Miss Lovie

My Favorite Things Thursday on Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Sun, 27 May 2012 01:54:00 +0000

Welcome to My Favorite Things Thursday.... not on Thursday...again.

I really can't seem to get this down. Ha. Last week we obviously didn't have a MFTT post because I was super busy with the end of the school year and then this week hit and it was even crazier. Thursday night was Kindergarten Graduation. Yesterday was the last day. Whew. I love my kinder babies, but this year was definitely the most challenging ever. And those who know me or have heard a few of my stories, know every year in my teaching career has been challenging, but this one sure took the cake. I will always remember and love this class, but I'm glad they're moving on. :) And that my summer is getting closer!!! I have another work week left and then sweet summer is mine. Which also means more blog posts for you. :) YAY!

Without further chatter from me, here's my favorite things that caught my eye this week!

Melon-Blocked Skirt by Liz and Elizabeth at Simple Simon and Company
Liz and Elizabeth always have the most unique and fun ideas! Love this sweet color block skirt and bow.

Mammarazzi Self Portrait Tips by Delia at Delia Creates
Delia shares so fabulous tips about taking pictures of yourself. I can't wait to try some of her tips and ideas. It's hard to do self portraits!!

Vintage Inspired Tea Party by Kalleen at At Second Street
Kalleen put on the sweetest tea party for her daughter. I had a tea party where we all dressed up in our grandma's clothes and felt really fancy when I was little and it is a fond memory of mine to this day. I'm sure Kalleen's daughter will feel the same.

Cheesey Shredded Chicken Bites by Kristen at Dine and Dish
Oh my goodness these look incredible. Want them immediately.

Peanut Butter Fudge Coffee Ice Cream Cupcakes by Jessica at How Sweet It Is
OMG. Get in my belly. This is seriously all of my favorite ingredients combined. Jessica is my new favorite person.

Cars-Inspired Boy Bed by Hani at Craftionary
This is the cutest boys room. Love all the cars print and polka dots.

Tutu and Pointe Shoes Wreath Tutorial by Rachel at Family Ever After
What a great idea for preserving and displaying pointe shoes! I love this idea from Rachel.

Spray Painting Feathers by Janae at The Letter 4

Loving this spray paint idea at The Letter 4. Of course I love gold anything. Striped feathers? Yes, please.

Hope you enjoyed this week! If you were featured, I'd love it if you grabbed a button!

Mr. Lovie's 30th Birthday Party Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Tue, 22 May 2012 03:40:00 +0000

This past weekend was Mr. Lovie's 30th birthday!! I had a great time planning his little party for him and our friends. There's always more that I wish I could have had time for, but I love the decorations that I did have time to make for the party.

Pinterest was a big help with recipes, too, of course. Chocolate Covered Banana Bites and Peanut Butter Brownie Bites were the sweets. My Granny's infamous cheese dip was a big hit, too.

The yummy looking cupcakes came from Matt's family party the night before. Mm.

These little cupcake/dessert toppers were too fun to make. I'll share them with you later this week!!

I got the idea for these toppers at Kojo Designs' Pretty Parties series. I tweaked a few things. More details later.

"Prouda you" is something Matt and I say to each other daily for everything...when we're being serious like when he finished his last day of Year 2 of Law school, I said, "Prouda you" or when we're being ridiculous and I'm just sitting on the couch in pajamas and no makeup and he looks over at me and says, "Prouda you...for being so cute" I know, I know...ridiculous. It's from the movie, "October Sky". We've said it to each other ever since that random weekend we watched it together. It had to be a part of his birthday party since 30 is kinda a milestone and he's been working so hard these past few years.

I attempted to paint the canvas in an ombre blue, and then I cut out letters from fabric and modge podged them on. It's such a quick and simple project. I'm not lying when I say I did it in less than 45 minutes (not counting drying time for the paint or modge podge). I cut a slit in the wrapped box and stuck the canvas in it. The box acted as a stand for it and it sat on our party table.

Goofball.

I also made a sweet bunting. And I have to tell you. This is the first time in my life that I have ever drawn large letters like that. I have this uncanny ability to cut out letters (without drawing them first) quickly and well, but I can NEVER write them and make them look good. It took several tries but I did it. Look at me. I'm growing. Check back later for a template for the little flags!

And then this beauty is my favorite piece of decor from the party. I followed Kristin of Kojo Designs' directions for the torn fabric garland. LOVE it. While slightly time-consuming, it's so easy and it really can be done in one night. I'm excited to use it for another party, too. I tied the bunting directly to it. and it turned out great!

The birthday boy and me enjoyed celebrating his 30th. I hope you had a great weekend, too! Check back soon for the Dessert Topper Tutorials and Tips and the Bunting Template later this week.

Linking to the parties on my sidebar!

My Favorite Things Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:13:00 +0000

Welcome to My Favorite Things Thursdays!!

I found some fabulous stuff this week...Check it out!

Wherever You Go, There You are Print by Lara at Less Cake [More Frosting]

I just LOVE the colors and patterns in this print. I'm sure you already know her, but if not, Lara is incredibly talented and everything she does is "Wow" material. You should definitely go browse her site (for hours). Go visit that post to read about how she finds inspiration!

Pleated Red Pants by Lizzie at Cotton and Curls

I seriously love this girl. She has the best quick refashion tutorials all the time. I just love how these red pleated pants turned out by using her Tailor your Trousers tutorial.

Basic Pocket Tote by Dana at Made

If you read craft blogs, you have to know Dana. I love this tutorial. Dana has a special way of making her tutorials very clear with beautiful pictures at every turn. I squeal a little every time she shows us something new. This basic tote has made it to my to-sew list for sure.

Button Bib Necklace and Button Earring Tutorial by Michele at The Scrap Shoppe

Uh, these are totally cool. This post links to the tutorial for the earrings (which is such a cool idea!) and then there is another post for the necklace. I like it because it's different and just think how cute it would be if you found a bunch of different buttons and used them?! I'm really excited about the earring tutorial for sure.

Tulle Pom Pom Headbands by Tanya atTrey and Lucy

Could this baby be any cuter?! Tanya's blog was one of the very first ones I found and got me addicted to reading craft blogs, which eventually led me to creating my own. (Thanks Tanya!) She always has the cutest ideas! And usually they're simple to do, too! I just love this little pom pom headband. It's so sweet. Go get that tutorial!

Inspired Lamp by Mandi at Vintage Revivals

This lamp is super cool. Mandi never disappoints. But what I really like about this post is Mandi's thoughts on the difference in being inspired by something you see and using it to create something that is yours and has your voice versus just copying an idea. Good thoughts. Definitely a good read!!

Ceiling Medallions as Wall Decor by Better Homes and Gardens

What a great idea, huh?! Found this on Pinterest, of course, and I just had to share. I love ceiling medallions. All of those painted and clustered together look awesome.

