Honey Bee Buzz

2012-01-15T18:42:00.000-08:00

Banana Bread (with Chocolate Chips)

my favorite banana bread adapted from Betty Crocker

My son and I made a triple batch (we had a lot of ripe bananas) and he enjoyed every minute of it. Okay, he enjoyed the eating and stirring parts the best. I don't keep buttermilk in my fridge. It just breaks the bank around here. So, I make some of my own. add a half of a tablespoon lemon juice to a measuring cup, then fill the rest up with milk to reach 1/2 cup. Let sit for 5 milks. Voila. Homemade buttermilk.

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup margarine softened

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 medium)

1/2 cup buttermilk (or homemade buttermilk)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Move oven rack to lowest or second to lowest position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of pan of two 8 inch loaf pans or one 9 inch. (or muffin tins)

2. Mix sugar and butter together until well mixed. Add in eggs and stir until well mixed. Add bananas, vanilla, and buttermilk. Mix until well blended. Add flour, soda, and salt until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide between pans

3. Bake muffins 15-20 minutes, 8 inch pan about an hour, 9 inch pan about 1 1/4 hour. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick until it comes out clean.

4. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan onto wire rack and cool completely. Store at room temp for 4 days or in fridge for 10 days.

Bacon Potato Chowder

2012-01-14T20:21:00.000-08:00

Bacon Potato Chowder (adapted from cdkitchen.com)

I have seen all over pinterest lately baked potato soup. But I didn't want a soup base. I wanted something oh so creamy. I found it, and then of course made it my own. Also, this is a one pot meal. Here we go:

1 pound bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup chopped onions

2 cloves garlic minced

4 cups diced potatoes

2 cups water (I used 2 1/2 c.)

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

2 cups sour cream

3 cups milk

(optional garnish: cheddar cheese and extra bacon)

In a large pot, cook bacon until brown.

Add onion and garlic and cook until tender.

Drain.

Add water and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender

Reduce heat to medium low.

Add soup, sour cream, and milk. Mix well.

Continue cooking and stirring until thoroughly heated.

Melissa

Pinterest Love

2011-11-13T20:35:00.001-08:00

I have been on a Pinterest Kick lately. Everything is just easier to see with a short description and a picture. Simplifying my life with more things to do. BUT, it has helped! Here are some of the things that i have found on pinterest lately that I have actually done!

I tried this out with my son's birthday party on Saturday and I think the kids loved it. It was easy to set up and easy to get through (he turned 3) but I think we will definitely be trying this one again. (The pictures should link you to the websites)

One pot macaroni and cheese. Delicious!

Jesse and I made this simple cards to send off to both sets of grandparents.

No link for this one. Just brush on nail polish for cute fun bobby pins.

Cookie Dough Egg Roll. Good. But I didnt cook them right. Tried again with marshmallow fluff and chocolate chips. That was pretty good too.

Marshmallow Fluff. Yummy!

And Ive tried these. My husband wasn't a huge fan, but my son and I gobbled them up. Delicious.

Now you can see why I love pinterest. I actually try recipes that I bookmark. and I get to look back and see pictures of the things I want to do with the kids. and do it. So, if you aren't already addicted to pinterest, let me know. You can get invited and start pinning!!!

2011-10-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

Poll: Who really is sexy?

My Son Jesse and I decided to enter a contest. We thought it might be fun to dance to a clip of "Sexy and I know it" and enter to win a trip to Los Angeles. Which would mean a trip to see Grandparents!!! Please go to this site:

Poll: Who really is sexy?

And vote for Melissa. We are the contestants with the Los Angeles gear on. We really want to go so we busted out our favorite move-- The Robot!!!!

Thanks for voting everyone!

~Melissa

Quilting Group

2011-07-09T21:23:00.000-07:00

This was my first quilt. And my only quilt. I didn't really have to learn a lot. Just cut a bunch of rectangles, sew them into strips, and then sew white strips in between and around. I really enjoyed making this quilt.

Yesterday, the ladies group at church (Relief Society) had a quilt group night. I was a bit nervous for a couple reasons.

1. Since we've moved to Wisconsin, I've found a job. My husband watches both kids while I am at work all day and leaving for two more hours in the evening would be kind of unfair to him.

2. I haven't quilted a lot. Much less in a group setting.

We (Tiffany and I) arrived and we were the first one's there. What a relief. I didn't have to show everyone all at once that I am still a novice! Tiffany and Laurie (the lady in charge) started talking blocks. Way over my head.

We were learning a Woven Twist Block. A whaty-what what? We learned how to do a partial seam and this is how my block turned out:

Its a little ske-wompy, but I was mostly happy with how it turned out. I used fabric from my stash. (you might notice the brown fabric is the binding in the first quilt).

We were supposed to make two blocks. One for a charity quilt with blocks from everyone from the group that goes all onto a quilt and then to a place like a hospital or a red cross. I only was able to finish one block, but I plan on making more and putting them all together into a quilt.

I don't think that all my fabric is going to match because I don't have much of this left and because I'm hoping not to have to buy any for the quilt blocks each month.

Winner!

2011-07-04T07:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July!

And now, for the winner.

Drumroll please!

Congratulations to Katie!

Thank you to everyone who entered and good luck on the next giveaway!

~Melissa and Tiffany

Loving Summer - In Pictures

2011-06-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

I've been moving giveaway

2011-06-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

After a lot of this:

and a lot of this:

and WAY too much of this:

and about 2,300 miles. We arrived! We moved to Wisconsin and now we are unpacking, looking for jobs, and trying not to get lost around our new neighborhood.

The good news is that Tiffany and I like about 6.5 minutes away from each other. With "traffic". Hee Hee.

So, in honor of trying to blog more (which hasn't happened yet), we are having another giveaway!

You could win this:

There is about 1/2 yard of each fabric!

THE DETAILS

How to Enter:

Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry

1. Comment on this post. Say: Congrats on the big move and good luck unpacking!

2. Let us know if you follow

3. Follow Tiffany's other Blog and let us know here!

4. For three additional entries buy something from our etsy shop. (We are working on a bag pattern and the shop will have more items for sell in the next month or so)

We will ship to U.S. and Canada (if the strike ends of course :D). Please either leave your email or make sure it is attached to your blog account. The giveaway will close Sunday July 3rd, just to make sure you have time to enter. Good Luck everyone!

~Melissa and Tiffany

Thank you, Tiffany for providing the fabric for this giveaway! <3

Happy Fathers Day

2011-06-19T12:05:00.001-07:00

Happy Fathers day from our families to yours.

