2.for.Tuesday

I've really been enjoying music lately. I get tired of quiet [not that it's ever very quiet, but I want to get out of my head]. I want to dance around and sing. But... I'm lacking music in my house. Our radio stations are, for the most part, junk. I'm anti-buying albums for just one [or two if you're lucky] song. I don't have an mp3 player or anything else technologically savvy like that. Heck... since my boys destroyed my stereo I don't even have a cd player except the computer drive. It's pathetic. However... I've found that there are some really great playlists out there. So I pull them up and clean my kitchen. I pull them up and blog. I pull them up and cook. Good thing the computer is portable.

one: Elizabeth Kartchner's playlist. It's the one I've been listening to most. I recommend skipping 3 +4 + 6 + 7, but other than that the first 20 are pretty great. And there isn't anything wrong with those songs. They're nice too. Just not what I'm looking for right now. There are others farther along in the list but it's a big list and, well... my opinion really doesn't matter that much! The greatest things this week have been: the girl dancing like babies do, and *I* bopping around the house singing, "I want my money back! I want my money back!" It's from #14: The Show by Lenka. He's so funny!

two: Apple Picking Tote from Purl Bee. A couple of weeks ago I picked up a 1/4 yard of fabric at a cute quilting shop in Cedar just because it made me happy. It's been sitting on my counter waiting for me to come up with something to do with it. Well... It's almost summer. We're spending more time out and about. park + lake + mountains = yay for new bag! If you didn't already know, I'm a total bag lady. I can't help myself and it drives *B* bonkers. I never know which bag I left my stuff in. He has hidden most of them from me...

FYI: I know I promised a tutorial by me of really great pirate stuff and I'm all over it. I just can't decide if I should do it in photo or video. I've taken photos and I'll get them put together and see if it's enough or if it would make more sense as a full on walk through. Any votes?

Well, I'm off to get my fabric pre-washed + try to get the laundry folded while it's going so that I can make a bag today [that there above is a swatch of the fabric + the bright yellow duck cloth that's left over from the teepee I think they are perfect for a cute bag]! Really working on being a productive member of society...

Enjoy the Journey!

I Am Giving Up

It's been along time since I wanted to enter something in a contest. I look at the topics and think up great ideas and then never do anything about it. This time over at The Art Is Found they wanted green grass. I recently heard this song Giving Up by Ingrid Michaelson and I had a hyperfocused creativity spark. Yay! It's been so long. I've missed it.

When I was in counseling a couple of years ago Jean taught me to confront my "what if?" i.e. what if I trip and fall on my face? You make it a question (instead of an excuse not to do something) and you answer the question. If I trip and fall on my face I could break something. Then you what if the answer to the question.... what if I break something? and you keep going until you realize that there isn't anything that would be the end of the world. Not really. We're all able to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off and keep on keeping on. This song makes me remember that. I love it! Nothing ever goes exactly like we plan. Sometimes we have to get over our fears or give up things we like for something we love. It's no secret that I didn't want to have a girl and it was all about "what if?" Well... I now have a girl and "I am giving up on half empty glasses and I am giving up on greener grasses" and I'm trying to just embrace having a girl. Here you go. The first page I've actually finished in a LONG time. Go me!

It's a background lifted from a book cover that I love The True and the Questions by Sabrina Ward Harrison and a bunch of other altered stuff. Plus a photo of my girl. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Hopefully I won't hate it later. That's been known to happen. But, I guess if I do then I do. Enjoy the Journey!

2.for.Tuesday

I've been working on something special that I hoped to be able to share today, but it is not to be. I'll get it put together and share it next week. It will be tutorials of my own creations from *A's* pirate party. I know you're just giddy with excitement! This week you'll get standbys that I save from my surfing expeditions... and since it just happens to be earth day tomorrow...

one: a chalkboard painted globe. I love this! It's by Elizabeth Kartchner, CK Hall of Famer. I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do with the girl's room. I have some ideas, but the colors are escaping me. Nothing is working in my mind color wise. I keep coming back to, "maybe I should repaint the room..." but I really don't want to. I love the color of the room. I'm just not sure what colors to use with it. I guess I should just take a deep breath and jump in. It will work.

two: refurbished binders. Such a fabulous idea! I have so many binders that should go into the trash for various reasons which include: because the rings + too small + the covers are trashed + we had to get a whole lot of new ones for Primary + I just happen to be the person who gets to put together teacher binders + therefore the person who couldn't bear to toss such a huge lot of binders regardless of their functionality. The great, the super inspirational, Molly Irwin did this particular one and she included a little how-to. Thank you Molly! This link will take you to the inspiration behind the inspiration. I love that Monique left the book cover mostly as it was. I think I'm wanting to make a small library of empty, but very cute, binders for the girl's room. Someday she'll thank me and I will enjoy seeing them everytime I go into her room.

reduce + re-use + recycle + enjoy the journey!

