Knight=Boy Peggies

It seems like I am always making things for Alyvia...I needed to shift gears and make something for Porter.  My first boy peggie creation...A castle and Knights!

The castle was a bird feeder at Michaels. I started by making the door larger and then decided that just was not enough room to play...I just ripped the front off! (oops, but I like it soooo much better)

Next up are the knights, I used the flat bottom peggies with a mild sparkle gray. I also hand painted all the details.

Finished product:

Perhaps he needs a lady to rescue???

T.

15 minute Christmas Gift-legwarmers

While paroozing the blogging world I found this simple idea of making legwarmers for babies, well neither of my kids are babies anymore but one is a dancer!  She often says she is cold-perfect! Off to Target I went to buy some long socks. While there I decided on the adult knee socks-she can always scrunch them down if needed. (side bar-as I was shopping I said to myself: I cannot believe I am making my child legwarmers! They were so cool when I was a kid) The socks were only $2 a pair!

This project was super simple-it only took me 15 minutes to make both pair!

Nice fun colors for Alyvia!

Here they are all done! Sew simple (ha)

I am going to Target again today, I think I am going to make a few more pairs! They are so cute, I cannot wait until she opens them!

Happy Thursday!

T

On the 3rd day of Christmas

Day 3: Eartha Kitt-Santa Baby

Simply Fabulous Gift

Happy Wednesday morning, only 2 more days and the big guy comes! I don't know about your household but my kids are SUPER excited! The joy of being a child!

Anyway, I wanted to share with you a thoughtful gift I received this Christmas. I work at Cornell University for the Chair of my department, she has 10 teaching assistants that I work with very closely all semester long. They are great 'kids' full of energy, goals, dreams, spunk, and thoughtfulness.  Below is the wonderful gift I received from them; a ball of super soft and luscious yarn, needles and a gift certificate to our local knitting store.

Thank you PAM 2300 TA's-it is very much appreciated!! 

Happy Holidays!

I hope you get a fun and thoughtful gift this year!

T.

On the 4th Day of Christmas...

Day 4: Faith Hill-Joy to the World

On the 5th Day of Christmas...

Day 5: Kenny Chesney with Alabama: Christmas in Dixie

On the 6th Day of Christmas...

Day 6: Alan Jackson-Let It Be Christmas

On the 7th day of Christmas

Day 7: Wham-Last Christmas

On the 8th Day of Christmas...

Day 8: GLEE - Baby, It's Cold Outside

On the 9th Day of Christmas...

Day 9-Elvis and Martina McBride-Blue Christmas



On the 10th Day of Christmas

Day 10-Jason Mraz - Winter Wonderland

On the 11 th day of Christmas...

Day 11: Bing Crosby-White Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me....a holiday song everyday!

For the next 12 days, other than my normal posts here and there, I will be posting one of my favorite holiday songs for your listening pleasure. I hope they put you in the spirit to decorate, bake, spend time with friends and that you enjoy them!

Day 12-Brenda Lee-Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

What is your favorite song?

T.

Ahhh the perfect tree....

We took our annual family trip to Hunt's tree farm the first Sunday after Thanksgiving (as we always do) in search of the most perfect, tall, skinny tree...and I am happy to report that we found it!  All the credit must go to my hubby, he picked it out.

While searching Livy and I found this tree, I am not sure what happend to it.  But can you quess what it reminds me of?  Whoville-they always had strange looking trees!

After hanging all our amazing ornaments from the past and present it turned out magical.  I love having the tree up; sitting there with only the tree lights on, peaceful!

Every year I buy a cardinal ornament in memory of my grandfather, however this year we lost my grandmother, and  I am still dealing with that loss. My mom got herself, my sister and me the same ornament. Its just perfect.  Its a male and female cardinal-reminds me so much of grandpa and Memo.

What does your tree look like? Do you have any special family traditions picking the perfect one out?

T.

A new shape...for crayons that is

Who doesn't love a crayon? I do, I love opening a new box and seeing those perfectly pointy little tips, it truely makes me happy. And to boot I love to color. Whenever the kids want to, I am first in line! It is so relaxing.  Seriously!

Honestly who has 5000 crayons laying around their house most broken and looking a little sad.  I say lets help those crayons out!  Simple and easy to do:

Step one: take off all the wrappers (yes this is the most borning part)

Step two: cute those crayons up into smaller pieces.

Step three: place them in an oven safe bold, I got my at Joann's its for muffins/cupcakes

Step four: wait, they have to harden.

Step five: admire your hard work.

The kids and I made snowflakes since yesterday was our first official snow fall of the year!

