Princess Dolls

So, I've decided to pick myself up and get back to posting stuff. Some people asked about my peg dolls I recently made, so I thought I would share!

First, I saw this post by Lil Blue Boo and loved it. Then I walked into this local craft place - just a modge podge of local crafter's goods - and saw these peg dolls!

 That was a YEAR ago people. I am as good at finishing projects as I am at blogging. 

After I finally purchased new paint brushes (the littles all destroyed mine) I decided to finish these buggers! 

First, I looked at pictures and drew with a pencil what I wanted to paint.

 Then, I used my box o' paint and painted them up! Some took three, but most took two coats. 

 I outlined them in black after the colors were all done. Then added pom poms for buns and small jewels on some. Not bad for a mama with a hand tremor! lol

Here they all are! From left to right there is: Snow White, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Rapunzel

 Tiana, Ariel, Aurora, Merida

Mulan, Cinderella, and Belle

AREN'T THEY AWESOME!? I'm super proud. I even downloaded the Box o' Princesses from Lil' Blue Boo to go with them! Now they are an awesome quiet church toy. I'm even thinking about selling sets. I don't know, would you buy them?

I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter!

So, living out here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we don't see our family a whole heckuva lot. I see my parents about four times a year and Honey's parents maybe...once. My sis, maybe once a year....Honey's brothers and sisters? Um...last time we saw them (our family seeing them) was....in May of 2010. Uh ... yeah. LONG TIME! So.... I dreamed a dream...an idea that has been popping in and out of my mind's eye for a few months now. This is unusual as I'm an impulsive person and usually JUMP to start something new....so I waited and let it incubate. It's still not fully formed, but I've got to throw it out there before it's too late! 

My idea...and maybe YOU, my blog reading friends, can help me turn this into gold. Maybe....I'll inspire YOU to join me in doing the same with your family.....anyways.... MY IDEA!

I wanted my children to feel like they knew "Aunty Dot" even though they don't get to see her and vice versa. I don't want my family to just get a yearly letter. I want them the feel like they know us and are connected with us. So...at first, we will write a letter telling what's going on and then we will ask questions. Questions similar to journaling questions. Questions like....What kind of games do you like? What was your favorite thing to eat as a kid? Now? Then, we answer those questions! That way, we learn about them and they learn about us! 

After a few months, we'll be able to see who is interested in being our pen pals of sorts - you know, by seeing who WRITES BACK! Then, if there aren't a ton of people - which I really hope will be the problem - my mom suggested an idea of writing a letter (one page) then sending it to another family member. They read our letter, write one of their own and then mail BOTH our letter and theirs to ANOTHER family member who then adds their letter and passes it on. After it goes through everyone, it comes back to us and we get to read ALL of the letters and see what everyone is doing. We then take OUR letter out and replace it with a new one and pass the WHOLE PACK of letter on to the same person we sent it to last time. This would create a rotation of constantly replacing old letters with new and still being able to read what everyone else is doing! AMAZING! I loved the idea and it was something my mom's family had done with her family. In fact, I will be doing it with her and my sister!

Now, my dear sweet honey doesn't want me to get my hopes up. He's afraid not many people will write us back. And you know what!? That's ok. I will continue to send letters. Not sure how well this will work, but I want it to. Really bad! I plan on scanning the letters from everyone and making a book for our family to reflect on and remember things. Kind of like a big family journal! Awesome!! I get so excited just thinking about it.

Not sure what I will do if a lot of people write me back, because doing that round robin letter idea is great unless there is a lot of people. By then you won't get a letter for ....like FIVE months! lol NOT what I was going for. lol

Got any letter writing ideas?

The Real Me....

So recently my friend helped me discover "Dressing My Truth." I have to admit.... I was totally skeptical, but she loved it and she's not easily swayed so I thought I would look into it. It's awesome. I have totally changed my view on myself. Of course, there are still a few things that will take time and it's definitely not cure all, but it's made MY life better and for that, I am grateful.

So... I am a Full Fledged TYPE 1. All the way baby.That means I need brighter colors that support who I am... I was doing pretty good...but not everything was great. So, I cut and colored my hair.... got some new jewelry and clothes and I feel great. I feel like me now.

Planning is Easy. Implementing is Hard.

So browsing Pinterest and other places have given me a TON of ideas and things I want to do. How do I implement them!? I have been trying for weeks to write in my journal and I just can't seem to sit down and do it! But, I thought I would share with you some of the things I would like to do....then maybe.....YOU might want to do them too. That might motivate me.....maybe.

