A girl and a glue gun

okay..a week later...

2012-05-30T10:06:00.000-06:00

so...last week i said this was posting... then i realized i can't read a calendar... so here it is

guest poster--keeping it simple

2012-05-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

Alrighty..i've got a guest poster for you today! And she has a great simple dynamo outcome of a refashion for you
(and let's show her some agaagg love and leave lots of comments!)
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Hi, my name Kaysi and I blog at Keeping it Simple

One of my favorite things to do is refashion clothes. I want to have new clothes but don't have the money to buy all new clothes, so I go to my closet and see what clothes I can redo, so it feels like new clothes!!

I love this time of year because long sleeve shirts go on sale for super cheap! I love getting them and then cutting up the sleeves and using them to add ruffles or something to the shirt. I found this super cute idea here, and decided to make one for myself. It was super easy and quick!

Down East was having a great sale and I got this shirt for only $3.50. I love their basic line, they are long and stretchy!!

First thing I did was cut off the sleeves to where I wanted them.

Using the extra sleeve fabric, I cut several little "B" shape pieces.

I paired two of the B shape pieces together.

Using my longest stitch setting, I sewed the two pieces together. Then I pulled the bobbin thread tight to gather the pieces together.

I folded them two times, to make it look like a petal. Then I sewed it to the shirt.

Once it was sewed to the shirt, I moved the petals around to hide the part where I sewed it.

I continued doing that until I felt like it was full enough and big enough.

I then hemmed the edges and with elastic thread in the bobbin, I gathered the sleeves (I seriously love it and get compliments all the time!)

And here it is on, I love how it's simple enough to wear dressy but I could pair it with jeans and it would look good too!

I'm planning on washing the shirt but definitely not going to dry it.

Thanks for having me today Kimbo, I just adore you and your blog!

I would love it if you came by and said hi sometime, I always love a new friend!

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make sure you go check her out...she has many great refashions...and she's a wiz with her silhouette...and she's got plenty of awesome star wars crafts to keep any kid in true love!

shout outs

2012-05-27T15:05:00.000-06:00

I quilt for fun

so colorful...so fun...and i wouldn't have to cut perfect strips. right up my alley.

my inner need to create

a rainbow butterfly! i love how it pops!

you are your words

this is a fun sight that you can upload your picture and add words about you (or they can tap into facebook and get your status updates.) and then they make this fun picture!
autumn bennet

doing this! my kids need encouragment to read...it's going to be a long summer of me yelling, GO READ!

julie ann art

this etsy shop is 100% my personality. love them.

blog frog and dogs and books

i'm going to start working on my princess peg dolls...but i had to show hers cause they are just so darn cute!
crafts by amanda

t.p. roll snakes! another summer to do!
delia creates

what? i must have summer on the brain! ADORE this.
pitter and glink

cute lamp! i pretty adore everything about it.
kiki and company

you know...5 years ago i could have cared nothing about star wars...and now it seems to be the only thing i pin! love them (and my son who loves them)
glue sticks

dude. my kids would flip for this. love it with my whole body. (even my itchy allergic to watermelon throat)

crayola playzone

this is such a fun sight...you upload a picture and they turn it into a cartoon and make a story about your kiddos! i have a feeling if this rain doesn't let up it will be our monday activity!

like a pretty petunia

I always forget to thank the bus drivers! how cute are these too? and she makes it so easy!

vtech switch and go dinos!

2012-05-25T15:13:00.001-06:00

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

so when i got a chance to review the new Switch & Go Dinos jumped at it! we have a few vtech toys and they are the ones that are played with the most at our house..so it was just an offer i couldn't refuse...

and if my son found out i turned it down he would never forgive me.

but what surprised me the most is how my 4 year old daughter loves them. (she ripped them open before i even had finished bringing in the groceries!)

we are on day three with them....and i still am having fights cause ,"it's my turn to play with them!!!!"

They are super fun...the switch from dinos to cars really easy...Just a little flip of the tires and raising the head up or down makes it go from one to another...

and as soon as you put the head down...the car sounds start...and soon as you lift it up...it starts growling like a dino. you can change what driver you want on the car side...and you can pick which eyes you want the dino to have on the lcd screen.

and they also share facts about themselves....(like horns just told me his grandma is toughter than me! lol!) I asked my son something he learned and he says that the tricertatops has a sharp beak that cuts through the plants he eats! so they are learning as they're playing! I was really surprised about all the different features it has! (my son keeps informing me of new things it does as he figures them out!)

the two we got are Silver the T-Rex and horns the Triceratops...and you can buy those and two others (T-don and Tonn) on Amazon

and then on June 18 they will be on sale at vtech for $15.99

but go Buy today on Amazon it's like two toys for the price of one!

your kids will thank you!

washi

2012-05-25T11:01:00.001-06:00

i got this fun washi tape from elmers (it comes in a pack of three) (i also got that fun black and white and pink one!)