Giveaway Winner

2011-05-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

Is number 2 - Cambric! Congrats!

Make sure to get your entering fingers ready for next month. I'm debating between a purse, or a clutch. Any preferences?? :D

Monthly Giveaway #1 - CLOSED

2011-05-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

Hello! Happy Friday! Today, we are having our first monthly giveaway! It's easy peasy to enter, and here is what is up for grabs:

A crocheted flower with a scrubbie center, and a crocheted dishcloth. Both are handmade by me. :D

To enter:
1. Leave a comment
2. Be a follower - and leave a comment saying you are
3. Like us on facebook - and leave a comment saying you did (Button is on the right of our blog!)
Fine print: Will ship to the US and Canada. Will email if you win, so please make sure to either leave your email, or have an email attached to your blog id. Giveaway will close on Monday morning, May 29th.

So there you have it! Every month we will be having something handmade or supplies for something for you to make. Just a little something to say thank you for reading our ramblings, sharing our love of crafting, and inspiring us yourselves!

~Tiffany and Melissa~

Moving

2011-05-25T14:10:00.000-07:00

My lovely sister, Melissa, is moving closer to me! About 5 minutes away from the now 3000 miles!! I am so excited! We will have some lovely crafting time in a couple of weeks. To celebrate this, I think we will be starting a *giveaway* tradition. A once a month thing. So check back tomorrow - you don't wanna miss it! :D

Love to all the followers!!
<3

_Tiffany_

Bells

2011-05-23T10:13:00.001-07:00

Love these in the garden!

Happy Easter!!

2011-04-24T10:01:00.001-07:00

Hope you all have a fun filled holiday weekend! <3

Moo Moo lunch bag

2011-04-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest project! The pattern is from Joann's

I return to work on Wednesday from the best 10 weeks of maternity leave ever. sigh

Since I am breastfeeding, I have to pump at work. With my first child, I would just take a brown paper bag to store the milk in the fridge so that no one could see it. But sometimes the bag would get wet and the bag would just fall apart.

I decided to whip up this quick bag. I skipped the insul-bright because the bag would be straight in the refrigerator after I pumped, and because my commute from work is ten minutes, so I didn't need the extra lining.

I used the cow fabric from my stash. Thought it was cute. Kind of letting everyone know not to open my bag in the fridge! :D

FlashCards Love

2011-04-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

I have recently made an Etsy Purchase I just had to gush about!

Number and Alphabet Flash Cards made by Katie.

Check them out in her shop here

She just added the Colors set and Shapes set. I bought those today and can't wait to print them out. At $3 a PDF set, they are a steal of a deal! You can print them out as many times as you want and get your kids to learning! :D

I stole the pictures above from her blog, so stop by and take a look around. You might just fall in love like I did! And hopefully those of you that have a toddler will go take a look at the awesome flash cards too!

My New Toy

2011-03-27T17:24:00.000-07:00

Does this mean my crafting might suffer? Maybe. But I think it's more like - another creative outlet can only help. Isn't that how it works?? ;)

Springtime In Wisconsin - Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

Going Manual

2011-03-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

Recently I won an ebook from this giveaway.

The book is called Say No to Auto! and you can buy your own copy here

I have been a bit terrified of switching to the manual mode on my camera because I don't know what I am doing. I do know that I just have the "kit" lens, and I still have a lot to learn, but today was my first day. I said No to auto. I just did what Kristen suggests. I took a couple of pictures and didn't worry what they looked like, but rather just played with my settings. Here are some of the pictures. We had a bit of a rough potty training day, so we stayed indoors near the window instead of finding open shade outside.

These are two straight out of camera from AUTO:

And here are two straight out of camera on MANUAL:

These reflect more of a true coloring of what she was looking like. I still have lots to learn, but it was fun experimenting today.

Quilt in progress

2011-03-14T19:15:00.001-07:00

For a baby in our ward, kurt and I worked on this together. Will be perfect for the family. :-)

Tiffany

Do you own a Nuby Breast Pump?

2011-03-11T16:31:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I recently purchased a Nuby Natural Touch Rhythm Breast Pump. Wouldn't it be my luck that during the last couple of weeks of pregnancy baby brain, I lost the instructions manual?

If anyone has this breast pump, can I please get a copy of the instructions manual?

Thanks friends!

Yummy cookies

2011-03-08T07:21:00.001-08:00

That's right, cookies for breakfast. But they have Oatmeal so it's okay. Harriet homemaker shared this recipe and I had to try them. Yum!

Baby Eleanor

2011-02-18T05:28:00.000-08:00

Since my lovely sister Melissa is spending time with her adorable little girly...I'm posting some pictures to share with all of you.

Isn't she a cutie? And Missy was right! She was a good solid 8 lbs plus!

Baby Day

2011-02-16T06:45:00.001-08:00

Today is the day.

In about twenty minutes, my husband and I get in the car and drive off to the hospital.

In about three days, we will be bringing home baby number two. Our sweet little girl.

I hope that you all have a wonderful rest of the week.

This is me a month and a half ago. So little then! She was probably a light six pound baby. My guess? She will be a solid 8 pound baby.

Help me Win - vote for my love story

2011-01-31T06:51:00.000-08:00

Go to facebook and like Ebel Photography. Then vote for my story! (Or, if you like the other stories better, you can vote for them). You simply have to like ebel photography, and under your favorite couples story comment "vote". Easy peasy! <3

Tiny Tot Tote

2011-01-24T14:40:00.000-08:00

Today I whipped this up:

It was so easy, and the instructions were very clear! I follower the tutorial from Harriet Homemaker.

I think it turned out super cute? Yes?

You should try out the tutorial. Make bags for all the little ones in your life - I know I can make a dozen more and find happy hands and homes :D

Do you love free Printables too?

2011-01-23T07:46:00.000-08:00

Sometimes its just plain nice to have a free printable ready for you.

Check out these sweet Valentine's Day printables from Sweet Art Boutique.

Leave her some comment love while you are there!

Thanks

Facebook Re-do

2011-01-19T22:13:00.000-08:00

First, I want to thank everyone that is being super patient with me as I'm reconnecting our facebook page!

Thanks!

Also, I have added the new facebook like button over to the right.

I have linked our blog posts so you can get updates there. I will also have a giveaway soon for just our facebook friends! Thanks again!!

Kirsti Koo Pattern Review

2011-01-19T07:13:00.000-08:00

Have you been over to Kirsti Koo's blog yet? It's a must!

