Sugar Bee Crafts: sewing, recipes, crafts, photo tips, and more!

Miss Mandy Bag - teaser

2012-02-27T13:00:00.000-06:00

So I've been posting about my SoYouThinkYou'reCrafty entries the week after they are in the competition - so today I should be posting a tutorial about the Miss Mandy Bag.

BUT, I am still working on making a pattern for it, so this won't be a tutorial post....but I still want to talk about the bag I love!!

Let me start with a story. I was at walmart and saw a lady with a bag that I loved from a distance. But I'm not one to talk to people I don't know, so I just admired it from afar. But then I kept thinking and thinking about it, trying to work myself up to talk to her - but I couldn't! So I went about my shopping. THEN, when checking out, the lady with the bag happen to be talking to someone I knew - perfect, my IN. So I went to say hi to the person I knew and somehow worked in a way to ask the lady if I could take a picture of her bag:

Awesome, right? It's a Vera Bradley bag and can be found HERE: (I can't seem to grab the image from their site). So it was inspiration with the piping on the front - but even thought I like the looks of a flap, I knew I didn't want it because I love to just drop things right into my bags. So I came up with the features I wanted and got to work.

First up, picking fabric - this might have been the hardest part - I can never decide!! I had it narrowed down to these three and finally ended up with the one on the left. When I first got all the Amy Butler Soul Blossoms as a 1/2 yard bundle, I thought this particular one was SUPER ugly - like "when am I ever going to use that?!?". But it's grown on me because now I love it. Funny how fabric taste changes....

Speaking of the fabric, I was actually on top of things and remembered to line up the pattern - so professional. See the bag of my bag, all aligned and centered perfectly:

So to brag, I think I really did a good job with my sewing. I thought "wow, I can actually sew!!" - my most favorite part is the detail on the front made with piping -

That front panel is actually a pocket - one side is for my phone and the other for my keys --

I used a thrift store belt for the metal circle details - I think adding those instead of just sewing the handle directly to the bag makes it a little more professional:

I pulled over at an old building on the way home from gymnastics and had my preschooler take a few action shots of the bag in use - she's getting better at the camera:

I really really love my bag!! I show it off to everyone with a "hey, did you see my AWESOME bag - I MADE it - REALLY!!" - people probably think I'm a bit strange....but I really love it!

Pattern to come, hopefully soon......

Somewhere, over the.....

2012-02-27T11:00:00.000-06:00

Another week, another chance to vote - - this week's SoYouThinkYou'reCrafty theme is RoyGBiv, aka Rainbow. So if you love this headband like we do, GO VOTE :) (you vote at that link on the right-hand sidebar)

I'll do a tutorial for it next week.....

Seamingly Smitten - Giveaway!

2012-02-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone - - happy Monday! You know I love starting Mondays with a great giveaway, and this week is no exception! Get excited - it's a pick-what-you-want from Seamingly Smitten - wahoo!

Want to see some super cute pattern choices??

I've been wanting to make a shirt like this - something that for me would be going just a little out of my comfort box - wouldn't it be great for spring??

I also love this A Line dress for girls:

And I love the back of this ruffled pinafore:

I know I know - super cute!! Want to know what you could win??
$35 store credit - that means you can pick out several patterns - wahoo!!

So, how to enter (for each entry, leave a comment on this post saying you completed the entry):

1. follow Seamingly Smitten on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeaminglySmitten.DownloadableSewingPatterns

2. write on the Seamingly Smitten facebook wall

3. post about the giveaway on your facebook wall

4. follow the Seamingly Smitten blog:

http://www.seaminglysmitten.blogspot.com/

Good Luck Everyone!! Giveaway ends Friday, March 2 (what?!?! when did MARCH get here?!?) around noon - -

Photo Glimpse - Photo Class

2012-02-25T17:00:00.000-06:00

(remember, each week I try to give you a look into the non-crafty side of life...)

A fewweeks ago I put on a Photography Workshop - I'm just now getting around to blogging about it -- but it was so much fun!! I just love taking pictures and want to let everyone know that they can learn to work their camera and get great pictures.

But of course I spent the class telling everyone that you need natural light to take great pictures - and then I forgot to take a picture of everyone until the end, when it's dark out --

Before I show you more pictures from then, just a heads up if you want to get to know your camera better:

--my group was given the Photo Essentials book by Katie Evans - it's a great go-to reference to keep in your camera bag about how to use your camera. you can get it for only $6.
She also has an in-depth book, The Key to Taking Pictures, for $35, which I've reviewed and think is a great informative read.

--I have also reviewed Say No to Auto by Kristen Duke and it makes a great go-to reference for your camera bag as well - it's $10. She just came out with a new book, Get Focused,, for $12, which is aimed for those of you who are comfortable in your camera settings and are ready to take your photography to another level. It sounds great as well.

