{Some} Recent Craftiness

Since I'm feeling sick.. and the kids are too... I didn't really take any photos today. However, I have a couple of crafts that I haven't shared on the blog {for one reason or another}, so at least you'll have something fun too look at!

For Jessie and Bryan's Rehearsal Dinner, I had Michael, our cousin, draw this photo of the Up house, sans balloons. You can read more about it here, and here are a few up close photos of the finished product:

{totally my fault that their finger prints didn't line up... but the concept still is the same}

Hopefully I'll be able to get over to their place soon to get a few photos of it and the rest of the fun decor that everyone has been working so hard on.


Another project that I had been working on and finally got mailed off - to Ben! - was a Beach Towel Backpack. My Aunt had shown me a version that she made for my cousin, so I decided to make a slightly more "grown-up" version for Ben... in hopes that he wouldn't lose another pair of scuba goggles {oh, yes, Dear One - I just ratted you out! xoxox}.

Similar to the quillows that were so popular for a while, the bag is actually attached to the back of the towel! So while you are walking to the beach, you can use it to carry your stuff, once there you can use the bag part to hide valuables and the towel to lay on/dry off with, and then stuff it all back inside the bag when it's time to go! I'm keeping my eye out for some cute {and smaller} beach towels for the kids during the end of summer clearances to make ones for them.

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In other news, today starts Sonic's Limeades for Learning! My sister, Bridget {BB}, has a project going that we'd REALLY appreciate you going in and voting for. You'll have to register, only the one time, before you can actually vote, but after that one time registration {all they do is send you an email to verify that it is a legitimate email address}, you can vote daily. Even if you don't go to or even know what Sonic is! AND, if you do go to Sonic, be sure to enter the code on your sticker for an extra TWO votes. Please help her struggling readers get some of the extra resources that they need to help her bring them up to grade level in reading.

To vote for her project, click here.

Thanks!! ♥

Toddler Bedding

Ellie has been doing amazingly well in her converted crib/toddler bed. First night excepted, I haven't had to go into her room to put her back in bed and she waits until after I {or Noah} come in there to get out of bed in the mornings and after naps.

I'm so proud of her.

The only problem was - I had ONE set of sheets for her that matched her new comforter. Trust me when I say, toddler bed sheets {without a comforter} are hard to find here in Abilene. And the prices online were more than I was willing to pay. Luckily, I remembered seeing a crib sheet tutorial on Made. So using it and Ellie's current set as a guide to make the flat sheet, I made her a sheet set using a single twin flat sheet.

$5.00 {at Walmart} + a little hard work beats $38 {and not the color I wanted} every time.

Ellie loves it.

Which of course makes it even more worth the effort. Next up, a teal set {because I know the value of having three sets of sheets for a bed}! :)

Keeping Me Busy

It's been busy around here. So busy, in fact, that Tuesday I forgot to even pick up my camera. So I'm rolling Monday's post and today's into one.

Here's a quick look at what has been keeping me busy:

A Little One that just doesn't seem as little now that she toddles around. She's getting more proficient daily and our high step count is at 18.

Halloween costumes that are nearly finished. His just needs a few finishing touches.

A playdate with new friends from Life Group. H is just a month younger than Noah and they both love Cars. And Thomas.

And after only one playdate.... each other.

Accomplished.

I'm feeling pretty accomplished today.

I'm all caught up in my laundry.

I took the kids out to eat, IN a restaurant, by myself for the first time. Ever. Granted, it was just McDonald's, but we had never gone out to eat, just the three of us, without another adult before. Every other time we have eaten out, there has been another adult {and maybe another kid or two} with us. No one died, everyone ate, and we didn't lose anything {or anyone}. BIG accomplishment, to me at least. No pictures to prove it, but hey, we made it in and out!

During nap time I threw together a sun visor that I've had on my to do list for some time now. A friend from college has one that her little girl wears and I've just loved it. I knew Ellie would be darling in one. Heck, Ashley even wears it too... and I think I might just borrow it also! When I checked her blog this morning, she actually had posted that she's giving one away. Knowing that I usually don't win those type of things and not willing to pay the $25 price tag {+shipping}, I decided to finally anty up to my sewing machine and try my hand at making it myself. I felt so accomplished once I finished it without a tutorial {before the kids woke up!} and I didn't even have to redo anything {though, in looking at these photos, the band could probably be a little smaller}!

I think she might need a couple more.


