tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5406567323911276062024-03-19T03:48:23.427-05:00Sometimes CreativeAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.comBlogger287125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-89629520802401178292014-02-13T07:47:00.003-06:002014-02-13T07:47:56.206-06:00Valentine Wish BraceletI made lots of valentines this year but I wanted something I could send to all of the ladies I love and give to the young women I work with at church. I needed something inexpensive and not too time consuming, so I came up with this heart wish bracelet.<br />
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I ordered the open heart charms <a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/175110115?ref=fb2_tnx_title" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a> off Etsy from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LorettasBeads?ref=l2-shopheader-name" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lorettas Beads</span></a>. She has hundreds of different charms and beads and other jewelry items.<br />
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I had the other items, like red twine, in my stash.<br />
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I looped the twin onto the charms, mounted them on some card stock and had a cute valentine ready to share. The young women last night were so excited about them and I'm hoping to see wrists full of them on Sunday.<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com210tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-31643341284479976692014-02-11T10:31:00.000-06:002014-02-11T10:31:10.190-06:00Be My Valen(twine)I whipped up a few valentines this morning and this is probably the EASIEST valentine I've ever done.<br />
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I gathered a few things I bought from <a href="http://www.cutetape.com/" target="_blank">CuteTape</a>: <br />
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<a href="http://www.cutetape.com/shop/bakers-twine.html" target="_blank">bakers twine</a> (pink, white & red)<br />
<a href="http://www.cutetape.com/shop/hang-tags-white-standard.html" target="_blank">gift tags</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cutetape.com/shop/chugoku-aqua-hearts-washi-tape.html" target="_blank">washi tape</a><br />
an old clothes pin from my grandma<br />
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I simply wrapped up some twine around the clothes pin, made a little tag and I had a quick, simple valen(twine). <br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com79tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-24378171129371789002014-02-10T16:59:00.002-06:002014-02-10T16:59:56.715-06:00Weathered Wood SignI wanted something a little "aged" to put on my mantle for Valentine's Day so I whipped up this weathered wood heart sign last week.<br />
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I started by tearing apart this old weathered crate. I've used it on the porch in the fall but it was starting to fall apart and the wood was perfect for my project.<br />
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I lined up several pieces and hot glued them to two boards on the back. Quick and simple. Then I white washed them with some craft acrylic.<br />
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Last I painted a heart on with acrylic then sanded it down to give it a little distressing. <br />
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I love how it looks on the mantle!<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-61252140857725994302014-01-31T14:35:00.000-06:002014-01-31T14:35:31.610-06:00Felt Ball Garland Giveaway!I whipped up some Valentine's garland this afternoon to giveaway as my first act of love for our <a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2014/01/14-acts-of-love.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">14 Acts of Love</span></a><span style="color: blue;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">My friend bought the felt balls and we split the reds, pinks and whites.</span><br />
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I bought the bakers twine over at <a href="http://www.cutetape.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">CuteTape</span></a>. She sells all sorts of twine, washi tape, gift tags, bags, paper goods and embellishments. I love that it's three colors: red, pink and white. <br />
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I threaded the twine on a large needle then pushed it through the balls. This one measures roughly 3 yards. This is such an easy, fast project to add some cute pop to your holiday décor or party.<br />
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The best news is.....I'm giving this one away! Head over to my Instagram { <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sometimescreative"><span style="color: blue;">www.instagram.com/sometimescreative</span></a> } to sign up to win this garland. I'll take entries until Sunday night and mail it out Monday morning!<br />
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Good luck.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-89585166196337244242014-01-31T14:16:00.000-06:002014-01-31T14:16:12.281-06:0014 Acts of LoveI'm starting my annual 14 Acts of Love again tomorrow. I did it last year and blogged about the results <a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2013/05/14-acts-of-love-follow-up.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbCQI_82n6_FGt5_vaDYulxiMDLCSkMUOE7Tk6ptmqoF_OTom10TNe_7Rlu1T1vNBA1t-K24gMbpcPkIhnv60TbiT37X91XFlJNjqr8bXf3BIpmjMqw14d0MaWDT26CRlCLhqs8nqUYw/s1600/14actsoflove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbCQI_82n6_FGt5_vaDYulxiMDLCSkMUOE7Tk6ptmqoF_OTom10TNe_7Rlu1T1vNBA1t-K24gMbpcPkIhnv60TbiT37X91XFlJNjqr8bXf3BIpmjMqw14d0MaWDT26CRlCLhqs8nqUYw/s1600/14actsoflove.jpg" height="464" width="640" /></a>Basically, each day in February my family and I will perform random acts of kindness {or love} in an effort to spread some love this Valentine's Day. <br />
