Crafty Weeks

Maintenance

2017-08-19T10:48:00.002-04:00

Due to Photobucket suddenly cutting all photo links my blog is down currently until I can take the time to correct this issue. Thank you for waiting patiently.

Abel is Three Months Old

2016-05-27T00:18:00.000-04:00

Actually typing up this blog post ON his 3 month birthday, however I didn't get picture taken today as we (me actually) had to get out of the house! Abel is going through a growth spurt and teething at the same time, so my week has mostly been spent holding him.

Abel is growing up so fast. Its so funny seeing people's expressions when I tell them he is 3 months old. His 3-6 month sleepers are getting a bit short, so tonight we put him in a 6-9 month sleeper and it definitely is not too big for him. He still fits in 3-6 month body suits/rompers though, but not much longer I'm betting.

Just a couple days ago we got our first little laugh out of him. I can't wait till he starts laughing more often, it is so sweet!

Abel has a pretty big/heavy head so he hasn't rolled over quite yet. But the other day I walked away from him while playing on his playmat and just from watching me walk away he almost turned over!

This child has too much play equipment! We have a bouncer (2 actually), a low swing, floor play mat, and a bumbo. He uses all of them at least once a day. Abel gets bored quite easily and some days he hates the swing, some days he loves it. It's an adventure trying to figure out what he wants to do other than be held all day!!

Adeline is being a great big sister. She is such a big helper around the house, especially when daddy is gone. She entertains herself very well, which is great since Abel has been such a fuss butt!'

This boy goes from serious face to all smiles so quickly, its hard to get a good picture of his smiles.

Lately in order to get ANYTHING done I've had to wear Abel. Here he is "helping" me in my craft room.

Well we are heading into a big growth spurt/leap - pray for us!

Family Pictures on Mothers Day

2016-05-18T23:12:00.000-04:00

On Mothers Day we went and visited my husbands parents for the day and went to a little park near their house for Adeline to play a bit and take a few family pictures.

First time I've been to the park, but Adeline goes with her Nana whenever she goes up to visit her.

Here are Alan's parents with both grandchildren. Adeline is so hard to get to look at the camera!

Nana and her Grandson

Alan and I at the park. Ignore my gray hair, I need to get it colored!

These two fill my days now and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Our family!

After the park we headed up their house for Mothers Day dinner and spend some time together. Abel was all smiles for PaPaw Mike.

We spent some time relaxing on their screened in porch.

Me and my girl!

Abel is Two Months Old

2016-05-09T12:30:00.000-04:00

I'm a bit late posting his 2 month pictures. Why? Well...Abel is quite a bit different baby than Adeline was. He is a lot more demanding and loves his mommy snuggles a bit much. So I haven't had much time to just sit down at the computer and put together posts! Sleep is way too important to stay up late all the time!

Abel is growing so fast and so big! At his 2 month check up he weighed 13 lbs. and 8 oz. and was 24" long. He is in the 90th Percentile! That is a huge difference from Adeline who was in the 10th or less percentile. It's crazy how different they are, I wish I knew why there was such a huge difference between the two. I did take medications to help me get pregnant this time and medication during pregnancy that was needed due to PCOS, so I wonder if that is why he was bigger. Who knows, I'll probably never find out.

During his first month blog post I mentioned how he hated getting his diaper changed, now it is where he most happy! He loves to look at the light on the ceiling and feathers hanging above the table.

Adeline is still doing great with Abel and loves helping out. She does act up a little to try to get attention now, but I know it will get better. Abel requires a lot of attention and isn't so easily put down like Adeline was. So I can understand why she's acting differently now that he is here.

Alan and I are doing a great job sharing in taking care of Abel. It's great that I can count on him when he's home to help out so I can do some of the stuff that is impossible to do with 2 kids all day when he is working.

We are enjoying watching Abel grow up and excited to see who he will grow to be.

Happy Mothers Crafting

2016-05-08T18:00:00.000-04:00

SOURCE

Happy Mothers Day to my mom, Sara, and my mother in law, Reba! By now they've both seen their Mother's Day gifts so I can now share them with all of you. I knew they didn't need another trinket laying around the house so I figured they would love nothing more than a picture of their grandchildren. I didn't want to just print a picture and stick it in a frame, I wanted to create something unique that they can keep for years.

