green with envy

"smoochy"- noah's frog, our green view,
a green wall, my green boy (22 months)

st. pat's day shirts
follow this tutorial to make your own.

yummy cookies in a green box, green thread,
green suitcase, green book- "the giving tree"

baby love

tutorial links:
cloth baby blocks
paper bows
paper flowers
(i used magazine pages, and scrapbooking paper for my paper flowers. i also used twigs for the stem)
applique onsies
(i used fusible fabric underneath, lined the top fabric to it, then stitched the perimeter with a zig zag stitch)

handmade

i have spent most of this past week preparing for a baby shower i'm throwing this weekend.

i waited till close to the last minuet to make banners, paper flower bouquets, and to sew baby gifts.

today i'll clean, bake, and try to figure out how to fit 30 people in my home for tomorrow's celebration.

i'll take lots of pix of the event, and send you links so you too can learn how to create your own pretties.

in the meantime enjoy a few handmade items from someone who use to be afraid of handmade.

one of my new favorite, creative blogs is How About Orange. where i have found too many handmade things to try my hand at. i have been surprised by what i can do! these gift bows made from magazine pages were easy-peasy! so easy in fact i may never buy a bag of a dozen gift bows for a $1 again.

we recently attended two first birthday parties, both with the cupcake theme.
i whipped up these darling little cupcake shirts for the birthday girls.
they look delicious to this fairly new appliquer.

and because i was going applicrazy i had to make each birthday girl

another shirt with an ME look.

What are your weekend plans?

Are you a fan of handmade or do you fear it?

I'm Alive

My hands are searching for You
My arms are outstretched towards You
I feel You on my fingertips
My tongue dances behind my lips for You

This fire rising through my being

Burning, I'm not used to seeing You

I'm alive, I'm alive

I was inspired by Lisa Leonard's post Photo Play to attempt some collaging of my own over at picnik. I have a lot to learn, but it is fun to branch out from my usual collages.

The lyrics to David Crowder's song All Around Me have been playing like a new favorite record on my heart this week. The line "My tongue dances behind my lips for You" speaks of the intimacy God and I share.

These two photos capture me, ALIVE.

When are you alive?

To listen to All Around Me select this link and listen to it at Lala.com

HaPpY fEbRuArY!

plain white t's from old navy- $5
1 yard of valentine's material from jo-ann's fabric- $3
1 yard of iron-on backing for applique- $3
knee high socks (for sleeves), 40% off at jo-ann's fabric- $ 2.50 each pair
How stinkin' aDoRaBlE my girls look in their Valentines Shirts- PRICELESS!

learn how to make your own here!

Seeing Red

I was tagged by my friend Linda, from Thoughts On These Things, to See Red in my home, and share photos.

l-r, red suit case, favorite red apron, red "you are special today" plate, red
painted cherries on my ME chair.


a little red doll, given to me by my dad.

l-r, red mini suit case, red wall/red pillow/red flowers, red josie,
my favorite red card given to me by a friend
(yes that's me photoshopped into a falcon).

Weekend Plans

Last weekend I suggested to my husband that we make tamales.

He made tamales. He made tomatillo salsa.

I helped.... a little. I helped fill the tamales (after he'd spent a day and a half preparing them), I had the girls create salsa labels, I took these great photos, and I ate the tamales and salsa.

I'm thinking this weekend I'm going to suggest to my husband that we clean the garage... oh wait, I already suggested that we clean the garage last weekend, and he already cleaned it.

Hmm, any suggestions on what my husband and I should tackle together this weekend?

What are your weekend plans?

A few of my favorite things- part 3, "You had me at the box."

It started with a box.

Michael's grandmother, Gram, made a tradition of giving a Christmas gift to her husband, Gramps, every year in the same box. Eventually the box made its way into the family. Each year someone new receives a gift in the box. This year I got the box! Because the box is valued and part of tradition, just getting the box was a gift.

But the blessing didn't stop there!