End of the Year Puzzle Gift by Arianne at Kethchen's Kindergarten

And this last post is for the Kinder teachers out there! You are probably winding the year down, as we are and need a special gift for your little ones. This idea from my kinder teammate's blog is great. Use her label and attach it to a small puzzle (Go to the dollar store!!), add a Smartie, and you're done! Easy, cute, and they'll love it.

If you were featured, feel free to grab a button!

Hope you enjoyed my favorites this week! See you soon!

Flat Olivia Adventures in Ohio

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:32:00 +0000

Hello, all!

I hope you're having a super week! I've been completely exhausted from school which is why I haven't posted any new crafts. I come home and look at my to-do/to-craft list and collapse on the couch instead. My crazy kiddos have figured out there's not much more school left and they've gone completely bonkers. Seriously, someone save me. :) Ha. 12 days. I can do it. Field Trip tomorrow. Whew.

In the meantime, my little cousin's kindergarten in Lexington, Kentucky class sent me "Flat Olivia", a flat version of one of my cousin's classmates so I could take her on an adventure here in Dayton, Ohio. If I hadn't been super busy with grad school, I would have taken her to the Air Force museum, but there was no time. To be honest, I held on to her for way too long and need to mail her out asap so school doesn't end before the letter and pictures get there. Oops.

source

If you are unfamiliar with the fun of "Flat Stanley", the book, it is a treasured story where Stanley gets flattened in his sleep by a bulletin board on his wall. The good part about it, though, is that he can visit his friends by being sent to them in the mail. That is, of course, how "Flat Olivia" got to me! And we went to a Cincinnati Reds game! We took the ferry over (as seen above)...

And had great seats for Opening Weekend!

It was a beautiful night. "Flat Olivia" liked it, I think. (And I like her blue nails!)

I also just had to bring Flat Olivia with me to school so she could meet my kindergarteners. Here she is helping with Calendar Math.

And again, reading with a new friend. Have you ever received a "Flat Stanley" or a "Flat someone"? What adventures did you go on? I really kinda wanted to sew her some new clothes and take pictures of us crafting together...but I ran out of time. Ha. Next time.

See you here tomorrow for My Favorite Things Thursday!

My Favorite Things Thursday and the Countdown!

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:41:00 +0000

Welcome to My Favorite Things Thursday!!

Last week I announced I am (mostly) done with grad school, and this week, I'm so hyped to say that we only have 16 school days left of this year!! I could not be more excited. While I love my kinder babies always, this group of students has been especially challenging and I am beyond ready for a nice long break (that must and will include lots of pool time where I can read lots of great books). I will miss them though. Today I was called "Mom" twice, I laughed really hard at a student pretending to share his snack with our stuffed animals we have in the room, and another student told me he liked my singing voice after we got finished practicing our kinder graduation song. Sweetness. The end of the year will be bittersweet as always, but I'm still REALLY excited!

Enjoy my favorite finds around blog land from this week!

Pow Wow Quilt and Pattern by Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew

Are you swooning as hard as I am over that quilt? I don't love all quilts, but holy moly, Allison is amazing. Her quilts are always incredible. The colors in this quilt are perfect. If you quilt, she has a pattern for this quilt on her blog! I want to learn.

Hello Luscious Zig Zag Quilt by Ashley at Mommy by Day Crafter by Night

After I said I don't love all quilts, here's another quilt I really do love. Ashley is so talented. Of course she makes beautiful quilts! She announced that she will be doing a Quilt Along during the month of June...Wonder if I could still join if I have no clue what I'm doing?! Such a pretty quilt and she made it for her sister as a gift. Sweet. Go check it out.

Knock-Off Striped Skirt by Lindsay at Southern Lovely

Ok, so it's official. I need to make one of these skirts pronto. I just love them. I've seen a few tutorials around. They're probably all pinned to my Women's Sewing Projects board. I love the purple in Lindsay's. So cute and flattering!

Urban Duck Hoodie by Laura, Emma and Emma at Craftstorming

Cutest ever. You have to click over and see the rest of these pictures. The duck buttons are so cute and I always love those urban-style hoodies on kids.

Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake by Baking With Blondie

To die for. I'm pretty sure that's what I wrote in the caption when I pinned this. I really want to make this soon. It sounds yummy and it's so pretty, too!!

Coconut Mini Carrot Cakes by Back For Seconds

Coconut and carrot cake?! Mmmmm. And they're mini! Cute! I want to them all.

Chalkboard Chargers by Daune at Cottage in the Oaks

How great is this idea?! Daune spray painted the chargers with chalkboard paint and then personalized them for her guests! Great idea! Go check them out!

Love You To Pieces Mothers' Day Card by Miss Morgan at Brilliant Beginnings Preschool Utah

So I always try to come up with cute ideas for my kids at school to do for their moms and I think this might be it this year. Love these cards. I love making torn paper crafts anyway (they're easy to manage and prepare for and they're great for developing fine motor skills!) My kids will love them, too because they're folded accordion style.

Grab a button if you were featured!!

Happy Almost Friday! Have a great weekend! See you soon!

Leafy Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 01:33:00 +0000

Finally a craft post! YAY!

Here's the wreath I made to give away as a door prize at our school carnival this weekend.

I got my inspiration from this wreath I found on Pinterest forever ago.

You can purchase that wreath here: Jane Joss Etsy shop. Be sure to go visit the Jane Joss shop. She's got some beautiful items.

I made my leaves very similar to the way the Etsy shop owner describes hers, but I added a flower as well. It turned out really pretty. I like the neutral colors, but it would be fun in bright colors, too. And especially in fall colors during the fall.

It was a pretty quick Friday night project. And I was happy to hear a friend of mine at school won the wreath. She said it would match her current decor perfectly.

I decided to make a tag last minute. I'm loving my new polka dot stamp.

Hope you love this leafy wreath as much as I do. I needed something a little different and this one was fun to make. I'd like to keep experimenting with it and do some other variations with colors and different flowers.

Thanks for reading and have a great week! See you again soon!

My Favorite Things Thursday and I'm Back :)

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:52:00 +0000

Welcome to My Favorite Things Thursday!

I know I have been MIA forever. Sorry about that. I want to thank you for sticking around!!!

I promise tutorials and crafts soon. Let's do some jewelry, new wreaths, some party decor, and maybe even some sewing(!) REAL soon together, ok?!

Because guess what.... I am DONE DONE DONE DONE with grad school. Yep.
I've still got to take the Praxis and finish my grad portfolio, but the hard part is over. And I kinda rocked it, too. :) Who said you can't teach kinder and go to grad school (out of state) and write a blog at the same time? Ok ok, I haven't actually been doing much blog writing, but I'm back now. Expect something awesome coming your way this weekend. :) For now, let's get on to my favorite finds. I've actually had the time to look through my Reader! It's amazing.