It's been all the rage to do photo transfer to wood, so I decided to give it a try. I looked for a tutorial that would be easy to follow and quick, I followed the tutorial by Southern Revivals from oh, 3 years ago! So yeah I'm way behind since this has been a thing for at least 3 years!

My first stop for this project was of course Michaels, mostly because its the only craft store in town. When we first moved here in 2014 there wasn't any craft store within 30 minutes! So I'll settle for what I've got and drive 30 min to Hobby Lobby for the bigger projects! So, at Michaels I knew I wanted to do more of the pallet style wood board, they have several different sizes but the one I chose was 10"x10" then based on the tutorial I knew I needed Mod Podge - Photo Transfer Medium for the photo to be able to transfer to the wood. I decided I wanted to decorate the wood a bit as well with some flowers so it wouldn't be so plan, I chose some Recollections Paper Flowers that went with the picture and board.

The only downside to doing a photo transfer is that you have to print the picture using a LaserJet Printer and remember to mirror image your picture (as you can see I did not forgetting he had words on his shirt, oops!). So I had to send my picture by PDF to Office Depot, which doesn't cost much but isn't very convenient!

Now that you have the materials needed follow the tutorial by Southern Revivals! It worked great for me. I wish I'd rubbed a little bit more paper off in a couple areas but I was worried about damaging the image, and I think it still looks great. I chose to sand the edges a bit, which is a good thing because some of the picture came off anyway on the edges! I then sealed it with Mod Podge Matte Finish, but be careful when you do it so the Mod Podge doesn't show on the wood like mine did (see you can learn from my mistakes!).

I also have a Silhouette Cameo, so I decided to put a quote on the bottom of the boards unique to each grandmother. For my Mother In Law I put "They call me Nana" and for my mom I put "They call me MaMaw". Then on the back of each sign I put the kids names and the year.

So after all that reading here is the finished product!

I love the added flowers! I had mommy brain earlier this week and totally forgot about the flowers so my mom got hers in the mail without the flowers, so if she decides she likes the look with the flowers I can add hers later! I just added them using E6000, I'm sure a hot glue gun works as well but I had it handy and it dries quick!

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Alison

Family Comparison

2016-03-20T23:42:00.000-04:00

Whenever a couple has a baby everyone says "Oh he looks just like his dad" or "She looks like her mom". So I sat down and decided to compare baby pictures for our little family. It is surprising how little we all look alike. Some families the similarity is striking - but for us I don't see it! Let me know if you do. You can click on any collage of pictures to view them larger.

Here are a series of comparisons (ages are unknown for mine and Alan's pictures):

First is Adeline's baby picture compared to Alan and I:

Then comparing Abel to the same pictures of us:

So what do you all think? Who do Adeline and Abel look more like as babies? I think they both have my baby cheeks!

This past week Abel turned a month old! So here is a comparison picture of Abel and Adeline at a month old. It is crazy how big of a difference there is between the two! Adeline was still wearing Newborn (and it was big on her!), Abel is wearing 0-3.

I went ahead and looked forward to Adeline's 2nd Month picture and it is a better picture to look at to compare how close they look alike since Adeline didn't start filling out until then.

Then for the comparison that I promised on Facebook a couple days ago that got this blog post in motion. Alan and Abel both wearing the same outfit. The funny part is that Alan is 3 months old when this picture was taken, and Abel was only 1 month old!

Abel is One Month Old

2016-03-19T17:23:00.000-04:00

This week we celebrated Abel being a month old! Time is already flying by and I can't believe it's already been a month. He has changed so much in that month.

Abel still does not like getting his diaper changed and cries through most. But when he doesn't he looks all around and is very observant. He loves looking at the ceiling fans in the house (what baby doesn't??) and at the big windows in our living room.

Abel is so different than Adeline at this age. Adeline was an easy baby, Abel is also an easy baby - just not as easy as Adeline! Or it could just be that now we have two, who knows? Abel typically sleeps ok his first stretch at night 3-4 hours then the rest of the night he's up about every 2 hours. I've really stopped keeping track. I am still dealing with pelvic and hip pain that I had during pregnancy so I cannot get up/down all night long with him, so after Abel wakes the first time from his crib in the nursery Alan brings him to our room and after Abel is done nursing he sleeps in a crib next to the bed. This is not what I wanted at all, but hopefully soon we can get him to sleep 100% in his room!