Also, if you are interested in learning more about your camera, I may do another Photography workshop in the spring.

Anyways, everyone was great to ignore my torn-apart kitchen (it was in the midst of repainting cabinets) and construction zone back yard (you know, the playhouse....). We covered tons of info on basics, and camera settings, and photoshop, and even went outside to take a few pictures. Several people went from full auto to full manual settings, so it was a challenge, but everyone did great!

These were sent to my by Jill so I just had to share them - thanks again!

My daughter modeled and everyone practiced taking pictures. It was pretty chilly so we didn't stay out long. I took one of her also, to show that you can think outside the box - I completely cut her head off on purpose - I love how it bring the focus in on her life as a 7 year old - leaves stuck to her socks, a hole starting in the knee of her pants, hair tie around her wrist, flaking off nail polish, etc

It was super super fun!! Thanks everyone!!

Bloggers

2012-02-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

you've probably seen this floating around, but I thought it was pretty funny -- funny enough to post about:

Flashback Friday - Dr. Seuss Blocks

2012-02-24T14:00:00.000-06:00

I am loving these flashback Fridays - - LOVE to revisit some of my favorite projects that you might not have seen...

This one is another one from my first round on SoYouThinkYou'reCrafty, but I'm really posting today because Dr. Seuss's birthday is coming up and maybe some of you are looking for crafty ways to celebrate. Just follow the link:

Dr. Seuss Activity Blocks Tutorial

and completely off subject, but not worth a post all on it's own, I am in the market for shoes ("pumps" - sounds grown up, right?!?) and came across this deal to share:

Shamrock Heart Hairclips

2012-02-24T11:00:00.000-06:00

You probably saw this coming from a mile away - - but yep, I made shamrock heart hairclips:

because if you look close, a shamrock is just 3 or 4 (depends what kind of clover you're after) hearts hooked together, so it was perfect to use my heart flower tutorial and just use green felt instead of red/pink:

So just use that link above for the tutorial - only use 4 petals in the flower instead of 5. Super cute, super easy. Spice up and add green to any hairdo :)

Pass It Forward

2012-02-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

I have an amazing project to share with you today - - it's Pass It Forward via Spread the Shine.

You know Ashley, from The Shine Project - she's changing the world for good - so amazing:

She's starting the Pass it Forward project - - which all revolves around these little cards - here's the back:

The idea is you do an act of kindness, and pass along the card. Each card has a number, and you can check the website to see how many people your one card has affected.

From Ashley: "From the very beginning, you will be able to track where your card goes, and how many people you affect just by doing one simple act of kindness.

I AM SO EXCITED. This project had the potential of working small miracles in the lives of those we pass, and we will then be able to see how far one simple act can go. I want to spread the shine community into something that is in every city, so that we can get more projects done and change more lives... I have strongly felt like this is a big way that will get accomplished."

Amazing, right?!?!

To learn more about the project and where you can get a card to start the chain of kindness, visit Ashley's blog, The Shine Project.

I am already thinking about all the things I could do with a card....... this is going to be amazing.

(sources)

The Big Reveal! Blog revamp

2012-02-23T13:00:00.001-06:00

Have you noticed?? If you read this in a reader, you might not have, so pop on over to the real blog - I got a mini-makeover and I love it!!

Here's a brief glimpse of the new:

In case you forgot, here's the old:

It's all thanks to Kim over at 733 Design

So, want to know the changes??

it loads FASTER!! that was my big concern, and Kim worked her magic on that.
even if it does load slow, the background is such that you can still read the text as it's loading - I know that was hard to do before
I switched from dots to strips but still kept the same color scheme, with the addition of a hint of gray
but I still love dots and how Kim incorporated it into my new header
new sidebar titles and it's back to one sidebar instead of split so it's not too cluttered
my social media things actually match my blog, and there's a new one that looks like a button - click that to grab a button
WIDER, so more room in the area that matters, the posts

And if you're my fan on Facebook, you'll see that 733 Design also makes those fun Facebook Profile Pictures - here's mine - it's long so you see the whole thing when you're on my page, but then since it also has that top section that's just my button, I set that to be my thumbnail so that's what you'll see in your news feed - pretty genius, right?!?

I am still using my custom logo that my sister-in-law Amber made me - I just love the little bee she designed and the whole layout of the logo - you can see her etsy shop AmberWilliamsDesign HERE and message her about making a logo for you.

And for sure go visit Seven Thirty Three - Custom Blog Design - Kim did a great job and has great prices.
She was super easy to work with and went above and beyond my expectations. And wow, was she fast. When I work on my blog HTML, it seriously takes me days - I think she installed the whole revamp in less than an hour - amazing!

Did I mention it's loading faster?!?! So awesome!

