Ruffled Sunshine

You Color My World

2012-02-14T09:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Ivy was so excited about today she woke up at 6:45 squealing and telling us that she just LOVES Valentine's day. Funny, since she slept in until 9 on Christmas! She has had her Valentine's written out for like a month, but I'm kind of a last minute kind of girl. I made these cards to go along with our lesson in church on Sunday and thought they would be fun to give to some girlfriends too. I picked up some fun colors of nail polish at the drug store to give with the card that has a sweet note written inside.

{for personal use only}

The cards print to be folded so you can write your own note to your Valentine. The download for the card to print is HERE. I hope you have a happy day!!

XOXO Mini Banner

2012-02-13T10:39:00.000-08:00

Hello friends did you have a fun weekend? Darin and I had a little date to a dance Friday night and then Saturday night I celebrated a sweet friends birthday. Cupcakes and The Vow were involved. It doesn't get more girly for a girls night out than that I think! And now here I am trying to think of some last minute ideas to make Valentine's day fun for my little family. I'm not much for Valentine's day decor but I have added a couple of little touches here and there. This XOXO mini banner added just a bit of love to my felt wreath. I have stacks of x's and o's from heart barrette cards and I wanted to use them up. To make your own you will need a tiny hole punch, letters and embroidery floss. Its simple and threading your floss will probably take longer than putting the whole thing together!

Thread your floss, punch your letters and use your needle to go through those tiny holes. Then add however many x's and o's you want and hang your mini banner wherever your heart desires! Don't you think this would make a super cute cake bunting too?

He's a fox.

2012-02-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

Remember this little guy? Last October I sketched up a fox just messing around . I was kind of impressed with myself since I am NOT a very good draw-er. I loved him so much that I had to make him a little bit more real. So I traced out the parts on to freezer paper and cut out some felt to applique.

I used wool felt and made a onesie for this little fox. Check out those baby blues! That little guy belongs to our good friends Rob and Stacy who live in Utah. When we visited last October he was just a tiny peanut, now look at him. Such a handsome fellow.

Its not very often that you get to see a baby wearing a gift that you made so I was so happy when Stacy sent me these rad photos. Here are my tips for appliqueing onesies... pre wash your onesie for shrinkage and use stitches that will allow for stretch over those fuzzy heads and baby bellies. If you use felt I recommend the 100% wool stuff. And always wash in cold water and hang dry.

{Stacy is a photographer in SLC who rocks the house. If you are in that area I highly recommend her. You can see her work at StacyMariePhotography }

Hello Monday!

2012-02-06T10:34:00.000-08:00

Ahh Monday. I was so dreading it last night when I was setting my alarm last night. Its just not my favorite thing to do, getting up before the sun. Crazy how getting up when its light at 6:15 is a whole lot easier than getting up that early in the winter. Yeah can't wait. I have just a couple of quick things to share with you today.

I'm so touched that you guys are thinking of our little family and asking how our adoption plans are going. I get a little teary each time I get such nice emails. We are still moving forward with it. In fact we have a new Facebook page to help spread the word. If you want you can hop over and like our Darin and Jenn Warnick adoption page . We met with LDS Family Services and they told us that 90% of adoptions happen because someone knows someone. Crazy! What better way to spread the word than through social media right? So if you know someone looking to place...

Also, if you missed it on facebook I've added these super cute barrettes to the Ruffled Sunshine shop. Ivy wears a pair just about every day and is in love with the new gold ones. If you order some I'll rush to get them for Valentines Day. And if you are local, feel free to let me know in checkout so I can refund you shipping and get them to you!

Last but not least, Yay! The Giants won the Superbowl! The buffalo chicken poppers were a hit, and I even got some projects done that I can't wait to show you later this week! Hope you had a fun weekend too, and we'll talk soon.

Superbowl Food Roundup

2012-02-03T11:53:00.000-08:00

Guys, I love football. All of my Sundays for the past few months are spent snuggled up on my couch watching. We are Broncos fans. But I do have a soft spot for the Bears and the Jets. Want to know something funny? Ivy will ALWAY root for the opposite team as Darin and I. She roots for the bad guys as she calls them. We even tried to trick her by telling her the team we wanted to win was the bad guys. But then she would switch as soon as we would cheer for that team. Gah! That silly girl. I am SO sad that the season is ending. And yes I'm being totally serious! In all honesty I'm not super stoked on the teams in the Superbowl this year, I'm just hoping for a fun and exciting game. Of course us girls think the fun part is to come up with a yummy menu of snacks and appetizers. One of my favorite kinds of dinner. In a rut or need some ideas? Here's a little roundup of some things we might be having this Sunday.

Source: iowagirleats.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

These buffalo chicken poppers are at the top of my list of things to try. I really like buffalo chicken dip but these would be fun to change it up a bit, and they just look super yum. You can find the recipe at Iowa Girl Eats.

I am fairly certain that Peanut Butter and Jelly popcorn is going to make an appearance at the big game this year. Darin has been asking for it ever since I munched the last little bit a month ago. It can be made ahead of time which rocks since we will be rushing home from church to watch the game.

Ok. My next suggestions is going to lack a photo. Seriously. Looking back through old recipes I've posted I really am kind of embarrassed. On the other hand its nice to see that my photography has gotten infinitely better! If you are looking for more of a meal may I suggest fish tacos?! Fish sticks are awesome in fish tacos. I highly recommend the ones from Costco. They make you feel better about eating fish sticks. Make sure and grab some avocados and splurge on some fresh tortillas. Round up all of your favorite taco fixings and its an easy dinner that people can make themselves. Which is always a bonus right?

These cookies still reign supreme in our house I'm pretty sure. Anther great thing to make ahead of time and pop in the freezer til Sunday.

Source: afarmgirlsdabbles.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

If you are looking for a hearty soup can I suggest this one from A Farmgirl Dabbles ?! Its kind of a lot of work, but it is SO so worth it, we scarfed it up. It was a little spicy so if you are trying to please the littles too, maybe cut back on the red pepper flakes. That is some seriously good soup I tell ya!

Doest that help get your menu's rolling?! But here's where I need your help. A Superbowl party isn't complete unless you have some kind of dip, no? I'm looking for something different to try but haven't stumbled across the right thing yet. Have you got THE dip you could share? I'd love you forever.

And just so you know. I guess I am going for the Giants. There is just something about Tom Brady that bugs!!! Am I right?

Sunshine for your Sunday

2012-01-29T11:43:00.001-08:00

Source: goinghometoroost.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Happy Sunday!

Arise and Shine Forth

2012-01-27T16:41:00.000-08:00

We needed a new mutual theme poster! Each year our church picks a theme for the youth to focus on. We loved having a poster of last years theme up in our young women's room so I made a fun and sparkly one for this year. It is available in the Ruffled Sunshine Shop in several different sizes. It is also comes in black.

I hadn't really picked a "word" for this year but after putting this together I think I am going to go with SHINE. It makes me smile and think of the sun, sparkly things and being a shining light to those around me. Maybe even help me go out on a limb every now and then. How about you. Have you picked a "word" for this year?

Have a fabulous weekend!

PB & J popcorn

2012-01-24T11:42:00.000-08:00

Snow days need a special treat don't you think?

Our favorite popcorn is covered in peanut butter caramel and tossed with peanuts and craisins. Perfect to snuggle up and play Star Wars Legos with after a hard day of playing in the snow. Of course its not just for winter days, it disappears before I can turn around when our family comes to hang out any time of the year.

PB & J Popcorn

16 cups popped popcorn

1 cup sugar

1 cup honey

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup peanuts

1 cup {or more} craisins

Place popped popcorn in a large bowl, big enough to stir everything together in. In a heavy saucepan, heat sugar and honey over medium heat, stirring constantly. When it starts to boil, cook and stir 2-5 minutes more. Less time if you like softer caramel popcorn and longer if you like it crunchy. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and peanuts. Pour the peanut butter caramel over the popcorn, tossing and stirring to coat. Add the craisins, stirring to mix everything together. Then spread it out on wax paper to cool. I like to snack on it while its still warm for the ultra gooey caramel. Break in to pieces to seve. Store in an airtight container.

I'd make it for those rosy cheeks any day!

Be 2012.

2012-01-23T16:24:00.000-08:00

In case you missed it in 2011. Per your requests I've updated my Be subway art to help you BE in 2012.

8x10

16x20

Happy Sunday

2012-01-22T09:25:00.000-08:00

Source: elembee.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

For my friend C. Hope you have a better day. Love you.

Inspire Me. Fitness

2012-01-19T11:33:00.000-08:00

Yay for snow days! We had our first real snow here yesterday and are loving it. Honestly I was just beginning to think I could get used to this kind of winter we had been having. The no snow kind of winter that just has you biding your time until spring. Oh well. We got our sled on and even got the bonus of having Darin stay home with us in the middle of the week. Today we are staying warm inside and getting a lot done.

When we were sledding yesterday I was so excited that I wasn't huffing and puffing my way up the hill. All those early mornings with my friend Mandy have been paying off! If you are needing a little extra motivation, a new workout or just want to be a little bit healthier here are some things I've been checking out lately.

U Can Do It is a website that has all different kinds of exercises, motivatition and tips. Well just like any exercise website I guess. My fave is 22 Best Exercises for a Perfect Butt.

Source: blogilates.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Blogilates.

I love her printables. Do one 4 times or pick four different ones and you have a great workout.

Source: bodyrock.tv via Jennifer on Pinterest

Bodyrock.tv 30 day challenge.

Seriously hard core. I think I'm starting this when I'm done with what I'm currently doing.

Source: singforyoursupperblog.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Green Smoothies. Are you a fan? We are. Ours currently consist of blueberries, a banana, spinach, milk, vanilla greek yogurt and a tablespoon of ground flax.

My Fitness Pal.

I have never been one for counting calories. Or weighing myself for that matter. Enter Iphone and you want to do all kinds of fun things with all those fun apps. My sister in law told me about this one and I actually love it. You can scan barcodes from what you are eating, add your own recipes and track your excercise. Love it. You should do it. You have to be honest though!

Source: imgfave.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Pinterest and my Iphone.

I love all these photo exercises you can find on Pinterest. So I saved some to my phone. Then if I want to add a few more minutes of exercise to my day I can just pick one and do it.

What are some of the things you have been trying that work for you?!

Five Gratefuls. 1.17.12

2012-01-17T16:11:00.000-08:00

Darin's Grandma passed away today after a long battle with cancer at age 91. So today I am grateful for...

... eternal families. Just about 6 months after her hubs passed away Grandma is reunited with the love of her life in Heaven. That makes me happy.

... that we were able to go up to Royal City to see Grandma on Sunday one last time. To see her with her quick wit in her final moments are good memories to treasure. Reminding me exactly why we moved here.

