New Little Mothers for Mother's Day!
These little nesting mothers are in the shop!

Pretty Things!

Thank you so much you lovely girls for all the happy anniversary wishes, it made the day even more fun. It was a fun day, funny how after you have been sick just feeling good makes it a fun day. We are going to take the day Saturday and go into the city too.
William gave me the prettiest plant too! It is a bougainvilliea and they are everywhere in Hawaii. It was my favorite plant there when went there on our honeymoon so it was a great choice for an anniversary present. Hopefully it will grown on my big gray wall in the back yard so I can see it out my window!

I want to post my pretties from the Enchanted swap I did last week too. Our lovely hostess, Sarah was my partner because she was so nice to let me join late.
Look at my treasures! I just loved it all! There were crown shaped sugar cookies and heart shaped chocolates but I ate them too fast for pictures.
Brittany and I both had to try on the crown and the wand
Here is Miss Brittany working some magic too!

I kept Miss Brittany home yesterday to make sure she was really over the flu, she has a hard time shaking these things. We actually had a great time watching Enchanted together without the boys and I almost finished some more nesting dolls that will be in the shop later today. I shouldn't have so much fun keeping her out of school, but it was fun to have her all to myself, I just might have to do it again sometime!

Happy Anniversary!

Wow, what a weekend! I had decided to make my Sunday post a rundown of our weeks activities but this week is really not worth remembering! Whew, lets just say A LOT of laundry has been done around here. So I am really behind on what I had planned to post. I particitpated in Tif's book club, but haven't quite finished the book let alone done a review. And I received a wonderful swap package Friday, really the high point of the weekend, second of course to hubby's return home.

But today is my 15 year wedding anniversary so I am going to get all sappy instead because hey, it is my blog after all! That number, 15 is just amazing, it makes me feel so old! I mean how many young mothers have been married 15 years, I think that would have to be an oxymoron right? Hope I still qualify. But I suppose that is a good commentary on our marriage. I mean time flies when you are having fun right?

So bear with me while I get sappy about my William. I am so lucky to have this guy! Something I proved once again last night after my week of single parenthood, yucky kids, sick me and followed up nicely by the super-grump of a wife. And he was still nice to me! So he still loves me, or he is really afraid of me by now! Just kidding, he is really good at always making me feel like I am just as cute as I was on our wedding day.
See we really were children, so I can't be all that old right? Poor guy, this blog is usually so full of pictures of the kids and my silly crafts that his handsome face hardly ever graces it! Aren't I lucky, he is still just as handsome, probably more so actually. Why are guys so lucky that way?
In our religion, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we believe that when you are married in our holy temple you and your family are sealed together and will be together after this life. I am so glad because I really don't want to spend any time in these life or the next without William around. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple, that gorgeous building behind us. You can see a great little tour over on Tif's blog today. Wasn't that nice of her to go visit since I couldn't go myself? She has some gorgeous pictures, it is a beautiful, peaceful place.
We had our reception at the Lion House, Brigham Young's old house in downtown Salt Lake. It was a perfect day, the perfect beginning to our lives together. We really did marry young, realtive to a lot of the world I guess. We were 21 and 20, but the fun part of that is I feel like we sort of finished growing up together. We have accomplished so many things together that I am so happy with and I am so glad I have always had my best friend with me through it all, and always will have!

Thanks for putting up with this little post, sometimes a little public declaration is a good thing right? Thanks too for all the well wishes throughout our survival of the plague. We will be back to our regularly scheduled blogging tomorrow!

This is today!

Any questions?
You guessed it, another one has fallen. Hopefully Brittany will not be known as the kid who threw up in 3rd grade. Let's just hope it stops with her!
I did finish my miniature dolly late last night.

I am rather pleased with her although I think I will stick to more regular sized dolls. Miniatures are hard!

Thank you so much for the kind words for my mother and her child dolls, they have gone to a great home across the ocean! I will probably work on another, I seem unable to stop! Working on some nesting moms for Mother's Day too.

At least amidst all the sick kids I had the fun of watching my Thursday night shows! Loved seeing Ugly Betty and Greys Anatomy again! And Hurray! The dad comes home tonight, although he is rather afraid to come into our germ ridden house!

