Desktop Wallpapers for May 2009!

Here are the first two for May, more to come of course!!

The first wallpaper is inspired by all mothers out there, especially those with grief in their hearts and those with babies waiting to come. The other wallpaper is a tribute to my favorite hobby- reading. There is no greater gift than the gift of books and reading.

Please let me know what you think, other sizes are here!

A New Chapter

Well we are moved in! We have been back and forth and still may have a car trip or two to get some stray boxes, but all in all...we are officially home! I can't wait to get decorating and planting, I already have strawberry plants in the ground and seeds waiting to go in!

Aside from moving there is another little bit of exciting news to share (no I am not pregnant you sickos! =P Since there may be some changes with the kids that I care for I was trying to come up with a replacement for the income that I would possibly be losing. I thought about what was important to me- staying at home with my girls, being my own boss, NO CUBES, something that is more people oriented, and it had to be a cause or purpose that is important to me. So I am going to try my hand at being a consultant for Usborne Books.


I love meeting new people, I am definitely not shy, love public speaking, and have a strong belief in the power of books and reading. We go to three different libraries each week, give books as gifts, and both my girls have extensive libraries of their own. (I even dream of new bookplates for all of our books!) So this is the perfect job for me. =)

Here are some cool things about this company and why I chose it for my endeavor:

1. There are no minimums to maintain. You do well, you are rewarded but if you are casual about it you are not punished in the least. Love that!
2. It is all about kids and their education. Books about pirates, books with cool crafts, books that make you look hard.... we already own a lot of Usborne books and adore them.
3. I get to go out and meet new people all the time. Every stay at mom needs that.
4. There is no heavy investment to make. There are a couple kits to choose from and none of them are over $100, so there is nothing to lose.

There are other perks as well, but those are my main reasons for going with this fantastic company. I can't wait to have my first book party and see where this new chapter takes me. Yay!

(So who wants to get some free books for their kids?! lol!)

Useless Humor- Everyone needs some!!

Sitting here after a long bath in a kick ass bathtub, a bottle of Arbor Mist (yes, I am a weinie and drink cheap wine), and the house livably unpacked... life is pretty good.
So I am back to surfing through Stumble and have uncovered another hidden treasure trove of useless, funny stuff. Drunk off wine, this stuff is even funnier! Here are some gems from UselessHumor.blogspot:

Idiot: "Honey, this is a win-win.
Either we get free power,
or we can sue the power company for any (unlikely) injuries I might get."

Wife: "Here just sign this........
termLifeInsuranceForm.....
I mean, birthday card, before you go up there."

Yet another reason why I am a Target-girl!

There is an unemployed editor somewhere responsible for this.

Strippers and children's birthday parties... a little something for everyone!

Well, here I am!

After a grueling couple of days I am finally back online, in a somewhat put together new house. Yay! This has definitely been an experience for us all, there is nothing easy about moving two kids, cats, and a dog to a new house! Here are some things I have learned:

1. Professional Movers- Get them! They are sooooo worth the money!
2. Even moving just 5 streets away is a huge adventure, calling for over 100 boxes and lots of alcohol.
3. Leave the cats in an empty room until everything else is moved and there is a substantial amount of furniture assembled for hiding places. Your chances of getting your pillow pooped on is a lot lower this way. =)
4. Test the gate latch BEFORE you leave your dog in the "fenced in" backyard. Also make sure there are nothing nasty back there for the dog to roll in.
5. Do not try to unpack everything the same day or weekend you move in- you cannot do it, accept that fact.
6. Send the kids off for a day of fun with a relative or friend... let her spoil your kids rotten and return them to you tired and happy. It makes that first night a whole lot easier.

I am sure there are more things, but for now that is the important stuff. =) Pictures to come soon enough, till then have a great weekend!!

Just Checking In...

Packing, packing, and more packing...with a dash of scrubbing and cleaning on the side. I have remembered to take some time to myself though. Since my sewing gear has been packed away I have taken up embroidery and LOVE it!!!

I bought a really cool kit called the Stitch-It Kit. What I love so much about it is that it isn't foo-foo embroidery like what your grandmother has on her pillows. This is rock n roll, sassy kitten, hula girl, punked out kitchen fun. Aside from the book teaching you the cool stitches the kit also comes with reusable iron-on patterns that ink your material, not leave a gooey pattern for you to follow. It also comes with lots of thread, a needle, and the hoop, pretty much everything you need to get started, even two tea towels to practice your awesome stitching on!!!


