Easter Goodies and a Bunny

This Easter we are really cutting down on the amount of stuff we put in the girl's baskets. Instead of filling a plastic basket with junk that will be broken or lost within a day or two we are going to give them stuff that will inspire and enhance.

I ordered some cute unpainted wooden toys from Goose Grease Undone on Etsy, a set of butterflies and a set of dragonflies. Lately we have been painting unfinished wooden eggs a lot and the girls really enjoy watching me paint fairy doors and Spoolie dolls. By getting them their own paintables they can work beside me without taking my store supplies, lol!

Some other ideas I have are bird masks- (the girls LOVE birds!),  recycled crayons in fun shapes like these dinosaurs, creative building blocks, and of course, fun soap!

We will give the kids a little bit of chocolate, some bubbles, and a book, but that will be about it! I did, however, make something that I should have saved for Easter, but couldn't resist showing Gabby and AJ my creation- Plush Little Pocket Bunnies!!!

These are bunnies that are embroidered and personalized with a special pocket in the back, which is perfect for storing small trinkets and such. They are super easy to make and the girls love hugging them close! I really should have saved them for their baskets but I couldn't resist!!

**I am going to try to post a tutorial tomorrow... they are super quick and easy to make.  I have a pretty nasty cold right now though so we will see.**

Easy and Cheap Stocking Stuffer- Yummy Playdough

Some of my favorite things that I remember getting in my stocking were art supplies.

I have made my own playdough in the past with huge success,

but haven't ventured into the area of making yummy smelling dough! 

Now that my girls are old enough to not try to eat the playdough (I hope!)

I think that come pretty cocoa smelling playdough or even vanilla sounds really cool.

Go here for the full how-to.... she even has the basics on dying your playdough using all natural materials!!

Etsy Things I ♥♥♥

I love shopping on Etsy for me and everyone else in my life... lately though since our wedding anniversary (7years!) is on Dec 6th, Christmas, and then my 30th (gasp!) birthday in January, I have been mainly looking at stuff for me, lol! There are so many things that I like, bath goodies, jewelry, clothes and accesories.... the list is a great one! So here are some things that have caught my eye for any of the above mentioned occasions... paying attention Klint? =)

 Pink Cherry Bomb Sugar Soaps via here

(Would realllllly like this for our anniversary!)

Meet Me at the Birch Tree Necklace via here

Antique Pewter Tiny Twig Hair Pins via here

Organic Baby Wrap Carrier via here

There are so many cute styles... love them all!

I loved handing out these awesome "Bad parking" notes....must have more!
via here

I loooooove this bag and seriously NEED it! 

via here

I am sure that there are more finds, but that is all for now... what things do you ♥ from Etsy?

My Christmas Wish List- Something to Read

Since everyone else in my house has a wishlist made up for Christmas I decided to blog about my wishlist. (Plus this way Klint can just look here if he forgets what I want!!) Today is my Something To Read!

This is one of the hardest ones for me to pick since I love books so much.... do I ask for a craft book, a year's subscription to a favorite magazine, or just something by a favorite author? Last year I got a year's subscription to Oprah which I love love love. This year however is a special year because I am turning 30....

I found this lovely little journal called One Line a Day on another blog that I read, Simplify, and thought what a wonderful idea! Just one little line, once a day, for 5 years! What a wonderful keepsake for the girls to look back on, and a great way to record the first 5 years of my 30's! And even better that it is a pretty aqua color (not like the icky color on Amazon's site!) which is a favorite color of mine.....

I love this photo of the journal from Simplify.... it makes the journal look so pretty....

There is one for recording all that mommy stuff.... but I am going to be selfish and just get this one which will have some stuff about the girls I am sure, but also personal stuff about me....

So there ya go, that is my Something to Read!!!

We Wish You A Handmade Christmas!

I love browsing Etsy for gift ideas and of course Christmas provides a whole slew of cool ideas for the ones you love. Here are some of my favorite things that I have found thus far, some you can eat and some just look nice... no matter what you know it was made with love and by someones two hands!!