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The kids and I have planned out a few specific acts of service but we'll do some random ones as well. You can follow along via Instagram <a href="mailto:%7B@sometimescreative">{@sometimescreative</a>} and post your acts of service with #14actsoflove. We'd love to see how you are spreading kindness!<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-985570687781089662014-01-27T02:08:00.000-06:002014-01-27T02:09:48.905-06:00Pajama Party With A CauseMy husband and son left town this weekend so my daughter asked if we could have a girl's night. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to have a pajama party and collect pajamas for the Pajama Program. <br />
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<a href="http://pajamaprogram.org/WordPress/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Pajama Program</span></a> donates new pajamas and books to children in need including foster children, orphans and at risk youth. They have a campaign going currently to provide "<a href="http://pajamaprogram.org/WordPress/one-million-good-nights/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">One Million Good Nights</span></a><span style="color: blue;">"</span> to children in need. They are working to collect one million pajamas and one million books to children by the end of 2015. Bedtime and reading time are two of my favorite parts of being a mom and I think that every child deserves some peace and happiness at bedtime. If I can help even a little bit with that, I'm all in.<br />
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In addition to the party I posted on Facebook to my family and friends that we were having a pajama & book drive and asked if anyone else wanted to help. Before the party even started we had over 20 pair of pjs! Amazon Prime and Target make it so easy to ship free so it's easy for people to help, even if just one book or one pair of pajamas to help make a difference in the life of a child.<br />
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We invited some of her friends over and asked them to bring new pjs or books with them. Here they are with all of their donations.<br />
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I kept the decorations and food cheap as I wanted to spend my budget on pajamas and books. I stapled up some dollar tablecloths to my windows and strung up some garland from my baby's nursery.<br />
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I wrote their names on the cups so we didn't go through more than necessary.<br />
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They strung fruit loop necklaces while we waited for everyone to arrive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrU_DtlnOGDSePsYm9B-AgxDpjPzF_ei_JmcQXhzflZxTkaYmAbLMaru64lDvP-LFk10yAM7pgX4NFlqTPE3HT5fVAKpuX8kC-np9SjoYG0w5kLL6Mc18h-K_Lbfl-8wOCyAKxOPJeVo/s1600/IMG_6894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrU_DtlnOGDSePsYm9B-AgxDpjPzF_ei_JmcQXhzflZxTkaYmAbLMaru64lDvP-LFk10yAM7pgX4NFlqTPE3HT5fVAKpuX8kC-np9SjoYG0w5kLL6Mc18h-K_Lbfl-8wOCyAKxOPJeVo/s1600/IMG_6894.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHq_OTv4oikTKex0I_rAXKVIzrh-urYyuhULRe988IfiOU1sJZTwgpywVF5EDn60sISH6J4Y1b9GxwT8-QWbBarWM88P6z9Sh5CAfferRTZCBMUEqFIiyM8XeRoVJQ_x7gCv-2ziY7Fw/s1600/IMG_6898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHq_OTv4oikTKex0I_rAXKVIzrh-urYyuhULRe988IfiOU1sJZTwgpywVF5EDn60sISH6J4Y1b9GxwT8-QWbBarWM88P6z9Sh5CAfferRTZCBMUEqFIiyM8XeRoVJQ_x7gCv-2ziY7Fw/s1600/IMG_6898.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
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I threw out the idea of "pancakes & pjs" but she insisted on pizza so I ordered pizza and served fresh fruit & veggies. Simple and done. For dessert they decorated pillow shaped sugar cookies. I just used a knife to cut out pillow shapes.<br />
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I stitched up two pancake bean bags in the morning and we had a relay race with pancakes, bathrobes and teddy bears. Then we played "hot pancake" with one of the bean bags.<br />
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Last I handed out glow necklaces and sent them to dance in the basement to the Frozen soundtrack. They were in girl heaven. <br />
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We sent them each home with donut skewers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbR0Dgnvaetw86cJhi1-Pbgmej_2yRYJuWX-BBjvUXUnt6gvyrJuk-qOvQhccpFtU_3f9IH7YssKyx2IpAl5QwywNSZba1CLJaC05LbKnZi3aFzO222Bpybft0NLKl_RBMsdHTiIs_fz0/s1600/IMG_20140125_135859-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbR0Dgnvaetw86cJhi1-Pbgmej_2yRYJuWX-BBjvUXUnt6gvyrJuk-qOvQhccpFtU_3f9IH7YssKyx2IpAl5QwywNSZba1CLJaC05LbKnZi3aFzO222Bpybft0NLKl_RBMsdHTiIs_fz0/s1600/IMG_20140125_135859-1.jpg" height="520" width="640" /></a></div>
It was a fun night for a great cause and I'm excited that my kids are old enough now to get involved in serving others and seeing the results of their labors. <br />
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At the end of the night, including things that were shipped this week, we ended up with over 50 books and 36 pair of pajamas. We have more coming our way and are still collecting for another couple of weeks before we take them all to our local <a href="http://www.pajamaprogram.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Pajama Program</span></a> chapter.<br />
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I'll let you know what the final tally is in a couple of weeks!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-80440183174320442752014-01-21T21:47:00.000-06:002014-01-21T21:49:54.850-06:00Until Next Time NotesI'm excited this week to tell you about <a href="http://www.untilnexttimenotes.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Until Next Time Notes</span></a><span style="color: blue;">.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jccSqisMOs-J_fUl4Go3mrqCNn9fKb04kiZ53YYaWOQnGzr2dJ7zJ4AtglVdgmH_wK7hfTLPMr4Yttgtsz40qmRBZBqy5kv4X2xh7MEWK-ltzfOeyzNu2w3RBRgsi9MuJZ6J5HV07l4/s1600/1375739373.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jccSqisMOs-J_fUl4Go3mrqCNn9fKb04kiZ53YYaWOQnGzr2dJ7zJ4AtglVdgmH_wK7hfTLPMr4Yttgtsz40qmRBZBqy5kv4X2xh7MEWK-ltzfOeyzNu2w3RBRgsi9MuJZ6J5HV07l4/s1600/1375739373.png" height="101" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="wsite-logo"><a href="http://www.untilnexttimenotes.com/"></a></span> </div>
