Tuesday, February 12, 2013

this never happens

Are you ready for Valentines Day in  two days?  This year Andrew humored me by participating in a Valentine advent calendar.  Cheesy, I know, but we've had lots of fun.  We wrote a list of things we love about each other, drew a picture for each other, told a story we don't already know about each other, played a game, and attempted to watch a chick flick together, among other things.  Over the weekend Andrew surprised me by buying me some flowers.  Ok, ok I asked him to but I didn't expect them early.  I think he choose well.  Honestly, neither of us are huge Valentines Day buffs but why not mix things up a little bit.  We will be having our Valentine date tomorrow, a day early, (that's when a babysitter was available) and we plan on eating at Spinatos Pizza for the first time.  Any menu recommendations?

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

the little gardener

Elliot planted some carrots and we didn't expect much from them.  It was a bit of a shock to pull them out and see some decent carrots!  Elliot was thrilled, of course, so I made a big deal of it.  We picked them together, oo'd and aah'd at the bigger ones, dragged a chair over to the kitchen sink so Elliot could wash them (he insisted!) while Avery watched, and then we all trimmed the greenery.  He even covered them up so he could surprise Daddy when he came home.  That would have worked if he didn't trip in the process.
The best part is I didn't have anything to do with him planting the carrots.  He just found a packet of seeds and asked to plant them, which he did, and I forgot about them for a few months.  Can you imagine if they were regularly watered and fertilized?  I guess I'm saying I should have a little more faith in that little boy.  He can do anything he puts his mind to!

Sunday, February 3, 2013

fabric stamping tutorial


 I've been in the need for a good craft lately and this project was perfect.  The great thing about fabric stamping is the possibilities are endless.  You can stamp a shirt, skirt, dress . . . , choose your color, pick any shape.  It's a  wonderful way to personalize an item of clothing.  All you need is fabric paint, fabric of choice, paint brush, craft foam (I used a styrofoam plate), scissors, and glue.

1// cut craft foam  in desired shape and glue shape on a larger piece of craft foam 2 // paint stamp with brush  3// stamp fabric, make sure you have cardboard underneath fabric in case it bleeds through (I would recommend practicing on a scrap piece of fabric to know how much paint you need) 4//  if you're stamping a shirt let it dry fully before stamping the back

^ ^ I experimented with whiskers or a cat face but felt it look better on its own. ^ ^
Not sure why I was so nervous painting the first stamp but once I started there was no going back.  The best part about this project is that Avery really loves it!  I just found a shirt for Zara that would be perfect for fabric stamping!  But what stamp shape?  I was thinking stars and polka dots.  Fun and simple!

Friday, February 1, 2013

January snapshots

January was a lovely month.  One of my goals was to turn the junk room into a guest bedroom.  We are halfway there!  Spending time with our three littles is often more important than home improvement.  Having said that, I did throw a baby shower and host a clothing exchange so many things kept me busy.

This month:
Zara // got her first tooth and took her first steps
Avery// started dance class and started to spell her name (just "Av" so far)
Elliot// got taller (I swear!) and loved bunny-sitting his aunt
I// started watercolor painting for the first time and started orchestra again
Andrew// went off sugar and worked out at least 3 times a week
* All photos from my phone.