These are a few of my favorite things....

I'm probably not the first person to do this, but just let me think I am. I wanted to hang some pictures up in my house but wanted to do something a little more creative then just the old nail in the wall, so here is what I came up with.

I bought some cabinet knobs from Home Depot, then I had to buy some special bolts, called hanger bolts that you screw into the knob, and then screw the knob into the wall. Ya see, this way you have so many to choose from, instead of just the 3 or 4 expensive ones at your local craft store.

I had an extra one that I used to hang this flag that I made with my Activity Day's girls. I think it would be way cute to use some of those crystal looking ones to hang stuff up in a little girls room. I've shown this before, but I used them here again to hang up these drapes.

Here's a close up view

Ya like how you can see my pencil marks. I say why erase what you can't see, unless your getting a close up picture to post on you blog, for everyone or at least like five people to see.
Do you like my new song? I can't find the version David A. sang on American Idol with One Republic so this will have to do. I think I'm going through American Idol withdraws, I think I might of had a little crush on David Archuleta.

Rolling Pins - A girl can NEVER have too many!!!

So I wanted to share with all of you my collection of rolling pins. Exciting huh. I'm actually pretty proud of them, it's taken me a while to collect them, there aren't a ton, but don't they look cute just sitting there in that crock. I have no idea what the spikey one in the middle is for but I think it's cool. It's one of my favorites, I could probably make a ton of money if I sold it on e-bay :)

I like these a lot too. Especially the one at the bottom. Once again, I have no idea what it's used for. Any ideas?

This one I have hanging above my stove. It has cool burn marks on it. Can't you just imagine some sweet little grandma making tons of apple pies with it. Not me though, I keep it right there where everyone can see it. I'd hate to cook with it and ruin the beautiful luster. That would be a shame.

In all seriousness though, if theres some sorta rolling pin expert out there, I really would be interested to know what the weird ones are for.

Bad Parenting 101

I saw this post on a friends blog, and couldn't resist. I feel like this a lot as a mom. When I was pregnant with my first, I swore, I would never loose my kids, let my baby roll of the bed, watch to much T.V. yada yada yada. They have all happened. That poor mama duck, I feel so bad bad in the last picture when she's looking down the storm drain, like oops, know what? Tell me I'm no the only one who does stupid things as a parent.

Card Swap!!!

I'm so excited, I've been wanting to do this forever, so here it goes.

This is how it's going to work. Depending on how many people sign up, you will each make 8-10 cards that are all the same. Mail them to me with 3 dollars for packaging and postage. When I've received everyone's cards I will mail 8-10 back to you that are all different. (I hope that makes sense) For this card swap, make any kind of card you want, Birthday, Wedding, Blank, Baby, whatever. I only have like 4 people who read this blog so help me get the word out, tell anyone you think might be interested. I'm trying to make a button you can put on your blog to help me get the word out.


RULES:
1. You need to sign up by June 25th

2. All cards need to be mailed to me by July 10th

3. Cards need to be mailed with an envelope for each card. I'm doing it this way because I hate it when I do card swaps and receive a card that's some odd shape and can never use it because I can't find an envelope. Most handmade cards are 4 1/4 x 5 1/2, but if you want to make another size just make sure you can find an envelope that it will fit nicely in. Staples and Office Max are good places for envelopes.

4. Cards HAVE to be homemade. Make a card that you would be excited to receive. Don't send cards that your kids have made (cute as they may be, save them for Grandpa and Grandma).

5. The body of the card needs to be made of card stock.

6. The card needs to have at least (more are great) one embellishment, like ribbon, buttons, chipboard, you get the idea.

Ok, if you've read all this hoopla and your still interested (I hope you are) , then please e-mail me at cardswappinmom@yahoo.com and I will get back to you with all the important info.