They sell greeting cards, gift tags and fun party decorations. They are a one stop shop for all of your party needs. They'll customize things specifically for your party including invitations, banners, flags, straws, gift bags, cupcake toppers, place cards, table numbers and party favors.<br />
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They have great ideas posted on their <a href="http://www.untilnexttimenotes.com/blog.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">blog</span></a> including a really cute <a href="http://www.untilnexttimenotes.com/3/post/2014/01/youve-got-mail-valentines-day-2014.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Valentine's Day Party</span></a> as well as a <a href="http://www.untilnexttimenotes.com/3/post/2014/01/valentines-day-printable.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">free Valentine printable</span></a>.<br />
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Ariel sent me some cute thank you cards for my guests at my upcoming Ladies Valentine Exchange. I'm excited to share her products with them. You can find more of her cards <a href="http://www.untilnexttimenotes.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.<br />
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She sent some fun cards and cute paper bows for me as well.<br />
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If you have an upcoming party, check them out for sure! Be sure and follow along on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/untilnexttimenotes" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">her Facebook</span></a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/untilnexttimenotes#" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">her Instagram</span></a> to see what fun products and party ideas she's sharing.</div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-14318755423988785522014-01-09T10:00:00.000-06:002014-01-09T10:00:01.362-06:00Paint Chip LearningKids games and learning time helps don't have to be overly complicated. And they don't have to cost a fortune.<br />
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A while back I snagged two each of the rainbow color paint chips while at Wal-Mart one afternoon. I wrote capital letters on one copy and lower case letters on the others. It was a quick, simple matching game that is teaching her something along the way. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fx_cTJljRteOG3HImIN7afJmUppX-eROWoa4DEfclUnzjr4HnHODSaj5OhPBfDbMYo_-vPowJnJcWgP5ghuwvO8mPjf15hm0qvS42a9bNoQatSvL364QisByLwOEo7vqTqn5zaW83hQ/s1600/20130827_092312+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fx_cTJljRteOG3HImIN7afJmUppX-eROWoa4DEfclUnzjr4HnHODSaj5OhPBfDbMYo_-vPowJnJcWgP5ghuwvO8mPjf15hm0qvS42a9bNoQatSvL364QisByLwOEo7vqTqn5zaW83hQ/s1600/20130827_092312+copy.jpg" height="400" width="305" /></a></div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-16749152924268348812014-01-07T22:32:00.001-06:002014-01-07T22:32:36.027-06:00Valentine Activities & Crafts for Kids<div style="text-align: center;">
Here are a few Valentine things we've done in the past. Enjoy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmCPKwrR8QrA_XcNHtXDoUnNm6UxXsDfLZbRRavI2dF3lwfK4HejupZ6FjDWZNn2jMk5PusSfy2tC0UAQZje2IZFaszE-3cMn9qtxz4B92JltQFNpSmV8iLIVnadmf41ET4GfcjGw3JQ/s1600/SC+Valentine+Activities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmCPKwrR8QrA_XcNHtXDoUnNm6UxXsDfLZbRRavI2dF3lwfK4HejupZ6FjDWZNn2jMk5PusSfy2tC0UAQZje2IZFaszE-3cMn9qtxz4B92JltQFNpSmV8iLIVnadmf41ET4GfcjGw3JQ/s1600/SC+Valentine+Activities.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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1. <a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2011/02/valentine-sun-catchers.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Heart sun catchers</span></a> to hang in the trees<br />
2. <a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2012/02/valentines-party.html" target="_blank"> <span style="color: blue;">Kids Valentine's Party</span></a><br />
3. <a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2010/02/crayon-heart-valentines.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Crayon hearts</span></a> {complete with my secret to easily unwrapping the Crayolas}<br />
4. <a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2011/02/valentine-snowflakes.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Valentine Snowflakes </span></a><br />
5. <a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2012/02/marbled-hearts.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Shaving cream marbled hearts</span></a><br />
6. <a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2012/02/valentine-count-down.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Valentine count down</span></a><br />
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Let me know if you try any of them out!<br />
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-47784515871542001272014-01-07T13:44:00.003-06:002014-01-07T13:44:55.782-06:00ChalkboardsHere are a few of the chalkboards I drew for the <a href="http://www.sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2012/11/chalkboard-of-month-club.html" target="_blank">"Chalkboard of the Month"</a> club earlier this year:<br />
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This one covered April and May:<br />
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This one was our countdown to Summer break at our house (my son wrote the numbers each day):<br />
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This was covered Summer for my friend since I had the baby in July:<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-23380388379542705882013-10-19T19:30:00.000-05:002013-10-19T19:30:24.624-05:00Summer PorchI went with red and white décor on my porch this summer. I wanted something that would tie in nicely with July 4th and something I could leave up all summer.<br />
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I bought a couple of pillows at <a href="http://www.pier1.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-pier1_us-Site/default/Home-Show" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Pier 1</span></a>. The white bench came from <a href="http://www.worldmarket.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">World Market</span></a> last fall on clearance. I filled the porch with red and white flowers and pots and a couple of ferns. I found the red watering can at <a href="http://www.homegoods.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Home Goods</span></a>.<br />
