Thank you frame tutorial

The other day I needed to make some thank you gifts for some contributors and had a small budget to work with so I came up with these little thank you frames.


I started by taking out the paper insert in the frame and cutting out little papers to fit, just like you would with a photo but I used flash cards I had lying around.


I Used black and red ink pad and my letters stamp I added a "THANK YOU" message and then added scrolling around the edges. Be careful adding any extra details to the edge to make sure that you have either lined out the part that shows like I did or that you don't have all your pretty details covered up by the frames edges.
Then place the frame back together and there you go!



I also did this round soccer ball one for a man's thank you gift.

I had taken better pictures of the completed thank you gifts but the camera decided to eat them. I added tule and candy to a treat bag and closed up the bag with black and white ribbon and a soccer ball sticker for the theme.

Sorry I don't get better pics, but I hope you Enjoy!

posted from Bloggeroid

Morning Mean Green

Well its day two of my juicing trial. I'm glad to say that I was a good girl last night at my father-in-laws birthday party.


I did have some of the coconut cake...but I drank my juice for dinner. I didn't like that one as much because I put two lemons for extra juice...but instead it was extra TART!


Today's mean green was much better!!!
It has:
2cellery stalks
5-6 stalks of kale
1handfull of cilantro
1pear
1green apple
7-8 large leaf spinach leafs and stems
1stem of mint...meaning 3-4 little leafs from one stem.
1 lemon

I think the mint was subtle but added a little extra flavor that was missing in the others.

I was really surprised last night because I wasn't very hungry and I am always hungry right before bed...especially the sweet tooth! I have a bad habit of eating a whole king-size chocolate bar right before bed. But last night I was on the computer and took a shower before bed....and then realized I wasn't hungry again.
Things I've learned since last night: 1. Only 1lemon per batch!!!! 2. I need to add mint to my herb garden.

If I can find room next to my basil tree...yes that is one LARGE basil plant!

Till next time...Enjoy!

posted from Bloggeroid

My mean green juicing machine.

My new baby has arived!!!

Not an actual one...but my Breville Juicer came in the mail today which makes me so happy.



I watched the movie "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" a while ago which really made a huge impact on me and Peter! Since my back injury 4 years ago and the re-injury last summer I have been putting so much weight on and lost so much muscle strength because of being laid up in bed or spending months in a wheelchair.

I'm so excited about what can happen and how much weight I can loose if I'm able to stick to it.

I'm starting out pretty easy since we have been eating better for quite some time with large salads and grilled chicken and trying to cut down (not completely out) fast food and soda.

So my goal is to get through 3 days replacing 2 meals a day with 3 -16oz juices. I'm hoping that getting through this will lead into a 10 day fast with 100% juicing and then onto a 30 day fast. I can't guarantee it because after going to HEB for veggies and focusing on getting organic as much as I can...I spent $70 bucks (but also got some essentials like milk and eggs). So it may get too expensive but we will see how long all these groceries last.

this was me after a week if VBS running around chasing kids and dropping a pant size!

posted from Bloggeroid

Heat Wave!

TEXAS HEAT!!!!
Wow, so on the news this morning I saw the temp was going to get up to 101 degres today and a chance to get to 103 deg tomorrow. GESHHHHHHH! But that is Texas for you.

So I went online to check out some new popcycle recipe ideas. I don't have all the ingredients for this one...but boy does it look yummy....


Check out the Blog for the details and the recipe below! If you try it let me know how it tastes...as soon as I can get a chance to have a moment away from my Dear Daughter (when my Hubby comes home from work) I might go to the store and get the stuff to make this...it remindes me of the coconut pops I used to get in the summer whenever my sister and I would walk down to the local gas station about 3 blocks away....yummmm!

I'm sure as I type this Betsy will be getting up from her long nap this afternoon, so no chance of me catching any shut eye, since I spent the whole nap time sewing away at a practice outfit for Betsy's Leggend of Korra outfit for the Anime Con we are going to next month... I took lots of pics so I'll post them in the next blog.

Till then...Enjoy!
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Coconut Pop from Smile Monster's Blog

1 14oz can of lite coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
6oz of whole milk
or
instead of milk and sugar use sweetened condensed milk.

Raw vegan GF peanut butter cups from -Averie

http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2009/11/raw-vegan-peanut-butter-cups.html
OK so this is not my own recipe...but when I saw this on my favorite blog Averie I had to share. Its kind of a duh when you think about it...but I am so addicted to Reese's PB cups that I just had to share!

The awesome thing is its a small batch and so easy to I think ill try these tonight for desert.

