I Am Momma - Hear Me Roar

A Fresh Home Scent with Glade® Expressions™ products and a GIVEAWAY

2012-02-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Triad Retail Media for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have a few random fears. It's true. I'm afraid of some normal things, like heights. However, I also have some strange ones. I have a fear of my home smelling weird. Funny, huh? I think you don't know what your home smells like because it's your scent. You're used to it. When I get home from a trip, I like to smell my home because I'm not used to it anymore. That's how I do my "check." Well, thanks to Glade®, I now have a more sensible solution :)

I recently got to try out the new Glade® Expressions™ fragrance mist and the new Glade® Expressions™ oil diffuser. Let me break it down.

The new Glade® Expressions™ oil diffuser is a good-looking air freshener. That, in and of itself is nice. I put it up on my shelf and the next day my sister came over and asked what that cute new decoration on my shelf was. I laughed and admitted that it was actually an air freshener. The mango scent was nice and fresh. It wasn't extremely overpowering, like other products I've used before. I also liked that you don't have to plug it in and there is nothing to spill.

The new Glade® Expressions™ fragrance mist was also great. It comes in a neat, easy to squeeze bottle. The one I tried smelled like clean laundry, which is definitely a great scent to have in your home. I used it upstairs in our bedrooms.

So, if you share my phobia or if you just enjoy a nice smelling home, check out the new Glade® Expressions™ products. You'll know exactly what people are smelling when they enter your home.

Want to try out Glade® Expressions™ products yourself? Click HERE for a $1.50 off coupon OR enter the giveaway on this post to win a $50 gift card to Wal-mart. Just leave a comment here, telling me which scent you'd like to try. Please include your email address so I can contact you if you win. (You can read the contest rules for more info.)

Picnik Substitute - you asked for it.

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've received a lot of emails over the past month asking about an alternative to Picnik. (I think that's because you all know I'm addicted to it as well.) We all know that Google is trying to push everyone to use Google+ where there's the "Creative Kit" that looks like a cheap, shortened version of Picnik. I don't know if it'll end up being the full version when Picnik officially closes, but either way - I want a substitute rather than being toyed with. Finding a new option is my way of sticking it to the man :)

So, I did some hunting for some good photo editing software and I'm happy to report that I now have a great substitute. It's called Foto Flexer and I really like it. Here's a screen shot of what it looks like.

I thought it might be easiest to take you on a little video tour, to show you where everything is. There are even a few things Foto Flexer has that picnik doesn't. While there are less fonts and stickers, I don't think you'll be disappointed overall. Take a look.

So here's the bullet point comparison, in my view.

I'm excited to use it more and get totally comfortable with it. There are also some cool features that I'm anxious to try out and learn.

So, goodbye Picnik. We had some good times, but I've found someone else.....and it's getting serious. So I'm dumping you before you can dump me.

Thanks for reading.

Sunshine Sunday- health, games, boys, and time

2012-02-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

My husband was gone a few days this week and it was kind of a long week. I had a few challenges this week, but it's over now. Whew! Even during frustrating times, I definitely have tons of things to be grateful for. I am really thankful to be healthy this week. It's so easy to take that for granted.

I am thankful for game time with the boys. We celebrated Valentine's day yesterday (because we needed to do something fun after a few long days without daddy). I got the boys Busy Town, like many of you had mentioned. I LOVE this game and so do they. It's adorable and fun. We spent a couple of hours playing it yesterday. Thanks for the great tip guys!

This little guy is doing awesome on the potty. Wa-hoo! We still need to conquer #2 (I know, too much information) but he's even wearing undies during his nap time. He's also been really sweet lately. Yesterday when I poured him some milk he said, "Thanks for getting me milk, Mommy. I love you." It sounds so adorable in his little two-year-old voice. He also loves hats and already has a weakness for Cafe Rio. Man, I love this kid.

Even though this guy knows how to push my buttons like no other, he sure is fun. I love his great sense of humor and hilarious dance moves. He always comes out to the garage to do a goodbye dance for me when I go somewhere.

I am grateful for time. It is just so precious.

Tomorrow I have a Picnik substitute to share with you! I've received so many emails about Picnik closing and now I finally have a solution. I think you'll like it too. See you tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

Sharing Saturday - Reader's Questions

2012-02-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Yay! It's time for a Sharing Saturday! The last one was so fun and you guys shared so many great ideas and tips. This time we have a couple reader questions. So read the questions, and tell them what you know in the comment section.

