Chip and I could get some stuff done around the house and have an actual date night. However, being able to sleep in quickly trumped getting stuff done. Two nights of twelve hours of sleep. It was HEAVEN! Waking up and actually feeling like you WOKE UP! What a concept!! We did get some work done. Chip cleared out a little of the garage (and a few days ago I uncovered the workout equipment). I worked in what we had called "Dad's Room" up until now... it will now be called "The Family Room" ... as soon as we can get used to the new name. The room was FULL of geekery. Comic books, action figures, and old computer components OH MY! We have it neatly packed into the closest, with plans of an ebay store soon (so, if you love superheroes and Star Wars stay tuned). We did get the MOST important thing accomplished though. We had a date night! We had decided to stay in town, and I have been craving lobster bisque for quite some time, so we were just going to hit the Red Lobster. However, when we pulled up it was PACKED! The indoor waiting area was full, and people were milling about outside. We were starving, so we went in search of somewhere else to eat that wasn't swamped at 6pm on a Saturday night.... That counts out all the chain restaurants (and that wasn't really what we wanted anyway). I remembered that there was a little Japanese restaurant just down from the movie theatre, but I wasn't positive it was still open. It was! And it was FABULOUS! We have never done the sushi thing, but we gave it a shot. Everything we ate was AMAZING! You can visit Nagoya online to check them out.

We started with Nigima. Bite sized beef rolled with cream cheese and green onions. SO GOOD!

Gyoza Dumplings, ground beef seasoned with ginger and cabbage. DROOL!

And Chip was in Heaven! Soft Shell Crab Tempura. DELICIOUS!

And, as amazing as this sounds ... I didn't take pictures of the sushi roll!! We dove right in! We got the Snow Mountain Roll. If you are worried about eating raw fish then this is for you, everything in it is cooked. It is fried shrimp topped with crabmeat, tempura crunchies, snow crab, and sweet roe. True sushi eaters will probably turn their noses up at this roll, but it was A-MAZ-ING!

We were pleasantly surprised also at the bill. For the quality of the food and the wonderful service it was a great deal! We will e going back often (and we already have, but we will get to that). If you live in the Mid-South are you might want to give it a try.

We drove down Sunday to pick up the kids, and we were able to go out to the park and feed the ducks. It was quite cold, and I would have been hapy to stay at the nice warm house, but Katie had her heart set on it. The ducks and geese were quite happy to see us though.

Katie had a big week at school. A lot of tests (and her test folder was full of A's and B's! Now to get her to do that every time), and she had a report to do for her Social Studies class on inventions/discoveries. I was so proud of how much work she did. She even typed it up herself ...okay, 85% of it.

It was on the x-ray. She got a 100 on it :) And did you know that the x-ray was discovered totally by accident? by a guy who didn't even graduate from high school?! She also had her class fieldtrip to the Pink Palace on Friday. And now she has a whole week off for Spring Break.

On the days it isn't actually raining we try to get outside. Connor is re-obsessed with blowing bubbles and baseball.

...and bringing me dandelions...

And that second trip to Nagoya? We took the kids yesterday. Connor loved the Miso Soup. We ordered the Soft Shell Crab Tempura, Gyoza Dumplings, Snow Mountain Roll, and the Rock'n'Roll. Katie wanted to order something of her own .... she chose BBQ Squid. And she ate all but a few rings.

I did remember to take a picture of the rolls, but my phone didn't do them justice. DELICIOUS!

We followed that up with a trip to feed the ducks near our house, and some time on the playground to run off steam.

I was hoping it would even out the time change, but they were still impossible to get to sleep!

We did do one more thing. We went to Books-A-Million and Katie got Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. AND SHE IS READING IT! Without being forced! I have my fingers crossed that she catches the reading bug!

And I have been painting a little. Of course. I have some ideas percolating in my head, too.

And that concludes this edition of Catching Up with The Jaxons....

437 More Doodling, More Painting

2011-03-12T14:00:00.079-06:00

My friend Tricia and I were talking about how we didn't like drawing people, so I had to give it a shot...

I really don't like drawing people. I want to be able to draw people that look lifelike, but that just isn't going to happen. I don't have the patiece for that kind of detail even if I possessed the skill.

I had cut some small pieces of watercolor paper (I have had this paper for about 18 years, ever since I took a watercolor class with my friend Kathy when we were in high school), and I grabbed a piece about the size of a playing card.