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I made fabric flowers out of blue and white fabrics. I cut long strips with a scalloped edge, gathered them and hot glued them onto felt.<br />
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I wrapped a straw wreath with ribbon and glued it here and there.<br />
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I pinned the flowers on so I can possibly use the wreath for another holiday or two. I love how it turned out. I ties in with 4th of July colors without being too patriotic so I can leave it up all summer.<br />
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For the 4th we hung back up <a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2012/09/july-4th-tin-can-windsock.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">our windsocks</span></a> we made last summer.<br />
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I also painted some old baseballs and soft balls and put them in a basket on the bench. I saw the idea via Pinterest and it was linked back to Better Homes and Gardens. </div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-43032450449732537792013-08-29T00:02:00.000-05:002013-08-29T00:02:07.894-05:00Strawberry Pickin'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Picking Strawberries was on our bucket list this summer. So, one morning I loaded the kids up and we found a U-Pick berry farm not too far away. There's something about popping fresh, sun-ripened berries into my mouth that I LOVE.<br />
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When we got out of the car we could smell the berries! Yum. It didn't take long to fill up these two boxes. We lucked out with big berries as this particular farm had just opened for picking and wasn't picked over yet. The kids did most of the work as bending over in the heat 8 months pregnant just isn't as productive as you'd think.<br />
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We came home and made a batch of strawberry freezer jam the first day. I like to use <a href="http://www.kraftbrands.com/surejell/products.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Certo</span> <span style="color: blue;">Liquid Pectin by Sure-Je</span>ll</a> and I always follow their recipes from inside the box. The jars are <a href="http://www.canningpantry.com/ball-freezer-jars.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Ball Plastic Freezer Jars.</span></a> I can find both at my local grocery stores or big box stores.<br />
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We cooked and processed two batches of strawberry peach jam the next day. The strawberry peach was my favorite of the two. Next time I'll try raspberry peach.<br />
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Do you pick fruits with your family? What do you make with them? I want to do peaches next summer! In the mean time, I'm off to make more toast.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-42822702559206274122013-07-15T09:00:00.000-05:002013-07-15T09:00:06.131-05:00Father's Day 2013I'm very blessed to be married to the World's Best Dad. I try to make Father's Day special for him each year. We were fortunate to have my in-laws come visit for Father's Day this year. But, since I was a month shy of my due date I kept it super, super simple. <br />
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I made photo strip bookmarks for our fathers. <br />
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For my husband I printed <a href="http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2012/05/free-download-book-for-dad.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">this little fill in the blank book</span></a> from <a href="http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Eighten25</span></a> and had the kids fill in the pages. I wanted to add a few pages of my own and they were kind enough to email me which fonts they used so I added a few extras as well. I love the answers and drawings the kids came up with.<br />
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For dinner we grilled burgers and I bought a case of Dad's assorted sodas from <a href="http://www.worldmarket.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">World Market</span></a>. <br />
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We had no table décor, nothing fancy but we enjoyed a yummy dinner with family and everyone enjoyed themselves.<br />
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Later in the evening we roasted s'mores in the fire pit. I bought a variety of yummy chocolates to put on them. We liked them all but the Ghirardelli Mint. It was too strong for a s'more. My fav is a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup S'more. Yum!<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-65170907432609950322013-07-12T09:00:00.000-05:002013-07-12T09:00:05.028-05:00Father's Day Gifts: Photo Booth BookmarkEach year for Father's Day and Mother's Day we try to make a little something creative for the Grandpas. Last year we made <a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2012/10/photo-bookmarks.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">cutout photo bookmarks</span></a>. This year I decided to do something similar.<br />
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I took several photos of the kids close up on the porch.<br />
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Then I printed the photos b&w in a strip, laminated them and added a ribbon. Easy, quick "photo booth" bookmarks. I made one for my husband and myself as well. <br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-58652782967956953012013-07-10T21:25:00.001-05:002013-07-10T21:27:23.319-05:00Bribing the NursesI had a friend who had a baby last year and she took a basket of candy and goodies to the hospital with her for the nurses. She called it her "bribe basket." I thought it was a fabulous idea so I decided to do something similar for my upcoming hospital stay.<br />