1) from a reader named Laurie:

My toddler {she's 2.5} gets upset when she can't get her way. {what toddler doesn't?} The problem is not with her being upset but with how she expresses her anger. She hits, kicks, punches people {me especially} and throws all her toys on the floor {and at our TV!} There is no calming her down! {at least not anything I have tried has worked} I have tried to give her other options {I have read to let them take it out on playdoh, breathing exercises, clapping hands...etc} but she isn't feeling it. I'd love some suggestions on how to calm her down or avert her anger in non harmful ways.

[Source]

2) from a reader named Michelle:

My husband and I have a queen-sized bed. He steals the covers and moves around a lot at night. That often means a poor night's sleep for me. Does anyone have any tips (other than sleeping in separate beds) to help? Does anyone else share this problem?

[Source]

3) and just because I think it would be fun to hear your answers....

What is something you never done before, that you want to do in your lifetime?

Thanks for reading. I'm excited to hear your answers.

Feature Friday - Apple Pancakes

2012-02-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I saw THESE apple pancakes on Pinterest (which were pinned from HERE) and so we tried them out Saturday morning.

We don't have an apple corer, so we sliced the apples up and then cut out the middle from each slice.

We used our regular pancake mix and dunked each apples in it.

We cooked them at a lower temperature and for a little longer time than we usually do.

Instead of the syrup listed, we took our regular maple syrup and added caramel and then watered it down a little. We heated it up and poured it on.

You get apple in every bite. The apple is still kind of crunchy, but it's actually really good that way. With the carmel syrup it tasted like a caramel apple pie. My kids went nuts over them.

Yum! We'll definitely make these again.

What's your favorite recipe you've tried from Pinterest?

Thanks for dropping in.

The World's Best Sugar Cookies

2012-02-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, I rarely post recipes here......but every nice in a while there's something that I feel is really worth sharing. If I didn't share this Sugar Cookie recipe I'd feel like I was holding out on you. It's that good. My grandma was an incredible cook and this recipe has been handed down in our family.

Now, let's be real here. There's nothing healthy about these cookies. Does the recipe call for obscene amounts of butter? Yes. Do you top it off with rich buttercream frosting? Yes. Will you loose weight eating these? No.....unless you have someone dangle one in front of you on a string so that you have to run several miles to get it. They are however, ridiculously delicious.

So, enough talk. Here's the recipe:

1 and 1/3 cups of butter

1 and 1/2 cups of sugar

Cream (mix) the butter and sugar together. It helps if the butter has been left out a little while so it's a little softer, but don't melt it.

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 and 1/2 cups of flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. of salt (I do 1/2 tsp though)

Mix till it sticks. Then refrigerate the dough for at least an hour. This is actually very important. It matters. Roll out your dough, cut into cookies, and bake.

Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes

till the edges are just barely light brown. If you over cook them you'll get crunchy cookies.

I make them pretty thin because that's my favorite. If you prefer them thicker you might need to add a little more time in the oven.

______________________________________________

Now for the frosting. This one's kind of hard to write down because I just do it. This is a small batch of frosting. If I know I want to have plenty for the recipe above I recommend doubling it.

1 stick of butter (softened - that's a must)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2-3.5 cups of powdered sugar (depending on how thick you want your frosting)

a pinch of salt (optional)

either 2 Tbsp. of milk OR one egg

Note: I realize that some of you might gasp to hear that anyone would put a raw egg in frosting, but this is an old school recipe and it rocks. The egg gives is a great consistency. If that's horrid to you, just use a little milk. Let's agree not to discuss this further, okay? Thanks.

Finished cookies are likely to cause extreme satisfaction and random applause. Crumbs are likely to be found on many faces.

Make them for Valentine's day, Christmas, Easter, or just because.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wake Up Wednesday

2012-02-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last week's challenge was to thank a public service worker. We decided to make and take some tasty sugar cookies to the police.

Rex and my nephew drew pictures for them and we headed off to deliver them. It was really fun.

This week's challenge is to deliver a valentine to someone who is widowed or single. I remember not being the biggest fan of valentine's day when I was single. Let's do something fun for someone who might have a hard time that day. We live near a couple of amazing widows and I think the boys and I will try to stop by with something for them.

Did any of you thank a public service worker? I'd love to hear about it. Thanks for reading.

Hot Lava Rugs

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Did you ever play "Hot Lava" as a child? You run from object to object, making sure not to touch the floor. Well, I was at the dollar store the other day and they had these little rugs. That's where my mind went - hot lava. However, we're taking it up a notch and adding some educational value.

First I'll show you how to make them and then I'll tell you a billion different ways to use them. Okay?