Oh, and I have a fancy new button, if you want one :)
Grab a button - - just copy the code below the button and paste it into the "html" widget on your blog (my old button was so old that it still said "sugar bee craft edition")

Keyboard Vinyl Letter Stickers

2012-02-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

A little post about Keyboard Vinyl Letter Stickers, but first some pretty pictures...

I pinned this beautiful keyboard from Her New Leaf:
She got her inspiration from MiniFanFan - also super cute:

But in both those examples they used washi tape which was see-through enough to let the letters on the keys see through. And let's look at why I would pin pretty keyboard pictures to begin with - my lame keyboard looks like this:

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't mind too much the missing letters - it boosts my ego and pride of my expert typing ability. But then there's this little gal, who wanted to start a blog:

I opened a word document and now she can write stories and import pictures and enjoy the world of blogging in a pre-blogging way. So she's all "where's A?" and I'm all, "just look on the keyboard, it's there" - until then I didn't even realize the letters were rubbing off.

But she kind of caught on to the missing letters, although I think it slows her down. So I forgot about them again - until my parents spent time at our house to watch the kids while we were basking the Hawaiian Sun and my dad wondered "how can you type on that keyboard - it's missing letters!" - I told him he's supposed to just know where they're at.

But then a few days later, when I'd think of any excuse to do something besides what I should be doing (cleaning, laundry, painting cabinet doors....) I ran down and printed a quick alphabet out of vinyl using my Silhouette Cameo. And bam, fixed.

You saw the before - - here's the big "AFTER" reveal - -

Super awesome, I know. Not near as cute as those washi tape ones though - - if anyone makes one of those, I want to see pictures!

Showing Off - Reader Picks

2012-02-22T14:00:00.000-06:00

(each week a reader gets to pick some favorites from the link party and write up a post - want a turn? just email me, mandybeez at gmail)

Hi, I'm Amy visiting from over at The Happy Scraps, a blog about DIY Home Decor, Paper Crafts, and Scrapbooking. I hope you'll hop on over and say hi!

I'm so excited to be here at Sugar Bee Crafts today, it is one of my favorite blogs to follow along with and I love linking up on her Take-A-Look Tuesday! It's been so fun to look through all of the links and pick a few that stood out to me. I thought these Chicken Bacon Ranch Nachos sounded yummy! I might just have to make me some! Head on over to What's Cooking, Love? to get the recipe!

How cute is this quiet book!? I've wanted to make a quite book for a long time, and Adventures of our Fami-ly have a great tutorial to show us how.

I've been thinking about painting paneling, so when I saw this, I was excited to hear what she had to say about it. And doesn't her faux molding look great!! Head on over to Creatively Living to see the before! Talk about getting a bang for your buck!

Isn't this such a cute way to organize your fabric and ribbon! It looks so nice and neat, I love it!

I love buntings and I love handmade cards, so when I saw this, I was excited! Helping Little Hands did such a great job with these cards.

Isn't this so pretty!? She used chalk paint to redo her cabinet, and I also love the wall! Check out Start at Home to learn how she did it.

I'm a total sucker for Kettle Corn, so when I saw this, I had to check it out. Captive Creativity shows you how to make your own!

My four little boys would be in heaven if I made this Angry Bird game for them. Keeping it Simple shows us how.

Check out this awesome scarf that Pearls, Pinstripes & Peanut Butter shared. You'll never guess what she made it out of! She also shows a few different ways to wear scarves.

I've seen things similar to this on Pinterest, and they make me laugh. I think I might make one for my sister-in-laws 30th birthday that's coming up. I love how bright and fun this one is from Making Memories...One Fun Thing After Another.

Thank you so much Mandy for having me visit Sugar Bee Crafts today! It's been so fun to go through all the links! I hope you'll all come and drop by The Happy Scraps and say Hi!

Showing Off - My Picks!

2012-02-22T11:00:00.000-06:00

I'm feeling crafty (you know, it comes and goes) and I'm loving looking through your links - - here we go:

This ruffled beanie hat is so crazy - my preschooler would LOVE it! See the tutorial at Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom:

Que Linda repurposed this screen and is now using it to display photos - looks great!

You can see a pintuck duvet cover over at Craft Geek - there's no piecing together squares on this one:

You can see a cross-stitched Perry over at Helby's Hatch - so cool!

You have to see this entryway over at Meeha Meeha - she hand-painted that wall!!

Love this shirt-to-dress redo at Threading My Way - perfect!

You can see the details of this frame over at Crafting in the Rain - she dyed the clothespins - wow!

