Halloween spirit...

At my daughter Ellie's school, the rule is that kids are not allowed to wear their Halloween costume to school on Halloween. I'm not quite sure why, but in our family we LOVE Holiday's and they are a big deal every year. So, I made a pinafore style shirt dress out of this super cute fabric my friend and I found last week that has fun Halloween colors for her so she would still feel like it was a fun dress-up day.

Pictures of Connors "interesting" costume coming soon!

sneak peek

This is a little peek at my daughter Ellie's Halloween costume I am making!

Have I mentioned HOW MUCH I love the Fall!!

Awesome sandals!

I came across these super cute Sseko Sandals and just had to share them. They are beautifully handmade by women in Uganda. The ribbon is made to be interchangeable and can be worn lots of different ways. I just love them!!

Blog Swap!

~Today I am trying something new!! Becca over at Blue Cricket Design asked me to do a blog swap with her and being a huge fan of hers, naturally I agreed!

So WELCOME Becca!!!

~~~~~

Hey there soon to be friends! I first need to thank Jamie for letting me invade her totally awesome blog! I'm a huge fan and I can see why you guys love hanging out over here!!!



I'm Becca. The Creative Director behind Blue Cricket Design!

I'm all about discovering new ways to express myself! Crafting, cooking, sewing and painting all have become my creative outlets. Being a mother to three girls is inspiration enough
and with the Holidays just around the corner I am sure to busy!
I love anything that gets my creative juices flowing! Come see what I've been up to. You'll find my collection of craft projects, sewing how to's, photoshop tutorials, recipes, giveaways and more!

Here's a few of my favorite projects I've got ready for you to enjoy...

Adult Skirt revamp


Retro Pattern Greeting Cards


Dresser Draw Ribbon Organizer

I'll also be drawing a winner for my Heather Bailey Giveaway this Sunday so come sign up to win either an autographed fat quarter or an autographed Pin cushion kit!

And be sure to check back next week for a giveaway from my favorite, Kitchen and Restaurant Supply Store Orson Gygi!

Lot's is happening!!


So consider yourself personally invited to Blue Cricket Design! Come and join in on all the fun! I can't wait to meet you!

Thanks Jamie for sharing your amazing space with me! Take care!

Dress-up's closet

~Crap to Craft~

I am a huge collector of dress-up's. All kinds, I can't get enough. But my kids had overflowing drawers and baskets of them so my husband actually came up with the solution, Mr. Smartie Pants. I took this:

Old, broken dresser. And knocked out all of the drawers and their frames. (Forgot to take pictures of it before I knocked out the drawers) Painted it, and added one of these rods:

And this was the end result:

It de-clutters my girls room and it is very useful. I didn't paint the back of the inside of the dresser because I want to Mod Podge some cute paper on it but didn't have the right color on hand so that will be fixed later.

So next time you drive past a garage sale with an old dresser....think of the possibilities!!

Christmas Advent Calender

I have seen a million Advent Calenders, but this one is my favorite. It is so cute and it is easy and fast to make. (again sorry for the pictures they were taken before I had a good camera)

What you need:

- metal mini muffin tin

- Christmas themed scrapbook paper, at least 4 different patterns and a few solid.

- Circle punches, in all different sizes ( for the one I made I didn't have punches so I cut them out by hand....no fun, but works just fine.)

- Coordinating color of ink to ink the edges of circles.

-Rubber stamp set of numbers, or you can print them.

- Magnate strips, and scissors to cut it into little squares.

- Embellishments: brads, ric rac, ect.

- Mod Podge

- A handy husband to drill 2 holes in top of muffin tin, or just a drill and your own muscles.

- Coordinating ribbon.

- Small circle peppermints or treats to go inside each day.

Birthday Tea Party

At our house Birthdays are a big deal and we go all out...and a little overboard. We switch off doing family parties one year and a big friends party the next.
This one was Ellies first friend party and at the time she was HUGE into tea parties so we made that the theme. Ellie is also All Girl so everything was pink and pretty. I made purse invites for all the girls telling them to make sure they all wore their favorite pretty dress..(Mind you, all of these pictures were taken before we had a nice camera ;) When the girls arrived we played a butterfly catching game and then the girls got to decorated sun hats. Then we went down stairs where I had set up a table with fancy china and tea cups. This is a horrible picture but we draped sheer fabric up to the ceiling to for a tent like area and filled it with balloons.
The girls had brunch downstairs while the mommies ate upstairs. We opened presents and then ate some cake. It was a huge jewelry box that the girls got to pick some jewelry from to put on and keep. As the girls left they took home purses filled with make up, stickers and fingernail polish. It was our first big Birthday party and the one that made me wish we could do it every year!