New Doll!


Well, we survived the day of great yuckiness yesterday and have had a much better one today. Thanks for all the flu empathy, I knew I could count on you guys! I did manage to finish the mother and child doll I have been working on for the last week or two. I wasn't sure if she looked too much like she was going to a party but when I added the baby I decided I like her. She is in the shop!

Why Oh Why?!

Could someone please explain to me why someone always seems to get the stomach flu when Dad is gone? I truly don't understand the uncany consistency! So we are at Matthew field trip to Chevy's today and Mr. Joshua lost his cookies. I suppose it wasn't a total shock, he wasn't feeling great yesterday but I thought he was feeling okay today. He ate more for breakfast but I guess he was just starving. Now I am sure we helped make the field trip more memorable. I hope Chevy's doesn't reconsider its field trip policy because of us. So now we are home and he is plugged into Clifford. Didn't you just know that my great productive streak couldn't last? Oh well, it was great while it lasted! Here are a couple of projects that probably won't be getting finished today.
I cut out a bunch of new nesting dolls. I am going to add a few new colors to the originals.
This is a doll I am working on for a miniatures swap I am doing. She will only be 6" tall when she is done. She is going to have puffy sleeves and a very full skirt out of the same fabric. I can't decide what to do with her hair. Long like Alice in Wonderland, braids, or pony tails. Or should I try shorter curly hair? I am looking for opinions here. And what color should it be?

Well I am off to get more Clorox wipe out and disinfect Joshua again! Hope you have a more lovely scented day than we are having around here!

Cards! Cards! and more Cards!

Yesterday's project was to make a bunch of cards and a large portion of making stuff like this is getting to show you guys. I had organized plans for a change, so I was able to get 50 cards done! I know, I'm impressed too!
Here is all fifty!
Now the reason I was able to make so many is because a large portion of them were made from prints of pictures I have taken of flowers. I am thinking a selection of these may go to the moms for Mother's Day. These are a few of my favorites.
The other kind of card I made was something I have been wanting to do for awhile, I have seen combinations of fabric and stitching on cards and wanted to try it. I had one of my better ideas too when I thought to make color copies of my favorite snatches from some vintage children's books so I didn't sacrifice my originals. These were really easy too and I like how they are different from cards I have made using scrapbook methods. I am thinking I might include one of these with my shop orders

Now I need some help girls! My fifteen(wow, I cannot believe that!) year anniversary is Monday and I am totally at a lose as to what to do! Anybody got any great ideas? I would be thrilled for any you have! Thanks!

The Enchanted Swap!

So here is what I worked on last night, trying to finish it up in time to send today. I should wait until the lovely Sarah gets it but I just can't wait. So Sarah, if you are reading and don't want to know what is coming click on out of here!
This is one of the dolls I made after discovering gesso over muslin. She is supposed to be Giselle from the movie Enchanted, before she ends up in New York. She is a bit more chubby, but I really like how she turned out. I hope Sarah does too.
And what princess doesn't need a tiara? Sarah's favoite color is blue and of course I had to sneak in a bit of pink. This picture is a bit weird so maybe that will help disguise it for a surprise. Sarah was so kind to let me join, even after the sign up had ended, I wanted to make her something extra nice!
And this was my first test run with this sort of doll She is supposed to be Ariel.
And how did I manage to finish up these little projects this morning?

Well, this is the price I paid! Matthew, the spider boy!

Sunday Update!


