Hi all!

Yup, I'm still alive ;)

Major drama at our house this last week (more on that tomorrow) but it's coming together now

I spent a lot of the last week in bed tending to our 4 year old and decided to play around with some things to make a printable for y'all. 

I'm not a big decorator for these smaller holidays, but it's nice to have a little touch!

All you need to do is click on the image (to enlarge) then click with the magnifying glass and then save and print!  I created it as a 5x7 but I had to print it as a 4x6 to fit my funky lil frame.

Enjoy!

Linking up to:

What a fun new linky party!

6. take the button if you play so everyone knows!

Ok but since it's the first one, I'm just going to show you what's already on my phone :)

 Peyton FINALLY got to make a snowman - and it was almost as tall as him!

 Sometimes they really do love each other (Granny & Papa's)

 Brylie just being cheesy :)

 Somehow, no matter where we go, if it's just the hubby and I, we attract fire (or at least fire alarms, and no we don't set them off, lol).  This was just awhile back in Central City, CO when we were up there playing slots.


Being goofy (Granny & Papa's)

 It's just Brylie - this kid has so many faces! lol

and again........

 she decided she could do a better job at cleaning out the dishwasher than her brother (and on a side note, the kitchen looks dramatically different now! lol)

 Brylie had fallen asleep on me, and when I had to get up to cook supper, she just slithered right off of me and continued her nap!

 Brylie showing her Great Grandma ("White Grandma") how to play Dora on the iTouch - they have such a special connection, I'm so glad that I can have them both in my life at the same time :)  This was at Thanksgiving.

 No, she's not pouting, she's not even playing, she's SLEEPING!

 Brylie gathering eggs at Grandma Dorothy's (this was while they were staying with my parents when hubby had his surgery)

and speaking of hubby's surgery - a big cyst was removed from his neck in October - in fact this was just a few days before Halloween!  Can you say Frankenstein?

 playing on Grandpa's antique machinery (while they were staying during hubby's surgery)

 That much elbow grease and I'm only that far?  It looks great now though, so worth all of the work :)

Jazlyn modeling these dorky glasses at Walmart - did people really buy these to wear?  hehe


So there won't usually be that many pictures, but I wanted to load most of the ones I keep permanently on my phone :)

Anyone that knows me knows that I enjoy cooking, baking, and most of all eating good food - which translates into trying LOTS of new recipes!  I admit that I've been less than green for quite awhile; instead of organizing my printed recipes, or even just bookmarking them, I would search for and print them every time I wanted to make them.  Eek!  I know.  I started off printing them and saving, but I got sick of thumbing through every.single.loose.random recipe and just gave up - until now :)

With this weekly challenge I've got the base to start being better  about printing off thousands of recipes! LOL  Now I'll print it off once - if we like it I'll just file it away in my nifty new recipe binder, and if I don't, then I'll throw it away!

I found a large 3 ring binder designed for heavy duty use, with an extra long cover so that tabs don't stick out.  It has a cool pocket in the front where I can stash cards or clippings quickly to file when I have a few extra minutes.  

After whipping up a pretty damask cover (front, back, and spine - complete with scripture) I printed them on textured cardstock and then adhered the front and back to black cardstock that was cut to size.

Then I made my own category pages:

Appetizers

Breads

Breakfast

Desserts

Main Dish

Salads

Sides

Soups

Misc.

Special Occasion (for like themed treats, etc)

To Try (when something looks interesting)

I put them all in page protectors and I'll be getting some file tabs at the store later to put on the edges.  I'll likely divide the main dish section up later into beef, chicken, pasta, slow cooker, etc., but this will work for now.

And guess what!  I'm going to give away the covers and dividers!  If you'd like them, just leave me a comment with your email address and I'll get them out to you (it might be a bit - I do own a business and have 3 kids, lol)!

Of course I'm linking my recipe binder up to:

And to:

I HAVE actually been keeping up with DOING the weekly challenge, I just haven't been quite as good about blogging about them.

I grabbed a 3-ring-binder I had already and dressed it up with some white vinyl I cut with my trusty Cricut :)  Inside holds a ton of information and some forms that I'm trying out to see which ones best fit our needs :)

We actually have 3 spaces to our launch pad, all within about 2 steps of each other.

The first is this cabinet that I found at a garage sale last summer.  Inside the doors is a huge basket that holds all of our scarves, gloves, hats, baseball gloves, etc.  I'm still looking for the perfect baskets for the shelf underneath.

Second is the antique 5 paneled door that I hung sideways and attached 5 vintage door knobs and plates to.  Each family member has their own knob to hang their coat on, and there's a bench underneath to sit and take off snow pants, boots, etc.

And lastly is the paper station.  This crib spring holds work schedules, important school notes, lunch menus, etc., and magazines and misc papers go in the basket to be sorted.  This bench is also where I set my purse - it's out of the way but still accessible.

I'm still working on Week #3 (this week) so stay tuned!