... That Ivy gets to know her great grands on this earth. Even if its for just a little bit. And that she can have photos like this to remind her.

...That I was able to know such an amazing woman who was a perfect example of faith, determination, hard work, and how to love the Lord. She was a tiny little thing who had always surprised me with her strength {riding horses in her 90's!} and her sassy sense of humor. La la love you Idris.

...

Random Me.

2012-01-12T14:25:00.000-08:00

{ I think there is an in between about everyone. Here I share mostly the surface stuff and sometimes I spill my guts with the deep stuff. The middle stuff, not so much. So here is some random-ness about me in case you were curious about my in between.}

I don't really wear much makeup. I just don't really care. Although now that I'm in my thirtys { ACK!!} not just 30 I probably should care more. The one thing I can't go without is mascara. One time I bought a really expensive one and promptly got pink eye so I had to throw it away. Then a couple of years ago I got some eyelash extensions from my cousin. Wouldn't you know I'm one of the very few is is allergic to the dang glue. No fun. So yeah I stick to the cheap stuff. I guess it keeps me humble. Right now I'm loving Maybelline Illegal Lengths. Best part? It comes off SUPER easy.

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I've had the same wallet for 12 years. Its an old Hurley one that has a leopard H. It is perfect and I can't find another perfect one to replace it for the life of me. I've looked. Good thing its holding up well. Like surprisingly well. Its probably one of the things I have owned the longest in my entire life.

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I play the piano. Surprise! Sorry friends, its just not something you go around telling people at church. Then they ask you to play at church. So don't go telling anyone at church.

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People ask me all the time how I got into sewing. I got a sewing machine for Christmas about 6 years ago and when I was pregnant with Ivy I started by sewing blankets. Straight lines are the easy part, but the best part is the fabric! That is what really got me excited about sewing. I found a cute little fabric store down the road from our house in Denver and it opened a whole other world of fabrics outside of JoAnns {which for the record has come a LONG way in the past couple of years}. Then when Ivy was a baby I started making clothes for her. My Mom and my MIL are both excellent seamstresses so they were a big help every time I had a question. Its actually one of my New Years goals to get back to sewing a bit more this year.

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Pizza is my most favorite food. Ever. Of all. Even more than apples which are my favorite fruit. And even more than licorice, my favorite candy. And just so you know Hot Lips in Portland is the best place to eat pizza.

Five Gratefuls | 1.9.12

2012-01-09T12:24:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for

... the most wonderful time of the year. The holidays were magical and I savored every minute. I'm sad to see them go but I'm excited for a new year and lots of new adventures!

... Ivy playing with my hair. I LOVE it when someone plays with my hair, and having someone volunteer to do it? Even better.

... my husband not losing his patience with me at how long it is taking me to get all the Christmas decorations down. It just seems so bleak after its all done. Although the new rug that I ordered for my birthday way back in October should FINALLY be coming this month. {Its been backordered forever!}

... seeing the sun. It can get pretty grey in the winter and seeing the sun make an appearance always makes me smile.

... results. They are the perfect motivation to keep going!!

Happy Monday!

Inspire Me. Fonts

2012-01-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

Hello! How was your holiday?! I hope it was magical. We are just getting back in to the swing of things after being on vacation for a week and a half. Which mostly means I have tons of laundry to do. I really need to tackle that but instead I'm searching for fonts. Apparently a girl can't have too many. If you are looking for some new ones here are some I've downloaded in the past few weeks either from Font Squirrel or Lost Type Co Op.

Blanch | Sofia | Matchbook | Homestead | Wisdom Script

{p.s. Yes, Sophia is Sofia}

Merry Christmas To You

2011-12-23T13:00:00.000-08:00

Sparkle Clothespins| A tutorial and last minute gift idea

2011-12-22T23:39:00.000-08:00

You all know that I love me some Instagram. I finally printed some off through PostalPix - which I love by the way. They came super quick and I have thumbed through them several times, loving them and thinking of a way to share them as gifts for Christmas. Ivy and I put together a few little photo display kits using some mini clothespins, string and our favorite photos.

We love the glitz of the holidays and just had to add some of that sparkle to our kits. So we glittered up the clothespins and they turned out so dang cute. Just right to go with photos of my silly girl.

All you need is some glitter, glue and clothespins. Ivy picked Martha Stewart glitter in Turquoise. Our clothespins are from Michaels, $2.99 for a pack of 25 I think.

Apply a thin layer of mod podge to one side of your clothespins and go crazy with the glitter. After they are dry you just dump off the excess glitter. I like to spray the glitter with a spray adhesive or even a clear coat of spraypaint when I'm done. Simple, so sparkly and sweet.

{ahhh the sun is shining! For the first time in like 4 weeks!}

Package up some photos with some string and the clothespins to make your own photo display kit, which would be a perfect for Grandma, don't you agree? We also took the prints of Ivy with her cousins and gave them as little

Cinnamon Ornaments

2011-12-21T15:37:00.000-08:00

I've really enjoyed making more crafts with Ivy lately. She has a bit longer attention span and I'm learning not to be so worried about how she does things. We made cinnamon ornaments with our little preschool group last week and it was a huge hit. BONUS... If you bake them in the oven at 200 degrees for a couple hours your house will smell amazing!

CINNAMON ORNAMENT DOUGH

3/4 cup applesauce

just over 1 cup of cinnamon

I added a pinch of clove

Mix ingredients together until a dough forms. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters. Using a straw poke holes for string to tie to your tree. Either bake at 200 for a couple hours or air dry on a rack for a couple of days.

I pulled out some rubber stamps to make a couple too. Use ink on your stamps to help your letters show up a bit better.

Maybe this can help keep your kids busy while you are finishing up the last of your Christmas list!

Inspire Me...So fun I had to share!

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

I've been bringing back Inspire Me posts because I love sharing beautiful pictures or fabulous things I've seen around. This weeks is a little random post of awesomeness and fun things that I just had to share right away.

Handmade Ryan Gosling. So so funny. The one about the craft stuff everywhere made me think of Darin.

If you have an apple device run to the app store and get the Red Stamp app! Its free and fabulous. As my friend Julie said... its a marry-able app. It sends cards right from your phone by text, email or post em online. Now you don't have to stress about not having a Christmas card done!

My friend Marilyn is fabulous and she did the most fabulous thing with her instagrams. I use a lot of exclamation points when I talk about how much I love this. You can get your very own calendar in Marilyn's etsy shop.

Source: katiespencilbox.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

A Let your Heart Be Light printable banner tutorial from Katies Pencil Box. I love the sparkle.

Source: abeautifulmess.typepad.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Every time she posts a hair tutorial I die. I love the color and her style. Slowly but surely my hair is growing out again. Hopefully next holiday season I can rock it.

Source: thirtyhandmadedays.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

I heart these free snowflake embroidery patterns. Found on 30 Days Blog.

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What has been inspiring you this week?

Photoshop Tutorial | Using FILL to make your own patterned paper

2011-12-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

The other day I gave you a gift tag download I made using colourlovers. Colourlovers is a rad website where you can make your own palettes of colors and you can use all of the designs, color them and come up with some fun patterns. You can then use the patterns in Photoshop to make your own printable paper.

So hurry and sign up for colourlovers so I can walk you through how to make a fill in photoshop. Then you can make all sorts of fun paper for Christmas tags or just about anything else.

Lets start with this polka dot pattern. Once you have found the pattern you like * don't worry I will wait * you can then change the colors from grayscale by clicking on each color box and finding the colors you want.

{Its a little detailed so click through to get the full tutorial}

See where it says HEX in the gray box? That is your color code. White is always #FFFFFF and black is always #000000. Every other color is any combination of letters and numbers. If you click on a color hex that hasn't been created in colourlovers then you get to name it yourself. Kind of fun, eh? Once you have your pattern how you like it go ahead and save it.

Your pattern is now ready to save to your computer. There are several options for sharing your pattern, you can even save it in iphone size to use for wallpapers. It doesn't matter what size your save your pattern as, but I click on preview and save that image since it is a square image. Save the .png file to your computer, somewhere easy to get to like your desktop.

Now we are ready to move in to photoshop. I'm using CS5 and I know older recent versions should be similar. I'm sorry I don't know about photoshop elements but I imagine its kind of the same. Open a new 8.5 x 11 document for your paper. Also open up your saved pattern .png.

Go to Edit > Define Pattern. Name and save the pattern. Now you are ready to fill your paper.

Get back to your paper image. Go to Edit> Fill...

It will pull up a fill box with your patterns. Click the custom pattern dropdown box and select your pattern. {See my reindeer pattern in there?} Hit ok and your paper will fill with your pattern! I know, its super exciting to watch.

Ta da. My very own polka dot paper. The pattern is small since the .png was a 200x200 pixel image. Its easy to make it bigger, do you want me to show you how?

This is getting kind of long are you sure?

Ok, I will. ;)

Get back to your original pattern that you opened in photoshop. Go to Image> Image size and a box will pop up. I'm going to change my image to 600 x 600 pixels. I'm also going to change my resolution from 72 {web} to 299.9 {hi res} so that it doesn't get all pixel-ish when I fill my paper. Hit ok. Then we are going to go back through the steps to create a pattern and fill our paper cuz we can always use the practice.

Go to Edit> Define pattern. Save as... I added 600 to the end of the name of my pattern

Now you can either undo your previous fill on your paper image or open a new 8.5 x 11 paper.

What comes next, do you remember?

Edit> Fill...

Pick your new bigger pattern. It will look the same as your other one in your dropdown box. Most likely it is the last pattern in there.

Hit ok, then check it. Wow! You did it! Thats what I always say to myself anyway.

See the difference in the two patterns? The smaller is the 200x200 pixel fill and the the larger is the 600x600 fill.

Here is the difference in size doing the same thing with the reindeer fill.

You can get the reindeer pattern, and some others I've done to make your own size fills HERE.

I print from photoshop so go to File>Print and print your design on your choice of paper or cardstock to use for whatever project you are working on.

:: Oh and just ONE last thing. Don't be scared of photoshop. It only takes practice. I pinky promise! ::

Making your packages Merry & Bright {download}

2011-12-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts of all of the treat and gift giving this time of year is the packaging. Don't you agree? I've been heading to the post office just about every other day with happy mail I have been sending for Ruffled Sunshine and gifts I've been giving. Luckily I have a post office just down the road in the grocery store so I can skip the lines!

If you would like to make someone's day Merry and Bright, get the tag printables by clicking through...

I put together this fun little tag to send using photoshop and ColourLovers. Simply download, then print Merry & Bright on one side of your cardstock, flip it over and print the cute little reindeer on the other side.