Artsy Creations made modern art with the kiddos - such a great idea!

you can see a super adorable quilt over at This Crazy, Blessed Life:

If I ever find a bucket of buttons at a garage sale, I'm making one of these - see this button letter over at A Lived in Home:

I've made a lot of flowers, but never Raffia ones - these look so great! See the details at House of Noise..I mean boys:

And I already have this pinned, so it was fun to see it show up in the link party - love the pom poms - see more at Mommy by day Crafter by Night:

drumroll.................most viewed link.............

the Ruffled Beanie I mentioned above! See it at Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom:

Thanks for linking everyone!! If you were featured feel free to grab the button: (oh, and if you were featured on FB, or if you're featured later this afternoon, you're included - grab away!!)

WIWW - Denim Shirt

2012-02-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

About a year ago Kate called from Walmart to say she was picking up a denim shirt for me because they're back in style and it was on clearance for $1 - - love having a personal shopper looking out for great deals.

Anyways, I never know quite what to do with it, but then I saw a blogger (Abbie, I think - I can't remember the blog - someone let me know so I can give her a shout-out!!) who had the same exact shirt (I think so does Daybook blog) and she wore it with a pair of trouser jeans, so the denim was dark on bottom to balance the shirt.

So I tried it - she had tucked hers in by my trouser jeans are pretty tight, plus the belt is super small and won't buckle that low on my body, so I went for untucked and belted around the top. I wore those gold boots to match the goldish belt:

Are you noticing my new infinity scarf?? It was sent by OohBabyInfinity and it's so comfy and soft. Think of a super cozy tshirt you have - it's like that. The edge is serged which gives it a scalloped edge. I wore it wrapped around 3 times, but after seeing my sister-in-law wear one wrapped twice with a little more drape, I think I'll do that next time.

I got the mustard one and here's a view of it wrapped with a longer drape, from their shop:

So check out OohBabyInfinity - the prices are real reasonable (that one is $12) - plus you can use code BEEZ for 10% off - score!

Now - back to the denim shirt. In Hawaii I got a cute dress, kind of Hawaiian-ish. But it's cold here. But since I just got it I still wanted to wear it to church. I wore it with my boots, a thick brown belt, and my denim shirt - the dress is short-sleeved, and the denim shirt seemed a better choice than a white cardigan. I wore my boot socks, but I'm not sure that was the best idea now that I look at this picture.

So let's hear it - - thought on the denim shirt???

Take-A-Look Tuesday

2012-02-20T22:00:00.000-06:00

Whoops! I normally have Take-A-Look Tuesdays scheduled way out in advance - - but I guess I hit the end of the ones I had predone months ago - and so I almost forgot to post this today.

Anyways, a quick plug, I'm in a craft contest, SoYouThinkYou'reCrafty - it's a great week - you can vote for whomever you'd like (there's a poll on the right sidebar), but I'll influence you with this picture of an amazing bag...

ANYWAYS,
Can't wait to see what everyone's been up to - - and who will be the most viewed link - maybe you?

- - just a run down- -

Link to a Specific Post, not your whole blog - no more than a couple of posts please
Try to visit a few other people on the list - it's fun to support and encourage fellow craftiness - and everyone LOVES comments

If you're new to link-ups and have questions let me know and I'll do my best to help

Quote Wall Art - SYTYC week 3

2012-02-20T13:00:00.000-06:00

Alright, as mentioned it's on to week 4 of SoYouThinkYou'reCrafty - head over there to vote! Mine is the..Miss Mandy Bag

From last week, here's the super extended version of the post, including tutorial and tips, for you, my lovely readers:

"LOVE" is such a broad theme!! My project isn't too lovey-dovey (trevor said I should have sewn up some "intimate apparel") but it's something I wanted to make. My goal in craft competitions is to not just craft for the sake of crafting but to actually make things I'll want and use. I have been wanting to make a Quote Wall Art for awhile now, so this was just the push I needed to get it done.

I learned some tricks along the way and am happy with the final results - I love the wood showing through - it matches the stain on my bedroom dressers and the color of "gecko" is an accent color in my room.

So first up, get a board. I bought mine at Lowes and it was cheap - $11 for a 4x8 sheet. It was the step down from plywood underlayment - not sure what it's called. I had them cut it into pieces - makes it easier to transport, and ready for crafting. I went with 2 3x4 boards and one 2x4 board. This one is 3x4.

Then I rubbed gel stain all over it and set it in the sun to dry (with a jug on it so it wouldn't blow away). The stain is the same stain that I used to redo my bedroom dressers, so it matches.

Next up, cut out letters. I used my Cameo machine. Depending on how cheap-o you are, I have a tip to use contact paper. I use it for projects like this where the vinyl would get thrown away in the end. But heads up, it's hard to see cause it's clear and you may curse it a few times. But compared to vinyl, a roll of contact paper is so cheap!

