Honeybee Vintage

Make Fabric Picture Mattings with Freezer Paper

2012-02-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

We renewed the lease on our condo a few weeks ago so I thought it might be about time to finally finish decorating our bedroom. It's never officially been completed in our entire marriage..let's just say my husband is a very patient man. Maybe you other renters can relate? It's hard to put a lot of time (let alone money) into a place that you might leave in year, am I right?

I found these square frames at the dollar store and decided that they would be perfect for above our large dresser. Normally I don't do the whole "symmetrical decorating" thing...but I thought it might be a good combination with some vintage fabric flair.

I double matted the frames, using posterboard below and fabric mattings above.

Here is how I created them:

STEP 1: Iron a piece of freezer paper (shiny side down) to the back of your fabric in the same size that you need your matting to be. Make a matting template out of posterboard and trace it onto the paper side of the freezer paper.

STEP 2: Cut out the fabric/freezer paper matting and place it in your frame! Mine here is over the plain white matting below since I like the layered look.

You could try and peel the freezer paper off the back of the fabric before placing it in your frame, but I thought leaving it on might add some more stability and keep the edges from fraying.

The best part was I didn't need to purchase any fabric since I already had what I needed. All that was spent was $8 for the frames. Boo-ya!

I think the most fun will be going through our old photos tonight and picking out which ones we want to frame.

Happy Thursday!

Candlestick Serving Stands

2012-02-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

Since we are just having dessert at my daughter's birthday party, I have been thinking up ways to display all the sweets without just putting them in plain bowls. I came across these two glass candlesticks at Goodwill. I don't normally gravitate towards things like these, but I thought they looked so beautiful and elegant...perfect for a princess party, right?

I bought a set of two clear plastic bowls from the dollar store. I cut out pieces of white felt in the same circumference as the candlestick tops. I hot glued the felt to the bottom center of the bowls and then glued the other side of the felt to the top of each candlestick. I put felt in between because I knew the hot glue wouldn't stick to the plastic long, but it sticks to felt really well.

You can't see the felt when the bowls are filled either.

Fill with your favorite candy! M &Ms are one of my daughter's favorites.

I think they will look so pretty on the table with the tissue paper and tulle flowers I made earlier. Not too bad for about $1 a piece, right?

SOME NOTES: The bowls should not be much larger in diameter than the candlesticks, otherwise they could get knocked over more easily. Try to also keep them the same weight as the candlesticks. The glass of these is very lightweight, so plastic bowls were perfect on top. Basically, don't put a heavy bowl on top of a lightweight base, mkay?

Also, obviously you can't soak these in the sink to wash out, so only put in food that can be wiped out later with a damp cloth.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, to achieve the pink and purple small M & M bowl, I combined two packs of Valentine's M & Ms, one in milk chocolate variety and the other in dark chocolate. I just picked out the red ones. I also bought a back of Valentine's peanut M & Ms and also picked the red out of those.

Don't ask what happened to all the red M & Ms...:)

I'm linked to:

I Gotta Create

Heart Shaped Ponytail

2012-02-14T16:27:00.000-08:00

My friend posted this hairstyle she did for her daughter today on Facebook and once my daughter saw it, she wanted to be just like her friend! I followed this video and in no time flat she had two heart shaped ponytails:)

I also clipped the bottoms down because her hair is pretty fine and it wasn't holding it's shape.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Homemade Donuts (from refrigerated biscuits)

2012-02-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

I have been seeing homemade donuts from canned biscuits all over the Internet for a while now and decided I finally needed to try them. So, that happened this weekend and I even experimented with different toppings (because who wants just a plate full of all the same donuts?)

Canned Biscuit Donuts

(from Southern Plate)

1 can TEXAS STYLE BISCUITS

VEGETABLE OIL

1/2 c SUGAR

1 Tbsp CINNAMON

1 c POWDERED SUGAR

SPRINKLES

STEP 1: Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in skillet or dutch oven over med to med high heat.

