101st Fashionable Fridays - Red Boldness

Here is my boldest look with the red skinny jeans and another yellow top. I wore this outfit to a baby shower. Sorry I don't have better pictures of it.

It was super fun to wear! Love it!

Yellow Top - Wal-mart
Necklace - Paparazzi
Red Skinny Jeans - The Jean Girl

73rd Mommy Mondays - Preemie

I had the opportunity to review this book: Preemie: Lessons in Love, Life and Motherhood by Kasey Mathews. Since I have come to know a lot of moms with preemies and they have become to be my closest friends, I wanted to understand more of the things they went through.
Now none of my friends had a micro preemie like the baby in the story, but it was still so helpful to read and understand just some of the feelings and challenges my friends went through.
Kasey Mathews, the mother and author, wrote this story beautifully and surprisingly with such humor! You will feel as if you are chatting with her in the room with how she writes. I was crying at different times as she told her story and even laughing and smiling at others. As soon as I started it, the book was hard to put down. It was an easy read for me, flying through the pages as I came to know Kasey and her fears and desires as she went through this process of delivering her 2nd baby so early.

Today I'm also giving away this book too  because I couldn't contact the winner of the giveaway last time. It would be a great book to a mom of a preemie or even yourself, a mom.

Preemie: Lessons in Love, Life and Motherhood by Kasey Mathews

Enter Below. Ends Sunday, September 16th.

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100th Fashionable Fridays - GIVEAWAY

Wow 100 posts of Fashionable Fridays!!

Let's do a giveaway!

Mini no sew Ruffle Tote made by me

Paparazzi Necklace and Earrings Set

close-up of necklace

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Large Message Board

I finally made my Responsibility Charts Message Board. I've been wanting to make something like this for years! I had the big wooden frame for a couple years along with most of the square pieces: metal, cork, dry erase, mirror, etc.

When I saw these responsibility charts by My Computer is My Canvas - pinned here, I knew how I wanted to make my message board. Although her colors were great for kids, I wanted colors of ours to match our living area so I got to work with MyMemories Digital Scrapbooking Software (use code STMMMS81725 to get $10 off!). Using this software was really easy and much faster than Photoshop since it had many preset shapes and embellishments to use already.

 

After my charts were made, I got to work on my frame. I spray painted my frame brown and then glued down the mat board. I used baby food jars to hold it together for a while. I did it outside since I used the E6000 stinky glue, but strong. I then added 4 metal pieces in the corners and the cork and dry erase pieces for notes in the center.

 

Once that was all dry, I cut down some scrapbook paper and added that to the frame. I found this Home Sweet Home sign in the Target $1 bins last year so I used that for extra decor at the bottom.

I made some big rosettes with leftover fabric from my benches and pillows I had made before.

I used glue dots to adhere my charts once printed off at my local printing place, Alpha Graphics. Then I put magnets from Wal-mart - I wiped them out with the ball ones.

Unfortunately, I didn't have anywhere to put this in our living area so I put it in our hallway. We've been using it for about a month and it's been awesome. One of my son's areas was staying dry. He tends to have accidents when playing on the computer so this has eliminated that. Also he has been staying dry through the night too because of it! It's been awesome! For mine, I should have made a little easier. I put things on my chart that I wasn't good at doing at regularly, so in the end I always ended up getting the least amount of points even though I had been doing tons of other things.
We don't have much of reward system yet because my  kids are just happy to put on the magnets since they're 3.5 and almost 16 months. I figure we can get them a toy or treat sometime. My husband uses his points for computer gaming time. For me, I get to go get a haircut next week. On the dry erase board, I've been keeping track of our points each week for the month. Everyone improved each week so I figured we could all get some sort of prize or reward.

Wellness Wednesdays #10 - Say Hello to a Better Body

Today I have a giveaway for you - another one from Chicken Soup for the Soul.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stay tuned for another giveaway on Friday too =D 

Baby Shower Gifts

Here is a canvas and bow holders I made for my one friend's baby - decor for the baby's room. Her colors were turquoise and hot pink. Sorry the pictures are so dark.

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For another friend's shower, I made a bow holder out of canvas. The baby's room was in lavender and white with some light pink.

Then I also made these Big Brother and Little Sister shirts using the goldfish shapes on my Silhouette.

Here it is all wrapped up.

Here are all the presents together. I made an extra onesie with a butterfly and so sweet because I had cut that shape out previously.

72nd Mommy Mondays - Stay at Home Moms

I was so so excited when I received Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stay at Home Moms book.

