Just a Moment Monday {or a really bad paint job}

How is it Monday again already?

When we moved to Texas, we rented our first house. We were giddy at the prospect to be in a house with no neighbors upstairs singing at three am. Plus, the management company said we could paint the walls nearly any color we wanted! 

We were drunk with power. As soon as we got the keys we got paint paint samples. We painted our room without power and before any of our stuff showed up. Well this plan came back to bite us in the butt.

We ran out of paint right at the very end. We had like half of one wall and the ceiling line of two and a half walls left. So I skipped off to Lowe's with the little number sticker that comes on the top of a paint can. I went to the closest Lowes, which was not the store we bought the first paint can at. By the time I got back, we were loosing light and started painting quickly.

We finished up, cleaned up, and didn't come back to the house for three days. When I walked into the room, I was mortified. Apparently different paint machines put out slightly different paint. And, as a result, several of our walls were two-toned.

I've been toughing it out ever since. We haven't had the time, energy, or budget to fix the problem. A couple of weeks ago, something inside of me broke. I stared yelling at the walls. {Let's blame sickness and sleep depravation for that little episode.} So, I've started saving money to deal with the problem.

I liked the color of the paint for the bedding we had then. However, we got new bedding for Christmas.  So I want a fresh look for the room to go with the fresh bedding. Here's a link to the bedding that does a much better job of showing the color.

So, I ask you...What color should I be painting my walls? Do you have any paint horror stories?

Come PARTY with me!

Soctopus {or part of a baby shower gift}

A while back, I shared the baby shower gifts I made for my friend's little girl. I wanted to share a quick little tutorial on how I made the Soctopus! One of the best parts of this project...you get two for the price of one!

I got the idea for the Soctopus from this cute little post on making a sock out of an owl. I had already made an owl for my little miss, so I went to thinking what else I could make out of a sock. Hence, soctopus!

First, pick up some cute adult sized, knee high socks. I got mine for $2.50 at Target. And, can I say, they are cute! I might have to go back for a pair for myself. It gets chilly here!

Stuff the sock with poly fill. Stuff as much as you'd like to get the shape you like. 

Now, this is a very, very importnat step. Take time to laugh at your daughter {and your husband who left the magazine on the floor} as she eats her daddy's ESPN Magazine. 

Cut some felt eyes and hot glue them on.

Push all the stuffing up as far as you can. Then, sew a zig-zag stich as close up to the wad of stuffing as you can. 

Cut the band off the bottom of the sock and then cut yourself eight {its an octopus after all} arms.

Repeat all the above steps for soctopus #2. Then, give one to your little one to enjoy and pass one along for a friend {or do as I did and give it as a shower gift!}

Let me know if any of that was jumbled. I wrote it in several sittings between chasing down the army crawling fiend that is my little miss these days. {And my husband delivered the heart breaking news today that we won't be able to install a baby gate between the living room and the kitchen. ARGH!}

Come party with me!

Just a Moment Monday {or introducing...}

{source}

I feel like there is a culture in blog world that causes many to project a perfect picture of life. I'm defiantly apart of this culture. Its like we are afraid that complete strangers might see our messy living room or our complete craft fail. Some of it is bad craft after bad craft doesn't make for a good blog read. But, I think it also comes from attempting to find belonging in this vast blog world.

I started blogging during a break from my MSW program. Between changing diapers and watching reruns, I needed to do something to make me feel accomplished. So, I started crafting more. Then, I needed some sort of feeling that these little projects had meaning. Blogging has been a way for me to validate the current state of my life. It has also allowed me to feel connected to a community. 

As a result, I've been scared to show mess ups. I'm afraid people won't like me if they know how bad I am at cutting in a straight line {and I'm fairly certain they won't like me if they saw the pile of dishes in the kitchen!}.

And in that spirit, I'm going to take a bit of time each Monday to share a rant, ask a question, or show you just how messy my craft table is this week. I hope its a welcomed addition to this little blog of mine. And, I hope it helps me seek a little less perfection when it comes to participating in the blog world.

Gooey Yumminess {or you should really make this!}

Amy over at Nap Time Crafters was increadilby kind to have me over this Holiday season. I shared a wonderful little breakfast number that is way better than the ease would indicate.

Gooey Yumminess

I love breakfast. I love it so much we make it for dinner sometimes. And I really love the awful for you sugary goodness breakfasts. Enter Gooey Yumminess. Its a recipe I've been fiddling with for awhile now to get just right. I think I've got it, if I do say so myself!

The best part about Gooey Yumminess? Its so easy. There are few ingredients, it uses pre-made biscuits, and it comes together in a snap.

Gooey Yumminess

{adapted from All Things Delicious}

1 tube Pillsbury Grands biscuits 

4 tbsp. melted butter, divided

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tbsp. cinnamon

{Serves 4}

Preheat the over to 375.

 

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in one bowl. Stir together 3 tablespoons of the melted butter and the corn syrup in another bowl. Add the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

Spray the living daylights out of your pan. Them spray it more. Corn syrup is a sticky moster. The original recipe calls for making this wonderfulness in a fluted pan. I would recommend doing so. I just don't because I don't have one. 

Spread 1/3 of the gooey mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan. Arrange the biscuits into a circle. Then, evenly distribute the rest of the goo. Finally, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter on top of the gooey wonderfulness.

You'll pop this puppy into the oven for 30 minutes. When you check it, make sure you stick a fork down into it and really check the middle of one of the biscuits. The top can look wonderful while the inside is still uncooked.

Once done, invert onto a plate and enjoy! For a memorable meal, serve with fruit, eggs, and juice!

Yumm




Come PARTY with me!

January Wreath {or what's a frame doing on your door?}

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have had a wonderful holiday season.

Being the first of the month, its time time for a new wreath on my door. This wreath came to fruition through the design collaboration of my husband and I.

A couple of weeks ago, I asked the husband if he wanted to help figure out the January wreath. He sarcastically asked if there was going to be a meeting. So I sent an evite for a design meeting, complete with food {ie our dinner}. I made him pay for his sarcasm with discussing colors and possible design ideas. Take that husband!

What we came up with was a simple snowflake design. We've always lived where winter just meant cold. Moving to Texas, I quickly learned it could mean snow too. So I {...I mean we} decided to run with that fact.

Using a picture frame as a wreath form was inspired by this little number over at Blue Cricket Designs. The picture frame was a truly hideous little number that I got for twenty five cents at a garage sale {I forgot a before picture}. Because of how thin the blue paint was, I used a coat of white enamel as a primer. 

Now I can't take credit for the pretty color. This was the husband's idea.

These little snowflakes came in a four pack from Target for $1 {before Christmas}. They were meant to be present decorations. I picked these suckers up after seeing Jen's amazing Let it Snow framed wall art over at My Own Road. 

I cut off the silver string and then hot glued white ribbon to the back of the snowflakes and the back of the frame. 

And ta da...a non-traditional wreath that was created as apart of a collaborative design process. I think the husband learned his lesson. And he actually had some great ideas!

Come PARTY with me!

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