Artsy Aut

Wooden People

2012-01-30T14:40:00.009-05:00

Im loving today. Its a misty 66 degrees and my house is clean!

Im also loving little wooden people. I painted 5 little girls for my niece for Christmas. She calls them her angels.

It was so fun giving each a little personality. I especially love the sassy red head with a gold belt :)

I painted this cute little couple for my Sister-In-Law. Its her and my brother at their wedding.

Can you see a resemblance?

They had such a beautiful wedding! And seriously, are they a perfect couple or what?

I purchased the wooden people from etsy and I use regular artist acrylics.

I have more blank dolls, I think Baker would love some boys or I might make our family. Who would you paint?

Yes, I live in the country

2012-01-30T02:30:00.004-05:00

You know whats NOT fun?

Having a rooster in a tree about 30 feet from your bedroom window crowing back and forth to his buddy for hours on end at 3:30 am.

Im not usually a violent person, but I have my limits!!!! These little guys had me looking up weapons on Amazon. Seriously.

Let me introduce you to the cast of characters:

First Mother Hen. Alone she is ok. Not too loud, sometimes poops on my driveway, kind of pretty.

Then she had 7 babies. They were also super cute! But they HAD TO GO! The last thing I need is 7 more chickens in my yard! We wrangled them up and shipped them out. Im my mind they are happily clucking around at the beach park :)

We also have Hen No.2. Much like Mother Hen above. Not too annoying, but no real redeeming qualities either. If she wants to stay thats cool, but she better not have any babies!

Then there are these two troublemakers:

The blonde one has been terrorizing the neighborhood for over 2 years! People have been shooting at it, throwing rocks, you name it. But it never dies!!! It makes messes and crows at all hours of the night for so dang long!!

The other guy moved into our plumeria tree about 6 months ago, he left there when all the leaves fell off, and relocated to a tree just outside our bedroom window. Since its hot our windows are always open. On his own he is not too bad. He will give 5 or 6 cock-a-doodle-doos and then go back to sleep. But when the blonde one gets him going they go back and forth and never stop!

Seriously the biggest lie I was ever told was that roosters only crow at sun up. Its an all day/night thing around here.

Last week I invited a few teenage boys I know from church over to catch the roosters. It was an overall hilarious event. And at the last minute they caught the blonde rooster! The boys are the hero's of our street! All the neighbors were so stoked!

The boys were paid in creme puffs.

Seven chicks and one rooster down, one rooster and two hens to go.

Too Busy to Blog!

2012-01-03T14:16:00.006-05:00

I have so much to blog about! But kids, the beach, Christmas, and vacation days were a priority! Duh!

I'll settle for a quick picture re-cap.

Christmas in Hawaii was really great.

We went to the beach on Christmas Eve even though it was a little chilly! We tried to spend as much time at the beach as we could over the break.

Puena Point

Beautiful sunset over Haleiwa

Brad and Avery paddle surfing at Puena Point

Christmas Eve at Daisy Beach (not sure what this place is really called, but we call it Daisy Beach)

"Ha Breath of Life" night show at the PCC

My new baby! Thanks bradley

Cutest cowboy in these parts

Other randoms from our Christmas break:

True Grit was surprisingly a great movie!

"My Fitness Pal" is my new BFF on my phone. Its going to help me drop those extra #'s

I signed up for the Great Aloha Run! Gotta get moving.

My favorite ABC Family/Lifetime Christmas movie this year: Borrowed Hearts. So wonderfully cheesy. Cracks me up that under genre its listed as "tearjerker". I didn't know that WAS a genre!

Made and ate so much food! More on that later...

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!!!

Hawaiian Style Christmas Tree!

2011-12-05T02:53:00.003-05:00

We put up the tree! We found a cut your own tree farm here on Hawaii, actually only about 15 minutes from our house. We picked a very Hawaiian looking tree. Its a nordic pine. I spent a very long time and a whole box of paper clips getting lights on it. I was worried that it wouldnt feel christmasy enough, but I really do love how it turned out. It might be my favorite tree ever. It was fun walking down the rows of trees and selecting the one we wanted. When we found it the guy came and sawed it down, the trunk is only about 3 inches in diameter, and put it in the net and tied it to our car! The boys thought it was great. What I really love about this tree is you can really see every ornament.

Ive been happy that the weather has been feeling cooler for us. I know you would still think its really warm (we are still wearing shorts and sandals after all) but by Hawaii standards its been cool! Im loving it. I need some cooler weather!

In other news, our rooster has gone from adolescent to full on Rooster. And I think he hates us. It might have something to do with Brad and Jonathan trying to kill it with rocks. Rooster's favorite activity starts around 5am. He stands DIRECTLY under our bedroom window and cock-a-dood-les up at us. I saw him today, he doesnt just stand beneath our window, he actively stretches his neck up and points his beak at the window for maximum volume delivery. But Im not sure what to do about it!

Picking a tree in shorts and sandals

Nose scrunch!

Our fearless leader

Love it! Im surprisingly feeling very Christmasy in this tropical paradise!

Sun Dried Tomato Basil Hummus

2011-11-05T18:30:00.003-04:00

Since I live in Hawaii, I can have fresh basil in my garden year round. (don't hate) Well, my basil is doing so good right now and I wanted to put it to use! This is one of our favorite snacks.

I basically just dump everything together, so the measurements are approximate. Just use what you feel like :)

Sun Dried Tomato Basil Hummus

2 cans chick peas, drained

4-6 sun dried tomatoes

3 cloves garlic

10 or so fresh basil leaves

1 t salt

ground pepper to taste

1/2 C olive oil

Add everything together in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. You may have to add additional olive oil if you aren't getting a smooth consistency. Super easy!!

Enjoy with pita chips or carrot sticks!

Store in fridge

YUM!

The Birthday Boy

2011-11-01T03:23:00.005-04:00

Oh Avery, there are no words that can explain how much I love you!

It doesn't get much better than this!

Happy birthday to an amazing 5 year old!!

Is That for Here or To Go?

2011-11-01T02:41:00.005-04:00

Its so fun having a kid in kindergarten. Bringing birthday treats to school was something Avery and I were both excited about.

Here on the North Shore things are pretty relaxed. Homemade treats are still allowed. They can be sugary too! So there really weren't any limits. Avery chose these awesome hamburger and french fry cupcakes.

I put them in little paper tray I found at Longs with a square of parchment paper.

The "bun" is a yellow cup cake cut in half with a few sesame seeds sprinkled on.

The "burger" is just a brownie cut with a 2 inch-ish cookie cutter. Its kind of gross because it really looks like beef! But the scraps were delish!!

The "condiments" are simply colored frosting I made myself. (Are you annoyed by my "" yet?)

The fries were cute and so tasty. I used a packaged sugar cookie mix. I followed instructions for cut out cookies and made one big flat cookie. After it cooked I sprinkled it with sugar and cut the fry shapes with a knife while the cookie was still hot. Then after it cooled I broke it up!

They took me ALL MORNING! I thought it would be a simple project. It was easy, but there are a million steps. And I used a million dishes.

But they were worth it. The kids freaked out!

I highly recommend burger and fries for your next birthday!

Happy Birthday to my big 5 year old!!

Getting Back Into Things

2011-10-24T02:37:00.004-04:00

Before all the sickness got us down (and even before that I guess) I was doing the Pinterest projects. My plan was to choose a couple of projects or recipes a week from Pinterest and create them and blog my results. Well, Ive really slacked off. But we are back at it people!!

This week is Avery's fifth birthday and our first time ever getting to bring birthday treats to school! Since we aren't having a big party with friends he wanted to do something special for his school class. This is what he picked:

Hamburger Cupcakes!

Its just a yellow cupcake with a brownie patty and frosting condiments! Originally from Bakerella for Fathers day. They look so cute, maybe a little gross but cute. We are also doing cookie french fries. I got little trays to put the "meal" in! Other big birthday plans include a trip to McDonalds (totally his choice, I tried to talk him out of it. But oh well, easy for me!!) and more cake and presents. Things can be pretty mello when you are 5!

Stay tuned to see my version of these babies!

(Still confused about what the heck Pinterest is? Go here to see my boards and sign your self right up!)

UPDATE: Baker is doing great. He went to church and to a dinner party today. He is sleeping in his own bed (and not on the couch with me thank goodness!) and being his usual cute self! Yay!

Sick Baker

2011-10-21T14:42:00.005-04:00

We have had a rough couple of weeks health wise around here. It all started with pink eye and ear infections (not too bad, but still a Dr. visit) then two Fridays ago Avery had a trip to the Emergency Room and we found out he developed pneumonia. It was our first Emergency Room visit ever! He was really close to being hospitalized. He suffered through x rays and breathing treatments and he missed a week of school! We got him all squared away and I thought we were on the road to recovery.

I also had a trip to the Dr. for a whole bunch of gunk in my lungs. Side note: my north shore Dr. was so funny. He didn't wear shoes. Awesome

Then last Sunday Baker started complaining of stomach pains. He was in a lot of pain and it wasn't stopping. So it was his turn to head to the Emergency Room. Its so hard to know if you need to go or not. I struggled with it. I even pulled up in the parking lot and turned around because I thought he was fine after all. But about two minutes later I turned around and we went back. It was a good thing I did too.

At the hospital in Wahiawa

The poor baby was given an IV. Baby IVs are so sad. After some X rays and ultrasounds on his tummy he was transferred to the children's hospital in an ambulance with lights and sirens. It was such a surreal and super scary moment for me, he was a champ. We got to the children's hospital around 10 pm. He had more x rays and ultrasounds and it was determined he had something called intussussception. Basically his intestines were turning in on itself like when you collapse a telescope. Its very painful and can be very serious if not treated quickly

A sight I never want to see again

He was able to be treated with a very painful barium enema that night around 11. It was so horrible being there and watching my baby go through so much. Ive never heard him scream so hard. The enema was successful and his intestine corrected. He was so wiped out. We stayed the night with hopes of coming home then next day.