I highly recommend this kit to anyone who wants to hand embroider but doesn't know how and doesn't want some lame designs!!! Pics of my new apron that I just tiki-ed out as soon as my house is moved and I can find the darn camera!!

Filth Wizardry

I really am getting a kick out of Stumble! Today I decided to go blog surfing and with the first click found a blog that I was so impressed with that I thought I would share it will you all.
Introducing Filth Wizardry!

What caught my eye right away was the clean look of this wonderful read. No ads, no flashing buttons, not even a list of her favorite sites...just a clean lined blog. A very nice change from the normal blogs I read that can get too messy for my eyes!

The main focus of the blog is preschool crafts and messy fun. Just scrolling around I found cute ways to make tea towels into shorts and skirts for the kids, a new use for sticky googly eyes, and definitely a unique thing to do with preschool panties that are not worn out but don't fit. LOVE that idea!!

I think my favorite thing is that it is totally focused on kids, nothing but crafts, mess, and fun. Go check it out and tell me what you think!!!

I am bawling my eyes out right now

I was sitting here a second ago, surfing blogs as usual, when I checked on a blog I just learned about last week- Remember Maddie. My heart is breaking for this mother. I know that the whole family is in pain but it is for this woman that I am bawling my eyes out. One mother to another, I can't imagine the pain and sorrow she must be in.

A wonderful, bright little girl who struggled from birth to live and died so suddenly, too young. What started as a cough and congestion here ended so tragically.

There are wonderful videos of this precious girl, pictures galore, and I know that every mother who has read this story has sent her love to this family. There is so much I want to say, but nothing seems enough. So I will wrap my arms around my daughters tight and treasure every moment I have with them.

*On a side note, when Gabby saw me crying she came over and asked what was wrong. I explained about Maddie and her mommy. Of course I started crying harder. Gabby, very straight faced said, "Well Mommy, it looks like we will have to send AJ to her so she can have a baby girl again. We can just get another baby at the hospital!" Smiling through my wet face, I just hugged her tight and laughed.

I love comedians!

This makes me laugh so hard. I love comedy and I love ethnic comedy even more. How have I not heard of this guy before?? Who is your favorite comedian?

Presenting Casa de La Krebs!

Here is a tour of our yet to be decorated new house!
Welcome and don't forget to take your shoes off!!!

First stop is the kitchen, complete with dishwasher and disposal! YAY!
(The wallpaper actually isn't so bad!)

Next we have the dining room which we are going to use as a playroom/office space.
The wallpaper is going to have to go, but that is for another day...

The we go into the sunroom which we are going to use as our dining room.
Clever huh?
Our table fits perfectly and I can't see a better way to eat then among plants and sunshine!


Here is our pretty living room,
there is a lotta wall where I am standing...


Now let's go upstairs... here is the view from the stairs!
It is a pretty big space, and I love the layout.


Here is the bathroom. I am glad to only have to clean one toilet now. =)
And yes, that is a door you see there...one of those charming Lakewood quirks.

Where does the door go you ask?


a tiny little balcony!!
Just in case you want to dry off from your bath au natural! Hehehe!
It overlooks the backyard and such,
but this is the only way to get to it.
Interesting huh?
Then we have the master bedroom.
A pretty blue that of course
goes with none of the bedding we own!


Right across is Gabby's room.
Yes, my little tomboy chose the pink room. =)


And finally we have AJ's room.
A pretty khaki color and just the right size for her.
Another quirk about the house is that is not a closet she is trying to break into...
no, that is the door that leads to the full and beautiful attic.
Oh well, girlfriend doesn't have enough clothes to need a closet anyhow!

Of course there more,
we have a decent basement
that is not finished but not bad enough to give me nightmares,
a very cute backyard that I can manage,
and tons of storage.
But now you have been given the grand tour, welcome!

**We are officially moving next Friday so blogs might not be as constant,
all that I ask is that you have a drink and say a prayer for me! =) **

How do you....

anyone know how post You Tube videos here? I can write code, design cool stuff... but no clue how to post any of the cool, funny, disturbing videos that Stumble is sending to me. Help please!!!!!!