Before I continue, you'll need some back story: nearly two years ago I had a naked wall in my house. While visiting my s.i.l. her buffet (which was being stored under her house) asked me if it could come live at my house on that naked wall. My heart went out to the abandoned buffet, and I asked Lindsey if I could "store" it for her . She agreed, and in addition said I could "paint it whatever color I wanted to." Being the thoughtful s.i.l. that I am, I chose a color that would never compliment the colorscape (it should be a word) of her home, RED!
I really want to store the buffet as long as possible.

Shortly after we Michael painted it red his parents were over visiting. Michael's dad liked the buffet, but commented that I needed a red bench in my front window to compliment it. I agreed, and ever since have been searching for a bench to compliment the buffet.

This Christmas my search was over-

Michael's dad made me a bench and painted it buffet red! As they removed the sheet, displaying my thoughtful gift, tears filled my eyes, and I said, "You had me at the box."

It is so good to be known.

A few of my favorite things- Part 2

Continued from yesterday's post...

I'm really blessed to have a husband whose parent's brought him up right! As a child they put him (and his siblings) to work alongside them; cooking, building, cleaning, problem-solving, creating, helping. And because of this Michael has confidence tackling many projects.

I don't think they knew then that they were giving their children a great gift. One that would translate into confidence and capability in their lives. THANK YOU NANA & GRAMPS! This is a gift we hope to (and are) passing onto our children.

Because of this gift given to Michael in his childhood I am blessed with the opportunity to have a great big "honey-do" list! And at gift giving time my honey-do wheels start turning.

Here are two "honey-do" and "knowing" gifts we LOVED giving.

Michael made the girl's beds for their American Girl dolls. Don't they look terrific! I made the bedding to match their bedding. The girl's were delighted when they discovered them on our Christmas morning by the tree.
Their dollies have already taken up residence in their beds- tucking jammies behind their pillows, and hiding A.G. belongings under the beds.

This gift was given to Micheal's grandmother, Gram.
For all they years she has been a Grandmother, Gram, has had a photo taken of each of her grand-daughter's and great-granddaughters in her mother's dress, seated in her own childhood rocker.
We thought it was time all those special photos were matted and framed for Gram.

The photo in the center of the frame is of her mother, Lilian May Riley Sullivan, in the dress.
Nana Sullivan is surrounded in the frame by her great, and great-great granddaughters!

I could hardly wait for Gram to open her gift, to see the expression on her face, to know this tradition she has carried on is valued by the generations.
(the two empty mattes are awaiting pix of new great-granddaughters).

BTW- Michael works by day as a fine art digital print-maker, and by weekend as a photographer (thanks honey for working the two jobs needed so we can eat and have a roof over our heads! thank you for making it possible for me to be a s.a.h.m./home schooling mommy to our kids), and again has the skills and resources to make a project like this happen.

A few of my favorite things- Part 1

Growing up my least favorite thing about returning to school after Christmas break was the dreaded question, "what did you get for Christmas?" It wasn't because I received bad gifts (except for Purple Christmas 1992, when I received purple pants, purple boots, a purple purse, and other hideous purple items), it was just because up to that point I really liked my gifts (even the Pumpkin Patch doll I received when all the other girls were gifted the popular Cabbage Patch doll). I didn't like comparing gifts with the others. I didn't want to compare mine, I wanted to continue enjoying them.
Even then as a little girl on the school playground I wanted us to celebrate with each other the gifts big and small we'd each been given.

As I've grown I've aimed to become very intentional in the gifts I give. I have truly experienced, "that it is greater to give than to receive." I LOVE to give.
I am blessed from start to finish! Beginning with the "aha" moment the gift comes to mind, the process of creating, the moments of anticipation as the receiver opens the gift, and finally that moment when they discover they are known and deeply loved! Even now I tear up just at the thought of how WONDER-FULL that is!

Sarah Markley, from the blog Best Days of My Life explains it like this:
"In my own personal love-economy, gifts are important. I like to give them, I like to receive them. But it has nothing to do with money. It has everything to do with knowing."