1) Christmas Bobby Pins- $10    2) Set of 8 Felted Christmas Tree Ornament- $16

3) HO HO HO Christmas Banner- $17   4) Candy Cane Soap Bar- $5.50

5) 1 Pound Peppermint Chip Fudge- $11   6) Elf Stocking Cap Pattern- $5.25

7) Christmas Tree Hair Clip- $3.95     8) 4 Vintage Mid-Century Glass Ornaments- $24.50

9) Felted Peppermint Soap- $9.50     10) Box of 6 Gingerbread Houses- $8.98

11) Paper House Ornament Template- $4

What's on your List?

I have been thinking a lot about stuff to get the girls and Klint for Christmas... there are so many wonderful things out there that it really is hard to choose. Luckily we have our 4 present tradition so it keeps my spending in check. I still have stocking stuffers to think about though and a special gift from Santa for everyone.... here are some things that I have bought or am buying this holiday season!

Create It- Ballerina Kit! Found here for only $8!

Stitch It Squirrel Keyring Kit found here (Only $4!!!!)

Custom Felt Ornament- $19 from here on Etsy

Every year we try to do something charitable... this year we are sending a flock of chickens!

Go here to send the chicks or other animals that will better someone's life!

A perfect pet for the little girl in your life, plus no mess!!

Found here for $22

Pocket mirrors that look just like your little girl!

Only $8 and super cute!!! Get yours here.

AJ is on a huge unicorn kick.... what better present than her own unicorn wand!

Found here for $12

And of course I can't forget about Miss M's presents!

Since it is the year of the Tiger I thought that this was a perfect present for her!

Found here for $9

Both of the girls love lions and other Savannah animals right now,

so Santa is bringing this special jewelry box for them!

Found here

Well that is all for now, there are other things on their lists, but those were the most fun for me to find this year!!!

The List 4.15.10

I am feeling pretty off kilter here, trying to adjust to my body's needs (like being tired and nauseous in the evenings when I usually craft), still keep the house tidy (FAIL), and attempt to keep the kids from killing each other. I have a whole new realm of things to search for and discover on the web though so for all you mamas out there with teeny ones or expecting (and who isn't expecting it seems?!) there will be a lot more links for you!

I am already looking into switching to cloth diapers for this little one since we are currently spending waaayyyy too much on Pull Ups and I hate the thought of sending more disposable diapers to landfills! I love this site that has patterns if you are a craft mama so you can sew your own! (We will be using BumGenius 3.0)

Speaking of the environment, here is an awesome article about switching to non-toxic household cleaners as well as an easy peasy recipe on how to make your own!

And instead of throwing away all that plastic, why not use it to make something beautiful from this list? Like this awesomely cool little zipper container?

One of my biggest complaints about pregnancy is the clothing choices. Luckily thanks to Homemade by Jill I can now take an old pair of jeans and turn them into a super stretchy maternity skirt!

Seems like everyone is pregnant these days, even Jill is! I think I am going to stock up on some ultra hip balms from this Etsy store to send to all my pregger friends! With names like Tough Titties and Bad Ass Booty Balm you can't go wrong!

Oh, and also from Etsy I just ordered some pants from a very eco-conscious seller from Thailand who supports the native artists in the area. They are traditional Fisherman pants, one size fits most, and perfect for me to dance in!

Even though crafting is the last thing on my mind for once, I would love to see if one of my more craftier friends could make me a couple of cute bean bags from this pattern... Looks a little much for my novice skills, but sooo cute for the playroom!

One of the projects that I have been doing with the kids is planting our fairy garden as well as thinking about the rest of the garden space. I think this DIY Seed Tape would be a perfect gift for Teacher Appreciation Week!

Lastly, I am always on the lookout for cute party ideas, favors, and food and these wonderfully delicious looking Chocolate Spoons caught my eye. Not only are they pretty, but sooo yummy looking!

Have a great day and enjoy looking around at all the goodies here!