While you could free hand the numbers, I chose to make a freezer paper stencil. I used my Silhouette to cut the numbers out, but they wouldn't be that hard to cut by hand. (If you haven't tried freezer paper stenciling or if you've never heard of it, you can watch my video tutorial HERE to answer all your questions.)

Now I was extremely careful when I ironed the stencil to the rugs. Why? Because carpet can be melted really easily. I put my iron on medium heat and only blotted it on. I never left it on more than a half a second. I wasn't super picky about the stencil adhering perfectly, because it's textured carpet. It's not really possible. However, ironing it on will be enough to keep it in place like you need it to.

I got out my Tulip fabric paint and a sponge brush. You need a fair amount of fabric paint because the carpet sucks it in a bit. I went through a little over a bottle of paint.

You can't really paint it on. I used a stipple movement, pouncing the brush everywhere. Then I peeled off the stencil. Because I used fabric paint, the rugs still feel quite soft. They aren't crunchy under your feet.

Now, how can you use them? Well, there's the basic hot lava, of course.

However, I gave them numbers so that my boys could learn as they played. Here are some questions/games I play with them (in order of easiest to hardest).

1) For my youngest I call out a number and he stomps on it.

2) Put the numbers in order.

3) Make bigger numbers. I ask my older child to make twenty-four or thirteen.

5) Simple addition and subtraction. I ask what's five minus two? He stands on the correct rug.

I think there are endless possibilities and I love an inexpensive project. Even with the paint the whole project is about $6.50. (Obviously you could make more, but my dollar store only had 5 left.)

Thanks for stopping by.

Just Like New - My Little Pew

2012-02-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Before we get started today, let's announce the winners of the Upcycled T-shirts Dress giveaway. Our two winners are:

Drop me a note, ladies. Congrats!

___________________________________________________

Back when we did the short series "Just Like New" I had a project I intended to use for the series. It took me a while to finish it though, but now it's ready.

Here's the story. I've been searching for an old pew for quite some time. Every time I found one in the classifieds it was either massive or extremely expensive. I kept looking. I found one in an antique store but they wanted $250. One day I was searched the classifieds and I saw an upcoming estate sale. It was really some guy hired to clean out an abandoned home, but there were two really old little pews in the basement.

I went to the sale as soon as it began the next day and snatched one for $20. I came home and my hands were black. This is what it looked like and I think my husband thought I was nuts. It was so dirty and it wobbled a lot.

Here is my little pew now.

My dad reinforced the pew by adding a 2x4 under the seat. He reattached the piece that was falling off. He also sanded that baby down. Thanks Dad!

I got out my paint sprayer and painted the whole thing gray first. I stocked up on the Martha Stewart sample paints at the Depot right when they were clearancing them out, so I only spent $4 total on paint.

This job made me fall in love with the paint sprayer even more. It took about 5-10 minutes per coat and there are no brush lines. After the gray I painted it this pale turquoise.

I got out my little sanding block to age it a bit. I wanted the gray to show through in places to give it some depth and character. The real wood shows through in spots as well. After a while I decided to get out the electric sander and give it a little more roughing up.

Once it looked how I wanted it to I did something I've never done before for the final coat. I used a paste wax. ( I saw Kate use it and I wanted to try it out.) You rub it on and it gives you a buffed, matte finish. I personally like matte finishes - especially for things that I want to look old. The wax dried really nicely and it was kind of fun to put on. I was in Karate Kid mode (wax on, wax off....except you don't wax off :) and it was a good workout. And obviously it doesn't leave brush lines either. Yay.

So here are the exact paint/products that I used.

And here's a couple more looks at the finished pew.

I sanded enough for the gray to come through on more than just the edges.

The pew will double as a place for guests to sit to take their shoes on and off, but most importantly it's our "Sorry Bench." (If you've ever read "the Entitlement Trap" they talk about a "Repentance Pew." It's where you sit until you say what you did wrong and apologize. I like the concept but a "Sorry Bench" sounded a little friendlier.)

Don't worry. He's just posing for you.....though I've seen this look for real a lot today.

I have a few plans for this area/room that I'm super duper excited about. It's the first area you see when you enter our home. It was the dining room, until I sold our dining room table and put the piano in it's place. (That's what freed up the office, which I'm converting to the craft room.) Blah, blah, blah. I'll show it all to you eventually. There's lots to come....including something that will marry these two different colors together.

That's all for today. Tomorrow I have a fun learning activity for kids. See you then. Thanks for reading.