Couldn't resist this one. Cute baby bum

With intussusception there is a small chance of reoccurrence. We were the small chance. The next day around noon he started showing signs that it had happened again, lots of stomach pains! So they did more ultra sounds to confirm. Yep, we were whisked down to the radiology department for another barium enema. I was a fountain of tears at thing point. I didn't want my little baby who was already so exhausted to go through it all again. But there was no option. So we gathered our stretch and went in. The second procedure was successful too.

Such a brave boy. He loved to close up the crib and make "a house"

He didn't have any more intestine occurrences but he did develop a pretty high fever and he had a cough and runny nose. Of course there were more tests. He tested positive for two different viruses and some thing that starts with an M that was giving him a bad cough. The Dr.s didn't want us to go home but I fought it because he wasn't getting any rest at the hospital and he wasn't eating. I could treat him with Tylenol at home just like they were doing there. And he was so tired of having everyone poking him every 10 minutes! So on Tuesday evening we came home.

I had fought to get him home but once we did I got so scared. I was afraid that he would have another intestine occurrence or that his fever would get too high. I couldn't handle taking him back to the hospital, but I was so afraid to be the only one watching him. We made the right choice. He has been getting better everyday. Every night he sleeps a little more, and he is perking right up!

Baker was so brave the whole time. I am amazed by this little boy. He kept his fun personality. He would say things like "Mommy guess what? I need to tell you sumping. Um, do you like Wolverine?" We would go through all the super heroes this way. We watched Tangled a million times.

On the mend

We have been so touched by all the love and support from our family and friends. Once word got out Baker was in the hospital received so many texts that Im already over for the month! (so don't text me :) ) My church friends have brought us food every night. I can't explain how much of a comfort it is to have people come and bring me dinner. Im tearing up right now thinking about it! My dear friend Halley came and sat with me at the hospital on Monday night. She brought me some medicine (a big bag of candy) and fleece blankets for Baker and me. It really touched me.

Baker is doing better. He has loved staying home and watching Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake on repeat. I think a few more days of being home bound and he will be good to go!

Thank you to everyone who has called, texted, emailed, brought food, and said many prayers for us. I have felt so loved. Thank you. Im so grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing us so much and keeping Baker safe. I know it really is in His hands.

Now, on to Avery's fifth birthday on Wednesday and Halloween!!

Monday

2011-10-03T16:15:00.002-04:00

Its fall break here in Hawaii, but it still feels like Summer. Avery came up with the idea to make himself a To Do list to keep busy. Here is what he has going on today:

(Park, Time (meaning when Baker is asleep), cookie making, homework, chores, lunch, and free time)

Also some hair cut shots, cuz I love his goofy little grin

Before:

After:

Its getting to the depressing time of year for me. Everywhere else my friends and family are digging out the sweaters, jeans, flannel pj's. But Im still sweating it up in my shorts every afternoon (I know no one actually sympathizes with me) but I miss fall! But Im afraid this is as close to fall as Im going to get this year:

I LOVE Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin oil!

I think Ill make some pumpkin bread today and pretend the leaves are changing color outside :)

Save My Ottoman

2011-09-28T17:31:00.004-04:00

In an effort to protect my couch and ottoman from becoming even dirtier from the kids feet, and the dusty dirt that blows in the windows, and the sippie cup spills, and the candy corn drool, and the...well you get the idea. I have little boys.

I decided to cover it up. Im starting with the ottoman, then I will do the couch.

It really wasnt too hard. For me the measuring and cutting is the worst part. But I had a cute little helper...

This fabric was just to pretty to pass up. Who says damask cant go with polka dots? Maybe someone did say that, but I didnt hear!

Come visit and prop up your feet! I dont even care if they are dirty ;)

No, seriously, come and visit!

Color By Number

2011-09-18T19:26:00.002-04:00

Coloring is all the rage around our house right now. So to spice up our coloring books, Avery came up with the idea for me to make his pages a color by number. It only takes me a minute and he loves "solving the code". Plus I think it helps his number skills.

We did a Batman villain:

A Transformer: (he was tricky, lots of little squares. This should keep him busy for a while!)

And a cute Littlest Pet Shop guy: (Avery was quick to point out that "this was is boy peacock because he has the pretty feathers to display" Cuz why would he color a GIRL thing?)

A silly boy sneaking in the picture :)

Homemade color by number is fun! Try it!

DIY French Nails

2011-09-08T02:12:00.004-04:00

Im usually a short nail person but on a recent business trip I got a french manicure and I loved it! But Im not so in love with the price tag that comes with keeping nails up professionally. So...I do it myself!

Here is what you will need:

Any french nail polish (usually sell in a set anywhere)

nail polish remover

a brush, go for soft bristles

1. Paint a coat of white on the tips. As you can see, you dont have to be super careful.

2. Add a second coat if you need it. I needed it

3. Pour a little nail polish remover into the cap and dip your brush in.

4. Gently brush back and forth on your nail removing the jagged edge of white. Try to make the edge where your natural nail would start. You may have to dip the brush in the remover often. I find it works best when its pretty wet.

5. After you have done all your nails, top with a light pink or beige polish!

You are done!

I was worried my left hand would be really hard, but it wasnt bad. This method is WAY easier than using the little stickers for french tips.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Energy Bites

2011-09-07T00:34:00.002-04:00

Ive been pinning recipes like no body's business. I found this little gem and hoped for once I might get my kids to eat something of substance!

Energy Bites found here on my Pinterest or here for their home blog.

They were really good! They remind me of nature candy I learned to make in elementary school. The honey is really noticeable. At first I didnt love them, but by my second one I am hooked!

Baker has yet to try one, Avery asked that the "new thing would taste good" when he was saying the dinner prayer, but I dont think he has actually taken a bite yet.

I made a few changes. I used butterscotch chips and bran flakes instead of flax (its what I had)

These will be great for my commute to work in the morning!

Another great Pinterest find!

Energy Bites

1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Pinterest Project: Food edition

2011-09-06T01:53:00.004-04:00

I havent been cooking much lately. Im kind of in a cooking rut.

There are so many delicious looking recipes floating around Pinterest inspiring me to cook something goooooooood!

For this week's project Im looking towards my recipe pin board. Im really excited about the two dishes Im going to make!! They look so so good.

First up: General Tso's Chicken. This is a favorite of my husbands, but Ive never tried to make it before.

And also this Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Loaf. I have some blueberries and a lemon, its meant to be!

I'll let you know how they turn out.

Make something new this week too!

Project Delay

2011-09-04T01:18:00.004-04:00

The braided hex nut bracelet is giving me some issues! It looked so EASY! Yet here I am, with a mess of nuts and twine in my lap. I think my problem is my hex nut are too thick. But Im going to put it on hold for now...

Did anyone else try this? Why am I such a dork at braiding hex nuts?

In other news, Baker is out of the crib and into a big boy bed. And consequently, he is pretty much impossible to put to bed now. Yay! Any tips on keeping him in his bed?

Here is the bed

He loves it! He keeps saying "Its awesome!!"

Finally asleep. Maybe someday he will actually fall asleep in there!

Kindergarten is going great!! Here is my big Kindergarten boy. Is this picture fantastic or what? I love it. Its a classic school picture. His little teeth crack me up.

Homework! Luckily he loves to do it. And why wouldnt he? Its mostly just coloring :)

Baker does his "homework" too.

For my next Pinterest project, I think I will make a recipe. There are so many good ones going on out there. Any suggestions?

This Week's Project

2011-08-29T23:06:00.005-04:00

As I discovered last week, sometimes crafty supplies are trickier to come by than I think they should be here in Hawaii. Maybe part of it is I live in a small country town (we dont even have a real stoplight people!) or maybe I just dont know where to go (entirely possible) or maybe its just that Hawaii is odd (but I still love it, it is Hawaii duh!). But this week I think the supplies I need will be easy to acquire. We may not have a stoplight, but we do have an Ace Hardware.

This week's project is a simple one. I've seen it going around Pinterest for a while now and I think it could be really cute! See this post for an explanation of what Im up to...

DIY Braided Hex Nut Bracelet

Link to my pin here or go straight to the blog it came from here! Its an awesome blog.

Im headed to Ace!!!

Never heard of Pinterest? Beware, its slightly addicting but oh so fun!!

Pinterest Project #1 Complete!

2011-08-26T18:31:00.002-04:00

Surprisingly, I had kind of a hard time getting the supplies for this project. Hawaii is an interesting place. Luckily it all came together!

I like these little sheep!

I decided to make my little sheep into a book mark. See this post for my inspiration.

Embroidery is not my strong suit. But with I slowly got the hang of it.

I chose a nice soft rosey linen for the back

And a little grograin to stick out the top!

Im so glad I tried this project. These sheep arent 100% perfect, but I still think they are cute :) I want to improve my french knots and maybe one day work on a more ambitious embroidery project!

Also, can I recommend this book that is modeling the bookmark?

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

I LOVE this book, its a series. Check it out. Its fun, cute, hilarious, and charming.

Check back next week for another Pinterest Project!

Pinterest Project #1

2011-08-22T21:10:00.005-04:00

For my first weekly project I chose one of my very first pins,

these cute french knot sheep.

My in-laws are serving a mission for our church in England and my MIL was telling me some charming stories about all the sheep there. I am going to try to make a few of these little guys on a fabric book mark for her.