And check out these other two awesome blogs with refurb crayons:
http://jessicapeck.blogspot.com/2010/10/busy-mama-easy-crafting.html
http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/2010/10/diy-molded-crayons.html

Happy Sunday!
T.
Linking up at: http://i893.photobucket

Fresh new curb appeal

We have lived in our house for about 3 years, and I love it! I really do. However my front door needed something to spice it up.  Tthe total spent was about $45, and I think it made a HUGE impact!

Before

After

New Paint color $20

New wreath and holder: $15.50

Vinyl rub on from  Empressive Designs on Etsy $9.50

Well what do you think?

T.

SYTYC turns 1!

There is a little spot on Blog Street called

 So You Think Your Crafty; its an amazing blog!

And guess what, it just turned 1-Congratulations!

Honestly, this blog is awesome, not only does it have super talented crafters, ideas, and giveaways, but Missy is super sweet!

Check out the website she is offering give-a-ways all week-good luck!

And leave a comment wishing them a happy birthday!

T.

Photo Friday-Farewell to Fall

November is here, I know this mainly because living in Upstate NY it actually snowed Monday night! Yep first thing Monday morning a car passes me with about an inch of snow on it...ugh really! I am not ready for boots, coats, hats and mittens. My hubby and kids are super excited to go sledding...me I like the warm indoors.  Even though it is not officially Winter (yet)-I say farewell to another NY Fall:

I am off on my annual ladies shopping trip this weekend, so there will not be any craftiness for three days! But there will be a lot of laughs, friendship and great memories!

Have a great weekend!

T.

Does your blood run red--Cornell Red---Hockey???

I have lived near Cornell University my whole life. As I grew older and married the hubster I also began to love hockey.  And there is this strange, magnetic, over powering conection between Cornell and Hockey! The Mens and Womens Hockey teams are simply amazing.  This is the sport...they sell out every season. The Womens team is ranked number 2 in the Ivy League and the Mens team is ranked right up there as well.  They always make it to the Frozen Four.  Again...something about Lynah Rink...its small but always packed.

A couple weeks ago my co-worker Erin (see picture below...she is a San Fran fan-Go Giants) gave me the most amazing opportunity.  She asked me to take pictures at the annual Red and White game with the Ithaca Little Mites. A bit of history (and not the snooze fest you are thinking) the Red and White game is the traditional first game of the season when all the Cornell Mens Hockey team split and play each other. Like I said previously, hockey is very popular here in the area, the Ithaca Little Mites are boys and girls around the ages of 7 or 8.  They get the prestigious honor of being the 4 string that night! Can I just say they worked so hard and were so cute.

That night I took over 500 pictures (oops) and after editing and cutting I ended up with 231...not too bad. Below are a few I really liked.

Oh and how could I forget the icing on the cake, I got to stand in the middle of Lynah Rink to take a team photo. Most people can only dream to stand in the middle of the ice after a friece game!

Thanks EO-I owe you!!!!

T.

Smart Idea...bad result!

Have you ever had an amazing idea...thought it through...and it just well FLOPPED! Que the violins...

I sure did. I am so disappointed in this, for real.  I had a brilliant idea...personalized match game for PJ. He is totally into Toy Story-Buzz, Woody, Jesse, all of them.  I had some stickers left over from his birthday party, just enough to make a set of 6 matching pieces. I ran to the craft store purchased some wood, painted them black (lack of a more fun color) and then stuck the sticker on...and reach for the Modge Podge.  Somewhere in those easy steps something went terribly wrong.  They look OK, but they stick together when you pile them up. Yeppers, stick together. So I ask all of my fellow blogging Modge Podgeusers:

What did I do wrong?

Did I not wait long enough between my three coats, did I pick the wrong finish? HELP!

Here they are in a pile before they made their way across the room to craft heaven (aka the garbage).  I might try again..I might not. Again, good idea, terrible outcome.

So I want to hear them...what terrible outcomes have you had (secretly asking please help me rebuild my craftiness mojo!)

T.

CUPCAKES!! Yummo

I don't know about you, but I find cupcakes: FUN, crazy, cute and YuMmY!

I am not sure what it is lately but I just find myself completely in love with the idea of a cupcake, not so much as the taste of them (don't get me wrong I do a nice cupcake) but how people can create them.  Those perfect peaks upon the top of a moist and perfectly round cupcake top,talent!  There are some really amazing blogs out there just about cupcakes, and tons of stuff with cupcakes on them. 

Sites I heart about cupcakes:

This one is a fun design:

LUCIUS Jewerly Shop on etsy.com

These are the sweetest things ever (and man are there a lot to pick from):

Scrapbooking Stuff on Esty.com

Check out these fun and colorful cupcake liners:

thebakersconfection's on Etsy.com

And for the walls too, this is simply awesome!:

Defiant Decals on Etsy.com

Check out this sign:

On etsy.com at http://www.etsy.com/people/queensspoof

I have a pipedream, well really a few, one I want to own a bed and breakfast but thats a whole other post (sticking to cupcakes here) I would love to have a bakery of nothing more than fun, simple, yummy, exciting, and pretty cupcakes!  I know this little dream will not happen as the current very small town I live in has 3 bakeries and that just may be enough for our town...for now!

