living with threemoonbabies

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T15:48:00.000-08:00

We made these cookies for Ramona's class:

Sugar Cookie Recipe (we added sprinkles)

Frosting Recipe (we added some red food coloring)

Hope everyone has a "sweet" day!

T-Yarn at Michaels?

2012-02-11T08:38:00.001-08:00

I thought it was funny...

While at Michaels yesterday (looking for stuff for my daughter's b-day party), I saw t-shirt yarn for sale in the center aisle! I don't think it was called the same and probably wasn't made out of recycled t-shirts, but it was the same idea. I was just surprised because I hadn't thought it had become so mainstream!

Here is the TUTORIAL I used to get started making t-yarn

(P.S. it's much less expensive to make it yourself~ especially if you use t-shirts you already have).

You're A Great Catch Valentines

2012-02-06T12:50:00.001-08:00

Here's another valentine idea.

My girls are candy-a-holics, so the more candy they could incorporate into their valentines, the better! We came up with the idea to use Pixy Stix as "fishing poles" with a candy "catch" on the end. We used yarn to tie them together and attached a note that says, "You're A Great Catch". This idea could also be done using pencils and pretty much anything as the "catch". A baggie full of Swedish Fish candies would be really cute!

(tip: to prevent tangling, don't make the string too long!)

My Little Sienna is very happy with her catch!

Mmmmm.....

P.S. We found big bags of Pixy Stix in the dollar bins at Target.

Cyclops Valentines

2012-01-30T13:24:00.001-08:00

My son is currently OBSESSED with Greek Mythology, so I wanted to design a fun Valentine to reflect that.

We came up with this cute Cyclops Valentine:

It says "{eye} Think You're Awesome!".

Get it?

They were super easy to make, and my son had a lot of fun helping me put them together. All you need to do is buy some googly eyes and suckers. We found both at Target, plus the eyes had adhesive on the back, so no need for glue! If anyone else wants the printable I made, you can get it HERE. For best results, print onto a thicker paper, like card stock. To attach the suckers/lollypops, I just cut a little slit in the hand with an X-Acto knife.

Chocolate Chip Scones

2012-01-29T09:59:00.001-08:00

These Skinny Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones have become a new weekend favorite of ours. They are super easy to make and much healthier than donuts!

And...who doesn't like chocolate for breakfast?

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

I Believe I Can Fly

2012-01-20T10:46:00.000-08:00

(created using a photo, hand drawn wings, and Photoshop)

Upcycled T-shirt Flowers

2012-01-12T12:50:00.000-08:00

I've noticed that I get a lot of traffic to my blog looking to learn how to make t-shirt flowers.

For my flowers (like below), I used this tutorial, but with t-shirt fabric. Also, I cut my pieces in more of a heart shape when folded, so when they are opened, they look like flowers with petals, instead of circles. I also DO sew them together, along with using glue, for extra strength. Does that make sense?;)

Here are a few more t-shirt tutorials that look like fun:

DIY Fabric Poms

Another type of t-shirt flowers

t-shirt aprons

Happy Birthday Hunter!

2012-01-08T19:45:00.001-08:00

Our puppy turned 3 today!

She's supposed to start to calm down now, right?;)

The kids forced me to make a birthday cake for her because we did last year. I guess we started a new tradition. We found a recipe made with bananas online....the dogs loved it!

Yum, Yum!

Happy Birthday Hunter!

We love you!

Finished Teacher's Gifts

2011-12-22T13:18:00.001-08:00

We finished our Teacher's gifts, and the kids brought them to school today. We took a couple of ideas we saw on Pinterest and combined them...and I think the finished product came out pretty cute!

We made monogrammed mugs, put a plant in them, and finished them off with a banner that said "Thanks for Helping Me Grow" (inspired by this).

I might not be posting again until after Christmas...

So...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Hope everyone gets to spend time with the ones they love!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-21T08:42:00.001-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-07T16:56:00.001-08:00

Easiest Advent Calendar...EVER!

2011-12-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to make the kids an advent calendar to help them count down the days until Christmas. I don't know about you, but I am asked every day how many days there are until Christmas...sometimes a few times a day;) I wanted to make one with activity ideas for each day, instead of presents. So, I went into the garage to look at all of my art and craft supplies, and days like today make me glad that I'm an art and craft supply hoarder! Sometimes I think, "I should get rid of some of this stuff", but it's really difficult because I know I will be able to use it all somehow! It's really the only thing I collect. I'm not really too attached to anything else. Anyway...I found some wooden clothes pins and magnetic strips...I knew they would be PERFECT! And...Voila! I made the easiest Advent Calendar EVER:)

Really, all you have to do is write, paint, or stamp numbers on the clothes pins and stick or glue the magnets to the back. You could even pin them on a ribbon or twine if you don't have magnets:

I had to cut my magnet strips in half:

Stick them on:

Ta-Da!