Plus Shaun the Sheep is maybe the cutest kid show. I love it. So Im totally loving sheep right now :)

I found a very helpful and simple video tutorial for french knots here.

Original post of these sheep link back to this cute blog

Getting back underway!

2011-08-22T13:59:00.002-04:00

I think things are starting to calm down around here. Here is what we have been up to:

School is well underway for both boys! Its weird for me to say that! Baker goes to preschool two days a week while I work, and Avery is in full day kindergarten. They both have great teachers! (who knew how much paper two kids could bring home the first week of school!)
Baker is pretty much potty trained!
I am back from a 10 day work trip to DC. It was great to be back there! More on my trip later
Ive got so many projects on the brain! Is it too early to decorate for Halloween?

That brings me to my latest plan. Raise your hand if you LOVE pinterest!?! I no longer mind the super long Costco line. Waiting for my ground turkey to brown is no problem. I just browse and pin and repin! Like most of you I am collecting a long list of fun potential projects.

So Im going to start a weekly Pinterest Project! On Mondays I will browse my projects pin board and announce my pick of the week, and by Friday I will blog about how it went and maybe some tutorials or status updates along the way.

I would love for you to join in the fun and do some projects with me! Or if you have a fun project pinned send me an email with the link, Ill pin it and maybe Ill make it! Just send your project to artsyaut@gmail.com :)

Click the link on the side of my blog to follow me on Pinterest.

Ill post my first pinterest project later on today! I have to do a little work around the house first. Dang priorities!!

Kindergarten Boy!!

2011-08-01T21:02:00.002-04:00

My little boy is a kindergarten boy!

He did great. He likes his teacher a lot.

After we got home he was explaining to me all the fun stuff he did. There was some talk of dancing, eating graham crackers, and something about the girls rode horses with wings (he was impressed that I knew they were call Pegasus) and the boys rode warrior horses. Not sure how that all went down in room 4, but sounds like a good time.

I did good too!

I got a little teary when he did the pledge of allegiance (it just made him look so big!!)

It was a good day!

Way to go Avery!!

The next test of my courage is tommorrow. Baker goes to preschool...

Wish us both luck!!!

Guilty!

2011-07-29T15:44:00.003-04:00

Im such a dork! Lets just get that out of the way.

This morning my mom sent me this picture:

Its totally MY handwriting! That is how I used to write/doodle my name in college. My mom works at the university I went to. She has a few little study cubes in her office that used to be in the library and she got my ole favorite!! I must have written this in '02 or '03. I have no recollection of this. Funny!

Hope I dont get fined!!

Picky Picky Bran Muffins

2011-07-22T15:00:00.004-04:00

My little one does not eat very much. Actually, Im not sure how he has so much energy all the time. I mean how much nutrition can one tater tot provide?

So Im always trying to think of things besides chicken nuggets and marshmallows to feed him.

This morning I whipped up a batch of these babies. And they were a hit! (and healthy to boot!)

All-Bran Muffins

(makes 12)

1 1/4 C flour

1/2 or 1/3 sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 C All-Bran cereal

1 1/4 C milk (I use skim)

1 egg

1/4 C oil (I use veggie)

1 tablespoon honey (I usually just eyeball it)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon ( we are cinnamon freaks so I add almost a tablespoon)

Stir together cereal and milk in a medium size bowl. Let sit till the cereal is nice and soggy.

Add in the egg, oil, and honey. Stir it up.

Add all the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Line muffin tin with cupcake papers if you dont like washing muffin tins, or if you dont care just spray Pam in muffin tin. Fill the papers most of the way up, making 12 muffins.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 min.

Easy!

Make some for a picky eater.

Baker Turns Two!

2011-07-06T01:57:00.006-04:00

Time flies when you're having fun. That has never been more true than the last two years!

Can it really be two years ago that this little guy and I were watching fireworks from the hospital window when he was just 1 day old?

How did he go from this:

To this:

We love you Baker!

You brighten our lives with your fun, sweet personality every day! Cant wait to see what the next year holds for you!!

(Birthday cake was this lemonade cake. It was goooooooood!)

Preparation Procrastinator

2011-07-03T01:20:00.005-04:00

Oh my gosh, there are so many awesome crafts and decorations for the 4th of July. All you have to do is look at Pinterest and the creative juices will be flowing!!

See what I mean here

I really really wanted to do something cute and creative for this holiday. I had my sights set on these things:

From my favorite party planner

From someone I blogstalk

from here

and from here

BUT, I didnt. I didnt even do one thing! Not even decorate a sugar cookie! I raided Home Depot paint chip samples a few weeks ago with the intention of making red white and blue pendants. Didnt happen.

But I did go to my favorite sandwich shop and get this:

And I got my haircut kind of like this (not me below, I wish! ha!):

And I went to here TWICE today! You read that right, twice! Not once, twice! Wonderful day!!!

I guess its not too late. I could still sew the pendants. I might give myself a patriotic pedicure. And I do actually have an extremely awesome 4th of July T-shirt designed by my extremely awesome brother (who WON the Whiskey Row boot race!!! He's got the fastest boots in the West). So I guess Im not doing too bad.

Artsy at Sweetest Petunia!

2011-06-20T13:30:00.003-04:00

Jacky from The Sweetest Petunia is featuring my designs on her blog today and hosting a giveaway!

Go here to check it out

I love her blog, its the latest addition to my RSS feed!

A Baby "Shower"

2011-06-10T23:20:00.003-04:00

My new friend Kaleesha is having a baby boy any day now. A few of my other friends and I threw her a little baby shower. Get it? Shower? As in rain?

I love this idea, but I cant take any credit for the creativity here. I got my inspiration (and basically copied everything) from here.

The cupcakes were my favorite thing. I took about a million pictures of them.

(maybe I will show my DIY/temporary tiered cake stand some day soon)

I finally had a reason to get my hands on some adorable straws!

The final spread. Tons of good food! Im just going to come right out and admit I have a serious weakness for trifle. I saved a bowl of it after the party, you know to share with Brad, but ended up eating the whole bowl myself during nap time the next day. Have I no shame?!? Guess not.

Kaleesha, good luck birthing your little man into the world! Cant wait to see him!!

Special thanks to my dear friend (and look-alike) Lindi at Love the Day for the awesome party designs! And Daisy, you are mad with the scissors girl! And Tara, Kelsey, and Breanne my co-conspiritors, love you guys!

Im Featured, Plus a Giveaway!

2011-06-10T22:46:00.002-04:00

Hey Friends!

Have you been over to The Nurse Mommy yet?

Its a cute blog that specializes in product reviews and lots of giveaways, cant go wrong there right?

Well guess who is being featured today??? Yep, me! Im so excited!!

Head over there and enter to win a lil sumpin' sumpin' special from my shop.

(Even if you blog stalk me and never leave comments :) )

Another fun blogger will be featuring me and hosting a giveaway soon! Im so excited. Make sure to like me on FB for reminders!

In completely unrelated news:

My cousin Daisy is visiting for the summer. She deserves her own post!

Im going night swimming in the ocean tonight!

I just watched Tanlged for the first time this morning (loved it, duh!)

Ive typed this whole post while sword fighting on the side. Im a multi tasker.

Have a great weekend!

Bathing Beauties

2011-06-07T02:32:00.007-04:00

We like schedules (pronounced "shed-yule" if you please) around here. We try to do things pretty much the same everyday for our bedtime routine.

Its the usual business:

dinner

bath (although those two can flip flop)

brush teeth

vitamins and water

read

song

prayer

music on the iPod while they drift off to dream land.

Avery is even more ruled by the routine than I am. But sometimes, we live a little crazy and skip a bath (like if they were swimming in the pool in the yard all afternoon. You might think its gross, but I count it!)

We skipped the bath on Saturday night and had it on Sunday morning before church instead. Im so glad we did!!

I love a good baby bath picture. Usually they turn out all yellow and dark for me. But since we were bathing in the morning, the lighting was awesome!

And the only mustache that EVER looks good, is a bubble one!

Im a firm believer that everyone looks better when wet, kids are no exception! These two were squeaky clean!

Moral of the story: I should loosen up a bit on my shed-yule. The pictures might be great! And my boys hair will smell more like the mango smoothie shampoo during church. Bonus!!

Place Mat Mini Tutorial

2011-05-27T23:04:00.005-04:00

Hi there.

I want new place mats.

Ive seen a few cute ones in stores lately, but the crafty side of me ALWAYS says, I could make that!

So I did.

Disclaimer: These are in no means perfect. I was kind of rushing, and I was really hot. Im always a little irritable when Im hot. Sorry. But they are just for casual dining around here, so perfection really doesnt matter! Ok. I feel better now that thats off my chest.

I found some super cute fabric at Walmart and I got a half yard in all five colors. I had to stalk around a lady who was trying to buy the same fabric. I have no shame, especially at Walmart.

First, cut your fabric 1/2 inch larger than you want the final product to turn out. I used some other place mats I have as a guide. Mine measured 19 1/2 inches by 14 1/2 inches.

Cut your batting (it can be as think or this as you want) 1/2 inch smaller than the fabric, so 19 inches by 14 inches.

Sew your fabric front sides together, leave a little hole to flip it inside out. I forgot to do this on at least one. Hello Seam Ripper, old friend!

Stuff the batting in and top stitch all the way around the edge making sure to close your flipping hole at the same time.

Quilt the mat. I chose to do a diagonal stitch about 3 inches apart. I just eye balled it. Not going for perfection here remember? But you could get as lazy or fancy as you want here.

Iron it flat and there you go!

Set your favorite Hula plates on and fix yourself a Spam musubi. Too much?