AND i have to say ...this stuff is ADDicTING! i could easily start a new obsession and buy it all up! it's super fun..they have super cute colors..and it's like scrapbook paper that just sticks so easily!
I decided to make these fun little flags (easiest project ever)

just toothpicks and tape

pull out 3 inches..

put your toothpick in and fold over...

then you trip your flag how you want it!

you could do long ones for drink stirrers...

then i took some twine and made a tiny little pennent banner...

perfect for scrapbooking or cards

i stuck the banner on using elmer's glue dots!

and here's some more fun ideas to do with washi tape!

source

you can even print on them!!! go here

kitchen reveal

2012-05-24T10:59:00.000-06:00

Alrighty...now...like i said on monday. i'm not like totally done. above my cupboards i have a TON of space...and i'm kinda stuck....but for now i'm okay with it..

so my kitchen was apple green and brown with a little red and blue (you can see a couple befores HERE and HERE (these are very beginner posts of my blog!)...... but i found this from pinterest

source

and this one...

source

and loved them....

so i started slowing making it over...

first paint:

it's call fresh mint from dutch boy and it's the pretty color of blue that might have green in it...i'm super happy with...and it's pretty true to the paint chip...

i edit my photos so some might come out more of a brighter blue...or more green...but here's a picture not edited...with the door open

and with the door closed (in case it makes a difference)

can i take a moment of your valuable time to express my distaste for my culligan machine.
now..don't get me wrong. i love it. the cold water is well worth it. but it always shows up in pictures and kinda makes it look like a sore thumb...

and i was going to cover it with fabric...but i was afraid you all would think it was an april's fool joke or something....

anyways..i painted the main wall and the back splash... (i'm planning on painting the rest a bright white....but i wouldn't hold my breath if i were you)

okay..let's start with the entrance...(all the links to the tutorials are at the end)

the chalkboard wall starts us off

if you walk straight you run into my table

the view into the living room....

see those plates in the corner? they are the post that was supposed to schedule yesterday....

next to them is my door...

if this was my house you can bet your bottom dollar that those cupboards would be painted white....but since it's not my house....you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.

this corner is where i stash all those mason jars that i hoard

I don't have a tutorial for my grocery bag holder...but i followed THIS one by make it and love it

i made this terra cotta pot bubble gum jar...then i found this old one at the thrift store..and now i've decided i'm going to collect them....(and i might use this one as a fish bowl)

I had to redo my menu board:

and added some new fabric behind my frame...

new table top

rainbow print

fabric hot glue hearts

recover a lamp into a drum shade

fake bubble gum dispenser

clean/dirty dish sign

and true to form...here's all the crap i moved off my counters so it doesn't look cluttered...

(it's mostly dog food and my husbands muscle inhancing crap)

good thing i'm not pinocchio

2012-05-23T09:13:00.002-06:00

Cause i can't really afford a nose job...and with all the lying i've been doing it would be needed.
so i thought today was my post over at expressions vinyl blog...(i blog every third wed) and i do my cameo post every second mon....so last mon i did my cameo post...so i just assumed that the third wed was today....

and it's not.

(today is actually sugar bee...go check out her saying..I LOVE IT!)

so that post is coming soon....and since i haven't "cleaned" my kitchen (i put air quotes around cleaned cause you know instead of cleaning i'm just going to shove it all in my living room) to take good pictures...so i can't show you my kitchen yet.

SO TODAY you get randomness...which if in all reality i could write a whole blog literally filled with nothing. it flows easy from my fingers...

first: ADORE these purses from very jane (and the address labels!)

and groopdealz has loads of greatness...but the one i'm pretty sure i'm going to buy is this one:
lace tape!!!!

project run and play is over (going through with withdrawals!) but they started a thing called skirting the issue for the summer! basically they are trying to get 100 skirts made/refashioned and donated to foster girls! such a great idea! i'm so in...and trying to think of a super awesome skirt to make! are you in too? it's funnier when we all play along!!!!

AND! I need two more people for a new ispy swap..basic details are: 10 squares off 10 different fabric (100 all together) cut 6x6. mail to me with money included to mail it back. email me at kimbowest21 (@) GMAIL.COM

I've decided to do an agaagg giveaway of crap when i reach 5000

I just bought this online (for a great deal and free shipping on overstock) super excited bout it. that's all..just wanted to share cause i was super pumped.

and today my kids are headed to their last day of school.

i'm not ready.

at all.

(i will be pulling THIS out for sure)

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this post is brought to you buy:

curtains...

2012-05-22T10:37:00.000-06:00

before i begin I would like to make a disclaimer that taking pictures of curtains in a window SUCK. like completely.

so i painted my kitchen wall.. and my curtains no longer match.... but this style is my favorite...it lets in lots of light...but can be pulled down at night so no one can spy on me when i walk around the kitchen nude (i don't...but if i wanted too....)

this is where you say. phew...she wasn't kidding about the awful pictures. tis okay. i've accepted it (after over 100 pictures at all different times of the day.)

i even took one using instagram...cause they always make everything look good...

this is the before:

i had this red and white striped and tried to decide how to hang it...

i thought about making a chevron..or just leave it striped....

then i found this pretty floral that had all the colors of my kitchen..

and i bought the remainder of it...

and lucky for you..it's like me and is horribly unphotogenic....

but i measured my window and added two inches on each side and on the bottom and then added 3 inches on the top...

then i cut 4 strips the same size of the window and about 3-4 inches wide...
I put the edges together and sewed all 4 strips rights side in...then turned it right side out....