Hoping Your Days

Reindeer Fill

I hope this helps make your packages Merry and Bright!

Gingersnaps are my fave.

2011-12-12T13:02:00.000-08:00

Around here Santa Claus's favorite cookies might be Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies. But Mrs. Claus LOVES her some gingersnaps. In fact Mrs. Claus loves them so much she only makes them once, maybe twice, in December so that they are a special treat. After she makes them she has to promptly give them away or put them in the freezer so that they don't all get eaten! This year a sneaky little elf has discovered the joy of gingersnaps too. Her little hand snatches those cookies every chance she gets.

{A friend brought me these cookies after I had surgery a few years ago and they instantly became my most favorite cookie.}

Every year we leave out cookies and eggnog for Santa. We also make sure and leave a carrot for Rudolph. Rudolph loves carrots just like Ivy.

Santa leaves a little bit of magic {glitter} behind and a note thanking Ivy for the cookies and for being such a good girl that year. We'll be leaving gingersnaps for Santa {and Mrs. Claus!} this year.

What do you leave for Santa at your house?

Inspire Me. Winter

2011-12-08T09:15:00.001-08:00

Umm hello coolest fonts you've seen in a while. I've used several already. Ribbon will probably make it on to our Christmas cards. If I ever get around to Christmas cards!

Source: Uploaded by user via Reeve on Pinterest

Twinkle Lights

Source: fun.kyti.me via Jennifer on Pinterest

Funkytime's printable tape downloads are so so fun. Funkytime is so so fun.

Source: twoshadesofpink.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

A pinecone flower garland from Two Shades Of Pink.

Source: shop.finelittleday.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Trees Wallpaper from Fine Little Day

Source: etsy.com via mime on Pinterest

Wishing for just a little snow

Mindy Gledhill. In Concert

2011-12-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

Remember when I went to this magical concert last year? Well she's coming back to town.

Mindy + Christmastime. Doesn't that sound fabulous?! So click here so you can snag your tickets to the show.

Presented by Marilyn Lott

Artwork by Lindsay Stoyan

Photo by Jefra Starr Linn

Five Gratefuls

2011-12-06T15:14:00.001-08:00

... my cozy home and Christmas tree lights.

... not just learning new things, but using what I learn.

... black ink + kraft paper

... a friend that braves the cold every morning.

... little girls that cuddle up on my lap and are snoring 2 minutes later.

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{inspired by Passionista}

Service Advent Ideas

2011-12-05T16:24:00.001-08:00

Source: collectedblog.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

{visit collectedblog for her free download and allaround awesomeness}

Coming up with 25 days of service projects can be hard work! We made our service advents with 14 and 15 year old girls so a lot of the ideas we came up with were fairly simple, and a lot were repeated. But I thought I would share some of our ideas with you and some that I added to mine in case you were a little stumped for ideas.

Doing someone's elses chore for the day.

Making dinner

Cleaning out closets and donating clothes.

Donating coats for the coat drive.

Make cookies and take them to someone who could use cheering up.

Visit an elderly friend or neighbor and talk to them about their Holiday traditions.

Visit someone who is sick.

Give a meal or gift card to the homeless

Write a thank you note to your parents

Do something to help out a teacher at school

Buy a book for the Joyful Life Library

Donate toys or blankets to a shelter

Secret Santa for a less active girl at church

Babysit so parents or a friend can go Christmas Shopping

Play a game with younger siblings

Visit a nursing home

Read the Christmas story from the bible to younger siblings

Toys for Tots or similar

Ask your bishop or church leader for ideas of who could use a little help

Missionary/Military letters or packages

Litter clean up

Clean someone's car

Open the door for someone

Pay It Forward

Donate Blood

Donate food to the food bank

Send someone a letter in the mail

Help serve at a soup kitchen or similar

Hope that helps! What are some of your service ideas?!

Library Pocket Advent | Tutorial

2011-12-02T14:57:00.000-08:00

Here it is! Can I tell you how much I love it?! It is exactly how I wanted it to turn out. Well maybe even better than I hoped. I love it when that happens.

Each and every tiny detail brings a smile to my face. The colors, the bling, the tape and twine, the unperfect perfectness, all in one happy, christmas-y place.

I love that I took the time. The time to think of what I wanted and how I wanted to make an advent calendar. The time to dig through my supplies to find little treasures. The time to make it just right and even redo if I wasn't perfectly in love with something. The time to make something that can be with us for a long time.

Are you in need of an advent calendar? You can learn how to make your own after the jump...

Supplies you will need...

Cardstock or Library Pockets. {I used a pack of Kraft paper from Hobby Lobby.}

Scissors and other basic craft supplies

Embellishments of your choice

A large frame or some way to display your advent

There are a couple of ways you can cut out your envelopes. You can just buy some from etsy, or use your craft cutter. You can also find a template online to trace and cut. I cut one with my Silhouette and used it as a template. I traced two on a page then cut them out. Now I know you are thinking WAIT! STOP! Jenn you STINK at cutting things out!! I know its true. But I had some handy tools and I didn't want to waste paper since the silhouette could only fit one per page and I could fit two. I used my corner rounder, a scoring rotary blade for the folds, and the bigshot to cut out those perfect circle notches. I didn't do too bad on the straight lines either. After you get all twenty five envelopes cut out then its time to fold and glue.

This is the funnest part for me. It also took me the longest. I tend to stare at things for a long time until I know what I want to do. I love how each and every envelope turned out. I used all of my most favorite things to get them just right. If your envelopes are going to be all different then I recommend laying out your envelopes in the rows you want so that you can get the whole picture, while working on the individual pockets.

Once I finally got all my envelopes done I got my frame out and put the twine in. You can use whatever kind of string you want for this! Mine is red and brown twist from Ikea. I used pushpins in my giant frame so I could move them easily to get the lines all straight.

Now you can hang up those cute library pockets! I had these mini clothespins that I spray painted black forever ago and they are perfect. I also added in some small bulldog clips just to mix it up a bit. Once you've got them hung you can step back and admire your new advent, all ready to be filled with activities and fun things for Christmas time.

InstaFriday. 12.2.11

2011-12-02T08:57:00.001-08:00

Hello InstaFriday I have missed you! I kept meaning to say I was thankful for you during my 30 days. I guess you can count this as catching up from Day 26 or something! I heart you and your earlybirds and your ease of use with other apps like Phonto and PicFrame.

Wanna see what we have been up to over the last month? Don't worry I put them in collages so you don't have to scroll forever. {Picnik is FABULOUS for that by the way}. Look for sneak peaks of my advent calendar that I'll be posting later today!

Craft fairs are not for procrastinators. I'm just sayin. But in the end it was a success. Even with all of the snow we had that day and 600 less people than last year. Afterwards I set up shop in Greenies. If you are local stop by and check it out! There is some fun stuff for Christmas presents!

1. Thanksgiving Family night with bingo, hand turkeys and hot chocolate. 2. Watching the Oregon Civil War with my sis. I love that we love football. 3. Stacks and stacks of pretty fall colors. 4. Trying my hand at homemade caramels. Two words. Sea salt. 5. Happy Thanksgiving! 6. I made 6 dozen rolls for Thanksgiving with the extended family. There were 90 people there! 7. Wii party with my bro and new sis. Ahh the newlyweds. Thanks for coming guys! 8. My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers and the cranberries. I just don't like my cranberries to touch anything! 9. Last year on Thanksgiving we had a snowstorm. This year it was 70 degrees the day before! There are pros and cons to both.

We pulled out our quiver of snowboards {I think we own 10} to get ready for the snow season. Ivy can't wait to try it out this year.

Christmas is in full swing at our house. Is it at yours?

1. My favorite silhouette shape. 2. On a pillow. 3. Ivy never lets me do her hair unless I distract her with new games on the Ipad. 4. Me being emo. 5. Working on my advent calendar. 6. Santa's little helper putting up the decorations. 7. My silhouette has been working overtime to get my advent done.

8. I heart buffalo check. 9. Ivy loves her some eggnog. I'll have to show you the video of her drinking it. We get the light AND mix it with fat free milk. 10. Merry + Bright. 11. An instagram of my instagrams, ordered from PostalPix for Christmas presents. 12. Have you snagged a bag of the peppermint marshmallows yet?! So good as rice krispie treats, and just right for hot chocolote. 13. Merry Christmas. 14. Little girl is growing up, she wasn't even scared at all. Too bad she asked for a pony. 15. A bag of these little cuties only lasts a few days around here. 16. We couldn't bear to wrap up all our Christmas books so we just stuck them all under the tree to read to our hearts content.

We hit up Costco the other day. We steered clear of it during Thanksgiving so we needed to get the essentials. We also happened to need gas. Ivy kept me entertained with Peek a boo while we sat in line. Apparently Costco is still busy after Thanksgiving.

Thank you Insta Gram and Insta Friday for capturing the everyday of our everyday!

A Little Service. Advent

2011-12-01T06:27:00.001-08:00

Can it really be December already? I love December, don't you? I've had advent calendars on my mind since I've been putting one for our family together. It just needs to be hung and I can't wait to show you. Until then I wanted to share this little service advent calendar we made with our Young Women at church last night.

On our schedule was a service activity. But we also wanted to help them have service on their minds for longer than one night, especially during the holidays. So I came up with an easy way for them {and I} to perform service all month long, keeping Christ more centered in our Christmas.

It is simple to put together and if you want to make one for yourself, I bet you could even get it done today and not miss out on a day.

I found the envelopes in the gift bag section at Michaels. I think they were $3 for 25. I cut numbers with my Silhouette but you could use stamps or any number stickers you have on hand. Hole punch the top and string them all together. Tuck in a card with an act of service to do each day, and you are ready to count down the days to Christmas!

+++

PS... The winner of the Level Up Intro To Photography class is Italia! Thanks so much for entering! And I'll let you know when the class after Christmas is so you can learn how to use your new Christmas Presents!

Day 30. Feeling Creative

2011-11-30T19:04:00.001-08:00

Its been a long time friends since I have felt any sort of creative. Its slowly coming back to me again and I am so excited.

Thankful Winners

2011-11-29T15:01:00.001-08:00

The winner of the Karina Ink giveaway is...

#3 Vanessa!

And the winner of Mel's Important Dates is...

Vicki from Joyful Whimsy!

Please email me right away so you can claim your prizes!

makingitmyown at gmail dot com

Day 28. Rare Days

2011-11-28T20:28:00.001-08:00

I'm thankful for the more rare days like today. When a certain little girl lets me do her hair. AND takes a nap. Its the little things that make me happy

Day 26. Small Business

2011-11-26T13:48:00.001-08:00

Today is Small Business Saturday. We have 3 small businesses and we are so thankful for all of those that support us. Thank YOU!