Abel only wore Newborn clothes for about a week, mostly because he lost a pound after birth (which is normal at the weight he was born at). But as soon as my milk came in he started gaining at a great pace! At 3 weeks old he weight 10 lbs 5 oz and was 21.5 inches tall. Most of his 0-3 clothes don't fit as they are hand-me-downs that are shrunk - so he can wear new 0-3 and used 3-6. He doesn't look like a big baby to me, but no one believes me that he's only 4 weeks!

So far Abel hasn't been out that many places. But he's been to Sugar Hollow Park, Steele Creek Park, Academy to see his dads old co-workers, Bass Pro for dads current co-workers, an attempted Target trip that failed miserably, O'Charlies, and Cracker Barrel. We spent our days at home right now with big sister, Adeline, either sleeping or eating and taking Adeline outside to play. We hope to head towards where the rest of our family is soon so that the extended family gets to meet Abel in person as well. That is one of the downfalls of living a bit over 2 hours away, but since it's still FLU season - it may be a good thing as well since his visitors have been limited.

Adeline is in love with her baby brother, Abel. She constantly wants to know what he is doing and loves to give him hugs and kisses. She has been a great help and is handling being a big sister great. She has had a bit of an attitude and acting up to get more attention, but that was to be expected. This weekend she's at my parents getting a break from having to share the spotlight, hopefully the break does her good. She loves visiting her grandparents (both sides), that will be her escape from her little brother for awhile until he gets big enough to go as well.

Alan and I are excited to see Abel grow up and see what personality he is going to have. Adeline is such a mix of the two of us, it's interesting to see what she gets from both of us.

Abel Jackson's Birth Story

2016-03-13T14:56:00.001-04:00

**This is a birth story, all the details as I can remember it!**

Thursday February 18, 2016

Before Alan and I went to sleep on Wednesday I told Abel that Thursday would be a great day to be born as his big sister, Adeline, was away at her Grandparents and his daddy had the day off work already. Well at 1:30am on Thursday I woke to a sharp sudden pain but it passed quickly and I decided to get up to use the bathroom. Once I stood up water gushed out and continued to do so for a bit, but no contractions had started. We decided to go back to bed to get rest until they started.

About 2:15am I started feeling contractions and kept a general timing of them and after a little while of them feeling fairly consistent I couldn’t sleep and decided would be best if Alan and I get up and go ahead and finish getting the hospital stuff together to see how contractions do then. After packing I wanted to eat as I knew once I got to the hospital that was no-go. I had a bowl of Oatmeal and bacon with Orange Juice then settled on the couch to watch a movie. Contractions kept intensifying and consistent. At 4:15am I called the Doula to give her heads up and to see if she had recommendations on getting through the contractions. Torey thought it sounded like still in early labor and to rest and to call her when I thought I needed her to come.

Then at 5:30am I called the Doula back and said probably a good idea for her to come as the contractions were getting harder to deal with. Then not even 20 min later I was calling her back as I was starting to bleed and we decided I better head into the hospital and she would meet us there.

On the way to Labor & Delivery we called the grandparents to let them know and that we would update them once got checked out by the doctor. In L&D they got me into triage pretty quickly and checked. Turned out that my water hadn’t completely ruptured and was still intact but I was dilated 5-6cm already and in obvious active labor by that point. I then was placed in a room and it took a while to get situated and the wireless monitors started.

Once I was able to move about I tried laboring on the birth ball, couch, standing, etc. It was getting pretty intense and contractions very close together, about 1.5 min. apart. Alan and I then talked and I decided it was time for some relief and decided to get an epidural and Pitocin. Getting an epidural between contractions that are 1.5 minutes apart is no fun! I didn’t ask but it seemed like the first person who tried the epidural couldn’t get it and had to get the other. I did not want to know but it took forever and they had no comprehension that when I was in a contraction their instructions meant NOTHING to me. But once that epidural was in I could finally relax and actually slept.

I was checked around 3-4pm by a resident and baby was still high and waters intact. While he was checking my water broke so he checked to make sure the cord wouldn’t come out and prolapse. It didn’t so they let me continue to labor. After a little bit the doctor came in (Dr. Harmon) and said that baby heart rate was dropping after contractions so we might be looking at a C-section. But decided to see how well he did at pushing at he was down far enough now.

