Thrift Store Shadowbox

I found this box, which I guess is considered a shadow box, and thought it would be great for treasures that Jack and Mallie find.  I knew I was going to fix it up a bit, and finally came up with this.

I "whitewashed" it using watered down paint, and then added the scrapbook paper.  Perfect for feathers and others treasures we have found!

(I didn't take a lot of time and my paper wrinkled a bit, but that is fine with me, doesn't have to be perfect!)

What Jack Said.....

"I want the snow to go home to its Mommy! "   "I like it hot."

 

Sending LOVE to Lucy

I first heard about Lucy on facebook and again on a blog.  Jack, Mallie and I decided to send a little LOVE her way.  It's the least we can do. Please join us in passing on a little LOVE to her family.

Read about Lucy here.

Spending some craft time making hearts for Lucy

 

 

Hard at work on this project!

 

 

 

 

Jack proud of the valentine chain

he and Mallie and Nan made together.

 

Prayers needed for my Sister please

Yes. My name is m a r n a: Not as planned....: Well.  My doctor's appointment didn't go quite as planned.  I figured doc would cut away more infected skin which is dead or dying. ...

Yes. My name is m a r n a: Calendar

Love this post from my little sister's blog!! 

Yes. My name is m a r n a: Calendar: Our calendars arrived today for those who would like one when they come pay taxes.  They are the small sticky back calendars that are e...

Thrifty Magnet Toy

Stopped by a thrift store today and found this neat magnet toy for Jack and Mallie, (and Greg too, ha ha, he will love it!)  I will have to be careful and only let them play with it when someone is supervising, but couldn't pass up a dollar find like this!

After I brought it home and played with it myself, I decided it needed something more special than a plastic bowl with a lid to store it in.  And since I have been trying to use up some fabric scraps seemed like a little drawstring bag would be perfect.

Nothing really special just quick and easy, but I think it's super cute and makes putting away toys so much more fun!

Love the bright colors and such a neat toy!

 

Just 2 square of fabric scraps.

 

I just made a square and hemmed the top,

and added a ribbon thru it.

 

Can't wait to see what Jack makes with these!

 

 

Guess what's inside? Yep, magnet toys!!

 

Mallie's Valentine Dress

Had so much fun making Mallie a valentine dress complete with matching bow and her own drawstring purse!  It was an easy pattern from Pinterest - free! I looked for the link but couldn't find it available now. It was a 3 months and I enlarged it to a 12 month. But there are lots of free patterns out there if you search.

I took a few pics while making it.  I haven't sewn for her in a long time and was so afraid it was going to be too small, but it fits!

I added these new pics which are a little better.

 

 I cut the owl with my new silhouette cutting machine, just learning

how to use it and it can be tricky cutting fabric!

I was going to use a big red heart but decided I liked the Valentine Owl instead.

 

 And what's a new dress without a new drawstring purse to carry with it!

I didn't have a pattern, just kind of made it up as I went.

I made a bow as well from 2 different types of ribbons.

 

 This is the back of the dress and purse.  Just wanted to show you

how it would look just plain with no applique.

Sometimes plain is best.

 

 A quick how to on adding rick rack to a hem.

I like to press the hem as you can see if you look closely

in the above photo.  Notice it is on the right side of fabric.

 

 This was tiny rick rack. I sew right along the pressed hemline, catching the trim

close to the edge.  The right edge as in the pic.

 

 

 It should look like this and remember this is the front of the

dress on the right side of the fabric, sewing along you pressed hemline.

(The pressed hemline us under the ric rac )

 

 

 Then just flip your hemline up, where it was pressed.

I hope I am making some sense of this ha ha!!

 

 

 This is how it should look, again this is right side of fabric.

Now just hem, either on your machine or by hand, or use heming tape.

I hope you will try it, Rick Rack, (I've seen it spelled so many different way!)

is so much fun and adds just the right amount of cuteness to any project!

 

 

 

 

 

Etsy

I still have a little etsy shop and for now I only have my baby ID bracelets listed.  I love making these little things!  Two shipped out to California this week. They are great little keepsakes for a special little one.

Toy Story

When I packed Buzz and Woody away years ago I didn't really think about when they'd make another appearance. But I'm happy to say Jack and Mallie have discovered the magic of Toy Story now Buzz and Woody live again! They both love them! Jack sleeps with Buzz, Woody, Jesse and Bullseye (who was a Christmas present) every night!  And Mallie can say "Buzz" even though she hardly ever say MaMa or Nan!  I just realized today that she calls all the figures "Buzz", even Woody. 

When I unpacked Buzz, he didn't work but after a change of batteries he decided to let us hear him, every now and then.  Seems his arm has to be in a certain position and his buttons have to be pushed numerous times!  But he works and that is really a miracle since he is almost 20 years old!

Woody had quit working even before he was boxed away and a change of batteries didn't seem to help him.  But another miracle occurred with him the other day.  I decided to punch around on his string with a screwdriver and all of the sudden...he talks!  Jack screamed and was so excited about that!

Jesse I purchased at a local "junk" store.  She was new but no box and she didn't talk either.  Jason changed her batteries and it didn't seem to help.  Jessie, (my Jessie) said one night they heard voices coming from Jack's room after bedtime and it was Jesse (the doll) talking!  And she is still talking.

So if you have old Toy Story dolls, don't give up if they have quit working, just keep trying new things to fix them!

 

Really this is all I did to get buzz working! I just slid the screwdriver under

his shirt, where the string is attached and he started talking, well

when his string is pulled of course, it's wonderful. I was more excited than the kiddo's!

 

Mallie decided to do a little "work" on Buzz herself!

Alphabet Bean Bags

Here's a list of a few things I should have been doing today:

 

Cleaning house
Finishing some projects
Laundry
Packing away Christmas items
Returning Christmas items
Visiting my Aunt in the nursing home
...there's a lot more I could add...

But instead, I looked at some fabric scraps and decided I needed to get rid of a few.  Really, yes.

Saw these on Pinterest (that darn Pinterest) and just had to make them...today!





Bean Bags for Jack and Mallie

  

 

 

 

  

I cut the squares 5in x 5 in 

Then I painted each letter using these stencils.

I used regular white wall paint and a small paintbrush, worked great.

 

 

 

 

Then we added beans and some of them got filled with rice,

I think the rice was better but much harder to sew up as the rice kept falling out!

 

 

 

 

Here's a recap of how I did it. 

Cut 26 fabric scraps in 5 x 5 squares.  Then sew up three of the sides.  I chose to sew on the outside because I wanted a ragged, fringed edge.  But you could always sew with right sides together and have a neater look.  Then I threw them in the washer to make them softer and get the edging to ravel. I ironed them flat and next I used the stencils and white wall paint.  Just put in on with a small paint brush. I ended up liking the paint rather thick, otherwise the letters weren't showing up very good. Then we added beans to the open end before sewing it up!  There are some great tutorials on Pinterest like here. 

 

If I can do it "sew" can you!

 





 

 



 

Tanner and Mallie

Tanner is the best uncle in the world! He loves his niece and nephew so much! Jessie snapped this pic a couple of months ago and as you can see, they feel the same about him.  It's such a joy to watch all three of them together. Love lives here. 

A Little Valentine Craft

It was a cold windy day in Tennessee so we decided to make a little Valentine craft.  Jack and Mallie love using glue and Jack loves to push the buttons on the silhouette machine! 


We cut some arrows and hearts

 

I think Mallie had more glue on her mouth than anywhere else!

 

 

 

 

Such a fun craft to do! I just sew it all together in one long

straight line and then hang it anywhere!

Jack was so excited, he couldn't wait to show Mom and Dad!