Kirsti is very talented. Her etsy shop has patterns that any seamstress would enjoy using!

I am reviewing Kirstikoo's Super Hero Cape Pattern. A-ma-zing!

I couldn't get a great picture because my two year old is at the point where he doesn't have the patience to take pictures with mom. Here are the best pictures I could get (potty training underwear and all)

What I loved about this pattern: It comes with all the letters of the alphabet to customize for your superhero. It is easy to follow, clearly written, and easy to print at the correct size. Working with the satin-y material can be difficult, but following the steps in the pattern made it much more manageable. I was able to finish this project in a short amount of time which is also important to me right now. :D

I was worried that the pattern didn't call for any type of fusible interfacing to piece the super hero emblem to the sating, but by following the steps in the pattern, it worked perfectly! I didn't have any puckering! The pattern comes with a Superman shield as the pattern where the letter goes, but I wanted to have more of a diamond shape, so I just added the second point on the opposite side, creating a diamond.

Overall, I loved this pattern. Easy to follow and Easy to put together. A fast project that looks like I spent a lot of time on it! I am going to be making some of these for nieces and nephews, that is for sure!

You can get your pattern today at the Kirstikoo etsy shop. If you buy the superhero accesory set you can get the cape pattern for free! That is a great deal! Go check it out and let Kirsti know I sent you!

Thanks Kirtsi for letting me review your awesome pattern!

***The review of this pattern is my sole opinion. I didnt receive any money for this review. I received the pattern for free to review and gave my honest opinion.

Pink Sweet Treats has a pattern review and giveaway

2011-01-18T20:29:00.000-08:00

Tiffany's blog has a pattern review and giveaway going on right now.

Make sure to check it out!

Thanks

My Valentine Table Topper

2011-01-18T06:54:00.000-08:00

When at my LQS, they had this easy quilt as you go looking table topper - so I snatched it up! (about 5 bucks, can't beat that!!)

So, I whipped this beauty up. LOVE IT!! Was super quick and easy, and makes me feel the love in the air....

Gotta love hearts...

Doesn't this make you feel all lovey??

Linking with:

Swaperoos Valentine's Day Swap

2011-01-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love Valentine's Day? I do! That is why I signed up for the Swaperoo's Valentine's Day Swap! I am really excited! Go check it out and let them know we sent you! It should be a really great swap and you have until the 17th to decide if you want to enter!

Do you have any secrets to share?

2011-01-12T13:19:00.000-08:00

Do you possibly live in a small space, and make the most of it?
Do you have a small room (most commonly the kitchen), and still manage to live well?
Do you live with someone else (roommates, in laws, parents) - and get along?
Do you have a small family in a little apartment and no where to store the kids clothes (let alone any crafting supplies or fabric?!)
Do you live in a townhome or garage and have a unique idea of where to store your holiday decorations and storage?

If so - we might be in similar boats!

Would you like to share your story with us? Tell us how you stay organized?

We are planning on a two week little "blog party" sharing our tips and tricks, and featuring you and your tips, tricks, and survival/coping mechanisms.

Crockpot Chicken and Salsa

2011-01-09T16:47:00.000-08:00

Coming up with ideas for dinner is not my favorite thing to do. Somehow though, having a helper makes the preparation of dinner easier! My two year old LOVES to cook dinner with me. He knows when I get home from work its our time in the kitchen. Just this past week we made pizza bagels with mini pepperoni and I let him put the cheese and pepperoni on. He is really good about keeping it on the pan too!

One of the homemade gifts this year was his own Apron. He loved it when he opened it, but in this picture I asked him to wear it so I could take a picture, but he wouldn't smile-- Toy Story was on!

Easy Crockpot Chicken and Salsa

3-4 Chicken Breasts

1 jar of your favorite salsa (I used Pace medium shown here)

1 can of corn (optional)

Cook in the crockpot on low for 6-8 hours. Chicken will be shreddable and excellent as Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice), tacos, with toppings like cheese and sour cream, on nachos, etc.

This recipe is great because you can vary the taste depending on the salsa use. Green Salsa, Black Bean Salsa, Raspberry Chipotle, etc. You could use instead of salsa, a can or two of Rotel.

Sadly I didn't have time to make beans, so we used Refried beans from our food storage.

New Year, New Start

2011-01-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

Let's all take a breath and relax a minute. Holiday madness is over, the rush to finish gifts is done, and now it's time to start over.

With the new year, and resolutions, we have the chance to start again.

So here's to a new year -
may we all make resolutions we can keep
may we all craft more, love more, and have more gratitude.

And just because we all need something fun to do....check this out.

blocklotto.blogspot.com

I just joined it, and finished washing fabric, so off to piece a block or two today. :D

Bright Blocks Table Runner

2010-12-28T06:54:00.000-08:00

What started out as a bunch of strips of brightly colored fabric, soon turned into my first Table Runner. I didn't know what I was doing, so I asked Tiffany a lot of questions, Googled some tutorials, and made up my own design.

My friend Madison is getting married today and I wanted her to have something fun and springy for her table. This is the end product:

I drew up a basic design and then Jesse and I laid out the pieces. I had sewed my strips together and then cut them and turned them so that they were going all kinds of ways.

piecing it together

One of the 16 stitches on my sewing machine. What is that? I should have more than 16 stitches? I thought so too! My husband bought me a new sewing machine for Christmas!! I haven't been able to play with it yet, but I know it will be lots of fun!

The front

The back and my first attempt at hand stitching binding on.

Wow! After this table runner, I feel like making a quilt. I really hope Madison and her new husband enjoy it and that it will bring a smile to their faces

Fun in the Snow

2010-12-22T21:01:00.000-08:00

I just think he's adorable all bundled up :)

Attack of the snow bank

Trying to make his own snowballs.

Trying to sew sew sew and finish up Christmas gifts. (Wow, it's creeping up and I'm not done!!!)
Hope everyones Holidays are full of family and fun.

Quick Trick Blanket

2010-12-21T05:38:00.000-08:00

This weekend my FIL was cuddled up in his recliner under this ratty old fleece blanket:

Can you see that yellow and gold blanket??

This is the fleece we chose

I made curves at the corners - instead of metered binding.

He says its super warm, but it needed to be replaced. So I got 2 yards of cute fleece, and some matching flannel, and set to make a blanket similar to what he already had. I didn't layer it - just the one layer of fleece. The flanel I cut into 2 inch strips, and then had the raw edges meet in half, so that I could use it as a binding and only sew it once. Now he will have this blanket to open for Christmas. This was my first attempt at a blanket like this - it was weird for me to do blanket this way....I'm very bad at machine binding, so some of my stitches are uneven. I don't think it's very noticeable unless you take a closeup picture...I hope he loves it!