Over the next few days I will share with you gifts that share how we knew loved ones, and gifts that showed we were known.

Here are two ways I "knew" loved ones this Christmas.

I COULD NOT wait to give my sister her gifts! My sister and bro-in-law are in the process of adopting two darling little boys. She has had her eye on my Lisa Leonard mommy necklace that I wear, proudly displaying the names of my 3 loves- Noah, Emilie, & Josefine.
Look at her happy face below when she received her own mommy necklace!
In addition I took all of the photos taken of the boys since they received them and surprised her with a BLURB book.
I can't wait till they are officially ours, so I can finally share with you how stink'n ADORABLE they are.

I have scripture that God placed on my heart to pray for each of my children when they were babies.
Emilie's scripture comes from Ephesians 3:17-19

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, (18) may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, (19) and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

This scripture speaks of God's immeasurable love. I want my sweet girl to live in that. She will be reminded to do so as she wears her own Lisa Leonard necklace with her word "immeasurable" on it.

Did you give or receive a gift this Holiday Season that expressed "knowing?"

AND for the chance to win your own Lisa Leonard necklace, visit here to enter a GIVE AWAY!

catching up

Advent day 7- Paint clothespin ornaments
Psalm 150

Advent day 8- bop it!
Zechariah 2:10-11

Advent day 9- Make marshmallow men and drink hot cocoa.
Isaiah 52:7-12

Advent day 10- Write letters to our Compassion child. Learn about and give to World Vision.
(The kids wanted to help a family by purchasing chickens).
Sing Christmas carols at a woman's luncheon.
Mark 16:15

Advent day 11- Dinner out and a stroll down Christmas Tree Lane.
1 John 1:4-7–

Advent day 12- Wrap gifts, make Christmas cookie dough, and watch the " The Santa Clause."
John 13:34-35

Advent day 13- Christmas Cantata in the a.m.. Bonfire, caroling, and hot cocoa in the evening.
John 8:12/ Ecc 3:3:13

Advent day 14- Christmas Piano Recital, and enjoy a new movie "The Tale of Despereaux."
(If you haven't watched this movie I highly recommend it. It is a beautiful story about courage and forgiveness).
Matthew 5:14-16

The Spirit of Giving

Originally posted Dec 8th, 2008
"God loves a cheerful giver," are words spoken often in our house. i think it is important to cultivate a spirit of giving in our children, and in each other.

typically when one thinks of giving they immediately consider their wallets, but in all honesty our wallets are pretty bare. because of this we have looked for creative ways to give over the years. i hope that regardless of how empty or full our wallets are we will always seek creative ways to give.

a creative way to give to the community:
free hot chocolate stand- for 5 years we have served free hot chocolate to our community. first, we get permission from a local small business, and use of an outlet. next, we set up a table complete with 2 large coffee pots (we borrow these from our church) filled with hot chocolate (enough for 160 cups), toppings of whipped cream, and marshmallows, and add a candy cane. then, we put the kids to work, inviting passers by to receive their free hot chocolate.for an individual or family:

the 12 days of christmas- we have had the opportunity over the years to surprise families in need of christmas blessings on the 12 days before christmas.
first, choose a family that needs to blessed! may be a family new to the community, a family facing financial difficulty, or a family struggling with health. there are many who need a bit of light to shine on them and their circumstances. many who need tangible love from their community (or even strangers) poured on them.
next, find 12 families (including yourself) to be gift givers for the 12 days leading up to christmas. assign a day to each family, give a gift tag to accompany their gift, and directions to the recipients house.
then, deliver gifts! gift deliveries are top secret. deliver early a.m. or in the p.m., be creative in your deliveries, send someone dressed as santa, or in camouflage. this is the one time a year it is okay to doorbell ditch (accept don't ring the doorbell)! finally, with the last gift delivered on christmas, send a card with everyone's names, wishing them a very merry christmas! this years gift tags have a #1-12 on one side, with this saying on the other. for family:
with as many as 7 families filling the jones house, and a grand total of 23 family members, well, that is a lot of gifts! we decided to get creative to find a way to blesss family members. how do we do it? breakfast in bed!
on christmas eve. morning families are served breakfast in bed. the night before we leave a door hanger on each door (just as you would find in a hotel), asking family members to tell us the time they'd like their meal delivered, beverage choices, and other special instructions.
on christmas eve. morning we wake early and get to work. michael does most of the cooking, while i serve as assistant. we ready the meal, ready the trays, add a special note accompanied by the christmas story of jesus' birth, then deliver the breakfast trays.

