Girl's Night Out

I went with some friends to one of those ceramic places where you pick out a piece, paint it, give them all your money and they fire it, and you pick it up a week later. It is the kind of place I would have absolutely loved when I was a teenager, but as a cheapskate with small children I had a hard time picking a project. I could just see everything getting smashed into little tiny pieces. I finally decided that the light plate which screwed into the wall would have the hardest time getting broken. I was going to paint a train on it until I was shown the little ceramic train. I was trying to paint Thomas from memory (his wheels, it turns out, are blue). It was fun hanging out with friends and painting, but we won't tell the Thomas-loving fry that he could have had the plush Thomas pillow for what I spent on his light switch cover.

Family Home Evening Board

Not a great picture I know, but it will have to do. This was my other living room project. Or projects. For Christmas a few years ago my mother-in-law had given me the family frame. It was a nice wood color, but it was the only thing that color in the room, so I finally painted it black to match everything else. I also took my Cricut and added the "together forever" along the bottom of the pictures, just because I could. (I also updated the photos, since the middle fry was a baby in all of them). The board and FHE vinyl were given to me by a friend. I painted the board, put the vinyl on, and added some hooks. Then I found some wood stars and painted them, added some ribbon to hang them, and cut out our names. Now I feel a little more organized.

The perfect tissue box

We go through a lot of tissues at our house. Sometimes it is because a small fry gets a hold of the box and dumps them all out and rips them to shreds, but usually I think it is because of allergies (I didn't think I had allergies till I moved here). And because I like things to be matchy-matchy I was always less then thrilled with the colors that my Puffs with Lotion came in. I finally found just what I was looking for- Michaels had a plain wood tissue box holder (and it was only $3 or $4). I painted it, and then set to work playing on my Cricut. I decided to take some patriotic words and phrases and do that subway art thing that is popping up all over the place. Now I can blow my nose knowing that my tissue box matches my living room.

While the kids were away...

The kids spent a glorious week with Grandma (and Grandpa and Uncles). While they were away I got to work on some projects that one does not normally get to do with children around. Such as wall painting. There is no way that I wanted the middle small fry with all of her graffiti artist tendencies (I have crayon all over the place to prove it- including the TV screen) to see me coloring on the walls. The location was the kids' bathroom (it also happens to be my guest bath, but I don't really recommend it unless you are desperate). The before pictures

And the other side (I know, it is a small bathroom).

And the end results. This is the wall where the all important potty chair resides. If only it was a very used potty chair... :(

And the sink area.

The view from the door. I was pleased with how it turned out. I like my froggy theme. (Granted, the oldest fry came home and told me I had "poops" on the wall. Oh, well).

Better-Than-(insert whichever word you want to use) Cake

Purely for the sake of documenting secret family recipes, here is the recipe for the infamous cake that changes names every time it is made depending on the mood of the baker, and or, eater.

-Take one devil's food cake mix and bake according to package directions
-While still hot, poke holes is cake with a knife and pour one jar of caramel syrup over cake (spread evenely)
-Just before serving, top cake with 1 large box worth of chocolate pudding (made of course, not the powder), Cool Whip, and sprinkle with toffee pieces
-Enjoy!

I have also made this cake using a white cake mix and vanilla pudding. I have used butterscotch syrup. Chocolate syrup might be a bit much unless you absolutely love chocolate, but the combination options are limitless.

Another reason everyone should have a laminator

A friend was cleaning out her boys' toys and getting rid of stuff. My small fry were the lucky recipients of some Megablocks and Legos (Bob the Builder and Cars- the small fry are happy). I was amazed that she still had the instruction booklets that came with them. However, they had seen better days. While looking at them, an idea flew into my funnel (can you tell I have been watching way too much Thomas)I took this....and turned it into this. I just laminated all of the sheets, punched a hole in the top corner, and added a ring to keep them together. Now they are all ready for more abuse. I mean, use.

Trekking!!

We made it! Carol did the sewing on the dress, I did the corset and bonnet. I want you all to note that she told me that it didn't have to be a long sleeve dress (which it's supposed to be by the way) but we got it done in time for trek! We added some elastic to the bottom of my old pair of pajama pants for the bloomers. Yeehaw!