STEP 2: Cut centers out of each biscuit. I used an old bottle cap. Save the centers to make into donut holes.

STEP 3: Place the biscuits in the oil. BE CAREFUL! Flip as soon as you can see the underside turning golden brown. (This only takes about 30 seconds). Cook other side and transfer to a plate with paper towel on it. Allow to cool a bit before adding any toppings.

I made cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, and glazed (with sprinkles) varieties.

CINNAMON SUGAR

mix together 1/2 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp cinnamon and roll donuts in the mixture, let cool completely, and roll again.

GLAZE

mix together 1/2 cup powdered sugar and about a tsp of water until combined. Add a little more water if you want at thinner glaze. Roll donuts in the glaze, set on wax paper and top with sprinkles

POWDERED SUGAR

Roll the donuts in powdered sugar, let cool, and then roll again.

NOTE: I made two batches of these. The first was with Grands biscuits (I didn't realize I grabbed the wrong can) and they were still raw in the middle, so make sure to use the Texas style or something similar in size...just not the flaky kind because they will absorb too much oil.

Also, I tried rolling the donuts in melted butter before the sugars as the original recipe suggested and I found it just made a mushy mess. I much preferred rolling the plain donut in the sugars. It stuck better and made for a crispier shell on the outside of the donut.

These were a huge hit with my family. My husband already has lots of ideas for other toppings. I love that they were so cheap to make and we all got to stay in our jammies for breakfast:)

Wanna see another up close picture? Here ya go!

Vintage Finds (February Edition)

2012-02-11T15:26:00.000-08:00

My husband and I came up with a system a while ago where we both get a monthly "allowance". This is just a set amount of money that each of us get to spend however we want. It keeps my husband from raising his eyebrows when he sees a Goodwill bag and I have to keep my mouth shut when he comes home with beer and more parts for his RC truck. It's a great system:)

Anyways, my monthly allowance normally gets given to a thrift store of some kind. So I thought I would share with you what I have found lately that I love!

The cutest shoes for my daughter. I would love these in my size.

Milk/juice glasses for breakfast.

I actually found 4 of these guys and I plan on giving them to my mom for Mother's Day. I have the same glasses and she loved them..so I hope she enjoys having her own set;)

I'm not a tea drinker...but I couldn't resist this teapot. It sits nicely in my kitchen.

My mom actually spotted this large bowl at rummage sale. It is now serving as a fruit bowl on the kitchen table.

I really can't resist vintage wrapping paper. It is my weakness for sure. All these lovelies were $.10 each! I loved the little brunette girl on the right so much, I had to make her my twitter background.

Vintage sheets. Love. The two on the bottom are twin sheets for my daughter's bed and the top two are pillowcases.

I think this bag is my favorite find yet. It is the prettiest grapefruit pink color and works perfectly as a diaper bag.

So, this last item isn't vintage...but I love it anyways. I have been wanting a mustard colored purse for so long and it's perfect for days when I need a bigger bag for the kids.

So, those are my recent finds...how about you? Do you like to thrift? I'd love to see what you have discovered!

Reverse Heart Applique Shirt (from a Turtleneck)

2012-02-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

I saw this sweater redo earlier this week and loved it so much that I had to make my own version.

STEP 1: I started with a turtleneck that I found on clearance and cut off the neck.

STEP 2: I turned the shirt inside out, cut out a heart from another piece of fabric, and laid it right side down on the front side of the shirt.

STEP 3: I stitched all the way around the heart, turned the shirt right side out again, and cut away the shirt fabric just to the inside of the stitching.

Here is a closer look:

You can also see I stitched a line around the neck I cut. I thought this gave it a more completed look.

Have a happy Thursday!

Another New Name...Are You Confused Yet?

2012-02-09T08:51:00.000-08:00

So, I changed the name of this place...again.