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After the birth of my first two children I took goodies up to the nurses and a gift for my L&D nurse after the baby and I went home. This time around, I thought it would be nice to hand each person who comes to help me a little something. It never hurts to bribe people a little to give you extra special care, right? I have a C-section scheduled so I know I'll be in the hospital three or four days and I know I'll need lots of TLC.<br />
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I saw this idea <a href="http://gilliangreding.typepad.com/my_weblog/thank-you-gifts/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">here</span></a> at Gillian Greding's blog and I loved it. I hit up <a href="http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/home/index.jsp" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Bath & Body Works</span></a> when they had a great sale and I scored travel sized lotions, hand sanitizers and body sprays in the <a href="http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=SWEET%20PEA&origkw=sweet+pea&sr=1" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Sweet Pea scent</span>.</a> I never knew there were so many products in that scent! It smells amazing.<br />
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I added a few Dark Chocolate Raspberry Ghirardelli squares {mostly because they had a cute pink wrapper} and some white chocolate Lindt truffles. <br />
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I created little tags that with my<span style="color: purple;"> </span><a href="http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/ektools/keyword_search_results.htm?type=&brand=EK+Tools&query=punch" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">EK Success punches</span></a> that said, "Thank you for taking care of me and my sweet pea" and tied them up with green twine.<br />
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I made up 17 of them so I should be able to thank everyone who comes my way. My bags are packed, her room is ready and I'm stocked up with boxes and boxes of diapers and wipes. I can't wait to meet my new baby girl! Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-17060551068685846422013-05-29T08:36:00.001-05:002013-05-29T08:38:21.660-05:00Tie Dye Shirts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love tie dye. When I saw a <a href="http://www.jacquardproducts.com/funky-groovy-tie-dye.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Jacquard Tie Dye kit</span></a> at Goodwill for $2.99 I snagged it and have been waiting for nice weather to use it. <br />
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I also bought a <a href="http://www.ilovetocreate.com/Tie-Dye" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Tulip One Step Tie Dye Kit</span></a> from <a href="http://www.michaels.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Michael's</span></a> so I had a few more colors to work with.<br />
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I soaked our clothes first in soda ash {the Jacquard kit came with some but they do sell it at Michael's} for 30 minutes. <br />
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Then I scrunched them up in different ways and applied the dye according to the package instructions. I did a couple of rainbows, a few swirls and attempted a heart. I watched several YouTube videos on how to do the swirls well and the heart but I couldn't find instructions for the rainbow so I guessed. And it worked! Here's what I did:<br />
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Basically I started gathering the entire side down to the bottom hem of the shirt.<br />
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Next I tied increments off with rubber bands and applied colors in ROYGBIV and blue on the ends. I scrunched up the blue but didn't band it off.<br />
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I love how the rainbows turned out!<br />
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I let my son apply the dye for his shirt. He was little heavy handed but his shirt turned looking great.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3dQlOjyQIILvfLYF4j1dlbQuoHTnDiQPsqNSATaEwN4gWwTYsljchliYUEKvOAdLDK-IoLqAkKLQG_DgHckTXWxG6QeFoxfiCPzWmVkiVeq3cm8W8wmuCSNJDDSPlyLNq6qkirUyFmI/s1600/Tie+DYe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3dQlOjyQIILvfLYF4j1dlbQuoHTnDiQPsqNSATaEwN4gWwTYsljchliYUEKvOAdLDK-IoLqAkKLQG_DgHckTXWxG6QeFoxfiCPzWmVkiVeq3cm8W8wmuCSNJDDSPlyLNq6qkirUyFmI/s640/Tie+DYe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We wrapped them in plastic and let them sit for 24 hours then I rinsed them in my utility sink, washed them and dried them.<br />
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Here are all of the shirts I made. One for my son, a couple for my daughter, one for me and a couple of onesies for the new baby! I had plenty of dye left and extra powder from the Tulip kit so I passed it along to a friend and she made several shirts as well.<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-81338588944488519112013-05-21T08:13:00.000-05:002013-05-29T08:38:14.223-05:00Summer Bucket ListWe like to make lists around here to force us to enjoy each season fully.<br />
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We made<span style="color: blue;"> </span><a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2011/05/summer-bucket-list.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">this summer bucket list</span></a> two years ago and wanted to make another one this year.<br />
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We made a list of the things we want to do this summer and I filled them all in on a poster board. I wrote most of them this year now that my son can read. I drew a few pictures to color in and as we complete each one, they can color in that square or picture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TClIpyqi3dHig1SGvXQtHCNBEDrWKIRhpgRttAcCZWjUxWyskmJ8D4872YvfQqY4jZt4uE8B6LBCLCwGmqZvKOUu_TpHI0lVGwZt20wGo2ZcOxcsv38eB6GKCynTsRnfhyphenhyphenttMDfWFXs/s1600/IMG_55359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TClIpyqi3dHig1SGvXQtHCNBEDrWKIRhpgRttAcCZWjUxWyskmJ8D4872YvfQqY4jZt4uE8B6LBCLCwGmqZvKOUu_TpHI0lVGwZt20wGo2ZcOxcsv38eB6GKCynTsRnfhyphenhyphenttMDfWFXs/s640/IMG_55359.jpg" width="531" /></a></div>