Ants in My Pants

Ok, well not in my pants... but definitely in our stockings! Dear Hubby (King of all gadgets!) showed me these awesome little robotic bugs called Hex Bugs and right away I knew that this was something I wanted for all of our stockings! Not only are they really neat, react to light and sound, but I am sure that the cats will get a kick out of them as well. They are only available online or at a Toys R Us or Radio Shack and flying off the shelves. I picked up an ant as well as a nano for two stockings and debating on whether or not I want to wait for the aqua colored crab to become available. =)

The List 2.6

Oh my goodness have I found TONS of cool stuff to share with you guys!!! I am so excited about all these awesome gift ideas, projects, traditions, and just all around neatness!! (Can you tell I am jazzed up?!)

Ok, I know I love my cats, but I think that making them this awesome Kitty Bed would be the ULTIMATE sign of love! (@ Junk Camp)

Since I have been doing so many craft shows I have a new appreciation for half aprons! Here is a cute tutorial using a pillow case! (@ Lipstick and Laundry)

It seems my feet are always cold, even though I am NEVER barefoot (especially in a house with wood floors!) So this DIY Rice Bag Foot Warmer is perfect for me to put some spare fabric to use! (@ V and Co.)

I have an aversion to anything to "babyish" especially cutesy foofoo growth charts. But this heirloom growth chart would be something I would definitely buy for the girls to keep. Love it! (@ Miss Natalie)

My girls get really excited when we are counting down for something and I know that they would love a way to count down to their birthdays. This pretty set of birthday countdown pockets would be a neat tradition to start! (@ One Happy Mama)

Somedays I wish that I had a huge tree in my backyard or that our backyard was bigger than a postage stamp... this Treepee is one reason why I want a new yard to play in... I mean, for the kids to play in! Lol! (@ The Treepee Company)

Lucky for me Gabby is still too little to start losing her baby teeth, but I am already thinking ahead and love this pretty Tooth Fairy Kit. (@ Fawn and Forest)

Forts in general are cool, but this awesome Super Sized Princess Playhouse would be a huge hit in this house- especially with the fairy tale going on! (@ Miss Pretty Pretty)

See?! Didn't I tell you that I was busy looking high and low all over the web for total cuteness?! So what project are you going to work on first? I think that foot warmer is at the top of my list!

Two Projects Done!

I loved making the fairy door and the checkers set!!!

I think I may make another one for my Etsy store- pink ninjas vs. purple ninjas possibly?

I definitely want to make more fairy doors... I can't wait to put it on the wall and see the girls' reaction!

Make and Do

I am a huge fan of Make and Do and am getting tons of awesome gift ideas from them. I love winter and making snowmen so I think that this wonderfully easy Snowman Kit is a perfect gift for all the little ones in my life. Really, all you need is a few supplies and then sit back and wait for the snow! (Which shouldnt be too much longer for us Clevelanders!)

Another really yummy idea that I am going to make for all the adults I know is this recipe for Peppermint White Chocolate Popcorn. I have had the pleasure of eating White Chocolate Popcorn in the past and found it sooooo addicting. Add in the peppermint and I don't know if I want to share now that I think about it! Super easy recipe and beautiful presentation!

Really, you can't go wrong with any idea from this site. Everything is really easy and will make that special someone on your list feel extra important that you took the time to make them something that they will love. (Unless you make them the yummy popcorn and they eat all of it and can't fit into their jeans.... that might be a problem... better not share that one!)

Gabby's "Want" Present

For Christmas Gabby requested a checkers board for us to play and I couldn't resist a DIY Pirates vs. Ninjas Checker Set.  I saw this on Etsy a while ago and lucky for me I live near a craft store (Pat Catans) that has all the supplies I need so I don't have to have them shipped here and waste precious painting time.

I toyed with a couple of themes, Pink Ninjas vs. Black Ninjas, Batman vs. Spiderman, Monkeys vs. Bears... but I know my girl and pirates are totally her thing!!

I will post pics once I get the varnish on some of the little ninjas I started with! If you don't live near a store that stocks these cute little wooden peg dolls, I totally reccomend this great Etsy store!  Here is a link to some other neat ideas for the peg dolls... what do you think? Is this something your kids would dig?