Sorry for all the confusion. A few days ago I stumbled across a blog with a strikingly similar name and had I known that it existed...I would not have bought a domain name that was so similar. There were no confrontations or anything nasty (in fact I have never heard back from the other blog), but after thinking about it, I wanted a space that felt like my own, and I definitely didn't want to be stepping on anyone else's toes.

Although I blog for free (unless anyone wants to sponsor...yes?) I put a lot of work into it because I love doing it and part of that is knowing that it's a unique space.

So I am here at Honeybee Vintage (www.honeybeevintage.com) for good. Please change anything that corresponded with The Vintage Honeybee. All traffic still directs from my first blogspot name (www.honeyscrap.blogspot.com) but does NOT from The Vintage Honeybee. Make sense?

Let's recap (so I can confuse you even more):

New address: www.honeybeevintage.com

All of my Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Contact links have also been updated.

Thanks so much for being patient with me during all these changes. I have appreciated the comments and emails from people saying how much they like they new design and it makes my heart so happy! It has been a lot of work getting this place to look exactly how I want it (picture me designing buttons in Photoshop and writing html codes into the wee hours of the night!) but it has been so worth it.

Thanks for stickin' around and there are more DIYs and vintage love to come!

Do You Run?

2012-02-08T16:19:00.000-08:00

I have a quick question for today: Do you run?

You see, I am kinda, sorta, toying around with the idea of participating in a half marathon this year. Today was my first run and while I didn't LOVE every minute of it, I was proud that I completed it all while not throwing up. I have high expectations, eh?

Anyways, have any of you every participated in a half marathon? Did you enjoy it? Does the running get easier?

I would love to hear from you...

Keeping Resolutions Part 2: Authenticity

2012-02-07T22:32:00.000-08:00

I wanted to do a few follow up posts on my resolutions for 2012. So far I have maintained them to the best of my ability each day. I try not to get discouraged if I fail a bit. Hmmm...maybe "not trying to be a perfectionist" should have been on the list...

Anywho...I am really trying my darndest to abide by my second resolution and be more authentic this year. That issue spreads throughout every area of my life and at the end of the day I want to be confident in how I live and how I present myself to the world.

I could go on and on about what it means to me to be truly "authentic" but I will just sum it up and say that my definition for it is to "be who God created me to be without fear of judgement from others".

Easier said that done most days...but I'm working on it.

I tend to hold back in presenting my true self because I am a people pleaser. Yup...one of those. I used to let how I parented, how I dressed, and even what I blogged about be dependent on if other people would like me. Ugh....what a horrible way to live.

Then this happened...and you know what? It really freed me up from always having to put on an act or be an "I'm fine" girl. I blogged about how I felt and I lost some followers. I'm not going to say it didn't hurt my feelings a bit...but I also heard from many of you who were touched by my words. So, in that, I find purpose. You can't please everyone all the time, but bringing joy to just ONE person is an amazing gift.

So, in 2012 I'm going to be more like...well...ME! And I may even post a picture or two of myself on here every once and a while. (Yes...you long time readers can gasp at that!)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

2012-02-05T14:58:00.000-08:00

Have you been sticking to your New Year's Resolutions? I am very happy to say I have! I have lost a little less than 10 pounds so far and while maintaining a healthier lifestyle, I like to indulge a bit on the weekend when it's my weigh in/cheat day. My daughter and I have fun making a new recipe each weekend and my family doesn't mind tasting our creations either;) We couldn't resist trying out this brownie recipe with an egg free cookie dough on top. My daughter was happy she was allowed to lick the bowl!

Grab the recipe after the jump!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH BROWNIES

(recipe from Crumbs and Chaos)

BROWNIE MIX for a 9x13 pan

3/4 cup BUTTER, room temperature

3/4 cup BROWN SUGAR

3/4 cup SUGAR

3 Tbsp MILK

1 1/2 tsp VANILLA

1 1/2 cups FLOUR

1 1/2 cups MINI CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Step 1: Mix together and bake brownie mix per box instructions. Let cool completely.