I really want to get this card swap going, but my house is falling apart. This last weekend I went with my sister n' laws to a "sister retreat" in Park City. It was so fun, I actually have 7 sister n' laws, and we all had so much fun together. We sat up until midnight talking and saying things we probably wouldn't have if we weren't so tired and out of it, but that's what makes it so fun. The next day we went shopping and my favorite, went to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. I now have a favorite restaurant, it was sooooooooooooo good. My sweet husband watched our kids so I could go. Sweet as he is our house looks like a bomb went off, and I'm having a hard time tackling it. Anyways if your interested in the card swap PLEASE keep checking back, I really am going to try and get around to it in the next day or two.

Family Pictures

I am so excited. We had family pictures taken, and I love them. All you mom's know how much work they are, it takes like a month of preperation just to figure out what to wear, and then usually I don't even like them. My sister's friend Jen took them and did an awesome job. I can't wait to get them printed and hanging on the wall.

Jen, Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou, I love the pictures.

Old pictures and big bangs!!!

I just did a apron swap that was way fun, and I was thinking, I'm running really low on handmade greeting cards so I really want to set up a card swap, but I need to get things set up first, so if you interested please check back, I think it will be a lot of fun. In the mean time I found a really cool internet side where you can make your pictures look like their 100 years old or so. Ok, so I can't really take the credit, I found it from another blogger. Anyhow, so that's what I did to this bridal picture (like the big round bangs, ten years ago they really were in style, honest) Me and my family are also getting family pictures taken tommorow, so when I post them try not to be shocked when I'm not so skinny, ten years and three kids will do that to a girl.

Mothers Day!!!

I couldn't let mothers day pass by without saying how thankful I am for my beautiful three kids. All I've ever wanted is to be a wife and a mother, and I am so blessed that this prayer has been awnsered. I've been blessed with an incredible Mom who has taught me the joy of motherhood, and I hope I will do the same with my own daughter. Happy Mothers Day!!!

Gift Card Holders

I go to this scrapbook class once a month and last time we made these cute gift card holders that were so easy and fun to make so I thought I'd share them.

My camera is a cheap piece of junk so sorry the pictures are not that great, but you get the idea.

First you create the outside of the card holder by taking a 4 3/4 x 6 inch piece of card stock, folding it in half and glue a decorative piece of card stock on top of that that is 4 1/4 x 6 inches and fold in half.

The inside is made from patterned paper that is 11 1/2 x 4 1/4. You fold this piece in half with the pattern part of the paper on the outside then you fold the sides up like this.

Ok, so now you need to cut a little design on the fold (this is where the gift card is inserted into). I have a coluzzle that I used to make it, but you could easily just make your own template, trace it on and then cut it out.

After this is done the two side pieces of paper need to be glued onto the inside of the cover that you made earlier like this.

Now you just need to make the little band that goes around the outside of the card. I made it by taking a 1 1/2 x 7 inch piece of card stock and folding it around the card and gluing the ends together. You don't want to glue it too the card because it's supposed to slide off. Then I took a 1 x 7 inch decorative piece and folded it around the card stock. You can decorate it however you choose, I had some little paper flowers that I put on with a brad in the middle and ta da you are finished!!! Aren't they cute!!!

My Mistreated Window

So I'm addicted to this blog called Nesting Place. The thing is I swore I'd never do a blog, and now look at me, I'm addicted. I check my blog like 5 times a day (hint, hint) to see if there's any comments. Well then I stared looking at this lady's (the nester's) blog, She has got the funnest ideas. She does these things called window mistreatments. They are these most beautiful window treatments with preferable no sewing involved. She's like an expert with the hot glue gun, cause she uses it for everything. So I deceided to try one of my own. It still needs a little work, like some fringe or something, maybee next months budget will allow. The nester also got me into ring clips. That's what I used at the top. I bought some knobs used for cabinets at home depot, bought some screws so I could screw them into the wall and then hung them on the knobs with the ring clips.

Front Runner

I really am going to post some picures on this thing. Me and my hubby took the kids to ride the front runner last night, I look my camera and when I went to take some pictures it was out of batteries. There were some really interesting people too. The kids loved the train, I think they made the tracks go through the "most interesting" back yards in Utah. I guess people are probobly not thrilled about a train going through their backyards either though. Anyhow, it was fun and free, what more can you ask!!!