Anyways, put the letters where you want them. Now, prepare to be wowed - paint over the letters with mod podge. Wha?? Well, all stickers will have some seeping, and I wanted a nice crisp outline. So painting all the outlines with mod podge will let the mod podge seep under - but it's clear, so no big deal. Then when you paint the color on, it can't seep under because the mod podge took care of that. Genius, right??

I painted on a couple coats of color then let it dry overnight.

I wan't sure the mod podge would work. I prepped mentally for a craft fail because I was skeptical. I've done this type of thing before, but the letters underneath were painted to I touched them up with paint. Since this time I wanted the wood to show through, there was no backup plan to touch up with paint. Even Trevor tried to prep me "you know, this font you picked has some pretty skinny sections...." - yeah, I know.

But then wowza, I amazed even myself! look at that!!

It just peeled right up, so crisp!!

Seriously, see that skinny line of perfection:

Now, in full disclosure, there were a couple of spots with a little bleeding - this here was the worst - still not too bad, and this was the exception, not the rule, so I didn't mind. I think I just not have had the letters pressed down good right here:

I don't have a complete picture with it hanging on the wall, so you'll have to imagine - it'll go beside the tall dresser and bring color to that side of the room. I'm leaving for Hawaii in less than 18 hours - I need to be packing, not hanging up wall art, crazy priorities.

But just so you know, I plan on hanging it with the same method that I used on the photo wall art I did last year, where it floats out from the wall:

And here's a few pictures from the room to see how it will fit in to the overall look - the jewelry armoire is on one side of the room and this sign will be on the other...

The quote is from a song that was used on our wedding video - - who know's it???

Here's hoping for your vote!!

SYTYC - vote reminder

2012-02-20T12:00:00.000-06:00

Don't forget, it's a new week over at SoYouThinkYou'reCrafty - the theme was "FOR ME" so I made myself a bag. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it - don't forget to vote!! (the poll is on the right-hand sidebar of SYTYC)

Miss Mandy Bag

This week's challenge was so fun - a chance to make something for myself. I needed a new bag and I had specific features I wanted it to include, so I decided I needed to make it - and what a perfect project for this theme. I named it the "Miss Mandy" Bag because it was made just for me!

Stay tuned - later today I'll post the tutorial from last week's SYTYC project.....

Rachael's Soaps - Review and Giveaway!

2012-02-20T06:00:00.000-06:00

Another great post where you are probably wishing for smell-o-vision - I was able to try out some handmade soaps from Rachael's Soaps. They smell great, but not overpowering or anything. Just perfect.

First off, it came packaged super cutely - enough that I swear I got my camera out and took a picture, but now I can't find it, so you'll just have to use your imagination - wrapped in brown paper tied with baker's twine type of cuteness.

Want to know all about Rachael's Soaps?/ Of course you do - -

**Great Pricing for Homemade All Natural Soap! ** AND Most items ship out same day! Vegan Friendly! Give them a try, you won't be disappointed!

Gift wrap is standard and comes with every order!

3.5-4oz bars of soap for $3each
Get them before they are gone!

Fresh soap is made weekly!

So excited to be sharing my love of soap with all of you! I have been making soap for over 9 years and it's all we use in our home. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

I LOVE to do special requests and custom orders! Contact me with any questions or to request something extra special!

Check out what's new in the shop on Facebook. You might even find chances to win FREE soap!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachaels-Homemade-Natural-Soap/189306684424208

I tried out the Black Raspberry Vanilla so far and it's great.

I used it with a cotton scrubbie that she sent - perfect:

So, things I love:

--Natural essential oils (no dyes or perfumes) - something about all-natural just makes me feel sophisticated!

--the soap is fresh and handmade - you can even get special orders

--Best part - all this greatness, for only $3 a bar - what a steal!!

I know you'll want to check out Rachael's Soaps RIGHT NOW!!

And guess what - this post is a GIVEAWAY - so get excited!

The winner will receive 3 bars of soap and 3 bath scrubbies. Their choice!!!

To enter:

One mandatory entry for visiting Rachael's Soaps etsy shop and leaving a comment on this post about their three favorite scents

--Additional entry for favoriting the ETSY shop

--Additional entry for liking Rachael's Soaps FACEBOOK page.

--Additional entry for pinning one of Rachael's Soaps items to their PINTEREST boards.

ALSO, DEAL ALERT!!

Two free face scrubbies to every Sugar Bee Crafts reader that orders from the ETSY shop during the giveaway (just mention your Sugar Bee Crafts in the notes to seller at checkout)

Don't forget, lots of other fun things in the shop too, like vintage soap dispensers, oilcloth rubber gloves and dishcloths.

Giveaway ends Friday, Feb 24th, around noon. Winner's items shipped to US or Canada only.