Ive got 4 more of these babies to whip up and a few coasters for my work peeps. But right now, Ive got some pizza to make! (and some Samoa ice cream to eat)

Have a great weekend!

Aloha!!

Rosemary Garlic Rolls

2011-05-23T21:17:00.002-04:00

I have some crazy big herbs growing in my yard. Its one of my favorite things about living in Hawaii. My rosemary plant is so pretty. It smells so good when the sun warms it up. But I hardly ever use it. Can you see the basil forest in the background? HUGE! Wonderful.

Today I was determined to use some! What I did was super simple and really really tasty.

I just whipped up my go-to breadstick/pizza dough recipe. I love this one because its EASY and fast. It doesnt require hours of rising.

After the dough was ready I scooped it into balls then brushed it with melted butter garlic salt and chopped up rosemary.

Pretty!

So good! Brad better get home from work soon. I bet I could polish off this whole pan.

My basic dough:

1 1/2 C warm water

1T yeast

2T sugar

1t salt

3-4 C flour

Topping:

3-4T melted butter

garlic salt sprinkled on top

chopped rosemary

Add yeast, sugar, and salt to the warm water. Let it sit for a few minutes.

Add flour a cup at a time. If dough is too sticky add more. Kneed it a few times.

Let the dough sit for about 10-15 min. Put it into you pan (see below for options). You can bake it now, or let it sit again. Either way is good. Just depends on your schedule!

Then bake at 425 till lightly brown usually about 10-15 min.

Make sure you spray the pan with non stick cooking spray! I learned that one the hard way.

You can either make this into pizza dough (one x-large or 2 meds or in my case, one large and two kid size) or smoosh into a cookie sheet, add butter and garlic salt, cut into strips before baking, or make small rolls like I did this time. You could also spread with melted butter and cinnamon and sugar.

And the winner is...

2011-05-23T12:54:00.004-04:00

Thanks to everyone for participating in the giveaway!

Congratulations to the winner, Michelle D!

Dont feel bad if you didnt win, your are all "winners" in my book ;)

I hope you all have a great week! Im excited for this week for some reason.

Maybe its because its Monday morning and my house is pretty much clean!

Maybe its because Im back to my 2 work days this week (rough right?)

Maybe its because my injuries I got when I feel down the stairs a few weeks ago are finally healed up (mostly) and I can go running again!

Maybe its because Im super excited for my awesome cousin to come visit next Sunday. She'll be here ALL SUMMER! Yay!

-Artsy

Filling the shop!

2011-05-20T20:56:00.003-04:00

Aloha!

TGIF! Its been a crazy week around here!

And to kick off the weekend, Im stocking the shop!

Im also going to do a little GIVEAWAY!

To participate in this giveaway all you have to do is:

1. "Like" me on Facebook

2. If you already "Like" me on FB (thank you!!), post a FB status update about the giveaway and link to the shop or this blog post.

If you aren't a Facebooker, don't worry I've got plans for another giveaway soon! So stick around...

Go HERE to like me on FB. If you post about my site leave me a comment on my FB page and let me know!

The winner will get to choose one item from my shop!

The winner will be announced Monday morning Hawaii time.

Hot Buns

2011-05-11T21:50:00.000-04:00

This is the perfect recipe for all your upcoming grilling! I came across it first on Pinterest, my new love. (follow me here!)

Homemade Hamburger Buns!!

I have been wanting to try this for a while. Especially with a package of buns (and not even the good ones) going for about $4.50 at my local grocery store.

So Avery and I whipped these babies up!

Go HERE for the recipe.

I had to make a few changes. Sadly I didnt use any whole wheat flour. I brushed the tops with a beaten egg and sprinkled sesame seeds on top. I think they will be perfect with the terriyaki turkey burgers Im making for dinner. Im hungry...

Pineapple Whips

2011-05-09T01:47:00.007-04:00

Ok friends! What Im about to share with you, will very likely MAKE your summer. Its made mine and summer hasnt even started! But to be fair, its always summer here :) It is a wonderful invention called "Pineapple Whips" or if you are at the Dole Plantation, "Dole Whips"

But first, a little pineapple lesson. Did you know pineapples grow on a plant that pretty much looks like the top of a pineapple? One plant will only produce 1-2 pineapples and they take 14 months to grow. Thats longer than a baby! Here is Baker looking at a little pineapple, around here they dont grow in barrels but in really big fields. I would hate to be the one to have to pick them by hand!

And now for the whips!

I want to give a shout out to my super awesome friend Kelsey for giving me this recipe!

You will need:

1 fresh pineapple cut up. The canned variety wont do.

1 cup of sugar

3 T lemon juice

First cut up your pineapple into chunks

have your other ingredients handy

Put them all into the blender. I had to do two batches, just split it all as evenly as you can without getting two precise, just eyeball it. And blend it up!

Pour the mixture into empty ice cube trays and re freeze.

After the cubes are nice and frozen, put them into the blender or food processor. I had a hard time getting mine to really blend will in the blender so I switched over to the food processor. I think the blender would work if your cubes arent frozen really hard, just mostly frozen.

Here is the action happening! (Just keeping it real with my messy-ness)

And voila! Pour into bowls or glasses and enjoy right away! I prefer mine with a long tea spoon from my childhood :)

Just when you thought there wasnt anymore pineapple fun to be had...

Kristen playing the ukulele! Aloha Kristen!

The two cutest pineapples in the bunch!

Aloha! Jus doing a little pineapple hula. You're welcome.

Doily Love

2011-05-04T14:40:00.007-04:00

Hello, my name is Autumn. I love doilies.

After my Grandpa died recently :( , My Grandma decided to move into an assisted living apartment. When she moved all of their possessions were cleaned up and cleared out so my cousin could move in and take care of their old home (see here for her cute blog and what she has done with the place, it looks GREAT!)

Anywho, with all the belongings were being sorted I inherited some really special stuff! One of my favorites are these fantastic doilies! I cant even tell you how much I love them. From what I hear, most of them were made by my Great Grandmother Edna. These things are so beautiful and intricate! As the "crafty" type usually when I see something the first thing that comes to mind is "I could totally do that", but with these things Im in awe!

Check them out:

Classic doily, so pretty and delicate.

What kind of doily owner would I be if I didnt use at least one under a figurine?

Pink and green anyone? I love this one's little spidery leggs

This one is pretty large, look at the amazing pattern!

Another look, it seriously perfectly done!

Some fantastic linen napkins with a beautiful edge.

This one is peach and cream swirl. My sister made the silhouettes, I just love 'em.

A pretty red and green number, very Christmas-y (sometimes blogger underlines and I cant make it stop!!! Urg!!)

Then there is this little fancy one. It has a funny little ledge underneath and i couldnt figure it out! But my Mom solved the mystery:

Behold! A TP decoration!! You know you want one!

It made me think of these:

Cuz why not put a creepy little crochet doll in the bathroom? Makes my TP doily look actually pretty!

There are SO many fun ideas out there for doilies (that will spare your house from looking like the 100 year old cat lady's next door)

Here are a few of my favorites. I probably wont do anything with my inherited doilies, they are too special, but you know Im going thrifting soon...

Doily Table Runner

Doily Lamp Shade

Doily Light Up Wreath and more

Paper Doily Wreath

How I Spent My Weekend...

2011-05-01T01:57:00.005-04:00

... covered in sand! (thats my head below. Im getting buried by my favorite beach bums)

With a beach like this 10 minutes from my house, I didn't get around to much blogging this weekend. Or much house cleaning for that matter. I have priorities!

Check back soon for a doily-licious post! Raise your hand if you love doilies too!

Giveaway today!!!

2011-04-25T12:45:00.002-04:00

I love my friend Aunt Spicy! Have you been to her blog? Once you do you will be hooked! Im especially loving the adorable bunnies she made for Easter!

Head over there today for a chance to win something from my etsy shop!

This is my first giveaway and Im so excited!! Thanks Aunt Spicy!!

Rapunzel Pillow

2011-04-23T20:57:00.009-04:00

Pillow number two! Remember the first one? I used the same Far Far Away II fabric from Heather Ross. I love this fabric. And the dots match my drapes!

It started off as a log cabin block, but it was going to be WAY too big. So I just modified it as I went and I kind of like how it came out.

This pillow features Rapunzel with golden hair. Her hair color reminds me of my favorite crayon when I was little, Goldenrod! I loved that color. It was perfect for hair in my Barbie coloring books.

I love that its a little bit girly, I feel like I've gotten away with something with this pillow in a house full of boys! But then again I do have a pink Kitchen Aid mixer :)

The pair of pillows, two down one to go!

Testing the comfort, I think he approves!

Don'tcha just love vintage Little Golden Books? This one was mine when I was little. It was vintage back then! I love this one, you can sing the words and the illustrations are so charming!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! Im off to cut my husbands hair then to the beach!!

Little Nest Cupcakes

2011-04-22T19:37:00.002-04:00

Between house guests, work, the whole family getting sick (twice, ugh!), and perfect beach days, we havent done very much Easter crafting.

So it was time to bust out this oldie but goodie.

Easy? Cute? Tasty? Yes's all around. Done.

Thought I'd try it out in a natural habitat.

Side note: sometimes Hawaii has the BEST grass. Its literally like carpet. I dont have grass like that. I dont have carpet either. Grocery store linoleum anyone?

We still have a few days till Easter. Maybe we will get crafty. You never know!

Up and Running!

2011-04-21T02:20:00.004-04:00

I have some exciting news!

Ive opened my very own Etsy shop!

Its been tons of fun getting everything ready, and Im so happy to finally be able to share it with you!!