i ironed them so the seam is down the middle

one of the ends got tucked inside and sewed across...

then sewed two straps together. so instead of 4 medium length strips..you have two super long ones...

and all the seams are on one side...

now...i took my huge rectangle of curtain fabric and sewed in all the edges and then folded over the top to make a place for the curtain rod to go....

and then i took the straps and put one strap underneath and the top seam where i sewed the two straps together i put at the very top of the curtain...

and measured an even distance from the edge... so they both are equal...(if your curtains are really wide...you will want to make the straps in towards the middle a little more.)

then i sew them right along the seam i used to sew the top down for the curtain rod (you can see the safety pin if you squint...(see, i wasn't kidding when i said horrible picture taker fabric)

i added some fingers so you can kinda see....

and then you hang!

the straps just get tied up in bows at the bottom...any height you want the curtain.

then you just pull them down when you want no peeping toms.

tomorrow i've got a great vinyl tut for you...then the kitchen reveal!

how to roygbiv

2012-05-21T09:27:00.001-06:00

I got my kitchen all painted and decorated enought to call it quits and work on something else (i.e. i can't figure out how i want all the excess space above my cupboards so i give up at the moment. )
so I thought i would give you a tour...but first i wanted to post the tutorials for some of my projects:

first up is the Roygbiv challenge from sYtyC. (i won that week so the tutorial was posted over there)

It's super fast and easy and it's so bright and colorful!

the instructions...
i created this printable on picnik (but you can do the same basic thing on picmonkey) you just upload any picture and make the exposure all the way until you get a white screen...now you can write your favorite quote or whatever tickles your fancy...

IF you want this specific one i have it for sale in my etsy shop HERE

i uploaded it at staples.com and got it the next day!!!

(but you can print an 8 by 10 at walmart for less than 3 dollars and slap it in a pretty frame!)

i took a big piece of styrofoam...and cut it to size..

and went to joanns an bought all the bright fun fabric i could find cause i just wasn't sure which one i liked...

i decided to go with the blue green strips..I cut into strips to fit around the sides of the styrofoam...

and then just hot glue it around...

try to make it as smooth as possible! (covering the sides will also help if the sides are not even from cutting it!)

I took my print

spray adhesived it and layed it on my styrofoam...

and smoothed it out! i didn't want to mod podge the front cause i don't have a good track record with it... for some reason it hates me....and bubbles up. and i've decided it's not a friendship that i'm going to try to keep...

i added a dischanger to the back with hot glue to hang the sucker up!

i have a tutorial HERE for these fun hearts

now instead of styrofoam you could use dry wall boards...elmer's foam core board...or just plain old wood...whatever you have lying around!

if you love rainbows make sure you check out my rainbow shoutouts

and at the begining of this blog i showed a placemat purse that i made rainbow one with buttons:

which is way the picture blows.

it's sunday.....

2012-05-20T13:51:00.000-06:00

and it's time to see some awesomeness that is not mine:
la famille

the whole of it. just awesome.

lil luna

these personalized frames are just so sweet (and i love the colors!)

blue robin cottage

I keep singing FOXY LADY....

but i want one of these.

cause i'm crafty like a fox.

vixen made

this is upcycled from a tablecloth. i intend to get down and dirty crafty with my kids this summer and these will come in handy!

five brothers one sister

I could do some major crafty in this room....and those polka dot chairs!

madigan made(at mod podge rocks)

pretty sure this will be done at my house soon.....

jk jk at eighteen 25

love these painting frames! so cute!

how sweet it is

i would love to pee in this bathroom! so happy!

crazy wonderful

a pink dog. and a giant giraffe. this is one lucky kid.

Chelise Patterson

this has captured my whole heart and sole. i love this from the top of the her head to the bottom of those cute sandals!

craftionary

father's suck. i mean buying them presents suck...but this is a GREAT compilation of ideas!

chase the star

and you know how i love chevron. and file cabinets. match.made.in.heaven

stitch to stitch

this little outfit makes me want to untie my husband's tubes and have another baby (this outfit and those chubby ankles!)

yes paper coterie again...

2012-05-19T11:00:00.001-06:00

I don't know if your dads(husbands) are hard to shop for ...but mine are. ridiculously hard.

but paper coterie has the cutest book for dad that your little ones fill out (and it's 60% off...just enter FORDAD at checkout)

you just upload some pictures and then when it gets sent to you-- you have your kiddos fill it out

super cute and great for father's day!

also the journals are only 6 bucks this week! love them! (enter code BIRTHDAYJOURNAL)

go check it out!
(and their books are going on sale for $10 soon...so go get one all ready so all you have to do is buy it!

perfect timing for the avengers if i do say so myself...

2012-05-18T09:40:00.001-06:00

we went opening weekend to see the avengers with all the kids....and we got to the movie theater and saw the line in the parking lot and drove right on by to the redbox and rented we bought a zoo. SO NO SPOILERS! we are going to see it soon!

so this is probably one of my top ten favorite projects! something about these little superheros just makes me happy!

I kept seeing these little peg dolls around pinterest....and i KNEW i had to make some. I went HERE to this etsy shop and bought these...and the girl ones with the dresses (princess are coming soon!)...and a family.