Since its just really two ingredients its gluten free and vegan and raw...so give it a try!

posted from Bloggeroid

VBS is tomorrow

Well the rest of the weekend was quiet and I got some rest and had a wonderful father's day dinner with my family at this local BBQ place...it was so much fun.

We all dressed up for VBS today at church in our best park ranger outfits ...its going to be great getting to see all the wonderful kids and are there faces light up when they see the church and the decorations ...but especially the wonderful lives that are going to be changed with this week and all the hard work that everyone has put in to it.


The first lesson for the week is PEACE! So I'm asking anyone who reads this to be praying for peace in the midst of the storm that will be the first day of VBS!

Thanks...and
Enjoy!

posted from Bloggeroid

Gone but not forgotten

Well, VBS decorations are almost done and just a weekend away from one crazy week of kids, crafts, and crazy-ness!

My room turned out great and I am so proud of how it turned out. I can't wait to see the kids faces when they see it for the first time.
I wish there was a way that I could do this for a living...just craft, create and decorate away and make a pay check...instead of spending all my money on making crafts...lol...but seriously I would love that. Sigh...lol




I haven't been able to check out many blogs or even write any of my own lately because of the crazy busy schedule ...but I have not forgotten the koi pond and have lots of pics and tutorials to post after Vbs.

Till then check out these amazing pillow's...
http://www.cluckclucksew.com/2011/03/tutorial-sprocket-pillows.html?m=1

Enjoy!

posted from Bloggeroid

Vbs mountain scene.

VBS decorating is in full swing this week and I'm exhausted...but also having fun! The best part has been getting to create the crafts that have been rolling around in my head for a while.

For some reason my laptop was on the fritz tonight so I'm posting tonight from my phone, hopefully I'll be able to add better pictures to this later on...
The mountain top scene was taken from a clip art picture from the vbs theme. So finally...8hrs, a ton of staples, and several tons of butcher paper later...i had this...



I wasn't able to finish the other walls because I was so tired...but I did get some banners and decorations done.
One of my favorite plans were for fun foam banners that have the Vbs daily themes of, peace, power, riches, hope and love...not in that order. Lol


After I finished these banners it was time to clean up and go home...but I have a full day tomorrow to finish up the other walls and more decor. Ill post the tutorial on the banners as soon as I can.
Enjoy!

posted from Bloggeroid

An oldie, but a goodie

In my attempt to make ruck sacks for the vbs kids that will be in my class week after next...i some how broke my Baby Lock sewing machine...or atleast mess up the timming on it. So after a few choice words and a "bobin-emergency"phone call too my mother I decided to pull out my old Singer 301 sewing machine. I had snapped the cord for the presser foot...so I thought but I think the sewing farry came by some time and fixed it because I could not find the broken spot in the wire.

Thank God too because I have sew much to do before vbs starts up. :p

In making the straps for the sacks I realized that I had forgotten how much I love sewing on this machine. It is incredibaly fast and strong and sews really straight lines (without the other presser foots...it will only sew a straight line...lol)

And there is some thing about these old all metal sewing machines...the sound is like music. None of that clickity-clackity like the plastic ones...no offence to my baby lock which I love. But the sound of a 50+ year old machine is like music. And the SMELL...man, the age and grease and metal on metal creates a smell that instantly brought me back to my child hood and the smell of my mother sewing away at christmas time...making presents for us.

There is just no beating that experience coming rushing back at ya...

I'm pretty lucky to have been given such a treasured antique that was first my grandmothers and then my mothers and now mine...i plan on passing it down to Betsy some day ands I hope she too will appreciate it's sounds ands smells and sewing some day.

posted from Bloggeroid

Fritata from Averie

Its not cooked yet, but I took this idea from one of my favorite cooking blogs Averie. She made a spicy spinach fritata with red pepper flakes...i skipped that part and used some chili powder seasoning mix I had, to add a little spice...but not too much heat. Its kooking right now and smells good...i cant wait till its all done and I can eat. Ill post a picture of the end results later and let you know how it came out.

Mine has:
Dehydrated spinach and carrots (rehydrate together in a coffee cup with a little water in the micro)
Fresh, green onions and stems, red bell pepper, cilantro, salt and pepper, 6 eggs beat, with a little milk for fluff, and cheese...and the chilly pepper seasoning.

 So, it turned out really good. A friend of mine was eating with us and went back for seconds and thirds.

It was really good, so try it out!!!

Pillow Case Back Packs and VBS

It's been one of those weeks. I have been going non-stop Monday through Today and I am worn out!
One of my biggest jobs right now is planning for VBS (Vacation Bible School). We are doing the Sonrise National Park theme at my new church and I'm loving it. I have the Park ranger outfit all ready to go and hiking boots...etc. Now I'm just looking for good ways to decorate my room. I have already come up with a few ideas for bunting banners, wall decorations and such...but my biggest chore has been an Adventure Trek Guide for all my kids (I'm teaching 3rd grade class this year).