I'm offering 20% off in the Ruffled Sunshine Shop through the end of the month. Just use the code smallishuge at checkout.

Happy Weekend! I'll catch up on days 24 and 25 soon!

Day 23. I'm Thankful with Lovely Lindsay.

2011-11-23T21:00:00.000-08:00

Lindsay Lindsay. What can you say about her? She can say the tiniest thing and it MEANS something. She loves black and white like I do and is beauty-ful. Happy Thanksgiving friends.

late nights. date nights. a sliver moon. felicity re-runs. leftover broccoli + potato soup. dried craspedia. eames knock-off's. empty calendar days. five year old how-do-you-spell-it's. saying hello! crisp clean sheets. hot showers. argyle socks. love note texts. baby wrists. red starbuck's cups. old friends. old sweatshirts. warm cookies. earlybird on insta. the mini van. peace signs. andrey. lucas. gavin. charlie. peppermint in winter. peach in spring. yellow. sharp pencils. that song. on repeat. worn-out chucks. legos. everywhere. dog-earred book corners. trusting my gut. following my heart. oh... and pumpkin pie.

We interupt this program for "What the heck Camera should I buy?!"

2011-11-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

Hey Hey! Sorry about interuppting I'm Thankful week but I've seen camera questions flying around on facebook so I thought we could help a bit!

Are you getting ready for Black Friday? For me, there is nothing on this earth worth going out for before noon on Friday. Its crazy. And don't even get me started on this whole shopping on Thanksgiving thing. Thats just me though.

If you are thinking about braving the crowds to get a new camera, I know it is an awesome time to get one. But uh, what the heck do you even look for? I thought I would ask my personal photographer and camera expert to help you guys out with some choices and kind of give you an idea of what to look for. I also asked my personal photography teacher to give something away. So read what the man has to say cuz he really knows his stuff. Then I'll check back in at the end with the giveaway details. Cool. And if you have any questions feel free to ask away in the comments.

Hi, Darin here. Jenn's hubby. She's invited me to share some insight to a question that gets asked quite often.

What the heck camera should I buy?

I usually answer with a few questions of my own to try and help qualify the end use. How do you see yourself using this camera? Kids in soccer? Shooting lots of indoor recitals or plays? Looking to get the next lolcat cover shot? Do you want to shoot video with it? Do you want to haul around a big DSLR and multiple lenses?

With so many great products out there it can be intimidating to decipher the lingo and figure out which camera will best suite your needs.Here's a few tips on what to look for when perusing the camera section of your local shop in the next few weeks.

Megapixels are great, but not all their cracked up to be. Camera manufactures love to tout how many each model has, but 6mp will give you a great 8x10 print. So don't let that be the deciding factor when looking for a new camera. In fact, having too many can actually make your images look worse. Cramming too many on a sensor can introduce noise (grain) and rob clarity from your pictures.

For low light and indoor photography you want a fast lens. Whether that is a fixed lens or an interchangeable, the larger the aperture the better chance of sharp photos. The lens on most cameras will have focal length and aperture in white letters. Look for the smallest number (which equals the largest aperture). For instance if one camera has a lens that is a 2.8 and another has a lens that is a 2.0, grab the 2.0.

Sports shooters will want to look for something with a large optical zoom and image stabilization or vibration reduction. Digital zoom=fuzzy pics, so you can ignore those stats as it is a pretty useless feature. Having a larger screen on the back of the camera can be a bonus for reviewing images in bright sun.

Tired of reading already? Ok here are my recommendations based off of years and years of research, scientific study and my personal affinity for Nikon. (not really, but here you go!)

Best camera under $150

Canon Powershot A330

Comes in fancy colors!

Best camera to take on an adventure

Olympus Stylus Tough 800

Water, sand and life proof.

Best superzoom

Fujifilm HS10

30x optical zoom,10mp and 3 inch tilting screen

Best entry level DSLR

Canon Rebel T3i/600D

Nikon D5100

Best advanced DSLR under $1500

Nikon D7000

So whats in my camera bag?

Nikon D300

Nikon D7000

Nikon 70-200mm 2.8

Nikon 16-85mm 3.5

Nikon 35mm 1.8

Nikon 50mm 1.4

Nikon 85mm 1.8

Nikon 105 2.8

3 flashes

Radio remotes

In the end, the best camera is the one you have with you...be it an Iphone, a DSLR or a pinhole. Happy holidays and have fun shooting with your new camera!

+++

Thanks D. Ok. So did that help at all? I hope so. Now here's the deal. Once you get your camera you are going to look at it and say UH......WTF STOP. {haha thats some camera humor I though Darin might like!} Anyways, your fancy new camera won't do you any good unless you know how to use it. So I bribed Darin in to giving away a slot in his upcoming Intro To Photography class. This class will teach you what all those crazy things like ISO and aperture even mean. You will learn how to shoot in {ACK! JUST BREATHE!} manual mode by the time its done.

Sound like just what you need? You have three ways to enter

1. Leave a comment, whether its a question or just to say hi I want to win!
2. Like Darin Warnick Photography on Facebook, leave another comment saying you did or already do.
3. Like Level Up! Photography Workshops on Facebook, then come tell me you did that.

{Don't want to risk it? You can sign up for the class on the Level Up page. }

We will be back to I'm Thankful week later!

Day 22.I'm Thankful with Hanna Singer

2011-11-22T14:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome Hannah to I'm Thankful Week. She is the sweetest lady and always says the happiest things.

thanks so much for inviting me here, jenn.

what a treat to be a part of your beautiful, inspiring blog today!

my heart is brimming with gratitude for so many things during this special season.

when i try to narrow things down, and decide what to share,
the same thing keeps jumping to the top of my list.

patrick and i had big dreams of becoming parents.

we will never be able to have biological children.

i'd be lying if i told you i'm completely ok with that.

the lord has given us great joy and peace in the midst of that grief.

god made a way for our dream to come true.

adoption.

it was through the gift of adoption that elijah became our son!

i will sing to the lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me.

psalm 13:6

elijah has a contagious laugh and boundless energy.

his mischief-making skills improve with each new day.

elijah is creative and such a great dancer;)

i'm most grateful for the constant reminder i see in my son.

a reminder that the lord is faithful.

he is a provider, and promise keeper.

he gives the barren woman a home,

making her the joyous mother of children.

praise the lord!

psalm 113:9

*sniff. thanks Hannah. Just what I needed.

Day 21. I'm Thankful with Modern Marigold

2011-11-21T16:40:00.000-08:00

You guys remember Amanda right?!! My partner in crime from the Friendship Bracelet Swap? I heart her, I really do so of course she had to visit for I'm Thankful week...

Happy Thanksgiving week, beautiful Ruffle-lets!

I am so excited to be here -- Jenn is my favorite, did you know?

Thanks for having me over today!

I knew right away what I wanted to write about for this series, but I kept pushing it away.

really, amanda? lame. obvious. booo-ring.

But I just can't push it away. I think it would eat a hole in my head if I kept it inside any longer.

And so today...

I am thankful for the gift of

c r e a t i v i t y .

And I'm not talking about the sewing/mod podge/stamping/scrapping kind of creativity

{though that is nice, too}.

I'm talking about the creativity we each were born with--

The creativity that lets you make

a smile -- a bouquet of dandelions -- a symphony of crackling leaves -- a jump-on-the-bed wild rumpus --

--that lets us make joy.

{children are so good at knowing this intuitively.}

Here is what I believe about creativity:

I believe that we are the children of the most creative being in the universe.

and whether our talents lie in friendliness or flowers, concertos or kazoos,

I think we've each inherited some irresistible want

to create something of substance and beauty --

even if it's just a joyful noise on a little red kazoo.

Loves + hugs + I hope you are having a marvelous week of creating!

Love + Hugs + Thanks to you too Amanda!

Day 20. I'm Thankful with The Larson Lingo

2011-11-21T06:58:00.000-08:00

Hi, my name is Mel & I blog at The Larson Lingo.I am wife to Kevin & mom to Kate & Claire.When Jenn asked to share during "I'm Thankful" week, I jumped at the opportunity to share what I am Thankful for. Hands down, I am Thankful for Family.Over the year, I have realized how important our Family is.I am a part time middle school teacher & I am blessed with my mom who watches my girls 3 days a week and my mother-in-law who watches the girls 2 days a week while I am at school.I am Thankful that my girls get to see both Grandmas on a regular basis.I am so thankful they are willing to watch the girls while I teach.I don't know what I would do without their help!This past month, the importance of Family has really been on my heart & mind because a few weeks ago, my Grandma turned 100. She is truly the matriarch of our Family and so many of the traditions and values she started with my mom have trickled down to me and may girls.Grammy is the one who always says that Family is the most important thing and she lives that out in her life, even at 100 years old.I wanted to share a recipe that is from my Grammy that we make every Thanksgiving morning (we make it Christmas morning and through out the year also, because it is so yummy!I have fond childhood memories of eating Monkey Bread at Grammy's house whenever we would go visit her.Monkey BreadThe ingredients:4 packages of Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits

1/3 cup sugar2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, divided1 cup brown sugar1 stick butter1 T of Karo Syrup(*if you don't have Karo Syrup you can leave it out*)In a saucepan, melt 1 cup brown sugar, 1 stick of butter, 1 t of cinnamon & 1 T of Karo syrup on low, stirring every minute or so.While your sauce heating, cut your biscuits in half with kitchen scissors(I love kitchen scissors!)Place the cut up biscuits into the ziplock, add 1/3 cup white sugar & 1 t of cinnamon into a large ziplock bag.Shake the bag & make sure your biscuit pieces are nice & coated!Keep stirring your brown sugar mixture until it is all melted:Put the coated biscuits into a Bundt pan (I spray mine with Pam) & drizzle butter/brown sugar mixture over the top of biscuits.Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until nice & golden.

Let cool in bundt pan for 10 minutes. Then, flip it onto a plate!

Mmmmm....look at the yummy-ness!To eat, just pull apart pieces of the monkey bread & enjoy the gooey-goodness!Now, go to the store so you can make some of your own monkey bread for your family this Thanksgiving!************************************And, because I love numbers (I am a math teacher) and I love Families, I am going to give away one of my "Important Dates Prints" to one lucky reader!{The important dates print can be found in my Etsy shop}What I love about the important dates print is that it all the dates that surround you becoming a family...you & your spouses birth-dates, wedding anniversary & your children's birth-dates.(Colors can be customized & the print can have from 4 to 7 dates on it)It is great baby present or Christmas present.Give one to grandparents with all their grand-children's birth-dates.It is an 8x10 digital file that will be customized to your liking.I printed mine out at home (or, you can print it at a photo lab) I have mine hung in a matted frame.*******************************Thanks for letting me be a part of I'm Thankful week & I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving reflecting all that you are Thankful for!