Making Marshmallowy Memories with Mommy

2010-12-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

I've seen the chocolate covered marshmallow pops all over blog land. I decided this would be something that Jesse could really help with. We had tons of fun (decided to skip the sticks) and he made a whole bag choosing what kinds of toppings (sprinkles, green sugar crystals, crushed trix, or crushed cinnamon cookies).

Setting up the Sprinkles

Getting a mouthful. He is wearing his cousin's apron because his apron is wrapped and under the tree.

The chocolate was really warm so I would dip it and let it cool for a couple of seconds before letting him pick what to dip it in.

We both like chocolate. :D

We had lots of fun. I cant believe how much he was enjoying it (he is only two), and how much he wanted to do on his own. We got through almost the whole bag before he was done dipping and just eating the sprinkles again.

Hope you have fun making memories with your kids this Holiday Season! Merry Christmas!

Giveaway Winner

2010-12-18T07:03:00.000-08:00

Here are the random numbers chosen:

4 -

ibelaura said...
PINK!!!!

7
robin said...
great fabric! Love the blue.


Will be emailing the winners now.
Thanks to everyone who entered and stopped by. Now I gotta run and finish binding this table runner I need for dinner party tonight!
Tata!!

Edited : I don't know what I did - but I have weird numbers all over this post (those that read this on the blog site and not in their reader). I'm sorry! Please ignore them until I can figure out what I goofed on.

These are a few of our favorite things...

2010-12-15T19:32:00.000-08:00

Giveaway Now Closed

I dare you to get that song out of your head now :)

In the spirit of Christmas, and giving, we would like the chance to share something with all of our virtual friends - and here is a little bit of my favorite things (yes, I love pink)

Pink Bundle

Blue Bundle

I love these together - doesn't it scream little boy? :D

And this little stack of fabric can be yours! To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is leave us a comment telling us which color of fabric, or both, you'd prefer if you're a winner! If you want another chance at some of my favorite things - I'm also having a giveaway at my other blog here, so it's really a 3 part giveaway! 3 chances to win!!! Feel free to spread the word - you'll help us spread good cheer!

__The fine Print__
- 1 entry per person please
- Please make sure we can contact you via blogger email, or leave your email in the comment.
- Only open to those in the US and Canada
- Giveaway winner will be picked by RNG Saturday 9am Central time. Winners name will be posted, and we will attempt to contact the winner.
- This is not a sponsored giveaway, each fabric bundle is from my stash, and each bundle is about 1 yard in total. All fabric is 100% cotton, quilting quality.

Thanks for visiting and good luck!

Facebook Friendly

2010-12-14T07:37:00.000-08:00

I know how to work Facebook for talking to my friends. Heck, our Grandma even knows how to use Facebook. But when I set up the Honeybeebzz Facebook page a while back, I left it neglected because I was too confused. Well, we are proud to announce that we are now on Facebook and want you to come check us out!

See this thing on the left hand column? That links to our Facebook page. You can click "like" and it will like honeybeebzz on Facebook. So, we will be posting a little more often on Facebook about exciting news or things we are thinking about. Hope to see you there!

Brownies, Forts and Santa - Pictures.

2010-12-06T12:31:00.000-08:00

Jesse wore one of my aprons (poor guy!) to help me make brownies. Another thing to make him for Christmas :D

He kept all the brownie mix in the bowl while he stirred. Impressive for two!

Don't judge. I ate the batter as a kid and Im doing just fine.

Building a living room fort with Dad.

My bestie Madison who I threw a Bridal Shower for (with her mom and sister's big help!)

This morning's thirty second bento.

The Neck pillow I sewed for Grannanny for Christmas. (surpirse!)

Jesse and Chuck and Chuck's work Christmas party

Jesse with his balloon Mickey Mouse

Merry Christmas!

Cute kid huh!

Is it too late to cancel Christmas?

2010-12-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

I feel like such a party pooper! This really is my favorite season - and not just cuz it's an excuse to bake all the time. I love the giving spirit people are in. I love Christmas music (been blaring over here since Thanksgiving, poor hubby). I love the glittery decoration, the twinkly lights, and the smell of a real tree. (Wistful sigh, we have a fake this year. But we do have a huge tree outside! Decked out with lights. I'll go sniff that.)

There is one thing this Christmas season I'm scrooging about - gifts. I thought I'd be that wife/mother/sister/aunt this year that was AMAZING and had everything handmade, wrapped and ready before Christmas. I guess it doesn't help that I see new and exciting ideas on etsy and through the blogs I read - and want to start on those projects. Maybe I've just set the bar to high - and I need to be happy with what I've done, and not strive for perfection. Everyone will love their gifts, even if they're not perfect - cuz Santa just can't do it all. Here's hoping they love it more for me not being frazzled.

So today I'm starting a campaign...laid back Christmas. Here's to taking it easy, going with the flow, and enjoying the shine in your children's eyes as they see the wonders of the holidays :)

Etsy Shopping

2010-12-04T04:53:00.000-08:00

This morning, my son woke up at 4 am. Usually we just go back to sleep, but for some reason this morning we are watching Toy Story at 4 am. So, my son is snuggled up laying on the floor watching the movie and I am browsing Etsy. The first thing I had to do, was head back over to Notes from a Very Red Kitchen blog and her post about Winter Peach , a SUPER CUTE etsy shop with super cute patterns. This is what I bought this morning:

a 4-pack pattern for the Mary Jane Flats in sizes newborn to Women's 11. I am really excited to try these out (as soon as I get my Christmas projects done!). Go Check out this really cool shop! She has cute bag patterns too!

MY NEW TOY IS HERE!

2010-12-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

And I just had to use caps! My beautiful accuquilt has arrived, thanks again to Linda at LavenderRidge for hosting the giveaway. So excited!

I'd be showing you pictures of this baby in use - but my oven kind of exploded. (I had it self clean, and there was white ash/dust everywhere. We've been taking turns wiping it down, etc. It's very sad!) So, once my oven is whipped back into shape - pictures will abound!!!

<3

How many presents do you give your kids?

2010-11-23T13:42:00.000-08:00

The main reason for writing this post is to get YOUR opinions! Please help me out!

Each Holdiay season, since I've been married, I have participated with my in-laws in the thrill of Black Friday shopping. The anticipation of the ads coming out, the pouring over them to decide what is best for my husband, and then recently what I should get for my son, the pain of standing in the cold, the rush of getting the perfect toy or the perfect outfit at the perfect price.

