Inspiration...

The end of summer has brought out my crafty side.  I read eleventy-three kajillion craft blogs (and by read I mean skim for goodness) and they've all got my creative juices flowing.  Usually I don't bother to take pictures of my crafts as the first run is usually a surprise to me if it comes out right and after that I'm bored by it.  I'm my own worst enemy I tell you. 

Last week I was reading Tatortots & Jello and one of their projects sparked my interest.

I'm not sure what inspired me.  The use of canvas?  I have a canvas at home that was nagging at my brain from a project gone wrong.  I was eager to use it for something else lest I feel bad for having to toss it.  The silhouette of the bird?  The fun of ripping up little bits of magazines of which I have many that have never even been read?  I'm not sure but I liked it.

Sunday morning while Matt and the kids were clearing up broken tree limbs from the back yard I supported them by sitting on the front step Mod Podging bits of ripped up magazine onto the previous project-gone-wrong canvas.  I mean I was THERE right?  Actually I started by telling Skyler she could help me with a project but she didn't have my vision and soon she was convinced I was downright nuts and wandered off.  Oh boy was she sorry later.  While the Mod Podge dried I contemplated a stencil.  I didn't have anything awesome on hand so I pouted a bit.  Then I got the idea that I wanted an "M" but the stencil I had was the wrong size so I traced and cut and let me show you what I came up with.  It's all sorts of awesome and oh yes Ms. Skyler came back when she saw me get the paint out.  But did I let her help?  No Ma'am.  You need to stick around for the long haul if you want to play with the good stuff.  Mean Mommy.

It's way better in person!

I Declare that it was meant to be...

I want to share with you one of my favorite blogs in the whole wide world.  THE WORLD people.  This is huge.

I can't even remember how I found eighteen25 but there were magic sparkles in the air and angels sang when I did.  The ladies there find the greatest crafts and things that I have to have.  Sometimes they have a tutorial and sometimes there's a giveaway.   I'm going to share with you my favorite craft they've shared ever.  I made these for the kids' teachers last Winter and they were a huge hit.  They are simple craft boxes with dividers inside that you fill with all sorts of teacher treats.  The kids have fun decorating the outside and you feel like super mom with very little effort.  I can't wait to make these again this year.  Zack is in 5th grade which is his last year at his elementory school so I need to leave my mark as Awesome Crafty Mom when really I'm Super Lazy Crabby Mom.


Blog post with instructions here

Now, that ^  is my favorite of the projects that I've seen on eighteen25 but my favorite post of theirs was a contest in which little old me WON something that I had been coveting for awhile.  You know how I have quite the collection of personalized silver necklaces?  You don't?  Well read about that here (after glancing at that link I've realized that my collection has grown by at least three that I can think of).  The one item that I coveted for my collection was out of my price range.  :( 

I wanted a finger print of each of my kids to be set in sterling.  These run on average about $100 per fingerprint and I have TWO children.  I'm no math whiz but that's right around $200 and their fingers aren't getting any smaller.  Well low and behold eighteen25 ran a contest for a designer that sells these and I won a $100 gift certificate.  Back to that math, that left me at about $100 I needed to sneak out of our bank account.  I hemmed and hawed and sat on it until one day Tina Steinberg ran a bogo (that's buy one get one for you non-shoppers) deal.   Hot damn, now we're talking.  After all was said and purchased, with shipping and various design choices, I walked away at $40 which is so much easier to sneak out of the checking account.  I mean it's 20% of the original cost.  How could I not buy it?  I think I made the right choice.  Don't you?

Shop 'Til My Husband Drops...

I went on a bit of a shopping bender last week. I just want to show you a couple examples of the awesome that I picked up. And by picked up you know I totally mean the internet because that is the Mecca of shopping (after Tarjay of course).

Have you heard of Snorgtees? Zack and I love this online t-shirt store, it's full of snark and sarcasm and awesome. Zack is known at school for sporting funny t-shirts and so I let him go through this online site and pick a few for back-to-school. This time he chose:

We think they're pretty hysterical.  His last choice had something to do with Bacon being awesome which is appropriate for him as he can not only put away an enormous amount of bacon but he also considers himself to be a meat-a-tarian.  I think we'll order a few more soon.

*********

THEN on Thursday I texted Matt and said "Can I spend $200?".  I completely blame my bloggy friend Kelly because she posted on Facbook that Woot had a deal going for a Refurbished Dyson for $200.  I've been jealously eying these forever.  My Kirby weighs more than Skyler and how can I expect her to do all the vacuuming if she can't move the damn thing.  I sold it by saying that I'd sell the Kirby for $200 (easily) and we'll have super clean floors forever more (hahahahhahhahahaaa).  I can't wait to get it.  I'm SO excited SQUEEEEEEE!

^ my new bff ^

I'm sure there was more shopping done last week but this was the exciting stuff.  Do you love Snorgtees?  Do you have a Dyson?  Tell me about it!

*** NEWS FLASH ***

There just might be something to this evening exercise thing.  Last night I took the kids to the local spot for evening walking and exercise.  They were excited to get out of the house, I was nervous for the whining and the temperature, it was hovering around 95*.  I made them agree that we would walk first and then they could play on the brand new play structure which was gleaming in the distance.

We walked.  I walked.  Skyler whined and talked and whined.  Zack kept up behind me and reminded Sky why she shouldn't be whining.  I basically refused to talk to them.  I just kept trucking on.  The further I got the less likely that she could break me down and snap a nerve.  It was hot, sweat streaming down your back hot.  We got around the loop and they could see the brand new enormous play structure.  Their interests sparked and off they went.  I sat recovering from my pounding, over-heated brain.

When it was time to leave, the kids were agreeable and both kept thanking me for thinking of coming there.  They didn't fight (as much) that evening, ate their dinner, and went to bed at a decent time.  It was a sweaty miracle. 

I'm not sure what to make of all this.  Could exercise possibly be good for you? 

Petty Problems...

I haven't bitched about nothing lately, you're due.

There's this clerk at my local Target (aka Mecca) who drives me bananas.  I try to avoid him but our schedules must be synced because he always seems to be there (YES I go to Target too much. They now sell groceries so BUH-BYE mean old Wally-World).  Do you want to know why he bugs me so much?  I'll tell you, oh yes I will.  EVERY time he starts to ring my order he says "Is this everything?".  Not at the end of ringing it up like "oh do you have any coupons?", NO, at the beginning.  I just want to say "No dumbass, I thought I'd load up the counter here and then go finish my shopping, can you wait?"  Last night, I finished unloading my cart and stood at the credit card thingamajiggy.  The entire belt was filled with my order, there were three order dividers if needed, and he says "All the way to the end?".  YES those are my f-ing items, ALL THE WAY TO THE END.  How about you keep beeping items until you see a divider or you see another person put items down.   I can't fathom how this is his job for at least a year if my memory serves, and he hasn't figured out how to determine where one order ends and another begins.

I'm clearly testy having been alone with my children for 10 days but really.  EVERY time I go there.