I have decided to try adopting the Sunday update to talk about what we have been up to this week as a family. But don't think that I will hesitate to show you if the kids do something funny, crazy or messy during the week. My family tends to check in here on Sundays so I thought this might be nice for them.
First the project dominating William's extra hours this week is yard destruction/construction. Yes, you see right he has been killing the grass in this area. She that dirt area in the corner? That is where he planted the garden with Matthew's help. And the rest will be filled with bark and then we will move playground area over there.
Then we can reclaim this grass and patio area. Seems like a simple project but did you know it is actually hard to kill grass and remove it, at least to some degreeWe all discovered the wonder of gesso this week. You can paint this stuff on any fabric shape and it is like painting on canvas! We have had a good time with projects made with this method..
These are some dolls Brittany and Matthew made with one of Brittany's new(yeah!) friends. I am going to show you some I am working on next week.
Brittany is excited to have the new Fablehaven book and has spent a good portion of her weekend just like this.
Matthew is really thrilled with the new Scooby Doo dvd I bought for a bribe to get us all throught the enrichment planning meeting I had to have this morning with Dad gone. And yes, he assembled that ensemble he is wearing himself after church!
And Joshua has mastered the use of the word "Eeeeeeew!" Joshua are you stinky? "Eeeeeew" Joshua did you spill your drink? "Eeeew!" Josh, did you fall in the mud? "Eeeeeew!" The possibilities are endless, and so far the cuteness hasn't worn off yet. Wow, he could really win a scary baby contest with this picture couldn't he?!

The father of the house left this morning for the week. So check back in to see if I have totally lost it! We did have fun yesterday working in the yard and then going to Fudruckers for dinner. My kids thought the cheese sauce for dipping your fries in was the greatest thing ever!
I am hoping to get bunches of creating done and get some more nesting dolls in the shop by the end of the week!

And just a little bit more good mail!

I received my notebook from Tammy this week and I just love it! It will really come in handy, I seem to have lots of ideas perculating in my brain right now and heaven knows if I don't write them down they will be gone!


These end papers really look like me! Thanks Tammy!

My hubby is going away for the week tomorrow so that either means I will be doing less blogging because he won't be around to be entertained by me or more because he won't be here to entertain me. We will see which it will be!

So I am planning a week of messing around with crafty stuff since I won't have to make real dinners or do as much housework. I don't know why it is this way when he is gone, it just is. Does that mean I am still trying to impress him? Anyway, it means a week of kid food. For us that is pizza and chicken nuggets and fries. What is your favorite kids food? Have a great weekend!

Thanks Tammy!

Really good mail!

I have received some really great mail lately and thought I would share.

First I was lucky enough to get on of Jenn's little luette houses! It is so cute, I just love it! It is sitting with my little painting from Jenn in a strange little spot, in a corner of my kitchen. But I love it there, I can see it all the time!
If you want to give yourself a treat just order something from Jenn's shop. It is like having your own little Christmas! She is stuck in a little extra notebook as a treat for me. Thanks Jenn!
I was also lucky enough to win a giveaway from Bumblebird. Look at my darling new bunny. We all love her! Thanks so much!

This is one of the aspects of blogging I would never have dreamed of! Getting really great mail. It is so fun!

Thanks so much for the doll love yesterday, I am feeling pretty good about Miss Charlotte as we have been calling her around here. I am going to keep working away on a mother and child next!

Asking for doll advise!

I have been working on a new doll. After the doll party in blogland last week Christine emailed me and said she thought I should try making a new doll sort of like one I showed. Well when someone as talented as Christine gives me advice like this let me tell you, I listen! She has the most amazing talent. Go see her dolls she is having a shop update tomorrow afternoon, you will be astounded I promise! Anyway, I got this new doll in my head and have been working away on her. After making four heads for her I think I have finally got something I like.
Here she is
I do like how her hair turned out.

And here she is with the doll that inspired her. I was trying to eliminate some of that embroidery work but still keep the look. I think I may try one with a dress made of the fabric behind them next. I have been thinking of trying one holding a baby for Mother's day. What do you think sweet blog friends? Should I just stick with my original doll design or do we like her too? She is in the shop.
I finished some more nesting dolls and they looked so cute all lined up I had to take their picture. The green one is a new addition for me.
There is still a black and white one in the shop. I will be starting a new batch in a couple of days. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

This post is fairly interactive today with me asking your advice! But when you are a stay at home mom your blog friends are your best resource! And it is always fun to show someone a finished project! Don't get me wrong though, my kids definitely have opinions! William not so much.

