a new moda line and contest

I love the moda fabrics and I would love to win this contest.

Click on the link to enter in the contest if you like.

http://lilatuellerdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-was-just-thinkingits-time-for.html

Quilt # 2 is done and getting ready to go to it's new home!

Pictures after it is delivered!

For Lil J - Bye Bye Bink Binks

I cannot believe it but I think we are done with the binks in our house. Poor Lil J, the pup ate his last binky on Tuesday night, right before bed and that was it. We told him we had no more binkies and off to bed he went.

The husband actually wanted to give him one of the emergency binks.

Are you kidding me???

That thing has been a thorn in my side for over 2 years now. All day long with the binky searches and keeping them away from the dog - he must be insane.

Yes, this is my son at 18 months with a binks in the ocean.

And yes, this is my sweet boy on his first birthday, taken at Disney.

So bink binks, sinky binky, pacifier, whatever you want to call it - goodbye. You will not be missed by me but I am sure your little man is dreaming about you tonight.

My first quilt

Here it is, my very first actual quilt.

I am so proud, even the boys love to snuggle under it. And build forts with it and hide under it. We are calling it the cozy quilt. I made it from a Moda Simple Abundance charm pack and cut muslin for the other square. I am loving the backing fabric. I just love this little thing.

a sweet new friend

I spent the morning with my new friend, she hails from the great state of Alabama and she is just lovely. She says fun words like "fuddy duddy", makes sweet booties for her baby girl, let's me "shop" for boxes in her garage and yes, has a healthy appreciation for The New Kids on the Block. Her girls are just precious (they make me want to try for a girl). Who else would be excited to see what I make out the 5 boxes that I took from her garage this morning but my wonderful crafy new friend?!?

She is so fun to talk with, she likes the same things I do, vacations where I would like to go someday and has actually been to a craft show (I forget the name but I compared it to "Etsy Live").

So my new friend, I am glad we have met and our kiddos have fun together and our husbands play golf together. And don't worry, you will definitely Rock Your Minivan like nonother!

Just remember, this little chick magnet might be all yours someday!

awww what a cute puppy

Sadie, our sweet yellow (well almost white) lab has been our girl for about 6 weeks now. The husband and I love her. We call her Sadie Lady, Sadie Lazies (she is a sleeper) and so on. The boys have a mostly love/hate relationship with her. At this very moment I am watching my boys play fireman on the porch and watching Sadie follow them back and forth with Lil J's bink binks in her mouth.

Yum.

Now I am thinking I will have to ween 2 babies off the binks. Ok so maybe she just wants to chew it.

Double Yum.

Anywho, the joys of a pup. She is lovely she really is. She is most lovely when she decides to chew up the toilet paper and leave it all scattered around the house for me in the morning. Thanks Sade.

But so sweet is when we go to pick up Big J at school and take our Lady with us in her front seat in the car. She is happy as can be when they put her boy in the car. The best was when we got home today and Big J gave her a sweet hug and told her she was the best dog in the world. And as she is attacking in her playful way our cat Sam (samuel, samuel hink-O-lees and so on) she is the best dog in the world.

Mod Podge update

Oh Mod Podge, I thought you were going to be an easy project.

Mistake # 1

I attempted a cylinder shaped utensil holder, I should have just done a flat surface.

Mistake # 2

I tried strips of paper instead of one sheet.

Mistake # 3

I then tried to cover up the strips with one sheet.

Mistake # 4

I tried to spray paint it black.

Bye Bye poor little utensil holder ~ you died a slow little death. The husband was not impressed with this little project. Oh well!

But I am not a quitter.

I decided to rummage through my closest and found a frame just laying around and decided to spray that black. There were 3 inserts that I sprayed teal and I mod podged the matting for Big J's room. I thought it would be cute to put some pics of him and his preschool friends in his room. He loves his friends, he is going to be a such a good friend as he gets older - he is a loyal boy. Very sweet and considerate of others. I love that about him.

Pics tomorrow, little man is fast asleep and the frame is in his room. Preschool picture day tomorrow.

What can I Mod Podge around here? Hmmmm

I have been looking through the Mod Podge Rocks blog...

Now I am looking at the things in my house a little differently. My containers, my kitchen chairs, my kids (just kidding) and thinking what could I glue around here to make things a little more interesting. I think I am going to start with my utensil holder in my kitchen. Simple shape, smooth surface - what could go wrong, right?

Lil J will be napping soon and Big J is lookin' a bit tired too. Maybe, just maybe I can mod podge today. How exciting! Check back to see how it turns out.

Fabric Fall Pumpkins

Fall has arrived at our house as of 8:00 this morning. Up bright and early and got the bug to decorate for fall. I was happy getting things together then I opened my backdoor to the WALL of gross, disgusting, icky, I am so over it, humidity and remembered that Oh Yeah, we don't get a nice crisp fall here in Orlando like the rest of the world. Sorry, it is that time of year when I wish I lived in the Midwest, Northeast or North Carolina, Virginia...ANYWHERE but here.

Anywho - the house is coming along nicely and to top it off I gave these sweet little fabric pumpkins a whirl. I found several tutorials, one at U Create, one at The Idea Room and another at Sunshine in my Soul.