I’m not entirely sure how long I pushed, maybe 30 min or so? Alan was beside me, Torey helped with my left leg and my nurse for the day, Debbie, had my right. Debbie was timing my pushes and Torey helped with encouragement. Alan gave me bits of ice between pushes. Abel was handling the pushing ok so there wasn’t any more talk of a C-section.

After a few sets of pushes the doctor told me to stop as they had to get ready for the delivery. UH really? Guess they didn’t think I could do it. But once they came back after a few pushes I felt his head then the body come out. I don’t remember feeling that with Adeline, it was a very unique feeling.

Once he was out and suctioned they laid him on my chest but he wasn’t “pinking” up as fast as the pediatrician liked so he asked if he could take and look him over – I agreed as his cries were a bit off I thought. But once they had him he started crying more and pinked up perfectly and his 2^nd Apgar score was a 9! His first was a 7.

Thirty minutes after being born and enjoying holding him I attempted to breastfeed. He latched on wonderfully and fed for quite a while from both sides. Then we got all situated and invited in the family to see and hold Abel.

Nursery and Baby Shower - Digital Project Life

2016-01-31T23:18:00.000-05:00

I've always enjoyed scrapbooking and a few years ago I gravitated towards the easier verison - Project Life. However, life is busy and I still haven't been able to keep up. I'm hoping to get caught up in the next couple months, but in the mean time I decided to switch to Digital Project Life.

If you know me personally I'm pretty big into computers, but I don't have much experience at all with Photoshop. Thankfully my computer already had Photoshop Elements and I watched a couple tutorials to get started. I think I know enough of the basics now.

For the Baby book I decided on Becky Higgins - Stampin' Up - Digital Project Life Set - Hello Baby Boy. The colors suited the Nursery theme and it has super cute animals. I've starting designing some base pages that all I'll need to do is add the pictures and then there are a few I've been able to finish. I'll post those below.

Please give me some feedback and suggestions!

Thanks for visiting!
Alison

DIY Baby Boy Nursery - Weekend Sewing

2016-01-03T23:19:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted an update on the Nursery lately. Last Month I didn't get a whole lot completed, I was too busy getting ready for Christmas and dealing with being pregnant. I'm feeling a lot better now and some days have enough energy to get stuff done!

I finally finished the glider. My Father-in-Law did the footstool for me since the fabric had to be stapled down to the cushion and taken apart from the base. I took off the girl fabric I had on it from my first and replaced with a micro-fiber dark gray fabric then sewed a pillow cover for contrast. I made sure to make the covers removable (other than the footstool), so they could be washed easily if needed.

My next project was the bumper pads.Yes I know they are not recommended, but it is my decision and I am using them. I also use the Snuza and/or Angelcare Monitors, so I feel secure in my child's safety. If he makes a habit of sleeping against them and setting off the alarms then they will be removed of course. I did one bumper all on my own, then the next 5 I sewed together all the pieces but my Mother-In-Law stuffed them and hand sewed the openings closed for me. They turned out a tad small, but once put on the crib they flatten out better. Not sure if the tutorial wasn't that great that I followed or if I cut them wrong, whatever at least they work!

For the crib skirt I decided to just do an easy one that won't move every single time you change the mattress cover! That was such a pain when dealing with my firsts crib set. So this time I just sewed rectangles and I only did one for the side and one for the front that is seen. No point in making a skirt for a side that is up against a wall! With as small as his room is I won't need the others. The skirt will be attached to the metal springs using Velcro, right now its just tucked in to see how it looks. Hoping to get some gray fitted sheets to tie it all together. Here is the crib with the front skirt and one of the bumpers.

Then last, but not least is the book "sling". This piece was beat up and ugly when I got it at a thrift store and the book sling was made of primary colors and dingy. Alan and I painted and sealed it the turquoise color. I found black baskets at Michaels on clearance, of course. Then I put off the book sling. I knew it would all be one piece of fabric which was different than what was on it before and it took all my brain power today to figure out the appropriate sizes and places to sew! I still made the back sling a little deep, but the larger board books will be great back there when he gets older. These are all books I saved from my daughter's baby days. She's enjoyed looking through them again.

Here it is without the baskets, just the sling:

Here it is with the baskets:

Now for the furniture! My Father-In-Law is a great with building furniture and since he build my firsts dresser and bookcase I wanted to continue the tradition. He followed through, exactly with what I imagining and wanting!