10 Minute Heart Onesie by Dana at Made

Uh, cutest ever. Right?! Dana can do no wrong. I need to make about 30 of those onesies for babies I don't even have immediately in ever color. Love them. Simple hearts are my fave. Genius. Go get that tutorial.

Heart Swaddling Blanket by Delia at Delia Creates

Adapted from Dana's version at Made

And going right along with my favorite simple heart theme, Delia comes up with this great swaddling blanket. (No, I don't have baby fever...why?)

Vintage Skirt by Jessica at Me Sew Crazy

Loving Jessica's sweet skirt made from a vintage table cloth! Beautiful. She has a top that goes with it, too. Go check it out!

Fix an Awkward Neckline with a Ruffle by Kate at See Kate Sew

This idea is kinda awesome. Go read Kate's tutorial on how to fix an awkward neckline by sewing in a simple ruffle. I love it.

Two Tone Basket by Claire at A Little Something in the Meantime

I thought this was a fun idea. Simple, too. A great way to mix things up a little bit.

Earth Day Cupcakes by Robin at Bird on a Cake

I know Earth Day's over, but I couldn't help but share these awesome cupcakes. Seriously. I can't stand icing so that heart of red icing gives me the creeps, but I still love these. I'd make them and let everyone else eat them while I just adored their cuteness.

Metallic Mason Jars by Georgia at Georgia Pellegrini

This is my most favorite idea I've found in a long time. These are awesome. Except I want them to be gold. Love this idea. How cute would they be mixed in with other vases/cans/containers spray painted with various metallic colors. Love.

Spring Wreath by Marija at Touseld Day

I stumbled onto this unique wreath today and thought it needed to be included. It's so different from what we usually see. I love that the bright green almost looks like petals and the gold glitter ribbon is perfect.

Hope you enjoyed these features!

If you were featured, please feel free to grab a button!

Thanks for reading!!

Stained Glass Flower Kids Craft {Tutorial}

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:20:00 +0000

A Tutorial! Yay! It's about time, right?

Stained glass flower crafts are so classic. I love them. I had never done any with my students before and the day before spring break I determined that it was high time. I got the idea and most of the directions for these at DTLK crafts, but I made my own templates and added some things. :)

They really do look so pretty in our classroom window. Wanna make some in your classroom? Or with your kids at home? Let's do it. After I modeled it for them, my kindergarteners did all parts of this activity except the actual ironing.

Gather Materials:
Flower Template

Stem Template

Grass Template (optional)

Construction Paper

Crayons

Crayon Sharpeners

Scissors

Old Towel

Wax Paper, about a 12x12 sheet per flower.

Iron

1. Copy the flower and stem template onto the appropriate color construction paper. Fold template in half and make a cut in the middle. (This template is not symmetrical so you cant keep it folded and cut and then unfold). 2. Unfold the template, stick scissors inside the cut and cut the flower out from the inside. This was a little difficult for some of my kiddos, but I had extras on hand. :) 3. Cut out the stem and glue it to the flower.

1. Sharpen crayons to get a good amount of shavings. You can use different coordinating colors if you like. 2. You probably shouldn't let children shave the crayons, but if you're trying to help them out, this way might be faster for you. 3. Lay a towel down and the wax paper on top. Dump the shavings out onto the wax paper 4. and spread them out.

1. Fold the wax paper over itself, completely covering the shavings and leaving a couple of inches between any edges to insure the melted crayon doesn't seep out. 2. Cover the folded wax paper with the towel. Be sure you use an old towel just in case any of the shavings spill out and it gets on the towel. You can tell in the picture that after doing about 20 of these, this did happen to me. Hold the iron over top of each area for several seconds. It will seem like nothing ins happening for awhile and then everything will be melted at once so watch it. The iron should be on a medium to low setting.

And this is what you get! Pretty!

1. Position the flower cut out over the part of the melted crayon you like the best. 2. Glue it down. 3. Cut off any excess wax paper around the construction paper.

Ta-Da!

Just for fun I made some grasses to go under the flowers to make it look like a little spring garden. :) These are optional, of course.

These are, of course, my students' creations.

Cute, huh? Even the most odd color combos came out great! You really can't go wrong with this project.

Now I think it's time to get out some sweet little springtime books so we can learn more about what Spring can bring!

Thanks for reading!

Linking to the parties on my sidebar.

My Favorite Things Thursday-On Friday...Again

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:35:00 +0000

Happy Friday!!

Normally I am totally hyped that it's Friday, but this Friday, I'm a little sad. I've been on Spring Break this week and it has FLOWN by and since it's Friday that means I don't have much longer to pretend my job teaching kindergarten doesn't exist. HA! Love being with my kinder babies, but this break was so needed. Now if only if I could figure out a way to extend it...

I know My Favorite Things Thursday is supposed to go up on Thursdays, but I had a draft for my grad school project due yesterday so I had to put it off until today. Enjoy!!

Sock Bunny Tutorial by Ashley at Lil Blue Boo

I have been in LOVE with these sweet sock bunnies since the day I pinned them.

Follow me on Pinterest here!

Ashley has a great tutorial on how to do them and they're really pretty simple. I just love those long ears and button eyes!

Hippity Hoppity Free Easter Printable by Marla at Family Fresh Cooking

If I had kids and was trying to be preparing for Easter, I know I'd be doing some last minute things....So if you're like me, here's a last minute printable!! I just love the colors on it! So cute and an easy way to dress up a little candy jar.

Dancin Chick Applique by Shyanne at Shy By Design

This applique is too cute. LOVE the skirt. And the eyelashes. I wish I had time to whip one of these up for Mr. Lovie's niece. Next year, next year.

DIY Mason Jar Candle by Veronika at Tick Tock Vintage

How awesome is this? You've got to click over and read her tutorial on how she did this. SO cool. I think I may have to try it. She said the lettering from the jar came out better than it seems in the picture, too. Love these.

DIY Hair Necklace by Lauren, Kristen, and Amy Nadine at The Beauty Department

Yeah, I know. I'm not sure about it either. But it's interesting, huh? I know if I wore a necklace in my hair to work everyone would think I had officially gone bonkers, but I kinda love it. I love gold chain on anything, why not your hair?! The DIY is great. You should totally check it out.

Sequin Sash How-To by Kristina at Kristina J

I think I probably need this immediately. And the billowy dress to go with it, of course. Go find out how to sew one of these beauties up. It looks like the perfect summer nights accessory to me!

Wire Ring Tutorial by Rose at A Rosie Sweet Home

Playing with wire is super fun. I love how Rose made this ring. I'm pretty envious of her. I feel like anytime I try to make anything like this, it turns out mangled. Ha. Maybe I just need some practice. Click on over to see how she made it and how cute it looks on her.