2.for.Tuesday

I think it's about time for a new banner. I'll add that to the to-do list I'm avoiding at present. Last night I told *B* there are so many cute + happy things in the world. I want to make them all. I'm afraid that I would then fail to view them as cute + happy only. They would then become another thing I'm packing around with me. Another thing on the dining room table. Another thing in the storage room. Somehow, I've got to resolve this issue. I'm aimless + bored when I purge it all out and go on a fast. I'm overwhelmed and overly hard on myself when I binge. What to do? What to do?

one: count yourself happy + score it. This is a good thing to think about. I got 15 due to my lack of a hot shower + my yummy lotion is in the car [where I usually am when I realize that I forgot to put on my yummy lotion]. What are your daily luxuries? Do you treat yourself well? Do you recognize the good in life daily? I love Molly Irwin. It's true. She inspires me regularly. In fact, maybe today will be Molly Irwin day. I think it will...

ha! I thought this next sharing was Molly Irwin too [and therefore would make this Molly Irwin day] but, it's not. It's Brooke Reynolds of Inchmark Journal [formerly of Martha Stewart Kids + Martha Stewart Living so of course I love her too].

two: magical thinking. Honestly, this is such a fun and simple idea and totally do-able. I tend to jot down the funny things on scraps and leave them lying around the house. It's always fun to run across them weeks later and have a good laugh, but I like the idea of being able to go to them when I need to [I also like the idea of having them in a safe + contained + findable location]. So naturally, she is brilliant for having designated a jar for them.

this is just a funny side note that I've saved to share and now seems like a good time. It's a video clip from Conan O'Brien [that is Conan O'Brian, right?] + I think it's hilarious. Everything's amazing, nobody's happy.

Enjoy the journey!

+ enjoy the spider webs too... even though they're made with what little white thread you had left and a sunday shirt is missing a button...

2.for.Tuesday

I have a child who, while exhausted, will not sleep (unless I am holding her). She is miserable. I am miserable (and doing the one hand typing thing...)

Right now I am consumed with thoughts of Easter + a birthday. Mostly a birthday. *A* is turning five. He originally wanted a circus birthday. He wanted me to make costumes for everyone + he wanted to throw candy at us from the loft at G & G's cabin. Sounded like fun. I found all sorts of fun ideas and was prepared to share. Sadly, it is too muddy to get to the cabin right now and our lives have been randomly busy. The cabin is not to be. I explained that we wouldn't be able to go + therefore he wouldn't be able to throw candy off the balcony... did he still want a circus party? After discussing other party options he settled on a pirate birthday at the lake. I haven't started searching for fun ideas yet, but the cake has been floating around in my mind...

one: Pretty up a party with paper. I stumbled on the craft stylish blog today and loved this cake. How simple and fun. A great way to make a cute cake without all of the stress and mess of decorating. This could be done way in advance. I'm considering using it. It would be so easy to cut out a bunch of pirate-esque silhouettes and call it done. I am definitely considering it.

two: a fun Easter project for kids. I let *I* pick which one would be fun + he liked this one. It's from Martha and, therefore, cute (if you're looking for Easter ideas there are lots more to be had and you can find them all from this link because, of course, they are all Martha's. I'm still not quite sure what Easter eggs/bunnies/chicks have to do with the resurrection of our Savior, but they are cute and we celebrate on Saturday).

Enjoy the journey!

I have a problem...

I am addicted to e-bay. Really. I've started watching for fun old cameras and when you're watching they send you e-mails: Such and such is ending soon. Don't let it get away! If the current bid is super low I'll think, "wow! I wonder if I could win it for $9.00?" and I will. *B* is ready to cut me off the computer. Today I received a package in the mail with this in it:

It was a little bit of a wake up call for me as all sorts of bad scenarios played out in my mind. This is a fun shade of pink, but it is not the item I bought and paid for. Not to worry though. It has all been straightened out, but I think I need to stop with the e-bay watching. I'm getting quite a collection...

enjoy the journey!

2.for.Tuesday

Yes, I know it's Thursday. It's been one crazy week...

The youth in our ward have been doing Missionary Month. They had missionary related activities, i.e. learn the first discussion and culminated the month by tracting and teaching the discussion + dinner appointment with a pre-assigned family. Dinner was Tuesday and I made Papas a la Huancaina. The traditional Bolivian meal (or so I was told).We had our favorite babysitter + two other girls from the ward. The girls kept saying, "this is so good!" But they (except for the favorite babysitter - she would make a good missionary, she ate everything on her plate) only ate a couple of bites and pushed the rest around on their plates. I don't blame them. It wasn't so good, but I know I made it fairly correctly. Funny though... in my mind this was such a good meal. I was always so grateful when someone would serve this vs. something else. After the girls were gone I told *B* it's okay for that to be my favorite food in Bolivia, but it doesn't have to be my favorite food here.

It was fun. I've always wanted to make this for my boys and having the sisters over gave me a good reason. They thought it was cool to eat food from Bolivia. I want to make saltenas (baked empanadas) next. I would have made them for the sisters, but they're not really a dinner food.

Anyways... I because of this whole shindig I couldn't decide if I wanted to do a memories theme or a Bolivia theme post. You get both. The link to the recipe is a bonus! These are the two things I've been saving to share...

one: The most absolutely cutest sweater I've ever seen. Really. I want to make it. I learned to knit in Bolivia. Crocheting I learned from my grandma M. She taught me multiple times. What patience. Knitting I took up in Bolivia. Lunch is long there. It drove me bonkers. I had to do something while I waited for my companions to move a long.

two: Decorated berry baskets for Easter. I used to make these with my grandma H. I miss her. I wish they still packaged berries in baskets like this so I could make them with my boys. Anyone happen to have some laying around? I searched on-line for some, but I'd have to buy a whole lot and they aren't quite the same. I wish I could find this particular cute red one... I wonder where Martha got it?

How-to's at the links. Enjoy the Journey!