Ladies of the Society! Let's make a resolution!

To be more creative in 2011!

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I went about six months not making a thing and it wasn't any fun. All of a sudden I am finding big and small ways to be more creative. We are on a tight budget (isn't everyone?) so the phrase, "Make do and mend" has been my mantra lately.

It's easier than you think. Haven't been wearing that one pair of pants because you lost the button?
Put a random one on and give it some flare:

Kid's chair scraping your bamboo floor every time they scoot it around?
Hand stitch felt on the bottom:

Bam. Problem solved. Oh, and maybe fix the top that's falling apart while you're at it...

Husband gone recording drums for hours upon hours and the kids are in bed?
Piece a new family quilt instead of browsing lame, stupid Facebook for hours!


Need some motivation? Browse crafty blogs that rule school or make a sewing mix to hum and stitch to. Mine is playing on this here blog right now and it kept me pumped all night as I designed, cut, sewed, ironed and squared out a quilt top and bottom. Magic.

Who's with me?

Let's get crafty together this Monday (Jan 3) after your kids are in bed!

I'm gonna start sewing around 7:30. See you then!

Mom Tip: Educational stuff for the kiddies

A long time ago my sisters blogged. Just kidding. Let me finish that sentence: A long time ago my sisters blogged about some things they loved to use around home. You know, products, personal and household favorites...etc. I love that sort of thing because you know you can trust it. True, some of it might just be personal preference, but I am 100% more confident buying something that I know someone likes and actually uses. Plus, I always trust a product review way more when I know there's no chance someone is being paid to say it's awesome. So, I wondered if we could help each other out. If you want.


So, here is my mom tip! We love The Friend magazine around here of course. Big surprise there. But we also have been getting this:

little gem over the last year. It from Highlights, but it's called High Five and is for ages 2-6.

We love it! Each month we look forward to new stories and a comic, poems, math exercises, brain teasers, a craft suggestion that is totally doable, recipes we usually try that kids can do, and a game you can cut out and keep until it gets played so much it falls apart.

I wish they were paying me to say all this, because this is starting to sound like an ad (Highlights people are you out there?!?!)- but we seriously love it and I always think, "I should tell my friends how great this is."

It makes me feel like an on top of it mom to do so much educational, fun stuff that I don't have to come up with myself.

Ok, your turn- do you have a favorite educational toy or product we all need to check out? It doesn't have to be something you buy either. It could be a fun educational activity or game. Let's hear it!

Sewing Society: Help wanted... inquire within... the post. Thanks!

When I don't have work I get to blog more and make more stuff. It's fun! So, we have been making a lot of food around here and making everyone crazy since I have been reading these:


every time someone turns their back for a second... book six, I'm comin' for ya!

But anyway, last night I finally made these:

Huck Finn pants for four little Huck babies named:
Gideon

Asher

Calvin

and Shiloh

There's something so appropriate about Huck Finn pants all on a clothesline like that:

I have one more awesome project almost done... just getting a friend to help me with the last step and I can't wait to show you!

Oh yeah, speaking of help from crafty friends- anyone have a favorite Roman Shade tutorial? I've had the stuff to make them for the boy's room sitting on my floor for months. I think this is a pretty good one from What's New? Although, I'll admit the process intimidates me slightly.

Jenny at Little Green Notebook has a great alternative, but will it last and hold up to heavy fabric, plus black out fabric on a big window??

I need help! Anyone have experience in the Roman Shade department?

I asked Ambrose for help because he's crafty, but he was too busy constructing this:

Oh well.

Cruisers

This might be my favorite picture of the year.

He's super...

In his PJs, glasses that grandma cut out for him, and cool cape Aunty Echo made for him way back when:

Insisting that Mama tie on her vintage scarf and be Super too:

Maybe little Brother wants to be super as well?

No?

It's ok, he's super-confident enough for the two of them.... lookin' all awesome and whatnot:

Oh dear, I could die laughing. As if looks aren't enough we paraded our cape-y selves all the way to the playground as he repeatedly sang out: "Super Boy to the rescue!!!! In SPACE!!!!!"

Super delightful little guy.

Our Merry Little Day

And then we went to the movies and saw Tangled and the boys sat through it and had a great time! I actually saw a whole movie without taking anyone out in the lobby to run around for a while. Each day with them gets more fun and enjoyable than the next. Maybe letting them grow up a little isn't so heart wrenching after all...

My very best friends

We've been having a lot of fun this vacation! These boys are delicious like the booger Ambrose was digging for. Gross.

Another semester has come and gone

Here's just about all my students at our creative final presentations:

3:40 class:

5:10 class:

All of us together:

What a good looking group!

I am thoroughly enjoying vacation- no leaving my children to go to work, no grading, no eye rolls, or having to tolerate certain people being late/lame/lazy...etc. but I already miss these people! I'm so glad I got to be a part of their interesting and hilarious lives for a while.

Aside from being Ambrose and Asher's Mama, of course, this is the best job ever! I'll ride this wave as long as I can. Such an adventure.

Pretend that you opened your mailbox and saw this today:

Because we didn't actually send out Christmas cards for once. Very unlike us. So, even though we are simplifying life by staying on budget this year, dash it all, we love you all very much and would love to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Photo by the fabulous Yan, of course. Card design by Thomas Robertson. I hire him every year.

Stuff Guys Do

Climb trees

Gloat over their bravery

Claim land

Collect firewood

Build campfires

Hold Pow-Wows

Play coy in front of the camera

Design intricate candy houses

Pretty tough work.