I DO like her .... but she is still not exactly what I had in mind.

Katie has also been doodling, and she got so mad when she saw I had painted one of them. I was using it to test paint colors before I used them. I think her doodle is awesome!

I have had the idea of tree branches entwined to form a heart for a while, but I hadn't tried sketching it up. This one is about a 4"x6". Most of the work on this one was done outside while Connor ran wild. The weather is slowly turning warmer, and it is hard to contain him on the good days.

My friend Kathleen suggested doing one of my doodles on canvas, and this is my first attempt. It is definitely a little harder to work on the canvas. The surface is more difficult to draw on for many reasons, but I think the effect is worth it in the end. The canvas is 6"x6"x2 3/8".

It was at this point I began to debate what I should do with all the white space. With the canvas being so deep that was A LOT of white. At first I thought I would just paint around it in black, which would make the circle pop .... but then I started thinking I could continue the doodle all the way around. I wasn't sure if it would be too much, so I seeked a second opinion. I went back to Kathleen and asked her what she thought, and she thought it would look good to continue the doodle.

So, I did ... And I LOVE HOW IT TURNED OUT!!

Next step .... sealing it. I painted this in watercolor, so I knew it had to be sealed. However, I wasn't too sure of what to use or exactly how to accomplish sealing it without ruining it. Once again I turned to my artist friends. I could Google the info all day, but I would prefer getting this info from someone I know who has worked with it. Linda Woods and Kathleen came through for me again. Linda gave me the name of the spray she uses, and Kathleen gave me moral support as I prepared to spray. Thank goodness for my friends... and the internet that introduced us ;)

I got it sealed without mishap ... and hopefully I will be adding it to my etsy shop soon.

436 Fiber Arts Friday - Impromptu Fingerless Mitten Things

2011-03-12T00:18:00.000-06:00

Friday ...ish....

It all started when I decided to play around with making a bracelet with this fun turquoise Simply Soft yarn. I was just winging it, and when I finished the bracelet it looked way too plain. I thought adding a scallop to the edges would improve it. Then I just let it grow from there.

I didn't even finish tying it off before Katie stole it and took it to school. Of course, it was HUGE on her since it fits me...

I decided to surprise her with some of her own when she got home from school. I made her three. A turquoise, a hot pink, and a purple (which has disappeared).

I should have taken pictures right away since she quickly made them her own (in other words, she got them as dirty as possible). She wore them in the park, she did art in them ... she carried her hamster around in style. Guess I will be finding out how they hold up in the wash soon.

I mainly wanted to give an idea of what they look like without a hand in them. And each one is different. I tried to look at them and write up a pattern, but when I tried to replicate one today I ended up winging it after a little while.

But ... here is a basic idea of how they are made.

Small amount of yarn, these are worsted weight

K crochet hook

Chain 7

Single Crochet (6) chain 1, turn ...

repeat 23 more times = total of 24 rows

(can be made larger or smaller in multiples of 3)

Slipstitch to join into a wristband

*Chain 2, Double Crochet (2) in first hole

(skip 2) one SC and two DC in third hole

Continue around, creating 8 shell/scallops*

Join to first with a slipstitch *repeat twice*

On your 4th round, create 5 scallops, chain 3 (or more, depends how big you want your thumb hole), skip 3, slipstitch, chain 2, skip 2, create two more scallops.

Rounds 5-6 *repeat*

Slipstitch around to clean up the edge

Bind off.

(scratch your head because this pattern makes no sense to anyone but me)

I tried to make the one today with cotton yarn. I love the colors! It is called Field of Dreams. However, I adhered not at all to my tentative pattern. I tried to take pics, but it really seemed useless since the pictures would make no sense after that rambling pattern.

The main difference with this one is that I only did 21 rows on the wristband since it was working up larger. On the thumbhole I slipstitched over it three times on the 5th row then did the regular scallop on the 6th row.

(on the purple one that isn't shown the scallops are worked more in a spiral than in rows, it was easier and worked fine, I just added the thumbhole when it looked right.)

In other words, forget the pattern. If you can crochet then you can wing these.
If you know basic stitches and how they stretch then you know how to make these.
Sometimes the best idea is to just grab some fun yarn and a hook and play.
Sometimes you come up with a gem, sometimes not.
I judge the success of the things I make by how quickly my daughter steals them.
This project? Total success.