So here is my little version of the fabric pumpkin. They are quite lopsided and needed help standing up but they are mine, I made them and they are growing on me. They are proudly push-pined on top of our entertainment center. Awwwwwwww FALL will one day be here, maybe January - right?

Fun and Funky - a table and chairs makeover

I am so excited to post this before and after transformation!

A couple of months ago, my Auntie Sue over at Sue Bee's and Butterflies found this awesome kids table and chairs set at the thrift store. She offered it to me and my lil sis and lucky me, I was first to call her back :D~.

I have been trying to figure out what I could do with it, I really wanted to make it fun and funky for the boys and it took me awhile but I finally decided to tackle it!

These are the before shots, it is a huge table with 6 chairs.

And here we have the after, 6 sweet little chairs. I painted 3 in teal and 3 in red. I wanted to add some polka dots but I think that would be too girlie. So I might add some fun shapes or stripes later on, just not sure about it yet.

And here is the whole set, I covered the entire table (with the exception of underneath as Big J pointed out this morning) with chalkboard paint. I love how it turned out and the chalk really pops out on the dark surface - very different than our dull driveway!

Someone just woke up - still has his bink binks in!

I am loving the colors of the chairs.

Big J figuring out that he can color the WHOLE table.

Big J's creation

So there you go, I am pretty proud of this little transformation!

Have a wonderful weekend ~ Kristin

Happy Birthday Lil Sis

Wishing my Little Sister over at Narratives of a Night Owl a very happy BIRTHDAY!

Yes on this lovely 09-09-09 she is 29!

Play the lottery Linds!

Enjoy that last year of your twenties because next is the BIG 30!

Here we are in New Hampshire last October when were both still in our twenties, not so much for me anymore.

Knock Knock...

My sweet Big J told his first knock knock joke the other day - it actually made sense, big time for a 4 year old. It went like this...

Big J "knock knock"

Mommy "whose there?

Big J "cargo"

Mommy "cargo who"

Big J "car go beep beep"

Wow, he thought of that little one all on his own. So daddy has been trying to teach him the knock knock joke about the banana and orange but we are working at it. He likes to add some other options in there like this.

Big J "knock knock"

Daddy "whose there?"

Big J "banana"

Daddy "banana who"

Big J "knock knock"

Daddy "whose there??"

Big J "banana"

Daddy "banana who????"

Big J "knock knock daddy"

Daddy "whose there?"

Big J "orange"

Daddy "orange who??"

Big J "banana are you glad I didn't say orange with a beep beep car"

HUH? Were working on this one. We were laughing so hard about this one in the truck tonight. Daddy said he would try to tell this one at preschool tomorrow and all the kids would be looking at him like he is crazy. I wish I could hear all of their little conversations at school. They would crack me up. 4 year olds are so funny.

A Little Laundry Room Makeover - Before (eww) & After

I have decided that on this fine Labor Day that I would participate in the Thrifty Decor Chick's Before and After Party.

And the object of my before and after is my nightmare of a laundry room. Now, "laundry room" is actually inaccurate for my home, the "laundry room" shares its space with the Honda Odyssey in our garage with all sorts of other things that we store out there. So if you are one of those lucky ones with an actual laundry room - especially in Florida - I am extremely jealous of you!

So here we go, I am so embarassed that it has gotten to this point, I think I just closed my eyes each time I had to go out and change the laundry. So bad. So embarassing!


Before - can you find my washer and dryer? Hard to find with all that junk, huh?

At least I made some money off of this transformation!

$3.32 and 2 binder clips - thanks husband.

My newly found $3.32 went straight to mommy's modge podged tip jar. I'll be sure to buy myself something extra special.
And now the After, I love going out to my laundry room now! Just to visit, nothing on this planet could make me actually enjoy doing the laundry.

I made the little "dry" and "wash" framed pictures today - just ironed on the letters to a piece of fabric. Already had the shadow box frames from IKEA.

So there it is. My before and after.

Much better now! Even though you cannot see it, I cleaned all of that icky cluttered area out and you can actually access the door to the side of the house.

What a concept!

Thanks for the inspiration Thirfty Decor Chick - we definitely needed it!

Getting ready for FALL

Finally the summer is over (not really though here in FL) but I can fell fall is around the corner.

College football is on again, pumpkins, witches/skeletons/bats, etc., school is back in! And the craft stores are filled with fall and Halloween things!

All things fall.

I found this super cute fabric pumpkin tutorial at http://bloggingwithholly.blogspot.com/. She is having a contest and I would love to win them. I love pumpkins!

I am also almost done with my latest quilting project. I will post pics when I am done but it is very Halloween. The most wonderful time of the year!

The next project will be a huge undertaking. The boys Halloween costumes. This may take awhile but I really want them to be special. Big J of course wants to be a monster truck (still deciding between Grave Digger and Monster Mutt Dalamation - my favorite!) and I believe Lil J wants to be a fire truck. He keeps changing his mind though. Hubby is on the lookout for 2 big boxes and I need to get crackalackin' on these. Will keep the updates coming once I start!