The dresser and changing table:

The dresser is already packed full of clothes and diapers. I have one drawer full of Newborn and swaddles and another full of 0-3 Months! The top three drawers hold - Fabric Wipes, Socks, then disposable Honest diapers respectfully. Here are the cloth diapers organized:

The bench and storage:
Without bins:

With the turquoise bins (from Target) which are all full of soft books, toys, and blankets:

On Christmas Eve we got the new Roller Shades my parents were generous to buy for us. These windows are huge in this house and any window coverings had to be special ordered. We have bad allergies, so curtains are not a good idea! These are the same ones we already had in our Master Bedroom, and my parents also got the shades for Adeline's room at the same time. When you roll them up you barely even notice the roller at the top since they are white and the window is white. I love it.

We're getting there! Next I need to make the bench seat and work on the wall decor. Thinking of doing a gallery wall above the dresser and shelving unit. So I'm starting to collect some pieces. Any ideas?

Adeline's Big Girl Room

2015-11-27T21:10:00.000-05:00

Before we were expecting baby #2 Adeline had a great set up for a playroom in the 3rd bedroom. She played in there quite a bit, but frequently brought toys out to the living room anyway. So when I told her we were going to move some of her toys to her bedroom and some out to the living room she was all for it! I try to tackle big changes like that when she's not here so when she comes home its an all new place to explore.

For her bedroom I had to rearrange her bed to another wall to accommodate her big bookcase. I try to put all furniture on sliders so it's easy to rearrange when I want to, which is typically when hubby isn't home! Only thing he had to move for me was the big bookcase. She has always slept with one side of her bed against a wall, so this is a big change for her, we put up a rail on one side until she gets used to it!

For the rest of the toys they went in the living room in the space we have behind our couch. Before she just had her table there, now she has several of her larger toys there with her. I put down the rug temporarily (it will go in the Nursery), until I can find the exact one I want. She likes it a lot so may get one just like it but in a better color.

She spends a lot of time back here playing and coloring. Alan's dad built some longer legs to put on her table so now it will sit higher and we'll get a bigger chair for her so she'll be more comfortable at her table. She is growing up so fast!

Adeline's 4th Birthday Party

2015-11-21T20:46:00.000-05:00

Today we had Adeline's 4th Birthday party! Her birthday is actually November 19th, so we had her party the following weekend. This was her first party in Bristol inviting all her new friends from preschool.

For months Adeline has been requesting a party at "Bounce Bristol", which is a place at the mall with several bounces. But we've been to a couple parties there already this year and didn't think the environment would be good for the grandparents and other adults coming - just too loud and wild! I don't mind taking Adeline there at all, but wanted something a bit more laid back. So we found a great place (Catch My Party) that provided the space and a bounce house (just the right size for Adeline and friends) for a very reasonable price. They would have decorated the space for additional $$, but I figured I could handle that since we had several weeks to plan. But their decorations for a Frozen theme party look pretty cool. Adeline was just happy to have a bounce house! I was happy to not have to plan games for 4-5 yr olds!

Adeline end up having 6 friends show up! We were only expecting 4, but it was great that 6 came and I had enough goodie bags! I was pretty happy with the decorations and food we had. Here is the set up:

I made this stats poster for her party and had it printed poster size for the party.

I decided against a big cake and just made cupcakes with sprinkles, all the kids eat is the icing anyway! Here's Adeline's candle and cupcake on of course an Elsa plate!

Had to light it twice, she was too excited and blew out before we could sing!

Adeline was certainly blessed with lots of great presents from all her favorite people! All the kids had to help Adeline open her presents! Love that Elsa cape draping out behind her! So cute.

Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated with us. Adeline is one very blessed little girl to have so many people who love her.

DIY Boy Nursery - Glider Pillow

2015-11-01T19:44:00.000-05:00

Finally finished my first project for the Nursery! I have several "in the works" but this is the first one that is 100% completed!

This is my overall inspiration for Baby Boy's Nursery:

I'm going with light and dark grays and Turquoise. Then I'm going to decorate the room with various fishing decor. NOT nautical or beachy stuff, just fish and fishing. I have a few ideas saved on my Pinterest board if you want to check it out!

The arrow fabric was not cheap since I needed so much, but still cheaper than buying pre-made. But I'm nervous to start cutting it up! So I decided to start small and make an Easy Envelope Pillow Cover from this tutorial.