Step 2: While brownies are cooling, blend together butter and sugars with hand mixer. Mix in milk and vanilla. Stir in flour until combined and finally, stir in chocolate chips.

Step 3: Spread cookie dough mixture on top of cooled brownies and refrigerate until cookie dough is firm. Slice and enjoy!

I'm linked to:

Creative Me @ The Southern Institute

Sew Much Ado

A Little Inspiration

Tissue Paper Flowers with Tulle

2012-02-03T16:35:00.000-08:00

Planning for my daughter's birthday party is well under way. First I saw these flowers from The Craftinomicon and loved how simple and delicate they looked. Then once I saw these flowers from Greedy For Colour, I knew I had to combine the two into simple sweet decorations for her party.

STEP 1: I cut out 4" squares of tissue paper (all these colors came in one pack from the dollar store...score!). Then I cut out three pieces of matching tulle that were about 3" square.

STEP 2: I folded all the layers accordion style, making sure the tulle side was facing in at both ends. Then I took a green pipe cleaner and twisted it around the middle of the paper.

STEP 3: I rounded both edges with scissors and pulled each layer towards the center, starting with the tulle first.

I put the flowers into some vintage vases that I had on display in my living room and that was it! Easy table centerpieces that look ever so lovely;)

I'm linked to:

I Gotta Create!

Tatertots and Jello

Creative Me @ The Southern Institute

Sew Much Ado

Ruffle Cake with Knockoff Buttercream Icing

2012-01-31T20:20:00.000-08:00

So have you seen pictures of ruffle cakes all over Pinterest? Well, I don't need an excuse to add ruffles to anything...so why not add them to a cake too? Sounds great to me!

I showed my daughter a picture of a ruffle cake online and she told me she wanted one for her birthday...so of course I needed to try it out first. My husband is always encouraging me to try out recipes once or twice:)

I used this video and it was great at explaining how to make this cake. It's SO simple! I need to work on my "ruffles" on the top since they look a little sloppy (the frosting was starting to get warm) but other than that...I'm pretty happy with my first decorated cake;)

I took the easy way out this time and used a white cake mix in a box. There is also a surprise inside:

Different colored layers!

I mixed up the cake and then divided the batter into thirds. I put 1 drop of pink food coloring in one bowl, 3 drops in the second, and 5 in the third bowl. The two bottom layers look the same in this photo...but look different in person.

Also, for the icing, I also decided to take the easy way out (this was a test cake after all!) so I used two (16.2oz) cans of fluffy white icing and mixed it with 2 cups of powdered sugar with an electric mixer. It has a nice creamy texture but also kept its shape while I was piping on the cake and forms a little crust on the outside as it dries (while staying creamy inside).

I learned a lot when doing this cake and I can't wait to make another one for my daughter's birthday. The next time I am going to add a few more layers:)

I'm linked to:

Sugar and Dots

Rapunzel "Hair" Party Decorations

2012-01-30T15:21:00.001-08:00

This was the first year I wasn't going to do a theme for my daughter's birthday. I was just going to put together a bunch of desserts she loves and have a good old fashioned party.

That was until my (almost) 4 year old set me straight. She asked ever so politely if she could have a Rapunzel party, and when she said, "Please Mama? PLEASE??"...then how could I say no?

So, there will be a theme, and that theme will be Rapunzel. I have to admit...it's one of my favorite Disney movies too and planning a princess party has been pretty fun:)

In lieu of just buying every licensed product at the party store (which is crazy expensive), I wanted to make some fun decorations that were unique. One thing that you think of when you think Rapunzel is long hair...and we will have plenty of that!

I wanted to string a bunch of "hair" all over the house, but I had to think about what materials to use that would be durable and cost effective. At first I braided together yellow crepe paper...but it wasnt the right color...and my daughter ripped it.

Then it hit me...yellow plastic table clothes!