Noah helped by eating up the puffs I laid out to distract Ellie while I took her picture. {Oh, and he's totally wearing a "That's What She Said" shirt in honor of the return of The Office tonight.}

And, I'm feeling pretty good knowing that I've found a trick that will get Noah to eat his dinner, even when he says he's not hungry: candy sprinkles.

Or as he calls them, sparkles.

New Toys

Both Noah and I have received new "toys" in the last couple of days. And I'm super excited about BOTH of them!

We had already planned on getting Noah a Tag for next Christmas. But when we recently got a chance to "play" with a Tag, I realized I wanted to get one for him now. And, because I wanted to get the age-appropriate one, we got Noah the Tag Junior....

I love it. Ben loves it. And Noah likes it. I think it kinda scares him just a little when it says his name. {Which is weird, since he loved his Elmo phone!} It's an amazing little reading system that reads {special} books to your toddler. Things I love about it include {but are not limited to}: you can link it up the computer to see your toddler's progress, what pages and items they are repeatedly "tagging", and even print out coloring pages that coordinate with the book. I don't always just wholeheartedly recommend a product, but as a mommy, teacher, and reading specialist, I'd recommend this product to ANY one with a young child. If your child doesn't enjoy reading, this will engage them. And if your child does enjoy reading, like Noah does, then the Tag Junior will give them the chance to really read the book on their own.

And my new toy? My just-arrived Brother Serger. SO excited to try this bad boy out!

{Thanks for my Christmas present!! ;) }

Happy {Belated} Mother's Day to Me!

Originally, all I had asked for for Mother's Day from Ben and Noah was a weekend where I didn't have to make a single meal, change a single diaper, and could scrapbook or sew whenever I wanted. But then Noah and I went to Hancock's Fabrics and found out that the sewing baskets were 50% off... which meant that the one that I've had my eyes on for a while was within budget.

So Ben and Noah, thank you for my Mother's Day gift! I love you boys! :)

Craft Day

I love getting a little crafty... I guess that much is obvious, both from posts on this blog and my new craft blog. Throw in some friends and some good food, and I'm set for the day! This afternoon, some of the gals from our small group came over and we spent the afternoon crafting away. I would love to say that I got a lot of personal things accomplished, but I didn't. {Katy, Angie, are you as surprised as me?!} I did however, manage to get a shirt made for Kyleigh, teach Erin how to applique, make cookies, and almost finish the pig hooded-towel. So I guess I did get a few things done. :) I didn't take any pictures while the table was covered with scrapbooking, sewing, knitting, and crocheting... so here's a few shots taken after everyone cleaned up:

While we were getting to work on our projects, the guys were busy taking care of the kiddos. I didn't send Ben with a camera, so there's no pictures of Noah today... I totally forgot to take any until after he was already in bed. I promise you'll get a ton tomorrow though! :)

After we all ate dinner and got the crafts cleaned up, the Wii was broken out and even the kiddos got to play.

We thought about letting them play the way that Amanda and Damien let Deacon "play" {give them a dead remote, stand behind them and play for them}, but then we realized that it might be just a little more fun {and much more funnier!} to watch them play Wii Boxing. The girls, Jadyn and Chloe, did surprisingly well!

"He's a boy"

"Oh, he's a boy."

I say this phrase at least one time, every time Noah and I go out into public. Today, I said it twice. It drives me crazy! And one of those times was to a cashier at Wal-mart whom I said it to just last week!! I mean, I know his hair is currently a little out of control and really needs to be cut {for the fourth time!}, but really. Really? A girl? Dressed in brown and overalls, holding onto a blue blanket? I don't think he looks like a girl:

Do you?

{Sorry the pics are so dark.... I'm too tired to Photoshop them tonight!}

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Drumroll please!....

The winner of the giveaway is.....

Michelle and Holly {and ironically, they are both OBU friends}! I decided to draw out two! {Actually, both of them came out when I pulled one of them, so I decided to send both of you something!}

Holly, will you please email me your address and Kyliegh's shirt size? :)

Michelley, I'm going to hold your prize ransom until you come see me in February.... more incentive that way.

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And, the moment I just know everyone has been waiting for... the link to my new craft blog! Here it is: http://www.greenakerscreations.blogspot.com/ I only have a couple of posts up, but they're pretty fun, if I do say so myself! My favorite is my "Ultimate to Make List". Make sure you check it tomorrow for my first giveaway and a sneak peek at something you'll find in my Etsy shop very soon!