I finally added the finishing touch to the file on Publisher, now I just need to proof it and get it printed and ready to make copies. I plan on binding them like the MADE post from yesterday by sewing down the middle of the book. Check out the POST on how to do that here!

I would really love to have little backpacks for each of my kids to put their books and prizes and crafts in each day to take home with them...but I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that much sewing in the next week. Right now I'm working on a "lanyard" idea for there name tags...we'll see how that turns out.

Check out this Martha Stewart tutorial that I found tonight while looking for bags to make for the kids!

Martha Stewart Living, June 2007

Give an orphaned pillowcase a new home -- over your shoulder.
1. Trim 1/4 inch off the closed end, and cut the case in half on the diagonal. Turn the fabric of each of the four diagonal cut edges over by 1/4 inch, twice; pin, and hem.
2. Place one pillowcase half inside the other, lining up bottom edges; pin, and sew at front where fabrics overlap. Repeat on other side. Turn fabric inside out, and hem case's cut bottom. Trim with pinking shears. Turn case right side out, tie top ends into a knot, and you have a carefree summer bag.
==================================================================

I also found this one on making pillowcase backpacks from
 Little Birdie Secrets
Pillowcase Backpack Tutorial

Sewn Journal from MADE Blog

Check out this amazing tutorial by Dana on June 5, 2012

on making little books for your childs summer adventures.

I think I'm going to make some of my own for the kids in my VBS (Vacation Bible School) class to keep track of there scripture verses and if they memoriezed them or not, as well is if they were good and listened and obeyed! As well, I think Betsy would love something like this for her coloring and Mickey Mouse Sticker Collection. (When I make some I'll post pics!)

ENYOY!
===============================================


These are pretty self-explanatory:• cardstock
• photocopied papers
• then sew it down the middle.

Check out the Original Tutorial HERE!

Chocolate and PB Chia Pudding Recipe

I am probably the wrong person to be posting healthy food ideas on my blog, because I have a really bad habit of eating junk food. But, that said...I also love to eat certain healthy things...so I guess it evens out. One of the biggest problems I have is sweets (don't we all) I love rich chocolate and puddings and especially candy and breads. But I have been following this one blog Averie Cooks. I get the blog updates sent to my e-mail and I love laying in bed reading them right before lights out (on my cell phone, bad for my eyes but it helps me relax till I can pass out).

Averie, has some great raw food recipes and ideas so please check it out.

She has a give away right now for two raw food cookbooks. So go check it out for a chance to win!

============================================
Checking out her blog today made me miss one of my favorite Raw Food Sweet Tooth finds. I am really in love with Chia Seeds. They are one of the best foods I have ever found...they are great in baking as Egg Substitutes (3tsp ground chia to 1tbs water). And great for after working out to help make drinking water to re-hydrate be better processed in the body.

One of my favorites is using them as a thickener in the Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Seed Pudding recipe.

I found a recipe online a while back...and just make it from memory most of the time. However, here is a link to a recipe that if pretty close to the way I make it.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk (may substitute coconut or other non-dairy milk)
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar OR desired sweetener to taste

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a high-power blender or food processor. Blend or process until completely smooth. You may eat it right away, but it is best after it has been completely chilled in the refrigerator.

Anime Convention-Costumes

Leggend of Korra and her Polar Dog

It's no secret that my wonderful Geek husband is an Anime Nerd. He recently has gotten into Yu-Gi-Ho (I think that's how you spell it) Cards again with the recent opeing of a Game shop here in town. He went there last Saturday for almost 3 hours and had a blast. I don't mind the gaming or the Anime, I actually have gotten into a few of them myself...mainly Black Buttler which I LOVE!

A-Kon 22 Betsy as Link

We went last summer to A-Kon in Dallas and had a blast. One of the projects that I had for the con was to make Betsy a Link (from Leggend of Zelda) costume.
It was so cute!!! And since she had been into playing the recorder for a while...it fit well.

So we are not able to go all the way up to Dallas this year...but there is a local con coming to McAllen in July called OMNICON, so we are planning a head for Betsy's costume. She and Peter love Leggend of Korra (the second of "The last air-bender"...I just realized they were both "leggend of..."...lol) ANYWAYS...I'm working on a Korra outfit for Betsy this year and have already got the fabric...I'm hoping that it all works out because I think she would look really cute dressed up as a fire/water bender!

As soon as I get picture made I'll post them....first things first is getting my new swing table and craft area set up so I can start sewing.