Photo Glimpse - HAWAII

2012-02-18T16:00:00.000-06:00

Each week I try to give you a quick photo glimpse into the non-crafty side of life. Well this week it's a not-so-quick glimpse, because I'm sharing tons of pictures from our trip last week to Hawaii!! So sit back and enjoy.... and be grateful it's only this many - I narrowed it WAYYYY down for you.... ( remember, on any picture in any post, you can click it to get a bigger view)

We stayed on the island of Oahu - it was perfect!!

Here is the peninsula outside of our hotel - I love that it was out away from all the hustle and bustle.

Since it was built on a peninsula, every room in the hotel had an ocean view. Talk about amazing! Here I am trying to catch up a little on emails and blogs while sitting on our little balcony:

I think most of you know I'm LDS, so it was great to visit the Hawaii temple while we were there:

We vacationed with Trevor's sister and her husband, and met up with Trevor's niece and her husband who are going to school at BYU Hawaii - they gave us some great tips on where to eat and things to do. We did great about eating at local places the whole trip - - -

We spent a day at Pearl Harbor which was an excellent exhibit - very well done memorial. I really learned a lot and enjoyed all the presentations. My grandpa is a WWII vet so I took lots of pictures to bring back and show him:

Right after that we went to a huge flea market - I was told it'd be great (which is was!) but no one warned me there would be bolts and bolts of festive fabric for $2.75 a yard - wowza!! I bought a bunch and alread wish I would have bought more....

Eating was a must - besides all the amazing meals, we were always grabbing various treats. Here's a coconut cracked open at a roadside stand, and delicious Shave Ice (with ice cream in the bottom!)

Our hotel had lots of fun things, including hot tubs that overlooked the ocean and free ukelelee lessons in the lobby - the lesson was 5% lesson and 95% stories from our cute instructor, but still way fun:

We did a couple of hikes - both over railings of trails that said do not cross - but tons of people were down below so we ventured out as well. The first was at the "Here to Eternity" beach where that movie was filmed. At the edge of the rocks were huge sea turtles - it was great fun to watch them:

The second one was a trail to a famous lighthouse, but we veered off the trail down the side of a big cliff on lots of switchbacks to some amazing tidepools down by the ocean's edge - it was amazing.

We attempted surfing with tips from Trevor's niece and some boards we rented from a roadside sign - it was alright, but we found out that boogie boarding was way funner for us amateurs:

We also spent a day at the Polynesian Cultural Center, which was pretty fun. We learned lots of native games and dances and saw the funniest show of my life. At the end of the day was a big Hawaiian Luau and then a night show performance.

And I thought I'd leave you with this gem of a picture - the native dude could climb to the top of the coconut tree and they have a spot for tourists to try. At the time I was all "quick, I got up, take my picture!" but looking at the picture and how I'm one step off the ground is pretty funny. Good thing I have a harness on - I'd hate to fall!

We're already talking of going back someday (and taking the kiddos so they can experience all the fun stuff) - it was a great trip!!!

Snack Time!! with Zbars

2012-02-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

My kiddos are HUGE into snacks. Mainly my preschooler. Right after finishing lunch she'll ask "can I have a snack" - um, how about just more lunch?!? She probably asks for snacks 50 times a day - so silly!

So when I was contact by Clif bar about some organic snack food for kids, of course I wanted to give it a try.

There are 3 main types, Clif Kid ZBar, ZBar Crispy, and Clif Kid Zfruit.

One day when the neighbor kids were over I busted out a bunch of samples so I could get everyone's opinions....

They got rave reviews - - I tried to ask for specifics, but all I heard was "these are delicious" "mmm, SO good" and "I love them!" - - so they were a big hit with all ages.

I even had one myself, the new iced oatmeal cookie bar:

Wowza, it was so good. I think I was expecting it to taste bland since it's organic, but it was really really good - soft and delicious. I would for sure grab it again.
Here's more info about it to make you drool:
New flavor alert! Meet CLIF Kid Organic Zbar Iced Oatmeal Cookie! The home-baked taste of classic oatmeal cookies with cinnamon and vanilla, blended into organic whole grain oats and topped with a drizzle of white icing...available now at stores nationwide. Just head over to our store locator and select "CLIF Kid Zbar" to find a store near you.

I can't tell what the kids liked best - nothing was left, so all of it must have been great.

Browing the Clif Bar website, I saw that they have a PDF for healthy tips for kids - how handy is that?? You can even get a free pamphlet version of it mailed to you - bonus!

Kitchen Update - on to the glaze

2012-02-18T06:00:00.000-06:00

The kitchen is coming along..... it would be much faster if life didn't get in the way. Like I should have planned to set aside a few days to knock it out. Instead I'll find an hour here or there instead of big blocks of time. But I'm making progress....

I have stacks of doors sitting everywhere, and even though the kitchen isn't too messy, it sure looks that way with all the doors off....