My brand is called autumn. , shocker huh? I make earrings and bobby pins. I have a small (or not so small) obsession with fabric, so naturally I love fabric covered earrings and bobby pins.

Im always looking for bright fun earrings to spice up my jeans and T-shirt wardrobe and these little babies do the trick! All the pieces are light and comfy so you dont have to worry about them getting in the way of your daily duties!

I want to keep them all! Especially those red and white stripy ones!

Stop by and check me out ---> here

If you would like something specific that you dont see, let me know and I can make whatever you are looking for.

In other news, Im so excited for Easter! Well, mostly Im excited for Easter candy. Is that bad? Has anyone tried Peepsters? I think they are super good, but Im a Peep fan so its probably not a far stretch for me.

Whats your favorite Easter basket filler?

Plumeria Love

2011-04-13T20:49:00.003-04:00

My yard is peppered with pretty little flowers

They fall gently down from our plumeria tree.

Its so fun to run around in a petal covered yard

They add to our natural beauty!

Nature's prettiest accessory!

Ok, Bad Mom moment:

I set Baker in the tree, I though it would make a cute little picture. I set him up, stepped away, focused, and Wham! He was down, poor little guy. I think he landed with his back on a root. Yikes! And then Avery kept saying, "Mom, you probably shouldnt do that" over and over. I feel so bad! He bounced back pretty quick. Its all fun and games till someone falls on a root.

But we got a good action shot.

But dont worry, the branch he was on was only about 2 feet off the ground. He is 100% fine!

Pillow Party!

2011-04-06T18:41:00.003-04:00

Have you heard about the Blogger's Pillow Party? My friend Aunt Spicy introduced me. Check it out, such fun, cute pillows!

Anyway, here is a quick pillow I whipped up. I absolutely LOVE this fabric. Its Heather Ross Far Far Away II. Its linen. Need I say more?

Ive had the vision to make some big pillows to use when sitting or laying on the floor. But pillows at our house are not just pillows, they are bombs. Baker picks it up and dives into the nearest enemy. Pillows get are thrown around here all day, its awesome.

When its not a bomb, it lives right here on the couch. Its too pretty for the floor.

I used a log cabin block because I think it features this fabric so perfectly. I've never tried this block before because I thought it looked too hard, but it actually wasnt hard at all!

Ive got two more pillows in the works! We need more ammunition around here.

Paint Sample Garland

2011-04-02T22:37:00.003-04:00

I'm so excited to share this! A simple spring-y garland made out of paint sample chips.

It was super easy,fun, and FREE!

I went and collected pastel colored paint sample cards. The cards I got had three paint colors on each. I got three of each card. Three of the pink, three yellow, three peach, you get the idea.

Then I cut each color into a little triangle and sewed them straight through with my machine. I just fed them one after another without overlapping but very close.

I hung it in my built in cabinet, or hutch, or whatever its called.

Wouldnt it be cute to do a green and red for Christmas or brights for a birthday?

Head to your nearest Home Depot and pretend you are looking for paint and swipe some samples of your own.

You can find similar garlands here, and here

Oh Boy!

2011-04-01T18:07:00.007-04:00

As soon as I decided to throw a baby shower for my cute friend Jill, I knew I wanted my good friend Lindi from Love the Day to design the party decor.

She is seriously the best!

I cant say how much I loved these printable decorations! The blue and black with little ships and polka dots is so cute and original. And so super easy. All I did was make a little visit to Office Max on my lunch break then spent a few episodes of Better Off Ted cutting everything out.

Have you tried Waialua Sodas? LOVE! And there are made right here in my cute little town. And they are pretty!

I love this quote. It makes me not feel so bad about my grimy floor, WIN!

Find it on this super adorable blog, lay baby lay

Jill, congratulations on your little guy! I cant wait for him to be born!

And Lindi, thanks for the great party designs! They were perfect!

If you love Love the Day too, go here to vote Lindi into the top 25 Party Plannin' Mom's

Spare me Safeway!

2011-03-30T17:31:00.005-04:00

I was a little blown away yesterday at my local Safeway. I know Hawaii has high grocery prices, but this is insane! I snapped a few pictures to share with you friends...

One dozen eggs: $4.99 They arent even XL!

Juice: $6.99! It better have some magical powers

Ground turkey: $6.99 for 1.25 lbs. Wha????

I love these pie crusts but for $4.69 I will just suck it up and make it myself

And finally, pie filling: $7.25!!!! Crazy town!

I wanted to make some little cherry pies, but when I saw these prices I was going to write it off! But it was my lucky day, I found cherry pie filling (just like the one above) in the clearance section for 50% off! And I was able to get the very last Safeway brand pie crust, only $3.69. I was still able to have pie!! I know you were worried about it.

I have never loved Costco more! I went there immediately after Safeway. I felt much better after leaving. I got 18 eggs for $3.15, a four pack of ground turkey about the same size as that for only $2.49 a pound, and two giant juice bottles for $7.49.

Thats more like it!!

Just one more reason to love Costco

How does Hawaii compare to your home town? Does Costco save you too? Or are your regular grocery stores doable?

Brothers in the pool

2011-03-23T17:44:00.002-04:00

I love these pictures!

At first Baker was a little confused,

But he figured out where the problem was.

Just another afternoon in paradise...

Spice up your life...

2011-03-22T00:43:00.001-04:00

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2011-03-17T02:16:00.004-04:00

We decided to celebrate a little early this year (since I have to work tomorrow and wont be home very early).

So tonight was...

Pesto pasta from our ever growing basil patch, cucumbers, and of course, green jello. We drank apple juice because I couldnt find green kool-aid anywhere! Probably better that way ;)

We also crafted today...

Thumb print clovers

I recently found this little beauty found at Goodwill for $1! Ive been waiting for St. Patty's to roll around to show it off!

But it sort of still smells like Crayons. Im thinking a good bleach soak is in order.

Mr Lucky...

Mr. Not-so-lucky...

(why is it when you cut their hair, they suddenly look like teenagers?!?)

Hope you all have a great SPD! If you need some Irish-ness in your life check out Scooby Doo and the Loch Ness Monster. The accents are hilarious.

Tsunami What?!?

2011-03-11T12:54:00.005-05:00

What a crazy night! Hawaii was under a Tsunami warning all night due to a super huge earthquake in Japan. The pictures Im seeing of the Tsunami in Japan are heartbreaking!

Luckily we didn't experience anything like that. The scary part was waiting. The lady on the radio was saying "the wave should his in two minutes!" and counting it down. I finally turned off the radio, they were getting on my nerves. The real info came from the National Weather Service facebook page. They were awesome. They updated every few minutes.

At about 10pm Brad and I started to pack things up, ready to run in case things got really serious. Looking around out house, there wasnt much I really cared about, most of it could be replaced.

Here is what we did grab:

Books! Most of these are my old childhood books, family books, the boys' baby books and favorite books.

We also grabbed all our files. All the birth certificates, SS cards, and all that.

Random things I packed, blankets, towels, TP, a giant bag of mini wheats (?), clothes for everyone and a few toys, diapers, some jewelry

Brad had the electronics covered. The camera, the laptop, the hard drive with all our pictures and the backup of our computer.

For me the eeriest thing was hearing the Tsunami warning sirens. They sounded every hour from about 10 till 3 am. They made me super nervous! Its hard to know how serious a situation really is when you are in the middle of it, and its the middle of the night. I dont know about you, but I dont always think critically in the middle of the night!

Luckily our house is about a mile in from the coast and we are 50 feet in elevation so we weren't in an immediate evacuation zone. Many of my friends were. Im not sure of the extent of damage or what really happened here on Oahu, but I dont thing it was too bad. The schools are closed today, and I think the ocean is still pretty wild.

I finally went to bed at 4am when I was sure the wave wasnt as big as it might have been. I knew we were safe.

Thank you to all of you who sent me texts and facebook messages! It made me feel loved!

And now that I know my little world is safe, Im going to unpack everything and then make some cinnamon rolls, it is iPad 2 day after all!

Homemade Christmas Part 2: The Wallets

2011-03-06T22:14:00.008-05:00

I know Christmas was forever ago, but Im just getting around to posting this. Which is funny, since this is the post Ive been excited to do before they were even finished! So lets delay no further. I give you, The Wallets!

For the ladies in my life:

My Mother-in-law:

Don'tcha love the button?

My Sister-in-law:

I love this flower, with its wooden button

For my Mom:

Of course in her favorite color palette. This was was my first attempt at a little change pouch with Velcro closure

For my newest Sister-in-law:

I love the extra ruffly bright yellow ruffle!

For me! (You dont think I would go to all this work and not have something to show for it myself do you??):

I cant get enough of the chevrons. I want a floor like that in my dream kitchen. This was my first attempt at a magnetic closure on a wallet. It was easy and I wanted to do more, but I cant find any more of them on this whole blasted island!

For my craftiest cousin:

See what I mean with the chevrons?

For my sister:

This might be my favorite one. I love everything about it. (No offense to the other wallets;) )

All together now!

There was one more wallet for my BFF, but I sent it off hastily without snapping a pic, oops!

My first attempt at a wallet was not pretty, but these went much much better. I modified the pattern quiet a bit and made it more me. They are pretty time consuming little buggers to make, but they were a lot of fun. I love choosing the fabric combinations. I have a whole stack of combos all ready to be made in another batch of wallets. Too bad this batch just about did my poor little Brother machine in.

A Glimpse Inside the Life of Baker

2011-03-05T20:46:00.004-05:00

Binky, blanket, books and this kid is set

What can I say, he leads a simple life.

Window Shopping Therapy

2011-02-28T00:57:00.006-05:00

Sometimes when Im feeling blue, or just plain bored I window shop, from my computer.