I always have a running bookmark folder of links that inspire me for every occasion, every room, every season............and Valentine's Day is no exception!  I had to pick and choose what we were going to do for school this year, and even then time dictated changes, but everyone was happy with what they took :)

First up are the iPhone valentine's Peyton took to school for his friends.  I thought it was more age appropriate (you know, c'mon mom!):

You can find the printable HERE.

The girls got ones similar to each other:

I'd done this several years ago for Mother's Day gifts with all 3 kids, holding flowers, and framed.  The idea to use it for v-day is ALL over the blog world this year, but gosh, it's so easy and still quite a "WOW"!  All you do is take a picture of the kiddo holding their fist out (like they're holding a balloon).  Focusing on their hand, take the picture.  Doll it up using your choice of software (I used some digital scrapbooking items too) and having the printed!  Once you've got them printed out, take your exacto knife and make a slit at the top of the fist and the bottom of the fist, and just slide the sucker stick in!

Teachers got reusable hand warmers.  I repurposed some v-day fabric I had and made little pockets about the size of my palm, filled them up with rice and TADAH!  I tied each pair up with a few ribbons and a tag with the instructions on using them (graphic from Just Something I Made) and popped them into my latest favorite gift bag - a lunch sack!  Tied up with ribbon it's simple and fun!

I was in charge of snacks for Brylie's preschool party today.  Once again it evolved into something other than it started, but that's alright :)  I took a little heart shaped cookie cutter (actually I think it was made for playdoh?  but I washed it up and used it anyway), filled it with melted chocolate chips like 100 times.  Then this morning I took graham cracker squares, placed a pink strawberry marshmallow on each one, nuked them for 17 seconds (yes, exactly 17 - enough to soften up and puff up the marshmallow) and then pressed the chocolate heart right in the center - and you have a Valentine's Day S'more!

That's the scoop for vday - nothing too exciting, but that's all I had time for :)  I love doing stuff like this - I'm gonna have to "adopt" a child or two to do this for when my kids are old enough they don't want it anymore! lol

Hope you've had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

PS - don't forget to check out my tutorial for the DIY Project Party below!

Can't go wrong with chocolate!  Especially Dove milk chocolate..............

excuse my while I go get me chocolate fix..............

Okay, I'm back ;)

I made this for my secret sister in our woman's group at church.  It's simple but gets lots of oooh's and ahhhh's!

You need a can with a tab top.  I used a Campbell's Chunky Soup can, but I've used others before too, just make sure the bottom of the can doesn't have rounded edges.

 Using my Pampered Chef can opener (the kind that opens the can from the outside edge instead of cutting the top) I took off the BOTTOM of the can, warmed up my soup and ate lunch while the can and bottom "lid" ran through the dishwasher.  If you think about it, save the label - it will make your life easier ;)

After your tummy is full and your can is clean and dry, it's time to get to the fun stuff!  Grab yourself some fun papers and a bag of chocolate (or whatever you want to give - I did this once for a 40-year-old's gag gift and filled it with prunes, but I think chocolate tastes better, hehe!).  

If you've kept your label, all you need to do is measure it and cut your papers accordingly.  I chose to make a few layers with mine, and the top layer includes a chocolate label in French that I acquired from the lovely Graphics Fairy.  Not only is it beautiful but it also suits the gift :)

I like to use hot glue to adhere the cardstock/paper to the can.  You have to watch how bulky it can get if you use this, but I've tried the red sticky tape and loads of other scrapbooking/paper craft adhesives with little luck.  Once you've got your layout ready, just attach the papers (one layer at a time) to the can, putting all of the seams in the "back".  IMPORTANT:  Make sure that you don't put these on upside down!  It's easy to do with the bottom lid off - make sure you've had your Dr Pepper and are paying attention ;)

Now fill up your can with the goodies!  I was surprised that this can took the entire bag of Dove promises! 

Now get out your trusty Gorilla Glue super glue.  This stuff is AWESOME!!!  I use it all.the.time (especially helpful since I'm often doing things last minute and this stuff dries TOUGH and QUICK!).

Have your can full of yummies sitting close and put a small bead of the super glue around the rim of the bottom "lid", then quickly put it in place on the can!  

Now eat that piece of chocolate you kept out of the can.

Ok, glue is set and you can turn it right side up and accessorize!

I found some fun crocheted lace at the thrift store and decided to use it to make a flower.  I took a small circle of felt and hot glued the lace to it, gathering it slightly as I went along.

I had intended to glue the button in the center and go on, but I felt like the flower was too big, so I just took and doubled it back, gluing the outside edge of the flower to the back, making this cute and chubby flower!   

You can use ribbon tied to the tab top (which I ended up doing with a name tag on it), you can tie ribbon around the middle, on top of the papers, there are a million ways you can dress your can up!  

This is such a fun and unexpected "gift wrap" - I just love to use it!  Not only is is "green" and resourceful, but it's unusual and handmade - the best!

I'm so excited to be sharing my first tutorial at the Feb DIY Project Party!  Go check out all of the awesome tutorials other crafters have shared - they'll inspire you!

Also linking to: