Tag: Crafts

Giving In

Published by dee on March 7, 2011

This weekend was a bit of a bust when it comes to the long to-do list I had carefully crafted on Friday. I think my lists are a little more ambitious that my body. I did get a few things checked off, but those were mostly the fun things. The not so fun things, like mail state tax returns and update budget spreadsheet, somehow were forgotten.

Friday night we stayed in, and after everyone went to bed, I stayed up and finished sewing Evie another skirt. My sewing is far from perfect, but I’m having fun experimenting and the skirts are turning out really cute. I added a ribbon trim to the bottom of this one and love how it turned out. Sadly, my sewing machine decided to quit working just after I finished this one so I didn’t get to do any more this weekend. I will have to remedy that soon as I have a stack of fabric already cut for several more skirts.

Saturday morning we had promised the kids each a surprise. Evie got to go to Grandma’s and play with her cousin, Caitlin. Zach got a trip to the movies with Mom and Dad to see Rango. It was a pretty cute movie, and included enough adult humor to keep it entertaining.

After the movie, we stopped at the pet store to invest a bit of our tax refund in the Tidy Cat Breeze cat litter system. We searched and searched and couldn’t find it in the store, so we were letting Zach look around at the animals. He was really into the fish and started asking the inevitable question, “Mommy, can we just get a goldfish?”

We stood firm for maybe a whole ten minutes. We already have enough pets to take care of. We don’t need any more. Then we started wavering a little bit. Maybe one fish wouldn’t be so bad. We started looking at the Betta fish. Before long I had a new fish tank in my arms, along with the necessary supplies. We decided on a Betta and went back to pick one out. That’s when we realized that the Breeze boxes we had been looking for were sitting just under the Betta fish display. We got the litter boxes (both with $10 off coupons on them!). Zach picked out his fish and proudly carried it up to the checkout counter.

After the required 24 hour tank set up time, Mario Oscar Perrin, the red Betta fish, is now happily swimming around in his new home. So far Zach has been very responsible in feeding him and he goes in to check on him often. The cats have also discovered this little moving thing and are quite interested in figuring out how to get their paw into the small opening on the top of the tank.

I’m just hoping we can keep him alive for a while.

Comments closed

Slime!

Published by dee on September 16, 2010

It has been a rather rough week around our house, so after dinner last night I thought we needed to do something fun. In this case, fun = slime!

I came across a super easy recipe for making slime at home over on Our Best Bites a few days ago and decided we just had to make some. We already had all of the ingredients except for the Borax so I picked up a box when I was out running errands yesterday to have it on hand.

The kids both helped pour the ingredients in and then we watched as the liquid changed into clumps, and eventually a nice ball of slime. They thought it was SO! COOL! and played with it for quite a while afterward.

We’ll definitely be doing this again. Poor Evie was not happy with her brother’s color choice, so we’re going to have to make some red (or maybe PINK) slime next time around. I want to try it with the clear glue that it mentions in the post but we didn’t have any of that at home.

********

For those following along regarding the bullying that I posted about yesterday, I was able to talk to Zach’s teacher this morning and am feeling much better about things. She already has plans for making some changes in the classroom (seating arrangements, etc.) that should help. Also, he’ll be sent to the restroom by himself rather than in a group to alleviate problems happening there. She expressed some concerns about things he is doing in class that we will both work on with him. All of the changes will take time, but I feel like we are moving in the right direction. I’m very thankful that he has a teacher that cares and wants him to be successful at school. I’m also very thankful for all of you, my incredibly supportive friends and family. Your comments both here and on Facebook really helped me get through the day yesterday without pulling my hair out.

1 Comment

Oops, I Did It Again!

Published by dee on December 7, 2007

Yesterday at lunch my mom and I ventured out to the fabric store because she has accepted the task of making a Santa Clause suit for my nephew to wear in his school’s Christmas play. Since it was snowing and my car handles the snow better than hers, I went along to help her pick up her supplies. The only problem with this was that we were going to a fabric store. Fabric stores are like crack to me. I can’t go in without buying something.

I went in with a couple of things in mind that I wanted to look for. I needed some fabric for a gift I want to make, and some art supplies to go along with the easel that Zach is getting for Christmas. I ended up not really getting any of that. I couldn’t find any fabric that I liked for the gift and didn’t find exactly what I was looking for in art supplies. But, I did find some Buzz Lightyear fabric that I couldn’t turn down, a Buzz Lightyear fabric book kit, a few patterns that looked fun, and some fleece remnants that were marked down super cheap (These are perfect for lining my dog’s kennel).

By the time I got home I was so giddy I couldn’t stand it. I had planned on waiting until Zach went to bed and then starting in on the Buzz Lightyear projects. Unfortunately, when I was carrying in the incredibly see-through bag he got a peek of what was inside and started going nuts. He saw Buzz Lightyear and knew it was something for him.

