Another weekday afternoon, and instead of working I am lurking in blog world. Shhh! Welcome back Pam - you know your posts make my day. I decided to check out some of Pam's favorite blogs, and have enjoyed myself. I really like this one and have to agree that to grow your blog you need to visit lots and post a lot (I am pretty good at visiting lots of blogs, it's the posting aspect I am deficient on - which is terrible of me, I should applaud all the people who inspire me, and who make me laugh). Amanda has some great ideas for keeping up with blogging without distancing yourself from your family (btw love Michael Byrd's bathing suit). Also I am enjoying looking here.
Thanks again Pam, and I am glad to see you posting again!

Painted T

Rileigh's firecracker shirt for the 4th

Painted T

I have a new favorite blog, check it out Cheri is very creative, and has so many great projects. She has great instructions too! I copied her Captain America shirt idea for Maddox


Then I used the same idea for shirts for Jeff & I



Rileigh's should be finished tomorrow - then I will show that one off

Maddox's Wall Hangings

Let me preface this post by apologizing for the picture quality. It is late and I am rushing, so the pix are blurry. I may try to retake them - but I wanted to hang them and post them tonight. Maddox is going to be so excited. Pam http://bibbidi-bobbidi-beautiful.blogspot.com/ - thank you again for this amazing idea, you are such an inspiration. Dollar Store foam board + 3 pieces of dp + tape + Indie Art = instant wall hangings. Hugs & kisses Lil' Dude, Love Sweetie :)

Maddox's Birthday Invite

I decided it was time for Jeff & my extended families to get together again - and the best way is for the kids. Maddox's birthday is in June, so we are going to have family birthday party at our house. Jeff & I made the invites. I knew I wanted to use a pirate map with an "X". My very crafty husband came up with the idea to add the palm tree and the map lines, and the paper choice was his. The map idea was more work than I had planned. Originally I wanted to cut a map with my cricut - but I couldn't find a .cut file or .svg, and all my attempts at tracing were for naught. In the end I found a map I liked with google images, printed it, cut it out, then traced it onto cardboard, and cut it out as a template. I printed all the invtes out on parchment paper. Used my template to trace the map. Cut it out, inked the edges (with different shades of brown), crumpled the map, and added the decorations. The skull was cut from Indie Art, and the palm tree and X are from Life's a Beach. The map lines are freehand.
Maddox hasn't seen the finished product yet - but he was super excited at the concept.
I stuck a random piece of paper across the middle (to block details, sorry) while I would love for you all to join us, there will be more than enough nuttiness with both our families without adding the blog world.

Wall Hangings

I got this inspiration for wall hangings from Pam over at my favorite site She made 10" squares like this using a piece of foam board purchased at the Dollar Store. Put 2 squares together and glue with shims between the layers to make them dimensional. These DIY squares are much more affordable than canvas squares. Pam stretched canvas on her's - but I opted for some 12x12 dp (me & my big ideas specialty cardstock) I decorated the squares with some cricut cuts from the Storybook cart (and lots of glitter on the "R"). I hung them in Rileigh's room and will surprise her next time she is here. I bought 2 sheets of foam board, so I be making 3 squares for my little dude too.

Happy Hands

Every year for Mother's Day the kids give me their handprints. Rileigh & Maddox won't be back until after Mother's Day, so we did handprints this past weekend. Maddox moved his hands mid-print, but it gives the print character. All of Rileigh's prints have the missing palms - it is my favorite part about her prints. Look how big her hands are! They are both getting so big. Thanks angels!