I found this perfect yellow color at Walmart in their party section for $.98, cut it into 12 long strips and then made 4 long braids out of it. I taped together the ends and covered those spots with purple ribbon that I found at Michaels for $1.

To braid each section, I took 3 strips, taped them together with clear tape at one end, taped THAT taped end to the top of a door jam (so the strips could hang down easily), braided them together, and then finally taped the end of the braid with more clear tape.

One tablecloth makes 36 feet of "hair"!

I will be showing you more of the DIYs for the party as the weeks go on:)

I'm linked to:

Sugar and Dots

Friday Fun Party @ Craftionary

Chicken and Spinach Pasta Casserole

2012-01-26T14:09:00.000-08:00

It was that time of day again. The husband was on his way home. Both kids were crying (we tend to loose it around these parts about 20 minutes before Daddy gets home) and dinner needed to be made.

I had to grocery shop the next day (and we get down to bare bones right before that happens) so I reached for what I had left in my pantry and cupboards...and actually made something edible! Hooray!

Interested in the chicken and spinach pasta casserole recipe? Then read on!

Ingredients:

1.5 c uncooked whole wheat pasta (or about a half a box)

1 tsp olive oil

2 tbs chopped onion

1/2 c frozen spinach (thawed)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 c Alfredo sauce

1 c shredded mozzarella

1 c shredded or cubed cooked chicken

1. On med-high heat, cook the onions in the olive oil, just until they are soft. Boil the pasta while you do this as well.

2. In the same pot as the onions, pour in the rest of the ingredients (minus the pasta and 1/2 c of the mozzarella) and cook for about 5-10 minutes...or until the pasta is done.

3. Mix the cooked pasta in with the other pot of ingredients and stir until coated. Pour into a baking dish, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese, and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes (or until cheese on top is melted).

Enjoy!

SOME TIPS: You can use whatever kind of diced tomatoes you want. I prefer the no salt added ones because the flavored ones tend to be full of sugar. Also, to use up all the Alfredo sauce in a can, I pour out what is left in there and then throw a splash of milk into the jar, close the lid, shake it up (to remove any excess sauce from the bottom and sides) and then pour that into my pan too. It makes the sauce a little creamier and then you aren't wasting any of the sauce in the jar too that was left behind.

Also, if using frozen spinach (not fresh) make sure to drain on a paper towel so that the casserole won't be runny after baking.

Easy Walnut Sticky Buns

2012-01-25T12:50:00.000-08:00

As soon as I saw this recipe over at Smashed Peas and Carrots, I knew what I had to make for breakfast this weekend. I changed it up a bit and used walnuts instead of pecans just because that's all I had in the pantry but I still think they turned out pretty darn good:)

Get the recipe after the jump!

Ingredients:

1 can refrigerated biscuits (I used the 10 count Pillsbury Simple rolls)

2 and 1/2 tbsp of butter

3 and 1/2 tbs brown sugar

1/2 c chopped walnuts

1. Cut butter into equal pieces and place in the bottom of a cupcake pan. Sprinkle nuts in the pan as well.

2. Divide brown sugar among each cup and press raw biscuit down on top.

3. Bake at 375 for about 7-8 minutes. Flip out onto cookie sheet with a liner of wax paper and eat!

The 15 Minute Ruffle Scarf

2012-01-23T09:55:00.000-08:00

*I'm on Facebook now! Go visit The Vintage Honeybee Facebook page!*

I like the way scarves look...but on other people. I have never met one in a store that looked good on me. So last night I decided to raid my fabric scrap stash and found a long piece of vintage fabric. I decided to experiment and make myself a lightweight ruffle scarf (since scarves are really just for show here in the southwest...not so much for warmth).

Wanna make your own simple scarf? Meet me after the jump!

Materials:

long piece of cotton fabric (mine was 60" x 7")

matching thread

1. Start by hemming the short ends of the strip. Do this by folding them in (to the wrong side) 1/4" and then another 1/2". Sew with a straight stitch.