Nim's Island

We took the kids to see Nim's Island this weekend. I would have to say it was a success. The movie is cute, who doesn't like funny animals, and the acting is pretty good too. It got a little long toward the end and I found myself thinking "So help me if the father doesn't come back I am asking for my money back!" Brittany has abandonment issue; don't know why, she has never been abandoned, so she got a bit stressed out but she liked it in the end. It was sort of a modern day Swiss Family Robinson which was fun. And Joshua sat in his own chair for most of the movie! I have to say, the funniest part to me was when the little girl is making dinner which involved some sort of worm and Joshua, in his loudest voice says "Eeeeeeeewwww!" Yeah, that is one of his new words and it was hysterical! So all in all, fun movie, even if you don't have the "Eeeeew!" boy with you!

Welcome to my Laundry Room!

I have discovered a new way to make great changes in my house. Take pictures of the mess, then work on it and post after pictures. A week ago I decided I had just had it with my laundry room. Now laundry rooms are notoriously messy right? And that probably wouldn't bother me except that this room is the room that I also create in. It is my sewing, crafting, creating room. I am not quite confident in my abilities to call it a studio. So I spend a lot of time in there and it was ugly! I am not always the most organized person and this room had just never been given the attention it needed. You can see the stack of cute pictures behind my sewing machines I intended to put up 9 months ago and never had. and the top of the washing machine and ironing board that become my work space. So hubby was kind enough to hang me another shelf, it was already up when I took this before picture, and I went to town.
This is the before picture, awful isn't it? I must have no shame to put this up for you all to see
I have been working a little bit at a time and this weekend I got it just about done.
.
After!
This is really hard room to photograph because it is really long and skinny. But you can see up there on my shelves I now have a bunch of white bins. This is working great because each project I am working on has its own bin and I can take it down and work on it whenever I have a minute, then put it back in and up on the shelf until the next chance. This is great because I used to just set it somewhere in that poor room, making it just a mess. I made big gingham curtain that hangs from a shower rod so I didn't have to make any holes in the wall, to cover up the ugly storage boxes. And I made a new cover for my ironing board too. I couldn't find a cute one to buy anywhere!
I hung my ribbon up on a cord and I think it makes it look cuter too. And I finally framed my cards from Miss Vanessa. I have my own little Fanciful Twist gallery now! There is a little space on my shelf to put some of my favorite creations until they find new homes too. I am hoping to hang a banner or something cute from the shelf to add more color.

I got to hang up my inspiration board in here too!

This little painting finally found a home in here. It makes me happy because I made the squares out of little snippets from Brittany's dresses I made when she was little.

Thanks for suffering through the tour! As I was saying at the beginning of this method of taking before and after pictures seemed to motivate me to get the job done. Now this little room is one of my favorites in the house and I have actually accomplished more in it than usual. It is all mine and I get to do whatever I want in there! So what is your favorite room?

Things that are making me happy!

I was looking around today and saw a bunch of things that make me happy today so I thought I would share.
Would you believe my happy-fest was kicked off this morning by the purchase of these cute bowls at Target for .98 cents each on clearence?!

I am very happy about Joshua's new ability to say his two new words.
"Peeease!"
and:
"Cank ooou!"
If the kid had any idea that he is so cute saying these two little words the world could be his oyster. Seriously I would probably give him just about anything to get him to say these. I guess it is actually three words isn't it? Now if we could just eliminate "No" and "Mine
My kids played dress up the other day, or as it is known around here, fashion show. Believe it or not it was Matthew's idea. He wanted to pretend they were getting married. Course Mom had to play around to make it look a little oldfashioned.
Of course we had to have some powerrangers too.
And a little fashion modeling.
Can you tell my kids have been doing this along time? When we go to grandma's house we do fashion show and she narrates. "Here we have Miss Brittany wearing a lovely ensemble..." It is great fun. It makes me so happy when my kids play nicely together!
I love this wisteria at my neighbors house. I have been wanting to take a photo for awhile. If you could look close enough you can see lots of bumblebees. They must really like wisteria, there were a ton of them.
Have a great weekend, I am going to go eat this. I think it will taste even better in my new bowl!

Another New Nesting Doll
I finished this one last night.
It is in the shop!