Father's Day

Do you know anyone who IS NOT ready for Father's Day?   Well, now you do....ME!   I am not ready at all.   Yesterday was a crazy, busy day.   In the end, worked out terrific!   The kids did everything that was on our schedule, without question.   The one child I thought was going to be the worst {Miss E} was my BEST!!!  It's amazing how I can show them the "bad" parts of their day on a chart and they sure straighten up.   Madeline, unfortunately, was the worst.   She still carries that "I'm the baby, I can do whatever I want" rule.   Not happening sister!    Today we are going through toys and bagging them up for a yard sale tomorrow.   Lot's and lots of books!  Wow. Mason had TONS of books.  We took the girly ones to the girls room and bagged up some more for the sale.  

Back to Father's Day.   Thankfully there are some AMAZING freebies out there.  This is my ticket ♥



Shindig Parties
Lots of great printables, cupcake toppers, tags, banners, etc.



created by:
ttbowtique.blogspot.com

This is such a cute idea.  Any dad would love to hang this in his office!




Created by:
Pink Ink Doodle

I love printables!!  Whether I find them on another blog or I make them myself.


So....what are you doing for Father's Day??  The kids are upstairs changing so we can attempt our gift.   Wish us luck!

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!  Don't make him work too hard :)

A Daily Reminder

A cold couple of days here, stuck inside, and these kids girls are crazy!!

I had the worst headache and every whine or scream just escalated it.  The girls watched a movie after lunch so I could regain some sanity {clean without being interrupted}.  I was constantly reminding them that they way they were acting was UNCALLED for!  These girls can be best friends one minute and worst enemies the next. I know what you are thinking "that's sisters"....well I am an only child, so I missed out on that life lesson. {tks Mom & Dad}  Well anyway, this crazy day lead me to my next project.



I jotted down some of the things I found myself saying over and over again on a piece of paper and sat at the computer to make this print.  I am heading over to the store to have it printed 16x20.  I have a frame in the basement I can use and hang it in the living room.  To keep this summer relaxed, I told the girls they must follow rules to earn swimming time, craft time, or our daily activity.   {Emily is the one that has me ready to explode!}  Time outs do not work around here.....so we're going to try this.  WISH ME LUCK!


I made this in other colors so that you could print one out yourself.  You can edit the size down, print at home or have printed larger at a local photo center.

       

 

 

Open the color print that you like in another window and right click to save to your computer.
You can add frames or borders to this print with Picnik, Photoshop, etc.

Please remember that these are for your personal use only.  They are not intended for commercial use of any kind.   Feel free to link back to this post and share with others.


Today is Mason's last day of school!!  I am so proud of him and amazed at how fast he's growing up. Third grade next year.........woah!

Some Printables

I spent some time last week deciding how I was going to plan my days with the kids.   Normally, they run the show. {sad, but true!}  I have been telling them that I am going to attempt enforce a schedule.  I need to keep my sanity, they need to be patient and not fall apart over the summer being lazy and spoiled.

I typed out the times and events I plan to follow for the weekdays.  As much as I know it is summer and they have to have some fun {I allowed plenty of time for that} I need to make sure they keep with a schedule and responsibilities.  Have you made a summer schedule?   If you'd like to make one using this template you can downloaded it here, open and add in your own times and events.

Subway Art.  Word Art.  Text Art.  There are many different names for these adorable prints available all over the web.   I get a lot of mine from other bloggers offering free downloads.  Eighteen25 seems to always have great ones for all the holidays.   I print them out in different sizes, stick them in a frame and add them around the house.  I love it!   I happened to make my own for this Spring and I thought I would share it with you.   You can download it here.

Lots to do!

It's almost here.....so close, within reach, only three more days!!!!   SUMMER VACATION for my kiddos!

I am holding off on calling it summer vacation until Mason is out of school, then it's official.  Some of you already are on your vacation and some are getting closer like us.   So......what's that mean?!  A bunch more grey hairs!!

A "to do" list.  A Summer To Do List!!



