Vacation..

Last week was vacation... seems like a few weeks ago already.  i miss the beach.  Well, technically I could go to the beach tomorrow... but that's beside the point.  and any way... it's going to rain. what i miss is relaxing.  Oh.. and I miss my guy! Garrett went back to Ohio with Matt's parents to spend some time with both sets of grandparents.  I'm glad he's able to do this.  i have no doubt he is living it up.. getting all the attention.. and loving it!  Enjoy it buddy...and don't forget to call your mama! 

Just some pictures....

Koosie Craft

This is about the easiest summer craft for kids... And great for many reasons!

1. Super easy

2. Not messy.. Fast clean up 

3. Keeps them busy for a while

4. Practice handwriting in a fun way by getting to write On something with a sharpie

A friend of mine recently made these koosies (not sure if that is correct but going with it) for her son's birthday party as favors. Stellar Idea!! The kids all loved them because they had their name on it. And it kept everyone's drink boxes from getting confused... And we didn't have to keep track of a Sharpie marker.  They were brightly colored so the drinks really stood out when they were all lined up on the table.  ..... I highly recommend do ing this for a kids party.  

Then I thought it would also be a great idea for our upcoming vacation with 16 people floating around! Adult drinks are hard to keep track of too!  So the kids and I went in search of koosies and foam stickers!  Hobby Lobby only had a few, informing me that they had them with their summer stuff and they were gone now.  Oh my bad! Because its not summer?? And that's why you have Christmas foam art now? Uh. Should have started with Michael's because they did have summer stuff... And it was on sale! 

I made a girls list and a boys list of names... And they got to work!  

Cute, right!

I'm glad I get a Girl one!

This would be great if you are hosting a play group or pool party! Or have them on hand for play dates and have the kids make one to cut down on the amount of plastic cups they go through.  

***side note ... They work GREAT with Capri Suns!  Micah doesn't squeeze them too much!

Lanai Update

I often joke that I want to sit out on my lanai and eat cheesecake to solve the problem at hand by using stories from "back in St. Oloff".. like the Golden Girls of course :)   Well, come to think of it, I have sat out here (I'm enjoying it right now!) so many times with my family, chatting on the phone with my sister, getting to know some new friends over a glass of wine or coffee... and it's my favorite place to craft :)   We love this area of our house, it's an extra room for us since we can use it practically year around.  ... the "winter" in FL usually allows for it to be used in the day and the hot humid summers often only allow it to be relaxing really early in the morning or really late at night.

 

Still, it's pretty perfect. 

 

This week I've done a few summer like upgrades .. it feels so cozy and beachy!!!

 

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 I saw these napkins at World Market. I didn't know what I was going to do with them yet (I did know we were not going to be wiping bbq sauce mouths with them though!) 

Love the colors. The beachy prints. And they were on sale.

 I tied the napkins to some rope using thin twine.

 

I used small command hooks on the sides of the aluminum frame (discovered it was aluminum after my first idea didn't work.. magnets. Uh!)  I used the ones with a toggling hook so it allows for some movement with the wind. 

 





It's hard to get all three windows!

Seriously, look how well they match!

 

Also at World Market I found these FUN lanterns!  They are really light.. so I'm hoping the Command hook will keep these babies up there!

I tied the rope to the hook on the lantern and then another knott in the other end where I looped it through a hook extender (also World Market) so it could hang from the ceiling. 



 

Who's coming over to hang out with me??

Cheesecake, wine and coffee :)

(ok, probably just wine..)

 

linking to:

 

Colorful. Wonderful. Beautiful.

"Mommy this craft is Colorful, Wonderful, and Beautiful"  

... couldn't have said it better myself.  

Addie and i had lots of fun doing this one.  It took the span of a few days too because at the drying stops.. she of course was off to other things and we never got back to it till the next day.
It was really easy too, always a bonus!

You need:  *Craft Acrylic Paint
                  *Water
                  * Glue (we used Elmers Gliter Glue.. on pinterest it said to use Gel Glue, which  walmart didn't have 'shocker'.. so i thought this would be similar. I think the gel is suggested b/c it has a slight color to it so it's easy to see where to paint.  This of course was pink glitter.. so very easy to see.  I do think any Elmers would work!)
                  * Fabric to paint (we used a white dish towel.. came in a pack of two at walmart.  it was more like a cloth napkin though.. and worked perfect).

Ready to start! Found some items to outline with the glue to make fun shapes!

Making a Beautiful flower :)

Addie did a lot on her own, till her thumb hurt from squeezing the bottle! LOL.. so she directed me (a role she does well) in what to make and where to put the designs.

 *LET GLUE DRY*

*Dilute Paint with a little water for painting*

Let the painting begin!!

 *Let Dry*

looking good!

 *After it dries.. soak in hot water for 15 min.  This will not hurt the paint, it loosens the glue.

After 15 min I had to rub and scrape with my nails to get the glue to come off.. not hard at all.

Bonus for us... some glitter remained!

This is going to look fabulous in her new room!!

Colorful! Wonderful! Beautiful!.. don't you agree?

I found this on pinterest... on a board where i wanted to repin Everything! Jamie has so many great ideas pinned.. you can expect to see more here :)   Jamie has a wonderful blog that i've joined too called
"Hands On As We Grow"...  check her out!! Filled with greatness!
Obviously I'm not a big name in the blog world.. but all about sharing with my few readers some great ideas to use with your kids and your home!

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Whatever Goes Wed

let the summer begin!

summer is HERE!

We officially rolled out the red carpet to summer here today!  I'm excited to have a little break from the norm... but admittedly our summer is going to be so crazy with moving.. that really thinking about it stresses me out! So instead i'm trying to Enjoy the First month of summer... our Last month here in NV.

Garrett is doing a few weeks of summer camp... he just couldn't say good-bye to school!  Actually it is right Up his alley.. fun times! projects! crafts! activities! field trips! and... friends :)  plus a few pretty special teachers that he adores. so it's a win for him.  Addie, however isn't old enough for the camps.. so we are hosting our own here. Feel free to sign up... we'd love more campers!  :)

Today we finally made flowers!! Addie has been frustrated with the lack of flowers around here. (sweetie, its the desert.)  She insists that her teacher told them that flowers come up in the spring and if you water them they grow.  For the first week of Spring she actually went out side.. stated what day of spring it was.. and said "Now where Are the flowers?!"

This girl needs flowers.  And since i have some not fun allergies in the spring/summer... these flowers work for me as well!
Coffee Filter Flowers!  there's lots of links out there.. just google it :)

use water color paints to paint some coffee filters

let them dry

fold in half.. then half again

round it together and twist the bottom. then wrap a pipe cleaner around the twist. (not shown)

pull the filters apart and fluff to look like a flower

they look pretty in my DIY mercury glass vase

Since it was the first day of Summer Vaca and all... I went the extra step and planned something fun for the afternoon when Garrett was home.  It turned out to be just me and the boys as Addie earned an extended stay in her room... (and did i say it was the First day??)

This is everywhere on Pinterest.   Side walk paint made out of cornstarch :)

i mixed half a cup of water and half a cup of cornstarch then added food coloring.  

G made a race track for his motocross bike!

Micah made messes :)

Cheers!!!   It's SUMMER!!!