So I will just live my dream via blogs and merchandise for now!

T.

Photo Friday-back on the wagon!

I have been lacking in sticking with my photo Friday...so I am getting back on the wagon. 

This picture I took when we were at the beach this year. Alyvia is completely into headbands! Which is funny because when I was her age I had a yellow headband I NeVeR (and I mean never) took off. I guess that could be genetic too...right?

Anyway, Happy Friday!

T.

A Little Rainbow in the Fall

I am jumping on the rainbow cupcake bandwagon!  My hubbs just recently started coaching Alyvia's soccer team and we rotate snacks, it was my turn and thought yep I am going to try and make those.  Alyvia was super excited.

However, pay attention to the green you make...ours look like um, ya know....baby poo!

The other colors were pretty (notice the ACMoore receipt-ha).

Ashlyn (B's little one) and Alyvia enjoying their cupcakes after a hard soccer game.

Up close, the green didn't turn out too gross, totally thought it was going to however!

The kids loved them. I might not make them again because they were pretty time consuming with all the mixing but fun...and maybe for a special occasion.

Happy weekend , it going to be amazing here in Upstate NY, we are going to enjoy it, thats for sure.

T.

A B C...

Alyvia just started Kindergarten this year and man does this kid have homework! About 20-30 minutes every night, I guess dear old mom and dad were not expecting that! They are learning their alphabet-lower and upper case.  Alyvia however already knew these from Little Sprouts (thanks Mrs. W). Therefore I had to think of a creative way to review them with her...enter tongue depressors.  I always keep them on hand, you never know when you need to use them to mix paint, smooth play dough...etc.

All I did was put the BIG letter on one end and the LITTLE letter on the other..so easy! That way you can cover the other letter so she can't peek! (Sneaky mommy!)

I apologize for the lack of posting we are all finally settling into a routine with school, dance, and Steve is coaching Alyvia's soccer team. We are BuSy!  But I do have several projects in the works:

Finalizing my craft room

Re-doing the basement (complete overhaul)

Re-doing the front door

Started some Christmas projects

Holiday themed table runners

So I have been busy just haven't had time to post...they will come..until then...HaPpY CrAfTiNg!

T.

going once, going twice, SOLD

Ok, so I have been MIA lately, its true. But, man if you live in Upstate and L-O-V-E crafts this just might be the auction of a life time!

I live very close to Bostwicks Auction and they are having this unbelievable auction on Friday-all stuff from a local craft/sewing store! AH, wait, what...what did you say! Yep its true!

I cannot attend however my hubby has to work...blasted him!  His last Friday ever working and its this one...do you think the auction house could post-pone this for next week...tee hee! I doubt it!

Check out these great pictures (they post pictures of things coming up for sale) 

Boxes of patterns!!!!

Can you believe this!! Look at all that loot, there has to be a treasure of 5 in there.

And I really want this sign for my craft room:

Thats all for today...

T.

Summer has come and gone...

I want to apologize for the lack of posting...we just returned from the beach and Alyvia had her first day of  Kindergarten today...busy!

I will have a real post soon!

T.

Clink...Personalized Wine Glasses

I didn't realize this but I never posted about my first SYTYC craft.  Week one; the theme the Dollar Store. Holy challenge that was!  Where I live we have multiple Dollar Stores...none that great and almost all the same.  Granted tehre are endless possibilites I just needed to find inspiration.

I have been toying with the idea of painting on glass, be it cups, plates, or bowls. I love to give personalized gifts. I went to the Dollar store and walked around for 15 minutes to try and find some sort of inspiration-then I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a whole wall of wine glass, pub glasses, water glasses, martini glasses, and even margarita glasses! Jackpot! I took that as a sign to stop looking and buy.

Being a beautiful crystal clear glass it was an open canvas. I didn’t want to do my first thought because everyone would know it was me, so I went with my next favorite pattern-Paisley's! Come on-who doesn’t love a paisley print. Yes, some would say you are going back in the day to the 70’s, not me! They always come in fun happy colors!

This may be the simplest project ever; all you need are glasses, mine were $1 a piece, acrylic paint, and an oven. Three things…well and a little creativity. I will admit I put on about 4 coats of the lime green background mainly because I wanted a very smooth coat; the others are just one coat. The darker the colors may streak more.

A close-up of the bottom of the glass-that needs a little attention too!

Be simple or go crazy with this is quick, inexpensive and fun project-run don’t walk to your Dollar store!