Halloween ideas

There are so many fun crafts and treats to make this time of year. These are some of my favorites I've come across... okay, more like these are the ideas I think I might actually be able to make on my own and not break the bank.

We rarely make Carmel apples because they are so huge my kids usually throw most of it away so I love this idea from family fun to use a melon-baller and make little bite-size Carmel apples, PERFECT!

And I couldn't stop giggling when I saw these mummies. What a fun dinner idea for Halloween night.

When we loaded up our HUGE (the biggest one they had) moving truck we couldn't fit everything (we don't have that much stuff... it's a long story) and unfortunately our fall/ Halloween decor was left behind so I've been keeping my eye out for some fun and simple ideas to decorate. I especially love the projects my kids can help me do like this one I saw on Hostess with the Mostess

This is another cute idea from Hostess with the Mostess. I love the candy corn in the vase with the candles. I know my crafty neighbor has something similar on her mantel.

This one is fun, I love the paper she used. It would be so cute on my black door.

That will have to do for now. Kids are calling.

binky clips

This was another fun project I did with my sister here. Binkies are like gold at our house and if my next baby is anything like my last 3 then he will have one clipped to his being at all times. It was so easy to make these clips. I found the tutorial here.

This is the back side of the clip.
I think I'll add a a big brown button just for added "cuteness".

Making Cards

My sister Melissa and I were busy "creating" during her visit to Kentucky. With babies on the way we thought we would plan ahead and work on some "thank you" cards (missing you Ramona!). This is what we came up with.

Melissa is having a girl so her cards are pink and "girly". Instead of a brad she added a little flower.

I love to sew on paper, it adds a fun texture to the card.

These were so easy to make and I think they turned out cute.

so easy tutus

My sis made these at a recent Super Saturday, all I can say is soooo easy and sooo cute!

All you need is 1-2inch width elastic band cut and sewn to fit your little ballerina's waist (or you can use a ribbon and just cut it long enough to tie around the waist with a bow) and 3 yards of tulle fabric. We split that up and did 2 different shades of pink.
Cut the tulle into 4 inch strips and just start looping the tulle around the elastic strip by strip. It's kinda hard to explain how to loop it around (but very easy to do, Hallie and Megan did alot of it)

so I added a drawing to illustrate.

If you want you can glue on some rhinestones, flowers, or bows etc. to embellish it.

That's it!! Could it be more simple?

My sister made a tiny one for her baby (due in November) to do some fun pictures.

Can't wait to see those pictures!

Things that make me happy today

I love my RED bathroom. It's the first room I painted when we moved into this house.

I don't know what it is about RED... it just makes me smile.

This stool is another little thing in my house that makes me happy. I painted the edges RED then painted green over it (I painted it messy to show some red through and

avoided the edges completely) and sanded it.

The girls made this "welcome" sign and hung it in their playroom.

I love it, I think we will keep it for awhile. :)

Christmas ideas

I've got to plan ahead this year. With a new baby coming in November, I hope to have all of my Christmas gifts ready beforehand (let's be honest... it will take a miracle).

I LOVE these monograms made out of crayons for teacher gifts!

I saw this clipboard on another blog and thought it would also be a fun teacher gift. I'm going to do them in the teacher's favorite color and have my kids write them a note or draw a picture and mod podge that on the clipboard. I'll either give this for Christmas or teacher appreciation week.

Finishing Touches

I finally finished Campbell and the new babies room. The room has this great built in bookshelf that is perfect for all of the kids books and a few doo-dads. I bought the truck at Michaels awhile back and just spray painted it blue and then I mod-podged the frames with the same paper that I did on the B-O-Y-S sign on the opposite wall.

I hung Campbell's magnet board up next to the closet. I haven't decided if I'm going to make another magnet board for the new baby, or add his name to this one, or what.Okay, now I really can check that room off the list... finally!

Added a few more things

I decided I needed 2 more things above my cupboards. I visited Hobby Lobby and found a spotted rooster to go with my hen and rod iron piece that I love! I think it looks much better... not so sparse and still "un-cluttered" and clean looking. Done!

Above my Cabinets

I love my white kitchen and wanted to keep it looking clean and open and clutter-free but at the same time I wanted to add a little bit of color without painting or adding clutter to my counter tops.

I came up with this idea to use fake grass to add some greenery and give it that "country kitchen" look but still keep it clean looking and then put a few accents to bring in the red and yellow.


Anyway, I like it a lot because it draws your eye up and makes the room feel a little taller plus I love the look of the signs.

The only problem is that I think I need a few more decorative items but I'd worried that if I add any more then it will be to cluttery and make the room feel smaller. Does that make sense? Any thoughts?

Megan turns Five!

The Boys Room

This is what the room looked like before except the ceiling was also blue and the walls didn't have white spots, that is from the spackle (yes, those are all nail holes in the wall. Someone couldn't decide where to hang the pictures or something!)

When I was pregnant with Campbell I made this bumper for the crib (ha,ha, more like my mom made it and I kept her company while she worked on it). Anyway since we are having another boy I guess we will be using it again so I decided to redecorate the "boys room" to match this bumper.
I just finished the room yesterday. I did all the painting and Trev helped me make the shelves with 1x6 plywood and crown moulding. I was really worried once I got all the paint done that I might have picked the wrong colors but in the end I like how it turned out.

If you know me then you know I am cheap and love to stretch a dime (which is a good thing on a resident's salary) and this project is no different. I just used things from our house to decorate the shelves. I had a bunch of scraps left from when I made the bumper that were just sitting in a box so I decided to just roll them up and stick them in this bucket which I got from our downstairs bathroom. The dog is from Trev's mission and the sign a friend gave me... told you I am cheap.
The only thing I bought was the letters for BOYS but I did use scrapbook paper I already had to cover the letters.
Anyway, I still have a few finishing touches but for the most part I am done and excited to check this one off the list. On to the next project... anyone know how to hang drywall???

IKEA to the rescue

We just got an IKEA in Cinncinati this summer, YAY!

Anyway, I went shopping with some friends a few months ago and found these cute hanging baskets which are perfect for my girls hair ribbons (which were found floating all over the house since I used to just stuff them into a drawer). I paid $8.oo for the whole thing and now the ribbons are organized and even a little decorative. I love IKEA!

One Talented Lady

In RS we are making and filling diaper bags for a local charity and so I took the pattern to my mother when we visited ~since I am clueless when it comes to sewing and she is an amazing seamstress, I'm serious, we have enjoyed many quilts, pj's, dresses, crib bumpers, etc. made by my mother's hands.Needless to say, I showed her the pattern and within a few hours she had whipped one up. Then I told her I wanted to adjust some things and make one for myself and viola... it was done and look how cute it is.It is great to have such talent in the family. Thanks mom!

Cam May 2008

Girls room

I've been kinda lazy with decorating this house. Usually when we move into a new house I get all excited and plan every room but this time I think I have just been too tired and unmotivated to do anything. Well, I finally decided to try to spruce up the girls room. I left the same wall color because I don't hate it and just added some flowers (thanks Traci) and pictures. Anyway, it is nothing fancy but it will do.

Now on to Campbell's room but I cant do that until we find out if we are having a boy or girl baby since they will be sharing a room.