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I kept our list VERY simple this year as our new baby arrives in July and I'm tired/worn out/done walking long distances/ready to be done. A few things we included:<br />
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<ul>
<li>farmer's market</li>
<li><a href="http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2010/09/big-giant-bubbles.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">blow giant bubbles</span></a></li>
<li>write a story</li>
<li>water balloon fight</li>
<li>find a new park</li>
<li>catch fireflies</li>
<li>lunch with Dad</li>
<li>fly a kite</li>
<li>children's museum</li>
<li>skip rocks</li>
<li>go fishing</li>
<li>outdoor concert</li>
<li>pick strawberries</li>
<li>putt-putt golf</li>
<li>lemonade stand</li>
<li>Slurpee run</li>
<li>baseball game</li>
<li>summer reading program</li>
<li>go see Monster's University and Despicable Me 2 (they can't wait!)</li>
<li>make s'mores</li>
<li>go to a festival</li>
<li>fireworks</li>
<li>camping (with their dad this year...I'm not sleeping on the ground!)</li>
<li>play in the rain</li>
<li>Dippin' Dots</li>
</ul>
Do you make bucket lists with your family? What fun things do you include?<br />
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We are participating this summer in the <a href="http://thehappyfamilymovement.com/2013-summer-bucket-list-challenge/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Happy Family Movement Summer Bucket List Challenge</span></a><span style="color: blue;">.</span> Click here to find out more and sign up yourself! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwZ7kK2X_TJObW0p5V-fLu5AW_xCFtlYYB0I_diqo1twUguSxUGH2eLqqg-DE9EALiKtRtdcnNgG3J08kDhiFw8kh4R8Iv8T-yuqeyqQCeA-DcxbS0F8F6xLhek7BKHzItszLDNbf5Ww/s1600/SBLC-Adventure-Guide%2528pp_w265_h265%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwZ7kK2X_TJObW0p5V-fLu5AW_xCFtlYYB0I_diqo1twUguSxUGH2eLqqg-DE9EALiKtRtdcnNgG3J08kDhiFw8kh4R8Iv8T-yuqeyqQCeA-DcxbS0F8F6xLhek7BKHzItszLDNbf5Ww/s400/SBLC-Adventure-Guide%2528pp_w265_h265%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-8979077098135446322013-05-17T08:15:00.000-05:002013-05-17T08:15:00.743-05:00Play-Doh ValentinesI've seen cute <a href="http://www.hasbro.com/playdoh/en_US/shop/details.cfm?R=70E4C329-5056-900B-10A7-11D58F981764:en_US&mkwid=QDqpKEqU&pcrid=1509484222|pkw|play-doh|pmt|e&s_kwcid=TC-1026976-12088980306-be-1509484222" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Play-Doh</span></a> Valentines all over the web and I knew they'd be an easy, quick valentine this year. I was still feeling pretty nauseous in February so I was all about simple.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwCscO5VdoQ4fGn0-rXXN5HL6_ymCo5RvRT6iXH2pXRw3hukIWdxMYJO3U7DYMekY7rJy8aRBUwbJADFIGja3QT_vr-rOBn4gGHCfp1QT4JD1JGMdqzjVwHq5N7cgBTGDy1h5l2kTie0/s1600/IMAG3714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwCscO5VdoQ4fGn0-rXXN5HL6_ymCo5RvRT6iXH2pXRw3hukIWdxMYJO3U7DYMekY7rJy8aRBUwbJADFIGja3QT_vr-rOBn4gGHCfp1QT4JD1JGMdqzjVwHq5N7cgBTGDy1h5l2kTie0/s640/IMAG3714.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I purchased the <a href="http://www.hasbro.com/playdoh/en_US/shop/details.cfm?R=70E4C329-5056-900B-10A7-11D58F981764:en_US&mkwid=QDqpKEqU&pcrid=1509484222|pkw|play-doh|pmt|e&s_kwcid=TC-1026976-12088980306-be-1509484222" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Play-Doh</span></a> in a 24 box for $15.00. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6JH6Ws-zswJ1OtZ145xCdW2FKI6IVVSLHHZHU-RwuVHvck4msTexfpqu-4eVajXNhgoOMx0eH_VEEmc0bdlc7F4XoGI_XKbgsFfP6RMrG1HpZLKKuTjLaI2e9sAcGGOnPnp9lrPNg44/s1600/IMAG3720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6JH6Ws-zswJ1OtZ145xCdW2FKI6IVVSLHHZHU-RwuVHvck4msTexfpqu-4eVajXNhgoOMx0eH_VEEmc0bdlc7F4XoGI_XKbgsFfP6RMrG1HpZLKKuTjLaI2e9sAcGGOnPnp9lrPNg44/s640/IMAG3720.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I found a cute printable label over at <a href="http://the-wilson-world.blogspot.com/2012/01/play-doh-valentines-with-printable.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Random Thoughts of a Super Mom</span></a> but I couldn't get it to print clearly for me. So, I recreated my own.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9uI5fqhkJSlZIHsLDesAKPfWK8S302THyQAp7a5DvAIuJ0RRdsLIY-eMWozMRYgJYNdP3VOxjAEd_SMqqin8B3T285sGm3jmPgr12iq7wJhZQi4bofVDgJKUq1cGZjIBGWiFfMM_R_4/s1600/IMAG3718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9uI5fqhkJSlZIHsLDesAKPfWK8S302THyQAp7a5DvAIuJ0RRdsLIY-eMWozMRYgJYNdP3VOxjAEd_SMqqin8B3T285sGm3jmPgr12iq7wJhZQi4bofVDgJKUq1cGZjIBGWiFfMM_R_4/s640/IMAG3718.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I printed the labels on card stock. Then my son just punched out the circles with my<span style="color: blue;"> </span><a href="http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/ektools/Products/2_Inch_Circle_Punch_54-30151.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">EK Success Whale Scallop Punch</span></a>. {Love those!} He glued them on with a tape runner and we were done!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSc5EH0NzdD18IWdylrarUnF2yB2jCec_A1JEkFFHFdHqQSdgK5OxyjNjQDMsw_18b3WMjDUxuPhZzlLKmhgyK9U_tKEGU-Glv9NkqhgUPYGciu9bGX_aYmMYsYY-3pir-L3X66OSuKdY/s1600/IMAG3710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSc5EH0NzdD18IWdylrarUnF2yB2jCec_A1JEkFFHFdHqQSdgK5OxyjNjQDMsw_18b3WMjDUxuPhZzlLKmhgyK9U_tKEGU-Glv9NkqhgUPYGciu9bGX_aYmMYsYY-3pir-L3X66OSuKdY/s640/IMAG3710.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I volunteered in his class on Valentine's Day and there was much buzz about the <a href="http://www.hasbro.com/playdoh/en_US/shop/details.cfm?R=70E4C329-5056-900B-10A7-11D58F981764:en_US&mkwid=QDqpKEqU&pcrid=1509484222|pkw|play-doh|pmt|e&s_kwcid=TC-1026976-12088980306-be-1509484222" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Play-Doh</span></a>. They were so much more fun than the paper ones from the store and so simple.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-79718266836421141892013-05-15T08:30:00.000-05:002013-05-15T08:30:03.344-05:00Christmas Card DisplayI am sad to admit that 2012 was the first year in YEARS that we did not send out a Christmas card. <br />
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The intention was there but they just. didn't. happen.<br />
