Baby Bibs!

Total props to my dear friend Melissa Archer for the pattern for these bibs. Before we moved away from Wisconsin she gave me a copy of her pattern and I was so delighted when I unpacked it and had something to do in this new town! She always makes some for the new babies in the ward back home. The tradition lives on now here in Utah.

With a little thought I was able to divide the pattern up and use two or four different fabrics for one bib.

The bib in the middle is made out of scraps from Joshy's baby quilt. He was pretty excited to see it.

A set of green bibs all ready to be given away.

I learned how to put on snaps with this project and have gone a little snap happy. The back of the bibs in "black-out" fabric and works great for stopping stains from leaking through. Sometimes I just put the bibs on backwards so that I can simply wipe the stains off.

Lunch Bag Brag Book

Last Christmas my side of the family enjoyed a fabulous family reunion complete with a trip to Wisconsin Dells. We made sure to make a day to take family pictures. My mom found a great studio we could rent by the hour and provide our own photographer... me and Ryan. For Mother's Day I decided to put together this paper bag brag book for her of the occasion.

Using Adobe Photoshop and a Christmas Digital Scrapbooking kit I purchased on line I was able to spend a couple of afternoons and put this book together.

Each family has their own page. Grand-kids got extra tabbed pages that pull out from the inside of several of the bag pages.

It turned out nice and was easy to put together. The pictures were small enough that I could even print them at home on my own printer. Love making gifts that I don't have to leave the house for!
Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Bunny Hutches

HAPPY EASTER!!

Inspired by my friend Chris' Haunted Gingerbread houses. Now introducing Bunny Hutches! So fun and so delicious!
Step 1: Collect all the Easter Candy you want

Step 2: Forming the houses. I felt quite clever when I decided to use the $1.00 bird houses from Michael's. Using icing and Graham Crackers I spent an afternoon constructing these bad boys. Each of them is different. As circumstances would have it I had every kind of Easter candy in the house and yet no aluminum foil. Tissue Paper to the rescue! Each house is resting on a cardboard foundation wrapped in tissue paper. FUN!

Step 3: Decorate! Try not to have too much fun.

Step 4: Bask in the glory of your beautiful work... or whatever.

This was a great activity after our Easter Dinner on Sunday. Certainly this will be a fabulous tradition for years to come!

Wendy

I have three beautiful sisters and I was lucky enough to get to see two of them last week, Wendy and Lynda. (Sorry Melissa, missed you!) At Wendy's apartment I saw that she had her portrait up that I drew for her as a wedding present. I just had to take a picture and share it with you. I think this was the first time I drew a picture of someone and not only did it actually look realistic, but it looked like the person I was studying!

Me and and Wendy.

I dug up some photos I took of the drawing before I framed it and gave it to her. I had to crop out some of the dress in order to frame it.

This is a close up... obviously. Happy 5th Anniversary Wendy! (this spring)

Homemade Valentine

The cool thing about this card is that it is so cool that you can just reuse it every year. ;)Ryan came home early before I had a chance to make him a card this year. I pulled out this one I made for him 2 years ago. I don't keep all my cards, but this one is pretty fancy. I found the pattern on a very dangerous website, marthastewart.com and encourage you to check it out, but use caution. It can be very overwhelming!

Along the borders I put the words to one of my favorite songs, "The Book of Love" by Peter Gabriel.

Now doesn't that look fancy!?! Don't worry, it wasn't that hard.

I love you Ryan. Happy Valentine's Day! Thanks for asking my to marry you 9 years ago today!

Cupcakes!!!

I *heart* Cupcakes, yes, I do!! And where is the BEST place to get them? At "gigi's cupcakes" at Hilldale Mall in Madison. You have to go early in the day so there are lots to choose from. Being the smart lady that I am, I know that the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach, so... is was a cupcake Valentine's Day for Ryan!

Delicious, delicious, delicious! I also had a box with just one cupcake in it for me. (Don't worry, Ryan will be sharing those four as well...) The cupcake I had got dropped upside down in its box in the store. *sniffle*. It seemed to be okay, though a little smashed on top. On the drive home it again took a slight beating and ended upside down again! Fortunately there was plenty of frosting to take the blow. Finally at home I took out my tattered cupcake and set it on a plate so that I could cut off a portion for little Joshua. I handed it to him and then CRASH! Down went the cupcake, down went the plate. (The plate I've had for 8 1/2 years and has held off breaking until this very moment). You would think landing on a fluffy Raspberry Truffle cupcake would cushion such a fall, but no. Shards of glass showered onto my precious dessert. Happy Valentine's Day to me. BUT, Gigi's cupcakes are SO good I brushed off the glass, cleaned up the mess (well, actually Ryan did...) and I ate that cupcake darn it!

Okay, these are not "Gigi's" but not too shabby for Mrs. Connelly's first grade class I'd say. Unfortunately my son was sick and missed the Valentine's party today and these little masterpieces are still sitting on my counter being unappreciated. Oh well, there's always tomorrow... unless he is still sick, then they are going to Mrs. Miller's Kindergarten class with my other son.

Purple and Pink, my favorite colors! (I bet you are all really surprised.)

Valentine Cookies!

It just wouldn't be right to have Valentine's Day without Mom's Cut-Out sugar cookies. (Mom being my mom's recipe... which she probably got from her Grandmother). With a hint of almond and some chewy skittles on top you are in for a real treat. (Okay, I'm the only one who likes the Skittles, but you get the point).

This kept us all happy after church!

Delicious!

All in all a good time had by all... maybe.