Sunshine Sunday - undies, snoozers, and decor

2012-02-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, the potty training is going fairly well. There's something so ridiculously cute about seeing your child in undies for the first time. I can't believe that it's possible that I won't have a child in diapers. Wow. That's kind of nice.

He's pretty proud to be wearing undies now.

Sometimes one of the kindest little gifts to a mother is an accidental nap. It's rare that as a mother, you get more time to do something than you thought you would. I was working on a post the other day and I heard Rex's show end and then the silence continued. I love getting to sneak in to see him sleeping too. There's something so pure and sweet about kids when they sleep.

Lastly, I am thankful for the chance to decorate my home. I know it can seem like a trivial thing in the whole picture of life, but I love being able to make our home pretty, efficient, and interesting. I just finished a project I can't wait to share with you. Here's a teaser. I'll show it to you tomorrow.

What were you grateful for this week?

Thanks for stopping by.

Soapbox Saturday - Super Undies

2012-02-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I was asked to review some Super Undies. I knew that Baden's potty training days weren't far away, so I said yes. They are cool, well-made potty training pants and today I'll give you the low down on them.

Super Undies are versatile, potty training pants. They are washable and you can pick how much padding/absorption you want in them. There are two basic kinds to choose from - the Pocket and the Pull-up. The pocket has more of a normal diaper closure while the pull-up ones obviously pull up. Both have nice lining and absorption and both can be stuffed with more layers.

We chose the pull-up ones. Here's what I loved about them.

- They are REALLY high quality. The construction, the fabrics, and the comfort are all stellar and well-thought out. I have never seen such nice training pants.

- Your child can feel that he's wet. As opposed to diapers, they can feel the wetness more easily, which is great for training.

- They don't leak. They can absorb a lot without having to worry that your child will be drenching his clothing. You can even add (and purchase) more layers that fit into the pocket.

- They wash up really well. I think you could get a LOT of use out of these babies. They're also very eco-friendly, rather than using disposable pull-ups (which I never really liked anyhow).

- Even once your child is potty trained during the day, you could use these at night without your child feeling frustrated that he's back in a diaper.

- You could use them the same way when leaving the house, if you're not ready to brave all the errands in undies just yet.

Okay, there was really only one thing we didn't like. Because they are made for absorption they are a bit bulkier. (There's really no way around that.) Baden enjoys wearing undies because he feels like a big boy, but he wasn't as into these because they felt more like a diaper. It took more convincing, but he's also pretty darn stubborn, so this might not be an issue for everyone.

Overall, I give the Super Undies two thumbs up. If you're approaching potty training I recommend checking them out. There are great videos on the site to help you understand the difference between the different types of undies and what might be the best fit for your child.

Thanks for reading.

A Long, Long Week.

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

While I'd love to show you a fun tutorial today, it's just been one of those weeks. Tuesday I woke up with a horrible cold. Since I knew I was going to be home all day I got a little bold and decided we'd take a swing at potty training Baden. Here's our last few days in numbers.

12 changes of clothing due to wet pants
2 clogged toilets (you don't want details)
567 used tissues (from me)
15 hours spent in the bathroom waiting
2 actual occurrences of pee going in the potty like it should
16 readings of "the Potty Train"

On a good note, after three days home I finally left the house last night. Yay! And Baden is learning to hold it so that he isn't really wetting his undies now. When he finally went in the potty for the first time I think Rex was just as excited as me. It was so cute. He asked Baden if he could give him a snuggle. They hugged and he said, "I'm SO proud of you, Baden!"

And just because this post is kind of boring....how about some Pinterest love. Have you ever noticed that not everything you see on Pinterest works? Just saying :) Have any of you tried this? Eye shadow mixed with clear polish to make matte nail polish? Looks fun. (Tried to link it, but I lost the link!)

This is clever.

And Pinterest always has something to make me laugh - like this....

...or this.

It's kind of late as I'm writing this post, so I'm not sure these are all quite as funny as I think they are right now. I need some sleep. Thanks for dropping in.

A New Way to Use My New Print

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

So you might recall that I created THIS large subway art a while back. I have a couple more similar prints now available in my shop. However, I also wanted to show you ANOTHER way to use the print if you don't feel up for building your own wood canvas to attach it to. I'm going to give you some sneaky little tips to make it work for you.

Okay, so here's the background info. You'll be printing this as an "engineer blueprint," so that printing it will only be $2.99. Yes, that's all and it's 2 FEET by 3 FEET. Now every store is going to print it a little differently. If they print it as large as possible, you can buy a poster frame and it will fit. When I went in to print mine last week the print came out with the very top running off the edge. When I asked her to re-do it, she made the image a couple of points smaller so it would fit. However, that meant that it didn't fit in the poster frame anymore. It was a little smaller and it wasn't centered on the paper.