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My pregnancy nausea kicked in right around Thanksgiving and I went downhill from there. I was sick. I was tired. And I just didn't care. We stayed home for Christmas {which was wonderful} and we kept it simple and relaxed. We put up a tree and hung stockings and I put together this little craft for hanging Christmas cards. <br />
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While I didn't send one, I loved getting them all season long. I love checking the mail during December. And I love displaying all of the cards I get. So, here's what I did.<br />
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I wanted to hang the cards with clothes pins but even glittered ones stilled looked ugly on the sides to me. So, I started out dying the clothes pins. I figured if vinegar and food coloring worked for eggs it would work for clothes pins. And it did. I didn't keep track of the ratio I used but I put a LOT of drops of food coloring in enough vinegar to cover the pins.<br />
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After the clothes pins dried I brushed one side with <a href="http://www.plaidonline.com/mod-podge/brand/home.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Mod Podge</span></a> then sprinkled on glitter. The porch made for a great place to glitter so it wasn't all over my house.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmipqJp3YqwzdLUsy5TvwpTlaFQG2H6dzN9p4ebpZwdDfSokXcRUmdCr9uCQ35Nrie-x6NVdATledf1hyqs8BjNxfVHs9BwQwLj5ChmfWA1j_W9Jfd84XL8U5fB9O0fgF39_MdbivpEk/s1600/IMG_20121202_153313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmipqJp3YqwzdLUsy5TvwpTlaFQG2H6dzN9p4ebpZwdDfSokXcRUmdCr9uCQ35Nrie-x6NVdATledf1hyqs8BjNxfVHs9BwQwLj5ChmfWA1j_W9Jfd84XL8U5fB9O0fgF39_MdbivpEk/s400/IMG_20121202_153313.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I strung some satin ribbon on a wall with clear <a href="http://www.command.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/NACommand/Command/Products/Catalog/~/Command-Clear-Mini-Hooks?N=5924736+3294737339+3294857497&rt=rud" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">3M Command Mini Hooks</span></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWJVw8pah_JK0j1tUdZMPxBmmhp2g_xWZRxCXE1IAi9LVd6l57A2Dh85kw53ltQcQk38PIF4vwFmq_D2mV7QG9WfUMXWXFNmcYilghUwOXKtLhJsZBX-Y8Xplpm2O9UAukrzoOisr6bk/s1600/IMG_20130128_131641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWJVw8pah_JK0j1tUdZMPxBmmhp2g_xWZRxCXE1IAi9LVd6l57A2Dh85kw53ltQcQk38PIF4vwFmq_D2mV7QG9WfUMXWXFNmcYilghUwOXKtLhJsZBX-Y8Xplpm2O9UAukrzoOisr6bk/s400/IMG_20130128_131641.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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As Christmas cards arrived in the mail, I placed them up on the wall with a clothes pin. By the end of the month only the photo cards and handmade cards remained as I ran out of room. I'll have to hang more ribbon next year!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-67361326118932047342013-05-14T12:54:00.001-05:002013-05-14T12:54:42.249-05:00Teacher GiftsTeacher Appreciation Week was last week and I wanted to do something small even though we are so close to the end of the year. I also wanted simple and quick. So, I copied <a href="http://www.2cleverblog.com/2cleverblog/2009/06/little-thinks-teacher-gifts.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">this idea</span></a> from my friends over at the <a href="http://www.2cleverblog.com/2cleverblog/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">2CleverBlog</span></a><span style="color: blue;">.</span><br />
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I found the light bulb jars with screw on lids at Hobby Lobby. When I went in the glassware was all 50% off so I scored the jars for just $0.75! At that price I bought ten and decided to do a little gift for all of my son's teachers: classroom, nurse, gym, music, librarian, office secretaries and the principal.<br />
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I picked up a jar of Great Chef Gourmet Jelly Beans from Sam's Club for $10 and filled all ten jars and still have half of them left over. I love Jelly Bellies but these were much cheaper and had great flavors.<br />
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I even copied her cute tags. I added photos of my son and phrases like:<br />
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Thanks for "bean" a great principal and helping our school "shine."</div>
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Thanks for "bean" a great teacher and making me so "bright."</div>
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Thanks for "bean" a great librarian and "lighting" my mind with books!</div>
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My son signed his name on the tags and we were done. Thanks for the great idea, Think! So cute and so simple. I love that we were able to show a little appreciation for so many at the school without breaking the bank.</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-47167809830721343762013-05-14T09:54:00.005-05:002013-05-14T09:55:28.831-05:0014 Acts of Love: Follow UpI thought I'd share with you a few of the acts of service we performed in February for our <a href="http://www.sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2013/01/14-acts-of-love.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">14 Acts of Love</span></a> project. You can find photos as well on Instagram under #14actsoflove.<br />
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I tried to include the kids as much as possible to teach them about serving others. Here are a few things we did in the days leading up to Valentine's Day:<br />
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<li>Dropped off cookies from a local bakery to our librarians</li>
<li>Baked goodies for our local firemen</li>
<li>Delivered batches of puppy chow (muddy buddies) to friends, teachers and school bus drivers</li>
<li>I shoveled my neighbor's driveway when her husband was out of town</li>
<li>Left chocolates and a Starbucks gift card for our mailman (it was COLD here in February)</li>
<li>Collected and delivered maternity clothes to a women's advocacy center</li>
<li>Delivered coloring books and colored pencils to a hospital waiting room</li>