A Window with a View

I can finally mark something off my "To Make" list! {My most sincere apologies to those of you who are waiting for something that is on that list... it might be a little while longer before it gets to you....} The weekend that Ben and I were in Oklahoma, we found this painting:

We had been looking for something for the kitchen/dining room wall and when Ben found it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond {on clearance, nonetheless!!}, he knew it was perfect... and I agreed! Especially since I wanted to go with a "persimmon" color for the accent pieces. However, finding curtains and a window seat to match was proving to be a daunting task. So, being the "do-it-yourselfer" that I am, I took on {yet another} project. And, finally, I can show it to you!

Oh, but first, look what I did:

I bent a needle! I can't remember the last time {if ever!} that I've done that....

Anyway, here's a close-up of the window seat - I've never done a project with so much cording or where the cording turned out so well... I'm happy to say that cording {handmade at that!} and I are now friends.

The picture makes it look far more orangey than it really is, but this is the best shot that I could get. The valance has pleats and inside the pleats is the same fabric that the seat is made from and the pillow is the same fabric that the cording on the seat is made from. I plan on making another pillow just like the one in the picture and then a pieced one with the scrap fabrics. {I ran out of cording or they would be in the picture too.} Yeah for being finished with the kitchen!

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The post for the day would not be complete without a couple of Noah pictures... so, here's the messy little kid with his "war paint" on:

"Writing" on his high chair tray with his spaghetti.

If you look closely, you can even see the teeth that are giving us some trouble on the top.

A New Bookshelf for the Bookworms

Remember the bookshelf that Daddy-Man and I were working on last weekend?

It's finished! {Well, I still need to put another coat on it and perhaps some extra decorative details, but really, it's pretty much finished.} I put some of the books that Noah and I brought with us on it and I think it looks really great - even Daddy-Man was impressed with our handy-work!

I love the way it turned out.

And I think Noah does too.

Thank you Daddy-Man!!!

Busy, Busy.

Some days seem busier than others and today was one of those days - we ate lunch with Brenda and Marissa {friends of the family since I was young} and afterwards picked up Amanda so that she could come over and swim with us. We all had a great time.... even Noah! He loves his little crab float, which makes me even more excited to go to White Water Bay on Friday with the Stanley's. Afterwards, we called Grandma Haze on Skype to wish her a Happy Birthday {Happy Birthday!} and Grami came by for a visit too. I also finally finished up a couple of gifts for the "other" Smith boys - I wanted to send Greg and Tamieka's newest additions to their family a "Welcome to the Family" gift, and thought these would be perfect {I had to make one for Christian too!}:

A Mickey Mouse blanket for Isaiah and aprons for Mommy's Sous Chefs, Christian and Joshua!

And, now that I've finished these projects, I can read Eclipse! ;)

Six Months Old.

Six months ago today, I was having this, and now, he looks like this:

I've been meaning to make him a "doll" that is the same size that he was at birth. I've seen lots of scrapbook pages and blogs where the mom takes a picture of the baby every month next to the same object so that you can see the growth. {You would think that I would have done that!} That's when I thought, hey, I want one that is the exact same size that Noah was at birth, so that 1. I can show growth and 2. I can always remember how small/big he was. I've been meaning to make it for months, but it just kept getting put off. However, six months is too big of a deal to not have it! So, during his morning nap, I put this one together. I even dressed it in one of Noah's outfits from the hospital. I think it looks fairly good for not having a real pattern (I only had a ball pattern) and for being a quick project. I'll probably go back and fix a few things, but the main point is, it's the exact length and head circumference that Noah was when he was born six months ago. {Our next baby will be measured so that I can make it properly - this doll has a neck and Noah didn't!} I'll post more pictures later from our six month photo shoot after he wakes up from his afternoon nap.

Is that daylight?

Is that daylight I see underneath Noah?!?

It is! And can you tell that he still hates tummy time? I keep thinking that if I put him on his tummy enough, he'll just get sick of it and start crawling... instead, I just get more tears.

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We received this gift basket today from Ben's Dad and Brenda as a belated Mother's Day and early Father's Day gift - thank you! :)

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Here's the Sleepy-Head as we were leaving for our last Bunco with the Spouse's Club:

I'm sad to leave my Bunco group, but I went out with a bang - Most Buncos (THREE!!)!! :)

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And, with my birthday present from my parents, look what I bought at Michael's today:

My first pair of pinking shears! I'm SO excited about them - thanks Mom and Daddy-Man!