I haven't sewn much since I had Adeline almost 4 years ago, so I'm feeling a bit amateur sewing everything but I stuck to it!

This pillow will be an accent pillow on the Glider I'm recovering from Adeline's Nursery in Dark Gray microfiber. Can't wait to get started on it possibly next!

Baby # 2 - 16 Weeks

2015-09-06T20:09:00.000-04:00

Most people don't know about the struggle we've had for the past 3 years. We were blessed in November 2011 with our first child, Adeline. We always said we wanted more than 1 child and wanted them somewhat close in age, but not too close!

Well when we got pregnant with Adeline it took us a year once we started trying. Once it had been a year we went to our Doctor and asked for help! We were going to start the whole testing process to determine the reason for infertility, but before we could get started we found out I was pregnant!

Pregnancy was not easy, but really when is it? Most of it was uneventful except when I got to the end the horrible hip/back pain started, then I started having issues with swelling and high blood pressure. I spend many hours at the doctor and in the hospital under observation. Eventually I had full blown Pre-Eclampsia and had to be induced at 38 weeks. Adeline was born healthy and only spent one extra night at the hospital to deal with Jaundice.

Once Adeline was around a year old we started trying for our second, knowing it might take awhile like it did the first time around. By Summer 2014 we decided to go to a Fertility Specialist, but it turned out we moved right after our first appointment so we put off until we got settled in Bristol.

So in February 2015 we'd finally decided it was long enough and went to a doctor for fertility help. Since we'd already had one child together we didn't have to start with all the testing we were going to have to do before our first pregnancy. The doctor immediately started me on Clomid 50mg 1x day on cycle days 5-9 and the first round I ovulated!!! So we continued with that for a few months. Also I did some blood work as the Doctor thought I may have PCOS based on a few things. So I was happy to find out I did have it, as that was probably the reason I was having a problem getting pregnant. I cannot believe I've gone years without this diagnosis! I started on Metformin after a couple weeks.

We ended up doing 4 rounds of Clomid. After the 3rd round was a big fat NEGATIVE. I was referred to a specialist in Johnson City. Since the Clomid wasn't enough for me we decided to switch to Femara. So we decided after my next cycle we would start Femara, however that never came and I had a POSITIVE pregnancy test on June 16th!

I am now 16 weeks a long in this pregnancy and I've had it pretty good. I did have hip pain that started pretty much immediately, so I've been seeing a Chiropractor for almost 2 months now and that has helped a ton! I'm also very tired and can't focus much. No "real" food aversions other than I still can't eggs much, which started when I was pregnant with Adeline.

We will find out the gender on September 29th, I will definitely post the results! Adeline is inssitent that she is having a baby sister, won't even consider a baby brother. She is so excited to be a Big Sister! I don't care if boy or girl. I want a girl mostly because I have saved Adeline's baby stuff and won't need much but the big items (dresser, car seat, monitor, bedding, etc.). I'd like to have a boy though so Alan gets his "mini-me" which would be so cute and I think the dynamics between Adeline and a brother would be better than if there were 2 girls.

While at my parents this Labor Day weekend we took a couple pictures. I never did the pregnancy pictures with Adeline, because it took awhile for me to look pregnant, not just fat! But this time my belly has jumped out already! So its going to be interesting to see how big I get this time.

Daddy and Daughter Fishing Excursion

2015-07-04T00:13:00.000-04:00

Wow I can't believe it's been over two months since I posted on the blog. I'm hoping to post more than I have lately.

Last week Alan decided he finally wanted to take Adeline fishing for the first time. She's had her own fishing rod (Princess) since Christmas, but we hadn't taken her yet. We took her to the Pond at The Pinnacle in Bristol, TN which is below the Bass Pro Shops.

We had the whole pond almost to ourselves, it's a pretty big pond but we stayed on the lower end for Adeline.

She had a lot of fun, she tried to throw in her own line, but we quickly determined that was not a great idea when she caught Alan's shirt! So Alan threw her line in for her and helped her hold and reel in.

She caught a ton of fish, basically every time the line was thrown out she caught a fish. She refused though to touch the fish! Oh well, she'll get used to it and hopefully be a pro like daddy handling those slippery fish.

After a fun filled evening at the pond we headed home for a popsicle and she got to play with the neighbor's granddaughter.