....oh, and these can be used on either hand. Katie likes to mix and match, which works out perfectly since I couldn't make a twin for any of them.

435 Fiber Arts Friday - T-Shirt Yarn Crochet Bowl

2011-03-04T23:39:00.000-06:00

Shhhh, it is still technically Friday!
We are getting a weekend without kids so most of today was spent packing and taking the little nut jobs down to my in-laws'. Also .. I barely made anything Fiber-y this week.
I decided to try to turn my t-shirt yarn into a crocheted bowl ... I looked around for a pattern, but then I decided to just wing it.
I should have followed a pattern.
(I did say to SHHHHHHH!)

It is a work in progress, and I have raided the closet for a few more t-shirts to turn into yarn. Hopefully it will start to look a little less like Bob Marley's hat ....

434 Pictures of the Kids Before My Mom Goes Crazy

2011-03-02T16:00:00.000-06:00

I will try to go back and add some inane babble, but Grammy hasn't seen pics of the kids in FOREVER.... she might be going through withdrawal!

Memphis Zoo 2/20/2011

Lucas's 8th Birthday 2/26/2011

433 Fiber Arts Friday - Yarn from a T-Shirt and a Headband Tutorial

2011-02-25T02:34:00.007-06:00

I am going to try to institute Fiber Arts Friday on my blog. I am trying to set goals for posting, gain some consistency. It will also take some of the guesswork out of it. I craft like a chicken with its head cut off, so I need a little guidance sometimes.

My first project is upcycling a t-shirt into "yarn". If you have read my blog for a few months then you have seen my other t-shirt projects (my t-shirt rose wreath and my t-shirt Christmas tree). I obviously have an abundance of t-shirts. However, I wear the same ones over and over, so I need to clear the closet. Here is one more project to accomplish that goal.

I first ran across this idea on StumbleUpon (if you have never used it, check it out! Its a great search engine that will suggest sites based on your interests) when it suggested this blogpost on Craft Passion. As usual, if my tutorial doesn't make sense then I will suggest you visit the original.

You need to start with a t-shirt (obviously) ... make sure your t-shirt does NOT have side seams.

In the pictures I am using a rotary cutter, but the first two balls of yarn I made I just used a good ol' pair of scissors.

Cut off the body of the t-shirt below the arms.

The trick to making a continuous length of yarn is to leave an inch on one side of the shirt UNcut.
I made each strip 5/8ths of an inch thick.
Slice, slice, slice...

You will end up with something that looks like this. See the solid piece on the right.

I slid my arm under the solid section to make sure I did not cut into the strips.

It is hard to see here, but you will make a diagonal cut between each strip. So, if you are coming up on the first cut section you will cross over to the second cut section on the opposite side. (there is a better picture on the original post, promise).

Then just take your length of "yarn" and stretch it out. It will create a tube effect.

Roll it up all nice and pretty and ready to use.

Upcycled T-Shirt Yarn Headband

T-shirt yarn
P Crochet Hook (11.5 mm)

Chain 30

Slip stitch to join.
Chain 2

Double crochet 17
Chain 13

Slip stitch to join.

Weave ends through. I left mine long and tied into a bow until I can create a flower to embellish.

The first one I made was twice as thick. I created this headband, but instead of weaving in the ends I chained 2, Double Crochet 17, Chain 13, Slip Stitch to join, then weave in ends.

And I still have plenty of t-shirt yarn to play with!

linked up on ....

432 Doodle and Paint

2011-02-21T18:33:00.002-06:00

It all started when I stumbled across a blogpost about mandala coloring pages. I have no clue where it was, but it could have been any number of places as there is no shortage of mandalas on the internet (though make sure you have an anti-virus installed if you plan on Googling images ... trust me). I tried downloading some images, but they didn't print up with enough clarity.

I put them to the side and moved on.

After a few days I started thinking about it again. Really what I was looking for was something to "color". I wanted to just let my brain shift into neutral. I wanted to take crafting and art to its simplest form.

I am IN LOVE with Alisa Burke's sketchbooks. You can see a few examples here. I knew I wanted to play with my watercolors. And so I broke out some watercolor paper (I stole this Strathmore pad from Katie), a ruler, and a Bic Mark-It ultrafine point. The watercolors are the Koh-I-Noor Watercolor Wheel, and a water flow brush.