Be sure to leave a comment to win one of Mel's awesome important dates prints!

Day 19. I'm Thankful with Nicole of Simple Organic

2011-11-19T21:15:00.001-08:00

Happy Saturday friends! We have had a cold and snowy day which makes me want to cuddle up next to the fire and read a book. The craft fair was a success but I'm so glad its over! Tonight I have the super rad Nicole from Simple Organic over to tell us what she is most thankful for. Just try not to be jealous that she gets to eat Thanksgiving dinner at the beach.

It's a real honor to be here on Ruffled Sunshine today; thanks, Jenn for having me!When I contemplated what I could write about in regards to being thankful, it was hard to pin something down because really, I feel so blessed in so many ways.

I thought about how thankful I am for family traditions... as today we're packing and preparing to drive {10 minutes away} tomorrow to spend Thanksgiving week at the beach like we do every year.

Then I thought about my little family and how over-the-moon thankful I am for the journey God has brought my husband and me on over the last eight and a half years.

Even on the hard days I'm thankful for the treasures that have been entrusted to me.But these are things I'm thankful for every year, and there is something more specific I could mention this year.

circa 2007I'm thankful for my mom.She has poured into my brother and me (and our families) so much over the years. She taught me, by example, how to make a house into a home and how to use my creativity in various ways (she even made my wedding dress!). She encourages me in all my dreams and aspirations. She helps me with my kids when I feeling overwhelmed.

I'm thankful for my mom for a lot of reasons that I'm sure many of you share as you think of your mom. She and I had some rocky years when I was growing up (as many mothers and daughters do), but this summer it hit me how close we had become.But this past summer, she was very sick and spent a couple of weeks in the hospital in ICU, and then several more weeks laid up at home.The more I thought about it-- especially as I thought about the awful possibility of her not being around anymore-- the more I realized the reality...that she had become one of my best friends.

After all, she's the one to whom I text or call just to say hi , or tell a funny story about the kids, or say, let's watch a chick flic and do some sewing.And now that she's healthy again and we're back in our groove of regular life, I want to take a minute this Thanksgiving to say how thankful I am to have her in

my life.

I love you, Mom!

Thanks Nicole! Hugs...

Come See Me?

2011-11-18T16:29:00.001-08:00

Hi guys! I just wanted to pop in and tell you I'll be at that craft fair again tomorrow. So if you are in the area I'd love for you to stop by. It is the My Favorite Things Bazaar at the Columbia Community Church in Richland. It is from 9-4 and the address is 150 Gage Boulevard • Richland, Washington 99352

Hope you are enjoying I'm Thankful week!

Day 18. I'm Thankful with Lyssa Beth

2011-11-18T08:40:00.000-08:00

Hey folks! I hope you are enjoying I'm Thankful Week so far! Today we have Lyssa here to tell you what she is thankful for. I met Lyssa last year and she is always so kind and thoughtful.

Hi guys! My name is Lyssa Beth. You can find me over HERE where I blog about my life as a mom, photographer, crafter, and organizer in the making.

I am so so excited to be part of Thankful Week over here with Jenn.

I was lucky enough to meet and craft next to Jenn last year. She's so genuine and kind! It's just fun to be here and share with you something I made:)

So today, I am thankful for organization!

Can you imagine life without it?! I can! I've been there!

I am an infant hoarder with a love for garage sales and thrift store. There is always something to be organized at my house!

Today, i'm tackling my headbands.

I love to make these babies but how do you store them!?

Like this:

Fun huh?! Well it's pretty simple but the end result goes a long way!

First you start with an oatmeal bin, some paper and a old candle holder:

Found this baby for a quarter at the local thrift store:

You add scrapbook paper around the oatmeal bin and you can even add fun embellishments like so: (did that with my fun ecraft machine...have you heard of it? if not, check it out!)

Inside, you can even store other things that can't be hung or stuck on something.

Wha-la! How easy is this? But I love how it looks. Very feminine and useful :)

Thanks again for stopping by and letting me share this fun idea with you over here at Ruffled Sunshine. And Thanks Jenn for having me!

Thanks Lyssa. Someday Ivy might wear something in her hair besides the once in a blue moon pontyail so I will have to remember this idea for that day!

Day 17. I'm Thankful with Vintage Country Girl

2011-11-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

Over the last year I have really come to admire Jenn and love to read her blog, so when she asked me if I would be willing to write a guest post about what I'm MOST thankful for, I was both humbled and honored. Many things went through my mind: my faith in God, my husband and family, my home, friends, and our jobs in this tough economy. However, one really struck me this year in particular...being able to be a mother to my kids.

It often blows my mind that God has entrusted me with Grace and Evan. They are great, wonderful, smart, funny, and they already love God with their whole hearts. They are also strong-willed, emotional, dramatic, and exhausting...but I wouldn't trade them for the world, and I love them unconditionally, warts and all.

By far, being a mother is the HARDEST job I've ever had, and I've had many in my life...babysitter, waitress, receptionist, advertising coordinator, graphic designer, and sales coordinator. However, that being said, there was nothing that could've ever prepared me for it. The joy, the sorrow, the stress, and the love. At the end of the day, it's the most rewarding job I've ever had. I have watched Grace and Evan go through many phases in their lives, both good and bad, (I definitely don't miss the potty-training phase!) I have watched them gain new friends and lose old ones. I've seen them excel in school and sports and struggle through others. My heart breaks and soars whenever theirs does.

Did God really think I could handle this? Sometimes I wonder. It seems so hard at times, but he must have faith I can do it, even though he knew I'd sometimes, or often fail. So, I pray each day that God will show me how to be a ~~good~~ better parent. I pray that he will forgive me for my yelling or for the punishments that I've given that have made them look at me with hate in their eyes. I pray that he will take care of them each minute of the day, especially when I'm not with them. And I thank him for all the time I've had with them, and all the time I still hope to have with them.

If you haven't figured it out, I love my kids more than life and I'm more than happy to be their mother. It's the thing I'm MOST thankful for!

Thanks Lori! If there is one thing I know its that kids really are what we should be most thankful for! xo

Day 16. I'm Thankful with Karina, Inc.

2011-11-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

Thankful week is here and I'm excited to kick it off with Karen from Karina, Inc! Karen joined us last year and I'm so happy she is back. Both for I'm Thankful week and from her break from blogging. I admire her strength and courage. Plus she is friggin hilarious. So with out further ado...

This morning, sitting around a heating vent with all four of my boys, our cold toes pointed toward the heat, I'm so grateful for many many things. One of those things are memories.I have multiple sclerosis. I know it should be capitalized, but I always feel like capitalizing it gives it that little extra boost of power that no disease should have. So there it is. I have multiple sclerosis; with a teeny tiny m and an even smaller s.Because of the way that my ms works, it's taking up a whole lot of space in the cognitive portion of my brain. It is slowly taking away my cognizance. That's why I'm grateful for memories. So many are disappearing, which makes the ones I have left that much sweeter.Little boys singing hymns at night; very very off key but with so much soul.The yummy way my husband looks at me when he gets back from a business trip.Boys who rush home from school so that they can tell me how much they missed me during the day.The way my oldest held my hand on the day of his baptism, squeezing it in anticipation of a new life.Watching my four year old teach his two year old brother how to spread Nutella on bread.The sparkles of happy in their eyes every day.Every occasion becomes a special one. Christmas. Dad's homecoming after a week away. A soccer game. A trip to the grocery store. Breakfast. Thursday. My rememberances may be fleeting and my recollection getting fuzzier, but I'm so grateful to be holding on to the memories that mean the most. Especially the simple ones where we sit around a heating vent, warming our cold toes.

As a huge thank you to Jenn for letting me post here, I want to offer a very special someone one of my "to market" bags. The bag will be filled up with goodies that will be perfect just in time for the holidays. Maybe a banner? A burlap wreath? You'll just have to win to see what kinds of surprises might be in store for you!

Thanks so much Karen! If you would like to win Karen's generous giveaway please leave one comment telling us what you are most thankful for. The winner will be chosen at random next Wednesday.

Day 15. Tender Mercies

2011-11-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

Source: myconcretesky.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

I'm thankful for tender mercies . Right now they are those tiny fleeting moments when I know so clearly which way my path needs to go. Those moments when I truly feel its ok to leave the path I want my life to be on and go the way He wants me to.

I really want to share a little bit more about how I'm feeling friends but I'm afraid its going to have to wait for another day. We are out of tissues ;)

+++

On two totally unrelated notes... tomorrow I'm kicking of I'm Thankful Week. I had lots of requests to have it come back and I'm excited to share from so many others about what they are thankful for. And its kind of turned in to I'm Thankful for two weeks with just a spot or two left. If you want to share what you are so thankful for will you let me know? I'd love to hear it.

Also I've added a new thing here or there to my shop {all to help us raise money for adoption} so you can go check it out and keep checking cuz more will be trickling in over the next couple weeks. Thanks so much!

Day 14. Three Minute Projects

2011-11-14T08:43:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with all of the projects I need or want to do that I don't do any of them. I just say forget it. Does that happen to you? I've found that the best way to get motivated is to do a super quick project to get me in the crafting mood. Do you need a three minute project to get your creative mojo going? Yeah, I did too.

So, I dug a cardigan out of my closet that I probably haven't worn in two years. Then I grabbed some lace from my stash and sewed it on. It really only took me three minutes and I love how it dressed up my cardi for the holidays. I even love it so much I might have worn it three times already. Too bad all the projects swirling in my brain don't take three minutes!

Day 13. Forget Me Nots

2011-11-14T08:36:00.001-08:00

Source: photo.blogpressapp.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

This talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf is amazing. I love it and its one of my favorites.

Enjoy the whole talk here...

Day 12. Options

2011-11-12T17:23:00.001-08:00

I'm thankful that there are other options to add to our family since this mama's body doesn't work quite right. I think I'll just bring the whole box of tissues.

If you are interested in adoption and are in the area I hope you check this out tomorrow night. I'll be there with my box of tissues and I hear there are going to be cookies... ;)

Day 11. Cozy Days

2011-11-11T16:21:00.001-08:00

Its a cozy Veterans Day here in eastern Washington. We woke up to fog and frost and I couldn't help myself and listened to some Christmas music today. It gets me in the creating mood which to be honest I haven't felt like doing much of that for a while. So tonight I'll be cozying up to my hot glue gun and watching Harry Potter. Its the perfect cozy day movie. Too bad felt and caramel corn don't go together very well!

Also. Happy Veteran's Day to all those who serve and have served our country. I'm so thankful for all you have done for me and my family.

Happy Weekend friends.

Day 10. My boyfriend.