No problem. Here's my solution that I ended up liking even more. So, you buy a poster frame. I chose one that was a little nicer than the plastic ones. It was about $25 at Target. You can also get a nice one at JoAnn's for $20 if you use your coupon. I'm sure a lot of other stores have them as well.

Now SAVE the paper that comes in it and try not to bend it. You'll use the backside of it, as if it were a matte.

Cut out the print so that there are no white edges on it. Center it on the white paper that came in the frame. Use double sided tape to secure it to the white paper and put it back in the frame.

Now it looks all nicely framed and matted. No one will know the difference. Sweet, huh? It's not as inexpensive as building your own canvas, but it's WAY easier. The whole thing cost me less then $30, which is pretty dark cheap for art that's 3 feet tall.

And here's a better look at the new quote. (Just ignore the watermark.) It's by Majorie Hinckley and I just love the sentiment of it.

I tried it out on the shelf, but decided....

....it will actually hang on the other side of the faux-armoire/closet.

So, if you want it to fill the frame with your print, ask them to print it as large as possible on the 24"x36" paper. If you want it to look matted, ask them to reduce it a couple of points. Sweet, huh? Now you have options.

If you're going to try one of your own, you might want to read up on the comment section of the original post for more detailed info on how to print it.

If you want to purchase the new quote, you can find it HERE.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wake Up Wednesday - Super Heroes of Service

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last month's Super Heroes of Service challenge was to write thank you notes. I took a quick picture of the boys holding up a blank sheet of cardstock and then later added "Thank you" to it on Picnik. Then I printed them out and let the boys color on the back of them.

In the past few months I've given you a whole month to do the Super Heroes of Service challenge, but I think I'm going to make it weekly, so it fits better into the Wake Up Wednesday schedule. That means you can also report on last week's Wake Up Wednesday challenge today and then everything will be normal. One challenge per week and one report per week.

Last week's Wake Up Wednesday challenge was to write a letter to someone you admire. I have been meaning to send Ashley from Lil Blue Boo a note, so I finally did. If you don't know her or haven't been to her blog I highly recommend it. She is amazingly talented and that's enough reason to follow her. Then on top of that, she was recently diagnosed with cancer and I have been floored to watch her deal with this challenge so courageously. Her positive outlook, stamina, and sense of humor will pull you in. You can start by watching her "Rite of Passage" video.

This week's challenge is a Super Heroes of Service challenge. If you are new here, it's a challenge you can do with children, involving them in the opportunity to do good.

The challenge is to thank a public service worker. We dropped off treats once for the firefighters and they were so kind. They let us in to see the firetrucks and take pictures. We might try the police this time. I think the boys will really have fun with this challenge.

Did you write some thank you notes or a letter to someone you admire? I'd love to hear about how it went. Thanks for reading.

How to Make Hairpins

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today's craft is super, duper easy and fun. We're going to make/embellish some hairpins.

This is a great project to do with younger people as well because it's really easy. (While Rex won't be wearing one, he was really excited to help make them.) The reason for this project is that I've been wanting to wearing my hair (not my makeup) like these pictures I found on Pinterest.

Then I saw these clips at Anthropologie and while I was tempted to get some, I figured making them would be inexpensive and easy.

So I purchased some hairpins and clips at Hobby Lobby and I also stopped at an antique shop and picked up some vintage earrings. I invited my crafty friend over and we worked together. It's a good project to do with a friend, because there are two hairpins to make from each earring set - one for each person.

After the supplies were assembled we broke out the secret weapon - Aleene's SUPER Gel Adhesive. I love this glue. It holds so well - even metal to metal. What I like about it the most is that it has a little brush in it just like nail polish. (Let's just say I've had some bad encounters with little tubes of super glue and there's still evidence on my kitchen table.) This stuff is way easier to use because of the brush.

I used some wire cutters to snap off the back of the earrings.

We brushed on some adhesive and added the earrings.

You only have to hold the pin to the earring for a minute or two until it's really on there and dry.

This clip was originally blank on top, but I happened to have little leaf beads that fit right in it, so I glued them on.

Buttons also work well for this project. You just have to use ones that don't have a loop on the back. I had my assistant select some for me.

I am excited to wear them now. The redish-brown one looked so cute in my friend's blonde hair.

It's a great five minute project with fun results.

Thanks for stopping by.