It's The Most Nutty Time of the Year!

Well my friends, it has begun.... the frenzied holiday season. Today I saw workers draping lights on trees outside of a mall, heard Christmas tunes in a bookstore, and am seeing "HOLIDAY SALE" signs popping up left and right.

It is really hard to resist overspending, especially with "deals" everywhere telling you that you need this and that, making you feel guilty for not buying your child the newest toy, and pushing you into decorating your house befitting the cover of Southern Living.

This is the 3rd year that we will be doing our Rules of Christmas and I have even higher hopes of it's success now that Gabby is older. She can recite the rules to us when we are out and she definitely understands that she needs to make her choices wisely. I mentioned in my previous post that we are going to make the girls a fairy door and there are a few other things that we have in mind for them from Santa, but nothing that is going to push us into financial ruin.

I designed this notepad so that I can keep track of the ideas that I get for each person in my family, and so that I can mark off what I get and am not tempted to get yet another shirt or a toy that isn't on the list.

Here are directions on how to turn this into a real notepad which is nice if you have a large family that wishes to try this tradition out. And here is the PDF to print out, you can fit 2 sheets on a page if you landscape it.

In the next couple of weeks I will be sharing with you things I am giving the members of my family, since I don't have to worry about the kids reading the blog and ruining the surprise! Any ideas, hints, and tricks that you know are very welcome!!

Etsy Finds: Buddhism Funness

I have been reading a lot of Buddhist stories and such lately so I went onto Etsy to see what cool images, jewelry, and other trinkets I could find for myself and Klint. With Father's Day coming up I am planning on giving Klint a basket of Japanese/meditation/kung fu inspired things so this was a good time to scope out some unique items for him!

clipped from www.etsy.com

This miniature Zen garden is perfect for travel -- whether you're heading far away, or just into the office. Dreading that meeting? A few quiet minutes of contemplative sand raking should sooth the nerves. Facing a major deadline? Take a moment to rearrange these tiny stone "mountains" while you reorganize your thoughts. This tiny Zen garden would be perfect on your desk, windowsill, or stashed in a pocket or purse. It comes with fine-grain sand, two tiny pebbles and a miniature rake. Entire container measures 1.5" across and .5" high.

clipped from www.etsy.com

This meditation bead bracelet consists of 21 8mm gemstone beads - red jasper, aventurine, tiger's eye, moss agate, chrysocolla, lapis lazuli, and amethyst, as well as a carnelian bead etched with the mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hum' in Tibetan script. They glow with saturated colour.

clipped from www.etsy.com

Essential oils of lavender, peppermint, rosemary, tangerine, juniper berry, cedarwood, marjoram combine in Zen, the ultimate relaxation soaking salts. This synergistic blend of essential are deeply relaxing for your sore & tired muscles. Zen works to clear your mind & auric field of stresses to create an environment of calm & serenity.

clipped from www.etsy.com

These handmade bowl features two holes and a resting divot to hold your chopsticks. I created them on my pottery wheel out of porcelain clay, cutting in the two chopstick holes and the semi-circular resting area across from the holes while the clay was soft. They are glazed glazed in a beautiful glossy robin's egg blue that complement most any food you want to serve in this bowl. Each will hold 2-3 cups of rice (or cereal, soup, ice cream, veggies, berries, etc.) and are 3.5" high x 5.25" across. The chopsticks are included with this bowl. I signed it on the bottom rim. Microwave and dishwasher safe.

clipped from www.etsy.com

The length and sound of this bamboo flute is inspired by the flutes of the ancient Shaolin Kung Fu masters who used their instruments as walking sticks, martial arts practice tools, and as simple bamboo flutes.

This 3 foot bamboo flute has a gentle, meditative, oriental voice with 1-2 octaves. Great for inner peace journeying, meditation or studio recording work. Experience nada yoga, with this design. This bamboo flute features the 4 tone hole east Orient tuning.