 I sat down with the kids and asked them what kind of things they wanted to do this summer.  I told them it could be ANYTHING!   I figured the crazier the better, make us work for all our fun.   I was pretty surprised at their requests, all seemed reasonable.  So beginning on Wednesday we will begin marking them off. 

Want to make your own??  Head over to Eighteen25.   They have four different colored backgrounds to create your own list.  I scaled mine down to a much smaller version.   Picked up this frame {had three 4x6 openings}, sprayed it white, sized up my paper, print, cut and stick it in the frame.  So simple.   With the glass on top of the printed paper, you can use a dry erase marker to write out your list and mark everything off.
I decided to print our list on the paper before placing it in the frame.   I know my kids, and they would have erased half the list and then this "plan" would not have worked!

{sorry for the glare}

There are many variations of this project, you can find on lots of different blogs.  You could create your own with scrapbook paper, a drawing from the kids, anything!

The kids are very excited to start their list, and I am excited that they don't want think they are just going to watch TV all day long.   




Eighteen25 offers so many great ideas and projects. Be sure to check them out!

Almost Summer....

We're getting so close.   We've had two crazy hot days here.   Thankfully my parents have a pool, which is where we spent the last 48 hours!    Mason is still not finished with school yet, 4 days to go.  

I have neglected my household duties, as well as my crafting ones.   The girls and I have been splashing and laughing and just having a great time.

Here are a few pics of our summer so far....................

We lost this home to that horrible storm!  Birds were chirping for days looking in the piles that laid in our yard.

This little guy taunts our cat!

Ahh..the smell of fresh cut grass!!

I have loved baseball season so much this year!  Mason on 1st.

 

Lovin' the outdoors!

This last picture makes me melt every time I see it.   My hubs and I were at the field for Mason's game and the girls are usually just running around.   As I was snapping away at Mason's team, I turned around and caught this moment...... I will always keep this as a reminder for them...especially when they are teens.




I just love how Emily is holding Madeline......♥



Hope you all have a great weekend!

School's Almost Out....

Many are thinking...you are still in school!   Yes, we are.  We have LOTS of snow days and they are added to the end of the calendar.  Other schools in the area are already out, but we are not so lucky. 

This week has been busy for 2nd grade though.  Field trips, parties, field days, trying to stay cool......

I know my son is loving all the FUN they are having, but I can only imagine the anxiety of the teachers.....hot hyper kids...ugh!

To say goodbye for the year, I made Mason's teacher a card.



I used Recollections, Core'dinations and Echo Park {Playground} papers
Hello Kitty Greetings - card feature cut at {6.5"} in black
Because I would want to write on the inside of this card, I cut out the blackout feature to this cut in white and hand cut the apple on top off.  This way I could layer the white books on the inside and have a place to write.
I cut all the layers out with patterned paper and adhered them into place.
I used a sentiment from My Creative Time stamps {Just a Little Note to Say}
Added a bow of bakers twine from The Twinery to the stem of the apple.


For those who have the kids home already, I hope you are enjoying the summer.  We will be enjoying it really soon.

I needed some simplicity

.....from everything!

Somethings things seem to come at you all at once.    I feel that I am pretty good at scheduling and keep things in order, but sometimes I just would like a SIMPLE day.  No where to go, everyone to eat the same thing,  no fighting, no whining...just be!

One of my favorite things about papercrafting and having my craft room is the "me" time it give me.  The peace....I cherish it.  However, I usually have 2 little girls down there, making a HUGE mess and  fighting over one sticker.  So my "me" time is slipping away.

Sometimes I go to my craftroom and curl up on my chair and sit...............and do nothing!  It feels GOOD.

I saw the Hello Kitty Greetings box laying on the floor {perfect place, right!} and thought I'd scroll through the handbook to pass the time.  I love the bright colors in that book, so happy!  But all I could think of was those two little girls who made this mess that I had to clean up....grrrr!!!  

So with a twist...change up those colors and it's a little less kid friendly.

Core'dinations and Echo Park {For the Record} papers

Hello Kitty Greetings - card feature fit to page {4.5"}

Quick and simple....add it to a gift bag and use as the tag.