If you remember, I'm using the Rustolem Cabinet Transformation - I have been really happy with it so far, and I love how it's bundled in a kit so I don't have to think about what I need to buy for each step.

Anyways, I'm sure I'll do a full post about it when I'm finished, but I just want to show you where I'm at. I am doing the "glazing" step - and honestly I was a little hesitant because I didn't want to mess things up - but it's been super easy, and I LOVE the look with the glaze on. It's an optional step, but really adds depth...

Here's the upper cabinet skeleton thing with just the color, no glaze - I like it, but the glaze adds so much...

Here's the other upper cabinet skeleton with the glaze layer on - - see - awesome, right??

I took these pictures when I had done one set and not the other yet, so the lighting and stuff is from the exact same moment to give you a good comparison.

I have glazed all the cabinet skeletons (there's got to be a real name for that), upper and lower, and all the drawers, and all the backs of the doors. I'm working on all the door fronts. Then a clear protective coat and I can put them back on - wahoo!

Then comes new counters and backsplash - still debating those, but after all your comments on here and FB, I'm really leaning towards LIGHT counters instead of BLACK/DARK like I had originally thought - and I'm leaning toward GRANITE or SILESTONE instead of SOLID SURFACE like I had originally thought. I haven't made any final decisions though so if you have input I'd love to hear it.

Meanwhile, the door-painting station I have rigged up in the kitchen is providing some fun entertainment for the kids....

Belated

2012-02-17T16:46:00.000-06:00

I totally missed my own blog anniversary - oops! It was back on Jan 28th - I hit the 3 year mark. I could have never dreamed it would come this far. You all are amazing - thanks for the blog love!! Here's to knowing there's many more fabulous years to come :)

My First Post Ever is found here: The Welcome Post (sorry, it's kinda boring- there's not even a picture!)

And because now I know better - here's random picture - because every post needs a picture!

Flashback Friday - Hanging Chair

2012-02-17T06:00:00.000-06:00

Phew, I feel like I'm floundering these last couple weeks of this season's SoYouThinkYou'reCrafty - just barely making it. Time to kick it into gear.

So for a flashback, let's visit something I did last time I competed - when I went all-out and make a Reading Nook Hanging Chair - it's still up and awesome (the theme was hardware store). Follow that link for all the details.

Basket Parties

2012-02-16T13:00:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I let you in on the fun of Paparazzi. Today I want to share something I do with that - Basket Parties. Obviously mine is filled with jewelry, but if you sell Scentsy or Avon or whatever, as long as you have stock on hand, this could work for you too!

The idea is you send a basket with someone - like to their office or book group or salon - and they sell what they can for you. They get a "hostess bonus" for their effort, and it's easy peasy on your end. A win-win.

First you have to find a basket or a small suitcase or something. I think this used to be a picnic basket. I bought it at a thrift store - it was $8 which I thought was high, but it was exactly what I was looking for, so I splurged. I wanted something that had a lid so it closed and handles. Here's my preschooler showing you how easy it is to carry:

This is what it looks like when you first open it up - I have a piece of foam sitting in there to help pad things and keep them from shifting:

I had to modify the basket just a bit - I wanted the top to prop open like a display instead of flipping all the way over, so I hot glued in some ribbon on each side like so:

Then I covered the lid in black felt and hot glued in a couple of strips of elastic to hold the items on display from jingling around. I shimmied in some paper clips, through the felt and inbetween the basket wicker, to provide makeshift small hooks for the display cards. So when you open it you see these right on display:

Inside the basket right when it's opened you can see I have smaller baskets ($1 section at Target) laying on their side. That way when the picnic basket is picked up, the baskets inside are upright. Then the person with the basket party can pull out the smaller baskets when they're selling the items. I have a basket for hair clips, headbands, and bracelets. The rings I keep in their original container and the necklaces are just laying in their in the original sleeves. I also have a little zipper pouch with change in it (about $20 in quarters and $1s)

Also in the basket is a tally/info sheet - I just use a clear folder. On one side are shopping bags prefilled with my info and a sheet on Paparazzi info in case anyone is interested in hosting a party or becoming a consultant. The other side has a tally sheet to keep track of what is sold and how much change is left, etc. I also include a small calculator and a pricing sheet.

Once again, I use this for Paparazzi, but I think basket parties are GREAT and would work for anything where you have a little inventory you want to show off.

Bean Bag Toss Tutorial

2012-02-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

Today I want to share a quick how-to, a Bean Bag Toss Tutorial:

Sometimes projects are so easy to do, that it's the blogging about them that holds them up. You know, getting around to writing the post takes longer than the actual project. This is one of those!

Remember that I had my kiddos make gifts for each other for Christmas?? The girls made the boys' things and the boys made the girls' things. The challenge was to find something fun for them to make but that wasn't to useless. I thought a bean bag toss game was perfect.