The Ultimate Silhouette Guide

2015-04-26T23:53:00.001-04:00

This post contains affiliate links

If you haven't checked out Silhouette School yet you've got to check out the blog and while you're at it get this awesome book full of great information:

You'll learn the ins and outs of Silhouette crafting from an expert user and the blogger behind one of the most successful Silhouette blogs on the web

Four pages of detailed labels and descriptions of all tool bar buttons and icons in Silhouette Studio

Recommended supplies, tools and materials including the best places to purchase them

I’ll share a little known FREE commercial-use script monogram font - a tip I’ve never revealed until now

An in depth section on the absolute best way to organize your Silhouette Studio library using keywords, categories and folders

A glossary of Silhouette 'lingo' so you have a firm understanding of the terminology

A complete list of cut settings for 40+ different materials

Extensive troubleshooting section to get you back on track

An ad-free guide means 100% information on every single page.

Easily printable in full color or black and white

Interactive table of contents which allows you to get where you want to go with just the click of the mouse

Comparison between the Silhouette America machines to help you decide which machine is best for you

Step by step unpacking, set up and what to know before making your first cut

Click here to visit Silhouette School.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission.

April Farm Life

2015-04-24T22:26:00.000-04:00

Basically every time we go visit my parents Adeline has to go to the Farm to see her Thunder. We went down last weekend and took Adeline down to the barn so she could meet the new calf that my dad and brother were having to bottle feed. She was hesitant at first but since Pa-Paw was with her she pet the calf. They'd already fed it so she didn't get to see that, but I'm sure she would have loved it.

Pa-paw got a fresh load off gravel for the farm and Adeline is not one to get herself dirty. Mom and I jokingly told Adeline to climb the gravel and after seeing her Thunder and the baby calf she was all over that gravel! She got so dirty, but she loved it.

I love seeing her grow up on the farm. She loves her horses and could spend all day with them I think. She has to wear her cowgirl boots whenever on the farm. Soon we're going to have to buy her some new ones - we're lucky she's so petite and hasn't gone through a huge growth spurt!

Here is the precious Thunder getting a brushing from Uncle Scott after a snack.

2015 Retiring Products - Stampin' Up

2015-04-21T18:19:00.000-04:00

2015 Retiring Products

We’re saying goodbye to retiring products from the 2014–2015 annual catalog, but before we do, we’re giving everyone an opportunity to order their favorites with discounts up to 50% off retail. Retiring products will only be available until June 2nd, or while supplies last. We’re also including the My Digital Studio list, with all products discounted 30% off retail.

Download 2015 Retiring List

Digital Retiring List

Shop Retiring Products

*Note: Why are these products retiring on June 2nd? Since all catalog launches will now be aligned globally, the current 2014–2015 annual catalog will end when the new annual catalog launches on June 2, 2015, rather than its original end date of June 30, 2015. This includes retiring product within the catalogs, as well as the print catalogs themselves.

Washi Tape Phone Cover

2015-04-12T23:41:00.000-04:00

A little while back I got a clear phone cover and decided to decorate with a monogram, and that has been pretty good for awhile but last night I was packaging up an order and was using washi tape when I realized it would look awesome on my phone cover. I loved the washi tape pattern, so all I did was tear off little pieces and put it all over the inside of cover layering it. I loved the watercolor look of the cover and it was so easy to do and I can change it anytime.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Washi tape can be used in so many craft products or in everyday life. Grab a few rolls and see what you can do with it! Share with me any blog posts you have that used Washi Tape!

Free Shipping Week for Stampin' Up

2015-04-06T18:25:00.000-04:00

Use this week to stock up on supplies or get that stamp set you've been eyeing!

Get FREE shipping on any orders placed April 6-April 10, no minimum purchase required (excludes expedited orders).
All order types qualify (customer, demonstrator, workshop, online)
Orders placed for Hawaii and Alaska will receive free 2nd Day Air shipping.
Paper Pumpkin past kits and kit refills are eligible for free shipping if purchased online. Paper Pumpkin subscriptions are not eligible for free shipping.

Place your order HERE! Or email me - stampin_alison@yahoo.com

DIY Space Saving Makeup Storage

2015-04-05T23:09:00.000-04:00

In our new house in Bristol we have ZERO storage in the Master Bathroom. Seriously, who would totally remodel a master bath with no storage? The sink is just a pedestal sink so no hope for storage there. Very quickly once we moved in I bought this storage cabinet that goes over the toilet that holds all of mine and Alan's stuff, well mostly mine of course! But there was no where good to put my make-up so I could see it all. So I went searching on Pinterest and came across this idea from some other people.