Samoa Bundt Cake by Betsy at Betsy Life

Did your heart just stop? Yeah, mine did, too, when I saw this. Beautiful and delicious-looking. Samoas (or Caramel Delights as they were called in my region growing up) were my favorite Girl Scout cookie when I was little. I still love them. I can't imagine how good this cake is. Mm. Go get that recipe!

In other news, I saw that Android just got Instagram! Fun! If you're on Instagram and want to follow me, look me up under Miss Lovie!

Enjoy your weekend!!

Hello!! and A Weekend Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:43:00 +0000

Hello! It's been awhile.

I've been pretty overwhelmed with work and grad school. I'm hoping things will all slow down in a month or two as a finish up my masters classes. In the meantime, I plan to pop in here and there as much as possible. I will try to keep up with My Favorite Things Thursdays and I'll do some crafts here and there. I hate that I can't put as much time into Miss Lovie as it deserves, but sometimes, you just can't do it all! I do have a fun Spring kids' craft tutorial coming up soon.

This week my school is on Spring Break. Today I am enjoying a couple days with my family in Lexington, Kentucky before I go back home to do some serious work on my grad school projects. Here are some pictures of the fun girls weekend I just got back from in Asheville, North Carolina. My friend is getting married and several of us went to visit her and stayed in a cabin and enjoyed each other's company.

How cute are these cozies my friend Annie made for all of the Bridesmaids?!!

Precious.

We visited the Biltmore. So fun and beautiful. We did the full audio tour and wine tasting. By the end of our long, fun day, you could hear any of us say, "Who needs a beach on Spring Break?! We've got the Biltmore!" haha.

I think the tulip gardens were my favorite

We also went hiking. It was the hardest hike I've ever gone on in my life. It was 4.2 miles of constant incline and large rocks. And, yes. I do have on a trench coat. You gotta be stylish at all times. No, not really. I forgot my jacket and a friend let me borrow whatever was in her car so I wouldn't freeze. Ha!

The best way to take on this steep stretch of the trail was to run it evidently.

Gorgeous.

Hope you enjoyed taking a peek into my little Asheville Adventure. Check back soon for my kids' spring craft!

Hello, Forsythia. It Must Be Spring.

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:23:00 +0000

Happy Spring!!!

Just thought I'd check in with some pretty spring pictures for a second between my grad school homework and parent teacher conferences at school this week. No Favorite Things Thursday. It will resume soon!

When I noticed the forsythia in our neighborhood was starting to bloom, I rushed outside to get a few quick pics before it got dark after I got home from school the other night. There's just something about that in-your-face-intense yellow color that gets me so excited for spring. I know spring is all about the pastels, but most of the time I feel pretty ick about pastels. This crazy yellow, though, is great. I also love how forsythia grows. Crazy. My friend and I used to have some faux forsythia in a pot in our apartment back in the day. We donned it, "The monster plant". A lot of people trim their forsythia like bushes, but I like it when people let it grow free and wild:

Source

Like this. Yes.

Seeing that bright yellow bush starting to bloom was exciting.

I love how quick spring happens, too. I feel like the grass got greener and trees had burst into full bloom over night.

Here's some forsythia-themed ideas I might be doing if I had any time whatsoever to do them. :) Enjoy.

Forsythia Easter Baskets by allyou.com

Forsythia Door Basket by Michelle at Sweet Something Design

Forsythia Love Frame found on Inspired By This

Spring Mantel by Four Generations One Roof

Love, love, love.

Are you sweating already? We are around here. Our temps don't say spring at all. They say summer.

I'm not upset about it, but, I mean, open the pool already.

I hope all is well with you. Next week our Spring Break starts and I could not be more excited. 4 more school days!

St. Patrick's Day Projects Round Up

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 17:40:00 +0000

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here's a quick round up of my St. Pat's Day projects of the past(from top left):

Lucky Wreath, Leprechaun Pants, Embellished Frames, Button Covered Earrings, Scrappy No-Sew Flower

I guess I could have maybe written this post earlier in the month, so you could actually make some of these great projects, but, well, shew. My life is too cray right now. Yep. Cray. As in cray cray. :) Report cards, grad school assignments, tutoring a student twice a week, grad school assignments, the distraction of beautiful weather, grad school assignments...see a pattern? I promise that once I'm done (in APRIL!!!), I will be better. Promise. I hope to have some good things for you this week...maybe an outfit post like I had discussed the possibility of here? We'll see.

Hope you have a happy weekend!! Go have a green beer for me.

I'll be on the couch, typing away.

My Favorite Things Thursday-Spring Edition!

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 19:51:00 +0000

Happy Weekend, everyone!

I hope you're doing something fun and exciting. We've got basketball on at our house (Go Cats!) and I'm taking a tiny break from grad school homework to write this post, but I'll have to devote my life to it again here very soon. Please tell me you're doing something more fun than homework. I'd like to live vicariously through you, please.

Well, as you can see My Favorite Things Thursday didn't go up on Thursday so here we are on Saturday. I had an assignment due Thursday night. I didn't wait til the last minute or anything. No, I would never do that....

Here's my St. Patrick's Day/Spring edition of My Favorite Things Thursday with a great kids idea thrown in at the end.

I hope you enjoy!

Be sure to click over and see more pictures and ideas from these talented ladies!!

And, just a friendly reminder, if you PIN anything from this post, PLEASE be sure to click on the original link and pin from there. It'll save you time in the future finding the project and it's the respectful thing to do!!

St. Patrick's Day Party by Mindy and Crystal at Creative Juice

Wowee wow. LOVE this party. The streamer rainbow is SO fantastic. (Might have to make us a sweet little bulletin board at school sometime using that great idea!!) The fruit kebobs with the tiny ribbons on top are super fun. Just love. You really have got to go check out all these pictures.

Leprechaun Crunch by Lindy at Itsy Bitsy Paper

Uhhhhh. Yum. Right? Look at all that goodness piled on there. Want some now. Go get that recipe, quick!

Framed Bunny Silhouette by Bonnie and Trish at Uncommon

This little bunny frame is so sweet. I love it for Easter and how cute would it be in fun colors for a nursery? The cut out frame attached to the back is a nice touch. Go check out her tutorial!

Faux Chenille Bunny Turorial by Abby at Sew Much Ado on U Create

Oh my I love this. What a great baby gift. And while it looks complicated, it really isn't. I just love faux chenille projects, too. Doesn't it look so comfy and cuddly?!!

Spring Moss Wreath Vignette by Jen at Tatertots and Jello

I saw this the other day and I knew I just had to include it this week. This picture is so happy and springy, it's crazy. Love the chevron yellow chair. LOVE the moss wreath on the re-purposed window. And, of course, the bunting in different sizes is too cute. I think I need to make some tiny triangle bunting soon. Her sweet pup makes the picture, too, I think. :)

Spring Hutch by Jen at CraftOManiac

I really love Jen's spring hutch. The colors are so great and I love the unique centerpiece idea and the chalkboard. Be sure to click over and see more great pics!