2011-11-10T11:48:00.001-08:00

It is my boyfriend's birthday today. And just so you know, he is what I'm very most thankful for today and every day.

Happy Birthday Babe. I love you with all my heart forever and ever.

::photos by FotoNovella

Day 9. Color.

2011-11-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

Today I'm thankful for color. Pretty much every color. Umm except good ole purple. Plum I like. Just not purple. I love how my color preferences shift with each season, a reflection of the colors in my world.

Right now I am loving ...

And especially rust red this time of year. I can't get enough really. I've got a sweater, scarves, a striped shirt, socks... I am even swooning over red hair. And when the afternoon sun hits those red leaves and catches them on fire it makes my heart skip a beat.

sweater. american eagle

grey stripe shirt. walmart

skinny jeans. target

boots. old navy

reagan infinity scarf. ruffled sunshine

{linking up with the Pleated Poppy for WIWW}

What is your favorite color this time of year?

Day 8. Each + Every season.

2011-11-08T11:55:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about what this little girl teaches me. What I learn from her is just as important as all of the things she learns from me. Today I'm thankful I have learned to enjoy each + every season.

I try and cherish each + every season because I know how fast each season will go by. How each + every year she and I get older they pass me by even faster.

We love each + every season to the last drop. We love every holiday that comes our way. It is magical to experience each + every holiday with her.

I try and capture in my heart the special-ness that is our each + every day. Because this season of little Ivy is going by too quickly and we'll be on to the next season before I know it.

So I'm not rushing it. I'll take each season as it comes.

+++
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." -Emerson

Day 7. Trying new recipes and loving them

2011-11-07T15:26:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a cozy day at our house. And when its cozy I can't help but bake something. I had pinned some cookies a couple of weeks ago and just had to try them out. Apple cider is my warm drink of choice, and I finally found the big box at Costco last week. Umm if you like apple cider you HAVE to make these cookies. They are delish. So today I'm thankful for trying new recipes and it actually turns out you love it as much as you hoped. Its the worst if it doesn't. I'll be packaging up the rest and handing them out to neighbors today for day one of the Happy Day Project. Happy Monday!

Day 6. Good Examples

2011-11-06T12:17:00.000-08:00

My friend Julie is an amazing example of not just being good but DOING good. I need a little push in the doing part sometimes. So I'll be joining her in making someone's day every day this week. Is a week long enough to make it a habit? I hope so.

You can find more information about the Happy Day Project at Joys Hope and Life Rearranged.

Day 5. Finished Projects

2011-11-05T16:07:00.000-07:00

Pictures of me and my boyfriend finally hung on the wall are making me smile today.

Day 4. Snuggling

2011-11-04T21:00:00.001-07:00

Snuggling this baby girl is one of my favorite times of the day. All End of day crabbiness melts away as we giggle and she asks me questions about days of the week and seasons. I've even been known to drift off to sleep before she does.

Day 3. Words

2011-11-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

Source: imgfave.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

I'm thankful for people that can say it better than I can, but get it exactly right.

Day 2. Snow.

2011-11-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful for snow. Especially the, * Oh what we are visiting Colorado isn't it so fun that it snowed 6 inches and magically didn't stick to the roads so we can go get some gloves to play in it * kind .

Especially the * So pretty and white and sparkly you just have to eat it * kind.

And ESPECIALLY the *our whole family is going snowboarding today* kind of snow that we will have this winter. Can she really be big enough? Geez. Darin took me snowboarding on our first date... 12 years ago. My how the days fly.

{Yep thats me! I totally rocked it back in the day. HA!}

Day 1. Halloween

2011-11-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

Its November and I can hardly believe it. I was thinking about last year's I'm Thankful week and I've decided to share my thankfuls all month long. Some will be simple and some will seem silly. Some will be hard to write down in words but they will all be things I am really so grateful for each and every day.

Day 1. Halloween

I've never been much for Halloween until this little lady came along.

It made me smile so much last night to see her run to the next house and ring the doorbell, peek through the window and hear her little voice say "Trick or Treat!" And then run back down to us, flushed and so happy to have some more candy to fill her bucket. Funny thing is she doesn't even care about the candy and hasn't eaten a single piece {and probably won't}.

But it was the excitement of all of it and the experiencing it as a family that she loved. And that's what I loved too. And that is probably what I'm really thankful for.

+ all photos courtesy of Darin Warnick Photography

Holiday Gift Swap

2011-10-28T16:08:00.000-07:00

I just signed up for this fun Holiday Gift Swap with Freshly Picked and Ardor. Five handmade presents for five amazing presents in return. I can't guarantee I will give them away as gifts ;) Check the deets HERE.

Have a Happy + Spooky + Fabulous + Cozy Weekend!

Entertaining the Little Monsters

2011-10-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

Hey Hey! I'm having a snow day! I'm visiting Colorado for the week and only here can it go from being 80* one day to snowing the next. I've got my hands full this week watching my niece and nephew along with Ivy. Lucky the snow is going to entertain them today but I thought I'd share with you some stuff from my bag of tricks to keep these little monsters entertained. I'm feeling like I had my right arm cut off without all my craft stuff within reach so most are simple and need minimal supplies. And um, can you believe Halloween is in like 5 days?!! Crazy.

Last night we made Paper Crave's Spooky Halloween Garland. I highly recommend using a craft cutter if you have one. But then again, I'm sure you can all wield a pair of scissors far better than I can so it might not be a big deal.

We also used some white yarn to make a spider web in front of the fireplace.

Baking is one of Ivy's favorite things to do. Is it ok to make Halloween cookies and listen to Christmas music at the same time? {Its just a one time thing to listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving. But how could we not? Its snowing!} We also picked up some chocolate chips to make some Salted Chocolate Chip cookies too.

Halloween Bingo from the Crafting Chicks is gonna be a big hit I can feel it. I've got a 10 year old and two 4 year old monsters so its a bit tricky finding something for everyone. The M&M's involved might have something to do with it too.

Those two 4 year old monsters are keeping me on my toes. I LOVE this Halloween Pre K pack from Over the Big Moon. My little school loving monster loves it too. The jury is out on the other little monster.

We'll also be heading to Boo at the Zoo and drinking lots of hot chocolate and apple cider. Whats on your Halloween to do list?!

InstaFriday 10.21.11

2011-10-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

A little insta peak in to what we have been up to around these parts.

Our trip to utah was so fun, but so short. We managed to pack in the important stuff though.

1. Tshirt scarf for family pictures. 2. Those mountains, I wanted to bring them back home with me.

3. Perfect timing to catch my cousin play some football. 4. Football for me. Ipad for Ivy.

5. In n out is a special treat for us northerners. Mustard style. 6. My lova lova.

7. Crafting in the car. 8. She looks so tiny. LOVE.

Rearranging. Makes it easier to breath.

I pay him the big bucks. Working hard editing photos and updating my phone.

The media tour for the Green Business of the Year is rough. TV is scary no matter how many times I've done it. The hardest part is the 5am wakeup call.

Sigh. Fall is fabulous. Pretty leaves. Halloween Schtuff. Soup. And pumpkins as far as the eye can see.

Fancy restaurants in this small-ish town are a big deal. The new place in town is my new fave. Especially when its with my fave husband.

This girl has me emotianally drained at the end of the day lately. Good thing she's cute!

1. Making cookies. She apparently thinks its not necessary to wear a shirt while baking.

2. Darth Vader face. I was instantly cooler when I made her a light saber.

3. Sometimes the mess is totally worth the hours of entertainment.

4. Pumpkin picking with Grandma.

Last night my friends surprised me with an early birthday girls night on the town. A yummy dinner {see fire picture above} and Footloose. The movie was totally cheesy and totally awesome. Willard cracked me up the whole time. But even better was laughing with such good friends. Thanks ladies I loved every second!

Mellow Yellow

2011-10-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

I am in love with the fall days we have been having. Crisp mornings, warm afternoons, and that mellow yellow light of the early evenings making all of the leaves absolutely glow. And the clothes. Ahh the fall clothes. I love it. Ivy on the other hand is having a harder time transitioning to the whole wearing clothes that cover her limbs thing.

sweater.forever21.

gray striped shirt.walmart.

jeans.express.

boots.target.super old.

scarf.downeastbasics.

IVY

navy polkadot dress. oldnavy.

stickers. yokes.

{linking up with the pleated poppy again. its kind of fun. you should try it!}

Gimme some Sugar {cookies!}

2011-10-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

You know how you have those awesome recipes from your mom. But you are always looking for something better. Just in case? That's how I have been with sugar cookies. And I always go back to this one. It is WAY easy and unless I forget about them in the oven they are soft, just how I like em. Plus they don't take a ton of time so when we decide to make sugar cookies we get to do it right then.
I guess Mother knows best. {Totally in a tangled voice by the way}

In the spring I add some lemon zest and lemon juice. In the summer I use part almond extract. And in the fall and winter I love to add cinnamon and nutmeg. One thing for sure though is they gotta be soft, which I think has a lot to do with how thick you roll out the dough.

So I wanna know are you a soft sugar cookie kind of person? Or are you crazy and like the crunchy kind? ;)

Pin Did {fashion}

2011-10-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

My friend Lindsay commented on an outfit pin once... "I think you have all of that in your closet." I quickly realized that a lot of the fall outfits I loved were just variations or a better put together version of what I already had in my closet. So as I packed up my bag to head for Utah over the weekend I didn't have to try very hard to think of what I was going to wear. And I didn't have to buy anything. Uh, ok maybe I bought the gloves and the scarf. It was COLD while we were there!

scarf.sweater.jeans.gloves.target.

striped top.boots.old navy.

purse.made by me.

IVY

dress.cardigan.boots.leggings.old navy.

DARIN

coat.scarf.oldnavy

jeans.macys

beanie.toms.

{Linking up with Amanda again. She's totally holding me responsible for not just pinning, but doing.}

{ps also adding my first and maybe only WIWW!}

Insta Friday 10.7.11

2011-10-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Insta-Friday! Here's a little peek at what has been keeping us busy these days.

Isn't he cute?! I got him at The Junk Barn Girls show and I heart him. My friend Shannon put on a fabulous antique show and I can't wait for the next one. I also picked up a turquoise window that I love.

We started back up with our co-op preschool. Ivy insisted on curls with our curl stick. Still love that thing. And she uh finally fit in to that one dress I made oh, 2 years ago.

My very own Allora Handmade from some kind friends.

In between conference sessions we went for a family bike ride. I think we went about .5 miles per hour but we loved that Ivy is getting braver.

Ivy fell asleep the other day, during the day. Its a magical day when she takes one of those things other kids take called naps.

I'm not much of a drawer but I sketched out this fox for an applique the other day. Darin still can't believe that I drew it. I know I said, I'm just as impressed and shocked by it too.

