Why Simplified Watercolor? You want to express yourself through art. You get out all the paints, mix them, get started, and then the mom life happens. The baby cries, the kids need a snack, someone is fighting... you know the drill. So you have to leave the art, but by the time you come back the paint is dried up and useless. Now you have to start the process all over again. Sound familiar? Simplified Watercolor is for you! Or maybe you are like me in another way: you have no idea how to get started with painting and you just want a medium that is both simple to use and simple to learn. ... Continue Reading...
School’s Out, Craft’s In with Deflecto® (+freebie!)
If you've been through my blog much at all you'll know I love all things crafty. I'm not artistic, but I love to craft! I've probably dabbled in a bit of everything over the years: paper crafting (stamping, card making, scrapbooking, bullet journaling, etc.), quilting and some small sewing projects, DIY home decor, and I can even do basic crochet. On top of my personal crafting, we homeschool which automatically equals kids crafts! Simple crafts (or not-so-simple sometimes) are a very effective hands-on way for kids to grasp a concept or remember important ... Continue Reading...
Magic Stix Washable Markers Review
Do your little artists love to use markers but forget to put the caps back on? The fun folks at The Pencil Grip, Inc. have come up with a solution: markers that don't dry out even if the cap is left off for up to 7 days! If you are constantly replacing dried out markers Magic Stix Washable Markers may be just what you need to keep your school supply budget in check. We put these markers to the test with this art project. (Source) We turned ours into piranha with some sharp teeth, but of course they can be nice, non-flesh-eating fish too if you prefer. Chalk that one up to having mostly ... Continue Reading...
Taking my Bullet Journal on the go!
Bullet journalling has been a great thing for me. When I first started last month I wondered if I would keep it up and so far I have. I really enjoy using the habit tracker to hold me accountable for important things like my personal Bible time, eating well, drinking enough water, and getting in bed at a decent time. However, my new hobby was taking over the dining room. Then if I wanted to journal in the living room, I'd have to lug it all in there. Long story short, I got this cool little tote at Michael's and loaded it up with my journaling and brush letting supplies. It's so ... Continue Reading...
Starting My 2018 Bullet Journal
Confession of the day: I am obsessed with office supplies. Paper, notebooks, planners, sticky notes, pens, markers, pencils, etc. I could tell you about what I have, how I use them, and what I plan to use them for but I doubt you have all day (or all week) to read such a post. I'd probably break the internet. Seriously. Another confession: Despite this obsession I've never used a planner or calendar all the way through from beginning to end. So sad. I eventually stopped buying planners. As a homeschooling mom with 5 kids I've never found a planner to suit my needs. For the last two years ... Continue Reading...
A Quilt for My Dad
My dad, bless his heart, is always cold. In his defense we do it keep it pretty chilly in the house during the winter, around 67 or so. He lives with us, by the way. We built him his own small "suite" at the back of the house (so he doesn't have to hear quite so much of the loudness that is our life) with his own door so he can come and go as he pleases. Being at the back of the house means its colder in his room than anywhere else in the house. He also seems to have lost his nice comforter during the move earlier this year. I've been thinking on making him a quilt for a while now and ... Continue Reading...
Lu Lu’s Girl Crazy Quilt
Lu Lu has seen me working on her big brother's quilts for ages now. I had planned on waiting to make her a quilt until she was a little older, in her own room maybe (and not sharing with her 3 brothers), but when Booger recently got to put his newly finished quilt on his bed, she was in awe. I heard those little words. "Can I have a quilt, Mommy?" Um... of course. Why not? I can always make her another when her tastes change, you know like three seconds years from now. So I started checking out all the adorable fabric lines for girls. Let me tell you this: there are about 500x more girl ... Continue Reading...
S’More Love Series Quilts (Part 2)
Poor Booger... Nearly two years ago I started the first in my quest to make all 3 of my boys matching (nearly) quilts. Lemur liked the first backing I chose and Booger didn't so he would have to wait for the second quilt. Bless his patient little heart. Well, not-so-patient at times, but I can't really blame the kid. I had the top pieced and the layers basted almost a year ago. I can claim some grace since I had a new baby and all, but the procrastination had to stop. So I pulled it out, laid it on the back of our couch in plain view, determined to finish it for him. And I did, ... Continue Reading...
S’More Love Series Quilts (Part 1)
Just FYI I'm hopping back in time (to 2013-14) to tell you about the first larger quilt I made (larger than a lap size). I decided to undertake making a quilt for each of my kiddos. At the time I was expecting #4 and knew he would be a boy. God-willing the three boys will share a room when we buy or build a bigger house -- for now all 4 kids share a room, but that is a post for another day. So three boys and a girl who need quilts.... I combed through zillions of fabric lines to find the one I wanted and finally settled on "S'More Love" by Eric & Julie Comstock for Moda fabrics. Here's ... Continue Reading...