Rainbows

St. Patrick's Day.

This was O's first year to show some understanding of leprechauns and green-wearing and rainbows and gold!

Mostly she liked the rainbows, so I ran with that.

We bought some fruity cereal just for the occasion. 

First we sorted it into colors.

Eating some along the way, of course.

Next we took sheets of white craft foam and some glue and stuck our cereal on in a rainbow shape. 

Here is hers.

 And, here is mine.

I like her's best.

We left our rainbows on the mantle so that the leprechauns would have a place to leave their gold.  I thought we were being pretty clever. 

They were on to us, though, and didn't leave the whole pot of gold.  Just 3 gold-covered peanut butter cups.  I can handle that.

The leprechauns were going to cause a little bit more mischief, but, unfortunately, our house got sick that day.  So, after turning our milk and pancakes green, they took off.   I can't blame them.

Next year, we'll make our trap rainbow more enticing.

Creating Sarah

As I was leaving church today, I encountered three young kids playing.  They were playing in the grass, but had found themselves in a situation where they either needed to cross the parking lot or go back the way they had come in order to reach the large grassy area they had started out in. 

Obviously, cutting across the parking lot was the quickest way, so the two oldest took off running.  The youngest, however, was mortified when this happened. 

He looked at me and screamed:  "They're running in the street!  They're going to DIE!!!!!" (kudos to his mom for teaching him the dangers of crossing the street)

"Meh," I said, "I'm watching them.  They're ok.  You can go ahead too." 

He grinned at me and took off running, no longer worried that he would meet his untimely end. 


When I was a kid, I used to wonder when the magic moment was that I would transform from kid to adult--girl to woman.  I never did figure it out, but it appears that the moment has come and gone without me noticing!  Here I am, sitting in my 30s with a husband, 2 kids, responsibilities, my own furniture, and even adult cereal. 

I even have kids looking to me for permission crossing the street/parking lot.  I am even qualified to hold a hand should the occasion call for it!  Apparently, I have successfully made the transition, and for that I am glad.

But, I had a lot of plans for adulthood.  I used to really look forward to the time when I could be a woman--a mom.  I had ideas about what my house would look like, what I would make for my kids, how I would teach them, how I would show my husband I love him, how I would finally stop being shy and reserved and afraid to reach out to people, all kinds of things!  You know, how I would be Sarah: A Really Great Person.

So, that's why I'm here.  I've decided that it is time to stop waiting for someone to tell me to go ahead and start being me.  It is time to do it.  Time to try the ideas that have been piling up in my head for years. 

I'm here to keep track of my adventures.  I'm here to discover myself and be comfortable with myself.  I'm here to make friends.  And, I'm here to have fun.  Let's go!

Welcome Home

I have this big black filing cabinet sitting right near the entry to my home.  Because of its location, it has a tendency to get very, very cluttered with all the things we drop as we walk in the door.

I hate that!

So, I cleaned it off.

I wish I had gotten a before picture, but that might have been embarrassing.  =)

Anyway...

Now, it looked a little too empty and I had a great excuse to start a new project!

Yay!

I pulled out this framed picture that I found at a dollar store some time long ago.

I pulled out the picture...ripped it off actually.  It was in there pretty tight and I lost the frame in the process of removing the picture. 

That's ok, though.  Because of the way it was put together, the frame wouldn't have worked anyway.  So, I salvaged the glass and the board from the back. 

The rest...well, it gave its life for the cause and I see that as heroic. 

Moving on. 

I pulled out my Cricut and cut out some happy words.

I wanted something that would be welcoming as the first thing we saw coming in the door and also reassuring and uplifting as it reminded us what being home means. 

I laid my words out on the glass in order to see how it worked.

This was my second or third arrangement.  It worked the best.

So I stuck them on permanently.



Next, I got a piece of blue scrapbook paper and Mod Podged it to the back of the glass. 

Doesn't that look better?  