First, I had Trevor cut holes in this old computer screen shelf thing I had (I had my Silhouette sitting under my computer screen, but then I got a Cameo and needed a new shelf thing because it was bigger than the Silhouette and wouldn't fit underneath) and make one leg shorter than the other so it was slanted. Then the girls painted it - - not how I would have done the painting (chevron would have been great) but that's the fun, that they did it:

I sewed most of the bean bag part, but they were able to help with stuffing all the beans in. A quick tutorial on making bean bags - -

Start with 2 squares, placed with right sides together. Sew all around the edges except for on one edge leave a space 1-2 inches. Clip the corners after sewing (cut the triangle piece off) to make it turn better and lay nice:

Then through that little hole, pull the squares right-side out. You can use a straight pin to pull the corners out crisply:

Through the opening, fill it with beans. About 3/4 full. If you fill it too full you will have a tough time sewing it shut.

Now, you could hand-sew the hole, but I'm lazy and use the machine. See how you can fold the opening in to match the other sides - do that:

Then just topstitch, or sew on top, all the way around all the edges. This will catch and close the hole so you don't have to handstitch. And it gives a nice edge to the bean bag.

You can kind of see the edges sewn in this picture. Hope it makes sense:

And that's it! Enjoy!!

I love the follow-through of the throw in this picture -- -

So go make some bean bags! A perfect sewing project for a beginner! Or anyone - I love projects that can be finished so quickly!!

Money Goals 2012, $$$ - opportunity for you

2012-02-15T16:00:00.000-06:00

Do you have a 2012 goal to make some extra money?? Well, so do I....and one way I'm trying to meet that goal is through my Paparazzi Business....

Today I want to share with you all about Paparazzi - if you're looking for an extra way to make some income, this could be the opportunity for you!!

Paparazzi is a home-based business, like Avon or Scentsy, that sells jewelry - for $5! Seriously, that's what sold me - I love a good deal, so I knew that everyone would buy the product because it's just $5. I actually signed up this fall without even seeing the product - I just knew it was a great gig! And no worries, the jewelry is great - I wear it all the time in my WIWW posts, like here:

I have blogged about Paparazzi before, HERE, and I set up a whole page dedicated to it HERE where you can read tons of info.

So why am I blogging about this again?? I know I can't be the only one with a money goal this year. And with tax return season here, I just want to let some of you know that you could take some of that money and invest it in a business that can make you money all year long.

Some of the reasons I jumped on board:

--I like sharing deals - this is a great deal! I bring $5 stuff to people and make the deal accessible to them - they love it! It's a win-win.

--So easy - you don't have to "sell" anything - I just sit back while people shop - no speeches, etc. I'm not a very outgoing person in social settings so I don't think I could do a presentation or sales pitch - good thing parties are open house style.

--Extra income! You make 45% of sales - seriously! it's like making $50+ an hour - that's a great pay rate. I an just doing Paparazzi on the side, but I know some of you could really rock it and bring in extra $500+ a month if you wanted to...

--Downline - - ever heard of "multiple streams of income" - it's figuring out how to bring in extra money - the downline is a way - - if you get people under you, you can make a percentage of what they make. Each one of you could probably get 3 people under you - wouldn't it be great to get random checks each month?? So on top of the profit from my sales, I get a check for having a downline. Talk about win-win.

ATTENTION - - speaking of downline, this month there is a huge promotion. When you sign someone under you, you get a bonus. This month (February only!), that bonus is either doubled or tripled if they buy a kit - WOWZA!! So if you give it some thought for a few days then jump on board this weekend, and had a friend or two jump on board next week, YOU get that double bonus - sweet!!
So, you want to see some of the goodies??

Bling Rings - I LOVE these - - I had been looking to buy one, and at a resale shop I found them - for $10 - and they were secondhand. These are new for $5 - that's a deal:

Headbands - headbands are so "in" right now. There are tons of cute ones for little girls and sophisticated ones for grown-ups. Even feather ones. I saw a boring headband at Walmart for $6 - these are so much better - and only $5!

The star of the show - necklaces! Almost all of these come with matching earring - yes, a whole earring/necklace set for $5 - it's unreal!

So, have I convinced you yet that you need to join up with Paparazzi?? Obviously I think it's worthwhile, since I did it myself.

If you have Tax Return money that you are trying to plan what to spend it on, this could be your answer. You can get in with a $40 enrollment fee or buy a kit (100 pieces of jewelry) and have the $40 fee waived. I bought a large kit when I started and paid it back in my first couple of parties.

You can find out more information on their website. My ID # is 1768 if you want to jump right in. Email me with ANY questions, mandybeez at gmail. I can even give you a call if you'd rather. Anyways, thanks for letting me share with you what I think is a great way to earn additional income!