Coming, Expecting

A few years ago I was given an advent box as a gift. The box has 25 smaller boxes to fill. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled about the responsibility that had been given to me. I Immediately felt overwhelmed at the duty of filling each of those little boxes with Christmas treasures.But the box has surprised me. Instead of filling it with store bought treasures I realized I could fill each box with an activity for each day. Because of this box the time of advent (which means "coming" or "expecting") has become the richest month of the year. I have found myself more intentional about the kids, being in their world, creating along side them, participating in their wonder and their giggles, making memories with them.

My goal for December is to share with you the activity planned for each day leading up to Christmas. In addition there will be daily scripture reading (thanks Kristen who suggested this, and shared her list).

The activities vary from drinking a cup of hot cocoa filled with 25 marshmallows (the days there are until Christmas) to having a Free Hot Cocoa stand.

Today's activity was to paint a Christmas tree on the sliding glass window (I am o.c.d., so the kids were surprised that the daily windexed window was going to be covered in paint!) The kids also made 25 ornaments from construction paper.


We discussed the meaning of advent, that the Savior had come to our world, to be with us, to be born in us, to be living in each of us.

For the next 25 days of advent we will add one of the handmade ornaments to the painted tree. The ornament will have the name of someone we love, who we will pray for. We will pray that Jesus will be born in them, that He will be their Savior, and live fully in and through them.

I hope you enjoy the next 25 days of advent with us!

What does your family do to celebrate advent?

(Scripture reading Isaiah 40: 1-11)

funny bird

The turkey is a funny bird
His head goes wobble, wobble
The only word that he can say
is gobble, gobble
(sing to the tune of pop goes the weasel)


HaPpY tHaNkSgIvInG!!!!

holy jeans

part of being the baby in the family is coming to terms with the fact that most of what you wear is going to be a hand-me-down.

thankfully i'm a first born, so i never had to wear last seasons out dated polo shirt or previously pegged jeans. my sister was just 17 months behind me, and she was cursed with wearing everything i'd outgrown. though her favorite color was pink, she was typically stuck wearing my favorite color from last year- which was usually lavender. until jr. high that is when i had a love for everything florescent.

these jeans were hand-me-overs (clothing handed down by someone outside our family) for josie. when we received them they were "singing God's praises" in the knees- "holy, holy, holy." josie and i put our thinking caps on, and came up with a plan to give them new life.

josie requested leaves to cover the holes. i ironed them on with wonder-under, then stitched around them with embroidery thread (i used two shades of pink). material was added to the pockets with more wonder- under (love the stuff), and iron-on ric-rac was added on top of that to frame it.

i think they turned out darling!

after seeing the finished product josie went through her sister's old clothes and happily discovered another pair of holy jeans. she is planning her design, and is ready to put me to work
revamping her hand-me-downs.

i love lucy

false eyelashes, red lipstick, vintage aprons, and ricky...

i wish i could be lucy every day

fall colors

the kids have been out of school this week for fall break. i had comedown with the october homeschooling blues, and fall break was the perfect remedy to cure this illness. i needed to be mommy again, and give the teacher a rest. i needed them to be MY kids again, and not my students. so we decorated the house for fall, went to a movie, made tasty treats, played in the sunshine, turned the music up REALLY LOUD (sorry neighbors), and we DANCED!