Console TV Makeover by Telisa and Sarah at Sugar Tot Designs

Found this gem on Pinterest. Pinned immediately. This used to be an old old console TV. What a great little nook for kids to play in. Can you tell they LOVE it?! What lucky girls they are to have a mom who can see the potential for endless fun in that old TV!

If you were featured, grab a button if you like!!

I hope you enjoyed this week's My Favorite Things Thursday!!

Have a great weekend!

Truffula Tree Kids Craft Tutorial and The Lorax Door Reveal!

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 04:13:00 +0000

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

In this post you will find my Dr. Seuss classroom door decorations and a tutorial on a cute little Truffula Tree craft for kids!

So I really really really love The Lorax book.

source

It's such a great story. I was so surprised by how many people I've heard lately say they've never read it, too. Go read it! I am SO pumped for the movie to come out. I'm hoping to go see it soon! No, I don't have kids. Yes, I love animated movies. What?

When my hall at school decided to do a door decorating contest for Dr. Seuss' birthday I knew what book I had to do. the kids are actually supposed to pick their favorite....but, well, I kind of picked mine. Sorry kids. I knew they'd love my idea, though and since the movie was coming out, I thought they'd be at least a little more familiar with The Lorax, at least.

So here's our door. The final product. :)

I'm kind of in love. It's hard to see (1. because it's hard to take pictures of an entire door, and 2. I don't have permission to show you the kids' faces anyway) but the pictures are of all my students with a Lorax mustache and eyebrows I made, cut out, holding their own Truffula Tree they made.

Here's a close up of me on the door with my Truffula Tree

Keep reading! At the bottom of this post is a tutorial on how to make your own cut out and Truffula Tree!

So the kids' pictures are way cuter than mine. One of my kids could totally pass as the Lorax. Hilarious.

We are all sporting this fabulous mustache and eyebrows. I found this tutorial and whipped it up the morning before school the day we took all the pictures. Instead of using a stick to hold up the mustache I used elastic. I figured this would be easier for the kids. Especially since they had to hold their imaginary tree in the photoshoot.

I made the eyebrows for fun too. I made both eyebrows and mustache using no-pill felt (on sale!) the same way the tutorial says except I placed some card stock in between the two layers when sewing so the mustache and eyebrows would have more stability. I just used regular tape to attach the eyebrows. We just needed them to stick for the picture so it worked fine.

I just love that Lorax guy. :)

I traced both the Lorax and Onceler below using a projector with a black magic marker on construction paper. Then I cut them out and glued them in their spots on the door. I simply backed our Lorax friend with a strip of cardboard so he would stand up and pop out of the Truffula Tree.

The Onceler's window is actually purple like it is in the book. Not sure why it's showing up pink here.

I free handed the large Truffula Tree, and free-cut the letters of "The Lorax". The 3rd and 4th graders voted and we'll find out next Friday who won the contest! I'll keep you updated!

I hope you love it as much as I do!

Click on over to my teacher friend's kindergarten blog, Ketchen's Kindergarten, to see more Dr. Seuss Door ideas!

Now. Want to make your own little Truffula Tree?

I know Dr. Seuss' birthday is over, but this would make a fun craft at a Dr. Seuss themed birthday party or just a fun craft after you go see the movie!

If you wanted to get really crazy, you could make the Lorax mask and eyebrows like we did and take pictures and send pictures with truffula trees home with kids at a birthday party. How fun!

This craft is definitely easy enough for 5 year olds to make. Some of my kids had trouble fluffing the "Truffula tuft" at the end, but they'd get the hang of it easy with a little help

Materials:

bright colors of tulle (I bought half a yard of 5 colors and it was more than enough for 20 kids)

2 pipe cleaners (the stripey ones came from JoAnn's)

Twist the pipe cleaners together.

Cut a 6x6 or 8x8 (depending on how big you want your Truffula tuft to be) square of tulle. In the picture above there are about 8 layers. This is the amount I used for my kids. For the one I made myself (in this post), I used double that-16.

While keeping layers somewhat together (it doesn't have to be perfect at all), fold it like a fan and keep it pinched.

Fold the twisted pipe cleaners around the fanned tulle.

And then twist it closed very close to the bottom of the fan.

Please don't judge my chipping nail polish!

To create the fluffy Truffula tuft, pull out the layers of tulle one by one and fluff it!

This idea is adapted from this Mother's Day Flower tutorial and Martha's Tissue Paper Pom Poms tutorial.

To make the fun picture of you holding the Truffula Tree, take a picture of you (or your child) holding a pretend tree and cut it out.

Place the tree behind your hand, and voila!

To adhere it to our door, I used a glue stick for the picture and hot glued the Truffula Tree.

Yay!

Have fun making Truffula Trees!

and remember,

Thanks for reading!

Linking to the parties on my sidebar.

Decorate Your Door for Dr. Seuss-Sneak Peek

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:07:00 +0000

There will be no My Favorite Things Thursday this week.

There's just too much going on! Tomorrow, however, I will most definitely post about what my kindergarten class is doing to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday, which is tomorrow. We have been reading Dr. Seuss books all week. And our class has entered a door decorating contest that highlights our favorite book.

Can you guess which book we picked by what we have done so far?

It's not finished, of course, but I'm excited to show you the final project.

And maybe even share a couple Dr. Seuss-themed crafts, too! :)

What are you doing to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday with your kids?

I'd love to hear! I'm always searching for new ideas!

Necklace Refashion 2: Interchangeable Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:02:00 +0000

Hey everyone!

So it's been awhile since I've posted a real tutorial. Too much other life things happening. Like grad school. And teaching. And...well that's mostly it really, but - whew - those two things are kinda taking over right now. Since it's been so long without a great tutorial, It's high time you get something awesome. So here it is. Or at least I think so. :)

I hope you enjoy this Interchangeable Flower Necklace Refashion!

Okay, so the name is a little long, but that's okay. I'm long-winded so it works.

I've gotten lots of compliments when I wear this necklace. You will, too if you make one!

The necklace on the far left is what I started with. I lengthened it and added a flower that is interchangeable!

How much more fun is that necklace now! And you can change out the flowers to whatever you want!! I love multiple options!!

If you've been to my blog before you might have seen that I actually already refashioned this necklace earlier this week. Who would have thought I could do it again!
If you missed the first refashion, go check it out!

The necklace that I started with had been sitting on its hook for years untouched. It was in good shape and had nice beads on it so I decided it just needed a redo. This necklace is very easy-even if you've never made jewelry before. All materials can be found relatively cheap at your Hobby Lobby or Michael's store.

Materials:

1. Bent nose pliers

2. Flat nose pliers

3. Jump rings

4. small link chain (only about 4-6 inches worth)

5. Lobster clasps (I used two small and one large, but It doesn't really matter)

6. Filigree

7. Large link chain (13 inches, cut in half)

8. Felt circles that match the back of your fabric flower

9. Old necklace (mine was 16 inches long)

10. Fabric flowers you made or bought (not pictured above)

11. Hot glue (not pictured)

Let's get started!