The Martha Stewart Link and a GIVEAWAY!

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you all so much for your helpful answers on Saturday. I've already used a lot of the advice. You guys are awesome!

For those of you who didn't get to tune in to Martha last week, I now have a link so you can watch it online. You can go HERE and then in the left sidebar there's a link that says "Watch the Video." You kind of miss a tiny bit of the beginning, but you see the most important parts.

I also wanted to thank you guys for all your encouragement and for sharing the excitement along the way. I feel so lucky to have such supportive, kind readers. So, today I'm giving away the dress that Martha sewed in the final stage....

....AND the one they had displayed on the mannequin to two of you readers.

All you have to do it leave ONE comment below. If you leave a couple comments by accident, please go back and erase the others.

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED.

Thanks for dropping in.

Sunshine Sunday - sledding, scowls, and Saturdays

2012-01-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Rex has been counting down the days till his preschool's sledding day. We haven't had a lot of snow this year and he's been wanting to sled so badly. Then on Tuesday we finally woke up to snow. His sledding day wasn't until Friday and I thought the snow might melt before then, so my friend and I took the boys sledding that morning. We got fresh, untouched snow all to ourselves...and it melted by Friday so the preschool sledding day was cancelled. I was really glad we went.

Rex made a snow angel. Baden didn't really like the snow to come in contact with him in any way :)

Baden has hit the I-think-chapstick-is-the-coolest-thing-in-the-world phase. He is a funny kid. If you didn't know him you'd think he was the crankiest kid in the world because his face looks like this so often. He's actually so much fun and pretty easy-going. It's like his my sweet little secret.

Lastly, I'm grateful for Saturdays. My favorites are the ones when we don't have a lot of plans. Yesterday we got to go out for my husband's birthday. I really got lucky when I married him. He is so supportive and such a good friend to me.

I have some projects I'm excited to share with you this week AND I'm giving something fun away tomorrow. See you then. Thanks for reading.

Sharing Saturday - a few questions

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's been FOREVER since we had a Sharing Saturday and I miss them! Here's how it goes. I list three questions and you give your answers in the comments. If you have a questions YOU'D like asked of everyone here, just shoot me an email and we'll fit it in sometime. Since it's been a while, I don't have reader questions. They are mine. I'd love your help/suggestions.

1) What is the best product for cleaning off the hardened brown stains on a stovetop. Our stovetop is stainless steel and when the water accidentally boils over I can never get it off very well. Any tips?

2) What are some games that are great for young children other than Candyland? Let's just say I've spent hours playing Candyland this ~~week~~ month and I need something new. Rex can't get enough of it. He's only four, so I need something else that he can understand and like.

3) Where's the best family vacation you've ever been on? Is it Disneyland, Legoland, or is there some place that you'd rate higher? I don't know if we'll really do it, but we've talked a little about trying to do a little family vacation sometime this year. Our kids have never been to any of those places. Thoughts?

Thanks for your advice and input! I can't wait to hear what you have to say. Thanks for reading!

Nesting at Delia's

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today I'm over at Delia Creates. She's hosting a nesting series, as she is getting ready to have her third baby. After two boys she's having a GIRL! Yay! Delia AND her blog are both my favorites. I've met her twice and she is the extremely kind, thoughtful, and gorgeous.

Here's a sneak preview of what I made. You'll have to go head over HERE to get the full low down.

Thanks for stopping by.

Valentines from a Rockstar

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

If by some chance you're arriving here to today because you saw me on Martha Stewart today, then WELCOME!!! I hope you enjoy my blog and spend some time peeking around. Today's project is for Valentine's day.

I wanted to come up with a new fun Valentine for my son Rex this year. I had so much fun making last year's. I wanted to include a photo again this time around. Here's what I came up with.

They were easy to make. Here's the how to:

I dressed Rex us a little more funky than normal and took some pictures of him with my guitar case. He happened to be a total ham that day, which was perfect. I had a hard time deciding which picture to use. Here are a couple others. (I can't help but share them :)

Oh yeah. It's the smoulder.

I added some text to the pictures on Picnik. (Yes, I know. It's going to be closing in a few months, but hopefully they'll carry the whole thing over to Google + and not just parts of it.)

I printed the pictures as 4x6s because that made them bigger than the pop rock packet.

Then I cut a piece of paper to match the size of the picture. I also cut a little half circle out at the top so it would be easier to slide out the candy. I stapled 3 sides. It forms a pocket for the pop rocks to slide into. Then I let Rex practice writing his name and his friends' names on the back.

And that's it. They kind of make me giggle.