I've given in to Fall. Mostly because summer weather is just gone. But I fully embrace it once it comes. One of my favorite parts is that its scarf weather!! See any munchins in the back seat?

It helps our food storage to be related to farmers and people who know farmers. Ivy helped by labeling the bags for me. I will smile every time I see her four year old handwriting on a bag when I pull it out of the freezer.

Apparantly some people can't let go of summer. We bundled up and went wakeboarding this week. Well, I watched while my crazy husband wakeboarded. I had on my uggs and a beanie.

My little fox in applique form. I heart him still. And I can't wait to meet the little guy that he is intended for this weekend. All I got to say is the snow better be melted in Utah by the time I get there.

Woot! Greenies {thats our business we own in case you didn't know} got the City of Richland Green Business of the Year. Its a major award. ;)

Hope you had a fabulous week!

Pin Did

2011-10-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

Last week I found some doilies from my mother in law and I knew right away what I would do with the one that had a stain. Just the day before I had pinned an idea from Betz White, so I quickly put together my own spiderweb to add a bit of vintage spooky to our Halloween decor. Simply put your doily in an embroidery hoop that you painted black and add a glittery spider. I think three or five different sized 'webs' would be a really fun wall display, don't you?

Happy October!!

and p.s.

Is your Pinterest over.flowing with ideas that need done? Yeah, mine is too, but I'm trying to whittle away at my Fall Board. If you need a little motivation to turn some of your pins into dids you should join me at my friend Amanda's. She has issued a Pin Did Challenge and I'll be linking up with her from time to time. See you there?

also back on the inspiration workshop challenge! this week was fall. Halloween counts right?!

S + S

2011-09-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

Love deserves a fancy party. My parents hosted a wedding dinner for S+S in their backyard, and I had a lot of fun putting together all of the details for what was a perfect evening to have a party. Stacks of the best old books from my parents book shelves, pennants, garland and the most perfect chairs from a nearby school helped make it a fabulous night for everyone to remember. Not to mention the crazy amazing job my dad did of redoing their deck this summer. It really is one of the most magical places to be.

Isn't a party perfect with twinkle lights? And pie. ;)

Have a happy weekend!

Sunshine for a Sunday

2011-09-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Moments That Matter Most.

Insta Catch Up {pt.2}

2011-09-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

Oh this girl. Apparently four year olds turn in to sponges. She is constantly asking questions about anything and everything. My sister saw something on Pinterest that said the average four year old asks 437 questions a day. I guess Ivy is above average is what I told her. The bus stop is right outside her bedroom window. Almost every morning she watches those kids and talks about riding the bus when she goes to school. Apparently four year olds also turn in to grown ups.

I don't want her to get old enough to go to school But I will take her getting old enough to clean!

We went to get the mail. I guess it must seem like a long ways away to her little legs.

Have you checked out the Martha Stewart line of craft paint? Uh.may.zing. I snatched up the fabric medium and I have a 50% off coupon burning a whole in my app to get the spray paint converter.

Genius.

Did you know you can use canning jars to store food?! haha. We pickled a few beans and some asparagus.

Then it was back to Portland for my brothers wedding. My mom scored this rad Disney Red Riding Hood costume at the Goodwill superstore. Yep a thrift superstore. That would be code for overpriced.

Every day we were in P+town Ivy and I went for a walk. Just down from my parents house were blackberries that we picked for our cereal. They were probably the sweetest berries I have ever eaten.

My sister has a curl stick. I used it and then I had to buy one. They are fabulous. And no I didn't dye my hair. I blame it on Instagram for making me look like a brunette. I almost cried when Ivy told me I had beautiful brown hair. Thats a sad day for a natural blonde.

My parents hosted a wedding dinner in their backyard the evening before the wedding. In twenty years you couldn't have asked for more perfect non rainy weather in Oregon. All week it was between 90 and 100 degrees. I laughed every time they talked about the heat advisory. Make sure and stay inside the radio would say You might die if you go outside in this extreme heat they warned. I thought it was perfect.

Their first dance.

We went with my brother and his wife to OMSI. If you are going to Portland with kids I highly HIGHLY recommend it. We went to the omnimax to see Kelly Slater's Perfect Wave. I had to close my eyes most of the time so I didn't throw up. I was so sea sick.

I saw this little pack at Walmart and immediately thought of my sister and my friend Julie. Brilliant!

We are back to days at the park. Hopefully we have a lot of those this fall.

In no way does having squash for dinner mean that I am ready for fall or the fact that summer is officially over.

Trying out the new instagram. I love that you can take off the frames and that the tilt shift {my fave feature} is way easier to use. Also that new awake might be my favorite filter. Although Nashville is always my go to.

{my user name is jenn_warnick if you want to follow along}

I may not be ready for fall but I adore boot season. So I welcome that with arms wide open. Especially on skinny little legs, eh on the wrong feet. I just wish those came in my size.

Birthday parties, especially the swimming kind are our fave.

How was your week?

9.10.11

2011-09-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I loaded up my truck with our bike trailer and a bunch of decorations and returned to my hometown. The trailer was so we could cruise with my favorite bike riding company and the decorations were for my little brother. Well more for my Mom, but to celebrate my brother and new sister {in law}. Ivy talked to me the whole. way. there. I think I smiled the whole way there.

My brother got married. He is lucky. She is a special woman. Perfect for him.

They got married the same place I did. Ten years ago. I watched them and I smiled, thinking to myself... I remember how they feel.

Which of course made me feel just a little bit old. Just a little bit. I caught sight of my husband that I am married to forever and I smiled to myself. I don't feel old when I look at him. I love him. He is perfect for me.

I smiled the whole day.

Sunshine for your Sunday

2011-09-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Source: truelovereallywaits.tumblr.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Insta Catch Up pt.1

2011-09-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

Oh man I am getting so super sad that Summer will be officially over next week. It has been exactly what I needed in a summer and in my life. It always does feel good to have a bit of a change and we are getting back in to the swing of real life in our house. Here's a bit of catching up in my fave Instagram fashion...

Every year my in laws grow these HUGE sunflowers. There yard is the best place to be on a great summer evening. It is the most beautiful light you will ever see.

My dear Lolo came back for a visit and we got pedicures. My toes were green and sparkly and reminded me of mermaid toes.

TOMS fall shoes started rolling in in August. Hmm I wonder who would have ordered those? ;)

I couldn't decide which pair to get so I didn't get any. Guess I'll be waiting for those berry cords...

These 3 are so funny together. Lyttons birthday is just a couple of weeks after Ivy's so we had to celebrate while they were in town. Favorite part? Dreaming of how fun these guys are going to be when they are 16.

Trying out the Silhoutte as a tshirt screener. Pretty cute and it works fabulously.

Pirate adventure at the mall. Ivy got to make a hook and everything. I loved asking her what a pirates favorite letter was. She answered A? no. B? no. C? all the way till we got to the right letter.

I think this is one our last days at the pool. She got tossed in probably 30 times. Every time making a perfect pencil in to the water. AHhh. Pool days. I can't wait to see you again next summer!

We had to cut our pool days short cuz this little lady got ear aches. She fell asleep in the cart trying to get her medicine. I don't know if I've ever seen her more miserable. :(

Luckily we had a super fun couple of weeks planned for the little lady. I sent the two campers off for a week with Grandpa at Mt. Hood. She ROCKED as a camper. Ivy caught two fish and didn't want to leave.

I took advantage of the quiet time and got a few things done. I was a sponsor of Meg's Craft Weekend so I got that done. Plus I managed to squeeze in time to see The Help with a few friends after meeting up for Fro Yo. Both were super good.

I love that every one of these bags gets a book in the hands of a little kid. And I love the new updated logo Heather came out with.

If Darin's gone that means I'm working at Greenies. Its the perfect excuse to get the very best mac n cheese in the history of the world from our friends at Cheese Louise. If you are local I suggest you get some. Today.

Then Darin and I switched. He went back to work at Greenies and I headed to Portland to meet up with my fam and head to the Oregon Coast. Yay for solo road trips and 4 hours to think.

Of course I had to make a pit stop here. It was all in the name of avoiding rush hour traffic. I swear.

We went to Pacific City. I haven't ever been there in all my life and it is my most favorite evah. It might have something to do with the fact that it was actually sunny and somewhat warm. The whole day. Which is just about as lucky as you can get when you go to the coast. Ivy and I got up early and took a long walk. And I found my first whole sand dollar. I knew it was going to be a fabulous trip.

I loved everything about Pacific City. The fact that you could drive your car on to the beach. Watching the dorys driving up on to the beach. The pizza place. And oh man the best fish tacos I have ever had. Ever. And I couldn't have asked for better company.

We took our bikes and got to ride around on these fun boardwalks. I had a smile on my face the whole time.

The best one. Seriously.

You can't go to the beach without going to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. And you can't go there with out getting squeeky cheese.

Or the ice cream.

When we got back it was fair time! The only ride Darin and I went on was the ferris wheel.

But we got my little dare devil a wrist band. For the amount of times she went on the slide alone it was worth it. {think 30 times. no joke.} And those grins and the excitement. priceless.

I'll catch you up on everything else later! Hope you are all doing awesome!

Happy Sunday

2011-08-07T07:19:00.000-07:00

Source: dandee-designs.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

{via Danyelle}

Insta Friday!

2011-08-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

hello insta friday! I missed you last week so here's a double dose of what's been going on around here...

Jam makin day. We of course made our fave Blueberry Ginger. I think last year someone asked me what crystalized ginger looks like. Well here you go, crystalized ginger. Better late than never. Ivy also requested strawberry. We ended up with 30 half pint jars of jam. Hope they last!

I just don't think cousins can be better friends than these two. Finishing each others sentances, and getting along. All the time. Rare for 4 year olds. That is the very reason we decided it would be best for our family to move here.

Thanks to Mel I caved and got an old fashioned ice cream maker. Our favorite so far has been Rocky Road from the Our best Bites cookbook. Seriously the best cookbook, besides my trusty BHG one.

I got a new photo app {thanks for the tip, Mom!} called Pocketbooth. It takes four pictures in a row and spits em out like a photostrip. My nephew Wyatt has the best cheesy grins.

My baby girl had her birthday last week. FOUR years old. Oh man. I spent an hour ruffling up some streamers. I'm not a huge crepe paper crafts fan but these were actually super cute. The things we do for little girls...

Baby girl's birthday was fabulous. Daddy date to the free movie and lunch. Mommy date to the bookstore which is hours of reading but this time she got to pick a book of her very own. She chose Ladybug girl. Mama also snuck Blueberries for Sal out the door for her blueberry girl.