And I started to doodle. I traced a circle with a bowl, and I started filling it in.

And I just kept doodling...

I liked it, but I never know when to leave well enough alone, so I kept going ...

And when I realized I could hypnotize someone with my doodle, I stopped. But I was afraid I would mess it up by adding paint. So, I took a picture of a small section and added color in Photoshop to see how it would look. It took much longer to do on the computer than it did when I got up the nerve to use my real paints.

Actually, before I painted this particular piece I drew two others to play with, but I did them on larger paper. I did a heart...

and a peace sign (Katie loves peace signs)....

I did finally get up the nerve to paint that first doodle.

I might be slightly obsessed with these. I am working on another right now. I am loving getting back to the simplicity of coloring. It is nice just to lose yourself in the details and repetition. Very calming.

431 What a Difference a Week Makes

2011-02-15T13:40:00.000-06:00

Last week the kids went to school a total of one and a half days ... and one hour on Monday ... due to snow. It was bitter cold (for Mississippi). A few days we did not make it out of the teens. Today? Today I am sitting on the deck typing up this blog post while Connor runs around. It is 56 degrees currently, though yesterday we reached 67.
I personally love snow. I love the way it looks. I love snuggling up inside while it is so cold. However, when you have two kids both of those joys are taken away. They make a point of walking through every inch of snow, leaving (adorable) footprints. Snuggle inside? Only after you have frozen your tush off while sledding. And then there is no relaxing. You have to remove wet clothes and replace with dry. You have to make hot chocolate ... for them. Then you get to do loads of snow dirty laundry. About the time you would be able to sit down and relax, the kids are warmed up and ready to go again. Somehow, all this fun ends with grumpy kids. Not exactly sure how that happens.
In other words ... I am ready for SPRING!
But, that didn't stop me from taking pics of the kids enjoying the snow. Katie had her BFFs sleepover Wednesday night when we knew there would be no school the next day (for good reason this time, we got five inches of snow and the roads were covered).

While I got Connor ready to play the girls hit the back yard. What is it about kids and eating snow? Its not like I had gotten around to making snow ice cream ... yet.

We met up with my friend Indira and her girls for some sledding in the park.

I tried to take a group picture, but Connor was too busy screaming about how he wanted to sled to participate.

He did try to get Shailey to sled, but she wasn't interested.

And the girls discovered a way to sled standing. I think it was an accidental discovery, born of a sled taking off before everyone was on, but the girls loved it. It really only worked with a girl sitting in front of and behind the stander, but they certainly tried other ways.

Proof, the moms were there ...

And snow angels are a must! Connor loves making them ... he might even try making them in just grass. Shhhh.

We all headed over to Indira's for pizza (thanks again Indira) and play time.

And of course yesterday was Valentine's Day. Yes, we should show our love everyday, and in our family we certainly do, but sometimes we need to be reminded that those NOT in our home might need to be told. But seeing as I never am on time for ANYTHING ... you know I forgot to tell those that I love that they are loved. I should get to that today. In our home though we started the celebration early.

A goodie box from Grammy with candy and some gifts for the kids ... well, a few for me, too :)

Sunday morning we had a breakfast made with love.

Bacon says LOVE!

Katie asked me to come and have lunch at school with her on Valentine's Day, and I can't turn that down. I had promised to make her something, so I finished it up and brought it to lunch. A cute cuff bracelet. I haven't been very crafty this week, so this bracelet and a small basket for her V-Day treats is about the extent of it. I made one more thing, but it isn't finished yet.

I hope everyone's Valentine's Day was filled with love ... and chocolate. Definitely chocolate.

430 Pay It Forward ... or should I say Craft It Forward

2011-02-09T21:06:00.001-06:00

I promise to make a handcrafted item in 2011 & mail to the FIRST 5 people (no anonymous/bots) who comment that they would like to join in, only asking in return that you post this on your blog and offer 5 people something you make by hand and mail to them this year.

I am not sure what I will make ... but it will be something made from my two hands.

So, come on! Join me and pay it forward with your crafts. We can't hoard all of our projects .... well, without ending up on reality television, buried under our own creations.

If there are already five comments, please comment anyway. I may feel ambitious. You never know...

