The Pintester Movement

It's time for something a little bit different and a lot of fun. I joined up with the Pintester (go click that link to see her VERY funny and fun blog) to try out one of my many Pinterest pins. 

I chose Sharpie marker pen tie dying! I pinned this pin several months ago thinking I would do it with my kids.  But inspiration struck me to do it with my class.  I teach adults with disabilities.  And I'm always looking for something fun but educational to do with them.  I won't get into the science lesson because well, I don't feel like it and I really didn't get into it that heavy anyway when I did it with my class.  Honestly it was something fun and different to do with my class. And we had a blast!

 This is what I learned.  It works great. It's also very, very, very easy.  I have a few adults in wheelchairs who were able to do this pretty much by themselves. Well they could do the Sharpie part themselves but the rubbing alcohol part I did for everybody just to be on the safe side. So if you're doing this with children don't let them handle the rubbing alcohol. Using just the cups and a dot pattern or even pictures works well it makes really fun designs as you can see.

But I warn you it takes a lot more alcohol to spread the designs than it tells you in the pin.  I used WAY more alcohol than I thought I would. The best looking design ended up being the more traditional tie-dyed twist effect. You twist the T-shirt up and then add rubber bands every so often. Then you just color in wherever there's white with a Sharpie. The best result was when there was not any white showing after we twisted it and colored it in.

We also learned through default that T-shirts that are not washed first work better.  All my students brought in their own T-shirts and some were pre-washed and some were brand-new. After taking them all home and washing them in hot water to set the color and then drying them on very hot, we found that the brand-new T-shirts held the ink better then the pre-washed T-shirts. This is also not with the pin tells you on Pinterest.  It tells you to pre-wash the T-shirts. But don't if you want the color to be more vivid and last longer.

So all in all a good pin and I really love this idea of picking a pin on my Pinterest board and trying it out, then blogging it on this blog. So I think I will try to do this more often. I'd like to say once a week. But we all know that's not going to happen. So I'm thinking maybe once a month. We'll see. You know me it could go four months before I get around to another one but I'll try I promise.

And again go check out the Pintester NOW! http://pintester.com/2013/05/the-pintester-movement-craft-all-the-things

Day 16, 17, 18 & 19 of 30 Gratitude Photo Challenge

I apologize that I am sticking 4 days worth of posts/photos in one post.  So on top of it being the week before Thanksgiving it is also the end of the semester at my day job teaching which means a TON of paperwork and it's also my Etsy busy season.  I've had my hands a bit full.  OK done with the excuses here are the last four days.  Enjoy!

Day 16: Inspiration

One word: Pinterest.  I have found so much inspiration not only for my Etsy business but my house and kids and so many other things!!  You can follow me here if you want!

Day 17: Weather

It POURED this last Sunday and I mean poured ALL day!! And it was cold.  It was just all round miserable but it was warm and dry inside and we had lots of things to do to keep us all entertained.  Well I should say James kept the kids entertained, I locked myself in my studio/workroom and worked on paperwork for my teaching job.

Day 18: Change

I had a really hard time figuring out what to do for change.  I don't like change it makes me all nervous and high strung.  But as I was sitting pondering change I looked across my living room and saw old pictures of my kids on the wall.  You can see them in the background of this picture.  Marley was just days old and Noa was just 4.  Now he's 9 and she's 4!  It feels like just yesterday they were both babies.  But they have changed so much and grown so much!

Day19: Laughter

I know this is a bad shot but this is what I do when I am folding flowers for ornaments or mobiles or other various Etsy things.  I look at Dog Shaming and crack up!!!  Dog shaming is my new go to site to brighten up my day it also makes me SOOOOO grateful for my dog Frodo who is a friggin angel compared to some of the dogs on that site.  But if want a good laugh go check it out here.

Ten on Tuesday

1. Ikea: over-hyped and confusing or genius furniture company?
Totally genius furniture company! I love Ikea.  I like their styles and their prices plus their stuff holds up nicely.  I have a book case and a small chest of drawers from when I was like 11 that I still have and are still in great condition!

2. Your favorite interior-decorator-type person wants to makeover one room in your house. Which room do you choose and why?
Kitchen. I hate the white melamine cabinets in my kitchen and the laminate counter tops.

3. Describe the furniture in your childhood bedroom. Did you like it? Where is that furniture now?\
It was all dark stained wood stuff that was nice.  I had the dresser and desk for a long time and then as I got older I got pieces from Ikea and my dad made me a loft bed.  I even got a futon type couch for under it.

