Mother's Day Fun

For my mother-in law!

For my mom!

YAY! One for me!

Today is Mother's Day. We don't do much on Mother's/Father's Day. Usually we take it easy and relax around the house. It is, after all, a weekend. But, today we have accomplished much. We cleaned up all the pruned branches from the fruit trees and weed picked the garden. And we made a huge crock of soup. The rain has stopped for a day or so, so we are forced to get all yard work done now, before the raining starts up again. I am afraid these lovely spring days will be gone soon, and we will be forced to live with 90' weather and horribly high humidity.

Some progress has been made at my desk too. I can now sit at the desk, whereas before it was impossible to do so. I know I will work through all of my supplies, and then be sad they are gone, but right now it seems slightly overwhelming. I hope to grow an extra set of hands. Then I could get twice as much done!

I am afraid to say it or even think about it. Moe will be 3 soon. How did that happen? It is hard for me to think of a time when he won't be sitting on my lap and cuddling, but I am sure that time will come sooner than I expect. I imagine I will be one of those old ladies with a lot of pets. I can now see how that happens. Another thing that makes me sad is Mimi's lack of naps. She refused to take one even though I want her to take one. I know she is at the age to quit, but I AM NOT READY!!!!!

Oh, the shadowboxes (above) were fun to make. The shadowboxes came from a craft store. I love mine! I am thankful to Adrienne for supplying the boxes. They are already treasured! I got kind of lazy after making my mother in law one and my mom another. So, instead of tracing the hand I used ink imprints that came from using washable ink. I just covered the kids' hands and made imprints. I love the look. It makes me smile!

Enough of me blabbing. I hope everyone has a great week! Happy Mother's Day to all the mommas out there!
~Karen

Funny! Steve Colbert !

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You may need a shovel to dig me out

I am one of those people who strongly believes clutter reflects the chaos in our lives. I am always trying to keep clutter to a minimum, and always trying to pass along unused or unappreciated things to others. Unfortunately, I rarely apply this to my crafting area. Take a peek:

I know it is bad. I need to re-organize and decrease my load. I see potential in most things, so I hang on to them. Make sense?

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Here is where I distract you from thinking "Man, that woman needs help."
Look at the cute kids:

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I added another row of clips to display the kids' art. I looovve it. I wish I had done it sooner. It is a super simple project.

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I hope everyone is having a good week! Thankfully tomorrow is FRIDAY! AH, another glorious weekend!~Karen

Good Tune

In my spare time

I've been keeping busy with playdates, crafting, and family visits. I really would like day where I could sleep in until noon or so, but I don't think that is gonna happen anytime soon! A person can always dream though....

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I finished a fantastic book: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. This book was a great read. The main character, Precious, is the kind of character every book needs. She has patience, wisdom, and inner peace. Get the book. I promise you will enjoy it.

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Yesterday my mom gave me my grandmother's quilt . I debated whether I should use it or store it away. I decided to use it. We only live once, and I will derive great pleasure from using it. It is in perfect condition since it was never used. It is fun to look at the fabric and wonder if which came my grandmother's dresses or my father's shirts.

Isn't it lovely?

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It is May, but I've decided to start making X-mas gifts now. I hated how I was making things up to the last minute last year. It was hard on my hands. This year I am making scarves and fingerless gloves for all the ladies! I am going to crochet little flowers to attach to the scarf and gloves....everyone needs some bling bling, right?

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And finally, the kids' art is taking over the fridge, so I decided to steal an idea from my friend Sara. She took strips of wood and glued on clips. Then she attached them to the wall:

Here is what I used:

You can use the E6000 to attach a button or whatever to the clips. I used quilted fabric with a button sewn on. It dressed the clips up a little.

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Alright, that is enough for today. I am off to read!
Have a wonderful week!
~Karen

Thanks Mimi!

Go here and look at the picture!

Okay, so you have looked?

I was reading the news this morning. News of the swine flu is scary. I was reading the article when Mimi walked up and said :

"OH NO! How many dentists are there????"

Thanks Mimi for making me smile. ~Karen

Products we <3!

We are bossy. Well, mostly me anyway. I like to tell people when I like something. Maybe my bossy-pants ways led me to blog? Definitely. Anyway, here are some products we love! Hope we can convince you to try!

Laundry
After trying just about everything out there, I came across this stuff. It is simply the best! It's safe, non-toxic, and biodegradable! We had some rashes and skin issues that have now gone away since switching! It comes in a cloth bag, and has 80 loads in this small bag! Also, they have excellent customer service!
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Love Borax. Great with stain removal, mold removal, general cleaning. Super cheap and lasts forever. Also, comes in a recyclable box!
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Cleaning
Vinegar can be used to clean just about anything. I love mixing it with water in a spray bottle. I also happen to like the clean smell of it. You can purchase it in bulk , and it will last a long time.
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Personal Care
We have tried just about every deoderant out there...I was concerned about the aluminum – used in commercial antiperspirants – which has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. This stuff is the best. I love it!

I also LOVE this soap, and it is all that we use.

We use this on our hair. Each of the Dr. Bronner soaps boasts 16 or so uses. We generally just wash our hair with it.

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In the Kitchen
I don't know what I would do without curry powder. I have tried all the brands, and I usually end up liking the generic ones the best. Stir fry some veggies, and sprinkle on the curry powder! Try some curried butternut squash on cous cous!

AH! The George Foreman. Has 5 interchangable, dishwasher safe plates...can I say any more? Seriously, this thing is amazing. It was a gift to us, and we use it DAILY!

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Toy of the Week!
Generic Jenga blocks.

Okay. I am done with my bossy know-it-all tips for the day.
Have a good week!
~Karen