Finished Planner

I made this out of cereal boxes, covered in scrap paper. I am not loving the tabs, so I might change them out. I printed the days of the week on regular office paper and stamped the dates at the top and at the sides of each day. I added rub-ons throughout the planner to add cuteness to each season! I still have more to add...

Yay!!! It is SNOWING!!!!

Stuff I want to do

OK so we were reading "If you take a mouse to school" and the kid in the story has these awesome chocolate chip pajamas on. Tate points them out every time we read the book. I tried to find some online, and they don't make them. So I am going to try.



Every time I try to sew I swear to never attempt it again, but now I am excited to try to make these for my little guy. I might even try to make felt cookies to sew on warm pjs. We'll see...

***UPDATE: The photo of the cookies aren't mine, but from an etsy creator. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9101772 Very cute stuff that you should check out. I'll be happy if my felt cookies look even half as cute!!

Also, so inspired by the perfectly dressed women in the show "Cashmere Mafia". It makes me want to GROOM!!

Finally a Layout!

**updated photo

Parent of the Year

Today is one of those days that I will NOT be winning the "Parent of the Year" award. It is one of those days where stuff your mom said, that you promised would never fly out of your mouth, does in fact, fly out of your mouth and you will do anything to get through the day.

Ok, for my scrapbook friends/siblings/random reader who don't have kids, I realize how boring this is. I remember being single back in the late 90s, when the only people who scrapbooked were stay-at-home moms, and I was the single working girl seeking out Creating Keepsakes consultants every time I moved. Which was a lot. While they were scrappin' their cute 1 yr old bday party, I was scrapping pictures of myself getting drunk in Vegas or doing other nonfamily oriented things and I was trying hard to hide the layouts, as to not offend anyone!

Back to my bad parenting...
Yea, I turned off the tv in hopes of playing games, creating art, whatever seemed somewhat better than "magical light box". I had a riot on my hands. There is marker on Paul 's beloved dining table, I had a bouncy ball thrown at me, and I think we hit an all time record high for time-outs today. Oh and my resolve to "always stay calm" flew out the window as Tate threw his train track on the floor for the bazillionth time in a row.

Then something changed... I gave up. I made some tea, continued making the bread we had started and kind of ignored him. He actually started playing on his own, and we both just did our own thing for at least a half an hour. By that time, we were both chilled out and it made the time until beloved naptime a lot better. In fact, when he wouldn't come to get changed and had a load of poo in his pants, I just walked out of his room, shut the door and went and cleaned up the living room. By the time I got back, he immediately ran over and laid down to get changed. AND he went right to bed.

This parenting thing is hard sometimes!

Bali: I love this house

This is a house that was featured in Cookie magazine. The pagoda looking thing is the girls' bedroom. Can you imagine anything cooler?? Some of the rooms have glass windows, but a lot of it is open. I love the whole idea of this house, but I am so used to the security of being able to lock things up. Kind of sad, but it would make it hard to sleep there. In any case, I would LOVE live here if I could get past that one aspect....

Cool Things from the weekend

1. Thai food--haven't had it in 8 months!

2. The movie "Waitress", the song "Baby Don't ya Cry" from the movie...

3. Working on my scrapped Planner--hopefully to be done before December!!

4. Monday Morning

Overlooked Challenge #1

"Sure.You might have tons of them in the cabinet.
And yes, you might use them all at one time or another.But there is always that ONE that you prefer. That one you will search in the dishwasher for as opposed to simply grabbing one off the shelf."

Ok, Here is the favorite cup. It was my sister's and it is the cup I use most often.
One of the reasons it is my favorite, it that I have one very similar that was #1 before my sis passed on and left me hers. This one was my very first item I bought when I was first on my own after college. I bought it at the local grocery and used it for a bowl, for coffee, for everything. I love this cup. And then my sister "gave" me hers. And it is even better... It is bigger, more ergonomic to my hands, and well, my sister's.


Here is my coffee cup cupboard, and I have to say, when thinking about the challenge I have a lot of favorite cups. In fact, there is not a cup in my collection that isn't special!

Thanks to the fellow bloggers who introduced my the Overlooked Challenge.

CK Convention

Sorry....no pics today!
I just signed up for the CKC in St. Louis and I am really excited to give myself an excuse to scrap, shop, and just enjoy for a day or so. This year I signed up for 3 classes and a crop, which is BIG, considering I usually just take one class and then wish I had signed up for more.

I am looking forward to seeing anything new in the industry to spark my creativity. I am particularly excited for the Clear Album Class after seeing Ali Edwards creations on her blog.

I am still working on the planner...tornado warnings and feverish toddler have delayed me.

2008 Planner

SO I had this great idea to make my own planner from cereal boxes for the cover and pages made on Word. I get it all done, make cute pockets, and place for my removeable to-do list and grocery lists and Kinko's can't bind it!

Well, ok, they might be able to, but the cardboard in the center is too thick (the to-do and grocery list page) and it will cost $10 (an extra $5 due to irregular size). If you make your own planner, go for 81/2 x 11 and it is only $5. I have some metal rings that I might use, but I am looking for suggestions!

I am not finished embellishing until I can figure out how to bind it all together.
Also, include a link if you have made a planner in the past--I'd love to see your work!

Year of the Pig--be over!

The Chinese New Year isn't until February, and this past year was the Year of the Pig. It is said to be unlucky for anyone except those born in the year of the pig.

Yea, today I found my cat, Smokey, frozen in the lake that our house sits on. Rest in Peace, buddy. The totally weird thing is that my parents' cat, Sam, died the same way 3 days before I left MI. My sister must want some pets.

Really looking forward to the Chinese New Year....

Resolutions?

Yea, I don't have one.

Today it is FREEEEEZING out and we had ice on the INSIDE of our windows. The poopy thing is that there is no snow! I don't mind cold if there is snow to play in.

I am in one of my favorite cold weather outfits today. Flattering?? Not exactly, but so comfy. It is my gray flannel skirt (that Tania gave me) with my dark gray Banana Republic turtle neck from a bazillion seasons ago, and tights. I will don my FAVORITE red Mary Jane flats when I have to head to Home Depot in a bit. I have to get that funky shrink wrap plastic for your windows to try and keep it warmer in here. Yea...the outfit is kind of school marm, but I am warm and cozy.

What is your favorite cold weather outfit? Feel free to describe in fine detail...