4. When you’re done with furniture, what do you do with it? Donate it to Goodwill OR Sell it on Craigslist OR Put it by the curb and hope the trash guys take it?
It depends on what kind of shape it's in.  We just recently threw away our couch because it was broken and Marley kept having accidents on it so it smelled.  But if it's in decent condition we sell it first or give it away.

5. My Pinterest furniture style could best be described as
funky/eclectic
antique/shabby chic
modern/minimalist
so random and varied it’s undefinable
I don't think I've pinned much furniture on Pinterest but if I have or will I'm sure it will be funky/eclectic.

6. Name the most important furniture/toy in a toddler’s playroom. And why?
Storage.  You have to have good storage for toys and books other wise the room will just be a constant mess.

7. Your parents (or grandparents or other relative) are giving away all their furniture. Which piece do you really want?
I would love my mom's desk that was my great aunt's desk.  It's sort of like a roll top but instead of rolling it's an old fold down type and it's really beautiful and has hidden compartments on the inside!

8. Your biggest furniture buying or home decorating regret?
We bought a couch off Craigslist a few years back and that was the couch we just threw away.  It didn't cost a lot but we only had it for like 3 years before it pretty much crapped out.  It was cheap to begin with and having small children is hard on couches.

9. $1000 gift card! Do you want it to Ethan Allen, ikea, Pottery Barn Kids?
Of course Ikea!! I could get a really decent amount of stuff there for $1000. And I could get something for pretty much every room too. 

10. Bunk beds, loft beds, trundle beds, or canopy beds?
Noa has bunk beds and they are nice to have simply for guests but I grew up with a loft bed and loved it.  So loft bed!

Ten on Tuesday

1. What did you do this weekend?
We mostly worked on fixing things around the house.  We also went and had dinner at my Mom's house Sunday night then I watched the Oscars alone (James had zero interest in it).

2. Do you prefer short fingernails or long fingernails?
I like my nails when they are long but for folding origami and my general crafting I need to keep them short.

3. What is your favorite use for Pinterest?
I love finding good household tips and I have found a few great ones.  It also gives me great business ideas.  I also use it to promote my Etsy items as well.  It's just all around awesome if you ask me!

4. Do you sleep with your mouth open?
I try not to but if I wind up on my back it usually ends up open.

5. Where did you have the best pizza you’ve ever eaten?
Honestly my favorite pizza ever is the Gourmet Vegetarian from Papa Murphy's Pizza.  It's got a white sauce and all the veggies you could ever want like mushrooms, artichoke hearts, tomatoes and spinach just to name a few.  OK well now I want one.....



6. What do you eat for breakfast on weekdays?
Pretty much every day I have an English muffin with a poached egg, cheese and turkey sausage.

7. Do you watch awards shows? Why or why not?
Yes, I do.  I love to see who wins and see if my taste is a winner!

8. Can you whistle? Snap? Curl your tongue? Bend down and touch your palms to the ground?
Yes, I can whistle but not all that well.  Yes, I can snap and pretty well too.  Yes, I can curl my tongue. And finally no, I can not bend over and touch my palms to the ground nor do I really care.

9. What email service do you use?
Gmail.  I used Road Runner email forever until we decided to stop paying Time Warner out the nose for cable and internet.  After we got rid of Road Runner I decided to go with Gmail so that if/when we change internet service providers again I won't have to worry about switching all my email over again.

10. What is your favorite outdoor activity?
Going to the beach and being able to get in the ocean and just float around past the breakers and then play in the waves.

Ten on Tuesday

1. What are your pantry staples?
Cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, rice, tortillas, Kraft Mac & Cheese, English muffins, apple sauce, pasta of some kind, a few cans of chicken noodle soup or tomato soup, a few cans of Speghettios, raisins, tuna and cereal.

2. What are your refrigerator staples?
Milk, cheese slices, hot dogs, lettuce, butter, carrots, cream cheese, string cheese, a block or two of cheddar cheese, sliced turkey and/or some kind of lunch meat, milk boxes (for kids lunches), and beer.

3. You already look like Heidi Klum (or your favorite supermodel). Now, what are the top three non-physical things you would change about yourself?

1. My ability to ignore things I don't want to do.
2. My impatience with my kids.
3. Learn to let things go and have more fun.

4. What’s holding you back from your dream job? (If you already have your dream job, how did you get there?)
My dream job would be to run my Etsy shop full time and I guess what's holding me back is that I just haven't devoted time and enenergy to figuring out how to market myself and my stuff to be more sucessful.  I'm not a salesperson but there is an element of that in having your own arts and crafts business and so I have to learn a lot about it.  It scares me a bit that I have to sell myself too....