1. Take apart the old necklace.

Open the jump ring by holding one side of the ring with one set of pliers and holding the other side of it with your other set of pliers and simply pull apart. Your bent nose pliers are thinner and easier to work with so I usually position my flat nose pliers in my left hand to hold the jump ring stationary and then I use my bent nose pliers in my right and let them do most of the work. Here's my deconstructed necklace. I think I'll have to find something fun to do with that sweet little bow charm.

2. Attach closure to the chain.

My large chain was already cut in half and the perfect size (miraculously enough that was left over from a previous project!!) so I don't have a picture of measuring the chain and halving it. You need two 6.5 inch lengths of chain (if your old necklace is the same length as mine). This chain is huge and pretty strong so instead of cutting, pull apart a link (and then re-close it) to separate it into 2 pieces.

Now let's attach the lobster clasp to one end of the large chain. Open a jump ring (as shown above) and slide on the lobster clasp and the chain and then use your pliers to push the jump ring back together as it was before you opened it. Make sure it is fully closed. You don't want your necklace falling apart. That has, of course, never happened to me.... riiiiight.

Then take your other piece of chain and attach the small chain to it using the same method. The small chain can be used if you want to adjust your necklace. You can hook the lobster clasp to the jump ring to close it or to one of the links in the small chain.

3. Attach large chain to old necklace.

Now open another jump ring and slide on one end of the old necklace and one end of your chain (whichever side you don't want the flower on) and close the jump ring back.

1. For the other side use jump rings to attach the other two lobster clasps to both the chain and the old necklace. These will hook to both top and bottom of your fabric flower allowing you to change it out if you want.

2. Attach jump rings to the top and bottom of your filigree. This is what you will hook your lobster clasps to. The jump rings will help your lobster clasp lay flat.

3. Hot glue the filigree to the back side of your flower and then glue the matching felt circle on top of it. Only glue on the middle on top of the filigree and out to the edges of the felt circles on the sides only. Leave top and bottom unglued as shown so the felt can be pulled back to reveal your jump rings.

4. Attach lobster clasp on the old necklace to the bottom of your flower and attach the lobster clasp on to the chain to the top of your flower. Now let the felt fall back and your lobster clasps are hidden!

Done!

I like to wear my flower a little lower so that the necklace has an asymmetrical look to it. Also so the flower isn't all up on my neck. Ha!

If you're interested in making this flower, go see my Chain Wrapped Rosette tutorial.

This one is HUGE, but I love it.

If you're interested in making this flower, it's just an extra huge version of this flower tutorial

Who doesn't love leopard and old buttons?

This flower is made using my Scrappy No-Sew Flower tutorial with black mesh in the middle.

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial!

Linking to the parties on my sidebar.

My Favorite Things Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:18:00 +0000

Welcome to this week's My Favorite Things Thursdays!

It seems like these are the only kinds of posts I'm able to get together these days. Crafting is few and far between these days unfortunately. I'm hoping to get some in this weekend, but I said that last weekend, too. Sigh.

Plans for the weekend: Research paper, more homework odds and ends, clean this crazy apartment and do a ridiculous amount of laundry, lesson plans, then craft. Hopefully the last thing on my list doesn't get pushed off the list!

Enjoy!

Make Your Own Stationary Set by Elsie of A Beautiful Mess

I just love this blog. Seriously. Every post is so great. What a fun and easy idea for little note cards. What a great use for fabric scraps, too, right?!

Make Covered Buttons Without a Kit! by Ashley of Make It and Love It

This tutorial is great, too. I love covered buttons and those little kits can get super expensive if you use them all the time. This is a perfect, easy, and cheaper alternative!

Refashion a Tight Top into a Flowy One by Lizzie of Cotton and Curls

This might be one of my most favorite finds recently. I think it jumped ahead of several things on my "must try soon" list. Lizzie uses panels of fabric sewn in to create this trendy flowy top. I love how the fabric is a subtle floral, too. Also, Lizzie, can I have your pants?

Sewing an Exposed Zipper by Kate of See Kate Sew

Kate's Sewing 101 tutorials are always so great. I LOVE the look of exposed zippers. I can't wait to try this. JoAnn's has some great gold zippers right now that would be really great for this.

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie by Maria of Two Peas and Their Pod on Make and Takes

This looks like it would just be so incredibly yummy. I want it really bad right now. And she made hers with Almond milk. Mm.

Onion and Poppy Seed Salad by Heather of Whipperberry

How delicious does this look! Wow! I love red onion on my salad so I knew I had to post this. Those strawberries make me feel like summer can't be too far away.

If you were featured, feel free to grab a button!

Thanks for reading!

My Favorite Things Thursday-Not on Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:12:00 +0000

This past week was crazy so My Favorite Things Thursday did not happen.

I'm super excited about this 3 day weekend we've got here, even if I still won't get much crafting in. More homework tomorrow. Yayyy grad school. I'm hoping to start an outfit post this week, though. So stay tuned.

I hope you enjoy this special weekend version of My Favorite Things Thursday!

Here's the wonderfulness I found this week!

Just as a reminder: These are not my projects. I am featuring them on my blog. If you want to pin any of these ideas to Pinterest, please click over to the original source and do so! I want to make sure the right person gets the credit!! :)

Pink Lace Dress by Jessica of Me Sew Crazy

Are you drooling with me? What a gorgeous dress. I think I need one for me! No, really.

Be sure to go visit Jessica to check out the great tutorial and more beautiful pictures of that precious dress.

Roll a Lorax Game by Maggie of Smashed Peas and Carrots

The Lorax comes out March 2nd (or as we teachers know it as Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss' birthday) and I can't wait to see it!! The Lorax is definitely one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books and the movie looks fabulous. I think this game that Maggie made to celebrate the new Lorax movie is so fun. You've gotta click over and see the finished Lorax once the game is completed. It's super cute.

End Table Makeover Tutorial by Desiree of The 36th Avenue

Gorgeous. Just Gorgeous. Click over for the tutorial on painting, distressing. You should also see the before picture. I'm impressed with Desiree for seeing the potential in it!

Chain and Rhinestone Bracelet by Jenni at I Spy DIY

This might be my fave. I've been looking for a tutorial like this for awhile (or figuring out how to making my own soon) and I was so excited to find it on Jenni's blog. This is a simple tutorial and it looks so fun on. I might be making this soon!!

Suspender Dress by Delia of Delia Creates

Delia has a great Nesting Series going on right now where she and guest bloggers are sharing some baby tutorials. You should definitely check it out! I'm in love with this cute little suspender dress. I love the fullness of the skirt. She also made another one with the same striped bodice but with a floral skirt. Super cute.

