christmas-ornaments!

as a kid i liked the big nelsen family christmas.  its not that we added that many more people, or saw family that lived far way at this one event, or got the best gifts.  but we did get an ornament.  each year my great aunt would make us each an ornament.  i think i could probably name most of them to this day.   even after not seeing some of them for years, with all the ornaments that my kids have.  but i love them.  and she continues to make ornaments each year, only i don't get them, my kids do.  

i too will carry on this tradition.  this year i had to make 25, plus a baby's 1st.  

this years ornament was a popsicle stick sled.  

and for my new niece, a stamped washer with snow flake charm.  

i can't wait to pick out the ornament for next year.  there are too many to choose from!

what time is it??? its time to craft!!!

i had a really hard time finding a clock for the craft room.  i wanted something big cause i had the wall space & so that it could be seen from anywhere in the room.  i was going to have a craft friend paint me something, but i couldn't even decide on what to have painted.  

but then i was looking for a whisper clock.  i have a thing with the tick, tick, tick of clocks.  i have been called captain hook before.  i cant sleep when i hear that tick.  when i was in the hospital after having z & p, i took the clock off the wall and covered it with crap to quiet the sound.  crazy i know.  

so when i was looking for the whisper clock i found those BIG family clocks.  and a light went off.  i could have the kids paint some pictures for me & use those as my numbers!  it was interesting trying to find the canvas' that didn't cost me an arm & a leg.

  then z didn't want to paint.  so it was just p & e.  then e got tired of painting...

i really love my clock.  art work with meaning.  i can look and see how both girls have grown with their art.  

car trash

life with kids is messy!  especially 4 kids.  (well 5 if you count my hubby)  i keep hoping that they are like me & like stuff organized & clean..... but maybe that happens later in life, when they dont live with me anymore:(  so in trying to help with the clean part in our vehicles, i made these quick & easy trash cans.  i changed my initial thought of putting boning in the top binding for some support in keeping it open.  i used a stiffer duck cotton (left over from my grocery bags) and didnt think it was needed.  but if i change my mind all i have to do is rip a small hole in a seam & slide some in.  kids seemed to think they were pretty cool, maybe they will get used.

car kick covers

with all the beautiful nice weather we have had the past few day (and in the forecast for the next few) thought this post would be fitting.  a friend saw this on facebook, saying i should make them.  i said, "you get me the fabric, i'll make them" i am glad that we have similar vehicles, so that i didnt have to bug her for measurements. 

 the site i looked at for ideas used elastic around the top and bottom.  i know that eventually elastic will loose its stretchyness and when i make i make to last.  so i used d rings and velcro.  i also remembered having an issue with a prior vehicle where the seat belt was attached in a funny spot and elastic didnt work.  

glad i got them to her before it got real muddy out!

christmas 2 of ????

each year i make an ornament for my kids (all 6 of them now), my nephews & nieces (SO happy i get to say nieces now not just niece) and other family members/friends.  its something that i remember as a child my great aunt doing.  it was always so fun to see what we got each year.  i think that many were homemade, & many were a moose-her maiden name was moose! and each year mom would write down on sheet of paper in each of our ornament boxes who gave us each ornament for the year.  now that i have my own family, i have my list so that i can add to it.  i have also started a list for each of my kids & their own ornament box.  some day i hope that they do the same.  

progress in craft room

i have not only been busy in the craft room, but for the craft room as well.  and so have the kids.  i had them each paint some pictures for me to hang up on the wall.  

i love seeing each of them create something. z and p each did a house and water scene.  e just paints. 

 i also had drawers made for this antique desk i had picked up a long time ago.  i think technically its upside down, but works best that way for my purposes.  i love it cause everything now has a permanent place and it's labeled.  and i still have a few drawers open. 

 then i had to do some creative thinking on how in the heck i was going to hang up all my stamps.  the clips i have had for a long time have way smaller hooks than any cafe rod i could find.  so a trip to menards and the farm store (thanks uncle mark) solved my problem.  

 and i wanted a place to write down ideas, my to do list (never ending), what i need to make for up coming shows, and any thing else.  so up went a chalk board.  i love it and have already wiped some things off my list (and a had to leave me a note-love that man so)

 i do have a sewing box that i love, but as i was paroosing pinterest one day i saw something awesome.  a board with nails.... to put all my spools and bobbins on!!! unfortunately i ran out of nails so i cant put all my spools up til i can get back to menards.  but what i do have up has been super nice. no more lifting up a spool to see it its the right color, all my bobbins are on the same nail as the spool they match, so i don't have to hunt for those, either.  and this was a while ago project, but i used pic line (plumbing line) cut into short rings with a slit in it as bobbin stoppers so the tread doesn't come off (as easy anyway)

and my new storage.  this was a fun project that i decided to go with plan b in the end.  but i love how it turned out and know that if i need more storage (cause you never know) that i can just make another bracket and get longer boards and bam, i have another 32 inches or so of storage.  

next will be the kids area.....

kids decor

z & p have moved downstairs and like their new rooms.  while i was on maternity leave i got creative with some paint in each room.  i couldn't decide at what height to do the line in z's room so i drew both, then decided it was pretty cool that way.  his 'theme' is maps, so i got places of where aaron & i have either lived or been to and we hung an old school map on one wall.  p wanted polka dots, so away i went with the string and chalk.  i still need to get her chalk board and an art board made & hung up for her.  then z, p, and e each got to paint a picture for their rooms (well the girls got to do 2 as they seem to like painting more) z did a lake with people swimming, sharks, and airplanes (1 might be a helicopter-i don't remember) p did houses and e-well she had fun with her 2 canvas'.

new bathroom decor

so i know i have been really bad lately on this.  its just the normal excuses busy summer, school stuff. but i was reminded that i needed to update this so here is something we have done lately...i like pintrest (well maybe love) and saw a cute idea on there and ran with it to make it my own.  the kids all love to paint so i got them paint & gave them the low down-paint what you want and when its dry we'll put your hand prints on there, cause mom wants to hang these in the bathroom.  they had fun (as you can see) and i love how they are all different.
now if you look close there is one without a hand print. and there is a reason for it....aaron & i are expecting the end of march!!!  so i painted that one and when the baby arrives, i'll get monkey's print on there.

late christmas stuff

i know this is way late, but with everyone being sick (more then once with everything that is going around) and christmas & the wedding, i finally remembered & had time to post these.  the kids had fun gluing & then painting the 'houses'.  they didnt like the waiting for the glue to dry though. 

'ice' fishing

there hasnt been much for ice this year, but kids will love this 'ice' fishing.  wooden pole with magnetic 'hook' catches six fish.  now you can fish even when it's too cold, or windy outside.  i have heard it's also great in the car, and a fun way to learn. (paper clip on words, numbers or letters)

to help avoid fighting extra poles and fish are also available.  

$14 for pole & six fish, extra fish $1.50 & extra pole $2.

Fishing

Kids love to fish. Mine does. He like to take ribbon and pretend fish off the couch. SO magnetic fish were born. Bright colored fish with stiff interfacing help give a little structure to the body. Sewn inside is a magnet. 12" fishing pole with about 18" rope.