The day after your birthday is always a bit of a downer don't you think? We spent the afternoon glamping in Ivy's tent. Whipping up batches of pretend cupcakes and cookies. And of course reading piles of books. Its her favorite past time besides swimming and I'm always happy to indulge her.

I checked this book out from the library. I have only read the first 5 chapters but it has made a huge difference already. I highly recommend it. Even if your child isn't that spirited. Although I can't think of a three or four year old that isn't.

I just love this picture. This is our summer days exactly and we wouldn't have it any other way. {If you haven't tried the tilt shift in instagram you need to. its my favorite feature}

Art in the park. Butterfly wings and a fairy crown compliments of our friend Karly. Our wings were barely making it so new ones definitely brightened this butterfly girls step.

My brother and his fiance' rolled in to town this past weekend so we loaded up the bikes and headed to Walla Walla for some cruisin and some ice cream. This picture is exactly how I feel when I'm riding my bike. I love it more than anything. Especially with my family on gorgeous tree lined streets.

My little brother and Shanari, ahhh. Darin took their engagement photos while we were in Walla Walla. I'm thinking they should use these. I can't tell you how happy I am to see my brother so happy. And Shanari is a doll. Yay for new sisters!

I've got my bracelets all wrapped up and ready to go in the mail to my bracelet swap partners. We had over 100 people sign up, and I can't wait to see what everyone came up with.

Happy Camper.

This tells you two things. She does not like to get her hair done. As in I have to threaten her with cutting it off every time we comb it. Braids are optimal for swimming every day by the way. And two she does not like me to take pictures of her wearing stuff I make for her. Little stinker.

Happy Insta Friday!

Hello Friend! {printable}

2011-08-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

{in case you missed it at the Modern Marigold...}

Somehow our summer seems to be getting busier and busier. It is our favorite time of year so we try to spend as many hours of the day outside as possible! So I know when it comes time to mail my bracelets I'll be scrambling to have some cute packaging. I took a few minutes this weekend to come up with a simple way to package up your friendship bracelets to your new friends. Then you won't be scrambling if your summer is anything like ours!

{click here to download}

I got to practice my photoshop skills {cuz they definitely need practicing} and used this letterpress tutorial from Pugly Pixel to make a sheet of cards.

All you have to do is cut them up. Easy peasy.

This one is for one of my good friends from college. I wrote a little note too, to let my friend know I've been thinking of her.

Then I used some of my Modern Marigold fabric tape to stick my bracelet right to the card. It fit perfectly in a card envelope so I sealed it up with a little more fabric tape and mailed it right away. I got a little excited to send it so I forgot to take pictures. Oh well!

Sooo...

Don't forget to sign up for the bracelet swap! And be sure to stop by some time. I'd love to have you!

{and thanks Amanda for having me! xoxo}

Cupcake Month

2011-08-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

Source: unamoscaenlaluna.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

mmmm... cupcakes. Want to make some of the guilt free kind? Come visit me at my friend Malory's! She's having a cupcake month and I'd love it if you stopped by and said hi!

Sniff Sniff

2011-07-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

My baby is all growed up and turning 4 today. She told me that on her next birthday she will be 16 and get to drive all by herself. I hope it doesn't go by that fast.

She is off on a date with Dad to the movies and whatever else those two fancy. I have a feeling it will involve ice cream.

This is the year of the princess party. Well as princessy as I get I guess. There is a Tangled cake being delivered this afternoon that I'm pretty sure I will never top.

Pretty please. Tell me that 4 year olds don't whine.

Happy Birthday Ivy. You are the bee's knees. Love, Mom

{ps. tomorrow is the last day to sign up for our Friendship Bracelet Swap. Gasp! Panic! Go sign up quick!}

Happy Sunday

2011-07-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

Insta Friday!

2011-07-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

Oh Insta Friday {and Instagram} how I love you! Here is whats been going down here in the Tri Cities over the past week...

The best part of being a parent is showing your kids new things. Especially things that you loved to do when you were a kid. Things like playing hot lava, balloon volleyball, and putting a sprinkler under the trampoline. Even better is when they love it as much as you do. Cuz you still totally love those things.

My favorite sister came to visit which always means date night for me and Darin. Harry Potter in 3D was the obvious choice this time. We played Hanging with Friends while we waited for the movie to start. We both groaned when the Twilight preview came on.

Obviously I've had friendship bracelets on the brain, so when I was getting my lesson ready to teach at church on Sunday about family unity, I knew i just had to make some of these. {inspired by my friend Danyelle}

What do you do on a Sunday evening when the masses are demanding pizza on the barbeque, but you just don't have pizza sauce? And you kind of have this thing about not shopping on Sunday? You make your own sauce I guess. Thanks Mrs. Wages pizza sauce mix. You just add canned tomatoes. Easy peasy. Leave out the sugar by the way.

I wish my buns looked that cute in ruffles.

My mini me. The older she gets {she's gonna be 4 next week!} the more I realize she is so much like me in so many ways.

It is seriously amazing what a clean craft room will do for your motivation to craft. I joined in on Craftiness is not optional's June But dress sew along. A few tweaks here and there and Ivy's got herself a new dress. Which she needs like a hole in the head but whatevs.

Getting this girl to ride her bike can be like pulling teeth sometimes. Unless its in circles in the house. Last night we cruised around the block. Twice. She had a big smile on her face the whole time. Gaining some confidence and a little competition was all this girl needed to get the motivation to go down the hill. After that it was my regular dare devil back in action.

Happy Insta Friday!

PS:: Only a few more days to sign up for the Friendship Bracelet Swap! So what are you waiting for? We'd be tickled to have you. Grab a button and get to bracelet making!

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PPS:: Have you been checking to see what Amanda has been up to for friendship bracelet week? She has a really great post on choosing color, a knot guide download and just plain fabulous-ness.

DIY Hex Nut Wrap Bracelet {with Henry Happened}

2011-07-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Are you loving all the bracelet fabulousness out there? When I was searching bracelet DIY's I found Stephanie from henry happened. She has super rad bracelet tutorials and I asked her if she wanted to stop by and share one with you. Yay! She's here to share here Hex Nut Wrap bracelet with you. So pay attention class. You are gonna want to make this...

Hi, this is Stephanie from henry happened. Thank you Jenn for having me on your lovely blog! I love all of the gorgeous arm candy everyone is making these days. Bracelets are colorful, easy to wear and the perfect kid-friendly accessory.

I have a little thing with bracelet making. It's an addiction. Is there a support group for this? But I see these fun, colorful wrap bracelets everywhere, and they are sooo easy that even this craft-challenged mom can't resist.

And seriously J. Crew, $36 for this?

Step 1: Get thee to Goodwill and buy a crazy skirt for $3. Then stop by the hardware store for a dozen or so brass hex nuts at 15 cents each. (You might want to pick up a few extra to make this bracelet.)

And you've shelled out about $5. (Why are all my projects $5? It's not a Lincoln conspiracy, I promise.)

Step 2: Cut a piece about 4 inches wide. Thinner is okay (not too much or it will just look sad), but you can't go much thicker because your hex nuts won't fit. Length can vary - the longer it is the more times it will wrap on your wrist. Also, the ragged edges are cool so don't stress about hemming or fraying.

Step 3: Tie a knot in one end and twist the entire length.

Step 4: Feed your hex nuts on, spacing them however you want. Don't glue them on - the width of the fabric will be enough to keep them in place. Plus then you can adjust them after you put the bracelet on.

Step 5: Tie the two ends together in a knot so it forms a circle.

Step 6: Wind it around your wrist! You can move the hex nuts around for a better visual.

I love the chance to wear a bold color. So, obviously, I'm a bracelet person. What types of jewelry do you favor?

Thank you again for having me! Stop by henry happened sometime and say hi! :)

Thanks so much Stephanie for being a part of our friendship bracelet swap!

Inspire Me... Bracelets

2011-07-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

Way back in June {cuz that was a long time ago} I was in charge of the craft for our wards mini girls camp. Glue guns and spray paint were out. You know, being in nature and all. So when I saw my friend Andrea's bracelet tutorials I knew what we were going to do. I got some supplies from Michaels and the bracelets were a hit with the girls. Well as much as anything can be a hit with 14-17 year olds who have more important things to do, like playing cards and tubing on the boat.

After that I was hooked. My bracelets board on Pinterest keeps growing because there are SO many cool DIY's out there. I seriously want to make every single one. Here are just a few of my faves to inspire you to get your friendship bracelet on...

Source: lovemaegan.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Sailors knots and ombre from lovemaegan. I die.

Source: sewspoiled.wordpress.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

I had a leather bracelet from Mexico that I cried when I lost it. I'm thinking this will be an awesome replacement.

Source: honestlywtf.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Honestly WTF. Wrap bracelets. So rad.

Source: pm-betweenthelines.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Crazy Braid. I most definitely need a fabric scrappy bracelet.

Source: fourflightsoffancy.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

The tutorial that started it all. My version for camp did not look like this version. Sometimes you shouldn't wait until the last minute to get supplies.

Source: makebraceletsblog.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Add some bling to your bracelets! I love the whole stack together.

Source: evie-s.com via Evie on Pinterest

Sequins. I love the simpleness of this one.

Source: arefinaria.blogspot.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Do you go for the stacked look? I have 4 bracelets that I wear every day. Two I don't take off and two I add. All on my right hand. Because I'm not coordinated enough to use my right hand to put them on my left.

Source: everythingidreamed.tumblr.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Ivy tied all of my floss in a big knot. If you need a better way to keep your floss organized, this is definitely it.

Now you are totally down for some new bracelets aren't you? Go sign up for the friendship bracelet swap!

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A Little Service. Advent

Day 30. Feeling Creative

Thankful Winners

Day 28. Rare Days

Day 26. Small Business

Day 23. I'm Thankful with Lovely Lindsay.

We interupt this program for "What the heck Camera should I buy?!"

Day 22.I'm Thankful with Hanna Singer

Day 21. I'm Thankful with Modern Marigold

Day 20. I'm Thankful with The Larson Lingo

Day 19. I'm Thankful with Nicole of Simple Organic

Come See Me?

Day 18. I'm Thankful with Lyssa Beth

Day 17. I'm Thankful with Vintage Country Girl

Day 16. I'm Thankful with Karina, Inc.

Day 15. Tender Mercies

Day 14. Three Minute Projects

Day 13. Forget Me Nots

Day 12. Options

Day 11. Cozy Days

Day 10. My boyfriend.

Day 9. Color.

Day 8. Each + Every season.

Day 7. Trying new recipes and loving them

Day 6. Good Examples

Day 5. Finished Projects

Day 4. Snuggling

Day 3. Words

Day 2. Snow.

Day 1. Halloween

Holiday Gift Swap

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*Sniff* *Sniff*

Happy Sunday

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