"updates & DATES!"

Well.... Cooner is here & that means several things.....

#1 we are being very well cared for & that includes wonderful food!!

#2 we are in FULL project mode with the house & schools stuff

and...

#3 we have a baby sitter that qualifies {even with my 20 point inspection- as Joey says} so we are going out tonight for our 1st date in over 2 years!!!! Hallelujah.......

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here is a little peek into our room redo..

Now that's it until the BIG reveal!!!!!!

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Now I'm off to eat some of this...

... & actually put on some bottom eyeliner- woot woot!!!!!!!

{A-man's 2011 valentine!}

So... the A-man isn't as into "crafting" as his sister... but he loved how his Valentines turned out too. Prissy helped me with these every step of the way...... Here is how we did it-

"car Valentines"

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start by cutting out 6 inch hearts on red & pink card stock {we used a cookie cutter for the pattern}

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then ink up your engines.... or roll match box cars over an ink pad and make tire marks on the hearts {I lied when I said A-man wasn't into his Valentines- he did LOVE this part}

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then write some clever little verse like

{Valentine- I never "tire" of you"

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and just to make certain that my little guy would love them... we added a little car to them too {red & purple of course}!!!

{and if you want extra praise- promise to let him take in treats & stickers too!!!}

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p.s. YES!!! Cooner is here!!! She got the absolute last flight out of INdy on Monday before the storm hit {2 days early- yeah}- we may never let her leave...... Both Joey & I have work things this weekend- so she's here to watch the kiddos & we are over the moon about it!!!!!!!

and...

Happy
Birthday
to my precious, sweet, beautiful, & extremely kind niece
ALLISON
We {heart} you!!!!

{Prissy's valentine!}

Hot off of the glue gun- Prissy & I finished up her Valentines and I must say.. "they are PRECIOUS!!!" Now without further delay.... Here is how we made them!

~Fortune cookie

Valentines~

start by cutting out some 4 inch circles out of red & pink felt

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then hot glue a piece of pipe cleaner in the center of each circle

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next fold the circle in half & form it into a fortune cookie shape then glue the top together

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next tuck in your little fortune...

"I'm so fortune-ate to have you as my friend. Happy Valentine's day from Josey

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and what fortune cookie Valentine would be complete without a take-out box of candy??? We finished them off with heart stickers, ribbon, & these little Valentine paper clips!!!!

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ta-da!!!

{see I told y'all they were precious... and easy. I {heart} homemade Valentines!!!}

",,, and then the flu came"

Well.... last night after bath-time I noticed my little A-man had goose bumps all over him, but he was burning up???? So we made a trip to the Ped's office only to hear "FLU"...... Poor us!!!! So we have battened down the hatches {and watched every backyardigan episode EVER made}. This week has been almost more than I can handle- 1st with Prissy sick, then having to break it to the A-man that Anakin Skywalker is Darth Vader {tears were shed & still come at times- poor little man} and now with the flu..... Our poor bed clothes are gonna be holey by the time this thing is over.... I have a terrible case of "caregiver-itis" but I do love him letting me hold him like when he was a babe!!! Hope y'all are washing your hands regularly {sorry it's the nurse in me} and staying hydrated {sorry that was the Cooner in me}. We are laying around and....... 1 of us is planning a room re-do in the very NEAR future.... stay tuned!!!!

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p.s. I have been terrible at returning phone calls & e-mails this week- that just cuts into our Lego time too much.... please forgive me!!!!

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p.s.s. I just picked up some of these for 25 cents a box on clearance.... Y'all get some too- cause we are gonna make some tasty treats next week with them!!!!

"a riddle..."

How about a little riddle this morning.... What's red & pink & LYSOLed ALL over???? Do you give up??? ****** our house!!!!!!!! Yes after we finally got the Priss on the mend... the A-man is now a little sick dog. He is the most pitiful guy when he is sick {and like Joey he braves it well- ha ha ha}. Although not to worry.... he says that "he thinks that a dittle (little) Lego prize might make him better!" I think we might be underestimating his wooing powers???? Never-the-less I'm up for a Lego prize if he will eat....... And while he's napping in my bed {and I'm washing ALL the other bed clothes in the house AGAIN- this week!}... I'm doing a little V-day decorating........

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p.s. Joey got me a new camera..... now I just need help operating the dang thing.... PLEASE help {Jodi, Tina, & Nicole}!!!!!!!!!

{...eye candy}

i'm home in bed with a little sicky girl..... & while she watches "horseland" - i'm daydreaming about some eye candy in my head like this......

~my dream house~

{i don't even know where it is but i keep this picture in hopes that one day.... i dream of the sparest of spare rooms in the attic becoming my craft room and how it has 3 bedrooms all nestled together on the 1st floor with fire places in every one of them.... and it's delightful little library with books to the ceiling and one of those clever ladders that wheels all around them.... and... a big farm sink... that's all!!!! except that i'll be needing my joey and my kiddos to really make it a home for me... and perhaps some lilac bushes around the back porch too....}

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this bed is wonderfully romantic isn't she??? cooner has a wonderful bed that reminds me of this one and we all love to sleep in it on our visits!!!

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these bookshelves made from ordinary old guttering are totally precious and very functional. maybe i'll persuade daddy bud to put some of these up in a-man's room this spring???

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and this.... well i love the dress and the castle is a given! it just makes me want to nestle back into bed with prissy and dream of pretty things.... good night all!!!!!!

"a tutorial by A..."

So today I pieced together some new by "A" clips & thought y'all might enjoy a little tutorial. I think they are about 10% talent & about 90% patience.... {hence the fact that I love to make them @ night when I'm up ALL by myself- wink wink}.

the basic base clip:

here is all ya need:
clips, ribbon, glue gun, & lighter or fray check


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it really only takes about 7 inches TOTAL of ribbon to cover the base clip


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Next fray check both ends & dab a bit of glue on one end then start wrapping the clip {I like to start on the inside & work my way to the outside}...


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Next add whatever you want or keep them simple with ribbon.
I {heart} rosettes & anything frilly. These little darlings are just a few of the ones I made for the spring line last night...


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Hope this helps...
but I would still love to host a "hair clip party" one day! Anyone on board???