(would be so cute for a family renunion and everyone could paint themselves)

I painted all the base colors with my apple barrel paint

the tricky part is that you leave some of the peg showing for the faces..(excpet on hulk spider man and iron man) so it's slow going.

and there are coats that need to dry.

and so make sure you are watching something good on tv.

then i took my paint pens from elmers (these were SUCH a lifesaver) instead of getting a tiny little brush and trying to make the lines all perfect you just draw it on.

seriously. if you are going to whip out a lot of these BUY THE PAINT PENS!!!!

THEN I had them all painted and cute....and my son woke up and saw them and went into superhero overload...and i had to tell him that they weren't for him (they are for my nephew scotty) and i literally had to pinky promise to make him a set. (he wants a good guy set and a villian set so he can play "chess" (he's 6 and has no idea how to play chess..but i do want to make some villians)

but i let him play with them...and i noticed that they were getting a little scuffed up...

so i took some finishing spray from krylon...

and gave them a coat...it's makes them all shiny and pretty!

and that's it! they are so stinking cute Here's a picture so you can how small they are.. (fyi...the neck is the hardest part top paint!!!)

the only snag i ran into was that the inpiration pictures i was looking at only had the front view...and i wanted to know how the back looked...so i took a picture so you could see how i did mine so you didn't have to be left scratching your head...

i noticed that i had superhero fabric that matched everyone but green lantern and flash....so i had to take MORE pictures!

i got these cute little printables from HERE

(how cute is that pirate?)

and i also love these star wars one

and these harry potter ones:

i also made a little bag to hold them all..(all hot glue)

the trick with hot gluing on felt is to get glue all around the edges..not so much the middle...

here's the present all together: (minus a superhero crayon roll)

and cause i always like to show you the "behind the scenes"

toy bags

2012-05-17T11:14:00.001-06:00

so I sat down to whip these fast bags out....
and for the life of me could not find this canvas fabric..
and i spend the whole day Tuesday cleaning up and looking for it on my messy desk.

AND THEN this WED morning..I remembered that the last time i cleaned up i stuck it in a nice organized pile of stuff i was working on.
moral of the story: cleaning is bad. you can't find anything.

and then i sat down to write the post...and my computer is turning off from overheating.

so if anyone from hp, dell, apple or toshiba are reading and would like to donate a new laptop to me...

I would take it.

no questions asked.

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So i got my hands on some of expressions vinyl t-shirt vinyl...(i have to tell how much i love this stuff: i love this stuff...so much.)

It's super fun and easy and a great way to personalize ANYTHING!!!!

this was how my son's legos and army men were being stored:

please tell me your kids have stuff in ziploc bags too!
then the grandiose after...

the bag is just sew the top down...then put bag together right sides in...and sew around (yellow lines)

then snip corners and turn right side out!

then i added a bit of rope around the top (got this at walmart for about $2) and i melt the ends to prevent fraying...

now i have used the t-shirt vinyl for my daughters bag HERE (it's flocked aka fuzzy)

and expressions vinyl has a great video tutorial HERE if you have an additional questions

but i basically took my tutorial from Monday
and designed what i wanted my vinyl to be...

and sent it through my cameo...

now the trick with t-shirt vinyl is that your image has to be reversed. it comes with the transfer tape already attached (shiny side) and you don't want to cut it..so it goes face down on you mat and your images cut through top layer only)

then you weed (or peel) away the excess (it's a little more time consuming than regular vinyl...it stretches when pulled so you can ruin your image if you don't go slow!)

and lay it down (so the transfer tape is on top..it's a little sticky which helps position it)

then i put my iron on it (one down from cotton) and i always put a towel over it top prevent me from messing it up...

then you just peel off the transparent top

and that's it! super easy!

i also had to put an embarrassing nickname on the back of my husbands softball shirt....

(i know family Reunion season is coming up...how fun to have personalized shirts!)
alright..make sure you go HERE to enter to win some vinyl!!!!

i'm pretty sure i need a new door mat....

2012-05-16T18:00:00.000-06:00

(this is supposed to be a vinyl post (which is coming) it's just that my computer has pms at the moment is having HOT FLASHES and then shuts itself down.

so i can't get anything done....and it's super non frustrating...said the girl that just ripped out her hair.)

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not like i need a door mat cause my other one doesn't work....

or cause i don't have one...

but i would like my door mat to represent me...

you know...SUUUPPPER helarious.

source

let's start this monday with a GIVEAWAY!!!!!

2012-05-14T10:20:00.000-06:00

If I said, "where's my favorite place to buy vinyl?" and you would say.....

(hopefully if you know me AT ALL you will say EXPRESSIONS VINYL!!

it's because A. I'm cheap
and B. their vinyl is cheap.

and that is just a match made in heaven!

and they ship it like speedy gonzales. I literally get mine the next day (but they are just a town over from me....)
but i get my invoice saying they shipped it within hours of ordering it!

and they have sooo many colors...and metallics..and patterned...and t-shirt vinyl..and printable...and chalkboard and dry erase...

(you can go here to see many projects i've down with expressions vinyl (from growth chart down!)

and they even sell silhouettes!