5. You have $500 to spend but it has to be on one item only. Go.
Oy! This is a lot harder than I thought because it's not enough to get a new computer which I want and kinda need and it has to be on one item.  At this point it would either be a fairly cheap front loading washer or a new fancy lawn mower.  Because a front loading washer would be nice to go with my dryer and we need a new lawn mower.

6. What is something that you are embarrassed to admit you buy on a regular basis?
A sausage, egg and cheese McGriddle sandwich from McDonalds.  I LOVE it and I get one about once a month.  They sounds nasty but they are sooooo good.  I would eat them more if they weren't pricey (especially when you throw in coffee) and so bad for you. 

7. What’s in/on your bed every night?
Besides James and I and the 7 pillows? Usually the tv remote that gets left on the bed.

8. What is a non-necessity item that, no matter how expensive it gets or how tight your budget if, you will always find room for it?
An espresso drink every once in awhile from either Port City Java or Starbucks.

9. What is the weirdest sandwich you’ve ever made?
I don't tend to get adventurous with my sandwiches.  A cream cheese and cucumber is about as weird as I get.  James on the other hand will make a sandwich out of just about anything much to my chagrin.

10. Would you rather: Be banned from Pinterest forever, but gain a million captive Twitter followers; or, never get on Facebook again but gain five thousand blog readers?
Neither!!!  I couldn't give up either Facebook or Pinterest.  But I suppose if I HAD to choose Pinterest but think of the things I would never know about or have in my to try file!

30 Day Photo Challenge: Gratitude Day 1 & 2

I was clicking around on Pinterest earlier today and came across the 30 Day Photo Challenge: Gratitude on a blog called PositivelyPresent.  I thought it was a really great idea for November.  Plus I just got a new iPhone and I am a little obsessed with the Instagram photo app sharing thingy.  So this gives me a way to reflect on my gratitude for November and play with my new phone!

 Day 1 was Favorite Food

I really can't choose just one favorite food.  But I have always loved hummus and pita chips.  And I just found this awesome caramelized onion hummus!


Day 2 is Smile

My beautiful daughter Marley and her smile.

Happy World Origami Days!

So yes today and the next few days are World Origami Days!  Do I know exactly what that means ... ummm no.  But it's at least partly about celebrating origami.  And I certainly need and want to do that.  Origami and origami paper have become such an important part of my life.  I have always been drawn to the traditional patterns and colors of Japanese origami paper but I have now come to love the actual art of folding origami.  So happy World Origami Days!!


On another note I have been working hard on filling up my Etsy shop, doing a few custom jobs, working and being a mom.  So it's been busy.  Very busy.  But along with all that I have also been working on a surprise for my children.  I often hear one or both of my kids, when I am crafting say "I want one of those too!" And to be honest that is how my Flower Mobile came about.  Marley wanted some paper flowers like the ones I was folding.  I decided that instead of just giving her some flowers she would destroy, I clipped them on a mobile and hung it in her room (the long winded version of this story is here).  A little over a year later and it's my best seller!  But anyway my son Noa was watching me make an origami puzzle piece frame and declared he wanted one too.  But of course he requested a red one but with no pink.  I made his frame and decided Marley should get one too (oh and yes Noa has his own mobile .... a solar system one I made part of and bought part of).  So here is Noa's red origami puzzle piece frame.  I even searched through old photos to find a cute one of him to add to it.

 This is Marley's frame.  Hers is a bit different.  I was going to make her an origami puzzle piece frame too but then I remembered I had a bunch of scrap fabric my mom gave me from the quilt she made for Marley's bed.  So I thought it would be nice to have her frame match her quilt.  The fabric was already in strips due to the nature of the quilt my mom made so all I had to do was cut them down to size to fit the frame and decoupage them down.  I think it turned out really well.  It was also a good experiment because that was the first time I've ever tried fabric on a frame.  It worked really well so now I think I have a good avenue to explore.

Isn't she too cute!?!?!  This is one of my all time favorite photos of her.  She was about 20 months in this photo.  Where did my baby go??  She's going to be 4 next month, 4!

Oh and my newest addictions are the Hunger Game Trilogy books.  I finished all 3 books in 13 days.  They were so good!  So hard to put down! 

I am also addicted to Pinterest!  I have found way more craft projects to try, tips to try, recipes to cook and too many things I now want to buy.  It's hard to explain the site you just have to go see it.  So go now and follow me if you want!