This year, I'm not quite sure I'm feeling it. I've looked at ad previews, and nothing catches my eye for my little two year old munchkin. Sure, I will wake up early and grab some great deals on PJ’s and a couple of things for Jesse that I have decided on. But I've been thinking. Will he appreciate these things? Do I go Christmas shopping for him, or for myself?

Recently I have found some great ideas on blogs about how others give gifts to their kids. Some have an all homemade Christmas, Some give the four gifts on Something you want, need, wear, and read.

My favorite idea (and if my husband would ever agree to it I would start right away) is the Three Gifts of Christmas. Jesus received three gifts, it should be enough for us right? There have been two ways that I have seen it and I really like both:

Gold – G – Garment/Clothing

Frankincense- F – Fun

Myrrh – M – Mind

Gold – Want

Frankincense – Spiritual Growth

Myrrh – Body (clothes)

I have also heard of three presents. One from mom, one from dad, and one from Santa. I think I would stick with the three themed presents above, keep Santa in the picture for his Present and stocking stuffers, and then have the traditional PJ’s opened the night before. I really like the idea that it concentrates on the Birth of Christ, rather than present giving, and it gives more time and money to Family Traditions.

How many or How do you give gifts to your Children? Any ideas would be great!

Happy Early Thanksgiving! Good luck to the Black Friday shoppers out there!

Ornaments to be Exchanged

2010-11-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

My three ornaments (instead of just one!) to be exchanged. I'm going to send them out today. I made three ornaments becuase I wanted to play around with a couple of different types. I hope my exchange partner loves them!

Sew Many Ways shows us a Great Tree Skirt

2010-11-18T18:15:00.000-08:00

I haven't been able to keep up with reading my blogs lately, so I'm trying to slowly catch up instead of just skipping over it. This morning, while on a break at work, I found an amazing tutorial. I love tutorials that are easy to follow, easy to recreate, easy on the pocketbook, and easy on the eyes (lots of pictures!). Karen's tutorial has it all. Check out this great tutorial for a No Sew Tree Skirt for $2.50!

Tupperware

2010-11-18T18:04:00.000-08:00

If you didn't see my previous post about Heidi's Tupperware store:

Here is a deal for you: for everyone that purchases anything from Heidi's Tupperware site from now until the end of November, email me and I will send you a small homemade gift made by myself. I will just double check with Heidi first that your order has gone through and then I will send off your little surprise. No better thing that tupperware and a free gift right? Go check it out!

Heidi has decided to double this offer! For the end of the month, if anyone one mentions you saw this offer on Honey Bee Bzz, you can get a free tupperware goody from Heidi with your order. You just have to let both of us know so you can get your free goodies! Now go check out some great things you can give (or get!) for Christmas or the Holidays!

Blogging Friends

2010-11-18T07:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you meet someone online, start to read their blog, and really feel like you start to get to know them too. Sometimes you read a blog and wish you could meet someone IRL because they are super cool. I want to introduce you to Heidi from Craft Monkey. She, my friends, is super cool. I'm serious.

I recently had a question about Tupperware. I remembered that she had a link on her website to her store. She was super helpful and answered all my questions and even sent me a sample. Can you believe that? So great! You should all check out her website and her Tupperware store!

Tupperware always reminds me of growing up. Who didn't have Tupperware in their house growing up? But now, they have a whole lot more!

Seriously neat products out! I love it. Go check out some of the new things. Here is a deal for you: for everyone that purchases anything from Heidi's Tupperware site from now until the end of November, email me and I will send you a small homemade gift made by myself. I will just double check with Heidi first that your order has gone through and then I will send off your little surprise. No better thing that tupperware and a free gift right? Go check it out!

Now, back to

She has Sugar Free Sundays with great recipes

Apple Streusel Muffins

Cute Holiday Crafts:

Halloween Lanterns

Crafting with our Kids ideas too!

Homemade Salt Dough Ornaments

She has a lot of cute ideas, so go check out my friend Heidi!

Cha-Ching on a Shoestring

2010-11-15T17:24:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of Cha-Ching on a Shoestring?

Its a great website that has great deals. I love their Target deals and have been able to get a couple of great buys before, but today was a wonderful deal! After my son's doctor's appointment, we ran over to Target with some coupons. See, I wanted to get the LeapFrog Tag reading system for my son, and I needed to get some stuffing for the work potluck on Thursday.

Here is what I bought:

With the coupons I found at the Cha Ching Website (I get the email) I got Stove Top for FOUR CENTS EACH and the Toy Story 3 Tag Junior System for $4.98!!

Can you believe that? It was truly an amazing shopping trip! And, I was so excited about the deals, I forgot to pick up a gallon of milk! So, check out that awesome website! And don't miss out on some great deals!

P.S. This website also reminds me about Disney movie deals. Like when Toy Story 3 came out with the 4-disc combo pack, they had an $8 off coupon so I scored my Blu-ray and DVD edition for $17!

Toy Story Birthday Party

2010-11-14T15:31:00.000-08:00

My son turned two his past week. Happy Birthday Jesse! Here is the party that I threw together.

Some of the food:

Buzz's Space Ranger Fuel and Bullseye's Watering Hole

Rex's Veggies

Slinky's Hot Dogs

Mr and Mrs Potato Head Chips

Hamm's Pasta Salad

Pin the tail on Bullseye

See how many Army Men you can drop into the Jar

I'm a winner!!!!!

2010-11-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

Ah! I'm sooooooo happy! *dances* I won an accuquilt go!! From this lovely lady's blog!! When it comes in the mail (and I'm done drooling over it) I'll cut up some lovelies and post for everyone to see!!

<3

Entering giveaways pays off! I'm proof! :D

Birthdays are Fun!

2010-11-08T14:06:00.000-08:00

Dear SD will be 14 (ahhh!) tomorrow, and we had family dinner this past Saturday. She chose chocolate pie over birthday cake!!! She even had a super fancy flower candle with sparklers and music! :D

Look what I found!

2010-11-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

Stumbling upon blogs, I found this giveaway.... everyone go click, enter, and good luck! :D

go-giveaway

Need your Opinions

2010-11-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

Lovely Lovely Readers...

If you had a choice, for a giveaway, would you rather:

1. Fabric
2. A mini quilt
3. Table Runner

If you could please click and comment, and let us know whether you'd prefer a Christmas theme, or an all year theme. Thanks! :D

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, I realize Halloween was yesterday. But alas, I spent the day with my family, and am finally transferring pictures to computer :D

Here is our final jack-o-latern : Brobie, from Yo Gabba Gabba (the trick or treaters loved it)

And here is my son, dressed up, hating his hat. (He didn't wear it when we went door to door.)