(ha! today i'm over at expressions vinyl blog showing you all about clipart! you can go HERE!)

and expressions vinyl has decided to give an agaagg follower a $25 gift card:

To enter:

Leave me a comment about what you would use your vinyl for.

If you want additional enteries: (seperate comment for each)

you can sign up to receive their coupons (they always have some kind of sale going on!)

and you can go like them on facebook

(which also post coupons (like free shipping!) and features great ideas!)

(if you have already done these...leave me a comment telling me!)

(and please make sure i've got your email somehow!!!)

tomorrow I've got a tutorial for you showing you how i like to use my vinyl!

happy mom's day

2012-05-13T08:39:00.000-06:00

so i have purposely set my husband up for a fail... I did not mention mother's day.

at all.
usually i give him a picture of what i want...with the store and price it can be bought at..
and then usually i steal money from his wallet and buy it for myself.

but this year i haven't said one word at all.

and he isn't a shopper..so it's not like he's going to walk into walmart to see that big floral sign reminding him that mother's day is sunday!

and i secretly hid the mothers day presents that i got for my mom and his mom

now..you are probably wondering why...

well...cause i know that if he forgets ...he will feel really guilty.

and then i will get an EVEN bigger present...
including a day of being spoiled.

(guilt is awesome)

my plan is to not mention it..and then when we are sitting there at church and someone mentions it...and he looks over at me...and i will give him my best puppy dog eyes like, " i can't believe you forgot mother's day".

then i'm going to ask for a new beach cruiser bike...
and dinner in bed.
and a foot rub.
and to make him watch moulin rouge.

because i can can can..

being a mother can be pretty awesome some times....

this etsy ship is fantasically funny! right up my alley...

(and for more mom funnies you can go HERE)

hope if you are a mom you are being forgotten so you can use it to your advantage!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

oh brother...i mean mother!

2012-05-11T09:05:00.000-06:00

I love my mother...
(i would put a picture of my mom here...but i have a feeling she would KILL me.)

and i love being a mother...

and with motherhood comes a certain responsibility...

to not let your children destroy themselves and each other.

so I came up with a mother's day card representing that....

and the inside

(i might have had to google if that comma was needed...

high school was lllllllooong ago.)

(if you want variations of this you can scrolll wayyyy down...)

to print i just saved it in my picture file...

opened it up

and you just pick your size and unclick fit picture to frame...

BUT if you are mentally folding this card in your head..it's backwards...

so you have to flip it upside down...

and then print it..and do the same for the inside...you just have to put the paper in backwards (you might want to try it out on a scrap paper to get it to work!

then i just trimmed it up...

other "sayings" i considered adding to the card if i had room:

Don't make me come in there...

Shut the door
Don’t pull your sister’s hair.
Don’t talk with your mouth full
Because I said so QUIT Yelling!
Call me when you get there, just so I know you're okay.
Clean up after yourself!
Do you think I'm made of money?
Don't put that in your mouth, you don't know where it's been.
Go play outside! It's a beautiful day!
Go to your room and think about what you did!
How can you have nothing to wear? Your closet is FULL of clothes!
I brought you into this world, and I can take you right back out!
If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
If you don't stop crying, I am going to give you something to cry about
If you're too full to finish your dinner, you're too full for dessert.
Cause i said so.
I'm doing this for your own good.
I'm going to give you until the count of three... 1.. 2.. 2 and a half... 2 and three quarters
Watch your mouth!
What if everyone jumped off a cliff? Would you do it, too?
When you have your own house then you can make the rules!
CAUSE I'M THE MOM!
I hope someday you have children just like you.

which reminds me of this youtube video...

I also LOVED this card:

it screams KIM.

and this one:

and my kids already filled one of these out per grandma....

source

the answers they wrote down are HILARIOUS! like my four year old thinks that if her grandma had time she would love to chew bubblegum..

or that all three of my children think there grandmas weigh less than 100 pounds...

and the thing grandma always says is "Yes, kameron i will swing you"

just makes me giggle.

i stuck them in my cute moms sacks i got at walmart...

and if you are in a pinch you can whip up one of these...

getting my act together...

2012-05-10T19:23:00.001-06:00

so i got sick.

like sleep all day and now my house is destroyed cause my three kids have run amuck...(not entirely sure what amuck is...but it's how i felt and how my house looks)

(karma for complaining i'm sure.)

but i'm feeling better....
and one room has been restored to living condition so it's an up hill battle..

and i'm here to pick a some winners for my yarn blossom giveaway!

(she just added these! how cute!)

(winners..plural...remember we have 3 winners!)

you have 24 hours to email me (kimbowest 21 @gmail.com)

from here on out i'm going to notify my winners via email....

(i already picked my winner for my lisa leonards giveaway that way...i was just too lazy to do three of them)

so PPPPRETTTy please and make sure that you have your blogger account hooked up to your email!

it's super super easy!

You can go HERE if you have the old blogger face

or if you have updated

(and i can't tell you how much i love the updated...

(if you work on an old post it will put it up at the top of your drafts instead of keeping it buried!!!)

or if you have the new one...i just go over to my name and push the arrow down

and click edit

i think so anyways...everything is kinda backwards for me now with google + hooking it all up!
and hey..if you want to follow me there on google + you sure can!

now i just need a baby.....