I go to J.crew.com and add everything I want to my cart. Its my own weird sort of therapy I guess. It would have been better with a huge Diet Coke filled with ice by my side, but Ill make do for now.

Here are tonights pics. Aren't they fab? I know they don't go together, just all things Im loving right now.

And total bonus, all final sale items are an extra 30% off right now! Maybe some of these items will become a reality after all!

See I feel better already!

Please tell me Im not the only one who does this when Im a little down. Where do you window shop?

Onesie Cupcakes

2011-02-23T15:59:00.005-05:00

I got invited to a double baby shower tomorrow night, one friend just had a BOY and one friend is expecting a GIRL!

So I made some adorably delicious onesie cupcakes!

They were EASY! All you need is one onsie, one receiving blanket, a coffee filter, some rubber bands, and a little ribbon for each cupcake

I added a little flower to the top!

Be sure to buy the largest coffee filters, 8-12 cup ones I think. I now have a million left over coffee filters, and since I don't drink coffee, Im using them for little snack plates. The kids love it. (Thanks Mom for that idea!)

I LOVE them!

It's a cute creative gift, didn't cost a fortune, and I didn't have to sew a thing!

Check out the tutorial I used on Little Birdie Secrets, its a super cute fun blog!

Then there is this guy, he refuses to wear clothes today. Hummmm.

Lonny Magazine

2011-02-20T00:41:00.003-05:00

I feel like Ive just been let in on the best secret!

Friends, have you heard of Lonny? Its absolutely fabulous in every way.

Its a free digital magazine. Probably everyone but me has known about Lonny for months, thats usually how it works. But now I know! And Im in love!

Now I see the need for an iPad!

No, seriously, Im in love with every page.

Kindergarten Bound

2011-02-18T16:50:00.004-05:00

I nearly cried when we went to the school to pick up his registration packet.

He asked me "Do I look like a tough guy?" Yes Avery, you do

I think Hawaii starts school pretty early. He will only be 4 when he starts! The plan is to start him in school now, then when we move to VA put him in whatever grade his age group is in. He might do 1st grade twice. I just really dont want him graduating from High School when he is only 17! When are your kids starting?

Did I mention its full day Kindergarten (except Wednesdays are half day)! What am I going to do without this boy everyday?

I have till August to figure it out...

Sailing

2011-02-16T16:20:00.004-05:00

We just watched "What About Bob" last night, this scene was pretty funny, "Im saaaaaiiiiiiling!"

My experience was slightly different.

It was more Christopher Cross and less Bob.

It was a spontaneous after work excursion with my boss and a few co-workers.

We sailed around Pearl Harbor...in February! (Dont hate me)

It was so quiet and so peaceful!

Its official, Im signing up for sailing lessons!

Hearts and Truffles

2011-02-16T01:16:00.003-05:00

I surprised my two littlest Valentines with "fancy" balloons with little candies at the bottom. They were a huge hit!

My 19 month old Lovest:

(Picture is post blue M&M)

My 4 year old Lovey:

They melt my heart.

But these melt in my mouth. I made them for my 31 year old Love.

Behold, cookie dough truffles!

They were soooooooooooooo delish! My friend at work sent me 3 separate emails telling me how much she loved them. And I dont blame her! I sent myself 3 emails and a text congratulating myself on them.

Check out my friend Jillian's blog for the recipe, its here. Pretty much every recipe on her site is delicious!

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T15:52:00.005-05:00

You really cant beat a cute, homemade Valentine made with paper doilies and glitter and heart stickers. There are a million ideas out there I would love to try...

But, sometimes you gotta just go to Target and call it good.

But you know what? They didnt care a bit!

We Love Jenny Reeder

2011-02-13T23:24:00.002-05:00

In November my dear friend from DC, Jenny, was diagnosed with leukemia. One day she was a full-time PHD student (a seriously smart girl!) and the next her full-time job is beating this cancer. Its NOT FUN!

And turns out fighting cancer is a pretty expensive endeavor! So to help Jenny, and show our love and support, some of my favorite people on the planet have set up this wonderful auction to help her out.

There is some seriously great stuff up for grabs, check out the loot here.

It starts on Valentines Day! So hurry up, check it out and bid away!

Also go here to Jenny's blog and see for yourself how truly rad she is.

I'll just end with one of my favorite Jenny Reeder moments: We were running the Baltimore Half Marathon and had carpooled up to Baltimore from DC early in the morning. When we parked the car and got out it was a beautiful morning, and Jenny totally busted out in full Broadway glory "Good morning Baltimore!" from Hairspray. It was awesome. I can still see it.

Love you and miss you Jenny!

Ramona all over again

2011-01-21T01:05:00.004-05:00

Did you love the Ramona books when you were little? I loved them.

We checked out two Ramona audio books from the library recently. Avery is crazy for audio books. It took a little while to get him to agree to these books because they look like "girl books" but they are great! I havent read them in over 20 years probably and I completely forgot the stories.

Ive enjoyed listening to them as much as he has I think. They are so cute and witty.

Also check out the audio version of Henry Huggins, also by Beverly Cleary. Its read by Neil Patrick Harris and he does a fantastic job!

My Grandpa: A Real Cowboy 1919-2011

2011-01-19T16:12:00.006-05:00

Lee Brimhall

My Grandpa was a for reals cowboy. He wore Wranglers, had a cattle ranch, had racks on his truck, wore a cowboy hat, and of course wrote cowboy poetry (and he was good at it!). After his ranching days were over, he build houses with my Dad (but the racks still stayed on the truck of course).

He was a hard worker, had a funny sense of humor, and loved his grandkids and great grandkids. He was always did what was right and respected others who did the same.

I feel like a lot of the creativity I have was passed to me from my Grandparents. And Im forever grateful for that!

He passed away yesterday at the old age of 92.

His poetry is classic. He wrote about what he knew: ranching, horses, cattle and bulls, and "damn environmentalists" and so many more cowboyish things.

I love his poems, they are actually pretty hilarious. This is one of my fav's. Read to the end, its great...

Bull Power

My neighbor Pierce bought a prize bull

His cow herd to improve,

Which made his calves wean heavier

He had things in the groove.

But then that prized bull lost his stuff

And became impotent,

Pierce called the Vet, said "Help this bull,

Because of what I've spent."

"To buy him and take care of him

Has sure cost me a lot.

And the program I have going here

Has just gone all to pot."

So then the Vet prescribed some stuff

That brouhgt that bull right back,

And he regained his influence

And got back on the track.

Some time later I had a bull

That went the same darned way,

So I got a hold of Pierce

To try to save the day.

And find what that prescription was

To restore my bull's power,

Because the program that I had

Was starting in to sour.

Old Pierce then said "I've lost the bottle,

Can't recall the stuff's name,

The main thing I remember is

It tastes like sugar cane."

Check out my cousin Julie's blog here for more on Grandpa and more poetry of course!

Christmas Crafts Pt. 1

2011-01-08T15:51:00.004-05:00

This is actually just a partially homemade gift :) But Im counting it!

When I was little one of my favorite toys were Woodsies. A little family of squirrels (?) that lived in a little cloth log. They had a cute little table and chairs. My sister and I loved our Woodsies. So when I came across some modern day Woodseez I snatched them up for Christmas presents for my boy and my niece.

They dont have a cloth log to live in so I decided to whip up a cute little bag so they would be sure to stay together as a family.

Baker got the little mice, they seemed the most "manly"

And adorable little beavers for Emily

These Woodsies are so cute, their clothes come off and on and their limbs move. The baby is my favorite, the diaper kills me! Plus they each came with a little storybook about their lives.

Da Boots

2011-01-05T16:44:00.004-05:00

This kid loves his boots! I think every little kid in Hawaii is sporting a pair of these babies. They come in every color. Im partial to these aqua ones.

I think its adorable when he clomps around in his boots all day,

just enjoying the SUNSHINE!

(Its 80 degrees here today :) )

Have you heard of Hipstamatic? Its my new favorite app.

Holiday Aftermath

2011-01-03T17:51:00.002-05:00

The Bird of Paradise in my yard today :)

I have a ton of catching up I want to do, but its not going to happen today. We are still adjusting to life after Christmas. For me it means :

Jetlagged kids

Too many unpacked suitcases

Christmas decorations that are still up

A disaster for a house

The leftovers of a cold (for the whole fam)

And my children realizing they are not at Grammy's anymore!

It was all worth it though, we had a super busy and very fun vacation! Im was sad to leave. I always love Prescott. Some highlights:

My little brother got married!!!

Shopping

Seeing my family

Lunch with my girls

The Office

Christmas extravaganza!

THE basketball game

But today Im getting our guest room ready for our very first Hawaii house guests! Which sadly included taping and pinning curtains. Im pretty ghetto today. I blame it on faulty bobbin tension. Few things get me angrier than messed up bobbin tension! For real.

Hope you all have a happy new year and a great week!

Score one more for Hawaii!

2010-11-27T23:27:00.002-05:00

I didn't think she existed. Living so far from her for three years was going to be rough. But when I came across her at the mall the other day, I was ecstatic! It's like old friends reunited.

My life is now fully complete. Thank you J.Crew. You complete me.

The Curtains are finished!

2010-11-21T03:25:00.005-05:00

The Living Room

Huge picturesque windows are what I love about this room. But, I dont love the whole neighborhood looking in. And it gets super hot in the afternoon when the sun shines in. It may be November, but it was 87 here today-hot.

Curtains were a MUST!

Cant go wrong with yards and yards of orange polka dot! (One of my life's mottos)

More windows!

Simple Velcro tie backs

The view on the inside is every bit as nice as the one looking out

Up next: Curtains for the guest room. But you might have to come see them for yourself!