Just head to your local home improvement store and pick up a piece of metal. I was lucky enough to find this size already cut and ready, there are other sizes available too. Then I used some foam tape on the back and adhere it to the cabinet and let it set a couple days before adding all the make-up.

Then I used hot glue to attach these tiny magnets, but now after using it awhile Super Glue is the best option for long term use. Depending on the material you are gluing too, it just doesn't hold that well. I ordered these online cheaper than I found in stores.

I added a couple storage containers as well to hold the other make-up goodies that wouldn't work on the metal sheet. I have a small makeup pouch to store all my brushes in as well. I've been using this for a little while now and it works really well for me and the type of makeup I wear.

Happy DIYing!

EDITED: Here is an update on what my Makeup Storage looks like today! I had to go back and redo the magnets on quite a few. Hot Glue did not hold that great, so when I redid them I used E6000 Glue and so far (about a month), none have fallen off again!

Project Life Weekend

2015-03-29T21:37:00.000-04:00

When I had time this weekend I was in my craft room working on my 2014 Project Life Book. Yeah yeah, I'm still on 2014 and we're 3 months into 2015. The year 2014 was a big year, so much so that I had to spread my Project Life album over 2 albums. I decided to make one the "Roanoke" album and one for "Bristol". I've already embellished the Roanoke album, just need to journal - which is my least favorite part! Now i'm going through the Bristol album and embellishing AND journaling at the same time to make sure it gets done!

Saturday I had my first Tri-City TN/VA Scrapper Addicts Meetup! I joined the group a couple months ago then the organizer posted that she had moved and needed someone to take over. So I agreed and arrange our first day. Only one girl showed up, but we had a good time and it got me started again on my album. I'm hoping that more turn up at the next one.

Here are the pages I finished.So far only one month done since I couldn't devote the whole weekend to it!

So who wants to join me for my next day of working on this album?

Just Kidding - NEW! Photopolymer Stamp Set from Stampin' Up

2015-03-10T21:46:00.003-04:00

Check out this new Just Kidding Photopolymer Stamp Set that was just released by Stampin' Up! This set is full of such great sayings! This will be the last monthly Photopolmer stamp set that Stampin' Up will offer, they will start offering stamps such as these in the regular catalogs since these have done so well.

Make sure you place your order soon and include some awesome Occasions items so you can get a couple Sale-A-Bration items.

Check it all out with Stampin' Up.

Stampin' Up Weekly Deals - March 10

2015-03-10T19:20:00.000-04:00

Check out this weeks Weekly Deals that started today! The Wildflower Meadow Clear-Mount Stamp Set looks great! May just need to order that for myself this week with the embossing folder. Great combination along with the All Abloom DSP!

Go to my website to pick which Weekly Deals you want this week, then add on a stamp set or two so you can get a FREE Sale-A-Bration item.

Adeline Play Room Re-do

2015-03-08T22:13:00.000-04:00

If you don't know me very well you don't know that I like to rearrange. We've been in the house a little over 6 months and I've redone Adeline's Playroom 3-4 times already (1 was moving from basement to upstairs). But I'm hoping that this most recent redo will be good for awhile as it took most of the day!

Adeline hasn't been spending much time in her playroom, so I start looking at why. A couple of her big "toys" were in the living room and when she did play in the living room she sat on rug or couch. Her playroom just had hardwood floors. Right now I don't have the funds to buy a big enough rug for the space, so thank goodness I still had her foam floor from our Roanoke house basement. So I laid down two sets of the flooring and only needed a few more, which we can do without.

Lately Adeline has been huge into coloring and painting, so I decided to move her table to the living room to free up some space in her playroom and to keep her from painting/coloring on my dining room table. She loves it! Now she has her own space to do what she wants and it's all out anytime she wants to color!

Here is the final results!

In the afternoons when we get home or even on the weekends I ask Adeline what she is going to do and she always says "PLAY HARD", we start this awhile back and it's our little thing. So I made her a wall decal for the entrance to her play room.

Adeline was very happy with her new playroom set up and coloring station. She came back from a weekend with Nana and PaPaw Weeks to a whole new playroom to explore.