And we're ready for Valentine's Day. I think he'll have fun giving them out to his buddies.

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

Wake Up Wednesday

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last week's challenge was to do something for your spouse or significant other. I got off rather easy because this past week my husband had his birthday. However, I did do something sentimental in addition to the presents. We got engaged in Central Park 7 years ago, so while I was there last week I had my sister take this picture for me.

If it's too small to read here, the note says, "I would say yes again." (Don't worry. I printed it big enough for him to be able to read it.)

This week's challenge is to write a note to someone who impresses you. It could be a friendly co-worker. It might be a family member. This challenge is pretty loose, but I have someone in mind that I've been meaning to write to for a while. Maybe you do too. Let them know how you feel. It's fun to see how much people shine when you recognize their goodness. Even children light up when you point out the good.

So, did any of you do something for your spouse or friend this week? Let's hear how it went. Thanks for joining in. Tomorrow I'll show you the fun Valentines we made for Rex to hand out this year. See you then.

Easiest Ever Minestrone (for the DailyBuzz Mom's 9x9)

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

After reading the title today you might be thinking, "But Cheri doesn't ever post recipes." And you're right. However, I have a rockin' recipe from my mom for minestrone and I love it. Why?

- Because it's one of those things I can still make when I have almost nothing in the house.

- I love eating warm soup in the winter.

- It's quite healthy and a great way to get my kids to eat veggies.

- It's crazy easy and delicious, which makes me happy.

So today we're breaking the rules and I'm sharing a recipe. It's one of those recipes that's very adjustable.

1lb. ground beef OR Italian sausage (whatever you like)

2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce

2 jars of water (fill the ones you got the spaghetti sauce out of)

1 beef bullion cube (or 3 if you used beef rather than Italian sausage)

1 cup of a veggie (I like carrots, corn, peas, mushrooms, or zucchini in it.)

1 cup of another veggie

1/4 cup chopped onion (optional)

1.5 Tbsp Parsley

1.5 Tbsp Pizza seasoning

3/4 to 1 cup dry pasta

Brown your meat in the same pot you'll use for the soup. Drain the grease.

Add the spaghetti sauce and water.

Throw in all the veggies you have in your house. (If you're kids are picky, I think it helps to chop up the veggies into smaller unidentifiable pieces.) I always have some veggies in the freezer, so if I don't have fresh ones on hand it still works. It's also great for using up those leftover veggies you've got sitting around. You can pretty much throw anything in.

Stir in the seasonings and cover your pot. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 30 minutes to cook the veggies.

While it simmers start some water boiling to cook the pasta.

Use any pasta you like. I like to let my kids pick a fun one. This time I used Orzo, so I only used 3/4 cup because you can fit a lot more of that in a cup than most pasta. When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the soup. (If you have a family member with a gluten allergy, just use rice instead.)

Then you're ready to serve it up. It makes a good sized pot, which is good news because the leftovers are great too. Serve with parmesan cheese and good bread. Enjoy.

Do you have a yummy soup recipe that you adore? Feel free to share a link in the comments so we can all try it out.

Thanks for reading.

The Martha Stewart Show

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's time for the low-down. First of all, the show will air on THURSDAY (January 26th) at 10am on the Hallmark Channel.

I'll give you the full story of my experience. Read as much or as little as you want :)

I was contacted by someone from the show in the very beginning of September. They found my blog and wanted me to demonstrate how to make the Upcycled T-shirt Dress. I was floored when I got the email and wondered how I could even verify it was real. She explained that they didn't have dates, but wanted to see if it would even be a possibility for me. I didn't really tell anyone because I figured I'd wait to see if it would really happen.

I emailed them to check up on things a couple of times in the next few months and they said they were looking at January and they'd give me dates as soon as possible. At the end of December they gave me dates and then I told all of you, since it was official.

I had to prepare a lot for the show. They wanted dresses in all the various stages and I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off the two days before I fly out. The day of the filming they sent an intern to pick up all the stuff and I reported to the studio later.

When we arrived they let my sisters come back with me and they told us that Jessica Alba would also be a guest on the show that day. At that point we all texted our husbands, "Bet you wish you were here now!" Ha! It seems every man that breathes has a thing for her.

They had me rehearse everything with someone standing in for Martha. At this point I was getting nervous. They kept telling me all the things I needed to say and do and I was freaking out a wee bit on this inside, wondering if I would remember any of it.