I had decided to make a couple of quick pillows out of the fabric so as soon as I got Zach out of the bathtub and settled down I headed back to my sewing room and started in. I figured I could whip up a quick pillow for him before bed time. After a little problem with my machine and thread, I finally got a pillow put together. Zach came in and helped me stuff the pillow and we got it finished up just in time for him to head to bed. He was very excited about his Buzz Lightyear pillow and pushed his old Diego pillow right off the bed to make room. It didn’t help him go to sleep any faster, but he sure did like it.

I put together another quick pillow for my nephew but didn’t have quite enough stuffing so I’ll have to make a quick trip to Wal-Mart sometime this weekend so I can finish it up. Then I started in on the fabric Buzz Lightyear book. I know Zach is really a bit old for these types of books, but he still loves the one his Granny made him so I figured we might as well try it. Besides, I’ve been wanting to make one of these anyway to see how complicated they are. There are a LOT of babies that will be born soon and I really love to make gifts. I’m not sure when he’s going to get the book though. I think I may have to hold out for a while and make it a “potty prize”.

The book probably took me a couple of hours to put together, but part of that time was spent watching Grey’s Anatomy so I wasn’t going full force for that hour. It really was fairly simple and the finished product came out great. I think I could do it much faster the next time now that I have the process down.

I really surprised myself by finishing these all up in one night. I guess it just goes to show that I really can do it if I am determined. Now I need to get started on those Christmas gifts I wanted to make. I just need to find some more fabric…

Comments closed

Trying To Find Some Christmas Spirit

Published by dee on December 4, 2007

No matter how much I want to slow it down, Christmas seems to be coming up very quickly. I always enjoy the shopping, but I’m not exactly finding myself in the Christmas spirit yet. We’ve decorated the tree, pulled out the Christmas music, and have been reading all of Zach’s Christmas books, but I’m just not feeling it yet.

I really want Zach to get excited about Christmas this year because for some reason I think that if he gets excited it will help me get more excited. I’m not sure he really understands the whole concept yet, but I’m trying to teach him little by little what to expect on Christmas morning. I also would like to find a book written on a toddler level that tells the biblical Christmas story so he can learn that as well.

In my effort to get us both a little more excited, I decided to pull out the construction paper and have a little craft time with Zach. He wasn’t too sure about it at first, but once he found out he got to use glue he got a little more excited.

He worked really hard for a while, picking out the right colors and gluing each strip.

He got pretty excited when he started seeing results and figured out that we were actually making something with all of that paper and glue.

Zach got a little bored before we were finished. What can I say? He has the attention span of a two-year-old for some reason. While he watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, I finished up the chain. He came back to help a couple of times. I was pretty tired of it myself by the time I finally glued the last strip.

When all was said and done, we hung our Christmas paper chain up along the doorway next to the Christmas tree. Zach was very excited to see the finished product. I was just glad that it was finally done. I have to say that it was kind of fun while Zach and I were working together on it though. I can’t wait until he gets just a little bit older and we can do more things like this together.

Comments closed

The Bag Lady

Published by dee on November 3, 2007

I meant to write about this earlier this week, but somehow let it escape my mind. A very, very long time ago I followed a link somewhere that led to another link somewhere that led to another link and eventually I found a pattern for this super cute little tote bag. I would link to it but I have no idea where it originally came from now. At the time, I had just gotten a new sewing machine and was really wanting to learn to sew so I copied the pattern and had grand plans of giving the tote bag a shot.

As usually happens with my big plans, I never got around to starting it. You see, it required me going to a fabric store and actually purchasing the fabric and supplies needed to make the bag and I never managed to find my way there until last week. I decided Thursday during my lunch break to check out one of the local fabric stores. I was on a search for some cute Halloween fabric so that I could make Zach a Trick or Treat bag that he wouldn’t drag on the ground. I was apparently a little too late to find Halloween fabric, but along the way I fell in love with some coordinating flannels and decided they would make the perfect little tote bag.

I couldn’t wait to get started on my project and started cutting the fabric that night. By the time I got all the pieces cut and the interfacing ironed on I had to quit and go to bed. I couldn’t wait to get home and start sewing on Friday. I didn’t actually get started until about 9:30 that night, but after many toddler interruptions and a couple of sewing machine difficulties, I finally finished it. My seams are far from perfect and I could have possibly measured a little more carefully, but I absolutely love my little bag. Plus, I’m very impressed that I made the whole thing from start to finish. It is my first “real” sewing project and it actually turned out okay!

I also bought enough material that I can make a second one (because I figured I would manage to screw up the first somehow) so I’m thinking of trying again and possibly doing some experimenting with the size. We’ll see how it goes!

Today I am thankful for lazy Saturday mornings. There is nothing I love more than getting out of bed and snuggling up with my boy on the couch watching cartoons. It is really the only time all week that we get to just relax and be together. We spend so much time doing this and doing that, rushing through dinner and bathtime and bedtime routines during the week. It is really nice to just relax and enjoy being together for a couple of short hours on Saturday mornings. It is the perfect way to start the weekend.

Comments closed