I used rubber number stamps to stamp on the numbers:

For the messages, I folded a piece of paper to get the right sized strips and cut on the lines:

Write messages or activities-

fold and pin:

Here is the finished set on my refrigerator, ready to count down to Christmas with some holiday fun!:

Here are some activity ideas for your advent calendar:

Make hot chocolate

Drive around to look at Christmas lights

Go ice skating

Make Christmas cookies

Read a Christmas story

Watch a Christmas movie

Eat a candy cake

Go see Santa

Listen to Christmas music

Make an ornament

Pick out Christmas PJs

etc...etc...etc...

Do you use an Advent Calendar to count down to Christmas?

A Christmas Gift Idea for Teacher

2011-12-03T08:17:00.001-08:00

I get so many great ideas from Pinterest.

We are on a tight budget for Christmas gifts, but MUST do something special for the kids' WONDERFUL teachers! So, the kids and I have come up with this idea. We are going to get plain white coffee mugs and plates

and personalize them with a porcelain pen, much like these:

image from:

http://www.designmom.com/2010/11/diy-monogram-mugs/

Then, we are going to make a variety of truffles, like these:

image from:

http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2010/01/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-truffles.html

If you search Pinterest for truffle recipes, you will find all sorts of different flavors, like oreo, sugar cookie, tiramisu, etc, etc....

We might put a hot chocolate mix or gift card to Starbucks in the mug too...

What do you do for Christmas Teacher's gifts?

Recently Finished Custom Family Ornaments

2011-11-26T17:57:00.000-08:00

Here are a few ornaments I recently finished:

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

(...recent creations)

Coffee Cake in a Mug

2011-11-08T12:53:00.000-08:00

Today, Sienna and I made ourselves a coffee cake in a mug as a treat. It was so good! I let Sienna make her own. She loved it...and it made me think about how good these one-serving mug recipes are for teaching kids how to cook. Some of my greatest memories as a kid were of the times I spent experimenting in the kitchen with my cousin. We would come up with all sorts of crazy recipes and things to make. I have been wanting to start giving my kids some cooking lessons. They watch and help me all the time, but I know they want to make things on their own, and the mug recipes are great practice!

Here is the coffee cake in a cup recipe. We followed the recipe as written, but didn't have sour cream, so used plain yogurt instead.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T08:32:00.000-07:00

Finished Costumes

2011-11-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

Ramona was a vampire, Charles was a Nutcracker, and Sienna was a unicorn.

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween!

We had a little too much fun...

it was next to impossible getting the kids up for school this morning!

For the Love of Ice Cream...

2011-10-29T11:24:00.001-07:00

Found this on Pinterest and thought it was cute:

Source: lookclassyactsassy.tumblr.com via Marjorie on Pinterest

Nevada Day 2011

2011-10-27T09:45:00.001-07:00

Here are the kids dressed up for the Nevada Day celebration at their school:

Ramona is Sarah Winnemucca.

Charles and Sienna are wild horses.

Past Nevada Day Costumes:

2009

2010

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T08:39:00.000-07:00

Costumes

2011-10-22T10:45:00.001-07:00

The costumes are coming together!

Felt and hot glue are becoming by best friends;)

Can't wait to share the finished versions!

Polymer Clay Spiderweb and Skull Tutorials

2011-10-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

Polymer Clay Spiderweb and Skull Tutorials:

All pieces can be made with black and white clay. They are really cool when made with glow-in-the-dark clay.

Spiderweb~

Flatten a piece of clay with a pasta machine or with a rolling pin.

With a circle cutter, cut a circle from the clay.

Use the same circle cutter to cut six curves around the circle.

You should have a piece that looks like this, with six points.

Roll a thin snake out of the black clay.

Lay and cut the snake to connect the points.

It should look like this, with 3 black snakes/lines connecting the points.

Now, roll a very long, thin snake out of black clay.

Starting at the center, make a spiral on the web.

To finish, poke hole and bake according to clay directions.

I have used these to make earrings, but they can be used in many ways: charms, pendants, ornaments, etc....

Skull~

Start with a large ball of white clay (for the head) and two small balls of black clay (for the eyes).

Flatten the white ball of clay.

Shape the bottom (jaw) of the flattened ball. You want to flatten the two sides and bottom.

You should have a skull shape that looks like this.

Grab a thick needle or needle tool.

Impress the needle in the bottom, center of skull.

Impress the needle two more times, on both sides of the center impression.

Roll the tiny black balls of clay and position them as eyes. I like to make one bigger than the other.

Add a pink bow for a girly skull.

My daughter Sienna's skull.

Adding her bow.

Poke holes if desired and bake according to clay directions.

These can be used as earrings, for necklaces, ornaments, buttons, bow centers, etc..., etc...

The sizes and colors can be varied. You can add other details, like a spider to the web, or a patch to the eye of the skull for a pirate skull! What about a royal skull or a sugar skull?

Use your imagination and have fun!

© 2011 threemoonbabies / Marjorie Dalgarn, All rights reserved.You may use this tutorial to make jewelry for sale. If you do so, please link back to Marjorie Dalgarn ( http://3moonbabies.etsy.com orhttp://livingwiththreemoonbabies.blogspot.com) in the item description.

New Polymer Clay Tutorial Coming Soon!

2011-10-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

I have a new polymer clay tutorial coming soon!

Even my 5 year old can do it!

(here it is!)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-19T09:21:00.001-07:00