The people who worked there were AWESOME, KIND, and REALLY FUN. They were my favorite part. After some rehearsing I went in for hair and makeup (which was great because I'm not a makeup expert.) The girls who did my hair and makeup were so kind as well. I wish I had pictures of everyone there, but I figured they might not want to be pictured on some random blog :)

My sisters headed off to the audience while I waited backstage in my green room. I watched the show from there and they came to get me when it was my turn. When I came out they had music playing loudly and someone there to pump up the crowd. I kind of felt like a football player coming out as the starting line up.

The music stopped, I met Martha, and the people there quickly reminded me of what I needed to say/do. Lastly, a kind camera man came over and said, "The most important thing you need to do is have fun." I actually didn't feel too nervous at this point. It did become fun.

The people I know have asked me about Martha. What is she like? It's not like we had tea together. I shook her hand, we recorded the segment, and that was about it. She was nice, but I don't know her any better than anyone of you. It seemed like the people who worked there really liked her, and I really think that says a lot. When the segment was done they took a picture of us together for me to have and they took one with my sisters in it too.

Martha asked if she could keep one of the dresses for her granddaughter. Can you really say no to that? I was excited that she liked the project so much.

I headed back to my room while they finished the rest of the show. My sisters said Martha let the audience ask some questions after the show. They also got samples of Jessica Alba's new natural baby products.

I brought toffee from V Chocolate for all the ladies there and gave them my "Hats Off to You" cards with Rex on them to say thanks. (I wanted to share something and my kids and chocolate are my favorites :)

I feel really lucky for getting the chance to do something like this. If you'd told me this would happen way back when I started this blog I probably wouldn't have believed you.

And that's the whole story. Thanks for letting me share it with you. See you tomorrow.

Sunshine Sunday - NYC Edition

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share some pictures of what my sisters and I did in New York and tomorrow I'll give you the Martha low-down. I brought my nice camera, but never had the energy to drag it with daily. We walked so much, so I just ended up using my iPhone instead.

I LOVE NYC! I'd been there once before when my husband and I got engaged, but I got to see a lot more this time around.

We hit China Town to score a cute knock-off bag for my sister who didn't get to come :(

There was a sweet Lego store at Rockefeller Center. My boys would have drooled all over the place.

There was a huge Toys 'R Us in Times Square. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to pose with Ironman.

Here are my sisters in Times Square. My little sister Cassie is 7 months pregnant and she was such a trooper. We walked and walked and walked and she was right there with us. She scored some discounts when she bargained, due to her prego belly. It was really funny.

She even got a nice present from a bird in Central Park. So thoughtful :)

There were so many cool buildings to look at. I should have taken more pictures, but I was too busy looking.

We had hot dogs at the original "Gray's Papaya." Yum!

We went to M and J Trimming. My sister took this picture. I wish I had taken some, but I couldn't pick my jaw up off the floor to take one. WOW. That place was incredible. Billions of trims, buttons, elastics, and everything else crafty. It was astonishing.

My very favorite part of NYC is the subways! My sisters would laugh at me because I got so excited to use them. Thanks for the tip on the Subway app too. That helped SO much.

There is so much incredible tile/mosaic work in the subways too. My sister Jodi thought it would be cool to do something like this as a kitchen backsplash. I agree. So awesome.

I'll give you the Martha report tomorrow. It was seriously fun. My sisters got some sample products in the audience.

Thank you all for sharing your great tips on where to go and what to do. We had so much fun. I will live on all the memories for a long, long time.

Thanks for reading.

Soapbox Saturday - Fabric Organizer

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm in the process of slowly changing our office into my craft room. My husband didn't initially like the idea, but I promised him I would keep it clean and organized. With all sorts of fabric in bins and baskets everywhere, I knew this promise would be hard to keep. Then (through Lindsay) I found the Fabric Organizer. Yay! Now things are looking great and tidy.

Let me tell you a little more about them. They are thin and made of corrugated plastic. They have tabs that hold the fabric in place and then you wrap it around like a bolt at the store. They keep your fabric looking like a store and they help it stay wrinkle-free as well.

They even have a video HERE to show you exactly how they work. They now come in three sizes - small, large, and shorty. I like the shorty ones for the shelving in my craft room.

The large ones fit in if I turn them sideways. I think I'll use the large ones in a bin eventually.

The small ones are long and narrow. They are great for trim and ribbon.

I loaded them up and they fit nicely in the drawer of my desk. I love that you can see everything you have instead of digging through a disorganized bin.

If your New Year's resolution involves organizing, you might want to head over to the Fabric Organizer. I really love this product. It's simple, smart, and it's going to help me keep my creativity in order.

Thanks for dropping in.