My Super Hero's

2010-11-01T03:05:00.004-04:00

Black Spiderman and Batman keep things under control around here.

This picture was taken during the costume fittings. I hemmed the sleeves and Batman's pants and they were good to go!

Some Spiderman moves. The day has been full of awesome moves.

This little guy loved his costume, he was so proud. Plus the "muscles" came in handy. I saw him total belly flop and slide on the gym floor at church. Thanks to the muscles, not a scratch on him.

We partied hard at our the church party. Then tonight Spidey and I hit the streets. I was totally surprised by how awesome the trick or treating was in our neighborhood! There were TONS of kids and all the neighbors were sitting outside with their houses decorated handing out candy. He had a lot of fun. Till his Crocs gave him a blister (I didnt think Crocs could do that, but they did) and we came home.

We have WAY more candy than we need. Baker is a candy-holic. Seriously for a one year old, he is really into it. He knows where its hidden and he just points and grunts till I throw him a candy corn. Im pretty sure he's going to start pooping skittles if he keeps going at the rate he did today.

It was a good Halloween. Now all I have to say is, GET OUT THE CHRISTMAS TREE! Its going up early my friends. The debate is still on for how early is acceptable. We will be in Arizona for two weeks in Dec so I want to have plenty of time to enjoy the tree.

Can I put it up before Thanksgiving? What do you think?

Its Good to be Four!

2010-10-27T13:48:00.002-04:00

We ate, we sang, we watched Scooby-Doo. It was a fun little birthday!

Happy Birthday Spiderman!

My New Wallet

2010-10-25T02:20:00.004-04:00

My latest creation:

Inspired by Kat from That Darn Kat tutorial

I made a few changes, but it was pretty easy for the most part.

Finally, a project worthy of this super cute fabric! Thanks again JJ!

I discovered if I zig zag the edge of fabric it almost looks like its surged with a rolled edge, or maybe even cooler! Thats how I made the ruffle edges.

It has room for everything! And even though the bottom pocket turned out smaller than its supposed to be, its the perfect size for my mini Maika'i card (Foodland Store discount card) which ALWAYS get lost in my purse. So, YAY!

My phone fits nicely in the top pocket (happy accident!) and its yellow so it matches! But I guess when most of my stuff is yellow, everything tends to match. But it still makes me happy!

And my checkbook can be tucked in the back of the top pocket. My checkbook has a habit of hiding from me too. Problem solved!

I learned a lot and am excited to give this another go, or 5 ;) They will only get better from here! Who wants one??

A Tour of My House: The Dining Room

2010-10-20T17:54:00.005-04:00

I've been forbidden to go to the beach till I post something, so this is for you Laura!

I love this room.

I have never had my own dining room till now.

Its not huge, but it fits our table perfectly and my sewing desk. The desk is to the left, but it has some Christmas gifts in the works so Im not going to show it yet.

Still only have 2 chairs, one finished one half way there. I think the blue color is perfect for this room. It really brightens it up. Just close your eyes and imagine 6 pretty blue chairs in here... nice huh?

The built in cabinet is one of the things I was really excited about when we looked at this house. I keep my cookbooks, pretty mixing bowls, cake plates, and some of my favorite vintage pieces in here. Oh and all our empty Waialua Soda Works bottles. Not sure what we are going to do with those, but they are kind of cool so I dont want to throw them away! (Pack rat much?)

And Im all decorated for Fall in here. I always feel special this time of year. Its like the world is paying homage just to me. JK! But I do love seeing my name everywhere! The awesome pendants were a gift from my sister-in-law Adrienne. It has glitter AND leopard print ribbon. She knows me well.

More art on the wall. These are our biggest pieces. Done by moi

The window view. These windows never close. They are open 24x7. Just like the other 25 windows in the house. That might be why my floors and everything else is so dang dusty!

Our newly acquired pumpkins! One for each boy.

It may look like Fall but it feels like Summer, so NOW, Im going to the beach!

A Tour of My House: The "Library"

2010-10-06T20:21:00.006-04:00

This is an odd sort of space. Its not really a 'room', its kind of like a really big open hallway/entryway. We didnt want to use it as an office since the computer is pretty much our lifeblood around here and we didnt want to put it in a corner. Cuz then how would I watch Project Runway on mylifetime.com? From the computer chair? No thanks. We have it in the living room. Anyway, here are some pictures...

Before: A plain open space. So much potential!

After: A colorful reading area!

I wanted to hang the paintings with a sort of a gallery feel.

The kid books are here on the lower shelves.

The taller bookcase is organized by color courtesy of Bradley. I love it, such a cool idea.

I swiped these oversize jacks from my Mom. Arent they the coolest? Ive loved them since I was a babe.

A closer look:

The YELLOWs

The ORANGEs

The GREENs

The REDs

This corner gets a lot of use!

I might make some big cushy pillows to throw down in the corner. What do you think?

Make Over My Dining Room

2010-09-30T02:19:00.004-04:00

We are pretty much settled in here. I have some follow up posts coming to show a little of what we have done with the place. I love our dining room, but it still has a ways to go. My plan for is to get a variety of chairs and refinish them all in the same color. Im looking for six chairs total. We bought a super cute white pedestal table at Crate & Barrel before we moved here sans chairs. I think bright Tiffany's blue will really make the whole room bright and happy!

I found two cute chairs at Salvation Army. They were originally $10 each, but when I got to the register the lady gave me 15% off! I think its funny when thrift stores have "sales". Isnt everything in there super cheap anyway? A few weeks ago I found a black spiderman costume for Avery at Goodwill and it was 50% off, it cost $2. Why even bother with the % off? I would have paid $4.

Anyway, here is what I did with them.

Before:

After:

Distressed just a tad with my very first power tool! Love me some power tools.

My two models trying out the new chair:

I want to give a special shout out to my awesome and incredibly talented friend Julie, who is a pro at refinishing furniture and inspired this project. And this color always reminds me of her! (Miss you Julie!)

If you need me...

2010-09-08T16:13:00.003-04:00

If you need me, look for me here:

Its were I go most days.

Can you blame me?

A Few Things

2010-09-01T22:36:00.003-04:00

1. My baby can walk! He even wears shoes, well sometimes he wears shoes. No babies wear shoes in Hawaii. But when I do put them on he giggles.

2. Aforementioned baby can also do an evil villain laugh. Muah ha ha. It might be his best trick.

3. We bought a VW van! Brad was the driving force (sorry) behind it. I go back and forth. I love the way it looks and the fact that its a van and a VW makes it really cool. But, its old and I we have a lot of work to do on it. But that might actually turn out to be on the good side of the list.

4. If you had a VW van what color would you paint it?

5. Its 4:40 and both my kids are asleep. I think Im in trouble tonight!

6. I have a garden! I just picked some rosemary for tonights chicken.

7. I talk about super heros for approximately 90% of my day. Avery is borderline obsessed. Its cute to see him so into a topic. But a little variety in our lives would be nice!

8. There is a really zen looking yoga studio just down the road. I think Im going to start taking classes there. I might join the "Yoga For Surfers" class.

9. The guest suite is almost ready. So pack your bags. Im dying for some visitors.

10. Have you seen the model in the newest J.Crew catalog that looks exactly like Jesus in a suit? I love it!

Mailbox Love

2010-08-31T12:28:00.000-04:00

Thanks Aunt Spicy, I am in love with this fabric. The colors, the print, the bow you wrapped around it. I don't want to cut it!

Maybe I will just leave it looking all cute on my table for a little while longer...

Pool Upgrade

2010-08-30T19:14:00.006-04:00

Loving the new, bigger pool! Plus water sprays out of the whales head. What more could two little water babies want?

In other news, the curtains are done (yay!!!). I just need to make some tie backs and then I will post pictures here on a blog I have with my cousin who is the awesomest. More on that/her later!

We are almost moved in. We hung paintings this weekend and did some final furniture re-aranging. We are getting there!

And we got a van! Its truly an island car, a VW Vanagon. Its sweet. I think it looks like a Storm Trooper. We are going to pick it up this afternoon.

Working Girl Once Again

2010-08-18T01:43:00.004-04:00

When Brad's job took us here to Hawaii I was lucky enough to find a position with my work too. My original plans were to quit all together and stay home with the boys. As is turns out, it was best for me to keep working, but only two days a week. Just enough to keep my feet wet and make a little cash. Plus its a job I actually enjoy.

Today was my first day at the new office. I have to say, I think its going to be great. It felt good to put on my favorite Calvin Klein pointy toe heels and a fresh coat of lipstick. Im still not totally sure what the usual dress code is like out here. Do I wear Aloha print shirts? Moo Moos? Is it too out of place to wear black slacks? I think I over dressed a little today.

This is my dream ensemble for a working girl in Hawaii:

The shoes are to die for. But they are all sold out in my size!! Blurg! Oh well. Im going to keep working on appropriate attire for work. Maybe deep in one of these moving boxes is a cute skirt I forgot I had.

All items can be found here and of course here

What would you wear?

Welcome! Come on in..

2010-08-14T17:29:00.008-04:00

Before all the boxes and the furniture arrived, our house looked clean and spacious and, well, empty. I took some pictures and will post "after" pictures as soon as it looks picture worthy in here.

These guys were the first to move it. They secured the perimeter.

The front door. We actually have a yard!

And a sidewalk!

And grass!

And a plumeria tree!

Its a far cry from living on the 7th floor.

Looking into the living room from the entry way.

Anther view of the living room. Dont you just love the windows?

The dining room, taken from the living room.

I love the built in cabinet. I cant wait to display all my cake plates and dishes!