2. Now fold the fabric in half lengthwise with both right sides facing and sew down it with a straight stitch. You now have a long inside out "tube" of fabric.

3. Flip the "tube" right side out and position the seam in the middle of one side. Take it over to the sewing machine and (with the seam side up) start ruffling it by hand on the machine with a straight stitch. You can do this by gathering pieces of fabric and sewing over them to keep the ruffles in place. If you would like more instructions on how to ruffle on the machine, check out my Ruffle Tree Skirt.

You're done! You can customize this to make any length of scarf you want. Basically ruffling makes the end product about half the length of your starting fabric length...so if you prefer a longer scarf either start with a longer piece of fabric, or gather less fabric when you ruffle it.

I'm linked to:

Sugar and Dots

I'm on Facebook!!

2012-01-22T22:53:00.000-08:00

Ok so I FINALLY joined Facebook this weekend! I know...about 5 years late, huh?

Anyways, feel free to visit me on

The Vintage Honeybee Facebook Page

and say hello if you stop by!

Happy Saturday

2012-01-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

Saturdays make me happy. My husband is home for two whole days with us, I weigh in to see how much all my hard work all week paid off (3lbs this week! Woo-hoo!), and we find a fun new activity to do as a family.

I like to reflect on the week and things that brought joy (amidst the occasional temper tantrums, burnt dinners, and staying in our jammies some days).

Taking my daughter to see Beauty and the Beast in the theater made me happy:

New tights made me happy:

And wiping drool from this face made me pretty darn happy too:

And of course there is the second season of Downton Abbey, vintage shopping with my mom, a date night with my hubby tonight (with NO kids), and a baby that is sleeping through the night that all brings a smile to my face.

So, what makes you happy?

Simple 7-Up Cupcakes with Whipped Cherry Frosting

2012-01-20T13:48:00.000-08:00

I got the urge to make cupcakes last night.

This was not a good idea.

I have my weekly weigh in on Saturday morning.

Let's just say I might inhale one of these the second I step off the scale tomorrow morning:)

I wasn't in the mood to get all the ingredients out to make these...so I used the Diet Cherry 7-Up trick with a yellow cake mix. It's just so simple and it's OK to let my daughter lick the bowl since there is no egg in it:) Or maybe I lick the bowl...just a little...

I also wanted to try my favorite whipped frosting in a cherry version.

Cupcake Ingredients:

yellow cake mix

12oz can of Diet Cherry 7-Up (or 1 and 1/2 cups if you are pouring it out of a larger bottle)

Mix together both ingredients and bake per box directions.

Frosting Ingredients:

1 tub of cherry frosting

1 tub of whipped cream

Mix both ingredients together and let sit in the freezer for about 20 minutes before piping or spreading on.

These cupcakes didn't have much cherry flavoring in them. I think it's just because I only used the soda this time and no cherry juice. They still are super moist and the cherry icing on top tastes like soft serve....SO good.

Keep the cupcakes in the refrigerator (so the icing doesn't melt) and notice how many are gone the next morning when you get up. I thought it took a while for my husband to come to bed last night...

And maybe eat one in your pajamas after breakfast. It is Friday after all...

Have a great weekend!

I'm linked to:

Tatertots and Jello

A New Year...a New Blog Name!

2012-01-18T22:15:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed that my blog header looks a little different. I have a new blog name!

Part of my New Year's resolutions was to be more authentic and that means turning this blog into a place that reflects more of my true personality. I had let this space get carried away with what I thought it should look like or what I thought I should post about to get more traffic...and that's when this blog didn't become fun for me anymore.

I'm so excited to take this blog in a different direction in the coming year! Don't worry, there will still be many crafts and tutorials:)

If you follow me, please update my blog address to www.thevintagehoneybee.com and you can still be in on what's going on here!