Hope everyone enjoyed their halloween as much as we did!
<3

Easy Wipe Off Placemats

2010-10-23T04:20:00.000-07:00

My family is going to visit my sister Tiffany in October, so I have scheduled this post for then so that she won't know about these beforehand. I wanted to share you an easy project that my toddler and I put together as a small gift for his cousin and family. We wanted to make Easy Wipe off Placemats. This is how they turned out:

We used the Yo Gabba Gabba Characters because that is what my nephew is into. One character for each family member is on the front. Then "We love you" and Jesse's scribbles on the back with a border. Two sided! They are laminated in Contact Paper so you can just wipe them down and reuse them.

Jesse and I first cut a regular posterboard into 4 equal parts

Then we cut out our printed characters, glued them on, and named them for family members:

Then decide what you want on the reverse side, and if your child is helping, let them have at it:

Crafting in style:

Then cut out a big piece of contact paper that will fit over both sides and apply it (make sure the kids aren't putting bubbles in it if they are helping with this step). Smooth out and there you go:

Simple but it will make dinner time more fun and remind them that their Cali family Loves them!

O Christmas Tree-- You need an Ornament!

2010-10-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

Aren't Ornaments the best? Tiffany and I have tried to exchange ornaments for Christmas every year since we both got married and I love the tradition. Others love it too!! Check out this awesome Ornament Exchange and sign up!

It should be lots of fun and you have until November 1st to sign up! So hurry over there and sign up to make and receive an adorable ornament!

Sometimes you need to make something for yourself!

2010-10-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

I made this gorgeous number for myself last night:

I love it - and the best part (other than wearing it around town) is that it got me out of the rut of finishing projects I HAD to do for other people...now I'm re-excited about sewing some new stuff up! :)

And on top of everything, today is Friday! Hope everyone finds some time to get some sewing/quilting/crafting done today!!

Only 9 More Days!!!

2010-10-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

In just 9 short days, my lovely sister Melissa and her "boys" are coming to visit me and mine! So exciting! I'm glad that I will meet my nephew, and she my son. Hopefully the boys (her husband, mine, and the two little ones) will be able to entertain themselves a day, without disaster, so we can get some crafting done! We have a couple cute projects in mind...so expect pictures...and maybe a surprise tutorial! If we can fit it in with visiting, catching up, spoiling of nephews, etc :)

Enjoy the rest of the week!!

The joys of children!

2010-10-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

A few days a week I help a friend and babysit their little one. It's great playtime for my little man, since they are all but a couple weeks apart in age!
Some days, they nap separately, and weird things like this happen :

Isn't he a cute little goof?

Usually - the house looks like this:

We had to buy two brooms - they fought over who could "sweep".

Kids - endless entertainment :D

-Tiffany-

Oh boy! I've decided to enter

2010-10-06T21:16:00.000-07:00

Oh boy! I can't believe it! After talking to Tiffany, I was able to get up enough courage to enter my Santa's Undies into the Crafting with the Stars competition. Go check out the competition and look at all the amazing ideas that people have put up so far!

Santa's Undies!

2010-10-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

I know that is only October, but this would be a great thing to start on for stocking stuffers or to hand out to friends and neighbors!

Santa's Undies!!

These cute little things have candies inside! Here is the saying that goes with them:

We looked for stockings but couldn't find a spare

So we ended stuffing Santa's Underwear.

Cute right?

I made a Santa's Suit one, as well as a green pair. Both are really cute. Here are some more pictures of the front and backs:

My son going in for a grab of lifesaver candies

Chocolate covered raisins

Want to make some of your own? This is my first attempt at sharing a PDF. Here is the pattern:

Santa Undies

Let's see if that works!

All you do is cut out the front and back and bum flap on felt. I used a blanket stitch on the two shown, but I have previously hand sewn it just rustic looking. You could also machine sew it. Make sure to attach the bum flap before you sew the front and back together. Once you have sewn it, cut out a heart on card stock and write the cute message on it and attach with ribbon or embroidery floss.

Fill with candy and you are finished.

Wouldn't this be cute for kids, nieces, nephew, grandkids, friends, etc!

Little Trick or Treat Bags

2010-10-04T17:30:00.000-07:00

My lovely lovely sister Melissa and her family are flying out to visit me and mine the end of this month. I am so so so excited! I haven't seen my little nephew yet, and he is almost 2!!! This will be such an awesome visit!

Because it's so close to halloween, we will be doing some family outings for the boys in costume - Jesse will be Buzz Lightyear, and Everett will be Woody. (We will blog and post photos when the costumes are done.)

So - since the kids will be dressing up, they needed treat bags! Quilts and More magazine - fall 2010 - had the perfect little bags on their cover! I had the black skull fabric on hand, and ran quick to the store to buy some accenting fabric, and whipped up these two bad boys!

Insides

In my hand - so you can see how cute of a size they are!!!

I think I might whip some of these out for Christmas time - secret santas etc. Can put some cute little gifts in and give as a thank you to someone, to a teacher, or even just a "just because" little gift!

Adventures with a Bento Box

2010-09-30T22:53:00.000-07:00

(I have been having major troubles loading pictures into blogger lately. I double checked to see if the train was right in the picture, but it came out vertical. Sorry. Trying to work on that.)

My son is almost two and while I go to work, my mother in law watches him. His nap time is during lunch and so it has sometimes been hard for her to get him to sit down and eat lunch. I thought it might be nice if I made some lunches from mom for him to have during the day. I have read recently about Bento Box Lunches and have decided to give them a try.

My first step was to buy a cute little box and some accessories. I bought some things at Wal-Mart, Joanns, and the Dollar Store. But I found the bento box at the Disney Store. It was $5.50 and a great size for him. He had spaghetti for dinner and so he is having leftovers. I cut out cheese with a train cookie cutter.

For the second layer of his bento box, I made a small sandwich with sourdough bread and a slice of dry salami. I used little silicone cups to separate the train sandwich and the gold fish from his dried fruit (he loves fruit).

I also told Hope (my awesome mother in law) its okay if he eats his regular snacks (string cheese, apples, etc). We'll see how much he eats.

