I think I am addicted...

VINTAGE
So Friday Caleb and I went to Goodwill in search of some good vintage finds. This was my first trip for this purpose, and let me promise you it won't be the last. In fact it might have to be a weekly activity.
My best finds were a couple of vintage pillowcases and some sheets:

I don't really have any huge plans yet, other than a pillowcase dress or two. I was just really pumped to get all of that fabric for so little $!
Here are some of my other finds:

Six 6 ounce juice glasses

Vintage Pyrex casserole dish

Baby cabbage patch doll. No clothes, but otherwise in perfect condition...I think I see a new project. Can you say doll clothes?

Tupperware jello mold with removable shape caps.

So we'll see how long I can stay away, but I think we will be making another visit soon.


Molly

I Heart Faces

Have you heard of I Heart Faces?

Well I came across this great contest this week and thought I would enter. It is called "Innocent Wonder". I have the greatest picture for this:

This is one of the very first times we ventured out in the snow this winter. He loved it, and it was so fun watching him be so curious about all the white stuff. As you can tell, he loved it!

You can't vote or anything, and there are like 600+ entries so we'll see what happens. I am not really getting my hopes up, but it is just fun entering!

The big TWO

So this weekend was a big one. We celebrated with some family and friends our little man's second birthday. I can't believe he's two already! The last two years have flown by (most days) and have been the best two years so far. Here are some photos from the event:
The cupcakes are from this book

Lions: Orange buttercream, twizzlers pull n' peel for mane, pink heart runts for nose, blue mini m&ms for eyes, orange froot loops for ears

Monkeys: Chocolate frosting, buttercream for face, mini m&ms for eyes, purple froot loops for ears, mini m&ms for nostrils, and twizzlers pull n' peel for mouth

Elephants: Blue buttercream, candimelts for ears and trunk, banana runts for tusks, and mini m&ms for eyes. (suggestion, order the candimelts in a darker blue, my Michaels didn't carry any other blue color)

Birthday bunting. Fabric: Joanns

Birthday boy with his Daddy. In his favorite dinosaur jammies of course.

Mom, I can't touch them or eat them!?

Loving the John Deere tractors and crop duster from Grandpa and Grandma R.!

Aren't his eyes amazing! I could just look at them all day.

Back on the wagon

So I have fallen off the wagon of blogging. I was at a loss for what to share, and what people would want to read.

I have decided to get back on the wagon. With that decision comes a commitment on my part to share new ideas. I am sick of seeing all of the same projects on all of the different crafting blogs. I can't say that every single post will be an original project, but it is my hope that I can put some new ideas out there in the blogging universe.


I have taken on a couple of new challenges for this year.
First: A commitment to myself to keep my home clean. It is our HOME and I want it to feel that way. Along with keeping up with housework, I will also be more organized. To help me with this I have started using THIS. I have printed out the year. After the first week I have seen huge improvements in my daily habits and realizing how manageable it is to keep it up with only an hour or so a day.

Second: Improving my photography skills. This will start with an online class that I am taking online through the community college. It is called Photographing People with Your Digital Camera. That is truly my passion. I love taking pictures of people, especially youngins'. So I am excited to start getting some practice and looking for models.

Third: Really this is a challenge for the whole family. The next three months will be the longest of my life. The hubs is taking two classes for his MBA this Spring. So that means Mondays and Thursdays I am on my own with the babe from 7:30am until 9:30pm. Looongest daaays evvvver. It takes all of the patience I have to survive those days. We will survive, as long as I remember that the more he takes now the quicker he will be done.

So that is what I will be blogging about.  I hope you will follow me on this journey of new challenges.
God always provides what we need, let me never forget.

Molly

A few of my favorite things...

I just thought I would share a few of my favorite (random) things today...

I threw this little hair baby together this afternoon. Loving it!

And I am seriously loving these (not just lately, but always and forever)

No, this is not my photo. But I did make this last night for supper. It was by far one of the most difficult things I have ever made, but totally worth it! Here is the recipe, give it a try and let me know what you think. (side note, I substituted Apple Cider for the chardonnay since I don't drink it and it worked great!)

 

Bought this Monday night for the little man, and can't wait to put it on him for some photos Sunday! 

 And last, but certainly far from the least, my favorite photo of the week:

aren't those the most beautiful eyes??!

Grace's Skirt

I don't have a girl, but girl clothes are WAY more fun to play around with. My solution: make clothes for other girl's I know. We have family pictures in a couple of weeks with my family, and Grace, my niece needed something khaki for her bottoms. I had seen this awesome tutorial for a "Circle Skirt" on here and thought, "I can make that." And so I did. I experimented first with a different fabric to work out the kinks before doing the real thing. Here was my process:

 First I cut out my pattern. See the link I posted for the formula and size measurements. I used a cereal box so that it would be nice and sturdy.

 Next I cut out my fabric. I used a lightweight corduroy. It should come out as a full "donut." The picture on the right is folded in half.

I forgot a picture of the next step, but you need to finish off the inside edge, either with a serger or a zig-zag stitch.

Then you put the elastic on around the inside. The elastic will be smaller than the inside of the skirt so you will need to stretch the elastic as you go.

 Finally, hem the bottom. I just folded mine about a quarter inch as I went along.

 

The finished product!

I am going to do the khaki corduroy skirt one of these days, but it should be super easy now that I have all of the kinks figured out. See this link for more in-depth directions and measurements. There are also directions on how to make this for yourself, in an adult size! Have fun, and thanks for reading :)

Do I dare try...

I am going to attempt to follow a meal plan for this week in an effort to have a few good meals. I have made out my grocery list so I don't forget anything, and I am going to try a few new recipes and a tasty treat. Pictures will be taken of each meal to showcase my mad culinary skills (hahaha)
Here is the menu:
Monday: Hamburgers (nothing too exciting but something the hubby has been requesting for weeks)
Tuesday: Belgian Beef and Beer Stew. MMMMM. I have made this one other time, and it is the best stew recipe I have ever had. I will post the recipe with the photos.
Wednesday: Roasted Breast of Chicken with Pinot Noir Sauce with Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Sugared Walnuts. I am very excited about this day! I have not made either one these recipes, but found them this month in my Cooking Light magazine. I may have taken on a bit too much trying to do them both at the same time, but we're going to try it. If I am super motivated this may get switched with Tuesday's menu.
Thursday: probably PB&J for the little man and I as hubby will be at class. The special treat will probably make it's debut this evening though. I will for the first time attempt homemade caramel apples. I will not use pre-wrapped caramels, instead I will follow a recipe for my own. Pray for me ;) This will happen after little man is sound asleep and out of my hair.
Friday: I imagine this will be an evening of relaxing and left-overs. An evening spent with my wonderful boys.

Here's to a week of trying new things...