Ruffle Clutch by Bev of Flamingo Toes

What a beautiful ruffle clutch. The colors are so perfect, too. This will go with so much, too! Dress it up or down. She has a few other versions, too and a link to the tutorial on how to make the basic version.

Yoga Pants Tutorial by Katy of Sweet Verbena

I swear, Katy comes up with the greatest ideas. Do you wear yoga pants as much as I do? Let's all make these. Think of all the fun variations you could do with the fold over part, too!

Easy Pom-Pom Pillow Tutorial by Ashley of Mommy by Day Crafter by Night

Bright and cheery. Love the fabric choices. Click over to see the easy tutorial on this pillow cover!

Enjoy!

And thanks for reading!

If you were featured, please grab a button!

Valentine Video!!

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:51:00 +0000

This is a little more personal than I usually get here on Miss Lovie, but I thought it was a fun idea so I figured I'd share it with you.

I made a Valentine Movie for Mr. Lovie.

Plain old cards are so 2011. Just kidding. But this was really fun.

Mr. Lovie is really the best so I wanted to do something special for him for Valentine's Day (that was also low cost!). So while he was studying at school, I did a photo shoot with the tripod, got a little creative with picnik graphics, and played around with iMovie. Here is a shortened version of the Valentine Movie I came up with.

Oh, and don't make fun of my cheesy photo shoot or "animated" hearts. I was going for cheesy, ok? Ha.

I've used Smilebox before to make videos from photos, but you can't add your own music unless you pay more and you can't make it this personalized (unless they've changed things since I've used it). My original movie valentine was actually the length of the whole song because I had pictures of us in there, and more pictures of me with meaningful text.

iMovie is really so freakin' cool. You can edit how your pictures transition, edit the music, add sound effects, record your own voice, and so much more. I'm excited to experiment more with it sometime again soon.

This video was so fun to make and would make a great gift for anyone: a child's birthday, a major milestone like graduation, a wedding present, an anniversary present, retirement, etc. If anyone would like a tutorial on how to make this video, let me know and I'll try to make it happen. :)

Thanks for reading!!

Pin It

Heart-Stitched Valentines

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:31:00 +0000

I know, I know. Valentine's is over. Like, way over. But I promised I'd share so here we are!

These are the valentines I made for my kinder kids in my classroom this year. They were too cute not to share with you, don't you think?!

I love the way they turned out.

I simply made the printable on picnik and left the space at the top open for the fabric hearts. Then I printed them on card stock, rounded the edges, and zig zag stitched the hearts I cut from fabric onto them in a U-shape. Easy.

And I had to include a treat. I was excited to find these Fruit by the Foots so I didn't have to give them even more candy than I knew they'd be getting already!

Even though they're a week late, I hope you like them!

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day! And a great week!

Thanks for reading.
Pin It

Happy Valentine's Day Eve!

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:24:00 +0000

Here's a sneak peek of this year's valentines for my kindergarten kiddos.

I just finished them tonight. I'll take better pictures tomorrow before I pass them out and share tomorrow night.

In the meantime, here's the ones I made for them last year.

These precious Girl and Boy Pirate Valentines printable and idea can be found here.

How cute, right?

They were a big hit.

What valentines are you using this year?

I'll post more about my valentines for this year tomorrow!

Sorry I've been so MIA lately. I've been super busy with grad school and teaching. I'm only a few weeks into my last semester of grad school and I'm so ready for graduation already. Whew. Thanks for sticking around!!

Happy Valentine's Day Eve!

My Favorite Things Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

I'm glad it's Thursday. Thursday comes before Friday. Friday=yay.

Especially after this week. It has been especially exhausting. As always, though, my work week with kindergarteners brought funny stories. Read the latest ridiculousness that is my kinder babies at the bottom of this post!

So I shared on my facebook and twitter that I am making some fun Valentines that I'm going to share soon, but they are still not done. I've been doing homework. And putting in grades for progress reports that go home soon. Nothing fun. I'll post the Valentines in the next couple of days, though!!

Thanks for checking out My Favorite Things Thursday! Enjoy the great projects I'm loving this week!

Where the Wild Things are Masks by Maggy at Red Ted Art Blog

Oh. my. goodness. These are awesome. They're just grocery bags painted with some added paper details. LOVE them. Love the Wild Things anyway, but this is just too precious. So creative.

Love is in the Air Tee by Shauna at Shwin and Shwin

I love everything Shwin and Shwin does. I think I pin pretty much every post she publishes, but I really love this sweet little tee. The colors are so great. I'm not the biggest red and pink Valentine's Day theme fan so this is right up my alley. How presh is her little girl, too?

Brownie Bites by Crystal at A Pumpkin and a Princess

Did you just die looking at these? Me, too. Seriously they look so delicious. You gotta click over and see her cute packaging for them, too.

DIY Necklace Made of Ponytail Beads by Shannon at Madigan Made

How clever is Shannon at Madigan Made?! This necklace DIY is fabulous. Click her link to see how she made dollar store ponytail beads into a really nice necklace.

Pieced Heart Pillow by Anna at Noodlehead

This pillow is so simple and fun. I just love it.

Vintage Needlepoint Purse Pattern by Danielle at Thompson Family-Life

Are you as much in love with this as I am?! I don't think I would even carry a purse this fun. I think I'd just sit it on a shelf and look at it. The colors are so great. Mustard yellow with any other colors, yes please.

Valentine's Mantel by Jamielyn at iheartNaptime

I just love the simplicity and sweetness of Jamielyn's mantel. The heart flag bunting is fantastic and I love the window pane with simple heart wreath in front. Her wedding pictures are, of course, perfect, too.

If you were featured, please grab a button!!

Ok, Funny story time.

A kinder students says to me yesterday morning: You know why I don't eat downstairs anymore for breakfast?

Me: Why?
Student: I found out their juice taste like bears.
Me: What? Bears? What do you mean it tastes like bears?
Student: No, Bearrrs. You know. The kind of bears my uncle drinks.

:) Oh, that crazy cafeteria bear juice.

Have a great Thursday. Thanks for reading. See you soon!

My Favorite Things Thursday-Valentine's Day is Coming!!

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Well, it is officially February which means Valentine's Day is coming!!

Having a reason to make extra effort to show your loved ones you care about them is nice sometimes. I think it's a great time to not only tell your one-and-only how you feel about them, but it is also a great time to tell others that are close to you that you care! Sending sweet notes/cards/texts/little gifts to your sister/mom/dad/best friend may not always be the first thing on your mind every day, but having a reason to do that is fun, I think.

In what ways are you spreading the love this Valentine's Day? I'd love to hear!

Welcome to our second My Favorite Things Thursday!

I love finding fun things to share with you!! I am always so blown away by the creativity of those around me. Kudos to you all! Here are some of my favorites from this past week. Enjoy!