Lately I've been having a hard time with my children. I guess really what mom doesn't. I try so hard to do fun things with them, but then moments later they're whining, crying like I just did nothing for them. Then my daughter still doesn't sleep through the night, and I'm just so tired that I lose my patience way faster than I ever used to. The hardest part about their ages right now is all the fighting and whining between the two. All day hearing it every day can really get to you and drive you nuts!

This was the perfect book to just relax with with a short story or two about women, stay at home moms, who were dealing with the same types of things as I was. Because I was looking for these type of stories first, I stared in the section called: "The Daily Grind." Stories about picky eaters, scared children, unable to sleep, etc. made me feel better than others were experiencing many of the same things. Just being able to relate to people even if you don't know them, I believe is so helpful to get through life. It helps you know you're not alone or crazy =).

Along with great stories, there's awesome short quotations before each short story - some that make you laugh and some that you can totally relate to. Just reading those uplift my mood. Here's one quotation that perfectly describes what I've been talking about, "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You, too? Thought I was the only one." -C.S. Lewis"

Now that summertime is closing, that means less play dates, at least at my house. I've been having huge play dates outside in my yard because my house is too small. When many moms come, it's really the highlight of my week because hearing other tired moms and their different struggles and I just think oh me too or yeah I've been there. I'll be turning to this book again and again to help my sanity over the winter time when it's harder to get together with friends.

I know for me and my family, being a stay at home mom is the right choice, but boy is it super hard at times. I wouldn't change it for the world. I love being there for all my kids' cute moments, seeing them learn new things, and hear them say funny things. This book can remind you of that =).

99th Fashionable Fridays - Getting Bolder

After wearing the blush skinny jeans, I decided to get a little bolder. Since I was still nervous I did the blue ones since they're pretty similar to regular colored jeans.
Yellow Top - Eden Fantasys
Skinny Jeans - The Jean Girl
Yellow heels - thrifted at Mila Couture Fashion Exchange
White Flower clip - made from Lorinda at Free Spirit Tight Ship blog

Butterfly Pink and Lime Birthday PARTY

I kept forgetting to post this!

Here are pictures from the whole Hot Pink and Lime (B&W accents) Butterfly 1st Birthday. I plan on using these colors for the next couple years and changing the theme. I'm thinking next year will be an Ice Cream theme =). Plus all the things I made can be used for her bedroom.

Most of the pictures on here are by The Turquoise Frame Photography

 Decor

How I did my Table Cloth Streamers

Thank You Boxes

How I made the Favor Boxes

Food- Butterfly Bites
Rice Krispie treats with chocolate chips and pink colored chocolate, oreos, striped cookies, candy, jello jigglers, and veggies tray
Pink Lemonade, Water, Lime Sherbet Punch

Cake by Baked Designs by Cindy

How I made the Ribbon Topiary

Birthday Girl

Handmade Gift Exchange 2012

This year I participated in the Handmade Gift Exchange through Elfster, hosted by Craftaholics Anonymous. She does it twice a year. The next one starts November 1st so if you want to join, sign up here!

Anyway here's what I received from my awesome gifter, Lorinda at Free Spirit Tight Ship.

She made things for me and my children - so thoughtful! She even wrapped and labeled each one.

My son received this awesome crocheted Robot - he sleeps with it from time to time =)

 My daughter received this bunny in HER COLORS - Lorinda noticed all these details from my blog figuring these colors must mean something to us. Now I plan on taking pictures of my daughter with this bunny with her monthly/yearly shots =)

 Of course my daughter wanted both creations because she loves dolls and stuffed animals.

Here's what she made me! These buttons are so awesome. I've never thought of stacking buttons together like this for extra cool magnets! The flower pins are awesome - I immediately put ones on to match my outfit and have found other times to wear them too!

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Here's what I made for my giftee... I hope she liked the items I made her as much I as like the items from my gifter. 

She had said colors she had in her living areas were greens, oranges, and browns.

 Then her wish list included some other things that I tried to mimic.
I made two of these wash your hands signs using the negative space from the other.

I loved making this no sew ruffle mini tote that I plan to make more! So easy and fun!

I've had this canvas made for a while and it seemed to match the colors she liked, so I threw that in there too =)

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I can't wait to do another one! This was the most successful exchange I've participated in so I'm excited for more of them! The even have an angel list if for some reason, you sent a gift, but don't receive one. Your gifter and giftee are different which is another thing I like.