Here is everything packed up in his new "mouse" lunch box:

Now I need to just start packing my own lunches like this so that I eat better at work. :D

Preview - A quilt for my Mom

2010-09-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

Here it is, quilt top almost finished. Gonna add a border all around, then I think it will be all done. I have a pinwheel addiction atm, can you tell?? :D

The middle blocks are called Double Spinwheels. Go visit Marcia at quilters cache! She has a great collection of blocks. I think that I picked the perfect block to go with my pinwheels!

Birthday Present

2010-09-23T10:02:00.000-07:00

My husband's aunt lives a couple of states away, so with her birthday coming up I wanted to send her something that wouldn't cost a lot to ship, but that she would enjoy. and use.

I first decided on fabric. She is a very talented singer and so I decided on a simple musical notes fabric. Then I went ahead and made some hot pads. The hot pads were similar to the ones Ive made previously from The Idea Room's pattern. I tried square ones this time. I like the size, but the bias tape didn't come out perfectly. Corners are difficult. :)

I also made a simple card. The card is brown, not purple.

Her birthday is on saturday so Im hoping it gets there on time.

Happy Birthday

My son's new Bow Tie

2010-09-21T06:49:00.000-07:00

I sometimes star things in my google reader and then forget about them. Occasionally I think "I have a million projects I want to try, but no time or money." I was looking through my starred items when I came across the bow tie tutorial from Scraps and Strings. It looked fairly simple enough and I didn't need a lot of fabric. I bought a fat quarter on my trip to Wal-Mart Saturday night. Sunday morning I cut and started sewing. Things never go according to plan, so I finished the tie by hand sewing the last few steps during the announcements in Sacrament Meeting. (Bad Melissa I know!). Although I don't know which is worse. Sewing during church, or taking a picture with a camera phone so that I can blog about it!

Thanks

for an awesome blog on my list. Thanks Ruth for an easy to follow tutorial!

Okay, Go check them out!

The Stitchery Reveal

2010-09-10T22:26:00.000-07:00

Here is my finished stitchery that I have made into a pillow. The pattern is from Twin Stitchers.

It is for my mother in law. It is all her grand-kids on a swing set. Recently she lined up all the California grand kids on the swing set out front and took some pictures. I thought it would be really nice if I could go ahead and make it into a pillow for her. It was my first pillow and I think next time I will use a pillow form instead of pillow batting... I felt it was a bit too lumpy for my liking. But its just for decorations so I guess its okay.

Also, I need to learn how to hand blind stitch. Really need to learn. Oy vey.

Helicopters and Stiticheries

2010-09-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

My son is almost two and he is such a fun guy. He is really into Airplanes and Helicopters so my husband and I took him to a Helicopter Air show a little while ago. He really enjoyed himself but was too "scared" to go onto a helicopter. Hopefully he will get over that fear soon. :D

One of the best parts about the airs how was how close you could get to all of the helicopters. They had a lot out on display and the ones that were flying overhead would land in the back part of the field we were in and it was amazing. The wind you can feel off a helicopter as it lands is pretty crazy. Something I hadnt experienced before.

Also-- to keep you updated. I am working on some Stitcheries right now, but that are top secret (presents) until I am finished with them, so stay tuned for when that happens.

Love,

Smurfs!!!

2010-09-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

First Quilted Quilt!

2010-09-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, that title is a little tongue twister huh! But its true! I quilted my first quilt!!! My MIL and I were shopping a couple weeks ago, and she found this paneled fabric she loved. So, we got some, and found backing and binding she loved also. She didn't even ask me to sew together the quilt top, just wanted it quilted together! Easy!

All in all, it took about 2 hours to machine quilt it, I tried to make it look like the dragon flies and butterflies loop de looped over the top. Chose the darker green thread so that the quilting would be noticeable, since it wasn't pieced together.

August BOM

2010-09-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

AH! I'm so slow my poor readers! It's been done for a bit, but had issues with my camera - I misplaced my cable. All is fine now! It's been found!

Here's my BOM for August. Just in time for me to go pick up Septembers :P

July BOM

2010-08-17T18:30:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a BOM with my local quilt shop - and here is July's blocks. Made with Thangles, I love the fabric they chose. I just picked up my August block, so hopefully in a couple days I can show you that one too. My first BOM quilt, and I'm enjoying myself :D

The King of Zucchinis

2010-08-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

This monster zucchini came out of our garden - the only giant one we've got. The rest of our zucchinis are predictably normal size. I've got 4 batches of zucchini bread out of it, plus some leftover. Think I'll try making some zucchini cheddar muffins! :D (btw, those are full size cucumbers in the picture.)

CSN stores Review time!

2010-08-03T07:12:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the long wait for the review! First off, I’m 10 weeks pregnant. Soon I will be over the morning sickeness hump. Until then, I am a bit grumpy. Second, I had taken pictures with my mom’s camera and then forgot to ask for them, so I took my camera over to her house to take pictures (the toy is stored at Grandma and Grandpa’s house) and left my camera there for a week. So, now I have pictures and a free moment and enough energy to write up this post.

I ordered from CSNstores.com the MY First Choo Choo Train. It is part of the NKOK My First RC Series.

I ordered it on a Thursday. The expected delivery date was one week. I received it two days early. How exciting to come home from work and have a big package with my name on it. Jesse and I opened up the box and his eyes lit up. The first thing he did when I pulled it out of the box was say “Mine!” (We are working on manners, but he is still learning to talk :) )

The first thing I noticed about the train is that it requires 1 9v and 4 aa batteries and it only included 2 aa. I figured if you were going to include batteries, include them all. So, off I ventured to target’s dollar section for some batteries.

Once we took it, with batteries, to my parent’s hard wood living room floor, Jesse fell in love. He learned how to use, passed it around so others could use it and he could chase it, and of course laughed and enjoyed himself. He had hours of fun chasing this toy around and now when we go over to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for Sunday dinners, that is the toy he wants me to bring out. He is pretty rough with his toys right now, and this one has stood up to some abuse from him, but also from his two uncles that are 12 and 17.

Jesse loves his choo choo train. Overall, it is a great toy. I think that it is funny that if you don’t turn it off, it reminds you every so often that it is still there and wants to be played with by making choo choo noises. We have to make sure it is turned off before leaving so it doesn’t drive my parents bonkers. :D

Thanks CSNstores.com for a great quality product, great customer service, and a wonderful delivery time.

Mini Ironing Board!!!

2010-07-29T17:58:00.000-07:00

The one thing to make my sewing area complete was a mini ironing board so that I can sew and turn and press seams, and sew again. Here are some cute pictures of it. I took some insubright in the middle and used a stable gun on the bottom to hold it in place. It even has little feet on it - my FIL made it fit for me!!