We're Going On A Bear Hunt

Emilie's 10th b-day was a blast!
She enjoyed a slumber party with 3 friends- which included lots of giggles, dress up, American girl play, games, pizza, and a "Bear Hunt."

The "Bear Hunt" was really a scavenger type riddle hunt. I created clues or directions for the girls to follow, and then taxied them all over our little town to their riddle's destination. Once there they posed for pictures, had an activity, and were given the next riddle.

It watches the lights change to red, yellow, or green,
There is nothing in Oakhurst it’s eyes haven’t seen.
It talks and it snarls to men from England named Charles,
While posing quiet well for a photo with Marie from Portugal.
It’s relatives are known to hibernate in winter,
Yet this one resides at our towns center.
Too much candy will make them rotten
Too much soda will cause decay
Too much sugar will keep him drilling
Not enough brushing and he’ll give you a filling
He’s good friends with a fairy who visits in the night
To leave you a dollar in exchange for a treasure that bites
Visit him twice yearly to keep them pearly white
Or when your 82 they will soak by your bedside at night.Wash, rinse, comb, trim
Curl, dry, set
Brush, spray, layer, perm
Black, blond, brunet
This place is “COOL”
And will quench your thirst
With beverages made just right
Warm, steamed, blended, or iced
Drizzled with caramel, what a tasty sight
Choose hazelnut, chocolate, or irish cream
It’s yummyness in a cup...
Know what i mean jelly “BEAN?”The next part of the fun had the girls following direction.
They went to a local super market, here they were instructed to buy just 1 item each from a bin. The item had to begin with an initial from their name. They were relieved when the candy bins supplied their need. They were pleased at the check out counter when their items were 6 cents and under (one item was free because it was unweighable). Their next and final mission was to find a specific employee. Once found she instructed them to go to the bakery, purchase plain cupcakes, and to race to the baked goods isle to get 1 topping each to decorate their cupcakes. They had just 3 minuets. Ready, Set, Go! We topped the fun off by decorating and devouring our cupcakes together, and singing one more hApPy BiRtHdAy to Emilie!!


Special thanks goes out to my friend julie for her creative help. Thank you also to all the businesses that participated. We live in a GREAT community!

bathing suit cover-up

i was trying on $20 bathing suit cover-ups at target last week, and thinking $20 is a lot to spend on something i want, but don't need. i mean i think i need it, covering up is VERY important to me, but i couldn't rationalize spending $20 for something i could live without.
it's not that i am incredibly cheap (okay, i am kinda cheap), i'm just incredibly practical. come on, non of us are rolling in it ($) these days (if you are could i come over and roll in it with you?). i know that i have to be a bit more mindful of where the $ is going, and being a bit more creative certainly helps.
so, i stood there in the $20 cover-up and thought about what i could use instead to cover up this 35 yr old, post babies, body i am not in a whole lotta like with.
then it hit me...make a cover up! but how? out of beach towels!
so i got myself back in my clothing (thank God for clothing) and headed over to the beach towels, where they had some incredibly CUTE beach towels for just $5.99.
for that price i could make cover-ups for my girls as well.
so here you have it, emilie in her beach towel cover-up!
I think it looks GREAT!

Do you have any creative summer savings tips!

Oh Baby!

this is the follow up post to Make It and Love It.

i told you i was going to attempt to place appliques on onsies, but i CHICKENED OUT!!
i took one look at the onsies and realized that the material was so flimsy that i wouldn't have a finished product i liked in the end (tell me where do you buy good quality onesies these days).

i decided to embellish some burp cloths instead. they turned out fine, and compliment the cushy blocks nicely.

and here is a $ saving tip for you, decorate a gift bag. instead of spending up to $5.00 for a gift bag, i purchased a solid colored bag, got out some old scrap-booking supplies (i gave up scrap-booking shortly after josie was born), and whipped up this bag. a little creativity goes a long way, especially in this economy!

what creative, $ saving, gift giving tips do you have?