Here is one of my new favorites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn5jlrxcpkI

Random Thoughts from Yours Truly

I am feeling very random right now....between packing for the move, taking care of 5 different design jobs, embroidering, and playing my new addiction Sorority Life on Facebook... random is where I am at!

Did you know that the sausage patty at McDonalds is 919 calories??? And that the Deluxe Breakfast is just about 3,000 calories? Yep, it is true! Needless to say I will not be partaking in this anymore... I do not want my kids to look like this!
***(I highly recommend to anyone who has the iPod touch or an iPhone to get the app called Lose It....tells you the caloric value of LOTS of food, fabulous tool for anyone who keeps tabs on their diet.)***



I decided that I really want a Kindle2 for Mother's Day. I read A LOT, love listen to audio books while I sew, and prefer to use electronic books since I have so many favorites. The Kindle2 is great, will read audiobooks to you, and best of all the books are cheap. (You reading this hubby??)


If you are a visual learner like I am then here is a website for all of you who are taking finals soon or know someone who is- Flashcard Exchange. What a great idea! I lived off my flashcards in college, (along with my Anatomy Coloring Book!) and think that this website is one of those great tools that not enough people know about!

Ummm...let's see... what else.... I am sure that there will be more, that is just what was going through my brain! Ciao!

Gimme Your Stuff!!!

I have come across two different websites this past week with really interesting concepts. One is called Gimme Your Stuff.

It is basically a cultural exchange where you put together a package of items that are unique to your area, it can be food items, clothing items, anything really. And then you send it to someone in another part of the world who will send something similar to you. It is fascinating to me and I love looking at all the pics of swaps that have gone on. Once we move and I get my life in order I am going to definitely do this!

I think even a regional swap between bloggers is cool. Being originally from the Buffalo, NY area there are a couple things I can think of right off that are unique to that area- Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Aunt Rosie's Loganberry drink, buffalo wings... I will have to get some feedback for some Cleveland ideas! But I would love to see what is unique to other areas of the US, what brands are common, what magazines everyone reads, etc. This is maybe something I will do here, once we are organized again in my house.

Here is what I would send:
Malley's Chocolate - fabulous local chocolate!!!
CD of Rock and Roll music, true American tunes!
some bath and body stuffs
American design magazine or fashion magazine
some cute fabric
and of course some Buckeyes since Ohio is the Buckeye state! (for those who don't know a Buckeye is a chunk of peanut butter wrapped in chocolate-yum!)
and anything else that the swapper is interested in!

Anyone else find this so interesting?? If you are reading this from outside the US and want to try a swap with me then let me know... could be lots of fun!!!

DIY Project: Altoid Tin Travel Candle

Isn't this so pretty? (You can find the original post here....another great find from Stumble!)

What You’ll Need:

1. altoids tins
2. candle wicks
3. wax (i used microwaveable soy wax from a craft store)
4. mod podge (a glue/sealant available at craft stores. it is non-toxic and nonflammable
5. decorative paper
6. pencil
7. scissors
8. paint brush
9. wax coloring or scents (optional)

Instructions:
1. clean the altoids tin thoroughly.
2. trace the top and bottom on your paper and carefully cut out shapes.

3. measure the width of the sides for the top and bottom. for the bottom, measure to the bumps on the front side where the top and bottom connect. (my altoids tin is .25 in and .5 in thick) and cut a long strip in each width.
4. separate the top and bottom of the tin. spread a layer of mod podge around the rim of the bottom tin and wrap the strip around. press down and cut off any excess paper. smooth down the edges with your fingers to wipe off any extra glue.

5. spread mod podge on the flat base of the tin and place the paper over it. smooth out any bumps and snip around the sides to clean the edges.
6. repeat with the top of the tin. you can cover the holes and bumps and then cut them off later.
7. when the papers are all attached, paint a thin layer of mod podge over all of the papered part of the the tins. this smooths the edges and seals the paper to protect it.
8. let dry completely and reattach the two pieces. clean any glue off the inside of the tin with a paper towel and soap.
9. glue the wicks onto the base.
10. heat the wax and pour to directly below the hinges in the back.
11. let the wax dry. trim the wicks.
12. if you want, you can attach a small pack of matches to the inside of the top lid so you always have a light!