Upcoming

2010-07-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

Hi! A lot has been going on this summer and so our blog has sprung a couple of cobwebs. No need to fear, we are still around.

I was ready to type up and post my great review for the item I received from CSNstores.com, but I left my camera at my mom's house and can't get it yet and so I have to wait. Sorry guys! I guess that's what happens when you are 9 weeks pregnant... You get prego brain and forget everything.

My husband recently started up again on work for a two month job. Even though its only two months, we are excited. In fact, we decided last year when he was laid off that with his first working paycheck, we would take Jesse to Disneyland for the first time. We will be going there on Saturday and we are getting excited! I definitely need my camera back before Saturday.

Because there has been a lot going on lately, we havent worked on any major projects, but I wanted you to know we aren't gone forever! We are still here and will be posting more soon. I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer and enjoying the Great Outdoors.

Have a fabulous day!

Cards for a Cause

2010-07-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

Dani over at Craft Rookie is amazing! Her friends, Stewart and Ciera (click on their name to read their story) are going through a tough time, and Dani is helping out. Stewart has a heart condition and needs to raise money to afford a trip to Minnesota as well as the hospital bills that will pile up from the trip.

Dani has decided to sell these:

for $3.00 each, as well as sponsor spots on her blog. All proceeds will go to Stewart and Ciera and help raise the $10,000 they will need for this trip. This is a big task, so if you want to donate more you can always donate to their paypal account on either theirs or Dani's blog.

I'm glad that Stewart and Ciera have the blog community to spread the word and help them. They can't do it on their own and we can make great friends on the internet-- we all know that. Please check out Craft Rookie and look at her fabulous cards!

Carry All Tote Bag

2010-07-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

I'm on a purse roll!

Here's the latest. :D

Front and back are slightly different.
Enjoy!

Link to a Giveaway!

2010-07-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

So - I occasionally buy fabric from Connecting Threads, and I purchase ALL of my thread there. I receive their emails, and saw they have a giveaway going on!

I am sharing it with you guys. It's for a book on quilting simpler, and a sampler pack of fat eighths!!

Go Here and check it out and enter.

Good luck!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth!

2010-07-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July Kiddos! Take a moment to be thankful for the freedom we enjoy.

And have a red n blue sprinkled cupcake! <3

Melissa & Tiffany

Another Purse/Tote Bag!!

2010-07-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

I have to say - my favorite thing to sew/quilt so far are bags! Purses, makeup bags, pouches for phones, etc. I love em all!!

Here's my latest project - I love it! It's for my sister, but I want to steal it ! <3

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-30T05:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, it was birthday cake. Yum!

Appliquéd Fan Blocks

2010-06-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

So - I'm slowly working on a quilt for my room. It will eventually be 30 fan blocks...so far, I have one done! My SIL was here this past weekend and helped show me her applique tips, and let me tell you, it really helped!

Here's a picture of the completed appliqued block.

Now I just need to make 29 more, and sew everything together! I'll just add that to my ever growing to do list! :D

Review Preview

2010-06-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

Headboards, Atomic Clocks, and Wall Pot Racks. Oh MY!

That's right, we will be reviewing a product from CSNStores

They carry everything. From Bean Bag Chairs to super cute Storage Shelfs.

I'm still deciding what to review so make sure to check back when I receive my item and I can tell you all about it!

~Melissa

Forever After

2010-06-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of a fabulous site called Twin Stitchers?

Coley and Crista are twins that love to craft and are very artistic. Their work is amazing. You will have to check them out. Here is why. Not only are they amazing, they are having a BOGO sell! All their patterns are buy one get one free. And, if you check out their site, you will have to get some patterns! I have fallen in love!

Here is a completed project that I finished this week for a friend's wedding

I bought four patterns and Im excited to try them all out. Soon, I will save up to get one of the Family Tree patterns. They have a cute one of kids on a swing set! Go check out Twin Stitchers!

(Twin Stitchers did not endorse this post)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-09T07:27:00.000-07:00

Makeup Bags

2010-06-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Look at these two cute makeup bags I got done today! One is bigger than the other, so I can hold the small one in it.

Cute huh?

Guest Blogging at EveryDay Mom Ideas

2010-06-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

Tiffany and I are guest blogging over at Everyday Mom Ideas today. Make sure to check out our tutorial on how to make this Giant Tic Tac Toe and Checkers Board

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

Finished - Tote Bag and Crochet Clutch

2010-06-01T06:03:00.000-07:00

My good friend Rebecca's one year anniversary is coming up in June, so I decided to be really good and make her a tote bag and crochet clutch! Yes, I started and finished early!
Here are some snapshots of the finished projects!

I used THIS pattern for the crochet clutch from Moda Bake shop. And I used THIS bag pattern, with some changes. I used solid fabric on the sides to match the top, and I added metallic clasps on it, so there is extra fabric on top so it can close and be more secure.

I love the colors! Now, to make myself these bags! :D

If any of you are interested in these, I recommend this bag with this clutch, they fit perfectly together! The clutch fits nice and snug in the purse, and you have room for your yarn! :D

Where has Melissa been?

2010-05-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted. Ive been a bit busy. I made 23 of these shirts:

And went camping. Tired. Going to nap. mmmm. Nap.

Me and the little one after a short hike.

Memory Foam Pillowcase

2010-05-28T20:04:00.000-07:00

So, my MIL bought herself a contoured memory foam pillow. It's very odd shaped, so normal pillowcases don't fit in it. So, I engineered a quick pillowcase to fit it for her to take on vacation this weekend. It's my very first pillowcase, but I think it turned out pretty cute! Here's some pictures!

A Closer Look at the Trimmed Edge

Cute Beach Towel Idea!

2010-05-27T09:56:00.000-07:00

Check out this cute idea for your beach chair over at PrincessThisisMe! It even has a pocket for you to put your "beach goodies", or your goodies for reading outside while your kids run around in the grass! What a great idea!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

Lookie! I made a camera case and makeup bag!!

2010-05-25T06:47:00.000-07:00

My mother in law hasn't had a camera case for her new camera since she bought it. So, I saw this ADORABLE cat fabric (she's a cat lover), and decided to whip one up! I read a tutorial over at SewMamaSew, and modified it the other direction.

Then, for her makeup bag, I read a couple of tutorials online, and picked and chose what style I liked for the material I had on hand and the zipper size.

So - here they are! It was my first zipper, btw kiddos! I was so proud of myself! I mastered the zipper foot! :D

_Tiffany_