429 It's Been A While ...

2011-02-06T01:15:00.001-06:00

Sadly we have had to make use of the Small Animal 15 day guarantee .... TWICE! Poor Kimmy got wet tail. Then we got Rosebud...

She was fluffy and big ... and she bit the heck out of my finger that first night. She also got wet tail. They say it isn't contagious, but there was another hamster in her cage with it at the store. She was with us long enough for Katie to fall in love with her. A few days after she died I found a picture Katie had drawn before she died. Talk about heartbreaking!

Honestly, I would have said no more hamsters if I hadn't seen this picture. I was worried that Katie would start thinking of their little lives as "replaceable", but she really was upset by the loss of Rosebud. I have okayed one more try. We are going to take it really slow with the next one ... and get it from a different store. Third time's a charm, right?

Katie had her check up with the endocrinologist. Everything looks great. She is still thin as a rail, but that probably has as much to do with the fact she can't sit still as it does her diabetes. She was getting a little bored in the room waiting to see the doc...

The weather has been giving me fits. A week ago it was in the 70's, today it barely got above freezing. Not that you can keep the kids inside. At least they don't stay outside long.

And, there has been crafting (of course). I have just been making stuff up as I go. I wanted to make a felt tree to hang my felt ornaments on for pictures, but I had not gotten around to it. I finally pulled out a legal size file folder and sketched out my tree. Then I had to think of the mechanics of putting it together and getting it to stand.

It took FOREVER to sew around all the branches! I cut out four identical pieces and sewed them up. Ummm, best I can describe it is like a circle cut into four pieces. If I ever make a better tree I will take pictures, but this was my trial run. It is stuffed to the gills, and two branches have a wire hanger inside for stability.

I couldn't turn down this yarn at Joann's. Sensations Sumptuous. Thick and soft and chunky yarn heaven.

On the way home I stopped into the Salvation Army. I had been reading a lot about felting wool sweaters, and I wanted to give it a shot. It was Wednesday, which is half price day, so the perfect time to grab a wool sweater. I was lucky to find this one. It is 100% wool. I only wish it had been larger.

I popped it in the washing machine on hot with plenty of laundry detergent ... twice. And then I threw it into the dryer on high. I wanted this thing to be indestructible when I was done with it. Look how tiny it got!

I cut out the sleeves ... the sleeves were the PERFECT size for a phone cozy. Stick your phone in, cut off an inch below. Leave a few inches above it to cut a flap for a button closure. Turn it inside out, stitch the bottom, turn. Done. Unless you want to embellish it. And of course I did. I think the finger knit strap might be pushing it, but it was what I had at hand.

I had a little arch of felt from the shoulder, and a few triangle scraps ... for some reason it made me think of a bird head. Ugly, huh?! Katie grabbed it and used it as a finger puppet.

And last night Katie had a sleepover. She couldn't sleep, so she came downstairs and bribed me to stay awake ... she told me she wanted to learn to sew and make pillows for her BFFs. You know I can't say no to that!! Not fair! So, we cut out a heart pattern and she picked out the pieces. I cut the felt and got the thread ready, and she was off and sewing! I fixed many boo-boos, and undid a few knots, but she didn't do a bad job at all. I HAD to do something while she was concentrating on sewing, so I took what was left of that felted sleeve and made a little pincushion. I had to search for a needle for Katie's sewing project, so OBVIOUSLY I needed to make a pincushion.

Aren't her pillows CUTE!

While I was stuffing the last pillow and closing the opening Katie FINALLY fell asleep. Oh, and I used that yarn to make a hat. It started as a cowl, but I had a sudden urge to see if it would fit her head. It looks adorable on her, and I can't help but glow when she chooses to wear something I have made.

And she continued to wear it today. ADORABLE!

I couldn't leave that bird head as just a head. I attempted my first art/felt bird. It is UGLY! And unfinished. I have wings and feet to add. I just have to figure out how to make the feet for this poor bird.

So ... now you are all caught up. Connor? Oh, he has been more destructive than usual. In a few more days it might be funny, but today it is most decidedly UNfunny. It is a good thing that boy is cute ...