Mason Jar Gift Labels from Amber's Etsy Shop MudandTwigs

Skinny hearts, mason jars, contrast stitching, stitching on brown paper....what more could I ask for?! I absolutely LOVE these gift labels.

Heart Paint Chips Pennant Banner by Holly at My Sister's Suitcase

I was so excited to find this sweet little blog this week!! How fun is this banner! And so easy, too!! You've got to go check out this blog. It's seriously cute.

Chalk Board Mug by Amy at The Idea Room

I thought these mugs were so fun and easy. I have some chalkboard wine glasses from Pier One that I love and I adore coffee and hearts so I mayyyy just have to make some of these for myself. And the fun part is you could make the heart in any color!

Valentine Chair Pouch by Alison at Oopsey Daisy

I love the idea of Valentine chair pockets for a little family. Mr. Lovie might think it's weird if I whip some up for just me and him, but you better believe I have this great idea bookmarked (aka PINNED) for future use!!

Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizzas by all the girls at Six Sisters Stuff

Fruit pizza is the yummiest, right? How yummy (and precious) do these sugar cookie fruit pizzas look?! So fun.

Felt Peony Tutorial by Lena at Hopes and Seams

I actually found this tutorial a couple weeks ago. I just love the look of this felt flower. The details are great and the fading pinks and ivory (just like a real peony) are so good. This tutorial is definitely a keeper.

Groundhog Snack by Jill at Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons

And since today is Groundhog Day after all, I just had to share this yummy treat. How cute is that little groundhog?! This treat was a little too expensive to do with my entire kindergarten class, but I think we will do another version of this today with the kiddos that I will share with you later!

Which brings me to my funny story via a sweet kindergarten student in my class. He comes in and says, "Ms. Watts, today's Beaver Day right?" Ha! I'd mentioned Groundhog Day the day before in calendar...he was confused. And being the evil teacher I am, I pretended like I didn't hear him just so I could giggle again when he said it the second time, this time even louder...to which I replied, "You mean Groundhog Day?! It's tomorrow." So cute. Had to share.

Enjoy the day...Here's hoping the little "beaver" doesn't see his shadow!!

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Vintage Happy Birthday "Wreath"

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:50:00 +0000

Happy Saturday!!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! I'm excited because my awesome sister, Maggie, is up visiting me all weekend...and it's her birthday!! Since I still had my Christmas wreath up, (don't judge me...) I decided to make Maggie a special wreath so she'd know how excited I was to see her this weekend. And the Vintage Happy Birthday Wreath was born.

I borrowed both frames from other projects...The big one is the frame I used in my Framed Yarn and Lace Heart Wreath that I originally got at an antique store. The small one is one I painted to frame some Curly Girl Designs cards I love. Since neither frames were currently hanging, I figured I could borrow them.

Then I just cut out some letters from an old vintage sheet (the coral floral fabric) and used fabric glue to stick them onto a white oval of fabric and stuck it in the frame. Then I whipped up a couple of tiny buntings with the vintage sheet and some other fabrics and lace I had on hand. The corner looked a little bare so I made the bow using my speedy hot glue technique that I also used for these bows that I promise I'll share with you at some point.

Even though it's for a birthday, I think it'd be cute anywhere, any time really. I need about 10 more of those white and gold frames...love it.

Hope you like it!!

So while I was making the wreath last night, Mr. Lovie was making this awesome thing.

This Killer Peanut Butter Mousse Brownie Pie (found here) is absolutely amazing. I highly recommend it.

Obviously.

Mr. Lovie and I make a pretty good birthday weekend team, I'd say. And don't make fun of me for my square "pie pan". It's what we had. Ha!!

Oh and Maggie was really excited to have her birthday on "Christmas" this year...

I mean why even take the tree down now, right? Ok so it might come down tomorrow. Maybe.

Her birthday presents look good under there.

Thanks for reading! Linking my "wreath" up to the parties on my sidebar!!

These are a Few of My Favorite Things Thursdays!

noreply@blogger.com (Allie) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:37:00 +0000

Welcome to the first ever These are a Few of My Favorite Things Thursdays!

Ok please, be real with me about the name...I've been trying to think of a good one for forever and this is the only half decent thing I came up with! Do you like it? Is it too long? If you have any other suggestions, I'd willingly take them!

The idea behind These are a Few of My Favorite Things Thursdays is to compile a list of some things I think are awesome and love each week. If you have any projects you want featured, just email me! (missloviecreations(at)yahoo.com) I tend to love everything... so narrowing it down is pretty tough, but I've got some good ones here for ya... And a good mix too. DIY clothing, V-Day decor, and a cozy, organized studio space. Enjoy. And go visit some of these ladies! You won't regret it!

My Favorite Tee Dress Tutorial by Jen of icandyhandmade

I want to make one of these, like, now. And find that mustard sweater. LOVE.

DIY Honeyed Peplum Skirt by Sarah of The Good Life

Uh, how amazing is Sarah?! She has some of the best refashion ideas. The original skirt here was $2.50. The gold buttons are my fave.

20 Minute Shirt To Skirt by Rebekah of Verdant Bents

I'm loving the blue, green, and gray plaid, but the reason why I'm really loving this skirt is it was made from her late grandma's old shirt. How nice would it be to have your grandmother's clothes live on in a different way? I really like that idea.

14 Days of Valentines with Printables! by Ashley of Mommy by Day, Crafter by Night

That's right, you can have these printables for free and pair them up with some cute little gifts and have a sweet and special 14-day valentine's event with your man! Almost all the work is done for you!

Valentine's Day Wreath by Emily of Everything Emily

CUTE.NESS. I love the big simple red bow. I love the cutesy colorful hearts. The hearts fabric totally makes it. And it's perfect against that door. Simple and sweet.

Valentine's Mantle by Gina of The Shabby Creek Cottage

Sometimes all the red, pink, and white of Valentine's makes me a little nutso. Pink is not my fave so when it is used in small doses, I am much happier. This simple and clean Valentine's mantle is perfect. The color of the mantle is awesome and it definitely makes the little bit of pink okay. :) They banner is fabulous and the little wooden slab + heart is sweet.

Stitched Heart Bookmarks of Allison of Little Lovelies on 30 Days Handmade

Even though I already shared these on my facebook, I just couldn't not talk about these awesome bookmarks. They are the cutest. Loooove the printables that go with them, too. And easy! I may see a class set forming soon for my kinder babies...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Newly Organized Studio by Leigh of Curly Girl Designs

The before stages of her studio gave me hope. My work space totally looks like that on a regular basis. I also love how warm and inviting her space is. The fabric on the chairs are great, I LOVE the rug, I'm loving the old bench/table that would be a perfect height for sitting on the floor to work on projects without breaking your back, the art on the wall is (of course) fabulous, and the organization in the closet makes me want to go organize everything right now.

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I hope you enjoyed this first features post!! Stop back for more next Thursday!