Thank you to anyone who has visited and followed this blog! I hope you still stick around even though things may look a little different now;)

DIY Chevron Shoes

2012-01-17T14:09:00.000-08:00

Here's a fun DIY that can be completed in one night. I took a pair of shoes that I found at the thrift store for $2.50, washed them (I put them in the washing machine and then let them air dry), a fabric pen, and fabric paint.

I cut a chevron pattern out of paper to use as a stencil. I traced it onto my shoes with the fabric pen, and then painted in the lines with the fabric paint.

All done!

This was a fun and easy project and I love my new shoes. I already got a few compliments on them when I ran errands today:)

I'm linked to:

Sugar and Dots

Tatertots and Jello

Universal Pacifier Clips

2012-01-12T15:18:00.000-08:00

I don't have a lot of time to craft or sew these days...so when I do, I like to make things that are useful to me. And after my son spit out his pacifier during church and it rolled down under the seat in front of us...I thought maybe pacifier clips would be useful!

I wanted to make some that would adapt to any type of pacifier. Baby J keeps changing his mind on what kind he wants to take. Currently we are on the Gumdrop version so I needed to make something that would attach to the hole at the end. Here is what I came up with:

Materials:

scrap fabric

1/4" wide elastic

mitten clips

(I got the mitten clips in the $1 section at Target.)

1. I cut out a piece of fabric that was about 2" x 10". I also cut the elastic pieces off my mitten clips and cut a 3" piece of 1/4" elastic.

2. I folded my fabric lengthwise with right sides facing and sewed up the raw edge side with a straight stitch creating a tube.

3. I flipped the tube right side out (by attaching a safety pin to one end and slowly moving it through the center of the tube) and ironed it flat with the seam in the center of one side.

4. I folded in the raw ends of one side, folded my elastic in half and placed the ends inside the tube. I then sewed across a few times to secure it in place.

5. On the other end of the tube I folded in the raw edged and fed it through the mitten clip, folded it over, and sewed it in place.

Here is the front view of the clip:

It was a super simple project that took me about 30 minutes (to make four clips) and now I can attach it to a pacifier with a ring:

A button pacifier:

And the current favorite, an all silicon pacifier:

Best part...I made four clips for $1.00 and now I won't have to pick up his pacifiers off the floor anymore! Hooray!

I'm linked to:

Tatertots and Jello

Keeping Resolutions Part 1: Healthy Lifestyle

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

So, did you tell yourself you were going to be healthier in 2012? Maybe even lose a few uneccessary pounds? Me too, and I thought I would share a few tips that have helped me maintain my goal of living healthier and losing weight at the same time.

NOTE: This is NOT medical advice or a dieting plan for you to follow. I am just sharing some simple tricks that have worked for me in reaching my (healthy) weight goal as determined by my own doctor.

Here are my 5 tricks to staying on track with eating healthier:

1. No fad diets or "phases".

2. Find an attainable goal weight (size 2 ain't gonna happen for me!) and "mini weight goals" along the way. Set a realistic timeline in which I can meet each goal.

3. Exercise regularly

4. Make a rewards program for each mini goal met...and one larger reward for final goal.

5. Know myself and what my main motivation is.

So, quickly I will explain what each of those steps means for me.

1. No fad diets or "phases": More power to people who can cut out carbs and fats and sugars...but that's not me. I have tried cutting out everything before in hopes of losing weight fast...and then as soon as I bite into carbs or meat again...my body decides to hold onto the calories for dear life. What works for me is Weight Watchers (no this is not an endorsed ad..just how I feel about the program). There is no deprivation. I can eat what I want and my body doesn't go through crazy "phases" where I cut out certain foods and then introduce them later. Everything has a points value (you get a total number of allowed points when you join the program) and so I can decide what I am willing to "spend" points on and what I'm not. Lifestyle change...pure and simple.

One super simple trick I do is write all the points values (along with serving size) on my groceries before I put them away. This way I never have to take time and calculate something before I want to eat it...I just know by looking at the box.