Valentine's Day fun

*Disclaimer*  

Yes, I know Valentine's Day was more than a week ago.  It is still February, though, so at least I'm close, right?

I have always been a fan of Valentine's Day.  Even when I had no Valentine.  I like the idea of a special day to tell the people you love that you love them.  Of course, it is made better when you spend every day loving them, but...I digress.

I was really excited to celebrate this year.  My girls are getting old enough to appreciate the things I do to set the day apart.  We had a lot of fun loving each other.

Here's what I learned:

Sunglasses, while cool every day, just look better on Valentine's Day.

 It is a good day to decorate with hearts.  Get some heart stickers and put them everywhere.

 Everywhere.

 Here is a fun idea.  Stick the stickers back to back with fish line in between them.  Now you have a pretty garland!

 If you have a 1-year-old that can reach the pretty garland, though, it won't stay up for very long.

Food:  It's a fun way to share love.

Pink food coloring makes pancake batter awesome.

So do chocolate chips.

And whisks on the head.

If you put food in happy heart shapes, it is more interesting to eat.

Hamburger patties, loaded with cheese, are a good choice for dinner.  They are easy to shape with a cookie cutter.

But, when you cook them, they will fall apart and instead of heart-shaped patties, you will have...

 

piles of meat.  

Still loaded with cheese, though.

You can fix the lack of Valentine-y-ness with a cleverly placed piece of heart-shaped cheese.

 

And pink mashed potatoes.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Folded Felt Ball

My inspiration started here.  I love her blog!  

My idea was to use the folded circle technique to cover some Styrofoam balls and hang them from my mantle.    That is still an idea I might run with, but I have to get more felt first.  

After I finished this one, I set it on top of my little vase to keep curious little hands from playing with it.

 I kind of like it!

It looks like a great big, pretty flower.

I think I'm going to have to leave that one there and make some more to hang from my mantle (and other places around the house!).  

Here is what I learned:

• Folded felt balls are really fun to make and super easy.
• They might even be a little addicting.
• It doesn't take much time or effort to add a little bit of brightness to each day and when you do a fun craft while sitting next to a chatty 2-year-old it is even easier!

Simple Embellished

Recently, my sister-in-law sent me these really cute little vases. 

 I love them.  Really, I do.  But...

Well, when I looked at them, I thought, "Ooooo!  These are nice and simple.  I like simple.  But, hmmm, I could do something with these.  I could make them even prettier!"  

I tried to resist.  Really, I did.  But...

The idea kept nagging at me and I had to give in.  

Here's what I did:

I pulled out some Valentine-y paper and laid it out.  You know, to see which one called to me.

I picked the one that had shapes already printed out on it.  Because I wasn't in the mood to try to cut out "the perfect heart."  

Cut out the heart, add Mod Podge generously.

Then, not being able to let a bottle of glitter be alone, I added some of that on top of the Mod Podge.  I didn't take a picture of that, though.  I wasn't sure I liked it.  I may have gone a little too far with the glitter.  Maybe not.  I don't know.  You'll have to use your imagination and decide for yourself.  (Or just check out the finished picture below and base your judgement off of that!)

Next, I left the vases to dry, then ate a sandwich and watched Little House on the Prairie before I went to bed.  Then I went to bed...and slept very well, thanks!

In the morning, here is what I found!

Yeah, I went a little overboard with the glitter on that middle one.  If I did it again, it would get the same glitter treatment as the other two.  

Still, I think they turned out pretty cute.  Even simple things like to be dressed up every once in a while, right?

Here's what I learned:

• Most things, even if they are already nice and pretty, look better with some pretty paper Mod Podged on.
• Sometimes glitter isn't necessary.
• Glitter is always fun.
• I love Little House on the Prairie. 
• You should always make sure there is no wet glue on the rim of your Mod Podge bottle before you close it or you might have a hard time opening the lid that you have glued shut.