2012-05-09T15:24:00.001-06:00

(i don't want anyone to send me a baby......seriously.)

i'm over at naptime crafters today showing off my upcycled/recycled (is there a difference...?) boy t-shirt into bibs...

.so go here to see me! and as i was just over there...i might have noticed my daughter flippin the camera off (unintentionally)

whoops....

oh....

2012-05-07T11:14:00.000-06:00

I might have forgotten one BIG PRO for the blogging side...

all of you.

source

i've got the bloggin blues....

2012-05-07T01:18:00.000-06:00

*disclaimer: it was late.

very late.

continue:

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you know. i love blogging.

i have never once (okay maybe once) complained about it...(there was a time last summer that i got a little overwhelmed...but i blame the childrens for that...this summer i'm going to ship them to a summer camp like in parent trap so they can all find their long lost twins and switch places and i get three kids in return that are just plain happy to have a mother..regardless if she spends her time gluing stuff to other stuff.)
(the old school one with hayley and not the new one with lindsay)

but i've been feeling down...

and it's not so much the craft part...nor the spending of time writing posts (sometimes it's more fun than the crafting...)

I've always wanted to write a book...

wait...i'm off again...

it's the OTHER SIDE of bloggin...
the side no one talks about (i was whispering in a scary voice with a flashlight under my skin)
(okay..i don't have a flashlight cause it's literally 12:21 at night and i'm all tucked in under my blanket and i'm sure the flashlights are all dead cause my daughter likes to read late at night (unannounced to her mother until her mother goes to make her bed and finds the flashlight covered in drool)

(again..crap...)

There is this side of bloggin that is no fun...The side where you have to worry about stuff...

like SEO..

who knows what that is?
Something
Evil
Okay?
Super
Exaggerated
Opinion?
okay..i suck at that..
it's search engine optimization....
no reallly...i didn't make that one up.

It's stuff us bloggers do so when people google something...it's OUR blogs that pop up and then we can be rich and famous and make loads of money...

or just so our blog pops up.

and SEO is saying that i should go back and rename all my pictures (instead of IMG 4543.)
(Seo is a #$#%$)
Have we met? I take a bazillion pictures. i put pictures where literally no pictures are needed.

an overshare of pictures. I can't even write all this without going back and googling pictures to add
(and the ones i pick i'm sure have been renamed so they popped up first.)

I refuse. REFUSE to go back and rename all my pictures. i won't even try to.

do you know long it to took me to get my tutorial page all organized? and i had only been blogging for a year at the time...it was many a day... cereal was the breakfast lunch and dinner....

it just ain't happening.
and on top of seo..there is the "rules" about giveaways on facebook..and writing that weird paragraph about getting paid for you opinion and they are 100 % mine. (i would totally write..they are 75% mine...25% the money.) and did you know that if you have you web address on your big picture thingy on facebook, facebook could delete you? (thanks kim!) and stumbling (still have no clue) and updating you tutorials page, and submitting projects, and making sure your advertisers are properly rotated and plug ins for wp(?) and linky parties --- i still am a blogspot and haven't switched over to .com cause i'm scared (and clueless)

and ANOTHER thing...
i feel like I need to be a computer tech to keep up with all the gadgets and widgets that are out for bloggers these days...Just when i feel like i'm doing okay and finally figure out html I go to someone else's blog and see all fancy tutorials pop ups and links that magically show up when you reach the end of her weekend round up. (it fascinates me everytime.)

I just get to the point where i'm all, what happened to everyone just having the backgrounds from hot bliggity blog? you just pick the fun polka dots with the ribbon and flower and you're done
(if you have a blog that has that EXACT background you just earned yourself 1000 glue gun points.)

source

and let's talk emails:

i get a lot
(i can ONLY imagine the amount JEN gets...geesh!)

and i hate them.

now-- don't get me wrong...if you are emailing me about a question or comment...i'm okay with those (i encourage it!!!) and if you are emailing me to say how much you love me (my email is kimbowest (21) at gmail.com)...i print those off and put them in my journal....

but i get alot of emails from companies about advertising.....and i made myself a rule when this blog started getting serious:

I said, Kim, don't become a money loving ho.

aka. DON'T BECOME A SELL OUT

(i also told myself i would not embarrass my mother...sorry about the ho mom.)

and some of these companies want to pay me to write about them..or to advertise for them...and i have to say no. cause I try to keep it sTRICTLY craft here at agaagg
(you know besides those annoying random posts that sometimes sneak out..that include no crafts but a bunch of whining.)

and if you know me like only my sisters and mothers do (and sometimes my husband) i don't do no. i will tell you yes..just to avoid telling you no. Hey kim do you want to come jump of this cliff for me ...please?
gulp..sure i do.

I have a "just say no" problem. i'm working on it. (i don't do drugs...i can 'just say no' to that....even though by the time you get to the end of my post you might think i do)

(also closely related is my "i don't answer my phone cause i never know what the person is going to ask me and i will say yes regardless of what it is" problem)

hey kim do you want to watch my 5 kids for me while i go on a cruise for a week?
gulp...ohsure i do.

i'm a screener...if i like what i hear on the voicemail you will get a call back.