#1 - Make the Christmas Gifts this Year!!!

I have tried really hard to do this. This year, I'm pretty ahead of the game, but still....Here's my plan.

 Honey's Present - A framed needlework of these adorable star trek characters....do you recognize them?

For Little Miss...I'm making her a quilt. A crazy quilt. Literally. I have no pattern and a bunch of material. I did make some individual crazy squares. Plus, I have some scrap strip blocks and some applique house blocks I embroidered on. I will post more about this later. I also thought about doing these adorable princess peg dolls.

From Lil' Blue Boo

 For Karate Kid....I am making cloth Yu-Gi-Oh dueling mats. Like this...sort of. I wanted to make them semi-stiff but still be able to fold them up. I also wanted to put a pocket on the back so he can put his cards in them. Other than that....I'm totally stumped.

Chickie, of course, is "easy" since she is ONE and doesn't really get it, right? Wrong. I have no idea. My niece is slightly younger and I thought about these cute owl things since her mommy is into owls.

Petals to Picots

 For my parents!? I usually get them a calendar for the next year with our pictures in it, and I will be giving them that....which turned out awesome by the way. But what else?! Here's some of my ideas. Of course, they are geared toward my MOTHER...what to get a grandpa?!

Make: Craft - Embroidered Kid Art

Sarah Ortega

 #2 - Things for my home!

I have been wanting to do this faux cross stitching on the wall....just haven't had the time.

Home Heart Craft

We've been needing to implement something better for chores and other things... I think this gal from this blog "Our Story" has a great idea writing detailed instructions on cards. I had a similar idea, but I like this idea better.

How do I stay Organized!?

The Holidays are here....my favorite time of the year, but apparently I'm more likely to be crabby. lol I love this give thanks board where you put what you're thankful for on cards in each envelope. A good tradition, no?

Give Thanks

I'm obsessed with my garden....namely my flower garden. I am PRAYING that all of my flowers live through the winter. And it would the AWESOME to make this sign - or something like unto it - and have it in my flower garden. LOVE IT!

#3 - I want to do REALLY great things for my ONLY Young Woman. 

I just got a new young woman and I want to make her glad she's in Young Women's. I am working on it... but planning and doing? Hard things.

Survival Kit Tidy Mom

#4 - Activities to Participate in.

I am NO photographer. I do not have a super spiffy camera, but I do love it. AND I love interesting pictures. So, I thought these looked like a lot of fun...but when?! The drawing one is a no brainer. Love that too. Maybe I'll start Monday. Who says you have to start on the first, right?

So you see? There are tons of things I would love to do and accomplish. I have tons more on my Pinterest boards. But HOW!? How do you implement them? How do you keep yourself motivated? 

If Only I knew!!!!

Autumn Sunrise!

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
George Eliot

There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!
Percy Bysshe Shelley

So Ashamed!

I didn't realize that I hadn't written for SOOOO long. I just wrote last week, I swear!

So.... I guess I should update you on the month of September so beware of the onslaught of photos!

Early on, we went camping in the porkies with some friends of ours. The kids were ecstatic! They LOOOOVE camping, even though we have only been a few times. Honey and I love camping too, it's just not as AWESOME to do with a baby. Really. But, we decided to forge on ahead. The kids loved the visitor's center because they had a bunch of stuffed animals - literally stuffed, real animals - and they thought that was awesome. Not the wolf so much as it didn't have any glass and looked a little too real that the girls turned the corner and screamed! Notice Chickie is not too happy.

 

We ended up in a campground that was by a beach and the first night we got some awesome shots.

 My children were pretty much "Married to dirt" as my honey would say. They were CONSTANTLY filthy. I think they liked it.

 Later on, we went to another beach where Karate Kid and I searched for Agates. We found a few awesome ones.... yes, I realize I look dorky in my snorkel.

 At last, we went and spent some time at a place called The Lake of the Clouds. It was beautiful!

 That's the best you get as far as a pic of me. I looked TERRIBLE. But that's ok.

Next on our agenda was Karate Kid's baptism! In our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we believe that children under eight are pure and innocent and have no need of baptism. Once they turn eight they are at an age where they understand right and wrong and can be accountable for their mistakes. Karate Kid chose to be baptized!

 

  

We also had my sister and my nieces to pieces visit so we HAD to have some family pics done! Thanks to my friend Lara at Overstuffed. She does such great work.

 We have such a great family! I am truly blessed.