Beach Party!!!

This is a project I made for the Design Team over at SweetSassyDiva a few weeks ago.  If you didn't get a chance to see the whole thing, or didn't know I was posting over there, I thought I would share the whole project with you here.

Our first assignment was a project with the beach theme.   I decided to begin working on my son's invites for his party.  Although we are not near sand, we do plan on having a beach party at my parent's pool this summer.

I decided to make an easel card for his invites.  I think the kids will love how they are interactive.

I assembled a basic 5.5" easel card
For the front, I used Core'dinations cardstock and my Core'dinations sander to rough up that paper
The sandcastle is cut from Create A Critter {4.75"} and all its layers
I used Studio G brown ink spot to ink around the castle for dimension
The shell is also cut from Create A Critter {1.5"} and inked
Banner is cut from Twinkle Toes {2"} inked and stamped with a Studio G sentiment
I added bakers twine {The Twinery} as the flag pole and on the banner {used hand punch for the holes}
The sun was cut from Simply Charmed {2"} and inked with Studio G chalks in yellow




I love the dimension that inking can give a project.
I also used 3D foam dots on the castle, banner and shell.



Here is the card opened up

Tim Holtz distress ink was used around the front  and inside mat of this invite.
Half way down the inside I began the placement of my "card stopper" to hold up the front of the card.

I used my Fiskars scallop punch in a variety of blue colors to act as waves.
I used a sentiment from K&Co {Amy Butler} set




Below the waves I will either write in or type up all the party details.

My Preschool Graduate!

Yesterday was my day to post on SweetSassyDiva. Our assignment was to make a "Graduation" project, and while I do not have any High School or College Grads, I do have one cute little PreSchool Grad!!    I am so excited for her to be entering Elementary School next year, she has been so ready for it!


Here, all my supplies are gathered.




A2 card cut and scored to size from Recollections Ice Cream Social
Yellow cardstock from scraps cut {4" x 5.25"}
Patterned Paper was printed and cut using my Imagine. {2" x 5"} and Hopscotch Cartridge
Because I wanted the print size to be smaller, I filled a 5.5" square with this print, rather than the full page.
Kraft cardstock {1.75" x 5"}
Yellow satin ribbon
Inchworm cut from Create A Critter {3.25"} and filled with Hopscotch Cartridge
I cut the base layer and the 2nd feature layer only
I added brown behind the head only, so that the body holes would still be open.
Cap was cut from Everyday Paper Dolls {3.75"} and filled with Hopscotch Cartridge



Here we are all put together!

I decided to emboss the kraft paper using the New Arrival embossing folder with my Cuttlebug.
I layered all my mats, and wrapped my ribbon around before adhering it to the pink card.
Added buttons, made a bakers twine tassel, and stamped with TPC sentiment




I inked all my edges of the inchworm, and popped him up for some fun dimension.
I love that this cap already had a slit in the cut, his little antenna fit right in perfectly!




The blank white inside needed some color, so I added a strip of the letters cut from the Hopscotch printed paper.

Happy Thoughts!

I have been so in love with this week!!   I have been missing this sunshine for months.  Thank goodness its finally back.  It's just been so perfect out there.   Crossing my fingers its here to stay.

**Edited to add:   This was a post from last month that had gotten deleted when Blogger had some issues.  It was only up for a few hours, so I thought I'd repost it.**

While taking walks with the girls during the days, they've been pointing out all the flowers and blooming trees, it's all so colorful.  I love all this color, it really POPS!!


Today's card has a bit of a pop of color too

This is a 5.5" square card

Core'dinations and K&Co. papers

Hand cut mat {4.25" x 4"}

Stitched around with sewing machine

Flower cuts from Storybook {solid 4", intricate 3.5"}

I sprayed the smaller flower with Glimmer Mist to give it some extra texture

Bakers Twine from The Twinery

Felt flower

Orange gem

Sentiment from My Creative Time stamps  {Just A Little Note to  Say set}






I love how the Glimmer Mist can be subtle, yet really make a difference
AND I love love love rows of bakers twine!!



Hope you all have a great day!