I literally had to scroll back up to find out what i'm talking about.
saying no.

i hate it.

so when people contact me i have like anxiety about being all, i'm super sorry but i just don't think portapotties really fit in with the theme of my blog....i'll have to pass.
(okay i have not been contacted by a porta potty company.

and i would have said yes cause it would be funny.)

(dudes that was totally scary googling porta potties....i was NOT sure what was going to pop up.)

(or poop up...)

ha.

but i hate it...and sometimes i don't do it...and those emails just sit there taunting me from my inbox...
seriously...
I have days were i wake up and i'm all...kim. strap on those big girl panties cause today you are going to answers those emails.
(i also have days were i wake up and i'm all...kim...quit talking to yourself cause people are starting to look at you funny. but then i just say shut up to that kim...)

NOW..before you start making assumptions...(do i have a few of you panicked?) I'M Not quitting...
i'm not even slowing down...i still have craft ideas coming at me like wildfire. i literally have 98 posts in drafts...

i guess what i'm trying to say is that sometimes my blog feels like a 4,000 square foot house that has 3 kids, a dog and a husband that i'm solely in charge of cleaning...(on top of doing the other stuff i do...like paint toe nails and kiss boo boos and poor cereal for dinner)

i just miss my 950 foot studio apartment above a garage when everything was just like sweep sweep sweep dust dust dust load the dishwasher and done.

source

I just don't want to spend the rest of my life chained to the computer.

i just want to craft.

and then write ridiculous posts that go on entirely too long..

that have pictures named whatever the crap my computer puts them as..

then i want to jump on the tramp with my kids.

and have a water fight.

and eat marshmallows

and pin some pins on pinterest

and kiss my husband.

a lot...LOT.

If i remembered how to do math i would do it right now...and take the hours i put into blogging...and divide that by what i make in advertising

and i can bet my glue gun i'm making about 58 cents an hour.

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i do it cause i love it.

i really really do.

if in 10 years i'm still doing it.

i will be happy.

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i just get overwhelmed sometimes.

and sometimes i take that and vent on my blog about it.

and lucky you gets to spend 25 minutes reading it..

(i really hope my husband reads this...i think he will be relieved to know that it wasn't his fault (this time) that i've been in such a grumpy mood this past week)

and now that i have wasted all your time.....do you know what would be especially lovely?, if you went to your favoritest blog and left them a comment telling them you love them....cause sometimes they just need to hear it.

(and i'm not just saying that cause i want a bunch of comments...just go..spread the love.)

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shout outs

2012-05-06T08:09:00.000-06:00

luv in the mommyhood

oh. so sweet! love the heart cut out!
pretty providence

you make me happy when you teach me how to use all my fabric scraps...
prudent baby

yellow. check. bow. check. true love. double check.

the crafty scientist

love this iron mat that sticks to the top of your dryer! so convenient!

today's fabulous finds

i have seen these mirrors before! and kicking myself for not buying them! amazing!

polkadot chair at riley blake

i want to hang this in my kitchen!!!!!

sugar tarts

oh! love it all! (go see the other ones too!...and her sweet babe)

simply done wright

my grandma stimpson always signs her letters with xoxxoxoxoxo.

so when i see them i'm partial to them!

house stuff works

i love this artwork...and it's done with paint chips...

so FREE!

visual eye candy

i love this simple no sew idea on how to jazz up curtains (so you don't have to buy new ones!)

the creative vault

love. love and love.

ali lily

one of the best diy mother's day round ups i've found!!!!!

paper coterie

2012-05-04T14:45:00.001-06:00

paper coterie.

if you are long time reader of me....this name will be familiar...i love them.

and i order a LOT of crap from them
no. i take that back...i won't even call this crap (which i call everything crap) but there stuff is just too awesome.....

you might remember my i spy book....

I also ordered my christmas card from them
(you can read the letter that went out with all my cards HERE)

and 3 journals...

and that special book for my mom with pics of the grandkids and their fav thing about grandma

and 3 posters...

which literally EVEYRONE who comes in my house comments on...

it's cause they are so cool and canvassy and stick right to the wall....

and because my kids are so dang cute...

and i also ordered the cookbook....

because...well..i was in it...and i felt famous...and i like to eat food.

and my sister ordered a growth chart...
and i'm making a baptism book for my daughter..

and i'm planning on putting together a calendar for my mother in law of all the childrens for christmas......

to make a long story even longer...

i love this shop.
it's my favorite.
and with mother's day/father's day coming up it's like the best thing in the world to give ...cause it's personalized...and shows you care..

and it's literally you upload pictures, drag them to where want them and type in some text..super easy!

and they ship SUPER fast. like super.

and if you would like to order something...and take $15 off...you can (if you enter GIFTFAVES at checkout (expires may 14, 2012)
so head on over and check them out! and see why i love them so much!

(AND i'm putting their button in my sidebar so you can get to them super easy!)

a barbie tent from elmers!