YOU’RE DONE!

Another Missed Connection on Craigslist

Just when you thought that the first date couldn't get any worse:

To the woman that crapped in my car.

We met on Craigslist so I am hoping that this post finds you. I know that it could quite possibly be the most humiliating first date that you have ever been on, but I am willing to look past that.

I thought we had chemistry sitting at McFadden's sharing that basket of jalapeno poppers while drinking Guiness. I really felt like there was a connection there. I found you to be intelligent and witty and looked forward to further conversation with you.

At some point in life, everyone has gambled on a fart and lost. It just happened to be on a first date in the passenger seat of my car. Please don't feel bad. The package I sent you with Pepto the next day and the note that said "First dates are always a crap shoot. Call me" was meant to be funny, not offensive.

I have gambled on a fart and lost on multiple occasions. The first time I did it was very memorable. It happened when I was five and sitting on my uncle's lap. I am lactose intolerant, but love cheese. I probably win 95% of the time, but I don't think anyone wins 100% of the time. That's why they call it "gambling". I'm the last person to judge you for crapping your pants. In fact, I am impressed by your boldness. The timing on the other hand, could have been a tad bit better...like when you're not sitting on a heated leather seat...

What I am trying to say is that if you want to go out again, I would be more than happy to take you someplace where we can get a meal that is high in fiber and less taxing on the digestive tract.

I await your call,
Tad

P.S. - If you shat yourself on purpose to end the evening early.Touché.

I can already imagine telling the kids about how mommy and daddy met...hahaha!

#1 Worst Food in America

****************

Yes, it is one of those days....

So yesterday, after a very frustrating afternoon with my children, I get a phone call from our Realtor. He tells me that he is pleased with all those showings, yada yada yada, but that the feedback he is getting from potential buyers is that our house isn't "showing well". Aka our house isn't picture perfect Pottery Barn and people can't see past the boxes stacked up or the cup on the sink to realize that they would be getting a hell of a deal here.
He told me in a very polite manner that basically it would speed up the selling process if we either get rid of our kids and animals and hire a maid or move sooner than planned. Being rather fond of my cat Tuck I opted to move a week earlier than planned. =)
So now we are scheduled to move in a little over two weeks. WTF? I have to pack up our two bath/four bedroom house in a little over two weeks?? YIKES!
Top it off with the fact that I still have to care for two other children along with my own, keep our house "showable" for the Realtor, AND try to maintain some normal schedule and you got yourself one stressed out mama.
So I am going to sit here, drink my coffee, and try to form a gameplan...on a good note: today we have someone coming who wants to walkthru a second time... wish us luck!

Inspiration Tuesday

I am always looking for inspiration. I love looking at a blog design or a logo and thinking about how I would change it, what would make it more appealing to me, or what the designer did that is so eye catching.

I just registered with a site called StumbleUpon, which is a very cool site that allows you to rate site, blogs, photos, everything. Then they will send you weekly emails with site that they think you will enjoy. Today I got a list of some awesome sites and wanted to share a few with you, because maybe if they appeal to me they will appeal to you!!

I highly recommend Stumble for any of you that love just wandering about the web in search of your own inspiration. Think of it as a compass pointing you in the right direction, but not telling you exactly what you will find when you get there!

Here are some of my finds:
1. Ultimate One Color Logos- Fabulous site for logo inspiration, just great design, no bells and whistles. This one is my favorite.

2. How Long Could You Last On a Gay Pirate Ship- funny quiz....'nuff said!

3. TypeNow- tons of free fonts...I love the famous ones like the Adams Family font!

4. How to Make a Branch of Paper Cherry Blossoms- super cute, super easy. I love crafts like this...minimal supplies and a very cute outcome!

5. Wedding Favors: How I Gave the Entire Wedding Party Diarrhea- the entire store made me giggle from start to finish!

6. DontClick.it- Ok, this is my personal favorite today....human psych has always intrigued me and this website challenges one of the most basic of human habits, the Click. Everyone who uses a computer frequently know that to navigate around a website you have to Click around, that is, press on buttons to go to different places and see different information. BUT, what if you didn't have to Click??? Go check out this site and find out!!!

Oh and please don't forget to answer my poll on the sidebar under my friend's links.... VERY important! =) Ok, not really but I am curious about what everyone will say!