428 Finger Knit Heart Wreath

2011-01-26T13:18:00.004-06:00

About a week ago I discovered Gussy Sews. I have loved reading her blog, and I have been so inspired by her. (even more so now that she is running a series of interviews with blogger/crafters who have quit their day jobs) Well, a week ago I found this post on finger knitting necklaces and garlands. Of course we all did this at least once when we were kids, but I hadn't thought about it in years... now I am hooked! Katie has claimed each necklace as I have tied them off. I have made one with each yarn that was within arms distance (I have a stash at my end of the couch). Chenille, Homespun, Eyelash, Baby Weight ...

It was when I finger knit the pink variegated eyelash yarn that I had the idea for this wreath.

As usual I had to use what I had on hand (by the way, I had bought the yarn about 4 years ago on clearance. Super stash clearing) so I grabbed a wire coat hanger. I actually couldn't find the wire cutters right away, and I didn't feel like searching for them, so I just bent the wire back and forth until it snapped. It didn't take that long. Then bent the wire into a heart shape.

Wire ... a little yarn ....

A quick tutorial on finger knitting though Gussy Sews probably did it better.

Warning: Do not look at my cuticles. I am NOT a girly girl. I have never had a manicure, and fingernail polish feels heavy on my nails. I mean to take care of my nail beds, but it seems to slip my mind.

Tie a knot, leaving a 6-12 tail and a finger sized loop.

Place the loop on your pointer finger, yarn underneath if you have you palm facing up.

Weave the yarn through your fingers. Under the middle finger, over the ring finger, around the pinky, under the ring finger, over the middle finger.

This first time you will go back around the pointer finger and repeat until each finger has two loops.

Take the first loop on your pointer finger (the one closer to your palm), pull it up and over the second loop, and over the tip of your finger.

Repeat for each finger, and you end up with a single loop on each finger and the start of your chain on the other.

To create the second set of loops you will take your yarn around your pointer finger, under the middle finger, over the ring finger, around the pinky, under the ring finger, over the middle finger. Loop over and keep repeating until you have a long enough chain. For a necklace that is about a foot, for the wreath I finger knitted a 5 foot garland.

After a few rows, take the tail you left at the beginning and weave it through each loop of your first row, go through it twice to make sure. I finsihed it off with a slipknot. Stretch the chain as you go to have a more accurate idea of how long your garland will be.

Like I mentioned earlier, I created a five foot long garland.

I secured one end to a loop and started winding it around the wire. Around and around and around and around...

Join the two sides together, twisting the wire to secure. I wrapped the tails around a few times and made a slip knot to secure. Tie a knot to create a loop to hang.

Cute, fuzzy, and pink ... the perfect Valentine's Day decoration ... or year round, because love should be present all year.

Not only was this wreath CHEAP ... it was FAST! Finger knitting goes so quickly, and it is perfect to do while the tv plays ... or the kids play.

427 Our New Family Member

2011-01-25T09:41:00.000-06:00

A week ago we added one more member to our family. Katie was still trying to spend her Christmas money from Mimi and PopPop, and she had decided that she wanted fish ... again., but when Chip took her to the Petco near our house she changed her mind. She fell in love with the Longhair Teddy Bear Hamsters. Chip was able to get her out of the store without purchasing one that night by telling her she had to clean her room, but she talked non-stop about those fuzzy little rats.

She cleaned. We researched hamsters online. Then last Tuesday Katie and I headed back to Petco. The gold and white hamster she wanted was still there. Katie is very shy around adults, and she will go out of her way not to have to walk near or talk to one, but she was so excited about her hamster that she insisted that she be the one to get someone to help us. Once she had her hamster in its little cardboard carrier we had to pick out all the goodies to go along with it. Come to find out we shouldn't have bothered because Mimi had an awesome hamster cage just sitting in their storage room. Katie did have fun looking at all the hamster paraphenalia though.

A cold and dark ride home, and ...

Our new family member was home. Katie wanted to name her Agnes (from Despicable Me), but Chip convinced Katie to name her Kimmy. He thought her tiny brain might better grasp a simpler sound. I think it won't matter either way ...

Kimmy sure is a cutie though!

I do feel kind of sorry for her. Everytime I turn around Katie has her out of her cage. No matter how many times we point out the stress this places on the poor rodent.

Katie snapped this picture.

And Kimmy does enjoy a nap on Katie.

She has lasted a week, and the newness is wearing of slightly. Katie is bothering her a more acceptable amount of time.

I just hope we don't have to take advantage of the 15 day guarantee ....