<li>Gathered supplies and assembled homeless care kits</li>
<li>Mailed off cards to servicemen and women overseas (we got the addresses from <a href="http://www.anysoldier.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.anysoldier.com</span></a>)</li>
<li>Left change taped to a soda machine at the recreation center</li>
<li>Dropped off goodies to a sick friend</li>
<li>Sent a Box of Sunshine to a friend who was blue</li>
<li>Donated to a canned food drive</li>
<li>Paid for the person behind us in the drive-through</li>
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On Valentine's Day morning I snuck out early and stapled foam hearts to the flags on the mailboxes of my neighbors in my cul-de-sac. I stole<span style="color: blue;"> </span><a href="http://www.2cleverblog.com/2cleverblog/2009/02/healthy-heart-attack.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">this idea here</span></a> from Pink over at 2CleverBlog.<br />
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It was fun to wake up each day and think of how we could serve others and we've done it randomly throughout the spring as well. I think it will be a tradition we'll continue each year.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-55200249186993302202013-05-09T18:40:00.005-05:002013-05-09T18:41:53.745-05:00Pink Care Package: Baby Girl!My best friend found out she was having a girl a few months ago. <br />
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So I did the only thing that seemed natural. I sent her off a care package of all things pink! <br />
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I included some goodies for her like candy, lip gloss, nail polish, nail files and socks as well as some goodies for the baby like a blanket, snuggle, pacifiers, rattle and a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0761159932/ref=nosim/?tag=tso-20" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Perfect Piggies</span></a> board book by Sandra Boynton. I also included some balloons and candy for her other two children.<br />
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Did you know they sell pink hot cocoa?? I found it at <a href="http://www.michaels.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Michael's</span></a><span style="color: blue;">.</span><br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-48284122547427325972013-05-09T17:41:00.003-05:002013-05-09T17:41:28.414-05:00HiatusLife happens.<br />
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And sometimes blogging doesn't. <br />
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And that's okay.<br />
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I am pregnant {30 weeks yesterday} and, when I am pregnant, may things in life get put on hold. Including this blog. I've still been crafting and creating here and there. But I had a few months where I didn't get dressed, didn't function and just tried to keep my meals down. It happens, it's over. Now onto the exciting baby prepping.<br />
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So, I'll try to catch you up on what I've been up to the past few months.<br />
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Thanks for hanging in there.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-19179758992150702512013-01-31T12:26:00.000-06:002013-01-31T12:26:02.365-06:0014 Acts of Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZrZHNP48QPXy3Wm6sJwvVyf_XWZBUToaQj2FweasNH1w9WLkWFMcXsQWSofWubwwyptGaTuQulxxtU24SgE48Oe2EjKsefClhR8Mv3oTMyoZAF4sc0gacJYeJR8_tPqldU8p05O-YX0/s1600/14actsoflove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZrZHNP48QPXy3Wm6sJwvVyf_XWZBUToaQj2FweasNH1w9WLkWFMcXsQWSofWubwwyptGaTuQulxxtU24SgE48Oe2EjKsefClhR8Mv3oTMyoZAF4sc0gacJYeJR8_tPqldU8p05O-YX0/s640/14actsoflove.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have a lot of blogging catching up to do but, in the mean time, wanted to share a project I'm starting tomorrow. <br />
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I was so inspired by the 26 Acts of Kindness so many people performed in December in memory of the Sandy Hook victims. Random acts of kindness are the best. I've performed a few lately and I love that I stop thinking about myself and my problems and help make someone else's day a little brighter.<br />
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So, starting tomorrow, February 1st, I'm going to perform a random act of kindness or "Love" each day through Valentine's Day. I'll be tagging them on Instagram (#14actsoflove) so feel free to participate and follow along. They needn't be huge things or pricey things. Small, thoughtful acts of love toward our fellow man can change someone's day. That's my goal. Put a smile on someone's faith and hopefully inspire them to pay it forward. I want to make everyone feel loved this Valentine's Day whether they are in love or not.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540656732391127606.post-16496986668161087982012-12-18T21:23:00.000-06:002012-12-18T21:24:58.033-06:00Thanksgiving ABC BookI found this cute <a href="http://thisreadingmama.com/2012/11/01/abcs-of-thanksgiving/" target="_blank">ABCs of Thanksgiving pdf</a> printable over at <a href="http://thisreadingmama.com/" target="_blank">This Reading Mama</a>. <br />
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I printed out the one with writing lines for my kindergartner and the one for strictly drawing for my three year old. <br />
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There's a coloring page for each letter of the alphabet. I printed the pages on copy paper then stapled them inside a 12 x 18 sheet of construction paper. Then I glued on her cover printable to the front of each.<br />
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We started on November 1st and went through the end of the month writing one thing each day, starting with the particular letter, that they were thankful for. It was a fun, easy activity. Thanks for the cute printable!<br />
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One day he was thankful for m&ms. <br />
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She was thankful for me. Looks just like me, right? </div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713429259524328027noreply@blogger.com0