The breakfast area in the kitchen.

The kitchen. Sans dishwasher :(

The entry way. Front door is on the left there.

The hallway.

The master bedroom. Windows on three sides and a closet on the other makes it a challenge to arrange furniture.

My favorite Hibiscus plant. This is on the side of the house that leads to the kitchen door.

Our awesome plumeria tree. The scent wafts in and its lovely!!

Not pictured are the boys room, the bathroom, and the over the garage quest suite. Yep, we have a perfect place for you to come visit!

Make your reservation today!!

Aloha Boys!

2010-08-12T21:50:00.002-04:00

Aren't they beauties?

Gems of the Islands

As sweet as the plumeria blossoms behind their ears.

Getting Settled

2010-08-09T02:55:00.002-04:00

There are boxes EVERYWHERE! And with a toddler, a baby, and a beach that calls my name every afternoon around 3:30, the boxes aren't getting unloaded too quickly.

I took a bunch of pictures of our house with plans to post them here and ask for decorating advice, but the camera battery died and I have no idea where the charger is (a random box somewhere no doubt) so the house pics will have to wait at least one more day.

In the mean time Im doing some curtain planning . Our living room is windows on 3 sides, which I love. Its beautiful. But, it can feel like a fishbowl at night. Or a green house in the afternoon when the sun beats in and practically cooks us (hence beach day every afternoon!) So curtains are in order. We bought some fancy light and heat blocking curtains for the Western facing windows. They are by far the worst in the afternoon. The curtains are pretty plain, just beige. But for the other walls I have more exciting plans! I just ordered 18 yards of this:

From here. Its a mid weight fabric that will work great for drapery. Im planning to add some tie backs on the beige beauties with the polka dot fabric to tie it all together. To top it all off I recently WON!! some awesome yellow and orange fabric from my good friend Aunt Spicy (miss you tons!) that might be made into pillows for the couch.

I have so much I want to share about the house and life in Hawaii. Things are way different here people! But for now, I just need to get my life in order. And stop living out of a suitcase. And find my sons Dragon Castle. And dig out the sewing machine! And hope the tension settings didnt get too messed up in the move so I can sew these bad boy curtains when the fabric arrives in 7-15 days!

Stay tuned, Im a work in progress!

We made it!

2010-07-28T15:52:00.002-04:00

The flight was surprisingly good! My kids really did me a favor and behaved on the 6 hour 15 min. flight. They were way better than the annoying kid and his super annoying mom two rows up. Doesnt it seem like sometimes the parents are worse than the kids? Anyway, we are here. Staying in a vacation rental for a few weeks till all our stuff gets unloaded off the big ship.

Here is a small taste of what I have in store.... (taken from the back deck of our rental last night)

Aloha!

2010-07-19T20:17:00.006-04:00

I havent been keeping up with the blog lately. We are in a major transition right now. About a month ago we left our hearts in DC and came home to Prescott, AZ for an extended stay. Its been fabulous!! But the best is yet to come. Tomorrow morning before the sun is up, the boys and I will be on our way to meet up with Brad in Hawaii!!!

Yes, Im moving to Hawaii tomorrow!!!

Cant wait. The only thing in between me and paradise is 3000 miles on a plane with two rambunctious boys. Wish me luck.

Autumn

I Guess Im a Runner!

2010-06-24T17:01:00.004-04:00

I did it! I ran the Baltimore 10 miler last weekend, and I loved it! I didn't train as much as I should have, and I was really feeling it at mile 8, but I did it.

I was at the back of the pack

An accidental picture, but I like it. See my cute new shoes with yellow laces?

Perfect weather!

I used my phone to time my miles. I didnt always hit the "lap" button right as you can see. I had some false alarms and I forgot to clock mile 9. But it looks like I averaged about 13 min miles. Some were faster and some were hill filled, so they were slower.

I met a good running partner, Cami, during the run. She was funny and we ran together for about 4 miles. Her pace was good and we laughed at the same people.
There are some strange people out there!

I got a really cool pull over after the race that would be perfect for winter running. But since Im moving to Hawaii where there is no winter, I will have to save it.

My feet were really tired and my legs were weak at the end but I felt good. Turns out I really love running. I never thought those words would come out of my mouth.

A New Dress

2010-06-14T15:38:00.002-04:00

One of my recent creations:

I picked up the fabric at G Street clearance section. Im not sure what the fabric is made of, but is stretchy, feels nice and it hangs really well. It was really easy to sew with too.

I used a shirt and a skirt that I know fit well as my pattern. It was actually really simple to make. Just a front piece, a back piece and some trim! Next time I will do a step by step post so you can see it really was pretty easy.

Laptop Love

2010-06-09T21:05:00.004-04:00

I was in Florida last week for work (rough, I know) and brought my laptop with me. I needed to check blogs (duh!), watch No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency on the plane ride, and video chat with my boys at night. Its a must have for a solo traveler.

Literally on my way out the door I decided I need to make a snuggie for the laptop. My husband is usually the carrier of the laptop. He has his manly Patagonia bag that it fits in nicely. I didnt want to take the manly bag, I would rather travel with my favorite gigantic yellow purse. So instead of just sticking the laptop into my purse I whipped up this little number to keep it safe.

Its pretty simple, just some minky fabric on the inside and some retro computerish looking fabric from Joann on the outside. It only took me about 15 minutes to sew it up. I was afraid I would be late for my flight so I pretty much ran the entire way and was sweaty by the time I got to my gate. Turns out I got my flight times mixed up and was actually about 2 hours early. Nice. But at least my laptop looked cute. I even got a compliment from a fellow traveler!

If you have a laptop, show it some love. Make it a snuggie.

V Neck T

2010-06-01T22:34:00.004-04:00

The sale section at G street fabrics is dangerous. I found yards and yards of fabric I wanted. And I made friends with two hilairous ladies that were actually draping fabric on me and designing a beach wrap. It was awesome. I came out with some great finds, including the softest cream colored knit fabric and turned it into a V neck T-shirt.

Im tired of having to wear two shirts, one on top to look cute, and one underneath. Most V neck shirts I find are too low, and hardly ever long enough, so I decided to make my own!

Turns out this cream fabric is kind of sheer so I have to wear a shirt underneath anyway. Next time I will choose a darker or thicker fabric.

I used one of my favorite shirts as a pattern. It was a little tricky, but I did alot of thinking and a lot of re-pinning, but finally figured it out!

It was my first attempt at 1. a shirt, 2. sleeves, and 3. elastic thread (which I LOVE)

The ruffle is more super soft knit sewn with elastic thread then added to the neckline. I think it looks like whipped cream!

And it fits perfect. This is the joy of sewing it myself!

I'm a Winner!

2010-06-01T06:57:00.003-04:00

And I owe it all to you, Design Mom!!

Until now the only things I have every won are: a Sprite basketball in 1997 and $25 on a quarter slot machine at a smoke filled casino on the indian reservation when I was 18.

But this tops it all!!

I am the lucky winner of a gift certificate to:

I absolutely LOVE the design of every single piece! Im going to have a really, really hard time making a decision! Just look at the picture and info I snagged from their website...

Here is a link to the blog, its beautiful! Wonderful photos, cute kids, and of course awesome jewelry!

If you haven't already go check out Gabrielle at Design Mom. Her blog is so incredibly beautiful and inspiring! This blog is on my daily patrol.

Thank you so much Design Mom for having this giveaway! You have made my week!

Haircuts

2010-05-25T20:47:00.001-04:00

Have you ever tried to cut a 10 month olds hair with sharp scissors?

Its a miracle this kid still has ears.

Boy Breakfast for dinner

2010-05-25T20:05:00.007-04:00

I had been carrying around a Williams Sonoma gift card in my wallet for a couple of months. I wanted to use it for the perfect thing. I was leaning toward a mini muffin pan (exciting, right?), until I saw these:

Pancake Molds!

These cookie cutters were a close second, but I figured it is way easier to make pancakes than sugar cookies. But check out what Bakerella did with them. She is awesome.

Here they are cooking away. (Lesson learned: I filled them al little too full)

I especially love the Storm Trooper. (Lesson learned: I put Darth V. and Storm T. upside down. They got stuck.)

Paired with Brads famous fruit syrup, this guy didnt last long!

Him either!

His teeth look a little funky.

Not all of them worked out (see above lessons learned). But they still tasted pretty good!

One happy Star Wars loving boy!

Happy Mothers Day!

2010-05-08T20:38:00.002-04:00

to my Mom,

who taught me how to be a mom.

Thank you

I love you

(Mom and Baker, July 2009)

New Kicks

2010-04-10T16:01:00.005-04:00

Im making more shoes!

I made this pattern myself, I used another pair of Bakers leather shoes as inspiration combined with some construction how to from here.

I used more robot and rocket ship fabric, linen, and felt for the top decoration.

They are lined in flannel and are super comfy for his little piggies!

More shoes to come!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-03T20:53:00.004-04:00

Avery hunted eggs, ate too much candy, and went to visit the iPad with Dad(of course).

Happy Easter Everyone!

A little face lift

2010-03-31T20:06:00.004-04:00

No, no face lift for me (yet!). Check back in a twenty years or so.

Im talking about this adorable little frame I found at a thrift store. You can see by the price scribbled on the front it was a bargain!

The off-white and gold accents were not too bad, but I remembered seeing a similar ornate frame at my friend Jill's house that is bright orange. I love that frame. So I got our my bright turquoise paint and went to town.

It really brightened up the frame and with this happy picture inside I love how it looks!

Us at Brads graduation from BYU Hawaii. I love our younger, tanner, and (much) thinner days- on my part at least. I mean look at that cute little white belt!!