2012-05-03T12:04:00.000-06:00

you know what is my favoritest thing? getting packages in the mail... they don't even need to be tied up with string. masking tape still does it for me....

and recently i got the best package from elmer's craft it!

chock full of elmers/exacto goodies....

and the challenge was to make something...

and i with all this goodness i wanted to make something using as much of the supplies as possible!

so i came up with this:

cause you know i love me some barbies....

it's fantastically easy....it's a no sew...and the choices are endless on how to decorate it! (you could even have your kids decorate it!

It uses this bi fold foam board...

(which also be awesome for a giant mother's day card!)

but that also means it folds FLAT!

the only supplies you HAVE to have is this board...a ribbon and i used glue dots to attach it (the ribbon goes across the bottom to keep the tent shape instead of falling flat!

and i made a video to show you how i put it all together!

i sped it up..but to decorate one side took me only 10 minures....

so in less then a half an hour you could totally have a custom little barbie tent!

(you also could just take two sheets of scrapbook paper and cut it to size and glue it on! and be done!)

here are some of the supplies i used...

these are new...this tape is sooo fun! i 've got another little project planned for it...but it's getting hoarded away and no one will touch it! (and it's repositional!)

i got these stencils....super fun. makes fast work--i just used the exacto knife and my pink cutting mat and I had stars in minutes! (i could cut them out faster than it would have taken me to get my cameo out and plugged in!)

these precision scissors are super small and fun and gets those tight little spots (like the little parts of the stencil that didn't get cut!)

the edges of the stencils also have designs along them..super fun!

Paint pens: holy....love these things...i used them with my BAM letters and i am now obsessed with them! (i might have just used them to draw boxers on my ken doll.)

it comes white...you press down and shake and watch the color fill it in!

i also got loads of adhesives....

i thought i would break it down how i use them....

1. glue spots...love these..one of my favorite products...i used them to stick on my butterflies and i used them a ton when i was in a card club...they stick on ribbon and flowers and you don't have to worry about it falling off!

2. this is a glue pen...i haven't used it before now...but it's awesome. it has a small tip for tiny little things and a wide side...the small tip is soooo useful!

3. dot runner....love this for my pictures when i scrap book. you just zip it around the pictures and slap it on!

4. foam mounting tape...this is super fun..gives a little dimension if you want things to stand out..

5. glue sticks...these are classic...they are my go too..my kids use them freely and i never have to worry about a mess....
they even earned a spot on my craft organzier...

alrighty...that's the dets on the barbie tent...now i'm going to show you how much fun i had posing these barbies!!!!

the fire is felt...

as well as the "marshmallows"

it fits two "comfortably."..

just don't let your hair get too close to the fire...

these poor barbies got frost bite cause they did not dress appropiately for camping....

then a giant came

and ate all the smores....

but the giant wasn't too scary....cause she's so darn pretty...

and then the giant played for hours...

the end..

alright...a big thank you to elmer's craft it! go check them out on facebook for loads of other fun ideas!

idunno.

2012-05-02T10:07:00.000-06:00

source

so i have been in a craftying funk.

just can't get anything started.

i mean i have project ideas coming out my ears....
but no motivation...

i was going to make new lunch bags for my kids...
and even bought all the fabric for it..

then found some on sale at old navy...
so i bought them.

and then there was a time i went into joanns....
and left..
without buying ANYTHING.

hasn't ever happened.

ever.

(i think i might be sick.)

so instead...i spent my time reorganizing my pinterest board...
Dear pinterest, please make that process easier.

i took my sewing board...and split it into sewing crafts, sewing kids clothes, and sewing for me /techniques.

i took my random board...split it into a random crap,

funny crap, and

crap i love..

and i've been adding new descriptions...cause it fun.

It has taken me HOURs...and i'm still about half done.

and this is that time i'm super glad husband doesn't read the blog cause i don't think this would be considered a proper mom activity to spend the day doing while his kildrens (i meant to put that...kids and children together) run around unsupervised while he is working hard.

but what he doesn't know doesn't hurt him.

and i bribe my children with candy to not tell him i was on the computer for the better part of the day.

i'm also been online shopping.

cause i thought loads of fun earrings would get me out of my funk

i'll let you know if it worked in 4-6 weeks when they arrive...

(got these from colorhouse--i literally got 21 pairs of earrings and earring hoops for about $30.)

and i'm gifting some out....i'm not keeping all 21 pairs.

although 21 is my lucky number.

i also have been playing competitive card games......It's pretty intense...

i also thought about starting a what a wore day...

then remember why i haven't..

because a. i hate posing. b. i have a kid that likes to run in front of the camera. c. i have a dog that runs in front of the camera. d. i hate bribing someone to take a picture of me... and e. i reallly hate posing...

oh...and f. i wear gym clothes/pjs about 80 % off the time...

seriously. me like comfy clothes.

but i did have a good time playing around with picmonkey..

we also played hooky and went to the zoo.....

Is it wrong that i wanted to snuggle a peacock out with us so i could rip off the tail feathers and mount them on my wall......

ha ha. only kidding peta.

(only cause there was no way to get one out of the park)

i also updated my etsy shop awhile ago...

ummm...i fixed a hole in my daughter's pants...

and i made another skirt extender....

what i'm trying to say is this...

low expectations of me this week would be great.
thank you much.