(Believe it or not this actually helps my husband too. He isn't on the program...but he has gotten to choosing items with a lower number written on them too!)

2. Find an attainable goal weight and "mini weight goals" along the way. Set a realistic timeline in which I can meet each goal: I won't say how much I want to lose (that's not what this post is about)...but I did set a realistic timeline in which I can lose it. Expecting my body to lose weight super fast is unrealistic and dangerous. Realizing it is going to take time to get it off is a hard step for me..but crucial in making sure it comes off in a healthy and lasting way. I also accepted that I will never be below a certain size and that's OK.

3. Exercise regularly: I'm actually one of those weird people that likes to exercise. I like to burn a sweat and push myself a bit. I don't belong to a gym (I'm too cheap) and I don't own any exercise equipment (other than a few hand weights and a jump rope)...but I found what works for me. I like to change it up each day...so some days I walk a few miles...and then other days I do some exercise DVDs since those are super easy for me to sneak in when I am home alone with the kiddos.

Here are my two favorites:

What I like about both of these is they are easy to follow and the two ladies that lead them aren't super annoying.

4. Make a rewards program for each mini goal met...and one larger reward for final goal: I also set up mini goals (every 5 pounds) and non-food related rewards for each goal met. My first reward is a vintage dress at a local shop...which I hope to be able to go get when I weigh in again this Saturday!

I also have one larger reward for when I meet my ultimate goal. I will share that with you all once I meet it;)

Main thing is, the rewards keep me focused. They aren't huge and don't cost a lot of money (or any money at all), but they are worth it to me to stay on track for the week. The point here for me is also to make them non-food related. Rewarding myself with cake after losing a few pounds doesn't make much sense...

5. Know myself and what my main motivation is: This is the most important step for me. I have to test out what works and what doesn't work for my personality and lifestyle. I know me and I can't do a program or the exact same program as someone else. I know that I need to surround myself with people that will help me attain my goals and not tempt me to do otherwise. Luckily my mom and my husband are great supporters. My mother has lost 60 pounds and kept it off for over two years! She is always there to exercise with me, make healthy meals with me, and share her own experiences. My husband is so patient when I'm frustrated, will eat anything I make for dinner, and doesn't tempt me to eat unhealthy. Having that support is wonderful.

My motivation is to be healthier. Being able to wear smaller sizes is wonderful too...but most of all I want to be around for my kids and have a fun, active lifestyle with my family. I don't wait to be sitting on the couch watching them play...I want to be running around with them.

All in all at the end of the day I have to be happy with what I was able to accomplish and not be hard on myself for not doing more. I am so excited to have already seen results with this new change I'm making and knowing that it's benefiting my family and their eating habits is another added bonus!

I hope sharing this has helped:)

Making Resolutions....and Keeping Them

2012-01-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

So, I decided to be all cliche' and post my New Year's resolutions. I decided to wait a week though in order to see how I can make them work in my life for reals and not just on paper. So, here they are:

1. Continue maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

2. Be More Authentic.

3. Watch my tone of voice (and volume...I'm part Italian).

4. Love more.

So far I have held up all 4 this year. It feels great to follow through with goals I have set for myself. My husband and I also made goals together for what we want to achieve this year and I can't wait to accomplish them with him.

I'll be back to post a bit more about what each of these means for me, my family, and the future of this blog.

So, what are your resolutions? Have you been good at keeping them so far in 2012?

My Memories Winner!!

2012-01-09T13:09:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who entered the My Memories Suite giveaway! The winner is...

#3: Julianne!!

Please send me your contact info at:

honeyscrapcrafts@yahoo.com

so I can give you the code for your free copy of the software:)

Also, for those of you who didn't win and still want a copy of the software, My Memories has hooked up my readers with an amazing promo code for $10 off the software AND a $10 coupon code for their store once the software has been downloaded!

You can use the code: STMMMS65350 when checking out.